brasilense (98.7 % similarity) and A. rugosum (97 % similarity). 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (96-95 %) was shown with other members of the genus Azospirillum. Major fatty acid 18:1 omega 7c was also similar to the genus Azospirillum. DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain ptl-3(T) and A. brasilense was found to be 47 %. Various biochemical tests showed that the strain ptl-3(T) differed from

its closely related species A. brasilense. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular genetics evidence, a bacterium with the type strain ptl-3(T) is proposed as a novel species of the genus Azospirillum. The name of SB525334 bacterial strain ptl-3(T) has been proposed as Azospirillum himalayense sp. nov. The type strain of ptl-3(T) (CCUG 58760(T), KCTC 23189(T)) has been submitted to two culture collection centres. The accession numbers for 16S rRNA and nifH gene are GQ 284588 and GQ 249665. respectively.”
“OBJECTIVE: To estimate the response in lung growth and vascularity after fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion for severe congenital this website diaphragmatic hernia in the prediction of neonatal survival.

METHODS: Between January 2006 and December 2010, fetal lung parameters (observed-to-expected lung-to-head ratio; observed-to-expected lung volume; and contralateral lung vascularization index) were evaluated before fetal tracheal occlusion and were evaluated longitudinally every 2 weeks in 72 fetuses with severe isolated

congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Thirty-five fetuses underwent fetal endoscopic

tracheal occlusion and 37 cases did not.

RESULTS: Survival rate was significantly higher in the fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion group (54.3%) than in the no fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion group (5.4%, P<.01). Fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion resulted in a significant improvement in fetal lung size and pulmonary vascularity when compared with fetuses that did not go to the fetal intervention (increase of the observed-to-expected lung-to-head ratio, observed-to-expected total lung volume, and contralateral pulmonary vascularization index 56.2% compared with 0.3%, LCL161 supplier 37.9% compared with 0.1%, and 98.6% compared with 0.0%, respectively; P<.01). Receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that the observed-to-expected total fetal lung volume was the single best predictor of neonatal survival before fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion (cutoff 0.23, area under the curve [AUC] 0.88, relative risk 5.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-19.7). However, the contralateral lung vascularization index at 4 weeks after fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion was more accurate in the prediction of neonatal outcome (cutoff 24.0%, AUC 0.98, relative risk 9.9, 95% CI 1.5-66.9) with the combination of observed-to-expected lung volumes and contralateral lung vascularization index at 4 weeks being the best predictor of outcome (AUC 0.98, relative risk 16.6, 95% CI 2.5-112.3).