Faculty Bibliography

A retrospective review of twin gestations was undertaken to evaluate whether routine cervical lengths (CLs) in such instances change pregnancy outcome. Data were collected from the ultrasound database and chart review. Exclusion criteria included twins reduced to singletons, twins not delivering at our institution, and incomplete information. Twin gestations with a CL were compared with those without a CL. Outcomes of interest included gestational age (GA) at delivery, preterm delivery (PTD), antepartum admissions, antepartum length of stay (LOS), cerclage placement, birthweight, neonatal intensive care unit admissions, and neonatal LOS. Two hundred sixty-two patients met inclusion criteria. Of those, 184 had CLs and 78 did not. Comparing the CL to the no-CL group, there were no differences with respect to GA at delivery (34.8 versus 35.3 weeks; p=0.35), antepartum admissions (32.1 versus 23.1%; p=0.16), cerclage placement (7.1 versus 1.3%; p=0.06), or tocolysis use (28.6 versus 21.8%; p=0.26). There was no difference between the two groups with respect to preterm labor (26 versus 19%; p=0.25), PTD < 28 weeks (8.2 versus 3.9%; p=0.21), PTD < 34 weeks (26.1 versus 25.6%; p=0.94), or PTD < 37 weeks (76.1 versus 70.5%; p=0.34). The only significant difference was antepartum LOS (34.5 versus 31.3 days; p< 0.001). There were no differences in neonatal outcomes. Routine CL did not improve perinatal outcome but increased maternal antepartum LOS

The Platanaceae are an early derived eudicot lineage and therefore occupy a key position for understanding reproductive character diversification associated with the early evolutionary radiation of flowering plants. We conducted an embryological study of Platanus racemosa in order to provide critical data on defining angiosperm reproductive characters for this important group. Female gametophyte development is monosporic. Embryogenesis occurs in a series of stages including zygote elongation and division, development of a linear proembryo, formation of the embryo proper, histogenesis, organogenesis, and growth. Endosperm development is a complex process that includes four distinct phases: free nuclear proliferation, cellularization of the chalazal zone, centripetal cellularization of the micropylar zone, and cellular differentiation and growth. Only the outer endosperm layer persists at seed maturity. Our findings differ significantly from previously published reports for Platanus, in which endosperm development was described as ab initio cellular. A comparison of endosperm development in Platanus with several closely and distantly related free nuclear taxa reveals considerable developmental variability, consistent with a hypothesis of multiple origins of free nuclear endosperm in angiosperms. Our analysis indicates that much remains to be learned about embryology in basal angiosperms. Additional developmental and comparative studies will likely reveal critical insights into the early evolution of flowering plants