More than 60 years later, the Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, remains the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving nearly three million troops crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy in occupied France.
The clinical heterogeneity observed in leptospirosis may be associated with host factors or bacteria virulence. Human serum mannose-binding lectin (MBL) recognizes many pathogens, and low levels of this lectin are associated with susceptibility to infection. MBL is also implicated in the modulation of the inflammatory process. We determined the levels of serum MBL during leptospirosis infection.
Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein (MSAFP) Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a protein that is normally produced by the fetus' liver. AFP is present in the fluid around the fetus (amniotic fluid) and a small amount crosses the placenta and moves into the mother's blood stream. As the baby grows and produces more AFP, the amount in the mother's blood increases. Between weeks 15 and 20 of a pregnancy, a maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screen may be offered. It's usually as part of a set of tests, which screen for genetic problems, called the quad screen. The AFP blood test determines how much AFP is in the mother's blood.