SUMMARYThe effect of lifelong oral supplementation with ubiquinone Qlo (10 mg/kg/day) was examined in Sprague-Dawley rats and C57/B17 mice. There were no significant differences in survival or life-span found in either rats or mice. Histopathologic examination of different rat tissues showed no differences between the groups. In Qlo supplemented rats, plasma and liver Qio levels were 2.6 to 8.4 times higher at all age points than in control rats. Interestingly, in supplemented rats the Q9 levels also were significantly higher (p<0.05) in plasma and liver at ages 18 and 24 months. Neither Q9 nor Q10 levels were affected by supplementation in kidney, heart, or brain tissues. In spite of the significant changes in plasma and liver ubiquinone concentrations, lifelong Qlo supplementation did not prolong or shorten the lifespan of either rats or mice.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether the use of intrauterine vs. external tocodynamometry (IT vs. ET) during labour reduces operative deliveries and improves newborn outcome. As IT provides more accurate information on labour contractions, the hypothesis was that it may more appropriately guide oxytocin use than ET. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting Two labour wards, in a university tertiary hospital and a central hospital. Population 1504 parturients with singleton pregnancies, gestational age ≥ 37 weeks and fetus in cephalic position: 269 women with uterine scars, 889 nulliparas and 346 parous women with oxytocin augmentation. Methods Participants underwent IT (n=736) or ET (n=768) during the active first stage of labour. Main Outcome Measures Primary outcome: rate of operative deliveries. Secondary outcomes: duration of labour, amount of oxytocin given, adverse neonatal outcomes. Results 3 Operative delivery rates were 26.9% (IT) and 25.9% (ET) (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.84-1.32, P=0.663).The ET to IT conversion rate was 31%. We found no differences in secondary outcomes (IT vs. ET). IT reduced oxytocin use during labours with signs of fetal distress, and TOLAC. ConclusionsIT did not reduce the rate of operative deliveries, use of oxytocin, or adverse neonatal outcomes, and it did not shorten labour duration Funding Special Grant funding from the Government of Finland and the Finnish Cultural Foundation (ID: 00180293). Funding sources were not involved in collection, analysis or interpretation of data or writing the manuscript.

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