Cultural influence on the expression of labour-associated pain.

BACKGROUND: Every woman expresses pain differently during birth since it depends on a multitude of predictive factors. The medical care received, companionship during birth, cultural background and language barriers of the women in labour can influence on the expression of pain. This study aims to evaluate the expression of pain during birth and its associated factors in women treated in a Spanish border town. METHODS: The study included 246 women in labour. The expression of pain during labour was evaluated using the validated ESVADOPA scale. A descriptive analysis and association study were performed between cultural identity and dimensions of the scale. Multiple linear regression models were performed to assess the association between cultural identity, origin, language barrier, and companionship during labour. RESULTS: The women included in the study comprised 68.7% Berbers, 71.5% Muslims and 82.1% were accompanied during labour. An association between cultural identity and greater body expression of pain (p = 0.020; Cramer's V = 0.163) in addition to its verbal expression was found during the latent phase of labour, (p = 0.028; Cramer's V = 0.159). During the active phase of labour, cultural identity was associated with pain expression through greater body response, verbal expression, expression of the facial muscles, anxiety, inability to relax and vegetative symptoms. The different factors studied that had a predictive value were companionship (p = 0.027) during the latent phase of labour and Berber origin (p = 0.000), language barrier (p = 0.014) and companionship (p = 0.005) during the active phase of labour. The models designed predict pain expression in the latent phase by companionship and type of companionship (ß = 1.483; 95%CI = 0.459-2.506, ß = 0.238; 95%CI = 0.029-0. 448, respectively), and in the active phase by background, language barrier and companionship (ß = 0.728; 95%CI = 0.258-1.198, ß = 0.738; 95%CI = 0.150-1.326, ß = 1.888; 95%CI = 0.984-2.791, respectively). CONCLUSION: Culture, origin, language barrier and companionship during labour influences the manner in which women in labour express their pain. An understanding of this may help midwives correctly interpret the signs of pain expression and be able to offer the appropriate assistance depending on a woman's particular characteristics. There is a clear need for new models of maternity care that will take the cultural and language characteristics of women in labour into consideration.

Stanozolol Decreases Bone Turnover Markers, Increases Mineralization, and Alters Femoral Geometry in Male Rats.

Stanozonol (ST) is a synthetic derivative of testosterone; it has anabolic/androgenic activity, increasing both the turnover of trabecular bone and the endocortical apposition of bone. The present study aimed to examine the effects of ST on bone status in rats by bone mineral content, markers of formation and resorption, bone density, and structural and microarchitectural parameters. Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly distributed into two experimental groups corresponding to placebo or ST administration, which consisted of weekly intramuscular injections of 10 mg/kg body weight of ST. Plasma parameters were analyzed by immunoassay. Bone mineral content was determined by spectrophotometry. Bone mineral density (BMD) and structural parameters were measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography, and trabecular and cortical microarchitecture by micro-computed tomography. Plasma Ca, Mg, and alkaline phosphatase were higher, and urinary Ca excretion, corticosterone, and testosterone concentrations lower in the ST group. Femur Ca content was higher and P content was lower in the ST, whereas osteocalcin, aminoterminal propeptides of type I procollagen, and C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen were lower. Total cross-sectional, trabecular, and cortical/subcortical areas were lower in the ST. No differences were observed on BMD and area parameters of the diaphysis as well as on trabecular and cortical microarchitecture. The use of ST increases bone mineralization, ash percentage, and Ca and Mg content in femur. In spite of an absence of changes in BMD, geometric metaphyseal changes were observed. We conclude that ST alters bone geometry, leads to low bone turnover, and thus may impair bone quality.

High-intensity Exercise Modifies the Effects of Stanozolol on Brain Oxidative Stress in Rats.

We analyzed the effects of high-intensity exercise (HIE) and anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) on brain redox status. 40 male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in 4 experimental groups (n=10) with or without HIE and with or without weekly Stanozolol administration. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARs) and protein carbonyl content (PCC) were assessed. Total superoxide dismutase (tSOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were measured. Finally, protein expression levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, Quinone 1 (NQO1), NF-E2-Related Factor 2 (Nrf2), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), nuclear factor kappa ß p65 (NF-κß) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 were determined. Brain PCC concentrations were lower in the HIE groups compared to the untrained controls, whereas CAT activity was higher (both, p<0.01). Both HIE and AAS groups exhibited higher expression levels of GFAP and GPx, but lower NQO1 levels (all, p<0.05). There were increased expression levels of NF-κß in the AAS groups (p<0.01). In addition, there was increased expression of Nrf2 in the HIE groups (p<0.001). HIE*AAS interactions were found on TBARs content and GFAP expression, with HIE downregulating and upregulating AAS-mediated increases in TBARs and GFAP, respectively (p<0.05). Overall, HIE appeared to reduce the AAS-mediated negative effect on brain redox status.

Effects of the dietary amount and source of protein, resistance training and anabolic-androgenic steroids on body weight and lipid profile of rats.

INTRODUCTION: Dietary protein amount and source, hypertrophy resistance training (RT) and anabolicandrogenic steroids (AAS) may affect body weight and plasma and hepatic lipid profile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 157 adult male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in 16 experimental groups resulting in: normal-protein (NP) or high-protein (HP) diets, whey or soy-protein diets, with or without RT and with or without AAS, for 3 months. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Final body weight was lower in the RT and AAS groups compared to sedentary and non- AAS groups, respectively (all, p<0.001). Plasma total cholesterol (TC) was lower for the HP compared to the NP diets, for the whey compared to the soy-protein diets and for the AAS compared to the non-AAS groups (all, p<0.001). Plasma HDL-cholesterol was higher in the RT groups (p<0.05) but lower for the AAS groups (p<0.001), the HP and the soy-protein diets (p<0.05). Plasma triglycerides (TAG) were lower for the HP diet (p<0.001), for the RT (p=0.002) and the non-AAS groups (p=0.001). Liver TC was lower for the NP (p<0.01), for the soyprotein (p<0.05) and for the AAS groups (p<0.001). Liver TAG were lower for the whey-protein diet (p<0.001), RT and non-AAS groups (both, p<0.05). Some interactions were found, such as the greater effect of AAS on reducing body weight of rats that performed RT or ingested a HP diet (all, p<0.05). HDL-cholesterol was higher when RT was combined with HP diets (p=0.010) or non-AAS and when HP diets were combined with non-AAS (both,p<0.001). Groups that combined RT with non-AAS administration obtained the lowest hepatic TAG (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Among all the interventions tested, AAS was the factor that most negatively affected plasma and hepatic lipid profile, whereas HP diets and RT could benefit lipid profile, especially when combined.

Introducción: La cantidad y la fuente de proteína, el entrenamiento de fuerza hipertrofia (EF) y los esteroides anabolizantes androgénicos (EAA) pueden alterar el peso corporal y el perfil lipídico plasmático y hepático. Material y métodos: 157 ratas Wistar adultas macho se distribuyeron al azar en 16 grupos experimentales del siguiente modo: dietas normoproteica (NP) o hiperproteicas (HP), proteínas de lactosuero o de soja, con y sin EF y con o sin EAA, durante un periodo experimental de 3 meses. Resultados y discusión: El peso corporal final fue menor en los grupos con EF y EAA en comparación con los grupo sedentario y sin EAA, respectivamente (todos, p<0,001). El colesterol plasmático total (CT) fue menor en el grupo con dieta HP en comparación con las dieta NP, para las dietas de proteínas de lactosuero en comparación con las proteínas de soja, y para el grupo con EAA en comparación con el grupo sin EAA (todos, p<0,001). Las concentraciones plasmáticas de colesterol HDL fueron superiores en los grupos de EF (p<0,05) y menores en los grupos con EAA (p<0,001), y de dieta HP o con proteína de soja (p<0,05). Los triglicéridos (TAG) plasmáticos fueron menores con la dieta HP (p<0,001), el EF (p=0,002) y la no administración de EAA (p=0,001). El CT hepático fue menor en los grupos de dieta NP (p<0,01), dieta con proteínas de soja (p<0,05) y grupo de EAA (p<0,001). Los TAG hepáticos fueron menores en los grupos de dieta de proteínas de lactosuero (p<0,001), EF y sin EAA (ambos, p<0,05). Se hallaron algunas interacciones como un mayor efecto de los EAA en la reducción del peso corporal de las ratas que realizaron EF o ingirieron una dieta HP (todos, p<0,05). Las concentraciones plasmáticas de colesterol HDL fueron superiores cuando se combinó el EF con las dietas HP (p=0,010) o sin EAA y cuando las dietas HP se combinaron con el no uso de EAA (ambos, p<0,001). Finalmente, los grupos que combinaron el EF sin EAA obtuvieron los valores más bajos de TAG hepáticos (p<0,05). Conclusión: De entre todas las intervenciones testadas, los EAA fueron el factor que más negativamente afectó al perfil lipídico plasmático y hepático, mientras que las dietas HP y el EF podrían beneficiar, en general, el perfil lipídico, especialmente cuando se combinan.

[Resistance training reduces the metabolic acidosis and hepatic and renal hypertrophy caused by the consumption of a high protein diet in rats]. / El entrenamiento de fuerza reduce la acidosis metabólica y la hipertrofia hepática y renal consecuentes del consumo de una dieta hiperproteica en ratas.

INTRODUCTION: High protein (HP) diet consumption may adversely affect metabolic acidosis and hepatic and renal health. Despite such potentially adverse effect, there are only few studies analyzing the effects of resistance training on the parameters that could be altered by such diets. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 32 adult male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in 4 experimental groups (n = 8): normoprotein or HP diets, with or without resistance training. Diets were based on a whey protein hydrolyzate, and the experimental period lasted for 90 days. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Consumption of HP diets and resistance training significantly affected food intake, body composition and plasmatic levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides. Consumption of HP diets led to a considerable increase in liver and kidney weight (P < 0.001), urinary volume and acidity, as well as in the urinary excretion of Ca, with a parallel reduction in the urinary excretion of citrate (P < 0.05). The buffering action of resistance training on such diet-induced alterations was especially evident in the levels of hepatic and plasma triglycerides, plasmatic urea, and in liver and kidney weight (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Resistance training had a protective action against alterations of hepatic and renal health status and some metabolic parameters like hepatic and plasma triglycerides.