Fetal distress during the last third of pregnancy in bitches - evaluation by Doppler ultrasound imaging

Background: Diagnostic ultrasound has revolutionized obstetric practice. Doppler techniques provided in vivo studies of the fetus-placental and uterus-placental circulations, in an increasingly precise manner. The assessment of fetal well-being is essential in obstetric practice, however, in veterinary medicine, there is a deficit of ultrasound parameters related to fetal distress. The main of this research was to determine the hemodynamic characteristics and behavior, through Doppler ultrasonography, of maternal-fetal vessels during the final third of gestation in bitches with fetuses under stress, as well as correlating them with each other and with fetal distress. Materials, Methods & Results: An observational, prospective study was carried out, in which 30 healthy bitches were examined, during the last third of pregnancy, with fetuses under fetal distress. Fetuses were evaluated in 2 stages: (1st): 50-54 days and (2nd): 55-60 days of gestation. All fetuses were calmly assessed, one by one, and fetal heart rate (FHR) was measured 5 times, for at least 3 min, to identify and confirm fetal distress. At least 3 fetuses were evaluated in each bitch and each measurement was performed in triplicate, setting a hemodynamic mean for each value evaluated. The flow pattern in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), internal carotid artery (ICA) and umbilical artery (UA) was evaluated. The analyzed vessel was initially visualized in B mode, followed by evaluation by color and spectral Doppler. The variables observed were: peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV) and the resistivity (RI) and pulsatility (PI) index, as well as the systole/diastole ratio (S/D). The analysis of RI and PI of the umbilical artery showed a statistically significant difference between the mean values found for the times studied, increasing from time 1 to time 2. For middle cerebral and internal carotid arteries, PI, RI and the relationship systole/diastole (S/D), showed a statistically significant difference between the mean values found for the times studied, decreasing from time 1 to time 2. Discussion: Fetal heart rate (HR) findings are considered normal above 200 beats per minute (bpm), only if preceded by acceleration and deceleration. This fact confirms the presence of fetal stress, by this parameter, for the fetuses in the present study. Corroborating the picture of fetal distress, another study concluded that HR tends to increase up to 20 days before delivery, a fact that did not occur in the study in question, where animals in the same gestational period were evaluated. Recent research has concluded that an elevated umbilical artery PI at 28 weeks of gestation, in the absence of fetal growth restriction or prematurity, is associated with some adverse cognitive findings in 12-year-olds children. In the present study, a progressive increase in this index was observed throughout the final third of pregnancy. Although the pups were not monitored after birth, this data serves as a warning for veterinarians, and can be useful in the assessment and diagnosis of possible postnatal nervous alterations. Like what was found in the present study, a study reported that from the 4th week to birth, the PSV of the umbilical artery (UA) increased almost linearly, with high significance. For the middle cerebral arteries, the PI showed a statistically significant difference between the mean values found for the times studied, however, decreasing throughout the final third of pregnancy.

Central role of the placenta during viral infection: Immuno-competences and miRNA defensive responses.

Pregnancy is a unique immunological condition in which an "immune-diplomatic" dialogue between trophoblasts and maternal immune cells is established to protect the fetus from rejection, to create a privileged environment in the uterus and to simultaneously be alert to any infectious challenge. The maternal-placental-fetal interface (MPFI) performs an essential role in this immunological defense. In this review, we will address the MPFI as an active immuno-mechanical barrier that protects against viral infections. We will describe the main viral infections affecting the placenta and trophoblasts and present their structure, mechanisms of immunocompetence and defensive responses to viral infections in pregnancy. In particular, we will analyze infection routes in the placenta and trophoblasts and the maternal-fetal outcomes in both. Finally, we will focus on the cellular targets of the antiviral microRNAs from the C19MC cluster, and their effects at both the intra- and extracellular level.

Fructose Consumption by Adult Rats Exposed to Dexamethasone In Utero Changes the Phenotype of Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Exacerbates Intestinal Gluconeogenesis.

Fructose consumption by rodents modulates both hepatic and intestinal lipid metabolism and gluconeogenesis. We have previously demonstrated that in utero exposure to dexamethasone (DEX) interacts with fructose consumption during adult life to exacerbate hepatic steatosis in rats. The aim of this study was to clarify if adult rats born to DEX-treated mothers would display differences in intestinal gluconeogenesis after excessive fructose intake. To address this issue, female Wistar rats were treated with DEX during pregnancy and control (CTL) mothers were kept untreated. Adult offspring born to CTL and DEX-treated mothers were assigned to receive either tap water (Control-Standard Chow (CTL-SC) and Dexamethasone-Standard Chow (DEX-SC)) or 10% fructose in the drinking water (CTL-fructose and DEX-fructose). Fructose consumption lasted for 80 days. All rats were subjected to a 40 h fasting before sample collection. We found that DEX-fructose rats have increased glucose and reduced lactate in the portal blood. Jejunum samples of DEX-fructose rats have enhanced phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) expression and activity, higher facilitated glucose transporter member 2 (GLUT2) and facilitated glucose transporter member 5 (GLUT5) content, and increased villous height, crypt depth, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining. The current data reveal that rats born to DEX-treated mothers that consume fructose during adult life have increased intestinal gluconeogenesis while recapitulating metabolic and morphological features of the neonatal jejunum phenotype.

Alpha-2-macroglobulin from circulating exosome-like vesicles is increased in women with preterm pregnancies.

Preterm labor (PTL) and Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) impose substantial morbimortality on mothers and newborns. Exosomes act in intercellular communication carrying molecules involved in physiopathological processes. Little is known about exosomal proteins in prematurity. Our aim was to evaluate the protein expression of hemopexin, C1 inhibitor (C1INH) and alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) from circulating exosomes of women with PTL and PPROM. Plasma was obtained from PTL, PPROM, Term in labor and Term out of labor (T) patients, exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation, then lysed and the proteins quantified. Western Blot (WB) and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) were performed. Data were compared by Kruskal-Wallis, unpaired T-test and one-way ANOVA. WB and NTA confirmed exosome isolation (concentration: 4.3 × 1010 particles/ml ± 1.9 × 1010). There was no difference regarding hemopexin or C1INH expression between the groups. For A2M, the fold change was significantly higher on preterm groups when compared to term groups (1.07 ± 0.30 vs. 0.42 ± 0.17, p < 0.0001). Higher levels of A2M in circulating exosomes are linked to preterm pregnancies. sEV are strong candidates to intermediate maternal-fetal communication, carrying preterm labor-related immunomodulatory proteins.

Nutrients, Mitochondrial Function, and Perinatal Health.

Mitochondria are active independent organelles that not only meet the cellular energy requirement but also regulate central cellular activities. Mitochondria can play a critical role in physiological adaptations during pregnancy. Differences in mitochondrial function have been found between healthy and complicated pregnancies. Pregnancy signifies increased nutritional requirements to support fetal growth and the metabolism of maternal and fetal tissues. Nutrient availability regulates mitochondrial metabolism, where excessive macronutrient supply could lead to oxidative stress and contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, while micronutrients are essential elements for optimal mitochondrial processes, as cofactors in energy metabolism and/or as antioxidants. Inadequate macronutrient and micronutrient consumption can result in adverse pregnancy outcomes, possibly through mitochondrial dysfunction, by impairing energy supply, one-carbon metabolism, biosynthetic pathways, and the availability of metabolic co-factors which modulate the epigenetic processes capable of establishing significant short- and long-term effects on infant health. Here, we review the importance of macronutrients and micronutrients on mitochondrial function and its influence on maternal and infant health.

Serum and Muscle 1H NMR-Based Metabolomics Profiles Reveal Metabolic Changes Influenced by a Maternal Leucine-Rich Diet in Tumor-Bearing Adult Offspring Rats.

A maternal leucine-rich diet showed a positive effect on the gastrocnemius muscle of adult tumor-bearing offspring. To improve the understanding of the metabolic alterations of cancer cachexia and correlate this to preventive treatment, we evaluated the 1H NMR metabolic profiles from serum and gastrocnemius muscle samples of adult Wistar rats. These profiles were initially analyzed, and chemometrics tools were applied to investigate the following groups: C, control group; W, tumor-bearing group; L, the group without tumors and with a maternal leucine-rich diet; WL, the tumor-bearing group with a maternal leucine-rich diet. Tumor growth that led to a high protein breakdown in the W group was correlated to serum metabolites such as tyrosine, phenylalanine, histidine, glutamine, and tryptophan amino acids and uracil. Also, decreased muscle lactate, inversely to serum content, was found in the W group. Conversely, in the WL group, increased lactate in muscle and serum profiles was found, which could be correlated to the maternal diet effect. The muscle lipidomics and NAD+, NADP+, lysine, 4-aminohippurate, and glutamine metabolites pointed to modified energy metabolism and lower muscle mass loss in the WL group. In conclusion, this exploratory metabolomics analyses provided novel insights related to the Walker-256 tumor-bearing offspring metabolism modified by a maternal leucine-rich diet and the next steps in its investigation.

A Pilot Study of the Maternal-Fetal Pharmacokinetics of Furosemide in Plasma, Urine, and Amniotic Fluid of Hypertensive Parturient Women Under Cesarean Section.

The third trimester of pregnancy is related to physiological changes that can modify the process of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion and, consequently, the efficacy and toxicity of drugs. However, little is known about furosemide pharmacokinetics and placental transfer in pregnancy. This study evaluated the maternal-fetal pharmacokinetics and distribution to amniotic fluid of furosemide in hypertensive parturient women under cesarean section. Twelve hypertensive parturient women under methyldopa (250 mg/8 h) and/or pindolol (10 mg/12 h) treatment received a 40-mg single oral dose of furosemide 1 to 10 hours before delivery by cesarean section. Blood and urine samples were collected for 12 hours after furosemide administration. At delivery, samples were obtained from maternal and umbilical cord blood (n = 8) to assess the transplacental transfer. Amniotic fluid (n = 4) was collected at the time of delivery. The following furosemide pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained as median (interquartile range): Cmax , 403 ng/mL (229 to 715 ng/mL); Tmax , 2.00 hours (1.50 to 4.83 hours); elimination half-life (t1/2 ), 2.50 hours (1.77 to 2.97 hours); AUC0-12 h , 1366 ng⋅h/mL (927 to 2531 ng⋅h/mL); AUC0-∞ , 1580 ng⋅h/mL (1270 to 2881 ng⋅h/mL); CL/F 25.3 L/h (13.8 to 31.4 L/h); CLR, 2.50 L/h (1.77 to 2.97 L/h); CLNR, 22.7 L/h (12.1 to 25.6 L/h); and Vd /F 82.8 L (34.4 to 173 L). The transplacental transfer of furosemide was 0.43 (0.10 to 0.73), and the amniotic fluid concentration was 11.0 ng/mL (5.51 to 14.6 ng/mL). From a clinical point of view, these results suggest that substrates of uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase isoenzymes such as furosemide may have increased clearance during pregnancy and could require dose adjustment in this population.

Maternal undernutrition during pregnancy and lactation affects testicular morphology, the stages of spermatogenic cycle, and the testicular IGF-I system in adult offspring.

Maternal undernutrition decreases sperm production in male offspring, possibly through insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I). To test this hypothesis, we fed pregnant Wistar rats ad libitum with a standard diet (CONTROL) or fed 50% of CONTROL intake, either throughout pregnancy (UNP), lactation (UNL, or both (UNPL). After weaning, male offspring (n = 10 per treatment) were fed a standard diet until postnatal day 160, when testes process for histological and molecular analyses. IGF-I immunostaining area and intensity in the testis were greater (P = 0.003) in the UNPL group compared to CONTROL, but lower in the UNP group (P < 0.0001). Levels of IGF-I receptor transcript were lower in the UNPL and UNL groups, compared to CONTROL. There were more Ki-67-positive germ and Sertoli cells, in all underfed groups than in CONTROL. Compared to CONTROL, frequency of spermatogenic cycle stage VII was lower in all underfed groups, and seminiferous tubule diameter was smaller in UNP and UNPL. Plasma FSH concentrations were greater in UNP male offspring compared to all groups (P = 0.05), whereas inhibin B concentrations were greater in UNP (P = 0.01) and UNL (P = 0.003) than in CONTROL or UNPL. Thus, prenatal undernutrition leads to a decrease in testicular IGF-I levels, whereas of pre- and postnatal undernutrition increased testicular IGF-I levels and decreased amounts of IGF-I receptor mRNA in adult offspring. We conclude that maternal undernutrition during pregnancy and lactation leads to long-lasting effects on adult male offspring testicular morphology, spermatogenesis, and IGF-I testicular system.

The role of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in the placenta: a growing research field.

Introduction: The placenta is a temporary and unique organ that allows for the physical connection between a mother and fetus; this organ regulates the transport of gases and nutrients mediating the elimination of waste products contained in the fetal circulation. The placenta performs metabolic and excretion functions, on the basis of multiple enzymatic systems responsible for the oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, and conjugation of xenobiotics. These mechanisms give the placenta a protective role that limits the fetal exposure to harmful compounds. During pregnancy, some diseases require uninterrupted treatment even if it is detrimental to the fetus. Drugs and other xenobiotics alter gene expression in the placenta with repercussions for the fetus and mother's well-being.Areas covered: This review provides a brief description of the human placental structure and function, the main drug and xenobiotic transporters and metabolizing enzymes, placenta-metabolized substrates, and alterations in gene expression that the exposure to xenobiotics may cause.Expert opinion: Research should be focused on the identification and validation of biological markers for the assessment of the harmful effects of some drugs in pregnancy, including the evaluation of polymorphisms and methylation patterns in chorionic villous samples and/or amniotic fluid.

Clinical and subclinical maternal hypothyroidism and their effects on neurodevelopment, behavior and cognition.

Clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism are the most common hormonal dysfunctions during pregnancy. Insufficient maternal thyroid hormones (THs) in the early stages of pregnancy can lead to severe impairments in the development of the central nervous system because THs are critical to central nervous system development. In the fetus and after birth, THs participate in neurogenic processes, cell differentiation, neuronal activation, axonal growth, dendritic arborization, synaptogenesis and myelination. Although treatment is simple and effective, approximately 30% of pregnant women in Brazil with access to prenatal care have their first consultation after the first trimester of pregnancy, and any delay in diagnosis and resulting treatment delay may lead to cognitive impairment in children. This review summarizes the effects of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism on fetal neurodevelopment, behavior and cognition in humans and rodents. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2020;64(1):89-95.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Schemes Modify Maternal Plasma Cholesterol Levels Dependent to Women´s Weight: Possible Impact on Feto-Placental Vascular Function.

: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) associates with fetal endothelial dysfunction (ED), which occurs independently of adequate glycemic control. Scarce information exists about the impact of different GDM therapeutic schemes on maternal dyslipidemia and obesity and their contribution to the development of fetal-ED. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of GDM-treatments on lipid levels in nonobese (N) and obese (O) pregnant women and the effect of maternal cholesterol levels in GDM-associated ED in the umbilical vein (UV). O-GDM women treated with diet showed decreased total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) levels with respect to N-GDM ones. Moreover, O-GDM women treated with diet in addition to insulin showed higher TC and LDL levels than N-GDM women. The maximum relaxation to calcitonin gene-related peptide of the UV rings was lower in the N-GDM group compared to the N one, and increased maternal levels of TC were associated with even lower dilation in the N-GDM group. We conclude that GDM-treatments modulate the TC and LDL levels depending on maternal weight. Additionally, increased TC levels worsen the GDM-associated ED of UV rings. This study suggests that it could be relevant to consider a specific GDM-treatment according to weight in order to prevent fetal-ED, as well as to consider the possible effects of maternal lipids during pregnancy.

Clinical and subclinical maternal hypothyroidism and their effects on neurodevelopment, behavior and cognition

ABSTRACT Clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism are the most common hormonal dysfunctions during pregnancy. Insufficient maternal thyroid hormones (THs) in the early stages of pregnancy can lead to severe impairments in the development of the central nervous system because THs are critical to central nervous system development. In the fetus and after birth, THs participate in neurogenic processes, cell differentiation, neuronal activation, axonal growth, dendritic arborization, synaptogenesis and myelination. Although treatment is simple and effective, approximately 30% of pregnant women in Brazil with access to prenatal care have their first consultation after the first trimester of pregnancy, and any delay in diagnosis and resulting treatment delay may lead to cognitive impairment in children. This review summarizes the effects of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism on fetal neurodevelopment, behavior and cognition in humans and rodents. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2020;64(1):89-95

Phenomenological and Thermodynamic Model of Gas Exchanges in the Placenta during Pregnancy: A Case Study of Intoxication of Carbon Monoxide.

The present work simulates the transport of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide between a fetus's circulatory system and the mother's. The organ responsible for this exchange is the placenta. Carbon monoxide is a common air pollutant, and it impacts the physiological conditions even in low concentration. The impacts of carbon monoxide are especially dangerous for pregnant women, fetuses, and newborn babies. A model of carbon monoxide transport, from the literature, is modified to simulate a pregnant woman (original model was a male), therefore changing some parameters to express the adjusted respiratory system. It was considered the gas exchange in the placenta, to evaluate the concentration of these different gases in the fetus arterial and venous blood. Three methods of the exergy analysis are implemented for both mother and fetus respiratory systems, aiming at the comparison with the respiratory system of a male adult. The destroyed exergy of the literature did not have the same trend as the models proposed in this article, taking into consideration the hemoglobin reactions. In contrast, the entropy generation associated only with the diffusion transport phenomena was one order of magnitude lower than the other methods. The placenta destroyed exergy rate is significantly higher compared to the irreversibilities of the mother's respiratory system. One possible explanation is the fact that the placenta has other physiological functions than gas transportation.

Prenatal exposure to particulate matter and ozone: Bulky DNA adducts, plasma isoprostanes, allele risk variants, and neonate susceptibility in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area.

Mexico City's Metropolitan Area (MCMA) includes Mexico City and 60 municipalities of the neighbor states. Inhabitants are exposed to emissions from over five million vehicles and stationary sources of air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and ozone. MCMA PM contains elemental carbon and organic carbon (OC). OCs include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), many of which induce mutagenic and carcinogenic DNA adducts. Gestational exposure to air pollution has been associated with increased risk of intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth or low birth weight risk, and PAH-DNA adducts. These effects also depend on the presence of risk alleles. We investigated the presence of bulky PAH-DNA adducts, plasma 8-iso-PGF2α (8-iso-prostaglandin F2α ) and risk allele variants in neonates cord blood and their non-smoking mothers' leucocytes from families that were living in a highly polluted area during 2014-2015. The presence of adducts was significantly associated with both PM2.5 and PM10 levels, mainly during the last trimester of gestation in both neonates and mothers, while the last month of pregnancy was significant for the association between ozone levels and maternal plasma 8-iso-PGF2α . Fetal CYP1B1*3 risk allele was associated with increased adduct levels in neonates while the presence of the maternal allele significantly reduced the levels of fetal adducts. Maternal NQO1*2 was associated with lower maternal levels of adducts. Our findings suggest the need to reduce actual PM limits in MCMA. We did not observe a clear association between PM and/or adduct levels and neonate weight, length, body mass index, Apgar or Capurro score. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 60:428-442, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Particulate matter-associated micronuclei frequencies in maternal and cord blood lymphocytes.

Studies associate particulate matter (PM) exposure with pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neurologic diseases. Elevated levels of coarse (PM10) and fine (PM2.5) PM have been reported in the Mexico City metropolitan area during the last two decades. There is limited information if these conditions affect newborns. We associated maternal exposure to PM reported by the monitoring stations considering the place of residence of each participant with the presence of genotoxic damage (cytome analysis) in maternal and umbilical cord blood (UCB) lymphocytes. Eighty-four healthy women in their last quarter of pregnancy met the inclusion criteria. Each volunteer exposure was estimated according to the average PM2.5 and PM10 levels during the last month of gestation. The micronuclei (MN) frequencies in UCB lymphocyte cultures ranged between 0 and 9. They also showed lower cell proliferation indexes than their mothers. There was a strong correlation between the maternal and the UCB MN frequency (ρ = 0.3767, P = 0.0002). Multiple regression analysis including PM10 and PM2.5 levels, maternal age, and occupation, showed a significant and positive association between UCB MN frequency and PM2.5. A statistically significant increase in the MN frequency in both maternal and UCB lymphocytes was observed in samples obtained during the dry season (higher PM levels) as compared with the MN frequency in blood samples obtained during the rainy season (lower PM levels). These results suggest that PM, mainly PM2.5 , can cross the placenta causing DNA damage in fetal cells which may increase the potential for diseases during childhood or adult life. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 60:421-427, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Umbilical Cord Tissue and Meconium May Not Be Equivalent for Confirming in Utero Substance Exposure.

In a retrospective study of 501 neonates with potential in utero substance exposure, the drug detection performance of a commercially available umbilical cord tissue toxicology test was evaluated against a commercially available gold standard meconium toxicology test. Drugs detected in paired meconium and umbilical cord tissue samples were often discordant.

The role of fetal-maternal microchimerism as a natural-born healer in integrity improvement of maternal damaged kidney

ABSTRACT Purpose: To identify the fetal stem cell (FSC) response to maternal renal injury with emphasis on renal integrity improvement and Y chromosome detection in damaged maternal kidney. Materials and Methods: Eight non-green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic Sprague-Dawley rats were mated with GFP-positive transgenic male rats. Renal damage was induced on the right kidney at gestational day 11. The same procedure was performed in eight non-pregnant rats as control group. Three months after delivery, right ne- phrectomy was performed in order to evaluate the injured kidney. The fresh perfused kidneys were stained with anti-GFP antibody. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was also performed for the Y chromosome detection. Cell culture was performed to detect the GFP-positive cells. Technetium-99m-DMSA renal scan and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were performed after renal damage induction and 3 months later to evaluate the improvement of renal integrity. Results: The presence of FSCs was confirmed by immune histochemical staining as well as immunofluorescent imaging of the damaged part. Gradient PCR of female rat purified DNA demonstrated the presence of Y-chromosome in the damaged maternal kidney. Moreover, the culture of kidney cells showed GPF- positive cells by immuno- fluorescence microscopy. The acute renal scar was repaired and the integrity of dam- aged kidney reached to near normal levels in experimental group as shown in DMSA scan. However, no significant improvement was observed in control group. Conclusion: FSC seems to be the main mechanism in repairing of the maternal renal injury during pregnancy as indicated by Y chromosome and GFP-positive cells in the sub-cultured medium.

Factores de riesgo maternos y neonatales asociados al retardo de la dentición temporal / Maternal and neonatal risk factors associated with the temporary teething delay

Se realizó un estudio analítico, observacional, de casos y controles, en niños de los círculos infantiles Pétalos de Rosa y La Espiguita, pertenecientes al área de salud del Policlínico Docente Armando García Aspurú de Santiago de Cuba, durante el período de febrero de 2015 a marzo de 2016, con vistas a determinar los factores maternos y neonatales asociados al retraso en la aparición de dientes temporales. La población quedó conformada por 150 niños de 2do a 4to años de vida, de los cuales se tomaron 2 controles (N=100) por cada caso (N=50). En la serie se obtuvo asociación estadísticamente significativa de las variables estado nutricional de la madre, ganancia de peso de la madre, enfermedades maternas, lactancia materna y peso del niño al nacer, con la alteración del brote dentario temporal en los niños. Se recomendó realizar intervenciones educativas en los círculos infantiles y las comunidades para apoyar el trabajo del médico de la familia

An analytic, observational, of cases and controls study, in children from Pétalos de Rosa and La Espiguita day care centers, belonging to the health area of Armando García Aspurú Teaching Polyclinic was carried out in Santiago de Cuba, during February, 2015 to March, 2016, aimed at determining the maternal and neonatal factors associated with the delay in the emergence of the temporary teeth. The population was conformed by 150 children from 2nd to 4th years of life, from whom 2 controls were taken (N=100) for each case (N=50). In the series a statistically significant association of the variables mother's nutritional state, mother's weight gain, maternal diseases, breast feeding and child birth weight was obtained, with the disorder of the temporary teething eruption in the children. It was suggested to carry out educational interventions in the day care centers and communities to support the family doctor's work

The role of fetal-maternal microchimerism as a natural-born healer in integrity improvement of maternal damaged kidney.

PURPOSE: To identify the fetal stem cell (FSC) response to maternal renal injury with emphasis on renal integrity improvement and Y chromosome detection in damaged maternal kidney. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight non-green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic Sprague- Dawley rats were mated with GFP-positive transgenic male rats. Renal damage was induced on the right kidney at gestational day 11. The same procedure was performed in eight non-pregnant rats as control group. Three months after delivery, right nephrectomy was performed in order to evaluate the injured kidney. The fresh perfused kidneys were stained with anti-GFP antibody. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was also performed for the Y chromosome detection. Cell culture was performed to detect the GFP-positive cells. Technetium-99m-DMSA renal scan and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were performed after renal damage induction and 3 months later to evaluate the improvement of renal integrity. RESULTS: The presence of FSCs was confirmed by immune histochemical staining as well as immunofluorescent imaging of the damaged part. Gradient PCR of female rat purified DNA demonstrated the presence of Y-chromosome in the damaged maternal kidney. Moreover, the culture of kidney cells showed GPF- positive cells by immunofluorescence microscopy. The acute renal scar was repaired and the integrity of damaged kidney reached to near normal levels in experimental group as shown in DMSA scan. However, no significant improvement was observed in control group. CONCLUSION: FSC seems to be the main mechanism in repairing of the maternal renal injury during pregnancy as indicated by Y chromosome and GFP-positive cells in the sub-cultured medium.

Ultrastructure of bovine placenta during all gestational period / Ultraestrutura de placenta bovina durante todo o período gestacional

Placentas from pregnant cows with different gestation periods were used. Placental fragments of all groups were processed and evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. After fragment analysis, bovine placenta was observed to be epitheliochorial type in early pregnancy, becoming progressively sinepiteliocorial at the beginning of the second trimester. There are no ultrastructural evidences of inflammation in the region of caruncles throughout gestation, despite the invasion of caruncle proper lamina by trophoblast cells. However, throughout pregnancy and especially at the end, there were evident signs of cell degeneration in both trophoblast and the uterine epithelium. The active trophoblast cells intensely phagocytize cellular debris. There are complex interdigitations between the surface of the trophoblast and the uterine epithelium, which is related to the increase of the exchange surface between mother and fetus. At the end of pregnancy, interdigitations disappear, favoring the detachment and expulsion of the placenta after birth.(AU)

Foram utilizadas placentas de vacas abatidas em frigorífico com diversos tempos gestacionais. Fragmentos de placentomo de todos os grupos foram processados e avaliados em microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. Após análise dos fragmentos, observou-se que a placenta bovina é do tipo epiteliocorial no início da gestação, tornando-se sinepiteliocorial progressivamente a partir do início do segundo mês de gestação. Não existem evidências ultraestruturais de inflamação na região das carúnculas durante toda a gestação, apesar da invasão da lâmina própria caruncular por células trofoblásticas. No entanto, durante toda a gestação e em especial ao seu final, foram observados sinais evidentes de degeneração celular, tanto do trofoblasto como do epitélio uterino. As células trofoblásticas ativas fagocitam intensamente os debris celulares originados dessas degenerações. Existem complexas interdigitações entre a superfície do trofoblasto e do epitélio uterino, o que estaria relacionado com o aumento da superfície de troca entre mãe e feto. Ao final da gestação, praticamente desaparecem essas interdigitações, favorecendo o descolamento e a expulsão da placenta após o parto.(AU)