Gestational stress, placental norepinephrine transporter and offspring fertility.

Chronic cold stress produces adrenergic overload that can affect fetal development. The placental norepinephrine transporter (NET) clears norepinephrine (NE) from both maternal circulation and the fetus during gestation. If this system fails, NE clearance can be reduced, leading to high fetal exposure to NE. The main aim of this study was to determine the changes in NET expression during gestation and their relationship with the functional capacity of NET to transport NE under stressful conditions. Additionally, this study correlated these findings with the reproductive capacity of 2nd-generation progeny. Pregnant rats were subjected to chronic cold stress at 4°C for 3 h each day throughout their pregnancies. We found that exposure of pregnant rats to sympathetic stress caused the following effects: increased NE and corticosterone levels throughout pregnancy, decreased capacity of the placenta to clear NE from the fetus to the mother's circulation, altered NET protein levels depending on the sex of the fetus and increased placental and body weights of pups. For the first time, we also described the disrupted fertility of progeny as adults. Increased NE plasma levels during pregnancy under sympathetic stress conditions correlated with decreased NET functionality that provoked changes in the development of progeny and their fertility in adulthood.

Serum production against Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom using cross-linked chitosan nanoparticles as immunoadjuvant.

Several species of scorpions are known to cause accidents which can lead to death, most of them belonging to the genus Tityus. Tityus serrulatus is considered the most dangerous scorpion in South America. In Brazil, T. serrulatus is responsible for serious accidents, including deaths, which occur mainly with children and elderly people. Anti-scorpion sera are routinely produced by various institutions, and suitable technologies have been investigated for encapsulation and release recombinant or native proteins capable of inducing antibody production. In this context, biocompatible and biodegradable polymers, such as chitosan, have been employed for this purpose. This study aimed to obtain a protein release system for the peptides or proteins from T. serrulatus, based on cross-linked chitosan nanoparticles (CN) in order to generate a new model of immunization in animals, and consequently a potentially novel polyclonal serum, namely an anti-T. serrulatus venom. CN were successfully obtained by ionic gelation using the polyanion tripolyphosphate (TPP), which demonstrated a suitable particle size of about 200 nm, with maximum encapsulation efficiency (100%) and enhanced antigen-specific antibody titers of 72%. The serum production data revealed that CN were equipotent to aluminum hydroxide, the traditional adjuvant for immunization. This study demonstrates that chitosan nanoparticles are a promising and safe system for peptide/protein delivery for T. serrulatus scorpion.

Operados en 1973 por afecciones patológicas de colon y recto. Algunas consideraciones / Some considerations on patients who underwent surgery due to colon and rectus diseases in 1973

Se plantea que en el año 1973 fueron operados en el hospital "General Calixto García" 129 pacientes portadores de enfermedad de colon y recto, de los cuales correspondieron 91 al servicio de cirugía general y 38 al de coloproctología. Se realizaron 39 operaciones de urgencia y fallecieron 22 pacientes. Se analizan los 129 casos atendiendo a la edad, sexo, tipo de enfermedad, localización de las lesiones y operación realizada. Se hacen conclusiones (AU)