Acute Effects of Maternal Smoking on Fetal-Placental-Maternal System Hemodynamics

OBJECTIVE: To study acute hemodynamic alterations in the fetal-placental maternal system immediately after maternal exposure to nicotine. METHODS: This is a noncontrolled experimental study involving 21 pregnant smoking women, randomly selected, with uncomplicated pregnancies and without risk factors for fetal heart disease. Patients underwent ultrasound and fetal echocardiography before and after smoking a cigarette. They were asked to abstain from smoking for 12 hours before the study. The mean nicotine content of the cigarettes used in the study was 0.5mg of nicotine and 6mg of carbon monoxide. RESULTS: The average number of cigarettes smoked per a day prior to the study was 9.67. Gestational age ranged between 18 and 36 weeks. The mean maternal heart rate was elevated (P<0.001) as was the mean fetal heart rate (P=0.044). Maternal systolic blood pressure (P=0.004) and diastolic blood pressure (P=0.033) were also elevated after smoking. A decrease occurred in the systolic/diastolic ratio in the right uterine artery (P=0.014) and in the left uterine artery (P=0.039). The other hemodynamic variables remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: Cigarette smoking can cause changes in physiologic variables of fetal-placental circulation, but it does not change fetal cardiac function, in the dose of nicotine and its components used in this study. The decrease in systolic/diastolic ratio in the uterine arteries is probably related to a dose-dependent nicotine pattern.

Maternal Factors and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Women with Preeclampsia in Maceió, Alagoas

Abstract Background: Preeclampsia has been associated with several risk factors and events. However, it still deserves further investigation, considering the multitude of related factors that affect different populations. Objective: To evaluate the maternal factors and adverse perinatal outcomes in a cohort of pregnant women with preeclampsia receiving care in the public health network of the city of Maceió. Methods: Prospective cohort study carried out in 2014 in the public health network of the city with a sample of pregnant women calculated based on a prevalence of preeclampsia of 17%, confidence level of 90%, power of 80%, and ratio of 1:1. We applied a questionnaire to collect socioeconomic, personal, and anthropometric data, and retrieved perinatal variables from medical records and certificates of live birth. The analysis was performed with Poisson regression and chi-square test considering p values < 0.05 as significant. Results: We evaluated 90 pregnant women with preeclampsia (PWP) and 90 pregnant women without preeclampsia (PWoP). A previous history of preeclampsia (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.57, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.47 - 1.67, p = 0.000) and black skin color (PR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.00 - 1.33, p = 0.040) were associated with the occurrence of preeclampsia. Among the newborns of PWP and PWoP, respectively, 12.5% and 13.1% (p = 0.907) were small for gestational age and 25.0% and 23.2% (p = 0.994) were large for gestational age. There was a predominance of cesarean delivery. Conclusion: Personal history of preeclampsia and black skin color were associated with the occurrence of preeclampsia. There was a high frequency of birth weight deviations and cesarean deliveries.

Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the opossum Didelphis marsupialis: absence of neonatal transmission and protection by maternal antibodies in experimental infections

The high rate of natural Trypanosoma cruzi infection found in opossums does not always correlate with appreciable densities of local triatomid populations. One alternative method which might bypass the invertebrate vector is direct transmission from mother to offspring. This possibility was investigated in five T. cruzi infected females and their litters (24 young). The influence of maternal antibodies transferred via lactation, on the course of experimental infection, was also examined. Our results show that neonatal transmission is probably not responsible for the high rate of natural T. cruzi infection among opossums. In addition antibodies of maternal origin confer a partial protection to the young. This was demonstrated by the finding of a double prepatency period and 4,5 fold lower levels of circulating parasites, in experimentally infected pouch young from infected as compared to control uninfected mothes. On the other hand, the duration of patent parasitemia was twice as long as that observed in the control group.

Presence of maternal anti-HBs antibodies does not influence hepatitis B vaccine response in Brazilian neonates

Recently, it was suggested that maternal hepatitis B surface antigen antibodies (anti-HBs) acquired transplacentally could play a negative role in newborn infants' immune response to the hepatitis B vaccine. We compared the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine response in infants born to mothers previously vaccinated against HBV (n = 91) to infants born to mothers who were not previously vaccinated (n = 221). All newborn infants received three intramuscular doses (10 μg) of HBV vaccine (Butang®) at 0,1 and six months. The first dose was administered at the maternity hospital within 12 h of birth. The geometric mean titres of anti-HBs were not different among newborn infants born to mothers who were anti-HBs-negative (492.7 mIU/mL) and anti-HBs-positive (578.7 mIU/mL) (p = 0.38). Eight infants did not respond to the HBV vaccine. Of them, six were born to anti-HBs-negative mothers and two were born to mothers with anti-HBs titres less than 50 mlU/mL. Despite the mother's anti-HBs-positive status, our data show a good immunogenicity of the Brazilian HBV recombinant vaccine in neonates.

The outcome of acute schistosomiasis infection in adult mice with postnatal exposure to maternal malnutrition

Maternal malnutrition during the lactation period in early development may have long-term programming effects on adult offspring. We evaluated the combined effects of parasitological behaviour and histopathological features and malnutrition during lactation. Lactating mice and their pups were divided into a control group (fed a normal diet of 23% protein), a protein-restricted group (PR) (fed a diet containing 8% protein) and a caloric-restricted group (CR) (fed according to the PR group intake). At the age of 60 days, the offspring were infected with Schistosoma mansoni cercariae and killed at nine weeks post-infection. Food intake, body and liver masses, leptinaemia, corticosteronaemia, collagen morphometry and neogenesis and the cellular composition of liver granulomas were studied. PR offspring showed reduced weight gain and hypophagia, whereas CR offspring became overweight and developed hyperphagia. The pre-patent period was longer (45 days) in both programmed offspring as compared to controls (40 days). The PR-infected group had higher faecal and intestinal egg output and increased liver damage. The CR-infected group showed a lower number of liver granulomas, increased collagen neogenesis and a higher frequency of binucleate hepatocytes, suggesting a better modulation of the inflammatory response and increased liver regeneration. Taken together, our findings suggest that neonatal malnutrition of offspring during lactation affects the outcome of schistosomiasis in mice.

Sorte ou habilidade: uma avaliação dos fundos de investimento no Brasil

RESUMONeste estudo, verifica-se se os retornos dos fundos de investimento no Brasil decorrem da habilidade dos gestores ou apenas do fator sorte. Foi utilizada a metodologia de Fama e French, que concluem pela irrelevância da habilidade nos Estados Unidos da América. Para estimar a distribuição de alfas que seriam obtidos por mera sorte, foram gerados dez mil fundos simulados a partir de sorteios dentre os retornos dos fundos reais em cada mês. Na comparação dos alfas simulados com os reais, evidenciou-se haver habilidade na geração de retornos anormais positivos, especialmente pelos gestores dos fundos grandes.

Capacidades motoras envolvidas na habilidade psicomotora da técnica de ressuscitação cardiopulmonar: subsídios para o processo ensino-aprendizagem

Trata-se de uma estudo bibliográfico sobre a identificação das capacidades motoras envolvidas na habilidade psicomotora da técnica de ressuscitação cardiopulmonar (RCP) cuja finalidade é obter subsídios para o planejamento do processo ensino-aprendizagem desta habilidade. Verificou-se que as capacidades motoras envolvidas na habilidade psicomotora da técnica de RCP são predominantemente cognitivas e motoras, envolvendo 9 capacidades perceptivo-motoras e 8 capacidades de proficiência física. A técnica de RCP é uma habilidade psicomotora classificada como aberta, seriada e categorizada como uma habilidade fina e global e o processo de ensino-aprendizagem da técnica de RCP tem alto grau de complexidade.

Maternal mortality from hemorrhage in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Hemorrhage represents a set of causes that focuses on women during the pregnancy and puerperal period, and that, with improper attention, results in death. The authors aimed to analyze maternal deaths related to hemorrhage that occurred in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The data were obtained from the Mortality Information System and Live Births Information System from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. This was a descriptive study, in which 491 maternal deaths that occurred in the period 1997-2010 were analyzed. Of these, 61 were related to hemorrhage, corresponding to 12.42%; postpartum hemorrhage was the most prevalent cause, with 26 deaths, followed by placental abruption with 15, representing 67.21% of the cases. The maternal mortality from hemorrhage is a public health problem in the state of Santa Catarina, due to its high prevalence and the fact that its underlying causes are preventable.

Hospitalizations leading causes for maternal disorders

Presenting the rates of obstetric admissions of women living in Paraná in 2010.Method: A descriptive study in which the admission information of the hospital system of the Unified Health System was analyzed. Data from women aged between 10 to 49 years available on the DATASUS website were analyzed, using percentage and according to primary diagnosis, age and Regional Health area.Results: The Rate of Obstetric Complications (RtOC) was 38%, increasing with the age of women. Complications of labor and delivery (10.5%), and pregnancy with abortive outcome (9.1%) were the diagnoses with highest RtOC. The RtOC ranged between 8.4% in Telêmaco Borba, until 62.6% in Ponta Grossa.Conclusion: The healthcare team should monitor the rates of admissions for obstetric complications as these indicate the quality of health care of women, mainly focused on labor, delivery and women of older age.


Maternal care in Gargaphia decoris (Heteroptera, Tingidae), with comments on this behavior within the genus and family

Maternal care in Gargaphia decoris is described for the first time. A video is presented as supplementary material. The knowledge on such trait within Tingidae is summarized. The behavior within the family is discussed, and the potential as a source of phylogenetic characters for further analyses is stressed.

Herdabilidade da habilidade de permanência no rebanho em fêmeas de bovinos da raça Canchim

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a possibilidade de a característica habilidade de permanência no rebanho de matrizes ser utilizada como critério de seleção na raça Canchim. A habilidade de permanência no rebanho foi definida como a probabilidade de uma matriz ter três partos ou mais até os 76 meses de idade, desde que ela tenha tido a oportunidade de se reproduzir pelo menos uma vez. Codificações binárias, com 0 para indicar fracasso e 1 para indicar sucesso, foram feitas para cada fêmea. Uma codificação alternativa, com quatro categorias, considerou os valores 0, 1, 2 e 3, respectivamente, para vacas com menos de três, com três, quatro ou cinco partos até os 76 meses de idade. As análises foram processadas pela aplicação de um modelo unicaracterístico de touro avô-materno. Utilizou-se a amostragem de Gibbs para estimar os componentes de variância e herdabilidades. As estimativas de herdabilidade foram de 0,07, para a característica definida pelo modelo binário, e de 0,08, para a característica definida pelo modelo com quatro categorias. Os resultados indicam pequenas diferenças na estimativa de herdabilidade, pelos modelos binário e com quatro categorias. Sugerem também que as estimativas de herdabilidade, para a característica habilidade de permanência, na raça Canchim, apresenta baixo potencial de resposta à seleção.

Habilidade competitiva relativa de milhã em convivência com arroz irrigado e soja

O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar a habilidade competitiva relativa de milhã com as culturas de arroz irrigado e de soja. Realizaram-se cinco experimentos, nas safras de 2009/2010 e 2010/2011, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de proporções de plantas de milhã e arroz irrigado ou soja (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 e 0:100%). A área foliar e a massa de matéria seca da parte aérea foram avaliadas aos 45 dias após a emergência. A competição entre milhã e arroz irrigado ou soja ocorre pelos mesmos recursos do ambiente. Plantas de milhã apresentam menor habilidade competitiva por indivíduo do que o arroz irrigado e a soja, quando ocorrem na mesma proporção de plantas. Quando as culturas do arroz irrigado ou da soja estão associadas ao milhã, a competição intraespecífica predomina, enquanto, para a planta daninha, prevalece a competição interespecífica como a mais prejudicial.

Ultrasonographic study and Doppler flow velocimetry of maternal kidneys and liver in low-risk pregnancy

AbstractObjective:Longitudinal study with B-mode ultrasonography and Doppler ultrasonography of maternal kidneys and liver in low-risk pregnancy, to establish and quantify normality parameters, correlating them with physiological changes.Materials and Methods:Twenty-five pregnant women were assessed and selected to participate in the study, each of them undergoing four examinations at the first, second, third trimesters and postpartum.Results:Findings during pregnancy were the following: increased renal volume, pyelocaliceal dilatation with incidence of 45.4% in the right kidney, and 9% in the left kidney; nephrolithiasis, 18.1% in the right kidney, 13.6% in the left kidney. With pyelocaliceal dilatation, mean values for resistivity index were: 0.68 for renal arteries; 0.66 for segmental arteries; 0.64 for interlobar arteries; 0.64 for arcuate arteries. Without pyelocaliceal dilatation, 0.67 for renal arteries; 0.64 for segmental arteries; 0.63 for interlobar arteries; and 0.61 for arcuate arteries. Portal vein flow velocities presented higher values in pregnancy, with mean value for maximum velocity of 28.9 cm/s, and 22.6 cm/s postpartum. The waveform pattern of the right hepatic vein presented changes persisting in the postpartum period in 31.8% of the patients. Cholelithiasis was observed in 18.1% of the patients.Conclusion:Alterations in renal volume, pyelocaliceal dilatation, nephrolithiasis, cholelithiasis, changes in portal vein flow velocity, alterations in waveform pattern of the right hepatic vein, proved to be significant.

Estudo in vitro da habilidade predatória de monacrosporium robustum sobre heterodera glycines

O fungo nematófago Monacrosporium robustum foi detectado, isolado e identificado pela primeira vez de solos do Brasil, em maio de 1999, no Laboratório de Nematologia do Departamento de Fitossanidade da Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus de Jaboticabal, São Paulo, tendo sido o potencial como agente de biocontrole do nematóide de cisto da soja, Heterodera glycines raça 3 observado ao microscópio eletrônico de varredura (MEV) (Maia & Santos, 1999). Na presente pesquisa, detalhes das estruturas de captura, tamanho, forma e septação dos conídios, bem como nematóides capturados pelo fungo foram documentados. Monacrosporium robustum produz micélio hialino, e as estruturas de captura são constituídas por ramificações adesivas, na forma de protuberâncias verticais que surgem das hifas, medindo, em média, 10 µm de comprimento e 5 µm de diâmetro. Uma substância gelatinosa desprende- se dessas estruturas, ao contato com o nematóide, aprisionando-o. Os conídios do fungo são hialinos, fusóides com dois ou quatro septos, às vezes, cinco. Conídios jovens são asseptados e piriformes. Sob condições de laboratório, esse fungo predou 100% dos ovos e dos juvenis de segundo estádio de H. glycines e formas ativas de Panagrellus sp., no período de 72 h da exposição desses nematóides ao fungo.