Brain caspase-3 and intestinal FABP responses in preterm and term rats submitted to birth asphyxia

Neonatal asphyxia can cause irreversible injury of multiple organs resulting in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This injury is dependent on time, severity, and gestational age, once the preterm babies need ventilator support. Our aim was to assess the different brain and intestinal effects of ischemia and reperfusion in neonate rats after birth anoxia and mechanical ventilation. Preterm and term neonates were divided into 8 subgroups (n=12/group): 1) preterm control (PTC), 2) preterm ventilated (PTV), 3) preterm asphyxiated (PTA), 4) preterm asphyxiated and ventilated (PTAV), 5) term control (TC), 6) term ventilated (TV), 7) term asphyxiated (TA), and 8) term asphyxiated and ventilated (TAV). We measured body, brain, and intestine weights and respective ratios [(BW), (BrW), (IW), (BrW/BW) and (IW/BW)]. Histology analysis and damage grading were performed in the brain (cortex/hippocampus) and intestine (jejunum/ileum) tissues, as well as immunohistochemistry analysis for caspase-3 and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP). IW was lower in the TA than in the other terms (P<0.05), and the IW/BW ratio was lower in the TA than in the TAV (P<0.005). PTA, PTAV and TA presented high levels of brain damage. In histological intestinal analysis, PTAV and TAV had higher scores than the other groups. Caspase-3 was higher in PTAV (cortex) and TA (cortex/hippocampus) (P<0.005). I-FABP was higher in PTAV (P<0.005) and TA (ileum) (P<0.05). I-FABP expression was increased in PTAV subgroup (P<0.0001). Brain and intestinal responses in neonatal rats caused by neonatal asphyxia, with or without mechanical ventilation, varied with gestational age, with increased expression of caspase-3 and I-FABP biomarkers.

Early neonatal echocardiographic findings in an experimental rabbit model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia

This study aimed to demonstrate that congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) results in vascular abnormalities that are directly associated with the severity of pulmonary hypoplasia and hypertension. These events increase right ventricle (RV) afterload and may adversely affect disease management and patient survival. Our objective was to investigate cardiac function, specifically right ventricular changes, immediately after birth and relate them to myocardial histological findings in a CDH model. Pregnant New Zealand rabbits underwent the surgical procedure at 25 days of gestation (n=14). CDH was created in one fetus per horn (n=16), and the other fetuses were used as controls (n=20). At term (30 days), fetuses were removed, immediately dried and weighed before undergoing four-parameter echocardiography. The lungs and the heart were removed, weighed, and histologically analyzed. CDH animals had smaller total lung weight (P<0.005), left lung weight (P<0.005), and lung-to-body ratio (P<0.005). Echocardiography revealed a smaller left-to-right ventricle ratio (LV/RV, P<0.005) and larger diastolic right ventricle size (DRVS, P<0.007). Histologic analysis revealed a larger number of myocytes undergoing mitotic division (186 vs 132, P<0.05) in CDH hearts. Immediate RV dilation of CDH hearts is related to myocyte mitosis increase. This information may aid the design of future strategies to address pulmonary hypertension in CDH.

A statistical study of the association of seven dental anomalies in the Brazilian population / Estudio estadístico de la asociación de siete anomalías dentales en la población brasileña

The objective of this study was to show the association patterns among seven types of dental anomalies (second pre-molar agenesis, upper side incisive reduced in size, lower first molar infra-ochlesis, enamel hypoplasia, first molar ectopic eruption, supra numerous teeth and upper canine ectopic eruption) in a population sample without dental treatment ranging in age from 7 to 14. A total of 172 patients were attended and underwent the clinical examination at the Clínica Infantil da Fundação Educacional de Barretas. Eleven patients from this total were selected according to a first dental anomaly diagnosis and submitted to panoramic radiography. A significant association (p<0.05) was detected among six pairs of anomalies (second pre-molar agenesis x first pre-molar ectopic eruption; second pre-molar agenesis x lower first molar infra-ochlesis; second pre-molar agenesis x upper side incisive reduced in size; supra numerous teeth x reduced size upper side incisive; first pre-molar ectopic eruption x enamel hypoplasia; lower first molar infra-ochlesis x upper side incisive reduced in size) suggesting a common genetic origin for these conditions. The association was not significant in only one case where there was anomaly sharing by the patients. The existence of an anomaly is clinically relevant for early diagnosis of a possible association and an anomaly can indicate an increased risk of other anomalies.

El objetivo de este estudio fue mostrar los patrones asociación entre siete tipos de anomalías dentales (agenesia del segundo premolar, incisivo lateral superior en tamaño reducido, infra-oclesis del primer molar inferior, hipoplasia del esmalte, erupción ectópica del primer molar, dientes supernumerarios y erupción ectópica de caninos superiores) en una muestra de población sin tratamiento dental, de edades comprendidas entre los 7 a 14 años. Un total de 172 pacientes fueron atendidos y se les realizó el examen clínico en la Clínica Infantil da Fundación Educacional de Barretos. Once pacientes de el total fueron seleccionados de acuerdo con un primer diagnóstico de anomalías dentales y presentado en la radiografía panorámica. Se observó una asociación significativa (p <0,05) entre los seis pares de anomalías (agenesia de segundo premolar x erupción ectópica del primer molar; agenesia del segundo premolar x infra-oclesis del primer molar inferior; agenesia del segundo premolar x incisivo lateral superior en tamaño reducido; dientes supernumerarios x incisivo lateral superior en tamaño reducido; erupción ectópica del primer molar x hipoplasia de esmalte; infra-oclesis del primer molar inferior x incisivo lateral superior en tamaño reducido), sugiriendo un origen genético común para estas condiciones. La asociación no fue significativa en un sólo caso donde hubo anomalías compartidas por los pacientes. La existencia de una anomalía es clínicamente relevante para el diagnóstico precoz de una posible asociación y una anomalía puede indicar un mayor riesgo de otras anomalías.

Allele frequencies and genetic diversity in two groups of wild tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella nigritus) living in an urban forest fragment

There have been numerous studies genetically characterizing Old World Primates using microsatellites. However, few studies have been made of New World species and none on free-ranging Cebus apella, even though it is probably the most widely distributed species of monkey in the New World. The paucity of studies is due, in part, to the lack of polymorphisms described for this species. We studied two groups of wild tufted capuchins, Cebus apella nigritus, which inhabit Mata Santa Teresa, the Ecological Reserve of Ribeirão Preto, a 158-ha forest fragment in a semi-urban zone of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Group 1 had about 60 animals, 35 of which were sampled, and group 2 had about 40 animals, 20 of which were sampled. These group sizes are much larger than the published reports of 6-30 for this species, despite, or perhaps due to the isolation and the size of the forest fragment. Allele PEPC59*1 was the most frequent of all alleles at all loci in both groups (55.7 and 55%), allele PEPC8*1 was the most common allele in group 2 (46.9%) and PEPC8*4 in group 1 (41.1%), allele PEPC3*2 was the most common in group 1 (35.7%) and allele PEPC3*4 in group 2 (31.6%). The genetic diversity, considering each locus in each group, varied from 61.9% at locus PEPC59 to 78.6% at locus PEPC3, both in group 1. The mean genetic diversity (H(S)), considering both groups for all of the loci, was 71.1%. The inter-group diversity (F(ST)) was 1.9%, indicating that these groups belong to the same population. These groups apparently have a high genetic diversity, despite their isolation in a limited forest fragment, although more data are needed to adequately characterize this population.