Blood cells profile in umbilical cord of late preterm and term newborns / Perfil de hemograma em sangue de cordão umbilical de recém-nascidos pré-termo tardio e a termo

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the hematological profile in cord blood of late preterm and term newborns and compare blood indices according to sex, weight for gestational age and type of delivery. Methods: Cross-sectional study with late preterm and term newborns in a second-level maternity. Multiple gestation, chorioamnionitis, maternal or fetal hemorrhage, suspected congenital infection, 5-minute Apgar <6, congenital malformations, and Rh hemolytic disease were excluded. Percentiles 3, 5,10, 25, 50, 75, 90, 95 and 97 of blood indices were calculated for both groups. Results: 2,662 newborns were included in the sample, 51.1% males, 7.3% late preterms, 7.8% small for gestational age (SGA) and 81.2% adequate for gestational age (AGA). Mean gestational age was 35.6±1.9 and 39.3±1.0 weeks, respectively, for premature and term neonates. The erythrocytes indices and white blood cells increased from 34-36.9 to 37-41.9 weeks. Basophils and platelets remained constant during gestation. Premature neonates presented lower values ​​of all blood cells, except for lymphocytes and eosinophils. SGA neonates presented higher values ​​of hemoglobin, hematocrit and lower values of leukocytes, neutrophils, bands, segmented, eosinophils, monocytes and platelets. Male neonates presented similar values ​​of erythrocytes and hemoglobin and lower leukocytes, neutrophils, segmented and platelets. Neonates delivered by C-section had lower values ​​of red blood cells and platelets. Chronic or gestational hypertension induced lower number of platelets. Conclusions: Blood cells increased during gestation, except for platelets and basophils. SGA neonates had higher hemoglobin and hematocrit values and lower leukocytes. Number of platelets was smaller in male SGAs, born by C-section and whose mothers had hypertension.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever o perfil hematológico em sangue de cordão de recém-nascidos pré-termo tardio e a termo e comparar parâmetros hematimétricos segundo sexo, adequação peso idade gestacional e tipo de parto. Métodos: Estudo transversal com recém-nascidos pré-termo tardio e a termo, em maternidade de nível secundário. Excluíram-se gestação múltipla, corioamnionite, hemorragia materna ou fetal, suspeita de infecção congênita, Apgar no 5o minuto <6, malformações congênitas e doença hemolítica Rh. Calcularam-se os percentis 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90, 95 e 97 dos parâmetros hematológicos. Resultados: Incluíram-se 2.662 recém-nascidos, 51,1% do sexo masculino, 7,3% prematuros tardios, 7,8% pequenos para a idade gestacional e 81,2% adequados. A idade gestacional foi 35,6±1,9 e 39,3±1,0 semanas, respectivamente, nos prematuros e termos. As séries vermelha e branca aumentaram de 34-36,9 para 37-41,9 semanas, exceto basófilos e plaquetas, que permaneceram constantes. Os prematuros apresentaram menores médias nas séries vermelha, plaquetária e branca, com exceção de linfócitos e eosinófilos. Recém-nascidos pequenos para a idade gestacional apresentaram maiores valores de hemoglobina e hematócrito e menores de leucócitos, neutrófilos, bastonetes segmentados, eosinófilos, monócitos e plaquetas. Recém-nascidos masculinos apresentaram taxas semelhantes de hemoglobina e hematócrito e menores de leucócitos, neutrófilos, segmentados e plaquetas. Na cesárea, as células vermelhas e as plaquetas foram menores que no parto vaginal. O número de plaquetas foi menor na hipertensão crônica ou gestacional. Conclusões: As células sanguíneas aumentaram durante a gestação, exceto plaquetas e basófilos. Recém-nascidos pequenos para a idade gestacional apresentaram maiores taxas de hemoglobina e hematócrito e menores de células brancas. O número de plaquetas foi menor no recém-nascido pequeno para a idade gestacional, masculino, nascido por cesárea e de mãe hipertensa.

Peripheral blood cells of the armored catfish Hoplosternum littorale Hancock, 1828: a morphological and cytochemical study

Cytochemical studies are used to identify fish leukocytes and as a basis for studying the functions of these cells in cellular immune responses. In this work, we investigated the morphological features and cytochemical properties of the blood cells in the armored catfish (Hoplosternum littorale), a South American teleost. Reticulocytes, which accounted for 8-24.6% of the red blood cell population, stained with brilliant cresyl blue and contained a granular material similar to residual RNA. Thrombocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, heterophils and eosinophils were identified and characterized in blood smears stained with May Grünwald-Giemsa-Wright. The lymphocytes were small, round cells with a basophilic cytoplasm and contained no periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), peroxidase or non-specific esterase activity. The thrombocytes were usually fusiform, with a hyaline cytoplasm that was acidophilic when stained with alkaline toluidine blue. The monocytes were round, with a basophilic and sometimes vacuolated cytoplasm that contained non-specific esterase activity. The neutrophils were large and round, with typical neutrophilic granules that sometimes showed moderate staining. The nuclei were rod-shaped and occasionally segmented, with PAS-positive granules that gave a weak reaction for peroxidase. The heterophils were large and round with coarse eosinophilic and basophilic, PAS-positive granules. The eosinophils were round and medium-sized, with eosinophilic granules that generally gave a negative reaction in all cytochemical stainings. The marked variation in the granulocyte morphology of H. littorale meant that a standard analysis based only on the morphology of these cells was insufficient for identifying all of the cell types.

Detection and analysis of apoptosis in peripheral blood cells from breast cancer patients

Apoptosis is a well-known specific process of cell death that normally occurs in physiological situations such as tissue or organ development and involution. During tumor growth there is a balance between proliferation and cell death which involves apoptotic mechanisms. In the present study genomic DNAs from 120 breast tumor biopsies were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and none of them presented the fragmentation pattern characteristic of the apoptosis process. However, 33 per cent of the 105 breast cancer patients clearly showed the apoptotic pattern when DNA from blood cells was analyzed. None of the DNAs from healthy volunteer blood cells showed any trace of apoptosis. Since the breast cancer patients were not receiving chemo- or hormone therapy, the possible relationship between blood cortisol levels and the apoptotic pattern found in patient blood cells was investigated. Using a chemoluminescence immunodetection assay, similar cortisol levels were observed in breast cancer patient sera presenting or not apoptotic blood cells and in healthy volunteer sera. Analysis of the clinical data obtained from 60 of these patients showed that patients bearing tumors of smaller size (under 20 mm) were more susceptible to the apoptotic effect in blood cells. According to the Elston grade, it was observed that 7 of 12 patients with grade III tumors (58 per cent) presented apoptotic peripheral blood cells, in contrast to 10 of 48 patients with grade I and grade II tumors. These observations may reflect the immunosuppression characteristic of some breast cancer patients, which may contribute to tumor growth. Therefore, further studies are necessary to elucidate the factor(s) involved in such massive blood cell death.

[Morphological studies on the blood of healthy native north Iranian green-head ducks]

Diagnosis of diseases is mainly possible using previous available knowledge of healthy conditions such as normal physiological parameters and values. There is no information on the morphology of the various blood cells of the native ducks of the north of Iran. Therefore blood samples were collected from 100 apparently healthy adult green head Iranian ducks of both sexes. The smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa and new methylen blue technique. The stained smears were studied by light microscopy and the size of blood cells were determined by micrometry. Results of this study showed blood cell morphology in native ducks of north of Iran were similar to chicken and other birds. The size of red blood cells in these ducks were smaller than Indian ducks. Azurophilic granules were not seen in native duck's monocytes