From gestational chronodisruption to noncommunicable diseases: Pathophysiological mechanisms of programming of adult diseases, and the potential therapeutic role of melatonin.

During gestation, the developing fetus relies on precise maternal circadian signals for optimal growth and preparation for extrauterine life. These signals regulate the daily delivery of oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and other biophysical factors while synchronizing fetal rhythms with the external photoperiod. However, modern lifestyle factors such as light pollution and shift work can induce gestational chronodisruption, leading to the desynchronization of maternal and fetal circadian rhythms. Such disruptions have been associated with adverse effects on cardiovascular, neurodevelopmental, metabolic, and endocrine functions in the fetus, increasing the susceptibility to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in adult life. This aligns with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease theory, suggesting that early-life exposures can significantly influence health outcomes later in life. The consequences of gestational chronodisruption also extend into adulthood. Environmental factors like diet and stress can exacerbate the adverse effects of these disruptions, underscoring the importance of maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm across the lifespan to prevent NCDs and mitigate the impact of gestational chronodisruption on aging. Research efforts are currently aimed at identifying potential interventions to prevent or mitigate the effects of gestational chronodisruption. Melatonin supplementation during pregnancy emerges as a promising intervention, although further investigation is required to fully understand the precise mechanisms involved and to develop effective strategies for promoting health and preventing NCDs in individuals affected by gestational chronodisruption.

Specular microscopy of the corneal endothelial cells of bovines: an ex vivo study.

Background: The endothelium is the most posterior layer of the cornea and is essential for maintaining corneal transparency. Due to variations in corneal endothelial parameters among different species, knowledge of the normal parameters for each species is crucial. Aim: To evaluate the corneal endothelium of bovines using contact specular microscopy. Methods: Twenty eyeballs from 10 male Brangus (Bos taurus) aged 24 months were evaluated. Contact specular microscopy was performed on the central corneal area. The analyzed parameters were endothelial cell density (ECD) and endothelial cell morphology. Results: The ECD in the central area was 1,277 cells/mm2. Regarding the morphology, mainly cells with six (74.3%), five (14.7%) and seven sides (10%) were found. There were no significant differences in ECD and morphology between left and right eyes. Conclusion: Contact specular microscopy facilitated the analysis and measurement of corneal endothelial parameters in bovines. The data obtained will serve as a reference for the analysis of bovine corneal endothelium.

Maternal melatonin treatment rescues endocrine, inflammatory, and transcriptional deregulation in the adult rat female offspring from gestational chronodisruption.

Introduction: Gestational chronodisruption impact maternal circadian rhythms, inhibiting the nocturnal increase of melatonin, a critical hormone that contributes to maternal changes adaptation, entrains circadian rhythms, and prepares the fetus for birth and successful health in adulthood. In rats, we know that gestational chronodisruption by maternal chronic photoperiod shifting (CPS) impaired maternal melatonin levels and resulted in long-term metabolic and cardiovascular effects in adult male offspring. Here, we investigated the consequences of CPS on mother and adult female offspring and explored the effects of melatonin maternal supplementation. Also, we tested whether maternal melatonin administration during gestational chronodisruption rescues maternal circadian rhythms, pregnancy outcomes, and transcriptional functions in adult female offspring. Methods: Female rats raised and maintained in photoperiod 12:12 light: dark were mated and separated into three groups: (a) Control photoperiod 12:12 (LD); (b) CPS photoperiod; and (c) CPS+Mel mothers supplemented with melatonin in the drinking water throughout gestation. In the mother, we evaluated maternal circadian rhythms by telemetry and pregnancy outcomes, in the long-term, we study adult female offspring by evaluating endocrine and inflammatory markers and the mRNA expression of functional genes involved in adrenal, cardiac, and renal function. Results: In the mothers, CPS disrupted circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, body temperature, and heart rate and increased gestational length by almost 12-h and birth weight by 12%, all of which were rescued by maternal melatonin administration. In the female offspring, we found blunted day/night differences in circulating levels of melatonin and corticosterone, abnormal patterns of pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin-1a (IL1a), Interleukin-6 (IL6), and Interleukin-10 (IL10); and differential expression in 18 out of 24 adrenal, cardiac, and renal mRNAs evaluated. Conclusion: Maternal melatonin contributed to maintaining the maternal circadian rhythms in mothers exposed to CPS, and the re-establishing the expression of 60% of the altered mRNAs to control levels in the female offspring. Although we did not analyze the effects on kidney, adrenal, and heart physiology, our results reinforce the idea that altered maternal circadian rhythms, resulting from exposure to light at night, should be a mechanism involved in the programming of Non-Communicable Diseases.

Investigación: acción participativa para evaluar el impacto de la difusión vía online de activos de salud / Research – participatory action to evaluate the impact of the online dissemination of health assets

Antecedentes: La identificación de activos de salud y la difusión de los mismos por parte de los profesionales de Atención Primaria (AP) mejora la calidad de vida de las personas. En este proyecto se pretende dar voz a diversos activos comunitarios del Área Sanitaria de Vigo e iniciar la formación de una red local para la salud en el área. Método: Estudio cualitativo de investigación-acción participativa (IAP). Se hicieron cuatro entrevistas en formato vídeo a asociaciones que trabajan con grupos de población especialmente afectados por la situación sanitaria de pandemia de la COVID-19. Se publicaron en el canal de YouTube de la Unidad Docente de Atención Familiar y Comunitaria (UDAFyC) de Vigo. Se acompañaron de la transcripción de la entrevista y de la documentación facilitada por la propia asociación. Fueron difundidos por el grupo promotor del proyecto y otros recursos externos. Se evaluó el impacto analizando las visualizaciones en cada una de ellas. Resultados: Los vídeos tuvieron una duración media de 10 minutos. El pico de visualizaciones se encuentra entre los 2-3 primeros días tras su publicación y las visitas al canal de YouTube fueron un total de 618, siendo las aplicaciones externas WhatsApp (178) y Facebook (86) las más utilizadas para acceder a la plataforma. Únicamente una de las asociaciones entrevistadas compartió el vídeo realizado en sus redes sociales. Discusión: La mayor parte de la difusión ha sido a través del grupo promotor y de la Unidad Docente Multidisciplinar de Vigo, siendo efectiva la instauración del recurso de difusión vía telemática. La mayoría de los activos comunitarios están dispuestos a colaborar en este tipo de proyectos, aunque no tienen gran peso en la difusión posterior del vídeo. Es importante mantener este tipo de difusiones y evaluaciones en el tiempo para ampliar y mejorar los conocimientos de los activos comunitarios por parte de la población. (AU)

Background. The identification of community assets and their dissemination by primary care professionals improves people's quality of life. Therefore, in this project we tried to give a voice to different community assets in the Vigo Health Area and to start training a local health network in the area. Method. By means of qualitative study research - participatory action we performed four interviews in video format with associations who work with population groups especially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic health situation. They were published on the Vigo Family and Community Attention Teaching unit (UDAFyC) YouTube channel and were disseminated by the group promoting the project and other external resources. Next, we evaluated the impact by analyzing the number of times they were seen. Results. The videos lasted on average 10 minutes. The peak number of views was between the first two to three days after their publication and the YouTube channel received a total of 618 visits; WhatsApp and Facebook being the applications most used to access the platform. Only one association interviewed shared the video on their social networks. Discussion. Most dissemination was by means of the promoter group and the Vigo Multidisciplinary Teaching Unit. Establishment of the online dissemination resource was effective. Most community assets are willing to collaborate in this type of project, although they do not have a great weight in subsequent dissemination of the video. It is important to maintain this type of dissemination and evaluations over time to expand and improve the knowledge of community assets by the population. Conclusions. In total, the channel received a total of 618 visits with external sources such as WhatsApp and Facebook being the most used for access. (AU)

New integrative approaches to discovery of pathophysiological mechanisms triggered by night shift work.

Synchronization to periodic cues such as food/water availability and light/dark cycles is crucial for living organisms' homeostasis. Both factors have been heavily influenced by human activity, with artificial light at night (ALAN) being an evolutionary challenge imposed over roughly the last century. Evidence from studies in humans and animal models shows that overt circadian misalignment, such as that imposed to about 20% of the workforce by night shift work (NSW), negatively impinges on the internal temporal order of endocrinology, physiology, metabolism, and behavior. Moreover, NSW is often associated to mistimed feeding, with both unnatural behaviors being known to increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as eating disorders, overweight, obesity, cardiovascular, metabolic (particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus) and gastrointestinal disorders, some types of cancer, as well as mental disease including sleep disturbances, cognitive disorders, and depression. Regarding deleterious effects of ALAN on reproduction, increased risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery and low birth weight have been reported in shift-worker women. These mounting lines of evidence prompt further efforts to advance our understanding of the effects of long-term NSW on health. Emerging data suggest that NSW with or without mistimed feeding modify gene expression and functional readouts in different tissues/organs, which seem to translate into persistent cardiometabolic and endocrine dysfunction. However, this research avenue still faces multiple challenges, such as functional characterization of new experimental models more closely resembling human long-term NSW and mistimed feeding in males versus females; studying further target organs; identifying molecular changes by means of deep multi-omics analyses; and exploring biomarkers of NSW with translational medicine potential. Using high-throughput and systems biology is a relatively new approach to study NSW, aimed to generate experiments addressing new biological factors, pathways, and mechanisms, going beyond the boundaries of the circadian clock molecular machinery.

Maternal Chronodisruption Throughout Pregnancy Impairs Glucose Homeostasis and Adipose Tissue Physiology in the Male Rat Offspring.

Compelling evidence in rats support the idea that gestational chronodisruption induces major changes in maternal circadian rhythms and fetal development and that these changes impact adult life at many physiological levels. Using a model of chronic photoperiod shifting throughout gestation (CPS), in which pregnant female rats (Sprague-Dawley strain; n = 16 per group) were exposed to lighting schedule manipulation every 3-4 days reversing the photoperiod completely or light/dark photoperiod (12/12; LD), we explored in the adult rat male offspring body weight gain, glucose homeostasis, adipose tissue content, adipose tissue response to norepinephrine (NE), and adipose tissue proteomic in the basal condition with standard diet (SD) and in response to high-fat diet (HFD). In adult CPS male (100-200 days old; n = 8 per group), we found increasing body weight, under SD and adiposity. Also, we found an increased response to intraperitoneal glucose (IGTT). After 12 weeks of HFD, white adipose tissue depots in CPS offspring were increased further, and higher IGTT and lower intraperitoneal insulin tolerance response were found, despite the lack of changes in food intake. In in vitro experiments, we observed that adipose tissue (WAT and BAT) glycerol response to NE from CPS offspring was decreased, and it was completely abolished by HFD. At the proteomic level, in CPS adipose tissue, 275 proteins displayed differential expression, compared with LD animals fed with a standard diet. Interestingly, CPS offspring and LD fed with HFD showed 20 proteins in common (2 upregulated and 18 downregulated). Based on these common proteins, the IPA analysis found that two functional pathways were significantly altered by CPS: network 1 (AKT/ERK) and network 2 (TNF/IL4; data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD026315). The present data show that gestational chronodisruption induced deleterious effects in adipose tissue recruitment and function, supporting the idea that adipose tissue function was programmed in utero by gestational chronodisruption, inducing deficient metabolic responses that persist into adulthood.

[Direct acting oral anticoagulants versus low molecular weight heparin for primary thromboprophylaxis in cancer patients]. / Anticoagulantes orales de acción directa versus heparina de bajo peso molecular para tromboprofilaxis primaria en pacientes con cáncer.

INTRODUCTION: Low molecular weight heparin is currently the standard therapy for the primary prevention of thromboembolic disease in cancer patients. The use of direct-acting anticoagulants could be an alternative, but its efficacy and safety profile in these types of patients remains unclear. METHODS: We searched in Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple sources of information, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from identified reviews, analyzed data from primary studies, performed a meta-analysis, and prepared a summary table of results using the GRADE method. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We identified four systematic reviews that together included two primary studies, of which both correspond to trials. We conclude that the use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants probably increases the outcome of major bleeding and likely slightly increases the risk of thromboembolic disease. No studies were found that evaluated the outcome of quality of life or mortality.

INTRODUCCIÓN: El uso de heparina de bajo peso molecular es actualmente la terapia estándar para prevención primaria de enfermedad tromboembólica en pacientes con cáncer. El uso de los anticoagulantes de acción directa podría ser una alternativa pero su perfil de eficacia y seguridad en este tipo de pacientes sigue siendo aún poco claro. MÉTODOS: Realizamos una búsqueda en Epistemonikos, la mayor base de datos de revisiones sistemáticas en salud, la cual es mantenida mediante el tamizaje de múltiples fuentes de información, incluyendo MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, entre otras. Extrajimos los datos desde las revisiones identificadas, analizamos los datos de los estudios primarios, realizamos un metanálisis y preparamos una tabla de resumen de los resultados utilizando el método GRADE. RESULTADOS Y CONCLUSIONES: Identificamos cuatro revisiones sistemáticas que, en conjunto, incluyeron dos estudios primarios, los que corresponden a ensayos. Concluimos que el uso de anticoagulantes orales de acción directa probablemente aumenta el desenlace hemorragia mayor y probablemente aumenta levemente el riesgo de enfermedad tromboembólica. No se encontraron estudios que evaluaran el desenlace calidad de vida ni de mortalidad.

Prescripción antibiótica de los médicos generales: impacto de la evaluación y retroalimentación en un hospital de tercer nivel en la ciudad de Medellín / Antibiotic prescription of general practitioner: impact of the evaluation and feedback in a tertiary care center in the city of Medellin

RESUMEN Objetivos: medir el impacto en la calidad de la prescripción antibiótica empírica en los médicos generales luego de la implementación de un sistema de evaluación y retroalimentación. Métodos: estudio cuasiexperimental con pre y postintervención en una clínica de tercer nivel en Medellín. Se revisó las prescripciones de un grupo de antibióticos por un médico internista, un epidemiólogo y un infectólogo. Se midió el consumo de antibióticos, las retroalimentaciones realizadas, el diagnóstico de la sepsis, tiempo de inicio de los antibióticos en el servicio de urgencias y la prevalencia de Escherichia coli productora de betalactamasa de espectro extendido. Resultados: el número de retroalimentaciones descendió de 10,9 a 2 %. Se redujo el consumo de ceftriaxona (p = 0,04), piperacilina tazobactam (p = 0,01), cefepime (p = 0,04) y ciprofloxacina (p = 0,01). Se evidenció una tendencia a la reducción en la prevalencia de E. coli BLEE (p = 0,3). La intervención no produjo un retraso en el inicio de antibióticos en el servicio de urgencias. Conclusión: una estrategia de auditoría y retroalimentación a los médicos generales, referente a la calidad de la prescripción antibiótica, reduce el consumo de antibióticos sin afectar la oportunidad del diagnóstico de sepsis o el inicio de su tratamiento y puede impactar favorablemente en el perfil de resistencia de la flora microbiana institucional.

SUMMARY Objectives: To measure the impact on the quality of the empirical antibiotic prescription in general practitioners, after the implementation of an evaluation and feedback system. Methods: Quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-intervention in a tertiary care center in Medellín. The prescriptions of a group of antibiotics were reviewed by an internist, an epidemiologist and an infectologist. When failures were found, prescribing doctors were informed. Subsequently, antibiotic consumption, feedbacks, sepsis diagnosis, start time of antibiotics in the emergency department and monthly incidence of Escherichia coli producing extended spectrum betalactamase were measured. Results: The numbers of feedbacks decreased from 10.9% to 2%. Consumption of ceftriaxone (p = 0.04), piperacillin tazobactam (p = 0.01), cefepime (p = 0.04) and ciprofloxacin (p = 0.01) was reduced. There was a tendency to reduce the prevalence of E. coli ESBL. The intervention did not cause a delay in the start of antibiotics in the emergency department. Conclusions: A strategy of continuous feedback to general practitioners regarding the quality of antibiotic prescription reduces consumption of antibiotics without causing changes in diagnosis opportunity or the beginning of antibiotics in sepsis and can impact favorably the resistance profile of the institutional microbial flora.

Análisis de series temporales respecto tasas de mortalidad general e intrahospitalaria en egresos hospitalarios, población pediátrica oncohematológico, Chile 1997-2016 / Analysis of time series related general and in-hospital mortality rates in hospital discharges, pediatric onco hematological population, Chile 1997-2016

INTRODUCTION: Before the start of the GES program in 2002, mortality was 128.2 deaths per million children under 15 years of age (RENCI). This public program managed to ensure the opportunity for diagnosis and treatment in children under 15 years of age and those less than 25 years of age who recur. Objective: To assess how GES has impacted on in-hospital mortality and lethality between1997and 2016. Methods: Retrospective case control study of 28,997 hospital discharges and 12,434 deaths analyzed using Prais-Weinstein time series between the years 1997 to 2016. They prepared contingency tables with data on: hospital discharges, age, sex and forecasts for 2001 and 2016. Fisher's p <0.05 test was used. Results: For the PreGes period an increase of 1.8% in the male crude mortality rate was observed, while for the Post Ges period an increase was observed with a breaking point at the end of 2008, with an increase of 11.04% compared to the PreGes period. An unexpected increase in the female mortality rate was observed. The odd's ratios associated with sex (higher mortality inmen than in women)0.816CI-0.679- 0.982; p <0.05; OR'S age 1,047 (0.981 per year) IC-1.044-1.051; p <0.0001 FORECAST (FONASA-1.942 IC 1.304-2.89 / ISAPRE = 2.186; IC = 1.267-3.773 p <0.005); Hospitalization days = 1.031 confirmed our research hypothesis 1.026-1.035 p <0.0001. Conclusion: This study found that there are statistically significant differences regarding hospital discharges between the public-private system, in relation to mortality andincreasein sustained crudemalemortality between the years1997 to 2016

INTRODUCCIÓN: Antes del inicio del programa GESen2002, la mortalidad era 128,2 muertes por millón de niños menores de 15 años (RENCI). Este programa público logró asegurar la oportunidad de diagnóstico y tratamiento en menores de15 años y aquellos menores de25añosque recidivan. Objetivo: Evaluar cómo el GES ha impactado en la mortalidad y letalidad intrahospitalaria entre1997a2016. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de control de casos en 28.997 egresos hospitalarios y 12.434 defunciones analizadas mediante series temporales de Prais-Weinstein entre los años 1997 a 2016. Se prepararon tablas de contingencia con datos sobre: egresos hospitalarios, edad, sexo y previsiones para2001y 2016.Se utilizóla prueba p <0.05de Fisher. Resultados: Se observó para el período PreGES un incremento de 1.8% en la tasa mortalidad cruda masculina, mientras que para el período Post GES se observó un incremento con punto de quiebre a fines del año 2008, con incremento del 11,04% respecto al período PreGES. Se observó incremento no sostenido en la tasa mortalidad femenina. Los odd's ratios asociados al sexo (mayor mortalidad en hombres que en mujeres) 0.816 IC-0.679-0.982; p <0,05; OR'S edad 1,047 (0.981 por año) IC-1.044-1.051; p<0.0001 PREVISIÓN (FONASA-1.942 IC 1.304-2.89 / ISAPRE =2.186; IC= 1,267-3,773 p<0.005); Días de Hospitalización=1,031 confirmó nuestra hipótesis de investigación 1,026-1,035 p<0.0001. Conclusión: Este estudio encontró que hay diferencias estadísticamente significativas respecto egresos hospitalarios entre el sistema público privado, en relación con la mortalidad e incremento en la mortalidad cruda masculina sostenida entre los años 1997 a 2016. acción en la función auditiva mediante audiometría tonal.

Dietary Potassium Downregulates Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme, Renin, and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2.

BACKGROUND: The importance of dietary potassium in health and disease has been underestimated compared with that placed on dietary sodium. Larger effort has been made on reduction of sodium intake and less on the adequate dietary potassium intake, although natural food contains much more potassium than sodium. The benefits of a potassium-rich diet are known, however, the mechanism by which it exerts its preventive action, remains to be elucidated. With the hypothesis that dietary potassium reduces renal vasoconstrictor components of the renin-angiotensin system in the long-term, we studied the effect of high potassium diet on angiotensin-I converting enzyme, renin, and angiotensin converting enzyme 2. METHODS: Sprague Dawley male rats on a normal sodium diet received normal potassium (0.9%, NK) or high potassium diet (3%, HK) for 4 weeks. Urine was collected in metabolic cages for electrolytes and urinary volume measurement. Renal tissue was used to analyze angiotensin-I converting enzyme, renin, and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 expression. Protein abundance analysis was done by Western blot; gene expression by mRNA levels by RT-qPCR. Renal distribution of angiotensin-I converting enzyme and renin was done by immunohistochemistry and morphometric analysis in coded samples. RESULTS: High potassium diet (4 weeks) reduced the levels of renin, angiotensin-I converting enzyme, and angiotensin converting enzyme 2. Angiotensin-I converting enzyme was located in the brush border of proximal tubules and with HK diet decreased the immunostaining intensity (P < 0.05), decreased the mRNA (P < 0.01) and the protein levels (P < 0.01). Renin localization was restricted to granular cells of the afferent arteriole and HK diet decreased the number of renin positive cells (P < 0.01) and renin mRNA levels (P < 0.01). High potassium intake decreased angiotensin converting enzyme 2 gene expression and protein levels (P < 0.01).No morphological abnormalities were observed in renal tissue during high potassium diet.The reduced expression of angiotensin-I converting enzyme, renin, and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 during potassium supplementation suggest that high dietary potassium intake could modulate these vasoactive enzymes and this effects can contribute to the preventive and antihypertensive effect of potassium.

The Role of Clock Genes in Fibrinolysis Regulation: Circadian Disturbance and Its Effect on Fibrinolytic Activity.

The fibrinolytic system is critical during the onset of fibrinolysis, a fundamental mechanism for fibrin degradation. Both tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) trigger fibrinolysis, leading to proteolytic activation of plasminogen to plasmin and subsequently fibrin proteolysis. This system is regulated by several inhibitors; plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), the most studied, binds to and inactivates both tPA and uPA. Through the action of plasmin, this system regulates several physiological processes: embryogenesis, activation of inflammatory cells, cell proliferation and death, synaptic plasticity, wound healing, and others. The deregulated intervention of fibrinolysis in the pathophysiology of various diseases has been widely studied; findings of altered functioning have been reported in different chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD), reinforcing its pleiotropic character and the importance of its physiology and regulation. The evidence indicates that fundamental elements of the fibrinolytic system, such as tPA and PAI-1, show a circadian rhythm in their plasmatic levels and their gene expression are regulated by circadian system elements, known as clock genes - Bmal, Clock, Cry-, and accessory clock genes such as Rev-Erb and Ror. The disturbance in the molecular machinery of the clock by exposure to light during the night alters the natural light/dark cycle and causes disruption of the circadian rhythm. Such exposure affects the synchronization and functioning of peripheral clocks responsible for the expression of the components of the fibrinolytic system. So, this circadian disturbance could be critical in the pathophysiology of chronic diseases where this system has been found to be deregulated.

Long-Term Effects of Altered Photoperiod During Pregnancy on Liver Gene Expression of the Progeny.

Experimental and epidemiological studies have revealed a relationship between an adverse intrauterine environment and chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) like cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood. An important risk factor for CVD is the deregulation of the fibrinolytic system particularly high levels of expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (Pai-1). Chronic exposure to altered photoperiod disrupts the circadian organization of physiology in the pregnant female, known as gestational chronodisruption, and cause long-term effects on the adult offspring's circadian physiology. The Pai-1 expression is regulated by the molecular components of the circadian system, termed clock genes. The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of chronic photoperiod shifts (CPS) during pregnancy on the expression of the clock genes and the fibrinolytic system in the liver of adult male offspring. Our results using an animal model demonstrated statistically significant differences at the transcriptional level in males gestated under CPS. At 90 days of postnatal age, the liver transcript levels of the clock gene Bmal1 were downregulated, whereas Rorα, Rorγ, Nfil3, and Pai-1 were upregulated. Our data indicate that CPS during pregnancy affects gene expression in the liver of male adult progeny, showing that alteration of the photoperiod in the mother's environment leads to persistent effects in the offspring. In conclusion, these results reveal for the first time the long-term effects of gestational chronodisruption on the transcriptional activity of one well-established risk factor associated with CVD in the adult male offspring.

Cognitive Development of Infants Exposed to the Zika Virus in Puerto Rico.

Importance: Existing research has established a causal link between Zika virus (ZIKV) infection and severe birth defects or consequent health impairments; however, more subtle cognitive impairments have not been explored. Objective: To determine whether infants of mothers with at least 1 positive ZIKV test show differences in cognitive scores at ages 3 to 6 months and ages 9 to 12 months. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study recruited infants enrolled in existing ZIKV study cohorts associated with the Maternal-Infant Studies Center and the Puerto Rico Clinical and Translational Research Consortium at the University of Puerto Rico and from the broader San Juan metropolitan area. The study took place at the Puerto Rico Clinical and Translational Research Consortium at the University of Puerto Rico. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling if their mothers underwent ZIKV testing prenatally and were at the target ages during the study period. Infants who were born preterm (<36 weeks' gestational age), with low birth weight (<2500 g), or with a known genetic disorder were excluded. Infants were tested from ages 3 to 6 months or ages 9 to 12 months from May 2018 to April 2019. Data analysis was performed from March to April 2019. Exposures: Zika virus status was measured prenatally and in the early postnatal period using real-time polymerase chain reaction or a ZIKV IgM antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Main Outcomes and Measures: The infants' development was assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (translated to Spanish and adapted for Puerto Rico), and assessors were blinded to each infant's ZIKV status. Results: A total of 65 study participants were included. The mean (SD) age of the infants at the time of cognitive testing was 8.98 (3.19) months. Most of the infants were white (55 [84.6%]) and Puerto Rican (64 [98.5%]); 38 of the infants were male (58.5%). General cognitive and domain-specific scores did not differ significantly between prenatally ZIKV-positive and ZIKV-negative infants except for receptive language score (mean difference = 5.52; t = 2.10; P = .04). Exposure to ZIKV (B = -5.69; ß = -0.26 [95% CI -11.01 to -0.36]; P = .04) and a measure of Hurricane Maria exposure (time without water, B = -0.05; ß = -0.27 [95% CI, -0.10 to -0.01]; P = .03) were both independently and significantly associated with receptive language scores after adjusting for key confounders. Conclusions and Relevance: Although infants exposed to ZIKV prenatally showed unaffected motor and visually mediated cognitive development, they did show deficits in receptive language scores. Receptive language skills were also associated with the degree of exposure to Hurricane Maria, with those who spent more time without water after the hurricane having lower receptive language scores.

Fetal Programming of Renal Dysfunction and High Blood Pressure by Chronodisruption.

Adverse prenatal conditions are known to impose significant trade-offs impinging on health and disease balance during adult life. Among several deleterious factors associated with complicated pregnancy, alteration of the gestational photoperiod remains largely unknown. Previously, we reported that prenatal manipulation of the photoperiod has adverse effects on the mother, fetus, and adult offspring; including cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we investigated whether chronic photoperiod shifting (CPS) during gestation may program adult renal function and blood pressure regulation. To this end, pregnant rats were subjected to CPS throughout pregnancy to evaluate the renal effects on the fetus and adult offspring. In the kidney at 18 days of gestation, both clock and clock-controlled gene expression did not display a daily pattern, although there were recurrent weaves of transcriptional activity along the 24 h in the control group. Using DNA microarray, significant differential expression was found for 1,703 transcripts in CPS relative to control fetal kidney (835 up-regulated and 868 down-regulated). Functional genomics assessment revealed alteration of diverse gene networks in the CPS fetal kidney, including regulation of transcription, aldosterone-regulated Na+ reabsorption and connective tissue differentiation. In adult offspring at 90 days of age, circulating proinflammatory cytokines IL-1ß and IL-6 were increased under CPS conditions. In these individuals, CPS did not modify kidney clock gene expression but had effects on different genes with specific functions in the nephron. Next, we evaluated several renal markers and the response of blood pressure to 4%NaCl in the diet for 4 weeks (i.e., at 150 days of age). CPS animals displayed elevated systolic blood pressure in basal conditions that remained elevated in response to 4%NaCl, relative to control conditions. At this age, CPS modified the expression of Nhe3, Ncc, Atp1a1, Nr3c1 (glucocorticoid receptor), and Nr3c2 (mineralocorticoid receptor); while Nkcc, Col3A1, and Opn were modified in the CPS 4%+NaCl group. Furthermore, CPS decreased protein expression of Kallikrein and COX-2, both involved in sodium handling. In conclusion, gestational chronodisruption programs kidney dysfunction at different levels, conceivably underlying the prehypertensive phenotype observed in the adult CPS offspring.

Developmental Programming of Capuchin Monkey Adrenal Dysfunction by Gestational Chronodisruption.

In the capuchin monkey (Cebus apella), a new-world nonhuman primate, maternal exposure to constant light during last third of gestation induces precocious maturation of the fetal adrenal and increased plasma cortisol in the newborn. Here, we further explored the effects of this challenge on the developmental programming of adrenal function in newborn and infant capuchin monkeys. We measured (i) plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS) and cortisol response to ACTH in infants with suppressed endogenous ACTH, (ii) plasma DHAS and cortisol response to ACTH in vitro, and (iii) adrenal weight and expression level of key factors in steroid synthesis (StAR and 3ß-HSD). In one-month-old infants from mothers subjected to constant light, plasma levels of cortisol and cortisol response to ACTH were twofold higher, whereas plasma levels of DHAS and DHAS response to ACTH were markedly reduced, compared to control conditions. At 10 months of age, DHAS levels were still lower but closer to control animals, whereas cortisol response to ACTH was similar in both experimental groups. A compensatory response was detected at the adrenal level, consisting of a 30% increase in adrenal weight and about 50% reduction of both StAR and 3ß-HSD mRNA and protein expression and the magnitude of DHAS and cortisol response to ACTH in vitro. Hence, at birth and at 10 months of age, there were differential effects in DHAS, cortisol production, and their response to ACTH. However, by 10 months of age, these subsided, leading to a normal cortisol response to ACTH. These compensatory mechanisms may help to overcome the adrenal alterations induced during pregnancy to restore normal cortisol concentrations in the growing infant.

Imbalance in Renal Vasoactive Enzymes Induced by Mild Hypoxia: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Increases While Neutral Endopeptidase Decreases.

Chronic hypoxia has been postulated as one of the mechanisms involved in salt-sensitive hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Kidneys have a critical role in the regulation of arterial blood pressure through vasoactive systems, such as the renin-angiotensin and the kallikrein-kinin systems, with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and kallikrein being two of the main enzymes that produce angiotensin II and bradykinin, respectively. Neutral endopeptidase 24.11 or neprilysin is another enzyme that among its functions degrade vasoactive peptides including angiotensin II and bradykinin, and generate angiotensin 1-7. On the other hand, the kidneys are vulnerable to hypoxic injury due to the active electrolyte transportation that requires a high oxygen consumption; however, the oxygen supply is limited in the medullary regions for anatomical reasons. With the hypothesis that the chronic reduction of oxygen under normobaric conditions would impact renal vasoactive enzyme components and, therefore; alter the normal balance of the vasoactive systems, we exposed male Sprague-Dawley rats to normobaric hypoxia (10% O2) for 2 weeks. We then processed renal tissue to identify the expression and distribution of kallikrein, ACE and neutral endopeptidase 24.11 as well as markers of kidney damage. We found that chronic hypoxia produced focal damage in the kidney, mainly in the cortico-medullary region, and increased the expression of osteopontin. Moreover, we observed an increase of ACE protein in the brush border of proximal tubules at the outer medullary region, with increased mRNA levels. Kallikrein abundance did not change significantly with hypoxia, but a tendency toward reduction was observed at protein and mRNA levels. Neutral endopeptidase 24.11 was localized in proximal tubules, and was abundantly expressed under normoxic conditions, which markedly decreased both at protein and mRNA levels with chronic hypoxia. Taken together, our results suggest that chronic hypoxia produces focal kidney damage along with an imbalance of key components of the renal vasoactive system, which could be the initial steps for a long-term contribution to salt-sensitive hypertension and CKD.

Deciphering the Function of the Blunt Circadian Rhythm of Melatonin in the Newborn Lamb: Impact on Adrenal and Heart.

Neonatal lambs, as with human and other neonates, have low arrhythmic endogenous levels of melatonin for several weeks until they start their own pineal rhythm of melatonin production at approximately 2 weeks of life. During pregnancy, daily rhythmic transfer of maternal melatonin to the fetus has important physiological roles in sheep, nonhuman primates, and rats. This melatonin rhythm provides a circadian signal and also participates in adjusting the physiology of several organs in preparation for extrauterine life. We propose that the ensuing absence of a melatonin rhythm plays a role in neonatal adaptation. To test this hypothesis, we studied the effects of imposing a high-amplitude melatonin rhythm in the newborn lamb on (1) clock time-related changes in cortisol and plasma variables and (2) clock time-related changes of gene expression of clock genes and selected functional genes in the adrenal gland and heart. We treated newborn lambs with a daily oral dose of melatonin (0.25 mg/kg) from birth to 5 days of age, recreating a high-amplitude melatonin rhythm. This treatment suppressed clock time-related changes of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, clock gene expression, and functional genes in the newborn adrenal gland. In the heart, it decreased heart/body weight ratio, increased expression of Anp and Bnp, and resulted in different heart gene expression from control newborns. The interference of this postnatal melatonin treatment with the normal postnatal pattern of adrenocortical function and heart development support a physiological role for the window of flat postnatal melatonin levels during the neonatal transition.

Gestational Chronodisruption Impairs Circadian Physiology in Rat Male Offspring, Increasing the Risk of Chronic Disease.

Chronic exposure to light at night, as in shift work, alters biological clocks (chronodisruption), negatively impacting pregnancy outcome in humans. Actually the interaction of maternal and fetal circadian systems could be a key factor determining a fitting health in adults. We propose that chronic photoperiod shift (CPS) during pregnancy alter maternal circadian rhythms and impair circadian physiology in the adult offspring, increasing health risks. Pregnant rats were exposed to normal photoperiod (12 h light, 12 h dark) or to CPS until 85% of gestation. The effects of gestational CPS were evaluated on the mother and adult offspring. In the mother we measured rhythms of heart rate, body temperature, and activity through gestation and daily rhythms of plasma variables (melatonin, corticosterone, aldosterone, and markers of renal function) at 18 days of gestation. In adult offspring, we measured rhythms of the clock gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), locomotor activity, body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, plasma variables, glucose tolerance, and corticosterone response to ACTH. CPS altered all maternal circadian rhythms, lengthened gestation, and increased newborn weight. The adult CPS offspring presented normal rhythms of clock gene expression in the SCN, locomotor activity, and body temperature. However, the daily rhythm of plasma melatonin was absent, and corticosterone, aldosterone, renal markers, blood pressure, and heart rate rhythms were altered. Moreover, CPS offspring presented decreased glucose tolerance and an abnormal corticosterone response to ACTH. Altogether these data show that gestational CPS induced long-term effects on the offspring circadian system, wherein a normal SCN coexists with altered endocrine, cardiovascular, and metabolic function.

Efficacy of mechanical postconditioning following warm, global ischaemia depends on circulating fatty acid levels in an isolated, working rat heart model†.

OBJECTIVES: The number of heart transplantations is limited by donor organ availability. Donation after circulatory determination of death (DCDD) could significantly improve graft availability; however, organs undergo warm ischaemia followed by reperfusion, leading to tissue damage. Laboratory studies suggest that mechanical postconditioning [(MPC); brief, intermittent periods of ischaemia at the onset of reperfusion] can limit reperfusion injury; however, clinical translation has been disappointing. We hypothesized that MPC-induced cardioprotection depends on fatty acid levels at reperfusion. METHODS: Experiments were performed with an isolated rat heart model of DCDD. Hearts of male Wistar rats (n = 42) underwent working-mode perfusion for 20 min (baseline), 27 min of global ischaemia and 60 min reperfusion with or without MPC (two cycles of 30 s reperfusion/30 s ischaemia) in the presence or absence of high fat [(HF); 1.2 mM palmitate]. Haemodynamic parameters, necrosis factors and oxygen consumption (O2C) were assessed. Recovery rate was calculated as the value at 60 min reperfusion expressed as a percentage of the mean baseline value. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to provide an overview of differences between experimental groups, and pairwise comparisons were performed to compare specific time points of interest for parameters with significant overall results. RESULTS: Percent recovery of left ventricular (LV) work [developed pressure (DP)-heart rate product] at 60 min reperfusion was higher in hearts reperfused without fat versus with fat (58 ± 8 vs 23 ± 26%, P < 0.01) in the absence of MPC. In the absence of fat, MPC did not affect post-ischaemic haemodynamic recovery. Among the hearts reperfused with HF, two significantly different subgroups emerged according to recovery of LV work: low recovery (LoR) and high recovery (HiR) subgroups. At 60 min reperfusion, recovery was increased with MPC versus no MPC for LV work (79 ± 6 vs 55 ± 7, respectively; P < 0.05) in HiR subgroups and for DP (40 ± 27 vs 4 ± 2%), dP/dtmax (37 ± 24 vs 5 ± 3%) and dP/dtmin (33 ± 21 vs 5 ± 4%; P < 0.01 for all) in LoR subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Effects of MPC depend on energy substrate availability; MPC increased recovery of LV work in the presence, but not in the absence, of HF. Controlled reperfusion may be useful for therapeutic strategies aimed at improving post-ischaemic recovery of cardiac DCDD grafts, and ultimately in increasing donor heart availability.