Editorial: Vascular dysfunction beyond pathological pregnancies. An international effort addressed to fill the gaps in Latin America, Volume II

Q1Q1Mujeres en estado de embarazoRecent evidence suggests that vascular changes associated with pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia; gestational diabetes; growth restriction; autoimmune diseases; among others, affect the function of the maternal and offspring vascular systems after delivery and may be extended until adult life (Giachini et al., 2017; Dayan et al., 2018; Honigberg et al., 2019). Furthermore, since the vascular system contributes to systemic homeostasis, defective development or function of blood vessels predisposes both mother and infant to future risk for chronic disease (Davis et al., 2012; Phipps et al., 2019).https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6804-0979Revista Internacional - IndexadaA1N

Paternal Determinants in Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a condition associated with high rates of maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. It usually occurs in 3–10% of nulliparous women and 18% of previously affected women. Different lines of evidence have demonstrated the role of the father in the onset of preeclampsia. The placenta is the cornerstone of preeclampsia and poses important paternal genetic determinants; in fact, the existence of a “paternal antigen” has been proposed. Nulliparity is a well-known risk factor. Change of partner to a woman without history of preeclampsia increases the risk; however, this change decreases in women with history of the condition. High interval between pregnancies, short sexual intercourse before pregnancy, and conception by intracytoplasmic sperm injection suggest a limited exposure to the so-called paternal antigen. A man who was born from a mother with preeclampsia also increases the risk to his partner. Not only maternal but also paternal obesity is a risk factor for preeclampsia. Fetal HLA-G variants from the father increased the immune incompatibility with the mother and are also significantly associated with preeclampsia in multigravida pregnancies. An analysis of a group of Swedish pregnant women showed that the risk for preeclampsia is attributable to paternal factors in 13% of cases, which could be related to genetic interactions with maternal genetic factors. This review aimed to evaluate the evidences of the father’s contribution to the onset of preeclampsia and determine the importance of including them in future studies

An Infrastructureless Approach to Estimate Vehicular Density in Urban Environments

In Vehicular Networks, communication success usually depends on the density of vehicles, since a higher density allows having shorter and more reliable wireless links. Thus, knowing the density of vehicles in a vehicular communications environment is important, as better opportunities for wireless communication can show up. However, vehicle density is highly variable in time and space. This paper deals with the importance of predicting the density of vehicles in vehicular environments to take decisions for enhancing the dissemination of warning messages between vehicles. We propose a novel mechanism to estimate the vehicular density in urban environments. Our mechanism uses as input parameters the number of beacons received per vehicle, and the topological characteristics of the environment where the vehicles are located. Simulation results indicate that, unlike previous proposals solely based on the number of beacons received, our approach is able to accurately estimate the vehicular density, and therefore it could support more efficient dissemination protocols for vehicular environments, as well as improve previously proposed schemes.This work was partially supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Spain, under Grant TIN2011-27543-C03-01, as well as by the Fundacion Universitaria Antonio Gargallo (FUAG), and the Caja de Ahorros de la Inmaculada (CAI).Sanguesa, JA.; Fogue, M.; Garrido, P.; Martinez, FJ.; Cano Escribá, JC.; Tavares De Araujo Cesariny Calafate, CM.; Manzoni, P. (2013). An Infrastructureless Approach to Estimate Vehicular Density in Urban Environments. Sensors. 13(2):2399-2418. doi:10.3390/s130202399S2399241813

Editorial: Vascular dysfunction beyond pathological pregnancies. An international effort addressed to fill the gaps in Latin America

Pregnancy is a physiologically stressful condition that generates a series of functional adaptations in the cardiovascular system. Recent evidence suggests that vascular changes associated with pregnancy complications may impair the function of the maternal and offspring vascular systems after delivery, being possibly extended until adult life. In Latin American countries, like other low (LIC) and middle-income countries (MIC) worldwide, the rate of morbi-mortality due to both pregnancy complications and cardiovascular diseases have a higher incidence than in high-income countries. Paradoxically, research in this field is limited in Latin America (Giachini et al., 2017). Then, in addition to the scientific and public health implications of the maternal morbi-mortality in LIC and MIC, we also aimed to overcome geographic limitations. Therefore, our research topic titled Vascular Dysfunction Beyond Pathological Pregnancies. An International Effort Addressed to Fill the Gaps in Latin America intends to positively contribute in the scientific field, but also to visualize the challenging need for more investigation in our countries.Fil: Giachini, Fernanda. Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul; BrasilFil: Galaviz-Hernandez, Carlos. INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL (IPN);Fil: Damiano, Alicia Ermelinda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Damiano, Alicia Ermelinda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; Argentin

The paternal polymorphism rs5370 in the EDN1 gene decreases the risk of preeclampsia

Objective To evaluate whether the maternal, paternal or the combined maternal/paternal contribution of SNP rs5370 of the EDN1 gene is associated with preeclampsia and drove its expression in placenta. Study design This case-control study included 61 preeclamptic patients and their partners and 49 healthy pregnant women and their partners. The population was sub-divided into three groups: women-only, men-only and combined (women/men). The analysis included genotyping of rs5370 in mothers and fathers and evaluating the expression profile of the EDN1 gene in placenta. Comparisons of categorical variables were performed using chi-square and/or Fisher’s exact tests. The intergroup comparisons were analysed with the Mann-Whitney U test. The association between the polymorphism and the disease was evaluated through multivariate regression analysis. Spearman’s correlation was performed to test the relationship between pre-gestational history and clinical features of the affected patients with EDN1 gene expression. Results The analysis of paternal risk factors associated with preeclampsia revealed no differences between groups. A negative association between SNP rs5370 and preeclampsia was found in men group (OR 0.42; CI 95% 0.18–0.94, p = 0.034) but not in women or combined groups. The adjustment for paternal protective factors increased the observed negative association, and the opposite was observed in the presence of paternal risk factors. The expression of the EDN1 gene in the placenta was significantly higher in the group of cases and was not associated with the rs5370 polymorphism. Conclusion The paternal rs5370 polymorphism decreases the risk for preeclampsia and is not associated with placental expression of the EDN1 gene

Mitochondria and Coenzyme Q10 in the Pathogenesis of Preeclampsia

Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy constitute one of the main causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality across the world and particularly in developing countries such as Ecuador. However, despite its impact on public health, the primary pathophysiological processes involved are yet to be elucidated. It has been proposed, among other theories, that an abnormal placentation may induce an endothelial dysfunction, which is ultimately responsible for the final clinical manifestations. Mitochondria, particularly from trophoblastic cells, are responsible for the production of energy, which is extremely important for normal placentation. The malfunction in this supply of energy may produce higher levels of free radicals. In both production of energy and free radicals, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) plays a crucial role in electron transport. As such, the role of CoQ10 in the genesis and prevention of preeclampsia has become the focus of a number of research groups, including that of the authors. Developing an in-depth understanding of these mechanisms might allow us to design new and feasible strategies with which we can reduce preeclampsia, particularly in the Latin-American countries

Acupoint catgut embedding therapy with moxibustion reduces the risk of diabetes in obese women

Background: Obesity is a major health problem worldwide for which conventional therapy efficacy is limited. Traditional Chinese medicine, particularly body acupoint stimulation, provides an alternative, effective, and safe therapy for this medical challenge. The present study was designed to compare the effects of distinct methods to stimulate the same set of acupoints, on anthropometric and biochemical parameters in obese women. Materials and Methods: Ninety-nine obese women were randomly assigned to six groups of treatment: Acupuncture with moxibustion, long needle acupuncture with moxibustion, electroacupuncture (EA), EA with moxibustion, embedded catgut with moxibustion (CGM) and sham acupuncture as control. Obesity-related parameters, including body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences, waist/hip ratio, biochemical parameters (triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, insulin) and homeostasis model of assessment - insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, were determined before and after each treatment. Results: Body weight and BMI were significantly reduced in response to all treatments. Interestingly, acupoint catgut embedding therapy combined with moxibustion was the only treatment that produced a significant reduction in body weight (3.1 ± 0.2 kg, P < 0.001), BMI (1.3 ± 0.1 kg/m 2 , P < 0.001), insulin (3.5 ± 0.8 mcU/ml, P < 0.1) and HOMA-IR (1.4 ± 0.2 units, P < 0.01) in comparison with sham group. Furthermore, this treatment was able to bring back obese women to a state of insulin sensitivity, indicating that acupoint catgut embedding therapy combined with moxibustion could be useful as a complementary therapy to reduce the risk of diabetes associated to obesity in women. Conclusion: Overall, our results confirmed the effectiveness of acupoints stimulation to assist in the control of body weight in women. They also highlighted the more favorable effects of embedded catgut-moxibustion combination that may be due to the extended and consistent stimulation of acupoints

The Placental Function Beyond Pregnancy: Insights from Latin America

Currently, more than 100,000 papers had been published studying the placenta in both physiological and pathological contexts. However, relevant health conditions affecting placental function, mostly found in low-income countries, should be evaluated deeper. This review will raise some – of what we think necessary – points of discussion regarding challenging topics not fully understood, including the paternal versus maternal contribution on placental genes imprinting, placenta-brain communication, and some environmental conditions affecting the placenta. The discussions are parts of an international effort to fulfil some gaps observed in this area, and Latin-American research groups currently evaluate that.Fil: Carrasco Wong, Ivo. Universidad San Sebastián; ChileFil: González Ortiz, Marcelo. Group Of Research And Innovation In Vascular Health; Chile. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Araujo, Gabriel Gomes. Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul; BrasilFil: Lima, Victor V.. Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul; BrasilFil: Giachini, Fernanda R.. Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul; BrasilFil: Stojanova, Jana. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Moller, Alejandra. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Martín, Sebastián San. Group Of Research And Innovation In Vascular Health; Chile. Universidad San Sebastián; ChileFil: Escudero, Pablo. Universidad San Sebastián; ChileFil: Damiano, Alicia Ermelinda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Sosa Macias, Martha. Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados. Departamento de Investigaciones Educativas.; MéxicoFil: Galaviz Hernandez, Carlos. Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados. Departamento de Investigaciones Educativas.; MéxicoFil: Teran, Enrique. Universidad San Francisco de Quito; EcuadorFil: Escudero, Carlos. Universidad del Bio Bio; Chile. Group Of Research And Innovation In Vascular Health; Chil

Analysis of the Association of Preeclampsia with Polymorphisms of the INS , INSR and IRS1 Genes in Mexican Women

Artículo de Investigació

Vascular Dysfunction in Mother and Offspring During Preeclampsia: Contributions from Latin-American Countries

Pregnancy is a physiologically stressful condition that generates a series of functional adaptations by the cardiovascular system. The impact of pregnancy on this system persists from conception beyond birth. Recent evidence suggests that vascular changes associated with pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, affect the function of the maternal and offspring vascular systems, after delivery and into adult life. Since the vascular system contributes to systemic homeostasis, defective development or function of blood vessels predisposesboth mother and infant to future risk for chronic disease. These alterations in later life range from fertility problems to alterations in the central nervous system or immune system, among others. It is important to note that rates of morbi-mortality due to pregnancy complications including preeclampsia, as well as cardiovascular diseases have a higher incidence in Latin American countries than in more developed countries. Nonetheless, there is a lack both in the amount and impact of research conducted in Latin America. An impact, althoughsmaller, can be seen when research in vascular disorders related to problems during pregnancy is analyzed. Therefore, in this review, information about preeclampsia and endothelial dysfunction generated from researchgroups based in Latin American countries will be highlighted. We relate the need, as present in many other countries in the world, for increased effective regional and international collaboration to generate new dataspecific to our region on this topic.Fil: Giachini, Fernanda Regina. Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Do Sul. Centro de Ciencias Biológicas E Da Saude; BrasilFil: Galaviz Hernandez, Carlos. Instituto Politécnico Nacional; MéxicoFil: Damiano, Alicia Ermelinda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Viana, Marta. Universidad CEU San Pablo; EspañaFil: Cadavid, Angela. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Asturizaga, Patricia. Hospital Materno-infantil de la Caja Nacional de Salud; BoliviaFil: Teran, Enrique. Universidad San Francisco de Quito; EcuadorFil: Clapes, Sonia. Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de la Habana; CubaFil: Alcala, Martin. Universidad CEU San Pablo; EspañaFil: Bueno, Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Calderón Domínguez, María. Universidad CEU San Pablo; EspañaFil: Ramos, María P.. Universidad CEU San Pablo; EspañaFil: Lima, Victor Vitorino. Universidad Federal de Mato Grosso; BrasilFil: Sosa Macias, Martha. Instituto Politécnico Nacional; MéxicoFil: Martinez, Nora Alicia. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Roberts, James M.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Escudero, Carlos. Universidad del Bio Bio; Chil