Early life risk factors and their cumulative effects as predictors of overweight in Spanish children

Objectives: To explore early life risk factors of overweight/obesity at age 6 years and their cumulative effects on overweight/obesity at ages 2, 4 and 6 years. Methods: Altogether 1031 Spanish children were evaluated at birth and during a 6-year follow-up. Early life risk factors included: parental overweight/obesity, parental origin/ethnicity, maternal smoking during pregnancy, gestational weight gain, gestational age, birth weight, caesarean section, breastfeeding practices and rapid infant weight gain collected via hospital records. Cumulative effects were assessed by adding up those early risk factors that significantly increased the risk of overweight/obesity. We conducted binary logistic regression models. Results: Rapid infant weight gain (OR 2.29, 99% CI 1.54–3.42), maternal overweight/obesity (OR 1.93, 99% CI 1.27–2.92), paternal overweight/obesity (OR 2.17, 99% CI 1.44–3.28), Latin American/Roma origin (OR 3.20, 99% CI 1.60–6.39) and smoking during pregnancy (OR 1.61, 99% CI 1.01–2.59) remained significant after adjusting for confounders. A higher number of early life risk factors accumulated was associated with overweight/obesity at age 6 years but not at age 2 and 4 years. Conclusions: Rapid infant weight gain, parental overweight/obesity, maternal smoking and origin/ethnicity predict childhood overweight/obesity and present cumulative effects. Monitoring children with rapid weight gain and supporting a healthy parental weight are important for childhood obesity prevention

lntermediate filament protein expression and sugar moieties in normal canine placenta

In the female dog, the placenta is considered zonal, endotheliochorial and labyrinthic. The distribution of the intermediate filaments as well as the surface glycoproteins in the canine placenta are still unknown. The aim of the present study was to provide this information for further understanding of pathological conditions in the bitch. Samples were obtained from normal uterine horns at the end of gestation. Tissues were routinely fixed and stained. Monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratins, vimentin and desmin were used for immunohistochemical staining. UEA-1, PNA, RCA-1, SBA, DBA, WGA and ConA were used for the lectin histochemical staining. A computer morphometrical analysis was made. Statistical analysis was then accomplished. The results showed the maximun immunohistochemical percentage for vimentin in the supraglandular connective tissue, for pancytokeratin in the spongy zone and for desmin in miometrium. SBA showed the highest staining percentage in the gland cells of the spongy zone, while ConA was the highest in the syncytiotrophoblastic cells and gland cells of the deep glandular zone. The results obtained indicate that the lectin binding pattern is partially different from other animal species. On the contrary, the intermediate filament data coincide with similar observations from other mammals

Characterisation of cytotrophoblastic-like cells present in subinvolutioned placental sites of the bitch

This paper describes an approach to study the cells present in the subinvolution of placental sites (SIPS), a pathological post partum condition of the bitch that causes persistent hemorrhage of the genital tract. The expression of intermediate filament proteins was examined to determine the fetal or maternal origin of the cytotrophoblastic-like cells found in this entity. Lectin binding on tissue sections were also studied to characterise cellular glycoconjugates. Image processing and morphometrical analysis of the histological images were done. The results revealed that the cells observed in bitches with SIPS expressed pancytokeratins but neither vimentin nor desmin, in coincidence with normal cytotrophoblasts. The lectin binding pattern of both types of cells was similar, with the only exception of Arachis hypogaea agglutinin (PNA) and Triticum vulgaris agglutinin (WGA). These observations, in addition to the non statistically significant differences between morphometrical characteristics of cytotrophoblastic and cytotrophoblastic-like cells in SIPS, might suggest the fetal origin of the latter cells which could play a role in the pathogenesis of this entity

Interferencia del Herpesvirus equino 1 (EHV-1) en la apoptosis inducida

Apoptosis is a programmed cell death that can be triggered by many factors, both internal and external. Viral infections are included among the latter. Some alphaherpesvirus have developed several strategies to retard or inhibit cell death and thus the virus benefits itself by staying longer in the cell. So far, no mechanisms have been identified related to modulation of cell death during infection with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1). The aim of the present study was to describe the effect produced by the infection with EHV-1 on apoptosis-induced cell cultures. Assessment of apoptosis was performed by DNA laddering, the Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) determination and the cytokeratin 18 cleavage analysis using immunofluorescence techniques. Results indicate a possible interference of EHV-1 with apoptotic cell death in the middle of its replication cycle, being increased by its end.Fil: Scrochi, M.R. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Virología. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Scrochi, M.R. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Histología y Embriología. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Scrochi, M.R. CONICET. Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT). La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Zanuzzi, C.N. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Histología y Embriología. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Zanuzzi, C.N. CONICET. Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT). La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Muglia, C.I. CONICET. Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT). La Plata, ArgentinaFli: Muglia, C.I. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Laboratorio de investigaciones del sistema inmune (LISIN). La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Fuentealba, N.A. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Virología. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Fuentealba, N.A. CONICET. Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT). La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Nishida, F. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Patología General/Laboratorio de Análisis de Imágenes. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Nishida, F. CONICET. Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT). La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Gimeno E. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Patología General/Laboratorio de Análisis de Imágenes. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Gimeno E. CONICET. Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT). La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Barbeito, C.G. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Histología y Embriología. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Barbeito, C.G. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Patología General/Laboratorio de Análisis de Imágenes. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Barbeito, C.G. CONICET. Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT). La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Portiansky, E.L. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Patología General/Laboratorio de Análisis de Imágenes. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Portiansky, E.L. CONICET. Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT). La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Galosi, C.M. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Virología. La Plata, ArgentinaFil: Galosi, C.M. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas (CIC) de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. La Plata, ArgentinaLa apoptosis es un tipo de muerte celular programada que puede ser desencadenada por múltiples factores, tanto internos como externos; dentro de estos últimos se encuentran las infecciones virales. Algunos alphaherpesvirus han desarrollado diversas estrategias para retardar o inhibir la muerte celular obteniendo, de esta manera, su propio beneficio al poder permanecer durante más tiempo en la célula. Hasta el momento no se ha identificado ningún mecanismo relacionado con la modulación de la muerte celular durante la infección con Herpesvirus equino tipo 1 (EHV-1). El objetivo del presente trabajo fue describir el efecto producido por la infección con EHV-1 sobre cultivos celulares inducidos a la muerte por apoptosis. La evaluación de la apoptosis se realizó mediante el reconocimiento de la fragmentación en escalera del ADN, la evaluación de la relación Anexina V/ioduro de propidio (IP) y la determinación del clivaje de la citoqueratina 18, utilizando técnicas de inmunofluorescencia. Los resultados indican una posible interferencia del EHV-1 con la muerte por apoptosis hacia la mitad de su ciclo de replicación, que se incrementa hacia el final del mismo.\