Disruptions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in rat offspring following prenatal maternal exposure to lipopolysaccharide

Postnatal treatment with bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) changes the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) surge in rats. Exposure to an immune challenge in the critical periods of development has profound and long-lasting effects on the stress response, immune, metabolic, and reproductive functions. Prenatal LPS treatment delays the migration of GnRH neurons associated with increased cytokine release in maternal and fetal compartments. We investigated the effects of a single maternal exposure to LPS (18 μg/kg, i.p.) on day 12 (embryonic day (E)12) of pregnancy on reproductive parameters in rat offspring. Hypothalamic GnRH content, plasma luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, and estradiol concentrations were measured in both male and female offsprings at different stages of postnatal development by RIA and ELISA (n = 10 each per group). Body weight and in females day of vaginal opening (VO) were recorded. In offspring exposed to LPS prenatally, compared with controls, body weight was decreased in both sexes at P5 and P30; in females, VO was delayed; hypothalamic GnRH content was decreased at postnatal days 30-60 (P30-P60) in both sexes; plasma LH concentration was decreased at P14-P60 in females; plasma concentrations of testosterone/estradiol were increased at P14 in females, and plasma estradiol was increased at P14 in males. Hence activation of the maternal immune system by LPS treatment at a prenatal critical period leads to decreased GnRH and LH levels in pre- and postpubertal life and sex steroid imbalance in the prepubertal period, and delayed sexual maturation of female offspring

Quality management system: A tool for the development of the organization or an additional burden?

A quality management system constitutes one of the organization’s management systems that provides for the selection of a set of processes in the organization’s activities designed to ensure the stable quality of products and services provided. The growth of global industrial production has underscored the need for the creation of such production and management systems. These systems are designed to ensure that enterprises remains prepared to meet the constantly changing consumer value of manufactured products in accordance with consumer requirements, as well as the satisfaction of consumers themselves. As a result, attention began to focus on the production processes implemented within the organization when creating products. Regarding the production of medical devices, a quality management system can be defined as an organizational structure encompassing its functions, procedures, processes, and resources necessary for the coordinated direction and management of a manufacturing organization with respect to the quality of medical products. The article reflects the principles of the quality management system and management processes. Noteworthy emphasis is placed on the features of quality management systems for medical devices, including the features of the quality management system for software that is a medical device. Furthermore, the conditions under which the quality management system becomes a tool for ensuring the sustainable development of the organization are noted