Serum uric acid levels and risk of developing preeclampsia

Si bien se conoce que existe una asociación entre los niveles elevados de ácido úrico y la preeclampsia, el debate sobre su aplicación clínica aún está abierto. Nuestro objetivo fue estudiar la utilidad del dosaje periódico del ácido úrico sérico durante el embarazo para identificar gestantes con mayor riesgo de desarrollar preeclampsia. Realizamos un estudio retrospectivo en gestantes primíparas: 79 normotensas y 79 con preeclampsia atendidas en el Hospital Nacional Posadas durante el año 2010. Se analizaron los niveles séricos de ácido úrico, creatinina y urea, y los datos de proteinuria de las historias clínicas de las mujeres embarazadas. Los niveles de ácido úrico fueron similares en ambos grupos durante la primera mitad de la gestación. Sin embargo, a partir de la semana 20, el ácido úrico se incrementó 1.5 veces en gestantes preeclámpticas, sin cambios en la uremia y creatininemia, descartándose así el compromiso renal. Además, encontramos que niveles más altos de ácido úrico se correlacionaban con bajo peso del recién nacido. También vimos que las gestantes con antecedentes familiares de hipertensión eran más propensas a desarrollar esta condición. Por otro lado, no observamos una relación directa ni con el sexo fetal ni con el tiempo de aparición de los síntomas clínicos. Estos hallazgos sugieren que los cambios en las concentraciones de ácido úrico se deberían a alteraciones en los estadios iniciales de la preeclampsia. Por ello, la monitorización de los niveles del mismo durante el embarazo podría contribuir al abordaje precoz de este desorden gestacional.It is well known that preeclampsia is associated to high uric acid levels, but the clinical assessment of this relationship is still under consideration. Our research was to evaluate if periodic doses of uric acid during pregnancy might help to identify a high risk group prior to the onset of preeclampsia. We conducted a retrospective investigation in 79 primary gestates with normal blood pressure and 79 women with preeclampsia who were assisted at Hospital Nacional Posadas during 2010. Serum uric acid levels, creatininemia, uremia, and proteinuria data from the clinical records of the pregnant women were considered. Uric acid levels were similar in both groups during the first half of gestation. However, as of the 20th week, uric acid increased 1.5-times in preeclamptic women with no changes in creatinine and urea, confirming that these patients had no renal complications. Furthermore, we noted that higher levels of uric acid correlated with low birth weight. We also observed that pregnant women with a family history of hypertension were more likely to develop this condition. Moreover, we did not find a direct relationship with the fetal sex or the appearance of clinical symptoms. The analytical evidence suggests that changes in uric acid concentrations may be due to metabolic alterations at the initial stages of preeclampsia. Therefore, we propose that monitoring levels of uric acid during pregnancy might contribute to the early control of this condition.Fil: Corominas, Ana. Hospital Nacional Prof. Dr. Alejandro Posadas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Balconi, Silvia. Hospital Nacional Prof. Dr. Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Palermo, Mario. Hospital Nacional Prof. Dr. Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Maskin, Bernardo. Hospital Nacional Prof. Dr. Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Damiano, Alicia Ermelinda. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular; Argentina. Universidad Autónoma de Chile; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; Argentin

Sobredosis de Colchicina: Reporte de un Caso. Discusión de la dosis tóxica

La intoxicación por colchicina es una entidad poco común, pero que constituye una emergencia toxicológica extremadamente grave que pone en riesgo la vida del paciente. La intoxicación puede ocurrir por ingestión de tabletas de drogas que contienen colchicina o por ingesta de Colchicum autumnale, que florece en otoño en el Pirineo y es erróneamente colectado en lugar de Allium ursinum. La sobredosis debe ser reconocida tempranamente ya que el abordaje terapéutico debe ser llevado a cabo lo más rápido posible, para lograr un efecto beneficioso para el paciente. En este trabajo se presenta un caso de intoxicación con 50mg de colchicina como tentativa suicida, queevoluciona con falla multiorgánica y posterior buena evolución clínica que genera su alta a los diez días del ingreso al hospital. La falta de relación entre la alta dosis ingerida y la buena evolución de la paciente podrían explicarse por la existencia de polimorfismos en las enzimas involucradas en elmetabolismo de esta droga

Spectroscopic Kernel Quality From A Symbiotic Corn Production

The management of the inoculation of a plant's roots, by means of biofertilizers (BF) containing arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, is aimed at inducing modifications of the quality of the seeds. It is here shown that a seed-soil treatment can be elicited in the fingerprints of a symbiotic treatment using Near Infra Red (NIR)-SCiO NIR-SCiO spectra collections of single kernels: overall, a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 73% have been achieved, thus suggesting that it may be possible to assign the symbiotic origin of corn from just twenty kernels, provided that the dataset is adequately representative of the cultivar and AM. A global correlation study has shown a positive general trend (R2 0.45) of quality vs. quantity, in the sense that an increase in yield corresponded to an increase in the spectral differences between the symbiotic spectra and the control ones, but the inverse was also true, as a result of the parasitic behaviour of the BF treatments. The efficacy of the symbiosis can be back predicted from the NIR spectra; in fact, around 90% of the positive yield outcome results were discriminated from the negative ones. A reduction in the foliar pH (R2 0.37) and an increase in the foliar protein (R2 0.43) were observed as immediate phenotypic signs of a productive symbiosis. The commercial raw composition of the kernels appeared to only be affected slightly by the BF treatments; thus, till now uncharted secondary compounds of the maize kernels are involved, as supported by animal performances

Human subcortical brain asymmetries in 15,847 people worldwide reveal effects of age and sex

The two hemispheres of the human brain differ functionally and structurally. Despite over a century of research, the extent to which brain asymmetry is influenced by sex, handedness, age, and genetic factors is still controversial. Here we present the largest ever analysis of subcortical brain asymmetries, in a harmonized multi-site study using meta-analysis methods. Volumetric asymmetry of seven subcortical structures was assessed in 15,847 MRI scans from 52 datasets worldwide. There were sex differences in the asymmetry of the globus pallidus and putamen. Heritability estimates, derived from 1170 subjects belonging to 71 extended pedigrees, revealed that additive genetic factors influenced the asymmetry of these two structures and that of the hippocampus and thalamus. Handedness had no detectable effect on subcortical asymmetries, even in this unprecedented sample size, but the asymmetry of the putamen varied with age. Genetic drivers of asymmetry in the hippocampus, thalamus and basal ganglia may affect variability in human cognition, including susceptibility to psychiatric disorders

Social hierarchies and emotions: Cortical prefrontal activity, facial feedback (EMG), and cognitive performance in a dynamic interaction

In the present research, we manipulated the perceived superior/inferior status during a competitive cognitive task. In two experiments, we created an explicit and strongly reinforced social hierarchy based on incidental rating on an attentional task. Based on our hypotheses, social rank may influence nonverbal cues (such as facial mimic related to emotional response), cortical lateralized activity in frontal areas (brain oscillations), and cognitive outcomes in response to rank modulation. Thus, the facial mimic (corrugators vs. zygomatic muscle activity), frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta), and real cognitive performance [(error rate (ER); response times (RTs)] were considered. Specifically, a peer-group comparison was enrolled and an improved (experiment 1, N = 29) or decreased (experiment 2, N = 31) performance was artificially manipulated by the experimenter. Results showed a significant improved cognitive performance (decreased ER and RTs), an increased zygomatic activity (positive emotions), and a more prefrontal left-lateralized cortical response in the case of a perceived increased social ranking. On the contrary, a significant decreased cognitive performance (increased ER and RTs), an increased corrugators activity (negative emotions), and a less left-lateralized cortical response were observed as a consequence of a perceived decreased social ranking. Moreover, the correlational values revealed a consistent trend between behavioral (RTs) and EMG and EEG measures for both experiments. The present results suggest that social status not only guides social behavior, but it also influences cognitive processes and subjects’ performance

The tDCS effect on ERP profile for the semantic representation of action. The role of DLPFC

Representation of action within an object-related dynamic context was considered as a semantic task similar to word comprehension within a linguistic context. Indeed it has been hypothesized that the mechanisms involved in the perception of action sequences may be similar to those associated with the processing of language. That is, action comprehension was seen as a specific semantic processing where context-action representation resulted integrated as in the word-sentence representation. The aim of the present research was firstly to investigate the effect of tDCS on a specific ERP deflection (N400 effect) when subjects processed a congruous/incongruous object-related action. Secondly, the contribution of tDCS to modulate the cortical response of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was explored. We supposed that the inhibition of anterior DLPFC area may induce a decreased ability to produce a concomitant N400 effect. Thirty subjects performed a detection task when congruous or incongruous sequences of action (video tapes). The procedure was subdivided into three phases. Prior to tDCS stimulation, a baseline task was conducted on a separate day, and EEG was registered (phase 1). The participants were required to press a left or right pulse of the mouse depending on whether the final action target frame represented a congruous or an incongruous ending scene. Successively tDCS/sham stimulation was induced (phase 2) on the subjects. Finally, immediately after tDCS/sham stimulation (phase 3) subjects were submitted to the same experimental task of phase 1. The EEG was registered during the task execution using the same procedure of EEG acquisition adopted in phase 1. The stimulation effect (cathode applied on the DLPFC and anode on the control site) was tested comparing the behavioural (RTs) and ERP profile before and after the stimulation (or sham effect) applied on the frontal areas. A significant N400 reduction was observed for incongruous stimuli in case of cathodic stimulation of DLPFC compared with the pre-stimulation condition. Also RTs were modified in case of tDCS application when subjects processed incongruous actions. It was suggested that the inhibition of DLPFC may limit the ability to analyze the semantic anomaly induced by action representation. Secondly, the contribution of the frontal areas for the semantic processing of action was supported. Finally, the N400-like effect was largely modulated by tDCS, as shown by comparing pre- and post-stimulation ERP profiles. The effect of tDCS applied over prefrontal cortex to explore action semantic processing was demonstrated and currently we tested for changes in the RT and ERP cortical responses induced by direct current stimulatio

The tDCS effect on alpha brain oscillation for correct vs. incorrect object use. The contribution of the left DLPFC

Representation of the instrumentally incorrect use of an object was explored in the present research taking into account the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Specifically the “inhibitory” effect performed by tDCS (transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) on DLPFC was analyzed by measuring alpha frequency band modulation when subjects processed congruous/incongruous object-related action. Thirty-four subjects performed the congruence detection task within a dynamic context (a sequence of four action frames), where the final one could be congruous or incongruous. The stimulation effect (cathode applied on the DLPFC and anode on the control site) was analyzed comparing the RTs (response times) and alpha modifications before and after the stimulation. A significant alpha increasing was found for incongruous actions in case of cathodic stimulation of DLPFC compared with the pre-stimulation condition. Moreover, RTs showed a significant reduction in response to incongruous condition after tDCS stimulation. It was suggested that the inhibition of DLPFC may limit the “incongruence effect” induced by the semantic anomaly. Secondly, the contribution of the frontal area for the semantic processing of action was demonstrated. Finally, tDCS influence on cortical oscillations was largely supported, showing alpha modulation induced by DLPFC inhibition

Effetto della stimolazione corticale (tDCS) sull'EEG nella rappresentazione dell'azione

Lo studio esplora l'effetto della stimolazione corticale (tDCS) sul profilo EEG nella rappresentazione dell'azion

Uric acid levels in gestational hypertensive disorders and fetal growth restriction

Objectives: To evaluate the levels of serum uric acid in pregnant womenwith fetal growth restriction associated or not with hypertensivedisorders.Methods: A retrospective descriptive-quantitative study was carried out inall women who attended their pregnancy at the Hospital Posadas during2014. Newborn of singleton pregnancies with fetal growth restriction(IUGR) and more than 22 weeks were studied. Uricemia ratio (uricemiaafter 20th week /uricemia before 20th week) was calculated in women whopresented IUGR associated or not to preeclampsia (PE) and gestationalhypertension (PIH).Results: In 3589 simple gestations analyzed, 100 presented PE (24 withIUGR), 208 PIH (19 with IUGR) and 3281 were normotensive (203 withIUGR).In the hypertensive group, the relative risk (RR) of having a newbornunder percentile 10 was 4.09(2.82-5.94) for PE and 1.72(1.12-2.64) for PIH.Regarding the evolution of pregnancy and birth, PE women have thehighest RR of prematurity, pathological Doppler, newborn weight <2500and requirement for neonatal intensive care at birth, while the RR foroligohydramnios was higher in PIH than in PE [2.1(1.02-3.94) vs 2.58 (1.45-4.60)]. Uricemia ratio was significantly increased in women with preeclampsia(1.77±0.28 in PE, 1.26±0.31 in PIH, 1.20±0.28 in normotensivewomen). The association between hypertension and IUGR increased theselevels (2.18±0.68 in PE and 1.6±0.50 in PIH). Uricemia ratio in normotensivewomen with IUGR was unchanged (1.21±0.29).Conclusion: Our results showed that normotensive pregnancies with orwithout growth restriction are not associated with an increase in uricemialevels. However, in gestational hypertensive disorders accompanying withfetal growth restriction the high increase in uricemia seems to be related toa more severe presentation of the maternal endothelial dysfunction. Thesefindings suggest that the etiology of the insufficient placentation in thesesyndromes may be different.Fil: Corominas, Ana Irene. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Balconi, Silvia. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Ortiz, Maria. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Maskin, Bernardo. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; 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; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular; ArgentinaInternational Federation of Placenta Association MeetingCiudad Autonoma de Buenos AiresArgentinaInternational Federation of Placenta Association

Multiple pregnancies and gestational hypertensive diseases

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of gestational hypertensive diseasesin multiple pregnancies and the relationship between the type of chorionicityand severity of the presentation of the hypertensive disorder in comparison with single pregnancies.Methods: A retrospective study was carried out in all women who attended their multiple pregnancy at the Hospital Posadas during 2012, 2014 and 2016. Type of pregnancy, birth weight, gestational age, intrauterine growth retardation, mortality, and Uricemia ratio (uricemia after 20th week /uricemia before 20th week).Results: 180 multiple gestations were analyzed, and 362 newborns were studied. Among them 9% were monochorionic monoamniotic, 37% were monochorionic diamniotic, and 54% were dichorionic diamniotic. Multiple pregnancies presented more risk of prematurity, lower birth weight and higher mortality than single pregnancies. The relative risk of developing a gestational hypertensive disease was 1.47 (1.01-2.19). Although the monochorionic monoamniotic group reaches the highest percentage of term birth, it has an increased risk of developing a gestational hypertensive disease, fetal growth restriction, and mortality. Regarding uric acid levels, it was observed that the behavior of the uricemia ratio was similar in normotensive women with simple and multiple pregnancies (1.20±0.29 vs 1.30±0.07) and in simple and multiple pregnancies associated to a hypertensive disorder such as preeclampsia (1.57±0.13 vs 1.73±0.13) orgestational hypertension (1.42±0.24 vs 1.3±0.09).Conclusion: Our results showed no difference in the severity of the presentationof the hypertensive disorder between multiple and single pregnancies, revealing a similar maternal systemic dysfunction between both groups.Fil: Corominas, Ana. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Balconi, Silvia. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Ortiz, Maria. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Castro Parodi, Mauricio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular; 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; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular; ArgentinaInternational Federation of Placenta AssociationsBuenos AiresArgentinaInternational Federation of Placenta AssociationsSociedad Argentina de BiologíaSociedad Argentina de DiabetesSociedad Argentina de Endocrinología Ginecológica y ReproductivaSociedad Argentina de Investigación Bioquímica y Biología MolecularSociedad Argentina de Investigación ClínicaSociedad de Obstetricia y Ginecología de Buenos Aire