Fernanda Regina Giachini

Introduction: Excess weight during pregnancy is a condition that can affect both mother and fetus, through the maternal-fetal interface, which is constituted by the placenta and umbilical cord. The umbilical vein is responsible for transporting oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, and its proper functioning depends on the integrity of its structure. The remodeling of the umbilical vein represents one of the causes of inadequate transport of nutrients to the fetus, being potentially harmful. This study aims to evaluate whether maternal overweight alters the structural characteristics of the umbilical vein.Methods: Umbilical cords were collected from eutrophic and overweight pregnant women and were processed according to histological routine. We analyzed morphometry parameters, collagen and elastin fibers deposition, glycosaminoglycan level, and cell proliferation.Results: Veins from overweight pregnant women were found to have greater total area, wall area, wall thickness, and diameter. There was higher collagen labeling in the perivascular region of the overweight group and a higher amount of type III collagen in the vascular smooth muscle. The proliferation of muscle and perivascular cells was higher in overweight pregnant women. A positive, although weak, correlation was observed between BMI and vessel thickness and with type III collagen deposition in vascular smooth muscle.Discussion: With this study, we show that being overweight can structurally alter the umbilical vein, causing vascular remodeling of the vessel, through hypertrophy and hyperplasia.

Background: Eye damage represents one of the gravest outcomes of toxoplasmosis, potentially leading to varying degrees of vision impairment, up to and including blindness. Monitoring ophthalmological indicators in individuals affected by toxoplasmosis, alongside understanding its impact on visual acuity, can motivate the scientific community to advocate for strategies to prevent vision loss associated with toxoplasmosis. Methods: This is a retrospective study analysing medical records and clinical documentation from patients at an ophthalmological clinic in a city located at the intersection of the Cerrado and Amazon Forest biomes. Results: It was noted that >20% of patients exhibited visual acuity ≤20/200, a condition medically recognized as blindness for the affected eye. Our study highlights a significant portion of individuals experiencing lasting visual impairments due to toxoplasmosis. Conclusions: These findings remain obscured by the existing national guidelines, which only mandate reporting for congenital and gestational toxoplasmosis cases, thereby overlooking sporadic manifestations and their consequential effects. The effort to identify ophthalmologic consequences is crucial both for personalized clinical care and for shaping national guidelines for managing toxoplasmosis.

The objective of the study was to analyze temporal and geographic data to identify high-risk areas for malaria occurrence in the state of Mato Grosso within the Legal Amazon. High-risk areas were identified through scan statistics, and the relative risk (RR) was characterized using cluster maps. Statistical temporal trend analysis was conducted using Prais-Winsten autoregression. A total of 20,819 cases were identified, with higher incidence rates among men. Malaria was predominantly diagnosed via thick blood smear microscopy, with Plasmodium vivax being the most prevalent species. The average incidence ranged from 0.01 to 2,849.85, with higher averages observed in the North, West, and Northwest regions. The Global Moran analysis revealed a positive correlation (0.47) between incidence rates and regions with a higher number of cases, while Local Moran identified distinct infection clusters. Eight risk clusters were delineated using scan statistics, with the highest RR recorded at 90.09. The spatiotemporal scan classified three statistically significant high-risk clusters exhibiting stationary temporal trends. These findings highlight the delineation of high-risk areas for malaria infection in Mato Grosso.

Background: The beneficial properties of wine by-products include actions that help prevent and treat cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension, primarily due to their antioxidant effects. Novel pharmacotherapies are being developed to treat arterial hypertension, including investigations into natural products exhibiting biological activity, necessitating rigorous evaluation of their efficacy and safety. This study aimed to identify and quantify phenolic compounds in Syrah (Vitis vinifera) grapes grown in the Brazilian Cerrado and their presence in winemaking by-products. It also examined the effects of grape pomace on blood pressure. Methods: Fresh grapes, pomace, and lees, were subjected to spectrophotometric determination of total phenolic compounds, followed by identification and quantification using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn. Normotensive male rats (Wistar) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) received grape pomace-enriched (150 or 300 mg/kg/day, 14 days) or standard chow. Indirect arterial pressure was assessed, while vascular reactivity was evaluated in mesenteric resistance arteries. Results: Pomace samples exhibited higher total phenolic compound concentrations than grapes or lees. Seven derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acids and twenty-one flavonols were identified. Quercetin-3-glucoside and ethyl caffeate were the most abundant phenolic compounds. Grape pomace-enriched chow demonstrated a dose-dependent hypotensive effect in rats. Conclusion: the abundance of flavonols and hydroxycinnamic acids, combined with their hypotensive effects, underscores the therapeutic potential of fine wine-making by-products produced in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Highlights Absence of endogenous IL-10 reduces total thoracic PVAT. Brown adipose PVAT whitening is observed in thoracic aortas from IL-10^-/- mice. Thoracic PVAT adipocyte size is augmented and UCP1 expression is reduced in IL-10^-/- mice. Thoracic aortas from IL-10^-/- mice display augmented thickness and vascular remodeling. Remodeling is characterized by augmented collagen-III and reduced elastic fibers.

Morinda citrifolia L., also known as Noni, is widely used plant in folk medicine for various therapeutic purposes. However, reports on its effects during pregnancy are limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the M. citrifolia fruit extract on maternal performance and fetal development during pregnancy in rats. Pregnant Wistar rats (n = 12/group) were treated from gestational days (GD) 0–21 with water (control group) or the aqueous extract of M. citrifolia fruit at doses of 200, 400, or 750 mg/kg, orally. During pregnancy, clinical signs of toxicity, maternal weight, feed intake, and water consumption were noted. On GD 21, the rats were anesthetized and blood was collected to evaluate various biochemical parameters. During laparotomy, reproductive performance parameters were recorded, and fetuses were weighed and the anomalies analyzed. Reduced placental efficiency and fetal growth restriction were observed in the group treated with 400 mg/kg of M. citrifolia extract. The highest dose (750 mg/kg) augmented aspartate aminotransferase concentration and preimplantation losses, while reducing the number of live fetuses. Furthermore, both doses (400 and 750 mg/kg) of the plant extract caused fetal anomalies. In conclusion, consumption of high doses of the M. citrifolia aqueous extrac during pregnancy leads to maternal hepatotoxicity, anti-implantation effects, intrauterine growth restriction and fetal abnormalities, indicating that the plant fruit extract can be harmful to both the mother and the fetus. Graphical Abstract

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an important immunomodulatory cytokine, initially characterized as an anti-inflammatory agent released by immune cells during infectious and inflammatory processes. IL-10 exhibits biological functions that extend to the regulation of different intracellular signaling pathways directly associated with vascular function. This cytokine plays a vital role in vascular tone regulation by changing important proteins involved in vasoconstriction and vasodilation. Numerous investigations covered here have shown that therapeutic strategies inducing IL-10 exert anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertrophic, anti-hyperplastic, anti-apoptotic and antihypertensive effects. This non-systematic review summarizes the modulating effects mediated by IL-10 in vascular tissue, particularly on vascular tone, and the intracellular pathway induced by this cytokine. We also highlight the advances in IL-10 manipulation as a therapeutic target in different cardiovascular pathophysiologies, including the physiological implications in animals and humans. Finally, the review illustrates current and potential future perspectives of the potential use of IL-10 in clinical trials based on the clinical evidence.

Etanercept is a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitor chronically used to treat autoimmune diseases. However, the use of etanercept during pregnancy still needs to be further investigated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the etanercept treatment during pregnancy, analyzing maternal reproductive performance, fetal outcomes, and placental repercussions. Wistar rats (200–250 g) were mated and randomly distributed into two experimental groups: control and etanercept (n = 10 animals/group). Treatments with etanercept (0.8 mg/kg, s.c.), or saline (control group) were carried out on days 0, 6, 12, and 18 of gestation. On the morning of the 21st day of pregnancy, rats were euthanized in a CO₂ chamber and submitted to laparotomy to remove the fetuses, placentas, ovaries, and maternal organs. There were no differences between groups in the following parameters: water and food consumption; placental efficiency; reproductive parameters, including number of corpora lutea and implants, reabsorption, and pre- and post-implantation losses. However, etanercept treatment increased liver weight, reduced fetal and placental weight, decreased the placental junction zone, reduced the percentage of normal fetuses, and increased visceral or skeletal fetal abnormalities. Therefore, etanercept resulted in damages more related to fetus and placenta. However, more studies with different doses are required to better predict possible injuries elicited using etanercept during pregnancy.