Litter size reduction can induce early overnourishment, being an attractive experimental model to study short- and long-term consequences of childhood obesity. Epidemiological data indicate sex differences regarding cardiometabolic disorders and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The present study aimed to describe biometric, nutritional and cardiovascular changes related to neonatal overweight promoted by litter size reduction in young and adult Wistar rats of both sexes. Litter adjustment to eight or four pups/mother (1:1 male-to-female ratio) gave, respectively, control and overweight groups. Body mass, food intake, haemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters and cardiorespiratory capacity were evaluated at postnatal days 30 and 150. Diminished litters were correlated with higher body mass and weight gain (12 %) during lactation, validating the experimental model of neonatal overweight. Soon after weaning male (16 %) and female (25 %) offspring of these litters presented a lower food intake than their respective control, without differences in body mass. Adult males from reduced litters presented higher abdominal circumference (7 %), systolic blood pressure (10 %), interventricular septum thickness (15 %) and relative wall thickness (15 %) compared with their respective control. Rats' performance on the maximal effort ergometer test was not affected by neonatal overweight. Data suggest the occurrence of catch-down growth and hypophagia in male and female rats submitted to neonatal overweight. However, only male rats presented haemodynamic and cardiac structural changes. These findings are crucial to personalised/gender medicine.

Epidemiological studies have reported a greater reduction in cardiovascular risk and metabolic disorders associated with diets rich in polyphenols. The antioxidant effects of polyphenols are attributed to the regulation of redox enzymes by reducing reactive oxygen species production from mitochondria, NADPH oxidases and uncoupled endothelial NO synthase in addition to also up-regulating multiple antioxidant enzymes. Although data supporting the effects of polyphenols in reducing oxidative stress are promising, several studies have suggested additional mechanisms in the health benefits of polyphenols. Polyphenols from red wine increase endothelial NO production leading to endothelium-dependent relaxation in conditions such as hypertension, stroke or the metabolic syndrome. Numerous molecules contained in fruits and vegetables can activate sirtuins to increase lifespan and silence metabolic and physiological disturbances associated with endothelial NO dysfunction. Although intracellular pathways involved in the endothelial effects of polyphenols are partially described, the molecular targets of these polyphenols are not completely elucidated. We review the novel aspects of polyphenols on several targets that could trigger the health benefits of polyphenols in conditions such as metabolic and cardiovascular disturbances.

Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common pathogen causing lower respiratory tract infection in infants. Respiratory syncytial virus infection is also associated with a number of extrapulmonary manifestations, including the cardiac system. Pericardial effusion, however, is a very rare occurrence with respiratory syncytial virus infection. We report a very young infant with respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis whose clinical course was associated with pericardial effusion, treated conservatively.

The function of the heart was studied in 20 asphyxiated term neonates by measuring the longitudinal peak systolic strain and peak systolic strain rate by tissue Doppler in 18 segments of the heart on days 1, 2, and 3 of life. The fractional shortening was assessed at each examination as well. Measurements were compared against measurements in 48 healthy term neonates examined by the same protocol. The function of the heart was lower in the asphyxiated neonates – peak systolic strain (mean (95% confidence interval) −19.4% (−20.4, −18.5), peak systolic strain rate −1.65 (−1.74, −1.56) per second) than in the healthy term neonates (peak systolic strain −21.7% (−22.3, −21.0), peak systolic strain rate −1.78 (−1.84, −1.74) per second; p < 0.001). Fractional shortening was similar in the asphyxiated (29.2% (26.8, 31.5)) and healthy term neonates (29.0% (27.9, 30.1); p = 0.874). The peak systolic strain differed significantly between the asphyxiated and healthy term neonates for the left basal and right basal groups of segments (p < 0.05) but not for the left apical, right apical, septum apical, or septum basal groups of segments. The peak systolic strain rate differed significantly only for the septum apical group of segments. The differences were largest on the second day of life. Measurements were similar in asphyxiated neonates with elevated and normal cardiac troponin T levels. The peak systolic strain and strain rate were in this study more sensitive indices than fractional shortening for assessing the reduced myocardial function in asphyxiated term neonates.

The localization of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and HSP70 mRNA in the heart, liver, lung, kidney, spleen, thymus and cloacal bursa in broilers that were heat stressed for 6 h was conducted using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization techniques. Positive HSP70 mRNA signals were detected in the liver and lung, especially in the vessel walls. A weak presence was found in the myocardial cells. No significant signals were observed in spleen, thymus and cloacal bursa. HSP70 was observed in the vessel walls of all investigated broiler tissues. Localizations of HSP70 and HSP70 mRNA suggest that HSP70 could be correlated with cardiovascular function.

Summary

Background and objective: This randomized, double-blinded, prospective study compared the effects of clonidine, esmolol or alfentanil on the level of hypnosis and haemodynamic responses to intravenous induction of anaesthesia and endotracheal intubation.

Methods: Forty-five patients scheduled for elective surgery were allotted to one of three groups. They were given either alfentanil 3 μg kg−1min−1 (n = 15); esmolol 1 mg kg−1min−1 (n = 16) or clonidine 3 μg kg−1 (n = 14) as a 10 min infusion. The infusions of alfentanil and esmolol, but not of clonidine, were maintained during endotracheal intubation. Anaesthesia was induced with midazolam (2 mg) and thiopental as required to suppress the eyelash reflex. Atracurium (0.5 mg kg−1) was given to produce neuromuscular block. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and bispectral index were recorded on arrival (baseline), after study drug infusion, after injecting midazolam and thiopental, as well as after endotracheal intubation. ANOVA and χ2-test were used for analysis.

Results: Blood pressure, heart rate and the bispectral index were unaltered by the study drugs, but thiopental requirements were reduced by alfentanil and clonidine (P < 0.014). Mean arterial pressure values (mean ± standard error of mean) in the alfentanil, esmolol and clonidine groups were: baseline: 107.8 ± 3.8; 106.6 ± 3.9; 103.4 ± 3.7 mmHg; after thiopental: 74.0 ± 4.2; 85.6 ± 4.3; 94.2 ± 4.1 mmHg and after endotracheal intubation: 91.7 ± 5.3; 114.1 ± 6.9; 123.6 ± 5.6 mmHg, respectively (two-way ANOVA, P < 0.001). Mean arterial pressure changed significantly after intubation from baseline (P < 0.001) after alfentanil (− 15%) and clonidine (+ 20%) but not after esmolol (+ 7%), while the changes between pre- and postintubation values were similar in all groups (24–33% increase). The bispectral index indicated that all patients had an adequate level of hypnosis, but the variability was higher in the esmolol group (P < 0.002).

Conclusions: None of the study drugs blocked the increase in mean arterial pressure induced by endotracheal intubation, but esmolol provided better overall haemodynamic stability. All groups had an adequate level of hypnosis.

Laudanosine is a metabolite of the neuromuscular-blocking drugs atracurium and cisatracurium with potentially toxic systemic effects. It crosses the blood-brain barrier and may cause excitement and seizure activity. Its interest in recent years has increased because of the recognized interaction with γ-aminobutyric acid, opioid and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. It has been shown to produce analgesia in animals. In the cardiovascular system, high plasma concentrations produce hypotension and bradycardia. In hepatic failure, its elimination halflife is prolonged but only moderate accumulation occurs in adults, whereas in infants and children plasma concentration are greater. In patients undergoing liver transplantation, laudanosine concentrations are increased during preanhepatic, anhepatic and postanhepatic stages. Patients with renal failure have higher plasma concentrations and a longer mean elimination half-life. In pregnancy, laudanosine crosses the placental barrier. The mean transplacental transfer is 14% of maternal blood concentrations. Except for prolonged administration of atracurium in intensive care units, laudanosine accumulation and related toxicity seem unlikely to be achieved in clinical practice. When cisatracurium is used, plasma concentrations of laudanosine are lower. Further studies are needed, especially around the interactions with γ-aminobutyric acid, opioid and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

This study compares prospectively the cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to central venous and pulmonary artery catheterization before and after induction of general anaesthesia. Twenty patients for elective coronary artery surgery were randomized into two groups. One group had central venous and pulmonary artery catheterization performed awake using local anaesthesia. The other group had these catheters inserted following induction of general anesthaesia. In all patients heart rate, arterial blood pressure, ST segment analysis and epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were measured prior to central venous cannulation and at 2-min intervals until placement of the lines was achieved. There were no statistically significant changes in any cardiovascular or catecholamine variable with time compared with the base–line measurements. There were no statistically significant differences in plasma catecholamine levels between the awake and the anaesthetized groups.

We have been involved with a group of computer scientists and anatomists in the development of computer-based methodologies that not only combine the advantages of scanning electron microscopy and conventional histology, but provide the additional dimension of tissue recognition. The latter is achieved by the appropriate labelling of tissues and structures by delineation or ‘painting’. Individually segmented anatomically defined tissues can be highlighted in a particular colour and viewed either in isolation or in combination with other appropriately labelled tissues and organs. Tissues can be shown in any orientation either as a transparent overlay on computer-generated histological sections or as 3-D images without the histological background. An additional feature of the system is that computer graphics technology combined with 3-D glasses now also allows the viewer to see the object under analysis in stereo. This facility has been found to be particularly helpful in drawing attention to topological relationships that had not previously been readily noted. As the mouse is now the mammalian model of choice in many areas of developmental research, it is of critical importance that a basic level of skill is available in the research community in the interpretation of serially sectioned material, for example, for the rapidly expanding field in which gene expression studies play a significant role. It is equally important that there is an understanding of the dynamic changes that occur in relation to the differentiation of the various organ systems seen in these early stages of development. What we emphasise here is the additional information that it is possible to gain from the use of this tool which, in our view, could not readily have been gained from the analysis of scanning electron micrographs or by studying conventional serial histological sections of similar stages of mouse embryonic development. The methodology has been developed as part of a large project to prepare a database of mouse developmental anatomy covering all stages from fertilisation to birth in order to allow the accurate spatial mapping of gene expression and cell lineage data onto the digital Atlas of normal mouse development. In this paper we show how this digital anatomical Atlas also represents a valuable teaching aid and research tool in anatomy.