Antenatal corticosteroid therapy modulates hepatic AMPK phosphorylation and maternal lipid metabolism in early lactating rats.

Antenatal corticosteroid therapy is used to reduce neonatal mortality in preterm infants but it is currently unknown whether this intervention affects lipid metabolism at the peripartum. This study aimed to evaluate if antenatal corticosteroid therapy in pregnant rats and women affects lipid metabolism during early lactation. We evaluated women at risk of preterm delivery that received corticosteroid therapy (CASE) and women that were not exposed to corticosteroid and were not at risk of preterm delivery (CONTROL).

Light quality and dormancy overcoming in seed germination of Echium plantagineum L. (Boraginaceae).

Light is considered a factor that influences the seed germination of many weed species, and it can signal whether the environmental conditions are favorable or are not favorable for germination. We aimed to study if there is an influence of light quality and dormancy overcoming in seed germination of Echium plantagineum L. We carried out a 2 x 6 factorial experiment, with and without dormancy overcoming with potassium nitrate followed by immersion in gibberellic acid; six light qualities, obtained through the light filters: blue, green, red, far-red, white light and absence of light.

Body mass index reference charts for individuals with Down syndrome aged 2-18 years.

Objective: To develop Brazilian growth charts for body mass index (BMI-for-age) for individuals with Down syndrome (DS). The secondary objective was to compare the BMI-for-age with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards (CDC).

Methods: A retrospective and cross-sectional growth study of 706 youth with DS (56.