Neonatal asphyxia can cause irreversible injury of multiple organs resulting in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This injury is dependent on time, severity, and gestational age, once the preterm babies need ventilator support. Our aim was to assess the different brain and intestinal effects of ischemia and reperfusion in neonate rats after birth anoxia and mechanical ventilation. Preterm and term neonates were divided into 8 subgroups (n=12/group): 1) preterm control (PTC), 2) preterm ventilated (PTV), 3) preterm asphyxiated (PTA), 4) preterm asphyxiated and ventilated (PTAV), 5) term control (TC), 6) term ventilated (TV), 7) term asphyxiated (TA), and 8) term asphyxiated and ventilated (TAV). We measured body, brain, and intestine weights and respective ratios [(BW), (BrW), (IW), (BrW/BW) and (IW/BW)]. Histology analysis and damage grading were performed in the brain (cortex/hippocampus) and intestine (jejunum/ileum) tissues, as well as immunohistochemistry analysis for caspase-3 and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP). IW was lower in the TA than in the other terms (P<0.05), and the IW/BW ratio was lower in the TA than in the TAV (P<0.005). PTA, PTAV and TA presented high levels of brain damage. In histological intestinal analysis, PTAV and TAV had higher scores than the other groups. Caspase-3 was higher in PTAV (cortex) and TA (cortex/hippocampus) (P<0.005). I-FABP was higher in PTAV (P<0.005) and TA (ileum) (P<0.05). I-FABP expression was increased in PTAV subgroup (P<0.0001). Brain and intestinal responses in neonatal rats caused by neonatal asphyxia, with or without mechanical ventilation, varied with gestational age, with increased expression of caspase-3 and I-FABP biomarkers.

Introduction. During specialty studies, the resident doctor faces higher stress levels than the normal population, affecting him/her professionally and personally, hence we ask the question: do the residency studies modify the quality of life of the resident doctors who are taking the specialty? Subjects and methods. A descriptive, comparative study was carried out in February 2006 and in February 2007. We applied the PECVEC questionnaire central module to two resident's groups: the first one, initiating their medical specialty and one year later; and the second one, residents with more than one year of specialty studies. We included residents from medical and surgical specialties that agreed to participate in this study. All data was captured on SPSS v. 15 for analysis descriptive statistics were used for socio-demographic variables, the Student's t for comparing the quality of life among residents and specialty. The quality of life was classified as 'very good' between 3.1 and 4, 'good' between 2.1 and 3, 'regular' between 1.1 and 2 and 'bad' between 0 and 1. Results. 54 residents were included in the first group, from which only 45 completed the questionnaires at the beginning and one year later. We excluded 9 residents because they didn't complete the second questionnaire. In the second group, we included 62 second and third year residents that had more than a year of specialty studies. We found that after one year of specialty, the 6 evaluation scales showed a decline in the quality of life, falling from a level considered as 'very good' (3.18) to 'good' (2.73) p < 0.001. However, when we compared these results with the second group, this one didn't have a decline in the quality of life; the most affected parameters were: physical function and negative state of mind, with respect to gender both were affected in the same proportion. The most affected specialty was emergency medicine. Conclusion. During the residency studies, the resident's quality of life does in fact decline in the first year, but it keeps acceptable levels.

Introducción. Durante los estudios de especialidad el médico residente afronta niveles de estrés superiores a la población general afectándolo profesional y personalmente, por lo que cuestionamos por qué los estudios de residencia modifican la calidad de vida de los médicos residentes que los cursan. Sujetos y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, comparativo, entre febrero de 2006 y febrero de 2007. Se aplicó el módulo central del cuestionario PECVEC a dos grupos de residentes: un grupo de residentes que iniciaba su especialidad y un año después, y a otro grupo que ya tenía más de un año realizando estudios de especialidad; se incluyeron residentes tanto de especialidades medicas como quirúrgicas que aceptaron participar. Los datos se capturaron en el programa SPSS v. 15. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva para variables sociodemográficas, t de Student para comparar la calidad de vida entre residentes y especialidad cursada. La calidad de vida se clasificó como 'muy buena' de 3,1 a 4, 'buena' de 2,1 a 3, 'regular' de 1,1 a 2 y 'mala' entre 0 y 1. Resultados. En el primer grupo se incluyeron 54 residentes, sólo 45 residentes completaron las encuestas al ingreso y un año después, y se excluyó a 9 por no completar la segunda evaluación; el segundo grupo incluyó a 62 residentes de segundo y tercer año que tenían más de un año realizando estudios de especialidad. Se encontró que después de un año de especialidad en las seis escalas evaluadas se presentó un descenso de la calidad de vida, cayendo de 'muy buena' (3,18) a 'buena' (2,73), p < 0,001; sin embargo, al compararlos con el grupo de segundo y tercer año, en estos últimos ya no hubo descenso en su calidad de vida. Los parámetros más afectados fueron función física y estado de ánimo negativo; de acuerdo con el género se afectaron en la misma proporción, y la especialidad más afectada fue Urgencias Médicas. Conclusión. Durante los estudios de residencia disminuye la calidad de vida de los médicos residentes sólo durante el primer año, aunque se mantiene en rangos aceptables.