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Introduction: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is relevant in the global epidemiology of human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as it represents the main route of infection in children. The study objectives were to determine the rate of HIV-MTCT and its epidemiological trend between the Spanish-born and immigrant population in Catalonia in the period 2000-2014., Methods: A prospective observational study of mother-child pairs exposed to HIV, treated in 12 hospitals in Catalonia in the period 2000-2014. HIV-MTCT rate was estimated using a Bayesian logistic regression model. R and WinBUGS statistical software were used., Results: The analysis included 909 pregnant women, 1,009 pregnancies, and 1,032 children. Data on maternal origin was obtained in 79.4% of women, of whom 32.7% were immigrants, with 53.0% of these from sub-Saharan Africa. The overall HIV-MTCT rate was 1.4% (14/1,023; 95% CI; 0.8-2.3). The risk of MTCT-HIV was 10-fold lower in women with good virological control (P=.01), which was achieved by two-thirds of them. The proportion of immigrants was significantly higher in the period 2008-2014 (P<.0001), for the HIV-diagnosis (P<.0001), and antiretroviral administration (P=.02) during pregnancy, and for undetectable viral load next to delivery (P<.001). There were no differences in the rate of MTCT-HIV among Spanish-born and immigrant women (P=.6)., Conclusions: There is a gradual increase in HIV pregnant immigrants in Catalonia. Although most immigrant women were diagnosed during pregnancy, the rate of MTCT-HIV was no different from the Spanish-born women., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.)

Adrenalectomy and/or cortisol-induced variations in the in vivo and in vitro incorporation of 14C-palmitic acid 1 into the different fractions of rat liver lipids were studied. The different fatty acids incorporations follow analogous patterns in every hormonal state in vitro. Incorporation rate is faster in normal animals, but adrenalectomy or the administration of cortisol produces a marded delay. Cortisol does not modify the anomalism observed in the adrenoprival state. In vivo, the incorporation of palmitic acid into the different liver lipids--for the same hormonal state--does not follow the same pattern.

The hepatic concentration of triglycerides, free fatty acids and total lipids was determined in four groups of rats: normals, adrenectomized and normal and adrenectomized previously treated with cortisol, 30 mg. In chronic adrenectomized state, total lipids and hepatic triglycerides are diminished, particularly the triglycerides. Adrenectomy does not appear to have significative effect on the free fatty acids. The administration of cortisol does not change those observations and, when given to normal animals, decreases the hepatic concentrations of free fatty acids, triglycerides and total lipids.

The effect of cortisol on the levels of free and sterified cholesterol in the livers of normal and adrenectomized rats has been studied. The results indicate that cortisol enhances those lipids in plasma and decreases their level in the liver.

The effect of progesterone upon several lipidic parameters on rat liver and plasma was studied. Progesterone administration led to a significant increase in the hepatic triacylglyceride and cholesterol esterified levels and to a decrease in the phospholipid content. After progesterone treatment decreases in plasma total lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol and cholesterol esterified were observed, whereas plasma triacylglyceride and free fatty acid levels increased. The hormonal treatment altered the lipoprotein pattern, which significantly reduced the beta-lipoprotein fraction.

The in vitro effect of increasing amounts of polyestradiol on LCAT activity was measured in plasma of male and female rats. The results showed that the hormone decreased the enzyme activity in both sexes. The concentration of polyestradiol required for this inhibitory effect was greater in male than in female plasma. No correlation was found between LCAT activity and polyestradiol concentration.

The effects of short-term administration of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) and methyltiouracile (MTU) on liver and plasma lipid levels in female rats have been comparatively studied T3 increases the levels of all the studied liver lipids and decreases the plasma lipids. T4 produces smaller and even, in some cases (liver triglycerides and cholesterol esters), opposite effects. The administration of MTU produces, in general, opposite effects to T3 and T4.