Abstract-The aim was to analyze whether pericardial tissue expresses endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) protein and to determine the presence of cytosolic proteins that bind to eNOS mRNA. The effect of aspirin on the above-mentioned parameters was also analyzed. eNOS protein was expressed in pericardial tissue from male guinea pigs. Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 g/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus endotoxin (SA, 10 g/mL) reduced eNOS protein expression and shortened the half-life of the eNOS messenger. Under basal conditions, cytosolic extracts from pericardial samples bound to the 3Ј-untranslated region (3Ј-UTR) of eNOS mRNA, which was enhanced by LPS and SA. Proteinase K fully prevented the binding of cytosolic pericardial extracts to 3Ј-UTR of eNOS mRNA, suggesting the involvement of proteins that were further characterized as 60-and 51-kDa proteins. Aspirin (1 to 10 mmol/L) restored eNOS expression in either LPS-and SA-stimulated pericardial samples and reduced the binding activity of the pericardial cytosolic proteins to 3Ј-UTR of eNOS mRNA. Indomethacin also reduced the downregulation of eNOS by LPS and diminished the binding activity of the cytosolic proteins, although higher doses of indomethacin than of aspirin were needed to improve these parameters. In conclusion, eNOS protein is expressed in guinea pig pericardial tissue. LPS and SA stimulate the binding activity of pericardial cytosolic proteins to 3Ј-UTR of eNOS mRNA and reduce eNOS protein expression. High doses of aspirin and indomethacin protect eNOS protein expression and reduce the binding activity of the cytosolic proteins to 3Ј-UTR of eNOS mRNA, suggesting an inverse association between the presence of these cytosolic proteins and eNOS expression.

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Objective To evaluate the implementation of a maternal early warning system (MEWS) for monitoring patients during the first two hours after delivery in a tertiary level hospital. Methods Implementation of the criteria between 15 March and 15 September 2018 was evaluated in 1166 patients. The parameters collected were systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, urine output, uterine involution, and bleeding. Out-of-range values of any of these parameters triggered a warning, and an obstetrician was called to examine the patient. The obstetrician then decided whether to call the anesthesiologist. We carried out a sensitivity-specificity study of triggers and a multivariate analysis of the factors involved in developing potentially fatal disorders (PFD), reintervention, critical care admission, and stay. Results The MEWS was triggered in 75 patients (6.43%). Leading trigger was altered systolic blood pressure in 32 patients (42.7%), and 11 patients had a PFD. Twenty-eight triggers were false-negatives. Sensitivity and specificity of the system was 0.28 (0.15, 0.45) and 0.94 (0.93, 0.96), respectively. The multivariate analysis showed a correlation between trigger activation and PFD. Conclusion Our MEWS presented low sensitivity and high specificity, with a significant number of false-negatives.

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environment that limits our ability to control for all aspects of an educational study, enhancing humanism training is vital. Not enough emphasis has been placed on humanism in anaesthesiology, and we look forward to continued work by various groups internationally in this area.