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The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of inflammation in the placenta on the pro-apoptotic development after severe preeclampsia. Placenta tissue samples of 15 HELLP syndrome and 15 healthy 35-38th week-pregnant women were involved in the study. Tissue samples were taken only from the maternal side of the placenta and fixed in 10 % formaldehyde, then blocked in paraffin wax and 4-6 mm-thick sections were cut and stained with Harris Hematoxylene-Eosin. Antigen retrieval was performed for sections, incubated with FAS antibody and anti-IL-6 antibody. After the application of streptavidin peroxidase followed by AEC chromogen solution, sections were counterstained with Harris hematoxylin. Significant thickening of the fibrinoid layer, degeneration and apoptotic change in decidua cells, marked increase in the hyalinized area, degenerative changes in the syncytial regions of the chorionic villus and an increase in syncytial nodes and bridges and IL-expression were observed as positive. FAS expression was positive in the pycnotic nuclei of decidual cells in the maternal region and in the syncytial regions. It was observed that the proapoptotic process increased as a result of severe preeclampsia. It was concluded that the control of cytokine activity and reduction of pro-apoptotic signal during the inflammation process will slow down the development of HELLP syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evidence of the presence of two species of monogeneans of the genus Cichlidogyrus that cause damage to gill tissue, in tilapia Oreochromis spp. grown in Ecuador. Materials and methods. The gills were placed in a Petri dish with boiling water so that the parasites relax, and later they were fixed in 4% formalin. The samples were checked under a stereoscope microscope. The parasites were counted and preserved in 70% ethanol for their taxonomic identification according to their morphological characteristics. The infection parameters (prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity) were calculated for each species of parasite. For the description of histological damages, fragments of parasitized gills were fixed in 10% neutral formalin and processed by the histological paraffin embedding technique. Results. Cichlidogyrus sclerosus showed highest infection parameters, prevalence of 65%, mean abundance of 24.24 ± 68.62 and mean intensity of 37.62 ± 82.93. Cychlidogyrus dossoui was observed in a prevalence of 4.5%, mean abundance of 0.13 ± 0.66 and mean intensity of 3 ± 1.41. Both species caused hyperplasia in lamellae. Conclusions. This study constitutes the first report of infestation by Cichlidogyrus sclerosus and C. dossoui in tilapia culture systems of Ecuador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]