The impact of saline and water stress on the agronomic performance of beet crops.

Excessive salts in irrigation water and water stress have a negative impact on the productive yield of agricultural crops. In this regard, the objective was to evaluate the effect of combined saline and water stress on the agronomic performance of the beet crop. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse located at the Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira, in Redenção, Ceará. The experimental design used was completely randomized with split-plots arrangement. The main plots were formed by the electrical conductivities of the irrigation water (0.8, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 dS m-1), while the irrigation depths of 50 and 100% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) were the subplots, with 6 replications. Saline stress negatively affected growth, biomass, tuber root length, and productivity, while increasing the soluble solids of the beet crop. Excessive salts in the irrigation water caused reductions in physiological indices of the beet crop, although with less severity under the 100% ETc.

Impact of the immune profiles of hypertensive patients with and without obesity on COVID-19 severity.

BACKGROUND: Comorbidities such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are associated with COVID-19 development and severity, probably due to immune dysregulation; however, the mechanisms underlying these associations are not clear. The immune signatures of hypertensive patients with obesity with COVID-19 may provide new insight into the mechanisms of immune dysregulation and progression to severe disease in these patients. METHODS: Hypertensive patients were selected prospectively from a multicenter registry of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 and stratified according to obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²). Clinical data including baseline characteristics, complications, treatment, and 46 immune markers were compared between groups. Logistic regression was performed to identify variables associated with the risk of COVID-19 progression in each group. RESULTS: The sample comprised 213 patients (89 with and 124 without obesity). The clinical profiles of patients with and without obesity differed, suggesting potential interactions with COVID-19 severity. Relative to patients without obesity, patients with obesity were younger and fewer had cardiac disease and myocardial injury. Patients with obesity had higher EGF, GCSF, GMCSF, interleukin (IL)-1ra, IL-5, IL-7, IL-8, IL-15, IL-1ß, MCP 1, and VEGF levels, total lymphocyte counts, and CD8+ CD38+ mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), and lower NK-NKG2A MFI and percentage of CD8+ CD38+ T cells. Significant correlations between cytokine and immune cell expression were observed in both groups. Five variables best predicted progression to severe COVID-19 in patients with obesity: diabetes, the EGF, IL-10, and IL-13 levels, and the percentage of CD8+ HLA-DR+ CD38+ cells. Three variables were predictive for patients without obesity: myocardial injury and the percentages of B lymphocytes and HLA-DR+ CD38+ cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that clinical and immune variables and obesity interact synergistically to increase the COVID-19 progression risk. The immune signatures of hypertensive patients with and without obesity severe COVID-19 highlight differences in immune dysregulation mechanisms, with potential therapeutic applications.

New Insights on the Mechanisms of Myocardial Injury in Hypertensive Patients With COVID-19.

PURPOSE: Myocardial injury is common in hypertensive patients with 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Immune dysregulation could be associated to cardiac injury in these patients, but the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. METHODS: All patients were selected prospectively from a multicenter registry of adults hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19. Cases had hypertension and myocardial injury, defined by troponin levels above the 99th percentile upper reference limit, and controls were hypertensive patients with no myocardial injury. Biomarkers and immune cell subsets were quantified and compared between the two groups. A multiple logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations of clinical and immune variables with myocardial injury. RESULTS: The sample comprised 193 patients divided into two groups: 47 cases and 146 controls. Relative to controls, cases had lower total lymphocyte count, percentage of T lymphocytes, CD8+CD38+ mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), and percentage of CD8+ human leukocyte antigen DR isotope (HLA-DR)+ CD38-cells and higher percentage of natural killer lymphocytes, natural killer group 2A (NKG2A)+ MFI, percentage of CD8+CD38+cells, CD8+HLA-DR+MFI, CD8+NKG2A+MFI, and percentage of CD8+HLA-DR-CD38+cells. On multivariate regression, the CD8+HLA-DR+MFI, CD8+CD38+MFI, and total lymphocyte count were associated significantly with myocardial injury. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that lymphopenia, CD8+CD38+MFI, and CD8+HLA-DR+MFI are immune biomarkers of myocardial injury in hypertensive patients with COVID-19. The immune signature described here may aid in understanding the mechanisms underlying myocardial injury in these patients. The study data might open a new window for improvement in the treatment of hypertensive patients with COVID-19 and myocardial injury.

Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Lipid Impairment in the Liver of Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Exposed to Carbendazim.

Carbendazim is a systemic fungicide used in several countries, particularly in Brazil. However, studies suggest that it is related to the promotion of tumors, endocrine disruption, and toxicity to organisms, among other effects. As a result, carbendazim is not allowed in the United States, Australia, and some European Union countries. Therefore, further studies are necessary to evaluate its effects, and zebrafish is a model routinely used to provide relevant information regarding the acute and long-term effects of xenobiotics. In this way, zebrafish water tank samples (water samples from aquari containing zebrafish) and liver samples from animals exposed to carbendazim at a concentration of 120 µg/L were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry, followed by multivariate and univariate statistical analyses, using the metabolomics approach. Our results suggest impairment of lipid metabolism with a consequent increase in intrahepatic lipids and endocrine disruption. Furthermore, the results suggest two endogenous metabolites as potential biomarkers to determine carbendazim exposure. Finally, the present study showed that it is possible to use zebrafish water tank samples to assess the dysregulation of endogenous metabolites to understand biological effects. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:437-448. © 2022 SETAC.

Efeitos da suplementação com hidroximetilbutirato na sarcopenia em idosos sem exercício físico: revisão sistemática da literatura / Effects of hydroxymethylbutyrate supplementation on sarcopenia in non-exercising older adults: a systematic literature review / Efectos de la suplementación con hidroximetilbutirato sobre la sarcopenia en ancianos sin ejercicio físico: una revisión sistemática de la literatura

Observa-se um aumento percentual da população de idosos, e a prevalência de comorbidades específicas dessa população gera impactos sociais e nos gastos em saúde. Entre essas comorbidades, identifica-se a sarcopenia, relacionada a declínio funcional, incapacidade física e redução da qualidade de vida. Assim, tornam-se importantes estudos que avaliem a melhoria da força muscular com ênfase no processo de envelhecimento. Considerando a limitação física encontrada em parte dessa população, surgem evidências que avaliaram o efeito independente de suplementos nutricionais em marcadores de sarcopenia, força muscular e funcionalidade. Esta revisão sistemática tem como objetivo avaliar o efeito do hidroximetilbutirato (HMB) na sarcopenia em idosos na ausência de exercício físico. Foi feita uma revisão sistemática de estudos randomizados publicados em inglês, português ou espanhol, entre 2004 e 2021, avaliando o efeito do HMB em marcadores de sarcopenia em idosos. O estudo foi conduzido utilizando Medline, Cochrane, Cinahl, Lilacs e Periódicos Capes. A pesquisa inicial encontrou um total de 201 artigos. A análise final incluiu quatro artigos com amostra de 958 pacientes idosos sarcopênicos. Variabilidade significativa foi encontrada nas definições de sarcopenia, nos métodos utilizados para avaliar o efeito da intervenção e na composição do suplemento nutricional utilizado. Resultados estatisticamente significantes em relação à preservação de massa magra foram encontrados, sem benefício associado de marcadores de força muscular e funcionalidade. A suplementação com HMB, apesar de controlar a perda de massa magra em idosos, não foi capaz de gerar aumento de força muscular e marcadores de funcionalidade.

The population of older adults has shown a percentage increase worldwide, and the prevalence of comorbidities specific to this population generates social impacts and affects health expenditures. Among these comorbidities is sarcopenia, a condition related to functional decline, physical disability, and reduced quality of life. Hence the importance of evaluation studies on muscle strength improvement with emphasis on the aging process. Considering the physical limitations found in part of this population, recent clinical research evaluated the independent effect of nutritional supplements on sarcopenia markers, muscle strength, and functionality. This systematic literature review seeks to evaluate the effect of hydroxymethibultyrate (HMB) on sarcopenia in non-exercising older adults. Bibliographic search on randomized studies published between 2004 and 2021 in English, Portuguese, or Spanish evaluating the effect of HMB on sarcopenia markers was conducted on the MEDLINE, Cochrane, CINAHL, LILACS and CAPES databases. Of the 201 articles identified, only four were included in the review, totaling a sample of 958 sarcopenic aged patients. Results showed significant variability regarding the definitions of sarcopenia, the methods used to assess intervention effects, and the composition of the nutritional supplement used. Lean mass preservation presented statistically significant results, with no associated benefits of muscle strength and functionality markers. Despite decreasing the loss of lean mass in the aged, HMB supplementation was not able to increase muscle strength and functionality markers.

Dado el aumento porcentual de la población anciana, existe una prevalencia de comorbilidades específicas en esta población que generan impactos sociales y gastos en salud. Entre estas comorbilidades se identifica la sarcopenia, relacionada con deterioro funcional, discapacidad física y reducción de la calidad de vida. Así, cobran importancia los estudios que evalúan la mejora de la fuerza muscular con énfasis en el proceso de envejecimiento. Considerando la limitación física encontrada en parte de esta población, aparece evidencia que evalúa el efecto independiente de los suplementos nutricionales sobre los marcadores de sarcopenia, la fuerza muscular y la funcionalidad. Esta revisión sistemática tiene como objetivo evaluar el efecto del hidroximetiletibultirato (HMB) sobre la sarcopenia en ancianos en ausencia de ejercicio físico. Se realizó una revisión sistemática de estudios aleatorizados, publicados entre 2004 y 2021 en inglés, portugués o español y que evaluaron el efecto del HMB en marcadores de sarcopenia en adultos mayores. Se utilizaron las bases de datos Medline, Cochrane, Cinahl, Lilacs y Capes. La búsqueda inicial encontró un total de 201 artículos. El análisis final incluyó cuatro artículos con una muestra de 958 pacientes ancianos sarcopénicos. Se encontró una variabilidad significativa en las definiciones de sarcopenia, los métodos utilizados para evaluar el efecto de la intervención y la composición del suplemento nutricional utilizado. Hubo resultados estadísticamente significativos en cuanto a la preservación de la masa magra, sin beneficio asociado de los marcadores de fuerza muscular y funcionalidad. La suplementación con HMB, si bien disminuye la pérdida de masa magra en los ancianos, no fue capaz de generar un aumento de los marcadores de fuerza y funcionalidad muscular.

TLR-9 Plays a Role in Mycobacterium leprae-Induced Innate Immune Activation of A549 Alveolar Epithelial Cells.

The respiratory tract is considered the main port of entry of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy. However, the great majority of individuals exposed to the leprosy bacillus will never manifest the disease due to their capacity to develop protective immunity. Besides acting as a physical barrier, airway epithelium cells are recognized as key players by initiating a local innate immune response that orchestrates subsequent adaptive immunity to control airborne infections. However, to date, studies exploring the interaction of M. leprae with the respiratory epithelium have been scarce. In this work, the capacity of M. leprae to immune activate human alveolar epithelial cells was investigated, demonstrating that M. leprae-infected A549 cells secrete significantly increased IL-8 that is dependent on NF-κB activation. M. leprae was also able to induce IL-8 production in human primary nasal epithelial cells. M. leprae-treated A549 cells also showed higher expression levels of human ß-defensin-2 (hßD-2), MCP-1, MHC-II and the co-stimulatory molecule CD80. Furthermore, the TLR-9 antagonist inhibited both the secretion of IL-8 and NF-κB activation in response to M. leprae, indicating that bacterial DNA sensing by this Toll-like receptor constitutes an important innate immune pathway activated by the pathogen. Finally, evidence is presented suggesting that extracellular DNA molecules anchored to Hlp, a histone-like protein present on the M. leprae surface, constitute major TLR-9 ligands triggering this pathway. The ability of M. leprae to immune activate respiratory epithelial cells herein demonstrated may represent a very early event during infection that could possibly be essential to the generation of a protective response.