Splicing machinery is profoundly altered in systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome and directly linked to key clinical features.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the splicing machinery (SM) of leukocytes from primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome with lupus (APS + SLE) patients, and to assess its clinical involvement. METHODS: Monocytes, lymphocytes and neutrophils from 80 patients (22 APS, 35 SLE and 23 APS + SLE) and 50 HD were purified, and 45 selected SM components were evaluated by qPCR-microfluidic array. Relationship with clinical features and underlying regulatory mechanisms were assessed. RESULTS: APS, SLE and APS + SLE leukocytes displayed significant and specific alterations in SM-components (SMC), associated with clinical features [autoimmune profiles, disease activity, lupus nephritis (LN), and CV-risk markers]. A remarkable relationship among dysregulated SMC in monocytes and the presence of LN in SLE was highlighted, revealing a novel pathological mechanism, which was further explored. Immunohistology analysis of renal biopsies highlighted the pathological role of the myeloid compartment in LN. Transcriptomic analysis of monocytes from SLE-LN(+) vs SLE-LN(-) identified 271 genes differentially expressed, mainly involved in inflammation and IFN-signaling. Levels of IFN-related genes correlated with those of SMC in SLE-LN(+). These results were validated in two external SLE-LN(+) datasets of whole-blood and kidney biopsies. In vitro, SLE-LN(+)-serum promoted a concomitant dysregulation of both, the IFN signature and several SMC, further reversed by JAKinibs treatment. Interestingly, IFNs, key inflammatory cytokines in SLE pathology, also altered SMC. Lastly, the over/down-expression of selected SMC in SLE-monocytes reduced the release of inflammatory cytokines and their adhesion capacity. CONCLUSION: Overall, we have identified, for the first time, a specific alteration of SMC in leukocytes from APS, SLE and APS + SLE patients that would be responsible for the development of distinctive clinical profiles.

Artificial intelligence in radiology: relevance of collaborative work between radiologists and engineers for building a multidisciplinary team.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in the field of radiology is becoming more common. Several studies have demonstrated the potential utility of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques as aids for radiologists to solve specific radiological challenges. The decision-making process, the establishment of specific clinical or radiological targets, the profile of the different professionals involved in the development of AI solutions, and the relation with partnerships and stakeholders are only some of the main issues that have to be faced and solved prior to starting the development of radiological AI solutions. Among all the players in this multidisciplinary team, the communication between radiologists and data scientists is essential for a successful collaborative work. There are specific skills that are inherent to radiological and medical training that are critical for identifying anatomical or clinical targets as well as for segmenting or labelling lesions. These skills would then have to be transferred, explained, and taught to the data science experts to facilitate their comprehension and integration into ML or DL algorithms. On the other hand, there is a wide range of complex software packages, deep neural-network architectures, and data transfer processes for which radiologists need the expertise of software engineers and data scientists in order to select the optimal manner to analyse and post-process this amount of data. This paper offers a summary of the top five challenges faced by radiologists and data scientists including tips and tricks to build a successful AI team.

Testing telediagnostic thyroid ultrasound in Peru: a new horizon in expanding access to imaging in rural and underserved areas.

PURPOSE: Thyroid ultrasound is a key tool in the evaluation of the thyroid, but billions of people around the world lack access to ultrasound imaging. In this study, we tested an asynchronous telediagnostic ultrasound system operated by individuals without prior ultrasound training which may be used to effectively evaluate the thyroid and improve access to imaging worldwide. METHODS: The telediagnostic system in this study utilizes volume sweep imaging (VSI), an imaging technique in which the operator scans the target region with simple sweeps of the ultrasound probe based on external body landmarks. Sweeps are recorded and saved as video clips for later interpretation by an expert. Two operators without prior ultrasound experience underwent 8 h of training on the thyroid VSI protocol and the operation of the telemedicine platform. After training, the operators scanned patients at a health center in Lima. Telediagnostic examinations were sent to the United States for remote interpretation. Standard of care thyroid ultrasound was performed by an experienced radiologist at the time of VSI examination to serve as a reference standard. RESULTS: Novice operators scanned 121 subjects with the thyroid VSI protocol. Of these exams, 88% were rated of excellent image quality showing complete or near complete thyroid visualization. There was 98.3% agreement on thyroid nodule presence between VSI teleultrasound and standard of care ultrasound (Cohen's kappa 0.91, P < 0.0001). VSI measured the thyroid size, on average, within 5 mm compared to standard of care. Readers of VSI were also able to effectively characterize thyroid nodules, and there was no significant difference in measurement of thyroid nodule size (P = 0.74) between VSI and standard of care. CONCLUSION: Thyroid VSI telediagnostic ultrasound demonstrated both excellent visualization of the thyroid gland and agreement with standard of care thyroid ultrasound for nodules and thyroid size evaluation. This system could be deployed for evaluation of palpable thyroid abnormalities, nodule follow-up, and epidemiological studies to promote global health and improve the availability of diagnostic imaging in underserved communities.

High-throughput sequencing-based analysis of bacterial communities associated with Barbour's seahorses (Hippocampus barbouri) from Surigao del Norte, Philippines.

This study identified the bacterial community composition associated with Barbour's seahorses (Hippocampus barbouri). Seahorses and samples from the surrounding environment (sediment and water) were collected from Cantiasay Island in Surigao del Norte, Philippines. Genomic DNA was isolated from these samples, and the V1-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform. There were 929 803 sequence reads corresponding to 859 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), which were obtained from the six genomic libraries. The results showed that the most abundant OTUs were affiliated to the phylum Proteobacteria, particularly those belonging to the genera Shewanella, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Aeromonas, which were found to be dominant in seahorse gut samples. The only exception was for the skin of male seahorses, which was dominated by members belonging to the genus Bacillus (phylum Firmicutes). These findings on bacterial community structure and composition may shed light on therapeutic claims of Barbour's seahorses and help in the conservation of this species.

Soil amendments from recycled waste differently affect CO2 soil emissions in restored mining soils under semiarid conditions.

Drylands affected by serious disturbances such as mining activities lose their vegetation cover and organic soil horizons, becoming CO2 emissions sources. Applications of organic amendments could be a good restoration solution that favours vegetation establishment and soil carbon sequestration; however, they are also associated with CO2 emissions. Experimental plots with different organic amendments (sewage sludge, garden and greenhouse vegetable composts, and mixtures of both) and unamended soils were installed in a quarry in southeast Spain. The aim of this study was: i) to evaluate the magnitude and changes of in situ CO2 emission from each experimental plot during a year and a half, and ii) to assess the effects of several physical-chemical (total organic carbon, total nitrogen, water retention, pH and electrical conductivity) and environmental parameters (moisture and temperature) in CO2 emissions. The results showed an initial CO2 emission (priming effect), produced from all restored plots just after the application of the organic amendment, which was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in soils with sewage sludge and their mixtures in comparison to vegetable compost. Garden compost had low emission rates, similar to soils without amendment and showed lower CO2 emission rates than the rest of the restoration treatments. Nevertheless, CO2 emissions decreased in each field campaign over time, showing that all restored soils had lower emissions than natural soils at the end of the sampled period. The different composition of organic amendments had a different effect on soil CO2 emissions. DistLM analysis showed that soil properties such as total organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH and soil moisture, associated with rainfall periods, strongly influenced CO2 emissions, whereas temperature did not affect the CO2 flow. In conclusion, the compost from plant remains could serve better as treatment to restore degraded soils in drylands than sewage sludge because of its lower CO2 emissions and concomitant effect on climate warming and carbon balance.

Long-term effects of two organic amendments on bacterial communities of calcareous mediterranean soils degraded by mining.

The application of organic amendments to improve the chemical and biological properties of degraded soils from calcareous quarries is necessary to accelerate restoration processes. The aim of this study is to assess the success of different restoration treatments in the long-term using two organic amendments (sewage sludge from urban waste water (SS) and compost from domestic solid waste (CW)). The chemical properties and bacterial communities of restored soils were compared with unamended soils (NA) and surrounding natural soils (NS) from a limestone quarry in a semi-arid ecosystem. After 10 years of the addition of organic amendments, the abundance of soil bacteria, diversity, and taxonomic composition at the phylum and genus level in each soil type was analysed by rRNA 16 S amplification (PCR), sequencing using Illumina, and comparison with the SILVA database using QIIME2 software. The relationships between soil bacterial taxa and chemical soil properties (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen content (TN)) were also studied, as well as the interrelations between soil bacterial taxa at the genus level or the next upper taxonomic level identified. The organic amendments changed the chemical properties of the restored soils, influencing the microbial communities of the restored soils. CW treatment was the organic amendment that most resembled NS, favouring in the long-term a greater diversity and proliferation of bacteria. Several bacterial communities, more abundant in NA and CW soils, were strongly correlated with each other (Craurococcus, Phaselicystis, Crossiella, etc.), forming a bacterial co-occurrence pattern (Co-occurrence pattern 1). Those bacteria showed high significant positive correlations with TOC, TN, and EC and negative correlations with the soil pH. In contrast, NA soils presented other groups of bacterial communities (Co-occurrence pattern 2) represented by Sphingomonas, Rubellimicrobium, Noviherbaspirillum, Psychroglaciecola and Caenimonas, which showed high significant positive correlations with soil pH and negative correlations with TOC, TN, and EC. The distance-based redundancy analysis indicated that SS soils remained in an intermediate stage of chemical and biological quality between NS and NA soils. Our results demonstrate that soil chemical properties and soil bacterial communities significantly changed with organic amendments in calcareous Mediterranean soils degraded by mining.

Usability of a Web-based Software Tool for History Taking in the Emergency Department.

Medical history taking is an important step within the diagnostic process. This study aims to assess the quality and usability (effectiveness, satisfaction, efficiency) of a web-based medical history taking app in the emergency department. During three weeks, patients and junior physicians filled out study questionnaires about the app. Senior physicians rated the quality of medical histories taken by junior physicians and app. In 241 patients, the studied app showed excellent usability with patients not in need of immediate medical attention. Senior physicians rated medical histories as more complete when app was used by patients in comparison to conventional history taking alone (p<0.01). Current app could not substitute medical history taking by physicians, but could definitely rather be used to gather ancillary information.

Association of RMND1/CCDC170-ESR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms with hip fracture and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the RMND1, CCDC170, and ESR1 genes with osteoporosis or hip fracture in a postmenopausal Mexican population. METHODS: We included a group of 400 postmenopausal women from the Health Workers Cohort Study from the Mexican Institute of Social Security. As a replication sample, we recruited 423 postmenopausal women from the National Institute of Rehabilitation. Demographic data were collected through a structured questionnaire. Bone mineral density was assessed using dual X-ray absorptiometry. Individuals were classified as normal, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fracture, according to World Health Organization criteria. Genotyping was performed using predesigned TaqMan Probes. Linear regression analysis was used to investigate association. RESULTS: All of the analyzed SNPs showed association with at least one of the phenotypes of the study groups. In addition, we observed a region with linkage disequilibrium within the ESR1 gene in all groups. CONCLUSION: This study shows that an association of the SNPs can exist with osteopenia, osteoporosis, or fragility fracture. Our results agree with data published elsewhere, supporting the potential of these loci for the identification of the population at risk. However, additional studies are required to determine the extent of this association for other geographic regions of Mexico.

Defective glucose and lipid metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis is determined by chronic inflammation in metabolic tissues.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are at increased risk of insulin resistance (IR); however, the specific mechanisms mediating this association are currently unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the inflammatory activity associated with RA accounts for the observed defective glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism in these patients. METHODS: We followed two main strategies: (i) extensive metabolic profiling of a RA cohort of 100 patients and 50 healthy control subjects and (ii) mechanistic studies carried out in both a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model and 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with conditioned serum from RA patients. RESULTS: Following the exclusion of obese and diabetic subjects, data from RA patients demonstrated a strong link between the degree of systemic inflammation and the development of IR. These results were strengthened by the observation that induction of arthritis in mice resulted in a global inflammatory state characterized by defective carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in different tissues. Adipose tissue was most susceptible to the RA-induced metabolic alterations. These metabolic effects were confirmed in adipocytes treated with serum from RA patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the metabolic disturbances associated with RA depend on the degree of inflammation and identify inflammation of adipose tissue as the initial target leading to IR and the associated molecular disorders of carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis. Thus, we anticipate that therapeutic strategies based on tighter control of inflammation and flares could provide promising approaches to normalize and/or prevent metabolic alterations associated with RA.

Influence of short implants geometry on primary stability.

BACKGROUND: A correct design is needed in short implants to improve primary stability (PS) in low quality bone. This study aimed to compare PS of double thread and single thread short implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty implants with single thread design (PHI/SHORT-I) and 30 implants with double thread design (PHIA/SHORT-I) (Radhex®, Inmet-Garnick S.A., Guadalajara, Spain) were placed in 30 randomly selected bovine ribs. PS was assessed in implant stability quotients (ISQ) and periotest values (PV) with Osstell™ and Periotest® devices, respectively. Computed tomographies of the ribs were taken and bone quality was evaluated in Hounsfield Units (HU) using Ez3D Plus software (Vatech Co., Korea). Only implants placed in low quality bone according to Misch and Kircos classification were selected (D3 bone: 350-850 HU; and D4 bone: 150-350 HU). Ten implants were not included in the study for being placed in D1 and D2 bone. Finally, 50 implants were selected: 17 and 9 PHI/SHORT-I in D3 and D4 bone respectively, and 15 and 9 PHIA/SHORT-I in D3 and D4 bone respectively. RESULTS: The one-way ANOVA showed statistically significant differences in ISQ (61.35 ± 4.77 in PHI/SHORT-I and 66.43 ± 4.49 in PHIA/SHORT-I, P<0.005) and PV (-2.76 ± 0.8 and -4.11 ± 1.24 respectively, P<0.005) between two implant designs in D3 bone, and statistically significant differences in ISQ (53.44 ± 3.34 in PHI/SHORT-I and 60.56 ± 1.53 in PHIA/SHORT-I, P<0.0001) and PV (1.13 ± 0.95 and -2.5 ± 0.61 respectively, P<0.0001) between two groups in D4 bone. CONCLUSIONS: Double thread design short implants resulted to have higher PS in comparison with single thread design short implants in D3 and D4 bone.

Estimation of salt intake assessed by urinary excretion of sodium over 24 h in Spanish subjects aged 7-11 years.

PURPOSE: High intake of salt is associated with early development of cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, obesity). In "developed" countries, individuals frequently exceed dietary recommendations for salt intake. Taking into account the limited data on sodium intake by 24-h excretion in urine in schoolchildren, we wished to determine baseline salt intake in Spanish subjects aged 7-11 years. METHODS: The present study was an observational study involving 205 schoolchildren (109 boys and 96 girls) selected from various Spanish provinces. Sodium intake was ascertained by measuring sodium excretion in urine over 24 h. Creatinine was used to validate completeness of urine collections. The correlation between fat-free mass determined by anthropometry and that determined via urinary excretion of creatinine was calculated (r = 0.651; p < 0.001). RESULTS: Mean 24-h urinary excretion of sodium was 132.7 ± 51.4 mmol/24 h (salt equivalent: 7.8 ± 3.1 g/day). Hence, 84.5 % of subjects aged ≤10 years had intakes of >4 g salt/day, and 66.7 % of those aged >10 years had intakes of >5 g salt/day. Urinary excretion of sodium was correlated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.1574 and r = 0.1400, respectively). Logistic regression analyses, adjusted by sex, showed that a high body mass index (odds ratio = 1.159; 95 % CI 1.041-1.290; p < 0.05) was associated with an increased likelihood of high urinary excretion of sodium. CONCLUSIONS: Sodium intake, as estimated by 24-h urinary excretion, was (on average) higher than recommended. Reducing the sodium content children's diet is a sound policy to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Enhanced synchronization of gamma activity between frontal lobes during REM sleep as a function of REM sleep deprivation in man.

UNLABELLED: Studies have shown that synchrony or temporal coupling of gamma activity is involved in processing and integrating information in the brain. Comparing rapid eye movement (REM) sleep to waking and non-REM (NREM) sleep, interhemispheric temporal coupling is higher, but lower between the frontal and posterior association areas of the same hemisphere. However, the homeostatic response of REM sleep temporal coupling after selective REM sleep deprivation (REMD) has not been studied. This study proposed exploring the effect of one night of selective REMD on the temporal coupling of cortical gamma activity during recovery REM sleep. Two groups of healthy subjects were subjected to either REMD by awakening them at each REM sleep onset, or to NREM sleep interruptions. Subjects slept four consecutive nights in the laboratory: first for adaptation, second as baseline, third for sleep manipulation, and fourth for recovery. Interhemispheric and intrahemispheric EEG correlations were analyzed during tonic REM (no eye movements) for the first three REM sleep episodes during baseline sleep, and recovery sleep after one night of selective REMD. Temporal coupling between frontal lobes showed a significant homeostatic rebound that increased during recovery REM sleep relative to baseline and controls. Results showed a rebound in temporal coupling between the two frontal lobes after REM sleep deprivation, indicating that the enhanced gamma temporal coupling that occurs normally during REM sleep has functional consequences. CONCLUSION: results suggest that synchronized activity during REM sleep may play an important role in integrating and reprocessing information.

Selenium status in a group of schoolchildren from the region of Madrid, Spain.

BACKGROUND: To assess the selenium status of a group of schoolchildren from the Region of Madrid, Spain. METHODS: Study subjects comprised 483 children (216 boys and 267 girls) aged between 8 and 13 years. Selenium intake was determined using a 3-day food record. The foods consumed were transformed into energy and nutrients, and the selenium intake was compared with that recommended. Serum selenium levels were also recorded. RESULTS: Mean (SD) selenium intake [91.0 (25.2) µg day(-1) ] was above the recommended level in 99.4% of subjects; the main dietary sources were cereals, meats, fish and milk products. The serum selenium concentration [mean (SD) 71.1 (14.4) µg L(-1) ], however, was <60 µg L(-1) in 13.9% of subjects, and <45 µg L(-1) in 5.6%. The serum selenium concentration correlated with the selenium intake (r = 0.169; P < 0.05). Children with a serum selenium concentration of <75 µg L(-1) had significantly smaller selenium intakes than those with a serum concentration of ≥75 µg L(-1) . CONCLUSIONS: Although selenium intake was generally above that recommended, the serum selenium concentration of the children could be improved. This could be achieved by increasing the relative consumption of cereals and other selenium rich foods such as fish.

Dietary glycaemic load and odds of depression in a group of institutionalized elderly people without antidepressant treatment.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a very common disorder in elderly, especially in those institutionalized. Nutrition could play an important role in the onset and/or progression of depression, since the intake of carbohydrates with a high glycaemic index (GI) or diets with a high glycaemic load (GL) may increase the insulin-induced brain serotonin secretion. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to analyse the association between dietary GI and GL and the odds of suffering depression in institutionalized elderly people without antidepressant treatment. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 140 institutionalized elderly people from the Madrid region (Spain) (65-90 years of age) whose diets were recorded using a precise weighing method over seven consecutive days. Energy and nutrient intakes were recorded and the GI and GL calculated. The participants' affective capacity was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Subjects were grouped into non-depressed (GDS ≤ 5) and depressed (GDS > 5). Since GDS scores and gender were statistically associated (p < 0.01), the data were grouped considering this association. RESULTS: Dietary GI (51.09 ± 3.80) and GL (97.54 ± 13.46) were considered as medium. The dietary GL was significantly higher in the non-depressed (100.00 ± 12.13) compared with the depressed group (93.97 ± 14.04, p < 0.01). However, a similar GI was observed between non-depressed (51.50 ± 3.29) and depressed groups (50.52 ± 4.46). Additionally, participants with a dietary GL placed in the second and third tertiles had a 67.4 % and 65.3 %, respectively, less odds of suffering depression than those in the first tertile. GDS scores and dietary GL were inversely related; therefore, an increase in one unit in the dietary GL scale decreased the GDS score by 0.058 units. CONCLUSIONS: Glyaemic load is associated with a lower odd of depression.

Vitamin D intake and dietary sources in a representative sample of Spanish adults.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D plays an essential role in bone mineralisation and its deficiency is associated with several chronic diseases. Some studies have reported a deficient status of vitamin D in Spanish and European population. The present study aimed to assess vitamin D intake, dietary sources of this nutrient and its adequacy with respect to the dietary reference intakes (DRI) in a representative sample of Spanish adults. METHODS: Four hundred and eighteen adults (aged 18-60 years) from 15 Spanish provinces were studied. They constituted a representative sample of the Spanish adult population. Energy and nutrient intake were determined using a 24-h dietary recall questionnaire for two consecutive days. Vitamin D intake was compared with the DRI for this vitamin. RESULTS: Mean (SD) vitamin D intake was 3.5 (4.0) µg day(-1) (69.5% of the DRI). Of the participants studied, 81.6% had vitamin D intakes below the DRI and 68.7% had intakes below 67% of the DRI. Of the vitamin D, 91.4% came from food sources and 8.6% came from dietary supplements. The main food sources of vitamin D were fish, eggs, dairy products, cereals, oils and meat. In addition, those subjects who met the DRI for vitamin D had a higher consumption of fish, vegetables and fruits and a lower consumption of meats than those subjects who did not meet the DRI. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D intake was inadequate in the sample of the adult Spanish population. Therefore, an increase in the consumption of oily fish, as well as fortified dairy products and cereals, might help to improve vitamin D intake.

Extrauterine leiomyomatosis, the great mimicker.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the radiographic features of the different forms of extrauterine leiomyomatosis. CONCLUSIONS: Leiomyomas with a rare growth pattern occur most often in women of reproductive age and with a history of hysterectomy. Extrauterine leiomyomas present a greater diagnostic challenge because they may mimic malignancies, and serious diagnostic errors may result.

Clinical features and immune mechanisms directly linked to the altered liver function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of arthritis on liver function using different approaches in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on 330 non-obese/non-T2DM subjects: 180 RA patients, 50 NAFLD non-RA patients, and 100 healthy donors (HDs). A longitudinal study was conducted on 50 RA patients treated with methotrexate for six months. Clinical and laboratory parameters and markers of liver disease were collected. Mechanistic studies were carried out in both the CIA mouse model and hepatocytes treated with anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs). RESULTS: RA patients have an increased risk of suffering from liver disease independent of obesity or T2DM. This risk was associated with factors such as insulin resistance, autoantibodies, inflammation, and component C3. Methotrexate treatment for six months was associated with liver abnormalities in those newly-diagnosed patients having CV risk factors. ACPAs induced a defective hepatocyte function, promoting IR and inflammation. The induction of arthritis in mice caused the infiltration of immune cells in the liver and increased inflammatory, apoptotic, and fibrotic processes. CONCLUSION: RA patients may experience mild to moderate liver inflammation due to the infiltration of T, B cells, and macrophages, and the action of ACPAs. This is independent of obesity or diabetes and linked to systemic inflammation, and disease activity levels. The negative effects of methotrexate on liver function could be restricted to the concomitant presence of cardiovascular risk factors.

Effects of omega 3 fatty acids supplementation in behavior and non-neurodegenerative neuropsychiatric disorders.

This work provides a systematic review of all published randomised, controlled clinical trials (RCT) investigating the effects of n-3 PUFA intake on the prevention and treatment of non-neurodegenerative neuropsychiatric disorders. Five databases (PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS, CINAHL and The Cochrane Database) were searched for RCT in this area published up to April 2011. The selected studies all involved human participants and included a comparison group. Thirty eight studies were identified, which examined the influence of n-3 PUFA supplementation on the prevention/treatment of depression (non-perinatal) (n 23), perinatal depression (n 6) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n 9). Great heterogeneity was noticed in terms of study design, the doses of n-3 PUFA administered, and study duration. Some benefit was noted with respect to the treatment of hyperactivity and depression in over half the examined studies, although the evidence was not conclusive. For any firm conclusions to be drawn, further studies will be needed that take into account the initial n-3 PUFA status of the subjects. Excessive n-3 PUFA intakes might be associated with a greater risk of peroxidation events and therefore neuropsychiatric deterioration. Indeed, some studies only recorded benefits when lower doses were administered. It is therefore important that the dose required to achieve any potential benefit be determined.

Poor zinc status is associated with increased risk of insulin resistance in Spanish children.

Zn plays a key role in the synthesis and action of insulin. The aim of the present work was to determine whether a poorer Zn status was associated with insulin resistance in a group of 357 Spanish schoolchildren. Zn intake was determined by using a 3 d food record (i.e. Sunday to Tuesday). The body weight, height and waist and hip circumferences of all subjects were recorded and fasting plasma glucose, insulin and Zn concentrations were determined. Insulin resistance was determined using the homoeostasis model assessment (HOMA) marker. Children (11·5 %) with Zn deficiency (serum Zn concentration < 10·7 µmol/l) had higher HOMA values than those with a more satisfactory Zn status (1·73 (sd 0·93)) compared with 1·38 (sd 0·90; P < 0·05). An inverse correlation was found between the HOMA value and the serum Zn concentration (r - 0·149, P < 0·05). The risk of having a greater insulin resistance value (HOMA greater than the 75th percentile) increased with age (OR 1·438; 95 % CI 1·021, 2·027) and BMI (OR 1·448; 95 % CI 1·294, 1·619) and decreased as Zn serum levels increased (OR 0·908; 95 % CI 0·835, 0·987; P < 0·001). Moreover, an inverse relationship was observed between HOMA values and Zn dietary density (r - 0·122), and the Zn intakes of male children with a HOMA value of >3·16 made a significantly smaller contribution to the coverage of those recommended (59·7 (sd 14·7) %) than observed in children with lower HOMA values (73·6 (sd 18·2) %; P < 0·05). Taking into account that Zn intake was below than that recommended in 89·4 % of the children, it would appear that increasing the intake of Zn could improve the health and nutritional status of these children, and thus contribute to diminish problems of insulin resistance.

Benefits of applying organic amendments from recycled wastes for fungal community growth in restored soils of a limestone quarry in a semiarid environment.

Applying organic amendments to recover physical, chemical, and biological qualities of soil may enable recovery of soils degraded by mining in semiarid climates. This study's aim was to investigate the development and changes in the composition of fungal communities in restored soils with five different types of organic amendments (two types of vegetable compost and sewage sludge compost, and a mixture of both) compared with unamended soils and surrounding natural soils and to examine the relationships between the fungal taxa, the new physico-chemical and biological soil properties of technosoils after 18 months of restoration, and natural soils. Restoration improved soil quality and fungal diversity, placing these soils in an intermediate position between unrestored soils (with no fungi present) and undisturbed reference soils, which were the most fungal diverse. Sewage-treated soils and their mixtures showed high nitrogen and carbohydrate content as well as high basal respiration and fatty acid content, suggesting that they provided readily biodegradable organic matter. In contrast, greenhouse compost-treated soils showed high total organic carbon and polyphenol content, whereas garden compost-treated soils showed intermediate values. The biological soil properties of both composts showed were similar to those of the reference soils, suggesting that composts contained more resilient organic matter. Organic amendments of dissimilar origin caused significantly different fungal soil communities at the genus level among the restored soils. Results indicated that soil pH, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen content, soil basal respiration, fungi/bacteria-PLFA ratio, and dehydrogenase and ß-glucosidase activities, together with Pearson's correlations, revealed that these properties and nutrient content (total organic carbon, C/N ratio, carbohydrates, and polyphenols) influenced 40 soil fungal taxa. Therefore, the organic amendments led to changes in soil properties that favoured plant cover by promoting the soil fungal community growth beneficial to the carbon cycle and symbiotic with plants.