Benefits of probiotic use on COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the new global pandemic, which has already resulted in millions of deaths, affecting the world's health and economy. Probiotics have shown benefits in a variety of diseases, including respiratory infections, and may be beneficial in the adjunctive treatment of COVID-19. This study analyzed the effectiveness of probiotics as adjunctive treatment in reducing symptoms of patients with COVID-19, through a systematic review with meta-analysis. The EMBASE (Elsevier), Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) were searched through March 16, 2022. The risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was estimated using a fixed-effect model. RoB 2 and ROBINS I were used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies. Nine studies were included (7 clinical trials and 2 cohorts), of which three clinical trials comprised the meta-analysis. Results showed that probiotics were associated with a significant 51% reduction in symptoms reported by COVID-19 patients (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.40-0.61). There was a significant improvement in cough (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.37-0.83), headaches (RR 0.17, 95% CI 0.05-0.65), and diarrhea (RR 0. 33, 95% CI 0.12-0.96) of patients on probiotic therapy. These findings suggest that probiotic supplementation is effective in improving symptoms of COVID-19.

Psychological distress, low-income, and socio-economic vulnerability in the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Although literature broadly reports the impact of COVID-19 on global mental health, little is known about the extent of its deleterious impact on the most vulnerable individuals. The present study aimed to evaluate the level of psychological distress of adult's residents of two urban shantytown communities located in São Paulo city, Brazil. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: An online questionnaire was divided into four sections: (1) informed consent, (2) socio-economic data, (3) 12-item general health questionnaire, and (4) Brazilian food insecurity scale was applied. RESULTS: Of the 495 family headship (448 females and 47 males), the mean age was 36.1 years, 85% have an indication of psychological distress, 61.4% had a monthly income less than or equal to $70, and the incidence of households experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity was 40%. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that respondents who experienced moderate or severe food insecurity (odds ratio [OR] = 2.701, confidence interval [CI] 95% = 1.265-5.769; P = 0.010) and lower monthly income (OR = 2.031, CI 95% = 1.056-3.908; P = 0.034) had a higher risk of psychological distress. On the other hand, having an employment is a protective factor against the stressful situations caused by COVID-19 pandemic (P = 0.029). CONCLUSION: The present study identified low-income younger women residents of urban slums who suffer from food insecurity as high-risk groups to have psychological distress. Our findings are of particular importance because they showed the intersection of vulnerabilities during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Multi-element contamination in soils from major mining areas in Northeastern of Brazil.

Mining has become one of the main factors in the global biogeochemical cycle of potentially toxic elements. Therefore, it is considered one of the anthropogenic activities with the greatest negative impact on the environment. These impacts are maximized in semiarid regions, where mining activities can lead to soil degradation and decrease in land productivity. This study aimed to assess the level of contamination in natural, urban, and agricultural soils of three important mining areas, where approximately 80,000 people live, and pollution levels have never been determined before. For this purpose, soil samples were collected around iron, uranium, and vanadium mines, as well as in the main human settlements of the region. The concentrations of 34 elements were determined by instrumental neutron analysis activation (INAA) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) techniques. Pollution indices (CF, EF, mCd, PLI, and REEP) revealed that there is a moderate to heavy level of pollution for 89% of the analyzed elements. Additionally, an extreme contamination level was observed in 78% of the samples, for at least one element. Statistical analyses were performed to identify patterns in the distribution and common sources of pollution. The results suggest that the concentrations for Al, Ba, Hf, Na, Pb, Rb, REE, Ta, Th, U, Zn, and Zr are associated with geogenic causes. However, the influence of anthropogenic sources such as agriculture and mining on the accumulation of these elements in soils should not be disregarded. In contrast, the contents of As, Br, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, Sc, Ti, and V reflect the direct impact of anthropogenic sources.

Seminoma in an adult striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba: tomographic, macroscopical, histological and immunohistochemical study.

Testicular neoplasms have been extensively described and characterized in domestic animals, but reports in wildlife species, including marine mammals, are scarce. This case report describes a testicular seminoma in an adult striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba stranded along the coasts of the Canary Islands. Post-mortem computerized tomography (CT) showed a prominent enlargement of the cranial pole of the right testicle, displacing the intestinal loops. Necropsy gross findings confirmed the presence of a testicular mass, bulging at the cut surface, with multiple well-delimitated whitish nodular lesions. Histologically, intratubular and diffuse neoplastic germinative cell proliferation was described. Complementary immunohistochemical assessments for vimentin and CD117 antibodies were negative. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first seminoma described in a S. coeruleoalba. We suggest that post-mortem (PM) pre-necropsy CT in dolphins is a useful tool for anatomic-guided pathology in such cases.

Clinical and nerve conduction features in Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with Zika virus infection in Cúcuta, Colombia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has been associated with an increased incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) but the relative frequency of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) and axonal GBS subtypes is controversial. METHODS: Twenty GBS patients diagnosed according to the Brighton criteria during the ZIKV outbreak in Cúcuta, Colombia, were evaluated clinically and electrophysiologically. The electrodiagnosis of GBS subtypes was made according to a recently described criteria set that demonstrated a high diagnostic accuracy on the basis of a single test. The electrophysiological features of 34 Italian AIDP patients were used as control. RESULTS: All patients had symptoms compatible with ZIKV infection before the onset of GBS and ZIKV infection was laboratory confirmed through a plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT90 ) in 100% of patients. The median time from onset of ZIKV infection symptoms to GBS was 5 days (interquartile range 1-6 days). Cranial nerve palsy was present in 85% of patients (facial palsy in 75%, bulbar nerve involvement in 60%), autonomic dysfunction in 85%, and 50% of patients required invasive mechanical ventilation. AIDP was diagnosed in 70% of patients. 40% of nerves of AIDP patients showed a prevalent distal demyelinating involvement but this pattern was not different from the Italian AIDP patients without ZIKV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with ZIKV infection in Cúcuta is characterized by a high frequency of cranial nerve involvement, autonomic dysfunction and requirement of mechanical ventilation indicating an aggressive and severe course. AIDP is the most frequent electrophysiological subtype. Demyelination is prevalent distally but this pattern is not specific for ZIKV infection.

Physical fitness and academic performance in youth: A systematic review.

Physical fitness (PF) is a construct of health- and skill-related attributes which have been associated with academic performance (AP) in youth. This study aimed to review the scientific evidence on the association among components of PF and AP in children and adolescents. A systematic review of articles using databases PubMed/Medline, ERIC, LILACS, SciELO, and Web of Science was undertaken. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies examining the association between at least one component of PF and AP in children and adolescents, published between 1990 and June 2016, were included. Independent extraction of articles was carried out by the two authors using predefined data fields. From a total of 45 studies included, 25 report a positive association between components of PF with AP and 20 describe a single association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and AP. According to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines: 12 were classified as low, 32 as medium risk, and 1 as high risk of bias. Thirty-one studies reported a positive association between AP and CRF, six studies with muscular strength, three studies with flexibility, and seven studies reported a positive association between clustered of PF components and AP. The magnitude of the associations is weak to moderate (ß = 0.10-0.42 and odds = 1.01-4.14). There is strong evidence for a positive association between CRF and cluster of PF with AP in cross-sectional studies; and evidence from longitudinal studies for a positive association between cluster of PF and AP; the relationship between muscular strength and flexibility with AP remains uncertain.

Muscle Pathology in Free-Ranging Stranded Cetaceans.

Despite the profound impact that skeletal muscle disorders may pose for the daily activities of wild terrestrial and marine mammals, such conditions have been rarely described in cetaceans. In this study, the authors aimed to determine the nature and prevalence of skeletal muscle lesions in small and large odontocetes and mysticetes ( n = 153) from 19 different species. A macroscopic evaluation of the epaxial muscle mass and a histologic examination of the longissimus dorsi muscle were performed in all cases. The only macroscopically evident change was variable degrees of atrophy of the epaxial muscles ( longissimus dorsi, multifidus, spinalis) in emaciated specimens. The histopathological study revealed single or combined morphological changes in 91.5% of the cases. These changes included the following: degenerative lesions (75.2%), muscle atrophy (37.9%), chronic myopathic changes (25.5%), parasitic infestation (9.2%), and myositis (1.9%). The skeletal muscle is easily sampled during a necropsy and provides essential microscopic information that reflects both local and systemic conditions. Thus, skeletal muscle should be systematically sampled, processed, and examined in all stranded cetaceans.

Interethnic variation of the MMP-9 microsatellite in Amerindian and Mexican Mestizo populations: considerations for genetic association studies.

We studied the interethnic variation of the MMP-9 microsatellite in the Mestizo and Amerindian populations using blood samples collected from 435 healthy unrelated individuals from the Central Valley of Mexico. DNA samples were genotyped using the -90 (CA)12-27 repeat near the MMP transcriptional start site using capillary electrophoresis. Our data were compared with those from African, Asian, and European populations (N = 729). Both Mestizo and Amerindian populations were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P ≥ 0.05). However, strong genetic heterogeneity was found within the Mestizo population (94%, P ≤ 0.0001), which exhibited the highest frequency of Amerindian, African, and European alleles. Likewise, Amerindians showed 6.7% variation among populations (P ≤ 0.0001), suggesting a genetic substructure potentially associated with linguistic affiliations. These findings were corroborated with principal component and population differentiation analyses, which showed relative proximity among the Mestizos and their historical parental populations: Asian (FST ≥ 0.05), European (FST ≥ 0.09), and African (FST ≥ 0.02). Nevertheless, important differences were found between Mestizo and Nahuas (P ≤ 0.0001), and between Mestizo and Me'Phaas (P ≤ 0.0001). These findings highlight the importance of determining local-specific patterns to establish the population variability of MMP-9 and other polymorphic markers. Validation of candidate markers is critical to identifying risk factors; however, this depends on knowledge of population genetic variation, which increases the possibility of finding true causative variants. We also show that dissimilar ethnic backgrounds might lead to spurious associations. Our study provides useful considerations for greater accuracy and robustness in future genetic association studies.

A comparison of early diagnostic utility of Alzheimer disease biomarkers in brain magnetic resonance and cerebrospinal fluid.

INTRODUCTION: The goals of this study were to compare the early diagnostic utility of Alzheimer disease biomarkers in the CSF with those in brain MRI in conditions found in our clinical practice, and to ascertain the diagnostic accuracy of both techniques used together. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2009, we included 30 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who were examined using 1.5 Tesla brain MRI and AD biomarker analysis in CSF. MRI studies were evaluated by 2 radiologists according to the Korf́s visual scale. CSF biomarkers were analysed using INNOTEST reagents for Aß1-42, total-tau and phospho-tau181p. We evaluated clinical changes 2 years after inclusion. RESULTS: By 2 years after inclusion, 15 of the original 30 patients (50%) had developed AD (NINCDS-ADRA criteria). The predictive utility of AD biomarkers in CSF (RR 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.7; P<.01) was greater than that of MRI (RR 1.5; 95% CI 95%, 0.7-3.4; P<.2); using both techniques together yielded a sensitivity and a negative predictive value of 100%. Normal results on both complementary tests ruled out progression to AD (100%) within 2 years of inclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers in CSF is higher than that of biomarkers in MRI. Combined use of both techniques is highly accurate for either early diagnosis or exclusion of AD in patients with MCI.

IORT-photon boost plus hypofractionated whole breast irradiation in patients with breast cancer after primary systemic treatment: feasibility, safety and clinical results.

AIM: To assess for the first time the safety and feasibility of combining photon-intraoperative radiotherapy (ph-IORT) with hypofractionated whole breast irradiation (h-WBI) in patients referred to primary systemic therapy (PST). METHODS: From March 2019 to December 2020, patients referred for breast conservative surgery (BCS) after PST in our institution were prospectively included in the present trial. PST was prescribed to all patients according the ESMO-SEOM guidelines. Once the PST was completed, BCS was discussed in the multidisciplinary tumor board (MTB). 20 Gy were prescribed to the surface of the applicator of an Intrabeam®photon-IORT during BCS. h-WBI (40.5 Gy/2.67 Gy/15frx) was planned to be administered 3-5w after BCS. All patients were treated with hWBI VMAT-Rapid-Arc&Daily Exac-Trac-IGRT. The primary end points of the study were feasibility and safety (grade 3 toxicity rate CTCAE.5.0-scale) of the proposed treatment protocol. The secondary end points included cosmetic results (Harvard Scale), local relapse rate and overall survival. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were included in the trial. The median age was 54 years. Tumor size was > 2 cm in all cases. Eighteen patients were N + (51.4%). There was no disease progression during PST. All patients received the planned 20 Gy-ph-IORT boost at the time of BCS and the proposed h-WBI. 31/35 (88,6%) patients started h-WBI within the predefined time period (3-5w after BCS). No patient showed ≥ G3 acute toxicity 3 months after the end of h-WBI. No ≥ G3 late toxicity was observed at 12 months of follow-up and thereafter. Cosmetic results were scored excellent/good in 26 patients (74.2%). After a median follow-up of 52 months, a TNBC patient locally relapsed at 13 months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated for the first time that ph-IORT + hWBI is feasible and safe in patients referred to BCS after PST.

Are sleep disorders associated with traumatic dental injuries in school children? A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) in permanent anterior teeth among school children is associated with sleep behaviours and disorders. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out with a representative sample of schoolchildren aged 8 to 10 years (n = 1402) from Florianopolis, Brazil. Clinical examinations for TDIs were performed according to the classification proposed by Andreasen. Parents/caregivers completed a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic characteristics and sleep behaviours/disorders (sleep duration, insomnia, sleep rhythmic movement, snoring, and signs of sleep apnoea). Descriptive analysis and Poisson regression were performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of TDIs was 10.9%. Insomnia was observed in 3.0% of the children, snoring in 42.8%, sleep rhythmic movement in 27.9%, and signs of obstructive sleep apnoea in 33.6% of the schoolchildren. Most children (75.2%) slept less than eight hours a day. The prevalence of TDIs was higher among schoolchildren with an increased overjet (PR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.15-2.35; P < 0.01), after adjusting for monthly family income, caregiver's schooling, and sleep behaviours. The prevalence of TDIs was not associated with sleep behaviours/disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Parent-reported sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep rhythmic movement, snoring and signs of sleep apnoea were not associated with the prevalence of TDIs in schoolchildren. © 2024 Australian Dental Association.

Pathways between verbal bullying and oral conditions among school children.

PURPOSE: To investigate the direct and indirect pathways between verbal bullying and adverse oral conditions among school-aged children. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 8- to 10-year-old children, enrolled in public schools in Southern Brazil. Verbal bullying was collected by self-reports. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, household income, and caregivers' educational level) and oral conditions (anterior open bite, anterior teeth crowding, upper anterior diastema, large overjet, untreated dental caries, and PUFA index). The pathways between verbal bullying and the independent variables were analysed through structural equation modelling. RESULTS: 1369 children were included. The prevalence of verbal bullying was 26.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 23.9-28.6%). Verbal bullying was directly influenced by large overjet (standard coefficient [SC] 0.13, P < 0.01), untreated dental caries (SC 0.63, P = 0.01) and PUFA index (SC 0.75, P = 0.02). Sex (SC - 0.005, P = .04) and age (SC - 0.006, P < 0.01) indirectly influenced verbal bullying via untreated dental caries. CONCLUSIONS: Verbal bullying was directly influenced by large overjet, untreated dental caries and PUFA index. Sex and age indirectly impacted verbal bullying through untreated dental caries.

Application of a deep learning image classifier for identification of Amazonian fishes.

Given the sharp increase in agricultural and infrastructure development and the paucity of widespread data available to support conservation management decisions, a more rapid and accurate tool for identifying fish fauna in the world's largest freshwater ecosystem, the Amazon, is needed. Current strategies for identification of freshwater fishes require high levels of training and taxonomic expertise for morphological identification or genetic testing for species recognition at a molecular level. To overcome these challenges, we built an image masking model (U-Net) and a convolutional neural net (CNN) to classify Amazonian fish in photographs. Fish used to generate training data were collected and photographed in tributaries in seasonally flooded forests of the upper Morona River valley in Loreto, Peru in 2018 and 2019. Species identifications in the training images (n = 3068) were verified by expert ichthyologists. These images were supplemented with photographs taken of additional Amazonian fish specimens housed in the ichthyological collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. We generated a CNN model that identified 33 genera of fishes with a mean accuracy of 97.9%. Wider availability of accurate freshwater fish image recognition tools, such as the one described here, will enable fishermen, local communities, and citizen scientists to more effectively participate in collecting and sharing data from their territories to inform policy and management decisions that impact them directly.

Dado el aumento del desarrollo agrícola e infraestructura y la escasa información disponible para apoyar la toma de decisiones con respecto al manejo y la conservación de la fauna, es necesario contar con una herramienta más rápida y precisa para la identificación de peces en el ecosistema de agua dulce más grande del mundo, la Amazonía. Las estrategias actuales para la identificación de peces de agua dulce requieren altos niveles de capacitación y experiencia taxonómica para la identificación morfológica o las pruebas genéticas para el reconocimiento de especies a nivel molecular. Para superar estos desafíos, construimos un modelo de enmascaramiento de imágenes (U­Net) y una red neuronal convolucional (CNN) para clasificar los peces amazónicos en las fotografías. Los peces utilizados para generar datos de entrenamiento fueron recolectados y fotografiados en afluentes de bosques inundables de la cuenca alta del río Morona en Loreto, Perú en 2018 y 2019. Las identificaciones de especies en las imágenes de entrenamiento (n = 3.068) fueron verificadas por ictiólogos expertos. Estas imágenes se complementaron con fotografías tomadas de ejemplares adicionales de peces amazónicos alojados en la colección ictiológica del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural del Smithsonian en Washington, DC. Se generó un modelo CNN que identificó 33 géneros de peces con una precisión media del 97,9%. Una mayor disponibilidad de herramientas precisas de reconocimiento de imágenes de peces de agua dulce, como la que se describe aquí, permitirá a los pescadores, las comunidades amazónicas y los "científicos ciudadanos" participar de manera más efectiva en la recopilación y el intercambio de datos de sus territorios para informar las políticas y decisiones de gestión que los afectan directamente.

Effects of cooling and freezing storage on the stability of bioactive factors in human colostrum.

Breast milk constitutes the best form of newborn alimentation because of its nutritional and immunological properties. Banked human milk is stored at low temperature, which may produce losses of some bioactive milk components. During lactation, colostrum provides the requirements of the newborn during the first days of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cooling storage at 4°C and freezing storage at -20°C and -80°C on bioactive factors in human colostrum. For this purpose, the content of IgA, growth factors such as epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 and TGF-ß2, and some cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and its type I receptor TNF-RI, were quantified. Some colostrum samples were stored for 6, 12, 24, and 48 h at 4°C and others were frozen at -20°C or -80°C for 6 and 12 mo. We quantified IgA, epidermal growth factor, TGF-ß1, and TGF-ß2 by indirect ELISA. Concentrations of IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α cytokines, IL-8 chemokine, and TNF-RI were measured using the BD Cytometric Bead Array (BD Biosciences, Erembodegem, Belgium). Bioactive immunological factors measured in this study were retained in colostrum after cooling storage at 4°C for at least 48h, with the exception of IL-10. None of the initial bioactive factor concentrations was modified after 6 mo of freezing storage at either -20°C or -80°C. However, freezing storage of colostrum at -20°C and -80°C for 12 mo produced a decrease in the concentrations of IgA, IL-8, and TGF-ß1. In summary, colostrum can be stored at 4°C for up to 48 h or at -20°C or -80°C for at least 6 mo without losing its immunological properties. Future studies are necessary to develop quality assurance guidelines for the storage of colostrum in human milk banks, and to focus not only on the microbiological safety but also on the maintenance of the immunological properties of colostrum.

[Patients with mild cognitive impairment and a reduced CSF Aß1₋42 protein progress rapidly to Alzheimer's disease]. / Pacientes con deterioro cognitivo leve y reducción de la proteína Aß(1-42) en LCR evolucionan rápidamente a enfermedad de Alzheimer.

INTRODUCTION: Some studies have shown that CSF amyloid-beta 1-42 (Aß1₋42), total tau (T-tau) and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau(181p)) proteins are useful diagnostic markers for distinguishing between clinically stable mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients and those who will develop Alzheimers disease (AD). Our objective was to test the ability of this technique to discriminate in our cohort of MCI patients, according to the clinical outcome, one year after the lumbar puncture. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 36 MCI patients were included from the local hospital memory clinic. Using INNO-BIA Alzbio-3 reagents from Innogenetics, we measured CSF Aß1₋42, T-tau and P-tau(181p) proteins, and calculated the T-tau/Aß1₋42 y P-tau(181p)/Aß1₋42 ratios. This project was approved by the local ethics committee. RESULTS: One year after the lumbar puncture, 14 MCI patients (38%) developed AD. These patients had lower Aß1₋42 protein levels (285.3 vs 377 ng/ml, P<.02) and higher P-tau(181p)/Aß1₋42 ratio (0,25 vs 0,16, p<.02) than the clinically stable patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our MCI patients with lower Aß1₋42 protein levels and an increased P-tau(181p) /Aß1₋42 ratio progressed quickly to AD. These results may help to identify those MCI patients with a poorer prognosis.

Premature loss of primary molars: impact on the oral health-related quality of life of schoolchildren.

PURPOSE: Evaluate the impact of the premature loss of primary molars due to caries on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in schoolchildren. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with children eight to ten years of age at public schools in the city of Florianópolis selected through cluster sampling. The collection of the clinical data occurred in the school setting by four trained and calibrated examiners (Kappa > 0.7) DMFT/dmft index, PUFA/pufa index, accentuated overjet, and anterior open bite. Sex and age of the child and guardian's schooling (classified as ≤ 8 or > 8 years) were collected through a questionnaire answered by the guardians. OHRQoL was assessed using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 8-10. The data were submitted to bivariate, multivariate, and hierarchical Poisson analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1456 children participated in the study. The prevalence of premature tooth loss due to caries was 5.8% (n = 85). The prevalence of negative impact on OHRQoL was 47.4% (n = 691). Negative impact on OHRQoL was significantly associated with the premature loss of primary molars (p < 0.001) as well as the sex (girls), guardian's schooling (> 8 years) and the presence of untreated caries (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The premature loss of primary molars due to caries was associated a negative impact on the OHRQoL of children eight to ten years of age. Negative impact is also associated with untreated caries, sex, and the level of schooling of guardians.

Oral desensitization as a useful treatment in 2-year-old children with cow's milk allergy.

BACKGROUND: Limited published evidence shows oral desensitization to be a potential intervention option for cow's milk protein (CMPs) allergy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral desensitization in 2-year-old children with cow's milk allergy, as a treatment alternative to elimination diet. METHODS: A total of 60 children aged 24-36 months with IgE-mediated allergy to CMPs were included in this multi-center study and were randomized into two groups. Thirty children (group A: treatment group) began oral desensitization immediately, whereas the remaining 30 (group B: control group) were kept on a milk-free diet and followed-up for 1 year. RESULTS: After 1-year follow-up period, 90% of the children in group A had become completely tolerant vs. 23% of the children in group B. In group A, cow's milk skin reactivity and serum-specific IgE to milk and casein decreased significantly from the initial assessment, whereas group B showed no significant change after 1 year of follow-up. Twenty-four patients (80%) developed some reaction during the treatment period: 14 children developed moderate reaction (47%) and 10 mild reaction (33%). The most common manifestations were urticaria-angioedema, followed by cough. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In this study, oral desensitization was found to be effective in a significant percentage of 2-year-old children with cow's milk allergy. Oral desensitization appears to be efficacious as an alternative to elimination diet in the treatment of 2-year-old children with cow's milk allergy. The side-effect profile appears acceptable but requires further study.

Biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in the cerebrospinal fluid of Spanish patients with mild cognitive impairment.

The study of biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a technique used with increasing frequency in the early diagnosis of Alzheimers disease (AD). Our objectiv was to gain an own experience while evaluating the reliability, sensitivity, and reproducibility of this technique in Spanish patients. Thirty-seven patients with MCI and twenty-four control subjects were studied by means of AD biomarker analysis in CSF. xMAP Luminex and INNO-BIA Alzbio3 reagents of Innogenetics were used. The study variables assessed were levels of Aß(1-42), T-tau and P-tau(181p) proteins as well as the ratios of T-tau/Aß(1-42) and P-tau(181p)/Aß(1-42). Samples from nineteen patients were examined twice. Intra-class correlation coefficients for the three biomarkers used showed values higher than 0.95. We observed significant differences between the control group and the MCI groups. In the 6 months following lumbar puncture (LP), eleven (29%) patients with MCI developed AD. These patients showed significant lower levels in Aß(1-42) protein (276.35 ± 78 vs. 367.13 ± 123.49, P < 0.03) and higher ratios (T-tau/Aß(1-42) [0.38 ± 0.2 vs. 0.22 ± 0.14, P < 0.01] and P-tau(181p)/Aß(1-42) [0.27 ± 0.13 vs. 0.16 ± 0.1, P < 0.008]) to those in the same group who remained stable. We obtained similar results to those in the most recent reliable literature with our ROC curves, especially with our P-tau(181p) values and T-tau/Aß(1-42) ratio in order to differentiate between control and AD groups. Our experience showed that the analysis of CSF-AD biomarkers in patients with MCI is reliable, sensitive and reproducible. In our knowledge, this is the first experience in Spanish patients.

Enzymatic activity of bone markers on Lithobates catesbeianus (Shaw, 1802) growth during the ossification process.

In order to better understand the ossification processes in anurans our study was carried out on tadpoles and adults of Lithobates catesbeianus. In this sense, we characterized the kinetic properties of alkaline phosphatase with p-nitrophenylphosphatase (pNPP) and pyrophosphate (PPi) and evaluated the activities of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and acid phosphatase. The enzyme extracts were obtained from tadpoles and adult femurs, which were divided into epiphysis and diaphysis. After homogenization, the samples were submitted to differential centrifugation to obtain cell membranes and, further, to phospholipase C (PIPLC) treatment, to remove membrane-bound proteins anchored by phosphatidylinositol. The average of specific activity for pNPP hydrolysis (at pH 10.5) by alkaline phosphatase released by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC) from Bacillus cereus among different bone regions at different animal ages was 1,142.57 U.mg-1, while for PPi hydrolysis (at pH 8.0), it was 1,433.82 U.mg-1. Among the compounds tested for enzymatic activity, the one that influenced the most was EDTA, with approximately 67% of inhibition for pNPPase activity and 77% for PPase activity. In the case of kinetic parameters, the enzyme showed a "Michaelian" behavior for pNPP and PPi hydrolysis. The Km value was around 0.6mM for pNPPase activity and ranged from 0.01 to 0.11mM for PPase activity, indicating that the enzyme has a higher affinity for this substrate. The study of pNPP and PPi hydrolysis by the enzyme revealed that the optimum pH of actuation for pNPP was 10.5, while for PPi, which is considered the true substrate of alkaline phosphatase, was 8.0, close to the physiological value. The results show that regardless of the ossification type that occurs, the same enzyme or isoenzymes act on the different bone regions and different life stages of anurans. The similarity of the results of studies with other vertebrates shows that anurans can be considered excellent animal models for the study of biological calcification.