How dietary advanced glycation end products could facilitate the occurrence of food allergy.

BACKGROUND: Food allergy (FA) is one of the most common chronic conditions in children with an increasing prevalence facilitated by the exposure to environmental factors in predisposed individuals. It has been hypothesized that the increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, containing high levels of dietary advanced glycation end products (AGEs), could facilitate the occurrence of FA. OBJECTIVE: We sought to provide preclinical and clinical evidence on the potential role of AGEs in facilitating the occurrence of FA. METHODS: Human enterocytes, human small intestine organ culture, and PBMCs from children at risk for allergy were used to investigate the direct effect of AGEs on gut barrier, inflammation, TH2 cytokine response, and mitochondrial function. Intake of the 3 most common glycation products in Western diet foods, Nε-(carboxymethyl) lysine, Nε-(1-carboxyethyl) lysin, and Nδ-(5-hydro-5- methyl-4-imidazolone-2-yl)-ornithine (MG-H1), and the accumulation of AGEs in the skin were comparatively investigated in children with FA and in age-matched healthy controls. RESULTS: Human enterocytes exposed to AGEs showed alteration in gut barrier, AGE receptor expression, reactive oxygen species production, and autophagy, with increased transepithelial passage of food antigens. Small intestine organ cultures exposed to AGEs showed an increase of CD25+ cells and proliferating crypt enterocytes. PBMCs exposed to AGEs showed alteration in proliferation rate, AGE receptor activation, release of inflammatory and TH2 cytokines, and mitochondrial metabolism. Significant higher dietary AGE intake and skin accumulation were observed children with FA (n = 42) compared with age-matched healthy controls (n = 66). CONCLUSIONS: These data, supporting a potential role for dietary AGEs in facilitating the occurrence of FA, suggest the importance of limiting exposure to AGEs children as a potential preventive strategy against this common condition.

Calcium daily intake and the efficacy of a training intervention on optimizing calcium supplementation therapy: A clinical audit.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Calcium is an essential element for human health, with key roles in the prevention and therapy of multifactorial conditions. Calcium dietary intake is often insufficient in the general population. The aim of this study was to perform a clinical audit for general practitioners (GPs) to understand the efficacy of training intervention on doctors' awareness about dietary calcium and supplements. METHODS AND RESULTS: General practice outpatients were enrolled (Before Clinical Audit, BCA) from the same sanitary district, and calcium dietary intake was evaluated with a validated questionnaire, also collecting information about the consumption of calcium and vitamin D supplements. Then, a training intervention with a frontal lesson and discussion with GPs involved was performed. After one month of this intervention, a second outpatient enrolment was performed (Post Clinical Audit, PCA) in the same general practices to evaluate differences in nutritional suggestions and supplement prescription by GPs. In BCA, the calcium dietary intake was low, with nobody reaching 1000 mg as suggested by the guidelines. Only 6.6% and 24.5% took calcium and vitamin D supplements, respectively; in the PCA, these percentages increased to 28% and 78% for calcium and vitamin D supplements, respectively (p < 0.01 PCA vs BCA). There were no differences in calcium dietary intake between BCA and PCA. CONCLUSION: Training intervention on GPs was successful to sensitize them regarding calcium intake problems; GPs tended to increase the prescription of supplements but not to suggest changes in dietary habits.

Laparoscopic versus open distal gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer in middle-low-volume centers in Western countries: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy is the standard treatment for patients with resectable gastric cancer. Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) is routinely performed for early gastric cancer, and its indications are increasing even for locally advanced gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to compare two middle-low-volume centers in Western countries experience on LDG versus open distal gastrectomy (ODG) for locally advanced gastric cancer in terms of surgical and oncological outcomes. METHODS: We reviewed the data of 123 consecutive patients that underwent LDG and ODG with D2 lymphadenectomy between 2009 and 2014. Among them, 91 were eligible for inclusion (46 LDG and 45 ODG). After propensity score matching analysis, using a 1:1 case-control match, 34 patients were stratified for each group. RESULTS: The mean operative time was significantly longer in the LDG group (257.2 vs. 197.2, p < 0.001). No differences were observed in terms of intraoperative blood loss, average number of lymph nodes removed, and lymph node metastases. The postoperative morbidity was comparable in the two groups. LDG group had a significant faster bowel canalization and soft oral intake (p < 0.001). The 5-year overall and disease-free survival were higher for patients treated by laparoscopy, but the post-hoc subgroups analysis revealed that the advantage of LDG was significant just in N0 and stage IB-II patients, whereas N+ and stage III patient's survival curves were perfectly superimposable. CONCLUSIONS: LDG for locally advanced gastric cancer seems to be feasible and safe with surgical and long-term oncological outcomes comparable with open surgery, even in medium-low-volume centers.

Dor total e sofrimento da equipe de enfermagem: vivências durante a pandemia de COVID-19 / Total pain and suffering of the Nursing team: experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objetivo: Analisar as dimensões do sofrimento manifestadas pela equipe de Enfermagem no cuidado aos pacientes vítimas da COVID-19, sob a perspectiva do conceito de Dor Total. Métodos: Pesquisa qualitativa realizada com a equipe de Enfermagem que atuava na linha de frente do cuidado à COVID-19, por meio de questionário socioeconômico e entrevista semiestruturada. Utilizou-se o software ALCESTE para análise de conteúdo do corpus. Resultados: Participaram do estudo 20 profissionais de Enfermagem. Da análise de conteúdo, emergiram dois eixos: o primeiro, chamado de Dores no exercício profissional, destacou a dor social preexistente, apontando a desvalorização do saber/fazer da Enfermagem. O segundo eixo, denominado Dores na pandemia, evidenciou as dimensões emocional, social e física do sofrimento dos participantes. Os resultados comprovam e evidenciam o sofrimento multidimensional enfrentado no cotidiano do trabalho das equipes de Enfermagem, aproximando-os do conceito de Dor Total. A exacerbação das condições precárias na pandemia e seus efeitos foram identificados nas dimensões psicológicas, sociais e físicas. Conclusão: Torna-se imprescindível implementar políticas públicas e medidas em níveis governamentais e institucionais que valorizem e reconheçam o papel da Enfermagem, promovendo uma ação direta na raiz do sofrimento vivido pela categoria, a fim de oferecer suporte para melhoria das condições de trabalho e remuneração digna. Descritores: Sofrimento Psicológico; Equipe de Enfermagem; Pandemias; COVID-19; Percepção da dor.

Objective: To analyze the dimensions of suffering manifested by the Nursing team in the care of COVID-19 patients, from the perspective of the concept of Total Pain. Methods: Qualitative research carried out with the Nursing team that worked on the frontline of COVID-19 care, through a socioeconomic questionnaire and semi-structured interview. ALCESTE software was used for corpus content analysis.Results: Twenty nursing professionals participated in the study. From the content analysis, two axis emerged: the first, called Pain in professional practice, highlighted the pre-existing social pain, pointing to the devaluation of nursing knowledge/practice. The second axis, called Pain during the pandemic, showed the emotional, social and physical dimensions of the participants' suffering. The results prove and show the multidimensional suffering faced in the daily work of the Nursing teams, bringing them closer to the concept of Total Pain. The exacerbation of precarious conditions in the pandemic and their effects were identified in the psychological, social and physical dimensions. Conclusion: It is essential to implement public policies and measures at governmental and institutional levels that value and recognize the role of Nursing, promoting direct action at the root of the suffering experienced by the category, in order to offer support for improving working conditions and decent pay. Descriptors: Psychological Suffering; Nursing team; Pandemics; COVID-19; Pain perception.

TNF-α Producing Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILCs) Are Increased in Active Celiac Disease and Contribute to Promote Intestinal Atrophy in Mice.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are an emerging family of innate hematopoietic cells producing inflammatory cytokines and involved in the pathogenesis of several immune-mediated diseases. The aim of this study was to characterize the tissue distribution of ILCs in celiac disease (CD), a gluten-driven enteropathy, and analyze their role in gut tissue damage. ILC subpopulations were analyzed in lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs) isolated from duodenal biopsies of CD patients and healthy controls (CTR) and jejunal specimens of patients undergoing gastro-intestinal bypass by flow cytometry. Cytokines and Toll-like receptors (TLR) were assessed in ILCs either freshly isolated or following incubation of control LPMC with peptidoglycan, poly I:C, or CpG, the agonists of TLR2, TLR3, or TLR9 respectively, by flow cytometry. The role of ILCs in gut tissue damage was evaluated in a mouse model of poly I:C-driven small intestine atrophy. Although the percentage of total ILCs did not differ between CD patients and CTR, ILCs producing TNF-α and IFN-γ were more abundant in CD mucosa compared to controls. ILCs expressed TLR2, TLR3 and TLR9 but neither TLR7 nor TLR4. Stimulation of LPMC with poly I:C but not PGN or CpG increased TNF-α and IFN-γ in ILCs. RAG1-deficient mice given poly I:C exhibited increased frequency of TNF-α but not IFN-γ/IL17A-producing ILCs in the gut and depletion of ILCs prevented the poly I:C-driven intestinal damage. Our data indicate that CD-related inflammation is marked by accumulation of ILCs producing TNF-α and IFN-γ in the mucosa. Moreover, ILCs express TLR3 and are functionally able to respond to poly I:C with increased synthesis of TNF-α thus contributing to small intestinal atrophy.