ABSTRACT
White matter pathways, typically studied with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), have been implicated in the neurobiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, due to limited sample sizes and the predominance of single-site studies, the generalizability of OCD classification based on diffusion white matter estimates remains unclear. Here, we tested classification accuracy using the largest OCD DTI dataset to date, involving 1336 adult participants (690 OCD patients and 646 healthy controls) and 317 pediatric participants (175 OCD patients and 142 healthy controls) from 18 international sites within the ENIGMA OCD Working Group. We used an automatic machine learning pipeline (with feature engineering and selection, and model optimization) and examined the cross-site generalizability of the OCD classification models using leave-one-site-out cross-validation. Our models showed low-to-moderate accuracy in classifying (1) "OCD vs. healthy controls" (Adults, receiver operator characteristic-area under the curve = 57.19 ± 3.47 in the replication set; Children, 59.8 ± 7.39), (2) "unmedicated OCD vs. healthy controls" (Adults, 62.67 ± 3.84; Children, 48.51 ± 10.14), and (3) "medicated OCD vs. unmedicated OCD" (Adults, 76.72 ± 3.97; Children, 72.45 ± 8.87). There was significant site variability in model performance (cross-validated ROC AUC ranges 51.6-79.1 in adults; 35.9-63.2 in children). Machine learning interpretation showed that diffusivity measures of the corpus callosum, internal capsule, and posterior thalamic radiation contributed to the classification of OCD from HC. The classification performance appeared greater than the model trained on grey matter morphometry in the prior ENIGMA OCD study (our study includes subsamples from the morphometry study). Taken together, this study points to the meaningful multivariate patterns of white matter features relevant to the neurobiology of OCD, but with low-to-moderate classification accuracy. The OCD classification performance may be constrained by site variability and medication effects on the white matter integrity, indicating room for improvement for future research.
Subject(s)
Diffusion Tensor Imaging , Machine Learning , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder , White Matter , Humans , White Matter/pathology , White Matter/diagnostic imaging , Male , Female , Adult , Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods , Child , Adolescent , Brain/pathology , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Middle Aged , Young AdultABSTRACT
Current knowledge about functional connectivity in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is based on small-scale studies, limiting the generalizability of results. Moreover, the majority of studies have focused only on predefined regions or functional networks rather than connectivity throughout the entire brain. Here, we investigated differences in resting-state functional connectivity between OCD patients and healthy controls (HC) using mega-analysis of data from 1024 OCD patients and 1028 HC from 28 independent samples of the ENIGMA-OCD consortium. We assessed group differences in whole-brain functional connectivity at both the regional and network level, and investigated whether functional connectivity could serve as biomarker to identify patient status at the individual level using machine learning analysis. The mega-analyses revealed widespread abnormalities in functional connectivity in OCD, with global hypo-connectivity (Cohen's d: -0.27 to -0.13) and few hyper-connections, mainly with the thalamus (Cohen's d: 0.19 to 0.22). Most hypo-connections were located within the sensorimotor network and no fronto-striatal abnormalities were found. Overall, classification performances were poor, with area-under-the-receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) scores ranging between 0.567 and 0.673, with better classification for medicated (AUC = 0.702) than unmedicated (AUC = 0.608) patients versus healthy controls. These findings provide partial support for existing pathophysiological models of OCD and highlight the important role of the sensorimotor network in OCD. However, resting-state connectivity does not so far provide an accurate biomarker for identifying patients at the individual level.
Subject(s)
Connectome , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder , Humans , Connectome/methods , Brain Mapping/methods , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Brain , Biomarkers , Neural PathwaysABSTRACT
The significant link between stress and psychiatric disorders has prompted research on stress's impact on the brain. Interestingly, previous studies on healthy subjects have demonstrated an association between perceived stress and amygdala volume, although the mechanisms by which perceived stress can affect brain function remain unknown. To better understand what this association entails at a functional level, herein, we explore the association of perceived stress, measured by the PSS10 questionnaire, with disseminated functional connectivity between brain areas. Using resting-state fMRI from 252 healthy subjects spanning a broad age range, we performed both a seed-based amygdala connectivity analysis (static connectivity, with spatial resolution but no temporal definition) and a whole-brain data-driven approach to detect altered patterns of phase interactions between brain areas (dynamic connectivity with spatiotemporal information). Results show that increased perceived stress is directly associated with increased amygdala connectivity with frontal cortical regions, which is driven by a reduced occurrence of an activity pattern where the signals in the amygdala and the hippocampus evolve in opposite directions with respect to the rest of the brain. Overall, these results not only reinforce the pathological effect of in-phase synchronicity between subcortical and cortical brain areas but also demonstrate the protective effect of counterbalanced (i.e., phase-shifted) activity between brain subsystems, which are otherwise missed with correlation-based functional connectivity analysis.
Subject(s)
Amygdala , Brain , Humans , Brain/pathology , Frontal Lobe , Brain Mapping , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Neural Pathways , Stress, PsychologicalABSTRACT
Brown macroalgae are an important source of polysaccharides, mainly fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharides (FCSPs), associated with several biological activities. However, the structural diversity and structure-function relationships for their bioactivities are still undisclosed. Thus, the aim of this work was to characterize the chemical structure of water-soluble Saccharina latissima polysaccharides and evaluate their immunostimulatory and hypocholesterolemic activities, helping to pinpoint a structure-activity relationship. Alginate, laminarans (F1, neutral glucose-rich polysaccharides), and two fractions (F2 and F3) of FCSPs (negatively charged) were studied. Whereas F2 is rich in uronic acids (45 mol%) and fucose (29 mol%), F3 is rich in fucose (59 mol%) and galactose (21 mol%). These two fractions of FCSPs showed immunostimulatory activity on B lymphocytes, which could be associated with the presence of sulphate groups. Only F2 exhibited a significant effect in reductions in in vitro cholesterol's bioaccessibility attributed to the sequestration of bile salts. Therefore, S. latissima FCSPs were shown to have potential as immunostimulatory and hypocholesterolemic functional ingredients, where their content in uronic acids and sulphation seem to be relevant for the bioactive and healthy properties.
Subject(s)
Laminaria , Phaeophyceae , Fucose/chemistry , Water , Phaeophyceae/chemistry , Polysaccharides/pharmacology , Polysaccharides/chemistry , Sulfates , Uronic AcidsABSTRACT
Daily routines are getting increasingly stressful. Interestingly, associations between stress perception and amygdala volume, a brain region implicated in emotional behaviour, have been observed in both younger and older adults. Life stress, on the other hand, has become pervasive and is no longer restricted to a specific age group or life stage. As a result, it is vital to consider stress as a continuum across the lifespan. In this study, we investigated the relationship between perceived stress and amygdala size in 272 healthy participants with a broad age range. Participants were submitted to a structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to extract amygdala volume, and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores were used as the independent variable in volumetric regressions. We found that perceived stress is positively associated with the right amygdala volume throughout life.
Subject(s)
Amygdala , Longevity , Aged , Amygdala/diagnostic imaging , Amygdala/pathology , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Perception , Stress, Psychological/diagnostic imaging , Stress, Psychological/psychologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the relation between retinal neurodegenerative changes and vessel closure (VC) in individuals with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) in a follow-up period of 3 years. DESIGN: This is a 3-year prospective longitudinal study with four annual visits. PARTICIPANTS: This study involved 74 individuals with type 2 diabetes, NPDR, and Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study grades from 10 to 47, one eye/person. An age-matched healthy control population of 84 eyes was used as control group. METHODS: Participants were annually examined by color fundus photography, spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and OCT-angiography (OCTA). VC was assessed by OCTA vessel density maps. SD-OCT segmentations were performed to access central retinal thickness (CRT) and retinal neurodegeneration considered as thinning of the ganglion cell plus inner plexiform layer (GCL + IPL). RESULTS: Type 2 diabetic individuals presented significantly higher CRT (p = 0.001), GCL + IPL thinning (p = 0.042), and decreased vessel density at the superficial capillary plexus (p < 0.001) and full retina (FR) (p = 0.001). When looking at changes occurring over the 3-year period of follow-up (Table 2), there were statistically significant decreases in GCL + IPL thickness (-0.438 µm/year; p = 0.038), foveal avascular zone circularity (-0.009; p = 0.047), and vessel density in superficial capillary plexus (-0.172 mm-1/year; p < 0.001), deep capillary plexus (DCP) (-0.350 mm-1/year; p < 0.001), and FR (-0.182 mm-1/year; p < 0.001). A statistically significant association was identified between GCL + IPL thinning and decrease in DCP vessel density (ß = 0.196 [95% confidence interval: 0.037, 0.355], z = 2.410, p = 0.016), after controlling for age, gender, diabetes duration, hemoglobin A1c level, and CRT. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal neurodegenerative changes show a steady progression during a 3-year period of follow-up in eyes with NPDR and appear to be directly associated with progression in decreased vessel density including vascular closure through preferential involvement of the DCP. Our findings provide evidence that retinal neuropathy is linked with microvascular changes occurring in diabetic patients.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Diabetic Retinopathy , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/diagnosis , Diabetic Retinopathy/complications , Diabetic Retinopathy/diagnosis , Fluorescein Angiography/methods , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Perfusion , Prospective Studies , Retinal Vessels , Tomography, Optical Coherence/methodsABSTRACT
Theidentification of key biodiversity areas (KBA) was initiated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2004 to overcome taxonomic biases in the selection of important areas for conservation, including freshwater ecosystems. Since then, several KBAs have been identified mainly based on the presence of trigger species (i.e., species that trigger either the vulnerability and or the irreplaceability criterion and thus identify a site as a KBA). However, to our knowledge, many of these KBAs have not been validated. Therefore, classical surveys of the taxa used to identify freshwater KBAs (fishes, molluscs, odonates, and aquatic plants) were conducted in Douro (Iberian Peninsula) and Sebou (Morocco) River basins in the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot. Environmental DNA analyses were undertaken in the Moroccan KBAs. There was a mismatch between the supposed and actual presence of trigger species. None of the trigger species were found in 43% and 50% of all KBAs surveyed in the Douro and Sebou basins, respectively. Shortcomings of freshwater KBA identification relate to flawed or lack of distribution data for trigger species. This situation results from a misleading initial identification of KBAs based on poor (or even inaccurate) ecological information or due to increased human disturbance between initial KBA identification and the present. To improve identification of future freshwater KBAs, we suggest selecting trigger species with a more conservative approach; use of local expert knowledge and digital data (to assess habitat quality, species distribution, and potential threats); consideration of the subcatchment when delineating KBAs boundaries; thoughtful consideration of terrestrial special areas for conservation limits; and periodic field validation.
Alarming decline of freshwater trigger species in western Mediterranean Key Biodiversity Areas Resumen La identificación de las áreas clave de biodiversidad (ACB) fue iniciada por la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza en 2004 con el objetivo de sobreponerse a los sesgos taxonómicos en la selección de áreas importantes para la conservación, incluyendo los ecosistemas de agua dulce. Desde entonces, varias ACB han sido identificadas principalmente con base en la presencia de especies desencadenantes (es decir, especies que desencadenan el criterio de vulnerabilidad o de carácter irremplazable y por lo tanto identifican a un sitio como una ACB). Sin embargo, a nuestro conocimiento, muchas de estas ACB no han sido validadas. Por lo tanto, los censos clásicos de taxones utilizados para identificar las ACB de agua dulce (peces, moluscos, odonatos y plantas acuáticas) fueron realizados en las cuencas de los ríos Duero (Península Ibérica) y Sebou (Marruecos) en el Punto Caliente de Biodiversidad del Mediterráneo. Realizamos análisis de ADN ambiental en las ACB de Marruecos. Hubo una discrepancia entre la supuesta presencia y la actual presencia de especies desencadenantes. Ninguna de las especies desencadenantes se encontró en 43% y 50% de las ACB censadas en las cuencas del Duero y del Sebou, respectivamente. Las deficiencias en la identificación de las ACB de agua dulce están relacionadas con la carencia de datos o datos erróneos sobre la distribución de las especies desencadenantes. Esta situación resulta en una identificación inicial engañosa de las ACB con base en información ecológica deficiente (o incluso incorrecta) o también puede deberse al incremento en las perturbaciones humanas ocurridas entre la identificación de la ACB y el presente. Para mejorar la identificación de ACB de agua dulce en el futuro, sugerimos que la selección de especies desencadenantes se realice con un enfoque más conservador; que se usen el conocimiento local de los expertos y los datos digitales (para evaluar la calidad del hábitat, la distribución de las especies y las amenazas potenciales); que se consideren las subcuencas cuando se delimiten las fronteras de las ACB; que se consideren cuidadosamente las áreas de especies terrestres para los límites de conservación; y que se realicen validaciones periódicas de campo.
Subject(s)
Conservation of Natural Resources , Ecosystem , Animals , Biodiversity , Fishes , Fresh Water , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Oral focal mucinosis (OFM) is a rare benign condition of unknown etiology, considered the oral counterpart of cutaneous focal mucinosis. We report the clinicopathologic features of 21 cases of OFM in conjunction with a review of the literature. METHODS: Clinical data were collected from the records of five oral and maxillofacial pathology services. All cases were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry (vimentin, S-100, α-SMA, CD34, and mast cell). RESULTS: The series comprised 14 females (66.7%) and seven males (33.3%), with a mean age of 48.2 ± 20.7 years (range: 8-77 years) and a 2:1 female-to-male ratio. Most of the lesions affected the gingiva (n = 6, 28.6%) and presented clinically as asymptomatic sessile or pedunculated nodules with fibrous or hyperplasic appearance. All cases were negative for S-100 protein, CD34, and α-SMA and positive for Alcian blue staining. Conservative surgical excision was the treatment in all cases, and there was only one recurrence. CONCLUSION: OFM is a rare benign disorder that is often clinically misdiagnosed as reactive lesions or benign proliferative processes. Dermatologists and pathologists should consider OFM in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue lesions in the oral cavity, mainly located in the gingiva.
Subject(s)
Mouth/pathology , Mucinoses/diagnosis , Mucinoses/surgery , Soft Tissue Neoplasms/pathology , Actins/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Alcian Blue , Antigens, CD34/metabolism , Awareness , Case-Control Studies , Dermatologists , Diagnosis, Differential , Diagnostic Errors , Female , Humans , Immunohistochemistry/methods , Male , Middle Aged , Mucinoses/etiology , Mucinoses/metabolism , Pathologists , Photomicrography/methods , Recurrence , S100 Proteins/metabolism , Staining and Labeling/methodsABSTRACT
We have examined divergence times of the Antillean damselfly genus Hypolestes, to elucidate which mechanism of allopatric speciation, vicariance or long-distance dispersal, could better explain the currently observed disjunct distributions of this genus. Samples of the three extant species of the genus, Hypolestes clara (Jamaica), H. hatuey (Hispaniola) and H. trinitatis (Cuba), were collected. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA gene fragments were amplified to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and estimate divergence times in this genus. Hypolestes comprises currently three species, which consist in four geographically and genetically isolated lineages located in Jamaica, Hispaniola, Eastern Cuba and Central Cuba. Results of our analyses suggest that the three species diverged between â¼5.91 and 1.69â¯mya, and that the separation between the lineages from Central Cuba and Eastern Cuba occurred between â¼2.0 and 0.62â¯mya. Disjunct distributions in the genus Hypolestes can be better explained by a long-distance dispersal mechanism, since the divergence times of the three species do not coincide with the timeline formation of the geographic barriers between Cuba, Hispaniola and Jamaica. The Cuban lineages of H. trinitatis constitute different molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTU). The elevation of these MOTU to the species category requires the analysis of additional characters.
Subject(s)
Animal Migration/physiology , Genetic Speciation , Odonata/genetics , Odonata/physiology , Animals , Base Sequence , Cell Nucleus/genetics , Cuba , DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics , Genetic Variation , Mitochondria/genetics , Phylogeny , Species Specificity , Time FactorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Head and neck mucosal melanomas (MMs) are rare tumors with adverse outcomes and poorer prognoses than their more common cutaneous counterparts (cutaneous melanomas-CMs). Few studies have compared the expression of mitochondrial dynamic markers in these tumors. This study aimed to assess the correlations of mitochondrial markers with melanoma progression and their potential as predictors of lymph node involvement and distant metastasis. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry against anti-mitochondrial (AMT), dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), mitochondrial fission protein 1 (FIS1), mitofusin-1 (MFN1), and mitofusin-2 (MFN2) antibodies was performed in 112 cases of head and neck CM and MM. A Cox regression multivariate model was used to assess the correlation of AMT, FIS1, and MFN2 expressions considering the risk for nodal and distant metastasis. RESULTS: All markers studied presented higher staining in tumor cells than normal adjacent tissues. Higher mitochondrial content was observed in MM than in CM, and it was significantly associated with nodal metastasis in oral melanomas. Both FIS1 and DRP1 expressions were related to advanced Clark's levels in CM, and they were overexpressed in oral melanomas. Moreover, increased immunoexpression of MFN2 was significantly associated with a higher risk of metastasis in CM, and it was also overexpressed in sinonasal melanomas. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that mitochondrial fission and fusion processes can play an important role during multiple stages of tumorigenesis and the development of nodal and distant metastasis in cutaneous and mucosal melanomas.
Subject(s)
Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology , Melanoma/pathology , Mitochondrial Dynamics , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Disease Progression , Dynamins/metabolism , GTP Phosphohydrolases/metabolism , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Mitochondrial Proteins/metabolism , Mouth Mucosa/pathologyABSTRACT
The role of attentional mechanisms in peripheral vision loss remains an outstanding question. Our study was aimed at determining the effect of genetically determined peripheral retinal dystrophy caused by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) on visual cortical function and tested the recruitment of attentional mechanisms using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We included thirteen patients and twenty-two age- and gender-matched controls. We analyzed cortical responses under attentional demands and passive viewing conditions while presenting a visual stimulus covering the central and paracentral visual field. Brain activity was studied in visual areas V1, V2, and V3 as well as in cortical regions of interest corresponding to the preserved and the damaged visual field. The influence of visual field extent and age of disease onset were also investigated. Cortical thickness of visual areas was also measured. We found that cortical visual responses under attentional demands were increased in patients with larger degeneration of visual field, as demonstrated by significant interaction effects between group and task conditions. Moreover, activation during the task condition was increased for patients in two cortical regions of interest corresponding to the preserved and damaged visual field, specifically in patients with severe visual field loss. These findings were observed in the presence of preserved visual cortical structure. We conclude that RP patients have enhanced visual attention recruitment despite their retinal degeneration, while cortical structure and overall response levels remain intact. The unmasking of feedback signals from higher level visual regions involved in attentional processes may explain the increased cortical responses. These findings are relevant for the design of strategies for treating retinal diseases, based on attentional cuing.
Subject(s)
Attention/physiology , Retinitis Pigmentosa/diagnostic imaging , Visual Cortex/diagnostic imaging , Visual Cortex/physiology , Visual Perception/physiology , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Photic Stimulation/methods , Retinal Degeneration/diagnostic imaging , Retinal Degeneration/physiopathology , Retinitis Pigmentosa/physiopathology , Visual Fields/physiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Human visual cortex does not represent the whole visual field with the same detail. Changes in receptive field size, population receptive field (pRF) size and cortical magnification factor (CMF) with eccentricity are well established, and associated with changes in visual acuity with eccentricity. Visual acuity also changes across polar angle. However, it remains unclear how RF size, pRF size and CMF change across polar angle. Here, we examine differences in pRF size and CMF across polar angle in V1, V2 and V3 using pRF modeling of human fMRI data. In these visual field maps, we find smaller pRFs and larger CMFs in horizontal (left and right) than vertical (upper and lower) visual field quadrants. Differences increase with eccentricity, approximately in proportion to average pRF size and CMF. Similarly, we find larger CMFs in the lower than upper quadrant, and again differences increase with eccentricity. However, pRF size differences between lower and upper quadrants change direction with eccentricity. Finally, we find slightly smaller pRFs in the left than right quadrants of V2 and V3, though this difference is very small, and we find no differences in V1 and no differences in CMF. Moreover, differences in pRF size and CMF vary gradually with polar angle and are not limited to the meridians or visual field map discontinuities. PRF size and CMF differences do not consistently follow patterns of cortical curvature, despite the link between cortical curvature and polar angle in V1. Thus, the early human visual cortex has a radially asymmetric representation of the visual field. These asymmetries may underlie consistent reports of asymmetries in perceptual abilities.
Subject(s)
Brain Mapping/methods , Color Perception/physiology , Magnetic Phenomena , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology , Visual Cortex/physiology , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Visual Cortex/diagnostic imaging , Young AdultABSTRACT
Escherichia coli Ec36 was recovered from a patient in Portugal after treatment with meropenem and colistin. Besides an IncF plasmid with Tn1441d-blaKPC-3, already reported in clinical strains in this country, E. coli Ec36 co-harbored an IncX4::mcr-1 gene. Results highlight emerging co-resistance to carbapenems and polymyxins after therapy with drugs from both classes.
Subject(s)
Escherichia coli Infections/epidemiology , Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology , Escherichia coli Proteins/genetics , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Escherichia coli/genetics , beta-Lactamases/genetics , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Colistin/pharmacology , Colistin/therapeutic use , Drug Resistance, Bacterial , Escherichia coli/classification , Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy , Genotype , Humans , Meropenem , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Portugal/epidemiology , Serogroup , Thienamycins/pharmacology , Thienamycins/therapeutic useABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Changes in executive functions associated with alcohol consumption are frequently found in alcohol use disorder. Neuropsychological rehabilitation can play an essential role as an effective treatment in the recovery from these deficits, leading to the maintenance of abstinence. However, there are still some uncertainties regarding its impact on the recovery of deficits in executive functions. Our purpose is to present a protocol for a systematic review aiming to assess which neuropsychological rehabilitation programs are effective in the recovery of executive deficits in patients with alcohol use disorder. METHODS: We will search the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), Web of Science, and Scopus, as well as the list of references of the identified studies. Screening, data extraction, and synthesis, as well as evaluation of the risk of bias, will be carried out by two reviewers independently, using ROBINS-I and RoB 2. Disagreements will be resolved using a third additional reviewer. Primary outcomes will correspond to changes in executive functions, following a neuropsychological rehabilitation program in patients with alcohol use disorder. The evidence will be synthesized using a narrative description of neuropsychological rehabilitation programs and the indicators of their effectiveness will be identified. The neuropsychological rehabilitation programs for executive functions will be assessed considering their different components and their impact on the recovery of these functions. The review described in this protocol will allow the development of guidelines for the design of more effective rehabilitation programs for clinical populations with alcohol use disorder.
ABSTRACT
Brown macroalgae are rich sources of nutrients and health-promoting compounds. Nevertheless, their consumption is still limited by their strong organoleptic characteristics, thus requiring the development of extraction strategies to profit from their nutritional value. To fulfil this, two sequential extraction approaches were developed, differing in the solvent used in the first extraction step, water in approach 1 or food-grade ethanol in approach 2, to obtain economic and affordable extracts rich in specific compounds from Fucus vesiculosus. The use of water in the first step of extraction allowed us to recover water-soluble phlorotannins, laminarans and mannuronic-rich alginates, making the subsequent 70% ethanol extract richest in fucoxanthin (0.07% algae DW), and the hot water fractions purest in fucoidans and alginates with a lower mannuronic-to-guluronic (M/G) ratio (2.91). Conversely, when beginning extraction procedures with 96% ethanol, the recovered yields of phlorotannins increased (0.43 g PGE/100 g algae DW), but there was a concomitant seven-fold decrease in the recovery of fucoxanthin in the subsequent 70% ethanol extract. This approach also led to less pure hot water fractions containing fucoidans, laminarans and alginates with a higher M/G ratio (5.50). Overall, this work unveiled the potential of the first extraction steps in sustainable and holistic cascade strategies to modulate the composition of food-grade extracts, creating prospects of their application as tailored functional ingredients in food products.
ABSTRACT
Background: The InBIO Barcoding Initiative (IBI) Orthoptera dataset contains records of 420 specimens covering all the eleven Orthoptera families occurring in Portugal. Specimens were collected in continental Portugal from 2005 to 2021 and were morphologically identified to species level by taxonomists. A total of 119 species were identified corresponding to about 77% of all the orthopteran species known from continental Portugal. New information: DNA barcodes of 54 taxa were made public for the first time at the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD). Furthermore, the submitted sequences were found to cluster in 129 BINs (Barcode Index Numbers), 35 of which were new additions to the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD). All specimens have their DNA barcodes publicly accessible through BOLD online database. Stenobothruslineatus is recorded for the first time for continental Portugal. This dataset greatly increases the knowledge on the DNA barcodes and distribution of Orthoptera from Portugal. All DNA extractions and most specimens are deposited in the IBI collection at CIBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak and the community mitigation strategies implemented to reduce new SARS-CoV-2 infections can be regarded as powerful stressors with negative consequences on people's mental health. Although it has been shown that negative emotional symptoms subside during lockdown, it is likely the existence of inter-individual differences in stress, anxiety and depression trajectories throughout lockdown. Objectives: We aimed to cluster participants' according to their trajectories of stress, anxiety and depression scores throughout lockdown, and identify the sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors that may distinguish the subjects included in the different clusters. Methods: From March 23, 2020, to May 31, 2020, participants completed weekly online questionnaires on sociodemographic information (age, sex, education level, and employment status), psychological functioning (DASS-21, NEO-FFI-20), and clinical data (psychiatric disorders, psychiatric medication, physical disorders). Data regarding smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and time spent daily looking for COVID-19-related information were also collected. Stress, anxiety and depression trajectories were determined using latent class mixed models. Results: A total of 2040 participants answered the survey at baseline and 603 participants answered all surveys. Three groups ("Resilient," "Recovered," and "Maladaptive") with distinct mental health trajectories were identified. Younger participants, women, participants with lower education level, not working, studying, diagnosed with a mental disorder, taking psychiatric medication, smokers, those who spent more time consuming COVID-19-related information and those with higher neuroticism tended to cluster in the "Maladaptive" group, placing them at higher risk of persistent negative emotional symptoms during compulsory confinement. Conclusion: Accordingly, a tailored approach to emotional suffering for vulnerable subjects during the COVID-19 and future pandemics must be devised.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , Female , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/psychology , Pandemics , Depression/epidemiology , Depression/psychology , Portugal/epidemiology , SARS-CoV-2 , Stress, Psychological/epidemiology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Communicable Disease Control , Anxiety/epidemiology , Anxiety/psychologyABSTRACT
Introduction: Stress occurs more frequently in groups in which the degree of responsibility and decision-making power play notable roles in society, such as professors and health professionals. Objectives: To measure and understand the stress of professors in the undergraduate course of Medicine and Dentistry of a private educational institution in northeastern Brazil. Methods: Observational, descriptive and exploratory study with a quantitative approach was conducted between November 2018 and September 2019. A total of 184 professors participated in the study, answering the following instruments: demographic sociodata questionnaire, Stress Symptoms Inventory and the Preliminary Burnout Identification Questionnaire. The Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms Scale was applied to the 60 professors with stress. The data obtained were submitted to data analysis through Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: Stress was present in 40.3% of the professors, with a predominance of the resistance phase (85%) and signs indicative of burnout. There was a significant correlation between the presence of stress and the time of traumatic event either with the individual himself or with some relative and/or close friend. There was no correlation between the traumatic events and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, although a significant correlation was observed between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and burnout. Conclusions: The results point to the need to properly identify and manage stress so that the teaching experience is healthy and conducive to the teaching-learning process.
Introdução: O estresse ocorre de forma mais recorrente em grupos em que o grau de responsabilidade e poder de decisão perpetram notáveis papéis na sociedade, tais como docentes e profissionais de saúde. Objetivos: Mensurar e compreender o estresse docente dos cursos de graduação de Medicina e Odontologia de uma instituição de ensino privada do Nordeste do Brasil. Métodos: Tratou-se de um estudo observacional, descritivo, analítico e exploratório, com abordagem quantitativa no período de novembro de 2018 a setembro de 2019. Participaram do estudo 184 docentes, respondendo aos seguintes instrumentos: um questionário sociodemográfico, o Inventário de Sintomas de Estresse e o Questionário Preliminar de Identificação de Burnout. Já a Escala de Sintomas de Estresse Pós-Traumático foi aplicada nos 60 docentes com estresse. Foi realizada a análise de dados através do teste de qui-quadrado de Pearson e de regressão logística. Resultados: O estresse estava presente em 40,3% dos docentes, com predomínio da fase de resistência (85%) e sinais indicativos de burnout. Houve correlação significativa entre estresse e tempo de acontecimento traumático, seja com o próprio indivíduo ou com algum familiar e/ou amigo próximo. Não houve correlação entre o acontecimento traumático e o transtorno de estresse pós-traumático, embora tenha sido observada correlação significativa de transtorno de estresse pós-traumático e burnout. Conclusões: Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de identificar e manejar adequadamente o estresse para que a experiência docente seja salutar e propícia ao processo de ensino-aprendizagem.