Interferon gene expression declines over time post-COVID infection and in long COVID patients.

BACKGROUND: Interferons (IFNs) represent a first-line defense against viruses and other pathogens. It has been shown that an impaired and uncontrolled release of these glycoproteins can result in tissue damage and explain severe progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, their potential role in Long-COVID syndrome (LC) remains debateable. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the present study is to shed further light on the possible role of IFNs (and related genes) gene expression patterns in the progression of COVID-19 and LC patients. METHODS: We carried out a multi-cohort study by analyzing the IFN gene expression patterns (using different IFN gene signatures) in five cohorts of acute COVID-19 (n = 541 samples) and LC patients (n = 188), and compared them to patterns observed in three autoimmune diseases (systemic lupus erythematous [n = 242], systemic sclerosis [n = 91], and Sjögren's syndrome [n = 282]). RESULTS: The data show that, while the interferon signatures are strongly upregulated in severe COVID-19 patients and autoimmune diseases, it decays with the time from symptoms onset and in LC patients. Differential pathway analysis of IFN-related terms indicates an over activation in autoimmune diseases (IFN-I/II) and severe COVID-19 (IFN-I/II/III), while these pathways are mostly inactivated or downregulated in LC (IFN-I/III). By analyzing six proteomic LC datasets, we did not find evidence of a role of IFNs in this condition. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a potential role of cytokine exhaustion mediated by IFN gene expression inactivation as a possible driver of LC.

Clinical-Hematological Changes and Predictors of Severity in Acute Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome Reactions at Oral Food Challenge: A Multicenter Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Oral food challenge (OFC) is the criterion standard for diagnosis of acute food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). No diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers are available, and OFC assessment criteria are not validated. OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical-hematological changes and predictors of severity of FPIES reactions at OFC. METHODS: This was an observational multicenter prospective study. Children aged 0 to 18 years diagnosed with acute FPIES were recruited at follow-up OFC in 12 tertiary centers in Spain and Italy. OFC outcomes (as positive/negative/inconclusive and mild/moderate/severe) were assessed on the basis of published "2017 FPIES Consensus" criteria. Clinical characteristics were recorded, and full blood cell count was done at baseline, reaction onset, and 4 hours later. Regression analysis was performed to assess predictors of severe reactions at OFC. RESULTS: A total of 81 children had positive OFC (mild in 11% [9 of 81], moderate in 61% [49 of 81], and severe in 28% [23 of 81]). Increase in neutrophils and reduction in eosinophils, basophils, and lymphocytes were observed (P < .05). OFC was inconclusive in 19 cases despite objective signs or neutrophilia. Regression analysis showed that a 2-day OFC protocol where only 25% of an age-appropriate portion is given on day 1 (not sex, age, culprit food, cumulative dose, and previous reaction severity) was associated with reduced odds of severe reaction compared with giving multiple doses in a single day. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct hematological changes may help support FPIES diagnosis. Current OFC assessment criteria may not capture the broad spectrum of acute FPIES presentations. This 2-day protocol may be associated with a reduced risk of severe reactions. Future work should aim to develop safer OFC and non-OFC diagnostics for FPIES.

METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE SENSU LATO NATIVE TO LIVESTOCK SOILS CAUSES HIGH MORTALITY ON RHIPICEPHALUS MICROPLUS LARVAE, ADULTS AND AFFECTS THEIR REPRODUCTION.

The acaricidal effect of 14 strains of Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato isolated from soil of livestock farms in the Mexican tropics was evaluated against larvae and engorged females, and during the laying and hatching of eggs of Rhipicephalus microplus (Ixodida: Ixodidae). For each fungal strain, the larvae mortality percentage was evaluated through a larval immersion test, while the reproductive efficiency indices in engorged females were measured using adult immersion tests at a dose of 1 × 108 conidia/ml. All strains of M. anisopliae (s.l.) proved to be highly effective against R. microplus larvae (66-100%) and engorged females (100%). The strains also showed a good effect in inhibiting egg laying (16.45-56.38%) and a moderate effect in decreasing egg hatching (5.24-32.68%). Two strains demonstrated to be effective against all development phases of R. microplus in an integrated manner.

Assessment of environmental radiological impact in former metallic mines in Extremadura (Spain): A case study.

Metal mining in the Extremadura region was very important in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, due to different reasons the great majority of mines ceased operations, leading to plenty of abandoned mining sites, most of them with on-site waste dumps. Although metal extraction is not radioactive per se, it is considered a NORM activity. In this study, three former mining sites, in which Pb-V-Zn-Ag, Pb-Ag, and Pb-Zn were extracted, were selected to assess the radiological impact on the population and the environment. The external γ exposure was estimated by determining the effective dose and elaborating isodose maps of the sites. The presence of the mining sites increased up to 0.41 mSv/y the effective dose over the surrounding background, which is below the reference value of 1 mSv/y. In only one mining site, the uranium and radium activity concentration of waste dumps were higher than the surrounding soil. The soil to plant (wild grass) transfer factors were similar to other reported values without the influence of NORM activities. So, no enhanced transfer of radionuclides was observed. The radiological impact on the environment was assessed by the risk to non-human biota using the tiered approach developed in ERICA Tool. The sum of the risk quotients of all considered radionuclides in the most conservative Tier 1 was below 1. Total dose rates for several terrestrial Reference Animal and Plants (RAPs) were estimated using Tier 3, obtaining values below 40 µGy/h. Therefore, the impact on non-human biota can be considered as negligible.

[Giant arachnoid cyst with hydrocephalus and secondary chronic intracranial hypertension]. / Quiste aracnoideo gigante con hidrocefalia e hipertensión intracraneal crónica secundaria.

TITLE: Quiste aracnoideo gigante con hidrocefalia e hipertensión intracraneal crónica secundaria.

Determinants and impact of alexithymia on quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Alexithymia is a neuropsychiatric symptom conceptualized as difficulty identifying and describing feelings. Although associated with other non-motor symptoms, mainly neuropsychiatric, alexithymia may present as an isolated symptom in persons with Parkinson's Disease (PwP). The objective of the study is to identify determinants of alexithymia and its association with quality of life (QoL) in Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Subjects with Parkinson's disease were recruited. The following instruments were applied: Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20) and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-8). Matched healthy controls were screened using TAS-20. Clinical and demographical variables were compared between alexithymic and non-alexithymic. Regression models were used to find determinants of alexithymia. Impact of alexithymia on QoL was estimated with a linear regression model. RESULTS: 98 patients were included. 56.1% PwP and 28.8% controls were alexithymic (p<0.001). Education level (OR 0.86) and NMSS urinary score (OR 1.09) determined alexithymia as well as TAS-20 score. Alexithymia was an independent determinant of QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Alexithymia is a prevalent independent non-motor symptom in PwP with impact on QoL. Low education level and urinary symptoms are important determinants of alexithymia.

Towards recycling of waste carbon fiber: Strength, morphology and structural features of recovered carbon fibers.

Carbon fiber is one of the most widely used materials in high demand applications due to its high specific properties, however, its post-recycling properties limit its use to low performance applications. In this research, the carbon fiber recovering is examined using two methods: two-step pyrolysis and microwave-assisted thermolysis. The results indicate that the fibers recovered by pyrolysis show reduced surface and structural damage, maintaining the original mechanical properties of the fiber with losses below 5%. The fibers recovered by microwaves undergo significant surface changes that reduce their tensile strength by up to 60% and changes in their graphitic structure, increasing their degree of crystallinity by Raman index ID/IG from 1.98 to 2.86 and their amorphous degree by ID"/IG ratio from 0.411 to 1.599. Recovering fibers from microwave technique is 70% faster compared to two step pyrolysis, and provides recycled fibers with superior surface activation with the presence of polar functional groups -OH, -CO, and -CH that react with the epoxy matrix. The thermal, morphological, structural and mechanical characterizations of the recovered fibers detailed in this work provide valuable findings to evaluate their direct reuse in new composite materials.

Agamermis sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasitizing Armadillidium vulgare (Crustacea: Isopoda) in Argentina.

The Mermithidae is a family of nematodes parasitic in many kinds of insects, spiders, leeches, crustaceans and other invertebrates throughout the world. While conducting an assay with entomopathogenic nematodes, we found Armadillidium vulgare (Crustacea: Isopoda) individuals to be infected with Agamermis sp., marking the fourth known discovery of a mermithid infection in the order Isopoda. In this work, we contribute with an 18S rDNA sequence of the isolated nematode and the morphological and morphometrical characterization of the juveniles.

Case Report: Everolimus reduced bone turnover markers but showed no clinical benefit in a patient with severe progressive osseous heteroplasia.

Background: Progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH) is an ultrarare genetic disorder characterized by an inactivating mutation in the GNAS gene that causes heterotopic ossification. Inhibition of the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway has been proposed as a therapy for progressive bone fibrodysplasia and non-genetic forms of bone heteroplasia. Herein, we describe the impact of using Everolimus as a rescue therapy for an identical twin girl exhibiting an aggressive clinical phenotype of POH. Methods: Clinical evaluation of the progression of the disease during Everolimus treatment was performed periodically. Cytokine markers involved in bone metabolism and protein markers related to bone activity were analyzed to explore bone turnover activity. Results: The patient received Everolimus therapy for 36 weeks. During treatment, no clinical improvement of the disease was perceived. Analysis of biochemical parameters, namely, ß-CTX (r 2 = -0.576, P-value = 0.016) and PNIP (r 2 = -0.598, P-value = 0.011), indicated that bone turnover activity was significantly reduced. Additionally, bone metabolism-related biomarkers showed only a significant positive correlation with PTH levels. Conclusions: Everolimus treatment did not modify the clinical progression of the disease in an aggressive form of POH, although an impact on the protein markers studied was observed.

FIRST EVIDENCE OF THE TICKICIDE EFFECT OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI ISOLATED FROM MEXICAN CATTLE FARMS AGAINST AMBLYOMMA MIXTUM.

This is the first study to empirically evaluate the mortality of Amblyomma mixtum larvae caused by native entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) from cattle farm soils and the impact of the physicochemical conditions of those soils on the ability of EPF to kill ticks. The efficacy of 25 EPF strains isolated from cattle farms soils in Veracruz, Mexico, against A. mixtum ticks was evaluated using a larval immersion test. Physicochemical analyses of the soils where the EPF were isolated were carried out, and the results were correlated with the obtained mortality. The MaV25 strain showed a mortality of 36.55% (P < 0.05), followed by MaV57 with 27.30%, MaV08 with 26.21%, and MaV31 with 24.32% (P < 0.05). Nitrogen and potassium are nutritional components of soils that seem to be associated with mortality caused by the evaluated fungal strains. This is the first study in Mexico where the effect of EPF against A. mixtum is evaluated and also is the first study in the world that uses native strains from livestock soils against larvae of this tick. It is necessary to determine the virulence characteristics of EPF on A. mixtum to improve knowledge of fungus-tick interactions (Metarhizium anisopliae-A. mixtum).

Sex-biased expression of the TLR7 gene in severe COVID-19 patients: Insights from transcriptomics and epigenomics.

There is abundant epidemiological data indicating that the incidence of severe cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is significantly higher in males than females worldwide. Moreover, genetic variation at the X-chromosome linked TLR7 gene has been associated with COVID-19 severity. It has been suggested that the sex-biased incidence of COVID-19 might be related to the fact that TLR7 escapes X-chromosome inactivation during early embryogenesis in females, thus encoding a doble dose of its gene product compared to males. We analyzed TLR7 expression in two acute phase cohorts of COVID-19 patients that used two different technological platforms, one of them in a multi-tissue context including saliva, nasal, and blood samples, and a third cohort that included different post-infection timepoints of long-COVID-19 patients. We additionally explored methylation patterns of TLR7 using epigenomic data from an independent cohort of COVID-19 patients stratified by severity and sex. In line with genome-wide association studies, we provide supportive evidence indicating that TLR7 has altered CpG methylation patterns and it is consistently downregulated in males compared to females in the most severe cases of COVID-19.

Can stable elements (Cs and Sr) be used as proxies for the estimation of radionuclide soil-plant transfer factors?

Transfer parameters are key inputs for modeling radionuclide transfer in the environment and estimating risk to humans and wildlife. However, there are no data for many radionuclide-foodstuff/wildlife species combinations. The use of parameters derived from stable element data when data for radionuclides are lacking is increasingly common. But, do radionuclides and stable elements behave in a sufficiently similar way in the environment? To answer this question, at least for soil to plant transfer, sampling was conducted in four different countries (England, Kazakhstan, Spain and Ukraine) affected by different anthropogenic radionuclide source terms (in chronological order: global fallout, Semipalatinsk Test Site, the 1957 Windscale accident and the 1986 Chernobyl accident) together with a bibliographical review. Soil to grass transfer parameters (ratio between dry matter concentrations in plant and soil), Fv, for 137Cs and 90Sr were significantly higher than those for stable elements, suggesting that the use of the latter could lead to underestimating radionuclide concentrations in plant samples Transfer parameters for 137Cs and stable Cs were linearly correlated, with a slope of 1.54. No such correlation was observed for 90Sr and stable Sr, the mean value of the 90Sr:Sr ratio was 35 ranging (0.33-126); few data were available for the Sr comparison. The use of radionuclide transfer parameters, whenever possible, is recommended over derivation from stable element concentrations. However, we acknowledge that for many radionuclides there will be few or no radionuclide data from environmental studies. From analyses of the data collated there is evidence of a decreasing trend in the Fv(137Cs)/Fv(Cs) ratio with time from the Chernobyl accident.

The Closed-Loop System Improved the Control of a Pregnant Patient with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Closed-loop insulin systems represent a technological advance in diabetes management but have rarely been studied in pregnancy. We report a case of a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus who was previously a user of the Paradigm VEO pump and then migrated to Medtronic 670G. Research Design and Methods. We reviewed the case of a G1P0 patient with type 1 diabetes, treated with the Medtronic 670G system during pregnancy; a comparison with current literature was done. RESULTS: The patient achieved improved glycemic control as measured by time spent in different ranges as follows: <70 mg/dL, 8-4% and 70-180 mg/dL, 83-94%. Secondary outcomes included reduction of stress, anxiety, fear of hypoglycemia, and the psychological burden related to the disease. There were no obstetric or neonatal complications. CONCLUSION: The Medtronic 670G closed-loop system was used safely in a pregnant woman; nevertheless, further research is needed to validate this system in this patient population.

Predictive value of hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin for pregnancy outcomes in threatened abortion in first-trimester viable pregnancies.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the value of a single determination of hyperglycosylated hCG (hCG-H) for predicting the clinical outcome of patients with threatened abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. METHODS: Prospective study performed on 86 consecutively selected women with a diagnosis of threatened abortion and viable intrauterine pregnancy in the first trimester of pregnancy, conducted in two tertiary care hospitals. All patients underwent a single blood sample to determine hCG-H and total hCG serum levels and a transvaginal ultrasound 12-24 hours after diagnosis. Patients were monitored to determine whether the outcome was a miscarriage before the 20th week of pregnancy. RESULTS: Forty-three women (50%) had a miscarriage during the follow-up. We observed a very high correlation between hCG-H and total hCG (r?=?0.91, p?

Ultrafast carbon nanotubes growth on recycled carbon fibers and their evaluation on interfacial shear strength in reinforced composites.

The global demand for products manufactured with carbon fibers (CFs) has increased in recent years; however, the waste generated at the end of the product lifetime has also increased. In this research, the impact of the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the interlaminated resistance of recycled carbon fibers (RCFs) was studied. In this work, a recycling process of the composite material was applied via thermolysis to obtain the CFs, followed by the growth of CNTs on their surface using the Poptube technique. The recycling temperature were 500 °C and 700 °C; and ferrocene and polypyrrole were used to grow CNTs on CFs surface. CNTs were verified by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, to determine the interlaminar resistance, a double cantilever beam (DCB) test was performed. The results indicate that with Poptube technique, CNTs can be grown on RCFs using both impregnations. Thermolysis recycling process at 500 °C allowed CFs without resin residues and without visible damage. The DCB tests showed a decrease in the fracture resistance in mode I loading of 34.9% for the polypyrrole samples and 29.3% for the ferrocene samples compared with the virgin carbon fibers (VCFs) samples with a resistance of 1052.5 J/m2.

The most highly cited articles of the Revista de Gastroenterología de México over a 22-year period (1996-2018). / Los artículos más citados en la Revista de Gastroenterología de México en un período de 22 años (1996-2018).

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: The Revista de Gastroenterología de México (RGM), founded in 1935, is one of the most influential journals of scientific dissemination in Mexico and Latin America. The aim of the present review was to characterize the RGM's most frequently cited original articles, review articles, and consensuses. METHODS: The most cited original articles, review articles, and consensuses of the RGM were identified using the Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. Their designs and topics, as well as their authors and participating institutions, were analyzed. RESULTS: The most highly cited articles of the RGM corresponded to the period from 1996 to 2018, with a mean of 16.5 citations per article. Fifty-eight percent (n = 29) of the articles belonged to the area of gastroenterology and 20% (n = 10) to surgery. The most frequent topics were functional gastrointestinal disorders, hepatitis virus, and gastric cancer. Thirty-six percent of the articles had a nonrandomized prospective design, followed by cross-sectional studies (26%) and randomized prospective studies (18%). CONCLUSION: The 50 most-cited articles included a total of 826 citations and the 10 most-cited consensuses and review articles had a total of 208 citations. Those studies encompass a diversity of disciplines related to gastroenterology that have impacted the scientific community and correspond to the work of different active research groups in Mexico and other countries.

Modification of natural radionuclide uptake by wheat using a NORM by-product as soil amendment.

Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTPs) can be optimised for removal of natural radionuclides, thus meeting EU legislation. Removed radionuclides (234,238U, 226Ra and 210Po) go into sludges. What would happen if these sludges were used in agriculture? Wheat plantlets were cultivated in original and sludge-amended soils under laboratory controlled conditions. Soil-to plant transfer was significantly increased in factors ranging 1.2-3.7, 2.0-5.6, and 1.6-2.4 for 234,238U, 226Ra and 210Po, respectively. The additional input was preferentially accumulated in roots.

Determinants and impact of alexithymia on quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Alexithymia is a neuropsychiatric symptom conceptualized as difficulty identifying and describing feelings. Although associated with other non-motor symptoms, mainly neuropsychiatric, alexithymia may present as an isolated symptom in persons with Parkinson's Disease (PwP). The objective of the study is to identify determinants of alexithymia and its association with quality of life (QoL) in Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Subjects with Parkinson's disease were recruited. The following instruments were applied: Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20) and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-8). Matched healthy controls were screened using TAS-20. Clinical and demographical variables were compared between alexithymic and non-alexithymic. Regression models were used to find determinants of alexithymia. Impact of alexithymia on QoL was estimated with a linear regression model. RESULTS: 98 patients were included. 56.1% PwP and 28.8% controls were alexithymic (p<0.001). Education level (OR 0.86) and NMSS urinary score (OR 1.09) determined alexithymia as well as TAS-20 score. Alexithymia was an independent determinant of QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Alexithymia is a prevalent independent non-motor symptom in PwP with impact on QoL. Low education level and urinary symptoms are important determinants of alexithymia.

Early overnutrition sensitizes the growth hormone axis to the impact of diet-induced obesity via sex-divergent mechanisms.

In addition to its essential role in the physiological control of longitudinal growth, growth-hormone (GH) is endowed with relevant metabolic functions, including anabolic actions in muscle, lipolysis in adipose-tissue and glycemic modulation. Adult obesity is known to negatively impact GH-axis, thereby promoting a vicious circle that may contribute to the exacerbation of the metabolic complications of overweight. Yet, to what extent early-overnutrition sensitizes the somatotropic-axis to the deleterious effects of obesity remains largely unexplored. Using a rat-model of sequential exposure to obesogenic insults, namely postnatal-overfeeding during lactation and high-fat diet (HFD) after weaning, we evaluated in both sexes the individual and combined impact of these nutritional challenges upon key elements of the somatotropic-axis. While feeding HFD per se had a modest impact on the adult GH-axis, early overnutrition had durable effects on key elements of the somatotropic-system, which were sexually different, with a significant inhibition of pituitary gene expression of GH-releasing hormone-receptor (GHRH-R) and somatostatin receptor-5 (SST5) in males, but an increase in pituitary GHRH-R, SST2, SST5, GH secretagogue-receptor (GHS-R) and ghrelin expression in females. Notably, early-overnutrition sensitized the GH-axis to the deleterious impact of HFD, with a significant suppression of pituitary GH expression in both sexes and lowering of circulating GH levels in females. Yet, despite their similar metabolic perturbations, males and females displayed rather distinct alterations of key somatotropic-regulators/ mediators. Our data document a synergistic effect of postnatal-overnutrition on the detrimental impact of HFD-induced obesity on key elements of the adult GH-axis, which is conducted via mechanisms that are sexually-divergent.