Trust in information sources during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with vaccine trust among a sample of Hispanic adults.

BACKGROUND: Public response to the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of trust, particularly among minority populations. Several factors might affect vaccine safety trust, including source trustworthiness. Using data from the Puerto Rico Community Engagement Alliance, we assessed the association between trust in information sources and the COVID-19 vaccine in a sample of Hispanic adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted from November 2021 to March 2022. Participants were telephone-interviewed to assess sociodemographic, clinical, and COVID-19-related variables. Vaccine trust was assessed by how confident respondents were regarding COVID-19 vaccine safety. Trust in COVID-19 information sources was assessed by asking respondents how much they trusted selected sources of information to provide accurate information about COVID-19, including the US and Puerto Rico governments, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health care professionals, and traditional media (television/radio/newspaper/internet). Logistic regression models estimated the odds ratio (OR, 95% CI) of COVID-19 vaccine trust based on trust in information sources. RESULTS: A total of 200 adults aged ≥21 years completed the telephone interview. While most of the study sample (97.5%) had been inoculated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 86% trusted in the COVID-19 vaccine's safety. After adjusting for age and sex, participants who attested greater trust in their healthcare professionals (OR=1.99, 95% CI=0.71, 5.62), the US government (OR=2.44, 95% CI=0.69, 8.68), and the CDC (OR=8.18, 95% CI=2.97, 22.57) reported increased vaccine trust as compared to those not having great confidence in these entities. CONCLUSION: These findings support that trust in information provided by the CDC is positively associated with COVID-19 vaccine trust. Acknowledging predictors of trust regarding COVID-19 vaccination could help address factors that affect vaccine confidence. In turn, it strengthens COVID-19 prevention efforts, benefiting common welfare, reducing health disparities, and aiding underserved populations.

Heterogeneous Mechanical Stress and Interstitial Fluid Flow Predictions Derived from DCE-MRI for Rat U251N Orthotopic Gliomas.

Mechanical stress and fluid flow influence glioma cell phenotype in vitro, but measuring these quantities in vivo continues to be challenging. The purpose of this study was to predict these quantities in vivo, thus providing insight into glioma physiology and potential mechanical biomarkers that may improve glioma detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Image-based finite element models of human U251N orthotopic glioma in athymic rats were developed to predict structural stress and interstitial flow in and around each animal's tumor. In addition to accounting for structural stress caused by tumor growth, our approach has the advantage of capturing fluid pressure-induced structural stress, which was informed by in vivo interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) measurements. Because gliomas and the brain are soft, elevated IFP contributed substantially to tumor structural stress, even inverting this stress from compressive to tensile in the most compliant cases. The combination of tumor growth and elevated IFP resulted in a concentration of structural stress near the tumor boundary where it has the greatest potential to influence cell proliferation and invasion. MRI-derived anatomical geometries and tissue property distributions resulted in heterogeneous interstitial fluid flow with local maxima near cerebrospinal fluid spaces, which may promote tumor invasion and hinder drug delivery. In addition, predicted structural stress and interstitial flow varied markedly between irradiated and radiation-naïve animals. Our modeling suggests that relative to tumors in stiffer tissues, gliomas experience unusual mechanical conditions with potentially important biological (e.g., proliferation and invasion) and clinical consequences (e.g., drug delivery and treatment monitoring).

Anal cancer risk and HPV infection knowledge and awareness among Hispanic persons living with HIV in Puerto Rico.

Background: Persons living with HIV (PLWH) have a higher risk of persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and anal cancer. We evaluated knowledge and awareness of HPV infection and risk factors for anal cancer among PLWH in Puerto Rico (PR). Methods: Data from a cross-sectional study (2020-2021) were analyzed (n=212). Inclusion criteria included PLWH, aged ≥ 26 years, and living in PR. Telephone interviews collected information on sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics. Two 13-item scales were used to assess knowledge of HPV and anal cancer risk factors; adequate knowledge for both scales were defined as scoring >70%. Logistic regression models using generalized linear models were used to determine the association between 1) HPV infection awareness, 2) HPV infection knowledge, and 3) Anal cancer risk factors knowledge. Results: The median age was 54 years (IQR: 46,58), 67.5% were male, 71.7% reported having an income <$20,000, and 54.3% had an education level of more than high school. HPV awareness was high (82.1%), but only 40.2% and 3.8% had adequate knowledge of HPV and anal cancer risk factors, respectively. In adjusted logistic regression models, men who have sex with men (OR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.07-1.47) and women (OR: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.15-1.59) aged ≥50 years had higher odds of HPV awareness than heterosexual men in that age group. Moreover, those with history of anal Pap test aged <50 years had more HPV awareness (OR 1.34, 95%CI: 1.08-1.66) than their counterparts. Adequate HPV knowledge was higher among participants with an education level of more than high-school (OR:1.28, 95%CI: 1.10-1.50) and with a history of HPV diagnosis (OR:1.33, 95%CI: 1.08-1.65) than their counterparts. In addition, people with good/very good/excellent health perception had higher odds of HPV knowledge (OR:1.23, 95%CI: 1.03-1.47) than those who reported poor/regular health perception. For anal cancer risk factors, PLWH for ≥15 years had increased odds of having adequate knowledge (OR:1.07, 95%CI: 1.02-1.14) than their counterparts. Conclusions: Despite high awareness of HPV, limited knowledge about HPV and anal cancer risk factors was observed among PLWH. Results from our study highlight the need for educational efforts within this population as an anal cancer prevention strategy.

Findings and Challenges in Replacing Traditional Uterine Cervical Cancer Diagnosis with Molecular Tools in Private Gynecological Practice in Mexico.

We have been encouraging practicing gynecologists to adopt molecular diagnostics tests, PCR, and cancer biomarkers, as alternatives enabled by these platforms, to traditional Papanicolaou and colposcopy tests, respectively. An aliquot of liquid-based cytology was used for the molecular test [high-risk HPV types, (HR HPV)], another for the PAP test, and one more for p16/Ki67 dual-stain cytology. A total of 4499 laboratory samples were evaluated, and we found that 25.1% of low-grade samples and 47.9% of high-grade samples after PAP testing had a negative HR HPV-PCR result. In those cases, reported as Pap-negative, 22.1% had a positive HR HPV-PCR result. Dual staining with p16/Ki67 biomarkers in samples was positive for HR HPV, and 31.7% were also positive for these markers. Out of the PCR results that were positive for any of these HR HPV subtypes, n 68.3%, we did not find evidence for the presence of cancerous cells, highlighting the importance of performing dual staining with p16/Ki67 after PCR to avoid unnecessary colposcopies. The encountered challenges are a deep-rooted social reluctance in Mexico to abandon traditional Pap smears and the opinion of many specialists. Therefore, we still believe that colposcopy continues to be a preferred procedure over the dual-staining protocol.

A Promising Amphotericin B Derivative Induces Morphological Alterations, Mitochondrial Damage, and Oxidative Stress In Vitro and Prevents Mice from Death Produced by a Virulent Strain of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Chagas Disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affecting 6-8 million people, mainly in Latin America. The medical treatment is based on two compounds, benznidazole and nifurtimox, with limited effectiveness and that produce severe side effects; consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new, safe, and effective drugs. Amphotericin B is the most potent antimycotic known to date. A21 is a derivative of this compound with the property of binding to ergosterol present in cell membranes of some organisms. In the search for a new therapeutic drug against T. cruzi, the objective of this work was to study the in vitro and in vivo effects of A21 derivative on T. cruzi. Our results show that the A21 increased the reactive oxygen species and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential, affecting the morphology, metabolism, and cell membrane permeability of T. cruzi in vitro. Even more important was finding that in an in vivo murine model of infection, A21 in combination with benznidazole was able to reduce blood parasitemia, diminish the immune inflammatory infiltrate in skeletal muscle and rescue all the mice from death due to a virulent T. cruzi strain.

Typology and characterization of the agricultural productive units in the NE Amazonian region of Ecuador.

Objective: Many studies have observed different characteristics among productive systems in the rural territories of Latin America. Therefore, understanding and characterizing them while they function plays an essential role in determining their relationship between development and environment. A study has been conducted in the Orellana province of NE Ecuador to determine their typology and then classify them according to the variables that describe their main traits or attributes using cluster analysis (CA). Materials and Methods: A survey was structured to investigate physical, productive, environmental, as well as socioeconomic character variables, which were subsequently applied to a random sample of the 5,963 agricultural productive units (APUs) through face-to-face contact with producers during an in situ visit to their farms. Result: The CA allowed us to identify three typologies of APUs in the Orellana Province. The first has been Type 1, which is denominated as the most conventional (40%), while Type 2 uses more efficient natural resources but represents an amount of only 9.4%. In contrast, type 3 (50.6%) depends on a significant part of local or national development programs. Conclusion: All groups indicated some peculiarities in common, as there were marked differences in the use and distribution of land as well as production methods among them. Consequently, this pioneering study allowed us to identify different production methods. Therefore, we encourage local and national governments to establish policies for natural resource conservation in such high-diversity zones.

Recurrent depression relates to worse outcomes than single episode depression among Hispanic adolescents with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at increased risk for depression. A history of recurrent depression (HRD) may relate to worse health outcomes than single-episode depression. However, no study has explored this issue among T1D adolescents. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: We examined differences in psychosocial and diabetes-related outcomes between T1D adolescents with (G1; n = 33) and without (G2; n = 18) HRD. Participants were 51 youths (aged 12-17 years) enrolled in a depression treatment study. Youths and one caregiver each completed several measures. Using MANOVA, followed by individual ANOVAs, and chi-square tests, we compared groups in continuous and categorical variables, respectively. RESULTS: MANOVA results were significant, F(7, 43) = 3.97, p = .002. Adolescents from G1 obtained higher scores than youths in G2 in self-esteem/guilt problems, cognitive alterations, and sadness due to T1D. Their caregivers reported more burden and rated their offspring as having more internalizing problems, facing more barriers to complying with T1D treatment, and using a medical ID less frequently than their counterparts did. A higher percentage of G1 participants presented clinical anxiety and inadequate glycemic control, and reported a history of major depression. According to caregivers, a higher proportion of G1 members had experienced multiple diabetes-related hospitalizations, were non-compliant with insulin treatment, and lived in homes with a conflictive environment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study documents important differences in outcomes between T1D youths with vs. without any HRD. Clinicians may need an intensive and integrative approach to treat mental and physical aspects of health among these patients.

Association of tobacco use and the presence of anal warts in people who attend the anal Neoplasia clinic in Puerto Rico.

Background: Limited research exists regarding the association between smoking and anal warts. In this study, we evaluated this association among a clinic-based Hispanic population in Puerto Rico. Methods: Cross-sectional study among eligible patients seen at the Anal Neoplasia Clinic of the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center (2016-2023) (n = 920). Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected from medical records. Patients underwent a high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) during the clinical visit; physicians assessed anal condylomas on HRA. Poisson regression models with robust standard errors were used to evaluate the association between smoking and anal warts. Demographic and clinical factors were also assessed. Results: The mean age of participants was 45.8 ± 13.1 years, 66.4 % were men, and 21.6 % were current smokers. While 10.8 % self-reported a history of anogenital condylomas, 18.9 % had anal condylomas on clinical evaluation. A higher prevalence of anal condylomas was observed among current smokers (PR = 1.28, 95 % CI: 0.94-1.75) in comparison to non-smokers in adjusted analysis, but this was not statistically significant. However, a higher prevalence of anal condylomas was observed among younger individuals (PR = 0.96, 95 % CI: 0.96-0.98) and individuals with anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) as compared to those with benign histology (PR = 1.74. 95 % CI: 1.09-2.77). Conclusions: Although current smoking seemed to be positively associated with anal condylomas in this high-risk Hispanic population, this finding was not statistically significant as the power to detect an association was limited. However, younger age and HSIL diagnosis were associated with a higher prevalence of anal condylomas.

Stakeholder-driven development and implementation of CRICIT: an app to support high-quality data capture and protocol monitoring for outpatient clinical trials with vulnerable populations.

Introduction: Choosing an appropriate electronic data capture system (EDC) is a critical decision for all randomized controlled trials (RCT). In this paper, we document our process for developing and implementing an EDC for a multisite RCT evaluating the efficacy and implementation of an enhanced primary care model for individuals with opioid use disorder who are returning to the community from incarceration. Methods: Informed by the Knowledge-to-Action conceptual framework and user-centered design principles, we used Claris Filemaker software to design and implement CRICIT, a novel EDC that could meet the varied needs of the many stakeholders involved in our study. Results: CRICIT was deployed in May 2021 and has been continuously iterated and adapted since. CRICIT's features include extensive participant tracking capabilities, site-specific adaptability, integrated randomization protocols, and the ability to generate both site-specific and study-wide summary reports. Conclusions: CRICIT is highly customizable, adaptable, and secure. Its implementation has enhanced the quality of the study's data, increased fidelity to a complicated research protocol, and reduced research staff's administrative burden. CRICIT and similar systems have the potential to streamline research activities and contribute to the efficient collection and utilization of clinical research data.

CONSENSO ARGENTINO SOBRE LA TRANSICIÓN DE LOS CUIDADOS PEDIÁTRICOS A LOS CUIDADOS ADULTOS EN PACIENTES CON ENFERMEDADES CONGÉNITAS DEL METABOLISMO / CONSENSUS STATEMENT ON THE TRANSITION FROM PEDIATRIC CARE TO ADULT CARE IN PATIENTS WITH INBORN ERRORS OF METABOLISM IN ARGENTINA

Introducción: Los errores congénitos del metabolismo (ECM) son enfermedades producidas por trastornos genéticos que alteran la función de distintas vías metabólicas. La transición desde el sistema de atención médica pediátrica a la de adultos es un proceso clave en el desarrollo evolutivo de las personas con condiciones crónicas de salud. Los servicios de salud presentan fallas en satisfacer las necesidades de los jóvenes y sus familias. El objetivo fue definir un conjunto de herramientas y recomendaciones, adaptadas al contexto local de Argentina, para orientar al equipo de salud en el acompañamiento del proceso de transición de cuidados. Asimismo, se buscó analizar barreras y facilitadores para su implementación. Métodos: se definieron preguntas clínicas que se respondieron con la mejor evidencia científica disponible. Se elaboraron recomendaciones para jóvenes y adolescentes con diagnóstico de ECM que se encuentren en proceso de transición entre el servicio de atención pediátrico al servicio de adultos. Las recomendaciones elaboradas se consensuaron con expertos en la temática a través de un método Delphi. Resultados: se elaboraron y consensuaron 13 recomendaciones que permitirán guiar el proceso de transición de los cuidados pediátricos al de adultos en personas con ECM. Conclusiones: estas recomendaciones ayudarán al equipo de salud a mejorar la calidad de atención de estos pacientes y garantizar que ellos y sus familias tengan una experiencia adecuada durante todo el proceso de transición

Introduction: Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) are diseases caused by genetic disorders that alter the function of different metabolic pathways. The transition from the pediatric to adult health care system is a key process in the evolutionary development of patients with chronic health conditions. Health services are failing to meet the needs of young patients and their families. The objective was to define a set of tools and recommendations, adapted to the local context of Argentina, to guide the health team in accompanying the process of transition. Likewise, it sought to analyze barriers and facilitators for its implementation. Methods: clinical questions were defined and answered with the best available scientific evidence. Recommendations were developed for young patients and adolescents diagnosed with IEM who are in the process of transitioning from the pediatric care service to the adult service. The recommendations developed were agreed with experts in the field through a Delphi method. Results: 13 recommendations were developed and agreed upon to guide the transition process from pediatric to adult care in people with IEM. Conclusions: These recommendations will help the health team improve the quality of care for these patients and ensure that they and their families have an adequate experience throughout the transition process

First report of Pepper yellow dwarf strain of Beet curly top virus and Spinach curly top Arizona virus in red table beet in Idaho, United States.

In the fall 2021, red table beet plants (Beta vulgaris L. cv 'Eagle') exhibiting stunted growth with shorter petioles were observed at an incidence of 10 to 15 percent in a production field in Payette County, Idaho, United States. In addition to stunting, beet leaves displayed yellowing and mild curling and crumpling, and the roots exhibited hairy root symptoms (sFig.1). To identify potential causal viruses, total RNA was isolated from the leaf and root tissue using RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) and subjected to high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Two libraries were prepared, one for the leaf sample and another for the root sample using a ribo-minus TruSeq Stranded Total RNA Library Prep kit (Illumina, San Diego, CA). HTS was performed with 150 bp paired-end sequencing on a NovaSeq 6000 (Novogene, Sacramento, CA). Following adapter trimming and removal of host transcripts, 5.9 and 16.2 million reads were obtained from the leaf and root samples, respectively. These reads were de novo assembled using the SPAdes assembler (Bankevitch et al., 2012; Prjibelski et al., 2020). The assembled leaf sample contigs were aligned to the NCBI non-redundant database to identify contigs matching known viruses. A single contig of 2845 nts that shared 96% coverage and 95.6% sequence identity to the pepper yellow dwarf strain of beet curly top virus (BCTV-PeYD, EU921828; Varsani et al., 2014), and 98% coverage and 98.39% identity with an isolate of BCTV-PeYD (KX529650) from Mexico, was identified in the leaf sample (GenBank Accession OP477336). To validate the HTS detection of BCTV-PeYD, total DNA was isolated from the leaf sample and a 454 bp fragment of the C1 gene (replication-associate protein) was PCR amplified and Sanger sequencing of the amplicon revealed 99.7% identity to the HTS assembled BCTV-PeYD sequence. In addition to the PeYD strain of BCTV, the Worland strain of BCTV (BCTV-Wor) was detected as a single 2930 nt contig with 100% coverage and 97.3% identity to the BCTV-Wor isolate CTS14-015 (KX867045) known to infect sugar beet in Idaho. Of note, there are 11 strains of BCTV and among those, the BCTV-Wor strain induces mild symptoms in sugar beet (Strausbaugh et al., 2017), whereas BCTV-PeYD was found only in pepper from New Mexico. Further, two contigs of 2201 nts and 523 nts were assembled generating a nearly complete genome of spinach curly top Arizona virus (SpCTAV) in the leaf sample with 99% coverage and 99.3% identity (GenBank Accession OQ703946) to the reference genome of SpCTAV (HQ443515; Hernandez-Zepeda et al., 2013). To validate the HTS results, total DNA was isolated from the leaf tissue and PCR amplified a 442 bp fragment that overlaps the V1, V2, and V3 ORFs and its sequence revealed 100% identity with the HTS assembled SpCTAV. The roots sample also showed HTS reads corresponding to BCTV-PeYD and SpCTAV. In addition, beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) was detected in the root sample with 30% coverage, but no sequence reads matching to BNYVV was detected in the leaf sample. BNYVV is known to infect sugar beet causing rhizomania (Tamada et al., 1973; Schirmer et al., 2005). To further confirm the BNYVV HTS results, total RNA was extracted separately from the root and leaf tissue, and RT-PCR was performed with primers that were designed to amplify portions of BNYVV RNAs (Weiland et al., 2020). RT-PCR analysis generated the appropriate amplicons with expected sequences corresponding to the RNA-1, RNA-2, RNA-3, and RNA-4 of BNYVV as determined by Sanger sequencing implying BNYVV the causal agent of hairy root symptoms. Similar to observations seen for BNYVV infection in conventional sugar beet varieties, no amplification was detected for BNYVV in the RNA extracted from leaf tissue, indicating that the RT-PCR results are consistent with the HTS analysis. This is the first report of BCTV-PeYD and SpCTAV observed naturally infecting red table beet in Idaho suggesting the geographical expansion of these viruses. The co-existence of BCTV-PeYD and SpCTAV with limited host range needs to be investigated to determine the actual cause of the observed foliar symptoms. This report provides the basis for further research to understand the pathogenic nature of these viruses and their potential threat to red table beet and sugar beet production in Idaho.

First report of Tomato bushy stunt virus naturally infecting sugar beet in the United States.

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is an important crop grown for its sucrose content used in sugar production around the world. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) is an RNA virus that belongs to the Tombusvirus genus of the family Tombusviridae (Hearne et al., 1990). The virus was first isolated from tomato, and it is known to infect a wide range of plants (Smith, 1935; Martelli et al., 1988; Hafez et al., 2010). In 1980, a natural infection of TBSV was reported in sugar beet leaves with chlorotic and necrotic ring spots and line pattern symptoms based on serological affinity to TBSV anti-sera in Czechoslovakia (Novak and Lanzova, 1980). In March 2021, sugarbeet plants showing stunted and bushy growth with yellowing and necrotic leaves were observed in a production field in the Imperial Valley of California. Harvested roots exhibited stunted and abnormal growth compared to roots from healthy plants (sFig. 1A). These symptoms prompted a screen for potential infection by TBSV. Root-tissue harvested from the symptomatic sugar beet was initially screened using a TBSV double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA; Agdia, Inc., Elkhart, IN), which reacted positive for TBSV. To obtain the full-length sequence of TBSV and potentially other viruses in the sample, total RNA isolated using the RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) from the root-tissue was subjected to high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Libraries were prepared using the TruSeq Stranded Total RNA Library Prep kit (Illumina, San Diego, CA) and sequenced using Illumina NovoSeq 6000 paired-end platform (Novogene, Sacramento, CA). A total of 52 million reads were obtained after removing the adapters and reads mapping to the host genome. These high-quality reads were de novo assembled into 75,891 contigs that are larger than 500 base pairs using the SPAdes assembler (Bankevitch et al., 2012; Prjibelski et al., 2020). The resulting contigs were searched for matching sequences to known viruses using the NCBI non-redundant database. A single contig of 4770 nts representing the full-length genome of TBSV was generated (Accession number OP477335), which showed 100% coverage to previously reported TBSV isolates 'statice' (AJ249740.1) and 'nipplefruit' (AY579432.1) with 92.19% and 91.25% nucleotide sequence identities, respectively, and thus confirming the presence of TBSV in sugar beet root-tissue. However, it showed 74% coverage with only 87% nucleotide identity to a previously reported Lettuce necrotic stunt virus (LNSV) from sugar beet, a tombusvirus that was re-classified as Moroccan pepper virus (MPV) due to high degree (>97%) of sequence identity (Obermeier et al., 2001; Wintermantel and Anchieta, 2012; Wintermantel and Hladky, 2013). The coat protein is conserved within species in tombusvirus, and it plays a significant role by providing serological relationships to tombusvirus taxonomy. The coat protein of TBSV-isolate of this study shared 98.45% and 96.91% identities at amino acid level with TBSV 'nipplefruit' (AY579432.1) and TBSV 'statice' (AJ249740.1) isolates, respectively. In contrast, it showed only 61.56% identity with the coat protein of MPV as shown in the phylogenetic tree indicating that the TBSV-isolate reported here is different from MPV (sFig. 2). To confirm the presence of TBSV, reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR was performed using the total RNA isolated from the root-tissue with primers (VR306: 5'-CGCTCACGAGCCCAGCATCCTTGA-3' and VR297: 5'-ACACCGCCACAGGAGCCATGATTG-3') designed based on the HTS data to amplify a portion of the TBSV genome. Sequencing of the RT-PCR product confirmed the presence of TBSV sequence with 99.1% identity to the TBSV-isolate identified in this study. Further, mechanical inoculation of total RNA isolated from the symptomatic sugar beet roots produced local lesions and systemic necrosis symptoms on the leaves of Chenopodium quinoa (sFig. 1B). Sequencing of the amplicon obtained using RT-PCR with primers VR306 and VR297 confirmed the presence of TBSV in C. quinoa. In addition to TBSV, several viral contigs representing Beet necrotic yellow vein virus were identified in the root-tissue indicating mixed infection in the field. To our knowledge, this is the first report that documents the occurrence of TBSV in sugar beet in the United States. Since TBSV is a soil-borne virus, our findings indicate the need for further studies focused on the frequency and coexistence of the TBSV with BNYVV in sugar beet production fields to understand the disease complexity resulting from potential mixed infections.

SARS-CoV-2: Challenges in Reconverting Diagnostic Laboratories to Combat the Pandemic.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first detected in Mexico in February 2020. Even though health authorities did not perceive then the value of viral detection tests, we anticipated the demand for them. We set up to develop an expeditious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) molecular diagnostic service through the implementation of standardized protocols for biospecimen sampling, transportation, biobanking, preanalytical validation, and nucleic acids (NA) testing (NAT). Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs collected in a special transportation medium were the biospecimens from which NAs were purified either manually or automatically. Viral RNA genome presence was determined using commercial SARS-CoV-2 detection kits (based on reverse transcription coupled with real-time PCR [RT-PCR]). Improvements in laboratory processing speed and reliability resulted from semi-automatizing laboratory processes and adopting a quality control/quality assurance system (QC/QA), respectively. NAs that were purified, either manually or automatically, were validated by preanalytical spectrophotometric characterization. Automated purification was less prone to contamination and reduced the processing time. The following six RT-PCR kits were evaluated for their convenience, specificity, sensitivity, time consumption, and required materials (in order, starting with the kit with the best results): RIDA gene and Viasure (tied), Vircell, LightMix, 1copy, and Logix Smart. Redesigning the laboratories' working areas, equipment, fluxes of personnel and material, and personnel skills, and overemphasizing biosafety safeguards were major challenges encountered in the middle of the sanitary crisis. Adopting a QC/QA system, utilizing automatization processes, and working closely with health authorities were key factors in our success. IMPORTANCE Rearranging our diagnostic laboratories to improve the fight against a new unexpected, unpredictable, and sudden public health threat demanded that we move quickly to redesign not only the laboratory processes but also the distribution of space, personnel activities, and fluxes of material coming in and out. We also had to work closely with governmental health authorities to gain their trust in our technical competence. Gaining the confidence of the clients, i.e., mainly individuals, the human resource departments of factories and corporations sending employees for testing, and medical institutions, and implementing as much automatization as possible of processes, in which only officially approved reagents (for extraction and analysis of NA) were used to generate opportune trustable testing results, were key factors. Our laboratories have gathered a considerable amount of experience and significant number of solutions, considering our geographic contexts alongside this continuously morphing pandemic, validating many techniques that might help other laboratories find a better and more precise workflow.

The Helico Maze Detects Early Impairment of Reference Memory at Three Months of Age in the 5XFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: The 5XFAD model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) bearing five familial mutations of Alzheimer's disease on human APP and PSEN1 transgenes shows deposits of amyloid-ß peptide (Aß) as early as 2 months, while deficits in long-term memory can be detected at 4 months using the highly sensitive olfactory-dependent tests that we previously reported. OBJECTIVE: Given that detecting early dysfunctions in AD prior to overt pathology is of major interest in the field, we sought to detect memory deficits at earlier stages of the disease in 3-month-old male 5XFAD mice. METHODS: To this end, we used the Helico Maze, a behavioral task that was recently developed and patented. This device allows deeper analysis of learning and subcategories of hippocampal-dependent long-term memory using olfactory cues. RESULTS: Eight male 5XFAD and 6 male wild-type (WT: C57Bl6 background) mice of 3 months of age were tested in the Helico Maze. The results demonstrated, for the first time, a starting deficit of pure reference long-term memory. Interestingly, memory impairment was clearly correlated with Aß deposits in the hippocampus. While we also found significant differences in astrogliosis between 5XFAD and WT mice, this was not correlated with memory abilities. CONCLUSION: Our results underline the efficiency of this new olfactory-dependent behavioral task, which is easy to use, with a small cohort of mice. Using the Helico Maze may open new avenues to validate the efficacy of treatments that target early events related to the amyloid-dependent pathway of the disease and AD progression.

APOE4 drives inflammation in human astrocytes via TAGLN3 repression and NF-κB activation.

Apolipoprotein E4 (APOEε4) is the major allelic risk factor for late-onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD). Inflammation is increasingly considered as critical in sAD initiation and progression. Identifying brain molecular mechanisms that could bridge these two risk factors remain unelucidated. Leveraging induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based strategies, we demonstrate that APOE controls inflammation in human astrocytes by regulating Transgelin 3 (TAGLN3) expression and, ultimately, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation. We uncover that APOE4 specifically downregulates TAGLN3, involving histone deacetylases activity, which results in low-grade chronic inflammation and hyperactivated inflammatory responses. We show that APOE4 exerts a dominant negative effect to prime astrocytes toward a pro-inflammatory state that is pharmacologically reversible by TAGLN3 supplementation. We further confirm that TAGLN3 is downregulated in the brain of patients with sAD. Our findings highlight the APOE-TAGLN3-NF-κB axis regulating neuroinflammation in human astrocytes and reveal TAGLN3 as a molecular target to modulate neuroinflammation, as well as a potential biomarker for AD.

Structural New Data for Mitochondrial Peroxiredoxin From Trypanosoma cruzi Show High Similarity With Human Peroxiredoxin 3: Repositioning Thiostrepton as Antichagasic Drug.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease, has peroxiredoxins (PRXs) expressed in all stages of the parasite and whose function is to detoxify oxidizing agents, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). These proteins are central for the survival and replication of the parasite and have been proposed as virulence factors. Because of their importance, they have also been considered as possible therapeutic targets, although there is no specific drug against them. One of them, the mitochondrial PRX (TcMPX), is important in the detoxification of ROS in this organelle and has a role in the infectivity of T. cruzi. However, their structural characteristics are unknown, and possible inhibitors have not been proposed. The aim was to describe in detail some structural characteristics of TcMPX and compare it with several PRXs to find possible similarities and repositioning the antibiotic Thiostrepton as a potential inhibitor molecule. It was found that, in addition to the characteristic active site of a 2-cys PRX, this protein has a possible transmembrane motif and motifs involved in resistance to hyper oxidation. The homology model suggests a high structural similarity with human PRX3. This similarity was corroborated by cross-recognition using an anti-human PRX antibody. In addition, molecular docking showed that Thiostrepton, a potent inhibitor of human PRX3, could bind to TcMPX and affect its function. Our results show that Thiostrepton reduces the proliferation of T. cruzi epimastigotes, cell-derived trypomastigotes, and blood trypomastigotes with low cytotoxicity on Vero cells. We also demonstrated a synergic effect of Thriostepton and Beznidazol. The convenience of seeking treatment alternatives against T. cruzi by repositioning compounds as Thiostrepton is discussed.

MT5-MMP promotes neuroinflammation, neuronal excitability and Aß production in primary neuron/astrocyte cultures from the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase 5 (MT5-MMP) deficiency in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) reduces brain neuroinflammation and amyloidosis, and prevents deficits in synaptic activity and cognition in prodromal stages of the disease. In addition, MT5-MMP deficiency prevents interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß)-mediated inflammation in the peripheral nervous system. In this context, we hypothesized that the MT5-MMP/IL-1ß tandem could regulate nascent AD pathogenic events in developing neural cells shortly after the onset of transgene activation. METHODS: To test this hypothesis, we used 11-14 day in vitro primary cortical cultures from wild type, MT5-MMP-/-, 5xFAD and 5xFAD/MT5-MMP-/- mice, and evaluated the impact of MT5-MMP deficiency and IL-1ß treatment for 24 h, by performing whole cell patch-clamp recordings, RT-qPCR, western blot, gel zymography, ELISA, immunocytochemistry and adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated transduction. RESULTS: 5xFAD cells showed higher levels of MT5-MMP than wild type, concomitant with higher basal levels of inflammatory mediators. Moreover, MT5-MMP-deficient cultures had strong decrease of the inflammatory response to IL-1ß, as well as decreased stability of recombinant IL-1ß. The levels of amyloid beta peptide (Aß) were similar in 5xFAD and wild-type cultures, and IL-1ß treatment did not affect Aß levels. Instead, the absence of MT5-MMP significantly reduced Aß by more than 40% while sparing APP metabolism, suggesting altogether no functional crosstalk between IL-1ß and APP/Aß, as well as independent control of their levels by MT5-MMP. The lack of MT5-MMP strongly downregulated the AAV-induced neuronal accumulation of the C-terminal APP fragment, C99, and subsequently that of Aß. Finally, MT5-MMP deficiency prevented basal hyperexcitability observed in 5xFAD neurons, but not hyperexcitability induced by IL-1ß treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroinflammation and hyperexcitability precede Aß accumulation in developing neural cells with nascent expression of AD transgenes. MT5-MMP deletion is able to tune down basal neuronal inflammation and hyperexcitability, as well as APP/Aß metabolism. In addition, MT5-MMP deficiency prevents IL-1ß-mediated effects in brain cells, except hyperexcitability. Overall, this work reinforces the idea that MT5-MMP is at the crossroads of pathogenic AD pathways that are already incipiently activated in developing neural cells, and that targeting MT5-MMP opens interesting therapeutic prospects.

Differential activity on trypanosomatid parasites of a novel recombinant defensin type 1 from the insect Triatoma (Meccus) pallidipennis.

Defensins are one of the major families of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are widely distributed in insects. In Triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi the causative agent of Chagas disease, two large groups of defensin isoforms have been described: type 1 and type 4. The aim of this study was to analyze the trypanocidal activity of a type 1 recombinant defensin (rDef1.3) identified in Triatoma (Meccus) pallidipennis, an endemic specie from México. The trypanocidal activity of this defensin was evaluated in vitro, against the parasites T. cruzi, T. rangeli, and two species of Leishmania (L. mexicana and L. major) both causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Our data demonstrated that the defensin was active against all the parasites although in different degrees. The defensin altered the morphology, reduced the viability and inhibited the growth of T.cruzi. When tested against T. rangeli (a parasite that infects a variety of mammalian species), stronger morphological effects where observed. Surprisingly the greatest effects were observed against the two Leishmania species, of which L. major was the parasite most affected with 50% of dead cells or with damaged membranes, in addition of a reduction in its proliferative capacity in culture. These results suggest that rDef1.3 has an important antimicrobial effect against trypanosomatids which cause some of the more important neglected tropical diseases transmitted by insect vectors.

Deficiency in MT5-MMP Supports Branching of Human iPSCs-Derived Neurons and Reduces Expression of GLAST/S100 in iPSCs-Derived Astrocytes.

For some time, it has been accepted that the ß-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and the γ-secretase are two main players in the amyloidogenic processing of the ß-amyloid precursor protein (APP). Recently, the membrane-type 5 matrix metalloproteinase (MT5-MMP/MMP-24), mainly expressed in the nervous system, has been highlighted as a new key player in APP-processing, able to stimulate amyloidogenesis and also to generate a neurotoxic APP derivative. In addition, the loss of MT5-MMP has been demonstrated to abrogate pathological hallmarks in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), thus shedding light on MT5-MMP as an attractive new therapeutic target. However, a more comprehensive analysis of the role of MT5-MMP is necessary to evaluate how its targeting affects neurons and glia in pathological and physiological situations. In this study, leveraging on CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing strategy, we established cultures of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived neurons and astrocytes to investigate the impact of MT5-MMP deficiency on their phenotypes. We found that MT5-MMP-deficient neurons exhibited an increased number of primary and secondary neurites, as compared to isogenic hiPSC-derived neurons. Moreover, MT5-MMP-deficient astrocytes displayed higher surface area and volume compared to control astrocytes. The MT5-MMP-deficient astrocytes also exhibited decreased GLAST and S100ß expression. These findings provide novel insights into the physiological role of MT5-MMP in human neurons and astrocytes, suggesting that therapeutic strategies targeting MT5-MMP should be controlled for potential side effects on astrocytic physiology and neuronal morphology.

MT5-MMP controls APP and ß-CTF/C99 metabolism through proteolytic-dependent and -independent mechanisms relevant for Alzheimer's disease.

We previously discovered the implication of membrane-type 5-matrix metalloproteinase (MT5-MMP) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Here, we shed new light on pathogenic mechanisms by which MT5-MMP controls the processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the fate of amyloid beta peptide (Aß) as well as its precursor C99, and C83. We found in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK) carrying the APP Swedish familial mutation (HEKswe) that deleting the C-terminal non-catalytic domains of MT5-MMP hampered its ability to process APP and release the soluble 95 kDa form (sAPP95). Catalytically inactive MT5-MMP variants increased the levels of Aß and promoted APP/C99 sorting in the endolysosomal system, likely through interactions of the proteinase C-terminal portion with C99. Most interestingly, the deletion of the C-terminal domain of MT5-MMP caused a strong degradation of C99 by the proteasome and prevented Aß accumulation. These discoveries reveal new control of MT5-MMP over APP by proteolytic and non-proteolytic mechanisms driven by the C-terminal domains of the proteinase. The targeting of these non-catalytic domains of MT5-MMP could, therefore, provide new insights into the therapeutic regulation of APP-related pathology in AD.