Optimization of the Encapsulation of Vitamin D3 in Oil in Water Nanoemulsions: Preliminary Application in a Functional Meat Model System.

Meat products containing Vitamin D3 (VD3) are an innovative option that could contribute to reducing deficiencies in this micronutrient. Designing nanoemulsions that carry VD3 is the first step in developing functional meat products. Thereby, this study investigated the impact of food components on the nanoemulsion properties. A central composite design was used to study the effects of pea protein (PP, 0.5-2.5%), safflower oil (SO, 5-15%), and salt (0-0.5%) on the nanoemulsion stability (ζ-potential and particle size) and the VD3 retention. Also, the optimized nanoemulsion carrying VD3 was incorporated into a meat matrix to study its retention after cooking. The combination of food components in the optimized nanoemulsion were SO = 9.12%, PP = 1.54%, and salt content = 0.4%, resulting in the predicted values of ζ-potential, particle size, and VD3 retention of -37.76 mV, 485 nm, and 55.1%, respectively. The VD3 that was nanoencapsulated and included in a meat product remained more stable after cooking than the VD3 that was not encapsulated. If a meat product is formulated with 5 or 10% safflower oil, the stability of the nanoencapsulated VD3 is reduced. This research contributes to developing functional meat products carrying nanoencapsulated vitamin D3 in natural food-grade components.

Correction: Thorium amidates function as single-source molecular precursors for thorium dioxide.

Correction for 'Thorium amidates function as single-source molecular precursors for thorium dioxide' by Mark D. Straub et al., Chem. Commun., 2021, 57, 4954-4957, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CC00867F.

Moderate Aerobic Exercise Induces Homeostatic IgA Generation in Senile Mice.

A T-cell-independent (TI) pathway activated by microbiota results in the generation of low-affinity homeostatic IgA with a critical role in intestinal homeostasis. Moderate aerobic exercise (MAE) provides a beneficial impact on intestinal immunity, but the action of MAE on TI-IgA generation under senescence conditions is unknown. This study aimed to determine the effects of long-term MAE on TI-IgA production in young (3 month old) BALB/c mice exercised until adulthood (6 months) or aging (24 months). Lamina propria (LP) from the small intestine was obtained to determine B cell and plasma cell sub-populations by flow cytometry and molecular factors related to class switch recombination [Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP), A Proliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL), B Cell Activating Factor (BAFF), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and retinal dehydrogenase (RDH)] and the synthesis of IgA [α-chain, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-21, and Growth Factor-ß (TGF-ß)]; and epithelial cells evaluated IgA transitosis [polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-4] by the RT-qPCR technique. The results were compared with data obtained from sedentary age-matched mice. Statistical analysis was computed with ANOVA, and p < 0.05 was considered to be a statistically significant difference. Under senescence conditions, MAE promoted the B cell and IgA+ B cells and APRIL, which may improve the intestinal response and ameliorate the inflammatory environment associated presumably with the downmodulation of pro-inflammatory mediators involved in the upmodulation of pIgR expression. Data suggested that MAE improved IgA and downmodulate the cytokine pro-inflammatory expression favoring homeostatic conditions in aging.

Age-Related Retinal Layer Thickness Changes Measured by OCT in APPNL-F/NL-F Mice: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease.

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), transgenic mouse models have established links between abnormalities in the retina and those in the brain. APPNL-F/NL-F is a murine, humanized AD model that replicates several pathological features observed in patients with AD. Research has focused on obtaining quantitative parameters from optical coherence tomography (OCT) in AD. The aim of this study was to analyze, in a transversal case-control study using manual retinal segmentation via SD-OCT, the changes occurring in the retinal layers of the APPNL/F-NF/L AD model in comparison to C57BL/6J mice (WT) at 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, and 20 months of age. The analysis focused on retinal thickness in RNFL-GCL, IPL, INL, OPL, and ONL based on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) sectors. Both APPNL-F/NL-F-model and WT animals exhibited thickness changes at the time points studied. While WT showed significant changes in INL, OPL, and ONL, the AD model showed changes in all retinal layers analyzed. The APPNL-F/NL-F displayed significant thickness variations in the analyzed layers except for the IPL compared to related WT. These thickness changes closely resembled those found in humans during preclinical stages, as well as during mild and moderate AD stages, making this AD model behave more similarly to the disease in humans.

Advances in Light-Responsive Smart Multifunctional Nanofibers: Implications for Targeted Drug Delivery and Cancer Therapy.

Over the last decade, scientists have shifted their focus to the development of smart carriers for the delivery of chemotherapeutics in order to overcome the problems associated with traditional chemotherapy, such as poor aqueous solubility and bioavailability, low selectivity and targeting specificity, off-target drug side effects, and damage to surrounding healthy tissues. Nanofiber-based drug delivery systems have recently emerged as a promising drug delivery system in cancer therapy owing to their unique structural and functional properties, including tunable interconnected porosity, a high surface-to-volume ratio associated with high entrapment efficiency and drug loading capacity, and high mass transport properties, which allow for controlled and targeted drug delivery. In addition, they are biocompatible, biodegradable, and capable of surface functionalization, allowing for target-specific delivery and drug release. One of the most common fiber production methods is electrospinning, even though the relatively two-dimensional (2D) tightly packed fiber structures and low production rates have limited its performance. Forcespinning is an alternative spinning technology that generates high-throughput, continuous polymeric nanofibers with 3D structures. Unlike electrospinning, forcespinning generates fibers by centrifugal forces rather than electrostatic forces, resulting in significantly higher fiber production. The functionalization of nanocarriers on nanofibers can result in smart nanofibers with anticancer capabilities that can be activated by external stimuli, such as light. This review addresses current trends and potential applications of light-responsive and dual-stimuli-responsive electro- and forcespun smart nanofibers in cancer therapy, with a particular emphasis on functionalizing nanofiber surfaces and developing nano-in-nanofiber emerging delivery systems for dual-controlled drug release and high-precision tumor targeting. In addition, the progress and prospective diagnostic and therapeutic applications of light-responsive and dual-stimuli-responsive smart nanofibers are discussed in the context of combination cancer therapy.

Correction: Martel-Rodríguez et al. Long-Term Performance of a Hybrid-Flow Constructed Wetlands System for Urban Wastewater Treatment in Caldera de Tirajana (Santa Lucía, Gran Canaria, Spain). Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 14871.

There was an error in the original publication [...].

Diving into Sweat: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions in Wearable Sweat Sensing.

Sweat analysis has advanced from diagnosing cystic fibrosis and testing for illicit drugs to noninvasive monitoring of health biomarkers. This article introduces the rapid development of wearable and flexible sweat sensors, highlighting key milestones and various sensing strategies for real-time monitoring of analytes. We discuss challenges such as developing high-performance nanomaterial-based biosensors, ensuring continuous sweat production and sampling, achieving high sweat/blood correlation, and biocompatibility. The potential of machine learning to enhance these sensors for personalized healthcare is presented, enabling real-time tracking and prediction of physiological changes and disease onset. Leveraging advancements in flexible electronics, nanomaterials, biosensing, and data analytics, wearable sweat biosensors promise to revolutionize disease management, prevention, and prediction, promoting healthier lifestyles and transforming medical practices globally.

Panuveitis after ultraviolet light treatments for light adjustable intraocular lens.

PURPOSE: To resport a case of panuveitis after light adjustable intraocular lens (LAL) implantation and ultraviolet (UV) light treatment. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 68-year-old woman with a history of herpes zoster without ocular involvement presented with panuveitis in her right eye two weeks after a UV light lock-in treatment for a recently implanted LAL. An infectious and inflammatory workup was only notable for positive HSV-1 and VZV IgG, but the patient did not have any history of ocular HSV or VZV. Over the course of five months, the panuveitis resolved completely with topical steroids and the patient had a good visual outcome. CONCLUSION: Though causality cannot be established in this case, physicians should be aware of the possibility of uveitis after UV light treatments. Extra caution should be observed in patients with history of herpetic disease.

Atypical left-ventricular hypertrophy with apical aneurysm in leopard syndrome.

Noonan Syndrome with Multiple Lentigines (NSML-formerly known as LEOPARD syndrome) is a rare autosomal dominant condition that usually exhibits cardiac involvement with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Here we present a case of a NSML patient with an unusual and patchy cardiac hypertrophy distribution.

Photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by electrospun TiO2 nanofibres synthesised from two different titanium molecular precursors.

The evaluation of the photocatalytic properties of electrospun TiO2 nanofibres (TiO2-NFs) synthesised in the same experimental conditions using two distinct precursors, tetraisopropyl orthotitanate (TTIP) and tetrabutyl orthotitanate (TNBT), with morphology and crystalline structure controlled by annealing at 460 °C for 3 h is presented. The presence of circular-shaped TiO2-NFs was corroborated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). By using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the chemical binding energies and their interactions of the TiO2 with the different incorporated impurities were determined; the most intense photoelectronic transitions of Ti 2p3/2 (458.39 eV), O 1 s (529.65 eV) and C 1 s (284.51 eV) were detected for TTIP and slightly blue-shifted for TNBT. By using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), the chemical element percentages in TiO2 were determined. Using X-ray diffraction, it was found that the annealed electrospun TiO2-NFs presented the anatase crystalline phase and confirmed by Raman scattering. Bandgap energies were determined by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy at room temperature. The photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide under exposure to ultraviolet light was studied using the TiO2-NFs obtained with the two molecular precursors. The results showed that the catalyst, prepared with the TTIP precursor, turned out to be the one that presented the highest photocatalytic activity with a half-life time (t1/2) of 28 min and a degradation percentage of 93%. The total organic carbon (TOC) in the solutions resulting from the 2,4-D degradation by the TiO2-NFs was measured, which showed a TOC removal of 50.67% for the TTIP sample and 36.14% for the TNBT sample. Finally, by using FTIR spectroscopy, the final chemical compounds of the degradation were identified as H2O and CO2.

MINIstock: Model for INsect Inclusion in sustainable agriculture: USDA-ARS's research approach to advancing insect meal development and inclusion in animal diets.

Animal agriculture is under pressure to increase efficiency, sustainability, and innovation to meet the demands of a rising global population while decreasing adverse environmental effects. Feed cost and availability are 2 of the biggest hurdles to sustainable production. Current diets depend on sources of grain and animal byproduct protein for essential amino acids which have limited sustainability. Insects have arisen as an attractive, sustainable alternative protein source for animal diets due to their favorable nutrient composition, low space and water requirements, and natural role in animal diets. Additionally, insects are capable of bioremediating waste streams including agricultural and food waste, manure, and plastics helping to increase their sustainability. The insect rearing industry has grown rapidly in recent years and shows great economic potential. However, state-of-the-art research is urgently needed to overcome barriers to adoption in commercial animal diets such as regulatory restrictions, production scale issues, and food safety concerns. To address this need, the USDA Agricultural Research Service "MINIstoc: Model for INsect Inclusion" project was created to bring together diverse scientists from across the world to synergistically advance insect meal production and inclusion in animal diets. Here, we provide a short review of insects as feed while describing the MINIstock project which serves as the inspiration for the Journal of Economic Entomology Special Collection "Insects as feed: sustainable solutions for food waste and animal production practices."

Genetic analyses and dispersal patterns unveil the Amazonian origin of guava domestication.

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is a semi-domesticated fruit tree of moderate importance in the Neotropics, utilized for millennia due to its nutritional and medicinal benefits, but its origin of domestication remains unknown. In this study, we examine genetic diversity and population structure in 215 plants from 11 countries in Mesoamerica, the Andes, and Amazonia using 25 nuclear microsatellite loci to propose an origin of domestication. Genetic analyses reveal one gene pool in Mesoamerica (Mexico) and four in South America (Brazilian Amazonia, Peruvian Amazonia and Andes, and Colombia), indicating greater differentiation among localities, possibly due to isolation between guava populations, particularly in the Amazonian and Andean regions. Moreover, Mesoamerican populations show high genetic diversity, with moderate genetic structure due to gene flow from northern South American populations. Dispersal scenarios suggest that Brazilian Amazonia is the probable origin of guava domestication, spreading from there to the Peruvian Andes, northern South America, Central America, and Mexico. These findings present the first evidence of guava domestication in the Americas, contributing to a deeper understanding of its evolutionary history.

Retinal Vascular and Structural Changes in the Murine Alzheimer's APPNL-F/NL-F Model from 6 to 20 Months.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) may manifest retinal changes preceding brain pathology. A transversal case-control study utilized spectral-domain OCT angiography (SD-OCTA) and Angio-Tool software 0.6a to assess retinal vascular structures and OCT for inner and outer retina thickness in the APPNL-F/NL-F AD model at 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, and 20 months old. Comparisons to age-matched wild type (WT) were performed. The analysis focused on the three vascular plexuses using AngiooTool and on retinal thickness, which was represented with the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) sectors. Compared to WT, the APPNL-F/NL-F group exhibited both vascular and structural changes as early as 6 months persisting and evolving at 15, 17, and 20 months. Significant vascular alterations, principally in the superficial vascular complex (SVC), were observed. There was a significant decrease in the vessel area and the total vessel length in SVC, intermediate, and deep capillary plexus. The inner retina in the APPNL-F/NL-F group predominantly decreased in thickness while the outer retina showed increased thickness in most analyzed time points compared to the control group. There are early vascular and structural retinal changes that precede the cognitive changes, which appear at later stages. Therefore, the natural history of the APPNL-F/NL-F model may be more similar to human AD than other transgenic models.

Association of Overweight and Obesity with Impaired Executive Functioning in Mexican Adolescents: The Importance of Inhibitory Control.

Overweight and obesity are major public health issues worldwide, including in Mexico, particularly among adolescents. This study aimed to analyze the associations between nutritional status and impaired executive function (EF) in Mexican adolescents. A case-control study was conducted with 98 male and female adolescents, categorized into normal weight and overweight/obese groups based on body mass index. EF was assessed using the BANFE-2 test. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 54.3%. The EF assessment revealed that 82.45% of the overweight/obese group exhibited mild-to-severe impairment, compared to only 36.58% in the normal weight group (X2 = 21.69, p < 0.0001). In the inhibitory control assessment, adolescents with overweight and obesity performed worse than their normal-weight counterparts. Specifically, females with overweight/obesity scored lower than females with normal weight on the risk-benefit processing test. The risk of severe EF impairment significantly increased with the presence of overweight/obesity (OR = 7.8, p < 0.0001). These findings indicate that EF, particularly inhibitory control and risk-benefit processing, is impaired in adolescents with overweight or obesity.

Investigating the Role of Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated (FTO) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Methylation in Breast Cancer.

Background Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) protein is an mRNA demethylase enzyme essential for active genome regulation. The FTO gene codes for a protein that is part of the methylosome complex and has a regulatory role in cancer development. Some studies have shown a relationship between FTO and cancer, where single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may have some impact on cancer risk. The present study aimed to evaluate the risk of FTO polymorphisms rs9939609, rs1477196, and rs9930506; analyze the methylation status of FTO promoters among Mexican women with breast cancer (BC); and investigate by in silico analysis the methylation status in the region near these polymorphisms. Methods A total of 157 BC patients and 137 healthy controls were genotyped for rs9939609, rs1477196, and rs9930506 FTO polymorphisms by TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays. Promoter methylation was analyzed by sodium bisulfite and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) for 78 tissue samples. An in silico analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) database was employed to investigate the methylation state in promoter and near polymorphism locations and its relation to survival. Results The AG genotype of FTO rs9930506 was associated with BC protection (P= 0.0025; adjusted OR, 0.27; 95% CI: 0.10-0.70). rs9939609 and rs1477196, according to the results of the present study, had no relation to BC. Promoter methylation status assays by MSP revealed no changes in methylation in BC or healthy tissues. Trying to know more about the methylation in promoters and near polymorphisms' relation to survival, we performed an in silico analysis. Bioinformatics analysis showed a correlation between poor survival and methylation near polymorphisms but not with methylation in the promoter region. Conclusions The AG genotype rs9930506 has a protective function against BC. Whereas high methylation near polymorphisms was related to lower survival, the hypomethylated promoter region does not impact survival.

Acute pancreatitis as the initial manifestation of an ampullary neuroendocrine tumor.

Acute pancreatitis is a common condition in Gastroenterology. Among its possible etiologies are ampullary tumors, rare neoplasms whose growth can hinder pancreatic drainage. Although they are usually epithelial, adenomas and adenocarcinomas, less commonly other histological types have been reported, such as neuroendocrine tumors. They constitute a small percentage of both ampullary tumors and neuroendocrine tumors of the digestive tract, classified into three histological grades based on mitotic count and Ki-67. Although the diagnosis is usually incidental, its main form of presentation is clinical or analytical cholestasis, with acute pancreatitis being an exceptional initial presentation. Endoscopic resection is the treatment of choice for well-differentiated tumors without evidence of local infiltration of the duodenal wall or intraductal growth greater than 10mm, with endoscopic ultrasound playing a key role in this assessment. We present the case of a 45-year-old cholecystectomized woman who was admitted to our service with a condition compatible with acute pancreatitis, initially suspected to be of biliary origin. After several radiological and endoscopic studies, an enlargement of the duodenal papilla suggestive of ampulloma was detected. Histological examination demonstrated a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor of the duodenal papilla which, lacking evidence of local duodenal infiltration or intraductal growth, was successfully resected endoscopically.

Total Closed Talar Dislocation without Ankle Fracture: A Case Report.

We report a case of a 61-year-old female who presented to the emergency room after a fall from stairs. A total closed talar dislocation without talus or ankle fracture was diagnosed. The treating surgeon indicated an open reduction after an unsuccessful attempt at closed reduction. After six months of follow-up, the patient reported mild pain and partial weight-bearing with no discomfort; however, signs of talar avascular necrosis were present on magnetic resonance images and CT scans.

Airflow detailed analysis through a face mask using the schlieren technique.

This work presents an exhaustive visualization of the airflow expulsed by a person while breathing, talking, exhaling, and blowing inside a closed room wearing a disposable face mask like those used in hospitals for patient protection and those who care for them. An optical schlieren experimental arrangement was used to obtain some of the relevant physical characteristics of the airflow, such as its refractive index gradient, the distribution of temperature, and the associated velocity field for all the tests developed. We tested three face masks, one of the surgical types and the others of the N95 series with denominations KN95 and 3MN95 (Aura TC-84A-8590). The results show appreciable differences between the masks evaluated; the surgical mask was the one that allowed the most abrupt output airflow through it in the field of view of the experimental setup. However, were also found some differences in the performance of the KN95 and 3MN95 masks. The KN95 face mask had the best performance since it expulsed to its surroundings the lowest airflow with different physical properties to the input airflow. The results obtained are relevant since it was possible to estimate the expulsed airflow velocity as a function of the distance for every face mask tested, which allows for understanding its filtering capacity by restricting the flow of potential pathogens from the mouth or nose of one person to another. Undoubtedly, the airflow behavior determination around a face mask can help to reduce the risk of spreading infectious airborne particles.