Saccharomyces boulardii Tht 500101 changes gut microbiota and ameliorates hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, and liver inflammation in streptozotocin-diabetic mice.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a disorder resulting from chronic autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic ß-cells, lack of insulin production and hyperglycaemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that streptozotocin-diabetic mice treated with Saccharomyces boulardii THT 500101 strain present improvement of glucose and triglycerides metabolism, reduction of liver inflammation concomitant with a beneficial impact in the gut microbiota profile. C57BL/6 male mice were randomly assigned into three groups: Control, Diabetes, Diabetes+Probiotic, and were euthanised 8 weeks after probiotic chronic administration. Mice submitted to treatment presented reduced glycemia in comparison with the diabetic group, which was correlated with an increase in C-peptide level and in hepatic glycogen content. Fat metabolism was significantly altered in streptozotocin-induced diabetic group, and S. boulardii treatment regulated it, leading to a decrease in serum triglycerides secretion, increase in hepatic triglycerides storage and modulation of inflammatory profile. The phenotypic changes seen from chronic S. boulardii treatment were found to be broadly associated with the changes in microbioma of diabetic animals, with increased proportion in Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Deferribacteres, and a decreased proportion of Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia phylum. Thus, the data presented here show up a novel potential therapeutic role of S. boulardii for the treatment and attenuation of diabetes-induced complications.

Conservative Treatment of a Complicated Crown-root Fracture Using Adhesive Fragment Reattachment and Composite Resin Restoration: Two Year Follow-up.

Crown-root fracture is one of the most challenging fracture types in the dental traumatology literature. Traumatized anterior teeth require quick functional and esthetic repair. In the case of a complex crown fracture of the maxillary left central incisor, requiring endodontic treatment, a fiber-reinforced post was used to create a central support stump to restore the dental morphology. This report describes the clinical procedures involved in the treatment. After two years of follow-up, the clinical and radiographic findings demonstrated that the adopted clinical protocol was successful and yielded healthy periodontal tissues with no signs of periradicular pathology.

Mini Fiberglass Post for Ankylosed Tooth Reconstruction: A Clinical Technique.

It was possible to restore the shape and function of a severely ankylosed tooth by fabricating a ceramic crown for placement on a resin reconstruction supported by mini fiberglass posts. By increasing the retention of the morphological reconstruction for the future support of indirect restorations, cementable intradentinal fiberglass posts enhance the longevity of these restorations. Ultimately, all proposals that seek to improve the long-term prognosis of restorations on ankylosed teeth, especially severely impacted ones, are of extreme clinical relevance.

Serum amyloid A is a growth factor for 3T3-L1 adipocytes, inhibits differentiation and promotes insulin resistance.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute-phase protein that has been recently correlated with obesity and insulin resistance. Therefore, we first examined whether human recombinant SAA (rSAA) could affect the proliferation, differentiation and metabolism of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. DESIGN: Preadipocytes were treated with rSAA and analyzed for changes in viability and [³H-methyl]-thymidine incorporation as well as cell cycle perturbations using flow cytometry analysis. The mRNA expression profiles of adipogenic factors during the differentiation protocol were also analyzed using real-time PCR. After differentiation, 2-deoxy-[1,2-³H]-glucose uptake and glycerol release were evaluated. RESULTS: rSAA treatment caused a 2.6-fold increase in cell proliferation, which was consistent with the results from flow cytometry showing that rSAA treatment augmented the percentage of cells in the S phase (60.9±0.54%) compared with the control cells (39.8±2.2%, (***) P<0.001). The rSAA-induced cell proliferation was mediated by the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, which was assessed by pretreatment with the inhibitor PD98059. However, the exposure of 3T3-L1 cells to rSAA during the differentiation process resulted in attenuated adipogenesis and decreased expression of adipogenesis-related factors. During the first 72 h of differentiation, rSAA inhibited the differentiation process by altering the mRNA expression kinetics of adipogenic transcription factors and proteins, such as PPARγ2 (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ 2), C/EBPß (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ß) and GLUT4. rSAA prevented the intracellular accumulation of lipids and, in fully differentiated cells, increased lipolysis and prevented 2-deoxy-[1,2-³H]-glucose uptake, which favors insulin resistance. Additionally, rSAA stimulated the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α, and upregulated SAA3 mRNA expression during adipogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that rSAA enhanced proliferation and inhibited differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and altered insulin sensitivity in differentiated cells. These results highlight the complex role of SAA in the adipogenic process and support a direct link between obesity and its co-morbidities such as type II diabetes.

Frequent headaches in the preadolescent pediatric population: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of chronic daily headaches (CDH) and of high-frequency episodic headaches (HFEH) in preadolescent children from the general population. BACKGROUND: Early-onset cases of neurologic diseases often reflect increased biologic predisposition, specific risk factors, or both. METHODS: Of 2,173 children identified as the target sample, consents were obtained from 1,870 (86.0%), and analyzable data were provided by 1,547 (71.2%). Parents and children were interviewed using a questionnaire consisting of 97 questions, with a validated headache module (10 questions). Crude and adjusted prevalences of HFEH (10-14 headache days per month) and CDH (15 or more headache days per month) were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of CDH was 1.68% (girls 2.09%, boys 1.33%). The overall prevalence of HFEH was 2.52% (girls 2.8%, boys 2.3%). After adjusting for gender, age, parental history of headaches, income, and school of origin, the prevalence of CDH was higher in girls than in boys (2.2% vs 1.1%, p < 0.01) and in nonwhite vs white children (2.2% vs 1.2%, p < 0.01). Similar differences were seen for HFEH (girls 3.1%, boys 2.0%, p < 0.01), (nonwhite 3.1%, white 1.9%, p < 0.01). Income significantly contributed to the model. CONCLUSION: High-frequency episodic headaches and chronic daily headaches are common in the preadolescent pediatric population. Health care providers and educators should be aware of the magnitude of the problem to properly identify and treat children with headaches.

[Visuomotor behaviour of preterm infants in the first month of life. A comparison between the chronological and corrected ages]. / Comportamiento visuomotor de lactantes pretérmino en el primer mes de vida. Comparación entre las edades cronológica y corregida.

INTRODUCTION: Technological advances have helped to lower the rate of infantile mortality and to raise the survival rate of preterm infants. Thus, studies need to be conducted in this segment of the population, while prematurity continues to be one of the risk factors for neuro-sensory-motor disorders. There is evidence to show that these children present visual and visuoperceptual disorders. With regard to visual problems, the literature suggests the hypothesis that the gestational age at the moment of birth exerts an influence on the child's visual behaviour. Bearing this evidence in mind, doubts are raised as to whether such alterations can be detected in periods that are appropriate for the development of vision. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional follow-up study of preterm infants in the first month of life who had their visuomotor behaviour evaluated at the chronological and corrected age. All of them were evaluated by applying the method for assessing the visual behaviour of infants, which is based on tests from the Bayley scales of infant development, as an instrument for investigating visuomotor behaviour. RESULTS: Most of the preterm infants presented a response, with a higher frequency in the eye contact tests, smiling as a social response, horizontal and vertical visual tracking, and increased mobility of the upper limbs on seeing the object at the corrected age. CONCLUSIONS: The responses obtained in this study allow us to confirm the importance of taking into account the corrected age when measuring the parameters involved in the development of visuomotor behaviour.

Nitrogen-fixing chemo-organotrophic bacteria isolated from cyanobacteria-deprived lichens and their ability to solubilize phosphate and to release amino acids and phytohormones.

AIMS: Cyanobacteria-deprived lichens of the species Canoparmelia caroliniana, Canoparmelia crozalsiana, Canoparmelia texana, Parmotrema sancti-angeli and Parmotrema tinctorum were screened for the presence of chemo-organotrophic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-three lichen samples subjected to enrichment selection using a nitrogen-free minimal medium were positive for acetylene reduction. Seventeen isolates, able to fix nitrogen, belonged to Gamma-proteobacteria group and were identified as: Acinetobacter sp., Pantoea sp., Pseudomonas sp., Pseudomonas stutzeri, Serratia marcescens and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, according to 16S rRNA gene sequences and biochemical tests. The excretion of amino acid and phytohormone and the ability of mineral phosphate solubilization were determined in 14 isolates. All isolates were able to release amino acids and 3-indoleacetic acid. About 64% of the isolates solubilized phosphates and 30% released ethylene. CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm sparse evidence from the literature on the occurrence of chemo-organotrophic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in cyanobacteria-deprived lichens; the isolates presented physiologic features which might benefit the host if they are expressed when the bacteria are harboured by lichens. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Chemo-organotrophic nitrogen-fixing bacteria were isolated from a high percentage (72.6%) of cyanobacteria-deprived lichens. All isolates presented important physiological characteristics, some of which are being described here for the first time.

Differential diagnosis and treatment of hyponatremia following pituitary surgery.

Hyponatremia is a frequent occurrence after pituitary surgery, having been described in 9% to 35% of the patients. It is produced by the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) or, more frequently, by the cerebral salt-wasting syndrome (CSWS). The clinical presentation of both syndromes is identical and the differential diagnosis can be difficult. The determination of the volemic state is essential for the diagnosis, since the patients with the SIADH are euvolemic or hypervolemic, while those with CSWS are hypovolemic. Several methods can be used to detect the volemic state in these patients and, among them, the furosemide test can best discriminate between SIADH and CSWS. A furosemide infusion (20 mg) normalizes sodium serum levels in SIADH patients, but not in CSWS patients who remain hyponatremic. The differentiation between the 2 syndromes is clinically relevant since their treatment is antithetical. SIADH patients need liquid restriction of liquids and/or furosemide to reduce the volume of extracellular water, while CSWS patients need volume replacement with sodium supplementation (or fludrocortisone can be a good alternative). The diagnosis and treatment of these syndromes are discussed on the basis of the literature reports.