Agave fructans enhance the effects of fermented milk products on obesity biomarkers: a randomised trial.

Dysbiosis has been implicated in childhood obesity. Oral intake of fermented milk containing Lacticaseibacillus casei strain Shirota preserves gut microbiota (GM) diversity in children and adults. This study was a double-blind trial involving 37 overweight or obese children aged 6-10 years. Children were followed over a 6-week intervention period in which they received different fermented milk products containing L. casei Shirota: 10 in the first group received just L. casei Shirota; 13 received L. casei Shirota with 3 g/day of inulin (L. casei+inulin); and 14 received L. casei Shirota with 3 g/day of fructans from Agave salmiana (L. casei+fructans). Principal component analysis showed the relationship between microbial abundance, GM metabolites, and other obesity-related markers. Supplementation with probiotics and synbiotics improved the HDL-cholesterol levels of overweight and obese children, although no changes in body composition were detected. We observed an increase in butyrate or propionate concentrations in the L. casei+fructans group compared to the end of the intervention (P<0.03). A diminished level of ANGPTL4 within the L. casei+fructans group (P=0.04) was also found, but no differences when lipopolysaccharide-binding protein was evaluated. The FFAR2+ cell frequency decreased between baseline and at the end of 6-week intervention in L. casei+inulin (P=0.02) and L. casei+fructans groups (P=0.04). In contrast, the percentage of CD14+FFAR3+ frequency increased in the same groups (P=0.04). The L. casei Shirota with inulin or fructans modulates GM, which improves the lipid profile and changes at a molecular level, such as expression of FFAR3 and FFAR2, ANGPTL4, propionate, and butyrate. It, therefore, could be considered an interesting therapeutic possibility for treating childhood overweight and obesity. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT05423015).

Anti-biofilm activity of chitosan gels formulated with silver nanoparticles and their cytotoxic effect on human fibroblasts.

The development of multi-species biofilms in chronic wounds is a serious health problem that primarily generates strong resistance mechanisms to antimicrobial therapy. The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent has been studied previously. However, their cytotoxic effects limit its use within the medical area. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-biofilm capacity of chitosan gel formulations loaded with AgNPs, using silver sulfadiazine (SSD) as a standard treatment, on strains of clinical isolates, as well as their cytotoxic effect on human primary fibroblasts. Multi-species biofilm of Staphylococcus aureus oxacillin resistant (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa obtained from a patient with chronic wound infection were carried out using a standard Drip Flow Reactor (DFR) under conditions that mimic the flow of nutrients in the human skin. Anti-biofilm activity of chitosan gels and SSD showed a log-reduction of 6.0 for MRSA when chitosan gel with AgNPs at a concentration of 100 ppm was used, however it was necessary to increase the concentration of the chitosan gel with AgNPs to 1000 ppm to get a log-reduction of 3.3, while the SSD showed a total reduction of both bacteria in comparison with the negative control. The biocompatibility evaluation on primary fibroblasts showed better results when the chitosan gels with AgNPs were tested even in the high concentration, in contrast with SSD, which killed all the primary fibroblasts. In conclusion, chitosan gel formulations loaded with AgNPs effectively prevent the formation of biofilm and kill bacteria in established biofilm, which suggest that chitosan gels with AgNPs could be used for prevention and treatment of infections in chronic wounds. The statistic significance of the biocompatibility of chitosan gel formulations loaded with AgNPs represents an advance; however further research and development are necessary to translate this technology into therapeutic and preventive strategies.

Characterization of silver nanoparticles synthesized on titanium dioxide fine particles.

Silver nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution were synthesized over the surface of two different commercial TiO(2) particles using a simple aqueous reduction method. The reducing agent used was NaBH(4); different molar ratios TiO(2):Ag were also used. The nanocomposites thus prepared were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and UV-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy; the antibacterial activity was assessed using the standard microdilution method, determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. From the microscopy studies (TEM and STEM) we observed that the silver nanoparticles are homogeneously distributed over the surface of TiO(2) particles and that the TiO(2):Ag molar ratio plays an important role. We used three different TiO(2)Ag molar ratios and the size of the silver nanoparticles is 10, 20 and 80 nm, respectively. It was found that the antibacterial activity of the nanocomposites increases considerably comparing with separated silver nanoparticles and TiO(2) particles.

A case of cardiac hydatidosis.

We present the case of a female patient with a diagnosis of hydatidosis located in the heart. Although echinococcosis is endemic to our country, very few cases of cardiac hydatidosis are normally reported. In our patient, the hydatid cyst was located in the septum and in the right ventricular cavity; it presented other unusual features, such as the fact that it was located exclusively in the heart, that it first manifested as anaphylactic shock of unknown origin and that it required immediate surgical treatment because of severe haemodynamic compromise.

[Prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in infancy and related factors in a community of the Murcia region]. / Prevalencia de ferropenia y anemia ferropénica en la primera infancia y factores relacionados en una comarca de la región de Murcia.

In this study of 98 children, we determined hematological values and serum iron concentrations. A nutritional investigation was also done. We found that 25.5% of the children were iron deficient and 12.2% were anemic. In the group of children with iron deficiency, the introduction of meat and cereals was significantly late (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.05, respectively). In this same group of children the introduction of whole cow milk was earlier, although not significant (NS). The age of maximal prevalence was between 13 and 24 months. These results indicate a need to screen for iron deficiency during the second year of life, to delay the introduction of whole cow milk and not to delay the introduction of meat and cereals.

[Mycotic aneurysm of the femoral artery after bacterial endocarditis. Surgical treatment (author's transl)]. / Aneurisma micótico de la arteria femoral postendocarditis bacteriana. Tratamiento quirúrgico.

The reported case consists in a 45-year-old patient with a mitral disease, who presented a bacterial endocarditis after a dental extraction, in the course of which he developed a mycotic aneurysm of the right superficial femoral artery; surgical treatment of this lesion was successful. One year later he was reoperated in relation with the progression of his previous mitral disease, and a Bjork-Shilley prosthesis was implanted. At the present time, 2 years and a half after the last operation the patient is free of symptoms. The clinical data, exploratory studies, the results which were obtained, and the surgical procedure applied are discussed. The rarity of this complication, the localization of the mycotic aneurysm, the surgical valve heart replacement, the pathologic findings of the resected valve and the satisfactory evolution of the patient are also pointed out.