Do catadromous thinlip grey mullet benefit from shifting to freshwater? A perspective from fatty acid signature analysis.

To investigate the potential benefits of the catadromous thinlip grey mullet (Chelon ramada Risso, 1827) migration to freshwater, the total lipid content and fatty acid (FA) profile of female's muscle and gonads caught in both the estuary and river were analyzed. The freshwater contingent presented a higher body condition, greater muscle gross energy, and larger gonads with higher lipid reserves. These animals showed a muscle profile rich in C16:1n-7 and lower LC-PUFA that contrast with the higher relative amount of C18:1n-9, n-3 FA, and unsaturated LC-PUFA, such as C18 and C20 FA found in the estuarine contingent. The gonads of both contingents showed a constant and high relative amount of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFA, 37%). However, in terms of essential fatty acids (EFAs), the estuarine contingent had a higher relative amount of C18:2n-6, C20:4n-6, C20:5n-3, and C22:6n-3. On the other hand, the freshwater contingent showed a higher relative amount of n-3 FA precursors, namely C18:3n-3, and a still low relative amount of C22:6n-3. This suggests a mismatch between the metabolic omega-3 pathway and the physiological maturity stages, similar to a phenomenon of dormancy. In this sense, not all these individuals may reproduce annually, and the later stages of gonad development will require supplementary energy derived from feeding at the estuary. Thus, freshwater migration may promote a reproductive strategy enabling adults to take advantage of the warm and food-rich summer/autumn period, adjust spawning and juvenile appearance, and reduce the population's exposure to habitat changes and/or stochastic events.

Influence of Human Milk on Very Preterms' Gut Microbiota and Alkaline Phosphatase Activity.

The FEEDMI Study (NCT03663556) evaluated the influence of infant feeding (mother's own milk (MOM), donor human milk (DHM) and formula) on the fecal microbiota composition and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in extremely and very preterm infants (≤32 gestational weeks). In this observational study, preterm infants were recruited within the first 24 h after birth. Meconium and fecal samples were collected at four time points (between the 2nd and the 26th postnatal days. Fecal microbiota was analyzed by RT-PCR and by 16S rRNA sequencing. Fecal ALP activity, a proposed specific biomarker of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), was evaluated by spectrophotometry at the 26th postnatal day. A total of 389 fecal samples were analyzed from 117 very preterm neonates. Human milk was positively associated with beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides ovatus, and Akkermancia muciniphila, as well as bacterial richness. Neonates fed with human milk during the first week of life had increased Bifidobacterium content and fecal ALP activity on the 26th postnatal day. These findings point out the importance of MOM and DHM in the establishment of fecal microbiota on neonates prematurely delivered. Moreover, these results suggest an ALP pathway by which human milk may protect against NEC.

Extremely preterm neonates have more Lactobacillus in meconium than very preterm neonates - the in utero microbial colonization hypothesis.

Growing evidence suggests that maternal microbiota can influence the neonates' gut colonization. However, the mechanisms of vertical bacterial transmission remain poorly defined. We believed that the first colonizers of the newborn come from the mother's gut and vagina during pregnancy and that this is independent of the mode of delivery. We conducted an observational longitudinal study to evaluate the link between the maternal gut microbiota and the meconium's microbiota in extremely and very preterm neonates. Bacterial DNA was extracted from samples and specific bacterial groups were quantified by RT-PCR. In this cohort of 117 preterm neonates, we detected bacterial DNA in 88% of meconium samples. Meconium microbiota of neonates born after 28 gestational weeks (very preterm neonates) showed stronger correlations with their mothers' fecal microbiota. However, neonates born before 28 gestational weeks (extremely preterm neonates) had more Lactobacillus - genus that dominated the vaginal microbiota - than very preterm neonates, regardless of the mode of delivery. Collectively, these data support the hypothesis that maternal bacteria from the gut and vagina can play a role in shaping neonates' gut microbiota and that mother-to-infant bacterial transmission is a controlled and time-specific process. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03663556.

Vocal responsiveness of preterm infants to maternal infant-directed speaking and singing during skin-to-skin contact (Kangaroo Care) in the NICU.

Vocalizations of full-term newborns occur in a short latency time during the neonatal period. Contingent response time of preterm babies is still unknown. An increase of preterm babies' vocalizations following exposure to parental speech was also observed. Mothers and babies co-modulate their vocalizations in preterm dyads. PURPOSE: To observe temporal features of maternal and infants' vocalizations in speaking and singing conditions in preterm dyads. METHODS: In a NICU mothers (N = 36) were invited to speak and to sing to their preterm infants during Kangaroo Care. Microanalysis of temporal units were performed with ELAN Software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Preterm infants vocalize less often while their mothers speak and sing than during baseline and their vocalizations tend to be more alternating in the speaking condition and more overlapping in the singing condition. It is also concluded that preterm infants take more time to respond to maternal speaking than to maternal singing.

Prevalência de síndrome metabólica em uma população de hipertensos / Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in hypertensive patients

Introdução: A prevalência de síndrome metabólica (SM) situa-se em torno de 24% na população geral, atingindo números maiores nos portadores de hipertensão arterial. No Brasil não há dados relativos à prevalência de SM em pacientes hipertensos.Objetivo: No presente estudo, avaliamos a prevalência de SM em uma população de hipertensos não portadores de diabetes mellitus, perfazendo um total de 140 indivíduos, de ambos os sexos.Métodos: Para a definição de SM utilizamos três ou mais dos seguintes critérios: glicemia de jejum ≥ 110 mg/dL; circunferência da cintura abdominal (CA) ≥102 cm para homens e≥ 88 cm para mulheres; triglicérides (TG)≥150 mg/dL; HDL < 40 mg/dL em homens e < 50 mg/dL em mulheres; pressão arterial ≥ 130 x 85 mmHg.Resultados: Dos 140 pacientes estudados, 63 (45%) foram diagnosticados como portadores de SM, sendo 47 (75%) do sexo feminino e 16 (25%) do sexo masculino. Na população geral, o aumento da CA foi o critério diagnóstico mais prevalente,seguido da baixa concentração sérica de HDL-colesterol e e hipertrigliceridemia. Dentre os portadores de SM, nos indivíduos do sexo feminino, os fatores mais freqüentemente observados foram aumento da CA, baixos níveis de HDL e hipertrigliceridemia. Entre os homens portadores, a hipertriglicericiemia foi o critério mais freqüentemente observado, seguido pelo aumento da CA e pelos baixos níveis de HDL.Conclusão: A prevalência de SM na população de hipertensos não diabéticos é eleva a, especialmente entre as mulheres.