Modulatory Effect of Chlorogenic Acid and Coffee Extracts on Wnt/ß-Catenin Pathway in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

The Wnt/ß-Catenin pathway alterations present in colorectal cancer (CRC) are of special interest in the development of new therapeutic strategies to impact carcinogenesis and the progression of CRC. In this context, different polyphenols present in natural products have been reported to have modulatory effects against the Wnt pathway in CRC. In this study, we evaluate the effect of two polyphenol-rich coffee extracts and chlorogenic acid (CGA) against SW480 and HT-29 CRC cells. This involved the use of MTT and SRB techniques for cell viability; wound healing and invasion assay for the evaluation of the migration and invasion process; T cell factor (TCF) reporter plasmid for the evaluation of transciption factor (TCF) transcriptional activity; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of target genes and confocal fluorescence microscopy for ß-Catenin and E-Cadherin protein fluorescence levels; and subcellular localization. Our results showed a potential modulatory effect of the Wnt pathway on CRC cells, and we observed a reduction in the transcriptional activity of ß-catenin. All the results were prominent in SW480 cells, where the Wnt pathway deregulation has more relevance and implies a constitutive activation of the signaling pathway. These results establish a starting point for the discovery of a mechanism of action associated with these effects and corroborate the anticancer potential of polyphenols present in coffee, which could be explored as chemopreventive molecules or as adjunctive therapy in CRC.

Caracterización de una IPS de mediana complejidad en Ingeniería Clínica en Norte de Santander, Colombia / Characterization of a Médium Complexity Healthcare Institution in Clinicai Engineering in Norte de Santander, Colombia

RESUMEN Objetivo Caracterizar, en lo que a ingeniería clínica se refiere, el estado actual de una IPS de nivel II de mediana complejidad del departamento de Norte de Santander (Colombia). Metodología Se recopiló información de referencia sobre la disponibilidad de servicios de salud y los equipos médicos con el fin de determinar necesidades en tecnologías sanitarias basados en el análisis de los datos demográficos y epidemiológico. Resultados En el estudio se encontró que el área de influencia es grande para la poca capacidad instalada con la que cuenta la IPS. Se debe priorizar la adquisición de equipos biomédicos para las enfermedades no transmisibles. Se determinó que existen necesidades en cuanto al equipamiento biomédico y recursos humanos para el oportuno desarrollo de la prestación de los servicios. Discusión Teniendo en cuenta la situación actual de la pandemia ocasionada por el COVID-19, se evidencia que las IPS requieren que estas necesidades sean cubiertas con el fin de evitar un aumento en los casos de infectados y dar una atención oportuna a quienes padezcan esta enfermedad. Por ello se requiere un aumento de la capacidad Instalada de equipos biomédicos y servicios asistenciales. Esta caracterización va a permitirles a las IPS determinar cuáles son las carencias en equipos biomédicos, lo cual se hace fundamental en este momento, cuando se requiere un fortalecimiento de los servicios de salud que se prestan en el país.

ABSTRACT Objective To characterize the current state of the clinical engineering in a medium complexity (level 2) health institution in Norte de Santander, a State of Colombia, South America. Methodology Reference information was collected on the availability of health services and medical equipment to determine needs in health technologies based on the analysis of demographic and epidemiological data. Results The study resulted in that the area of influence is big y this have a little installed capacity, the acquisition of biomedical equipment for non-communicable diseases should be prioritized. It was determined that there are needs in terms of biomedical equipments and human resources for the timely development of the provision of services. Discussion Due to the current situation of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, it is evident that the IPS require that the needs be covered to avoid an increase in the cases of ¡nfected and assist the sick people, for that reason, an increase in the installed capacity of biomedical equipment and healthcare services is required. Finally, according to the economic aspect of the IPS, there are possible limitations for the acquisition of necessary biomedical equipment. This characterization will allow the IPS to determine what are the shortcomings in biomedical equipment, which is essential at this time when a strengthening of the health services provided in the country is required.

Investigating salience strategies to counteract obesity.

The investigation of the characteristics and attributes that make a brand prominent for shoppers is known as salience research. This line of study concentrates on influencing buying behaviors via the manipulation of shopping environments and food products. Such promotional strategies successfully attract massive food sales and therefore have been associated with changes in dietary patterns and the epidemic expansion of non-communicable diseases, like obesity. Marketers have empirically proven that global buying patterns are influenced by their salience strategies and techniques. However, despite the significance of such methods, empirical salience investigations have rarely been extended beyond their primary business focus to the field of health promotion. Therefore, this study is presenting a way of transferring the salience knowledge to the health promotion field in order to track dietary choices and possibly gain information to identify buying and eating behaviors connected to obesity. The salience literature from various disciplines permits to hypothesize that consumers are more likely to have unhealthy diets when food-choices and conditions are saliently manipulated. A quasi-experimental method (combining salience measures with Bayesian analysis) was used to test this proposition. The results support the hypothesis and endorse the introduced research tool. As predicted, data reflect the latest national overweight and obesity statistics and suggest that habitual unhealthy diets are more likely when salience strategies link food products to taste, social and emotional attributes. These preliminary findings encourage further investigation to enhance the method as a possible epidemiological tool.

Stool Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Critically Ill Patients with Sepsis.

Objective: To determine the concentration of stool short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in critically ill patients with sepsis and to compare the results between the critically ill patient and the control group.Methods: This descriptive, multicenter, observational study was conducted in five health institutions. Over a 6-month study period, critically ill patients with sepsis who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and met the inclusion criteria were enrolled, and a control, paired by age and sex, was recruited for each patient. A spontaneous stool sample was collected from each participant and a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (Agilent 7890/MSD 5975 C) was used to measure the concentrations SCFAs.Results: The final sample included 44 patients and 45 controls. There were no differences in the age and sex distributions between the groups (p > 0.05). According to body mass index (BMI), undernutrition was more prevalent among critically ill patients, and BMI in control subjects was most frequently classified as overweight (p = 0.024). Propionic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, and isobutyric acid concentrations were significantly lower in the critically ill patient group than in the control group (p = 0.000). No association with outcome variables (complications, ICU stay, and discharge condition) was found in the patients, and patients diagnosed with infection on ICU admission showed significant decreases in butyric and isobutyric acid concentrations with respect to other diagnostic criteria (p < 0.05).Conclusions: The results confirm significantly lower concentrations of stool SCFAs in critically ill patients with sepsis than in control subjects. Due to its role in intestinal integrity, barrier function, and anti-inflammatory effect, maintaining the concentration of SCFAs may be important in the ICU care protocols of the critical patient.

Experimental Investigation on the Elicitation of Subjective Distributions.

Elicitation methods aim to build participants' distributions about a parameter of interest. In most elicitation studies this parameter is rarely known in advance and hinders an objective comparison between elicitation methods. In two experiments, participants were first presented with a fixed random sequence of images and numbers and subsequently their subjective distributions of percentages of one of those numbers was elicited. Importantly, the true percentage was set in advance. The first experiment tested whether receiving instructions as to the elicitation method would assist in estimating a true value more accurately than receiving no instructions and whether accuracy was determined by the numerical skills of the participants. The second experiment sought to compare the elicitation method used in the first experiment with a variation of a graphical elicitation method. The results indicate that (i) receiving instructions as to the elicitation method does assist in producing estimates closer to a true percentage value, (ii) the level of numerical skills does not play a part in the accuracy of the estimation (Experiment 1), and (iii) although the average estimates of the betting and graphical method are not significantly different, the betting method leads to more precise estimations than the graphical method (Experiment 2). Both studies featured statistical procedures (functional data analysis and a novel clustering technique) not considered in past research on the elicitation of subjective distributions. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to a recent key study.

Manipulating the Alpha Level Cannot Cure Significance Testing.

We argue that making accept/reject decisions on scientific hypotheses, including a recent call for changing the canonical alpha level from p = 0.05 to p = 0.005, is deleterious for the finding of new discoveries and the progress of science. Given that blanket and variable alpha levels both are problematic, it is sensible to dispense with significance testing altogether. There are alternatives that address study design and sample size much more directly than significance testing does; but none of the statistical tools should be taken as the new magic method giving clear-cut mechanical answers. Inference should not be based on single studies at all, but on cumulative evidence from multiple independent studies. When evaluating the strength of the evidence, we should consider, for example, auxiliary assumptions, the strength of the experimental design, and implications for applications. To boil all this down to a binary decision based on a p-value threshold of 0.05, 0.01, 0.005, or anything else, is not acceptable.

Microbiota intestinal y ácidos grasos de cadena corta en pacientes críticos / Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Critically Ill Patients

Resumen Antecedentes: diversos estudios han mostrado cambios en la microbiota intestinal (MI) y los ácidos grasos de cadena corta (AGCC) en pacientes críticos con síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica (SRIS). Objetivo: revisar la evidencia sobre el papel de la MI y los AGCC en pacientes críticos y su modulación con prebióticos, probióticos y simbióticos. Materiales y métodos: búsqueda de artículos en bases de datos bibliográficas Pubmed, Science Direct, Ovid, Medline y Scopus, utilizando como descriptores microbiota, paciente crítico, unidad de cuidados intensivos, síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica, ácidos grasos de cadena corta, probióticos, prebióticos y simbióticos. Resultados: la MI en pacientes críticos está disminuida tanto en número de bacterias como en diversidad, lo cual puede resultar en una desregulación de la respuesta inmune sistémica ante la invasión de microorganismos patógenos. Los cambios en los AGCC en pacientes críticos se atribuyen a una disminución de bacterias anaerobias obligadas y sustratos de fermentación necesarios para su producción. La modulación de la MI con probióticos, prebióticos y simbióticos sugiere mejoría en la función intestinal. Conclusiones: la MI y los AGCC en pacientes críticos se encuentran alterados, de ahí que mantener el equilibrio en el entorno intestinal probablemente desempeñe una función clave para disminuir complicaciones y mejorar su pronóstico.

Abstract Background: Different studies have shown changes in gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in critically ill patients with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). Aim: To review the evidence about the role of gut microbiota and SCFAs in critically patients and its modulation with prebiotics, probiotics and symbiotic. Materials and Methods: A search of the literature in Pubmed, Science Direct, Ovid, Medline and Scopus databases was conducted. The terms used were microbiota, critically ill, intensive care unit, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, short-chain fatty acids, prebiotics, probiotics and symbiotic. Results: The intestinal microbiota in critically ill patients is reduced in number and diversity, which can lead to dysregulation of the systemic immune response to the pathogenic invasion. Changes in SCFAs in critically ill patients are attributed to a decrease of obligate anaerobic bacteria and the fermentation substrates required for its production. The gut microbiota modulation with prebiotics, probiotics and symbiotic suggest improvement in bowel function. Conclusions: Gut microbiota and SCFAs are altered in critically ill patients; therefore, maintaining the intestinal environment is key for reducing complications and improving prognosis.