In vitro activity of ceftazidime/avibactam, cefiderocol, meropenem/vaborbactam and imipenem/relebactam against clinical strains of the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex.

BACKGROUND: Infections caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and related species are increasing worldwide. Unfortunately, treatment options are limited, whereas the antimicrobial resistance is increasing. METHODS: We included clinical isolates identified as S. maltophilia by VITEK 2 Compact. Ceftazidime/avibactam, meropenem/vaborbactam, imipenem/relebactam, cefiderocol, quinolones, and tetracycline family members were evaluated by broth microdilution method and compared with first-line treatment drugs. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were reported for all antibiotics. We sequenced the Whole Genome of cefiderocol resistant strains (CRSs) and annotated their genes associated with cefiderocol resistance (GACR). Presumptive phylogenetic identification employing the 16S marker was performed. RESULTS: One hundred and one clinical strains were evaluated, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, levofloxacin and minocycline showed susceptibilities of 99.01%, 95.04% and 100% respectively. Ceftazidime was the antibiotic with the highest percentage of resistance in all samples (77.22%). Five strains were resistant to cefiderocol exhibiting MIC values ≥ 2 µg/mL (4.95%). The ß-lactamase inhibitors meropenem/vaborbactam and imipenem/relebactam, failed to inhibit S. maltophilia, preserving both MIC50 and MIC90 ≥64 µg/mL. Ceftazidime/avibactam restored the activity of ceftazidime decreasing the MIC range. Tigecycline had the lowest MIC range, MIC50 and MIC90. Phylogeny based on 16S rRNA allowed to identify to cefiderocol resistant strains as putative species clustered into Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex (Smc). In these strains, we detected GARCs such as Mutiple Drug Resistance (MDR) efflux pumps, L1-type ß-lactamases, iron transporters and type-1 fimbriae. CONCLUSION: Antimicrobial resistance to first-line treatment is low. The in vitro activity of new ß-lactamase inhibitors against S. maltophilia is poor, but avibactam may be a potential option. Cefiderocol could be considered as a potential new option for multidrug resistant infections. Tetracyclines had the best in vitro activity of all antibiotics evaluated.

Uric acid and risk of pre-eclampsia: results from a large case-control study and meta-analysis of prospective studies.

To quantify the association between maternal uric acid levels and pre-eclampsia risk in a large collection of primigravid women. A case-control study (1365 cases of pre-eclampsia and 1886 normotensive controls) was conducted. Pre-eclampsia was defined as blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg and proteinuria ≥ 300 mg/24 h. Sub-outcome analysis included early, intermediate, and late pre-eclampsia. Multivariable analysis for pre-eclampsia and its sub-outcomes was conducted using binary and multinomial logistic regression, respectively. Additionally, a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies measuring uric acid levels < 20 weeks of gestation was performed to rule out reverse causation. There was a positive linear association between increasing uric acid levels and presence of pre-eclampsia. Adjusted odds ratio of pre-eclampsia was 1.21 (95%CI 1.11-1.33) for every one standard deviation increase in uric acid levels. No differences in the magnitude of association were observed between early and late pre-eclampsia. Three studies with uric acid measured < 20 weeks' gestation were identified, with a pooled OR for pre-eclampsia of 1.46 (95%CI 1.22-1.75) for a top vs. bottom quartile comparison. Maternal uric acid levels are associated with risk of pre-eclampsia. Mendelian randomisation studies would be helpful to further explore the causal role of uric acid in pre-eclampsia.

Fast-Food Optimal Defaults Reduce Calories Ordered, as Well as Dietary Autonomy: A Scenario-Based Experiment.

BACKGROUND: Low-calorie menu items as optimal defaults may encourage healthier choices when people eat out. Limited research has studied default effects from the restauranteurs' perspective, as well as the public health perspective. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of optimal defaults on calories ordered, dietary autonomy, and visit intention in the context of a fast-food drive-through. DESIGN: Between-subjects randomized scenario-based experiment. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: In all, 377 adults who lived in the United States were recruited through a crowdsourcing platform in July 2020. INTERVENTION: Participants were asked to visualize ordering a combo meal in a fast-food drive-through. They were randomly assigned to order from 1 of 3 menu boards: (1) menu items available for combos by customer choice, (2) combos that included traditional high-calorie default items, or (3) combos that included low-calorie optimal defaults. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Differences in calories ordered among groups, dietary autonomy, and restaurant visit intention. ANALYSIS: Statistical tests included multiple regression, Kruskal-Wallis, χ2, and 1-way analysis of variance. Covariates such as education and sex were tested in regression models as potential confounders. RESULTS: Compared with the choice combo meals, optimal combo meals reduced calories ordered by consumers (-337 kcal, standard error = 19, P < .001), while traditional combos increased them (+132 kcal, standard error = 20, P < .001). No significant difference was found in visit intention. Dietary autonomy was affected by the optimal defaults (P = .025), even in participants with high health concern. Conversely, the traditional combo's effect on dietary autonomy was moderated by health concern (B = -0.26, P = .023), with only individuals with very high levels of health concern perceiving less autonomy. CONCLUSIONS: Optimal defaults provided a robust reduction in calories ordered but had implications for dietary autonomy.

Visual Cues and Optimal Defaults in Fast-Food Combo Meals Benefit Health-Concerned Consumers-A Randomized Scenario-Based Experiment.

BACKGROUND: The use of low-calorie menu items as optimal defaults and visual cues may nudge consumers to healthier choices at restaurants. However, little is known regarding their effects on emotions and behavioral intentions, particularly among people with different levels of health concern. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate optimal defaults and visual cues' effect on anticipated pleasure and order intention depending upon consumers' health concern level. DESIGN: Between-subjects randomized scenario-based experiment. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: In all, 636 US adults recruited through an online crowdsourcing platform in July 2020. INTERVENTION: Participants saw 1 of 6 menu boards in a fast-food drive-through simulation. Half the menu boards included meal photos with (1) menu items to be arranged as a combo by choice (ie, create-your-own combo); (2) traditional combos that included high-calorie default items; or (3) optimal combos that included low-calorie default items. The remaining 3 boards were identical without photos. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anticipated pleasure, order intention, and health concern were evaluated with 7-point Likert scales. ANALYSIS: Statistical tests included multiple regression, Kruskal-Wallis, χ2, and analysis of variance. Education and sex were tested as potential confounders. RESULTS: Optimal combos negatively affected anticipated pleasure (P = .003) and order intention (P < .001) compared with choice combos. Order intention reduction was the same for traditional and optimal combos (P = .128). The presence of photos changed order intention for optimal combos but varied by consumer's health concern level. When health concern was lower, photos decreased the likelihood of ordering the optimal combos (B = -3.06, P = .001), but when health concern was higher, photos enhanced ordering intention compared with the choice group (B = 0.60, P = .001). The photos did not affect anticipated pleasure for any level of health concern. CONCLUSIONS: The adverse effect of optimal defaults and how visual cues may reduce their negative effect should be considered in menu design.

Rare actinobacteria isolated from the hypersaline Ojo de Liebre Lagoon as a source of novel bioactive compounds with biotechnological potential.

The Ojo de Liebre Lagoon is a Marine Protected Area that lies within a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a critical habitat for important migratory species such as the grey whale and bird species. Unique hypersaline environments, such as the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, are underexplored in terms of their bacterial and chemical diversity, representing a potential source for new bioactive compounds with pharmacological properties. Actinobacteria are one of the most diverse and prolific taxonomic bacterial groups in terms of marine bioactive compounds. This study aimed to identify the culturable actinobacterial community inhabiting the Lagoon, as well as to test their potential as new sources of anticancer compounds with pharmacological potential. A selective isolation approach focused on spore-forming bacteria from 40 sediment samples generated a culture collection of 64 strains. The 16S rRNA gene analyses identified three phyla in this study, the Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, where the phylum Actinobacteria dominated (57%) the microbial community profiles. Within the Actinobacteria, nine different genera were isolated including the Actinomadura, Micromonospora, Nocardiopsis, Plantactinospora and Streptomyces sp. We observed seasonal differences on actinobacteria recovery. For instance, Micromonospora strains were recovered during the four sampling seasons, while Arthrobacter and Pseudokineococcus were only isolated in February 2018, and Blastococcus, Rhodococcus and Streptomyces were uniquely isolated in June 2018. Ethyl acetate crude extracts derived from actinobacterial cultures were generated and screened for cytotoxic activity against six cancer cell lines. Strains showed promising low percentages of viability on lung (H1299), cervical (SiHa), colon (Caco-2) and liver (HepG2) cancer lines. Molecular networking results suggest many of the metabolites produced by these strains are unknown and they might harbour novel chemistry. Our results showed the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon is a novel source for isolating diverse marine actinobacteria which produce promising bioactive compounds for potential biotechnological use as anticancer agents.

Chronic Kidney Disease Risk Profile in Renal Donors in Aguascalientes, Mexico: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: In the last decade, kidney donation has been recognized as a risk factor for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD risk calculators have been recently perfected in North American populations. In Mexico, the rates of overweight, obesity, and diabetes mellitus (DM) are among the highest worldwide; nevertheless, most kidney transplants are obtained from living donors. This study aims to describe the risk profile for chronic kidney disease (CKD) development in kidney donors in a highly active transplant center in Central Mexico. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, observational, descriptive cohort study of kidney donors followed at the Hospital Centenario Miguel Hidalgo (CHMH). We used the pretransplant CKD risk calculator at 15 years and over a lifetime (www.transplantmodels.com/esrdrisk). Aside from the calculator of kidney failure risk, we also used the calculator for postdonation CKD risk (www.transplantmodels.com/donesrd/). Factors associated with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 mL/min were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The study included 543 donors. The average follow-up period was 1.7 years (±2.7) with a median of 0.7 years (interquartile range, 0.2-2.1). The average predicted risk for ESRD development at 15 years was 0.08% (±0.1); 25.6% had a risk >0.1%, and only 1 patient had a risk >1%. The lifetime ESRD risk was 0.62% (±0.5); 15% had a risk >1%, and the greatest risk was 3.5%. The median of patients at risk of developing postdonation ESRD was 1 in 10,000 donors (0.6-1.5) at 5 years, 5.7 in 10,000 donors (3.5-8.8) at 10 years, 15 in 10,000 donors (9.1-23.2) at 15 years, and 31 in 10,000 donors (18.9-47.7) at 20 years. During the follow-up period, 52 patients developed a GFR of <60 mL/min. Both risk estimation formulas were significantly associated with a GFR of <60 mL/min. Among the individual factors, the GFR (hazard ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.94-0.97, P < .001) and the urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (hazard ratio 1.009, 95% confidence interval 1.005-1.01, P < .001) remained statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The risk of ESRD in kidney donors in Aguascalientes, Mexico, is similar to that described in the United States. Risk calculators are an indispensable decision-making tool to better understand kidney donors in our milieu.

The metabolic core of the prokaryotic community from deep-sea sediments of the southern Gulf of Mexico shows different functional signatures between the continental slope and abyssal plain.

Marine sediments harbor an outstanding level of microbial diversity supporting diverse metabolic activities. Sediments in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) are subjected to anthropic stressors including oil pollution with potential effects on microbial community structure and function that impact biogeochemical cycling. We used metagenomic analyses to provide significant insight into the potential metabolic capacity of the microbial community in Southern GoM deep sediments. We identified genes for hydrocarbon, nitrogen and sulfur metabolism mostly affiliated with Alpha and Betaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Firmicutes, in relation to the use of alternative carbon and energy sources to thrive under limiting growth conditions, and metabolic strategies to cope with environmental stressors. In addition, results show amino acids metabolism could be associated with sulfur metabolism carried out by Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Firmicutes, and may play a crucial role as a central carbon source to favor bacterial growth. We identified the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and aspartate, glutamate, glyoxylate and leucine degradation pathways, as part of the core carbon metabolism across samples. Further, microbial communities from the continental slope and abyssal plain show differential metabolic capacities to cope with environmental stressors such as oxidative stress and carbon limiting growth conditions, respectively. This research combined taxonomic and functional information of the microbial community from Southern GoM sediments to provide fundamental knowledge that links the prokaryotic structure to its potential function and which can be used as a baseline for future studies to model microbial community responses to environmental perturbations, as well as to develop more accurate mitigation and conservation strategies.

Assessment of persistent indoor VOCs inside public transport during winter season.

The present work intends to analyze the pollution level at the indoor environments of the public transport units of León Guanajuato, Mexico during winter season. An identification and quantification of persistent organic pollutants were carried out within three of the principal bus lines of the city in order to determine their possible origin, the differences in the levels of contamination between routes, and the potential risk to the health of the users, these analyses were carried out with different statistical techniques (ANOVA, PCA, and correlation network maps). Fourteen different organic compounds were identified as persistent pollutants. Although toluene and hexane were the compounds that were detected at the highest concentrations (average of 86.52 ± 56.1 µg m-3 and 183.33 ± 10.7 µg m-3, respectively), the correlation analysis showed that xylene, styrene, and ethylbenzene were the compounds that were mostly related to the other compounds identified as persistent. Otherwise, the statistical analysis of the concentration of these pollutants allowed to establish the fuel combustion vapors as the main source of these compounds. In the same way, the potential exposition health risk to the users were calculated in accordance to the Environmental Protection Agency of United States on those commuters grouped as students and workers. This analysis shown that the xylenes are the most representative organic pollutant in this particulate indoor spaces, and is the one with potential to generate a greater risk to the health of the bus-users, this without demising the potential danger of other pollutants.

C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and pre-eclampsia: large-scale evidence from the GenPE case-control study.

Multiple small studies have suggested that women with pre-eclampsia present elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). However, little is known regarding the source of this CRP and IL-6 increase. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between CRP and IL-6 levels with pre-eclampsia considering different confounding factors. Using data from a large Colombian case-control study (3,590 cases of pre-eclampsia and 4,564 normotensive controls), CRP and IL-6 levels were measured in 914 cases and 1297 controls. The association between maternal serum levels of CRP and IL-6 with pre-eclampsia risk was evaluated using adjusted logistic regression models. Pre-eclampsia was defined as presence of blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg and proteinuria ≥300mg/24 h (or ≥1 + dipstick). There was no evidence of association between high levels of CRP and IL-6 with pre-eclampsia after adjusting for the following factors: maternal and gestational age, ethnicity, place and year of recruitment, multiple-pregnancy, socio-economic position, smoking, and presence of infections during pregnancy. The adjusted OR for 1SD increase in log-CRP and log-IL-6 was 0.96 (95%CI 0.85, 1.08) and 1.09 (95%CI 0.97, 1.22), respectively. Although previous reports have suggested an association between high CRP and IL-6 levels with pre-eclampsia, sample size may lack the sufficient power to draw robust conclusions, and this association is likely to be explained by unaccounted biases. Our results, the largest case-control study reported up to date, demonstrate that there is not a causal association between elevated levels of CRP and IL-6 and the presence of pre-eclampsia.

Prognostic value of mean velocity at the pulmonary artery estimated by cardiovascular magnetic resonance as a prognostic predictor in a cohort of patients with new-onset heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) conveys a worse prognosis in heart failure (HF), in particular when right ventricular (RV) dysfunction ensues. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) non-invasively estimates pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), which has shown prognostic value in HF. Importantly, RV to pulmonary artery (PA) coupling is altered early in HF, before significant rise in PV resistance occurs. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of mean velocity at the pulmonary artery (mvPA), a novel non-invasive parameter determined by CMR, in HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) with and without associated PH. METHODS: Prospective inclusion of 238 patients admitted for new-onset HFrEF. MvPA was measured with CMR during index admission. The primary endpoint was defined as a composite of HF readmissions and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 25 months, 91 patients presented with the primary endpoint. Optimal cut-off value of mvPA calculated by the receiver operator curve for the prediction of the primary endpoint was 9 cm/s. The primary endpoint occurred more frequently in patients with mvPA≤9 cm/s, as indicated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves; Log Rank 16.0, p <  0.001. Importantly, mvPA maintained its prognostic value regardless of RV function and also when considering mortality and HF readmissions separately. On Cox proportional hazard analysis, reduced mvPA≤9 cm/s emerged as an independent prognostic marker, together with NYHA III-IV/IV class, stage 3-4 renal failure and ischemic cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSIONS: In our HFrEF cohort, mvPA emerged as an independent prognostic indicator independent of RV function, allowing identification of a higher-risk population before structural damage onset. Moreover, mvPA emerged as a surrogate marker of the RV-PA unit coupling status.

Design of Organo-Peptides As Bipartite PCSK9 Antagonists.

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) has become an important therapeutic target for lipid lowering, since it regulates low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) levels by binding to liver LDL receptors (LDLR) and effecting their intracellular degradation. However, the development of small molecule inhibitors is hampered by the lack of attractive PCSK9 target sites. We recently discovered helical peptides that are able to bind to a cryptic groove site on PCSK9, which is situated in proximity to the main LDLR binding site. Here, we designed potent bipartite PCSK9 inhibitors by appending organic moieties to a helical groove-binding peptide to reach a hydrophobic pocket in the proximal LDLR binding region. The ultimately designed 1-amino-4-phenylcyclohexane-1-carbonyl extension improved the peptide affinity by >100-fold, yielding organo-peptide antagonists that potently inhibited PCSK9 binding to LDLR and preserved cellular LDLR. These new bipartite antagonists have reduced mass and improved potency compared to the first-generation peptide antagonists, further validating the PCSK9 groove as a viable therapeutic target site.

Clinical outcomes after the transfer of blastocysts characterized as mosaic by high resolution Next Generation Sequencing- further insights.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pregnancy outcome potential of euploid, mosaic and aneuploid embryos. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Reference genetics laboratories. PATIENT(S): 2654 PGT-A cycles with euploid characterized embryo transfers, 253 PGT-A cycles with transfer of embryos characterized as mosaic, and 10 PGT-A cycles with fully abnormal embryo transfers. INTERVENTION(S): Blastocysts were assessed by trophectoderm (TE) biopsy followed by PGT-A via array CGH or NGS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Implantation, miscarriage, ongoing implantation rates (OIR), and karyotype if available, were compared between different embryo groups, and between the two PGT-A techniques. RESULTS: The Ongoing Pregnancy Rate (OPR)/transfer was significantly higher for NGS-classified euploid embryos (85%) than for aCGH ones (71%) (p < 0.001), but the OPR/cycle was similar (63% vs 59%). NGS-classified mosaic embryos resulted in 37% OPR/cycle (p < 0.001 compared to euploid). Mosaic aneuploid embryos with <40% abnormal cells in the TE sample had an OIR of 50% compared to 27% for mosaics with 40-80% abnormal cells in the TE, and 9% for complex mosaic embryos. All the karyotyped ongoing pregnancies (n = 29) were euploid. Transfers of embryos classified as aneuploid via aCGH (n = 10) led to one chromosomally abnormal pregnancy. CONCLUSION(S): NGS-classified euploid embryos yielded higher OIRs but similar OPRs/cycle compared to aCGH. NGS-classified mosaic embryos had reduced potential to reach term, compared to euploid embryos. If they did reach term, those with karyotype results available were euploid. Embryos carrying uniform aneuploidies affecting entire chromosomes were mostly unable to implant after transfer, and the one that implanted ended up in a chromosomally abnormal live birth.

Enterobacter cloacae, an Endophyte That Establishes a Nutrient-Transfer Symbiosis With Banana Plants and Protects Against the Black Sigatoka Pathogen.

Banana (Musa spp.) is an important crop worldwide, but black Sigatoka disease caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora fijiensis threatens fruit production. In this work, we examined the potential of the endophytes of banana plants Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae, as antagonists of P. fijiensis and support plant growth in nutrient limited soils by N-transfer. The two bacterial isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and corroborated by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Both bacteria were positive for beneficial traits such as N-fixation, indole acetic acid production, phosphate solubilization, negative for 1-aminocyclopropane 1-carboxylic acid deaminase and were antagonistic to P. fijiensis. To measure the effects on plant growth, the two plant bacteria and an E. coli strain (as non-endophyte), were inoculated weekly for 60 days as active cells (AC) and heat-killed cells (HKC) into plant microcosms without nutrients and compared to a water only treatment, and a mineral nutrients solution (MMN) treatment. Bacterial treatments increased growth parameters and prevented accelerated senescence, which was observed for water and mineral nutrients solution (MMN) treatments used as controls. Plants died after the first 20 days of being irrigated with water; irrigation with MMN enabled plants to develop some new leaves, but plants lost weight (-30%) during the same period. Plants treated with bacteria showed good growth, but E. cloacae AC treated plants had significantly greater biomass than the E. cloacae HKC. After 60 days, plants inoculated with E. cloacae AC showed intracellular bacteria within root cells, suggesting that a stable symbiosis was established. To evaluate the transference of organic N from bacteria into the plants, the 3 bacteria were grown with 15NH4Cl or Na15NO3 as the nitrogen source. The 15N transferred from bacteria to plant tissues was measured by pheophytin isotopomer abundance. The relative abundance of the isotopomers m/z 872.57, 873.57, 874.57, 875.57, 876.57 unequivocally demonstrated that plants acquired 15N atoms directly from bacterial cells, using them as a source of N, to support plant growth in restricted nutrient soils. E. cloacae might be a new alternative to promote growth and health of banana crops.

Healthy eating and restaurants. A review of recent evidence in the literature. / Alimentación saludable y oferta de restaurantes. Una revisión de la evidencia reciente en la literatura.

Food environments influence food consumption and population health. This study sought to establish the outstanding themes in recent scientific literature about healthy eating and restaurants. Studies about the topic published from 2011 to 2016 in seven recognized databases were reviewed systematically. From 999 titles, 20 articles were selected. Content analysis through an inductive method by two independent investigators was performed using Nvivo 10.0. Three dominant subjects were identified: Food supply modifications, promotion of healthy choices and barriers against healthy eating promotion. The findings describe research opportunities in the area, particularly in the Latin American context. It is necessary to make interventions that result in healthy food environments given the impact on collective health.

Las características de la oferta de alimentos son un determinante del consumo, y por ende de la salud de la población. Este trabajo buscó establecer los temas destacados en la literatura científica reciente sobre oferta de restaurantes y alimentación saludable. Se revisó sistemáticamente la investigación adelantada en estos escenarios y publicada desde 2011 hasta 2016 en siete reconocidas bases de datos. De 999 títulos fueron escogidos 20 artículos. Se realizó análisis de contenido de la información obtenida, usando Nvivo 10.0, y ésta fue codificada a través del método inductivo por dos investigadores independientes. Se identificaron tres temas a saber: Modificaciones en la oferta de alimentación, fomento de elecciones saludables y barreras para promover alimentación saludable. Los hallazgos descritos dan cuenta de las oportunidades de investigación en el área, particularmente en el contexto Latinoamericano, y de la necesidad de intervenciones que redunden en ambientes saludables dada la relevancia del suministro alimentario en la salud colectiva.

Alimentación saludable y oferta de restaurantes. Una revisión de la evidencia reciente en la literatura / Healthy eating and restaurants. A review of recent evidence in the literature

Resumen Las características de la oferta de alimentos son un determinante del consumo, y por ende de la salud de la población. Este trabajo buscó establecer los temas destacados en la literatura científica reciente sobre oferta de restaurantes y alimentación saludable. Se revisó sistemáticamente la investigación adelantada en estos escenarios y publicada desde 2011 hasta 2016 en siete reconocidas bases de datos. De 999 títulos fueron escogidos 20 artículos. Se realizó análisis de contenido de la información obtenida, usando Nvivo 10.0, y ésta fue codificada a través del método inductivo por dos investigadores independientes. Se identificaron tres temas a saber: Modificaciones en la oferta de alimentación, fomento de elecciones saludables y barreras para promover alimentación saludable. Los hallazgos descritos dan cuenta de las oportunidades de investigación en el área, particularmente en el contexto Latinoamericano, y de la necesidad de intervenciones que redunden en ambientes saludables dada la relevancia del suministro alimentario en la salud colectiva.

Abstract Food environments influence food consumption and population health. This study sought to establish the outstanding themes in recent scientific literature about healthy eating and restaurants. Studies about the topic published from 2011 to 2016 in seven recognized databases were reviewed systematically. From 999 titles, 20 articles were selected. Content analysis through an inductive method by two independent investigators was performed using Nvivo 10.0. Three dominant subjects were identified: Food supply modifications, promotion of healthy choices and barriers against healthy eating promotion. The findings describe research opportunities in the area, particularly in the Latin American context. It is necessary to make interventions that result in healthy food environments given the impact on collective health.

Author Correction: A compendium of geochemical information from the Saanich Inlet water column.

In Table 3 of this Data Descriptor the units of Mean_N2O and Mean_CH4 are incorrectly stated as "Nanomolar (µM)". This should instead read "Nanomolar (nM)".

Association of pre-eclampsia risk with maternal levels of folate, homocysteine and vitamin B12 in Colombia: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal serum concentrations of folate, homocysteine, and vitamin B12 have been associated with pre-eclampsia. Nevertheless, reported studies involve limited number of cases to reliably assess the nature of these associations. Our aim was to examine the relation of these three biomarkers with pre-eclampsia risk in a large Colombian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Design: A case-control study. Setting: Cases of pre-eclampsia and healthy pregnant controls were recruited at the time of delivery from eight different Colombian cities between 2000 and 2012. Population or Sample: 2978 cases and 4096 controls were studied. Maternal serum concentrations of folate, homocysteine, and vitamin B12 were determined in 1148 (43.6%) cases and 1300 (31.7%) controls. Also, self-reported folic acid supplementation was recorded for 2563 (84%) cases and 3155 (84%) controls. Analysis: Adjusted odds ratios (OR) for pre-eclampsia were estimated for one standard deviation (1SD) increase in log-transformed biomarkers. Furthermore, we conducted analyses to compare women that reported taking folic acid supplementation for different periods during pregnancy. Main Outcomes Measures: Odds ratio for pre-eclampsia. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders in logistic regression models, the OR for pre-eclampsia was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.90) for 1SD increase in log-folate, 1.16 (95%CI: 1.05, 1.27) for 1SD increase in log-homocysteine, and 1.10 (95%CI: 0.99, 1.22) for 1SD increase in log-vitamin B12. No interactions among the biomarkers were identified. Women who self-reported consumption of folic acid (1 mg/day) throughout their pregnancy had an adjusted OR for pre-eclampsia of 0.86 (95%CI: 0.67, 1.09) compared to women that reported no consumption of folic acid at any point during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal serum concentrations of folate were associated as a protective factor for pre-eclampsia while concentrations of homocysteine were associated as a risk factor. No association between maternal vitamin B12 concentrations and preeclampsia was found.

Lipid profile, plasma apolipoproteins, and pre-eclampsia risk in the GenPE case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pre-eclampsia constitutes a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Pre-eclampsia susceptibility is believed to be associated with altered lipid profiles and abnormal lipid metabolism via lipid peroxidation that leads to endothelial dysfunction. The goal of this study was to evaluate the association of maternal blood lipid and apolipoprotein levels with pre-eclampsia in a large-scale study. METHODS: Using data from a large case-control study (1366 cases of pre-eclampsia and 1741 normotensive controls), the association between the distributions of eight lipid fractions and pre-eclampsia risk was evaluated using adjusted logistic regression models. Pre-eclampsia was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg and proteinuria ≥300 mg/24 h (>1 + dipstick). Sub-group analyses were conducted for early (<34 weeks) and late (≥37 weeks) pre-eclampsia, estimating the effect of 1 standard deviation increase in log-transformed lipid fraction levels in adjusted multinomial regression models. RESULTS: After adjustment for potential confounders, concentrations of triglycerides, apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and the relationship between apolipoprotein B and A1 (ApoB/ApoA1) showed the strongest associations with pre-eclampsia, particularly for those cases with an early onset. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of triglycerides, ApoE and the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio are associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia. Further studies that allow for a causal inference are needed to confirm or refute the aetiological role of blood lipids in pre-eclampsia.

Comprehensive genomic analysis identifies pathogenic variants in maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) patients in South India.

BACKGROUND: Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is an early-onset, autosomal dominant form of non-insulin dependent diabetes. Genetic diagnosis of MODY can transform patient management. Earlier data on the genetic predisposition to MODY have come primarily from familial studies in populations of European origin. METHODS: In this study, we carried out a comprehensive genomic analysis of 289 individuals from India that included 152 clinically diagnosed MODY cases to identify variants in known MODY genes. Further, we have analyzed exome data to identify putative MODY relevant variants in genes previously not implicated in MODY. Functional validation of MODY relevant variants was also performed. RESULTS: We found MODY 3 (HNF1A; 7.2%) to be most frequently mutated followed by MODY 12 (ABCC8; 3.3%). They together account for ~ 11% of the cases. In addition to known MODY genes, we report the identification of variants in RFX6, WFS1, AKT2, NKX6-1 that may contribute to development of MODY. Functional assessment of the NKX6-1 variants showed that they are functionally impaired. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed HNF1A and ABCC8 to be the most frequently mutated MODY genes in south India. Further we provide evidence for additional MODY relevant genes, such as NKX6-1, and these require further validation.