Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: There are no validated instruments in Spain for measuring parental feeding styles. The aim was to validate the Parental Feeding Styles Questionnaires (PFSQ) in a Spanish sample. METHOD: A total of 523 mothers of 523 school-children participated. The children had a mean age of 4.4 years (SD = 1.3), with 51% being boys (M = 4.3 years, SD = 1.4) and 49% girls (M = 4.5 years, = SD 1.3). The PFSQ and the Comprehensive General Parenting Styles Questionnaire (CGPQ) were used. RESULTS: A model of four correlated factors was identified: Prompting/encouraging eating, emotional feeding, instrumental feeding, and control over eating. Cronbach's alpha for the subscales ranged from 0.64 to 0.86, and McDonald's Omega coefficient ranged from 0.66 to 0.86. Emotional feeding and prompting/encouraging eating had values above 0.70, control over eating had a value of 0.68 and instrumental feeding had an alpha coefficient of 0.64 and omega coefficient of 0.66. The factor structure was similar to the original and to other adapted versions. The Spanish sample used more control over eating and prompting/encouraging to eat. CONCLUSIONS: The adapted PFSQ is a suitable instrument for assessing the feeding styles of Spanish parents.

Indirect Measurement of Variables in a Heterogeneous Reaction for Biodiesel Production.

This research focuses on the development of a state observer for performing indirect measurements of the main variables involved in the soybean oil transesterification reaction with a guishe biochar-based heterogeneous catalyst; the studied reaction takes place in a batch reactor. The mathematical model required for the observer design includes the triglycerides' conversion rate, and the reaction temperature. Since these variables are represented by nonlinear differential equations, the model is linearized around an operation point; after that, the pole placement and linear quadratic regulator (LQR) methods are considered for calculating the observer gain vector L(x). Then, the estimation of the conversion rate and the reaction temperature provided by the observer are used to indirectly measure other variables such as esters, alcohol, and byproducts. The observer performance is evaluated with three error indexes considering initial condition variations up to 30%. With both methods, a fast convergence (less than 3 h in the worst case) of the observer is remarked.

Halide Engineering in Mixed Halide Perovskite-Inspired Cu2AgBiI6 for Solar Cells with Enhanced Performance.

Cu2AgBiI6 (CABI) is a promising perovskite-inspired absorber for solar cells due to its direct band gap and high absorption coefficient. However, the nonradiative recombination caused by the high extrinsic trap density limits the performance of CABI-based solar cells. In this work, we employ halide engineering by doping bromide anions (Br-) in CABI thin films, in turn significantly improving the power conversion efficiency (PCE). By introducing Br- in the synthetic route of CABI thin films, we identify the optimum composition as CABI-10Br (with 10% Br at the halide site). The tailored composition appears to reduce the deep trap density as shown by time-resolved photoluminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy characterizations. This leads to a dramatic increase in the lifetime of charge carriers, which therefore improves both the external quantum efficiency and the integrated short-circuit current. The photovoltaic performance shows a significant boost since the PCE under standard 1 sun illumination increases from 1.32 to 1.69% (∼30% relative enhancement). Systematic theoretical and experimental characterizations were employed to investigate the effect of Br- incorporation on the optoelectronic properties of CABI. Our results highlight the importance of mitigating trap states in lead-free perovskite-inspired materials and that Br- incorporation at the halide site is an effective strategy for improving the device performance.

Factors Associated with the Development of Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Arterial Hypertension.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease affects a large part of the population with hypertension, diabetes mellitus as well as those over 50 years of age. Research reported that male sex and other comorbidities such as obesity and anemia are more frequent in Chronic kidney disease, as well as uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or hypertension. Objective: To determine the risk factors associated with the development of chronic kidney disease in adults with arterial hypertension. Material and Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 455 patients with hypertension treated in a primary health care hospital. Medical records and laboratory information were reviewed for the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease and its staging. Patients aged 40 years and older, of both sexes and evaluated between the years 2015 -2017 were included. Logistic regression analysis allowed the identification of risk factors associated with the development of chronic kidney disease. Results: 63.7% were female and 36.3% male. The average age for 2015 was 69.79 ± 9.03, more than half of participants had diabetes mellitus and controlled hypertension and the predominant nephroprotection was with Losartan (53%) that year. Male sex (OR 1.68, CI 1.03-2,76), age: 60 years or older (OR 6.38, CI 2.65-15,37) and anemia (OR 1.71, CI 1.03-2,85), were risk factors for the development of chronic kidney disease (p < 0.05), whereas nephroprotection (OR 0.39, CI 0.18-0,88) and controlled diabetes mellitus (OR: 0.18, CI 0.07-0,47) were shown to be protective factors (p < 0.05). The prevalence of chronic kidney disease between 2015 and 2017 was 19% and 45%, respectively, with predominance of category G2. The comparison group is the same cohort analyzed in each year under study. Conclusion: Male sex, age over 60 years, and anemia are risk factors for chronic kidney disease. Nephroprotection, controlled diabetes mellitus, and patient follow-up are factors that prevent its development.

Synthesis and Anti-Diabetic Activity of an 8-Purine Derivative as a Novel DPP-4 Inhibitor in Obese Diabetic Zücker Rats.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the world's principal metabolic diseases characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. The gut incretin hormones, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), which has been proposed as a new treatment for T2DM, are extensively metabolized by Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4). Inhibitors of DPP-4 block the degradation of GLP-1 and GIP and may increase their natural circulating levels, favoring glycemic control in T2DM. A novel and potent selective inhibitor of DPP-4 with an 8-purine derived structure (1) has been developed and tested in vitro and in vivo in Zücker obese diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, an experimental model of the metabolic syndrome and T2DM to assess the inhibitory activity using vildagliptin as reference standard. ZDF rats were subdivided into three groups (n = 7/group), control (C-ZDF), and those treated with compound 1 (Compound1-ZDF) and with vildagliptin (V-ZDF), both at 10 mg/kg/d rat body weight, in their drinking water for 12 weeks, and a group of lean littermates (ZL) was used. ZDF rats developed DM (fasting hyperglycemia, 425 ± 14.8 mg/dL; chronic hyperglycemia, HbA1c 8.5 ± 0.4%), compared to ZL rats. Compound 1 and vildagliptin reduced sustained HbAl1c (14% and 10.6%, P < 0.05, respectively) and fasting hyperglycemia values (24% and 19%, P < 0.05, respectively) compared to C-ZDF group (P < 0.001). Compound 1 and vildagliptin have shown a potent activity with an IC50 value of 4.92 and 3.21 µM, respectively. These data demonstrate that oral compound 1 administration improves diabetes in ZDF rats by the inhibitory effect on DPP-4, and the potential to be a novel, efficient and tolerable approach for treating diabetes of obesity-related T2DM, in ZDF rats.

Hypoglycemia during hyperosmolar hyperglycemic crises is associated with long-term mortality.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has indicated that hypoglycemia during hospitalization is a predictor of unfavorable outcomes in patients with diabetes. However, no studies have examined the long-term impact of hypoglycemia in adults admitted for hyperglycemic crises. The study was aimed to investigate the long-term implications of hypoglycemia during hyperosmolar hyperglycemic crises, particularly in terms of all-cause mortality. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 170 patients (82 men [48.2%], median age 72 years) admitted to a university hospital for hyperosmolar hyperglycemic crises, including pure hyperosmolar hyperglycemic states and hyperosmolar diabetic ketoacidoses. We separately investigated the prognostic significance of hypoglycemia on mortality during the initial intravenous insulin therapy phase and during the later subcutaneous insulin therapy phase, both during hospitalization and in the long term (median follow-up, 652 days; range 2-3460 days). RESULTS: Both hypoglycemia during the initial intravenous insulin therapy phase (observed in 26.5% of patients) and hypoglycemia during the later subcutaneous insulin therapy phase (observed in 52.7% of patients) were associated with long-term mortality. After adjusting for potential confounders, hypoglycemia during the initial intravenous insulin therapy phase remained associated with mortality (hazard ratio 2.10, 95% CI 1.27-3.46, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Hypoglycemia during hyperosmolar hyperglycemic crises is a marker of long-term mortality, especially when it occurs during the initial intravenous insulin therapy phase.

Association of microbiological factors with mortality in Escherichia coli bacteraemia presenting with sepsis/septic shock: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the association of E. coli microbiological factors with 30-day mortality in BSI patients presenting with a dysregulated response to infection (i.e., sepsis or septic shock). METHODS: Whole genome sequencing was performed on 224 E. coli isolates of patients with sepsis/septic shock, from 22 Spanish hospitals. Phylogroup, sequence type, virulence, antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity islands were assessed. A multivariable model for 30-day mortality including clinical and epidemiological variables was built, to which microbiological variables were hierarchically added. The predictive capacity of the models was estimated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Mortality at day 30 was 31% (69 patients). The clinical model for mortality included (adjusted OR; 95% CI) age (1.04; 1.02-1.07), Charlson index ≥3 (1.78; 0.95-3.32), urinary BSI source (0.30; 0.16-0.57) and active empirical treatment (0.36; 0.11-1.14) with an AUROC of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.67-0.80). Addition of microbiological factors selected clone ST95 (3.64; 0.94-14.04), eilA gene (2.62; 1.14-6.02) and astA gene (2.39; 0.87-6.59) as associated with mortality, with an AUROC of 0.76 (0.69-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Despite having a modest overall contribution, some microbiological factors were associated with increased odds of death and would deserve being studied as potential therapeutic or preventive targets.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Type 1 Diabetes Onset in Latin American Children.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the patterns of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurrence in children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) across several Latin American pediatric diabetes centers from 2018 to 2022. METHODS: A retrospective chart review included children under 18 with new-onset T1DM from 30 Latin American pediatric diabetes centers (Argentina, Chile, and Peru) between 30 December 2018 and 30 December 2022. Multiple logistic regression models examined the relationships between age, gender, medical insurance, BMI, and DKA at new-onset T1DM. As far as we know, there are no large studies in Latin American countries exploring the patterns of DKA in new-onset T1DM. RESULTS: A total of 2,026 (983 females) children, median age 9.12 (5.8 -11.7) years with new-onset-T1DM were included. Approximately 50% had no medical insurance. Mean glucose values were 467 mg/dL, pH 7.21, bicarbonate 13 mEq/L, HbA1c 11.3%, and BMI 18. The frequency of DKA was 1,229 (60.7%), out of which only 447 (36%) were severe. There was a significant decrease in the frequency of DKA as age increased: 373 (70.2%) in children under 6, 639 (61.6%) in those between 6 and 12, 217 and (47.5%) in those over 12. Children with medical insurance (58.8%) had a significantly lower frequency of DKA than those without (62.7%). The multiple logistic regression models showed that DKA was significantly and inversely associated with age [OR, 0.72 (95% CI 0.60-0.86)], BMI [OR, 0.95 (95% CI 0.92-0.99)], and medical insurance [OR, 0.75 (95% CI 0.60-0.94)] adjusted for sex. CONCLUSION: Latin American children with new-onset T1DM exhibited a substantial occurrence of DKA. Younger ages and the lack of medical insurance were significantly associated with DKA in new-onset T1DM.

Datos normativos, fiabilidad y validez de las escalas de trastornos de la personalidad del NEO PI-R / Normative data, reliability and validity of the NEO PI-R personality disorders scales

Hay un creciente interés por entender los trastornos de la personalidad (TTPP) desde el modelo de los cinco factores. Miller et al. (2005) y Costa y McCrae (2005) propusieron dos conjuntos de escalas basadas en las facetas del “Inventario de personalidad NEO-revisado” (NEO PI-R) para evaluar los TTPP del DSM-5. Existen baremos españoles para las escalas de Miller et al. (2005) a partir de muestras de selección de personal, pero no son apropiados en contextos con deseabilidad social baja. Se presentan datos normativos, de fiabilidad y validez convergente/ discriminante para ambos conjuntos de escalas con voluntarios de la población general española (N= 682). Los índices de consistencia interna y validez convergente/ discriminante fueron excelentes o buenos para todas las escalas, especialmente para las de Miller et al. (2005). Las diferencias entre la muestra de voluntarios y de selección de personal (d= 0,61) y entre varones y mujeres (d= 0,34-0,38) justifican el desarrollo de baremos para los dos conjuntos de escalas de TTPP para situaciones de deseabilidad social baja y separados por sexo. Se discute su utilidad en diferentes contextos.(AU)

There is increasing interest in understanding personality disorders (PDs) fromthe five-factor model. Miller et al. (2005) and Costa and McCrae (2005) proposedtwo sets of scales based on the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R) facetsto assess DSM-5 PDs. There are Spanish norms for the scales of Miller et al. (2005)based on personnel selection samples, but they are not appropriate for contextswith low social desirability. Normative, reliability, and convergent/discriminantvalidity data are presented for both sets of scales with volunteers from the generalSpanish population (N= 682). The internal consistency and convergent/discriminantvalidity indices were excellent or good for all scales, especially for those of Miller etal. (2005). The differences between the sample of volunteers and that of personnelselection (d= 0.61) and between males and females (d= 0.34-0.38) justify the development of norms for the two sets of PD scales for situations of low socialdesirability and separate for males and females. Their usefulness in differentcontexts is discussed.(AU)

Novel Colorimetric and Light Scatter Methods to Identify and Manage Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Peritonitis at the Point-of-Care.

Introduction: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis (PDRP) is a common cause of transfer to hemodialysis, patient morbidity, and is a risk factor for mortality. Associated patient anxiety can deter selection of PD for renal replacement therapy. Diagnosis relies on hospital laboratory tests; however, this might be achieved earlier if such information was available at the point-of-care (POC), thereby significantly improving outcomes. The presence of culturable microbes and the concentration of leukocytes in effluent both aid peritonitis diagnosis, as specified in the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) diagnostic guidelines. Here, we report the development of 2 new methods providing such information in simple POC tests. Methods: One approach uses a tetrazolium-based chemical reporting system, primarily focused on detecting bacterial contamination and associated vancomycin-sensitivity. The second approach uses a novel forward light-scatter device (QuickCheck) to provide an instant quantitative cell count directly from PD patient effluent. Results: The tetrazolium approach detected and correctly distinguished laboratory isolates, taking 10 hours to provide non-quantitative results. We compared the technical performance of the light scatter leukocyte counting approach with spectrophotometry, hemocytometer counting and flow cytometry (Sysmex) using patient effluent samples. QuickCheck had high accuracy (94%) and was the most precise (coefficient of variation <4%), showing minimal bias, overall performing similarly to flow cytometry. Conclusion: These complementary new approaches provide a simple means to obtain information to assist diagnosis at the POC. The first provides antibiotic sensitivity following 10 hours incubation, whereas the second optical approach (QuickCheck), provides instant accurate total leukocyte count.

The oncolytic adenovirus Delta-24-RGD in combination with ONC201 induces a potent antitumor response in pediatric high-grade and diffuse midline glioma models.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs), including diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs), are aggressive pediatric tumors with one of the poorest prognoses. Delta-24-RGD and ONC201 have shown promising efficacy as single agents for these tumors. However, the combination of both agents has not been evaluated. METHODS: The production of functional viruses was assessed by immunoblotting and replication assays. The antitumor effect was evaluated in a panel of human and murine pHGG and DMG cell lines. RNAseq, the seahorse stress test, mitochondrial DNA content, and γH2A.X immunofluorescence were used to perform mechanistic studies. Mouse models of both diseases were used to assess the efficacy of the combination in vivo. The tumor immune microenvironment was evaluated using flow cytometry, RNAseq and multiplexed immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: The Delta-24-RGD/ONC201 combination did not affect the virus replication capability in human pHGG and DMG models in vitro. Cytotoxicity analysis showed that the combination treatment was either synergistic or additive. Mechanistically, the combination treatment increased nuclear DNA damage and maintained the metabolic perturbation and mitochondrial damage caused by each agent alone. Delta-24-RGD/ONC201 cotreatment extended the overall survival of mice implanted with human and murine pHGG and DMG cells, independent of H3 mutation status and location. Finally, combination treatment in murine DMG models revealed a reshaping of the tumor microenvironment to a proinflammatory phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: The Delta-24-RGD/ONC201 combination improved the efficacy compared to each agent alone in in vitro and in vivo models by potentiating nuclear DNA damage and in turn improving the antitumor (immune) response to each agent alone.

Whole exome sequencing and machine learning germline analysis of individuals presenting with extreme phenotypes of high and low risk of developing tobacco-associated lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco is the main risk factor for developing lung cancer. Yet, while some heavy smokers develop lung cancer at a young age, other heavy smokers never develop it, even at an advanced age, suggesting a remarkable variability in the individual susceptibility to the carcinogenic effects of tobacco. We characterized the germline profile of subjects presenting these extreme phenotypes with Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and Machine Learning (ML). METHODS: We sequenced germline DNA from heavy smokers who either developed lung adenocarcinoma at an early age (extreme cases) or who did not develop lung cancer at an advanced age (extreme controls), selected from databases including over 6600 subjects. We selected individual coding genetic variants and variant-rich genes showing a significantly different distribution between extreme cases and controls. We validated the results from our discovery cohort, in which we analysed by WES extreme cases and controls presenting similar phenotypes. We developed ML models using both cohorts. FINDINGS: Mean age for extreme cases and controls was 50.7 and 79.1 years respectively, and mean tobacco consumption was 34.6 and 62.3 pack-years. We validated 16 individual variants and 33 variant-rich genes. The gene harbouring the most validated variants was HLA-A in extreme controls (4 variants in the discovery cohort, p = 3.46E-07; and 4 in the validation cohort, p = 1.67E-06). We trained ML models using as input the 16 individual variants in the discovery cohort and tested them on the validation cohort, obtaining an accuracy of 76.5% and an AUC-ROC of 83.6%. Functions of validated genes included candidate oncogenes, tumour-suppressors, DNA repair, HLA-mediated antigen presentation and regulation of proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation and immune response. INTERPRETATION: Individuals presenting extreme phenotypes of high and low risk of developing tobacco-associated lung adenocarcinoma show different germline profiles. Our strategy may allow the identification of high-risk subjects and the development of new therapeutic approaches. FUNDING: See a detailed list of funding bodies in the Acknowledgements section at the end of the manuscript.

Knowledge Level of ICU Nurses Regarding Nutritional Assessment of Critically Ill Patients: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional assessment on admission of critical patients is of vital importance to determine critical patients in whom there is a risk of malnutrition. Currently, it has been detected in most of the patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that 60% of the daily calories are not achieved. Nurses play an essential role in the comprehensive assessment of the patient, including the nutritional area; however, significant deficits have been detected in some knowledge regarding Enteral Nutrition (EN). OBJECTIVE: We aim to determine the level of knowledge of nurses in the nutritional assessment of critically ill patients. METHODOLOGY: A systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted using the PRISMA statement. Between January 2017 and February 2023, articles were rescued from the electronic databases "Pubmed", "Scopus" and "The Cochrane Library", which analyzed the level of knowledge of ICU nurses regarding nutritional assessment. RESULTS: Most of the results found showed that nurses had deficient levels of knowledge in relation to nutritional assessment and practices. Interventions related to nutritional assessment were scarce, in contrast to those associated with the management of Nasogastric Tube (NGT) or patient positioning. CONCLUSIONS: The level of knowledge described was low or inadequate in relation to the care associated with the nutritional assessment of critically ill patients. The use of scales to assess the risk of malnutrition was not reported. This study was prospectively registered at PROSPERO on 25/10/2023 (insert date) with registration number CRD: 42023426924.

Clinical Utility of Genetic Testing with Geographical Locations in ADPKD: Describing New Variants.

Background: Our study aims to comment on all ADPKD variants identified in our health area and explain how they are distributed geographically, to identify new variants, and relate the more frequent variants with their renal phenotype in terms of kidney survival. Materials and Methods: We identified patients suffering from ADPKD in a specialized consultation unit; genealogical trees were constructed from the proband. According to the ultrasound-defined modified Ravine-Pei criteria, relatives classified as at risk were offered participation in the genetic study. Socio-demographic, clinical, and genetic factors related to the impact of the variant on the survival of the kidney and the patient, such as age at RRT beginning and age of death, were recorded. Results: In 37 families, 33 new variants of the PKD1 gene were identified, which probably produce a truncated protein. These variants included 2 large deletions, 19 frameshifts, and 12 stop-codons, all of which had not been previously described in the databases. In 10 families, six new probably pathogenic variants in the PKD2 gene were identified. These included three substitutions; two deletions, one of which was intronic and not associated with any family; and one duplication. A total of 11 missense variants in the PKD1 gene were grouped in 14 families and classified as probably pathogenic. We found that 33 VUS were grouped into 18 families and were not described in the databases, while another 15 were without grouping, and there was only 1 in the PKD2 gene. Some of these variants were present in patients with a different pathogenic variant (described or not), and the variant was probably benign. Renal survival curves were compared to nonsense versus missense variants on the PKD1 gene to check if there were any differences. A group of 328 patients with a nonsense variant was compared with a group of 264 with a missense variant; mean renal survival for truncated variants was lower (53.1 ± 0.46 years versus non-truncated variant 59.1 ± 1.36 years; Log Rank, Breslow, and Tarone Ware, p < 0.05). Conclusions: To learn more about ADPKD, it is necessary to understand genetics. By describing new genetic variants, we are approaching creation of an accurate genetic map of the disease in our country, which could have prognostic and therapeutic implications in the future.

Study of cytotoxicity in neuroblastoma cell line exposed to patulin and citrinin.

Mycotoxins can be found in food and feed storage as well as in several kinds of foodstuff and are capable of harming mammals and some of them even in small doses. This study investigated on the undifferentiated neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y the effects of two mycotoxins: patulin (PAT) and citrinin (CTN), which are predominantly produced by fungi species Penicillium and Aspergillus. Here, the individual and combined cytotoxicity of PAT and CTN was investigated using the cytotoxic assay MTT. Our findings indicate that after 24 h of treatment, the IC50 value for PAT is 2.01 µM, which decreases at 1.5 µM after 48 h. In contrast, CTN did not attain an IC50 value at the tested concentration. Therefore, we found PAT to be the more toxic compared to CTN. However, the combined treatment suggests an additive toxic effect. With 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) DCFH-DA assay, ROS generation was demonstrated after CTN treatment, but PAT showed only small changes. The mixture presented a very constant behavior over time. Finally, the median-effect/combination index (CI-) isobologram equation demonstrated an additive effect after 24 h, but an antagonistic effect after 48 h for the interaction of the two mycotoxins.

In vitro study of the blood-brain barrier transport of bioactives from Mediterranean foods.

The Mediterranean diet (MD), characterized by olive oil, olives, fruits, vegetables, and wine intake, is associated with a reduced risk of dementia. These foods are rich in bioactives with neuroprotective and antioxidant properties, including hydroxytyrosol (HT), tyrosol (TYRS), serotonin (SER) and protocatechuic acid (PCA), a phenolic acid metabolite of anthocyanins. It remains to be established if these molecules cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a complex interface that strictly controls the entrance of molecules into the brain. We aimed to assess the ability of tyrosine (TYR), HT, TYRS, PCA and SER to pass through the BBB without disrupting its properties. Using Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells as an in vitro model of the BBB, we assessed its integrity by transendothelial electrical resistance, paracellular permeability and immunocytochemical assays of the adherens junction protein ß-catenin. The transport across the BBB was evaluated by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry. Results show that tested bioactives did not impair BBB integrity regardless of the concentration evaluated. Additionally, all of them cross the BBB, with the following percentages: HT (∼70%), TYR (∼50%), TYRS (∼30%), SER (∼30%) and PCA (∼9%). These results provide a basis for the MD neuroprotective role.

Beauvericin and enniatin B mycotoxins alter aquatic ecosystems: Effects on green algae.

Myxotoxins can contaminate algal-based products and arrive to the food chain to consumers producing chronic toxicity effects. Here, we studied phytotoxicity of mycotoxins, beauvericin (BEA) and ennaitin B (ENN B) in four phytoplankton strains: Acutodesmus sp., Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Haematococcus pluvialis, and Monoraphidium griffithii, which are all green algae. It was tested the capacity of clearing the media of BEA and ENN B at different concentrations by comparing nominal and measured quantifications. Results revealed that Acutodesmus sp. and C. reinhardtii tended to flow up and down growth rate without reaching values below 50% or 60%, respectively. On the other hand, for H. pluvialis and M. griffith, IC50 values were reached. Regarding the clearance of media, in individual treatment a decrease of the quantified mycotoxin between nominal and measured values was observed; while in binary treatment, differences among both values were higher and more noted for BEA than for ENN B.

Association between Gut Microbiota and Inflammation: Mediation Analysis Using Waist Circumference.

Chronic low-grade inflammation (CLI) is implicated in the development of multiple metabolic diseases. The gut microbiota (GM) activates different signaling pathways and induces phenotypic changes, offering an exciting opportunity to treat CLI. We evaluated the mediation of waist circumference on the association of GM with serum cytokines. In this cross-sectional study of 331 children, we measured 5 gut bacterial species, namely, Lactobacillus (L.) casei, L. paracasei, L. reuteri, Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, and Akkermansia (A.) muciniphila, as well as anthropometry, serum cytokines, and other covariates. We evaluated adjusted regression models, path analysis, and structural equation modeling to obtain path coefficients (PCs) for direct, indirect (waist circumference-mediated), and total effects. We found that L. paracasei was directly associated with lower interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels (PC = -173.5 pg/mL). We also observed indirect associations between S. aureus with lower adiponectin levels (PC = -0.1 µg/mL and -0.09 µg/mL). Finally, A. muciniphila was indirectly associated with higher adiponectin levels (PC = 0.1 µg/mL). Our findings suggest the importance of considering the GM composition and waist circumference when evaluating inflammatory-related factors, providing a basis for future research to identify potential strategies to intervene in inflammatory processes and prevent metabolic diseases in childhood. [Figure: see text].

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of ANKK1, DDR4, and GRIN2B genes predict behavior in a prospective cohort of Mexican children and adolescents.

Numerous studies have established associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and various behavioral and neurodevelopmental conditions. This study explores the links between SNPs in candidate genes involved in central nervous system (CNS) physiology and their implications for the behavioral and emotional aspects in children and teenagers. A total of 590 participants, aged 7-15 years, from the Early Life Exposures In Mexico To Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) cohort study in Mexico City, underwent genotyping for at least one of 15 CNS gene-related SNPs at different timepoints. We employed multiple linear regression models to assess the potential impact of genetic variations on behavioral and cognitive traits, as measured by the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) and Conners parent rating scales. Significant associations were observed, including the rs1800497 TC genotype (ANKK1) with the Cognitive Problems/Inattention variable (p value = 0.003), the rs1800955 CT genotype (DDR4) with the Emotional Lability Global index variable (p value = 0.01), and the rs10492138 GA and rs7970177 TC genotypes (GRIN2B) with the Depression variable (p values 0.007 and 0.012, respectively). These finds suggest potential genetic profiles associated with "risk" and "protective" behaviors for these SNPs. Our results provide valuable insights into the role of genetic variations in neurobehavior and highlight the need for further research in the early identification and intervention in individuals at risk for these conditions.