ASEBIR Quality Special Interest Group guidance for quality in assisted reproduction technology.

Assisted human reproduction has undergone rapid advances since its inception 45 years ago. To keep pace with these advances, assisted reproduction laboratories should adhere to a quality management system that addresses staffing and training, physical space and air quality, equipment maintenance and other operational matters, and ensures gamete and embryo handling in accordance with the latest quality and safety standards. Accordingly, this review aims to provide a reference document that highlights the critical aspects to consider when establishing and operating an ART laboratory. The review collates and expands upon published national and international guidelines and consensus documents, providing easier access to this large body of important information.

Semi-Automatic GUI Platform to Characterize Brain Development in Preterm Children Using Ultrasound Images.

The third trimester of pregnancy is the most critical period for human brain development, during which significant changes occur in the morphology of the brain. The development of sulci and gyri allows for a considerable increase in the brain surface. In preterm newborns, these changes occur in an extrauterine environment that may cause a disruption of the normal brain maturation process. We hypothesize that a normalized atlas of brain maturation with cerebral ultrasound images from birth to term equivalent age will help clinicians assess these changes. This work proposes a semi-automatic Graphical User Interface (GUI) platform for segmenting the main cerebral sulci in the clinical setting from ultrasound images. This platform has been obtained from images of a cerebral ultrasound neonatal database images provided by two clinical researchers from the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona, Spain. The primary objective is to provide a user-friendly design platform for clinicians for running and visualizing an atlas of images validated by medical experts. This GUI offers different segmentation approaches and pre-processing tools and is user-friendly and designed for running, visualizing images, and segmenting the principal sulci. The presented results are discussed in detail in this paper, providing an exhaustive analysis of the proposed approach's effectiveness.

Effect of Low Doses of Dexamethasone on Experimental Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the deadliest disease caused by a bacterial agent. Glucocorticoids (GCs) have a typical anti-inflammatory effect, but recently it has been shown that they can present proinflammatory activity, mainly by increasing molecules from innate immunity. In the current study, we evaluated the effect of low doses of dexamethasone on Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vivo and in vitro. We used an established mice model of progressing tuberculosis (TB) in the in vivo studies. Intratracheal or intranasal dexamethasone therapy administered with conventional antibiotics in the late stage of the disease decreased the lung bacilli load and lung pneumonia, and increased the survival of the animals. Finally, the treatment decreased the inflammatory response in the SNC and, therefore, sickness behavior and neurological abnormalities in the infected animals. In the in vitro experiments, we used a cell line of murine alveolar macrophages infected with Mtb. Low-dose dexamethasone treatment increased the clearance capacity of Mtb by MHS macrophages, MIP-1α, and TLR2 expression, decreased proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and induced apoptosis, a molecular process that contributes to the control of the mycobacteria. In conclusion, the administration of low doses of dexamethasone represents a promising adjuvant treatment for pulmonary TB.

Uptake and depuration of three common antibiotics in benthic organisms: Sea cucumber (Holothuria tubulosa), snakelocks anemone (Anemonia sulcata) and beadlet anemone (Actinia equina).

Antibiotics are widely used drugs in human and veterinary medicine, which has attracted great attention in relation to the development of bacterial resistance, currently a problem of great concern for governments and states, as it is related to the resurgence of infectious diseases already eradicated. Understanding the bioaccumulation of antibiotics in aquatic organisms is an important key to understanding their risk assessment. The present study was designed to study the bioaccumulation of target antibiotics in relevant organisms inhabiting benthic marine environments. The uptake and elimination of ciprofloxacin (CIP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) were investigated in sea cucumbers (Holothuria tubulosa), snakelock anemone (Anemonia sulcata) and beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) under controlled laboratory conditions. The results show that antibiotics have a particular trend over time during all periods of absorption and depuration. The tissue distribution of antibiotics in sea cucumber is strongly influenced by the structure of the compounds, while CIP is concentrated in the body wall; TMP is concentrated in the digestive tract. Two different approaches were used to estimate bioconcentration factors (BCFs) in different animal models, based on toxicokinetic data and measured steady-state concentrations. The BCF ranges were 456-2731 L/kg, 6-511 L/kg and 9-100 L/kg for TMP, CIP and SMX, respectively. The estimated BCF values obtained classify TMP as cumulative in A. equina and H. tubulosa, underlining the potential bioconcentration in these marine organisms. A correlation was observed between the BCFs of the target antibiotics and the octanol-water distribution coefficient (Dow) (r2 > 0.7). The animal-specific BCF followed the order of beadlet anemone > sea cucumber > snakelock anemone.

Bioconcentration of pharmaceuticals in benthic marine organisms (Holothuria tubulosa, Anemonia sulcata and Actinia equina) exposed to environmental contamination by atenolol and carbamazepine.

The present work assess the bioconcentration kinetics of atenolol (ATN) and carbamazepine (CBZ) in common marine organisms including Holothuria tubulosa, Anemonia sulcata and Actinia equina under controlled laboratory conditions. CBZ exhibited higher uptake and excretion rates resulting higher bioconcentration factor (BCF) (41-537 L/kg for CBZ vs 7-50 L/kg for ATN) although both are below the limits established by the European Union (EU). The measured BCF using kinetic data showed some differences with those predicted using the concentrations measured at the steady-state, probably explained because the steady state was not ready reached. The animal-specific BCF followed the order of Holothuria tubulosa > Actinia equina > Anemonia sulcata for ATN while was the opposite for CBZ. The study highlighted between-tissues differences in the digestive tract and the body wall of the Holothuria tubulosa. The work presented is the first to model bioconcentration of ATN and CBZ in holothurian and anemone animal models.

Analytical method for the determination of usually prescribed antibiotics in human nails using UHPLC-MS/MS. Comparison of the efficiency of two extraction techniques.

Antibiotics are a group of drugs used for the treatment of bacterial diseases. They are used in both human and veterinary medicine and, although they are not permitted, they are sometimes used as growth promoters. The present research compares two extraction techniques: ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) in order to evaluate their efficiency in the determination of 17 usually prescribed antibiotics in human nails. The extraction parameters were optimized using multivariate techniques. Once both techniques were compared, MAE was selected as optimal due to its greater experimental practicability together with the better extraction efficiencies it provides. Target analytes were detected and quantified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection (UHPLC-MS/MS). The run time was 20 min. The methodology was then successfully validated, obtaining acceptable analytical parameters according to the guide used. Limits of detection were between 0.3 and 3 ng g-1 and limits of quantification were in the range from 1.0 to 4.0 ng g-1. Recovery percentages ranged from 87.5% to 114.2%, and precision (in terms of standard deviation) was less than 15% in all cases. Finally, the optimized method was applied to nails taken from 10 volunteers and the results revealed the presence of one or more antibiotics in all the samples examined. The most commonly found antibiotic was sulfamethoxazole, followed by danofloxacin and levofloxacin. The results demonstrated, on the one hand, the presence of these compounds in the human body and, on the other hand, the suitability of nails as a non-invasive biomarker of exposure.

Accumulation and metabolization of the antidepressant venlafaxine and its main metabolite o-desmethylvenlafaxine in non-target marine organisms Holothuria tubulosa, Anemonia sulcata and Actinia equina.

The assessment of exposure to the antidepressant venlafaxine and its major metabolite o-desmethylvenlafaxine in Holothuria tubulosa, Anemonia sulcata and Actinia equina is proposed. A 28-day exposure experiment (10 µg/L day) followed by a 52-day depuration period was conducted. The accumulation shows a first-order kinetic process reaching an average concentration of 49,125/54342 ng/g dw in H. tubulosa and 64,810/93007 ng/g dw in A. sulcata. Venlafaxine is considered cumulative (BCF > 2000 L/kg dw) in H. tubulosa, A. sulcata and A. equina respectively; and o-desmethylvenlafaxine in A. sulcata. Organism-specific BCF generally followed the order A. sulcata > A. equina > H. tubulosa. The study revealed differences between tissues in metabolizing abilities in H. tubulosa this effect increases significantly with time in the digestive tract while it was negligible in the body wall. The results provide a description of venlafaxine and o-desmethylvenlafaxine accumulation in common and non-target organisms in the marine environment.

Impacto del confinamiento en el desarrollo curricular de Educación Física en Educación primaria y Secundaria / Impact of confinement on the development of the physical education in primary and secondary education

Debido a la pandemia por el COVID-19, el estado de alarma y el confinamiento domiciliario, la docencia pasó a ser virtual en cuestión de unos pocos días y los docentes tuvieron que adaptar todo su trabajo de manera inexorable. Ante esta situación totalmente inédita en la historia de nuestro sistema educativo mediante esta investigación se ha indagado y descrito el impacto del periodo de confinamiento en el currículo escolar de educación física en Educación Primaria (EP) y Educación Secundaria obligatoria (ES). El instrumento utilizado ha sido un cuestionario realizado en Google Forms mediante la técnica Delphi. La muestra está́ compuesta por 100 docentes de las etapas de Educación Primaria y Educación Secundaria en España, en concreto en la comunidad autónoma Andaluza. Entre las principales conclusiones destacamos que el profesorado ha considerado que los objetivos de salud y los de condición física, fueron los objetivos más trabajados del área. Los docentes consideran que no se consiguieron llevar a cabo los tiempos motrices establecidos, ni la programación, pero si se consiguió que el alumnado realizara una tarea semanal con una implicación de aproximadamente una hora. Se concluyo que el impacto en el aprendizaje fue grande pues no se consiguieron trabajar todos los contenidos y las tareas planteadas no eran evaluables. (AU)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of alarm and home confinement, teaching became virtual in a matter of a few days and teachers had to adapt all their work inexorably. Faced with this totally unprecedented situation in the history of our educational system, this research has been used to investigate and describe the impact of the period of confinement on the school curriculum of physical education in primary and compulsory secondary education. The instrument used was a questionnaire made in Google Forms using the Delphi technique. The sample consisted of 100 teachers of the Primary Education (PE) and Secondary Education (SE) stages in Spain, specifically in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Among the main conclusions we highlight that the teachers considered that the objectives of health and physical condition were the most worked objectives in the area. The teachers consider that they did not manage to carry out the established motor times, nor the programming, but they did get the students to carry out a weekly task with an involvement of approximately one hour. It was concluded that the impact on learning was great because not all the contents were worked on and the tasks set were not evaluable. (AU)

Rare earth elements as statistical sentinels of pollution and paleoenvironments?: Application to a highly polluted estuary in southwestern Spain.

Multivariate analyses have been applied to the REE contents of three cores collected in the Tinto estuary, SW Spain, an extremely polluted area. Results indicate an extremely correlation between all REE, which behave as a single variable. A slight natural pollution peak and three anthropogenic pollution peaks are identified, related with the first mining activities, the Roman period and a recent intensive mining accompanied by a heavy industrial pollution. In all these peaks, the increase of Cu is parallel to that of MREE, which are configured as the best indicators of pollution among REE. Statistical analyses clearly differentiate four groups, each consisting of samples from different environments. Although grain size and this strong pollution alter the study of REE as environmental indicators, it is possible to recognise groups of samples with a common origin or to identify the surface extent of a given pollution peak.

Bioaccumulation/bioconcentration of pharmaceutical active compounds in aquatic organisms: Assessment and factors database.

There is increasing evidence that the presence of certain pharmaceuticals in the environment leads to biota exposure and constitute a potential risk for ecosystems. Bioaccumulation is an essential focus of risk assessment to evaluate at what degree emerging contaminants are a hazard both to the environment and the individuals that inhabit it. The main goals of the present review are 1) to summarize and describe the research and factors that should be taken into account in the evaluation of bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals in aquatic organisms; and 2) to provide a database and a critical review of the bioaccumulation/bioconcentration factors (BAF or BCF) of these compounds in organisms of different trophic levels. Most studies fall into one of two categories: laboratory-scale absorption and purification tests or field studies and, to a lesser extent, large-scale, semi-natural system tests. Although in the last 5 years there has been considerable progress in this field, especially in species of fish and molluscs, research is still limited on other aquatic species like crustaceans or algae. This revision includes >230 bioconcentration factors (BCF) and >530 bioaccumulation factors (BAF), determined for 113 pharmaceuticals. The most commonly studied is the antidepressant group, followed by diclofenac and carbamazepine. There is currently no reported accumulation data on certain compounds, such as anti-cancer drugs. BCFs are highly influenced by experimental factors (notably the exposure level, time or temperature). Field BAFs are superior to laboratory BCFs, highlighting the importance of field studies for reliable assessments and in true environmental conditions. BAF data appears to be organ, species and compound-specific. The potential impact on food web transfer is also considered. Among different aquatic species, lower trophic levels and benthic organisms exhibit relatively higher uptake of these compounds.

An Overview of Analytical Methods to Determine Pharmaceutical Active Compounds in Aquatic Organisms.

There is increasing scientific evidence that some pharmaceuticals are present in the marine ecosystems at concentrations that may cause adverse effects on the organisms that inhabit them. At present, there is still very little scientific literature on the (bio)accumulation of these compounds in different species, let alone on the relationship between the presence of these compounds and the adverse effects they produce. However, attempts have been made to optimize and validate analytical methods for the determination of residues of pharmaceuticals in marine biota by studying the stages of sample treatment, sample clean-up and subsequent analysis. The proposed bibliographic review includes a summary of the most commonly techniques, and its analytical features, proposed to determine pharmaceutical compounds in aquatic organisms at different levels of the trophic chain in the last 10 years.

Improved method for the determination of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in urine of school-age children using microliquid-liquid extraction and UHPLC-MS/MS.

The presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in our daily life is increasing every day and, by extension, human exposure and the consequences thereof. Among these substances are bisphenols and parabens. Urine is used to analyze the exposure. The determination of 12 bisphenol homologues and 6 parabens is proposed. A procedure based on a method previously developed by our research group in 2014 is improved. The extraction yield is higher, because the new protocol is 5 times more efficient. Also, a comparison between calibration with pure standards and matrix calibration, to calculate the matrix effect, was also made. A high grade of matrix effect for all analytes was observed. In terms of validation, the limits of detection (LOD) were between 0.03 and 0.3 ng mL-1 and limits of quantification (LOQ) 0.1 to 1.0 ng mL-1, respectively, and the recovery is higher than 86.4% and lower than 113.6%, with a RSD lower than 13.5% in all cases. A methodology for accurate and sensitive quantification of bisphenol homologues together with parabens in human urine using UHPLC-MS/MS was developed. The method was successfully applied to 30 urine samples from children.

Organophosphorus Pesticides as Modulating Substances of Inflammation through the Cholinergic Pathway.

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are widespread insecticides used for pest control in agricultural activities and the control of the vectors of human and animal diseases. However, OPs' neurotoxic mechanism involves cholinergic components, which, beyond being involved in the transmission of neuronal signals, also influence the activity of cytokines and other pro-inflammatory molecules; thus, acute and chronic exposure to OPs may be related to the development of chronic degenerative pathologies and other inflammatory diseases. The present article reviews and discusses the experimental evidence linking inflammatory process with OP-induced cholinergic dysregulation, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms related to the role of cytokines and cellular alterations in humans and other animal models, and possible therapeutic targets to inhibit inflammation.

Sexual Dimorphism of the Neuroimmunoendocrine Response in the Spleen during a Helminth Infection: A New Role for an Old Player?

The interaction of the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems is crucial in maintaining homeostasis in vertebrates, and vital in mammals. The spleen is a key organ that regulates the neuroimmunoendocrine system. The Taenia crassiceps mouse system is an excellent experimental model to study the complex host-parasite relationship, particularly sex-associated susceptibility to infection. The present study aimed to determine the changes in neurotransmitters, cytokines, sex steroids, and sex-steroid receptors in the spleen of cysticercus-infected male and female mice and whole parasite counts. We found that parasite load was higher in females in comparison to male mice. The levels of the neurotransmitter epinephrine were significantly decreased in infected male animals. The expression of IL-2 and IL-4 in the spleen was markedly increased in infected mice; however, the expression of Interleukin (IL)-10 and interferon (IFN)-γ decreased. We also observed sex-associated differences between non-infected and infected mice. Interestingly, the data show that estradiol levels increased in infected males but decreased in females. Our studies provide evidence that infection leads to changes in neuroimmunoendocrine molecules in the spleen, and these changes are dimorphic and impact the establishment, growth, and reproduction of T. crassiceps. Our findings support the critical role of the neuroimmunoendocrine network in determining sex-associated susceptibility to the helminth parasite.

NeuroImmunoEndocrinology: A brief historic narrative.

Although no precise moment or unique event marks its birth, neuroimmunoendocrinology arguably shares a great deal of history with other medical and biologic disciplines. It originated from empirical observations and suppositions that failed to prevail upon the existing axioms. Despite the widespread resistance to embracing novel ideas, the seeming defeats inspired visionary researchers. Those pioneers managed to systematize the emerging knowledge and were able to contribute to science with real foundations. In consequence, new concepts and ideas arose in physiology, anatomy, endocrinology and early immunology. Together, they gave rise to a budding approach on the integration between the nervous, immune and endocrine systems. Then, neuroimmunoendocrinology emerged as a discipline integrating an intricate system with multidirectional functions and interactions that allow for responding to internal and external threats. Such response is mediated by cytokines, hormones and neurotransmitters, involved in different physiologic mechanisms of the organism homeostasis. Neuroimmunoendocrinology is no longer an area of scientific skepticism; on the contrary, it has cemented its position as a biomedical discipline worldwide for the past 70 years. Now, it offers a better understanding of pathologic processes.

Cysticidal effect of a pure naphthoquinone on Taenia crassiceps cysticerci.

Cysticercosis is a disease caused by the metacestode of the parasite Taenia solium (T. solium). In humans, the most severe complication of the disease is neurocysticercosis. The drug of choice to treat this disease is albendazole; however, the bioavailability and efficacy of the drug are variable. Therefore, new molecules with therapeutic effects against this and other parasitic infections caused by helminths must be developed. Naphthoquinones are naphthalene-derived compounds that possess antibacterial, antifungal, antitumoral, and antiparasitic properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate the in vitro anti-helminthic effect of 2-[(3-chlorophenylamino)phenylmethyl]-3-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, isolated from a natural source and then synthesized (naphthoquinone 4a), using an experimental model of murine cysticercosis caused by Taenia crassiceps (T. crassiceps). This compound causes paralysis in the cysticerci membrane from day 3 of the in vitro treatment. Additionally, it induces changes in the shape, size, and appearance of the cysticerci and a decrease in the reproduction rate. In conclusion, naphthoquinone 4a has in vitro cysticidal activity on T. crassiceps cysticerci depending on the duration of the treatment and the concentration of the compound. Therefore, it is a promising drug candidate to be used in T. crassiceps and possibly T. solium infections.

Analytical methods for the determination of endocrine disrupting chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products: A review.

Personal care products (PCPs) and cosmetics are indispensable product in our daily routine. Their widespread use makes them a potential route of exposure for certain contaminants to which human would not be normally exposed. One of these contaminants includes endocrine disrupting chemicals, molecules capable of mimicking the body's natural hormones and interfering with the endocrine system. Some of them are ingredients included in the product's formulation, such as UV-filters (sunscreens), phthalates (plasticizers and preservatives), synthetic musks (fragrances), parabens and other antimicrobial agents (antimicrobial preservatives). Others are non-intended added substances that may result from the manufacturing process or migration from the plastic packaging, as with bisphenols and perfluorinated compounds. Some of these endocrine disruptors have been restricted or even banned in cosmetics and PCPs given the high risk they pose to health. Thus, the development of fast, sensitive and precise methods for the identification and quantification of these compounds in cosmetics is a substantial need in order to ensure consumer safety and provide insight into the real risk of human exposure. The present work aims at reviewing the more recently developed analytical methods published in the literature for the determination of endocrine disrupting chemicals in cosmetics and PCPs using chromatographic techniques, with a focus on sample treatment and the quality of analytical parameters.

Determination of ultraviolet filters in human nails using an acid sample digestion followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis.

Ultraviolet filters (UV-filters) are specific chemicals that absorb and reflect UVA and UVB radiation from the sun. They are regularly used in sunscreens and in other personal care products (PCPs), and in products like plastics, adhesives, toys, or furniture finishes. This work develops and validates a new method to determine concentrations of UV-filters (BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-6, BP-8, 4-OH-BP, THB, AVB) in human nail samples. Nails are easily available and are considered to be suitable indicators of cumulative and continued exposure to harmful chemicals. The treatment of nail samples includes microwave assisted digestion/extraction (MAE) in a methanolic solution of o-phosphoric acid (0.05 mol L-1) followed by analyte determination using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The analytes were separated in less than 10 min. The digestion procedure was optimized using multivariate techniques. Matrix-matched calibration with a pig hoof matrix was used for validating the method. A study of accuracy with spiked blank samples was also conducted. The calculated detection limits varied between 0.2 and 1.5 ng g-1, and quantification limits between 1.0 and 5.0 ng g-1. The trueness of the method was an estimation of the recovery, which was between 90.2% and 112.2%; with an estimated precision (relative standard deviation, % RSD) lower than 12.3% for all UV-filters. Nail samples were obtained from 22 volunteers (male and female). The results showed that BP-1 and BP-3 mainly bioaccumulate in human nails.

Matrix metalloproteinases deregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons that results in progressive paralysis and muscular atrophy. There are many molecules and genes involved in neuromuscular degeneration in ALS; among these, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs play an important role in the pathology of ALS, and MMP-1, 2, 3, and 9 might serve as disease progression markers. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPS) might also function as progression markers in ALS because they participate in regulating the proteolytic activity of MMPs. Moreover, a diversity of genes also plays a role in the pathogenesis of ALS; most MMPs-coding genes present variants related to the pathological proteolytic activity. This short review, however, will focus on the role of matrix metalloproteinases in ALS.

Serum levels of chemokines in adolescents with major depression treated with fluoxetine.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a global health issue that affects 350 million people of all ages. Although between 2% and 5.6% of affected individuals are adolescents, research on young patients is limited. The inflammatory response contributes to the onset of depression, and in adult MDD patients, symptom severity has been linked to chemokine levels. AIM: To determine the differences in circulatory levels of chemokines in healthy volunteers (HVs) and adolescents with MDD, and assess the changes induced by fluoxetine consume. METHODS: The 22 adolescents with MDD were monitored during the first 8 wk of clinical follow-up and clinical psychiatric evaluation was done using the Hamilton depresión rating scale (HDRS). The serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-1ß, interleukin (IL)-8, interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)-10, and eotaxin were measured in patients and HVs. RESULTS: In all cases, significant differences were detected in circulating chemokine levels between patients before treatment and HVs (P < 0.0001). All chemokines decreased at 4 wk, but only MCP-1 and IL-8 significantly differed (P < 0.05) between 0 wk and 4 wk. In the patients, all chemokines rose to their initial concentrations by 8 wk vs 0 wk, but only IP-10 did so significantly (P < 0.05). All patients experienced a significant decrease in HDRS scores at 4 wk (P < 0.0001) and 8 wk (P < 0.0001) compared with 0 wk. CONCLUSION: Despite the consumption of fluoxetine, patients had significantly higher chemokine levels, even after considering the improvement in HDRS score. The high levels of eotaxin, IP-10, and IL-8 partially explain certain aspects that are affected in MDD such as cognition, memory, and learning.