Nasal TSLP and periostin in infants with severe bronchiolitis and risk of asthma at 4 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Severe bronchiolitis is often associated with subsequent respiratory morbidity, mainly recurrent wheezing and asthma. However, the underlying immune mechanisms remain unclear. The main goal of this study was to investigate the association of nasal detection of periostin and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) during severe bronchiolitis with the development of asthma at 4 years of age. METHODS: Observational, longitudinal, post-bronchiolitis, hospital-based, follow-up study. Children hospitalized for bronchiolitis between October/2013 and July/2017, currently aged 4 years, included in a previous study to investigate the nasal airway secretion of TSLP and periostin during bronchiolitis, were included. Parents were contacted by telephone, and were invited to a clinical interview based on a structured questionnaire to obtain information on the respiratory evolution. The ISAAC questionnaire for asthma symptoms for 6-7-year-old children, was also employed. RESULTS: A total of 248 children were included (median age 4.4 years). The mean age at admission for bronchiolitis was 3.1 (IQR: 1.5-6.5) months. Overall, 21% had ever been diagnosed with asthma and 37% had wheezed in the last 12 months. Measurable nasal TSLP was detected at admission in 27(11%) cases and periostin in 157(63%). The detection of nasal TSLP was associated with the subsequent prescription of maintenance asthma treatment (p = 0.04), montelukast (p = 0.01), and the combination montelukast/inhaled glucocorticosteroids (p = 0.03). Admissions for asthma tended to be more frequent in children with TSLP detection (p = 0.07). In the multivariate analysis, adjusting for potential confounders, the detection of TSLP remained independently associated with chronic asthma treatment prescription (aOR:2.724; CI 1.051-7.063, p:0.04) and with current asthma (aOR:3.41; CI 1.20-9.66, p:0.02). Nasal detection of periostin was associated with lower frequency of ever use of short-acting beta2-agonists (SABA) (p = 0.04), lower prevalence of current asthma (p = 0.02), less prescription of maintenance asthma treatment in the past 12 months (p = 0.02, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, periostin was associated with lower risk of asthma at 4 years, independently of the atopic status (aOR:0.511 CI 95% 0.284-0.918, p:0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show a positive correlation between nasal TSLP detection in severe bronchiolitis and the presence of current asthma, prescription of asthma maintenance treatment and respiratory admissions up to the age of 4 years. By contrast, we found a protective association between nasal periostin detection and current asthma at 4 years, ever diagnosis of asthma, maintenance asthma treatment prescription, and respiratory admissions.

Effect of environmental variance-based resilience selection on the gut metabolome of rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Gut metabolites are key actors in host-microbiota crosstalk with effect on health. The study of the gut metabolome is an emerging topic in livestock, which can help understand its effect on key traits such as animal resilience and welfare. Animal resilience has now become a major trait of interest because of the high demand for more sustainable production. Composition of the gut microbiome can reveal mechanisms that underlie animal resilience because of its influence on host immunity. Environmental variance (VE), specifically the residual variance, is one measure of resilience. The aim of this study was to identify gut metabolites that underlie differences in the resilience potential of animals originating from a divergent selection for VE of litter size (LS). We performed an untargeted gut metabolome analysis in two divergent rabbit populations for low (n = 13) and high (n = 13) VE of LS. Partial least square-discriminant analysis was undertaken, and Bayesian statistics were computed to determine dissimilarities in the gut metabolites between these two rabbit populations. RESULTS: We identified 15 metabolites that discriminate rabbits from the divergent populations with a prediction performance of 99.2% and 90.4% for the resilient and non-resilient populations, respectively. These metabolites were suggested to be biomarkers of animal resilience as they were the most reliable. Among these, five that derived from the microbiota metabolism (3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)lactate, 5-aminovalerate, and equol, N6-acetyllysine, and serine), were suggested to be indicators of dissimilarities in the microbiome composition between the rabbit populations. The abundances of acylcarnitines and metabolites derived from the phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan metabolism were low in the resilient population and these pathways can, therefore impact the inflammatory response and health status of animals. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to identify gut metabolites that could act as potential resilience biomarkers. The results support differences in resilience between the two studied rabbit populations that were generated by selection for VE of LS. Furthermore, selection for VE of LS modified the gut metabolome, which could be another factor that modulates animal resilience. Further studies are needed to determine the causal role of these metabolites in health and disease.

Genomic characterisation of respiratory syncytial virus: a novel system for whole genome sequencing and full-length G and F gene sequences.

To advance our understanding of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) impact through genomic surveillance, we describe two PCR-based sequencing systems, (i) RSVAB-WGS for generic whole-genome sequencing and (ii) RSVAB-GF, which targets major viral antigens, G and F, and is used as a complement for challenging cases with low viral load. These methods monitor RSV genetic diversity to inform molecular epidemiology, vaccine effectiveness and treatment strategies, contributing also to the standardisation of surveillance in a new era of vaccines.

Dynamics of Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction and Serologic Test Results in Children with SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the time to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) negativity after the first positive RT-PCR test, factors associated with longer time to RT-PCR negativity, proportion of children seroconverting after proven severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, and factors associated with the lack of seroconversion. STUDY DESIGN: The Epidemiological Study of Coronavirus in Children of the Spanish Society of Pediatrics is a multicenter study conducted in Spanish children to assess the characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019. In a subset of patients, 3 serial RT-PCR tests on nasopharyngeal swab specimens were performed after the first RT-PCR test, and immunoglobulin G serology for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies was performed in the acute and follow-up (<14 and ≥14 days after diagnosis) phase. RESULTS: In total, 324 patients were included in the study. The median time to RT-PCR negativity was 17 days (IQR, 8-29 days), and 35% of patients remained positive more than 4 weeks after the first RT-PCR test. The probability of RT-PCR negativity did not differ across groups defined by sex, disease severity, immunosuppressive drugs, or clinical phenotype. Globally, 24% of children failed to seroconvert after infection. Seroconversion was associated with hospitalization, persistence of RT-PCR positivity, and days of fever. CONCLUSIONS: Time to RT-PCR negativity was long, regardless of the severity of symptoms or other patient features. This finding should be considered when interpreting RT-PCR results in a child with symptoms, especially those with mild symptoms. Seroprevalence and postimmunization studies should consider that 11 in 4 infected children fail to seroconvert.

Clinical spectrum of COVID-19 and risk factors associated with severity in Spanish children.

We aimed to identify the spectrum of disease in children with COVID-19, and the risk factors for admission in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs). We conducted a multicentre, prospective study of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection in 76 Spanish hospitals. We included children with COVID-19 or multi-inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) younger than 18 years old, attended during the first year of the pandemic. We enrolled 1200 children. A total of 666 (55.5%) were hospitalised, and 123 (18.4%) required admission to PICU. Most frequent major clinical syndromes in the cohort were mild syndrome (including upper respiratory tract infection and flu-like syndrome, skin or mucosae problems and asymptomatic), 44.8%; bronchopulmonary syndrome (including pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma flare), 18.5%; fever without a source, 16.2%; MIS-C, 10.6%; and gastrointestinal syndrome, 10%. In hospitalised children, the proportions were 28.5%, 25.7%, 16.5%, 19.1% and 10.2%, respectively. Risk factors associated with PICU admission were age in months (OR: 1.007; 95% CI 1.004 to 1.01), MIS-C (OR: 14.4, 95% CI 8.9 to 23.8), chronic cardiac disease (OR: 4.8, 95% CI 1.8 to 13), asthma or recurrent wheezing (OR: 2.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 5.2) and after excluding MIS-C patients, moderate/severe liver disease (OR: 8.6, 95% CI 1.6 to 47.6). However, asthmatic children were admitted into the PICU due to MIS-C or pneumonia, not due to asthma flare.Conclusion: Hospitalised children with COVID-19 usually present as one of five major clinical phenotypes of decreasing severity. Risk factors for PICU include MIS-C, elevation of inflammation biomarkers, asthma, moderate or severe liver disease and cardiac disease. What is Known: • All studies suggest that children are less susceptible to serious SARS-CoV-2 infection when compared to adults. Most studies describe symptoms at presentation. However, it remains unclear how these symptoms group together into clinically identifiable syndromes and the severity associated with them. What is New: • We have gathered the primary diagnoses into five major syndromes of decreasing severity: MIS-C, bronchopulmonary syndrome, gastrointestinal syndrome, fever without a source and mild syndrome. Classification of the children in one of the syndromes is unique and helps to assess the risk of critical illness and to define the spectrum of the disease instead of just describing symptoms and signs.

Bronchiolitis and recurrent wheezing are distinguished by type 2 innate lymphoid cells and immune response.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent wheezing (RW) is frequently developed in infants that have suffered bronchiolitis (BCH) during first months of life, but the immune mechanism underlying is not clear. The goal was to analyze the innate immune response that characterizes BCH and RW. METHODS: Ninety-eight and seventy hospitalized infants with BCH or RW diagnosis, respectively, were included. Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) was processed. Cellular pellet was employed to evaluate type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) by flow cytometry and mRNA expression assays by semi-quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In supernatant, twenty-seven pro-inflammatory and immunomodulatory factors, as well as lipid mediators and nitrites, were evaluated by ELISA and Luminex. RESULTS: Bronchiolitis patients showed higher ILC2 percentage compared with RW (P < .05). Also, ST2+ /ILC2 percentage was higher in the BCH group than in the RW group (P < .01). TLR3, IL33, IFNG, IL10, and FLG mRNA levels were significantly increased in BCH vs RW (P < .05). In supernatant, no significant differences were reached, observing similar levels of parameters linked to vascular damage, monocyte activation, and fibroblast growth. Prostaglandin E2 and cysteinyl leukotrienes C4 were evaluated; a significant difference was only found in their ratio. CONCLUSION: Bronchiolitis is associated with elevated nasal percentage of ILC2. This cellular population could be the key element in the differential immune response between BCH and RW which share some mechanisms such us monocyte activation, vascular damage, and fibroblast repair. Lipid mediators could play a role in the evolution of the disease later in life through innate lymphoid cells.

Selection for environmental variance of litter size in rabbits involves genes in pathways controlling animal resilience.

BACKGROUND: Environmental variance (VE) is partially under genetic control, which means that the VE of individuals that share the same environment can differ because they have different genotypes. Previously, a divergent selection experiment for VE of litter size (LS) during 13 generations in rabbit yielded a successful response and revealed differences in resilience between the divergent lines. The aim of the current study was to identify signatures of selection in these divergent lines to better understand the molecular mechanisms and pathways that control VE of LS and animal resilience. Three methods (FST, ROH and varLD) were used to identify signatures of selection in a set of 473 genotypes from these rabbit lines (377) and a base population (96). A whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis was performed on 54 animals to detect genes with functional mutations. RESULTS: By combining signatures of selection and WGS data, we detected 373 genes with functional mutations in their transcription units, among which 111 had functions related to the immune system, stress response, reproduction and embryo development, and/or carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The genes TTC23L, FBXL20, GHDC, ENSOCUG00000031631, SLC18A1, CD300LG, MC2R, and ENSOCUG00000006264 were particularly relevant, since each one carried a functional mutation that was fixed in one of the rabbit lines and absent in the other line. In the 3'UTR region of the MC2R and ENSOCUG00000006264 genes, we detected a novel insertion/deletion (INDEL) variant. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide further evidence in favour of VE as a measure of animal resilience. Signatures of selection were identified for VE of LS in genes that have a functional mutation in their transcription units and are mostly implicated in the immune response and stress response pathways. However, the real implications of these genes for VE and animal resilience will need to be assessed through functional analyses.

Immune recovery following bronchiolitis is linked to a drop in cytokine and LTC4 levels.

BACKGROUND: Bronchiolitis is the main cause of hospitalization of children younger than 1 year; however, the immune mechanism of bronchiolitis is not completely understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the recovery of immune response after a bronchiolitis episode. METHODS: Forty-nine infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis diagnosis were enrolled. Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) were processed. Twenty-seven pro-inflammatory biomarkers linked to innate immunity, inflammation, and epithelial damage, as well as nitrites and lipid mediators, were evaluated in the NPA supernatant by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and Luminex. Also, 11 genes were analyzed in NPA cells by quantitative PCR. RESULTS: A widespread statistically significant decline of multiple pro-inflammatory parameters and cytokines were detected in the recovery period after respiratory infection: interferon-α2 (IFNα2), IFNγ, interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-1ß, IL-8, IFN-γ-inducible protein-10, vascular endothelial growth factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), and MIP-1ß. Supporting these results, a decreased nuclear factor-κB gene expression was observed (P = 0.0116). A significant diminution of cysteinyl leukotriene C4 (LTC4) soluble levels (P = 0.0319) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression were observed in the recovery sample. In children classified by post-bronchiolitis wheezing, LTC4 remains elevated in the NPA supernatant. CONCLUSIONS: After bronchiolitis, cytokines and biomarkers linked to innate immune response in NPA decrease significantly in the recovery period accompanied by a drop in LTC4 levels; however, this reduction was lower in infants with post-bronchiolitis wheezing.

Identification of functional mutations associated with environmental variance of litter size in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Environmental variance (VE) is partly under genetic control and has recently been proposed as a measure of resilience. Unravelling the genetic background of the VE of complex traits could help to improve resilience of livestock and stabilize their production across farming systems. The objective of this study was to identify genes and functional mutations associated with variation in VE of litter size (LS) in rabbits. To achieve this, we combined the results of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis using data from two divergently selected rabbit lines for high and low VE of LS. These lines differ in terms of biomarkers of immune response and mortality. Moreover, rabbits with a lower VE of LS were found to be more resilient to infections than animals with a higher VE of LS. RESULTS: By using two GWAS approaches (single-marker regression and Bayesian multiple-marker regression), we identified four genomic regions associated with VE of LS, on chromosomes 3, 7, 10, and 14. We detected 38 genes in the associated genomic regions and, using WGS, we identified 129 variants in the splicing, UTR, and coding (missense and frameshift effects) regions of 16 of these 38 genes. These genes were related to the immune system, the development of sensory structures, and stress responses. All of these variants (except one) segregated in one of the rabbit lines and were absent (n = 91) or fixed in the other one (n = 37). The fixed variants were in the HDAC9, ITGB8, MIS18A, ENSOCUG00000021276 and URB1 genes. We also identified a 1-bp deletion in the 3'UTR region of the HUNK gene that was fixed in the low VE line and absent in the high VE line. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that combines GWAS and WGS analyses to study the genetic basis of VE. The new candidate genes and functional mutations identified in this study suggest that the VE of LS is under the control of functions related to the immune system, stress response, and the nervous system. These findings could also explain differences in resilience between rabbits with homogeneous and heterogeneous VE of litter size.

Selection for environmental variance of litter size in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the genetic determination of environmental variance. In the case of litter size, environmental variance can be related to the capacity of animals to adapt to new environmental conditions, which can improve animal welfare. RESULTS: We developed a ten-generation divergent selection experiment on environmental variance. We selected one line of rabbits for litter size homogeneity and one line for litter size heterogeneity by measuring intra-doe phenotypic variance. We proved that environmental variance of litter size is genetically determined and can be modified by selection. Response to selection was 4.5% of the original environmental variance per generation. Litter size was consistently higher in the Low line than in the High line during the entire experiment. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that environmental variance of litter size is genetically determined based on the results of our divergent selection experiment. This has implications for animal welfare, since animals that cope better with their environment have better welfare than more sensitive animals. We also conclude that selection for reduced environmental variance of litter size does not depress litter size.

Infections and coinfections by respiratory human bocavirus during eight seasons in hospitalized children.

The human bocavirus (hBoV) has been identified in respiratory infections in children in a large number of studies. Despite this, the pathogenic role of the HBoV is under discussion. The main objectives of the study were: to determine the incidence of HBoV in hospitalized children; to describe the main clinical features of the positive children; and to compare the data with those from other viral infections in the same population. A prospective study was performed between 2005 and 2013 including children up to 14-year old with respiratory infection admitted to the Severo Ochoa Hospital (Spain). Nasopharyngeal aspirates were taken from 3,275 patients and were tested for HBoV and other 15 respiratory viruses by RT-nested PCR. HBoV was detected in 319 patients (9.9%); 80 cases as a single pathogen, and 239 cases (75%) as coinfections with other viruses. The HBoV was the fourth most common virus detected, behind respiratory syncytial virus (39.8%), rhinovirus (30.6%), and adenovirus (15%). The most common clinical diagnosis, in cases that HBoV was detected as a single pathogen was asthma exacerbation followed by pneumonia. A seasonal distribution was shown, with higher positivity rates in December and January. Children affected by HBoV were older than children infected by other viruses. Differences in terms of clinical diagnosis were found, bronchiolitis diagnosis was lower compared with the other viruses, and HBoV was associated with diagnosis of pneumonia, with increased use of antibiotics (41.8%), and radiographic infiltrates (47%). These findings could suggest a pathogenic role of HBoV in respiratory infections in children under 14 years of age. J. Med. Virol. 88:2052-2058, 2016. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Respiratory, cardio-metabolic and neurodevelopmental long-term outcomes of moderate to late preterm birth: not just a near term-population. A follow-up study.

Introduction: Moderate-to-late preterm infants constitute the majority within the preterm infant population. Most research on preterm infants has focused on very preterm children, often treating moderate-to-late preterm infants as similar to full-term infants. Our objective was to compare clinical, respiratory, cardio-metabolic and neurodevelopmental outcomes in adolescents aged 12-15 years born moderate and late preterm with a control group of the same age born full-term. Methods: Observational cross-sectional study, comparing moderate-to-late preterm (32-36+6 weeks' gestational age) with full-term adolescents (37-41+6 weeks' gestational age; 75 each group). Perinatal and neonatal history were collected as well as data on respiratory evolution (ISAAC questionnaire for asthma symptoms for adolescents 13-14 years), anthropometric values, learning difficulties, behavioral test (screening questionnaire for high-performance autism spectrum disorder and evaluation test for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), skin prick test, pulmonary function test, echocardiogram and blood pressure. A blood test with metabolic profile was conducted. Results: Moderate-to-late preterm adolescents had more current asthma [p = 0.008, OR3 (95% CI 1.26-7.14)] and longer duration of combined treatments to control asthma (inhaled corticosteroids and anti-leukotrienes; p = 0.048). Forced vital capacity <80% was detected more often in moderate-to-late preterm patients (p = 0.013). When assessing right ventricle, moderate-to-late preterm adolescents showed better tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion z-score (p = 0.003), shortening fraction (p < 0.001) and E/A ratio z-score (p = 0.002). Regarding left ventricular assessment, moderate-to-late preterm group had smaller ventricle diastolic diameter (p = 0.04) and lower posterior wall z-score values (p = 0.037). They also showed a better S'wave z-score (p = 0.027), E wave (p = 0.005), E/A ratio (p = 0.003) and a higher septal myocardial performance index z-score (p = 0.025). Moderate-to-late preterm adolescents presented lower weight z-score (p = 0.039), body mass index z-score (p = 0.013), Waterlow weight index (p = 0.006) and higher undernutrition index [p = 0.04; OR 1.4 (95% CI 1-1.9)]. Although there were no differences in neurodevelopmental survey or behavioral tests. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of extended follow-up for this predominant group of premature infants to identify potential respiratory, cardiac and anthropometric issues that may emerge in the future.

Gut and respiratory tract microbiota in children younger than 12 months hospitalized for bronchiolitis compared with healthy children: can we predict the severity and medium-term respiratory outcome?

Growing evidence indicates that gut and respiratory microbiota have a potential key effect on bronchiolitis, mainly caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This was a prospective study of 96 infants comparing infants with bronchiolitis (n = 57, both RSV and non-RSV associated) to a control group (n = 39). Gut (feces) and respiratory [nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA)] microbial profiles were analyzed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and respiratory viruses were identified by PCR. Clinical data of the acute episode and follow-up during the first year after infection were recorded. Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences in the gut (R2 = 0.0639, P = 0.006) and NPA (R2 = 0.0803, P = 0.006) microbiota between cases and controls. A significantly lower gut microbial richness and an increase in the NPA microbial diversity (mainly due to an increase in Haemophilus, Streptococcus, and Neisseria) were observed in the infants with bronchiolitis, in those with the most severe symptoms, and in those who subsequently developed recurrent wheezing episodes after discharge. In NPA, the higher microbial richness differed significantly between the control group and the non-RSV bronchiolitis group (P = 0.01) and between the control group and the RSV bronchiolitis group (P = 0.001). In the gut, the richness differed significantly between the control group and the non-RSV group (P = 0.01) and between the control group and the RSV bronchiolitis group (P = 0.001), with higher diversity in the RSV group. A distinct respiratory and intestinal microbial pattern was observed in infants with bronchiolitis compared with controls. The presence of RSV was a main factor for dysbiosis. Lower gut microbial richness and increased respiratory microbial diversity were associated with respiratory morbidity during follow-up. IMPORTANCE: Both the intestinal and respiratory microbiota of children with bronchiolitis, especially those with respiratory syncytial virus infection, are altered and differ from that of healthy children. The microbiota pattern in the acute episode could identify those children who will later have other respiratory episodes in the first year of life. Preventive measures could be adopted for this group of infants.

Reduced joint assessment vs comprehensive assessment for ultrasound detection of synovitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To propose a reduced joint power Doppler US (PDUS) assessment and provide preliminary evidence of its validity, feasibility, reliability and sensitivity to change compared with a comprehensive (i.e. 44 joints) PDUS assessment in evaluating synovitis in JIA. METHODS: This multicentre study included 42 children with active JIA with ≥4 clinically involved joints requiring modified therapy. At each visit, clinical and PDUS assessments were performed blinded. Each joint was scored for greyscale (GS) synovitis and power Doppler signal according to a 4-point semiquantitative scale with calculation of US composite indices and US composite joint counts. A process of data reduction based on the frequency of US joint involvement was performed to obtain a reduced PDUS assessment. The relationship between the comprehensive and the reduced PDUS assessments was investigated by Spearman's coefficient at all visits, as well as the relationship between changes in the two PDUS assessments during follow-up. In addition, the metric properties of the comprehensive and the reduced PDUS assessments were tested. RESULTS: The 10-joint PDUS assessment, including bilateral knee, ankle, wrist, elbow and the second MCP joints, detected 100% of children with GS synovitis and power Doppler signal. The two PDUS assessments were highly correlated at all visits. The reduced model had a higher responsiveness than the comprehensive model. Intraobserver and interobserver agreement was good for both US findings. CONCLUSION: The 10-joint PDUS assessment is valid and feasible for assessment of synovitis in JIA in clinical practice.

Changes in Body Reserves, Non-Esterified Fatty Acids, and Leptin during the Reproductive Lifespan of the Rabbit Female.

The aim of this work is to study changes in body weight, perirenal fat thickness (PFT), and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and leptin concentrations throughout the reproductive life of the rabbit female and their correlations when a semi-intensive reproductive rhythm is applied. A total of 46 lactating females were used. Body weight, PFT, and NEFA and leptin concentration were recorded at 12 weeks of age, at first mating and delivery, and at second, third, and fourth mating, 12th d of gestation, and delivery. The highest body weight was detected on the 12th d of any gestation, around 4280 g, and the lowest weight was at delivery, around 4030 g. PFT increased until third mating. NEFA and leptin concentration showed a cyclical pattern throughout the reproductive lifespan of the females. NEFAs presented the highest concentration at delivery within each reproductive cycle and levels decreased over the course of the deliveries (0.423 mmol/L at first delivery, 0.406 mmol/L at second delivery, 0.371 mmol/L at third delivery, and 0.309 mmol/L at fourth delivery). Similar NEFA concentrations at mating and on the 12th d of gestation were obtained. Leptin showed the highest concentrations at mating within each reproductive cycle. Leptin decreased between mating and delivery in all reproductive cycles and it was close to 1 ng/mL HE. Low or null correlations were shown between body weight, PFT, and NEFA and leptin concentration at mating, 12th d of gestation, and delivery. In conclusion, females are able to maintain a semi-intensive reproductive rhythm across four parities weighing around 4 kg from first mating. Females had an increased perirenal fat thickness until third delivery, and their NEFA concentration was maximum at delivery and leptin concentration was maximum at mating. Body weight, PFT, and NEFA and leptin concentration should be measured during critical moments of reproductive life in order to determine body condition and energy mobilization, due to their low or null correlations.

Selection for environmental variance shifted the gut microbiome composition driving animal resilience.

BACKGROUND: Understanding how the host's microbiome shapes phenotypes and participates in the host response to selection is fundamental for evolutionists and animal and plant breeders. Currently, selection for resilience is considered a critical step in improving the sustainability of livestock systems. Environmental variance (V E), the within-individual variance of a trait, has been successfully used as a proxy for animal resilience. Selection for reduced V E could effectively shift gut microbiome composition; reshape the inflammatory response, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels; and drive animal resilience. This study aimed to determine the gut microbiome composition underlying the V E of litter size (LS), for which we performed a metagenomic analysis in two rabbit populations divergently selected for low (n = 36) and high (n = 34) V E of LS. Partial least square-discriminant analysis and alpha- and beta-diversity were computed to determine the differences in gut microbiome composition among the rabbit populations. RESULTS: We identified 116 KEGG IDs, 164 COG IDs, and 32 species with differences in abundance between the two rabbit populations studied. These variables achieved a classification performance of the V E rabbit populations of over than 80%. Compared to the high V E population, the low V E (resilient) population was characterized by an underrepresentation of Megasphaera sp., Acetatifactor muris, Bacteroidetes rodentium, Ruminococcus bromii, Bacteroidetes togonis, and Eggerthella sp. and greater abundances of Alistipes shahii, Alistipes putredinis, Odoribacter splanchnicus, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, and Sutterella, among others. Differences in abundance were also found in pathways related to biofilm formation, quorum sensing, glutamate, and amino acid aromatic metabolism. All these results suggest differences in gut immunity modulation, closely related to resilience. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to show that selection for V E of LS can shift the gut microbiome composition. The results revealed differences in microbiome composition related to gut immunity modulation, which could contribute to the differences in resilience among rabbit populations. The selection-driven shifts in gut microbiome composition should make a substantial contribution to the remarkable genetic response observed in the V E rabbit populations. Video Abstract.

Antibiotic Utilization in Hospitalized Children with Bronchiolitis: A Prospective Study Investigating Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics at a Secondary Hospital in Madrid (2004-2022).

Bronchiolitis is a viral respiratory infection, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being the most frequent agent, requiring hospitalization in 1% of affected children. However, there continues to be a noteworthy incidence of antibiotic prescription in this setting, further exacerbating the global issue of antibiotic resistance. This study, conducted at Severo Ochoa Hospital in Madrid, Spain, focused on antibiotic usage in children under 2 years of age who were hospitalized for bronchiolitis between 2004 and 2022. In that time, 5438 children were admitted with acute respiratory infection, and 1715 infants (31.5%) with acute bronchiolitis were included. In total, 1470 (87%) had a positive viral identification (66% RSV, 32% HRV). Initially, antibiotics were prescribed to 13.4% of infants, but this percentage decreased to 7% during the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to adherence to guidelines and the implementation of rapid and precise viral diagnostic methods in the hospital. HBoV- and HAdV-infected children and those with viral coinfections were more likely to receive antibiotics in the univariate analysis. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a statistically independent association between antibiotic prescription and fever > 38 °C (p < 0.001), abnormal chest-X ray (p < 0.001), ICU admission (p = 0.015), and serum CRP (p < 0.001). In conclusion, following guidelines and the availability of rapid and reliable viral diagnostic methods dramatically reduces the unnecessary use of antibiotics in infants with severe bronchiolitis.

Lung function, allergic sensitization and asthma in school-aged children after viral-coinfection bronchiolitis.

Our main objective was to compare the lung function, the rate of allergic sensitization and the prevalence of asthma at 7-9 years in children hospitalized for bronchiolitis with viral coinfection versus single viral infection. Observational study in children with previous bronchiolitis and current age 7-9 years. Clinical data were collected. Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) determination, spirometry and skin prick test for common aeroallergens were performed. A total of 181 children hospitalized for bronchiolitis (40 coinfections and 141 single infections), with median age of 8.3 years (IQR:7.5-9.1) were included. Single-HRV-infections showed lower basal FEV1(%) than coinfections (p = 0.04) and lower z-score FEV1 than single-RSV-infections (p = 0.04) or coinfections (p = 0.02). Also, single-HRV-infections had lower post-bronchodilator FEV1(%) and z-score FEV1 values than coinfections (p = 0.03 and p = 0.03). Single-HRV-bronchiolitis was an independent risk factor for FEV1 < 80% (p = 0.007). FeNO value > 25 ppb was detected in 21(12.5%) cases, without differences between viral groups (p = 0.768). The prevalence of allergic sensitization was similar in coinfections (31.4%) versus single infections (38.7%), (p = 0.428). The highest frequency of allergic rhinitis was observed in single-HRV patients (p = 0.004). The respiratory morbidity at 7-9 years of coinfected patients was similar to the single-HRV ones. In contrast, the likelihood of current asthma was up to 5 times higher in RSV/HRV coinfections than in the single-RSV-infections ones (p = 0.012). The respiratory morbidity at 7-9 years of age after severe bronchiolitis is significantly higher in single-HRV or viral coinfection patients that in single-RSV ones. Single-HRV-bronchiolitis is independently associated with lower lung function at school-age.

Reduced miR-146a-5p Is a Biomarker of Infant Respiratory Diseases Contributing to Immune Dysregulation in Small Airway Epithelial Cells.

Respiratory diseases such as bronchiolitis, and those with wheezing episodes, are highly important during infancy due to their potential chronicity. Immune response dysregulation is critical in perpetuating lung damage. Epigenetic modifications including microRNA (miRNA) post-transcriptional regulation are among the factors involved in alleviating inflammation. We evaluated the expression of miR-146a-5p, a previously described negative regulator of immunity, in infants with respiratory diseases, in order to study epigenetic regulation of the immune response. Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) was obtained from infants with bronchiolitis (ongoing and post-disease) or with wheezing episodes in addition to healthy controls. Virus presence was determined by nested PCR, while miRNA and gene expression were studied in cells from NPAs using qPCR. Healthy small airway epithelial cells (SAECs) were used as an in vitro model. We observe a reduction in miR-146a-5p expression in infants with either of the two diseases compared to controls, suggesting the potential of this miRNA as a disease biomarker. Post-bronchiolitis, miR-146a-5p expression increases, though without reaching levels of healthy controls. MiR-146a-5p expression correlates inversely with the immune-related gene PTGS2, while its expression correlates directly with TSLP. When heathy donor SAECs are stimulated by poly:IC, we observe an increase in miR-146a-5p, with wounds having a synergistic effect. In conclusion, infants with respiratory diseases present reduced miR-146a-5p expression, possibly affecting immune dysregulation.

Filaggrin and cytokines in respiratory samples of preterm infants at risk for respiratory viral infection.

Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are frequent in preterm infants possibly inducing long-term impact on respiratory morbidity. Immune response and respiratory barriers are key defense elements against viral insults in premature infants admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Our main goals were to describe the local immune response in respiratory secretions of preterm infants with RVIs during NICU admission and to evaluate the expression and synthesis of lung barrier regulators, both in respiratory samples and in vitro models. Samples from preterm infants that went on to develop RVIs had lower filaggrin gene and protein levels at a cellular level were compared to never-infected neonates (controls). Filaggrin, MIP-1α/CCL3 and MCP-1 levels were higher in pre-infection supernatants compared to controls. Filaggrin, HIF-1α, VEGF, RANTES/CCL5, IL-17A, IL-1ß, MIP-1α and MIP-1ß/CCL5 levels were higher during and after infection. ROC curve and logistic regression analysis shows that these molecules could be used as infection risk biomarkers. Small airway epithelial cells stimulated by poly:IC presented reduced filaggrin gene expression and increased levels in supernatant. We conclude that filaggrin gene and protein dysregulation is a risk factor of RVI in newborns admitted at the NICU.