miRNome profiling of extracellular vesicles in severe COVID-19 patients and identification of predictors of mortality.

BACKGROUND: Extracellular vesicles (EVs), containing microRNAs (miRNAs) and other molecules, play a central role in intercellular communication, especially in viral infections caused by SARS-CoV-2. This study explores the miRNA profiles in plasma-derived EVs from severe COVID-19 patients referred to controls, identifying potential mortality miRNA predictors. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out, including 36 severe COVID-19 patients and 33 non-COVID-19 controls. EVs-derived miRNAs were sequenced, and bioinformatics and differential expression analysis between groups were performed. The plasma miRNA profile of an additional cohort of severe COVID-19 patients (n=32) and non-COVID-19 controls (n=12) was used to compare with our data. Survival analysis was used to identify potential mortality predictors among the SDE miRNAs in EVs. RESULTS: Severe COVID-19 patients showed 50 significantly differentially expressed (SDE) miRNAs in plasma-derived EVs. These miRNAs were associated with pathways related to inflammation and cell adhesion. Fifteen of these plasma-derived EVs miRNAs were also SDE in the plasma of severe patients vs controls. Two miRNAs, hsa-miR-1469 and hsa-miR-6124, were identified as strong mortality predictors with an área under the ROC Curve (AUC) of 0.938. CONCLUSION: : This research provides insights into the role of miRNAs found within EVs in severe COVID-19 and their potential as clinical biomarkers for mortality.

Anthelmintic activity of three selected ethnobotanical plant extracts against Strongyloides venezuelensis.

The agropastoral farmers have employed Turraea vogelii(TVL),Senna podocarpa(SPL), and Jaundea pinnata (JPL) leaves for treating various diseases, including intestinal parasites in livestock and the human population in Nigeria. Gastrointestinal nematodes are highly significant to livestock production and people's health, and natural products are interesting as sources of new drugs. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of extracts derived from these plants in treating parasitic infections using third-stage infective larvae (L3) of Strongyloides venezuelensis. We obtained crude extracts using n-gexane (Hex), ethyl acetate (Ea), and methanol (Met). The extracts were analyzed for their phytochemical composition, and their ability to prevent hemolysis were tested. The mean concentrations of total phenols in SPL Hex, SPL Ea, and SPL Met were 92.3 ± 0.3, 103.0 ± 0.4, and 128.2 ± 0.5 mg/100 g, respectively. Total tannin concentrations for JPL Ea, SPL Ea, SPL Hex, and TVL Hex were 60.3 ± 0.1, 89.2 ± 0.2, 80.0 ± 0.1, and 66.6 ± 0.3 mg/100 g, respectively. The mean lethal concentration (LC50) at 72 h for JPL Ea 39 (26-61) µg/mL. SPL Ea was 39 (34-45) µg/mL, and TVL Hex 31 (26-36) µg/mL. The antiparasitic activities of the extracts against L3 were dose- and time-dependent. All the extracts were slightly hemolytic to the erythrocytes. In this study, the plant extract tested demonstrated significant anti-S. venezuelensis activity. These phytobotanical extracts could be used to create formulations for the potential treatment of helminthiasis in animals and humans.

La percepción del habla durante el primer año de vida / Speech Perception in the First Year of Life

La adquisición del lenguaje implica una serie de habilidades complejas que evolucionan y se correlacionan haciendo que quien aprende por primera vez a hablar -o a expresarse mediante el lenguaje de señas- alcance los mejores resultados con el mínimo esfuerzo, siempre y cuando lo haga en el lapso de tiempo adecuado. En este sentido, se ha propuesto que la percepción temprana del habla tiene un papel primordial en la adquisición del lenguaje. En este artículo se presentan los resultados de las investigaciones más relevantes sobre la discriminación de clases y tipos de palabras, la discriminación prosódica e interidiomática, la discriminación fonológica y fonotáctica y el reconocimiento de regularidades de distribución entre los elementos de la señal del habla, con el fin de brindar un panorama del conocimiento científico actual sobre las capacidades de los menores de un año para percibir el lenguaje hablado.

Language acquisition involves a number of complex skills that evolve in correlation with each other, thus making it possible for learners of their first spoken language -or sign language- to achieve the best results with minimal effort, as long as they do so within the appropriate period of time. In this regard, it is proposed that early speech perception has a primary role in language acquisition. In order to provide an overview of the current scientific knowledge as to the capabilities of children under the age of one to perceive spoken language, this paper presents the results of the most relevant research on discrimination of classes and types of words, interidiomatic and prosodic discrimination, phonological and phonotactic discrimination, as well as recognition of distributional regularities amongst the elements of the speech signal.

Métodos experimentales de estudio de la percepción temprana del habla / Métodos experimentais de estudo da percepção precoce da fala / Experimental study techniques for the early speech perception

El estudio de la percepción temprana del habla surgió a comienzos de la década de los setenta, pero solo se desarrolló plenamente diez años después, debido a la aparición y adaptación de nuevos métodos empíricos y herramientas tecnológicas. En este artículo se presenta una revisión de los métodos experimentales que pueden ser utilizados para el estudio de la percepción del habla en niños menores de un año. También se refieren algunas de las conclusiones teóricas más relevantes que se han alcanzado gracias a su aplicación. Se pretende brindar un panorama delestado metodológico y teórico del estudio de la percepción del lenguaje hablado durante el primer año de vida...

The early speech perception began to be studied at the beginning of the 1970s, but only developed fully ten years later due to the appearance and adaptation of new empirical methods and technological tools. The article reviews the experimental methods that can be used to study early speech perception in children under the age of one, and discusses some of the most relevant theoretical conclusions reached thanks to their application. The objective is to provide an overview of the methodological and theoreticalsituation of the study of speech perception during the first year of life...

O estudo da percepção precoce da fala surgiu no começo da década de 1970, mas só se desenvolveu plenamente dez anos depois, devido ao aparecimento e adaptação de novos métodos empíricos e ferramentas tecnológicas. Neste artigo, apresenta-se uma revisão dos métodos experimentais que podem ser utilizados para o estudo da percepção da fala em crianças menores de um ano. Também se referem algumas das conclusões teóricas mais relevantes que se alcançaram graças à sua aplicação. Pretende-se oferecer um panorama do estado metodológico e teórico do estudo da percepção da linguagem falada durante o primeiro ano de vida...