Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of thiazolidine-2,4-dione and 4-thioxo-thiazolidin-2-one derivatives against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates.

AIMS: Antimicrobial resistance is one of the highest priorities in global public health with Staphylococcus aureus among the most important microorganisms due to its rapidly evolving antimicrobial resistance. Despite all the efforts of antimicrobial stewardship, research and development of new antimicrobials are still imperative. The thiazolidine ring is considered a privileged structure for the development of new antimicrobials. This study aimed to compare the antibacterial effects of two analogue series of thiazolidine-2,4-dione and 4-thioxo-thiazolidin-2-one against multidrug-resistant Staph. aureus clinical isolates. METHODS AND RESULTS: The derivatives 1a, 2a and 2b exhibited MIC between 1-32 µg ml-1 , with time-to-kill curves showing a bactericidal effect up to 24 h. In the antibiofilm assay, the most active derivatives were able to inhibit about 90% of biofilm formation. The 4-thioxo-thiazolidine-2-one derivatives were more active against planktonic cells, while the thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives were able to disrupt about 50% of the preformed biofilm. In the in vivo infection model using Caenorhabditis elegans as a host, the derivatives 1a, 2a and 2b increased nematode survival with a concentration-dependent effect. Exposure of Staph. aureus to the derivatives 2a and 2b induced surface changes and decrease cell size. None of the derivatives was cytotoxic for human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) but showed moderate cytotoxicity for L929 fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: The 5-(3,4-dichlorobenzylidene)-4-thioxothiazolidin-2-one (2b) was the most active derivative against Staph. aureus and showed higher selective indices. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: 4-thioxo-thiazolidin-2-one is a promising scaffold for the research and development of new antimicrobial drugs against multidrug-resistant Staph. aureus.

Prevalence of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis regarding time of tuberculosis diagnosis in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Data on the prevalence of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) in patients with active or cured tuberculosis (TB) are scarce, mainly due to diagnostic difficulties. The diagnosis of CPA is based on pulmonary symptoms and chest computed tomography (CT) scans and is considered confirmed when there is microbiological or serological evidence of Aspergillus spp. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of CPA in patients treated or undergoing treatment for PTB, seen in two referral hospitals in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 193 consecutive patients who were treated or previously treated for pulmonary tuberculosis underwent prospective evaluation: (a) clinical evaluation; (b) chest CT scan; (c) sputum examination-culture for fungi and smears for direct mycology; (d) detection of anti-Aspergillus fumigatus antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay Platelia® test; and (e) anti-Aspergillus spp. antibodies were assessed via a DID test. RESULTS: The global prevalence of CPA was 10.9% (95% confidence interval, 7.2%-16.1%), but it increased with the time of TB diagnosis. The variables independently associated with CPA were previous pulmonary tuberculosis over 4 years ago and haemoptysis. Cavities, pleural thickening and the presence of a fungal ball were the most frequent tomographic findings in patients with CPA. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence observed and its increase over time suggest the need for continuous surveillance of CPA in patients with active or previous pulmonary tuberculosis and throughout life, with clinical, tomographic and serological evaluations (ELISA) for a timely diagnosis and a better prognosis.

Evaluation of Elaiophylin extracted from Streptomyces hygroscopicus as a potential inhibitor of the NorA efflux protein in Staphylococcus aureus: An in vitro and in silico approach.

Compounds capable of inhibiting the efflux pump mechanism are a promising alternative against bacterial resistance because, when combined with antibiotics, they can increase the effectiveness of these drugs by inhibiting active efflux. Elaiophylin, derived from Streptomyces hygroscopicus, is a natural antibiotic that exhibits a variety of biological activities, including antibacterial activity. However, its potential as an inhibitor of the bacterial efflux mechanism has not been investigated. This study evaluated the ability of Elaiophylin to inhibit the NorA efflux pump in Staphylococcus aureus strains. Therefore, tests were performed to obtain the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and to verify the ability of Elaiophylin to potentiate the MIC of the antibiotic Norfloxacin and Ethidium Bromide (EtBr), known substrates of NorA efflux. Real-time PCR and molecular docking assays were also performed to assess the potential of Elaiophylin against NorA. The strains SA-1199 (wild type) and SA-1199B (NorA over-expressed) of S. aureus were used for this study. The results showed that Elaiophylin significantly decreased the MIC of Norfloxacin and EtBr, increasing the activity of these substrates against S. aureus, which carries the efflux protein NorA. However, Elaiophylin provided a non-significant reduction in norA gene expression, however, molecular docking demonstrated a high binding affinity between Elaiophylin and NorA efflux protein, indicating that Elaiophylin can act as a potential NorA in S. aureus.

Applicability of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Assessment of Fetal Urinary Tract Malformations.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the applicability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to complement ultrasound in the diagnosis of fetal urinary tract anomalies. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study that included 41 women between 19 weeks and 37 weeks and 6 days of gestation carrying fetuses with malformations of the urinary tract which were initially diagnosed by ultrasound and then referred for MRI. In all cases, the diagnosis was confirmed after birth either through imaging or autopsy. A surface coil was positioned over the abdomen and T2-weighted sequences were obtained in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes; T1 in at least one plane; and three-dimensional (3-D) TRUFI in fetuses with dilatation of the urinary tract. RESULTS: Mean gestational age at the time of MRI examination was 28.21 weeks. The rapid T2 sequences allowed all the anomalies of the fetal urinary tract to be assessed, whereas 3-D TRUFI sequencing proved very useful in evaluating anomalies involving dilatation of the urinary tract. The signs of pulmonary hypoplasia characterized by hypointense signal in the T2-weighted sequences were identified in 13 of the 41 fetuses. CONCLUSION: MRI confirmed and added information to the ultrasound regarding fetal urinary tract anomalies, as well as information related to the other associated malformations, their progress in the prenatal period, and possible postnatal prognosis.

Genotoxic activity of L-asparaginase produced by Streptomyces ansochromogenes UFPEDA 3420.

L-asparaginase is an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the substrate asparagine in aspartic acid and ammonia. Due to this mechanism of action observed, L-asparaginase is widely used in the treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, since these cells use asparagine for their survival. Because it is frequently used as an antineoplastic, it is necessary to evaluate its genotoxic effects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate cellular DNA damage after exposure to L-asparaginase produced by Streptomyces ansochromogenes UFPEDA 3420. NCIH-292, MCF-7 and MOLT-4 neoplastic cell lines and normal PBMC cells were used. L-Asparaginase used in this study was produced by actinobacteria S. ansochromogenes UFPEDA 3420, isolated and purified by chromatographic methods. L-Asparaginase induced micronucleus formation in PBMC cells and tumor lines when compared to the negative control. These data suggest that L-Asp appears to have a genotoxic effect very close to the positive control in normal cells (p < 0.05). The level of genomic damage measured by DNA breaks in alkaline SCGE assay was detected from the lowest concentration (12.5 µg/mL) to the highest concentration (50 µg/mL) for tumor cell lines and PBMC. In view of the above, new genotoxic studies will be carried out to better elucidate L-Asparaginase and its mutagenic potential, still unknown, enough for this drug to be safely used in conventional antineoplastic therapies.

Identification of Degradation Pathways of Chlorohydrocarbons in Saturated Low-Permeability Sediments Using Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis.

This study aims to investigate whether compound-specific carbon isotope analysis (CSIA) can be used to differentiate the degradation pathways of chlorohydrocarbons in saturated low-permeability sediments. For that purpose, a site was selected, where a complex mixture of chlorohydrocarbons contaminated an aquifer-aquitard system. Almost 50 years after contaminant releases, high-resolution concentration, CSIA, and microbial profiles were determined. The CSIA profiles showed that in the aquitard cis-dichloroethene (cDCE), first considered as a degradation product of trichloroethene (TCE), is produced by the dichloroelimination of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA). In contrast, TeCA degrades to TCE via dehydrohalogenation in the aquifer, indicating that the aquifer-aquitard interface separates two different degradation pathways for TeCA. Moreover, the CSIA profiles showed that chloroform (CF) is degraded to dichloromethane (DCM) via hydrogenolysis in the aquitard and, to a minor degree, produced by the degradation of carbon tetrachloride (CT). Several microorganisms capable of degrading chlorohydrocarbons were detected in the aquitard, suggesting that aquitard degradation is microbially mediated. Furthermore, numerical simulations reproduced the aquitard concentration and CSIA profiles well, which allowed the determination of degradation rates for each transformation pathway. This improves the prediction of contaminant fate in the aquitard and potential magnitude of impacts on the adjacent aquifer due to back-diffusion.

Fructooligosaccharide intake promotes epigenetic changes in the intestinal mucosa in growing and ageing rats.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between fructooligosaccharide (FOS) intake at different life stages of Wistar rats and its stimulatory effects on intestinal parameters. METHODS: Recently weaned and ageing female rats were divided into growing and ageing treatments, which were fed diets that partially replaced sucrose with FOS for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Dietary FOS intake induced a significant increase in the numbers of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in growing rats. FOS intake was associated with increased butyric acid levels and a reduced pH of the caecal contents at both ages. Differential gene expression patterns were observed by microarray analysis of growing and ageing animals fed the FOS diet. A total of 133 genes showed detectable changes in expression in the growing rats, while there were only 19 gene expression changes in ageing rats fed with FOS. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that dietary FOS intake may be beneficial for some parameters of intestinal health in growing rats.

Characterization of the biochemical, physiological, and medicinal properties of Streptomyces hygroscopicus ACTMS-9H isolated from the Amazon (Brazil).

Actinomycetes are known to produce numerous secondary bioactive metabolites of pharmaceutical interest. The purpose of this study was to isolate, characterize, and investigate the antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities of metabolites produced by Actinobacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of Paullinia cupana. The Actinobacteria was identified as Streptomyces hygroscopicus ACTMS-9H. Based on a bioguided study, the methanolic biomass extract obtained from submerged cultivation had the most potent antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activities. This extract was partitioned with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and 2-butanol. Elaiophylin was isolated from the methanolic biomass extract, and its molecular formula was determined (C54H88O18) based on 1H and 13C NMR, IR and MS analyses. The 2-butanol phase was fractionated into four fractions (EB1, EB2A, EB2B, and EB3M). Chemical prospecting indicated the presence of alkaloids, saponins, and reducing sugars in the methanolic extract and 2-butanol phase. The elaiophylin displayed anticancer activity in HEp-2 and HL-60 cells with an IC50 of 1 µg/mL. The EB1 fraction was selectively toxic to HL-60 cells with IC50 of 9 ng/mL. Bioautography showed that the EB1 fraction contained an alkaloid with antibacterial and antifungal activities (MIC values ≤1.9 and <3.9 µg/mL, respectively). In conclusion, the EB1 fraction and elaiophylin of S. hygroscopicus have potent antimicrobial, antifungal, and anticancer activities.

Synthesis and evaluation of arylamidine derivatives for new antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.

A series of arylamidines 3a-j was designed, synthesized and investigated for antimicrobial activity. Structures of the compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR and a 2D spectroscopic study was performed. A preliminary screening of the antimicrobial tests clearly showed that three out of ten arylamidines, viz, 3f, 3g and 3i, were effective against all the gram-negative bacteria: Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella enteric; and against the yeast, candida albicans. Further, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) against the bacteria and yeast were determined. All compounds 3a-d, 3f, 3g, 3i and 3j were also investigated for their low cytotoxic effects on tested cell lines. Compounds 3d and 3f were the most effective derivatives against HL-60 and HEp-2 cells, respectively, with IC50 value (2µg/mL), and low normal cells toxicity.

Influência da infecção por Helicobacter pylori e de sua erradicação sobre o consumo alimentar e estado nutricional.

Infection by Helicobacter pylori affects over half of the world's population and is a public health issue. Its prevalence is significantly higher in developing countries such as Brazil. It has been suggested that infection by H pylori can impact calorie intake and homeostasis. AIM: Analyze the influence of infection by H pylori and of its eradication on nutritional status and dietary intake. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 124 patients (48 of whom H pylori positive, 45 H pylori negative, and 31 eradicated). Weight and height were measured to calculate the body mass index (BMI). Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-hour diet recall (24hR) in two occasions. RESULTS: Pre-obesity was the highest among the eradicated patients (p = 0.011). Homogenicity was found in the dietary intake for the nutrients studied, except for saccharose, whose intake was the lowest among the eradicated group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients eradicated for H pylori had a higher rate of pre-obesity. The dietary intake was similar among the groups for nearly all nutrients assessed, except for saccharose, whose intake by eradicated patients was lower. This entails discussions about possibly including the investigation of nutritional status and diet in the routine procedures towards those who seek a diagnosis of infection by H pylori.

Nanosensor based on HP-MAP1 and carbon nanotubes for bacteria detection.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose significant challenges to global health due to pathogen complexity and antimicrobial resistance. Biosensors utilizing antimicrobial peptides offer innovative solutions. Hylarana picturata Multiple Active Peptide 1 (Hp-MAP1), derived from Temporin-PTA, exhibits antibacterial properties sourced from the skin secretions of the Malaysian fire-bellied frog. An innovative sensing layer was developed for the electrochemical biorecognition of diverse pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy differentiated microorganisms based on distinct electrochemical responses. The sensor layer, composed of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) associated with Hp-MAP1, exhibited varying levels of charge transfer resistance (RCT) for different microorganisms. Gram-negative species, especially P. aeruginosa, displayed higher RCT values, indicating better impedimetric responses. Excellent LODs were observed for P. aeruginosa (0.60), K. pneumoniae (0.42), E. coli (0.67), and S. aureus (0.59), highlighting the efficacy of the MWCNTs/Hp-MAP1 biosensor in microbial identification. The MWCNTs/Hp-MAP1 biosensor platform presents a promising and effective microbial identification strategy with potential healthcare applications to mitigate HAIs and enhance patient care.

HOMA-IR as a Predictor of PAI-1 Levels in Women with Severe Obesity.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a chronic inflammatory disorder that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Given the high CVD mortality rate among individuals with obesity, early screening should be considered. Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), a cytokine that links obesity and CVDs, represents a promising biomarker. However, PAI-1 is not part of the clinical routine due to its high cost. Therefore, it is necessary to find good predictors that would allow an indirect assessment of PAI-1. METHODS: This study enrolled 47 women with severe obesity (SO). The obtained anthropometric measurements included weight, height, neck (NC), waist (WC), and hip circumference (HC). Blood samples were collected to analyse glucose and lipid profiles, C-reactive protein, liver markers, adiponectin, and PAI-1 (determined by ELISA immunoassay). Homeostasis model assessment-adiponectin (HOMA-AD), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) were calculated. The women were grouped according to PAI-1 levels. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 21. The significance level for the analysis was set at 5%. RESULTS: Women with SO who have higher levels of PAI-1 have lower values of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) (p = 0.037) and QUICKI (0.020) and higher values of HOMA-AD (0.046) and HOMA-IR (0.037). HOMA-IR was demonstrated to be a good predictor of PAI-1 in this sample (B = 0.2791; p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: HOMA-IR could be used as a predictor of PAI-1 levels, pointing out the relevance of assessing glycaemic parameters for the prevention of CVDs in women with SO.

Proposal for a new cut-off point for waist-to-hip ratio in women with severe obesity: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a chronic disease that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), underestimated in this population. The high mortality related to CVD reveals the need for early screening. One of the training tools is the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). However, few studies evaluate its relationship with metabolic changes in severe obesity, making necessary a new cut-off point. METHOD: Cross-sectional study with 75 Brazilian women with severe obesity (mean age: 37,6 years; weight of 122 kg and body mass index (BMI) of 47,8 kg/m2). Height, weight, neck circumference (NC), hip (HC), waist (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were obtained. Blood samples were collected for lipid/glucose profile. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was explored to define cut-off points for WHR based on SAH. Women were compared using the t-Student/Mann Whitney test. Pearson/Spearman correlations were performed, and the significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS: The ROC curve indicated that WHR ≥0.92 best predicted SAH. The group with WHR ≥0.92 had higher Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) (p = 0.037), insulin (p = 0.037), NC (p = 0.004), and Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP) (p = 0.038). WHR correlated with NC (p = 0.002; r = 0.358), glucose (p = 0.026; r = 0.270); insulin (p = 0.05; r = 0.238); HOMA-IR (p = 0.01; r = 0.3238), triglycerides (p = 0.006; r = 329) and AIP (p = 0.02; r = 0.370). CONCLUSIONS: A new cut-off point for WHR related to SAH in severe obesity is suggested.

Synergistic effect of new pyrimidine derivative with oxacilin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Aim: This work aimed to synthesize a new pyrimidine PYB01 with potential application against antimicrobial resistance.Materials & methods: PYB01 was synthesized through condensation reaction between 3a and 3b. The antimicrobial evaluation was carried out using the microdilution method in Mueller-Hinton Agar and in silico predictions using different software.Results: PYB01 has moderate antibiotic activity and high capacity to efficiently modulate antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. In silico evaluations demonstrated that PYB01 is probably an allosteric inhibitor of Protein Binding Penicilin 2a and modulates the action of oxacillin by decreasing the minimum inhibitory concentration by 64-times. PYB01 demonstrate a good pharmacokinetic profile and toxicological.Conclusion: PYB01 has great potential to go further in investigating its use against antimicrobial resistance.

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The impact of the obesity onset on the inflammatory and glycemic profile of women with severe obesity.

BACKGROUND: The stage of life at the onset of obesity is an important factor in assessing inflammatory state and cardiometabolic risk. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the obesity onset and the inflammatory profile in women with severe obesity. SETTING: Public hospital, Brazil. METHODS: Forty-eight women with severe obesity (20-59 yr old) were evaluated according to weight, height, neck circumference (NC), waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference, as well blood metabolic and inflammatory parameters. The participants were grouped according to obesity onset stage of life (early group: ≤19 yr; late group: >19 yr). RESULTS: The demographic means of the participants were: age of 39.7 years, weight of 122.7 kg and body mass index (BMI) of 48.4 kg/m2. The late group presented significantly higher values of leptin (lep)/adiponectin (adipo) ratio and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) than the early group. The late group also had a lower adipo/lep ratio. Moreover, the late group showed correlations between the lep/adipo ratio and BMI (r = .460, P = .021), NC (r = .478, P = .016), and WC (r = .535, P = .006). Adipo was also correlated with NC (r = -.418, P = .038), WC (r = -.437, P = .029), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) (r = -.485, P = .019). By contrast, in the early group, the lep/adipo ratio showed correlations with insulin (r = .647, P = .004) and HOMA-B (r = .564, P = .015). CONCLUSIONS: The inflammatory profile is correlated with anthropometric values in women with late-onset obesity. Inflammatory markers seemed to correlate with the glycemic profile in women with early-onset obesity. Furthermore, inflammation was higher in women with late-onset obesity compared to those with early-onset obesity.

Prevalence of Cryptococcal Antigenemia and Lateral Flow Assay Accuracy in Severely Immunosuppressed AIDS Patients.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia detected by lateral flow assay (LFA) in AIDS patients and its accuracy in the diagnosis of cryptococcosis. Conducted at a university hospital in Brazil from March 2015 to July 2017, it included AIDS patients over 18 years old with a CD4+ count ≤ 200 cells/mm3. Cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) detection using LFA and latex agglutination (LA), along with blood and urine cultures, were performed. The reference standard was the identification of Cryptococcus spp. in clinical specimens through microbiological or histopathological examination. Among 230 patients, the prevalence of CrAg detected by LFA (CrAg LFA) was 13.0%. Factors associated with cryptococcal antigenemia included fever, vomiting, seizures, and a lack of antiretroviral therapy. The sensitivity and specificity of CrAg LFA were 83.9% and 98.0%, respectively. The positive predictive value (PPV) was 86.7%, the negative predictive value (NPV) was 97.5%, and overall accuracy was 96.1%. Cross-reactions were observed in patients with histoplasmosis and paracoccidioidmycosis, but not with aspergillosis or positive rheumatoid factor. The study concludes that the LFA is a useful tool for detecting cryptococcal antigenemia in severely immunocompromised AIDS patients due to its high NPV, specificity, and PPV.

Dietary inflammatory index and its relation to the pathophysiological aspects of obesity: a narrative review.

Obesity, a complex disease that involves energy imbalance and chronic low-grade inflammation, is implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic non-communicable diseases. As dietary components modulate the human body's inflammatory status, the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®), a literature-derived dietary index, was developed in 2009 to characterize the inflammatory potential of a habitual diet. Abundant research has been conducted to investigate the associations between DII and obesity. In this narrative review, we examined the current state of the science regarding the relationships between DII and the inflammatory pathophysiological aspects related to obesity. DII is associated with inflammation in obesity. The most pro-inflammatory diet was directly related to higher levels of pro-inflammatory markers, which included C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Therefore, evidence suggests that the use of the DII may be useful for understanding the relationship between diet and the inflammatory process related to obesity.

The degree of food processing can influence serum fatty acid and lipid profiles in women with severe obesity.

Background: The increase in the prevalence of obesity is associated with the increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods and may be related to the increase in the disorders involving metabolism and the transport and storage of fatty acids. Objective: To evaluate the effect of processed food consumption according to the degree of processing on the serum fatty acid levels and lipid profile of women with severe obesity. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from anthropometric assessments, the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and blood tests for lipidogram studies and serum fatty acid measurements. The foods consumed were identified through the FFQ and classified according to the degree of processing based on the NOVA rating, and the frequencies of consumption were transformed into scores, as proposed by Fornés methodology. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 21. The significance level for the analysis was set at 5%. Results: This study included 44 women with a mean age of 40.59 years and mean body mass index of 48.61 kg/m2. An inverse association was observed between the consumption of unprocessed and the occurrence of hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.021) and levels of triglycerides (p = 0.047), total cholesterol (p = 0.030), and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (p = 0.039). The consumption of processed foods was positively associated with the presence of hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.044) and omega 6/3 ratio (p = 0.001) and negatively associated with total omega 3 levels (p = 0.011). The consumption of processed foods was positively associated with total cholesterol (p = 0.041) and negatively associated with the omega 3/6 ratio (p = 0.001). A negative correlation was found between the average consumption of ultra-processed foods (at least once a week) and serum level of high-density lipoprotein (p = 0.035). Conclusion: The consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods was associated with unfavorable lipid profiles and fatty acid levels in women with severe obesity. These results emphasize the importance of promoting the consumption of unprocessed food to mitigate metabolic disorders linked to processed food intake.

Dechlorinating microorganisms in a sedimentary rock matrix contaminated with a mixture of VOCs.

Microbiological characterizations of contaminant biodegradation in fractured sedimentary rock have primarily focused on the biomass suspended in groundwater samples and disregarded the biomass attached to fractures and in matrix pores. In fractured sedimentary rock, diffusion causes nearly all contaminant mass to reside in porous, low-permeability matrix. Microorganisms capable of contaminant degradation can grow in the matrix pores if the pores and pore throats are sufficiently large. In this study, the presence of dechlorinating microorganisms in rock matrices was investigated at a site where a fractured, flat-lying, sandstone-dolostone sequence has been contaminated with a mixture of chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons for over 40 years. The profile of organic contaminants as well as the distribution and characterization of the microbial community spatial variability was obtained through depth-discrete, high-frequency sampling along a 98-m continuous rock core. Dechlorinating microorganisms, such as Dehalococcoides and Dehalobacter, were detected in the rock matrices away from fracture surfaces, indicating that biodegradation within the rock matrix blocks should be considered as an important component of the system when evaluating the potential for natural attenuation or remediation at similar sedimentary rock sites.

Dietary fibers as beneficial microbiota modulators: A proposed classification by prebiotic categories.

Dietary fiber is a group of heterogeneous substances that are neither digested nor absorbed in the small intestine. Some fibers can be classified as prebiotics if they are metabolized by beneficial bacteria present in the hindgut microbiota. The aim of this review was to specify the prebiotic properties of different subgroups of dietary fibers (resistant oligosaccharides, non-starch polysaccharides, resistant starches, and associated substances) to classify them by prebiotic categories. Currently, only resistant oligosaccharides (fructans [fructooligosaccharides, oligofructose, and inulin] and galactans) are well documented as prebiotics in the literature. Other fibers are considered candidates to prebiotics or have prebiotic potential, and apparently some have no prebiotic effect on humans. This dietary fiber classification by the prebiotic categories contributes to a better understanding of these concepts in the literature, to the stimulation of the processing and consumption of foods rich in fiber and other products with prebiotic properties, and to the development of protocols and guidelines on food sources of prebiotics.