Murciélagos como vectores de enfermedades virales e impacto en la salud humana

Introducción: Los murciélagos se destacan por ser los únicos mamíferos voladores, con alrededor de 1 400 especies que cumplen un rol fundamental como controladores de plagas y polinizadores de plantas nocturnas. Sin embargo, su influencia sobre la salud humana se ha evidenciado cada vez más, en particular después del surgimiento de brotes epidémicos de enfermedades virales asociadas a estos mamíferos. Objetivo: Analizar la influencia de los murciélagos en la salud humana, centrándose en su papel como portadores de enfermedades virales y su potencial como reservorios y vectores de enfermedades. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica de la literatura utilizando descriptores MeSH y términos como: Animals, Wild Chiroptera, Virus Diseases, Zoonoses, Disease Vectors, Disease Reservoirs, Public Health, bats, Communicable Disease Control, Disease Outbreaks, Prevention and Control. Se revisaron 1 442 artículos en bases de datos y documentos oficiales, se seleccionaron las fuentes relevantes con Mendeley Desktop 1.19.4. y se obtuvieron al final 47 artículos. Resultados: Existen varias especies de murciélagos que pueden afectar la salud del ser humano y que albergan en especial virus de las familias Filoviridae, Coronaviridae y Paramixoviridae. Los murciélagos se consideran incubadoras óptimas para la propagación de virus debido a su sistema inmune único que lo hace resistente a estos agentes infecciosos. Conclusiones: La vigilancia y monitoreo de los murciélagos, junto con acciones de educación pública y una gestión adecuada de sus hábitats, son fundamentales para la detección temprana y prevención de la transmisión de nuevos virus de estos mamíferos a los humanos.

Introduction: Bats are the only flight mammals, with around 1,400 species playing critical roles as pest controllers and nocturnal plant pollinators. However, its impact on human health has become increasingly evident, especially after the appearance of epidemic outbreaks of viral diseases related to these mammals. Objetive: To analyze the influence of bats on human health, focusing on their role as carriers of viral diseases and their potential as reservoirs and vectors of diseases. Methods: A literature bibliographical review was conducted using MeSH descriptors and keywords such as: Animals, Wild Chiroptera, Virus Diseases, Zoonosis, Disease Vectors, Disease Reservoirs, Public Health, bats, Communicable Disease Control, Disease Outbreaks, Prevention and Control. 1442 articles in databases and official documents were reviewed, selecting the relevant sources with Mendeley Desktop 1.19.4., obtaining 47 articles at the end. Results: There are several species of bats that can affect human health and that mainly harbor viruses from the Filoviridae families, Coronaviridae and Paramyxoviridae. Bats are considered optimal incubators for the spread of the virus due to their unique immune system that makes them particularly resistant to these infectious agents. Conclusions: Surveillance and monitoring of bats, together with public education actions and proper management of their habitats, are essential for early detection and prevention of transmission of new viruses from these mammals to humans.

Avaliação da concordância entre os resultados da genotipagem do polimorfismo C/T-13910 e do teste de tolerância à lactose: um estudo retrospectivo populacional no Brasil / Evaluation of agreement between c/t-13910 polymorphism genotyping results and lactose tolerance test results: a retrospective population-based study in brazil

ABSTRACT Background: Lactose tolerant test (LTT) is the most broadly used diagnostic test for lactose intolerance in Brazil, is an indirect, minimally invasive and a low-cost test that is widely available in primary care and useful in clinical practice. The C/T-13910 polymorphism in lactase persistence has been well characterized in Caucasian populations, but there are no studies evaluating the concordance between C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping results and LTT results in Brazil, where the population is highly mixed. Objective: We aimed to evaluate agreement between presence of C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping and malabsorption in LTT results. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of a Brazilian population whose data were collected from a single laboratory database present in several Brazilian states. Results of individuals who underwent both genetic testing for lactose intolerance (C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping) and an LTT from April 2016 until February 2019 were analysed to evaluate agreement between tests. Groups were classified according to age (<10-year-old (yo), 10-17 yo, ≥18 yo groups) and state of residence (São Paulo or Rio Grande do Sul). Results: Among the 404 patients evaluated, there was agreement between the genotyping and LTT results in 325 (80.4%) patients and discordance in 79 (19.6%) patients (k=0.42 -moderate agreement). Regarding the genotype, 47 patients with genotype C/C (lactase nonpersistence) had normal LTT results, and 32 with genotype C/T or T/T (indicating lactase persistence) had abnormal LTT results. Neither age nor state of residence (Rio Grande do Sul or São Paulo) affected the agreement between test results. Conclusion: Considering the moderate agreement between C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping and LTT results (κ=0.42) in the Brazilian population, we hypothesize that an analysis of other polymorphisms could be a strategy to improve the agreement between genotyping and established tests and suggest that additional studies should focus on exploring this approach.

RESUMO Contexto: O teste de tolerancia à lactose (TTL) é ampliamente utilizado por ser minimamente invasivo e de baixo custo, disponível na atenção primária e muito útil na prática clínica. Está bem estabelecido o polimorfismo C/T-13910 na persistência da lactase em populações caucasianas, mas não há estudos avaliando a concordância entre os resultados da genotipagem do polimorfismo C/T-13910 e do TTL no Brasil, onde a população é altamente miscigenada. Objetivo: Avaliar a concordância entre a presença do polimorfismo C/T-13910 e a má absorção nos resultados do TTL. Métodos: Análise retrospectiva de dados coletados de um laboratorio presente em vários estados brasileiros. Os resultados dos pacientes que realizaram um teste genético para intolerância à lactose (genotipagem do polimorfismo C/T-13910) e um TTL de abril de 2016 a fevereiro de 2019 foram analisados para avaliar a concordância entre os testes. Os grupos foram classificados de acordo com a idade (<10 anos; 10-17 anos, ≥18 anos) e estado de residência (São Paulo ou Rio Grande do Sul). Resultados: Entre os 404 pacientes avaliados, houve concordância entre os resultados de genotipagem e TTL em 325 (80,4%) pacientes e discordância em 79 (19,6%) pacientes (K=0,42 - concordância moderada). Em relação ao genótipo, 47 pacientes com genótipo C/C (não persistência de lactase) apresentaram TTL normal e 32 com genótipo C/T ou T/T (indicando persistência da lactase) apresentaram TTL anormal. A idade e o estado de residência (Rio Grande do Sul ou São Paulo) não afetaram a concordância entre os resultados dos exames. Conclusão: Considerando a concordância moderada entre a genotipagem do polimorfismo C/T-13910 e os resultados de TTL (κ=0,42) na população brasileira, sugerimos que a análise de outros polimorfismos poderia ser uma estratégia para melhorar a concordância entre os testes.

Avaliação Cardiodinâmica Não Invasiva por Cardiografia de Impedância durante o Teste de Caminhada de Seis Minutos em Pacientes com Insuficiência Cardíaca / Non-Invasive Assessment of Cardiodynamics by Impedance Cardiography during the Six-Minute Walk Test in Patients with Heart Failure

Resumo Fundamento O Teste de Caminhada de seis Minutos (TC6M) é comumente usado para avaliar pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca. No entanto, vários fatores clínicos podem influenciar a distância percorrida pelos pacientes no teste. A cardiografia de impedância (CI) na avaliação morfológica é uma ferramenta útil para avaliar a hemodinâmica cardíaca de maneira não invasiva. Objetivo Este estudo teve como objetivo comparar as respostas de aceleração e desaceleração do Débito Cardíaco (DC), da Frequência Cardíaca (FC), e do Volume Sistólico (VS) ao TC6M de indivíduos com insuficiência cardíaca e fração de ejeção reduzida (ICFEr) com as de controles sadios. Métodos Este é um estudo transversal observacional. O DC, a FC, o VS e o Índice Cardíaco (IC) foram avaliados antes, durante e após o TC6M por CI. O nível de significância adotado na análise estatística foi 5%. Resultados Foram incluídos 27 participantes (13 com ICFEr e 14 controles sadios). A aceleração do DC e da FC foi significativamente diferente entre os grupos (p<0,01 e p=0,039, respectivamente). Encontramos diferenças significativas no VS, no DC e no IC entre os grupos (p<0,01). A regressão linear mostrou uma contribuição deficiente do VS à mudança no DC no grupo com ICFEr (22,9% versus 57,4%). Conclusão O principal resultado deste estudo foi o fato de que indivíduos com ICFEr apresentaram valores mais baixos de aceleração do DC e da FC durante o teste de exercício submáximo em comparação a controles sadios. Isso pode indicar um desequilíbrio na resposta autonômica ao exercício nessa condição.

Abstract Background The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is commonly used to evaluate heart failure (HF) patients. However, several clinical factors can influence the distance walked in the test. Signal-morphology impedance cardiography (SM-ICG) is a useful tool to noninvasively assess hemodynamics. Objective This study aimed to compare cardiac output (CO), heart rate (HR), and stroke volume (SV) acceleration and deceleration responses to 6MWT in individuals with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and healthy controls. Methods This is a cross-sectional observational study. CO, HR, SV and cardiac index (CI) were evaluated before, during, and after the 6MWT assessed by SM-ICG. The level of significance adopted in the statistical analysis was 5%. Results Twenty-seven participants were included (13 HFrEF and 14 healthy controls). CO and HR acceleration significantly differed between groups (p<0.01; p=0.039, respectively). We found significant differences in SV, CO and CI between groups (p<0.01). Linear regression showed an impaired SV contribution to CO change in HFrEF group (22.9% versus 57.4%). Conclusion The main finding of the study was that individuals with HFrEF showed lower CO and HR acceleration values during the submaximal exercise test compared to healthy controls. This may indicate an imbalance in the autonomic response to exercise in this condition.

Enfermedades asociadas e indicadores metabólicos en personas con esquizofrenia

La esquizofrenia es una enfermedad que está caracterizada por su complejidad psicopatológica agravada por una frecuente asociación de enfermedades físicas como la obesidad, la intolerancia a la glucosa, la diabetes y la dislipidemia. Además, indicadores metabólicos como la glucemia, el colesterol y los triglicéridos en sangre, así como la obesidad, tienen relevancia en estos pacientes, según lo planteado en la literatura especializada sobre el tema. Por otra parte, las enfermedades físicas asociadas como los indicadores metabólicos, tienen su impacto en el sistema nervioso central con independencia de la esquizofrenia. La suma de los trastornos mentales y físicos implica la necesidad de atender ambos problemas simultáneamente y se recomienda la intervención interdisciplinaria. El protocolo de actuación para la atención de los pacientes con esquizofrenia y psicosis relacionadas en el Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico "Hermanos Ameijeiras" es un ejemplo del abordaje señalado.

Schizophrenia is a disease characterized by a psychopathological complexity, aggravated by frequent association of physical diseases such as obesity, glucose intolerance, diabetes and dyslipidemia. In addition, there are other metabolic indicators such as blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides which are relevant in these patients, and the international literature has been suggested so. On the other hand, both associated physical diseases and metabolic indicators have their impact on the central nervous system in addition to schizophrenia. The sum of mental and physical disorders implies the need to address both problems simultaneously, which is why interdisciplinary intervention is recommended. Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical Surgical Hospital is an example of the action protocol for patients with schizophrenia and psychosis.

Lower expression of NOTCH components in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant patients

ABSTRACT Introduction: Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) not only remains the main cause of late mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant, but also has the capacity of causing severe organ impairment in those who survive. The Notch, a highly conserved ligand-receptor pathway, is involved in many immunological processes, including inflammatory and regulatory responses. Recently, mouse models have shown that the blockage of canonical Notch signaling prevents GvHD. Objective and Method: Due to the lack of data on the Notch pathway in human chronic GvHD, we sought to study the expression of NOTCH components in primary samples of patients who received allo-HCT and presented active cGvHD or a long-term clinical tolerance to cGvHD. Results: Our results showed a significantly lower expression of NOTCH components in both groups that received allo-HCT, independently of their cGvHD status, when compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: Moreover, there were no differences in gene expression levels between the active cGvHD and clinically tolerant groups. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies performed in human primary samples and our data indicate that much remains to be learned regarding NOTCH signaling as a new regulator of GvHD.

COVID-19 en las embarazadas. Riesgo de las complicaciones durante el embarazo y en el neonato / COVID-19 in pregnant women. Risk of complications during pregnancy and in the newborn

Sobre el tema COVID-19 se han publicado múltiples estudios que reflejan su elevada incidencia, transmisibilidad, morbilidad y mortalidad, con gran repercusión y severidad en los grupos poblacionales de riesgo. El embarazo no escapa a ello, y la inmunosupresión fisiológica que se presenta en esta condición, hace a la gestante y al neonato, ser más susceptibles a las enfermedades infecciosas. El objetivo de esta comunicación es profundizar en la fisiopatología y la repercusión de la enfermedad COVID-19 en las gestantes y el neonato, para mejorar el conocimiento relacionado con el tema, el cual repercutirá en un mejor manejo de estos pacientes. Para ello, se realizó una revisión de investigaciones publicadas en el período comprendido entre enero y diciembre de 2021, en las bases de datos: SciELO, SCOPUS, Medline, Dialnet, Cumed y Lilacs. De los 44 artículos obtenidos inicialmente, 33 cumplieron los criterios de inclusión.

Several studies on COVID-19 have been published reflecting its high incidence, transmissibility, morbidity and mortality, with great repercussions and severity in population groups at risk. Pregnancy does not escape from this, and the physiological immunosuppression that occurs in this condition makes the pregnant woman and the newborn more susceptible to infectious diseases. The objective of this communication is to deepen the pathophysiology and the repercussion of the COVID-19 disease in pregnant women and the newborn in order to improve knowledge related to the subject, which will have an impact on better management of these patients. For this, a review of research published between January and December 2021 was carried out in the databases such as SciELO, SCOPUS, Medline, Dialnet, Cumed and Lilacs. A number of 33 articles met the inclusion criteria from 44 initially obtained.

Fatores correlacionados a intolerância ao exercício na alta de pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19 / Factors correlated to exercise intolerance upon discharge in patients hospitalized for COVID-19

Objetivo: Verificar a prevalência da intolerância ao exercício e a correlação com o perfil sociodemográfico, clínico, de hospitalização e função física na alta de pacientes hospitalizados pela COVID-19. Métodos: Estudo transversal com 52 pacientes internados por COVID-19 no Hospital Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória, Espírito Santo. Coletou-se informações no momento da alta quanto ao perfil sociodemográfico, clínico, de hospitalização e função física, através de questionário semiestruturado, prontuário eletrônico, escalas e testes. Utilizou-se o Medical Research Council Modificado (mMRC) para graduar a dispneia, o Medical Research Council (MRC) para avaliar força muscular periférica, a manovacuometria, através das pressões inspiratória e expiratória máximas, para mensurar força muscular respiratória e a Medida de Independência Funcional (MIF) para funcionalidade. A variável desfecho, tolerância ao exercício, foi medida pelo Teste de Sentar e Levantar de 1 minuto. Resultados: Todos participantes apresentaram intolerância ao exercício no momento da alta hospitalar. O desempenho no teste de sentar e levantar foi inversamente correlacionado com o grau de dispneia e diretamente com a força muscular inspiratória, pontuação total da Medida de Independência Funcional, domínios de autocuidado, locomoção, mobilidade (p 0,019), e controle de esfíncter Conclusão: A prevalência da intolerância ao exercício na alta por COVID-19 foi de 100%, e estava correlacionada com o grau de dispneia, força muscular inspiratória e funcionalidade para autocuidado, locomoção, mobilidade e controle de esfíncter. Destaca-se a avaliação da tolerância ao exercício como importante preditor de sequelas pós-COVID-19, capaz de avaliar a interação entre diversos sistemas orgânicos.

Objective: To verify the prevalence of exercise intolerance and the correlation with the sociodemographic, clinical, hospitalization and physical function profile at discharge of patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 52 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at Hospital Santa Casa de Misericórdia in Vitória, Espírito Santo. Information was collected at discharge regarding the sociodemographic, clinical, hospitalization and physical function profile, through a semi-structured questionnaire, electronic medical record, scales and tests. The Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) was used to grade dyspnea, the Medical Research Council (MRC) was used to assess peripheral muscle strength, manovacuometry, through maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, to measure respiratory muscle strength and the Independence Measure Functional (MIF) for functionality. The outcome variable, exercise tolerance, was measured by the 1-minute Sit and Stand Test. Results: All participants presented exercise intolerance at discharge. Performance in the 1-minute Sit and Stand Test was inversely correlated with the degree of dyspnea and directly with inspiratory muscle strength, total score on the Independence Measure Functional, self-care domains, locomotion, mobility and sphincter control. Conclusion: The prevalence of exercise intolerance at discharge due to COVID-19 was 100%, and was correlated with the degree of dyspnea, inspiratory muscle strength and functionality for self-care, locomotion, mobility and sphincter control. The assessment of exercise tolerance stands out as an important predictor of sequelae after COVID-19, capable of assessing the interaction between different

USPSTF and ISPAD Guidelines on Screening for Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents

The rising trends of obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes in adults are worrisome globally. The majority of antecedents to adult noncommunicable diseases begin in childhood. Type 2 diabetes is recognized as one of the major diseases that contribute to the NCD burden in childhood. Recently, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) released their guidelines on diagnosis and management of prediabetes and diabetes in children targeted screening for youth-onset type 2 diabetes is suggested in at-risk children (obese, positive family history of type 2 diabetes, etc.), while the role of screening asymptomatic children is not substantiated. Obesity and insulin resistance are important risk factors for type 2 diabetes. The cutoffs of fasting plasma glucose for the diagnosis of prediabetes and diabetes are >100 to 125 and ?126 mg/dL, respectively. This update briefly summarizes the recommendations on screening for youth-onset prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

La prueba cardiopulmonar de ejercicio contribuye a determinar con precisión el riesgo en pacientes con hipertensión pulmonar de bajo riesgo / Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Contributes to Accurate Risk Assessment in Patients with Low-risk Pulmonary Hypertension

RESUMEN Introducción : Las guías europeas de hipertensión arterial pulmonar (HAP) estratifican el riesgo valiéndose de características clínicas y estudios complementarios entre los cuales está la prueba cardiopulmonar de ejercicio (PCPE), de la cual toma en cuenta 3 parámetros: el consumo de O2 (VO2) pico, su porcentaje respecto del predicho y la pendiente ventilación minuto/ producción de dióxido de carbono (VE/VCO2). Sin embargo, ninguno de los modelos que validaron esta forma de estratificar el riesgo incluyeron la PCPE entre sus variables. Objetivos : Determinar qué proporción de pacientes con HAP del grupo I considerados de bajo riesgo y que caminan >440 metros en la prueba de caminata de 6 minutos (PC6M) tienen en la PCPE parámetros considerados de riesgo moderado o alto. Material y métodos : Se incluyeron pacientes >18 años con diagnóstico de HAP del grupo I considerados de bajo riesgo con una PC6M >400 metros a los que se les realizó una PCPE en la que se registró el VO2 pico, su porcentaje respecto del VO2 predicho y la pendiente VE/VCO2. Se determinó qué proporción de pacientes presentaban estos parámetros en un estrato de riesgo mayor a bajo riesgo (VO2 pico <15 ml/kg/min, su porcentaje respecto del predicho <65% y la pendiente VE/VCO2 >36). Resultados : Se incluyeron 18 pacientes. A pesar de ser pacientes de bajo riesgo y con buena clase funcional todos presentaron un VO2 pico menor al 85% del predicho, lo cual determina un deterioro al menos leve de la capacidad funcional. Un único paciente (6%) presentó los tres parámetros evaluados en bajo riesgo, 8 pacientes (44%) tuvieron al menos un parámetro alterado, 7 pacientes (39%) presentaron 2 parámetros alterados y en 2 pacientes (11%) todos los parámetros estuvieron alterados. Los parámetros que más frecuentemente se vieron alterados fueron el porcentaje respecto del VO2 predicho y la pendiente VE/VCO2, en el 67% de los casos. Solo 4 pacientes presentaron un VO2 pico <15 ml/k/m. Ningún paciente presentó valores de VO2 pico o porcentaje respecto del predicho en la categoría de alto riesgo. Sin embargo, 6 pacientes (33%) presentaron una pendiente VE/VCO2 considerada de alto riesgo. Conclusión : El 94% de los pacientes considerados de bajo riesgo presentaron al menos una variable en la PCPE que no corresponde a un perfil de riesgo bajo. La pendiente VE/VCO2 y el porcentaje de VO2 pico respecto del predicho fueron las variables más frecuentemente alteradas. La pendiente VE/VCO2 fue la única que mostró valores considerados de alto riesgo. La PCPE podría tener un lugar en la estratificación de precisión de pacientes de bajo riesgo. El valor de este hallazgo deberá ser evaluado en estudios prospectivos, al tiempo que genera las bases para el planteo de hipótesis respecto de la estratificación de riesgo y la intensidad del tratamiento en pacientes que aparentan estar en bajo riesgo.

ABSTRACT Background : European guidelines for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) stratify the risk using clinical characteristics and complementary studies, including the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). This takes into account 3 parameters: peak O2 consumption (peak VO2), its percentage with respect to the predicted VO2, and the minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2) slope. However, none of the models that validated this way of stratifying risk included PCPE among their variables. Objectives : To determine what proportion of patients with group I PAH considered to be at low risk and who walk >440 meters in the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) have parameters considered to be of moderate or high risk in the PCPE. Methods : Patients >18 years of age, diagnosed with group I PAH at low risk of events, who walked >440 meters in the 6MWT and had NT-proBNP value <300 pg/dL were included. A CPET was performed in which the peak VO2, its percentage with respect to the predicted VO2, and the VE/VCO2 slope were recorded. It was determined what proportion of patients presented these parameters in a higher than low risk stratum (peak VO2 consumption ≤15 ml/min/Kg, its percentage with respect to the predicted VO2 ≤65% and the VE/VCO2 slope ≥36). Results : Eighteen patients were included. Despite being low-risk patients with a good functional class, all patients presented a peak VO2 less than 85% of predicted, which determines a deterioration of functional capacity. A single patient (6%) presented the three parameters evaluated at low risk, 8 patients (44%) had at least one altered parameter, 7 patients (39%) presented 2 altered parameters and in 2 patients (11%) all parameters were altered. The parameters that were most frequently altered were the percentage of predicted peak VO2 and the VE/VCO2 slope in 67% of the cases. Only 4 patients presented a peak VO2 <15 ml/kg/m. No patient presented peak VO2 values or percentage of predicted VO2 in the high-risk category. However, 6 patients (33%) presented a high-risk VE/VCO2 slope. Conclusion : Majority (92%) of the patients considered low risk and who walk more than 440 meters in 6 minutes presented at least one altered variable in the CPET. The VE/VCO2 slope and the percentage of predicted peak VO2 consumption were the most frequently altered variables. The VE/VCO2 slope was the only one that showed values considered high risk. CPET could have a place in the precision stratification of low-risk patients. The value of this finding should be evaluated in prospective studies.

Prevalence of Undiagnosed Diabetes and Impaired Glucose Tolerance in a Semi-urban Population from Calicut City

Though the prevalence of Diabetes is increasing worldwide, a thorough knowledge of the prevalence of undiagnosed Diabetes a pre-diabetes is lacking. This study from India is to evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic diabetes among adults with comorbidities and without any history of Diabetes. Prevalence of asymptomatic individuals with Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerancewas 3% and 15%, respectively. The high prevalence found in the study raises concern over the health care indices and the need for urgent public health action to control the pandemic. Regular screening for Diabetes in adults is required to prevent complications of long-term diabetes

Do Dipteryx alata Vogel seedlings recover the quality and the photosynthetic and antioxidant responses in the post-flooding? / Mudas de Dipteryx alata Vogel recuperam a qualidade e as respostas fotossintéticas e antioxidantes no pós-alagamento?

Abstract Dipteryx alata Vogel is a tree species widely found in Cerrado, settling preferentially in well drained soils. Studies related to ecophysiology of D. alata may contribute to the decision making about using seedlings of this species in projects aimed at the recovery of degraded areas where seasonal flooding happens. This study aimed to assess the effects of flooding on photosynthetic and antioxidant metabolism and quality of D. alata seedlings cultivated or not under flooding during four assessment periods (0, 20, 40, and 60 days), followed by 100 days after the end of each assessment period (0+100, 20+100, 40+100, and 60+100 days), allowing verifying the potential for post-flooding recovery. Flooded plants showed lower photosynthetic efficiency than non-flooded plants, regardless of the periods of exposure. However, this efficiency was recovered in the post-flooding, with values similar to that of the non-flooded seedlings. Moreover, the damage to FV/FM was evidenced by an increase in the period of exposure to flooding, but recovery was also observed at this stage of the photosynthetic metabolism. Seedling quality decreased under flooding, not varying between periods of exposure, but remained lower although the increase observed in the post-flooding period, with no recovery after flooding. The occurrence of hypertrophied lenticels associated with physiological changes and an efficient antioxidant enzyme system might have contributed to the survival and recovery of these seedlings. Thus, this species is sensitive to flooding stress but capable of adjusting and recovering metabolic characteristics at 100 days after the suspension of the water stress, but with no recovery in seedling quality. Thus, we suggested plasticity under the cultivation condition and determined that the time of 100 days is not enough for the complete resumption of growth.

Resumo Dipteryx alata Vogel é uma arbórea de ampla ocorrência no Cerrado, se estabelecendo preferencialmente em solos bem drenados. Estudos referentes à ecofisiologia de D. alata em podem contribuir para a tomada de decisão sobre o uso de mudas dessa espécie em programas de recuperação de áreas degradadas sujeitas a alagamento temporário. Objetivamos com essa pesquisa avaliar os efeitos do alagamento no metabolismo fotossintético e antioxidante, além da qualidade de mudas dessa espécie, cultivadas ou não sob alagamento durante quatro períodos de avaliação (0, 20, 40 e 60 dias) seguidos de 100 dias após o término de cada período (0+100, 20+100, 40+100, 60+100 dias), possibilitando verificar o potencial de recuperação pós-alagamento. Observamos que as plantas alagadas apresentaram menor eficiência fotossintética e danos em FV/FM entretanto houve recuperação dessas características no pós alagamento. A qualidade das mudas reduziu sob alagamento não variando entre os períodos de exposição e embora tenha aumentado no pós-alagamento manteve-se menor não se recuperando. A ocorrência de lenticelas hipertrofiadas associadas a alterações fisiológicas e um eficiente sistema enzimático antioxidante devem ter contribuído para a sobrevivência e recuperação metabólica dessas mudas. Diante disso, sugerimos que a espécie é sensível ao estresse por alagamento, mas capaz de se ajustar e recuperar as características metabólicas 100 dias após a suspensão deste estresse hídrico, no entanto a qualidade da mudas não apresentou recuperação, assim, sugerimos plasticidade diante da condição de cultivo e ressaltamos que o tempo de 100 dias não é suficiente para a completa retomada do crescimento.

Study on the status quo and correlation between body image and stigma of drug-resistant tuberculosis patients treated with Clofazimine / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To investigate the current situation of body image and stigma of drug-resistant tuberculosis patients treated with Clofazimine, and analyze the correlation between them.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling method to investigate 150 patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis treated with Clofazimine in tuberculosis ward of Chengdu Public Health Clinical Medical Center from October 2020 to October 2021. The general questionnaire, Body Image Scale (BIS) and Tuberculosis Related Stigma Scale were used to conduct a questionnaire survey.Results:A total of 130 questionnaires were effectively collected. The body image score of 130 patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis treated with Clofazimine was (20.51 ± 6.80) points; the score of stigma was (17.78 ± 6.92) points. There was a positive correlation between the total score of disease shame and the total score of body image ( r=0.544, P<0.05). Conclusions:Patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis treated with Clofazimine have body image disorder and stigma, and the two are positively correlated. Caregivers should carry out psychological assessment and intervention at an early stage to improve the patient′s mental health level.

Advances in butyrates and intestinal immune tolerance in children with cow′s milk protein allergy / 国际儿科学杂志

Cow′s milk protein allergy is common in infants, which is an abnormal immune reaction caused by the imbalance of intestinal immune tolerance system.Butyrates, the fermentation product of intestinal anaerobic bacteria, can be used as a histone deacetylase inhibitors and a ligand of G protein-coupled receptors to regulate intestinal innate immunity and adaptive immune function, thereby inducing intestinal immune tolerance in children with cow′s milk protein allergy, which has potential clinical therapeutic value for cow′s milk protein allergy.However, this theory is still only based on the exploration of mechanisms at the cellular and animal levels and has not been applied in the clinic.This article reviews the intestinal immune mechanism of cow′s milk protein allergy, the anabolism of butyrates and the important role of butyrates in intestinal immune tolerance of cow′s milk protein allergy, aiming to lay a theoretical foundation for further clinical application of butyrate-induced intestinal immune tolerance of cow′s milk protein allergy.

Progress of venetoclax in treatment of hematologic malignancies / 白血病·淋巴瘤

The anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2, a key regulator of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, is frequently overexpressed in cells of hematologic malignancies, and the small molecule inhibitor venetoclax that targets this apoptotic pathway has shown promising efficacy in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma. The survival and prognosis of patients with acute myeloid leukemia who are of advanced age or who are unsuitable for strong induction chemotherapy because of comorbidities also have significantly improved, but some patients develop progressive drug resistance during the course of venetoclax treatment, which affects the efficacy of medical therapy. This article reviews the action mechanism, therapeutic progress and resistance mechanism of venetoclax in hematologic malignancies.

Advances in application of regulatory T cells in transplant immune tolerance: from basic to clinical research / 器官移植

Regulatory T cells (Treg) are important inhibitory immune cells to establish immune tolerance, which play a pivotal role in regulating excessive immune response and autoimmune diseases of the host. Previous studies related to transplant immune tolerance have confirmed that increasing the number of Treg in vivo or enhancing the function of Treg serve as a therapeutic strategy to induce transplant immune tolerance. At present, Treg-based induction methods for transplant immune tolerance include adoptive infusion of Treg, in vivo amplification of Treg and utilization of antigen-specific Treg. In this article, the characteristics and mechanism of Treg, the latest research progress on basic experiments and clinical practice of Treg related to transplant immune tolerance at home and abroad were reviewed, and future challenges and development of Treg therapy were prospected, aiming to unravel the significance and application prospect of Treg in transplant immune tolerance, explore the advantages and limitations of Treg therapeutic strategies, and provide reference and evidence for subsequent research in this field.

Macrophages and kidney transplantation / 器官移植

Kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease, whereas long-term survival of renal allografts remains a challenging issue. Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and rejection of renal allografts are considered as important influencing factors of long-term survival of renal allografts, which are regulated by innate and adaptive immune cells. Macrophages are one type of innate immune cells that could assist initiating adaptive immunity and are divided into M1, M2 and regulatory macrophages. Previous studies have revealed that M1 macrophages may aggravate renal IRI and acute T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR). However, M2 macrophages may mitigate renal IRI and acute TCMR, whereas it is positively correlated with antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Regulatory macrophages are a special subgroup of macrophages, which may induce immune tolerance in organ transplantation and have promising clinical application prospects and basic scientific research value. In this article, the relationship among macrophage typing, macrophages and renal IRI, rejection of renal allografts, regulatory macrophages and immune tolerance was reviewed, and the potential mechanism was analyzed, aiming to induce changes in macrophage subtypes or eliminate specific subtypes of macrophages, thereby improving clinical prognosis of the recipients and long-term survival of renal allografts.

Effect of smoking habit on cardiopulmonary function in patients with myocardial infarction -A study based on cardiopulmonary exercise testing- / 体力科学

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between smoking and cardiopulmonary function, and the effect of smoking habit on exercise tolerance after discharge from the hospital, focusing on CPX test data of patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction, and on CPX test data at 6 months after discharge. A total of 123 male patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction between April 2014 and December 2020 were included. Laboratory and CPX data were compared between smokers and non-smokers. CPX data of smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers were also compared in 24 patients who underwent CPX examination 6 months after discharge. HDL-C was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) and τON was significantly prolonged (p < 0.05) during hospitalization in smokers. τON was significantly shorter only in ex-smokers (p < 0.05) 6 months after discharge compared to during hospitalization. These results suggest that τON, which reflects the oxygen uptake kinetics of peripheral tissues, is shortened by smoking cessation.

Transient elastography technology role assessment during the diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To explore the role of transient elastography technology in the assessment of disease staging and treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Methods: Patients who were clinically diagnosed with chronic HBV infection at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 was collected. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) examination was performed more than once by transient elastography. The count data were expressed as cases (%) and the χ (2) test was made. Fisher's exact test was used with theoretical frequency less than 5. The measurement data between two groups was compared by t-test. Multiple groups were compared with an analysis of variance. Results: 1 055 patients were included in this study, including 669 (63.4%) males and 386 (36.6%) females. 757 (71.8%) patients were untreated. Among the untreated patients, the LSM value in the immune clearance (10.2 ± 3.8) kPa (187 cases, 40.4%), and the reactivation stages (9.1 ± 3.4) kPa (114 cases, 24.6%) was significantly higher than that in the immune tolerance (8.7 ± 3.6) kPa (78 cases, 16.8%) and immune control stages (8.4 ± 3.5) KPa (84 cases, 18.1%), and the difference between the four groups was statistically significant (F = 5.31 and P = 0.03). With ALT (male: 30 U/L, female: 19 U/L) as defined the normal value, the LSM value in the immune tolerance and the immune control stages were (5.8 ± 0.9) kPa and (7.1 ± 2.5) kPa, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of patients in the immune tolerance and immune control stages, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). There were 294 (38.8%) patients with uncertain period, excluding patients with fatty liver. Patients with uncertain periods were divided into four gray zone (GZ) groups: immune tolerance stage: LSM (5.1 ± 1.3) kPa was significantly lower than GZ-A (6.5 ± 2.4) kPa, t = 2.06, P = 0.03, and the difference was statistically significant; immune control stage: LSM was (5.6 ± 1.5) kPa, which was also lower than GZ-C (6.8 ± 1.3) kPa, t = 3.08, P = 0.02, and the difference was statistically significant; immune clearance stage: LSM > 8.0 kPa. LSM values showed a year-by-year reduction in patients with expanded indications who started antiviral treatment and were followed up for three years. Conclusion: The LSM value is significantly lower after the decrease of the defined high-normal ALT value in patients with the immune tolerance and immune control stages of chronic HBV infection. The LSM values of GZ-A and GZ-C in the uncertain periods of chronic HBV infection are higher than those of patients in the immune tolerance and immune control stages.

The chemical constituents and hypoglycemic activity of alcoholic extract of sea buckthorn leaves / 药学学报

The purpose of this research is to identify the chemical constituents of sea buckthorn leaves extract (SBLE) and explore its hypoglycemic biological activity. SBLE was prepared by hot reflux extraction with 65% ethanol, and its chemical composition was analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-MS/MS) system. The animal experiments were compliant with ethical principles for animal use and had been approved by the Animal Experiment Ethics Committee of Jinan University. Mice were injected with streptozocin (STZ) to establish a hyperglycemic animal model, and SBLE (1.5 g·kg-1) was administered by gavage for 5 weeks. The fasting blood glucose (FBG) and oral glucose tolerance were detected. Normal mice were given SBLE (1.5 g·kg-1) by intragastric administration for 10 days, and blood was collected from the tail vein to detect the changes in blood glucose within 120 min after sucrose or starch loading. The mucous membrane of the small intestine of mice was taken to detect the activity of α-glucosidase (AG), and the activity of yeast-derived AG incubated with SBLE was evaluated. The glucose uptake by Caco-2 cells treated with SBLE was detected by fluorescence microscopy and cytometry, and the gene expression of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) in Caco-2 cells were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). A total of 18 compounds were identified, mainly including tannins and flavonoids. SBLE reduced FBG and increased oral glucose tolerance in STZ hyperglycemic mice. SBLE effectively inhibited the increase of blood glucose caused by starch intake in normal mice. SBLE exerted good inhibitory activity on yeast-derived AG (IC50 = 16.94 μg·mL-1) and small intestinal mucosa AG with an inhibition rate of 15.48%. SBLE (25-100 μg·mL-1) dose-dependently inhibited glucose uptake by Caco-2 cells, and SBLE significantly reduced the mRNA level of SGLT1 without changing the expression of GLUT2. In conclusion, the UHPLC characteristic fingerprint of SBLE is established with 18 chemical components identified by mass spectrometry, and SBLE exerts hypoglycemic effect by inhibiting the activity of AG and the absorption of glucose by intestinal epithelial cells.

Application progress in the role of vitamin D3 in transplantation immunity / 器官移植

Vitamin D3 is a kind of vitamin that plays important roles in maintaining the normal physiological function of the human body, and its metabolites and analogues exhibit strong anti-inflammatory activity. Vitamin D3 could be activated and converted into 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, a kind of steroid hormone, in the human body, which participates in the regulation of cellular metabolism by activating vitamin D receptor (a kind of transcription factor), thus exerting immunomodulatory effects. This is essential for maintaining the physiological health of the body. Currently, there is a growing number of studies that suggest important roles for 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in organ transplantation immunomodulation and tolerance. Therefore, we reviewed the overview and physiological effects of 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D3 and the application of vitamin D3 in clinical organ transplantation, and summarized the value of applying vitamin D3 in inducing immune tolerance in transplantation, with the aim of providing a reference for promoting the application of vitamin D3 in transplantation immunity.