Composition of gut microbiota in obese and normal-weight Mexican school-age children and its association with metabolic traits.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem in Mexico. Adult gut microbiota composition has been linked to obesity, but few studies have addressed the role of gut microbiota in childhood obesity. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to compare gut microbiota composition in obese and normal-weight children and to associate gut microbiota profiles with amino acid serum levels and obesity-related metabolic traits. METHODS: Microbial taxa relative abundance was determined by 16S rRNA sequencing in 67 normal-weight and 71 obese children aged 6-12 years. Serum amino acid levels were measured by mass spectrometry. Associations between microbiota composition, metabolic parameters and amino acid serum levels were tested. RESULTS: No significant differences in phyla abundances or Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratios were observed between normal-weight and obese children. However, Bacteroides eggerthii abundance was significantly higher in obese children and correlated positively with body fat percentage and negatively with insoluble fibre intake. Additionally, Bacteroides plebeius and unclassified Christensenellaceae abundances were significantly higher in normal-weight children. Abundance of both these species correlated negatively with phenylalanine serum levels, a metabolite also found to be associated with obesity in Mexican children. CONCLUSIONS: The study identified bacterial species associated with obesity, metabolic complications and amino acid serum levels in Mexican children.

Prospective comparison among three intrarectal anesthetic treatments combined with periprostatic nerve block during transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Recent trends in prostate biopsy analgesia suggest a combination anesthetic to provide better pain relief than periprostatic nerve block (PPNB) alone. This study aimed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of three intrarectal local anesthesia (IRLA) combined with PPNB in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized study, 120 prostate biopsy patients were equally divided into four IRLA groups: group 1 (placebo) received simple lubrication; group 2 received 2% lidocaine gel; group 3 received 100 mg indomethacin suppository and group 4 received 5% prilocaine/lidocaine (EMLA) cream. PPNB with 2% lidocaine was applied in all groups. A ten-point visual analog scale evaluated both pain associated with the probe insertion and pain associated with prostate sampling. Adverse effects or complications due to anesthesia during and after the procedure were documented. RESULTS: Compared with group 1, groups 3 and 4 had significantly lower pain scores at both probe insertion and prostate sampling while group 2 showed no significant differences at both pain scores. Moreover, group 4 showed significantly lower pain scores at probe insertion compared to group 3, while no significant difference was observed at prostate sampling. Mild complications were observed in all groups with no significant difference in the incidence of complications between groups. CONCLUSION: Intrarectal application of EMLA cream is a more efficient pain reduction than either 2% lidocaine gel or 100 mg indomethacin suppository when applied combined with PPNB. This combination represents an effective option of pain relief for patients undergoing TRUS-guided prostate biopsy.

Possible involvement of orphan receptors GPR88 and GPR124 in the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Hypertension (HBP) is a chronic disease characterized by increased blood pressure, which despite several treatments maintains a high morbi-mortality, which suggests that there are other mechanisms involved in this pathology, within which the orphan receptors could be candidates for the treatment of the HBP; these receptors are called orphan receptors because their ligand is unknown. These receptors have been suggested to participate in some pathologies because they are associated with various systems such as GPR88, which has been linked to the dopaminergic system, and GPR124 with angiogenesis, suggesting that these receptors could take part in HBP. Hence, the aim of this work was to study the expression of orphan receptors GPR88 and GPR124 in various tissues of normotensive and hypertensive rats. We used Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) of 6-8 and 10-12 weeks of age and we determined systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate, as well as mRNA of GPR88 and GPR124 receptors by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the aorta, heart, kidney, and brain. Our results showed that GPR88 and GPR124 were expressed in all analyzed tissues, but their expression is dependent on the age and development of HBP because their expression tends to be modified as HBP is established. Therefore, we conclude that GPR88 and GPR124 receptors may be involved in the development or maintenance of high blood pressure.

Parent-reported prevalence of food allergy in Mexican schoolchildren: A population-based study

BACKGROUND: Food allergy (FA) prevalence is well documented in developed countries and appears to be increasing, but remains unknown in most Latin American countries. We aimed to evaluate on a population basis the parent-reported prevalence of FA and its clinical characteristics in Mexican schoolchildren. METHODS: A validated Spanish version of a structured written questionnaire was administered to parents of schoolchildren aged 5-13 years old from Culiacan, Mexico. RESULTS: A total of 1049 parents responded to the survey (response rate, 84%). The estimated prevalence rates (95% CI) were: adverse food reactions 10.0% (8.3-11.9), 'perceived FA, ever' 5.5% (4.3-7.0), 'physician-diagnosed FA, ever' 4.9% (3.7-6.3), 'immediate-type FA, ever' 4.4% (3.3-5.8), 'mmediate-type FA, current' 3.5% (2.6-4.8), and anaphylaxis 1.2% (0.72-2.1). Immediate hypersensitivity reactions were mainly triggered by the consumption of shrimp (1.3%), other shellfish (0.7%), strawberry (0.6%), chocolate (0.5%), and egg (0.4%). Schoolchildren with 'immediate-type FA, current' had more atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis (p < 0.05), but not asthma or drug allergy (p > 0.05) than children without FA. All cases of anaphylaxis sought medical attention, but only one child had physician-diagnosed anaphylaxis and was advised to acquire an epinephrine autoinjector. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of 'immediate-type FA, current' to any food is 3.5% in Mexican schoolchildren. The poor recognition of anaphylaxis and the low frequency of prescription of epinephrine autoinjectors suggest that acute food-induced allergic reactions are not optimally managed in Mexico

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Parent-reported prevalence of food allergy in Mexican schoolchildren: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Food allergy (FA) prevalence is well documented in developed countries and appears to be increasing, but remains unknown in most Latin American countries. We aimed to evaluate on a population basis the parent-reported prevalence of FA and its clinical characteristics in Mexican schoolchildren. METHODS: A validated Spanish version of a structured written questionnaire was administered to parents of schoolchildren aged 5-13 years old from Culiacan, Mexico. RESULTS: A total of 1049 parents responded to the survey (response rate, 84%). The estimated prevalence rates (95% CI) were: adverse food reactions 10.0% (8.3-11.9), "perceived FA, ever" 5.5% (4.3-7.0), "physician-diagnosed FA, ever" 4.9% (3.7-6.3), "immediate-type FA, ever" 4.4% (3.3-5.8), "immediate-type FA, current" 3.5% (2.6-4.8), and anaphylaxis 1.2% (0.72-2.1). Immediate hypersensitivity reactions were mainly triggered by the consumption of shrimp (1.3%), other shellfish (0.7%), strawberry (0.6%), chocolate (0.5%), and egg (0.4%). Schoolchildren with "immediate-type FA, current" had more atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis (p<0.05), but not asthma or drug allergy (p>0.05) than children without FA. All cases of anaphylaxis sought medical attention, but only one child had physician-diagnosed anaphylaxis and was advised to acquire an epinephrine autoinjector. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of "immediate-type FA, current" to any food is 3.5% in Mexican schoolchildren. The poor recognition of anaphylaxis and the low frequency of prescription of epinephrine autoinjectors suggest that acute food-induced allergic reactions are not optimally managed in Mexico.

Trace elements in blood of sea turtles Lepidochelys olivacea in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

This study determined the concentrations of heavy metals in blood collected from Pacific Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) inhabiting the coast of Guasave, Mexico, in the Gulf of California. The highest reported metal concentration in blood was Zn, followed by Se. Of nonessential toxic metals, As was reported in higher percentage compared to Cd. The concentrations of metals detected were present as follows: Zn > Se > Mn > As > Ni > Cd > Cu. Cd concentration in blood is higher in our population in comparison with other populations of L. olivacea, and even higher in other species of sea turtles. Our study reinforces the usefulness of blood for the monitoring of the levels of contaminating elements, and is easily accessible and nonlethal for sea turtles.

Plasmid-encoded toxin of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli is internalized by epithelial cells.

We have previously described a 104-kDa protein termed Pet (for plasmid-encoded toxin) secreted by some strains of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC). Through an unknown mechanism, this toxin (i) raises transepithelial short-circuit current (Isc) and decreases the electrical resistance of rat jejunum mounted in the Ussing chamber, (ii) causes cytoskeletal alterations in HEp-2 cells and HT29/C1 cells, and (iii) is required for histopathologic effects of EAEC on human intestinal mucosa. Pet is a member of the autotransporter class of secreted proteins and together with Tsh, EspP, EspC, ShMu, and SepA proteins comprises the SPATE subfamily. Here, we show that Pet is internalized by HEp-2 cells and that internalization appears to be required for the induction of cytopathic effects. Evidence supporting Pet internalization includes the facts that (i) the effects of Pet on epithelial cells were inhibited by brefeldin A, which interferes with various steps of intracellular vesicular transport; (ii) immunoblots using anti-Pet antibodies detected Pet in the cytoplasmic fraction of intoxicated HEp-2 cells; (iii) Pet was detected inside HEp-2 cells by confocal microscopy; and (iv) a mutant in the passenger domain cleavage site, which prevents Pet release from the bacterial outer membrane, did not produce cytopathic effects on epithelial cells, whereas the release of mutant Pet from the outer membrane with trypsin yielded active toxin. We have also shown that the Pet serine protease motif is required to produce cytopathic effects but not for Pet secretion. Our results suggest an intracellular mode of action for the Pet protease and are consistent with we our recent report suggesting an intracellular mode of action for Pet.