What Do We Know about Candida auris? State of the Art, Knowledge Gaps, and Future Directions.

Candida auris has unprecedently emerged as a multidrug resistant fungal pathogen, considered a serious global threat due to its potential to cause nosocomial outbreaks and deep-seated infections with staggering transmissibility and mortality, that has put health authorities and institutions worldwide in check for more than a decade now. Due to its unique features not observed in other yeasts, it has been categorised as an urgent threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other international agencies. Moreover, epidemiological alerts have been released in view of the increase of healthcare-associated C. auris outbreaks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This review summarises the current evidence on C. auris since its first description, from virulence to treatment and outbreak control, and highlights the knowledge gaps and future directions for research efforts.

Quercus Suber L. Cork Extracts Induce Apoptosis in Human Myeloid Leukaemia HL-60 Cells.

Quercus suber L. cork contains a diversity of phenolic compounds, mostly low molecular weight phenols. A rising number of reports support with convergent findings that polyphenols evoke pro-apoptotic events in cancerous cells. However, the literature related to the anti-cancer bioactivity of Q. suber L. cork extractives (QSE) is still limited. Herein, we aim to describe the antitumor potential displayed by cork extractives obtained by different extraction methods in the human promyelocytic leukaemia cells. In order to quantify the effects of QSE on cancer cells viability, phosphatidylserine exposure, caspase-3 activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and cell cycle were evaluated. The results indicated that the QSE present a time-dependent and dose-dependent cytotoxicity in the human promyelocytic leukaemia cells. Such a noxious effect leads these leukaemia cells to their death through apoptotic processes by altering the mitochondrial outer membrane potential, activating caspase-3 and externalizing phosphatidylserine. However, cells cycle progression was not affected by the treatments. This study contributes to open a new way to use this natural resource by exploiting its anti-cancer properties. Moreover, it opens new possibilities of application of cork by-products, being more efficient in the sector of cork-based agriculture. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Etiologic and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children from Extremadura in Spain. Their relationship with insulin resistance and plasma adipocytokine levels.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate etiologic and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children from Extremadura, Spain, and their relationship with insulin resistance and plasma adipocytokine levels. METHODS: The study included 373 children (age, 3-13 years) who were randomly selected from schools in the city and province of Badajoz and from two health centers in the Spanish autonomous community of Extremadura. RESULTS: Some 9.5% of children were obese. Compared with normal weight children, obese children exhibited a greater weight gain in the first year of life (7.3+/-1.5 kg vs. 6.3+/-0.8 kg), were less physically active (9.6+/-7.2 h/week vs. 13.1+/-8.1 h/week), and had more screen time (18.0+/-12.4 h/week vs. 12.8+/-8.2 h/week), a lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (46.0+/-11.4 mg/dL vs. 64.6+/-22.9 mg/dL), higher arterial systolic pressure (102.3+/-8.5 mmHg vs. 89.9+/-13.4 mmHg), increased insulin resistance (6.2+/-3.6 vs. 4.6+/-4.5), a higher level of leptinemia (24.8+/-13.8 ng/mL vs. 12.9+/-10.8 ng/mL) and a lower level of adiponectinemia (8.4+/-5.7 microg/mL vs. 15.6+/-7.9 microg/mL). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that there is a relationship between a sedentary lifestyle and the development of insulin resistance and altered adipocytokines levels in obese children, and that these changes are related to a number of cardiovascular risk factors.

Factores etiológicos y de riesgo cardiovascular en niños extremeños con obesidad. Su relación con la resistencia a la insulina y la concentración plasmática de adipocitocinas / Etiologic and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children from extremadura in Spain. Their relationship with insulin resistance and plasma adipocytokine levels

Introducción y objetivos. Se estudian factores etiológicos y de riesgo cardiovascular en niños extremeños obesos y su relación con la resistencia a la insulina y la concentración plasmática de adipocitocinas. Métodos. Se estudió a 373 niños (de 3 a 13 años de edad) seleccionados aleatoriamente en colegios de Badajoz capital y provincia y en dos centros de salud de la Comunidad de Extremadura. Resultados. Un 9,5% de los niños eran obesos. Respecto a los normopesos, en los obesos el incremento de peso al primer año de vida estaba aumentado (7,3 ± 1,5 frente a 6,3 ± 0,8 kg), la actividad física total estaba disminuida (9,6 ± 7,2 frente a 13,1 ± 8,1 h/semana), el tiempo de pantalla estaba aumentado (18 ± 12,4 frente a 12,8 ± 8,2 h/semana), el colesterol de las lipoproteínas de alta densidad estaba disminuido (46 ± 11,4 frente a 64,6 ± 22,9 mg/dl), la presión arterial sistólica estaba aumentada (102,3 ± 8,5 frente a 89,9 ± 13,4 mmHg), la resistencia a la insulina estaba aumentada (6,2 ± 3,6 frente a 4,6 ± 4,5), la leptinemia estaba aumentada (24,8 ± 13,8 frente a 12,9 ± 10,8 ng/ml) y la adiponectinemia estaba disminuida (8,4 ± 5,7 frente a 15,6 ± 7,9 mg/ml). Conclusiones. Se muestra la relación entre sedentarismo y desarrollo de insulinorresistencia y alteraciones de la concentración de adipocitocinas en la obesidad infantil y su relación con algunos factores de riesgo cardiovascular (AU)

Introduction and objectives. The aim was to investigate etiologic and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children from Extremadura, Spain, and their relationship with insulin resistance and plasma adipocytokine levels. Methods. The study included 373 children (age, 3-13 years) who were randomly selected from schools in the city and province of Badajoz and from two health centers in the Spanish autonomous community of Extremadura. Results. Some 9.5% of children were obese. Compared with normal weight children, obese children exhibited a greater weight gain in the first year of life (7.3±1.5 kg vs. 6.3±0.8 kg), were less physically active (9.6±7.2 h/week vs. 13.1±8.1 h/week), and had more screen time (18.0±12.4 h/week vs. 12.8±8.2 h/week), a lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (46.0±11.4 mg/dL vs. 64.6±22.9 mg/dL), higher arterial systolic pressure (102.3±8.5 mmHg vs. 89.9±13.4 mmHg), increased insulin resistance (6.2±3.6 vs. 4.6±4.5), a higher level of leptinemia (24.8±13.8 ng/mL vs. 12.9±10.8 ng/mL) and a lower level of adiponectinemia (8.4±5.7 mg/mL vs. 15.6±7.9 mg/mL). Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate that there is a relationship between a sedentary lifestyle and the development of insulin resistance and altered adipocytokines levels in obese children, and that these changes are related to a number of cardiovascular risk factors (AU)

Experimental type 2 diabetes induces enzymatic changes in isolated rat enterocytes.

Diabetes in humans and in experimental animals produces changes in the function and structure of the small intestine. The authors determined the activity of intestinal disaccharidases (maltase and sucrase) and of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase (PFK-1) in enterocytes isolated from the small intestine of male Wistar rats (2.5 to 3 months old) with experimental nonobese type 2 diabetes, induced by streptozotocin (STZ) injection on the day of birth (n0-STZ) or on the 5th day of life (n5-STZ), with different degrees of hyperglycemia and insulinemia (n0-STZ and n5-STZ models). The glycemia (mmol/L) of the diabetic rats (n0-STZ: 8.77 +/- 0.47; n5-STZ: 20.83 +/- 0.63) was higher (P <.01) than that of the nondiabetic (ND) rats (5.99 +/- 0.63); on the contrary, the insulinemia (ng/mL) was significantly lower in both n0-STZ (1.74 +/- 0.53; P <.05) and n5-STZ (1.12 +/- 0.44; P <.01) diabetic rats than in normal rats (3.77 +/- 0.22). The sucrase and maltase activities (U/g protein) in diabetic rats (n0-STZ: 89 +/- 9 and 266 +/- 12; n5-STZ: 142 +/- 23 and 451 +/- 57) were significantly higher than those in the ND group (66 +/- 5 and 228 +/- 22). The PFK-1 activities (mU/mg protein) in the diabetic models (n0-STZ: 14.89 +/- 1.51; n5-STZ: 13.35 +/- 3.12) were significantly lower (P <.05) than in ND rats (20.54 +/- 2.83). The data demonstrated enzymatic alterations in enterocytes isolated from the small intestine of n0-STZ rats that are greater (P <.05) than in the more hyperglycemic and hypoinsulinemic n5-STZ animals. The results also show that nonobese type 2-like diabetes in the rat produces modifications that favor an increase in glucose absorption rates.