Interleukin-10 deficiency induces thoracic perivascular adipose tissue whitening and vascular remodeling.

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is an adipose layer, surrounding blood vessels, with a local modulatory role. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) has been shown to modulate vascular tissue. This study aimed to characterize the endogenous role of IL-10 in vascular remodeling, and PVAT phenotyping. Thoracic aortic segments from control (C57BL/6J) and IL-10 knockout (IL-10-/-) male mice were used. Analyzes of aorta/PVAT morphometry, and elastin, collagen and reticulin deposition were performed. Tissue uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) was accessed by Western blotting. Endogenous absence of IL-10 reduced total PVAT area (p = 0.0310), and wall/lumen ratio (p = 0.0024), whereas increased vascular area and thickness (p < 0.0001). Total collagen deposition was augmented in IL-10-/-, but under polarized light, the reduction of collagen-I (p = 0.0075) and the increase of collagen-III (p = 0.0055) was found, simultaneously with reduced elastic fibers deposition (p = 0.0282) and increased deposition of reticular fibers (p < 0.0001). Adipocyte area was augmented in the IL-10 absence (p = 0.0225), and UCP1 expression was reduced (p = 0.0420). Moreover, relative frequency of white adipose cells and connective tissue was augmented in IL-10-/- (p < 0.0001), added to a reduction in brown adipose cells (p < 0.0001). Altogether, these data characterize aorta PVAT from IL-10-/- as a white-like adipocyte phenotype. Endogenous IL-10 prevents vascular remodeling and favors a brown-like adipocyte phenotype, suggesting a modulatory role for IL-10 in PVAT plasticity.

Composite Coatings Applied to Fresh and Blanched Chayote (Sechium edule) and Modeling of the Drying Kinetics and Sorption Isotherms.

Sustainable methods such as convective drying have regained interest in reducing the loss and waste of food produce. Combined with techniques like blanching and edible coatings, they could serve as useful tools in food processing development. Composite coatings comprising pectin, soy protein isolate, and xanthan gum were optimized using response surface methodology with the Box-Behnken design. This optimization aimed to investigate their effects on the moisture content, water activity, total color, and rehydration ratio of fresh and blanched chayote slices. Additionally, the study explored the modeling of the drying kinetics and sorption isotherms of chayote (Sechium edule) slices. Soy protein and xanthan gum were found to primarily influence the moisture content (ranging from 5.44% to 9.93%), and pectin influenced water activity (033 to 0.53) of the fresh-coated chayote, while pectin affected the aw (2.13-8.28) and rehydration of the blanch-coated chayote. The optimized formulations for both fresh and blanched chayote were utilized to assess the drying kinetics behavior and sorption isotherms. The best fit (R2: 0.996 to 0.999) was achieved with the parabolic model for thin-layer materials. Furthermore, the sorption isotherms of chayote displayed a Type IV behavior, with the BET model being the most suitable for describing the sorption behavior of materials with low water activity. The predicted values offer valuable data for optimizing processing conditions to enhance the quality and stability of dried chayote.

The Placental Function Beyond Pregnancy: Insights from Latin America.

Currently, more than 100,000 papers had been published studying the placenta in both physiological and pathological contexts. However, relevant health conditions affecting placental function, mostly found in low-income countries, should be evaluated deeper. This review will raise some - of what we think necessary - points of discussion regarding challenging topics not fully understood, including the paternal versus maternal contribution on placental genes imprinting, placenta-brain communication, and some environmental conditions affecting the placenta. The discussions are parts of an international effort to fulfil some gaps observed in this area, and Latin-American research groups currently evaluate that.

Feeding 3-nitrooxypropanol reduces methane emissions by feedlot cattle on tropical conditions.

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of feeding 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP; Bovaer, DSM Nutritional Products) at two levels on methane emissions, nitrogen balance, and performance by feedlot cattle. In experiment 1, a total of 138 Nellore bulls (initial body weight, 360 ± 37.3 kg) were housed in pens (27 pens with either 4 or 5 bulls per pen) and fed a high-concentrate diet for 96 d, containing 1) no addition of 3-NOP (control), 2) inclusion of 3-NOP at 100 mg/kg dry matter (DM), and 3) inclusion of 3-NOP at 150 mg/kg DM. No adverse effects of 3-NOP were observed on DM intake (DMI), animal performance, and gain:feed (P > 0.05). In addition, there was no effect (P > 0.05) of 3-NOP on carcass characteristics (subcutaneous fat thickness and rib eye area). In experiment 2, 24 bulls (initial BW, 366 ± 39.6 kg) housed in 12 pens (2 bulls/pen) from experiment 1 were used for CH4 measurements and nitrogen balance. Irrespective of the level, 3-NOP consistently decreased (P < 0.001) animals' CH4 emissions (g/d; ~49.3%), CH4 yield (CH4/DMI; ~40.7%) and CH4 intensity (CH4/average daily gain; ~38.6%). Moreover, 3-NOP significantly reduced the gross energy intake lost as CH4 by 42.5% (P < 0.001). The N retention: N intake ratio was not affected by 3-NOP (P = 0.19). We conclude that feeding 3-NOP is an effective strategy to reduce methane emissions, with no impairment on feedlot cattle performance.

During fiber digestion in the rumen, enteric methane is produced. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Recently several studies have focused on developing synthetic compounds and their utilization as specific inhibitors of methanogenesis. 3-Nitrooxypropanol is a structural compound that can help to mitigate CH4 emissions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP; Bovaer, DSM Nutritional Products) at two levels on methane emissions, nitrogen balance, and performance by feedlot cattle. No effect of 3-NOP on animal performance and N balance was found. However, regarding CH4 production 3-NOP consistently decreased (P < 0.001) animals' CH4 emissions (g/d; ~49.3%), methane yield (CH4/dry matter intake; ~40.7%), and CH4 intensity (CH4/average daily gain; ~38.6%). This study provides information on the potential role of 3-NOP on reducing CH4 emissions from feedlot cattle without reducing animal performance.

Feedlot performance, rumen and cecum morphometrics of Nellore cattle fed increasing levels of diet starch containing a blend of essential oils and amylase or monensin.

Feed additives used in finishing diets improve energy efficiency in ruminal fermentation, resulting in increased animal performance. However, there is no report evaluating the effect of BEO associated with exogenous α-amylase in response to increased starch content in feedlot diets. Our objective was to evaluate increasing levels of starch in the diet associated with a blend of essential oils plus amylase or sodium Monensin on performance, carcass characteristics, and ruminal and cecal morphometry of feedlot cattle. 210 Nellore bulls were used (initial body weight of 375 ± 13.25), where they were blocked and randomly allocated in 30 pens. The experiment was designed in completely randomized blocks in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement: three starch levels (25, 35, and 45%), and two additives: a blend of essential oils plus α-amylase (BEO, 90 and 560 mg/kg of DM, respectively) or sodium Monensin (MON, 26 mg/kg DM). The animals were fed once a day at 08:00 ad libitum and underwent an adaptation period of 14 days. The diets consisted of sugarcane bagasse, ground corn, soybean hulls, cottonseed, soybean meal, mineral-vitamin core, and additives. The animals fed BEO35 had higher dry matter intake (P = 0.02) and daily weight gain (P = 0.02). The MON treatment improved feed efficiency (P = 0.02). The treatments BEO35 and BEO45 increased hot carcass weight (P < 0.01). Animals fed BEO presented greater carcass yield (P = 0.01), carcass gain (P < 0.01), rib eye area gain (P = 0.01), and final rib eye area (P = 0.02) when compared to MON. The MON25 treatment improved carcass gain efficiency (P = 0.01), final marbling (P = 0.04), and final subcutaneous fat thickness (P < 0.01). The use of MON reduced the fecal starch% (P < 0.01). Cattle-fed BEO increased rumen absorptive surface area (P = 0.05) and % ASA papilla area (P < 0.01). The MON treatment reduced the cecum lesions score (P = 0.02). Therefore, the use of BEO with 35 and 45% starch increases carcass production with similar biological efficiency as MON; and animals consuming MON25 improve feed efficiency and reduce lesions in the rumen and cecum.

Mission POCUS in Haiti.

Introduction: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has enhanced patient care and safety around the world. Clinicians can now use a small diagnostic ultrasound imaging device to answer some binary clinical questions and manage patients more effectively. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant adoption of POCUS by clinicians worldwide. Materials and Methods: A basic cardiac POCUS training was conducted in Haiti with focus on physics, instrumentation, and basic echocardiography. Results: The Mission POCUS team trained 15 Haitian physicians interested in better serving their patients with the implementation of POCUS cardiac in their patient assessment. Conclusion: POCUS skills will empower clinicians from around the world to make rapid and accurate diagnosis and help save lives by diagnosing life threatening conditions and manage patient appropriately. Our experience in Haiti showed that a short POCUS training course can help improve the knowledge of physicians.

Lesiones metabólicas bilaterales en núcleos basales: Serie de casos y Revisión de literatura

Introducción: Los núcleos basales son sustancias de materia gris, involucradas en la regulación de distintas funciones metabólicas y son vulnerables a situaciones de hipoxia y distintas situaciones patológicas. Los hallazgos imagenológicos no son específicos en la mayoría de los casos. Reporte de caso: Se reportan los casos de diez pacientes con lesiones metabólicas bilaterales en núcleos basales atendidos en un hospital de referencia nacional de Perú y se realiza una revisión de la literatura: 3 casos de Hipoparatiroidismo postquirúrgico, 2 de encefalopatía de Wernicke, 1 con degeneración hepatolenticular, 1 con mielinólisis extrapontina, 1 Intoxicación por metanol y 2 con encefalopatía Hipóxico-isquémica. Conclusión: Las lesiones bilaterales de núcleos basales producto de lesiones metabólicas son en gran parte inespecíficas, por lo que el contexto clínico es de vital importancia, así como las particularidades de los hallazgos imagenológicos, para el adecuado reconocimiento de las entidades etiológicas y su manejo oportuno.

Introduction: Basal nuclei are gray matter substances, involved in the regulation of different metabolic functions and are vulnerable to situations of hypoxia and different pathological situations. Imaging findings are not specific in most cases. Case of report: The cases of ten patients with bilateral metabolic lesions in the basal nuclei treated at a national reference hospital in Peru are reported, and a review of the literature is carried out: 3 cases of postoperative hypoparathyroidism, 2 of Wernicke's encephalopathy, 1 with hepatolenticular degeneration, 1 with extrapontine myelinolysis, 1 methanol intoxication and 2 with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Conclusion: Bilateral lesions of the basal nuclei as a result of metabolic lesions are nonspecific, so the clinical context is of vital importance, as well as the particularities of the imaging findings, for the adequate recognition of the etiological entities and their timely management.

Interleukin-10 in the Vasculature: Pathophysiological Implications.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an important immunomodulatory cytokine, initially characterized as an anti-inflammatory agent released by immune cells during infectious and inflammatory processes. IL-10 exhibits biological functions that extend to the regulation of different intracellular signaling pathways directly associated with vascular function. This cytokine plays a vital role in vascular tone regulation by changing important proteins involved in vasoconstriction and vasodilation. Numerous investigations covered here have shown that therapeutic strategies inducing IL-10 exert anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertrophic, anti-hyperplastic, anti-apoptotic and antihypertensive effects. This non-systematic review summarizes the modulating effects mediated by IL-10 in vascular tissue, particularly on vascular tone, and the intracellular pathway induced by this cytokine. We also highlight the advances in IL-10 manipulation as a therapeutic target in different cardiovascular pathophysiologies, including the physiological implications in animals and humans. Finally, the review illustrates current and potential future perspectives of the potential use of IL-10 in clinical trials based on the clinical evidence.

Performance Comparison of Deep Learning Autoencoders for Cancer Subtype Detection Using Multi-Omics Data.

A heterogeneous disease such as cancer is activated through multiple pathways and different perturbations. Depending upon the activated pathway(s), the survival of the patients varies significantly and shows different efficacy to various drugs. Therefore, cancer subtype detection using genomics level data is a significant research problem. Subtype detection is often a complex problem, and in most cases, needs multi-omics data fusion to achieve accurate subtyping. Different data fusion and subtyping approaches have been proposed over the years, such as kernel-based fusion, matrix factorization, and deep learning autoencoders. In this paper, we compared the performance of different deep learning autoencoders for cancer subtype detection. We performed cancer subtype detection on four different cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets using four autoencoder implementations. We also predicted the optimal number of subtypes in a cancer type using the silhouette score and found that the detected subtypes exhibit significant differences in survival profiles. Furthermore, we compared the effect of feature selection and similarity measures for subtype detection. For further evaluation, we used the Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) dataset and identified the differentially expressed genes in each of the subtypes. The results obtained are consistent with other genomic studies and can be corroborated with the involved pathways and biological functions. Thus, it shows that the results from the autoencoders, obtained through the interaction of different datatypes of cancer, can be used for the prediction and characterization of patient subgroups and survival profiles.

Cytolytic activity of peptides derived from the Cry11Bb insecticidal toxin of B. thuringiensis subsp. medellin.

A few Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins, known as parasporins, have demonstrated cell proliferation inhibition of human cancer cells in vitro after protease activation. In this work, eight peptides derived from the Cry11Bb protoxin produced by B. thuringiensis subsp. medellin were selected and evaluated to investigate their membrane permeabilization and cytolytic activities, using red blood cells and cancer cell lines A549, MCF-7 and Caco-2, respectively. The most active peptides permeabilized red blood cells in a membrane potential-dependent manner. Half maximal inhibitory concentration in cancer cells was in the range 0.78-7.63 µM. At the same time, at peptides concentration of 25 µM, the hemolysis percentage varied in the range of 4.6-32.4%. The peptides BTM-P1 and BTM-P4 in D form had the lowest IC50 values on the MCF-7 cell line and they are considered as the most promising peptides among the evaluated. Fluorescence microscopy using AnnexinV-FLUOS staining indicates that the possible cause of MCF-7 cell death by peptide BTM-P1, is apoptosis. Real time PCR analysis showed an increased transcription of p53 in MCF-7 cells, thus confirming the probable pro-apoptotic effect of the peptide BTM-P1. In general, this study suggests that the cytolytic activity of the polycationic peptides derived from the Cry11Bb protoxin could be mediated by a pro-apoptotic mechanism that might include potential-dependent membrane permeabilization. Further studies might be accomplished to establish whether the peptides are cytolytic to other cancer cell lines and to solid tumors.

Marine litter on a highly urbanized beach at Southeast Brazil: A contribution to the development of litter monitoring programs.

Seasonal distribution of Marine Litter (ML) on Santos beaches was assessed using a citizen science strategy. Plastics and cigarette butts (CB) were the dominant items in all sampling campaigns. Seasonal distribution did not result in significant differences for most items. Plastic and CB amounts were high in summer compared to autumn. For all sampled sites the presence of beach users influenced ML densities. However, results showed that some sites presented an additional influence of local hydrodynamic. Moderate amounts of hazardous items including metal, glass, CB, sanitary waste and plastic tubes used to pack and market illicit drugs represented between 20.8 and 31% of all ML over the seasons. The beaches of Santos were classified as dirty in autumn and spring and as extremely dirty in winter and summer. These findings can serve as a baseline to support mitigating actions by public authorities and start monitoring programs of ML not only in Santos but also in other urbanized beaches.

Angiotensin (1-7)-attenuated vasoconstriction is associated with the Interleukin-10 signaling pathway.

AIMS: Angiotensin-1-7 [Ang-(1-7)] is an essential peptide of the renin-angiotensin system that promotes benefits modulating effects in different tissues. Similarly, interleukin-10 (IL-10) exhibits an immunomodulatory action on the vasculature. This study aimed to evaluate whether Ang-(1-7) levels attenuates vascular contractile response, mediated by IL-10-pathway (JAK1/STAT3/IL-10). MAIN METHODS: Aortas from male mice C57BL/6J and knockout for IL-10 (IL-10-/-) were incubated with Ang-(1-7) [10 µM] or vehicle, during 5 min, 1 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h. Concentration-response curves to phenylephrine, western blotting, and flow cytometry analysis was performed to evaluate the contractile response, protein expression, and IL-10 levels, respectively. KEY FINDINGS: Incubation with Ang-(1-7) produced a time-dependent increase in Janus kinases 1 (JAK1) expression, as well as increased expression and activity of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein. However, this effect was not observed in knockout animals for IL-10. After 12 h of Ang-(1-7) treatment, arteries from control mice displayed decreased vascular reactivity to phenylephrine, but this effect was not observed in the absence of endogenous IL-10. Additionally, incubation with Ang-(1-7) augments IL-10 levels after 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h of incubation. SIGNIFICANCE: These results demonstrated the role of Ang-(1-7) in the IL-10 signaling pathway and its effects in the vascular contractility response. Thus, these findings suggest a new synergic action where Ang-(1-7) and IL-10 converge into a protective mechanism against vascular dysfunction.

Temperature-dependent phonon dynamics and anharmonicity of suspended and supported few-layer gallium sulfide.

Phonons play a fundamental role in the electronic and thermal transport of 2D materials which is crucial for device applications. In this work, we investigate the temperature-dependence of A[Formula: see text] and A[Formula: see text] Raman modes of suspended and supported mechanically exfoliated few-layer gallium sulfide (GaS), accessing their relevant thermodynamic Grüneisen parameters and anharmonicity. The Raman frequencies of these two phonons soften with increasing temperature with different [Formula: see text] temperature coefficients. The first-order temperature coefficients θ of A[Formula: see text] mode is ∼ -0.016 cm-1/K, independent of the number of layers and the support. In contrast, the θ of A[Formula: see text] mode is smaller for two-layer GaS and constant for thicker samples (∼ -0.006 2 cm-1 K-1). Furthermore, for two-layer GaS, the θ value is ∼ -0.004 4 cm-1 K-1 for the supported sample, while it is even smaller for the suspended one (∼ -0.002 9 cm-1 K-1). The higher θ value for supported and thicker samples was attributed to the increase in phonon anharmonicity induced by the substrate surface roughness and Umklapp phonon scattering. Our results shed new light on the influence of the substrate and number of layers on the thermal properties of few-layer GaS, which are fundamental for developing atomically-thin GaS electronic devices.

In silico transcriptional analysis of mRNA and miRNA reveals unique biosignatures that characterizes different types of diabetes.

Diabetes (DM) has a significant impact on public health. We performed an in silico study of paired datasets of messenger RNA (mRNA) micro-RNA (miRNA) transcripts to delineate potential biosignatures that could distinguish prediabetes (pre-DM), type-1DM (T1DM) and type-2DM (T2DM). Two publicly available datasets containing expression values of mRNA and miRNA obtained from individuals diagnosed with pre-DM, T1DM or T2DM, and normoglycemic controls (NC), were analyzed using systems biology approaches to define combined signatures to distinguish different clinical groups. The mRNA profile of both pre-DM and T2DM was hallmarked by several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) compared to NC. Nevertheless, T1DM was characterized by an overall low number of DEGs. The miRNA signature profiles were composed of a substantially lower number of differentially expressed targets. Gene enrichment analysis revealed several inflammatory pathways in T2DM and fewer in pre-DM, but with shared findings such as Tuberculosis. The integration of mRNA and miRNA datasets improved the identification and discriminated the group composed by pre-DM and T2DM patients from that constituted by normoglycemic and T1DM individuals. The integrated transcriptomic analysis of mRNA and miRNA expression revealed a unique biosignature able to characterize different types of DM.

The limited knowledge of placental damage due to neglected infections: ongoing problems in Latin America.

The placenta works as a selective barrier, protecting the fetus from potential infections that may affect the maternal organism during pregnancy. In this review, we will discuss several challenging infections that are common within Latin American countries and that may affect the maternal-fetal interface and pose risks to fetal development. Specifically, we will focus on emerging infectious diseases including the arboviruses, malaria, leishmaniasis, and the bacterial foodborne disease caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. We will also highlight some topics of interest currently being studied by research groups that comprise an international effort aimed at filling the knowledge gaps in this field. These topics address the relationship between exposure to microorganisms and placental abnormalities, congenital anomalies, and complications of pregnancy. ABBREVIATIONS: ADE: antibody-dependent enhancement; CCL2: monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; CCL3: macrophage inflammatory protein-1 α; CCL5: chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5; CHIKV: chikungunya virus; DCL: diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis; DENV: dengue virus; Gb3: glycolipid globotriaosylceramyde; HIF: hypoxia-inducible factor; HUS: hemolytic uremic syndrome; IFN: interferon; Ig: immunoglobulins; IL: interleukin; IUGR: intrauterine growth restriction; LCL: localized cutaneous leishmaniasis; LPS: lipopolysaccharid; MCL: mucocutaneous leishmaniasis; NO: nitric oxide; PCR: polymerase chain reaction; PGF: placental growth factor; PM: placental malaria; RIVATREM: Red Iberoamericana de Alteraciones Vasculares em transtornos del Embarazo; sVEGFR: soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor; STEC: shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli; stx: shiga toxin protein; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; TOAS: T cell original antigenic sin; Var2CSA: variant surface antigen 2-CSA; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor; VL: visceral leishmaniasis; WHO: world health organization; YFV: yellow fever virus; ZIKV: Zika virus.

Encefalitis anti NMDAR: Reporte de caso con seguimiento a largo plazo Anti-NMDAR / Encephalitis NMDAR: Case report with a long - term follow-up

Resumen La encefalitis autoinmune por anticuerpos antineurales de superficie, abarca un amplio espectro de entidades clínicas. La encefalitis por anticuerpos contra el antígeno de superficie de la porción externa del receptor del N-metil-D-aspartato (RNMDA) es la más frecuente y de mejor caracterización. Se reporta el caso de un adolescente con un cuadro clínico neurosiquiátrico y crisis epilépticas de reciente inicio, que presentó respuesta positiva para anticuerpos anti-RNMDA y respuesta parcial a tratamiento con corticoterapia e inmunoglobulina; en vista de esto, recibió manejo adicional con recambio plasmático seguido por terapia de mantenimiento con ciclos de inmunoglobulina, sin uso de inmunosupresores. Se reportan los resultados del seguimiento a largo plazo.

Summary Autoimmune encephalitis due to surface antineural antibodies covers a wide spectrum of clinical entities. Encephalitis due to antibodies against the surface antigen of the external portion of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (RNMDA) is the most frequent and best characterized. The case of an adolescent with a clinical picture of neurosychiatric disorder and epileptic seizures of recent onset is presented: he had a positive response for anti-RNMDA antibodies, and a partial response to treatment with corticosteroid therapy and immunoglobulin; therefore, he received additional management with plasma exchange followed by maintenance therapy with immunoglobulin cycles, without the use of immunosuppressants. The results of a long-term follow-up are reported.

Placental structure in gestational diabetes mellitus.

The placenta is a transitory organ, located between the mother and the foetus, which supports intrauterine life. This organ has nutritional, endocrine and immunologic functions to support foetal development. Several factors are related to the correct functioning of the placenta including foetal and maternal blood flow, appropriate nutrients, expression and function of receptors and transporters, and the morphology of the placenta itself. Placental morphology is crucial for understanding the pathophysiology of the organ as represents the physical structure where nutrient exchange occurs. In pathologies of pregnancy such as diabetes mellitus in humans and animal models, several changes in the placental morphology occur, related mainly with placental size, hypervascularization, higher branching capillaries of the villi and increased glycogen deposits among others. Gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with modifications in the structure of the human placenta including changes in the surface area and volume, as well as histological changes including an increased volume of intervillous space and terminal villi, syncytiotrophoblast number, fibrinoid areas, and glycogen deposits. These modifications may result in functional changes in this organ thus limiting the wellbeing of the developing foetus. This review gives an overview of recurrent morphological changes at macroscopic and histological levels seen in the placenta from gestational diabetes in humans and animal models. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane Transporters and Receptors in Pregnancy Metabolic Complications edited by Luis Sobrevia.

Interleukin 1-beta is Linked to Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight Adolescents.

AIM: We hypothesized that IL-1ß concentrations are augmented in overweight adolescents, who do not display metabolic syndrome. Additionally, we aimed to correlate the IL-1ß concentrations with several established risk factors for CVD. METHODS: Overweight or control subjects, aging from 14-18 years, were classified according to their adjusted body mass index and evaluated for biochemical and anthropometric parameters. The proinflammatory cytokine IL-1ß was assessed in the serum. RESULTS: Increased body fat percentage, waist circumference, triglycerides, total cholesterol, Very Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, Castelli I index, IL-1ß, and IL-8 levels, were observed in overweight adolescents. No differences were observed in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, glucose or High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Positive correlations between IL-1ß with anthropometric and or biochemical parameters were found. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, increased IL-1ß levels correlate to dyslipidemic factors and may further support low-grade inflammation. IL-1ß may further predict the early onset of cardiovascular disease in this population, taking into consideration its important regulatory role.

Distribution of Beta-Lactamase Producing Gram-Negative Bacterial Isolates in Isabela River of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are naturally prevalent in lotic ecosystems such as rivers. Their ability to spread in anthropogenic waters could lead to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria of clinical importance. For this study, three regions of the Isabela river, an important urban river in the city of Santo Domingo, were evaluated for the presence of ARGs. The Isabela river is surrounded by communities that do not have access to proper sewage systems; furthermore, water from this river is consumed daily for many activities, including recreation and sanitation. To assess the state of antibiotic resistance dissemination in the Isabela river, nine samples were collected from these three bluedistinct sites in June 2019 and isolates obtained from these sites were selected based on resistance to beta-lactams. Physico-chemical and microbiological parameters were in accordance with the Dominican legislation. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry analyses of ribosomal protein composition revealed a total of 8 different genera. Most common genera were as follows: Acinetobacter (44.6%) and Escherichia (18%). Twenty clinically important bacterial isolates were identified from urban regions of the river; these belonged to genera Escherichia (n = 9), Acinetobacter (n = 8), Enterobacter (n = 2), and Klebsiella (n = 1). Clinically important multi-resistant isolates were not obtained from rural areas. Fifteen isolates were selected for genome sequencing and analysis. Most isolates were resistant to at least three different families of antibiotics. Among beta-lactamase genes encountered, we found the presence of blaTEM, blaOXA, blaSHV, and blaKPC through both deep sequencing and PCR amplification. Bacteria found from genus Klebsiella and Enterobacter demonstrated ample repertoire of antibiotic resistance genes, including resistance from a family of last resort antibiotics reserved for dire infections: carbapenems. Some of the alleles found were KPC-3, OXA-1, OXA-72, OXA-132, CTX-M-55, CTX-M-15, and TEM-1.

Plasma levels of C-reactive protein, matrix metalloproteinase-7 and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein distinguish active pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis from uninfected controls in children.

The immune profile associated with distinct clinical forms of tuberculosis (TB) has been extensively described for adult populations. Nevertheless, studies describing immune determinants of pulmonary or extrapulmonary TB (PTB or EPTB, respectively) in children are scarce. Here, we retrospectively assessed plasma levels of several mediators of inflammation in age and sex-matched children from South India presenting with PTB (n = 14) or EPTB (n = 22) as well as uninfected healthy controls (n = 19) to identify biomarkers that could accurately distinguish different TB clinical forms. Furthermore, we performed exploratory analyses testing the influence of sex on the systemic inflammatory profile. The analyses identified a biosignature of 10 biomarkers capable of distinguishing the three clinical groups simultaneously. Machine-learning decision trees indicated that C-reactive protein (CRP), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7 and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) were the markers that, when combined, displayed the highest accuracy in identifying the clinical groups. Additional exploratory analyses suggested that the disease signatures were highly influenced by sex. Therefore, sex differentially impacted status of systemic inflammation, immune activation and tissue remodeling in children with distinct clinical forms of TB. Regardless of such nuances related to biological sex, MMP-7, CRP and LBP were strong discriminators of active TB and thus could be considered as biomarkers useful in discrimination different TB clinical forms. These observations have implications on our understanding of the immunopathology of both clinical forms of TB in pediatric patients. If validated by other studies in the future, the combination of identified biomarkers may help development of point-of-care diagnostic or prognostic tools.