Food-Related Quality of Life Is Impaired in Latinx and Non-Latinx Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background and Aims: Anxiety over food choices and symptoms related to food consumption diminish quality of life (QoL) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. However, the specific factors that impact QoL among IBD patients remain unclear. In this study, we analyzed the relationships of demographic and disease factors with food-related QoL (FRQoL) in a large, diverse US cohort of IBD patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis of 1108 IBD patients aged ≥18 years, we measured FRQoL with the 29-item Food-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (FR-QoL-29) and disease activity with the Harvey-Bradshaw index in Crohn's disease (CD) patients or the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Latinx immigrants completed a Spanish translation of the FR-QoL-29. A subset of patients had colonoscopy and inflammatory marker data available. We used univariate, multivariate, and subgroup analyses to examine the factors that influence FRQoL. Results: In our cohort, 55% of IBD patients self-identified as Latinx. Latinx and non-Latinx patients had similar FR-QoL-29 scores. Female patients had significantly lower FRQoL than male patients (P = .001). Increasing age and IBD duration correlated with higher FRQoL (P < .0001). In UC patients, higher Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index scores (P < .0001), higher Mayo scores (P = .0009), and longer disease duration (P = .03) predicted significantly lower FRQoL. Disease activity and FRQoL were not significantly related in CD patients. Conclusion: This is the largest study to date to examine FRQoL in American IBD patients, and the first to include Latinx patients. Disease-related factors had a greater impact on FRQoL than ethnicity. Clinical and endoscopic disease activity had a more detrimental impact on FRQoL in UC than in CD. Diet intervention studies are needed to alleviate symptoms and improve FRQoL in the IBD population.

Differential Ophthalmological Profile in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Coexisting with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Elevated Tear Cytokine Concentrations.

Background/Objectives: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation. However, measuring cytokines typically involves invasive blood sampling, which can be problematic for CAD patients. This study aimed to assess ophthalmological parameters and tear cytokines in patients with CAD, comparing those with comorbid T2DM to those without to understand their inflammatory profiles. Methods: One hundred subjects with suspected chronic or acute CAD were initially included in this single-center cross-sectional study after clinical stabilization. Seventy-two patients with confirmed CAD were divided into two groups: 32 patients with T2DM and 40 patients without T2DM. A total of 144 eyes were examined, and tear fluid samples were collected to determine cytokine concentrations. Ophthalmological parameters and tear concentrations of cytokines were analyzed, controlling for age, sex, and other cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Patients with CAD and T2DM exhibited decreased ophthalmological parameters and increased cytokine concentrations in comparison to those without T2DM. Significant inverse correlations between ophthalmological parameters and cytokine concentrations were observed. Following adjustment, a full logistic regression model for distinguishing patients with CAD and comorbid T2DM included macular cube volume, mean macular thickness, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-9, IL-13, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), CCL3, CCL4, and CCL11/eotaxin-1, demonstrating excellent discriminatory power (Area Under the Curve = 0.95, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.91-0.99; p < 0.001). Subsequently, IL-5 (Odds Ratio = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.26-2.24; p < 0.001), G-CSF (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02-1.11; p < 0.01), and CCL11/eotaxin-1 (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.19-2.05; p = 0.001) emerged as the most distinguishing variables in a reduced model (AUC = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.84-0.95; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Differences in ophthalmological variables, mainly in cytokine concentrations, suggest distinct pathophysiological mechanisms in patients with CAD based on the presence of T2DM. These findings demonstrate that the inflammatory profile can be readily detected through tear sample cytokines, proving valuable for establishing more accurate prognoses and monitoring in cardiometabolic disorders.

Ancestral Diversity in Pharmacogenomics Affects Treatment for Hispanic/Latine Populations With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease among Hispanic/Latine communities is increasing. Pharmacogenomic studies reveal genetic markers that influence treatment decisions. The aim of our study was to examine the frequency and impact of genetic polymorphisms on thiopurine-associated leukopenia (NUDT15, TPMT) and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) immunogenicity (HLA-DQA1∗05) in a cohort of Hispanic patients of diverse ancestral backgrounds. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study comprising 2225 Hispanic participants. We measured the frequency of variation affecting drug response in NUDT15, TPMT, and HLA-DQA1∗05; their ancestral origin (European, African, or Amerindian); and the rate of development of myelosuppression and immunogenicity to thiopurines and anti-TNFs, in exposed patients. RESULTS: NUDT15 and TPMT variants were rare, except for rs116855232 in NUDT15, which was common only in alleles of Amerindian origin. All NUDT15 variant alleles were inherited on an Amerindian haplotype, and among the Amerindian allele subset, the variant frequency of NUDT15∗4 (rs147390019) was a remarkable 23% in patients with leukopenia but only 3% in patients without leukopenia. HLA-DQA1∗05 and its European tagging variant rs2097432 were common in alleles from all ancestral origins and demonstrated association with immunogenicity to anti-TNFs. However, rs2097432 was only correlated with HLA-DQA1∗05 in the European allele subset. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that NUDT15 testing should become standard clinical practice before prescribing thiopurines in individuals with Amerindian/Alaska Native ancestry, including Hispanic individuals. Additionally, rs2097432 should not be used as a surrogate for HLA-DQA1∗05 testing for diverse populations. Ultimately, incorporating ancestry in personalized therapeutic approaches is important for treatment of Hispanic patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Intolerance of uncertainty does not significantly predict decisions about delayed, probabilistic rewards: A failure to replicate Luhmann, C. C., Ishida, K., & Hajcak, G. (2011).

Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is thought to lead to maladaptive behaviours and dysfunctional decision making, both in the clinical and healthy population. The seminal study reported by Luhmann and collaborators in 2011 showed that IU was negatively associated with choosing a delayed, but more certain and valuable, reward over choosing an immediate, but less certain and valuable, reward. These findings have been widely disseminated across the field of personality and individual differences because of their relevance to understand the role of IU in maladaptive behaviours in anxiety-related disorders. We conducted a study to replicate and extend Luhmann et al.'s results with a sample of 313 participants, which exceeded the size necessary (N = 266) to largely improve the statistical power of the original study by using the small telescopes approach. The results of our well powered study strongly suggest that the relationship between IU and the tendency to prefer an immediate, but less certain and less valuable reward is virtually negligible. Consequently, although this relationship cannot be definitely discarded, we conclude that it cannot be detected with Luhmann et al.'s (2011) decision-making task.

Stromal-Like Cells Are Found in Peripheral Blood of Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Correlate With Immune Activation State.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have identified a critical role of stromal-immune cell interactions in immunity and immune tolerance. Transcriptomic profiling has implicated stromal cells in immune-mediated disorders including the 2 common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC). Stromal-immune interactions may edify inflammatory state and the development of IBD-related complications such as fibrosis, yet the lack of protein markers has hampered studying stromal-immune perturbation. METHODS: In this study, we designed a 40-color spectral flow cytometry assay to characterize hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells in intestinal biopsies and matched blood samples from patients with CD or UC. RESULTS: We identified circulating stromal-like cells that are significantly more abundant in IBD blood samples than in healthy controls. Those cells expressed podoplanin (PDPN), a commonly used marker for fibroblasts, and they were associated with activated and memory T and B cells and altered natural killer cell, monocyte, and macrophage populations. PDPN + cells in the blood correlated with PDPN + cells in the colon. Principal component analysis distinctly separated healthy blood samples from IBD blood samples, with stromal-like cells and B-cell subtypes dominating the IBD signature; Pearson correlation detected an association between PDPN + stromal-like cells and B-cell populations in IBD blood and gut biopsies. DISCUSSION: These observations suggest that PDPN + cells in the blood may serve as a biomarker of IBD. Understanding the relationship between stromal cells and immune cells in the intestine and the blood may provide a window into disease pathogenesis and insight into therapeutic targets for IBD.

Effect of teak wood lignocellulose pretreatment on the performance of cellulose-graft-(net-poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)) for water absorption and dye removal.

Cellulose modified hydrogels can be produced directly from raw biopolymers in novel cellulose solvents such as NaOH/urea aqueous solution. The effect of cellulose characteristics on the synthesis of a cellulose-graft-(net-poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)) and its performance as water absorbent/methylene blue dye removal material is analyzed. Three cellulose samples, one analytical grade and two obtained from teak wood sawdust with different pretreatments (one alkaline and the other, a novel one known as (gas phase) acid pretreatment) were compared. The starting raw celluloses were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and viscosity in cupri ethylenediamine hydroxide (CED) solution, whereas the chemically modified materials were characterized by SEM, FTIR, and TGA. The pretreatment used influences composition, crystallinity index and degree of polymerization (DP) of the cellulose obtained. The modified material produced with cellulose from alkaline pretreatment showed the highest swelling ratio in water absorption tests at room temperature (12,714 %); in contrast, the one with cellulose from acid pretreatment showed the lowest swelling ratio (7,470 %). However, this difference is not so significative in dye removal tests, where absorption capacity is 139 and 140 mg/g, respectively. The results indicate that cellulose composition, particularly structures with significant hemicellulose and lignin remaining content, has a major effect on the performance of modified materials for water absorption, and degree of polymerization has a major effect on adsorption capacity of methylene blue.

Germline mutations of breast cancer susceptibility genes through expanded genetic analysis in unselected Colombian patients.

BACKGROUND: In Colombia and worldwide, breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed neoplasia and the leading cause of death from cancer among women. Studies predominantly involve hereditary and familial cases, demonstrating a gap in the literature regarding the identification of germline mutations in unselected patients from Latin-America. Identification of pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants is important for shaping national genetic analysis policies, genetic counseling, and early detection strategies. The present study included 400 women with unselected breast cancer (BC), in whom we analyzed ten genes, using Whole Exome Sequencing (WES), know to confer risk for BC, with the aim of determining the genomic profile of previously unreported P/LP variants in the affected population. Additionally, Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) was performed to identify Large Genomic Rearrangements (LGRs) in the BRCA1/2 genes. To ascertain the functional impact of a recurrent intronic variant (ATM c.5496 + 2_5496 + 5delTAAG), a minigene assay was conducted. RESULTS: We ascertained the frequency of P/LP germline variants in BRCA2 (2.5%), ATM (1.25%), BRCA1 (0.75%), PALB2 (0.50%), CHEK2 (0.50%), BARD1 (0.25%), and RAD51D (0.25%) genes in the population of study. P/LP variants account for 6% of the total population analyzed. No LGRs were detected in our study. We identified 1.75% of recurrent variants in BRCA2 and ATM genes. One of them corresponds to the ATM c.5496 + 2_5496 + 5delTAAG. Functional validation of this variant demonstrated a splicing alteration probably modifying the Pincer domain and subsequent protein structure. CONCLUSION: This study described for the first time the genomic profile of ten risk genes in Colombian women with unselected BC. Our findings underscore the significance of population-based research, advocating the consideration of molecular testing in all women with cancer.

Early Life and Childhood Environmental Exposures, More Than Genetic Predisposition, Influence Age of Diagnosis in a Diverse Cohort of 2952 Patients With IBD.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) develops from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of established environmental risk factors and genetic risk on age of IBD diagnosis in a diverse cohort. METHODS: IBD patients in clinic completed detailed questionnaires. Blood was drawn for genetic analysis. Environmental risk factors and age of diagnosis were analyzed by ethnicity (Hispanic/Latinx or non-Hispanic White [NHW] individuals) and IBD subtype (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease [CD]). Weighted genetic risk scores and environmental risk scores were developed. We examined the relationship between environmental risk scores, genetic risk scores, and age of diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 2952 patients were included: 58.9% had CD. A total of 46.83% were of Hispanic background. Early life exposures like cesarean delivery and being born in a developed country were associated with a younger age of IBD diagnosis. Childhood exposures such as frequent plastic water bottle use and having more than 1 bathroom at home were associated with a younger age of IBD. Hispanic and NHW individuals shared similar susceptibilities to environmental exposures. Environmental factors explained 21% of the variance in age of CD diagnosis and 39% in ulcerative colitis. In models incorporating genetic risk score and environmental risk score, the environment was the only significant factor associated with younger age of IBD diagnosis in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Early life and childhood exposures impact IBD diagnosis and influence Hispanic and NHW individuals similarly. A cumulative environmental risk score contributes more to age of IBD diagnosis than genetic risk.

Evaluating the effects of counterconditioning, novelty-facilitated, and standard extinction on the spontaneous recovery of threat expectancy and conditioned stimulus valence.

Extinction training has proved effective to diminish the expectancy of the aversive unconditioned stimulus (US). However, the negative valence of the conditioned stimulus (CS) may still stay intact. In fact, several studies have suggested that the CS negative valence may be a factor that promotes the return of fear. Our study focuses on the role of changes in the CS valence as a potential mechanism to reduce the spontaneous recovery of threat expectancies. To do that, we evaluated counterconditioning (CC), a technique aimed to reduce the CS negative valence by paring it with a positive stimulus and compared its efficacy to that of a novelty-facilitated extinction (NFE) and a standard extinction interventions. Using a 2-day protocol, participants first learned the relationship between a figure and an aversive sound, using a differential conditioning paradigm, and were then randomly assigned to one of three different groups. For the CC group, CS+ or cue A was paired with a positive US. The standard extinction group was exposed to cue A alone. For a third NFE group, cue A was followed by a neutral US. Finally, on the second day, spontaneous recovery was tested. Our findings did not provide evidence to suggest that CC could be more effective to prevent or reduce the return of threat expectancies or influence valence ratings when compared with NFE and standard extinction.

Role of Mitochondria in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Mitochondria are key cellular organelles whose main function is maintaining cell bioenergetics by producing ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. However, mitochondria are involved in a much higher number of cellular processes. Mitochondria are the home of key metabolic pathways like the tricarboxylic acid cycle and ß-oxidation of fatty acids, as well as biosynthetic pathways of key products like nucleotides and amino acids, the control of the redox balance of the cell and detoxifying the cell from H2S and NH3. This plethora of critical functions within the cell is the reason mitochondrial function is involved in several complex disorders (apart from pure mitochondrial disorders), among them inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). IBD are a group of chronic, inflammatory disorders of the gut, mainly composed of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. In this review, we present the current knowledge regarding the impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in the context of IBD. The role of mitochondria in both intestinal mucosa and immune cell populations are discussed, as well as the role of mitochondrial function in mechanisms like mucosal repair, the microbiota- and brain-gut axes and the development of colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

Comparación entre la morbilidad y la mortalidad por COVID-19, asociada a factores de riesgo metabólicos en población no indígena e indígena de México / Comparison between morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, associated with metabolic risk factors in non-indigenous and indigenous populations of Mexico

Introducción. La investigación sobre la pandemia de COVID-19, se ha estudiado en tiempo real, ha sido y sigue siendo reveladora. Objetivo. Analizar la morbilidad y la mortalidad por COVID-19, asociadas a factores de riesgo metabólicos en población no indígena e indígena de México. Materiales y métodos. Utilizamos la Base Nacional de Datos COVID-19, durante los años críticos 2020-2021- 2022. Se trabajó con 5.380.247 casos que representaron la población total de positivos al SARS-CoV-2. Se analizaron las discrepancias entre las prevalencias de población no indígena, población indígena, defunción y no defunción. Se definió población indígena, con la clasificación oficial de auto-identificación. Se aplicó el modelo de regresión logística para determinar el riesgo de morir para cada variable: enfermedades cardiovasculares, hipertensión, diabetes, obesidad, sexo, edad y condición indígena. El análisis de multicolinealidad se analizó a través de la prueba de asociación Phi para variables dicotómicas y a través del ajuste de Nagelkerke. Resultados. En los positivos totales 99,2% fue población no indígena y 0,8% indígenas, mientras su porcentaje de letalidad fue de 5,8% y 11,1% respectivamente. En ambos grupos, murieron más hombres (61,5%) que mujeres (38,5%) y las edades de mayor defunción fueron 60 a 79 años. La mortalidad por enfermedades cardiovasculares fue la de mayor incidencia, 26,6% en población general y 32,3% en indígena; por diabetes 22,1% y 27,9%; hipertensión 20,0% y 26,7%y la obesidad 11, 3% y 17,4% respectivamente. Los análisis de regresión logística se ajustaron por sexo, edad y condición indígena. El condicionante de mayor riesgo de muerte, fueron las comorbilidades metabólicas y el de menor riesgo, la condición indígena. Conclusiones. El impacto de la pandemia por COVID-19 fue más grave cuando hubo padecimientos metabólicos tanto en la población no indígena como en la indígena(AU)

Introduction. Research on the COVID-19 pandemic, studied in real time, has been and continues to be revealing. Objective. To analyze morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, associated with metabolic risk factors in non-indigenous and indigenous populations of Mexico. Materials and methods. We use the National COVID-19 Database, during the critical years 2020-2021-2022. We worked with 5,380,247 cases that represented the total population of SARS-CoV-2 positives. The discrepancies between the prevalence of non-indigenous population, indigenous population, death and non-death were analyzed. The indigenous population was defined, with the official self-identification classification. The logistic regression model was applied to determine the risk of dying for each variable: cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, sex, age and indigenous status. The multicollinearity analysis was analyzed through the Phi association test for dichotomous variables and through the Nagelkerke adjustment. Results. Of the total positives, 99.2% were non-indigenous people and 0.8% were indigenous, while their fatality percentage was 5.8% and 11.1% respectively. In both groups, more men (61.5%) than women (38.5%) died and the ages of greatest death were 60 to 79 years. Mortality from cardiovascular diseases was the one with the highest incidence, 26.6% in the general population and 32.3% in the indigenous population; due to diabetes 22.1% and 27.9%; hypertension 20.0% and 26.7% and obesity 11.3% and 17.4% respectively. Logistic regression analyzes were adjusted for sex, age, and indigenous status. The condition with the highest risk of death was metabolic comorbidities and the lowest risk was indigenous status. Conclusions. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was more serious when there were metabolic disorders in both the non-indigenous and indigenous populations(AU)

Disruptions in cell fate decisions and transformed enteroendocrine cells drive intestinal tumorigenesis in Drosophila.

Most epithelial tissues are maintained by stem cells that produce the different cell lineages required for proper tissue function. Constant communication between different cell types ensures precise regulation of stem cell behavior and cell fate decisions. These cell-cell interactions are often disrupted during tumorigenesis, but mechanisms by which they are co-opted to support tumor growth in different genetic contexts are poorly understood. Here, we introduce PromoterSwitch, a genetic platform we established to generate large, transformed clones derived from individual adult Drosophila intestinal stem/progenitor cells. We show that cancer-driving genetic alterations representing common colon tumor genome landscapes disrupt cell fate decisions within transformed tissue and result in the emergence of abnormal cell fates. We also show that transformed enteroendocrine cells, a differentiated, hormone-secreting cell lineage, support tumor growth by regulating intestinal stem cell proliferation through multiple genotype-dependent mechanisms, which represent potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited for therapy.

Pasos para la mejora en la canalización umbilical en neonatología / Steps to improve umbilical vein catheterization in neonatal care

Introducción: En las unidades neonatales se utiliza el catéter venoso umbilical como acceso vascular de elección en la atención inicial del recién nacido debido a su rápido y fácil acceso. Presenta una tasa de fracaso del 25% al 50%, ya que hasta en un 40% de los casos puede encontrarse en el sistema portal conllevando complicaciones. Esto justifica la búsqueda de métodos para disminuir la tasa de catéteres mal posicionados. Se describen diferentes técnicas para mejorar la tasa de éxito a la hora de canalizar la vena umbilical, como son la técnica del doble catéter, la posición del recién nacido para canalizar en decúbito lateral derecho, la compresión hepática y la canalización de forma ecoguiada. El objetivo principal de este estudio es evaluar el impacto de las nuevas técnicas en la tasa de éxito de canalización venosa umbilical central. Material y métodos: Estudio cuasiexperimental pre- y postintervención en una UCIN nivel B durante enero-junio de 2022 (preintervención) y julio-diciembre de 2022 (postintervención). Resultados: Previo a la introducción de estas nuevas técnicas de canalización nuestra tasa de fracaso en la canalización, siempre llevada a cabo a ciegas, era de un 52% y con la introducción de estas medidas ha disminuido la tasa de fracaso a un 27% de forma global. Conclusiones: Tras la introducción de los nuevos métodos de canalización y recanalización, nuestra tasa de éxito en la canalización de la vena umbilical ha aumentado, y creemos necesario implantarlo en unidades con tasas de fracaso similares a la nuestra. (AU)

Introduction: In neonatal units, umbilical vessel catheterization is the preferred method to gain vascular access in the initial management of the newborn because it is quick and easy. The failure rate ranges from 25% to 50%, as the catheter can be found in the portal system in up to 40% of cases, leading to complications. This failure rate warrants the investigation of different methods to reduce the frequency of catheter malposition. We describe different techniques to improve the success rate in umbilical vein catheterization, such as the double catheter technique, positioning the newborn in right lateral decubitus for insertion, liver compression, and ultrasound-guided catheter insertion. The primary objective of the study was to assess the impact of new techniques on the success rate of central umbilical venous catheterization. Material and methods: Pre- and post-intervention quasi-experimental study in a level B NICU conducted in January to June 2022 (pre-intervention) and July to December 2022 (post-intervention). Results: Prior to the introduction of these new catheterization techniques, the failure rate of blind umbilical catheter insertion was 52%. Since the introduction of these measures, the overall failure rate has decreased to 27%. Conclusions: After the introduction of the new catheterization and recanalization methods, our success rate in umbilical vein catheterization has increased, and we believe it is necessary to implement them in units with similar failure rates to ours. (AU)

Alterations in executive functions in inmates convicted for violent behavior: a systematic review.

Background: The growth of the prison population and the high recidivism rates of inmates represent a major public safety problem. Objective: This systematic review explored executive functions in inmates convicted of violent behavior compared with inmates convicted of non-violent behavior and healthy controls (HCs). Methods: Systematic searches were carried out using five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Embase) until March 6th, 2023. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, two reviewers independently performed the screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment of the 8 studies included. The protocol of this study was registered in Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), under registration number CRD42021252043. Results: Consistently, inmates convicted of violent behavior exhibited a greater alteration in inhibition than inmates convicted of non-violent behavior (four out of four studies) and HCs (two out of two studies). In addition, inmates convicted of violent behavior showed greater impairments in cognitive flexibility (two out of three studies) and working memory (two out of three studies) than HCs. Although with limited evidence (only one study), they also showed worse performance in set shifting and planning than HCs. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of alterations in inhibition in inmates convicted of violent behavior compared to inmates convicted of non-violent behavior and HCs. Even though inmates convicted of violent behavior showed greater impairments in planning and set shifting than HCs, these findings were supported in only one study. In general, more robust evidence is needed to confirm alterations in inmates convicted due to violent behavior. These findings highlight the importance of designing and promoting specific cognitive interventions that contribute to the reintegration of inmates into society. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021252043, identifier CRD42021252043.

Steps to improve umbilical vein catheterization in neonatal care.

INTRODUCTION: In neonatal units, umbilical vessel catheterization is the preferred method to gain vascular access in the initial management of the newborn because it is quick and easy. The failure rate ranges from to 50%, as the catheter can be found in the portal system in up to 40% of cases, leading to complications. This failure rate warrants the investigation of different methods to reduce the frequency of catheter malposition. We describe different techniques to improve the success rate in umbilical vein catheterization, such as the double catheter technique, positioning the newborn in right lateral decubitus for insertion, liver compression, and ultrasound-guided catheter insertion. The primary objective of the study was to assess the impact of new techniques on the success rate of central umbilical venous catheterization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Pre- and post-intervention quasi-experimental study in a level B NICU conducted in January-June 2022 (pre-intervention) and July-December 2022 (post-intervention). RESULTS: Prior to the introduction of these new catheterization techniques, the failure rate of blind umbilical catheter insertion was 52%. Since the introduction of these measures, the overall failure rate has decreased to 27%. CONCLUSIONS: After the introduction of the new catheterization and recanalization methods, our success rate in umbilical vein catheterization has increased, and we believe it is necessary to implement them in units with similar failure rates to ours.

Multi-Omics Approach Reveals Prebiotic and Potential Antioxidant Effects of Essential Oils from the Mediterranean Diet on Cardiometabolic Disorder Using Humanized Gnotobiotic Mice.

Essential oils sourced from herbs commonly used in the Mediterranean diet have demonstrated advantageous attributes as nutraceuticals and prebiotics within a model of severe cardiometabolic disorder. The primary objective of this study was to assess the influences exerted by essential oils derived from thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and oregano (Origanum vulgare) via a comprehensive multi-omics approach within a gnotobiotic murine model featuring colonic microbiota acquired from patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD) and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our findings demonstrated prebiotic and potential antioxidant effects elicited by these essential oils. We observed a substantial increase in the relative abundance of the Lactobacillus genus in the gut microbiota, accompanied by higher levels of short-chain fatty acids and a reduction in trimethylamine N-oxide levels and protein oxidation in the plasma. Moreover, functional enrichment analysis of the cardiac tissue proteome unveiled an over-representation of pathways related to mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and cardiac contraction. These findings provide compelling evidence of the prebiotic and antioxidant actions of thyme- and oregano-derived essential oils, which extend to cardiac function. These results encourage further investigation into the promising utility of essential oils derived from herbs commonly used in the Mediterranean diet as potential nutraceutical interventions for mitigating chronic diseases linked to CAD and T2DM.

A polycistronic transgene design for combinatorial genetic perturbations from a single transcript in Drosophila.

Experimental models that capture the genetic complexity of human disease and allow mechanistic explorations of the underlying cell, tissue, and organ interactions are crucial to furthering our understanding of disease biology. Such models require combinatorial manipulations of multiple genes, often in more than one tissue at once. The ability to perform complex genetic manipulations in vivo is a key strength of Drosophila, where many tools for sophisticated and orthogonal genetic perturbations exist. However, combining the large number of transgenes required to establish more representative disease models and conducting mechanistic studies in these already complex genetic backgrounds is challenging. Here we present a design that pushes the limits of Drosophila genetics by allowing targeted combinatorial ectopic expression and knockdown of multiple genes from a single inducible transgene. The polycistronic transcript encoded by this transgene includes a synthetic short hairpin cluster cloned within an intron placed at the 5' end of the transcript, followed by two protein-coding sequences separated by the T2A sequence that mediates ribosome skipping. This technology is particularly useful for modeling genetically complex diseases like cancer, which typically involve concurrent activation of multiple oncogenes and loss of multiple tumor suppressors. Furthermore, consolidating multiple genetic perturbations into a single transgene further streamlines the ability to perform combinatorial genetic manipulations and makes it readily adaptable to a broad palette of transgenic systems. This flexible design for combinatorial genetic perturbations will also be a valuable tool for functionally exploring multigenic gene signatures identified from omics studies of human disease and creating humanized Drosophila models to characterize disease-associated variants in human genes. It can also be adapted for studying biological processes underlying normal tissue homeostasis and development that require simultaneous manipulation of many genes.

[Differences by socioeconomic and school level in food acquisition of Mexican population]. / Diferencias por nivel socioeconómico y escolar en la adquisición de alimentos de la población mexicana.

Introduction: Introduction: social or school factors influence the acquisition and selection of foods to be consumed. Objective: identifying the socioeconomic or school level that has the greatest weight in the acquisition of food in Mexican households. Methods: cross-sectional, retrospective and comparative study based on the database of the 2018 National Household Expenditure-Income Survey of Mexico. We worked with the national total of 73,274 Mexican households. The variables considered were: expenditure module of food and beverages, school grade of the head of the family and socioeconomic status to which the household belongs. For the statistical analysis, the following tests were used: linear regression analysis, as well as variance analysis, Snedecor's F test, post-hoc test and Schefé's confirmatory test. Results: socioeconomic status has a greater weight (p < .001) for food acquisition. Sugary drinks were the most widely acquired in all social and school levels. The lowest social level is the one who acquires the most cereals, fats, sugars and legumes, while for high school levels animal foods and processed meats are the ones most frequently acquired. Conclusion: the socioeconomic level has a great weight in the acquisition and variety of foods, although this does not mean that foods obtained are the healthiest. Therefore, public policies are urgently required in favor of nutritional education at all school levels, which promote the purchase of healthy foods and compete with commercial advertising strategies.

Introducción: Introducción: los factores sociales o escolares influyen en la adquisición y selección de alimentos a consumir. Objetivo: identificar el nivel socioeconómico o escolar que tenga mayor peso en la adquisición de alimentos en hogares mexicanos. Métodos: estudio transversal, retrospectivo y comparativo a partir de la base de datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Ingreso-Gasto en Hogares de México de 2018. Se trabajó con el total nacional de 73.274 hogares mexicanos. Las variables consideradas fueron: módulo de gasto de alimentos y bebidas, grado escolar del jefe de familia y condición socioeconómica a la que pertenece el hogar. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó análisis de regresión lineal, así como análisis de varianza, prueba F de Snedecor, prueba post-hoc y confirmatoria de Schefé. Resultados: el nivel socioeconómico tiene un mayor peso (p < ,001) para la adquisición de los alimentos. Las bebidas azucaradas fueron las de mayor adquisición en todos los niveles sociales y escolares. El nivel social más bajo es el que adquiere la mayor cantidad de cereales, grasas, azucares y leguminosas, mientras que en los niveles escolares altos son los alimentos de origen animal y carnes procesadas los más adquiridos. Conclusión: el nivel socioeconómico tiene mayor peso en la adquisición y variedad de los alimentos, aunque esto no quiere decir que por ello se obtengan los más saludables. Por lo tanto, se requiere urgentemente de políticas públicas en favor de una educación nutricional en todos los niveles escolares, que promueva la compra de alimentos saludables y que compita con las estrategias publicitarias comerciales.

Use of a Bipolar Device (LigaSure) to Seal the Appendiceal Stump in Pediatric Laparoscopic Appendectomy: 10-year Latin-American Experience.

BACKGROUND: Closure of the appendiceal stump is a critical step during an appendectomy. There is a lack of knowledge about the feasibility of using electrosurgical devices for the occlusion of the appendix. This study aims to determine the safety of this technique in pediatric patients. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analytical study in patients less than 18 years of age treated at Hospital Militar Central Colombia between 2012 and 2021. Our institution's ethics committee approved the study. We analyzed the data using SPSS 22 statistical program. We present frequencies for qualitative variables and measures of central tendency or dispersion for quantitative variables depending on the distribution measured by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. In addition, we measured the association of nominal variables with the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. For numerical variables, the difference of means with the Student's t-test or the difference of medians with the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: We treated 209 patients. One hundred sixteen (55.5%) were boys, and the mean age was 9.7 years (SD 3.2). The median intraoperative time was 60 min, and the hospital stay was 2.8 days on average. There were no cases of stump leakage, and only two patients (1%) had an organ-space surgical site infection, which was unrelated to the closure technique. We found no association between procedural complications and appendicular status (p = 0.450). CONCLUSIONS: Our research suggests that using a bipolar sealing device (Ligasure, Medtronic, USA) for appendiceal stump closure in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy is feasible and should be further studied. TYPE OF STUDY: Treatment study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Bacterial Quorum-Sensing Molecules in Serum: A Potential Tool for Crohn's Disease Management.

Crohn's disease (CD) is an idiopathic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract with the primary method of diagnosis and follow-up being colonoscopy. A disturbed host-microbiome interaction, including the presence of pathobionts, is implicated in initiation and perpetuation of inflammation. As such, we hypothesized that bacterial quorum-sensing (QS) molecules (QSMs), small molecules bacteria generate to regulate gene expression, would be elevated in patients with CD. We collected serum at the time of colonoscopy from patients with CD and healthy controls, determining through biosensors for QSMs that patients with CD had significantly elevated levels of QSMs in serum. Expansion of these studies may allow for QSM levels in serum to serve as a biomarker for intestinal inflammation in patients with CD.