Gut microbiota signatures of vulnerability to food addiction in mice and humans.

OBJECTIVE: Food addiction is a multifactorial disorder characterised by a loss of control over food intake that may promote obesity and alter gut microbiota composition. We have investigated the potential involvement of the gut microbiota in the mechanisms underlying food addiction. DESIGN: We used the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0 criteria to classify extreme food addiction in mouse and human subpopulations to identify gut microbiota signatures associated with vulnerability to this disorder. RESULTS: Both animal and human cohorts showed important similarities in the gut microbiota signatures linked to food addiction. The signatures suggested possible non-beneficial effects of bacteria belonging to the Proteobacteria phylum and potential protective effects of Actinobacteria against the development of food addiction in both cohorts of humans and mice. A decreased relative abundance of the species Blautia wexlerae was observed in addicted humans and of Blautia genus in addicted mice. Administration of the non-digestible carbohydrates, lactulose and rhamnose, known to favour Blautia growth, led to increased relative abundance of Blautia in mice faeces in parallel with dramatic improvements in food addiction. A similar improvement was revealed after oral administration of Blautia wexlerae as a beneficial microbe. CONCLUSION: By understanding the crosstalk between this behavioural alteration and gut microbiota, these findings constitute a step forward to future treatments for food addiction and related eating disorders.

Continuous response despite reduced dose of trametinib as single agent in an adolescent with a relapsed disseminated pediatric low-grade glioma KIAA1549-BRAF fusion positive: a case report and review of the literature.

Dissemination in pediatric low-grade glioma may occur in about 4%-10% of patients according to retrospective cohort studies. Due to its low incidence, there is no consensus on treatment for these patients. According to the constitutional activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway in these tumors, MEK inhibitors such as trametinib have been used successfully in the relapsed setting. Skin toxicity is frequent in patients receiving trametinib, normally mild to moderate, but sometimes severe, needing to discontinue the drug, limiting the efficacy in the tumor. There is not much information in the literature regarding whether reducing the dose of trametinib is able to maintain efficacy while, at the same time, decreasing toxicity. Here, we present an adolescent, with severe skin toxicity, whose trametinib dose was reduced by 50% and efficacy on the tumor continued while skin toxicity significantly decreased.

Lung ultrasound and procalcitonin, improving antibiotic management and avoiding radiation exposure in pediatric critical patients with bacterial pneumonia: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is a major public health problem with an impact on morbidity and mortality. Its management still represents a challenge. The aim was to determine whether a new diagnostic algorithm combining lung ultrasound (LUS) and procalcitonin (PCT) improved pneumonia management regarding antibiotic use, radiation exposure, and associated costs, in critically ill pediatric patients with suspected bacterial pneumonia (BP). METHODS: Randomized, blinded, comparative effectiveness clinical trial. Children < 18y with suspected BP admitted to the PICU from September 2017 to December 2019, were included. PCT was determined at admission. Patients were randomized into the experimental group (EG) and control group (CG) if LUS or chest X-ray (CXR) were done as the first image test, respectively. Patients were classified: 1.LUS/CXR not suggestive of BP and PCT < 1 ng/mL, no antibiotics were recommended; 2.LUS/CXR suggestive of BP, regardless of the PCT value, antibiotics were recommended; 3.LUS/CXR not suggestive of BP and PCT > 1 ng/mL, antibiotics were recommended. RESULTS: 194 children were enrolled, 113 (58.2%) females, median age of 134 (IQR 39-554) days. 96 randomized into EG and 98 into CG. 1. In 75/194 patients the image test was not suggestive of BP with PCT < 1 ng/ml; 29/52 in the EG and 11/23 in the CG did not receive antibiotics. 2. In 101 patients, the image was suggestive of BP; 34/34 in the EG and 57/67 in the CG received antibiotics. Statistically significant differences between groups were observed when PCT resulted < 1 ng/ml (p = 0.01). 3. In 18 patients the image test was not suggestive of BP but PCT resulted > 1 ng/ml, all of them received antibiotics. A total of 0.035 mSv radiation/patient was eluded. A reduction of 77% CXR/patient was observed. LUS did not significantly increase costs. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of LUS and PCT showed no risk of mistreating BP, avoided radiation and did not increase costs. The algorithm could be a reliable tool for improving pneumonia management. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04217980.

Decreased oxytocin levels related to social cognition impairment in borderline personality disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Dysfunctions in the oxytocin system have been reported in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Deficits could be related to interpersonal hypersensitivity, which has been previously associated with failures in social cognition (SC) in this disorder, especially in Theory of Mind (ToM) skills. The aim of this work is to study the links between the oxytocin system and SC impairments in patients with BPD. METHOD: Plasma oxytocin levels (OXT) and protein expression of oxytocin receptors in blood mononuclear cells (OXTR) were examined in 33 patients with a diagnosis of BPD (age: M 28.85, DT = 8.83). Social cognition was assessed using the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC). Statistical associations between biochemical factors and different response errors in MASC were analyzed through generalized linear regression controlling for relevant clinical factors. RESULTS: Generalized linear regression showed a significant relationship between lower OXTR and overmentalization in BPD patients (OR = 0.90). CONCLUSIONS: This work supports the relationship between alterations in the oxytocin system and ToM impairments observed in BPD patients, enhancing the search for endophenotypes related to the phenotypic features of the disorder to improve current clinical knowledge and address more specific therapeutic targets.

The Impacts of COVID-19 Restrictions on Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY): Heterogeneous effects and post-pandemic recovery.

OBJECTIVES: Estimate the effects of non-pharmacological interventions used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the quality of life, measured by Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). METHODS: A survey on 1,506 heads of households from Chile in May of 2022. Respondents were asked basic socioeconomic questions and a version of the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire that was used to calculate the evolution of HRQoLs. Comparisons of means in HRQoLs measures before the pandemic, at the peak of restrictions, and at the moment of the survey were performed. RESULTS: The average HRQoL of the population before the pandemic was similar to other countries in the region (0.96). At the peak of restrictions (June 2020-August 2021), the average HRQoL decreased to 0.87 (-9%). At the time of survey (May 2022), the average HQRoL was 0.91 (4%). Assuming the recovery trend continued, pre-pandemic HRQoLs would be reached by January 2024. Altogether, the pandemic would have reduced QALYs by 0.2 in average. The effect is larger and the recovery slower among women. Our estimates imply that the restrictions to manage the pandemic came at a cost of 2.4 months of life years for the average (surviving) person, 1.8 months for men and 3.4 for women. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that COVID-19 had worse effects on life quality than previously thought. These effects are more significant among women than among men. Efforts to improve life quality and speed up its recovery could have large positive consequences for the population.

Epidemiological Analyses of the First Incursion of the Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Serotype 8 in Tunisia, 2021-2022.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) is a non-contagious arthropod-transmitted viral disease and a World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)-listed disease of domestic and wild ruminants since 2008. EHDV is transmitted among susceptible animals by a few species of midges of genus Culicoides. During the fall of 2021, a large outbreak caused by the epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), identified as serotype 8, was reported in Tunisian dairy and beef farms with Bluetongue virus (BTV)-like clinical signs. The disease was detected later in the south of Italy, in Spain, in Portugal and, more recently, in France, where it caused severe infections in cattle. This was the first evidence of EHDV-8 circulation outside Australia since 1982. In this study, we analyzed the epidemiological situation of the 2021-2022 EHDV outbreaks reported in Tunisia, providing a detailed description of the spatiotemporal evolution of the disease. We attempted to identify the eco-climatic factors associated with infected areas using generalized linear models (GLMs). Our results demonstrated that environmental factors mostly associated with the presence of C. imicola, such as digital elevation model (DEM), slope, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and night-time land surface temperature (NLST)) were by far the most explanatory variables for EHD repartition cases in Tunisia that may have consequences in neighboring countries, both in Africa and Europe through the spread of infected vectors. The risk maps elaborated could be useful for disease control and prevention strategies.

Few-layer black phosphorus enables nitrogen fixation under ambient conditions.

Nitrogen (N2) fixation is a key reaction in biological and industrial chemistry, which does not occur spontaneously under ambient conditions but often depends on very specific catalysts and harsh reaction processes. Here we show that exposing exfoliated black phosphorus to the open air triggers, concomitantly, the oxidation of the two-dimensional (2D) material and the fixation of up to 100 parts per million (0.01%) of N2 on the surface. The fixation also occurs in pristine non-exfoliated material. Besides, other allotropic forms of phosphorus, like red P, also fixes N2 during ambient oxidation, suggesting that the N2 fixation process is intrinsic with phosphorus oxidation and does not depend on the chemical structure or the dimensionality of the solid. Despite the low amounts of N2 fixed, this serendipitous discovery could have fundamental implications on the chemistry and environmental stability of phosphorous and the design of related catalysts for N2 fixation.

Psychological factors are associated with pain extent in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Widespread pain may be related to psychosocial aspects in several musculoskeletal conditions, but the literature on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is scarce. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between pain extent and psychological factors (catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, anxiety symptoms, and depression) in people with CTS. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. The independent variables were: pain intensity, disability (QuickDASH), duration of symptoms, anxiety and depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, and kinesiophobia. The main outcome was: pain extent (% of total area and categories "pain within the median nerve-innervated territory" versus "extra-median nerve pain"). Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. A linear regression model and binary logistic regression (both with forward selection) were performed to determine the main predictors of pain extent. RESULTS: Forty-eight participants were included. A moderate positive correlation was found between catastrophizing (r = 0.455; p = 0.024) and disability (r = 0.448; p = 0.024) with total pain extent area. Regression models indicated that catastrophizing explained 22% of the variance in the pain extent (ß = 0.003; 95% CI: 0.002-0.005), while kinesiophobia was the variable that best explained the distribution of pain in the extra-median territory (R2 Nagelkerke = 0.182). Null or weak correlations were found for the rest of the associations. CONCLUSION: Catastrophizing and kinesiophobia were the main indicators of pain extent in people with CTS. Clinicians are advised to use specific questionnaires to check for the presence of catastrophizing or kinesiophobia in people with CTS and wider pain extension.

Comparison of Direct Oral Anticoagulants vs Vitamin K Antagonists After Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: There is currently no established recommendation for antithrombotic treatment following transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). However, based on the analogy with surgical mitral bioprosthesis, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) are predominantly used. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare bleeding and thrombotic events associated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) or VKAs in a prospective cohort of TMVR patients. METHODS: We enrolled consecutive patients who underwent transseptal TMVR using a SAPIEN family prosthesis at our center between 2011 and 2023. The primary outcome was the occurrence of bleeding. VKAs were administered to patients until October 2019, after which DOACs were prescribed. The median follow-up was 4.7 months (Q1-Q3: 2.6-6.7 months). RESULTS: A total of 156 patients were included. The mean age was 65 ± 18.5 years, and 103 patients (66%) were women. The median EuroSCORE II was 7.48% (Q1-Q3: 3.80%-12.97%). Of the participants, 20.5% received DOACs and 79.5% were treated with VKAs. The primary outcome was observed in 50 (40%) patients in the VKA group and 3 (9%) patients in the DOAC group (adjusted HR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.06-0.74; P = 0.02). Treatment with DOAC was associated with a shorter length of hospital stay. No significant differences were found in terms of thrombotic events, major vascular complications, stroke, or death. CONCLUSIONS: The use of DOACs after TMVR, compared with VKAs, appears to reduce the risk of bleeding complications and decrease the length of hospital stay for patients, without a significant increase in the risk of thrombotic events.

Inflammatory profiles in women with eating disorder: Linking inflammatory biomarkers to clinical phenotypes.

INTRODUCTION: Eating disorders (ED) represent a group of very complex and serious diagnoses characterized by emotional dysregulation and impulsivity. New approaches are necessary to achieve effective diagnosis and treatments. Shifting biomarker research away from the constraints of diagnostic categories may effectively contribute to a dimensional differentiation across disorders according to neurobiology (e.g., inflammatory biomarkers). Thus, the aim of our study was to identify inflammatory profiles in patients with ED. METHODS: A sample of 100 women with an ED (23.4 ± 8.55 years) and 59 healthy controls (HC) (20.22 ± 4.18 years) was used. K-means cluster analysis was followed to identify inflammatory clusters considering seven blood biomarkers (iNOS, TNFα, COX2, p38, ERK, TBARS and PPARγ). Moreover, a wide assessment of clinical features was conducted. RESULTS: Two distinct clusters were identified. Cluster 1 patients were characterized by higher inflammatory levels of TNF-α, COX2, p38, and ERK, and had more restrictive anorexia diagnosis than cluster 2. Cluster 2 participants showed higher inflammatory levels of iNOS and were older than cluster 1 and controls and had lower BMI than HC. In addition, they had higher levels of bulimic symptoms than those from the cluster 1 and HC, and higher impulsivity than HC. All ED patients (regardless of cluster) showed higher ED symptoms and more trauma than HC. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that inflammatory dysfunction may be linked with clinical endophenotypes in ED, one more restrictive (cluster 1) with an inflammation/oxidative endophenotype more cytokine and MAPK/ERK mediated, and the other more impulsive, with more bulimic symptoms (cluster 2) with NO free radical high output source iNOS. Trauma seems to be a vulnerability factor for both endophenotypes.

A rapid and sensitive High-Performance Liquid Chromatography method with fluorescence detection for quantification of melatonin in small volume rat plasma samples: application to a preclinical study to determine the oral pharmacokinetics of melatonin under gestational conditions

Abstract A novel, simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection method was developed and validated for the characterization of the preclinical pharmacokinetics of melatonin under pregnant conditions. Plasma samples (25 µL) were treated with 30 µL of ethanol absolute (containing the internal standard, IS). After a centrifugation process, aliquots of supernant (5 µL) were injected into the chromatographic system. Compounds were eluted on a Xbridge C18 (150 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 µm particle size) maintained at 30°C. The mobile phase consisted in a mixture of aqueous solution of 0.4% phosphoric acid and acetonitrile (70:30 v/v). The wavelengths were set at 305 nm (excitation) and 408 nm (emission) and the total analysis time was 8 min/sample. All validation tests were obtained with accuracy and precision, according to FDA guidelines, over the concentration range of 0.005-20 µg/mL. Pharmacokinetic study showed that melatonin systemic exposure increased from day 14, with a significant difference at 19 days of gestation compared to the control group. Our findings suggest a decreased metabolism of melatonin as result of temporary physiological changes that occur throughout pregnancy. However, other maternal physiological changes cannot be ruled out.

Social cognition deficits in borderline personality disorder: Clinical relevance.

Interpersonal difficulties in borderline personality disorder (BDP) have been suggested to be related to impairments in Social Cognition (SC), mainly due to deficits in Theory of Mind (ToM). However, literature is scarce and ambiguous. This work aims to study the SC impairments in BPD patients, by the specific assessment of ToM deficits, and to investigate the relationship between these SC impairments and clinical variables. 82 BPD patients with BPD and 47 control subjects were assessed with the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC). Clinical variables of severity, chronicity, functionality and anxious-depressive symptomatology were recorded. BPD patients had fewer correct mentalization responses and more overmentalization, undermentalization, and absence of mentalization errors than controls. Chronicity was negatively correlated with overmentalization and positively correlated with undermentalization and absence of mentalization errors. Functionality was indirectly correlated with absence of mentalization. These results confirm previous reports of alterations in SC in BPD patients. Furthermore, this study shows that SC impairments in patients with BPD are dependent on characteristics such as chronicity or degree of functionality. The different ToM profiles in patients with BPD indicate the necessity of developing variants of mentalization therapy depending on the deficits of each patient.

Neurocognitive profile associated with borderline personality disorder: building specific indices of executive function.

The objective of this work is the creation of specific indices of the different executive functions (EF).

West Nile virus in the Iberian Peninsula: using equine cases to identify high-risk areas for humans.

BackgroundWest Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus with an enzootic cycle between birds and mosquitoes; humans and horses are incidental dead-end hosts. In 2020, the largest outbreak of West Nile virus infection in the Iberian Peninsula occurred, with 141 clusters in horses and 77 human cases.AimWe analysed which drivers influence spillover from the cycle to humans and equines and identified areas at risk for WNV transmission.MethodsBased on data on WNV cases in horses and humans in 2020 in Portugal and Spain, we developed logistic regression models using environmental and anthropic variables to highlight risk areas. Models were adapted to a high-resolution risk map.ResultsCases of WNV in horses could be used as indicators of viral activity and thus predict cases in humans. The risk map of horses was able to define high-risk areas for previous cases in humans and equines in Portugal and Spain, as well as predict human and horse cases in the transmission seasons of 2021 and 2022. We found that the spatial patterns of the favourable areas for outbreaks correspond to the main hydrographic basins of the Iberian Peninsula, jointly affecting Portugal and Spain.ConclusionA risk map highlighting the risk areas for potential future cases could be cost-effective as a means of promoting preventive measures to decrease incidence of WNV infection in Europe, based on a One Health surveillance approach.

Perfil neurocognitivo asociado al trastorno límite de personalidad: creación de índices específicos de función ejecutiva / Neurocognitive profile associated with borderline personality disorder: building specific indices of executive function

Introducción. El objetivo de este trabajo es la creación de índices específicos de las distintas funciones ejecutivas (FE), que permitan comprender de forma más completa y no mediante pruebas aisladas el rendimiento ejecutivo asociado al trastorno límite de la personalidad (TLP). Metodología. 118 pacientes con TLP y 81 controles fueron evaluados con una batería neuropsicológica. Se crearon tres índices de atención, memoria y FE. Las pruebas que forman el índice ejecutivo se agruparon en cuatro índices ejecutivos diferentes: flexibilidad cognitiva, planificación, memoria de trabajo e inhibición de respuesta. Las puntuaciones para cada dominio se obtuvieron a través de las puntuaciones estandarizadas de las pruebas que los componían. Resultados. Los resultados mostraron diferencias significativas en los índices de memoria, atención y FE, así como en los diferentes índices ejecutivos de flexibilidad cognitiva, planificación, memoria de trabajo e inhibición de respuesta, entre los pacientes con TLP y los controles. Conclusiones. Este estudio ha permitido la creación de cuatro índices ejecutivos, siendo el primero hasta la fecha en hacerlo. Estos resultados establecen un perfil neurocognitivo del TLP caracterizado por un deterioro ejecutivo específico de la flexibilidad cognitiva, la planificación, la memoria de trabajo y la inhibición de la respuesta. Estos hallazgos avalan que los pacientes con TLP podrían beneficiarse de la aplicación de programas neuropsicológicos, especialmente enfocados en mejorar determinadas FE, y sientan las bases para la investigación de la relación entre estos déficits ejecutivos específicos y ciertas características clínicas del TLP, como diferentes tipos de comportamiento impulsivo y diferentes errores de mentalización. (AU)

Introduction. The objective of this work is the creation of specific indices of the different executive functions (EF), which allow a more complete understanding of the executive performance associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and not through isolated tests. Methodology. 118 patients with BPD and 81 controls were evaluated with a neuropsychological battery. Three indices of attention, memory and FE were created. The tests that make up the executive domain were grouped into four different executive indices: cognitive flexibility, planning, working memory, and response inhibition. The batteries for each domain were compared through the standardized batteries of the tests that comprised them. Results. The results showed differences in the memory, attention, and EF indices, as well as in the different executive indices of cognitive flexibility, planning, working memory, and response inhibition, between BPD patients and controls. Conclusions. This study has allowed the creation of four executive indexes, being the first to do so. These results established a neurocognitive profile of BPD characterized by executive-specific impairment of cognitive flexibility, planning, working memory, and response inhibition. These findings support that patients with BPD will benefit from the application of neuropsychological programs, especially focused on improving a certain EF, and lay the foundations for the investigation of the relationship between these specific executive deficits and certain clinical characteristics of BPD, such as different types of Impulsive behavior and different mentalization errors. (AU)

Progesterone modulates extracellular heat-shock proteins and interlukin-1ß in human choriodecidual after Escherichia coli infection.

INTRODUCTION: Chorioamnionitis is an adverse condition in human pregnancy caused by many bacterial pathogens including Escherichia coli (E. coli); which has been associated with higher risk of preterm birth. We recently reported that human maternal decidua (MDec) tissue responds to E. coli infection by secreting extracellular heat-shock proteins (eHsp)-60, -70 and interlukin-1ß (IL-1ß). Previous studies have shown that progesterone (P4) regulates the immune response, but it is unknown whether P4 inhibits the secretion of eHsp. The aim of this investigation was to determine the role of P4 on the secretion of eHsp-27, -60, -70 and IL-1ß in MDec after 3, 6, and 24 h of E. coli infection. METHODS: Nine human feto-maternal interface (HFMi) tissues were included and mounted in the Transwell culture system. Only the maternal decidua (MDec) was stimulated for 3, 6 and 24 h with E. coli alone or in combination with progesterone and RU486. After each treatment, the HFMi tissue was recovered to determine histological changes and the culture medium recovered to evaluate the levels of eHsp-27, -60, -70 and IL-1ß by ELISA and mRNA expression by RT-PCR. RESULTS: No structural changes were observed in the HFMi tissue treated with P4 and RU486. However, stimulation with E. coli produces diffuse inflammation and ischemic necrosis. E. coli induced infection decreases, in time- and dose-dependent manner, eHsp-27 and increases eHsp-60, eHsp-70 and IL-1ß levels. In contrast, incubation of HFMi tissue with E. coli + P4 reversed eHsp and IL-1ß secretion levels relative to E. coli stimulation group but not relative to the control group. The same profile was observed on the expression of eHsp-27 and eHsp-60. DISCUSSION: we found that progesterone modulates the anti-inflammatory (eHsp-27) and pro-inflammatory (eHsp-60 and eHsp-70) levels of eHsp induced by E. coli infection in human choriodecidual tissue. eHsp-60 and eHsp-70 levels were not completely reversed; maintaining the secretion of IL-1ß, which has been associated with adverse events during pregnancy.

Oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways in female eating disorders and borderline personality disorders with emotional dysregulation as linking factors with impulsivity and trauma.

BACKGROUND: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and eating disorders (ED) are both disorders with emotional dysregulation that may share some similar biological underpinnings, leading to oxidative/inflammatory alterations. Unfortunately, to date, no studies have assessed the relationship between clinical features, inflammatory alterations and childhood trauma across these disorders. Our aim was to identify the potential common and disorder-specific inflammatory pathways and examine possible associations between these dysregulated pathways and the clinical features. METHODS: We studied a sample of 108 women (m = 27.17 years; sd = 7.64), divided into four groups: 23 patients with a restrictive ED (ED-R), 23 patients with a bingeeating/ purging ED (ED-P) and 26 patients with BPD; whereas the control group included 23 healthy subjects. Several inflammatory/oxidative parameters: tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), p38 mitogenactivated protein kinases, ERK mitogen-activated protein kinases and c-Jun NH2- terminal kinase (JNK), and some antiinflammatory antioxidant elements: glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), Kelch-like ECHassociated protein (Keap1) were determined in plasma or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Furthermore, clinical, impulsivity, trauma and eating behavior questionnaires were administered. RESULTS: Three main inflammatory/oxidative components were extracted using principal component analysis (59.19 % of biomarker variance explained). Disorder-specific dysfunction in the inflammatory and oxidative pathways in patients with BPD and ED were revealed by means of relationships with specific principal components (p < .01). BPD patients showed higher levels of a component featured by elevated levels of JNK and lower of GPx and SOD. ED-R and impulsivity were associated with a component featured by the activation of ERK and negative influence of Keap1. The component featured by the suppression of catalase and COX2 was associated with both ED subtypes and trauma exposure. CONCLUSION: Several risk factors such as trauma, impulsivity and eating disorder symptoms were transdiagnostically associated with some inflammatory alterations regardless of diagnosis. These findings suggest that the clinical profile comprising trauma exposure and an emotional dysregulation disorder might constitute a specific endophenotype highly linked with inflammatory alterations.

Telocytes/CD34+ Stromal Cells in the Normal, Hyperplastic, and Adenomatous Human Parathyroid Glands.

Telocytes/CD34+ stromal cells (TCs/CD34+ SCs) have been studied in numerous organs and tissues, but their presence and characteristics in the parathyroid glands have not been explored. Using immunological and ultrastructural procedures, we assess the location, arrangement, and behavior of TCs/CD34+ SCs in normal human parathyroids, during their development and in their most frequent pathologic conditions. In normal parathyroids, TCs/CD34+ SCs show a small somatic body and long thin processes with a moniliform aspect, form labyrinthine systems, connect other neighboring TCs/CD34+ SCs, vessels, adipocytes, and parenchymal cells directly or by extracellular vesicles, and associate with collagen I. TCs/CD34+ SCs and collagen I are absent around vessels and adipocytes within parenchymal clusters. In developing parathyroids, TCs/CD34+ SC surround small parenchymal nests and adipocytes. In hyperplastic parathyroids, TCs/CD34+ SCs are prominent in some thickened internodular septa and surround small extraglandular parenchymal cell nests. TCs/CD34+ SCs are present in delimiting regions with compressed parathyroids and their capsule in adenomas but absent in most adenomatous tissue. In conclusion, TCs/CD34+ SCs are an important cellular component in the human parathyroid stroma, except around vessels within parenchymal nests. They show typical characteristics, including those of connecting cells, are present in developing parathyroids, and participate in the most frequent parathyroid pathology, including hyperplastic and adenomatous parathyroids.

Altered emotional response pattern related to complex trauma in patients with borderline personality disorder.

INTRODUCTION: This work aims to demonstrate, through the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) responses, an altered emotional pattern in borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients and to find a specific emotional response pattern by understanding their relationship with traumatic experiences and attachment bonds towards their primary caregivers. METHOD: A total of 50 BPD patients and 39 control patients were evaluated using the IAPS, and its assessment was carried out through the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM). Paternal and maternal attachment bonds as well as traumatic experiences in BPD patients were evaluated. Statistical associations were analysed in the different variables. RESULTS: Significant differences between BPD and control patients were found in all emotional response components for pleasant, unpleasant and neutral images (p < .01), with one exception, the arousal in pleasant images. Patients' experience of traumatic experiences was positively related to scores on the happiness component of pleasant imagery (p = .057) and on the arousal component of unpleasant imagery (p = .058). Poorer maternal bonding in BPD patients was significantly related to lower scores on happiness (p < .01) and dominance (p < .05) components of pleasant imagery and all emotional response components for unpleasant imagery (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study confirm an impaired emotional response pattern in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), showing an emotional response to pleasant images similar to that of depression, while the pattern found to unpleasant images could be related to the complex trauma observed in these patients, which includes PTSD experiences such as sexual abuse and attachment trauma experiences.