Expression of 20 SCPP genes during tooth and bone mineralization in Senegal bichir

The African bichir (Polypterus senegalus) is a living representative of Polypteriformes. P. senegalus possesses teeth composed of dentin covered by an enameloid cap and a layer of collar enamel on the tooth shaft, as in lepisosteids. A thin layer of enamel matrix can also be found covering the cap enameloid after its maturation and during the collar enamel formation. Teleosts fish do not possess enamel; teeth are protected by cap and collar enameloid, and inversely in sarcopterygians, where teeth are only covered by enamel, with the exception of the cap enameloid in teeth of larval urodeles. The presence of enameloid and enamel in the teeth of the same organism is an opportunity to solve the evolutionary history of the presence of enamel/enameloid in basal actinopterygians. In silico analyses of the jaw transcriptome of a juvenile bichir provided twenty SCPP transcripts. They included enamel, dentin, and bone-specific SCPPs known in sarcopterygians and several actinopterygian-specific SCPPs. The expression of these 20 genes was investigated by in situ hybridizations on jaw sections during tooth and dentary bone formation. A spatiotemporal expression patterns were established and compared with previous studies of SCPP gene expression during enamel/enameloid and bone formation. Similarities and differences were highlighted, and several SCPP transcripts were found specifically expressed during tooth or bone formation suggesting either conserved or new functions of these SCPPs.

[Evaluation of the Knowledge of Women of Childbearing Age with Epilepsy about the Impact of Their Disease in Contraception, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study]

INTRODUCTION

The interaction of antiseizure medication with contraceptives, its potential teratogenicity and implications in pregnancy and breastfeeding are aspects to consider in the neurological care of women with epilepsy of childbearing age. To ensure the commitment in therapeutic decisions and the appropriate planning of maternity, it is essential that women are informed about the implications of their disease in these domains. The main aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of women of childbearing age with epilepsy concerning the impact of epilepsy in contraception, pregnancy and breastfeeding. As secondary aims we defined (1) the demographic, clinical and therapeutic characterization of this group of patients, (2) the identification of variables that correlated with the level of knowledge of women with epilepsy, and (3) the identification of preferential methods to acquire new knowledge about epilepsy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was observational, cross-sectional and multicentric, and was carried out in five hospitals of the Lisbon metropolitan area. After identifying all women of childbearing age with epilepsy followed in the epilepsy clinic of each center, we applied an electronic questionnaire based on a non-systematic review of the literature.

RESULTS

One hundred and fourteen participants were validated, with a median age of 33 years. Half of the participants were on monotherapy, and the majority had no seizures in the last six months. We identified important gaps in the participants' knowledge. Sections about complications and administration of antiseizure medication during pregnancy were the ones with the worst results. None of the clinical and demographic variables correlated with the final questionnaire score. Having had a previous pregnancy and the desire to breastfeed in a future pregnancy were positively correlated with the performance in breastfeeding section. Face-to-face discussion during medical outpatient visits was selected as the preferential method to learn about epilepsy, and the internet and social media were the least preferred ones.

CONCLUSION

The knowledge of women of childbearing age with epilepsy in the Lisbon metropolitan area concerning the impact of epilepsy in contraception, pregnancy and breastfeeding seems to have significant gaps. Medical teams should consider engaging in patient education particularly during outpatient clinics.

Global survival trends for brain tumors, by histology: analysis of individual records for 556,237 adults diagnosed in 59 countries during 2000-2014 (CONCORD-3)

BACKGROUND

Survival is a key metric of the effectiveness of a health system in managing cancer. We set out to provide a comprehensive examination of worldwide variation and trends in survival from brain tumors in adults, by histology.

METHODS

We analyzed individual data for adults (15-99 years) diagnosed with a brain tumor (ICD-O-3 topography code C71) during 2000-2014, regardless of tumor behavior. Data underwent a 3-phase quality control as part of CONCORD-3. We estimated net survival for 11 histology groups, using the unbiased nonparametric Pohar Perme estimator.

RESULTS

The study included 556,237 adults. In 2010-2014, the global range in age-standardized 5-year net survival for the most common sub-types was broad: in the range 20%-38% for diffuse and anaplastic astrocytoma, from 4% to 17% for glioblastoma, and between 32% and 69% for oligodendroglioma. For patients with glioblastoma, the largest gains in survival occurred between 2000-2004 and 2005-2009. These improvements were more noticeable among adults diagnosed aged 40-70 years than among younger adults.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the largest account to date of global trends in population-based survival for brain tumors by histology in adults. We have highlighted remarkable gains in 5-year survival from glioblastoma since 2005, providing large-scale empirical evidence on the uptake of chemoradiation at population level. Worldwide, survival improvements have been extensive, but some countries still lag behind. Our findings may help clinicians involved in national and international tumor pathway boards to promote initiatives aimed at more extensive implementation of clinical guidelines.

Novel Pyrrolidinium-Functionalized Styrene-b-ethylene-b-butylene-b-styrene Copolymer Based Anion Exchange Membrane with Flexible Spacers for Water Electrolysis

Anion exchange membranes (AEM) are core components for alkaline electrochemical energy technologies, such as water electrolysis and fuel cells. They are regarded as promising alternatives for proton exchange membranes (PEM) due to the possibility of using platinum group metal (PGM)-free electrocatalysts. However, their chemical stability and conductivity are still of great concern, which is appearing to be a major challenge for developing AEM-based energy systems. Herein, we highlight an AEM with styrene-b-ethylene-b-butylene-b-styrene copolymer (SEBS) as a backbone and pyrrolidinium or piperidinium functional groups tethered on flexible ethylene oxide spacer side-chains (SEBS-Py2O6). This membrane reached 27.8 mS cm^-1 hydroxide ion conductivity at room temperature, which is higher compared to previously obtained piperidinium-functionalized SEBS reaching up to 10.09 mS cm^-1. The SEBS-Py206 combined with PGM-free electrodes in an AWE water electrolysis (AEMWE) cell achieves 520 mA cm^-2 at 2 V in 0.1 M KOH and 171 mA cm^-2 in ultra-pure water (UPW). This high performance indicates that SEBS-Py2O6 membranes are suitable for application in water electrolysis.

Short-term outcomes of chemoradiotherapy and local excision versus total mesorectal excision in T2-T3ab,N0,M0 rectal cancer: a multicentre randomised, controlled, phase III trial (the TAU-TEM study)

BACKGROUND

The standard treatment of T2-T3ab,N0,M0 rectal cancers is total mesorectal excision (TME) due to the high recurrence rates recorded with local excision. Initial reports of the combination of pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) have shown reductions in local recurrence. The TAU-TEM study aims to demonstrate the non-inferiority of local recurrence and the improvement in morbidity achieved with CRT-TEM compared with TME. Here we describe morbidity rates and pathological outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a prospective, multicentre, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial including patients with rectal adenocarcinoma staged as T2-T3ab,N0,M0. Patients were randomised to the CRT-TEM or the TME group. Patients included, tolerance of CRT and its adverse effects, surgical complications (Clavien-Dindo and Comprehensive Complication Index classifications) and pathological results (complete response in the CRT-TEM group) were recorded in both groups. Patients attended follow-up controls for local and systemic relapse.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01308190.

RESULTS

From July 2010 to October 2021, 173 patients from 17 Spanish hospitals were included (CRT-TEM: 86, TME: 87). Eleven were excluded after randomisation (CRT-TEM: 5, TME: 6). Modified intention-to-treat analysis thus included 81 patients in each group. There was no mortality after CRT. In the CRT-TEM group, one patient abandoned CRT, 1/81 (1.2%). The CRT-related morbidity rate was 29.6% (24/81). Post-operative morbidity was 17/82 (20.7%) in the CRT-TEM group and 41/81 (50.6%) in the TME group (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval 42.9% to 16.7%). One patient died in each group (1.2%). Of the 81 patients in the CRT-TEM group who received the allocated treatment, 67 (82.7%) underwent organ preservation. Pathological complete response in the CRT-TEM group was 44.3% (35/79). In the TME group, pN1 were found in 17/81 (21%).

CONCLUSION

CRT-TEM treatment obtains high pathological complete response rates (44.3%) and a high CRT compliance rate (98.8%). Post-operative complications and hospitalisation rates were significantly lower than those in the TME group. We await the results of the follow-up regarding cancer outcomes and quality of life.

Characterization of persistent headache attributed to past stroke

BACKGROUND

Persistent headache attributed to past stroke (PHAPS) is a controversial entity, recently included in the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) despite being described only in retrospective studies.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency and characteristics of PHAPS in patients admitted with acute stroke.

METHODS

We selected all patients with headache associated with acute stroke (HAAS) from a prospective, single-center registry of patients with acute stroke admitted to a Neurology ward between November 2018 and December 2019. We analyzed demographic, clinical, and neuroimaging data. We assessed the follow-up with a phone call questionnaire at 6 to 12 months.

RESULTS

Among 121 patients with acute stroke, only 29 (24.0%) had HAAS. From these, 6 (5.0%) were lost to follow-up. In total, 23 (20.0%) patients answered the 6- to 12-month follow-up questionnaire and were included in this study. The median age of the sample was 53 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 38-78 years), and there was no sex predominance. Of the 10 patients (8,3%) that had persistent headache, 8 (6.6%) suffered from previous chronic headaches; however, they all mentioned a different kind of headache, and 1 (0,8%) probably had headache secondary to medication.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, only 10 out of 121 stroke patients (8.3%) referred persistent headache at the 6- to 12-month follow-up, but the majority already suffered from previous chronic headache, which raises the question that the actual prevalence of PHAPS may be lower than previously reported.

Comparative effectiveness of the new calpain inhibitor NPO-2270 versus enalapril in pressure overload-induced heart failure

Background

Studies performed in multiple preclinical models support the contribution of the Ca2+-dependent cysteine proteases calpains to ventricular remodelling and heart failure (HF). However, pharmacological calpain inhibition has not yet been tested in patients with HF mainly due to the limitations of available inhibitors.

Purpose

To determine the effect of NPO-2270 (NPO), a new ketoamide derivative calpain inhibitor, in a mouse model of pressure-overload and compare its effectiveness with that of enalapril.

Methods

C57BL6 mice were subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for 4 weeks. Mice were randomised to receive orally administered NPO or enalapril at the dose of 10 mg/kg/day once a day, or vehicle, starting at day 7 after TAC surgery. The combination of both drugs and the effect of NPO starting 1 day after surgery were tested in additional TAC mice. Echocardiographic data, markers of hypertrophy, fibrosis, calpain activity and cleavage of calpain substrates were measured at different time points.

Results

TAC increased calpain-1 and -2 expression and activity. Administration of NPO and enalapril prevented the progression of hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis induced by TAC with no statistically significant differences between the two treatments. However, ongoing ventricular dysfunction was less severe in the NPO group than in the enalapril group (27% of LVEF reduction in control group, 6% in NPO group and 16% in the enalapril group after TAC, P=0.024 between NPO and enalapril groups). The combined treatment or the administration of NPO from the first day after TAC surgery was not superior to NPO alone starting 7 days after TAC. These differences in LVEF correlated with better preservation of cadherin-based cell adhesion complex in mice treated with NPO-2270. No adverse effects associated with long-term NPO administration were observed in a sham group.

Conclusions

The new calpain inhibitor NPO-2270 prevents the development of hypertrophy and fibrosis with similar efficacy than enalapril but prevents cardiac dysfunction more effectively in a preclinical model of pressure overload when given orally at equivalent doses.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Spanish Ministry of Health

Efficacy and safety of proprotein covertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors among patients with acute coronary syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors have formed part of the armamentarium of lipid-lowering therapy, most especially low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction, which in turn decreases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and adverse cardiovascular events. However, studies are sparse on the benefit of initiating PCSK9 inhibitors during the early phase of an acute coronary sydrome (ACS).

Purpose

The objective of this meta-analysis is to investigate the efficacy and safety of the PCSK9 inhibitors evolocumab and alirocumab in the acute setting of an ACS.

Methods

A systematic search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that involve the use of PCSK9 inhibitors in ACS was done using MEDLINE/PubMed and Cochrane Library.

Results

Three RCTs (n=385 participants) were included in this meta-analysis comparing PCSK9 inhibitors versus placebo in patients hospitalized for ACS. Among patients being managed for ACS, PCSK9 inhibitors demonstrated a greater reduction in LDL-C compared to placebo as early as day 3 (WMD −41.65%, 95% CI [−60.09, −23.21], p&lt;0.00001), and was maintained until week 4 (WMD −45.67%, 95% CI [−64.82, −26.53], p&lt;0.00001). The occurrence of adverse events did not significantly differ between the two groups in terms of hospitalization for recurrent ACS (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.10–9.98, p=1.0), hospitalization for heart failure (OR 6.18, 95% CI 0.26–146.78, p=0.26), or cerebrovascular events (OR 3.12, 95% CI 0.31–31.30, p=0.33).

Conclusion

In patients admitted for ACS, the early administration of PCSK9 inhibitors such as evolocumab and alirocumab during the first 24 hours of hospitalization resulted in a rapid and significant reduction of LDL-C without any significant adverse event as compared to placebo. Further validation of the role of PCSK9 inhibitors in the setting of ACS is needed to robustly investigate its contribution in improving hard cardiovascular outcomes.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private hospital(s). Main funding source(s): St. Luke's Medical Center Global City

Functional bacterial cultures for dairy applications: towards improving safety, quality, nutritional and health benefit aspects

Traditionally, fermentation was used to preserve the shelf life of food. Currently, in addition to favouring food preservation, well standardized and controlled industrial processes are also aimed at improving the functional characteristics of the final product. In this regard, starter cultures have become an essential cornerstone of food production. The selection of robust microorganisms, well adapted to the food environment, has been followed by the development of microbial consortia that provide some functional characteristics, beyond their acidifying capacity, achieving safer, high‐quality foods with improved nutritional and health‐promoting properties. In addition to starters, adjunct cultures and probiotics, which normally do not have a relevant role in fermentation, are added to the food in order to provide some beneficial characteristics. This review focuses on highlighting the functional characteristics of food starters, as well as adjunct and probiotic cultures (mainly lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria), with a specific focus on the synthesis of metabolites for preservation and safety aspects (e.g. bacteriocins), organoleptic properties (e.g. exopolysaccharides), nutritional (e.g. vitamins) and health improvement (e.g. neuroactive molecules). Literature reporting the application of these functional cultures in the manufacture of foods, mainly those related to dairy production, such as cheeses and fermented milks, has also been updated.

Release-Recapture Test of Dispersal and Survival of Sterile Males of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The sterile insect technique is used around the world to suppress or eradicate populations of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) with successful results. It consists of inundative releases of sterile insects into a wide area to reduce reproduction in a field population of the same species. It is necessary to know the dispersion of the sterile males in the field in order to define the maximum distance between the release points that ensures the distribution of the sterile flies in the entire target area. The release methods may vary depending on the area to be covered and the resources available. Manual ground release requires less technology. The aim of this research was to estimate the ability of sterile males to survive and disperse in the field, in the two main areas of citrus production in Uruguay. A release of 20,000 sterile males of C. capitata TslV8 (-inv D53) was performed at the central point of each area defined for the trials. Around these points, a network of 54 Jackson traps baited with trimedlure was installed forming five concentric rings, which were placed on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after the release and were removed at 24 h in all cases. The emergence rate, flight ability, dispersion, and longevity were estimated. The standard distances obtained by the regression models were 127 m and 131 m for Salto and San José respectively. In Salto, the traps had catches until the eighth day, and in San José, there were no catches after the sixth day.

Marginal presence of plastic in nests of yellow–legged gulls (Larus michahellis) in the southeastern Bay of Biscay

Nest entanglement and consumption of plastics can be a cause of mortality in chicks of various seabird species. As plastic debris may be chosen as a source of nesting material, evaluation of its presence and contribution to nest building in seabird colonies is important. Here, we determined the contribution of anthropogenic debris to nest construction by a yellow–legged gull Larus michahellis population that largely depends on refuse tips to forage. Two colonies within the southeastern Bay of Biscay, Spain, were sampled in 2019. One of the colonies was in Getaria, where no debris was found in nests, and the second was in Ulia, where 40 % of the nests had some kind of artificial material. In all cases, however, this debris comprised less than 5 % of the nests’ area. Among the studied nests, we found one had a piece of fabric, five had pieces of rope, and 20 had pieces of flexible plastic packaging. These results contrast with other seabird species that face problems of conservation due to the increasing use of plastic for nesting. With the low prevalence of artificial debris (chiefly plastic) in nests found in this study, mortality due to debris entanglement or ingestion is unlikely.

Phylogenetic and kinematic constraints on avian flight signals

Many birds vocalize in flight. Because wingbeat and respiratory cycles are often linked in flying vertebrates, birds in these cases must satisfy the respiratory demands of vocal production within the physiological limits imposed by flight. Using acoustic triangulation and high-speed video, we found that avian vocal production in flight exhibits a largely phasic and kinematic relationship with the power stroke. However, the sample of species showed considerable flexibility, especially those from lineages known for vocal plasticity (songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds), prompting a broader phylogenetic analysis. We thus collected data from 150 species across 12 avian orders and examined the links between wingbeat period, flight call duration and body mass. Overall, shorter wingbeat periods, controlling for ancestry and body mass, were correlated with shorter flight call durations. However, species from vocal learner lineages produced flight signals that, on average, exceeded multiple phases of their wingbeat cycle, while vocal non-learners had signal periods that were, on average, closer to the duration of their power stroke. These results raise an interesting question: is partial emancipation from respiratory constraints a necessary step in the evolution of vocal learning or an epiphenomenon? Our current study cannot provide the answer, but it does suggest several avenues for future research.

Fluoride removal from natural volcanic underground water by an electrocoagulation process: Parametric and cost evaluations

Excessive fluoride content in groundwater can cause serious risks to human health, and sources of groundwater intended for human consumption should be treated to reduce fluoride concentrations down to acceptable levels. In the particular case of the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), the water supply comes mainly from aquifers of volcanic origin with a high content of fluorides that make them unacceptable for human consumption without prior conditioning treatment. The treatments that generate a high rejection of water are not acceptable because water is a scarce natural resource of high value. An electrocoagulation process was investigated as a method to treat natural groundwater from volcanic soils containing a hazardously high fluoride content. The operating parameters of an electrocoagulation reactor model with parallel plate aluminum electrodes were optimized for batch and continuous flow operations. In the case of the batch operation, acidification of the water improved the removal efficiency of fluoride, which was the highest at pH 3. However, operation at the natural pH of the water achieved elimination efficiencies between 82 and 92%, depending on the applied current density. An optimum current density of 5 mA/cm² was found in terms of maximum removal efficiency, and the kinetics of fluoride removal conformed to pseudo-second-order kinetics. In the continuous-flow operation, with the optimal residence time of 10 min and a separation of 0.5 cm between the electrodes, it was observed that the current density that would be applied would depend on the initial concentration of fluoride in the raw water. Thus, an initial fluoride concentration of 6.02 mg/L required a current density >7.5 mA/cm² to comply with the legal guidelines in the product water, while for an initial concentration of 8.98 mg/L, the optimal current density was 10 mA/cm². Under these operating conditions, the electrocoagulation process was able to reduce the fluoride concentration of natural groundwater to below 1.5 mg/L according to WHO guidelines with an operating cost between 0.20 and 0.26 €/m³ of treated water.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis in a cohort of patients with psoriasis

BACKGROUND

There is increasing evidence of the key role that the gut microbiota plays in inflammatory diseases.

OBJECTIVES

To identify differences in the faecal microbial composition of patients with psoriasis compared with healthy individuals in order to unravel the microbiota profiling in this autoimmune disease.

METHODS

16S rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatic analyses were performed with the total DNA extracted from the faecal microbiota of 19 patients with psoriasis and 20 healthy individuals from the same geographic location.

RESULTS

Gut microbiota composition of patients with psoriasis displayed a lower diversity and different relative abundance of certain bacterial taxa compared with healthy individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

The gut microbiota profile of patients with psoriasis displayed a clear dysbiosis that can be targeted for microbiome-based therapeutic approaches. What's already known about this topic? Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory immune-mediated skin disease, the aetiology of which remains unclear. The human microbiota is a complex microbial community that inhabits our body and has been related with the maintenance of a healthy status. Several studies have focused on the skin microbiome and its connection with psoriasis although less attention has been focused on the potential role of the gut microbiota in psoriatic disease. What does this study add? This study unravels the gut microbiome dysbiosis present in a cohort of patients with psoriasis, compared with a healthy control group from the same geographical location. This study shows a lower bacterial diversity and different relative abundance of certain bacterial taxa in patients with psoriasis. We gain knowledge and insight into the microbiome alterations in psoriatic disease, opening new avenues for therapeutic approaches to reshape the human microbiome towards a healthy status.

Non-inferiority multicenter prospective randomized controlled study of rectal cancer T2-T3s (superficial) N0, M0 undergoing neoadjuvant treatment and local excision (TEM) vs total mesorectal excision (TME)

PURPOSE

The standard treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma is total mesorectal excision (TME), in many cases requires a temporary or permanent stoma. TME is associated with high morbidity and genitourinary alterations. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) allows access to tumors up to 20 cm from the anal verge, achieves minimal postoperative morbidity and mortality rates, and does not require an ostomy. The treatment of T2, N0, and M0 cancers remains controversial. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in association with TEM reduces local recurrence and increases survival. The TAU-TEM study aims to demonstrate the non-inferiority of the oncological outcomes and the improvement in morbidity and quality of life achieved with TEM compared with TME.

METHODS

Prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled non-inferiority trial includes patients with rectal adenocarcinoma less than 10 cm from the anal verge and up to 4 cm in size, staged as T2 or T3-superficial N0-M0. Patients will be randomized to two areas: CRT plus TEM or radical surgery (TME). Postoperative morbidity and mortality will be recorded and patients will complete the quality of life questionnaires before the start of treatment, after CRT in the CRT/TEM arm, and 6 months after surgery in both arms. The estimated sample size for the study is 173 patients. Patients will attend follow-up controls for local and systemic relapse.

CONCLUSIONS

This study aims to demonstrate the preservation of the rectum after preoperative CRT and TEM in rectal cancer stages T2-3s, N0, M0 and to determine the ability of this strategy to avoid the need for radical surgery (TME).

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01308190. Número de registro del Comité de Etica e Investigación Clínica (CEIC) del Hospital universitario Parc Taulí: TAU-TEM-2009-01.

Ultrasound, histopathological, and genetic features of uveal melanoma in a Mexican-Mestizo population

OBJECTIVE

To describe the ultrasound, histopathological and genetic characteristics of uveal melanoma in a Mexican-Mestizo population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 39 enucleated eyes with a histopathological diagnosis of uveal melanoma were assessed by describing the clinical findings, and ultrasound, histopathological and genetic features.

RESULTS

A high correlation was observed between tumour height measurement using ultrasound and histopathology. In our cases, tumour size and reflectivity were higher compared with those reported in the literature. The preliminary data on the molecular assessment of the tumours show the presence of an unreported polymorphism (T>C IVS5+34) and one sample with GNAQ mutation (A>C CAA>CCA Gln 209 Pro).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound is a reliable method to identify the size of the tumour. Furthermore, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms promises new perspectives for the development of new targeted therapeutics. Fortunately this leads to progress in the treatment of patients with metastatic disease or prevents it in those at high risk.

Multistimuli Response Micro- and Nanolayers of a Coordination Polymer Based on Cu2 I2 Chains Linked by 2-Aminopyrazine

A nonporous laminar coordination polymer of formula [Cu2 I2 (2-aminopyrazine)]n is prepared by direct reaction between CuI and 2-aminopyrazine, two industrially available building blocks. The fine tuning of the reaction conditions allows obtaining [Cu2 I2 (2-aminopyrazine)]n in micrometric and nanometric sizes with same structure and composition. Interestingly, both materials show similar reversible thermo- and pressure-luminescent response as well as reversible electrical response to volatile organic solvents such as acetic acid. X-ray diffraction studies under different conditions, temperatures and pressures, in combination with theoretical calculations allow rationalizing the physical properties of this compound and its changes under physical stimuli. Thus, the emission dramatically increases when lowering the temperature, while an enhancement of the pressure produces a decrease in the emission intensity. These observations emerge as a direct consequence of the high structural flexibility of the Cu2 I2 chains which undergo a contraction in CuCu distances as far as temperature decreases or pressure increases. However, the strong structural changes observed under high pressure lead to an unexpected effect that produces a less effective CuCu orbital overlapping that justifies the decrease in the intensity emission. This work shows the high potential of materials based on Cu2 I2 chains for new applications.

Correlation of higher order aberrations in the anterior corneal surface and degree of keratoconus measured with a Scheimpflug camera

OBJECTIVE

To determine the correlation of higher order aberrations in anterior corneal surface and degree of keratoconus measured with a Scheimpflug camera.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 152 eyes (both eyes of each patient) of patients with keratoconus, from January 2009 to April 2014. An examination was performed on the corneal aberrometry in the anterior corneal surface, and topographic mapping (by Amsler and Muckenhirn classification) was used to determine the degree of keratoconus. The correlation between high-order aberrations in anterior corneal surface and the degree of keratoconus was determined.

RESULTS

Coma aberration significantly correlated with keratoconus severity (r=.60, P<.01), as well as with the high order aberration (r=.61, P<.01). Trefoil and keratoconus were weakly correlated (r=.34, P<.01).

CONCLUSION

Higher order aberrations in anterior corneal surface were positively correlated with the degree of keratoconus in a similar way to the entire optical system.

Probiotic potential of selected lactic acid bacteria strains isolated from Brazilian kefir grains

A total of 34 lactic acid bacteria isolates from 4 different Brazilian kefir grains were identified and characterized among a group of 150 isolates, using the ability to tolerate acidic pH and resistance to bile salts as restrictive criteria for probiotic potential. All isolates were identified by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis and 16S rDNA sequencing of representative amplicons. Eighteen isolates belonged to the species Leuconostoc mesenteroides, 11 to Lactococcus lactis (of which 8 belonged to subspecies cremoris and 3 to subspecies lactis), and 5 to Lactobacillus paracasei. To exclude replicates, a molecular typing analysis was performed by combining repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR and random amplification of polymorphic DNA techniques. Considering a threshold of 90% similarity, 32 different strains were considered. All strains showed some antagonistic activity against 4 model food pathogens. In addition, 3 Lc. lactis strains and 1 Lb. paracasei produced bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances against at least 2 indicator organisms. Moreover, 1 Lc. lactis and 2 Lb. paracasei presented good total antioxidative activity. None of these strains showed undesirable enzymatic or hemolytic activities, while proving susceptible or intrinsically resistant to a series of clinically relevant antibiotics. The Lb. paracasei strain MRS59 showed a level of adhesion to human Caco-2 epithelial cells comparable with that observed for Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Taken together, these properties allow the MRS59 strain to be considered a promising probiotic candidate.

Oxidative Addition Reactions of P(CN)3, P(NCO)3 and P(NCS)3 to (η5-C5Me5)Co(CO)2

The phosphorus pseudohalogens P(CN)3, P(NCO)3 and P(NCS)3 react with (η5-C5Me5)Co(CO)2 to give the complexes (η5-C5Me5)Co(CO)XPX2 (X = CN, NCO, NCS). All the compounds are characterized by elemental analysis, IR. electronic and 1H NMR spectra

Obesity rather than regional fat depots marks the metabolomic pattern of adipose tissue: an untargeted metabolomic approach

OBJECTIVE

This study compares the patterns of visceral (VIS) and subcutaneous (SC) adipose tissue (AT)-derived metabolites from non-obese (BMI 24-26 kg/m2) and obese subjects (BMI > 40 kg/m2) with no major metabolic risk factors other than BMI.

METHODS

SC- and VIS- AT obtained from obese (Ob) and non-obese (NOb) subjects during surgery were incubated to obtain their metabolites. Differences related to obesity or anatomical provenances of AT were assessed using an untargeted metabolomics approach based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

The overall effect of obesity on the metabolite profile resulted more remarkable than the effect of regional AT. Only the depletion of 2-ketoisocaproic (2-KIC) acid reached statistical significance for the SC-AT alone, although it was observed in both depots. Obesity induced more significant changes in several amino acids levels of the VIS-AT metabolites. On the one hand, higher released levels of glutamine and alanine were detected in the VIS- obese AT, whereas on the other, the VIS- obese AT presented a diminished uptake of essential amino acids (methionine, threonine, lysine), BCAAs, leucine, and serine.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that obesity markedly affects the amino acid metabolic signature of the AT before the clinical onset of other significant metabolic alterations aside from BMI.

Reversible recrystallization process of copper and silver thioacetamide–halide coordination polymers and their basic building blocks

Three-dimensional [CuX(TAA)]_n (X = Br (1), I (2)) and bi-dimensional [AgX(TAA)]_n (X = Cl (3), Br (4)) coordination polymers have been isolated by the direct synthesis from copper(i) and silver(i) halides and thioacetamide (TAA).

Histological and immunohistochemical assessment of liver biopsies in morbidly obese patients

AIMS

To study liver lesions in morbidly obese patients who underwent liver biopsy at the time of bariatric surgery to define histological lesions, especially inflammatory infiltrate, diagnostic categories and the possible influence of gender in this respect.

METHODS AND RESULTS

110 biopsies (36 males-M- and 76 females -F-) were evaluated and categorised, according to the NAS (NAFLD -non alcoholic fatty liver disease- Activity Score) system and other criteria, as non-NAFLD (15.5%, F predominance), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (16.5%, M predominance), non-alcoholic hepatosteatosis (NAHS) (21%, F predominance) and, the most numerous group, NASH-borderline (NASH-BORD) (47%), with three subgroups, characterised by centrozonal lesions, portal area preferential involvement or affecting both areas. The predominant form of hepatocytesteatosis was mixed with a multivesicular component that was present in most cases with fibroinflammatory portal involvement. Nuclear glycogenosomes were found in greater number of biopsies in patients in the third and sixth decades. Portal inflammation was present in a large number of cases (M predominance); the application of immunohistochemical techniques (myeloperoxidase and CD68 antibodies) to evaluate lobular inflammation revealed "surgical hepatitis" in one third of the cases, and the presence of microgranulomas (CD68+) (M predominance), which were more abundant with increasing lesion severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Portal inflammation and multivesicular hepatocytesteatosis are highly prevalent in morbidly obese patients. This study identifies a new subtype of NASH-BORD characterized by centrizonal and porto-periportal area involvement and the existence of liver biopsies without steatosis. CD68+ microgranulomas constitute an unequivocal marker of lobular inflammation in surgical biopsies and of lesion severity, which is gender-related.

Evolutionary story of mammalian-specific amelogenin exons 4, "4b", 8, and 9

Amelogenin gene organization varies from 6 exons (1,2,3,5,6,7) in amphibians and sauropsids to 10 in rodents. The additional exons are exons 4, 8, 9, and "4b", the latter being as yet unidentified in AMELX transcripts. To learn more about the evolutionary origin of these exons, we used an in silico approach to find them in 39 tetrapod genomes. AMEL organization with 6 exons was the ancestral condition. Exon 4 was created in an ancestral therian (marsupials + placentals), then exon 9 in an ancestral placental, and finally exons "4b" and 8 in rodents, after divergence of the squirrel lineage. These exons were either inactivated in some lineages or remained functional: Exon 4 is functional from artiodactyls onward; exon 9 is known, to date, only in rodents, but could be coding in various mammals; and exon "4b" was probably coding in some rodents. We performed PCR of cDNA isolated from mouse and human tooth buds to identify the presence of these transcripts. A sequence analogous to exon "4b", and to exon 9, could not be amplified from the respective tooth cDNA, indicating that even though sequences similar to these exons are present, they are not transcribed in these species.

Assessment of the bacterial diversity of breast milk of healthy women by quantitative real-time PCR

AIMS

Breast milk has been described as a source of bacteria influencing the development of the infant gut microbiota. Up to the present, few studies have been focused on the application of culture-independent techniques to study bacterial diversity in breast milk. In this context, the aim of this study was to characterize the breast milk microbiota of healthy women by applying the quantitative real-time PCR technique (qRTi-PCR).

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 50 breast milk samples were analysed by qPCR to assess the presence of different bacterial genera or clusters, including the Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Clostridium cluster IV and Clostridium cluster XIVa-XIVb groups. Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were the predominant groups and were detected in all the samples. Clostridium XIVa-XIVb and Enterococcus were detected in most of the samples in contrast to the Bacteroides and Clostridium cluster IV groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results confirm the abundance of bacterial DNA in breast milk samples and suggest that the qRTi-PCR technique has a huge potential in the microbiological analysis of human milk.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

qRTi-PCR allowed the detection of bacterial DNA of streptococci, staphylococci, lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria in the samples of human milk, which confirms that breast milk can be an important source of bacteria and bacterial DNA to the infant gut.