The frequency of mutations in the A, R, A and C genes of , the presence of M gene and antibiotic resistance/susceptibility: a systematic review and meta-analyses.

Gonorrhoea is currently one of the most important sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to the increasing spread of multidrug-resistant strains of . The aim of this study was to analyse the association between resistance or decreased susceptibility to antibiotics in and the presence of mutations in the A, R, A and C genes, and the presence of tetM gene. We conducted a systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines.

Combined TLR2/TLR4 activation equip non-mucosal dendritic cells to prime Th1 cells with gut tropism.

Activated CD4 T cells located at mucosal surfaces orchestrate local effector immune mechanisms. When properly polarized, these cells contribute to block infections at early stages and may be essential to restrain the local growth of mucosal tumors, playing a critical role in host protection. How CD4 T cells simultaneously integrate gut-homing instructions and Th polarization signals transmitted by TLR activated dendritic cells (DCs) is unknown.

Oxidative Stability of Fish Oil-Loaded Nanocapsules Produced by Electrospraying Using Kafirin or Zein Proteins as Wall Materials.

The encapsulation of fish oil by monoaxial electrospraying using kafirin or zein proteins as hydrophobic wall materials was investigated. Kafirin resulted in spherical fish oil-loaded nanocapsules (>50% of capsules below 1 µm), whereas zein led to fish oil-loaded nanocapsules with non-spherical morphology (>80% of capsules below 1 µm). Both hydrophobic encapsulating materials interacted with fish oil, successfully entrapping the oil within the protein matrix as indicated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy results.

Rapid progression of CD8 and CD4 T cells to cellular exhaustion and senescence during SARS-CoV2 infection.

Risk factors for the development of severe COVID-19 include several comorbidities, but age was the most striking one since elderly people were disproportionately affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among the reasons for this markedly unfavorable response in the elderly, immunosenescence and inflammaging appear as major drivers of this outcome. A finding that was also notable was that hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 have an accumulation of senescent T cells, suggesting that immunosenescence may be aggravated by SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Trypanosoma cruzi Vps34 colocalizes with Beclin1 and plays a role in parasite invasion of the host cell by modulating the expression of a sub-group of trans-sialidases.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, can infect both phagocytic and non-phagocytic cells. T. cruzi gp82 and gp90 are cell surface proteins belonging to Group II trans-sialidases known to be involved in host cell binding and invasion.

Dietary Fibers: Shaping Textural and Functional Properties of Processed Meats and Plant-Based Meat Alternatives.

The search for alternative sources of plant-based ingredients to improve the textural and sensory properties of plant-based meat alternatives (PMAs) is a growing trend, with the potential to enhance the sustainability of global food systems. While much focus has been placed on plant-based proteins, it is known today that dietary fibers (DFs) can also play a key role in the textural and other physicochemical properties of traditional processed meat products and PMAs. This review examined the latest scientific literature regarding the advantages of using DF in food.

Ethyl Cellulose-Core, OSA Starch-Shell Electrosprayed Microcapsules Enhance the Oxidative Stability of Loaded Fish Oil.

The encapsulation and the oxidative stability of cod liver fish oil (CLO) within coaxial electrosprayed (ethyl cellulose/CLO) core-(octenyl succinic anhydride, OSA-modified starch) shell, and monoaxial electrosprayed ethyl cellulose/CLO microcapsules were investigated. Core-shell (H-ECLO) and monoaxial (ECLO) electrosprayed microcapsules with an average diameter of 2.8 ± 1.

Carbohydrate Core-Shell Electrosprayed Microcapsules for Enhanced Oxidative Stability of Vitamin A Palmitate.

Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that is readily oxidized. In this study, the encapsulation of vitamin A palmitate (AP) within a core-shell carbohydrate matrix by co-axial electrospray and its oxidative stability was evaluated. The electrosprayed core-shell microcapsules consisted of a shell of octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) modified corn starch, maltose (Hi-Cap), and a core of ethyl cellulose-AP (average diameter of about 3.

Enhanced electric field and charge polarity modulate the microencapsulation and stability of electrosprayed probiotic cells ( ST44).

The effect of the polarity of the direct current electric field on the "organization" of (ST44) probiotic cells within electrosprayed maltodextrin microcapsules was investigated. The generated electrostatic forces between the negatively surface-charged probiotic cells and the applied negative polarity on the electrospray nozzle, allowed to control the location of the cells towards the core of the electrosprayed microcapsules. This "organization" of the cells increased the evaporation of the solvent (water) and successively the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the electrosprayed microcapsules.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on In-Hospital Mortality in Patients Without SARS-CoV-2 Infection in an Internal Medicine Ward of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Portugal.

Introduction: Despite the emergence of a new worldwide cause of death related to COVID-19, several studies have hypothesized that the international mortality rate attributed to non-COVID-19 causes was significantly higher during the COVID pandemic, questioning whether this excess in mortality is related only to COVID-19 or to the difficulties that the healthcare systems faced during the pandemic. Therefore, understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prognosis of patients without severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a major unmet need as this was overshadowed by the overwhelming number of patients with SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study in the internal medicine non-COVID-19 wards of a tertiary care hospital in Portugal.

Lymphocyte-Depleted Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Coeliac Disease: A Diagnostic Challenge During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A 51-year-old woman presented with constitutional symptoms, polydipsia, early satiety, nausea, vomiting, and a pruritic vesicular rash. On physical examination, she was febrile, had low peripheral oxygen saturation in room air (91%), hepatomegaly, lower limb edema, and palpable cervical adenopathies. She was hospitalized for diagnostic investigations and treatment.

Impacts of ocean warming and acidification on the energy budget of three commercially important fish species.

A mechanistic model based on Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory was developed to predict the combined effects of ocean warming, acidification and decreased food availability on growth and reproduction of three commercially important marine fish species: white seabream (), zebra seabream () and Senegalese sole (). Model simulations used a parameter set for each species, estimated by the Add-my-Pet method using data from laboratory experiments complemented with bibliographic sources. An acidification stress factor was added as a modifier of the somatic maintenance costs and estimated for each species to quantify the effect of a decrease in pH from 8.

Adjustable polysaccharides-proteins films made of aqueous wheat proteins and alginate solutions.

Large amount of wheat proteins by-products are produced during wheat starch manufacture. This work aimed to develop edible films of cast aqueous wheat proteins (WP) and alginate (Al) solutions. The investigation of the microstructure of Al/WP films revealed a more compacted cross-section and homogeneous surface, comparatively to Al films.

Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Aptamer Treatment Attenuates Collagen-Induced Arthritis.

We describe the study of a novel aptamer-based candidate for treatment of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. The candidate is a nanoparticle-formulated cyclic citrullinated peptide aptamer, which targets autoantibodies and/or the immune reactions leading to antibody production. Due to its specificity, the peptide aptamer nanoparticles might not interfere with normal immune functions as seen with other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Electrosprayed Ethyl Cellulose Core-Shell Microcapsules for the Encapsulation of Probiotics.

Electrosprayed ethyl cellulose core-shell microcapsules were produced for the encapsulation of probiotic subsp. (Bifido). Ethyl cellulose (ETC) was used as a shell material with different core compounds (concentrated Bifido, Bifido-maltodextrin and Bifido-glycerol).

Carbon Nanotubes-Potent Carriers for Targeted Drug Delivery in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Two types of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), HiPco- and carboxyl-SWCNT, are evaluated as drug carriers for the traditional anti-inflammatory drug methotrexate (MTX) and a small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting NOTCH1 gene. The nanotubes are solubilized by PEGylation and covalently loaded with MTX. The coupling efficiency (CE%) of MTX is 77-79% for HiPco-SWCNT and 71-83% for carboxyl-SWCNT.

Electrohydrodynamic Processing of Potato Protein into Particles and Fibers.

Potato protein particles and fibers were produced using electrohydrodynamic processing (electrospray and electrospinning). The effect of different solvents and protein concentration on the morphology of the potato protein particles and fibers was investigated. Electrosprayed particles with average diameters ranging from 0.

Comparative Analysis of the Secretome and Interactome of and Reveals Species Specific Immune Response Modulating Proteins.

Chagas disease, a zoonosis caused by the flagellate protozoan , is a chronic and systemic parasitic infection that affects ~5-7 million people worldwide, mainly in Latin America. Chagas disease is an emerging public health problem due to the lack of vaccines and effective treatments. According to recent studies, several secreted proteins interact with the human host during cell invasion.

Epithelial Haven and Autophagy Breakout in Gonococci Infection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that in 2016, there were 87 million new cases of gonorrhea. Gonorrhea is caused by the sexually transmitted human-exclusive agent , a Gram-negative diplococcus that causes cervicitis in females and urethritis in males and may lead to more severe complications. Currently, there is no vaccine against .

Escherichia coli resistant to fosfomycin from urinary tract infections: Detection of the fosA3 gene in Spain.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to report the epidemiological and genetic background of fosfomycin-resistant Escherichia coli isolates causing urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Spain.

Methods: A retrospective observational study of 39 randomly selected fosfomycin-resistant E. coli from urine samples collected during 2017 in Getafe (Spain) was performed.

Low-Fouling Electrosprayed Hemoglobin Nanoparticles with Antioxidant Protection as Promising Oxygen Carriers.

Despite all the attempts to create advanced hemoglobin (Hb)-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) employing an encapsulation platform, major challenges including attaining a high Hb loading and long circulation times still need to be overcome. Herein, the fabrication, for the first time, of nanoparticles fully made of Hb (Hb-NPs) employing the electrospray technique is reported. The Hb-NPs are then coated by antioxidant and self-polymerized poly(dopamine) (PDA) to minimize the conversion of Hb into nonfunctional methemoglobin (metHb).

Citrullinated Peptide Epitope Targets Therapeutic Nanoparticles to Human Neutrophils.

Multiple drugs have been proposed for reducing harsh symptoms of human rheumatic diseases. However, a targeted therapy with mild to no side effects is still missing. In this study, we have prepared and tested a series of therapeutic nanoparticles for specific targeting of human neutrophils associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Electrospinning and electrospraying technologies for food applications.

Electrospinning and electrospraying are versatile techniques for the production of nano- to micro-scale fibers and particles. Over the past 2 decades, significant progresses have been made to advance the fundamental understandings of these electrohydrodynamic processes. Researchers have investigated different polymeric and non-polymeric substrates for producing submicron electrospun/electrosprayed materials of unique morphologies and physicochemical properties.

Enhanced Transepithelial Permeation of Gallic Acid and (-)-Epigallocatechin Gallate across Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells Using Electrospun Xanthan Nanofibers.

Electrospun xanthan polysaccharide nanofibers (X) were developed as an encapsulation and delivery system of the poorly absorbed polyphenol compounds, gallic acid (GA) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the electrospun nanofibers, and controlled release studies were performed at pH 6.5 and 7.