Intestinal ABC transporters: Influence on the metronomic cyclophosphamide-induced toxic effect in an obese mouse mammary cancer model.

Metronomic chemotherapy (MCT) is a cancer therapeutic approach characterized by low dose drug chronic administration and limited or null toxicity. Obesity-induced metabolic alterations worsen cancer prognosis and influence the intestinal biochemical barrier, altering the Multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) and Multidrug resistance protein-1 (Mdr-1), efflux pumps that transport chemotherapeutic drugs. Obesity and cancer are frequent co-morbidities; thus, our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness and toxicity of MCT with cyclophosphamide (Cy) in obese mice with metabolic alterations bearing a mammary adenocarcinoma.

IL-12 drives the differentiation of human T follicular regulatory cells.

T follicular regulatory (T) cells can counteract the B cell helper activity of T follicular helper (T) cells and hinder the production of antibodies against self-antigens or allergens. A mechanistic understanding of the cytokines initiating the differentiation of human regulatory T (T) cells into T cells is still missing. Herein, we report that low doses of the pro-T cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12) drive the induction of a T cell program on activated human T cells while also preserving their regulatory function.

Metabolic and Low-Grade Inflammation Risk in Young Adults with a History of Extrauterine Growth Restriction.

Children with a history of extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR), later at prepubertal age, exhibit an increased metabolic risk including risen insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation. However, the progression of such metabolic changes after puberty and the lasting health implications have not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether young adults with a history of EUGR faced increased vulnerability to metabolic disorders.

Increased Osteoblastic and Osteocytic in Vitro Cell Viability by Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis).

Background: Yerba mate (YM, Ilex paraguariensis) consumption beneficially affects the bones. However, whether YM components exert their effect on bone cells directly remains elusive.

Methods: We evaluated how main YM components affect osteoblastic (MC3T3-E1) and osteocytic (MLO-Y4) cells in vitro when administered separately or in an aqueous extract.

Self-illuminated third-harmonic image upconversion.

We demonstrate third-harmonic upconversion imaging to visualize real time infrared images in the visible with standard CCD or CMOS silicon-based cameras operating at room temperature. Different from the usual sum-frequency mixing image upconversion, our third-harmonic image upconversion approach does not require an auxiliary IR source to illuminate a target. The upconversion system uses a passively Q-switched Nd:YVO laser operating at 1342 nm with two intracavity KTP crystals, obtaining a 447 nm upconverted image by a cascaded process where an upconverted image at 671 nm is also obtained as an intermediate step.

The Temporary Incapacity (TI) register as a complementary system to traditional epidemiological surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a set of social measures were adopted for the preservation of business activity and the protection of workers. One of these measures was issuing the Temporary Disability (TD) for COVID-19 cases, close contacts, and especially vulnerable workers.

Objetive: This study analyzes whether the TD registry could be used as a complementary source to traditional epidemiological surveillance.

Cold exposure modulates potential brown adipokines in humans, but only FGF21 is associated with brown adipose tissue volume.

Objective: The study objective was to investigate the effect of cold exposure on the plasma levels of five potential human brown adipokines (chemokine ligand 14 [CXCL14], growth differentiation factor 15 [GDF15], fibroblast growth factor 21 [FGF21], interleukin 6 [IL6], and bone morphogenic protein 8b [BMP8b]) and to study whether such cold-induced effects are related to brown adipose tissue (BAT) volume, activity, or radiodensity in young humans.

Methods: Plasma levels of brown adipokines were measured before and 1 h and 2 h after starting an individualized cold exposure in 30 young adults (60% women, 21.9 ± 2.

Role of EpCAM+ CD133+ extracellular vesicles in steatosis to steatohepatitis transition in NAFLD.

Background And Aims: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a potential source of circulating biomarkers in liver disease. We evaluated circulating AV+ EpCAM+ CD133+ EVs as a potential biomarker of the transition from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis.

Methods: EpCAM and CD133 liver proteins and EpCAM+ CD133+ EVs levels were analysed in 31 C57BL/6J mice fed with a chow or high fat, high cholesterol and carbohydrates diet (HFHCC) for 52 weeks.

Serum levels of the novel adipokine isthmin-1 are associated with obesity in pubertal boys.

Objectives: To evaluate whether there is an association between the serum levels of the novel insulin-like adipokine isthmin-1 (ISM1) and obesity-related phenotypes in a population of Spanish children and to investigate the plausible molecular alterations behind the alteration of the serum levels of this protein in children with obesity.

Methods: The study population is a sub-cohort of the PUBMEP research project, consisting of a cross-sectional population of 119 pubertal children with overweight (17 boys, 19 girls), obesity (20 boys, 25 girls), and normal weight (17 boys, 21 girls). All subjects were classified into experimental groups according to their sex, obesity, and insulin resistance (IR) status.

Long non-coding RNA H19 as a biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aims: Liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) could be involved in the carcinogenesis, recurrence, metastasis and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to explore the role of lncRNA-H19 as a biomarker for liver cancer.

Methods: LncRNA-H19 expression levels and the functional assays were conducted in EpCAM CD133 CSCs and C57BL/6J mice fed with a high-fat high-cholesterol carbohydrate (HFHCC) or standard diet for 52 weeks.

Development and Validation of a Clinical-Genetic Risk Score to Predict Hepatic Encephalopathy in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis.

Introduction: We aimed to define the impact of the genetic background on overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with liver cirrhosis by developing a combined clinical-genetic risk score.

Methods: Patients suffering from liver cirrhosis from the outpatient clinics of 4 hospitals (n = 600) were included and followed up for at least 5 years until HE bouts, liver transplant, or death. Patients were genotyped for 60 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms together with the microsatellite in the promoter region of the gene GLS.

Nonclassical roles for IFN-γ and IL-10 in a murine model of immunoedition.

Aim: To characterize, by means of univariate and multivariate approaches, the T helper (Th)-1 and Th-2 responses during the different phases of tumor immunoediting.

Materials & Methods: We used a multivariate principal component analysis applied to analyze the joint behavior of serum concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-10 and IL-4, during the different phases of tumor immunoediting, in CBi/L mice challenged with M-406 mammary adenocarcinoma.

Results & Conclusion: Animals in equilibrium phase showed the widest variations in values of the four cytokines.

Hepatitis C Virus Clearance by Direct-Acting Antivirals Agents Improves Endothelial Dysfunction and Subclinical Atherosclerosis: HEPCAR Study.

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been related to increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of sustained virological response (SVR) on endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with hepatitis C virus treated with direct-acting antiviral agents.

Methods: A total of 114 patients were prospectively recruited and underwent CV risk assessment including (i) endothelial dysfunction determined through laser Doppler flowmetry and (ii) subclinical atherosclerosis, elucidated by the ankle-brachial index (ABI).

Losartan improves the therapeutic effect of metronomic cyclophosphamide in triple negative mammary cancer models.

Metronomic chemotherapy refers to the minimum biologically effective doses of a chemotherapy agent given as a continuous regimen without extended rest periods. Drug repurposing is defined as the use of an already known drug for a new medical indication, different from the original one. In oncology the combination of these two therapeutic approaches is called "Metronomics".

Exploring novel systemic biomarker approaches in grass-pollen sublingual immunotherapy using omics.

Background: Sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy (SLIT) intervention improves the control of grass pollen allergy by maintaining allergen tolerance after cessation. Despite its widespread use, little is known about systemic effects and kinetics associated to SLIT, as well as the influence of the patient sensitization phenotype (Mono- or Poly-sensitized). In this quest, omics sciences could help to gain new insights to understand SLIT effects.

Negative predictive value of the repeated absence of gluten immunogenic peptides in the urine of treated celiac patients in predicting mucosal healing: new proposals for follow-up in celiac disease.

Background: The treatment of celiac disease (CD) is a lifelong gluten-free diet (GFD). The current methods for monitoring GFD conformance, such as a dietary questionnaire or serology tests, may be inaccurate in detecting dietary transgressions, and duodenal biopsies are invasive, expensive, and not a routine monitoring technique.

Objectives: Our aim was to determine the clinical usefulness of urine gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP) as a biomarker monitoring GFD adherence in celiac patients and to evaluate the concordance of the results with the degree of mucosal damage.

Up-Conversion Sensing of 2D Spatially-Modulated Infrared Information-Carrying Beams with Si-Based Cameras.

Up-conversion sensing based on optical heterodyning of an IR (infrared) image with a local oscillator laser wave in a nonlinear optical sum-frequency mixing (SFM) process is a practical solution to circumvent some limitations of IR image sensors in terms of signal-to-noise ratio, speed, resolution, or cooling needs in some demanding applications. In this way, the spectral content of an IR image can become spectrally shifted to the visible/near infrared (VIS/NWIR) and then detected with silicon focal plane arrayed sensors (Si-FPA), such as CCD/CMOS (charge-coupled and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor devices). This work is an extension of a previous study where we recently introduced this technique in the context of optical communications, in particular in FSOC (free-space optical communications).

Synthesis of propargylamines via the A multicomponent reaction and their biological evaluation as potential anticancer agents.

Propargylamines have gained importance in the area of anticancer research. We synthesized 1-substituted propargylic tertiary amines using the A3-coupling as the key step. Both, solution and solid-phase protocols, were used to provide a library of 1-substituted propargylic tertiary amines with interesting structural diversity.

Achievements and challenges in the use of metronomics for the treatment of breast cancer.

Two interesting therapeutic proposals for cancer treatment emerged at the beginning of the 21st century. The first one was metronomic chemotherapy, which refers to the chronic administration of chemotherapeutic agents, in low doses, without extended drug-free periods. Then, the idea of drug repositioning in oncology, the use of well-known drugs that were created for other uses to be utilized in oncology, gained strength.

Antitumor activity of new chemical compounds in triple negative mammary adenocarcinoma models.

Aim: According to the need for the development of new anticancer agents, we have synthetized novel bioactive compounds and aimed to determine their antitumor action.

Materials & Methods: We describe studies evaluating the effect of 35 novel chemical compounds on two triple negative murine mammary adenocarcinoma tumors.

Results & Conclusion: Three compounds were selected because of their high antitumor activity and their low toxicity to normal cells.

Oral glutamine challenge is a marker of altered ammonia metabolism and predicts the risk of hepatic encephalopathy.

Background: The current therapies for hepatic encephalopathy (HE) are not completely effective in all patients, probably due to the physiopathological heterogeneity and the different conditions underlying the bout of HE. We hypothesized that oral glutamine challenge (OGC) is able to predict the risk of HE through the identification of various features and types of HE.

Methods: We included 238 cirrhotic patients (198 without and 40 with a previous HE episode) that underwent OGC, obtaining baseline and 60 minutes post-load ammonia levels.

Sedentarism, Physical Activity, Steps, and Neurotrophic Factors in Obese Children.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the associations of sedentary time, physical activity (PA) and step-related behaviors with neurotrophic growth factors.

Methods: A total of 97 children with overweight/obesity age 8 to 11 yr participated in this study. Sedentary time, PA, and steps were measured by GT3X+ accelerometers in hip and nondominant wrist.