Dictyostelium discoideum as a non-mammalian biomedical model.

Dictyostelium discoideum is one of eight non-mammalian model organisms recognized by the National Institute of Health for the study of human pathology. The use of this slime mould is possible owing to similarities in cell structure, behaviour and intracellular signalling with mammalian cells. Its haploid set of chromosomes completely sequenced amenable to genetic manipulation, its unique and short life cycle with unicellular and multicellular stages, and phenotypic richness encoding many human orthologues, make Dictyostelium a representative and simple model organism to unveil cellular processes in human disease.

A Mix of Natural Bioactive Compounds Reduces Fat Accumulation and Modulates Gene Expression in the Adipose Tissue of Obese Rats Fed a Cafeteria Diet.

Scientists are focusing on bioactive ingredients to counteract obesity. We evaluated whether a mix containing grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE), anthocyanins, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and chicken feet hydrolysate (CFH) could reduce body fat mass and also determined which mechanisms in the white adipose tissue (WAT) and the brown adipose tissue (BAT) were affected by the treatment. The mix or vehicle (VH) were administered for three weeks to obese rats fed a cafeteria (CAF) diet.

Evaluation of undergraduate Endodontic teaching in dental schools within Spain.

Aim: To evaluate the current situation of undergraduate endodontic teaching in Spanish dental schools.

Methodology: An online version, translated into Spanish, of a survey conducted in the UK (Int Endod J 52, 2019, 1077) was sent via email to the undergraduate endodontic programme leads in all 23 Spanish dental schools.

Results: The response rate was 96%.

Morphometric and Meristic Characterization of Native Chame Fish ( in Ecuador Using Multivariate Analysis.

Ecuador, a country exhibiting large developments in fish farming, has a great variety of freshwater native fish. Among these fish is the or chame, which has characteristics that make its farming prone to occur at a quite-developed stage. However, morphological characterization is required to establish a conservation program.

Cigarette Smoking and Root Filled Teeth Extraction: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Aim: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the possible association between smoking habits and the occurrence of root-filled teeth (RFT) extraction.

Material And Methods: The Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) question was in adult patients who had RFT, does the absence or presence of smoking habits affect the prevalence of extracted RFT? Systematic MEDLINE/PubMed, Wiley Online Database, Web of Science, and PRISMA protocol was used to evaluate and present the results. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used for certainty in the evidence.

Combined passive and active treatment in strabismic amblyopia with accommodative component.

Background: Treatment of amblyopia in esotropic subjects with accommodative component currently consists of optical correction and subsequent occlusion, or penalisation, of the dominant eye. This treatment obtains a good outcome in visual acuity but poor outcomes in binocular vision. An intervention protocol that could improve the outcome of conventional treatment is presented.

The Genomics and Metagenomics of Asthma Severity (GEMAS) Study: Rationale and Design.

Asthma exacerbations are a major contributor to the global disease burden, but no significant predictive biomarkers are known. The Genomics and Metagenomics of Asthma Severity (GEMAS) study aims to assess the role of genomics and the microbiome in severe asthma exacerbations. Here, we present the design of GEMAS and the characteristics of patients recruited from March 2018 to March 2020.

Relationship between Obesity and Iron Deficiency in Healthy Adolescents.

The relationship between overweight/obesity (excess of weight [EW]) and iron deficiency (ID) is not well defined. To analyze the relationship between EW and ID in healthy adolescents, assessing the contribution of new diagnostic measures of iron status and erythropoietic activity. A cross-sectional study was made of 405 healthy adolescents, 12-16 years of age.

Prevalence of endodontic infection in patients with Crohn´s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Background: Previous studies have linked apical periodontitis (AP) to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of AP and root canal treatment (RCT) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn´s disease (CD).

Material And Methods: A cross-sectional study, including 28 patients with Crohn´s disease and 26 with ulcerative colitis, was conducted.

Integrative radiogenomics for virtual biopsy and treatment monitoring in ovarian cancer.

Background: Ovarian cancer survival rates have not changed in the last 20 years. The majority of cases are High-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOCs), which are typically diagnosed at an advanced stage with multiple metastatic lesions. Taking biopsies of all sites of disease is infeasible, which challenges the implementation of stratification tools based on molecular profiling.

Increased vulnerability to impulsive behavior after streptococcal antigen exposure and antibiotic treatment in rats.

Rationale: The inflammation induced by Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection has been viewed as a vulnerability factor in mental disorders characterized by inhibitory control deficits, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Antibiotic treatment reduces GAS symptoms; however, its effects on impulsivity have not been fully assessed.

Objectives: We investigated whether GAS exposure during early adolescence might be a vulnerability factor for adult impulsivity, if antibiotic treatment acts as a protective factor, and whether these differences are accompanied by changes in the inflammatory cytokine frontostriatal regions.

Metabolomic Profiling of Beef, Dairy, and Crossbred Cattle: A Between-Breeds Meta-Analysis.

Cattle breeds may differ substantially in their metabolism. However, the metabolomes of dairy and beef cattle are not well-known. Knowledge of breed-specific metabolic features is essential for biomarker identification and to adopt specific nutritional strategies.

Glutathione Peroxidase Family: A Comparative Analysis of These Antioxidant Enzymes and Differential Gene Expression to Metals and Oxidizing Agents.

In the present work, an extensive analysis of the putative glutathione peroxidases (GPx) of the eukaryotic microorganism model is carried out. A comparative analysis with GPx present in other species and other very taxonomically diverse ciliates is also performed. A majority of ciliate GPx have replaced the selenocysteine (Sec) by Cys in its catalytic center, so they can be considered as phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidases (PHGPx).

Metabolomic identification of pregnancy-specific biomarkers in blood plasma of BOS TAURUS beef cattle after transfer of in vitro produced embryos.

Blood biomarkers may help to predict pregnancy in recipients of in vitro produced (IVP) embryos. Using H nuclear magnetic resonance, we quantified 36 metabolites in the blood plasma of recipients (90% heifers, healthy, 1.95 years on average at the time of 1st embryo transfer -ET-) collected at Day-0 (estrus) and Day-7 (before ET time).

Predictive factors for the perceptual learning in stereodeficient subjects.

Background: Stereopsis is a valuable feature of human visual perception which is critically impaired in amblyopia, but can be improved through perceptual learning (PL). This article aims to determine the variables affecting the outcomes and intensity of a stereoacuity stimulation program.

Methods: Re-analysis of a previous study in stereodeficient subjects with a history of amblyopia.

Dynamic competition for hexon binding between core protein VII and lytic protein VI promotes adenovirus maturation and entry.

Adenovirus minor coat protein VI contains a membrane-disrupting peptide that is inactive when VI is bound to hexon trimers. Protein VI must be released during entry to ensure endosome escape. Hexon:VI stoichiometry has been uncertain, and only fragments of VI have been identified in the virion structure.

Structure and activity of human surfactant protein D from different natural sources.

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a C-type lectin that participates in the innate immune defense of lungs. It binds pathogens through its carbohydrate recognition domain in a calcium-dependent manner. Human surfactant protein D (hSP-D) has been routinely obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage of patients suffering from pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) and from amniotic fluid (AF).

Monitoring the incidence, duration and distribution of hyperglycaemia in very-low-birth-weight newborns and identifying associated factors.

Objectives Hyperglycaemia is a common metabolic disorder in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The objective is to describe the incidence, duration, episodes and distribution of hyperglycaemia during the first 7 days of life of VLBW infants. Methods This is a prospective cohort study of 60 newborns weighing <1,500 g.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor among patients with alcoholism.

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in neurogenesis and in the protection against oxidative damage and neuronal apoptosis. After exercise, there is an increased expression of this myokine, especially in skeletal muscle and brain. Low BDNF levels have been described in neurodegenerative diseases.

Tissue-specific and interpretable sub-segmentation of whole tumour burden on CT images by unsupervised fuzzy clustering.

Background: Cancer typically exhibits genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity, which can have prognostic significance and influence therapy response. Computed Tomography (CT)-based radiomic approaches calculate quantitative features of tumour heterogeneity at a mesoscopic level, regardless of macroscopic areas of hypo-dense (i.e.

Ferritin and liver fibrosis among patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Introduction: In chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection there is increased iron absorption leading to iron overload, a fact that may promote ferritin synthesis. Theoretically, increased ferritin should promote ongoing liver fibrosis but disparate results have been described.

Objective: We analyze the behavior of iron metabolism- related variables, comparing them with fibrosis and inflammatory activity in liver biopsy in HCV infected patients.

Cardiovascular diseases and apical periodontitis: association not always implies causality.

Background: Several studies published in the last two decades have found an association between the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) or root canal treatment (RCT) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, the demonstration of association does not prove by itself the existence of a cause-effect relationship. Two diseases can appear as statistically related without any of them directly affecting the values of the other, resulting in a non-causal relationship.

Incidence of cancer and mortality among heavy alcoholics.

Background And Aims: Cancer risk is increased in alcoholics. Heavy ethanol consumption is also associated with other potentially lethal conditions such as cirrhosis, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia or malnutrition, that increase mortality. The aim of the present study is to analyze the impact on mortality of new cancer development in a cohort of heavy alcoholics.