Neuroimmune axis: Linking environmental factors to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction in Diabetes.

Pancreatic β-cells are specialized in secreting insulin in response to circulating nutrients, mainly glucose. Diabetes is one of the most prevalent endocrine-metabolic diseases characterized by an imbalance in glucose homeostasis, which result mainly from lack of insulin production (type 1 diabetes) or insufficient insulin and peripheral insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes), both influenced by genetic and environmental components. Pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and islet inflammation are common characteristics of both types of the disease.

Targeting the Type I Interferon Pathway in Glomerular Kidney Disease: Rationale and Therapeutic Opportunities.

Type I interferons (IFNs) are immunostimulatory molecules that can activate the innate and adaptive immune systems. In cases of immune dysfunction, prolonged activation of the type I IFN pathway has been correlated with kidney tissue damage in a wide range of kidney disorders, such as lupus nephritis (LN) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Genetic mutations, such as risk variants in conjunction with elevated type I IFN expression, are also associated with higher rates of chronic kidney disease in patients with LN and collapsing FSGS.

Study Design and Baseline Characteristics of ALIGN, a Randomized Controlled Study of Atrasentan in Patients With IgA Nephropathy.

Introduction: Endothelin A (ETA) receptor activation is a driver of proteinuria, kidney inflammation, and fibrosis in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Atrasentan, a selective ETA receptor antagonist, has potential to reduce proteinuria and preserve kidney function in IgAN. ALIGN (NCT04573478) is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of atrasentan in patients with IgAN at high risk of kidney function loss.

All-Optical Generation and Detection of Coherent Acoustic Vibrations in Single Gallium Phosphide Nanoantennas Probed near the Anapole Excitation.

Nanostructured high-index dielectrics have shown great promise as low-loss photonic platforms for wavefront control and enhancing optical nonlinearities. However, their potential as optomechanical resonators has remained unexplored. In this work, we investigate the generation and detection of coherent acoustic phonons in individual crystalline gallium phosphide nanodisks on silica in a pump-probe configuration.

Isolation of Acanthamoeba Species and Bacterial Symbiont Variability in Puna Salt Plains, Argentina.

Acanthamoeba spp. are widespread protists that feed on bacteria via phagocytosis. This predation pressure has led many bacteria to evolve strategies to resist and survive inside these protists.

Reducing fragmentation of primary healthcare financing for more equitable, people-centred primary healthcare.

Despite primary healthcare (PHC) being recognised in global declarations-Alma Ata in 1978 and Astana in 2018-and prioritised in national health strategies, chronic under-resourcing of PHC persists in most low-income and middle-income countries. More public spending is needed for PHC, but macrofiscal and political constraints often limit the ability of governments to allocate more public resources to PHC. Under-resourcing has been compounded by fragmented and rigid funding flows, which are inefficient and may erode equity, quality of care and public trust in PHC.

Growing with dinosaurs: a review of dinosaur reproduction and ontogeny.

Since the start of the twenty-first century, there has been a notable increase in annual publications focusing on dinosaur reproduction and ontogeny with researchers using these data to address a range of macroevolutionary questions about dinosaurs. Ontogeny, which is closely tied to osteological morphological variation, impacts several key research areas, such as taxonomic diversity, population dynamics, palaeoecology, macroevolution, as well as the physiological and reproductive factors driving ecological success. While these broad studies have significantly advanced our understanding of dinosaur evolution, they have also revealed important challenges and areas needing further investigation.

The role of biophysical properties in defining the functional applications of alkyl esters of L-ascorbic acid.

Lipophilic derivatives of vitamin C, known as ascorbyl-6-O-alkanoates (ASCn), have been mainly developed for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry as antioxidant additives. These derivatives are of biotechnological interest due to their antioxidant properties, amphiphilic behavior, capacity to self-organize into nano- and micro-structures, anionic nature, and low cost of synthesis. In this review, we will focus on the commercial amphiphile, 6-O-palmitoyl L-ascorbic acid (ASC16), and the shorter acyl chains derivatives, such as 6-O-myristoyl (ASC14) and 6-O-lauroyl L-ascorbic acid (ASC12).

Application of spray-dried bacteriocins as cheese biopreservatives.

Listeria monocytogenes can contaminate refrigerated ready-to-eat foods, such as cheeses. Enterocins, with a strong listericidal effect, constitute a natural alternative to control this pathogen in food. To optimize their antimicrobial action in food matrices, bacteriocins can be immobilised in edible coatings through spray drying technology which allows the large-scale production of microcapsules of bioactive molecules.

A pilot study for continuous non-invasive intracranial pressure screening.

Intracranial hypertension (ICH) is a common and critical condition in neurocritical care, often requiring immediate intervention. Current methods for continuous intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring are invasive and costly, limiting their use in resource-limited settings. This study investigates the potential of the electroencephalography (EEG) as a non-invasive alternative for ICP monitoring.

Intraoperative frozen section analysis for detection of fracture-related infection in nonunion of the upper limb. Diagnostic accuracy study.

Introduction: During revision surgery for the management of patients presenting with long-bone upper extremity nonunion, it is crucial to rule out fracture-related infection (FRI). This is especially true if there are clinical signs suggestive of FRI, or if there is a history of prior FRI, open wound fracture, or surgery. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of frozen section analysis (FSA) in providing real-time diagnosis of FRI in patients with upper-limb long-bone nonunion undergoing revision surgery.

Synergistic effects of clays and cyanobacteria on the accumulation dynamics of soil organic carbon in artificial biocrusts.

Biocrusts are the primary organic carbon reservoirs in desert areas, in which inorganic clays potentially playing significant roles; however, the specific details of these roles remain largely unclear. In this study, typical 1:1 type (kaolin) and 2:1 type (montmorillonite, MMT) clay minerals were added to artificial biocrusts to investigate their effect on the acquisition performance of soil organic carbon (SOC). After 84 days of cultivation, the enhancement effects of kaolin and MMT were significant, resulting in SOC increments that were 5.

Eco-epidemiological Survey of Trypanosoma cruzi in Dogs from Mendoza, Argentina.

Urban domestic dog populations can provide important clues about the eco-epidemiological characteristics of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease (ChD). Given the limited data on ChD from the Metropolitan Area of Mendoza, Argentina, a seroprevalence survey of 327 dogs across an urban-rural gradient was conducted between April 2018 and May 2019. Seropositive cases were analyzed considering host, social, and environmental factors, subtypes (DTUs), and bloodstream parasite load.

2D P-doped carbon nitride as an effective artificial solid electrolyte interphase for the protection of Li anodes.

Metallic lithium plays an important role in the development of next-generation lithium metal-based batteries. However, the uncontrolled growth of lithium dendrites limits the use of lithium metal as an anode. In this context, a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is crucial for regulating dendrite formation, stability, and cyclability of lithium metal anodes.

Insights into the Mechanism of Protein Loading by Chain-Length Asymmetric Complex Coacervates.

The study of the phase behavior of polyelectrolyte complex coacervates has attracted significant attention in recent years due to their potential use as membrane-less organelles, microreactors, and drug delivery platforms. In this work, we investigate the mechanism of protein loading in chain-length asymmetric complex coacervates composed of a polyelectrolyte and an oppositely charged multivalent ion. Unlike the symmetric case (polycation + polyanion), we show that protein loading is highly selective based on the protein's net charge: only proteins with charges opposite to the polyelectrolyte can be loaded.

Implementing national antimicrobial consumption in Latin America and the Caribbean: opportunities and lessons learned.

Surveillance of antimicrobial consumption (AMC) is essential to anticipate and inform policies and public health decisions to prevent and/or contain antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This manuscript shares the experience on AMC data collection in Latin American & Caribbean (LAC). The WHO GLASS-AMC methodology for AMC surveillance was used for data registration during the period 2019-2022.

Insights into the lemon (Citrus limon) epiphytic microbiome: impact of the biocontrol yeast Clavispora lusitaniae 146.

Background: Postharvest lemons are affected by several fungal infections, and as alternatives to chemical fungicides for combating these infections, different microbial biocontrol agents have been studied, with the Clavispora lusitaniae 146 strain standing out. Although strain 146 has proven to be an effective agent, the influence of a microbial biological control agent on the postharvest lemon microbiome has not been studied until now. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate how the epiphytic microbiome of postharvest lemons is affected by the application of the biocontrol yeast C.

A cell-free biosensor signal amplification circuit with polymerase strand recycling.

Cell-free systems are powerful synthetic biology technologies that can recapitulate gene expression and sensing without the complications of living cells. Cell-free systems can perform more advanced functions when genetic circuits are incorporated. Here we expand cell-free biosensing by engineering a highly specific isothermal amplification circuit called polymerase strand recycling (PSR), which leverages T7 RNA polymerase off-target transcription to recycle nucleic acid inputs within DNA strand displacement circuits.

Hypermutability bypasses genetic constraints in SCV phenotypic switching in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Biofilms are critical in the persistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, particularly in cystic fibrosis patients. This study explores the adaptive mechanisms behind the phenotypic switching between Small Colony Variants (SCVs) and revertant states in P. aeruginosa biofilms, emphasizing hypermutability due to Mismatch Repair System (MRS) deficiencies.

Assessment of the pathogenicity of Y. enterocolitica B1A isolates from San Luis, Argentina.

Yersinia enterocolitica, a bacterial enteropathogen that produces a variety of clinical manifestations in humans, includes six biotypes (B), called 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and about 70 serotypes. The biotypes exhibit diverse pathogenic potential; while 1B and 2-5 may show ability to produce clinical symptoms due to the presence of chromosomal and plasmid (pYV) virulence genes, B1A is supposed a non-pathogenic biotype since it lacks pYV plasmid. Therefore, although B1A strains cause diarrhea in humans, their pathogenic potential has not yet been extensively studied.

Albendazole-ivermectin co-formulation for the treatment of Trichuris trichiura and other soil-transmitted helminths: a randomised phase 2/3 trial.

Background: Treatments for soil-transmitted helminthiases face challenges, especially in addressing Trichuris trichiura. Combination regimens, particularly of ivermectin and albendazole, are promising. We aimed to assess the safety, efficacy, and palatability of a combination tablet for the treatment of T trichiura, hookworm, and Strongyloides stercoralis infections among school-aged children in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Mozambique.

Resection of a ventrally located ossified thoracic spinal meningioma: illustrative case.

Background: Resection of calcified meningiomas in the ventral thoracic spinal canal remains a formidable surgical challenge despite advances in technology and refined microsurgical techniques. These tumors, which account for a small percentage of spinal meningiomas, are characterized by their hardness, complicating safe resection and often resulting in worse outcomes than their noncalcified counterparts.

Observations: The authors present the case of a 68-year-old woman with a ventrally located ossified meningioma at the T9-10 level, successfully treated via a posterolateral transpedicular approach.

Spatial occurrence of emerging contaminants in rivers and wastewater. Analysis of environmental and human risks.

This study assesses the occurrence of emerging contaminants (ECs) from agricultural and livestock production activities along the Salado River (Santa Fe province, Argentina). Of the 23 ECs studied, 8 were detected and quantified in river and wastewater samples, including ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, chlorpyrifos-methyl, albendazole, fenbendazole, levamisole, diazepam, and thiamethoxam. In river samples, the highest concentrations corresponded to ciprofloxacin, chlorpyrifos-methyl, and enrofloxacin.