The SNP at −592 of human IL-10 gene is associated with serum IL-10 levels and increased risk for human papillomavirus cervical lesion development

BACKGROUND: Women with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) persistence are characterized by high levels of IL-10 at cervix. We have determined whether polymorphisms of IL-10 gene promoter might be associated with increased risk of squamous intraepithelial cervical lesions (SICL) and whether exist significative differences of IL-10 mRNA expression at cervix and systemic and serum IL-10 protein between SICL cases and non-Cervical Lesions (NCL). METHODS: Peripheral blood samples from SICL (n = 204) and NCL (n = 166) were used to detect IL-10 promoter polymorphisms at loci -592A/C (rs1800872), -819C/T (rs1800871), -1082A/G (rs1800896), -1352A/G (rs1800893), by allelic discrimination and to evaluate serum IL-10 protein. Cervical epithelial scrapings from NCL and biopsies from SICLs were used for HPV-typing and to evaluate IL-10 mRNA expression level. The systemic and local IL-10 mRNA expression levels were measured by real time-PCR. Genotypic and allelic frequencies of the selected polymorphisms were analyzed by logistic regression, adjusting by age and HPV-genotype, to determine the association with SICL. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between genotype frequencies at loci −819, -1082, and −1352. Individuals carrying at least one copy of risk allele A of polymorphism −592 had a two-fold increased risk of developing SICL [adjusted odds ratio (OR), 2.02 (95% CI, 1.26-3.25), p = 0.003], compared to NCL. The IL-10 mRNA expression and serum IL-10 protein, were significantly higher in SICL cases (p < 0.01), being higher in patients carrying the risk allele A. CONCLUSIONS: The −592 polymorphism is associated with increased risk of SICL and can serve as a marker of genetic susceptibility to SICL among Mexican women. According to IL-10 levels found in SICL, IL-10 can be relevant factor for viral persistence and progression disease

Estudio de validación de cuatro diferentes criterios para el diagnóstico de síndrome metabólico en población infantil

&nbsp; Introducción: El síndrome metabólico (SM) es un problema de salud pública, el cual no cuenta con estrategias adecuadas de prevención, diagnóstico y tratamiento para población infantil. Los criterios existentes son controversiales y no son aplicables en los niños. Asimismo, varían según autores y comités de expertos; lo que podría tener importantes consecuencias en el diagnóstico de SM, impactando el tratamiento oportuno y el pronóstico del individuo. Objetivo: Validar criterios (NCEP-ATPIII; Cook, Ford y Duncan, et al; Ferranti, et al; Cruz, et al; e IDF1) para el diagnóstico de SM en niños mexicanos. Metodología: Estudio transversal de 2599 niños entre 6 y 16 años, residentes de la Ciudad de México. Se consideró SM con tres o más de los cinco componentes en los distintos criterios; y dos o más componentes con la presencia de obesidad central para IDF. Se consideró como Gold Standard la combinación de los cinco criterios diagnósticos. Para identificar el mejor valor predictivo se calculó sensibilidad, especificidad, valor predictivo positivo (VPP), valor predictivo negativo (VPN) y razón de verosimilitud. Resultados: Se observó una mayor proporción de individuos diagnosticados con SM con el criterio de Ferranti, et al. en comparación con los demás criterios evaluados. Nuestra propuesta ad hoc presentó una alta sensibilidad (0,89) y especificidad (0,90) frente al Gold Standard aplicado. Conclusión: El criterio propuesto por nosotros contiene una elección de componentes sencillos y de bajo costo, que facilitará su aplicación, permitiendo la unificación en el diagnóstico, tratamiento y pronóstico poblacional, reduciendo los índices de morbimortalidad en mexicanos.Introduction Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a public health problem without appropriate strategies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment in children. Existing criteria are controversial and not applicable for pediatric population, with variations according to different authors and expert committees, which could have important consequences&nbsp; in MS diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Objective: To validate different definitions (NCEP-ATPIII; Cook, Ford and Duncan, et al; Ferranti, et al; Cruz, et al; and IDF1) for metabolic syndrome diagnosis in Mexican children. Methodology: Cross-sectional study of 2599 children aged between 6 and 16 years, residents of Mexico City. MS was defined as the presence of three or more of the five components in the different criteria; and two or more components with the presence of central obesity for IDF. The Gold Standard was considered as the combination of the five diagnostic criteria. To identify the best predictive value, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and likelihood ratio were calculated. Results: A greater proportion of individuals diagnosed with the Ferranti, et al criterion was observed in comparison with the other criteria evaluated. We proposed an ad hoc criteria which showed a high sensitivity (0,89) and specificity (0,90) compared to the Gold Standard applied. Conclusion: Our diagnostic criteria contains a choice of simple and low-cost components that will facilitate its application in health institutions and will unify- diagnostic criteria, treatment, and prognosis, reducing morbidity and mortality rates in Mexican population

Taxonomic variations in the gut microbiome of gout patients with and without tophi might have a functional impact on urate metabolism

[Objective] To evaluate the taxonomic composition of the gut microbiome in gout patients with and without tophi formation, and predict bacterial functions that might have an impact on urate metabolism.[Methods] Hypervariable V3–V4 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene from fecal samples of gout patients with and without tophi (n = 33 and n = 25, respectively) were sequenced and compared to fecal samples from 53 healthy controls. We explored predictive functional profiles using bioinformatics in order to identify differences in taxonomy and metabolic pathways. [Results] We identified a microbiome characterized by the lowest richness and a higher abundance of Phascolarctobacterium, Bacteroides, Akkermansia, and Ruminococcus_gnavus_group genera in patients with gout without tophi when compared to controls. The Proteobacteria phylum and the Escherichia-Shigella genus were more abundant in patients with tophaceous gout than in controls. Fold change analysis detected nine genera enriched in healthy controls compared to gout groups (Bifidobacterium, Butyricicoccus, Oscillobacter, Ruminococcaceae_UCG_010, Lachnospiraceae_ND2007_group, Haemophilus, Ruminococcus_1, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and Ruminococcaceae_UGC_013). We found that the core microbiota of both gout groups shared Bacteroides caccae, Bacteroides stercoris ATCC 43183, and Bacteroides coprocola DSM 17136. These bacteria might perform functions linked to one-carbon metabolism, nucleotide binding, amino acid biosynthesis, and purine biosynthesis. Finally, we observed differences in key bacterial enzymes involved in urate synthesis, degradation, and elimination. [Conclusion] Our findings revealed that taxonomic variations in the gut microbiome of gout patients with and without tophi might have a functional impact on urate metabolism.This study was supported by the Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra” and the Grant INF-2016-01-269675 from the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT)

High relative abundance of firmicutes and increased TNF-α levels correlate with obesity in children

Objective. To investigate the correlation among pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines and the two main gut microbiota phyla in obese children. Materials and methods. Anthropometric data were obtained from 890 children under 14 years old to determine the degree of obesity. Serum cytokine concentration was measured by ELISA. Relative abundance of gut microbiota in feces was evaluated by quantitative RealTime PCR assays. Results. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were statistically higher in overweigth/ obese children (OW/O) than in lean (NW), Increased TNF-α levels were found in obese children that also have a high relative abundance of Firmicutes. Conclusions. Obese children have a high relative abundance of Firmicutes that correlates with increased levels of TNF-α. This is the first study that shows a relation between Firmicute abundance and TNF-α serum concentration in obese children

Is diet partly responsible for differences in COVID-19 death rates between and within countries?

Correction: Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Article Number: 44 DOI: 10.1186/s13601-020-00351-w Published: OCT 26 2020Reported COVID-19 deaths in Germany are relatively low as compared to many European countries. Among the several explanations proposed, an early and large testing of the population was put forward. Most current debates on COVID-19 focus on the differences among countries, but little attention has been given to regional differences and diet. The low-death rate European countries (e.g. Austria, Baltic States, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Poland, Slovakia) have used different quarantine and/or confinement times and methods and none have performed as many early tests as Germany. Among other factors that may be significant are the dietary habits. It seems that some foods largely used in these countries may reduce angiotensin-converting enzyme activity or are anti-oxidants. Among the many possible areas of research, it might be important to understand diet and angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) levels in populations with different COVID-19 death rates since dietary interventions may be of great benefit.Peer reviewe

Homogeneous and supported copper complexes of cyclic and open-chain polynitrogenated ligands as catalysts of cyclopropanation reactions

CuI and CuII complexes of cyclic and open-chain polyaza compounds have been tested as catalysts in the benchmark cyclopropanation reaction of styrene with ethyl diazoacetate. In general, only small amounts of copper are needed to promote the reaction. The catalytic activity depends on the structure of the ligand, e.g. amine–amides are more efficient than polyamines, and on the oxidation state of copper, CuII being more active than CuI. Given that CuI is the active species, these changes of behavior must be related to the stabilities of the complexes. The nature of the counterion also has a noticeable influence on the catalytic activity, the role of which is discussed. XAS measurements suggest the formation of oligomeric species. Some of the chiral ligands lead to small enantiomeric excesses. Open-chain ligands can easily be supported on organic polymers and their complexes can be used as catalysts. Furthermore, cyclic and acyclic complexes can be supported on clays by cation exchange and the solids obtained tend to promote the reaction with a decrease in the trans/cis ratio.This work was made possible by the generous financial support of Berlin,1986.2 [16d] Appendix to the report on the Internationalthe C.I.C.Y.T. (Project MAT9621053) and the Generalitat Valenci-Workshop on Standards and Criteria in X-ray Absorptionana (GV-D-CN-092140296).Peer reviewe

Polymer-supported Al and Ti species as catalysts for Diels-Alder reactions

Several aminoalcohols and tartaric acid derivatives have been grafted to polystyrene resins. These polymers have been transformed into supported chiral Lewis acids by treatment with EtAlCl2 or, in the case of the diols derived from tartaric acid, with TiCl2(OPri)2 and Et2AlCl. All these solids, as well as the non-chiral ones prepared from simple hydromethyl resins, are efficient catalysts in the Diels-Alder reaction of cyclopentadiene and dienophiles like methacrolein or acryloyl and crotonyl-1,3-oxazolidin-3-ones. In some cases the supported catalysts are much more active that the homogeneous analogues. Some of the catalysts can be recovered and reused without metal leaching, keeping an important catalytic activity and without changes in selectivity. The enantioselectivities obtained are minor than 20% ee, being lower than the ones attained with the homogeneous analogues, which shows that the polymer does not behave as a simple inert support.Peer reviewe

TADDOL-TiCl2 catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions: Unexpected influence of the substituents in the 2-position of the dioxolane ring on the stereoselectivity

Several α,α,α′,α′-tetra(3,5-dimethylphenyl)-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-dimethanols have been synthesized, and their TiCl2 derivatives used as catalysts in the reaction of cyclopentadiene with (E)-2-butenoyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one. The substituents in the 2-position of the dioxolane ring exert a decisive influence on the extent and direction of the asymmetric induction and, consequently any possible enantiomer of the cycloadducts can be preferentially obtained by changing these substituents. Molecular mechanics calculations of the structures and relative energies of the possible dienophile-catalyst complexes offer a tentative explanation for the results described.This work was made possible by the generous financial support of the Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (Project MAT96-1053).Peer reviewe