Role of the microbiome in human development.

The host-microbiome supraorganism appears to have coevolved and the unperturbed microbial component of the dyad renders host health sustainable. This coevolution has likely shaped evolving phenotypes in all life forms on this predominantly microbial planet. The microbiota seems to exert effects on the next generation from gestation, via maternal microbiota and immune responses. The microbiota ecosystems develop, restricted to their epithelial niches by the host immune system, concomitantly with the host chronological development, providing early modulation of physiological host development and functions for nutrition, immunity and resistance to pathogens at all ages. Here, we review the role of the microbiome in human development, including evolutionary considerations, and the maternal/fetal relationships, contributions to nutrition and growth. We also discuss what constitutes a healthy microbiota, how antimicrobial modern practices are impacting the human microbiota, the associations between microbiota perturbations, host responses and diseases rocketing in urban societies and potential for future restoration

Hombres y Mujeres Indígenas: Pobreza y Relaciones de Género en México

Es importante llamar la atención sobre la equidad de género en el proceso de democratización de las sociedades contemporáneas. Las sociedades constituidas a partir de la multiculturalidad han evidenciado la falta de claridad de sus políticas sobre igualdad y equidad de género, en las que los pueblos indígenas inciden históricamente como actores del debate sobre las políticas públicas y sobre el destino de las instituciones. El presente artículo, presenta las condiciones socioeconómicas de los hombres y mujeres en la especificidad cultural de los pueblos indígenas y su permanente demanda de igualdad en el marco de la sociedad nacional. La estructura de las demandas y condiciones permite insertarse en la perspectiva analítica de los escenarios nacionales e internacionales. Incorporar el análisis de las formas y características de hombres y mujeres en la participación de los pueblos indígenas, es revisar sus condiciones en torno al desarrollo socioeconómico en México, reflexionar sobre su participación en las esferas económica, política, social y cultural, y con ello, gestar una critica de la política de la diversidad, igualdad y equidad de genero

Positive selection on a bacterial oncoprotein associated with gastric cancer

<p>Background</p> <p><it>Helicobacter pylori </it>is a vertically inherited gut commensal that is carcinogenic if it possesses the <it>cag</it> pathogenicity island (<it>cag </it>PaI); infection with <it>H.pylori </it>is the major risk factor for gastric cancer, the second leading cause of death from cancer worldwide (WHO). The <it>cag </it>PaI locus encodes the <it>cagA </it>gene, whose protein product is injected into stomach epithelial cells via a Type IV secretion system, also encoded by the <it>cag </it>PaI. Once there, the cagA protein binds to various cellular proteins, resulting in dysregulation of cell division and carcinogenesis. For this reason, cagA may be described as an oncoprotein. A clear understanding of the mechanism of action of cagA and its benefit to the bacteria is lacking.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we reveal that the <it>cagA </it>gene displays strong signatures of positive selection in bacteria isolated from amerindian populations, using the Ka/Ks ratio. Weaker signatures are also detected in the gene from bacteria isolated from asian populations, using the Ka/Ks ratio and the more sensitive branches-sites model of the PAML package. When the <it>cagA </it>gene isolated from amerindian populations was examined in more detail it was found that the region under positive selection contains the EPIYA domains, which are known to modulate the carcinogenicity of the gene. This means that the carcinogenicity modulating region of the gene is undergoing adaptation. The results are discussed in relation to the high incidences of stomach cancer in some latin american and asian populations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Positive selection on cagA indicates antagonistic coevolution between host and bacteria, which appears paradoxical given that cagA is detrimental to the human host upon which the bacteria depends. This suggests several non-exclusive possibilities; that gastric cancer has not been a major selective pressure on human populations, that cagA has an undetermined benefit to the human host, or that horizontal transmission of <it>H.pylori </it>between hosts has been more important in the evolution of <it>H.pylori </it>than previously recognized, reducing the selective pressure to lower the pathogenicity of the bacteria. The different patterns of adaptation of the gene in different human populations indicates that there are population specific differences in the human gut environment - due either to differences in host genetics or diet and other lifestyle features.</p

Effect of influenza-induced fever on human bioimpedance values

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a widely used technique to assess body composition and nutritional status. While bioelectrical values are affected by diverse variables, there has been little research on validation of BIA in acute illness, especially to understand prognostic significance. Here we report the use of BIA in acute febrile states induced by influenza. METHODS: Bioimpedance studies were conducted during an H1N1 influenza A outbreak in Venezuelan Amerindian villages from the Amazonas. Measurements were performed on 52 subjects between 1 and 40 years of age, and 7 children were re-examined after starting Oseltamivir treatment. Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) and permutation tests were applied. RESULTS: For the entire sample, febrile individuals showed a tendency toward greater reactance (p=0.058) and phase angle (p=0.037) than afebrile individuals, while resistance and impedance were similar in the two groups. Individuals with repeated measurements showed significant differences in bioimpedance values associated with fever, including increased reactance (p<0.001) and phase angle (p=0.007), and decreased resistance (p=0.007) and impedance (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There are bioelectrical variations induced by influenza that can be related to dehydration, with lower extracellular to intracellular water ratio in febrile individuals, or a direct thermal effect. Caution is recommended when interpreting bioimpedance results in febrile states

The professionalization of the creative occupation: academic context and job insecurity in Mexico.

A formação acadêmica dos artistas no México tem variáveis institucionais e contextuais que derivam da precarização criativa e do trabalho. Nos últimos anos, as instituições formadoras do ofício criativo foram orientadas a satisfazer as necessidades de um modelo econômico sustentado no mercado, deixando de lado as qualidades criativas pertencentes à cultura, à arte e à educação. O presente artigo analisa as características acadêmicas e as condições de trabalho daqueles formados em instituições dedicadas a profissionais na arte e na cultura no México. Projetar e atualizar seus programas acadêmicos será o maior desafio das carreiras universitárias em arte e cultura nos próximos anos, para enfrentar a precariedade do campo de trabalho e profissional de seus futuros graduados.La formación académica de los artistas en México tiene variables institucionales y contextuales que derivarán en la precarización laboral y creativa. En los últimos años, las instituciones formadoras del oficio creativo fueron orientadas a satisfacer las necesidades de un modelo económico sustentado en el mercado, dejando de lado aquellas cualidades creativas inmersas en la cultura, el arte y la educación. El presente artículo analiza las características académicas y las condiciones laborales de los egresados de instituciones formadoras del perfil profesional en el arte y la cultura en México. Proyectar y actualizar sus programas académicos será el mayor desafío que enfrenten las carreras universitarias de arte y cultura en los próximos años, para confrontar la precarización del campo laboral y profesional de sus futuros egresados.  The academic background of artists in México has institutional and contextual variables, which lead to job and creative precariousness.  In recent years, the educational institutions of the creative professions were oriented to satisfy the needs of an economic model based on the market, leaving aside those creative qualities immersed in culture, art, and education. This article analyzes the academic situation and working conditions of graduates from institutions that train the professionals in art and culture in México. Projecting and updating their academic programs will be the greatest challenge facing university careers in art and culture in the coming years, to confront the precariousness of the labor and professional field of their future graduates.

Inclusive education in Latin America: new questions to old problems

Inclusive education in Latin America and its models of attention to diversity establish three areas: inclusion, equity and quality, the last, orientate the educational system on vectors to inclusion: relevance, belonging and coexistence. Historically, the region has a bias in intercultural education with indigenous peoples, and in special education towards people with disabilities, with variations derived from socioeconomic inequalities that are added to the administration of differences. In the perspective of the intercultural paradigm, the hermeneutical analysis of political discourse is imperative, forming a conceptual basis that allows criticism of the so-called soft concepts of international organizations and explaining the absence of the subject in the narrative of educational policy. This leads to asking: Why making the different ones visible, with the recognition of the differences? How to reach an education relevant for inclusion in diverse socio-cultural contexts? The intercultural approach in education implies giving way to otherness, managing the exercise of the right to education, recognition of differences and inequalities for inclusion, coexistence and intercultural dialogue.La educación inclusiva en Latinoamérica y sus modelos de atención a la diversidad establecen tres ejes: inclusión, equidad y calidad, ésta última, orienta el sistema educativo sobre vectores para la inclusión: pertinencia, pertenencia y convivencia. Históricamente, la región registra un sesgo en la educación intercultural con los pueblos indígenas, y en la educación especial hacia las personas con alguna discapacidad, con la incorporación de temáticas derivadas de las desigualdades socioeconómicas que se suman a la administración de las diferencias. En la perspectiva del paradigma intercultural es imperativo el análisis hermenéutico del discurso político, conformar una base conceptual que permita una crítica a los llamados conceptos blandos de los organismos internacionales y explicar la ausencia del sujeto en la narrativa de la política educativa. Esto conlleva a preguntar ¿Por qué visibilizar a los diferentes, sobre el reconocimiento de las diferencias?, ¿Cómo arribar a una educación pertinente para la inclusión en contextos socioculturales diversos? El enfoque intercultural en la educación implica dar cauce a la alteridad, gestionar el ejercicio del derecho a la educación, el reconocimiento de las diferencias y las desigualdades para la inclusión, la convivencia y el diálogo intercultural

Should we modulate the neonatal microbiome and what should be the goal?

Peer reviewe

Walls talk: Microbial biogeography of homes spanning urbanization.

Westernization has propelled changes in urbanization and architecture, altering our exposure to the outdoor environment from that experienced during most of human evolution. These changes might affect the developmental exposure of infants to bacteria, immune development, and human microbiome diversity. Contemporary urban humans spend most of their time indoors, and little is known about the microbes associated with different designs of the built environment and their interaction with the human immune system. This study addresses the associations between architectural design and the microbial biogeography of households across a gradient of urbanization in South America. Urbanization was associated with households' increased isolation from outdoor environments, with additional indoor space isolation by walls. Microbes from house walls and floors segregate by location, and urban indoor walls contain human bacterial markers of space use. Urbanized spaces uniquely increase the content of human-associated microbes-which could increase transmission of potential pathogens-and decrease exposure to the environmental microbes with which humans have coevolved

Antimicrobial prophylaxis administration after umbilical cord clamping in cesarean section and the risk of surgical site infection: a cohort study with 55,901 patients.

BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends administration of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) in cesarean section prior to incision to prevent surgical site infections (SSI). This study aimed to determine whether SAP administration following cord clamping confers an increased SSI risk to the mother. METHODS Study design: Cohort. SETTING 75 participating Swiss hospitals, from 2009 to 2018. PARTICIPANTS A total of 55,901 patients were analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We assessed the association between SAP administration relative to incision and clamping and the SSI rate, using generalized linear multilevel models, adjusted for patient characteristics, procedural variables, and health-care system factors. RESULTS SAP was administered before incision in 26'405 patients (47.2%) and after clamping in 29,496 patients (52.8%). Overall 846 SSIs were documented, of which 379 (1.6% [95% CI, 1.4-1.8%]) occurred before incision and 449 (1.7% [1.5-1.9%]) after clamping (p = 0.759). The adjusted odds ratio for SAP administration after clamping was not significantly associated with an increased SSI rate (1.14, 95% CI 0.96-1.36; p = 0.144) when compared to before incision. Supplementary and subgroup analyses supported these main results. CONCLUSIONS This study did not confirm an increased SSI risk for the mother in cesarean section if SAP is given after umbilical cord clamping compared to before incision

A randomized controlled trial of the effects of whole grains versus refined grains diets on the microbiome in pregnancy

Dietary whole grain consumption has been postulated to have metabolic benefits. The purpose of this study was to compare a pregnancy diet containing 75% of total carbohydrates as refined grains with a diet of 75% of total carbohydrates as whole grains for pregnancy outcomes and effects on the microbiome. Gestational weight gain, glucose tolerance and newborn outcomes were measured on 248 enrolled compliant women from whom a subset of 103 women consented to give 108 vaginal and 109 anal swabs. The data presented here are limited to the patients from whom the vaginal and anal swabs were obtained in order to study the microbiome. A microbiome—16SrRNA survey—was characterized in these samples. Samples and measurements were obtained at the first obstetrical visit, before beginning a prescribed diet (T1—baseline) and after 17–32\ua0weeks on the prescribed diet (T3). Food frequency questionnaires and total plasma alkylresorcinols were used as a measure of whole grain consumption. There were no dietary differences in maternal weight gain, birth weight, or glucose tolerance test. Mothers consuming the whole grains diet showed a trend of gestational decrease in vaginal bacterial alpha diversity, with increasing Lactobacillus-dominance. No significant difference was observed for the anal microbiome. The results suggest that diet modulations of the vaginal microbiome during gestation may have important implications for maternal and neonatal health and in the intergenerational transfer of maternal microbiome. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03232762