Effect of chronic exercise on fluoride metabolism in fluorosis-susceptible mice exposed to high fluoride

Abstract The present study investigated the effect of chronic exercise on fluoride (F) metabolism in fluorosis-susceptible mice exposed to high-F and explored the relationship between F concentrations in bone and plasma. Thirty male mice were randomised into three groups: Group I (No-F, No-Exercise), Group II (50 ppmF, No-Exercise), Group III (50 ppmF, Exercise). Body weight and physical performance of all mice were measured at baseline and end of experiment. F concentrations of plasma and bone were measured at the end of experiment. Mean plasma F concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in Groups II and III compared with Group I. Mean bone F concentration was also significantly higher (p < 0.01) in Groups II and III compared with Group I. There was a significant correlation (p = 0.01, r = 0.54) between F concentration of plasma and bone. Mean body weight of Group I mice was significantly higher than Group II (p < 0.001) and Group III (p = 0.001) mice at the end of the experiment. This study, which provides the first data on the effect of chronic exercise on F metabolism in fluorosis-susceptible mice, suggests no effect of chronic exercise on F in plasma and bone. However, exposure to high-F resulted in lower body weight and exercise capacity in mice

The lectin-specific activity of Toxoplasma gondii microneme proteins 1 and 4 binds Toll-like receptor 2 and 4 N-glycans to regulate innate immune priming.

Infection of host cells by Toxoplasma gondii is an active process, which is regulated by secretion of microneme (MICs) and rhoptry proteins (ROPs and RONs) from specialized organelles in the apical pole of the parasite. MIC1, MIC4 and MIC6 assemble into an adhesin complex secreted on the parasite surface that functions to promote infection competency. MIC1 and MIC4 are known to bind terminal sialic acid residues and galactose residues, respectively and to induce IL-12 production from splenocytes. Here we show that rMIC1- and rMIC4-stimulated dendritic cells and macrophages produce proinflammatory cytokines, and they do so by engaging TLR2 and TLR4. This process depends on sugar recognition, since point mutations in the carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRD) of rMIC1 and rMIC4 inhibit innate immune cells activation. HEK cells transfected with TLR2 glycomutants were selectively unresponsive to MICs. Following in vitro infection, parasites lacking MIC1 or MIC4, as well as expressing MIC proteins with point mutations in their CRD, failed to induce wild-type (WT) levels of IL-12 secretion by innate immune cells. However, only MIC1 was shown to impact systemic levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ in vivo. Together, our data show that MIC1 and MIC4 interact physically with TLR2 and TLR4 N-glycans to trigger IL-12 responses, and MIC1 is playing a significant role in vivo by altering T. gondii infection competency and murine pathogenesis

May Measurement Month 2018: a pragmatic global screening campaign to raise awareness of blood pressure by the International Society of Hypertension

Aims Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest contributor to mortality and disease burden worldwide and fewer than half of those with hypertension are aware of it. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign set up in 2017, to raise awareness of high BP and as a pragmatic solution to a lack of formal screening worldwide. The 2018 campaign was expanded, aiming to include more participants and countries. Methods and results Eighty-nine countries participated in MMM 2018. Volunteers (≥18 years) were recruited through opportunistic sampling at a variety of screening sites. Each participant had three BP measurements and completed a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. In total, 74.9% of screenees provided three BP readings. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute missing readings. 1 504 963 individuals (mean age 45.3 years; 52.4% female) were screened. After multiple imputation, 502 079 (33.4%) individuals had hypertension, of whom 59.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 55.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 60.0% were controlled and of all hypertensives, 33.2% were controlled. We detected 224 285 individuals with untreated hypertension and 111 214 individuals with inadequately treated (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) hypertension. Conclusion May Measurement Month expanded significantly compared with 2017, including more participants in more countries. The campaign identified over 335 000 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. In the absence of systematic screening programmes, MMM was effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals at risk

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Nutrição fosfatada e rendimento do feijoeiro sob influência da calagem e adubação orgânica Phosphated nutrition and yield of the bean plant under the influence of liming and organic fertilization

Sendo um nutriente essencial em diversas funções celulares, o fósforo freqüentemente limita o desenvolvimento do feijoeiro devido sua alta capacidade de adsorção aos componentes mineralógicos do solo e sua baixa disponibilidade à absorção vegetal. Práticas de manejo do solo, como aumento do teor de matéria orgânica e a calagem, são bastante eficazes na redução do fenômeno de adsorção de P no solo e aumento de sua disponibilidade para a absorção vegetal. Objetivando avaliar o efeito de doses de esterco bovino e calcário sobre a nutrição fosfatada e produção do feijoeiro, foram conduzidos, em casa-de-vegetação do Departamento de Ciência do Solo da Universidade Federal de Lavras, quatro experimentos utilizando-se o delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 5x4 e quatro repetições, em vasos contendo 3 dm³ de amostras dos solos Neossolo Quartzarênico órtico, textura arenosa (RQo), Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico, textura média (LVAd-1), Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico, textura argilosa (LVAd-2) e Latossolo Vermelho distrófico, textura muito argilosa (LVd), onde foram cultivadas três plantas de feijoeiro. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pela aplicação de cinco doses de esterco bovino (0; 2,5; 5,0; 7,5 e 10% do volume do solo) e quatro níveis de calagem (0,0; 0,5; 1 e 2 vezes a dose recomendada para atingir V=60%). Foram avaliados a produção de matéria seca da parte aérea e grãos e o acúmulo de P na matéria seca da parte aérea total. A calagem e a adubação orgânica promoveram aumentos na absorção, acúmulo de P e produção de grãos pelo feijoeiro, o qual apresentou as melhores respostas com a dose 10 % de esterco bovino combinada com o nível 1,0 de calagem.<br>Being an essential nutrient in several cellular functions, the phosphorus frequently limits the development of the bean plant due its high capacity of adsorption to mineralogical components of the soil and low availability for the plants absorption. Soil management practices, such as the increase in the level of organic matter and liming are quite effective in the reduction of the phenomenon of adsorption of P in the soil and increase of its availability for plant absorption. Aiming to evaluate the effect of doses of bovine manure and lime on the phosphate nutrition and production of the bean plant, four experiments were conducted in the greenhouse of the Soil Science Department of the Federal University of Lavras. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 5x4 factorial scheme with four replications, in pots containing 3 dm³ of soil samples from an Orthic Quartzarenic Neosol (RQo), a Dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol, medium texture (LVAd-1), a Dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol, clayey texture (LVAD-2), and a Dystrophic Red Latosol, very clayey texture (LVd), in which three bean plants were cultivated. The treatments were constituted by the application of five doses of bovine manure (0; 2.5; 5.0; 7.5, and 10 % of the volume of the soil) and four liming levels (0; 0.5; 1, and 2 times the recommended dose to reach V=60%). It were evaluated the production of dry matter of aerial part and grains and the P accumulation in dry matter of total aerial parts of beans plants. The liming and organic fertilization promoted increases in the absorption and accumulation of P, and production of grains of the bean plant, which presented the best responses with the dose of 10 % of bovine manure combined with the level 1 of liming