Soybean Flour Improves Fatty Acid Profile and Decreases Hepatic Triglyceride Deposition in Rats Fed with Normocaloric and Hypercaloric Diet

This study investigated the effects of replacing casein with soy flour on the fatty acids profile and triglycerides metabolism in the liver of rats that were previously fed with normocaloric and hypercaloric diets based on casein. Wistar male rats were used; one group was fed with control diet (AIN-93) and another with hypercaloric diet (AIN-93 with 34.15% sucrose, 42% fat calories) for 9 weeks. Each group was then divided into two subgroups and casein was replaced with soybean in one of them, obtaining CC (control casein), CS (control soy), HC (hypercaloric casein) and HS (hypercaloric soy), which were fed for 6 weeks. We measured triglycerides in serum, and triglycerides, total lipids, fatty acids profile, the expression of apolipoprotein B (Apo B), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), sterol-regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (mGPAT), diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT-2), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha (PPARα) in liver. Histological studies were also performed. When comparing HS vs. HC, a positive effect of soybean flour on hepatic triglycerides deposits was found, possibly through the reduction in DGAT-2 expression (P < 0.01) and the increase in Apo B (P < 0.001) expression. Soybean flour also decreased fat deposits in control diets when compared with casein, decreasing the DGAT-2 (P < 0.001) expression and increasing Apo B (P < 0.001), CPT-1 (P < 0.05) and PPARα (P < 0.01) expressions. Both soy diet subgroups increased unsaturated fatty acids respect to casein diets (P < 0.01). Hepatocytes showed few lipid droplets in HS, whereas a fat deposit in HC was observed. These results suggest that replacing casein with soybean flour in normocaloric and hypercaloric diets reduces triglycerides and improves fatty acids profile in rat liver.Fil: Razzeto, Gabriela Silvina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Lucero López, Viviana Romina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Marra, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Scardapane, Luis Antonio. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Escudero, Nora Lilian. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Gimenez, Maria Sofia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentin

Bead-assisted SARS-CoV-2 multi-antigen serological test allows effective identification of patients

Many new aspects of COVID-19 disease, including different clinical manifestations, have been identified during the pandemic. The wide array of symptoms and variation in disease severity after SARS-CoV-2 infection might be related to heterogeneity in the immune responses of different patients. Here we describe a new method for a simple multi-antigen serological test that generates a full picture of seroconversion in a single reaction. The assay is based on the detection by flow cytometry of multiple immunoglobulin classes (isotypes) specific for four SARS-CoV-2 antigens: the Spike glycoprotein (one of the highly immunogenic proteins), its RBD fragment (the major target for neutralising antibodies), the nucleocapsid protein and the main cysteine-like protease. Until now, most diagnostic serological tests measured antibodies to only one antigen and some patients seemed to not make any antibody response. Our data reveal that while most patients respond against all the viral antigens tested, others show a marked bias to make antibodies against either proteins exposed on the viral particle or those released after cellular infection. Combining all the four antigens and using machine learning techniques, it was possible to clearly discriminate between patients and healthy controls with 100% confidence. Further, combination of antigens and different immunoglobulin isotypes in this multi-antigen assay improved the classification of patients with mild and severe disease. Introduction of this method will facilitate massive screenings of patients to evaluate their immune response. It could also support vaccination campaigns both to select non-immune individuals and to distinguish infected patients from vaccine responders.This work was supported by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC, project numbers 202020E079 and CSIC-COVID19-028) and grants from Madrid Regional Government “IMMUNOTHERCAN” [S2017/BMD-3733-2 (MVG)]; the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [(MCIU/AEI/FEDER, EU): RTI2018-093569-B-I00 (MVG), SAF2017-82940-R (JMRF), SAF2017-83265-R (HTR); SAF2017-82886-R (FSM)]; Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII) [RETICS Program RD16/0012/0006; RIER (JMRF); PI19/00549 (AA)]. The study was also funded by “La Caixa Banking Foundation” (HR17-00016 to FSM) and Fondo Supera COVID (CRUE-Banco de Santander) to FSM.N

Single-reaction multi-antigen serological test for comprehensive evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 patients by flow cytometry

Here, we describe a new, simple, highly multiplexed serological test that generates a more complete picture of seroconversion than single antigen-based assays. Flow cytometry is used to detect multiple Ig isotypes binding to four SARS-CoV-2 antigens: the Spike glycoprotein, its RBD fragment (the main target for neutralizing antibodies), the nucleocapsid protein, and the main cysteine-like protease in a single reaction. Until now, most diagnostic serological tests measured antibodies to only one antigen and in some laboratory-confirmed patients no SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies could be detected. Our data reveal that while most patients respond against all the viral antigens tested, others show a marked bias to make antibodies against either proteins exposed on the viral particle or those released after cellular infection. With this assay, it was possible to discriminate between patients and healthy controls with 100% confidence. Analysing the response of multiple Ig isotypes to the four antigens in combination may also help to establish a correlation with the severity degree of disease. A more detailed description of the immune responses of different patients to SARS-CoV-2 virus might provide insight into the wide array of clinical presentations of COVID-19.This work was supported by: Spanish National Research Council (CSIC-202020E079, CSIC-COVID19-028); Madrid Regional Government “IMMUNOTHERCAN” [S2017/BMD-3733-2 (MVG)]; Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [(MCIU/AEI/FEDER, EU, RTI2018-093569-B-I00 (MVG), SAF2017-82940-R (JMRF), SAF2017-83265-R (HTR); SAF2017-82886-R (FSM)]; Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII) [RETICS Program RD16/0012/0006; RIER (EMGC); PI19/00549 (AA)]; “La Caixa Bank Foundation” (HR17-00016), Fondo Supera COVID (CRUE-Banco de Santander), both to FSM.Peer reviewe

Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020

[EN] Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3,4,5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes.S

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Análisis del rendimiento académico en alumnos de la Institución Educativa Romeo Luna Victoria de San Borja a través de tutorías realizadas por el proyecto Educación Sin Barreras en el año 2020

La presente, es una investigación relacionada al rendimiento académico mediante tutorías virtuales de refuerzo escolar, para ello se tomó el caso del proyecto de Educación Sin Barreras implementado por el emprendimiento social Superminds. Se sabe que la educación es un derecho necesario para el desarrollo de habilidades, y contribuye con la integración social y con la oportunidad de reducir las brechas existentes en la sociedad, constituyendo un elemento esencial para el desarrollo humano del país; permitiendo así, a las personas el poder hacer uso de otros derechos humanos, por lo que no debe ser excluido, por el contrario, esta debe de ser de calidad y constante a lo largo de la vida de cada ser humano. Sin embargo, en el Perú, esto no suele ser una realidad, ya que muchos alumnos no cuentan con educación de calidad ya que se ven afectados por múltiples determinantes que desencadenan en un deficiente nivel estudiantil y/o deserción escolar. Dicha problemática suele acentuarse en la población más vulnerable, impidiendo que niños en edad escolar participen activamente del rol educativo que les corresponde, generando así una brecha entre el aprendizaje y la enseñanza, limitándolos así a la integración y la cohesión social. Es por ello, que la presente investigación busca determinar si las tutorías virtuales de refuerzo escolar, implementadas a través del proyecto Educación Sin Barreras en la Institución Educativa Romeo Luna Victoria localizada en San Borja, durante el año 2020 están contribuyendo a la mejora del rendimiento académico de los estudiantes del 6to grado del nivel primario. Los hallazgos encontrados permiten identificar y analizar la problemática existente, las acciones implementadas, la información brindada por los tutores y la participación de los actores claves. Sobre esa base se realizó la propuesta de mejora que fortalezcan la ejecución del proyecto Educación Sin Barreras, mediante un plan de capacitaciones de metodología escolar dirigidas a los tutores voluntarios que incluso pueden ser desarrollado en proyectos similares a nivel nacional.This investigation is related to the academic performance through virtual tutorials for school reinforcement, for this we will take the case of the Education Without Barriers project implemented by the social entrepreneurship Superminds. It is known that education is necessary to the development of skills and contributes to social integration and the opportunity to reduce the existing gaps in society, constituting an essential element for the Peruvian development; thus, allowing people to make use of other human rights, so it should not be excluded, on the contrary, it must have quality and be constant throughout the life of each human being. However, in Peru, this is not usually a reality, since many students lack the access to a quality education due to multiple determinants that lead to a poor student level and/or school dropout. This problem tends to be accentuated in the most vulnerable population, preventing school-age children from actively participating in the educational role that corresponds to them, thus generating a gap between learning and teaching, thus limiting them to integration and social cohesion. That is why this research seeks to determine whether virtual tutorials for school reinforcement, implemented through the Education Without Barriers project in the Romeo Luna Victoria School in San Borja, during 2020 they are contributing to the improvement of the academic performance of 6th grade children. These findings allow to identificate and to analyze the problem, the actions implemented, the information provided by tutors and the participation of the key actors. In this way, improvement proposals can strength the implementation of the project, through a training plan in school methodology aimed at volunteer tutors that can even be developed in similar projects at the national level

Biochemical and Molecular Study of the Influence of Amaranthus hypochondriacus Flour on Serum and Liver Lipids in Rats Treated with Ethanol

Hyperlipidemia and hepatic steatosis are frequent alterations due to alcohol abuse. Amaranth is a pseudocereal with hypolipidemic potential among other nutraceutical actions. Here we study the effect of Amaranthus hypochondriacus (Ah) seeds on serum and liver lipids, and the expression of genes associated to lipid metabolism and liver histology in male Wistar rats intoxicated with ethanol. The animals were divided into four groups; two groups were fed the American Institute of Nutrition 1993 for maintenance diet (AIN-93M), and the other two with AIN-93M containing Ah as protein source. One of each protein group received 20 % ethanol in the drinking water, thus obtaining: CC (control casein), EC (ethanol casein), CAh (control Ah) and EAh (ethanol Ah). When comparing EAh vs. EC, we found a positive effect of Ah on lipids, preventing the increment of serum cholesterol (p < 0.001), through the higher expression of the LDL receptor (p < 0.001); and it also decreased free (p < 0.05) and esterified cholesterol (p < 0.01) in liver, probably via the reduction of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase expression (p < 0.001). We also observed that amaranth contributed to the decrease of fat deposits in liver, probably through the decrease in acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha (p < 0.01), glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1 (p < 0.01) and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (p < 0.05) expression. The histological study showed a decrease in the fat deposits in the amaranth group when compared to casein; this is consistent with the biochemical and molecular parameters studied in this work. In conclusion, amaranth could be recommended to avoid the alterations in the lipid metabolism induced by alcohol and other harmful agents.Fil: Lucero López, Viviana Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Razzeto, Gabriela S.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Escudero, Nora L.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Gimenez, Maria Sofia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; Argentin

Antioxidant poperties of Amaranthus hypochondriacus seeds and their effect on the liver of alcohol-treated rats

Amaranth constitutes a valuable pseudocereal, due to its nutritional quality and its nutraceutical properties, which contribute to improve human health. This work evaluated the effect of a diet based on Amaranthus hypochondriacus (Ah) seed on oxidative stress and antioxidant status in the liver of rats sub-chronically exposed to ethanol. The seed extract was investigated for antioxidant capacity in vitro, showing an adequate content of total phenols and antioxidant activity elevated. For in vivo assays, four groups of six rats each were fed with an AIN-93 M diet for 28 days. In groups III and IV casein was replaced by Ah as the protein source; groups II and IV were received ethanol in the drinking water (20% v/v). When comparing groups IV and II, the following was observed: significant decrease in the activity of aspartate aminotransferase and content of malondialdehyde (p < 0.001) in serum; decrease of malondialdehyde and increase in the activity and gene expression of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, also, decrease in the NADPH oxidase transcript levels (p < 0.05) in liver. Our data suggest that Ah is a good source of total phenols and exerts a protective effect in serum and in liver of rats intoxicated with ethanol.Fil: Lucero López, Viviana Romina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Quimica, Bioquimica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Razzeto, Gabriela Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Quimica, Bioquimica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Gimenez, Maria Sofia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Quimica, Bioquimica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Escudero, Nora Lilian. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Quimica, Bioquimica y Farmacia. Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; Argentin