Intake of slow-digesting carbohydrates is related to changes in the microbiome and its functional pathways in growing rats with obesity induced by diet

Introduction: The main cause of insulin resistance in childhood is obesity, which contributes to future comorbidities as in adults. Although high-calorie diets and lack of exercise contribute to metabolic disease development, food quality rather than the quantity of macronutrients is more important than food density. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of changing the quality of carbohydrates from rapidly to slowly digestible carbohydrates on the composition of the gut microbiota and the profiles of the functional pathways in growing rats with obesity due to a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods: During the course of 4 weeks, rats growing on an HFD-containing carbohydrates with different digestive rates were fed either HFD-containing carbohydrates with a rapid digestion rate (OBE group) or HFD-containing carbohydrates with a slow digestion rate (OBE-ISR group). A non-obese group (NOB) was included as a reference, and rats were fed on a rodent standard diet (AIN93G). An analysis of gut microbiota was conducted using 16S rRNA-based metagenomics; a linear mixed-effects model (LMM) was used to determine changes in abundance between baseline and 4 weeks of treatment, and functional pathways were identified. Gut microbiota composition at bacterial diversity and relative abundance, at phylum and genus levels, and functional profiles were analyzed by integrating the Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) database. Results: The groups showed comparable gut microbiota at baseline. At the end of the treatment, animals from the ISR group exhibited differences at the phylum levels by decreasing the diversity of Fisher’s index and Firmicutes (newly named as Bacillota), and increasing the Pielou’s evenness and Bacteroidetes (newly named as Bacteroidota); at the genus level by increasing Alistipes, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Butyricimonas, Lachnoclostridium, Flavonifractor, Ruminiclostridium 5, and Faecalibaculum and decreasing Muribaculum, Blautia, and Ruminiclostridium 9. Remarkably, relative abundances of genera Tyzzerella and Angelakisella were higher in the OBE group compared to NOB and OBE-ISR groups. In addition, some microbiota carbohydrate metabolism pathways such as glycolysis, glucuronic acid degradation, pentose phosphate pathway, methanogenesis, and fatty acid biosynthesis exhibited increased activity in the OBE-ISR group after the treatment. Higher levels of acetate and propionate were found in the feces of the ISR group compared with the NOB and OBE groups. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that replacing rapidly digestible carbohydrates with slowly digestible carbohydrates within an HFD improve the composition of the gut microbiota. Consequently, metabolic disturbances associated with obesity may be prevented.Abbott Laboratories S.A"Fundacion Ramon Areces", Madrid, Spai

Bioindicadores marinos en el estudio medioambiental y transferencia a la cadena trófica de contaminantes químicos

La presente Tesis Doctoral se centra principalmente en el estudio de la presencia de contaminantes emergentes de origen antropogénico (bisfenoles, parabenos, filtros ultravioleta, compuestos perfluorados, triclosán y triclocarbán) en medios acuáticos y su capacidad de bioacumulación y biomagnificación a través de dos bioindicadores marinos de la contaminación: Mytilus galloprovincialis (mejillón mediterráneo) y Holothuria tubulosa (pepino de mar). Se propone el desarrollo de una nueva metodología para la determinación de los analitos seleccionados en estos bioindicadores y en el entorno natural de los mismos, aplicando técnicas de tratamiento de muestra y limpieza de extractos y análisis mediante cromatografía de líquidos de ultra alta resolución acoplada a espectrometría de masas en tándem de triple cuadrupolo (UHPLC‐MS/MS). Debido a la actividad humana, numerosos contaminantes dañinos para la salud humana y oros muchos potencialmente peligrosos, ingresan continuamente en el medio ambiente, pudiendo incorporarse finalmente a la cadena trófica a través de los eslabones más bajos de la misma. En la actualidad, este hecho se está convirtiendo en una grave preocupación social y científica. Por este motivo, ha surgido una importante necesidad de estudiar, controlar y poner de manifiesto (denunciar), por parte de la comunidad científica, la presencia de una gran cantidad de compuestos químicos en el medioambiente, entre ellos se incluyen numerosos compuestos que aparecen en productos de cuidado personal ampliamente empleados en su día a día por la población. Estos compuestos emergentes, en su mayor parte de origen antropogénico, están demostrando tener una importante actividad carcinogénica, mutagénica o disruptora endocrina en los organismos vivos. Además, se han estudiado y demostrado efectos acumulativos de modo que están siempre presentes en sedimentos o aguas, desde donde pueden llegar a animales y plantas magnificando el problema. Más del 40% de las aguas del mundo están afectadas por las actividades humanas. Una vez contaminados los medios acuáticos, los contaminantes pueden entrar en la cadena trófica a través de numerosas vías. El estudio de organismos vivos, a modo de bioindicadores, nos va a permitir determinar la magnitud de esta contaminación en una determinada zona y además poner de manifiesto su incorporación al ciclo alimenticio, lo que los hace aun mas peligrosos. Un bioindicador es una especie biológica capaz de responder a la variación de un determinado factor ambiental con el cambio de magnitud en una o más variables de su propio organismo y con ello permiten conocer la “biodisponibilidad” de los contaminantes. Aunque se han llevado a cabo algunos estudios en los que se han empleado estas especies como bioindicadores, estos se centran principalmente en metales pesados y compuestos orgánicos persistentes como PCBs (bifenilos policlorinados) o PAHs (hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos). Sin embargo, y según la extensa bibliografía consultada, ninguno de estos estudios se enfoca en contaminantes como los seleccionados para el desarrollo de la presente Tesis Doctoral, ya que el objetivo es el estudio de compuestos considerados como contaminantes emergentes no contemplados en estas investigaciones anteriores.Tesis Univ. Granada

Determination of quinolone residues in raw cow milk. Application of polar stir-bars and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

<p>Seventeen quinolone antibiotics were determined in cows’ milk. A method of high sensitivity, selectivity and accuracy was developed. Accuracy (trueness and precision), linearity, sensitivity, selectivity, decision limit and detection capability were established following the recommendations of the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guideline. The use of polar stir-bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) prior to UHPLC-MS/MS analysis is proposed. The variables that affect SBSE were optimised using multivariate optimisation strategies. The ionic strength, the extraction time and the sample volume were studied. pH and stir-bar coating (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS, and polyethyleneglycol modified silicone, PEG) were studied. PEG showed the best extraction yield at pH 6. For validation, a matrix-matched calibration and a recovery assay were carried out. Limits of quantification from 0.5 μg kg⁻¹ for nalidixic acid, flumequine and piromidic acid, to 4.0 μg kg⁻¹ for sarafloxacin were calculated. The precision (%, RSD) was lower than 15% for all antibiotics. Recoveries in fortified samples were between 88 and 114%.</p

Desarrollo del espíritu emprendedor entre los alumnos de primaria

Resumen elaborado por la Coordinadora del proyecto.La empresa Natur-art ha ganado el Premio a la Iniciativa Social en la XI Entrega de Premios de la Asociación de Jóvenes Empresarios de Albacete (AJE), así como el 2º premio INTEF para fomentar la creación de recursos educativos destinados a internet.La idea de fomentar el espíritu emprendedor entre los alumnos de primaria nace en 2008 de la experiencia de más de 20 años en el desarrollo del mismo entre los alumnos universitarios y otros colectivos de adultos de Castilla-La Mancha. Este proyecto tiene dos líneas de actuación básicas en temas de emprendimiento, ambas contextualizadas en el ámbito de la Responsabilidad Social de la Empresa y el respecto al Medio Ambiente: -Concienciación y formación del profesorado de primaria, garantizando la continuidad del proyecto más allá de su propia extinción. -Motivación y formación de los alumnos de primaria, a través de la creación y gestión de empresas ficticias, como Amidecor, Molisan o Natur-art. Además, para mejorar la comunicación entre los centros que forman un CRA, se diseñó una herramienta propia que permite, en tiempo real, la interacción entre profesores-alumnos-padres: la Web-CRA.Consejería de Educación, Cultura y Deportes de Castilla-La ManchaCastilla La ManchaES

COVID-19 outbreak in long-term care facilities from Spain. Many lessons to learn.

Background/objectivesTo analyze mortality, costs, residents and personnel characteristics, in six long-term care facilities (LTCF) during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Spain.DesignEpidemiological study.SettingSix open LTCFs in Albacete (Spain).Participants198 residents and 190 workers from LTCF A were included, between 2020 March 6 and April 5. Epidemiological data were also collected from six LTCFs of Albacete for the same period of time, including 1,084 residents.MeasurementsBaseline demographic, clinical, functional, cognitive and nutritional variables were collected. 1-month and 3-month mortality was determined, excess mortality was calculated, and costs associated with the pandemics were analyzed.ResultsThe pooled mortality rate for the first month and first three months of the outbreak were 15.3% and 28.0%, and the pooled excess mortality for these periods were 564% and 315% respectively. In facility A, the percentage of probable COVID-19 infected residents were 33.6%. Probable infected patients were older, frail, and with a worse functional situation than those without COVID-19. The most common symptoms were fever, cough and dyspnea. 25 residents were transferred to the emergency department, 21 were hospitalized, and 54 were moved to the facility medical unit. Mortality was higher upon male older residents, with worse functionality, and higher comorbidity. During the first month of the outbreak, 65 (24.6%) workers leaved, mainly with COVID-19 symptoms, and 69 new workers were contracted. The mean number of days of leave was 19.2. Costs associated with the COVID-19 in facility A were estimated at € 276,281/month, mostly caused by resident hospitalizations, leaves of workers, staff replacement, and interventions of healthcare professionals.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic posed residents at high mortality risk, mainly in those older, frail and with worse functional status. Personal and economic costs were high

El Quijote a través de la Educación Física : propuestas prácticas para Educación Infantil, Primaria, Secundaria y Bachillerato

Resumen basado en el de la publicaciónSe muestra el procedimiento seguido para trabajar la obra de Miguel de Cervantes, El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha, desde el área de Educación Física, a través de los juegos populares que aparecen en ella. Se presenta el relato de la investigación llevada a cabo, así como su adaptación y aplicación en Educación Física en las etapas de Educación Infantil, Primaria, Secundaria y Bachillerato. A partir de la localización y el conocimiento de los juegos motores populares que aparecen en la novela, se pasa al plan de acción: diseñar una propuesta de intervención educativa en las distintas etapas o niveles mencionados. A estos efectos, el juego como elemento cultural se ha trabajado en la pista-gimnasio a partir de los textos del Quijote, de su lectura y comentario en el aula desde la perspectiva globalizadora en Infantil, en las áreas de Lengua, Música y Conocimiento del Medio en Primaria y en las áreas de Lengua, Ciencias, Historia, Música y Geografía en Educación Secundaria y Bachillerato, todo ello complementándose con la realización de clases teórico-prácticas en la pista y en el gimnasio en las clases de Educación Física.AndalucíaBiblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín 5 -3 Planta; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]

Urea cycle disorders in Spain: an observational, cross-sectional and multicentric study of 104 cases

Background: Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of urea cycle disorders (UCDs) have led to a higher survival rate. The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics of patients with urea cycle disorders in Spain.Methods Observational, cross-sectional and multicenter study. Clinical, biochemical and genetic data were collected from patients with UCDs, treated in the metabolic diseases centers in Spain between February 2012 and February 2013, covering the entire Spanish population. Heterozygous mothers of patients with OTC deficiency were only included if they were on treatment due to being symptomatic or having biochemistry abnormalities. Results 104 patients from 98 families were included. Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency was the most frequent condition (64.4%) (61.2% female) followed by type 1 citrullinemia (21.1%) and argininosuccinic aciduria (9.6%). Only 13 patients (12.5%) were diagnosed in a pre-symptomatic state. 63% of the cases presented with type intoxication encephalopathy. The median ammonia level at onset was 298 μmol/L (169-615). The genotype of 75 patients is known, with 18 new mutations having been described. During the data collection period four patients died, three of them in the early days of life. The median current age is 9.96 years (5.29-18), with 25 patients over 18 years of age. Anthropometric data, expressed as median and z-score for the Spanish population is shown. 52.5% of the cases present neurological sequelae, which have been linked to the type of disease, neonatal onset, hepatic failure at diagnosis and ammonia values at diagnosis. 93 patients are following a protein restrictive diet, 0.84 g/kg/day (0.67-1.10), 50 are receiving essential amino acid supplements, 0.25 g/kg/day (0.20-0.45), 58 arginine, 156 mg/kg/day (109-305) and 45 citrulline, 150 mg/kg/day (105-199). 65 patients are being treated with drugs: 4 with sodium benzoate, 50 with sodium phenylbutyrate, 10 with both drugs and 1 with carglumic acid. Conclusions Studies like this make it possible to analyze the frequency, natural history and clinical practices in the area of rare diseases, with the purpose of knowing the needs of the patients and thus planning their care.Ye