ACTIVATION OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC– PITUITARY–ADRENAL AXIS INDUCES THE DIFFERENTIAL RELEASE OF PRO– INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN BALB/C MICE

Physiological processes are associated with interactions between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems, which communicate through neurotransmitters, hormones and cytokines. The key to this communication is the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis which can be activated by stress and pro–inflammatory cytokines. We have investigated the effects of acute and chronic stress on the release of pro–inflammatory cytokines through activation of the HPA axis. Accordingly, BALB/c mice were exposed to acute stress through the single application of bi–frontal electrical stimulation (ESa, 20V/10 mA/0.05s) and the effect produced by a single i.p. dose of Lipopolysacharide (LPS) (250 μg/100g). Chronic stress was (ESc) induced by applying the electrical stimulus to the animals in the same way for 7 consecutive days, as well as the effects of ascending LPS administration over 7 days (35–250 μg/100g i.p./day). Following stimulation, the levels of pro–inflammatory cytokines and corticosterone were quantified by ELISA. Unlike LPS that provoked an increase in TNF–α, IL–1β, IL–6, and corticosterone levels, acute electrical stress did not induce any change in the levels of pro–inflammatory cytokines or corticosterone. In contrast, chronic ESc stress produced an increase in the levels of TNF–α, while in the animals treated with LPS the IL–6 levels increased. These data suggest that the response of the HPA axis to stress depends on the duration, intensity and etiology of the stress agent, also suggest a suitable model for the evaluation of drugs with potential effect on inflammatory stress

ACTIVATION OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC– PITUITARY–ADRENAL AXIS INDUCES THE DIFFERENTIAL RELEASE OF PRO– INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN BALB/C MICE

Physiological processes are associated with interactions between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems, which communicate through neurotransmitters, hormones and cytokines. The key to this communication is the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis which can be activated by stress and pro–inflammatory cytokines. We have investigated the effects of acute and chronic stress on the release of pro–inflammatory cytokines through activation of the HPA axis. Accordingly, BALB/c mice were exposed to acute stress through the single application of bi–frontal electrical stimulation (ESa, 20V/10 mA/0.05s) and the effect produced by a single i.p. dose of Lipopolysacharide (LPS) (250 μg/100g). Chronic stress was (ESc) induced by applying the electrical stimulus to the animals in the same way for 7 consecutive days, as well as the effects of ascending LPS administration over 7 days (35–250 μg/100g i.p./day). Following stimulation, the levels of pro–inflammatory cytokines and corticosterone were quantified by ELISA. Unlike LPS that provoked an increase in TNF–α, IL–1β, IL–6, and corticosterone levels, acute electrical stress did not induce any change in the levels of pro–inflammatory cytokines or corticosterone. In contrast, chronic ESc stress produced an increase in the levels of TNF–α, while in the animals treated with LPS the IL–6 levels increased. These data suggest that the response of the HPA axis to stress depends on the duration, intensity and etiology of the stress agent, also suggest a suitable model for the evaluation of drugs with potential effect on inflammatory stress

Prevalencia De Sobrepeso U Obesidad En Escolares De Una Población Urbana Del Estado De Jalisco, México

Introduction. Urban populations in Mexico have not escaped the influence of today's world with an increase in sedentary lifestyles and inadequate food consumption patterns. These conditions have exacerbated the emerging and alarming problem of overweight and obesity in the country. Objective. To diagnose the nutritional status and determine the overweight and obesity prevalence in children between ages of 5 to 14 years of an urban community in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Material and methods. Through a cross-sectional study, 188 students were evaluated. Weight and height were measured and compared with reference standards of the World Health Organization, the values obtained from the measurement of waist circumference percentiles were compared with the percentile charts made by Fernandez et al, 2004. Results. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity in the total population was 36.7% (n = 69); in males the prevalence was 20.7% (12.2% for overweight and 8.5% for obesity) and in females was 16% (9.6% and 6.4%, respectively). Children from the fifth and sixth grade had a higher prevalence of both overweight and obesity. Conclusions. Our study shows the current nutritional problems manifested in urban areas, which is accentuated on children with higher increase between the 5th and 6th grades

Efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of a booster regimen of Ad26.COV2.S vaccine against COVID-19 (ENSEMBLE2) : results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial

Background Despite the availability of effective vaccines against COVID-19, booster vaccinations are needed to maintain vaccine-induced protection against variant strains and breakthrough infections. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine (Janssen) as primary vaccination plus a booster dose. Methods ENSEMBLE2 is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial including crossover vaccination after emergency authorisation of COVID-19 vaccines. Adults aged at least 18 years without previous COVID-19 vaccination at public and private medical practices and hospitals in Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, the UK, and the USA were randomly assigned 1:1 via a computer algorithm to receive intramuscularly administered Ad26.COV2.S as a primary dose plus a booster dose at 2 months or two placebo injections 2 months apart. The primary endpoint was vaccine efficacy against the first occurrence of molecularly confirmed moderate to severe-critical COVID-19 with onset at least 14 days after booster vaccination, which was assessed in participants who received two doses of vaccine or placebo, were negative for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR at baseline and on serology at baseline and day 71, had no major protocol deviations, and were at risk of COVID-19 (ie, had no PCR-positive result or discontinued the study before day 71). Safety was assessed in all participants; reactogenicity, in terms of solicited local and systemic adverse events, was assessed as a secondary endpoint in a safety subset (approximately 6000 randomly selected participants). The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04614948, and is ongoing. Findings Enrolment began on Nov 16, 2020, and the primary analysis data cutoff was June 25, 2021. From 34 571 participants screened, the double-blind phase enrolled 31 300 participants, 14 492 of whom received two doses (7484 in the Ad26.COV2.S group and 7008 in the placebo group) and 11 639 of whom were eligible for inclusion in the assessment of the primary endpoint (6024 in the Ad26.COV2.S group and 5615 in the placebo group). The median (IQR) follow-up post-booster vaccination was 36 center dot 0 (15 center dot 0-62 center dot 0) days. Vaccine efficacy was 75 center dot 2% (adjusted 95% CI 54 center dot 6-87 center dot 3) against moderate to severe-critical COVID-19 (14 cases in the Ad26.COV2.S group and 52 cases in the placebo group). Most cases were due to the variants alpha (B.1.1.7) and mu (B.1.621); endpoints for the primary analysis accrued from Nov 16, 2020, to June 25, 2021, before the global dominance of delta (B.1.617.2) or omicron (B.1.1.529). The booster vaccine exhibited an acceptable safety profile. The overall frequencies of solicited local and systemic adverse events (evaluated in the safety subset, n=6067) were higher among vaccine recipients than placebo recipients after the primary and booster doses. The frequency of solicited adverse events in the Ad26.COV2.S group were similar following the primary and booster vaccinations (local adverse events, 1676 [55 center dot 6%] of 3015 vs 896 [57 center dot 5%] of 1559, respectively; systemic adverse events, 1764 [58 center dot 5%] of 3015 vs 821 [52 center dot 7%] of 1559, respectively). Solicited adverse events were transient and mostly grade 1-2 in severity. Interpretation A homologous Ad26.COV2.S booster administered 2 months after primary single-dose vaccination in adults had an acceptable safety profile and was efficacious against moderate to severe-critical COVID-19. Studies assessing efficacy against newer variants and with longer follow-up are needed. Funding Janssen Research & Development. Copyright (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Heavy flavour decay muon production at forward rapidity in proton–proton collisions at √s=7 TeV

The production of muons from heavy flavour decays is measured at forward rapidity in proton–proton collisions at √s=7 TeV collected with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The analysis is carried out on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity Lint=16.5 nb−1. The transverse momentum and rapidity differential production cross sections of muons from heavy flavour decays are measured in the rapidity range 2.5<y<4, over the transverse momentum range 2<pt<12 GeV/c. The results are compared to predictions based on perturbative QCD calculations

Neutral pion and η meson production in proton–proton collisions at √s=0.9 TeV and s=√7 TeV

he first measurements of the invariant differential cross sections of inclusive π0 and η meson production at mid-rapidity in proton–proton collisions at s=0.9 TeV and s=7 TeV are reported. The π0 measurement covers the ranges 0.4<pT<7 GeV/c and 0.3<pT<25 GeV/c for these two energies, respectively. The production of η mesons was measured at s=√7 TeV in the range 0.4<pT<15 GeV/c. Next-to-Leading Order perturbative QCD calculations, which are consistent with the π0 spectrum at s=0.9 TeV, overestimate those of π0 and η mesons at s=√7 TeV, but agree with the measured η/π0 ratio at s=√7 TeV

Light vector meson production in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV

The ALICE experiment has measured low-mass dimuon production in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV in the dimuon rapidity region 2.5<y<4. The observed dimuon mass spectrum is described as a superposition of resonance decays (η,ρ,ω,η′,ϕ) into muons and semi-leptonic decays of charmed mesons. The measured production cross sections for ω and ϕ are σω(1<pt<5 GeV/c,2.5<y<4)=5.28±0.54(stat)±0.49(syst) mb and σϕ(1<pt<5 GeV/c,2.5<y<4)=0.940±0.084(stat)±0.076(syst) mb. The differential cross sections d2σ/dydpt are extracted as a function of pt for ω and ϕ. The ratio between the ρ and ω cross section is obtained. Results for the ϕ are compared with other measurements at the same energy and with predictions by models

Multi-strange baryon production in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV with ALICE

A measurement of the multi-strange Ξ− and Ω− baryons and their antiparticles by the ALICE experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is presented for inelastic proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The transverse momentum (pT) distributions were studied at mid-rapidity (|y|6.0 GeV/c. We also illustrate the difference between the experimental data and model by comparing the corresponding ratios of (Ω−+Ω¯+)/(Ξ−+Ξ¯+) as a function of transverse mass

Inclusive J/ψ production in pp collisions at √s=2.76 TeV

The ALICE Collaboration has measured inclusive J/ψ production in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy √s=2.76 TeV at the LHC. The results presented in this Letter refer to the rapidity ranges |y|<0.9 and 2.5<y<4 and have been obtained by measuring the electron and muon pair decay channels, respectively. The integrated luminosities for the two channels are Linte=1.1 nb−1 and Lintμ=19.9 nb−1, and the corresponding signal statistics are NJ/ψe+e−=59±14 and NJ/ψμ+μ−=1364±53. We present dσJ/ψ/dy for the two rapidity regions under study and, for the forward-y range, d2σJ/ψ/dydpt in the transverse momentum domain 0<pt<8 GeV/c. The results are compared with previously published results at s=7 TeV and with theoretical calculations