Gut Microbiota, Probiotics and Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition of multifactorial origin, involving several molecular mechanisms related to the intestinal microbiota for its development. In type 2 diabetes, receptor activation and recognition by microorganisms from the intestinal lumen may trigger inflammatory responses, inducing the phosphorylation of serine residues in insulin receptor substrate-1, reducing insulin sensitivity. In type 1 diabetes, the lowered expression of adhesion proteins within the intestinal epithelium favours a greater immune response that may result in destruction of pancreatic β cells by CD8+ T-lymphocytes, and increased expression of interleukin-17, related to autoimmunity. Research in animal models and humans has hypothesized whether the administration of probiotics may improve the prognosis of diabetes through modulation of gut microbiota. We have shown in this review that a large body of evidence suggests probiotics reduce the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, as well as increase the expression of adhesion proteins within the intestinal epithelium, reducing intestinal permeability. Such effects increase insulin sensitivity and reduce autoimmune response. However, further investigations are required to clarify whether the administration of probiotics can be efficiently used for the prevention and management of diabetes

Bacterial Communities in Effluents Rich in Phenol and Their Potential in Bioremediation: Kinetic Modeling

Phenol is used in the manufacturing process of phenolic resins from which residues remain that must be sent for confinement. For that reason, in this study, the wastewater of a resin factory was analyzed to isolate the bacteria present, identify them by molecular methods and finally evaluate their impact on bioremediation treatment. A total of 15 bacteria were isolated, of these, eight belong to the genus Bacillus spp. All bacteria were individually multiplied and inoculated in clusters in 15 L reactors which were carefully monitored for pH, electrical conductivity, chemical oxygen demand and temperature. The acquired data were analyzed using ANOVA with repeated measurements. The first test revealed that native bacterial communities reduce the phenol content by up to 20% and COD by 49%, which is significant with respect to the reactor not being inoculated with bacteria. Furthermore, when a mathematical model was applied to the reactors, it was shown that the bacteria require an adaptation time of approximately 100 h. A second test where the inoculation was interspersed with the addition of lime as a flocculant showed that, even though the reduction in phenol and COD was lower than in the previous test, the difference between treatments and control is statistically significant (α ≤ 0.05)

Persistent immune and clotting dysfunction detected in saliva and blood plasma after COVID-19

A growing number of studies indicate that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with inflammatory sequelae, but molecular signatures governing the normal versus pathologic convalescence process have not been well-delineated. Here, we characterized global immune and proteome responses in matched plasma and saliva samples obtained from COVID-19 patients collected between 20 and 90 days after initial clinical symptoms resolved. Convalescent subjects showed robust total IgA and IgG responses and positive antibody correlations in saliva and plasma samples. Shotgun proteomics revealed persistent inflammatory patterns in convalescent samples including dysfunction of salivary innate immune cells, such as neutrophil markers (e.g., myeloperoxidase), and clotting factors in plasma (e.g., fibrinogen), with positive correlations to acute COVID-19 disease severity. Saliva samples were characterized by higher concentrations of IgA, and proteomics showed altered myeloid-derived pathways that correlated positively with SARS-CoV-2 IgA levels. Beyond plasma, our study positions saliva as a viable fluid to monitor normal and aberrant immune responses including vascular, inflammatory, and coagulation-related sequelae

Persistent immune and clotting dysfunction detected in saliva and blood plasma after COVID-19

A growing number of studies indicate that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with inflammatory sequelae, but molecular signatures governing the normal versus pathologic convalescence process have not been well-delineated. Here, we characterized global immune and proteome responses in matched plasma and saliva samples obtained from COVID-19 patients collected between 20 and 90 days after initial clinical symptoms resolved. Convalescent subjects showed robust total IgA and IgG responses and positive antibody correlations in saliva and plasma samples. Shotgun proteomics revealed persistent inflammatory patterns in convalescent samples including dysfunction of salivary innate immune cells, such as neutrophil markers (e.g., myeloperoxidase), and clotting factors in plasma (e.g., fibrinogen), with positive correlations to acute COVID-19 disease severity. Saliva samples were characterized by higher concentrations of IgA, and proteomics showed altered myeloid-derived pathways that correlated positively with SARS-CoV-2 IgA levels. Beyond plasma, our study positions saliva as a viable fluid to monitor normal and aberrant immune responses including vascular, inflammatory, and coagulation-related sequelae

A Comparison of Defense and Plaintiff Expert Witnesses in Orthopaedic Surgery Malpractice Litigation.

BackgroundAccording to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Standards of Professionalism, the responsible testimony of expert witnesses in orthopaedic surgery malpractice lawsuits is important to the public interest. However, these expert witnesses are recruited and compensated without established standards, and their testimony can potentially sway court opinion, with substantial consequences. The objective of this study was to characterize defense and plaintiff expert orthopaedic surgeon witnesses in orthopaedic surgery malpractice litigation.MethodsUtilizing the WestlawNext legal database, defense and plaintiff expert witnesses involved in orthopaedic surgery malpractice lawsuits from 2013 to 2017 were identified. Each witness's subspecialty, mean years of experience, involvement in academic or private practice, fellowship training, and scholarly impact, as measured by the Hirsch index (h-index), were determined through a query of professional profiles, the Scopus database, and a PubMed search. Statistical comparisons were made for each parameter among defense and plaintiff expert witnesses.ResultsBetween 2013 and 2017, 306 expert medical witnesses for orthopaedic cases were identified; 174 (56.9%) testified on behalf of the plaintiff, and 132 (43.1%) testified on behalf of the defense. Orthopaedic surgeons who identified themselves as general orthopaedists comprised the largest share of expert witnesses on both the plaintiff (n = 61) and defense (n = 25) sides. The plaintiff witnesses averaged 36 years of experience versus 31 years for the defense witnesses (p < 0.001); 26% of the plaintiff witnesses held an academic position versus 43% of the defense witnesses (p = 0.013). Defense witnesses exhibited a higher proportion of fellowship training in comparison to plaintiff expert witnesses (80.5% versus 64.5%, respectively, p = 0.003). The h-index for the plaintiff group was 6.6 versus 9.1 for the defense group (p = 0.04). Two witnesses testified for both the plaintiff and defense sides.ConclusionsDefense expert witnesses held higher rates of academic appointments and exhibited greater scholarly impact than their plaintiff counterparts, with both sides averaging >30 years of experience. These data collectively show that there are differences in characteristics between plaintiff and defense witnesses. Additional study is needed to illuminate the etiology of these differences

Tears, trauma and suicide: everyday violence among street youth in Puebla, Mexico

Despite considerable ethnographic research with young people in street situations and a growing interest in violence, little attention has been paid to suicide. The occurrence of suicide is a dramatic event that reveals weaknesses in support systems established by governments and civil society organisations, as well as perceived failings of friends. While an interest in suicide usually considers cause, in this paper we explore effect. How does the death of a member of a tightly knit group of street youth affect others and what does the suicide tell us about their identification with death more generally? Research for the paper was part of an in-depth study of identities among street youth in Mexico

SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)

Millions of people are suffering from Long COVID or post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). Several biological factors have emerged as potential drivers of PASC pathology. Some individuals with PASC may not fully clear the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 after acute infection. Instead, replicating virus and/or viral RNA—potentially capable of being translated to produce viral proteins—persist in tissue as a ‘reservoir’. This reservoir could modulate host immune responses or release viral proteins into the circulation. Here we review studies that have identified SARS-CoV-2 RNA/protein or immune responses indicative of a SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in PASC samples. Mechanisms by which a SARS-CoV-2 reservoir may contribute to PASC pathology, including coagulation, microbiome and neuroimmune abnormalities, are delineated. We identify research priorities to guide the further study of a SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in PASC, with the goal that clinical trials of antivirals or other therapeutics with potential to clear a SARS-CoV-2 reservoir are accelerated