Mycotoxins nivalenol and deoxynivalenol differently modulate cytokine mRNA expression in Jurkat T cells.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and its hydroxylated form nivalenol (NIV) are Fusarium mycotoxins that occur in cereal grains alone or in combination. Several studies have shown that these metabolites affect lymphocyte functions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their activities are still partially known. To address this issue, we examined the influence of NIV and DON in modulating IFNc, IL-2 and IL-8 mRNA levels in Jurkat T cells. In PMA/ionomycin stimulated cells, pre-incubated with increasing concentrations of NIV, transcription was induced in the range 0.06–2 lM; higher concentrations of NIV were found non-stimulating (4 lM) or inhibitory (8 lM) for IFNc and IL-2 whereas IL-8 was still induced. DON administration elicited a similar profile for IL-8 and IFNc, whilst IL-2 mRNA was induced in a broader range of concentrations. Combination of NIV and DON at 1:1 and 1:10 ratios essentially restored the cytokine transcriptional pattern observed with NIV alone but the level of transcripts, with the exception of IL-8, peaked at lower concentrations suggesting interactive effects. Moreover both mycotoxins caused inhibition of cell proliferation, mediated by induction of apoptosis, confirming previous results and highlighting the usefulness of Jurkat as a T-cell model to study the effects of mycotoxins on the immune functions in humans

Основа образования — доверие молодежи

Moving from a critical consideration of the politics of the European Commission concerning instruction in the last 20 years, the presentation highlights the contradictions in interpreting the value of education. Due to the prevailing interest of the financial ideologues stressing competition, Delors as Head of the European Union tried to draw the attention of economists toward the field of education, stressing the relevance of education for economic competition. Later on, as head of UNESCO Committee for Education, he tried to bring the attention back on the true value of education, but the damage was done. Curiously, in the UNESCO book, he used as mainframe the famous La Fontaine/Aesop's fable (n. XLII) about the Farmer and his sons, emphasizing the need to better listen to the youngsters and to educate them to the values and social meaning of non-alienated work. However, the fable implies a pedagogical contradiction, because education requires trust and not escamotage. The deep anti-pedagogical result was to allow economists to think about education as just as a way to improve human capital

Rheological properties and baking performance of new waxy lines : Strengths and weaknesses

In Western countries, the use of waxy wheat in bread-making is gaining interest in view of extending the shelf-life of bread, avoiding the use of additives. Considering the high impact of the environment on wheat properties, selection of waxy lines able to adapt to a particular environment is highly recommended. In this frame, the behavior of three new Italian waxy lines (IW) were compared with that of two waxy lines breeded in United States (USW). Compared to USW, two out of three IW lines exhibited better mixing properties in terms of higher tolerance to mechanical stress (stability and softness index). IW dough showed similar water absorption, stickiness values and visco-elasticity (G\u2032 and G\u2033) compared to USW samples. On the other hand, the waxy wheat lines adapted to the Italian environmental conditions showed a more developed loaf volume with respect to USW lines. The difficulties in dough handling that is typical of waxy wheat when used alone could be partially solved using waxy wheat in combination with non-waxy flours

Going beyond children’s single-text comprehension:The role of fundamental and higher–level skills in 4th graders’ multiple-document comprehension

Background: Children's comprehension of single texts relies on both foundational and higher-level skills. These are also assumed to support multiple-document comprehension, but their relative importance has not been examined, to date. Multiple-document comprehension additionally requires the identification and use of information about each document's source. Aims: This study examined multiple-document comprehension in primary school-aged children. It sought to determine the relative importance of skills proposed to be common to both single-text and multiple-document comprehension (word reading fluency, verbal working memory, comprehension monitoring) and specific to the latter (source use). Single-text comprehension and prior topic knowledge were considered as moderator and control. Sample: Participants were 94 children in the fourth year (mean age = 9; 7 years; 52% females). Methods: Children read three documents on each of two topics (chocolate and video games). Multiple-document comprehension and source use were assessed through short essays. Independent measures of the fundamental and higher-level skills were used. Results: There was a significant direct and indirect influence of word reading fluency on comprehension of multiple documents on videogames and also an indirect influence of comprehension monitoring. Indirect influences of word reading fluency and comprehension monitoring on multiple-document comprehension for both topics were also apparent. Verbal working memory was not a unique predictor. When source information was identified, it was included to support the argument in the composition. Conclusions: Efficient word reading, comprehension monitoring, and single-text comprehension are important for multiple-document comprehension in young readers. Implications of these findings and differences between the two document sets are discussed

Physical performance and clinical outcomes in dialysis patients: a secondary analysis of the EXCITE trial.

Background/Aims: Scarce physical activity predicts shorter survival in dialysis patients. However, the relationship between physical (motor) fitness and clinical outcomes has never been tested in these patients. Methods: We tested the predictive power of an established metric of motor fitness, the Six-Minute Walking Test (6MWT), for death, cardiovascular events and hospitalization in 296 dialysis patients who took part in the trial EXCITE (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01255969). Results: During follow up 69 patients died, 90 had fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, 159 were hospitalized and 182 patients had the composite outcome. In multivariate Cox models - including the study allocation arm and classical and non-classical risk factors - an increase of 20 walked metres during the 6MWT was associated to a 6% reduction of the risk for the composite end-point (P=0.001) and a similar relationship existed between the 6MWT, mortality (P<0.001) and hospitalizations (P=0.03). A similar trend was observed for cardiovascular events but this relationship did not reach statistical significance (P=0.09). Conclusions: Poor physical performance predicts a high risk of mortality, cardiovascular events and hospitalizations in dialysis patients. Future studies, including phase-2 EXCITE, will assess whether improving motor fitness may translate into better clinical outcomes in this high risk populatio

The risk stratification of adverse neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes (STRONG) study

Aims: To assess the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes (GDM) by identifying subgroups of women at higher risk to recognize the characteristics most associated with an excess of risk. Methods: Observational, retrospective, multicenter study involving consecutive women with GDM. To identify distinct and homogeneous subgroups of women at a higher risk, the RECursive Partitioning and AMalgamation (RECPAM) method was used. Overall, 2736 pregnancies complicated by GDM were analyzed. The main outcome measure was the occurrence of adverse neonatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by GDM. Results: Among study participants (median age 36.8 years, pre-gestational BMI 24.8 kg/m2), six miscarriages, one neonatal death, but no maternal death was recorded. The occurrence of the cumulative adverse outcome (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.59–3.87), large for gestational age (OR 3.99, 95% CI 2.40–6.63), fetal malformation (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.00–7.18), and respiratory distress (OR 4.33, 95% CI 1.33–14.12) was associated with previous macrosomia. Large for gestational age was also associated with obesity (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.00–2.15). Small for gestational age was associated with first trimester glucose levels (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.04–3.69). Neonatal hypoglycemia was associated with overweight (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.02–2.27) and obesity (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.04–2.51). The RECPAM analysis identified high-risk subgroups mainly characterized by high pre-pregnancy BMI (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.21–2.33 for obese; OR 1.38 95% CI 1.03–1.87 for overweight). Conclusions: A deep investigation on the factors associated with adverse neonatal outcomes requires a risk stratification. In particular, great attention must be paid to the prevention and treatment of obesity

Transition to secondary progression in relapsing-onset multiple sclerosis: Definitions and risk factors

Background: No uniform criteria for a sensitive identification of the transition from relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) to secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) are available. Objective: To compare risk factors of SPMS using two definitions: one based on the neurologist judgment (ND) and an objective data-driven algorithm (DDA). Methods: Relapsing-onset MS patients (n = 19,318) were extracted from the Italian MS Registry. Risk factors for SPMS and for reaching irreversible Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 6.0, after SP transition, were estimated using multivariable Cox regression models. Results: SPMS identified by the DDA (n = 2343, 12.1%) were older, more disabled and with a faster progression to severe disability (p &lt; 0.0001), than those identified by the ND (n = 3868, 20.0%). In both groups, the most consistent risk factors (p &lt; 0.05) for SPMS were a multifocal onset, an age at onset &gt;40 years, higher baseline EDSS score and a higher number of relapses; the most consistent protective factor was the disease-modifying therapy (DMT) exposure. DMT exposure during SP did not impact the risk of reaching irreversible EDSS 6.0. Conclusion: A DDA definition of SPMS identifies more aggressive progressive patients. DMT exposure reduces the risk of SPMS conversion, but it does not prevent the disability accumulation after the SP transition

Corrigendum: Clinical Features of Headache in Patients With Diagnosis of Definite Vestibular Migraine: The VM-Phenotypes Projects

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00395.]