Assay Replicability in β-Glucosidase Enzyme Kinetics Across Laboratories

Replicability is the foundation of research in any scientific discipline. Despite this fact, few studies address experimental variability within and across multiple institutions that operate under the same protocol. While consistency is usually well documented within the same lab, multi-institutional experiments may introduce new variables and, therefore, variability that may lead to inconsistent results. This study seeks to explore intra- and interinstitutional variability among enzyme catalytic efficiency values (KM and Kcat/KM) for the wild type of β-Glucosidase derived from Paenibacillus polymyxa. A standardized protocol for the assay was provided to all institutions that participated in the study. The analysis was conducted using data from 13 laboratories across the United States. The information was collected through the Design2Data CURE database. A total of 132 independent assays of β-Glucosidase were analyzed. Statistical analysis of Kcat/KM , KM, and T50 was conducted using SPSS, and Whisker Plots with a 90% confidence interval were generated for all parameters. Acceptance intervals for the parameters assayed of β-Glucosidase were determined; these could be used in all future experiments in the network as a reference by current and incoming laboratory members that incorporate into the network yearly. Ultimately, we aim to identify possible errors and misunderstandings in the protocol we use in the laboratories of the D2D network to improve assay replicability across institutions. High variability may be a concern when data is interpreted across institutions. This specific assay is used as a control for other, more complex assays in the CURE network and, therefore, the variability found can potentially lead to incorrect interpretation of results. It also highlights the high variability of a simple enzymatic assay when it is replicated in laboratories with different personnel and equipment, regardless of using the same standardized protocol

First biological data, associated fauna, and microclimate preferences of the enigmatic cave-dwelling beetle Dalyat mirabilis Mateu, 2002 (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

Dalyat mirabilis is an extraordinary troglobite carabid described in 2002 from the cave Simarrón II in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). A new subfamily Dalyatinae was erected to accommodate this species with remarkable morphological characters and adaptations to live underground. In addition to the former original descriptions, there is only one more study and it aimed to elucidate its evolutionary history. Its closest living relative belongs to the genus Promecognathus in North America and both groups seem to have diverged sometime in the late Jurassic to early Cretaceous. In this work, the phenology of D. mirabilis, its associated invertebrate fauna and the environmental conditions of the cave Simarrón II were studied for a full year cycle. This carabid is not evenly distributed in the cave, in time or space. It is most abundant during the winter months, wet season, and it disappears from the top layer of the substrate in the summer. A positive correlation was found between the number of carabids captured per trap and the distance to the entrance of the cave; most specimens were captured in traps farthest from the entrance and located in the chamber known as Vias Salas Negras. Furthermore, several spatially-resolved analyses integrating relative humidity, temperature, and the number of captures per trap showed that D. mirabilis prefers Vias Salas Negras for having a higher and more stable relative humidity than other chambers in the cave. Larvae were never captured, regardless of intense efforts to collect them for years. Finally, 30 other invertebrate species belonging to 12 different Orders were captured in the cave and are listed here, 25.8% are troglobites, 29.0% troglophiles and 45.2% troglexenes. The data from this study was used for an initiative to protect this cave and its remarkable fauna. Some of the measures taken by the Administration include the control of human visits to the cave, the installation of a perimetral fence surrounding the entrance, and the installation of an informative panel at the exterior of the cave describing the endemic entomological fauna it contains

¿Quién visita el Jardí Botànic de la Universitat de València? Ten-dencias de los visitantes extranjeros

[ES] El Jardí Botànic de la Universitat de València, fundado en 1567 y ubicado en su emplazamiento actual desde 1802, recibe multitud de visitas a lo largo del año debido al interés que despierta entre el público local y exterior. Hasta la fecha no se conocía el origen concreto de los visitantes, lo que nos llevó a recopilar desde octubre de 2013 datos sobre la procedencia de cada visitante. Los datos analizados hasta junio de 2014 nos permiten saber que el número de visitantes en algo menos de 9 meses ha sido de 60.103, la mayoría de los cuales han sido españoles; suponiendo un 59% de las visitas, frente a un 41% de extranjeros. La distribución de las visitas por meses, días de la semana y horarios, nos permite entender las tendencias de cada tipología de visitantes (colegios, visitantes nacionales, visitantes extranjeros, etc.) y ayudarán a planificar la oferta de actividades y modular algunos de los servicios que ofrece el Jardí Botànic, entre los que cabe destacar los "Garden Tours"; visitas guiadas en inglés llevadas a cabo por personal especializado. Para ello se analizaron con más detalle los datos referidos a los 24.642 visitantes extranjeros, discriminando aquellas nacionalidades susceptibles de mostrar interés en el servicio de visitas guiadas en inglés. El 28% de los visitantes extranjeros pertenecían a nacionalidades para las que el inglés es un idioma vehicular natural. Se ha constatado un gran número de visitantes extranjeros a lo largo del año, destacando la gran dispersión de éstos en diferentes períodos de tiempo y franjas horarias. Se proponen estrategias para atraer mayor número de grupos de extranjeros, ofreciéndoles un servicio de visitas personalizadas y adaptadas a intereses concretos.Mayoral, O.; Güemes Heras, J.; Mateu Andrés, I. (2014). ¿Quién visita el Jardí Botànic de la Universitat de València? Ten-dencias de los visitantes extranjeros. En XVI CONGRESO NACIONAL DE ARBORICULTURA. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 74-85. https://doi.org/10.4995/XVI_CNA.2014.98OCS748

Overexpression of glycosylated proteins in cervical cancer recognized by the Machaerocereus eruca agglutinin

In cervical cancer, glycosylation has been suggested as being involved in both its carcinogenesis andinvasive capacity. In this work, we analyzed mucin type O-glycosylation in biopsies of invasive cervical cancer inFIGO stage II B through histochemistry using lectins specific for O-glycosidically linked glycans. Our resultsreveal that the lectin Machaerocereus eruca (MeA, specific for Gal in a Fuca1,2 (GalNAca1,3) Galb1,4) showedincreased recognition of tumoral cells and tumoral stroma tissue compared to other lectins with similar specificity;healthy cervical tissue was negative for MeA. Trypsin treatment of recognized tissues abolished MeA’s recognition;moreover, interaction of MeA was inhibited with oligosaccharides from mucin. As demonstrated byWestern blot of 2-D electrophoresis, MeA recognized ten glycoproteins in the range from 122 to 42 kDa incervical cancer lysates. The LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of the MeAs’ recognized peptides revealed that the lattermatched mainly with the amino acid sequences of lamin A/C, vimentin, elongation factor 2, keratin 1, and betaactin. Our results suggest that MeA recognizes a complex of over-expressed O-glycosidically-linked proteins thatplay a relevant role in cervical cancer’s invasive capacity. O-glycosylation participates in the disassembly of intercellularjunctions favoring cancer progression.In cervical cancer, glycosylation has been suggested as being involved in both its carcinogenesis andinvasive capacity. In this work, we analyzed mucin type O-glycosylation in biopsies of invasive cervical cancer inFIGO stage II B through histochemistry using lectins specific for O-glycosidically linked glycans. Our resultsreveal that the lectin Machaerocereus eruca (MeA, specific for Gal in a Fuca1,2 (GalNAca1,3) Galb1,4) showedincreased recognition of tumoral cells and tumoral stroma tissue compared to other lectins with similar specificity;healthy cervical tissue was negative for MeA. Trypsin treatment of recognized tissues abolished MeA’s recognition;moreover, interaction of MeA was inhibited with oligosaccharides from mucin. As demonstrated byWestern blot of 2-D electrophoresis, MeA recognized ten glycoproteins in the range from 122 to 42 kDa incervical cancer lysates. The LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of the MeAs’ recognized peptides revealed that the lattermatched mainly with the amino acid sequences of lamin A/C, vimentin, elongation factor 2, keratin 1, and betaactin. Our results suggest that MeA recognizes a complex of over-expressed O-glycosidically-linked proteins thatplay a relevant role in cervical cancer’s invasive capacity. O-glycosylation participates in the disassembly of intercellularjunctions favoring cancer progression

Chemical and technological properties of bologna-type sausages with added black quinoa wet-milling coproducts as binder replacer

The objective of this study was to evaluate different strategies for adding 3% black quinoa (either as whole seeds or as a fiber-rich fraction of quinoa from its wet-milling process) to bologna-type sausage. This addition was evaluated in terms of its influence on nutritional composition and technological properties (emulsion stability, pH, water activity, color changes, textural properties, residual nitrite level and lipid oxidation). Both strategies resulted in commercially feasible sausages with increased nutritive properties (dietary fiber) and with some modifications in their technological properties. Compared with control sausages, they showed better emulsion stability, lower water activity and lipid oxidation values (interesting properties for sausages shelf-life). Color changes were more evident when the fiber-rich fraction was added. The residual nitrite level increased with the addition of quinoa so that it would be necessary to incorporate less nitrites, or it might even be unnecessary, contributing to the production of more natural products

Pharmacotherapeutic value of inflammatory and neurotrophic biomarkers in bipolar disorder: A systematic review

Background: The various pharmacological interventions, ranging from mood stabilizers and antipsychotics to antidepressants, reflect the diff/iculty of treating depressive/manic symptomatology of bipolar disorder (BD). Among a broad range of mechanisms implicated, immune dysregulation may contribute to the increased inflammation that influences the course of BD. Inflammatory, neurotrophic and oxidative stress factors may be identified as promising peripheral biomarkers in brain functioning, perhaps serving as predictors of an effective response to treatment for BD. The present systematic review aimed to examine the evidence supporting the pharmacotherapeutic value of inflammatory and neurotrophic biomarkers in BD. Methods: PubMed, PsychINFO, Scopus and Web of Science were searched from inception to May 2024 by two independent reviewers. A total of 40 studies with 3371 patients with diagnosis and intervention of BD were selected. Results: Inconsistencies in the effects of pharmacological treatments on the connection between the expected anti- inflammatory response and symptomatologic improvement were identified. Mood stabilizers (lithium), antipsychotics (quetiapine), antidepressants (ketamine) or their combination were described to increase both pro- inflammatory (TNFα, IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-8) factors. Other medications, such as memantine and dextromethorphan, autoimmune (infliximab) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (aspirin, celecoxib) drugs, antidiabetics (pioglitazone), and even dietary supplementation (omega-3), or their combination, clearly decrease inflammatory factors (TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β, C-reactive protein) and/or increase the neurotrophic factor BDNF in BD patients. Conclusion: Inflammation in BD requires further investigation to understand the underlying immunologic mechanism, to identify predictors of treatment response, and to make informed decisions about the use and development of more effective pharmacological interventions for BD.RICORDS Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and European Regional Development Funds-European Union (ERDF-EU), grant number RD21/0009/0003; ISCIII, ERDF-EU, grant number PI22/00427; Ministerio de Sanidad, Delegación de Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (PND), grant numbers 2019I040, 2020I048 and 2022I020; Proyectos de Excelencia I + D + i (PAIDI 2020), Consejería de Universidad, Investigación e Innovación, Junta de Andalucía, grant number PI21/00291. PR-S (CM21/00097), CG-S-L (CM19/00240) and JH-I (CM21/00255) hold “Rio Hortega” research contracts from the National System of Health, ISCIII, ERDF-EU. Patricia Rivera is supported by the research contract “Miguel Servet” (CP19/00068) of the National System of Health, ERDF-EU-ISCIII, cofunded by European Social Fund, “Investing in your future”, Government of Spain. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA. The funding sources had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication

Assessment of the Quality of Mobile Applications (Apps) for Management of Low Back Pain Using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS).

Digital health interventions may improve different behaviours. However, the rapid proliferation of technological solutions often does not allow for a correct assessment of the quality of the tools. This study aims to review and assess the quality of the available mobile applications (apps) related to interventions for low back pain. Two reviewers search the official stores of Android (Play Store) and iOS (App Store) for localisation in Spain and the United Kingdom, in September 2019, searching for apps related to interventions for low back pain. Seventeen apps finally are included. The quality of the apps is measured using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). The scores of each section and the final score of the apps are retrieved and the mean and standard deviation obtained. The average quality ranges between 2.83 and 4.57 (mean 3.82) on a scale from 1 (inadequate) to 5 (excellent). The best scores are found in functionality (4.7), followed by aesthetic content (mean 4.1). Information (2.93) and engagement (3.58) are the worst rated items. Apps generally have good overall quality, especially in terms of functionality and aesthetics. Engagement and information should be improved in most of the apps. Moreover, scientific evidence is necessary to support the use of applied health tools.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions. Grant Agreement: 823871 (iGAME)

Evaluation of Android and Apple Store Depression Applications Based on Mobile Application Rating Scale.

There are a large number of mobile applications that allow the monitoring of health status. The quality of the applications is only evaluated by users and not by standard criteria. This study aimed to examine depression-related applications in major mobile application stores and to analyze them using the rating scale tool Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). A search of digital applications for the control of symptoms and behavioral changes in depression was carried out in the two reference mobile operating systems, Apple (App Store) and Android (Play Store), by means of two reviewers with a blind methodology between September and October 2019 in stores from Spain and the United Kingdom. Eighteen applications from the Android Play Store and twelve from the App Store were included in this study. The quality of the applications was evaluated using the MARS scale from 1 (inadequate) to 5 (excellent). The average score of the applications based on the MARS was 3.67 ± 0.53. The sections with the highest scores were "Functionality" (4.51) and "Esthetics" (3.98) and the lowest "Application Subjective quality" (2.86) and "Information" (3.08). Mobile Health applications for the treatment of depression have great potential to influence the health status of users; however, applications come to the digital market without health control.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions. Grant Agreement: 823871 (iGAME)

Behavior Change Techniques and the Effects Associated With Digital Behavior Change Interventions in Sedentary Behavior in the Clinical Population: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the most frequently used behavior change techniques (BCTs) in digital health interventions targeting sedentary behavior (SB) and to review their effects. Eighteen randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included, involving both healthy adults and individuals with a disease. The most commonly employed digital behavior change interventions (DBCI) for SB included goal setting, problem solving, outcome/goal review, feedback on behavior and outcomes, behavioral self-monitoring, social support, information about health consequences, and behavioral practice/rehearsal. The effects of DBCIs showed improvements in physical activity (PA) and self-reported physiological and anthropometric outcomes. However, the study also highlighted that the effectiveness of DBCIs is influenced by various factors such as intervention type, patient preferences and values, and the number of BCTs employed. Further research is needed to determine the most effective DBCIs and BCTs for reducing SB in the clinical population.This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement, no.823871 (iGame)

Effectiveness of a gamified digital intervention based on lifestyle modification (iGAME) in secondary prevention: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Introduction Combating physical inactivity and reducing sitting time are one of the principal challenges proposed by public health systems. Gamification has been seen as an innovative, functional and motivating strategy to encourage patients to increase their physical activity (PA) and reduce sedentary lifestyles through behaviour change techniques (BCT). However, the effectiveness of these interventions is not usually studied before their use. The main objective of this study will be to analyse the effectiveness of a gamified mobile application (iGAME) developed in the context of promoting PA and reducing sitting time with the BCT approach, as an intervention of secondary prevention in sedentary patients. Methods and analysis A randomised clinical trial will be conducted among sedentary patients with one of these conditions: non-specific low back pain, cancer survivors and mild depression. The experimental group will receive a 12-week intervention based on a gamified mobile health application using BCT to promote PA and reduce sedentarism. Participants in the control group will be educated about the benefits of PA. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire will be considered the primary outcome. International Sedentary Assessment Tool, EuroQoL-5D, MEDRISK Instruments and consumption of Health System resources will be evaluated as secondary outcomes. Specific questionnaires will be administered depending on the clinical population. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, at 6 weeks, at the end of the intervention (12 weeks), at 26 weeks and at 52 weeks. Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Portal de Ética de la Investigación Biomédica de Andalucía Ethics Committee (RCT-iGAME 24092020). All participants will be informed about the purpose and content of the study and written informed consent will be completed. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated electronically and in print.This study is framed within the European Project 'Multi-dimensional Intervention Support Architecture for Gamified eHealth and mHealth Products (iGAME)' (ID 823871)