Maternal weight, gut microbiota, and the association with early childhood behavior: the PREOBE follow-up study

Background and aim Maternal overweight and breastfeeding seem to have a significant impact on the gut microbiota colonization process, which co-occurs simultaneously with brain development and the establishment of the “microbiota-gut-brain axis”, which potentially may affect behavior later in life. This study aimed to examine the influence of maternal overweight, obesity and/or gestational diabetes on the offspring behavior at 3.5 years of age and its association with the gut microbiota already established at 18 months of life. Methods 156 children born to overweight (OV, n = 45), obese (OB, n = 40) and normoweight (NW, n = 71) pregnant women participating in the PREOBE study were included in the current analysis. Stool samples were collected at 18 months of life and gut microbiome was obtained by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Behavioral problems were evaluated at 3.5 years by using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). ANOVA, Chi-Square Test, ANCOVA, Spearman’s correlation, logistic regression model and generalized linear model (GLM) were performed. Results At 3.5 years of age, Children born to OV/OB mothers showed higher scores in behavioral problems than those born to NW mothers. Additionally, offspring born to OB mothers who developed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) presented higher scores in attention/deficit hyperactivity and externalizing problems than those born to GDM OV/NW mothers. Fusicatenibacter abundance found at 18 months of age was associated to lower scores in total, internalizing and pervasive developmental problems, while an unidentified genus within Clostridiales and Flavonifractor families abundance showed a positive correlation with anxiety/depression and somatic complaints, respectively. On the other hand, children born to mothers with higher BMI who were breastfed presented elevated anxiety, internalizing problems, externalizing problems and total problems scores; likewise, their gut microbiota composition at 18 months of age showed positive correlation with behavioral problems at 3.5 years: Actinobacteria abundance and somatic complaints and between Fusobacteria abundance and withdrawn behavior and pervasive developmental problems. Conclusions Our findings suggests that OV/OB and/or GDM during pregnancy is associated with higher behavioral problems scores in children at 3.5 years old. Additionally, associations between early life gut microbiota composition and later mental health in children was also found.Andalusian Government, Economy, Science and Innovation Ministry P06-CTS-02341Spanish Government SB2010-0025EU Project FP7 MyNewGut KBBE-2013-7 613979Ministry of Economic Transformation, Industry, Knowledge, and University of the Junta de Andalucia (Andalusian Plan for Research, Development and Innovation, PAIDI 2020)Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII) CD21/0018

Representative Bacillus sp. AM1 from Gut Microbiota Harbor Versatile Molecular Pathways for Bisphenol A Biodegradation

Human gut microbiota harbors numerous microbial species with molecular enzymatic potential that impact on the eubiosis/dysbiosis and health/disease balances. Microbiota species isolation and description of their specific molecular features remain largely unexplored. In the present study, we focused on the cultivation and selection of species able to tolerate or biodegrade the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA), a xenobiotic extensively found in food plastic containers. Chemical xenobiotic addition methods for the directed isolation, culturing, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), phylogenomic identification, and specific gene-encoding searches have been applied to isolate microorganisms, assess their BPA metabolization potential, and describe encoded catabolic pathways. BPA-tolerant strains were isolated from 30% of infant fecal microbial culture libraries analyzed. Most isolated strains were phylogenetically related to the operational taxonomic group Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spp. Importantly, WGS analysis of microbial representative strain, Bacillus sp. AM1 identified the four complete molecular pathways involved on BPA degradation indicating its versatility and high potential to degrade BPA. Pathways for Exopolysaccharide (EPS) and Polyhydroxyalkanates (PHA) biopolymer synthesis were also identified and phenotypically confirmed by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). These microbial biopolymers could generally contribute to capture and/or deposit xenobiotics.GP/EFSA/ENCO/380 2018/03/G04: OBEMIRISK: Knowledge platform for assessing the risk of Bisphenols on gut microbiota and its role in obesogenic phenotype: looking for biomarkersFEDERInfrastructure: IE_2019-198APC was funded by EIN-2019-10308

Infant Gut Microbiota Associated with Fine Motor Skills

BACKGROUND: During early life, dynamic gut colonization and brain development co-occur with potential cross-talk mechanisms affecting behaviour. METHODS: We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to examine the associations between gut microbiota and neurodevelopmental outcomes assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III in 71 full-term healthy infants at 18 months of age. We hypothesized that children would differ in gut microbial diversity, enterotypes obtained by Dirichlet multinomial mixture analysis and specific taxa based on their behavioural characteristics. RESULTS: In children dichotomized by behavioural trait performance in above- and below-median groups, weighted Unifrac b-diversity exhibited significant differences in fine motor (FM) activity. Dirichlet multinomial mixture modelling identified two enterotypes strongly associated with FM outcomes. When controlling for maternal pre-gestational BMI and breastfeeding for up to 3 months, the examination of signature taxa in FM groups showed that Turicibacter and Parabacteroides were highly abundant in the below-median FM group, while Collinsella, Coprococcus, Enterococcus, Fusobacterium, Holdemanella, Propionibacterium, Roseburia, Veillonella, an unassigned genus within Veillonellaceae and, interestingly, probiotic Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were more abundant in the above-median FM group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest an association between enterotypes and specific genera with FM activity and may represent an opportunity for probiotic interventions relevant to treatment for motor disorders.Spanish Ministry of Innovation and ScienceJunta de Andalucía: Excellence Projects (P06-CTS-02341)Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BFU2012-40254-C03-02) and partially funded by the European Commission MyNewGut FP7 EU Project (Grant agreement n◦ 613979)MyNewGut FP7 EU Project (Grant agreement n◦ 613979)DynaHEALTH EU Project HORIZON 2020 (Grant agreement n◦ : 633595-2)Marie Curie post-doctoral fellowship (FP7, no. 329812, NutriOmics)Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (FPU16/04587

Rapid and simultaneous determination of histidine metabolism intermediates in human and mouse microbiota and biomatrices

European Food Safety Authority; FEDER-Infraestructure Consejeria de Economia, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad, Grant/Award Number: IE_2019-198Histidine metabolism is a key pathway physiologically involved in satiety, recognition memory, skin, and neural protection and allergic diseases. Microbiologicallyproduced imidazole propionate induces type II diabetes and interferes with glucose lowering drugs. Despite their determinant health implications, no single method simultaneously assesses histidine metabolites in urine, feces, and microbiota. The aim of this study was to develop a simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the determination of histidine and its major bioactive metabolites histamine, N-acetylhistamine, imidazole-4-acetate, cis-urocanate, trans-urocanate, glutamate and imidazole propionate, using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. An innovative simple extraction method from small aliquots of human and mice urine, feces and microbial cell extracts was coupled to separation in a 6.5 min chromatographic run. The successful performance allowed accurate and precise quantification of all metabolites in mouse feces, suggesting broad exchange of histidine metabolites between the gut and mice. Higher urine histamine, histamine to histidine ratio, and imidazole-4-acetate pointed to an underlying inflammatory or allergic process in mice compared to human subjects. N-acetylhistamine and imidazole propionate were detected in human and mouse feces, confirming its origin from gut microbial metabolism. Our novel and robust analytical method captured histidine metabolism in a single assay that will facilitate broad and deep histidine metabolic phenotyping assessing the impact of microbiota on host health in large-scale human observational and interventional studies.European Food Safety AuthorityFEDER-Infraestructure Consejeria de Economia, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad IE_2019-19

Retention of Pollutants Elements from Mine Tailings of Lead in Geopolymers for Construction

[EN] The construction sector is one of the most demanding sectors of raw materials in existence today. As a consequence, the extraction of these materials has a significant impact on the environment. At the same time, mining activities produce a series of wastes, in some cases with polluting elements, which must be treated to avoid pollution. Therefore, the use of mining waste for the conformation of new construction materials is an important environmental advantage, even more so when such waste is prevented from producing polluting leachates. Therefore, in this research, geopolymers are developed with mine tailings from the Linares lead mines, chemically activated with potassium hydroxide. For this purpose, different percentages of the alkaline activator were tested and the physical and mechanical properties of the conformed materials were evaluated. The analysis of the different conformed geopolymers determined the optimum percentage of potassium hydroxide for conforming the geopolymer with the best mechanical and physical properties. In addition, the concentration in the leachate of potentially contaminating chemical elements in the mining waste was estimated to be lower than those regulated by the regulations. Consequently, this research shows the development of a sustainable material for construction with mining waste and reduction of the environmental impact of traditional products.S

A neurodesign proposal from Kansei-Chisei engineering applied to automobiles

La presente investigación se enmarca dentro de la línea de investigación de innovación metodológica en los procesos de diseño y desarrollo de productos industriales, con enfoque en el usuario, con el objetivo de la formulación de una metodología de diseño emocional para el sector del automóvil, que toma como base la unión de la Ingeniería Kansei con la Neurociencia, permitiendo así incorporar las emociones de los usuarios como factor imprescindible en el proceso de diseño. Esta propuesta participa en la ampliación del concepto de ergonomía aplicada a productos y a entornos de trabajo, la cual ha evolucionado desde los conceptos de ergonomía clásica o ergonomía física hacia otros ámbitos relacionados con la incorporación e interacción emocional y racional del diseño. El objetivo final de la Ingeniería Kansei Chisei es establecer la relación entre emoción, razón y propiedades vehículo, de tal manera que los resultados puedan ser utilizados para mejorar el confort y la eficiencia del producto.This research is framed within the line of research of methodological innovation in the processes of design and development of industrial products, with a focus on the user, with the aim of formulating a methodology of emotional design for the automotive sector, which takes as its basis the union of Kansei Engineering with Neuroscience, thus allowing to incorporate the emotions of users as an essential factor in the design process. This proposal participates in the extension of the concept of ergonomics applied to products and work environments, which has evolved from the concepts of classic ergonomics or physical ergonomics to other areas related to the incorporation and emotional and rational interaction of design. The final objective of Kansei Chisei Engineering is to establish the relationship between emotion, reason and vehicle properties, in such a way that the results can be used to improve the comfort and efficiency of the product

High Efficiency Power Amplifier Based on Envelope Elimination and Restoration Technique

Due to complex envelope and phase modulation employed in modern transmitters it is necessary to use power amplifiers that have high linearity. Linear power amplifiers (classes A, B and AB) are commonly used, but they suffer from low efficiency especially if the transmitted signal has high peak to average power ratio (PAPR). Kahn's technique based on envelope elimination and restoration (EER) is based on idea that high efficiency power supply (envelope amplifier) could be used to modulate the envelope of high efficient non linear power amplifiers (classes D or E). This paper presents solutions for power amplifier that performs envelope modulation and class E amplifier that is used as a non linear amplifier. The envelope amplifier is implemented as a multilevel converter in series with linear regulator and can provide up to 100 W of instantaneous power and reproduce 2 MHz sine wave. The implemented Class E amplifier can operate at 120 MHz with efficiency near to 85%. The envelope amplifier and class E amplifier have been integrated and efficiency and linearity of the implemented transmitter has been measured and presente

Diseño, Implantación y Desarrollo de un Máster en Ingeniería Informática

Este artículo describe el Máster en Ingeniería Informática de la Universidad de Oviedo, impartido en la Escuela Politécnica Superior de Ingeniería de Gijón (EPI). Es uno de los primeros estudios de máster en Ingeniería Informática implantados en España conforme a las Directrices del Consejo de Universidades para estudios conducentes a la profesión de Ingeniero en Informática (Resolución de 8 de junio de 2009, BOE 187, martes 4 de agosto de 2009).This paper provides an overview of the Informatics and Computing Engineering Master Degree at the Gijon Polytechnic School of Engineering (University of Oviedo). This is one of the earliest Informatics and Computing Engineering master’s in Spain designed according the National recommendations for the Informatics Engineering professio

Identifying resistance to Verticillium wilt in local Spanish olive cultivars

The resistance of 42 Spanish olive cultivars to Verticillium dahliae was evaluated in two experiments carried out in two consecutive years, conducted under greenhouse conditions. In both experiments, bare root systems of 5-month-old plants were inoculated with a semisolid mass of a mixture of culture medium and conidia and mycelium of the fungus. The cultivars Frantoio and Picual were used, respectively, as resistant and susceptible reference cultivars. All cultivars were evaluated on the basis of final values of the area under the disease progress curve, mean severity of symptoms and percentage of dead plants. Most of the tested cultivars were susceptible to Verticilium wilt. However, eight genotypes (‘Cornezuelo de Jaén’, ‘Verdial de Badajoz’, ‘Jaropo’, ‘Negrillo de Estepa’, ‘Jabaluna’, ‘Ocal de Alburquerque’, ‘Asnal’ and ‘Racimal’) exhibited resistance to the disease

Identifying resistance to Verticillium wilt in local Spanish olive cultivars

The resistance of 42 Spanish olive cultivars to Verticillium dahliae was evaluated in two experiments carried out in two consecutive years, conducted under greenhouse conditions. In both experiments, bare root systems of 5-month-old plants were inoculated with a semisolid mass of a mixture of culture medium and conidia and mycelium of the fungus. The cultivars Frantoio and Picual were used, respectively, as resistant and susceptible reference cultivars. All cultivars were evaluated on the basis of final values of the area under the disease progress curve, mean severity of symptoms and percentage of dead plants. Most of the tested cultivars were susceptible to Verticilium wilt. However, eight genotypes (‘Cornezuelo de Jaén’, ‘Verdial de Badajoz’, ‘Jaropo’, ‘Negrillo de Estepa’, ‘Jabaluna’, ‘Ocal de Alburquerque’, ‘Asnal’ and ‘Racimal’) exhibited resistance to the disease