Mulinum spinosum and lamb meat: detecting its presence on live sheep

En Patagonia, la ganadería ovina es una de las principales actividades económicas, pero la calidad de la carne de cordero se ve afectada por el sabor desagradable que toma a causa de la ingesta de neneo (Mulinum spinosum (Cav.) Persoon, Apiaceae) que es una planta predominante, y muy accesible para el ganado en primavera-verano. Para detectar los animales afectados antes de su sacrificio, se ensayaron técnicas fitoquímicas en diferentes órganos de la planta y del animal buscando correspondencias. Se estudiaron 2 grupos (uno con neneo como componente de la dieta y el otro no) de 6 animales cada uno a los que se extrajeron muestras de carne, grasa, hígado, orina y sangre. Los compuestos responsables del efecto del neneo pertenecen al grupo de los terpenos/esteroles, el único presente tanto en las flores de neneo, como en la orina de los corderos. Los tejidos animales fueron inadecuados para detectar el neneo siendo la orina el medio más apropiado para ello. se propone un protocolo con la intención de generar una herramienta que permita desarrollar tecnologías de bajo costo para superar la dificultad, que queda a disposición de investigadores y productores para su puesta a prueba, con el fin de detectar un posible sabor desagradable previo al sacrificio, evitando así la consecuente pérdida económica.In Patagonia, sheep farming constitutes one of the major economic activities, but the quality of lamb meat is seriously affected by a disagreeable taste found in its tissues, derived from the ovine intake of neneo (Mulinum spinosum (Cav.) Persoon, Apiaceae), predominant in grazing lands easily accessed by sheep during the warm seasons. With the aim of detecting the affected animals before their slaughter, phytochemical testing techniques were applied on different organs of the plant and animal accordingly, in order to identify matches. We studied two groups (one had neneo in their diet while the other did not) of six animals each, of which were extracted samples of meat, fat, liver, urine and blood. The compounds responsible for the effect of neneo belong to the terpene/sterol group, the only present in the flowers of neneo as in the urine of lambs. Various animal tissues were inadequate to detect the presence of neneo in lambs, only urine has been identified as the most suitable to examine the metabolites. A protocol, to experiment with it, was proposed, with the aim of generate a useful tool for the development of low-cost technologies. This protocol is available to researchers and producers to put to the test, with the aim of detecting a disagreeable taste in the animals before their slaughter and avoiding the consequent economic loss.Fil: Seoane, Nicolás Fernando. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Ochoa, Juan. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Borrelli, Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Severino, María Elena. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Taddeo, Héctor. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Giraudo, Celso. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Andrade Gamboa, Julio José. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; Argentina. Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica. Gerencia del Area de Investigaciones y Aplicaciones no Nucleares. Gerencia de Fisica (CAB); Argentin

Anti-Inflammatory and Chemopreventive Effects of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lamarck) Leaf Extract in Experimental Colitis Models in Rodents

Inflammatory bowel diseases, mainly ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are characterized by chronic inflammation in the intestine. Currently several therapeutic strategies available to treat inflammatory bowel diseases. Though, most treatments can be associated with serious adverse effects what justifies the search for new treatments. In this sense, we highlight the interest in herbal products rich in bioactive compounds which immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties as is the case of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Crassulaceae). This plant is used in traditional medicine in Brazil for treating inflammatory diseases. We hypothesized that hydroethanolic B. pinnatum leaf extract has intestinal anti-inflammatory effects on two experimental colitis models: 2.4-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS) in rats, and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in mice. Ultra-fast liquid chromatography method used for the quantification of the main compounds indicated good linearity, specificity, selectivity, precision, robustness and accuracy. The major flavonoids (mg/g of the extract) quantified were: quercetin 3-O-a-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1!2)-a-L-rhamnopyranoside (35.56 ± 0.086 mg/g), kaempferol 3-O-a-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1!2)-a-L-rhamnopyranoside (4.66 ± 0.076 mg/g) and quercetin-3-O-rhamnopyranoside (4.56 ± 0.026 mg/g). The results obtained in the DNBS and DSS models indicate that extract has both chemopreventive and antiinflammatory effects, observing a significant reduction in the disease activity index score, and less macroscopic and microscopic damage. The extract promoted downregulation of Tolllike receptor and kappa B p65 nuclear factor gene expression, leading to a reduction in pro-inflammatory and oxidative mediators, chemokines, and cell adhesion molecules. This immunomodulatory property was proposed that one of the possible action mechanisms of extract. An improvement in intestinal damage was also associated with a reduction in oxidative stress and infiltration of leukocytes, as evidenced by the reduction in malonaldialdehyde and myeloperoxidase activity and increase in total glutathione in the colonic tissue. Moreover, the extract improved the cytoarchitecture of the colonic tissue and the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier by restoring the expression of the proteins associated with mucosa protection. In view of the beneficial effects showed by the B. pinnatum leaf extract in preclinical rodent models of colitis there is the potential to conduct some future clinical studies to ensure safe and effective development of a phytotherapeutic treatment for human inflammatory bowel diseases.CAPESJunta de Andalucia CTS 164Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness AGL2015-67995-C3-3-REuropean Union (EU)Instituto de Salud Carlos II

Associations between neighborhood-level violence and individual mental disorders: results from the World Mental Health surveys in five Latin American cities

Rapidly urbanizing areas of Latin America experience elevated but unevenly distributed levels of violence. Extensive research suggests that individual exposure to violence is associated with higher odds of both internalizing (anxiety and mood) and externalizing (substance and intermittent explosive) mental disorders. Less research, however, has focused on how neighborhood-level violence, as an indicator of broader neighborhood contexts, might relate to the mental health of residents, independently of an individual’s personal exposure. We used multilevel analyses to examine associations of neighborhood-level violence with individual-level past-year mental disorders, controlling for individual-level violence exposure. We used data from 7,251 adults nested in 83 neighborhoods within five large Latin American cities as part of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Accounting for individual-level violence exposure, living in neighborhoods with more violence was associated with significantly elevated odds of individual-level internalizing disorders, but not externalizing disorders. Caution should be exercised when making causal inferences regarding the effects of neighborhood-level violence in the absence of experimental interventions. Nevertheless, neighborhood context, including violence, should be considered in the study of mental disorders. These findings are particularly relevant for rapidly urbanizing areas with high levels of violence, such as Latin America

Symbiotic skin bacteria as a source for sex-specific scents in frogs

Amphibians are known to possess a wide variety of compounds stored in their skin glands. While significant progress has been made in understanding the chemical diversity and biological relevance of alkaloids, amines, steroids, and peptides, most aspects of the odorous secretions are completely unknown. In this study, we examined sexual variations in the volatile profile from the skin of the tree frog Boana prasina and combined culture and culture-independent methods to investigate if microorganisms might be a source of these compounds. We found that sesquiterpenes, thioethers, and methoxypyrazines are major contributors to the observed sex differences. We also observed that each sex has a distinct profile of methoxypyrazines, and that the chemical origin of these compounds can be traced to a Pseudomonas sp. strain isolated from the frog´s skin. This symbiotic bacterium was present in almost all individuals examined from different sites and was maintained in captive conditions, supporting its significance as the source of methoxypyrazines in these frogs. Our results highlight the potential relevance of bacteria as a source of chemical signals in amphibians and contribute to increasing our understanding of the role that symbiotic associations have in animals.Fil: Brunetti, Andrés Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; Argentina. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Lucio Lyra, Mariana. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Melo, Weilan G. P.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Andrade, Laura Elena. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Palacios Rodríguez, Pablo. Universidad de los Andes; ColombiaFil: Prado, Bárbara M.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Baptista Haddad, Célio Fernando. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Tallarico Pupo, Monica. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Peporine Lopes, Norberto. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Topographical and compositional gradient tubular scaffold for bone to tendon interface regeneration

The enthesis is an extremely specific region, localized at the tendon–bone interface (TBI) and made of a hybrid connection of fibrocartilage with minerals. The direct type of enthesis tissue is commonly subjected to full laceration, due to the stiffness gradient between the soft tissues and hard bone, and this often reoccurs after surgical reconstruction. For this purpose, the present work aimed to design and develop a tubular scaffold based on pullulan (PU) and chitosan (CH) and intended to enhance enthesis repair. The scaffold was designed with a topographical gradient of nanofibers, from random to aligned, and hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles along the tubular length. In particular, one part of the tubular scaffold was characterized by a structure similar to bone hard tissue, with a random mineralized fiber arrangement; while the other part was characterized by aligned fibers, without HAP doping. The tubular shape of the scaffold was also designed to be extemporarily loaded with chondroitin sulfate (CS), a glycosaminoglycan effective in wound healing, before the surgery. Micro CT analysis revealed that the scaffold was characterized by a continuous gradient, without interruptions from one end to the other. The gradient of the fiber arrangement was observed using SEM analysis, and it was still possible to observe the gradient when the scaffold had been hydrated for 6 days. In vitro studies demonstrated that human adipose stem cells (hASC) were able to grow and differentiate onto the scaffold, expressing the typical ECM production for tendon in the aligned zone, or bone tissue in the random mineralized part. CS resulted in a synergistic effect, favoring cell adhesion/proliferation on the scaffold surface. These results suggest that this tubular scaffold loaded with CS could be a powerful tool to support enthesis repair upon surgery.Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 81460

Evaluating the feeding preferences of West Nile virus mosquito vectors using bird-baited traps

Background: The total contact rates (TCRs) between mosquito vectors and their potential hosts have a serious impact on disease transmission dynamics. Culex pipiens (sensu stricto) (s.s.) is considered the main vector of the West Nile Virus (WNV) in Europe and birds are the reservoir hosts. The results of our previous study showed that WNV seroreactors are significantly more prevalent among raptors compared to a range of other wild avian groups. The current study aims to assess the role of bird type (raptor vs others) and bird size on mosquito feeding preferences in a free-choice experiment using bird-baited traps. Methods: From July to September 2014, a battery of six bird-baited traps was operated in twelve mosquito capture sessions. Eight bird species, belonging to five different orders, including raptors, were used. After each session, the trapped mosquitoes were collected and identified using standard keys. Two sets of independent generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) were used to assess mosquito vector feeding preferences (MFp) among different bird species and types. Results: A total of 304 mosquitoes belonging to seven taxa were collected, C. pipiens being by far the most abundant (84.2 % of the total mosquito catch). Most C. pipiens were engorged (83.59 %). The selected model showed that 25.6 % of the observed variability of MFp is explained by the interaction between bird size and bird type, with C. pipiens preferring to feed on large birds, especially raptors. The proportion of engorged mosquitoes was 1.9-fold higher in large (22.88 %; range 0-42 %) than in medium-sized raptors (11.71 %; range 0-33 %), and was nearly the same in medium-sized (9.08 %; range 0-26 %) and large (8.5 %; 6-24 %) non-raptor species. Conclusion: Culex pipiens showed an obvious preference for large raptors, which concurs with the higher seroprevalence to WNV in our previous study. The appreciable feeding by C. pipiens on large raptors makes them useful alternative sentinels to poultry for WNV surveillance. Thus, wildlife parks and rehabilitation centers can contribute to surveillance efforts to a greater extent

Comorbidity of Common Mental Disorders with Cancer and Their Treatment Gap: Findings from the World Mental Health Surveys

Objective This study aimed to study the comorbidity of common mental disorders (CMDs) and cancer, and the mental health treatment gap among community residents with active cancer, cancer survivors and cancer-free respondents in 13 high-income and 11 low-middle-income countries. Methods Data were derived from the World Mental Health Surveys (N = 66,387; n = 357 active cancer, n = 1373 cancer survivors, n = 64,657 cancer-free respondents). The World Health Organization/Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used in all surveys to estimate CMDs prevalence rates. Respondents were also asked about mental health service utilization in the preceding 12 months. Cancer status was ascertained by self-report of physician\u27s diagnosis. Results Twelve-month prevalence rates of CMDs were higher among active cancer (18.4%, SE = 2.1) than cancer-free respondents (13.3%, SE = 0.2) adjusted for sociodemographic confounders and other lifetime chronic conditions (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.44, 95% CI 1.05-1.97). CMD rates among cancer survivors (14.6%, SE = 0.9) compared with cancer-free respondents did not differ significantly (AOR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.82-1.11). Similar patterns characterized high-income and low-middle-income countries. Of respondents with active cancer who had CMD in the preceding 12 months, 59% sought services for mental health problems (SE = 5.3). The pattern of service utilization among people with CMDs by cancer status (highest among persons with active cancer, lower among survivors and lowest among cancer-free respondents) was similar in high-income (64.0%, SE = 6.0; 41.2%, SE = 3.0; 35.6%, SE = 0.6) and low-middle-income countries (46.4%, SE = 11.0; 22.5%, SE = 9.1; 17.4%, SE = 0.7). Conclusions Community respondents with active cancer have higher CMD rates and high treatment gap. Comprehensive cancer care should consider both factors

Is education level, as a proxy for socio-economic position, related to device-measured and self-reported sedentary behavior in European older adults? A cross-sectional study from the SITLESS project

BackgroundSedentary behavior (SB) is a determinant of health in older adult people. Educational level is a primary driver of health disparities and is demonstrated to be a reliable measure of socioeconomic position. We aimed to examine the associations between educational level and self-reported along with device-measured SB in older adults living in Europe and the association of mentally active and passive SB domains with the educational level and gender in these associations.MethodsThe design is cross-sectional. One thousand three hundred and sixty participants aged 65 and over (75.3±6.3 years old, 61.8% women) participated. Inclusion criteria were scored with the Short Physical Performance Battery. Variables that describe the sample were assessed with an interview, and device-measured SB was assessed with an accelerometer. SB was assessed with the Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire and an accelerometer. Multiple linear regression models were used to study the association between the level of education and SB.ResultsParticipants self-reported an average of 7.82 (SD: 3.02) daily waking hours of SB during weekend days, and the average of device-measured SB was 11.39 (1.23) h. Total mentally active SB (weekdays and weekends) was associated with the education level (p < 0.000). Participants were more sedentary during the week than during weekends, regardless of level of education (p < 0.000). Education level was significantly associated with self-reported mean hours per day in 46SB (p = 0.000; R=0.026; 95%CI).ConclusionLow education level in older adults is associated with self-reported SB but not with objective SB measures

The Epidemiology of Alcohol Use Disorders Cross-Nationally: Findings from the World Mental Health Surveys

Background: Prevalences of Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) and Mental Health Disorders (MHDs) in many individual countries have been reported but there are few cross-national studies. The WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative standardizes methodological factors facilitating comparison of the prevalences and associated factors of AUDs in a large number of countries to identify differences and commonalities. Methods: Lifetime and 12-month prevalence estimates of DSM-IV AUDs, MHDs, and associations were assessed in the 29 WMH surveys using the WHO CIDI 3.0. Results: Prevalence estimates of alcohol use and AUD across countries and WHO regions varied widely. Mean lifetime prevalence of alcohol use in all countries combined was 80%, ranging from 3.8% to 97.1%. Combined average population lifetime and 12-month prevalence of AUDs were 8.6% and 2.2% respectively and 10.7% and 4.4% among non-abstainers. Of individuals with a lifetime AUD, 43.9% had at least one lifetime MHD and 17.9% of respondents with a lifetime MHD had a lifetime AUD. For most comorbidity combinations, the MHD preceded the onset of the AUD. AUD prevalence was much higher for men than women. 15% of all lifetime AUD cases developed before age 18. Higher household income and being older at time of interview, married, and more educated, were associated with a lower risk for lifetime AUD and AUD persistence. Conclusions: Prevalence of alcohol use and AUD is high overall, with large variation worldwide. The WMH surveys corroborate the wide geographic consistency of a number of well-documented clinical and epidemiological findings and patterns