Evaluation of the cytotoxicity (HepG2) and chemical composition of polar extracts from the ruderal species Coleostephus myconis (L.) Rchb.f

Coleostephus myconis (L.) Rchb.f. (Asteraceae) is a highly disseminated plant species with ruderal and persistent growth. Owing to its advantageous agronomic properties, C. myconis might have industrial applications. However, this species needs to be comprehensively characterized before any potential use. In a previous study, the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of different C. myconis tissues were characterized. This investigation was extended to examine the cytotoxic potential of selected plant tissues (flowers and green parts) using a HepG2 cell line by utilizing the lysosomal neutral red uptake assay or mitochondrial (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. In addition, the macronutrients content, lipophilic compounds (fatty acids, tocopherols), and amino acids were also determined. C. myconis flowers were used in the senescence stage, which was previously identified as the stage that presented maximal phenolic content and highest antioxidant activity. In contrast, stems and leaves were employed due to their high biomass proportion. Regarding cytotoxicity, mitochondrial and lysosomal damage was only significant when HepG2 cells were exposed to the highest extract concentrations (stems and leaves, 0.9 mg/ml; senescent flowers, 0.3 mg/ml). Chemically, the senescent flowers were mostly characterized by their high levels of fat, amino acids (especially threonine), oleic acid, β-, and γ-tocopherol, while stems and leaves contained high concentrations of carbohydrates, linolenic acid, and α-tocopherol. In general, these results provide information regarding the threshold concentrations of C. myconis extracts that might be used in different applications without toxicity hazards.

Randomised clinical trial: the analgesic properties of dietary supplementation with palmitoylethanolamide and polydatin in irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND

Intestinal immune activation is involved in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) pathophysiology. While most dietary approaches in IBS involve food avoidance, there are fewer indications on food supplementation. Palmithoylethanolamide, structurally related to the endocannabinoid anandamide, and polydatin are dietary compounds which act synergistically to reduce mast cell activation.

AIM

To assess the effect on mast cell count and the efficacy of palmithoylethanolamide/polydatin in patients with IBS.

METHODS

We conducted a pilot, 12-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study assessing the effect of palmithoylethanolamide/polydatin 200 mg/20 mg or placebo b.d. on low-grade immune activation, endocannabinoid system and symptoms in IBS patients. Biopsy samples, obtained at screening visit and at the end of the study, were analysed by immunohistochemistry, enzyme-linked immunoassay, liquid chromatography and Western blot.

RESULTS

A total of 54 patients with IBS and 12 healthy controls were enrolled from five European centres. Compared with controls, IBS patients showed higher mucosal mast cell counts (3.2 ± 1.3 vs. 5.3 ± 2.7%, P = 0.013), reduced fatty acid amide oleoylethanolamide (12.7 ± 9.8 vs. 45.8 ± 55.6 pmol/mg, P = 0.002) and increased expression of cannabinoid receptor 2 (0.7 ± 0.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.8, P = 0.012). The treatment did not significantly modify IBS biological profile, including mast cell count. Compared with placebo, palmithoylethanolamide/polydatin markedly improved abdominal pain severity (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The marked effect of the dietary supplement palmithoylethanolamide/polydatin on abdominal pain in patients with IBS suggests that this is a promising natural approach for pain management in this condition. Further studies are now required to elucidate the mechanism of action of palmithoylethanolamide/polydatin in IBS. ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01370720.

Resolution of hydrops fetalis caused by atrioventricular block: good postnatal evolution with terbutaline treatment

INTRODUCTION

Complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) is rarely seen, as it occurs in only 1:11 000 to 1:20 000 newborns. There is a serious risk of mortality in CAVB, mainly in those cases associated with hydrops, fetal cardiac frequency ≤ 55 beats/minute, and premature delivery.

CASE REPORT

Case of complete atrioventricular block with a poor prognosis (hydrops fetalis and foetal cardiac frequency < 5 beats/minute) caused by anti-La and anti-Ro antibodies. Intrauterine symptoms improved after treatment with terbutaline, permit- ting foetal viability and successful postnatal treatment with a cardiac pacemaker.

DISCUSSION

In case of complete atrioventricular block of cause autoimmune with poor prognosis should be treated with positive inotropic drugs, anticholinergics or b-mimetic in the attempt to maintain adequate ventricular frequency, and thus prevent hydrops fetalis from occurring.

Cognitive and hedonic responses to meal ingestion correlate with changes in circulating metabolites

BACKGROUND

We have previously shown that meal ingestion induces cognitive perception (sensations) with a hedonic dimension (well-being) that depends on the characteristics of the meal and the appropriateness of the digestive response. The aim of the present study is to identify metabolomic biomarkers of the cognitive response to meal ingestion.

METHODS

In 18 healthy subjects, the response to a test meal (Edanec, 1 kcal/mL) ingested until maximum satiation (50 mL/min) was assessed. Perception measurements and blood samples were taken before, at the end of the meal, and 20 min after ingestion. The cognitive response and the hedonic dimension were measured on 10 cm scales. Metabolomic analysis was performed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and values of triglycerides, insulin, peptide YY (PYY), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were determined using conventional laboratory techniques.

KEY RESULTS

Ingestion up to maximum satiation induced sensation of fullness and decreased digestive well-being. The total amount ingested by each subject correlated with the basal sensation of hunger, but not with other sensations or blood metabolite levels. Immediately after ingestion, satiation correlated with an increase in glucose (R = 0.49; p = 0.038) and valine levels (R = 0.48; p = 0.043). Twenty-minutes after finalizing ingestion, triglyceride levels had significantly increased which correlated with the recovery in well-being (R = 0.48; p = 0.046) and the decrease in desire to eat a food of choice (R = -0.56; p = 0.016). The increase in lipids inversely correlated with abdominal discomfort (R = -0.51; p = 0.032).

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Cognitive and hedonic responses to meal ingestion correlate with changes in circulating metabolites, which may serve as objective biomarkers of perception.

Groundwater contamination in coastal urban areas: Anthropogenic pressure and natural attenuation processes. Example of Recife (PE State, NE Brazil)

In a context of increasing land use pressure (over-exploitation, surface-water contamination) and repeated droughts, identifying the processes affecting groundwater quality in coastal megacities of the tropical and arid countries will condition their long-term social and environmental sustainability. The present study focuses on the Brazilian Recife Metropolitan Region (RMR), which is a highly urbanized area (3,743,854 inhabitants in 2010) on the Atlantic coast located next to an estuarial zone and overlying a multi-layered sedimentary system featured by a variable sediment texture and organic content. It investigates the contamination and redox status patterns conditioning potential attenuation within the shallow aquifers that constitute the interface between the city and the strategic deeper semi-confined aquifers. These latter are increasingly exploited, leading to high drawdown in potenciometric levels of 20-30m and up to 70m in some high well density places, and potentially connected to the surface through leakage. From a multi-tracer approach (major ions, major gases, δ(11)B, δ(18)O-SO4, δ(34)S-SO4) carried out during two field campaigns in September 2012 and March 2013 (sampling of 19 wells and 3 surface waters), it has been possible to assess the contamination sources and the redox processes. The increasing trend for mineralization from inland to coastal and estuarial wells (from 119 to around 10,000μS/cm) is at first attributed to water-rock interactions combined with natural and human-induced potentiometric gradients. Secondly, along with this trend, one finds an environmental pressure gradient related to sewage and/or surface-channel network impacts (typically depleted δ(11)B within the range of 10-15‰) that are purveyors of chloride, nitrate, ammonium and sulfate. Nitrate, ammonium and sulfate (ranging from 0 to 1.70mmol/L, from 0 to 0,65mmol/L, from 0.03 to 3.91mmol/L respectively are also potentially produced or consumed through various redox processes (pyrite oxidation, denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium) within the system, as is apparent within a patchwork of biogeochemical reactors. Furthermore, intensive pumping in the coastal area with its high well density punctually leads to temporary well salinization ([Cl] reaching temporarily 79mmol/L). Our results, summarized as a conceptual scheme based on environmental conditions, is a suitable basis for implementing sustainable management in coastal sedimentary hydrosystems influenced by highly urbanized conditions.

Study of patients diagnosed with advanced HIV in the HAART era – OMEGA Cohort

Our objective is to analyse patients diagnosed with late-stage HIV infection in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) area. A prospective, observational study of all patients with an initial CD4<50 × 106/L was carried out. Epidemiological, clinical and HAART-associated data were analysed. Survival rates were estimated and pairs of survival curves were compared. The statistical program used was SPSS® (version 10). In all, 349 HIV-infected patients were diagnosed, 117 (33.5%) had late-stage disease, mean CD4 23.9 × 106/L and mean viral load (VL) 5.38 log10. In 98 men, mean age 39.5 years, percentage of AIDS cases at their first attendance was 83.8%. The median follow-up period was 28 months and 27 died. Pneumocystis carinii was the most frequent cause of AIDS (24.4%) and death (18.5%). Survival rates at 12, 24 and 36 months were 95.6%, 85.8% and 72.4%. HAART was started in 82.1%. VLs <50 copies/mL at one, two and three years of treatment were 55.2%, 55.7% and 58.0%. Resource utilization included 0.58 hospitalization/patient/year and 0.07 events/patient/year. HAART-related complications were as follows: 50% lipodystrophy, 9.7% hypertension, 22.2% hyperglycaemia, 26.4% hypercholesterolaemia, 31.9% hypertrygliceridaemia and 18.1% mixed hyperlipaemia. Over one-third of our patients have advanced HIV infection at diagnosis. However, the outcome is favourable, with a good immunovirological response and few new opportunistic events. HAART-related complications were frequent.

The joint power of sex and stress to modulate brain-gut-microbiota axis and intestinal barrier homeostasis: implications for irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND

Intestinal homeostasis is a dynamic process that takes place at the interface between the lumen and the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, where a constant scrutiny for antigens and toxins derived from food and microorganisms is carried out by the vast gut-associated immune system. Intestinal homeostasis is preserved by the ability of the mucus layer and the mucosal barrier to keep the passage of small-sized and antigenic molecules across the epithelium highly selective. When combined and preserved, immune surveillance and barrier's selective permeability, the host capacity of preventing the development of intestinal inflammation is optimized, and viceversa. In addition, the brain-gut-microbiome axis, a multidirectional communication system that integrates distant and local regulatory networks through neural, immunological, metabolic, and hormonal signaling pathways, also regulates intestinal function. Dysfunction of the brain-gut-microbiome axis may induce the loss of gut mucosal homeostasis, leading to uncontrolled permeation of toxins and immunogenic particles, increasing the risk of appearance of intestinal inflammation, mucosal damage, and gut disorders. Irritable bowel syndrome is prevalent stress-sensitive gastrointestinal disorder that shows a female predominance. Interestingly, the role of stress, sex and gonadal hormones in the regulation of intestinal mucosal and the brain-gut-microbiome axis functioning is being increasingly recognized.

PURPOSE

We aim to critically review the evidence linking sex, and stress to intestinal barrier and brain-gut-microbiome axis dysfunction and the implications for irritable bowel syndrome.

Tracking changes in chromosomal arrangements and their genetic content during adaptation

There is considerable evidence for an adaptive role of inversions, but how their genetic content evolves and affects the subsequent evolution of chromosomal polymorphism remains controversial. Here, we track how life-history traits, chromosomal arrangements and 22 microsatellites, within and outside inversions, change in three replicated populations of Drosophila subobscura for 30 generations of laboratory evolution since founding from the wild. The dynamics of fitness-related traits indicated adaptation to the new environment concomitant with directional evolution of chromosomal polymorphism. Evidence of selective changes in frequency of inversions was obtained for seven of 23 chromosomal arrangements, corroborating a role for inversions in adaptation. The evolution of linkage disequilibrium between some microsatellites and chromosomes suggested that adaptive changes in arrangements involved changes in their genetic content. Several microsatellite alleles increased in frequency more than expected by drift in targeted inversions in all replicate populations. In particular, there were signs of selection in the O3+4 arrangement favouring a combination of alleles in two loci linked to the inversion and changing along with it, although the lack of linkage disequilibrium between these loci precludes epistatic selection. Seven other alleles increased in frequency within inversions more than expected by drift, but were not in linkage disequilibrium with them. Possibly these alleles were hitchhiking along with alleles under selection that were not specific to those inversions. Overall, the selection detected on the genetic content of inversions, despite limited coverage of the genome, suggests that genetic changes within inversions play an important role in adaptation.

Patients With Anorexia Nervosa: Outcome Inpatient Care

Introduction

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by self-induced starvation coupled with fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image. Its treatment is complex and challenging, and sometimes hospitalization is needed.

Santa Maria Hospital's Eating Disorders Unit (SMH-EDU) is a multidisciplinary team, formed in 1989, that provides both outpatient and inpatient treatment.

Objective

To present and discuss SMH-EDU's AN treatment and its results.

Methods

Revision and statistical analysis of all hospitalized AN’ patients’ clinical files, from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014. Treatment outcome was assessed by BMI variation.

Results

A total of 45 admissions (41 patients) were analysed: 75.65% had AN restricting type and 24.45% had AN purging type. All patient were females, with median age of 27 years old (range 12–57 years). Average admission BMI was 14.51 kg/m2 (ranging from 11.19 to 17.77 kg/m2). The mean lengths of stay were 39 days. Thirty-six percent of the patients had at least one previous hospitalization. Only 2 patients were readmitted at SMH-EDU: triple readmissions. The mean time between the beginning of the disorder and the admission was 111 months (ranging 2 to 408 months). Average discharged BMI was 16.32 kg/m2 (ranging from 13.24 to 19.11 kg/m2).

Conclusion

Inpatient treatment for AN at SMH-EDU is considered only for those patients whose disorder has not improved with appropriate outpatient treatment. Therefore, most inpatients at SMH-EDU have disorders of high severity, as demonstrated in our results.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Efficacy and safety of switching to abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) plus rilpivirine (RPV) in virologically suppressed HIV-infected patients on HAART

We analysed the efficacy and safety of switching from a regimen based on nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) or integrase inhibitors (INI) to ABC/3TC + RPV in virologically suppressed HIV-infected patients. This multicentre, retrospective study comprised asymptomatic HIV-infected patients who switched from 2 NRTI + NNRTI or 2 NRTI + INI to ABC/3TC + RPV between February 2013 and December 2013; all had undetectable HIV viral load prior to switching. Efficacy and safety, and changes in lipids and cardiovascular risk (CVR) were analysed at 48 weeks. Of 85 patients (74.1 % men, mean age 49.5 years), 83 (97.6 %) switched from a regimen based on NNRTI (EFV 74, RPV 5, ETV 2, NVP 2), and 45 (53 %) switched from TDF/FTC to ABC/3TC. The main reasons for switching were toxicity (58.8 %) and convenience (29.4 %). At 48 weeks, 78 (91.8 %) patients continued taking the same regimen; efficacy was 88 % by intention to treat, and 96 % by per protocol. Two patients were lost to follow-up and five ceased the new regimen (4 due to adverse effects and 1 virologic failure). Mean CD4 cell counts increased (744 vs. 885 cells/μL; p = 0.0001), and there were mean decreases in fasting total cholesterol (-15.9 mg/dL; p < 0.0001) and LDL-cholesterol (-11.0 mg/dL; p < 0.004), with no changes in HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, total cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio, and CVR. ABC/3TC + RPV is effective and safe in virologically-suppressed patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Forty-eight weeks after switching the lipid profile improved with decreases in total and LDL cholesterol.

Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder: A Single-Center Experience

BACKGROUND

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is the second most common neoplasia after adult kidney transplantation (KT).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 8 adult patients who underwent KT in our center, diagnosed with PTLD between 2001 and 2014.

RESULTS

Six patients were men. The median age at presentation was 43 years and the median time since transplantation was 7.3 years. Three patients had previously received anti-thymocyte globulin/OKT3, and all were taking calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) at diagnosis. The monomorphic type was the most common, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma as the origin. The most frequent presentation was fever. Four in five patients had Epstein-Barr-related PTLD. All patients received various regimens of immunosuppression reduction (IR), with 4 converting CNI to mTOR inhibitor (imTOR). Subsequent treatment (when needed) was chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. The maximum follow-up time was 6.7 years, with a 50% mortality rate that occurred at a median time of 3.5 months (2 died with functioning kidney). All 4 patients who were in remission at the end of follow-up had CNI conversion to imTOR, and none lost the allograft.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the small number of cases, our results confirm the high PTLD impact in overall and allograft survival. Our PTLD type distribution is in accord with the literature. First-line PTLD treatment is IR, but the best method is still unknown; our results may suggest a beneficial effect of CNI conversion to imTOR.

Impacts of climate and land use changes on the hydrological and erosion processes of two contrasting Mediterranean catchments

The impacts of climate and land use changes on streamflow and sediment export were evaluated for a humid (São Lourenço) and a dry (Guadalupe) Mediterranean catchment, using the SWAT model. SWAT was able to produce viable streamflow and sediment export simulations for both catchments, which provided a baseline for investigating climate and land use changes under the A1B and B1 emission scenarios for 2071-2100. Compared to the baseline scenario (1971-2000), climate change scenarios showed a decrease in annual rainfall for both catchments (humid: -12%; dry: -8%), together with strong increases in rainfall during winter. Land use changes were derived from a socio-economic storyline in which traditional agriculture is replaced by more profitable land uses (i.e. corn and commercial forestry at the humid site; sunflower at the dry site). Climate change projections showed a decrease in streamflow for both catchments, whereas sediment export decreased only for the São Lourenço catchment. Land use changes resulted in an increase in streamflow, but the erosive response differed between catchments. The combination of climate and land use change scenarios led to a reduction in streamflow for both catchments, suggesting a domain of the climatic response. As for sediments, contrasting results were observed for the humid (A1B: -29%; B1: -22%) and dry catchment (A1B: +222%; B1: +5%), which is mainly due to differences in the present-day and forecasted vegetation types. The results highlight the importance of climate-induced land-use change impacts, which could be similar to or more severe than the direct impacts of climate change alone.

Clinical, virological and phylogenetic characterization of a multiresistant HIV-1 strain outbreak in naive patients in southern Spain

BACKGROUND

We describe the characteristics of an HIV-1 strain with six viral reverse transcriptase mutations (D67N, T69N/D, V118I, V179D, T215S and K219Q), which we have called the Malaga strain. This strain was detected in treatment-naive patients from southern Spain.

METHODS

The study was undertaken at the Virgen de la Victoria Hospital, Malaga, a reference centre for the study of HIV-1 genotype resistance in Andalusia (the 'Costa del Sol'), Spain. Genotypic resistance testing was done in an automated sequencer. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using a 630 bp region of the reverse transcriptase with the mutations mentioned.

RESULTS

Between 2007 and 2014, we detected the Malaga strain in 30 treatment-naive patients. All were MSM, seen at five hospitals on the Costa del Sol. In all cases, the HIV-1 was subtype B with viral tropism R5. Phylogenetic analysis based on the reverse transcriptase sequence showed consistent grouping (with a bootstrap value of the common node of 100%) of the isolates that shared the mutation pattern mentioned. This strain has not been detected elsewhere or in previously treated patients. All of the patients treated with first-line combination ART responded.

CONCLUSIONS

We report a cluster of an HIV-1 strain with multiple resistance mutations that was transmitted over a period of >8 years, affecting 30 naive patients from the same geographical area. The strain was susceptible to first-line combination ART.