Sex-Dependent Effects of the Intake of NOVA Classified Ultra-Processed Foods on Syndrome Metabolic Components in Brazilian Adults

Longitudinal studies evaluating the relationship between UPF consumption and the incidence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its components are still scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of UPF consumption on the incidence of MetS and its components in adults. A prospective study was conducted with 896 participants from the 1978/79 Ribeirão Preto cohort, São Paulo, Brazil. UPF consumption was evaluated in %kcal and %g at ages 23–25 years. Incidence of MetS and its components were estimated at ages 37–39 years, according to the Joint Interim Statement criteria. Poisson regression was used to assess associations, and interactions with sex were investigated. UPF consumption had no association with MetS (%kcal Adjusted PR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.99–1.01; %g Adjusted PR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.99–1.01). However, women with higher UPF consumption, in %kcal and %g, had a higher risk of abdominal obesity (%kcal: p = 0.030; %g: p = 0.003); and women with higher UPF consumption, in %g, had a higher risk of low HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.041). For the other components of MetS, no significant associations were observed in either sex. These findings suggest evidence of no association between UPF consumption and MetS; however, consumption of UPF was associated with increased WC and low HDL-c, but only in women.     

Wasting,Stunting, and Anemia in Angolan Children after Deworming with Albendazole or a Test-and-Treat Approach for Intestinal Parasites: Binary Longitudinal Models with Temporal Structure in a Four-Arm Randomized Trial

Undernutrition, anemia, and intestinal parasitic infections are public health problems in Angola, especially in pre-school children. We analyzed binary data from a longitudinal four-arm randomized parallel trial conducted in Bengo Province, northern Angola, over the course of two years, with seven follow-up assessments to explore the effects of four interventions (deworming and a test-and-treat approach for intestinal parasites, at both the individual and household levels) on wasting and stunting, and to understand their indirect benefits for anemia, malaria, diarrhea, and vomiting. A total of 121 children with intestinal parasitic infections received baseline treatment, and were allocated to the four arms (1:1:1:1). Using continuous outcome variables of height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ) statistical approaches did not reveal a clear benefit of any particular arm (Pathogens 2021, 10, 309). Next, HAZ and WHZ were transformed into binary variables of stunting and wasting, respectively, considering their mild-to-severe (Z-score < −1) and moderate-to-severe degrees (Z-score < −2). Original clinical data (on anemia, diarrhea, vomiting, and malaria) were also analyzed. From a binary longitudinal analysis with different dependence structures, using the R package bild, fitted models revealed the potential benefit of a test-and-treat approach at the individual level for wasting compared with annual albendazole at the individual level, especially considering mild-to-severe forms (OR_adj = 0.27; p = 0.007). All arms showed similar effects on stunting, compared with annual albendazole, at a 5% significance level. Time and age at baseline presented favorable effects in the percentage of stunting using both severity degrees. Results showed a decreased chance of having anemia and diarrhea over time, although with no significant differences between arms. Data from longitudinal studies are essential to study the direct and indirect effects of interventions, such as deworming, and to explore additional approaches aiming at better understanding the temporal structure of nutrition and health outcomes in children.     

Efficacy of a spatial repellent for control of Aedes-borne virus transmission: A cluster-randomized trial in Iquitos,Peru

Over half the world’s population is at risk for viruses transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, such as dengue and Zika. The primary vector, Aedes aegypti, thrives in urban environments. Despite decades of effort, cases and geographic range of Aedes-borne viruses (ABVs) continue to expand. Rigorously proven vector control interventions that measure protective efficacy against ABV diseases are limited to Wolbachia in a single trial in Indonesia and do not include any chemical intervention. Spatial repellents, a new option for efficient deployment, are designed to decrease human exposure to ABVs by releasing active ingredients into the air that disrupt mosquito–human contact. A parallel, cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in Iquitos, Peru, to quantify the impact of a transfluthrin-based spatial repellent on human ABV infection. From 2,907 households across 26 clusters (13 per arm), 1,578 participants were assessed for seroconversion (primary endpoint) by survival analysis. Incidence of acute disease was calculated among 16,683 participants (secondary endpoint). Adult mosquito collections were conducted to compare Ae. aegypti abundance, blood-fed rate, and parity status through mixed-effect difference-in-difference analyses. The spatial repellent significantly reduced ABV infection by 34.1% (one-sided 95% CI lower limit, 6.9%; one-sided P value = 0.0236, z = 1.98). Aedes aegypti abundance and blood-fed rates were significantly reduced by 28.6 (95% CI 24.1%, ∞); z = −9.11) and 12.4% (95% CI 4.2%, ∞); z = −2.43), respectively. Our trial provides conclusive statistical evidence from an appropriately powered, preplanned cluster-randomized controlled clinical trial of the impact of a chemical intervention, in this case a spatial repellent, to reduce the risk of ABV transmission compared to a placebo.

Aedes-borne viral diseases (ABVDs) [e.g., dengue (DENV), chikungunya, Zika (ZIKV), and yellow fever] are devastating, expanding global public health threats that disproportionally affect low- and middle-income countries. DENV, one of the most rapidly increasing vector-borne infectious diseases, results in ∼400 million infections each year (1, 2), with 4 billion people at risk for infection annually (3). Currently, the primary means for ABVD prevention is controlling the primary mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. Existing vector control interventions, however, have failed to prevent ABV transmission and epidemics (4–6).There is an urgent need to develop evidence-based guidance for the use of new and existing ABV vector control tools. The evidence base for vector control against ABVs is weak, despite considerable government investments in World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended control of larval habitats (larviciding, container removal) and ultra-low-volume insecticide spraying (4, 5, 7–9). These strategies continue to be implemented despite the lack of rigorously generated data from controlled clinical trials demonstrating they reduce ABV infection or disease (6). The only ABV intervention with a proven epidemiological impact in a cluster-randomized control trial (cRCT) assessed community mobilization to reduce mosquito larval habitats (10). A recent test-negative trial with Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes reported a significant reduction of DENV illness in Indonesia (11).Spatial repellents (SRs) are devices that contain volatile active ingredients that disperse in air. The active ingredients can repel mosquitoes from entering a treated space, inhibit attraction to human host cues, or disrupt mosquito biting and blood-feeding behavior and, thus, interfere with mosquito–human contact (12–14). Any of these outcomes reduce the probability of pathogen transmission. Pyrethroid-based SRs have shown efficacy in reducing malaria infections in China (15) and Indonesia (16). There have, however, been no clinical trials evaluating the protective efficacy (PE) of SRs against ABV infection or disease.To generate evidence for public health consideration, we conducted a double-blinded, parallel cRCT to demonstrate and quantify the PE of a transfluthrin-based SR to reduce ABV infection incidence over 2 y in a human cohort in Iquitos, Peru.     

Anti-apoptotic gene transcription signature of salivary gland neoplasms

Background  

Development of accurate therapeutic approaches to salivary gland neoplasms depends on better understanding of their molecular pathogenesis. Tumour growth is regulated by the balance between proliferation and apoptosis. Few studies have investigated apoptosis in salivary tumours relying almost exclusively on immunohistochemistry or TUNEL assay. Furthermore, there is no information regarding the mRNA expression profile of apoptotic genes in salivary tumors. Our objective was to investigate the quantitative expression of BCL-2 (anti-apoptotic), BAX and Caspase3 (pro-apoptotic genes) mRNAs in salivary gland neoplasms and examine the association of these data with tumour size, proliferative activity and p53 staining (parameters associated with a poor prognosis of salivary tumours patients).     

γH2AX as a novel endpoint to detect DNA damage: Applications for the assessment of the in vitro genotoxicity of cigarette smoke

Histone H2AX is rapidly phosphorylated to become γH2AX after exposure to DNA-damaging agents that cause double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). γH2AX can be detected and quantified by numerous methods, giving a direct correlation with the number of DSBs. This relationship has made γH2AX an increasingly utilised endpoint in multiple scientific fields since its discovery in 1998. Applications include its use in pre-clinical drug assessment, as a biomarker of DNA damage and in in vitro mechanistic studies.Here, we review current in vitro regulatory and non-regulatory genotoxicity assays proposing the γH2AX assay as a potential complement to the current test battery.Additionally, we evaluate the use of the γH2AX assay to measure DSBs in vitro in tobacco product testing.     

Mifepristone in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala Reduces Yohimbine Stress-Induced Reinstatement of Ethanol-Seeking

Chronic ethanol exposure leads to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to changes in glucocorticoid release and function that have been proposed to maintain pathological alcohol consumption and increase vulnerability to relapse during abstinence. The objective of this study was to determine whether mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, plays a role in ethanol self-administration and reinstatement. Male, Long–Evans rats were trained to self-administer either ethanol or sucrose in daily 30 min operant self-administration sessions using a fixed ratio 3 schedule of reinforcement. Following establishment of stable baseline responding, we examined the effects of mifepristone on maintained responding and yohimbine-induced increases in responding for ethanol and sucrose. Lever responding was extinguished in separate groups of rats and animals were tested for yohimbine-induced reinstatement and corticosterone release. We also investigated the effects of local mifepristone infusions into the central amygdala (CeA) on yohimbine-induced reinstatement of ethanol- and sucrose-seeking. In addition, we infused mifepristone into the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in ethanol-seeking animals as an anatomical control. We show that both systemic and intra-CeA (but not BLA) mifepristone administration suppressed yohimbine-induced reinstatement of ethanol-seeking, while only systemic injections attenuated sucrose-seeking. In contrast, baseline consumption, yohimbine-induced increases in responding, and circulating CORT levels were unaffected. The data indicate that the CeA plays an important role in the effects of mifepristone on yohimbine-induced reinstatement of ethanol-seeking. Mifepristone may be a valuable pharmacotherapeutic strategy for preventing relapse to alcohol use disorders and, as it is FDA approved, may be a candidate for clinical trials in the near future.     

Satisfaction with Treatment in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Requiring Insulin Treatment in Buenos Aires,Argentina

ObjectiveTo assess different dimensions of treatment satisfaction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) receiving insulin therapy.Study DesignCross-sectional study. We included 183 patients with T2DM followed by diabetes specialists in an ambulatory setting: 93 treated with neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin (NPH) and 90 with insulin glargine (IG). We used a Spanish version of the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) for Argentina.ResultsOverall treatment satisfaction was 30.04 (SD 5.40) for a maximum score of 36. The lowest score observed was for the satisfaction item “Flexibility of treatment” (4.7 out of 6, SD 1.27), and the highest score for the item “Recommending treatment to others” (5.39 out of 6, SD 1.23). In patients treated with IG, the overall treatment satisfaction score was 30.56 (SD 4.43); and 29.64 (SD 6.13) for those receiving NPH, not reaching a statistically significant difference. Perception of hypoglycemia was infrequent, with a mean score of 1.82 out of 6 (SD 1.62). For hyperglycemia, the mean score was 2.62 out of 6 (SD 1.54). In both cases, we found no difference between patients treated with IG and those treated with NPH insulin.ConclusionThis is the first study describing patient satisfaction with treatment in T2DM patients in Argentina. We have found levels of treatment satisfaction similar or greater to those described in developed countries. We expect that the results of this study may encourage physicians not to delay the initiation of insulin therapy in poorly controlled patients.