Gut Microbial Signatures of Distinct Trimethylamine N-Oxide Response to Raspberry Consumption

The aim of this exploratory study was to evaluate the gut microbial signatures of distinct trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) responses following raspberry consumption. Investigations were carried out in 24 subjects at risk of developing metabolic syndrome who received 280 g/day of frozen raspberries for 8 weeks. Blood and stool samples were collected at weeks 0 and 8. Inter-individual variability in plasma TMAO levels was analyzed, 7 subjects were excluded due to noninformative signals and 17 subjects were kept for analysis and further stratified according to their TMAO response. Whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing analysis was used to determine the impact of raspberry consumption on gut microbial composition. Before the intervention, the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota was significantly higher in participants whose TMAO levels increased after the intervention (p = 0.03). The delta TMAO (absolute differences of baseline and week 8 levels) was positively associated with the abundance of gut bacteria such as Bilophila wadsworthia (p = 0.02; r² = 0.37), from the genus Granulicatella (p = 0.03; r² = 0.48) or the Erysipelotrichia class (p = 0.03; r² = 0.45). Changes in the gut microbial ecology induced by raspberry consumption over an 8-week period presumably impacted quaternary amines-utilizing activity and thus plasma TMAO levels.     

Structural neural correlates of impairments in social cognition in first episode psychosis

Several studies have demonstrated that patients with schizophrenia show impairments in social cognition and current evidence indicate that this deficit is associated with abnormal activity in specific brain regions. In addition to functional imaging studies, we believe that the identification of structural correlates of social cognitive processes may help to better understand the neural underpinnings of these specific skills. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between gray matter density and social cognitive deficits in first episode of schizophrenia spectrum psychosis, using a comprehensive assessment that we previously demonstrated to be a highly sensitive measure of social cognitive deficits in this population. Thirty-eight patients with a first episode of psychosis participated in this study, and the Four Factor Test of Social Intelligence was used as a measure of social cognition. Social cognitive impairments in first episode psychosis were significantly correlated with reduced gray-matter density in the left middle frontal gyrus other regions within the mirror neuron system network (MSN), namely the right supplementary motor cortex, the left superior temporal gyrus and the left inferior parietal lobule. We concluded that structural abnormalities within the MSN may account for the social cognitive deficits present in some psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia.     

The impact of differential uptake of HPV vaccine by sexual risks on health inequalities: A model-based analysis

Background

Differences in sexual behaviour are partly responsible for significant inequalities in human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases between sub-populations. Our aim was to illustrate how differential HPV vaccine uptake by sexual behaviour can impact population-level vaccination effectiveness and inequalities in HPV prevalence.

Methods

We used a multi-type individual-based transmission-dynamic model of HPV infection. The modelled population is stratified into 4 sexual activity levels (low = L0, high = L3). The model was calibrated to Canadian epidemiological data, including the proportion of sexually active individuals by gender and type-specific HPV prevalence by level of sexual activity. Vaccine uptake by sexual activity level was varied in one-way sensitivity analyses. Uncertainty in model predictions is presented using the median [10-90th percentiles] of simulations.

Results

In our pre-vaccination calibrated modelled population, the most sexually active risk groups (L2–L3) account for 43% of prevalent HPV-16/18 infections while only representing 20% of the population. Under base case assumptions (age at vaccination = 12 years, vaccine efficacy = 100%, average duration of protection = 20 years, overall coverage = 50%), vaccinating girls is predicted to reduce HPV-16/18 prevalence by 56% [46–69] at equilibrium (70 years post-vaccination) when uptake is uniform across sexual activity levels, and by 35% [28–40] when uptake is maldistributed (L0: 100%, L1: 55%, L2: 0%, L3: 0%). At uniform 50% vaccination coverage across risk groups, HPV-16/18 prevalence is predicted to be reduced by 62% [52–73], 74% [57–82], 40% [24–60], and 28% [7–54] at equilibrium among women in levels of sexual activity L0, L1, L2 and L3, respectively.

Conclusions

A low vaccine uptake in girls at highest risk of future HPV acquisition may substantially limit population effectiveness of vaccination. Vaccination effectiveness is lower in more sexually active groups due to smaller herd effects. Uniform vaccination coverage across sub-populations may not be able to decrease existing inequalities in HPV infection and disease unless coverage is high enough to produce herd effects in higher risk groups.