The gut microbiome has been linked to fear extinction learning in animal models. Here, we aimed to explore the gut microbiome and memory domains according to obesity status. A specific microbiome ...profile associated with short-term memory, working memory, and the volume of the hippocampus and frontal regions of the brain differentially in human subjects with and without obesity. Plasma and fecal levels of aromatic amino acids, their catabolites, and vegetable-derived compounds were longitudinally associated with short-term and working memory. Functionally, microbiota transplantation from human subjects with obesity led to decreased memory scores in mice, aligning this trait from humans with that of recipient mice. RNA sequencing of the medial prefrontal cortex of mice revealed that short-term memory associated with aromatic amino acid pathways, inflammatory genes, and clusters of bacterial species. These results highlight the potential therapeutic value of targeting the gut microbiota for memory impairment, specifically in subjects with obesity.
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•Metagenomic data associate AAA and 1-C metabolism with memory and brain region volumes•Memory scores are associated with altered plasma levels of AAA and betaine•Obesity modulates these relationships and is associated with impaired memory•FMTs from obese subjects lead to decreased memory scores in recipient mice
Learning and memory have recently been associated with specific microorganisms and metabolites. Here, Arnoriaga-Rodríguez et al. reveal a unique microbiota profile associated with memory through pathways involving aromatic amino acid and one-carbon metabolism. Importantly, these relationships are modulated by obesity; fecal microbiota transplantation from human subjects with obesity decreases the memory score of recipient mice.
Background
Rutter and colleagues' seminal observation that extended early life exposure to extreme institutional deprivation can result in what he termed quasi‐autism (QA), informed both our ...understanding of the effects of adversity on development and the nature of autism. Here we provide the first detailed analysis of the adult outcomes of the group of institutionally deprived‐then‐adopted children identified as displaying QA.
Methods
Twenty‐six adult adoptees identified with QA in childhood (Childhood QA+) were compared to 75 adoptees who experienced extended institutional deprivation (>6 months) but no QA (Childhood QA−), and 116 adoptees exposed to Low/No institutional deprivation. The outcomes were child‐to‐adult developmental trajectories of neuro‐developmental symptoms (autism, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), disinhibited social engagement (DSE) and cognitive impairment), adult functioning, life satisfaction and mental health.
Results
Childhood QA+ was associated with elevated and persistent trajectories of broad‐based autism‐related difficulties, ADHD and DSE symptoms and low IQ, as well as adult mental health difficulties and functional impairment, including high rates of low educational attainment and unemployment. Life satisfaction and self‐esteem were unaffected. Autism‐related communication problems, in particular, predicted negative adult outcomes. Childhood QA+ was still associated with poor outcomes even when ADHD, DSE and IQ were controlled.
Conclusions
Early and time‐limited institutional deprivation has a critical impact on adult functioning, in part via its association with an early established and persistent variant of autism, especially related to communication difficulties. Apparent similarities and differences to non‐deprivation related autism are discussed.
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► Specificity and selectivity MIPs developed for the catechins contained in extracts. ► Inherent bleeding is avoided using quercetin as template. ► Fast and high adsorption in a ...homogeneous surface onto the MIP is observed. ► External film diffusion step is the limiting step of the adsorption process. ► Adsorption could be described as strong hydrogen bonds comparable to chemisorption.
Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for solid extraction and preconcentration of catechins have been successfully prepared by a thermal polymerization method using quercetin as template, 4-vinylpyridine as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker. A solution mixture of acetone and acetonitrile was used as porogen. Systematic investigations of the influence of monomer, cross-linker, porogen, as well as polymerization conditions on the properties of the MIPs were carried out. The quercetin MIPs were evaluated according to their selective recognition properties for quercetin, structurally related compounds (catechin, epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin) and a unrelated compound of similar molecular size (α-tocopherol). Good binding was observed for quercetin, catechin and epigallocatechin gallate with an optimized MIP in a solid phase extraction system. Adsorption and kinetic characteristics were evaluated for catechins which indicated that the synthesized polymer had high adsorption capacity and contained homogeneous binding sites. Chemical and morphological characterization of the MIP was investigated by FTIR, SEM and BET, which confirmed a high degree of polymerization. Finally, the MIP was successfully applied to the clean-up and preconcentration of catechins from several natural samples.
The feasibility of using dwarf kiwi fruits (Actinia arguta Miq.) as a healthy and sustainable food, compared to other types of commercial kiwi fruits, was evaluated in the present study. The overall ...antioxidant capacity of these fruits was assessed by either extraction-dependent methods (ABTS, ORAC) or the direct method called Quick, Easy, New, CHEap, Reproducible (QUENCHER) (DPPH, FRAP, Folin–Ciocalteu), applied for the first time to analyze kiwi fruits. With this methodology, all the molecules with antioxidant capacity are measured together in a single step, even those with high molecular weight or poor solubility in aqueous extraction systems, such as antioxidant dietary fiber. The effect of kiwi extracts on physiological and induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production on IEC-6 cells was also analyzed, as well as total phenolic content (TPC) by Fast Blue BB, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids, and hydroxybenzoic acids. A. arguta fruits showed the highest values in all the antioxidant assays, being remarkably higher than the other kiwi species for Q-FRAP and Q-DPPH. Dwarf kiwi showed the highest potential in reducing physiological ROS and the highest values of TPC (54.57 mgGAE/g), being hydroxybenzoic acids the main phenolic family found (2.40 mgGAE/g). Therefore, dwarf kiwi fruits are a natural source of antioxidants compared to conventional kiwi fruits, being a sustainable and healthy alternative to diversify fruits in the diet.
•Methodology to build phase diagram.•Whole milk/water phase diagram.•Determination by cryomicroscopy of the collapse temperature.
The state diagram is a key parameter when optimizing a freeze-drying ...cycle, as it allows us to set the optimum processing temperature for a specific product. The purpose of this work is to provide some thermodynamic and physicochemical data for optimizing the freeze-drying cycle of whole milk. Freezing point measurements were determined using differential scanning calorimetry and cryoscopy methods, and glass transitions were evaluated by DSC. The endothermic peak was used as the equilibrium freezing point, a variation from 273.93 K to 264.92 K was detected when the dry matter content varied from 0 to 75%. Tg midpoint temperature was used as glass transition of dry mater. Furthermore, Fox and Gordon-Taylor equations were used to predict the glass transition curve to determine Tg', this temperature was used as an approximation of the critical temperature Tc. Collapse temperature was determined using the freeze-drying microscopy setup.
•Ecological momentary assessment is a promising method for behavioral monitoring•Smartphone applications can complement traditional therapeutic approaches•Smartphone-based behavioral monitoring is ...feasible in mental healthcare•Smartphones can serve for suicide risk monitoring, alerting of an imminent crisis•Passive monitoring has the advantage of not requiring the collaboration of users
Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a promising methodology for mental health research. The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of smartphone-based active and passive EMA in psychiatric outpatients and student controls.
Two smartphone applications —MEmind and eB2— were developed for behavioral active and passive monitoring. The applications were tested in psychiatric patients with a history of suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors (STB), psychiatric patients without a history of STB, and student controls. Main outcome was feasibility, measured as response to recruitment, retention, and EMA compliance. Secondary outcomes were patterns of smartphone usage.
Response rate was 87.3% in patients with a history of STB, 85.1% in patients without a history of STB, and 75.0% in student controls. 457 participants installed the MEmind app (120 patients with a history of STB and 337 controls) and 1,708 installed the eB2 app (139 patients with a history of STB, 1,224 patients with no history of STB and 346 controls). For the MEmind app, participants were followed-up for a median of 49.5, resulting in 22,622 person-days. For the eB2 application, participants were followed-up for a median of 48.9 days, resulting in 83,521 person-days. EMA compliance rate was 65.00% in suicidal patients and 75.21% in student controls. At the end of the follow-up, over 60% of participants remained in the study.
Cases and controls were not matched by age and sex. Cases were patients who were receiving adequate psychopharmacological treatment and attending their appointments, which may result in an overstatement of clinical compliance.
Smartphone-based active and passive monitoring are feasible methods in psychiatric patients in real-world settings. The development of applications with friendly interfaces and directly useful features can help increase engagement without using incentives. The MEmind and eB2 applications are promising clinical tools that could contribute to the management of mental disorders. In the near future, these applications could serve as risk monitoring devices in the clinical practice.
Pyroelectric infrared sensors (PIR) are widely used as infrared (IR) detectors due to their basic implementation, low cost, low power, and performance. Combined with a Fresnel lens, they can be used ...as a binary detector in applications of presence and motion control. Furthermore, due to their features, they can be used in autonomous intelligent devices or included in robotics applications or sensor networks. In this work, two neural processing architectures are presented: (1) an analog processing approach to achieve the behavior of a presynaptic neuron from a PIR sensor. An analog circuit similar to the leaky integrate and fire model is implemented to be able to generate spiking rates proportional to the IR stimuli received at a PIR sensor. (2) An embedded postsynaptic neuron where a spiking neural network matrix together with an algorithm based on digital processing techniques is introduced. This structure allows connecting a set of sensors to the post-synaptic circuit emulating an optic nerve. As a case study, the entire neural processing approach presented in this paper is applied to optical flow detection considering a four-PIR array as input. The results validate both the spiking approach for an analog sensor presented and the ability to retrieve the analog information sent as spike trains in a simulated optic nerve.
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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and idiopathic inflammatory disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The pharmacological treatments used currently for its ...treatment lack efficacy, so new therapeutic strategies should be developed. In this context, flavonoids loaded in biopolymeric nanoparticles can be considered as novel promising candidates. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intestinal anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin when is administered loaded in silk fibroin nanoparticles (QSFN) in the dextran sulphate sodium experimental model of mouse colitis, which displays some similarities to human IBD. Previously characterized quercetin-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles (QSFN). QSFN showed a reversible aggregation profile induced by the acidification of the solution but did not affect the loaded quercetin. Daily administration of QSFN significantly reduced disease activity index values compared to the control colitic group. This beneficial effect was not only corroborated by the histological examination of the colonic specimens but also the improvement of the colonic expression of the different proinflammatory cytokines (Tnf-α, Il-1β, Il-6, Mcp-1, Icam-1, Nlrp3 and iNOS). Therefore, these data suggest that QSFN could be a promising alternative to current treatments as a drug delivery system for IBD treatment.
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