Bisphenols such as bisphenol A (BPA), S (BPS), C (BPC), F (BPF), AF (BPAF), tetrabromobisphenol, nonylphenol, and octylphenol are plasticizers used worldwide to manufacture daily-use articles. ...Exposure to these compounds is related to many pathologies of public health importance, such as infertility. Using a protector compound against the reproductive toxicological effects of bisphenols is of scientific interest. Melatonin and vitamins have been tested, but the results are not conclusive. To this end, this systematic review and meta-analysis compared the response of reproductive variables to melatonin and vitamin administration as protectors against damage caused by bisphenols. We search for controlled studies of male rats exposed to bisphenols to induce alterations in reproduction, with at least one intervention group receiving melatonin or vitamins (B, C, or E). Also, molecular docking simulations were performed between the androgen (AR) and estrogen receptors (ER), melatonin, and vitamins. About 1234 records were initially found; finally, 13 studies were qualified for review and meta-analysis. Melatonin plus bisphenol improves sperm concentration and viability of sperm and increases testosterone serum levels compared with control groups; however, groups receiving vitamins plus bisphenols had lower sperm concentration, total testis weight, and testosterone serum levels than the control. In the docking analysis, vitamin E had the highest negative MolDock score, representing the best binding affinity with AR and ER, compared with other vitamins and melatonin in the docking. Our findings suggest that vitamins could act as an endocrine disruptor, and melatonin is most effective in protecting against the toxic effects of bisphenols.
This study investigated whether the coadministration of vitamin E (VitE) diminishes the harmful effects provoked by plasticizer bisphenol S (BPS) in the serum metabolites related to hepatic and renal ...metabolism, as well as the endocrine pancreatic function in diabetic male Wistar rats. Rats were divided into five groups (
= 5-6); the first group was healthy rats (Ctrl group). The other four groups were diabetic rats induced with 45 mg/kg bw of streptozotocin: Ctrl-D (diabetic control); VitE-D (100 mg/kg bw/d of VitE); BPS-D (100 mg/kg bw/d of BPS); The animals from the VitE + BPS-D group were administered 100 mg/kg bw/d of VitE + 100 mg/kg bw/d of BPS. All compounds were administered orally for 30 days. Body weight, biochemical assays, urinalysis, glucose tolerance test, pancreas histopathology, proximate chemical analysis in feces, and the activity of antioxidants in rat serum were assessed. The coadministration of VitE + BPS produced weight losses, increases in 14 serum analytes, and degeneration in the pancreas. Therefore, the VitE + BPS coadministration did not have a protective effect versus the harmful impact of BPS or the diabetic metabolic state; on the contrary, it partially aggravated the damage produced by the BPS. VitE is likely to have an additive effect on the toxicity of BPS.
The present study evaluates the influence of continuous light on phenotypic sex ratios in Chirostoma estor, a temperature sex determination animal model. Relative gene expression levels of 5 day old ...larvae were performed on two early gonad differentiation genes (sox9 and foxl2), two stress axis activation genes (gcr1 and crf) and four reactive oxygen species (ROS) antagonist effector genes (sod2, ucp2, gsr and cat). Two light treatments were applied from fertilization; control (12L:12D) simulated natural photoperiod and a continuous illumination photoperiod. By the end of the trial (12 weeks after hatching), differentiated and normal gonads were clearly identifiable in both treatments by histological observations. Regarding sex ratio, 73% of phenotypic males were found in continuous illumination compared with 40% in controls. Consistently, the sox9 gene (involved in early testis differentiation) showed an over expression in 64% of the individual larvae analysed compared with foxl2 (ovarian differentiation) suggesting a masculinization tendency in continuous illumination. On the other hand, only 36% of individuals showed the same tendency in the control treatment consistent with phenotypic sex ratios found under normal culture conditions. Relative gene expression results did not show significant difference in sod2, ucp2 and gcr1 levels, but cat, gsr and crf showed significantly higher expression levels in the continuous illumination treatment suggesting that both, the stress axis and ROS response mechanisms were activated at this time. This study suggests, a link between continuous light, oxidative stress and environmental sex determination in vertebrates. However, further research is necessary to describe this possible upstream mechanism that may drive some aspects of sexual plasticity in vertebrates.
The pUM505 plasmid, isolated from a clinical
isolate, confers resistance to ciprofloxacin (CIP) when transferred into the standard
strain PAO1. CIP is an antibiotic of the quinolone family that is ...used to treat
infections.
analysis, performed to identify CIP resistance genes, revealed that the 65-amino-acid product encoded by the
gene in pUM505 displays 40% amino acid identity to the
aminoglycoside phosphotransferase (an enzyme that phosphorylates and inactivates aminoglycoside antibiotics). We cloned
(renamed
, for
iprofloxacin
esistance
rotein,
lasmid encoded) into the pUCP20 shuttle vector. The resulting recombinant plasmid, pUC-
, conferred resistance to CIP on
strain J53-3, suggesting that this gene encodes a protein involved in CIP resistance. Using coupled enzymatic analysis, we determined that the activity of CrpP on CIP is ATP dependent, while little activity against norfloxacin was detected, suggesting that CIP may undergo phosphorylation. Using a recombinant His-tagged CrpP protein and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we also showed that CIP was phosphorylated prior to its degradation. Thus, our findings demonstrate that CrpP, encoded on the pUM505 plasmid, represents a new mechanism of CIP resistance in
, which involves phosphorylation of the antibiotic.
To compare and correlate anthropometric measurements of the left arm versus the right arm and to establish their relation to laterality, sex, and nutritional status in children and adolescents from 6 ...to 12 years of age.
A cross-sectional study included 605 children and adolescents (285 males; 320 females), with a middle socioeconomic status, that attended an urban elementary school. Anthropometric measurements were taken in both arms, along with height and weight, to assess nutritional status. Self-reported hand preference was recorded.
A total of 49.3% were females and 93% of the subjects were right-handed (n = 563). The mean comparison of right arm and left arm measurements and areas, according to laterality, showed differences in arm fat measurements, with higher values in the right arm. However, the mean difference in triceps skinfold and upper arm measurements between the right arm and left arm was smaller than the technical error of measurement. Significant differences were observed between arm measurements and areas. Upper arm and total upper arm areas of both arms had the highest regression coefficients, with an adjusted R
of .98, whereas the arm fat index had the lowest (adjusted R
of .88). Adjusting the previous differences between the right arm and left arm by age, sex, BMI, and laterality produced similar results.
Statistical but not clinically significant differences were found between some measurements and areas of both arms, discretely modified in models adjusted for age and BMI, so the measurements can be made on either arm.
The gonadal description of the freshwater atherinopsid pike silverside
Chirostoma estor
suggests that the gonads differentiate as ovaries or testes by 8 weeks after hatching when raised at 21 °C. ...Thermal treatments at 14 °C, 21 °C and 29 °C applied from fertilisation, clearly affected phenotypic sex ratios, suggesting that the thermolabile window of sex determination occurred early in development. In this study, exposure to the highest temperature led to male-biased sex ratios in this species. However, the effects of the lower and medium temperatures on the sex ratios were less clear, suggesting the presence of a mixture of genotypic and temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) mechanisms in
C. estor
, similar to other atherinopsids. This work further enhances our knowledge regarding the diversity and plasticity of TSD mechanisms in atherinopsid and teleost fish.
Background
The aging population in Latin America is characterized by not optimal conditions for good health, experiencing high burden of comorbidity, which contribute to increase the frequency of ...frailty; thus, identification should be a priority, to classify patients at high risk to develop its negative consequences.
Aim
The objective of this analysis was to validate the FRAIL instrument to measure frailty in Mexican elderly population, from the database of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS).
Materials and methods
Prospective, population study in Mexico, that included subjects of 60 years and older who were evaluated for the variables of frailty during the year 2001 (first wave of the study). Frailty was measured with the five-item FRAIL scale (fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illnesses, and weight loss). The robust, pre-frail or intermediate, and the frail group were considered when they had zero, one, and at least two components, respectively. Mortality, hospitalizations, falls, and functional dependency were evaluated during 2003 (second wave of the study). Relative risk was calculated for each complications, as well as hazard ratio (for mortality) through Cox regression model and odds ratio with logistic regression (for the rest of the outcomes), adjusted for covariates.
Results
The state of frailty was independently associated with mortality, hospitalizations, functional dependency, and falls. The pre-frailty state was only independently associated with hospitalizations, functional dependency, and falls.
Conclusions
Frailty measured through the FRAIL scale, is associated with an increase in the rate of mortality, hospitalizations, dependency in activities of daily life, and falls.
This paper presents the first microwave-sensor-node integrated into a short-range wireless sensor network based on ZigBee technology. The node includes an analog front-end circuit, a Frequency ...Modulated Continuous Wave generator, an Analog-to-Digital-Converter module, a transceiver, a power unit, a processing unit and a new one-port dielectric permittivity sensor which is able to measuring the separation of structural cracks by the reflection coefficient measured in microwave frequencies. The analog front-end is composed of a pair of power dividers, an isolator and a mixer. The dielectric permittivity sensor is based on a patch antenna of variable length. The processing unit and transceiver are implemented with an Arduino UNO and an XBee module respectively. Additionally, the methodology for data processing is presented and the results of the measurement of a synthetic crack are presented. The results show that the system was successfully implemented with a sensitivity of 0.07 GHz/mm, for an opening range of between 0 and 5 mm and for a frequency range ranging from 2.782 GHz to 3.131 GHz. It is important to mention that the measurement was done remotely, placing the sensor 3 m from the client PC.
Delayed wound healing increases the wound’s vulnerability to possible infections, which may have lethal outcomes. The treatments available can be effective, but the urgency is not fully encompassed. ...The drug repositioning strategy proposes effective alternatives for enhancing medical therapies for chronic diseases. Likewise, applying wound dressings as biodegradable membranes is extremely attractive due to their ease of application, therapeutic effectiveness, and feasibility in industrial manufacturing. This article aims to demonstrate the pleiotropic effects during insulin repositioning in wound closure by employing a biopolymeric membrane-type formulation with insulin. We prepared biopolymeric membranes with sodium alginate cross-linked with calcium chloride, supported in a mixture of xanthan gum and guar gum, and plasticized with glycerol and sorbitol. Human insulin was combined with poloxamer 188 as a protein stabilizing agent. Our investigation encompassed physicochemical and mechanical characterization, antioxidant and biological activity through antibacterial tests, cell viability assessments, and scratch assays as an in vitro and in vivo wound model. We demonstrated that our biopolymeric insulin membranes exhibited adequate manipulation and suitable mechanical resistance, transparency, high swelling capability (1100%), and 30% antioxidant activity. Furthermore, they exhibited antibacterial activity (growth inhibition of S. aureus at 85% and P. aeruginosa at 75%, respectively), and insulin promoted wound closure in vitro with a 5.5-fold increase and 72% closure at 24 h. Also, insulin promoted in vivo wound closure with a 3.2-fold increase and 92% closure at 10 days compared with the groups without insulin, and this is the first report that demonstrates this therapeutic effect with two administrations of 0.7 IU. In conclusion, we developed a multifunctional insulin-loaded biopolymeric membrane in this study, with the main activity derived from insulin’s role in wound closure and antioxidant activity, augmented by the antimicrobial effect attributed to the polymer poloxamer 188. The synergistic combination of excipients enhances its usefulness and highlights our innovation as a promising material in wound healing materials.
A planar epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) tunnel structure implemented on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology is used to evaluate the complex dielectric permittivity of various materials. Design, ...optimization, and fabrication of the ENZ tunnel structure are explained. Simulations and measurements on various dielectric samples using the cavity perturbation technique of the proposed structure are presented. Measured values of the permittivity are in good agreement with standard values. Sensitivity analyses are performed on the ENZ structure and the conventional SIW cavity techniques. The proposed structure has very high sensitivity, which yields more accurate results when compared to other techniques, such as perturbation of conventional cavities.
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