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Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease associated with interleukins, their receptors, key transcription factors and more recently, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Cathelicidin LL-37 is an AMP proposed to play a fundamental role in psoriasis etiology. With our proprietary software SNPClinic v.1.0, we analyzed 203 common SNPs (MAF frequency ​> ​1%) in proximal promoters of 22 genes associated with psoriasis. These include nine genes which protein products are classic drug targets for psoriasis (TNF, IL17A, IL17B, IL17C, IL17F, IL17RA, IL12A, IL12B and IL23A). SNPClinic predictions were run with DNAseI-HUP chromatin accessibility data in eight psoriasis/epithelia-relevant cell lines from ENCODE including keratinocytes (NHEK), TH1 and TH17 lymphocytes. Results were ranked quantitatively by transcriptional relevance according to our novel Functional Impact Factor (FIF) parameter. We found six rSNPs in five genes (CAMP/cathelicidin, S100A7/psoriasin, IL17C, IL17RA and TNF) and each was confirmed as true rSNP in at least one public eQTL database including GTEx portal and ENCODE (Phase 3). Predicted regulatory SNPs in cathelicidin, IL17C and IL17RA genes may explain hyperproliferation of keratinocytes. Predicted rSNPs in psoriasin, IL17C and cathelicidin may contribute to activation and polarization of lymphocytes. Predicted rSNPs in TNF gene are concordant with the epithelium-mesenchymal transition. In spite that these results must be validated in vitro and in vivo with a functional genomics approach, we propose FOXP2, RUNX2, NR2F1, ELF1 and HESX1 transcription factors (those with the highest FIF on each gene) as novel drug targets for psoriasis. Furthermore, four out of six rSNPs uncovered by SNPClinic v.1.0 software, could also be validated in the clinic as companion diagnostics/pharmacogenetics assays for psoriasis prescribed drugs that block TNF-α (e.g. Etanercept), IL-17 (e.g. Secukinumab) and IL-17 receptor (Brodalumab).

Silica aerogel and hybrid silica aerogel/pseudowollastonite materials were synthesized by controlled hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) using also methanol (MeOH) and pseudowollastonite particles. The gels obtained were dried using a novel process based on an ambient pressure drying. Hexane and hexamethyl-disilazane (HMDZ) were the solvents used to chemically modify the surface. In order to assess bioactivity, aerogels, without and with pseudowollastonite particles, were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 7 and 14 days. The hybrid silica aerogel/pseudowollastonite showed a higher bioactivity than that observed for the single silica aerogel. However, as in both cases a lower bioactivity was observed, a biomimetic method was also used to improve it. In this particular method, samples of both materials were immersed in SBF for 7 days followed by their immersion in a more concentrated solution (1.5 SBF) for 14 days. A thick and homogeneous bonelike apatite layer was formed on the biomimetically treated materials. Thus, bioactivity was successfully improved even on the aerogel with no pseudowollastonite particles. As expected, the hybrid silica aerogel/pseudowollastonite particles showed a higher bioactivity.Se sintetizaron aerogel de sílice y aerogel híbrido de sílice/partículas de pseudowollastonita por hidrólisis controlada de tetraetoxisilano (TEOS) usando metanol (MeOH) y partículas de pseudowollastonita. Los geles obtenidos se secaron utilizando un novedoso proceso basado en una presión de secado ambiental. Hexano y hexametil-disilazano fueron los solventes usados para modificar químicamente la superficie. Para evaluar la bioactividad, los aerogeles con y sin partículas de pseudowollastonita se sumergieron en un fluido fisiológico simulado (SBF) por 7 y 14 días. El aerogel híbrido de sílice/partículas de pseudowollastonita mostró más alta bioactividad que la observada por el aerogel solo. Sin embargo, en ambos casos, se observó una baja bioactividad, por lo que se utilizó un método biomimético para mejorarla. En este método particular, muestras de ambos materiales se sumergieron en SBF por 7 días seguido de su inmersión en una solución más concentrada (1.5 SBF) por 14 días. Se formó una capa gruesa y homogénea de apatita sobre los materiales tratados biomiméticamente. Por lo tanto, la bioactividad fue mejorada con éxito incluso en el aerogel sin partículas de pseudowollastonita. Como se esperaba, el aerogel híbrido de sílice con partículas de pseudowollastonita mostró la más alta bioactividad.

In the present work it was studied the main aspect that influences on degradation and physical-chemical properties at grainboundary region of metal oxide varistors and its consequences on microstructure and nonohmic electric properties. Based on the comprehension of the degradation aspects it was proposed some methodologies to recover the varistors nonohmic properties after being failed with long (2000 μs) and short current pulses (8/20 μs). Our analysis shown that one of the cause of degradation process is related to the lowering of oxygen species amount at grain-boundary region. Therefore, it is possible to re-promote oxygen enrichment of such regions by specific thermal treatments in rich oxygen atmospheres (the best condition found in the present work was temperatures around 900°C for 2 h at an oxygen flux of 15 l/h). The proposed nonohmic properties recovering procedure appear to be valid for all kind metal oxide varistors studied and is very important from technological point of view.En este trabajo se estudia el fenómeno de la degradación eléctrica en varistores basados en ZnO y los factores físico-químicos que influyen en ella, así como su efecto sobre la microestructura y propiedades eléctricas. Con la comprensión de los fenómenos de degradación se proponen metolodogías para recuperar varistores después de fallados con pulsos de corriente de larga (2000 μs) y corta duración (8/20 μs). Los análisis mostraron que una de las causas de degradación es la pérdida de especies de oxígeno en el borde de grano, permitiendo implementar un tratamiento térmico posterior en atmósfera enriquecida de oxígeno para recuperar las propiedades del varistor (temperatura de 900°C por dos horas y 15 l/h de flujo de oxígeno, fue la mejor condición). El procedimiento de recuperación propuesto es válido para todos los sistemas varistores con base en óxido metálico, sean comerciales o no y es de gran interés tecnológico, pues torna viable el reciclaje de una gran cantidad de piezas cerámicas que actualmente son descartadas sin ningún uso.

Background: Allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is the standard treatment for bone marrow failure (BMF) in patients with Fanconi anaemia, but transplantation-associated complications such as an increased incidence of subsequent cancer are frequent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the infusion of autologous gene-corrected haematopoietic stem cells as an alternative therapy for these patients., Methods: This was an open-label, investigator-initiated phase 1/2 clinical trial (FANCOLEN-1) and long-term follow-up trial (up to 7 years post-treatment) in Spain. Mobilised peripheral blood (PB) CD34 + cells from nine patients with Fanconi anaemia-A in the early stages of BMF were transduced with a therapeutic FANCA-encoding lentiviral vector and re-infused without any cytotoxic conditioning treatment. The primary efficacy endpoint of FANCOLEN-1 was the engraftment of transduced cells, as defined by the detection of at least 0·1 therapeutic vector copies per nucleated cell of patient bone marrow (BM) or PB at the second year post-infusion, without this percentage having declined substantially over the previous year. The safety coprimary endpoint was adverse events during the 3 years after infusion. The completed open-label phase 1/2 and the ongoing long-term clinical trials are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03157804; EudraCT, 2011-006100-12; and NCT04437771, respectively., Findings: There were eight evaluable treated patients with Fanconi anaemia-A. Patients were recruited between Jan 7, 2016 and April 3, 2019. The primary endpoint was met in five of the eight evaluable patients (62·50%). The median number of therapeutic vector copies per nucleated cell of patient BM and PB at the second year post-infusion was 0·18 (IQR 0·01-0·20) and 0·06 (0·01-0·19), respectively. No genotoxic events related to the gene therapy were observed. Most treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were non-serious and assessed as not related to therapeutic FANCA-encoding lentiviral vector. Nine serious adverse events (grade 3-4) were reported in six patients, one was considered related to medicinal product infusion, and all resolved without sequelae. Cytopenias and viral infections (common childhood illnesses) were the most frequently reported TEAEs., Interpretation: These results show for the first time that haematopoietic gene therapy without genotoxic conditioning enables sustained engraftment and reversal of BMF progression in patients with Fanconi anaemia., Funding: European Commission, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and Rocket Pharmaceuticals., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests PR: has received honoraria as consultant and holds stock options and royalties for licences to Rocket Pharmaceuticals. SN: has received honoraria as consultant and holds stock options and royalties for licences to Rocket Pharmaceuticals. EN: employee of Rocket Pharmaceuticals and owns Rocket Pharmaceuticals equity and equity options. JCS: has received honoraria as consultant and holds stock options and royalties for licences to Rocket Pharmaceuticals. JSu: has received service honoraria from Rocket Pharmaceuticals. GR: employee of Rocket Pharmaceuticals and owns Rocket Pharmaceuticals equity and equity options. JSo: has received honoraria as consultant from Rocket Pharmaceuticals. JDS: employee and officer of Rocket Pharmaceuticals and owns Rocket Pharmaceuticals equity and equity options. JSe: has received support for attending meetings and honoraria as consultant, as member of advisory boards, and holds stock options and royalties for licences to Rocket Pharmaceuticals. JAB: has received honoraria as consultant and holds stock options and royalties for licences to Rocket Pharmaceuticals. AdC: has received honoraria as consultant and holds stock options and royalties for licences to Rocket Pharmaceuticals. The institutions of PR, JZ, SN, AS, PJ-N, ALB, MRa, JCS, JSu, JSe, JAB, and AdC have received funding for research on gene therapy from Rocket Pharmaceuticals. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

Seizures are a concerning adverse event frequently associated with the use of psychedelics, and hence, studies involving these substances tend to exclude patients with past history of epilepsy. This is especially relevant because epileptic seizures are markedly increased in the population suffering from mental disorders, and psychedelic assisted therapy is being researched as a promising treatment for several of them. To determine the extent of the current literature on the relationship between classic psychedelics and seizures, a scoping review was performed using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). The search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Google scholar, LILACS and Scielo, and both animal and human models were included. A total of 16 publications on humans, and 11 on animals, were found. The results are heterogeneous, but globally suggest that psychedelics may not increase the risk of seizures in healthy individuals or animals in the absence of other drugs. However, concomitant use of other substances or drugs, such as kambo or lithium, could increase the risk of seizures. Additionally, these conclusions are drawn from data lacking sufficient external validity, so they should be interpreted with caution. Future paths for research and a summary on possible neurobiological underpinnings that might clarify the relationship between classical psychedelics and seizures are also provided., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest During the past three years, O.S.A has received travel awards (air tickets + hotel) for taking part in annual psychiatric meetings from Lundbeck and Janssen-Cilag. He also has acted as a speaker for Lundbeck, and as a consultant for MAPS Foundation. None of them are related to this publication. FJGL has received honararia and speaking fees from UCB Pharma, Angellini and Eisai, none of them related to the topic of the present manuscript. AF has received educational and travel support from Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck and Rovi, and speaking fees from Abbott, unrelated to this study. The other authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.)

Patients with bipolar disorder type I (BP-I) often present with impairments in cognitive function. Offspring unaffected by the disorder can also present with cognitive dysfunction. The objective of this study was to compare the cognitive function of BP-I patients, their unaffected offspring (UO) and healthy control subjects (HC)., Methods: Verbal memory, working memory index, processing speed, attention, verbal and phonological fluency and executive function were evaluated through the application of a neuropsychological battery to three groups made up of BP-I patients that attended the Bipolar Disorder Outpatient Clinic of Clínica San Juan de Dios de Manizales [San Juan de Dios de Manizales Clinic] (n=30), UO (n=32) and control group (n=31). The UO group and the control group were matched by gender, age and level of education., Results: Major differences between the three groups were found in the measures of cognitive functions (except in semantic fluency). The HC group showed better cognitive performance in all the functions. Post-hoc analysis showed similar results in the cognitive performance between BP-I and UO except in verbal learning and executive function tasks where the results were better in UO. A better performance in the control group was found, compared to the UO group, in executive function, attention, working memory, and semantic fluency and phonological areas., Conclusions: These results indicate that the offspring of patients with BP-I present with cognitive impairments without suffering from the disorder. This suggests that cognitive dysfunction presents without diagnosis and supports the hypothesis that it can correspond to a BP-I endophenotype., (Copyright © 2022 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: Caplacizumab prevents the interaction between von Willebrand factor and platelets and is used to treat immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP). Its administration has been associated with a delay in ADAMTS13 activity restoration after plasma exchange (PEX) suspension. We analyzed the outcomes of 113 iTTP episodes, 75 of which were treated with caplacizumab, in 108 patients from the Spanish Registry of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. Caplacizumab shortened the time to platelet count normalization and reduced PEX requirement, exacerbations, and relapses. There was no difference in the time to achieve ADAMTS13 activity ≥20% after PEX end between caplacizumab-treated and nontreated episodes (median [interquartile range], 14.5 [7.7-27.2] vs 13.0 [8.0-29.0] days, P = .653). However, considering the 36 episodes in which caplacizumab was started ≤3 days after iTTP diagnosis, the time for ADAMTS13 restoration from PEX end was higher than in those episodes in which caplacizumab was started >3 days after iTTP diagnosis (20.0 [12.0-43.0] vs 11.0 [3.5-20.0] days, P = .003) or than in non-caplacizumab-treated episodes (P = .033). This finding could be related to a significantly shorter duration of PEX in early caplacizumab-treated episodes than in late caplacizumab-treated episodes (5.5 [4.0-9.0] vs 15.0 [11.0-21.5] days, P < .001) or non-caplacizumab-treated episodes (11.0 [6.0-26.0] days, P < .001). There were no differences in time to ADAMTS-13 restoration from PEX start (28.0 [17.2-47.5], 27.0 [19.0-37.5] and 29.5 [15.2-45.0] days in early caplacizumab-treated, late caplacizumab-treated and non-caplacizumab-treated episodes). Early administered caplacizumab does not prevent the requirement for immunosuppression but has beneficial effects by shortening PEX requirement without major safety concerns., (© 2024 American Society of Hematology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

Landfills are sources of soil, water, and air pollution due to the release of toxic compounds such as metals and metalloids. In both tropical and temperate environments, scavenger birds such as the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) that have learned to use these sites as a feeding area are probably exposed to metals, metalloids and other "persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances (PBTs)" released in open dumpsite (OD) and sanitary landfill (SL). The objective of this study is to evaluate the presence and distribution of toxic metals (Al, Sn, Hg, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr) and As in OD and SL from urban, semi-urban and rural localities in Campeche, México, using molting feathers of C. atratus as bioindicators. A total of 125 Black Vulture primary and secondary wing feathers were collected from OD and SL. Metals were determined by voltammetry through acid digestion. The highest levels of metals occurred in landfills in urban, semi-urban, and rural localities. The elements with the highest concentrations were Al, with an average of 35.67 ± 33.51 μg g -1 from rural environments, and As, with 16.20 ± 30.06 μg g -1 from the urban localities. Mercury was the only element that had a very homogeneous distribution between the three environments we studied. In general, Pb, Hg, Cu and Cd were the elements that presented the lowest concentrations with 0.32 ± 0.35, 0.16 ± 0.22, 0.14 ± 0.31 and 0.06 ± 0.10 μg g -1 , respectively regardless of any particular location or environment. Black Vultures from dumpsites are good bioindicators of what humans consume in urban, semi-urban, and rural environments. However, the conservation of vultures is of great importance since these scavenger birds perform ecosystem services by feeding on decomposing organic material., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Biogas serves as a crucial renewable energy vector to ensure a more sustainable energy future. However, the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) limits its application in various sectors, emphasizing the importance of effective H 2 S removal techniques for maximizing its potential. In the present study, the limits of a pilot-scale bioscrubber for biogas desulfurization was study in a real scenario. An increase in the superficial liquid velocity resulted in significant improvements in the H 2 S removal efficiency, increasing from 76 ± 8% (elimination capacity of 6.2 ± 0.5 gS-H 2 S m - 3 h -1 S m 2 S m - ) as the superficial liquid velocity increased from 50 ± 3 m h 3 to 200 ± 8 m h -1 ) as the superficial liquid velocity increased from 50 ± 3 m h -1 of 161.4 ± 0.5 m h -1 . A U SL of 161.4 ± 0.5 m h -1 was able to achieve outlet H 2 S concentrations as low as 3 ± 1 ppm v (H 2 S m 2 S oxidation reducing the nitrate demand. The maximum EC reached throughout the operation was 50.8 ± 0.6 gS-H 2 S m - 3 h -1 (H 2 S removal efficiency of 96 ± 1%) and a sulfur production of 60%. Studies in batch flocculation experiments showed sulfur removal rates up to 97.6 ± 0.9% with a cationic flocculant dose of 75 mg L -1 . Microbial analysis revealed that the predominant genus with sulfo-oxidant capacity during periods of low H 2 S inlet load was Thioalkalispira-sulfurivermis (61-69%), while in periods of higher H 2 S inlet load, family Arcobacteraceae was the most prevalent (11%)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pesticides use raises concerns regarding environmental sustainability, as pesticides are closely linked to the decline of biodiversity and adverse human health outcomes. This study proposed a holistic approach for assessing the potential risks posed by pesticides for human health and the environment in the eastern region of Michoacan, where extensive agricultural lands, especially corn and avocado fields, surround the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. We used a combination of qualitative (semi-structured interviews) and quantitative (chemical analysis) data. Fifty-five interviews with smallholder farmers allowed us to identify pesticide types, quantities, frequencies, and application methods. A robust and precise analytical method based on solid-phase extraction and LC-MS/MS was developed and validated to quantify 21 different pesticides in 16 water samples (rivers, wells, runoff areas). We assessed environmental and human health risks based on the pesticides detected in the water samples and reported in the interviews. The interviews revealed the use of 28 active ingredients, including glyphosate (29 % of respondents), imidacloprid (27 %), and benomyl (24 %). The pesticide analysis showed the presence of 13 different pesticides and degradation products in the water samples. The highest concentrations were found for imidacloprid (1195 ngL -1 ) and carbendazim (a degradation product of benomyl; 932 ngL -1 ), along with the metabolite of pyrethroid insecticides, 3-PBA (494 ngL -1 ). The risk assessment indicates that among the most used pesticides, the fungicide benomyl and carbendazim pose the highest risk to human health and aquatic ecosystems, respectively. This study unveils novel insights on agricultural practices for the avocado, a globally consumed crop that is undergoing rapid production expansion. It calls for the harmonisation of crop protection with environmental responsibility, safeguarding the health of the people involved and the surrounding ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer, and the infiltration of leukemic cells is critical for disease progression and relapse. Nuclear deformability plays a critical role in cancer cell invasion through confined spaces; however, the direct impact of epigenetic changes on the nuclear deformability of leukemic cells remains unclear. Here, we characterized how 3D collagen matrix conditions induced H3K4 methylation in ALL cell lines and clinical samples. We used specific shRNA and chemical inhibitors to target WDR5 (a core subunit involved in H3K4 methylation) and determined that targeting WDR5 reduced the H3K4 methylation induced by the 3D environment and the invasiveness of ALL cells in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, targeting WDR5 did not reduce the adhesion or the chemotactic response of leukemia cells, suggesting a different mechanism by which H3K4 methylation might govern ALL cell invasiveness. Finally, we conducted biochemical, and biophysical experiments to determine that 3D environments promoted the alteration of the chromatin, the morphology, and the mechanical behavior of the nucleus in ALL cells. Collectively, our data suggest that 3D environments control an upregulation of H3K4 methylation in ALL cells, and targeting WDR5 might serve as a promising therapeutic target against ALL invasiveness in vivo., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Coastal lagoons are ecosystems that are considered providers of a variety species of commercial value to the humans. However, they are currently threatened by a variety of anthropogenic-derived impacts, including environmental pollution by microplastics (MPs). For these reasons, it is necessary to identify suitable biomonitors for monitoring MP activities in aquatic environments and for estimating human ingestion of MPs from the consumption of commercial shellfish species. Therefore, our aims were to identify the anthropogenic activities that supply MPs into a coastal lagoon in the southern Gulf of Mexico and their variety; to determine whether oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are suitable biomonitors to perform MPs monitoring activities and to conduct an estimation of how many MPs could a human consume by the ingestion of a commercial portion of oysters harvested in this coastal lagoon. Our results noted that MP concentrations from water and sediment collected in Laguna de Terminos were 210,000 and 11.3 times higher than values reported in other protected areas worldwide. MPs chemical composition revealed that fishing and urban activities supply mainly polyethylene (21.1 %), poly (butadiene) diol (12.6 %) and polyethylene terephthalate (9.5 %). It was also determined that oysters did not reflect the spatial distribution of MPs within the study area and that a human could consume up to 806.1 MPs per 237.1 g serving of an oyster cocktail. Finally, a coastal lagoon polluted with MPs increases the risk of affecting species used for human consumption., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Corn starch dispersions (CSD) were hydrolyzed with citric acid and compared with CSD co-treated with citric acid combined with ultrasonication for 1 to 18 days, which are designated as single modification (CSD-SM) and dual modification (CSD-DM), respectively. The logistic functions monitor the dynamics of the hydrolysis advance (%) of the CSD-SM and CSD-DM as a function of time, where the zones most vulnerable to the single-treatment and/or co-treatment of the corn starch granules (CSG) are the amorphous or disordered regions. The characterization results of CSD-DM suggest that the structural changes caused by dual modification affected the morphology, sequence, and microstructure of the CSG. The heterogeneous changes caused by the dual modification changed the configuration of the CSG, generating a kind of destemming of the amorphous lamellae (depolymerization), an increase in the percentage of relative crystallinity of the CSD-DM and an active rearrangement of the intralamellar chains that promoted the relative amount of double helix for 18 days of double modification. The synergistic effect of the dual modification for CSD by the sequential combination of a chemical treatment followed by a physical one improved the hydrolyzed advance by 12 %, the relative crystallinity by 10 %, and the promotion of double helices by 25 % during 18 days of co-treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work we report the electrochemical, spectroscopical and spectro-electrochemical studies of a model complex [Cu ΙΙ (Bztpen)] 2+ , (Bztpen = (N-benzyl-N,N',N'-tris(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)ethylenediamine) in order to propose a methodology to evaluate the interaction of potential metal based anticancer agents during electron transfer processes, with transport proteins such as Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). It was possible to establish a reversible electron transfer [Cu ΙΙ (Bztpen)] 2+ +1e → [Cu Ι (Bztpen)] + and a weak interaction energy between BSA and [Cu ΙΙ (Bztpen)] and [Cu Ι (Bztpen)] species, with no adsorption of protein over the electrode surface. Circular Dichroism (CD) Spectroelectrochemistry, not reported before, reveals no significant changes in BSA structure during the electron transfer [Cu ΙΙ (Bztpen)] 2+ + 1e → [Cu Ι (Bztpen)] + . CD experiments at variable temperature for BSA denaturalization in the absence and in the presence of [Cu ΙΙ (Bztpen)] 2+ , shown no change in thermodynamic parameters due to low interaction between the transport protein and copper complex., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) is an antibody protein-complex that plays a crucial role in immune first defense against infection. Although different immune biomarkers have been associated with stress-related psychopathology, s-IgA remains poorly studied, especially in youth., Objectives: The present study investigated how s-IgA behaves in front of acute psychosocial stress in children and adolescents, including possible variability associated with developmental stage and history of childhood maltreatment (CM)., Methods: 94 children and adolescents from 7 to 17 years (54 with a current psychiatric diagnostic and 40 healthy controls) drawn from a larger Spanish study were explored (EPI-Young Stress Project). To assess biological reactivity, participants provided five saliva samples during an acute laboratory-based psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C). Samples were assayed for s-IgA, as well as for cortisol. Pubertal development was ascertained by Tanner stage and CM following TASSCV criteria., Results: We observed s-IgA fluctuations throughout the stressor, indicating the validity of TSST-C to stimulate s-IgA secretion (F(4,199) = 6.200, p <.001). Although s-IgA trajectories followed a reactivity and recovery pattern in adolescents, children exhibited no s-IgA response when faced with stress (F(4,197) = 3.406, p =.010). An interaction was found between s-IgA and CM (F(4,203) = 2.643, p =.035). Interestingly, an interaction between developmental stage, CM history and s-IgA reactivity was identified (F(12,343) = 2.036, p =.017); while children non-exposed to maltreatment exhibited no s-IgA changes to acute stress, children with a history of CM showed a similar response to adolescents, increasing their s-IgA levels after the psychosocial stressor., Conclusion: Acute psychosocial stress stimulates s-IgA secretion, but only after puberty. However, children with a history of maltreatment exhibited a response resembling that of adolescents, suggesting an early maturation of the immune system. Further studies are needed to clarify the validity of s-IgA as an acute stress biomarker, including additional measures during stress exposure., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) outcome has improved in the last decades, but leukemic relapses are still one of the main problems of this disease. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) was investigated as a new candidate biomarker with potential prognostic relevance, and its pathogenic role was assessed in the development of disease. A retrospective study was performed with 115 pediatric patients with BCP-ALL, and BMP4 expression was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in leukemic blasts at the time of diagnosis. BMP4 mRNA expression levels in the third (upper) quartile were associated with a higher cumulative incidence of relapse as well as a worse 5-year event-free survival and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Importantly, this association was also evident among children classified as having a nonhigh risk of relapse. A validation cohort of 236 patients with BCP-ALL supported these data. Furthermore, high BMP4 expression promoted engraftment and rapid disease progression in an NSG mouse xenograft model with CNS involvement. Pharmacological blockade of the canonical BMP signaling pathway significantly decreased CNS infiltration and consistently resulted in amelioration of clinical parameters, including neurological score. Mechanistically, BMP4 favored chemoresistance, enhanced adhesion and migration through brain vascular endothelial cells, and promoted a proinflammatory microenvironment and CNS angiogenesis. These data provide evidence that BMP4 expression levels in leukemic cells could be a useful biomarker to identify children with poor outcomes in the low-/intermediate-risk groups of BCP-ALL and that BMP4 could be a new therapeutic target to blockade leukemic CNS disease., (© 2022 by The American Society of Hematology.)

Suspended biomass bioreactors can be operated to remove H 2 S from biogas under anoxic conditions and produce elemental sulfur, the commercial value of which has been demonstrated. In the present paper, a novel methodology comprising the optimization of a determination method performed in a gas chromatograph equipped with a pulsed flame photometric detector (GC-PFPD), combined with a simple preparation based on filtration and extraction with toluene, is proposed. The injector temperature and carrier gas flow rate (Q He ) values were optimized using a response surface methodology based on a face-centred composite central design. This optimization revealed that the optimum conditions were an injector temperature and carrier gas flow rate of 222 °C and 7 mL min -1 , respectively. The chromatographic method shows an analysis time of 48 min, a detection limit of more than 5.9 mg L -1 , a relative standard deviation of less than 3.71%, and a sulfur recovery percentage of more than 98%. These values provide excellent linearity and a reasonable concentration range (10-200 mg L -1 ). Finally, a measurement error of 4.45% was obtained when using the present method in a selectivity test., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rapid diagnosis provides better clinical management of patients, helps control possible outbreaks, and increases survival. The study of deposits produced by the evaporation of droplets is a useful tool in the diagnosis of some health problems. With the aim to improve diagnostic time in clinical practice where we use the evaporation of droplets, we explored the effects of substrate temperature on pattern formation of dried droplets in globular protein solutions. Three deposit groups were observed: "functional" patterns (from 25 to 37  ∘ C), "transition" patterns (from 44 to 50  ∘ C), and "eye" patterns (from 58 to 63  ∘ C). The dried droplets of the first two groups show a ring structure ("coffee-ring") that confines a great diversity of aggregates such as needle-like structures, tiny blade-shape crystals, highly symmetrical crystallization patterns, and amorphous salt aggregates. In contrast, the "eye" patterns are deposits with a large inner aggregate surrounded by a coffee ring, and they can appear from the evaporation of droplets in protein binary mixtures and blood serum. Interestingly, the unfolding proteins correlates with the formation of "eye" patterns. We measured stain diameter, "coffee-ring" thickness, radial density profile, and entropy computed by GLCM-statistics to quantify the structural differences among deposit groups. We found that "functional" patterns are structurally indistinguishable among them, but they are clearly different from elements of the other deposit groups. An exponential decay function describes pattern formation time as a function of substrate temperature, which is independent from protein concentration. Patterns formation at 32  ∘ C takes place up to 63% less time and preserves the structural characteristics of dried droplets in proteins formed at room temperature. Therefore, we argue that droplet evaporation at this substrate temperature could be an excellent candidate to make a more efficient diagnosis based on droplet evaporation of biofluids., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Malaria is a parasitic disease caused by protists of the genus Plasmodium, which are transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Analytical methodologies and efficient drugs exist for the early detection and treatment of malaria, and yet this disease continues infecting millions of people and claiming several hundred thousand lives each year. One of the reasons behind this failure to control the disease is that the standard method for malaria diagnosis, microscopy, is time-consuming and requires trained personnel. Alternatively, rapid diagnostic tests, which have become common for point-of-care testing thanks to their simplicity of use, tend to be insufficiently sensitive and reliable, and PCR, which is sensitive, is too complex and expensive for massive population screening. In this work, we report a sensitive simplified ELISA for the quantitation of Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (Pf-LDH), which is capable of detecting malaria in 45-60 min. Assay development was founded in the selection of high-performance antibodies, implementation of a poly-horseradish peroxidase (polyHRP) signal amplifier, and optimization of whole-blood sample pre-treatment. The simplified ELISA achieved limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.11 ng mL -1 and 0.37 ng mL -1 , respectively, in lysed whole blood, and an LOD comparable to that of PCR in Plasmodium in vitro cultures (0.67 and 1.33 parasites μL -1 for ELISA and PCR, respectively). Accordingly, the developed immunoassay represents a simple and effective diagnostic tool for P. falciparum malaria, with a time-to-result of <60 min and sensitivity similar to the reference PCR, but easier to implement in low-resource settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acute-phase glycoprotein 1 H-NMR spectroscopy profiles serve as surrogate markers of chronic inflammation in metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The latter is associated with increased height-to-width (H/W) ratios of GlycA and GlycB after fasting, but not to glycoprotein areas, regardless of obesity. We studied the responses to separate glucose, lipid and protein oral challenges of five glycoprotein variables (GlycA, GlycB, and GlycF areas and the GlycA and GlycB H/W ratios) in 17 women with PCOS, 17 control women, and 19 healthy men. Glucose and protein ingestion resulted into decreases in all glycoprotein variables, whereas lipid ingestion increased GlycA, GlycF and induced minimal changes in GlycB and GlycB H/W. We found no effects of obesity or group of subjects on postprandial glycoprotein variables regardless of the macronutrient being ingested. However, a statistically significant interaction indicated that obesity blunted the decrease in some of these variables in control women and men, whereas obese women with PCOS showed larger changes when compared with their non-obese counterparts. In conclusion, acute-phase glycoprotein profiles indicate an anti-inflammatory response during postprandial phase that is less pronounced after lipid ingestion, and is counteracted by the chronic inflammatory background associated with obesity and PCOS., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Biological desulfurization of biogas has been extensively studied using biotrickling filters (BTFs). However, the accumulation of elemental sulfur (S°) on the packing material limits the use of this technology. To overcome this issue, the use of a continuous stirred tank bioreactor (CSTBR) under anoxic conditions for biogas desulfurization and S° production is proposed in the present study. The effect of the main parameters (stirring speed, N/S molar ratio, hydraulic residence time (HRT) and gas residence time (GRT)) on the bioreactor performance was studied. Under an inlet load (IL) of 100 g S-H 2 S m -3 h -1 and a GRT of 119 s, the CSTBR optimal operating conditions were 60 rpm, N/S molar ratio of 1.1 and a HRT of 42 h, in which a removal efficiency (RE) and S° production of 98.6 ± 0.4 % and 88 % were obtained, respectively. Under a GRT of 41 s and an IL of 232 g S-H 2 S m -3 h -1 the maximum elimination capacity (EC) of 166.0 ± 7.2 g S-H 2 S m -3 h -1 (RE = 71.7 ± 3.1 %) was obtained. A proportional-integral feedback control strategy was successfully applied to the bioreactor operated under a stepped variable IL., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Previous studies have suggested that sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors may improve hepatic function; however, the evidence is scarce. Hence, we performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on hepatic parameters. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials examining the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on hepatic parameters. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model and sensitivity analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that SGLT2 inhibitors therapy significantly lowered alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (WMD: -4.79 U/L, 95 % CI: -6.10, -3.47, I 2 = 62 %, p < 0.00001), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (WMD: -2.49 U/L, 95 % CI: -3.30, -1.68, I 2 = 54 %, p < 0.00001), alkaline phosphatase (AP) (WMD: -1.13 U/L, 95 % CI: -2.03, -0.22, I 2 = 23 %, p = 0.02), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (WMD: -7.77 U/L, 95 % CI: -9.33, -6.21, I 2 = 5 %, p < 0.00001). Additionally, SGLT2 inhibitors showed a significant increase in bilirubin levels (WMD: 0.64 U/L, 95 % CI: 0.27, 1.00, I 2 = 53 %, p < 0.0006. Finally, no significant changes were found on albumin levels (WMD: 0.13 U/L, 95 % CI: -0.06, 0.32, I 2 = 53 %, p < 0.0006) after SGLT2 inhibitors treatment. In conclusion, our results suggest that treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors exerts a beneficial effect on liver function tests through decreased ALT, AST, AP, and GGT concentrations., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Anoxic biodesulfurization has been achieved in several bioreactor systems that have shown robustness and high elimination capacities (ECs). However, the high operating costs of this technology, which are mainly caused by the high requirements of nitrite or nitrate, make its full-scale application difficult. In the present study, the use of biologically produced nitrate/nitrite by nitrification of two different ammonium substrates, namely synthetic medium and landfill leachate, is proposed as a novel alternative. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using both ammonium substrates as nutrient solutions. A maximum elemental sulfur production of 95 ± 1% and a maximum H 2 S EC of 141.18 g S-H 2 S m -3  h -1 (RE = 95.0%) was obtained using landfill leachate as the ammonium source. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis of the microbial community revealed that the most common genera present in the desulfurizing bioreactor were Sulfurimonas (91.8-50.9%) followed by Thauera (1.1-24.2%) and Lentimicrobium (2.0-9.7%)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To evaluate the relationship between glycemic control and plasma glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)., Methods: We conducted a population-based, retrospective, nested, case-control study involving 124,876 patients with DM2 from the Canary Islands, Spain. From the cohort, we selected all COPD cases and, for each case, five control subjects who were COPD free. We analyzed the association between glycemic control, HbA1c level and incident COPD., Results: A total of 1320 incidence cases of COPD (1.06%) were identified and matched individually with 6600 controls according to age and sex. After multivariate adjustment, the COPD risk increased among patients with poor glycemic control compared to patients with good glycemic control [HbA1c levels <7% (53 mmol/mol)] (OR 1.18; 95% CI: 1.03-1.36). In comparison with patients exhibiting HbA1c levels <7% (53 mmol/mol), the risk of COPD was higher among people with HbA1c levels of 7-8% (53-64 mmol/mol) (OR 1.24; 95% CI: 1.05-1.47) and 8-9% (64-75 mmol/mol) (OR 1.31; 95% CI: 1.04-1.66)., Conclusions: Poor glycemic control reveals a weak association with increased risk of COPD in T2D patients., (Copyright © 2020 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. All rights reserved.)

The characteristics and distribution of plastic litter were evaluated in October 2018 at 40 beaches along the coast of Cádiz Province, in Spain. A total of 14,261 plastic items, appertaining to 57 litter groups, were identified along the study area at different beach zones, i.e. at low tide water level (2%), along the foreshore (6%), at high tide water level (67%) and in the backshore area (25%). Plastic items have a great floatability, being this one of the main reasons for their proportional dominance among beach litter, especially in the wrack line. Hundreds of measurements were made of different items using Raman spectroscopy, an effective technique to determine the type of plastic. Cellulose acetate represented the most abundant material (79%) linked to cigarette butts, followed by polypropylene, 9% and polyethylene, 8%. The remaining were composed by polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride. Smoke related items were the most common in the study area, followed by film and hard pieces, cotton bud sticks, fishing strings, food wrappers, caps/lids and single-use plastics. Beach litter can be related to beachgoers but some categories can be attributed to fishing activities or wastewater discharges. Plastics cause a multitude of damages to the coastal ecosystem, due to their toxic components and adsorbed substances and their facility of fragmentation and dispersion. Principal objective is the compositional characterization of plastic beach litter items and their spatial variability. It is therefore important to avoid unnecessary consumption, promote recycling and use other materials that are less harmful to the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Genitourinary disorders are the most frequent congenital defects in newborns; however, little is known about their etiology. Several studies have been carried out to find genetic risk factors in the development of these malformations. The expression of VAMP7 is found in testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles, prostatic tissues, penis, and urethra. Alterations in gene dose of VAMP7 were recently reported in a subset of male patients initially identified clinically by the presence of congenital genitourinary disorders. In 2016, the authors developed a diagnostic algorithm for early detection of sex chromosome aneuploidies by quantifying the SHOX, VAMP7, and SRY gene dose in newborns by qPCR using dried blood spot (DBS) samples., Objective: Correlate the increased gene dose of VAMP7, obtained by qPCR using DBS, with genitourinary congenital defects attributable to disorders in virilization and verify the increased gene dose by microarrays., Study Design: Samples that only presented increased VAMP7 gene dosage were selected from a previously analyzed group of 5088 males in which the early detection of sex chromosomes aneuploidies was performed. Eight males were found with an increased gene dose of VAMP7 (relative quantitation > 1.3) and were called in for a complete clinical evaluation aimed at the identification of genitourinary anomalies, qPCR and microarrays., Results: Eight males from 5088 samples were identified with increased VAMP7 gene dosage of which six patients were clinically evaluated, of which 50% were identified with alterations in genital development (bilateral cryptorchidism, unilateral cryptorchidism, and glandular hypospadias) and speech delay, while the rest presented different types of atopy., Discussion: Tannour-Louet et al. postulated on 2014 that the duplication of the Xq28 region, specifically of VAMP7, plays a role in the human masculinization disorders of the urogenital tract. The study was based on array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) results performed to 116 males with disorders of sexual differentiation. In the present study, the patients were initially selected due to an increased gene dose of VAMP7 detected by qPCR, then the clinical evaluation and the aCGH were performed, inverse to what was reported previously but with similar percentages between both studies., Conclusion: In this work, the authors report cases of cryptorchidism, hypospadias, language delay and atopy in male preschoolers initially identified because they have an increased gene dose of VAMP7., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Anoxic biotrickling filters (BTFs) represent a technology with high H 2 S elimination capacity and removal efficiencies widely studied for biogas desulfurization. Three changes in the final electron acceptors were made using nitrate and nitrite during an operating period of 520 days. The stability and performance of the anoxic BTF were maintained when a significant perturbation was applied to the system that involved the progressive change of nitrate to nitrite and vice versa. Here the impact of electron acceptor changes on the microbial community was characterized by denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis (DGGE) and next generation sequencing (NGS). Both platforms revealed that the community underwent changes during the perturbations but was resilient because the removal capacity did not significantly change. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the main Phyla and Sulfurimonas and Thiobacillus the main nitrate-reducing sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (NR-SOB) genera involved in the biodesulfurization process., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The objetive of the current study was to determine the effect of maternal energy status during late gestation on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of steer progeny. At 180 ± 4 d of gestation 56 multiparous Angus cows were blocked by BW and expected calving date and asigned to three levels of nutrition energy: SR (severe restricted; 50% of NRC requirement), MR (moderate restricted; 75% of requirement) and NR (no restricted; 100% of requirement). After parturition, all cows were managed in a single group during lactation. A total of 25 male calves (SR = 8 calves; MR = 9 calves; NR = 8 calves) were born from pregnant cows and all pens had at least one male calf. After weaning, male calves were separated of female calves and were stockered on native range until 24 ± 0.1 months of age then placed into a feedlot for 104 d before harvest. Cow BW and BCS decreased linearly (P < .01) as nutritional energy restriction increased. Calves from SR dams were lighter (P = .04) than calves from MR and NR dams at parturition, however, at weaning and harvest BW was similar for SR and NR steers and decreased in MR steers. Steers from SR dams demonstrated catch-up growth with a tendecy to increased ADG from birth to harvest compared to MR and NR steers (P = .06). Hot carcass weigth was similar in SR and NR steers and increased in MR steers (P = .01). Longissimus muscle area was not affected (P > .10) by maternal energy status, however, 12 rib fat thickness was greater in SR and MR compared to NR steers (P < .01). Tenderness of Longissimus muscle was decreased in MR compared to SR and NR steers after 3d of aging. No treatment differences (P > .10) were observed in sarchomere length or collagen content. Adipocyte diameter was similar (P > .10) between treatments suggesting that decreased 12th rib fat thicness in MR steers could be due to decreased fat tissue hyperplasia. These results indicate that level of energy restriction during late gestation does no have linear response on growth performance and carcass quality of steers progeny., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors whose names were listed previously certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers' bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Severe mental illness diagnoses have overlapping symptomatology and shared genetic risk, motivating cross-diagnostic investigations of disease-relevant quantitative measures. We analysed relationships between neurocognitive performance, symptom domains, and diagnoses in a large sample of people with severe mental illness not ascertained for a specific diagnosis (cases), and people without mental illness (controls) from a single, homogeneous population., Methods: In this case-control study, cases with severe mental illness were ascertained through electronic medical records at Clínica San Juan de Dios de Manizales (Manizales, Caldas, Colombia) and the Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación (Medellín, Antioquía, Colombia). Participants were assessed for speed and accuracy using the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (CNB). Cases had structured interview-based diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar 1, bipolar 2, or major depressive disorder. Linear mixed models, using CNB tests as repeated measures, modelled neurocognition as a function of diagnosis, sex, and all interactions. Follow-up analyses in cases included symptom factor scores obtained from exploratory factor analysis of symptom data as main effects., Findings: Between Oct 1, 2017, and Nov 1, 2019, 2406 participants (1689 cases [schizophrenia n=160; bipolar 1 disorder n=519; bipolar 2 disorder n=204; and major depressive disorder n=806] and 717 controls; mean age 39 years (SD 14); and 1533 female) were assessed. Participants with bipolar 1 disorder and schizophrenia had similar impairments in accuracy and speed across cognitive domains. Participants with bipolar 2 disorder and major depressive disorder performed similarly to controls, with subtle deficits in executive and social cognition. A three-factor model (psychosis, mania, and depression) best represented symptom data. Controlling for diagnosis, premorbid IQ, and disease severity, high lifetime psychosis scores were associated with reduced accuracy and speed across cognitive domains, whereas high depression scores were associated with increased social cognition accuracy., Interpretation: Cross-diagnostic investigations showed that neurocognitive function in severe mental illness is characterised by two distinct profiles (bipolar 1 disorder and schizophrenia, and bipolar 2 disorder and major depressive disorder), and is associated with specific symptom domains. These results suggest the utility of this design for elucidating severe mental illness causes and trajectories., Funding: US National Institute of Mental Health., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: Most evidence linking the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with chronic low-grade inflammation has been obtained in the fasting state. We have studied the postprandial inflammatory response to oral glucose, lipid and protein challenges and the possible influences of obesity, sex and PCOS on these responses., Methods: On alternate days, we submitted 17 women with PCOS (9 non-obese, 8 obese), 17 control women (9 non-obese, 8 obese) and 19 control men (10 non-obese, 9 obese) to isocaloric (300 Kcal) oral macronutrient loads. We assayed serum for TNF-α, IL-6, IL-18, IL-10, pentraxin-3 and galectin-3 concentrations and leukocytes for expression of TNF, IL6, IL10 and their receptors TNFRSF1B, IL6R and IL10RA., Results: Circulating IL-6 levels decreased after glucose and protein ingestion but slightly increased after oral lipid intake. Leukocyte IL6 expression did not change after the ingestion of any macronutrient yet IL6R expression increased during all macronutrient challenges, the largest increase being observed after glucose ingestion. Serum TNF-α similarly decreased during either macronutrient load, whereas TNF expression increased after macronutrient ingestion, the highest increase observed after oral glucose. TNFRSF1B expression also increased after glucose intake but not after lipid or protein ingestion. No global effect of obesity or group on postprandial circulating IL-6, TNF-α, or IL6, IL6R, TNF and TNFRSF1B expression was found. Circulating IL-18 concentrations decreased during all oral challenges, whereas in case of galectin-3 and pentraxin-3 only the protein load caused a reduction in its concentrations. Of the genes studied here, IL10 showed the largest increase in expression throughout all the postprandial curves, particularly after glucose. Obesity blunted the increase in IL10 expression. IL10RA expression decreased after glucose ingestion but remained unchanged during lipid and protein loads., Conclusions: Glucose ingestion, as opposed to lipid and protein intake, results into the largest increase in leukocyte gene expression of inflammatory mediators. The expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL10 was the largest observed here, suggesting a compensatory mechanisms against postprandial inflammation that may be blunted in obesity. However, these responses did not translate into the circulating concentrations of these inflammatory mediators during the immediate postprandial phase., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)