Lundbergdohn7504
Obesity risk transmits from parents to children. Underlying neural mechanisms were investigated in this study by evaluating influences of familial obesity risk defined by maternal obesity and influences of current overweight on three indices of brain structure in adolescents.
In total, 22 lean adolescents with lean mothers (lean low-risk), 25 lean adolescents with mothers with obesity/overweight (lean high-risk), and 36 adolescents with obesity/overweight underwent structural MRI scans for estimation of regional gray and white matter volume and cortical thickness.
The lean high-risk compared with the lean low-risk group demonstrated lower gray and white matter volume and cortical thickness in the postcentral gyrus (somatosensory cortex), lower gray and white matter volume in the opercular cortex (taste cortex), lower gray matter volume and cortical thickness in the anterior cingulate cortex, and lower cortical thickness in the precuneus. Comparisons of the lean and obesity/overweight groups revealed further structural alterations in the postcentral gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, and middle temporal gyrus.
Familial obesity risk and current obesity/overweight were associated with overlapping and distinct patterns of brain structure alterations. Longitudinal studies are warranted to investigate whether structural changes associated with familial obesity risk predict future weight trajectories.
Familial obesity risk and current obesity/overweight were associated with overlapping and distinct patterns of brain structure alterations. Longitudinal studies are warranted to investigate whether structural changes associated with familial obesity risk predict future weight trajectories.Murine typhus, a neglected rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia typhi, is a common disease in several Latin-American countries. The sylvatic life cycle of R. typhi encompasses the presence of several wild mammals, particularly opossums of the genus Didelphis and their associated fleas. Due to the colonization of wild environments by human populations, the increase in contact with opossum fleas has generated the presence of urban outbreaks of typhus. For this reason, the aim of our study was to identify the presence and diversity of Rickettsia sp. in fleas collected from opossums of an urban reserve in Mexico City. Opossums were captured from February to September 2017. For the detection of Rickettsia DNA, fragments of 800 bp of the citrate synthase (gltA) and the outer membrane protein B (ompB) were amplified. A total of 141 fleas (111 ♀, 30 ♂) of a single species (Ctenocephalides felis felis) were recovered from 31 Didelphis virginiana. SCH58261 mw Rickettsia DNA was detected in 17.7% (25/141) of the analysed fleas, recovered from seven infested opossums. The Maximum likelihood of sequences exhibited an identity of 99%-100% with sequences of R. typhi from southern United States. This work represents the first record of R. typhi in fleas from opossums in Mexico.
New York City (NYC) has been one of the hotspots of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. By the end of April 2020, close to 165000 cases and 13000 deaths were reported in the city with considerable variability across the city's ZIP codes.
In this study, we examine (a) the extent to which the variability in ZIP code-level case positivity can be explained by aggregate markers of socioeconomic status (SES) and daily change in mobility; and (b) the extent to which daily change in mobility independently predicts case positivity.
COVID-19 case positivity by ZIP code was modeled using multivariable linear regression with generalized estimating equations to account for within-ZIP clustering. Daily case positivity was obtained from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and measures of SES were based on data from the American Community Survey. Changes in human mobility were estimated using anonymized aggregated mobile phone location systems.
Our analysis indicates that the socioeconomic markers considered together explained 56% of the variability in case positivity through April 1 and their explanatory power decreased to 18% by April 30. Changes in mobility during this time period are not likely to be acting as a mediator of the relationship between ZIP-level SES and case positivity. During the middle of April, increases in mobility were independently associated with decreased case positivity.
Together, these findings present evidence that heterogeneity in COVID-19 case positivity during NYC's spring outbreak was largely driven by residents' SES.
Together, these findings present evidence that heterogeneity in COVID-19 case positivity during NYC's spring outbreak was largely driven by residents' SES.Lidocaine, one of the most commonly used local anesthetics during surgery, has been reported to suppress cancer cell growth via blocking voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs). VGSC 1.5 (NaV 1.5) is highly expressed in invasive cancers including ovarian cancer. This study aims to investigate whether lidocaine inhibits the malignancy of ovarian cancer through NaV 1.5 blockage. Human ovarian cancer, its metastatic cancer and normal ovarian tissues were probed with anti-NaV 1.5 antibody in situ. Human ovarian cancer A2780 and SKOV3 cells were cultured and their growth, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration, and invasion in the presence or absence of lidocaine together with underlying molecular mechanisms were assessed. Murine syngeneic ovarian cancer (ID8) model was also used to determine the chemotherapeutic efficiency of cisplatin in combination with lidocaine. The high level of NaV 1.5 expression was found in human ovarian cancer and even higher in its metastatic cancer but not in normal ovarian tissues. Lidocaine decreased the growth, EMT, migration, and invasion of human ovarian cancer A2780 and SKOV3 cells. Lidocaine enhanced the chemotherapeutic efficiency of cisplatin in both ovarian cancer cell cultures and a murine ovarian metastatic model. Furthermore, a downregulation of NaV 1.5 by siRNA transfection, or FAK inhibitor application, inhibited the malignant properties of SKOV3 cells through inactivating FAK/Paxillin signaling pathway. Our data may indicate that lidocaine suppresses the metastasis of ovarian cancer and sensitizes cisplatin through blocking NaV 1.5-mediated EMT and FAK/paxillin signaling pathway. The translational value of lidocaine local application as an ovarian cancer adjuvant treatment warrants further study.