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"Costa, Elena"
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From Medieval Religious Pageantry to Contemporary Social Messaging: The Medieval Cycle Plays in Honduras’ Teatro La Fragua
Using medieval religious drama as a model, Honduras’ Teatro La Fragua has developed a Gospel dramatization program that both reflects the practices of medieval theater in style and expresses the issues of a modern-day world in message. Their vernacular cycle plays are performed in public spaces by local people, written by and for the community, and staged in the streets and public spaces for ordinary people in both urban and remote rural areas. Medieval vernacular drama thus maintains an enduring stylistic presence in a modern-day counterpart as it underscores the Gospel’s message of inclusion, equity, and diversity while incorporating elements of agency and native culture.
Journal Article
Hypertension as an effect modifier for preterm and small for gestational age births in migrant women in Belgium: A population-based study
The association between migration and pregnancy outcomes gives contradictory results. Women's socio-economic status explains some differences, but its influence may vary according to women's underlying health conditions. Our aim was to understand how comorbidities modify the relationship between migration and preterm birth or small for gestational age in Belgium.
Data are related to all singleton births to women living in Belgium between 2010 and 2019 (n = 1 200 417). Maternal nationalities were grouped as Belgium, European Union, Eastern Europe, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. A logistic regression was used to estimate the association between maternal nationalities and perinatal outcomes, taking into account the socio-economic status and maternal comorbidities: hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. The interaction effect between maternal nationalities and comorbidities was tested.
Migrant women were more socio-economically disadvantaged than Belgian women. All migrant women without hypertension had a significantly lower Odd Ratio of preterm birth and small for gestational age than Belgian (p < 0.001). In contrast, women with hypertension had a higher OR than Belgian women, even after adjustment for socio-economic status and other comorbidities. This difference was more striking among Sub-Saharan African and Middle Eastern women: respectively, aORs 1.45 (95%CI 1.30-1.62) and 1.24 (95%CI 1.01-1.54) for preterm birth, and aORs 1.17 (95%CI 1.03-1.17) and 1.28 (95%CI 1.02-1.60) for small for gestational age.
Hypertension modifies the association between migration and unfavourable pregnancy outcomes. Although migrant women had a lower risk of preterm birth and small for gestational age than Belgian women, in the presence of hypertension, their risk was significantly higher than Belgian women with the same conditions. Further research is needed to analyse the complex relationships between migration, social status, women's living conditions, and perinatal outcome.
Journal Article
Efficacy and Safety of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and SGLT-2 Inhibitors in the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review
Background/Objectives: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2Is) have significantly improved the management of diabetes mellitus (DM). In the general population, these drugs have additional benefits, such as weight loss, improvement of liver steatosis, and a cardiorenal protective effect. However, data regarding the effects of GLP-1RAs or SGLT-2Is in the treatment of posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM), obesity, and their potential cardiorenal protective effects in liver transplant (LT) recipients remain limited. PTDM increases the risk of developing graft steatosis, experiencing major cardiovascular events (MACEs), and developing chronic kidney disease and reduces long-term survival in LT recipients. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of GLP-1RAs and SGLT-2Is in the treatment of PTDM in LT recipients. Methods: Twelve retrospective studies (five specifically conducted in LT recipients and seven in mixed solid organ transplant cohorts, including LT recipients) that collectively enrolled 402 LT recipients treated with GLP-1RAs and/or SGLT-2Is for PTDM were selected. Results: GLP-1Ras and SGLT-2Is reduced serum glycated hemoglobin levels, body weight, and insulin requirements in LT recipients. Some studies reported benefits in reducing graft steatosis, improving renal function, and in reducing the occurrence of MACEs. Common adverse events included gastrointestinal symptoms, which rarely required treatment discontinuation. Conclusions: GLP-1RAs and SGLT-2Is represent promising treatment options for PTDM in LT recipients, offering metabolic benefits with manageable side effects. However, further prospective studies are needed to establish the long-term safety and efficacy, as well as the favorable impact on patient survival, of these drugs in LT recipients.
Journal Article
Changes in an Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Community Along an Environmental Gradient
Gradual environmental changes are determining factors in the disposition of plants and associated organisms, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The objective of this study was to evaluate the AMF species communities in a tropical semi-arid region of NE Brazil under decreasing clay content at a mountain top area forming a vegetative mosaic of dry forests, savanna-like shrubland and humid montane forests. Through field and trap culture samples, 80 species of AMF were identified belonging to 25 genera, of which Acaulospora and Glomus were the most representative. In general, representatives of the order Gigasporales were indicators of sites with lower clay content and showed greater abundance in these sites. As expected, less richness was found in the site with higher clay content, but there was no variation in the Shannon-Weaver index in the gradient studied. The areas showed different assemblies of AMF among the sites with higher and lower clay content, and the main factors structuring the species were carbon, clay and potential acidity. In addition, field samples and trap cultures showed different assemblies; through the use of cultures it was possible to detect additional species. Soil properties have been found to be determinants for the distribution of these microorganisms and further studies in different vegetation types can help to understand the ecological preferences of AMF species.
Journal Article
Niche partitioning between sympatric wild canids: the case of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in north-eastern Italy
Background
Two coexisting species with similar ecological requirements avoid or reduce competition by changing the extent of their use of a given resource. Numerous coexistence mechanisms have been proposed, but species interactions can also be aggressive; thus, generally a subordinate species modifies its realized niche to limit the probability of direct encounters with the dominant species. We studied niche partitioning between two sympatric wild canids in north-eastern Italy: the golden jackal and the red fox, which, based on competition theories, have a high potential for competition. We considered four main niche dimensions: space, habitat, time, and diet.
Results
We investigated three study areas monitoring target species populations from March 2017 to November 2018 using non-invasive monitoring techniques. Red fox presence was ascertained in every study area, while golden jackal presence was not ascertained in one study area, where we collected data regarding wolf presence. Considering the two target species, we observed partial diet partitioning based on prey size, with the golden jackal mainly feeding on wild ungulates and the red fox mainly feeding on small mammals. The two canids had an extensive temporal overlap along the diel cycle, having both predominant crepuscular and nocturnal activity patterns, but marked spatial partitioning and differential use of habitats. The golden jackal proved to be specialist concerning the habitat dimension, while the red fox resulted completely generalist: the former selected less human-modified habitats and avoided intensively cultivated lands, while the latter was present in all habitats, including intensively cultivated lands.
Conclusions
The observed partitioning might be due partially to some ecological adaptations (e.g. specialist vs. generalist use of resources) and specific behaviours (e.g. cooperative vs. solitary hunting) and partially to the avoidance response of the red fox aimed at reducing the probability of direct encounters with the golden jackal.
Journal Article
A Single 60 mg Dose of Denosumab Might Improve Hepatic Insulin Sensitivity in Postmenopausal Nondiabetic Severe Osteoporotic Women
Background. The RANKL/RANK/OPG signaling pathway is crucial for the regulation of osteoclast activity and bone resorption being activated in osteoporosis. The pathway has been also suggested to influence glucose metabolism as observed in chronic low inflammation. Aim. To test whether systemic blockage of RANKL by the monoclonal antibody denosumab influences glucose metabolism in osteoporotic women. Study Design. This is a prospective study on the effect of a subcutaneously injected single 60 mg dose of denosumab in 14 postmenopausal severe osteoporotic nondiabetic women evaluated at baseline and 4 and 12 weeks after their first injection by an oral glucose tolerance test. Results. A single 60 mg dose of denosumab efficiently inhibited serum alkaline phosphatase while it did not exert any significant variation in fasting glucose, insulin, or HOMA-IR at both 4 and 12 weeks. No changes could be detected in glucose response to the glucose load, Matsuda Index, or insulinogenic index. Nonetheless, 60 mg denosumab induced a significant reduction in the hepatic insulin resistance index at 4 weeks and in HbA1c levels at 12 weeks. Conclusions. A single 60 mg dose of denosumab might positively affect hepatic insulin sensitivity though it does not induce clinical evident glucose metabolic disruption in nondiabetic patients.
Journal Article
Severity of bronchiolitis in infants is associated with their parents’ tobacco habit
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tobacco smoke exposure among severely pediatric ICU patients. A prospective epidemiological observational study was conducted among children with bronchiolitis younger than 2 years of age admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Children’s University Hospital La Paz during the October 2017 to March 2018 outbreak. On admission, parents were asked whether they smoked. In children who required invasive mechanical ventilation, endotracheal aspirate was collected at the time of intubation. A total of 102 patients with bronchiolitis were studied. Among these, 14 (47%) of 30 infants whose parents smoked required invasive mechanical ventilation vs. 14 (19%) of 72 whose parents were nonsmokers (p = 0.007). Among patients on invasive mechanical ventilation, 10 (71%) of 14 infants with secondhand smoke exposure presented pulmonary bacterial superinfection vs. 3 (21%) of 14 in the unexposed (p = 0.012).Conclusion: Secondhand smoke exposure is an additional high risk for pulmonary bacterial superinfection and invasive mechanical ventilation in infants with severe acute bronchiolitis What is known:•Environmental tobacco smoke exposure is known to be an important risk factor for childhood lower respiratory tract infections.•Tobacco smoke makes structural changes in the respiratory tract and reduces the immune response.What in new:•Secondhand smoke exposure showed to be associated with the increased need and duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, and pediatric intensive care length of stay.•Tobacco smoke exposure is an additional risk factor for the presence of bacteria in the endotracheal aspirate.
Journal Article
Maize-associated bacteria from the Brazilian semiarid region boost plant growth and grain yield
Microbial inoculants containing plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are low-cost tools to improve crop yield. The prospection of new strains should enable the selection of efficient microbial agents for commercial inoculants. This study aimed to isolate and select PGPB for maize in the Brazilian semiarid region. A field trial using two maize genotypes was implemented, and bacteria were isolated from maize stems and roots. The bacteria were grown in semi-solid BMGM or solid Dyg’s media, and they were characterized in vitro with respect to five plant growth-promoting mechanisms. Twenty-seven strains were assessed for growth promotion using potted maize plants. Nine bacterial strains improved plant biomass and/or N accumulation in shoots and were selected for field assessment and identification by 16S rRNA sequencing. Fourteen and 65 bacterial strains were isolated, respectively, in the semi-solid and solid medium. Auxin production without L-Tryptophan and antagonism against
F. verticillioides
were found for bacteria isolated on solid medium, and other characteristics were found for the strains from semi-solid medium. These strains were classified as
Bacillus
(5),
Brevibacillus
(2),
Staphylococcus
(1), and
Paenibacillus
(1). Five strains (
Bacillus
spp. ESA 593, ESA 597, ESA 599, ESA 600, and
Paenibacillus
sp. ESA 601) improved maize yield (56–87%) compared with the non-inoculated and non-fertilizated (N) control. In conclusion, the Brazilian drylands maize plants harbor several potential PGPB, and five elite strains were retrieved in the present study. These strains will be used for future network field assays to assure their agronomic performance.
Journal Article