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Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease of autoimmune etiology and chronic evolution. In addition to the muscle weakness and fatigue that characterize MG, in some studies patients show an inferior performance in cognitive tasks and difficulties in recognizing basic emotions from facial expressions. However, it remains unclear if these difficulties are due to anxious–depressive symptoms that these patients present or related to cognitive abilities, such as facial recognition. This study had a descriptive cross-sectional design with a sample of 92 participants, 52 patients with MG and 40 healthy controls. The data collection protocol included measures to assess recognition of facial expressions (BRFT), facial emotional expression (FEEL), and levels of anxiety and depression (HADS). The MG group had worse performance than the control group in recognizing "fear" (p = 0.001; r = 0.344), "happiness" (p = 0.000; r = 0.580), "disgust" (p = 0.000; r = 0.399), "surprise" (p = 0.000; r = 0.602), and "anger" (p = 0.007; r = 0.284). Likewise, the MG group also underperformed in facial recognition (p = 0.001; r = 0.338). These difficulties were not related to their levels of anxiety and depression. Alterations were observed both in the recognition of facial emotions and in facial recognition, without being mediated by emotional variables. These difficulties can influence the interpersonal interaction of patients with MG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Ochratoxin A (OTA), a nephrotoxic mycotoxin categorized as a possible carcinogenic agent, is a current problem in the cheese manufacturing industry. The main OTA producers are Penicillium nordicum and Penicillium verrucosum. Therefore, we aimed to investigate different cheese ripening phases to hinder OTA production. We elaborated cheese analogues, inoculated both fungal species, and performed two different ripening phases, at 10 and 15 °C. Despite the fact that both were able to grow, they did not express genes related to OTA production, and no OTA was detected during two weeks of ripening. Therefore, we show that, when the first phases of ripening are maintained at <15 °C, the possibility of OTA production is dramatically minimized. This information is of utmost importance for industries to enhance the safety of their cheese products, which positively impacts human health. A lack of control of the technological abiotic parameters apparent during cheese manufacture, including temperature and relative humidity, results in this dairy product being prone to mold contamination. Sometimes, inoculant molds are used to obtain the characteristic sensory properties of this type of product. However, during the maturation process, some unwanted molds can colonize the ripening cheese and produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxigenic molds such as Penicillium nordicum and Penicillium verrucosum can colonize ripened cheeses, contaminating them with ochratoxin A (OTA), a nephrotoxic 2B toxin. Thus, the presence of OTA in cheeses could represent a hazard to consumers' health. This study has evaluated the growth and OTA production of P. nordicum and P. verrucosum on a cheese analogue under simulated ripening conditions of 10 and 15 °C and 0.96 water activity (aw). Ecophysiological, molecular, and analytical tools assessed the mold growth, gene expression, and OTA production under these environmental conditions. Both species were able to effectively colonize the cheese under these ripening conditions. However, neither species expressed the otapks and otanps biosynthetic genes or produced phenotypic OTA. Therefore, these results suggest a relatively low risk of exposure to OTA for consumers of this type of cheese product. The conditions used were thus appropriate for cheese ripening to minimize the potential for contamination with such mycotoxins. An appropriate adjustment of the technological ripening parameters during such cheese manufacture could contribute to OTA-free cheeses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to determine the effects of a neuropsychosocial teleassistance group-based intervention on improving social cognitive functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in pediatric neuromuscular diseases (NMD). Methods Thirty-five pediatric patients with NMD were assigned to the neuropsychosocial intervention program (n  = 20) or waiting list control condition (n  = 15). The intervention group received an integrative approach that combines training in social cognition with cognitive behavioral therapy. All participants completed a neuropsychological and clinical assessment at baseline and follow-up, which included tests of social cognition, both for emotion recognition and theory of mind, and HRQoL. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of covariance was used to determine the effects of the teleassistance program. Results Group × Time interactions revealed significant improvements in the intervention group as compared with the control group for different social cognition's indicators (AR NEPSY-II: p  =  .003, η 2p =.24; TM NEPSY: p  <  .001, η 2p =.35; Verbal task: p  <  .001, η 2p =.35; Happé's Strange Stories: p  =  .049, η 2p =.11) and HRQoL (Psychosocial health: p  =  .012, η 2p =.18; Emotional functioning: p  =  .037, η 2p = 0.13; Social functioning: p  =  .006, η 2p =.21; Total: p  =  .013, η 2p =.17), showing medium to large effects. Conclusions Patients receiving the neuropsychosocial intervention showed improvements in their social cognition performance and psychosocial HRQoL, providing evidence about the positive effects of the program in pediatric patients with NMD. This should be considered in further research and interventions in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have suggested that the encapsulation of natural antimicrobials increases their antimicrobial activity. In this sense, the objective was to study the inactivation of microorganisms with encapsulated cinnamaldehyde and vanillin (E-CIN and E-VN), in comparison with the unencapsulated antimicrobials (CIN and VN) in protein beverages. Additionally, the microbial response was quantified through mathematical modeling. Cinnamaldehyde and vanillin were encapsulated using whey protein concentrate (WPC) as the encapsulating agent. The effectiveness at inactivating Escherichia coli, Listeria innocua, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was evaluated in a protein-apple juice beverage during storage (4 °C). Encapsulation increased the effectiveness of cinnamaldehyde, reaching reductions of 1.8, 3.3, and 5.3 log CFU/mL in E. coli, L. innocua, and S. cerevisiae, respectively, while vanillin encapsulation had little effect on antimicrobial activity, reducing by 0.5, 1.4, and 1.1 log cycles, respectively. The combined treatments (E-CIN + E-VN) had an additive effect in reducing E. coli and a synergistic effect against S. cerevisiae. The Gompertz model was more versatile and better described the biphasic curves, whereas the Weibull model complemented the information regarding the spectrum of resistances within the microbial population. In conclusion, the encapsulation of cinnamaldehyde with WPC enhanced its activity. However, further studies are necessary to improve the antimicrobial activity of vanillin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the oil extraction from freeze-dried maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) by supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide (SFE-CO2). The basic objective was to optimize the oil yield and the tocopherol concentration. A Box/Behnken experimental design was developed with three processing variables: supercritical pressure (74, 187, and 300 bar), temperature (35, 48, and 60 °C), and extracting time (30, 135, and 240 min). Multiple optimizations, based on the combination of factor levels at 274 bar, 240 min, and 60 °C, led to the highest oil yield and tocopherol values. The validation of the optimized conditions of maqui oil extraction led to an oil yield of 8% and values of 735, 53, and 97 (mg·kg−1 oil) for α-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol, and γ-tocopherol, respectively. A higher concentration of tocopherol compounds was observed when compared to the employment of the conventional extracting method. The optimized SFE-CO2 method led to an oil extract exhibiting higher Hydrophilic-Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (H-ORAC) assay and total phenol content (22 μmol Trolox equivalents·g−1 oil and 28 mg gallic acid equivalents·g−1 oil) than the oil obtained by the conventional procedure. A practical and accurate oil extraction is proposed for obtaining tocopherol-enriched oil including high concentrations of valuable lipophilic antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chiari malformation (CM) Type I is a rare disorder that implies an anomaly in the craniocervical junction, where one or both cerebellar tonsils are displaced below the foramen magnum into the cervical spinal channel. Research carried out regarding cognitive symptoms such as verbal fluency is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate whether verbal fluency is impaired in a CM clinical group compared to a group of healthy control individuals while controlling for depression and anxiety symptomatology. Method: For this purpose, 101 individuals were enrolled to take part in the study (51 CM, 50 healthy controls). The Controlled Oral Word Association Test (Benton, de Hamsher, & Sivan, 1983) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983) were administered. Results: Results showed significantly lower scores for the CM group in verbal fluency compared to the control group (p < 0.005). After performing an analysis of covariance to eliminate depression and anxiety symptomatology tendencies, it was observed that verbal fluency could not be predicted by this variable (p > 0.005). Conclusions: From the results of this study, it can be concluded that people suffering from CM exhibit less verbal fluency than healthy control individuals and that this difference is not caused by depression or anxiety.

Neuromuscular diseases (NMD) cover a broad spectrum of different rare diagnoses in which the primary lesion is in the peripheral nervous system. The impairment caused by an NMD does not only interfere with physical status but also has a clear impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). It is therefore essential to know the coping style used by these patients. This study aims to analyze the coping strategies in a sample of people with NMD and how their coping style affects their HRQoL. This cross-sectional study included 61 adult patients diagnosed with a rare NMD. WHO-DAS II, SIP, SF-36, and COPE-60 instruments were administered. The results showed that people affected by NMDs tend to use more frequent coping strategies such as active planning, personal growth, and acceptance. In contrast, the least-used strategies were restraint, mental disengagement, venting, humor, and religion, which affected HRQoL negatively. Moreover, the degree of disability was a relevant variable, with an impact on HRQoL. Social support can be considered the main coping strategy that leads to an improvement in the psychosocial HRQoL (β = 503, p < 0.001). These findings are relevant to clinical practice, given the need to understand the coping variable to improve HRQoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four different concentrations of an aqueous extract of cuttlefish (Sepia spp.) ink (CI) were introduced, respectively, into the packing medium employed during golden seabream (Sparus aurata) canning. The quality parameters of the resulting canned fish were determined and compared to the initial fish and the control canned muscle. An important effect of the CI concentration introduced in the packing medium was proved. The presence in the packing medium of a relatively low CI concentration (CI-2 batch) led to a lower (p < 0.05) lipid oxidation development (fluorescent compound formation), lower (p < 0.05) changes of colour parameters (L* and a* values), and lower (p < 0.05) trimethylamine values in canned fish when compared to control canned samples. Additionally, the two lowest CI concentrations tested led to higher average values of C22:6ω3, ω3/ω6 ratios, and polyene index. On the contrary, the use of the most concentrated CI extract (CI-4 condition) led to a prooxidant effect (higher fluorescence ratio value). In agreement with environmental sustainability and circular economy requirements, the study can be considered the first approach to a novel and valuable use of the current marine byproduct for the quality enhancement of canned fish. On-coming research focused on the optimisation of the CI-extract concentration is envisaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Informal caregivers of elderly people with dependency (EPD) provide intensive care that can affect their quality of life (QoL). Psychosocial interventions such as music therapy are important to work on their self-care. The aim of this study is to analyze, with a mixed method approach, the experience of participating in a Songwriting Group Music Therapy (SGMT) intervention on informal caregivers of EPD. Methods: A total of 11 groups, with a convenience sample of 61 caregivers, received 10 SGMT sessions. Quantitative information related to QoL variables (anxiety, depression, spirituality, burden, and coping) was collected before and after the intervention and at 3 months of follow-up. Regarding qualitative data, an open-ended question about the experience of participating was asked. Results: Significant changes were shown, sustained over time, in trait anxiety and depression and subscales including inner peace, social functioning, and mental health. Three themes were generated from the thematic analysis, including that SGMT participation can enhance personal growth, bring out and enable work on emotions, and promote helpful interpersonal dynamics. Discussion: The findings indicate that SGMT is a useful intervention for informal caregivers of EPD, promoting psychological adjustment, enhanced coping, emotional regulation, and social support. This study reinforces the findings with caregivers of other populations, providing new results and highlighting the benefits of SGMT for caregivers of EPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pediatric muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a heterogeneous group of rare neuromuscular diseases characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. A neuropsychosocial approach is crucial for these patients due to associated cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric comorbidities; however, the social cognitive domain has not been adequately addressed. Methods: This study aimed to analyze on social cognition performance in a pediatric MD patient cohort. This cross-sectional study included 32 pediatric patients with MD and 32 matched-healthy controls. The Social Perception Domain of the NEPSY-II, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test--Child and Happé's Strange Stories Test were administered. General intelligence and behavioral and emotional symptoms were controlled for to eliminate covariables' possible influence. The assessments were performed remotely. Results: Children with MDs performed significantly worse on most of the social cognition tasks. The differences found between the groups could be explained by the level of general intelligence for some aspects more related to theory of mind (ToM) (TM NEPSY-II: F = 1.703, p = .197; Verbal task: F = 2.411, p = .125; RMET-C: F = 2.899, p = .094), but not for emotion recognition. Furthermore, these differences were also independent of behavioral and emotional symptoms. Discussion: In conclusion, social cognition is apparently impaired in pediatric patients with MD, both for emotion recognition and ToM. Screening assessment in social cognition should be considered to promote early interventions aimed at improving these patient's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The dystrophinopathies called Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD) are rare, progressive, incurable, and life-limiting paediatric-onset neuromuscular diseases. These diseases have long been associated with specific neuropsychological deficits. However, the performance of these patients in the social cognition domain has not been properly investigated. Thus, the main objective of this study was to compare the performance on social cognition between DMD/BMD patients and healthy age-matched boys. Method: This cross-sectional study included 20 DMD/BMD children and adolescents and 20 healthy controls. The protocol included the Social Perception Domain of the NEPSY-II, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test – Child and Happé's Strange Stories test. General intelligence was controlled to eliminate the possible influence of covariables. All the assessments were performed remotely. Results: Most social cognition tasks were worse in patients with DMD/BMD than in matched healthy controls. These differences remained even after controlling for the general intelligence variable, with the exception of Total Disgust Errors (F = 1.462, p =.234, η2p=.038) and Verbal task (F = 1.820, p =.185, η2p=.047) scores from the NEPSY-II. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that the neuropsychological domain of social cognition is impaired in DMD/BMD patients, independent of the level of general intelligence. Screening assessments in DMD/BMD patients should be promoted to allow social cognition difficulties to be detected at an early stage to enhance patients' quality of life and social development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Extracting conditions of lipid compounds (phospholipids, PLs; ω3 fatty acids, FAs) from Patagonian squid (Doriteuthis gahi) waste were optimised by employment of a Simplex‐Lattice design. For it, different concentrations of low‐toxicity solvents (ethanol, acetone and ethyl acetate; single and binary and ternary mixtures) were tested. As a result, the multiple regression anova proved that the quadratic model was significant (P < 0.05) for PL and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) contents and for total polyunsaturated/total saturated and total ω3/total ω6 FA ratios. Thus, the anova application of the fitting model led to the following optimised values for such parameters: 477.42 g kg−1 lipids, 21.48 g 100 g−1 total FAs, 3.48 and 13.03, respectively. The combination of process variable levels which maximised the desirability function (0.49 value) was ethanol/ethyl acetate (0.50:0.50, v/v) and led to values of 412.50 (g kg−1 lipids), 19.05 (g 100 g−1 total FAs), 2.59 and 12.86, respectively, for the above‐mentioned lipid parameters. Results were compared to those obtained by the conventional chloroform/methanol procedure. By including an advanced mathematical design, a novel eco‐friendly strategy based on the employment of low‐toxicity solvents is proposed for the extraction from a marine waste substrate of highly valuable lipid compounds with healthy and nutritional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the recovery of valuable lipid compounds from octopus (Octopus vulgaris) by-products. Extraction conditions of total lipids (TLs), phospholipids (PLs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were optimized by employing a Simplex-Lattice design; for it, different relative concentrations of three low-toxicity solvents (ethanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate) were considered. The optimization process was also addressed in reference to fatty acid (FA) ratios (total polyunsaturated FAs/total saturated FAs and total ω3 FAs/total ω6 FAs). The variance analysis of multiple regression data demonstrated that the quadratic model was significant (p < 0.05) for TL, PL, and DHA values and the ω3/ω6 ratio. As a result, the following optimized values were obtained: 113.8 g·kg−1 dry by-products (TLs), 217.3 g·kg−1 lipids (PLs), 22.55 g·100 g−1 total FAs (DHA), and 3.70 (ω3/ω6 ratio). According to the model developed, optimized values were shown to correspond to the following relative solvent concentrations (ethanol/acetone/ethyl acetate): 0.46/0.00/0.54, 0.93/0.07/0.00, 0.83/0.17/0.00, and 0.64/0.00/0.36, respectively. Comparison to yields obtained by the conventional chloroform/methanol method was carried out. A novel strategy based on the employment of low-toxicity solvents is proposed for the extraction of valuable lipid constituents from octopus waste. A different solvent ratio would be necessary according to the lipid compound concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]