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Background and Purpose: Information on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) as an adverse event following immunization (AEFI) against SARS-CoV-2 remains scarce. We aimed to report GBS incidence as an AEFI among adult (≥18 years) recipients of 81,842,426 doses of seven anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines between December 24, 2020, and October 29, 2021, in Mexico., Methods: Cases were retrospectively collected through passive epidemiological surveillance. The overall observed incidence was calculated according to the total number of administered doses. Vaccines were analyzed individually and by vector as mRNA-based (mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2), adenovirus-vectored (ChAdOx1 nCov-19, rAd26-rAd5, Ad5-nCoV, and Ad26.COV2-S), and inactivated whole-virion-vectored (CoronaVac) vaccines., Results: We identified 97 patients (52 males [53.6%]; median [interquartile range] age 44 [33-60] years), for an overall observed incidence of 1.19/1,000,000 doses (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-1.45), with incidence higher among Ad26.COV2-S (3.86/1,000,000 doses, 95% CI 1.50-9.93) and BNT162b2 recipients (1.92/1,00,000 doses, 95% CI 1.36-2.71). The interval (interquartile range) from vaccination to GBS symptom onset was 10 (3-17) days. Preceding diarrhea was reported in 21 patients (21.6%) and mild COVID-19 in four more (4.1%). Only 18 patients were tested for Campylobacter jejuni (positive in 16 [88.9%]). Electrophysiological examinations were performed in 76 patients (78.4%; axonal in 46 [60.5%] and demyelinating in 25 [32.8%]); variants were similar across the platforms. On admission, 91.8% had a GBS disability score ≥3. Seventy-five patients (77.3%) received intravenous immunoglobulin, received seven plasma exchange (7.2%), and 15 (15.5%) were treated conservatively. Ten patients (10.3%) died, and 79.1% of survivors were unable to walk independently., Conclusions: Guillain-Barré syndrome was an extremely infrequent AEFI against SARS-CoV-2. The protection provided by these vaccines outweighs the risk of developing GBS., (© 2022 European Academy of Neurology.)

Problem: Sleep disturbance is a characteristic symptom of depression, but it is also a problem in itself related to the severity of this illness. Hence, the objective of this study was to examine sleep habits and sleep problems associated with increased depressive symptoms in children., Methods: The sample included 524 children equally distributed by gender (51.1% female), with an average age of 10.29 (SD = 1.34) years. The administered instruments were the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI; Cronbach α = 0.82) and a Sleep Habits and Sleep Problems Questionnaire (α = 0.91)., Findings: The mean score for the CDI was 12.51 (SD = 6.74) and 20% presented symptoms of depression. The linear regression model showed that sleep habits associated with the increase in symptoms of depression were: little sleep, hours of sleep during the week, and wake-up time on weekdays. In the same model, the associated sleep problems were: nocturnal awakenings, nightmares, and difficulty waking up. The presence of these sleep habits and sleep problems increased the score from 2.07 to 13.50 points on the CDI scale., Conclusions: Depressive symptoms increase with the presence of sleep habits related to sleep deprivation and sleep problems related to parasomnias in school-age children., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Obesity is a widely recognized risk factor for several diseases, reaching an epidemic magnitude worldwide. Natural polyphenols may improve blood lipids and body weight, but their clinical relevance in the general population remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to analyze the relationship of intake of Ilex paraguariensis (I. paraguariensis) beverages to lipid profiles and body weight in a large patient population. Patients were recruited to participate in an educational program to change habits to a healthy lifestyle. Anamnesis, clinical and laboratory assessments were conducted at study enrollment and during follow‐up. I. paraguariensis beverages were defined according to preparation as obtained by repeated cold water extraction (CWE), hot water infusions, or water and sugar decoction. Heavy drinkers were defined as those persons consuming >1 L/day of one or more preparation types. Participants (N = 18,287) aged ≥18 years entered the study. Overall prevalence of I. paraguariensis consumption was 91.2%. All three forms were drunk by 35.7%, whereas CWE + hot water infusion and CWE alone by 28.4% and 14.5% participants, respectively. Heavy CWE drinkers had lower total cholesterol (191.4 ± 49.4 vs. 194.6 ± 48.3 mg/dl, p = .02) and lower low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (118.6 ± 38.9 vs. 121.2 ± 47.1 mg/dl, p = .001), but body weight was higher (81.1 ± 16.8 vs. 77.2 ± 16.4 kg, p < .0001) compared with moderate drinkers. Fasting glucose was lower (104.5 ± 48.7 vs. 107.2 ± 49.5 mg/dl, p < .001), and consumption of carbohydrates was higher (36.3% vs. 28.7%, p < .001). A low‐lipids high‐body‐weight paradox could be observed in a population of heavy drinkers of I. paraguariensis beverages. Induced hypoglycemia and compensatory higher intake of refined carbohydrates may represent a possible cause.

In this work a biotechnological multiproduct batch plant that manufactures four different recombinant proteins for human application is described in some detail. This batch plant design is then optimized with regards to the size of equipment using a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation recently developed by us in order to find a hypothetical new biotechnological batch plant based on the information of real known processes for the production of the four recombinant protein products. The real plant was divided for practical purposes into two sub-processes or facilities: a fermentation facility and a purification facility. Knowing the specific steps conforming the downstream processing of each product, size, and time factors were computed and used as parameters to solve the aforementioned MILP reformulation. New constraints were included to permit the selection of some equipment-such as centrifuges and membrane filters-in a discrete set of sizes. For equipment that can be built according to customer needs-such as reactors-the original formulation was retained. Computational results show the ability of this optimization methodology to deal with real data giving reliable solutions for a multi-product batch plant composed of 44 unit operations in a relatively small amount of time showing that in the case studied it is possible to save up to a 66% of the capital investment in equipment given the cost data used. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1252-1263. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Prenatal rat embryo exposure to retinoids induces severe malformations in various organs; the most active and teratogenic metabolite is all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA). The mechanisms of this embryopathy are only partly known. In the present study, the influence of glycine on the teratogenicity of atRA was investigated., Methods: Embryos from 5 groups of white rats were studied: Group 1 remained untreated; Group 2 received glycine 2% in drinking water ad libitum from the first gestational day (GD 1); Group 3 was administered vehicle (corn oil); Group 4 was treated with atRA (50 mg/kg of body weight) injected (IP); and Group 5 was treated with atRA (50 mg/kg of body weight IP) plus glycine 2% in drinking water ad libitum from GD 1. atRA was administrated daily from GD 8-10. Dams were killed on the 21st day of pregnancy, and their fetuses were examined to detect external, visceral, and skeletal malformations., Results: The results show that the atRA-administered dose is not toxic for the dams, and that although fetal death was not observed, it produced abnormalities in the fetuses. Glycine reduced atRA-induced teratogenic effects (external and skeletal defects)., Conclusions: The results indicate that glycine effectively reduces the teratogenic effects of atRA. Thus, glycine might be useful for the prevention of vitamin A teratogenicity., ((c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

An economically pertinent process for the lipase-catalyzed synthesis of amides was developed. A continuous plug flow reactor was used. The model reaction was the production of oleamide, a lubricant and anti-slip agent, via direct Candida antarctica lipase B-catalyzed amidation of oleic acid with ammonia. Of all solvents tested, 2-methyl-2-butanol was found to respond optimally to the demands formulated in our specifications. A continuous conversion of oleic acid into oleamide of 85% was obtained. A productivity of 4.5 tons oleamide per kg of enzyme per year was calculated, indicating a contribution of enzyme to the product price of only 4%. The volumetric productivity, 100 g. L(-1). h(-1), is 4 to 100 times higher than in literature procedures. A simple crystallization procedure leads to 99% purity., (Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 82: 664-669, 2003.)

The pharmacokinetics and the dose proportionality of a new anticonvulsant compound, HEPP (D,L-3-hydroxy-3-ethyl-3-phenylpropionamide) was studied in healthy male volunteers as part of the pharmacological evaluation for new drugs. Study was performed administering doses of 250, 375, 500 and 625 mg of HEPP to six male volunteers. Blood and urine samples were collected for 72 h postdose and analysed by HPLC. Results showed that in man HEPP is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Tmax values were between 1.5 and 6.0 h. Plasma mean terminal half-life after the different doses ranged between 15.83 and 27.62 h with an overall harmonic mean value of 22.8. The mean AUC0-infinity and Cmax increased linearly with doses of 250, 375 and 500 mg but not with the dose of 625 mg. The amount of unchanged drug excreted in urine was between 3 and 6% of administered dose which shows an extensive metabolism of the drug.