F Chacon

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Bacteria collected from the skin of a tropical frog were tested for their ability to fight fungi that spoil harvested fruits. Three bacterial isolates strongly blocked the growth of multiple fruit-rotting fungi in the lab and, when applied to citrus, tomato, and blueberry, significantly reduced disease caused by several of these pathogens. The results suggest that frog skin bacteria could be developed into natural, eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides for protecting fresh produce.

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Researchers grew two hemp cultivars in two different fields — one prepared with conventional tillage and one using cover crops with no tillage — and measured the cannabinoid and terpene content of the harvested plants. The soil preparation method significantly changed the levels of CBD, CBDA, CBG, and THC, and the effects differed between the two cultivars. This is the first study to show that outdoor hemp grown in different soil conditions produces meaningfully different chemical profiles, which matters for producers trying to hit legal THC limits or target therapeutic cannabinoid levels.

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This review examines how mass spectrometry-based metabolomics — a technique that identifies thousands of chemical compounds at once — can be used to characterize botanical products like herbal supplements and plant medicines. The method can distinguish between plant species, detect adulteration with cheaper or unsafe substitutes, and explain why different batches of the same plant may have different health effects. As the use of botanical supplements grows, this analytical approach offers a rigorous way to ensure product identity, safety, and consistency.

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Researchers looked at hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Spain to understand what other medications they were already taking and whether those drugs could dangerously interact with COVID-19 antivirals. Nearly all patients were on multiple medications, and almost all of those drugs had the potential to interfere with how COVID-19 treatments are processed by the liver. The findings highlight that prescribing COVID-19 antivirals to older patients with many conditions requires careful medication review to avoid harmful drug interactions.

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Researchers transplanted a pig kidney-thymus combination into a deceased human and tracked the immune response over 61 days. T cells from the recipient infiltrated the organ and specific clones expanded in blood, tissue, and lymph nodes around rejection events. This reveals that T cell-driven rejection of pig organs in humans closely mirrors what happens with human-to-human transplants, informing how future immunosuppression strategies must be designed.

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Three bacteria from amphibian skin were shown to inhibit the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea in laboratory tests and, when applied to the model plant Arabidopsis and to blueberries, significantly reduced disease. Analysis of plant gene activity revealed that one of these bacteria triggers the plant's own hormone-based defense pathways, meaning it fights the fungus both directly and by activating the plant's immune system. The study points to frog skin bacteria as a dual-action biological tool for protecting crops from this damaging pathogen.

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Researchers found that elevated levels of salicylic acid — a natural plant hormone that boosts disease resistance — also suppress plant growth by turning down genes involved in cold adaptation. By engineering those cold-response genes to ignore salicylic acid signals, plants maintained their normal growth while keeping the disease and stress protection benefits. This finding offers a way to breed or engineer crops with improved disease resistance without the usual penalty of reduced yield.

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Three common methods for extracting chemicals from hemp — supercritical CO2, steam distillation, and ethanol — were compared to see how each affects the final mix of cannabinoids and terpenes. Supercritical CO2 produced the highest cannabinoid content, steam distillation preserved the widest variety of terpenes, and ethanol extraction retained the most acidic cannabinoid forms. The choice of extraction method substantially changes what ends up in the final product, which has direct implications for the therapeutic effects and safety of hemp-based preparations.

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This study examined why volunteers who feel satisfied with their volunteering end up developing a stronger sense of themselves as a volunteer. Satisfaction from completing tasks and feeling personally motivated were found to strengthen volunteer identity both directly and by making the volunteer role feel more important and central to how the person sees themselves. Satisfaction with the organization itself did not have this effect, suggesting that meaningful work and personal motivation are what actually build lasting volunteer commitment.

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This study followed 186 people in Spain who inject drugs, were enrolled in an opioid treatment program, and had been successfully treated for hepatitis C to find out how often they got reinfected over three years. The reinfection rate was low — about 1.2 new cases per 100 person-years — but those without stable housing who were still injecting had higher rates. The findings support treating people who inject drugs for hepatitis C and suggest closer follow-up in the first year and coordination with addiction services can further reduce reinfection.

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Several biochars were chemically modified to improve their ability to clean up soil contaminated with pentachlorophenol, a toxic industrial chemical. A biochar treated with potassium permanganate after low-temperature production showed the best overall performance, achieving high removal of the contaminant under both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor soil conditions. The degree of cleanup depended mainly on how much chemical energy the biochar could donate or accept, pointing the way toward designing better soil remediation materials.

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When Triatoma infestans insects infected with Trypanosoma cruzi were compared to uninfected ones, the infected insects showed more movement overall and increased activity during the daytime — the period when they are normally least active. The amount of increased daytime activity was directly related to how much parasite was present in the insect. Because more movement means more contact with potential hosts, this behavioral change appears to benefit the parasite by increasing transmission opportunities while also raising the risk for the insect of being eaten.

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A GPS monitoring network in southern Spain tracked ground movement over several years to measure how the Earth's crust is deforming in the geologically active Gibraltar Arc region. The data show simultaneous stretching and compression of the crust at rates of roughly 2 millimeters per year, along with side-to-side creep along a major fault. This is the first direct evidence that two different tectonic forces — slab rollback and plate indentation — are operating at the same time in this region, improving models of how curved mountain belts form.

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Native bacteria living on blueberry plants in Argentina were screened for their ability to fight the fungi that cause gray mold and Alternaria rot during storage. Three strains from two bacterial genera showed strong antifungal activity both in lab tests and on actual blueberries. These locally adapted bacteria are promising candidates for biocontrol agents that could replace synthetic fungicides in regional blueberry farming.

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Researchers quantified the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite load in the Chagas disease-transmitting insect Triatoma infestans and found that more heavily infected bugs found hosts faster, bit more often, and defecated sooner — behaviors that collectively increase the chance of passing the parasite to humans or animals. The link between parasite burden and behavior was statistically significant, suggesting the parasite manipulates the insect to improve its own transmission. Understanding this relationship could inform strategies for reducing Chagas disease spread.

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Researchers tracked how paracetamol (acetaminophen) breaks down in soil when biochar — a charcoal-like material — is added, finding that specially designed biochars with enhanced electrical properties created new breakdown pathways not previously described. At least 53% of the paracetamol was transformed, and some previously minor degradation routes via catechol and phenol turned out to be more important than thought, while a new transformation route was discovered in low-oxygen soil. The results change the current understanding of how this common painkiller persists or degrades as an environmental pollutant.

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This review covers the terpenes found in cannabis — the fragrant compounds beyond the well-known cannabinoids — and what is known about their biological effects. Minor terpenes are present in smaller quantities but can act against infections and chronic disease, and some evidence suggests they may work together with cannabinoids in ways that enhance or modify the overall effect of cannabis. The review maps out current knowledge and gaps around this synergy, known as the entourage effect, to guide future research on whole-plant cannabis preparations.

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Mepraia spinolai, a daytime-active insect that transmits Chagas disease in Chile, shifts its activity toward nighttime hours when infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Infected insects traveled similar total distances as uninfected ones but concentrated their movement in the dark phase rather than during daylight. This shift in activity timing could make infected insects more effective at transmitting the parasite, as they would be active when many hosts are also active at night.

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A survey of 215 patients at a hospital in Caracas, Venezuela in early 2020 found that most had adequate knowledge about COVID-19 symptoms and transmission and reported following prevention measures like mask wearing and handwashing. However, more than half admitted to being in crowded places, which was more common among symptomatic patients. This first COVID-19 knowledge and behavior study from Venezuela highlights gaps between stated practices and actual behavior that should inform public health messaging.

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A new automated device for capturing rare circulating tumor cells from blood was tested using prostate cancer cell lines and patient samples. The device caught more than 93% of spiked cancer cells from 7.5 mL blood samples and kept them alive and intact enough for genetic analysis, including detection of a drug-resistance mutation. Circulating tumor cells were successfully detected in all eight patient samples tested, supporting the device's potential as a clinical tool for monitoring cancer progression.

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A fully automated fluorescence microscope system was built and tested for identifying and counting cancer cells that had been labeled with fluorescent markers. The machine's results matched those of a high-end commercial microscope, demonstrating that the classification could be done reliably without human operators. This system provides a path toward standardized, error-free analysis of circulating tumor cells as a routine clinical test.

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A four-question digital questionnaire for screening anxiety and depression in primary care was validated in over 1,000 patients in Spain, showing that it reliably identifies both conditions and works consistently across age and gender groups. A score of 3 or more on either the two-question depression or two-question anxiety subscale correctly identified most true cases. The study confirms that this brief computerized tool can serve as a practical first-step screen for emotional disorders in busy primary care settings.

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This systematic review analyzed 48 studies using the Volunteer Functions Inventory, a tool measuring why people volunteer. Values-based motivation consistently scored highest across all volunteer types, while career advancement and personal enhancement scored lowest, and younger volunteers showed stronger career-oriented motivations than older ones. The review confirms the six-factor structure of the inventory is robust and provides a foundation for understanding what motivates sustained volunteering.

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Men who perpetrate intimate partner violence were compared to male psychologists who work against violence on measures of moral rigidity, self-deception, and how positively they viewed their own moral character. The violent men showed patterns consistent with strong certainty about their own moral correctness combined with self-deception that allowed them to maintain a positive self-image despite their behavior. The results suggest that addressing these psychological patterns — not just behavioral change — may be important in intervention programs.

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The feeding habits of Mepraia spinolai — a wild Chagas disease vector in Chile — were analyzed by testing the gut contents of field-caught insects for traces of blood from various animals. The insects fed most frequently on a native rodent species, followed by other small mammals, rabbits, and mice, with domestic animals and birds making up a smaller portion. Knowing which animals this vector prefers helps assess the risk of Chagas disease transmission to humans and domestic animals in endemic areas.

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This clinical trial protocol describes a study comparing group cognitive behavioral therapy delivered in seven sessions against usual general practitioner care for anxiety, depression, and related disorders in Spanish primary care. The trial enrolled over 1,000 patients across 26 clinics and tracked outcomes at multiple time points up to 12 months. The goal was to determine whether this standardized psychological treatment could improve outcomes beyond standard medication-focused care in a real-world primary care setting.

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Researchers studied exactly how Bothrops asper snake venom kills mice in the standard test used to measure antivenom potency, finding that metalloproteinase enzymes in the venom cause massive internal bleeding and fluid loss that leads to cardiovascular collapse within 25 minutes. When antivenom was added, it reduced bleeding at certain ratios but mice still died from fluid loss caused by other venom components, and a standard pain medication given before the test did not change the outcome. The findings clarify the biology behind the lethality test and show that prophylactic pain relief can be added to the assay without affecting its validity.

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Researchers built and tested a psychological and social model explaining how poverty is created and maintained through individual attitudes, group behaviors, and structural inequalities. The model was statistically well-supported and frames poverty as both a social problem and a human rights issue requiring shared responsibility for its prevention. The work aims to improve both the accuracy of poverty diagnosis and the effectiveness of interventions by accounting for its psychological and social dimensions.

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An observational study of non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients in Spain found that nearly half to two-thirds failed to meet blood sugar targets, and care from endocrinologists was associated with better outcomes than care from primary care physicians or internists. Patient education about diabetes and regular HbA1c monitoring were the factors most strongly linked to better glucose control. The results point to specific gaps in guideline adherence — particularly around patient education and timely escalation of treatment — that need to be addressed.

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Records from a children's hospital in Ecuador were analyzed to describe the patterns of injuries from foreign objects swallowed or lodged in children. More than half of the children were under two years old, coins were the most common cause, and the esophagus and ears were the most common locations. This first published report on such injuries in Ecuador confirms that the patterns match those seen internationally and that similar prevention strategies — especially supervision of young children — are appropriate.

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This review summarizes evidence that patients with severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder face much higher rates of cardiovascular disease risk factors — including smoking, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome — than the general population, partly due to lifestyle, limited healthcare access, and medication side effects. Multiple clinical studies show that structured diet and exercise programs reduce these risk factors in this population. The evidence supports adding lifestyle interventions as a standard component of care for patients with severe mental illness.

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Genetic variants in the Duffy blood group gene — which governs how Plasmodium vivax malaria parasites enter red blood cells — were analyzed in 497 residents of the Brazilian Amazon to see how they relate to infection rates and parasite levels. Certain gene combinations were associated with lower infection frequency while others were linked to higher rates, suggesting natural selection is shaping the population's genetic resistance to vivax malaria. The results reveal partial protective adaptations emerging in a malaria-endemic region that differ from those previously described in African populations.

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A year-long study of nearly 400 bipolar disorder patients in Spain who were in remission found that while most stayed in remission, only about half had normal daily functioning throughout the year. Patients who were both symptom-free and functioning normally at the start of the study had fewer relapses, less medication changes, and better employment outcomes. The findings argue that treatment for bipolar disorder should aim beyond avoiding full episodes to also address lingering symptoms and restore everyday functioning.

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Young male rats housed alone had disrupted daily rhythms of several hormones — including growth hormone, prolactin, corticosterone, and leptin — compared to rats housed in groups, despite eating the same amount. Isolated rats also stopped gaining weight normally, suggesting that social isolation acts as a mild chronic stress that alters the internal biological clock controlling hormone release. The findings indicate that social environment, independent of food intake, can significantly disrupt hormonal rhythms important for growth and stress responses.

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Young male rats fed only 66% of their normal calories showed altered 24-hour rhythms of stress hormones, growth hormone, and leptin, with lower growth hormone and leptin but relatively elevated daytime corticosterone. These hormonal changes were accompanied by arrested growth despite a diet that was richer in protein relative to fat and carbohydrates. The pattern of hormone changes resembles known survival adaptations to food scarcity and helps explain how calorie restriction disrupts normal growth and metabolism in young animals.

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Daily variations in immune cell activity were measured in mouse lymph nodes and spleen and compared between day and night, with human prolactin then given at different times of day to see how the hormone influenced these rhythms. Prolactin generally suppressed immune cell activity in both organs regardless of when it was given, but the suppressive effects depended on the time of administration and the organ examined. The results show that immune function follows a daily rhythm and that prolactin's effects on immunity are shaped by the time of day it acts.

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Isolating young male rats from social contact for 30 days lowered their levels of testosterone, prolactin, and luteinizing hormone while raising FSH, and disrupted the normal daily timing of these hormone changes. The normal morning prolactin peak seen in group-housed animals disappeared in isolated rats, and the daily testosterone peak was delayed by several hours. Social isolation — acting as a mild chronic stressor — alters both the amount and the timing of reproductive hormone release in young male rats.

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The estrogen receptor beta protein was detected in normal and cancerous canine mammary tissue using immunohistochemistry, a technique that marks specific proteins in tissue samples. About one-third of canine mammary tumors expressed this receptor, with higher expression in benign tumors and in complex or mixed tumor types compared to simple malignant ones. The findings establish that dogs, like humans, express estrogen receptor beta in mammary tumors, supporting the dog as a model for studying hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

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Two strains of rats — Lewis and Wistar — responded differently to calorie restriction in terms of hormone levels and immune cell distributions, with Lewis rats showing more pronounced increases in stress hormones (prolactin and ACTH) under restriction. Both strains had lower growth hormone on the restricted diet, but the degree of immune cell changes in lymph nodes mirrored the hormone differences between strains. The results show that genetic background shapes how an organism's hormonal and immune systems respond to reduced food intake.

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Restricting young male rats to 66% of normal calorie intake disrupted the normal daily fluctuations in reproductive hormones, raising prolactin while lowering testosterone and luteinizing hormone, and shifting the timing of testosterone peaks. The usual correlation between LH and testosterone levels seen in well-fed rats disappeared under calorie restriction. These hormonal changes point to calorie availability as a key regulator of the daily rhythms governing reproductive function in young males.

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Young male rats placed on a calorie-restricted diet showed altered daily rhythms of immune cell populations and activity in their lymph nodes, with some immune measures increasing and others — including an important fuel source for immune cells — decreasing. The normal 24-hour cycling of T cells, B cells, and immune activation was disrupted by the diet. The results suggest that nutrient availability directly shapes the circadian organization of the immune system in growing animals.

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Social isolation of young male rats disrupted the daily rhythms of prolactin, growth hormone, and immune cell activity in lymph nodes, with isolated animals showing lower hormone levels and reduced immune responses. The 24-hour patterns of immune parameters — including T and B cell populations and the ability of those cells to multiply when stimulated — were all changed by isolation. The correlations between hormone levels and immune activity suggest that the social stress of isolation affects immunity partly through its effects on hormones.

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This report describes how a pharmacy coordinating center managed drug supply, randomization, and record-keeping for the Digitalis Investigation Group trial, a large heart failure study conducted across the Veterans Affairs system in the 1990s. The experience highlighted the need for computerized systems to handle the complexity of large, simple clinical trials. The lessons from this trial informed the development of more automated pharmacy support infrastructure for future large clinical studies.

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Young and old rats were given Freund's adjuvant to trigger an immune response, and pineal gland chemistry was measured at several points during the night to assess how aging and immune activation interact. Old rats had lower baseline levels of serotonin breakdown products, norepinephrine, and melatonin in the pineal gland, and immune activation further suppressed norepinephrine and melatonin in old animals. The results show that aging makes the pineal gland less responsive to immune signals, which may help explain age-related changes in sleep and immune coordination.

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This paper describes how the immune system follows 24-hour rhythms in young male rats and how calorie restriction disrupts those rhythms, along with the circadian pattern of thyroid-stimulating hormone. Calorie restriction flattened the normal daily peaks in TSH, which may explain the lower metabolic rate in food-restricted animals, and altered the timing and magnitude of immune cell cycling in the thymus. The findings underscore that eating less changes not just how much the immune and hormonal systems do, but when they do it.

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The daily rhythms of neurotransmitters and amino acids in the striatum — a brain region controlling movement — were compared between young and middle-aged rats. Middle-aged rats had lower overall levels of nearly every chemical studied and showed reduced or lost daily rhythmicity compared to young animals, with a particularly large decline in dopamine turnover. These age-related changes in brain chemistry could help explain why older individuals show differences in motor function and circadian behavior.

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Rats had their sympathetic nerve supply to the neck lymph nodes surgically removed and were then given Freund's adjuvant to induce arthritis, allowing researchers to test how local nerve signals shape the daily rhythms of immune cell activity during early inflammation. Removing the sympathetic nerves altered the amplitude of 24-hour immune rhythms and, in some cases, prevented the timing shifts caused by immune activation. The results show that local sympathetic nerves help set and reset the daily clock of immune responses in lymph nodes, especially during early arthritis.

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Brain chemistry in the hypothalamus, striatum, and pituitary was measured across a 24-hour cycle in young and old rats, before and after immune stimulation with Freund's adjuvant. Aging reduced dopamine and norepinephrine levels and turnover in several brain regions, and immune stimulation caused additional changes in timing and rhythm that were more pronounced or only present in old animals. These findings suggest that the aging brain's communication systems are both weaker and less resilient to immune challenges, which could affect hormone release and daily rhythms.