Metabolic syndrome (MetS) contributes to the spread of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, and neurodegenerative diseases. Evaluation of sex- and hormone-dependent changes in body weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, oxidative stress markers, and alterations in different types of memory in Sprague–Dawley rats fed with a high fat and high fructose (HFHF) diet were evaluated. After 12 weeks of feeding the male and female rats with HFHF, body weight gain, increase in blood pressure, and generation of dyslipidemia compared to the animals fed with chow diet were observed. Regarding memory, it was noted that gonadectomy reverted the effects of HFHF in the 24 h novel object recognition task and in spatial learning/memory analyzed through Morris water maze, males being more affected than females. Nevertheless, gonadectomy did not revert long-term memory impairment in the passive avoidance task induced by HFHF nor in male or female rats. On the other hand, sex-hormone–diet interaction was observed in the plasma concentration of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide. These results suggest that the changes observed in the memory and learning of MetS animals are sex- and hormone-dependent and correlate to an increase in oxidative stress.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disease that affects almost a quarter of the world’s adult population. In MetS, diabetes, obesity, hyperglycemia, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure are the most common disorders. Polypharmacy is the most used strategy for managing conditions related to MetS, but it has drawbacks such as low medication adherence. Multitarget ligands have been proposed as an interesting approach to developing drugs to treat complex diseases. However, suitable preclinical models that allow their evaluation in a context closer to a clinical situation of a complex disease are needed. From molecular docking studies, compound 1b, a 5-aminoanthranilic acid derivative substituted with 4′-trifluoromethylbenzylamino and 3′,4′-dimethoxybenzamide moieties, was identified as a potential multitarget drug, as it showed high in silico affinity against targets related to MetS, including PPAR-α, PPAR-γ, and HMG-CoA reductase. It was evaluated in a diet-induced MetS rat model and simultaneously lowered blood pressure, glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels after a 14-day treatment. No toxicity events were observed during an acute lethal dose evaluation test at 1500 mg/kg. Hence, the diet-induced MetS model is suitable for evaluating treatments for MetS, and compound 1b is an attractive starting point for developing multitarget drugs.

During pregnancy, there is a state of immune tolerance that predisposes them to viral infection, causing maternal-fetal vulnerability to the adverse effects of COVID-19. Bacterial coinfections significantly increase the mortality rate for COVID-19. However, it is known that all drugs, including antibiotics, will enter the fetal circulation in a variable degree despite the role of the placenta as a protective barrier and can cause teratogenesis or other malformations depending on the timing of exposure to the drug. Also, it is important to consider the impact of the indiscriminate use of antibiotics during pregnancy can alter both the maternal and fetal-neonatal microbiota, generating future repercussions in both. In the present study, the literature for treating bacterial coinfections in pregnant women with COVID-19 is reviewed. In turn, we present the findings in 50 pregnant women hospitalized diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 without previous treatment with antibiotics; moreover, a bacteriological culture of sample types was performed. Seven pregnant women had coinfection with Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli ESBL +, biotype 1 and 2, Acinetobacter jahnsonii, Enterococcus faecium, and Clostridium difficile. When performing the antibiogram, resistance to multiple drugs was found, such as macrolides, aminoglycosides, sulfa, dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors, beta-lactams, etc. The purpose of this study was to generate more scientific evidence on the better use of antibiotics in these patients. Because of this, it is important to perform an antibiogram to prevent abuse of empirical antibiotic treatment with antibiotics in pregnant women diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2.

Metabolic syndrome is a set of risk factors that consist of abdominal obesity, arterial hypertension, alterations in the lipid profile, and hyperglycemia. The current therapeutic strategy includes polypharmacy, using three or more drugs to control each syndrome component. However, this approach has drawbacks that could lead to therapeutic failure. Multitarget drugs are molecules with the ability to act on different targets simultaneously and are an attractive alternative for treating complex diseases such as metabolic syndrome. Previously, we identified a triamide derivative of 5-aminoanthranilic acid that exhibited hypoglycemic, hypolipemic, and antihypertensive activities simultaneously. In the present study, we report the synthesis and in combo evaluation of new derivatives of anthranilic acid, intending to identify the primary structural factors that improve the activity over metabolic syndrome-related parameters. We found that substitution on position 5, incorporation of 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl substituents, and having a free carboxylic acid group lead to the in vitro inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase, and simultaneously the diminution of the serum levels of glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol in a diet-induced in vivo model.

Cladophialophora is a melanized fungal genus that includes environmental, transitional, and clinically relevant lineages, yet its diversity in tropical montane soils remains poorly understood. In this study, ITS2 metabarcoding was used to investigate Cladophialophora diversity in five soil samples collected along an altitudinal gradient (0-3015 m a.s.l) in the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala. From a total of 2,848 fungal ASVs obtained from soil samples, 38 were assigned to Cladophialophora and analyzed through UNITE-based taxonomic assignment, maximum-likelihood phylogenetic reconstruction, lineage classification, abundance profiling, and exploratory multivariate analyses. The recovered ASVs clustered predominantly within an environmental clade, whereas transitional, basal, and clinically affiliated clades were represented by fewer ASVs and lower relative abundances. Eleven phylogenetically defined lineages were recognized, with the C. floridana lineage being the most widespread and abundant, followed by the transitional C. lanosa lineage. ASVs affiliated with the C. bantiana clinical lineage were detected at low abundance and were restricted to a warmer zone of Zacapa. Overall, these findings provide the first metabarcoding-based and phylogenetically informed characterization of Cladophialophora in Guatemala and Sierra de las Minas soils and establish a baseline for future ecological and taxonomic studies.

Background/Objectives: Onychomycosis is a fungal nail infection that may present with severe, atypical, or treatment-resistant features in people living with HIV. Despite its clinical importance, evidence regarding its epidemiology, causative agents, and relationship with immune status remains limited. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the association between onychomycosis and HIV, focusing on prevalence, clinical characteristics, etiologic agents, and CD4+ T lymphocyte counts at diagnosis. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE/PubMed, SciELO, Scopus, and Scilit were searched for studies published between October 2015 and July 2025 in English and Spanish. Eligible studies included case reports, case series, and observational studies involving people with HIV and confirmed onychomycosis. Data extraction was performed independently, and findings were analyzed descriptively. Results: Thirty studies comprising 1296 patients were included; 306 had detailed clinical descriptions. Most cases were reported in the Americas (85.8%) and predominantly involved male patients. CD4+ counts were available in 123 individuals; 52% had <200 cells/µL, including 18 with <50 cells/µL. Trichophyton rubrum was the most frequently identified etiologic agent. Conclusions: Onychomycosis in HIV shows etiologic diversity and commonly affects patients with advanced immunosuppression, though it may also occur with partial immune preservation. Prospective standardized studies are needed.