Diet and gut microbiota are significant determinants of host health, but how dietary quality modulates gut microbiota in Blastocystis-colonised individuals remains underexplored. We studied two contrasting cohorts: university students (FACSA, n = 46) and institutionalised children with their caregivers (PAVILA, n = 37), representing distinct dietary and sociodemographic contexts. Eight participants from each cohort tested positive for Blastocystis; however, two PAVILA samples could not be sequenced, resulting in a final microbiota subcohort of 14 individuals (FACSA n = 8, PAVILA n = 6). Dietary quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020), and faecal microbiota was characterised through 16S rRNA sequencing. Alpha and beta diversity were analysed, and genus-level transformed data were further evaluated using permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), principal coordinates analysis (PCoA), and distance-based redundancy analysis (db-RDA). The FACSA cohort exhibited higher microbial richness and diversity (Shannon and Simpson indexes, p < 0.01) compared to PAVILA, with marked differences in microbial composition (PERMANOVA R² = 0.39, p = 0.002). Total diet quality correlated with microbial structure (R² = 0.26, p = 0.016), with protein (R² = 0.23, p = 0.017) and vegetable components (R² = 0.17, p = 0.044) as primary contributors. Multivariate analysis showed that higher protein and vegetable intakes were associated with genera such as Sellimonas, Murimonas, Alistipes, and Desulfovibrio (FACSA group). In contrast, Hydrogenoanaerobacterium, V9D2013_group, and Haemophilus were linked to lower-quality diets (PAVILA group). Our results indicate that diet quality significantly influences gut microbiota composition in individuals colonised by Blastocystis, underscoring its potential as a target for nutritional interventions in vulnerable populations.

The Tula Metropolitan Area in Mexico is characterized by significant industrial activity, including thermoelectric power plants, refineries, cement plants, and mining operations. While the impact of mining on air quality has been less studied compared to other industries, this research aims to estimate the contribution of mining areas to PM₁₀ air pollution in the region. Using the AERMOD dispersion model coupled with the WRF meteorological model, emission areas were identified through GIS analysis, and specific emission factors for mining activities were applied. The results indicate that mining areas can contribute up to 40 µg/m³ of PM₁₀, exceeding both national and international air quality standards. Monitoring data suggests that mining activities account for approximately 30% of the measured PM₁₀ concentrations in the area. Furthermore, spatial analysis using the Urban Marginalization Index (UMI) revealed that areas with high PM₁₀ concentrations often coincide with regions of high social vulnerability, particularly in communities with elevated levels of marginalization. This study concludes that mining operations significantly contribute to air pollution in the Tula Metropolitan Area, highlighting the need for targeted mitigation measures and public policies that address both environmental and social vulnerabilities.

Background: In cancer, an effective immune response involves the action of several different cell types, among which CD8 T cells play a major role as they can specifically recognize and kill cancer cells via the release of cytotoxic molecules and cytokines, being of major importance for adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of ex vivo expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). The inflammation resulting from the tumor growth attracts both activated and bystander T cells. For an effective antitumor response, the T cell must express a specific group of chemokine receptors and integrins which include CD103, CD39, CD69, and CD25. These markers had already been analyzed in various cancers, not including breast cancer and their subsequent subtypes, until now. To analyze, the key receptors on ex vivo expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in luminal A and luminal B breast cancer (BC) subtypes. Materials and Methods: We were successful in expanding TILs ex vivo using a standard TIL culture condition from a cohort study of 15 primary luminal A and luminal B breast cancer patients. Furthermore, we examined the expression of CD103, CD39, CD69, and CD25 biomarkers after the expansion by flow cytometry. Results: We found that the information about the percentage of TILs obtainable after the ex vivo expansion is not associated to nor it is dependent on the heterogeneity of the TIL population before the expansion and does not differ by the molecular subtype (p>0.05). We also found that there is a major population of memory-resident antitumor CD8+CD103+CD39+ and CD8+CD103+ CD69+ TILs present in the stroma after the expansion when compared to CD4 immunosubtypes (p< 0.0001). Only the CD8+CD103+CD39+ subpopulation was related to BC subtype (0.0009). Conclusion: Evidence from our study suggests that CD8 TILs present in the stroma of luminal A and luminal B breast cancer patients can be quantified and phenotyped by flow cytometry and be further expanded ex vivo. The immuno-phenotyping of these markers may be targeted to improve the success of immunotherapeutic approaches, such as adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) in patients with BC.

Background: Mexico has the largest number of the genus salvia plant species, whose main chemical compounds of this genus are diterpenes, these chemical compounds have shown important biological activities such as: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of three diterpenes: 1) icetexone, 2) anastomosine and 3) 7,20-dihydroanastomosine, isolated from Salvia ballotiflora, over innate immunity and cytokine production in a human alveolar epithelial cell line infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Method: The immunomodulatory activity of diterpenes over innate immunity included reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) induction in response to infection; cytokine production included TNF-α and TGF-β induction in response to infection. Results: The diterpenes anastomosine and 7,20-dihydroanastomosine showed a statically significant (p<0.01) increase of RNS after 36 h of infection and treatment of 2.0 µg/mL. Then, the ROS induction in response to infection showed a consistent statically significant (p<0.01) increase after 12 h of diterpenes treatments. The cell cultures showed an anti-inflammatory effect, in the case of TGF-β induction, in response to infection when treated with the diterpenes. On the other hand, there was not any significant effect on TNF-α release. Conclusion: the diterpenes anastomosine and 7,20-dihydroanastomosine increased the production of RNS after 36 h of infection and treatment. Besides, the three diterpenes increased the production of ROS after 12 h. This RNS and ROS modulation can be considered as an in vitro correlation of innate immunity in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection; and an indicator of the damage of epithelial lung tissue. This study also showed an anti-inflammatory immune response by means of TGF-β modulation when compared with control group.

Diet and gut microbiota are key determinants of host health, but their interaction in Blastocystis-colonised individuals remains poorly understood. We evaluated the rela-tionship between diet quality, faecal microbial diversity, and Blastocystis colonisation in two cohorts: university students (FACSA) and institutionalised children with their caregivers (PAVILA), all Blastocystis-positive subjects. We assessed diet quality using the Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020), and we characterised faecal microbiota by 16S rRNA sequencing. Alpha and beta diversity were analysed, and genus-level trans-formed data were further evaluated using PERMANOVA, PCoA, and db-RDA. The FACSA cohort presented higher microbial richness and diversity (Shannon and Simpson indexes) than PAVILA (p < 0.01), and microbial composition differed signifi-cantly between cohorts (PERMANOVA R² = 0.39, p = 0.002). Total diet quality was as-sociated with microbial structure (R² = 0.26, p = 0.016), with protein (R² = 0.23, p = 0.017) and vegetable (R² = 0.17, p = 0.044) components being the main contributors. Multivariate analysis showed higher protein and vegetable intakes were associated with genera such as Sellimonas, Murimonas, Alistipes and Desulfovibrio (FACSA group). In contrast, Hydrogenoanaerobacterium, V9D2013_group and Haemophilus were related to lower-quality diets (PAVILA group). Despite universal colonisation by Blastocystis, differences in microbial diversity and structure reflect a modulating effect of diet con-ditioned by the sociodemographic environment. These findings suggest the relevance of dietary quality as a modulator of the gut microbiota in populations colonised by Blastocystis and may guide future nutritional interventions in vulnerable groups.