Developmental disorders (DDs), such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), incorporate various conditions; once identified, further diagnostics are necessary to specify their type and severity. The aim of this exploratory study was to identify genetic variants that can help differentiate ASD early from other DDs. We selected 36 children (mean age 60.1 months) with DDs using Developmental Behavioral Scales (DBS) through “EDUS-Education for All”, an organization providing services for children with DDs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We further rated children’s autistic traits with the preschool version of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, second edition (CARS-II). We defined ASD if scores were >25.5 and other DDs if scores were <25.5. Diagnosis of ASD and DD were independently confirmed by child psychiatrists. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed by Veritas Genetics, USA, using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) NGS sequencing apparatus. We tested genetic association by applying SKAT-O, which optimally combines the standard Sequence Kernel Association Test (SKAT) and burden tests to identify rare variants associated with complex traits in samples of limited power. The analysis yielded seven genes (DSE, COL10A1, DLK2, CSMD1, FAM47E, PPIA, and PYDC2) to potentially differentiate observed phenotypic characteristics between our cohort participants with ASD and other DDs. Our exploratory study in a small sample of participants with ASD and other DDs contributed to gene discovery in differentiating ASD from DDs. A replication study is needed in a larger sample to confirm our results.

Amaranthaceae Juss. family encompasses many edible plants with prominent biological activity. This investigation tested the bioactive properties of ethanolic and methanolic extract of three well-known species: spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), chard (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris), and orache (Atriplex hortensis L.) through the determination of total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties. The particular goal was to evaluate the antibiofilm potential of extracts and to demarcate concentration-depending changes in the biofilm-forming category of included bacterial strains. The mass of the chard and orache methanolic extracts gained by maceration are lower in comparison to the mass of ethanolic extracts obtained by the Soxhlet method. In the case of spinach, the results are the opposite. All extracts have an antiradical activity that can be attributed to the established amounts of phenols and flavonoids. Total phenolics in dry leaves ranged from 0.09 to 0.44 mg GAE/g dw, and total flavonoids from 0.42 to 1.9 mg RTE/g dw. All investigated extracts performed inhibitory potential in terms of bacterial growth, while there was no bactericidal effect observed. Values of the minimum inhibitory concentration ranged from 125 µg/ml to 500 µg/ml. Overall results suggested orache extracts as the strongest inhibitory agents. Antibiofilm assays showed that examined extracts of spinach, chard, and orache caused changes in the biofilm-forming capacity of investigated bacterial pathogens. Fluctuations in observed biofilm-forming categories after application of extracts were concentration-dependent.

Glucose is a main source of energy in human body and its regulation is controlled by a biological mechanism with organ/cell interactions that are related to glucose-insulin dynamics. This paper presents the model of physiological behaviors of glucose-insulin regulatory mechanism. This model allows investigation of blood glucose dynamics dependency on food intake. The model presented in this paper discusses several parameters within this complex system.

Chemerin is an adipokine associated with parameters of inflammation and the metabolic syndrome. Small observational studies suggested that high circulating chemerin levels are also related to bone erosion. We aimed to determine whether plasma chemerin levels are related to bone quality in the general population and to investigate the influence of body mass index (BMI) on that relation. For our analyses, we obtained data from 3583 adults who participated in the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania-Trend. The participants were divided into three groups according to their BMI: lean (<25 kg/m2), overweight (25 to 30 kg/m2), and obese (≥30 kg/m2). Chemerin concentrations were determined in EDTA plasma. Bone quality was assessed using quantitative ultrasound at the heel. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS), stiffness index, and osteoporotic fracture risk were derived from this measurement. Sex- and BMI-specific linear regression models revealed inverse associations between chemerin levels and BUA in obese men. In obese women, inverse relations between chemerin levels and SOS or stiffness index were found. Logistic regression models revealed positive associations between chemerin levels and osteoporotic fracture risk. In lean or overweight subjects, no statistically significant associations were found. Our sex- and BMI-specific analyses showed that inverse associations between chemerin levels and bone quality are restricted to obese men and women. The observed association may be due to a chemerin-induced negative affect on bone metabolism, possibly due to abrogation of osteoblastogenesis or stimulation of adipogenesis.