No abstract

Most studies on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk factors have been conducted in developed countries where ethnicity and environment are different than in developing countries. We compared nutritional status, immune response and microbiota composition in mestizo children with ASD with matched controls in Ecuador. Twenty-five cases and 35 controls were matched by age, sex and school location. The prevalence of under-and overweight was higher in children with ASD. Nutritional differences were accompanied by abnormal food habits and more frequent gastrointestinal symptoms in children with ASD. Also, greater serum concentrations of TGF-β1 were observed in children with ASD. Finally, there was greater alpha diversity and abundance of Bacteroides (2 OTUs), Akkermansia, Coprococcus and different species of Ruminococcus in ASD children.

Opportunistic infections and deaths are less common among HIV-infected youth in the US in the cART era, but the mortality rate remains elevated. Deaths were associated with poor HIV control and older age. Emerging complications, such as psychiatric, inflammatory, metabolic, and genital tract diseases, need to be addressed.

Because of increased incidence of teenage births and high prevalence of lactation in Latin America, we determined the patterning of free amino acids (FAAs) in breast milk of 65 primiparous Ecuadorian women of varying ages (14–27 years). An automatic amino acid analyzer quantified levels of FAAs in milk samples obtained at three lactation stages: colostrum, transition, and mature milk. Regardless of mother’s age, most FAAs increased with time postpartum, with taurine, glutamic acid, glutamine, and alanine being most abundant in all stages.