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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine... Apr 2024
Topics: Humans; Motion; Diagnostic Imaging
PubMed: 38216780
DOI: 10.1007/s00259-024-06592-2 -
Microorganisms Jul 2023This study aimed to characterize the pathogenicity of bacteria isolated from the starter of two traditional beers produced and consumed in Benin. After standard...
This study aimed to characterize the pathogenicity of bacteria isolated from the starter of two traditional beers produced and consumed in Benin. After standard microbial identification, species were identified by specific biochemical tests such as catalase, coagulase, and API 20 E. Antibiotic sensitivity was tested according to the French Society of Microbiology Antibiogram Committee. The crystal violet microplate technique evaluated the biofilm production and conventional PCR was used to identify genes encoding virulence and macrolide resistance. According to our data, the traditional starter known as that is used to produce beer is contaminated by and staphylococci species. Thus, 28.43% of the isolated bacteria were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), and 10.93% coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS). Six species such as (1.38%), (4.14%) (5.51%) (6.89%) (15.16%), and (27.56%) were identified among . Those bacterial strains are multi-resistant to conventional antibiotics. The hight capability of produced biofilms was recorded with , (100%), (75%), and spp (60%). (4%) and coagulase-negative (5.55%) harbor the macrolide resistance gene. For other strains, these genes were not detected. Foods contaminated with bacteria resistant to antibiotics and carrying a virulence gene could constitute a potential public health problem. There is a need to increase awareness campaigns on hygiene rules in preparing and selling these traditional beers.
PubMed: 37630499
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11081939 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2024The (Mol.) Stuntz, also known as Maqui, is an endemic berry native to southern Chile. It is a very popular berry for its nutritional attributes and health benefits,... (Review)
Review
The (Mol.) Stuntz, also known as Maqui, is an endemic berry native to southern Chile. It is a very popular berry for its nutritional attributes and health benefits, provided mainly by its polyphenols. This review aims to investigate the Maqui and its nutritional characteristics, its health benefits, and the application of Maqui in the food industry. This fruit provides 150 calories per 100 g of product and has a low protein content and a high fiber content. Its seeds contain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); however, its most outstanding feature is its high value of bioactive compounds, mainly anthocyanins, indole alkaloids and flavonoids, coumarins, caffeic and ferulic acids, and delphinidin 3-O-β-glucoside, the latter being the most representative, providing Maqui with high antioxidant activity. Maqui is considered a fruit of high interest as a nutraceutical product for the control and prevention of ongoing diseases, and among its benefits, we can highlight glycemic and metabolic control; the control and prevention of obesity, cancer, cognitive decline, and dementia; the prevention and treatment of bone structure alterations; prevention against oxidative stress, particularly in cigarette smoke-induced stress. In addition to its nutraceutical use, Maqui has been used in the food industry to improve the shelf life (by controlling lipid oxidation) and nutritional value of food products and as a substitute for synthetic additives. In addition, the inclusion of Maqui improves the organoleptic and sensory characteristics of foods. The incorporation of this fruit has been observed mainly in drinks, meat products, bakery products, and milk products. Evidence has shown that Maqui consumption, as well as products with Maqui added, have a good acceptability and exert benefits on people's health. Knowledge about the application of Maqui in food will allow us to create new nutraceutical and food products that improve their nutritional and functional value.
PubMed: 38540828
DOI: 10.3390/foods13060838 -
Infection Dec 2023Antimicrobial resistance is a pressing issue in Ukraine, with healthcare-associated infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms being a major concern. A recent...
Multidrug-resistant isolates from Ukrainian patients in a German health facility: a genomic surveillance study focusing on antimicrobial resistance and bacterial relatedness.
PURPOSE
Antimicrobial resistance is a pressing issue in Ukraine, with healthcare-associated infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms being a major concern. A recent prospective multicenter study revealed a staggering rate of 48.4% antimicrobial resistance to carbapenems among Enterobacterales causing a healthcare-associated infection. We conducted a systematic survey to investigate the incidence rate and incidence density of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (CPGN) among refugees and war-wounded Ukrainians in connection with the German health system.
METHODS
From the onset of the war until November 2022, seven Ukrainian patients were admitted to our hospital. Upon admission, screening samples and samples from the focus of suspected infection were taken from all seven patients. The incidence rate and the incidence density of CPGN were calculated as a result of the microbiological findings. We sequenced all CPGN using Illumina technology.
RESULTS
The incidence rate of CPGN at our hospital was 0.06 for 2021 and 0.18 for 2022. All seven Ukrainian patients were infected or colonized with at least one CPGN, including K. pneumoniae (14/25), P. aeruginosa (6/25), A. baumannii (1/25), Providencia stutartii (1/25), C. freundii (1/25), and E. coli (2/25). Genomic surveillance revealed that (i) most frequently detected carbapenemases among all sequenced isolates were bla (17/25) and bla (6/25), (ii) most commonly observed plasmid replicons among the K. pneumoniae isolates recovered from Ukrainian patients were Col(pHAD28) (12/14), IncHI1B(pNDM-MAR) (9/14), IncFIB(pNDM-Mar) (12/14), and (iii) clonal relation between the pathogens of the Ukrainian isolates, but not for the isolates from our hospital surveillance system.
CONCLUSION
The rising prevalence of community-acquired colonization and infection with CPGN is having a direct effect on the infection prevention measures, such as higher number of isolations, reprocessing of patient rooms, additional microbiological testing and overall organization within hospitals.
Topics: Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Escherichia coli; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; beta-Lactamases; Bacterial Proteins; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Cross Infection; Genomics
PubMed: 37338782
DOI: 10.1007/s15010-023-02061-4 -
The Lancet. Public Health Feb 2024Cancer is one of the most pressing global health issues, and populations with complex needs, such as people experiencing homelessness, have higher cancer incidence and... (Review)
Review
Cancer is one of the most pressing global health issues, and populations with complex needs, such as people experiencing homelessness, have higher cancer incidence and mortality rates compared with the housed population. We mapped the evidence on cancer risk factors as well as barriers and facilitators to cancer prevention services among people experiencing homelessness, which is key to localising research gaps and identifying strategies for tailored interventions adapted to people experiencing homelessness. The results of 40 studies contribute to an understanding of the dynamic, interactive factors at different levels that determine access to cancer prevention services: socioeconomic, psychological, and physical factors (individual level); practical support and relational loops between health-care providers and people experiencing homelessness (interpersonal level); housing and regular medical care (system level); and interventions to facilitate access to cancer prevention (policy level). Furthermore, studies reported higher prevalence of various cancer-associated risk factors among people experiencing homelessness with the most common being tobacco use, ranging from 26% to 73%. The results show the importance of interventions to facilitate cancer prevention services through social support and low-threshold interventions (eg, navigation programmes), and training health-care staff in creating supportive and trusting environments that increase the likelihood of the continuity of care among people experiencing homelessness.
Topics: Humans; Health Services Accessibility; Ill-Housed Persons; Risk Factors; Housing; Health Personnel; Neoplasms
PubMed: 38307679
DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00298-0 -
Cells Feb 2024In this study, we investigated the inter-organelle communication between the Golgi apparatus (GA) and mitochondria. Previous observations suggest that GA-derived...
In this study, we investigated the inter-organelle communication between the Golgi apparatus (GA) and mitochondria. Previous observations suggest that GA-derived vesicles containing phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI(4)P) play a role in mitochondrial fission, colocalizing with DRP1, a key protein in this process. However, the functions of these vesicles and potentially associated proteins remain unknown. GOLPH3, a PI(4)P-interacting GA protein, is elevated in various types of solid tumors, including breast cancer, yet its precise role is unclear. Interestingly, GOLPH3 levels influence mitochondrial mass by affecting cardiolipin synthesis, an exclusive mitochondrial lipid. However, the mechanism by which GOLPH3 influences mitochondria is not fully understood. Our live-cell imaging analysis showed GFP-GOLPH3 associating with PI(4)P vesicles colocalizing with YFP-DRP1 at mitochondrial fission sites. We tested the functional significance of these observations with GOLPH3 knockout in MDA-MB-231 cells of breast cancer, resulting in a fragmented mitochondrial network and reduced bioenergetic function, including decreased mitochondrial ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, and oxygen consumption. Our findings suggest a potential negative regulatory role for GOLPH3 in mitochondrial fission, impacting mitochondrial function and providing insights into GA-mitochondria communication.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; MDA-MB-231 Cells; Mitochondrial Dynamics; Golgi Apparatus; Energy Metabolism; Membrane Proteins
PubMed: 38391929
DOI: 10.3390/cells13040316 -
Ophthalmology Science 2024The most widely used classifications of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and its severity stages still rely on color fundus photographs (CFPs). However, AMD has a...
PURPOSE
The most widely used classifications of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and its severity stages still rely on color fundus photographs (CFPs). However, AMD has a wide phenotypic variability that remains poorly understood and is better characterized by OCT. We and others have shown that patients with AMD have a distinct plasma metabolomic profile compared with controls. However, all studies to date have been performed solely based on CFP classifications. This study aimed to assess if plasma metabolomic profiles are associated with OCT features commonly seen in AMD.
DESIGN
Prospectively designed, cross-sectional study.
PARTICIPANTS
Subjects with a diagnosis of AMD and a control group (> 50 years old) from Boston, United States, and Coimbra, Portugal.
METHODS
All participants were imaged with CFP, used for AMD staging (Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 classification scheme), and with spectral domain OCT (Spectralis, Heidelberg). OCT images were graded by 2 independent graders for the presence of characteristic AMD features, according to a predefined protocol. Fasting blood samples were collected for metabolomic profiling (using nontargeted high-resolution mass spectrometry by Metabolon Inc). Analyses were conducted using logistic regression models including the worst eye of each patient (AREDS2 classification) and adjusting for confounding factors. Each cohort (United States and Portugal) was analyzed separately and then results were combined by meta-analyses. False discovery rate (FDR) was used to account for multiple comparisons.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Plasma metabolite levels associated with OCT features.
RESULTS
We included data on 468 patients, 374 with AMD and 94 controls, and on 725 named endogenous metabolites. Meta-analysis identified significant associations (FDR < 0.05) between plasma metabolites and 3 OCT features: hyperreflective foci (6), atrophy (6), and ellipsoid zone disruption (3). Most associations were seen with amino acids, and all but 1 metabolite presented specific associations with the OCT features assessed.
CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, we show for the first time that plasma metabolites have associations with specific OCT features seen in AMD. Our results support that the wide spectrum of presentations of AMD likely include different pathophysiologic mechanisms by identifying specific pathways associated with each OCT feature.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES
Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
PubMed: 37869026
DOI: 10.1016/j.xops.2023.100357 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023Gut microbes play an important role in the adaptation of insects. Polyphagous insects usually undergo changes in gut microbiota after host shift. The have a wide range...
BACKGROUND
Gut microbes play an important role in the adaptation of insects. Polyphagous insects usually undergo changes in gut microbiota after host shift. The have a wide range of hosts, but the dynamic of gut microorganisms during host shift have not been thoroughly investigated. To understand the role of gut microbes in insect adaptation, it is necessary to study the dynamics of insect gut microorganisms during host transfer.
METHODS
Using (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and its four hosts as study subjects, we investigated the dynamics of gut microbes during host transfer and the effects of different hosts on the gut microbial composition of .
RESULTS
The results showed that the Chao1 index of decreased significantly during host transfer, and the intestinal microorganisms were significantly affected by the original host, host, and generations. Furthermore, predicated changes in the abundance of secondary metabolite pathways after host transfer suggested that microorganisms may play an important role in the degradation of secondary metabolites, among which and have important functions in the gut of .
CONCLUSION
This implied that microorganisms play a function in the host transfer process of and may be an important cofactor in the adaptation of to different hosts and environments, providing new research ideas for the future control of .
PubMed: 38075877
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1264788 -
Microbiology Spectrum Sep 2023is a clinically significant opportunistic pathogen that is involved in urinary tract infections. Due to the resolution limitations of identification, distinguishing...
is a clinically significant opportunistic pathogen that is involved in urinary tract infections. Due to the resolution limitations of identification, distinguishing from closely related species is challenging by commercial biochemical test systems. Here, we first reported a novel species, , which had been misidentified as . Exhibiting ≤91.97% average nucleotide identity (ANI) and ≤46.10% in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values with all known species, falls well beneath the established species-defining thresholds. We conducted a population genomics analysis of isolates worldwide. Our study revealed that has emerged in many countries and has formed several transmission clusters. We found that shared the highest ANI values (91.54% and 91.97%) with and , respectively. The pan-genome analysis revealed that these three species possessed a similar component of pan-genomes. Two genes associated with metabolism, and , were identified to be specific to . Furthermore, we also observed that carbapenem-resistance genes frequently occur in with the being the most prevalent (46.15%; 36/78). The emergence of is often accompanied by extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenem-resistance genes, and calls for tailored surveillance of this species as a clinically relevant species in the future. IMPORTANCE Our study has identified and characterized a novel species, , which is associated with urinary tract infections and was previously misidentified as . Through this study, we have identified specific genes unique to , which could serve as marker genes for rapid PCR identification. Additionally, our findings suggest that the emergence of is often accompanied by extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenem-resistance genes, emphasizing the need for attention to clinical management and the importance of accurate species identification and proper drug use.
PubMed: 37732781
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01227-23 -
Archives of Physical Medicine and... Mar 2024To meta-analyze the prevalence and predictors of dropout rates among adults with fibromyalgia participating in exercise randomized controlled trials (RCTs). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
To meta-analyze the prevalence and predictors of dropout rates among adults with fibromyalgia participating in exercise randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
DATA SOURCES
Two authors searched Embase, CINAHL, PsycARTICLES, and Medline up to 01/21/2023.
STUDY SELECTION
We included RCTs of exercise interventions in people with fibromyalgia that reported dropout rates.
DATA EXTRACTION
Dropout rates from exercise and control conditions and exerciser/participant, provider, and design/implementation related predictors.
DATA SYNTHESIS
A random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression were conducted. In total, 89 RCTs involving 122 exercise arms in 3.702 people with fibromyalgia were included. The trim-and-fill-adjusted prevalence of dropout across all RCTs was 19.2% (95% CI=16.9%-21.8%), which is comparable with the dropout observed in control conditions with the trim-and-fill-adjusted odds ratio being 0.31 (95% CI=0.92-1.86, P=.44). Body mass index (R=0.16, P=.03) and higher effect of illness (R=0.20, P=.02) predicted higher dropout. The lowest dropout was observed in exergaming, compared with other exercise types (P=.014), and in lower-intensity exercises, compared with high intensity exercise (P=.03). No differences in dropout were observed for the frequency or duration of the exercise intervention. Continuous supervision by an exercise expert (eg, physiotherapist) resulted in the lowest dropout rates (P<.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Exercise dropout in RCTs is comparable with control conditions, suggesting that exercise is a feasible and accepted treatment modality; however, interventions are ideally supervised by an expert (eg, physiotherapist) to minimize the risk of dropout. Experts should consider a high BMI and the effect of the illness as risk factors for dropout.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Body Mass Index; Exercise Therapy; Fibromyalgia; Odds Ratio; Patient Dropouts
PubMed: 37331421
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2023.06.002