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Technology in Cancer Research &... 2024To investigate the expression of high mobility group box B-1 (HMGB-1) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and its association with clinicopathological features and...
To investigate the expression of high mobility group box B-1 (HMGB-1) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and its association with clinicopathological features and prognosis in colorectal carcinoma by combining bioinformatics and clinical data analysis, and to clarify the role of HMGB-1. To examine whether HMGB-1 expression is related to the damage of the intestinal mucosal barrier, and then explore the potential HMGB-1-dependent mechanisms affecting the progression of CRC. CRC datasets of GSE12945, GSE17536, and GSE17537 from the public gene chip database were screened and downloaded. Clinical information and CRC tissue samples from patients with stage I-III CRC from the hospital were collected. Serum samples of patients were applied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on HMGB-1, and were divided into high and low HMGB-1 expression, which was examined by 16S rDNA sequencing. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the relationship between the expression of HMGB-1 and tight junction protein, occludin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-γ. Based on the Cutoff value of 10.24 ng/mL, the CRC patients were divided into high and low expression groups. In the HMGB-1H patient group, the TNM staging, overall survival, disease-free survival, recurrence, and metastasis were inferior to the HMGB-1L group. The results of 16S rDNA sequencing demonstrated that the genus was found to be enriched in the HMGB-1L group. Immunohistochemical results showed that HMGB-1 expression was negatively correlated with the expression of ZO-1 and occludin ( = 0.035, = 0.003, < .05), but was positively correlated with the expression of TNF-α and IFN-γ ( = 0.016, = 0.001, < .05). The survival of CRC patients with positive HMGB-1 expression was significantly shortened, which may be related to the decrease of Rovitensis content, the decreased expression of ZO-1 and occludin, and the increased levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ, which in turn damage the intestinal mucosal barrier, leading to the development of CRC.
Topics: Humans; Colorectal Neoplasms; DNA, Ribosomal; Occludin; Prognosis; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
PubMed: 38200714
DOI: 10.1177/15330338231198972 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023Neck pain is highly prevalent and one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions. Instruments that measure the factors involved in neck pain accurately are needed for...
BACKGROUND
Neck pain is highly prevalent and one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions. Instruments that measure the factors involved in neck pain accurately are needed for clinical assessment. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are reliable, cost-effective, and specific tools for the assessment of musculoskeletal problems at different moments. The Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire (NBQ) assesses pain, function, disability, and psychological and social variables in patients with cervical pathologies. The aim of this study was to perform an adaptation and validation into Spanish of the NBQ (NBQ-Sp).
METHODS
A cross-sectional, observational study was carried out through translation, adaptation, and validation. A total of 129 patients with neck pain, of Spanish nationality, and over 18 years of age were included.
RESULTS
The NBQ-Sp showed excellent internal consistency, with Cronbach's α of 0.897, test-retest reliability with interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.866, and standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimum detectable change (MDC) values were 1.302 and 3.038, respectively. A Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0.857 was obtained, and Bartlett's test yielded < 0.001, finding one factor in the factor analysis.
CONCLUSION
The NBQ-Sp has proven to be a valid and reliable tool for clinicians and researchers to measure neck pain in the Spanish population.
PubMed: 37444760
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11131926 -
Genome Biology and Evolution Sep 2023Strict blood-feeding animals are confronted with a strong B-vitamin deficiency. Blood-feeding leeches from the Glossiphoniidae family, similarly to hematophagous...
Strict blood-feeding animals are confronted with a strong B-vitamin deficiency. Blood-feeding leeches from the Glossiphoniidae family, similarly to hematophagous insects, have evolved specialized organs called bacteriomes to harbor symbiotic bacteria. Leeches of the Haementeria genus have two pairs of globular bacteriomes attached to the esophagus which house intracellular "Candidatus Providencia siddallii" bacteria. Previous work analyzing a draft genome of the Providencia symbiont of the Mexican leech Haementeria officinalis showed that, in this species, the bacteria hold a reduced genome capable of synthesizing B vitamins. In this work, we aimed to expand our knowledge on the diversity and evolution of Providencia symbionts of Haementeria. For this purpose, we sequenced the symbiont genomes of three selected leech species. We found that all genomes are highly syntenic and have kept a stable genetic repertoire, mirroring ancient insect endosymbionts. Additionally, we found B-vitamin pathways to be conserved among these symbionts, pointing to a conserved symbiotic role. Lastly and most notably, we found that the symbiont of H. acuecueyetzin has evolved an alternative genetic code, affecting a portion of its proteome and showing evidence of a lineage-specific and likely intermediate stage of genetic code reassignment.
Topics: Animals; Providencia; Phylogeny; Leeches; Bacteria; Insecta; Vitamins; Genetic Code; Symbiosis
PubMed: 37690114
DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad164 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Aug 2023Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the colon, generating a crisis period associated with diarrhea and ulcerations. Stress plays a pivotal role in...
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the colon, generating a crisis period associated with diarrhea and ulcerations. Stress plays a pivotal role in modulating the inflammatory response and aggravating progression. Different studies have shown that fasting reduces inflammation markers, and intermittent fasting decreases inflammatory markers such as IL-2, IL-6, and RCP. Goal: To evaluate the impact of intermittent fasting on a patient diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. A female patient underwent intermittent fasting (10/14) for eight weeks. Clinical tests were performed for blood count, RCP, biochemical profile, glycemia, and T4/TSH levels. Fecal calprotectin was determined. Clinical exams were assessed before and after intermittent fasting. Inflammation markers, such as CRP and calprotectin, were significantly reduced after eight weeks of intermittent fasting. The patient reported feeling better and was seizure-free during the following months when she continued fasting intermittently. Intermittent fasting allowed for a reduction in inflammation markers.
Topics: Female; Humans; Colitis, Ulcerative; Intermittent Fasting; Fasting; Inflammation; Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex
PubMed: 37629743
DOI: 10.3390/medicina59081453 -
Microbiology Spectrum Dec 2023Acetobacteraceae are one of the best known and most extensively studied groups of bacteria, which nowadays encompasses a variety of taxa that are very different from the...
Acetobacteraceae are one of the best known and most extensively studied groups of bacteria, which nowadays encompasses a variety of taxa that are very different from the vinegar-producing species defining the family. Our paper presents the most detailed phylogeny of all current taxa classified as , for which we propose a taxonomic revision. Several of such taxa inhabit some of the most extreme environments on the planet, from the deserts of Antarctica to the Sinai desert, as well as acidic niches in volcanic sites like the one we have been studying in Patagonia. Our work documents the progressive variation of the respiratory chain in early branching Acetobacteraceae into the different respiratory chains of acidophilic taxa such as and acetous taxa such as . Remarkably, several genomes retain remnants of ancestral photosynthetic traits and functional complexes. Thus, we propose that the common ancestor of was photosynthetic.
Topics: Acetobacteraceae; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Acids; Antarctic Regions; DNA, Bacterial
PubMed: 37975678
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00575-23 -
BMJ Open Jul 2023Chile is committed to actively involving patients in their healthcare. However, little is known about how this is translated into clinical encounters. Breast cancer (BC)...
INTRODUCTION
Chile is committed to actively involving patients in their healthcare. However, little is known about how this is translated into clinical encounters. Breast cancer (BC) is the first cause of cancer-related death in Chilean women. National policy guarantees standard care, and treatment decisions should be made along this process that can have long-term consequences for women. So, BC is a particularly well-suited case study to understand the complexity of patient participation in decision-making.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the factors that affect the active involvement of patients in the BC treatment decision-making process, considering the perspectives and practices of health professionals and women facing the disease.
METHOD AND ANALYSIS
We will conduct a mixed-method study through a convergent parallel design in three stages: (1) A qualitative study: non-participant observation of the tumour board (TB) meetings; semi-structured interviews with key informants from TBs; documentary analyses; semi-structured interviews with women facing BC; and non-participant observations of clinical encounters; (2) a cross-sectional study with 445 women facing BC stages I-III from three hospitals in Santiago, Chile. We will measure the level of expected participation, experienced participation, decisional conflict, quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction with healthcare. Descriptive analysis will be performed, and multivariable binary logistic regression models will be adjusted to identify factors associated with high levels of QoL or satisfaction; (3) an integration study will bring together the data through a joint display technique.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
The study has been conceived and will be conducted according to international and local agreements for ethical research. Ethical approval has been granted by two Ethics Committees in Chile.The results will be disseminated to scientific and lay audiences (publications in scientific journals and conferences, seminars and a website for plain language dissemination).
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Decision Making; Quality of Life; Cross-Sectional Studies; Research Design
PubMed: 37474182
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074111 -
Cancers Dec 2023The gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPr) is highly overexpressed in several solid tumors, including treatment-naïve and recurrent prostate cancer. [Ga]Ga-RM2 is a...
BACKGROUND
The gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPr) is highly overexpressed in several solid tumors, including treatment-naïve and recurrent prostate cancer. [Ga]Ga-RM2 is a well-established radiotracer for PET imaging of GRPr, and [Lu]Lu-RM2 has been proposed as a therapeutic alternative for patients with heterogeneous and/or low expression of PSMA. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of GRPr and PSMA in a group of patients diagnosed with castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) by means of PET imaging.
METHODS
Seventeen mCRPC patients referred for radio-ligand therapy (RLT) were enrolled and underwent [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [Ga]Ga-RM2 PET/CT imaging, 8.8 ± 8.6 days apart, to compare the biodistribution of each tracer. Uptake in healthy organs and tumor lesions was assessed by SUV values, and tumor-to-background ratios were analyzed.
RESULTS
[Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 showed significantly higher uptake in tumor lesions in bone, lymph nodes, prostate, and soft tissues and detected 23% more lesions compared to [Ga]Ga-RM2. In 4/17 patients (23.5%), the biodistribution of both tracers was comparable.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that in our cohort of mCRPC patients, PSMA expression was higher compared to GRPr. Nevertheless, RLT with [Lu]Lu-RM2 may be an alternative treatment option for selected patients or patients in earlier disease stages, such as biochemical recurrence.
PubMed: 38201600
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16010173 -
PloS One 2023Businesses associated with information technology and telecommunications have increased in importance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic due to transformations in...
Businesses associated with information technology and telecommunications have increased in importance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic due to transformations in working and buying. Currently, universities in Latin America are making efforts to strengthen entrepreneurial attitudes and skills in their students. In this context, it is of interest to understand how the combination of personality traits, gender, income and age/generation affect entrepreneurial intentions toward these kinds of businesses. This research analyzes the responses of 788 university students from Chile and Ecuador to an online self-report survey using regression models with the aim of evaluating the effect of Big Five personality traits on the intention to undertake information technology and telecommunications businesses and measuring the moderation of gender, family income, and belonging to the centennial generation. The findings support a significant influence of the traits of neuroticism, openness and conscientiousness on entrepreneurial intention and suggest that female gender and higher family income have a negative impact on the intention to undertake these businesses. Moreover, an important moderating effect of female gender and lower family income levels is supported. This study sheds new light on students' characteristics that affect their participation in information technology and telecommunications ventures through the identification of a unique combination of relevant personality traits, gender and income levels. The findings are useful for designing and developing appropriate programs aimed at developing this kind of technology business in Latin America as well as promoting the entrepreneurship of groups that express a lower intention to undertake businesses, such as female students.
Topics: Humans; Female; Intention; Information Technology; Pandemics; COVID-19; Personality; Students; Technology
PubMed: 37478125
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284488 -
Nutrients Feb 2024Regular exercise has been described to modify both the diversity and the relative abundance of certain bacterial taxa. To our knowledge, the effect of a cycling stage...
BACKGROUND
Regular exercise has been described to modify both the diversity and the relative abundance of certain bacterial taxa. To our knowledge, the effect of a cycling stage race, which entails extreme physiological and metabolic demands, on the gut microbiota composition and its metabolic activity has not been analysed.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this cohort study was to analyse the dynamics of faecal microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content of professional cyclists over a Grand Tour and their relationship with performance and dietary intake.
METHODS
16 professional cyclists competing in La Vuelta 2019 were recruited. Faecal samples were collected at four time points: the day before the first stage (A); after 9 stages (B); after 15 stages (C); and on the last stage (D). Faecal microbiota populations and SCFA content were analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing and gas chromatography, respectively. A principal component analysis (PCA) followed by Generalised Estimating Equation (GEE) models were carried out to explore the dynamics of microbiota and SCFAs and their relationship with performance.
RESULTS
, , , and dynamics showed a strong final performance predictive value (r = 0.83, ranking, and r = 0.81, accumulated time). Positive correlations were observed between with acetate (r = 0.530) and isovalerate (r = 0.664) and between with isobutyrate (r = 0.682). No relationship was observed between SCFAs and performance. The abundance of at the beginning of La Vuelta was directly related to the previous intake of complex-carbohydrate-rich foods (r = 0.956), while during the competition, the abundance of was negatively affected by the intake of simple carbohydrates from supplements (r = -0.650).
CONCLUSIONS
An ecological perspective represents more realistically the relationship between gut microbiota composition and performance compared to single-taxon approaches. The composition and periodisation of diet and supplementation during a Grand Tour, particularly carbohydrates, could be designed to modulate gut microbiota composition to allow better performance.
Topics: Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Cohort Studies; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Feces; Eating; Exercise; Carbohydrates
PubMed: 38474789
DOI: 10.3390/nu16050661 -
Brazilian Oral Research 2024This study aimed to identify and characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of bacteria found in primary endodontic infections in the teeth of patients...
This study aimed to identify and characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of bacteria found in primary endodontic infections in the teeth of patients treated at the Dental Clinic of the University of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. From September to December 2019, samples were obtained from 21 patients with primary endodontic infections. The collections were carried out in triplicate using paper cones placed close to the total length of the root canal. Bacterial isolation was performed in Brain Heart Infusion agar, Blood agar, and other selective culture media cultured at 37°C for up to 48 h under aerobiosis and microaerophilic conditions. The bacterial species were identified using the Vitek 2 automated system. The disk diffusion method on agar Müeller-Hinton was used to assess antimicrobial susceptibility with the recommended antimicrobials for each identified bacterial species. A total of 49 antibiotics were evaluated. Fifteen of the 21 samples collected showed bacterial growth, and 17 bacterial isolates were found. There were 10 different bacterial species identified: Enterococcus faecalis (four isolates), Streptococcus mitis/oralis (three isolates), Streptococcus anginosus (three isolates) being the most common, followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus constellatus, Streptococcus alactolyticus, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella variicola, and Providencia rettgeri (one isolate of each species). The analysis demonstrated significant susceptibility to most of the tested antibiotics. However, some Enterococcus isolates resisted the antibiotic's erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline. A Staphylococcus epidermidis isolate was characterized as multidrug-resistant. Five Streptococcus isolates were non-susceptible to all antibiotics tested.
Topics: Humans; Agar; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Brazil; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Enterococcus faecium; Culture Media; Anti-Infective Agents
PubMed: 38597544
DOI: 10.1590/1807-3107bor-2024.vol38.0024