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The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery :... Jul 2024The aim of the study was to compare preoperative factors and postoperative outcomes in patients with heel ulcerations that primarily had a transtibial (below the knee)...
The aim of the study was to compare preoperative factors and postoperative outcomes in patients with heel ulcerations that primarily had a transtibial (below the knee) amputation (N=38) versus vertical contour calcanectomy (n=62). The groups had no statistical difference between their Charlson Comorbidity Index Score, a prognostic score of ten-year survival in patients with multiple comorbidities. The odds of primary closure was 21.1 times higher in patients that underwent below knee amputation compared to patients that underwent vertical contour calcanectomy [OR 21.1 (95% CI 3.89-114.21)]. The odds of positive soft tissue culture at time of closure were 17.1 times higher for patients that underwent vertical contour calcanectomy [OR 17.1 (95% CI 5.40-54.16)]. The odds of a patent posterior tibial artery was 3.3 times higher for patients that underwent vertical contour calcanectomy [OR 3.3 (95% 1.09-10.09)]. The secondary aim of the study was to evaluate preoperative factors and postoperative outcomes in patients with failed vertical contour calcanectomy, defined as needing a below knee amputation. The odds of vertical contour calcanectomy failure was 13.7 times higher in male patients [OR 13.7 (95% CI 1.80-107.60)]. Vertical contour calcanectomy failure was 5.7 times higher in patients with renal disease [OR 5.7 (95% CI 1.10-30.30)], and vertical contour calcanectomy failure was 16.1 times higher for patients who needed additional surgery post closure [OR 16.1 (95% CI 1.40-183.20)].
PubMed: 38964708
DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2024.06.010 -
Brain Research Jul 2024Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain abnormalities have been reported in the corpus callosum (CC) of patients with adult-onset hypothyroidism. However, no study has...
BACKGROUND
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain abnormalities have been reported in the corpus callosum (CC) of patients with adult-onset hypothyroidism. However, no study has directly compared CC-specific morphological or functional alterations among subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH), overt hypothyroidism (OH), and healthy controls (HC). Moreover, the association of CC alterations with cognition and emotion is not well understood.
METHODS
Demographic data, clinical variables, neuropsychological scores, and MRI data of 152 participants (60 SCH, 37 OH, and 55 HC) were collected. This study investigated the clinical performance, morphological and functional changes of CC subregions across three groups. Moreover, a correlation analysis was performed to explore potential relationships between these factors.
RESULTS
Compared to HC, SCH and OH groups exhibited lower cognitive scores and higher depressive/anxious scores. Notably, rostrum and rostral body volume of CC was larger in the SCH group. Functional connectivity between rostral body, anterior midbody and the right precentral and dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus were increased in the SCH group. In contrast, the SCH and OH groups exhibited a decline in functional connectivity between splenium and the right angular gyrus. Within the SCH group, rostrum volume demonstrated a negative correlation with Montreal Cognitive Assessment and visuospatial/executive scores, while displaying a positive correlation with 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores. In the OH group, rostral body volume exhibited a negative correlation with serum thyroid stimulating hormone levels, while a positive correlation with serum total thyroxine and free thyroxine levels.
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that patients with different stages of adult-onset hypothyroidism may exhibit different patterns of CC abnormalities. These findings offer new insights into the neuropathophysiological mechanisms in hypothyroidism.
PubMed: 38964705
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149110 -
International Journal of Biological... Jul 2024Indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compounds can inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase and control the concentration of blood glucose. In this paper, the characteristics of...
Indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compounds can inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase and control the concentration of blood glucose. In this paper, the characteristics of three indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compounds with different inhibitory activities of α-glucosidase as well as the interaction with α-glucosidase were studied by experiments and computational simulation techniques. Enzyme kinetic and spectral experiments showed that the indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compounds were able to inhibit enzyme activity through mixed inhibition dominated by competitive inhibition, and during the binding reaction, indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compounds can quench the intrinsic fluorescence of α-glucosidase through static quenching and an aggregation of the indole-based bis-acylhydrazone with α-glucosidase produces a stable complex with a molar ratio of 1:1, and the combination of indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compounds could lead to slight change in the conformation of α-glucosidase. The theoretical simulation demonstrated that the stability of the complex systems was positively correlated with the inhibitory activity of indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compounds, and the indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compounds occupied the active site in the multi-ligand system, resulting in a significant decrease in the binding ability of starch to active amino acids. These results suggested that indole-based bis-acylhydrazone compound was expected to be a new type of α-glucosidase inhibitor.
PubMed: 38964679
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133489 -
Developmental and Comparative Immunology Jul 2024Invertebrate lectins exhibit structural diversity and play crucial roles in the innate immune responses by recognizing and eliminating pathogens. In the present study, a...
Invertebrate lectins exhibit structural diversity and play crucial roles in the innate immune responses by recognizing and eliminating pathogens. In the present study, a novel lectin containing a Gal_Lectin, a CUB and a transmembrane domain was identified from the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (defined as CgGal-CUB). CgGal-CUB mRNA was detectable in all the examined tissues with the highest expression in adductor muscle (11.00-fold of that in haemocytes, p < 0.05). The expression level of CgGal-CUB mRNA in haemocytes was significantly up-regulated at 3, 24, 48 and 72 h (8.37-fold, 12.13-fold, 4.28-fold and 10.14-fold of that in the control group, respectively) after Vibrio splendidus stimulation. The recombinant CgGal-CUB (rCgGal-CUB) displayed binding capability to Mannan (MAN), peptidoglycan (PGN), D-(+)-Galactose and L-Rhamnose monohydrate, as well as Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, V. splendidus and Vibrio anguillarum), Gram-positive bacteria (Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus sybtilis) and fungus (Pichia pastoris). rCgGal-CUB was also able to agglutinate V. splendidus, and inhibit V. splendidus growth. Furthermore, rCgGal-CUB exhibited the activities of enhancing the haemocyte phagocytosis towards V. splendidus, and the phagocytosis rate of haemocytes was descended in blockage assay with CgGal-CUB antibody. These results suggested that CgGal-CUB served as a pattern recognition receptor to bind various PAMPs and bacteria, and enhanced the haemocyte phagocytosis towards V. splendidus.
PubMed: 38964676
DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2024.105222 -
Chest Jul 2024Reintubation is associated with higher risk of mortality. There is no clear evidence on the best spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) method to reduce the risk of...
Association between spontaneous breathing trial methods and reintubation in adult critically ill patients: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
BACKGROUND
Reintubation is associated with higher risk of mortality. There is no clear evidence on the best spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) method to reduce the risk of reintubation.
RESEARCH QUESTION
Are different methods of conducting SBT in critically ill patients associated with different risk of reintubation compared to T-tube?
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of different SBT methods on reintubation. We surveyed PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL and CENTRAL databases from inception to 26th January 2024. The Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking curve (SUCRA) was used to determine the likelihood that an intervention was ranked as the best. Pairwise comparisons were also investigated by frequentist meta-analysis. Certainty of the evidence was assessed according to the GRADE approach.
RESULTS
A total of 22 RCTs were included, for a total of 6196 patients. The network included nine nodes, with 13 direct pairwise comparisons. About 71% of the patients were allocated to T-tube and PSV-ZEEP, with 2135 and 2101 patients, respectively. The only intervention with a significantly lower risk of reintubation compared to T-tube was high flow oxygen (HFO) (RR 0.23, CrI 0.09 to 0.51, moderate quality evidence). HFO was associated with the highest probability of being the best intervention for reducing the risk of reintubation (81.86%, SUCRA 96.42), followed by continuous positive airway pressure (11.8%, SUCRA 76.75).
INTERPRETATION
HFO SBT was associated with a lower risk of reintubation in comparison to other SBT methods. The results of our analysis should be considered with caution due to the low number of studies that investigated HFO SBT, and potential clinical heterogeneity related to co-interventions. Further trials should be performed to confirm the results on larger cohorts of patients and assess specific subgroups.
PubMed: 38964674
DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2024.06.3773 -
American Journal of Infection Control Jul 2024Laboratory algorithms using Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) staining and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are often used to remove isolation...
Laboratory algorithms using Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) staining and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are often used to remove isolation precautions. A retrospective case review of 52 patients with culture confirmed pulmonary Mtb revealed 4 subjects with negative sputum AFB smears and negative Mtb PCRs. All had significant risk factors for Mtb and had a positive interferon gamma release assay. A negative PCR test result does not exclude an Mtb diagnosis.
PubMed: 38964661
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.06.023 -
Bio Systems Jul 2024Computational analysis of paratope-epitope interactions between antibodies and their corresponding antigens can facilitate our understanding of the molecular mechanism...
Computational analysis of paratope-epitope interactions between antibodies and their corresponding antigens can facilitate our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying humoral immunity and boost the design of new therapeutics for many diseases. The recent breakthrough in artificial intelligence has made it possible to predict protein-protein interactions and model their structures. Unfortunately, detecting antigen-binding sites associated with a specific antibody is still a challenging problem. To tackle this challenge, we implemented a deep learning model to characterize interaction patterns between antibodies and their corresponding antigens. With high accuracy, our model can distinguish between antibody-antigen complexes and other types of protein-protein complexes. More intriguingly, we can identify antigens from other common protein binding regions with an accuracy of higher than 70% even if we only have the epitope information. This indicates that antigens have distinct features on their surface that antibodies can recognize. Additionally, our model was unable to predict the partnerships between antibodies and their particular antigens. This result suggests that one antigen may be targeted by more than one antibody and that antibodies may bind to previously unidentified proteins. Taken together, our results support the precision of antibody-antigen interactions while also suggesting positive future progress in the prediction of specific pairing.
PubMed: 38964652
DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2024.105264 -
Bio Systems Jul 2024The textbook conceptualization of phenotype creation, "genotype (G) + environment (E) + genotype & environment interactions (GE) ↦ phenotype (Ph)", is modeled with...
The textbook conceptualization of phenotype creation, "genotype (G) + environment (E) + genotype & environment interactions (GE) ↦ phenotype (Ph)", is modeled with open quantum systems theory (OQST) or more generally with adaptive dynamics theory (ADT). The model is quantum-like, i.e., it isn't about quantum physical processes in biosystems. Generally such modeling is about applications of the quantum formalism and methodology outside of physics. Macroscopic biosystems, in our case genotypes and phenotypes, are treated as information processors which functioning matches the laws of quantum information theory. Phenotypes are the outputs of the E-adaptation processes described by the quantum master equation, Gorini-Kossakowski-Sudarshan-Lindblad equation (GKSL). Its stationary states correspond to phenotypes. We highlight the class of GKSL dynamics characterized by the camel-like graphs of (von Neumann) entropy: in the process of E-adaptation phenotype's state entropy (disorder) first increases and then falls down - a stable and well-ordered phenotype is created. Traits, an organism's phenotypic characteristics, are modelled within the quantum measurement theory, as generally unsharp observables given by positive operator valued measures (POVMs. This paper is also a review on the methods and mathematical apparatus of quantum information biology.
PubMed: 38964651
DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2024.105261 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Jul 2024To investigate the impact of different HO concentrations on the Fenton-like systems of HO/biochar, this study examined the mechanism of the physical structure and...
Coupled Effects of Fenton-Like Systems with Different Concentrations of HO/Biochar on Diethyl Phthalate Removal: The Dominant Role of Environmental Persistent Free Radicals.
To investigate the impact of different HO concentrations on the Fenton-like systems of HO/biochar, this study examined the mechanism of the physical structure and environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs) of biochar during diethyl phthalate (DEP) removal by the Fenton-like system. The peak-splitting method was utilized to differentiate EPFRs types in cotton stalk biochar produced at different temperatures. High-temperature environments promote π-electron delocalization, which facilitates phenyl π free radicals and σ-π oxygen-containing free radicals. By analyzing relationships between the removal rate K and removal constant K of DEP with the structural properties of biochar, it was discovered that EPFRs concentrations in biochar had a significant positive correlation with K (r = 0.92) and K (r = 0.97). Different HO concentrations added to the biochar removal system resulted in varied DEP removal efficiency. Among them, CS, CS, and CS exhibited superior DEP removal efficiency when HO concentration was 5 mM.
PubMed: 38964648
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124499 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Jul 2024Epidemiological studies on associations between breast cancer (BC) and organochlorine pesticides (OCP) are inconclusive. The majority of studies have evaluated the...
Epidemiological studies on associations between breast cancer (BC) and organochlorine pesticides (OCP) are inconclusive. The majority of studies have evaluated the effect of single compounds without considering multiple OCP exposures and immunophenotypes of BC. We aimed to evaluate the association between BC immunophenotypes and serum OCP mixtures, and identify the main contributors within mixtures. We included 767 histopathologically confirmed incident BC cases and 908 controls from a population-based case-control study conducted from 2007 to 2011 in Northern Mexico. We obtained direct information about sociodemographic, lifestyle and reproductive characteristics. We collected data from clinical records about hormonal receptors (HR) and epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expressions. Immunophenotypes were determined as HR+/HER2-, HER2+ or HR-/HER2-. We quantified OCP and metabolites by gas chromatography using an electron capture micro detector. We used Weighted Quantile Sum regression to assess the association of BC and exposure to multiple OCP, and their contribution within the mixture. We found a positive adjusted association between BC and an OCP mixture (OR: 3.48, 95%CI: 2.58, 4.69), whose primary contribution arose from the isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane and endosulfan, as well as endosulfan sulfate. We also identified a mixture negatively associated (OR: 0.13, 95%CI: 0.08, 0.20), characterized by p,p'-DDT and chlordane metabolites. All these associations remained regardless BC immunophenotypes. This is the first epidemiological report that identified serum OCP mixtures associated with BC immunophenotypes. Due to OCP ubiquity, biomagnification, and continuous exposure, they constitute a global problem of persistent exposure that might be related to BC risk.
PubMed: 38964647
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124495