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Applied and Environmental Microbiology Jun 2024Black apples are the result of late-stage microbial decomposition after falling to the ground. This phenomenon is highly comparable from year to year, with the...
Black apples are the result of late-stage microbial decomposition after falling to the ground. This phenomenon is highly comparable from year to year, with the filamentous fungus most commonly being the first invader, followed by . Motivated by the fact that only little chemistry has been reported from apple microbiomes, we set out to investigate the chemical diversity and potential ecological roles of secondary metabolites (SMs) in a total of 38 black apples. Metabolomics analyses were conducted on either whole apples or small excisions of fungal biomass derived from black apples. Annotation of fungal SMs in black apple extracts was aided by the cultivation of 15 recently isolated fungal strains on 9 different substrates in a One Strain Many Compounds (OSMAC) approach, leading to the identification of 3,319 unique chemical features. Only 6.4% were attributable to known compounds based on analysis of high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS/MS) data using spectral library matching tools. Of the 1,606 features detected in the black apple extracts, 32% could be assigned as fungal-derived, due to their presence in the OSMAC-based training data set. Notably, the detection of several antifungal compounds indicates the importance of such compounds for the invasion of and control of other microbial competitors on apples. In conclusion, the diversity and abundance of microbial SMs on black apples were found to be much higher than that typically observed for other environmental microbiomes. Detection of SMs known to be produced by the six fungal species tested also highlights a succession of fungal growth following the initial invader .IMPORTANCEMicrobial secondary metabolites constitute a significant reservoir of biologically potent and clinically valuable chemical scaffolds. However, their usefulness is hampered by rapidly developing resistance, resulting in reduced profitability of such research endeavors. Hence, the ecological role of such microbial secondary metabolites must be considered to understand how best to utilize such compounds as chemotherapeutics. Here, we explore an under-investigated environmental microbiome in the case of black apples; a veritable "low-hanging fruit," with relatively high abundances and diversity of microbially produced secondary metabolites. Using both a targeted and untargeted metabolomics approach, the interplay between metabolites, other microbes, and the apple host itself was investigated. This study highlights the surprisingly low incidence of known secondary metabolites in such a system, highlighting the need to study the functionality of secondary metabolites in microbial interactions and complex microbiomes.
PubMed: 38899884
DOI: 10.1128/aem.00342-24 -
Annali Di Igiene : Medicina Preventiva... Jun 2024In the context of Infections Prevention and Control activities, the training of healthcare-associated infection control figures is crucial; the COVID-19 pandemic further...
Training in infection prevention and control: survey on the volume and on the learning demands of healthcare-associated infections control figures in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy).
BACKGROUND
In the context of Infections Prevention and Control activities, the training of healthcare-associated infection control figures is crucial; the COVID-19 pandemic further emphasized the necessity of ensuring a widespread and stable level of skills over time for such professionals. The present work aims to identify the number and training needs of the personnel working in the Emilia-Romagna Region's healthcare facilities as "healthcare-associated infection control figures".
METHODS
Data were collected through a survey created by experts from the Regional Group "Training in the prevention and control of antibiotic resistance". The questionnaire explored the number, professional and educational background, and training requirements of Healthcare-associated infections control figures in Emilia-Romagna.
RESULTS
With 73 figures dedicated to Healthcare-associated infections control, the Emilia-Romagna Region appears to be in line with the European standard ratio (1 professional every 125 beds). Professionals with a nursing background, over 50 years old and of female sex prevail in the group, while the training needs expressed include both theoretical and practical aspects.
CONCLUSIONS
Healthcare assistants and nursing staff represent a fundamental resource for the implementation of infection prevention and control programs in our healthcare facilities; continuous, multidisciplinary and targeted training of these professionals is confirmed as necessary.
PubMed: 38899568
DOI: 10.7416/ai.2024.2643 -
BMC Medical Genomics Jun 2024Immunoregulatory drugs regulate the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which is the main treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) at present. In this study, bioinformatics analysis...
BACKGROUND
Immunoregulatory drugs regulate the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which is the main treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) at present. In this study, bioinformatics analysis was used to construct the risk model and evaluate the prognostic value of ubiquitination-related genes in MM.
METHODS AND RESULTS
The data on ubiquitination-related genes and MM samples were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. The consistent cluster analysis and ESTIMATE algorithm were used to create distinct clusters. The MM prognostic risk model was constructed through single-factor and multiple-factor analysis. The ROC curve was plotted to compare the survival difference between high- and low-risk groups. The nomogram was used to validate the predictive capability of the risk model. A total of 87 ubiquitination-related genes were obtained, with 47 genes showing high expression in the MM group. According to the consistent cluster analysis, 4 clusters were determined. The immune infiltration, survival, and prognosis differed significantly among the 4 clusters. The tumor purity was higher in clusters 1 and 3 than in clusters 2 and 4, while the immune score and stromal score were lower in clusters 1 and 3. The proportion of B cells memory, plasma cells, and T cells CD4 naïve was the lowest in cluster 4. The model genes KLHL24, HERC6, USP3, TNIP1, and CISH were highly expressed in the high-risk group. AICAr and BMS.754,807 exhibited higher drug sensitivity in the low-risk group, whereas Bleomycin showed higher drug sensitivity in the high-risk group. The nomogram of the risk model demonstrated good efficacy in predicting the survival of MM patients using TCGA and GEO datasets.
CONCLUSIONS
The risk model constructed by ubiquitination-related genes can be effectively used to predict the prognosis of MM patients. KLHL24, HERC6, USP3, TNIP1, and CISH genes in MM warrant further investigation as therapeutic targets and to combat drug resistance.
Topics: Humans; Multiple Myeloma; Computational Biology; Prognosis; Ubiquitination; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Biomarkers, Tumor; Nomograms; Cluster Analysis
PubMed: 38898455
DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01937-0 -
European Journal of Sport Science Apr 2024Even if more and more women are involved in strength-training (ST) programs in fitness centers, studies on strength gain, body composition, and cardiac remodeling were...
Even if more and more women are involved in strength-training (ST) programs in fitness centers, studies on strength gain, body composition, and cardiac remodeling were mainly conducted in men and whether they are similar in women remains to be explored. In this context, the aim of our study was to assess the effect of a supervised ST program on strength gains, body composition, and cardiac remodeling in previously untrained women and men. 17 healthy and previously untrained young women and 17 young men participated in a supervised 16-week ST program built according to the recommendation of the American College of Sports Medicine in terms of intensity, and strictly using similar volume and intensity in both groups. Strength performance, body composition, and cardiac remodeling were evaluated every 4 weeks. Cardiac adaptations were assessed using resting echocardiography, including regional 2D-Strain analysis of the left atrium and ventricle (LA and LV, respectively). Despite lower values at baseline, women exhibited similar or even higher strength gains compared to men. ST induced a decrease of body and abdominal fat mass and an increase of lean body mass in both groups. Similar cardiac remodeling was observed in women, and women, including an early and progressive LV and LA enlargement throughout the ST program, without any alteration of LV diastolic and systolic functions. These findings underlie that ST programs are highly suitable for women to enhance their strength performance and their cardiovascular health.
Topics: Humans; Resistance Training; Male; Female; Body Composition; Ventricular Remodeling; Young Adult; Adult; Echocardiography; Muscle Strength; Physical Functional Performance; Adaptation, Physiological; Sex Factors
PubMed: 38895874
DOI: 10.1002/ejsc.12033 -
Health Science Reports Jun 2024Food-borne illness is a public health concern in developing countries because of improper food handling and sanitation practices, irregular medical checkups, lack of...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Food-borne illness is a public health concern in developing countries because of improper food handling and sanitation practices, irregular medical checkups, lack of clean water supplies, and inadequate education among food handlers. This study investigated the burden of bacterial food-borne illness, antibiotic resistance patterns, and associated factors among food handlers in prison and nonprison food establishment settings.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2022 to January 2023 among asymptomatic food handlers in Shewa Robit town. A total of 384 food handlers participated. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Stool and hand swab samples were collected and cultivated onto MacConkey agar, xylose-lysine-deoxycholate, Mannitol salt agar, and blood agar, and incubated at 37°C. Bacterial species were identified using biochemical tests and gram staining. Mueller-Hinton agar was used in Kirby Bauer's disk diffusion method. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis were performed.
RESULTS
Fecal and hand carriage rate of bacterial isolates were 106 (27.6%), and 214 (55.7%), respectively. Out of the 102 bacterial isolates, the most common ones from stool samples were 71 (18.5%), 12 (3.1%), and spp. 7 (1.8%). Among 214 bacterial isolates, coagulase-negative 115 (29.9%) and 66 (17.3%) were identified from hand swab samples. Hand washing practice after restroom with water (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-3.45), irregular medical checkups (AOR = 2.49; 95% CI: 1.35-4.59), and did not receive food safety and hygiene training (AOR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.34-4.05) were statistically significant association with food-borne illness.
CONCLUSIONS
Foodborne pathogens pose a serious health risk in the study areas. The level of antimicrobial resistance are also concerning. Food handlers should therefore get strict regular health education, medical checkups, and training programs to prevent the spread of infections to the customers.
PubMed: 38895551
DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.2199 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jun 2024Machine learning (ML) algorithms are necessary to efficiently identify potent drug combinations within a large candidate space to combat drug resistance. However,...
Machine learning (ML) algorithms are necessary to efficiently identify potent drug combinations within a large candidate space to combat drug resistance. However, existing ML approaches cannot be applied to emerging and under-studied pathogens with limited training data. To address this, we developed a transfer learning and crowdsourcing framework (TACTIC) to train ML models on data from multiple bacteria. TACTIC was built using 2,965 drug interactions from 12 bacterial strains and outperformed traditional ML models in predicting drug interaction outcomes for species that lack training data. Top TACTIC model features revealed genetic and metabolic factors that influence cross-species and species-specific drug interaction outcomes. Upon analyzing ~600,000 predicted drug interactions across 9 metabolic environments and 18 bacterial strains, we identified a small set of drug interactions that are selectively synergistic against Gram-negative (e.g., ) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pathogens. We experimentally validated synergistic drug combinations containing clarithromycin, ampicillin, and mecillinam against , an emerging pathogen with growing levels of antibiotic resistance. Lastly, we leveraged TACTIC to propose selectively synergistic drug combinations to treat bacterial eye infections (endophthalmitis).
PubMed: 38895385
DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597386 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The existing kinase inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have conferred survival benefits but are hampered by adverse effects and drug resistance, necessitating...
The existing kinase inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have conferred survival benefits but are hampered by adverse effects and drug resistance, necessitating the development of novel agents targeting distinct pathways. To discover potent new anti-HCC compounds, we leveraged scaffold hopping from Sorafenib and introduced morpholine/piperidine moieties to develop ureido-substituted 4-phenylthiazole analogs with optimized physicochemical properties and binding interactions. Notably, compound exhibited potent cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells (IC = 0.62 ± 0.34 μM), significantly exceeding Sorafenib (IC = 1.62 ± 0.27 μM). Mechanistic investigations revealed that compound potently inhibited HCC cell migration and colony formation, and it induced G2/M arrest and early-stage apoptosis. Kinase profiling revealed IGF1R as a key target, which compound potently inhibited (76.84% at 10 μM). Molecular modeling substantiated compound 's strong binding to IGF1R via multiple hydrogen bonds. Computational predictions indicate favorable drug-like properties for compound . These findings provide a promising drug candidate for the treatment of HCC patients.
Topics: Humans; Receptor, IGF Type 1; Cell Proliferation; Hep G2 Cells; Thiazoles; Protein Kinase Inhibitors; Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Liver Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cell Movement; Structure-Activity Relationship; Molecular Docking Simulation; Receptors, Somatomedin; Molecular Structure; Cell Line, Tumor; Sorafenib; Models, Molecular
PubMed: 38893528
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112653 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine May 2024Bariatric surgery candidates require presurgical physical training, therefore, we compared the metabolic effects of a constant moderate-intensity training program...
Moderate-Intensity Constant and High-Intensity Interval Training Confer Differential Metabolic Benefits in Skeletal Muscle, White Adipose Tissue, and Liver of Candidates to Undergo Bariatric Surgery.
Bariatric surgery candidates require presurgical physical training, therefore, we compared the metabolic effects of a constant moderate-intensity training program (MICT) vs. a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in this population. Seventeen participants performed MICT (n = 9, intensity of 50% of heart rate reserve (HRR) and/or 4-5/10 subjective sensation of effort (SSE)) or HIIT (n = 8, 6 cycles of 2.5 min at 80% of the HRR and/or 7-8/10 of SSE, interspersed by 6 cycles of active rest at 20% of the FCR) for 10 sessions for 4 weeks. After training, tissue samples (skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and liver) were extracted, and protein levels of adiponectin, GLUT4, PGC1α, phospho-AMPK/AMPK, collagen 1 and TGFβ1 were measured. Participants who performed MICT showed higher protein levels of PGC-1α in skeletal muscle samples (1.1 ± 0.27 vs. 0.7 ± 0.4-fold change, < 0.05). In the liver samples of the people who performed HIIT, lower protein levels of phospho-AMPK/AMPK (1.0 ± 0.37 vs. 0.52 ± 0.22-fold change), PGC-1α (1.0 ± 0.18 vs. 0.69 ± 0.15-fold change), and collagen 1 (1.0 ± 0.26 vs. 0.59 ± 0.28-fold change) were observed (all < 0.05). In subcutaneous adipose tissue, higher adiponectin levels were found only after HIIT training (1.1 ± 0.48 vs. 1.9 ± 0.69-fold change, < 0.05). Our results show that both MICT and HIIT confer metabolic benefits in candidates undergoing bariatric surgery; however, most of these benefits have a program-specific fashion. Future studies should aim to elucidate the mechanisms behind these differences.
PubMed: 38892984
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13113273 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine May 2024Upper body pain, particularly in the limbs and shoulders, is a common symptom among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and wheelchair users. Despite the focus on... (Review)
Review
Upper body pain, particularly in the limbs and shoulders, is a common symptom among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and wheelchair users. Despite the focus on resistance muscle training as a suitable intervention for SCI individuals, findings across different populations and conditions have been inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review to elucidate the correlations among exercise interventions, muscle strength enhancement, and pain reduction. A comprehensive literature search was performed using the keywords "spinal cord injury," "pain," "exercise," "disability," "paraplegia," and "tetraplegia" across the DBpia, EMBASE, PubMed, and Science Direct databases. From 191 identified articles, 13 studies (1 from Korea and 12 from other countries) were selected for analysis. The results indicate that exercise interventions are effective in reducing pain in patients with SCI, with a particular emphasis on alleviating shoulder pain. Exercise is essential for pain reduction in patients with SCI, especially those experiencing shoulder pain. However, there is a notable lack of experimental research focusing primarily on pain. The development of appropriate measurement instruments is crucial for the prevention and relief of pain in this patient population.
PubMed: 38892777
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13113066 -
Nutrients Jun 2024This study assessed the impact of acute caffeine intake on muscular strength, power, and endurance performance between resistance-trained male and female individuals... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Sex Differences in the Ergogenic Response of Acute Caffeine Intake on Muscular Strength, Power and Endurance Performance in Resistance-Trained Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
BACKGROUND
This study assessed the impact of acute caffeine intake on muscular strength, power, and endurance performance between resistance-trained male and female individuals according to load in upper- and lower-body exercises.
METHODS
Here, 76 resistance-trained individuals (38 females, 38 males) participated in a study comparing caffeine and a placebo. Each received either 3 mg/kg of caffeine or a placebo 60 min before tests measuring muscular strength and power through bench press and back squat exercises at different intensities (25%, 50%, 75%, 90% 1RM). Muscular endurance at 65% 1RM was also assessed by performing reps until reaching task failure.
RESULTS
Compared to placebo, caffeine increased mean, peak and time to reach peak velocity and power output ( < 0.01, η = 0.242-0.293) in the muscular strength/power test in males and females. This effect was particularly observed in the back squat exercise at 50%, 75% and 90% 1RM (2.5-8.5%, < 0.05, g = 1.0-2.4). For muscular endurance, caffeine increased the number of repetitions, mean velocity and power output ( < 0.001, η = 0.177-0.255) in both sexes and exercises (3.0-8.9%, < 0.05, g = 0.15-0.33).
CONCLUSIONS
Acute caffeine intake resulted in a similar ergogenic effect on muscular strength, power, and endurance performance in upper- and lower-body exercises for male and female resistance-trained participants.
Topics: Humans; Caffeine; Female; Male; Muscle Strength; Resistance Training; Physical Endurance; Young Adult; Adult; Sex Factors; Performance-Enhancing Substances; Muscle, Skeletal; Double-Blind Method; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 38892692
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111760