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[Expression Levels and Regulation of Selenoprotein Genes in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019].Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao.... Jun 2024Objective To investigate the expression levels of selenoprotein genes in the patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the possible regulatory...
Objective To investigate the expression levels of selenoprotein genes in the patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the possible regulatory mechanisms.Methods The dataset GSE177477 was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus,consisting of a symptomatic group (=11),an asymptomatic group (=18),and a healthy control group (=18).The dataset was preprocessed to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEG) related to COVID-19,and gene ontology functional annotation and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analysis were performed for the DEGs.The protein-protein interaction network of DEGs was established,and multivariate Logistic regression was employed to analyze the effects of selenoprotein genes on the presence/absence of symptoms in the patients with COVID-19.Results Compared with the healthy control,the symptomatic COVID-19 patients presented up-regulated expression of GPX1,GPX4,GPX6,DIO2,TXNRD1,SELENOF,SELENOK,SELENOS,SELENOT,and SELENOW and down-regulated expression of TXNRD2 and SELENON (all <0.05).The asymptomatic patients showcased up-regulated expression of GPX2,SELENOI,SELENOO,SELENOS,SELENOT,and SELENOW and down-regulated expression of SELP (all <0.05).The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the abnormally high expression of GPX1 (=0.067,95%=0.005-0.904,=0.042) and SELENON (=56.663,95%=3.114-856.999,=0.006) was the risk factor for symptomatic COVID-19,and the abnormally high expression of SELP was a risk factor for asymptomatic COVID-19 (=15.000,95%=2.537-88.701,=0.003).Conclusions Selenoprotein genes with differential expression are involved in the regulation of COVID-19 development.The findings provide a new reference for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Topics: Humans; Selenoproteins; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Protein Interaction Maps
PubMed: 38953254
DOI: 10.3881/j.issn.1000-503X.15834 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Schistosomiasis (SM) is a parasitic disease caused by . SM causes chronic inflammation induced by parasitic eggs, with collagen/fibrosis deposition in the granuloma...
INTRODUCTION
Schistosomiasis (SM) is a parasitic disease caused by . SM causes chronic inflammation induced by parasitic eggs, with collagen/fibrosis deposition in the granuloma process in the liver, spleen, central nervous system, kidneys, and lungs. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a clinical manifestation characterized by high pressure in the pulmonary circulation and right ventricular overload. This study investigated the production of functional autoantibodies (fAABs) against the second loop of the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in the presence of hepatic and PAH forms of human SM.
METHODS
Uninfected and infected individuals presenting acute and chronic manifestations (e.g., hepatointestinal, hepato-splenic without PAH, and hepato-splenic with PAH) of SM were clinically evaluated and their blood was collected to identify fAABs/GPCRs capable of recognizing endothelin 1, angiotensin II, and a-1 adrenergic receptor. Human serum was analyzed in rat cardiomyocytes cultured in the presence of the receptor antagonists urapidil, losartan, and BQ123.
RESULTS
The fAABs/GPCRs from chronic hepatic and PAH SM individuals, but not from acute SM individuals, recognized the three receptors. In the presence of the antagonists, there was a reduction in beating rate changes in cultured cardiomyocytes. In addition, binding sites on the extracellular domain functionality of fAABs were identified, and IgG1 and/or IgG3 antibodies were found to be related to fAABs.
CONCLUSION
Our data suggest that fAABs against GPCR play an essential role in vascular activity in chronic SM (hepatic and PAH) and might be involved in the development of hypertensive forms of SM.
Topics: Autoantibodies; Humans; Animals; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Rats; Male; Female; Adult; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Middle Aged; Myocytes, Cardiac; Schistosomiasis mansoni; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis
PubMed: 38953035
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1404384 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Equine asthma (EA) is a common lower airway disease in horses, but whether its pathogenesis is allergic is ambiguous. Extrinsic stimuli like hay dust induce acute...
INTRODUCTION
Equine asthma (EA) is a common lower airway disease in horses, but whether its pathogenesis is allergic is ambiguous. Extrinsic stimuli like hay dust induce acute exacerbation of clinical signs and sustained local neutrophilic inflammation in susceptible horses. is an EA stimulus, but it is unclear if it merely acts as an IgE-provoking allergen. We aimed to comprehensively analyze immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes in EA, elucidating their binding to different antigens, and their quantities systemically in serum and locally in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).
METHODS
Serum and BALF from healthy horses (HE, = 18) and horses with mild-moderate asthma (MEA, = 20) or severe asthma (SEA, = 24) were compared. Ig isotype (IgG1, IgG3/5, IgG4/7, IgG6, IgA, and IgE) binding to nine antigens ( lysate, and recombinant Asp f 1, Asp f 7, Asp f 8, dipeptidyl-peptidase 5, class II aldolase/adducin domain protein, glucoamylase, beta-hexosaminidase, and peptide hydrolase) was compared by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Total Ig isotype contents were determined by bead-based assays.
RESULTS
MEA and SEA differed from HE but hardly from each other. Compared to HE, asthmatic horses showed increased anti- binding of IgG (BALF and serum) and IgA (BALF). Serum and BALF IgE binding and total IgE contents were similar between HE and EA. Single antigens, as well as lysate, yielded similar Ig binding patterns. Serum and BALF IgG1 binding to all antigens was increased in SEA and to several antigens in MEA. Serum IgG4/7 binding to two antigens was increased in SEA. BALF IgA binding to all antigens was increased in SEA and MEA. Total BALF IgG1 and IgG4/7 contents were increased in SEA, and serum IgG4/7 content was increased in MEA compared to HE. Yet, total isotype contents differentiated EA and HE less clearly than antigen-binding Ig.
DISCUSSION
immunogenicity was confirmed without identification of single dominant antigens here. provoked elevated BALF IgG1 and IgA binding, and these isotypes appear relevant for neutrophilic EA, which does not support allergy. BALF Ig isotype differentiation beyond IgE is crucial for a comprehensive analysis of immune responses to fungi in EA pathogenesis.
Topics: Animals; Horses; Aspergillus fumigatus; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Asthma; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin A; Horse Diseases; Antigens, Fungal; Male; Neutrophils; Female; Immunoglobulin E; Antibodies, Fungal
PubMed: 38953030
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1406794 -
Pathology Oncology Research : POR 2024Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in both men and women, however mortality in the US and EU are recently declining in parallel with the... (Review)
Review
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in both men and women, however mortality in the US and EU are recently declining in parallel with the gradual cut of smoking prevalence. Consequently, the relative frequency of adenocarcinoma increased while that of squamous and small cell carcinomas declined. During the last two decades a plethora of targeted drug therapies have appeared for the treatment of metastasizing non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). Personalized oncology aims to precisely match patients to treatments with the highest potential of success. Extensive research is done to introduce biomarkers which can predict the effectiveness of a specific targeted therapeutic approach. The EGFR signaling pathway includes several sufficient targets for the treatment of human cancers including NSCLC. Lung adenocarcinoma may harbor both activating and resistance mutations of the EGFR gene, and further, mutations of KRAS and BRAF oncogenes. Less frequent but targetable genetic alterations include ALK, ROS1, RET gene rearrangements, and various alterations of MET proto-oncogene. In addition, the importance of anti-tumor immunity and of tumor microenvironment has become evident recently. Accumulation of mutations generally trigger tumor specific immune defense, but immune protection may be upregulated as an aggressive feature. The blockade of immune checkpoints results in potential reactivation of tumor cell killing and induces significant tumor regression in various tumor types, such as lung carcinoma. Therapeutic responses to anti PD1-PD-L1 treatment may correlate with the expression of PD-L1 by tumor cells. Due to the wide range of diagnostic and predictive features in lung cancer a plenty of tests are required from a single small biopsy or cytology specimen, which is challenged by major issues of sample quantity and quality. Thus, the efficacy of biomarker testing should be warranted by standardized policy and optimal material usage. In this review we aim to discuss major targeted therapy-related biomarkers in NSCLC and testing possibilities comprehensively.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Lung Neoplasms; Biomarkers, Tumor; Proto-Oncogene Mas
PubMed: 38953007
DOI: 10.3389/pore.2024.1611733 -
PeerJ 2024The COVID-19 pandemic has had tremendous implications for billions of adolescents worldwide due to school closures, forcing students to embrace internet usage for daily...
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic has had tremendous implications for billions of adolescents worldwide due to school closures, forcing students to embrace internet usage for daily tasks. Uncontrolled use of the internet among adolescents makes them vulnerable to internet addiction (IA). This study aims to determine the prevalence of IA among adolescents and assess its association with sociodemographic factors, smartphone use, and psychological distress during the pandemic.
METHOD
A cross-sectional self-administered online survey was conducted among students aged 13-17 from May 15, 2021, until May 30, 2021, using the Malay version of the Internet Addiction Test (MVIAT), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the Coronavirus Impacts Questionnaires, as well as a sociodemographic information form. The data was analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics version 23.
RESULTS
A total of 420 adolescents participated in the survey. The majority of them (70.7%) were female, with a mean age of 15.47 years (±1.49 years old). About 45.5% of the respondents were classified as internet addicted users. The Chi-square test analysis showed that age ( = 0.002), smartphone usage ( = 0.010), rate of midnight use ( < 0.001), frequency ( < 0.001), duration ( < 0.001) of device usage, and presence of depression, anxiety, and stress (p < 0.001) were all significantly associated with IA. Multiple logistic regression showed age (aOR = 1.16, 95% CI [1.00-1.35], = 0.048), smartphone usage (aOR =3.52, 95% CI [1.43-8.67], = 0.006), mild or moderate depression (aOR = 2.43, 95% CI [1.36-4.34], = 0.003), severe or extremely severe stress (aOR = 6.41, 95% CI [2.18-18.82], = 0.001) were significantly related to IA.
CONCLUSIONS
Late adolescence, the use of smartphones, and the presence of psychological distress like depression, and stress were potentially associated with IA. Wise use of smartphones and early identification of any psychological distress among adolescents are warranted, especially during the pandemic.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Female; Male; Internet Addiction Disorder; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Psychological Distress; Prevalence; Surveys and Questionnaires; Smartphone; SARS-CoV-2; Malaysia; Depression; Stress, Psychological; Anxiety; Adolescent Behavior; Pandemics; Sociodemographic Factors
PubMed: 38952988
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17489 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2024The majority of patients with respiratory illness are seen in primary care settings. Given COVID-19 is predominantly a respiratory illness, the INTernational ConsoRtium...
Changes in primary care visits for respiratory illness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multinational study by the International Consortium of Primary Care Big Data Researchers (INTRePID).
OBJECTIVES
The majority of patients with respiratory illness are seen in primary care settings. Given COVID-19 is predominantly a respiratory illness, the INTernational ConsoRtium of Primary Care BIg Data Researchers (INTRePID), assessed the pandemic impact on primary care visits for respiratory illnesses.
DESIGN
Definitions for respiratory illness types were agreed on collectively. Monthly visit counts with diagnosis were shared centrally for analysis.
SETTING
Primary care settings in Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Norway, Peru, Singapore, Sweden and the United States.
PARTICIPANTS
Over 38 million patients seen in primary care settings in INTRePID countries before and during the pandemic, from January 1st, 2018, to December 31st, 2021.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Relative change in the monthly mean number of visits before and after the onset of the pandemic for acute infectious respiratory disease visits including influenza, upper and lower respiratory tract infections and chronic respiratory disease visits including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, respiratory allergies, and other respiratory diseases.
RESULTS
INTRePID countries reported a marked decrease in the average monthly visits for respiratory illness. Changes in visits varied from -10.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): -33.1 to +11.3%] in Norway to -79.9% (95% CI: -86.4% to -73.4%) in China for acute infectious respiratory disease visits and - 2.1% (95% CI: -12.1 to +7.8%) in Peru to -59.9% (95% CI: -68.6% to -51.3%) in China for chronic respiratory illness visits. While seasonal variation in allergic respiratory illness continued during the pandemic, there was essentially no spike in influenza illness during the first 2 years of the pandemic.
CONCLUSION
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on primary care visits for respiratory presentations. Primary care continued to provide services for respiratory illness, although there was a decrease in infectious illness during the COVID pandemic. Understanding the role of primary care may provide valuable information for COVID-19 recovery efforts and planning for future global emergencies.
PubMed: 38952865
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1343646 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024The need for health surveillance of former workers exposed to asbestos was provided by law in Italy after the asbestos ban in 1992.
BACKGROUND
The need for health surveillance of former workers exposed to asbestos was provided by law in Italy after the asbestos ban in 1992.
OBJECTIVES
We describe the results of the health surveillance of former workers exposed to asbestos, conducted over 27 years, from 1994 to 2020, at the Operative Unit of Occupational Medicine of the University Hospital of Bari.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We adopted the health surveillance protocol, which was validated at the national level in 2018.
RESULTS
A total of 1,405 former workers exposed to asbestos were examined. We proceeded with diagnosing pathologies in 339 cases (24% of the cohort subjected to surveillance), with diagnoses of some cases involving multiple pathologies. Specifically, pleural plaques were diagnosed in 49.2% of the 339 cases, asbestosis in 35.9%, malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in 20.3%, mesothelioma of the vaginal tunic of the testis (MTVT) in 9.1%, lung cancer in 5.8%, and laryngeal cancer in 0.8%.
CONCLUSION
Despite the 1992 asbestos ban, asbestos-related diseases remain a serious public health issue. It is important to establish criteria that ensure the health surveillance of formerly exposed workers minimizes costs, reduces the number of invasive examinations, and optimizes achievable results.
Topics: Humans; Italy; Occupational Exposure; Male; Asbestos; Hospitals, University; Female; Middle Aged; Asbestosis; Aged; Mesothelioma, Malignant; Adult; Lung Neoplasms; Population Surveillance; Pleural Neoplasms; Mesothelioma
PubMed: 38952736
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1411910 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the world. In March 2020, shortly after the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Ethiopia in March 2020, the government of Ethiopia...
Exploring how stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic impedes engagement along the HIV/AIDS care continuum in public hospitals of Southwest Ethiopia: a qualitative study.
INTRODUCTION
COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the world. In March 2020, shortly after the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Ethiopia in March 2020, the government of Ethiopia took several measures.
PURPOSE
This study aims to explore how stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic hinder engagement with HIV/AIDS care in public hospitals in Southwest Ethiopia. Additionally, we aim to explore the psychosocial challenges faced in accessing services during stay-at-home orders.
METHODS
A descriptive qualitative study was conducted from 20 May to 3 June 2020, using semi-structured, in-depth interviews. In total, 27 study participants were recruited from purposively selected people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who had experienced delays, declines, or discontinuation of care after COVID-19 was confirmed in Ethiopia on 13 March 2020. The participants were interviewed over the phone and their responses were audio-recorded. Data were transcribed verbatim, translated, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis in the Atlas ti.7.1 software package.
RESULTS
The main themes and sub-themes that emerged were psychosocial issues (such as depression, hopelessness, and fear), risk perception (including high risk, susceptibility, and severity), forceful enforcement of stay-at-home orders (such as police beatings, community leaders disgracing, and influence of families and relatives), socioeconomic factors (such as stigma, religion, and transportation costs), misinformation about COVID-19 (such as lockdowns and ART stock-outs), and healthcare factors (such as inadequate health information and long distances to healthcare facilities).
CONCLUSION
Overall, these findings were similar to the challenges experienced by PLWHA in adhering to the recommended continuum of care. However, there are additional factors due to COVID-19, such as misinformation and the forceful implementation of the stay-at-home-orders, that impede the continuum of care. Therefore, it is important to strengthen information, education, and communication.
Topics: Humans; Ethiopia; COVID-19; Qualitative Research; Hospitals, Public; Female; Male; Adult; HIV Infections; Continuity of Patient Care; Middle Aged; SARS-CoV-2; Health Services Accessibility; Interviews as Topic; Pandemics; Social Stigma
PubMed: 38952732
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1273448 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health condition of people ≥75 years of age and on their family caregivers in Spain.
AIMS
To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health condition of people ≥75 years of age and on their family caregivers in Spain.
DESIGN
Multicentric, mixed method concurrent study.
METHODS
This work, which will be conducted within the primary care setting in 11 administrative regions of Spain, will include three coordinated studies with different methodologies. The first is a population-based cohort study that will use real-life data to analyze the rates and evolution of health needs, care provision, and services utilization before, during, and after the pandemic. The second is a prospective cohort study with 18 months of follow-up that will evaluate the impact of COVID-19 disease on mortality, frailty, functional and cognitive capacity, and quality of life of the participants. Finally, the third will be a qualitative study with a critical social approach to understand and interpret the social, political, and economic dimensions associated with the use of health services during the pandemic. We have followed the SPIRIT Checklist to address trial protocol and related documents. This research is being funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III since 2021 and was approved by its ethics committee (June 2022).
DISCUSSION
The study findings will reveal the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the older adults and their caregivers. This information will serve policymakers to adapt health policies to the needs of this population in situations of maximum stress, such as that produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Identifier: NCT05249868 [ClinicalTrials.gov].
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Spain; Aged; Self Care; Prospective Studies; Caregivers; Female; Aged, 80 and over; Quality of Life; Male; Health Status; SARS-CoV-2; Pandemics; Primary Health Care
PubMed: 38952731
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1389641 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024Studies have analyzed the effects of industrial installations on the environment and human health in Taranto, Southern Italy. Literature documented associations between...
INTRODUCTION
Studies have analyzed the effects of industrial installations on the environment and human health in Taranto, Southern Italy. Literature documented associations between different variables and dementia mortality among both women and men. The present study aims to investigate the associations between sex, environment, age, disease duration, pandemic years, anti-dementia drugs, and death rate.
METHODS
Data from the regional medication registry were used. All women and men with an anti-dementia medication between 2015 and 2021 were included and followed-up to 2021. Bayesian mixed effects logistic and Cox regression models with time varying exposures were fitted using integrated nested Laplace approximations and adjusting for patients and therapy characteristics.
RESULTS
A total of 7,961 person-years were observed. Variables associated with lower prevalence of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) medication were male sex (OR 0.63, 95% CrI 0.42-0.96), age 70-79 years (OR 0.17, 95% CrI 0.06-0.47) and ≥ 80 years (OR 0.08, 95% CrI 0.03-0.23), disease duration of 2-3 years (OR 0.43, 95% CrI 0.32-0.56) and 4-6 years (OR 0.21, 95% CrI 0.13-0.33), and pandemic years 2020 (OR 0.50, 95% CrI 0.37-0.67) and 2021 (OR 0.47, 95% CrI 0.33-0.65). Variables associated with higher mortality were male sex (HR 2.14, 95% CrI 1.75-2.62), residence in the contaminated site of national interest (SIN) (HR 1.25, 95% CrI 1.02-1.53), age ≥ 80 years (HR 6.06, 95% CrI 1.94-18.95), disease duration of 1 year (HR 1.50, 95% CrI 1.12-2.01), 2-3 years (HR 1.90, 95% CrI 1.45-2.48) and 4-6 years (HR 2.21, 95% CrI 1.60-3.07), and pandemic years 2020 (HR 1.38, 95% CrI 1.06-1.80) and 2021 (HR 1.56, 95% CrI 1.21-2.02). Variables associated with lower mortality were therapy with AChEIs alone (HR 0.69, 95% CrI 0.56-0.86) and in combination with memantine (HR 0.54, 95% CrI 0.37-0.81).
DISCUSSION
Male sex, age, disease duration, and pandemic years appeared to be associated with lower AChEIs medications. Male sex, residence in the SIN of Taranto, age, disease duration, and pandemic years seemed to be associated with an increased death rate, while AChEIs medication seemed to be associated with improved survival rate.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Italy; Aged; Bayes Theorem; Dementia; Aged, 80 and over; Sex Factors; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Survival Analysis; Cohort Studies; COVID-19; Middle Aged; Registries
PubMed: 38952726
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1380609