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Advanced Science (Weinheim,... Jul 2024Increasing evidence suggests the role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in regulating antitumor immune effects and immunosuppression. RONS modify...
Increasing evidence suggests the role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in regulating antitumor immune effects and immunosuppression. RONS modify biomolecules and induce oxidative post-translational modifications (oxPTM) on proteins that can alarm phagocytes. However, it is unclear if and how protein oxidation by technical means could be a strategy to foster antitumor immunity and therapy. To this end, cold gas plasma technology producing various RONS simultaneously to oxidize the two melanoma-associated antigens MART and PMEL is utilized. Cold plasma-oxidized MART (oxMART) and PMEL (oxPMEL) are heavily decorated with oxPTMs as determined by mass spectrometry. Immunization with oxidized MART or PMEL vaccines prior to challenge with viable melanoma cells correlated with significant changes in cytokine secretion and altered T-cell differentiation of tumor-infiltrated leukocytes (TILs). oxMART promoted the activity of cytotoxic central memory T-cells, while oxPMEL led to increased proliferation of cytotoxic effector T-cells. Similar T-cell results are observed after incubating splenocytes of tumor-bearing mice with B16F10 melanoma cells. This study, for the first time, provides evidence of the importance of oxidative modifications of two melanoma-associated antigens in eliciting anticancer immunity.
PubMed: 38958560
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202404131 -
Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia :... Jul 2024Ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) is a good option for Gram-negative bacilli infections that produce carbapenemase Classes A (especially blaKPC) and D (blaOXA). However, it is...
OBJECTIVE
Ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) is a good option for Gram-negative bacilli infections that produce carbapenemase Classes A (especially blaKPC) and D (blaOXA). However, it is unknown whether it would have an impact on metallo-β-lactamases (blaMBL) selection. The aim of the study was to compare carbapenem and CZA Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPN) susceptibility profiles for a period of two years following the introduction of CZA.
METHODS
The study was conducted in a 36-bed adult ICU of a tertiary hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Antimicrobial consumption was expressed as days of treatment per 100 patients-day (DOT).
RESULTS
A total of 123 KPN strains in the first year and 172 in the second year were analyzed. An alarming decrease in carbapenem susceptibility was detected in the second year (OR 0.5 [0.3-0.8] p<.001). In parallel, there was a decrease in CZA susceptibility (OR 0.5 [0.3-0.9] p<.05). These findings were linked to a rise in blaMBL-KPN (32.1% vs. 45.1%, OR 1.7 [1.1-2.9], p <.04) during the second year. This new KPN susceptibility profile promoted an increment in CZA (1.0 DOT vs. 6.6 DOT, OR 6.6 [4.9-9.1] p<.001) and aztreonam (0.3 DOT vs. 4.1 DOT, OR 16.3 [9.1-29.3] p<.001) consumption. Thus, there was a decrease in carbapenem prescription (17.8 DOT vs. 15.4 DOT, OR 0.8 [0.8-0.9] p<.001).
CONCLUSIONS
There was an escalation of blaMBL-KPN rate two years after CZA introduction, leading to a decrease in CZA and carbapenem susceptibility and an increase in CZA and aztreonam prescriptions.
PubMed: 38957944
DOI: 10.37201/req/042.2024 -
Metabolism Open Jun 2024Obesity is a major public health problem with a prevalence increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. There is an urgent need for efficient approaches to weight... (Review)
Review
Obesity is a major public health problem with a prevalence increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. There is an urgent need for efficient approaches to weight management. Diet induced thermogenesis (DIT) is the process by which the body increases its energy expenditure in response to a meal. It is estimated to account for approximately 10 % of total energy expenditure and is considered a potentially modifiable component of energy expenditure. The palatability of food, meal's composition in macronutrients, the circadian rhythm and sleep, as well as individual's characteristics such as age, the presence of obesity or diabetes mellitus, and the proportion of physical activity are the main factors that affect DIT. However, studies examining DIT are mostly characterized by small sample size and the methodology varies considerably between studies. It seems that even today there is a lot of contradiction between the relative studies. Inspite of that, future research might lead to the modification of DIT in order to achieve some weight loss in obese people.
PubMed: 38957623
DOI: 10.1016/j.metop.2024.100291 -
Case Reports in Gastrointestinal... 2024Colonoscopy is a resource used for the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of benign and malignant colorectal pathologies. The incidence of perforation is 0.03%-0.65%...
BACKGROUND
Colonoscopy is a resource used for the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of benign and malignant colorectal pathologies. The incidence of perforation is 0.03%-0.65% in diagnostic colonoscopy; however, the incidence can be up to 10 times higher in therapeutic interventions, such as polypectomies, increasing the risk of complications up to 0.07-2.1%. . Case report of a 71-year-old female who presents a rare complication due to a perforation in the sigmoid which developed pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and massive subcutaneous emphysema as a complication of a diagnostic colonoscopy where a biopsy of a friable lesion was performed.
RESULTS
A 71-year-old female that went to the emergency room due to acute generalized abdominal colic spasm pain with a duration of 7 hours, associated with significant abdominal distension, malaise, diaphoresis, progressive dyspnea, and massive subcutaneous emphysema that developed after performing panendoscopy and colonoscopy for diverticulosis follow-up. An abdominal CT scan with double contrast was performed, reporting suggestive data of hollow viscus perforation, pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and massive subcutaneous emphysema in the thorax, neck, and skull base. She underwent an exploratory laparotomy finding a perforation in the sigmoid for which sigmoidectomy was performed, and for the pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, endopleural tubes were placed in both hemithoraxes. The massive subcutaneous emphysema subsided with observation and oxygen.
CONCLUSION
A rare complication of the use of colonoscopy as a diagnostic and therapeutic method is presented. The purpose of presenting this case is for the doctor who performs these interventions to suspect this complication in a timely manner, not delaying the diagnosis and carrying out an urgent therapeutic approach as in this case with exploratory laparotomy, finding the perforation site and carrying out the corresponding surgical management. We demonstrated that massive subcutaneous emphysema can be managed with observation if there is no other alarm data evident that required another surgical approach.
PubMed: 38957575
DOI: 10.1155/2024/1140099 -
Open Mind : Discoveries in Cognitive... 2024When a piece of fruit is in a bowl, and the bowl is on a table, we appreciate not only the individual objects and their features, but also the relations and , which...
When a piece of fruit is in a bowl, and the bowl is on a table, we appreciate not only the individual objects and their features, but also the relations and , which abstract away from the particular objects involved. Independent representation of roles (e.g., containers vs. supporters) and "fillers" of those roles (e.g., bowls vs. cups, tables vs. chairs) is a core principle of language and higher-level reasoning. But does such role-filler independence also arise in automatic visual processing? Here, we show that it does, by exploring a surprising error that such independence can produce. In four experiments, participants saw a stream of images containing different objects arranged in force-dynamic relations-e.g., a phone contained in a basket, a marker resting on a garbage can, or a knife sitting in a cup. Participants had to respond to a single target image (e.g., a phone in a basket) within a stream of distractors presented under time constraints. Surprisingly, even though participants completed this task quickly and accurately, they false-alarmed more often to images matching the target's relational category than to those that did not-even when those images involved completely different objects. In other words, participants searching for a phone in a basket were more likely to mistakenly respond to a knife in a cup than to a marker on a garbage can. Follow-up experiments ruled out strategic responses and also controlled for various confounding image features. We suggest that visual processing represents relations abstractly, in ways that separate roles from fillers.
PubMed: 38957507
DOI: 10.1162/opmi_a_00146 -
Frontiers in Neuroscience 2024The incidence of neurological disorders, particularly age-related neurodegenerative pathologies, exhibits an alarming upward trend, while current pharmacological... (Review)
Review
The incidence of neurological disorders, particularly age-related neurodegenerative pathologies, exhibits an alarming upward trend, while current pharmacological interventions seldom achieve curative outcomes. Despite their diverse clinical presentations, neurological diseases often share a common pathological thread: the aberrant accumulation of misfolded proteins within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This phenomenon, known as ER stress, arises when the cell's intrinsic quality control mechanisms fail to cope with the protein-folding burden. Consequently, misfolded proteins accumulate in the ER lumen, triggering a cascade of cellular stress responses. Recognizing this challenge, researchers have intensified their efforts over the past two decades to explore natural compounds that could potentially slow or even reverse these devastating pathologies. Flavonoids constitute a vast and heterogeneous class of plant polyphenols, with over 10,000 identified from diverse natural sources such as wines, vegetables, medicinal plants, and organic products. Flavonoids are generally divided into six different subclasses: anthocyanidins, flavanones, flavones, flavonols, isoflavones, and flavonols. The diverse family of flavonoids, featuring a common phenolic ring backbone adorned with varying hydroxyl groups and additional modifications, exerts its antioxidant activity by inhibiting the formation of ROS, as evidenced by research. Also, studies suggest that polyphenols such as flavonoids can regulate ER stress through apoptosis and autophagy. By understanding these mechanisms, we can unlock the potential of flavonoids as novel therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, this review critically examines the literature exploring the modulatory effects of flavonoids on various steps of the ER stress in neurological disorders.
PubMed: 38957188
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1348151 -
Trauma Case Reports Aug 2024Unrecognized central venous catheter (CVC) infiltration is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening complication. For instance, a malpositioned subclavian line can...
Unrecognized central venous catheter (CVC) infiltration is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening complication. For instance, a malpositioned subclavian line can infuse into the mediastinum, pleural cavity, or interstitial space of the neck. We present the case of a 30-year-old male with gunshot wounds to the right chest, resuscitated with an initially functional left subclavian CVC, which later infiltrated into the neck causing compression of the carotid sinus and consequent bradycardic arrest. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved following intravenous epinephrine, cardiac massage, and emergency neck exploration and cervical fasciotomy. Our case highlights the importance of frequent reassessment of lines, especially those placed during fast-paced, high-intensity clinical situations. We recommend being mindful when using rapid transfusion devices as an interstitial catheter may not mount enough back pressure to trigger the system's alarm before significant tissue damage or compartment syndrome occurs.
PubMed: 38957175
DOI: 10.1016/j.tcr.2024.101065 -
Biomedical Physics & Engineering Express Jul 2024The prevalence of vision impairment is increasing at an alarming rate. The goal of the study was to create an automated method that uses optical coherence tomography...
The prevalence of vision impairment is increasing at an alarming rate. The goal of the study was to create an automated method that uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) to classify retinal disorders into four categories: choroidal neovascularization, diabetic macular edema, drusen, and normal cases. This study proposed a new framework that combines machine learning and deep learning-based techniques. The utilized classifiers were support vector machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbor (K-NN), decision tree (DT), and ensemble model (EM). A feature extractor, the InceptionV3 convolutional neural network, was also employed. The performance of the models was evaluated against nine criteria using a dataset of 18000 OCT images. For the SVM, K-NN, DT, and EM classifiers, the analysis exhibited state-of-the-art performance, with classification accuracies of 99.43%, 99.54%, 97.98%, and 99.31%, respectively. A promising methodology has been introduced for the automatic identification and classification of retinal disorders, leading to reduced human error and saved time. .
PubMed: 38955139
DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ad5db2 -
Indian Journal of Public Health Apr 2024The body mass index (BMI) is a commonly employed metric for determining the nutritional status and health risks associated with weight. Tribal women in India face...
The body mass index (BMI) is a commonly employed metric for determining the nutritional status and health risks associated with weight. Tribal women in India face neglect and discrimination in terms of livelihood, nutrition, education, wealth, and health-care access. The study examined 18,697 tribal women from Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha, using data from the National Family Health Survey-5. Multinomial logistic regression has been used to determine how the multiple background factors are associated with the BMI of tribal women. The study found that the prevalence of underweight and overweight was 28.5% and 7.6% among tribal women, respectively. Rural tribal women had a higher likelihood of being underweight, whereas urban women were more likely to be overweight. Odisha had a higher prevalence of underweight tribal women, whereas the prevalence is lower in Bihar. The higher prevalence of underweight among tribal women is alarming and necessitates a reconsideration of health infrastructure in the tribal areas.
Topics: Humans; India; Female; Body Mass Index; Adult; Thinness; Overweight; Young Adult; Prevalence; Socioeconomic Factors; Middle Aged; Adolescent; Health Surveys; Rural Population; Urban Population; Nutritional Status; Health Status Disparities; Sociodemographic Factors
PubMed: 38953825
DOI: 10.4103/ijph.ijph_866_23 -
Diagnosis (Berlin, Germany) Jul 2024At the moment, the academic world is faced with various challenges that negatively impact science integrity. One is hijacked journals, a second, inauthentic website for...
At the moment, the academic world is faced with various challenges that negatively impact science integrity. One is hijacked journals, a second, inauthentic website for indexed legitimate journals, managed by cybercriminals. These journals publish any manuscript by charging authors and pose a risk to scientific integrity. This piece compares a journal's original and hijacked versions regarding authority in search engines. A list of 16 medical journals, along with their hijacked versions, has been collected. The MOZ Domain Authority has been used to check the authority of both original and hijacked journals, and the results have been discussed. It indicates that hijacked journals are gaining more credibility than original ones. This should alarm academia and highlights a need for serious action against hijacked journals. The related policies should be planned, and tools should be developed to support easy detection of hijacked journals. On the publishers' side, the visibility of journals' websites must be enhanced to address this issue.
PubMed: 38953515
DOI: 10.1515/dx-2024-0082