-
Journal of Neurovirology Jun 2024The Rabies virus is a neurotropic virus that manipulates the natural cell death processes of its host to ensure its own survival and replication. Studies have shown that...
The Rabies virus is a neurotropic virus that manipulates the natural cell death processes of its host to ensure its own survival and replication. Studies have shown that the anti-apoptotic effect of the virus is mediated by one of its protein named, rabies glycoprotein (RVG). Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the loss of neural cells and memory impairment. We aim to examine whether expression of RVG in the hippocampal cells can shield the detrimental effects induced by Aβ. Oligomeric form of Aβ (oAβ) or vehicle was bilaterally microinjected into the dorsal hippocampus of male Wistar rats. One week later, two μl (10 T.U. /ml) of the lentiviral vector carrying RVG gene was injected into their dorsal hippocampus (post-treatment). In another experiment, the lentiviral vector was microinjected one week before Aβ injection (pre-treatment). One week later, the rat's brain was sliced into cross-sections, and the presence of RVG-expressing neuronal cells was confirmed using fluorescent microscopy. Rats were subjected to assessments of spatial learning and memory as well as passive avoidance using the Morris water maze (MWM) and the Shuttle box apparatuses, respectively. Protein expression of AMPA receptor subunit (GluA1) was determined using western blotting technique. In MWM, Aβ treated rats showed decelerated acquisition of the task and impairment of reference memory. RVG expression in the hippocampus prevented and restored the deficits in both pre- and post- treatment conditions, respectively. It also improved inhibitory memory in the oAβ treated rats. RVG increased the expression level of GluA1 level in the hippocampus. Based on our findings, the expression of RVG in the hippocampus has the potential to enhance both inhibitory and spatial learning abilities, ultimately improving memory performance in an AD rat model. This beneficial effect is likely attributed, at least in part, to the increased expression of GluA1-containing AMPA receptors.
PubMed: 38943023
DOI: 10.1007/s13365-024-01221-y -
British Journal of Cancer Jun 2024Through the use of an innovative method to identify original publications, we conducted a meta-analysis of all epidemiological studies evaluating the association... (Review)
Review
Through the use of an innovative method to identify original publications, we conducted a meta-analysis of all epidemiological studies evaluating the association between second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure and breast cancer risk among female non-smokers published in English up to October 2022. Pooled relative risks (RR) were obtained through the use of random-effects models. Dose-response relationships were derived using log-linear functions. Out of 73 identified eligible studies, 63 original articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled RR for breast cancer for overall exposure to SHS was 1.24 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.15-1.34, number of articles, n = 52). Regarding the setting of exposure, RRs were 1.17 (95% CI 1.08-1.27, n = 37) for SHS exposure at home, 1.03 (95% CI 0.98-1.08, n = 15) at the workplace, 1.24 (95% CI 1.11-1.37, n = 16) at home or workplace, and 1.45 (95% CI 1.16-1.80, n = 13) for non-specified settings. The risk of breast cancer increased linearly with higher duration (RR 1.29; 95% CI 1.04-1.59 for 40 years of SHS exposure, n = 12), intensity (RR 1.38; 95% CI 1.14-1.67 for 20 cigarettes of SHS exposure per day, n = 6), and pack-years (RR 1.50; 95% CI 0.92-2.45 for 40 SHS pack-years, n = 6) of SHS exposure. This meta-analysis shows a statistically significant excess risk of breast cancer in women exposed to SHS.
PubMed: 38942988
DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02732-5 -
Nature Aging Jun 2024The EAT-Lancet Commission proposed a planetary health diet to improve human health within planetary boundaries; however, little is known about the association between...
The EAT-Lancet Commission proposed a planetary health diet to improve human health within planetary boundaries; however, little is known about the association between adherence to this diet and cognitive decline. We used data from three waves of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health to evaluate the association between the planetary health diet and cognitive decline using linear mixed-effects models. Here we show that in 11,737 participants (mean (s.d.) age 51.6 (9.0) years, 54% women and 53% white), higher adherence to the planetary health diet was associated with slower memory decline (P = 0.046) and that income was a modifier in this association (P < 0.001). Adherence to the planetary health diet was associated with slower decline of memory (P = 0.040) and global cognition (P = 0.009) in high-income participants. No association was found among low-income participants. The results of our study highlight that the promotion of healthy dietary patterns should take into consideration income barriers as well as differences in dietary habits to achieve high adherence.
PubMed: 38942982
DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00666-4 -
International Journal of Behavioral... Jun 2024Adolescents account for 15% of new HIV cases in Kenya. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are highly effective prevention tools, but...
BACKGROUND
Adolescents account for 15% of new HIV cases in Kenya. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are highly effective prevention tools, but uptake is low among adolescents, particularly in resource-limited settings. We assessed awareness and acceptability of PrEP and PEP among Kenyan adolescents.
METHOD
Focus group discussions were conducted with 120 adolescent boys and girls ages 15 to 19 in Kisumu. Data were analyzed using the Framework Approach.
RESULTS
Adolescent participants often had not heard of or could not differentiate between PrEP and PEP. They also confused these HIV prevention tools with emergency contraceptives. Taking a daily pill to prevent HIV was perceived as analogous to taking a pill to treat HIV. Boys were aware of and willing to consider using PrEP and PEP due to their dislike for using condoms. Adolescents identified insufficient information, cost, and uncomfortableness speaking with healthcare workers about their HIV prevention needs due to sexuality stigma as barriers to using PrEP and PEP.
CONCLUSION
Low awareness and poor understanding of PrEP and PEP among adolescents reveal the need for increased education and sensitization about these HIV prevention options. Expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services that are tailored to the needs of adolescents and staffed with non-judgmental providers could help reduce sexuality stigma as a barrier to accessing care. New HIV prevention approaches such as long-acting injectables or implants, on-demand regimens, and multipurpose prevention technologies may encourage increased uptake of PrEP and PEP by adolescents.
PubMed: 38942977
DOI: 10.1007/s12529-024-10290-6 -
Acta Diabetologica Jun 2024The primary cause of the pandemic scale of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the excessive and/or abnormal accumulation of adiposity resulting from a chronic positive energy...
The primary cause of the pandemic scale of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the excessive and/or abnormal accumulation of adiposity resulting from a chronic positive energy balance. Any form of weight loss dramatically affects the natural history of T2D, favoring prevention, treatment, and even remission in the case of significant weight loss. However, weight regain, which is often accompanied by the recurrence or worsening of obesity complications such as T2D, is an inevitable biological phenomenon that is an integral part of the pathophysiology of obesity. This can occur not only after weight loss, but also during obesity treatment if it is not effective enough to counteract the physiological responses aimed at restoring adiposity to its pre-weight-loss equilibrium state. Over the past few years, many controlled and randomized studies have suggested a superior efficacy of bariatric surgery compared to conventional therapy in terms of weight loss, glycemic control, and rates of T2D remission. Recently, the therapeutic armamentarium in the field of diabetology has been enriched with new antihyperglycemic drugs with considerable efficacy in reducing body weight, which could play a pathogenetic role in the remission of T2D, not through the classical incretin effect, but by improving adipose tissue functions. All these concepts are discussed in this position statement, which aims to deepen the pathogenetic links between obesity and T2D, shift the paradigm from a "simple" interaction between insulin resistance and insulin deficiency, and evaluate the efficacy of different therapeutic interventions to improve T2D management and induce diabetes remission whenever still possible.
PubMed: 38942960
DOI: 10.1007/s00592-024-02317-x -
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy : SRA Jun 2024The incidence of osteoporotic pelvic fractures is increasing. The broken anterior pelvic ring is preferentially fixed with long intramedullary screws, which require a...
INTRODUCTION
The incidence of osteoporotic pelvic fractures is increasing. The broken anterior pelvic ring is preferentially fixed with long intramedullary screws, which require a good understanding of the patient-specific anatomy to prevent joint perforation. The aim of this study was to assess the variability of the superior pubic ramus and the supra acetabular corridors' length and width using statistical shape modelling.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A male and female statistical shape model was made based on 59 forensic CT scans. For the superior pubic ramus and the supra acetabular corridor the longest and widest completely fitting cylinder was created for the first 5 principal components (PC) of both models, male and female pelvises separately.
RESULTS
A total of 59 pelvises were included in this study of which 36 male and 23 female. The first 5 principal components explained 75% and 79% of the pelvic variation in males and females, respectively. Within 3 PCs of the female statistical shape model (SSM) a superior pubic ramus corridor of < 7.3 mm was found, 5.5 mm being the narrowest linear corridor measured. Both corridors in all PCs of the male SSM measured > 7.3 mm.
CONCLUSION
Within females a 7.3 mm and 6.5 mm screw won't always fit in the superior pubic ramus corridor, especially if a flat sacrum, a small pelvis or a wide subpubic angle are present. The supra acetabular corridor did not seem to have sex-specific differences. In the supra-acetabular corridor there was always enough space to accommodate a 7.3 mm screw, both in males and females.
PubMed: 38942934
DOI: 10.1007/s00276-024-03420-y -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024A comprehensive emergency medical service (EMS) system significantly enhances a city's capacity to prevent and mitigate disasters. Using Huangshi as a case study, this...
A comprehensive emergency medical service (EMS) system significantly enhances a city's capacity to prevent and mitigate disasters. Using Huangshi as a case study, this research evaluated the service radium coverage rate of the current EMS system by examining its transport capacity, population density, and prevalence rate, finding it to be only 61.49% with an inefficient spatial layout. To address this, we proposed transforming urban brownfields into EMS parks. By selecting the most suitable brownfields based on capacity and service radius, we increased the coverage rate to 90.21%. We introduced a new "consultation-referral" model, where existing EMS facilities serve as pre-diagnosis and triage centers, and the urban brownfield EMS parks function as isolation and centralized treatment centers. GIS network analysis confirmed the feasibility, showing all transit times to be under 30 min. The methodology outlined in this study-comprising "demand assessment, supply optimization, and feasibility verification"-not only strengthens the city's EMS system but also facilitates the renewal of urban brownfields. This approach can serve as a valuable reference for enhancing EMS systems in other cities.
PubMed: 38942906
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66080-3 -
Hypertension Research : Official... Jun 2024There is insufficient evidence that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) can reduce pneumonia by inducing a dry cough that confers a protective effect on the...
Risk of pneumonia-related hospitalization after initiating angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors compared with angiotensin II receptor blockers: a retrospective cohort study using LIFE Study data.
There is insufficient evidence that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) can reduce pneumonia by inducing a dry cough that confers a protective effect on the airway. To increase the evidence base on the clinical use of ACEIs for pneumonia prevention, this retrospective cohort study aimed to comparatively examine the risk of pneumonia-related hospitalization between ACEI initiators and angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) initiators using claims data from two Japanese municipalities. We identified persons who were newly prescribed any ACEI or ARB as their first antihypertensive agent between April 2016 and March 2020. The Fine-Gray method was applied to a Cox proportional hazards model to estimate the subdistribution hazard ratio (HR) of ACEI use (reference: ARB use) for pneumonia-related hospitalization, with death treated as a competing risk. Sex, age, comorbidities, medications, and pneumococcal immunization were included as covariates. The analysis was conducted on 1421 ACEI initiators and 9040 ARB initiators, and the adjusted subdistribution HR of ACEI use was estimated to be 1.21 (95% confidence interval: 0.89-1.65; P = 0.22). ACEI initiation did not demonstrate any significant preventive effect against pneumonia-related hospitalization relative to ARB initiation. There remains a lack of strong evidence on the protective effects of ACEIs, and further research is needed to ascertain the benefits of their use in preventing pneumonia. We conducted a large-scale retrospective cohort study using real-world healthcare data from a Japanese population. In this study, ACEI initiation did not indicate a significant preventive effect against pneumonia-related hospitalization.
PubMed: 38942815
DOI: 10.1038/s41440-024-01768-7 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Water or mud inrush has become a common geological disaster during tunnel construction in karst areas. To study forming process and mechanism of water and mud inrushes...
Water or mud inrush has become a common geological disaster during tunnel construction in karst areas. To study forming process and mechanism of water and mud inrushes through a filled karst conduit, water inrush and mud inrush model tests were carried out with a self-developed 3D model test system. The results show that the forming processes of water inrush and mud inrush have different forming modes. For water inrush, the forming process follows: flowing instability of filling material particles-formation of water inrush channel-water inrush occurring; while for mud inrush, the forming process follows: stability-sliding instability of the whole filling material suddenly-mud inrush occurring. Accordingly, a local instability model of critical hydraulic pressure causing water inrush and an integral sliding instability model of critical hydraulic pressure causing mud inrush were established respectively. The two analytical models reveal the mechanism of water inrush and mud inrush experiments to an extent. The calculated critical hydraulic pressures for water inrush and mud inrush are in good agreement with the test results. The distinguishment of water inrush and mud inrush through a karst conduit was discussed based on the critical hydraulic pressure and the evolution law of seepage water pressure in tests, and a criterion was given. The research results might provide guidance for the forecast of water and mud inrush disasters during the construction of tunnels in karst area.
PubMed: 38942795
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65930-4 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model tailored to the Korean population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to provide a superior...
This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model tailored to the Korean population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to provide a superior method for predicting the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a major chronic complication in these patients. We used data from two cohorts, namely the discovery (one hospital; n = 12,809) and validation (two hospitals; n = 2019) cohorts, recruited between 2008 and 2022. The outcome of interest was the presence or absence of CVD at 3 years. We selected various ML-based models with hyperparameter tuning in the discovery cohort and performed area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis in the validation cohort. CVD was observed in 1238 (10.2%) patients in the discovery cohort. The random forest (RF) model exhibited the best overall performance among the models, with an AUROC of 0.830 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.818-0.842) in the discovery dataset and 0.722 (95% CI 0.660-0.783) in the validation dataset. Creatinine and glycated hemoglobin levels were the most influential factors in the RF model. This study introduces a pioneering ML-based model for predicting CVD in Korean patients with T2DM, outperforming existing prediction tools and providing a groundbreaking approach for early personalized preventive medicine.
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Machine Learning; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Republic of Korea; Aged; Cohort Studies; ROC Curve; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38942775
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63798-y