This study correlated lung cancer (LC) mortality with statistical data obtained from government public databases. In order to asses a relationship between LC deaths and radon accumulation in ...dwellings, indoor radon concentrations were measured with passive detectors randomly distributed in Chihuahua City. Kriging (K) and Inverse-Distance Weighting (IDW) spatial interpolations were carried out. Deaths were georeferenced and Moran’s I correlation coefficients were calculated. The mean values (over n=171) of the interpolation of radon concentrations of deceased’s dwellings were 247.8 and 217.1 Bq/m3, for K and IDW, respectively. Through the Moran’s I values obtained, correspondingly equal to 0.56 and 0.61, it was evident that LC mortality was directly associated with locations with high levels of radon, considering a stable population for more than 25 years, suggesting spatial clustering of LC deaths due to indoor radon concentrations.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract We present a patient with panfacial neurofibromatosis type 1 who underwent allogeneic transplantation of facial structures, which was complicated by severe rhabdomyolysis and temporary ...oligoanuria. Because of his underlying disease, this 35 year-old man, weighing 68 kg and with a body mass index (BMI) of 27, had undergone 17 operations for resection modeling of hypertrophied tissues, either alone or combined with static suspension techniques. He finally underwent allogeneic transplantation of facial structures. In the early hours of the postoperative period, in the context of a systemic inflammatory response syndrome, he experienced severe rhabdomyolysis, with elevation of the muscle enzyme creatine kinase producing a minor impact on kidney function. The patient was discharged home at 12 weeks after the transplantation.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Acute lung injury (ALI) carries a high risk of mortality but has no established pharmacologic therapy. We previously found that experimental ALI occurs through natural killer (NK) cell NKG2D receptor ...activation and that the cognate human ligand, MICB, was associated with ALI after transplantation.
To investigate the association of a common missense variant,
, with ALI.
We assessed
genotypes within two multicenter observational study cohorts at risk for ALI: primary graft dysfunction (
= 619) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (
= 1,376). Variant protein functional effects were determined in cultured and
human samples.
Recipients of
-homozygous allografts had an 11.1% absolute risk reduction (95% confidence interval CI, 3.2-19.4%) for severe primary graft dysfunction after lung transplantation and reduced risk for allograft failure (hazard ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.13-0.98). In participants with sepsis, we observed 39% reduced odds of moderately or severely impaired oxygenation among
-homozygous individuals (95% CI, 0.43-0.86). BAL NK cells were less frequent and less mature in participants with
. Expression of missense variant protein MICB
in cultured cells resulted in reduced surface MICB and reduced NKG2D ligation relative to wild-type MICB. Coculture of variant MICB
cells with NK cells resulted in less NKG2D activation and less susceptibility to NK cell killing relative to the wild-type cells.
These data support a role for MICB signaling through the NKG2D receptor in mediating ALI, suggesting a novel therapeutic approach.
Anxiety- and depression-related disorders often appear associated and may be affected by common genetic factors. The inbred rat strains Lewis (LEW) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and the ...outbred rat lines Floripa H and L, which were selectively bred for high and low locomotion in the central area of the open field (OF) test, respectively, have been proposed as experimental tools to study anxiety. The main goal of the present study was to characterize the behavior of these animals in two models of anxiety, elevated plus-maze (EPM) and OF, in two models of depression, forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) and in their home-cages. Emotionality-related differences between LEW and SHR rats and between Floripa H and L rats were found in the EPM, OF and FST. Those lines showing low anxiety-like profiles in the EPM and OF (SHR and Floripa H) also showed low immobility in the FST. The TST failed to unveil any line differences. Factor analysis involving all tests revealed three independent factors with one of them associating anxiety-related measures from the OF and EPM to immobility in the FST. When observed in their home-cages, LEW and SHR rats showed no differences in general activity, but when acutely treated with imipramine (15
mg/kg), only LEW rats were sensitive to its antidepressant effects. These results suggest the existence of a genetic link between two tests used in the screening of anxiolytic drugs and one test of antidepressant activity. Moreover, the LEW and SHR rat strains were shown to be an interesting model to study the comorbidity between anxiety- and depression-related disorders.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes capable of mediating immune responses without prior sensitization. NK cells express Fc-gamma receptors (FcγRs) that engage the Fc region of IgG. ...Studies investigating the role of FcγRs on mouse NK cells have been limited due to lack specific reagents. In this study, we characterize the expression and biological consequences of activating mouse NK cells through their FcγRs. We demonstrate that most NK cells express the activating CD16 receptor, and a subset of NK cells also expresses the inhibitory CD32b receptor. Critically, these FcγRs are functional on mouse NK cells and can modulate antibody-mediated responses. We also characterized mice with conditional knockout alleles of Fcgr3 (CD16) or Fcgr2b (CD32b) in the NK and innate lymphoid cell (ILC) lineage. NK cells in these mice did not reveal any developmental defects and were responsive to cross-linking activating NK receptors, cytokine stimulation, and killing of YAC-1 targets. Importantly, CD16-deficient NK cells failed to induce antibody-directed cellular cytotoxicity of antibody-coated B-cell lymphomas in in vitro assays. In addition, we demonstrate the important role of CD16 on NK cells using an in vivo model of cancer immunotherapy using anti-CD20 antibody treatment of B-cell lymphomas.
Probiotic-enriched beers have emerged as an innovative solution for delivering beneficial microorganisms, particularly appealing to consumers seeking non-dairy options. However, navigating the ...complex beer environment presents challenges in effectively cultivating specific probiotic strains. This review aims to promote innovation and distinctiveness within the brewing industry by providing insights into current research on the integration of probiotic microorganisms into beer production, thereby creating a functional beverage. The review explores the effects of probiotic incorporation on the functional, technological, and sensory attributes of beer, distinguishing contributions from bacterial and yeast, as well as potential health benefits. Probiotic microorganisms encounter hurdles during beer production, including ethanol, hops, CO
levels, pH, oxygen, and nutrients. Ethanol tolerance mechanisms vary among bacteria and yeasts, with specific lactic acid bacteria showing resistance to hop compounds. Hops, crucial for beer categorization, exert a timing-dependent impact on probiotics-early isomerization impedes growth, while late additions yield non-isomerized antibacterial properties. Effective probiotic integration necessitates precise post-fermentation addition stages to ensure viability and flavor. The sensory impact and consumer reception of probiotic-enriched beers require further exploration. Probiotics must endure storage conditions to qualify as functional beer, while limited research investigates health advantages, urging enhanced production techniques, sensory optimization, and clinical validation.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Although interactions between inhibitory Ly49 receptors and their self-MHC class I ligands in C57BL/6 mice are known to limit NK cell proliferation during mouse CMV (MCMV) infection, we created a ...36-marker mass cytometry (CyTOF) panel to investigate how these inhibitory receptors impact the NK cell response to MCMV in other phenotypically measurable ways. More than two thirds of licensed NK cells (i.e., those expressing Ly49C, Ly49I, or both) in uninfected mice had already differentiated into NK cells with phenotypes indicative of Ag encounter (KLRG1
Ly6C
) or memory-like status (KLRG1
Ly6C
). These pre-existing KLRG1
Ly6C
NK cells resembled known Ag-specific memory NK cell populations in being less responsive to IL-18 and IFN-α stimulation in vitro and by selecting for NK cell clones with elevated expression of a Ly49 receptor. During MCMV infection, the significant differences between licensed and unlicensed (Ly49C
Ly49I
) NK cells disappeared within both CMV-specific (Ly49H
) and nonspecific (Ly49H
) responses. This lack of heterogeneity carried into the memory phase, with only a difference in CD16 expression manifesting between licensed and unlicensed MCMV-specific memory NK cell populations. Our results suggest that restricting proliferation is the predominant effect licensing has on the NK cell population during MCMV infection, but the inhibitory Ly49-MHC interactions that take place ahead of infection contribute to their limited expansion by shrinking the pool of licensed NK cells capable of robustly responding to new challenges.
Abstract Introduction Invasive assessment of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), via right heart catheterization, is part of the usual protocol prior to heart transplantation. Echocardiography is ...considered a valuable technique to evaluate PAP. We sought to determine the reliability of measurements of PAP via a noninvasive technique, echocardiography, in relation to the estimated PAP via right catheterization. We also determined its safety when invasive procedures are restricted to just patients with pulmonary hypertension (PHT) according to echocardiographic parameters. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective study of 67 right catheterizations performed in our hospital, within the heart transplant study protocol, from January 2000 to December 2006. PAP parameters were estimated by echocardiography and right catheterization. Results Hemodynamically, 57.1% of the patients had severe PHT (more than 45 mm Hg mean PAP); 13.2% moderate PHT (between 35 and 45 mm Hg mean PAP); 12.1% had mild PHT (between 25 and 35 mm Hg mean PAP); and 17.6% of patients showed no PHT. Pearson correlation index with systolic PAP (estimated via echocardiography) and mean PAP (calculated via invasive method) was 0.69 ( P < .001). PHT was considered significant when systolic PAP estimated via echocardiography reached more than 40 mm Hg and mean PAP estimated via right catheterization reached more than 35 mm Hg, the value from which the vasodilator test was carried out. According to these parameters, echocardiography showed a sensitivity of 89% to diagnose significant PHT and 46% specificity, with positive and negative predictive values of 70% and 76%, respectively.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Abstract Introduction Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) is associated with greater posttransplant mortality. In the last few years, many vasodilator drugs have been developed and some patients have ...therefore been transplanted. However, conflicting data exist regarding the impact of reversible PHT on posttransplant outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the evolution of our transplanted patients with reactive PHT and the causes of right cardiac insufficiency and perioperative mortality. Material and Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 39 consecutive heart transplant recipients from January 2005 to December 2006. We analyzed significant pretransplant PHT, the percentage of emergency transplants, surgical technique, as well as ischemia and extracorporeal circulation times. Results Before transplantation, significant PHT was present in 12 patients (30.8%), all of whom had a positive acute vasoreactivity test or response to oral treatment with pulmonary vasodilators. A nonsignificant tendency to increased posttransplant mortality was observed among patients with pretransplant PHT. We observed a significant increase in mortality in patients with prolonged operative times, over the third percentile, odds ratio (OR) for ECC of 21% ( P = .001) and OR for prolonged ischemia time of 9.5% ( P = .022). However, mortality did not increase significantly in cases of emergent transplantation ( P = .08) or in the use of the Shumway bicaval surgical technique ( P = .9). Conclusions There seemed to be a slight tendency to increased mortality among patients with reversible HTP, suggesting that high-risk patients need closer monitoring but are not absolutely contraindicated for transplantation.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK