Unplanned hospital readmissions mean a significant burden for health systems. Accurately estimating the patient’s readmission risk could help to optimise the discharge decision-making process by ...smartly ordering patients based on a severity score, thus helping to improve the usage of clinical resources. A great number of heterogeneous factors can influence the readmission risk, which makes it highly difficult to be estimated by a human agent. However, this score could be achieved with the help of AI models, acting as aiding tools for decision support systems. In this paper, we propose a machine learning classification and risk stratification approach to assess the readmission problem and provide a decision support system based on estimated patient risk scores.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
MicroRNA miR-155 is implicated in modulation of the inflammatory processes in various pathological conditions. In our previous studies, we demonstrated that in vivo inhibition of miR-155 promotes ...functional recovery after mouse experimental stroke. In the present study, we explored if this beneficial effect is associated with miR-155 inhibition-induced alterations in post-stroke inflammatory response.
Intravenous injections of a specific miR-155 inhibitor were initiated at 48 h after mouse distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO). Temporal changes in the expression of cytokines and key molecules associated with cytokine signaling were assessed at 7, 14, and 21 days after dMCAO, using mouse cytokine gene and protein arrays and Western blot analyses. Electron and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy techniques were used to evaluate the ultrastructural changes, as well as altered expression of specific phenotypic markers, at different time points after dMCAO.
In the inhibitor-injected mice (inhibitor group), there was a significant decrease in CCL12 and CXCL3 cytokine expression at 7 days and significantly increased levels of major cytokines IL-10, IL-4, IL-6, MIP-1α, IL-5, and IL-17 at 14 days after dMCAO. These temporal changes correlated with altered expression of miR-155 target proteins SOCS-1, SHIP-1, and C/EBP-β and phosphorylation levels of cytokine signaling regulator STAT-3. Electron microscopy showed decreased number of phagocytically active peri-vascular microglia/macrophages in the inhibitor samples. Immunofluorescence and Western blot of these samples demonstrated that expression of leukocyte/ macrophage marker CD45 and phagocytosis marker CD68 was reduced at 7 days, and in contrast, significantly increased at 14 days after dMCAO, as compared to controls.
Based on our findings, we propose that in vivo miR-155 inhibition following mouse stroke significantly alters the time course of the expression of major cytokines and inflammation-associated molecules, which could influence inflammation process and tissue repair after experimental cerebral ischemia.
We present here a theoretical study that shows how the use of hybrid magnetoplasmonic crystals comprising both ferromagnetic and noble metals leads to a large enhancement of the performance of ...nanohole arrays as plasmonic sensors. In particular, we propose using Au–Co–Au films perforated with a periodic array of subwavelength holes as transducers in magneto-optical surface-plasmon-resonance sensors, where the sensing principle is based on measurements of the transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect. We demonstrate that this detection scheme may result in bulk figures of merit that are 2 orders of magnitude larger than those of any other type of plasmonic sensor. The sensing strategy put forward here can make use of the different advantages of nanohole-based plasmonic sensors such as miniaturization, multiplexing, and its combination with microfluidics.
Inflammaging: Implications in Sarcopenia Antuña, Eduardo; Cachán-Vega, Cristina; Bermejo-Millo, Juan Carlos ...
International journal of molecular sciences,
11/2022, Letnik:
23, Številka:
23
Journal Article
Recenzirano
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In a world in which life expectancy is increasing, understanding and promoting healthy aging becomes a contemporary demand. In the elderly, a sterile, chronic and low-grade systemic inflammation ...known as "inflammaging" is linked with many age-associated diseases. Considering sarcopenia as a loss of strength and mass of skeletal muscle related to aging, correlations between these two terms have been proposed. Better knowledge of the immune system players in skeletal muscle would help to elucidate their implications in sarcopenia. Characterizing the activators of damage sensors and the downstream effectors explains the inference with skeletal muscle performance. Sarcopenia has also been linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity. Implications of inflammatory signals from these diseases negatively affect skeletal muscle. Autophagic mechanisms are closely related with the inflammasome, as autophagy eliminates stress signaling sent by damage organelles, but also acts with an immunomodulatory function affecting immune cells and cytokine release. The use of melatonin, an antioxidant, ROS scavenger and immune and autophagy modulator, or senotherapeutic compounds targeting senescent cells could represent strategies to counteract inflammation. This review aims to present the many factors regulating skeletal muscle inflammaging and their major implications in order to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in sarcopenia.
Sub‐nanometer metal clusters have special physical and chemical properties, significantly different from those of nanoparticles. However, there is a major concern about their thermal stability and ...susceptibility to oxidation. In situ X‐ray Absorption spectroscopy and Near Ambient Pressure X‐ray Photoelectron spectroscopy results reveal that supported Cu5 clusters are resistant to irreversible oxidation at least up to 773 K, even in the presence of 0.15 mbar of oxygen. These experimental findings can be formally described by a theoretical model which combines dispersion‐corrected DFT and first principles thermochemistry revealing that most of the adsorbed O2 molecules are transformed into superoxo and peroxo species by an interplay of collective charge transfer within the network of Cu atoms and large amplitude “breathing” motions. A chemical phase diagram for Cu oxidation states of the Cu5‐oxygen system is presented, clearly different from the already known bulk and nano‐structured chemistry of Cu.
A combined XANES and NAP XPS study shows that Cu5 clusters are resistant to irreversible oxidation up to 773 K in the presence of oxygen. A theoretical model reveals that adsorbed O2 molecules are transformed into superoxo and peroxo species by an interplay of collective charge transfer and large amplitude “breathing” motions. A chemical phase diagram for Cu oxidation state of the Cu5‐O2 system is presented.
We aimed to evaluate the correct assignment of HCV genotypes by three commercial methods-Trugene HCV genotyping kit (Siemens), VERSANT HCV Genotype 2.0 assay (Siemens), and Real-Time HCV genotype II ...(Abbott)-compared to NS5B sequencing. We studied 327 clinical samples that carried representative HCV genotypes of the most frequent geno/subtypes in Spain. After commercial genotyping, the sequencing of a 367 bp fragment in the NS5B gene was used to assign genotypes. Major discrepancies were defined, e.g. differences in the assigned genotype by one of the three methods and NS5B sequencing, including misclassification of subtypes 1a and 1b. Minor discrepancies were considered when differences at subtype levels, other than 1a and 1b, were observed. The overall discordance with the reference method was 34% for Trugene and 15% for VERSANT HCV2.0. The Abbott assay correctly identified all 1a and 1b subtypes, but did not subtype all the 2, 3, 4 and 5 (34%) genotypes. Major discordances were found in 16% of cases for Trugene HCV, and the majority were 1b- to 1a-related discordances; major discordances were found for VERSANT HCV 2.0 in 6% of cases, which were all but one 1b to 1a cases. These results indicated that the Trugene assay especially, and to a lesser extent, Versant HCV 2.0, can fail to differentiate HCV subtypes 1a and 1b, and lead to critical errors in clinical practice for correctly using directly acting antiviral agents.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
BACKGROUND:To date, there are no comprehensive data on pediatric COVID-19 from Latin America. This study aims to assess COVID-19 and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) in Latin American ...children, to appropriately plan and allocate resources to face the pandemic on a local and international level.
METHODS:Ambispective multicenter cohort study from 5 Latin American countries. Children 18 years of age or younger with microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection or fulfilling MIS-C definition were included.
FINDINGS:Four hundred nine children were included, with a median age of 3.0 years (interquartile range 0.6–9.0). Of these, 95 (23.2%) were diagnosed with MIS-C. One hundred ninety-one (46.7%) children were admitted to hospital and 52 (12.7%) required admission to a pediatric intensive care unit. Ninety-two (22.5%) patients required oxygen support8 (2%) were started on continuous positive airway pressure and 29 (7%) on mechanical ventilation. Thirty-five (8.5%) patients required inotropic support. The following factors were associated with pediatric intensive care unit admissionpreexisting medical condition (P < 0.0001), immunodeficiency (P = 0.01), lower respiratory tract infection (P < 0.0001), gastrointestinal symptoms (P = 0.006), radiologic changes suggestive of pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (P < 0.0001) and low socioeconomic conditions (P = 0.009).
CONCLUSIONS:This study shows a generally more severe form of COVID-19 and a high number of MIS-C in Latin American children, compared with studies from China, Europe and North America, and support current evidence of a more severe disease in Latin/Hispanic children or in people of lower socioeconomic level. The findings highlight an urgent need for more data on COVID-19 in Latin America.
Structural equation modeling (SEM) can help understanding complex functional relationships among obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), family history of obesity, targeted metabolomics ...and pro-inflammatory markers. We tested two hypotheses: 1) If obesity precedes an excess of free fatty acids that increase oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, there would be an increase of serum acylcarnitines, amino acids and cytokines in obese subjects. Acylcarnitines would be related to non-alcoholic fatty disease that will induce insulin resistance. 2) If a positive family history of obesity and type 2 diabetes are the major determinants of the metabolomic profile, there would be higher concentration of amino acids and acylcarnitines in patients with this background that will induce obesity and NAFLD which in turn will induce insulin resistance.
137 normoglycemic subjects, mean age (SD) of 30.61 (8.6) years divided in three groups: BMI<25 with absence of NAFLD (G1), n = 82; BMI>30 with absence of NAFLD (G2), n = 24; and BMI>30 with NAFLD (G3), n = 31. Family history of obesity (any) was present in 53%. Both models were adjusted in SEM. Family history of obesity predicted obesity but could not predict acylcarnitines and amino acid concentrations (effect size <0.2), but did predict obesity phenotype.
Family history of obesity is the major predictor of obesity, and the metabolic abnormalities on amino acids, acylcarnitines, inflammation, insulin resistance, and NAFLD.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Breast cancer is one of the most important neoplasia among women. It was recently suggested that biological agents could be the etiological cause, particularly Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The aim of ...this study was to explore the presence of HPV DNA in a case-control study.
We performed our study including 251 cases (breast cancer) and 186 controls (benign breast tumors), using three different molecular techniques with PCR (GP5/GP6, CLART® and DIRECT FLOW CHIP®).
HPV DNA was evidenced in 51.8% of the cases and in 26.3% of the controls (p < 0.001). HPV-16 was the most prevalent serotype. The odds ratio (OR) of HPV within a multivariate model, taking into account age and breastfeeding, was 4.034.
Our study, with methodological rigour and a sample size not previously found in the literature, demonstrate a significant presence of HPV DNA in breast cancer samples. A possible causal relationship, or mediation or not as a cofactor, remains to be established by future studies.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Eutrophication is still a serious problem in many coastal areas, including the tropics, where river discharges of nutrients is usually high. The ecological stability and ecosystem services of the ...Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS), the world's second-largest coral reef system, suffer a generalized impact by riverine discharge of sediment and organic and inorganic nutrients, which may lead to coastal eutrophication and a coral-macroalgal phase shift. However, few data exist on the MRBS coastal zone status, particularly in Honduras. Here, two in situ sampling campaigns were carried out (May 2017 and January 2018) in the Alvarado Lagoon and Puerto Cortés Bay (Honduras). Measurements included water column nutrients, chlorophyll-a (Chla), particulate organic and inorganic matter and net community metabolism, completed with satellite images analysis. The lagoon and bay environments are ecologically different systems and present different sensitivities to seasonal changes in precipitation as shown by the multivariate analysis. Nonetheless, net community production and respiration rates were neither different spatially, nor seasonally. In addition, both environments were highly eutrophic as shown by the TRIX index. Thus, the Puerto Cortés system represents an important source of dissolved nutrients and particulate matter to the coastal zone. Even though offshore, water quality, based on estimated outwelling rates from the Puerto Cortés system to the coastal waters of the southern MRBS region, improved considerably, concentrations of Chla and nutrients remained higher than those typically measured in non-polluted coral reefs in the Caribbean region and the suggested threshold values. In situ monitoring and assessment of these aspects are crucial to evaluate the ecological functioning of and threats on the MBRS, and elaborate and implement adequate policies for integrated management given its regional and global importance.
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•The Puerto Cortés System is hyper eutrophic based on the TRIX index.•Net community production and respiration was high like other tropical and subtropical systems•Estimated outwelling nutrient and particulate matter concentrations offshore were high.•Estimated fluxes of buoyant matter varied several-fold based on the approach used.•Coastal organic and inorganic nutrients are expected to reach and impact the MBRS.
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