Medicina
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Background and Objectives: In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discovered that 2.55 million middle and high school students were using electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in the US alone. E-cigarettes allow people to inhale a nicotine solution (e-liquid) into their bodies. While e-cigarettes are often advertised as a way to help people quit traditional tobacco products, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that there is no proof of e-cigarettes being effective at reducing an individual's tobacco use. ⋯ Interestingly, reasons like cost, using them to quit smoking, seeing them in the media, and ease of attainment were ranked the lowest when it came to smoking e-cigarettes. However, their lower costs naturally lead to increased accessibility compared to traditional cigarettes, making them easier to reach the hands of teenagers. Overall, in this paper, we aim to identify if adolescents are choosing e-cigarettes as their first foray into tobacco products and why.
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Background and Objectives: Diabetes is a global health issue, with approximately 50% of patients developing diabetic nephropathy (DN) and 25% experiencing early and severe forms of the disease. The genetic factors contributing to rapid disease progression in a subset of these patients are unclear. This study investigates genetic variations in the GLO-1, CBR-1, and ACE genes associated with early and severe DN. ⋯ No significant changes were noted in ACE gene variants concerning protein structure or function. Conclusions: The study identifies four novel and five recurrent mutations/polymorphisms in GLO1, ACE, and CBR1 genes associated with severe DN in Pakistani patients. Notably, a nonsense mutation in GLO1 led to a truncated, non-functional protein, while missense mutations in GLO1 and CBR1 potentially disrupt enzyme function, possibly accelerating DN progression.
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Background and Objectives: The aging process has always been associated with a higher susceptibility to chronic inflammatory lung diseases. Several studies have demonstrated the gut microbiome's influence on the lungs through cross-talk or the gut-lungs axis maintaining nutrient-rich microenvironments. Taiwan djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics that could modulate the gut microbiome. ⋯ Conclusions: Our findings suggest that Taiwan djulis can modulate the gut microbiome, leading to microbial cross-talk; reducing the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, T cells, and TLRs; and increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines in the spleen, as cytokines migrate in the lungs, preventing lung inflammation damage in aged mice or the gut-lung axis. Thus, Taiwan djulis could be considered a beneficial dietary component for the older adult population. The major limitation includes a lack of protein validation of cytokines and TLRs and quantification of the T cell population in the spleen as a marker of the gut-lung axis.
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Review Meta Analysis
Mortality Risk and Antibiotic Therapy for Patients with Infections Caused by Elizabethkingia Species-A Meta-Analysis.
Background and Objectives: Patients with infections caused by Elizabethkingia species require prompt identification and effective antibiotic treatment since these spp. are typically resistant to multiple antibiotics and variable susceptibility patterns. Understanding the mortality risk of this disease is difficult because of the relatively low incidence of infections caused by Elizabethkingia spp. and the lack of published systematic evaluations of the risk factors for mortality. The aim of the present study was to investigate risk factors for mortality in patients with infections caused by Elizabethkingia spp. by conducting a meta-analysis of existing studies on these infections. ⋯ Conclusions: The use of appropriate antimicrobial therapy is critical for the effective management of infections caused by Elizabethkingia spp. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing would be a more reliable means of guiding treatment. The identification of the best antimicrobial drugs is needed to ensure optimal treatment recommendations for treating Elizabethkingia-related infections.
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Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of maternal ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels on pregnancy-related complications, fetal growth, and development over time. Materials and Methods: The prospective longitudinal and single-center study included 43 pregnant women ages 18 to 43. Routine pregnancy follow-up began at the first antenatal examination for all pregnant women before 14 weeks gestation, with IMA levels measured during the first, second, and third trimesters. ⋯ Conclusions: Our study determined that maternal ischemia-modified albumin levels during pregnancy did not correlate with fetal birth weight. Our findings revealed that age, sociodemographic changes, BMI, weight gain, and pregnancy complications had no effect on the change in IMA levels during pregnancy. We believe that this result will serve as a benchmark for future studies on IMA levels during pregnancy.