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The pathogenesis of COVID-19 warrants unravelling. Genetic polymorphism analysis may help answer the variability in disease outcome. To determine the role of KIR and HLA polymorphisms in susceptibility, progression, and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, 458 patients and 667 controls enrolled in this retrospective observational study from April to December 2020. Mild/moderate and severe/death study groups were established. HLA-A, -B, -C, and KIR genotyping were performed using the Lifecodes® HLA-SSO and KIR-SSO kits on the Luminex® 200™ xMAP fluoroanalyser. A probability score using multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was calculated to estimate the likelihood of severe COVID-19. ROC analysis was used to calculate the best cut-off point for predicting a worse clinical outcome with high sensitivity and specificity. A p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. KIR AA genotype protected positively against severity/death from COVID-19. Furthermore, KIR3DL1, KIR2DL3 and KIR2DS4 genes protected patients from severe forms of COVID-19. KIR Bx genotype, as well as KIR2DL2, KIR2DS2, KIR2DS3 and KIR3DS1 were identified as biomarkers of severe COVID-19. Our logistic regression model, which included clinical and KIR/HLA variables, categorised our cohort of patients as high/low risk for severe COVID-19 disease with high sensitivity and specificity (Se = 94.29%, 95% CI [80.84-99.30]; Sp = 84.55%, 95% CI [79.26-88.94]; OR = 47.58, 95%CI [11.73-193.12], p < 0.0001). These results illustrate an association between KIR/HLA ligand polymorphism and different COVID-19 outcomes and remarks the possibility of use them as a surrogate biomarkers to detect severe patients in possible future infectious outbreaks.
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COVID-19 , Receptores KIR , SARS-CoV-2 , Humanos , COVID-19/genética , COVID-19/imunologia , COVID-19/virologia , Receptores KIR/genética , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , SARS-CoV-2/imunologia , Projetos Piloto , Estudos Retrospectivos , Polimorfismo Genético , Idoso , Genótipo , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Adulto , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Antígenos HLA/genéticaRESUMO
In this work, the hexane, chloroform, and methanol extracts from Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi were utilized to green-synthesize silver nanoparticles (Kf1-, Kf2-, and Kf3-AgNPs). The Kf1-, Kf2-, and Kf3-AgNPs were characterized by spectroscopy and microscopy techniques. The antibacterial activity of AgNPs was studied against bacteria strains, utilizing the microdilution assay. The DPPH and H2O2 assays were considered to assess the antioxidant activity of AgNPs. The results revealed that Kf1-, Kf2-, and Kf3-AgNPs exhibit an average diameter of 39.9, 111, and 42 nm, respectively. The calculated ζ-potential of Kf1-, Kf2-, and Kf3-AgNPs were -20.5, -10.6, and -7.9 mV, respectively. The UV-vis analysis of the three samples demonstrated characteristic absorption bands within the range of 350-450 nm, which confirmed the formation of AgNPs. The FTIR analysis of AgNPs exhibited a series of bands from 3500 to 750 cm-1, related to the presence of extracts on their surfaces. SEM observations unveiled that Kf1- and Kf2-AgNPs adopted structural arrangements related to nano-popcorns and nanoflowers, whereas Kf3-AgNPs were spherical in shape. It was determined that treatment with Kf1-, Kf2-, and Kf3-AgNPs was demonstrated to inhibit the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa in a dose-dependent manner (50-300 µg/mL). Within the same range, treatment with Kf1-, Kf2-, and Kf3-AgNPs decreased the generation of DPPH (IC50 57.02-2.09 µg/mL) and H2O2 (IC50 3.15-3.45 µg/mL) radicals. This study highlights the importance of using inorganic nanomaterials to improve the biological performance of plant extracts as an efficient nanotechnological approach.
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Antibacterianos , Antioxidantes , Química Verde , Kalanchoe , Nanopartículas Metálicas , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Extratos Vegetais , Prata , Nanopartículas Metálicas/química , Prata/química , Prata/farmacologia , Extratos Vegetais/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/química , Antibacterianos/síntese química , Kalanchoe/química , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/química , Antioxidantes/síntese química , Compostos de Bifenilo/antagonistas & inibidores , Compostos de Bifenilo/química , Picratos/antagonistas & inibidores , Picratos/química , Escherichia coli/efeitos dos fármacos , Escherichia coli/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Peróxido de HidrogênioRESUMO
Queensland is the main coal mining state in Australia where populations in coal mining areas have been historically exposed to coal mining emissions. Although a higher risk of chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases has been associated with coal mining globally, few studies have investigated these associations in the Queensland general population. This study estimates the association of coal production with hospitalisations for chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases in Queensland considering spatial and temporal variations during 1997-2014. An ecological analysis used a Bayesian hierarchical spatiotemporal model to estimate the association of coal production with standardised rates of each, chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and considering the spatial structure of Queensland's statistical areas (SA2) in the 18-year period. Two specifications; with and without a space-time interaction effect were compared using the integrated nested Laplace approximation -INLA approach. The posterior mean of the best fit model was used to map the spatial, temporal and spatiotemporal trends of risk. The analysis considered 2,831,121 hospitalisation records. Coal mining was associated with a 4 % (2.4-5.5) higher risk of hospitalisation for chronic respiratory diseases in the model with a space-time interaction effect which had the best fit. An emerging higher risk of either chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases was identified in eastern areas and some coal-mining areas in central and southeast Queensland. There were important disparities in the spatiotemporal trend of risk between coal -and non-coal mining areas for each, chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases. Coal mining is associated with an increased risk of chronic respiratory diseases in the Queensland general population. Bayesian spatiotemporal analyses are robust methods to identify environmental determinants of morbidity in exposed populations. This methodology helps identifying at-risk populations which can be useful to support decision-making in health. Future research is required to investigate the causality links between coal mining and these diseases.
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Teorema de Bayes , Doenças Cardiovasculares , Minas de Carvão , Hospitalização , Doenças Respiratórias , Queensland/epidemiologia , Hospitalização/estatística & dados numéricos , Doenças Respiratórias/epidemiologia , Humanos , Doenças Cardiovasculares/epidemiologia , Exposição Ambiental/estatística & dados numéricos , Doença Crônica/epidemiologia , Transtornos Respiratórios/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Insulator-based electrokinetically driven microfluidic devices stimulated with direct current (DC) voltages are an attractive solution for particle separation, concentration, or isolation. However, to design successful particle manipulation protocols, it is mandatory to know the mobilities of electroosmosis, and linear and nonlinear electrophoresis of the microchannel/liquid/particle system. Several techniques exist to characterize the mobilities of electroosmosis and linear electrophoresis. However, only one method to characterize the mobility of nonlinear electrophoresis has been thoroughly assessed, which generally requires DC voltages larger than 1000 V and measuring particle velocity in a straight microchannel. Under such conditions, Joule heating, electrolysis, and the DC power source cost become a concern. Also, measuring particle velocity at high voltages is noisy, limiting characterization quality. Here we present a protocol-tested on 2 µm polystyrene particles-for characterizing the mobility of nonlinear electrophoresis of the liquid/particle system using a DC voltage of only 30 V and visual inspection of particle dynamics in a microchannel featuring insulating obstacles. Multiphysics numerical modelling was used to guide microchannel design and to correlate particle location during an experiment with electric field intensity. The method was validated against the conventional characterization protocol, exhibiting excellent agreement while significantly reducing measurement noise and experimental complexity.
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Carotenoids constitute compounds of significant biological interest due to their multiple biological activities, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antiadipogenic, antidiabetic, and antioxidant properties. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) comprehends a series of metabolic abnormalities (e.g., hypertension, obesity, and atherogenic dyslipidemia) that can affect children, adolescents, and the elderly. The treatment of MetS involves numerous medications, which, despite their efficacy, pose challenges due to prolonged use, high costs, and various side effects. Carotenoids and their derivatives have been proposed as alternative treatments to MetS because they reduce serum triglyceride concentrations, promote insulin response, inhibit adipogenesis, and downregulate angiotensin-converting enzyme activity. However, carotenoids are notably sensitive to pH, light exposure, and temperature. This review addresses the activity of carotenoids such as lycopene, lutein, fucoxanthin, astaxanthin, crocin, and ß-carotene towards MetS. It includes a discussion of sources, extraction methods, and characterization techniques for analyzing carotenoids. Encapsulation approaches are critically reviewed as alternatives to prevent degradation and improve the biological performance of carotenoids. A brief overview of the physiopathology and epidemiology of the diseases, including MetS, is also provided.
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Introduction: The pandemic had a profound impact on the provision of health services in Cúcuta, Colombia where the neighbourhood-level risk of Covid-19 has not been investigated. Identifying the sociodemographic and environmental risk factors of Covid-19 in large cities is key to better estimate its morbidity risk and support health strategies targeting specific suburban areas. This study aims to identify the risk factors associated with the risk of Covid-19 in Cúcuta considering inter -spatial and temporal variations of the disease in the city's neighbourhoods between 2020 and 2022. Methods: Age-adjusted rate of Covid-19 were calculated in each Cúcuta neighbourhood and each quarter between 2020 and 2022. A hierarchical spatial Bayesian model was used to estimate the risk of Covid-19 adjusting for socioenvironmental factors per neighbourhood across the study period. Two spatiotemporal specifications were compared (a nonparametric temporal trend; with and without space-time interaction). The posterior mean of the spatial and spatiotemporal effects was used to map the Covid-19 risk. Results: There were 65,949 Covid-19 cases in the study period with a varying standardized Covid-19 rate that peaked in October-December 2020 and April-June 2021. Both models identified an association of the poverty and stringency indexes, education level and PM10 with Covid-19 although the best fit model with a space-time interaction estimated a strong association with the number of high-traffic roads only. The highest risk of Covid-19 was found in neighbourhoods in west, central, and east Cúcuta. Conclusions: The number of high-traffic roads is the most important risk factor of Covid-19 infection in Cucuta. This indicator of mobility and connectivity overrules other socioenvironmental factors when Bayesian models include a space-time interaction. Bayesian spatial models are important tools to identify significant determinants of Covid-19 and identifying at-risk neighbourhoods in large cities. Further research is needed to establish causal links between these factors and Covid-19.
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Heterogeneous nucleation is the main path to ice formation on Earth. The ice nucleating ability of a certain substrate is mainly determined by both molecular interactions and the structural mismatch between the ice and the substrate lattices. We focus on the latter factor using molecular simulations of the mW model. Quantifying the effect of structural mismatch alone is challenging due to its coupling with molecular interactions. To disentangle both the factors, we use a substrate composed of water molecules in such a way that any variation on the nucleation temperature can be exclusively ascribed to the structural mismatch. We find that a 1% increase in structural mismatch leads to a decrease of â¼4 K in the nucleation temperature. We also analyze the effect of orientation of the substrate with respect to the liquid. The three main ice orientations (basal, primary prism, and secondary prism) have a similar ice nucleating ability. We finally assess the effect of lattice flexibility by comparing substrates where molecules are immobile to others where a certain freedom to fluctuate around the lattice positions is allowed. Interestingly, we find that the latter type of substrate is more efficient in nucleating ice because it can adapt its structure to that of ice.
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STING-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI) is caused by pathogenic gain-of-function variants in the gene TMEM173 (also named stimulator of interferon genes, STING1). This report details the case of an 11-year-old girl with SAVI who presented with skin-limited symptoms and discusses the phenotype-genotype correlations of the TMEM173 variant present in our patient. Treatment of SAVI focuses on preventing the development or progression of organ damage by reducing systemic inflammation. We summarize the available treatments for this syndrome.
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The perception of orosensory stimuli, which includes flavor, can vary between individuals. These individual variations in oral sensations can be due to genetic factors and it would appear that they can predict food liking and consumption. The most studied source of variation is related to bitter taste perception associated with 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) responsiveness. In this context, humans can be classified as non-tasters (NT), medium tasters (MT) and supertasters (ST). Evidence suggests that genetic variation in bitter taste perception contributes to differences in the level of irritation caused by alcohol perception in solutions. The aim of this investigation was to study the bitter taste sensitivity among a group of mezcal consumers and its relationship with sensory perception and preference through PROP taster status. The tests were carried out in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico. A total of 83 mezcal consumers were classified by their PROP taster status and were asked to provide sensory descriptors for five mezcal samples and rate them according to the level of liking. The three-solution test was used to classify the subjects as NT, MT, and ST, while a Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) was used to visualize the sensory descriptors provided by these three groups. The proportion of MT subjects was 16%, while the proportion of NT and ST was 34 and 51%, respectively. The MT provided higher liking ratings for at least three mezcal samples. According to MFA, the mezcal samples were organized in a similar configuration along the two dimensions. However, NT mentioned a limited number of simple terms (strong flavor, tasteless, burning in the mouth) to describe the samples, whereas ST used a more complex vocabulary (astringent, smoky, scratchy aftertaste). These data suggest that the preference for mezcal samples was similar for non-taster and supertasters, but there are indications that the sensory perception of mezcal differs between groups.
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Percepção Gustatória , Paladar , Humanos , Sensação , Adstringentes , EmoçõesRESUMO
Tardigrades are microscopic animals that survive desiccation by inducing biostasis. To survive drying tardigrades rely on intrinsically disordered CAHS proteins, which also function to prevent perturbations induced by drying in vitro and in heterologous systems. CAHS proteins have been shown to form gels both in vitro and in vivo, which has been speculated to be linked to their protective capacity. However, the sequence features and mechanisms underlying gel formation and the necessity of gelation for protection have not been demonstrated. Here we report a mechanism of fibrillization and gelation for CAHS D similar to that of intermediate filament assembly. We show that in vitro, gelation restricts molecular motion, immobilizing and protecting labile material from the harmful effects of drying. In vivo, we observe that CAHS D forms fibrillar networks during osmotic stress. Fibrillar networking of CAHS D improves survival of osmotically shocked cells. We observe two emergent properties associated with fibrillization; (i) prevention of cell volume change and (ii) reduction of metabolic activity during osmotic shock. We find that there is no significant correlation between maintenance of cell volume and survival, while there is a significant correlation between reduced metabolism and survival. Importantly, CAHS D's fibrillar network formation is reversible and metabolic rates return to control levels after CAHS fibers are resolved. This work provides insights into how tardigrades induce reversible biostasis through the self-assembly of labile CAHS gels.
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Proteínas Intrinsicamente Desordenadas , Tardígrados , Animais , Dessecação , Tardígrados/metabolismo , Proteínas Intrinsicamente Desordenadas/metabolismo , Géis/metabolismoRESUMO
Engagement in physical activity, across various sports, promotes a diverse microbiota in active individuals. This study examines the gut microbiota of Colombian athletes, specifically weightlifters (n = 16) and road cyclists (n = 13), compared to non-athletes (n = 15). Using Kruskal-Wallis tests, the physical activity level of a group of non-athletic individuals and the sports experience of a group of professional athletes is analyzed. The median age of participants is 24 years, comprising 25 men and 19 women. The microbiota is collected using fecal samples. Participants provided these samples during their pre-competitive stage, specifically during the concentration phase occurring two weeks prior to national competitions. This timing is chosen to capture the microbial composition during a period of heightened physical preparation. Questionnaire responses and microbial composition assessments identify disparities among groups. Microbial composition analysis explores core microbiome, abundance, and taxonomy using Pavian, MicrobiomeAnalyst 2.0, and GraPhlAn. ANCOM-BC2 reveals differentially abundant species. Road cyclists exhibit decreased Bacteria and increased Archaea abundance. Phylum-level variations included Planctomycetes, Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria, while Bacteroidetes prevailed. Key families influencing gut microbiota are Bacteroidaceae, Muribaculaceae, and Selenomonadaceae. Weightlifters exhibit unique viral and archaeal community connections, while cyclists showed specialized microbial interplay influenced by endurance exercise. Correlation network analysis emphasizes distinctive microbial interactions within athlete groups, shedding light on the impact of physical activities on gut microbiota and athlete health.
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Archaea , Atletas , Bactérias , Ciclismo , Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Humanos , Microbioma Gastrointestinal/fisiologia , Masculino , Feminino , Colômbia , Adulto , Atletas/estatística & dados numéricos , Archaea/isolamento & purificação , Adulto Jovem , Bactérias/classificação , Bactérias/isolamento & purificação , Bactérias/genética , Levantamento de Peso/fisiologia , Fezes/microbiologiaRESUMO
Electrocaloric effects have been experimentally studied in ferroelectrics and incipient ferroelectrics, but not incipient ferroelectrics driven ferroelectric using strain. Here we use optimally oriented interdigitated surface electrodes to investigate extrinsic electrocaloric effects in low-loss epitaxial SrTiO3 films near the broad second-order 243 K ferroelectric phase transition created by biaxial in-plane coherent tensile strain from DyScO3 substrates. Our extrinsic electrocaloric effects are an order of magnitude larger than the corresponding effects in bulk SrTiO3 over a wide range of temperatures including room temperature, and unlike electrocaloric effects associated with first-order transitions they are highly reversible in unipolar applied fields. Additionally, the canonical Landau description for strained SrTiO3 films works well if we set the low-temperature zero-field polarization along one of the in-plane pseudocubic <100> directions. In future, similar strain engineering could be exploited for other films, multilayers and bulk samples to increase the range of electrocaloric materials for energy efficient cooling.
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This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of an adsorbent material based on powdered alfalfa leaves added in the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-contaminated diet of turkey poults on production parameters, blood cell count, serum biochemistry, liver enzymes, and liver histology. For this purpose, three hundred and fifty female Nicholas-700 poults were randomly assigned into five treatments: (1) Control, AFB1-free diet; (2) AF, diet contaminated with 250 ng AFB1/g; (3) Alfalfa, AFB1-free diet + 0.5% (w/w) adsorbent; (4) AF+alfalfa, diet contaminated with 250 ng AFB1/g + 0.5% (w/w) adsorbent, and (5) AF+ yeast cell wall (YCW), diet contaminated with 250 ng AFB1/g + 0.5% (w/w) of yeast cell wall (a commercial mycotoxin binder used as reference material). The in vivo efficacy of powdered alfalfa leaves was assessed during a 28-day period. In general, the addition of powdered alfalfa leaves in the AFB1-free diet gave the best performance results (body weight, body weight gain, and feed intake) and improved the values of total protein, glucose, calcium, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen. Moreover, the addition of powdered alfalfa leaves in the AFB1-contaminated diet enhanced body weight and body weight gain and significantly reduced the feed intake, compared to the AF and AF+YCW groups. Additionally, significant alterations in serum parameters were observed in poults intoxicated with the AFB1, compared to the Control group. Furthermore, typical histopathological lesions were observed in the liver of the AF group, which were significantly ameliorated with the addition of powdered alfalfa leaves. Conclusively, these results pointed out that low inclusion of powdered alfalfa leaves in the contaminated feed counteracted the adverse effects of AFB1 in turkey poults.
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Aflatoxina B1 , Ração Animal , Medicago sativa , Folhas de Planta , Perus , Animais , Aflatoxina B1/toxicidade , Medicago sativa/química , Folhas de Planta/química , Ração Animal/análise , Feminino , Fígado/efeitos dos fármacos , Fígado/patologia , Dieta/veterinária , Pós , Peso Corporal/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Cancer is understood as a multifactorial disease that involve multiple cell types and phenotypes in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The components of the TME can interact directly or via soluble factors (cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, extracellular vesicles, etc.). Among the cells composing the TME, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) appear as a population with debated properties since it has been seen that they can both promote or attenuate tumor progression. For various authors, the main mechanism of interaction of MSCs is through their secretome, the set of molecules secreted into the extracellular milieu, recruiting, and influencing the behavior of other cells in inflammatory environments where they normally reside, such as wounds and tumors. Natural products have been studied as possible cancer treatments, appealing to synergisms between the molecules in their composition; thus, extracts obtained from Petiveria alliacea (Anamu-SC) and Caesalpinia spinosa (P2Et) have been produced and studied previously on different models, showing promising results. The effect of plant extracts on the MSC secretome has been poorly studied, especially in the context of the TME. Here, we studied the effect of Anamu-SC and P2Et extracts in the human adipose-derived MSC (hAMSC)-tumor cell interaction as a TME model. We also investigated the influence of the hAMSC secretome, in combination with these natural products, on tumor cell hallmarks such as viability, clonogenicity, and migration. In addition, hAMSC gene expression and protein synthesis were evaluated for some key factors in tumor progression in the presence of the extracts by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Multiplex, respectively. It was found that the presence of the hAMSC secretome did not affect the cytotoxic or clonogenicity-reducing activities of the natural extracts on cancer cells, and even this secretome can inhibit the migration of these tumor cells, in addition to the fact that the profile of molecules can be modified by natural products. Overall, our findings demonstrate that hAMSC secretome participation in TME interactions can favor the antitumor activities of natural products.
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Células-Tronco Mesenquimais , Extratos Vegetais , Secretoma , Humanos , Células-Tronco Mesenquimais/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Mesenquimais/citologia , Células-Tronco Mesenquimais/efeitos dos fármacos , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Extratos Vegetais/química , Secretoma/metabolismo , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/química , Células Cultivadas , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos AntitumoraisRESUMO
DNA methylation has become a biomarker of great interest in the forensic and clinical fields. In criminal investigations, the study of this epigenetic marker has allowed the development of DNA intelligence tools providing information that can be useful for investigators, such as age prediction. Following a similar trend, when the origin of a sample in a criminal scenario is unknown, the inference of an individual's lifestyle such as tobacco use and alcohol consumption could provide relevant information to help in the identification of DNA donors at the crime scene. At the same time, in the clinical domain, prediction of these trends of consumption could allow the identification of people at risk or better identification of the causes of different pathologies. In the present study, DNA methylation data from the UK AIRWAVE study was used to build two binomial logistic models for the inference of smoking and drinking status. A total of 348 individuals (116 non-smokers, 116 former smokers and 116 smokers) plus a total of 237 individuals (79 non-drinkers, 79 moderate drinkers and 79 drinkers) were used for development of tobacco and alcohol consumption prediction models, respectively. The tobacco prediction model was composed of two CpGs (cg05575921 in AHRR and cg01940273) and the alcohol prediction model three CpGs (cg06690548 in SLC7A11, cg0886875 and cg21294714 in MIR4435-2HG), providing correct classifications of 86.49% and 74.26%, respectively. Validation of the models was performed using leave-one-out cross-validation. Additionally, two independent testing sets were also assessed for tobacco and alcohol consumption. Considering that the consumption of these substances could underlie accelerated epigenetic ageing patterns, the effect of these lifestyles on the prediction of age was evaluated. To do that, a quantile regression model based on previous studies was generated, and the potential effect of tobacco and alcohol consumption with the epigenetic age was assessed. The Wilcoxon test was used to evaluate the residuals generated by the model and no significant differences were observed between the categories analyzed.
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Metilação de DNA , Fumar , Humanos , Fumar/efeitos adversos , Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/genética , DNA , HábitosRESUMO
We analyze the percolation threshold of square lattices comprising a combination of sites with regular and extended neighborhoods. We found that the percolation threshold of these composed systems smoothly decreases with the fraction of sites with extended neighbors. This behavior can be well-fitted by a Tsallis q-Exponential function. We found a relation between the fitting parameters and the differences in the gyration radius among neighborhoods. We also compared the percolation threshold with the critical susceptibility of nearest and next-to-nearest neighbor monoculture plantations vulnerable to the spread of phytopathogen. Notably, the critical susceptibility in monoculture plantations can be described as a linear combination of two composite systems. These results allow the refinement of mathematical models of phytopathogen propagation in agroecology. In turn, this improvement facilitates the implementation of more efficient computational simulations of agricultural epidemiology that are instrumental in testing and formulating control strategies.
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BACKGROUND: Advancements in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care have led to a decline in AIDS-related deaths among people with HIV (PWH) in Switzerland. However, data on the ongoing changes in causes of death among PWH over the past 15 years are scarce. METHODS: We investigated all reported deaths in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study between 2005 and 2022. Causes of death were categorized using the Coding Causes of Death in HIV protocol. The statistical analysis included demographic stratification to identify time trends and logistic regression models to determine associated factors for the underlying cause of death. RESULTS: In total, 1630 deaths were reported, with 23.7% of individuals assigned female sex at birth. These deaths included 147 (9.0%) HIV/AIDS-related deaths, 373 (22.9%) due to non-AIDS, non-hepatic cancers, 166 (10.2%) liver-related deaths, and 158 (9.7%) cardiovascular-related deaths. The median age at death (interquartile range) increased from 45.0 (40.0-53.0) years in 2005-2007 to 61.0 (56.0-69.5) years in 2020-2022. HIV/AIDS- and liver-related deaths decreased, whereas deaths from non-AIDS, non-hepatic cancers increased and cardiovascular-related deaths remained relatively stable. CONCLUSIONS: The proportionally decreasing HIV/AIDS and liver-related deaths showcase the effectiveness of ART, comprehensive HIV patient care, and interventions targeting hepatitis C virus coinfection. Future research should focus on managing cancer and cardiovascular-related conditions as the new leading causes of death among PWH. Comprehensive healthcare strategies focusing on non-AIDS-related comorbid conditions, cancer management, and sustaining liver and cardiovascular health are needed to bridge the ongoing health disparities between PWH and the general population.
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Causas de Morte , Infecções por HIV , Humanos , Feminino , Masculino , Suíça/epidemiologia , Infecções por HIV/mortalidade , Infecções por HIV/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções por HIV/complicações , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adulto , Estudos de Coortes , Idoso , Neoplasias/mortalidade , Neoplasias/complicaçõesRESUMO
In the field of coordination and bioorganometallic chemistry, a notable shift is occurring. This mini-review explores a new generation of carefully 3D-crafted coordination and organometallic complexes that differ from conventional structures. Emphasizing disease intervention and microbial control, these compounds, incorporate noble and transition metals, and aim to enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing potential health risks. The mini-review covers diverse applications, showcasing their effectiveness against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and as potential tools in cancer treatment. Additionally, it sheds light on the inventive aspects of these complexes within biological systems. By highlighting advancements in bioorganometallic chemistry, the review offers insights and guidance for future developments in safer and more effective therapeutics.