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Survival analysis in cardiovascular epidemiology: nexus between heart disease and mortality

Lachwani et al. | Oct 23, 2024

Survival analysis in cardiovascular epidemiology: nexus between heart disease and mortality

In 2021, over 20 million people died from cardiovascular diseases, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of factors influencing heart failure outcomes. This study examined multiple variables affecting mortality after heart failure, using random forest models to identify time, serum creatinine, and ejection fraction as key predictors. These findings could contribute to personalized medicine, improving survival rates by tailoring treatment strategies for heart failure patients.

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The effect of bioenhancers on ampicillin-sulbactam as a treatment against A. baumannii

Balaji et al. | Sep 21, 2024

The effect of bioenhancers on ampicillin-sulbactam as a treatment against <i>A. baumannii<i>

This article explores the potential of piperine, a bioenhancer from black pepper, to improve antibiotic efficacy against antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. By combining piperine with ampicillin-sulbactam, the study demonstrated a significant reduction in bacterial growth for most strains tested, showcasing the promise of bioenhancers in combating resistant pathogens. This research highlights the possibility of reducing the required antibiotic dosage, potentially offering a new strategy in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria.

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The effects of plasticizers on the mechanical properties and chemical composition of a gelatin biopolymer

Ip et al. | Jul 28, 2024

The effects of plasticizers on the mechanical properties and chemical composition of a gelatin biopolymer

Here, in an effort to identify alternatives to oil-based plastic, the authors sought to investigate the effects of plasticizers on the mechanical properties and chemical composition of gelatin bioplastic matrices. Through measurements of their tensile strength and elongation at break, along with FTIR spectroscopy, they identified 3% w/v polyethylene glycol film as having the best performance in their study..

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Can the nucleotide content of a DNA sequence predict the sequence accessibility?

Balachandran et al. | Mar 10, 2023

Can the nucleotide content of a DNA sequence predict the sequence accessibility?
Image credit: Warren Umoh

Sequence accessibility is an important factor affecting gene expression. Sequence accessibility or openness impacts the likelihood that a gene is transcribed and translated into a protein and performs functions and manifests traits. There are many potential factors that affect the accessibility of a gene. In this study, our hypothesis was that the content of nucleotides in a genetic sequence predicts its accessibility. Using a machine learning linear regression model, we studied the relationship between nucleotide content and accessibility.

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Deciphering correlation and causation in risk factors for heart disease with Mendelian randomization

Singh et al. | Feb 08, 2023

Deciphering correlation and causation in risk factors for heart disease with Mendelian randomization
Image credit: Robina Weermeijer

Here, seeking to identify the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), a major cause of cardiovascular disease, the authors used Mendelian randomization. With this method they identified several traits such as blood pressure readings, LDL cholesterol and BMI as significant risk factors. While other traits were not found to be significant risk factors.

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Cocktail therapy to inhibit multispecies biofilm in cystic fibrosis patients

Bhat et al. | Sep 22, 2022

Cocktail therapy to inhibit multispecies biofilm in cystic fibrosis patients

Here, recognizing the important role of bacterial biofilms in many life-threatening chronic infections, the authors investigated the effectiveness of a combination treatment on biofilms composed of up to three different common species within the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients with computational analysis. They found that a triple cocktail therapy targeting three different signaling pathways has significant potential as both a treatment and prophylaxis.

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In vitro Comparison of Anticancer and Immunomodulatory Activities of Resveratrol and its Oligomers

Zhang et al. | Sep 02, 2020

<em>In vitro</em> Comparison of Anticancer and Immunomodulatory Activities of Resveratrol and its Oligomers

Resveratrol is a type of stillbenoid, a phenolic compound produced in plants, that is known for its anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. Many oligomers of resveratrol have recently been isolated their bioactivities remain unknown. Here, authors compared the bioactivities of resveratrol with natural dimers (ε-viniferin and gnetin H) and trimers (suffruticosol B and C). Results provide preliminary evidence that resveratrol oligomers could be potential preventive or therapeutic agents for cancers and other immune-related diseases

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Characterization of a UPEC DegS Mutant in vitro and in vivo

Bradley et al. | Mar 16, 2015

Characterization of a UPEC <em>DegS</em> Mutant <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>

DegS is an integral inner membrane protein in E. coli that helps break down misfolded proteins. When it is mutated, there is a large increase in the production of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which are thought to play a role in pathogenesis. This study used mutant strains of uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) to characterize the role of DegS and OMVs on UPEC virulence.

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