Publications by authors named "D. Macias"

Introduction And Objectives: In recent years, several cases of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) due to the p.Val142Ile variant have been described in patients without African ancestry. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of ATTRv caused by p.

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The Black Sea is affected by numerous anthropogenic pressures, such as eutrophication and pollution through coastal and river discharges, fisheries overexploitation, species invasions, and the impacts of climate change. Growing concerns regarding the cumulative effects of these pressures have necessitated the need for an ecosystem approach to assessing the state of this basin. In recent years, the European Commission-JRC has developed a scientific and modelling tool, the Blue2 Modelling Framework with the aim of exploring the consequences of EU management and policy options on marine ecosystems.

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MFN1 (mitofusin 1) and MFN2 are key players in mitochondrial fusion, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria juxtaposition, and macroautophagy/autophagy. However, the mechanisms by which these proteins participate in these processes are poorly understood. Here, we studied the interactomes of these two proteins by using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to insert an HA-tag at the C terminus of MFN1 and MFN2, and thus generating HeLa cell lines that endogenously expressed MFN1-HA or MFN2-HA.

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Specialized or secondary metabolites are small molecules of biological origin, often showing potent biological activities with applications in agriculture, engineering and medicine. Usually, the biosynthesis of these natural products is governed by sets of co-regulated and physically clustered genes known as biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). To share information about BGCs in a standardized and machine-readable way, the Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster (MIBiG) data standard and repository was initiated in 2015.

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Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasing concern for people living with HIV (PLWH). However, information on the impact of NAFLD on the prognosis of PLWH is very scarce.

Aims: To investigate the influence of NAFLD on the overall and liver-related mortality in PLWH.

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  • This study investigates how time in range (TIRp) and mean glucose levels during pregnancy impact fetal health in women with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) using automated insulin delivery (AID) systems.* -
  • The findings reveal that a TIRp below 59.1% and mean glucose over 133 mg/dL in the second trimester are linked to higher instances of fetal outcomes like large for gestational age (LGA) and hyperbilirubinemia.* -
  • It suggests that improving TIRp, especially through the early use of advanced hybrid closed loop (AHCL) systems, could enhance fetal outcomes, although more research is required to solidify these recommendations.*
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Inhibition of ubiquitin-specific protease 7, USP7, has been proposed as a mechanism to affect many disease processes, primarily those implicated in oncology. The bound crystal structure of a published high-throughput screening hit with low-micromolar affinity for USP7 identified three regions of the compound for structure-guided optimization. Replacing one side of the compound with different aromatic moieties gave little improvement in affinity, and the central piperidine could not be improved.

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  • The study investigates whether cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRTD) is better than therapy with a pacemaker (CRTP) for patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) and low risk of arrhythmias.
  • It analyzes data from 167 NICM patients, looking for predictors of heart function improvement (echocardiographic response) and serious heart rhythm issues (arrhythmias) over a median follow-up of 63 months.
  • Findings reveal that patients without late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) show a much higher response rate to CRT (81% vs. 53%) and no arrhythmic events, suggesting they are ideal candidates for CRTP rather than
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The prevalence of active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is higher in hospital emergency departments (EDs) than in the general population. Numerous patients who seek emergency care are unaware that they have detectable viremia, yet they fall outside established ED protocols for HCV screening. Often they belong to groups with difficult access to health care who use the ED as their point of entry to the system.

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  • The study investigates the genetic factors linked to severe COVID-19, specifically focusing on hospitalized cases in admixed Americans.
  • Researchers conducted the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) for COVID-19 hospitalization in this population, identifying four significant genetic associations, including two novel loci found in Latin Americans.
  • The findings highlight the importance of including diverse populations in genomic research, aiming to improve understanding of genetic risks associated with COVID-19 across different ethnic groups.
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  • - The study examines the relationship between tree maturation size and reproduction, finding that larger tree species tend to start reproducing at a smaller size than expected, challenging previous assumptions.
  • - Researchers analyzed seed production data from 486 tree species across different climates, revealing that maturation size increases with maximum size but not in a straightforward manner.
  • - The results indicate that this trend is particularly pronounced in colder climates, highlighting the importance of understanding maturation size to better predict how forests will respond to climate change and disturbances.
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  • Marine top predator populations, including a third of chondrichthyans, are declining, with the Mediterranean blue shark classified as critically endangered due to limited data on their population structure and connectivity.
  • A genetic study on 203 blue shark specimens identified subtle genetic differences both within the Mediterranean and between it and the Northeast Atlantic, suggesting demographic independence of Western and Eastern populations.
  • Despite limited reproductive interactions, the slight genetic differentiation hints at a recent shared history, indicating that Mediterranean blue sharks may act as a metapopulation influenced by local demographic changes and poor regulation of fishing practices.
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Background: Highlighting the identified gaps in evidence-based research concerning advanced esophageal cancer (EC) treatment and care, this review evaluates the efficacy and safety of anticancer drugs compared to supportive care for advanced EC patients, aiming to assess the appropriateness of usual treatments and identify the gaps that need to be filled with primary research.

Methods: We searched (May 2022) MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Epistemonikos, and trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov and PROSPERO) for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing anticancer drugs (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or biological/targeted therapy) with supportive care in advanced EC.

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Some astronauts on International Space Station missions experience neuroophthalmological pathologies as part of spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS). Strict head-down tilt bed rest (HDTBR) is a spaceflight analog that replicates SANS findings and those who had 3-4 risk alleles (G and C alleles from the methionine synthase reductase [MTRR] A66G and serine hydroxymethyltransferase [SHMT1] C1420T, respectively) as compared to 1-2 risk alleles, had a greater increase in total retinal thickness (TRT). The objective of this study was to identify factors that contribute to the individual variability of the development of SANS in a 60 d HDTBR at the German Aerospace Center's:envihab facility, Cologne Germany.

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Background: Resection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) is a complex procedure with a high risk of postoperative mortality and early disease recurrence. The objective of this study was to compare patient characteristics and overall survival (OS) between pCCA patients who underwent an R1 resection and patients with localized pCCA who received palliative systemic chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of pCCA between 1997-2021 were identified from the European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma (ENS-CCA) registry.

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Despite recent therapeutic advances, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains lethal. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies have demonstrated durable remissions in hematological malignancies. We report results from a phase 1, first-in-human study of prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA)-directed CAR T cells in men with mCRPC.

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Background: Killip-Kimball classification has been used for estimating death risk in patients suffering acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Killip-Kimball stage IV corresponds to cardiogenic shock. However, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) classification provides a more precise tool to classify patients according to shock severity.

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The good phytotoxicity and selectivity against weeds versus tomato or cress make saponin-rich fractions from , , , and attractive candidates as bioherbicides. The saponin contents have only previously been reported for , and as a consequence, simultaneous dereplication has been performed on saponin-rich fractions from the other plants by mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This strategy enables the identification of a total of 26 saponins, 14 of which have been described previously and 12 of which are proposed as new saponins.

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Despite over a century of observations, the obligate insect parasites within the order Entomophthorales remain poorly characterized at the genetic level. In this manuscript, we present a genome for a laboratory-tractable isolate that infects fruit flies. Our assembly is 1.

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Background: Emergency department (ED) pediatric readiness has been associated with lower mortality for injured children but has historically been suboptimal in nonpediatric trauma centers. Over the past decade, the National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP) has invested resources in improving ED pediatric readiness. This study aimed to quantify current trauma center pediatric readiness and identify associations with center-level characteristics to target further efforts to guide improvement.

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Teriparatide is an anabolic peptide drug indicated for the treatment of osteoporosis. Recombinant teriparatide was first approved in 2002 and has since been followed by patent-free alternatives under biosimilar or hybrid regulatory application. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the essential similarity between synthetic teriparatide BGW and the reference medicinal product (RMP), and thus to ensure the development of the first generic teriparatide drug.

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The thymus is the site of T lymphocyte development and T cell education to recognize foreign, but not self, Ags. B cells also reside and develop in the thymus, although their functions are less clear. During "thymic involution," a process of lymphoid atrophy and adipose replacement linked to sexual maturation, thymocytes decline.

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CRISPR-Cas are adaptive immune systems in bacteria and archaea that utilize CRISPR RNA-guided surveillance complexes to target complementary RNA or DNA for destruction. Target RNA cleavage at regular intervals is characteristic of type III effector complexes. Here, we determine the structures of the Synechocystis type III-Dv complex, an apparent evolutionary intermediate from multi-protein to single-protein type III effectors, in pre- and post-cleavage states.

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