Publications by authors named "Florez J"

Recalcitrant pollutants are challenging to degrade during water treatment processes. Methylene blue (MB), a cationic dye, is particularly resistant to degradation and is environmentally persistent. Heterogeneous photocatalysis has emerged as a suitable strategy for removing such pollutants from water.

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Aims: To evaluate the predictive value of a contemporary type 2 diabetes (T2D) polygenic score (PGS) in detecting incident diabetes across a range of diabetes risk factors.

Materials And Methods: We analysed participants in the Further Cardiovascular Outcomes Research With PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects With Elevated Risk (FOURIER) trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT0176463), which compared the efficacy of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor evolocumab versus placebo in lowering cardiovascular outcomes in participants with stable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and LDL cholesterol levels of 70 mg/dL (1.

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The responses of seaweed species to increased CO and lowered pH (Ocean Acidification: OA) depend on their carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) and inorganic carbon (Ci) preferences. However, few studies have described these mechanisms in the early life stages of seaweeds or assessed the effects of OA and its interactions with other environmental drivers on their functionality and photophysiology. Our study evaluated the effects of pH, light (PAR), temperature, and their interactions on the Ci uptake strategies and photophysiology in the early stages of .

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Genome editing is the latest breeding tool capable of accelerating the rate of genetic improvement for health and well-being traits in food animals. It enables the introduction of beneficial alleles within a single generation, including those that are of low frequency or absent in the population, while effectively bypassing linkage drag. For the dairy industry, genome editing can be used to make rapid genetic improvements that are precise, efficient, and transgene-free for functional traits that are not practically addressed without disrupting conventional breeding goals for overall economic merit based on genomic selection.

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Background: DNA methylation differences are associated with kidney function and diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but prospective studies are scarce. Therefore, we aimed to study DNA methylation in a prospective setting in the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study type 1 diabetes (T1D) cohort.

Methods: We analysed baseline blood sample-derived DNA methylation (Illumina's EPIC array) of 403 individuals with normal albumin excretion rate (early progression group) and 373 individuals with severe albuminuria (late progression group) and followed-up their DKD progression defined as decrease in eGFR to <60 mL/min/1.

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Introduction: Colorectal cancer is a chronic condition that affects a substantial proportion of the global population. Ensuring a satisfactory quality of life (QoL) for these patients is, therefore, of critical importance.

Objective: To examine the relationship between sociodemographic, economic, lifestyle, and health-related variables and quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer receiving treatment at a leading health institution in Medellín, Colombia.

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Article Synopsis
  • The All of Us Research Program (AoU) aims to collect a diverse dataset from over one million people in the USA to enhance research on human diseases, focusing on genetic and phenotypic information.
  • This study developed and validated algorithms to identify cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes using electronic health records and survey data, striving for improved accuracy in case-control studies.
  • The results showed the EHR-only algorithm had a better association with type 1 diabetes genetic scores, while the EHR+ algorithm was superior for type 2 diabetes, identifying significantly more cases than previous definitions and providing new validated definitions for both diabetes types.
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  • Current methods for assessing disease severity and progression in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) are limited, prompting a study that highlights FERM-domain containing protein 3 (FRMD3) as a key candidate for further research.
  • Using RNA sequencing, the study analyzed CKD biopsies and correlated gene expression with clinical indicators, discovering 93 genes related to CKD severity and progression, including FRMD3.
  • Further investigation into FRMD3 showed its importance in cell structure and health, with knockdown experiments indicating its role in preventing cell death and maintaining cell junction integrity.
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  • - The study focused on Colombian Creole pigs and aimed to assess their genomic diversity, population structure, and relationships with other pig breeds worldwide, highlighting their adaptation to tropical climates over 500 years.
  • - Four specific Colombian pig breeds were analyzed using genetic data, revealing moderate genetic differentiation and distinct groupings likely influenced by geography and breeding practices.
  • - The findings show a significant connection between Colombian Creole pigs and the Iberian pig breed, along with evidence of potential adaptive genes related to immunity, supporting future conservation efforts and policy decisions regarding these genetic resources.
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  • Type 2 diabetes (T2D) genome-wide association studies (GWASs) typically miss rare genetic variants due to limitations in previous imputation methods and insufficient whole-genome sequencing data.
  • In a large-scale study involving over half a million individuals, researchers uncovered 12 new genetic variants linked to T2D, including a rare enhancer variant near the LEP gene that significantly increases risk.
  • The study also analyzed ClinVar variants related to monogenic diabetes, identifying additional rare variants that affect T2D risk and offering new insights into the pathogenicity of certain variants previously deemed uncertain.
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  • - Kisspeptin plays a crucial role in regulating gonadotropin secretion in pigs, and a study was conducted on F1 pigs from a parental line created by CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of the KISS1 gene, which eliminates the need for castration.
  • - The research measured body weights, gonadotropin levels, and reproductive development in these pigs, finding that while body weight didn't differ based on genotype, KISS1-/- boars and gilts exhibited significantly reduced gonadotropin concentrations and experienced hypogonadism.
  • - The results suggest that only one functional KISS1 allele is necessary for normal gonadal function and hormone secretion, and that the knockout of KISS1 does
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  • Genome-wide association studies have found numerous genetic loci linked to glycemic traits, but connecting these loci to specific genes and biological pathways remains a challenge.
  • Researchers conducted meta-analyses of exome-array studies across four glycemic traits, analyzing data from over 144,000 participants, which led to the identification of coding variant associations in more than 60 genes.
  • The study revealed significant pathways related to insulin secretion, zinc transport, and fatty acid metabolism, enhancing understanding of glycemic regulation and making data available for further research.
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Importance: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer care; however, accompanying immune-related adverse events (irAEs) confer substantial morbidity and occasional mortality. Life-threatening irAEs may require permanent cessation of ICI, even in patients with positive tumor response. Therefore, it is imperative to comprehensively define the spectrum of irAEs to aid individualized decision-making around the initiation of ICI therapy.

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  • * The study analyzed data from nearly 30,000 type 2 diabetes patients to see how genetic factors, particularly a specific variant, correlated with retinopathy risk, regardless of measured HbA1c levels.
  • * Findings revealed that those in the lowest genetic risk group experienced 20%-50% more retinopathy compared to higher-risk individuals, suggesting that genetic factors should inform personalized HbA1c targets for better diabetes management across different ancestries.
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Partitioned polygenic scores (pPS) have been developed to capture pathophysiologic processes underlying type 2 diabetes (T2D). We investigated the association of T2D pPS with diabetes-related traits and T2D incidence in the Diabetes Prevention Program. We generated five T2D pPS (β-cell, proinsulin, liver/lipid, obesity, lipodystrophy) in 2,647 participants randomized to intensive lifestyle, metformin, or placebo arms.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study evaluates the effectiveness of polygenic scores (PGS) in predicting type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk in diverse populations within US healthcare systems, focusing on patients who may seem low-risk based on their clinical traits.
  • - Researchers analyzed data from nearly 15,000 patients over 16 years, exploring how PGS correlates with T2D incidence under different clinical scenarios that included various health metrics and lifestyle factors.
  • - Findings indicate that PGS is a significant predictor of T2D risk, identifying individuals at high risk even when clinical evaluations suggest they are low risk, thus highlighting the potential of genetic information in patient assessments.
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  • The study aimed to find genetic risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) through a genome-wide association approach.
  • Out of 49,230 T2D participants, 8,956 experienced incident CVD events, revealing three new genetic loci associated with increased CVD risk and confirming five known coronary artery disease variants.
  • The findings suggest both novel and established genetic factors contribute to CVD risk in T2D patients, highlighting the importance of genetic screening in this population.
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Reduced insulin sensitivity (insulin resistance) is a hallmark of normal physiology in late pregnancy and also underlies gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We conducted transcriptomic profiling of 434 human placentas and identified a positive association between insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 gene (IGFBP1) expression in the placenta and insulin sensitivity at ~26 weeks gestation. Circulating IGFBP1 protein levels rose over the course of pregnancy and declined postpartum, which, together with high gene expression levels in our placenta samples, suggests a placental or decidual source.

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  • The study estimates the prevalence of four diabetes subgroups in Mexico using data from national health surveys conducted between 2016 and 2022, focusing on over 23,000 adults.
  • The overall diabetes prevalence was found to be 16.04%, with specific subgroup prevalence rates highlighting that severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD) and obesity-related diabetes (MOD) are more common in Southern Mexico, while age-related (MARD) and severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD) are prevalent in Northern Mexico and Mexico City.
  • Factors such as social disadvantage and speaking an indigenous language were associated with increased odds for SIDD, indicating regional and sociodemographic disparities that could impact diabetes management in Mexico.
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Criollo cattle, the descendants of animals brought by Iberian colonists to the Americas, have been the subject of natural and human-mediated selection in novel tropical agroecological zones for centuries. Consequently, these breeds have evolved distinct characteristics such as resistance to diseases and exceptional heat tolerance. In addition to European taurine () ancestry, it has been proposed that gene flow from African taurine and Asian indicine () cattle has shaped the ancestry of Criollo cattle.

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  • Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has a strong genetic component, and this study examined genetic data from over 1.4 million individuals across diverse populations to identify genetic clusters related to T2D.
  • Researchers used 650 T2D-related genetic variants to categorize individuals into 12 genetic clusters associated with different cardiometabolic traits, revealing variations in risk factors across populations including African, East Asian, and European ancestry.
  • The findings suggest that T2D risk varies by genetic background, with East Asians needing a lower body mass index (BMI) to have a similar T2D risk as Europeans, highlighting the complexity of genetic factors influencing T2D across different ancestries.
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