Publications by authors named "Nunez G"

Loud noise exposure is one of the leading causes of permanent hearing loss. Individuals with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) suffer from speech comprehension deficits and experience impairments to cognitive functions such as attention and decision-making. Here, we investigate the specific underlying cognitive processes during auditory perceptual decision-making that are impacted by NIHL.

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  • Treatment Planning Systems (TPS) are evaluated for their effectiveness in correcting distortions in Magnetic Resonance (MR) images using a virtual phantom and Control Points (CPs).
  • The study involved creating distorted MR images and applying TPS, with findings showing that distortion caused median deviations of 1.8 mm, which were reduced to 0.6 mm after correction.
  • Structural Similarity Metric (SSIM) tests indicated significant improvements in image quality, with the TPS successfully reducing distortions to levels acceptable for radiosurgery.
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Aims: Hypoalbuminemia is frequently found in patients with heart failure (HF), associated with higher morbimortality in acute HF (AHF). Moreover, Carbohydrate Antigen 125 (CA125) is elevated in most of the AHF patients. In this cohort of patients admitted for AHF, our objective was to evaluate the association between hypoalbuminemia and long-term outcomes, including mortality and HF readmissions, stratified by CA125 concentration.

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The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role in innate immunity and inflammatory diseases. NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) is essential for inflammasome activation, and its interaction with NLRP3 is enhanced by K efflux. However, the mechanism by which K efflux promotes this interaction remains unknown.

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Event management systems (EMS) are key tools for epidemic intelligence, integrating surveillance signals and incident response, although international standards to inform development are lacking. We describe the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) SITAware, a software capable of operating with low internet bandwidth to generate notifications, reports, and spatiotemporal dashboards and provide event-level data for real-time accountability and postevent learning. SITAware was enabled by local institutional ownership, co-created at low cost, and integrated into existing workflows.

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Honey is a natural sweet element that bees make with flower nectar, revered for its distinct flavor, nutritional value, and potential health benefits. Chilean beekeeping has a diverse range of honey varieties, many of which are unique. The quillay ( Molina, soapbark tree) is a Chilean endemic tree whose honey has not been studied in depth.

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Staphylococcus aureus can cause outbreaks and becomes multi-drug resistant through gene mutations and acquiring resistance genes. However, why S. aureus easily adapts to hospital environments, promoting resistance and recurrent infections, remains unknown.

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  • - The study aimed to find opportunities for improving antibiotic stewardship (AS) in medical-surgical intensive care units (MS-ICUs) and general wards (Gral-wards) across 41 hospitals in Latin America from March 2022 to February 2023.
  • - Data was collected on antimicrobial use (AU) from 5780 MS-ICU and 7726 Gral-ward patients, revealing a 53.5% AU prevalence in MS-ICUs and 25.5% in Gral-wards, with a significant portion of antibiotics used for treating infections and surgical prophylaxis.
  • - The study highlighted key areas for improvement in AU practices, including better antibiotic selection, the need for de
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  • The mammalian intestine is home to trillions of microorganisms, known as the gut microbiota, which usually coexist with their host in a beneficial relationship.
  • In conditions like Crohn's disease, certain microorganisms, referred to as pathobionts, can proliferate and contribute to inflammation and disease in susceptible individuals.
  • The review explores where these harmful bacteria reside in the intestine, how genetic mutations in hosts may lead to their increased presence, and the potential of microbiome-based treatments for Crohn's disease.
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Loud noise exposure is one of the leading causes of permanent hearing loss. Individuals with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) suffer from speech comprehension deficits and experience impairments to cognitive functions such as attention and decision-making. Here, we tested whether a specific sensory deficit, NIHL, can directly impair auditory cognitive function.

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Purpose: This qualitative study explored the experiences of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in professional learning communities (PLCs) during a year-long virtual professional development (PD) opportunity using an implementation science (IS) framework in an urban public school district for dynamic assessment (DA) training. The DA presented in the PD was modified based on ongoing discussions with key stakeholders in the district, so that it could be reasonably implemented in clinical practice while preserving the integrity of the DA's purpose.

Method: SLPs in an urban district were trained virtually using DA over the course of the school year.

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Background: Chronotropic incompetence (ChI) is linked with diminished exercise capacity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Although exercise training has shown potential for improving functional capacity, the exercise modality associated with greater functional and chronotropic response (ChR) is not well-known. Additionally, how the ChR from different exercise modalities mediates functional improvement remains to be determined.

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We sought to better understand how intestinal microbiota confer protection against () infection (CDI). We utilized gnotobiotic altered Schaedler flora (ASF) mice, which lack the abnormalities of germfree (GF) mice as well as the complexity and heterogeneity of antibiotic-treated mice. Like GF mice, ASF mice were highly prone to rapid lethal CDI, without antibiotics, while very low infectious doses resulted in chronic CDI.

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The NLRP3 inflammasome is dysregulated in autoinflammatory disorders caused by inherited mutations and contributes to the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we discovered that disulfiram, a safe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug, specifically inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome but not the NLRC4 or AIM2 inflammasomes. Disulfiram suppresses caspase-1 activation, ASC speck formation, and pyroptosis induced by several stimuli that activate NLRP3.

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Background: The clinical impact of heart rate (HR) in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a matter of debate. Among those with HFpEF, chronotropic incompetence (CI) has emerged as a pathophysiological mechanism linked to the severity of the disease. In this study, we sought to evaluate whether admission heart rate in acute heart failure differs along left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

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Propolis is a complex mixture formed from exudates that bees collect from plants and then mix with beeswax and their own salivary enzymes. Chilean propolis is characterized by the presence of phenolic compounds, which are considered responsible for the biological activities. The endemic species (Ruiz and Pav.

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Introduction And Objectives: Spot determination of urinary sodium (UNa+) has emerged as a useful tool for monitoring diuretic response in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). However, the evidence in outpatients is scarce. We aimed to examine the relationship between spot UNa+ levels and the risk of mortality and worsening heart failure (WHF) events in individuals with chronic HF.

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This study investigates the association between maximal functional capacity (peakVO) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in 133 ambulatory patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), focusing on patients with obesity. Across all participants, NT-proBNP inversely correlated with peakVO. However, this association varied based on obesity status.

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Background: The burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Latin America is high. Little is known about healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of antimicrobial stewardship (AS), AMR, and antibiotic use (AU) in the region.

Methods: HCWs from 42 hospitals from 5 Latin American countries were invited to take an electronic, voluntary, anonymous survey regarding knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of AS, AMR, and AU between March-April 2023.

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The ectopic gut colonization by orally derived pathobionts has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). For example, gut colonization by orally derived spp. has been linked to IBD in mice and humans.

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  • - Immune checkpoint inhibitors can boost antitumor immunity but may cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs), with colitis being a significant and severe issue that can lead to stopping treatment.
  • - Traditional laboratory mice do not exhibit strong colitis with these treatments, but research shows that mice with wild-caught microbiota can develop noticeable colitis when treated with anti-CTLA-4 antibodies.
  • - The study found that colitis results from aggressive activation of certain immune cells and suggests using modified anti-CTLA-4 nanobodies that avoid colitis while still enhancing antitumor effects.
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Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) with fiber-free diets is an effective steroid-sparing treatment to induce clinical remission in children with Crohn's disease (CD). However, the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of EEN remains obscure. Using a model of microbiota-dependent colitis with the hallmarks of CD, we find that the administration of a fiber-free diet prevents the development of colitis and inhibits intestinal inflammation in colitic animals.

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Introduction: Headache is a frequent symptom at the acute phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and also one of the most frequent adverse effects following vaccination. In both cases, headache pathophysiology seems linked to the host immune response and could have similarities. We aimed to compare the clinical phenotype and the frequency and associated onset symptoms in patients with COVID-19 related-headache and COVID-19 vaccine related-headache.

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