Insights Into MDPI Top Picks: June 2024
This June’s round-up of Top Pick articles features research published in a wide variety of MDPI’s open-access articles. This includes journals such as Nutrients, Smart Cities and The International Journal of Neonatal Screening (IJNS).
This article provides a run-through of each of the different studies, giving the reader a whistle-stop tour of the fascinating research carried out across several disciplines. This ranges from research on vaccines against HPV-induced cervical cancer to understanding how the use of geothermal heat pump systems can optimize energy consumption in developing urban areas.
The Role of Diet in Multiple Sclerosis Onset: a Prospective Study Using UK Biobank
Published in Nutrients
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a type of chronic inflammatory autoimmune condition that can result in debilitating physical and cognitive disturbances. This can include sensory changes, paralysis, and visual impairments. An article published in Nutrients by Mazzucca et al. analyses the role of diet in the onset of MS. We reached out to the authors, asking about the importance of their research.
Dr. Camilla Mazzucca states how the article is ‘the first to utilize UK Biobank data to investigate the impact of diet on multiple sclerosis onset, providing actionable prevention insights.’
The UK Biobank is a long-term study using patient data to analyze genetic predispositions to certain diseases and the role that environmental factors have on disease devlopment.
Mazzucca adds that their research ‘specifically, unveils the role of single foods in influencing MS risk with a prospective approach. The significant associations emerging in such a large cohort are encouraging and deserve to be deepened and integrated in future studies, to obtain the evidence necessary to draw up new guidelines for MS primary prevention.’
Extended Follow-Up Outcomes from Pooled Prospective Studies Evaluating Efficacy of Interstitial Alpha Radionuclide Treatment for Skin and Head and Neck Cancers
Published in: Cancers
Radionuclide therapy is a type of targeted radiation therapy used to treat different types of cancers, including skin and head and neck cancers. The therapy consists of a radionuclide chemical combined with a molecule that can bind to specific cancer cells that is injected it into the body. This way, the powerful destructive effects of the radionuclide compound only targets the cancer cells.
Popovtzer et al. carry out research on a novel type of radionuclide therapy called Diffusing alpha-emitting Radiation Therapy (DaRT). The article, published in Cancers, analyses the efficacy of the treatment in people with skin and head and neck cancers. Here, they analyzed the tumor control and toxicity of the treatment in patients up to four years after the treatment.
They found durable tumor control and a 77% two-year local recurrence-free survival rate. This is much higher than the rate of recurrence-free survival of other radiation therapies. As per the results, the authors discuss the potential for alpha irradiation to serve as an effective treatment for cancer: ‘given the high radiobiologic potential for tumor eradication associated with alpha irradiation, such intervention may more effectively address radioresistant tumor clones that are often observed among patients failing radiation using conventional radiotherapy techniques.’
Optimization of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems for Sustainable Urban Development in Southeast Asia
Published in Smart Cities
Governments are always looking for ways to reduce energy consumption and develop more sustainable ways to power cities and towns. Research published in the journal Smart Cities finds that optimizing technology like ground source heat pump systems (GSHP) in urban areas can reduce energy consumption and greenhouse emissions. Ground source heat pump systems essentially make use of the thermal energy emitted from the ground (around 1.5‒400 meters deep), to power heating and cooling resources.
Prof. Shinya Inazumi, an author of the study, mentions how the research ‘not only addresses the urban heat island effect but also paves the way for more sustainable urban environments through advanced geothermal technology applications.’
Prof. Inazumi further states how their research is ‘an important resource for engineers, urban planners, and policymakers seeking to implement green solutions in rapidly growing cities.’ The paper highlights the need for more effective ways of dealing with energy consumption, particularly in heavily populated areas. In the study, they use a complex mathematical model called the one-dimensional finite difference model to analyze soil properties, like its thermal conductivity and density. They also emphasize the significance of integrating energy piles in GSHP systems. Energy piles are supportive structures for buildings and play a key part in the GSHP system.
Overall, the paper highlights the importance of optimizing GSHP systems through analysis of the role of energy piles and properties like soil density, particularly in tropical regions which have not been addressed in previous studies on GSHPs.
Published in Microorganisms
Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women causing 350,000 deaths worldwide in 2022 alone. Most cases are caused by an infection of human papillomavirus (HPV). Current screening methods, however, are invasive, involving the detection of HPV.
The viral oncoprotein HPV16 E7 is associated with several cellular processes involving cancer progression, including uncontrolled cell proliferation and transformation. The characterization of E7 as an oncoprotein in cervical malignancies has been confirmed in previous studies.
Research carried out by Makioka et al. and published in the journal Microorganisms looks at detecting and quantifying the viral protein HPV16 E7 in samples from women with abnormal cervical tissue, known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).
Dr. Ito, an author of the study, explains that ‘cancer can be prevented by vaccination before it develops and by regular screening. But screening is a big hurdle for women. Our new urine test can detect HPV16 E7 proteins, which are critical markers of cervical cancer risk.’ The study involved using ELISAs, an ultrasensitive assay that can detect the protein. The system was highly accurate at determining E7 in the samples at different stages of CIN, making it an excellent potential tool for future screening methods of HPV-related cervical cancer.
Exploring the Cost-Effectiveness of Newborn Screening for Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) in the UK
Published in the International Journal of Neonatal Screening
Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) is a rare and fatal congenital disease that destroys the fat surrounding neurons which is called the myelin sheath. The disease is caused by a mutation in a gene called arylsulfatase-A (ARSA). In the UK, there are currently no clinically approved screening programs in place. The current treatments for MLD is limited to medications that treat the symptoms.
The application of gene therapy for early-onset MLD has been FDA-approved as of March 2024. Due to the availability of this treatment option and the rapid progression of the disease from its onset, it highlights the need for efficient screening programs in clinics.
Newborn screening (NBS) for MLD includes the detection of components such as sulfatides and ARSA levels obtained from dried blood spots. In the UK, this screening program has been trialed and is currently being reviewed. Research published in the International Journal of Neonatal Screening looks at how cost-effective newborn screening is for the disease in the UK.
This novel study analyses and reviews, in-depth, the cost-effectiveness of the National Health Service (NHS) to establish the program in the UK. In the study, the authors use mathematical models as well as real-world data to predict the cost-effectiveness of implementing NBS. With these methods, they confirmed that using NBS for MLD diagnosis is indeed ‘a cost-effective use of NHS resources’ and that the findings ‘strongly support the inclusion of MLD in the official NBS program in the UK.’
The authors conclude by highlighting the vital need for NBS for MLD: ‘From a clinical point of view, it is unequivocal that NBS for MLD has the potential to reduce the current high proportion of ineligible patients by ensuring rapid diagnosis at birth and timely treatment before symptom onset (…) without NBS, the unfortunate and stark reality is that the majority of patients will be ineligible for treatment and will succumb to their disease due to a late diagnosis.’
If you would like to read more of the latest research published in MDPI’s open-access journals, click here to see the full journal list.
