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Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in cellular processes and disease pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to show the relationships and possible effects of the expression level of two lncRNAs in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in circulating leukocytes. Methods and Results: In this case-control study, the relationship between AMI and expression levels of two candidate lncRNAs, called BAT5 (HLA-B-Associated Transcript 5) and IL21R-AS1 (IL21R antisense RNA 1), in 231 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary interventions were investigated. Expression levels of lncRNAs in leukocytes were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The m6A modification regions and subcellular localizations of these lncRNAs were predicted by in silico analysis. Routine biochemical and immunoassay analyzes were performed on Roche Cobas 8000/e701 integrated automated analyzer with their original kits. Ranked ANCOVA tests were used to compare expression levels of lncRNAs between groups after adjusting for gender and use of cardiovascular drugs. The crude and adjusted expression levels of BAT5 and IL21R-AS1 in leukocytes of AMI patients (n=128) were found to decrease compared to the control cases (n=103) (p6A modification regions of BAT5 and IL21R-AS1 transcripts was determined as 5 and 4, respectively. Conclusion: This study indicates that the decreased expression levels of BAT5 and IL21R-AS1 are associated with the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction in individuals.

Objectives We aimed to determine the relationship of Lyso-Gb1 levels, bone biomarkers, and mutation findings with bone marrow burden (BMB) scores. Methods Lyso-Gb1 and bone biomarkers, and BMB scores of 10 Gaucher type 1 (GD1) patients under enzyme therapy were prospectively evaluated. Results Ten GD1 patients, aged between 4.5 and 40 (mean 23 ± 11 years), were included in the study. Four patients were homozygous for L444P/L444P, and six patients were compound heterozygous for N370S/R415H. We found positive correlations between pain and BMB scores with Lyso-Gb1 levels (r=0.889, p=0.001 and r=0.701, p=0.035, respectively). There were negative correlations between bone mineral density (BMD) of both the lumbar spine and femoral neck between Lyso-Gb1 levels (r=−0.929, p=0.001 and r=−0.893, p=0.007, respectively). Patients with L444P/L444P mutation had higher Lyso-Gb1 levels and BMB, pain scores and lower BMD measurements than patients with N370S/R415H (p=0.01, p=0.02, p=0.03, p=0.04, p=0.04, respectively). Conclusions There was an apparent correlation between, Lyso-Gb1 levels, BMB scores and genotype in evaluating bone involvement in Gaucher patients.

Background Research into new markers has been intensified for early diagnosis, prognosis, and differentiation of SIRS, sepsis, and septic shock in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the role of soluble triggering receptor expressed in myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) and interleukin (IL)-6 in distinguishing between systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, and septic shock in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients. Methods Between June 2014 and July 2015, 90 consecutive patients who were treated in the PICU were included in this prospective observational study. Patients were divided into four groups: control (n = 23), SIRS (n = 22), sepsis (n = 23), and septic shock (n = 22). All patients were evaluated for white blood cell (WBC), serum C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), IL-6, and sTREM-1 levels at 0, 24, and 72 h of admission. The prognostic evaluations were made using the Pediatric Risk of Mortality III (PRISM III) and Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction (PELOD) scores. Patients were evaluated in terms of age, gender, prognosis, pathogen growth in culture, PRISM III and PELOD score, WBC, CRP, PCT, IL-6, and sTREM-1 levels and a comparison was made between groups. Results There was no significant difference between all groups in terms of the 0-, 24-, and 72-h sTREM-1 values (p = 0.761, p = 0.360, and p = 0.822, respectively). CRP and PCT values did not differ between the septic shock, sepsis, and SIRS groups at 0, 24, and 72 h. In the septic shock group, the 0-h IL-6 value was significantly higher than that of the SIRS group (p = 0.025). The 24-h IL-6 value in the septic shock group was significantly higher than the values of the sepsis and SIRS groups (p = 0.048 and p = 0.043, respectively). No significant difference was detected between the septic shock, sepsis, and SIRS groups in terms of IL-6 values at 72 h. Conclusion sTREM-1 is not useful for the diagnosis of infection and for distinguishing between sepsis, septic shock, and SIRS since it does not offer a clear diagnostic value for PICU patients, unlike other reliable markers such as WBC, CRP, and PCT. Elevated IL-6 levels may indicate septic shock in PICU patients. More research on sTREM-1 is needed in this setting.

OBJECTIVE: Although the underlying mechanism is not yet fully understood, Cardiac Syndrome X (CSX) is defined as microvascular dysfunction. Prolidase plays a role in collagen synthesis. Increased serum prolidase activity (SPA) has been shown to correlate with collagen turnover. Augmented collagen turn-over may be associated with vascular fibrosis and microvascular dysfunction. In this study, we assessed whether there was a correlation between CXS and prolidase activity. METHODS: This case-control study included 45 consecutive CSX patients (mean age 50.7+-6.5 years, 27 women) and 40 healthy controls (mean age 51.2+-6.5 years, 25 women). Prolidase activity was determined with the Human Xaa-Pro Dipeptidase/Prolidase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (Cusabio Biotech Co. Ltd, China). RESULTS: Mean prolidase activity was 898.8+-639.1 mU/mL in the CSX group and 434.1+-289.8 mU/mL in the control group (p

Introduction: This present study aimed to examine the effectsof long-term resistance exercise (REG) and aerobic exercise(AEG) on the adiponectin, insulin resistance, lipid profile andbody composition in adolescent boys with obesity.Methods: Sixteen obese adolescent boys (age: 16.81±0.91 years)who studied at high school in İstanbul voluntarily participatedin the study. The participants were randomly divided into twogroups of (REG; n=8) and (AEG; n=8). The participants followedtheir exercise schedule for six months (3 days/wk, 60 min/day).The serum lipid profile, adiponectin, glucose, insulin resistance(HOMA-IR) levels and body composition of the participantswere evaluated at the beginning and end of the study. AWilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test and Mann-WhitneyU test were used for analyses, and the criterion for statisticalsignificance was set at p

Our aim was to investigate the serum endocan levels and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurements of pre- and postmenopausal patients to clarify the relationship between the menopausal transition and endothelial injury. This cross-sectional study was conducted on women who were premenopausal and postmenopausal between January 2019 and June 2019. The patients were divided into two groups according to premenopausal (n = 32) and postmenopausal (n = 32) status. Serum endocan levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CIMT ultrasonographic measurements were determined. Hormonal and biochemical parameters were measured. The validated Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) questionnaire was used on all women. Serum endocan levels were significantly higher in the postmenopausal group than in the premenopausal group (222.90 ± 121.00 ng/L and 146.62 ± 41.88 ng/L, p = 0.033, respectively). The mean CIMT was significantly higher in the postmenopausal group than in the premenopausal cohort (0.70 ± 0.14 mm and 0.58 ± 0.11 mm, p

Background The accuracy of conventional urinalysis in diagnosing urinary tract infection (UTI) in children is limited, leading to unnecessary antibiotic exposure in a large fraction of patients. Urinary heat shock protein 70 (uHSP70) is a novel marker of acute urinary tract inflammation. We explored the added value of uHSP70 in discriminating UTI from other infections and conditions confused with UTI. Methods A total of 802 children from 37 pediatric centers in seven countries participated in the study. Patients diagnosed with UTI (n = 191), non-UTI infections (n = 178), contaminated urine samples (n = 50), asymptomatic bacteriuria (n = 26), and healthy controls (n = 75) were enrolled. Urine and serum levels of HSP70 were measured at presentation in all patients and after resolution of the infection in patients with confirmed UTI. Results Urinary (u)HSP70 was selectively elevated in children with UTI as compared to all other conditions (p < 0.0001). uHSP70 predicted UTI with 89% sensitivity and 82% specificity (AUC = 0.934). Among the 265 patients with suspected UTI, the uHSP70 > 48 ng/mL criterion identified the 172 children with subsequently confirmed UTI with 90% sensitivity and 82% specificity (AUC = 0.862), exceeding the individual diagnostic accuracy of leukocyturia, nitrite, and leukocyte esterase positivity. uHSP70 had completely normalized by the end of antibiotic therapy in the UTI patients. Serum HSP70 was not predictive. Conclusions Urine HSP70 is a novel non-invasive marker of UTI that improves the diagnostic accuracy of conventional urinalysis. We estimate that rapid urine HSP70 screening could spare empiric antibiotic administration in up to 80% of children with suspected UTI., Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University; European Society for Pediatric Nephrology (ESPN); Society for Children's Kidney Health; Istanbul Faculty of Medicine Foundation, UTILISE study was supported by Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University, by the European Society for Pediatric Nephrology (ESPN), by the Society for Children's Kidney Health, and by Istanbul Faculty of Medicine Foundation.

Various molecular and cellular processes are involved in renal fibrosis, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial cell injury, and apoptosis. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are implicated in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our aim was to evaluate changes in urine and serum HSP levels over time and their relationships with the clinical parameters of CKD in children. In total, 117 children with CKD and 56 healthy children were examined. The CKD group was followed up prospectively for 24 months. Serum and urine HSP27, HSP40, HSP47, HSP60, HSP70, HSP72, and HSP90 levels and serum anti-HSP60 and anti-HSP70 levels were measured by ELISA at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months. The urine levels of all HSPs and the serum levels of HSP40, HSP47, HSP60, HSP70, anti-HSP60, and anti-HSP70 were higher at baseline in the CKD group than in the control group. Over the months, serum HSP47 and HSP60 levels steadily decreased, whereas HSP90 and anti-HSP60 levels steadily increased. Urine HSP levels were elevated in children with CKD; however, with the exception of HSP90, they decreased over time. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that CKD progression is a complicated process that involves HSPs, but they do not predict CKD progression. The protective role of HSPs against CKD may weaken over time, and HSP90 may have a detrimental effect on the disease course. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12192-021-01239-9.

Objective: Histopathological changes in the kidney in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) begin before detection of microalbuminuria. Therefore, there is interest in finding a better biomarker for the early detection of diabetic kidney injury. The aim of this present study was to determine whether urinary indicators of fibrosis are detectable early in the development of T1DM in children and if they may predict progressive renal injury. Methods: Urinary matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP2 and MMP9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 and 2 (TIMP1 and TIMP2) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were assessed in 33 patients with T1DM with normal renal functions and in 24 healthy controls. Microalbuminuria was not present in the patient group with the exception of three patients. The results were adjusted to urine creatinine (Cr) and the differences between patients and controls were evaluated. These measurements were repeated after one year and the results were compared with the first year results. Results: Urine MMP2/Cr, MMP9/Cr, TIMP1/Cr, TIMP2/Cr, TGF-β1/Cr were not different between the patient and control groups (p>0.05). There were also no significant differences between the first and second year results for these biomarkers (p>0.05). None of these parameters were correlated with hemoglobin A1c, body mass index and duration of T1DM. Interestingly, all parameters were negatively correlated to age of onset of T1DM (p

Laboratuvarlarda gerçekleştirilen hızlı testler için ana hususlar hızlı ve doğru bir test sonucu elde etmektir. Hızlı testlerin serum yerine plazma kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmesini mümkün kılmak için artan sayıda cihaz ve yöntem geliştirilmiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, serum ve plazma örnek tüplerinin hızlı test sonuçlarını karşılaştırmaktır. 78 hastanın venöz kan örnekleri BD Vacutainer®SST ™ II Advance serum jeli ve Vacutainer®Barricor ™ plazma tüpüne toplandı. Randomizasyonun sağlanması için kan alma ve tüplerin aletlere yüklenmesi sırasında tüplerin örnekleme sıraları değiştirildi. Kan alma anından itibaren tüplerin ters çevrilmesi, tamamen doldurulması ve serum tüplerinin en az 30 dakika süreyle pıhtılaşması sağlandı. Klorür ve sodyum testlerinin iyi bir uyuma sahip olduğu ve kalan testlerin güçlü bir uyum düzeyine sahip olduğu belirlendi. Albümin, ALT, Amilaz, AST, Bilirubin, Direkt Bilirubin, BUN, Kalsiyum, Klorür, Kreatinin, Mg, Na, CK, CRP, Üre, BNP, troponin-T, D-dimer analizi her biri için benzerdi ve anlamlı bir fark yoktu .Plazma elde etmek için pıhtılaşma süresinın gerekmemesi hızlı testin isüresinin kısalmasına yardımcı olurken, plazma tüpünde serum tüp örneklerinde görülebilen fibrin oluşumunun olmaması ise örnek kalitesini ve test sonuçlarının doğruluğunu destekler. Serum elde etmek için gerekli numune transferinin neden olduğu hemoliz olasılığı nedeniyle serum tüpleri yerine plazma tüpleri kullanılabilir., The major considerations for the STAT testing performed in laboratories are to obtain a fast and accurate test result. Increasing number of instruments and methods have been developed for making it possible to perform the STAT testing on plasma rather than serum. The aim of this study is to compare the STAT test results of the serum and plasma sample tubes. Venous blood samples of 78 patients were collected into BD Vacutainer®SST™II Advance serum gel and Vacutainer®Barricor™ plasma tube. The sampling orders of the tubes were switched during blood collection and loading the tubes into the instruments in order to ensure randomization. It was ensured the tubes were inverted, completely filled, and were allowed serum tubes to clot for a minimum of 30 minutes from the time of blood collection. It was determined that the chloride and sodium tests had a good concordance and the remaining tests had a strong level of concordance. Albumin, ALT, Amylase, AST, Bilirubin, Direct Bilirubin, BUN, Calcium, Chloride, Creatinine, Mg, Na, CK, CRP, Urea, BNP, troponin-T, D-dimer analysis was similar for both, with no significant difference.While it helps to improve TAT since no clotting time is required to obtain plasma it also supports sample quality and accurate test results with the absence of fibrin formation at plasma tube which is possible at serum tube samples. Plasma tubes may be used instead of serum tubes due to the possibility of hemolysis caused by sample transfer required to obtain serum.

Objective: Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) have mild cognitive dysfunction. Higher serum uric acid (UA) levels in some diseases are reported to be associated with cognitive impairment. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation. Activated platelets may play a role in neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to compare cognitive functions of FMS patients and controls and investigate the relation of serum UA and MPV levels with cognitive functions. Method: Fifty-four patients with FMS and 33 healthy controls were enrolled,retrospectively. Evaluations were performed with Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and to asses phychological status and cognitive impairment Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE) was used in both groups. Results: Mean VAS and sleep quality of FMS group were significantly higher than the control group (p0.05). No significant correlation was found between serum MPV levels and VAS pain/ sleep quality, FIQ, BDI and MMSE scores (p>0.05) but declined cognitive functions were determined in the FMS group when compared with the control group. Conclusion: Declined cognitive functions were determined in the FMS the FMS group when compared with the control group. Although we did not determine an association of serum uric acid and MPV levels with cognitive functions, larger prospective studies with longer follow up periods are warranted to elucidate the role of these biomarkers in FMS and to determine the factors affecting cognitive functions.

Kisspeptin (KP), a hypothalamic peptide, is known as an important marker for neuroendocrine regulation during the human reproduction process. The unexplained infertility (UI) group comprised 30 patients, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) group comprised 29 patients and the male factor infertility (MFI) group comprised 27 patients. An observational cohort study was conducted. The basic characteristics of the study population, BMI, and serum FSH, LH, E2, AMH, KP, TSH, and PRL levels and antral follicle count (AFC) on the 3rd menstruation day were evaluated. The mean KP level was 281.98 ± 73.9 ng/ml in the UI group, 525.49 ± 164.17 ng/ml in the PCOS group, and 354.313 ± 111.38 ng/ml in the MFI group (p < .001). KP levels were significantly higher in the PCOS group than in the UI and MFI groups (p < .001 for both). AUC was 83% (95% CI: 73%-93%), with 375.15 (pg/ml) as the cutoff value in the PCOS group with 83% sensitivity and 79% specificity. UI may be treated by KP injection therapies and higher levels of KP may be a reliable marker for AFC and diagnosis of PCOS. Clinical Trials registration number: NCT03018314.

Aim: The aims of this study are to evaluate the serum levels of paraoxonase (PON) and arylesterase (ARE) in breast cancer (BC) patients; to determine their relationship with chemotherapy requirements in BC; and to find a cut-off value to assess subjects with a higher risk of BC. Subjects and Methods: A total of 40 BC patients and 33 age-matched healthy women were included in this study. Beside other biochemical parameters, participants' serum PON and ARE levels were determined and analyzed. Results: Serum PON and ARE levels were found decreased in sera of the patients (96.44 ± 21 and 159.75 ± 15.75 U/L, respectively)compared to controls (158.39 ± 23.04 and 239.33 ± 32.98 U/L, respectively) (P = 0.001 for both). Subgroup analysis of the BC patients revealed that both serum PON and ARE levels were lower in patients who needed neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), compared to those who did not (P = 0.024 and 0.02, respectively). We determined a cut-off value of PON according to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis as 131.2 U/L (sensitivity 97.5% and specificity 93.9%). Conclusion: BC patients have lower serum PON and ARE levels than healthy controls. Also, serum ARE levels (but not PON) were negatively correlated with body mass index in BC patients. Both serum PON and ARE levels were lower in patients who needed NAC than in patients who did not need such therapy.

The objective of this study was to establish reference intervals for growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6), a vitamin K-dependent protein, in human adult plasma according to the Guideline of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) C28-A3. Blood samples were collected from 308 healthy volunteers aged 18-72 (157 female, 151 male). A non-parametric approach was used to calculate the reference interval. The plasma GAS6 reference interval was determined, with 90% confidence interval: the lower limit (2.5 percentile) was 2.5 (1.9-3.1) μg/L and the upper limit (97.5 percentile) = 18.8 (18.0-22.3) μg/L. Harris-Boyd's test did not suggest partitioning by age or gender: medians for males [7.8 (5.8-10.7) μg/L] and females [9.9 (7.1-13.5) μg/L]. Three age-subgroups were tested: 18-29 years (n = 168); 30-44 years (n = 73); 45-72 years (n = 67). The intra- and inter-assay variations were 12.6% (mean, 5.2 ± 0.7 μg/L) and 14.0% (mean, 9.2 ± 1.3 μg/L), respectively. The mean recovery was 104%. This study reports plasma GAS6 reference intervals established first according to the guideline of CLSI C28-A3.

Background Both the extracellular matrix molecule tenascin-C (Tn-C) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) have a role in tissue injury, inflammation, and remodeling. In this pilot study, we tried to evaluate the role of these markers in acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods A total of 52 subjects were enrolled in this study. Group 1 consisted of 27 patients with AKI (stage 1, 2, and 3), and Group 2 consisted of 25 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Serum and urine samples (to determine Tn-C and TIMP-1) were obtained from the participants at the beginning of the study. Second samples were obtained from Group 1 patients when renal function improved (at discharge). Results Serum TIMP-1 concentrations (admission and discharge) were higher in Group 1 than Group 2 (p = 0.0001 for both comparisons). Tn-C excretion in spot urine was significantly higher in healthy controls than at the admission levels of the patient group (p = 0.036). However, TIMP-1 excretion in spot urine was lower in healthy controls than in admission and discharge levels of the patient group (p = 0.0001 for both comparisons). Conclusions Our results show that these biomarkers (especially TIMP-1) may have a role in the pathophysiology of AKI. Further studies are needed in this field.

The purpose of the study was to compare serum visfatin levels between patients with acromegaly and healthy controls and to evaluate the relationships between visfatin levels and epicardial fat thickness (EFT), carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), and ankle brachial index (ABI). We conducted a cross-sectional case-control study of 54 patients with acromegaly (37 females and 17 males) and 34 healthy controls (22 females and 12 males). Serum visfatin was measured by ELISA. Acromegalic and control participants and those with active or controlled acromegaly were compared with respect to their serum visfatin, clinical and metabolic parameters, EFT, cIMT, and ABI. Linear correlation was used to identify associations between these parameters and visfatin in all participants. Serum visfatin and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were higher in the acromegaly group than in the control group (p

Objective: Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) is an essential proinflammatory mediator emerging early in bacterial infection. Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common bacterial infections during childhood. This prospective study aimed to explore whether urine levels of IL-1β could be used as a biomarker of UTI. The study also aimed to define the optimal cut-off level for urine IL-1β to detect UTI in children. Material and Method: Sixty patients with symptomatic UTI and 29 healthy controls were registered in the study. After taking informed consent, urine culture, urinalysis, serum urea and creatinine, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum white blood cell count measurements were performed in both groups. Urine IL-1β was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The mean urine IL-1β level was significantly greater in the UTI group than in the controls (21.14 pg/ml vs 2.60 pg/ml, p=0.0001), and using a cut-off of 6.11 pg/ml for urine IL-1β for early prediction of UTI, sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 93.1%, respectively (AUC: 0.971). The mean urine IL-1β/creatinine ratio (uIL-1β /Cr) was also significantly greater in the UTI group (46.87 pg/mgCr vs 3.29 pg/mgCr; p=0.0001), and using a cut-off of 9.45 pg/mgCr for uIL-1β/Cr for early prediction of UTI, sensitivity, and specificity were 96.7% and 89.7%, respectively (AUC: 0.963). Conclusion: Both urine IL-1β and uIL-1β/Cr can be used as a sensitive biomarker for early prediction of UTI. Further research with larger groups is necessary to support our results., Amaç: İnterlökin 1 beta (IL-1β) bakteriyel enfeksiyon sırasında erken görülen önemli bir proinflamatuar mediatördür. İdrar yolu enfeksiyonları (İYE), çocuklarda görülen en yaygın bakteriyel enfeksiyonlardan biridir. Bu prospektif çalışmanın amacı, idrar IL-1β seviyelerinin İYE’ nin güvenilir bir belirleyicisi olarak kullanılıp kullanılamayacağını araştırmak ve çocuklarda İYE’nin erken teşhisinde, idrar IL-1β için optimum kestirim seviyesini belirlemektir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Semptomatik İYE olan 60 hasta ve 29 sağlıklı kontrol çalışmaya dahil edildi. Bilgilendirilmiş onam alındıktan sonra her iki grupta idrar kültürü, idrar tahlili, serum üre ve kreatinin, C-reaktif protein (CRP) ve serum beyaz küre sayımı analizleri yapıldı. İdrar IL-1β, enzim bağlı immünosorbent (ELISA) analizi ile ölçüldü. İYE hastalarında, dimerkaptosüksinik asit (DMSA) radyonüklid taraması yapıldı. Bulgular: Ortalama idrar IL-1β seviyesi İYE grubunda kontrol grubundan anlamlı derecede yüksekti (21,14 pg/ml’ye karşı 2,60 pg/ml, p=0,0001) ve idrar IL-1β için 6,11 pg/ml’lik bir kestrim kullanılarak İYE’nin erken tanısında duyarlılık ve özgüllük sırasıyla %100 ve %93,1 idi (AUC:0,971). Ortalama idrar IL-1β/kreatinin oranı (uIL-1β/Cr) de İYE grubunda anlamlı şekilde daha yüksekti (46,87 pg/mgCr - 3,29 pg/mgCr; p=0,0001) ve uIL1β/Cr için mgCr için 9,45 pg/mg kestirim kullanılarak, İYE’nin erken tanısında, duyarlılık ve özgüllük sırasıyla %96,7 ve %89,7 idi (AUC: 0,963). Sonuç: Hem idrar IL-1β hem de uIL-1β/Cr, İYE’nin erken tanısı için hassas bir belirteç olarak kullanılabilir. Sonuçlarımızı doğrulamak için daha büyük hasta grupları ile daha fazla araştırma yapılması gerekmektedir.

Gedikbasi, Asuman/0000-0001-7121-6077; Okuturlar, Yildiz/0000-0002-1994-0014 WOS: 000390019800001 Aims: Higher mean platelet volume (MPV) in diabetic patients has been considered as an emerging risk factor for diabetes related micro-and macrovascular complications. Human paraoxonase 1/arylesterase (PON1), which has antioxidant and antiatherogenic properties, is documented in high oxidative stress conditions like uncontrolled diabetes. the present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between mean platelet volume (MPV) and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity, brachial artery diameter (BAd) and intima media thickness (BA-IMT), in diabetic patients with regard to obesity and diabetic complications. Methods: Two-hundred and one diabetic patients (mean age: 52.4 +/- 13.4 years, 73.6% females) were grouped according to obesity and diabetic complications (microvascular and macrovascular). Data on demographics, anthropometrics, diabetic complications, MPV levels, BAd and BA-IMT, and serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities were recorded. the correlation of MPV values to paraoxonase and arylesterase activities, BAd and BA-IMT was evaluated. Results: Paraoxonase and arylesterase values were 119.8 +/- 37.5 U/L and 149.0 +/- 39.9 U/L, respectively, with no significant difference in respect of obesity and macrovascular complications. Significantly lower values for paraoxonase (107.5 +/- 30.7 vs. 123.9 +/- 38.8 U/L, p = 0.007) and arylesterase (132.1 +/- 30.2 vs. 154.7 +/- 41.2, U/L, p = 0.001) were noted in patients with microvascular complications. MPV values were 9.10 +/- 0.87 fL, with no significant difference across the groups and no significant correlation with other parameters. Conclusion: in conclusion, PON-1 activity is more significantly decreased in diabetic patients with microvascular than macrovascular complications with no effects on MPV values. on the other hand, no relationship was found between thrombogenic activity and PON-1 activity, BAd and BA-IMT regardless of obesity and diabetic complications.

Muhammed Emin Ozcan,1 Bahri Ince,2 Hasan Huseyin Karadeli,3 Asuman Gedikbasi,4 Talip Asil,3 Meric A Altinoz5 1Department of Neurology, Biruni University, 2Centre for Mood Disorders, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, 3Department of Neurology, Bezmialem University, 4Department of Biochemistry, Sadi Konuk Bakirkoy State Hospital, 5Department of Immunology, Experimental Medicine Research Institute (DETAE), Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Objective: To define whether minor adult hemoglobin A2 (HbA2, α2δ2) exerts any protective activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: HbA2 levels were measured in 146 MS patients with high performance liquid chromatography and association with MS Severity Scores (MSSS) were determined. HbA2 associations with blood count parameters were also studied using blood counts evaluated on the same day of high performance liquid chromatography sampling. Routine biochemical parameters were also determined to rule out elusively influential factors, such as anemia and thyroid disorders. Results: HbA2 levels negatively correlated with MSSS (Spearman correlation, R: -0.186, P=0.025). Exclusion of confounding factors with a generalized linear model revealed an even stronger negative correlation between HbA2 and MSSS (P

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a multi-family group of proteins which are upregulated by the cell in response to exposure to hazardous (stress) factors, including infectious agents, to prevent changes in protein structure. The aim of our study was to assess whether urine levels of the 70-kDa family of HSPs (HSP70s) increase in children with urinary tract infection (UTI) and to determine the optimal urine (u) HSP70 cut-off level to predict UTI in children. Forty patients with symptomatic UTI (UTI group), 30 healthy children (control group), 21 asymptomatic patients with proven bacterial contamination in their urine culture (contamination group) and 30 patients with fever caused by other infections (non-UTI infection group) were enrolled in the study. Random urine samples were obtained for measurement of HSP70 and creatinine (Cr) from all groups. Urine was collected prior to the treatment of UTI at the time of presentation and after treatment. Urine HSP70 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent analysis. A dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scan was performed at 5–7 days after presentation in UTI group to distinguish patients with acute pyelonephritis from those with cystitis; based on this scan, no patients had acute pyelonephritis. Patients were classified with pyelonephritis in the presence of all of the following signs: axillary fever of ≥39 °C, leukocytosis and positivity for C-reactive protein. The mean urine HSP70:Cr ratio (uHSP70/Cr) prior to treatment was significantly higher in the UTI group (449.86 ± 194.33 pg/mg) than in the control, contamination and non-UTI infection groups (39.93 ± 47.61, 32.43 ± 9.09 and 45.14 ± 19.76, respectively; p = 0.0001). Using a cut-off of 158 pg/mg uHSP70/Cr for the prediction of UTI, the sensitivity and specificity of the assay were 100 and 100 %, respectively (area under the time–concentration curve = 1). The uHSP70/Cr was highest in the patients with clinical pyelonephritis (p = 0.001). Mean uHSP70/Cr after treatment decreased to 60.68 ± 51.11 pg/mg in UTI group (p = 0 .0001). Our findings suggest that elevated uHSP70/Cr may be a useful biomarker for the prediction of UTI in children, with a high sensitivity and specificity, and that they may help to distinguish UTI from other infections as well as bacterial contamination of the urine.

Objective: To investigate the usefulness of the plasma calprotectin values for diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Material and Methods: 84 patients who have been diagnosed as acute pancreatitis (AP) were included in this prospective study. Control group (CG) included 30 patients with elective surgery for inguinal hernia or pilonidal sinus. Male to female ratio was 36/48 with a mean age of 44 (19-81) for AP group and male to female ratio was 20/10 with a mean age of 31 (21-56) for control group. Blood samples were taken to EDTA coated tube and then aliquots of serum were stored at -80°C for assaying. Serum Cal was determined using Cal ELISA Kit. Results: Cal values were significantly higher in AP cases than in control group (p=0.001), value range from 32 to 490 ng/ml. There was a statistically positive significant relationship between cal and WBC values (r=0.423 p=0.0001), between cal and CRP values (r=0.282 p=0.012), between cal and amylase values (r=0.675 p=0.0001), between cal and lipase values (r=0.595 p=0.0001). Conclusions: Plasma calprotectin levels increase nonspecifically with AP. Further studies are needed with larger number of patients who were classified according to the severity of AP.

Insidious progressive renal damage caused by type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) begins in childhood before it becomes manifest in adult ages. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) regulate the cell response to any hazardous factors to prevent cell structure. The aim of the study is to determine whether urine levels of HSPs increase in diabetic children with time and indicate a progressive renal injury in T1DM. Thirty-three patients with T1DM and 24 healthy children were enrolled in the study. Renal function was normal in all patients. Urine levels of HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at two consecutive years (2012 and 2013). The results were evaluated as urine HSP/creatinine ratios (uHSP/Cr). Mean urine HSP27/Cr, HSP40/Cr, HSP60/Cr, HSP70/Cr, HSP90/Cr in patient group were significantly higher than in controls in 2012 (uHSP27/Cr 460.12 ± 217.64 versus 270.02 ± 136.83 pg/mgCr; uHSP40/Cr 180.89 ± 118.59 versus 99.44 ± 62.49 pg/mgCr; uHSP60/Cr 114.40 ± 64.91 versus 70.50 ± 43.70 pg/mgCr; uHSP70/Cr 41.17 ± 28.42 versus 16.47 ± 7.32 pg/mgCr; uHSP90/Cr 175.64 ± 102.22 versus 107.61 ± 75.85 pg/mgCr) (p 0.05). In 2013, uHSP70/Cr level increased significantly (51.08 ± 27.72 pg/mgCr; p = 0.001), whereas uHSP60/Cr level decreased and uHSP27/Cr, uHSP40/Cr, uHSP90/Cr levels remained stable (p 0.05). Area under the curve (AUC) for uHSP70/Cr (0.957) was significantly higher than the others. Using a cutoff 22.59 pg/mgCr for uHSP70/Cr to predict of diabetic damage, sensitivity and specificity were 85% and 96%, respectively. Our results suggest that uHSP70/Cr increases over time and may indicate early phases of progressive kidney damage in diabetic children.

Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is a high-density lipoprotein-associated enzyme implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by protecting lipoproteins against peroxidation. PON1 has two genetic polymorphisms both due to amino acid substitution, one involving glutamine and arginine at position 192 and the other leucine and methionine at position 55. Recent reports suggest that nephrolithiasis and atherosclerosis share a number of risk factors. Our study aimed to compare the effects of PON1 192, PON1 55 polymorphisms, and PON1 activity in patients with urolithiasis and controls.PON1's arylesterase/paraoxonase activities and phenotype were determined in 158 stone forming cases (Group 1) and 138 non-stone forming controls (Group 2). The PON1 192 and PON1 55 polymorphisms were studied by polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism.Paraoxonase activity was significantly lower in Group 1 than Group 2 (112 ± 31.8 vs. 208 ± 53.1 IU/L) (p 0.001). The PON1 L55M polymorphism was significantly higher in Group 1. The "M" allele coding for PON1 was higher in Group 1 (p 0.001). PON1 192 RR homozygotes had significantly higher PON1 activity than QR and QQ genotypes among all the patients (p 0.001).The results of our study demonstrate that the PON1 55 gene "M" allele is associated with renal stone disease. Individuals possessing the "M" allele have a higher incidence of urolithiasis. The results of this study provide genetic evidence that the PON1 gene may play a role in stone formation. PON1 genotype determination may provide a tool to identify individuals who are at risk of urolithiasis.

Objective There is some evidence indicating that histopathological changes in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) emerge before onset of microalbuminuria. The aim of our study was to determine whether urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels can be considered as an early sign of diabetic kidney injury. Methods Urine NGAL (uNGAL) levels and urinary NGAL/creatinine ratio (uNGAL/Cr) were assessed in 76 patients with T1DM and compared with the findings of 35 healthy individuals. The relationship of uNGAL levels with diabetes duration, body mass index (BMI), serum lipids, HbA1c, and microalbuminuria was also evaluated. Results Mean uNGAL (100.16±108.28 ng/mL) and uNGAL/Cr (118.93-117.97 ng/mg) levels in both microalbuminuric and non-microalbuminuric diabetic patients were found to be higher than those in the control group (uNGAL: 21.46±18.59 ng/mL and uNGAL/Cr: 32.1±51.48 ng/mg) (p=0.0001). Conclusion Urine NGAL level increases in the very early phase of T1DM before microalbuminuria develops. The patients with T1DM should be considered to have diabetic kidney injury from the time of diagnosis on and preventive interventions need to be initiated at an early stage to preclude the progression to end-stage renal disease.

Background The most frequent cause of cancer deaths throughout the world is breast cancer (BC). Therefore, preventing, diagnosing and treating BC has gained importance. S100 protein probably plays an important role in carcinogenesis, cancer development, and metastasis. In this study, we aimed at diagnostic and clinic-pathological importance of serum levels of S100A9 and S100A12 with known cytokine-like pro-inflammatory effects in BC. Material and method Serum samples were collected with BC and the control group consisting of healthy individuals. All the samples were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serum S100A9 and S100A12 levels before starting the systemic chemotherapy. Clinicopathological characteristics of BC and other blood parameters were compared in relation with serum S100A9 and S100A12 levels. Results While the serum S100A9 levels were found significantly higher as compared to healthy individuals (190.85 ± 32.29 and 92.72 ± 54, respectively) (p = 0.001), it was observed that there were no differences in S100A12 (120.50 ± 15.78 and 112.21 ± 10.46, respectively) (p = 0.056) levels. As regards the subgroup analysis in BC patients, no statistically significant results were found in body mass index (BMI), smoking, menopause status, histopathologic type, grade, and biological subtype of BC, tumor size, presence of lymph node metastases, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion (PNI) and stage. As regards the blood parameters and serum S100 A9, while only statistically significant results were found with anemia (209.05 ± 33.12 and 181.75 ± 28.21, respectively) (p = 0.005), no statistically significant results were found with leukocytosis, thrombocytosis and tumor markers. Conclusion In this study, while we found the level of S100A9, which has a potential cytokine-like function in inflammation, significantly higher, we could not find any increase in S100A12 level. Therefore, it is possible that S100A9 can play a key role in inflammation-related BC. Despite of there are no significance relationship between S100A9 and S100A12 clinicopathological features of BC, the determination of S100A9 levels contributes to diagnosis the of BC patients. In future, we suggest that serum S100A9 is investigated as a diagnostic tool even the target marker in BC to suppress inflammation in treatment.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of physical training modalities on basal metabolic rate, cardiovascular fitness and serum leptin level in obese adolescent boys. Sixteen obese adolescent boys (age: 16.81 +- 0.91 years) were randomly assigned to either resistance (RTG) (n=8) or endurance (ETG) (n=8) training and followed the respective training programmes for six months (3 days/wk, 60 min/day). Leptin, basal metabolism rate (BMR), and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) were evaluated at the beginning and end of the intervention. After the training period, Leptin was decreased and VO2max was increased in both groups (p0.05), whereas BMR was statistically increased only in ETG (p0.05). These results indicated that both types of exercises had positive effects on cardiovascular fitness and hormonal control of fat metabolism in obese male adolescents. Resistance exercises should be considered as an alternative or supplementation to endurance exercises in youth obesity management.

Background/aim: The purpose of this study is to compare the diagnostic value of hepcidin level with the white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in pediatric sepsis and septic shock. Materials and methods: A cohort of 89 individuals were divided into four groups: a healthy control group (HCG, n = 28), pediatric intensive care unit control group (PICUCG, n = 17), sepsis group (SG, n = 23), and septic shock group (SSG, n = 21). WBC, CRP, PCT, IL-6, and hepcidin levels were studied in the PICUCG, SG, and SSG, while hepcidin and IL-6 levels were studied in the HCG. Results: In distinguishing the SG and SSG from the HCG, hepcidin sensitivity and specificity were found to be 100%. Distinguishing between the PICUCG and the SG, hepcidin sensitivity was calculated as 95.6% and specificity was calculated as 100%. The sensitivity of WBC, CRP, and PCT was lower than that of hepcidin, but the sensitivity of IL-6 was higher than that of hepcidin. While the specificity of PCT and IL-6 was the same as hepcidin, the specificity of WBC and CRP was lower than that of hepcidin. Conclusion: Hepcidin is a more reliable indicator than WBC and CRP levels in distinguishing children with sepsis and septic shock from healthy children and nonseptic pediatric ICU patients.

Background: The family of heat shock proteins (HSPs) contains several members that regulate the cell response to any hazardous factors to protect protein structure. The aim of the study was to determine whether serum levels of HSPs increase in children with IgA nephropathy/Immunoglobulin A - associated vasculitis nephritis (IgAN/IgAVN) and to assess their relationship with the prognostic factors. Patients and Methods: Twenty - nine patients with IgAN/IgAVN, 41 patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) as a patient control group, and 24 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Renal function was normal in all participants. Serum levels of HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90 were measured using an enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Median serum levels of HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 were significantly higher in the IgAN/IgAVN group than in the INS group and controls (P < 0.05). Among these HSPs, only HSP60 had no overlap between patients and controls. Serum HSP40, HSP60, HSP70 levels were significantly higher in the patients with INS than in controls (P < 0.05), whereas HSP27 and HSP90 were not different. HSP27 was significantly higher in patients with proteinuria in the IgAN/IgAVN group than in patients with no proteinuria (P = 0.045). None of these HSPs was related to the presence of crescent and severity of proteinuria in the IgAN/IgAVN group. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that serum levels of HSP27, 40, 60, 70, 90 increased in the patients with IgAN/IgAVN considering HSPs might have a role in pathogenesis of the disease. Among these HSPs, HSP60 was a prominent marker because it had no overlap between patients and controls. Explaining the role of these HSPs in IgAN/IgAVN may pave the way for future treatment.

Introduction. Hypertension (HT) is a common serious condition associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of HT is multifactorial and has been widely investigated. Besides the vascular, hormonal, and neurological factors, inflammation plays a crucial role in HT. Many inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, cytokines, and adhesion molecules have been studied in HT, which supported the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of HT. Presepsin (PSP) is a novel biomarker of inflammation. Therefore, the potential relationship between PSP and HT was investigated in this study. Methods. Forty-eight patients with controlled HT and 48 controls without HT were included in our study. Besides routine clinical and laboratory data, PSP levels were measured in peripheral venous blood samples from all the participants. Results. PSP levels were significantly lower in patients with HT than in controls (144.98±75.98 versus 176.67±48.12 pg/mL, p=0.011). PSP levels were positively correlated with hsCRP among both the patient and the control groups (p=0.015 and p=0.009, resp.). However, PSP levels were not correlated with WBC among both groups (p=0.09 and p=0.67, resp.). Conclusions. PSP levels are not elevated in patients with well-controlled HT compared to controls. This result may be associated with anti-inflammatory effects of antihypertensive medicines.

Introduction: S100B protein, which helps nerve development and differentiation, is produced by astrocytes and can be detected in peripheral circulation after brain damage. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the serum S100B protein level and the infarction volume and clinical outcome and also the early prognostic role of serum S100B protein in patients with ischemic stroke. Method: Fifty patients admitted in the first 24-hour period of acute ischemic stroke were evaluated prospectively, and the findings were compared to those of the controls (n=26). S100B levels of the patients and neurological findings on days 1, 3, and 5 and their functional outcomes on the discharge day and at the first month were recorded by the same examiner. Results: S100B levels were not affected by sex, age, or concomitant systemic diseases. The maximum levels of S100B were recorded on the 3 rd day, and there was a correlation between infarct size and S100B levels. No correlation between the severity of stroke and S100B level was found. There was a poor correlation between the functional outcomes of the patients at the 1 st month and S100B levels and on the 3 rd day. Conclusion: The detection of high S100B levels in peripheral circulation after acute ischemic stroke and the correlations of S100B levels with infarct size (good) and disability (poor) imply that S100B protein may be used as a peripheral marker in acute ischemic stroke patients. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2014; 51: 395-400)

Background/Aims: To identify the role of serum caspase 3, Annexin A2 (ANXA2), and Soluble Fas Ligand (sFasL) levels in the prediction of endometriosis severity. Methods: The study was performed on 90 women who were candidates for laparoscopic surgery due to endometrioma or any other benign ovarian cysts detected by ultrasound examination, pelvic pain, or infertility. The control group comprised 29 patients. The second group comprised 29 patients with stage I–II endometriosis and the third group comprised 30 patients with stage III–IV endometriosis. Results: Significant differences were detected between the control and stage III–IV endometriosis groups and between stage I–II and stage III–IV endometriosis groups in terms of caspase-3 levels (both, p < 0.001), ANXA2 levels (p = 0.007 and p = 0.002), and sFasL levels (p = 0.022 and p = 0.044). After receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under curve was 93% (95% CI 57–82) at 10.7 ng/mL cut-off level for caspase-3 with 90% sensitivity and 87% specificity. Conclusion: Serum caspase-3 level may be a reliable predictor of endometriosis severity.

Hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) is the most common genetic form of gingival fibromatosis that develops as a slowly progressive, benign, localized or generalized enlargement of keratinized gingiva. HGF is a genetically heterogeneous disorder and can be transmitted either as an autosomal-dominant or autosomal-recessive trait or appear sporadically. To date, four loci (2p22.1, 2p23.3–p22.3, 5q13–q22, and 11p15) have been mapped to autosomes and one gene ( SOS1 ) has been associated with the HGF trait observed to segregate in a dominant inheritance pattern. Here we report 11 individuals with HGF from three unrelated families. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) revealed three different truncating mutations including two frameshifts and one nonsense variant in RE1-silencing transcription factor ( REST ) in the probands from all families and further genetic and genomic analyses confirmed the WES-identified findings. REST is a transcriptional repressor that is expressed throughout the body; it has different roles in different cellular contexts, such as oncogenic and tumor-suppressor functions and hematopoietic and cardiac differentiation. Here we show the consequences of germline final-exon-truncating mutations in REST for organismal development and the association with the HGF phenotype.

AIM: To investigate the effect of pomegranate juice (PJ) intake on overall oxidation status in retinas of diabetic rats. METHODS: Twenty-seven rats were divided into four groups as control (CO), diabetic (DM), control treated with PJ (CO-PJ), and diabetic treated with PJ (DM-PJ). The retina tissues were used to determine 8-hydroxy2 `-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). RESULTS: The levels of 8OHdG and MDA were significantly increased in the retina of DM group compared to CO group (P= 0.001, P< 0.001 respectively). Both 8OHdG and MDA levels were decreased in PJ-DM group compared to DM group (P= 0.004, P< 0.001 respectively). The activities of antioxidant enzymes GSH, SOD, and GDH-Px were significantly decreased in the retina of DM group compared to CO group (P= 0.01). GSH and GSH-Px activities were higher in PJ-DM group compared with DM group (P= 0.010, P= 0.042, respectively) but SOD activity was not statistically different (P= 0.938). CONCLUSION: PJ intake is found to be effective in decreasing oxidative end products, and in increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes in diabetic retinas of rats, which suggests it may be effective against oxidative stress in diabetic retinas.

INTRODUCTION: Seven low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subclasses are identified, and smaller LDL particles are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events. However, there is limited data about the relationship between the acute ischemic stroke (AIS) subtypes and LDL subclasses. The aim of our study is to investigate the relationship between AIS subtypes and LDL subclasses. METHODS: This study consisted of 110 AIS patients and 60 healthy controls. Stroke patients were classified according to the TOAST classification system as cardioembolic infarct (CI), large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), and lacunar infarct (LI). LDL subclasses were distributed as seven bands (LDL-1 and-2 defined as large, and LDL-3 to-7 defined as small-LDL particle), using the LipoPrintª System. Control group and AIS subtypes were compared in terms of LDL subclasses; p

Altered paraoxonase (PON) and arylesterase (ARE) activities have been shown in anemic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and in iron deficiency anemia (IDA) patients. Whether accompanying anemia alone is responsible for this diminished PON and ARE activities in CKD patients or an additive factor for this is not well studied. Therefore, we tried to clarify this issue here.A total of 82 subjects that consisted of 19 patients with IDA (group 1), 23 anemic CKD patients (group 2), and 40 age and sex matched healthy subjects (group 3) were enrolled. Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), serum total thiol (-SH), PON, and ARE activities of the participants were analyzed.Group 2 patients had significantly lowest serum levels of Total -SH, PON and ARE. Further comparison showed that total -SH, PON and ARE levels were lower in group 1 than group 3 (p = 0.0001 in both). Regarding comparison of group 1 and 2, only serum ARE levels were significantly lower in group 2 (p = 0.001). PON activity was not different between group 1 and group 2 whereas ARE activity was lower in group 2 than groups 1 and 3. In addition, correlation analysis showed that CIMT was negatively correlated with PON and ARE.This markedly decreased ARE activity in CKD patients, which could not be explained by the anemia alone, may have a role in the pathogenesis of increased atherosclerosis in such patients. Still further studies are needed to certain this.

In colorectal cancer (CRC), as in most of other malignancies, heat shock proteins (HSPs) are overexpressed and are associated with apoptosis, cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, invasion, and metastasis. HSP70 is one of the HSPs and has a promising future in cancer studies for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this study, we tried to evaluate the serum levels of HSP70 in CRC patients, and to evaluate its predictive value of detecting CRC.This prospective study was consisted of 33 patients diagnosed with CRC and 31 healthy subjects who were matched for age. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to evaluate the serum levels of HSP70 in patients with CRC and in the healthy control group. A cut-off value for HSP70 was also determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Patients with CRC had significantly higher HSP70 concentrations compared with the control group (4.52 ± 1.83 vs 1.22 ± 0.48 ng/ml, p=0.001), the cut-off value was ≥2.25 ng/ml (95% CI 0.993-1.003, p0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of elevated serum HSP70 in the CRC group were 96.77 and 96.96%, respectively. Also, HSP70 levels were significantly higher with rectal disease localization (p=0.01).This study shows that the serum level of HSP70 is elevated in patients with CRC. HSP70 may be utilized as an adjunct to other diagnostic or screening tests.

To determine the changes in cervical collagen during the first trimester of pregnancy and to evaluate the collagen deficit in cases with a previous diagnosis of cervical insufficiency (CI).Cervical punch biopsies were obtained from 66 patients divided into three groups: patients with recurrent abortions due to CI (CI group; n = 8); first-trimester abortion group (study group; n = 37), subdivided into three groups according their gestational week (7, 7-9 and 9-12 weeks), and patients with cervical biopsy due to gynecologic reasons (control group; n = 12). Collagen quantity was determined by a biochemical method that measured the levels of hydroxyproline (HOP) in dry cervix tissue.The HOP concentrations were significantly higher at lower gestational ages (p = 0.001). Collagen quantity was lowest in the CI group compared with other groups (p 0.001).This study shows collagen component of cervix decreases as pregnancy advances through the first trimester. Cervical collagen concentration is lower in women with a history of CI compared to controls who has not a history of CI.