Search

Dysferlin (DYSF) has drawn much attention due to its involvement in dysferlinopathy and was reported to affect monocyte functions in recent studies. However, the role of DYSF in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) and the regulation mechanism of DYSF expression have not been fully studied. In this study, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) literatures were searched to find the DNA methylation-driven genes (including DYSF) of ASCVD. The hub genes related to DYSF were also identified through weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Regulation of DYSF expression through its promoter methylation status was verified using peripheral blood leucocytes (PBLs) from ASCVD patients and normal controls, and experiments on THP1 cells and Apoe-/- mice. Similarly, the expressions of DYSF related hub genes, mainly contained SELL, STAT3 and TMX1, were also validated. DYSF functions were then evaluated by phagocytosis, transwell and adhesion assays in DYSF knock-down and overexpressed THP1 cells. The results showed that DYSF promoter hypermethylation up-regulated its expression in clinical samples, THP1 cells and Apoe-/- mice, confirming DYSF as a DNA methylation-driven gene. The combination of DYSF expression and methylation status in PBLs had a considerable prediction value for ASCVD. Besides, DYSF could enhance the phagocytosis, migration and adhesion ability of THP1 cells. Among DYSF related hub genes, SELL was proven to be the downstream target of DYSF by wet experiments. In conclusion, DYSF promoter hypermethylation upregulated its expression and promoted monocytes activation, which further participated in the pathogenesis of ASCVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sepsis is a major cause of mortality in hospitalized patients. • White blood cell count (WBCC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are inflammatory biomarkers. • 72 h after hospitalization increased WBCC is associated with increased mortality. • WBCC rise is superior to CRP at 72 h in predicting mortality. • 72 h WBCC changes is useful for assaying a patient's response to treatment. Detection of an eventful course in the early days of sepsis treatment is clinically relevant. The white blood cell count (WBCC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are used in daily practice to monitor the intensity of the inflammatory response associated with sepsis. It is not entirely clear which of the two might better discriminate the outcomes of patients with sepsis. 30-day mortality was assessed in a cohort of patients who were hospitalized with sepsis in the departments of Internal Medicine in a tertiary medical center. Admission and 72-hour time points were analyzed to discriminate between patients with increased versus decreased 30 days mortality risk. The study included 195 patients. Higher 72 h CRP, WBCC, neutrophil counts and neutrophils to lymphocyte ratio were associated with increased mortality (p < 0.02). Baseline WBCC and CRP failed to discriminate between patients who died and those who survived (AUC = 0.551, 0.479). In multivariate analysis of the 72 h tests, higher WBCC count (OR = 1.12, 95%CI 1.05–1.20, p = 0.001), was associated with increased mortality whereas CRP was not (OR = 1.004, 95%CI 0.998–1.01, p = 0.146). Patients who presented a 72-hour leukocyte descent had a better outcome and in this regard, WBCC was superior to 72-hour CRP in predicting 30 days mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • WBCs counts, and CEA levels were higher in the treatment-resistant group than adequate responders, and healthy controls. • WBCs counts, and CEA levels were associated with the severity of the disease in all manic patients. • There were no significant differences between HsCRP levels of the study groups. • Different parts of the inflammatory system may be associated with different clinical findings in the treatment-resistant patients. Abstract Mania is accompanied with immune activation as indicated by increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, acute phase proteins; and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is known to accompany signs of immune-inflammatory responses in bipolar disorder (BD) and medical disorders. In this study, it was aimed to compare high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), CEA levels and white blood cells (WBCs) counts in the treatment-resistant BD (Group 3), the treatment-responsive BD patients (Group 2), and the healthy control group (Group 1). The sociodemographic data form, the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and the Clinical Global Impression Severity of Illness (CGI-S) Scale were applied to the patients. In Group 3, the WBCs counts, and CEA levels were significantly higher than the other two groups. There was a positive correlation between WBCs counts and YMRS and CGI-S scores in all manic patients. There was a positive correlation between CEA levels and YMRS, HDRS and CGI-S in manic patients. This study shows that there is an activation of the immune-inflammatory response system in treatment resistant manic patients; and, WBCs counts and CEA levels are associated with severity of disease in manic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective This study explored the association between low-grade inflammation measured using multiple common inflammatory markers and general psychological distress symptoms. Method A total of 68,463 Korean adults were included. White blood cell counts with differential count, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin and rheumatoid factor were measured. General psychological distress symptoms were assessed using 18 questions of psychosocial well-being index short form (PWI-SF). Results Among the eight inflammatory markers measured, WBC count, segmented neutrophil count, monocyte and CRP level were significantly and independently associated with broad psychological symptoms. In contrast, fibrinogen and ferritin showed a weak association with limited number of items. No significant association was detected with lymphocyte and RF. Conclusion General psychological distress symptoms were associated with multiple inflammatory markers in Korean adults. The association patterns differed by the types of inflammatory markers. Additional investigation into the relationship between general inflammatory markers and diverse psychological distress symptoms is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The antioxidant properties and the protective role of organic zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in white blood cells (WBCs) and spermatozoa were analyzed through quantification of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2) and correlations were determined with sperm functional characteristics in Osmanabadi bucks. Bucks (aged 5 months; n = 40) were divided into ten groups, and the dietary treatments comprised of a control and nine treatment groups as follows: organic Zn as Zn 20, Zn 40 and Zn 60, organic Cu as Cu 12.5, Cu 25, Cu 37.5 and combined organic Zn and Cu as Zn 20+Cu 12.5, Zn 40+Cu 25, Zn 60+Cu 37.5, respectively per kg dry matter for a period of 8 months. The blood (120 and 240 days) and semen (240 days: 40 × 4 = 160) samples were collected from 40 bucks. In WBCs: the relative abundance of mRNA for SOD1, CAT, GPx4, NFE2L2 was greater (P < 0.05) in (120 and 240 days) in majority of the mineral supplemented animals. In spermatozoa: the relative abundance of SOD1, NFE2L2, GPx4 and CAT mRNA was greater (P < 0.05) in selected treatment groups. The abundance of SOD1 mRNA in WBCs was positively correlated (P < 0.05) with sperm mass motility (r = 0.692, P = 0.027). The abundance of GPx4 mRNA was negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with type A sperm (straightness; STR) > 85% and amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) > 2.5 μm/ s) (r = −0.711, P = 0.021) and (P < 0.05) positively correlated with sperm viability (r = 0.669, P = 0.035). Organic Zn and Cu supplementation was associated with an increase in the expression of antioxidant defense enzyme genes in bucks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Immunological mechanisms may play a role in symptomatology of patients with a psychotic disorder. Besides metabolic problems and medication use, inflammatory processes that may occur due to the disorder may cause increased inflammatory markers and concurrent psychiatric symptoms. The aim of this study is to investigate whether levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC) are related to positive and negative symptoms of psychotic disorders, and whether age, gender, duration of illness, smoking behavior, haloperidol equivalents, mediation use, body mass, and metabolic syndrome affect this relation. Methods CRP and WBC values of 2123 patients with a psychotic disorder were related to positive and negative symptoms measured with a psychiatric interview. CRP was analyzed by survival analysis accounting for detection limit and WBC by linear mixed model analysis. In case of a significant association, the confounding factors were added to the model. Results Both WBC and CRP were related to both positive and negative symptoms, even after correction for age, gender, smoking, use of medication and metabolic problems. Of the covariates, gender, metabolic problems, smoking and statins also showed a strong association with inflammatory markers. Conclusions This study in a large patient-group confirmed that inflammatory markers are related to psychotic disorders, particularly negative symptoms. Future studies could use more precise measures of inflammatory markers and measure symptomatic state at specific moments in illness progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change in global temperature has become an important factor affecting reproduction both in humans and livestock. This study investigated the mitigative effect of Saccharomycescerevisiae on testicular histo-architecture and function in male albino rats subjected to increased localized thermal temperature. Twenty mature male albino rats were divided into four groups of five rats each and treated once daily per os for a period of five weeks. The control (group A) and positive control (group B) maintained an ambient temperature (24-30°C), with group B treated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Groups C & D were exposed to a temperature of 43°C for 15 mins thrice at 2 days intervals. Supplementation with Saccharomycescerevisiae was done in group D. Exposure to heat increased (P<0.05) the total cholesterol and MDA, but decreased (P<0.05) testicular weight and sperm concentrations. Supplementation with Saccharromyces cerevisiae in positive control group significantly decreased (P<0.05) the total and differential (monocytes, neutrophil, lymphocytes, eosinophil) white blood cells count compared with the control. However, supplementation with Saccharromyces cerevisiae in the group exposed to heat significantly increased (P<0.05) the total and differential white blood cells count. The photomicrograph of the testes showed regeneration of cells of the seminiferous tubules in the supplemented group. In conclusion, Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed immunomodulatory effect and tendency to reverse testicular alterations related to heat stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bacteremia in hospitalized patients requires prompt administration of appropriate antibiotic therapy. • Various inflammatory biomarkers are used to aid in deciding if antibiotic treatment is warranted. • Low concentrations of inflammatory markers can mislead clinicians into thinking there isn't an infection. • CRP velocity is shown to be superior to CRP alone and WBC in predicting bacteremia. Examining the usefulness of C-reactive protein velocity (CRPv) as an early biomarker for the presence of bacteraemia in patients presenting to the Department of Emergency Medicine with acute infection/inflammation and suspected bacteraemia. A retrospective study examining a cohort of patients who presented to the E.R and in whom blood cultures were taken. CRPv was calculated as the difference in mg/hour/litter between two consecutive CRP tests performed within 12 h. 256 patients were included in the cohort. Using CRPv in patients who at first presented with a relatively low (17.9 ≤ mg/L 1st quartile) CRP concentration, we found an AUC of 0.808 ± 0.038 (p < 0.001) for the presence of positive versus negative blood cultures (what is AUC?). This was better than the AUC that was obtained when the WBC for the same purpose. CRPv may be a useful biomarker in the identification of patients with suspected bacteremia and a low CRP-a challenging situation for clinicians who may underestimate the severity of illness in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of human neutrophil lipocalin (HNL) in bacterial infections in children. This study included 49 pediatric patients with bacterial infections, 37 patients with viral infections, 30 patients with autoimmune diseases (AID) and 41 healthy controls (HCs). HNL, procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts were detected in the initial diagnosis and the following days. In the patients with bacterial infections, the levels of HNL, PCT, CRP, WBC and neutrophils were significantly increased than that of disease controls and HCs. The dynamic of these markers was monitored during antibiotic treatment. The level of HNL was decreased rapidly in patients with effective treatment, but maintained at high levels in deteriorated patients according to the clinical progression. HNL detection is an effective biomarker to identify bacterial infections from viral infections and other AIDs, and has potential value to evaluate the effect of antibiotic treatment in pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Laboratory of Internal Dosimetry of the Center for Development of Nuclear Technology (LDI/CDTN) is responsible for routine internal monitoring of occupationally exposed individuals. The determination of photon emitting radionuclides in the human body requires calibration of the detector in specific counting geometries. The calibration process uses physical phantoms containing certified activities of the radionuclides of interest. The objective of this work was to obtain calibration efficiency curves of the Whole Body Counter in operation at the LDI/CDTN using a BOMAB physical phantom and Monte Carlo simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the compensatory prophylaxis hypothesis, women in the luteal phase, characterized by a high progesterone level, which suppresses various mechanisms of immune response, should exhibit higher disgust sensitivity, compared to the follicular phase. In this study we test the hypothesis on the compensatory role of disgust sensitivity at the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, when immune functions are expected to change due to a rise in progesterone level. Disgust sensitivity, progesterone level (P) and white blood cell count (WBC), a general marker of immunocompetence, were measured in 30 healthy women of reproductive age. Disgust sensitivity was evaluated with: 1) Disgust Scale Revised (DS-R) containing three subscales: Core Disgust, Animal Reminder and Contamination Disgust, 2) Pathogen Disgust and Moral Disgust domains of the Three-Domain Disgust Scale. Measurements were conducted twice - in menstruation (the lowest P) and in the mid-luteal phase (the highest P). The results were analyzed longitudinally and using cross-sectional comparisons. Progesterone level, WBC count, and the level of disgust sensitivity in Animal Domain were higher in the mid-luteal phase comparing to menstruation. The level of disgust sensitivity (DS-R score, Animal, Contamination, Pathogen Disgust) correlated only with P (not WBC) and only in the mid-luteal phase (not in menstruation) in between-subjects comparisons. On the base of these results, we hypothesize that the level of disgust sensitivity in the whole menstrual cycle of a woman is “adjusted” to the luteal phase with the highest P level i.e. when immunosuppression is the greatest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in patients with schizophrenia, and is associated with a state of chronic, low-grade inflammation. We investigated relationships between total and differential white blood cell (WBC) counts, inflammatory markers, adipokines and the metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia.Method: For subjects with available data from the baseline/screening visit of the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) schizophrenia trial, WBC counts, inflammatory markers, and adipokines were investigated as predictors of the metabolic syndrome (and its components), using linear and binary logistic regression models, controlling for potential confounding effects of age, sex, race, smoking, fasting status, alcohol, and illicit drug use.Results: After controlling for potential confounders, blood CRP, interleukin-6, and leptin were significant predictors of all five individual components of the metabolic syndrome (as both continuous and categorical outcome measures). Furthermore, total WBC (OR=2.31, 95% CI 1.58-3.41, p<0.01) and lymphocyte (OR=2.51, 95% CI 1.75-3.60, p<0.01) counts were the strongest predictors of current metabolic syndrome.Conclusions: Our findings provide the strongest evidence to date that measurement of total and differential WBC counts are germane to the clinical care of patients with schizophrenia, and that inflammation and adipokines are associated with metabolic disturbance in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the season dependent thermal tolerance, oxygen consumption, respiratory burst response and antioxidative enzyme activities in juveniles of Barilius bendelisis . The critical thermal maximum (CTmax), lethal thermal maximum (LTmax), critical thermal minimum (CTmin) and lethal thermal minimum (LTmin) were significantly different at five different seasons viz. winter (10.64 °C), spring (16.25 °C), summer (22.11 °C), rainy (20.87 °C) and autumn (17.77 °C). The highest CTmax was registered in summer (36.02 °C), and lowest CTmin was recorded during winter (2.77 °C). Water temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH were strongly related to CTmax, LTmax, CTmin and LTmin suggesting seasonal acclimatization of B. bendelisis . The thermal tolerance polygon area of the B. bendelisis juveniles within the range of seasonal temperature (10.64–22.11 °C) was calculated as 470.92 °C 2 . Oxygen consumption rate was significantly different ( p <0.05) between seasons with maximum value during summer (57.66 mg O 2 /kg/h) and lowest in winter (32.60 mg O 2 /kg/h). Total white blood cell count including neutrophil and monocytes also showed significant difference ( p <0.05) between seasons with maximum value during summer and minimum number in winter and were found correlated to temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and respiratory burst activity. Respiratory burst activity of blood phagocytes significantly differed ( p <0.05) among seasons with higher value during summer (0.163 OD 540 nm ) and minimum in winter season (0.054 OD 540 nm ). The activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione-s-transferase both in liver and gill, also varied significantly ( p <0.05) during different seasons. Overall results of this study suggest that multiple environmental factors play a role in seasonal acclimation in B. bendelisis , which modulate the thermal tolerance, oxygen consumption, respiratory burst activity and status of anti-oxidative potential in wild environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: White blood cell (WBC) count and C-reactive protein (CRP) level are the most common markers of inflammation. There is a growing need for point-of-care testing (POCT) of WBC and CRP, and more advances in convenient devices are required. We developed an analyzer-free POCT system for measuring WBC and CRP using a low volume blood sample. Methods: The POCT-WBC is based on the granulocyte esterase assay, while the POCT-CRP is based on the immunochromatographic assay. These kits were examined for precision as well as correlation with currently used popular commercial automated assays. The correlations were clinically analyzed in children with acute infection (n=62; mean age 4.2y). The correlations regarding the monitoring of values were further examined in several follow-up subjects. Results: The POCT-WBC and POCT-CRP kits demonstrated good precision. POCT-WBC exhibited a significantly close correlation with those of the control assay (r=0.94, p<0.05). The results of POCT-CRP also exhibited a significantly close correlation with those of the control assay (r=0.94, p<0.05). In the follow-up study, the results of the respective kits were similar to those of the control assays. Conclusions: The POCT-WBC and POCT-CRP are promising tools for assessing infection in clinical practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Three deep learning model have been assessed for automated blood smear analysis. • A generated dataset is used to perform this study. • Analysis is being performed to compare three deep learning model namely Faster R-CNN. • EfficientDet D3, and CenterNet Hourglass. • The best model observed is Faster R-CNN with 99.4 % average precision. A blood smear is a common type of blood test where blood sample is taken from a patient, smear is made from the sample followed by observation of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. A pathologist carefully observes the sample and manually counts the number of RBC, WBC and platelets. This entire process from creating a smear to manually counting each element is tedious and susceptible to human errors. That is why, with the advancement of deep learning, various object detection techniques have become useful for automating the process and mitigating human errors in blood smear analysis. This work presents a comparative assessment of three different object detection models namely Faster R-CNN, EfficientDet D3 and CenterNet Hourglass, and presents their respective inference results. The three models have been compared using the COCO evaluation metrics to identify the best model performance for the given task. It is observed that out of the three models, the Faster R-CNN model performs the best in detecting WBCs and platelets in microscopic blood smear images with an average precision of 99.4%. Critical tasks like medical image processing require accurate predictions to prevent unintended ramifications. Therefore, while slower in terms of inference time, Faster R-CNN is the go-to model where accuracy is the priority. The work is also compared with the existing work in this domain to prove its efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Familial dysautonomia is a neurodegenerative, genetic disorder caused by an autosomal recessive mutation in the IKBKAP gene, which encodes the IkB kinase complex-associated protein. Familial dysautonomia patients have recurrent crises characterized by bouts of nausea, vomiting, hypertension, tachycardia, sweating, blotching and personality changes. The dysautonomia crisis is usually triggered by stressful physiological or emotional events, however the pathophysiology of the crisis is not yet fully clear and little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in onset and consequences of the crisis. Objective: We have investigated the dysautonomia crisis by evaluating the expression of the familial dysautonomia gene — IKBKAP, in patients during different crisis stages. Method: Baseline IKBKAP mRNA levels in white blood cells were evaluated in thirteen FD patients (fourteen crisis events) and compared to mRNA levels at the onset, during, and after recovery from the crisis. Results: We have found a significant decrease in IKBKAP mRNA level during the crisis, which is restored to a baseline level after recovery from the crisis. Conclusion: We speculate that the familial dysautonomia crisis pathophysiology might be related, at least in part, to the down regulation of the IKBKAP gene. Yet, it is still unclear whether the down regulation in IKBKAP mRNA is caused by the physiological stress events which have triggered the crisis or whether this molecular change is a consequence of the crisis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: For patients with purulent flexor tenosynovitis, our purpose was to (1) calculate the diagnostic accuracy of white blood count (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) for those who underwent surgical drainage, (2) to correlate these markers for those treated with antibiotics alone, and (3) to evaluate the accuracy of diagnosis for surgical patients. Methods: A total of 82 consecutive patients (71 surgical and 11 nonsurgical) with flexor tenosynovitis were identified from orthopedic databases at 2 academic centers. We evaluated inflammatory markers (WBC, ESR, and CRP), radiographs, descriptions of surgical findings, and intraoperative cultures for all patients. For nonsurgical patients, we evaluated inflammatory markers for possible correlation with the presumed diagnosis of purulent flexor tenosynovitis. For surgical patients, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated individually for inflammatory markers. Results: For nonsurgical patients, WBC, ESR, and CRP were elevated in 3 of 11 patients (27%), 6 of 8 patients (75%), and 6 of 7 patients (86%), respectively. For surgical patients, the intraoperative findings or cultures were consistent with infection in 69 of 71 cases (97%), whereas calcific tendinitis was diagnosed in 2 cases. Cultures were positive in 56 patients (79%). All 3 markers had a specificity and positive predictive value of 100%. For WBC, ESR, and CRP, respectively, the sensitivity was 39%, 41%, and 76% and the negative predictive value was 4%, 3%, and 13%. Conclusions: Commonly used inflammatory blood markers (WBC, ESR, and CRP) may be helpful in diagnosing purulent flexor tenosynovitis. If the levels of any of these markers are elevated in patients suspected of having the diagnosis, the likelihood of infection is extremely high. However, with low negative predictive values, these markers cannot reliably rule out infection. Type of study/level of evidence: Diagnostic III. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, who have growth restriction, have higher perinatal morbidity and mortality. Excessive inflammatory reaction such as neutrophil activation has been observed in pregnant women whose offspring had restricted fetal growth, but the association between white blood cell (WBC) counts and SGA birth has not yet been assessed. We therefore examined the association of WBC count and its change with the risk of SGA birth. Study design: We enrolled 2356 pregnant women who had full-term singleton delivery at a private maternity hospital in Hirakata, Japan. SGA was defined as under the 10th percentile of birthweight for gestational age, baby sex, and mother''s parity according to the Japanese neonatal anthropometric charts renewed in 2010. Blood samples were measured in the first and third trimesters. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to assess associations between total and differential WBC counts and SGA birth. Results: Women with SGA birth tended to have higher total WBC count in the third trimester compared with women who did not have SGA birth. This tendency was not observed for total WBC count in the first trimester. After adjustment for age, height, body mass index at entry, smoking habit, weekly gestational weight gain, and pregnancy-induced hypertension, higher total WBC count in the third trimester was associated with an increased risk of SGA birth. Total WBC count in the first trimester did not show any significant association with SGA birth. The ratio of total WBC count in the third trimester to that in the first trimester was associated with SGA birth; the odds ratio for 1 unit increase was 3.02 (95% CI: 1.54–5.92). Regarding differential WBC counts in the third trimester, neutrophil count but not lymphocyte count was associated positively with SGA birth. Conclusions: Higher total WBC and absolute neutrophil counts in the third trimester were associated with SGA birth. In addition, greater ratio of increase in total WBC counts during pregnancy showed a positive association with the incidence of SGA birth. These associations may reflect a vicious cycle of inflammation and placental dysfunction as a cause of fetal growth restriction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Different pharmacological effects of Crocus sativus have been demonstrated on guinea pig tracheal chains in previous studies. In the present study, the prophylactic effect of the extract of C. sativus and its constituent, safranal on lung pathology and total and differential white blood cells (WBC) of sensitized guinea pigs was examined. Guinea pigs were sensitized with injection and inhalation of ovalbumin (OA). One group of sensitized guinea pigs were given drinking water alone (group S) and three groups were given drinking water containing three concentrations of safranal (S+SA1, S+SA2 and S+SA3 groups), three groups, drinking water containing three concentrations of extract (S+CS1, S+CS2 and S+CS3 groups) and one group drinking water containing one concentration of dexamethasone (S+D group) (n =6, for all groups). The lung pathology was evaluated in control, non treated and treated sensitized groups. Total and differential WBC counts of lung lavage were also examined. All pathological indices in group S showed significant increased compared to control group (p <0.05 for lung congestion and p <0.001 for other groups). Total WBC number (p <0.001), eosinophyl percentage (p <0.001) in lung lavage and serum histamine levels (p <0.01) were also increased in sensitized animals compared to those of controls. Treatment of S animals with dexamethasone, all concentrations of the extract and safranal significantly improved lung pathological changes, most types of WBC and serum histamine levels compared to group S (p <0.05–0.001). Treatment of S group with first concentration of safranal also decreased total WBC. Treatment with safranal was more effective in improvement of most pathological changes, total and differential WBC count as well as serum histamine level (p <0.05–0.001). These results showed a preventive effect of the extract of C. sativus and its constituent safranal on lung inflammation of sensitized guinea pigs. The results also showed that the effect of the plant is perhaps due to its constituent safranal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background and aim: Many risk factors that might contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis have been proposed, including chronic inflammation and infection. Furthermore, systemic inflammatory responses to periodontal bacteria have been suggested as a pathogenetic link between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to estimate the white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts in chronic periodontitis patients. Materials and methods: Fifty patients with chronic periodontitis and 50 patients with healthy periodontium were included in this study. Oral hygiene status, pocket probing depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured. During clinical evaluation, venous blood samples were taken to analyze the WBC and platelet counts. Statistical analysis was utilized to compare differences across groups. Results: Periodontitis patients demonstrated a significantly higher WBC count (7.22±1.42×109 cells/L) than that of control patients (5.64±1.56×109 cells/L; P<0.001). The platelet count of patients with chronic periodontitis (290.73±56.56×109 cells/L) was also significantly higher compared to the healthy group (223.37±50.27×109 cells/L; P<0.001). Conclusion: Levels of WBCs and platelets are elevated in periodontitis patients compared to healthy controls. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a scoring system for the management of acute pharyngo-tonsillitis. Methods: We conducted a prospective study between May 2004 and June 2005. Patients with acute pharyngo-tonsillitis were evaluated for causative pathogens and were assessed clinical symptoms and pharyngo-tonsillar finding by a clinical scoring system. Results: A total 214 adult patients were enrolled in this study. Streptococcus pyogenes were identified at 13.6%. Thirty-one viruses were also identified by PCR. They were adenovirus (4.8%), influenza virus (1.0%), RS virus (6.3%), and human metapneumovirus (2.9%). Numbers of total white blood cells and levels of C-reactive protein showed a significant positive correlation with clinical scores (p <0.001) and were also higher in cases with S. pyogenes. The clinical scores rapidly improved after the antimicrobial treatments in moderate cases and severe cases. Conclusion: The current study strongly suggested that the clinical scoring system reflected disease severity well and would be very useful for evaluating clinical course and decision making for the antimicrobial treatment of acute pharyngo-tonisllitis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: More and more cells and tissues of human origin are considered as unique medical bio-resources and are instrumental in the ongoing development of regenerative medicine. Although a better understanding of the genetic complexity of the major histocompatibility complex has contributed to develop allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the autologous setting was viewed early on only as a means to overcome myelodepression. The contribution of the immune system for adoptive immunotherapy was recognized in the 1990s, when donor lymphocyte infusion demonstrated an antileukemic effect of the transfused T cells. This led to the foundation and development of adoptive immunotherapy in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases and cancer. The recognition that the immune system is undergoing a progressive decline and deterioration with age introduces a new challenge. Immunosenescence results in a well-documented increase in incidence and severity of infections, impaired responses to vaccines, and development of cancer. We propose and argue that autologous white blood cells collected and cryopreserved at a young age will represent a valuable bio-resource for the restoration of immunity and the successful development of adoptive immunotherapies in treating infections and cancer, and will pave the way to anticipatory medicine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Objectives: Despite the high frequency of cervical lymphadenopathy in the outpatient clinics, there was no published data on the disease spectrum of cervical lymphadenopathy among adult outpatients. We are evaluating the disease spectrum of cervical lymphadenitis in the outpatient setting. Methods: As for the patients with cervical lymphadenitis, ultrasound-guided core-needle gun biopsy has been performed in Korea University Hospital. We reviewed medical records of adult outpatients with cervical lymphadenitis between January 2004 and April 2006, and compared the clinical, laboratory and radiological differences among them. Results: The study included 147 patients with the mean age of 33.7 years. Histopathological diagnoses were obtained from 137 (93.2%) cases: Kikuchi''s disease (34.7%), tuberculous lymphadenitis (22.4%), non-specific lymphadenitis (22.4%), lymphoma (6.1%), metastatic carcinoma (3.4%), etc. Overall, clinical manifestations were indistinguishable among tuberculous lymphadenitis, Kikuchi''s disease and non-specific lymphadenitis. Leucopenia was characteristic of Kikuchi''s disease, while anemia, thrombocytosis and pulmonary tuberculosis (irrespective of activity) were more common in the tuberculous lymphadenitis. Conclusion: Kikuchi''s disease and tuberculosis were the most common and clinically important causes of cervical lymphadenitis. Complete blood count, chest X-ray and ultrasound-guided core-needle gun biopsy would be helpful in the differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenitis, especially between Kikuchi''s disease and tuberculous lymphadenitis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)-spectroscopy has been found useful for monitoring the effectiveness of drugs during chemotherapy in leukemia patients. In the present work, spectral changes that occurred in the white blood cells (WBC) of an adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient and their possible utilization for monitoring biochemistry of WBC were investigated. The phosphate absorbance from nucleic acids and the lipid–protein ratio in the WBC decreased immediately after treatment and then increased to levels of a control group. Similar observations were recorded in child patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who were used as test cases. These parameters maybe used as possible markers to indicate successful remission and suggest that FTIR-spectroscopy may provide a rapid optical method for continuous monitoring or evaluation of a WBC population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Inflammation has been demonstrated to be an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular events. Patients with elevated white blood cell counts have been shown to be in a higher risk of developing acute myocardial infarction and acute coronary and vascular events. We review the clinical data of high white blood cell counts and the prognosis, and demonstrate several possible mechanisms. It is possible that measuring white blood cell count and subpopulations could be used for a better way of risk stratification of patients admitted with acute vascular events. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Shea nut color, obtained from nuts of the shea tree (Butyrospermum parkii), is used as a food-coloring agent. Flavonoid pigments are considered to be the responsible constituents. As there have been no reports of toxicological evaluation, a 13-week subchronic toxicity study was performed in Wistar Hannover rats at dose levels of 0 (control), 0.07, 0.31, 1.25 and 5% in powdered basal diet. The average of daily shea nut color intake was 51.3, 226.1, 986.8 and 3775.5 mg/kg/day for males and 56.4, 272.9, 1166.7 and 4387.7 mg/kg/day for females, respectively. During the administration period, daily observation of clinical signs and weekly measurement of body weights and food consumption were performed. After the end of the treatment, hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weight and histopathological examinations were conducted. No significant toxicological changes were observed in any parameters in this study. Hence, the no adverse effect dose of shea nut color was estimated to be greater than 5.0% for both sexes (3775.5 mg/kg/day for males and 4387.7 mg/kg/day for females). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Betapol™ consists of triglyceride fatty acids commonly found in vegetable and animal fats. A similarity to human milk fat indicated a potential use in infant formulae as well as for food use in general. To test the potential for substantial equivalence with a related food grade oil, palm oil, Betapol™ was fed to rats at 15% content in the diet using an augmented two-generation study, in order to obtain information on general (6 months), reproductive and postnatal developmental toxicity in a single study rather than separate studies. For comparison there were two control groups, namely a comparative control fed a diet containing 15% of food grade oil and a negative, or laboratory standard control fed a commercial rodent breeding diet (LAD), containing 2.3–4.7% fat. It was reasoned that if Betapol™ fed groups showed differences from the comparative control in the direction of the negative control these would reflect differences in the nutritional value of the high fat diets. Presence of a toxicant might be indicated by differences from the comparative control group opposite to the negative control group. The group fed 15% Betapol™ showed occasional, statistically significant differences from the comparative control group but the direction of difference was towards the negative control group and did not indicate the presence of an unexpected toxicant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: ObjectivesThe present study investigated the effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and angiotensin II (ANG II) on cardiac remodeling and dysfunction at the early stage of acute myocardial infarction (MI) by using a novel heterotopic cardiac transplantation–coronary ligation model.: BackgroundA recent clinical study has demonstrated a possible role of monocytosis in the development of left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with acute MI reperfusion.: MethodsWe performed isogenic heterotopic cardiac transplantation and simultaneous coronary ligation to produce MI in the donor heart and to evaluate the hearts of both donors and recipients in Lewis rats.: ResultsA significant decrease in LV fractional shortening and positive rate of rise in LV pressure and a significant increase in LV end-diastolic dimension/body weight and LV end-diastolic pressure were observed in the recipient hearts in the ligation group on day 7. TNF-alpha was significantly elevated not only in the plasma but also in the recipient hearts in the ligation group. In contrast, ANG II was significantly increased only in the infarct region of the donor hearts, but not in the plasma. Furthermore, the recipients’ transient LV remodeling and dysfunction were completely abolished by the intravenous administration of a TNF-alpha antagonist.: ConclusionsWe developed a novel cardiac transplantation–coronary ligation model capable of inducing MI in the absence of downstream hemodynamic effects and allowing differential quantification of indexes of cardiac remodeling in vivo, including the local and remote effects of ANG II and TNF-alpha on cardiac remodeling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: ObjectivesThe purposes of the present study were to: 1) determine whether fibrinogen (Fg) is the plasma protein responsible for spontaneous echo contrast (SEC), and 2) investigate modulators of SEC.: BackgroundSpontaneous echo contrast has been linked to the development of thromboemboli. The blood products and their interaction responsible for SEC formation have not been fully elucidated.: MethodsBlood echogenicity was examined with the use of quantitative videodensitometry over a controlled range of flow velocities in an in vitro model. Human blood samples were analyzed in a manner to methodically eliminate individual blood components from whole blood to determine which components are responsible for the formation of SEC.: ResultsThe videodensity (VD) of whole blood was found to be flow-dependent, with higher VD at lower flow rates, and correlated with visually dense SEC. The following blood products produced faint VD values: washed red blood cells (wRBCs), platelet-depleted plasma, Fg, defibrinated plasma, wRBCs plus defibrinated plasma, and physiologic saline. The VD of wRBCs increased incrementally as increasing concentrations of Fg were added. At each hematocrit (Hct) range, as Fg concentration increased, the SEC became denser, and the VD level also increased until a plateau level was reached that was distinct for each Hct. The addition of sialic acid, which inhibits RBC-RBC aggregation, decreased the amount of SEC, even in the presence of Fg.: ConclusionsThese results demonstrated that Fg-mediated RBC aggregation may be responsible for SEC generation. Furthermore, a unique stoichiometric relationship exists between Fg and RBC concentrations that is necessary for blood echogenicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: ObjectivesThis study was designed to determine the relationship between baseline white blood cell (WBC) count and angiographic and clinical outcomes in patients with unstable angina (UA)/non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and to see if WBC count was a significant predictor of outcomes independent of other biomarkers.: BackgroundInflammation has been shown to play a role in atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes.: MethodsWe evaluated the relationship between baseline WBC count, other baseline variables and biomarkers, angiographic findings, and clinical outcomes in 2,208 patients in the Treat angina with Aggrastat and determine Cost of Therapy with an Invasive or Conservative Strategy-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 18 (TACTICS-TIMI 18) trial.: ResultsHigher baseline WBC counts were associated with lower Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grades (p = 0.0045) and TIMI myocardial perfusion grades (p = 0.03) as well as a greater extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) (p < 0.0001). A higher baseline WBC count was predictive of higher six-month mortality, ranging from 1.5% to 3.6% to 5.1% for patients with low, intermediate, and high WBC counts, respectively (p = 0.0017). In a multivariable proportional hazards model, patients with a low C-reactive protein (CRP) but an elevated WBC remained at significantly higher risk of death at six months (hazard ratio [HR] 4.3, p = 0.049), and patients with a high CRP were at even higher risk (HR 8.6, p = 0.004).: ConclusionsIn patients with UA/NSTEMI, elevations in a simple, widely available blood test, the WBC count, were associated with impaired epicardial and myocardial perfusion, more extensive CAD, and higher six-month mortality. After adjustment for traditional risk factors and other biomarkers, assessment of two inflammatory markers, WBC count and CRP, can be used to stratify patients across an eightfold gradation of six-month mortality risk. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the significance of peripheral monocytosis in clinical outcome after reperfused acute myocardial infarction (AMI), especially relating to post-infarct left ventricular (LV) remodeling.: BackgroundPeripheral monocytosis occurs two to three days after AMI, reflecting infiltration of monocytes and macrophages into the necrotic myocardium. However, the prognostic significance of peripheral monocytosis after AMI remains to be determined.: MethodsA total of 149 patients with first Q-wave AMI were studied. White blood cell (WBC) count, percentage of monocytes and serum C-reactive protein level were measured every 24 h for four days after the onset of AMI. We assessed association between peripheral monocytosis and prognosis including pump failure, LV aneurysm and long-term outcome after AMI.: ResultsPatients with pump failure (p < 0.0001) or LV aneurysm (p = 0.005) had higher peak monocyte counts than those without these complications. Predischarge left ventriculography revealed that peak monocyte count was positively correlated with LV end-diastolic volume (p = 0.024) and negatively correlated with ejection fraction (p = 0.023). Multivariate analyses showed that peak monocyte count ≥900/mm3 was an independent determinant of pump failure (relative risk [RR] 9.83, p < 0.0001), LV aneurysm (RR 4.78, p = 0.046) and cardiac events (RR 6.30, p < 0.0001), including readmission for heart failure, recurrent myocardial infarction and cardiac deaths, including sudden deaths.: ConclusionsPeripheral monocytosis is associated with LV dysfunction and LV aneurysm, suggesting a possible role of monocytes in the development of LV remodeling after reperfused AMI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A novel of lab on a disc is designed for the separation of whole-blood components. • The applied strategy is based on the siphon crest height and capillary vales. • Using two DG's allowed clean isolation of the cells without loss or contamination. • The harvested cells easily removed and counted without any troublesome steps. • The centrifugal disk provides an easy, cheap, and quick whole blood analysis. In this study, a new and robust strategy based on a lab-on-a-disc (LOD) platform for isolating human white blood cells (WBCs) from whole blood is presented. Fully automated disc performance is defined based on standard cell separation techniques with density gradient media (DGM). In this centrifugal microfluidic system, capillary and siphon valves' integration controls liquids' flow and handling. The one-step isolation process performed depends on the selective sedimentation on the percoll and no need for labeling. This pattern is achieved without any additional steps of extracellular filtration or cell lysis by optimizing the concentration of percoll media and centrifuge conditions. Five percoll media in the density range of 1.058–1.095 g.ml−1 have made it possible to achieve a cell band with the desired recovery rate and purity. Sedimentation process performed using gradient media, 1.058–1.077, and 1.077–1.088 g.ml−1 at a purity rate of 83% and 96%, respectively, in mononuclear cells (MNCs) and neutrophils isolation has recorded. For having high purity in blood cell analysis, a gradient medium with a density of 1.088 instead of 1.095 g.ml−1 has been used. Thus, the level of red blood cells (RBCs) contamination in the isolated granulocyte layer is effectively reduced. The obtained data prove that cellular viability is maintained during the performed processes, and the number of dead cells is less than 10%. Therefore, the proposed microfluidic disc is the right candidate in a wide range of bioanalysis assays and clinical diagnostics with a meager amount of sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilayered coatings are routinely obtained in non-reactive processes employing multiple sources or in processes with a reactive gas. W-B-C coatings were sputter deposited in an industrial sputtering system in a non-reactive atmosphere onto substrates performing one- and two-axis rotations around a central cylindrical target composed of boron-carbide, tungsten and graphite ring-shaped segments. This study describes the unexpected multilayered structure of W-B-C coatings deposited by even the non-reactive sputtering of a single target. This multilayered structure exhibits a modulation of the chemical composition. While the tungsten content in a layer decreases, the amount of boron and carbon rises. The modulation period corresponds with the calculated thickness increment per one sample revolution around the central cathode. Experiments proved that the chemical composition of a coating and its deposition rate are very sensitive to the substrate position in the chamber. This was attributed to the different transport pathways of heavy (W) and light (C and B) atoms sputtered from the same target, but differently scattered by the working argon gas. • Multi-layered WBC coatings were prepared in an industrial-scale deposition system. • Non-reactive magnetron sputtering of single cylindrical segmented target were used. • Coatings consist of alternating fine layers with higher and lower tungsten content. • Fine layering was induced by substrate planetary motion around central cathode. • Composition of coating is very dependent on position in deposition chamber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]