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Rationale: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) influence tumor cell properties during the onset and progression of lung malignancies; however, their diagnostic and prognostic significance has not been determined. We have previously shown that when non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells acquire a more malignant phenotype (under the influence of macrophagal cytotoxic activity) compared to the original cell lines, the expression of several lncRNAs, in particular PSMB8-AS1, MBNL1-AS1, and OLMALINC, is altered compared to the original cell lines. Aim: A comparative analysis of lncRNAs PSMB8-AS1, MBNL1-AS1, and OLMALINC expression in tissue samples from lung tumors and conditionally normal areas of the lungs and an assessment of the lncRNAs clinical significance. Methods: We have analyzed surgical samples of the tumor and conditionally normal tissue from 16 patients with a verified diagnosis of NSCLC. The expression level of lncRNAs PSMB8-AS1, MBNL1-AS1 and OLMALINC was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. To analyze the long-term treatment results and clinical significance of the studied genes, the patients were divided into two comparison groups depending on the relative level of lncRNAs expression (above or below the median). Results: The expression of lncRNAs PSMB8-AS1, MBNL1-AS1 and OLMALINC in the lung tumor tissue was significantly reduced compared to the conditionally normal tissues (p = 0.0034; p = 0.002 and p = 0.0172, respectively). Analysis of the association between the expression of these lncRNAs with clinical and morphological characteristics, such as disease stage, tumor size, presence of regional and distant metastases was unable to identify any regular patterns. The expression of lncRNAs PSMB8-AS1, MBNL1-AS1 and OLMALINC was not a significant prognostic factor (p = 0.364; p = 0.759 and p = 0.184, respectively). However in the case of high OLMALINC and PSMB8-AS1 expression, median survival was 47 months, while in the case of their low expression, median survival was not achieved during the follow-up. The expression of lncRNA PSMB8-AS1 in NSCLC tumors positively correlated with the expression of lncRNA OLMALINC (r = 0.680, p = 0.007), which may indicate their functional interplay or the presence of common regulatory mechanisms. Conclusion: The NSCLC tumors demonstrated aberrant expression of PSMB8-AS1, MBNL1-AS1, and OLMALINC lncRNAs. A more detailed study of their expression in various cell types and their regulatory role would allow for validation of new therapeutic targets in NSCLC, as well as for development of alternative therapies.

Abstract Background Congenital heart defect (CHD) is the most common congenital abnormality, and it has long been a clinical and public health concern. Our previous findings have found Periostin (POSTN) and Pappalysin-1 (PAPPA) as potential biomarkers for fetal CHD. We aim to further elucidate POSTN's role in fetal heart development and explore the clinical applicability of POSTN and PAPPA as diagnostic marker for fetal CHD. This study is poised to establish a theoretical framework for mitigating the incidence of CHD and advance a novel approach for prenatal screening of fetal CHD. Methods We verified differential expression of POSTN and PAPPA in gravida serum and fetal amniotic fluid based on our previous research. We established the Postn knockout mouse by CRISPR/Cas9 to investigate whether Postn deletion leads to cardiac abnormalities in mice. Besides, we explored the mechanism of POSTN on heart development through Postn knockout mouse model and cell experiments. Finally, we established the logistic regression model and decision curve analysis to evaluate the clinical utility of POSTN and PAPPA in fetal CHD. Results We observed a significant decrease in POSTN and increase in PAPPA in the CHD group. Atrial septal defects occurred in Postn −/− and Postn ± C57BL/6 fetal heart, while ventricular septal defects with aortic saddle were observed in Postn ± C57BL/6 fetal heart. Disruption of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in cardiomyocytes and multiple abnormalities in cellular sub-organelles were observed in Postn knockout mice. POSTN may positively regulate cell behaviors and unsettle ECM via the TGFβ-Smad2/3 signaling pathway. The combination of serum biomarkers POSTN and PAPPA with Echocardiogram can enhance the diagnostic accuracy of CHD. Furthermore, the comprehensive model including POSTN, PAPPA, and two clinical indicators (NT and age) exhibits significantly higher predictive ability than the diagnosis group without the use of serum biomarkers or clinical indicators. Conclusions It is the first evidence that Postn deletion leads to cardiac developmental abnormalities in fetal mice. This may involve the regulation of the TGFβ signaling pathway. Importantly, POSTN and PAPPA possess clinical utility as noninvasive prenatal promising screening indicators of CHD.

AbstractBackground Mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) is useful for risk stratification in patients with sepsis and respiratory infections. The study’s purpose was to assess the available data and determine the association between MR-proADM levels and mortality in COVID-19 participants.Methods A comprehensive literature search of medical electronic databases was performed including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and grey literature for relevant data published from 1 January 2020, to 20 November 2022. Mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.Results Fourteen studies reported MR-proADM levels in survivors vs. non-survivors of COVID-19 patients. Pooled analysis showed that MR-proADM level in the survivor group was 0.841 ± 0.295 nmol/L for patients who survive COVID-19, compared to 1.692 ± 0.761 nmol/L for non-survivors (MD = −0.78; 95%CI: −0.92 to −0.64; p

Introduction: Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) is a term used to describe a reversible syndrome of impaired brain function involving a complex spectrum of non specific neurological and psychiatric manifestations occurring in patients of severe acute or Chronic Liver Disease (CLD). The current clinical standard employed is psychometric analysis by computing Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score (PHES), which is cumbersome to perform. Hence, this necessitates the requirement of a serum biomarker which could correlate with the grades of HE. Following a metabolic injury, the earliest response involving the glial response and astrocyte activation results in the secretion of S100 Beta. Hence, estimation of serum S100 beta levels is considered as a strong marker of Central Nervous System (CNS) injury. Aim: To verify S100 Beta as a marker of HE. Materials and Methods: This was a case-control study conducted from 1st April 2021 to 31st July 2022. All diagnosed cases of cirrhosis of liver in the Medicine Department of a tertiary care hospital of North India. A total of 40 age and sex matched healthy controls were recruited after due consent and application of exclusion criteria. They were subjected to psychometric analysis (Five pen and paper tests) and on basis of PHES were divided into four groups on the basis of grades of encephalopathy. Serum samples of patients were run for all routine biochemical parameters in line with Child Turcotte Pugh (CTP) score and S100 Beta levels estimation. Statistical analysis was done to find correlation between S100 Beta levels, PHES and CTP score. Results: A total of 150 patients and 40 controls were recruited in the study. A progressive deterioration of PHES score was found in the various groups of the study population with worsening of grade of HE. S100 Beta levels correlated with the PHES and also Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the sensitivity of the marker stood at 92.7% and specificity at 84.8%. S100 Beta levels could fairly differentiate between patients with and without HE. Hence, S100 Beta levels correlated more with grades of HE than with hepatic functional status (CTP Score). At higher grades of HE when it becomes more clinically apparent, S100 Beta levels would help, when other causes of behaviour changes like psychiatric illness coexist or cannot be ruled out. In the diagnosis of low-grade HE whenever neuro psychometric tests are suboptimal, or when competing psychiatric differential diagnoses are in place, S100 beta levels would have a role over and above the PHES score. Conclusion: Currently, psychometric analysis holds to be the best clinical standard for diagnosis of HE. S100 Beta holds promising results as a marker for establishing a liquid diagnosis of HE.

Abstract Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that chronically affects patients with episodes of inflammation. New inflammatory hematological markers were investigated for follow‐up, such as the neutrophil–monocyte ratio (NMR), lymphocyte monocyte ratio (LMR), and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR). This study was conducted to determine the most useful marker based on studies of association with RA disease activity and correlation with the classical markers C‐reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and rheumatoid factor (RF). Methods This case‐control study included 62 chronic RA patients who had previously been diagnosed and experienced episodes of symptoms while attending a variety of public and private rheumatology clinics in Ibb City, Republic of Yemen, for the period of September 1 to November 30, 2021. Twenty healthy volunteers were included in this study. Complete blood count, CRP, ESR, and RF levels were measured in all participants. Results The total leukocyte count, neutrophil count, platelet count, NMR, LMR, and NLR were positively correlated with CRP and ESR, but the monocyte count was reversed. The area under the curve (AUC = 0.861, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.769–0.948) for the NMR cutoff value of 4.7 was equal to that of CRP and close to that of ESR. This NMR cutoff value had 87% sensitivity and 80% specificity. LMR and NLR cutoff values of 4.35 and 1.35, respectively, resulted in AUCs of (AUC = 0.807, 95% CI, 0.708–0.905) and (AUC = 0.699, 95% CI, 0.571–0.819); their sensitivity and specificity were 62.3%, 90%, 57.4%, and 80%, respectively. Conclusions As a convenient and low‐cost inflammatory marker of RA activity, NMR outperformed LMR and NLR.

Background: Perinatal asphyxia is a deficiency of blood flowing or gas exchanging to or from the fetusin the timejust earlier, during, or afterward the labour processes. Perinatal asphyxia could result in profound systemic andneurologic sequelae owingtoreducedblood flowing and/or oxygen to a fetus or infant throughout the peripartumtime. Objectives: the aim of the study was toevaluate the role of serum lactate and enzymes in predicting perinatal asphyxia. Patients and methods: the current work was a cross-sectional study performed at Qena University Hospital including 30 cases and 30 controls included of asphyxiated and non-asphyxiated babies respectively. Results: There was a statistically significant change (p < 0.001) among groups regarding levels of serum lactate, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),creatine kinase muscle-brain fraction (CK-MB),aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase(ALT). Conclusion:Perinatal asphyxia is a fundamental driver of neonatal death and long haul neurological harm still without prescient diagnostics, preventive as well as treatment of agreement.Estimation of lactate,CK-MB,LDH,AST, and ALTcould be utilized as a biomarker for diagnosing of perinatal asphyxia.

Introduction Research results show that one of the greatest health challenges of the 21st century, especially in developed countries, is becoming the fight against the effects of living too fast, including the fight against occupational stress and burnout. Aim of the study The purpose of this article is to elucidate the neurophysiological determinants of occupational stress and burnout, including ocupational, including through the path of research review and the development of computational models based on artificial intelligence. Materials and methods A literature search was conducted in six bibliographic databases: PubMed, EBSCO, PEDro, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. Articles were searched in English using the following keywords: occupational stress, burnout, marker, electroencephalography, EEG, magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, fMRI, computed tomography, CT, positron emission tomography, PET, computational model, machine learning, artificial intelligence, virtual patient, digital twin and similar. Neurophysiological determinants of occupational stress and burnout as far as computational models of occupational stress and burnout were analysed and discussed. Results The best currently observed neurophysiological markers of occupational stress and burnout may currently be a combination of EEG analysis (alpha power (IAF, PAF), P300, ERP (VPP and EPN)), diagnostic PET imaging (ACC, insular cortex and hippocampus) and monitoring changes in cortisol, prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and thyroid hormones, as well as plasma BDNF levels. In addition, ERPs (LPPs) are a marker significantly differentiating burnout from depression. Conclusions The combination of traditional clinimetric tests, the aforementioned neurophysiological tests and AI-based big data analysis will provide new classifiers, highly accurate results and new diagnostic methods.

Objective To analyze the effect of SLC4A10 expression on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)by bioinformatics, and to confirm its expression in HCC tissue and normal tissue. Methods The expression of SLC4A10 in HCC and in normal tissues was analyzed by TCGA database, and verified by real-time quantitative PCR. Kaplan-Meier(K-M) curve was applied to assess survival profile . Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to address the influence of independent factors on overall survival(OS)and disease free survival (DFS). PPI database was used to construct protein interaction network and function enrichment analysis was used to explore the regulatory mechanism of SLC4A10 in HCC. Results Significantly decreased transcriptional SLC4A10 expression was found in HCC samples. Decreased SLC4A10 mRNA expression was significantly associated with advanced pathological parameters and with shorter OS and DFS in TCGA cohorts. Functional annotations indicated that SLC4A10 was involved in the most significant hallmarks including transepithelial transport, cell volume homeostasis and sodium ion import across plasma membrane. Conclusions The decreased SLC4A10 expression is significantly correlated with aggressive progression and poor survival of HCC patients. These data suggest that SLC4A10 may act as a promising prognostic marker or therapeutic target in HCC.

(1) Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome are associated with decreased vitamin D. In contrast, high pro-neurotensin (pro-NT) levels are linked with an increased risk of T2DM and cardiovascular disease. We aimed to determine the validity of pro-NT and 25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 levels as predictors for T2DM complications; (2) Methods: One hundred T2DM, and one hundred healthy volunteers participated in this case-control study. Their Pro-NT and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were evaluated using the ELISA technique; (3) Results: Pro-NT and 25 (OH) vitamin D3 have significant validity and accuracy in T2DM prediction, 84.5%, and 90.5%, respectively (p = 0.001). At a value of 124 Pmol/L, Pro-NT showed 81% sensitivity and 88% specificity in predicting T2DM. At a value of 16.5, 25-Hydroxy vitamin D3 had 78.4% sensitivity and 68.3% specificity in predicting T2DM complications. At a value of >158 pmol/L, Pro-NT predicted T2DM complications with 67.6% sensitivity and 56.0% specificity; (4) Conclusions: 25 (OH) Vit D3 and Pro-NT could identify T2DM patients and predict T2DM complications. More extensive research is required to adequately validate this novel perspective with a large population study.

Introduction: Severe Acute Respiratory Disease-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel virus first detected in December 2019 causing the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) which has evolved into a pandemic rapidly. In patients who become symptomatic, 5% require oxygen and 15% develop severe disease ranging from respiratory failure to sepsis and septic shock. Severe COVID-19 infection is associated with high mortality. Hypoalbuminaemia is a negative acute phase reactant which has been associated with inflammatory response and poor outcome in infectious diseases. Hypoalbuminaemia is found in patients with severe COVID-19 disease. Aim: To assess the prognostic value of hypoalbuminaemia on severity and mortality of patients with COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods: The present retrospective cohort study analysed data of 200 consecutive patients, with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 admitted, discharged or diseased between the period of April 2021 to June 2021. They were further classified as severe and non severe, survivors and non survivors based on Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) levels as per World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria and based on survival status of the patients. Hypoalbuminaemia was defined as serum albumin

The roles of anti-inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of severe malaria have been widely studied, and the role of IL-10 in the pathogenesis of severe malaria remains unclear. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the difference in IL-10 levels between patients with severe malaria and those with non-severe malaria. The search for relevant studies was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Embase from 1 February 2022 to 12 February 2022. The quality of the included studies was assessed according to the guidelines of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. The random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled effect. In all, 1215 studies were identified, and 19 were included in the quantitative syntheses. The results showed that patients with severe malaria had a higher IL-10 level than those with non-severe malaria (p = 0.03, pooled standardized mean difference: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.08–1.40, I2: 97.22%, 19 studies/21 sub studies). The meta-analysis results demonstrated increased IL-10 levels in patients with severe malaria compared with those with non-severe malaria. However, with the heterogeneity of the meta-analysis results, further studies are required to confirm the changes in the IL-10 levels according to the severity of malaria and to investigate whether a combination of other severity parameters with IL-10 levels could be an alternative marker for severe malaria.

Abstract Abstract Background, Breast cancer (BC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths in Iran. This high ratio of mortality had a rising trend during the recent years which is probably associated with late diagnosis. Main body Therefore it is critical to define a unique panel of genetic markers for the early detection among our population. In present review we summarized all of the reported significant genetic markers among Iranian BC patients for the first time, which are categorized based on their cellular functions. Conclusions This review paves the way of introducing a unique ethnic specific panel of diagnostic markers among Iranian BC patients. Indeed, this review can also clarify the genetic and molecular bases of BC progression among Iranians.

Introduction: Pre-Eclampsia (PE) is the common multisystem disorder which complicates the pregnancies 3-8% and a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Aim: To determine the correlation of placental growth factor with PE in mid trimester of pregnancy at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro. Materials and Methods: This Case-Control study was performed at Pathology Department with Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro/Hyderabad, during 12 months, from 6th February, 2017 to 5th February 2018. Pregnant women with mid trimester were enrolled in the study. Group A included females with PE, while Group B were normotensive females of same gestation. Their blood sample were collected and stored at -80°. Level of placental growth factor was measured on Elecsys system. Data was analysed via Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: Total 384 PE females were selected and 50 females without hypertension were studied as control. Mean age of patients was 27.46±3.91 years. No significant variance was seen between mean of gestational age of patients and normal pregnant females; p-value 0.346. Mean of placental growth factor was insignificantly decreased 35.21±31.68 pg/mL among patients in contrast to normal women as 47.23±56.13 pg/mL, p=0.081. A negative correlation was found between blood pressure and placental growth factor, r-values -0.004 and -0.001, respectively. Conclusion: It was concluded that serum placental growth factor was the poor marker for PE, as it showed weak negative correlation with PE.

For populations with a high risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Guangdong province in southern China, mass screening is the first choice to prevent death from NPC. To improve the performance of NPC screening, we used a combination based on the IgA antibody against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) capsid antigen (VCA-IgA) and the IgA antibody against Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1-IgA) to NPC screening by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A multiplication model was applied to measure the level of the combination. We evaluated the NPC screening effect of the markers.A case-control study was performed to assess the NPC screening effect of the markers. A total of 10,894 serum specimens were collected, including 554 samples from NPC patients and 10,340 samples from healthy controls. In the training stage, 640 subjects were randomly selected, including 320 NPC cases and 320 healthy controls. In the verification stage, 10,254 subjects were used to verify the NPC screening effect of the combination. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. In the verification stage, the combination achieved an sensitivity of 91.45%, a specificity of 93.45%, and an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.978 (95% CI [0.968–0.987]). Compared with VCA-IgA and EBNA1-IgA individually, the combination had an improved screening performance. A probability (PROB) calculated by logistic regression model based on VCA-IgA and EBNA1-IgA was applied to NPC screening by ELISA in China. The AUC of the combination was a little bit larger than the PROB. There was a slight increase (3.13%) in the sensitivity of the combination compared to the sensitivity of the PROB, while the specificity was lower for the combination (92.50%) than for the PROB (95.94%). We successfully applied a combination of two ELISA tests based on VCA-IgA and EBNA1-IgA for NPC screening by using a multiplication model. The results suggested that the combination was effective and can be an option for NPC screening.

Background Soft tissue artifacts (STAs) are a source of error in marker-based gait analysis in dogs. While some studies have revealed the existence of STAs in the canine hindlimb, STAs and their influence on kinematic gait analysis remain unclear. Methods Thirteen healthy Taiwan dogs affixed with twenty skin markers on the thigh and crus were recruited. Soft tissue artifacts and their influence on the determination of segment poses and stifle angles were assessed by simultaneously measuring marker trajectories and kinematics of the underlying bones via a model-based fluoroscopic analysis method. Results Markers on the thigh showed higher STAs than those on the crus, with root-mean-square amplitudes up to 15.5 mm. None of the tested marker clusters were able to accurately reproduce the skeletal poses, in which the maximum root-mean-square deviations ranged from 3.4° to 8.1°. The use of markers resulted in overestimated stifle flexion during 40–60% of the gait cycle and underestimated stifle flexion during 80–90% of the gait cycle. Conclusions Considerable magnitudes and effects of STAs on the marker-based 3D gait analysis of dogs were demonstrated. The results indicate that the development of error-compensation techniques based on knowledge regarding STAs is warranted for more accurate gait analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Lung cancer is a disorder that is caused by genetic and epigenetic changes and activates oncogenes and inactivates tumor suppressor genes. The aim of this study is to quantitative evaluation of EGFR and FGFR4 genes expression level in blood samples of lung cancer in compare with normal people to investigate the role of these two genes as biomarkers during lung cancer diagnosis and screening. METHODS: This case-control study was performed on 50 blood samples of lung cancer patients compared with 50 normal controls.. Total RNA from Blood samples were extracted and cDNA is synthesized. The specific primers for detection of markers are designed and expression level of BRIP1, PALB2 in presence of gene GAPDH by using Real Time PCR method was quantitatively studied. FINDINGS: Significant increase was observed in the expression of target biomarkers in cancer patients compared to control population. Results showed quantitative increase of FGFR4 and EGFR genes with 4.46 and 3.03 fold respectively for lung cancer in compare with normal samples (p=0.003). Also, there was a significant relationship between grade of the disease and biomarkers expression level, so that with increasing the stage and degree of severity of cancer, the expression of biomarkers increased (p=0.003). CONSLUSION: Based on this study results we could predict the expression level of (EGFR, FGFR4) gens in suffered patients quantitatively which could use as biomarker indicator during screening of lung cancer samples.

Abstract Background Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women worldwide. Recent studies have provided strong support for the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis, which suggests that many cancers, including breast cancer, are driven by a subpopulation of cells that display stem cell-like properties. The hypothesis that a subpopulation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) possesses many CSC-like hallmarks is reinforced by the expression of related molecular markers between these two cell populations. The aim of this study is to systematically review primary studies and identify circulating CSC markers in breast cancer patients. Methods and design Relevant observational studies evaluating the expression of circulating breast cancer stem cell markers through October 31, 2016, will be searched in PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar with no restriction on language. Full copies of articles identified by the search and considered to meet the inclusion criteria will be obtained for data extraction and synthesis. Two quality assessment tools will be used for evaluating observational studies like case control, which are the Hoy et al. suggested tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), respectively. Publication bias will be assessed by funnel plots or Egger’s test (i.e., plots of study results against precision), and data synthesis will be performed using Stata software (Stata Corp V.12, TX, USA).This systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Discussion Detecting cancer stem cells in blood will help clinicians to monitor cancer patients by obtaining as many samples as needed with a non-invasive method and in any stages; it is not possible to repeat sampling on working on tissue samples. By identifying cancer stem cells early in blood, it will be possible to distinguish metastasis in early stages. Systematic review registration CRD42016043810

Thin mechanically stable Ti-cages have been developed for the in-vivo application as X-ray and histology markers for the optimized evaluation of pre-clinical performance of bone graft materials. A metallic frame defines the region of interest during histological investigations and supports the identification of the defect site. This standardization of the procedure enhances the quality of pre-clinical experiments. Different models of thin metallic frameworks were designed and produced out of titanium by additive manufacturing (Selective Laser Melting). The productibility, the mechanical stability, the handling and suitability of several frame geometries were tested during surgery in artificial and in ex-vivo bone before a series of cages was preclinically investigated in the female Göttingen minipigs model. With our novel approach, a flexible process was established that can be adapted to the requirements of any specific animal model and bone graft testing.

Aim: We aimed to investigate the increase in values of red cell distribution width (RDW) and also the dependence of RDW on leukocyte count (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) values in acute appendicitis (AA).Materials and Methods: This study includes data collected from 407 patients who were admitted between January 2012 and July 2014 to the emergency service and underwent an operation owing to a diagnosis of AA confirmed by a pathology report. These patients were divided into two groups, namely, non-complicated and complicated appendicitis, according to the results of the operation. The control group consisted of 100 adult patients with similar complaints not having acute abdominal conditions. The age, gender, and WBC, RDW, and CRP levels of the patients on admission were recorded retrospectively.Results: A total of 350 (86%) of the patient group were diagnosed with non-complicated appendicitis, 34 (8.4%) with plastron appendicitis, and 23 (5.6%) with perforated appendicitis. No significant difference was observed with respect to WBC, RDW, and CRP levels between the AA groups (p>0.05). The WBC, RDW, and CRP values were found to be significantly different in the AA groups from the control group (p

Background: Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the most common acute optic neuropathy in patients over the age of 50 and is the second most common cause of permanent optic nerve-related visual loss in adults after glaucoma. Although the precise cause of NAION remains elusive, the etiology of NAION is believed to be multifactorial. Aims: To evaluate the utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a simple and readily available prognostic factor for clinical disease activity in patients with NAION. Study Design: Case-control study. Methods: Forty-five patients with the diagnosis of NAION and 50 age- and sex-matched controls with/without any systemic or ocular diseases except cataract were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Demographic characteristics and laboratory findings including complete blood count of all patients and control subjects were obtained from the electronic medical record. The neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were recorded and the NLR was calculated. Results: White blood cell, neutrophil, NLR and platelet values of the NAION patients were significantly higher than those of the controls (p

Circular RNA (circRNA) is an endogenous noncoding RNA with a covalently closed cyclic structure. Based on their components, circRNAs are divided into exonic circRNAs, intronic circRNAs, and exon-intron circRNAs. CircRNAs have well-conserved sequences and often have high stability due to their resistance to exonucleases. Depending on their sequence, circRNAs are involved in different biological functions, including microRNA sponge activity, modulation of alternative splicing or transcription, interaction with RNA-binding proteins, and rolling translation, and are a derivative of pseudogenes. CircRNAs are involved in the development of a variety of pathological conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurological diseases, and cancer. Emerging evidence has shown that circRNAs are likely to be new potential clinical diagnostic markers or treatments for many diseases. Here we describe circRNA research methods and biological functions, and discuss the potential relationship between circRNAs and disease progression.

Wheat stem rust, caused by Puccinia granimis f. sp. tritici, severely affects wheat production, but it has been effectively controlled in China since the 1970s. However, the appearance and spread of wheat stem rust races Ug99 (TTKSK, virulence to Sr31), TKTTF (virulence to SrTmp) and TTTTF (virulence to the cultivars carrying Sr9e and Sr13) have received attention. It is important to clarify the effectiveness of resistance genes in a timely manner, especially for the purpose of using new resistance genes in wheat cultivars for durable-resistance. However, little is known about the stem rust resistance genes present in widely used wheat cultivars from Gansu. This study aimed to determine the resistance level at the seedling stage of the main wheat cultivars in Gansu Province. A secondary objective was to assess the prevalence of Sr2, Sr24, Sr25, Sr26, Sr31, and Sr38 using molecular markers. The results of the present study indicated that 38 (50.7%) wheat varieties displayed resistance to all the tested races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici. The molecular marker analysis showed that 13 out of 75 major wheat cultivars likely carried Sr2; 25 wheat cultivars likely carried Sr31; and nine wheat cultivars likely carried Sr38. No cultivar was found to have Sr25 and Sr26, as expected. Surprisingly, no wheat cultivars carried Sr24. The wheat lines with known stem rust resistance genes could be used as donor parent for further breeding programs.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Our understanding of the effects of ionizing radiation on cells and cellular responses to radiation could result in the more effective use of radiation to treat cancer and reduce further complications of radiation therapy more efficiently. In this review article, the effects of ionizing radiation used in radiation on cells and biochemical pathways induced by radiation are discussed with emphasis on its clinical significance. METHODS: In a review article, the biological effects of ionizing radiation and their clinical importance were searched in databases of NCBI, Scopus and Magiran using key words such as ionizing radiation, biological effect, response to radiotherapy and microRNAs . The resulting papers were used in studying the biological effects of ionizing radiation, the reaction of patients to radiation and microRNAs. FINDINGS: The most significant component damaged in the ionizing radiation treatment of cells is DNA. The ability of cancer cells to repair DNA damage is very low. Thus, DNA lesions are not usually repaired and are transmitted to the next generation. The accumulation of mutations might lead to of the reduction of cell division or death of the cancer cell. In addition, ionizing radiation damages biological membranes. The phase of the cell cycle in which the cell is essentially affects its sensitivity to ionizing radiation. Finally, in response to radiation, different biochemical pathways are activated in the cells. CONCLUSION: By understanding the biochemical pathways involved in the response to ionizing radiation, the markers of sensitivity to radiotherapy could be determined. These markers are important for the appropriate use in radiotherapy and achieving success in treatment. They could also be used to increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to ionizing radiation and reduce the sensitivity of normal cells. Using these markers will enable us to increase the efficiency of radiotherapy and reduce damage to healthy tissues to a minimum.

Beta 2 microglobulin is a known marker used in the follow up and monitoring therapy of patients with hematological malignancies. However, its assistant role in the diagnosis of some of them, like lymphomas is less highlighted. Thus, this study was designed as a part of a larger, wide scale study, to clarify the help of B2MG in the support of the diagnosis of different types of lymphoma. A total of 669 newly diagnosed, pre-treated lymphoma cases were investigated for B2MG using the ELFA/mini VIDAS system and the results showed an elevated level of B2MG among both Hodgkin & non-Hodgkin, adults and childhood and nodal and extranodal lymphomas, with a significant increase among non-Hodgkin and extranodal type of lymphomas, a finding that may make its use as a diagnostic marker is helpful. Those results were comparable to some and contradicting to other studies. Further future studies are in need to consolidate this.

Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS) is a post-infectious acute autoimmune polyradiculopathy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) total protein level and plasma neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are related with autoimmune response. We aimed to reach a prognostic indicator for GBS by using electrophysiological findings, protein level of CSF, and plasma NLR based on Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score data. Cases who met diagnostic criteria of GBS and followed at least six months were enrolled in the study. Nerve conduction study (NCS) and lumbar puncture were performed one week after symptom onset. Routine CSF findings and complete blood count were recorded. Plasma NLR was calculated as the ratio of neutrophil cell count to lymphocyte cell count. All patients received intravenous immunoglobulin. MRC sum scores were calculated on administration time (1st) and six months later (2nd) for evaluation of recovery. Mean values of baseline CSF protein level, NCS parameters and NLR were compared with mean scores of MRC1st and MRC2nd. Increased CSF protein levels showed negative correlation with MRC2nd scores but no correlation with NCS. Increased NLR levels were positively correlated with age, MRC2nd scores and NCS. Facial diplegia was observed in 42% of patients. A positive correlation was found between high level of NLR and MRC1st, and there was no relationship with MRC2nd. Regression analyses showed that only CSF protein level was an independent factor on both MRC1st and MRC2nd. A positive association was found between baseline data included young age high plasma NLR, low level of CSF protein and good prognosis in our study. Also a positive correlation was found between high level of NLR and baseline disability in GBS cases with facial diplegia. Calculation of NLR is an easy and inexpensive method. On the other hand it may be influenced by age and immunotherapy. Our results showed that CSF protein level is still a liable parameter for prognosis. NLR could be a candidate prognostic marker of GBS cases. Further investigations including more cases are needed.

Disturbance from the normal developmental trajectory of a trait during growth—the so-called developmental instability—can be observed morphologically through phenodeviants and subtle deviations from perfect symmetry (fluctuating asymmetry). This study investigates the relationship between phenodeviance in the human vertebral column (as a result of axial patterning defects) and limb fluctuating asymmetry. Since both types of markers of developmental instability have been found associated with congenital abnormalities in humans, we anticipate a relationship between them if the concept of developmental instability, measured through either phenodeviants or asymmetry, would reflect an organism-wide process. Yet we did not find any support for this hypothesis. We argue that the vast differences in the developmental processes involved in both systems renders these two markers of developmental instability unrelated, in spite of their associations with other congenital abnormalities. Our results thus contribute to the growing awareness that developmental instability is not an organism-wide property.

The work analyzes the scientific works of foreign and domestic scientists over the past 10 years, devoted to the study of buccal epithelium in various pathological conditions. It has been established that the BE study is becoming more popular because it is non-invasive, painless and highly informative, and is characterized by the convenience of collecting the material. Currently, there are two main areas of research: the first is based on the study of changes in intracellular microelectrophoresis and electrokinetic activity of cells of the BE; The second - on the selection and study of markers in the dynamics, specific for specific diseases. Both directions can be promising for the diagnosis of various pathological conditions of organs and systems.

Stwardnienie rozsiane (łac. sclerosis multiplex, SM) zaliczane jest do częstych przewlekłych chorób ośrodkowego układu nerwowego wiążących się z postępującą niepełnosprawnością. Dotyczy zwykle osób pomiędzy 20. a 40.rokiem życia, przy czym dwukrotnie częściej chorują kobiety. Mimo wieloletnich badań nadal bardzo mało wiemy na temat patogenezy tej choroby. Klinicznie można wyróżnić cztery jej postaci, do najczęściej występujących należą postać rzutowo-remisyjna, wtórnie postępująca oraz pierwotnie postępująca. Patogeneza SM jest procesem bardzo skomplikowanym, biorą w nim udział m.in.: uszkodzenie bariery krew–mózg oraz bariery krew – płyn mózgowo-rdzeniowy, wtórny przerost astrogleju, toczący się proces zapalny i szeroko pojęta neurodegeneracja. Szczególną rolę w rozwoju SM, głównie na jego wczesnym etapie, odgrywa proces zapalny, w którym biorą udział różne subpopulacje komórek zapalnych. Dotychczasowe badania wskazują na szczególny udział w tym procesie czynnika martwicy nowotworów alfa (TNF-α) zaliczanego do cytokin prozapalnych. Cel badania: Celem niniejszej pracy była analiza stężenia TNF-α w osoczu pacjentów z SM w rzucie i remisji choroby oraz jego korelacja z parametrami klinicznymi przebiegu choroby w celu oceny roli TNF-α jako potencjalnego markera zaawansowania SM. Poszukując najważniejszych producentów TNF-α we krwi chorych z SM, analizowano również związek pomiędzy stężeniem TNF-α w osoczu i liczebnością leukocytów we krwi oraz ich subpopulacji. Materiał i metodyka: W badaniu wzięło udział 37 pacjentów z grup badanych (20 w grupie z rzutem i 17 w grupie z remisją choroby) oraz 30 osób z grupy kontrolnej. Od pacjentów pobrano do odpowiednich probówek krew żylną w ilości 4 ml. Wirowano ją (5000 rpm, 20 min, 23ºC), a następnie ostrożnie usuwano górną warstwę z osoczem, zabezpieczano i przechowywano w temperaturze –80ºC do czasu wykonywania oznaczeń. Do oznaczenia poziomu TNF-α w osoczu wykorzystano metodę ELISA. Wyniki i wnioski: We wstępnym badaniu nie wykazano istotnego wzrostu stężenia TNF-α w osoczu pacjentów z SM zarówno w rzucie, jak i w remisji. Zaawansowanie choroby (oceniane w skali EDSS) u osób z SM wykazało nieistotną statystycznie dodatnią korelację ze stężeniem TNF-α w osoczu pacjentów w grupie z rzutem oraz grupie w remisji. W podgrupie pacjentów z remisją SM, posiadających niskie poziomy TNF-α w osoczu (