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This study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness, safety and efficacy of two surgical tissue extraction methods for treating bowel endometriosis: natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) and minilaparotomy. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Research. Out of 1,236 identified studies, six met the inclusion criteria, comprising 372 patients. One study was a randomized controlled trial, and five were observational. Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction (NOSE) vs. Minilaparotomy and a subgroup analysis for Full Laparoscopic (L/S) NOSE vs. Minilaparotomy. Operation duration did not significantly differ between NOSE and minilaparotomy (MD: -10.85 min; 95% CI: [-23.33, 1.63]; p =.09). NOSE was associated with a significantly reduced length of hospital stay (MD: -0.76 day; 95% CI: [-1.21, -0.31]; p =.008). The major postoperative complication rates were 3.77% for NOSE and 5.55% for minilaparotomy, with no significant difference (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: [0.27, 2.60]; p =.76). Subgroup analysis revealed that Full L/S had significantly shorter operation duration (MD: -26.06 min; 95% CI: [-45.85, -6.27]; p =.01), reduced length of stay (MD: -0.75 day; 95% CI: [-1.25, -0.25]; p =.003), and lower blood loss (MD: -15.01 mL; 95% CI: [-29.64, -0.37]; p =.04) NOSE emerged as a potentially safer alternative to minilaparotomy for tissue extraction in colectomy for bowel endometriosis. However, standardization of the procedure and additional randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prawn is one of the major sources of shellfish allergens, which will induce mild to severe allergic reactions. Aim: The objective of this study was to predict putative allergens and its characteristics present in Marsupenaeus japonicus through an in silico approach. Materials And Methods: In this present study, in silico tools, RaptorX, Bepipred Linear Epitope and Parker Hydrophilicity Prediction method, and MHC2Pred were used to predict the putative and cross-reactive allergens, tertiary and secondary structures, B-cell linear epitopes, and T-cell epitopes, respectively. Results: As a result, eight putative and cross-reactive allergens including tropomyosin fast isoform, arginine kinase, sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein, myosin light chain, chymotrypsin like proteinase, superoxide dismutase, cathepsin B, and trypsin were predicted by analyzing the protein sequences of M. japonicus. Furthermore, five amino acids (Ala, Ser, Asn, Gly, and Lys) play a vital role in immunoglobulin E binding allergenic epitope. At least one of them was found in the predicted B-cell epitope for each of the predicted putative allergens. Moreover, the predicted T-cell epitopes were highly associated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DRB1*0101 and HLA-DRB1*0901 alleles while mediating T-cell immune responses. Conclusion: These results can be utilized to contribute in peptide immunotherapy and reduce the allergic diseases related to shellfish.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent form of cancer, after lung cancer and breast cancer, with the second highest death incidence. Over the years, natural compounds have been explored as an alternative to conventional cancer therapies such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Curcumin, an active constituent of turmeric has been associated with various health benefits. It has gained much attention as an anticancer agent due to its ability to regulate multiple cell signaling pathways, including NF-κB, STAT3, activated protein-1 (AP-1), epidermal growth response-1 (Egr-1), and p53, which are crucial in cancer development and progression. Nevertheless, the clinical application of curcumin is greatly restricted because of its low water solubility, poor oral absorption, and rapid metabolism. These issues have led to the development of curcumin nanoformulations to overcome the limitations of the compound. Nanotechnology-based delivery systems have been widely used in improving the delivery of poorly-water soluble drugs. Besides, these systems also come with the added benefits of possible cellular targeting and improvement in cellular uptake. An ideal improved formulation should display a greater anticancer activity compared to free curcumin, and at the same time be non-toxic to the normal cells. In this review, we focus on the design and development of various nanoformulations to deliver curcumin for use in CRC such as liposomes, micelles, polymer nanoparticles, nanogels, cyclodextrin complexes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), phytosomes, and gold nanoparticles. We also discuss the current pre-clinical and clinical evidences of curcumin nanoformulations in CRC therapy, analyse the research gap, and address the future direction of this research area.

In recent years, DNA vaccines have undergone a number of technological advancements that have incited renewed interest and heightened promise in the field. Two such improvements are the use of genetically engineered cytokine adjuvants and plasmid delivery via in vivo electroporation (EP), the latter of which has been shown to increase antigen delivery by nearly 1000-fold compared to naked DNA plasmid delivery alone. Both strategies, either separately or in combination, have been shown to augment cellular and humoral immune responses in not only mice, but also in large animal models. These promising results, coupled with recent clinical trials that have shown enhanced immune responses in humans, highlight the bright prospects for DNA vaccines to address many human diseases.

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological condition that affects a significant portion of women of reproductive age, leading to debilitating symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Despite advancements in diagnosis and management, patient education remains a critical challenge. With the rapid growth of digital platforms, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a potential tool to enhance patient education and access to information., Objective: This systematic review aims to explore the role of AI in facilitating education and improving information accessibility for individuals with endometriosis., Methods: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure rigorous and transparent reporting. We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed; Embase; the Regional Online Information System for Scientific Journals of Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal (LATINDEX); Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Xplore, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials using the terms "endometriosis" and "artificial intelligence." Studies were selected based on their focus on AI applications in patient education or information dissemination regarding endometriosis. We included studies that evaluated AI-driven tools for assessing patient knowledge and addressed frequently asked questions related to endometriosis. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted independently by 2 authors, with discrepancies resolved through consensus., Results: Out of 400 initial search results, 11 studies met the inclusion criteria and were fully reviewed. We ultimately included 3 studies, 1 of which was an abstract. The studies examined the use of AI models, such as ChatGPT (OpenAI), machine learning, and natural language processing, in providing educational resources and answering common questions about endometriosis. The findings indicated that AI tools, particularly large language models, offer accurate responses to frequently asked questions with varying degrees of sufficiency across different categories. AI's integration with social media platforms also highlights its potential to identify patients' needs and enhance information dissemination., Conclusions: AI holds promise in advancing patient education and information access for endometriosis, providing accurate and comprehensive answers to common queries, and facilitating a better understanding of the condition. However, challenges remain in ensuring ethical use, equitable access, and maintaining accuracy across diverse patient populations. Future research should focus on developing standardized approaches for evaluating AI's impact on patient education and exploring its integration into clinical practice to enhance support for individuals with endometriosis., (©Juliana Almeida Oliveira, Karine Eskandar, Emre Kar, Flávia Ribeiro de Oliveira, Agnaldo Lopes da Silva Filho. Originally published in JMIR AI (https://ai.jmir.org), 30.10.2024.)

Background: Thiazole derivatives are gaining prominence in cancer research due to their potent anti-cancer effects and multifaceted biological activities. In leukemia research, these compounds are particularly studied for their ability to induce apoptosis, disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and modulate cell signaling pathways., Methods and Results: This study investigates the efficacy of 4-Methylthiazole in inducing apoptosis in HL-60 leukemia cells. Apoptosis was quantified via flow cytometry using FITC Annexin V and propidium iodide staining. Mitochondrial disruption was evaluated through alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) as measured by the JC-1 assay. The compound significantly disrupted MMP, activated Caspase-3, and induced the release of Cytochrome C, all of which are critical markers of apoptosis (****p < 0.0001, ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05). Additionally, treatment with 4-Methylthiazole markedly reduced CD45 and CD123 surface markers, indicating significant phenotypic alterations in leukemia cells (****p < 0.0001). High-dose treatment with 4-Methylthiazole significantly increased ROS levels, suggesting elevated oxidative stress and the presence of intracellular free radicals, contributing to its cytotoxic effects (*p < 0.05). A significant rise in TNF-α levels was observed post-treatment, indicating a pro-inflammatory response that may further inhibit leukemia cell viability. While IL-6 levels remained unchanged, a dose-dependent decrease in IL-10 levels was noted, suggesting a reduction in immunosuppressive conditions within the tumor microenvironment (*p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Overall, 4-Methylthiazole targets leukemia cells through multiple apoptotic mechanisms and modifies the immune landscape of the tumor microenvironment, enhancing its therapeutic potential. This study highlights the need for further clinical investigation to fully exploit the potential of thiazole derivatives in leukemia treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

In our study, we aimed to examine possible prophylactic (P) or therapeutic (T) effects of boric acid (BA) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced liver and kidney damages. Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups as control, LPS, BAP+LPS, and LPS+BAT. BA was given orally to the rats one hour before the intraperitoneal LPS administration in the BAP+LPS group and one hour after the LPS administration in the LPS+BAT group. Malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, reduced glutathione (GSH), total oxidant and antioxidant status (TOS and TAS), semaphorin-3A (SEMA3A), cytochrome c (CYCS), and caspase-3 (CASP3) parameters were determined by ELISA method to monitor inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in the liver and kidney tissues of rats. In addition, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), urea, creatinine (CREA), C-reactive protein (CRP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), glucose (GLU), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and chlorine (Cl) biochemical parameters were measured in rat serums to monitor liver and kidney functions. Liver and kidney tissues were also examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically. All data were statistically analyzed. Our histological, biochemical, inflammatory, oxidative stress, and apoptotic findings showed that LPS causes serious damage to liver and kidney tissues. Boric acid application brought about significant improvements on the parameters. However, this improvement was seen in the BAP+LPS group, and the results of the LPS+BAT group were insufficient to improve. Our results showed that boric acid administration is effective on severe liver and kidney damage caused by LPS. It has been concluded that prophylactic application is more effective, while therapeutic application is insufficient., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: This study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness, safety and efficacy of 2 surgical tissue extraction methods for treating bowel endometriosis: natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) and minilaparotomy., Data Sources: A systematic search was conducted in MedLine, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases in October 2023, without date restrictions., Methods of Study Selection: This study included studies that directly compared NOSE and minilaparotomy in colectomy patients due to endometriosis. Primary outcomes were defined as operation duration, length of hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, and major postoperative complication rates. The Clavien-Dindo classification was used to categorize complications. Statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager Software by Cochrane, with a DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model to account for anticipated high heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis was conducted for patients undergoing full laparoscopic (L/S) resection., Tabulation, Integration and Results: Out of 1236 identified studies, 6 met the inclusion criteria, comprising 372 patients. One study was a randomized controlled trial, and 5 were observational. Operation duration did not significantly differ between NOSE and minilaparotomy (MD: -10.85 min; 95% CI: [-23.33, 1.63]; p = .09). NOSE was associated with a significantly reduced length of hospital stay (MD: -0.76 day; 95% CI: [-1.21, -0.31]; p = .008). The major postoperative complication rates were 3.77% for NOSE and 5.55% for minilaparotomy, with no significant difference (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: [0.27, 2.60]; p = .76). Subgroup analysis revealed that Full L/S had significantly shorter operation duration (MD: -26.06 min; 95% CI: [-45.85, -6.27]; p = .01), reduced length of stay (MD: -0.75 day; 95% CI: [-1.25, -0.25]; p = .003), and lower blood loss (MD: -15.01 mL; 95% CI: [-29.64, -0.37]; p = .04)., Conclusion: NOSE emerged as a potentially safer alternative to minilaparotomy for tissue extraction in colectomy for bowel endometriosis. However, standardization of the procedure and additional randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings., (Copyright © 2024 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy. It has classically been described as having a bimodal incidence by age. We sought to identify whether the bimodal incidence distribution still exists for osteosarcoma using the SEER and NIS databases., Methods: Incidence rates of primary osteosarcoma between 2000-2021 were analyzed by age at diagnosis, year of occurrence, sex, and tumor site from the SEER Research Data, 17 Registries, Nov 2023 Sub (2000-2021). The incidence of cases in 35-64 year-olds and 65 and above was compared statistically to determine if there is an increased incidence in the later ages. Incidence of tumors of the long bones of the lower limbs from the NIS discharge database 2012-2019 was also analyzed for comparison., Results: Overall, 5,129 cases of osteosarcoma were reported in the SEER database. Across the 22 calendar year span, a consistent first peak appeared in the second decade of life. There was no consistent second peak in the 35+ age group. There were 86,100 discharges with long bone tumors analyzed in the NIS data which exhibited nearly identical patterns., Conclusions: Our analysis shows that the incidence of osteosarcoma is no longer bimodally distributed but rather unimodally distributed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Pediatric patients with undiagnosed conditions, particularly those suspected of having Mendelian genetic disorders, pose a significant challenge in healthcare. This study investigates the diagnostic yield of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in a pediatric cohort with diverse phenotypes, particularly focusing on the role of clinical expertise in interpreting WGS results. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Acibadem University's Maslak Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, involving pediatric patients (0-18 years) who underwent diagnostic WGS testing. Clinical assessments, family histories, and previous laboratory and imaging studies were analyzed. Variants were classified and interpreted in conjunction with clinical findings. Results: The cohort comprised 172 pediatric patients, aged 0-5 years (62.8%). International patients (28.5%) were from 20 different countries. WGS was used as a first-tier approach in 61.6% of patients. The diagnostic yield of WGS reached 61.0%, enhanced by reclassification of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) through reverse phenotyping by an experienced clinical geneticist. Consanguinity was 18.6% of the overall cohort. Dual diagnoses were carried out for 8.5% of solved patients. Discussion: Our study particularly advocates for the selection of WGS as a first-tier testing approach in infants and children with rare diseases, who were under 5 years of age, thereby potentially shortening the duration of the diagnostic odyssey. The results also emphasize the critical role of a single clinical geneticist's expertise in deep phenotyping and reverse phenotyping, which contributed significantly to the high diagnostic yield., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Akgun-Dogan, Tuc Bengur, Ay, Ozkose, Kar, Bengur, Bulut, Yigit, Aydin, Esen, Ozdemir, Yesilyurt and Alanay.)

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the value of platelet activation markers in predicting preeclampsia and its severity. Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication that affects 3-5% of pregnancies and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality for both the mother and the fetus., Methods: The study included 99 patients diagnosed with preeclampsia and 60 healthy pregnant women as a control group. Platelet activation markers such as mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet count, and plateletcrit were evaluated along with other clinical parameters., Results: The results of the study showed that platelet activation markers, particularly PDW and MPV, are valuable in the diagnosis and follow-up of preeclampsia. However, they are not sufficient to predict the severity of the disease., Conclusion: The study suggests that platelet activation markers could aid in predicting, diagnosing, and managing preeclampsia. However, further research is needed to determine the role of these markers in predicting the severity of the disease. The findings of this study could contribute to the development of more effective strategies for the prevention and management of preeclampsia, which could ultimately improve maternal and fetal outcomes., (Copyright: © 2023 Permanyer.)

In this study, the effects of the pretreatment of Curcumin and LoxBlock-1 on liver, pancreas, and cardiac dysfunction following Ischemia-Reperfusion-induced (IR) Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) were investigated through the mechanisms of oxidative stress and ferroptosis. Total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) parameters in the tissue were analyzed to investigate the oxidative stress occurring in the liver, pancreas, and heart, and Acyl-Coa synthetase long-chain family member (ACSL4). Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) enzyme levels were also analyzed by ELISA to investigate the effect on ferroptosis. In addition, hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed for histopathological examination of the tissues. As a result of biochemical analyzes, it was observed that oxidative stress parameters increased significantly in the IR group. In addition, while the ACSL4 enzyme level increased in the IR group in all tissues, the GPx4 enzyme level decreased. In the histopathological examination, it was observed that IR caused serious damage to the heart, liver, and pancreas tissues. The present study shows that Curcumin and LoxBlock-1 have a protective effect on the liver, pancreas, and cardiac ferroptosis following the effect on AKI. In addition, Curcumin was found to be more effective than LoxBlock-1 in I/R injury with its antioxidant property., Competing Interests: Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Wearable bioelectronic patches are creating a transformative effect in the health care industry for human physiological signal monitoring. However, the use of such patches is restricted due to the unavailability of a proper power source. Ideal biodevices should be thin, soft, robust, energy-efficient, and biocompatible. Here, we report development of a flexible, lightweight, and biocompatible electronic skin-cum-portable power source for wearable bioelectronics by using a processed chicken feather fiber. The device is fabricated with a novel, breathable composite of biowaste chicken feather and organic poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer, where the chicken feather fiber constitutes the "microbones" of the PVDF, enhancing its piezoelectric phase content, biocompatibility, and crystallinity. Thanks to its outstanding pressure sensitivity, the fabricated electronic skin is used for the monitoring of different human physiological signals such as body motion, finger and joint bending, throat activities, and pulse rate with excellent sensitivity. A wireless system is developed to remotely receive the different physiological signals as captured by the electronic skin. We also explore the capabilities of the device as a power source for other small electronics. The piezoelectric energy harvesting device can harvest a maximum output voltage of ∼28 V and an area power density of 1.4 μW·cm -2 from the human finger imparting. The improved energy harvesting property of the device is related to the induced higher fraction of the electroactive phase in the composite. The easy process ability, natural biocompatibility, superior piezoelectric performance, high pressure sensitivity, and alignment toward wireless transmission of the captured data make the device a promising candidate for wearable bioelectronic patches and power sources.

Background: Oral glucose loading may affect oxidative status during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). We aimed to investigate how oxidant and antioxidant markers and thiol/disulfide parameters change during OGTT., Methods: OGTT was performed to 42 volunteers who were considered risk of type 2 diabetes and were divided into three groups (normoglycemic, prediabetes, diabetes) according glucose levels during OGTT. Glucose, insulin, c-peptide, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), total thiol and native thiol were investigated with auto-anaylzer for five-hours period., Results: Decrease of TAS and increase of TOS levels began with the increase in glucose and insulin levels. The increase of TAS started at third hour and reached the highest levels at fifth hour. OSI levels were higher at fourth hour than fasting and first hours in normoglycemic and diabetes groups. In the prediabetic group, TAS were higher than the other groups, TOS peak was at the second hour (p < 0.05). Native thiol and total thiol levels showed variable course during OGTT, both parameters increased at the end of the process (p < 0.05 ). Disulfide levels showed an increase trend but it was not statistically different in normoglycemic and diabetes groups. In prediabetes group, second hour disulfide level was lower than fasting state and disulfide was significantly increased at third, fourth and fifth hours and fifth hour disulfide level was also higher than fasting., Conclusion: Oxidative stress parameters and thiol/disulfide balance were found to deteriorate within five-hours after glucose loading in all groups. These results indicates that oxidative stress occurs during OGTT.

Objective We aimed to assess whether ovarian reserve test including serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, and antral follicle count (AFC) which are ovarian reserve markers are affected by ultraviolet (UV) radiation or not. Methods Women between the ages of 25 and 40 who served as flight crew constituted the study population in this prospective case-control study. Age-matched women having no risk factor for low ovarian reserve were selected as control group. Participants were compared according to age, duration in profession, and ovarian reserve markers. Results A total of 134 patients were included: 66 participants in study group and 68 participants in control group. Serum AMH levels and AFC were found to be significantly lower while serum FSH and E2 levels were significantly higher in the study group. This difference was found to be more significant, especially in the advanced age group. When the participants were classified according to their working time, lower ovarian reserve was observed in women with longer working time. Discussion Working for a while in the air and being closer to the sun have negative effects on ovarian functions. Preventive measures may be taken earlier in flight crew than those in the normal population to prevent the decline of ovarian functions and possible conceiving problems.

Acute kidney injury is still a worldwide clinic problem that affects kidney function and associated with high mortality risk. Unfortunately, approximately 1.7 million people are thought to die from acute kidney injury each year. Boron element is defined as an "essential trace element" for plants and thought to have a widespread role in living organisms. Boric acid, which is one of the important forms of boron, has been extensively discussed for both medicinal and nonmedicinal purposes. However, there is a lack of data in the literature to examine the relationship between boric acid and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) antagonism in kidney injury. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of conivaptan as an ADH antagonist and boric acid as an antioxidant agent on the post-ischemic renal injury process. In this study, the unilateral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury rat model with contralateral nephrectomy was performed and blood/kidney tissue samples were taken at 6th hours of reperfusion. The effects of 10 mg/mL/kg conivaptan and 50 mg/kg boric acid were examined with the help of some biochemical and histological analyses. We observed that conivaptan generally alleviated the destructive effects of I/R and has therapeutic effects. Also of note is that conivaptan and boric acid combination tended to show negative effects on kidney function, considering the highest BUN (78.46 ± 3.88 mg/dL) and creatinine levels (1.561 ± 0.1018 mg/dL), suggesting possibly drug-drug interaction. Although it has reported that conivaptan can interact with other active substances, no experimental/clinical data on the possible interaction with boric acid have reported so far., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In this study, oxidative stress marker (malondialdehyde, MDA) and antioxidant enzymes (glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT)) levels in the liver and pancreas tissue and the histopathological effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) were investigated in l-asparaginase (l-ASP) induced liver and pancreatic damage in rats. Forty male albino rats were divided into four groups. The control group was intraperitoneally injected physiological saline (0.02 mL/g); NAC group was injected NAC (200 mg/kg, five days); l-ASP group was injected single-dose l-ASP (10,000 U/kg), and l-ASP + NAC group was injected NAC for five days following single-dose l-ASP (10,000 U/kg). The surgical operation was performed on all animals on the fifth day. There was no difference between the groups regarding tissue MDA, GSH, and CAT levels ( p >.05, for all). In the group receiving NAC after l-ASP, there was a significant improvement in the liver and pancreas damage score than the l-ASP group. NAC was effective in reducing organ damage caused by l-ASP.

The gut microbiota influences brain development and functioning through the gut-brain axis. This is first study regulate maternal gut microbiota and fetal neurodevelopment processes by using probiotics such as Bifidobacterium bifidum (BIF) and Lactobacillus salivarius (LAC) in the prenatal period. In this study, Wistar Albino female rats were divided into five groups; Control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 µg/kg), LPS + LAC, LPS + BIF and LPS + LAC + BIF (4 × 10 9  ml CFU). Maternal rats were given probiotics for 21 days. Inflammation was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), on the 17th day of pregnancy. After birth, the brain tissues of the maternal and neonatal rats were removed and their blood was collected. Fecal calprotectin levels of pregnant rats were measured as an important biomarker in determining intestinal flora disruption. Calprotectin levels were high in LPS group (p < 0.05). Aβ 1-42, APP, γ secretase and β- secretase levels were higher in both maternal and neonatal LPS groups (p < 0.05). These levels were statistically decreased in the probiotic groups compared to the LPS group, as demonstrated in both biochemical and histological analyzes (p < 0.05). While BDNF mRNA expression decreased in LPS groups, APP level increased in the same group. The difference between groups in mRNA expressions in the neonatal brain tissues was similar to maternal brain tissues. What's more, BDNF/actin and APP/actin rates were proven by western blot and the damage caused by neuroinflammation in the brain tissue and the preservation of the intestinal microbiota were visualized histopathologically on the morphological structures in all groups. It will shed light on new therapeutic strategies for the impact of the use of probiotics on the neurodevelopmental processes of the neonatal against LPS-induced inflammatory responses and impaired gut microbiota in the prenatal period., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria that produces endotoxemia, which may cause septic shock. Metformin (MET) is a widely used hypoglycemic drug that exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine polypeptide that affects glucose and lipid metabolism, and also possesses anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the effects of MET and FGF21 on inflammation due to LPS induced endotoxemia in male rats. Animals were divided into five groups: control, LPS, pre-MET LPS, LPS + 1 h MET and LPS + 3 h MET. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, FGF2, interleukin-10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were measured. Malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase and FGF21 levels were measured in liver tissue samples. Histopathology of all groups was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin stained sections. LPS caused severe inflammatory liver damage. MET exhibited a partially protective effect and reduced inflammation significantly. FGF21 is produced in the liver following inflammation and MET may increase its production.

Synaptosomes are used as an ex vivo model in the investigation of neuronal transmission and neurodegenerative processes. In this study, we aimed to determine the protective effects of boric acid (BA) and curcumin, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, on Aβ1-42 induced neurodegenerative damage. Synaptosomes obtained from the rat cerebral cortex were divided into five groups: control, 10 μM Aβ1-42, 10 μM Aβ1-42 + 25 mM BA, 10 μM Aβ1-42 + 10 μM curcumin, and 10 μM Aβ1-42 + 25 mM BA+10 μM curcumin. Synaptosomes treated with Aβ1-42 caused a significant decline in synaptophysin levels and increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, DNA fragmentation values, and nitric oxide (NO) levels compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Synaptosomes treated with BA showed a significant reduction in MDA and NO levels against Aβ1-42 exposure (P < 0.01). In addition, curcumin treatment has been found to cause a significant reduction in AChE activities and MDA levels in synaptosomes (P < 0.05). Co-administration of BA and curcumin on synaptosomes exposed to Aβ1-42 resulted in a significant decrease in DNA fragmentation values, MDA levels, and AChE activities. Curcumin and BA + curcumin combination showed an enhancement in synaptophysin levels of Aβ1-42-induced synaptosomes (P < 0.01). The results showed that BA and curcumin had protective effects on rat brain synaptosomes against Aβ1-42 exposure. BA and curcumin treatment can have abilities to prevent the alterations of the cholinergic system and inhibit oxidative stress in the cerebral cortex synapses of Aβ1-42 exposed., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: To compare clinical history and measurements of fecal load on abdominal radiography (AR) in the prediction of urinary tract infection (UTI) recurrence in children., Methods: We combined data from two multicenter longitudinal studies in which children less than 6 years of age with a first or second UTI were followed for recurrence of UTI. Two radiologists reviewed the scout abdominal radiographs of initial voiding cystourethrograms obtained at enrollment from children at two participating sites and measured stool visible in various parts of the colon. We examined how well clinical variables (e.g., voiding and bowel history, use of laxatives at enrollment) and measurements of fecal load predicted recurrence of UTI within 12 months of enrollment., Results: One hundred and ninety-two children were included. On univariate analyses, age, vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), cecal diameter, rectal diameter, and total stool length on AR were associated with recurrence of UTI. After controlling for age, the odds of recurrent UTI in children with VUR at baseline was 3.85 (95% CI: 1.62, 9.14) higher than in children without VUR. Recurrent UTI was 2.57 (95% CI: 1.01, 6.55) times more likely in children with cecal diameter > 3.10 cm than children with lower cecal diameters; time to first recurrent UTI was shorter in children with elevated cecal diameters (p = 0.0023)., Conclusions: Cecal diameter on abdominal radiographs predicts UTI recurrence in children with a previous UTI. However, its accuracy is suboptimal to serve as a screening test. Accordingly, its routine use for this indication is not supported. If cecal diameter on an AR ordered for another indication is > 3.10 cm, then management of constipation could be considered., (© 2021. IPNA.)

Objective: Breast milk (BM) contains antioxidant molecules which may offer protection against oxidative stress (OS). We aim to investigate oxidant-antioxidant balance in preterm BM during the course of lactation and within a nursing session., Study Design: Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) were measured in colostrum, transitional, and mature BM samples of preterm infants born earlier than 34th week of pregnancy and healthy term infants. Oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. Foremilk and hindmilk samples were collected separately., Results: In colostrum and transitional milk, TAC ( p  < 0.001 and p  = 0.001, respectively) and TOS ( p  = 0.005 and p  < 0.001, respectively) were lower in preterm BM compared with term BM. OSI was also lower in preterm BM, but it was statistically significant only in transitional milk ( p  < 0.001). TAC was highest in colostrum and decreased through the course of lactation. However, the decrease in TAC was not statistically significant in preterm BM. Lowest values of TOS and OSI were observed in colostrum. In transitional term BM, hindmilk had a better oxidant-antioxidant profile as indicated by lower TOS and OSI., Conclusion: Oxidant-antioxidant balance is preserved in BM in every stage of lactation. Preterm BM has lower OSI which may offer benefits to preterm newborn against OS., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: The prevalence of thyroid disease in diabetic patients is significantly higher than the general population. This indicates a possible interaction between thyroid functions and insulin sensitivity. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between insulin resistance (IR), pancreatic β cell function, and thyroid function tests., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with adults who applied to Eskişehir Osmangazi University Hospital for general control. Fasting insulin, glucose, TSH, fT3, and fT4 levels in the serum of 1340 adult (18-60 aged) patients without any chronic diseases were examined retrospectively. The fT3/fT4 ratio, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and HOMA-β values were calculated. The correlation between HOMA-IR and HOMA-β values with thyroid function tests and differences between hormone levels of patients with and without IR were evaluated., Results: There was a positive correlation between HOMA-IR and TSH, negative with fT4. Also, a positive correlation between HOMA-β and fT3, negative correlation with fT4 were observed. In the IR group, fT3 levels were found significantly higher and fT4 levels were significantly lower. TSH levels were higher in the IR group but not statistically significant. The fT3/fT4 ratio was found significantly higher in the IR group and was correlated positively with both HOMA-IR and HOMA-β., Conclusion: Our results revealed that thyroid dysfunction prevalence is quite high in adults who have not yet been diagnosed with diabetes but have insulin resistance and the onset of pancreatic β cell dysfunction., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Serum osmolality levels are measured to determine acid-base and electrolyte imbalance in serum. In cases where measurement is not possible, the serum osmolality value can be calculated by various calculation methods. In this study, we compared the Worthley osmolality calculation method which is used most frequently mentioned in literature and the measurements made with vapor pressure osmometer used in our laboratory. We compared whether there was a difference between the results obtained by measurement and calculation method in different age groups., Methods: 221 serum samples of patients who were admitted to the Eskişehir Osmangazi University Hospital Biochemistry Laboratory between December 2016 and May 2018 were included in this study. Glucose, blood urea nitrogen and sodium values were recorded to determine the calculated osmolality values of the patients., Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the measured osmolality values and the calculated osmolality values of the patients (p < 0.001). When compared according to age groups, there was a significant difference between calculated osmolality values (p = 0.006), but there was no difference in measured osmolality values (p = 0.787) in different age groups. It has been observed that this difference in the calculated osmolality values between the age groups is derived from the adult group (18-65, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Our results showed that it is not reliable to calculate serum osmolality values, especially in the adult age group. According to our results the calculated osmolality values are higher than our measured osmolality values.

Smart, self-powered, and wearable e-skin that mimics the pressure sensing property of the human skin is indispensable to boost up cutting edge robotics, artificial intelligence, prosthesis, and health-care monitoring technologies. Here, fabrication of a facile and flexible hybrid piezoelectric e-skin (HPES) with multifunctions of tactile mechanosensing, energy harvesting, self-cleaning, ultraviolet (UV)-protecting, and microwave shielding properties is reported. The principal block of the HPES is an SnO 2 nanosheets@SiO 2 (silica-encapsulated tin oxide nanosheets)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanocomposite (SS)-based PES acting as a single unit for simultaneous energy harvesting and tactile mechanosensing. Gentle human finger imparting onto the PES showed outstanding energy conversion efficiency (16.7%) with high power density (550 W·m -3 ) and current density (0.40 μA·cm -2 ). This device can generate high enough electrical power to directly drive portable electronics like a light-emitting diode (LED) panel (consisting of 85 commercial LEDs) and to charge up capacitors very rapidly. Thin PES mechanosensors demonstrated promising performance for quantitatively detecting static and dynamic pressure stimuli with a high sensitivity of 0.99 V·kPa -1 and a short response time of 1 ms. PES was also integrated to a health-data glove for precisely monitoring and discriminating fine motions of proximal interphalangeal, metacarpophalangeal, and distal interphalangeal joints of a human finger and bending motion of different human fingers. A (4 × 4) sensing matrix of PES was successfully employed to detect the spatial distribution of static pressure stimuli. The sensing matrix can precisely record the shape and size of an object placed onto it. PES was encapsulated with a nanocomposite film for providing self-cleaning and UV and microwave protection capability to the HPES. The hydrophobic SS film wrapping (water drop contact angle ∼85.6°) of the HPES enables the self-cleaning feature and makes HPES resistive against water and dirt. The HPES was integrated with in-house-made robotic hands, and the responses of the sensors due to grabbing of an object were evaluated. This work explores new prospects for UV- and microwave-protective, self-cleaning e-skin for energy harvesting and mechanosensation, which can eventually boost up the self-powered electronics, robotics, real-time health-care monitoring, and artificial intelligence technologies.

Background: For the past several years, increased levels of imaging radiation and cumulative radiation to children has been a significant concern. Although several measures have been taken to reduce radiation dose during computed tomography (CT) scan, the newer dose reduction software adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) has been an effective technique in reducing radiation dose. To our knowledge, no studies are published that assess the effect of ASIR on extremity CT scans in children., Objective: To compare radiation dose, image noise, and subjective image quality in pediatric lower extremity CT scans acquired with and without ASIR., Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 53 patients imaged on a CT scanner equipped with ASIR software. The control group consisted of 37 patients whose CT images were acquired without ASIR. Image noise, Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDI) and dose length product (DLP) were measured. Two pediatric radiologists rated the studies in subjective categories: image sharpness, noise, diagnostic acceptability, and artifacts., Results: The CTDI (p value = 0.0184) and DLP (p value <0.0002) were significantly decreased with the use of ASIR compared with non-ASIR studies. However, the subjective ratings for sharpness (p < 0.0001) and diagnostic acceptability of the ASIR images (p < 0.0128) were decreased compared with standard, non-ASIR CT studies., Conclusion: Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction reduces radiation dose for lower extremity CTs in children, but at the expense of diagnostic imaging quality. Further studies are warranted to determine the specific utility of ASIR for pediatric musculoskeletal CT imaging.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanocomposites are recently gaining importance due to their unique dielectric and electroactive responses. In this study, GeO2 nanoparticles/PVDF and SiO2 nanoparticles/PVDF nanocomposite films were prepared by a simple solution casting technique. The surface morphology and structural properties of the as-prepared films were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy techniques. The studies reveal that the incorporation of GeO2 or SiO2 nanoparticles leads to an enhancement in the electroactive β phase fraction of PVDF due to the strong interactions between the negatively charged nanoparticle surface and polymer. Analysis of the thermal properties of the as-prepared samples also supports the increment of the β phase fraction in PVDF. Variation of dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and ac conductivity with frequency and loading fraction of the nanoparticles were also studied for all the as-prepared films. Dielectric constant of the nanocomposite films increases with increasing nanofiller concentration in PVDF. 15 mass% SiO2-loaded PVDF film shows the highest dielectric constant, which can be attributed to the smaller size of SiO2 nanoparticles and the homogeneous and discrete dispersion of SiO2 nanoparticles in PVDF matrix.

The behavior of Escherichia coli 50S ribosomal subunit proteins L7/L12 has been investigated in ribosome reconstitution buffer, TMK buffer, by sedimentation equilibrium and analytical gel filtration. Contrary to previous reports that L7/L12 exists in solution solely as dimer species [Möller, W., Groene, A., Terhorst, C., & Amons, R. (1972) Eur J. Biochem. 25, 5], results presented here indicate that L7/L12 undergoes a monomer-dimer-tetramer self-association, with equal equilibrium constants of 3.5 x 10(4) M-1 obtained for the monomer-dimer and dimer-tetramer steps. These results yield standard Gibbs' free energies of -6.1 +/ 0.6 kcal/mol at 20 degrees C. The observed absence of temperature dependence of this interaction over the range 5-25 degrees C indicated a zero standard enthalpy of self-association. Gel filtration results are presented that confirm the highly elongated shape of the L7/L12 molecule. The data suggest the corresponding Stokes radii for the monomer, dimer, and tetramer are 21-23, 26-28, and 29-32 omicron A, respectively. The significance of these results is discussed.

The promoter for the leuV tRNA operon of Escherichia coli has been studied. Derivatives of this promoter were examined in vivo, fused to the cat gene or to the lacZ gene. When compared to other promoters, the leuV promoter was found to be at least three times stronger than the tyrT promoter (for the tyrT tRNA operon), or the lac promoter (trp::lac promoter fusion) and as strong as the P1,P2 promoter of the rrnB operon (a ribosomal RNA operon). Deletion analysis revealed that, while removal of sequences downstream from +11 (relative to the transcription start point) did not affect activity, removal of sequences upstream from -39 resulted in a ten-fold reduction in expression. Unlike rRNA operons which also display upstream activation, sequences responsible for this effect in the leuV promoter are separated into two regions, one between -76 and -47, and the other between -45 and -39. DNA fragments carrying the leuV promoter migrate aberrantly on polyacrylamide gels, a phenomenon usually associated with DNA bending. One sequence thought to be involved in bending is a TTTTT run centered around -71. Point mutations engineered at this T5 region resulted in a loss of activation but had no apparent effect on migration rate. Transcription efficiency of promoter derivatives was examined in vitro using supercoiled, relaxed, or linearized plasmids as templates. Upstream activation was observed only when using relaxed templates, although maximum activity was obtained using supercoiled forms. Insertion of the very efficient 16S transcription terminator between the leuV promoter and the cat gene resulted in barely detectable activities, indicating that no antitermination mechanism was present.