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In this study, the effect of Morus nigra (M. nigra) on carbon tetrachloride (CCI4)-induced hepatic injury in the rat was investigated. A hepatotoxic rat model was developed by the injection of CCI4 dissolved in soybean oil (1 mL/kg/twice a week, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection). Following the formation of hepatic injury, extracts of M. nigra at doses ranging from 150 to 300 mg/kg were administered to rats by i.p. injection for eight weeks. At the end of administration, rat livers were excised by dissection. The activities of liver enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were detected in the serum, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), were established in the liver. Histological changes and immunohistochemical localization of caspase-3 and 8-oxo-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OhdG) were performed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining of liver sections and caspase-3 and 8-OhdG immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that the M. nigra extract prevented protein oxidation generated by CCI4. The extracts demonstrated the ability to modulate the activity of SOD and GPx, and also prevented the CCI4-induced increase in AST and GGT levels. These results indicate that M. nigra extracts provided significant protection against CCl4-induced hepatic injury and might also present a novel approach for the treatment of some liver diseases.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exhibits variations in terms of patients’ clinical symptoms and levels of routinely employed biochemical markers. The aim of the current study was to determine the correlation between serum levels of the C-X-C chemokine ligand type 12 (CXCL12) and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), one of its specific receptors, and disease severity in COVID-19 patients.

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AbstractObjectiveMethodsResultsConclusionThis study aimed to evaluate presepsin, calprotectin, and interleukin-6 levels together in terms of their utility in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis and distinguishing complicated acute appendicitis cases. In addition, it was attempted to identify a biomarker that would be most useful in diagnosing acute appendicitis.This study was conducted prospectively at the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Patients diagnosed with AA from July 3, 2023, through January 1, 2024, were evaluated. 45 patients with acute appendicitis and 45 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Presepsin, calprotectin, and interleukin-6 levels were measured in both groups and subjected to statistical analyses.To ensure equality between the two groups participating in the study, 17 female and 28 male patients were included in each group. The presepsin, calprotectin, and interleukin-6 levels of the patients with appendicitis were significantly higher than those of the healthy group (p < 0.001 for all). However, presepsin, calprotectin, and interleukin-6 were not significant parameters in differentiating between complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis (p = 0.493, p = 0.202, and p = 0.448, respectively).Presepsin, calprotectin, and interleukin-6 levels may be useful in diagnosing acute appendicitis but would be insufficient in identifying complicated cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate relationship between anthropometric values of premature babies with their's glucose, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin at birth and on day 15. Methods: We analyzed fasting and postprandial glucose, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin levels at birth and on day 15 in babies born prematurely between 24 and 37 weeks, and who did not have serious problems aside from prematurity at birth. Results: Fasting glucose, insulin, leptin and ghrelin values of babies at birth and on day 15 were significantly lower than postprandial values (all p values p < 0.001). There were positive correlations between the mean insulin, leptin, and ghrelin levels with the gestational age, birth weight, body mass index, head circumference of babies at birth, and anthropometric values on day 15 (all r values > 0.400, all p values < 0.05). Fasting glucose, leptin, and ghrelin values of mothers birth were significantly lower than post-prandial values (all p values p < 0.05). Conclusions: The positive correlations between the insulin, leptin, and ghrelin values of babies at birth with gestational age and anthropometric values suggest that both hormones play important roles in fetal and neonatal growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Gallbladder stones are common in the Western world, and 70% to 80% of gallstones are cholesterol stones. This study investigates the effects of serum cholesterol, LDL, and HDL levels on gallstone cholesterol concentration. Methodology: The gallstones of 75 patients with cholelithiasis were examined using spectrophotometry. Results: High serum cholesterol and LDL levels were associated with high cholesterol stone rates (86.7% vs. 40.0%, P < 0.001; 75.0% vs. 48.9%, P < 0.05, respectively). Similarly, high serum cholesterol and LDL levels were correlated with high gallbladder stone cholesterol concentrations (63.6% vs. 44.4%, P < 0.001; 62.3% vs. 46.0%, P < 0.001, respectively). In contrast, low serum HDL levels do not seem to affect the occurrence of gallbladder cholesterol stones (60.0% vs. 58.3%, respectively, P > 0.05) or gallbladder stone cholesterol concentrations (50.8% vs. 52.4%, respectively, P > 0.05). Conclusion: The relationship between cholesterol, LDL, and HDL levels and cholesterol gallstone formation is multifactorial and complex and is also dependent on other individual properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous research studies have explored the impact of micronutrients, including dietary minerals such as iron, zinc, selenium, copper, and vitamins A, B complex, C, D, and E, on periodontitis. However, there is no literature investigating the role of iodine in periodontal health., Objectives: This study aimed to examine the potential influence of iodine, a trace element, on periodontal health, an area that has not yet been researched., Material and Methods: The study recruited a total of 73 participants, including 33 periodontally healthy control subjects and 40 patients with stage III periodontitis. Iodine levels in urine samples were measured using a spectrophotometric method, and the results were expressed in μg/L., Results: Lower iodine levels were observed in patients with periodontitis. Individuals with low iodine levels were found to be 1.04 times more likely to develop periodontitis than those with high iodine levels. The study found that if a person's urine iodine value is below 76.93 μg/L, the probability of having periodontitis is 72.5%; if it is above this value, the probability of not having periodontitis is 90.9%., Conclusions: These findings suggest that urinary iodine levels could be a valuable metric for future research, as indicated by the variance in mean urinary iodide levels. Further extensive studies could establish urinary iodine levels as a useful biomarker for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan of periodontitis.

Introduction: Brucellosis remains an important public health problem in many developing countries. This study examines the serum levels of endocan, a novel immune-inflammatory marker, in this potentially difficult to diagnose disease, and their predictive diagnostic value. Methods: Fifty patients under follow-up with diagnoses of brucellosis between May 1, 2020, and December 1, 2020, and 50 healthy individuals constituting the control group were included in the study. Cases were classified as acute, subacute, or chronic, depending on the duration of their symptoms. Patients' plasma specimens were collected before the initiation of brucellosis treatment. Results: Serum endocan levels were higher among the patients with brucellosis than in the healthy control group ( p  < 0.001). Endocan levels also differed significantly among the patients with acute, subacute, and chronic brucellosis ( p  < 0.001 for all). Comparison of C-reactive protein (CRP) and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the patients with acute, subacute, and chronic brucellosis revealed a significant difference only in terms of CRP levels between the acute and chronic patients ( p  = 0.018). No significant association was observed between serum endocan levels and growth in blood culture or serum agglutination test results in the patients with brucellosis ( p  > 0.05). However, a significant correlation was found between patients' CRP and ESR values and endocan levels ( r  = 0.572, and r  = 0.415, respectively, p  < 0.001). At a cutoff value of 597.35 pg/mL, serum endocan levels exhibited 90% sensitivity and 85% specificity in differentiating patients diagnosed with brucellosis from healthy individuals (area under the curve = 0.927, p  < 0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.877-0.977). Conclusion: Endocan may be a useful guide in differentiating patients with brucellosis from healthy individuals, and in distinguishing between acute, subacute, and chronic brucellosis. Ethics committee approval No: B.30.2.ATA.0.01.00/203.