Serum TSH levels were positively associated with the risk for NAFLD, while FT3 levels were inversely correlated with NAFLD. Among thyroid hormones, low serum FT4 was the only independent predictor of reflecting advanced fibrosis in NAFLD participants.

An altered thyroid profile not only can be significantly associated with an increased incidence of NAFLD, but also had clinical predictive value for assessing significant fibrosis.

An altered thyroid profile not only can be significantly associated with an increased incidence of NAFLD, but also had clinical predictive value for assessing significant fibrosis.

This study was aimed at exploring the expression of lncRNA TUG1 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and analyzing the correlations between TUG1 expression and an NSCLC patient’s clinical and pathological parameters and prognosis.

This study included 132 NSCLC patients who were admitted between January 2012 and May 2013 in our hospital. Expression levels of TUG1 expression in the resected cancer tissue and normal adjacent tissue (NAT) were assessed using the ISH and RT-qPCR assays to analyze the correlations between TUG1 expression in NSCLC tissue and an NSCLC patient’s clinical and pathological parameters and prognosis.

Compared to NAT, NSCLC tissue has a lower expression level of TUG1. The TUG1 expression further decreases as NSCLC progressed to a later stage, indicating a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01 or p < 0.001). High TUG1 expression is not strongly associated with age, gender, smoking history, or the degree of differentiation of NSCLC (p > 0.05) but exhibits close correlations with tumor size, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05). Patients with a higher level of TUG1 expression have a higher survival rate and a longer survival time than those with lower TUG1 expression. The inter-group differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Considering TUG1 presence in the development and progression of NSCLC, hopefully, it can be used as a tumor marker in the diagnostic workup of patients with NSCLC.

Considering TUG1 presence in the development and progression of NSCLC, hopefully, it can be used as a tumor marker in the diagnostic workup of patients with NSCLC.

The measurement of glycemic control among patients with diabetes mellitus is important for predicting the risk of diabetic complications. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements have been used for long-term glycemic control in clinical practice. However, glycated albumin (GA) or glycated serum protein (GSP) is a more reliable indicator of glycemic control in the short term (2 – 4 weeks) and an alternative marker of HbA1c in clinical situations with changing red blood cell (RBC) lifespan. Here, we evaluated an analytical performance of the two enzymatic assays commercially available, Lucica GA-L and Autolab GA, for the determination of GA (%).

For each assay, the imprecision was evaluated based on CLSI EP05-A2. In total, serum samples of 283 subjects were simultaneously tested using the two enzymatic assays for method comparison according to CLSI EP09-A3. Some subjects collected the laboratory data for HbA1c.

The GA (%) value of the Lucica GA-L assay showed highly reproducible results with within-run, between-run, and total coefficient of variations (CVs) below 2.4%. The Autolab GA assay also showed reliable results with within-run, between-run, and total CVs below 3.9%. The Lucica GA-L assay showed a very high correlation with the Autolab GA assay (r = 0.9993). However, at the median decision point (MDP, 14.3%), the estimated bias of the Autolab GA assay was 4.5%, exceeding the allowable bias (2.9%) accounting for the biological variation. For the correlation analysis between HbA1c and GA (%), the two assays demonstrated the same pattern, with no statistical differences between the two independent correlation coefficients.

Both GA assays evaluated in this study showed good precision and excellent correlation, but the comparability at MDP did not meet the acceptance criteria.

Both GA assays evaluated in this study showed good precision and excellent correlation, but the comparability at MDP did not meet the acceptance criteria.

Lung cancer is the most prevalent and deadliest cancer worldwide. The present study aims to determine the prognosis value of low expression long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in LUAD.

RNA-seq data and clinical information were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data-base. Dysregulated genes between LUAD and paracancerous tissue were screened by GeneSpringGX. Prognostic lncRNAs which were low expressed in LUAD were filtrated by Ualcan, then further verified through the TCGA database. The association between clinicopathological features and the expression level of these lncRNAs was tested by chi-square test. Cox regression analysis was performed to test independent prognosis risk factors. Diagnostic efficiency was predicted by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) functional and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to explore potential functions of these prognostic signatures.

Nine prognostic lncRNAs (LINC00092, LIthat four lncRNAs (LINC00908, WWC2-AS2, CYP2B7P, SIGLEC17P) may be a powerful diagnostic and prognostic assessment tool for human LUAD.

This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of OXA-51-like, OXA-23-like, OXA-24, and OXA-58-like genes and the role of β-lactamases in carbapenem resistance among multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains recovered from patients in intensive care units (ICUs).

Non-duplicate clinical isolates of A. baumannii from ICUs that were identified as imipenem and meropenem resistant were collected. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by PhoenixTM system (Becton Dickinson, USA). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for imipenem and meropenem were determined by using gradient strip method (E-test) and interpreted according to CLSI. Presence of carbapenemase activity was determined by the modified Hodge test (MHT) and detection of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) was performed by the double-disk synergy test (DDST) and MBL E-test. Detection of the four groups of OXA carbapenemase genes (OXA-23, OXA-24, OXA-51, and OXA-58) was carried out using a multiplex PCR assay. Sequencing of the producaOXA-51, blaOXA-23, and blaOXA-58 genes and as we know, this is the first report from Turkey identifying blaOXA-51-like sequences.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly malignant mesenchymal tumor with a low survival rate and a high metastatic rate. Recently, microRNAs were reported to be potential diagnostic and prognostic markers in various cancers, including osteosarcoma. The present study aimed to determine the clinical values of miR-429 and miR-143-3p in OS concerning diagnosis and prognosis.

miR-429 and miR-143-3p expression in serum samples from OS patients and matched healthy controls were measured by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The association with miR-429 or miR-143-3p and clinicopathological features were compared by Student’s t-test. The diagnostic and prognostic values of miR-429 and miR-143-3p in OS were verified by ROC analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival assays.

MiR-429 expression (0.3234 ± 0.0224) and miR-143-3p expression (0.7463 ± 0.0282) were significantly down-regulated in the serum from OS patients. Moreover, low miR-429 expression was remarkably associated with tumor size (p < 0.001), clinical-stage (p < 0.001), and distant metastasis (p < 0.001); low miR-143-3p expression was remarkably associated with tumor size (p = 0.0020), clinical-stage (p < 0.001), and distant metastasis (p < 0.001). Importantly, the area under the curves (AUC) of miR-429 and miR-143-3p were 0.9222 (95% CI 0.8714 – 0.9730) and 0.8300 (95% CI 0.7484 – 0.9116), respectively. The cutoff values were 1.0692 and 0.9913 with the highest specificity and sensitivity. The OS patients with lower miR-429 or miR-143-3p expressions survived shorter than those with higher miR-429 or miR-143-3p expressions (p = 0.0409 and 0.0421).

Serum miR-429 and miR-143-3p may function as diagnostic and prognostic markers for OS.

Serum miR-429 and miR-143-3p may function as diagnostic and prognostic markers for OS.

Congenital factor VIII (FVIII) deficiency causes hemophilia A due to different types of defects in the FVIII gene. Although the chromogenic measurement is the reference method and shows less variability, a one-stage assay is the most commonly preferred method for measurement of FVIII. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the analytical performances of chromogenic and one-stage assays, and compare the results prior to introduction of newly developed extended half-life recombinant FVIII products.

Sixty-six blood samples from residual material of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Central Laboratory workflow comprised the study group. Samples were classified; plasma FVIII > 40 IU and FVIII < 40 IU. FVIII activities were measured using one-stage clotting and chromogenic assays on a CS-2500 analyzer. Analytical performances were determined through precision, linearity, carryover, and comparability studies.

The within-run CV% of the one-stage assay on the CS-2500 had 1.6%, 2.6%, the between day CV% were 8.5%, 4.9 % for low and high controls, respectively. The within-run CV% of chromogenic method had 1.2% and 0.9%. Both methods demonstrated good linearity (R2 > 0.998), and the comparisons of both assays exhibited good agreement with minor bias for FVIII activity > 40 IU. However, a significant bias was obtained for FVIII activity < 40 IU.

We obtained higher results using the one-stage assay compared with the chromogenic assay, and a significant bias was found for the samples lower than 40 IU. The discrepancy can explained by the presence of a weak agreement for samples lower than 10 IU due to the lower detection limit of the chromogenic assay used in this study (1.5%).

We obtained higher results using the one-stage assay compared with the chromogenic assay, and a significant bias was found for the samples lower than 40 IU. The discrepancy can explained by the presence of a weak agreement for samples lower than 10 IU due to the lower detection limit of the chromogenic assay used in this study (1.5%).

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While RT-PCR assays are used routinely to diagnose active COVID-19, serological testing offers a means of identifying individuals who previously experienced asymptomatic infections, as well as those who experienced symptomatic infections but no longer carry the virus.

The presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG-positive antibodies in the sera of 673 blood donors residing in south-western Germany before and 3,880 donors after the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic was determined and confirmed using two highly sensitive serological tests.

Approximately 0.40% of the donors assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic possessed SARS-CoV-2 IgG-positive antibodies, decidedly fewer than the percentage of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals determined by real-time RT-PCR nationwide.

These findings confirm the efficacy serological testing in identifying asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

These findings confirm the efficacy serological testing in identifying asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

Self-monitoring of blood glucose using point-of-care glucometers is a critical tool in diabetic care. Recently, various glucometers have been developed. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of commonly used glucometers by comparing their readings with those of the laboratory reference method.

The five commercially available glucometers – Accu-Chek (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Ger-many), OneTouch (LifeScan Inc, USA), Freestyle Optium Neo (Abbott Diabetes Care Inc, USA), Contour Next, and Contour Next One (Ascensia Diabetes Care Inc. Canada) – were utilized in our study. Participants were randomly selected for measuring fasting blood glucose levels to eliminate any factors that could affect measurements by the glucometers and glucose hexokinase method (reference method). Statistical analysis was carried out and the readings were expressed as mean and standard deviation.

All glucometer readings correlated well with the laboratory measurements; however, the venous glucose level readings showed a slight difference, especially in case of higher blood glucose levels. Although, no significant difference was found between the mean venous blood glucose and the mean of other glucometer readings, a highly significant positive correlation was found between laboratory measurements and glucometer readings. Moreover, our study confirmed that Accu-Check, OneTouch, and FreeStyle Optium Neo meters were significantly useful predictors of venous blood glucose. Notably, Freestyle Optium Neo showed the minimal mean bias (-0.4%) in contrast to Contour Next One that showed the highest proportional bias (6.1%).

Independent comparison of all glucometers should be carried out as the proportional bias, especially in case of high blood glucose levels, can affect patient care.

Independent comparison of all glucometers should be carried out as the proportional bias, especially in case of high blood glucose levels, can affect patient care.

A combined indicator for the determination of vitamin B12 status (4cB12) that employs four markers of vitamin B12 status (i.e., holotranscobalamin, HoloTC; vitamin B12, B12; methyl malonic acid, MMA; and homocysteine, Hcy) has been proposed for the comprehensive assessment of B12 status. We aimed to compare recently published 2- (2cB12) and 3-parameter (3cB12) cB12 equations missing one or two markers of B12 status with the established four-parameter cB12 (4cB12).

In 3,614 routine samples in which HoloTC, B12, MMA, Hcy and serum folate were measured, cB12 was assessed with 4cB12, as well as with four 3cB12 and six 2cB12 equations. Diagnostic accuracy (AUC) curves were calculated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with the four-parameter equation (4cB12) as an index. Furthermore, we investigated whether calculating cB12 in addition to a 2-step algorithm employing the same parameters would add diagnostic value for the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency.

HoloTC showed the highest di of B12 status provides a good approximation of the 4cB12 equation. A 2cB12 equation employing the same parameters improved diagnostic accuracy compared to the use of a 2-step diagnostic algorithm alone. Our results suggest, that laboratories should consider enriching their reports by additionally reporting a corresponding 2cB12 or 3cB12 to results obtained in stepwise diagnostic algorithms.

Brucellosis is considered a main health concern in humans and animals. Neither familiar molecular methods nor the classical biotyping techniques are acceptable for subtyping Brucella spp. Loci containing variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) have recently demonstrated their practicality in typing isolates from human and animal origin despite the excessive genetic homogeneity in the genus Brucella.

The genotypic characteristics of sixty-six Brucella melitensis and thirty-four Brucella abortus isolates from veterinary samples and human brucellosis cases in Iran during 2014 – 2018. They were analyzed using multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) which consisted of sixteen primer pairs and designed and classified as belonging to one of the three panels panel 1 (MLVA-8 eight loci including Bruce06, Bruce08, Bruce11, Bruce12, Bruce42, Bruce43, Bruce45, and Bruce55), panel 2A (three loci including Bruce18, Bruce19, and Bruce21), and panel 2B (five loci including Bruce04, Bruce07, Bruce09, Btions and is helpful in improving the effectiveness of brucellosis control programs.

Diabetic foot (DF) is a common complication of diabetes with insidious onset, making it difficult for patients to receive timely diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the change in lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in the serum of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) pa-tients with and without DF, thereby assessing the association between progression of DF and levels of Lp-PLA2 together with IL-18.

In this study, 50 patients with diabetes without foot ulcers (group I, T2DM group), 135 patients with diabetes with foot ulcers (group II, DF group), and 30 matched healthy controls (group III) were enrolled. Fasting venous blood was collected for detection of inflammatory markers including Lp-PLA2, IL-18, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), fibrinogen (FIB), C-reactive protein (CRP), and WBC and neutrophil percentage (Neu%). Baseline indicators such as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), total choleste. Detection of Lp-PLA2 and IL-18 can assist clinicians’ assessment of the severity of DF. Dynamic detection can also help understand disease progression and treatment efficacy.Hereditary xanthinuria was the first inherited purine metabolism disorder described. It is a rare pathology, which is most often asymptomatic and whose incidence is therefore underestimated. We report the case of a patient with an undetectable level of uric acid in the blood, discovered during a systematic biological assessment. This case report recalls the existence of this rare metabolic disorder, which is usually benign, but can lead to complications, and the importance of considering an abnormality of the purine cycle when discovering a hypo-uricemia.

Cases of duodenal variceal hemorrhage after cirrhosis are rare, but patients have a higher mortality rate. There is currently no clinical guideline to address how such patients should choose preferred treatment.

We retrospectively evaluated the clinical information of a 65-year-old male admitted to the Gastroenterology Department with gastrointestinal bleeding.

The patient was eventually diagnosed with duodenal variceal bleeding after cirrhosis. We performed TIPS on the patients after the vital signs were stable. No varicose veins were seen by endoscopy during the 2-year follow-up.

TIPS treatment is a good choice for patients with severe duodenal varices after cirrhosis.

TIPS treatment is a good choice for patients with severe duodenal varices after cirrhosis.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a self-limited disease caused mainly by enterovirus 71 and coxsackievirus A16; however, some cases have severe neurological complications, pulmonary edema, and fetal death. In this study, we analyzed the changes in natural killer (NK) cell subsets, their receptors, and serum inflammatory cytokines in children with HFMD.

Peripheral blood samples were collected from 70 HFMD pediatric patients admitted Department of Infectious Diseases of our hospital from July 2016 to November 2017 and from 16 healthy children receiving physical examination in the disease control and prevention center as the healthy control group. The changes in three NK cell subsets and their receptors, and serum inflammatory cytokines were detected via flow cytometry.

The distribution of CD3-CD16+CD56+ and CD3-CD16+CD56- NK cell subsets in the HFMD group increased significantly compared with that in the healthy control group, while CD3-CD16-CD56+ NK cell subset showed no significant difference in the two groups. Besides, the distribution of the CD3-CD16+CD56+ NK cell subset was significantly higher than the CD3-CD16+CD56- NK cell subset. The distribution of the NKG2A receptor on the CD3-CD16+CD56+ NK cell subset in the HFMD group was significantly higher than that in the healthy control group. Moreover, the serum levels of IL-17A, IL-10, IL-6, and IL-2 in the HFMD group were higher than those in the healthy control group.

The results showed that the positive distribution of NKG2A in the NK cell subset and the content of inflammatory cytokines could be of diagnostic value for early detection of HFMD in patients and prediction of the severity of the disease.

The results showed that the positive distribution of NKG2A in the NK cell subset and the content of inflammatory cytokines could be of diagnostic value for early detection of HFMD in patients and prediction of the severity of the disease.

The study explores the expression and significance of miR-133 expression in peripheral blood of patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI), so as to provide new evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of ACI.

Serum levels of miR-133, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were examined using RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. Pearson’s correlation assay was used to analyze the relationship between the level of serum miR-133 and inflammatory factors. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the 10-year survival rate of ACI patients with different levels of miR-133 expression.

The level of serum miR-133 in the ACI group was significantly higher than that in healthy group. Mean-while, the level of serum miR-133 in the large infarction group, middle infarction group, small infarction group, and lacunar infarction group was higher than in the healthy group. Moreover, the serum levels of miR-133 in patients with atherosclerotic thrombotic cerebral infarction (AT) and cardioembolic stroke (CE) were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects and small artery occlusive cerebral infarction (SAD) subjects. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-8, CRP and TNF-α in ACI group were significantly higher than those in healthy group. The correlation analysis showed that serum miR-133 was positively correlated with IL-6, IL-8, CRP, and TNF-α in ACI patients. The 10-year survival rate of the low-expression group was significantly higher than that of the high-expression group.

Serum level of miR-133 may indicate the onset and progression of cerebral infarction and may be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of ACI.

Serum level of miR-133 may indicate the onset and progression of cerebral infarction and may be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of ACI.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has imperiled human lives and global infrastructure since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in China. The current review meticulously summarizes the COVID-19 pandemic situation through the lens of science from the inception of the outbreak to the current progression, which is valuable to mitigate the current pandemic situation.

We reviewed all the relevant literature available on PubMed, Web of Sciences, Google Scholar, and World Health Organization (WHO) website related to COVID-19 from the inception of the outbreak to 18 June 2020. We selected ninety different scientific studies and reports to compile the current review.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a betacoronavirus with four major structural proteins encoded by S, M, E, and N genes and distinct in morphology. The potential provenance of SARS-Cov-2 is zoonotic, and it binds to the host cell receptors by spike protein. The SARS-CoV-2 infectious cycle carries on through direct contact, airise antimalarial drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and glucocorticoids. The use of alcoholic scrubs, sodium hypochlorite, masks, social distancing, and quarantine the affected individual is inevitable to eradicate the infection vector and to break the transmission path.

To evaluate SPRED1 and PBRMl expression in patients with gastric cancer and determine the biological relationships of SPRED1 and PBRM1 with the occurrence and development of gastric cancer.

Tissue specimens of patients with gastric cancer at Jingzhou First People’s Hospital were gathered from April 2016 to August 2018. SPRED1 and PBRMl (Baf180) protein expression levels were detected in the excised cancerous tissues and normal tissues (control group) of 80 patients with gastric cancer by immunohistochemical methods.

The positive rates of SPRED1 and PBRMl protein expression in gastric cancer tissues were 55% and 75%, respectively. The positive rates of SPRED1 and PBRMl protein expression in the normal tissues without cancer were 84.6% and 92.3%, respectively. The expression in gastric cancer tissues was significantly lower than that of the control group (p < 0.05). Positive SPRED1 and PBRMl protein expression was related to histological type, depth of infiltration, presence of lymphatic metastasis, pathological grade, and clinical TNM phase (p < 0.05). SPRED1 expression and PBRMl expression were positively correlated.

The expression of SPRED1 and PBRMl in gastric cancer tissues is low, unrelated to age and declines with increasing pathological grade and clinical phase of the gastric cancer tissues. SPRED1 and PBRMl expression may be related to the biological behavior of tumors, and the two may have a synergistic effect.

The expression of SPRED1 and PBRMl in gastric cancer tissues is low, unrelated to age and declines with increasing pathological grade and clinical phase of the gastric cancer tissues. SPRED1 and PBRMl expression may be related to the biological behavior of tumors, and the two may have a synergistic effect.

Menopause and hypothyroidism, both individually, affect the reproductive hormone profile as well as body metabolism which is reflected in the form of a deranged biochemical profile. It will be interesting to observe the effects on both these profiles, when menopause is associated with hypothyroidism.

This study was conducted on 30 postmenopausal women with newly diagnosed primary hypothyroidism and 30 euthyroid menopausal females as controls. Serum samples of all the subjects were analyzed for complete thyroid profile including total T3 (TT3), total T4 (TT4), free T3 (FT3), free T4 (FT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), estradiol, progesterone, fasting glucose, renal function tests, liver function tests, and lipid profile. Data of both the groups was compared using Student’s t-test.

There was no statistically significant difference observed between the fasting glucose levels and renal and liver function tests in both the groups (p > 0.05). Serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) were found to be significantly increased (p < 0.05) while high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), estradiol, and progesterone were found to be significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in menopausal hypothyroid women as compared to their euthyroid counterparts.

Thus, an association of both menopause and hypothyroidism may lead to accentuation of effect of each on biochemical and reproductive hormone profile.

Thus, an association of both menopause and hypothyroidism may lead to accentuation of effect of each on biochemical and reproductive hormone profile.

The current study aims to detect the serum level of miR-2467 in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and analyze its clinical significance.

The study included 67 pregnant women with GDM and 60 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance as control group. The serum miR-2467 level of pregnant women was detected by RT-PCR. The diagnostic efficiency of serum miR-2467 for GDM was analyzed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, and the risk factors of GDM were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Pearson’s correlation assay was used to analyze the correlation between serum miR-2467 and clinical indicators. The possible target gene of miR-2467 was predicted using TargetScan and validated using dual luciferase reporter assay.

The body mass index (BMI), TC, TG, LDL-C, FPG, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, and serum miR-2467 levels in the GDM group were higher than those in the control group. The serum miR-2467 level of GDM pregnant women was positively correlated with the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, FPG, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR. The AUC of miR-2467 was 0.876 for GDM pregnant women. Logistic analysis showed that serum miR-2467 level was an independent risk factor for GDM. A conserved binding site was identified in the 3’UTR of adiponectin, and dual luciferase reporter assay showed that adiponectin was a target gene of miR-2467.

Altogether, the high level of serum miR-2467 can be used for the preliminary screening of GDM. Targeting the regulation of miR-2467/adiponectin might be a new strategy for the prevention of GDM.

Altogether, the high level of serum miR-2467 can be used for the preliminary screening of GDM. Targeting the regulation of miR-2467/adiponectin might be a new strategy for the prevention of GDM.

The world is on the verge of eradicating polio. In the absence of immunity, laboratory staff handling infectious clinical specimens or viable polioviruses may eventually become a source for transmission. Polio vaccine is mandatory in Bulgaria. Control of acquired immunity is carried out only sporadically. As antibody titers decline with age, determining the seroprevalence in adult laboratory staff would be a contribution to the risk assessment in case of polio importation.

Cell culture microneutralization assay for detecting antibodies against poliovirus 1 and 3 was applied.

The seroprevalence of poliovirus 1 and 3 antibodies among personnel employed at the National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases in Bulgaria, who are handling stool specimens, was 100 and 79%, respectively.

Seroprevalence meets the target of 80%. It can be concluded that personnel are protected against polioviruses and would not be a source of infection in case of polio importation.

Seroprevalence meets the target of 80%. It can be concluded that personnel are protected against polioviruses and would not be a source of infection in case of polio importation.

Vitiligo is an acquired, depigmenting skin disease with unclear, multifactorial etiopathogenesis affecting not only skin but also connected with metabolic abnormalities, including glucose and lipid abnormalities, confirming the systemic nature of the disease. Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies have also been implicated in vitiligo that can lead to increased homocysteine levels in the circulation, a finding that can be expected in vitiligo. Further, an association between hyperlipidemia and hyperhomocysteinemia has been suggested in vitiligo patients showing the eminent need of management of vascular risk factors especially in diseases with metabolic abnormalities. The present study was thus aimed to assess homocysteine levels and lipid risk factors in vitiligo patients and to study their interrelationship to predict the cardiometabolic risk in vitiligo and its management.

The present cross-sectional study included 54 case of generalized vitiligo and 54 age and gender-matched healthy adults as controlthe management of patients with vitiligo.

Accumulating research suggests that hematopoiesis and bone metabolism are interconnected. Several studies have investigated the partial indexes of peripheral blood counts related to bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between all of the parameters, especially the risk interval of complete blood counts (CBC) and BMD in a sample of elderly subjects aged >70 years.

Three hundred and eighty-six subjects aged > 70 years in our hospital were enrolled in a cross-sectional study and underwent BMD measurement along with a CBC test. Patients were divided into two groups „at least osteopenia” (T-score < -1) and a normal group (T-score ≥ -1). The clinicopathological characteristics, CBC parameters, and BMD were analyzed between the two groups. We performed a supervised discretization (using a conditional inference tree algorithm) to find the risk interval for the continuous variables, especially for CBC parameters, and bootstrap multivariable logistic regress with BMD loss tended to show an abnormal sign in the CBC test. Low levels of lymphocytes and PDW may contribute to the evaluation of osteoporosis risk in the elderly. Bone remodeling and hematopoiesis may have stronger associations and interactions than has been previously recognized.

The elderly with BMD loss tended to show an abnormal sign in the CBC test. Low levels of lymphocytes and PDW may contribute to the evaluation of osteoporosis risk in the elderly. Bone remodeling and hematopoiesis may have stronger associations and interactions than has been previously recognized.

The main cause of death in hemodialysis patients is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Chronic inflammation is strongly related with CVD, atherosclerosis, and malnutrition in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. We aimed to investigate the effect of pentoxifylline on adequacy of dialysis, anemia, inflammatory cytokines, and biochemical markers in patients with ESRD on hemodialysis.

This was a randomized controlled trial with a negative result conducted on 42 hemodialysis patients. The patients were randomly divided to two groups; intervention group (400 mg pentoxifylline every night for three months) and control group (followed up without taking pentoxifylline). The blood samples were taken to measure the levels of inflammatory cytokines, anemia-related parameters, and biochemical markers at baseline and the end of treatment.

Thirty-six patients finished the study (18 patients in each group). There was significant reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP) [9.25 (4.60, 17.62) vs. 5.60 (1.90, 11.52), p = 0.048ents.

Public measures to confine the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection involves partial or full lockdown by some countries including Saudi Arabia. Social isolation, and financial insecurity are potential risk factors for mental changes. This study aimed to address public concerns, and assess mental health changes, and the factors associated with mental health burden in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia after the full lockdown is widely employed.

This cross-sectional study was conducted between 30th of April, and 10th of May, 2020 by posting an online survey on social media platforms (WhatsApp, and Twitter) to collect data on participants’ demographics, concerns and worries related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and mental health changes using a validated Arabic version of the self-rated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

A total of 1,921 responded to the questionnaire. Of them, 1,429 (74.5%) were ≤ 45 years old, and 967 (50.3%) were males. Reported public concerns included disturbed lifestyle, getting self or family member infected, loss job or part of income, difficult access to routine health care, and 55.8% reported negative impact on their mental health. Hospital anxiety and depression scale revealed high rates of depression [717 (37.3%)], and anxiety [508 (26.4%)]. Binary logistic regression revealed that female gender, working for the private sector, smokers, and people with chronic diseases were at increased risk of mental illnesses (p < 0.05).

This study addressed serious public concerns, and substantially high rates of depression and anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and lockdown.

This study addressed serious public concerns, and substantially high rates of depression and anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and lockdown.

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is defined as the failure of two or more consecutive clinical pregnancies before 20 weeks of gestation. It is a hot issue in contemporary obstetrics. The etiology of RSA is complicated. Exploring the molecular mechanisms of RSA will be helpful for the prevention and precise therapy at the molecular level. This study aimed to provide novel insights into the biological characteristics and related pathways of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in RSA.

The data set GSE121950 was obtained from GEO data sets. We identified the DEGs using the affy pack-age in R programming software. Gene set enrichment analysis (GESA) and GenePattern tools were performed to examine the gene expression differences between RSA and control group. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed using STRING online tool (https//string-db.org/). qRT-PCR was carried out to validate the expression levels of DEGs in 16 villus tissue samples from patients with induced abortion and 16 villused that several cytokine regulation processes have a deep impact on RSA. A number of genes involved in the hippo signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway, and allograft rejection pathway may be critical mediators or participators in the pathogenesis of RSA. Although further in vivo and in vitro validations are required, our data may provide an important theoretical basis to elucidate the pathogenesis of RSA.

To assess the frequency of fibromyalgia (FM) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and its impact on disease activity indices, fatigue and health-related quality of life (QOL).

This cross-sectional study randomly recruited patients with PsA attending an outpatient clinic between June 2017 and December 2018. Disease activity, functional ability, fatigue, and QOL were assessed for all patients. The recruited PsA patients were screened for concomitant FM, then classified into group Ι, patients with PsA only, and group ΙI, patients with FM-PsA. The severity and impact of FM were assessed for group II patients.

A total of 60 patients with PsA were assessed with a mean age of 49.30±11.69years, of which 43.3% were female. A total of 23 PsA patients had concomitant FM (38.3%). Patients with FM-PsA showed a statistically higher disease activity in all aspects of PsA except for C-reactive protein, swollen joint count (SJC) and dactylitis count. Patients in both groups had similar functional levels, while fatigue and QOL were statistically worse in patients with FM-PsA than in patients with PsA only.

These results might highlight the importance of considering FM as a contextual factor in disease activity assessment in patients with PsA, especially in those with discrepancies in tender joint count/patient-reported outcomes vs SJC/inflammatory markers and those with persistently high disease activity indices.

These results might highlight the importance of considering FM as a contextual factor in disease activity assessment in patients with PsA, especially in those with discrepancies in tender joint count/patient-reported outcomes vs SJC/inflammatory markers and those with persistently high disease activity indices.

Tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome (TRPS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by craniofacial and skeletal malformations including short stature, thin scalp hair, sparse lateral eyebrows, a pear-shaped nose, and cone-shaped epiphyses. This condition is caused by haploinsufficiency or dominant-negative effect of the TRPS1 gene.

In this study, we analyzed the clinical and genetic data of five unrelated TRPS patients. They were suspected of having TRPS on the basis of clinical and radiological features including typical hair and facial features, as well as varying degrees of skeletal abnormalities. Next-generation sequencing was performed to identify variants of the TRPS1 gene in the five patients.

In patient 1, we found a novel mutation at c.1338C>A (p.Tyr446*) (de novo). Patient 2 had a novel phenotype of hydrocephaly and Arnold-Chiari syndrome and we also found a maternally inherited novel mutation at c.2657C>A (p.Ser886*). Patient 3 had a de novo novel mutation at c.2726G>C (p.Cys909Ser) leading to more severe phenotypes. Patient 4 had a paternally inherited known mutation at c.2762G>A (p.Arg921Gln). Patient 5 with a novel phenotype of hepatopathy had a novel deletion at [GRCh37] del(8)(q23.3-q24.11) chr8g.116,420,724-119,124,058 (over 2,700kb). In addition, the patient 3 who harboring missense variants in the GATA binding domain of TRPS1 showed more severe craniofacial and skeletal phenotypes.

We describe four novel mutations and two novel phenotypes in five patients. The mutational and phenotypic spectrum of TRPS is broadened by our study on TRPS mutations. Our results reveal the significance of molecular analysis of TRPS1 for improving the clinical diagnosis of TRPS.

We describe four novel mutations and two novel phenotypes in five patients. The mutational and phenotypic spectrum of TRPS is broadened by our study on TRPS mutations. Our results reveal the significance of molecular analysis of TRPS1 for improving the clinical diagnosis of TRPS.

To evaluate whether intravenous (IV) golimumab produces improvements in skin and nail symptoms that are concomitant with improvements in quality of life (QoL) and joint symptoms in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Patients were randomized to either IV golimumab 2 mg/kg at weeks 0, 4, then every 8weeks (q8w) through week 52 or placebo at weeks 0, 4, then q8w, with crossover to IV golimumab 2 mg/kg at weeks 24, 28, and then q8w through week 52. Assessments included Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), modified Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (mNAPSI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) rheumatoid arthritis response criteria.

Through week 24, achievement of PASI 75/90/100 responses (P ≤ .0098) and mean improvements in mNAPSI (-11.4 vs -3.7; P < .0001) and DLQI (-9.8 vs -2.9; P < .0001) were significantly greater with golimumab versus placebo. Responses were maintained in patients treated with golimumab through week 52. In placebo-crossover patients, increases in the proportion of patients achieving PASI 75/90/100 responses were observed from weeks 24 to 52, and mean improvements in mNAPSI (from -3.7 to -12.9) and DLQI (from -2.9 to -7.8) increased from weeks 24 to 52. Simultaneous achievement of PASI and DLQI responses, PASI and ACR responses, and mNAPSI and DLQI responses were also observed. Similar responses were observed for all assessments regardless of concomitant methotrexate use.

Improvements in skin and nail psoriasis symptoms with IV golimumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis were concomitant with improvements in QoL and arthritis disease activity through 1 year.

Improvements in skin and nail psoriasis symptoms with IV golimumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis were concomitant with improvements in QoL and arthritis disease activity through 1 year.

Asian Americans are among the fastest growing subpopulations in the United States. However, evidence about maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and preterm birth among Asian Americans is lacking.

This population-based study used nationwide birth certificate data from the US National Vital Statistics System 2014 to 2018. All Asian American mothers who had a singleton live birth were included. According to Asian-specific cutoffs, maternal prepregnancy BMI was classified into underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m

), normal weight (BMI 18.5-22.9 kg/m

), overweight (BMI 23.0-27.4 kg/m

), class I obesity (BMI 27.5-32.4 kg/m

), class II obesity (BMI 32.5-37.4 kg/m

), and class III obesity (BMI ≥37.5 kg/m

). Preterm birth was defined as gestational age less than 37 weeks. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of preterm birth.

We included 1 081 341 Asian American mother-infant pairs. The rate of preterm birth was 6.51% (n = 70 434). The rate of maternal Asian-specific, lower BMI cutoffs, was significantly associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. The risk of preterm birth increased with increasing obesity severity. These findings highlight the importance of using Asian-specific BMI cutoffs in assessing risk of preterm birth among Asian American mothers.The aim of this review is to summarize recent achievements in the field of (N),C,N-coordinated group 13-15 compounds not only regarding their synthesis and structure, but mainly focusing on their potential applications. Relevant compounds contain various types of N-coordinating ligands built up on an ortho-(di)substituted phenyl platform. Thus, group 13 and 14 derivatives were used as single-source precursors for the deposition of semiconducting thin films, as building blocks for the preparation of high-molecular polymers with remarkable optical and chemical properties or as compounds with interesting reactivity in hydrometallation processes. Group 15 derivatives function as catalysts in the Mannich reaction, in the allylation of aldehydes or activation of CO2 . They were used as transmetallation reagents in transition metal catalysed coupling reactions. The univalent species serve as ligands for transition metals, activate alkynes or alkenes and are utilized as catalysts in the transfer hydrogenation of azo-compounds.Highly concentrated dispersions of fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs), broadly used for optical tracking, bioimaging and drug delivery monitoring, are obtained using a newly designed micromixer chamber involving high impacting flows. Fine size tuning and narrow size distributions are easily obtained by varying independently the flow rates of the injected fluids and the concentration of the dye stock solution. The flash nanoprecipitation process employed herein is successfully applied to the fabrication of bicomposite FONs designed to allow energy transfer. Considerable enhancement of the emission signal of the energy acceptors is promoted and its origin is found to result from polarity rather than steric effects. Finally, we exploit the high spatial confinement encountered in FONs and their ability to encapsulate hydrophobic photosensitizers to induce photocrosslinking. An increase in the photocrosslinked FON stiffness is evidenced by measuring the elastic modulus at the nanoscale using atomic force microscopy. These results pave the way toward the straightforward fabrication of multifunctional and mechanically photoswitchable FONs, opening novel opportunities in sensing, multimodal imaging, and theranostics.

Emotions play a fundamental role in the professional development of doctors. Teaching medical students about the role of emotions in illness and relationships with patients can be challenging. Balint groups involve a case presentation and discussion focussed on the emotional component of patient interactions. This study aimed to assess whether a Balint group helped medical students to gain a better understanding of the role of emotions in the doctor-patient relationship, and whether students believed that the group provided a valuable educational opportunity.

Voluntary 5-week Balint groups were offered to third, fourth and fifth year medical students on clinical placement at University Hospital Hairmyres. The traditional Balint group format was adhered to. Participating students were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire following the final group session.

Sixteen medical students participated in the Balint groups, and they all completed the questionnaire. The majority of students agreed that the groups helped them to think about the place of emotions in patient encounters, and provided a useful space to think about the doctor-patient relationship. Most students agreed that participating in a Balint group was an important part of their training as a doctor. Students overwhelmingly indicated that Balint groups provide an aspect of training that is not currently addressed elsewhere in the medical student curriculum.

Balint groups provide an effective means of educating students about the role of emotions in the doctor-patient relationship. They are largely valued by students as providing a relevant component of their medical education.

Balint groups provide an effective means of educating students about the role of emotions in the doctor-patient relationship. They are largely valued by students as providing a relevant component of their medical education.Reperfusion injury is a complex pathological event involving processes that can lead to further disruption of the cell membrane and function following an ischemic event. Return of blood flow allows for the needed reperfusion; however, for a period of time before remaining viable cells stabilize, reperfusion results in additional cellular injury. In cardiomyocytes, loss of membrane integrity allows abnormal influx of extracellular calcium, leading to hyper-contracture and cell death. Methods to improve the membrane integrity of cardiomyocytes overwhelmed by pathological disruptions, such as reperfusion injury, are needed to prevent cell death, because of the myocardium’s limited ability to regenerate. Research has shown administration of the copolymer P(oloxamer) 188 before ischemia/reperfusion can protect cardiomyocytes through membrane stabilization. This study sought to determine whether the administration of P188 at the beginning of the clinically more relevant time of reperfusion after ischemia will attenuate any additional damage to cardiomyocytes by stabilizing membrane integrity to allow the cells to maintain function. Using an in-vitro cardiomyocyte model subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation to simulate ischemia/reperfusion injury, we show that reoxygenation significantly potentiates the injury caused by hypoxia itself. P188, with its unique combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic chemical properties, and only delivered at the beginning of reoxygenation, dose-dependently protected cardiomyocytes from injury due to reoxygenation by repairing cell membranes, decreasing calcium influx, and maintaining cellular morphology. Our study also shows the hydrophobic portion of P188 is necessary for the stabilization of cell membrane integrity in providing protection to cardiomyocytes against reoxygenation injury.The aged systemic milieu promotes cellular and cognitive impairments in the hippocampus. Here, we report that aging of the hematopoietic system directly contributes to the pro-aging effects of old blood on cognition. Using a heterochronic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation model (in which the blood of young mice is reconstituted with old HSCs), we find that exposure to an old hematopoietic system inhibits hippocampal neurogenesis, decreases synaptic marker expression, and impairs cognition. We identify a number of factors elevated in the blood of young mice reconstituted with old HSCs, of which cyclophilin A (CyPA) acts as a pro-aging factor. Increased systemic levels of CyPA impair cognition in young mice, while inhibition of CyPA in aged mice improves cognition. Together, these data identify age-related changes in the hematopoietic system as drivers of hippocampal aging.The hippocampus consists of anatomically and functionally distinct subfields that may be differentially involved in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD). Here we, the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis Bipolar Disorder workinggroup, study hippocampal subfield volumetry in BD. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans from 4,698 individuals (BD = 1,472, healthy controls [HC] = 3,226) from 23 sites worldwide were processed with FreeSurfer. We used linear mixed-effects models and mega-analysis to investigate differences in hippocampal subfield volumes between BD and HC, followed by analyses of clinical characteristics and medication use. BD showed significantly smaller volumes of the whole hippocampus (Cohen’s d = -0.20), cornu ammonis (CA)1 (d = -0.18), CA2/3 (d = -0.11), CA4 (d = -0.19), molecular layer (d = -0.21), granule cell layer of dentate gyrus (d = -0.21), hippocampal tail (d = -0.10), subiculum (d = -0.15), presubiculum (d = -0.18), and hippocampal amygdala transition area (d = -0.