Cellulose modified to host functionalities via facile cation exchange approach

Properties of cellulose are typically functionalized by organic chemistry means. We progress an alternative facile way to functionalize cellulose by functional group counter-cation exchange. While ion-exchange is established for cellulose, it is far from exploited and understood beyond the most common cation, sodium. We build on our work that established the cation exchange for go-to alkali metal cations. We expand and further demonstrate the introduction of functional cations, namely, lanthanides. We show that cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) carrying sulfate-half ester groups can acquire properties through the counter-cation exchange. Trivalent lanthanide cations europium (Eu3+), dysprosium (Dy3+) and gadolinium (Gd3+) were employed. The respective ions showed distinct differences in their ability of being coordinated by the sulfate groups; with Eu3+ fully saturating the sulfate groups while for Gd3+ and Dy3+, values of 82 and 41 % were determined by compositional analysis. CNCs functionalized with Eu3+ displayed red emission, those containing Dy3+ exhibited no optical functionality, while those with Gd3+ revealed significantly altered magnetic relaxation times. Using cation exchange to alter cellulose properties in various ways is a tremendous opportunity for modification of the abundant cellulose raw materials for a renewable future.

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND

Disorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.

METHODS

We estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.

FINDINGS

Globally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378-521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20-3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5-45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7-26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6-38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5-32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7-2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.

INTERPRETATION

As the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

ForMAX - a beamline for multiscale and multimodal structural characterization of hierarchical materials

The ForMAX beamline at the MAX IV Laboratory provides multiscale and multimodal structural characterization of hierarchical materials in the nanometre to millimetre range by combining small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering with full-field microtomography. The modular design of the beamline is optimized for easy switching between different experimental modalities. The beamline has a special focus on the development of novel fibrous materials from forest resources, but it is also well suited for studies within, for example, food science and biomedical research.

Carbonized aerogel/ZnO-based dispersive solid phase extraction of daclatasvir and sofosbuvir from biological samples prior to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Daclatasvir and sofosbuvir are antiviral medications utilized in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Due to their low therapeutic index, careful monitoring is necessary to ensure that the optimal dose is administered. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) is an exceptionally sensitive and specific technique for quantifying these drugs within biological matrices. In this study, we developed a novel dispersive solid-phase extraction method employing a carbonized bio aerogel composite with ZnO for efficient extraction of daclatasvir and sofosbuvir from exhaled breath condensate, urine, and plasma samples. The extracted analytes were subsequently subjected to analysis using HPLC-MS/MS. Optimal parameters including pH adjustment, sorbent quantity variation, and elution solvent selection were fine-tuned to achieve maximum recovery efficiency while ensuring selectivity enhancements. The developed method demonstrated broad linearity ranging between 1.2 and 200 ng/mL along with good precision (relative standard deviations ≤6.2 %) and an acceptable coefficient of determination (r2 ≥0.994). These findings establish our proposed method as suitable for reliable drug quantification in clinical samples.

Insights into Organochlorine Pesticides Exposure in the Development of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review

Many human diseases such as cancer, neurological diseases, autism and diabetes are associated with exposure to pesticides, especially organochlorine pesticides. However, pesticide exposure is also associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the leading cause of death worldwide. In this systematic review, results on the link between organochlorine pesticide pollution and CVD were collected from databases (Medline (PubMed), Scopus and Science Direct) in May 2022 from studies published between 2010 and 2022. A total of 24 articles were selected for this systematic review. Sixteen articles were extracted by reviewers using a standardized form that included cross-sectional, cohort, and ecological studies that reported exposure to organochlorine pesticides in association with increased CVD risk. In addition, eight articles covering molecular mechanisms organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on cardiovascular effects were retrieved for detailed evaluation. Based on the findings of the study, it seems elevated circulating levels of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs increase the risk of coronary heart disease, especially in early life exposure to these pesticides and especially in men. Changes in the regulatory function of peroxisome proliferator-activated γ receptor (PPARγ), reduction of paroxonase activity (PON1), epigenetic changes of histone through induction of reactive oxygen species, vascular endothelial inflammation with miR-expression 126 and miR-31, increased collagen synthesis enzymes in the extracellular matrix and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and fibrosis are mechanisms by which PCBs increase the risk of CVD. According to this systematic review, organochlorine pesticide exposure is associated with increased risk of CVD and CVD mortality through the atherogenic and inflammatory molecular mechanism involving fatty acid and glucose metabolism.

Caccinia macranthera Brand var. macranthera: Phytochemical analysis, phytotoxicity and antimicrobial investigations of essential oils with concomitant in silico molecular docking based on OPLS force-field

This study was conducted to extract the essential oils (EOs) of Caccinia macranthera identify their phytochemicals, evaluate their phytotoxicity, antimicrobial activity and enzyme inhibition effects using in silico molecular docking technique. EOs of aerial parts, seeds, and roots of C. macranthera were extracted and analyzed via Gas chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. The antibacterial activity of EOs were determined on nine microorganisms via disk diffusion and microbroth dilution assays. In addition, the allelopathic properties of EOs were investigated by calculating the IC50s for inhibition of germination, seedling length and seedling weight growth of Cuscuta campestris seeds. In order to assess the possible inhibitory effect of major components of C. macranthera EOs on enzymes inhibiting germination and plant growth, molecular docking was employed against the glutamine synthetase (GS), acetohydroxyacid synthetase (AHAS), and 4-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) enzymes. The main compounds of EOs from aerial parts, seeds, and roots EOs were dihydrocarveol (29.5%), Trimethyl-2-Pentadecanone (13.6%), and Palmitic acid (16.8%), respectively. The maximum antibacterial effect was related to the aerial parts EO against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Phytotoxicity analysis exhibited a concentration-dependent increase (p ≤ 0.05) activity. The aerial parts EO demonstrated a substantial allelopathy effect, with IC50 values of 0.22 ± 0.026, 0.39 ± 0.021, and 0.20 ± 0.025 mg/mL, respectively, on inhibitory germination, seedling length and seedling weight growth of Cuscuta campestris seeds. Molecular docking analyzes showed that Oleic acid was suitable for dynamic stabilization of HPPD (-6.552 kJ/mol) and GS (-7.265 kJ/mol) and Eupatoriochromene had the inhibitory potential against AHAS, with docking score of -4.189 kJ/mol. The current research demonstrated that C. macranthera EOs from its aerial parts have an acceptable phytotoxic activity against Cuscuta campestris weed. The major components of EOs, Oleic acid and Eupatoriochromene, presented the strongest binding with HPPD, GS, and AHAS active sites causing disturbance in germination, photosynthesis and weed growth suggesting it as a natural herbicide for controlling the weeds.

Duodenal Web in an Elderly Patient with Abdominal Discomfort and Vomiting: A Rare Case

Duodenal web is complete or incomplete obstruction of the duodenum due to a membranous web or intraluminal diverticulum. This abnormality is one of the main causes of intestinal obstruction in children. The symptoms of this disease may rarely appear in older age and cause gastric outlet obstruction in adults. In the present paper, we report a 69-year-old male patient with heartburn, abdominal discomfort, frequent non-bilious, non-bloody vomiting for the past 6 months. Furthermore, the patient had experienced a weight loss of 12 kg during this period. He had been taking aspirin daily for years due to his ischemic heart disease. After performing contrast-enhanced CT imaging, esophagogastroduodenoscopy and barium meal examination, the patient was diagnosed to suffer from duodenal web. Since surgery is currently the mainstay of treatment in the management of this disease, the patient finally underwent a gastrojejunostomy.

Global, regional, and national burden of meningitis and its aetiologies, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND

Although meningitis is largely preventable, it still causes hundreds of thousands of deaths globally each year. WHO set ambitious goals to reduce meningitis cases by 2030, and assessing trends in the global meningitis burden can help track progress and identify gaps in achieving these goals. Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we aimed to assess incident cases and deaths due to acute infectious meningitis by aetiology and age from 1990 to 2019, for 204 countries and territories.

METHODS

We modelled meningitis mortality using vital registration, verbal autopsy, sample-based vital registration, and mortality surveillance data. Meningitis morbidity was modelled with a Bayesian compartmental model, using data from the published literature identified by a systematic review, as well as surveillance data, inpatient hospital admissions, health insurance claims, and cause-specific meningitis mortality estimates. For aetiology estimation, data from multiple causes of death, vital registration, hospital discharge, microbial laboratory, and literature studies were analysed by use of a network analysis model to estimate the proportion of meningitis deaths and cases attributable to the following aetiologies: Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, group B Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, viruses, and a residual other pathogen category.

FINDINGS

In 2019, there were an estimated 236 000 deaths (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 204 000-277 000) and 2·51 million (2·11-2·99) incident cases due to meningitis globally. The burden was greatest in children younger than 5 years, with 112 000 deaths (87 400-145 000) and 1·28 million incident cases (0·947-1·71) in 2019. Age-standardised mortality rates decreased from 7·5 (6·6-8·4) per 100 000 population in 1990 to 3·3 (2·8-3·9) per 100 000 population in 2019. The highest proportion of total all-age meningitis deaths in 2019 was attributable to S pneumoniae (18·1% [17·1-19·2]), followed by N meningitidis (13·6% [12·7-14·4]) and K pneumoniae (12·2% [10·2-14·3]). Between 1990 and 2019, H influenzae showed the largest reduction in the number of deaths among children younger than 5 years (76·5% [69·5-81·8]), followed by N meningitidis (72·3% [64·4-78·5]) and viruses (58·2% [47·1-67·3]).

INTERPRETATION

Substantial progress has been made in reducing meningitis mortality over the past three decades. However, more meningitis-related deaths might be prevented by quickly scaling up immunisation and expanding access to health services. Further reduction in the global meningitis burden should be possible through low-cost multivalent vaccines, increased access to accurate and rapid diagnostic assays, enhanced surveillance, and early treatment.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

A rapid and simple method for simultaneous determination of three breast cancer related microRNAs based on magnetic nanoparticles modified with S9.6 antibody

Cancer progression is typically associated with the simultaneous changes of multiple microRNA (miR) levels. Therefore, simultaneous determination of multiple miR biomarkers exhibits great promise in early diagnosis of cancers. This research seeks to discuss a simple biosensing method for the ultrasensitive and specific detection of the three miRs related to the breast cancer based on S9.6 antibody coated magnetic beads, titanium phosphate nanospheres, and screen-printed carbon electrode. To prepare signaling probes, three hairpin DNAs (hDNAs) were labeled with three encoding titanium phosphate nanospheres with large quantities of different heavy metal ions (zinc, cadmium, lead), which have been utilized to discriminate the signals of three microRNA targets in relation with the corresponding heavy metal ions. After that, these hairpin structures hybridize with miR-21, miR-155 and miR-10b to form miR-21/hDNA1, miR-155/hDNA2 and miR-10b/hDNA3 complexes, which were captured by S9.6 antibodies (one anti-DNA/RNA antibody) pre-modified on magnetic bead surface. Therefore, the specific preconcentration of targets from complex matrixes can be carried out using magnetic actuation, increasing the sensitivity and specificity of the detection. The biosensor was suitably applied for direct and rapid detection of multiple microRNAs in real sample. It was observed that there were no significant differences between the results obtained by the suggested method and qRT-PCR as a reference method. So, this method makes an ultrasensitive novel platform for miRNAs expression profiling in clinical diagnosis and biomedical research.

A universal ratiometric method for Micro-RNA detection based on the ratio of electrochemical/electrochemiluminescence signal, and toehold-mediated strand displacement amplification

An ultra-selective and reproductive ratiometric platform was introduced based on the ratio of Ru(phen)₃²⁺ electrochemiluminescence (ECL) signal and methylene blue (MB) electrochemistry (EC) signal, which was amplified using a specific and efficient toehold-mediated strand displacement (TMSD). The stable DNA nanoclews (NCs) were efficiently loaded with MB (MB-NCs) as EC signal tags after being synthesized utilizing a simple rolling circle amplification reaction. Besides, Ti₃C₂-based nanocomposite could apply as a superb carrier for both Ru(phen)₃²⁺ and gold nanoparticles (Ti₃C₂-Au-Ru), resulting in a nearly constant ECL internal reference to eliminate the possible interferences. The Ti₃C₂-Au-Ru was attached to the surface of the electrode using Nafion, which exhibited excellent conductivity, and hairpin DNAs (hDNAs) were fixed on AuNPs via an Au-S bond. The designed biosensor was finally applied for miRNA-18a detection as a target model. The TMSD method made it possible to concurrently convert and amplify a single miRNA-18ainput into a large amount of output DNAs with high selectivity. These output DNAs were designed to unfold the stem-locked area of hDNAs. The opened hDNAs then hybridized with the MB-NCs to produce an EC signal. In the proposed biosensing system, by raising the target concentration of miRNA, the EC signal gradually rose, the ECL signal remained nearly constant, and the ratiometric detection method markedly promoted biosensor accuracy. Linear correlations of the ratio value of the EC/ECL with miRNA-18a concentrations between 20 aM and 50 pMwere observed, with the limit of detection of 9 aM. The biosensor was applied to detect miRNA-18a in real serum samples with satisfactory results.

Dynamic and Static Assembly of Sulfated Cellulose Nanocrystals with Alkali Metal Counter Cations

Sulfate groups on cellulose particles such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) provide colloidal stability credit to electrostatic repulsion between the like-charged particles. The introduction of sodium counter cations on the sulfate groups enables drying of the CNC suspensions without irreversible aggregation. Less is known about the effect of other counter cations than sodium on extending the properties of the CNC particles. Here, we introduce the alkali metal counter cations, Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, and Cs⁺, on sulfated CNCs without an ion exchange resin, which, so far, has been a common practice. We demonstrate that the facile ion exchange is an efficient method to exchange to any alkali metal cation of sulfate half esters, with exchange rates between 76 and 89%. The ability to form liquid crystalline order in rest was observed by the presence of birefringence patterns and followed the Hofmeister series prediction of a decreasing ability to form anisotropy with an increasing element number. However, we observed the K-CNC rheology and birefringence as a stand-out case within the series of alkali metal modifications, with dynamic moduli and loss tangent indicating a network disruptive effect compared to the other counter cations, whereas observation of the development of birefringence patterns in flow showed the absence of self- or dynamically-assembled liquid crystalline order.

A Population-Based Cross-sectional Study on the Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Rafsanjan, a Low Gastric Cancer Area in Southeast Iran

Background: Despite all improvements in sanitation and exposure to antibiotics over time, Helicobacter pylori (HP) prevalence remains high, affecting the lives of about half of the world population, which can gradually lead to serious upper gastrointestinal disorders. Understanding HP's epidemiologic patterns help us to better manage the burden of this infection and to plan more effectively regarding potential screening or eradication strategies. We, therefore, aimed to report the crude and age- and sex-standardized prevalence rate of HP infection, its trend, and possible associated factors among asymptomatic healthy individuals in Rafsanjan city, a low-incidence area of gastric cancer (GC) in the southeast of Iran, from July 2018 to December 2021. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional descriptive study included 2,046 male and female subjects between 3 to 72 years who were in good health condition. Study participants were randomly selected from the Health Houses and each underwent a questionnaire-based interview and provided blood and feces samples. The presence of HP infection was detected by serum IgG antibodies and stool antigen test. Results: The overall and age- and sex-standardized prevalence rates of HP infection were 50.9% and 43%, respectively. The prevalence rate has notably decreased in all age groups compared with 2007. Also, it was significantly higher among men (P=0.033) and increased with advancing age (P<0.001). A higher population density living in a specific room area (P=0.012) increased the likelihood of HP infection. Conclusion: To conclude, the prevalence of HP infection is decreasing over time in Rafsanjan city, which may be due to improvements in living standards in this area. A healthy lifestyle and adherence to hygienic principles, especially during childhood, may be required for a reduction in the prevalence of HP infection.

Exhaled breath condensate efficacy to identify mutations in patients with lung cancer: A pilot study

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is used to investigate the efficacy of EBC to detect the genetic mutations in patients with lung cancer. Samples of 5 patients and 5 healthy volunteers were collected. DNA was extracted and used for amplification of hotspot regions of TP53 and KRAS genes by using PCR. We performed the mutation analysis by direct sequencing in all subjects. Detected mutations in EBC samples were compared with those of corresponding tumor tissues and there was complete agreement within the detected mutations in EBC and tumorous tissue. EBC can be used as an efficient and noninvasive source for the assessment of gene mutations in patients with lung cancer.

Oncogenomic Changes in Pancreatic Cancer and Their Detection in Stool

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive malignancy with a dismal prognosis. To improve patient survival, the development of screening methods for early diagnosis is pivotal. Oncogenomic alterations present in tumor tissue are a suitable target for non-invasive screening efforts, as they can be detected in tumor-derived cells, cell-free nucleic acids, and extracellular vesicles, which are present in several body fluids. Since stool is an easily accessible source, which enables convenient and cost-effective sampling, it could be utilized for the screening of these traces. Herein, we explore the various oncogenomic changes that have been detected in PC tissue, such as chromosomal aberrations, mutations in driver genes, epigenetic alterations, and differentially expressed non-coding RNA. In addition, we briefly look into the role of altered gut microbiota in PC and their possible associations with oncogenomic changes. We also review the findings of genomic alterations in stool of PC patients, and the potentials and challenges of their future use for the development of stool screening tools, including the possible combination of genomic and microbiota markers.

COVID-19 after Thoracotomy in Patients with Pulmonary Hydatidosis

Hydatidosis is one of the most important parasitic and zoonotic endemic infections caused by the larvae of cestode Echinococcus granulosus. Co-infection of hydatid cyst with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been previously reported. The mortality rate of hydatidosis is reported to be 2-4% and the liver and lungs are the two most commonly involved organs, respectively. In the present study, we have reported two recovered pulmonary hydatidosis patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 after thoracotomy in the hospital. In general, current cases suggest that patients with thoracic surgery are more likely to develop severe infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2). The patients presented COVID-19 symptoms shortly after thoracotomy and their viral tests were confirmed with the positive result of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. In conclusion, possible differential diagnoses should be considered in similar cases and adequate attention should be paid to intraoperative and postoperative care.

Gut microbiota profile in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and presumed nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Background:

The main composition of intestinal microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients has not yet been elucidated. In this, case-control study, we identified differences of intestinal microbiota in male patients with NAFLD, presumed NASH, and healthy controls.

Materials and Methods:

We compared gut microbial composition of 25 patients with NAFLD, 13 patients with presumed NASH, and 12 healthy controls. Demographic information as well as clinical, nutritional, and physical activity data was gathered. Stool and blood samples were collected to perform the laboratory analysis. The taxonomic composition of gut microbiota was assessed using V4 regions of microbial small subunit ribosomal Ribonucleic acid genes sequencing of stool samples.

Results:

Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the most frequently phyla in all groups. Our results revealed that Veillonella was the only genus with significantly different amounts in presumed NASH patients compared with patients with NAFLD (P = 2.76 × 10⁻⁶, q = 2.07 × 10⁻⁴, logFC = 5.52).

Conclusion:

This pilot study was the first study to compare gut microbial composition in patients with NAFLD and presumed NASH in the Middle East. Given the potential effects of gut microbiota on the management and prevention of NAFLD, larger, prospective studies are recommended to confirm this study's findings.

Microbiota Alterations and Their Association with Oncogenomic Changes in Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive disease with a high mortality and poor prognosis. The human microbiome is a key factor in many malignancies, having the ability to alter host metabolism and immune responses and participate in tumorigenesis. Gut microbes have an influence on physiological functions of the healthy pancreas and are themselves controlled by pancreatic secretions. An altered oral microbiota may colonize the pancreas and cause local inflammation by the action of its metabolites, which may lead to carcinogenesis. The mechanisms behind dysbiosis and PC development are not completely clear. Herein, we review the complex interactions between PC tumorigenesis and the microbiota, and especially the question, whether and how an altered microbiota induces oncogenomic changes, or vice versa, whether cancer mutations have an impact on microbiota composition. In addition, the role of the microbiota in drug efficacy in PC chemo- and immunotherapies is discussed. Possible future scenarios are the intentional manipulation of the gut microbiota in combination with therapy or the utilization of microbial profiles for the noninvasive screening and monitoring of PC.

Comparison of fecal and oral collection methods for studies of the human microbiota in two Iranian cohorts

Background

To initiate fecal and oral collections in prospective cohort studies for microbial analyses, it is essential to understand how field conditions and geographic differences may impact microbial communities. This study aimed to investigate the impact of fecal and oral sample collection methods and room temperature storage on collection samples for studies of the human microbiota.

Results

We collected fecal and oral samples from participants in two Iranian cohorts located in rural Yazd (n = 46) and urban Gonbad (n = 38) and investigated room temperature stability over 4 days of fecal (RNAlater and fecal occult blood test [FOBT] cards) and comparability of fecal and oral (OMNIgene ORAL kits and Scope mouthwash) collection methods. We calculated interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) based on 3 alpha and 4 beta diversity metrics and the relative abundance of 3 phyla. After 4 days at room temperature, fecal stability ICCs and ICCs for Scope mouthwash were generally high for all microbial metrics. Similarly, the fecal comparability ICCs for RNAlater and FOBT cards were high, ranging from 0.63 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.75) for the relative abundance of Firmicutes to 0.93 (95% CI: 0.89, 0.96) for unweighted Unifrac. Comparability ICCs for OMNIgene ORAL and Scope mouthwash were lower than fecal ICCs, ranging from 0.55 (95% CI: 0.36, 0.70) for the Shannon index to 0.79 (95% CI: 0.69, 0.86) for Bray-Curtis. Overall, RNAlater, FOBT cards and Scope mouthwash were stable up to 4 days at room temperature. Samples collected using FOBT cards were generally comparable to RNAlater while the OMNIgene ORAL were less similar to Scope mouthwash.

Conclusions

As microbiome measures for feces samples collected using RNAlater, FOBT cards and oral samples collected using Scope mouthwash were stable over four days at room temperature, these would be most appropriate for microbial analyses in these populations. However, one collection method should be consistently since each method may induce some differences.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-021-02387-9.

Spatial patterns and temporal variations of traffic-related air pollutants and estimating its health effects in Isfahan city, Iran

Isfahan as an important industrial city has faced with air pollution recently. Thus, we assessed the spatial and temporal trends of ambient PM_2.5, CO, SO₂, and O₃ and for estimating their health effect on Isfahan citizens between March 2018 and March 2019 through the AirQ+ software. Our results showed that citizens of Isfahan in almost 240, 167, and 134 of the days in the year has exposure to PM_2.5, SO₂, and O₃ higher than the WHO daily guideline, respectively. Daily variations of PM_2.5, CO, and SO₂ concentration showed the increasing trend of pollutants in the morning to evening. The maximum concentrations of O₃ were observed in the noonday. Also, the concentrations of these pollutants on Friday due to the holiday effect were higher than the weekdays. Except for O₃, the PM_2.5, CO, and SO₂ concentrations in the cold months and cold seasons was higher compared with the hot months and hot seasons. The total number of deaths because of lung cancer, natural mortality, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,, stroke associated with ambient PM_2.5 with the attributable proportion (AP) 11.43%, 11.63%, 15.96%, 15.15%, and 13.1% (95% CI) were 683, 19, 2, 202, and 55 cases, respectively. Therefore, the present study provides additional data for the provincial managers and politicians useful in planning proper strategies of air pollution control to decrease exposure and attributable mortalities.

Seroprevalence of Immunoglobulin M and G Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Virus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a new global health threat.

OBJECTIVES

to analyze the effectiveness of the measurement of specific antibodies to SARS-CoV2 (IgM and IgG) for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and to analyze the rate of SARS-CoV2 seroprevalence in the population.

METHODS

11 relevant studies, published before June 5, 2020, were included in this meta-analysis. These studies were identified by searching the MEDLINE and Scopus databases. The final selected studies were analyzed using STATA version 14. Publication bias was examined using both Egger's test and Funnel plots. Moreover, the I² statistic has been used to evaluate and verify heterogeneity.

RESULTS

The 11 relevant studies selected for the present meta-analysis cover a total of 996 infection cases. According to the results, the average rate of positive cases for IgM (AU/mL) was 2.10 (95% CI: 1.65-2.55; I2=92.2%), and the sensitivity in individuals with positive IgM test was 63% (95% CI: 47-79; I2=94.9%). In addition, the average rate of positive cases for IgG (AU/mL) was 67.44 (95% CI: 28.79-106.09; I2=99.4%), and the sensitivity in individuals with positive IgG test was 79% (95% CI: 67-90; I2=89.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

According to this analysis, detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies may assist early detection of SARS-CoV2 infection. Whether antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 confer protective immunity warrants further studies.

A novel ternary heterogeneous TiO2/BiVO4/NaY-Zeolite nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) under visible light

Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) is a carcinogenic toxin, produced by cyanobacteria. The release of this toxin into drinking water sources can threaten public health and environmental safety. Therefore, effective MC-LR removal from water resources is necessary. In the present study, the hydrothermal method was used to synthesize a novel ternary BiVO₄/TiO₂/NaY-Zeolite (B/T/N-Z) nanocomposite for MC-LR degradation under visible light. FESEM, FTIR, XRD, and DRS were performed for characterizing the nanocomposite structure. Also, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to determine the impact of catalyst dosage, pH, and contact time on the MC-LR removal. High-performance liquid chromatography was performed to measure the MC-LR concentration. Based on the results, independent parameters, including contact time, catalyst dosage, and pH, significantly affected the MC-LR removal (P < 0.05). In other words, increasing the contact time, catalyst dosage, and acidic pH had positive effects on MC-LR removal. Among these variables, the catalyst dosage, with the mean square and F-value of 1041.37 and 162.84, respectively, had the greatest effect on the MC-LR removal efficiency. Apart from the interaction between the catalyst dosage and contact time, the interaction effects of other parameters were not significant. Also, the maximum MC-LR removal efficiency was 99.88% under optimal conditions (contact time = 120 min, catalyst dosage = 1 g/L, and pH = 5). According to the results, the B/T/N-Z nanocomposite, as a novel and effective photocatalyst could be used to degrade MC-LR from polluted water.

Identification of dimensions and indicators of spiritual health: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Spiritual health is considered one of the important dimensions of health and has been given serious attention by the scientific community, World Health Organization, health discourse, and medical education. However, despite these considerations, there is a controversy in defining the nature of this category and its dimensions and indicators. The purpose of this study is to identify the indicators and dimensions of spiritual health for medical students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This qualitative study with exploratory approach utilized conventional content analysis and individual in-depth interviews with experts in the area of spiritual health and spirituality in medical sciences selected through purposeful sampling. The study was conducted at Aja University of Medical Sciences in Tehran in 2018. The semi-structured interview was a tool used to achieve data saturation, that interviewed with 19 experts. Member check, credibility, and reliability were measured to increase the validity and reliability of the results. Inductive content analysis was used for the analysis of data in three main phases: preparation, organization, and categories and creating categories.

RESULTS

Based on the findings of the interviews, 52 indicators were identified.Then, the indicators of spiritual health were identified in the following four categories) relationship with God, relationship with himself, relationship with others, relation with the environment (and these categories were divided inthree dimentions (cognitive, attitudes and emotions, behavioral).

CONCLUSION

The findings of the present study showed that in order to have spiritual health, it is important to pay attention to one's relationship with God and one's relationship with oneself, one's relationship with others, and one's relationship with the environment, and it is necessary to pay attention to it in medical science curricula.

Untargeted Metabolomics: Biochemical Perturbations in Golestan Cohort Study Opium Users Inform Intervention Strategies

Objective: Over 50 million people worldwide are estimated to use opioids, of which ~30 million use opiates (opium and its derivatives). Use of opiates has been associated with a variety of adverse complications such as neurological and behavioral outcomes, addiction, cancers, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. While it is well known that opiates exert their neurobiological effects through binding with mu, kappa, and delta receptors to exert analgesic and sedative effects, mechanistic links to other health effects are not well understood. Our study focuses on the identification of biochemical perturbations in Golestan Cohort Study (GCS) opium users.

Methods: We used untargeted metabolomics to evaluate the metabolic profiles of 218 opium users and 80 non-users participating in the GCS. Urine samples were obtained from adult (age 40–75) opium users living in the Golestan Province of Iran. Untargeted analysis of urine was conducted using a UPLC-Q-Exactive HFx Mass Spectrometry and a 700 MHz NMR Spectrometry.

Results: These GCS opium users had a significantly higher intake of tobacco and alcohol and a significantly decreased BMI compared with non-users. Metabolites derived from opium (codeine, morphine, and related glucuronides), nicotine, and curing or combustion of plant material were increased in opium users compared with non-users. Endogenous compounds which differentiated the opium users and non-users largely included vitamins and co-factors, metabolites involved in neurotransmission, Kreb's cycle, purine metabolism, central carbon metabolism, histone modification, and acetylation.

Conclusions: Our study reveals biochemical perturbations in GCS opium users that are important to the development of intervention strategies to mitigate against the development of adverse effects of substance abuse.

Clinical characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors for mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and cancer history: a propensity score-matched study

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 has caused great concern for patients with underlying medical conditions. We aimed to determine the prognosis of patients with current or previous cancer with either a PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection or a probable diagnosis according to chest CT scan.

METHODS

We conducted a case control study in a referral hospital on confirmed COVID-19 adult patients with and without a history of cancer from February25th to April21st, 2020. Patients were matched according to age, gender, and underlying diseases including ischemic heart disease (IHD), diabetes mellitus (DM), and hypertension (HTN). Demographic features, clinical data, comorbidities, symptoms, vital signs, laboratory findings, and chest computed tomography (CT) images have been extracted from patients' medical records. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals of each factor of interest with outcomes.

RESULTS

Fifty-three confirmed COVID-19 patients with history of cancer were recruited and compared with 106 non-cancerous COVID-19 patients as controls. Male to female ratio was 1.33 and 45% were older than 65. Dyspnea and fever were the most common presenting symptoms in our population with 57.86 and 52.83% respectively. Moreover, dyspnea was significantly associated with an increased rate of mortality in the cancer subgroup (p = 0.013). Twenty-six patients (49%) survived among the cancer group while 89 patients (84%) survived in control (p = 0.000). in cancer group, patients with hematologic cancer had 63% mortality while patients with solid tumors had 37%. multivariate analysis model for survival prediction showed that history of cancer, impaired consciousness level, tachypnea, tachycardia, leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia were associated with an increased risk of death.

CONCLUSION

In our study, cancer increased the mortality rate and hospital stay of COVID-19 patients and this effect remains significant after adjustment of confounders. Compared to solid tumors, hematologic malignancies have been associated with worse consequences and higher mortality rate. Clinical and para-clinical indicators were not appropriate to predict death in these patients.

Existing antiviral options against SARS-CoV-2 replication in COVID-19 patients

COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2, is an international concern. This infection requires urgent efforts to develop new antiviral compounds. To date, no specific drug in controlling this disease has been identified. Developing the new treatment is usually time consuming, therefore using the repurposing broad-spectrum antiviral drugs could be an effective strategy to respond immediately. In this review, a number of broad-spectrum antivirals with potential efficacy to inhibit the virus replication via targeting the virus spike protein (S protein), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) that are critical in the pathogenesis and life cycle of coronavirus, have been evaluated as possible treatment options against SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patients.

Expression of Main Toll-Like Receptors in Patients with Different Types of Colorectal Polyps and Their Relationship with Gut Microbiota

Abnormal activation of Toll-like receptor (TLRs) signaling can result in colon cancer development. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of important TLRs in different histological types of colorectal polyps and evaluate their relationship with intestinal microbiota. The expression levels of TLR2, 3, 4, and 5 were analyzed in intestinal biopsy specimens of 21 hyperplastic polyp (HP), 16 sessile serrated adenoma (SSA), 29 tubular adenoma (TA), 21 villous/tubulovillous (VP/TVP) cases, and 31 normal controls. In addition, selected gut bacteria including Streptococcus bovis, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF), Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas spp., Lactobacillus spp., Roseburia spp., and Bifidobacterium spp. were quantified in fecal samples using absolute qRT PCR, and, finally, the association between TLRs and these gut microbiota- was evaluated by Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Higher expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in VP/TVP and TA, and lower expression levels of TLR3 and TLR5 in all type of polyps were observed. The differences in TLR expression patterns was not only dependent on the histology, location, size, and dysplasia grade of polyps but also related to the intestinal microbiota patterns. TLR2 and TLR4 expression was directly associated with the F. nucleatum, E. faecalis, S. bovis, Porphyromonas, and inversely to Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Roseburia quantity. Furthermore, TLR3 and TLR5 expression was directly associated with Bifidobacterium, Roseburia, and Lactobacillus quantity. Our results suggest a possible critical role of TLRs during colorectal polyp progression. An abnormal regulation of TLRs in relation to gut microbial quantity may contribute to carcinogenesis.

The Khuzestan Comprehensive Health Study (KCHS): Methodology and Profile of Participants

BACKGROUND

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, with a disproportionally rising burden among low- and middle-income populations. While preventable risk factors highly contribute to this burden, population-based studies assessing these factors and the health status of these populations, are scarce.

METHODS

The Khuzestan Comprehensive Health Study (KCHS)-a cross sectional study-was conducted between 2016-2019, including 30,506 Iranians aged 20 to 65 years, from 27 counties of Khuzestan province, southwest of Iran. KCHS aimed to provide a comprehensive health overview by investigating the prevalence and risk factors of NCDs and psychological disorders, along with viral hepatitis as a common communicable disease. Upon registration, 15 mL of blood and anthropometric measurements were obtained from participants. Afterwards, several interviewer-administered questionnaires were completed to gather data on demographics, socioeconomic status, sleep quality, physical activity, lifestyle habits, nutrition, and medical history.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD age of participants was 41.7 ± 11.9 years. The majority were female (64.3%), of the Arab ethnicity (49%), married (83%), and urban residents (73.1%). About 70% had an educational level below high school diploma. Overall, 10.8%, 5.2%, and 2.8% of participants had used cigarettes, hookah, and drugs at least once in their lifetime, respectively. While body mass index and serum cholesterol levels were higher in females, blood pressure was higher in males (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

KCHS assessed many aspects of health in the Khuzestan province. In addition to develop a biobank along with a comprehensive dataset, KCHS will serve as a valuable infrastructure for future research.

Assessment of the impact of different fecal storage protocols on the microbiota diversity and composition: a pilot study

Background

Fecal samples are currently the most commonly studied proxy for gut microbiota. The gold standard of sample handling and storage for microbiota analysis is maintaining the cold chain during sample transfer and immediate storage at − 80 °C. Gut microbiota studies in large-scale, population-based cohorts require a feasible sample collection protocol. We compared the effect of three different storage methods and mock shipment: immediate freezing at − 80 °C, in 95% ethanol stored at room temperature (RT) for 48 h, and on blood collection card stored at RT for 48 h, on the measured composition of fecal microbiota of eight healthy, female volunteers by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene on an Illumina MiSeq.

Results

Shared operational taxonomic units (OTUs) between different methods were 68 and 3% for OTUs > 0.01 and < 0.01% mean relative abundance within each group, respectively. α and β-diversity measures were not significantly impacted by different storage methods. With the exception of Actinobacteria, fecal microbiota profiles at the phylum level were not significantly affected by the storage method. Actinobacteria was significantly higher in samples collected on card compared to immediate freezing (1.6 ± 1.1% vs. 0.4 ± 0.2%, p = 0.005) mainly driven by expansion of Actinobacteria relative abundance in fecal samples stored on card in two individuals. There was no statistically significant difference at lower taxonomic levels tested.

Conclusion

Consistent results of the microbiota composition and structure for different storage methods were observed. Fecal collection on card could be a suitable alternative to immediate freezing for fecal microbiota analysis using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-019-1519-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of doping zinc oxide nanoparticles with transition metals (Ag, Cu, Mn) on photocatalytic degradation of Direct Blue 15 dye under UV and visible light irradiation

BACKGROUND

Azo dyes represent the most commonly used group of dyes in the textile industry. These organic dyes are mainly resistant to biodegradation and may exhibit toxic and carcinogenic properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of doping zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) with transition metals (silver, manganese, and copper) on the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO NPs in the removal of Direct Blue 15 dye from aqueous environments under ultraviolet (UV) radiation and visible light irradiation.

METHODS

One or two metals were used for doping the NPs. In total, seven types of undoped and transition metal-doped NPs were synthesized using the thermal solvent method with ZnO precursors and transition metal salts. The characteristics of the synthesized NPs were determined based on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and zeta potential measurements.

RESULTS

The produced ZnO NPs did not exhibit any particular photocatalytic activities under UV radiation and visible light irradiation. The highest removal efficiency under UV radiation was about 74% in the presence of silver-doped ZnO NPs, while the maximum efficiency under visible light was 70% in the presence of copper-doped ZnO NPs. The lowest removal efficiency was related to pure ZnO, which was 18.4% and 14.6% under UV and visible light irradiation, respectively. Although the efficiency of dye removal under visible light was not high compared to UV radiation, this efficiency was noteworthy in terms of both practical and economic aspects since it was achieved without the presence of ultraviolet radiation.

CONCLUSIONS

The synthesis of transition metal-doped ZnO nanophotocatalysts (with one or two metals) under UV radiation or visible light irradiation could be used as an efficient and promising technology for the photocatalytic removal of Direct Blue 15 dye from aqueous environments.

Toxicity evaluation and management of co-composting pistachio wastes combined with cattle manure and municipal sewage sludge

To manage the pistachio de-hulling waste (PW), investigated the co-composting process using a mixture of PW and cattle manure (CM) (5.5:10 dry weight) as well as PW and municipal dewatering sewage sludge (DSS) (1:10 dry weight) at the laboratory scale for 60 days. Compost toxicity was evaluated using the seed germination index (GI). The maximum temperatures in co-composting processes of PW+CM (51.9 °C) and PW+DSS (49.9 °C) were reported on the seventh day. The increase of temperature was higher in PW+CM and remained in the thermophilic phase for five days. In both reactors, the pH rates decreased, increased, and finally remained neutral. The C/N ratio decreased in both reactors, but the reduction rate was faster in the PW+DSS reactor. Sodium (Na%) and potassium (K%) contents were increased, while the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn were decreased during the processes. The numbers of parasite eggs in the final composts of the reactors containing PW+CM and PW+DSS were zero and 8 Number/4gDW, respectively. The amounts of Salmonella were zero in the final products of reactors containing PW+CM and PW+DSS. The results of GI showed that the final compost of PW+CM process was not toxic for the plants, whereas the PW+DDS final compost was toxic. In conclusion, the co-compost product of the PW+CM reactor had higher quality than the PW+DSS reactor. So, it is suitable for PW management.

Impact of Molecular Partitioning and Partial Equilibration on the Estimation of Diffusion Coefficients from Release Experiments

The present work addresses the effect of partial equilibration and molecular partitioning on the interpretation of release experiments. In this regard, it is shown how release profiles and the values of extracted transport parameters are affected by the time protocol chosen for sample collection by considering a series of experiments where the latter is systematically varied. Caffeine is investigated as a main model drug because of its similar affinity for water and lipids, while monolinolein-based lipid cubic phases are chosen as host matrices because of their wide employment in release studies. Our findings point to a progressive decline in diffusion rate upon increasing the time step, that is, the gap in time between two consecutive pickups, which is a signature of increasing equilibration of caffeine concentration between the lipidic mesophase and the water phase. Furthermore, the amount of released molecules at the first pickup displays negligible changes for large time steps, indicating complete equilibration in such cases. A model is introduced based on Fick's diffusion which goes beyond the assumption of perfect-sink conditions, a common feature of the typical theoretical approaches hitherto developed. The model is shown to account quantitatively for the experimental data and is subsequently employed to clarify the interplay of the adopted release protocol with the various transport parameters in determining the final outcome of the release process. Particularly, two additional molecular drugs are considered, namely glucose and proflavine, which are, respectively, more hydrophilic and hydrophobic than caffeine, thus allowing elucidating the role of molecular partitioning.

Dataset on comparing the corrosion indices of alum and ferric chloride coagulants with phosphate dose elevation

The aim of this data was to assess and compare the corrosion indices of alum and ferric chloride coagulants in conventional coagulation process of water with elevation of phosphate dose. After preparing synthetic water samples, jar experiments were performed with elevation of different phosphate doses using alum and ferric chloride coagulants. Then, corrosion indices of Ryznar and Langelier of water samples were calculated. The results indicated that the values of Ryznar and Langelier index in the experimental samples were 7 and less than zero, and the water conditions were under saturated. The corrosion and precipitation indices indicated that the water samples can be considered as corrosive waters.

Rheology of Ultraswollen Bicontinuous Lipidic Cubic Phases

Rheological studies of liquid crystalline systems based on monopalmitolein and 5 or 8% of 1,2 distearoylphosphatidylglycerol are reported. Such cubic phases have been shown to possess unusually large water channels because of their ability of accommodating up to 80 wt % of water, a feature that renders these systems suitable for crystallizing membrane proteins with large extracellular domains. Their mechanical properties are supposed to be substantially different from those of traditional cubic phases. Rheological measurements were carried out on cubic phases of both Pn3 m and Ia3 d symmetries. It was verified that these ultraswollen cubic phases are less rigid than the normal cubic phases, with the Pn3 m being softer that the Ia3 d ones. Furthermore, for the Pn3 m case, the longest relaxation time is shown to decrease logarithmically with increasing surface area per unit volume, proving the critical role of the density of interfaces in establishing the macroscopic viscoelastic properties of the bicontinuous cubic phases.

Using Metabolomics to Investigate Biomarkers of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction has been associated with an increased risk for cancer, psychological complications, heart, liver, and lung disease, as well as infection. While genes have been identified that can mark individuals at risk for substance abuse, the initiation step of addiction is attributed to persistent metabolic disruptions occurring following the first instance of narcotic drug use. Advances in analytical technologies can enable the detection of thousands of signals in body fluids and excreta that can be used to define biochemical profiles of addiction. Today, these approaches hold promise for determining how exposure to drugs, in the absence or presence of other environmentally relevant factors, can impact human metabolism. We posit that these can lead to candidate biomarkers of drug dependence, treatment, withdrawal, or relapse.

Potential Correlation Between Circulating Fetuin-A and Pentraxin-3 With Biochemical Parameters of Calcification in Hemodialysis Patients

BACKGROUND

The strong correlation between vascular calcification and cardiovascular risk, which is a major cause of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients, has been well established. Fetuin-A is an inhibitor of vascular calcification, and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is produced at the site of inflammation, which is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The main purpose of this study was evaluating the correlation between fetuin-A and PTX3 with some biochemical parameters effective upon vascular calcification in HD patients.

METHODS

We included 84 HD patients and 84 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) in this study. Blood samples were drawn from all subjects and the serum levels of creatinine, urea, albumin, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), parathyroid hormone, fetuin-A, high sensitive C-reactive protein, and PTX3 were measured by biochemical methods.

RESULTS

We found that the serum levels of PTX3, C-reactive protein (CRP), parathyroid hormone (PTH), Ca, and P in the patient group were significantly higher than the control group but the serum levels of fetuin-A and albumin were significantly lower in the patient group. Also, fetuin-A had a significant correlation with high sensitive CRP (hs-CRP) as well as duration of dialysis. In addition, it was shown that the correlation between PTX3 and PTH was significant only in the patient group.

CONCLUSION

In this study, increased PTX3 and decreased fetuin-A levels were observed in the HD patients. According to our results, these 2 parameters may potentially serve as suitable markers for inflammation and prediction of vascular complications in these patients.