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BMC Psychiatry May 2024The oxidative system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Inconsistent associations were found between hyperbilirubinemia and psychopathology as...
The associations of psychopathology and metabolic parameters with serum bilirubin levels in patients with acute-episode and drug-free schizophrenia: a 5-year retrospective study using an electronic medical record system.
BACKGROUND
The oxidative system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Inconsistent associations were found between hyperbilirubinemia and psychopathology as well as glycolipid metabolism in patients with schizophrenia at different episodes. This current study aimed to examine these associations in patients with acute-episode and drug-free (AEDF) schizophrenia.
METHODS
This is a retrospective study using 5 years of data from May 2017 to May 2022 extracted from the electronic medical record system of Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Healthy controls (HCs) from the local medical screening center during the same period were also included. Participants' data of the bilirubin levels [total bilirubin (TB), conjugated bilirubin (CB), unconjugated bilirubin (UCB)], glycolipid metabolic parameters and the score of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) were collected.
RESULTS
A total of 1468 case records were identified through the initial search. After screening, 89 AEDF patients and 100 HCs were included. Compared with HCs, patients had a higher CB level, and lower levels of glycolipid metabolic parameters excluding high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (all P < 0.001). Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that high bilirubin levels in the patients were independently associated with higher total and resistance subscale scores of BPRS, a higher HDL-C level, and lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels (all P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Bilirubin levels are elevated in patients with AEDF schizophrenia. Patients with high bilirubin levels have more severe psychopathology and relatively optimized glycolipid metabolism. In clinical practice, regular monitoring of bilirubin levels in this patient population should be carried out.
Topics: Humans; Schizophrenia; Bilirubin; Female; Male; Adult; Retrospective Studies; Electronic Health Records; Middle Aged; Hyperbilirubinemia; Glycolipids; Young Adult; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
PubMed: 38811905
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05862-5 -
Aging Cell May 2024Worldwide trends to delay childbearing have increased parental ages at birth. Older parental age may harm offspring health, but mechanisms remain unclear. Alterations in...
Worldwide trends to delay childbearing have increased parental ages at birth. Older parental age may harm offspring health, but mechanisms remain unclear. Alterations in offspring DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns could play a role as aging has been associated with methylation changes in gametes of older individuals. We meta-analyzed epigenome-wide associations of parental age with offspring blood DNAm of over 9500 newborns and 2000 children (5-10 years old) from the Pregnancy and Childhood Epigenetics consortium. In newborns, we identified 33 CpG sites in 13 loci with DNAm associated with maternal age (P < 0.05). Eight of these CpGs were located near/in the MTNR1B gene, coding for a melatonin receptor. Regional analysis identified them together as a differentially methylated region consisting of 9 CpGs in/near MTNR1B, at which higher DNAm was associated with greater maternal age (P = 6.92 × 10) in newborns. In childhood blood samples, these differences in blood DNAm of MTNR1B CpGs were nominally significant (p < 0.05) and retained the same positive direction, suggesting persistence of associations. Maternal age was also positively associated with higher DNA methylation at three CpGs in RTEL1-TNFRSF6B at birth (P < 0.05) and nominally in childhood (p < 0.0001). Of the remaining 10 CpGs also persistent in childhood, methylation at cg26709300 in YPEL3/BOLA2B in external data was associated with expression of ITGAL, an immune regulator. While further study is needed to establish causality, particularly due to the small effect sizes observed, our results potentially support offspring DNAm as a mechanism underlying associations of maternal age with child health.
PubMed: 38808605
DOI: 10.1111/acel.14194 -
BMC Medicine May 2024This study evaluates longitudinal associations between glycaemic control, measured by mean and within-patient variability of glycated haemaglobin (HbA1c) levels, and...
BACKGROUND
This study evaluates longitudinal associations between glycaemic control, measured by mean and within-patient variability of glycated haemaglobin (HbA1c) levels, and major depressive disorder (MDD) in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), focusing on the timings of these diagnoses.
METHODS
In UK Biobank, T2D was defined using self-report and linked health outcome data, then validated using polygenic scores. Repeated HbA1c measurements (mmol/mol) over the 10 years following T2D diagnosis were outcomes in mixed effects models, with disease duration included using restricted cubic splines. Four MDD exposures were considered: MDD diagnosis prior to T2D diagnosis (pre-T2D MDD), time between pre-T2D MDD diagnosis and T2D, new MDD diagnosis during follow-up (post-T2D MDD) and time since post-T2D MDD diagnosis. Models with and without covariate adjustment were considered.
RESULTS
T2D diagnostic criteria were robustly associated with T2D polygenic scores. In 11,837 T2D cases (6.9 years median follow-up), pre-T2D MDD was associated with a 0.92 increase in HbA1c (95% CI: [0.00, 1.84]), but earlier pre-T2D MDD diagnosis correlated with lower HbA1c. These pre-T2D MDD effects became non-significant after covariate adjustment. Post-T2D MDD individuals demonstrated increasing HbA1c with years since MDD diagnosis ( , 95% CI: [0.17, 0.86]). Retrospectively, across study follow-up, within-patient variability in HbA1c was 1.16 (95% CI: 1.13-1.19) times higher in post-T2D MDD individuals.
CONCLUSIONS
The timing of MDD diagnosis is important for understanding glycaemic control in T2D. Poorer control was observed in MDD diagnosed post-T2D, highlighting the importance of depression screening in T2D, and closer monitoring for individuals who develop MDD after T2D.
Topics: Humans; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Longitudinal Studies; Middle Aged; Male; Female; United Kingdom; Depressive Disorder, Major; Glycated Hemoglobin; Aged; Glycemic Control; Biological Specimen Banks; Primary Health Care; Adult; Cohort Studies; UK Biobank
PubMed: 38807170
DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03425-9 -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine May 2024Hemotropic mycoplasmas, hemoplasmas, are epi-erythrocytic parasitic bacteria that can be transmitted through blood transfusion.
BACKGROUND
Hemotropic mycoplasmas, hemoplasmas, are epi-erythrocytic parasitic bacteria that can be transmitted through blood transfusion.
OBJECTIVES
To study the prevalence of hemoplasma infection of potential feline blood donors and investigate the association between Hemoplasma spp. quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) positivity in blood units and selected variables.
ANIMALS
Seven thousand five hundred seventy-three blood units from 4121 privately-owned potential donor cats.
METHODS
Retrospective observational cross-sectional study. The Banco Sangue Animal (BSA)-Animal Blood Bank medical database was reviewed for all feline donations performed in 2022 in Portugal, Spain, and Belgium. Baseline characteristics and results of blood-borne pathogens screening tests were extracted from the medical records.
RESULTS
Two hundred twelve of 4034 Portuguese donor cats and 2 of 70 Spanish donor cats tested positive for Hemoplasma spp. qPCR in 2022 leading to an overall estimated prevalence of 5.2% (95% CI: 4.5%-5.9%) in potential blood donors. Using multivariable generalized estimation equation models, Hemoplasma spp. qPCR was more often positive among blood units issued from male cats (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.4-2.6, P < .0001), units positive for FeLV (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.4-5.6, P = .0023), and units collected in winter months (OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.7-3.6, P < .0001).
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
This study underscores the importance of Hemoplasma spp. and other relevant blood-borne pathogens screening at every donation. Implementing stringent screening protocols is crucial to mitigate the risk of hemoplasma transmission via blood transfusions, thereby safeguarding the health and welfare of cats receiving transfusions.
PubMed: 38803041
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17119 -
Cureus Apr 2024Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a significant impact on global health and healthcare systems. This retrospective study aimed to assess the association...
BACKGROUND
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a significant impact on global health and healthcare systems. This retrospective study aimed to assess the association between biochemical parameters and outcomes in COVID-19 patients in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
METHODS
After establishing the inclusion criteria and obtaining ethical approval, data from 156 reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 patients were collected from electronic medical records from a general hospital in Samtah, Jazan, from April 2020 to October 2021. The collected data included patient demographics and liver, kidney, heart, and electrolyte function marker levels. Descriptive, inferential, and principal component analyses were conducted.
RESULTS
Survival rates varied according to age and body mass index (BMI). Statistical analysis demonstrated that the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), sodium (Na), potassium (K), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), creatine kinase (CK), CK myocardial band (MB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the reference values, as assessed using the one-sample t-test. Principal component analysis (PCA) also revealed an underlying pattern in the variation of these biochemical markers. These findings suggest that certain biochemical parameters may serve as useful indicators for monitoring the condition of COVID-19 patients.
CONCLUSION
This retrospective study in Jazan, Saudi Arabia highlights the association between biochemical parameters and outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Elevated levels of markers of liver, kidney, heart, and electrolyte function suggest organ damage and dysregulation. The pattern identified through PCA provides insights into disease severity. Monitoring these parameters may serve as valuable indicators for assessing COVID-19 patients. Further research is needed to validate these findings, explore their potential for personalized treatment strategies, and improve patient outcomes during the ongoing pandemic.
PubMed: 38800147
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58889 -
Iranian Journal of Basic Medical... 2024Until recently, a conventional chemotherapy regimen for Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is considered an efficient therapeutic method in children. However, suboptimal...
OBJECTIVES
Until recently, a conventional chemotherapy regimen for Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is considered an efficient therapeutic method in children. However, suboptimal long-term survival rates in adults, disease relapse, and drug-induced toxicities require novel therapeutic agents for ALL treatments. Today, natural products with pharmacological benefits play a significant role in treating different cancers. Among the most valued natural products, honey bees' royal jelly (RJ) is one of the most appreciated which has revealed anti-tumor activity against different human cancers. This study aimed to evaluate anti-leukemic properties and the molecular mechanisms of RJ cytotoxicity on ALL-derived Nalm-6 cells.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The metabolic activity was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis, cell distribution in the cell cycle, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level were investigated using flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to scrutinize the expression of various regulatory genes.
RESULTS
RJ significantly decreased the viability of Nalm-6 cells but had no cytotoxic effect on normal cells. In addition, RJ induced ROS-mediated apoptosis by up-regulating pro-apoptotic genes while decreasing anti-apoptotic gene expression. The results outlined that ROS-dependent up-regulation of FOXO4 and Sirt1 inhibits the cells' transition to the S phase of the cell cycle through p21 up-regulation. The qRT-PCR analysis of autophagy-related gene expression also demonstrated that RJ induced BECN1 mediated autophagy in Naml-6 cells.
CONCLUSION
Taken together, this study showed that RJ can be utilized as a potent natural substance to induce ALL cells' programmed cell death. However, further studies are required to examine this compound's pharmaceutical application.
PubMed: 38800032
DOI: 10.22038/IJBMS.2024.76261.16498 -
Micromachines Apr 2024Speckle patterns are a generic feature in coherent imaging techniques like optical coherence tomography (OCT). Although speckles are granular like noise texture, which... (Review)
Review
Speckle patterns are a generic feature in coherent imaging techniques like optical coherence tomography (OCT). Although speckles are granular like noise texture, which degrades the image, they carry information that can be benefited by processing and thereby furnishing crucial information of sample structures, which can serve to provide significant important structural details of samples in longitudinal pre-clinical monitoring and assessments. Since the motions of tissue molecules are indicated through speckle patterns, speckle variance OCT (SV-OCT) can be well-utilized for quantitative assessments of speckle variance (SV) in biological tissues. SV-OCT has been acknowledged as a promising method for mapping microvasculature in transverse-directional blood vessels with high resolution in micrometers in both the transverse and depth directions. The fundamental scope of this article reviews the state-of-the-art and clinical benefits of SV-OCT to assess biological tissues for pre-clinical applications. In particular, focus on precise quantifications of vascular response, therapy assessments, and real-time temporal vascular effects of SV-OCT are primarily emphasized. Finally, SV-OCT-incorporating pre-clinical techniques with high potential are presented for future biomedical applications.
PubMed: 38793137
DOI: 10.3390/mi15050564 -
Cancers May 2024The release of microvesicles (MVs) is an essential phenomenon for inter-cellular signaling in health and disease. The role of MVs in cancer is multidimensional and...
BACKGROUND
The release of microvesicles (MVs) is an essential phenomenon for inter-cellular signaling in health and disease. The role of MVs in cancer is multidimensional and includes cancer cell survival, proliferation, and invasion. In this prospective study, we analyzed MV levels in colorectal cancer patients and assessed the importance of MV release in early-stage colorectal cancer and survival.
METHODS
This study included 98 patients and 15 controls. The characterization of MVs from human plasma was performed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies.
RESULTS
The levels of total MVs and MUC-1-positive, tissue factor (TF)-positive, and endothelial cell-derived MVs (EMVs) were statistically significantly higher in the colon cancer patients than in the controls ( < 0.001). Furthermore, the subgroup of patients with very early-stage colorectal cancer also had statistically significant differences in the levels of the abovementioned MVs compared to the controls ( < 0.01). Highly differentiated tumors had lower levels of MUC-1-positive MVs ( < 0.02), EMVs ( < 0.002), and EMV/TF combinations ( < 0.001) versus those with tumors with low/intermediate differentiation.
CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate that the analysis of circulating MV levels in plasma could possibly become a tool for the early diagnosis of colon cancer at a very early stage of the disease.
PubMed: 38792021
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16101943 -
Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences Sep 2023Red blood cell antigens are numerous in structural and functional diversity; some are proteins while others are carbohydrates. The international society of blood...
BACKGROUND
Red blood cell antigens are numerous in structural and functional diversity; some are proteins while others are carbohydrates. The international society of blood transfusion currently recognized 43 blood group systems containing 349 red cell antigens. It also acknowledged 9 blood group systems (ABO, Rhesus, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, MNS, P, Lewis, and Lutheran) that are clinically significant and associated with hemolytic transfusion reactions as well as hemolytic disease of fetuses and newborns. The objective of this study was to assess the distribution of minor blood group antigens and their phenotype among voluntary blood donors in Ethiopian blood and tissue bank service in Addis Ababa.
METHOD
A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2022 among 260 volunteer blood donors to determine minor blood group antigens and their phenotype at EBTBS, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Tests were performed using Galileo Neo Immucor, which is fully automated Immunohematology analyzer.
RESULT
A total of 260 blood donors were screened of which 153 (59%) were males. The antigen frequencies of minor blood group systems were: Fy(a), Fy(b), Jk(a), Jk(b), k, S, s were 33.5%, 43.5%, 97.7%), 40.4%), 100%, 45%, 90%, respectively. Regarding phenotype distribution, the most common phenotypes were: Duffy Fy (a-b+) 36.9%, MNS S-s+ 55% and Kidd Jk (a+b-) 59.6%.
CONCLUSION
This study highlights the frequencies of Fy(a), Fy(b), Jk(a), Jk(b), k, S and s blood group antigens and their phenotypes in volunteer blood donors at EBTBS, Addis Ababa. For the management of alloimmunization cases in transfused patients, knowledge of these minor blood group antigens is relevant.
Topics: Humans; Ethiopia; Blood Donors; Blood Group Antigens; Male; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Phenotype; Adult; Young Adult; Middle Aged; Blood Banks; Adolescent; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching
PubMed: 38784499
DOI: 10.4314/ejhs.v33i5.11 -
Cureus Apr 2024Increased glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels have shown an association with an increased risk of stroke in patients admitted to a tertiary care center in Jharkhand.
BACKGROUND
Increased glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels have shown an association with an increased risk of stroke in patients admitted to a tertiary care center in Jharkhand.
OBJECTIVES
To find out and estimate the risk of acute ischemic stroke in patients with increased HbA1c levels compared with controls.
METHODS
This observational case-control study was conducted on patients admitted to the department of general medicine at a tertiary care center in Ranchi from June 2021 to November 2022. The patients included in this study were those aged 18 years or older and who were clinically and radiologically diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke. Only patients with a first episode of stroke were included, and patients with hemorrhagic stroke or transient ischemic attack were excluded from this study. An equal number of control participants were also included. Ion exchange high-performance liquid chromatography was used to perform the HbA1c tests. The same method was used to measure HbA1c levels in the controls. All findings were recorded in a Microsoft Excel sheet (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA), and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). After performing a descriptive statistical analysis, the findings were classified over a range of values and described accordingly. For each variable, an independent t-test was performed to compare the cases with the controls. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to choose the appropriate potential factors to determine the association in the multivariable analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 185 cases and 185 controls were included. The mean age of the cases with ischemic stroke was 63.77 ± 10.312, and that of the controls was 53.18 ± 11.35 (p < 0.01). The mean HbA1c level in the patients of acute ischemic stroke was 6.97 ± 1.84, and that of the controls was 5.99 ± 1.69 (p < 0.01). The mean random blood sugar (RBS) value in the ischemic stroke cases was 170.21 ± 84.16, and that of the controls was 150.03 ± 82.25 (p = 0.02). To compare the factors that were determined to be statistically significant between ischemic stroke cases and controls, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. The HbA1c p-value was 0.01, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.280, and the 95% CI was 1.11-1.48. The other variables apart from HbA1c that were statistically significant between the ischemic stroke cases and the controls were age (p < 0.01, OR: 1.280, 95% CI: 1.06-1.11), hypertension (p = 0.618, OR: 1.130, 95% CI: 0.70-1.83), and high-density lipoprotein (p = 0.055, OR: 0.975, 95% CI: 0.95-1.00). When other cofounders were considered, it was concluded that with a 1% increase in HbA1c, the risk of stroke increases by 28% (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.11-1.48). To compare the variables that were determined to be statistically significant between the control and ischemic stroke case groups, a multivariable logistic regression was used. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for HbA1c was 0.773 and RBS was 0.600.
CONCLUSION
This study shows that higher HbA1c levels in patients increase the risk of ischemic stroke. This study brings to light the need to screen the population periodically for diabetes by routinely testing for Hba1c in those who are at high risk of diabetes. Stroke risk can be reduced with early management and intervention. This study also concludes that HbA1c is a better predictor for assessing the risk of ischemic stroke than RBS levels.
PubMed: 38784369
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58797