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Composition of bread samples in Slovenian food supply
This dataset reports the dietary fibre content of 58 bread samples taken from Slovenian food supply in 2022. Samples were purchased in Slovenian retailers and bakeries. Sample includes commonly consumed bread types. Bread types were classified according to the applicable national regulation, with additional model-based verification to identify products that did not meet wholegrain criteria. The dataset provides a robust basis for evaluating dietary fibre levels across bread categories and supporting nutrition and publich health policies
Dyslipidaemia among children and adolescents in Pakistan
Background: Dyslipidaemia is a signifcant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which can manifest early in life. Despite its importance, the prevalence of dyslipidaemia in the paediatric population of Pakistan remains poorly understood. This study uses laboratory data to determine the prevalence of dyslipidaemia and lipid testing practices among Pakistani children and adolescents. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analysed the laboratory data from children and adolescents, aged up to 19 years, who underwent lipid testing. The data was obtained from two centres with collection points all over Pakistan for fve years (March 2019–March 2024). Logistic regression models were used to assess relationships between demographic factors (age, sex and regions/provinces) and lipid profle parameters. Results: Over fve years, 9,787 children and adolescents with a mean age of 13.8±5.1 years underwent lipid testing. Boys accounted for 59.7% of those tested compared to 40.3% of girls (p=0.09). Most tests were conducted in Punjab (81.2%), with minimal representation from Balochistan (0.5%) and Gilgit Baltistan (0.3%). Among tested children and adolescents, 33.3% had elevated total cholesterol, 25.4% high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 46.6% low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 48.0% abnormal non- high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and 41.7% hypertriglyceridemia. Compared to boys, girls had signifcantly lower odds of abnormal high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Odds Ratio 0.556, 95% CI 0.511–0.607, p<0.001) and triglyceride levels (Odds Ratio 0.702, 95% CI 0.642–0.767, p<0.001). Conclusion: This study highlights a high prevalence of dyslipidaemia among Pakistani children, with boys more afected than girls. The study also highlights a gender-based inequality in lipid testing where girls appear to be less frequently tested compared to boys
Prophylactic treatment of hepatitis C virus infection after kidney transplantation with the combination of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir and sofosbuvir in a highly sensitized hepatitis c virus-negative recipient
Background: Since the discovery of successful direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment, kidneys from hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-positive donors represent a new opportunity to expand the organ donor pool for HCV-negative recipients. Case presentation: In this paper, we describe a unique case of transplantation of an HCV genotype 3a-infected kidney into an HCV-negative recipient who was highly sensitized, with a virtual panel-reactive antibody level of 99.96%. Prior to the kidney transplantation, the recipient received DAA treatment with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir as a viable prophylactic strategy. Post-transplant, the recipient received a triple-combination DAA regimen with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir/sofosbuvir, which continued for 12 weeks. Subsequently, viral load was undetectable at 12 and 24 weeks after treatment, with no significant adverse events associated with DAA therapy. A 12-month post-transplantation biopsy revealed mixed rejection requiring treatment. The 19-month follow-up showed a favorable outcome regarding the function of the kidney allograft and the recipient’s quality of life. HCV-positive transplantation allowed our recipient to receive a kidney from an immunologically compatible donor without donor-specific antibodies and the need for desensitization strategies. Conclusions: Each transplant center should decide on the selection of candidates for kidney transplantation from HCV RNA-positive donors to HCV-negative recipients, the availability and choice of DAA treatment, and post-transplant follow-up. Our case emphasizes the need for early DAA treatment based on viral load and HCV genotyping, as well as for careful post-transplant surveillance including protocol biopsies
Extracellular vesicle-derived bioactive molecules for corneal and ocular surface regeneration
Cell-based therapies emerge as potential treatment options for various debilitating diseases. Preclinical research and clinical studies involving cells increased exponentially in the past decade. In addition to cell-based approaches, the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are released by nearly all cell types, emerged as a promising cell-free alternative. Those approaches are also being explored in the field of ophthalmology. Several clinical trials involving EVs are underway to develop potential treatments for advanced ocular surface diseases, including corneal disorders, injuries, and dry eye disease. The cargo carried by EVs has been shown to include a diverse array of functional molecules such as transcription factors, cytokines, growth factors, mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, miRNA, and fragments of dsDNA. While the molecular composition of EVs is already well characterised, the specific activity of these molecules upon delivery to recipient cells remains poorly understood. In this review, we summarise recent studies investigating the bioactive molecules within EVs shown to influence or modulate cellular activity on the ocular surface. Among these, various miRNAs have most commonly been identified as therapeutic agents targeting distinct molecular pathways. The EVs studied were predominantly derived from various mesenchymal stem cells
Complementary detection strategies for circulating tumor cells in breast cancer: clinical implications of combining immunofluorescence and cytopathological staining
Background: Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) serve as important biomarkers for disease monitoring and treatment response in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Their detection remains challenging because of their low abundance, phenotypic diversity and non-standardized mode of detection. Cytopathological Giemsa and Immunofluorescence (IF) staining can offer complementary approaches for CTC characterization. Giemsa staining enables assessment of cellular morphology, while IF allows for marker-specific identification, together providing a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation of CTCs. Methods: We developed an IF staining protocol with antibodies against Cytokeratin (CK), vimentin (VIM), and Cluster of Differentiation 45 (CD45) to distinguish epithelial, mesenchymal, hybrid and hematopoietic cells for CTC detection and characterization and compared it with cytopathologic method of detection via Giemsa staining with regard to CTC detection rates and morphological detail. Results: Study was performed on the samples of 29 heavily pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer (median duration of metastatic disease 19.4 months). Giemsa staining enabled the detection of a higher number of CTCs compared to our IF protocol. Lower detection rate was potentially due to the loss of fragile or loosely adherent cells during methanol fixation and IF staining. Additionally, in IF-stained samples, some CTCs presented faint nuclear signals, potentially impairing their recognition. The IF staining supported the identity of CTCs detected on Giemsa-stained slides by employing a three-color antibody panel-based approach and allowed detailed phenotypic discrimination and structural analysis of CTCs, including the identification of a distinctive CK polarization pattern suggestive of a transitional state during intravasation. Conclusion: Giemsa and IF may thus be complementary rather than mutually exclusive and relying on a single detection approach could underestimate the true CTC burden. An integrative strategy combining both techniques may offer a more comprehensive view of CTC populations in metastatic breast cancer, thereby enhancing diagnostic precision