Biomedicine (Journal)
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Endometrial Fluid Biomarkers And Their Potential As Predictors Of Successful Embryo Implantation
Background: Embryo implantation is a complex biological process which requires synchronized dialogue between the receptive endometrium and the blastocyst. The endometrium, however, is only receptive to embryo implantation for a very short period. Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is a major challenge in assisted reproductive techniques mainly due to impaired receptivity, but there is still a need for a reliable and valid clinical test to assess endometrial receptiveness, especially at embryo transfer time. The aim of this review is to investigate what is currently known about the contribution of endometrial fluid (EF) to endometrial receptivity by identifying its potential biomarkers. Methods: This study involved an extensive search of the electronic databases PubMed and Cochrane, covering the period from 2011 to 2022. A combination of Medical Subject Headings with the terms \u27endometrial fluid\u27 and ‘embryo implantation’ was used. Results: Several different proteins presented in the endometrial cavity fluid have been described but the most consistent as potential biomarkers were Proprotein Convertase 6 (PC6), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), PIGF (Placental growth factor), β3 integrin, Colony Stimulating Factor-3 (CSF-3), Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), glycodelin and extracellular vesicles (EVs). Conclusions: Strong indicators support the use of uterine fluid collection as a non-invasive tool for receptivity assessment. Therefore, it could improve outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques
Celastrol restricts experimental periodontitis related alveolar bone loss by suppressing inflammatory cytokine response
Introduction: Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the destruction of the supporting structures of the teeth. The host defense mechanisms are responsible for inflamatuar and destructive reactions in periodontitis. Celastrol is one of the most promising components of the plant in Eastern and Southern China that has a long history of use in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. Aim: The aim of this animal study was to inspect the preventive or restrictive effects of celastrol on periodontitis-related inflammatory host response and alveolar bone loss. Methods: 24 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups: control, experimental periodontitis (Ep), and experimental periodontitis-celastrol (Ep-Cel). Periodontitis was induced by placing ligatures sub-paramarginally around the mandibular first molars of the rats in the Ep and Ep-Cel groups and maintaining the ligatures for 15 days. For 14 days following the ligature placement, celastrol administration (1 mg/kg BW day) for the Ep-Cel group and vehicle injection for the control and Ep groups was carried out. At the end of the experiment, mandibula and gingiva samples were obtained after the euthanasia. Alveolar bone loss was measured on serial histological slices; Tumor Necrosis Factor- α and Interleukin-1β levels were measured on gingiva samples by ELISA. Results: Systemic celastrol administration significantly restricted the alveolar bone loss that was higher in rats with periodontitis. (
The intensity of free radical processes and chaperone activity in the saliva of patients with type 2 diabetes
Introduction: Saliva is a clinically informative biological fluid that contains many biomarkers, allowing multiple analyses to be performed. Aim: The objectives of this study were the assessment of the serum and saliva levels of biochemical parameters and intensity of free radical processes in T2DM patients and the identification of the correlation between certain criteria. Methods: This case-control study included 40 T2DM patients, which were compared with 40 healthy individuals. The levels of glucose, cholesterol triglycerides, total protein, diene conjugates, and chaperone activity were measured using the spectrophotometric method. The concentration of 8-oxo-2\u27-deoxyguanosine was assessed by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: It was established that the progression of diabetes led to an increase in glucose in saliva. The content of 8-oxo-2\u27-deoxyguanosine and conjugated dienes increased in serum and this increase was associated with the level of glucose and glycated hemoglobin. The level of protein and chaperone activity increased in the saliva of patients with T2DM compared with the control. The correlation analysis revealed a relationship between total protein concentration and conjugated dienes and between chaperone activity and conjugated dienes in saliva. Conclusions: According to the results of the analysis, the pathological changes in DM affected the salivary glands and their secretions. The obtained results allowed us to recommend using saliva as an alternative to blood for the diagnosis and monitoring of T2DM treatments since it is readily available and quickly responds to changes in metabolism in the body
Evaluation of antibacterial efficacy of Lawsonia inermis Linn (henna) on periodontal pathogens using agar well diffusion and broth microdilution methods: an in-vitro study
Background: Although widely explored in medicine, limited evidence exists in the literature regarding the efficacy of Lawsonia inermis Linn (henna) in the dental field. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial effect of henna on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis in vitro. Methods: The agar well diffusion and broth microdilution methods were used to evaluate the antibacterial effect of henna extracts. Dimethyl sulfoxide was used to prepare the ethanol extract of henna, and distilled water was used to prepare the water extract. For both ethanol and water extracts, 4 different concentrations were prepared as 15, 30, 60, and 120 mg/mL. Results: It was determined that the water and ethanol extracts of the henna samples did not show an inhibition zone on P.gingivalis and A.actinomycetemcomitans. As a result of the evaluations made with the broth microdilution method, it was found that the ethanol extract had a higher inhibitory effect on both bacteria, and both extracts had more inhibitory effects against A.actinomycetemcomitans. Conclusion: To understand the effect of henna on periodontal pathogens, more comprehensive in vitro studies should be performed on henna samples at different concentrations and with different bases
Hematological Biomarkers of Troponin, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Monocyte-toLymphocyte Ratio Serve as Effective Predictive Indicators of High-Risk Mortality in Acute
Background: Assessing high-risk mortality in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, encompassing ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI), and Unstable Angina Pectoris (UAP), is crucial. However, the prognostic significance of hematological parameters in predicting high-risk mortality in ACS patients remains uncertain despite advancements in ACS research. Aim: The aim was to investigate prognostic significance of hematological parameters troponin, Creatine Kinase-MB (CKMB), Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR), Basophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (BLR), and Eosinophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (ELR) levels in predicting high-risk mortality in ACS patients. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, data from medical records of 115 patients with ACS, including 40 with STEMI, 38 with NSTEMI, and 37 with UAP, were analyzed. Patients were selected using stratified random sampling, whereby five patients were randomly chosen each month from January 2021 to December 2022 while maintaining a 1:1:1 ratio of selection. Results: Troponin (r=0.519) and NLR (r=0.484) showed moderate positive correlations with high-risk STEMI mortality. Meanwhile, troponin (r=0.387), NLR (r=0.279), PLR (r=0.276), MLR (r=0.250), BLR (r=0.237), and ELR (r=-0.344) were found to be significantly correlated with high-risk ACS mortality. Troponin, CKMB, NLR, and MLR were significant (AUC\u3e0.7) for high-risk STEMI mortality, and Troponin, NLR, and MLR were significant for high-risk ACS mortality. The results of the multivariate regression analysis indicated that only Troponin (OR:2.049; 95%CI: 1.802 – 8.218; p=0.014), NLR (OR:1.652; 95%CI: 1.306 – 7.753; p=0.030), and MLR (OR:4.067; 95%CI: 1.182 – 13.987; p =0.026) were capable of predicting high-risk ACS mortality. Sub-group analysis showed an increased risk of ACS mortality by GRACE score \u3e140 in patients with elevated levels of Troponin (OR:2.787; 95%CI: 1.032 – 7.524;
Chemical composition, mineral profile, anti-bacterial, and wound healing properties of snail slime of Helix aspersa Müller
Mucus is a substance made by snails that serves a variety of purposes and is increasingly employed in the medical and cosmetic industries. It includes bioactive compounds with a range of biological characteristics that could be useful in the treatment of particular issues. This study assessed the wound-healing efficiency, antibacterial activity, chemical and mineral composition of Helix aspersa Müller slime. Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used for mineral analysis, while Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was used for chemical characterization. The findings showed that the H. aspersa Müller slime had inhibitory activity on the test samples. Additionally, it revealed significant healing activity. These findings point to the chemical composition and various biological activities of the H. aspersa Müller slime, which may be related to the animal’s particular functions and be useful for medical applications. Our findings suggest that the H. aspersa Müller slime has biological effects related to antimicrobial activities and wound healing, and they pave the way for a more thorough investigation of its potential therapeutic effects
Efficacy of HMJ-38, a new quinazolinone analogue, against the gemcitabine-resistant MIA-PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cells
Gemcitabine is frequently utilized to treat pancreatic cancer. The purpose of our study was to create a gemcitabine-resistant MIA-PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell line (MIAGR100) and to evaluate the anti-pancreatic cancer efficacy of HMJ-38, a new quinazolinone analogue. Compared to their parental counterparts, MIA-PaCa-2, established MIA-GR100 cells were less sensitive to gemcitabine. MIA-GR100 cell viability was not affected by 10, 50, or 100 nM gemcitabine concentrations. HMJ-38 reduced MIA-GR100 cell growth and induced autophagy and apoptosis. When stained with monodansylcadaverine (MDC), acridine orange (AO), and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), MIA-GR100 cells shrunk, punctured their membranes, and produced autophagy vacuoles and apoptotic bodies. Combining chloroquine (CQ) and 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) with HMJ-38 dramatically reduced cell viability, indicating that autophagy functions as a
cytoprotective mechanism. MIA-GR100 cells treated with both zVADFMK and HMJ-38 were much more viable than those treated with HMJ-38 alone. HMJ-38 promotes apoptosis in MIA-GR100 cells by activating caspase. Epidermal growth factor receptor
(EGFR) is one of HMJ-38\u27s principal targets, as determined via in silico target screening and network prediction. HMJ-38 also inhibited EGFR kinase activity and EGFR-associated signaling in MIA-GR100 cells. HMJ-38 may be an effective chemotherapeutic adjuvant for gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells, in which it induces an antitumor response
Radial arterial waves for chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-related myocardial damage identification in patients with breast cancer
Introduction
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for breast cancer cause side effects, such as cardiovascular changes, which can be monitored with echocardiography. However, more convenient methods are always encouraged. Radial arterial waves that are used to detect cardiovascular changes can be used to assist in confirming cardiovascular changes.
Aim
This retrospective study aimed to analyze the frequency and time domains of the radial artery pulse wave in patients with breast cancer to understand its effectiveness in identifying cardiovascular changes.
Methods
Patients with breast cancer were screened from the pulse examination records in
Changhua Christian Hospital and divided into the treatment and remission groups. After unlinking the data, the pulse data were analyzed for the breast cancer treatment and remission group, including the average value of the parameters of four consecutive pulse diagnosis records in four consecutive months to test the difference in pulse waves due to breast cancer treatment between the two groups. Additionally, the pulse wave stability of the two groups was compared using the coefficient of variation.
Results and Conclusion
The comparison of the pulse wave data between 19 patients in the treatment group and 40 patients in the remission group revealed 45 parameters in time and 50 in frequency domains. D3, ND3, NA1, and NT1 are the four parameters with significant differences (p \u3c 0.05), which are all related to heart function, and mainly related to cardiac output and peripheral resistance, indicating that patients in the treatment period have poor heart function. No difference was found in the degree of data dispersion between the two groups. Cardiovascular side effects caused by breast cancer treatment can mainly be shown in the pulse wave time domain
Effects of Hepatocyte Growth Factor on Porcine Mammary Cell Growth and Senescence
Background: The porcine mammary glands share morphological and physiological similarities with human ones, making primary porcine mammary cells (PMC) suitable for biomedical research and a potential cellular therapeutic for breast cancer xenogeneic cell immunotherapy. Primary cells isolated from tissues remain the physiological functions of origin tissues but their self-renewal ability is restricted and cells acquire senescence during in vitro expansion. To overcome these drawbacks, here we sought to establish an approach to efficiently increase PMC’s in vitro growth. We studied the effects of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to maintain the expansion capacity of porcine mammary cells and identify the possible mechanisms. Purpose: HGF could allow for the increase in vitro proliferation capacity of primary epithelial cells isolated from tissue samples. To effectively produce cells for biomedical research and xenogeneic cell therapy, we planned to study the effects of HGF and its potential mechanisms of action to stimulate cell growth for PMC expansion. Methods: After HGF treatment, the growth, cell cycle, senescence and the cell marker gene expression of PMCs were analyzed in standard 10% FBS and low serum 1% FBS containing medium. Results: HGF significantly enhanced the cell proliferation by shifting the cell cycle population from G1 phase into S phase to increase cell division, reduced the senescent cells and reprogrammed gene expression profiles. Conclusion: We demonstrated that HGF could maintain the expansion capacity of PMCs by increasing cell growth and anti-senescence capability, suggesting its potential application in optimizing the long-term culture of primary cells. Adding a specific growth factor such as HGF in culture allows enhanced expansion of heterogeneous cell populations from normal porcine mammary glandular tissues in vitro. We believe that this cell culture approach will efficiently provide cells for studying mammary cell function and supply cells for therapeutic uses
Effects of Anti-Retroviral Therapy on Baseline Serum Interleukin-18 levels in HIV-I Infected Patients Relative to Viral Suppression and CD4+ Gain: a prospective pilot study
Background: In HIV infection, dysregulation of cytokines, including interleukin 18 (IL-18), has been linked to poor clinical outcomes in studies mainly conducted in resource-rich countries. This phenomenon has not been well-studied in resource-limited settings where outcomes could be confounded by exposure to endemic infections and genetic factors.
Objectives: Therefore, the influence of immunological and virological status of HIV-infected, antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve patients on serum IL-18 levels at baseline (pretreatment) and 24 weeks following initiation of combination ART (cART24) in a resource-limited setting was investigated. Methods Using the cross-sectional and longitudinal mixed method design, a total of Forty-four (44) newly diagnosed consenting HIV patients were consecutively recruited during routine clinic visits at the Nasara Treatment & Care Centre of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Nigeria between December 2016 to January 2018, and followed up for 24 weeks on initiation of first-line cART.
Results: Serum IL18 concentrations, CD4+ T-cell counts (CD4+), and HIV-I RNA levels were determined at on in both≥200 cell/mm3subgroups despite the high proportion of subjects having virological suppression (n=35, [80%]) at cART24. However, at cART24 there was a more than a threefold decrease in the level of IL-18 concentration compared to baseline in patients with/mm3 and a significant decrease in the median plasma IL-18 concentration in patients with HIV1 RNA/mL at cART24. A multivariate logistic regression model shows IL-18 intermediate quartile to be more related to immunological poor gain as compared to the highest quartile.
Conclusion: Our study found high baseline and significantly low levels of IL-18 at cART24 in virologically suppressed subjects but not among virological non-suppressed responders despite comparable IL-18 levels by CD4+ T cell count strata at cART24. These findings have implications for risk stratification and treatment outcomes in HIV-positive persons