scholarly journals Low level of plasminogen increases risk for mortality in COVID-19 patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Della-Morte ◽  
Francesca Pacifici ◽  
Camillo Ricordi ◽  
Renato Massoud ◽  
Valentina Rovella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fasting Blood Glucose ◽  
Multidimensional Analysis ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Inflammatory Parameters ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Caucasian Patients ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Organ Dysfunctions

AbstractThe pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and especially of its complications is still not fully understood. In fact, a very high number of patients with COVID-19 die because of thromboembolic causes. A role of plasminogen, as precursor of fibrinolysis, has been hypothesized. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between plasminogen levels and COVID-19-related outcomes in a population of 55 infected Caucasian patients (mean age: 69.8 ± 14.3, 41.8% female). Low levels of plasminogen were significantly associated with inflammatory markers (CRP, PCT, and IL-6), markers of coagulation (D-dimer, INR, and APTT), and markers of organ dysfunctions (high fasting blood glucose and decrease in the glomerular filtration rate). A multidimensional analysis model, including the correlation of the expression of coagulation with inflammatory parameters, indicated that plasminogen tended to cluster together with IL-6, hence suggesting a common pathway of activation during disease’s complication. Moreover, low levels of plasminogen strongly correlated with mortality in COVID-19 patients even after multiple adjustments for presence of confounding. These data suggest that plasminogen may play a pivotal role in controlling the complex mechanisms beyond the COVID-19 complications, and may be useful both as biomarker for prognosis and for therapeutic target against this extremely aggressive infection.

scholarly journals Early Disease Onset and Arthritis Are Predictors of Chronic Kidney Disease Development in FMF Patients

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Refika Büberci ◽  
Murat Duranay
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Kidney Disease ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Test Group ◽  
Early Disease ◽  
Inflammatory Parameters ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Mediterranean Fever

Abstract Background: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disease characterized by fever and serositis attacks. The most important complication is amyloidosis. In FMF patients, chronic kidney disease (CKD) can develop without amyloid development. The aim of the study is to evaluate the development of CKD in FMF patients and to determine the factors that are involved in this development.Method: One hundred seventy eight FMF patients who were followed up between 2000 and 2020 were included in the study. FMF diagnosis was made according to the Tel-Hashomer criteria. Genetic tests were studied in cases which there was suspicion of diagnosis. Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients and all laboratory data including urea, creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and proteinuria in 24-hour urine at the time of first and last admission were evaluated.Results: The mean age of the patients was 34.53 ± 10.72, the follow-up period was 6.12 ± 3.94, and the diagnosis age was 21.7 ± 11.5 years. The number of patients with late disease onset and the percentage of kidney biopsy performed were higher in the genetic test group. There was no difference in the inflammatory parameters. The risk factors associated with the development of CKD were early disease onset and arthritis attacks.Conclusion: The role of genotype characteristics in the development of CKD has not been determined. Patients diagnosed with FMF disease at an early age and especially with arthritis attacks should be closely monitored in terms of the risk of developing CKD.

Social Motives Predict Loneliness During a Developmental Transition

2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Nikitin ◽  
Alexandra M. Freund
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Avoidance ◽  
Social Approach ◽  
Social Motives ◽  
Developmental Transitions ◽  
Avoidance Motivation ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Low Levels

Abstract. Establishing new social relationships is important for mastering developmental transitions in young adulthood. In a 2-year longitudinal study with four measurement occasions (T1: n = 245, T2: n = 96, T3: n = 103, T4: n = 85), we investigated the role of social motives in college students’ mastery of the transition of moving out of the parental home, using loneliness as an indicator of poor adjustment to the transition. Students with strong social approach motivation reported stable and low levels of loneliness. In contrast, students with strong social avoidance motivation reported high levels of loneliness. However, this effect dissipated relatively quickly as most of the young adults adapted to the transition over a period of several weeks. The present study also provides evidence for an interaction between social approach and social avoidance motives: Social approach motives buffered the negative effect on social well-being of social avoidance motives. These results illustrate the importance of social approach and social avoidance motives and their interplay during developmental transitions.

Social and Temporal Comparisons as Moderators of Psychological Resources Associations With Wellbeing

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasida Ben-Zur
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Subjective Wellbeing ◽  
Social Comparisons ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Age Range ◽  
General Wellbeing

Abstract. The current study investigated the associations of psychological resources, social comparisons, and temporal comparisons with general wellbeing. The sample included 142 community participants (47.9% men; age range 23–83 years), who compared themselves with others, and with their younger selves, on eight dimensions (e.g., physical health, resilience). They also completed questionnaires assessing psychological resources of mastery and self-esteem, and three components of subjective wellbeing: life satisfaction and negative and positive affect. The main results showed that high levels of psychological resources contributed to wellbeing, with self-enhancing social and temporal comparisons moderating the effects of resources on certain wellbeing components. Specifically, under low levels of mastery or self-esteem self-enhancing social or temporal comparisons were related to either higher life satisfaction or positive affect. The results highlight the role of resources and comparisons in promoting people’s wellbeing, and suggest that self-enhancing comparisons function as cognitive coping mechanisms when psychological resources are low.

The Use of Posterior Pericardiotomy Technique to Prevent Postoperative Pericardial Effusion in Cardiac Surgery

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Canturk Cakalagaoglu ◽  
Cengiz Koksal ◽  
Ayse Baysal ◽  
Gokhan Alici ◽  
Birol Ozkan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Heart Surgery ◽  
Artery Bypass ◽  
Pericardial Tamponade ◽  
Anxiety Level ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Echocardiographic Study ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Hospital Stays

<p><b>Aim:</b> The goal was to determine the effectiveness of the posterior pericardiotomy technique in preventing the development of early and late pericardial effusions (PEs) and to determine the role of anxiety level for the detection of late pericardial tamponade (PT).</p><p><b>Materials and Methods:</b> We divided 100 patients randomly into 2 groups, the posterior pericardiotomy group (n = 50) and the control group (n = 50). All patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG), valvular heart surgery, or combined valvular and CABG surgeries were included. The posterior pericardiotomy technique was performed in the first group of 50 patients. Evaluations completed preoperatively, postoperatively on day 1, before discharge, and on postoperative days 5 and 30 included electrocardiographic study, chest radiography, echocardiographic study, and evaluation of the patient's anxiety level. Postoperative causes of morbidity and durations of intensive care unit and hospital stays were recorded.</p><p><b>Results:</b> The 2 groups were not significantly different with respect to demographic and operative data (<i>P</i> > .05). Echocardiography evaluations revealed no significant differences between the groups preoperatively; however, before discharge the control group had a significantly higher number of patients with moderate, large, and very large PEs compared with the pericardiotomy group (<i>P</i> < .01). There were 6 cases of late PT in the control group, whereas there were none in the pericardiotomy group (<i>P</i> < .05). Before discharge and on postoperative day 15, the patients in the pericardiotomy group showed significant improvement in anxiety levels (<i>P</i> = .03 and .004, respectively). No differences in postoperative complications were observed between the 2 groups.</p><p><b>Conclusion:</b> Pericardiotomy is a simple, safe, and effective method for reducing the incidence of PE and late PT after cardiac surgery. It also has the potential to provide a better quality of life.</p>

Ups and downs on the roller coaster of task conflict: the role of group cognitive complexity, collective emotional intelligence and team creativity

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-37
Author(s):  
Andreea Gheorghe ◽  
Oana Fodor ◽  
Anișoara Pavelea
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Cognitive Complexity ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Task Conflict ◽  
Team Creativity ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Explanatory Mechanism ◽  
The Relationship

This study explores the association between task conflict and team creativity and the role of group cognitive complexity (GCC) as a potential explanatory mechanism in a sample of 159 students organized in 49 groups. Moreover, we analyzed the moderating effect of collective emotional intelligence (CEI)in the relationship between task conflict and GCC.As hypothesized, we found that task conflict has a nonlinear relationship with GCC, but contrary to our expectations, it follows a U-shaped association, not an inversed U-shape. In addition,the moderating role of CEI was significant only at low levels. Contrary to our expectation, the mediating role of GCC did not receive empirical support. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed.

Relationship between uric acid and creatinine in pre-diabetic and diabetic patients: Vidarbha region of Maharashtra

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 3412-3417
Author(s):  
Ranjit S. Ambad ◽  
Rakesh Kumar Jha ◽  
Lata Kanyal Butola ◽  
Nandkishor Bankar ◽  
Brij Raj Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Uric Acid ◽  
Serum Uric Acid ◽  
Type Ii Diabetes ◽  
Fasting Blood Glucose ◽  
General Medicine ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Develop Type ◽  
Low Levels

Prediabetes is a glucose homeostasis condition characterized by decreased absorption to glucose or reduced fasting glucose. Both of these are reversible stages of intermediate hyperglycaemia providing an increased type II DM risk. Pre-diabetes can therefore be viewed as a significant reversible stage which could lead to type II DM, and early detection of prediabetes may contribute to type II DM prevention. Prediabetes patients are at high risk for potential type II diabetes, and 70 percent of them appear to develop Type II diabetes within 10 years. The present study includes total 200 subjects that include 100 Prediabetic patients, 50 T2DM patients and 50 healthy individual. Blood samples were collected from the subjects were obtained for FBS, PPBS, Uric acid and Creatinine estimation, from OPD and General Medicine Wards. Present study showed low levels of Serum Uric Acid in prediabetic and T2DM patients were decreased as compared to control group, while the level of creatinine in prediabetic and diabetic were elevated as compared to control group, were not statically significant. Serum Uric Acid was high in control group and low in prediabetic and diabetic patients. Serum creatinine was declined in control group and increased in prediabetic and diabetic patients with increasing Fasting blood glucose level.

Kebijakan Badan Narkotika Nasional Dalam Penanggulangan Narkoba Wilayah Perbatasan

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
Novana Veronica Julenta Kareth ◽  
Reni Shintasari
Keyword(s):  
Central Government ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
Collection Methods

This paper aims to determine the policies implemented by the Papua National Narcotics Agency against drug trafficking. This article is a qualitative descriptive study. Data collection methods through interviews and literature study. Data analysis using descriptive analysis model. The results showed that the role of BNN Papua is very central in the eastern region and the Indonesian border. The policies that have been planned by BNN with multi-stakeholder have been implemented, but the new modes adopted by the international network vary. The drug subscription policy cannot be carried out by one institution only, it needs to be supported by other government agencies and the community. The need for a serious role for the regional and central government in both preventive efforts and subscription programs in synergy with the Papua Provincial BNN.

STEROID RECEPTOR PHENOTYPE, EXPRESSION OF HER-2/NEU, PD-1, PD-L1 AND LYMPHOCYTIC-MACROPHAGAL INFILTRATION OF ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMAS: COMPARISON OF MODERN MOLECULAR BIOLOGICAL TYPES OF THE DISEASE (THE ROLE OF BODY MASS INDEX)

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-78
Author(s):  
Lev Bershteyn ◽  
Aleksandr Ivantsov ◽  
Aglaya Ievleva ◽  
A. Venina ◽  
I. Berlev
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Tumor Tissue ◽  
Immunohistochemical Analysis ◽  
The Body ◽  
Molecular Profile ◽  
Total N ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Her 2

The aim of this study was to evaluate steroid receptors’ status of tumor tissue in different molecular biological types of endometrial cancer (EC), subdivided according to the current classification, and their colonization by lymphocytic and macrophage cells, taking into account body mass index of the patients. Materials and methods: Material from treatment-naive patients with EC (total n = 229) was included; the number of sick persons varied depending on the method used. The average age of patients was close to 60 years, and about 90% of them were postmenopausal. It was possible to divide the results of the work into two main subgroups: a) depending on the molecular biological type of the tumor (determined on the basis of genetic and immunohistochemical analysis), and b) depending on the value of the body mass index (BMI). The latter approach was used in patients with EC type demonstrating a defective mismatch repair of the incorrectly paired nucleotides (MMR-D) and with a type without characteristic molecular profile signs (WCMP), but was not applied (due to the smaller number of patients) in EC types with a POLE gene mutation or with expression of the oncoprotein p53. According to the data obtained, when comparing various types of EC, the lowest values of Allred ER and PR scores were revealed for POLE-mutant and p53 types, while the “triple-negative” variant of the tumor (ER-, PR-, HER2/neu-) was most common in POLE-mutant (45.5% of cases) and WCMP (19.4%) types of EC. The p53+ type of EC is characterized by inclination to the higher expression of the macrophage marker CD68 and lymphocytic Foxp3, as well as mRNA of PD-1 and SALL4. In addition to the said above, for WCMP type of EC is peculiar, on the contrary, a decrease in the expression of lymphocytic markers CD8 (protein) and PD-L1 (mRNA). When assessing the role of BMI, its value of >30.0 (characteristic for obesity) was combined with an inclination to the increase of HER-2/neu expression in the case of MMR-D EC type and to the decrease of HER-2 /neu, FOXp3 and ER expression in WCMP type. Conclusions: The accumulated information (mainly describing here hormonal sensitivity of the tumor tissue and its lymphocytic-macrophage infiltration) additionally confirms our earlier expressed opinion that the differences between women with EC are determined by both the affiliation of the neoplasm to one or another molecular biological type (subdivided according to the contemporary classification), as well as by body mass value and (very likely) the associated hormonal and metabolic attributes.

The role of personality traits in initiating and maintaining addictive behavior

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S307-S307
Author(s):  
M. Manea ◽  
B. Savu
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Psychiatric Clinic ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Addictive Disorder ◽  
Substance Disorders ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionIt is well known that certain personality traits are more linked to drug abuse than others. Psychiatrists are more likely to emphasize the importance of impulsivity in the connection with substance disorders but in the following study we found an important percentage of patients that have a substance abuse were linked to anxiety through impulsiveness as a personality trait.ObjectivesMost youths admitted for a substance abuse are highly impulsive. Our quest was to differentiate what component of impulsivity was more frequently linked to a substance use disorder.MethodsIn the study were included 50 patients admitted in the 3rd Psychiatric Clinic, Substance Dependences Department, Cluj-Napoca. For the identification of the drug abused we used the multitest screening kit in correlation with the results from the Forensic Medicine Institute of Cluj-Napoca. Each patient completed the Barratt Impulsivity Scale and the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality.ResultsHigh scores on BIS-11 strongly correlated with attentional impulsiveness (Pearson's r correlation = .838) which means high inattention and cognitive instability this being linked with anxiety disorders. Cognitive Instability was correlated with Psychic Trait Anxiety (r = 0.29) and Motor Impulsiveness with Somatic Trait Anxiety (r = 0.3). Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE.ConclusionsThe underrecognized anxiety disorders in young adults whom are admitted for an addictive disorder prefrontal cortex is known to be the source of both impulsivity and could be linked to anxiety as well (valence asymmetry hypothesis). Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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