scholarly journals Galectin-3 as a Novel Multifaceted and Not Only Cardiovascular Biomarker in Patients with Psoriasis with Regard to Systemic Treatment—Preliminary Data

Biology ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Anna Baran ◽  
Paulina Kiluk ◽  
Julia Nowowiejska ◽  
Tomasz W. Kaminski ◽  
Magdalena Maciaszek ◽  
...  

Galectin-3 (gal-3) is a multifunctional regulator of various biological processes and diseases, which are common comorbidities in psoriasis. Data regarding potential diagnostic role of gal-3 in psoriasis are insufficient. Serum gal-3 levels were evaluated before and after twelve weeks of treatment with acitretin or methotrexate in 31 patients with plaque-type psoriasis and compared to 11 healthy control group. The mean serum galectin-3 level in patients with psoriasis was significantly higher compared to the control group (p < 0.01). In patients with obesity and long-lasting psoriasis (>20 years) positive relations of gal-3 and PASI were noted. In psoriatics with low gal-3 levels, positive correlations between the gal-3 and BMI, glucose level, and with the latter in short-lasting psoriasis (<20 years) were noted. In the long history of psoriasis, gal-3 was negatively correlated with lipids levels. The Gal-3 level might be a multifaceted modulator of the course of psoriasis and predictive factor of cardiometabolic comorbidities’ development, especially in patients with a long history of the disease or obesity. Patients with low serum gal-3 and short history of psoriasis are presumably at greater risk of diabetes. In patients with long-lasting psoriasis and concomitant obesity, gal-3 may exert a protective role against dyslipidemia or perhaps further CMD development.

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 657-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Celik ◽  
Alper Şen ◽  
İsmail Koyuncu ◽  
Ataman Gönel

Aim and Objective:: To determine the mechanisms present in the etiopathogenesis of nasal polyposis. It is not clear whether amino acids contribute in a causal way to the development of the disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the plasma-free amino acid profile in patients with nasal polyposis and to compare the results with a healthy control group. Materials and Methods:: This was a prospective controlled study that took place in the Otolaryngology Department at the Harran University Faculty of Medicine between April 2017 and April 2018. Plasmafree amino acid profile levels were studied in serum samples taken from a patient group and a healthy control group. Patients who were diagnosed with bilateral diffuse nasal polyposis and were scheduled for surgical interventions were included in this study. Individuals whose age, gender, and body mass index values were compatible with that of the patient group and who did not have any health problems were included in the control group. All the participants whose levels of plasma-free amino acid were thought to be affected by one or more of the following factors were excluded from the study: smoking and alcohol use, allergic rhinitis presence, the presence of acute or chronic sinusitis, a history of endoscopic sinus surgery, unilateral nasal masses, a history of chronic drug use, systemic or topical steroid use in the last three months for any reason, and liver, kidney, hematological, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, or psychiatric disorders or malignancies. Results: In patients with nasal polyposis, 3-methyl histidine (3-MHIS: nasal polyposis group (ng) = 3.22 (1.92 – 6.07); control group (cg) = 1.21 (0.77 – 1.68); p = 0.001); arginine (arg: ng = 98.95 (70.81 – 117.75); cg = 75.10 (54.49 – 79.88); p = 0.005); asparagine (asn: ng = 79.84 (57.50 – 101.44); cg = 60.66 (46.39 – 74.62); p = 0.021); citrulline (cit: ng = 51.83 (43.81 – 59.78); cg = 38.33 (27.81 – 53.73); p = 0.038); cystine (cys: ng = 4.29 (2.43 – 6.66); cg = 2.41 (1.51 – 4.16); p = 0.019); glutamic acid (glu: ng = 234.86 (128.75 – 286.66); cg = 152.37 (122.51 – 188.34); p = 0.045); histidine (his: ng = 94.19 (79.34 – 113.99); cg = 74.80 (62.76 – 98.91); p = 0.018); lysine (lys: ng = 297.22 (206.55 – 371.25); cg = 179.50 (151.58 – 238.02); p = 0.001); ornithine (ng = 160.62 (128.36 – 189.32); cg = 115.91 (97.03 – 159.91); p = 0.019); serine (ser: ng = 195.15 (151.58 – 253.07); cg = 83.07 (67.44 – 92.44); p = 0.001); taurine (tau: ng = 74.69 (47.00 – 112.13); cg = 53.14 (33.57 – 67.31); p = 0.006); tryptophan (trp: ng = 52.31 (33.81 – 80.11); cg = 34.44 (25.94 – 43.07); p = 0.005), homocitrulline (ng = 1.75 (1.27 – 2.59); cg = 0.00 (0.00 – 0.53); p = 0.001); norvaline (ng = 6.90 (5.61 – 9.18); cg = 4.93 (3.74 – 7.13); p = 0.021); argininosuccinic acid (ng = 14.33 (10.06 – 25.65); cg = 12.22 (5.77 – 16.87) p = 0.046); and plasma concentrations were significantly higher than in the healthy control group (p <0.05). However, the gamma-aminobutyric acid (gaba: ng = 0.16 (0.10 – 0.24); cg = 0.21 (0.19 – 0.29); p = 0.010) plasma concentration was significantly lower in the nasal polyposis group than in the healthy control group. Conclusion: In this study, plasma levels of 15 free amino acids were significantly higher in the nasal polyposis group than in the healthy control group. A plasma level of 1 free amino acid was found to be significantly lower in the nasal polyposis group compared to the healthy control group. Therefore, it is important to determine the possibility of using the information obtained to prevent the recurrence of the condition and to develop effective treatment strategies. This study may be a milestone for studies of this subject. However, this study needs to be confirmed by further studies conducted in a larger series.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura S. van Velzen ◽  
Yara J. Toenders ◽  
Aina Avila-Parcet ◽  
Richard Dinga ◽  
Jill A. Rabinowitz ◽  
...  

AbstractDespite numerous efforts to predict suicide risk in children, the ability to reliably identify youth that will engage in suicide thoughts or behaviors (STB) has remained remarkably unsuccessful. To further knowledge in this area, we apply a novel machine learning approach and examine whether children with STB could be differentiated from children without STB based on a combination of sociodemographic, physical health, social environmental, clinical psychiatric, cognitive, biological and genetic characteristics. The study sample included 5,885 unrelated children (50% female, 67% white) between 9 and 11 years old from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Both parents and youth reported on children’s STB and based on these reports, we divided children into three subgroups: 1. children with current or past STB, 2. children with psychiatric disorder but no STB (clinical controls) and 3. healthy control children. We performed binomial penalized logistic regression analysis to distinguish between groups. The analyses were performed separately for child-reported STB and parent-reported STB. Results showed that we were able to distinguish the STB group from healthy controls and clinical controls (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) range: 0.79-0.81 and 0.70-0.78 respectively). However, we could not distinguish children with suicidal ideation from those who attempted suicide (AUROC range 0.49-0.59). Factors that differentiated the STB group from the clinical control group included family conflict, prodromal psychosis symptoms, impulsivity, depression severity and a history of mental health treatment. Future research is needed to determine if these variables prospectively predict subsequent suicidal behavior.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Muhammad Taukhid

Background : Fatigue is feeling tired physically, psychologically, cognitively perceived cancer patients while undergoing therapies for the disease, including chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to determine differences in the level of fatigue in cancer patients between before and after aerobic exercise combined with relaxation techniques of yoga. Methods :  This study used Quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group in patients with breast cancer in the course of chemotherapy. The sampling methods used purposive sampling. The fatigue level was collected by subjective instruments Pipper Fatigue Scale (PFS), and then analyzed by the Independent and Dependent T test, and multivariate analysis used linear regression with a significance value of α 0.05. Results :  There were differences in the level of fatigue post-test between the intervention group and the control group with a difference of 1.25 (p = 0.013). History of previous exercise may explain the 17.8% level of fatigue that occurs in patients with breast cancer in the course of chemotherapy, the rest was explained by other variables. Conclusion : There were a decrease in the level fatigue statistically, however clinically the level of fatigue remain the same catagories.


2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 314-321
Author(s):  
Caroline Le Goff ◽  
Jean-François Kaux ◽  
Jordi Farre Segura ◽  
Violeta Stojkovic ◽  
Arnaud Ancion ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundPrevious studies have suggested that exercising may induce cardiac damage. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) are very interesting biomarkers for heart failure and myocardial fibrosis. We aimed to compare the kinetics of emerging fibrosis cardiac biomarkers as Gal-3 and ST-2 in endurance runners, and recreational runners before and after a running event represented by a marathon and an ultratrail event.MethodsBlood samples were taken from 19 healthy non-elite marathon runners (42 km), 27 ultratour runners (67 km), and 14 recreational runners who represented the control group (10 km) just before the run (T0), just after (T1) and 3 h after (T2), in order to analyze Gal-3, ST2, hsTnT, NT-proBNP, CKMB and hsCRP. We compared the percentage of evolution and the slopes obtained from T0 to T1 (pT0T1) and from T1 to T2 (pT1T2), between the different groups of runners participating in three different races.ResultsPlasma cardiac biomarker concentrations increased significantly from baseline to immediately post-exercise and most of the time decreased over the subsequent 3-h period. For pT0T1 and pT1T2, the markers Gal-3 and ST2 showed a significant difference between types of run (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001, respectively). During the recovery time, Gal-3 returned to the baseline values but not ST2 which continued to increase.ConclusionsGal-3 and ST2 are considered as a reflection of cardiac fibrosis and remodeling. The evolution of both was different, particularly after the recovery time. ST2 values exceeding cutoff values at any time.


2020 ◽  
pp. oemed-2020-106660
Author(s):  
Christian Hakulinen ◽  
Petri Böckerman ◽  
Laura Pulkki-Råback ◽  
Marianna Virtanen ◽  
Marko Elovainio

ObjectivesTo examine employment and earnings trajectories before and after the first sickness absence period due to major depressive disorder (MDD).MethodsAll individuals (n=158 813) in Finland who had a first sickness absence period (lasting longer than 9 days) due to MDD between 2005 and 2015 were matched with one randomly selected individual of the same age and gender with no history of MDD. Employment status and earnings were measured using register-based data annually from 2005 to 2015. Generalised estimating equations were used to examine the trajectories of employment and earnings before and after MDD diagnosis in men and women separately.ResultsSickness absence due to MDD was associated with increased probability of non-employment during and after the year of the first sickness absence period. In men, but not in women, the probability of being employed was lower 5 years before the sickness absence period due to MDD. When compared with the individuals in the control group, men had around 34% and women 15% lower earnings 1 year, and 40% and 23%, respectively, 5 years, after the first sickness absence period due to MDD. More severe MDD and longer duration of sickness absence period were associated with lower probability of being employed.ConclusionsSickness absence due to MDD was associated with considerable reduction in employment and earnings losses. For men and individuals with more severe MDD, this reduction was before the first sickness period. This supports a reciprocal association between employment and earnings with MDD.


2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Bravo-Monsalvo ◽  
Juan Vázquez-Chagoyán ◽  
Lilia Gutiérrez ◽  
Héctor Sumano

The aim of this trial was to assess the clinical efficacy of neural therapy (NT) when treating canine atopic dermatitis. Eighteen dogs (no control group), with at least a 12-month history of having nonseasonal atopic dermatitis, were included. No medication with either glucocorticoids or cyclosporin was allowed during the trial. One set of NT was given by injecting an intravenous dose of 0.1 mg/kg of a 0.7% procaine solution, followed by 10 to 25 intradermal injections of the same solution in a volume of 0.1–0.3 mL per site. Dogs were given 6–13 sets of NT during the therapy. The dermatological condition of each patient was evaluated before and after the treatment using two scales: the pruritus visual analogue scale (PVAS) and the canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI). The reduction of pruritus was statistically significant using a Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test (P < 0.001). No adverse side effects were observed. NT seems to be an effective alternative to control signs related to canine atopic dermatitis.


1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel A Zamora ◽  
Robert J Hilsden ◽  
Jon B Meddings ◽  
J Decker Butzner ◽  
R Brent Scott ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Members of a subset of first-degree relatives of adults with Crohn’s disease have been shown to have an increased baseline intestinal permeability and/or an exaggerated increase in intestinal permeability after the administration of acetylsalicylic acid.PURPOSE: To determine intestinal permeability in unaffected first-degree relatives of children with Crohn’s disease before and after the administration of an ibuprofen challenge.METHODS: Lactulose-mannitol ratios, a measure of intestinal permeability, were determined in 14 healthy control families (41 subjects) and 14 families with a child with Crohn’s disease (36 relatives, 14 probands) before and after ingestion of ibuprofen. An upper reference limit was defined using the control group as mean ± 2 SD.RESULTS: The proportion of healthy, first-degree relatives with an exaggerated response to ibuprofen (20%, 95% CI 7% to 33%) was significantly higher than controls (P=0.003). The exaggerated response was more common among siblings than among parents of pediatric probands.CONCLUSIONS: Members of a subset of first-degree relatives of children with Crohn’s disease have an exaggerated increase in intestinal permeability after ibuprofen ingestion. These findings are compatible with there being a genetic link between abnormalities of intestinal permeability and Crohn’s disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. e42-e49
Author(s):  
Hadi Rezaeeyan ◽  
Kaveh Jaseb ◽  
Gholam Abas Kaydani ◽  
Ali Amin Asnafi ◽  
Mohammad Hosein Masbi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by symptoms of thrombocytopenia and bleeding due to production of autoantibodies against platelets. Recently, the occurrence of polymorphisms has been identified as one of the main causes of disease onset. Methods To conduct this study, we recruited 140 patients and control individuals with no history of platelet loss. After collection of specimens, the prevalence of interferon-γ polymorphism was evaluated using the allele-specific oligonucleotide–polymerase chain reaction (ASO-PCR) technique and confirmed by sequencing techniques. Results The results showed that the frequency of the AA genotype was higher in the control group, compared with patients with ITP; however, in the acute and chronic groups, the frequency of the AT genotype was higher than that of the AA genotype. We also discovered that there was no significant correlation between platelet counts before and after treatment, nor in its related parameters with interferon (IFN)–γ polymorphism. Conclusion rs2430561 does not seem to have any role in ITP pathogenesis and treatment response.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongli Wu ◽  
Hongxing Kan ◽  
Chuanfu Li ◽  
Kyungmo Park ◽  
Yifang Zhu ◽  
...  

Acupuncture is widely used in the treatment of Bell’s palsy (BP) in many countries, but its underlying physiological mechanism remained controversial. In order to explore the potential mechanism, changes of functional connectivity (FC) of anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC) were investigated. We collected 20 healthy (control group) participants and 28 BP patients with different clinical duration accepted resting state functional MRI (rfMRI) scans before and after acupuncture, respectively. The FC of ACC before and after acupuncture was compared with pairedt-test and the detailed results are presented in the paper. Our results showed that effects of the acupuncture on FC were closely related to clinical duration in patients with BP, which suggested that brain response to acupuncture was closely connected with the status of brain functional connectivity and implied that acupuncture plays a homeostatic role in the BP treatment.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 799-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Arguedas ◽  
Robyn Langdon ◽  
Richard Stevenson

AbstractOlfactory hallucinations (OHs) are present in a significant minority of people with schizophrenia, yet these symptoms are under-researched and poorly understood. This study aimed to identify the neuropsychological impairments that associate with OHs in schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were classified into an OH group and a group with auditory-verbal hallucinations (AVHs) and no lifetime history of OHs. Patients were age- and gender-matched to a healthy control group. All participants were assessed using: a test of odor identification; decision-making and socio-emotional tests of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and amygdala function; and a battery of standardized executive tests. Patients, as a whole, performed more poorly than controls on the tests of odor identification, emotion processing and executive function, consistent with previous research. Only two tests of OFC functioning: the Object Alternation Task, taken from Oscar-Berman and Zola-Morgan's (1980a, 1980b) Comparative Neuropsychological Tasks, and a test of “faux pas” understanding discriminated between the OH and AVH patients. Findings provide the first preliminary support for OH-specific neuropsychological impairments associated with OFC dysfunction in schizophrenia. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–10)


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