Sarcopenia and noncoding RNAs: A comprehensive review.

Sarcopenia is an elderly disease and is related to frailty and loss of muscle mass (atrophy) of older adults. The exact molecular mechanisms contributing to the pathogenesis of disease are yet to be discovered. In recent years, the role of noncoding RNAs in the pathogenesis of almost every kind of malignant and nonmalignant conditions is pinpointed. Regarding their regulatory function, there have been an increased number of studies on the role of noncoding RNAs in the progress of sarcopenia. In this manuscript, we review the role of microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs in development and progression of disease. We also discuss their potential as therapeutic targets in this condition.

MiRNA-93: a novel signature in human disorders and drug resistance.

miRNA-93 is a member of the miR-106b-25 family and is encoded by a gene on chromosome 7q22.1. They play a role in the etiology of various diseases, including cancer, Parkinson's disease, hepatic injury, osteoarthritis, acute myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic kidney disease. Different studies have found that this miRNA has opposing roles in the context of cancer. Recently, miRNA-93 has been downregulated in breast cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, and renal cancer. However, miRNA-93 is up-regulated in a wide variety of malignancies, such as lung, colorectal, glioma, prostate, osteosarcoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of the current review is to provide an overview of miRNA-93's function in cancer disorder progression and non-cancer disorders, with a focus on dysregulated signaling pathways. We also give an overview of this miRNA's function as a biomarker of prognosis in cancer and emphasize how it contributes to drug resistance based on in vivo, in vitro, and human studies. Video Abstract.

Current landscape of miRNAs and TGF-ß signaling in lung cancer progression and therapeutic targets.

Lung cancer (LC) is the primary reason for cancer-associated fatalities globally. Due to both tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting activities, the TGF-ß family of growth factors is extremely essential to tumorigenesis. A non-coding single-stranded short RNA called microRNA (miRNA), which is made up of about 22 nt and is encoded by endogenous genes, can control normal and pathological pathways in various kinds of cancer, including LC. Recent research demonstrated that the TGF-ß signaling directly can affect the synthesis of miRNAs through suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic (SMAD)-dependent activity or other unidentified pathways, which could generate allostatic feedback as a result of TGF-ß signaling stimulation and ultimately affect the destiny of cancer tissues. In this review, we emphasize the critical functions of miRNAs in lung cancer progression and, more critically, how they affect the TGF-ß signaling pathway, and explore the role of both the TGF-ß signaling pathway and miRNAs as potential therapeutic targets for improving the treatments of LC patients.

Efficacy and safety of colchicine treatment in patients with COVID-19: A prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trial.

Colchicine has shown clinical benefits in the management of COVID-19 via its anti-inflammatory effect. However, the exact role of colchicine in COVID-19 patients is unknown. The current clinical trial was performed on 202 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive up to a 3-day course of 0.5 mg colchicine followed by a 12-day course of 1 mg colchicine in combination with standard care or a 15-day course of standard care. Among 202 randomized patients, 153 completed the study and received colchicine/standard care or continued standard care (M age, 54.72 [SD, 15.03] years; 93 [63.1%] men). On day 14, patients in the colchicine/standard care group had significantly higher odds of a better clinical status distribution on chest CT evaluation (p = .048). Based on NYHA classification, the percentage change of dyspnea on day 14 between groups was statistically significant (p = .026), indicating a mean of 31.94% change in the intervention group when compared with 19.95% in the control group. According to this study, colchicine can improve clinical outcomes and reduce pulmonary infiltration in COVID-19 patients if contraindications and precautions are considered and it is prescribed at the right time and in appropriate cases.

Lung ultrasound for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbation.

BACKGROUND: High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is the gold standard for the evaluation of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease; however, lung ultrasound (LUS) is being increasingly used for the assessment of lung in these patients due to its lower cost, availability, and lack of irradiation. We aimed to determine the diagnostic performance of LUS for the evaluation of CF pulmonary exacerbation. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included patients with CF pulmonary exacerbation admitted to Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from March 21, 2020 to March 20, 2021. Age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) of the patients were recorded. All patients underwent chest X-ray (CXR), HRCT, and LUS on admission. Pleural thickening, atelectasis, air bronchogram, B-line, and consolidation were noted in LUS and then compared with the corresponding findings in CXR and HRCT. Taking HRCT findings as reference, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy (DA) of LUS and CXR for the detection of each pulmonary abnormality were determined. RESULTS: Of the 30 patients included in this study, with a mean age of 19.62 ± 5.53 years, 14 (46.7%) were male. Of the 15 patients aged 2-20 years, BMI was below the 5th percentile in 10 (66.7%), within the 5-10 percentiles in 1 (6.7%), 10-25 percentiles in 3 (20%), and 25-50 percentiles in 1 (6.7%). The mean BMI for 15 patients > 20 years was 18.03 ± 2.53 kg/m2. LUS had better diagnostic performance compared to CXR for the detection of air bronchogram, consolidation, and pleural thickening (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC]: 0.966 vs. 0.483, 0.900 vs. 0.575, and 0.656 vs. 0.531, respectively). Also, LUS was 100% and 96.7% specific for the diagnosis of pleural effusion and atelectasis, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: LUS appears to be superior to CXR and comparable with HRCT for the evaluation of CF pulmonary exacerbation, especially in terms of air bronchogram and consolidation detection. LUS can be used to lengthen the HRCT evaluation intervals in this regard or utilized along with HRCT for better evaluation of CF pulmonary exacerbation.

Evaluating the relationship between high-resolution computed tomography findings and their extent in eosinophilic lung diseases with peripheral blood eosinophil level.

PURPOSE: Eosinophilic lung diseases are a group of pulmonary disorders associated with peripheral or tissue eosinophilia. They can be classified into primary (idiopathic) and secondary groups based on their aetiology. On the other hand, blood eosinophilia is a common clinical problem with various causes. In many cases the lung infiltrations in patients with peripheral eosinophilia are non-eosinophilic. Herein, we aim to assess the relationship between blood eosinophilia and abnormal high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) features and their extent in idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (ICEP) (the most common form of idiopathic eosinophilic lung disease). This can help in differentiating eosinophilic from non-eosinophilic lung infiltrations in patients with blood eosinophilia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this descriptive-correlational study, all patients with proven ICEP, who were referred to Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran from 2012 to 2019, were included. The ICEP diagnosis was based on lung infiltrations on imaging, in addition to increased numbers of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, blood or lung biopsy samples, and rapid response to corticosteroids. Patients with known aetiologies for eosinophilic lung diseases were excluded. The HRCT findings and their extent in each patient were compared with the blood eosinophil level. RESULTS: Positive correlation was found only between blood eosinophil level and frequency and extent of consolidation, and with frequency of lymphadenopathy. CONCLUSIONS: HRCT can help to differentiate eosinophilic from non-eosinophilic lung infiltrations in patients with blood eosinophilia by comparing the extent of consolidation with the blood eosinophil level.

The evaluation of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 in the serum of pulmonary sarcoidosis and tuberculosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis (TB) are two granulomatous inflammatory diseases with several common symptoms. The aim of the present study was to compare the serum levels of biomarkers including interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13, calcium (Ca), hemoglobin, sedimentation rate, and lymphocyte-to-neutrophil ratio between patients with pulmonary TB, patients with sarcoidosis, and control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control study was performed on patients referred to the Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, from April 2017 to 2018. In this study, 24 newly diagnosed patients with active pulmonary TB, 34 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, and 30 healthy individuals as the control group were enrolled. Demographic data, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the ratio of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), serum Ca level, hemoglobin (Hb), and IL-4 and IL-13 were compared between the study groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, sensitivity, and specificity were also calculated using SPSS 16.0 software. RESULTS: The mean age was 47.71 ± 10.88 and 55.25 ± 21.58 years in the sarcoidosis and TB. The mean ESR in sarcoidosis patients was 21.45 ± 13.37 mm/h and 41.4 ± 17 mm/h in the TB group. The percentage of peripheral blood lymphocytes in sarcoidosis and TB patients was 28.02 ± 12.20 and 21.41 ± 12.49, respectively, which was significantly higher among patients with sarcoidosis. NLR was also 2.4 ± 1.6 and 4.4 ± 2.9 in sarcoidosis and TB patients, respectively, which showed a significant difference among the groups. Regarding the evaluation of the level of IL-4 and IL-13 in patients, it is worth noting that IL-4 in patients with sarcoidosis was 90 pg/ml compared to 20 pg/ml for TB patients (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the levels of IL-13 in the TB and control groups, which varied between 20 and 80 pg/ml (P = 0.35). However, its value was significantly higher in patients with sarcoidosis (P = 0.01) than in the healthy control group and TB (P = 0.01). The ROC curves showed that the diagnostic cutoff of ESR level, Ca, NLR, and Hb could be valuable due to the area under the curves. The cutpoint of 34 mm/h for ESR had a sensitivity of 86% as well as 80% specificity to distinguish TB from the sarcoidosis. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of the biomarkers indicated a stronger immunological background in sarcoidosis using NLR, Ca, ESR, and Hb.

Diagnostic triad of pulmonary anthracofibrosis in spiral CT scan - a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Anthracosis, a form of pneumoconiosis commonly caused by air pollution and other environmental factors, is a new entity in respiratory disorders. Bronchoscopy and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) are the gold standard of diagnosis. Herein, we evaluated the results of bronchoscopy and chest computed tomography (CT) scans of 187 anthracotic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between April 2016 and April 2017, 187 cases (99 males, mean age 65 ± 10.2 years) who underwent flexible bronchoscopy and TBLB for various indications were considered for this study. CT examinations of these patients were reported as "blind to bronchoscopy results" by two experienced board-certified radiologists. RESULTS: According to the results of bronchoscopy and TBLB, 100 patients were diagnosed as anthracotic. CT scans confirmed 71 of these cases as anthracosis. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of hyperdense non-calcified mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes, known as "brilliant lymph nodes", compared to bronchoscopy were 55%, 92%, 89%, 64%, and 72%, respectively (CI: 95%). Also, there was a positive correlation between anthracosis and brilliant lymph nodes (p-value = 0). Analysis of hyper-attenuated lung with bronchoscopy estimated sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy gave 41%, 94%, 89%, 58%, and 65%, respectively (CI: 95%). The specificity of brilliant lymph nodes, hyper-attenuated lung, and multi-segmental atelectasis as a diagnostic "triad of anthracosis" was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our analyses, the triad of brilliant lymph nodes, hyper-attenuated lung, and multi-segmental atelectasis was identified as a reliable set of imaging findings for the diagnosis of anthracosis.

The diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound and spiral chest computed tomography scan in the prediction of infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes in patients undergoing endobronchial ultrasound.

PURPOSE: Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and spiral chest computed tomography (CT) scan are important methods in the prediction of infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes, and the determination of their diagnostic accuracy would result in a reduction of the burden of problems and an improvement in prognosis. The purpose in this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound and spiral chest CT scan in the prediction of infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes in patients undergoing endobronchial ultrasound. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this observational prospective study, 40 consecutive patients with infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes in Masih-Daneshvari Hospital in 2017 and 2018 were enrolled, and the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of EBUS and CT-scan versus fine needle aspiration pathology results were determined in them. RESULTS: The results in this study demonstrated that the congruence between EBUS and CT scan was 80.5% (p = 0.0001). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for CT scan were 100%, 22.6%, and 40%, respectively, and the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for EBUS were 100%, 16.1%, and 35%, respectively. CONCLUSION: According to the obtained results, it may be concluded that CT scan and EBUS results have good congruence and high sensitivity to differentiate infiltrating and non-infiltrating lymph nodes. Hence, these methods are useful for screening methods, but due to their low specificity and accuracy the use of them for a confirmative approach is not beneficial. However, regarding the accessibility and less invasive nature, use of chest CT scan is more rational and is recommended in these patients.

Expression Analysis of OIP5-AS1 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer as the most fatal cancer of men has prompted researchers to find biomarkers for early detection and prognosis. Among the possible biomarkers are a group of non-coding transcripts with sizes more than 200 nucleotides called long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). AIMS: In the present study, we evaluated the expression levels of the lncRNA OIP5 antisense RNA 1 (OIP5-AS1) in 32 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples compared with their corresponding adjacent non-cancerous tissue (ANCTs) by means of real-time polymerase chain reaction. The samples were obtained from patients who were admitted at Labbafi-Nejad Hospital during 2015 and 2016. RESULTS: OIP5-AS expression levels was significantly decreased in tumoral tissues compared with ANCTs in total samples and in male subgroup. However, no association was found between relative expression of OIP5-AS1 and clinicopathological data of patients or history of smoking. Expression levels of this lncRNA were not correlated with patients age. CONCLUSIONS: This lncRNA is possibly a novel biomarker of NSCLC in Iranian patients. Future studies are needed to confirm the results of our study in larger sample sizes. Moreover, based on the difference in lung cancer associated risk factors in different populations, population-based studies are needed to explore the role of this lncRNA in the pathogenesis of cancers in each region to design appropriate targeted therapies for each population. Key words: lung cancer - OIP5-AS - lncRNA - long non-coding RNA.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicle Therapy for Asthma in Murine Models: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common disease, and among the most predominant causes of the years lived with disability. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have emerged as a promising avenue for asthma management. The objective of this study is to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of pre-clinical studies investigating the therapeutic use of MSC-EVs in murine models of asthma. METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases was performed. Meta-analyses were conducted on broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells and cytokines, as well as airway hyper-responsiveness Penh values and histological staining scores to determine the efficacy of MSC-EVs-based therapy, comparing treated rodents with untreated ones. BALF IL-4, BALF total cells, and BALF eosinophils were chosen as the primary outcomes, while airway hyper-responsiveness Penh values, BALF cytokines excluding IL-4, and histological staining scores were chosen as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 19 eligible studies were included in the current systematic review, with 9 assessing BALF IL-4, 11 assessing BALF total cells, and 10 assessing BALF eosinophils. Pooled Hedges' g (p-value) for each outcome was - 4.407 (< 0.001), -4.976 (< 0.001), and - 4.071 (< 0.001), showing that MSC-EVs therapy inhibits asthma pathology. Changes in secondary outcomes also indicated a reduction in inflammation, goblet cell hyperplasia, and airway hyper-responsiveness. Subgroup analyses did not reveal significant disparities between the type of rodents and administration routes, and meta-regressions were only significant for MSC-EVs source and dose in the IL-4 meta-analysis, and for administration frequency and time from the last challenge to sacrifice in the BALF total cell meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: This review highlights the current pre-clinical evidence of MSC-EVs therapy for asthma and finds its application ameliorates multiple aspects of asthma's pathology. We further underline the importance of MSC-EVs source, dose, administration frequency, and timing on the therapeutic effect and warrant further investigation and clinical translation to assess the best treatment regimen and to gauge the efficacy of EV therapy in human asthma cases.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of Leicester Cough Questionnaire in sarcoidosis: the persian version.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Cough is a common symptom among patients with sarcoidosis, and the Leicester Cough Questionnaire, a cough-specific quality-of-life measure, evaluates the impact of cough across physical, psychological, and social domains in patients with chronic cough. The aim of this study was cross-cultural adaptation and validation of Persian version of Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) in pulmonary sarcoidosis in Iran. METHODS: Psychometric analyses included translation and back translation of the questionnaire, face validity, content validity, construct validity, criterion-related validity, internal consistency, and test -retest reliability were performed. RESULTS: Twenty-five participants demonstrated no major language barriers or difficulties in completing the questionnaire and adequate face validity of ≥1.5. Twelve experts confirmed the content validity was good (CVR˃0.56, I-CVI≤0.79, S-CVI/Ave˃0.80). Totally, 190 patients were included in the study. The Pearson's coefficients and their significance's (P<0.05) showed an acceptable agreement between the LCQ and the SF-36 questionnaire. The goodness-of-fit of the conceptual model including psychological, physical, and social domains, obtained from EFA, was confirmed throughout the RMSEA of 0.09 (<0.1), NFI of 0.9, NNFI of 0.91, and CFI of 0.92 which all were ≥0.9. The Persian LCQ showed an excellent internal consistency regarding Cronbach's alpha of 0.974 and ICC (95%CI) value of 0.983 (0.977, 0.987). CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric properties showed that the Persian version of LCQ is a valid and reliable measure to evaluate cough-specific quality of life and is a fit-for-purpose measure for use in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and the results can guide clinicians in treatment decisions.

Missed bronchial web in a 4-year-old boy with foreign body aspiration: A case report.

Congenital bronchial webs are extremely rare and usually remain undiagnosed due to nonspecific symptoms. Herein, we reported a 4-year-old case of the bronchial web who was initially undiagnosed upon bronchoscopy following foreign body aspiration and afterward misdiagnosed as childhood asthma through his consistent cough and exertional dyspnea for several months.

A review on the importance of LINC-ROR in human disorders.

Long Intergenic Non-Protein Coding RNA, Regulator Of Reprogramming (LINC-ROR) is a long non-coding RNA with diverse physiological functions. The gene encoding this transcript resides on 18q21.31. Expression levels of LINC-ROR have been reported to be dysregulated in patients with diverse disorders, including cancer, autoimmune disorders and neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. Moreover, polymorphisms within this lncRNA have been shown to be associated with a variety of disorders, such as some kinds of cancer and some aspects of systemic lupus erythematous. Abnormal expression of LINC-ROR in some other human disorders is not yet understood. Emerging evidence suggests that LINC-ROR exerts pivotal roles in most types of human disorders as an oncogene. Differentially expressed LINC-ROR contributes in the development of diseases by changing the expression of genes that control the cell cycle. It can also exert its role by affecting the activity of some cancer-related signaling pathways and sponging tumor suppressor miRNAs. Expanding our understanding of LINC-ROR functions will pave the way for developing efficient therapeutic strategies against cancer and related disorders. The current review aims at providing a concise overview of the role of LINC-ROR in diverse human disorders through providing a summary of association studies and expression assays.

Evaluation of the Tracheal Stenosis Effects on Airway Resistance and Work of Breathing Using Computational Fluid Dynamics.

Background: Bronchoscopy is one of the most accurate procedures to diagnose airway stenosis which is an invasive procedure. However, a quick and noninvasive estimation of the percent area of obstruction (%AO) of the lumen is helpful in decision-making before performing a bronchoscopy procedure. We hypothesized that there is a relationship between %AO and tracheal resistance against fluid flow. Materials and Methods: By measuring airway resistance, %AO could be estimated before the procedure. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), this study simulates the fluid flow through trachea models with web-liked stenosis using CFD. A cylindrical segment was inserted into the trachea to represent cross-sectional areas corresponding to 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% AO. The fluid flow and pressure distribution in these models were studied. Our CFD simulations revealed that the tracheal resistance is exponentially increased by %AO. Results: The results showed a 130% and 55% increase in lung airway resistance and resistive work of breathing for an 80% AO, respectively. Moreover, a curve-fitted relationship was obtained to estimate %AO based on the measured airway resistance by body plethysmography or forced oscillation technique. Conclusion: This pre-estimation is very useful in diagnostic evaluation and treatment planning in patients with tracheal stenosis.

Impact of Using Educational Multimedia on Knowledge, Skill, and Reduction of Medical Error Following Bronchoscopy.

Background: Achieving procedural skills is one of the pillars of health higher education which is in line with the social responsibility of medical education. Since it is not possible to encounter important cases in bronchoscopy during the training course, the common cases that the students encounter in their future work environment were prepared as an educational video. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find out the impact of using bronchoscopy educational video intervention on medical assistants' knowledge, skill, and medical error comparing it with the traditional method at Dr. Masih Daneshvari Hospital. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, two groups were randomly assigned: the experimental and the control. Each one consists of 15 participants. The first group used mannequins (traditional method) and the second used multimedia as the experimental group. Both groups were evaluated by pre and post-tests. Multiple choices (MCQs) were given to evaluate the knowledge and a checklist for skills. A comparison of the impact of intervention before and after education in both groups was statistically analyzed using the independent t-test. Results: There were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group at a significance level of 0.042 for the skill. An average increase of 3 points was observed in the experiment group, while the control group increased by 1.4 points. No significant difference was seen for knowledge. The number of patients with pneumothorax was also decreased. Conclusion: Results showed that the multimedia training method effectively promotes the assistants' skills and reduces medical errors following bronchoscopy Administration. It is recommended to use educational videos (multimedia) to improve assistants' skills. It is suggested to apply the new model of education rather than sticking to the traditional one.

A review on the role of LINC00152 in different disorders.

LINC00152 is an important lncRNA in human disorders. It is mainly regarded as a tumor-promoting lncRNA. Mechanistically, LINC00152 serves as a molecular sponge for miR-143a-3p, miR-125a-5p, miR-139, miR-215, miR-193a/b-3p, miR-16-5p, miR-206, miR-195, miR-138, miR-185-5p, miR-103, miR-612, miR-150, miR-107, miR-205-5p and miR-153-3p. In addition, it can regulate activity of mTOR, EGFR/PI3K/AKT, ERK/MAPK, Wnt/ß-Catenin, EGFR, NF-κB, HIF-1 and PTEN. In this review, we provide a concise but comprehensive explanation about the role of LINC00152 in tumor development and progression as well as its role in the pathology of non-malignant conditions with the aim of facilitating the clinical implementation of this lncRNA as a diagnostic or prognostic tumor marker and therapeutic target.

Serial SOFA-score trends in ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients as predictor of 28-day mortality: A prospective cohort study.

Background and Aim: The efficacy of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score as predictor of clinical outcomes among ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients is still controversial. We aimed to assess whether SOFA-score in different time intervals could predict 28-day mortality compared with other well-acknowledged risk factors of COVID-19 mortality. Methods: This observational prospective cohort was conducted on 1057 patients from March 2020 to March 2022 at Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Iran. The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional analysis were performed to assess the hazards of SOFA-score models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were designed to estimate the predictive values. Results: Mean SOFA-score during first 96 h (HR: 3.82 [CI: 2.75-5.31]), highest SOFA-score (HR: 2.70 [CI: 1.93-3.78]), and initial SOFA-score (HR: 1.65 [CI: 1.30-2.11]) had strongest association with 28-day mortality (p < .0001). In contrast, SOFA scores at 48 and 96 h as well as Δ-SOFA: 48-0 h and Δ-SOFA: 96-0 h did not show significant correlations. Among them, merely mean SOFA-score (HR: 2.28 [CI: 2.21-3.51]; p < .001) remained as independent prognosticator on multivariate regression analysis; though having less odds of predicting value compared with age (HR: 3.81 [CI: 1.98-5.21]), hypertension (HR: 3.11 [CI: 1.26-3.81]), coronary artery disease [CAD] (HR: 2.82 [CI: 1.51-4.8]), and diabetes mellitus (HR: 2.45 [CI: 1.36-2.99]). The area under ROC (AUROC) for mean SOFA-score (0.77) and highest SOFA-score (0.71) were larger than other SOFA intervals. Calculating the first 96 h of SOFA trends, it was obtained that fatality rate was <12.3% if the score dropped, between 28.8% and 46.29% if the score remained unchanged, and >50.45% if the score increased. Conclusion: To predict the 28-day mortality among ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients, mean SOFA upon first 96 h of ICU stay is reliable; while having inadequate accuracy comparing with well-acknowledged COVID-19 mortality predictors (age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, CAD). Notably, increased SOFA levels in the course of first 96 h of ICU-admission, prognosticate at least 50% fatality regardless of initial SOFA score.

A review on the role of HAND2-AS1 in cancer.

HAND2 antisense RNA 1 (HAND2-AS1) is a newly recognized lncRNA encoded by a gene on 4q34.1. This lncRNA has 10 exons and is predicted to have a positive effect on expression of certain genes. HAND2-AS1 is mainly considered as a tumor suppressive lncRNA in different tissues. Moreover, HAND2-AS1 has been shown to regulate expression of several targets with possible roles in the carcinogenesis through serving as a sponge for miRNAs. This lncRNA can also influence activity of BMP, TGF-ß1, JAK/STAT and PI3K/Akt pathways. Down-regulation of HAND2-AS1 in tumor tissues has been associated with larger tumor size, higher tumor grade, higher chance of metastasis and poor clinical outcome. The present study aims at summarization of the impact of HAND2-AS1 in the carcinogenesis and its potential in cancer diagnosis or prediction of cancer prognosis.

A review on the role of NCK1 Antisense RNA 1 (NCK1-AS1) in diverse disorders.

NCK1 Antisense RNA 1 (NCK1-AS1), alternatively named as NCK1-DT, is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) with important roles in the carcinogenesis. Multiple studies verified its oncogenic role in different types of cancer, including gastric cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioma, prostate cancer and cervical cancer. NCK1-AS1 functions as a sponge for several microRNAs, including miR-137, miR-22-3p, miR-526b-5p, miR-512-5p, miR-138-2-3p and miR-6857. In this review we present an outline of NCK1-AS1 function in malignant conditions as well as atherosclerosis.