The relationship between ambulatory arterial stiffness index and incident atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) is an indirect measure of blood pressure variability and arterial stiffness which are atrial fibrillation (AF) risk factors. The relationship between AASI and AF development has not been previously investigated and was the primary aim of this study. METHODS: This was an observational cohort study of adults (aged 18-85 years) in sinus rhythm, who underwent 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) for the diagnosis of hypertension or its control. RESULTS: Eight hundred and twenty-one patients (49% men) aged 58.7 ± 15.3 years were followed up for a median of 4.0 years (3317 patient-years). In total, 75 patients (9.1%) developed ≥1 AF episode during follow-up. The mean AASI was 0.46 ± 0.17 (median 0.46). AASI values (0.52 ± 0.16 vs. 0.45 ± 0.17; p < .001) and the proportion of AASI values above the median (65.3% vs. 48.4%; p = .005) were greater among the patients who developed AF versus those that did not respectively. AASI significantly correlated with age (r = .49; 95% confidence interval: 0.44-0.54: p < .001). On Kaplan-Meier analysis, higher baseline AASI by median, tertiles, and quartiles were all significantly associated with AF development (X2: 10.13; p < .001). On Cox regression analyses, both a 1-standard deviation increase and AASI > median were independent predictors of AF, but this relationship was no longer significant when age was included in the model. CONCLUSIONS: AASI is an independent predictor of AF development. However, this relationship becomes insignificant after adjustment for age which is higher correlated with AASI.

Exploratory analysis of spontaneous versus paced breathing on heart rate variability in veterans with combat-related traumatic injury.

BACKGROUND: Respiration is a crucial determinant of autonomic balance and heart rate variability (HRV). The comparative effect of spontaneous versus paced breathing on HRV has been almost exclusively explored in healthy adults and never been investigated in an injured military cohort. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of spontaneous versus paced breathing on HRV in veterans with combat-related traumatic injury (CRTI). DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: ArmeD serVices trAuma rehabilitatioN outComE (ADVANCE) study, Stanford Hall, UK. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 100 randomly selected participants who sustained CRTI (eg, amputation) during their deployment (Afghanistan 2003-2014) and were recruited into the ongoing ADVANCE prospective cohort study. INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: HRV was recorded using a single-lead ECG. HRV data were acquired during a sequential protocol of 5-minute spontaneous breathing followed immediately by 5 minutes of paced breathing (six cycles/minute) among fully rested and supine participants. HRV was reported using time domain (root mean square of successive differences), frequency domain (low frequency and high frequency) and nonlinear (sample entropy) measures. The agreement between HRV during spontaneous versus paced breathing was examined using the Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 36.5 ± 4.6 years. Resting respiratory rate was significantly higher with spontaneous versus paced breathing (13.4 ± 3.4 vs. 7.6 ± 2.0 breaths/minute; p < .001), respectively. Resting mean heart rate and root mean square of successive differences were significantly higher with paced breathing than spontaneous breathing (p < .001). Paced breathing significantly increased median low frequency power than spontaneous breathing (p < .001). No significant difference was found in the absolute power of high frequency between the two breathing protocols. The Bland-Altman analysis revealed poor agreement between HRV values during spontaneous and paced breathing conditions with wide limits of agreement. CONCLUSION: Slow-paced breathing leads to higher HRV than spontaneous breathing and could overestimate resting "natural-state" HRV.

Ambulatory arterial stiffness index, mortality, and adverse cardiovascular outcomes; Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) is a novel measure of both blood pressure (BP) variability and arterial stiffness. This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the strength of the association between AASI and mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Google Scholar. and the Cochrane library were searched for relevant studies to July 31, 2023. Two investigators independently extracted data. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of all included articles. The relationship between baseline AASI and outcomes were examined using relative risk (RR) ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) with RevMan web. Thirteen studies were included and representing 28 855 adult patients who were followed up from 2.2 to 15.2 years. A 1-standard deviation (1-SD) increase in AASI was associated with a significant increase in all-cause death (RR 1.12; 95% CI: 0.95-1.32), stroke (RR 1.25; 95% CI: 1.09-1.44), and MACE (RR 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01-1.13; [I2  = 32%]). Higher dichotomized AASI (above vs. below researcher defined cut-offs) was associated with a significant increase in all-cause mortality (RR 1.19; 95% CI: 1.06-1.32), cardiovascular death (RR 1.29; 95% CI: 1.14-1.46), stroke (RR 1.57; 95% CI: 1.33-1.85), and MACE (RR1.29; 95% CI: 1.16-1.44). There was a significant risk of bias in more than 50% of studies with no evidence of significant publication bias. Higher AASI is associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death, stroke, and MACE. Further high-quality studies are warranted to determine reproducible AASI cut-offs to enhance its clinical risk precision.

Empagliflozin Reduces Liver Fat in Individuals With and Without Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of empagliflozin on liver fat content in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the relationship between the decrease in liver fat and other metabolic actions of empagliflozin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty individuals with T2D and 27 without were randomly assigned to receive in double-blind fashion empagliflozin or matching placebo (2:1 ratio) for 12 weeks. Participants underwent 75-g oral glucose tolerance testing and measurement of liver fat content with MRS before therapy and at study end. Hepatic glucose production before the start of therapy was measured with 3-3H-glucose. RESULTS: Empagliflozin caused an absolute reduction of 2.39% ± 0.79% in liver fat content compared with an increase of 0.91% ± 0.64% in participants receiving placebo (P < 0.007 with ANOVA). The decrease in liver fat was comparable in both individuals with diabetes and those without (2.75% ± 0.81% and 1.93% ± 0.78%, respectively; P = NS). The decrease in hepatic fat content caused by empagliflozin was strongly correlated with baseline liver fat content (r = -0.62; P < 0.001), decrease in body weight (r = 0.53; P < 0.001), and improvement in insulin sensitivity (r = -0.51; P < 0.001) but was not related to the decrease in fasting plasma glucose or HbA1c or the increase in hepatic glucose production. CONCLUSIONS: Empagliflozin is effective in reducing liver fat content in individuals with and without T2D. The decrease in liver fat content is independent of the decrease in plasma glucose concentration and is strongly related to the decrease in body weight and improvement in insulin sensitivity.

The Influence of Physical and Mental Health Mediators on the Relationship Between Combat-Related Traumatic Injury and Ultra-Short-Term Heart Rate Variability in a U.K. Military Cohort: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Combat-related traumatic injury (CRTI) adversely affects heart rate variability (HRV). The mediating effect of mental and physical health factors on the relationship between CRTI, its severity and HRV has not been previously studied and investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional mediation analysis of the ArmeD SerVices TrAuma and RehabilitatioN OutComE (ADVANCE) prospective cohort study was performed. The sample consisted of injured and uninjured British male servicemen who were frequency-matched based on their age, rank, role-in-theater, and deployment to Afghanistan (2003-2014). CRTI and injury severity (the New Injury Severity Scores [NISS] [NISS < 25 and NISS ≥ 25]) were included as exposure variables. HRV was quantified using the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) obtained using pulse waveform analysis. Depression and anxiety mediators were quantified using the Patient Health Questionnaire and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, respectively. Body mass index and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) represented physical health measures. Two mediation pathways between exposure and outcome variables were examined in comparison with the uninjured group using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Of 862 servicemen, 428 were injured and 434 were uninjured with the mean age at assessment of 33.9 ± 5.4 (range 23-59) years. Structural equation modeling revealed that depression, anxiety, and body mass index did not significantly mediate the relationship between injury/injury severity and RMSSD. However, the 6MWT significantly mediated the relationship between CRTI and RMSSD (27% mediation). The indirect effect of 6MWT on the relationship between injury severity (NISS ≥ 25 vs. uninjured) and RMSSD was -0.06 (95% CI: -0.12, -0.00, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that greater physical function may improve HRV following CRTI. Longitudinal studies are warranted to further validate these findings.

The impact of increased hepatic glucose production caused by empagliflozin on plasma glucose concentration in individuals with type 2 diabetes and nondiabetic individuals.

AIM: To examine the impact of increased hepatic glucose production (HGP) on the decrease in plasma glucose concentration caused by empagliflozin in individuals living with diabetes and in nondiabetic individuals. METHODS: A total of 36 individuals living with diabetes and 34 nondiabetic individuals were randomized to receive, in double-blind fashion, empagliflozin or matching placebo in a 2:1 treatment ratio. Following an overnight fast, HGP was measured with 3-3 H-glucose infusion before, at the start of, and 3 months after therapy with empagliflozin. RESULTS: On Day 1 of empagliflozin administration, the increase in urinary glucose excretion (UGE) in individuals with normal glucose tolerance was smaller than in those with impaired glucose tolerance and those living with diabetes, and was accompanied by an increase in HGP in all three groups. The amount of glucose returned to the systemic circulation as a result of the increase in HGP was smaller than that excreted by the kidney during the first 3 h after empagliflozin administration, resulting in a decrease in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration. After 3 h, the increase in HGP was in excess of UGE, leading to a small increase in plasma glucose concentration, which reached a new steady state. After 12 weeks, the amount of glucose returned to the circulation due to the empagliflozin-induced increase in HGP was comparable with that excreted by the kidney in all three groups. CONCLUSION: The balance between UGE and increase in HGP immediately after sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibition determined the magnitude of decrease in FPG and the new steady state which was achieved. After 12 weeks, the increase in HGP caused by empagliflozin closely matched the amount of glucose excreted by the kidneys; thus, FPG level remained stable despite the continuous urinary excretion of glucose caused by SGLT2 inhibition.

A comprehensive overview of eco-friendly bio-fertilizers extracted from living organisms.

Currently, sustainable agriculture involves ecofriendly techniques, which include biofertilization. Biofertilizers increase plant productivity by improving soil fertility and nutrient content. A wide range of living organisms can be applied as biofertilizers and increase soil fertility without causing pollution due to their biodegradability. The organisms can be microorganisms like bacteria, microalgae, and micro fungi or macro organisms like macroalgae, macro fungi, and higher plants. Biofertilizers extracted from living organisms or their residues will be increasingly used rather than chemical fertilizers, which cause heavy metal accumulation in soil. Biofertilizer use aims for sustainable development in agriculture by maintaining the soil. This will mitigate climate change and related impacts and will also lower many serious diseases resulting from pollution such as cancer, liver and renal failure, and immune diseases. This review is a comprehensive overview of biofertilizers extracted from a range of living organisms from the Kingdoms Monera to Plantae and included bacteria, algae, fungi, and higher plants. Organisms that play a vital role in elevating soil nutrients in a safe, cheap, and ecofriendly manner are included in the review to promote their potential commercial application.

Reliability of carotid-femoral arterial waveforms for the derivation of ultra-short term heart rate variability in injured British servicemen: An inter-rater reliability study.

In this study, the comparative precision of carotid versus femoral arterial waveforms to measure ultra-short term heart rate variability (HRVUST) following traumatic injury was investigated for the first time. This was an inter-rater reliability study of 50 British servicemen (aged 23-44 years) with non-acute combat-related traumatic injury (CRTI). Paired continuous arterial waveform data for HRVUST analysis, were simultaneously sampled at the carotid and femoral arterial sites (14-16 seconds) during pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement. HRVUST was reported as the root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD). Following the determination of the superior sampling site (carotid versus femoral), the blinded inter-rater agreement in RMSSD for the preferred site was quantified using the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman plot. The mean age of participants was 34.06±4.88 years. The femoral site was superior to the carotid site with a significantly higher number of reliable signals obtained (Fisher's Exact test; p<0.001). The inter-rater agreement in femoral-derived RMSSD was excellent [ICC 0.99 (95%CI: 0.994-0.997)] with a moderate level of agreement (mean difference [bias]: 0.55; 95% CI: -0.13-1.24 ms). In this study, we demonstrated that the femoral artery is a more reliable site than the carotid artery for HRVUST measurement and post-trauma risk stratification following CRTI.

Inflammatory Cytokines Are Associated with Cognitive Dysfunction and Depressive State during Acute Bacterial Infections and the Recovery Phase.

During a bacterial infection, individuals may present with behavioral changes referred to as sickness behavior, which has been suggested is induced by the inflammatory markers that are released because of the infective immunological challenge. However, few studies have explored this multidimensional phenomenon in naturally occurring conditions. A longitudinal observational study was conducted to explore the role of inflammatory cytokines in mediating the sickness behavior during a bacterial infection. There were 13, 11 and 37 participants in the infection, hospital control and healthy groups, respectively. They were all followed up for 6 weeks and their inflammatory markers were quantified throughout those weeks. Cognitive function and depressive state were assessed by means of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD). Reductions in proinflammatory markers C-Reactive protein (CRP), interleukin - 6 (IL6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and increments in anti-inflammatory markers (interleukin - 4 (IL4)) were associated with an improvement in CSDD and MSEE in patients recovering from a bacterial infection. The correlation between inflammatory makers and CSDD was statistically significant for the CRP (r = 0.535, p = 0.001), the IL6 (r = 0.499, p < 0.001), the TNFα (r = 0.235, p = 0.007) and the IL4 (r = -0.321, p = 0.018). Inflammatory cytokines may mediate sickness behavior during acute illness. These results may enhance the understanding of the pathophysiology and potential treatment strategies to palliate this sickness behavior.

Donor Cell Leukemia Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Approximately 25,000 allogeneic transplants are performed annually worldwide; a figure that has steadily increased over the past three decades. The study of transplant recipient survivorship has become a cogent topic and post-transplant donor cell pathology warrants further study. Donor cell leukemia (DCL) is a rare but serious complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) where the recipient develops a form leukemia originating from the donor cells used for transplantation. Detection of abnormalities predicting donor cell pathology might inform donor selection, and the design of survivorship programs for early detection of these abnormalities might allow therapeutic intervention earlier in the disease course. We present four recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) from our institution who developed donor cell abnormalities allogeneic SCT, highlighting their clinical characteristics and challenges.

Corticotropin releasing factor-1 receptor antagonism associated with favorable outcomes of male reproductive health biochemical parameters.

Background: Disruption in androgen profiles and testicular adrenal rest tumors in males with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) can negatively affect sexual activity and fertility. Adrenal hyperandrogenism suppresses gonadotropin secretion and testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTS), despite being noncancerous lesions, cause obstructive azoospermia and impaired testosterone (T) production. Circulating T in men with uncontrolled CAH is often predominantly adrenal in origin, which is reflected in high androstenedione/testosterone ratios (A4/T). Therefore, decreased luteinizing hormone (LH) levels and an increased A4/T are markers of impaired fertility in these individuals. Methods: Oral tildacerfont 200 to 1000 mg once daily (QD) (n=10) or 100 to 200 mg twice daily (n=9 and 7) for 2 weeks (Study 201), and 400 mg QD (n=11) for 12 weeks (Study 202). Outcomes measured changes from baseline in A4, T, A4/T, and LH. Results: Mean T levels increased in Study 201 from 375.5 ng/dL to 390.5 ng/dL at week 2 (n=9), 485.4 ng/dL at week 4 (n=4) and 420.7 ng/dL at week 6 (n=4). In Study 202, T levels fluctuated in the normal range from 448.4 ng/dL at baseline to 412.0 ng/dL at week 12. Mean LH levels increased in Study 201 from 0.68 IU/L to 1.59 IU/L at week 2 (n=10), 1.62 IU/L at week 4 (n=5) and 0.85 IU/L at week 6 (n=4). In Study 202, mean LH levels increased from 0.44 IU/L at baseline to 0.87 IU/L at week 12. Mean A4/T decreased across both studies. In Study 201, the mean A4/T changed from a baseline of 1.28 to 0.59 at week 2 (n=9), 0.87 at week 4 (n=4), and 1.03 at week 6 (n=4). In Study 202, the A4/T decreased from baseline of 2.44 to 0.68 at week 12. Four men were hypogonadal at baseline; all experienced improved A4/T and 3/4 (75%) reached levels <1. Conclusion: Tildacerfont treatment demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in A4 levels, and A4/T with concomitant increased LH levels indicating increased testicular T production. The data suggests improvement in hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function, but more data is required to confirm favorable male reproductive health outcomes.

Impacts of algae supplements (Arthrospira & Chlorella) on growth, nutrient variables, intestinal efficacy, and antioxidants in New Zealand white rabbits.

An 8-week trial to examine the impacts of Arthrospira platensis and Chlorella vulgaris on the growth, nutrient aspects, intestinal efficacy, and antioxidants of 75 New Zealand white male rabbits (initial body weight = 665.93 ± 15.18 g). Herein the study was designed in one-way ANOVA to compare the effects of the two algae species with two levels of supplementations in the feeds of New Zealand white rabbits. The rabbits were divided into five groups (n = 15/group), where the first group was allocated as the control group (Ctrl) while the second and third groups received A. platensis at 300 or 500 mg/kg diet (Ap300 or Ap500). The fourth and fifth groups fed C. vulgaris at 300 or 500 mg/kg diet (Ch300 or Ch500). The basal diet rabbits exhibited the lowest values of weight, lipase, protease, and the highest feed conversion ratio, which improved noticeably with algae addition, particularly with Ap500, Ch300, and Ch500. All tested groups showed normal intestinal structure. Amylase potency, hematological indicators, and serum biochemistry revealed non-significant variation except for a higher serum total protein and lower total cholesterol in algal groups. The best GPx existed in groups fed algal diets, while favorable SOD and CAT efficiency occurred at the higher level of Arthrospira and both levels of Chlorella. In conclusion, incorporating Arthrospira or Chlorella in the diet of New Zealand white rabbits improved performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal efficacy, and antioxidants. Arthrospira (Ap500) and Chlorella (Ch300 or Ch500) have almost the same beneficial effect on rabbit performance.

Distinct Mechanisms Responsible for the Increase in Glucose Production and Ketone Formation Caused by Empagliflozin in T2DM Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the mechanisms responsible for the increase in glucose and ketone production caused by empagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Twelve subjects with T2DM participated in two studies performed in random order. In study 1, endogenous glucose production (EGP) was measured with 8-h infusion of 6,6,D2-glucose. Three hours after the start of 6,6,D2-glucose infusion, subjects ingested 25 mg empagliflozin (n = 8) or placebo (n = 4), and norepinephrine (NE) turnover was measured before and after empagliflozin ingestion with 3H-NE infusion. Study 2 was similar to study 1 but performed under pancreatic clamp conditions. RESULTS: When empagliflozin was ingested under fasting conditions, EGP increased by 31% in association with a decrease in plasma glucose (-34 mg/dL) and insulin (-52%) concentrations and increases in plasma glucagon (+19%), free fatty acid (FFA) (+29%), and ß-hydroxybutyrate (+48%) concentrations. When empagliflozin was ingested under pancreatic clamp conditions, plasma insulin and glucagon concentrations remained unchanged, and the increase in plasma FFA and ketone concentrations was completely blocked, while the increase in EGP persisted. Total-body NE turnover rate was greater in subjects receiving empagliflozin (+67%) compared with placebo under both fasting and pancreatic clamp conditions. No difference in plasma NE concentration was observed in either study. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in plasma insulin and increase in plasma glucagon concentration caused by empagliflozin is responsible for the increase in plasma FFA concentration and ketone production. The increase in EGP caused by empagliflozin is independent of the change in plasma insulin or glucagon concentrations and is likely explained by the increase in NE turnover.

Brentuximab-Induced Colitis in a Non-Stem-Cell Transplant Patient.

Many chemotherapeutic agents have been associated with drug-induced colitis (DIC). With newer agents' expansion of approval as first-line therapy for common cancers, it is important to be cognizant of their association with DIC. We present a case of brentuximab-associated DIC in an elderly woman with CD30+ Hodgkin lymphoma. Brentuximab's association with DIC was suspected by others in the literature, but a history of stem-cell transplant in them would blur the association with graft-vs-host disease. Lack of stem-cell transplant in our patient makes the link between brentuximab and DIC unambiguous.

Association between non-acute Traumatic Injury (TI) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive measure of autonomic function. The relationship between unselected long-term traumatic injury (TI) and HRV has not been investigated. This systematic review examines the impact of non-acute TI (>7 days post-injury) on standard HRV indices in adults. Four electronic databases (CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched. The quality of studies, risk of bias (RoB), and quality of evidence (QoE) were assessed using Axis, RoBANS and GRADE, respectively. Using the random-effects model, mean difference (MD) for root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and standard deviation of NN-intervals (SDNN), and standardized mean difference (SMD) for Low-frequency (LF): High-Frequency (HF) were pooled in RevMan guided by the heterogeneity score (I2). 2152 records were screened followed by full-text retrieval of 72 studies. 31 studies were assessed on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Only four studies met the inclusion criteria. Three studies demonstrated a high RoB (mean RoBANS score 14.5±3.31) with a low QoE. TI was associated with a significantly higher resting heart rate. Meta-analysis of three cross-sectional studies demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in RMSSD (MD -8.45ms, 95%CI-12.78, -4.12, p<0.0001) and SDNN (MD -9.93ms, 95%CI-14.82, -5.03, p<0.0001) (low QoE) in participants with TI relative to the uninjured control. The pooled analysis of four studies showed a higher LF: HF ratio among injured versus uninjured (SMD 0.20, 95%CI 0.01-0.39, p<0.04) (very low QoE). Albeit low QoE, non-acute TI is associated with attenuated HRV indicating autonomic imbalance. The findings might explain greater cardiovascular risk following TI. Trial registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD: CRD42021298530.

Ameliorative impacts of sodium humate on heat-stressed laying Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica).

A total of 300 laying Japanese quails (230.10 ± 20 g body weight) divided into four groups (15 birds in 5 replicates/group) were used to examine the impacts of dietary sodium humate (SH) supplementation at levels of 0% (control diet), 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% on egg variables and physiological merits of laying quails for 10 weeks under heat stress conditions (15 June and 23 August 2021). Results showed 0.4% SH increased (p < 0.05) weight (12.27 vs. 11.91 g), production (79.84% vs. 69.20%), mass (597.13 vs. 510.48 g) and brokenness (2.8% vs. 5.4%) of eggs as compared to control. Egg shape, shell thickness, shell strength and cholesterol content as well as feed conversion ratio were higher (80.2, 295.8 µm, 1.468 kg/cm,2 11.08 mg/g and 2.69, p < 0.05) in 0.4% SH than in control group (75.2, 279.0 µm, 1.304 kg/cm,2  14.94 mg/g and 2.76). Feed intake, percentages of eggs' shells, yolk, albumen and serum biochemistry (total protein, albumin, AST and HDL) were not altered with the dietary SH. Birds fed on SH diets showed higher levels of globulin, calcium and phosphorus, as well as lower contents of albumin/globulin ratio, triglycerides, cholesterol, corticosterone compared with the control. Regression analysis of antioxidants expected higher total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase at 0.35%, and glutathione at 0.40% SH, while the lowest concentration of malondialdehyde was computed at 0.45%. Similarly, immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) maximum values were determined at 0.35% and 0.40% levels. Moreover, the concentration of tumour necrosis factor-alpha increased (p < 0.05) in all SH levels as compared to the control group. It is conceivable to conclude that the dietary implementation of SH at a level of 0.4% improved egg variables and well-being aspects of laying quail exposed to heat stress conditions.

Meta-Prediction of Coronary Artery Disease Risk.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Recent advances in large-scale genome-wide association studies have highlighted the potential of genetic risk, captured as polygenic risk scores (PRS), in clinical prevention. However, the current clinical utility of PRS models is limited to identifying high-risk populations based on the top percentiles of genetic susceptibility. While some studies have attempted integrative prediction using genetic and non-genetic factors, many of these studies have been cross-sectional and focused solely on risk stratification. Our primary objective in this study was to integrate unmodifiable (age / genetics) and modifiable (clinical / biometric) risk factors into a prospective prediction framework which also produces actionable and personalized risk estimates for the purpose of CAD prevention in a heterogenous adult population. Thus, we present an integrative, omnigenic, meta-prediction framework that effectively captures CAD risk subgroups, primarily distinguished by degree and nature of genetic risk, with distinct risk reduction profiles predicted from standard clinical interventions. Initial model development considered ~ 2,000 predictive features, including demographic data, lifestyle factors, physical measurements, laboratory tests, medication usage, diagnoses, and genetics. To power our meta-prediction approach, we stratified the UK Biobank into two primary cohorts: 1) a prevalent CAD cohort used to train baseline and prospective predictive models for contributing risk factors and diagnoses, and 2) an incident CAD cohort used to train the final CAD incident risk prediction model. The resultant 10-year incident CAD risk model is composed of 35 derived meta-features from models trained on the prevalent risk cohort, most of which are predicted baseline diagnoses with multiple embedded PRSs. This model achieved an AUC of 0.81 and macro-averaged F1-score of 0.65, outperforming standard clinical scores and prior integrative models. We further demonstrate that individualized risk reduction profiles can be derived from this model, with genetic risk mediating the degree of risk reduction achieved by standard clinical interventions.

The Potential Role of MUC16 (CA125) Biomarker in Lung Cancer: A Magic Biomarker but with Adversity.

Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. In terms of the diagnosis of lung cancer, combination carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) detection had higher sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios than CEA detection alone. Most individuals with elevated serum CA125 levels had lung cancer that was either in stage 3 or stage 4. Serum CA125 levels were similarly elevated in lung cancer patients who also had pleural effusions or ascites. Furthermore, there is strong evidence that human lung cancer produces CA125 in vitro, which suggests that other clinical illnesses outside of ovarian cancer could also be responsible for the rise of CA125. MUC16 (CA125) is a natural killer cell inhibitor. As a screening test for lung and ovarian cancer diagnosis and prognosis in the early stages, CA125 has been widely used as a marker in three different clinical settings. MUC16 mRNA levels in lung cancer are increased regardless of gender. As well, increased expression of mutated MUC16 enhances lung cancer cells proliferation and growth. Additionally, the CA125 serum level is thought to be a key indicator for lung cancer metastasis to the liver. Further, CA125 could be a useful biomarker in other cancer types diagnoses like ovarian, breast, and pancreatic cancers. One of the important limitations of CA125 as a first step in such a screening technique is that up to 20% of ovarian tumors lack antigen expression. Each of the 10 possible serum markers was expressed in 29-100% of ovarian tumors with minimal or no CA125 expression. Therefore, there is a controversy regarding CA125 in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer and other cancer types. In this state, preclinical and clinical studies are warranted to elucidate the clinical benefit of CA125 in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer.

Nidogen-1 could play a role in diabetic kidney disease development in type 2 diabetes: a genome-wide association meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) affects about 40% of patients with diabetes. It is incurable and usually leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The pathogenesis of DKD is still not fully understood, and the genetics of DKD have not yet been extensively studied. In this study, we investigate the genetic basis of DKD in type 2 diabetes (T2D) to provide more insights into the pathogenesis of the disease. RESULTS: Using the data provided by the UK Biobank (UKBB), we performed a DKD genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 13,123 individuals with T2D as well as two creatinine estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) GWA studies: one in 26,786 individuals with T2D and the other in 339,080 non-diabetic individuals. We also conducted a DKD GWAS meta-analysis combining our results with those published by the surrogate markers for micro- and macro-vascular hard endpoints for Innovative diabetes Tools (SUMMIT) consortium. We confirm two loci previously reported to be associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and eGFR in T2D. The UMOD-PDILT locus is associated with DKD (P = 1.17E-09) as well as creatinine eGFR in both people with T2D (P = 1.31E-15) and people without diabetes (P = 3.95E-73). The PRKAG2 locus is associated with creatinine eGFR in people with (P = 2.78E-10) and without (P = 5.65E-72) T2D. Our meta-analysis reveals a novel association between DKD and variant rs72763500 (chr1:236116561) which is a splicing quantitative trait locus (sQTL) for nidogen-1 (NID1) gene. CONCLUSION: Our data confirm two loci previously reported in association with CKD and creatinine eGFR in T2D. It also suggests that NID1, a major component of the renal tubular basement membrane, could play a role in DKD development in T2D. While our NID1 finding remains to be replicated, it is a step toward a more comprehensive understanding of DKD pathogenesis.

Colonic Polypoid Vascular Ectasia in a Patient With Rectal Prolapse.

Vascular ectasia is a common cause of lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in older patients. They typically present as flat or slightly raised fern-like bright red lesions. We report a rare case of a vascular ectasia presenting as a pedunculated polypoid lesion in a young patient with rectal prolapse. The pedunculated polyp was removed using hot snare polypectomy. This case highlights a unique presentation of a rare lesion and endoscopic management of these lesions.