Systemic inflammation factors as survival prognosis markers in ovarian neoplasm and the relationship with cancer-associated inflammatory mediators-a review.

At the level of the genital system, ovarian neoplasm is the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. In the specialized literature, the coexistence of an inflammatory process is admitted from the early stages of the evolution of this pathology. Starting from the importance of this process, both in determinism and in the evolution of carcinogenesis and summarizing the field of knowledge, for this study we considered two objectives: the first was the presentation of the pathogenic mechanism, through which chronic +ovarian inflammation is involved in the process of carcinogenesis, and the second is the justification of the clinical utility of the three parameters, accepted as biomarkers of systemic inflammation: neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio in the assessment of prognosis. The study highlights the acceptance of these hematological parameters, with practical utility, as prognostic biomarkers in ovarian cancer, based on the intrinsic link with cancer-associated inflammatory mediators. Based on the data from the specialized literature, the conclusion is that in ovarian cancer, the inflammatory process induced by the presence of the tumor, induces changes in the types of circulating leukocytes, with immediate effects on the markers of systemic inflammation.

Adiponectin - stratification biomarker in diastolic cardiac dysfunction.

This study does not propose to elucidate how adiponectin secretion is regulated, but how its adiponectin concentration is an indicator of heart disease. About adiponectin, it is not known whether it is functionally an enzyme, or very likely a cytokine/chemokine/hormone, secreted by fat cells/adipocytes in the abdomen. Abdominal fat secretes 67 hormones, and all of which cause disease. For example, adiponectin generates diabetes and ischaemic heart disease via dyslipidemia. Based on clinical symptoms, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters, a group of 208 patients with diastolic cardiac dysfunction with or without preserved systolic function, developed on a background of painful chronic ischaemic heart disease, stable angina on exertion, was constituted. The serum levels of adiponectin, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were measured. Using the identified values, it was appreciated whether adiponectin correlates with the type of any of the two conditions, so that it can be recognised as a diagnostic and risk stratification marker.

The Yin and Yang dualistic features of autophagy in thermal burn wound healing.

Burn healing should be regarded as a dynamic process consisting of two main, interrelated phases: (a) the inflammatory phase when neutrophils and monocytes infiltrate the injury site, through localized vasodilation and fluid extravasation, and (b) the proliferative-remodeling phase, which represents a key event in wound healing. In the skin, both canonical autophagy (induced by starvation, oxidative stress, and environmental aggressions) and non-canonical or selective autophagy have evolved to play a discrete, but, essential, "housekeeping" role, for homeostasis, immune tolerance, and survival. Experimental data supporting the pro-survival roles of autophagy, highlighting its Yang, luminous and positive feature of this complex but insufficient explored molecular pathway, have been reported. Autophagic cell death describes an "excessive" degradation of important cellular components that are necessary for normal cell function. This deadly molecular mechanism brings to light the darker, concealed, Yin feature of autophagy. Autophagy seems to perform dual, conflicting roles in the angiogenesis context, revealing once again, its Yin-Yang features. Autophagy with its Yin-Yang features remains the shadow player, able to decide quietly whether the cell survives or dies.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) - possible diagnostic and risk biomarker in chronic ischaemic heart disease.

In a group of 208 patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease, the variation of A2-associated-LDL phosphatase (Lp-PLA2) serum concentration values was analysed in dynamics at a two-week interval. The conclusion of the study is that the values of serum concentration of Lp-PLA2 can be accepted as a biomarker with diagnostic specificity for chronic ischaemic heart disease, a parameter of real utility in medical practice, both in situations where the patient, although clinically reporting the existence of angina pectoris, does not show specific changes on an EKG, and for the assessment of the response to personalised therapy.

Osteopontin - a biomarker of disease, but also of stage stratification of the functional myocardial contractile deficit by chronic ischaemic heart disease.

The study analyses the significance of the plasmatic values of the OPN dosed to 91 people suffering from diastolic cardiac dysfunction with preserved ejection fraction, thus revealing significant growths of its level compared to the normal value. Despite being a clinical research, its conclusions are a breakthrough, differing from the results of other studies published in the relevant medical literature. We can make this assertion because this study analyses the clinical information given by the circulating values of the OPN, based on experimental models (animals), or on patients with congestive heart failure, which can be identified with the existence of a low systolic flow. The results of our study allow us to assert that the plasmatic values of this glycoprotein lead to its acceptance in the medical practice as a new biomarker that provides indicators regarding the stratification of risk with the patients suffering from heart failure of the diastolic dysfunction type, but whose systolic flow is preserved.

Myeloperoxidase, a possible biomarker for the early diagnosis of cardiac diastolic dysfunction with preserved ejection fraction.

The current study was conducted on a sample of 91 patients diagnosed with diastolic dysfunction (DD) with preserved systolic function caused by a painful chronic ischaemic cardiopathy - angina pectoris stable at the effort. The diagnosis was established following anamnesis, electrocardiogram, and echocardiography. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) serum levels were assessed in all patients and then these values were correlated with some of the echocardiography parameters that proved the mentioned diagnosis. In conclusion, the execution of this investigation triad (electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and MPO) allows: Stratifying the patients depending on the disease risk by early detecting of any possible DD with preserved systolic function. The use of the MPO increased circulating levels as a biomarker for diagnosis and risk due to the statistically significant correlation between those and the results of the other two aforementioned paraclinical investigation.

Gamma-glutamyltransferase, possible novel biomarker in colon diverticulosis: a case-control study.

The gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is recognized in medical practice as a useful indicator for the detection of liver lesions, especially those induced by the excessive consumption of alcoholic or cholesterol-associated drinks. The present study, although it includes a very small number of cases diagnosed with colon diverticulosis-diverticulitis associated with polyposis at the same intestinal level, identifies the presence of increased circulating concentrations of this enzyme in the serum. Its serum levels are tracked "dynamically" throughout a year after the diagnosis and start of the therapy. The study calls into question the release of the enzyme from the edge of the enterocytes' brush-like edge, leading to the pathogenic disturbance of regional redox homeostasis. The hypothesis gives the circulating values of GGT predictive value for cellular oxidative stress, as well as for indirectly expressing the glutathione level in cytosol.

Haemolytic anaemia and hepatocitolysis associated with hypermagnesaemia by repeated exposures to copper-calcium fungicides.

For the medical practice, our manuscript acts as a signal, despite only presenting three cases which feature the association between hepatocytolysis, haemolysis and hypermagnesaemia. This clinical-biologic triad was highlighted with the workers who through the nature of their profession were exposing themselves periodically to vapours which contained copper sulphate neutralised with calcium hydroxide, a fungicide used for fruit trees. We are exclusively assessing the haematological perturbation. In this aetiological context, the generating mechanism for haemolysis is very probable biochemical, where hypercupraemia interferes with cellular antioxidant defence mechanisms. Hypothetically, the role of the redox homeostasis disorder in the intravascular destruction of erythrocytes is sustained, and particularly the coexistence of cell cytolysis in the medullary erythroid compartment, which can be assimilated with a possible ineffective erythropoiesis.

Comparative assay of Vipera ammodytes antivenom potency.

The finding of the most appropriate way to assess precisely the antivenom efficacy represents one of the major issues for antivenom standardization and success increasing of antivenom therapy. The efficacy of experimental Vipera ammodytes antivenom raised in sheep was determined using in vivo mouse lethality test, respectively, L-aminoacid oxidase, total proteinase and phospholipase A2 antienzymatic effectiveness. The values gained for the antivenom potency depend on the method of measure. So, some of the most toxic venom proteins own phospholipase A2 activity and provide the highest antivenom potency (lowest effective dose) values by antienzymatic assay method. This value is similar with total antiproteolytic antivenom potency value, but almost three times higher than value obtained by L-aminoacid oxidase (low toxic viper venom protein) antienzymatic assay method.

Antimicrobial resistance induced by genetic changes.

Decoding the mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics is essential in fighting a phenomenon, which is amplifying everyday due to the uncontrolled excessive and many times unjustified use of anti-microbial substances. At present it has become a matter of public health, together with the resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to tuberculostatic or the spreading of the AIDS virus which not only affects the European countries but the entire globe. This paper presents the genic mutations taking place at the level of bacterial chromosome and inducing the resistance to antibiotics.