Upregulation of lnc-FOXD2-AS1, CDC45, and CDK1 in patients with primary non-M3 AML is associated with a worse prognosis.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy with an unfavorable outcome. The present research aimed to identify novel biological targets for AML diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we performed an in-silico method to identify antisense RNAs (AS-RNAs) and their related co-expression genes. GSE68172 was selected from the AML database of the Gene Expression Omnibus and compared using the GEO2R tool to find DEGs. Antisense RNAs were selected from all the genes that had significant expression and a survival plot was drawn for them in the GEPIA database, FOXD2-AS1 was chosen for further investigation based on predetermined criteria (logFC ≥|1| and P < 0.05) and its noteworthy association between elevated expression level and a marked reduction in the overall survival (OS) in patients diagnosed with AML. The GEPIA database was utilized to investigate FOXD2-AS1-related co-expression and similar genes. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis and gene ontology (GO) function analysis of the mentioned gene lists were performed using the DAVID database. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was then constructed using the STRING database. Hub genes were screened using Cytoscape software. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted using the GEPIA database to explore the relationship between FOXD2-AS1 and the hub genes. The transcription of the selected coding and non-coding genes, including FOXD2-AS1, CDC45, CDC20, CDK1, and CCNB1, was validated in 150 samples, including 100 primary AML non-M3 blood samples and 50 granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized healthy donors, using quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). qRT-PCR results displayed significant upregulation of lnc-FOXD2-AS1, CDC45, and CDK1 in primary AML non-M3 blood samples compared to healthy blood samples (P = 0.0032, P = 0.0078, and P = 0.0117, respectively). The expression levels of CDC20 and CCNB1 were not statistically different between the two sets of samples (P = 0.8315 and P = 0.2788, respectively). We identified that AML patients with upregulation of FOXD2-AS1, CDK1, and CDC45 had shorter overall survival (OS) and Relapse-free survival (RFS) compared those with low expression of FOXD2-AS1, CDK1, and CDC45. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed the potential biomarkers of lnc -FOXD2-AS1, CDC45, and CDK1 in primary AML non-M3 blood samples. This research proposed that the dysregulation of lnc-FOXD2-AS1, CDC45, and CDK1 can contribute to both disease state and diagnosis as well as treatment. The present study proposes the future evolution of the functional role of lnc-FOXD2-AS1, CDC45, and CDK1 in AML development.

Unraveling the potential of CD8, CD68, and VISTA as diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer is a truculent disease with limited treatment options and a grim prognosis. Immunotherapy has shown promise in treating various types of cancer, but its effectiveness in pancreatic cancer has been lacking. As a result, it is crucial to identify markers associated with immunological pathways in order to improve the treatment outcomes for this deadly cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of three markers, CD8, CD68, and VISTA, in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common subtype of pancreatic cancer. Methods: We analyzed gene expression data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database using bioinformatics tools. We also utilized the STRING online tool and Funrich software to study the protein-protein interactions and transcription factors associated with CD8, CD68, and VISTA. In addition, tissue microarray (TMA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining were performed on 228 samples of PDAC tissue and 10 samples of normal pancreatic tissue to assess the expression levels of the markers. We then correlated these expression levels with the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients and evaluated their survival rates. Results: The analysis of the GEO data revealed slightly elevated levels of VISTA in PDAC samples compared to normal tissues. However, there was a significant increase in CD68 expression and a notable reduction in CD8A expression in pancreatic cancer. Further investigation identified potential protein-protein interactions and transcription factors associated with these markers. The IHC staining of PDAC tissue samples showed an increased expression of VISTA, CD68, and CD8A in pancreatic cancer tissues. Moreover, we found correlations between the expression levels of these markers and certain clinicopathological features of the patients. Additionally, the survival analysis revealed that high expression of CD8 was associated with better disease-specific survival and progression-free survival in PDAC patients. Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential of CD8, CD68, and VISTA as diagnostic and prognostic indicators in PDAC.

Quality of life in caregivers of severely disabled war survivors.

PURPOSE: To evaluate quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of severely disabled war survivors and identify variables threatening caregivers' QOL. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on 532 caregivers of Iran-Iraq war related injured survivors by using Persian version of 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). FINDINGS: Caregivers had lower QOL compared to the Iranian female population (p < .001). Caregivers of amputees had better SF-36 scores compared to caregivers of two groups of chemical warfare survivors (p ranging from .01 to <.001). Caregiving to chemical warfare and being married at the time of trauma were the independent predictors of poor QOL in both the physical component summary (OR = 5.08, 95% CI = 3.35-7.7; OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.37-0.89) and the mental component summary (OR = 4.12, 95% CI = 2.68-6.32; OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.40-0.98). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Caregivers of war veterans suffer from poor QOL. Chemical warfare agents contribute to more persistent poor QOL in caregivers than the injuries caused by conventional weapons.

A simple flow injection spectrophotometric determination of nitrite based on its reaction with thiourea.

A simple flow injection spectrophotometric method for the determination of nitrite is described. Nitrite injected into the flow system reacts with thiourea in acidic medium and the generated thiocyanate ion reacts with Fe(III) in the reagent solution to produce a highly colored product. The influences of chemical and physical parameters including reagent concentrations, sample volume injected, flow rates of the carrier and reagent solutions, reaction coil length and reaction temperature, were studied and optimum values of these parameters were established. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration curve for nitrite was linear over the concentration range 0.36 - 90 microg ml(-1) without preconcentration and over the range 3.8 - 500 ng ml(-1) with a simple online preconcentration step using an anion exchange column. The corresponding detection limits were 0.36 micro ml(-1) and 3.8 ng ml(-1), respectively. Up to 25 samples can be analyzed per hour, with an average relative standard deviation of < or = 1.2%. Interferences by various foreign ions were studied and the method was applied to the determination of nitrite in water and spiked water samples.