Oleuropein exhibits anticarcinogen effects against gastric cancer cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Oleuropein (OLE), the main phenolic compound of the olive fruit and leaves, has many heathful effects. Gastric cancer is the most fatal malignancy in many parts of the world and it is generally related to harmful dietetic factors. The anticarcinogenic role of OLE in gastric cancer has not been studied sufficiently yet. In this study, we aimed to research the cytotoxic, genotoxic and apoptotic effects of OLE on gastric adenocancer (AGS) cells in vitro. METHODS AND RESULTS: A standard cell line derived from gastric adeno cancer (AGS) cells was employed, and its performance following a 24-hour exposure to OLE at various doses was examined. The ATP cell viability assay, 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate assay (H2DCF-DA) and alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay (Comet Assay) were used to study the cytotoxicity, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and genotoxicity respectively. The induction of apoptosis was discovered using flow cytometry. OLE reduced AGS cells viability about 60% at maximum concentration (500 µmol/L) and also resulted in approximately 100% DNA damage and about 40% apoptosis with necrosis in AGS cells depending on the increased doses. Cell viability was also significantly decreased in relation to increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels (p < 0.05 - 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Oleuropein has shown significant anticarcinogen effects against gastric adenocancer (AGS) cells in vitro. Oleuropein, a nutrient rich in olive and olive oil, seems to be both protective and therapeutic against gastric cancer and may be a new chemotherapeutic agent in the future.

Serum SUR1 and TRPM4 in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Neuroinflammation plays an important role in neuronal injury after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 4 (TRPM4) receptors play an important role in the pathogenesis of several neural injuries, such as neural edema, spinal cord damage, stroke, and neuronal damage in aSAH. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of serum SUR1 and TRPM4 levels with the neurological status within the first 15 days after aSAH. In this prospective study, blood samples were collected from 44 consecutive patients on the 1st, 4th, and 14th days after aSAH. Serum SUR1 and TRPM4 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Glasgow coma scale and World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) scores upon presentation and Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) score on the 14th day were recorded. Serum SUR1 and TRPM4 levels on the 1st, 4th, and 14th days were significantly higher in patients with aSAH than in normal individuals. This increase in the levels varied among the 1st, 4th, and 14th days. On the first day, a correlation was observed between serum SUR1, but not TRPM4, levels and the WFNS score. Moreover, on the 14th day, an association of serum SUR1 and TRPM4 levels with the GOS score was noted. Serum SUR1 and TRPM4 levels were significantly upregulated in the peripheral blood samples. Further study is warranted to establish the utility of SUR1 and TRPM4 as biomarkers in patients with aSAH.

Total oxidant and antioxidant status and paraoxonase 1 levels of children with noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

Background/aim: To evaluate total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) levels in children with noncystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis (BE), and to compare these levels with those of healthy controls. The study parameters were also evaluated according to some demographic, anthropometric, and clinical characteristics, as well as lung functions. Materials and methods: Enrolled in the study were 118 children with non-CF BE and 68 healthy controls. Serum TOS, TAC, and PON1 levels were determined. Lung function tests were performed by spirometry. Results: Serum TOS was higher in the patients [median 9.54 (IQR 25­75 = 7.05­13.30) µmol H2O2 Eq/L] than in the healthy subjects [6.64 (5.45­9.53) µmol H2O2 Eq/L] (P < 0.001). TAC was higher in patients with non-CF BE [1.07 (1.0­1.07) mmol Trolox Eq/L] than in the healthy controls [0.87 (0.77­0.98) mmol Trolox Eq/L] (P < 0.001). In addition, serum PON1 levels were significantly higher in the patients [106.5 (42.5­154.2) U/L] than in the controls [47.7 (27.5­82.1) U/L] (P < 0.001). The patients with low FEV1 had decreased TAC when compared to those who had normal FEV1 in non-CF BE. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that compared with the control group the children with non-CF BE had elevated oxidative status, antioxidant defenses parameters, and PON1 values.

Evidence for an association of serum melatonin concentrations with recognition and circadian preferences in patients with schizophrenia.

Melatonin, a neuro-differentiation factor, may play a role in the neurodevelopmental origins of schizophrenia. Cognitive impairment and decreased melatonin are reported in schizophrenia; however, the relationship between them remains unclear. We hypothesised that patients with schizophrenia would have lower concentrations of circulating melatonin than healthy controls and that melatonin levels would be associated with cognitive impairment. This study included 47 patients with schizophrenia and 40 healthy controls (HC). Serum melatonin concentrations were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scales (PANSS), The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Stroop and Oktem verbal memory processes (VMPT) tests were applied. Patients with schizophrenia had lower levels of melatonin compared to the HC group (p = 0.016), also after controlling for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.024). In patients with schizophrenia, melatonin concentrations were associated with higher BMI (rho = 0.34, p = 0.01) and lower MEQ score (rho = -0.29, p = 0.035). The patient sample was split into low and high melatonin categories by using the median melatonin concentration in HC as the cut-off. Patients in the low melatonin group had poorer performance in VMPT-Recognition (p = 0.026) and Stroop-Colour Error (p = 0.032). Notwithstanding its limitations, the findings of this exploratory study suggest that decreased serum melatonin concentrations observed in schizophrenia might also be associated with cognitive impairment and circadian preferences. Future studies are required to investigate the role of melatonergic pathways in patients with schizophrenia.

Oxidative stress and phenotype frequencies of paraoxonase-1 in teratozoospermia.

Oxidative stress causes infertility in men by affecting especially sperm morphology. The aim of the study was to examine the frequencies of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) phenotypes and the serum PON1, arylesterase, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index, catalase and thiol levels in teratozoospermic infertile men and normospermic fertile men. The study included 184 teratozoospermic infertile men and 72 normospermic fertile men. The double substrate method was employed to determine the phenotype distribution of PON1. The evaluation of sperm morphology was made in accordance with the Kruger's criteria. TAS, catalase and thiol levels were determined to be significantly lower in teratozoospermic infertile men compared to normospermic fertile men. A significant change was not observed in the levels of TOS, PON1 and arylesterase. There was a positive correlation between catalase and thiol levels and sperm morphology. While there were significantly more teratozoospermic men with AA phenotypes compared to normospermic men, there were significantly more persons with AB and BB phenotypes in normospermic men than in teratozoospermic men. As far as we know, such a study was conducted for the first time and suggests that PON1 phenotypic distribution may play a significant role in sterile males because of impaired sperm morphology.

Raftlin, presepsin levels and thiol-disulphide homeostasis in acute appendicitis: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate some of the new inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in acute appendicitis. METHODS: This clinical pilot study was conducted at the emergency department of Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey, between January and July 2015, and comprised patients with definitive diagnosis of acute appendicitis and as many healthy controls. Venous blood was collected to assess white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, raftlin, presepsin, total thiol, native thiol and disulphide levels. Alvarado scores of patients were determined at the time of admission. Surgical excisions were sent for pathological examination. The results of histopathology of appendectomy specimens were categorised as non-perforated or perforated appendicitis. RESULTS: There were130 subjects with 65(50%) patients and 65(50%) controls. Serum raftlin, presepsin, white blood count, C-reactive protein and disulphide levels were higher, and the total and native thiol levels were significantly lower in patients compared to controls (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the non-perforated and perforated appendicitis patients regarding all the measured parameters (p>0.05) except mean Alvarado scores which were higher in perforated than non-perforated appendicitis (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers were significantly different in acute appendicitis patients compared to healthy controls.

Comparison of the biochemical and radiological criteria for lumbar disc degeneration.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between radiological degeneration criteria on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and both the keratan sulfate (KS) and chondroitin sulfate (ChS) levels was examined in disc material taken from patients undergoing lumbar disc herniation (LDH) surgery. To examine whether the biochemical and radiological degeneration criteria testing the reliability of radiological degeneration findings agreed and to evaluate the contribution of the KS/ChS ratio to disc form (protruding or extruding). METHODS: This was a prospective experimental cohort study. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, KS and ChS levels were measured in the degenerate nucleus pulposus taken from 71 patients with a diagnosis of LDH who underwent surgery. The degeneration levels and disc form (protruding or extruding) were determined according to the Pfirrmann five-stage grading system on preoperative T2-weighted lumbar MRIs. According to the Pfirrmann system, 28 patients were grade III and 43 were grade IV. The relationship between radiological criteria and the KS/ChS ratio was statistically evaluated. RESULTS: The KS levels (p=0.046) and the KS/ChS ratio (p=0.001) were significantly higher in grade IV patients than in grade III patients. However, there was no difference between the KS and ChS levels and the KS/ChS ratio when patients were classified as protruding or extruding according to their disc structure. Disc structure and biochemical degeneration indicators were not correlated. CONCLUSIONS: The KS level and the KS/ChS ratio were high in patients with marked radiological degeneration on lumbar MRI, demonstrating the sensitivity and reliability of the Pfirrmann five-stage grading system for showing radiological degeneration.

A novel tool reflecting the role of oxidative stress in the cataracts: thiol/disulfide homeostasis.

We investigated serum and aqueous humor thiol/disulfide (T-D) homeostasis in patients with cataracts versus healthy controls. In total, 56 patients with cataracts and 49 healthy controls were enrolled in this case-control study. Serum total thiol (TT), native thiol (NT), and disulfide (DS) concentrations were determined using a novel automated measurement method. Additionally, DS/TT, DS/NT and NT/TT percentage ratios were compared between the groups. In comparison with the control group, serum NT levels and aqueous humor TT and NT levels were significantly lower (p < .05, p < .05 and p < .001, respectively), whereas serum and aqueous humor DS levels were significantly higher in cataract patients (p < .01 and p < .001). DS/TT and DS/NT ratios were significantly higher and the NT/TT ratio was lower in cataract patients in serum (p < .005) and aqueous humor samples (p < .001). In conclusion, serum T-D homeostasis may be useful as biochemical markers, indicating the role of oxidative stress in the development of cataracts. Further studies are needed to confirm the pathophysiological role of T-D homeostasis in cataractogenesis.

Serum oxidative stress parameters and paraoxonase-1 in children and adolescents exposed to passive smoking.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to secondhand smoke is too common in many countries. The mechanism of the detrimental effects of passive smoking on childhood health, however, is poorly described. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the effect of passive smoking on total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and paraoxonase-1 in children compared with healthy non-passive smokers. METHODS: This study included 40 children and adolescents passively exposed to cigarette smoke (as verified on urine cotinines) and 40 age- and gender-matched healthy controls not regularly exposed to cigarette smoke. TAS, TOS, and paraoxonase-1 were all measured, and the oxidative stress index (OSI) calculated for each child to determine the degree of oxidative stress. RESULTS: Age and gender distribution were not statistically different between the two groups (P = 0.619 and 0.712, respectively). Urine cotinine/creatinine was significantly higher in the passive smoking group (127.89 ± 57.14 ng/mL) compared with the controls (5.05 ± 16.66 ng/mL; P < 0.001). TAS was not different between the two groups (P = 0.767), but TOS and OSI were significantly higher for the passive smoke-exposed children (P < 0.001), and serum paraoxonase-1 was significantly lower than in the controls (P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Secondhand smoke exposure is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased paraoxonase-1 without any change in antioxidant status.

Comparison of serum thiol-disulphide homeostasis and total antioxidant-oxidant levels between exudative age-related macular degeneration patients and healthy subjects.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to calculate serum total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and dynamic thiol-disulphide (T-D) homeostasis in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and compare the results with healthy individuals. METHODS: Thirty-three exudative AMD patients and 33 healthy controls were included in this case-control study. Participants' serum TAS and TOS levels were measured. In addition, total thiol (TT), native thiol (NT), and disulphide (DS) concentrations were assessed using a novel automated method of measurement. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, serum TAS, TT, and NT levels were found to be significantly lower (p < 0.0001, p = 0.004, p = 0.003, respectively) and TOS levels were detected higher (p = 0.032) in AMD patients. Serum DS levels were elevated in the AMD patient group, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.219). DS/TT and DS/NT ratios were significantly higher (p = 0.012, p = 0.013, respectively) in AMD patients. A positive correlation was found between TT and NT (p < 0.0001) in AMD group. CONCLUSIONS: Serum TOS levels are higher, TAS levels are lower, and the T-D balance is shifted to the DS bond side in AMD patients. These results suggest that increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant levels may play a role in AMD progression. Further studies are needed to confirm the pathophysiologic role of T-D homeostasis in AMD.

Serum levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein and Nogo-A in children with autism spectrum disorders.

CONTEXT: Improved biomarkers would facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the levels of Nogo-A and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in children with ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum concentrations of GFAP and Nogo-A were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: In this preliminary study, we found that serum Nogo-A was not found significantly different between groups, while serum levels of GFAP were significantly lower in ASD than controls. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: It will be of great interest to determine other potential causes of elevated serum levels of GFAP, and whether this elevation has any phenotypic effect.

Oxidative Stress Status in Childhood Obesity: A Potential Risk Predictor.

BACKGROUND Childhood obesity characterized by excessive fat in the body is one of the most serious health problems worldwide due to the social, medical, and physiological complications. Obesity and associated diseases are triggering factors for oxidative stress and inflammation. The aim of this study was to explore the possible association between childhood obesity and inflammatory and oxidative status. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-seven obese children and 37 healthy controls selected from among children admitted to BLIND University Paediatrics Department were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements were performed using standard methods. Glucose, lipid parameters, CRP, insulin, total oxidant status (TOS), total anti-oxidant status (TAS) levels, and total thiol levels (TTL) were measured in serum. HOMA index (HOMA-IR) were calculated. The differences between the groups were evaluated statistically using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS Body mass index was significantly higher in the obese group (median: 28.31(p<0.001). Glucose metabolism, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels were significantly higher in the obese group (both p<0.001). Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in the obese group (p<0.001). TAS (med: 2.5 µmol Trolox eq/L (1.7-3.3)) and TOS (med: 49.1 µmol H2O2 eq/L (34.5-78.8)) levels and TTL (med: 0.22 mmol/L (0.16-0.26)) were significantly higher in the obese group (p=0.001). CRP levels showed positive correlation with TOS and negative correlation with TTL levels (p=0.005, r=0.473; p=0.01, r=-0.417; respectively). TTL levels exhibited negative correlation with TOS levels (p=0.03, r=-0.347). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, obese children were exposed to more oxidative burden than children with normal weight. Increased systemic oxidative stress induced by childhood obesity can cause development of obesity-related complications and diseases. Widely focussed studies are required on the use of oxidative parameters as early prognostic parameters in detection of obesity-related complications.

Intraocular pressure in infants and its association with hormonal changes with vaginal birth versus cesarean section.

To investigate cord arterial blood sample and the relationship between birth stress and intraocular pressure in infants at 5 min after delivery. The IOP measurements were taken using Tonopen-Avia tonometer to 158 newborns (158 eyes) at 5th min after birth, in a university hospital. Cord blood was collected within 3 min after delivery. Intraocular pressure, gender, gestation period, mode of delivery, and birth weight of newborns were noted from medical records. Sixty-two babies were delivered by normal vaginal delivery (NVD) and 96 by cesarian section (C/S). Mean IOP of NVD and C/S groups were 19.56 ± 3.84 and 17.42 ± 3.50, respectively. There was significant difference of mean IOP between two groups. (p < 0.001) There were significant differences between two groups regarding APGAR score (p < 0.001) and cord blood adrenaline (p = 0.003), noradrenaline (p = 0.008), and cortisol (p < 0.001) levels. There was no difference between infant corneal thickness measurements (p = 0.698). In correlation analyses, there is a strong negative correlation between the labor type and postpartum measurements except corneal thickness. Correlation analyses of the 5th min intraocular pressure of the groups individually revealed significant correlation in the NVD group. The conclusion is that the intraocular pressure of newborn infants was higher in NVD delivery compare to C/S. Blood hormonal changes in different anesthesia types and physical stress was thought as the main reason of this result.

Low Serum Level α-Synuclein and Tau Protein in Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared to Controls.

α-Synuclein (α-syn) and tau proteins are thought to be related with the synaptic loss and cell death underlying several important neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of our study was to investigate serum α-syn and tau levels in autism. Serum levels of α-syn and tau were measured, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) severity was assessed at admission using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) total score. The mean CARS score of the autism group on admission was 47.91 points (SD: 5.97). The results indicated that the mean serum α-syn and serum tau levels were significantly (p < 0.001) lower in children with ASD as compared with normal cases (33.01 ± 20.78 and 55.19 ± 15.34 ng/mL and 241.23 ± 290.5 and 509.78 ± 269.25 ng/mL, respectively). There was a significant positive correlation between serum α-syn levels and serum levels of tau identified by Pearson correlation analysis (r = 0.922, n = 28, p < 0.001). Synaptic abnormality in autism may result from microglial activity. Furthermore, α-syn and tau aggregation may lead to synaptic dysfunction, and this may contribute to either neuronal or synaptic dysfunction or neurodegeneration. Our preliminary study suggests that low levels of serum α-syn and tau may be implicated in the relationship between synaptic activity and autism.

The diagnostic role of signal peptide-C1r/C1s, Uegf, and Bmp1-epidermal growth factor domain-containing protein 1 in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Chest pain and/or electrocardiogram changes in non-ST elevation or suspicious chest pain and cardiac marker elevations are defined as non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Serial electrocardiogram and marker follow-up are needed to make a diagnosis of NSTE-ACS and to eliminate noncoronary chest pain (NCCP). Signal peptide-C1r/C1s, Uegf, and Bmp1-epidermal growth factor domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE1) is stored within the α granules of inactive platelets and secreted at a high rate during thrombosis. We believe that SCUBE1 may be a sensitive early diagnostic indicator in distinguishing coronary-induced chest pain from noncoronary-induced chest pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 190 patients with an initial diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department. Based on a definitive diagnosis, these patients were classified into 3 groups: ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), NSTE-ACS, and NCCP. RESULTS: Plasma SCUBE1 levels were significantly higher in the STEMI group when compared with those of the other groups (P < .05). They were also significantly higher in the NSTE-ACS group when compared with those of the NCCP group (P < .01). Troponin I, creatinine kinase, and creatinine kinase MB levels were significantly different in the NSTE-ACS group when compared with those of the NCCP group (P < .05). CONCLUSION: High rates of SCUBE1 were found both in the STEMI and NSTE-ACS patients. Furthermore, in the study group, SCUBE1 was an adequate marker for distinguishing NSTE-ACS from NCCP.

Raftlin - a potential biomarker for axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis: An observational study.

Our aim is to evaluate serum Raftlin levels as a biomarker for diagnosing and monitoring disease activity in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and Psoriatic arthritis (PsA). This trial included 40 axSpA patients, 40 PsA patients, and 40 healthy participants as the control group. Disease activity was assessed with Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score for axSpA patients and The Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis for PsA patients. The Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada index, health assessment questionnaire-disability index, and numeric rating scale were used to evaluate the enthesitis severity, disability, and pain status of all patients. Serum Raftlin levels were determined using the ELISA method. The 3 groups had no statistical differences regarding gender, age, weight, height, BMI, educational status, and exercise habits. The axSpA group had higher Raftlin levels than the PsA and control groups, and Raftlin levels were statistically significant in predicting the likelihood of axSpA. We found no statistically significant differences between the PsA and control groups. We found no statistically significant difference in Raftlin levels in HLA-B27 positive versus HLA-B27 negative patients in both axSpA and PsA groups. Our results also did not detect any correlation of Raftlin levels with Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, health assessment questionnaire-disability index, numeric rating scale, and Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada index in axSpA patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined that Raftlin level ≥ 6.31 ng/mL discriminates axSpA from normal individuals with 92.5% sensitivity, 59% specificity, and an area under the curve of 0.738. Our results demonstrate that although serum Raftlin levels are elevated in axSpA patients, Raftlin cannot be used as an alone diagnostic marker for axSpA. Furthermore, it was not found to be related to the monitoring of disease activity, the level of pain, disability, or severity of enthesitis. This study is prospectively registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT05771389).

Oxidative Stress Level in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: One of the antioxidant mechanisms is the dynamic balance between thiol and disulfide, which, in subarachnoid hemorrhage and other chronic diseases, is disrupted in favor of the latter. The two most commonly used oxidative stress (OS) biochemical markers are the oxidative stress index (OSI) value, which indicates the total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) balance, and the thiol-disulfide (TDS) value, which indicates the total thiol (TT) and native thiol (NT) balance. High OS levels require further investigations. We aimed to investigate the OS level in aneurysmal SAH (aSAH) patients. METHODS: In this clinical prospective study, blood samples were collected from 50 consecutively treated patients with aSAH and 50 volunteers. Serum TOS, TAS, TT, and NT levels were measured using Erel's method via a spectrophotometer. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, Fisher grades, length of hospital stay (LOS), and the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores were recorded. Consequently, the OSI and TDS values were calculated in all participants. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was observed in the TAS, TOS, OSI, and TDS values between the aSAH patients and the controls. The TT and NT values were significantly lower in aSAH patients than in the controls. A correlation was identified between the OSI values and the GCS scores. Although a correlation was observed between the TDS values and the LOS, no correlation was found between the OSI and the TDS values. CONCLUSION: The OSI and TDS, which are OS indicators, might serve as the additional objective nominal data to evaluate the treatment efficacy and follow-up for SAH patients. Moreover, decreasing the OSI values and increasing the TT values can be used as improvement indicators in the treated aSAH patients. If we can reduce the OS at the early stage of SAH, it could improve the prognosis by reducing both the morbidity and mortality rates. Further randomized investigations are required to prove the findings in this prospective study.

Clinical Significance of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, Leukocyte, Fibrinogen, C-Reactive Protein, and Pentraxin 3 Values in Thyroid Nodules.

Objectives: Thyroid nodules (TN) are common. Genetic and environmental factors as well as chronic inflammation play a role in occurrence of these nodules. The key point in diagnostic assessment is to rule out malignancy. Biomarkers that can show the possibility of malignancy continue to be investigated. We evaluated the relationship between sedimentation rate, leukocyte, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) inflammatory markers and characteristics and cytology of TN. Methods: This study included a nodular goiter group with 55 persons and control group with 58 persons. Participants' gender, age, family history, thyroid function tests, sedimentation, leukocyte, fibrinogen, CRP, and PTX3 serum levels were recorded. The number of nodules, the largest nodule diameter, nodular echogenicity, and nodule structures were examined on ultrasonography (US) and thyroid biopsy was performed. Results: The number of TN in patients was between 1 and 4. The number of patients with two TN was higher (47.3%, n=26). Nodule diameters differed between 3 and 62 (mean 21) mm. In thyroid biopsy, papillary thyroid cancer was detected in 25.5% (n=14) of the patients. The number of nodules on US increased as CRP values increased (p=0.013). In addition, the number of nodules on US decreased as fibrinogen values increased (p=0.003). No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of sedimentation, leukocyte, and PTX3 values. Conclusion: The number of TN was positively correlated with CRP and negatively correlated with fibrinogen levels. However, there was no difference between benign and malignant differentiation and biomarkers. CRP values that correlate with the increase in the number of nodules can be used in prognosis and clinical follow-up.

Oxidative stress in maternal milk and cord blood in gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Reduced antioxidant defenses may reflect a poor protective response against oxidative stress and this may be implicated in progression of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia plays a major role in micro and macrovascular complications, which imply endothelial dysfunction. OBJECTIVE: Our aim in this study was to investigate the association between GDM and oxidative stress markers measured in plasma, with regard to revealing changes to total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) among mothers showing impairments in oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective study at a university hospital in Turkey. METHODS: The study group consisted of 50 mothers with GDM, and 59 healthy mothers served as controls. Umbilical cord blood samples were taken from all mothers during delivery and breast milk samples on the fifth day after delivery. TAC, TOS, thiol and disulfide levels were measured. RESULTS: No statistically significant relationship between the blood and milk samples could be found. An analysis on correlations between TAC, TOS and certain parameters revealed that there were negative correlations between TOS and total thiol (r = -0.386; P < 0.001) and between TOS and disulfide (r = -0.388; P < 0.001) in milk in the control group. However, these findings were not observed in the study group. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that a compensatory mechanism of oxidative stress was expected to be present in gestational diabetes mellitus and that this might be ameliorated through good glycemic regulation and antioxidant supplementation.

Assessment of serum endocan levels in patients with beta-thalassemia minor.

OBJECTIVE: Beta-thalassemia minor is a blood disease caused by a hereditary decrease in beta-globin synthesis, frequently leading to hypochromic microcytic anemia. Formerly called endothelial cell-specific molecule 1, endocan is a proteoglycan released by vascular endothelial cells in many organs. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between the beta-thalassemia minor patients and the healthy control group in terms of serum endocan level. METHODS: The study was performed in a total of 80 subjects. They were divided into two groups, the beta-thalassemia minor group (n=40) and the healthy control group (n=40). Serum endocan levels, age, sex, body mass index value, and tobacco use data of these groups were compared. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was detected between the two groups in terms of age, sex, and body mass index values (p>0.05). Endocan levels were measured to be 206.85±88.1 pg/mL in the beta-thalassemia minor group and 236.1±162.8 pg/mL in the control group with no significant difference between the groups in terms of serum endocan levels (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, there was no change in endocan level in beta-thalassemia minor. This might be because serum endocan levels are affected by multi-factorial reasons. Serum endocan levels may be altered secondarily to decreased beta-globin chain, increased sympathetic activity due to anemia, or platelet dysfunction induced by oxidative stress in beta-thalassemia minor. Further multicenter studies involving more patients are necessary to demonstrate this.