Can serum M30 levels be utilized as an activation marker in patients with ulcerative colitis?

Objective: Ascertainment of disease activation is an important component of therapeutic decisions in ulcerative colitis patients and may present certain clinical challenges. The objective of this study was to determine serum levels of the M30 fragment of cytokeratin 18 and its utility as an activation marker in patients with ulcerative colitis, who are known to have increased apoptosis.

Methods: A total of 60 ulcerative colitis (30 active and 30 remission) patients aged over 18 years and 29 healthy individuals as controls were included in the study.

Role of urine glycosaminoglycan levels in the diagnosis and follow-up in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether urinary glycosaminoglycans (GAG) levels reflect clinical status in men with lower urinary tract symptoms and if they could be used as a marker in management of overactive bladder (OAB).

Methods: A total of 34 patients were recruited who were admitted with LUTS and diagnosed as having clinically bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) due to prostate enlargement. These newly diagnosed, never treated patients underwent routine investigation, consisting of history, physical examination, PSA, ultrasound, uroflowmetry, assessment of symptoms scored by both International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Marmara- Overactive Bladder Questionnaire (M-OBQ).

Serum α-Klotho and fibroblast growth factor 23 levels are not associated with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic retinopathy is a commonly observed cause of blindness and is a common problem in individuals with diabetes. Recent investigations have showed the capability of serum α-Klotho and FGF 23 in mitigating the effects of diabetic retinopathy. This study aimed to discover the correlation between FGF 23, α-Klotho, and diabetic retinopathy in type 1 diabetics.

Measuring the performance of an artificial intelligence-based robot that classifies blood tubes and performs quality control in terms of preanalytical errors: A preliminary study.

Objectives: Artificial intelligence-based robotic systems are increasingly used in medical laboratories. This study aimed to test the performance of KANKA (Labenko), a stand-alone, artificial intelligence-based robot that performs sorting and preanalytical quality control of blood tubes.

Methods: KANKA is designed to perform preanalytical quality control with respect to error control and preanalytical sorting of blood tubes.

Stability of potassium, calcium and phosphorus electrolytes in three different tubes in patients with essential thrombocytosis.

Proper blood collection and timely analysis are vital steps for reliable results. This study aims to compare potassium(K), calcium(Ca), and phosphorus(P) concentrations in serum separator tube (SST), lithium heparin tube without gel (LiH), and lithium heparin tube with a barrier (Barricor)tubes in essential thrombocytosis(ET) patients. Additionally, we assessed short-term stability of these analytes at room temperature.

The association of urinary BDNF, ATP, and MMP-2 with bladder compliance in children with myelodysplasia.

Aim: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the relationship of urinary brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), matrix metallopreteinase-2 (MMP-2) with urodynamic findings and upper urinary tract deterioration (UUTD) in children with myelodysplasia.

Materials And Methods: Children with myelodysplasia evaluated in outpatient clinic between 2022 and 2023 were included. All patients underwent urinary ultrasonography, voiding cystourethrography, urodynamics, and DMSA scintigraphy.

Evaluation of ischemia-modified albumin in the diagnosis and the clinical severity of COVID-19 in children.

Background: There is no specific biomarker used in the diagnosis of COVID-19 and predicting its clinical severity. This study aimed to investigate the utility of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) in diagnosing and predicting clinical severity in children with COVID-19.

Methods: Between October 2020 and March 2021, 41 cases constituted the COVID-19 group and 41 cases constituted the healthy control group.

Serum Amyloid A Levels and Severity of COVID-19 in Children.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the availability of serum amyloid A (SAA) in the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to asses disease severity and to predict hospitalization status.

Methods: Between March, 2020 and March, 2021, a total of 80 children (40 cases with COVID-19 and 40 cases in healthy group) were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups (mild and moderate/severe) to evaluate SAA levels in terms of clinical severity and also hospitalization status.

The effect of positive pressure ventilation on serum ischemia-modified albumin levels in obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Introduction: Respiratory abnormalities in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are corrected with positive pressure ventilation treatments. We investigated the effect of positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment on the serum level of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), an oxidative stress product, in OSAS patients with higher body mass index (BMI) and indication for PAP treatment.

Materials And Methods: Seven consecutive female and 23 male patients with a BMI of ≥30 kg/m2 who were diagnosed as having OSAS according to ICSD3 criteria and were planned for PAP, were included.

Does Maternal Vitamin D Level Affect the Ovarian Reserve of Female Newborn Infants?

Objective: To evaluate whether maternal vitamin D levels affect cord blood Anti Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels, reflecting ovarian reserve, in female offspring.

Methods: Cord blood AMH from healthy pregnant women delivering term female infants were compared in groups with different maternal vitamin D levels.

Results: Maternal age, weight gain during pregnancy, usage of vitamin D supplements, newborn birth weight, and 5th-min Apgar scores were significantly higher in the normal vitamin D level group (All  < 0.

Evaluation of D-dimer levels measured by different analytical methods in COVID-19 patients.

Clinicians experience some challenges due to the lack of standardization of test, although D-dimer is a prognostic marker for COVID-19. We compared the clinical and analytical performances of D-dimer results obtained from different devices, kits and methods in patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19. Thirty-nine patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 and 24 healthy individuals were included in the study.

Galectin-3 levels and inflammatory response in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Purpose: Obesity, a low-grade systemic inflammatory disease, causes inflammation in metabolic tissues. Galectin-3(Gal-3) is one of the lectin molecules involved in inflammatory processes. We evaluated the possible relationship between Gal-3 level and the metabolic inflammatory process before and after obesity surgery.

Biological variation data for kidney function related parameter: serum beta trace protein, creatinine and cystatin C from 22 apparently healthy Turkish subjects.

Objectives: Biological variation is defined as the variation in analytical concentration between and within individuals, and being aware of this biological variation is important for understanding disease dynamics. The aim of our study is to calculate the within-subject (CV) and between-subject (CV) biological variations of serum creatinine, cystatin C and beta trace protein (BTP), as well as the reference change value (RCV) and individuality indexes (II), which are used to calculate the glomerular filtration rate while evaluating kidney damage.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 22 healthy volunteers for 10 consecutive weeks and stored at -80 °C until the day of analysis.

Serum markers for the early diagnosis of intestinal anastomotic leak after gyne-oncological operations.

Objective: To analyse the serum markers for the early diagnosis of intestinal anastomotic leak (AL) after the gyne-oncological operations.

Methods: Between September 2017 and March 2021, patients with an intestinal anastomosis performed during the gyne-oncological surgeries were identified from a tertiary centre in Turkey. As the local guideline of the clinic, all these patients were followed by measuring serum samples including procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) on postoperative day (POD) 1 through the day of discharge or the day of re-operation for AL.

Protective effect of chlorogenic acid on renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

Objectives: Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common cause of renal injury and to date, many pharmacological agents have been identified to decrease I/R injury. One of the potential compound that can target I/R injury is chlorogenic acid (CGA). It has potent antiinflammatory, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, analgesic and antipyretic activities in in vitro experiments and in vivo animal models.

Role of serum and urine transforming growth factor beta 1, matrix metallopeptidase 9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2, and nerve growth factor beta levels and serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting recurrence and progression risks in patients with primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the correlation between serum and urine transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2), and nerve growth factor beta (NGF-β) levels and serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as well as the recurrence and progression risks of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

Material And Methods: The current study included 89 individuals: n=47, patients with primary NMIBC (patient group) and n=42, healthy controls (control group). The TGF-β1, MMP-9, TIMP-2, and NGF-β levels in the blood and urine samples were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

First-trimester placental function in levothyroxine-using pregnant women: a case-control study.

We aimed to compare the pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and the uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA PI) levels of euthyroid pregnant women using levothyroxine a control group of uncomplicated pregnancies and to evaluate the effects of different levothyroxine dosages on pregnancy outcomes. We retrospectively evaluated 206 levothyroxine-using pregnant women by looking at their basic placental function markers and obstetric outcomes. A sample of 449 women whose pregnancies concluded with uncomplicated term deliveries composed of our control group.

Vitamin B12 and folic acid associated megaloblastic anemia: Could it mislead the diagnosis of breast cancer?

CA 15-3 is a tumor-associated antigen and is overexpressed in breast tumors, and may also be high in some other non-cancerous conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency on the levels of tumor markers. Five-year patient data were retrospectively analyzed.

Prediction of ischemic placental diseases during the first trimester combined test period: a retrospective cohort of low-risk pregnancies in search of the link between parity and disease.

To assess the predictive power of a multifactorial model established on maternal characteristics, placenta-associated plasma protein A (PAPPA), and the mean uterine artery pulsatility index (Ut A PI) levels for the development of ischemic placental diseases (IPD) during the first-trimester combined test (FTCT) period and to evaluate the strength of some generally accepted clinical risk factors. The studied data were obtained from a retrospective cohort of low-risk singleton pregnancies in the FTCT between 1 August 2016 and 1 December 2017. After routine 11-13-week examinations for FTCT, the Ut A PI was measured and stored electronically.

Protective Effect of All-Trans Retinoic Acid in Cisplatin-Induced Testicular Damage in Rats.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in cisplatin (CP)-induced testicular damage in rats.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Control, ATRA alone, ATRA+CP, and CP alone. Body weight, testicular weight, sperm count, sperm motility, percentage of abnormal sperm, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) in testicular tissue, and testicular histopathology were compared among groups.

All-trans retinoic acid prevents cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) use on cisplatin (CP)-induced nephrotoxicty. Twenty-eight rats were randomly divided into four groups. The rats in the control group were injected a single dose of 1 ml/kg saline intra-peritoneally (IP) during 10 days.

The Effects of Education and Training Given to Phlebotomists for Reducing Preanalytical Errors.

Background: The most common sources of error in the preanalytical phase are considered to be at the stage of patient preparation and sample collection. In order to reduce the preanalytical errors, we aimed to determine the level of phlebotomists knowledge about the preanalytic phase before and after planned trainings in the study.

Methods: Training about preanalytical processes was given to the 454 health professionals and the majority of them were employed as nurse.

Value of Urinary Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels on the Assessment of Botulinum Toxin Type A Treatment for Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity in Children with Myelodysplasia.

Purpose: Urinary cytokines are proposed to predict urodynamic findings and outcome of intradetrusor botulinum neurotoxin type A injection in children with myelodysplasia. The relationship between urinary brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurogenic and nonneurogenic detrusor overactivity has been shown as well. We prospectively investigated the effect of intradetrusor botulinum neurotoxin type A injection on urine brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in children with nonneurogenic detrusor overactivity due to myelodysplasia.

The local clinical validation of a new lithium heparin tube with a barrier: BD Vacutainer® Barricor LH Plasma tube.

Introduction: Although serum-providing blood tubes with a barrier are still widely used due to their significant advantages, the use of blood tubes with a barrier to provide plasma is becoming widespread. We compared 22 analytes in a BD Vacutainer® Barricor LH Plasma tube for local clinical validation of this new lithium heparin tube with a barrier.

Materials And Methods: Samples from 44 volunteers were collected in different tubes (Becton Dickinson and Company): Z tube without additive (reference), clot-activator tube with gel (SST), lithium heparin tube without gel (LiH), and lithium heparin tube with barrier (Barricor).