Predicting Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease through a Panel of Plasma Biomarkers and MicroRNAs in Female West Virginia Population.

(1) Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is primarily characterized by the presence of fatty liver, hepatic inflammation and fibrogenesis eventually leading to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or cirrhosis. Obesity and diabetes are common risk factors associated with the development and progression of NAFLD, with one of the highest prevalence of these diseased conditions in the West Virginia population. Currently, the diagnosis of NAFLD is limited to radiologic studies and biopsies, which are not cost-effective and highly invasive.

Oxidized HDL, Adipokines, and Endothelial Dysfunction: A Potential Biomarker Profile for Cardiovascular Risk in Women with Obesity.

Objective: High BMI predicts adverse cardiovascular outcomes and positively correlates with increased levels of adipokines. The relationship among BMI, IL-6, TNFα, adiponectin, and oxidized high-density lipoprotein (Ox-HDL) with circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) has not been well studied. Elevated CEC levels have been described in both humans and mice with obesity and diabetes.

Two Drosophilids exhibit distinct EGF pathway patterns in oogenesis.

Deciphering the evolution of morphological structures is a remaining challenge in the field of developmental biology. The respiratory structures of insect eggshells, called the dorsal appendages, provide an outstanding system for exploring these processes since considerable information is known about their patterning and morphogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster and dorsal appendage number and morphology vary widely across Drosophilid species. We investigated the patterning differences that might facilitate morphogenetic differences between D.

Routine use of PICO dressings may reduce overall groin wound complication rates following peripheral vascular surgery.

Background: Approximately 19% of morbidity in peripheral vascular surgery is attributable to wound complications, which can result in delayed healing, and also arterial or graft infection leading to limb loss and even mortality in extreme cases.

Aim: To determine whether groin wound complications were reduced following the routine introduction of PICO negative pressure wound therapy dressings in patients who underwent peripheral vascular surgery.

Methods: Patients who underwent peripheral vascular surgery from 2011 to 2016 were identified and divided into PICO and non-PICO groups.

Existence of a Strong Correlation of Biomarkers and miRNA in Females with Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity in a Population of West Virginia.

Metabolic syndrome causes complications like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). As metabolic syndrome develops, altered levels of cytokines and microRNAs (miRNA) are measurable in the circulation. We aimed to construct a panel detecting abnormal levels of cytokines and miRNAs in patients at risk for metabolic syndrome.