Clinical usefulness of a host signature based on TRAIL, IP10, and CRP (MeMed BV) as infection biomarkers in intensive care units' patients. A retrospective observational study.

Introduction: Infection complications are common in intensive care unit patients, and early detection remains a diagnostic challenge. Procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are commonly used biomarkers. A novel diagnostic approach focuses on the host immune response.

The Efficacy and Safety of High-Dose Cholecalciferol Therapy in Hemodialysis Patients.

Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are highly prevalent in CKD, affecting over 80% of hemodialysis (HD) patients and requiring therapeutic intervention. Nephrological societies suggest the administration of cholecalciferol according to the guidelines for the general population. The aim of the observational study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the therapy with a high dose of cholecalciferol in HD patients with 25(OH)D deficiency and insufficiency to reach the target serum 25(OH)D level > 30 ng/mL.

miRNA Expression Profiling in Human Breast Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy.

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer types worldwide. Regarding molecular characteristics and classification, it is a heterogeneous disease, which makes it more challenging to diagnose. As is commonly known, early detection plays a pivotal role in decreasing mortality and providing a better prognosis for all patients.

Case report: First treatment of acute ischaemic stroke in a patient on active rivaroxaban therapy using andexanet alfa and rtPA combined with early complete recovery.

Unlabelled: Patients with non-large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke (NL-AIS) on oral anticoagulants (OAC) constitute the biggest portion among those who cannot receive any potential-reperfusion treatment even if they appear early in the hospital. We present the first case of therapy for NL-AIS in a patient with active anti-Xa anticoagulation, combining andexanet alfa and rtPA, who was recruited for STRoke On AntiCoagulants for Thrombolysis (acronym: STROACT), an ongoing therapeutic trial for non-LVO ischemic stroke on a DOAC. This is also the first report of the use of andexanet alfa-rtPA for AIS in a patient on rivaroxaban, which is the most frequently used non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant.

Doxorubicin and Cisplatin Modulate miR-21, miR-106, miR-126, miR-155 and miR-199 Levels in MCF7, MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 Cells That Makes Them Potential Elements of the DNA-Damaging Drug Treatment Response Monitoring in Breast Cancer Cells-A Preliminary Study.

One of the most innovative medical trends is personalized therapy, based on simple and reproducible methods that detect unique features of cancer cells. One of the good prognostic and diagnostic markers may be the miRNA family. Our work aimed to evaluate changes in selected miRNA levels in various breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB-231, SK-BR-3) treated with doxorubicin or cisplatin.

Local and Systemic Immunity Are Impaired in End-Stage-Renal-Disease Patients Treated With Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Recipients Immunized With BNT162b2 Pfizer-BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine.

Unlabelled: Vaccination against COVID-19 in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on replacement therapy and kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is particularly important due to the high mortality rate. Here, we tested the local and systemic immunity to the novel Pfizer BioNTech (BNT162b2) messenger RNA (mRNA) in ESRD, KTR patients, and healthy individuals (150 subjects). The ESRD group was divided into: hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Waning Humoral Response after COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in Maintenance Dialysis Patients and Recovery after a Complementary Third Dose.

The aim of this study was to analyze the waning of anti-spike (S) antibodies after mRNA vaccination against COVID-19 in maintenance dialysis patients, and to assess the safety and effectiveness of the complementary third dose. This was a prospective, longitudinal study in which we analyzed the kinetics of antibodies up to six months after a two-dose vaccination (first protocol) in infection-naïve dialysis patients (IN-Ds), previously infected dialysis patients (PI-Ds) and subjects without chronic kidney disease (the controls), as well as their humoral response to the third dose of the same mRNA vaccine (second protocol). The respective reduction in antibody titer after 3 and 6 months by 82.

Boosting Humoral Immunity from mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

The immune response to the primary (two-dose) series of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is very weak. We conducted a longitudinal observational study to compare the humoral response to a third, additional primary dose of mRNA vaccines between infection-naïve (IN-KTRs) and previously infected KTRs (PI-KTRs). Methods: We measured the levels of anti-spike (anti-s) IgG antibodies before and 14-21 days after the third dose and, in the secondary analysis, we compared the antibody response to BNT162b2 versus mRNA-1273.

Prediction of Bioactive Peptides from Chicken Feather and Pig Hair Keratins using In Silico Analysis Based on Fragmentomic Approach.

Background: Keratin is among the most abundant structural proteins of animal origin, however it remains broadly underutilized.

Objective: Bioinformatic investigation was performed to evaluate selected keratins originating from mass-produced waste products, i.e.

An optimal designed experiment for the alkaline hydrolysis of feather keratin.

Feathers, burdensome waste from the poultry industry, can be a cheap source of keratin, a protein with excellent physicochemical, biological, and mechanical properties. Acid and alkaline hydrolyses are usually adopted for isolation of keratin from its natural resources. This study aimed at assessing the statistically significant effect of input variables in the alkaline hydrolysis of keratin from chicken feathers on the process yield and on the molecular weight of peptides obtained.

Predictors of Humoral Response to mRNA COVID19 Vaccines in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Longitudinal Study-The COViNEPH Project.

Background: The efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among kidney transplant recipients (KTR) is low. The main goal of this study was to analyze factors that may influence the humoral response to vaccination.

Methods: We analyzed the titer magnitude of IgG antibodies directed against spike (S)-SARS-CoV-2 antigen after the second dose of the mRNA vaccine in 142 infection naïve KTR (83 men, i.

Characterizing the tumor microenvironment in rare renal cancer histological types.

The tumor microenvironment (TME), including immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, endothelial cells, adjacent normal cells, and others, plays a crucial role in influencing tumor behavior and progression. Here, we characterized the TME in 83 primary renal tumors and matched metastatic or recurrence tissue samples (n = 15) from papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) types 1 (n = 20) and 2 (n = 49), collecting duct carcinomas (CDC; n = 14), and high-grade urothelial carcinomas (HGUC; n = 5). We investigated 10 different markers of immune infiltration, vasculature, cell proliferation, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by using machine learning image analysis in conjunction with immunohistochemistry.

Usefulness of IVD Kits for the Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies to Evaluate the Humoral Response to Vaccination.

Background: The introduction of the vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection creates the need for precise tools for the quality control of vaccination procedures, detection of poor humoral response, and estimation of the achieved protection against the disease. Thus, the study aimed to compare the results of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 tests to evaluate the application of the WHO standard unitage (the binding antibody units; BAU/mL) for a measurement of response to the vaccination.

Methods: Patients undergoing vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 with Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 (BNT162b2) ( = 79), referred for SARS-CoV-2 antibody measurement prior to vaccination and 21 days after dose 1, and 8, 14, and 30 days after dose 2 were included.

Molecular autopsy and subsequent functional analysis reveal de novo DSG2 mutation as cause of sudden death.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a common cause of death in young adults. In up to 80% of cases a genetic cause is suspected. Next-generation sequencing of candidate genes can reveal the cause of SCD, provide prognostic management, and facilitate pre-symptomatic testing and prevention in relatives.

Humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination promises to improve the catastrophic prognosis of hemodialysis patients as a result of COVID-19: the COViNEPH Project.

Introduction: There is an urgent need to check the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among hemodialysis patients who are known to have large abnormalities of acquired immunity and a catastrophic risk of death from COVID-19. Objectives: In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess the humoral response following vaccination with the BNT162b2 (BioNTech / Pfizer Comirnaty) vaccine. Patients and methods: We analyzed the titer magnitude of the IgG antibodies directed against SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen 14 to 21 days after the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine in a group of hemodialysis patients who have not been confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection yet, compared with HD patients with a history of COVID-19.

Prognostic role of NF-YA splicing isoforms and Lamin A status in low grade endometrial cancer.

Although most cases of low grade (G1) endometrial cancer (EC) do not behave aggressively, in rare instances, can progress in a highly aggressive manner. In this study we analyzed formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) EC tissues to find novel clinical and biological features to help diagnosis and treatment of G1 ECs s in order to better stratify patient risk of recurrence. A retrospective cohort of FFPE specimens from patients with EC (n=87) and benign tissue specimens (NE) from patients who underwent a hysterectomy to treat other benign disease (n = 13) were collected.

Exhaled and non-exhaled non-invasive markers for assessment of respiratory inflammation in patients with stable COPD and healthy smokers.

We aimed at comparing exhaled and non-exhaled non-invasive markers of respiratory inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and healthy subjects and define their relationships with smoking habit. Forty-eight patients with stable COPD who were ex-smokers, 17 patients with stable COPD who were current smokers, 12 healthy current smokers and 12 healthy ex-smokers were included in a cross-sectional, observational study. Inflammatory outcomes, including prostaglandin (PG) E2 and 15-F2t-isoprostane (15-F2t-IsoP) concentrations in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and sputum supernatants, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) and sputum cell counts, and functional (spirometry) outcomes were measured.

Major histocompatibility complex I mediates immunological tolerance of the trophoblast during pregnancy and may mediate rejection during parturition.

During pregnancy in larger mammals, the maternal immune system must tolerate the fetus for months while resisting external infection. This tolerance is facilitated by immunological communication between the fetus and the mother, which is mediated by Major Histocompatibility Complex I (MHC I) proteins, by leukocytes, and by the cytokines secreted by the leukocytes. Fetal-maternal immunological communication also supports pregnancy by inducing physiological changes in the mother.

Within-day and between-day repeatability of measurements with an electronic nose in patients with COPD.

Electronic noses (e-noses), artificial sensor systems generally consisting of chemical sensor arrays for the detection of volatile compound profiles, have potential applications in respiratory medicine. We assessed within-day and between-day repeatability of an e-nose made from 32 sensors in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We also compared between-day repeatability of an e-nose, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) and pulmonary function testing.

[The treatment of clinically silent breast lesions].

Analysis of a diagnostic procedure leading to the clinical diagnosis and treatment of nonpalpable lesions in breast was presented in the paper. 668 women with breast lesions were treated in our department between 1995 and 2001. Nonpalpable lesions were detected in 68 women.