Angiopoietin-like proteins 3, 4 and 8 are linked to cardiovascular function in naïve sub-clinical and overt hypothyroid patients receiving levothyroxine therapy.

Objective: Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTL) 3, 4 and 8 are upcoming cardiovascular biomarkers. Experimental studies showed that thyroid hormones altered their levels. We assessed ANGPTL3, 4 and 8 as predictors of cardiovascular functions among naïve subclinical and naïve overt hypothyroidism (SCH and OH) and altered ANGPTL levels with levothyroxine replacement (LT4) and their association with improved cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular function.

Diagnostic Role of Cell-free DNA Integrity in Thyroid Cancer Particularly for Bethesda IV Cytology.

Background: The cell-free DNA integrity index (cfDI) is promising for the differentiation between malignant and benign tumors, but little data has been reported on thyroid cancer (TC). We explored its diagnostic role in TC, mainly in cases of Bethesda category IV.

Methods: cfDI was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using 2 primer sets to identify cell-free DNAs (cfDNAs) Alu83 and Alu244.

Visfatin and adiponectin as novel markers for evaluation of metabolic disturbance in recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The aim is to assess metabolic disturbance in early rheumatoid arthritis patients and its relation to the clinical characteristics of patients. Forty recently diagnosed untreated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with disease duration less than 1 year (group I) along with age- and sex-matched forty healthy volunteers who served as controls (group II) were studied. Disease activity score was used to assess disease activity.

Comparative evaluation of three commercial identification systems using common and rare bloodstream yeast isolates.

The commercial yeast identification systems API ID32C, Auxacolor, and Vitek were evaluated using 251 molecularly identified bloodstream isolates and 2 reference strains, representing a total of 35 species (6 common and 29 rare). Correct identification rates were higher for common species (Auxacolor, 95%; API ID32C, 94%; Vitek, 92%) than for rare species (Auxacolor, 43%; API ID32C, 56%; Vitek, 64%). All systems performed equally among the former, and Vitek performed best among the latter.

Oral Candida isolates in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: prevalence, azole susceptibility profiles and response to antifungal treatment.

Oral pseudomembranous candidiasis and mucositis were assessed in 39 patients receiving a total dose of 39-70 Gy radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Mucositis was scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria, and oral candidiasis was diagnosed on the basis of clinical evaluation and quantitative laboratory findings. Radiation-induced mucositis was observed in 9/39 patients.