Higher Preoperative Serum Neuropeptide Y Concentration May Be Associated with a Better Prognosis After Surgery for Colorectal Cancer.

Background: The early identification of patients at risk of peri-procedural complications and poor prognosis is particularly important. We conducted our study to determine whether serum orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) concentration is associated with nutritional status and prognosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC).

Materials And Methods: A cohort study with a 3-month follow-up was conducted with 84 consecutive inpatients who underwent elective surgery in one center between 2016 and 2019 for primary CRC.

The Usefulness of Factor XIII Concentration Assessment in Patients in the Acute Phase of Ischaemic Stroke Treated with Thrombolysis.

Background And Aims: In recent years, there has been a growing interest in factor XIII in ischaemic stroke. The study's main aim was to assess the usefulness of factor XIII concentration determination in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) treated with thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA).

Methods: The study was conducted in two groups of 84 patients with AIS: group I-with thrombolytic therapy and group II-without thrombolysis.

The Effect of Craniosacral Therapy on Blood Levels of Stress Hormones in Male Firefighter Cadets: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

(1) Background: Fire department cadets preparing to become firefighters and paramedics experience high levels of stress when participating in incidents like traffic accidents and fires. Stress adversely affects health, and coping with it proves difficult. Unfortunately, there is no single method that reduces stress completely in humans.

Factor VII Activating Protease (FSAP) and Its Importance in Hemostasis-Part I: FSAP Structure, Synthesis and Activity Regulation: A Narrative Review.

Factor VII activating protease (FSAP) was first isolated from human plasma less than 30 years ago. Since then, many research groups have described the biological properties of this protease and its role in hemostasis and other processes in humans and other animals. With the progress of knowledge about the structure of FSAP, several of its relationships with other proteins or chemical compounds that may modulate its activity have been explained.

Soluble Hemojuvelin and Ferritin: Potential Prognostic Markers in Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Objective: Iron overload (IO) is a common and life-threatening complication resulting from the therapy of AL and HCT patients. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of 12 serum biomarkers of iron metabolism in pediatric patients treated for AL or undergoing HCT.

Patients: Overall, 50 patients with AL after intensive treatment and 32 patients after HCT were prospectively included in the study.

Does ASTRAL score at hospital admission predict symptomatic haemorrhagic transformation in acute ischaemic stroke after revascularisation? A pilot single-centre study.

Introduction: Accurately predicting outcomes after acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is a major clinical goal. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the prognostic validity and accuracy of the Acute Stroke Registry and Analysis of Lausanne (ASTRAL) score in predicting symptomatic haemorrhagic transformation (sHT) in patients with AIS who have undergone revascularisation.

Material And Methods: Consecutive patients hospitalised for AIS who underwent treatment with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and/or mechanical thrombectomy (MT) were identified, and their ASTRAL scores at hospital admission were estimated.

COVID-19 and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Introduction: Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has recently and rapidly emerged and developed into a global pandemic. In SARS-CoV-2 patients with refractory respiratory failure, there may be a role for veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) as a life-saving rescue intervention.

Methods: This review summarizes the evidence gathered until June 12, 2020; electronic databases were screened for pertinent reports on coronavirus and V-V ECMO.

Immunological and Hematological Response in COVID-19.

Introduction: Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has recently and rapidly emerged and developed into a global pandemic. Through the renin-angiotensin system, the virus may impact the lung circulation, but the expression on endothelium may conduct to its activation and further systemic damage. While precise mechanisms underlying these phenomena remain to be further clarified, the understanding of the disease, its clinical course, as well as its immunological and hematological implications is of paramount importance in this phase of the pandemic.

Caffeine and alcohol - Friends or foes of human iron stores?

Background & Aims: There is clear evidence that lifestyle factors affect iron bioavailability. However, information regarding the effect of alcohol and caffeine consumption on iron metabolism is limited. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of caffeine and alcohol consumption on iron metabolism in healthy men, regarding their everyday physical activity level.

Physical Training Increases Erythroferrone Levels in Men.

Intense physical activity contributes to an increased demand for red blood cells, which transport oxygen to working muscles. The purpose of this study was to assess the concentration of erythroferrone (ERFE), the novel marker of erythroid activity in athletes, during the beginning of their training season. The study group consisted of 39 athletes aged 23.

Unbalance in Iron Metabolism in Childhood Leukemia Converges with Treatment Intensity: Biochemical and Clinical Analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) and labile plasma iron (LPI) levels and other parameters of iron metabolism in children undergoing therapy for acute leukemia or after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), in the context of iron overload.

Patients: A total number of 85 children were prospectively included into four groups: controls, acute leukemia de novo, acute leukemia after intensive treatment, and after HCT.

Methods: The following iron metabolism parameters were analyzed: (1) parameters measuring functional and storage iron pools: NTBI, LPI, iron, transferrin, total iron-binding capacity, ferritin, ferritin heavy and light chains; (2) proteins regulating iron absorption and its release from tissue stores: hepcidin, soluble hemojuvelin, soluble ferroportin-1; (3) proteins regulating the erythropoietic activity of bone marrow: erythroferrone, erythropoietin, soluble transferrin receptor.

Hemostasis in Coronavirus Disease 2019-Lesson from Viscoelastic Methods: A Systematic Review.

Hemostatic unbalance is often observed in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and patients with severe disease are at high risk of developing thromboembolic complications. Viscoelastic methods (VEMs), including thrombelastography (TEG) and thromboelastometry (TEM), provide data on the nature of hemostatic disturbance. In this systematic review, we assessed the performance of TEG and TEM in the assessment of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients with COVID-19.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Symptomatic Hemorrhagic Transformation in Ischemic Stroke Patients Undergoing Revascularization.

Objectives: Symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation (sHT) is a life-threatening complication of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The early identification of the patients at increased risk of sHT can have clinically relevant implications. The aim of this study was to explore the validity and accuracy of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting sHT in patients with AIS undergoing revascularization.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Short Review on Hematological Manifestations.

Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a rapidly spreading and devastating global pandemic. Many researchers are attempting to clarify the mechanisms of infection and to develop a drug or vaccine against the virus, but there are still no proven effective treatments. The present article reviews the common presenting hematological manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Plasma Levels of Protein Z in Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The association between blood levels of protein Z (PZ) and risk of ischemic stroke remains poorly understood. We aimed to assess this potential relationship through a meta-analysis of case-control studies. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and the Cochrane Library were searched from April 1984 to April 2019.

The effect of radiotherapy and hormone therapy on osteopontin concentrations in prostate cancer patients.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare plasma osteopontin (OPN, a candidate prostate cancer biomarker) levels in prostate cancer patients receiving radiotherapy or combined radiotherapy or hormone therapy.

Methods: OPN levels were determined by ELISA in 40 prostate cancer patients eligible for radiotherapy (n=18 radiotherapy alone, n=22 combined radiotherapy and hormone therapy) before the start of irradiation, during treatment, and one month after its completion.

Results: OPN levels were significantly higher (p=0.

Novel Markers for Predicting Type 2 Neurologic Complications of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background: Type 2 neurologic complications of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) include postoperative cognitive dysfunction and delirium. Although relevant clinically, they are rarely properly recognized outside of dedicated research setting, as their identification is complex and time-consuming. The aim of this study was to examine the diagnostic potential of 4 novel brain-injury biomarkers for predicting these sequelae at the completion of off-pump CABG.

Association of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio with Treatment Modalities of Acute Ischaemic Stroke: A Pilot Study.

Ischaemic stroke (IS) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. All stages of cerebral ischaemia, but especially acute phase, are associated with inflammatory response. Recent studies showed that neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) may be used to assess inflammation in IS.

Female Volleyball Players Are More Prone to Cortisol Anticipatory Stress Response than Sedentary Women.

Top-level sports performance places heavy physical and psychological demands on elite-level athletes, which can be a source of increased levels of stress. Therefore, high-level volleyball players may present altered cardiovascular and endocrinological stress response during stressful events. Although many previous studies have examined the response to stress on athletes, most of them regarded only males, while the impact of the female menstrual cycle has rarely been taken into account.

Large Extracellular Vesicles: Have We Found the Holy Grail of Inflammation?

The terms microparticles (MPs) and microvesicles (MVs) refer to large extracellular vesicles (EVs) generated from a broad spectrum of cells upon its activation or death by apoptosis. The unique surface antigens of MPs/MVs allow for the identification of their cellular origin as well as its functional characterization. Two basic aspects of MP/MV functions in physiology and pathological conditions are widely considered.

Mild iron deficiency may affect female endurance and behavior.

The function of central nervous system (CNS) processes is highly dependent on iron containing enzymes and proteins. Therefore, even mild iron deficiency (ID) may result in decreased endurance, increased irritability and withdrawal behavior among women. The current study was designed to assess the effects of iron status on perceived energy level along with its electroencephalographical (EEG) correlates and cognitive capacity of young women, since this group is at particular risk of experiencing depleted iron stores and iron deficiency anemia.

Three-vessel coronary artery disease may predict changes in biochemical brain injury markers after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Neurological injury is a frequent and important complication of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Several risk factors for this type of sequela have been identified, among them aortic arch atherosclerosis. Our previous study indicated that atherosclerotic burden in coronary arteries may likewise predict postoperative neurological complications (Pawliszak et al.