Acute Phase Reactant Protein Research Articles

Galectin-3, Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 and TLR-2 Receptor as Novel Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that activates arthritogenic immune responses, along with many of the systemic inflammatory cascades that result in synovitis and the progressive irreversible destruction of affected joints. Studies have demonstrated the pathogenic role of some biomolecules and autoantibodies in RA disease. Some other markers, like erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), acute phase reactant protein (CRP), and rheumatoid factor (RF), have also been used successfully to diagnose and treat RA. These are the anticyclic citrullinated peptide (ACPA) autoantibody, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), and interleukin 1 and 6 (IL-1, IL-6). Many others are still under study. In this review, we focused on a few biomolecules that could either directly or indirectly contribute to the pathogenesis of RA, aiming to demonstrate their diagnostic characteristics and capacity to forecast the disease. These are Galectin-3 (Gal-3), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2). After reviewing peer-reviewed studies from 24 years ago, we concluded that these markers could potentially serve as prognostic factors for RA disease activity in the future and have reasonable diagnostic power. We believe that combining these markers with traditional ones could enhance the accuracy and clarity of clinical diagnosis, as well as track the effectiveness of current therapies.

Revolutionizing disease diagnosis and management: Open-access magnetic resonance imaging datasets a challenge for artificial intelligence driven liver iron quantification

Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have emerged as transformative technologies with vast potential in healthcare. Body iron load is usually assessed using slightly invasive blood tests (serum ferritin, serum iron, and serum transferrin). Serum ferritin is widely used to assess body iron and drive medical management; however, it is an acute phase reactant protein offering wrong interpretation in the setting of inflammation and distressed patients. Magnetic resonance imaging is a non-invasive technique that can be used to assess liver iron. The ML and DL algorithms can be used to enhance the detection of minor changes. However, a lack of open-access datasets may delay the advancement of medical research in this field. In this letter, we highlight the importance of standardized datasets for advancing AI and CNNs in medical imaging. Despite the current limitations, embracing AI and CNNs holds promise in revolutionizing disease diagnosis and treatment.

Aqueous humor perturbations in chronic smokers: a proteomic study

The detrimental effects of smoking are multisystemic and its effects on the eye health are significant. Smoking is a strong risk factor for age-related nuclear cataract, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, delayed corneal epithelial healing and increased risk of cystoid macular edema in patients with intermediate uveitis among others. We aimed to characterize the aqueous humor (AH) proteome in chronic smokers to gain insight into its perturbations and to identify potential biomarkers for smoking-associated ocular pathologies. Compared to the control group, chronic smokers displayed 67 (37 upregulated, 30 downregulated) differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Analysis of DEPs from the biological point of view revealed that they were proteins involved in complement activation, lymphocyte mediated immunity, innate immune response, cellular oxidant detoxification, bicarbonate transport and platelet degranulation. From the molecular function point of view, DEPs were involved in oxygen binding, oxygen carrier activity, hemoglobin binding, peptidase/endopeptidase/cysteine-type endopeptidase inhibitory activity. Several of the upregulated proteins were acute phase reactant proteins such as clusterin, alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein, fibrinogen, alpha-1-antitrypsin, C4b-binding protein and serum amyloid A-2. Further research should confirm if these proteins might serve as biomarkers or therapeutic target for smoking-associated ocular diseases.

Correlation of C-Reactive Proteins With Chronic Periodontitis. A Prospective Study

Abstract Context: The C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase reactant protein that is produced in response to various inflammatory and noxious stimuli that include exposure to heat, traumatic conditions, varieties of infectious processes, and conditions of hypoxia. Estimation of CRP levels in serum samples helps in providing important information related to the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of inflammatory processes and various associated diseases. Materials and Methods: This prospective longitudinal study was designed to evaluate serum CRPs in subjects who were selected for study participation after fitting into inclusion criteria, which were as follows: a) study participants who were clinically diagnosed with chronic generalized periodontitis along with periodontal pocket depths of ≥5 mm and also radiographic alveolar bone loss; b) subjects within the age range of 35 to 55 years; and c) no smoking habit or use of tobacco in any other form. Results: Patients were assessed for clinical parameters such as gingival index, sulcular bleeding index, mean depth of periodontal pocket, and loss of clinical attachment. Blood was collected at required visits, and CRP was evaluated. Study evaluation periods were baseline (day 0), day 14 (2nd appointment), and day 45 (3rd appointment). Results: Statistically significant reductions in both clinical and serum CRP levels were obtained at subsequent appointments. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated and supported the evidence that serum CRPs act as a biomarker in determining the prognosis of chronic periodontitis patients after nonsurgical periodontal treatment.

Use of a commercial feed supplement based on diatom earth and yeast products on oxidative status and in vitro immune response in buffaloes during peripartum.

The transition period is a critical metabolic phase for dairy ruminants, especially those with high production levels. In spite of this, little is still known about dairy water buffalo. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a commercial feed additive based on diatomaceous earth and hydrolyzed yeasts on health status, milk quality, and immune response of buffalo cows during the transition period. Eighty healthy Water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) of Italian Mediterranean breed were included in the trial. They were subdivided into two groups: one group received the additive (n = 40) while the control group (n = 40) received a placebo. The trial lasted 120d, from 60d before calving to 60d in milk. Blood samples were collected from each buffalo at -60 (60d from the expected calving), -30, 0 (calving), +15, +30, and +60 d (respectively, i.e., 15, 30, and 60d in milking). The biochemical as well as the oxidative profile, and the antioxidant power and enzymatic activity were evaluated in the samples obtained. Moreover, acute phase proteins, reactive proteins, and interleukin plasma levels were determined. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and monocytes were isolated and viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and reactive nitrogen species were measured on PBMC and monocytes. The introduction of additives enhanced the total antioxidant capacity and enzyme activity, while no differences were observed in oxidation products throughout the trial. Additionally, it significantly reduced the synthesis of ROS in polymorphonuclear cells, supporting a potential positive response in animals experiencing inflammation. The impact of oxidation on the products was not evident. Despite higher enzyme levels in plasma, this did not necessarily correspond to significantly increased enzymatic activity but rather indicated a higher potential. From these results, it was evident that the transition period in buffaloes differs notably from what reported in the literature for cows, probably due to the absence of common postpartum production diseases in dairy cows and lower metabolic challenges linked to lower milk production in buffaloes. Few parameters exhibited notable changes during the transition period in buffaloes, notably certain antioxidant enzymes, PBMC viability, PBMC ROS production, and Hp levels.

Detection and evaluation of positive acute phase reactant protein markers in neonates and adults with sepsis

. Introduction and Aim: Septicemia is a clinical condition caused due to bacterial infection of the blood. Septicemia leading to sepsis could be life-threatening leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. The current study aimed to determine the impact of various biomarkers on patients suffering from sepsis, including Serum amyloid A, C-reactive protein, HS- Troponin, fibrinogen, haptoglobin and alpha1-antitrypsin, as well as identify the common bacterial types associated in septic patients. Materials and Methods: This case-control study conducted during October 2022 to May 2023 involved 100 participants that were divided into groups which included patients diagnosed with septicemia due to bacteria (Group A), patients with septicemia with non-bacterial infection (Group B) and healthy individuals as controls (Group C). Results: Serum amyloid A, C-reactive protein, HS-Troponin, Fibrinogen, Haptoglobin, and Alpha-1 antitrypsin levels in neonates and adults with sepsis were found to be elevated when compared to healthy individuals. No significant difference was observed for these parameters between Group A patients (positive for blood culture) and Group B patients (negative for blood culture) among neonates and adult sepsis patients. Conclusion: Neonates and adult sepsis patients exhibited higher levels of serum amyloid A, C-reactive protein, HS-Troponin, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, and Alpha-1 antitrypsin in comparison to healthy controls. Hence, these biochemical parameters could be used as biomarkers to assess a patient's level of sepsis for further therapeutic action.

Association of serum amyloid A and prognosis in people with diabetes and COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase reactive protein that plays a vital role in the early diagnosis, risk prediction, efficacy observation and prognosis evaluation of infectious diseases. This study aimed to assess the association between SAA levels and the prognosis of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and diabetes. We carried out this retrospective cohort study from March 2022 to May 2022. The population was stratified by tertiles of SAA levels: low (<8.5 mg/L), medium (8.5-36 mg/L) and high (>36 mg/L). The primary outcome was whether the patient developed severe COVID-19, and secondary outcomes included the need for invasive mechanical ventilation and length of hospital stay. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 and diabetes. We analyzed 910 diabetes patients with COVID-19. The median age of the patients was 69 years, and 52.3% were men. As SAA levels increased, the proportion of severe COVID-19 (6.3% vs 7.3% vs 22.8%, P < 0.001) and the proportion of invasive mechanical ventilation also increased among the three groups. Patients with high SAA levels had a longer length of hospital stay compared with patients with medium SAA and low SAA levels. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that SAA >36 mg/L further increased the odds ratio to 4.423 (P < 0.001) for the development of severe COVID-19 compared with low SAA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and sex, confirmed that SAA >36 mg/L remained an independent risk factor for the development of severe COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratio 3.038, P < 0.001). SAA levels are strongly associated with poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19 and diabetes.

Identification of Plasma Biomarkers from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Using an Optimized Sequential Window Acquisition of All THeoretical Mass Spectra (SWATH) Proteomics Workflow.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune and inflammatory disease. Plasma biomarkers are critical for understanding disease mechanisms, treatment effects, and diagnosis. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is a powerful tool for unbiased biomarker discovery. However, plasma proteomics is significantly hampered by signal interference from high-abundance proteins, low overall protein coverage, and high levels of missing data from data-dependent acquisition (DDA). To achieve quantitative proteomics analysis for plasma samples with a balance of throughput, performance, and cost, we developed a workflow incorporating plate-based high abundance protein depletion and sample preparation, comprehensive peptide spectral library building, and data-independent acquisition (DIA) SWATH mass spectrometry-based methodology. In this study, we analyzed plasma samples from both RA patients and healthy donors. The results showed that the new workflow performance exceeded that of the current state-of-the-art depletion-based plasma proteomic platforms in terms of both data quality and proteome coverage. Proteins from biological processes related to the activation of systemic inflammation, suppression of platelet function, and loss of muscle mass were enriched and differentially expressed in RA. Some plasma proteins, particularly acute-phase reactant proteins, showed great power to distinguish between RA patients and healthy donors. Moreover, protein isoforms in the plasma were also analyzed, providing even deeper proteome coverage. This workflow can serve as a basis for further application in discovering plasma biomarkers of other diseases.

Risk of mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly COVID-19 survivors: An observational study

Background: The incidence rate of COVID-19 is around 11-15% in the elderly. The case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 in the elderly is around 8.9% and increases with age. The risk of mental disorders and malnutrition is increased in COVID-19 survivors. Continuous inflammatory conditions result in a state of hypercatabolism that can disrupt brain neuroendocrine and protein consumption for the formation of acute-phase reactant proteins. Mental disorders and malnutrition can lead to fragility. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly survivors of COVID-19. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional study. The results of the research on age, disease symptoms, and comorbidities have proven that they are risk factors for mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly COVID-19 survivors. This study used total sampling and included 100 study subjects. The research was conducted in Depok for two months; data was collected directly through shared questionnaires and direct anthropometric measurements. The questionnaires used were the SRQ-20 tool for mental disorder screening and MNA for malnutrition screening. Results: The risk factors for mental disorders were age over 70 years old OR 3 (CI 1.0-8.8), severe COVID-19 symptoms OR 4.5 (CI 1.2-16.17), and multi-comorbidity OR 2.3 (CI 0.6-8.8). The risk factors for malnutrition were age higher than 70 years old OR 2.5 (CI 0.8-7.9), moderate COVID-19 symptoms OR 6.3 (CI 2.0-19.81), and multi-comorbidity OR 6.6 (CI 1.5-28.5). Conclusions: Those infected with COVID-19 have a risk of mental disorders and malnutrition, especially in geriatrics, and this risk increases with age.

Guilt by Association: Inflammation and Shared Genetic Risk Between Stress-Related and Immune Disorders

Guilt by Association: Inflammation and Shared Genetic Risk Between Stress-Related and Immune Disorders

Fueling the flames of colon cancer - does CRP play a direct pro-inflammatory role?

Systemic inflammation, diagnostically ascribed by measuring serum levels of the acute phase reactant C-reactive protein (CRP), has consistently been correlated with poor outcomes across cancer types. CRP exists in two structurally and functionally distinct isoforms, circulating pentameric CRP (pCRP) and the highly pro-inflammatory monomeric isoform (mCRP). The aim of this pilot study was to map the pattern of mCRP distribution in a previously immunologically well-defined colon cancer (CC) cohort and explore possible functional roles of mCRP within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from 43 stage II and III CC patients, including 20 patients with serum CRP 0-1 mg/L and 23 patients with serum CRP >30 mg/L were immunohistochemically (IHC) stained with a conformation-specific mCRP antibody and selected immune and stromal markers. A digital analysis algorithm was developed for evaluating mCRP distribution within the primary tumors and adjacent normal colon mucosa. mCRP was abundantly present within tumors from patients with high serum CRP (>30 mg/L) diagnostically interpreted as being systemically inflamed, whereas patients with CRP 0-1 mg/L exhibited only modest mCRP positivity (median mCRP per area 5.07‰ (95%CI:1.32-6.85) vs. 0.02‰ (95%CI:0.01-0.04), p<0.001). Similarly, tissue-expressed mCRP correlated strongly with circulating pCRP (Spearman correlation 0.81, p<0.001). Importantly, mCRP was detected exclusively within tumors, whereas adjacent normal colon mucosa showed no mCRP expression. Double IHC staining revealed colocalization of mCRP with endothelial cells and neutrophils. Intriguingly, some tumor cells also colocalized with mCRP, suggesting a direct interaction or mCRP expression by the tumor itself. Our data show that the pro-inflammatory mCRP isoform is expressed in the TME of CC, primarily in patients with high systemic pCRP values. This strengthens the hypothesis that CRP might not only be an inflammatory marker but also an active mediator within tumors.

Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory markers and human aggression.

A growing body of work suggests that individuals with aggressive behavior and/or aggressive tendencies have evidence of chronic, low level, inflammation as manifested by elevated circulating levels of acute phase reactant proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines. While animal studies report that direct application of pro-inflammatory proteins in brain increase aggressive behavior, there is no data on the relationship of central levels of these proteins and aggression in human subjects. We simultaneously measured levels of both plasma and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in 77 medically healthy, drug-free, individuals with varying degrees of aggression including 22 individuals with DSM-5 Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Aggression was assessed using the Life History of Aggression (LHA) and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Plasma and CSF levels of CRP, IL-8, and TNF-α, but not IL-6, correlated significantly with each other. Aggressive individuals with IED displayed elevated plasma, but not CSF, levels of proinflammatory markers and this relationship was specific to IED. Similarly, composite aggression scores correlated significantly with plasma, but not CSF, pro-inflammatory markers. Aggressive behavior in humans is correlated with Plasma, but not CSF, proinflammatory markers despite the observation that these two sets of markers are significantly correlated. Since the direct application of proinflammatory proteins in brains of animals increase aggressive behavior, proinflammatory proteins likely influence brain-based behavior in a manner not reflected in lumbar CSF.

Plasma levels of GlycA, a pro-inflammatory glycoprotein biomarker, associate with an increased risk of microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (Zodiac-62).

GlycA, a pro-inflammatory glycoprotein biomarker, associates with newly developed type 2 diabetes (T2D). We determined the association of plasma GlycA with the development of microvascular complications in patients with established T2D. Plasma GlycA was measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry in T2D patients without microvascular complications at baseline (n = 145) participating in a longitudinal cohort study of primary care-treated T2D patients (Zwolle Outpatient Diabetes project Integrating Available Care (ZODIAC) study). Associations of GlycA with incident microvascular complications including nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy, were determined by Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. After a median follow-up of 3.2 (interquartile range [IQR]: 2.9-3.4) years, 49 patients (33.8%) developed one or more microvascular complications. Median GlycA levels were 453.5 (IQR: 402.0-512.8) μmol/l. GlycA was associated with incident microvascular complications (hazard ratio [HR] per 1-SD increment: 1.28 [95% confidence interval [CI]:1.00-1.63], P = 0.048]), even after adjustment for potential confounders and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), HR 1.79 [95%CI:1.25-2.57], P = 0.001). In contrast, hs-CRP levels were not significantly associated with the risk of developing microvascular complications (P = 0.792). Higher plasma GlycA is associated with an increased risk of developing microvascular complications in T2D patients. Altered N-glycan branching associated with acute-phase reactive proteins may represent a preferred biomarker of systemic low-grade inflammation in predicting diabetic complications.

The relationship between leukocyte to albumin ratio and atrial fibrillation severity

BackgroundAn increased leukocyte count is a sign of inflammation and has been demonstrated to be a predisposing factor and complication of atrial fibrillation. Similarly, albumin, the major protein in the serum, is also considered an acute phase reactant protein that has osmotic and anti-inflammatory properties, and a low albumin level is a known factor associated with severity in many pathologies, including atrial fibrillation. The neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) and other emerging leukocyte counts/albumin ratios have been reliable systemic inflammation-based predictors of mortality and complications in various diseases, but they have not yet been used with atrial fibrillation. This study’s aim was to explore whether the leukocyte to albumin ratio could also serve as a useful index in estimating atrial fibrillation severity, including the severity of atrial fibrillation secondary to stroke, to provide a new and more objective tool than the conventional and medical history-based CHA2DS2–VASc score.Materials and methodsData were retrospectively collected from the Wuhan University Zhongnan Hospital database from January 1st to December 31st, 2021. The patients were classified into 2 groups: Group 1-low severity and Group 2- moderate to high severity, and diverse statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between the leukocyte-to-albumin ratio and AF severity.ResultsOnly 2329 test subjects met the inclusion criteria. We had 727 test subjects (381 males and 346 females) categorized into the low severity cohort and 1601 test subjects (932 males and 670 females) in the moderate to high severity group. The difference in mean age between the two groups was significant (95% CI [−2.682 to −0.154] p = 0.028), and the difference in the LAR mean rank between the two groups was significant (p = 0.00). The Chi-square test of association yielded the following results: the relationship between the LAR level and category of severity was statistically significant (p = 0.00), and the Mantel‒Haenszel statistic association odds ratio was OR = 0.657. 95% CI OR [0.549–0.787] p = 0.000. The association between sex and atrial fibrillation severity also reached statistical significance. However, sex and LAR were found to be independent factors in atrial fibrillation (Chi-square p value = 0.564).ConclusionIt has been demonstrated throughout this investigation that the leukocyte to albumin ratio could provide key clues in clinical practice and contribute to thromboembolism risk assessment in the setting of atrial fibrillation.

CORRELATION BETWEEN CRP AND INTRA-OPERATIVE DIFFICULTY IN LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY : A CASE SERIES

A gallstone is a stone formed within the gallbladder from precipitated bile components. The term cholelithiasis may refer to the presence of gallstones or to any disease caused by gallstones. Among American adults the prevalence of cholelithiasis is about 10% while in Western Europe the prevalence ranges from 5.9% to 21.9%. Prevalence rates of 3.2% to 15.6% have been reported from Asia. The standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones is to remove the gallbladder entirely. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be the easiest or the most difcult laparoscopic operation. Conversion to open surgery has been a traditional marker of difcult Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and anticipation of conversion can help in consenting patients and preparing them for longer stay and complications. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant protein secreted by the liver in response to interleukin-6 and other pro-inammatory cytokines in the context in inammation, infection, trauma, malignancy and tissue infarction. Its circulating concentration is determined by its rate of synthesis reecting the intensity of the pathological process, and hence it is a good indicator of severity of inammation.

Conformational state of C-reactive protein is critical for reducing immune complex-triggered type I interferon response: Implications for pathogenic mechanisms in autoimmune diseases imprinted by type I interferon gene dysregulation

Presence of autoantibodies targeting nuclear constituents, i.e., double-stranded DNA and small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), remain a cornerstone in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Fcγ receptor IIa (FcγRIIa) dependent uptake of nucleic acid containing immune complexes (ICs) by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs) can activate toll-like receptors (TLRs) such as TLR7 and TLR9 resulting in type I interferon (IFN) production. Previously, the classical liver-derived acute-phase reactant C-reactive protein (CRP) has been suggested to reduce IC-induced type I IFN production, whereas monomeric (mCRP) vs. pentameric (pCRP) mediated effects have not yet been unraveled. Herein, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or enriched blood DCs from healthy volunteers were stimulated with SLE sera, snRNP-IgG (ICs), or TLR ligands with or without pCRP, mCRP, or anti-FcγRIIa antibody. Type I IFNs and cytokine responses were investigated using quantitative PCR, ELISA, and flow cytometry.pCRP inhibited IFN gene expression in PBMCs and enriched DCs after incubation with ICs, compared to ICs alone, whereas mCRP had significantly less inhibitory effect. The effect was independent on the order in which IC or CRP was added to the cells. In addition, pCRP inhibited IFN induced by other TLR stimulators, implicating broader inhibitory effects induced by pCRP. We demonstrate pronounced immunoregulatory functions of CRP whereas the inhibitory properties were evidently dependent on CRP's intact conformational state. The inhibition of type I IFNs was not due to competition of FcγRs, or binding of CRP to the ICs. Our findings have implications for autoimmune IC-mediated conditions imprinted by type I IFN gene dysregulation.

Risk of mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly COVID-19 survivors: An observational study

Background: The incidence rate of COVID-19 is around 11-15% in the elderly. The case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 in the elderly is around 8.9% and increases with age. The risk of mental disorders and malnutrition is increased in COVID-19 survivors. Continuous inflammatory conditions result in a state of hypercatabolism that can disrupt brain neuroendocrine and protein consumption for the formation of acute-phase reactant proteins. Mental disorders and malnutrition can lead to fragility. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly survivors of COVID-19. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional study. The results of the research on age, disease symptoms, and comorbidities have proven that they are risk factors for mental disorders and malnutrition in elderly COVID-19 survivors. This study used total sampling and included 100 study subjects. The research was conducted in Depok for two months; data was collected directly through shared questionnaires and direct anthropometric measurements. The questionnaires used were the SRQ-20 tool for mental disorder screening and MNA for malnutrition screening. Results: The risk factors for mental disorders were age over 70 years old OR 3 (CI 1.0-8.8), severe COVID-19 symptoms OR 4.5 (CI 1.2-16.17), and multi-comorbidity OR 2.3 (CI 0.6-8.8). The risk factors for malnutrition were age higher than 70 years old OR 2.5 (CI 0.8-7.9), moderate COVID-19 symptoms OR 6.3 (CI 2.0-19.81), and multi-comorbidity OR 6.6 (CI 1.5-28.5). Conclusions: Those infected with COVID-19 have a risk of mental disorders and malnutrition, especially in geriatrics, and this risk increases with age.

Role and estimation of serum calcium, serum uric acid and C-RP in preeclamptic and normal pregnant women in Dhiraj General Hospital of Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Vadodara

Preeclampsia is one of the major conditions causing maternal morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Hyperuricemia due to oxidative stress is known to be associated with deleterious effects on endothelial function, oxidative metabolism, platelet adhesiveness and aggregation. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant protein, plays a role in eliciting the inflammatory response characteristic of preeclampsia. Patients with Preeclampsia showed the low levels of serum calcium. To estimate serum uric acid, CRP and serum calcium in cases and controls and to study the association of the levels of serum uric acid, CRP and calcium with preeclampsia. A case control study conducted on 100 patients with clinically diagnosed preeclampsia and 100 normotensive singleton pregnant women as controls from the general population from Dhiraj General Hospital, Piparia, Vadodara, Gujarat. 6 ml of each venous blood was collected to estimate the Serum Uric Acid, CRP and Serum Calcium levels in subject. The data was analyzed and expressed in terms of mean ± SD. There was statistically significant increase in the levels of serum uric acid, CRP (P &lt; 0.001) and statistically decreased levels of serum calcium (P &lt; 0.001) in cases as compared to the normal controls.

Upregulation of neuropeptide Y in cardiac sympathetic nerves induces stress (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy.

Substantial emotional or physical stress may lead to an imbalance in the brain, resulting in stress cardiomyopathy (SC) and transient left ventricular (LV) apical ballooning. Even though these conditions are severe, their precise underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Appropriate animal models are needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms. In this study, we established a new animal model of epilepsy-induced SC. The SC model showed an increased expression of the acute phase reaction protein, c-Fos, in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN), which is the sympathetic nerve center of the brain. Furthermore, we observed a significant upregulation of neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression in the left stellate ganglion (SG) and cardiac sympathetic nerves. NPY showed neither positive nor negative inotropic and chronotropic effects. On the contrary, NPY could interrupt β-adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes when exposure to NPY precedes exposure to noradrenaline. Moreover, its elimination in the left SG via siRNA treatment tended to reduce the incidence of SC. Thus, our results indicated that upstream sympathetic activation induced significant upregulation of NPY in the left SG and cardiac sympathetic nerves, resulting in cardiac dysfunctions like SC.

The Inflammation Biomarker GlycA Reflects Plasma N-Glycan Branching.

GlycA is a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal in plasma that correlates with inflammation and cardiovascular outcomes in large data sets. The signal is thought to originate from N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues of branched plasma N-glycans, though direct experimental evidence is limited. Trace element concentrations affect plasma glycosylation patterns and may thereby also influence GlycA. NMR GlycA signal was measured in plasma samples from 87 individuals and correlated with MALDI-MS N-glycomics and trace element analysis. We further evaluated the genetic association with GlycA at rs13107325, a single nucleotide polymorphism resulting in a missense variant within SLC39A8, a manganese transporter that influences N-glycan branching, both in our samples and existing genome-wide association studies data from 22 835 participants in the Women's Health Study (WHS). GlycA signal was correlated with both N-glycan branching (r2 ranging from 0.125-0.265; all P < 0.001) and copper concentration (r2 = 0.348, P < 0.0001). In addition, GlycA levels were associated with rs13107325 genotype in the WHS (β [standard error of the mean] = -4.66 [1.2674], P = 0.0002). These results provide the first direct experimental evidence linking the GlycA NMR signal to N-glycan branching commonly associated with acute phase reactive proteins involved in inflammation.