New Method For Early Diagnosis Research Articles

Method of Diagnosing Sarcopenia in Morbidly Obese Patients

Introduction. Sarcopenia refers to a clinical syndrome characterized by progressive skeletal muscle disease, loss of muscle mass and strength resulting in impaired physical performance. The prevalence of sarcopenia in the population ranges from 5% to 13% in people aged 43.0 ± 11.1 years and reaches 50% in those over 70. Various methods have been used to diagnose sarcopenia, which, however, have their limitations. Currently, CT scanning is considered the most accurate method for the detection of sarcopenia. Therefore, the development of new methods for early diagnosis of sarcopenia appears relevant. Aim. To investigate different methods of diagnosing sarcopenia in morbidly obese patients. Materials and methods. The study presents an analysis of various methods for diagnostics of sarcopenia in morbidly obese patients, including a patented method based on the research conducted in the BSMU Clinic (Utility Patent No. 2815157 dated 11.03.2024). Results and discussion. Doctors used the suggested method of diagnosis, defined the value of sarcopenia index equal or less than 15, and diagnosed sarcopenia. Conclusion. The prevalence and severity of sarcopenia vary depending on the classification criteria and thresholds used. Since a unified diagnostic method is yet to be developed, it is necessary to continue research into this issue, and introduce sarcopenia detection, prevention, and correction techniques into widespread clinical practice. Indices of sarcopenia and obesity, obtained during an additional preoperative study, provide significant prognostic information superior to body mass index, thereby enabling the direction and scope of surgical interventions to be determined and survival outcomes to be improved.

Synthesis of dual models multivalent activatable aptamers based on HCR and RCA for ultrasensitive detection of Salmonella typhimurium

Aptamers have superior structural properties and have been widely used in bacterial detection methods. However, the problem of low affinity still exists in complex sample detection. In contrast, hybridization chain reaction (HCR)-based model I and rolling circle amplification (RCA)-based model II multivalent activatable aptamers (multi-Apts) can fulfill the need for low-cost, rapid, highly sensitive and high affinity detection of S. typhimurium. In our research, two models of multi-Apts were designed. First, a monovalent activatable aptamer (mono-Apt) was constructed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) with an S. typhimurium aptamer and its complementary chain of BHQ1. Next, the DNA scaffold was obtained by HCR and RCA, and the multi-Apts were obtained by self-assembly of the mono-Apt with a DNA scaffold. In model I, when target was presented, the complementary chain BHQ1 was released due to the binding of multi-Apts to the target and was subsequently adsorbed by UIO66. Finally, a FRET-based fluorescence detection signal was obtained. In mode II, the multi-Apts bound to the target, and the complementary chain BHQ1 was released to become the trigger chain for the next round of amplification of HCR with a fluorescence detection signal. HCR and RCA based multi-Apts were able to detect S. typhimurium as low as 2 CFU mL−1 and 1 CFU mL−1 respectively. Multi-Apts amplification strategy provides a new method for early diagnosis of pathogenic microorganisms in foods.

Peculiarities of pharmacological prevention strategy of pancreatic complications after endoscopic papillosphincterotomy for choledocholithiasis

The most frequent complication of endoscopic papillosphincterotomy (EPST) is acute pancreatitis. This complication is supposed to be based on mechanical, chemical, hydrostatic, enzymatic and thermal impact on pancreatic ducts and parenchyma. According to different literature data, the incidence of post-EPST pancreatitis (PEP) varies from 30 to 40%, and the mortality rate is 2-10%. The aim of the investigation was to expand information about peculiarities of early diagnostics and prevention of post-EST pancreatitis at the present stage. To reach the set goal we analyzed 559 case histories of patients with diagnosed cholelithiasis, 319 of them underwent EPST. During the study it was found out, that elevated neutrophils/lymphocytes ratio over 4,96 (p=0,001), high LDH level over 250 IU/ml (p=0,01), as well as C-reactive to albumin index over 0,180 (p=0,001) are reliable markers of early diagnosis. Also, indirect diagnostic markers of PEEP are biochemical signs of cholestasis and cytolysis of hepatocytes, as well as hyperglycemia combined with glucosuria. We consider the inclusion of intraoperative injections of papillotomy wound margins with Epinephrine in combination with subsequent Somatostatin administration in combination with rectal Diclofenac and intravenous hydration with Reamberin to be the most effective strategy for PEP prevention. Thus, we can conclude that despite the ongoing research and the search for effective algorithms for the prevention and early diagnosis of PEP, their data often contradict each other or simply do not confirm their effectiveness. The problem of prevention and diagnosis of PEP remains complex and requires further study. There are discrepancies, sometimes significant ones, in the current literature, which provides grounds for the development and research of new methods of early diagnosis and prevention.

Search for Association of Polymorphisms rs6280 of the DRD3 Gene, rs4680 of the COMT Gene, rs6265 of the Gene BDNF with Schizophrenia Resistant to Antipsychotic Therapy in Russian Populations

Background: resistant schizophrenia, despite the introduction of new antipsychotics and diagnostic methods, still reaches 50%of cases among all patients with schizophrenia. The search for new methods of early diagnosis using personalized genetic analysis tools seems relevant and promising at the present time. The aim of the study was to analyze the associations of polymorphisms COMT rs4680, DRD3 rs6280, BDNF rs6265 with the development of a therapeutic resistance in patients with schizophrenia. Patients and methods: а real-time genetic analysis of 264 patients with schizophrenia examined by clinical and psychometric methods. A prospective follow-up for 6 weeks was carried out with further division of the sample into 2 groups: respondents and patients with resistance based on the evaluation of the effectiveness of psychopharmacotherapy. Results: a significant association with the ineffectiveness of psychopharmacotherapy found in patients with schizophrenia being homozygotes in the recessive model and being heterozygotes in the codominant model of the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene. Conclusions: the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene can be considered as a diagnostic marker for the development of treatment resistant schizophrenia, but requires further study to confirm sensitivity and specificity.

A semantic segmentation method to analyze retinal vascular parameters of diabetic nephropathy.

By using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to measure retinal blood vessels. The correlation between the changes of retinal vascular structure and the degree of diabetic nephropathy is analyzed with a full-pixel Semantic segmentation method. A total of 120 patients with diabetic nephropathy who were treated in the nephrology department of Quzhou People's Hospital from March 2023 to March 2024 were selected and divided into three groups according to the urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UACR). The groups included simple diabetes group (UACR < 30 mg/g), microalbuminuria group (30 mg/g ≤ UACR <300 mg/g) and macroalbuminuria group (UACR ≥300 mg/g). SD-OCT was used to scan the arteries and veins in the superior temporal area B of the retina. The semantic segmentation method built into the SD-eye software was used to automatically identify the morphology and structure of the vessels and calculate the parameters of arteriovenous vessels. The parameters of arteriovenous vessels are as follows: outer diameter of the retinal artery (RAOD); inner diameter of the retinal artery (RALD); arterial wall thickness (AWT); arterial wall to lumen ratio (AWLR); cross sectional area of arterial wall (AWCSA); retinal vein outer diameter (RVOD); retinal vein inner diameter (RVLD); vein wall thickness (VWT); vein wall to lumen ratio (VWLR); cross sectional area of vein wall (VWCSA). Statistical analysis software was used to compare and analyze the parameters of retinal arteriovenous vessels of the three groups. The study revealed statistically significant differences in RAOD and RALD among the three groups (p < 0.05) with the RAOD and RALD of the macroalbuminuria group and microalbuminuria group being lower than those of the simple diabetes group. Conversely, there were no significant differences in AWT, AWLR and AWCSA among the three groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, the differences in RVOD and RVLD among the three groups were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05) with the RVOD and RVLD of the simple diabetes group being lower than those of the microalbuminuria group and macroalbuminuria group. No significant differences were observed in VWT and VWL among the groups. Additionally, RVOD and RVLD were weakly associated with UACR (R = 0.247, p = 0.007; R = 0.210, p = 0.021). Full-pixel semantic segmentation method combined with OCT images is a new retinal vascular scanning technology, which can be used as a new method for early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy. The structural changes of retinal vessels can be used to predict the severity of diabetic nephropathy during the development of diabetic nephropathy.

IInformation-reference system on human brain development

BACKGROUND: Available information on the intrauterine maturation of the human brain is fragmentary; thus, the systematization of these data in the form of an information-reference system is needed. A modern solution would be the creation of a multimodal digital atlas, which would combine images of the developing brain at the macromorphological, tissue, and cellular levels.&#x0D; AIM: This study aimed to create a prototype of an informational reference system on human brain development, incorporating a digital multimodal atlas with the ability to view specific brain regions.&#x0D; METHODS: The creation of a prototype informational reference system on the prenatal morphogenesis of the human brain involved the following stages: researching the subject area, developing an informational model, defining automation tasks and functionality of the information system, selecting hardware and software tools, testing, and analyzing the results.&#x0D; RESULTS: A prototype of the informational reference system “Human Brain Development Atlas” was developed, consisting of three main blocks for each ontogenetic stage: (1) description of the brain development stage, which includes a macroscopic description of the brain structure, an overview of key morphogenetic events, and galleries with hematoxylin and eosin-, Nissl-, and Mallory-stained sections; reference atlases, which contains annotated maps of brain sections at different stages of prenatal ontogenesis; and 3) immunohistochemical atlases, which provides data on the developmental translational profile of brain cells. Currently, some materials are already available on the project website: https://brainmorphology.science/ru/&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: Modern information technologies can be used for data collection and processing on the prenatal morphogenesis of the human brain. The creation of an informational reference system on the prenatal morphogenesis of the human brain can contribute to the development of new methods for early diagnosis and treatment of various nervous system disorders.&#x0D; The data presented in this article were previously published in English in “Life” (doi: 10.3390/life13051182) and are published in “Morphology” in Russian with the consent of the authors and copyright holders and in accordance with the terms of the CC BY license of the primary article.

Peculiarities of pharmacological prevention strategy of pancreatic complications after endoscopic papillosphincterotomy for choledocholithiasis

The most frequent complication of endoscopic papillosphincterotomy (EPST) is acute pancreatitis. This complication is supposed to be based on mechanical, chemical, hydrostatic, enzymatic and thermal impact on pancreatic ducts and parenchyma. According to different literature data, the incidence of post-EPST pancreatitis (PEP) varies from 30 to 40%, and the mortality rate is 2–10%. The aim of the investigation was to expand information about peculiarities of early diagnostics and prevention of post-EST pancreatitis at the present stage. To reach the set goal we analyzed 559 case histories of patients with diagnosed cholelithiasis, 319 of them underwent EPST. During the study it was found out, that elevated neutrophils/ lymphocytes ratio over 4.96 (p = 0.001), high LDH level over 250 IU/ml (p = 0,010), as well as C-reactive to albumin index over 0,180 (p = 0.001) are reliable markers of early diagnosis. Also, indirect diagnostic markers of PEEP are biochemical signs of cholestasis and cytolysis of hepatocytes, as well as hyperglycemia combined with glucosuria. We consider the inclusion of intraoperative injections of papillotomy wound margins with epinephrine in combination with subsequent Somatostatin administration in combination with rectal diclofenac and intravenous hydration with Reamberin to be the most effective strategy for PEP prevention. Thus, we can conclude that despite the ongoing research and the search for effective algorithms for the prevention and early diagnosis of PEP, their data often contradict each other or simply do not confirm their effectiveness. The problem of prevention and diagnosis of PEP remains complex and requires further study. There are discrepancies, sometimes significant ones, in the current literature, which provides grounds for the development and research of new methods of early diagnosis and prevention.

The Glioblastoma CircularRNAome.

Glioblastoma remains one of the most aggressive cancers of the brain, warranting new methods for early diagnosis and more efficient treatment options. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are rather new entities with increased stability compared to their linear counterparts that interact with proteins and act as microRNA sponges, among other functions. Herein, we provide a critical overview of the recently described glioblastoma-related circRNAs in the literature, focusing on their roles on glioblastoma cancer cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion and metastasis, metabolic reprogramming, and therapeutic resistance. The main roles of circRNAs in regulating cancer processes are due to their regulatory roles in essential oncogenic pathways, including MAPK, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and Wnt, which are influenced by various circRNAs. The present work pictures the wide implication of circRNAs in glioblastoma, thus highlighting their potential as future biomarkers and therapeutic targets/agents.

Methods of early diagnosis and pharmacological prevention of pancreatitis after endoscopic papillosphincterotomy

Introduction. The most frequent complication of endoscopic papillosphincterotomy (EPST) is acute pancreatitis. This complication is supposed to be based on mechanical, chemical, hydrostatic, enzymatic and thermal impact on pancreatic ducts and parenchyma. According to different literature data, the incidence of post-EPST pancreatitis (PEP) varies from 30 to 40 %, and the mortality rate is 2–10 %.The aim of the investigation was to expand information about peculiarities of early diagnostics and prevention of post-EST pancreatitis at the present stage.Materials and methods. To reach the set goal we analyzed 559 case histories of patients with diagnosed cholelithiasis, 319 of them underwent EPST.Results. During the study it was found out, that elevated neutrophils/lymphocytes ratio over 4,96 (p = 0,001), high LDH level over 250 IU/ml (p = 0,01), as well as Creactive to albumin index over 0,180 (p = 0,001) are reliable markers of early diagnosis. Also, indirect diagnostic markers of PEEP are biochemical signs of cholestasis and cytolysis of hepatocytes, as well as hyperglycemia combined with glucosuria. We consider the inclusion of intraoperative injections of papillotomy wound margins with Epinephrine in combination with subsequent Somatostatin administration in combination with rectal Diclofenac and intravenous hydration with Reamberin to be the most effective strategy for PEP prevention.Conclusions. Thus, we can conclude that despite the ongoing research and the search for effective algorithms for the prevention and early diagnosis of PEP, their data often contradict each other or simply do not confirm their effectiveness. The problem of prevention and diagnosis of PEP remains complex and requires further study. There are discrepancies, sometimes significant ones, in the current literature, which provides grounds for the development and research of new methods of early diagnosis and prevention.

Research progress of FAPI PET/CT in the diagnosis of malignant liver tumors

Malignant liver tumors have a high incidence and mortality rate. Therefore, it is of great significance to promptly learn about tumor advancement status through relevant examinations for patients' follow-up, diagnosis, and therapy as well as the improvement of the five-year survival rate. The primary lesions and intrahepatic metastases of malignant liver tumors have been better demonstrated in the clinical study with the use of various isotope-labeled fibroblast activating protein inhibitors because of their low uptake in liver tissues and high tumor/background ratio, which provides a new method for early diagnosis, precise staging, and radionuclide therapy. In light of this context, a review of the research progress of fibroblast-activating protein inhibitors for the diagnosis of liver malignant tumors is presented.

Fabrication of Antibody Conjugated Super Magnetic Oxide Nanoparticles for Early Detection of Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer is one of the most widespread cancers in the world. Early diagnosis is the most important factor in treatment efficiency. Furthermore, new methods for early diagnosis and treatment play an important role. In this study, we designed targeted conjugation of antibodies with iron nanoparticles and evaluated the binding properties of antibodies to prostate cancers and benign tissues. This method in addition to having a lower cost has high sensitivity and specificity. Anti- PSCA antibodies were purified and conjugated to super magnetic oxide nanoparticles (SPION). Then, iron staining on prostate adenocarcinoma tissues was performed. At the same time, immunohistochemically staining was performed on similar tissues to compare the results. In addition, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) samples were used as a control sample. In adenocarcinoma tissues with iron staining, many blue spots are seen compared to benign tissues, and the number of these spots increases with increasing tumor grade. These findings indicate the characteristic of iron staining as a conjugate antibody to iron can be an appropriate approach to specific staining of tumor markers in cancer tissues and can be used to diagnose prostate cancer due to its safety, low cost, sensitivity, and specificity.

ROLE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN PREPARING DENTAL STUDENTS

Today, the number of scientific studies related to public health is quite significant and is constantly growing. Research is becoming more interdisciplinary, combining the scientific areas of theoretical and clinical departments. A doctor's research career can develop at several stages of education. Initial scientific interests can be formed at the pre-university level, and then, if interest arises, within the walls of a higher education institution during training and medical research. Students who have the opportunity to conduct research while studying at universities are more likely to obtain a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degree and continue their scientific career. In modern medicine, dentistry is a profession that is based on a solid scientific foundation, and in order to remain viable and modern, it needs to create new knowledge. And this should become an integral component of dental education and continuous clinical practice. Students who plan to dedicate their lives to dentistry should be aware of the latest scientific research achievements and keep abreast of modern knowledge and developments in dentistry. Today, scientific research is the main tool used to create new knowledge. Modern dentistry relies heavily on basic, theoretical and clinical research to provide practitioners with new methods of early diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Today, in higher medical education institutions, most students conduct research in student research groups of their respective departments. It is important to note that during classes in research groups, students actively work with patients, take part in medical manipulations and surgical interventions to expand their clinical knowledge and practical skills. While working in the student research groups of the departments, a significant number of students participate in scientific projects and research works of the departments. The result of this work is the publication of scientific papers, abstracts and articles, and presentations at scientific conferences of students and young scientists. It is important that this deepens the understanding and appreciation of the dental profession by future doctors, and the practitioner is better able to critically evaluate and apply new knowledge in dental practice.

Recurrent genital endometriosis: risk factors and possible prevention strategy

Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological diseases in women of reproductive age, which is characterized by a relapsing course. The recurrence rate varies greatly among literary sources. This review covers symptoms and types of endometriosis, laboratory tests, options for hormonal therapy, as well as features of surgical approaches that may be associated with the disease recurrence risk. The aim of this article was to analyze and summarize current literature on the definition of endometriosis recurrence, risk factors and prevention strategy. Despite advances in the study of various mechanisms for the development of endometriosis and the use of combined treatment, a high recurrence rate remains an unsolved problem for this disease. All of this underscores the need to develop new methods for early diagnosis and treatment, taking into account the risk group and a personalized approach.

Chemotherapy and other treatment modalitities in children with Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is the second most common solid tumor in the first decade of life. A retrospective study reviewed (39) children treated for N.B. at Al-Mansour Teaching Hospital for children from Jan. 1st 2001 to Dec. 31st 2006, the clinical data were analyzed. Thirty nine Patients were included (23) males (59%) and (16) females (41%) , the median age at diagnosis was (48) months .The abdomen was the site of initial tumor in 31(79.4%) of patients, hypertension is found in 6 out of eleven cases (54.5%) and hepatomegaly is found in 53.8% of cases . Anemia was recorded in 26(68.4%) of patients Stage IV was the predominant clinico-pathological stage .The median survival was 13.5 months (range 1 month — 45 months). There was significant association between the stage of the disease and event free survival. There was no statistically significant association between the age at diagnosis and the outcome because about 15 cases (38%) of the patients were lost to follow-up .The study recommends the use of the new method for early diagnosis and treatment of the disease like the use of autologous bone marrow transplant and the use of antibodies directed against the tumor cells.

Early Diagnosis of Oral Cancer and Lesions in Fanconi Anemia Patients: A Prospective and Longitudinal Study Using Saliva and Plasma.

Fanconi anemia (FA) patients display an exacerbated risk of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant lesions (OPMLs) at early ages. As patients have defects in their DNA repair mechanisms, standard-of-care treatments for OSCC such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, give rise to severe toxicities. New methods for early diagnosis are urgently needed to allow for treatment in early disease stages and achieve better clinical outcomes. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal study wherein liquid biopsies from sixteen patients with no clinical diagnoses of OPML and/or OSCC were analyzed for the presence of mutations in cancer genes. The DNA from saliva and plasma were sequentially collected and deep-sequenced, and the clinical evaluation followed over a median time of approximately 2 years. In 9/16 FA patients, we detected mutations in cancer genes (mainly TP53) with minor allele frequencies (MAF) of down to 0.07%. Importantly, all patients that had mutations and clinical follow-up data after mutation detection (n = 6) developed oral precursor lesions or OSCC. The lead-time between mutation detection and tumor diagnosis ranged from 23 to 630 days. Strikingly, FA patients without mutations displayed a significantly lower risk of developing precursor lesions or OSCCs. Therefore, our diagnostic approach could help to stratify FA patients into risk groups, which would allow for closer surveillance for OSCCs or precursor lesions.

Quantitative evaluation of renal tissue changes in patients with liver cirrhosis by shear wave elastography.

Hepatocirrhotic nephropathy progresses rapidly and has a poor prognosis, and early detection of renal changes in patients with cirrhosis is particularly important for its prevention and treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of shear wave elastography (SWE) in the early diagnosis of hepatocirrhotic nephropathy. 206 hepatic cirrhosis patients with normal conventional renal function were enrolled and divided into Child-Pugh grade A (Group A), Child-Pugh grade B (Group B), and Child-Pugh grade C (Group C) according to the Child-Pugh grading method. Meanwhile, 60 healthy volunteers matched in age and sex were selected as the control group. The maximum Young's modulus (Emax), average Young's modulus (Emean), and minimum Young's modulus (Emin) of the left renal parenchyma were measured by SWE in all subjects. The Emax, Emean, and Emin values of the left renal parenchyma were compared between the cirrhosis and control groups. The Emax, Emean, and Emin values of left renal parenchyma in cirrhosis group were higher than those in control group (p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00). The Emax, Emean, and Emin values of left renal parenchyma in cirrhosis group B and group C were higher than those in control group (p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00; p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00), but these values in cirrhosis group A were not significantly different from control group(p = 0.48, 0.52, 0.92). Comparison of the Emax, Emean, and Emin values in left renal parenchyma of three cirrhosis groups, the values of Group B and Group C were higher than those of Group A (p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00; p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00), and there was no significant difference between Group B and Group C (p = 0.71, 0.18, 0.39). SWE can detect renal tissue damage in patients with liver cirrhosis earlier than changes identified during routine laboratory examination by quantitatively measuring the elastic parameters of renal parenchyma and may become a new method for early diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome.

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency - diagnostic and therapeutic challenges

Introduction and purpose: Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) is a rare but serious disease diagnosed in about 1% of women before the age of 40. It is characterized by hypoestrogenism and an increase in the level of the follicle-stimulating hormone, which is associated with menstrual disorders, pregnancy failures and a reduced quality of life. The main causes of POI include a genetic background and autoimmune abnormalities, as well as increasingly jatrogenic factors. Care for patients is focused on hormone replacement therapy and infertility treatment. The aim of this review is to discuss current treatment methods, the impact of early diagnosis and the prevention of premature ovarian insufficiency, which affects the ability to have one's own offspring. The article also describes new methods of infertility treatment that are under investigation.&#x0D; Materials and methods: This literature review is based on articles published in the PubMed database from 2015 to 2022 using the following phrases: premature ovarian insufficiency, premature ovarian insufficiency stem cells&#x0D; State of knowledge: The only way to treat infertility in women with POI is egg donation. Currently, research is being conducted to achieve early diagnosis, introduce new treatment methods and reduce the number of iatrogenic forms of POI.&#x0D; Conclusion: The main problem for women diagnosed with POI is the difficulty or often impossibility of having their own children. Egg donation does not allow for the transfer of the patient's genetic material, and is also not available as a treatment option in some countries. For this reason, new methods for early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of POI are being developed.

Aprendizaje Profundo para la Clasificación de Imágenes Clínicas de Lesiones Genitales Causadas por Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are one of the world’s major health emergencies. Given its incidence and prevalence, particularly in developing countries, it is necessary to find new methods for early diagnosis and treatment. However, this can be complicated in geographical areas where medical care is limited. In this article, we present the basis of a deep learning-based system for image classification of genital lesions caused by these diseases, built using a convolutional neural network model and methods such as transfer learning and data augmentation. In addition, an explainability method (GradCam) is employed to enhance the interpretability of the obtained results. Finally, we developed a web framework to facilitate additional data collection and annotation. This work aims to be a starting point, a “proof of concept” to test various different approaches, for the development of more robust and trustworthy Artificial Intelligence approaches for medical care in STDs, which could substantially improve medical assistance in the near future, particularly in developing regions.

Manuscript Title: A 4-miRNAs Serum Panel for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Screening.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common chronic sleep disorder. OSAS is closely related to cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, cancer risk, and sudden death. This association has special significance in young people. Although it is known that OSAS has a great impact on physical health, it is estimated that 70-80% of patients with moderate-to-severe OSAS remain undiagnosed. Therefore, a new method for early diagnosis of the disease, the therapeutic effect of OSAS and prevention of complications to important. A total of 110 patients with moderate-to-severe OSAS diagnosed in the Sleep Disorders Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital were selected. After excluding other diseases, 59 patients were finally selected as the OSAS group. In addition, 60 healthy people were selected as the control group. Serum RNA was then extracted. Eight RNA samples were randomly selected from the two groups for high-throughput miRNA sequencing. The 10 miRNAs with the greatest differences were selected as preselected markers from the results. Then, qRT-PCR was performed on the remaining RNA samples of the two groups to extract and verify the 10 miRNAs, and statistical analysis was performed between groups. A diagnostic panel was constructed by a stepwise logistic regression model combined with the expression data of miRNAs in the validation phase. A four-miRNA panel was identified to better predict OSAS, and the model was calculated using the following formula: Logit (P)= 0.77-1.65 × miR-486-5p - 4.56 × miR-148a-3p + 1.79 × miR-744-5p + 1.13 × let-7d-3p. The AUC for the four-miRNA panel was 0.955 (95% CI: 0.899 to 0.985; sensitivity = 91.38%, specificity = 91.38%). Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis was included in bioinformatic analysis. A 4-miRNAs panel as a diagnostic biomarker for OSAS screening is feasible.

Peripapillary structural and microvascular alterations in early dysthyroid optic neuropathy

BackgroundTo explore the changes in blood supply and structure around the optic nerve head (ONH) in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients with suspected dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON).MethodsTAO patients [19 with DON; 24 non-DON (NDON); 20 with equivocal DON (EDON)], and 34 control subjects were examined. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was used to obtain peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (p-RNFL) and vessel density parameters, including the ONH whole image vessel density (ONH-wiVD) and the radial peripapillary capillary vessel density (RPC-VD) in early DON.ResultsAlthough there were no differences in p-RNFL thickness among the groups, there were differences in the ONH-wiVD of each grid section and the RPC-VD in all areas (P < 0.01). Compared with healthy controls, the EDON eyes had significantly lower RPC-VDs in all aeras (P < 0.05).The peripapillary region was further divided into eight sectors, and the RPC-VD in the temporal upper, superior temporal, and temporal lower sectors in the EDON group were significantly lower than in the controls. The visual impairment was closely related to the loss of peripapillary capillary vessel density. Univariate correlation analysis showed that the ONH-wiVD and RPC-VD of the TAO groups were negatively correlated with the intraocular pressure (r = − 0.296, P = 0.006; r = − 0.258, P = 0.016 respectively).ConclusionsEDON patients had significantly lower ONH-wiVD and RPC-VD than control subjects, and the temporal and upper VDs were more likely to be affected in the early stage of TAO. The combined use of spectral domain optical coherence tomography and OCTA technologies offer a new method for early diagnosis of suspected DON patients.