Microcatheter-Assisted Circumferential Trabeculotomy versus Conventional Trabeculotomy for the Treatment of Childhood Glaucoma: A Meta-analysis

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Microcatheter-Assisted Circumferential Trabeculotomy versus Conventional Trabeculotomy for the Treatment of Childhood Glaucoma: A Meta-analysis Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Background. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of microcatheter-assisted circumferential trabeculotomy (Group 1) with that of conventional trabeculotomy (Group 2) for the treatment of childhood glaucoma. Methods. Published studies were systematically searched via the Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for dichotomous variables. , mean difference, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for continuous variables. Heterogeneity was assessed. Random effects modeling and RevMan version 5.30 were used to analyze the data. Results. Five eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Mean postoperative intraocular pressures were significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 at 3 months () , 6 months (), and 12 months () postoperatively. The complete success rates were higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 at 3 months (), 6 months (), and 12 months () postoperatively, as were the respective qualified success rates (,, and ). The pooled estimate indicated lower antiglaucoma medication use in Group 1, especially at 1 month postoperatively ().Conclusions. Microcatheter-assisted circumferential trabeculotomy resulted in excellent intraocular pressure control, higher success rates, and the utilization of less medication than conventional trabeculotomy for childhood glaucoma. Therefore, microcatheter-assisted circumferential trabeculotomy may be recommended as the initial procedure for the treatment of childhood glaucoma. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

miR-139-5p Inhibits Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion by Targeting MAD2L1

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader miR-139-5p Inhibits Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion by Targeting MAD2L1 Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Background. miR-139-5p is lowly expressed in various human cancers and exerts its antitumor effect through different molecular mechanisms, yet the molecular mechanism of miR-139-5p in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains to be further elucidated. The study is aimed at investigating the role and the regulatory mechanism of miR-139-5p in LUAD progression. Methods. Differential analysis was performed on miRNA expression data in the TCGA-LUAD dataset. qRT-PCR was employed to detect the transcription levels of miR-139-5p and MAD2L1 in LUAD cells, while western blot was carried out for the detection of MAD2L1 protein expression. CCK-8 and Transwell assays were implemented to assess LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was conducted to verify the direct targeting r elationship between miR-139-5p and MAD2L1. Results. miR-139-5p was significantly downregulated in LUAD cells in comparison with that in human normal bronchial epithelial cells. Overexpressing miR-139-5p inhibited LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while opposite results could be observed when miR-139-5p was inhibited. MAD2L1 was identified as a direct target of miR-139-5p in LUAD. Besides, the inhibitory effect of miR-139-5p overexpression on LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was attenuated by overexpressing MAD2L1. Conclusion. Our study suggests that miR-139-5p is lowly expressed in LUAD cells and inhibits LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by targeted suppressing MAD2L1 expression. It is of potential significance for the prognosis and treatment of LUAD. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Explicating the Pivotal Pathogenic, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Biomarker Potentials of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Glioblastoma

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Explicating the Pivotal Pathogenic, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Biomarker Potentials of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Glioblastoma Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant and aggressive central nervous tumor that originates from astrocytes. These pathogenic astrocytes divide rapidly and are sustained by enormous network of blood vessels via which they receive requisite nutrients. It well proven that GBM microenvironment is extremely infiltrated by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MDSCs are a heterogeneous cluster of immature myeloid progenitors. They are key mediates in immune suppression as well as sustenance glioma growth, invasion, vascularization, and upsurge of regulatory T cells via different molecules. MDSCs are often elevated in the peripheral blood of patients with GBM. MDSCs in the peripheral blood as well as those infiltrating the GBM microenvironment correlated with poor prognosis. Also, an upsurge in circulating MDSCs in the peripheral blood of patients with GBM was observed compared to benign and grade I/II glioma patients. GBM patients with good prognosis presented with reduced MDSCs as well as augmented dendritic cells. Almost all chemotherapeutic medication for GBM has shown no obvious improvement in overall survival in patients. Nevertheless, low-dose chemotherapies were capable of suppressing the levels of MDSCs in GBM as well as multiple tumor models with metastatic to the brain. Thus, MDSCs are potential diagnostic as well as therapeutic biomarkers for GBM patients. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Analysis of Chest CT Results of Coronavirus Disease

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Analysis of Chest CT Results of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Patients at First Follow-Up Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Objective. To investigate the dissipation and outcomes of pulmonary lesions at the first follow-up of patients who recovered from moderate and severe cases of COVID-19. Methods. From January 21 to March 3, 2020, a total of 136 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to our hospital. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 52 patients who recovered from COVID-19 were included in this study, including 33 moderate cases and 19 severe cases. Three senior radiologists independently and retrospectively analyzed the chest CT imaging data of 52 patients at the last time of admission and the first follow-up after discharge, including primary manifestations, concomitant manifestations, and degree of residual lesion dissipation. Results. At the first follow-up after discharge, 16 patients with COVID-19 recovered to normal chest CT appearance, while 36 patients still had residual pulmonary lesions, mainly including 33 cases of ground-glass opacity, 5 cases of consolidation, and 19 cases of fibrous strip shadow. The proportion of residual pulmonary lesions in severe cases (17/19) was statistically higher than in moderate cases (19/33) (,). At the first follow-up, residual pulmonary lesions were dissipated to varying degrees in 47 cases, and lesions remained unchanged in 5 cases. There were no cases of increased numbers of lesions, enlargement of lesions, or appearance of new lesions. The dissipation of residual pulmonary lesions in moderate patients was statistically better than in severe patients (Z = −2.538, ).Conclusion. Clinically cured patients with COVID-19 had faster dissipation of residual pulmonary lesions after discharge, while moderate patients had better dissipation than severe patients. However, at the first follow-up, most patients still had residual pulmonary lesions, which were primarily ground-glass opacity and fibrous strip shadow. The proportion of residual pulmonary lesions was higher in severe cases of COVID-19, which required further follow-up. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Effects of Sublingual Duster Mite Drops on Lung Function and Exhaled Nitric Oxide in Children with Multiple and Single Allergic Respiratory Diseases

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Effects of Sublingual Duster Mite Drops on Lung Function and Exhaled Nitric Oxide in Children with Multiple and Single Allergic Respiratory Diseases Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Objective. To evaluate the efficiency of sublingual immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides Farinae Drops in children with single and multiple respiratory allergic diseases. Methods. Seventy-one children with allergic respiratory diseases who had been treated with Dermatophagoides Farinae Drops for one year or more were divided into a single allergic group (12 cases) and multiple allergic group (59 cases). The rhinitis score, daytime and night symptom score of asthma, VAS score, drug score, pulmonary function, and FeNO level before and after treatment were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Results. The rhinitis score, night symptom score, VAS score, and drug score in the single allergic group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (), but there was no significant differe nce in the daytime symptom score before and after treatment (). The rhinitis score, VAS score, and drug score in the multiple allergic group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (), but there was no significant difference in the scores of daytime symptoms and nighttime symptoms before and after treatment (). In both the single allergic group and multiple allergic group, the pulmonary function indexes of the patients were significantly improved after treatment, and the FeNO after treatment was significantly lower than that before treatment (). There was no significant difference in scores, pulmonary function, and FeNO between the two groups ().Conclusion. Sublingual specific immunotherapy is effective in treating multiple and single allergic respiratory diseases in children. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Facial Emotion Recognition and Polymorphisms of Dopaminergic Pathway Genes in Children with ASD

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Facial Emotion Recognition and Polymorphisms of Dopaminergic Pathway Genes in Children with ASD Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Background. It is inconclusive whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience a deficit in facial emotion recognition. The dopaminergic pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD. This study was aimed at determining facial emotion recognition and its correlation with polymorphisms in the dopaminergic pathway genes in children with ASD. Methods. Facial emotion recognition was examined in 98 children with ASD and 60 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. The severity of ASD was evaluated using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). DNA from blood cells was used to analyze the genotypes of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in dopaminergic pathway genes. SNPs of DBH rs1611115, DDC rs6592961, DRD1 rs251937, DRD2 rs4630328, and DRD3 rs167771 were analyzed. Results. Children with ASD took a significantly longer time to recognize all facial emotions, and their interpretations were less accurate for anger at low intensity and fear at both low and high intensities. The severity of the disease was associated with significant delays in recognition of all facial emotions and with a decrease in accuracy in recognition of happiness and anger at low intensity. Accuracy in recognizing fear at high intensity and sadness at low intensity was associated with rs251937 and rs4630328, respectively, in children with ASD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SNP rs167771, response time for the recognition of happiness, sadness and fear, and accuracy in recognition of anger and fear were all associated with the risk of childhood ASD. Conclusions. Children with ASD experience a deficit in facial emotion recognition. Certain SNPs in the dopaminergic pathway genes are associated with accuracy in recognizing selective facial emotions in children with ASD. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

After Treatment Decrease of Bone Marrow Tregs and Outcome in Younger Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader After Treatment Decrease of Bone Marrow Tregs and Outcome in Younger Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation An emerging body of evidence demonstrates that defects in antileukemic effector cells in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can contribute to the development and/or persistence of the disease. In particular, immune suppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) may contribute to this defective antileukemic immune response, being recruited by bone marrow leukemic cells to evade immune surveillance. We evaluated Tregs (CD4+/CD45RA-/CD25high/CD127low), performing multiparametric flow cytometry on freshly collected bone marrow aspirate (BMA), in addition to the usual molecular and cytogenetic work-up in newly diagnosed AML patients to look for any correlation between Tregs and the overall response rate (ORR). We studied 39 AML younger patients ( View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Chicoric Acid Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease via the AMPK/Nrf2/NFκB Signaling Pathway and Restores Gut Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Chicoric Acid Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease via the AMPK/Nrf2/NFκB Signaling Pathway and Restores Gut Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation This study examines the effects of chicoric acid (CA) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in high-fat-diet- (HFD-) fed C57BL/6 mice. CA treatment decreased body weight and white adipose weight, mitigated hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, and reduced hepatic steatosis in HFD-fed mice. Moreover, CA treatment reversed HFD-induced oxidative stress and inflammation both systemically and locally in the liver, evidenced by the decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) abundance, increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, lowered in situ reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the liver, decreased serum and hepatic inflammatory cytokine levels, and reduced hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration in HFD-fed mice. In addition, CA significantly reduced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in palmitic acid- (PA -) treated HepG2 cells. In particular, we identified AMPK as an activator of Nrf2 and an inactivator of NFκB. CA upregulated AMPK phosphorylation, the nuclear protein level of Nrf2, and downregulated NFκB protein level both in HFD mice and PA-treated HepG2 cells. Notably, AMPK inhibitor compound C blocked the regulation of Nrf2 and NFκB, as well as ROS overproduction mediated by CA in PA-treated HepG2 cells, while AMPK activator AICAR mimicked the effects of CA. Similarly, Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 partly blocked the regulation of antioxidative genes and ROS overproduction by CA in PA-treated HepG2 cells. Interestingly, high-throughput pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA suggested that CA could increase Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio and modify gut microbial composition towards a healthier microbial profile. In summary, CA plays a preventative role in the amelioration of oxidative stress and inflammation via the AMPK/Nrf2/NFκB signaling pathway and shapes gut microbiota in HFD-induced NAFL D. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Circulating Interleukin-6 (but Not Other Immune Mediators) Associates with Criteria for Fried’s Frailty among Very Old Adults

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Circulating Interleukin-6 (but Not Other Immune Mediators) Associates with Criteria for Fried's Frailty among Very Old Adults Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Background and Aim. Frailty is a geriatric condition resulting from physiological changes covering the musculoskeletal, immune, and neuroendocrine systems, leading to a greater inflammatory state. The present research aimed to investigate the association of components of Fried's frailty (as well as of the phenotype as a whole) with total serum levels of a panel of inflammatory mediators. Methods. One hundred and sixty-one very old patients (aged ≥80 years) devoid of cognitive decline were eligible for analyses. Clinical and biochemical data along with physical and cognitive assessments encompassing dual-energy X-ray scans and hand dynamometry were adopted to investigate frailty criteria, while circulating immune mediators (IFNγ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and TNFα) were assessed using high-throughput flow cytometry. Results. Preliminarily, IL-6 correlated positively with waist-to-hip ratio and C-reactive protein and negatively with glycemia. In analyses controlled for these factors, serum levels of IL-6 were comparatively augmented among the very old participants with reduced grip strength (OR = 3.299; 95% CI 1.08–6.09; ) and among those with slow walk speed (OR = 2.460; 95% CI 1.16–7.05; ).Conclusions. Our study shows a strong negative correlation of IL-6 levels with Fried's frailty components of grip strength and walk speed in very old adults, regardless of confounding factors. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

A Report on a Family with TMTC3-Related Syndrome and Review

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader A Report on a Family with TMTC3-Related Syndrome and Review Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Recessive mutations in the TMTC3 gene have been reported in thirteen patients to date exhibiting development delay, intellectual disability (ID), seizures, and muscular hypotonia, accompanied occasionally by neuronal migration defects expressed as either cobblestone lissencephaly or periventricular hypertopia. Here, we report a new case of a TMTC3-related syndrome in a Lebanese family with two affected siblings showing severe psychomotor retardation, intellectual disability, microcephaly, absence of speech, muscular hypotonia, and seizures. Whole exome sequencing revealed a homozygous pathogenic variant c.211 C > T (p.R71C) in the TMTC3 gene in both siblings. A review of the literature on TMTC3-related syndrome and its causal mutations is provided. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Winging of Scapula due to a Sinister Etiology

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Winging of Scapula due to a Sinister Etiology Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Background. Scapular winging is a rare but disabling deformity, which is commonly caused by lesions of the long thoracic and spinal accessory nerves that innervate the serratus anterior and trapezius muscles, respectively. Across the literature, traumatic injury to the nerves account for the majority of cases. Less common, nontraumatic causes include viral illness, neuroinflammatory conditions, toxins, compressive lesions, and C7 radiculopathy. We present a case where an apical lung malignancy causes winging of scapula by infiltrating C5–C7 roots of brachial plexus, which has been reported only once in the literature. Case. A 54-year-old male presented with recent onset painful difficulty in raising his right arm. He had no respiratory or constitutional symptoms. On examination, winging of scapula on the right side was noted with wasting and fasciculation involving the ipsilateral shoulder girdle. Proximal muscle power of the right upper limb was of 3/5 with preserved distal muscle power. No sensory loss was noted. A patch of bronchial breathing was found in the upper zone of the right lung with multiple hard cervical lymphadenopathies. Chest X-ray and contrast-enhanced computerized tomography-chest revealed a large tumor in the upper lobe of the right lung, which was confirmed to be a carcinoma of the lung. Electromyogram revealed large motor unit potentials and poor activation of right serratus anterior and internal scapulae muscles, while nerve conduction studies concluded the presence of a compressive lesion involving C5–C7 nerve roots of brachial plexus. Histology of a biopsy of the cervical lymph node confirmed metastasis from a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung. The patient denied further investigation with MRI cervical spine. He was transferred to the ca ncer institute for further treatment. Conclusion. This case highlights the value of considering a compressive lung pathology with infiltration in the differential diagnosis, when evaluating winging of scapula. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

CK20 and CK5/6 Immunohistochemical Staining of Urothelial Neoplasms: A Perspective

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader CK20 and CK5/6 Immunohistochemical Staining of Urothelial Neoplasms: A Perspective Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Cytokeratins belong to the family of intermediate filaments. They are expressed in a highly specific manner in epithelial cells where they play a crucial role in the integrity and mechanical stability of the cells. Several types of cytokeratins have been described in normal as well as neoplastic urothelium. In the case of urothelial neoplasms expression of CK20 and CK5/6 has been shown in several studies to have diagnostic and prognostic implications. Thus, low-grade urothelial carcinoma manifests CK expression limited to the umbrella cells, while high-grade tumors usually have an expression in the entire thickness of the urothelium except for the basal layer. CK5/6 expression on the other hand is expressed in the basal cells in all low-grade and some high-grade urothelial carcinomas. Diffuse CK20 staining accom panied by loss of CK5/6-positive basal layer is usually associated with aggressive clinical behavior. Double staining of the slides for these cytokeratins may facilitate proper interpretation and correlation. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.