Search Results (4,845)

Depression is a heterogeneous neuropsychiatric disorder with variable clinical presentation and response to treatment. This variability has motivated interest in neuroimaging biomarkers capable of disease characterization and therapeutic prediction. Positron emission tomography (PET) enables in vivo assessment of cerebral glucose utilization, neurochemical targets, inflammatory markers, and cerebral blood flow. This narrative review synthesizes PET studies conducted predominantly in adults with major depressive disorder diagnosed using DSM-based criteria, with bipolar disorder included only when imaging was performed during a depressive episode. Studies were identified through a structured, non-systematic literature search of major databases. Depression is consistently associated with regionally specific PET alterations within cortico-limbic and cortico-striatal circuits; studies most frequently report reduced glucose-derived PET measures in prefrontal and anterior cingulate regions at baseline, with treatment responders showing relative increases or redistribution of these measures following interventions. Neurochemical PET studies demonstrate altered receptor, transporter, or enzyme-related binding in serotonergic, dopaminergic, and noradrenergic systems, while neuroinflammatory and perfusion studies reveal regionally increased PET signals in subsets of patients. Overall, PET findings indicate convergent, region-specific and neurochemical alterations associated with depressive episodes and treatment response. Interpretation is constrained by methodological and clinical heterogeneity, underscoring the need for harmonized, longitudinal PET studies. Full article

In recent decades, the burden of TB has been gradually declining; however, with the emergence of COVID-19 and ongoing political conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, the proper functioning of healthcare services and TB control programs has been jeopardized. Recently, research has emphasized the importance of hematological parameters associated with inflammation, which can be easily analyzed through routine blood tests. Combining these parameters may have predictive value for various diseases, including pulmonary tuberculosis and even help monitor the effectiveness of treatment. Since there is no single hematological or inflammatory biomarker that provides precise and dynamic information about the success or failure of treatment, identifying individual markers or sets of biomarkers with higher sensitivity and specificity is essential. This is particularly important since sputum culture conversion at two months remains insufficiently sensitive and microscopy conversion has limited sensitivity and specificity in detecting treatment failure. Also, the analysis of the impact of the standard directly observed treatment, short-course regimen on pathogenic mechanisms also focuses on how it influences the interaction between inflammation and oxidative tissue degradation, by measuring plasma levels of glutathione. Utilizing a combination of hematological, inflammatory, and antioxidant biomarkers offers significant insights into systemic inflammatory responses in pulmonary tuberculosis patients, both before commencing treatment and during the entire duration of antituberculosis therapy. Combining different inflammatory parameters into a multiple biomarker can significantly enhance the accuracy of predicting prognosis and response to antibiotic chemotherapy. Identifying an optimal combination of biomarkers with predictive value is crucial for assessing treatment response and evaluating the effectiveness of anti-TB medication. Rather than developing or testing a composite prediction model, this review summarizes reported performance metrics from individual studies and highlights priorities for future prospective validation of integrated biomarker panels. Full article

Age-related neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and mild cognitive impairment, represent a growing global health challenge. The present medicines offer only symptomatic alleviation with poor disease-modifying efficacy. Increasing data suggests that the gut–brain axis and dietary health are measurable contributions to cognitive impairment as we age. This review first focused on the mechanistic link between gut dysbiosis and neurodegeneration. Furthermore, the review discusses preclinical and clinical research that show how probiotics and dietary supplements improve brain function in the elderly using supplemental therapy methods. It also indicates that randomized clinical studies and meta-analyses suggest that probiotics and particular nutritional supplements provide modest but consistent cognitive advantages, which are most noticeable when patients receive therapy at the initial stage of their disease development. These advantages might originate from the combined impact of gut microbiota, immunological signaling, and neuroprotective pathways, rather than specific targeted approaches. Thus, the current review highlights the reports, suggesting that probiotics and dietary supplements might be effective and safe therapies for age-related neurodegeneration. Full article

Background/Objectives: Speech difficulties are an early and disabling manifestation of Parkinson’s disease (PD), affecting communication and quality of life. This study aimed to examine demographic, clinical, dopaminergic imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) correlates of speech difficulties in early PD, comparing treatment-naïve and levodopa-treated patients. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). The sample included 376 treatment-naïve and 133 levodopa-treated early PD participants. Speech difficulties were defined by Movement Disorder Society—Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part III, with Item 3.1 ≥ 1. Group comparisons and binary logistic regression identified predictors among demographic, clinical, dopaminergic and CSF biomarker variables, including [¹²³I]FP-CIT specific binding ratios (SBRs). All analyses were cross-sectional, and findings reflect associative relationships rather than treatment effects or causal mechanisms. Results: Speech difficulties were present in 44% of treatment-naïve and 57% of levodopa-treated participants. In both cohorts, higher MDS-UPDRS Part III ON scores—reflecting greater motor severity—and lower mean putamen SBR values were significant independent predictors of speech impairment. Age was an additional predictor in the treatment-naïve group. No significant differences were found in CSF biomarkers (α-synuclein, amyloid-β, tau, phosphorylated tau). These findings indicate that striatal dopaminergic loss, particularly in the putamen, and motor dysfunction relate to early PD-related speech difficulties, whereas CSF neurodegeneration markers do not differentiate affected patients. Conclusions: Speech difficulties in early PD are primarily linked to dopaminergic and motor dysfunction rather than global neurodegenerative biomarker changes. Longitudinal and multimodal studies integrating acoustic, neuroimaging, and cognitive measures are warranted to elucidate the neural basis of speech decline and inform targeted interventions. Full article

Uric acid is closely related to diseases such as gout, kidney failure, and metabolic disorders. A conventional method for measuring uric acid over 24 h is time intensive and cumbersome for patients who have to take samples to the hospital. At present, hospitals use only laboratory instruments to determine 24-h uric acid concentrations in the urine. This study presents the proof-of-concept of a portable point-of-care tool called Uricia, designed to improve the quality of life of patients monitoring uric acid. Spectrophotometry was performed at a fixed wavelength of 295 nm. The urine sample contained within the cuvette absorbs ultraviolet light, with uric acid specifically responsible for this absorption, thereby allowing the device to measure its concentration. An internal calibration algorithm was used to accommodate the nonlinear optical response of Uricia and was calibrated to a benchtop GENESYS 10S UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The experiments further evaluated potential urinary interferences, revealing that while most constituents had minimal impact, ascorbic acid demonstrated the highest interference, contributing up to 15% of the total signal at high physiological concentrations. This device and the corresponding spectrophotometry method revealed that high concentrations of uric acid precipitated insoluble crystals. A dilution set to an alkali solution vial to be premixed and dissolve the uric acid crystals was added, increasing the detection window to 10 mg/dL, with an LOD of 0.0232 mg/dL and LOQ of 0.0702 mg/dL. Cloud-based data measurement enables spot analysis, which is meant to provide insight into patient status development. These results validated the technical architecture of a controlled matrix for measuring uric acid. Full article

Objective: Visceral adipose tissue is a primary driver of insulin resistance and dysglycemia in type 2 diabetes (T2D), yet its clinical assessment remains challenging. This study aimed to validate neck circumference (NC) as a novel, practical anthropometric biomarker for estimating visceral fat area (VFA) and identifying metabolic risk in a T2D cohort, facilitating its integration into public health and primary care screening strategies. Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 1139 T2D patients, we collected data on NC, biochemical parameters (fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides), and precisely measured VFA and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) via bioelectrical impedance analysis (Omron HDS-2000). We employed Pearson’s correlation and multivariate logistic regression to analyze the relationship between NC and metabolic indicators. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to establish sex-specific NC cut-off values for predicting abnormal VFA. Results: The cohort comprised 687 (60.3%) males and 452 (39.7%) females. NC demonstrated strong positive correlations with VFA (p < 0.001), as did body mass index (BMI), waist–hip ratio (WHR), and SFA. In males, NC was further positively correlated with key metabolic biomarkers including fasting insulin, Insulin Resistance Index, triglycerides, and creatinine. ROC analysis identified NC > 39.5 cm for males and >35.5 cm for females as the optimal cut-off points for detecting abnormal visceral adiposity, highlighting its diagnostic utility. Conclusions: NC serves as a highly accessible and effective biomarker for visceral adiposity and associated metabolic dysfunction in patients with T2D. The established sex-specific cut-off values provide a simple, non-invasive tool for risk stratification in clinical and public health settings, enabling early intervention and improved management of metabolic disease. Full article

Growth factors play a significant role in the immunopathogenesis of liver diseases, especially liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The somatostatin analog octreotide has been used as treatment in advanced HCC, based on its anti-neoplastic effects in vitro. Therefore, the effect of somatostatin and octreotide was studied on several growth factors in patients with HCC. Nineteen patients with advanced HCC were treated with octreotide and compared with thirty-seven patients with viral cirrhosis (19 decompensated) treated with intravenous somatostatin for severe bleeding from portal gastropathy. Five growth factors, namely Gastrin, Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF 1), Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), Stem cell factor (SCF) and Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured in serum before and after treatment with specific commercially available ELISAs. Seventeen healthy individuals and nineteen patients with chronic viral hepatitis C (CAH) were used as pre-treatment controls. Eighteen patients with advanced Primary Biliary Cholangitis (stage III and IV) before and after Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment were also studied. Pre-treatment levels of Gastrin were significantly increased in HCC, cirrhosis and PBC but not in CAH. Levels were significantly reduced by octreotide or somatostatin but also by UDCA in PBC. By contrast, IGF1 showed a mirror image being significantly reduced in HCC, cirrhosis and PBC, but not in CAH. Post-treatment levels were reduced in all groups, but not in PBC. Levels of HGF were significantly increased in HCC and cirrhosis but not in CAH and PBC. They were further increased in HCC after treatment. SCF increased only in HCC and was reduced after octreotide but not after somatostatin treatment. VEGF was reduced in cirrhosis and CAH but not in PBC. It was not significantly increased in HCC, but it was reduced by octreotide and was increased after UDCA. In this retrospective observational study, somatostatin and its analog octreotide have a significant effect on several growth factors involved in HCC pathogenesis. Full article

Exposure to Particulate Matter (PM) is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer, and accounts for approximately seven million premature deaths globally. While governments and organizations have implemented various strategies for Air Quality (AQ) such as the deployment of Air Quality Monitoring Networks (AQMN), these networks often suffer from limited spatial coverage and involve high installation and maintenance costs. Consequently, the implementation of networks based on Low-Cost Sensors (LCS) has emerged as a viable alternative. Nevertheless, LCS systems have certain drawbacks, such as lower reading precision, which can be mitigated through specific calibration models and methods. This paper presents the results and conclusions derived from simultaneous PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 monitoring comparisons between LCS nodes and a T640X reference sensor. Additionally, Relative Humidity (RH), temperature, and absorption flow measurements were collected via an Automet meteorological station. The monitoring equipment was installed at the Faculty of Environment of the Universidad Distrital in Bogotá. The LCS calibration process began with data preprocessing, which involved filtering, segmentation, and the application of FastDTW. Subsequently, calibration was performed using a variety of models, including two statistical approaches, three Machine Learning algorithms, and one Deep Learning model. The findings highlight the critical importance of applying FastDTW during preprocessing and the necessity of incorporating RH, temperature, and absorption flow factors to enhance accuracy. Furthermore, the study concludes that Random Forest and XGBoost offered the highest performance among the methods evaluated. While satellites map city-wide patterns and MAX-DOAS enables hourly source attribution, our calibrated LCS network supplies continuous, street-scale data at low CAPEX/OPEX—forming a practical backbone for sustained micro-scale monitoring in Bogotá. Full article

This study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) in the Aegean Region of Türkiye. Using a questionnaire-based approach, this study intends to fill the gaps in existing knowledge regarding the prevalence and determinants of these infections. A retrospective analysis of 781 dogs presented to Aydın Adnan Menderes University Small Animal Clinic from 2019 to 2024 was conducted. Among these, 205 dogs were confirmed to have at least one CVBD using rapid diagnostic tests (SNAP 4DX PLUS and SNAP Leishmania) with confirmatory methods. Data on dog demographics, lifestyle, and environmental exposure were collected using structured questionnaires. Prevalence rates were calculated based on the at-risk population, and logistic regression determined associations between risk factors and disease occurrence. Overall CVBD prevalence was 26.3%, with Ehrlichiosis (9.9%) and Leishmaniasis (7.4%) being the most common infections. Co-infections were present in 8.3% of cases. Geographical factors significantly influenced infection rates, particularly in Aydın compared to İzmir and Muğla, while demographics like age, breed size, gender, and outdoor activity had no significant impact. This highlights the necessity for region-specific control measures and the need for consistent adherence to preventive protocols to mitigate CVBD prevalence in high-risk areas. Full article

Background/Objectives: Differential diagnosis between Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) can be sometimes difficult resulting in the diagnosis of unspecified inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD-U). Data suggest that IgG antibodies against integrin αvβ6 (V6 Ab) help to identify UC patients. Recent studies suggest that measuring V6 Ab serum levels may be valuable for differential diagnostic purposes. The primary objective of the study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of V6 Ab serum-level measurement in our IBD population to differentiate between colonic/ileocolonic CD and UC with an established diagnosis. Furthermore, we assessed the correlation between disease characteristics, activity and V6 Ab serum levels in UC patients. Methods: Consecutive IBD patients with an established diagnosis undergoing control colonoscopy in a tertiary IBD center were included. Baseline demographic data, current treatment, disease extent, clinical, biomarker, endoscopic and histologic disease activity were collected. V6 Ab serum levels were measured with the Anti-Integrin αvβ6 ELISA Kit (RUO). Patients’ written informed consent was obtained. Results: A total of 40 IBD patients, including 10 CD and 30 UC patients (15 with clinical activity and 15 in clinical remission) were enrolled. V6 Ab serum levels were significantly higher in UC patients compared to CD (p = 0.039). ROC analysis found 1.33 U/mL to be the best cut-off level (p = 0.04; AUC: 0.71) with 100% sensitivity and 50% specificity and a positive predictive value of 85.7% and a negative predictive value of 100% to differentiate between UC and CD. No significant correlation was found between V6 Ab serum levels and CRP (p = 0.057), fecal calprotectin (p = 0.77), endoscopic activity (p = 0.624) or disease extent (p = 0.624) in UC patients. Conclusions: Our study supports the value of V6 Ab serum level measurement as a differential diagnostic tool in IBD patients; however, the optimal cut-off value is yet to be determined. Our data do not support its role in disease activity monitoring. Full article

Background: Knee osteoarthritis causes considerable pain and disability. Telerehabilitation has emerged as a promising treatment option, especially after the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic, but it still faces challenges regarding solid scientific evidence about its multiple benefits. This systematic review aimed to analyze the reported beneficial effects of telerehabilitation based on therapeutic exercise for the management of knee osteoarthritis. Methodsː PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were used to identify eligible studies. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered at PROSPERO (n° CRD42024579836). The selected studies underwent a qualitative assessment using the Modified Jadad Score. Results: Ten studies, including a total of 1354 participants, were included. From the selected studies, a wide variety of outcome measures emerged to evaluate the efficacy of telerehabilitation in the relief of pain and its clinical consequences. Seven studies specifically assessed pain, with four showing significant improvements in pain reduction in the intervention group compared with the control group. Telerehabilitation was found to be more effective or non-inferior to traditional rehabilitation in relieving pain, as reported across various pain scales. Limitations include the heterogeneity of interventions, the exclusion of non-recent studies, and the exclusive focus on therapeutic exercise. Conclusionsː The results of this systematic review suggest that telerehabilitation provides pain relief, improves physical function, and enhances quality of life, while preliminary evidence indicates potential cost-related advantages. However, some studies did not find TR to be superior to control interventions, highlighting mixed evidence. Additional high-quality studies are required to better support this promising rehabilitation approach. Full article

With the progress of global aging, osteoporosis, as a systemic bone disease, has become an increasingly serious public health problem. Osteoporosis has an insidious onset, and the fractures it causes have a high rate of disability and mortality. Early diagnosis and intervention of the disease are particularly important. Currently, diagnostic methods for osteoporosis, such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and bone turnover markers (BTM), all have their limitations. miRNA is a type of non-coding RNA that plays a role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. A large number of studies have shown that miRNA is involved in the formation and functional execution of osteoblasts. The differential expression of miRNA levels can effectively distinguish osteoporosis patients from normal individuals, and miRNA detection has the advantages of simple sample collection, non-invasive measurement, specificity for bone metabolism, correct correlation with standard techniques for bone remodeling analysis, and the ability to respond to the treatment of diseases affecting bone metabolism. This makes miRNAs potentially effective diagnostic markers for osteoporosis. This article aims to summarize our current understanding of miRNA regulation of osteoblast generation and function, and we will also discuss the potential value of these miRNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Full article

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality worldwide. Accurate and non-invasive quantification of coronary hemodynamics, namely in the right coronary artery (RCA), is essential for clinical decision-making but remains challenging due to the complex interaction among vessel geometry, pulsatile flow, and blood rheology. This study presents and validates a transparent computational framework for non-invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) estimation using patient-specific RCA geometries reconstructed from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) using SimVascular 27-03-2023. The proposed workflow integrates realistic boundary conditions through a Womersley velocity profile and a three-element Windkessel outlet model, coupled with a viscoelastic blood rheology formulation (sPTT) implemented via user-defined functions (UDFs). This work integrates all clinically relevant conditions of invasive FFR assessment into a single patient-specific computational framework, while delivering results within a time frame compatible with clinical practice, representing a meaningful methodological advance. The methodology was applied to seven patient-specific cases, and the resulting non-invasive FFR values were compared with both invasive wire-based measurements and commercial HeartFlow^® outputs (Mountain View, CA, USA). Under hyperemic conditions, the computed FFR values showed strong agreement with invasive references, with a mean relative error of 8.4% ± 6.3%, showing diagnostic consistency similar to that of HeartFlow^® (8.3% ± 8.1%) for the selected dataset. These findings demonstrate the ability of the proposed CFD-based pipeline to accurately replicate physiological coronary behavior under hyperemia. This novel workflow provides a fully on-site, open-source, reproducible, and cost-effective framework. Ultimately, this study advances the clinical applicability of non-invasive CFD tools for the functional assessment of CAD, particularly in the RCA. Full article

Cytokine and chemokine profiling is central to understanding inflammatory processes and the mechanisms driving diverse diseases. We introduce InCytokine, an open-source tool for semiquantitative analysis of cytokine and chemokine data generated by protein array technologies. InCytokine features robust and modular image-processing workflows, including automated spot detection, template alignment, normalization, quality control measures, and quantitative intensity summarization to deliver consistent and reliable readouts from profiling assays. We evaluated InCytokine by profiling wild-type microglia, TREM2 knockout, and Alzheimer’s disease-associated TREM2 R47H variant cells in response to lipopolysaccharide and sulfatide exposure. Differential expression analysis revealed unique sulfatide-specific and genotype-specific cytokine signatures in TREM2 variants. We also report an intriguing modulation of DPP4 and a divergent expression pattern of ENA-78 in TREM2 variants in response to lipopolysaccharide and sulfatide treatment. Such distinct expression signatures raise the possibility that TREM2 variants may play a role in modulating inflammatory signaling relevant to cardio-metabolic and Alzheimer’s disease. These signatures were corroborated using transcriptional profiling of the same microglia cells, revealing also a good concordance between protein array and RNA sequencing technologies. Taken together, InCytokine is an interactive, user-friendly web application for rapid, reproducible, and scalable analysis of protein array data, proven to generate meaningful insights for drug and biomarker discovery campaigns in pharmaceutical settings. Full article

Objectives: We aimed to assess sex differences in benefits from cardiac rehabilitation and the impact of comorbidities. Methods: We analyzed 3239 individuals with cardiovascular diseases (81.2% males) who participated in a three-week cardiac rehabilitation program at Bad Schallerbach center (Upper Austria). Training success was measured by maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂ max). Sex-specific differences in baseline characteristics were assessed using t-tests/chi² tests. Associations between covariates and the outcome were evaluated with baseline-adjusted univariate analysis of variance/linear regression models. Covariates significant at α = 0.05 were included in a multivariable linear regression model, which was refined by backward selection based on the best Akaike information criterion. The final model was used to test the relationship between sex and the outcome. Results: The mean age and BMI were 63.9 years and 27.5 kg/m² for males and 67.2 years and 27.4 kg/m² for females. Males had higher baseline VO₂ max compared to females (26.18 mL/min/kg vs. 23.55 mL/min/kg, p < 0.001), and a greater change in VO₂ max after rehabilitation was seen in males compared to females (3.64 mL/min/kg vs. 2.77 mL/min/kg, p < 0.001). Female sex was associated with a 1.4-point-lower change in VO₂ max after adjustment for comorbidities, sex, and training intensity (β coefficients = −1.409; CI 95% −0.410, −0.104; p < 0.001). Heart valve surgery (β coefficients = −0.90; CI 95% −1.444, −0.366; p < 0.001) and diabetes mellitus (β coefficients = −1.207; CI 95% −1.926, −0.488; p < 0.0001) were associated with lower changes in VO₂ max in both sexes. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that females and individuals with specific comorbidities benefit less from cardiac rehabilitation and support the creation of personalized rehabilitation programs. Full article