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Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern. This study aimed to investigate the role of ALU-based cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC. Methods: We selected relevant literature from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Science Direct databases based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. 17 eligible studies were included in the final analysis (13 studies for diagnostic and 4 studies for prognostic meta-analysis). The search covered relevant publications up to July 1, 2024. Results: The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) of ALU-based cfDNA in CRC diagnosis were 0.81 (95% CI= [0.70, 0.89]), 0.90 (95% CI= [0.70, 0.96]), and 40.58 (95% CI= [17.87, 92.19]), respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.92 (95% CI= [0.89, 0.94]). Patients with higher concentrations of plasma/serum ALU-based cfDNA had poorer overall survival (OS) (pooled hazard ratio = 2.33 ([95% CI= [1.80, 3.03]). Conclusion: The current evidence supports the utility of circulating ALU as a promising non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tool for CRC. Furthermore, as a potential biomarker, ALU-based cfDNA could play a significant role in clinical application. Clinical implications: The evidence suggests that circulating ALU-based cell-free DNA (cfDNA) holds promise as a non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tool for colorectal cancer, potentially enhancing clinical decision-making. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier PROSPERO (CRD42023486369). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. The present review was conducted to accumulate evidence on the relationship between cervicovaginal human papillomavirus infection and serum vitamin D status. Methods: Electronic databases including Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and PubMed were searched by different combinations of keywords related to "human papillomavirus" and "vitamin D", obtained from Mesh and Emtree with AND, and OR operators without any time restriction until December 24, 2022. Selection of articles was based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist was applied for reporting. Results: In total, 276 citations were retrieved. After removing duplicates, and non-related articles, the full texts of 7 articles were reviewed including 11168 participants. Three studies reported that there was a positive relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cervicovaginal human papillomavirus while three studies did not. One study showed a significant positive association between higher vitamin D stores and short-term high-risk human papillomavirus persistence. Conclusions: The findings showed no firm evidence for any association between serum vitamin D level and cervicovaginal human papillomavirus infection, although the possible association could not be discarded. Further investigations are needed to reach sound evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Due to the capabilities of the mobile application in the self-care of patients, the present study was conducted to design and evaluate a mobile-based self-care application for patients with liver cirrhosis. Background: Liver cirrhosis is a progressive and chronic disease that, if left untreated, leads to liver cancer and, finally, the death of the patient. Methods: This study was conducted in six phases, including determining and confirming the validity of the minimum data set and capabilities for the application, designing a conceptual and logical model and determining the technical capabilities, designing the application, evaluating the prototype usability in a laboratory environment by technical experts, evaluation of the application usability in a real environment by 30 patients with QUIS (Questionnaire of User Interface Satisfaction) questionnaire. Results: The designed application has capabilities such as calculating the patient's MELD score (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease), medication reminder, location in emergency, and conversation with the physician. The results showed that the patients evaluated the application with a score of 7.94 (out of 9 points) at a good level. Conclusion: The self-care application can help patients with liver cirrhosis and their families access the necessary information related to the special care of the patient at any time and place; it also helps better manage the patient's life, improve the quality of life, and monitor the patient. These applications can effectively manage chronic diseases by reducing the burden of referrals and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a gut-derived incretin hormone, plays a pivotal role in glucose-induced insulin secretion. Currently, the role of incretin hormones in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis is not clearly defined. This study aimed to investigate circulating levels of GLP-1 in liver cirrhosis and its association with the severity of liver disease. A total of 80 participants including 39 patients with a definite diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and 41 healthy controls recruited in this cross-sectional study. Circulating levels of GLP-1 were determined using the ELISA method. The severity of liver cirrhosis was assessed according to the Child-Pugh, MELD (i), MELD-Na, MELD New, and UK end-stage liver disease score (UKELD) criteria. The mean age of patients and healthy subjects was 42.51 ± 12.80 and 42.07 ± 10.92 years, respectively (p value =.869). The mean MELD (i), MELD-Na, MELD New, UKELD, and Child-Pugh scores were 14.36 ± 4.26, 15.26 ± 4.81, 14.74 ± 4.66, 52.33 ± 3.82, and 7.28 ± 1.50, respectively. In this study, circulating levels of GLP-1 were statistically lower in cirrhotic patients compared with healthy controls (95.26 ± 17.15 vs 111.84 ± 38.14 pg/mL; p value =.017). Larger prospective studies are needed to explore the incretin effect in cirrhosis patients compared with healthy individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The footprint of Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) / ERbB4 in the pathophysiology of some neurological disorders and TRPV1 regulation has been indicated. The alterations in NRG1 and ErbB4 as well as the TRPV1 signaling pathway were investigated during the development of absence epilepsy in the genetic animal model of absence epilepsy. Methods: Male WAG/Rij and Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups of two and six months of age. The protein levels of NRG1, ERbB4, and TRPV1 were measured in the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus. Results: The cortical protein levels of NRG1 and ErbB4 in the 6-month-old WAG/Rij rats were lower than in Wistar rats. Protein levels of TRPV1 were lower in two- and six-month-old WAG/Rij rats compared to age-matched Wistar rats. Hippocampal protein levels of NRG1 in 6-month-old WAG/Rij rats were lower than two-month-old WAG/Rij rats. Low levels of ErbB4 protein in two-month-old and high levels in six-month-old WAG/Rij rats were found compared to Wistar rats. Protein levels of TRPV1 were lower in the two-month-old and higher in the six-month-old WAG/Rij rats compared to age-matched Wistar rats. Furthermore, a high correlation between NRG1/ERbB4 and TRPV1 expressions in the cortex and hippocampus was indicated. The expression of NRG1/ERbB4 and TRPV1 followed a similar pattern during the life span of Wistar and WAG/Rij rats. Conclusion: Our findings indicated the potential role of the NRG1/ErbB4 pathway as well as TRPV1 in the pathogenesis of absence epilepsy. The regulatory effect of the ERbB4 receptor on the TRPV1 expression has been suggested following the similar pattern of expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): The mechanisms of rabies evasion and immunological interactions with the host defense have not been completely elucidated. Here, we evaluated the dynamic changes in the number of astrocytes, microglial and neuronal cells in the brain following intramuscular (IM) and intracerebral (IC) inoculations of street rabies virus (SRV). Materials and Methods: The SRV isolated from a jackal and CVS-11 were used to establish infection in NMRI-female mice. The number of astrocytes (by expression of GFAP), microglial (by Iba1), and neuronal cells (by MAP-2) in the brain following IM and IC inoculations of SRV were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and H & E staining 7 to 30 days post-infection. Results: Increased numbers of astrocytes and microglial cells in dead mice infected by SRV via both IC and IM routes were recorded. The number of neuronal cells in surviving mice was decreased only in IC-infected mice, while in the dead group, this number was decreased by both routes. The risk of death in SRV-infected mice was approximately 3 times higher than in the CVS-11 group. In IC-inoculated mice, viral dilution was the only influential factor in mortality, while the type of strain demonstrated a significant impact on the mortality rate in IM inoculations. Results: Increased numbers of astrocytes and microglial cells in dead mice infected by SRV via both IC and IM routes were recorded. The number of neuronal cells in surviving mice was decreased only in IC-infected mice, while in the dead group, this number was decreased by both routes. The risk of death in SRV-infected mice was approximately 3 times higher than in the CVS-11 group. In IC-inoculated mice, viral dilution was the only influential factor in mortality, while the type of strain demonstrated a significant impact on the mortality rate in IM inoculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]