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The exploration into nanomaterial-based nonenzymatic biosensors with superb performance in terms of good sensitivity and anti-interference ability in disease marker monitoring has always attained undoubted priority in sensing systems. In this work, we report the design and synthesis of a highly active nanocatalyst, i.e., palladium and platinum nanoparticles (Pt&Pd-NPs) decorated ultrathin nanoporous gold (NPG) film, which is modified on a homemade graphene paper (GP) to develop a high-performance freestanding and flexible nanohybrid electrode. Owing to the structural characteristics the robust GP electrode substrate, and high electrochemically catalytic activities and durability of the permeable NPG support and ultrafine and high-density Pt&Pd-NPs on it, the resultant Pt&Pd-NPs–NPG/GP electrode exhibits excellent sensing performance of low detection limitation, high sensitivity and anti-interference capability, good reproducibility and long-term stability for the detection of small molecular biomarkers hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and glucose (Glu), and has been applied to the monitoring of H2O2 in different types of live cells and Glu in body fluids such as urine and fingertip blood, which is of great significance for the clinical diagnosis and prognosis in point-of-care testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Blood clots are formed when blood vessels are injured. They help stop bleeding and heal wounds, but can also cause serious problems if they block blood flow or break off and travel to other organs. This study investigates how blood clots differ in people with cancer compared to healthy or non-cancerous individuals. This study found that cancer patients have higher levels of histones in their blood, which make their clots stiffer and resistant to lysis. Further, clots formed in cancer patients have higher viscoelastic properties, and hence are harder to break down. These findings suggest that cancer patients have abnormal clotting properties that may increase their risk of developing thrombosis, and evaluating these properties can be helpful in detecting cancer. Background: Blood viscoelasticity and plasma protein levels can play an important role in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. However, the role of histones and DNA in modulating blood clot properties remains to be investigated. This study investigates the differences in blood viscoelasticity and plasma protein levels among cancer patients, individuals with other diseases, and healthy individuals. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 101 participants, including 45 cancer patients, 22 healthy individuals, and 34 individuals with other diseases. Rheological properties of clots formed in vitro by reconstituted elements of fibrinogen or plasma were analyzed with an Anton Paar Rheometer, USA. Plasma protein levels of D-dimer, TPA, EPCR, fibrinogen, and histone H3 were measured through ELISA. Blood clots were formed with or without DNA and histones (H3) by adding thrombin and calcium to plasma samples, and were evaluated for viscoelasticity, permeability, and degradation. Results: Cancer patients show higher blood viscoelasticity and plasma D-dimer levels compared to healthy individuals and individuals with other diseases. Our in vitro analysis showed that the addition of histone to the plasma results in a significant decrease in viscoelasticity and mean fiber thickness of the clot formed thereafter. In parallel studies, using plasma from patients, DNA and histones were detected in fibrin clots and were associated with less degradation by t-PA. Moreover, our results show that the presence of DNA and histones not only increases clots' permeability, but also makes them more prone to degradation. Conclusions: Plasma histones and DNA affect the structure of the clot formed and induce defective fibrinolysis. Moreover, the increased viscoelastic properties of plasma from cancer patients can be used as potential biomarkers in cancer prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Detecting total cholesterol in dried blood spots could aid in identifying individuals with a high likelihood of familial hypercholesterolemia and could be used as a screening measure. This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of dried blood spots on Whatman 903 paper cards using a manual enzymatic technique. Methods: A total of 394 samples were collected as serum and dried blood spots were compared. Cholesterol was determined in serum using the automated reference method, while cholesterol on paper was measured using a manual enzymatic method. Within- and between-day diagnostic variability were analyzed. The correlation between both methods was assessed using Passing–Bablok regression and Bland–Altman plot. Internal validation of our correlation formula was performed on 149 samples, along with external validation of the formula proposed by Corso et al. Results: The within- and between-day coefficient of variation was found to be lower than 10.14% and 14.09%, respectively. Passing–Bablok regression indicated a precision of 0.803 and an accuracy of 0.96. Internal validation precision was measured at 0.716. The resulting positive and negative predicted values were 0.77 and 0.92, respectively, vs. 0.46 and 0.96 from the external formula. Conclusions: Total cholesterol analysis in dried blood spots demonstrates high precision and reproducibility. This method reliably enables the incorporation of this biological marker into neonatal screening for familial hypercholesterolemia detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,6-pyridine dicarboxylic acid (DPA) is an exceptional biomarker of notorious anthrax spores. Therefore, the rapid, sensitive, and selective quantitative detection of DPA is extremely significant and urgent. This paper reports a Zn(II) metal–organic framework with the formula of {[Zn6(NDA)6(DPBT)3] 2H2O·3DMF}n (MOF-1), which consists of 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (2,6-NDA), 4,7-di(4-pyridyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (DPBT), and Zn(II) ions. Structural analysis indicated that MOF-1 is a three-dimensional (3D) network which crystallized in the monoclinic system with the C2/c space group, revealing high pH, solvent, and thermal stability. Luminescence sensing studies demonstrated that MOF-1 had the potential to be a highly selective, sensitive, and recyclable fluorescence sensor for the identification of DPA. Furthermore, fluorescent test paper was made to detect DPA promptly with color changes. The enhancement mechanism was established by the hydrogen-bonding interaction and photoinduced electron transfer transition between MOF-1 and DPA molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable biosensors are attracting great interest thanks to their high potential for providing clinical-diagnostic information in real time, exploiting non-invasive sampling of biofluids. In this context, sweat has been demonstrated to contain physiologically relevant biomarkers, even if it has not been exhaustively exploited till now. This biofluid has started to gain attention thanks to the applications offered by wearable biosensors, as it is easily collectable and can be used for continuous monitoring of some parameters. Several studies have reported electrochemical and optical biosensing strategies integrated with flexible, biocompatible, and innovative materials as platforms for biospecific recognition reactions. Furthermore, sampling systems as well as the transport of fluids by microfluidics have been implemented into portable and compact biosensors to improve the wearability of the overall analytical device. In this review, we report and discuss recent pioneering works about the development of sweat sensing technologies, focusing on opportunities and open issues that can be decisive for their applications in routine-personalized healthcare practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweat, commonly referred to as the ultrafiltrate of blood plasma, is an essential physiological fluid in the human body. It contains a wide range of metabolites, electrolytes, and other biologically significant markers that are closely linked to human health. Compared to other bodily fluids, such as blood, sweat offers distinct advantages in terms of ease of collection and non-invasive detection. In recent years, considerable attention has been focused on wearable sweat sensors due to their potential for continuous monitoring of biomarkers. Electrochemical methods have been extensively used for in situ sweat biomarker analysis, as thoroughly reviewed by various researchers. This comprehensive review aims to provide an overview of recent advances in non-electrochemical methods for analyzing sweat, including colorimetric methods, fluorescence techniques, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and more. The review covers multiple aspects of non-electrochemical sweat analysis, encompassing sweat sampling methodologies, detection techniques, signal processing, and diverse applications. Furthermore, it highlights the current bottlenecks and challenges faced by non-electrochemical sensors, such as limitations and interference issues. Finally, the review concludes by offering insights into the prospects for non-electrochemical sensing technologies. By providing a valuable reference and inspiring researchers engaged in the field of sweat sensor development, this paper aspires to foster the creation of innovative and practical advancements in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discogenic low back pain (LBP) is a significant clinical condition arising from degeneration of the intervertebral disc, a common yet complex cause of chronic pain, defined by fissuring in the annulus fibrosus resulting in vascularization of growing granulation tissue and growth of nociceptive nerve fibers along the laceration area. This paper delves into the anatomical and pathophysiological underpinnings of discogenic LBP, emphasizing the role of intervertebral disc degeneration in the onset of pain. The pathogenesis is multifactorial, involving processes like mitochondrial dysfunction, accumulation of advanced glycation end products, and pyroptosis, all contributing to disc degeneration and subsequent pain. Despite its prevalence, diagnosing discogenic LBP is challenging due to the overlapping symptoms with other forms of LBP and the absence of definitive diagnostic criteria. Current diagnostic approaches include clinical evaluations, imaging techniques, and the exploration of potential biomarkers. Treatment strategies range from conservative management, such as physical therapy and pharmacological interventions, to more invasive procedures such as spinal injections and surgery. Emerging therapies targeting molecular pathways involved in disc degeneration are under investigation and hold potential for future clinical application. This paper highlights the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach combining clinical, imaging, and molecular data to enhance the accuracy of diagnosis and the effectiveness of treatment for discogenic LBP, ultimately aiming to improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Challenges and threats to global security and the growing demands of today's society lead to significantly increased exposure to stress. Stress can negatively affect numerous physiological processes, including metabolic changes. An unhealthy lifestyle might intensify this disruption. The aim of the systematic review was to establish the effect of psychological stress on metabolic and anthropometric factors in healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines; and the risk of bias (ROB) assessment was based on the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). A literature search of the MEDLINE/PubMed database was conducted using specific search terms. Results: We identified 32 articles meeting the inclusion criteria for the review with the different experimental designs and aims. Most of the papers were at high ROB. The included studies were conducted in groups of adults and children/teenagers. The most-often-applied tool to measure stress severity was the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Twenty-two studies analyzed the connection between stress and body composition, and bioimpedance analysis (BIA) was the most often used method. For biological parameters, the most frequently analyzed was cortisol (n = 9). The other examined factors included glucose, insulin, parameters related to food intake regulation, carbohydrates, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress. The included studies were incompliance in relation to the assessment method and type of assessed biological fluids. Conclusions: The vast majority of studies do not support the effect of chronic distress on anthropometric measurements and biological markers levels. However, many of them suggest adverse, synergistic effects of unhealthy lifestyle patterns and the stress on the examined variables. Further experiments should implement a similar and repeatable methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, heart failure, and hypertension. This systematic review aims to integrate most relevant studies on oxidative stress management in cardiovascular diseases. We searched relevant literatures in the PubMed database using specific keywords. We put emphasis on those manuscripts that were published more recently and in higher impact journals. We reviewed a total of 200 articles. We examined current oxidative stress managements in cardiovascular diseases, including supplements like resveratrol, vitamins C and E, omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, and coenzyme-10, which have shown antioxidative properties and potential cardiovascular benefits. In addition, we reviewed the pharmacological treatments including newly discovered antioxidants and nanoparticles that show potential effects in targeting the specific oxidative stress pathways. Lastly, we examined biomarkers, such as soluble transferrin receptor, transthyretin, and cystatin C in evaluating antioxidant status and identifying cardiovascular risk. By addressing oxidative stress management and mechanisms, this paper emphasizes the importance of maintaining the balance between oxidants and antioxidants in the progression of cardiovascular diseases. This review paper is registered with the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (INPLASY), registration # INPLASY202470064. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common malignancy that, despite scientific advancements, has not seen an improvement in its prognosis in the last decades. Few promising predictive markers have been found and none are relevant in clinical practice. p16ink4a, an oncosuppressor protein involved in cell cycle arrest, with a prognostic impact on other cancers, has been widely used in the head and neck region as a surrogate marker of HPV infection. Published papers and recent meta-analyses seem to minimize the biological role of HPV in the context of LSCC's cancerogenesis, and to disprove the reliability of p16ink4a as a surrogate prognostic marker in this context, while still highlighting its potential role as an independent predictor of survival. Unfortunately, the available literature, in particular during the last two decades, is often not focused on its potential role as an independent biomarker and few relevant data are found in papers mainly focused on HPV. The available data suggest that future research should focus specifically on p16ink4a, taking into account both its potential inactivation and overexpression, different patterns of staining, and immunohistochemistry cutoffs, and should focus not on its potential role as a surrogate marker but on its independent role as a predictor of survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Achieving improved rates of overall survival remains a significant challenge in advanced-stage ovarian cancer; even if complete debulking is achieved, certain patients report poor results in terms of survival. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to investigate new prognostic markers that could point out which cases could benefit most from debulking surgery and which ones should be rather submitted to neoadjuvant therapies followed by debulking surgery. Background: Despite improving surgical techniques and achieving more often complete debulking procedures, certain patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer still have a very poor prognosis. The aim of the current paper is to investigate whether inflammatory and nutritional status can predict the long-term outcomes of ovarian cancer patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 57 cases diagnosed with advanced-stage ovarian cancer submitted to surgery as first intent therapy was carried out. In all cases, the preoperative status was determined by calculating the CRP/albumin ratio, as well as the Glasgow score, the modified Glasgow score and the prognostic nutritional index. Results: Patients presenting higher values of the CRP/albumin ratio, with a higher Glasgow score, modified Glasgow score and prognostic nutritional index (PNI), were more frequently associated with incomplete debulking surgery, a higher peritoneal carcinomatosis index and poorer overall survival (20 months versus 9 months for the CRP/albumin ratio p = 0.011, 42 versus 27 versus 12 months for the Glasgow score p = 0.042, 50 versus 19 versus 12 months for the modified Glasgow score, p = 0.001, and 54 months versus 21 months, p = 0.011 for the prognostic nutritional index). Conclusions: A strong relationship between the nutritional and inflammatory status in advanced-stage ovarian cancer seems to exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermediate filaments are one of three polymeric structures that form the cytoskeleton of epithelial cells. In the epithelium, these filaments are made up of a variety of keratin proteins. Intermediate filaments complete a wide range of functions in keratinocytes, including maintaining cell structure, cell growth, cell proliferation, cell migration, and more. Given that these functions are intimately associated with the carcinogenic process, and that hyperkeratinization is a quintessential feature of oral leukoplakias, the utility of keratins in oral leukoplakia is yet to be fully explored. This scoping review aims to outline the current knowledge founded on original studies on human tissues regarding the expression and utility of keratins as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers in oral leukoplakias. After using a search strategy developed for several scientific databases, namely, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and OVID, 42 papers met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. One more article was added when it was identified through manually searching the list of references. The included papers were published between 1989 and 2024. Keratins 1–20 were investigated in the 43 included studies, and their expression was assessed in oral leukoplakia and dysplasia cases. Only five studies investigated the prognostic role of keratins in relation to malignant transformation. No studies evaluated keratins as a diagnostic adjunct or predictive tool. Evidence supports the idea that dysplasia disrupts the terminal differentiation pathway of primary keratins. Gain of keratin 17 expression and loss of keratin 13 were significantly observed in differentiated epithelial dysplasia. Also, the keratin 19 extension into suprabasal cells has been associated with the evolving features of dysplasia. The loss of keratin1/keratin 10 has been significantly associated with high-grade dysplasia. The prognostic value of cytokeratins has shown conflicting results, and further studies are required to ascertain their role in predicting the malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This literature review looks at Sjogren's Syndrome (SS), a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting exocrine glands, particularly the lacrimal and salivary glands. SS manifests as ocular and oral dryness, with severe complications like visual dysfunction and corneal perforation, as well as systemic implications, such as interstitial lung disease and lymphoma. This review explores the use of tear film biomarkers to diagnose SS, emphasizing the significance of their identification in aiding clinical diagnosis and differentiation from other diseases. This study identified and analyzed 15 papers, encompassing 1142 patients and employing various tear sample collection methods. Tear biomarkers were categorized by function and explored in-depth. Categories include (1) antimicrobials, antivirals, and antifungals; (2) components of immune regulation; (3) components that regulate metabolic processes; and (4) inflammatory markers. Noteworthy findings include the potential diagnostic values of tear lysozyme, lactoferrin, dinucleoside polyphosphates, cathepsin, defensin, antibodies, epidermal fatty acid-binding protein, HLA-DR, ADAM10, aquaporin 5, and various miRNAs and mRNAs. Overall, our understanding of SS tear film composition is enhanced, providing valuable insights into the pathogenesis of SS and offering a foundation for future diagnostic and therapeutic advancements in autoimmune conditions affecting the ocular surface.

Regenerating Family Member 3 Alpha (REG3A) is an antimicrobial protein secreted by the intestine and pancreas with additional immunomodulatory properties. Previously, we published that REG3A expression in ischemic stroke patient systemic blood, during mechanical thrombectomy (MT), is significantly associated with inflammatory cytokines and patient function on admission. This paper, however, did not investigate post-acute death rates. Therefore, we investigated plasma REG3A protein expression, during MT, in patients (n = 141) that survived or died within the end of the follow-up after MT. Subjects who died had significantly higher systemic plasma REG3A levels at the time of MT compared to survivors ( p = 0.001). Age, sex, time from last known normal, and admission NIHSS were included as predictors to control for confounding variables and were all examined to determine their association in patient mortality. Logistic regression was used to demonstrate that higher odds of death were associated with increased REG3A levels ( p = 0.002). REG3A demonstrated acceptable discrimination (AUC (95% CI): 0.669 (0.566-0.772) in predicting mortality. The overall model with age, sex, time from last known normal, and admission NIHSS discriminated well between survivors and those who died (AUC (95% CI): 0.784 (0.703-0.864)). In conclusion, REG3A could be promising as a biomarker to prognosticate stroke outcomes and stratify high-risk groups following acute ischemic stroke.

Diagnostic biomarkers play a critical role in biomedical research, particularly for the diagnosis and prediction of diseases, etc. To enhance diagnostic accuracy, extensive research about combining multiple biomarkers has been developed based on the multivariate normality, which is often not true in practice, as most biomarkers follow distributions that deviate from normality. While the likelihood ratio combination is recognized to be the optimal approach, it is complicated to calculate. To achieve a more accurate and effective combination of biomarkers, especially when these biomarkers deviate from normality, we propose using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve methodology based on the optimal combination of elliptically distributed biomarkers. In this paper, we derive the ROC curve function for the elliptical likelihood ratio combination. Further, proceeding from the derived best combinations of biomarkers, we propose an efficient technique via nonparametric maximum likelihood estimate (NPMLE) to build empirical estimation. Simulation results show that the proposed elliptical combination method consistently provided better performance, demonstrating its robustness in handling various distribution types of biomarkers. We apply the proposed method to two real datasets: Autism/autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neural tube defects (NTD). In both applications, the elliptical likelihood ratio combination improves the AUC value compared to the multivariate normal likelihood ratio combination and the best linear combination.

Introduction: Tryptase is an important biomarker widely used in the laboratory confirmation of severe hypersensitivity reactions, especially anaphylaxis. It also plays a crucial role in the diagnosis, risk stratification, management and prognostic evaluation of many other mast cell-related conditions. Aim: This paper aims to highlight the role of serum tryptase, both in allergic disorders and other mast cell-related conditions. Two clinical cases regarding timely serum tryptase acquisition (in drug hypersensitivity reactions during the imaging procedure and perioperative anaphylaxis) are meant to emphasize the clinical potential of this protease. Method: We performed a comprehensive literature search of the PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases. From a total of 640 subject related publications, dating from 1940 to 2024, 45 articles written in English were selected. Literature search results: Total serum tryptase is a simple, cost-effective analysis with a normal baseline tryptase (sBT) level below 8.4 µg/L. Elevated sBT can indicate hereditary alpha-tryptasemia (HαT), mastocytosis and other non-allergic disorders. Patients with higher sBT levels, especially with insect venom allergy, have an increased risk of severe reactions and thereby require a prolonged treatment. All immediate systemic hypersensitivity reactions require a correlation between serum acute tryptase (sAT) and sBT. According to the guidelines, measuring sAT 30 min to 2 h after the symptom onset and sBT 24 h after the resolution, using the 20 + 2 rule and an sAT/sBT ratio of 1.685, improves the diagnostic accuracy in anaphylaxis. Conclusions: Tryptase levels should be acquired in all cases with clinical suspicion of MC degranulation. Given the increasing clinical relevance, elevated baseline serum tryptase levels require a multidisciplinary approach and further investigation.

Obesity-related ciliopathies, as a group of ciliopathies including Alström Syndrome and Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, exhibit distinct genetic and phenotypic variability. The understanding of these diseases is highly significant for understanding the functions of primary cilia in the human body, particularly regarding the relationship between obesity and primary cilia. The diagnosis of these diseases primarily relies on clinical presentation and genetic testing. However, there is a significant lack of research on biomarkers to elucidate the variability in clinical manifestations, disease progression, prognosis, and treatment responses. Through an extensive literature review, the paper focuses on obesity-related ciliopathies, reviewing the advancements in the field and highlighting the potential roles of biomarkers in the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and prognosis of these diseases.

Simple Summary: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer therapy and improved clinical outcomes. Immunotherapy is now increasingly combined with chemotherapy and other conventional treatments, such as radiation therapy, as part of the multimodal treatment of earlier-stage cancers. Although generally well tolerated and capable of inducing long-lasting responses, immunotherapy for thymic epithelial tumors can be challenging due to defects in immune self-tolerance, which increase the risk of immune-mediated toxicity. In order to improve the safety of immunotherapy and maximize clinical benefit in patients with thymic cancers, there is a pressing need to identify potential biomarkers of response and toxicity for this patient population. In this paper, we review the current role of immunotherapy for thymic cancers and discuss future applications across the spectrum of stage and histology of these diseases. Thymic epithelial tumors are a histologically diverse group of cancers arising from the epithelial compartment of the thymus. These tumors are characterized by a low tumor mutation burden, a lack of actionable genomic changes, and, especially with thymomas, defects in immune tolerance. Surgery is the mainstay of the management of resectable disease, whereas advanced, unresectable tumors are treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Disease recurrence can occur months to years after frontline treatment. Although several options are available for conventional treatment of recurrent thymic tumors, response rates are generally low, and treatment-related toxicity can affect quality of life. A subset of patients benefit from biologic therapies, but there remains an unmet need for the development of new treatments. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are safe, clinically active, and have contributed to an improvement in survival for patients with a wide variety of cancers. However, the application of these revolutionary treatments for thymic cancers is limited to their use for the management of recurrent thymic carcinoma because of the risk of immune toxicity. In this paper, we review the current uses of immunotherapy for the management of thymic epithelial tumors and highlight potential strategies to improve safety and broaden the application of these treatments for patients with thymic cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A disposable voltammetric immunosensor was developed to measure breast cancer biomarker 15-3 (CA 15-3) in human saliva and serum samples. Screen-printed paper-based electrodes (f-SPE) previously fabricated by our research group using homemade conductive inks were used as transducers, which were later modified only with gold nanoparticles to immobilize anti-CA 15-3 antibodies. The sensor was operated using antigen–antibody interactions in conjunction with a redox species (ferrocyanide potassium) for the indirect determination of the CA 15-3 antigen. The device characterization involved atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electrochemical analysis. Optimization of the construction and response of the immunosensor was achieved at incubation times of 6 h for anti-CA 15-3, 1 h for bovine serum albumin, and 1 h for interaction with CA 15-3. The sensor displays a linear range between 2 and 16 U/mL, with a sensitivity of 0.012 μA/U mL−1, a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.56 U/mL, and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1.88 U/mL. The interfering substances minimally affected the signal, with 4.94% response variation, and the reproducibility of the immunosensor demonstrated a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 5.65%. The sensor successfully determined the CA 15-3 concentration in human serum and saliva, demonstrating its potential for clinical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This research studied how three types of proteins, called interleukins (namely 8, 17A and 33), are present in the blood of healthy people and people with colon cancer. Colon cancer is a disease that affects the large intestine. The paper looked at 82 people, 42 of whom had colon cancer and 40 of whom did not. The researchers divided the cancer patients into four groups based on how severe their cancer was. The study measured the amount of interleukins in the blood of each person using a special test. The paper analyzed the results of the test, considering the age, gender, and cancer stage of each person. The results showed that younger people, and those with less severe cancer had more interleukins in their blood. The paper also found that two of the interleukins (8 and 17A) were higher in the cancer group, while one of them (33) was higher in the healthy group. The study also found that the interleukins were related to each other in both groups. This research concluded that the interleukins might help detect colon cancer and predict how it will progress. This paper could help improve the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer. This research investigated the serum levels of three interleukins (IL8, IL17A, and IL33) and the possible relationships between them in healthy people and colon cancer patients at different stages. This study involved 82 participants, 42 of whom had colon cancer and 40 were healthy individuals. The cancer patients were classified into four groups according to the TNM staging classification of colon and rectal cancer. Serum levels of the interleukins were measured by the ELISA test. The data were analyzed statistically to compare the demographic characteristics, the interleukin levels across cancer stages, and the correlation between interleukins in both groups. The results showed that women had more early-stage colon cancer diagnoses, while men had more advanced-stage cancer diagnoses. Stage two colon cancer was more common in older people. Younger people, men, and those with early-stage colon cancer had higher levels of interleukins. The levels of IL8 and IL17A were higher in the cancer group, while the level of IL33 was higher in the healthy group. There was a strong correlation between IL8 and IL17A levels in both groups (p = 0.001). IL17A influenced the level of IL33 in the cancer group (p = 0.007). This study suggested that cytokine variation profiles could be useful for detecting colon cancer and predicting its outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most aggressive, heterogenous, and fatal types of human cancer for which screening, and more effective therapeutic drugs are urgently needed. Early-stage detection and treatment greatly improve the 5-year survival rate. In the era of targeted therapies for all types of cancer, a complete metabolomic profile is mandatory before neoadjuvant therapy to assign the correct drugs and check the response to the treatment given. The aim of this study is to discover specific metabolic biomarkers or a sequence of metabolomic indicators that possess precise diagnostic capabilities in predicting the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy. After searching the keywords, a total of 108 articles were identified during a timeframe of 10 years (2013–2023). Within this set, one article was excluded due to the use of non-English language. Six scientific papers were qualified for this investigation after eliminating all duplicates, publications not referring to the subject matter, open access restriction papers, and those not applicable to humans. Biomolecular analysis found a correlation between metabolomic analysis of colorectal cancer samples and poor progression-free survival rates. Biomarkers are instrumental in predicting a patient's response to specific treatments, guiding the selection of targeted therapies, and indicating resistance to certain drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an in-depth exploration of Post-Traumatic Epilepsy (PTE), a complex neurological disorder following traumatic brain injury (TBI), characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. With TBI being a global health concern, understanding PTE is crucial for effective diagnosis, management, and prognosis. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology, risk factors, and emerging biomarkers of PTE, thereby informing clinical practice and guiding future research. The epidemiological aspect of the study reveals PTE as a significant contributor to acquired epilepsies, with varying incidence influenced by injury severity, age, and intracranial pathologies. The paper delves into the multifactorial nature of PTE risk factors, encompassing clinical, demographic, and genetic elements. Key insights include the association of injury severity, intracranial hemorrhages, and early seizures with increased PTE risk, and the roles of age, gender, and genetic predispositions. Advancements in neuroimaging, electroencephalography, and molecular biology are presented, highlighting their roles in identifying potential PTE biomarkers. These biomarkers, ranging from radiological signs to electroencephalography EEG patterns and molecular indicators, hold promise for enhancing PTE pathogenesis understanding, early diagnosis, and therapeutic guidance. The paper also discusses the critical roles of astrocytes and microglia in PTE, emphasizing the significance of neuroinflammation in PTE development. The insights from this review suggest potential therapeutic targets in neuroinflammation pathways. In conclusion, this paper synthesizes current knowledge in the field, emphasizing the need for continued research and a multidisciplinary approach to effectively manage PTE. Future research directions include longitudinal studies for a better understanding of TBI and PTE outcomes, and the development of targeted interventions based on individualized risk profiles. This research contributes significantly to the broader understanding of epilepsy and TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-invasive continuous health monitoring has become feasible with the advancement of biosensors. While monitoring certain biomarkers such as heart rate or skin temperature are now at a certain maturity, monitoring molecular biomarkers is still challenging. Progress has been shown in sampling, measurement, and interpretation of data toward non-invasive molecular sensors that can be integrated into daily wearable items. Toward this goal, this paper explores the potential of embroidered interdigitated transducer (IDT)-based sensors for non-invasive, continuous monitoring of human biomarkers, particularly glucose levels, in human sweat. The study employs innovative embroidery techniques to create flexible fabric-based sensors with gold-coated IDTs. In controlled experiments, we have shown the variation of glucose concentration in water can be wirelessly detected by tracking the resonant frequency of the embroidered sensors. The current sensors operate at 1.8 GHz to 2 GHz and respond to the change in glucose concentration with a sensitivity of 0.17 MHz/(mg/dL). The embroidered IDT-based sensors with wireless sensing will be a new measurement modality for molecular wearable sensors. The establishment of a wireless sensing mechanism for embroidered IDT-based sensors will be followed by an investigation of sweat for molecular detection. This will require adding functionalities for sampling and interpretation of acquired data. We envisage the embroidered IDT-based sensors offer a unique approach for seamless integration into clothing, paving the way for personalised, continuous health data capture.

Over the years, there has been notable progress in understanding the pathogenesis and treatment modalities of diabetes and its complications, including the application of metabolomics in the study of diabetes, capturing attention from researchers worldwide. Advanced mass spectrometry, including gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS), etc., has significantly broadened the spectrum of detectable metabolites, even at lower concentrations. Advanced mass spectrometry has emerged as a powerful tool in diabetes research, particularly in the context of metabolomics. By leveraging the precision and sensitivity of advanced mass spectrometry techniques, researchers have unlocked a wealth of information within the metabolome. This technology has enabled the identification and quantification of potential biomarkers associated with diabetes and its complications, providing new ideas and methods for clinical diagnostics and metabolic studies. Moreover, it offers a less invasive, or even non-invasive, means of tracking disease progression, evaluating treatment efficacy, and understanding the underlying metabolic alterations in diabetes. This paper summarizes advanced mass spectrometry for the application of metabolomics in diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic encephalopathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and diabetic foot ulcers and organizes some of the potential biomarkers of the different complications with the aim of providing ideas and methods for subsequent in-depth metabolic research and searching for new ways of treating the disease.

Biosensors based on ion-sensitive field effect transistors (ISFETs) combined with aptamers offer a promising and convenient solution for point-of-care testing applications due to the ability for fast and label-free detection of a wide range of biomarkers. Mobile and easy-to-use readout devices for the ISFET aptasensors would contribute to further development of the field. In this paper, the development of a portable PC-controlled device for detecting aptamer-target interactions using ISFETs is described. The device assembly allows selective modification of individual ISFETs with different oligonucleotides. Ta 2 O 5 -gated ISFET structures were optimized to minimize trapped charge and capacitive attenuation. Integrated CMOS readout circuits with linear transfer function were used to minimize the distortion of the original ISFET signal. An external analog signal digitizer with constant voltage and superimposed high-frequency sine wave reference voltage capabilities was designed to increase sensitivity when reading ISFET signals. The device performance was demonstrated with the aptamer-driven detection of troponin I in both reference voltage setting modes. The sine wave reference voltage measurement method reduced the level of drift over time and enabled a lowering of the minimum detectable analyte concentration. In this mode (constant voltage 2.4 V and 10 kHz 0.1Vp-p), the device allowed the detection of troponin I with a limit of detection of 3.27 ng/mL. Discrimination of acute myocardial infarction was demonstrated with the developed device. The ISFET device provides a platform for the multiplexed detection of different biomarkers in point-of-care testing.

Inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This study sought to document how the systemic biomarkers of inflammation varied based on food choices among patients with T2DM. This cross-sectional study enrolled ambulatory patients with T2DM. Demographic and clinical information was collected. Five drops of fingerstick blood were collected using an absorbent paper device (HemaSpot HFR). C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A protein (SAA), and fibrinogen were measured using a Luminex assay. Patient-generated 7-day food diaries were analyzed using a validated food processor software. Data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation tests, linear regression and logistic regression with the significance level set at 0.05. Among the 71 participants, 43 (60.6%) were females. The average age and duration of T2DM were 64.1 ± 10.3 and 15.8 ± 9.1 years, respectively. In a simple linear regression run with selected micronutrients, iron [F (1, 53) = 5.319, p < 0.05, adj. R2 = 0.074] significantly predicted plasma CRP. This significance was lost with multiple linear regressions including age, gender, BMI, T2DM duration, T2DM complications, glycohemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and other micronutrients. The average intake of most micronutrients by the participants was below the recommended daily intake. A higher intake of iron-rich foods was associated with higher levels of systemic inflammation in a simple linear regression model, but the association was not present after adjusting for patient factors like age, gender, BMI and T2DM-related variables. This relationship needs to be explored further given the key role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of T2DM and its associated complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomy—the classification of species—is an important branch of biology that allows us to systematically understand and study biodiversity. Conventional taxonomy relies heavily on morphological and anatomical structures for classification, but recent discoveries of potentially cryptic species and morphological plasticity in many species underscore the importance of having an alternative or complementary method for species classification. In this paper, we discuss the emerging method of classification using biochemical signals, i.e., chemotaxonomy. We also present a case study on the feasibility of biomarker-based chemotaxonomy on the marine red alga Laurencia snackeyi using halogenated snyderane-type sesquiterpenes, which were proposed in earlier studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. The identification of molecular alterations adding to the individual risk of HNSCC development and progression is one of the most important challenges in studies on cancer genetics. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which belong to the group of important post-transcriptional regulators of human gene expression, seem to be valuable options for consideration as key modifiers of individual cancer risk, and therefore may be helpful in predicting inter-individual differences in cancer risk, response to treatment and prognosis. Methods: There have not been many studies focused on the relationship between miRNA variants and HNSCC published in PubMed within the last 15 years. We found and analyzed 30 reviews, meta-analyses and research papers and revealed 14 SNPs which have been reported as significant in the context of HNSCC susceptibility and/or prognosis. Results: These 14 SNPs were located in 13 separate miRNAs. Among them, four were the most frequently studied (miRNA-146, -196, -149 and -499) and have been shown to have the greatest impact on the course of HNSCC. However, the presented results have been conflicting. Conclusions: It must be concluded that, despite the years of studies, there are no conclusive reports demonstrating a significant role of SNPs in miRNAs in the context of the susceptibility to HNSCC or its prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction There is increasing interest in food biomarkers to address the shortcomings of self-reported dietary assessments. Berries are regarded as important fruits worldwide; however, there are no well-validated biomarkers of berry intake. Thus, the objective of this study is to identify urinary biomarkers of berry intake. Methods For the discovery study, participants consumed 192 g strawberries with 150 g blueberries, and urine samples were collected at 2, 4, 6, and 24 h post-consumption. A dose–response study was performed, whereby participants consumed three portions (78 g, 278 g, and 428 g) of mixed strawberries and blueberries. The urine samples were profiled by an untargeted LC-MS metabolomics approach in the positive and negative modes. Results Statistical analysis of the data revealed that 39 features in the negative mode and 15 in the positive mode significantly increased between fasting and 4 h following mixed berry intake. Following the analysis of the dose–response data, 21 biomarkers showed overall significance across the portions of berry intake. Identification of the biomarkers was performed using fragmentation matches in the METLIN, HMDB, and MoNA databases and in published papers, confirmed where possible with authentic standards. Conclusions The ability of the panel of biomarkers to assess intake was examined, and the predictability was good, laying the foundations for the development of biomarker panels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common metabolic diseases in the world and poses a significant public health challenge. Early detection and management of this metabolic disorder is crucial to prevent complications and improve outcomes. This paper aims to find core differences in male and female markers to detect T2DM by their clinic and anthropometric features, seeking out ranges in potential biomarkers identified to provide useful information as a pre-diagnostic tool whie excluding glucose-related biomarkers using machine learning (ML) models. We used a dataset containing clinical and anthropometric variables from patients diagnosed with T2DM and patients without TD2M as control. We applied feature selection with three different techniques to identify relevant biomarker models: an improved recursive feature elimination (RFE) evaluating each set from all the features to one feature with the Akaike information criterion (AIC) to find optimal outputs; Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) with glmnet; and Genetic Algorithms (GA) with GALGO and forward selection (FS) applied to GALGO output. We then used these for comparison with the AIC to measure the performance of each technique and collect the optimal set of global features. Then, an implementation and comparison of five different ML models was carried out to identify the most accurate and interpretable one, considering the following models: logistic regression (LR), artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), and nearest centroid (Nearcent). The models were then combined in an ensemble to provide a more robust approximation. The results showed that potential biomarkers such as systolic blood pressure (SBP) and triglycerides are together significantly associated with T2DM. This approach also identified triglycerides, cholesterol, and diastolic blood pressure as biomarkers with differences between male and female actors that have not been previously reported in the literature. The most accurate ML model was selection with RFE and random forest (RF) as the estimator improved with the AIC, which achieved an accuracy of 0.8820. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential of ML models in identifying potential biomarkers for early detection of T2DM, excluding glucose-related biomarkers as well as differences between male and female anthropometric and clinic profiles. These findings may help to improve early detection and management of the T2DM by accounting for differences between male and female subjects in terms of anthropometric and clinic profiles, potentially reducing healthcare costs and improving personalized patient attention. Further research is needed to validate these potential biomarkers ranges in other populations and clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diets, but also overall food environments, comprise a variety of significant factors with direct and indirect impacts on human health. Eco-Regions are geographical areas with a territorial approach to rural development, utilizing organic food and farming practices, and principles and promoting sustainable communities and food systems. However, so far, little attention has been given to quantifying aspects of the health of citizens living in these sustainable transition territories. The project "Indicators for Assessment of Health Effects of Consumption of Sustainable, Organic School Meals in Eco-Regions" (INSUM) aims to identify and discuss research approaches and indicators that could be applied to effectively measure the somatic, mental, and social health dimensions of citizens in Eco-Regions, linked to the intake of organic foods in their diets. In this paper, we focus on the somatic (physical) health dimension. A two-day workshop was held to discuss suitable methodology with an interdisciplinary, international group of experts. The results showed the limitations of commonly used tools for measuring dietary intake (e.g., relying on the memory of participants), and nutritional biomarkers (e.g., variations in correlations with specific intakes) for research understanding dietary intake and the health effects of diets. To investigate the complexity of this issue, the most suitable approach seems to be the combination of traditional markers of physical and mental health alongside emerging indicators such as the microbiome, nutrigenomics, metabolomics, or inflammatory biomarkers. Using new, digital, non-invasive, and wearable technologies to monitor indicators could complement future research. We conclude that future studies should adopt systemic, multidisciplinary approaches by combining not only indicators of somatic and mental health and social wellbeing (MHSW) but also considering the potential benefits of organic diets for health as well as aspects of sustainability connected to food environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) presents significant challenges in pediatric care, often remaining underrecognized. This paper provides an overview of pediatric AKI, highlighting its epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, predisposing conditions, and treatment. AKI in children stems from diverse causes, including renal tubular damage, vasoconstriction, and inflammation. Diagnosis relies on traditional markers such as serum creatinine and urine output, alongside emerging biomarkers such as Cystatin C, NGAL, KIM-1, IL-18, TIMP-2 and IGFBP7, urinary calprotectin, URBP4, L-FABP, and clusterin. Various pediatric conditions predispose to AKI, including type 1 diabetes, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, appendicitis, gastroenteritis, COVID-19, multisystem inflammatory syndrome, sickle cell disease, and malignancies. Treatment entails supportive care with fluid management and, in severe cases, renal replacement therapy. Timely recognition and management are essential to mitigating adverse outcomes. Enhanced awareness and integration of novel biomarkers could improve pediatric AKI care, warranting further research for better diagnosis and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This review outlines the use of metabolomics to detect biomarkers for bovine mastitis, offering insights into disease prediction and early diagnosis. It details the use of various biological samples for metabolomic analysis, including milk, blood, urine, rumen fluid, feces, and mammary tissue. Bovine mastitis is an inflammatory disease of the mammary glands, and its pathogenesis and diagnosis are complicated. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of small-molecule metabolites, the metabolomics technique plays an important role in finding biomarkers and studying the metabolic mechanism of bovine mastitis. Therefore, this paper reviews the predictive and diagnostic biomarkers of bovine mastitis that have been identified using metabolomics techniques and that are present in samples such as milk, blood, urine, rumen fluid, feces, and mammary tissue. In addition, the metabolic pathways of mastitis-related biomarkers in milk and blood were analyzed; it was found that the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle was the most significant (FDR = 0.0015767) pathway in milk fluid, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism was the most significant (FDR = 0.0081994) pathway in blood. The purpose of this review is to provide useful information for the prediction and early diagnosis of bovine mastitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A label-free biosensor based on a tunable MEMS metamaterial structure is proposed in this paper. The adopted structure is a one-dimensional array of metamaterial gratings with movable and fixed fingers. The moving unit of the optical detection system is a component of the MEMS structure, driven by the surface stress effect. Thus, these suspended optical nanoribbons can be moved and change the grating pattern by the biological bonds that happened on the modified cantilever surface. Such structural variations lead to significant changes in the optical response of the metamaterial system under illuminating angled light and subsequently shift its resonance wavelength spectrum. As a result, the proposed biosensor shows appropriate analytical characteristics, including the mechanical sensitivity of Sm = 11.55 μm/Nm−1, the optical sensitivity of So = Δλ/Δd = 0.7 translated to So = Δλ/Δσ = 8.08 μm/Nm−1, and the quality factor of Q = 102.7. Also, considering the importance of multi-biomarker detection, a specific design of the proposed topology has been introduced as an array for identifying different biomolecules. Based on the conducted modeling and analyses, the presented device poses the capability of detecting multiple biomarkers of disease at very low concentrations with proper precision in fluidic environments, offering a suitable bio-platform for lab-on-chip structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Proteomics can be very useful in identifying proteins, which helps find potential markers for diseases. Managing endometrial cancer can be difficult and finding reliable markers can contribute to an early diagnosis, to manage its evolution, and even predict the response to treatment. This paper reviews the current research on the proteins involved in endometrial cancer. Most studies used tissue, serum, and plasma samples and found potential diagnostic and prognostic markers. Eight studies were examined closely, with three showing strong similarities, sharing forty-five proteins. This review also identified the 10 most commonly reported proteins in these studies. While proteomics shows promise in finding diagnostic and prognostic markers for endometrial cancer, there is still a need for more research on new therapeutic targets. Proteomics can be a robust tool in protein identification and regulation, allowing the discovery of potential biomarkers. In clinical practice, the management of endometrial cancer can be challenging. Thus, identifying promising markers could be beneficial, helping both in diagnosis and prognostic stratification, even predicting the response to therapy. Therefore, this manuscript systematically reviews the existing evidence of the proteomic profile of human endometrial cancer. The literature search was conducted via Medline (through PubMed) and the Web of Science. The inclusion criteria were clinical, in vitro, and in vivo original studies reporting proteomic analysis using all types of samples to map the human endometrial cancer proteome. A total of 55 publications were included in this review. Most of the articles carried out a proteomic analysis on endometrial tissue, serum and plasma samples, which enabled the identification of several potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In addition, eight articles were analyzed regarding the identified proteins, where three studies showed a strong correlation, sharing forty-five proteins. This analysis also allowed the identification of the 10 most frequently reported proteins in these studies: EGFR, PGRMC1, CSE1L, MYDGF, STMN1, CASP3 ANXA2, YBX1, ANXA1, and MYH11. Proteomics-based approaches pointed out potential diagnostic and prognostic candidates for endometrial cancer. However, there is a lack of studies exploring novel therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) administration is applied in the management of subjects affected by hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Whilst this application is widely recognized and established alone or in combination with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a similar strategy is empirically advocated in idiopathic male factor infertility (MFI). In this setting, FSH therapy has been used to increase sperm quantity, quality, and pregnancy rate when FSH plasma concentrations are below 8 IU/L and when the seminal tract is not obstructed. In the literature, several studies suggested that giving FSH to patients with idiopathic MFI increases sperm count and motility, raising the overall pregnancy rate. However, this efficacy seems to be limited, and about 10–18 men should be treated to achieve one pregnancy. Thus, several papers suggest the need to move from a replacement approach to an overstimulating approach in the management of FSH therapy in idiopathic MFI. To this aim, it is imperative to determine some pharmacologic markers of FSH efficacy. Furthermore, it should be useful in clinical practice to distinguish, before starting the treatment, among patients who might respond or not to FSH treatment. Indeed, previous studies suggest that infertile men who have normal levels of gonadotropins in plasma might not respond to FSH treatment and about 50% of patients might be defined as "non-responders". For these reasons, identifying predictive markers of FSH action in spermatogenesis and clinical markers of response to FSH treatment is a fascinating area of study that might lead to new developments with the aim of achieving personalization of the treatment of male infertility. From this perspective, seminal parameters (i.e., spermatid count), testicular cytology, genetic assessment, and miRNA or protein markers in the future might be used to create a tailored FSH therapy plan. The personalization of FSH treatment is mandatory to minimize side effects, to avoid lost time with ineffective treatments, and to improve the efficacy, predicting the most efficient dose and the duration of the treatment. This narrative review's objective is to discuss the role of the different putative factors which have been proposed to predict the response to FSH treatment in idiopathic infertile men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Ovarian cancer is still one of the deadliest malignancies affecting women worldwide which is associated with poor long-term outcomes even in certain cases in which complete debulking is achieved. In this respect, attention has been focused on identifying other prognostic factors which might indicate which cases are expected to have the best long-term outcomes such as the procoagulant or inflammatory status. The aim of the current paper is to analyse the correlation between the most frequently cited inflammatory and tumoral markers and the long-term outcomes of ovarian cancer patients. Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynaecological malignancies affecting women worldwide; therefore, attention has been focused on identifying new prognostic factors which might help the clinician to select cases who could benefit most from surgery versus cases in which neoadjuvant systemic therapy followed by interval debulking surgery should be performed. The aim of the current paper is to identify whether preoperative inflammation could serve as a prognostic factor for advanced-stage ovarian cancer. Material and methods: The data of 57 patients who underwent to surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer between 2014 and 2020 at the Cantacuzino Clinical Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of different inflammatory markers for the overall survival analysis. The analysed parameters were the preoperative level of CA125, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and systemic inflammation index (SII). Results: Baseline CA125 > 780 µ/mL, NLR ≥ 2.7, MLR > 0.25, PLR > 200 and a systemic immune inflammation index (SII, defined as platelet × neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio) ≥ 84,1000 were associated with significantly worse disease-free and overall survival in a univariate analysis. In a multivariate analysis, MLR and SII were significantly associated with higher values of overall survival (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0124); meanwhile, preoperative values of CA125, PLR and MLR were not associated with the overall survival values (p = 0.5612, p = 0.6137 and p = 0.1982, respectively). In conclusion, patients presenting higher levels of MLR and SII preoperatively are expected to have a poorer outcome even if complete debulking surgery is performed and should be instead considered candidates for neoadjuvant systemic therapy followed by interval surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most lethal tumor of the female genital tract. Despite extensive studies and the identification of some precursor lesions like serous tubal intraepithelial cancer (STIC) or the deviated mutational status of the patients (BRCA germinal mutation), the pathophysiology of HGSOC and the existence of particular risk factors is still a puzzle. Moreover, a lack of screening programs results in delayed diagnosis, which is accompanied by a secondary chemo-resistance of the tumor and usually results in a high recurrence rate after the primary therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify the substantial risk factors for both predisposed and low-risk populations of women, as well as to create an economically and clinically justified screening program. This paper reviews the classic and novel risk factors for HGSOC and methods of diagnosis and prediction, including serum biomarkers, the liquid biopsy of circulating tumor cells or circulating tumor DNA, epigenetic markers, exosomes, and genomic and proteomic biomarkers. The novel future complex approach to ovarian cancer diagnosis should be devised based on these findings, and the general outcome of such an approach is proposed and discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) following surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB-AKI) is common in pediatrics. Urinary liver-type fatty acid binding protein (uL-FABP) increases in some kidney diseases and may indicate CPB-AKI earlier than current methods. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to evaluate the potential role of uL-FABP in the early diagnosis and prediction of CPB-AKI. Databases Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched on 12 November 2023, using the MeSH terms "Children", "CPB", "L-FABP", and "Acute Kidney Injury". Included papers were revised. AUC values from similar studies were pooled by meta-analysis, performed using random- and fixed-effect models, with p < 0.05. Of 508 studies assessed, nine were included, comprising 1658 children, of whom 561 (33.8%) developed CPB-AKI. Significantly higher uL-FABP levels in AKI versus non-AKI patients first manifested at baseline to 6 h post-CPB. At 6 h, uL-FABP correlated with CPB duration (r = 0.498, p = 0.036), postoperative serum creatinine (r = 0.567, p < 0.010), and length of hospital stay (r = 0.722, p < 0.0001). Importantly, uL-FABP at baseline (AUC = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.64-0.89, n = 365), 2 h (AUC = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.52-0.90, n = 509), and 6 h (AUC = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72-0.80, n = 509) diagnosed CPB-AKI earlier. Hence, higher uL-FABP levels associate with worse clinical parameters and may diagnose and predict CPB-AKI earlier.

The incidence and prevalence of cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases are constantly increasing, with chronic coronary syndrome and ischemic stroke as the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to current knowledge, the heart-brain axis is more than a theoretical concept, with many common pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the onset and evolution of both coronary and cerebral ischemia. Moreover, the focus is on the prevention and early intervention of risk factors in searching for targeted and personalized medical treatment. In this context, this narrative review aims to offer, in a didactic and practice-oriented manner, an up-to-date overview of the role played by lipid-derived biomarkers (from low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to oxylipin and apolipoproteins) in chronic coronary syndrome and ischemic stroke. Firstly, the authors highlight, via relevant epidemiological data, the significant burden of chronic coronary syndrome and ischemic stroke in the general population, thus explaining the need for updated information on this topic. Subsequently, the most important lipid-derived biomarkers and their multiple roles in the pathogenesis of these two disorders are listed. Currently available and experimental targeted therapies based on these lipid-derived biomarkers are presented in the final part of this paper, representing this manuscript's original and novel input.

Simple Summary: This paper investigates the expression of miR-101-3p, miR-106a-5p, and miR-326 in colon cancer tissues compared to adjacent healthy tissues. This study involves 40 colon cancer patients, whose tissue samples were analyzed using qRT-PCR. Results indicate that these miRNAs are overexpressed in adjacent healthy tissues but decrease in advanced cancer stages. This study suggests a strong correlation between miR-106a-5p and miR-326 with colon cancer severity. The findings propose that miRNA profiling could be useful for early diagnosis and prognosis in colon cancer management. Early diagnosis and prognosis of cancer progression through biomarker profiling are crucial in managing colon cancer patients. Our research aimed to investigate the expression of miR-101-3p, miR-106a-5p, and miR-326 in tumor and adjacent healthy tissues of colon cancer patients and determine their potential diagnostic utility. This study included 40 patients divided into four groups according to the TNM staging classification. MiRNA expression was analyzed using qRT-PCR. The results showed that miR-101-3p, miR-106a-5p, and miR-326 are overexpressed in adjacent healthy tissues but decrease in advanced cancer stages. MiR-106a-5p and miR-326 are strongly correlated with colon cancer severity. These findings suggest that miRNA profiling could be useful for early diagnosis and prognosis in colon cancer management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematological neoplasias, which include cancers of the blood and lymphoid tissues, are common worldwide and have been increasing in incidence. However, the death rate for these cancers has been declining due to advancements in prevention, early detection, and treatment. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in hematological neoplasias is crucial for developing targets for prevention, treatment, and biomarkers to improve clinical practice. This special issue focuses on the discovery of novel biomarkers and molecular drug targets in hematological malignancies, with papers discussing various topics such as extracellular vesicles as diagnostic biomarkers, the role of NRF2 in prognosis, and the potential of RNA-binding proteins as targets. The issue also explores new therapeutic strategies and options for patients who do not respond to current treatments. Overall, these advancements contribute to improving approaches to hematological neoplasias. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: Risk assessment in early breast cancer is critical for clinical decisions, but defining risk categories poses a significant challenge. The integration of conventional histopathology and biomarkers with artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including machine learning and deep learning, has the potential to offer more precise information. AI applications extend beyond detection to histological subtyping, grading, and molecular feature identification. The successful integration of AI into clinical practice requires collaboration between histopathologists, molecular pathologists, computational pathologists, and oncologists to optimize patient outcomes. Effective risk assessment in early breast cancer is essential for informed clinical decision-making, yet consensus on defining risk categories remains challenging. This paper explores evolving approaches in risk stratification, encompassing histopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular biomarkers alongside cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. Leveraging machine learning, deep learning, and convolutional neural networks, AI is reshaping predictive algorithms for recurrence risk, thereby revolutionizing diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning. Beyond detection, AI applications extend to histological subtyping, grading, lymph node assessment, and molecular feature identification, fostering personalized therapy decisions. With rising cancer rates, it is crucial to implement AI to accelerate breakthroughs in clinical practice, benefiting both patients and healthcare providers. However, it is important to recognize that while AI offers powerful automation and analysis tools, it lacks the nuanced understanding, clinical context, and ethical considerations inherent to human pathologists in patient care. Hence, the successful integration of AI into clinical practice demands collaborative efforts between medical experts and computational pathologists to optimize patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, in the field of bioanalysis, the use of saliva as a biological fluid for the determination of biomarkers has been proposed. Saliva analysis stands out for its simplicity and non-invasive sampling. This paper proposes a method for the dual determination of ammonium and hydrogen sulfur in saliva using two colorimetric chemosensors. The ammonia reacts with 1,2-Naftoquinone 4 sulphonic acid (NQS) entrapped in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the hydrogen sulfide with AgNPs retained in a nylon membrane. The color changed from orange to brown in the case of ammonia chemosensors and from yellow to brown in the H2S. The experimental conditions to be tested have been established. Both analytes have been determined from their gaseous form; these are ammonia from ammonium and hydrogen sulfur from hydrogen sulfur. Good figures of merit have been obtained by using both measuring strategies (reflectance diffuse and digitalized images). The acquired results show that both sensors can be used and provide good selectivity and sensitivity for the determination of these biomarkers in saliva. Both measurement strategies have provided satisfactory results for the real saliva samples (n = 15). Recoveries on spiked samples were between 70% and 100%. This methodology can lead to possible in situ diagnosis and monitoring of certain diseases and pathologies related with NH4+ and/or H2S, in a fast, simple, cheap and non-invasive way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Redox modifications to the plasma protein albumin have the potential to be used as biomarkers of disease progression and treatment efficacy in pathologies associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. One such pathology is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a fatal childhood disease characterised by severe muscle wasting. We have previously shown in the mdx mouse model of DMD that plasma albumin thiol oxidation is increased; therefore, the first aim of this paper was to establish that albumin thiol oxidation in plasma reflects levels within mdx muscle tissue. We therefore developed a method to measure tissue albumin thiol oxidation. We show that albumin thiol oxidation was increased in both mdx muscle and plasma, with levels correlated with measures of dystropathology. In dystrophic muscle, albumin content was associated with areas of myonecrosis. The second aim was to test the ability of plasma thiol oxidation to track acute changes in dystropathology: we therefore subjected mdx mice to a single treadmill exercise session (known to increase myonecrosis) and took serial blood samples. This acute exercise caused a transient increase in total plasma albumin oxidation and measures of dystropathology. Together, these data support the use of plasma albumin thiol oxidation as a biomarker to track active myonecrosis in DMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional protein that plays diverse roles in physiological and pathological processes. It acts as a molecular bridge between cells and their extracellular environment, interacting with various cell surface receptors and participating in cellular processes such as adhesion, migration, inflammation, and signaling pathways. OPN exists in different isoforms and undergoes post-translational modifications that can alter its properties and functions. In physiological contexts, OPN contributes to tissue maintenance, wound healing, immune system regulation, and stress response mechanisms. However, it is also involved in the pathogenesis of conditions such as atherosclerosis, cancer, autoimmune disorders, chronic inflammation, and sepsis. OPN can serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for these disorders, and certain OPN gene polymorphisms are associated with disease susceptibility or progression. This Special Issue of Biomedicines explores the multifaceted roles of OPN in health and disease through eight papers, including studies on its role as a biomarker for glomerulopathies, coronary artery disease, melanoma metastasis, and dental biofilm formation. The issue also includes reviews on OPN's involvement in the central nervous system, thyroid cancer, and infectious diseases. Overall, OPN plays a central role in various biological activities and continues to be a subject of ongoing research to further understand its significance in different contexts. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of the present review was to identify all the biomarkers used for assessing the internal dose and the related early effects determined by the occupational exposure to formaldehyde. For this purpose, a systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023416960). An electronic search of Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed to collect all the papers concerning the focus of the review and published from the inception of each database until 18 September 2023. Articles were considered eligible if they reported data from observational studies, semi-experimental, and experimental studies on adult workers who were occupationally exposed to formaldehyde, regardless of gender or age. The quality assessment was performed using the adapted Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. From 1524 articles, 52 were included. Few studies assessed the exposure to formaldehyde in occupational settings through biomarkers, especially by measuring formic acid in urine. The most common approach for evaluating the effects derived from occupational exposure to formaldehyde was the use of the cytogenetic biomarker micronucleus assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes and/or epithelial buccal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer remains a formidable global health challenge, necessitating the exploration of innovative diagnostic approaches for early detection. This review paper delves into the burgeoning field of exhaled breath analysis using electronic nose (e-nose) technology for the identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as potential biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis. An electronic nose inspired by the human olfactory system comprises an array of sensors that can detect and differentiate complex odor profiles. This paper elucidates the principles behind e-nose technology and its application in capturing the unique VOC signatures present in exhaled breath, which serve as indicators of underlying physiological conditions. A significant portion of this review is dedicated to elucidating the methodology and advancements in e-nose-based VOC analysis, providing insights into the potential of this non-invasive approach for disease diagnosis. The exploration extends beyond general applications to specifically spotlight the utilization of e-nose technology in the realm of early lung cancer detection. E-nose-based disease diagnosis, and more specifically, lung cancer detection, is discussed in detail, with an emphasis on the recent studies and advancements. The potential of VOC profiling as a reliable and early diagnostic tool for lung cancer is explored, addressing both the promises and challenges associated with this cutting-edge approach. This comprehensive review amalgamates the current state of knowledge in the field, offering a roadmap for future research opportunities and the realization of e-nose technology's promise in revolutionizing lung cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children. It is a highly heterogeneous tumor consisting of different subcellular types and genetic abnormalities. Literature data confirm the biological and clinical complexity of this cancer, which requires a wider availability of gene targets for the implementation of personalized therapy. This paper presents a study of neuroblastoma samples from primary tumors of untreated patients. The focus of this analysis is to evaluate the impact that the inflammatory process may have on the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma. Eighty-eight gene profiles were selected and analyzed using a non-negative matrix factorization framework to extract a subset of genes relevant to the identification of an inflammatory phenotype, whose targets (PIK3CG, NFATC2, PIK3R2, VAV1, RAC2, COL6A2, COL6A3, COL12A1, COL14A1, ITGAL, ITGB7, FOS, PTGS2, PTPRC, ITPR3) allow further investigation. Based on the genetic signals automatically derived from the data used, neuroblastoma could be classified according to stage rather than as a "cold" or "poorly immunogenic" tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fracture healing is a very complex and well-orchestrated regenerative process involving many cell types and molecular pathways. Despite the high efficiency of this process, unsatisfying healing outcomes, such as non-union, occur for approximately 5–10% of long bone fractures. Although there is an obvious need to identify markers to monitor the healing process and to predict a potential failure in callus formation to heal the fracture, circulating bone turnover markers' (BTMs) utility as biomarkers in association with radiographic and clinical examination still lacks evidence so far. Methods: A systematic review on the association between BTMs changes and fracture healing in long bone non-union was performed following PRISMA guidelines. The research papers were identified via the PubMed, Cochrane, Cinahl, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases. Studies in which the failure of fracture healing was associated with osteoporosis or genetic disorders were not included. Results: A total of 172 studies were collected and, given the inclusion criteria, 14 manuscripts were included in this review. Changes in circulating BTMs levels were detected during the healing process and across groups (healed vs. non-union patients and healthy vs. patients with non-union). However, we found high heterogeneity in patients' characteristics (fracture site, gender, and age) and in sample scheduling, which made it impossible to perform a meta-analysis. Conclusions: Clinical findings and radiographic features remain the two important components of non-union diagnosis so far. We suggest improving blood sample standardization and clinical data collection in future research to lay the foundations for the effective use of BTMs as tools for diagnosing non-union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]