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Learning to read transforms lives. Reading contributes to knowledge acquisition, cultural engagement, and success in the school. The unequal distribution of literacy skills in a society is associated with economic and social inequalities as a result, children with a poor foundation in literacy before entering formal schooling are more likely to struggle academically and to drop out of school. For these reasons, there has been an intense scientific interest for decades in understanding how children learn to read. It is well established that in the early stages of reading development, phonological awareness, letter namesounds knowledge, and the naming speed are three independent longitudinal predictors of children's later word-reading skills in alphabetic-writing systems. Phonological awareness constitutes the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of their own language, meanwhile letter knowledge promotes the discovery of systematic relationships between writing and oral language. As early readers develop some level of phonological awareness and some level of letter knowledge, they can recognize written words through phonological recoding processes, in which graphemes are recoded as phonemes and assembled to pronounce words. In addition, rapid naming expresses the speed at which phonological information is accessed from a graphic label. Phonological processing and letter knowledge are powerfully affected by the experience, stimulation, and support that children receive before beginning formal education. Most children acquire these abilities relatively effortlessly during early childhood. However, there is a significant number of children in Latin America who experience difficulties in their pre-literacy skills development. This study examined the cognitive profiles of a total of 50 Uruguayan preschoolers from different socioeconomic backgrounds from two public schools in Montevideo, Uruguay. Twenty-six children from low-income households were compared to peers from middle-income. At the end of the pre-schooling period (time 1) receptive vocabulary, phonological awareness, letter name-sounds knowledge, and object naming speed tests were administered to children. One year later (time 2), word -reading of a subgroup of children was measured. Significant correlations were observed between all predictors at time 1; between predictors at time 1 and word reading at time 2; and between all measured abilities and socioeconomic status. Comparative analysis between children of different socioeconomic status showed that children growing up in poverty contexts performed more poorly than their peers from middle-income families in all the tests. Nonetheless, both groups performed poorly in word reading. Descriptive statistics indicated that, out of a total of 26 words, low SES children correctly read a total of 7 words per minute, and medium SES children a total of 14 words. Finally, regression analyses indicated that phonological awareness contributed 30 % variance in predicting the total score achieved in a reading-word test in children of low-income families, meanwhile letter name knowledge contributed 74 % variance in predicting the total score achieved in a reading-word test in their peers from middle-income families. In general terms, results of pre-reading skills and reading performance seem to indicate that children of different socioeconomic status use different word recognition strategies according to their level of letter-knowledge of and phonological processing. Discussion considers international literature pointing out that children who enter elementary school with limited reading-related skills are unlikely to be able to keep pace with their peers. These findings warn about the importance to elaborate systematic and high-quality educational proposals to try to reduce the gap in reading development for children from low-income families. Developing literacy and language skills before formal schooling sets a child up for success in school and life. Results also suggest the importance of analyzing the variables that affect reading development in populations that are not the majority described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to measure and compare cerebrospinal fluid neuronal injury biomarkers in the acute phase of complex febrile seizure (CFS) and infection-triggered acute encephalopathy (AE). Furthermore, we determined the pathogenesis of AE with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD)., Methods: Pediatric patients with febrile status epilepticus who visited Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital from November 1, 2016, to December 31, 2022, and whose cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected within 24 h of neurological symptom onset were included. Patients were classified as having CFS or infection-triggered AE according to their definitions. Patients with AE were further categorized into AESD or unclassified AE. Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (neuron-specific enolase, growth differentiation factor 15 [GDF-15], S100 calcium-binding protein B [S100B], glial fibrillary acidic protein, and tau protein were measured and compared among the groups., Results: Total of 63 patients (45 with CFS and 18 with AE) were included. Among the AE patients, nine were classified as having AESD and nine as having unclassified AE. S100B levels were significantly higher in patients with AESD than in patients with CFS (485 pg/ml vs. 175.3 pg/ml) and were even higher in patients with AESD and neurological sequelae (702.4 pg/ml). GDF-15 levels were significantly elevated in patients with AE compared to patients with CFS (85.8 pg/ml vs. 23.6 pg/ml)., Conclusions: The elevation of S100B suggests that activated astrocytes may be closely associated with the early pathology of AESD. Elevated GDF-15 levels in infection-triggered AE suggest the activation of defense mechanisms caused by stronger neurological injury., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered a pre-stage of different dementia syndromes. Despite diagnostic criteria refined by DSM-5 and a new term for MCI -- "mild neurocognitive disorder" (mild NCD) -- this diagnosis is still based on clinical criteria. Methods: To link mild NCD to the underlying pathophysiology we assessed the degree of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in the brain and peripheral biomarkers for neuronal integrity (neuron-specific enolase, NSE), plasticity (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF), and glial function (S100B) in 158 community-dwelling subjects with mild NCD and 82 healthy controls. All participants (63-79 years old) were selected from the Leipzig-population-based study of adults (LIFE). Results: Serum S100B levels were increased in mild NCD in comparison to controls (p = 0.007). Serum NSE levels were also increased but remained non-significant after Bonferroni-Holm correction (p = 0.04). Furthermore, age by group interaction was significant for S100B. In an age-stratified sub-analysis, NSE and S100B were higher in younger subjects with mild NCD below 71 years of age. Some effects were inconsistent after controlling for potentially confounding factors. The discriminatory power of the two biomarkers NSE and S100B was insufficient to establish a pathologic threshold for mild NCD. In subjects with mild NCD, WMH load correlated with serum NSE levels (r = 0.20, p = 0.01), independently of age. Conclusion: Our findings might indicate the presence of neuronal (NSE) and glial (S100B) injury in mild NCD. Future studies need to investigate whether younger subjects with mild NCD with increased biomarker levels are at risk of developing major NCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common tick-borne infection in Europe, with Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) its second most frequent clinical manifestation. Prognostic factors for clinical outcomes in LNB have not been identified. Elevated serum levels of the brain damage markers neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B) have been associated with poor clinical outcomes in other disorders of the central nervous system. The aim of this study is to assess NSE and S100B in serum as prognostic biomarkers for clinical outcomes in paediatric LNB patients. Children evaluated for LNB (n = 121) in Sweden were prospectively included during 2010–2014, serum samples were collected on admission, and all children underwent a 2-month follow-up. Patients with pleocytosis and anti-Borrelia antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were classified as having LNB (n = 61). Controls were age- and gender-matched non-LNB patients (n = 60). NSE was elevated in 38/61 (62%) LNB patients and in 31/60 (52%) controls. S100B was elevated in 3/60 (5%) LNB patients and 0/59 (0%) controls. NSE and S100B concentrations did not differ significantly when comparing LNB patients with controls. No differences were found in the concentrations when comparing the clinical recovery of LNB patients at the 2-month follow-up. NSE was detectable in the majority of LNB patients and controls, whereas S100B was detectable in only a few LNB patients and no controls. NSE and S100B in serum cannot be recommended as prognostic biomarkers for clinical outcomes in children with LNB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Molecular mechanisms underlying trigeminal neuralgia (TN) have been poorly understood. Recently, different biomarkers have been studied in several chronic neuropathic diseases or in neuronal damage, but their role in TN has not yet been investigated. Here, we firstly analyzed the serum levels of the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) (as an index of neuronal tissue damage) in TN patients submitted to surgical treatment. Different cytokines and interleukins related to inflammation were also studied. Methods: Blood samples from 40 patients were prospectively collected preoperatively and after the surgical procedure, namely microvascular decompression (MVD) and percutaneous balloon compression (PBC). Serum levels of uric acid, NSE, ferritin, CRP, IL-2R, and IL-6 were studied. The acute pain relief (APR) and the pre- and postoperative BNI were used to evaluate the clinical outcome. Results: Overall, we obtained an APR in 87.5% of patients and a significant reduction of BNI after surgery (p < 0.0001). We observed a significant reduction of postoperative NSE values in the group of patients undergoing MVD (p = 0.0055) and a significant increase of postoperative NSE values in patients undergoing PBC (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in the group of patients undergoing MVD, we found a significant postoperative increase of CRP (p < 0.0001), ferritin (p = 0.001), and IL-6 (p = 0.01) values. The only patient who did not respond to MVD had NSE levels unchanged. Conclusion: Our results suggest the hypothesis that TN would be related to the neural damage instead of the systemic inflammatory status and indicate NSE as a possible biomarker of response in patients submitted to MVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The majority of lung cancer(LC) patients are diagnosed at advanced stage with a poor prognosis. However, there is still no ideal diagnostic and prognostic prediction model for lung cancer.Methods: Data of CEA, CYFRA21-1 and NSE test of patients with LC and benign lung diseases (BLDs) or healthy people from Physical Examination Center was collected. Samples were divided into three data sets as needed. Reassign three kinds of tumor markers (TMs) according to their distribution characteristics in different populations. Diagnostic and prognostic models were thus established, and independent validation was conducted with other data sets.Results: The diagnostic prediction model showed good discrimination ability: the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) differentiated LC from healthy people and BLDs (diagnosed within 2 months), being 0.88 and 0.84 respectively. Meanwhile, the prognostic prediction model did great in prediction: AUC in training data set and test data set were 0.85 and 0.8 respectively.Conclusion: Reassigned CEA, CYFRA21-1 and NSE can effectively predict the diagnosis and prognosis of LC. Compared with the same TMs that were considered individually, this diagnostic prediction model can identify high-risk population for LC screening more accurately. The prognostic prediction model could be helpful in making more scientific treatment and follow-up plans for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the relationship between serum neuron specific enolase（NSE） level and intracranial pressure in patients with hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage（HICH）. Methods The clinical data of 83 patients with HICH were analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent intracranial pressure probe placement for intracranial pressure monitoring. Serum levels of NSE,CD3,CD4,CD8,CD56 and CD19 were detected by ELISA.The ICP < 15 mm Hg,15 ～ 20 mm Hg,21 ～ 40 mm Hg,and > 40 mm Hg were set as the normal ICP group, the mild ICH group, the moderate ICH group, and the severe ICH group, respectively. Due to less patients in the normal ICP group and the severe ICH group, the serum levels of NSE,CD3,CD4,CD8,CD56 and CD19 between the mild and moderate ICH groups were compared, and the related factors of ICH in patients with HICH were analyzed by binary logistic regression analysis. Results Among the 83 patients, there were 2 patients with normal intracranial pressure,23 patients with mild intracranial hypertension,54 patients with moderate intracranial hypertension and 4 patients with severe intracranial hypertension, respectively. The amount of bleeding of patients with mild ICH was significantly lower than that of patients with moderate ICH（19. 70 ± 5. 68 vs 52. 46 ± 26. 07,P < 0. 001）. The NSE levels of the normal ICH group and the severe ICH group were（8. 68 ± 1. 46） ng/m L and（26. 34 ± 16. 87） ng/m L,respectively.The serum NSE level of patients with mild ICH was significantly lower than that in patients with moderate ICH[（9. 62 ± 4. 89） ng/m L vs（14. 82 ± 10. 40） ng/m L,P = 0. 025]. The amount of bleeding and serum NSE level were positively correlated with the degree of ICH. Logistic regression analysis showed that the incidence of moderate intracranial hypertension in patients with large amount of bleeding（OR = 1. 26,95% CI: 1. 09 ～ 1. 44,P = 0. 001）and high serum NSE level（OR = 1. 14,95% CI: 1. 02 ～ 1. 26,P = 0. 02） was significantly higher than that in patients with low serum NSE level. There was no significant difference in age, gender, bleeding site, serum CD3,CD4,CD8,CD56 and CD19 levels between the two groups. Conclusion Serum NSE level was positively correlated with the severity of intracranial hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the effects of sevoflurane combined with dexmedetomidine on hemodynamics, inflammatory response and serum S100β, neuron specific enolase (NSE) in patients with preeclampsia delivered by cesarean section. Methods: Using random number table method, 80 cases of preeclampsia patients who underwent cesarean delivery in our hospital from August 2019 to May 2021 were divided into control group (n=40, sevoflurane) and study group (n=40, sevoflurane combined with dexmedetomidine). Hemodynamics, inflammatory response, serum S100β, NSE and sedation situation were compared between the two groups, and the incidence of adverse reactions during anesthesia in the two groups was recorded. Results: The heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and blood oxygen saturation(SpO2) decreased and then increased in both groups from the time point before administration (T1) to extubation (T4) time points (P<0.05). The HR, SpO2 and MAP in the study group were higher than those in the control group after induction of anesthesia (T2) to delivery of the fetus (T3) time points (P<0.05). From T4 to 24 h (T6) after operation time points, the serum S100β and NSE levels in both groups increased and then decreased (P<0.05). From T4 to T6 time points, the serum S100β and NSE levels in the study group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05). At T6 time points, the interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in the study group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05). Richmond score at T3 and T4 time points in the study group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). There was no difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in Apgar score between the two groups at 1 min and 5 min after birth(P>0.05). The Apgar score of newborns in the two groups at 5 min after birth was higher than that at 1 min after birth (P<0.05). Conclusion: Sevoflurane combined with dexmedetomidine in patients with preeclampsia delivered by cesarean section can stabilize blood flow fluctuation, reduce inflammatory reaction, and have a certain brain protective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the effects of core stability training combined with hyperbaric oxygen on hemorheology, brain energy metabolism, serum nerve growth factor (NGF), neuron specific enolase (NSE) and myelin basic protein (MBP) in convalescent patients with cerebral infarction. Methods: 103 convalescent patients with cerebral infarction who were treated in our hospital from March 2018 to March 2021 were selected. The patients were divided into control group and observation group by random number table method, with 51 cases and 52 cases respectively. The patients in the control group received core stability training, and the patients in the observation group received core stability training combined with hyperbaric oxygen. The curative effect, hemorheology, brain energy metabolism indexes, serum NGF, NSE, MBP levels and related scales were compared between the two groups. Results: The total clinical effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, Lovett muscle strength score of upper / lower limbs increased, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score decreased in the two groups, and the degree of change in the observation group was greater than that in the control group(P<0.05). After treatment, the whole blood high shear viscosity, hematocrit, whole blood low shear viscosity and plasma viscosity decreased in the two groups, and the degree of change in the observation group was greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, blood oxygen saturation increased, and fasting blood glucose and lactate levels decreased in the two groups, and the degree of change in the observation group was greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, NGF level increased, and NSE, MBP levels decreased in the two groups, and the degree of change in the observation group was greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Core stability training combined with hyperbaric oxygen in convalescent patients with cerebral infarction can promote the improvement of hemorheology and brain energy metabolism, and effectively regulate the levels of serum NGF, NSE and MBP, the curative effect is clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The empirical administration of antibiotics for suspected bacterial meningitis denotes a poor bacterial stewardship. In this context, the use of biomarkers can distinguish between bacterial and viral infections before deciding treatment. Our study assesses how levels of heparin-binding protein (HBP), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in blood can promptly confirm bacterial etiology and the need for antibiotic treatment. The CSF and blood levels of HBP, NGAL, S100B, and NSE of 81 patients with meningitis were measured and analyzed comparatively. Statistical sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were evaluated. CSF levels of HBP and NGAL and the blood level of S100B in the bacterial meningitis group were significantly higher (p < 0.05). The area under curve (AUC) for predicting bacterial meningitis was excellent for the CSF level of HBP (0.808 with 93.54% sensitivity and 80.64% specificity), good for the CSF level of NGAL (0.685 with 75.00% sensitivity and 65.62% specificity), and good for the blood level of S100B (0.652 with 65.90% sensitivity and 57.14% specificity). CSF levels of HBP and NGAL, as well as the blood level of S100B, could help discriminate between bacterial and viral meningitis before considering antibiotic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: Heat shock protein 90a (Hsp90a) is considered a tumor biomarker in many human malignancies. This study investigated the diagnostic value of Hsp90a combined with other traditional lung cancer biomarkers (CEA, CYFRA21-1, and NSE) and its role in monitoring the treatment response of lung cancer patients. Materials and methods: A total of 205 patients with lung cancer and 186 patients with lung benign disease who were admitted to our hospital were enrolled from 2018 to 2020. The 205 patients included 76 cases of squamous, 92 cases of adenocarcinoma, and 37 cases of small cell lung cancer. There were 49 patients with TNM I+II and 156 patients with TNM III+IV. A total of 10 mL baseline peripheral venous blood samples and subsequent peripheral venous blood samples (7 days after two cycles of chemotherapy) were collected, and the levels of Hsp90a, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), Cytokeratin 19 fragments (CYFRA21-1), and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were detected by ELISA kit. Results: Hsp90a was obviously higher in serum from patients with lung cancer than in patients with benign lung disease (p < 0.0001). Moreover, Hsp90a levels were higher in patients with advanced-stage (stage III-IV) lung cancer compared to those with early-stage (stage I-II). Hsp90a level was significantly decreased following treatment with chemotherapy in the progress partial response group (p = 0.017), whereas the level of Hsp90α was significantly higher after chemotherapy treatment in the progressive disease group (p < 0.0001). In addition, compared with CYFRA21-1, CEA, or NSE alone, the AUC of Hsp90a combined with CYFRA21-1, CEA, or NSE were significantly higher in the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma or small-cell lung cancer. Conclusion: Hsp90a combined with CYFRA21-1, CEA, and NSE can be used as diagnostic indicators of lung cancer. The Hsp90a level can be used to monitor treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a clinical syndrome of mild memory or other cognitive impairment without dementia and is a clinical transition state between normal aging and dementia. Careful and meticulous nursing intervention can improve the clinical symptoms of MCI and delay the progression of the disease. Aims: This research aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive function training interventions in elderly patients with MCI. Methods: 106 patients were randomized into the intervention group or the control group. They received conventional nursing intervention and those in the intervention group received additional cognitive training program for 6 weeks. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), activities of daily living (ADL) scales, and Barthel index (BI) were evaluated before and 6 weeks after the intervention, as well as the serum levels of S100β and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) at two time points. Results: After intervention, the MMSE scores and MoCA scores in both groups were significantly increased and the score in the intervention group was significantly higher. In the intervention group, the performance of conventional nursing intervention and cognitive training program significantly increased the scores of ADL and BI (p < 0.001). The serum levels of NSE and S100β in the intervention group were significantly lower. Discussion: The performance of cognitive training program alleviated the brain tissue damage in elderly patients with MCI. Conclusions: The performance of cognitive training program in elderly patients with MCI improved their cognitive ability and daily living ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: to identify the risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDМ) and predictors of perinatal lesions of central nervous system (CNS) combined with GDМ and maternal obesity.Materials and Methods. А retrospective observational case-control non-combined study was conducted to determine GDМ risk factors and their effect on perinatal pathology in 250 women divided into 2 groups. The main group included 150 pregnant women diagnosed with GDМ, the control group – 100 pregnant women without carbohydrate metabolism disorders. An assessment of hereditary, obstetric and gynecological history, as well as somatic health was carried out. Patients from the main group were subdivided into smaller groups: 1А (n = 77) – mothers whose newborns postnatally exerted adverse perinatal outcomes associated with impacting maternal hyperglycemia, and 1В (n = 73) – mothers whose newborns were born healthy. CHAID method (Chi Squared Automatic Interaction Detection) was used to create an algorithm for predicting adverse perinatal outcomes in GDМ. Аt the second stage, a single-center prospective observational non-combined cohort study was conducted to assess an effect of maternal hyperglycemia on formation of perinatal CNS lesions. Pre-labor concentration of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was measured in the amniotic fluid of full-term fetuses in the group of pregnant women with GDM (n = 33) and in the group of pregnant women lacking carbohydrate metabolism disorders (n = 42).Results. Obesity, late reproductive age, family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, abortions, early reproductive losses, macrosomic delivery in history are the main risk factors for GDM development. An algorithm was developed that allowed to predict a risk of newborn perinatal pathology in mother with GDM with an overall percentage of correct predictions of 68.7 ± 3.8 %. Pre-labor concentration of NSE in the amniotic fluid of full-term fetuses was elevated by 1.68 times (p = 0.006) in women with combined GDM and obesity (5.56 [3.37–6.24] ng/ml) compared to pregnant women with normal weight lacking carbohydrate metabolism disorders (3.29 [1.49–4.89] ng/ml).Conclusion. Pregnant women with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus familial history were featured with most prominent potential of developing perinatal complications. Rise in amniotic fluid NSE level in patients with GDМ corroborates damage of fetal CNS during antenatal period. The maximum NSE level was found in women comorbid with GDM and obesity.

In this work, we investigate the effect of concentrated alcoholic solutions (up to 40 % w) on extruded 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) liposomes using scattering techniques. Extrusion in alcoholic aqueous solutions (methanol, ethanol, or butanol) reduces liposome size, evidenced from the decrease in hydrodynamic radius (R H) obtained from dynamic light scattering. Short-chain alcohols such as ethanol and butanol soften the lipid membranes, as observed by the decrease of the unrelaxed bending modulus (κ ̃ ) obtained by neutron spin-echo spectroscopy. Thus, softer membranes are easily ruptured during extrusion, leading to a reduction in vesicle radius corroborated by a reduction in both R H and radius of gyration as seen by dynamic and static light scattering. Moreover, model-free analysis of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) curves suggests that solvent molecules become incorporated into the lipid membrane. Analysing deviations in the scattering invariant from values predicted by mass balance, we find that the volume fraction of liposomes increases, modifying the scattering length density of the assemblies. By quantifying these changes, we estimate that 12% to 18% of the liposome membrane is composed of solvent molecules (alcohol + water), depending on the type of alcohol and its concentration present in solution, with the exception of glycerol where next to no incorporation was observed. Finally, structural parameters obtained through light scattering and changes in contrast profiles calculated from analysis of the invariant were corroborated through modelling of the SANS curves. Modelling suggests that a reduction of bilayer thickness takes place for liposomes dispersed in ethanolic and butanolic solutions, but not in the presence of methanol or glycerol. [Display omitted] • Incorporation of solvent molecules into the lipid bilayer. • Liposomes extruded with alcohols exhibit size reduction. • Reduction of bilayer bending rigidity induced by alcohols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: eHSP90α is closely related to tumor progression and prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the significance of eHSP90α in the response evaluation and prediction of small cell lung cancer.Methods: We analyzed the relationship between eHSP90α expression and clinicopathological features in 105 patients with small cell lung cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the association of parameters and ratios with response assessment, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).Results: In SCLC patients, eHSP90α and NSE were positively correlated. The cutoff values of eHSP90α in OS, PFS, and response evaluation were 61.2 ng/ml, 48.7 ng/ml, and 48.7 ng/ml, respectively. eHSP90α could better predict OS, PFS, and response evaluation (AUC OS 0.791, PFS 0.662, 0.685). Radiotherapy and eHSP90α were independent variables for effective chemotherapy through univariate and multivariate analysis. In contrast, radiotherapy, eHSP90α, NSE, and M stage were independent variables for OS. eHSP90α, and M stage were independent variables for PFS. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that higher eHSP90α expression predicted poorer OS and earlier progression in patients.Conclusions: This study aims to provide new evidence for the efficacy response and prognostic assessment of SCLC. eHSP90α may be a better biomarker for SCLC.

BackgroundMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered a pre-stage of different dementia syndromes. Despite diagnostic criteria refined by DSM-5 and a new term for MCI – “mild neurocognitive disorder” (mild NCD) – this diagnosis is still based on clinical criteria.MethodsTo link mild NCD to the underlying pathophysiology we assessed the degree of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in the brain and peripheral biomarkers for neuronal integrity (neuron-specific enolase, NSE), plasticity (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF), and glial function (S100B) in 158 community-dwelling subjects with mild NCD and 82 healthy controls. All participants (63–79 years old) were selected from the Leipzig-population-based study of adults (LIFE).ResultsSerum S100B levels were increased in mild NCD in comparison to controls (p = 0.007). Serum NSE levels were also increased but remained non-significant after Bonferroni-Holm correction (p = 0.04). Furthermore, age by group interaction was significant for S100B. In an age-stratified sub-analysis, NSE and S100B were higher in younger subjects with mild NCD below 71 years of age. Some effects were inconsistent after controlling for potentially confounding factors. The discriminatory power of the two biomarkers NSE and S100B was insufficient to establish a pathologic threshold for mild NCD. In subjects with mild NCD, WMH load correlated with serum NSE levels (r = 0.20, p = 0.01), independently of age.ConclusionOur findings might indicate the presence of neuronal (NSE) and glial (S100B) injury in mild NCD. Future studies need to investigate whether younger subjects with mild NCD with increased biomarker levels are at risk of developing major NCD.

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), a marker of small cell lung cancer, is over-expressed in patient serum. To reduce the threat of lung cancer to human health and life, a rapid and effective method for the sensitive detection of NSE is necessary. In this study, a sandwich-type photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor for the rapid and sensitive detection of NSE was constructed. To provide a powerful and stable photocurrent signal, the bandgap-matched CdS/NiCo 2 O 4 was used as the substrate material. In addition, Au@CoFe 2 O 4 , which can form a step electron transfer mode with NiCo 2 O 4 , was proposed for the first time as a second antibody (Ab 2) marker to amplify photoelectric signals. The constructed signal-amplified PEC immunosensor showed good linearity in the range of 1 pg/mL − 100 ng/mL with a detection limit as low as 0.24 pg/mL (S/N=3). The constructed PEC immunosensor has shown excellent stability, selectivity, reproducibility, and repeatability. It showed recoveries in the range of 98% − 105% and relative standard deviations (RSD) within 5% in sample analysis. The method proposed in this study is expected to be more widely used in the future for the detection of other disease markers as well as environmental pollutants. [Display omitted] • II-type heterojunction CdS/NiCo 2 O 4 as substrate material to provide stable photocurrent. • Au@CoFe 2 O 4 as the secondary antibody label for signal amplification. • Constructed sandwich-type immunosensor enables ultrasensitive detection of NSE. • PEC immunosensor exhibited a low detection limit of 0.24 pg/mL for NSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidney transplantation (KT) may improve the neurological status of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, reflected by the altered levels of circulating BBB-specific biomarkers. This study compares the levels of neuron specific enolase (NSE), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurofilament light chain (NfL), and circulating plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) in kidney-failure patients before KT and at a two-year follow up. Using ELISA, NSE, BDNF, and NfL levels were measured in the plasma of 74 living-donor KT patients. Plasma EVs were isolated with ultracentrifugation, and characterized for concentration/size and surface protein expression using flow cytometry from a subset of 25 patients. Lower NSE levels, and higher BDNF and NfL were observed at the two-year follow-up compared to the baseline (p < 0.05). Male patients had significantly higher BDNF levels compared to those of females. BBB biomarkers correlated with the baseline lipid profile and with glucose, vitamin D, and inflammation markers after KT. BBB surrogate marker changes in the microcirculation of early vascular aging phenotype patients with calcification and/or fibrosis were observed only in NSE and BDNF. CD31+ microparticles from endothelial cells expressing inflammatory markers such as CD40 and integrins were significantly reduced after KT. KT may, thus, improve the neurological status of CKD patients, as reflected by changes in BBB-specific biomarkers.

Foreign investment is a vital ingredient of the globalization of the world economy as it would have larger impact on the domestic financial markets in the short run and real impact in the long- run. Under these circumstances, it may be useful to study the impact of Foreign Investments on the stock market. The stock market is influenced by many factors. Both institutional and individual investors have a critical role to play in the stock market. The volatility in the market is the result of buying and selling pressure on the stocks. The purpose of this paper to study the impact of foreign investment in developing stock market in India during a period of 2000-2022(Dec2021) and to analyze the causal relationship between foreign investment and stock market in India. The present study is aimed at studying growth of foreign capital inflows in India in the form of foreign direct investment and foreign institutional investment and the influence of foreign investment of India. This study applies correlation and multiple regression analysis methods to evaluate the relationship between foreign investment and stock market in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stock market prediction is a complex yet an essential task for the investors to earn profits. It is complicated to determine the relation between the input and the output because of its randomness and volatility. Applying the available past and present data and information, one can forecast the stock market cost. Therefore, the historical market datasets play a vital role in the prediction by notifying about technical indicators like daily prices, volume traded information surrounding various stocks, closing price, opening price, highest and lowest intraday price, various fundamental ratios (like PE ratio, liquidity ratio, solvency ratio, activity ratio etc.), last traded price etc. There are several datasets that are been employed in various research papers used for the prediction of numerous stocks price. The most often used datasets for machine learning are the NSE, Chinese stock exchange, S&P 500, NYSE, NASDAQ, Istanbul stock exchange national 100 index, standard & poor's 500 return index, and the stock market return index of Germany. The suggested study's goal is to conduct a review of different datasets used in recent research publications over the last five years in order to help forthcoming researchers keep up with the current developments in the area of datasets for stock market prediction using any approach (machine learning or deep learning). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To assess in comatose patients after cardiac arrest (CA) if amplitudes of two somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) responses, namely, N20-baseline (N20-b) and N20–P25, are predictive of neurological outcome. Methods: Monocentric prospective study in a tertiary cardiac center between Nov 2019 and July-2021. All patients comatose at 72 h after CA with at least one SSEP recorded were included. The N20-b and N20–P25 amplitudes were automatically measured in microvolts (µV), along with other recommended prognostic markers (status myoclonus, neuron-specific enolase levels at 2 and 3 days, and EEG pattern). We assessed the predictive value of SSEP for neurologic outcome using the best Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC1 or 2 as good outcome) at 3 months (main endpoint) and 6 months (secondary endpoint). Specificity and sensitivity of different thresholds of SSEP amplitudes, alone or in combination with other prognostic markers, were calculated. Results: Among 82 patients, a poor outcome (CPC 3–5) was observed in 78% of patients at 3 months. The median time to SSEP recording was 3(2–4) days after CA, with a pattern "bilaterally absent" in 19 patients, "unilaterally present" in 4, and "bilaterally present" in 59 patients. The median N20-b amplitudes were different between patients with poor and good outcomes, i.e., 0.93 [0–2.05]µV vs. 1.56 [1.24–2.75]µV, respectively (p < 0.0001), as the median N20–P25 amplitudes (0.57 [0–1.43]µV in poor outcome vs. 2.64 [1.39–3.80]µV in good outcome patients p < 0.0001). An N20-b > 2 µV predicted good outcome with a specificity of 73% and a moderate sensitivity of 39%, although an N20–P25 > 3.2 µV was 93% specific and only 30% sensitive. A low voltage N20-b < 0.88 µV and N20–P25 < 1 µV predicted poor outcome with a high specificity (sp = 94% and 93%, respectively) and a moderate sensitivity (se = 50% and 66%). Association of "bilaterally absent or low voltage SSEP" patterns increased the sensitivity significantly as compared to "bilaterally absent" SSEP alone (se = 58 vs. 30%, p = 0.002) for prediction of poor outcome. Conclusion: In comatose patient after CA, both N20-b and N20–P25 amplitudes could predict both good and poor outcomes with high specificity but low to moderate sensitivity. Our results suggest that caution is needed regarding SSEP amplitudes in clinical routine, and that these indicators should be used in a multimodal approach for prognostication after cardiac arrest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to assess whether optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measured by ultrasound could predict brain injury in sepsis associated encephalopathy (SAE). A total of 48 male New Zealand White rabbits were used to establish sepsis model. The levels of neuro-specific enolase (NSE), S100B, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay and ONSD were measured before modeling, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h after modeling. Sixteen rabbits were sacrificed for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of brain tissue and the brain water content at above time points. Rabbits demonstrated brain injury by HE staining were included in the SAE group, the others were enrolled in the control group. The correlation between ONSD and MPO, NSE and S100B in the SAE group were analyzed. Receiver operator characteristic curves were generated to analyze the area under the curve (AUC), specificity and sensitivity of ONSD values for SAE. Twenty-nine of 48 rabbits had brain injury, while 19 cases were enrolled in the control group. The level of MPO, NSE, S100B, TNF-α at 6 h, 12 h and 24 h in SAE group were all higher than those of the control group with statistical significance. The ONSD in SAE group increased with time and significantly wider than those in the control group. Correlation analysis revealed that ONSD was positively correlated with MPO, NSE and S100B in the SAE group. The AUCs for the ONSD value in diagnosing SAE at 6 h, 12 h and 24 h were 0.864, 0.957, 0.877, respectively. Alterations in ONSD strongly correlated with MPO, NSE and S100B among SAE rabbits. Monitoring of ONSD exhibited a high predictive value for SAE. • SAE is a common complication of sepsis. • Some inflammatory factors and brain injury markers are helpful for the diagnosis of SAE. • Ultrasound measurement of ONSD could be used to evaluate brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primo vascular system (PVS) is observed in different parts of the body under different physiological and disease conditions. Previously, the PVS was not observed in the vagina. The vaginal samples of this study were collected from the female genitalia of healthy New Zealand white rabbits from the animal house, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University. The vaginal samples were fixed in Bouin's solution. The sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Crossmon's trichrome. Additionally, the sections were immunohistochemically stained with neuron‐specific enolase (NSE) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A primo node was observed on the lymph vessel of the vagina and has several characteristics that resemble those of the previously discovered primo nodes. The primo node in this study was surrounded by mesothelial cells that provide positive immunoreactivity to NSE and VEGF. Sinuses of different sizes, floating cells, telocyte‐like cell, and primo microcells were observed as the main constituents of the primo node. Additionally, migratory cells were detected, which passed from the primo node to the enclosing lymph vessel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to evaluate the clinical values of single markers and combination in the diagnosis, short-term efficacy and recurrence risk assessment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: Totally 50 patients with I-IVa stage ESCC, 50 healthy controls and 11 patients with recurrent esophageal cancer after comprehensive treatment were enrolled. Serum biomarkers were collected and evaluated. Serum concentrations of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before and after treatment. Results: The diagnostic efficacy ROC curve area of CEA, CYFRA21-1 and NSE in esophageal cancer was 0.70, 0.71 and 0.64(all P <0.05), respectively, the sensitivity was 80%, 88.89% and 60% respectively, and the specificity was 53%, 58.5% and 58% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the combined detection were 68% and 78% respectively. The area under ROC curve was 0.75. CEA, CYFRA21-1 and NSE were significantly higher than the healthy control group and thus can be used as diagnostic markers of esophageal cancer (all P <0.05). After standard treatment, the clinical CR and PR rate of patients with positive CYFRA21-1 or NSE before treatment was significantly lower than that of patients with negative CYFRA21-1 or NSE (X2 = 4.52,P =0.03). A significant negative correlation was found between N stage and clinical efficacy (HR 2.48, 95%CI 1.07-5.73). After comprehensive treatment, the serum CYFRA21-1 and NSE levels in recurrent patients also increased significantly(all P<0.05), indicating these two markers play obvious roles in recurrence monitoring. Conclusion: CYFRA21-1 and NSE may help to predict the response of ESCC to CRT, and play important roles in the diagnosis and recurrence monitoring of esophageal cancer. These markers have a diagnostic value of esophageal cancer when combined with CEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to examine and assess the performance of IRCTC's share price since its initial public offering (IPO) on the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE). The article also looks at the share price performance before and after India's shutdown declaration. METHODOLOGY: The Research Design is mostly descriptive. Data were obtained for the daily share prices of IRCTC on the NSE in India from 14th October 2019 to 15th January 2021. To investigate the pricing, descriptive statistics and one-variable analysis were used. The t-test and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test were used to compare the preand post-performance of pricing. FINDINGS: The IRCTC Share, which is backed by excellent fundamentals, had a substantial increase in value when it was listed on the NSE. The surge also persisted as a result of investors' bullish mood. With the rising threat of a worldwide epidemic, India's government declared a state of emergency, bringing the whole country, including the trains, to a halt. The analysis concluded that IRCTC share prices began to decline one month before the country's lockdown was announced and that this trend continued until the lockdown began. The post-lockdown era saw a V-shaped rebound in IRCTC share prices, and the company was able to reclaim its previous position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of the combination of zedoary turmeric oil, ganciclovir and interferon in the treatment of children with viral encephalitis, and its effect on neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B. Methods: One hundred (100) children with viral encephalitis were selected and assigned to control group (n = 50) and study group (n = 50). Children in control group received ganciclovir and interferon, while those in the study group received ganciclovir, interferon and zedoary turmeric oil. The treatment effectiveness, mitigation of symptoms, incidence of adverse reactions, and changes in levels of NSE and S100B in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after treatment were analyzed for the two groups of children. Results: Treatment effectiveness for the study group (98 %) was significantly higher than for the control group (84 %, p < 0.05). The time taken for the mitigation of clinical symptoms was markedly shorter in the study group than in control. There was a lower incidence of adverse reactions in children in the study group (2 %) than in controls (28 %). Serum NSE level (32.65 ± 13.18 ug/mL) and serum S100B level (5.56 ± 4.01 ug/mL) in the study group were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than the corresponding control levels (38.95 ± 11.95 ug/mL for NSE; and 8.18 ± 4.32 ug/ml for S100B). Conclusion: The use of a combination of ganciclovir, interferon and zedoary turmeric oil treatment improves therapeutic effect in children with viral encephalitis. Therefore, the combination treatment merits clinical promotion and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal Debt-equity mix is the most discussed concept in financial grounds. Debt and equity have their own positive and negative impact on firm's financial performance of the organization. More debt will increase the burden of the organization whereas; lesser debt will not give leverage to equity shareholders. Similarly, more equity will not have burden as payout is not compulsory but less equity will have issues with respect to decision making in the board. Hence, achieving a perfect balance between debt and equity is a need of every organization to provide decent return to their owners. As this decision cannot be generalized to all industries, different industries across the country have to be analysed independently. In this study, an attempt is made to study the impact of capital structure on financial performance of leading Energy sector companies listed in NSE for the period of 2011 to 2020. The trends and statistical significance of financial mix practices (Capital Structure Ratio (Debt-equity ratio, Total Debt, Fixed Asset to Funded Debt, Capital Gearing ratio), Profitability Ratios (Net Profit Margin, ROE and ROA)) are analysed using the following tools - ratio analysis, correlation and multiple regression analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute methadone toxicity is a major public health concern which has adverse effects on brain tissue and results in recurrent or delayed respiratory arrest. Our study aimed to investigate the time-dependent changes in several serum biochemical markers of brain damage, spatial working memory, and the brain tissue following acute methadone overdose. Adolescent male rats underwent an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 15 mg/kg methadone. In case of apnea occurrence, resuscitation was performed by a ventilatory pump and administrating naloxone (2 mg/kg; i.p.). The animals were classified into groups of treated rats; methadone and naloxone-Apnea (M/N-Apnea), M/N-Sedate, Methadone, Naloxone, and control (saline) groups. The serum levels of S100B, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), myelin basic protein factors, and (Lactate/Pyruvate) L/P ratio were evaluated at the time-points of 6, 24, and 48 h (h). We found that the alterations of S100B and L/P ratio were considerable in the M/N-Apnea and Methadone groups from the early hours post-methadone overdose, while NSE serum levels elevation was observed only in M/N-Apnea group with a delay at 48 h. Further, we assessed the spatial working memory (Y-maze test), morphological changes, and neuronal loss. The impaired spontaneous alternation behavior was detected in the M/N-Apnea groups on days 5 and 10 post-methadone overdose. The morphological changes of neurons and the neuronal loss were detectable in the CA1, striatum, and cerebellum regions, which were pronounced in both M/N-Apnea and Methadone groups. Together, our findings suggest that alterations in the serum levels of S100B and NSE factors as well as L/P ratio could be induced by methadone overdose with the presence or absence of apnea before the memory impairment and tissue injury in adolescent male rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Central cholinergic systems play a key role in the adaptation of the central nervous system to traumatic brain injury. Objective – to establish the effect of cholinergic systems activation and blockade on the morphological state of the cerebral cortex in the acute period of traumatic brain injury. Methods. Trauma was simulated with a free fall of a load on fixed head of animal. To activate the cholinergic systems, choline alfoscerate (gliatilin, 6 mg/kg) was administered to rats before injury, and biperiden hydrochloride (akinetone; 0.6 mg/kg) was used for blocking. Histological and immunohistochemical studies were performed 3, 24, 48 and 72 hours after trauma. Sections of the cerebral cortex for light microscopy were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. For immunohistochemical studies, antibodies to neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP) were used. Antibodies were visualized using a DAKO Poly Vue HRP/DAB polymer detection system. Light microscopy was performed on the Olimpus BX 40 microscope with the Olimpus C3030-ADU digital camera and Olimpus DP-Soft. Results. The activation of the cholinergic systems in the acute period led to a significant decrease in the lethality of experimental animals. At the same time, an increase of the normochromic neurons number and the synthesis of neuron-specific proteins: NSE and GFAP were noted in the cerebral cortex, which was a reflection of the full functioning of neurons and neuroglia. The cholinergic systems blockade was accompanied by high mortality and caused inhibition of the functional activity of neurons, the development of neurodestructive changes with a significant decrease in NSE-positive staining and GFAP activity, which reflected progressive disorders of neurons and astrocytic neuroglia. Conclusion. The results obtained confirmed the key role of central cholinergic systems for the implementation of the adaptive response in traumatic brain injury and showed the nature of morphological changes in the brain during their activation and blockade.

The neuropeptides comprise an important part in the nervous system interacting with endocrine and immune systems. Peptide regulators are responsible for the continuity of communicating elements, which support homeostasis, however, despite abundant research examining neuropeptides, not all specific mechanisms and features of interacting proteins with cells and immune components have been uncovered. Objective: to perform a comprehensive assessment of neuropeptide system in patients with herpes zoster. Materials and methods: 106 in-hospital patients were examined diagnosed with herpes zoster within 2016–2019 period. Control group consisted of 30 healthy age- and sex-matched volunteers. Blood serum was collected after verifying diagnosis on day 1. After discharge, patients were monitored for signs of pain syndrome and overall state within 3 months. It allowed to divide patients into 3 groups retrospectively. Group 1 — patients with herpes zoster, accompanied by mild or moderate pain syndrome; group 2 — patients with herpes zoster, accompanied by severe pain; group 3 — patients with herpes zoster, complicated by postherpetic neuralgia. Level of serum protein s100B, myelin basic protein, nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neuron specific enolase was measured by using specific reagents purchased from “R&D Diagnostics Inc.” (США). Results. it was found that level of serum protein S100B in all groups was significantly increased compared to control group, showing no inter-group differences. Amount of myelin basic protein in all study groups vs. control was significantly higher. Moreover, level of these parameters in group 2 vs. group 1 and 3 was significantly elevated. In addition, level of nerve growth factor was significantly increased in group 1 vs. groups 2 and 3, whereas in group 3 it was significantly lower than in control and group 2. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor was significantly decreased in all the study groups compared to control, showing no significant intergroup differences. Level of neuron-specific enolase was significantly increased in group 3 vs. control as well as group 1 and 2. The data obtained allowed to identify two parameters for assessing a risk of postherpetic neuralgia in acute herpes zoster, as well as provided deeper insights into the pathogenesis of neuroimmune disorders accompanying herpes zoster.

Let $\pi_e(G)$ be the set of elements orders of $G$. Also let $s_n$ be the number of elements of order $n$ in $G$ and ${\rm nse}(G)=\{s_n| n\in\pi_e(G)\}$. In this paper we prove that if $G$ is a group such that ${\rm nse}(G)= {\rm nse}(\rm PSL(4,7))$, $19\big\vert|G|$ and $19^2\nmid|G|$, then $G\cong{\rm PSL(4,7)}$. As a consequence of this result it follows that Thompson's problem is satisfied for the simple group $\rm{PSL(4,7)}$.

Abstract Background Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disorder that is accompanied by structural brain changes. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of OSAS on the serum levels of astrocytic protein (S100B) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in observational studies. Methods A comprehensive search was performed in the PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library databases to assess the serum level of S100B and/or NSE in patients with OSAS and/or controls. The quality of the study was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). A random-effects model was performed using RevMan 5.3 with the mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Out of 63 studies found in the mentioned databases and one identified by a manual search, nine studies were included and analyzed in this meta-analysis (three cross-sectional and six case-control studies). The analysis showed that the S100B [MD = 53.58 pg/ml, 95%CI: 1.81, 105.35; P = 0.04] and NSE levels [MD = 3.78 ng/ml, 95%CI: 2.07, 5.48; P

Introduction:Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common, chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. We aimed to evaluate the levels of some neurobiochemical markers in order to evaluate their predictive role in MS.Methods:Fifty-one patients with a diagnosis of MS and 37 healthy subjects were included in the study. The patients with MS were diagnosed by a skilled neurologist based on the medical history and physical examination according to revised McDonald criteria. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and myelin basic protein (MBP) were measured by quantitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique with a commercially available ELISA kit.Results:There was a significant difference in NSE levels between the patient and the control groups. No significant difference was determined between the patient and the control groups in terms of S100B, MBP, and GFAP levels. S100B levels were positively correlated with Expanded Disability Status scale scores.Conclusion:Our findings indicated that NSE levels are significantly lower in MS patients. However, NSE levels should not be used alone at discriminating the disease. Multifactorial evaluation should be done during the diagnosis and follow-up of MS.

The unpredictable weather phenomenon is a cause for major concern as it brings along with it a series of difficulties. This draws our attention to drought which is one of the reasons of concern and needs to be dealt with in an effective manner. Although the rain gauge stations with a resolution of 250 x 250 provide precipitation data, the emerging satellite products show bigger promise. The valuation of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) data with the gauge data for 11 stations was conducted over the semi-arid region of Karnataka by means of data comparison and the drought indices such as Percent of Normal (PN), Modified China Z Index (MCZI), and Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI). Comparative analysis was carried out for the monthly data using various statistical methods from the year 1998 to 2019. The study focuses on determining the feasibility and reliability of precipitation products in the analysis of drought. There is about 27.13% of similarity amongst the dataset for RAI while only 10.88% of data match for PN index. It was found that the satellite data is most suitable for the large-scale area while there are uncertainties when it comes to regional studies. The outcome of the result aims to provide a qualitative means to carry out drought-related studied and come up with beneficial solutions.

This study was aimed to evaluate the clinical values of single markers and combination in the diagnosis, short-term efficacy and recurrence risk assessment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).MethodsTotally 50 patients with I-IVa stage ESCC, 50 healthy controls and 11 patients with recurrent esophageal cancer after comprehensive treatment were enrolled. Serum biomarkers were collected and evaluated. Serum concentrations of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before and after treatment.ResultsThe diagnostic efficacy ROC curve area of CEA, CYFRA21-1 and NSE in esophageal cancer was 0.70, 0.71 and 0.64(all P

A label-free electrochemical immunosensor was developed for the rapid and sensitive detection of neuron-specific enolase (NSE). The electropolymerization of dopamine in conjunction with highly conductive carbon nanotubes offers a simple and quick platform for the direct anchoring of antibodies without the assistance of any coupling agent as well as a blocking agent. The developed immunosensor exhibited a wider detection range from 120 pM (9 ng mL -1 ) to 3 nM (200 ng mL -1 ) for NSE with a high sensitivity of 3.9 μA pM -1 cm -2 in 0.1 M phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at physiological pH (7.4). Moreover, the short recognition time (15 min) for the antigen enabled the detection to be fast and less invasive. Additionally, the evaluation of a rate constant at various concentrations of NSE via feedback mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) explained the profound effect of antigen concentration on the rate of flow of electrons. Therefore, the proposed immunosensor can be a promising tool for the early detection of small cell lung cancer in a very short period of time with consistent accuracy.

Considering the severity of a catastrophic flood in the Teesta river in India earlier, it is indispensable to assess the runoff at the basin's ungauged outlet, Mekhliganj. Almost every other year, the downstream of the river is in spate during the monsoon months. Among the three gauging stations in the basin, Teesta Bazaar, Domohani, and Mekhliganj, streamflow data is unavailable at the latter one. In this context, this study focuses on estimating the runoff of the Teesta river basin at its outlet, Mekhliganj, using Hydrologic Engineering Center-Hydrological Modeling System (HEC-HMS) software, verifying the output from the model through the measured streamflow data at the other two upstream gauging locations, Teesta Bazaar and Domohani. The runoff has been estimated for daily precipitation from May to October, applying Soil Conservation Service (SCS), curve number (CN), and SCS unit hydrograph method. Subsequently, the model has been calibrated for 2001 and 2006 to optimize both the Muskingum routing parameters. The model has been validated for some specific years like 2004, 2012, 2013, and 2016, which experienced extreme deluge. The results for both the upstream gauging stations bear a good correlation between the computed and observed data, evaluated through the statistical indicators such as percentage error in peak flow (PEPF), percentage error in volume (PEV), Nash-Sutcliffe (NSE), and R2, consequently justifying the simulated result at the outlet. This study is necessary for this vast watershed area with limited gauging stations and an ungauged outlet to understand the basin response and its derived consequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foreign exchange market and the stock markets in India are among the most important financial markets that are constantly being monitored by the investors, regulators, and the policy-makers. The present study makes an attempt to investigate whether any causal relationship exists between the foreign exchange market and the stock markets in India. The BSE and the NSE annual returns have been used as a substitute for the stock prices, while the currency rate of Indian Rupee against the US Dollar (INR/USD) has been considered as a substitute for the exchange rate exposure covering a time-period of 20 years, from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2019. The applications of the unit root or Augmented Dickey-Fuller test, Johansen cointegration, and Granger causality tests, as employed in the present study, examined the relationship between the USD/INR exchange rates and Indian stock market indices (SENSEX and NIFTY-50). The Granger causality test indicated that both the BSE and NSE stock indices granger cause INR/USD exchange rates. However, the INR/USD rates do not granger cause the BSE and NSE stock returns. The study has portrayed a unidirectional relation between the stock indices and INR/USD rates, but a bi-directional relation between the BSE and NSE stock returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: Chromogranin A (CgA) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) are applied in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), especially non-functional ones. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive values of CgA and NSE in long-term survival. Patients and Methods: Our retrospective analysis included 65 patients with histologically verified gastroenteropancreatic NEN between 2005 and 2019. We performed bivariate and multivariable analyses to evaluate the relationship between CgA and NSE values before histological assessment and overall survival. Distribution of time-to-event was analyzed using KaplanMeier survival curves and modelled by Cox regression models. Results: Elevated NSE levels prior to histology were significantly associated with worse survival (HR=1.13, p=0.004) and were associated with low-differentiated NENs (rs=0.321, p=0.0338). CgA was associated with welldifferentiated tumors (rs=0.233), but not significantly. Conclusion: Pretreatment serum levels of NSE can serve as a valuable additional predictor of long-term survival in patients with NEN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stock market is an aggregation of investor sentiment that affects daily changes in stock prices. Investor sentiment remained a mystery and challenge over time, inviting researchers to comprehend the market trends. The entry of behavioral scientists in and around the 1980s brought in the market trading's human dimensions. Shortly after that, due to the digitization of exchanges, the mix of traders changed as institutional traders started using algorithmic trading (AT) on computers. Nevertheless, the effects of investor sentiment did not disappear and continued to intrigue market researchers. Though market sentiment plays a significant role in timing investment decisions, classical finance models largely ignored the role of investor sentiment in asset pricing. For knowing if the market price is value-driven, the investor would isolate components of irrationality from the price, as reflected in the sentiment. Investor sentiment is an expression of irrational expectations of a stock's risk-return profile that is not justified by available information. In this context, the paper aims to predict the next-day trend in the index prices for the centralized Indian National Stock Exchange (NSE) deploying machine learning algorithms like support vector machine, random forest, gradient boosting, and deep neural networks. The training set is historical NSE closing price data from June 1st, 2013-June 30th, 2020. Additionally, the authors factor technical indicators like moving average (MA), moving average convergence-divergence (MACD), K (%) oscillator and corresponding three days moving average D (%), relative strength indicator (RSI) value, and the LW (R%) indicator for the same period. The predictive power of deep neural networks over other machine learning techniques is established in the paper, demonstrating the future scope of deep learning in multi-parameter time series prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper emphasizes on Promoters' Equity Shareholding pledging and its relationship with Financial Distress and Financial performance. Today many Companies (listed on Indian Stock Exchange promoters) are pledging their Equity shares for various purposes. In this study we have selected six group companies of the Renowned and well-known corporate house namely Future Group which are listed on National Stock Exchange. The promoters of this companies have off late ledged their equity shares with Financial Intuitions. Financial distress is a condition in which a company or individual cannot generate sufficient revenues or income, making it unable to meet or pay its financial obligations. The main aim of the research undertaken is to find out whether company is in Financial Distress using 10 years data for the company Future Group. Data collected on various financial parameters from the year 2010 till 2021. The method used is a case study method with specific company only. The research also tries to find Before and After pledge financial performance and Financial Solvency position using Altman Z Score Model. For Analyzing the Before and After Promoters' Equity Share Pledging on the Financial Performance of the company Independent Sample T Test was Carried out on the Data. Proxy for the financial performance were Earnings per Share, Net profit Margin, Debt Equity Ratio, Current Ratio, Return on Assets and Assets Turnover Ratio. The current study used financial performance indicators viz Net Sales, Total Assets, Retained Earnings, Working Capital etc. The Altman Z score is used for analyzing the data and interpret the financial distress of the company. Financial statement analysis and various financial ratios are used for analysis. The research is based on secondary data and data is mainly collected from Bombay Stock Exchange website and annual reports published. The Research findings were that in the year 2020-2021, five of the Six Group companies were in financial Distress. Other findings were post ledge Asset Turnover Ratio, Earnings per share, Net profit margin, Return on Assets and Assets Turnover Ratio have declined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]