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Evidence suggesting that episodic specificity induction improves divergent thinking performance in younger and older adults has been taken as indicative of the role of declarative memory processes in creativity. A series of studies were carried out to verify the specificity of such findings by investigating the effects of several novel episodic and semantic memory induction procedures on a widely employed measure of divergent creative thinking (the Alternate Uses Task), in comparison to a control induction and a no-induction baseline in both younger and older adults. There was no clear evidence for a specific role played by the induction of episodic or semantic memory processes in facilitating creative thinking across the three experiments, and the effects of the induction procedures (episodic, semantic and control) on divergent thinking were not comparable across age groups. On the other hand, higher levels of creativity were generally associated with older adults (60-80 years). In Experiments 2 and 3, older adults generated a greater number of responses (fluency), more unique responses (average originality, peak originality, creativity ratings) and more varied responses (flexibility) than younger adults (18-30 years). The findings are discussed in relation to the specificity of declarative memory operations and their impact on creative thinking, especially within the context of healthy ageing.

Background and aim: Many efforts have focused on platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ) because of its association with hepatic stellate cell activation in liver fibrosis. Yet, its potential role as a diagnostic tool is essentially unexplored. This research was done to assess the value of the sPDGFRβ score in predicting liver fibrosis stages in Egyptian patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and viral liver disease. Patients and methods: In this case–control study, patients with liver fibrosis/cirrhosis related to viral hepatitis and NAFLD were categorized according to the degree of fibrosis detected by Fibro-scan, and their circulating PDGFR levels were assessed. The diagnostic role of PDGFRβ was assessed and compared to previously validated clinical fibrosis scores fibrosis-4 (Fib-4), aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio in both groups of patients and to NAFLD fibrosis score in NAFLD patients. Results: Patients with advanced fibrosis showed the greatest rise in sPDGFR compared to those with absent or mild fibrosis. Combining sPDGFR-levels with platelet counts and albumin levels into a new diagnostic algorithm, sPDGFRβ thrombocyte albumin (PRTA) score, improved the accuracy of sPDGFR-levels in predicting fibrosis; the score generated a higher predictive value than Fib-4, APRI, and AST/ALT in NAFLD and viral liver disease, and higher than the NAFLD fibrosis score in the NAFLD group. Conclusion: PRTA score is an effective method for diagnosing advanced liver fibrosis (NAFLD). sPDGFRβ could be used as a significant, highly sensitive noninvasive biomarker for liver fibrosis and has a good diagnostic value for significant liver fibrosis if integrated into PRTA score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunity is governed by fundamental genetic processes. These processes shape the nature of immune cells and set the rules that dictate the myriad complex cellular interactions that power immune systems. Everything from the generation of T cell receptors and antibodies, control of epitope presentation, and recognition of pathogens by the immunoediting of cancer cells is, in large part, made possible by core genetic mechanisms and the cellular machinery that they encode. In the last decade, next-generation sequencing has been used to dissect the complexities of cancer immunity with potent effect. Sequencing of exomes and genomes has begun to reveal how the immune system recognizes 'foreign' entities and distinguishes self from non-self, especially in the setting of cancer. High-throughput analyses of transcriptomes have revealed deep insights into how the tumor microenvironment affects immunotherapy efficacy. In this Review, we discuss how high-throughput sequencing has added to our understanding of how immune systems interact with cancer cells and how cancer immunotherapies work., Introduction The role of genetics in determining cancer immunotherapy response is born from two fundamental principles: (a) cancer is at its core a genetic disease, and (b) genetic mechanisms underlie [...]

Background: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a critical infection in patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites, necessitating early diagnosis for effective intervention. The standard diagnostic criterion for SBP is an ascitic fluid polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) count of≥250 cells/mm3. This study explored alternative diagnostic markers for SBP, including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), serum procalcitonin, urinary lipocalin, ascitic lactoferrin, homocysteine, and fecal or ascitic calprotectin. Aim of the Work: The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of both ascitic fluid calprotectin and lactoferrin in detecting SBP in cirrhotic patients. Patients and Methods: The research was conducted at the Hepatology and Gastroenterology Department at Ain Shams University in Egypt from September 2022 to May 2023. Patient data, including demographics, clinical symptoms, laboratory results, and ascitic fluid markers (calprotectin and lactoferrin), were collected and analyzed to assess their diagnostic accuracy for SBP in cirrhotic patients. Results: Among the studied population, bleeding, abdominal pain, and fever were significantly more frequent in patients with SBP than those without SBP. Patients with SBP exhibited higher levels of leucocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lower levels of albumin compared to those without SBP. Ascitic fluid parameters, including PMN, calprotectin, and lactoferrin, were significantly higher in patients with SBP. These biomarkers also showed a positive correlation with liver disease severity and were positively correlated with white blood cell count, ESR, and CRP, while calprotectin showed a negative correlation with albumin. At a cut-off point of>221, ascitic fluid calprotectin demonstrated a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 96% for predicting SBP, while ascitic fluid lactoferrin, at a cut-off point of>64.5, had a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 80% for SBP prediction. Conclusion: Both ascitic fluid calprotectin and lactoferrin were significantly elevated in cirrhotic patients with SBP compared to those without SBP. These findings suggest that ascitic fluid calprotectin and lactoferrin can serve as valuable diagnostic tests for screening and diagnosing SBP in patients with liver cirrhosis. Early detection of SBP is crucial for timely intervention and improved patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The two main types of inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD] are --Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC]. Only limited data are available regarding the diagnostic accuracy of fecal matrix metalloprotease-9 [MMP-9] for inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. Aim of the Work: the aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic role of fecal MMP-9 in patients with active CD and UC and its accuracy in predicting the disease remission Patients and Methods: This case-control study was conducted at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cases were enrolled over 9 months from june - 2022 to february - 2023. This study was performed on 80 subjects divided into 3 groups: Group A: 30 patients with Crohn's disease evidenced by endoscopy (ileocolonoscopy and upper GI endoscopy) and tissue biopsy 15 patients with active disease & 15 patients in remission). Group B: 30 patients with Ulcerative Colitis disease evidenced by colonoscopy and tissue biopsy (15 patients with active disease & 15 patients in remission). Group C: 20 age-matched, sex-matched healthy controls Results: FC can significantly assess CD and UC (AUC = 0.991 for CD and 0.996 for UC at cut off >743 mg/g for CD and >245 mg/g for UC, 93.33% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% PPV and 93.7 NPV (P value <0.001). Fecal MMP-9 can significantly assess CD and UC (AUC = 0.998 for CD and 0.991 for UC at cut off >0.34 ng/mL for CD and >0.36 ng/mL for UC, 93.33% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% PPV and 93.7 NPV (P value <0.001); Conclusion: this study assesed the diagnostic accuracy of fecal MMP-9 in the different types of IBD. The results showed that fecal MMP-9 has high sensitivity in the detection of endoscopically active UC and CD, and these non-invasive methods help in assessing intestinal inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple therapeutic efforts have focused on Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptor beta (PDGFRB) because of its association with hepatic stellate cell activation in liver fibrosis. Yet, its potential as a diagnostic tool is essentially unexplored. Objective: This research was done to assess the value of the sPDGFRb based-score in predicting liver fibrosis stages in Egyptian patients with NAFLD and viral liver disease in correlation with NAFLD fibrosis score and Fibro-scan. Methods: In this case-control study, patients with liver fibrosis/cirrhosis related to viral hepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were categorized according to the degree of fibrosis detected by Fibro-scan, and their circulating PDGFRB levels were compared. The diagnostic roles of PDGFRb as an individual blood parameter or combined with other metabolic parameters were assessed and compared to previously validated clinical fibrosis scores Fib-4, APRI, and AST/ALT ratio in both groups of patients and to NAFLD fibrosis score in NAFLD patients. Findings: Patients with advanced fibrosis showed the greatest rise in sPDGFRB compared to those with absent or mild fibrosis. Combining sPDGFRB-levels with platelet counts and albumin levels into a new diagnostic algorithm, the PRTA-score, improved the accuracy of sPDGFRB-levels in predicting fibrosis; the score generated a predictive value that was higher than Fib-4, APRI, and AST/ALT in NAFLD and viral liver disease, and higher than the NAFLD fibrosis score in the NAFLD group. Finally, we used case-control research to verify the diagnostic significance of sPDGFRB levels and the PRTA-score in identifying severe liver fibrosis in NAFLD and viral hepatitis. Interpretation: This research concluded that patients with viral hepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). may benefit from the PRTA-score since it is an effective method for diagnosing advanced liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]