Assessment of mental fatigue and stress on electronic sport players with data fusion.

Stress and mental fatigue are in existence constantly in daily life, and decrease our productivity while performing our daily routines. The purpose of this study was to analyze the states of stress and mental fatigue using data fusion while e-sport activity. In the study, ten volunteers performed e-sport duty which required both physical and mental effort and skills for 2 min. Volunteers' electroencephalogram (EEG), galvanic skin response (GSR), heart rate variability (HRV), and eye tracking data were obtained before and during game and then were analyzed. In addition, the effects of e-sports were evaluated with visual analogue scale and d2 attention tests. The d2 tests are performed after the game, and the game has a positive effect on attention and concentration. EEG from the frontal region indicates that the game is partly caused by stress and mental fatigue. HRV analysis showed that the sympathetic and vagal activities created by e-sports on people are different. By evaluating HRV and GSR together, it was seen that the emotional processes of the participants were stressed in some and excited in others. Data fusion can serve a variety of purposes such as determining the effect of e-sports activity on the person and the appropriate game type.

Complementary Phenomena: Phantom Hand and Phantom Face.

After tissue or limb loss, the development of sensation and perception of the lost or deafferent tissue is defined as a phantom phenomenon. We investigated the presence of phantom phenomena in individuals who underwent a full face transplant as well as those who had a hand transplant. Specifically, we investigated sensory perception of the face on the fingers and sensory perception of the fingers on the face in three full face and four hand transplant patients. In all seven individuals, we used a brush to separately stimulate the right and left sides of the face or the palmar and dorsal faces of the hand. We then asked the individuals if they felt a sensation of touch on any other part of their body and, if so, to describe their perceptions. Changes in the regions of the primary sensory cortex representing the hand and face were defined using fMRI obtained via tactile sensory stimulation of the clinical examination areas. Two of the full face transplant patients reported sensory perceptions such as a prominent sensation of touch on their faces during sensory stimulation of their fingers. Three of the hand transplant patients reported sensory perceptions, which we referred to as finger patches, during sensory stimulation of the face area. In fMRI, overlaps were observed in the cortical hand and face representation areas. We consider the phantom hand and phantom face phenomena we observed to be complementary due to the neighborhood of the representations of the hand and face in the somatosensory cortex.

Adaptive analysis of cortical plasticity with fMRI in full face and arm transplants.

The aim of this study is to examine cortical plasticity and to analyze cortical reorganization following hand and facial transplantation, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Patients who had undergone full-face transplantation, hand transplantation and scapular arm replantation, as well as healthy controls, participated in the study. The perioral area and volar surfaces of the index finger and thumb were stimulated and images were acquired using 3 T functional MRI. The areas of the somatosensory cortex representing the hand and face are different in size and shape due to experience-dependent plasticity. Therefore, a new and more adaptive volume of interest analysis was created whereby the radiuses of the VOI masks were defined by the peak intensity of subsequent clusters. For each control subject, the distribution of activated voxels was observed for various cluster defining thresholds in order to determine the mean number of activated voxels for each stimulation inside the defined region. The determined numbers of voxels per subject were extracted from the defined regions using a binary search algorithm. Subsequently, the distances between the weighted centers of the extracted regions were calculated and compared. In transplant patients, the weighted centers of the hand and face clusters were separated at same-sized volumes. Two of the rehabilitated full-face transplant patients converge to the range of the controls. As a result, the weighted distribution of somatotopy indicated previous and present cortical reorganization. Additionally, referred sensation was assessed in two full-face transplant and one replant patient with activation clusters partially in BA40 in the Inferior Parietal Lobule.

Volvariella turcica, a new species from Turkey, and a multigene phylogeny of Volvariella.

A new species of Volvariella, collected from Aydin Province on the coast of the Aegean Sea in southwestern Turkey, is described as Volvariella turcica, sp. nov., based on morphology and multigene molecular analysis of three nuc rDNA gene regions: internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS), 28S, and 18S. The new species was found in forests dominated by Pinus brutia and Quercus coccifera and mainly characterized by small basidiomata with a white pileus covered with pale ochre center and an ochre-discoloring volva, small basidiospores, lageniform pleurocystidia, balloon-shaped to clavate cheilocystidia, and stipitipellis hairs that are cylindrical or cylindrical-tortuous with subcapitate or lobe-like projections. A comprehensive description, illustrations, and line drawings are provided, and comparison with morphologically similar and phylogenetically related species is discussed.

Recovery of facial expressions using functional electrical stimulation after full-face transplantation.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the recovery of 2 face transplantation patients with measures of complexity during neuromuscular rehabilitation. Cognitive rehabilitation methods and functional electrical stimulation were used to improve facial emotional expressions of full-face transplantation patients for 5 months. Rehabilitation and analyses were conducted at approximately 3 years after full facial transplantation in the patient group. We report complexity analysis of surface electromyography signals of these two patients in comparison to the results of 10 healthy individuals. METHODS: Facial surface electromyography data were collected during 6 basic emotional expressions and 4 primary facial movements from 2 full-face transplantation patients and 10 healthy individuals to determine a strategy of functional electrical stimulation and understand the mechanisms of rehabilitation. A new personalized rehabilitation technique was developed using the wavelet packet method. Rehabilitation sessions were applied twice a month for 5 months. Subsequently, motor and functional progress was assessed by comparing the fuzzy entropy of surface electromyography data against the results obtained from patients before rehabilitation and the mean results obtained from 10 healthy subjects. RESULTS: At the end of personalized rehabilitation, the patient group showed improvements in their facial symmetry and their ability to perform basic facial expressions and primary facial movements. Similarity in the pattern of fuzzy entropy for facial expressions between the patient group and healthy individuals increased. Synkinesis was detected during primary facial movements in the patient group, and one patient showed synkinesis during the happiness expression. Synkinesis in the lower face region of one of the patients was eliminated for the lid tightening movement. CONCLUSIONS: The recovery of emotional expressions after personalized rehabilitation was satisfactory to the patients. The assessment with complexity analysis of sEMG data can be used for developing new neurorehabilitation techniques and detecting synkinesis after full-face transplantation.

Image-based Analysis of Emotional Facial Expressions in Full Face Transplants.

In this study, it is aimed to determine the degree of the development in emotional expression of full face transplant patients from photographs. Hence, a rehabilitation process can be planned according to the determination of degrees as a later work. As envisaged, in full face transplant cases, the determination of expressions can be confused or cannot be achieved as the healthy control group. In order to perform image-based analysis, a control group consist of 9 healthy males and 2 full-face transplant patients participated in the study. Appearance-based Gabor Wavelet Transform (GWT) and Local Binary Pattern (LBP) methods are adopted for recognizing neutral and 6 emotional expressions which consist of angry, scared, happy, hate, confused and sad. Feature extraction was carried out by using both methods and combination of these methods serially. In the performed expressions, the extracted features of the most distinct zones in the facial area where the eye and mouth region, have been used to classify the emotions. Also, the combination of these region features has been used to improve classifier performance. Control subjects and transplant patients' ability to perform emotional expressions have been determined with K-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier with region-specific and method-specific decision stages. The results have been compared with healthy group. It has been observed that transplant patients don't reflect some emotional expressions. Also, there were confusions among expressions.

Potential Anticancer Activity of the Parasol Mushroom, Macrolepiota procera (Agaricomycetes), against the A549 Human Lung Cancer Cell Line.

Mushrooms comprise an unlimited source of active compounds that have beneficial health effects without known negative side effects and can potentially be used as important therapeutic products against cancer, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. In this study we investigated the cytotoxic, antiproliferative, apoptotic, and anti-invasion effects of Macrolepiota procera, which is valued as an edible and medicinal mushroom, on A549 lung cancer cells. The cytotoxic effect of the M. procera extract was determined by using the XTT method. Total RNA was isolated from cells with TRI Reagent to determine the apoptotic effect of the extract, after which complementary DNA was synthesized. Expression profiles of the target genes were determined by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and protein changes were determined by using Western blotting. We used the TUNEL assay to evaluate the apoptotic effects of the M. procera extract. Effects of M. procera on cell invasion were investigated by using a Matrigel chamber assay. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration of the M. procera extract was determined to be 2 mg/mL against A549 lung cancer cells at 72 hours. According to our results, expression of Cyclin Dl, CDK4, CDK6, Bcl-2, Akt, and NOXA genes significantly decreased and that of Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, PTEN, PUMA, p21, and p53 increased in cells from the dose group compared with their expression in control cells. According to the results of the TUNEL assay, 28 ± 3.6% of cells were apoptotic in the dose group. The M. procera extract also reduced invasion in A549 cancer cells. The results suggest that M. procera has an antiproliferative effect in a dose- and time-dependent manner.

Assessment of Emotional Expressions after Full-Face Transplantation.

We assessed clinical features as well as sensory and motor recoveries in 3 full-face transplantation patients. A frequency analysis was performed on facial surface electromyography data collected during 6 basic emotional expressions and 4 primary facial movements. Motor progress was assessed using the wavelet packet method by comparison against the mean results obtained from 10 healthy subjects. Analyses were conducted on 1 patient at approximately 1 year after face transplantation and at 2 years after transplantation in the remaining 2 patients. Motor recovery was observed following sensory recovery in all 3 patients; however, the 3 cases had different backgrounds and exhibited different degrees and rates of sensory and motor improvements after transplant. Wavelet packet energy was detected in all patients during emotional expressions and primary movements; however, there were fewer active channels during expressions in transplant patients compared to healthy individuals, and patterns of wavelet packet energy were different for each patient. Finally, high-frequency components were typically detected in patients during emotional expressions, but fewer channels demonstrated these high-frequency components in patients compared to healthy individuals. Our data suggest that the posttransplantation recovery of emotional facial expression requires neural plasticity.

Physiological parameters as a tool in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome in females: A preliminary study.

AIMS: Although fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is associated with many symptoms, there is as yet no specific finding or laboratory test diagnostic of this syndrome. The physical examination and laboratory tests may be helpful in figuring out this syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The heart rate, respiration rate, body temperature (TEMP), height, body weight, hemoglobin level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white blood cell count, platelet count (PLT), rheumatoid factor and C-reactive protein levels and electrocardiograms (ECG) of FM patients were compared with those of control individuals. In addition, the predictive value of these tests was evaluated via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. KEY FINDINGS: The results showed that the TEMP and the PLT were higher in the FM group compared with the control group. Also, ST heights in ECGs which corresponds to a period of ventricle systolic depolarization, showed evidence of a difference between the FM and the control groups. There was no difference observed in terms of the other parameters. According to the ROC analysis, PLT, TEMP and ST height have predictive capacities in FM. SIGNIFICANCE: Changes in hormonal factors, peripheral blood circulation, autonomous system activity disorders, inflammatory incidents, etc., may explain the increased TEMP in the FM patients. The high PLT level may signify a thromboproliferation or a possible compensation caused by a PLT functional disorder. ST depression in FM patients may interrelate with coronary pathology. Elucidating the pathophysiology underlying the increases in TEMP and PLT and the decreases in ST height may help to explain the etiology of FM.

Investigation of the relationship between anxiety and heart rate variability in fibromyalgia: A new quantitative approach to evaluate anxiety level in fibromyalgia syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is identified by widespread musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbance, nonrestorative sleep, fatigue, morning stiffness and anxiety. Anxiety is very common in Fibromyalgia and generally leads to a misdiagnosis. Self-rated Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and doctor-rated Hamilton Anxiety Inventory (HAM-A) are frequently used by specialists to determine anxiety that accompanies fibromyalgia. However, these semi-quantitative anxiety tests are still subjective as the tests are scored using doctor-rated or self-rated scales. METHOD: In this study, we investigated the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) frequency subbands and anxiety tests. The study was conducted with 56 FMS patients and 34 healthy controls. BAI and HAM-A test scores were determined for each participant. ECG signals were then recruited and 71 HRV subbands were obtained from these ECG signals using Wavelet Packet Transform (WPT). The subbands and anxiety tests scores were analyzed and compared using multilayer perceptron neural networks (MLPNN). RESULTS: The results show that a HRV high frequency (HF) subband in the range of 0.15235Hz to 0.40235Hz, is correlated with BAI scores and another HRV HF subband, frequency range of 0.15235Hz to 0.28907Hz is correlated with HAM-A scores. The overall accuracy is 91.11% for HAM-A and 90% for BAI with MLPNN analysis. CONCLUSION: Doctor-rated or self-rated anxiety tests should be supported with quantitative and more objective methods. Our results show that the HRV parameters will be able to support the anxiety tests in the clinical evaluation of fibromyalgia. In other words, HRV parameters can potentially be used as an auxiliary diagnostic method in conjunction with anxiety tests.

Effect of H. pylori infection on gastrin, ghrelin, motilin, and gastroesophageal reflux.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux and possible mechanisms in Helicobacter pylori infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Symptoms of H. pylori-infected children, their total gastroesophageal reflux episodes, acid exposure percentage, gastrin, ghrelin, and motilin levels were evaluated before and after H. pylori eradication. RESULTS: Forty-two H. pylori-infected children were eligible for this study. Acid exposure % and total reflux episodes before and after H. pylori eradication were 10.2%±14.8% vs. 7.71%±5.0% and 94.7%±102.1% vs. 64.6%±55.0%, respectively (p=0.28, p=0.082). There was an insignificant change in the serum gastrin (93.4±153.8 pmol/L vs. 1.28±149.4 pmol/L, p=0.67), ghrelin (7.69±197.5 pg/mL vs. 8.36±299.5 pg/mL, p=0.274), and motilin (75.1±81.2 pg/mL vs. 97.2±80.5 pg/mL, p=0.206) levels after eradication. Gastrin and ghrelin levels were negatively correlated after H. pylori eradication (r=-0.38, p=0.031). There was no association between gastroesophageal reflux episodes and gastrin, ghrelin, and motilin levels (r=0.25 and p=0.11; r= 0.24 and p=0.13; r=-0.23 and p=0.14, respectively). CONCLUSION: H. pylori infection is neither protective nor harmful in the gastroesophageal reflux. Neither ghrelin nor motilin levels was associated with gastroesophageal reflux. None of gastrin, ghrelin, and motilin levels was affected by H. pylori infection. There is an inverse association between gastrin and ghrelin levels after H. pylori eradication.

Determination of Fatigue Following Maximal Loaded Treadmill Exercise by Using Wavelet Packet Transform Analysis and MLPNN from MMG-EMG Data Combinations.

The muscle fatigue can be expressed as decrease in maximal voluntary force generating capacity of the neuromuscular system as a result of peripheral changes at the level of the muscle, and also failure of the central nervous system to drive the motoneurons adequately. In this study, a muscle fatigue detection method based on frequency spectrum of electromyogram (EMG) and mechanomyogram (MMG) has been presented. The EMG and MMG data were obtained from 31 healthy, recreationally active men at the onset, and following exercise. All participants were performed a maximally exercise session in a motor-driven treadmill by using standard Bruce protocol which is the most widely used test to predict functional capacity. The method used in the present study consists of pre-processing, determination of the energy value based on wavelet packet transform, and classification phases. The results of the study demonstrated that changes in the MMG 176-234 Hz and EMG 254-313 Hz bands are critical to determine for muscle fatigue occurred following maximally exercise session. In conclusion, our study revealed that an algorithm with EMG and MMG combination based on frequency spectrum is more effective for the detection of muscle fatigue than EMG or MMG alone.

Plasma adiponectin levels and relations with cytokines in children with acute rheumatic fever.

AIM: We aimed to investigate the role of adiponectin in acute rheumatic fever by evaluating correlations with cytokines and acute-phase reactants. METHODS: Patients were divided into three groups by clinical findings. Group 1 included 8 patients with only chorea, Group 2 included 13 patients with arthritis and carditis, and Group 3 included 12 patients with only carditis. A total of 54 age- and gender-matched children were enrolled in the control group. Blood samples were drawn for analysing acute-phase reactants, adiponectin, tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 levels at baseline on Days 2, 5, 10, and 15, and at 8 weeks. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between baseline age, gender, body mass index, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein levels of the study and control groups (p>0.05). No correlation was found between baseline plasma adiponectin levels, age, body mass index, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, oestradiol, total testosterone, and blood lipid levels of the study and control groups (p>0.05). We found that adiponectin and interleukin-6 levels increased, tumour necrosis factor-α levels decreased, and interleukin-8 levels remained unchanged in acute rheumatic fever, which is an inflammatory disease. Moreover, adiponectin level was higher and tumour necrosis factor-α level was lower in the improvement period in comparison with the acute period, particularly in the carditis group. CONCLUSION: It was considered that, increasing throughout the treatment period, adiponectin may have anti-inflammatory effects in acute rheumatic fever. In addition, adiponectin levels are associated with a decline in inflammatory mediators in rheumatic fever.

Circulating matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases levels in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease: Relationship to cardiac functions.

OBJECTIVE: The pathological effects of matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors in cardiovascular diseases are of considerable interest. In our study, we aimed to determine and evaluate the potential significance of circulating matrix metalloproteinases-2 and 9, tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases-1 and 2 levels in four patient subgroup of pediatric cardiology field and expose pathophysiologic differences between these groups. METHODS: Eighty-seven patients with the diagnosis of congenital heart disease and 47 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The study group was stratified to 4 subgroups; 14 patients with right ventricular volume overload, 30 patients with left ventricular volume overload, 19 patients with left to right shunt who developed pulmonary hypertension and 24 patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease. For evaluation of the relationships between serum matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors levels with cardiac structures and functions; complete blood count, arterial oxygen saturation, detailed echocardiographic measurements (including tissue Doppler) in all patients and hemodynamic parameters of the patients who went to cardiac catheterization were recorded. Serum matrix metalloproteinase levels were determined by ELISA test. Statistical evaluations were performed with SPSS 16.0. For parameters showing normal distribution, comparisons were made with t-test and ANOVA test. However, for parameters without normal distribution, groups were compared with Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: We demonstrated that serum tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases-1 levels of patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to congenital heart diseases were significantly higher than the patients with left to right shunt without pulmonary hypertension and controls (p<0.01). Although serum matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors levels in patients with cyanotic congenital heart diseases and patients with right or left ventricular volume overload were found to be altered when compared with controls but not significant. CONCLUSION: Our data may suggest the possible role of matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors on myocardial remodeling in congenital heart defects and especially in patients who developed pulmonary hypertension.

Schwann cells sense and control acetylcholine spillover at the neuromuscular junction by α7 nicotinic receptors and butyrylcholinesterase.

Terminal Schwann cells (TSCs) are key components of the mammalian neuromuscular junction (NMJ). How the TSCs sense the synaptic activity in physiological conditions remains unclear. We have taken advantage of the distinct localization of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) at the NMJ to bring out the function of different ACh receptors (AChRs). AChE is clustered by the collagen Q in the synaptic cleft and prevents the repetitive activation of muscle nicotinic AChRs. We found that BChE is anchored at the TSC by a proline-rich membrane anchor, the small transmembrane protein anchor of brain AChE. When BChE was specifically inhibited, ACh release was significant depressed through the activation of α7 nAChRs localized on the TSC and activated by the spillover of ACh. When both AChE and BChE were inhibited, the spillover increased and induced a dramatic reduction of ACh release that compromised the muscle twitch triggered by the nerve stimulation. α7 nAChRs at the TSC may act as a sensor for spillover of ACh adjusted by BChE and may represent an extrasynaptic sensor for homeostasis at the NMJ. In myasthenic rats, selective inhibition of AChE is more effective in rescuing muscle function than the simultaneous inhibition of AChE and BChE because the concomitant inhibition of BChE counteracts the positive action of AChE inhibition. These results show that inhibition of BChE should be avoided during the treatment of myasthenia and the pharmacological reversal of residual curarization after anesthesia.

An effective solution for capturing the single twitch of muscle: application to monitor muscle relaxation.

In this study, a fast algorithm was developed to capture of train of four and to filter extra contraction and noises. A low pass filter created to filter extra contraction and high frequency noises. Then, a TCA algorithm designed to capturing of the single twitch of muscle. The algorithm updated to remove embedded extra contraction and to derive boundary values in this location from cubic spline interpolation. Efficiency of TCA and effect of extra contraction tested in time and frequency domain.

Follicular fluid and serum vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin (IL)-1ß and glycodelin concentrations: comparison between long-gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-agonist and GnRH-antagonist cycles: a randomized controlled trial.

In this randomized controlled trial, we aimed to examine whether differences exist among patients who underwent assisted reproductive technology treatment with a long-GnRH-agonist compared to a GnRH-antagonist protocol in terms of levels of follicular fluid (FF) and serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), glycodelin and interleukin (IL)-1ß on the day of oocyte pick-up (OPU). In 80 infertile couple with male factor or unexplained infertility, 40 women stimulated with GnRH-antagonist protocol and 40 women with the long-GnRH-agonist protocol. FF and blood serum samples were obtained simultaneously from 80 women during the OPU procedure and the concentrations of VEGF, IL-1ß and glycodelin were measured with commercially available kits. Concentrations of FF VEGF, IL-1ß and glycodelin were not significantly different in the long-GnRH-agonist and GnRH-antagonist groups, and neither were serum concentrations of VEGF, IL-1ß and glycodelin. According to our results in at least, we can say that minor differences between these protocols in terms of clinical pregnancy do not depend on VEGF, glycodelin or IL-1ß.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2, and transforming growth factor beta 1 in the aqueous humor and serum of patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study reported in this article was to determine the presence and quantitative differences of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), its tissue inhibitor (TIMP-2) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) in the aqueous humor and serum samples of patients with pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome. METHODS: Aqueous humor and serum samples were collected from 32 patients with PEX syndrome (with and without glaucoma) and a control group, who underwent routine cataract surgery. Levels of MMP-2, TIMP-2, and TGF-ß1 were determined by specific immunoassays (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). RESULTS: MMP-2, TIMP-2, and TGF-ß1 were identified in aqueous humor and serum samples from all groups of patients. The aqueous and serum samples of MMP-2, TIMP-2, and TGF-ß1 showed no significant differences between PEX syndrome and control groups. Serum levels of MMP-2, TIMP-2, and TGF-ß1 were statistically greater than their aqueous levels (P<0.05), except for TIMP-2 levels in the control group. CONCLUSION: No statistically significant difference among mean MMP-2, TIMP-2, and TGF-ß1 levels in both aqueous humor and serum samples was found between patients with PEX syndrome and the control group. It is important to simultaneously evaluate serum and aqueous samples from patients with PEX syndrome, which is related to an impaired blood-aqueous barrier.

CD19 + CD23+ B cells, CD4 + CD25+ T cells, E-selectin and interleukin-12 levels in children with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Soluble-lymphocyte subsets (sCD19 + CD23+ B cells and sCD4 + CD25+ T cells), soluble-adhesion molecules (sE-selectin) and interleukin-12 (sIL-12) were assayed to evaluate the pathogenesis of steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome in 48 patients diagnosed with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) in active (AS) and remission stages (RS). RESULTS: The ratios of soluble CD19 and sCD19 + CD23 increased in patients with AS with respect to the patients with RS and controls (p < 0.05). Increased sCD19 + CD23 ratios were preserved in the patients with RS when compared with the controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, the ratios of sCD4 + CD25 lymphocyte subsets were not significantly different among the groups. Similarly, serum sIL-12 levels were not considerably disparate between the AS and RS. Serum sE-selectin levels were higher in the patients with AS relative to the controls (p < 0.01) and RS (p < 0.05). No significant correlations were noted between sE-selectin and lymphocyte subset ratios, serum sIL-12 and immunoglobulin levels. There was a positive correlation between sE-selectin, triglyceride (r = 0.757, p < 0.0001) and cholesterol (r = 0.824, p < 0.0001) levels in patients with the AS. CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that the patients with SSNS appear to have abnormalities in sCD23 + CD19+ cells, defect in T regulatory cell activity, and injury in endothelial cells as indicated by the presence high sE-selectin. These abnormalities might play a role in the pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome. sIL-12 seems to have no role in pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome reflecting normal Th1 response.

Effects of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 on arginase/nitric oxide pathway in hemodialysis patients.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and arginase are recently described inflammatory biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible effects of serum Lp-PLA2 mass levels on arginase/nitric oxide (NO) pathway as a cardiovascular risk marker in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Forty-three HD patients and 15 healthy subjects were included in this study. Lipid profile, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), albumin, creatinine, body mass index (BMI), Lp-PLA2 and total nitrite levels, and arginase activity were determined in serum samples from patients and control subjects. Lp-PLA2 levels were found to be positively correlated with arginase, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and age and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and total nitrite levels, while there was no correlation with BMI and hs-CRP, albumin, and creatinine levels in HD patients. We conclude that elevated Lp-PLA2 mass levels may contribute to impaired arginase/NO pathway in HD patients and that increased the arginase activity and Lp-PLA2 mass levels with decreased total nitrite levels seem to be useful biochemical markers in terms of reflecting endothelial dysfunction and associated cardiovascular risks in HD patients.