Search Results (2,637)

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a severe microvascular complication traditionally attributed to general metabolic derangement and genetic susceptibility. However, this classic pathophysiological approach overlooks the role of red blood cells in the development and the progression of the disease. Prolonged exposure to high blood glucose and oxidative stress compromises the cell’s membrane architecture and ionic homeostasis, resulting in altered rheological properties. By synthesizing these molecular-to-rheological pathways, this review establishes a novel pathophysiological framework for understanding DKD, repositioning erythrocytes to a primary catalyst of renal injury and a highly sensitive target for early diagnostic intervention. Full article

The fundamental differences between high- and low-frequency ultrasound for medical purposes were demonstrated. A model describing the effect of ultrasound on erythrocyte aggregation was developed, and the rapid movement of erythrocytes toward the nodes of a standing acoustic wave was demonstrated, with its velocity compared to the rate of erythrocyte dissociation under the influence of shear forces. The t-test was used to assess the statistical significance of differences between two blood samples and confirmed the effect of low-frequency ultrasound intensity on erythrocyte aggregation. The study employed a patented low-frequency ultrasound transducer generating a traveling acoustic wave that produces shear forces capable of disrupting erythrocyte aggregates into individual erythrocytes. Since the developed technique is intended for human therapy, it is assumed that the proposed low-frequency ultrasound parameters are safe for flowing blood. Due to deeper and more precise penetration of the acoustic signal into tissues, this ultrasound transducer may be promising for improving microcirculation and alleviating patient condition without medication, as well as for reducing blood pressure and heart rate. The developed technique also enables more effective disruption of heart valve plaques and shows therapeutic potential for tumor treatment and in vivo drug encapsulation. Since erythrocytes in diabetic patients are stiffer than those in healthy individuals, their passage through capillaries is more difficult. Therefore, the developed and patented ultrasound-based sole stimulation technique may produce a positive physiological effect by stimulating blood flow in the capillaries of patients with foot ulcers. Full article

Background: Malaria parasites import essential nutrients from plasma into their host erythrocytes through the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC), a conserved ion and nutrient channel on the infected cell surface. A parasite-encoded ternary complex consisting of CLAG3, RhopH2, and RhopH3 determines PSAC activity, but the precise contributions of each member to formation of the nutrient uptake pore remains uncertain. Methods: Here, we devised a two-step CRIPSR transfection strategy to examine an amphipathic CLAG3 helix, termed α-helix 44 (α-H44), as a candidate pore-lining domain. Results: A CLAG3 truncation protein without α-H44 phenocopies a CLAG3 knockout line, suggesting a critical role of α-H44 in formation of the nutrient channel; CLAG3 restoration using a recodonized α-H44 restores PSAC activity fully. A saturation mutagenesis library that splits the helix into four sequential segments was devised and implemented. Two engineered mutants exhibit distinct PSAC phenotypes; their cultures failed to expand in a modified medium that approximates in vivo nutrient availability. Conclusions: These studies support a α-H44 role in channel permeation and block by a strain-specific inhibitor. Our strategy will enable saturation mutagenesis to determine how PSAC achieves its unique ion and nutrient selectivity and should help guide drug discovery against this antimalarial target. Full article

Introduction: Periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) are among the most serious and costly complications in orthopedic surgery, significantly affecting patient prognosis and healthcare systems. Despite rigorous aseptic measures, intraoperative contamination of sterile fields, instruments, and air remains a persistent source of potential infection. This study investigates the relationship between the microbial contamination of sterile fields during arthroplasty and postoperative inflammatory markers, with the objective of determining whether the contamination of sterile fields correlates with the presence of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Material and Methods: This prospective observational study included 33 patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty in a university-affiliated orthopedic center. Intraoperative samples were collected from sterile fields and equipment to detect microbial contamination, while postoperative monitoring involved the C-reactive protein (CRP); erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); leukocyte count; temperature; and wound assessment on days 1, 3 and 7. All patients received 48 h of prophylactic cefuroxime. Statistical analysis was conducted using the International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) software for Windows, version 30.0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, New York, United States of America) with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: Postoperative inflammatory markers showed distinct patterns depending on the isolated microorganism, with Proteus vulgaris and Staphylococcus hominis ssp. consistently associated with higher CRP and leukocyte values, indicating a more intense systemic response. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most frequently isolated species but showed moderate inflammatory profiles, suggesting its potential role in subclinical colonization. A strong correlation between CRP on day 3 and leukocyte count (r = 0.81) confirms their combined utility in the early detection of infectious complications, while ESR appeared less dynamic and more complementary in nature. Discussion: This study highlights the significant role of intraoperative contamination and microbial virulence in shaping the postoperative inflammatory response after arthroplasty. Elevated CRP and leukocyte levels, particularly on day 3, were closely associated with pathogens known for biofilm formation and chronic infections. Despite prophylactic antibiotic use, confirmed infections still occurred, suggesting the need to reassess current protocols and enhance intraoperative contamination control. Conclusions: Pathogen presence in sterile fields during arthroplasty increases the risk of periprosthetic joint infections, often without early clinical symptoms. CRP on day 3 and leukocyte count were the most reliable early indicators of persistent inflammation. Full article

Microplastics are emerging environmental contaminants capable of crossing epithelial barriers and circulating systemically, potentially affecting organisms, including humans. This study investigated the hematological and biochemical effects of sub-chronic oral exposure to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) in male Swiss albino mice. Animals received 1 μm PS-MPs in drinking water at 0.01 mg/day for four weeks, followed by a two-week recovery period. Blood samples were collected weekly for hematological and biochemical analysis. PS-MP exposure resulted in an increased number of certain immunocytes after the first week of treatment. The highest values compared with the control group were observed in Week 2, reaching 18.5 ± 4.61 vs. 7.2 ± 1.14; 10.9 ± 2.58 vs. 5.1 ± 1.20; and 5.8 ± 2.35 vs. 2.2 ± 0.69 × 10⁹ cells/L for white blood cells, lymphocytes, and granulocytes, respectively (p < 0.001). A significant increase in platelet count was also observed, becoming evident by Week 6 (725.8 ± 307.96 vs. 470.1 ± 121.87 × 10⁹ cells/L, p < 0.05). The elevated alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities observed after PS-MP exposure were potentially associated with hepatic pathology, erythrocyte damage, and inflammatory responses. No significant recovery was observed during the period after exposure. These findings demonstrate that sub-chronic oral PS-MP exposure induces inflammatory responses and may disrupt organ function. Full article

To date, the problem of mastitis in cattle remains relevant for both the industrial sector and scientific research. Despite numerous active investigations, the causes of this disease have not been fully established. It is postulated that several factors may be involved, such as bacterial pathogens, animal husbandry practices, and weather and climatic conditions. In this study, we selected cows from farms in Yakutia to investigate microbial isolates present in the milk of cows affected by mastitis and treated with antibiotics. Five identified Staphylococcus aureus isolates were investigated using whole-genome sequencing (Illumina sequencing and nanopore sequencing), followed by analysis of virulence factors in the genomes and cultural properties of the isolates. The profile of S. aureus virulence genes (exotoxins, cytotoxins, superantigen-like proteins, adhesins) was identified via WGS. Hemolysin gene (hla) was detected in all isolates. An investigation of the cultural properties of the isolates, specifically through hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes and Western blot analysis of the culture liquid of S. aureus, revealed different expression levels of alpha-hemolysin among the strains. One isolate (17-21) exhibited the highest secretion level of about 320 ± 37 ng, both in the hemolysis test and immunoblotting assay. An investigation of the isolates’ antibiotic resistance showed that all isolates exhibited multidrug resistance, as confirmed by the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in these isolates. One isolate (7-7) exhibited the broadest range of phenotypic resistance and was resistant to all tested antibiotics (except clindamycin). Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the evolution of these isolates occurred independently in their respective ecological niches, although their transfer from cattle to humans, and vice versa, is possible. Isolates 7-7, 18-22, 33-40, and 35-42 are most typical to Yakutian cattle, while isolate 17-21 might have been introduced from a different region. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first in-depth study into a range of S. aureus isolates associated with mastitis infection in Yakutian cattle. Full article

Objective: The objective of this study was to characterize real-world distributions of C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) across major rheumatic diagnoses and to quantify concordance/discordance patterns and combined CRP-ESR inflammatory phenotypes. Methods: We retrospectively extracted all CRP and ESR tests performed in a tertiary university rheumatology hospital (January 2018–December 2023), including ICD-10-coded diagnoses. Analyses were conducted at the measurement level and patient level (medians across repeated tests). CRP and ESR were expressed as raw values and multiples of ULN and categorized into severity strata. CRP and ESR datasets were merged by patient identifier and calendar date to define same-day pairs; paired analyses used Spearman correlations and ULN-based phenotype classes. Sensitivity analyses tested alternative pairing windows, first-pair-only analyses, phenotype persistence rules, and tertile/quartile discordance definitions. Results: Among 16,921 patients with ≥1 CRP and 17,126 with ≥1 ESR, CRP was more disease-discriminative and only negligibly age-related, whereas ESR increased modestly with age and showed marked sex shifts across severity categories. Inflammatory burden was highest in gout and rheumatoid arthritis, intermediate in psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, and lower in connective tissue diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease, Sjogren’s disease, systemic sclerosis, and dermato/polymyositis) and osteoarthritis; CRP distributions were more strongly right-tailed than ESR. Merging yielded 44,427 same-day CRP-ESR pairs from 16,824 patients (99.1% match). CRP and ESR were moderately correlated at measurement and patient levels, yet discordance was common: 27.3% of pairs showed isolated elevation of a single marker. Conclusions: In routine rheumatology care, CRP and ESR provide complementary information. CRP-ESR dissociation is frequent, persists at the patient level, and follows diagnosis-dependent phenotype patterns. Full article

Postmenopausal women with obesity often show blood abnormalities and low plasma volume, which reduce aerobic capacity and raise health risks. The purpose is to compare the effects of high-intensity (HIIWT) versus moderate-intensity interval walking training (MIIWT) on body composition, plasma volume variations (PVV), hematological parameters, muscle damage, and aerobic capacity in postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity. Thirty-two postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity were randomly assigned to HIIWT (n = 11), MIIWT (n = 11), or control (CON, n = 10) groups. The HIIWT and MIIWT groups performed intermittent walking at 90–110% and 60–80% of their 6-min-walk-test (6MWT) distance, respectively, four times per week for 10 weeks. Body composition, hematological and muscle damage markers, and 6MWT performance were assessed pre- and post-intervention. After ten weeks, PVV was calculated in all three groups. A significant group × time interaction was observed for body composition, erythrocytes, hemoglobin levels, hematocrit, creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and 6MWT performance (p < 0.05). Both the HIIWT and MIIWT groups showed significant reductions in body mass, body fat, waist circumference (p < 0.05), and erythrocyte count (p = 0.010 and 0.028, respectively). Only the HIIWT group showed significant reductions in hemoglobin (p < 0.001), hematocrit (p = 0.005), CK (p = 0.002), and LDH (p = 0.009), along with a significant increase in 6MWT-performance (p = 0.002). The HIIWT group demonstrated a significantly greater increase in PVV compared to both MIIWT (p = 0.018) and CON (p < 0.001) groups. HIIWT induced superior improvements in body composition, aerobic capacity, plasma volume, and hematological and muscle-damage markers compared to MIIWT. HIIWT represents a practical strategy for improving health outcomes in postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity. Full article

Background: Fatigue is a common and distressing symptom in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet it is rarely addressed in routine care. Most available evidence comes from Western and East Asian populations, with limited data from the Middle East. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of fatigue in Saudi patients with IBD, using the Arabic-validated Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI-A), and to examine associations with demographic, clinical, treatment, and laboratory factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Saudi Arabia, between March and December 2025. Patients aged ≥12 years with histologically confirmed IBD completed a structured telephone interview. Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, IBD control scores, Montreal classification, medication history, and laboratory results were collected. Patients experiencing severe flares, hospitalization, or another primary condition likely to explain fatigue were excluded. Fatigue severity was classified as none, mild, moderate, or severe. Associations were tested using chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results: Among 286 patients (mean age, 30.8 ± 9.1 years; 57.7% male), 23.1% reported mild fatigue, 36.4% moderate fatigue, and 19.2% severe fatigue on the BFI-A. Fatigue severity was not associated with demographic factors, IBD type or phenotype, treatment exposure, or most laboratory parameters. Only serum iron (p = 0.011) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.023) differed across fatigue categories, without a clear dose–response pattern. Conclusions: Fatigue affects more than half of Saudi patients with IBD and is not explained by routine clinical or laboratory factors. Routine fatigue assessment and attention to biopsychosocial contributors may improve IBD care. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to compare hematological and inflammatory markers among patients with dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and healthy controls, and to evaluate the influence of geographic atrophy (GA) in dry AMD and treatment response (TR) in wet AMD on these markers. Methods: The study included patients with dry AMD (n = 54), wet AMD (n = 53), and age- and sex-matched controls (n = 55). Hematological parameters, serum albumin, and systemic inflammatory indices, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune–inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), pan-immune–inflammation value (PIV), and hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet index (HALP), were compared among the groups. Results: Age and sex distributions did not differ significantly between groups. Compared to controls, the wet AMD group had significantly higher neutrophil counts (p = 0.013), red cell distribution width (RDW) (p = 0.033), and inflammatory indices, including NLR, PLR, SII, SIRI, and PIV (all p < 0.01). HALP levels were significantly lower in wet AMD (p < 0.001). Dry AMD patients also had higher PLR (p = 0.045) and RDW (p = 0.005) than controls. When comparing wet and dry AMD groups directly, SIRI (p = 0.041) and PIV (p = 0.029) were significantly elevated in wet AMD, indicating stronger systemic inflammatory burden. In the dry AMD subgroup, patients with GA had significantly lower hemoglobin (p = 0.002) and erythrocyte counts (p = 0.039) than those without GA. No significant differences were observed between TR-positive and TR-negative wet AMD patients. Conclusions: Patients with wet AMD exhibit a more pronounced systemic inflammatory profile than both dry AMD patients and healthy controls. These findings support the hypothesis that systemic inflammation may contribute to AMD pathogenesis. Geographic atrophy in dry AMD may also be associated with additional hematologic alterations, whereas treatment response in wet AMD is not reflected in systemic markers. Full article

Background and Aim: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by immune dysregulation. Environmental factors, including infectious agents, have been proposed to influence disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease. Although Borrelia burgdorferi has been shown to exert complex immunomodulatory effects on host immune responses, its seroprevalence and potential association with disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis have not been systematically investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi IgG antibodies in patients with ulcerative colitis and to assess the relationship between seropositivity and laboratory markers of disease activity. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, 100 patients with ulcerative colitis (59 males, 41 females; mean age 48.5 ± 17 years) who underwent Borrelia burgdorferi IgG serological testing due to musculoskeletal or neurological symptoms suggestive of possible Lyme disease between October 2020 and October 2024 were included. Demographic characteristics, hematological and biochemical parameters, and inflammatory markers were compared between seropositive and seronegative groups. Due to the retrospective design, validated clinical disease activity indices were not consistently available; therefore, disease activity was indirectly assessed using laboratory inflammatory markers. Results: Among patients with ulcerative colitis, 22% were seropositive for Borrelia burgdorferi IgG. Seropositive patients had significantly lower uric acid, alkaline phosphatase, and C-reactive protein levels compared to seronegative patients (p = 0.001, p = 0.023, and p = 0.020, respectively). Free T4 levels were significantly higher in the seropositive group (p = 0.049). In terms of erythrocyte indices, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were significantly higher, while RDW-CV values were significantly lower in seropositive patients (all p < 0.05). Conclusion:Borrelia burgdorferi IgG seropositivity in patients with ulcerative colitis was associated with lower laboratory markers of systemic inflammation and a more stable hematological profile. Although causality cannot be established, these findings may suggest a potential association between prior Borrelia exposure and a distinct inflammatory phenotype in UC; however, this relationship should be interpreted with caution. Further prospective and mechanistic studies are warranted to clarify the potential immunological interactions between environmental microbial exposure and inflammatory bowel disease activity. Full article

Objectives: To investigate the effects of Roxadustat and recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on glycemic control and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in non-dialysis type 2 diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients with anemia. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 449 patients, who were divided into three groups—the rHuEPO group (n = 252), the Roxadustat group (n = 102), and the switch group (n = 95)—in which patients were converted from rHuEPO to Roxadustat. All treatments lasted for more than three months. Changes in HbA1c and other indicators within groups as well as differences among groups were evaluated. Results: In the rHuEPO group, HbA1c levels decreased from 7.08 ± 1.19 to 6.41 ± 0.60 (p < 0.001), and they returned to baseline levels by 6–12 months (p > 0.05). In the Roxadustat group, HbA1c fluctuated but none of the differences reached statistical significance (p > 0.05). In the switch group, HbA1c decreased during rHuEPO treatment (p < 0.05) and returned to baseline after switching to Roxadustat (p > 0.05). No significant changes in blood glucose levels were observed in any group after treatment (p > 0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that changes in iron metabolism parameters, erythrocyte parameters, inflammatory markers, and glucose-lowering or lipid-lowering regimens had no significant effect on the change in HbA1c in the Roxadustat group (F = 0.834, p = 0.620), while the multivariate model of rHuEPO group also lacked statistical significance (F = 1.142, p = 0.170). After treatment, all three groups showed improvements in anemia, iron metabolism, renal function, inflammatory markers, and lipid profiles compared with baseline (p < 0.05). Additionally, further improvements in these parameters were observed after the transition from rHuEPO to Roxadustat (p < 0.05). Compared with rHuEPO group, the Roxadustat group exhibited significantly greater increases in hemoglobin, red blood cell count, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin, and serum iron (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In non-dialysis DKD patients with anemia, rHuEPO can significantly decrease HbA1c values, while Roxadustat does not. Roxadustat offers advantages over rHuEPO in terms of efficacy and assessment of glycemic control. Full article

Background: Meniscal tears are a common cause of knee pain and functional limitation, yet determinants of pain recovery following rehabilitation remain incompletely understood. Structural imaging findings often show limited correlation with clinical symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate longitudinal pain trajectories after rehabilitation in patients with meniscal tears and to investigate whether synovial fluid characteristics and structural joint degeneration are associated with pain improvement. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 59 patients with meniscal tears who underwent structured rehabilitation. Structural degeneration was assessed using the Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS). Synovial fluid cytology evaluated neutrophil predominance (PNL) and erythrocyte positivity. Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Longitudinal changes were analyzed using the Friedman test, and predictors of pain improvement (ΔVAS from 3 months to 1 year) were evaluated using multivariable linear regression. Results: VAS scores decreased significantly over time (p < 0.001), indicating sustained pain reduction during follow-up. In the multivariable regression model (F(4, 54) = 2.80, p = 0.035), 17% of the variance in pain improvement was explained (R² = 0.17). Synovial erythrocyte positivity was modestly associated with greater longitudinal pain reduction (β = 0.75, 95% CI 0.15–1.36, p = 0.016). Age was also a significant predictor (β = 0.025, p = 0.043), whereas WORMS score and PNL positivity were not significantly associated with pain improvement. Conclusions: Pain recovery following rehabilitation in patients with meniscal tears appears to be influenced more by intra-articular biological characteristics than by structural imaging severity alone. Synovial erythrocyte positivity may indicate a potentially reversible inflammatory phenotype associated with higher early pain but greater subsequent improvement. These findings support a multidimensional model of knee pain and suggest that synovial characteristics may help improve clinical risk stratification during rehabilitation planning. Full article

Background/Objectives: Gasdermin D (GSDMD) is a critical mediator of pyroptosis—an inflammatory form of programmed cell death increasingly implicated in tumor biology. Our objective was to evaluate the utility of GSDMD as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and to investigate its association with tumor burden and hematological parameters. Methods: We analyzed GSDMD expression levels in patients with adult-type diffuse gliomas compared to healthy controls and assessed correlations with tumor size, histological grade, hematological markers, and survival outcomes. Data was complemented by transcriptomic analysis from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Diagnostic performance was assessed using ROC curve analysis. Results: GSDMD expression was significantly elevated in adult-type diffuse glioma patients and increased with tumor grade, suggesting an association with disease severity. A positive correlation was observed between GSDMD level and tumor size (R = 0.332; p = 0.01). ROC analysis showed moderate classification ability (AUC = 0.657) with high specificity (96%), supporting its diagnostic potential. Survival analysis showed that higher GSDMD expression was associated with reduced disease-specific survival. GSDMD also correlated positively with the erythrocyte parameter mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH, R = 0.34, p = 0.016) and negatively with the systemic inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP, R = −0.32; p = 0.042). TCGA data showed no significant sex-related differences in GSDMD expression. Baseline characteristics such as age, BMI, and coagulation parameters were matched between patients and controls. Conclusions: GSDMD is significantly associated with astrocytoma severity, tumor size, and inflammatory status, with elevated expression indicating a worse prognosis. Its correlation with tumor grade, survival and high specificity in distinguishing patients from healthy individuals, underlines its promise as a clinically relevant, non-sex-specific biomarker for diagnosis and monitoring. Full article

Two spectrin-sensitive relaxations have been reported in the RBC plasma membrane: β_s (1.4 MHz, related to the interface β-relaxation) and γ1_s (9 MHz, rotation alignment of spectrin-bound dipoles by penetrating electric field). Here, a third (α_s) relaxation type is reported within the frequency region of surface (α) relaxation. With low-ion-strength outside media, the adsorption of blood plasma immunoglobulins on RBCs was found to inhibit β_s and γ1_s relaxations, while α_s relaxation was enforced with strong inflammation. The three relaxations are represented by three consecutive segments on the Cole′s plots: Δε_rd″.ω against Δε_r′ and Δε_rd″/ω against Δε_r′. Here, ω is the frequency of the field and Δε_r* = Δε_r′ + j.Δε_rd″ is the change in the relative complex dielectric permittivity of RBC suspension at the denaturation temperature of spectrin. The β_s segment in Δε_rd″.ω against the Δε_r′ plot could be regarded as a vector (complex number) whose projection on the vertical axis (the irreversible loss in energy) could express the ability of the plasma membrane to deform (under the impact of shear stress). Full article