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Proangiogenic Effect of 2A-Peptide Based Multicistronic Recombinant Constructs Encoding VEGF along with FGF2 Expansion Factors.
9% (95% CI 4.7-9.9) during the study period. The increase in SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence paralleled the rise in PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections among the HCWs across the country. The likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence was higher in males vs. females [odds ratio (OR) 2.52 (95% CI 1.05-6.06)] and in nurses vs. physicians [OR 4.26 (95% CI 1.08-16.77)] and was associated with being quarantined due to exposure to COVID-19 patients [OR 3.54 (95% CI 1.58-7.89)] and having a positive PCR result [OR 109.5 (95% CI 23.88-502.12)]. Conclusions A significant increase in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was found among HCWs between the first and second waves of COVID-19 in Israel. Nonetheless, the sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies remains low, similar to the general population. Our findings reinforce the rigorous infection control policy, including quarantine, and utilization of personal protective equipment that should be continued together with COVID-19 immunization in HCWs and the general population.Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a rare population of cells found in the bloodstream and represent key players in the metastatic cascade. Their analysis has proved to provide further core information concerning the tumor. Herein, we aim at investigating CTCs isolated from a 32-year-old patient diagnosed with triple negative spindle-shaped metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC), a rare tumor poorly responsive to therapies and with a dismal prognosis. The molecular analysis performed on the primary tumor failed to underline effective actionable targets to address the therapeutic strategy. Besides the presence of round-shaped CTCs, cells with a spindle shape were present as well, and through molecular analysis, we confirmed their malignant nature. This aspect was coherent with the primary tumor histology, proving that CTCs are released regardless of their morphology. Copy number aberration (CNA) profiling and variant analysis using next-generation sequencing (NGS) showed that these cells did not harbor the alterations exhibited by the primary tumor (PIK3CA G1049A mutation, MYC copy number gain). However, despite the great heterogeneity observed, the amplification of regions involved in metastasis emerged (8q24.22-8q24.23). Our findings support the investigation of CTCs to identify alterations that could have a role in the metastatic process. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first examination of CTCs in an MpBC patient.Purpose This study aims to investigate the correlation between electroretinogram (ERG) and visual outcome in eyes with metallic intraocular foreign body (IOFB) injury. Methods Cases with metallic IOFB injuries with preoperative ERG from January 2008 to May 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Five ERG responses were recorded, including rod response, maximal response, oscillatory potentials, cone response, and 30-Hz flicker. The results were compared between the affected and the contralateral eyes. All patients received surgery to remove IOFBs. The correlation between amplitudes, implicit times, and grades of ERG with final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was analyzed. Results A total of 33 eyes of 33 patients were included. The eyes with IOFB had generally delayed implicit time and reduced amplitude in all waves. The maximum change was found in oscillatory potentials S3 and N1 (0.42 ± 0.42 and 1.95 ± 1.97 of the fellow eyes, respectively, p less then 0.05). All amplitudes were negatively correlated with the final BCVA (rs -0.676 to -0.459, all p less then 0.05). In contrast, all implicit times were positively correlated with final BCVA, although, some of them were not statistically significant (rs 0.035 to 0.687). Among them, oscillatory potential P3 has the highest correlation coefficient (rs = 0.687, p less then 0.001). All grades of ERG waves were statistically correlated with the final BCVA (rs -0.596 to -0.664, all p less then 0.001). Metformin Conclusions ERG can be used to assess visual outcome in metallic IOFB injury after surgery. Oscillatory potentials provided the most significant responses.Background AMAZFIT®, a novel wearable electrocardiogram (ECG)-recording system is used for the measurement, acquisition, and storage of single-lead cardiac waveforms for adults. The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of AMAZFIT® for diagnosing arrhythmia in older patients. Methods From May to December 2019, we recruited 291 elderly individuals with an average age of 78±10 years old, and 41.9% women. All cardiac waveforms were obtained from the AMAZFIT® which included limb and chest leads. Two trained technicians reviewed all ECG data to determine cardiac rhythm using standard diagnostic criteria. We evaluated the accuracy of AMAZFIT® for identifying arrhythmia by comparing the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and positive and negative likelihood ratios with those of a standard 12-lead ECG. Results Of the 291 participants, 197 older adults had arrhythmias, including AF (n = 119), first-degree AVB (n = 28), PACs (n = 25), and PVCs (n = 28). Three of these participants had arrhythmias of AF and PVCs. Chest lead data from 100% and limb lead data from 4.7% of the participants were analyzed. An evaluation of AMAZFIT® for atrial fibrillation (AF) reported a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV PLR, and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) of 93.28, 95.35, 93.28, 95.35, 20.06, and 0.07%, respectively. AMAZFIT® also demonstrated excellent sensitivity for premature atrial contractions (PACs) (84.00%) and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) (89.29%). However, the device demonstrated a low sensitivity for first-degree atrioventricular block (32.14%). Conclusions The AMAZFIT® showed significantly higher sensitivity and specificity for AF, PACs, and PVCs. This portable ECG-recording device based on an algorithm has a potential auxiliary diagnostic value for identifying arrhythmia compared with a standard 12-lead ECG device.Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease where liver biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Here we aimed to evaluate the role of circulating adiponectin, leptin, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels as non-invasive NAFLD biomarkers and assess their correlation with the metabolome. Materials and Methods Leptin, adiponectin, and IGF-1 serum levels were measured by ELISA in two independent cohorts of biopsy-proven obese NAFLD patients and healthy-liver controls (discovery 38 NAFLD, 13 controls; validation 194 NAFLD, 31 controls) and correlated with clinical data, histology, genetic parameters, and serum metabolomics. Results In both cohorts, leptin increased in NAFLD vs. controls (discovery AUROC 0.88; validation AUROC 0.83; p less then 0.0001). The leptin levels were similar between obese and non-obese healthy controls, suggesting that obesity is not a confounding factor. In the discovery cohort, adiponectin was lower in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) vs.
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