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We investigated the sensitivity of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as well as a combination of NLR and PLR to predict endoscopic disease severity based on mucosal assessment in ulcerative colitis (UC). The study group consisted 104 patients with active UC, 104 patients in remission, and 105 healthy individuals. Disease activity was described with Rachmilewitz endoscopic activity index (EAI). Curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff values of NLR and PLR for obtaining remission. The patients with both PLR and NLR values higher than the cutoff values were coded as »high risk,« those with one parameter higher were coded as »moderate risk«, those with both parameters lower than the cutoff values were coded as »low-risk« patients. The mean NLR and PLR values in the endoscopically active disease group were higher than the others, with higher values in the endoscopic remission group compared with the control group (p<0.001). Rachmilewitz EAI in high-risk patients was significantly higher than that in others (p<0.001). In Cox regression analyses, moderate and high risk, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate and high EAI were found as independent predictors of endoscopic active disease. This is the first study that investigated the use of NLR and PLR combination to assess endoscopic disease severity in UC. Either high NLR or PLR levels can predict active endoscopic disease. However, the use of these parameters in combination is more accurate in evaluating mucosal disease and inflammation in UC.

Background/Objectives: It has been shown that the use of statins in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) worsens hyperglycemia and hemoglobin A1c levels but may help in the preservation of pancreatic β-cell function. The potential role of a high pancreatic fat fraction (PFF) in this process has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to investigate whether the liver fat fraction (LFF) and PFF in T2DM patients is affected by statin therapy. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved a total of 140 T2DM patients, including both those who were receiving (n = 70) and those who were not receiving (n = 70) statin therapy. The mapping of the LFF and PFF utilizing the IDEAL-IQ sequence was conducted in magnetic resonance imaging. Results: In T2DM patients who used statins, the median PFF was higher compared to those who did not use statins (8.4 vs. 6.2%, p = 0.021), while the median LFF was found to be similar (8.4 vs. 8.9, p = 0.572). Variations in PFF were associated with the use of various statins (non-statin group: 6.2 vs. atovastatin: 8.7 vs. rosuvastatin: 3.2 vs. pitavastatin: 9.2, p = 0.004). The multivariable regression analysis indicated that insulin usage decreased log(LFF) by a factor of 0.16-fold (ꞵ ± SE = −0.16 ± 0.05, p = 0.010), and rosuvastatin usage reduced log(PFF) by 0.16-fold (ꞵ ± SE = −0.16 ± 0.07, p = 0.025), irrespective of other risk factors. Furthermore, the use of atorvastatin (ꞵ ± SE = 0.17 ± 0.06, p = 0.011) and pitavastatin (ꞵ ± SE = 0.19 ± 0.07, p = 0.008) were independently associated with an increase in log(PFF). Conclusions: In patients with T2DM, statin use did not show a significant effect on the liver fat fraction, but it caused differences in the pancreatic fat fraction. The observation of a lower pancreatic fat fraction in patients taking a rosuvastatin and atorvastatin dose of 40 mg/day suggests that different types and doses of statins may have varying effects on pancreatic fat accumulation.

Introduction:The definitive diagnosis of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection is made by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples. However, the presence of viral RNA has also been identified in stool samples. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 positivity in stool and the outcomes of COVID-19 disease.Methods:Fifty-four patients who were hospitalized between April-June 2020 and had positive COVID-19 PCR tests in nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples were included in the study. PCR was performed on the stool samples of all patients. In addition, laboratory findings, clinical data, and computed tomography (CT) results of these patients were recorded and analyzed.Results:Among the patients, 13 out of 28 (46.4%) with positive fecal PCR test results were female, whereas 11 out of 26 (46.4%) with negative fecal PCR test results were female. Furthermore, 19 out of 28 patients (67.9%) with positive fecal PCR test results recovered, whereas 23 out of 26 patients (88.5%) with negative fecal PCR test results recovered. Notably, patients with fecal PCR-positive results exhibited more severe dyspnea, higher blood pressure, abnormal CT findings, and elevated D-dimer levels. Moreover, compared with patients with negative PCR results, those with positive fecal PCR results had lower levels of procalcitonin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and lymphocytes.Conclusion:Considering the relationship between stool PCR positivity and the prognosis of the disease and laboratory test results, routine stool PCR tests may be useful, especially in COVID-19 patients presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms.

Background: We aimed to investigate the prognostic importance of platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutro - phil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR) combination for patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and its relationship with mortality. Methods: This retrospective study was included 142 patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. Ranson, Atlanta and BISAP 0h, 24h and 48h scores of the patients were calculated by examining their patient files. The patients were divided into three groups as low-risk, medium-risk and high-risk patients according to their PLR and NLR levels. Results: The number of patients with acute pancreatitis complications such as necrotizing pancreatitis, acute renal failure, sepsis and cholangitis was significantly higher in the high-risk group compared to other groups. Mortality rate was found to be 90% in the high-risk group, 16% in the medium-risk group, and 1.9% in the low-risk group. The number of patients with a Ranson score of 5 and 6, a severe Atlanta score, a BISAP 0h score of 3 and 4, a BISAP 24h and 48h score of 4 and 5 was higher in the high-risk group compared to other groups. PLR-NLR combination, Atlanta and Ranson scores, and C-reactive protein level were determined to be independent risk factors predicting mortality in stepwise regression model. PLR-NLR combination had the highest area under curve value in terms of predicting acute claspancreatitis prognosis and had a similar diagnostic discrimination with other scoring systems. Conclusion: In our study it was found that PLR-NLR combination had a similar prognostic importance with other scoring systems used to determine acute pancreatitis prognosis.

Background: We aimed to determine the levels of total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and paraoxonase1/arylesterase levels in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and the relation be - tween these molecules and the activity index of the disease. Methods: Eighty IBD patients (ulcerative colitis (UC)/Crohn disease (CD) 40/40) and 80 control group participants were included in the study. Oxidative stress parameters were measured using the colorimetric method. As disease activity indexes, the endoscopic activity index (EAI) was used for UC and the CD activity index (CDAI) was used for CD. Results: In IBD patients, mean TAS (1.3±0.2 vs 1.9±0.2, respectively; p<0.001) and arylesterase (963.9±232.2 vs 1252.9±275, respectively; p<0.001) levels were found to be lower and TOS level (5.6±1.6 vs 4.0±1.0, respectively; p<0.001) and OSI rate (4.5±1.6 vs 2.2±0.8, respectively; p<0.001) were found to be higher compared to the control group. A strong positive correlation was found between EAI and TOS levels (r=0.948, p<0.001) and OSI rate (r=0.894, p<0.001) for UC patients. A very strong positive correlation was found between EAI and TOS levels (r=0.964, p<0.001) and OSI rate (r=0.917, p<0.001) for CD patients. It was found in a stepwise regression model that C-reactive protein, OSI and arylesterase risk factors were predictors of IBD compared to the control group. Conclusion: Increased oxidative stress level in IBD patients and the detection of OSI rate as an independent predictor for disease activity indexes lead to the idea that oxidative stress might be related to the pathogenesis of IBD.

During the last decades, high-throughput assessment of gene expression in patient tissues using microarray technology or RNA-Seq took center stage in clinical research. Insights into the diversity and frequency of transcripts in healthy and diseased conditions provide valuable information on the cellular status in the respective tissues. Growing with the technique, the bioinformatic analysis toolkit reveals biologically relevant pathways which assist in understanding basic pathophysiological mechanisms. Conventional classification systems of inflammatory skin diseases rely on descriptive assessments by pathologists. In contrast to this, molecular profiling may uncover previously unknown disease classifying features. Thereby, treatments and prognostics of patients may be improved. Furthermore, disease models in basic research in comparison to the human disease can be directly validated. The aim of this article is not only to provide the reader with information on the opportunities of these techniques, but to outline potential pitfalls and technical limitations as well. Major published findings are briefly discussed to provide a broad overview on the current findings in transcriptomics in inflammatory skin diseases.

The objective here is to examine the role of overall oxidative stress in the etiopathogenesis of gluten-sensitive enteropathy disease and its relationship with gluten free diet and autoantibodies. Eighty gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients and 80 control group participants were included in the study. As oxidative stress parameters, we researched total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), paraoxonase-1 and arylesterase parameters in the serum samples of gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients. In comparison to the control group, gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients had lower TAS, paraoxonase-1 and arylesterase levels and gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients had considerable TOS and OSI levels. In contrast, patients who agreed to the gluten free eating routine had a higher OSI proportion and patients who did not conform to the gluten free eating regimen had a lower paraoxonase-1 level. An affirming reciprocation was de tected amidst TOS and OSI proportion and gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoantibodies and C-reactive protein levels and a negative correlation was found between arylesterase level and gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoantibodies. We observed oxidative stress levels to be higher in gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients contrasted with the control group. Oxidative stress level showed differences in gluten-sensitive enteropathy patients depending on gluten diet content and autoantibody positivity. In point of fact, C-reactive protein and gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoantibodies are identified with oxidative anxiety parameters resulting in the possibility that oxidative stress might be successful in the gluten-sensitive enteropathy pathogenesis.

Background/Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR)-neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) combination, in the prediction of the presence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) and its associated complications in the gastrointestinal system. Patients and Methods: In all, 1289 patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and biopsy for HP were included in the study. Results: The ratio of patients with moderate and severe chronic gastritis was higher in HP (+) group than HP (−) group. The ratio of patients with levels 1-3 atrophy and intestinal metaplasia was higher in HP (+) group. Compared with HP (−) group, HP (+) had higher PLR and NLR levels. The ratio of HP (+) patients was higher in high-risk group compared with low- and medium-risk groups. HP invasion stage, the intestinal metaplasia level, and the ratio of patients with atrophy level \"3\" were higher in high-risk group compared with low- and medium-risk groups. Regression analysis showed that the PLR-NLR combination was an independent risk factor for both HP presence and moderate and severe chronic gastritis. Conclusion: We found the PLR-NLR combination to be a good predictor of HP presence and gastrointestinal complications associated with HP.

The main objectives of the study are to evaluate the effectiveness of using amendment materials (calcareous soil and farmyard manure) and to grow Agropyron elongatum (tall wheat grass) for the revegetation of sulphur flotation waste in tailing ponds. Calcareous soil (CS) at 10, 20, 30, 40% and farmyard manure (FYM) at 4, 8% were applied to the flotation waste (FW). pH, electrical conductivity (EC), DTPA-extractable Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pd, Cd, Co concentrations of growing media, also, total Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pd, Cd, Co concentrations of plants were analysed together with the dry weight yield of the plant which were determined at end of the experiment. The results have shown that pH, shoot Zn, Mn, Cu and Pb concentrations increased by CS-alone but this increment tended to decrease by FYM. The EC, DTPA-extractable Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cr, Co and shoot Fe, Ni, Cr, Co concentrations were decreased by CS-alone, but this decline tended to increase by FYM. There was no change in DTPA-extractable Pb and Cd concentrations between CS and CS with FYM. The dry weight of the plant shoots increased CS with FYM more than CS-alone. The plant grew well and had high cover in CS with FYM treatments compared to CS-alone. However this work indicates that A. elongatum can be used to revegetate sulphur flotation waste, further studies with different plant species are needed in order to obtain better plant cover in revegetation efforts.