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OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and mean platelet volume (MPV) in patients with endometriosis as compared with healthy controls. BACKGROUND: Currently, no non-invasive diagnostic test of endometriosis has been implemented in clinical practice. METHODS: A total of 121 women with endometriosis and 136 controls participated in this retrospective study. The extent of the disease in the patients with endometriosis was determined using the American Society of Reproductive Medicine revised classifi cation. Sensitivities and specifi cities of NLR, LMR and MPV were evaluated by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: Patients with endometriosis had higher neutrophil counts, white blood cell (WBC) levels, NLR, MPV, and lower lymphocyte count and LMR than the control group. The cutoff values were found to be 1.6 for NLR at 87.6 % sensitivity and 44.8 % specifi city and 8 for MPV at 75.2 % sensitivity and 68.4 % specfi city. For LMR, the cutoff value was 5.6 with 66.1 % sensitivity, 50 % specifi city. Patients with stages III or IV had signifi cantly lower MPV (p = 0.039) and LMR levels (p = 0.016) than patients with stages I or II. CONCLUSION: NLR, LMR, and MPV may be used to distinguish patients with endometriosis from controls (Tab. 4, Fig. 4, Ref. 37).

The purpose of this study was to assess serum Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) concentrations to determine whether changes in patients with schizophrenia could have etiopathogenetic importance. Since very little research has addressed the connection between the inflammatory marker TWEAK and schizophrenia, we wanted to examine alterations of TWEAK and investigate the possible correlation between clinical symptomatology and serum concentrations. Methods: A total of 45 schizophrenia patients and 40 healthy controls were included in this study. The Positive Symptom Assessment scale and the Negative Symptom Assessment scale were administered to determine symptom severity. Venous blood samples were collected and serum TWEAK levels were measured. Results: Serum TWEAK levels were significantly higher in the schizophrenia group than the control group, independently of potential confounders, including sex, age, body mass index and smoking status. Conclusion: The results indicate that TWEAK is elevated in schizophrenia patients, which could deepen our understanding of the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

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Background:Thymoquinone (TQ), the basic bioactive phytochemical constituent of seed oil of Nigella sativa, is one of these herbal drugs known for antidiabetic effects. This study was carried out to assess the effects of the possible role of TQ on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and oxidative DNA damage levels in experimental diabetic rats.Materials and Methods:Twenty-eight male Wistar Albino rats (200–250 g) were used as experimental subjects. The rats were divided into four groups, including the control, control supplemented with TQ (CT), diabetic (D), and diabetic supplemented with TQ (DT), each containing seven rats. The D and the DT groups were treated with 45 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) (intraperitoneal). TQ was administered 30 mg/kg/day for 21 days by oral gavage in the DT and the T groups.Results:It was determined that glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities were decreased significantly and approached the control group in the DT group after TQ supplement (P < 0.05). Urea levels were the lowest in CT (P < 0.05). Oxidative DNA damage (8 hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine) was increased in both of the diabetic groups (D and DT). The NF-κB levels were the highest in Group D (P < 0.05).Conclusion:It was observed that increased glucose and HbA1c levels and the indicators of liver and kidney damages were decreased significantly after TQ supplementation. Oxidative DNA damage and NF-κB levels were increased in the diabetic group, and TQ administration caused a statistically insignificant reduction.SUMMARY In this study, the effects of thymoquinone (TQ), the basic bioactive phytochemical constituent of seed oil of Nigella sativa, on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), oxidative DNA damage levels, and, some biochemical parameters was invesigated. It was observed that some biochemical parameters (glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), ALT, AST, GGT) were close to the control group after TQ treatment in diabetic group. Oxidative DNA damage (8 hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine) and NF-κB were highest levels and TQ implementation caused statistically insignificant decrease, in the diabetic group. Abbreviations used: 8-OHdG: 8 hydroxi-2-deoxiguanosin; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; HbA1c: Glycosylated hemoglobin; NF-κB: Nuclear factor kappa protein; STZ: Streptozotocin; TQ: Thymoquinone.