Arch Med Sci
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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is very difficult to diagnose, especially in its early stages. Non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic factors for this cancer are urgently needed. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether the microRNAs (miRNAs) regulating genes involved in iron homeostasis, whose disruption is a hallmark of HCC, offer potential as diagnostic or prognostic factors of HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. ⋯ Circulating miRNAs that regulate the expression of iron metabolism proteins should be evaluated as promising candidates for HCV-related HCC diagnostic agents.
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Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant hematologic tumor. Although many new drugs are currently found to significantly improve the median survival, MM is still not curable due partly to drug resistance recurrence. Epidemiological studies have shown that patients with type 2 diabetes have a high risk of malignancy, and patients' treatment with metformin could reduce the risk of cancer as well as associated mortality. ⋯ Metformin can promote DNA damage induced by melphalan and decrease the concentration of ATP in the process of repairing DNA damage to hinder the anti-apoptotic process of tumor cells, which showed the pesticide effect of the enhanced sensitivity of multiple myeloma cells to melphalan.
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In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), osteopenia and osteoporosis constitute a significant medical problem. Cytokines, especially IL-17, play an important role in the pathogenesis of IBD and osteoporosis. Vitamin D is a regulator of bone metabolism, and helps maintain immune system homeostasis. ⋯ Inflammatory bowel diseases patients and persons from the CG did not differ in vitamin D or IL-17 levels. Patients with a mild course of the disease had a higher vitamin D concentration and bone mineral density. In UC, higher vitamin D concentrations were associated with lower IL-17 concentrations. The IBD patients with a severe course of the disease had a lower body mass than those in the CG and the patients with a mild course of the disease.
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Periampullary diverticulum (PAD), although commonly discovered in patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), remains controversial regarding its role in pancreaticobiliary diseases and the failure rate of cannulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of PAD with pancreaticobiliary diseases and its impact on the outcome of ERCP. ⋯ Periampullary diverticulum develops with aging and seems to be associated with an increase in pancreaticobiliary diseases and post-ERCP complications except for perforation. Additionally, the presence of PAD does not affect the technical success of ERCP.
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Pyroptosis is a regulated form of cell death, which is often a consequence of the activation of inflammatory caspases. ⋯ Herein, the extant evidence for the potential value of statins in targeting pyroptosis in various diseases is reviewed.