BMC Research Notes最新文献

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection and types of tumor markers (CEA and CA19-9) among Yemeni gastric cancer patients, comparing the frequency of these markers in patients with and without H. pylori infection.

Results: Serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were measured among 85 patients with H. pylori infection (cases) and 85 without (controls). The median CEA levels were 7.05 ng/mL in H. pylori positive group and 7.14 ng/mL in negative group. The median CA19-9 levels were 33 U/mL in H. pylori positive group and 32 U/mL in negative group. No significant differences were found in the serum levels of CEA (p = 0.44) or CA19-9 (p = 0.94) between the two groups. However, a significant association was observed between H. pylori infection and gastric cancer site in cardia and fundus regions (p = 0.047). This study found no significant association between H. pylori infection and types of tumor markers (CEA and CA19-9) among Yemeni gastric cancer patients. However, the significant association between H. pylori infection and site of gastric cancer in cardia and fundus regions needs further investigations to reveal the associated mechanisms.

Objective: This study investigated the reliability of the malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) kit for detecting Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) in dried blood spot samples preserved under different conditions and durations.

Results: Sixty whole blood samples (approx. 750 mL), which contained the PfHRP2 protein, were collected from patients with uncomplicated malaria. Fifteen dried blood samples (DBS) were made from each sample, making a total of 900 DBS. A set of five DBS each were stored at room temperature (25 °C), 6 °C and - 60 °C, for 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days. PfHRP2 was detected in each stored DBS sample. Irrespective of sample storage conditions, PfHRP2 was reproducible from day 30 to 120. However, after storage for 150 days, the positivity rate reduced to 90%, 88.3% and 80% (p = 0.236) when samples were stored at room temperature, 6 °C and - 60 °C, respectively. Although the positivity rates were statistically similar, room temperature offers a cost-effective, equipment-free, and reliable method for preserving PfHRP2 for up to 120 days.

Objectives: The comprehension of the microbial composition in upper respiratory tract infections is pivotal for the progression of diagnostic and treatment methodologies. This article presents a dataset derived from Precision Metagenomic next-generation sequencing using hybridization capture-based targeted sequencing. Nasopharyngeal samples from 24 patients with acute URIs were analyzed using the Illumina^®/IDbyDNA Respiratory Pathogen ID/AMR panel. The dataset contains a wealth of information on the composition of the microbiota, including the relative abundance of known pathogens and their potential clinical significance.

Data description: This dataset serves as a valuable asset for future research in respiratory medicine, infectious disease epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance detection, and therapeutic interventions. Its potential for reuse and integration with other omics datasets enhances its significance. The comprehensive nature of the data facilitates research into relationships between the respiratory microbiota and host factors, including clinical outcomes, immune responses, or genetic predispositions. Moreover, the article underscores the interdisciplinary potential by advocating for the integration of this dataset with other relevant datasets such as transcriptomics or metabolomics, enabling a deeper understanding of the intricate interactions in acute upper respiratory infections. The presented dataset contributes to the expanding knowledge in precision metagenomics and holds the promise to propel research and clinical practices in the field of respiratory diseases.

Objective: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress contributes to PD pathogenesis, with the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) system playing a protective role. HRD1, an ER-resident ubiquitin ligase, and its stabilizer SEL1L are involved in ERAD and neuronal survival. This study investigated alterations in the plasma levels of microRNA-101 (miR-101), which targets SEL1L, in patients with PD, and its potential role as a biomarker.

Results: Plasma miR-101 levels in patients with PD significantly decreased compared with those in healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that miR-101 could moderately discriminate patients with PD from healthy individuals (area under the curve = 0.781, 95% confidence interval = 0.547-1.00). The optimal cutoff, as determined by the Youden index, was 0.737 (expression ratio relative to that in the healthy control group), yielding a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 100%. These results suggested that reduced plasma miR-101 expression may reflect the pathophysiological state of PD, and miR-101 has potential as minimally invasive biomarker for PD.

Objectives: The FoodBD dataset was initially collected to address the dietary assessment of diabetic patients. However, it was later expanded to address the lack of culturally diverse food image datasets, particularly for Bangladeshi cuisine, which is underrepresented in food recognition research. It supports tasks in computer vision, nutrition estimation, and health monitoring by providing a resource for AI-driven dietary assessment tools.

Data description: FoodBD comprises 3,523 smartphone-captured meal images representing authentic Bangladeshi meals, with minimal preprocessing to preserve real-world complexity. Each image is annotated with polygon-based segmentation across 67 food categories. Additionally, among them 1,837 images include expert-estimated nutritional information (carbohydrate, protein, fat, fiber, calorie, and glycemic load). The dataset is split into training, validation, and test subsets, facilitating reproducibility in machine learning pipelines.

Background: In recent years, significant advancements have been made in developing models to assess the severity of illness and predict mortality in critically ill patients. Effective outcome prediction requires accurate data on the severity of disease and the associated risk of death. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score is a widely used, objective tool that quantifies the severity of organ dysfunction and its impact on patient outcomes. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive factors of mortality among patients admitted to the ICU.

Methods: This descriptive case series study was conducted over six months at the Department of Medicine, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, to examine ICU patient mortality and compare rates between patients with SOFA scores. A non-probability consecutive sampling method was used, with 172 patients enrolled. The sample size was calculated using the WHO calculator, assuming a 32.6% mortality rate and a 7% margin of error. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess the associations between variables and mortality, with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) reported.

Results: A total of 172 patients were included in the analysis, with a mean age of 57.21 ± 6.24 years. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that both age and SOFA score were independent predictors of mortality. For each one-point increase in the SOFA score, the odds of survival decreased by 13% (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81-0.93, p < 0.001), indicating that higher organ dysfunction, as reflected by the SOFA score, was associated with a significantly increased risk of death. Age was also a significant factor, with each additional year of age elevating the odds of mortality by 2% (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.04, p = 0.02), suggesting that older patients faced a higher risk of mortality. Furthermore, individuals with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² exhibited more than twice the odds of mortality compared to those with lower BMI (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.03-4.18, p = 0.04), indicating that obesity may contribute to poorer outcomes in critically ill patients.

Conclusion: The SOFA score, age, and BMI are independent predictors of mortality in ICU patients. The SOFA score continues to be a strong indicator of patient prognosis, with higher scores linked to increased mortality risk due to greater organ dysfunction. Older age also significantly raises the likelihood of death, while obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) seems to further increase the risk of mortality. These findings imply that early recognition of these factors can help inform clinical decisions and improve patient outcomes in ICU settings, especially in low- to middle-income countries.