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Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disease manifested by the clonal proliferation of atypical plasma cells. Macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) is one of the pleiotropic regulators in various biological and cellular processes. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a crucial protein involved in the lectin pathway of the immune system.

We aimed to assess whether variants of MIF and MBL2 genes are associated with MM among a Turkish population.

We analyzed the MIF-173G/C (rs755622) and MBL2 codon 54A/B (rs1800450) variants in 200 patients with MM and 200 healthy control subjects using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction endonuclease digestion. There was also an evaluation of the patients undergoing autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) for these variants.

AA and BB genotypes of MBL2 codon 54A/B increased in the patients as compared to the controls (p=0.008, p=0.001, respectively). The subjects carrying AA and BB genotypes of MBL2 were at high risk of development of susceptibility to MM by 7.377 and 8.812 times, respectively. The distribution of MBL2 codon 54A/B alleles was similar between the groups (p>0 .05). There was no statistical difference between the patients and controls in the genotype and allele frequencies of the MIF-173G/C variant (p>0 .05). The patients undergoing ASCT, MBL2 codon54A/B AA and BB genotypes also showed association with increased risk for MM (p=0.004, p=0.001, respectively).

As far as we know, this is the first report of the study on an association between these variants and MM in our population. Our results indicate that the MBL2 codon 54A/B variant may be associated with susceptibility to MM.</p>.

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To investigate the effect of smoking and alcohol intake on the association between betel nut chewing and each metabolic abnormality.

Betel nut chewing has been associated with metabolic syndrome.

Whether the association is affected by tobacco or alcohol use is not clarified so far.

We made a cross-sectional study using 6,657 military males, aged 18-50 years in eastern Taiwan in 2013-2014. Metabolic syn-drome was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation ethnic criteria for Asians. The population was classified as non-betel nut chewers (N =5,749), current chewers with both tobacco and alcohol use (N =615), and current chewers without tobacco and/or alcohol use (N =293). Multiple logistic regressions analyses were stepwise adjusted for the confounders including alcohol and tobacco use to de-termine the associations of betel chewing with the metabolic abnormalities.

As compared with the non-current chewers, the current chewers with both tobacco/alcohol use and those without had higher and 1.87 (1.42-2.45), respectively, p =0.76).

Our findings suggest that tobacco smoking but not alcohol intake could increase the relationship of betel nut chewing with metabolic syndrome, which is likely mediated by a synergic effect on increasing serum triglycerides levels.

Our findings suggest that tobacco smoking but not alcohol intake could increase the relationship of betel nut chewing with metabolic syndrome, which is likely mediated by a synergic effect on increasing serum triglycerides levels.

Anxiety and oxidative stress are the common disorders prevailing in the modern age. Motolimod in vivo Many new pyrazoline derivatives have been synthesized and patented, but there is still continuous research in progress to explore antidepressant and antioxidant potential of pyrazoline scaffold.

The present work was carried out to synthesize, characterize and evaluate the pharmacological potential of 1,3,5-Pyrazoline derivatives.

Ten new 1,3,5-Pyrazoline derivatives were synthesized and characterized by IR, 1HNMR and mass spectral techniques. The synthesized pyrazoline derivatives were investigated for their in vivo antidepressant activity by Tail Suspension Test (TST) and in vitro antioxidant activity by FRAP and DPPH assay methods. The docking studies and in silico ADME and toxicity characteristics were also evaluated.

Among the synthesized analogues, IVh showed the highest antidepressant activity with a significant reduction in the duration of immobility. The compound IVh emerged as the most potent antioxidant compound due to the presence of an electron releasing hydroxyl group. Docking studies of most potent compounds revealed good interaction points with the MAO-A enzyme. The compounds were found to obey Lipinski’s Rule of Five and displayed the least in silico toxicity profile.

The synthesized compounds were found to possess great potential in decreasing the duration of immobility in Swiss albino mice and scavenging free radicals. These compounds may serve as new leads for further drug exploration.

The synthesized compounds were found to possess great potential in decreasing the duration of immobility in Swiss albino mice and scavenging free radicals. These compounds may serve as new leads for further drug exploration.

Pre-eclampsia contributes significantly to both maternal and perinatal morbidities and mortalities. One of the identified pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia is deranged serum lipid profile of which some components have been found to be elevated early in pregnancy in women destined to develop pre-eclampsia.

To compare the serum fasting lipid profiles of pre-eclamptic primigravidas with normal primigravidas at week 20, 28 ad 34.

We conducted a nested case-control study at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife between November 2016 and April 2018. A cohort of 290 primigravidas was recruited at week 20 and followed up until delivery. Serum fasting lipid profiles were quantified at weeks 20, 28 and 34 for all participants. Twenty four women that developed pre-eclampsia were compared with 48 women that had normal pregnancy. Data were analysed with SPSS version 22. We used a linear mixed-effect regression model with random intercept and slope. Significance was established using p<0.05.

Serum lipid profiles showed average weekly increase in both groups. Primigravidas that developed pre-eclampsia had a weekly increase of 0.2(SE0.14) mmol/l in serum total cholesterol more than those with normal pregnancies.(p<0.001) Serum low density lipoprotein also showed a differential weekly increase of 0.1(SE0.05)mmol/l in primigravidas that developed pre-eclampsia over primigravidas with normal pregnancies.(p<0.001).

The average weekly increase in serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein were higher significantly in primigravidas that developed pre-eclampsia when compared to the control group. These findings depicted an association between serum lipid profile and pre-eclampsia among the primigravidas.</P>.

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