UNASSIGNED: Echinococcosis is a chronic zoonotic disease caused by tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified encapsulated disease as one of 17 neglected diseases to be controlled or eliminated by 2050. There is no accurate, early, non-invasive molecular diagnostic method to detect echinococcosis. The feasibility of circulating free DNA as a diagnostic method for echinococcosis has yielded inconclusive results in a number of published studies. However, there has been no systematic evaluation to date assessing the overall performance of these assays. We report here the first meta-analysis assessing the diagnostic accuracy of cfDNA in plasma, serum, and urine for echinococcosis.
UNASSIGNED: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WeiPu databases up to 17 January 2024, for relevant studies. All analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3, Meta-DiSc 1.4, Stata 17.0, and R 4.3.1 software. The sensitivity, specificity, and other accuracy indicators of circulating free DNA for the diagnosis of echinococcosis were summarized. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to identify sources of heterogeneity.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 7 studies included 218 patients with echinococcosis and 214 controls (156 healthy controls, 32 other disease controls (non-hydatid patients), and 26 non-study-targeted echinococcosis controls were included). Summary estimates of the diagnostic accuracy of cfDNA in the diagnosis of echinococcosis were as follows: sensitivity (SEN) of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.45-0.56); specificity (SPE) of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.97-0.99); positive likelihood ratio (PLR) of 11.82 (95% CI: 6.74-20.74); negative likelihood ratio (NLR) of 0.57 (95% CI: 0.41-0.80); diagnostic ratio (DOR) of 36.63 (95% CI: 13.75-97.59); and area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96-1.00).
UNASSIGNED: Existing evidence indicates that the combined specificity of circulating cfDNA for echinococcosis is high. However, the combined sensitivity performance is unsatisfactory due to significant inter-study heterogeneity. To strengthen the validity and accuracy of our findings, further large-scale prospective studies are required.Systematic review registrationThe systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO [CRD42023454158]. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/.

This review comprehensively examines the role of endometrial CD-138 (syndecan-1) in the context of infertility and early pregnancy. The endometrium, a dynamic tissue responsive to hormonal cues, plays a central role in fertility, and understanding the molecular intricacies governing its function is crucial. CD-138, a cell surface proteoglycan, emerges as a critical player expressed by various endometrial cell types. Our exploration encompasses a brief overview of the endometrium, introducing CD-138 as a significant molecular entity. The rationale for the review underscores the importance of elucidating endometrial factors in fertility and addresses existing knowledge gaps related to CD-138. Throughout the review, we unravel the multifaceted nature of CD-138 and its involvement in infertility, highlighting its potential as a diagnostic marker. Furthermore, insights into CD-138\'s role during early pregnancy, including trophoblast-endothelial interactions, are discussed. In conclusion, the findings underscore the clinical implications of CD-138, suggesting its utility in diagnostics and offering prospects for targeted therapeutic interventions. The identified knowledge gaps propel future research directions, promising to deepen our understanding of this enigmatic molecule and its transformative potential in reproductive medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the diagnostic value of folate receptor-positive (FR+) circulating tumour cells (CTCs) as a potential tumour marker for lung cancer diagnosis.
METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant articles published between database inception and November 2022. Eligible studies were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratio, and area under the curve (AUC) were pooled with 95% confidence intervals (CI), using RevMan 5.4 and STATA 17.0 software to assess the diagnostic value of FR+CTC for lung cancer.
RESULTS: After screening, 11 studies involving 3469 subjects were eligible for inclusion. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.79 (95% CI 0.76, 0.82) and 0.84 (95% CI 0.81, 0.96), respectively, and the pooled positive and negative likelihood ratios were 4.90 (95% CI 4.25, 5.65) and 0.25 (95% CI 0.22, 0.29), respectively. The pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 19.70 (95% CI 16.06, 24.16). The AUC of the pooled summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.89 (95% CI 0.85, 0.91). Sensitivity analysis showed that this result was stable after one-by-one study elimination.
CONCLUSIONS: Folate receptor-positive CTCs may have good diagnostic value in lung cancer.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) exhibits high incidence with poor prognosis. Alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, and betel nut chewing are well-known risk factors. Dysbiosis, an imbalance of the microbiota residing in a local environment, is known to be associated with human diseases, especially cancer. This article reviews the current evidence of esophageal microbiota in ESCC carcinogenesis, including initiation, progression, and drug resistance. Articles involving the esophageal microbiota, diagnosis, treatment, and the progression of esophageal cancer were acquired using a comprehensive literature search in PubMed in recent 10 years. Based on 16S rRNA sequencing of human samples, cell, and animal studies, current evidence suggests dysbiosis of the esophagus promotes ESCC progression and chemotherapy resistance, leading to a poor prognosis. Smoking and drinking are associated with esophageal dysbiosis. Specific bacteria have been reported to promote carcinogenesis, involving either progression or drug resistance in ESCC, for example Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. These bacteria promote ESCC cell proliferation and migration via the TLR4/NF-κB and IL-6/STAT3 pathways. F. nucleatum induces cisplatin resistance via the enrichment of immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Correcting the dysbiosis and reducing the abundance of specific esophageal pathogens may help in suppressing cancer progression. In conclusion, esophageal dysbiosis is associated with ESCC progression and chemoresistance. Screening the oral and esophageal microbiota is a potential diagnostic tool for predicting ESCC development or drug-resistance. Repairing esophageal dysbiosis is a novel treatment for ESCC. Clinical trials with probiotics in addition to current chemotherapy are warranted to study the therapeutic effects.

Identifying novel biomarkers that are both specific and sensitive to periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and ultimately enhance patient outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of PJI.
We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases from January 1, 2018, to September 30, 2022, using the search terms \"periprosthetic joint infection,\" \"prosthetic joint infection,\" or \"periprosthetic infection\" as the diagnosis of interest and the target index, combined with the term \"marker.\" We excluded articles that mentioned established biomarkers such as CRP, ESR, Interleukin 6, Alpha defensin, PCT (procalcitonin), and LC (leucocyte cell count). We used the MSIS, ICM, or EBJS criteria for PJI as the reference standard during quality assessment.
We collected 19 studies that analyzed fourteen different novel biomarkers. Proteins were the most commonly analyzed biomarkers (nine studies), followed by molecules (three studies), exosomes (two studies), DNA (two studies), interleukins (one study), and lysosomes (one study). Calprotectin was a frequently analyzed and promising marker. In the scenario where the threshold was set at ≥50-mg/mL, the calprotectin point-of-care (POC) performance showed a high sensitivity of 98.1% and a specificity of 95.7%.
None of the analyzed biomarkers demonstrated outstanding performance compared to the established parameters used for standardized treatment based on established PJI definitions. Further studies are needed to determine the benefit and usefulness of implementing new biomarkers in diagnostic PJI settings.

BACKGROUND: Glioma is the most common primary tumor in the brain originating from glial cells. In spite of extensive research, the overall survival rate is not enhanced. A number of published articles observed differentially circulating levels of cytokines in glioma. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) protein coded by IL-6 gene is regulated by the immune system and it has been found to have a significant role in progression and apoptosis resistance of glioma.
OBJECTIVE: To review the role of circulatory IL-6 in the development and progression of glioma and its utility as a biomarker.
METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were applied to filter the relevant studies based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. We used a combination of keywords and the Reference Citation Analysis (RCA) tool to search the potential studies and performed data extraction from selected studies.
RESULTS: The published results were inconsistent; however, most studies showed a significantly higher IL-6 level in glioma cases as compared to controls. Comparative IL-6 level among the different grades of glioma showed a higher level with low-grade gliomas and lower level with high-grade gliomas.
CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 level significantly differed between cases and controls, and among different cancer stages, which shows its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic marker.

YKL-40, a chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) or human cartilage glycoprotein 39 (HC gp-39), is expressed and secreted by various cell-types including macrophages, chondrocytes, fibroblast-like synovial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. Its biological function is not well elucidated, but it is speculated to have some connection with inflammatory reactions and autoimmune diseases. Although having important biological roles in autoimmunity, there were only attempts to elucidate relationships of YKL-40 with a single or couple of diseases in the literature. Therefore, in order to analyze the relationship between YKL-40 and the overall diseases, we reviewed 51 articles that discussed the association of YKL-40 with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Behçet disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Several studies showed that YKL-40 could be assumed as a marker for disease diagnosis, prognosis, disease activity and severity. It is also shown to be involved in response to disease treatment. However, other studies showed controversial results particularly in the case of Behçet disease activity. Therefore, further studies are needed to elucidate the exact role of YKL-40 in autoimmunity and to investigate its potential in therapeutics.

Polymorphous adenocarcinoma (PAC) is a rare variant of minor salivary gland tumors. Because of its architectural diversity, histological diagnosis of PAC can be difficult especially for small biopsies, and immunohistochemistry is of great help in differentiating it from its histologic mimics. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review to identify reliable immunohistochemical markers for PAC. We conducted an electronic literature search of the MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Wiley Online Library databases, covering the literature published in the period between 1988 and 2021. The eligibility criteria included case reports and retrospective studies of PAC cases with details of immunohistochemical markers. Following the search and selection process, 32 studies with 409 cases were included in this systematic review. Overall, > 90% positivity was observed for pan-cytokeratin (CK) (97.3%), CK7 (96.8%), CK7/8 (97.4%), E-cadherin (90.0%), Vimentin (92.5%), S100 (97.0%), p63 (91.7%), and SOX10 (100%), while little to no positivity was observed for CK20 (0.0%), p40 (0.0%), and GFAP (5.0%). The average MIB-1 labeling index was 3.78%. The results of this systematic review indicate that CK7+/CK20-, p63+/p40-, S100+, Vimentin+, and GFAP- immunophenotype have diagnostic value for PAC. In addition, the use of S100, MSA, p40, and c-Kit provide additional layers of information helpful to differentiate PAC from adenoid cystic carcinoma, one of challenging differential diagnoses.

The prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) with high level of specificity for prostate cancer. This lncRNA has fundamental effects in the prostate carcinogenesis through modulation of expression of miR-132-3p, miR-1261, SREBP1, PRKD3 and LAP2α as well as regulation of p53 signaling. Expression of PCA3 in prostate cancer cells can be enhanced by Snail. Moreover, in vitro studies have documented up-regulation of PCA3 in three other types of neoplastic cells, namely those being originated from choriocarcinoma, ovarian carcinoma and thyroid carcinoma. The diagnostic value of PCA3 in differentiation of prostate cancer from benign prostate hyperplasia has been assessed in different studies. Studies aimed at identification of diagnostic power of PCA3 in prostate cancer using receiver operating characteristic curves have reported area under curve values ranging from 0.66 to 0.86. In the current review, we describe the role of PCA3 in the carcinogenesis particularly in the pathoetiology of prostate cancer. Moreover, we review the results of studies appraising diagnostic value of this lncRNA in prostate cancer.

The head and neck tumors (HNT) are a heterogeneous group of diseases ranging from benign to malignant lesions, with distinctive molecular and clinical behaviors. Several studies have highlighted the presence of an altered metabolic phenotype in HNT, such as the upregulation of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). However, its biological effects have not been completely disclosed and the role of NNMT in cancer cell metabolism remains unclear. Therefore, this comprehensive review aims to evaluate the available literature regarding the biological, diagnostic, and prognostic role of NNMT in HNT. NNMT was shown to be significantly overexpressed in all of the evaluated HNT types. Moreover, its upregulation has been correlated with cancer cell migration and adverse clinical outcomes, such as high-pathological stage, lymph node metastasis, and locoregional recurrences. However, in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) these associations are still debated, and several studies have failed to demonstrate the prognostic significance of NNMT. The shRNA-mediated gene silencing efficiently suppressed the NNMT gene expression and exhibited a clear inhibitory effect on cell proliferation, promoting the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and modulating the cell cycle. NNMT could represent a new molecular biomarker and a new target of molecular-based therapy, although further studies on larger patient cohorts are needed to explore its biological role in HNT.