Epilepsy is among the most prevalent neurological disorders in children, yet its diagnosis remains largely subjective and reliant on clinician expertise. This highlights the need for objective, minimally invasive biomarkers to support early diagnosis and predict drug resistance. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in whole blood present a promising avenue as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pediatric epilepsy. This study explores the relationship between selected miRNA expression levels and clinical characteristics in children with epilepsy. A literature review identified five miRNAs with high potential as biomarkers for drug-resistant epilepsy based on studies of the adult population. Quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) assays were employed to measure miRNA levels in whole blood and assess correlations with clinical characteristics. This pilot study, conducted from June to December 2023, analyzed 109 of the 115 collected blood samples. Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between miR-142-3p, miR-194-5p, and miR-342-5p expression levels with sex, miR-142-3p and miR-342-5p expression levels with the age of seizure onset, and miR-342-5p with family history. Additionally, miR-233-3p expression showed a statistically significant correlation with EEG abnormalities. The analysis did not demonstrate the potential of the selected miRNAs as valuable biomarkers. Differences in epilepsy etiology between pediatric and adult populations, along with age and disease duration-dependent miRNA expression, suggest that adult-based findings may not be directly applicable to children. Further research in pediatric cohorts is essential to establish miRNAs as reliable biomarkers for pediatric epilepsy diagnosis and prognosis.

Introduction/Goal: Stress and negative emotions have been shown to exert a substantial impact on cancer patients, affecting their ability to adapt to therapy and the overall effectiveness. Elevated cortisol levels, a stress-induced hormone, have been shown to suppress immune system function, potentially reducing the body’s capacity to combat cancer cells. On the contrary, prolactin, a hormone that stimulates the immune system, has shown potential in this context but requires further study. The objective of this study was to investigate the acute physiological changes that occur during a single Conscious Connected Breathing (CCB) session, as part of a larger investigation on Integrative Breathwork Psychotherapy (IBP), a novel integrative psychosomatic intervention designed to improve psychosomatic and immune status in cancer patients. Methods: The project involved 93 breast cancer patients hospitalized for postoperative radiotherapy who participated in a ten-session IBP program. Fifty-six patients agreed to participate (response rate: 60%). During the experiment, 8 patients were excluded from the analysis. IBP consisted of small group sessions (up to six participants) conducted three times weekly. Each session included 45 min of CCB—defined as rhythmic circular nasal breathing at a depth exceeding resting tidal volume, without breath-holding, performed in a state of mindful acceptance—followed by 15 min of free emotional expression (verbal articulation of emerging feelings and sensations). This was a within-subject pre-post design: physiological measurements were obtained immediately before and 30 min into the tenth session (when participants had achieved technical proficiency) in all participants, who served as their own controls. Outcome measures included: arterialized capillary blood gas parameters (pH, pCO₂, pO₂, ctO₂, COHb, HHb, cH⁺), serum cortisol and prolactin concentrations, and immunoglobulin A (IgA). Results: During the CCB session, blood gas analysis revealed significant changes consistent with mild respiratory alkalosis: decreases in pCO₂ (p = 0.003), pO₂ (p < 0.001), cH⁺ (p < 0.001), ctO₂ (p < 0.001), COHb (p = 0.03), and HHb (p = 0.004), alongside an increase in pH (p < 0.001). Concurrently, prolactin levels increased significantly (p < 0.001), while cortisol (p < 0.001) and IgA (p < 0.001) decreased. Conclusions: This study is the first to analyze acute changes in capillary blood gas parameters and neuroendocrine balance during Conscious Connected Breathing sessions in cancer patients, revealing measurable immunostimulatory and stress-modulatory effects. The observed shift toward respiratory alkalosis, combined with increased prolactin and decreased cortisol, suggests that CCB may facilitate favorable neuroendocrine-immune interactions. These findings support the potential of breathwork as a complementary therapy for cancer patients. Further research is needed to explore underlying mechanisms and assess long-term psychological and immunological impacts.

Inter-individual variability in outcomes following radiotherapy-based treatment remains a major challenge in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Osteopontin (OPN) and its receptor CD44 are key mediators of tumor progression, hypoxia-related treatment resistance, and metastatic dissemination. In this exploratory, hypothesis-generating study, we investigated selected functional polymorphisms in OPN (SPP1) and CD44 genes, together with pretreatment plasma OPN levels, in relation to overall survival (OS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and metastasis-free survival (MFS) in 242 HNSCC patients treated with curative-intent radiotherapy alone (RT) or combined with chemotherapy (RT + CT). In individual multivariable models, the OPN rs11730582 C and CD44 rs13347 T variants were associated with improved survival outcomes, while elevated OPN levels correlated with shorter OS. In full multivariable models, rs11730582 C and high OPN levels remained independent predictors of OS in the entire cohort. In the RT + CT subgroup, high OPN independently predicted worse OS, whereas rs13347 T was associated with better MFS. In the RT subset, rs11730582 CC independently predicted longer OS. These findings suggest that both germline variability within the OPN-CD44 signaling axis and circulating OPN levels are associated with treatment outcomes in HNSCC patients receiving radiotherapy-based regimens. Given the exploratory design, further validation in independent cohorts is warranted.