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Studies have reported that the prevalence of aggression is higher in individuals with schizophrenia compared to the general population. Various factors, including genetic variations, contribute to the emergence of aggression in patients with schizophrenia. Among these, the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) genes are considered key genetic factors potentially influencing aggressive behavior in schizophrenia. This study investigated the association of BDNF rs6265 and MAOA rs1465108 polymorphisms with aggression in schizophrenia. A total of 150 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were included in the study. The MAOA rs1465108 and BDNF rs6265 polymorphisms were analyzed using the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Aggression was evaluated using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Suicide risk, childhood trauma, and impulsivity which were related to aggression were evaluated using the Suicide Probability Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, respectively. Negative and positive symptoms of schizophrenia were assessed using the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), respectively. No direct genotype associations were observed between aggression and the BDNF rs6265 and MAOA rs1465108 polymorphisms. However, impulsivity, SAPS, and SANS scores were significantly associated with aggression. These findings highlight that aggression in schizophrenia is primarily shaped by environmental and clinical factors rather than by BDNF or MAOA variants. Show less

This study aimed to compare the safety profile of high-power (HPL) and low-power (LPL) Holmium:YAG lasers in retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), using urinary Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) as an early biomarker for acute kidney injury (AKI). Sixty patients with renal stones (1.5-2.5 cm) were prospectively randomized into HPL and LPL groups. Urinary KIM-1 and KIM-1/creatinine ratios were measured preoperatively and at 4 and 24 h postoperatively. Intraoperative parameters, stone-free rates (SFR), complications, and renal function (eGFR, serum creatinine) were also assessed. Intrarenal temperatures were recorded before and after lithotripsy. Operative time, SFR, complication rates, and renal function parameters were similar between groups (p > 0.05). However, KIM-1 levels were significantly higher in the HPL group at 24 h postoperatively (278.8 ± 239.6 pg/mL vs. 170.3 ± 172.9 pg/mL, p = 0.003), and the KIM-1/creatinine ratio was also elevated (5.5 ± 4.5 vs. 3.1 ± 2.0, p = 0.035). No significant differences were observed in postoperative serum creatinine or eGFR. Intraoperative renal temperatures increased slightly in the HPL group, but the difference was not statistically significant. While high-power laser lithotripsy does not adversely affect global renal function, it is associated with elevated levels of renal injury biomarkers, suggesting greater subclinical renal stress. Show less