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How does progesterone improve fetal outcome and change the expression of placental glucose transporters (GLUT) in dexamethasone-induced intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)?

A total of 64 rats were divided randomly into four different treatment groups based on daily i.p. injections of either saline or dexamethasone in the presence or absence of progesterone. Injections started on the 15th day of gestation (15dg) and lasted until the day of sacrifice at 19dg or 21dg. Maternal plasma progesterone concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The gene and protein expression of placental GLUT1 and GLUT3 were evaluated in the placental labyrinth and basal zones by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. The localization of GLUT1 and GLUT3 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.

Dexamethasone induced significant decreases in maternal serum progesterone concentrations (P = 0.029) and placental (P<0.001) and fetal body (P = 0.009) weights. Dexamethasone also reduced the expression of GLUT1 in the labyrinth zone (P = 0.028) and GLUT3 in both the labyrinth (P = 0.002) and basal zones (P = 0.026). Coadministration of dexamethasone and progesterone prevented the reduction in fetal body weight, placental weight and placental GLUT expression compared with that seen in dexamethasone-treated groups.

These results suggest that progesterone prevents the significant reduction in fetal and placental weights in dexamethasone-induced IUGR, possibly through improving the expression of placental GLUT.

These results suggest that progesterone prevents the significant reduction in fetal and placental weights in dexamethasone-induced IUGR, possibly through improving the expression of placental GLUT.

What are the awareness, intentions and attitudes of female medical staff towards planned oocyte cryopreservation?

A cross-sectional survey was conducted during June 2019 among 171 female medical staff at a single tertiary hospital. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of 39 questions.

A total of 151 responses (88%) were received from 13 doctors and 138 nurses. The mean age of the respondents was 26.4 years. Fewer than half of the women (47.7%) answered correctly on the age at which female fertility markedly declines. The study demonstrated that 28.5% of respondents considered themselves as 'potential freezers' while 30.5% would not consider the procedure. Potential freezers (58.1% versus 21.7%, P<0.001) and older age participants (44.2% versus 28.4, P = 0.014) were more interested in consulting about fertility preservation during an obstetrician/gynaecologist (OB/GYN) visit. If respondents were to consider oocyte cryopreservation, they thought that lack of information would be a major obstacity preservation.Postbiotics have recently emerged as critical effectors of the activity of probiotics and, because of their safety profile, they are considered potential therapeutics for the treatment of fragile patients. Here, we present recent studies on probiotics and postbiotics in the context of novel discovery tools, such as organoids and organoid-based platforms, and nontransformed preclinical models, that can be generated from intestinal stem cells. The implementation of organoid-related techniques is the next gold standard for unraveling the effect of microbial communities on homeostasis, inflammation, idiopathic diseases, and cancer in the gut. We also summarize recent studies on biotics in organoid-based models and offer our perspective on future directions.Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are sustainable, versatile, biocompatible, and bioresorbable polymers that are suitable for biomedical applications. Produced via bacterial fermentation under nutrient-limiting conditions, they are uncovering a new horizon for devices in biomedical applications. A wide range of cell types including bone, cartilage, nerve, cardiac, and pancreatic cells, readily attach grow and are functional on PHAs. The tuneable physical properties and resorption rates of PHAs provide a toolbox for biomedical engineers in developing devices for hard and soft tissue engineering applications and drug delivery. The versatility of PHAs and the vast range of different PHA-based prototypes are discussed. Current in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo development work are described and their regulatory approvals are reviewed.Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms arising from the 3 pairs of major salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, and sublingual) or numerous minor salivary glands located throughout the oral cavity. This review discusses the role of PET/computed tomography (CT) in evaluation of SGTs, including staging, restaging, prognostication, and response assessment. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT is useful for staging and restaging malignant SGTs and offers important prognostic information in these patients. It is less useful for differentiating benign and malignant SGTs. Non-FDG PET radiotracers, perineural spread, parotid incidentalomas, and interpretative pitfalls are discussed as well.

Recent investigations highlight how important it is to identify the key factors involved in the design of strategies to promote blood donation among undergraduates as a public health concern. The study aims to investigate attitudes and knowledge towards blood donation in university students with health education roles and examine the way sociodemographic and educational characteristics play a part in it.

A cross-sectional and multi-center design was used. A structured questionnaire was answered by 1128 Spanish university students (Schools of Health Sciences and Education Sciences).

The knowledge test indicated a low score (M=4.2 out of 10), being Me=3.00 in the case of Education Sciences and Me=5.00 in Health Sciences students. The greatest degree of importance is found in the "external incentives" dimension (M=3.7 out of 5). Health science students and participants with relatives who needed a donation showed fewer "fears" (p≤0.001) and "pretexts" (p≤0.01).

The low knowledge score stresses the need to develop valuable health education-related strategies in the curriculum of studies related with health education; showing room for improvement particularly in Education Science students. Health education interventions aimed at increasing donors in the university environment should be designed while considering differences among undergraduates. Based on their better attitudes, health science students might play a relevant role in promoting blood donation.

The low knowledge score stresses the need to develop valuable health education-related strategies in the curriculum of studies related with health education; showing room for improvement particularly in Education Science students. Health education interventions aimed at increasing donors in the university environment should be designed while considering differences among undergraduates. Based on their better attitudes, health science students might play a relevant role in promoting blood donation.

Genome-wide association studies have identified a genetic variant rs17356907 in netrin 4 (NTN4) as a risk locus of breast cancer (BC) in Europeans. NTN4 is a target gene of miR-17-92 cluster that is an oncogenic miRNA in BC development. We aimed to replicate the rs17356907 in a Chinese population and examine the interaction of NTN4 and miR-17-92 on BC susceptibility.

The rs17356907 in NTN4 and 3 additional polymorphisms in the promoter of miR-17-92 (ie, rs9588884, rs982873, and rs1813389) were determined in 415 patients with BC and 420 healthy controls using a TaqMan assay. The expression levels of NTN4 in BC and normal tissues were performed using the quantitative reverse transcription-PCR.

With reference to the rs17356907AA genotype, the GG genotype was associated with a decreased risk of BC with an adjusted OR of 0.38 (95% CI 0.20-0.74). With reference to the rs17356907AA-rs982873CT/CC genotypes, the rs17356907 AG/GG-rs982873CT/CC genotypes were associated with a borderline decreased risk of BC with an adjusted OR of 0.67 (95% CI 0.48-0.93). Gene-gene interaction analysis showed that the rs17356907-rs982873-rs9588884-rs1813389 was the best model on BC susceptibility. Furthermore, the rs17356907GG genotype displayed higher levels of NTN4 mRNA.

The NTN4 rs17356907 may have a single and interactive effect with miR-17-92 polymorphisms on the risk of BC.

The NTN4 rs17356907 may have a single and interactive effect with miR-17-92 polymorphisms on the risk of BC.Severe arterial calcification can make balloon and stent expansion challenging. Additionally, the severely calcified lesions are more likely to undergo recoil after successful balloon expansion and even after stenting leading to stent recoil. We report use of Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) in the internal carotid artery (ICA). IVL has only rarely been tried in ICA territory. ICA endovascular intervention is unique due to high risk of stroke and distal protection is mandatory to qualify for procedure re-imbursement. IVL is not approved in the ICA territory and not approved for treating underexpanded or recoiled old or new stents. But, calcium debulking devices like Rotational or orbital atherectomy are dangerous in ICA territory while calcium scoring devices might fail. IVL can modify calcified plaque without direct mechanism for embolization. Selleckchem (Z)-4-Hydroxytamoxifen IVL was tried in a long severely calcified lesion that was hard to dilate, had lesion recoil leading to stent recoil and therefore had two layers of underexpanded stents on angiography. The lesion improved from 90% to 10% residual stenosis with IVL treatment. The severe stent recoil was eliminated after IVL leading to good stent expansion throughout the long length of the lesion. This is the first application of IVL in two layers of fresh carotid self-expanding stents. IVL both successfully dilated the underexpanded stents and stopped the repeated stent recoil due to modification of the calcified plaque. This is the first report of IVL used to treat underexpansion as well recoil of two layers of fresh self-expanding stents.

Mortality related to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has gradually declined during the last decade. However, the causes and circumstances of death remain largely undescribed in contemporary practice.

We retrospectively evaluated all patients undergoing PCI at our institution from July 2013 to March 2021. Three cardiologists independently determined the causes and circumstances of death, and evaluated the preventability of death using validated methods.

During study period, 4334 patients underwent 5506 PCIs, of whom 166 patients suffered in-hospital death (3.0%). Ninety-three percent of deceased patients initially presented with acute coronary syndrome, and 45% with cardiogenic shock. Left ventricular failure was the most common cause of death (39.7%), followed by neurologic compromise after cardiac arrest (16.8%) and infections (13.8%). The circumstance of death was most commonly acute cardiac (51.8%), followed by non-cardiac (19.2%) and non-procedural complications (17.4%). Death was attributed to a procedural complication in only 12% of cases. Reviewers determined that 90% of cases as being unpreventable or slightly preventable. Inter-reviewer agreement was substantial (the three reviewers agreed in >80% of cases for cause and preventability of death).

Mortality after PCI is uncommon, largely unpreventable, and most often related to pre-existing, acute cardiovascular conditions. Procedural complications account for a minority of cases of death, and future effort should focus on the treatment of acute cardiovascular conditions, in particular cardiogenic shock, to decrease acute mortality after PCI.

Mortality after PCI is uncommon, largely unpreventable, and most often related to pre-existing, acute cardiovascular conditions. Procedural complications account for a minority of cases of death, and future effort should focus on the treatment of acute cardiovascular conditions, in particular cardiogenic shock, to decrease acute mortality after PCI.