Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research
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Comparative Study
Normal saline vs balanced intravenous fluids in acute ischemic stroke: A retrospective study.
While some studies have suggested better outcomes for critically ill patients with balanced solutions over normal saline, the best type of intravenous fluid to use for stroke patients remains unknown. Using a retrospective chart review of 2015-2019 Get with the Guidelines® data at a single academic medical center, this study sought to determine whether balanced solutions or normal saline are associated with risk of hemorrhagic transformation or 90-day disability in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Exposure was the type of intravenous fluid and outcomes were modified Rankin scale (mRS) ≤2 at 90 days and hemorrhagic transformation. ⋯ In multivariate analysis, exposure to a balanced solution at any time was associated with increased 90-day disability (OR 6.3, 95% CI 2.4-17.0, p < 0.01), but not hemorrhagic transformation. Thus, this observational trial demonstrated that exposure to balanced solutions is associated with an increased risk of disability at 90 days and possibly hemorrhagic transformation in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis. This data would suggest that normal saline is a preferred solution in these patients, though larger future trials are needed.
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Review
EXPRESS: Effectiveness of stem cells therapy for male infertility restoration: a systematic review.
Cell therapy has emerged as a prominent leader in regenerative medicine, offering potential solutions for various disorders, including infertility. Half of all infertility cases are related to male factors. The objective of this study is to systematically summarize the existing knowledge regarding studies on stem cell-based therapy for the regeneration of impaired spermatogenesis. ⋯ In all studies except for two articles, all the outcomes considered, including germ cells/spermatogonia stem cell differentiation, spermatogenesis restoration, defective testicular tissue regeneration, improved sperm quality parameters, and hormonal levels, as well as increased expression of fertility-related markers and fertility rate, were observed after stem cell transplantation. Transplantation of stem cells, especially MSCs could be a safe and effective method for the treatment of male infertility patients, such as azoospermic cases. Further research to investigate the efficiency of different stem cell sources, providing nutrient conditions for the isolation and differentiation of stem cells, and exploring the paracrine effects of MSCs in male infertility therapy, could be useful.
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To investigate the impact of vaccines on sociodemographic characteristics, clinical profiles, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers in South China during the period of Omicron variant dominance, a retrospective, analytical cross-sectional study was conducted. The findings revealed that while full vaccination could not prevent Omicron variant infection efficiently (26.51% uninfected vs 14.29% uninfected between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants, p = 0.506), it did substantially reduce the length of viral clearance significantly (p < 0.05), potentially facilitating quicker patient recovery. Unvaccination was found to be an independent risk factor for slow clearance when a linear regression analysis model was used (Coefficient: -3.516; 95% CI: -6.425 to -0.607; p = 0.020). Therefore, all eligible individuals should be fully vaccinated to get prepared for a potential wave of epidemic in the future.
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Endocrine disruptive chemicals (EDCs) are considered as the potential attributes for the increasing trend in obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) through disruption of sex hormones, particularly in women. We evaluated the association of understudied EDC compounds with total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), obesity, and MS. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey datasets collected during the years 2013-2016. ⋯ In addition, high exposure to triclosan was also inversely associated with SHBG concentrations (regression coefficient = -0.09; 95% CI: -0.15, -0.02, p = 0.013). However, these EDCs were found to be associated with SHBG, obesity, and MS according to menopausal status. High exposure to certain nonpersistent EDCs was associated with low SHBG, obesity, and MS according to menopausal status.
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Triple-positive breast cancer (TPBC) is a type of breast cancer that overexpresses estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). Dysregulation of ER signaling has been implicated in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. ERα activation triggers the production of second messengers, including cAMP, leading to the activation of signals such as PI3K/AKT or Ras/MAPK. ⋯ Ruxolitinib and MK-2206 combined treatment inhibit cell death in BT474 cells by downregulating ERα, Src-1, ERK1/2, SAPK/JNK, and c-Jun. Our results revealed the relationships among the ERα, PI3K/AKT, and MAPK signaling pathways in ER+ breast cancer cells. Understanding the interactions among ERα, PI3K-AKT-mTOR, and MAPK could lead to novel combination therapies.