Laboratory findings in COVID-19 - alterations of hematological, immunological, biochemical, hormonal and other lab panels: a narrative review

Up to the present date, according to the official reports of the World Health Organization (WHO), 205,338,159 patients have been confirmed with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and 4,333,094 have died as a consequence of this infectious disorder. The majority of COVID-19 patients will develop hematological, biochemical, immunological, hormonal and other complex alterations of their laboratory data which may be diagnosed using different biomarkers. In this paper, we review the alterations of the hematology, immunology, biochemistry, hormonal and other laboratory panels discovered in the subjects diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on the available data in the literature

Extracellular Vesicles as Intercellular Communication Vehicles in Regenerative Medicine

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent cell-specific carriers of bioactive cargos that can be of importance in either physiological or pathological processes. Frequently, EVs are seen as intercellular communication vehicles, but it has become more and more evident that their usefulness can vary from circulating biomarkers for an early disease diagnosis to future therapeutic carriers for slowing down the evolution of different afflictions and their ability to restore damaged tissue/organs. Here, we summarize the latest progress of EVs classification, biogenesis, and characteristics. We also briefly discuss their therapeutic potential, with emphasis on their potential application in regenerative medicine

Influx of nitrogen-rich material from the outer Solar System indicated by iron nitride in Ryugu samples

Large amounts of nitrogen compounds, such as ammonium salts, may be stored in icy bodies and comets, but the transport of these nitrogen-bearing solids into the near-Earth region is not well understood. Here, we report the discovery of iron nitride on magnetite grains from the surface of the near-Earth C-type carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu, suggesting inorganic nitrogen fixation. Micrometeoroid impacts and solar wind irradiation may have caused the selective loss of volatile species from major iron-bearing minerals to form the metallic iron. Iron nitride is a product of nitridation of the iron metal by impacts of micrometeoroids that have higher nitrogen contents than the CI chondrites. The impactors are probably primitive materials with origins in the nitrogen-rich reservoirs in the outer Solar System. Our observation implies that the amount of nitrogen available for planetary formation and prebiotic reactions in the inner Solar System is greater than previously recognized

A dehydrated space-weathered skin cloaking the hydrated interior of Ryugu

Without a protective atmosphere, space-exposed surfaces of airless Solar System bodies gradually experience an alteration in composition, structure and optical properties through a collective process called space weathering. The return of samples from near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu by Hayabusa2 provides the first opportunity for laboratory study of space-weathering signatures on the most abundant type of inner solar system body: a C-type asteroid, composed of materials largely unchanged since the formation of the Solar System. Weathered Ryugu grains show areas of surface amorphization and partial melting of phyllosilicates, in which reduction from Fe3+ to Fe2+ and dehydration developed. Space weathering probably contributed to dehydration by dehydroxylation of Ryugu surface phyllosilicates that had already lost interlayer water molecules and to weakening of the 2.7 µm hydroxyl (–OH) band in reflectance spectra. For C-type asteroids in general, this indicates that a weak 2.7 µm band can signify space-weathering-induced surface dehydration, rather than bulk volatile loss

Polypharmacy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Insights from an Internal Medicine Department

Background and Objectives: Polypharmacy heavily impacts the quality of life of patients worldwide. It is a necessary evil in many disorders, and especially in type 2 diabetes mellitus, as patients require treatment both for this condition and its related or unrelated comorbidities. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the use of polypharmacy in type 2 diabetes mellitus vs. non-diabetes patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective observational study was conducted. We collected the medical records of patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Clinic of the Clinical Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Romania, for a period of two months (01/01/2018–28/02/2018). Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in the study group, whereas patients who were not diabetic were used as controls. Results: The study group consisted of 63 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (mean age 69.19 ± 9.67 years, range 46–89 years; 52.38% males). The control group included 63 non-diabetes patients (mean age 67.05 ± 14.40 years, range 42–93 years, 39.68% males). Diabetic patients had more comorbidities (10.35 ± 3.09 vs. 7.48 ± 3.59, p = 0.0001) and received more drugs (7.81 ± 2.23 vs. 5.33 ± 2.63, p = 0.0001) vs. non-diabetic counterparts. The mean number of drug-drug and food-drug interactions was higher in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients vs. controls: 8.86 ± 5.76 vs. 4.98 ± 5.04, p = 0.0003 (minor: 1.22 ± 1.42 vs. 1.27 ± 1.89; moderate: 7.08 ± 4.08 vs. 3.54 ± 3.77; major: 0.56 ± 0.74 vs. 0.37 ± 0.77) and 2.63 ± 1.08 vs. 2.19 ± 1.42 (p = 0.0457), respectively. Conclusions: Polypharmacy should be an area of serious concern also in type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially in the elderly. In our study, type 2 diabetes mellitus patients received more drugs than their non-diabetes counterparts and were exposed to more drug-drug and food-drug interactions

Mineralogy and oxygen isotope systematics of magnetite grains and a magnetite‐dolomite assemblage in hydrated fine‐grained Antarctic micrometeorites

International audienc

Implications of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Patients with Acute Cholangitis: A Systematic Review of Current Literature

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been associated with higher rates and poorer prognosis of infections, mainly due to poor glycemic control, reduced response of T-cells and neutrophils, and impaired migration, phagocytosis, and chemotaxis of leukocytes. However, the impact of T2DM on acute cholangitis (AC) has not been assessed so far. Thus, we aimed to explore this association by means of a systematic review of the literature. Methods: This systematic review was carried out based on the recommendations stated in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science and SCOPUS databases to identify relevant publications depicting an association between T2DM and AC from the inception of these search services up to present. Results: We detected a total of 435 eligible records. After we applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 14 articles were included in the present systematic review. Included manuscripts focused on the potential role of T2DM as a risk factor for the development of AC and on its contribution to a worse prognosis in AC, e.g., development of sepsis or other complications, the risk of AC recurrence and the impact on mortality. Conclusions: As compared to non-diabetic individuals, patients with T2DM have a higher risk of AC as a complication of choledocholithiasis or gallstone pancreatitis. Several oral hypoglycemic drugs used in the management of T2DM may also be involved in the onset of AC. Diabetic patients who suffer from AC have a higher likelihood of longer hospital stays and sepsis, as well as a higher risk of mortality and more severe forms of AC as compared to non-diabetic individuals

A Glimpse at the Size of the Fetal Liver—Is It Connected with the Evolution of Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as an impairment of glucose tolerance, manifested by hyperglycemia, which occurs at any stage of pregnancy. GDM is more common in the third trimester of pregnancy and usually disappears after birth. It was hypothesized that the glycemic status of the mother can modulate liver development and growth early during the pregnancy. The simplest modality to monitor the evolution of GDM employs noninvasive techniques. In this category, routinely obstetrical ultrasound (OUS) examinations (simple or 2D/3D) can be employed for specific fetal measurements, such as fetal liver length (FLL) or volume (FLV). FLL and FLV may emerge as possible predictors of GDM as they positively relate to the maternal glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and to the results of the oral glucose tolerance test. The aim of this review is to offer insight into the relationship between GDM and fetal nutritional status. Risk factors for GDM and the short- and long-term outcomes of GDM pregnancies are also discussed, as well as the significance of different dietary patterns. Moreover, the review aims to fill one gap in the literature, investigating whether fetal liver growth can be used as a predictor of GDM evolution. To conclude, although studies pointed out a connection between fetal indices and GDM as useful tools in the early detection of GDM (before 23 weeks of gestation), additional research is needed to properly manage GDM and offspring health