Subclinical hypothyroidism and conception in a woman with primary infertility

Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrinological problem affecting women who present with ovulatory dysfunction resulting in infertility.It’s milder form, subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) characterized by mildly elevated thyroid stimulating hormone levels and normal free thyroxine levels, may also contribute to disturbed reproductive function. We report a case highlighting the beneficial effects of levothyroxine replacement therapy in women with subclinical hypothyroidsm presenting with infertility

Fabrication and characterization of chitosan nanoparticles and collagen-loaded polyurethane nanocomposite membrane coated with heparin for atrial septal defect (ASD) closure

Atrial septal defect (ASD) constitutes 30–40% of all congenital heart diseases in adults. The most common complications in the treatment of ASD are embolization of the device and thrombosis formation. In this research, an occluding patch was developed for ASD treatment using a well-known textile technology called electrospinning. For the first time, a cardiovascular occluding patch was fabricated using medical grade polyurethane (PU) loaded with bioactive agents namely chitosan nanoparticles (Cn) and collagen (Co) which is then coated with heparin (Hp). Fourier transform infrared spectrum showed characteristic vibrations of several active constituents and changes in the absorbance due to the inclusion of active ingredients in the patch. The contact angle analysis demonstrated no significant decrease in contact angle compared to the control and the composite patches. The structure of the electrospun nanocomposite (PUCnCoHp) was examined through scanning electron microscopy. A decrease in nanofiber diameter between control PU and PUCnCoHp nanocomposite was observed. Water uptake was found to be decreased for the PUCnCoHp nanocomposite against the control. The hemocompatibility properties of the PUCnCoHp ASD occluding patch was inferred through in vitro hemocompatibility tests like activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT) and hemolysis assay. It was found that the PT and APTT time was significantly prolonged for the fabricated PUCnCoHp ASD occluding patch compared to the control. Likewise, the hemolysis percentage was also decreased for the PUCnCoHp ASD patch against the control. In conclusion, the developed PUCnCoHp patch demonstrates potential properties to be used for ASD occlusion

Surface, thermal and hemocompatible properties of novel single stage electrospun nanocomposites comprising polyurethane blended with bio oil™

In this work, the physicochemical and blood compatibility properties of prepared PU/Bio oil nanocomposites were investigated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies revealed the reduction of mean fiber diameter (709 ± 211 nm) compared to the pristine PU (969 nm ± 217 nm). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis exposed the characteristic peaks of pristine PU. Composite peak intensities were decreased insinuating the interaction of the bio oil™ with the PU. Contact angle analysis portrayed the hydrophobic nature of the fabricated patch compared to pristine PU. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) depicted the better thermal stability of the novel nanocomposite patch and its different thermal behavior in contrast with the pristine PU. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis revealed the increase in the surface roughness of the composite patch. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) signified the novel nanocomposite patch ability in reducing the thrombogenicity and promoting the anticoagulant nature. Finally the hemolytic percentage of the fabricated composite was in the acceptable range revealing its safety and compatibility with the red blood cells. To reinstate, the fabricated patch renders promising physicochemical and blood compatible nature making it a new putative candidate for wound healing application

Tuberculosis of the sella masquerading as pituitary adenoma

Tuberculosis of the central nervous system is an ominous consequence of disseminated tuberculosis which usually manifests as meningitis, an abscess or rarely as a tuberculoma. Though infrequent, intracranial tuberculomas especially within the sella, are notorious for simulating as pituitary tumors, by jeopardising pituitary hormonal function and exerting compressive effects on adjacent intracranial structures. However, a prompt evaluation can help tackle this diagnostic challenge with timely institution of anti-tuberculosis treatment, (ATT). Although in rare instances surgery may be a favourable option especially for managing extensive intrasellar masses, ATT usually facilitates resolution of such lesions. Long term hormonal replacement therapy may be required for established endocrine dysfunction

Wpływ badań oceniających bezpieczeństwo sercowo-naczyniowe na wybór preparatu insuliny w leczeniu cukrzycy typu 2: opinia ekspertów

Wstęp: Niniejszą opinię ekspertów opracowano w celu omówienia epidemiologii i patofizjologii chorób układu sercowo-naczyniowego (CVD) u chorych na cukrzycę typu 2 (T2DM), wyjaśnienia różnych zagadnień statystycznych i niuansów w interpretacji wyników badań oceniających bezpieczeństwo sercowo-naczyniowe (CVOT) ze szczególnym zaakcentowaniem badań typu CVOT dotyczących insulinoterapii i ich wpływu badań na wybór preparatów insuliny w codziennej praktyce klinicznej. Metody: Grupa ekspertów krytycznie przeanalizowała opublikowane dane z badań obserwacyjnych, badań klinicznych z randomizacją, metaanaliz i badań CVOT dotyczących bezpieczeństwa stosowania preparatów insuliny w odniesieniu do układu sercowo-naczyniowego i uzgodniła serię opinii popartych dostępnymi dowodami naukowymi i oceną kliniczną ekspertów. Wyniki: Wielu chorych na T2DM charakteryzuje się wysokim ryzykiem CVD i zgonu sercowo-naczyniowego, które częściowo wynika z czynników ryzyka związanychz insulinoopornością i hiperglikemią. W ciągu ostatniej dekady badania CVOT stały się integralną częścią procesu rejestracji leków przeciwcukrzycowych przez Amerykańską Agencję ds. Żywności i Leków (FDA). Większość obecnie stosowanych preparatów insulinowych, poza kilkoma opracowanymi w ostatnich latach insulinami, dopuszczono do obrotu długo przed wprowadzeniem tego wymogu rejestracyjnego, a zatem nie poddano ich rygorystycznym badaniom CVOT. Istnieje wiele danych obserwacyjnych dotyczących sercowo-naczyniowego bezpieczeństwa stosowania preparatów insuliny. Dane te są często niejednoznaczne, a czasami — sprzeczne. W tym kontekście należy zauważyć, że badania CVOT dwóch analogów insuliny bazowej — insuliny glargine ocenianej w badaniu Basal Insulin and Cardiovascular and Other Outcomes in Dysglycemia Trial (ORIGIN) i insuliny degludec ocenianej w badaniu Efficacy and Safety of Degludec versus Glargine in Type 2 Diabetes Trial (DEVOTE) — wykazały długoterminowe bezpieczeństwo sercowo-naczyniowe ich stosowania. Badanie DEVOTE dostarczyło dodatkowych danych o bezpieczeństwie, wskazujących, że stosowanie insuliny degludec wiązało się z mniejszą liczbą epizodów ciężkiej hipoglikemii niż stosowanie insuliny glargine. Wnioski: W niniejszej pracy dokonano krytycznej analizy dwóch badań CVOT oceniających analogi insuliny bazowej w połączeniu z ogólnym przeglądem meto-dologicznych i interpretacyjnych aspektów badań typu CVOT. Omówiono długoterminowe bezpieczeństwo sercowo-naczyniowe stosowania analogów insuliny bazowej. Za główną lukę badawczą w tej dziedzinie uznano brak badań CVOT z mieszankami insulin ludzkich i analogów insulinowych

Green synthesis of benzimidazole scaffolds using copper-substituted zinc aluminate in a sol-gel process

Benzimidazole is a favored scaffold in the field of heterocyclic chemistry because of its diverse range of biological and pharmacological characteristics. As a result, synthetic organic chemistry has seen a sharp increase in interest in developing environmentally friendly synthesis methods for benzimidazole derivatives. Here, we present a novel technique that uses magnetic nanoparticles of copper-substituted zinc aluminate to efficiently catalyze the production of benzimidazole derivatives in water at room temperature and pressure. The catalyst was synthesized via a sol-gel auto-combustion method. The produced copper-substituted zinc aluminate magnetic nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized utilizing a range of spectroscopic methods. The TEM analysis revealed that the catalyst's average grain size was around 50 nm. We are aware that the chemical composition closely resembles the predicted stoichiometry determined from the reactant solutions because of electron density-functional theory elemental analysis. With ferrimagnetic and nanocrystalline properties, the catalyst was highly recyclable and could sustain up to five consecutive reaction cycles before exhibiting a little decrease in activity. The ability of the synthesized material to promote reactions between a range of aldehydes and ortho-phenylenediamine, producing benzimidazole derivatives in moderate to good yields, demonstrated its catalytic effectiveness. Also, this work demonstrates how magnetic nanoparticles may be used in eco-friendly synthetic procedures to produce benzimidazoles by acting as a reusable and effective catalyst

Biomimetic electrospun polyurethane matrix composites with tailor made properties for bone tissue engineering scaffolds

Bone tissue scaffolds require appropriate properties conducive for new tissue growth. In this study, we prepared a novel electrospun nanofiber scaffold using polyurethane (PU), rosemary (RM) oil and copper sulphate (CuSO4) respectively. The properties of the developed membranes were established through scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle and mechanical testing. Further, blood compatibility and cytocompatibility assay were carried out to evaluate their biological responses. The developed composites rendered appropriate surface morphology with tailor made wettability and roughness. Composites with engineered physicochemical properties improved the blood and cytocompatible properties which can be potentially exploited for bone tissue engineering applications

Manufacturing and characterization of novel electrospun composite comprising polyurethane and mustard oil scaffold with enhanced blood compatibility

The objective of this work is to characterize and investigate the blood compatibility of polyurethane (PU)/mustard oil composites fabricated using electrospinning technique. The fabricated scaffold was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and contact angle measurements. The activated partial thromboplastin time (APPT), prothrombin time (PT) and the hemolytic assay were done to investigate the blood compatibility of the developed composites. The SEM results revealed that the fiber diameter of the composites (761±123 nm) was reduced compared to pristine PU control. The interaction between PU and mustard oil was confirmed by FTIR as evident through the shifting of peaks. The fabricated composites depicted hydrophobic behavior as insinuated by the increase in contact angle measurements. PU/mustard composites displayed improved crystallinity as confirmed by TGA. Atomic force micrographs suggested that developed PU/mustard oil composites showed an increase in the surface roughness (Ra) compared to pure PU. The Ra of pure PU was observed to be 723 nm but for the fabricated PU/mustard oil composite the Ra was found to be 1298 nm (Ra). The hemolytic index value for pure PU and fabricated composites was observed to be 2.73%and 1.15% indicating that developed composites showed a non-hemolytic behavior signifying the safety of the composites with red blood cells. Hence the newly developed composites with improved physicochemical and blood compatibility properties may be considered as a potential candidate for fabricating cardiac patches and grafts

Laparoscopy in management of appendicitis in high-, middle-, and low-income countries: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Differences between high- and low-income settings in the availability of laparoscopic appendectomy, alternative management choices, and outcomes are poorly described. The aim was to identify variation in surgical management and outcomes of appendicitis within low-, middle-, and high-Human Development Index (HDI) countries worldwide. METHODS: This is a multicenter, international prospective cohort study. Consecutive sampling of patients undergoing emergency appendectomy over 6 months was conducted. Follow-up lasted 30 days. RESULTS: 4546 patients from 52 countries underwent appendectomy (2499 high-, 1540 middle-, and 507 low-HDI groups). Surgical site infection (SSI) rates were higher in low-HDI (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.33-4.99, p = 0.005) but not middle-HDI countries (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.76-2.52, p = 0.291), compared with high-HDI countries after adjustment. A laparoscopic approach was common in high-HDI countries (1693/2499, 67.7%), but infrequent in low-HDI (41/507, 8.1%) and middle-HDI (132/1540, 8.6%) groups. After accounting for case-mix, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42-0.71, p < 0.001) and SSIs (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14-0.33, p < 0.001). In propensity-score matched groups within low-/middle-HDI countries, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.11-0.44) and SSI (OR 0.21 95% CI 0.09-0.45). CONCLUSION: A laparoscopic approach is associated with better outcomes and availability appears to differ by country HDI. Despite the profound clinical, operational, and financial barriers to its widespread introduction, laparoscopy could significantly improve outcomes for patients in low-resource environments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02179112

Folic acid decorated chitosan nanoparticles and its derivatives for the delivery of drugs and genes to cancer cells

Nanotechnology offers a number of nanoscale implements for medicine. Among these, nanoparticles are revolutionizing the field of drug and gene delivery. Chitosan is a natural polymer which provides a profitable tool to an innovative delivery system due to its inherent physicochemical and biological characteristics. Chitosan nanoparticles are promising drug and gene delivery carriers because of small size, better stability, low toxicity, inexpensiveness, simplicity, easy fabrication and versatile means of administration. Chitosan can also be easily modified chemically due to the presence of reactive functional hydroxide and amine groups. Folic acid is commonly engaged as a ligand, for targeting cancer cells, as its receptor, that transports folic acid into the cells through endocytosis and is over-expressed on the surface of several human epithelial cancer cells. Integrating folic acid into chitosan-based drug delivery inventions directs the systems with a well-organized targeting ability. The present review outlines several illustrations of this versatile system based on folate decorated chitosan, which have shown potential as auspicious delivery systems published over the past few years. In addition, it is probable to formulate chitosan nanocarriers that exhibit manifold usage beyond targeted delivery, such as nanotheranostics and cancer stem cell therapy