Arch Med Sci
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More than 5% of the world population lives with a hearing impairment. The main factors responsible for hearing degeneration are ototoxic drugs, aging, continued exposure to excessive noise and infections. The pool of adult stem cells in the inner ear drops dramatically after birth, and therefore an endogenous cellular source for regeneration is absent. ⋯ In this review, we will focus on reporting the state of the art in the regenerative medicine field for hearing recovery. Stem cell research has enabled remarkable advances in regeneration, particularly in neuronal cells and synapses. Despite the progress achieved, there are certain issues that need a deeper development to improve the results already obtained, or to develop new approaches aiming for the clinical application.
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Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare genetic disorder that leads to impairments in copper metabolism. Patients principally exhibit liver and neuropsychiatric symptoms, but because copper also accumulates in all body organs, other (typically milder) clinical symptoms can occur. To date, cardiac involvement has not been thoroughly investigated in patients with WD. This study aimed to evaluate heart structure and function in patients with WD with commonly available diagnostic methods. ⋯ Heart involvement in WD was manifested mainly by mild left ventricular hypertrophy and subclinical changes in diastolic function, particularly in the patients with the neurologic form of disease.
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Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies across the globe and one of the major causes of cancer-related mortality. With limited available treatment options, there is an urgent need to look for new available options. Genistein is an important plant flavonoid and has been shown to possess tremendous pharmacological potential. The objective of the present study was therefore to evaluate the anticancer effect of the genistein. ⋯ We propose that genistein exhibits significant anticancer activity against liver cancer and therefore may prove beneficial in the management of liver cancer.
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The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of cytochrome P450 2C19*2 (CYP2C19*2) on ischemic and bleeding events in the Chinese Han population. ⋯ Genotyping of CYP2C19*2 may be useful to guide antiplatelet treatment in the Chinese Han population. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to investigate whether genotype-guided antiplatelet treatment could reduce ischemic events.
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Premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) refers to rupture of the fetal membranes prior to the onset of regular uterine contractions. Premature rupture of the membranes continues to be one of the most vexing issues of obstetrics due to increased maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Many studies have focused on how management should be in these cases. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dinoprostone (PGE2 analogue) administration is necessary for cervical ripening and labor induction in term women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and to compare maternal and neonatal outcomes between oxytocin usage and dinoprostone usage in PROM. ⋯ Vaginal dinoprostone appears to be a relatively inefficient method of inducing labor compared with oxytocin in term pregnancies with PROM and unfavorable cervixes. However, dinoprostone may maintain uterine contractions as effectively as oxytocin once uterine contractions are established.