Pregnancy and Viral Hepatitis: Current Concepts.

Viral hepatitis in pregnancy constitutes a complex issue, requiring meticulous management due to the potential potent compromise of both mother's and fetus' health. Hepatitis B and C are implicated with a high risk for chronicity, whereas hepatitis A and hepatitis E have an acute course. In pre-existing viral disease, pregnancy may lead to exacerbation of the disease's course due to a plethora of hormonal, immunological and genetic alterations.

The significance of C-reactive protein to albumin ratio in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Background: Prognostic indicators in patients with decompensated cirrhosis are vital for the estimation of death risk. The ratio of C-reactive protein to albumin (CAR) has been verified as a prognostic marker in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and decompensated cirrhosis related to hepatitis B virus. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and gamma globulins have been separately studied in cirrhosis.

Urocortin Expression in Endometriosis: A Systematic Review.

Urocortin (UCN) is a neuropeptide that belongs to the corticotrophin-releasing hormone family and is expressed by eutopic and ectopic human endometria. The past years, this expression has been thoroughly investigated in the field of endometriosis. The objective of this systematic review is to accumulate current evidence related to the expression of UCN in tissue and blood samples of patients suffering from endometriosis.

Mitochondria and cardiovascular diseases-from pathophysiology to treatment.

Mitochondria are the source of cellular energy production and are present in different types of cells. However, their function is especially important for the heart due to the high demands in energy which is achieved through oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondria form large networks which regulate metabolism and the optimal function is achieved through the balance between mitochondrial fusion and mitochondrial fission.