A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Stem Cell Therapies for Pain in Diabetic Neuropathy, Osteoarthritis, and Spinal Cord Injuries.

Purpose Of Review: The use of stem cell therapy is a rapidly evolving and progressing frontier of science that has been used to treat illnesses such as malignancies, immunodeficiencies, and metabolic syndromes. This review aims to give an overview of the use of stem cell therapy in the treatment of pain caused by diabetic neuropathy, osteoarthritis, and other spinal cord pathologies.

Recent Findings: Pain is defined as a generalized or localized feeling of distress related to a physical or emotional stimulus and can be caused by a multitude of pathologies.

The Relationship between Homocysteine Levels, Polymorphism, and Pregnancy Outcomes in Georgian Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Case-Control Study.

Background: Over the past decade, numerous studies have been conducted to determine the role of homocysteine and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase () gene polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), yet the results are inconsistent. The aim of the current study was to determine the association between homocysteine levels (Hcy), ) and A1298C polymorphisms, and pregnancy outcomes in Georgian women with PCOS.

Materials And Methods: This case-control study included 177 female participants, of which 96 women were diagnosed with PCOS, and 81 age-matched women were without PCOS.

A Comprehensive Review of Pathophysiological Link Between Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Insulin Resistance, and Metabolic Syndrome.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic condition characterized by hepatic steatosis in the absence of significant alcohol consumption and is increasingly recognized as the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This review aims to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between NAFLD, insulin resistance (IR), and MetS, with a focus on identifying therapeutic targets. A comprehensive review of existing literature on NAFLD, IR, and MetS was conducted.

Prevalence and Predictors of Overweight and Obesity Among School-Aged Children in the Country of Georgia: A Cross-Sectional Study, 2022.

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity are significant global public health challenges that affect approximately 340 million children worldwide. In Georgia, the prevalence of childhood obesity is alarming, with approximately 28% of 7-year-old children classified as overweight or obese in 2019. This study aimed to investigate the key factors associated with overweight and obesity among school-age children in Georgia.

Nosocomial Pneumonia in Georgia: A Study of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Versus Non-extended ESBL Gram-Negative Bacterial Profiles.

Background: Nosocomial pneumonia is a significant healthcare challenge, particularly in the face of rising antimicrobial resistance among Gram-negative bacteria. The production of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) exacerbates treatment complexities.

Aim: This study investigates the prevalence and resistance patterns of ESBL-producing and non-ESBL Gram-negative bacteria in nosocomial pneumonia cases in Georgian hospitals to inform antibiotic stewardship and treatment strategies.

Comparing the Artificial Intelligence Detection Models to Standard Diagnostic Methods and Alternative Models in Identifying Alzheimer's Disease in At-Risk or Early Symptomatic Individuals: A Scoping Review.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative illnesses place a heavy strain on the world's healthcare systems, particularly among the aging population. With a focus on research from January 2022 to September 2023, this scoping review, which adheres to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-Scr) criteria, examines the changing landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) applications for early AD detection and diagnosis. Forty-four carefully chosen articles were selected from a pool of 2,966 articles for the qualitative synthesis.

Novel Cyclic Peptide-Drug Conjugate P6-SN38 Toward Targeted Treatment of EGFR Overexpressed Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Here, we report on the synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel peptide-drug conjugate, P6-SN38, which consists of the EGFR-specific short cyclic peptide, P6, and the Topo I inhibitor SN38, which is a bioactive metabolite of the anticancer drug irinotecan. SN38 is attached to the peptide at position 20 of the E ring's tertiary hydroxyl group via a mono-succinate linker. The developed peptide-drug conjugate (PDC) exhibited sub-micromolar anticancer activity on EGFR-positive (EGFR+) cell lines but no effect on EGFR-negative (EGFR-) cells.

Unrecognized Inter-Coronary Communication in a Case of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Inter-coronary communication is a rare congenital anomaly, defined as a connection between two patent coronary arteries, and was first described in 1972. We report the case of a 61-year-old Emirati female who presented to the emergency department with chest pain and palpitations, along with a strong family history of cardiac disease. She was initially diagnosed with indolent hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and accordingly managed; however, the patient remained symptomatic.

A Case Study of Aberrant Aortic Origin of the Right Coronary Artery.

This case report examines a rare cardiovascular abnormality, the Aberrant Aortic Origin of the Right Coronary Artery (AAORCA), in a 75-year-old patient with a history of myocardial infarction, acute renal injury, and cardiogenic shock. Rapid medical intervention, including coronary angioplasty, demonstrated the significance of prompt care. Chronic issues, including tobacco use and left ventricular dysfunction, complicated matters, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive long- term therapy.

Next Generation Phenotyping and Synthetic Faces in Coffin Siris Syndrome.

Diagnostic wandering and delayed management are major issues in rare diseases. Here, we report a new Next-Generation Phenotyping (NGP) model for diagnosing Coffin Siris syndrome (CSS) on clinical photographs among controls and distinguish the different genotypes. This retrospective and prospective study, conducted from 1998 to 2023, included frontal and lateral pictures of confirmed CSS.

Efficacy of Flow Diverters in Managing Multiple Aneurysms: A Clinical Case Report.

Brain aneurysms, also known as cerebral aneurysms, are the growths of the parent artery. Based on their shape, aneurysms can be categorized as saccular or non-saccular. Several factors have been linked to multiple brain aneurysms but the most prevalent is arterial hypertension.

Insights into diagnostic difficulties in spinal muscular atrophy: a Case Report series.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a progressive neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in , with disease severity influenced by the number of copies. Although SMA is one of the most common autosomal recessive disorders, molecular diagnosis still presents challenges. We present a case series illustrating the variable clinical presentations and diagnostic complexities of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Pseudo-Pseudo Meigs' Syndrome in a 40-Year-Old Woman Without a Prior Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Diagnosis.

Pseudo-pseudo Meigs' syndrome (PPMS), also known as Tjalma syndrome, is an exceptionally rare condition marked by pleural effusion, ascites, and elevated CA-125 levels, usually in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) without any associated ovarian tumors. We report the case of a 40-year-old woman who presented with a four-month history of fatigue, nausea, weight loss, abdominal pain, and pleural effusion. Initial diagnostic workup revealed ascites, elevated CA-125 levels, and pleural effusions, with no evidence of malignancy.

Resilience of primary healthcare facilities: Experiences from 16 European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods study conducted by EURIPA.

Background: The role of primary healthcare (PHC) during a pandemic varies across European countries. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has altered the working practices of family medicine doctors and impacted the resilience of healthcare systems.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine European healthcare system responses to the pandemic, focusing on rural and urban differences.

Empowering cancer prevention with AI: unlocking new frontiers in prediction, diagnosis, and intervention.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing our world at an exponential rate and its transformative power has extensively reached important sectors like healthcare. In the fight against cancer, AI proved to be a novel and powerful tool, offering new hope for prevention and early detection. In this review, we will comprehensively explore the medical applications of AI, including early cancer detection through pathological and imaging analysis, risk stratification, patient triage, and the development of personalized prevention approaches.

Evaluating the Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 (sTREM-1) in Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) and Sepsis in Adults.

Introduction: Sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are significant concerns in intensive care units and contribute significantly to patient mortality. Traditional diagnostic markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) often lack the sensitivity and specificity needed for early diagnosis and prognosis. Consequently, more reliable biomarkers are needed.

Successfully Managed Toxic Megacolon Due to Clostridium difficile Infection in a Pheochromocytoma Patient Complicated by Cardiogenic and Septic Shock: A Case Report.

In recent years, there has been a significant rise in both the frequency and severity of colitis. This infection presents a broad clinical spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic colonization to severe fulminant colitis, which often requires urgent surgical intervention. The failure of medical treatments and the development of toxic megacolon typically necessitate surgery, though it is associated with high mortality rates.

Can Severe Uremia Impact Mortality Predictors in Elderly People With Kidney Failure?

Numerous studies have shown that dialysis may not be as beneficial to elderly, frail patients with chronic kidney failure and multiple comorbidities as comprehensive conservative therapy (CCT) and that dialysis may worsen the quality of life (QOL), increase hospitalization rates, and cause a significant decline in functional status. Several mortality predictors have been proposed to determine which patients would benefit more from CCT or dialysis. We estimated the short-term risk of death in an 81-year-old male patient with kidney failure and highly severe frailty using the REIN score, a dependable risk prediction model proposed by the European Renal Best Practice Group for the prediction of short-term risk mortality.

Sclerosing Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma With Eosinophilia of the Thyroid: A Rare Case From Georgia and a Comprehensive Literature Review.

Sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia (SMECE) is a rare thyroid malignancy typically linked to chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. We present the first documented case of SMECE in Georgia, involving a 41-year-old woman with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. A 16 mm hypoechoic thyroid nodule was detected on routine ultrasound, and fine needle aspiration categorized it as Bethesda V.

Oscillatory traveling waves provide evidence for predictive coding abnormalities in schizophrenia.

Background: The computational mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders are hotly debated. One hypothesis, grounded in the Bayesian predictive coding framework, proposes that schizophrenia patients have abnormalities in encoding prior beliefs about the environment, resulting in abnormal sensory inference, which can explain core aspects of the psychopathology, such as some of its symptoms.

Methods: Here, we tested this hypothesis by identifying oscillatory traveling waves as neural signatures of predictive coding.

Atypical Cases of Leptospirosis: Insights From Georgia.

Pathogenic species are the source of leptospirosis, a common zoonotic infection that can cause a wide range of clinical manifestations, from minor flu-like symptoms to severe multiorgan failure. We present two peculiar cases of leptospirosis; they highlight the need for clinical awareness to improve patient outcomes and further knowledge of leptospirosis epidemiology and therapy by illuminating the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. The first case involved a 30-year-old male presented with jaundice.

A Case Report of Folliculotropic Mycosis Fungoides: Diagnostic Criteria and Treatment Strategy.

Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (F-MF) is considered a unique variant of mycosis fungoides (MF), which is a form of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs). F-MF can appear in various forms, including patches, papules, plaques, nodules, and tumors. It often affects the face and extremities, with some cases involving the eyebrows.