DMRTC2, PAX7, BRACHYURY/T and TERT Are Implicated in Male Germ Cell Development Following Curative Hormone Treatment for Cryptorchidism-Induced Infertility.

Defective mini-puberty results in insufficient testosterone secretion that impairs the differentiation of gonocytes into dark-type (Ad) spermatogonia. The differentiation of gonocytes into Ad spermatogonia can be induced by administration of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist, GnRHa (Buserelin, INN)). Nothing is known about the mechanism that underlies successful GnRHa treatment in the germ cells.

Multimorbidity care model: Recommendations from the consensus meeting of the Joint Action on Chronic Diseases and Promoting Healthy Ageing across the Life Cycle (JA-CHRODIS).

Patients with multimorbidity have complex health needs but, due to the current traditional disease-oriented approach, they face a highly fragmented form of care that leads to inefficient, ineffective, and possibly harmful clinical interventions. There is limited evidence on available integrated and multidimensional care pathways for multimorbid patients. An expert consensus meeting was held to develop a framework for care of multimorbid patients that can be applied across Europe, within a project funded by the European Union; the Joint Action on Chronic Diseases and Promoting Healthy Ageing across the Life Cycle (JA-CHRODIS).

Sepsis epidemiology and outcome in the paediatric intensive care unit of Vilnius University Children's Hospital.

Unlabelled: Research was carried out at the paediatric intensive care unit (paediatric ICU) of the Children's Hospital, affiliate of Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių klinikos.

Background: Being the most common cause of children's death, sepsis is a challenge for most physicians. In order to improve the outcomes, it is important to know the aetiology and peculiarities of sepsis in a particular region and hospital.

Quantum dots mediated embryotoxicity via placental damage.

The increasing use of nanoparticles in consumer products raises the concerns of their safety. This study investigated the biological effects of quantum dots (QD) exposure to rats during pregnancy. CdTe QD were injected on the 13th gestation day.

Fatal Liver and Lung Alveolar Echinococcosis with Newly Developed Neurologic Symptoms due to the Brain Involvement.

The fox tapeworm causes human alveolar echinococcosis, commonly affecting the liver. However, in ∼1% of cases, systematic spread of the disease involves the brain as well. A patient had a 6-year history of liver and lung alveolar echinococcosis that was considered not suitable for surgery, and treatment with albendazole was introduced.

Results of NOPHO ALL2008 treatment for patients aged 1-45 years with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) do worse than children. From 7/2008 to 12/2014, Nordic and Baltic centers treated 1509 consecutive patients aged 1-45 years with Philadelphia chromosome-negative ALL according to the NOPHO ALL2008 without cranial irradiation. Overall, 1022 patients were of age 1-9 years (A), 266 were 10-17 years (B) and 221 were 18-45 years (C).

Prophylactic use of an intra-aortic balloon pump in a high-risk patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy requiring cesarean delivery.

The use of intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation for circulatory support in pregnant women with cardiac failure is limited to several case reports. Few publications have addressed the use of intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation during delivery. We report a case using prophylactic intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation during the management of a cesarean delivery in a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Safety and efficacy of a fixed-dose combination regimen of grazoprevir, ruzasvir, and uprifosbuvir with or without ribavirin in participants with and without cirrhosis with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1, 2, or 3 infection (C-CREST-1 and C-CREST-2, part B): two randomised, phase 2, open-label trials.

Background: There is a need for hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies with excellent efficacy across genotypes and in diverse populations. Part A of the C-CREST-1 and C-CREST-2 trials led to the selection of a three-drug regimen of grazoprevir (MK-5172; an HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor; 100 mg/day) plus ruzasvir (MK-8408; an NS5A inhibitor; 60 mg/day) plus uprifosbuvir (MK-3682; an HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitor; 450 mg/day). Part B of the studies tested this combination as a single formulation in different treatment durations in a broader population.

30-year experience of Fontan surgery: single-centre's data.

Background: The Fontan procedure has been modified several times since it was introduced into practice in 1968. As many patients now survive to adulthood, attention is directed towards their clinical status and late morbidity. We report our surgical experience of 30 years in Fontan procedures.

Challenges of Treating Acute Heart Failure in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) comorbidity poses substantial diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in acute care settings. The specific role of pulmonary comorbidity in the treatment and outcomes of cardiovascular disease patients was not addressed in any short- or long-term prospective study. Both HF and COPD can be interpreted as systemic disorders associated with low-grade inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, vascular remodelling and skeletal muscle atrophy.

Age- and gender-related peculiarities of patients with delirium in the cardiac intensive care unit.

Background: The overall evidence base regarding delirium has been growing steadily over the past few decades. There has been considerable analysis of delirium concerning, for example, mechanically ventilated patients, patients in the general intensive care unit (ICU) setting, and patients with exclusively postoperative delirium. Nevertheless, there are few studies regarding delirium in a cardiovascular ICU (ICCU) setting and especially scarce literature about the particular features of delirium relating to patient age and gender.

Preoperative long-course chemoradiotherapy plus adjuvant chemotherapy versus short-course radiotherapy without adjuvant chemotherapy both with delayed surgery for stage II-III resectable rectal cancer: 5-Year survival data of a randomized controlled trial.

Background And Objective: At present, there are common recommendations for treatment for stage II-III resectable rectal cancer patients: preoperative conventional chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with delayed surgery in 6-8 weeks or preoperative short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) followed by immediate surgery. The aim of this study was to compare overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in two treatment groups: preoperative SCRT and CRT both with delayed surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy in CRT arm.

Materials And Methods: A total of 150 patients were randomly assigned to two groups: 75 to CRT (preoperative conventional CRT, 50Gy/25 fr with fluorouracil and leucovorin on the 1st and the 5th week of RT followed by TME surgery in 6-8 weeks and 4 cycles of adjuvant fluorouracil/leucovorin every 4 weeks; then follow-up) and 75 to SCRT (preoperative short-course RT, 25Gy/5 fr followed by TME surgery in 6-8 weeks; then follow-up).

Identifying differential miR and gene consensus patterns in peripheral blood of patients with cardiovascular diseases from literature data.

Background: Numerous recent studies suggest the potential of circulating MicroRNAs (miRs) in peripheral blood samples as diagnostic or prognostic markers for coronary artery disease (CAD), acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and heart failure (HF). However, literature often remains inconclusive regarding as to which markers are most indicative for which of the above diseases. This shortcoming is mainly due to the lack of a systematic analyses and absence of information on the functional pathophysiological role of these miRs and their target genes.

Physiological Uterine Involution in Primiparous and Multiparous Women: Ultrasound Study.

Purpose: To examine the uterine involution period after uncomplicated delivery in primiparous and multiparous women.

Methods: Longitudinal prospective study. Repeated parameters were measured and endometrial contents and diastolic notch were observed.

Oral lichen planus: a 4-year clinical follow-up study.

Background/aim: This study aimed to examine oral lichen planus (OLP) cases histopathologically and cytologically, describe different clinical aspects of OLP manifestations, and associate different OLP clinical forms with self-reported oral health and with local and systemic risk factors.

Materials And Methods: All patients with a referral diagnosis of OLP received biopsies. The histological evaluation assessed infiltration with lymphocytes, epithelial hyperplasia, and hyperkeratosis.

Opposite chromosome constitutions due to a familial translocation t(1;21)(q43;q22) in 2 cousins with development delay and congenital anomalies: A case report.

Rationale: Chromosomal rearrangements are the major cause of multiple congenital abnormalities and intellectual disability.

Patient Concerns And Diagnosis: We report 2 first cousins with unbalanced chromosomal aberrations of chromosomes 1 and 21, resulting from balanced familial translocation. Chromosome microarray analysis revealed 8.

Cardiac shock-wave therapy in the treatment of coronary artery disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To systematically review currently available cardiac shock-wave therapy (CSWT) studies in humans and perform meta-analysis regarding anti-anginal efficacy of CSWT.

Methods: The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Medline, Medscape, Research Gate, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases were explored. In total 39 studies evaluating the efficacy of CSWT in patients with stable angina were identified including single arm, non- and randomized trials.

Preoperative predictors of conversion in thoracoscopic surgery for pleural empyema.

Objectives: Thoracoscopy is an effective treatment method for pleural empyema; however, it is still not well defined as to which patient subgroups could benefit from it the most. The aim of the study was to identify preoperative factors that could facilitate selecting appropriate surgical intervention and to evaluate early postoperative period.

Methods: Seventy-one patients were prospectively included in the study, which was conducted from January 2011 to June 2014.

Is acute appendicitis still misdiagnosed?

Objective: The optimal diagnostics and treatment of acute appendicitis continues to be a challenge. A false positive diagnosis of appendicitis may lead to an unnecessary operation, which has been appropriately termed negative appendectomy. The aim of our study was to identify the effectiveness of preoperative investigations in preventing negative appendectomy.

Dysphonia - the single symptom of rifampicin resistant laryngeal tuberculosis.

Unlabelled: Tuberculosis is still the most frequent granulomatous laryngeal disease. Absence of pathognomonic symptoms and change in clinical pattern frequently leads to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. Hoarseness is the commonest symptom of laryngeal tuberculosis and constitutional symptoms are usually rare.

Antiretrovirals, Fractures, and Osteonecrosis in a Large International HIV Cohort.

Background: Antiretrovirals (ARVs) affect bone density and turnover, but their effect on risk of fractures and osteonecrosis of the femoral head is less understood. We investigated if exposure to ARVs increases the risk of both bone outcomes.

Methods: EuroSIDA participants were followed to assess fractures and osteonecrosis.

A novel intronic splice site gene mutation detected prenatally in a family with Barth syndrome.

Barth syndrome (BTHS) is a rare X-linked disease characterized by dilated cardiomyopathy, proximal skeletal myopathy and cyclic neutropenia. It is caused by various mutations in the tafazzin () gene located on Xq28 that results in remodeling of cardiolipin and abnormalities in mitochondria stability and energy production. Here we report on a novel c.

Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibitor Treatment in Men With Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: An Adaptive Double-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To examine the effect of a peripherally active fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor ASP3652 on safety and efficacy outcomes in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Inhibition of FAAH is hypothesized to reduce the excitability of urinary tract afferents including nociceptors.

Materials And Methods: In this adaptive, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, adult male patients with moderate to severe CP/CPPS were treated for 12 weeks with an oral dose of ASP3652 (25, 75, 150, or 300 mg twice daily, or 300 mg once daily), or placebo.