Gene expression, morphology, and electrophysiological combination are essential for assessing the dynamic development of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived atrial- and ventricular-like cardiomyocytes (iPS-AM and iPS-VM, respectively). For iPS-AM/VM differentiation, we performed the small molecule-based temporal modulation of the retinoic acid and bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathways. We investigated the gene expression and morphology using immunofluorescence, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy as well as registered electrophysiological functions using a whole-cell patch clamp on days 20, 30, and 60 post-differentiations. Pan-cardiomyocyte marker, including troponin T2 (TNNT2) and alpha-actinin-2 (ACTN2), expressions increased both in iPS-AMs and iPS-VMs. Similarly, the mRNA expression of both iPS-AM-specific markers, ie, natriuretic peptide A (NPPA), myosin light chain 7 (MYL7), and K+ channel Kir3.4 (KCNJ5), and iPS-VM-specific markers, ie, gap junction α-1 (GJA1), myosin light chain 2 (MYL2), and alpha-1-subunit of a voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel (CACNA1C), increased from 0 to 20 days, and then decreased from 30 to 60 days. Concerning morphology, cardiac troponin-T (cTnT) arrangement was progressively organized and developed from a disorderly myofibrillar distribution to an organized sarcomere pattern both in iPS-AMs and iPS-VMs. Mitochondrial numbers gradually increased and those of lipid droplets decreased during dynamic development. Regarding physiological function, the resting and action potential amplitudes remained statistically indifferent in both cell types, and the action potential duration was prolonged during the development. IPS-AMs/VMs displayed dynamic development concerning their gene expression, morphology, and electrophysiological function. The discoveries of this study could provide novel insights into heart development and encourage further research.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with numerous clinical manifestations. Organ involvement can aggravate patients with SLE and cause comorbidities such as atherosclerosis. Recently, the TNFSF13B gene has been found to be linked with SLE events. This study aimed to analyze the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms of the TNFSF13B rs9514828 with incidence of atherosclerosis and therapeutic outcomes in patients with SLE. This case-control study included 84 SLE patients, of whom 21 patients with SLE with atherosclerosis and 63 patients with SLE without atherosclerosis. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, interleukin-6 and interferon gamma levels were quantified. The TNFSF13B gene polymorphism was evaluated using polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing. The lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) criteria were used to measure the therapeutic outcomes. Statistical analysis was conducted using binary logistic regression. The genetic variations of TNFSF13B rs9514828 were CC = 35, CT = 41, and TT = 8. There was an association between TNFSF13B rs9514828 C>T polymorphism in patients with SLE with and without atherosclerosis (p = 0.03; odds ratio (OR) 4.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-18.37). Furthermore, the TNFSF13B rs9514828 C>T polymorphism had association with the therapeutic outcomes of patients with SLE who manifested with LLDAS (p = 0.00; OR 7.58, 95% CI 2.61-21.99). The association of TNFSF13B rs9514828 C>T polymorphism and incidence of atherosclerosis as well as the therapeutic outcomes in patients with SLE indicate the potential utility of the gene variation as screening tool to employ personalized medicine to undertake preventive measures in order to prevent atherosclerosis and to predict a poor prognosis in SLE patient.

Endometrial cancer (EC) has a high epidemiological impact with incidence and mortality rising worldwide. In recent years, the integration of the pathologic and molecular classification has provided relevant information to understand the heterogeneity in the biology of EC, which led to the evolution in the management of patients. Currently, therapeutic breakthroughs have been made in advanced EC to improve oncologic outcomes, with efforts to include patient reported outcomes. Precision and personalized medicine are under way in EC exploring different combination approaches to target cross-talk pathways, cancer cell microenvironment, and metabolic vulnerabilities and improve drug delivery. Yet, collaborative efforts are needed to face the challenges in practice by refining patient selection, ideal biomarker identification, and de-escalation of therapies according to emerging molecular and genomic features of EC.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a membrane-permeable cysteine precursor capable of enhancing the intracellular cysteine pool, enhancing cellular glutathione (GSH) synthesis, and thus potentiating the endogenous antioxidant mechanism. Late administration of NAC after cisplatin has been shown in different in vivo studies to reduce the side effects caused by various toxicities at different levels without affecting the antitumor efficacy of platinum, improving total and enzymatic antioxidant capacity and decreasing oxidative stress markers. These characteristics provide NAC with a rationale as a potentially effective chemo protectant in cisplatin-based therapeutic cycles. NAC represents a potential candidate as a chemoprotective agent to decrease toxicities secondary to cisplatin treatment. It suggests that it could be used in clinical trials, whereby the effective dose, timing, and route should be adjusted to optimize chemoprotection. This review provides an overview of the effect of NAC on cisplatin toxicity, a drug widely used in the clinic in adults and children.

The patient was a 50-year-old Japanese woman who was diagnosed with total-colitis-type ulcerative colitis (UC) at the age of 26 years. She was treated with mesalazine and azathioprine, and her disease activity was well controlled. At the age of 50 years, the patient was experiencing fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, and anal pain, which led to a diagnosis of a relapse of UC. Although steroid therapy was administered and tended to improve her symptoms, fecaloid vaginal discharge occurred, and rectovaginal fistula (RVF) was confirmed. Colostomy was performed, and infliximab was initiated as maintenance therapy for UC. All symptoms improved, and RVF closure was confirmed 6 months after the initiation of infliximab. To date, she has been free from relapse of UC. There have been only a few reports of UC complicated by RVF, and this condition is often difficult to treat. To the best of our knowledge, no other case of UC complicated by RVF in which the fistula was closed after treatment with colostomy and infliximab has been previously reported; thus, our report of the present case is valuable to the literature.