Is Transforming Stem Cells to Pancreatic Beta Cells Still the Holy Grail for Type 2 Diabetes?

Diabetes is a progressive disease affecting millions of people worldwide. There are several medications and treatment options to improve the life quality of people with diabetes. One of the strategies for the treatment of diabetes could be the use of human pluripotent stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells. The recent advances in differentiation of stem cells into insulin-secreting beta-like cells in vitro make the transplantation of the stem cell-derived beta-like cells an attractive approach for treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. While stem cell-derived beta-like cells provide an unlimited cell source for beta cell replacement therapies, these cells can also be used as a platform for drug screening or modeling diseases.     

Arthroscopic-assisted fixation of Hoffa fracture: A case report and description of technique

Medial condyle Hoffa fractures are intra articular injuries, which require prompt anatomical reduction and internal fixation. Arthroscopy-guided fixation of these fractures has also been advocated; the advantages include avoidance of soft tissue dissection, fast recovery and mobilization. We describe a case of a 28-year-old male patient presenting with a 10-day-old medial condylar Hoffa fracture. Skin condition prevented from conventional open reduction and internal fixation; hence, taking note of the urgency of fixation of an intraarticular fracture, arthroscopic-assisted minimally invasive approach was performed with good outcome.     

Gas geyser syndrome: An important preventable cause of disabling neurological events

To bring to light the greatly hazardous effects of the use of flue less gas geysers in the domestic setting. Over a period of two years (2008 to 2010) twenty six cases were documented as presenting with unexplained neurological events while bathing in an ill ventilated bathroom with a functional flue less gas geyser. The cases were mainly of three distinct prototypes namely seizure like episodes seen in 11 patients, carbon monoxide intoxication in 13 patients with near cardiac arrest in 4, and as a precipitating factor for epilepsy as seen in 2 cases. Out of the 13 cases presenting as carbon monoxide intoxication 4 had subtle cognitive defects and 2 developed early Parkinsonian features on follow up. To increase awareness regarding gas geyser induced epilepsy and associated carbon monoxide intoxication, both of which are entirely preventable conditions. We also wish to emphasize the importance of stringent and universal implementation of gas geyser usage and installation laws.     

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: When to Transplant Outside of Milan Criteria

The worldwide incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to rise and liver transplantation (LT) represents an established curative treatment for early stage disease. As a result of organ shortage, guidelines have restricted transplantation to HCC patients with an expected 5-year post transplantation survival greater than 70 %. The Milan criteria (MC) remain a reliable and noninvasive instrument for selecting patients with 5-year survival meeting this criteria. Since the adoption of the MC by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), attempts have been made to expand MC to account for the projected increase in the incidence of HCC over the next 20 years. An area of active debate focuses on identifying a subgroup of patients outside of MC with similar or better outcomes through either new expanded criteria or identifying other prognostic factors to enhance MC.