This study examined whether sitagliptin delays the need for insulin therapy in type 2 diabetics in comparison to a sulfonylurea.

This article summarizes the current technologies available to treat male-related infertility.

The causes of male-related infertility can be broadly divided into semen-related (abnormal concentration, shape or motility of sperm cells) and semen transport issues (inability of sperm cells to reach the ejaculate due to sperm duct obstruction or abnormal ejaculation process). In some cases, these changes are due to medically reversible conditions (e.g. hormone imbalances, vasectomy) and can be treated with drugs or surgery.

However, for most men, assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs) are the only method to conceive without resorting to donor sperm. Before turning to ARTs, a semen analysis and blood tests to determine hormone levels are performed. If the problem cannot be fixed otherwise, surgical techniques to retrieve sperm cells are required for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI). IVF involves the artificial matching of eggs and sperm in a laboratory dish. ICSI is a technique to directly inject the sperm into the egg.

When semen transport issues are present, conception can be achieved by retrieving sperm cells using one of several surgical techniques: microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA), percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA), testicular sperm aspiration (TESA), testicular sperm extraction (TESE) or seminal tract washout (STW). In brief, these techniques achieve the retrieval of several sperm cells from the epididymis (the tube carrying sperm cells from the testicles – MESA and PESA), directly from the testicles (TESA and TESE) or by using liquid to flush the tubes leading out of the testicles (STW). Retrieved sperm cells can then be used for IVF in the laboratory.

These surgical procedures are minimally invasive, meaning they are performed using very small cuts or using small needles and do not require extended hospital stay.

If IVF fails, or if the there are semen-related issues, the retrieved sperm cells can be used for ICSI. If enough sperm cells are collected, some of them can be kept frozen (cryopreserved) for use in future IVF or ICSI procedures. ICSI is an effective method of conception, but carries a higher risk of transmitting genetic (hereditary) abnormalities because it bypasses the normal sperm selection process – in spontaneous fertilization only one sperm cell manages to penetrate the egg's wall. Previous studies reported a higher risk of birth defects in children conceived with ICSI compared to IVF (without ICSI) or spontaneous pregnancy.

ARTs, notably ICSI, can help achieve successful pregnancies in male-related infertility. More research is needed to determine the risks of these techniques in terms of birth defects and effect on long term child development.

This study examined the association between socioeconomic status with clinical measures in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The current study investigated the association between blood pressure (BP) and the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. The study concluded that there is an association between BP and the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

This study compared progesterone injected under the skin to vaginal progesterone after an embryo transfer. It found that under-the-skin progesterone was just as effective as vaginal progesterone, and led to similar pregnancy rates.

This study investigated the relationships among depression and anxiety, diet, and disease activity or physical function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The data showed that there was a relationship between depression and lower fish intake frequency in these patients. 

This study evaluated the association between iron intake and the long-term risk of type 2 diabetes in women with gestational (pregnancy) diabetes. The authors concluded that a higher intake of total iron, dietary heme iron and supplemental iron are associated with a higher risk of T2D in women with a history of gestational diabetes.

This study investigated whether the levels of interleukin-34 can predict joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

This study examined the use of sitagliptin (Januvia) in patients with latent autoimmune diabetes.

The authors evaluated the impact of incomplete revascularization on mortality (death) in patients receiving stents, particularly drug-eluting stents.