You are currently viewing a new version of our website. To view the old version click .

Life

Life is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal related to fundamental themes in life sciences from basic to applied research, published monthly online by MDPI.
The Spanish Association for Cancer Research (ASEICA) is affiliated with Life and its members receive a discount on the article processing charges.
Indexed in PubMed | Quartile Ranking JCR - Q1 (Biology)

All Articles (10,447)

Background: Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are a major cause of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and are associated with substantial short-term mortality. Diabetes mellitus is a frequent comorbidity in patients with COPD, yet its impact on short-term outcomes in critically ill AECOPD patients remains uncertain. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether diabetes mellitus is independently associated with 30-day mortality in critically ill adult patients admitted to the ICU with AECOPD. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult ICU patients with AECOPD using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. All eligible adult patients with a documented diagnosis of AECOPD during the study period were included. Patients were categorized according to the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus was identified based on documented diagnostic codes and clinical records at the time of ICU admission. Demographic variables, laboratory parameters obtained within the first 24 h of ICU admission, and mechanical ventilation requirements were assessed. Mechanical ventilation was initiated according to standard clinical indications, including acute respiratory failure, hypoxemia, or hypercapnia. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, multivariable logistic regression, and Cox proportional hazards models were applied to identify independent predictors of mortality. Results: A total of 5874 ICU patients were included, of whom 2489 (42.3%) had diabetes. Patients with diabetes were slightly younger, more frequently male, and more often received mechanical ventilation than non-diabetic patients. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was lower among diabetic patients (15.3% vs. 17.5%; p = 0.032). However, after adjustment for relevant covariates, diabetes was not an independent predictor of 30-day mortality (HR = 0.80; p = 0.46). Age, male sex, and elevated lactate levels were associated with increased mortality, while early mechanical ventilation showed an association with improved short-term survival. Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus was not independently associated with 30-day mortality in critically ill patients with AECOPD. Short-term outcomes were primarily influenced by age, markers of metabolic stress, and timely ventilatory support. Due to limitations of the database, reliable differentiation between type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus and detailed assessment of COPD severity or phenotype were not consistently feasible. Further prospective studies are warranted to clarify the long-term implications of diabetes in this patient population.

25 December 2025

Kaplan–Meier survival curve comparing 30-day mortality between patients with and without diabetes mellitus. Kaplan–Meier survival estimates over a 30-day period comparing intensive care unit (ICU) patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) stratified by diabetes mellitus status. The orange curve represents patients with diabetes, and the blue curve represents patients without diabetes. The log-rank test was used to compare survival distributions.

Background: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), widely used in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, has been associated with cardiotoxicity driven by oxidative, mitochondrial, and metabolic disturbances. However, no comparative evidence exists regarding whether thiamine, thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), or their combination (TTPC) can mitigate HCQ-induced myocardial injury. Objective: This study examined the biochemical and histopathological effects of thiamine, TPP, and their combination in a rat model of HCQ-induced cardiomyopathy. Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were assigned to five groups: healthy control, HCQ, thiamine+HCQ, TPP+HCQ, and TTPC+HCQ. Thiamine (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneal), TPP (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneal), or TTPC (20 mg/kg each, intraperitoneal) was administered once daily, followed by HCQ (120 mg/kg, oral, twice daily). After seven days, cardiac tissue was analyzed for MDA, tGSH, SOD, and CAT, while serum TnI, lactate, and LDH were measured from tail-vein blood samples. Cardiac samples underwent histopathological examination. Results: HCQ exposure markedly increased MDA, TnI, LDH, and lactate levels while reducing tGSH, SOD, and CAT, indicating severe oxidative and metabolic insult. Thiamine co-treatment failed to ameliorate these disturbances. Conversely, TPP restored redox balance, attenuated biomarker elevations, and improved cardiac biochemical profiles. TTPC produced comparable improvements but did not exceed those of TPP alone. Histopathologically, HCQ caused pronounced myocyte degeneration and mononuclear infiltration, whereas TPP and TTPC groups showed only mild inflammatory changes with preserved myocardial architecture. Conclusions: HCQ induces a marked redox imbalance accompanied by well-defined histopathological myocardial degeneration. TPP afforded robust cardio-protection, whereas thiamine offered no meaningful benefit. Collectively, these findings position TPP as a biologically plausible, clinically relevant candidate for mitigating HCQ-induced cardiomyopathy.

25 December 2025

A total of 57 replacement gilts of the Danube White breed was used in a study carried out in the Agricultural Institute of Shumen. During the test period, for the trait “age at reaching 90 kg live weight” as well as the following traits, they were analyzed using a Piglog 105 device (portable ultrasound scanner, Frontmatec, Denmark): back fat thickness at points X1 and X2, growth intensity, back fat of m. Longissimus thoracis (LT), and lean meat percentage. DNA analysis was performed using the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment-length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP), with restriction endonuclease MspI. In the genotyped herd at the calpastatin gene locus, two alleles were identified with frequencies of 60% for allele D and 40% for allele C, and three genotypes DD, CC, and CD, with frequencies of 40%, 21%, and 39%, respectively. The percentage of animals with the DD genotype was the highest. They also had a lesser thickness of the back fat at point X2, a larger back fat of LT, and a higher percentage of lean meat.

25 December 2025

  • Case Report
  • Open Access

Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysms are rare, accounting for less than 2% of intracranial aneurysms. Among them, dissecting aneurysms frequently occur in the P2 segment. Traumatic PCA aneurysms are extremely uncommon and usually reported in pediatric or young adults following high-energy injuries. We report the case of a 43-year-old woman who sustained a ruptured left PCA P2 dissecting aneurysm with subarachnoid hemorrhage, accompanied by an L2 unstable burst fracture after a high-speed motor vehicle collision. Initial neuroimaging revealed diffuse basal cistern hemorrhage with more predominance at the left side ambient cistern and a fusiform aneurysm with a superimposed saccular component along its anterior portion of left PCA P2 segment. The patient underwent endovascular treatment with a flow-diverting stent and stent-assisted coiling, achieving complete obliteration, followed by lumbar minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS). The patient recovered without neurological deficits and remained fully independence at a one-year follow-up. Traumatic PCA dissecting aneurysms pose a diagnostic challenge due to their rarity and potential for delayed clinical manifestation, yet they carry a substantial risk of morbidity and rebleeding if untreated. Early recognition through detailed vascular imaging and timely reconstructive endovascular intervention are essential to preventing secondary hemorrhage and optimizing clinical outcomes. This case underscores the need for heightened suspicion for vascular injury in patients with significant craniovertebral trauma.

25 December 2025

News & Conferences

Issues

Open for Submission

Editor's Choice

Reprints of Collections

Veterinary Pathology and Veterinary Anatomy
Reprint

Veterinary Pathology and Veterinary Anatomy

2nd Edition
Editors: Carmen Solcan, Gheorghe Solcan
Focus on Exercise Physiology and Sports Performance
Reprint

Focus on Exercise Physiology and Sports Performance

2nd Edition
Editors: Laikang Yu

Get Alerted

Add your email address to receive forthcoming issues of this journal.

XFacebookLinkedIn
Life - ISSN 2075-1729