While rarely seen in the present-day, Phocomelia syndrome is a sporadic congenital malformation disrupting the normal growth and progressing of the musculoskeletal system.

Rheumatic fever continues to be a frequent cause of cardiac valve disease in developing countries. The combination of rheumatic heart disease and pregnancy represents a challenge in the management of these patients. Prevention strategies are often insufficient; this is why we continue to observe complicated cases that demand more complex treatments. We are reporting the case of a 20-year-old woman, with a history of aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair due to rheumatic heart disease. Two years later after her valve replacement, she attended consultation with signs and symptoms of heart failure in functional class III during a pregnancy of 20 weeks. The echocardiography showed: dysfunctional biological aortic prosthesis with severe stenosis and moderate regurgitation (central and para-valve leak), as well as severe mitral valve insufficiency, eccentric, directed towards the atrial free wall. She was admitted, and received optimal medical treatment for 4 weeks with little response and subsequent worsening. A multidisciplinary committee was formed including cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, obstetricians, neonatologists, and specialists in bioethics. It was decided to proceed with valve replacement surgery during the 21st week of her gestation. Successful double valve replacement (mitral and aortic) was performed, without complications for the patient or the fetus. She was discharged in good health. In her 38th week of gestation, a successful cesarean delivery was performed without any complications.

A 34 year old female with metastasizing neuroendocrine lung carcinoma with no underlying etiologies. Patient was diagnosed with stage 4 lung neuroendocrine cancer with treatment options limited due to intellectual disability and overall poor prognosis. The patient had a rapid decline over a 5 week period with decreased intake, decreased appetite, and overall azotemia and resulted in patient’s death.

Mushrooms are a rich source of chemical compounds. Such a mushroom is also polypore Laetiporus sulphureus, in which a large number of bioactive substances with cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and antioxidant activity have been found. This short review summarizes the results of the most important chemical and biological studies of the fruiting bodies and the mycelial cultures of L. sulphureus. Since the ingredients of this edible mushroom have beneficial effects on human health, it could become a functional food.

Canabis abuse is a rare but well-known und increasing cause of myocardial infarction in young people, predominantly in the male sex. Although the exact pathophysiological mechanism is not completely understood, several hypotheses have been proposed: coronary artery spasm due to alpha-adrenergic receptor stimulation; premature atherosclerosis with „classical “plaque formation and rupture resulting in thrombus formation with complete vessel closure. The latter model is supported by the fact that concomitant cigarette smoking is usual in cannabis drug abusers and represents a classical cardiovascular risk factor [1].