The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Systemic Effects Mediated by Parathormone in the Context of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stands as a prominent non-communicable ailment, significantly impacting life expectancy. Physiopathology stands mainly upon the triangle represented by parathormone-Vitamin D-Fibroblast Growth Factor-23. Parathormone (PTH), the key hormone in mineral homeostasis, is one of the less easily modifiable parameters in CKD; however, it stands as a significant marker for assessing the risk of complications. The updated "trade-off hypothesis" reveals that levels of PTH spike out of the normal range as early as stage G2 CKD, advancing it as a possible determinant of systemic damage. The present review aims to review the effects exhibited by PTH on several organs while linking the molecular mechanisms to the observed actions in the context of CKD. From a diagnostic perspective, PTH is the most reliable and accessible biochemical marker in CKD, but its trend bears a higher significance on a patient's prognosis rather than the absolute value. Classically, PTH acts in a dichotomous manner on bone tissue, maintaining a balance between formation and resorption. Under the uremic conditions of advanced CKD, the altered intestinal microbiota majorly tips the balance towards bone lysis. Probiotic treatment has proven reliable in animal models, but in humans, data are limited. Regarding bone status, persistently high levels of PTH determine a reduction in mineral density and a concurrent increase in fracture risk. Pharmacological manipulation of serum PTH requires appropriate patient selection and monitoring since dangerously low levels of PTH may completely inhibit bone turnover. Moreover, the altered mineral balance extends to the cardiovascular system, promoting vascular calcifications. Lastly, the involvement of PTH in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone axis highlights the importance of opting for the appropriate pharmacological agent should hypertension develop.

Debates Surrounding the Use of Antithrombotic Therapy in Hemophilic Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: Best Strategies to Minimize Severe Bleeding Risk.

Navigating through antithrombotic therapy in patients with both hemophilia and cardiovascular pathology presents a complex scenario with inherent challenges and opportunities. The presence of hemophilia, characterized by impaired blood clotting, adds a layer of complexity to the management of cardiovascular conditions requiring antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulation. Striking a delicate balance between the necessity for antithrombotic treatment to prevent cardiovascular events and the heightened risk of severe bleeding in individuals with hemophilia demands a nuanced and carefully considered approach. The challenges revolve around identifying an optimal therapeutic strategy that effectively mitigates cardiovascular risks without exacerbating bleeding tendencies. In hemophilic patients with cardiovascular disease, the decision to use antiplatelet therapy requires careful consideration of the individual's bleeding risk profile, considering factors such as the severity of hemophilia, history of bleeding episodes, and concurrent medications. The goal is to provide effective antithrombotic treatment while minimizing the potential for excessive bleeding complications. Conventional anticoagulants like warfarin pose difficulties due to their potential to increase the risk of bleeding. On the other hand, emerging options like novel direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) present an opportunity, offering predictable pharmacokinetics and user-friendly administration. However, a comprehensive exploration of their safety and efficacy in hemophilic patients is imperative. Achieving the right equilibrium between preventing cardiovascular events and minimizing bleeding risk is pivotal in selecting the most effective therapeutic option for individuals with hemophilia and cardiovascular pathology. A multidisciplinary approach, integrating the expertise of hematologists and cardiologists, becomes essential to customize treatments and address the intricacies of this medical challenge.

Oncolytic Virotherapy: A New Paradigm in Cancer Immunotherapy.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are emerging as potential treatment options for cancer. Natural and genetically engineered viruses exhibit various antitumor mechanisms. OVs act by direct cytolysis, the potentiation of the immune system through antigen release, and the activation of inflammatory responses or indirectly by interference with different types of elements in the tumor microenvironment, modification of energy metabolism in tumor cells, and antiangiogenic action. The action of OVs is pleiotropic, and they show varied interactions with the host and tumor cells. An important impediment in oncolytic virotherapy is the journey of the virus into the tumor cells and the possibility of its binding to different biological and nonbiological vectors. OVs have been demonstrated to eliminate cancer cells that are resistant to standard treatments in many clinical trials for various cancers (melanoma, lung, and hepatic); however, there are several elements of resistance to the action of viruses per se. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the combination of OVs with other standard treatment modalities, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and cellular therapies, to increase the response rate. This review provides a comprehensive update on OVs, their use in oncolytic virotherapy, and the future prospects of this therapy alongside the standard therapies currently used in cancer treatment.

Predicting the Feasibility of Curative Resection in Low Rectal Cancer: Insights from a Prospective Observational Study on Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Accuracy.

Background and Objectives: A positive pathological circumferential resection margin is a key prognostic factor in rectal cancer surgery. The point of this prospective study was to see how well different MRI parameters could predict a positive pathological circumferential resection margin (pCRM) in people who had been diagnosed with rectal adenocarcinoma, either on their own or when used together. Materials and Methods: Between November 2019 and February 2023, a total of 112 patients were enrolled in this prospective study and followed up for a 36-month period. MRI predictors such as circumferential resection margin (mCRM), presence of extramural venous invasion (mrEMVI), tumor location, and the distance between the tumor and anal verge, taken individually or combined, were evaluated with univariate and sensitivity analyses. Survival estimates in relation to a pCRM status were also determined using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: When individually evaluated, the best MRI predictor for the detection of a pCRM in the postsurgical histopathological examination is mrEMVI, which achieved a sensitivity (Se) of 77.78%, a specificity (Sp) of 87.38%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.83%, and an accuracy of 86.61%. Also, the best predictive performance was achieved by a model that comprised all MRI predictors (mCRM+ mrEMVI+ anterior location+ < 4 cm from the anal verge), with an Se of 66.67%, an Sp of 88.46%, an NPV of 96.84%, and an accuracy of 86.73%. The survival rates were significantly higher in the pCRM-negative group (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The use of selective individual imaging predictors or combined models could be useful for the prediction of positive pCRM and risk stratification for local recurrence or distant metastasis.

Robotic-Assisted Pelvic Surgery: Early Outcomes in a Single Institution.

Introduction: This article reports the authors' experience with their first 50 consecutive robotic pelvic procedures, aiming to determine the feasibility and safety of adopting robotic pelvic surgery. Robotic surgery offers several benefits for minimally invasive surgery, but its applicability is hindered by cost and limited regional experience. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of robotic pelvic surgery. Material and Methods: This is a retrospective review of our initial experience with robotic surgery for colorectal, prostate, and gynaecologic neoplasia, between June and December 2022. The surgical outcomes were evaluated in terms of perioperative data, such as operative time, estimated blood loss, and length of hospital stay. Intraoperative complications were recorded, and postoperative complications were evaluated at 30 days and 60 days after surgery. The feasibility of the roboticassisted surgery was assessed by measuring the conversion rate to laparotomy. The safety of the surgery was evaluated by recording the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: Fifty robotic surgeries were performed over 6 months, including 21 interventions for digestive neoplasia, 14 gynaecologic cases, and 15 prostatic cancers. Operative time ranged from 90 to 420 minutes, with two minor complications and two grade II Clavien-Dindo complications. One patient required prolonged hospitalization and an end-colostomy, deriving from an anastomotic leakage requiring reintervention. No thirty-day mortality or readmissions were reported. Conclusion: The study found that robotic-assisted pelvic surgery is safe and has a low rate of transfer to open surgery, making it a suitable addition to conventional laparoscopy.

The Usefulness of Assessing Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (HeaRt-V-AMI).

BACKGROUND: Heart rate variability (HRV) could have independent and critical prognostic values in patients admitted for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). There are limited data in the literature regarding HRV assessment in STEMI setting. Thus, we aim to investigate the potential correlations between HRV and adverse outcomes in a contemporary cohort of patients presenting with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: We will perform a prospective, observational cohort study in a single healthcare center. Adult patients aged ≥18 years presenting with STEMI in sinus rhythm will be enrolled for primary PCI within 12 h from symptoms onset. Time domain, frequency domain, and nonlinear HRV parameters will be measured using a medically approved wrist-wearable device for 5 min segments during myocardial revascularization by primary PCI. Additional HRV measurements will be performed one and six months from the index event. The primary composite outcome will include all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (during the hospital stay, one month, and one year following admission). Several secondary outcomes will be analyzed: individual components of the primary composite outcome, target lesion revascularization, hospitalizations for heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, left ventricular ejection fraction, and left ventricular diastolic function. CONCLUSIONS: Our study will enlighten the reliability and usefulness of HRV evaluation as a prognostic marker in contemporary patients with STEMI. The potential validation of HRV as a risk marker for adverse outcomes following STEMI will ensure a background for including HRV parameters in future risk scores and guidelines.

"Liquid Biopsy" - Is it a Feasible Option in Colorectal Cancer?

It is important for surgeons to keep up with improvements both in and outside their field. As medicine evolves, new techniques appear, and oncology is one of the main beneficiaries. "Liquid biopsy" is one of the most recent domains of interest in oncology, as it may provide important details regarding the characteristics of the main tumor and its metastases. Malignant cells are in a continuous dynamic, which makes the initial diagnostic biopsy and the pathological specimen evaluation insufficient in the late evolution of the disease, when relapse or metastases may appear. The fact that the healthcare provider is able to find out additional information about the tumor at a given time, by evaluating a blood sample to obtain a "liquid biopsy" is of utmost importance and gives multiple potentially usable data. There are three means of obtaining biological material that may be used as "liquid biopsy": evaluation of circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA and exosomes. The most intensely studied entity is that of circulating tumor cells, with different applications, amongst which the most important, at present time, is the prognostic value that has important demonstrated implications, not only in breast and prostate cancer, but also in colorectal cancer. Although surgery will, most certainly, not be replaced by other treatments when aiming for a curative approach to rectal cancer, it is important for the surgeon to know information about complementary fields, one of which is comprised by "liquid biopsy".

The Influence of Neoadjuvant Treatment on the Number of Lymph Nodes on the Surgical Specimen in Mid and Low Rectal Cancer - A Retrospective Single-Centre Study.

Introduction: In this study, we aim to identify the impact of neoadjuvant radiation treatment upon the number of harvested and positive lymph nodes in the surgical specimen; in addition, we tried to identify the impact of chemotherapy in association with radiotherapy on said structures. Patients and methods: In the study we included patients treated for rectal cancer within a single oncologic surgical Unit serving the north-eastern part of Romania, over a period of 5 and a half years, between May 2013 and April 2018. Firstly, we compared pathologic lymph node status to pretherapeutic staging. Secondly, we compared lymph node values in relation to the treatment scheme. Results: There was a total of 498 patients treated radically through open surgery for low and mid rectal cancer. We saw a decrease in N staging in 218 cases, 65 remaining stationary and 10 increasing their lymph node staging on the surgical specimen. We identified significant differences between the total number of lymph nodes (17.4 vs 24.2, p 0.001), the number of positive lymph nodes (1.4 vs 3.4, p 0.001) and the ratio between positive and total lymph nodes (0.08 vs 0.14, p 0.001) in patients with and without neoadjuvant treatment respectively. However, there was no statistical difference between patients with and without chemotherapy associated to radiotherapy in the neoadjuvant treatment plan (p=0.539, p=0.58, p=0.575). Conclusion: This study shows there are significant variations according to the application of neoadjuvant treatment, between the numbers of positive and total lymph nodes, as well as the positive/total lymph node ratio.

Hindgut and Midgut Neuroendocrine Tumors - Therapeutic Approach.

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumors of the gastro-entero-pancreatic system have a variety of components, clinical manifestations and prognostic indices according to their anatomical site. Therefore, their diagnostic and management strategies differ a great deal. Prognosis concerning NETs can be poor due to the degree of differentiation, early metastasizing and the high degree of invasiveness. Material and Methods: For the present study, the patient files were evaluated and the parameters of interest were followed. Results: Over the course of 6 years there were 37 patients diagnosed with and treated for NETs, regardless of primary tumor site. There were 9 patients with NETs of the primite mid- and hindgut thusly: 5 cases with colorectal NETs and 4 cases of small bowel NETs. 6 patients benefited from radical surgical treatment, 2 cases with palliative procedures and only one patient with tumor biopsy. The tumors were evaluated according to the 2010 WHO classification based on the number of mitoses and the Ki67 proliferation index. Adjuvant treatment was adapted according to staging and histopathological parameters. Conclusions: Despite recent progress in managing NETs, there are still many controversial aspects regarding the management of these cases, mainly about timing the right sequence of therapy.

Management of Gastric Stromal Tumour - Multicenter Observational Study.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are some of the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gut. The aim of this study is to asses the clinical manifestation and treatment of gastric GISTs. Methodology: We performed a retrospective 5-year multicenter study conducted on a prospective collected database, which includes all the patients diagnosed with GIST in which surgery was performed. We selected all the pateients with gastric GISTs and we analyzed the clinical manifestation, treatment and prognostic factors. Results: There were 42 patients with GISTs of which the gastric GISTs were encountered in 23 cases (54.76%). There were 7 laparoscopic resections and 16 open surgery resections. Pathological examination showed that many of the patients were in group 6a and 6b (30.43%). CD117 was positive in 91.3% of cases. Regarding postoperative morbidity, there were 4 cases of pulmonary complications, 3 cases of surgical site infection and one postoperative hemorrhage. Conclusions: In our experience surgery for gastric GIST must be performed by a highly trained team, the keyset for a improved survival is the multidisciplinary approach that includes an accurate diagnosis, prognostic risk stratification and accurate treatment.

Impact of Surgery and Early Postoperative Outcomes After Radical Gastrectomy for Cancer.

Background: Surgery remains one of the most important part of the multimodal treatment of patients diagnosed with gastric cancer. Due to the fact that the consequences in terms of postoperative morbidity can delay the onset of postoperative chemotherapy or even can make the patient unfitted for adjuvant treatment, a thorough clinical evaluation of patient prior to surgery is mandatory. Methods: We performed a retrospective study, which included all the patients diagnosed with gastric cancer in which radical surgery was performed during a 5-year period in a single center. All the patients, tumour and surgery characteristics were used for a risk analysis for the occurrence of overall, medical and surgical complications. Results: There were 189 patients in whom radical surgery was performed, 100 (52.9%) total gastrectomies and 89 (47.1%) subtotal gastrectomies, without difference in term of postoperative morbidity. There were 25 (13.2%) cases of duodenal stump fistula, 15 (15%) cases of esojejunal fistula. On multivariate analysis albumin levels (OR 1.9, p=0.035), hypertension (OR 4.22, p=0.0311) and splenectomy (OR 3.91, p=0.048) were independent factors for overall complications, albumin levels (OR 1.91, p=0.0405), hypertension (OR 3.54, p=0.0444), neoadjuvant treatment (OR 3.97, p=0.01657) and splenectomy (Or 1.66 p=0.05) for medical complications; age (OR 1.71,p=0.044), hypertension (OR 2.22, p=0.045) and albumin levels (OR 1.92, p=0.041) for surgical type complications. Conclusions: Postoperative morbidity after gastrectomy remains one of the most important factors that can impair the effectuation of a multimodal treatment protocol. Comorbidity factors, nutritional status and surgical technique are the key factors that can influence the amount and the consequence of a surgical complication.

Functional Results Following Pylorus-Preserving Pancreatoduodenectomy with Pancreaticogastrostomy.

Background: Pylorus preserving (PP) pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has several advantages in terms of shorter operation time and improved nutritional status but with an increased risk for delayed gastric emptying. Methods: We performed a retrospective study on all patients in which PD was performed from May 2012 to May 2018. It was analyzed early postoperative outcomes and the incidence of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) syndrome for patients with pylorus PP PD technique and pancreaticogastrostomy (PG). Results: There were 47 PD, in which PP technique was performed in 42 cases. The tumour location was in the pancreatic head (n=21, 44.68%), periampullary (ampulla of Vater) (n=14,29.78%), distal bile duct (n=7,14.89%), duodenum (n=2, 4.25%) and advanced right colon cancer (n=3, 6.38%). There were 10 cases (21.2%) of grade III-V complications, grade A pancreatic fistula (PF)8 cases (17%), grade B in 3 cases (6.4%) and grade C in 1 case (2.12%). DGE was encountered in 17 cases (36.17%), grade A 2 cases (4.25%), grade B in 4 cases (8.5%) and grade C in 2 cases (4.25%). Biliary fistula occurred in 3 cases (6.4%) and in 4 cases relaparotomy was needed. Conclusions: The results of our study are concluding with the previous studies, the addition of PG to PP PD does not increase the risk of DGE.

Personalized Decisional Algorithms for Soft Tissue Defect Reconstruction after Abdominoperineal Resection for Low-Lying Rectal Cancers.

BACKGROUND: Abdominoperineal resection (APR)-the standard surgical procedure for low-lying rectal cancer (LRC)-leads to significant perineal defects, posing considerable reconstruction challenges that, in selected cases, necessitate the use of plastic surgery techniques (flaps). PURPOSE: To develop valuable decision algorithms for choosing the appropriate surgical plan for the reconstruction of perineal defects. METHODS: Our study included 245 LRC cases treated using APR. Guided by the few available publications in the field, we have designed several personalized decisional algorithms for managing perineal defects considering the following factors: preoperative radiotherapy, intraoperative position, surgical technique, perineal defect volume, and quality of tissues and perforators. The algorithms have been improved continuously during the entire period of our study based on the immediate and remote outcomes. RESULTS: In 239 patients following APR, the direct closing procedure was performed versus 6 cases in which we used various types of flaps for perineal reconstruction. Perineal incisional hernia occurred in 12 patients (5.02%) with direct perineal wound closure versus in none of those reconstructed using flaps. CONCLUSION: The reduced rate of postoperative complications suggests the efficiency of the proposed decisional algorithms; however, more extended studies are required to categorize them as evidence-based management guide tools.

Duality of Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Chronic Cardiovascular Disease: Potential Biomarkers versus Active Pathophysiological Promoters.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), comprising leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile), and valine (Val), are essential nutrients vital for protein synthesis and metabolic regulation via specialized signaling networks. Their association with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) has become a focal point of scientific debate, with emerging evidence suggesting both beneficial and detrimental roles. This review aims to dissect the multifaceted relationship between BCAAs and cardiovascular health, exploring the molecular mechanisms and clinical implications. Elevated BCAA levels have also been linked to insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), inflammation, and dyslipidemia, which are well-established risk factors for CVD. Central to these processes are key pathways such as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activate B cells (NF-κB)-mediated inflammation, and oxidative stress. Additionally, the interplay between BCAA metabolism and gut microbiota, particularly the production of metabolites like trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), adds another layer of complexity. Contrarily, some studies propose that BCAAs may have cardioprotective effects under certain conditions, contributing to muscle maintenance and metabolic health. This review critically evaluates the evidence, addressing the biological basis and signal transduction mechanism, and also discusses the potential for BCAAs to act as biomarkers versus active mediators of cardiovascular pathology. By presenting a balanced analysis, this review seeks to clarify the contentious roles of BCAAs in CVD, providing a foundation for future research and therapeutic strategies required because of the rising prevalence, incidence, and total burden of CVDs.

Epidemiological and histopathological aspects of ocular melanomas in Northeastern Romania.

Ocular melanoma is a rare but complex disease in current medical practice. Our retrospective study spans over a period of 28 years and analyzed uveal and conjunctival melanomas that were consecutively admitted, diagnosed, and treated in the 2nd Ophthalmology Clinic of Prof. Dr. Nicolae Oblu Emergency Clinical Hospital, Iasi, Romania. The patients were selected from the records of the Department of Pathology of our Hospital, being diagnosed by standard histopathological techniques. The aim of this study was to summarize the epidemiological and pathological aspects of uveal and conjunctival melanomas in Northeastern region of Romania. In our study, we did not notice a predilection of uveal and conjunctival melanoma to one particular gender. The most common histological subtypes of ocular melanomas were the heavily pigmented spindle cell subtype, followed by the epithelioid subtype. Our patients sought medical help in a timely manner, before the systemic invasion of the disease could develop.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) with fallopian tube involvement.

INTRODUCTION: Literature data present new studies about precancerous lesions of pelvic serous carcinoma that originate from the tubal secretory cells. It has long been thought that ovarian cancer cannot be prevented by prophylactic screening or surgery. In recent years, gynecologists have adapted to new principles and so, during routine hysterectomies in perimenopausal women for benign uterine pathologies, salpingo-oophorectomy is performed as a prophylactic approach. AIM: The purpose of our article was to draw attention to the association between abnormal fallopian tube pathology and the presence of serous ovarian neoplasia in perimenopausal women at risk. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 45-year-old woman who had unspecific symptoms of abdominal pain and loss of appetite and weight. A pelvic magnetic resonance imaging was performed, and an ovarian mass was detected. Our case shows that the fallopian tube can be the primary point of origin for a pelvic disease, therefore prevention is possible with early computed tomography scan and annual ultrasound. The patient presented with a T1c staging post-surgery and her chances of survival could have decreased if she had postponed medical examination longer. We found a significant increase in the absolute number of tubal secretory cells in patients with ovarian neoplasia, which supports the assumption that serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma lesions are found especially in the serous ovarian type. CONCLUSIONS: Our article is a strong suggestion that serous ovarian cancer originates from the fallopian tube and can potentially serve as a sensitive biomarker for early serous carcinogenesis within the fallopian tube.

Machine Learning-Based Algorithms for Enhanced Prediction of Local Recurrence and Metastasis in Low Rectal Adenocarcinoma Using Imaging, Surgical, and Pathological Data.

(1) Background: Numerous variables could influence the risk of rectal cancer recurrence or metastasis, and machine learning (ML)-based algorithms can help us refine the risk stratification process of these patients and choose the best therapeutic approach. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive performance of 4 ML-based models for the prediction of local recurrence or distant metastasis in patients with locally advanced low rectal adenocarcinomas who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgical treatment; (2) Methods: Patients who were admitted at the first Oncologic Surgical Clinic from the Regional Institute of Oncology, Iasi, Romania were retrospectively included in this study between November 2019 and July 2023. Decision tree (DT), naïve Bayes (NB), support vector machine (SVM), and random forest (RF) were used to analyze imagistic, surgical, and pathological data retrieved from the medical files, and their predictive performance was assessed; (3) Results: The best predictive performance was achieved by RF when used to predict disease recurrence (accuracy: 90.85%) or distant metastasis (accuracy: 89.63%). RF was closely followed by SVM (accuracy for recurrence 87.8%; accuracy for metastasis: 87.2%) in terms of predictive performance. NB and DT achieved moderate predictive power for the evaluated outcomes; (4) Conclusions: Complex algorithms such as RF and SVM could be useful for improving the prediction of adverse oncological outcomes in patients with low rectal adenocarcinoma.

A cases series of endovascular and microsurgical combined treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: Our scientific paper is aimed at describing multimodal treatment of intracranial aneurysms represented by microsurgery and endovascular therapy. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report four cases of intracranial aneurysms treated in our Department of Neurosurgery by microsurgery (clipping) and endovascular treatment (coiling), through the joint efforts of a team of highly skilled neurosurgeons. RESULTS: Mixed treatment has been imposed by the complications we were presented with, resulting from either of the two surgical methods employed. CONCLUSIONS: Although endovascular surgery is considered a newer treatment method, favored by many practitioners, and preferred by patients, there are situations where open surgery is still required. There are certain situations were using one of the surgical methods fails and a complementary procedure is required for a secure and successful treatment. The cases reported here will demonstrate the utility of combining the two procedures.

Epidemiological and pathological characteristics of spinal metastases from gastrointestinal cancers - a series of 40 cases.

Spinal metastases from gastrointestinal (GI) cancer are rare and as a result there are only case reports or small series in the literature. The aim of our work was to identify the demographic aspects, the location, and the histopathological aspects of spinal metastases from GI cancers diagnosed and treated in a reference Hospital in Romania over a period of nine years, and comparing the data obtained with those from the recent literature. This is a retrospective case series study on spinal metastases from GI cancers, developed in patients older than 18 years that were surgically treated between January 2013 and December 2021 within three Neurosurgery Clinics from Prof. Dr. Nicolae Oblu Emergency Clinical Hospital, Iasi, Romania, which is a tertiary Hospital in Romania regarding the surgical treatment of spinal metastases. We included in our study the patient's demographic data (age and gender), clinical data (location of spinal metastases), radiological investigations and pathological features of the lesions. Regarding the immunohistochemical stainings, the following antibodies were used: anti-cytokeratin (CK)7, anti-CK20, anti-CK19, anti-caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2), anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and anti-Ki67. Our series included 40 adult patients (≥18 years old) with a male:female ratio of 3:1, in favor of male patients. The mean age of all patients was 66.42 years. The primary sites of spinal metastases from GI cancers were from all segments of the GI system: the most frequent, however, was from the colorectal level (40%) and the least from the oral cavity level (2.5%). The most common site of spinal metastases from GI cancer was predominantly lumbar region (47.5%), and the most frequent histological type was adenocarcinoma (57.5%), followed by hepatocellular carcinoma (27.5%), pancreatic ductal carcinoma (5%) and squamous cell carcinoma (2.5%). Our results have important clinical implications because they suggest that there are certain subsets of patients with certain types of GI cancers that cause metastases in certain regions of the spine.

Theoretical-Experimental Approach of Chitosan/Quaternized Chitosan Nanofibers' Behavior in Wound Exudate Media.

This study aimed to investigate the behavior of chitosan/quaternized chitosan fibers in media mimicking wound exudates to understand their capacities as wound dressing. Fiber analysis of the fibers using dynamic vapor sorption proved their ability to adsorb moisture up to 60% and then to desorb it as a function of humidity, indicating their outstanding breathability. Dissolution analyses showed that quaternized chitosan leached from the fibers in water and PBS, whereas only small portions of chitosan were solubilized in water. In media containing lysozyme, the fibers degraded with a rate determined by their composition and pH, reaching a mass loss of up to 47% in media of physiologic pH. Notably, in media mimicking the wound exudate during healing, they adsorbed moisture even when their mass loss due to biodegradation was high, whereas they were completely degraded in the media of normal tissues, indicating bioabsorbable dressing capacities. A mathematical model was constructed, which characterized the degradation rate and morphology changes of chitosan/quaternized chitosan fibers through analyses of dynamics in scale space, using the Theory of Scale Relativity. The model was validated using experimental data, making it possible to generalize it to the degradation of other biopolymeric systems that address wound healing.