Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of chronic prostatitis in patients under the age of 50: is it more than the eye can see?

BACKGROUND: The magnetic resonance (MRI) diagnosis of chronic prostatitis (CP) is insufficiently evaluated. PURPOSE: To evaluate the MRI appearance of CP in young patients by comparing it to individuals with non-prostatic related pathology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 47 patients with prostatitis-like symptoms evaluated by urologists and referred to pelvic MRI examination (mean age=40.23±7 years; age range=23-49 years) and 93 age-matched individuals with non-prostatic related pathology (mean age=37.5±7 years; age range=21-49 years). All MRI examinations were performed on a 1.5-T machine using a prostate-specific protocol for the prostatitis group and different protocols that included high-resolution small field of view T2-weighted (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), for the control group, depending on the clinical indication. RESULTS: Four different T2WI intensity patterns were observed: hyperintense homogenous; slightly to moderate homogenous hypointense; inhomogeneous; and marked hypointense. We found statistically significant differences between the two analyzed groups regarding mean ADC values (P<0.001), distribution of T2WI intensity patterns (P<0.0001), and the presence of dilated venous plexus (P=0.0007). No differences were found regarding prostate volume (P=0.15). In multivariate analysis, all four analyzed imaging parameters were independent predictors of chronic prostatitis (R2=0.67; P<0.0001). Considered together, an age >28 years, an inhomogeneous or marked hypointense T2WI intensity pattern (types 3 and 4), an ADC value ≤1250, and the presence of dilated venous plexus are able to predict CP with an AUC of 93% (sensitivity=85.1%, specificity=88.4%). CONCLUSION: MR parameters like T2WI intensity patterns, ADC values, and venous plexus appearance are promising non-invasive tools in the challenging environment of CP diagnosis.

Study of physico-chemical characteristics of wastewater in an urban agglomeration in Romania.

This study investigates the level of wastewater pollution by analyzing its chemical characteristics at five wastewater collectors. Samples are collected before they discharge into the Danube during a monitoring campaign of two weeks. Organic and inorganic compounds, heavy metals, and biogenic compounds have been analyzed using potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods. Experimental results show that the quality of wastewater varies from site to site and it greatly depends on the origin of the wastewater. Correlation analysis was used in order to identify possible relationships between concentrations of various analyzed parameters, which could be used in selecting the appropriate method for wastewater treatment to be implemented at wastewater plants.

Electrospun Nanosystems Based on PHBV and ZnO for Ecological Food Packaging.

The electrospun nanosystems containing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and 1 wt% Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) (with the content of dopant in the range of 0-1 wt% Fe) deposited onto polylactic acid (PLA) film were prepared for food packaging application. They were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), antimicrobial analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) techniques. Migration studies conducted in acetic acid 3% (wt/wt) and ethanol 10% (v/v) food simulants as well as by the use of treated ashes with 3% HNO3 solution reveal that the migration of Zn and Fe falls into the specific limits imposed by the legislation in force. Results indicated that the PLA/PHBV/ZnO:Fex electrospun nanosystems exhibit excellent antibacterial activity against the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC-27853) due to the generation of a larger amount of perhydroxyl (˙OOH) radicals as assessed using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy coupled with a spin trapping method.

[Abdominal wall endometriosis after gynecologic procedures: an under-appreciated diagnosis in general surgery]. / Endometrioza parietala abdominala dupa chirurgia ginecologica: un diagnostic subapreciat in chirurgia generala.

UNLABELLED: Incisional endometriosis is a clinical entity described in the gynecologic literature but it is not well recognized among general surgeons. The preoperative diagnosis is often mistaken for a suture granuloma, abscess, lipoma, cyst or incisional hernia. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This is a retrospective review of six cases of incisional endometriosis in our hospital aimed at determining which, if any, factors would suggest the diagnosis preoperatively. All general surgery patients with a diagnosis of endometriosis in their pathology specimens from January 1990 to February 2006 were reviewed. RESULTS: All six patients had previous cesarean sections through either a Pfannenstiel (n = 4) or lower midline (n = 2) incision. Ages ranged from 28 to 43 years (mean 34.3 years). All patients presented with a palpable painful lesion located in the area of cesarean section incision. Three of the patients had a change in symptoms with their menstrual cycle. The duration of symptoms ranged between 2 months to 6 years. All patients underwent surgical excision. The size of the excised endometrioma ranged from 3 cm to 9 cm (mean 5.3 cm). CONCLUSION: Incisional endometriosis seems to be common in women with a history of cesarean section. Most patients presented with a painful abdominal mass. Three patients presented cyclic changes in pain and size of the mass with menses, but this may be due to physician's lack of awareness and questioning. The management of choice is to remove the lesion completely even if fascial excision is required.

[Long-term results after surgery for colorectal adenocarcinoma, stage I-III. Problems of prognosis]. / Rezultate la distanta dupa tratamentul chirurgical al adenocarcinomului colo-rectal stadiile I-III. Probleme de prognostic.

UNLABELLED: Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study on 142 consecutively cases with stage I to III colorectal adenocarcinomas (TNM AJCC/UICC) in which patients underwent potentially curative surgery in one single public health service (1st Surgical Clinic Iasi, Romania) between 2004 and 2005. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The mean follow-up was 23.26 +/- 9.78 months (range 2 to 42 months). There were 85 men (59.9%) and 57 women (40.1%) with mean age 63.38 +/- 11.84 years (range 28 to 88 years). The surgical procedures performed were the following: right colectomy (n = 54; 30%); transverse colectomy (n = 2; 1.4%); left colectomy (n = 19; 13.4%); segmental colon resection with anastomosis (n = 5 ; 3.5%); Hartmann procedure (n = 18; 12.7%); anterior rectal resection (n = 11; 7.7%) and abdominoperineal resection (n = 33; 23.2%). With regard to postoperative adjuvant therapy most patients were given chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid. The mean overall survival (months) and 42-months survival rates were calculated. The patients were censored in the survival calculation (Kaplan-Meier method) and Cox regression if they were alive at the endpoint of the follow-up. Some patients were censored because they were "lost to follow-up". Statistical significance is p < 0.05. RESULTS: The factors with a significant negative influence in overall survival and 42-months survival rates were: the age over 70 years, the emergency surgery related to cancer's complications, the advanced AJCC/ UICC stage, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, the recurrence of disease, the moderate and lower differentiated adenocarcinoma and incomplete or not performed chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Even with a radical surgical approach the advanced stage of colorectal adenocarcinoma has a low prognostic, but some other factors have also a high significance in postoperative outcome. Related to other prognostic factors we performed a review of literature.

[Hydatic cyst of the liver. Considerations on 337 cases]. / Chistul hidatic hepatic. Consideratii asupra a 337 cazuri.

Hydatid disease of the liver is still endemic in certain parts of the world. The modern treatment of hydatid cyst of the liver varies from surgical intervention to percutaneous drainage or medical therapy. Surgery is still the treatment of choice and can be performed by the conventional or laparoscopic approach. The aim of the study is to analyze the results of the surgical treatment in hydatid disease of the liver in First Surgical Clinic, Iasi. The study concerned a period of 12.5 years (1992 - 31.07.2004) and it included 337 cases. There were performed radical procedures (ideal cystectomy - 17 cases - 5.04%, hepatic segmentectomy - 8 cases - 1.48%, atypical hepatectomy - 10 cases - 2.96%) or conservative procedures (de-roofing - 37 cases - 10.97%, subtotal pericystectomy - 34 cases -10.80%, total pericystectomy - 19 cases - 5.63%, partial pericystectomy - 212 cases -62.90%). In 35 cases (10.38%) the operation was started laparoscopically and 12 cases needed conversion. Postoperative course was complicated in 112 cases (33.32%) (external biliary fistula, cavity suppuration, residual cavity hydatid relapse). Radical methods constituted operations that had excellent results, but they are feasible in few cases. Conservative procedures, relatively simple and still accepted, have a higher rate of morbidity. The laparoscopic approach is more and more used, with good results.