[Long-term outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer with serosa-invasion].

Objective: To evaluate the long-term outcomes and prognostic factors of locally advanced gastric cancer with serosa-invasion. Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study. The clinical and pathological data of 495 patients with locally advanced gastric cancer with serosa-invasion who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy in Department of General Surgery, the First Hospital Affiliated to Army Medical University from October 2012 to October 2018 was analyzed retrospectively. There were 356 males and 139 females with an age (M(IQR)) of 59 (16) years (range: 18 to 75 years). Observation indicators included postoperative results and long-term prognosis. The survival curve was drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate prognostic analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Among the 495 patients, a total of 57 patients (11.5%) were lost to follow-up, with a follow-up time of 89 (40) months (range: 23 to 134 months). The 5-year disease-free survival rate (DFS) and the 5-year overall survival rate (OS) were 56.0% and 58.2%, respectively. The 5-year DFS for patients with stage ⅡB, ⅢA, ⅢB, ⅢC were 71.2%, 60.5%, 51.6%, 33.3%, respectively. The 5-year OS for patients with stage ⅡB, ⅢA, ⅢB, ⅢC were 71.2%, 62.2%, 54.1%, 39.3%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age >65 years (DFS: HR=1.402, 95%CI: 1.022 to 1.922, P=0.036; OS: HR=1.461, 95%CI: 1.057 to 2.019, P=0.022), lymph node dissection number less than 25 (DFS: HR=1.348, 95%CI: 1.019 to 1.779, P=0.036; OS: HR=1.376, 95%CI: 1.035 to 1.825, P=0.028), pathological stage Ⅲ (DFS: HR=2.131, 95%CI: 1.444 to 3.144, P<0.01; OS: HR=2.079, 95%CI: 1.406 to 3.074, P<0.01), and no postoperative chemotherapy (DFS: HR=3.127, 95%CI: 2.377 to 4.113, P<0.01; OS: HR=3.768, 95%CI: 2.828 to 5.020, P<0.01) were independent prognostic factors for the decrease in DFS and OS rates. Conclusions: Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer with serosa-invasion could achieve satisfactory long-term oncological outcomes. More lymph node dissection and standardized postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy are expected to further improve the prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer with serous invasion after laparoscopic radical surgery.

A two-dimensional van der Waals CdS/germanene heterojunction with promising electronic and optoelectronic properties: DFT + NEGF investigations.

Two new 2D materials, germanene and monolayer cadmium sulfide (CdS), have been theoretically predicted and experimentally fabricated recently. In this work, we conduct a systematic investigation of the geometry structure, electronic, optical, and transport properties of a CdS/germanene heterojunction by using density functional theory (DFT) combined with the nonequilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism. Despite the gapless nature of germanene, the CdS/germanene heterojunction is found to be a direct band gap semiconductor, with a band gap of 0.644 eV. In particular, applying external strain can effectively tune the electronic band structure and optical properties of the CdS/germanene bilayer in a wide range, and a semiconductor-metal transition can even be achieved. In addition, the transport property calculations show that the current-voltage (I-V) relation of the CdS/germanene bilayer exhibits sensitive responses to the applied strain with a marked change in the I-V relation. Such superior electronic, optical, and transport properties make the CdS/germanene heterobilayer a promising candidate for electronic and optical device applications.

The Effect of Interval From Completion of Short-Course Radiotherapy to Surgery on the Post-Operative Morbidity and Mortality of Patients with Rectal Cancer.

AIM: Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for invasive rectal cancer. Advances in surgical technique and radiotherapy over the past few decades have resulted in improved local control and survival.1-3 Some concern remains regarding the morbidity associated with performing surgery within a short window following radiotherapy. The current study assessed whether the interval between short-course radiotherapy and surgery influences all cause post-operative morbidity and mortality. METHODS: All patients who had undergone short-course radiotherapy for rectal cancer within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust from 2005 to 2014 held on a prospective database were included (n=102). A retrospective review of patients' clinical records was performed and a comparison made of patients who had undergone surgery less than 4 days with those 4 or more days following completion of radiotherapy. Baseline patient and tumour characteristics, post-operative complications and readmission rates were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS ®, Version 22 (SPSS, Inc, Chicago, Illinois, USA). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in mortality or overall post-operative complications between groups, however, less serious complications were reduced in patients undergoing surgery less than 4 days following radiotherapy. Perineal wound complications were significantly more common in patients who had undergone surgery 4 or more days following radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Our results support the existing data that post-operative complications may be more common with increasing interval to surgery from completion of radiotherapy. Perineal wound morbidity appears significantly more common in patients who undergo surgery 4 or more days following short-course radiotherapy. A larger study to look particularly at perineal wound morbidity and interval from completion of radiotherapy is warranted.

Stabilisation of periarticular fractures and osteotomies with a notched head locking T-plate.

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical outcomes and complications of small animals that had articular or periarticular fractures or osteotomies stabilised with a notched head locking T-plate. METHODS: Medical records were searched retrospectively to identify animals that had a notched head locking T-plate used to stabilise a small articular or periarticular bone fragment. RESULTS: Nine dogs and two cats had an articular or periarticular bone fragment stabilised with a 2.0- or 2.4-mm notched head locking T-plate (12 procedures). The median body weight was 4.7 kg. The plate was modified by removing holes in 10/12 procedures and a combination of locking and non-locking screws were used in 7/12 procedures. All fractures or osteotomies progressed to clinical union. There were two intraoperative complications (intra-articular screw placement and overlong screw) and two postoperative complications (skin necrosis and stress protection) CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the successful use of a 2.0- or 2.4-mm notched head locking T-plate for articular or periarticular fractures or osteotomies in a variety of small-breed dogs and cats. Care must be taken to prevent inadvertent penetration of the articular surface, particularly in regions such as the proximal tibia. The ability to modify the plate dimensions intraoperatively proved beneficial in most cases.

Unusual mediastinal lymph node uptake and peritoneopleural fistula demonstrated on Technetium-99m macro-aggregated human serum albumin (Tc-99m MAA) peritoneal scintigraphy in a patient with portal hypertension.

Peritoneal radionuclide scan is an established imaging modality for evaluating peritoneopleural communications. In this case report, unusual mediastinal lymph node radiotracer uptake is seen in a patient with portal hypertension on peritoneal scintigraphy. This was suspected to be due to marked lymphatic enlargement from longstanding portal hypertension since childhood, permitting passage of the large Tc-99m MAA particle. The nodes were morphologically benign on CT. Mediastinal lymph node uptake on peritoneal scintigraphy is rare but should not raise undue clinical concern, particularly in a patient with chronic portal hypertension. Anatomic correlation with SPECT-CT can provide reassurance.

The use of infliximab in X-linked agammaglobulinaemia associated enteropathy.

Granulomatous small bowel enteropathy is an unusual presentation associated with X-linked agammaglobulinaemia. We present a rare case of this condition that was further complicated by an enterocutaneous fistula and report our experience managing this condition successfully with infliximab, which has not been documented in the literature previously.

Liposarcoma of the spermatic cord: a report of two cases.

Liposarcomas of the spermatic cord are unusual and rarely reported in the literature. These tumours can sometimes be mistaken for the common scrotal swellings such as hydrocoeles and hernias. Careful clinical and radiological examination will help in appropriate preoperative planning and surgery by an experienced surgical team. We report our experience of two cases of such scrotal swellings.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials of self-expanding metallic stents as a bridge to surgery versus emergency surgery for malignant left-sided large bowel obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Use of self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) as a bridge to surgery has been suggested as an alternative management for acute malignant left-sided colonic obstruction, as emergency surgery has a high risk of morbidity and mortality. This meta-analysis evaluated high-quality evidence comparing preoperative SEMS with emergency surgery. METHODS: Relevant randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were identified from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase and PubMed (1990-2011). Primary outcomes were primary anastomosis, stoma and in-hospital mortality rates. Secondary outcomes included anastomotic leak, 30-day reoperation and surgical-site infection rates. RESULTS: Four RCTs with 234 patients were included. Technical and clinical success rates for stenting were 70·7 per cent (82 of 116) and 69·0 per cent (80 of 116) respectively. The clinical perforation rate was 6·9 per cent (8 of 116) and the silent perforation rate 14 per cent (11 of 77). SEMS intervention resulted in significantly higher successful primary anastomosis (risk ratio (RR) 1·58, 95 per cent confidence interval 1·22 to 2·04; P < 0·001) and lower overall stoma (RR 0·71, 0·56 to 0·89; P = 0·004) rates. There was no difference in primary anastomosis, permanent stoma, in-hospital mortality, anastomotic leak, 30-day reoperation and surgical-site infection rates. Three trials were stopped prematurely, one because the emergency surgery group had a significantly increased anastomotic leak rate, and two others because of stent-related complications and increased 30-day morbidity following SEMS management. CONCLUSION: Technical and clinical success rates for stenting were lower than expected. SEMS is associated with a high incidence of clinical and silent perforation. However, as a bridge to surgery, SEMS has higher successful primary anastomosis and lower overall stoma rates, with no significant difference in complications or mortality.

Expression of ubiquitin in peripheral inflammatory cells from patients with coronary artery disease.

In addition to its role in the removal of damaged and unneeded proteins, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) may play a key role in coronary artery disease (CAD). To investigate the expression of ubiquitin in monocytes and lymphocytes isolated from patients at different stages of CAD, 120 patients with CAD (40 with acute myocardial infarction [AMI], 40 with unstable angina pectoris [UAP] and 40 with stable angina pectoris [SAP]) were selected; 40 patients with normal coronary arteries served as controls. At both the mRNA and protein levels, ubiquitin expression was higher in patients with CAD than in controls, and patients with AMI had a much higher expression of ubiquitin (at both the mRNA and protein levels) than those with SAP and UAP. These data indicate that ubiquitin expression increased with increasing severity of CAD, suggesting that ubiquitin may play a critical role in the development and progression of CAD.

Tracheal left mainstem bronchus and obstructive gastric mucosal intussusception associated with esophageal atresia.

A tracheal left mainstem bronchus and gastric outlet obstruction owing to gastric mucosal intussusception occurred in a child who had esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula. Bronchography and bronchoscopy, indicated because of persisting atelectasis and ventilation dependency, showed a tracheal left mainstem bronchus. The atelectasis disappeared after reimplantation of the left mainstem bronchus into the carina. Feeding problems and recurrent pulmonary infections complicated the postoperative course. Radiographic imaging and esophagogastroscopy showed severe reflux esophagitis and a prepyloric mass that consisted of a gastric mucosal intussusception. Subsequent gastrotomy and resection of the intussuscepted mucosal fold relieved the gastric outlet obstruction. An antireflux procedure was performed simultaneously. The child recovered satisfactorily. It is suggested that gastric mucosal intussusception may be associated with esophageal atresia rather than with the presence of a gastrostomy tube, as has been proposed in the literature.

Effect of embedding methods versus fixative type on karyometric measures.

The influence of fixation and embedding methods in seven urologic tumor samples was studied karyometrically for 12 preparatory techniques. Routine histologic formalin fixation was compared with Carbowax and Kryofix fixatives. Also, histologic material was studied embedded in paraffin and plastic (GMA) and secondarily in plastic (after paraffin embedding). From the cell suspensions, cytocentrifuge preparations were made (10 minutes, 1,500 rpm). The influence on nuclear light microscopic characteristics for two morphometric and five texture features in Feulgen-stained nuclei was evaluated. Nuclear features were influenced by both fixation and embedding method. The most extensive karyometric differences were found between different embedding techniques. More abnormally shaped tumor cell nuclei tended to occur with plastic (GMA) embedding methods. Plastic embedding proved to be superior to paraffin for all three fixation methods. Reembedding of archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material in plastic greatly influenced nuclear features, nuclear area in particular. We conclude that nuclear features are particularly influenced by the embedding method applied.