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Povezanost pojave peritumoralnih pukotina u duktalnom invazivnom karcinomu dojke s miofibroblastičnom reakcijom strome [The correlation of peritumoral clefts with myofibroblastic stromal reaction in invasive ductal breast carcinoma]
Get PDFAim: To determine the correlation of peritumoral retraction clefts and myofibroblastic stromal reaction in invasive breast carcinomas of no special type. Methods: Peritumoral clefts were analyzed in 100 invasive ductal breast carcinomas. Stromal reaction was analyzed immunohistochemically with CD34, vimentin and smooth muscle actin (SMA). Results: Peritumoral clefts were found in 92% of invasive carcinoma tissue and were absent in surrounding normal tissue and around ducts of in situ component. The extent of peritumoral clefts ranged from 5% to 100% andcorrelated significantly with the quantityof SMA+ stromal myofibroblasts, increased tumor size, pT stage, presence of lymph node metastasis and the rate of positive lymph nodes. Extensive peritumoral clefts (in >30% of tumor tissue) correlated significantly with higher quantity of SMA+ myofibroblasts, higher frequency of lymph node metastases and higher rate of positive lymph nodes. Conclusion: Peritumoral retraction clefts are morphological expression of the phenotypic changes of tumor stromal cell that acquire myofibroblastic characteristics
Preponderance of microbial isolates among heart transplantation recipients requiring renal replacement therapy: a propensity score-adjusted analysis
Get PDFAim: To assess the association between renal replacement therapy (RRT) and post-transplant infection incidence. Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included 158 patients who underwent heart transplantation (HTx) in our center from 2008 to 2016, survived beyond the first post-procedural day, and had available microbial data. The patients were dichotomized according to the need for periprocedural RRT. Twenty-seven patients in RRT group had lower preoperative creatinine clearance, greater body mass index, and higher likelihood of having diabetes. Propensity score adjustment was used to account for multiple covariates. The primary outcome measure was the presence of bacteremia in patients with and without the need for RRT. The secondary outcome measures were the presence of microbial isolates from any culture and clinical outcome data. Results: Unadjusted analysis showed that the RRT group had higher incidence of any positive microbial isolate (93% vs 73%; odds ratio [OR] 4.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-30.53; P = 0.026) and an increased susceptibility to bacteremia (50% vs 22%; OR 3.50, 95% CI 1.28-9.67; P = 0.012). Propensity score-adjusted analysis corroborated the between-group difference in positive blood cultures (OR 3.97, 95% CI 1.28-12.32; P = 0.017). There was no difference in the incidence of total microbial isolates between the groups (OR 4.55, 95% CI 0.90-23.05; P = 0.067). Conclusions: Patients requiring RRT after HTx had an increased susceptibility to infections via various portals of entry, predominantly due to an increase in blood-borne infections. Understanding the underlying conditions leading to infection-related morbidity is important for infection control and prevention
From ataxia to diagnosis of askin tumor – a case report
Get PDFPeripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (pPNET) are a group of extremely rare, aggressive, malignant tumors that are most often found in the thorax (Askin tumor), abdomen, pelvis, extremities and less frequently in the head and neck. The most important prognostic factor is the stage of the tumor. Significant progress both in surgery and in neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as the improvement in diagnosis by cytogenetic and immunohistochemical analysis, should improve the survival rate. We report a case of a 14-year-old girl, with ataxic gait, cardiopulmonary compensated, without respiratory symptoms, who was referred to our hospital for further examination and treatment of newly discovered tumor of the left hemithorax. After a detailed radiological and laboratory investigation, next step was an extensive thoraco-neurosurgical surgery. After histopathological, cytological and molecular analysis, a diagnosis of Askin tumor was made
Counteraction of perforated cecum lesions in rats: effects of pentadecapeptide BPC 157, L-NAME and L-arginine
Get PDFAIM:
To study the counteraction of perforated cecum lesion using BPC 157 and nitric oxide (NO) system agents. -----
METHODS:
Alongside with the agents' application (after 1 min, medication (/kg, 10 mL/2 min bath/rat) includes: BPC 157 (10 μg), L-NAME (5 mg), L-arginine (100mg) alone or combined, and saline baths (controls)) on the rat perforate cecum injury, we continuously assessed the gross reappearance of the vessels (USB microcamera) quickly propagating toward the defect at the cecum surface, defect contraction, bleeding attenuation, MDA- and NO-levels in cecum tissue at 15 min, and severity of cecum lesions and adhesions at 1 and 7 d. -----
RESULTS:
Post-injury, during/after a saline bath, the number of vessels was significantly reduced, the defect was slightly narrowed, bleeding was significant and MDA-levels increased and NO-levels decreased. BPC 157 bath: the vessel presentation was markedly increased, the defect was noticeably narrowed, the bleeding time was shortened and MDA- and NO-levels remained normal. L-NAME: reduced vessel presentation but not more than the control, did not change defect and shortened bleeding. L-arginine: exhibited less vessel reduction, did not change the defect and prolonged bleeding. In combination, mutual counteraction occurred (L-NAME + L-arginine) or the presentation was similar to that of BPC 157 rats (BPC 157 + L-NAME; BPC 157 + L-arginine; BPC 157 + L-NAME + L-arginine), except the defect did not change. Thereby at day 1 and 7, saline, L-NAME, L-arginine and L-NAME + L-arginine failed (defect was still open and large adhesions present). -----
CONCLUSION:
The therapeutic effect was achieved with BPC 157 alone or in combination with L-NAME and L-arginine as it was able to consolidate the stimulating and inhibiting effects of the NO-system towards more effective healing recruiting vessels
Opportunities for use of blockchain technology in medicine
Get PDFBlockchain technology is a decentralized database that stores a registry of assets and transactions across a peer-to-peer computer network, which is secured through cryptography, and over time, its history gets locked in blocks of data that are cryptographically linked together and secured. So far, there have been use cases of this technology for cryptocurrencies, digital contracts, financial and public records, and property ownership. It is expected that future uses will expand into medicine, science, education, intellectual property, and supply chain management. Likely applications in the field of medicine could include electronic health records, health insurance, biomedical research, drug supply and procurement processes, and medical education. Utilization of blockchain is not without its weaknesses and currently, this technology is extremely immature and lacks public or even expert knowledge, making it hard to have a clear strategic vision of its true future potential. Presently, there are issues with scalability, security of smart contracts, and user adoption. Nevertheless, with capital investments into blockchain technology projected to reach US$400 million in 2019, health professionals and decision makers should be aware of the transformative potential that blockchain technology offers for healthcare organizations and medical practice
Cluster analysis of chronic rhinosinusitis suggests gender-based differences
Get PDFPurpose: We aimed to evaluate the interaction between the overall severity of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) before treatment and subjective improvement following surgical or medical treatment. -----
Procedures: A group of 97 patients with CRS completed the visual analog scale (VAS) symptom score and the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 22 (SNOT-22) questionnaire in the moment of their sinus computerized tomography (CT) scan. Data were analyzed via a 2-step cluster analysis based on gender, polyp presence, CT scan, and VAS scores for symptoms. -----
Results: There were 3 clusters: the first cluster comprised 37 female patients with CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), the second cluster comprised 30 patients with CRS and NP (CRSwNP; 15 males and 15 females); and third cluster had 30 male patients with CRS without NP (CRSsNP). Different symptom patterns between clusters were identified. After adjustment for polyp presence, gender, eosinophilia (p = 0.021), and the SNOT-22 score (p = 0.005) were found to be better outcome predictors than the CT score (p = 0.26). -----
Conclusion: Long-term patient satisfaction is significantly associated with the subjective symptom severity prior to treatment, i.e., postnasal drip and overall disease severity (SNOT-22 score), but not with the objective severity of the disease (CT score and inflammation)
Raising concerns about the Sepsis-3 definitions
Get PDFThe Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery appreciates the great effort of the task force who derived and validated the Sepsis-3 definitions and considers the new definitions an important step forward in the evolution of our understanding of sepsis. Nevertheless, more than a year after their publication, we have a few concerns regarding the use of the Sepsis-3 definitions
Neurosyphilis: the shape of a rising threat
Get PDFThis report describes a case of neurosyphilis presenting with memory disturbances, attention deficit, and acute psychotic decompensation in an immunocompetent man. Despite the known connection of neurosyphilis with psychiatric symptoms, this cause often remains unrecognized. This report emphasizes the importance of maintaining a suspicion for the disease in patients with vague symptoms and describes the diagnostic difficulties
Anaerobic bacteria in implants and homologous teeth 2-14 years after implantation [Nalaz anaerobnih bakterija oko implantata i homolognog zuba od 2 do 14 godina nakon ugradnje]
Get PDFObjective:
The objective of the study was to establish whether there is a difference in the presence of potentially pathogenic anaerobic microorganisms around the implant and the homologous tooth in implant-prosthetic patients who received individual information about maintaining their oral hygiene. -----
Material and methods:
The study included 30 subjects with dental implants and metal-ceramic crowns. A periodontal probe was used to record the approximal plaque index (API), the papilla bleeding index (PBI), the periodontal pocket probing depth (PD) and the gingival recession. The fluid around the implant and the gingival sulcus fluid around the homologous tooth on the opposite lateral side were sampled. -----
Results:
The results have shown a positive API and PBI on 30% of the implants and a negative one on 70% of the implants. The average mucosal retraction measured around the implants was 0.15 mm, and the average probing depth was 2.25 mm. The API and PBI were positive on 78.3% of the homologous teeth. The average gingival retraction measured was 1.06 mm, and the average probing depth was 1.85 mm. Anaerobic bacteria were found in 12 out of 30 subjects (40%). Anaerobic bacteria were isolated only on the implant in 7 subjects, only on the homologous tooth in 3 subjects and both on the implant and the homologous tooth in 2 subjects. -----
Conclusions:
Anaerobic bacteria were more abundantly present on implants than on homologous teeth
A score derived from routine biochemical parameters increases the diagnostic accuracy of chromogranin A in detecting patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms
Get PDFBACKGROUND:
Chromogranin A (CgA) is a valuable biomarker for detection and follow-up of patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). However, various comorbidities may influence serum CgA, which decreases its diagnostic accuracy. We aimed to investigate which laboratory parameters are independently associated with increased CgA in real-life setting and to develop a scoring system, which could improve the diagnostic accuracy of CgA in detecting patients with NENs. ----- METHODS:
This retrospective study included 55 treatment naïve patients with NENs and160 patients with various comorbidities but without NEN (nonNENs). Scoring system (CgA-score) was developed based on z-scores obtained from receiver operating curve analysis for each parameter that was associated with elevated serum CgA in nonNENs. ----- RESULTS:
CgA correlated positively with serum BUN, creatinine, α2-globulin, red-cell distribution width, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, plasma glucose and correlated inversely with hemoglobin, thrombocytes and serum albumin. Serum CgA was also associated with the presence of chronic renal failure, arterial hypertension and diabetes and the use of PPI. In the entire study population, CgA showed an area under the curve of 0.656. Aforementioned parameters were used to develop a CgA-score. In a cohort of patients with CgA-score 156.5 ng/ml had 77.8% sensitivity and 91.5% specificity for detecting NENs (AUC 0.841, 95% CI 0.713-0.969, P 12.0 (AUC 0.554, 95% CI 0.405-0.702, P = 0.430). ----- CONCLUSIONS:
CgA-score encompasses a wide range of comorbidities and represents a promising tool that could improve diagnostic performance of CgA in everyday clinical practice