Potential therapeutic applications of microbial surface-activecompounds

Numerous investigations of microbial surface-active compounds or biosurfactants over the past two decades have led to the discovery of many interesting physicochemical and biological properties including antimicrobial, anti-biofilm and therapeutic among many other pharmaceutical and medical applications. Microbial control and inhibition strategies involving the use of antibiotics are becoming continually challenged due to the emergence of resistant strains mostly embedded within biofilm formations that are difficult to eradicate. Different aspects of antimicrobial and anti-biofilm control are becoming issues of increasing importance in clinical, hygiene, therapeutic and other applications. Biosurfactants research has resulted in increasing interest into their ability to inhibit microbial activity and disperse microbial biofilms in addition to being mostly nontoxic and stable at extremes conditions. Some biosurfactants are now in use in clinical, food and environmental fields, whilst others remain under investigation and development. The dispersal properties of biosurfactants have been shown to rival that of conventional inhibitory agents against bacterial, fungal and yeast biofilms as well as viral membrane structures. This presents them as potential candidates for future uses in new generations of antimicrobial agents or as adjuvants to other antibiotics and use as preservatives for microbial suppression and eradication strategies

Initial Evaluation of Computer-Assisted Radiologic Assessment for Renal Mass Edge Detection as an Indication of Tumor Roughness to Predict Renal Cancer Subtypes

Objective. To develop software to assess the potential aggressiveness of an incidentally detected renal mass using images. Methods. Thirty randomly selected patients who underwent nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) had their images independently reviewed by engineers. Tumor “Roughness” was based on image algorithm of tumor topographic features visualized on computed tomography (CT) scans. Univariant and multivariant statistical analyses are utilized for analysis. Results. We investigated 30 subjects that underwent partial or radical nephrectomy. After excluding poor image-rendered images, 27 patients remained (benign cyst = 1, oncocytoma = 2, clear cell RCC = 15, papillary RCC = 7, and chromophobe RCC = 2). The mean roughness score for each mass is 1.18, 1.16, 1.27, 1.52, and 1.56 units, respectively (p<0.004). Renal masses were correlated with tumor roughness (Pearson’s, p=0.02). However, tumor size itself was larger in benign tumors (p=0.1). Linear regression analysis noted that the roughness score is the most influential on the model with all other demographics being equal including tumor size (p=0.003). Conclusion. Using basic CT imaging software, tumor topography (“roughness”) can be quantified and correlated with histologies such as RCC subtype and could lead to determining aggressiveness of small renal masses

Robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection: a systematic review of perioperative outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and feasibility of robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (R-RPLND) and to compare the perioperative outcomes of R-RPLND with open RPLND (O-RPLND), as RPLND forms an integral part of the management of testis cancer and R-RPLND is a minimally invasive treatment option for this disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PubMed RESULTS: The search yielded 42 articles describing R-RPLND, including five comparative studies. The systematic review included 4222 patients (single-arm studies, n = 459; comparative studies, n = 3763). Of 459 patients in the single-arm studies, 271 underwent primary R-RPLND and 188 underwent post-chemotherapy R-RPLND. For primary R-RPLND, the operative time ranged from 175 to 540 min and the major complication rate was 4.1%. For post-chemotherapy R-RPLND, the operative time ranged from 134 to 550 min and the major complication rate was 8.5%. The conversion rate to open surgery was 2.2% in primary R-RPLND and 9.0% in post-chemotherapy R-RPLND. In comparison with O-RPLND, R-RPLND was associated with a lower transfusion rate (14.5% vs 0.9%, P \u3c 0.001) and a lower complication rate (18.5% vs 7.8%, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Robot-assisted RPLND has acceptable perioperative outcomes in both the primary and post-chemotherapy settings but a notable rate of conversion to open surgery in the post-chemotherapy setting. Compared with O-RPLND, R-RPLND is associated with a lower transfusion rate and fewer overall complications. Given the potential impact of selection bias, the optimal patient selection criteria for R-RPLND remain to be elucidated

Contemporary surgical outcomes of venous tumour thrombectomy managed with intraoperative Doppler ultrasound for kidney cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Radical nephrectomy (RN) with venous tumour thrombectomy (VTT) carries a significant morbidity and mortality risk. Examination of a contemporary single-institution series permits the development of a management algorithm and an audit its results. We report outcomes following the use of intraoperative colour Doppler ultrasound and our surgical pathway. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients who underwent RN with VTT for kidney cancer between January 1, 2013 and October 1, 2016. Surgical complications, postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥3), 90-day readmission rates, and outcomes are reported. Multivariate linear regression, logistic regression, and Cox proportional hazard modelling were used to identify associations. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients underwent RN with VTT. Of these, 26 (45%) patients had Mayo Clinic level III or IV thrombus and nineteen required venovenous/cardiopulmonary bypass. Three patients required patch grafting. The median length of hospital stay was eight days and there were 20 major complications. The 30-day readmission rate was 21% and the 90-day mortality rate was 8.9%. In multivariate analysis, low serum albumin and age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity score predicted length of stay. Increased intraoperative blood loss was significantly associated with increasing body mass index, serum creatinine, tumour thrombus level, and a history of significant weight loss \u3e9.1kg. Low serum hematocrit predicted 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative colour Doppler ultrasound is a useful tool and can facilitate caval preservation. Caval grafting can be avoided in most cases. Venovenous bypass can be avoided in many level III cases. Early therapeutic anticoagulation should be instituted with caution

Nuclear NADPH oxidase-4 associated with disease progression in renal cell carcinoma

Nuclear NADPH oxidase-4 (Nox4) is a key component of metabolic reprogramming and is often overexpressed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, its prognostic role in RCC remains unclear. Here we examined the significance of nuclear Nox4 on disease progression and development of drug resistance in advanced RCC. We analyzed human RCC tissue from multiple regions in the primary index tumor, cancer-associated normal adjacent parenchyma, intravascular tumor in locally advanced cancer patients. We found that the higher nuclear Nox4 expression was significantly associated with progression and death. These findings were consistent after controlling for other competing clinical variables. In contrast, patients with lower nuclear Nox4, even in higher stage RCC had better prognosis. We identified a subset of patients with high nuclear Nox4 who had rapid disease progression or died within 6 months of surgery. In addition, higher nuclear Nox4 level correlated with resistance to targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Western blotting performed on fresh human RCC tissue as well as cell-lines revealed increased nuclear Nox4 expression. Our data support an important prognostic role of Nox4 mediated regulation of RCC independent of other competing variables. Nox4 localizes to the nucleus in high-grade, high-stage RCC. Higher nuclear Nox4 has prognostic significance for disease progression, poor survival, and development of drug resistance in RCC.12 month embargo; published 31 May 2020This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]