15 research outputs found
Mixed acinar-endocrine carcinoma of the pancreas: a case report and review of the literature
and review of the literatur
Acute cholangitis due to pancreatic metastasis from squamous cell lung carcinoma: a case report and review of literature
Toward Sustainable Environmental Quality : Priority Research Questions for Asia
Environmental and human health challenges are pronounced in Asia, an exceptionally diverse and complex region where influences of global megatrends are extensive and numerous stresses to environmental quality exist. Identifying priorities necessary to engage grand challenges can be facilitated through horizon scanning exercises, and to this end we identified and examined 23 priority research questions needed to advance toward more sustainable environmental quality in Asia, as part of the Global Horizon Scanning Project. Advances in environmental toxicology, environmental chemistry, biological monitoring, and risk-assessment methodologies are necessary to address the adverse impacts of environmental stressors on ecosystem services and biodiversity, with Asia being home to numerous biodiversity hotspots. Intersections of the food–energy–water nexus are profound in Asia; innovative and aggressive technologies are necessary to provide clean water, ensure food safety, and stimulate energy efficiency, while improving ecological integrity and addressing legacy and emerging threats to public health and the environment, particularly with increased aquaculture production. Asia is the largest chemical-producing continent globally. Accordingly, sustainable and green chemistry and engineering present decided opportunities to stimulate innovation and realize a number of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Engaging the priority research questions identified herein will require transdisciplinary coordination through existing and nontraditional partnerships within and among countries and sectors. Answering these questions will not be easy but is necessary to achieve more sustainable environmental quality in Asia. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1485–1505
Myoepithelial Carcinoma of the Vulva Mimicking Bartholin Gland Abscess in a Pregnant Woman: Case Report and Review of Literature
Myoepithelial tumors of the vulva are extremely rare, with only 8 cases
reported in the literature to date. We report the first case of a
high-grade myoepithelial vulvar carcinoma diagnosed in a 35-year-old
woman during the 27th week of her pregnancy. The patient initially
underwent a wide local excision of the lesion but noted rapid regrowth
of the vulvar mass during the next 2 months before her delivery. Shortly
thereafter, she underwent a classic radical Taussig-Basset total radical
vulvectomy, bilateral superficial and deep inguinal groin node
dissection, partial vaginectomy, and reconstruction of the vulva.
However, the patient rapidly developed both locoregional and distant
mestatatic disease, despite aggressive chemoradiotherapy, and she
eventually succumbed to disseminated disease almost 20 months after her
initial diagnosis
Should Diaphragmatic Involvement Preclude Resection of Large Hepatic Tumors?
Treatment of peripherally located liver tumors with diaphragmatic
invasion is technically demanding but does not preclude resection for
cure. The aim of the present study was to compare patients undergoing
combined liver and diaphragmatic resection with those submitted to
hepatectomy alone so as to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and value
of this complex surgical procedure.
From January 2000 to September 2011, 36 consecutive patients underwent
en bloc liver-diaphragm resection (group A). These were individually
matched for age, gender, tumor size, pathology, and co-morbitidies with
36 patients who underwent hepatectomy alone during the same time (group
B). Operative time, warm ischemia time, blood loss, required
transfusions, postoperative complications, and long-term survival were
evaluated.
Mean operative time was significantly longer in group A than in group B
(165 vs 142 min; P = 0.004). The two groups were comparable regarding
warm ischemia time, intraoperative blood loss, required transfusions,
and postoperative laboratory value fluctuations. Some 33 % of group A
patients developed complications postoperatively as opposed to 23 % of
group B patients (P = 0.03). The mortality rate was 2.8 % in group A
compared to 0 % in group B. Postoperative follow-up demonstrated 60 %
1-year survival for group A patients as opposed to 80 % 1-year survival
for group B patients, a difference that is practically eliminated the
longer the follow-up period is extended (35 vs 40 % 3-year survival and
33 vs 37 % 5-year survival for group A and group B patients,
respectively).
En bloc diaphragmatic and liver resection is a challenging but safe
surgical procedure that is fully justified when diaphragmatic
infiltration cannot be ruled out and the patient is considered fit
enough to undergo surgery
Evaluation of Ischemia-Reperfusion Liver Injury by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in an Experimental Swine Model: The Effect of Desferoxamine
Introduction: Ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury has long been regarded a
primary factor for the physiological dysfunction that can occur
following major liver resection performed under vascular control. The
aim of our study was to assess the effect of treatment with
desferoxamine (DFO), a potent antioxidative agent, monitoring the I-R
injury on a porcine model of major hepatectomy. Materials and Methods:
Twelve female pigs were allocated to control (n = 6) and DFO groups (n =
6) and underwent 30 min of liver ischemia, during which a >= 30%
hepatectomy was performed, followed by six hours of postoperative
monitoring. The DFO group animals were preconditioned with a continuous
iv solution of DFO to a total dose of 100 mg/kg during their
postoperative period. Liver remnants (approximate to 70% of initial
liver volume) were evaluated by means of infrared spectroscopy, serum
lactate measurement of the systemic, portal and hepatic vein blood, and
by immunohistochemical assessment of apoptosis in consecutive liver
biopsies. Results: DFO group demonstrated considerably faster
restoration of tissue oxygenation (92.33% vs. 80%, p < .05) and serum
lactate values (1.23 mmol/l vs. 2.27 mmol/l, p < .05). Moreover,
apoptosis as estimated by TUNEL and caspase-3 staining was significantly
lower in the DFO group (0.06% vs. 1.17% and 1.17% vs. 2%,
respectively, p < .05). The severity of the I-R injury showed a linear
correlation to the restoration of tissue oxygenation, as estimated by
infrared-spectroscopy (r(2) = 0.81, p < .01). Conclusion: Iron chelation
with DFO appears to attenuate I-R injury of the liver remnant following
hepatectomy, as reflected by faster restoration of tissue oxygenation
and lower apoptotic activity
Does internal stenting of the pancreaticojejunostomy improve outcomes after pancreatoduodenectomy? A prospective study
This study’s aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of using an internal
stent when fashioning a duct-to-mucosa pancreatojejunostomy on
preventing pancreatic fistula formation, as well as on the overall
outcome for patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Between January 2000 and December 2008, 82 consecutive patients
underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and duct-to-mucosa
pancreaticojejunostomy in an isolated jejunal loop, either with or
without the aid of an internal stent. The allocation of the patients
into group A (n = 41, stented anastomosis) and group B (n = 41,
unstented anastomosis) was performed in a strictly alternating way. No
statistically significant differences were identified between the two
groups regarding age, sex, operative time, intraoperative pathological
findings, and comorbidities. The two groups were compared regarding the
rate of pancreatic fistula formation, postoperative complications, and
hospital stay.
In group A, pancreatic fistula formation rate was 4.9%; overall
morbidity reached 30%; and hospital stay duration was 13 +/- 4 days. In
group B, pancreatic fistula formation rate was 2.4%; overall morbidity
was 26%; and hospital stay duration extended to 14 +/- 5. According to
Clavien’s classification, the severity of surgical complications was
designated as follows: for group A, 56% of the complications were
allocated as grade I, 38% grade II, 4% grade III, 2.5% grade IV, and
0% grade V. The relative values for group B were 53%, 42%, 3%, 2%,
and 0%, respectively. In six group A patients (14.7%), the internal
stent was found stuck in the pancreatic stump, causing severe back pain
requiring analgesic treatment with opioids for four of them. In group B,
four patients (9.7%) complained of mild back pain, none of which
required regular treatment. No mortalities were recorded in both groups.
No statistically significant differences were found between the two
groups regarding fistula formation and severity of complications.
Internal stenting of a duct-to-mucosa pancreatojejunostomy does not
diminish the rate of pancreatic fistula formation or alter overall
patient’s outcome
Surgical Challenges in the Treatment of Leiomyosarcoma of the Inferior Vena Cava: Analysis of Two Cases and Brief Review of the Literature
Background: Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava (IVC) is a rare
tumor of mesenchymal origin. Optimal treatment should include complete
resection of the malignant lesion with preservation of venous return. We
present our experience from two patients treated in our hospital in the
last 3 years.
Methods and Results: The first case is that of a 54-year-old woman, with
a 9 cm a primary IVC leiomyosarcoma extending from the level of the
right renal vein to the common iliac veins. The patient underwent
radical tumor resection and reconstruction of the IVC with a
polytetrafluoroethylene patch. She received adjuvant chemotherapy and is
free of recurrence almost 3 years after surgery. The second case is that
of a 56-year-old woman presenting with back pain due to an 8-cm
retroperitoneal mass in close proximity to the right renal vein. She
underwent exploratory laparotomy, where initially the effort of en bloc
resection of the mass failed. Eventually, partial resection of the IVC
was performed and the defect was primarily repaired. Pathological
examination confirmed primary leiomyosarcoma of the IVC. She received
adjuvant chemotherapy, but was referred to our hospital with local
recurrence 6 months after the operation and is suffering from
disseminated abdominal disease almost a year postsurgery.
Conclusion: Radical surgical en bloc resection is the mainstay of
treatment for IVC leiomyosarcomas. Extensive vascular reconstruction
techniques may be necessary to restore adequate venous return to the IVC
after tumor resection, and combination with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy
has been shown to prolong disease-free survival rates
DNA Gold Nanoparticle Motors Demonstrate Processive Motion with Bursts of Speed Up to 50 nm Per Second
Synthetic motors that consume chemical energy to produce mechanical work offer potential applications in many fields that span from computing to drug delivery and diagnostics. Among the various synthetic motors studied thus far, DNA-based machines offer the greatest programmability and have shown the ability to translocate micrometer-distances in an autonomous manner. DNA motors move by employing a burnt-bridge Brownian ratchet mechanism, where the DNA "legs"hybridize and then destroy complementary nucleic acids immobilized on a surface. We have previously shown that highly multivalent DNA motors that roll offer improved performance compared to bipedal walkers. Here, we use DNA-gold nanoparticle conjugates to investigate and enhance DNA nanomotor performance. Specifically, we tune structural parameters such as DNA leg density, leg span, and nanoparticle anisotropy as well as buffer conditions to enhance motor performance. Both modeling and experiments demonstrate that increasing DNA leg density boosts the speed and processivity of motors, whereas DNA leg span increases processivity and directionality. By taking advantage of label-free imaging of nanomotors, we also uncover Lévy-Type motion where motors exhibit bursts of translocation that are punctuated with transient stalling. Dimerized particles also demonstrate more ballistic trajectories confirming a rolling mechanism. Our work shows the fundamental properties that control DNA motor performance and demonstrates optimized motors that can travel multiple micrometers within minutes with speeds of up to 50 nm/s. The performance of these nanoscale motors approaches that of motor proteins that travel at speeds of 100-1000 nm/s, and hence this work can be important in developing protocellular systems as well next generation sensors and diagnostics.</p