Anaesthetic perioperative management of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer remains a significant and unresolved therapeutic challenge. Currently, the only curative treatment for pancreatic cancer is surgical resection. Pancreatic surgery represents a technically demanding major abdominal procedure that can occasionally lead to a number of pathophysiological alterations resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Systemic, rather than surgical complications, cause the majority of deaths. Because patients are increasingly referred to surgery with at advanced ages and because pancreatic surgery is extremely complex, anaesthesiologists and surgeons play a crucial role in preoperative evaluations and diagnoses for surgical intervention. The anaesthetist plays a key role in perioperative management and can significantly influence patient outcome. To optimise overall care, patients should be appropriately referred to tertiary centres, where multidisciplinary teams (surgical, medical, radiation oncologists, gastroenterologists, interventional radiologists and anaesthetists) work together and where close cooperation between surgeons and anaesthesiologists promotes the safe performance of major gastrointestinal surgeries with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates. In this review, we sought to provide simple daily recommendations to the clinicians who manage pancreatic surgery patients to make their work easier and suggest a joint approach between surgeons and anaesthesiologists in daily decision making

Recent Applications of Melanin-like Nanoparticles as Antioxidant Agents

Nanosized antioxidants are highly advantageous in terms of versatility and pharmacokinetics, with respect to conventional molecular ones. Melanin-like materials, artificial species inspired by natural melanin, combine recognized antioxidant (AOX) activity with a unique versatility of preparation and modification. Due to this versatility and documented biocompatibility, artificial melanin has been incorporated into a variety of nanoparticles (NP) in order to give new platforms for nanomedicine with enhanced AOX activity. In this review article, we first discuss the chemical mechanisms behind the AOX activity of materials in the context of the inhibition of the radical chain reaction responsible for the peroxidation of biomolecules. We also focus briefly on the AOX properties of melanin-like NP, considering the effect of parameters such as size, preparation methods and surface functionalization on them. Then, we consider the most recent and relevant applications of AOX melanin-like NPs that are able to counteract ferroptosis and be involved in the treatment of important diseases that affect, e.g., the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as the kidneys, liver and articulations. A specific section will be dedicated to cancer treatment, since the role of melanin in this context is still very debated. Finally, we propose future strategies in AOX development for a better chemical understanding of melanin-like materials. In particular, the composition and structure of these materials are still debated, and they present a high level of variability. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanism behind the interaction of melanin-like nanostructures with different radicals and highly reactive species would be highly advantageous for the design of more effective and specific AOX nano-agents

Post-operative morbidity following pancreatic duct occlusion without anastomosis after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Pancreatic duct occlusion (PDO) without anastomosis is a technique proposed to mitigate the clinical consequences of postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy. The aim of this study was to appraise the morbidity following PDO through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Web Of Science identified studies reporting outcomes of PDO following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Pooled prevalence rates of postoperative complications and mortality were computed using random-effect modeling. Meta-regression analyses were performed to examine the impact of moderators on the overall estimates. Results: Sixteen studies involving 1000 patients were included. Pooled postoperative mortality was 2.7%. A POPF was reported in 29.7% of the patients. Clinically relevant POPFs occurred in 13.5% of the patients, while intra-abdominal abscess and haemorrhages occurred in 6.7% and 5.5% of the patients, respectively. Re-operation was necessary in 7.6% of the patients. Postoperatively new onset diabetes occurred in 15.8% of patients, more frequently after the use of chemical substances for PDO (p = 0.003). Conclusions: PDO is associated with significant morbidity including new onset of post-operative diabetes. The risk of new onset post-operative diabetes is associated with the use of chemical substance for PDO. Further evidence is needed to evaluate the potential benefits of PDO in patients at high risk of POPF

Fluctuación anual de la masa corporal, tamaño de gónadas y muda de Guira guira (Cuculiformes: Cuculidae)

Se describen las relaciones entre masa corporal, tamaño de gónadas y muda postnupcial del Pirincho Guira guira sobre la base de 92 especímenes (53 machos y 39 hembras), coleccionados en el partido de Magdalena (provincia de Buenos Aires) entre 1991 y 1997, hasta completar el período de un año. Considerando el promedio anual, no se hallaron diferencias significativas entre la masa corporal de machos y hembras. Para cada sexo se determinaron dos períodos en la variación del tamaño de las gónadas: uno de mayor actividad (septiembre-enero) y el otro de inactividad sexual (abril-agosto). Los machos mostraron un desarrollo gonadal más temprano que las hembras. La postura del primer huevo comenzó en octubre. A mediados de diciembre comenzó una declinación en el tamaño de las gónadas, en relación con el comienzo de la muda postnupcial, que alcanzó su apogeo en marzo. La muda fue asimétrica. El 85,8% de los ejemplares estudiados estaban en muda. El proceso se extendió hasta fines de mayo.The relationships between body mass, gonadal size and postnuptial molt of Guira Cuckoo Guira guira are described based on 92 specimens (53 males and 39 females), collected in Magdalena district (Buenos Aires province) during an annual period from 1991 to 1997. Considering the yearly average, no significant differences were found between body mass of males and females. Two periods in variation in the size of the gonads for each sex were determined: one of increased activity (September-January) and the other of sexual inactivity (April-August). Males showed an earlier gonadal development than females. The first egg laying began in October. In mid-December, a decline in the size of the gonads in relation to the onset of postnuptial molt began and peaked in March. The molt was asymmetric; 85,8 % of the studied specimens were in molt. The process was extended through May.Fil: Darrieu, Carlos Aquiles. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología de Vertebrados. Sección Ornitología; ArgentinaFil: Camperi, Anibal R.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología de Vertebrados. Sección Ornitología; ArgentinaFil: Montalti, Diego. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología de Vertebrados. Sección Ornitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

pH Switchable Water Dispersed Photocatalytic Nanoparticles

Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) finds applications in fields as different as nanomedicine, art preservation, air and water depollution and surface decontamination. Here we present photocatalytic nanoparticles (NP) that are active only at acidic pH while they do not show relevant ROS photo-generation at neutral pH. This dual responsivity (to light and pH) is achieved by stabilizing the surface of TiO2 NP with a specific organic shell during the synthesis and it is peculiar of the achieved core shell-structure, as demonstrated by comparison with commercial photocatalytic TiO2 NP. For the investigation of the photocatalytic activity, we developed two methods that allow real time detection of the process preventing any kind of artifact arising from post-treatments and delayed analysis. The reversibility of the pH response was also demonstrated as well as the selective photo-killing of cancer cells at acidic pH

Impact of remnant vital tissue after locoregional treatment and liver transplant in hepatocellular cancer patients. A multicentre cohort study

The role of pathological findings after locoregional treatments as predictors of hepatocellular cancer recurrence after liver transplantation has been poorly addressed. The aim of the study was to identify the role of remnant vital tissue (RVT) of the target lesion in predicting hepatocellular cancer recurrence. Two hundred and seventy-six patients firstly undergoing locoregional treatment and then transplanted between January 2010 and December 2015 in four European Transplant Centres (i.e. Rome Tor Vergata, Birmingham, Brussels and Ancona) were enrolled in the study to investigate the role of pathological response at upfront locoregional treatment. At multivariable Cox regression analysis, RVT ≥2 cm was a strong independent risk factor for post-LT recurrence (HR = 5.6; P < 0.0001). Five-year disease-free survival rates were 60.8%, 80.9% and 95.0% in patients presenting a RVT ≥2 cm vs. 0.1-1.9 vs. no RVT, respectively. When only Milan Criteria-IN patients were analysed, similar results were reported, with 5-year disease-free survival rates of 58.1%, 79.0% and 94.0% in patients presenting a RVT ≥2 cm vs. 0.1-1.9 vs. no RVT, respectively. RVT is an important determinant of tumour recurrence after liver transplantation performed for hepatocellular cancer. Its discriminative power looks to be evident also in a Milan-IN setting, suggesting to more liberally use locoregional treatments also in these patients

La Colección de huevos "Ronald Runnacles" del Museo de La Plata: historia y material depositado

We present information about the private egg collection "Ronald Runnacles" as part of the Ornithological Collection at the Museo de La Plata (División Zoología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata). Mr. Ronald Runnacles was an argentine naturalist who lived in General Lavalle, Buenos Aires province. He devoted his short life to the study of birds, mainly waterbirds of central-east Argentina. He started very young to collect eggs in General Lavalle for his private egg collection, but his fieldwork was stopped prematurely at 26 years old after called of the British government to join in the World War II in 1941. He died a year later at the battle fronts in Holland. His family donated years after the complete egg collection to the Museo de La Plata, which generated a significant contribution to the existing egg collection, as it includes valuable information about 17 orders and 44 families of birds that nest in central-east Argentina.Se presenta información sobre la colección de huevos "Ronald Runnacles" queforma parte de la Colección Ornitológica del Museo de La Plata (División ZoologíaVertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata). ElSr. Ronald Runnacles fue un naturalista argentino radicado en la localidad de GeneralLavalle, provincia de Buenos Aires. Dedicó su corta vida al estudio de las aves,principalmente aves acuáticas de la región pampeana. Comenzó de muy joven a recolectarhuevos en la zona de General Lavalle para su colección privada, pero su trabajo de campo seinterrumpió prematuramente a sus 26 años luego de la citación del gobierno británico parasumarse a la Segunda Guerra Mundial en el año 1941. Murió un año después en los frentes debatalla en Holanda. Años después su familia donó la colección de huevos al Museo de LaPlata, la cual generó un relevante aporte a la colección de huevos preexistente, ya que incluyeinformación valiosa sobre 17 Órdenes y 44 Familias de aves que nidifican en la regiónpampeana