Aspecte clinico-morfologice în chistul de arc II branchial la copil

Cazul prezentat ilucidează principiile de diagnostic și tratament chirurgical în chistul de arc II branchial la copii, autorii descriind și modificările morfopatologice caracteristice în această formațiune malformativă. Raritatea cazului prezentat are ca scop de a atenționa necesitatea unui indice de suspiciune sporit în cazurile unor formațiuni cervicale laterale pentru un diagnostic adecvat și un tratament corespunzător, examenul histologic al piesei de rezecție fiind obligator.The case illustrates the principles of diagnosis and treatment of branchial second arch cyst in children, the authors also described the morphopathological changes found in this malformative formation. The rarity of the presented case aims to warn of the need for an increased index of suspicion in cases of lateral cervical formations for proper diagnosis and treatment, the histological examination of the resection piece being mandatory

Particularitățile proceselor regenerative în reconstrucția defectelor diafragmatice cu alogrefe decelularizate de pericard porcin în model experimental

Actualmente se depun eforturi considerabile în elaborarea unor materiale biologice decelularizate ca alternativă de corecție chirurgicală a defectelor diafragmatice. Scopul acestui studiu a fost evaluarea eficienței, siguranței și particularităților proceselor de regenerare și remodelare tisulară ale alogrefelor decelularizate de pericard porcin crioprezervate, utilizate în reconstrucția defectelor diafragmatice, create chirurgical în model experimental la porci. Lotul de studiu a inclus 6 purcei cu greutatea de 10 kg, supuși laparotomiei subcostale stângi cu reconstrucția defectului diafragmatic, creat chirurgical, cu grefe decelularizate de pericard porcin (lotul 1 - 3 animale) și peritoneu porcin (lotul 2 - 3 animale). Exameul radilogic efectuat în loul 1 la 15 zile postoperator a stabilit o configurație normală a neohemidiafragmului creat, la a 60 zi postoperator fiind documentată eventrația nesemnificativă a neohemidiafragmului. În lotul 2 la a 15 zi postoperator a fost observată o eventrație neînsemnată a neohemidiafragmului, ulterior, ambele animale acestui lot decedînd subit la a 54 și a 60 zi postoperator din cauza dehiscenței grefei. În lotul I au fost observate zone cu o fibrilogeneză atipică (malformativă) care se evidențiau printr-un aspect multichistic sau lacunarcavitar, cu suprafețe interne tapetate cu epiteliu mezotelial peritoneal unistratificat aplatizat fără aspecte de activitate mitotică. Formațiunea cavitar-chistică putea fi și o pseudotumoră chistică cu septuri mai subțiri, cu o carcasă redusă din fibre de colagen. La animalele lotului 2 în ambele cazuri s-a constatat un hemidiafragm cu defect persistent determinat de reabsorbția parțială a materialului biologic, necătînd că putea fi observat și zone de țesut neoformat. Așadar, grefele decelularizate de peritoneu porcin utilizate în reconstrucția chirurgicală a diafragmului sunt caracterizate de o biorezistență redusă, care poate contribui la reabsorbția parțială a acestui material biologic cu dezvoltarea unor complicații grave. Grefele decelularizate de pericard au o biorezistență acceptabilă comparativ cu cele de peritoneu porcin, aceste date sugend necesitatea unor studii suplimentare pe termen lung, care ar avea ca scop obținerea unor rezultate mai durabile.Considerable efforts are currently underway in the development of decellularized biologic materials as an alternative to surgical correction of diaphragmatic defects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency, safety and particularities of tissue regeneration and remodeling processes of allograft decellularized cryopreserved porcine pericardium, used in the reconstruction of diaphragmatic defects, surgically created in experimental model in pigs. The study group included 6 pigs weighing 10 kg, subjected to left subcostal laparotomy with surgical reconstruction of diaphragmatic defect, with decellularized grafts of porcine pericardium (1-3 animals) and porcine peritoneum (group 2- 3 animals). The radilogic examination performed in group 1 at 15 days postoperatively a normal configuration of the neohemidiaphragm created, at 60 postoperative day being documented the insignificant eventration of neohemidiaphragm. In group 2 to 15 postoperatively, a slight incidence of neohemidiaphragm was observed, after which both animals of this group died suddenly at 54 and 60 days postoperatively due to graft dehiscence. In 2 cases areas with atypical (malformative) fibrillogenesis were observed, which were evidenced by a multicystic or lacunar-cavity aspect, with internal surfaces covered with unistratified peritoneal mesothelial epithelium flattened without aspects of mitotic activity. The mesothelial cavity-cystic aspect has also been shown on border, in some cavities being present fibro-epithelial conjunctival micro-polyps. The cavity-cyst formation could also be a cystic pseudotumor with thinner septa, with a reduced collagen fiber housing. In the animals of lot 2, in both cases, there was a hemidiaphragm with persistent defect determined by the partial reabsorption of the biological material, although neoformed tissue areas could be observed. Therefore, decellularized porcine peritoneum grafts used in surgical reconstruction of the diaphragm are characterized by a low bioresistence which can contribute to the partial reabsorption of this biological material with the development of serious complications. Decellularized grafts of porcine pericardium have an acceptable bioresistence compared to porcine peritoneum, and this data suggests the need for further long-term studies that would seek to achieve more sustainable outcomes

Influence of external factors on the composition and therapeutic efficiency of propolis

Universitatea de Stat de Medicină și Farmacie „Nicolae Testemiţanu” din Republica Moldova, Institutul de Chimie afiliat Academiei de Știinţe al Republicii Moldova, Chișinău, Republica Moldova, Universitatea de Știinţe Agricole și Medicină Veterinară, Cluj-Napoca, România, Universitatea Agrară de Stat din Moldova, Chișinău, Republica MoldovaAbstract. From therapeutic point of view, propolis is one of the most valuable bee products, which proves its use in various pharmaceutical forms, and further research of this product worldwide. However the complex and diverse composition requires a complex study of both propolis and the factors that lead to the modification of the composition and respectively inevitably to the change of the therapeutic properties. This paper is a synthesis of the effects of the use of herbicides and insecticides on the composition and therapeutic properties of propolis. It was established that the presence of certain herbicides and insecticides propolis samples collected in different geographic areas, as is concluded to decrease the effect of the presence of the therapeutic properties of propolis in the presence of polluting factors mentioned above.Rezumat. Din punct de vedere terapeutic, propolisul reprezintă una dintre cele mai valoroase substanţe biologic active apicole, fapt dovedit de utilizarea lui tot mai largă în diverse prescripţii și forme farmaceutice, și studiul lui centrat, reluat în pandemie, la nivel mondial. Compoziţia complexă și diversă, necesită un studiu la fel de complex, atât al propolisului, cât și al factorilor ce pot duce la modificarea compoziţiei, și respectiv, la schimbarea potenţialului terapeutic. Lucrarea reprezintă o sinteză prioritar axată pe rezultatele studiilor efectelor utilizării erbicidelor și insecticidelor asupra compoziţiei și potenţialului terapeutic al propolisului. Astfel, prezenţa unor erbicide și insecticide în mostrele de propolis colectat în diferite zone geografice și climacterice, influenţează direct compoziţia propolisului, condiţionând diminuarea substanţială a potenţialului lui terapeutic

Body Shaping and Volume Restoration: The Role of Hyaluronic Acid

Driven by the rising popularity of minimally invasive techniques, the demand for cosmetic procedures is increasing. Cosmetic body-shaping procedures can be categorized into those that remove tissue and those that add volume. This review focuses on the latter of these categories, particularly on the use of resorbable hyaluronic acid gels specifically developed for minimally invasive volume enhancement. Pilot studies of hyaluronic acid involving its injection to contour various body deformities and its recent use in female breast augmentation are discussed. Injectable hyaluronic acid is effective and well tolerated. It represents an attractive treatment option for volume restoration or augmentation by providing predictable long-lasting results after minimally invasive administration. Alternative treatment options for volume enhancement also are summarized including fat transfer, silicone implants, and the use of injectable nonresorbable products such as silicone, polyalkylimide, and polyacrylamide gels. As patients continue to opt for nonsurgical procedures that offer predictable results, the development of minimally invasive products such as hyaluronic acid is increasingly important

Life Cycle Management of Infrastructures

By definition, life cycle management (LCM) is a framework “of concepts, techniques, and procedures to address environmental, economic, technological, and social aspects of products and organizations in order to achieve continuous ‘sustainable’ improvement from a life cycle perspective” (Hunkeler et al.\ua02001). Thus, LCM theoretically integrates all sustainability dimensions, and strives to provide a holistic perspective. It also assists in the efficient and effective use of constrained natural and financial resources to reduce negative impacts on society (Sonnemann and Leeuw\ua02006; Adibi et al.\ua02015). The LCM of infrastructures is the adaptation of product life cycle management (PLM) as techniques to the design, construction, and management of infrastructures. Infrastructure life cycle management requires accurate and extensive information that might be generated through different kinds of intelligent and connected information workflows, such as building information modeling (BIM)

Weekly Intra-Amniotic IGF-1 Treatment Increases Growth of Growth-Restricted Ovine Fetuses and Up-Regulates Placental Amino Acid Transporters

Frequent treatment of the growth-restricted (IUGR) ovine fetus with intra-amniotic IGF-1 increases fetal growth. We aimed to determine whether increased growth was maintained with an extended dosing interval and to examine possible mechanisms. Pregnant ewes were allocated to three groups: Control, and two IUGR groups (induced by placental embolization) treated with weekly intra-amniotic injections of either saline (IUGR) or 360 µg IGF-1 (IGF1). IUGR fetuses were hypoxic, hyperuremic, hypoglycemic, and grew more slowly than controls. Placental glucose uptake and SLC2A1 (GLUT2) mRNA levels decreased in IUGR fetuses, but SLC2A3 (GLUT3) and SLC2A4 (GLUT4) levels were unaffected. IGF-1 treatment increased fetal growth rate, did not alter uterine blood flow or placental glucose uptake, and increased placental SLC2A1 and SLC2A4 (but not SLC2A3) mRNA levels compared with saline-treated IUGR animals. Following IGF-1 treatment, placental mRNA levels of isoforms of the system A, y+, and L amino acid transporters increased 1.3 to 5.0 fold, while the ratio of phosphorylated-mTOR to total mTOR also tended to increase. Weekly intra-amniotic IGF-1 treatment provides a promising avenue for intra-uterine treatment of IUGR babies, and may act via increased fetal substrate supply, up-regulating placental transporters for neutral, cationic, and branched-chain amino acids, possibly via increased activation of the mTOR pathway

Social norms towards smoking and electronic cigarettes among adult smokers in seven European Countries: Findings from the EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Surveys

Introduction: This study explores whether current smokers’ social norms towards smoking and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) vary across seven European countries alongside smoking and e-cigarette prevalence rates. At the time of surveying, England had the lowest current smoking prevalence and Greece the highest. Hungary, Romania and Spain had the lowest prevalence of any e-cigarette use and England the highest. // Methods: Respondents were adult (≥18 years) current smokers from the 2016 EUREST-PLUS ITC (Romania, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Greece, Germany) and ITC 4CV England Surveys (N=7779). Using logistic regression, associations between country and (a) smoking norms and (b) e-cigarette norms were assessed, adjusting for age, sex, income, education, smoking status, heaviness of smoking, and e-cigarette status. // Results: Compared with England, smoking norms were higher in all countries: reporting that at least three of five closest friends smoke (19% vs 65–84% [AOR=6.9–24.0; Hungary–Greece]), perceiving that people important to them approve of smoking (8% vs 14–57% [1.9–51.1; Spain–Hungary]), perceiving that the public approves of smoking (5% vs 6–37% [1.7–15.8; Spain–Hungary]), disagreeing that smokers are marginalised (9% vs 16–50% [2.3–12.3; Poland–Greece]) except in Hungary. Compared with England: reporting that at least one of five closest friends uses e-cigarettes was higher in Poland (28% vs 36% [2.7]) but lower in Spain and Romania (28% vs 6–14% [0.3–0.6]), perceiving that the public approves of e-cigarettes was higher in Poland, Hungary and Greece (32% vs 36–40% [1.5–1.6]) but lower in Spain and Romania in unadjusted analyses only (32% vs 24–26%), reporting seeing e-cigarette use in public at least some days was lower in all countries (81% vs 12–55% [0.1–0.4]; Spain–Greece). // Conclusions: Smokers from England had the least pro-smoking norms. Smokers from Spain had the least pro-e-cigarette norms. Friend smoking and disagreeing that smokers are marginalised broadly aligned with country-level current smoking rates. Seeing e-cigarette use in public broadly aligned with countrylevel any e-cigarette use. Generally, no other norms aligned with product prevalence

Smoking in public places in six European countries: Findings from the EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Survey

Introduction: Surveillance of tobacco consumption in public places is an important measure to evaluate the impact of tobacco control interventions over time. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of smoking as seen by smokers and their smoking behaviour in public places, in six European countries. Methods: We used baseline data of the International Tobacco Control Six European countries (ITC 6E) Survey, part of the EUREST-PLUS Project, conducted in 2016 in national representative samples of about 1000 adult smokers aged 18 years and older in Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Spain. For each setting (workplaces, restaurants, bars/pubs and discos) participants were asked whether they had seen someone smoking during their last visit there and whether they too had smoked there. We report the overall and by-country weighted prevalence of seeing someone smoking and the smokers’ own smoking behaviour at each setting. We also assess the relationship between seeing someone smoking and smoking themselves at these settings. Results: The prevalence of smoking as seen by smokers was 18.8% at workplaces, with high variability among countries (from 4.7% in Hungary to 40.8% in Greece). Among smokers visiting leisure facilities in the last year, during their last visit 22.7% had seen someone smoking inside restaurants and 12.2% had smoked themselves there, while for bars/pubs the corresponding prevalences were 33.9% and 20.4%, and inside discos 44.8% and 34.8%. Conclusions: Smoking is still prevalent at leisure facilities, particularly at discos in Europe, with high variability among countries. More extensive awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement are needed to increase the compliance of smokefree regulations, especially in leisure facilities

Patterns of tobacco use, quit attempts, readiness to quit and self-efficacy among smokers with anxiety or depression: Findings among six countries of the EUREST-PLUS ITC Europe Surveys

Introduction: We compared smoking behaviors, past quit attempts, readiness to quit and beliefs about quitting among current cigarette smokers with probable anxiety or depression (PAD) to those without PAD, from six European Union (EU) Member States (MS). Methods: A nationally representative cross-sectional sample of 6011 adult cigarette smokers from six EU MS (Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Spain) was randomly selected through a multistage cluster sampling design in 2016. Respondents were classified as having PAD based on self-reported current diagnosis or treatment for anxiety or depression, or a positive screen for major depression, according to a validated two-item instrument. Sociodemographic characteristics, patterns of tobacco use, past quitting, readiness to quit, self-efficacy and beliefs about quitting were assessed for patients with and without PAD. Logistic regression was used to examine predictors of PAD. All analyses were conducted using the complex samples package of SPSS. Results: Among smokers sampled, 21.0% (95% CI: 19.3–22.9) were identified as having PAD. Logistic regression analyses controlling for socioeconomic variables and cigarettes smoked per day found smokers with PAD were more likely to have made an attempt to quit smoking in the past (AOR=1.48; 95% CI: 1.25–1.74), made a quit attempt in the last 12 months (AOR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.45–2.11), and report lower self-efficacy with quitting (AOR=1.83; 95% CI: 1.44–2.32) compared to smokers without PAD. Additionally, it was found that individuals with PAD were more likely to report having received advice to quit from a doctor or health professional and having used quitline support as part of their last quit attempt. Conclusions: Smokers with PAD report a greater interest in quitting in the future and more frequent failed quit attempts than smokers without PAD; however, the high rates of untreated anxiety or depression, nicotine dependence, low confidence in the ability to quit, infrequent use of cessation methods, as well as socioeconomic factors may make quitting difficult