569 research outputs found
Characterization of anomalous diffusion classical statistics powered by deep learning (CONDOR)
Diffusion processes are important in several physical, chemical, biological
and human phenomena. Examples include molecular encounters in reactions,
cellular signalling, the foraging of animals, the spread of diseases, as well
as trends in financial markets and climate records. Deviations from Brownian
diffusion, known as anomalous diffusion, can often be observed in these
processes, when the growth of the mean square displacement in time is not
linear. An ever-increasing number of methods has thus appeared to characterize
anomalous diffusion trajectories based on classical statistics or machine
learning approaches. Yet, characterization of anomalous diffusion remains
challenging to date as testified by the launch of the Anomalous Diffusion
(AnDi) Challenge in March 2020 to assess and compare new and pre-existing
methods on three different aspects of the problem: the inference of the
anomalous diffusion exponent, the classification of the diffusion model, and
the segmentation of trajectories. Here, we introduce a novel method (CONDOR)
which combines feature engineering based on classical statistics with
supervised deep learning to efficiently identify the underlying anomalous
diffusion model with high accuracy and infer its exponent with a small mean
absolute error in single 1D, 2D and 3D trajectories corrupted by localization
noise. Finally, we extend our method to the segmentation of trajectories where
the diffusion model and/or its anomalous exponent vary in time
Oncological and psychological evaluation of laryngectomized patients, pre and post implantation of voice prostheses. A single center experience
Role of narrow band imaging (NBI), in the treatment of non-polypoid colorectal lesions, with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). A single-center experience
BACKGROUND: In this study, the authors evaluated the role of narrow band imaging endoscopy in the early detection of infiltration of the colon wall by flat and depressed lesions, highlighted during colonoscopy, to confirm the possibility of removal with Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR). METHODS: 67 patients (37 males and 30 females) with non-polypoid colorectal lesions were included in this study. The location of the lesions, the size and possible infiltration of the colon wall were performed with a colonoscopy with NBI. Lesions without massive invasion were treated with an EMR. RESULTS: NBI was found to be a sensitive, specific, and accurate technique in assessing any infiltration of the colon wall. Endoscopic resection of the mucous membrane was successfully performed in 62 patients, it was not possible to perform it in 5 patients, due to the lack of dissection, and they underwent surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Non-polypoid colorectal lesions and early tumors can be treated with EMR. Certainly, early detection with Narrow Band Imaging endoscopy and subsequent endoscopic resection can reduce colorectal cancer mortality. Many studies have confirmed that these two methods have achieved important results comparable with surgical procedures. KEY WORDS: Endoscopic Mucosal Resection, Narrow Band Imaging, Therapy
Post-operative oncological and psychological evaluation of patients with colostomy for colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND: The therapeutic arsenal for colorectal cancer is largely made up of surgery. In digestive tumors, ostomy devices induce loss of function and control. This medical device generates changes that affect all aspects of patients’ lives. This study evaluates the postoperative follow-up from the oncological point of view and the psychological impact of colosto- my on the quality of life of patients with colorectal cancer, analyzing any complications or relapses, and the high risk of self-concept disorder and social isolation.
METHODS: The aim of the work was to identify all the surgeries for colorectal cancer performed in the Federico II University Hospital of Naples, from 2018 to 2021, and among them how many had been packaged a colostomy. We then analyzed how many patients had been evaluated 12 months after surgery, with a transanal endoscopy or transto- my, and the percentage of any complications or relapses. The same patients who underwent endoscopic control were also evaluated psychologically, to analyze how they lived the packaging of the ostomy and how it had affected the quality of life.
READ-ONLY COP RESULTS: At endoscopic control, diversion colitis phenomena and few cases of stoma stenosis and stomatitis were detect- PRINTING PROHIBITED ed. No case of neoplastic recurrence. From the psychological point of view, the problems detected were in particular the alteration of body image, the loss of sphincter control, embarrassment and shame for the bad smell, impairment of sex- uality and difficulties in the couple relationship and social contacts, anxiety, depression and loneliness.
CONCLUSIONS: The post-operative evaluation of the ostomy patient following colorectal cancer requires endoscopic control to suddenly detect recurrences and complications and psychological support that improves their quality of life
Percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ) in patients with dumping syndrome: Evaluation of our center on a series of clinical cases
Background: The Dumping syndrome occurs in a variable percentage
of subjects undergoing surgery involving the esophageal
and gastric district. The treatment makes use of the introduction of
dietary measures and arti!cial nutrition, especially the internal
one. This study evaluates the experience of a single center
regarding the use of percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ) in
patients developing the dumping syndrome.
Methods: We evaluated the case history of our department, of all
patients operated on at the level of the upper gastrointestinal tract,
who had manifested symptoms referable to the Dumping syndrome
in the postoperative period.We have identi!ed 3, which we
have carried out further investigations to con!rm the presence of
an accelerated gastric emptying, and given the poor results obtained
with dietary modi!cations and drug therapy, we have
implemented a feeding through enteral nutrition, through a jejunal
probe. PEG/J positioned by Pull technique, and subsequently
replaced after 8 months.
Results: Clinically, patients did not develop short- or long-term
complications, symptoms were signi!cantly reduced, and they
gained weight. Psychologically, the anxiety disorders related to
nutrition have improved.
Conclusions: By means of percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy,
the symptoms related to hypoglycemic crises following the
hyperinsulinemic response to the ingestion of carbohydrates in
patients with Dumping were attenuated and the anxiety of eating
was lessened. Although limited to a few cases, we believe this form
of nutrition is the best for patients with dumping
Distinct Expression of Inflammatory Features in T Helper 17 Cells from Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). T helper (Th) 17 lymphocytes play a role in the pathogenesis of MS. Indeed, Th17 cells are abundant in the cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood of MS patients and promote pathogenesis in the mouse model of MS. To gain insight into the function of Th17 cells in MS, we tested whether Th17 cells polarized from naïve CD4 T cells of healthy donors and MS patients display different features. To this end, we analysed several parameters that typify the Th17 profile during the differentiation process of naïve CD4 T cells obtained from relapsing-remitting (RR)-MS patients (n = 31) and healthy donors (HD) (n = 28). Analysis of an array of cytokines produced by Th17 cells revealed that expression of interleukin (IL)-21, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-β, IL-2 and IL-1R1 is significantly increased in Th17 cells derived from MS patients compared to healthy donor-derived cells. Interestingly, IL-1R1 expression is also increased in Th17 cells circulating in the blood of MS patients compared to healthy donors. Since IL-2, IL-21, TNF-β, and IL-1R1 play a crucial role in the activation of immune cells, our data indicate that high expression of these molecules in Th17 cells from MS patients could be related to their high inflammatory status
Spatiotemporal quantitative microRNA-155 imaging reports immune-mediated changes in a triple-negative breast cancer model
IntroductionMicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs and represent key players in physiology and disease. Aberrant microRNA expression is central to the development and progression of cancer, with various microRNAs proposed as potential cancer biomarkers and drug targets. There is a need to better understand dynamic microRNA expression changes as cancers progress and their tumor microenvironments evolve. Therefore, spatiotemporal and non-invasive in vivo microRNA quantification in tumor models would be highly beneficial.MethodsWe developed an in vivo microRNA detector platform in which the obtained signals are positively correlated to microRNA presence, and which permitted stable expression in cancer cells as needed for long-term experimentation in tumor biology. It exploits a radionuclide-fluorescence dual-reporter for quantitative in vivo imaging of a microRNA of choice by radionuclide tomography and fluorescence-based downstream ex vivo tissue analyses. We generated and characterized breast cancer cells stably expressing various microRNA detectors and validated them in vitro.ResultsWe found the microRNA detector platform to report on microRNA presence in cells specifically and accurately, which was independently confirmed by real-time PCR and through microRNA modulation. Moreover, we established various breast tumor models in animals with different levels of residual immune systems and observed microRNA detector read-outs by imaging. Applying the detector platform to the progression of a triple-negative breast cancer model, we found that miR-155 upregulation in corresponding tumors was dependent on macrophage presence in tumors, revealing immune-mediated phenotypic changes in these tumors as they progressed.ConclusionWhile applied to immunooncology in this work, this multimodal in vivo microRNA detector platform will be useful whenever non-invasive quantification of spatiotemporal microRNA changes in living animals is of interest
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