Local resection versus radical surgery for parathyroid carcinoma: A National Cancer Database analysis.

Introduction: Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is rare and often diagnosed incidentally after local resection (LR) for other indications. Although recommended treatment has traditionally been radical surgery (RS), more recent guidelines suggest that LR alone may be adequate. We sought to further investigate outcomes of RS versus LR for localized PC.

BIOACCUMULATION OF MERCURY IN A TERRESTRIAL CARNIVORE, AMERICAN MARTEN ().

Studies that assess mercury bioaccumulation in small carnivores in terrestrial habitats are limited. We quantified total mercury (THg) in American marten () that were harvested for fur in Michigan, US, during 2013 and 2014. We quantified THg (dry weight) in hair, kidney, and liver samples and further analyzed hair for potential demographic and ecological factors that influence THg bioaccumulation.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy and placement of operative enteral access: Better or worse?

Background: It is unclear whether placement of operative enteral access (OEA) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) correlates with decreased morbidity.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing PD with and without OEA placement between January 2016 and May 2018 was undertaken. Outcomes included length of stay (LOS), 30- and 90-day readmission, initiation of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), delayed gastric emptying (DGE), and surgical site infection (SSI).

Core versus specialty rotations do not affect students' surgical development.

Background: Research is scarce on how the diversity of surgical rotations affects students. We sought to assess the effect of core rotations compared to specialty rotations on students' development.

Methods: Students were given a suturing workshop at the beginning of their surgical clerkship along with a questionnaire.

Selection bias: Examining the feasibility, utility, and participant receptivity to incorporating simulation into the general surgery residency selection process.

Background: Opportunities exist to revise the current residency selection process to capture desirable candidate competencies. We examined the extent to which components of the American College of Surgeons/Association for Surgical Education simulation-based medical student curriculum combined with a teamwork activity could be used as potential screening method.

Methods: Students participated in a workshop consisting of training/evaluation of knot tying, suturing, airway management, gowning/gloving, and teamwork.

MicroRNA-101 inhibits growth of epithelial ovarian cancer by relieving chromatin-mediated transcriptional repression of p21(waf¹/cip¹).

Purpose: MicroRNA-101 (miR-101) expression is negatively associated with tumor growth and proliferation in several solid epithelial cancers. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EzH2) appears to be a functional target of miR-101. We explore the role of miR-101 and its interaction with EzH2 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC).

Sulforaphane induces cell cycle arrest by protecting RB-E2F-1 complex in epithelial ovarian cancer cells.

Background: Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate phytochemical present predominantly in cruciferous vegetables such as brussels sprout and broccoli, is considered a promising chemo-preventive agent against cancer. In-vitro exposure to SFN appears to result in the induction of apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in a variety of tumor types. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to the inhibition of cell cycle progression by SFN are poorly understood in epithelial ovarian cancer cells (EOC).

Ritonavir blocks AKT signaling, activates apoptosis and inhibits migration and invasion in ovarian cancer cells.

Background: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of mortality from gynecological malignancies, often undetectable in early stages. The difficulty of detecting the disease in its early stages and the propensity of ovarian cancer cells to develop resistance to known chemotherapeutic treatments dramatically decreases the 5-year survival rate. Chemotherapy with paclitaxel after surgery increases median survival only by 2 to 3 years in stage IV disease highlights the need for more effective drugs.

Telomere maintenance in laser capture microdissection-purified Barrett's adenocarcinoma cells and effect of telomerase inhibition in vivo.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to investigate telomere function in normal and Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma (BEAC) cells purified by laser capture microdissection and to evaluate the effect of telomerase inhibition in cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Experimental Design: Epithelial cells were purified from surgically resected esophagi. Telomerase activity was measured by modified telomeric repeat amplification protocol and telomere length was determined by real-time PCR assay.

Lipopolysaccharide activation of pericyte's Toll-like receptor-4 regulates co-culture permeability.

Background: Pericytes (PCs) have a synergistic relationship with endothelial cells (MVEC) in regulating capillary permeability. PCs express Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4). We hypothesize one mechanism of MVEC/PC co-culture permeability is regulated through lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation of pericyte TLR-4.

Lipopolysaccharide up-regulates heat shock protein expression in rat lung pericytes.

Background: Heat shock proteins (HSP) function as molecular chaperones, participating in protein folding and maturation throughout the cell. Serum HSPs may correlate with acute lung injury. Pericytes are perivascular cells located abluminally from endothelial cells, and play a regulatory role in capillary leak.

Cytokine production in lipopolysaccharide-exposed rat lung pericytes.

Background: Vessels of the pulmonary microvasculature are composed of two cell types: endothelial cells and pericytes. Pericytes are crucial to the development of capillary leak and pulmonary edema seen in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Pericytes express toll-like receptor-4, and is upregulated in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Solid-pseudopapillary tumors of the pancreas: case report and literature review.

Solid pseudopapillary tumors (SPT) of the pancreas are rare neoplasms of low malignant potential that mostly affect young women. These tumors are of unclear pathogenesis, are slow growing, and can become considerably large before causing symptoms. Complete resection is curative in most cases.

Pericytes and their role in microvasculature homeostasis.

Background: The microvascular pericyte was first described in 1873, though it is a cell that has largely been ignored in the clinical literature. Pericytes are multifunctional, polymorphic, perivascular cells that lie within, and contribute to the production of the microvessel basil lamina.

Materials: The pericyte is the second cell that comprises the capillary wall, and is in a prime location to be involved with microvascular permeability.

Toll-like receptor-4 message is up-regulated in lipopolysaccharide-exposed rat lung pericytes.

Background: Pericytes are multifunctional, polymorphic perivascular cells that lie within the microvessel basal lamina, are located on the abluminal side of endothelial cells, and are thought to play a regulatory role in capillary leak observed in sepsis. Toll-Like receptor 4 (TLR-4) has been implicated as the proximal transmembrane receptor for the LPS/CD 14 complex during the activation of lipopolysacharide (LPS)-induced sepsis. It is our hypothesis that TLR-4 is present on lung pericytes and is up-regulated in response to LPS.

Vascular endothelial growth factor modulates contractile response in microvascular lung pericytes.

Background: Pericytes are capillary support cells that may play a role in regulating permeability by their contractile responses. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may play a role in the increased permeability found in sepsis and other inflammatory conditions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of VEGF in regulating pericyte contraction.

TNF-alpha and IL-1beta increase pericyte/endothelial cell co-culture permeability.

Background: Pericytes (PC) have a unique synergistic relationship with microvascular endothelial cells (MVEC) in the regulation of capillary permeability. This study investigates the effect of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 on the microvasculature by measuring changes in PC contractility, and also, albumin permeability across MVEC/PC co-cultures.

Materials And Methods: Semi-permeable inserts were plated first with rat lung MVEC and then PCs (on the fourth day) at a ratio of 10:1 MVEC/PC.

Long-term follow up and prognostic factors for cryotherapy of malignant liver tumors.

Background: The aims of this study were to determine the long-term outcomes of cryotherapy in patients with hepatic malignancies and to describe prognostic factors that may affect survival.

Methods: Ninety-eight patients (56 colorectal metastases, 28 noncolorectal metastases, 14 hepatocellular carcinomas) undergoing hepatic cryosurgery were identified in a retrospective review from January 1994 to December 2002.

Results: Overall survival rates at 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5- years were 81%, 62%, 48%, and 28%, respectively(median survival, 33 months) compared to a hepatic recurrence-free survival of 76%, 42%, 24%, and 16%, respectively (median hepatic recurrence-free survival, 20 months).

Endothelial cells protect against lipopolysaccharide-induced caspase-3-mediated pericyte apoptosis in a coculture system.

Background: Cells that comprise the pulmonary capillary walls, the pericytes and endothelial cells, may undergo apoptosis in inflammatory states. This study examined the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on apoptosis in pericytes and endothelial cells, both individually and grown together in a coculture system.

Methods: Pericytes and endothelial cells were isolated and cultured separately and in coculture as previously described.

Prognostic determinants in duodenal injuries.

A retrospective review of 222 consecutive patients with duodenal injuries admitted to an urban Level 1 Trauma Center who subsequently underwent laparotomy during the period July 1980 to April 2002 was performed in an effort to elucidate factors associated with mortality, infectious morbidity, and length of stay in these patients. Predictably, the patients were predominantly male (92.7%) and young (mean age, 31.

Predictors of mortality in patients with traumatic diaphragmatic rupture and associated thoracic and/or abdominal injuries.

This is a retrospective review of 731 patients sustaining diaphragmatic trauma over a 22 year period (1980-2002) at an urban level I trauma center. Patients had an average injury severity score (ISS) of 22 +/- 12. The mortality rate (MR) was 23 per cent (168/731).

Inhibition of heme oxygenase-1 in microvascular lung pericytes diminishes at high concentrations of an inflammatory mediator.

Post-traumatic inflammation and sepsis induce changes in the lung microvasculature causing increased permeability. Pericytes, contractile cells positioned abluminally to endothelial cells, play a role in regulating this response. An in vitro model of microvascular lung pericytes (MLP) was used to investigate the effect of inhibiting heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a stress-induced enzyme, in the presence of varying levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a mediator in the initiation of inflammation, on pericyte contractility.

End-tidal CO2-arterial CO2 differences: a useful intraoperative mortality marker in trauma surgery.

Objective: The gradient of end-tidal CO2 to arterial CO2 (Pa-ET)CO2 has been identified as a predictor of mortality in patients undergoing emergency trauma surgery. In an effort to further elucidate this phenomena, we accumulated additional data on trauma patients undergoing emergency surgery.

Methods: Five-hundred and one patients undergoing emergent trauma surgery at an Urban Level I Trauma Center were used as a database.

The roles of cyclic adenosine monophosphate- and cyclic guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase pathways in hydrogen peroxide-induced contractility of microvascular lung pericytes.

Background: Sepsis and posttraumatic inflammatory processes are accompanied by definite changes in microvascular permeability, particularly in the lung. These permeability changes may occur because of damaged regulatory mechanisms at the level of the capillary wall. Pericytes are adventitial cells located within the basement membrane of capillaries.

The extent of cryosurgery increases the complication rate after hepatic cryoablation.

Although there have been many reports on the use of cryosurgery to ablate hepatic malignancies none have specifically examined the relationship of complication rates to the extent of cryoablation. A retrospective review from January 1997 to May 2002 identified 98 patients treated with hepatic cryotherapy. The extent of the cryosurgery was determined by the total number of lesions (TNL) and total estimated area (TEA) of the lesions from preoperative evaluation by CT scan and intraoperative evaluation by ultrasound.