The Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Oxidative Stress and Cardiac Fibrosis Biomarkers in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), a Single-Center Experience Analysis.

Unlabelled: The relationship between the classical cardiac biomarker and acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) in patients with COVID-19 is far from being elucidated. Furthermore, superoxide dismutase (SOD), a marker for oxidative stress, was associated with cardiac ischemia. Also, Galectin-3 is significant for defining the relationship between cardiac fibrosis and COVID-19.

COVID-19 in Pregnant Patients at Term: Evolution of Coagulation Factors in Mild Forms throughout the Pandemic: Conventional Analysis and Logistic Regression.

The evolution of coagulation factors in pregnant patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic is still debated. However, few studies have been carried out to evaluate the silent alterations of blood values in mild forms of the disease. A total of 153 pregnant patients with an asymptomatic form of COVID-19 and 306 healthy pregnant patients, who were admitted for delivery in our hospital between April 1, 2020 and March 1, 2022, were studied.

Xanthan-Based Materials as a Platform for Heparin Delivery.

Heparin (Hep), with its anticoagulant activity, antiangiogenic and apoptotic effects, and growth factor binding, plays an important role in various biological processes. Formulations as drug delivery systems protect its biological activity, and limit the potential side effects of faulty administration. The objective of this study was to develop novel xanthan-based materials as a delivery carrier for heparin.

Artificial Neural Network Models for Accurate Predictions of Fat-Free and Fat Masses, Using Easy-to-Measure Anthropometric Parameters.

Abdominal fat and fat-free masses report a close association with cardiometabolic risks, therefore this specific body compartment presents more interest than whole-body masses. This research aimed to develop accurate algorithms that predict body masses and specifically trunk fat and fat-free masses from easy to measure parameters in any setting. The study included 104 apparently healthy subjects, but with a higher-than-normal percent of adiposity or waist circumference.

The Importance of HDL-Cholesterol and Fat-Free Percentage as Protective Markers in Risk Factor Hierarchy for Patients with Metabolic Syndrome.

This research focused on establishing a hierarchy concerning the influence of various biological markers and body composition parameters on preventing, diagnosing and managing Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Our cross-sectional cohort study included 104 subjects without any atherosclerotic antecedent pathology, organized in two groups (with and without MetS). All participants underwent clinical and anthropometric measurements, DEXA investigation and blood tests for all MetS criteria, together with adiponectin, leptin, insulin, uric acid and CRP.

Metabolic Phenotypes-The Game Changer in Quality of Life of Obese Patients?

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the association of obesity phenotypes and quality of life (QoL) scales and their relationship with fat mass (FM) parameters.

Methods: This study categorized 104 subjects into 4 obesity phenotypes based on BMI and metabolic syndrome status: metabolically healthy obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO), metabolically healthy non-obese (MHNO), and metabolically unhealthy non-obese (MUNO). Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and metabolic profile was characterized by blood samples.

Better prediction for FGR (fetal growth restriction) with the sFlt-1/PIGF ratio: A case-control study.

The aim of this study was to check whether the sFlt-1/PIGF ratio, established as the biomarker for preeclampsia, reduces the false positive rate of late fetal growth restriction (FGR) detection by ultrasound biometry.This was a prospective case-control study, conducted at one regional maternity hospital in Romania. Study participants included singleton pregnancy women for whom the estimated fetal weight (EFW) at 28 to 35 weeks was < 10 percentiles and as controls, pregnant women with EFW >10 percentiles.

Significance of arterial stiffness and relationship with other noninvasive methods for the assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis inpatients with metabolic syndrome.

Unlabelled: Measurement of arterial stiffness is an accurate method of assessment of endothelial dysfunction, together with other noninvasive methods, in the diagnosis of atherosclerotic burden in patients with MetS.

Material And Methods: The study included 63 patients: MetS group (18 men, 20 women, mean age 58.86 +/- 8.

The role of immunohistochemical tests in multimodal treatment of the aggressive forms of breast cancer.

Unlabelled: Aggressive breast cancer is an invasive form with a differentiation degree G3/G4, the absence of estrogen receptor and progesterone and the absence or presence of the gene HER 2(+ or 3+). The immunohistochemical tests have an important role in establishing the diagnosis and the therapy.

Material And Method: It was shown that the aggressive breast cancers, 97 out of 316 cases were operated in the period October 2011 - February 2014.

High-dose phenobarbital or erythropoietin for the treatment of perinatal asphyxia in term newborns.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare two neuroprotective strategies to supportive care in the treatment of perinatal asphyxia.

Methods: A total of 67 term newborns with perinatal asphyxia were included and randomized into three groups: one group received supportive treatment; another group received a single dose of 40 mg/kg phenobarbital; and the third received three daily doses of 1000 IU/kg erythropoietin. The following parameters were analyzed: gestational age, birthweight, Apgar scores, cord blood pH, total serum antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA).

[A conus medullaris tuberculoma: a case report and literature review].

Background: Tuberculosis affecting the central nervous system is well recognized, but only rarely localizes to the medullary conus.

Observation: We report the case of a 69 year old man who was admitted to our unit with cauda equina syndrome. The MRI demonstrated ring-enhanced necrotizing lesions involving the medullary conus, the cervical cord and the brain.

[Surface properties and characteristics of PU-PTHF/MDI/HPC poly(ether)urethane for cardiovascular prosthesis].

Unlabelled: The polyurethanes are very used materials for medical devices. Their segmented block-copolymeric structures endows them a wide range of versatility in terms of tailoring their physical properties, and tissue compatibility.

Material And Method: A new polyether-urethane based material (PU-PTHF/MDI/HPC) was studied on bio-integration capacity in cardiovascular applications.

Preconditioning with inhalative carbon monoxide protects rat retinal ganglion cells from ischemia/reperfusion injury.

PURPOSE. Retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury damages retinal neurons. Carbon monoxide (CO) recently attracted attention as cytoprotective because of its anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects.

Liver macrophages contribute to pancreatic cancer-related cachexia.

Cachexia is a devastating process especially in pancreatic cancer patients and contributes to their poor survival. We attempted to clarify the pathological and molecular changes that occur in the liver during the development of cachexia. Using immunohistochemistry we investigated the infiltration of inflammatory mononuclear cells in liver biopsies of pancreatic cancer patients with or without cachexia, and the potential relevance of the cells for the nutritional and inflammatory status.

Surface characterization of biopolyurethanes based on cellulose derivatives.

Surface tension parameters and surface morphology of biopolyurethanes based on cellulose derivatives thin films, before and after HF cold plasma treatment has been investigated. Calculations are based on the geometric mean approach of Owens and Wendt, Rabel and Kälble, on the Lifshitz-van der Waals acid/base approach of van Oss and co-workers and on the theoretical methods involving quantitative structure-property relationship. For all the investigated samples the polar component contributes significantly to the total surface tensions, as due to the large electron donor interactions.

Indications for laparoscopy in the management of intussusception: A multicenter retrospective study conducted by the French Study Group for Pediatric Laparoscopy (GECI).

Introduction: Surgical management of intussusception is required for cases where enema reduction fails. Some articles report an advantage of the laparoscopic over the open approach, but complications such as serosal tearing and frank perforation have been described. We aim to determine the best indication of laparoscopy in the decisional management tree of intussusception.

Methylprednisolone fails to preserve retinal ganglion cells and visual function after ocular ischemia in rats.

Purpose: Methylprednisolone (MP) is commonly used to treat traumatic optic neuropathy and optic neuritis, but its benefit in terms of neuronal survival remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of MP on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival and visual function after ischemia in rats.

Methods: Ocular ischemia was induced by elevated intraocular pressure.

The neuropeptide NAP provides neuroprotection against retinal ganglion cell damage after retinal ischemia and optic nerve crush.

Background: NAP, an 8-amino acid peptide (NAPVSIPQ=Asn-Ala-Pro-Val-Ser-Ile-Pro-Gln) derived from activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP), plays an important role in neuronal differentiation and the survival of neurons in different pathological situations. We already discovered that NAP increases the survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in vitro, and supports neurite outgrowth in retinal explants at femtomolar concentrations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of NAP on RGC survival after transient retinal ischemia and optic nerve crush.

Quantification of ischemic damage in the rat retina: a comparative study using evoked potentials, electroretinography, and histology.

Purpose: To identify objective criteria to quantify visual function in the rat for developing therapeutic strategies to protect neuronal cells after ischemia. The impact of ocular ischemia on luminance and frequency-modulated contrast vision was compared with the function of outer retinal cells and the number of intact retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).

Method: Ischemia was induced in Brown-Norway rats by elevating the intraocular pressure to 120 mm Hg for 30, 45, 60, and 90 minutes.

Thoracoscopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in children.

Minimal invasive surgery (MIS) has been first proposed in case of delayed congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Since then, about 32 cases of thoracoscopic CDH approach in newborns have been published. Conditions of thoracoscopy are reviewed and enlightened with our preliminary series.

[Evaluation of neuro-oncology information for French speaking patients on the Internet].

Objective: Internet has become the first place where patients go to when seeking information about their disease. Little is known about the type and the quality of the medical information available on French-speaking websites, especially in the field of neuro-oncology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of these sites.

[Laparoscopic treatment of congenital inguinal hernias in children (212 patients)].

Objectives: Laparoscopic treatment of inguinal hernias in children remains controversial. The inguinal approach is the only recommended procedure nowadays. The aim of our series was to precise the results of this technique and its advantages.

Clinical impact of cachexia on survival and outcome of cancer patients.

Approximately one half of all cancer patients experience a complex metabolic status involving progressive exhaustion of adipose and skeletal muscle tissue. This condition, known as cachexia, is responsible for more than 20% of the overall deaths in cancer patients. Although its main mechanisms remain unknown, several hypotheses have been proposed.