The Role of Gut Microbiota in the Onset and Progression of Obesity and Associated Comorbidities.

Obesity, a global public health problem, is constantly increasing, so the concerns in preventing and combating it are increasingly focused on the intestinal microbiota. It was found that the microbiota is different in lean people compared to obese individuals, but the exact mechanisms by which energy homeostasis is influenced are still incompletely known. Numerous studies show the involvement of certain bacterial species in promoting obesity and associated diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc.

Is There a Correlation Between Platelet Count, Mesenteric Lymph Node Involvement, and Hematogenous Metastases in Advanced Stage Ovarian Cancer?

Background/aim: Ovarian cancer remains a major cause of death in women worldwide, mainly due to late diagnosis and the lack of a reliable screening test for early detection of the disease. In this context, attention has been focused on the identification of other prognostic factors that might allow a better identification of cases with worse long-term outcome.

Patients And Methods: Data of patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery between 2014-2019 were retrospectively reviewed and 57 patients were considered eligible for this study.

Advancements in Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Sarcopenia: An Updated Overview.

Since sarcopenia is a progressive condition that leads to decreased muscle mass and function, especially in elderly people, it is a public health problem that requires attention from researchers. This review aims to highlight drug delivery systems that have a high and efficient therapeutic potential for sarcopenia. Current as well as future research needs to consider the barriers encountered in the realization of delivery systems, such as the route of administration, the interaction of the systems with the aggressive environment of the human body, the efficient delivery and loading of the systems with therapeutic agents, and the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents into the muscle tissue without creating undesirable adverse effects.

A Proteogenomic Approach to Unveiling the Complex Biology of the Microbiome.

The complex biology of the microbiome was elucidated once the genomics era began. The proteogenomic approach analyzes and integrates genetic makeup (genomics) and microbial communities' expressed proteins (proteomics). Therefore, researchers gained insights into gene expression, protein functions, and metabolic pathways, understanding microbial dynamics and behavior, interactions with host cells, and responses to environmental stimuli.

Predictive Biomarkers and Resistance Mechanisms of Checkpoint Inhibitors in Malignant Solid Tumors.

Predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in solid tumors such as melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), colorectal cancer (CRC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), endometrial carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), or urothelial carcinoma (UC) include programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, tumor mutational burden (TMB), defective deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) mismatch repair (dMMR), microsatellite instability (MSI), and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Over the past decade, several types of ICIs, including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors, anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibodies, anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies, and anti-lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) antibodies have been studied and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with ongoing research on others. Recent studies highlight the critical role of the gut microbiome in influencing a positive therapeutic response to ICIs, emphasizing the importance of modeling factors that can maintain a healthy microbiome.

Prognostic Factors in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma - A Systematic Review.

intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) are rare, aggressive cancers that develop in second order or smaller bile ducts. The aim of this review is to systematically review the most important prognostic factors affecting the long-term outcomes of these patients. Material and articles conducted on this issue, written in English, published between from January 2000 to December 2023 in Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, MedLine, Web of Science, Elsevier, Google Scholar were systematically researched and reviewed.

Diagnostic Challenge in Heterotopic Pancreas in the Ampulla of Vater with Obstructive Jaundice - A Case Report and Literature Review.

Heterotopic pancreas is a rare congenital abnormality. The most common location is the stomach, duodenum and proximal jejunum. Rare locations are represented by the ampulla of Vater, esophagus, ileum, Meckel diverticulum, biliary tract, mesentery and spleen.

Risk Factors and Prognostic Factors in GBC.

: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a rare entity with a poor prognosis, usually discovered late due to nonspecific symptoms; therefore, over the last years, attention has been focused on identifying the risk factors for developing this malignancy in order to provide an early diagnosis, as well as new prognostic factors in order to modulate the long-term evolution of such cases. The aim of this review is to discuss both major risk factors and prognostic factors in GBC for a better understanding and integration of relevant and currently available information. : A literature search was performed using Cochrane Library, PubMed, Google Scholar, Elsevier, and Web of Science; studies published after the year of 2000, in English, were reviewed.

The Influence of Inflammatory and Nutritional Status on the Long-Term Outcomes in Advanced Stage Ovarian Cancer.

Background: Despite improving surgical techniques and achieving more often complete debulking procedures, certain patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer still have a very poor prognosis. The aim of the current paper is to investigate whether inflammatory and nutritional status can predict the long-term outcomes of ovarian cancer patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 57 cases diagnosed with advanced-stage ovarian cancer submitted to surgery as first intent therapy was carried out.

Prognostic Factors in Liver Transplant with Marginal Grafts - Review of the Literature.

Liver transplantation is the last life-saving solution for patients with end stage liver disease. The low number of available liver grafts and the increasing waiting time on transplant lists have led to the appearance of extended donation criteria and the marginal grafs, initially considered suboptimal. Allocation of grafts and identification of the most suitable "donor-recipient" pair is still under development.

Friend or Foe: Exploring the Relationship between the Gut Microbiota and the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Digestive Cancers.

Digestive cancers are among the leading causes of cancer death in the world. However, the mechanisms of cancer development and progression are not fully understood. Accumulating evidence in recent years pointing to the bidirectional interactions between gut dysbiosis and the development of a specific type of gastrointestinal cancer is shedding light on the importance of this "unseen organ"-the microbiota.

Teaching transposon classification as a means to crowd source the curation of repeat annotation - a tardigrade perspective.

Background: The advancement of sequencing technologies results in the rapid release of hundreds of new genome assemblies a year providing unprecedented resources for the study of genome evolution. Within this context, the significance of in-depth analyses of repetitive elements, transposable elements (TEs) in particular, is increasingly recognized in understanding genome evolution. Despite the plethora of available bioinformatic tools for identifying and annotating TEs, the phylogenetic distance of the target species from a curated and classified database of repetitive element sequences constrains any automated annotation effort.

Seminal vesicles in focus: An illustrated overview.

Seminal vesicles play a crucial role in the male reproductive system, as they are responsible for secreting a fluid that forms most of the ejaculate. Seminal vesicles' pathology can present with non-specific symptoms, making imaging diagnosis essential for proper patient management. Various imaging modalities can be used to evaluate these glands, with MRI beneficial in illustrating the spectrum of seminal vesicle disease.

Is Marginal Donor an Efficient Solution for Expanding the Donor Pool for Liver Transplant?

Once the techniques of hepatobiliopancreatic surgery improved, liver transplantation widely extended in different hospitals; therefore, the need of grafts and automatically of liver donors reported a significant increase in the last decade. In this respect, attention was focused on increasing the liver donor pool. The aim of this review is to study the benefits of using marginal grafts in liver transplantation.

Prognostic Factors in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma - A Systematic Review.

intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) are rare, aggressive cancers that develop in second order or smaller bile ducts. The aim of this review is to systematically review the most important prognostic factors affecting the long-term outcomes of these patients. articles conducted on this issue, written in English, published between from January 2000 to December 2023 in Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, MedLine, Web of Science, Elsevier, Google Scholar were systematically researched and reviewed.

Thermo-Mechanical Characterization of Metal-Polymer Friction Stir Composite Joints-A Full Factorial Design of Experiments.

With the increasing demand for lighter, more environmentally friendly, and affordable solutions in the mobility sector, designers and engineers are actively promoting the use of innovative integral dissimilar structures. In this field, friction stir-based technologies offer unique advantages compared with conventional joining technologies, such as mechanical fastening and adhesive bonding, which recently demonstrated promising results. In this study, an aluminum alloy and a glass fiber-reinforced polymer were friction stir joined in an overlap configuration.

Recurrence and Carcinogenetic Rates of Colorectal Polyps.

Aim: to determin the recurrence rate of benign recto-colonic polyps in a 5-year interval, and compare the development rate of intrapolypoid carcinomatous lesions in polypectomized versus nonpolypectomized subjects.

Material And Method: a group of 77 patients diagnosed with recto-colonic polypoid lesions during the period 2014-2019 underwent colonoscopy at the time of study initiation and then annually during a five-year interval. The recurrence rate of polyps increased annually from 5 to 12.

Chitosan and Cyclodextrins-Versatile Materials Used to Create Drug Delivery Systems for Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Gastrointestinal cancers are characterized by a frequent incidence, a high number of associated deaths, and a tremendous burden on the medical system and patients worldwide. As conventional chemotherapeutic drugs face numerous limitations, researchers started to investigate better alternatives for extending drug efficacy and limiting adverse effects. A remarkably increasing interest has been addressed to chitosan and cyclodextrins, two highly versatile natural carbohydrate materials endowed with unique physicochemical properties.

Prognostic Significance of Preoperative Inflammation Markers on the Long-Term Outcomes in Peritoneal Carcinomatosis from Ovarian Cancer.

Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynaecological malignancies affecting women worldwide; therefore, attention has been focused on identifying new prognostic factors which might help the clinician to select cases who could benefit most from surgery versus cases in which neoadjuvant systemic therapy followed by interval debulking surgery should be performed. The aim of the current paper is to identify whether preoperative inflammation could serve as a prognostic factor for advanced-stage ovarian cancer. Material and methods: The data of 57 patients who underwent to surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer between 2014 and 2020 at the Cantacuzino Clinical Hospital were retrospectively reviewed.

Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma - Where Do We Stand Today? Literature Review.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas represent rare and aggressive malignancies developing from the second order bile ducts to the smaller biliary branches. The aim of this narrative review is to discuss about the main diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in order to help medical and surgical oncologists to gain familiarity in regard to this subject. Articles discussing about epidemiology, histology, diagnostic, perioperative management and surgery which were published from January 2000 to September 2023 included in Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, MedLine, Web of Science, Elsevier, Google Scholar databases were reviewed.

Cryo-transbronchial lung biopsy in the diagnosis of IgG4-related lung disease.

IgG4-related lung disease is a diagnostic challenge as the presenting patterns can mimic other commonly seen pulmonary diseases like infections, interstitial pneumonia, malignancy, etc. The diagnosis of IgG4-related disease requires a correlation of clinical, radiological, biochemical, and histopathological features. Especially, an adequate tissue sample is necessary to diagnose this disease confidently.

A Review of Abdominal Meshes for Hernia Repair-Current Status and Emerging Solutions.

Abdominal hernias are common issues in the clinical setting, burdening millions of patients worldwide. Associated with pain, decreased quality of life, and severe potential complications, abdominal wall hernias should be treated as soon as possible. Whether an open repair or laparoscopic surgical approach is tackled, mesh reinforcement is generally required to ensure a durable hernia repair.

Hyponatremia as a Prognostic Factor in Advanced Stage Ovarian Cancer Patients.

hyponatremia represents one of the most commonly encountered conditions in hospitalized patients, multiple mechanisms being cited so far, neoplastic syndromes being an important cause. The aim of the current paper is to analyse the presence and influence of the short- and long-term outcomes of hyponatremia on ovarian cancer patients submitted to surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer. Method: 57 patients diagnosed with advanced stage ovarian cancer were submitted to surgery between 2014-2020.

TAVI in a Heart Transplant Recipient-Rare Case Report and Review of the Literature.

The global demand for cardiac transplants continues to rise, even with advancements in assistive devices. Currently, the estimated annual mortality rate stands at 3-5%, and patients often face a waiting time of approximately four years on transplant waiting lists. Consequently, many transplant centers have started to consider heart transplants from donors who may be deemed "less than ideal" or marginal.