Insight into Potential Biomedical Application of Mesoporous Materials.

The physicochemical properties of many drugs have a decisive impact on their bioavailability, as well as the pharmacokinetic efficiency in various disease therapeutics. That is why mesoporous materials have attracted a special interest in the drug delivery field, facilitating the loading of drugs into their pores due to their high surface area and porosity. The interfacial interactions established with drug molecules represent the driving force for efficient drug loading and controlled release kinetics.

GIST and Ghrelin: To Be or Not to Be?

Background: Ghrelin is the orexigenic hormone secreted mainly by the stomach. Its involvement in neoplastic development has been studied in gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas. Our paper aims to evaluate the influence of the ghrelin axis in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Ghrelin and its role in gastrointestinal tract tumors (Review).

Ghrelin, an orexigenic hormone, is a peptide that binds to the growth hormone secretagogue receptor; it is secreted mainly by enteroendocrine cells in the oxyntic glands of the stomach. Ghrelin serves a role in both local and systemic physiological processes, and is implicated in various pathologies, including neoplasia, with tissue expression in several types of malignancies in both and studies. However, the precise implications of the ghrelin axis in metastasis, invasion and cancer progression regulation has yet to be established.

Transcutaneous Drug Delivery Systems Based on Collagen/Polyurethane Composites Reinforced with Cellulose.

Designing composites based on natural polymers has attracted attention for more than a decade due to the possibility to manufacture medical devices which are biocompatible with the human body. Herein, we present some biomaterials made up of collagen, polyurethane, and cellulose doped with lignin and lignin-metal complex, which served as transcutaneous drug delivery systems. Compared with base material, the compressive strength and the elastic modulus of biocomposites comprising lignin or lignin-metal complex were significantly enhanced; thus, the compressive strength increased from 61.

Accuracy of a no-biopsy approach for the diagnosis of coeliac disease across different adult cohorts.

Objective: We aimed to determine the predictive capacity and diagnostic yield of a 10-fold increase in serum IgA antitissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody levels for detecting small intestinal injury diagnostic of coeliac disease (CD) in adult patients.

Design: The study comprised three adult cohorts. Cohort 1: 740 patients assessed in the specialist CD clinic at a UK centre; cohort 2: 532 patients with low suspicion for CD referred for upper GI endoscopy at a UK centre; cohort 3: 145 patients with raised tTG titres from multiple international sites.

New Chimeric Groin Flap: Experimental Model in Rats.

Aim: Increased emphasis is on using tissue substitutes and stem cells to improve flap applicability and survival rates. To accomplish this, the first step is to have a versatile experimental flap, easy to harvest and use as a template. We sought to develop a reliable experimental chimeric groin flap with free mobility and reliable bloods supply that can be twisted, relocated, and integrated easily with other materials.

Role of Ultrahigh Frequency Ultrasound in Evaluating Experimental Flaps.

Background:  Experimental flap follow-up needs faster, safer, and less invasive techniques that can be easily correlated to clinical procedures. For this reason, we aimed to test the role of ultrahigh frequency ultrasound in follow-up of flap viability. Further on, we aimed to analyze if the chimeric groin flap can be mobilized in a sandwiched position without affecting its vascular supply by twisting its pedicle.

New composites based on starch/Ecoflex®/biomass wastes: Mechanical, thermal, morphological and antimicrobial properties.

Different biomass wastes were successfully blended with starch and Ecoflex® viz. poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), without glycerol addition, to obtain biocomposite materials. The mechanical properties, as well as thermal and surface properties, of the developed composites were evaluated.

Terahertz Spectroscopy and Imaging: A Cutting-Edge Method for Diagnosing Digestive Cancers.

The Terahertz's wavelength is located between the microwave and the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because it is non-ionizing and non-invasive, Terahertz (THz)-based detection represents a very attractive tool for repeated assessments, patient monitoring, and follow-up. Cancer acts as the second leading cause of death in many regions, and current predictions estimate a continuous increasing trend.

Role of mucosal high-risk human papillomavirus types in head and neck cancers in Romania.

Background: Limited information is available about the involvement of human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) in Romanian patients.

Objective: To evaluate the HPV-attributable fraction in HNSCCs collected in Northeastern Romania.

Materials And Methods: In total, 189 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples (99 oral cavity tumors, 28 oropharynx, 48 pharynx, and 14 larynx/hypopharynx) were analyzed for HPV DNA and RNA using Luminex-based assays, and for overexpression of p16INK4a (p16) by immunohistochemistry.