Analysis of the Prognostic Potential of Schlafen 11, Programmed Death Ligand 1, and Redox Status in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

The Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) protein has recently emerged as pivotal in DNA damage conditions, with predictive potential for tumor response to cytotoxic chemotherapies. Recent discoveries also showed that the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein can be found on malignant cells, providing an immune evasion mechanism exploited by different tumors. Additionally, excessive generation of free radicals, redox imbalance, and consequential DNA damage can affect intestinal cell homeostasis and lead to neoplastic transformation.

Impact of Differences in Economic Development and Socioeconomic Stability on Benzodiazepine Exposure between the Three Balkans Countries.

Introduction: Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders. Benzodiazepines belong to the group of anxiolytic sedatives and the most prescribed drugs in the world. The aim in ours study was to evaluate the differences in the exposure of the population to benzodiazepines (in period from 2014-2018) between Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia, the three countries of the Southwestern Balkans with varying degrees of socioeconomic development.

Combined Diagnostic Efficacy of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), and Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) as Biomarkers of Systemic Inflammation in the Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Systemic inflammation in colorectal cancer (CRC) may be reflected by neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV). This study was designed to investigate the efficiency of preoperative NLR, PLR, and MVP as a tool for the assessment of tumor characteristics in newly diagnosed patients with CRC.

Patients And Methods: For 300 patients and 300 healthy volunteers, complete blood counts with automated differential counts were performed.

Cell-free DNA as biomarker and source for mutation detection in primary colorectal cancer.

Purpose: To analyze if cell-free (cf)DNA levels and the presence of KRAS and BRAF mutations in serum could be used as diagnostic biomarkers in patients with primary colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: This study included 92 individuals who were operated due to primary CRC (N=52;study group) and to hemorrhoids (N=40;control group). Serum cfDNA levels were measured with real-time PCR (RT-PCR) using PicoGreen dsDNA quantitation reagent.

Can preoperative CEA and CA19-9 serum concentrations suggest metastatic disease in colorectal cancer patients?

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the efficiency of preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate cancer antigen (CA19-9) levels for diagnosing synchronous liver metastases and lymph node in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 300 patients with histologically diagnosed CRC were included in this study between May 2014 and March 2015. The data were obtained prospectively from patient's medical records: medical history, demographics, tumor location, differentiation (grade), depth of the tumor (T), lymph node metastases (N), distant metastases (M), lymphatics, venous and perineural invasion, and disease stage.

Burnout of Formal Caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy.

Background: Burnout syndrome is under-researched within caregivers (CGs) of children with cerebral palsy. The primary aim was to determine the burnout level of formal CGs of children with cerebral palsy (G1) and to compare it with a control group (G2) of professional pediatric nurses, and second, to correlate the level of depression and anxiety with the burnout level.

Method: In a total sample of 60 CGs, the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), consisting of three structural units - emotional exhaustion (MBIEE) subscale, depersonalization (MBI-DP) subscale and personal accomplishment (MBI-PA) subscale - was used to measure burnout.

Current trends in clinical genetics of colorectal cancer.

Recent innovations in molecular biology and colorectal cancer (CRC) genetics have facilitated the understanding of the pathogenesis of sporadic and hereditary CRC syndromes. The development of technology has enabled data collection for a number of genetic factors, which lead to understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying CRC. The incidence and the nature of CRC is a mixture of genetic and environmental factors.

Microsatellite instability & survival in patients with stage II/III colorectal carcinoma.

Background & Objectives: The two key aspects associated with the microsatellite instability (MSI) as genetic phenomenon in colorectal cancer (CRC) are better survival prognosis, and the varying response to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy. This study was undertaken to measure the survival of surgically treated patients with stages II and III CRC based on the MSI status, the postoperative 5-FU treatment as well as clinical and histological data.

Methods: A total of 125 consecutive patients with stages II and III (American Joint Committee on Cancer, AJCC staging) primary CRCs, were followed prospectively for a median time of 31 months (January 2006 to December 2009).

Comparison of functional outcome of colonic J-pouch and latero-terminal anastomosis in low anterior resection for rectal cancer.

Introduction: Functional results after low anterior resection for rectal cancer are an issue of increasing attention among colorectal surgeons and others interested in this subject. The consensus on ideal reconstruction type has not been achieved to date, although the number of papers on this subject has been published in recent years.

Objective: We conducted a prospective, parallel group study comparing latero-terminal with colonic J-pouch anastomosis in terms of defecatory function in patients undergoing stapled low colorectal/ coloanal anastomosis.

Treatment of pathological gambling - integrative systemic model.

Pathological gambling was classified under impulse control disorders within the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) (WHO 1992), but the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition (DSM-V), (APA 2013), has recognized pathological gambling as a first disorder within a new diagnostic category of behavioral addictions - Gambling disorder. Pathological gambling is a disorder in progression, and we hope that our experience in the treatment of pathological gambling in the Daily Hospital for Addictions at The Institute of Mental Health, through the original "Integrative - systemic model" would be of use to colleagues, dealing with this pathology. This model of treatment of pathological gambling is based on multi-systemic approach and it primarily represents an integration of family and cognitive-behavioral therapy, with traces of psychodynamic, existential and pharmacotherapy.

Food addiction-diagnosis and treatment.

In this article we summarized the recent research of the food addiction, diagnosis, treatment and prevention, which is carried out in this area. The concept of food addiction is new and complex, but proven to be very important for understanding and solving the problem of obesity. First part of this paper emphasizes the neurological studies, whose results indicate the similarity of brain processes that are being activated during drug abuse and during eating certain types of food.

Cannabis and psychosis revisited.

The association between cannabinoids and psychosis has been known for almost a thousand years, but it is still speculated whether cannabis use may be a contributory cause of psychosis, that is, whether it may precipitate schizophrenia in those at risk. In this paper, we will briefly present the data from individual longitudinal studies in the field, together with the factors that are considered important for the association of cannabis abuse and occurrence of schizophrenia and prevention opportunities in the target population. The reviewed studies clearly suggest that cannabis abuse predicts an increased risk for schizophrenia, particularly in young adults.

Alcoholic and postoperative delirium: a case-control study.

Background: Delirium is an urgent condition in psychiatry and it occurs after long-lasting alcohol abuse, in surgical procedures and other organic mental syndromes with deprivation of interpersonal and social stimulations. The aim was to evaluate of sociodemographical and psychopathological differences in delirium patients with alcoholand surgical genesis, studied in period from January 1(st) 2003 to December 31(st) 2012 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H).

Subjects And Methods: Subjects were divided into two groups: alcoholics (N=75) and surgical patients (N=75) and multicentric, prospective study was performed in B&H.

Brain changes in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and associated alcoholism: MRI based study.

Background: Studies imposing rigorous control over lifetime alcohol intake usually have not found smaller hippocampal volumes in persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since the majority of negative studies have used adolescent samples, it has been suggested that chronicity is a necessary condition for such findings. We have hypothesized that the volumes of hippocampus, amygdale, prefrontal cortex and the intracranial volume are reduced in the patients with PTSD and excessive alcohol intake.

Volumetric analysis of amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex in therapy-naive PTSD participants.

Objective: In our study we have hypothesized that volume changes of amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex are more pronounced in male posttraumatic stress disorder participants.

Material And Methods: We have conducted a study of 79 male participants who underwent MRI brain scanning. PTSD diagnosis was confirmed in 49 participants.

Increased endothelin 1 type B receptors in nasal lesions of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Background: Endothelin 1 (ET-1) is a locally produced vasoactive peptide with proinflammatory capabilities. Systemic levels of ET-1 seem elevated in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). The aim of this study was to examine the involvement of the endothelin system in patients with GPA using nasal mucosal biopsies.

Microsatellite instability affecting the T17 repeats in intron 8 of HSP110, as well as five mononucleotide repeats in patients with colorectal carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate mononucleotide markers: BAT-25, BAT-26, NR-21, NR-22 and NR-24 in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), and the status of HSP110T17, KRAS, BRAF and the MLH1 promoter mutations in microsatellite unstable CRC.

Methods: Genetic assessments were performed on samples obtained following resection of CRC in 200 patients.

Results: Allelic variations of HSP110T17 were found in all 18 patients with microsatellite instabilities (MSIs) in at least three markers (high-frequency MSI).

Minor vs complete excision of pilonidal sinus--early postoperative period.

Pilonidal sinus arises in the natal cleft of the sacrococcigeal region either as a cyst or as an abscess collection containing hair. It is predominantly a condition of younger people. When presenting as an abscess it usually requires surgical incision and drainage, or bursts spontaneously.

Clinical and pathological tools for identifying microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer.

Aim: To assess practical accuracy of revised Bethesda criteria (BGrev), pathological predictive model (MsPath), and histopathological parameters for detection of high-frequency of microsatellite instability (MSI-H) phenotype in patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC).

Method: Tumors from 150 patients with CRC were analyzed for MSI using a fluorescence-based pentaplex polymerase chain reaction technique. For all patients, we evaluated age, sex, family history of cancer, localization, tumor differentiation, mucin production, lymphocytic infiltration (TIL), and Union for International Cancer Control stage.

Preoperative preparation of alcohol and psychoactive substances-addicted patients.

Proper diagnosis of psychoactive substance abuse and addiction, as well as acute intoxication, withdrawal syndrome and overdosing are of great importance in patients who are preparing for surgical intervention. There are some specific details in their preoperative preparation whether they underwent emergency or elective surgery. Good knowledge of the characteristics of psychoactive substance abuse and addiction, interaction of psychoactive substances and anesthetics and any other drugs that could be used in the perioperative period is important especially for anastesiologist.

Preoperative assessment and management of patient with psychiatric comorbidity.

This article explains the most frequent psychiatric disorders such as co-morbidity in the acute surgical treatment, along with its position and importance for the surgical procedure. Besides basic features of these disorders, epidemiology and clinical expression, this article holds the latest therapeutic approach, side effects, toxicity and drug interactions, during the surgical procedure. Frequent postoperative problems, delirium, and postoperative cognitive disorders are noted in these patients.

Preoperative assessment and preparation of patients with neurologic disorders.

Ageing of populataion world wide has significant contribution as one of the major risk factor for neurodegenerative disorders. The patients with neurodegenerative as well as other neuological diseases presented the population with possible great need either of small or big surgical intervention. There are several important issues in patients with neurological diseases: the nature, disease duration, therapy, the patient's ability to live without assistance.

Preoperative assessment and preparation of patients with diseases affecting the central nervous system.

Purpose Of Review: This review will examine the most important issues of preoperative evaluation and preparation in relation to patients with deseases affecting the central nervous system. Those patients may undergo various forms of surgery unrelated to the central nervous system disease. We discuss the effect of physiologic and pharmacological factors on cerebral autoregulation and control of intracranial pressure alongside its clinical relevance with the help of new evidence.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and -9 (MMP-9) in preoperative serum as independent prognostic markers in patients with colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related death in developed countries. One of the reasons is the absence of tumor specific diagnostic and prognostic markers. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and -9 (MMP-9) expressions in serum and clinicopathological features of the colorectal adenocarcinoma.

[Family health and family physician's influence on prevention psychoactive substances abuse].

The family, as the basic social unit, has a decisive role in the health and disease of its members. It is the primary unit where health needs are formed and solved. By its own resources the family independently resolves about 75% of the total health requirements.