Prognostic Factors for Survival in Glioblastoma: A Retrospective Analysis Focused on the Role of Hemoglobin.

: Although several prognostic factors for survival have been identified in glioblastoma, there are numerous other potential markers (such as hemoglobin) whose role has not yet been confirmed. The aim of this study was to evaluate a wide range of potential prognostic factors, including HIF-1α and hemoglobin levels, for survival in glioblastoma. A secondary aim was to determine whether hemoglobin levels were associated with HIF-1α expression.

Expression of STAT3 and hypoxia markers in long-term surviving malignant glioma patients.

Background: Glioblastoma is a malignant and aggressive type of central nevous system malignancy characterized by many distinct biological features including extensive hypoxia. Hypoxia in glioblatoma associates with complex signaling patterns including activation of several pathways such as MAPK, PI3K-AKT/mTOR and IL-6/JAK/STAT3 with the master regulator HIF-1, which in turn drive particular tumor behaviors determining, in the end, treatment outcomes and patients fate. Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the expression of selected hypoxia related factors including STAT3 in a small set of long-term surviving glioma patients.

Diagnostic Utility of Immunohistochemical Detection of MEOX2, SOX11, INSM1 and EGFR in Gliomas.

Histological identification of dispersed glioma cells in small biopsies can be challenging, especially in tumours lacking the R132H mutation or alterations in TP53. We postulated that immunohistochemical detection of proteins expressed preferentially in gliomas (EGFR, MEOX2, CD34) or during embryonal development (SOX11, INSM1) can be used to distinguish reactive gliosis from glioma. Tissue microarrays of 46 reactive glioses, 81 glioblastomas, 34 IDH1-mutant diffuse gliomas, and 23 gliomas of other types were analysed.

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis as a rare cause of non-surgical pneumoperitoneum.

Pneumoperitoneum as a finding on imaging examinations is not always a sign of acute abdomen due to gastrointestinal perforation. These findings must be viewed in connection with the clinical condition and personal history of each patient because they may also indicate a non-surgical or spontaneous pneumoperitoneum. This condition is repeatedly described but very often neglected.

Validity of simplified self-report methods versus standard use method for pain assessment in preschool-aged children.

Purpose: Children experience painful invasive procedures very intensely. The aim of health professionals is to help children minimize this traumatic experience. The Simplified Faces Pain Scale (S-FPS) and Simplified Concrete Ordinal Pain Scale (S-COS) tools offer children the possibility of self-assessing their pain.

Small RNA Sequencing Identifies a Six-MicroRNA Signature Enabling Classification of Brain Metastases According to their Origin.

Background/aim: Brain metastases (BMs) are the most frequent intracranial tumors in adults and one of the greatest challenges for modern oncology. Most are derived from lung, breast, renal cell, and colorectal carcinomas and melanomas. Up to 14% of patients are diagnosed with BMs of unknown primary, which are commonly characterized by an early and aggressive metastatic spread.

Intention to use business intelligence tools in decision making processes: applying a UTAUT 2 model.

The pressure on the speed of information processing ranks business intelligence technologies among the fastest growing decision support tools. The main goal of this article is, applying the UTAUT 2 (the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology), to verify the factors determining the implementation of business intelligence tools in business processes, especially decision-making, and their subsequent optimal use in business practice. The researched scheme was modified according to the specifics of business intelligence tools and was supplemented by user behaviour in decision-making.

Cauda equina neuroendocrine tumors show biological features distinct from other paragangliomas and visceral neuroendocrine tumors.

Cauda equina neuroendocrine tumors (CENETs) are neoplasms of uncertain histogenesis with overlapping features between those of paragangliomas (PGs) and visceral neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). We have explored their biological relationship to both subsets of neuroendocrine neoplasms. The clinical and radiological features of a cohort of 23 CENETs were analyzed.

Non-thermal plasma causes biofilm release to planktonic form and inhibits production of Las-B elastase, protease and pyocyanin.

The increasing risk of antibiotic failure in the treatment of infections is largely related to the production of a wide range of virulence factors. The use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) is a promising alternative to antimicrobial treatment. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of knowledge about the effects of NTP on the virulence factors production.

Invasive Aspergillus infection of middle ear in a patient treated with secukinumab, methotrexate, and corticosteroids for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Mucocutaneous mycotic infections are common complications in patients on IL-17 inhibitor therapy. We report a case of a 33-year-old male with severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis on secukinumab combined with methotrexate and prednisone with swelling, otorrhea, and pain of the right ear and external auditory canal. Due to progressive hypacusis, a surgical solution was chosen.

Cobalt Bis-Dicarbollide Enhances Antibiotics Action towards Planktonic Growth Due to Cell Envelopes Disruption.

The emergence of antibiotic resistance in opportunistic pathogens represents a huge problem, the solution for which may be a treatment with a combination of multiple antimicrobial agents. Sodium salt of cobalt bis-dicarbollide (COSAN.Na) is one of the very stable, low-toxic, amphiphilic boron-rich sandwich complex heteroboranes.

Decontamination of High-Efficiency Mask Filters From Respiratory Pathogens Including SARS-CoV-2 by Non-thermal Plasma.

The current pandemic resulted in a rapidly increasing demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) initially leading to severe shortages of these items. Hence, during an unexpected and fast virus spread, the possibility of reusing highly efficient protective equipment could provide a viable solution for keeping both healthcare professionals and the general public equipped and protected. This requires an efficient decontamination technique that preserves functionality of the sensitive materials used for PPE production.

Addition time plays a major role in the inhibitory effect of chitosan on the production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factors.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacterium capable of forming persistent biofilms that are extremely difficult to eradicate. The species is most infamously known due to complications in cystic fibrosis patients. The high mortality of cystic fibrosis is caused by P.

Pathologia mutans.

The authors present results of our center retrospective study comparing autopsy findings from years 1929 (n=275) and 1989 (n=974). The male to female ratio was very similar in both cohorts (1.3:1 in 1929 and 1.

Non-Thermal Plasma Sources Based on Cometary and Point-to-Ring Discharges.

A non-thermal plasma (NTP) is a promising tool against the development of bacterial, viral, and fungal diseases. The recently revealed development of microbial resistance to traditional drugs has increased interest in the use of NTPs. We have studied and compared the physical and microbicidal properties of two types of NTP sources based on a cometary discharge in the point-to-point electrode configuration and a corona discharge in the point-to-ring electrode configuration.

Non-thermal Plasma Treatment of ESKAPE Pathogens: A Review.

The acronym ESKAPE refers to a group of bacteria consisting of , , , , , and spp. They are important in human medicine as pathogens that show increasing resistance to commonly used antibiotics; thus, the search for new effective bactericidal agents is still topical. One of the possible alternatives is the use of non-thermal plasma (NTP), a partially ionized gas with the energy stored particularly in the free electrons, which has antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effects.

Small RNA Sequencing Identifies PIWI-Interacting RNAs Deregulated in Glioblastoma-piR-9491 and piR-12488 Reduce Tumor Cell Colonies .

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequently occurring primary malignant brain tumor of astrocytic origin. To change poor prognosis, it is necessary to deeply understand the molecular mechanisms of gliomagenesis and identify new potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) help in maintaining genome stability, and their deregulation has already been observed in many tumors.

Low-molecular weight chitosan enhances antibacterial effect of antibiotics and permeabilizes cytoplasmic membrane of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm cells.

This study evaluated the effect of low-molecular weight chitosan on Staphylococcus epidermidis, a common colonizer of joint implants and other prosthetic devices. We have also attempted to elucidate its mechanism of action. Chitosan was found to be effective against both the planktonic and biofilm cells (MIC 35-40 mg/L; MBIC 40-150 mg/L), in contrast to the antibiotics erythromycin and tetracycline with no antibiofilm activity (MBIC not found).

Antibiofilm agent pterostilbene is able to enhance antibiotics action against Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Pterostilbene (PTE) is a naturally occurring compound originally isolated from Pterocarpus spp. It has been widely used in traditional Indian medicine and later discovered to have various beneficial pharmacological effects such as antioxidant properties, hypoglycaemic or antitumor, and antimicrobial activity. This work is focused on demonstrating PTE synergistic effect with erythromycin and tetracycline to reduce their needed effective concentration for suppression of Staphylococcus epidermidis planktonic cells growth and biofilm formation.

Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemic.

A critical lack of personal protective equipment has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Polylactic acid (PLA), a polyester made from renewable natural resources, can be exploited for 3D printing of protective face masks using the Fused Deposition Modelling technique. Since the possible high porosity of this material raised questions regarding its suitability for protection against viruses, we have investigated its microstructure using scanning electron microscopy and aerosol generator and photometer certified as the test system according to the standards EN 143 and EN 149.

Use of non-thermal plasma pre-treatment to enhance antibiotic action against mature Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Non-thermal plasma (NTP), generated at atmospheric pressure by DC cometary discharge with a metallic grid, and antibiotics (gentamicin-GTM, ceftazidime-CFZ and polymyxin B-PMB), either alone or in combination, were used to eradicate the mature biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa formed on Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Our aim was to find the conditions for NTP pre-treatment capable of enhancing the action of the antibiotics and thus reducing their effective concentrations. The NTP treatment increased the efficacy of relatively low concentrations of antibiotics.

Natural antioxidant pterostilbene as an effective antibiofilm agent, particularly for gram-positive cocci.

Pterostilbene (PTE), a dimethylated analogue of resveratrol, mostly contained in Vitis vinifera leaves or in other plant sources is well-known for its antioxidant activity. Due to its bioavailability, low hydrophilicity and thus ability to penetrate hydrophobic biological membranes it was found to be an antimicrobial agent. These properties of PTE offer the possibility of its use in the treatment of microbial infections.

Combination of non-thermal plasma and subsequent antibiotic treatment for biofilm re-development prevention.

The influence of non-thermal plasma (NTP) treatment on the prevention of antibiotic resistance of microbial biofilms was studied. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli bacteria and a yeast Candida albicans, grown on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V alloy used in the manufacture of prosthetic implants, were employed. Their biofilms were exposed to NTP produced by DC cometary discharge and subsequently treated with antibiotics commonly used for the treatment of infections caused by them: erythromycin (ERY), polymyxin B (PMB), or amphotericin B (AMB), respectively.

Combined effect of lasioglossin LL-III derivative with azoles against Candida albicans virulence factors: biofilm formation, phospholipases, proteases and hemolytic activity.

Candida albicans has several virulence factors at its disposal, including yeast-hyphal transition associated with biofilm formation, phospholipases, proteases and hemolytic activity, all of which contribute to its pathogenesis. We used synthetic derivative LL-III/43 of antimicrobial peptide lasioglossin LL-III to enhance effect of azoles on attenuation of C. albicans virulence factors.

The Evaluation of Glioblastoma Cell Dissociation and Its Influence on Its Behavior.

Purpose: Primary cell lines are a valuable tool for evaluation of tumor behavior or sensitivity to anticancer treatment and appropriate dissociation of cells could preserve genomic profile of the original tissue. The main aim of our study was to compare the influence of two methods of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cell derivation (mechanic-MD; enzymatic-ED) on basic biological properties of thus derived cells and correlate them to the ones obtained from stabilized GBM cell line A-172.

Methods: Cell proliferation and migration (xCELLigence Real-Time Cell Analysis), expression of microRNAs and protein markers (RT-PCR and Western blotting), morphology (phase contrast and fluorescent microscopy), and accumulation of temozolomide (TMZ) and its metabolite 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide (AIC) inside the cells (LC-MS analysis) were carried out in five different samples of GBM (GBM1, GBM2, GBM32, GBM33, GBM34), with each of them processed by MD and ED types of isolations.