Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Friend or Foe.

Introduction: Most breast cancers require neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the response to primary systemic therapy (PST) is crucial for deciding on the surgical technique and predicting patient outcomes. However, chemotherapy also brings numerous side effects, with cardiovascular issues being some of the most significant, common and challenging to manage.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 71-year-old woman diagnosed with stage T2N1M0 Luminal B breast cancer.

Diverting Stoma-Related Evisceration: A Comprehensive Review of 28 Case Reports Published in the Medical Literature in English.

Evisceration is an exceptional complication of diverting a stoma (a common procedure, often considered a minor surgery) with peculiar, specific, features (distinct-to-usual incisional evisceration), due to the presence of a stoma. Available data are limited to a few case reports; some aspects are not fully documented. The results of 28 case reports (full-text articles published in the English literature) were analyzed using 14 variables: age and gender; pathology; surgical setting; index surgery and type of stoma; intended stoma creation; time from surgery to evisceration; type of evisceration; visceral content; cause of evisceration; specific predisposing/risk factors; surgical approach; resection of nonviable content; surgical stoma treatment; and short-term outcome.

Predictive Factors of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Breast Cancer Validated by Three Anatomopathological Scores: Residual Cancer Burden, Chevallier System, and Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes.

Introduction: The aim of this retrospective, observational, descriptive study was to identify predictors of response to neoadjuvant therapy in breast cancer patients and to validate them using three anatomopathological scores, such as residual cancer burden (RCB) score, Chevallier system, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) score.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a study on 88 female patients aged 37 to 78 years with confirmed breast cancer who were indicated for neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed different individual variables (such as age, menarche, and menopause), clinical/imaging characteristics of the breast tumor and axillary nodes, immunohistochemical biomarkers (such as ER/PR/HER2 and Ki67), and histopathological features (such as subtype and grading) in relation to three anatomopathological scores calculated based on the surgical resection specimen.

The Complexity of Tobacco Smoke-Induced Mutagenesis in Head and Neck Cancer.

Tobacco smoke, alone or combined with alcohol, is the predominant cause of head and neck cancer (HNC). Here, we further explore how tobacco exposure contributes to cancer development by mutational signature analysis of 265 whole-genome sequenced HNC from eight countries. Six tobacco-associated mutational signatures were detected, including some not previously reported.

Bespoke Implants for Cranial Reconstructions: Preoperative to Postoperative Surgery Management System.

Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with nearly 90% of the deaths coming from low- and middle-income countries. Severe cases of brain injury often require a craniectomy, succeeded by cranioplasty surgery to restore the integrity of the skull for both cerebral protection and cosmetic purposes. The current paper proposes a study on developing and implementing an integrative surgery management system for cranial reconstructions using bespoke implants as an accessible and cost-effective solution.

Natural Polymers and Their Nanocomposites Used for Environmental Applications.

The aim of this review is to bring together the main natural polymer applications for environmental remediation, as a class of nexus materials with advanced properties that offer the opportunity of integration in single or simultaneous decontamination processes. By identifying the main natural polymers derived from agro-industrial sources or monomers converted by biotechnology into sustainable polymers, the paper offers the main performances identified in the literature for: (i) the treatment of water contaminated with heavy metals and emerging pollutants such as dyes and organics, (ii) the decontamination and remediation of soils, and (iii) the reduction in the number of suspended solids of a particulate matter (PM) type in the atmosphere. Because nanotechnology offers new horizons in materials science, nanocomposite tunable polymers are also studied and presented as promising materials in the context of developing sustainable and integrated products in society to ensure quality of life.

The Effect of Ca and Mg on the Microstructure and Tribological Properties of YPbSn10 Antifriction Alloy.

An alloy YPbSn10 used for antifriction applications was synthetized in a furnace and the structure was improved by a microalloying technique. The elements chosen for microalloying were Ca 2%wt and Mg 2%wt. The microalloying technique proved to have good results in producing alloys with homogeneous composition, with a good distribution of the hard phase.

Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Surface Fabrication for Innovative Cranial and Maxillofacial Surgery.

A novel strategy to improve the success of soft and hard tissue integration of titanium implants is the use of nanoparticles coatings made from basically any type of biocompatible substance, which can advantageously enhance the properties of the material, as compared to its similar bulk material. So, most of the physical methods approaches involve the compaction of nanoparticles versus micron-level particles to yield surfaces with nanoscale grain boundaries, simultaneously preserving the chemistry of the surface among different topographies. At the same time, nanoparticles have been known as one of the most effective antibacterial agents and can be used as effective growth inhibitors of various microorganisms as an alternative to antibiotics.

Paracolostomy Evisceration: Short Review and a New Case Report.

Diverting ostomy is a commonly perfomed procedure but may be associated to its own morbidity (early or late complications). Colostomy-related evisceration is a rare but potentially life threatening condition (requiring emergency surgery), relatively undocumented for its mechanisms. Case report: A male aged 84 was admited for chronic low digestive occlusion due to a locally advanced, stenosing, rectal adenocarcinoma.

Identification of Lynch syndrome risk variants in the Romanian population.

Two familial forms of colorectal cancer (CRC), Lynch syndrome (LS) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), are caused by rare mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2) and the genes APC and MUTYH, respectively. No information is available on the presence of high-risk CRC mutations in the Romanian population. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 61 Romanian CRC cases with a family history of cancer and/or early onset of disease, focusing the analysis on candidate variants in the LS and FAP genes.

Genetic Contributions to The Association Between Adult Height and Head and Neck Cancer: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

With the aim to dissect the effect of adult height on head and neck cancer (HNC), we use the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to test the association between genetic instruments for height and the risk of HNC. 599 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified as genetic instruments for height, accounting for 16% of the phenotypic variation. Genetic data concerning HNC cases and controls were obtained from a genome-wide association study.

Dedifferentiated Liposarcoma of Sigmoid Mesocolon - A Case Report.

Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is a liposarcoma that contains a well-differentiated liposarcoma component juxtaposed to areas of high-grade non-lipogenic sarcoma and was believed to occur from well-differentiated liposarcoma after several years. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma most commonly occurs in the retroperitoneum, while an intraperitoneal location is extremely rare, only seven cases have been reported in literature. Many pathologists recognize that a large number of intra-abdominal poorly differentiated sarcomas are dedifferentiated liposarcomas.

Computer assisted design and finite element analysis of contact lenses.

Contact lenses are an attractive alternative for vision corrections. Their improvement can be achieved by optimizing the geometry, use of new materials, and application of high precision processing technologies. The optimized design can be obtained by computer-aided design, considering the principles of geometrical optics.

No association between global DNA methylation in peripheral blood and lung cancer risk in nonsmoking women: results from a multicenter study in Eastern and Central Europe.

Alterations in global DNA methylation have been suggested to play an important role in cancer development. We evaluated the association of global DNA methylation in peripheral blood with the risk of lung cancer in nonsmoking women from six countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This multicenter case-control study included primary, incident lung cancer cases diagnosed from 1998 to 2001 and controls frequency-matched for geographic area, sex, and age.

Finite element analysis on a medical implant.

Several studies have shown a tight connection between several ocular pathologies and an increased risk of hip fractures due to falling, especially among elderly patients. The total replacement of the hip joint is a major surgical intervention that aims to restore the function of the affected hip by various factors, such as arthritis, injures, and others. A corkscrew-like femoral stem was designed in order to preserve the bone stock and to prevent the occurrence of iatrogenic fractures during the hammering of the implant.

Replication study of 34 common SNPs associated with prostate cancer in the Romanian population.

Prostate cancer is the third-most common form of cancer in men in Romania. The Romanian unscreened population represents a good sample to study common genetic risk variants. However, a comprehensive analysis has not been conducted yet.

Insertion of an SVA-E retrotransposon into the CASP8 gene is associated with protection against prostate cancer.

Transcriptional and splicing anomalies have been observed in intron 8 of the CASP8 gene (encoding procaspase-8) in association with cutaneous basal-cell carcinoma (BCC) and linked to a germline SNP rs700635. Here, we show that the rs700635[C] allele, which is associated with increased risk of BCC and breast cancer, is protective against prostate cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 0.91, P = 1.

A rare truncating BRCA2 variant and genetic susceptibility to upper aerodigestive tract cancer.

Deleterious BRCA2 genetic variants markedly increase risk of developing breast cancer. A rare truncating BRCA2 genetic variant, rs11571833 (K3326X), has been associated with a 2.5-fold risk of lung squamous cell carcinoma but only a modest 26% increase in breast cancer risk.

The 12p13.33/RAD52 locus and genetic susceptibility to squamous cell cancers of upper aerodigestive tract.

Genetic variants located within the 12p13.33/RAD52 locus have been associated with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Here, within 5,947 UADT cancers and 7,789 controls from 9 different studies, we found rs10849605, a common intronic variant in RAD52, to be also associated with upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) squamous cell carcinoma cases (OR = 1.

A systematic investigation of the contribution of genetic variation within the MHC region to HPV seropositivity.

High-risk mucosal types of human papillomavirus (HPV) cause anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers, whereas cutaneous types (e.g. HPV8 and 77) are suspected to be involved in non-melanoma skin cancer.

Intermesenteric appendicular abscess, a diagnostic challenge; case report and review.

The appendicular origin of an intermesenteric abscess is rarely suspected prior to surgery, due to atypical clinical presentation and poor sensitivity of exploratory methods. A 43-year-old male was admitted for recent pain and mild tenderness in the epigastrium, slight emesis, leucocytosis (C-reactive protein was not determined), with no pathological findings on simple abdominal radiological examination (Rx). Abdominal ultrasound(US) and endoscopy were irrelevant.

Solitary ganglioneuromatosis of the descending colon, presenting as giant retroperitoneal tumour.

Ganglioneuroma (GN) is a benign neoplasia of the autonomous nervous system, colonic GN is uncommon in adults. There are three subgroups: polypoid GN, ganglioneuromatous polyposis and diffuse ganglioneuromatosis. Ganglioneuromatosis is highly-associated to neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2b (MEN2B).

Cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking and the risk of head and neck cancers: pooled analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium.

Cigar and pipe smoking are considered risk factors for head and neck cancers, but the magnitude of effect estimates for these products has been imprecisely estimated. By using pooled data from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) Consortium (comprising 13,935 cases and 18,691 controls in 19 studies from 1981 to 2007), we applied hierarchical logistic regression to more precisely estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking separately, compared with reference groups of those who had never smoked each single product. Odds ratios for cigar and pipe smoking were stratified by ever cigarette smoking.

Unusual variant of blue nevus associated with dermatofibromas.

The blue nevus is a variant of a melanocytic nevus that presents as blue-gray to blue or black papules or nodules measuring up to 1 cm in diameter; it has a predilection for females and can be congenital or acquired. The classification of blue nevi is complex, with biological behavior being benign, borderline, or malignant. The case we present is one of a 40-year-old woman with multiple dermatofibromas that appeared and increased gradually in size during pregnancy.

A study based on whole-genome sequencing yields a rare variant at 8q24 associated with prostate cancer.

In Western countries, prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer of men and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in men. Several genome-wide association studies have yielded numerous common variants conferring risk of prostate cancer. Here, we analyzed 32.