Novel Biomarkers of Gastric Adenocarcinoma: Current Research and Future Perspectives.

Overall survival of gastric cancer remains low, as patients are often diagnosed with advanced stage disease. In this review, we give an overview of current research on biomarkers in gastric cancer and their implementation in treatment strategies. The HER2-targeting trastuzumab is the first molecular targeted agent approved for gastric cancer treatment.

Teaching and learning robotic surgery at the dual console: a video-based qualitative analysis.

Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) involves training processes and challenges that differ from open or laparoscopic surgery, particularly regarding the possibilities of observation and embodied guidance. The video recording and the dual-console system creates a potential opportunity for participation. Our research, conducted within the department of visceral surgery of a big Swiss, public, academic hospital, uses a methodology based on the co-analysis of video recordings with surgeons in self-confrontation interviews, to investigate the teaching activity of the lead surgeon supervising a surgeon in training at the dual console.

[Esophageal and esophago-gastric junction cancer : management and multimodal treatment].

Esophageal cancer remains an oncological burden with a low survival rate. Multidisciplinary management is essential to offer an adjusted treatment to the patient general condition and the tumor stage. New minimally invasive surgical treatments help to reduce the surgical trauma and improve post-operative patient recovery.

The Impact of Pregnancy on Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery.

Background: Bariatric surgery is performed mostly on obese women of reproductive age. Many studies have analyzed pregnancy outcomes after bariatric surgery, but only a small number have studied the impact of pregnancy on the postoperative outcomes.

Purpose: To study the effect of pregnancy on outcomes after bariatric surgery in women of childbearing age.

A comparison of the da Vinci Xi vs. the da Vinci Si Surgical System for Roux-En-Y gastric bypass.

Purpose: The da Vinci Surgical System family remains the most widely used surgical robotic system for laparoscopy. Data about gastric bypass surgery with the Xi Surgical System are not available yet. We compared Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery performed at our institution with the da Vinci Xi and the da Vinci Si Surgical System.

Minimal length of proximal resection margin in adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction: a systematic review of the literature.

The minimal length of proximal margin (PM) in esophagogastric junction cancer has not been established yet and its impact on patient survival remains unclear. Pubmed, Embase and Scopus databases were searched for "adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction", "adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction" and "cardia cancer", each combined with "proximal margin". English written studies that specified PM length in AEG were included.

Early esophageal cancer: the significance of surgery, endoscopy, and chemoradiation.

Early carcinomas of the esophagus are histologically classified as adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma and microscopically subdivided into mucosal and submucosal carcinomas depending on infiltration depth. The prevalence of lymph node metastasis in mucosal carcinoma remains low. However, lymph node metastases arise frequently from tumors with submucosal infiltration, with increasing prevalence in the deeper submucosal sublayers.

Pancreas preservation fluid microbial contamination is associated with poor islet isolation outcomes - a multi-centre cohort study.

The microbiological safety of islet preparations is paramount. Preservation medium contamination is frequent, and its impact on islet yield and function remains unclear. Microbiological samples collected during islet isolations from 2006 to 2016 were analyzed and correlated to isolation and allo- and autotransplantation outcomes.

[Surgical strategy for early stage carcinoma of the esophagus].

Early stage carcinomas of the esophagus are histologically differentiated into adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas and subdivided into mucosal (m1-3) and submucosal (sm1-3) carcinomas depending on the infiltration depth. While the prevalence of lymph node metastases in mucosal carcinomas is very low, the probability of lymph node metastases increases from submucosal infiltration with increasing depth. According to the current German S3 guidelines endoscopic resection is the recommended treatment strategy for mucosal adenocarcinoma without histological risk factors (lymphatic invasion [L1], venous invasion [V1], poorly differentiated [>G2], microscopic residual disease [R1] at the deep resection margin).

[Diagnosis and management of gastro-esophageal junction tumor].

At the border between the esophagus and the stomach, gastro-esophageal junction tumors require a specific management that cannot be simplified to either of these two organs. Staging work-up with endoscopy, CT-Scan and PET-Scan, is essential because it will condition the choice of neo-adjuvant treatment. Surgery remains the only curative treatment and should be undergone in specialized center.

Impact of graft implantation order on graft survival in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation.

The optimal order of revascularization for pancreas and kidney grafts in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation has not been established. In this study, we investigate the influence of graft implantation order on graft survival in SPK. 12 700 transplantations from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients were analyzed retrospectively.

Beta-Cell Replacement: Pancreas and Islet Cell Transplantation.

Pancreas and islet transplantation are 2 types of beta-cell replacement therapies for type 1 diabetes mellitus. Since 1966, when pancreas transplantation was first performed, it has evolved to become a highly efficient procedure with high success rates, thanks to advances in surgical technique and immunosuppression. Pancreas transplantation is mostly performed as simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation in patients with end-stage nephropathy secondary to diabetes.

Calcineurin inhibitor-free immunosuppressive regimen in type 1 diabetes patients receiving islet transplantation: single-group phase 1/2 trial.

Background: Our final objective is to develop an adoptive therapy with tolerogenic donor-specific type 1 T regulatory cells for patients with type 1 diabetes undergoing islet transplantation. The achievement of this objective depends on the availability of an immunosuppressive treatment compatible with the survival, function, and expansion of type 1 T regulatory cells.

Methods: For this purpose, we designed a single-group, phase 1 to 2 trial with an immunosuppression protocol including: (i) rapamycin treatment before the first islet infusion (starting ≥ 30 days before transplantation); (ii) induction therapy with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) instead of anti-interleukin-2Ra monoclonal antibody (after the first islet infusion only); (iii) short-term treatment with steroids and interleukin-1Ra (right before and for 2 weeks after each infusion); rapamycin+mycophenolate mofetil treatment as maintenance therapy.

Has the gap between pancreas and islet transplantation closed?

Both pancreas and islet transplantations are therapeutic options for complicated type 1 diabetes. Until recent years, outcomes of islet transplantation have been significantly inferior to those of whole pancreas. Islet transplantation is primarily performed alone in patients with severe hypoglycemia, and recent registry reports have suggested that results of islet transplantation alone in this indication may be about to match those of pancreas transplant alone in insulin independence.

Impact of recipient body mass index on short-term and long-term survival of pancreatic grafts.

Background: The impact of recipient body mass index on graft and patient survival after pancreas transplantation is not well known.

Methods: We have analyzed data from all pancreas transplant recipients reported in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients between 1987 and 2011. Recipients were categorized into BMI classes, as defined by the World Health Organization.

Comparative impact on islet isolation and transplant outcome of the preservation solutions Institut Georges Lopez-1, University of Wisconsin, and Celsior.

Background: Institut Georges Lopez-1 (IGL-1) is a preservation solution similar to University of Wisconsin (UW) with reversed Na/K contents. In this study, we assessed the impact of IGL-1, UW, and Celsior (CS) solutions on islet isolation and transplant outcome.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 376 islet isolations from pancreases flushed and transported with IGL-1 (n=95), UW (n=204), or CS (n=77).

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist modulates the early phase of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in mice.

Background: Cytokine administration is a potential therapy for acute liver failure by reducing inflammatory responses and favour hepatocyte regeneration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) during liver regeneration and to study the effect of a recombinant human IL-1ra on liver regeneration.

Methods: We performed 70%-hepatectomy in wild type (WT) mice, IL-1ra knock-out (KO) mice and in WT mice treated by anakinra.

Impact of the number of infusions on 2-year results of islet-after-kidney transplantation in the GRAGIL network.

Background: Insulin independence after islet transplantation is generally achieved after multiple infusions. However, single infusion would increase the number of recipients. Our aim was to evaluate the results of islet-after-kidney transplantation according to the number of infusions.

Increased neuronal nitric oxide synthase dimerisation is involved in rat and human pancreatic beta cell hyperactivity in obesity.

Aims/hypothesis: Pancreatic beta cell hyperactivity is known to occur in obesity, particularly in insulin-resistant states. Our aim was to investigate whether changes in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) function affect beta cell compensation in two relevant models: the Zucker fa/fa rats and pancreatic islets from obese humans.

Methods: Glucose-induced insulin response was evaluated in the isolated perfused rat pancreas and in human pancreatic islets from obese individuals.

Islet autotransplantation after extended pancreatectomy for focal benign disease of the pancreas.

Background: Extended pancreatectomy is associated with the risk of surgical diabetes. Islet autotransplantation is successful in the prevention of diabetes after pancreas resection for chronic pancreatitis (CP), with insulin independence rates of 50% at 1 year. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the safety and efficiency of islet autotransplantation after extended left pancreatectomy for benign disease.

Influence of donor age on islet isolation and transplantation outcome.

Background: It has been suggested that the age of human organ donors might influence islet isolation and transplantation outcome in a negative way due to a decrease of in vivo function in islets isolated from older donors.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 332 islet isolations according to donor age. We determined isolation outcome by islet yields, transplantation rates, and [beta]-cell function in vitro.

Rapamycin impairs proliferation of transplanted islet β cells.

Background: The cause for a progressive attrition of islet graft function observed over the years after islet transplantation is not well defined but may be in part the result of adverse effects of immunosuppressive agents. In this study, we examined the effect of rapamycin, a key component of the immunosuppressive regimen, on β-cell replication of transplanted islets.

Methods: Mice transplanted with rat islets under kidney capsule received bromodeoxyuridine for 7 days.

Assessment of human islet labeling with clinical grade iron nanoparticles prior to transplantation for graft monitoring by MRI.

Ex vivo labeling of islets with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles allows posttransplant MRI imaging of the graft. In the present study, we compare two clinical grade SPIOs (ferucarbotran and ferumoxide) in terms of toxicity, islet cellular uptake, and MRI imaging. Human islets (80-90% purity) were incubated for 24 h with various concentrations of SPIOs (14-280 μg/ml of iron).