Propensity Score-Matched Analysis of Minimal Invasive Surgery versus Open Surgery for Colorectal Cancer in Older Patients.

Currently, surgeons deal with an older patient cohort, confronting new challenges brought by the raised life expectancy. This population is unrepresented in surgical trials; therefore, the optimal therapy is still a matter of debate. The efficacy of open versus minimal invasive management of colorectal cancer (CRC) in an elderly cohort is not clearly established.

Is Long-Term Survival in Metastases from Neuroendocrine Neoplasms Improved by Liver Resection?

: Although many of the neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) have a typically prolonged natural history compared with other gastrointestinal tract cancers, at least 40% of patients develop liver metastases. This study aims to identify whether liver resection improves the overall survival of patients with liver metastases from NEN. : We conducted a retrospective study at "Fundeni" Clinical Institute over a time period of 15 years; we thereby identified a series of 93 patients treated for NEN with liver metastases, which we further divided into 2 groups as follows: A (45 patients) had been subjected to liver resection complemented by systemic therapies, and B (48 patients) underwent systemic therapy alone.

Opportunistic Network Algorithms for Internet Traffic Offloading in Music Festival Scenarios.

Constant Internet connectivity has become a necessity in our lives. Hence, music festival organizers allocate part of their budget for temporary Wi-Fi equipment in order to sustain the high network traffic generated in such a small geographical area, but this naturally leads to high costs that need to be decreased. Thus, in this paper, we propose a solution that can help offload some of that traffic to an opportunistic network created with the attendees' smartphones, therefore minimizing the costs of the temporary network infrastructure.

TNF-alpha releasing capacity of the whole blood drops after open total splenectomy, but increases after partial/subtotal or minimally invasive splenectomy.

Background: The mechanisms that induce immunodeficiency after splenectomy remain unknown. The aim of this study was to measure the cytokine releasing capacity of the whole blood as an expression of the innate immunity after total (TS) and subtotal/partial splenectomy (S/PS) in order to assess the impact of splenectomy on the individual cytokine reactivity.

Methods: We prospectively collected blood before (D0) and at multiple time points after splenectomy (7 days - D7, 30 days - D30, 90 days - D90, 180 days - D180, and 360 days - D360) and measured the cytokines releasing capacity of IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-10 from whole blood under LPS stimulation which we normalized to the monocytes number.

Gait Recognition as an Authentication Method for Mobile Devices.

With the rate at which smartphones are currently evolving, more and more of human life will be contained in these devices. At a time when data privacy is extremely important, it is crucial to protect one's mobile device. In this paper, we propose a new non-intrusive gait recognition based mechanism that can enhance the security of smartphones by rapidly identifying users with a high degree of confidence and securing sensitive data in case of an attack, with a focus on a potential architecture for such an algorithm for the Android environment.

Long-Term Evaluation of the Outcomes of Subtotal Laparoscopic and Robotic Splenectomy in Hereditary Spherocytosis.

Background: Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a common inherited disease affecting the erythrocyte membrane. Total splenectomy (TS) is effective in reducing hemolysis and decreasing the need of transfusions, but total removal of the spleen represents a potential risk factor for infectious and non-infectious complications. On the other hand, subtotal splenectomy (STS) could be an alternative therapy for HS.

Quality of Life in Patients with Surgically Removed Skin Tumors.

: Skin cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies. The main goal of the therapeutic management is total excision with the prevention of recurrence and metastasis. The quality of life of the patients with skin cancer is affected by the morbidity risk, surgery, and cosmetic or functional aspects.

Circulating miRNAs in sepsis-A network under attack: An in-silico prediction of the potential existence of miRNA sponges in sepsis.

Biomarkers based on the molecular mechanism of sepsis are important for timely diagnosis and treatment. A large panel of small non-coding microRNAs was reported to modulate the immune response in sepsis but have not been tested in clinical practice. Large-scale identification of microRNA networks in sepsis might reveal a new biological mechanism that can be also targeted by gene therapy.

Liver resection for ovarian cancer liver metastases as part of cytoreductive surgery is safe and may bring survival benefit.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether hepatic resections of ovarian cancer liver metastases provide a benefit in terms of survival as part of primary, secondary, tertiary, and even quaternary cytoreductive surgery.

Methods: Data of patients submitted to surgery for ovarian cancer liver metastases at Fundeni Clinical Institute between January 2002 and April 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Liver lesions were classified according to their origin in parenchymal and peritoneal lesions.

Robotic splenectomy: what is the real benefit?

Background: The laparoscopic approach to a difficult splenectomy requires a longer total operative time and is frequently associated with an increased risk of bleeding and a high conversion rate.

Methods: A total of 418 elective splenectomies were registered in the Department of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation of Fundeni Clinical Institute between January 1995 and June 2012, of which 299 splenectomies (212 laparoscopic and 77 robotic) were performed by a single surgical team and retrospectively documented. The effect of the learning curve and the relative complexity of each type of procedure were analyzed using the Minimally Invasive Splenectomy Score, which further allowed categorizing the splenectomies as simple or difficult.

An exploratory study of inflammatory cytokines as prognostic biomarkers in patients with ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Objectives: We measured the serum concentration of a panel of inflammatory cytokines and evaluated their association with circulating proangiogenic biomarkers and with outcome in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Methods: We collected serum samples from 36 patients with PDAC, 9 patients with chronic pancreatitis, and 22 healthy volunteers as a control. Inflammatory cytokines and proangiogenic biomarkers were measured using the multianalyte xMAP array and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate 19-9 by immunoassay.

Risk factors for surgical complications after central pancreatectomy.

Background/aims: Central pancreatectomy is a pancreas-sparing alternative to standard pancreatic resections in selected cases. Although associated with high morbidity, the risk factors for surgical complications of this procedure are not yet defined.

Methodology: The clinicopathological and perioperative data of 24 patients who underwent central pancreatectomies (2002-2010) were correlated with surgical complications.