Unraveling the spectrum of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in the lung: A comprehensive case series highlighting endobronchial, pleural, and lung parenchymal tumors.

Objectives: Diverse cases of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) in the lung (pleural, endobronchial, and parenchymal) are presented while discussing the (preoperative) diagnostic challenges and treatment modalities. Other objectives include emphasizing the significance of gene rearrangements and highlighting the multidisciplinary approach in addressing IMTs.

Methods: Four cases of IMT in the lung are presented, including a young adolescent girl with an ETV6-neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase 3 (NTRK3) gene rearrangement, a 5-year-old boy with challenging preoperative diagnosis, and 2 middle-aged women with respectively pleural and endobronchial tumors with one peribronchial relapse.

Refractory chylothorax after severe vomiting and coughing in a 4-year-old child.

Chylothorax is the accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the pleural space. It is a rare condition with potentially life-threatening disorders. In children, the etiology of chylothorax can be mainly attributed to idiopathic factors, congenital, miscellaneous, trauma and malignancies.

Designing hexaphyrins for high-potential NLO switches: the synergy of core-modifications and -substitutions.

Due to the enormous size of the chemical compound space, usually only small regions are traversed with traditional direct molecular design approaches making the discovery for novel functionalized molecules for nonlinear optical applications challenging. By applying inverse molecular design algorithms, we aim to efficiently explore larger regions of the compound space in search of promising hexaphyrin-based molecular switches as measured by their first-hyperpolarizability () contrast. We focus on the 28R → 30R switch with a functionalization pattern allowing for centrosymmetric OFF states yielding zero response.

Next Generation Copper Mediators for the Efficient Production of F-Labeled Aromatics.

Cu-mediated radiofluorination is a versatile tool for the preparation of F-labeled (hetero)aromatics. In this work, we systematically evaluated a series of complexes and identified several generally applicable mediators for highly efficient radiofluorination of aryl boronic and stannyl substrates. Utilization of these mediators in nBuOH/DMI or DMI significantly improved F-labeling yields despite use of lower precursor amounts.

Evolutionary adaptation of the protein folding pathway for secretability.

Secretory preproteins of the Sec pathway are targeted post-translationally and cross cellular membranes through translocases. During cytoplasmic transit, mature domains remain non-folded for translocase recognition/translocation. After translocation and signal peptide cleavage, mature domains fold to native states in the bacterial periplasm or traffic further.

Signal Peptide-rheostat Dynamics Delay Secretory Preprotein Folding.

Sec secretory proteins are distinguished from cytoplasmic ones by N-terminal signal peptides with multiple roles during post-translational translocation. They contribute to preprotein targeting to the translocase by slowing down folding, binding receptors and triggering secretion. While signal peptides get cleaved after translocation, mature domains traffic further and/or fold into functional states.

Percutaneous tracheostomy for long-term ventilated COVID-19-patients: rationale and first clinical-safe for all-experience.

Introduction: COVID-19 infection has resulted in thousands of critically ill patients admitted to ICUs and treated with mechanical ventilation. Percutaneous tracheostomy is a well-known technique utilised as a strategy to wean critically ill patients from mechanical ventilation. Worldwide differences exist in terms of methods, operators, and settings, and questions remain regarding timing and indications.

Eu(O C-C≡C-CO ): An Eu Containing Anhydrous Coordination Polymer with High Stability and Negative Thermal Expansion.

Anhydrous Eu -acetylenedicarboxylate (EuADC; ADC = O C-C≡C-CO ) was synthesized by reaction of EuBr with K ADC or H ADC in degassed water under oxygen-free conditions. EuADC crystallizes in the SrADC type structure (I4 /amd, Z=4) forming a 3D coordination polymer with a diamond-like arrangement of Eu nodes (msw topology including the connecting ADC linkers). Deep orange coloured EuADC is stable in air and starts decomposing upon heating in an argon atmosphere only at 440 °C.

How Does the Fluorination of the Linker Affect the Stability of Trimesate-Based Coordination Polymers and Metal-Organic Frameworks?

The syntheses and crystal structures of the monopotassium salts of difluorinated and tri/perfluorinated trimesic acid (1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid ≡ HBTC) are presented, namely, K(H dF-BTC) ( Fdd2, Z = 16) and K(H pF-BTC) ( Cc, Z = 4). For the first time, together with already known K(H mF-BTC), all fluorination degrees of trimesic acid are accessible and can be used for a systematic study of the influence of fluorination on the stability of the resulting coordination polymers and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The monopotassium salts show a decreasing (chemical) stability in water upon heating, as well as a decreasing thermal stability, as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetric analysis (DSC/TGA).

Inner Membrane Translocases and Insertases.

The inner membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is a ~6 nm thick phospholipid bilayer. It forms a semi-permeable barrier between the cytoplasm and periplasm allowing only regulated export and import of ions, sugar polymers, DNA and proteins. Inner membrane proteins, embedded via hydrophobic transmembrane α-helices, play an essential role in this regulated trafficking: they mediate insertion into the membrane (insertases) or complete crossing of the membrane (translocases) or both.

Protein Transport Across the Bacterial Plasma Membrane by the Sec Pathway.

More than a third of all bacterial polypeptides, comprising the 'exportome', are transported to extracytoplasmic locations. Most of the exportome is targeted and inserts into ('membranome') or crosses ('secretome') the plasma membrane. The membranome and secretome use distinct targeting signals and factors, and driving forces, but both use the ubiquitous and essential Sec translocase and its SecYEG protein-conducting channel.

An air-containing mediastinal mass in a patient with a primary adenocarcinoma of the right lung.

The following case report elicits the treatment of a 55-year-old male who was diagnosed with a surinfected mediastinal chyloma as a complication of mediastinoscopy and radiotherapy for a primary adenocarcinoma of the right lung (cT2aN2M0). The patient was admitted to the hospital after radiographical imaging showed a surinfected mediastinal chyloma. CT-guided percutaneous drainage was performed and via gastroscopy a fistula was diagnosed for which a full covered stent was placed.

Fighting human error : what surgeons can learn from aviators.

Background: The rigorous implementation of safety policies have made air travel one of the safest modes of transport. Health institutions and hospital managing bodies increasingly adopt cues from aviation safety protocols and policies in an attempt to reduce medical errors and patient harm. Among hospital staff, surgeons are most likely to be confronted with these aviation-derived safety concepts.

Air leaks localized with lung ventilation SPECT.

A 61-year-old man with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presented to our hospital with recurrence of a right-sided spontaneous secondary pneumothorax. Thoracoscopic abrasion of the parietal pleura was performed, but an important air leak persisted. Presumed to originate from a bulla in the right upper lobe, bullectomy and pleural decortication were performed, but leakage remained.

Validation of a novel spinal posture monitor: comparison with digital videofluoroscopy.

Purpose: A novel, minimally invasive posture monitor which can monitor lumbar postures outside the laboratory has demonstrated excellent reliability, as well as concurrent validity compared to a surface marker-based motion analysis system. However, it is unclear if this device reflects underlying vertebral motion.

Methods: Twelve participants performed full range sagittal plane lumbo-pelvic movements during sitting and standing.

Septic shock in digestive surgery: a retrospective study of 89 patients.

Background/aims: septic shock is the most severe systemic inflammatory response to infection. Septic shock is associated with organ dysfunction and with major circulatory failure. The aim of this work is to study the impact of septic shock in digestive surgery.

A retrospective study of 74 laparoscopic repairs of abdominal incisional hernias.

Introduction: A laparoscopic procedure is used more and more frequently to treat incisional hernia with the potential benefits of shorter hospitalisation and a decrease in postoperative pain. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyse the results of the laparoscopic treatment of incisional hernia at our institution and to identify potential risk factors for recurrence.

Methods: The medical data (pre-operative, peri-operative, and postoperative) of patients who received a laparoscopic repair of their incisional hernia between January 2003 and February 2007 were recorded.

Origin and propagation of the slow wave in the canine stomach: the outlines of a gastric conduction system.

Slow waves are known to originate orally in the stomach and to propagate toward the antrum, but the exact location of the pacemaker and the precise pattern of propagation have not yet been studied. Using assemblies of 240 extracellular electrodes, simultaneous recordings of electrical activity were made on the fundus, corpus, and antrum in open abdominal anesthetized dogs. The signals were analyzed off-line, pathways of slow wave propagation were reconstructed, and slow wave velocities and amplitudes were measured.

Intestinal stoma in patients with spinal cord injury: a retrospective study of 23 patients.

Background/aims: Among spinal cord injury patients, digestive disorders are frequent, chronic, and progressive. Constipation and fecal incontinence, the most common disorders, can severely affect the quality of life of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methodology: For this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of spinal cord injury patients with an intestinal stoma formation and developed a questionnaire to assess patient quality of life.

Management of sigmoid diverticulitis: a retrospective study of 268 patients.

Background/aims: The therapeutic management of acute diverticulitis has evolved over the last years in favour of an initial conservative approach with laparoscopy rather than a primary anastomosis. We studied the management of sigmoid diverticulitis in the Digestive Surgical Unit to assess it in comparison to actual practice.

Methodology: A retrospective review of patients admitted to our unit from January 1998 to June 2006 for diverticular disease.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis in the elderly: a retrospective study of 100 patients.

Background: The objective of this retrospective study is to evaluate the use oflaparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of acute cholecystitis in elderly patients, and to identify risk factors for mortality.

Methodology: In this study we have included patients with acute cholecystitis aged 75 years and older. Patients were diagnosed after anatomical and pathological examination of an operative sample.

Long-term results of a non-ramdomized prospective mono-centre study of 1000 laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal hernia repairs.

Background: Information concerning short-term results for laparoscopic extraperitoneal hernia repair is available, but long-term results remain poorly documented. The purpose of this non-randomized prospective study was to evaluate recurrence and chronic pain after hernia repair over a period longer than 10 years.

Materials And Methods: From 1995 to 2004, all patients aged 30 years or more, manifesting with inguinal hernia, were included in our study.

Focal activities and re-entrant propagations as mechanisms of gastric tachyarrhythmias.

Background & Aims: Gastric arrhythmias occur in humans and experimental animals either spontaneously or induced by drugs or diseases. However, there is no information regarding the origin or the propagation patterns of the slow waves that underlie such arrhythmias.

Methods: To elucidate this, simultaneous recordings were made on the antrum and the distal corpus during tachygastrias in open abdominal anesthetized dogs using a 240 extracellular electrode assembly.