Dual-task performance and balance in patients with severe COPD: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly impacts respiratory and motor function, balance, and cognition, leading to muscle weakness and impaired exercise capacity. The impairments often result in challenges with daily activities, particularly those requiring dual-tasking.

Objectives: The study investigated whether patients with severe COPD would exhibit more significant cognitive and motor performance decline during dual tasks compared to healthy controls.

Intraoperative imaging of residual ovarian cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using indocyanine green.

Objectives: Interval debulking surgery has similar outcomes and less morbidity compared with primary debulking in advanced ovarian cancer. However, there is controversy regarding the selection of chemotherapy-resistant clones. Complete resection is an essential prerequisite, and near-infrared surgery combined with various techniques for highlighting malignant foci strives to achieve actual complete resection.

Plants' Impact on the Human Brain-Exploring the Neuroprotective and Neurotoxic Potential of Plants.

Background: Plants have long been recognized for their potential to influence neurological health, with both neuroprotective and neurotoxic properties. This review explores the dual nature of plant-derived compounds and their impact on the human brain.

Discussion: Numerous studies have highlighted the neuroprotective effects of various phytoconstituents, such as those found in , , , , and .

Obesity Control and Supplementary Nutraceuticals as Cofactors of Brain Plasticity in Multiple Sclerosis Populations.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease characterized by inflammation, demyelination, and neurodegeneration within the central nervous system. Brain plasticity, the brain's ability to adapt its structure and function, plays a crucial role in mitigating MS's impact. This paper explores the potential benefits of lifestyle changes and nutraceuticals on brain plasticity in the MS population.

B7H3 Immune Checkpoint Overexpression Is Associated with Decreased Complete Response Rates to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

Background And Objectives: Rectal cancer accounts for approximately one-third of colorectal cancers, with over 340,000 deaths globally in 2022. Despite advancements in treatment, the five-year overall survival for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) remains at 74%, with significant morbidity. B7H3 (CD276), an immune checkpoint protein, plays a role in tumor progression and resistance to therapy, and correlates with poor prognosis in various cancers, including colorectal cancer.

miRNA in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Critical Limb Ischemia.

Chronic threatening limb ischemia of the inferior limbs (CLTI) is the final stage of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and is one of the most feared atherosclerotic manifestations because if left untreated, in time, it can lead to amputation. Although there are currently numerous treatment techniques, both open and endovascular, it is a pathology that has no underlying treatment. Therefore, current studies are very much focused on new therapeutic possibilities that can be applied in the early stages of the atherosclerotic process.

Observational Study of Men and Women with Breast Cancer in Terms of Overall Survival.

Unlabelled: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and the leading cause of cancer death in women. Less than 1% of breast cancer cases are male breast cancers. Although there has been significant progress made in the management of breast cancer, due to its rarity among men, the question of whether men and women with breast cancer have the same treatment response and survival rate still needs to be answered.

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Molecular Particularities Still a Challenge.

Worldwide, breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers in women and is responsible for the highest number of cancer-related deaths among women, with a special clinical behavior and therapy response. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is seen as a highly invasive BC, characterized by a short survival, higher mortality, recurrence, and metastasis when it is compared to the other BC subtypes. The molecular subtyping of TNBC based on mRNA expression levels does not accurately reflect protein expression levels, which impacts targeted therapy effectiveness and prognostic predictions.

The Impact of Long COVID on the Quality of Life.

: The term long COVID refers to patients with a history of confirmed COVID-19 infection, who present symptoms that last for at least 2 months and cannot be explained by another diagnosis. Objectives: The present study aims to determine the most common symptoms of the long COVID syndrome and their impact on the quality of life. : A prospective observational study was conducted on patients diagnosed with mild and moderate COVID-19 (based on a positive SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic or rapid antigen test and severity form definition) at the Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

VEGF Polymorphisms (, and ) and Cardiovascular Implications in Long COVID Patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised awareness of the virus's long-term non-pulmonary consequences. This study examined the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of VEGF and cardiac dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients recovering from COVID-19. This study included 67 patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19.

Use of Different Anti-PD-1 Checkpoint Combination Strategies for First-Line Advanced NSCLC Treatment-The Experience of Ion Chiricuță Oncology Institute.

Purpose: Different combination modalities between an anti-PD-1/PD-L1 agent and a platinum-based chemotherapy or another checkpoint inhibitor (with or without a short course or full course of a platinum doublet) proved superior to chemotherapy alone in multiple clinical trials, but these strategies were not directly compared. The aim of this study is to report the real-world data results with different immunotherapy combinations in a series of patients treated in consecutive cohorts at the Ion Chiricuță Oncology Institute.

Methods: A total of 122 patients were successively enrolled in three cohorts: (1A) nivolumab + ipilimumab (18 patients), (1B) nivolumab + ipilimumab + short-course chemotherapy (33 patients), and (2) pembrolizumab plus full-course chemotherapy (71 patients).

The Usefulness of Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins in the Diagnosis of Colorectal Carcinoma.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common neoplasms in developed countries, with increasing incidence and mortality, even in young people. A variety of serum markers have been associated with CRC (CEA, CA 19-9), but neither should be used as a screening tool for the diagnosis or evolution staging of CRC. The sensitivity and specificity of these markers are not as good as is required, so new ones need to be found.

The Influence of Tumor-Specific Markers in Breast Cancer on Other Blood Parameters.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women, responsible for the highest number of cancer-related deaths worldwide. There is limited data available related to serum tumor markers in breast cancer and other blood parameters or other glandular laboratory parameters. This study aims to evaluate the correlation of tumor-specific markers for breast cancer with other blood parameters and how these correlations could impact clinical management.

Narrative Review of Biological Markers in Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia.

Background: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), the advanced stage of peripheral arterial disease, is diagnosed in the presence of ischemic rest pain, non-healing ulcers, or gangrene. Several studies have demonstrated that inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are some of the main substrates of CLTI.

Methods: A narrative review was conducted and reported according to PRISMA guidelines.

Systematic Review on the Effectiveness and Outcomes of Nivolumab Treatment Schemes in Advanced and Metastatic Cervical Cancer.

Advanced and metastatic cervical cancer remains a formidable challenge in oncology, with immune checkpoint inhibitors such as the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab emerging as a potential therapeutic option. This systematic review rigorously assesses the effectiveness and outcomes of various nivolumab treatment regimens within this patient cohort, drawing from clinical trials and real-world evidence up to December 2023. Following a comprehensive search across PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, four studies were deemed eligible, involving a collective total of 80 patients.

Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Roma Vulnerable Communities in Western Romania: Insights and Predictive Factors from a Retrospective Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected vulnerable populations like Roma patients in Western Romania due to marginalization and limited healthcare access.

Methods: A retrospective study analyzed COVID-19 cases between March 2020 and August 2022 using data from the Directorate of Public Health in Timis county. Demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were assessed, along with risk factors and biomarkers for ICU admission and mortality prediction.

The relationship between critical life events, psycho-emotional health and life satisfaction among youths: coping mechanisms and emotional regulation.

Objective: Several studies in the specialized literature have reported that events such as the death of a loved one, job loss, divorce, illness, or retirement lead to an increase in the level of stress felt, and subsequently stress affects the person on several levels of life, such as: personal, relational, social, academic and at the same time sanogenic. The present paper explored the relationship between critical life events and psycho-emotional health among youths and the manner in which this relationship is mediated by the level of life satisfaction.

Methods: The data was extracted using a sample of participants (between 20 and 40 years old) from several cities in Romania, who experienced one or more critical life events during the last year.

Usefulness of Saline Sealing in Preventing Pneumothorax after CT-Guided Biopsies of the Lung.

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of saline sealing in reducing the incidence of pneumothorax after a CT-guided lung biopsy. This was a retrospective case-control study of patients who underwent CT-guided biopsies for lung tumors using 18 G semiautomatic core needles in conjunction with 17 G coaxial needles. The patients were divided into two consecutive groups: a historical Group A (n = 111), who did not receive saline sealing, and Group B (n = 87), who received saline sealing.

Role of the Renin-Angiotensin System in Long COVID's Cardiovascular Injuries.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is one of the biggest challenges of cardiovascular medicine. The significance of the RAS in the chronic progression of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its consequences is one of the topics that are currently being mostly discussed. SARS-CoV-2 undermines the balance between beneficial and harmful RAS pathways.

Baseline Expression of Exosomal miR-92a-3p and miR-221-3p Could Predict the Response to First-Line Chemotherapy and Survival in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

The status of predictive biomarkers in metastatic colorectal cancer is currently underdeveloped. Our study aimed to investigate the predictive value of six circulating exosomal miRNAs derived from plasma (miR-92a-3p, miR-143-3p, miR-146a-5p, miR-221-3p, miR-484, and miR-486-5p) for chemosensitivity, resistance patterns, and survival. Thirty-one metastatic colorectal cancer patients were selected before receiving first-line irinotecan- or oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.

Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Unmodified Paddlewheel Dirhodium(II,II)-Acetate/-Formamidinate Complexes and Their Axially Modified Low-Valent Metallodendrimers.

Two diphenyl formamidine ligands, four dirhodium(II,II) complexes, and three axially modified low-valent dirhodium(II,II) metallodendrimers were synthesized and evaluated as anticancer agents against the A2780, A2780, and OVCAR-3 human ovarian cancer cell lines. The dirhodium(II,II) complexes show moderate cytotoxic activity in the tested tumor cell lines, with acetate and methyl-substituted formamidinate compounds displaying increased cytotoxicity that is relative to cisplatin in the A2780 cisplatin resistant cell line. Additionally, methyl- and fluoro-substituted formamidinate complexes showed comparable and increased cytotoxic activity in the OVCAR-3 cell line when compared to cisplatin.