Evaluation of Cytotoxicity of the Dental Materials TheraCal LC, TheraCal PT, ApaCal ART and Biodentine Used in Vital Pulp Therapy: In Vitro Study.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to compare the cytotoxicity of selected resin-modified materials used in direct contact with the dental pulp (TheraCal LC, TheraCal PT, and ApaCal ART) with calcium silicate cement (Biodentine). (2) Methods: The mouse fibroblast Balb/3T3 cell line and the extracts of tested materials in four concentrations were used for the testing. An MTT assay was performed in three independent experiments with six replicates for each concentration of tested material.

Molecular Screening in Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma: Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Analysis, Next-Generation Sequencing Fusion Gene Detection, and T-Cell Receptor Immunoprofiling.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK+ ALCL) originates from the T-lineage and is marked by rearrangements of the ALK gene. More than 10 fusion partners with the ALK gene are known, with the most common being the t(2;5)(p23;q35) translocation resulting in the NPM1::ALK fusion. In 10% to 20% of the ALK+ ALCL cases, the ALK gene fuses with various other partners.

Discrimination of resected glioma tissues using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and Au@ZrO plasmonic nanosensor.

Gliomas present one of the most prevalent malignant tumors related to the central nervous system. Surgical extraction is still a preferred route for glioma treatment. Nonetheless, neurosurgeons still have a considerable challenge to detect actual margins of the targeted glioma intraoperatively and correctly because of its great natural infiltration.

Prognostic value of a new clinically-based classification system in patients with CMML undergoing allogeneic HCT: a retrospective analysis of the EBMT-CMWP.

Recently a new three-group clinical classification was reported by an International Consortium to stratify CMML patients with regard to prognosis. The groups were defined as follows: (1) Myelodysplastic (MD)-CMML: WBC ≤ 10 × 10/l, circulating immature myeloid cells (IMC) = 0, no splenomegaly; (2) MD/MP (overlap)-CMML: WBC 10-20 × 10/l or WBC ≤ 10 × 10/l but IMC > 0 and/or splenomegaly; (3) Myeloproliferative (MP)-CMML: WBC > 20 × 10/l. By analysing EBMT Registry patients who underwent allo-HCT for CMML between 1997 and 2016, we aimed to determine the impact of this classification on transplantation outcome and to make a comparison with the conventional WHO classification (CMML-0/CMML-1/CMML-2).

LC3A positive "stone like structures" are differentially associated with survival outcomes and CD68 macrophage infiltration in patients with lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Aims: The aim of the study was to analyse the prognostic and predictive value of LC3A positive' 'Stone Like Structures'' (SLSs) in a large cohort of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and to check its relationship with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and PD-L1 expression.

Methods: Tissue microarrays from 1015 patients diagnosed at the Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, were stained for LC3A, PD-L1, CD3 and CD68 using automated tissue stainer Ventana Benchmark Ultra (Roche). TILs were assessed in matched haematoxylin and eosin stained slides.

Predictive and Prognostic Value of DNA Damage Response Associated Kinases in Solid Tumors.

Dysfunctional DNA repair with subsequent genome instability and high mutational burden represents a major hallmark of cancer. In established malignant tumors, increased DNA repair capacity mediates resistance to DNA-damaging therapeutics, including cytotoxic drugs, radiotherapy, and selected small molecules including inhibitors of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR), and Wee1 kinase (Wee1). In addition, DNA repair deficiency is not only associated with sensitivity to selected anticancer drugs, but also with increased mutagenicity and increased neoantigen load on tumor cells, resulting in increased immunogenicity and improved response to CTLA4- or PD-(L)1 targeting monoclonal antibodies.

Is health-related quality of life of patients after single-use flexible ureteroscopy superior to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy? A randomised prospective study.

The aims of the study were to compare the change in the Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life (WISQOL) score in patients who underwent retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) single-use ureteroscope or extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) with a calculation of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). 158 patients treated with urinary stone disease were randomly divided into 80 patients in the validation and 78 patients in the intervention arm. Patients in the intervention arm were randomly divided into the RIRS or the ESWL group.

CCR7 as a novel therapeutic target in t-cell PROLYMPHOCYTIC leukemia.

Unlabelled: T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a poor prognostic disease with very limited options of efficient therapies. Most patients are refractory to chemotherapies and despite high response rates after alemtuzumab, virtually all patients relapse. Therefore, there is an unmet medical need for novel therapies in T-PLL.

The EUTOS long-term survival (ELTS) score is superior to the Sokal score for predicting survival in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Prognostic scores support clinicians in selecting risk-adjusted treatments and in comparatively assessing different results. For patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), four baseline prognostic scores are commonly used. Our aim was to compare the prognostic performance of the scores and to arrive at an evidence-based score recommendation.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt in treating of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus-single-center study.

Object: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is the only variant of dementia disorders possibly treatable by neurosurgical intervention. iNPH is a neurodegenerative condition clinically characterized by gait ataxia, urinary incontinence, and memory disturbance. We present one of the largest single-center studies, which was designed to prove efficacy of our low-pressure setting of gravitational valve at all three symptoms of iNPH and to find statistically significant cut-off time for best clinical improvement according to the duration of symptoms.

Central nervous system disorders after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a prospective study of the Infectious Diseases Working Party of EBMT.

We performed a prospective study to evaluate the types and characteristics of central nervous system (CNS) disorders in patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study included 163 episodes of CNS disorders of which 58 (36%) were infections. Proven or probable infections were documented in 34 patients and included fungi (n = 10, 29%), viruses (n = 12, 35%), Toxoplasma spp.

Safe and bloodless exposure of the third segment of the vertebral artery: a step-by-step overview based on over 50 personal cases.

Craniovertebral junction surgery usually requires the exposure of the third segment of the vertebral artery (V3). However, the complexity of musculature, a relatively high incidence of anomalies in the course of the vertebral artery (VA), and the presence of a rich venous plexus in this region make the V3 exposure challenging with a high risk of serious complications while taking down the suboccipital muscles in a single layer. A muscle dissection in interfascial layers, however, overcomes the drawbacks inherent in a blind dissection of the V3 as each of the muscles represents substantial landmark aiding subsequent step of the procedure and thus helping identify underlying anatomical structure early and safely.

A Case Series of Double Bypass Technique Used for the Treatment of Internal Carotid Blood Blister-like Aneurysms in Patients in Poor Initial Neurological Condition at the Early Stage of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background: Optimal surgical treatment of blood-blister aneurysms (BBA) remains controversial. Some surgeons prefer clipping reconstruction while others favor primary bypass with trapping.

Objective: To analyze of benefit of double bypass technique to surgical outcomes in patients with ruptured BBA in poor initial neurological condition (PINC).

Variability in Wall Thickness and Related Structures of Major Dural Sinuses in Posterior Cranial Fossa: A Microscopic Anatomical Study and Clinical Implications.

Background: Regional variability in dural sinus (DS) wall thickness in posterior cranial fossa (PCF) have not been studied in detail yet.

Objective: To clarify the possible regional variability in DS wall thickness and determine the occurrence and localization of the chordae Willisii (CW) in PCF.

Methods: Fifty-nine human cadaveric DSs of PCF were investigated.

Granulocyte transfusions collected after steroid priming for severe infections during neutropenia: A single center experience.

Background: There is no universally accepted opinion on the use of granulocyte transfusions collected using apheresis (GTA) in neutropenic patients and severe infection.

Patients And Methods: The efficacy and safety of GTAs transfused at a single center over 10 years were analyzed retrospectively. GTAs were harvested from voluntary unrelated donors after priming with methylprednisolone using continuous apheresis and hydroxyethylstarch as sedimentation agent.

Human gut microbiota plays a role in the metabolism of drugs.

Background And Aims: The gut microbiome, an aggregate genome of trillions of microorganisms residing in the human gastrointestinal tract, is now known to play a critical role in human health and predisposition to disease. It is also involved in the biotransformation of xenobiotics and several recent studies have shown that the gut microbiota can affect the pharmacokinetics of orally taken drugs with implications for their oral bioavailability.

Methods: Review of Pubmed, Web of Science and Science Direct databases for the years 1957-2016.

Thiotepa-based high-dose therapy for autologous stem cell transplantation in lymphoma: a retrospective study from the EBMT.

Clinical information about thiotepa-based autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) outside the primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) field is sparse. In this registry-based retrospective study, we evaluated potential risks and benefits of thiotepa-based preparative regimens compared with BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) in auto-SCT for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL, excluding PCNSL), follicular lymphoma (FL) or Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). A total of 14 544 patients (589 thiotepa and 13 955 BEAM) met the eligibility criteria, and 535 thiotepa- and 1031 BEAM-treated patients were matched in a 1:2 ratio for final comparison.

Intra-operative defibrillation testing and clinical shock efficacy in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: the NORDIC ICD randomized clinical trial.

Aims: This trial was designed to test the hypothesis that shock efficacy during follow-up is not impaired in patients implanted without defibrillation (DF) testing during first implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation.

Methods And Results: Between February 2011 and July 2013, 1077 patients were randomly assigned (1 : 1) to first time ICD implantation with (n = 540) or without (n = 537) DF testing. The intra-operative DF testing was standardized across all participating centres, and all ICD shocks were programmed to 40 J irrespective of DF test results.

Analysis of prognostic significance of merkel cell polyomavirus in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Background: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a ubiquitous DNA tumor virus, has been found to be associated with Merkel cell carcinoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Previous studies have reported conflicting results on the frequency and potential pathogenetic role of MCPyV in CLL. The aim of this study was to evaluate MCPyV's association with CLL and its prognostic significance.

Thalamic atrophy and cognitive impairment in clinically isolated syndrome and multiple sclerosis.

Background: Cognitive deficits worsen the quality of life in multiple sclerosis and may be predicted by deep gray matter atrophy, especially thalamic atrophy. This relationship has not been studied in the clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). The aims of this study were to assess cognitive deficits in patients with CIS and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) using neuropsychological testing, to search for thalamic atrophy on brain MRI, and to test for their correlations.