Tertiary lymphoid structures in colorectal cancer - organization and immune cell interactions.

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), formerly recognized as Crohn's-like structures, serve as crucial biomarkers for evaluating the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Understanding their spatial distribution, cellular composition, and interactions within CRC is paramount for comprehending the immune response in the tumor microenvironment (TME). TLS are comprised of a T-cellular compartment and a B-cellular compartment, the latter encompassing follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), high endothelial venules (HEVs), and lymphatic vessels.

Bacterial and Viral Co-Infections in COVID-19 Patients: Etiology and Clinical Impact.

Background: Mixed infections can worsen disease symptoms. This study investigated the impact of mixed infections with viral and bacterial pathogens in patients positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Methods: Using the in-house multiplex PCR method, we tested 337 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples for co-infections with three bacterial and 14 other viral pathogens.

Prediction of Poor Outcome Using the Urea to Albumin Ratio in Thoracic Empyema.

Purpose: The prognostic performance of urea-to-albumin ratio (UAR) has been assessed in various pulmonary and nonpulmonary conditions, but never in thoracic empyema. Therefore, our aim was to determine whether this marker has the ability to predict outcome in such patients.

Methods: A single-center retrospective study was conducted in a Clinic of Thoracic Surgery at a University Hospital between January 2021 and October 2023.

Urea to Albumin Ratio Is an Excellent Predictor of Death in Patients With Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections.

The urea to albumin ratio (UAR) has shown a prognostic value in various clinical settings, however, no study has yet investigated its ability to predict outcome in complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs). Therefore, our aim was to evaluate the association between UAR and mortality in such patients. A single-center prospective study including 62 patients with cIAIs was performed at a University Hospital Stara Zagora for the period November 2018 to August 2021.

Better chance of survival is associated with higher neutrophil CD16 expression in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections.

Aim: The ability of neutrophil CD16 (nCD16) expression to predict outcome in complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs) has not yet been studied; therefore we aimed to evaluate its potential prognostic value in such patients.

Methods: Between November 2018 and August 2021 a single-center prospective study was performed in the Department of Surgical Diseases at a University Hospital Stara Zagora. A flow cytometry was used to measure the levels of nCD16 before surgery and on the 3rd postoperative day (POD) in 62 patients with cIAIs.

Prediction of outcome using CD14CD16, CD14CD16 and CD14CD16 monocyte subpopulations in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections.

There is still no study investigating the prognostic performance of CD14CD16, CD14CD16 and CD14CD16 monocyte subpopulations in complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs); therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between monocyte subtypes and outcome in such patients. A single-center prospective study was conducted at a University Hospital Stara Zagora between November 2018 and August 2021. Preoperatively and on the 3rd postoperative day (POD), we measured the levels of CD14CD16, CD14CD16 and CD14CD16 monocytes in peripheral blood using flow cytometry in 62 patients with cIAIs and 31 healthy controls.

Rhinovirus Genotypes Circulating in Bulgaria, 2018-2021.

Rhinoviruses (RV) are one of the most common causative agents of respiratory infections, with significant socioeconomic impact. RV infections are not notifiable in Bulgaria, and little is known about the different RV genotypes circulating in the country. This study aims to investigate the diversity of RV genotypes that were circulating in Bulgaria in the period 2018-2021 in samples from ILI/ARI patients.

Prognostic performance of neutrophil CD64 expression in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections - a prospective study.

No study yet analyzed the prognostic abilities of neutrophil CD64 expression (nCD64) in complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs), therefore our aim was to evaluate the possible association between this biomarker and outcome in such patients. This single-center prospective study was conducted in the Department of Surgical Diseases at a University Hospital 'Prof. Dr.

Role of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism L55M in the Gene as a Risk and Prognostic Factor in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

The aim of the current study is to explore the possible role of L55M, (rs 854560, 163T > A) SNP as a predisposing factor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to assess its potency as a prognostic biomarker for short (1 year) survival and for median (5 years) and 9-year long patients’ outcome. Methods: The current work is a prospective case-control study with 77 patients with acute coronary syndrome (53 with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, STEMI, 14 with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, NSTEMI and 10 with unstable angina, UA) and 122 control individuals. Patients were followed-up for 9 years.

Clinical significance and role of coinfections with respiratory pathogens among individuals with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, viral profile, and clinical features of coinfections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other respiratory viruses.

Methods: Nasopharyngeal samples and clinical data of 221 hospitalized patients and 21 outpatients were collected and analyzed. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1,2,3, rhinovirus (RV), adenovirus (AdV), bocaviruses (BoV), and seasonal coronaviruses (OC43, 229E, NL63, and HKU1).

It is time to define an organizational model for the prevention and management of infections along the surgical pathway: a worldwide cross-sectional survey.

Background: The objectives of the study were to investigate the organizational characteristics of acute care facilities worldwide in preventing and managing infections in surgery; assess participants' perception regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, antibiotic prescribing practices, and source control; describe awareness about the global burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and IPC measures; and determine the role of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic on said awareness.

Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted contacting 1432 health care workers (HCWs) belonging to a mailing list provided by the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery. The self-administered questionnaire was developed by a multidisciplinary team.

Prognostic value of peripheral blood CD14+HLA-DR+ monocytes in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by a potent pro-inflammatory response and concomitant anti-inflammatory response leading to a state of immunosuppression. Decreased HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen)-DR expression on monocytes is a reliable cellular marker of immune suppression. The main objective of this study was to investigate the clinical value of the percentage of peripheral blood CD14+ HLA-DR+ monocytes (mHLA-DR) for diagnosis and assessment of severity, development of organ failures (OF), local complications (LC), and infected necrosis (IN), and outcome in patients with AP.

Poor Outcome Could Be Predicted by Lower Monocyte Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR Expression in Patients with Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: A Review.

Complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs) are still associated with high morbidity and mortality levels. Early prognostic evaluation is a great challenge, and a serious amount of resources have been used to find the perfect mortality predictor. Monocyte human leukocyte antigen-DR (mHLA-DR) expression has been studied as a biomarker in patients with sepsis and other infections.

A combination of C-reactive protein and quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score has better prognostic accuracy than qSOFA alone in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections.

Introduction: Complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs) remain a serious challenge because of their unacceptably high mortality rates. Among different prognostic scoring systems quick-sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score is the most recent. However, as mortality predictor in surgical patients, qSOFA showed lack of sensitivity.

Predictive value of some pro-oxidants in type 2 diabetes mellitus with vascular complications.

The study aims to analyze oxidative stress levels in circulation of some reactive molecules and products of biomolecular modification in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with diabetes-specific vascular complications in order to determine their predictive value. Also, the alterations of their serum concentration with reference to disease characteristics were assessed. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide radicals (•NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (CO) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosin (8-OHdG) in serum were measured in 93 patients with T2DM with vascular complications, 94 control subjects and 16 diabetic patients who had no evidence of vascular disease.

Neutrophil CD64 - A potential biomarker in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections? - A literature review.

Complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIaIs) respresent a serious cause of morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and well-timed treatment can improve patients' outcome, whereas the delay in management often result in rapid progression to circulatory collapse, multiple organ failure, and death. Neutrophil CD64 antigen expression has been studied for several years as infectious and sepsis biomarker and has several characteristics that make it good for clinical employment.

Cardiac Biomarkers and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Asymptomatic Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Cardiac biomarkers are often elevated in dialysis patients showing the presence of left ventricular dysfunction. The aim of the study is to establish the plasma levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs TnT), precursor of B-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs CRP) and their relation to the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients undergoing hemodialysis without signs of acute coronary syndrome or heart failure.

Material And Methods: We studied 48 patients - 26 men and 22 women.

The "different face" of esophageal cancer: cutaneous manifestation of visceral malignancies.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of neoplasm of the esophagus with global incidence. Its early symptoms are often nonspecific as the disease could be detected only when metastases in various organs are already presented. Esophageal metastases present an extremely small part from all cutaneous metastases as the real incidence of cutaneous metastases due to cancer of the esophagus account for 0.