Expression of connexin-43 in surgical resections of primary tumor and lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung: a retrospective study.

Background: Connexins are transmembrane proteins forming gap junctions between the cells, which allow intercellular communication. Significance of gap junctions and connexins in lung carcinoma is not yet understood. The objective of the study was to investigate immunohistochemical expression and the localization of connexin-43 (Cx43) in primary lung carcinoma and its lymphatic metastases.

Double Tract vs. Roux-en-Y Reconstruction in the treatment of Gastric Cancer.

Objective: Functional outcomes were prospectively compared between the standard Roux-en-Y and Double-tract reconstruction following a total gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy.

Methods: One hundred ten patients with gastric cancer were divided into two groups by the type of reconstruction. Age, gender, T stage, AJCC stage, length of operation, BMI (body mass index, kg/m2), time to soft diet, postoperative leakage of the esophagojejunostomy (EJS), stricture of the EJS, meal intake, and quality of life (QOL) were recorded.

Markers of oxidative damage in chronic heart failure: role in disease progression.

Background: We aimed to study the relationship between markers of oxidative lipid or protein damage and ventricular remodeling and the validity of 8-epi-prostaglandin F(2alpha) (8-epi-PGF(2alpha)) as an indicator of disease severity in patients with ischemic chronic heart failure (CHF).

Patients And Methods: We enrolled four groups of 12 patients with varying CHF according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification and 25 controls. Urinary 8-epi-PGF(2alpha) and plasma malondialdehyde and protein thiol (P-SH) groups were correlated with echocardiographic indices of remodeling.

Perigastric vascular abnormalities and the impact on esophagogastrectomy.

The surgeon's ability to recognize abnormal vascular anatomy has greater importance than ever in modern esophagogastric surgical procedures. Some aberrations of vascular vessels around the stomach found during extensive surgery due to primary cancer of the stomach, cardia and lower esophagus are presented in this paper. The purpose of the prospective study is to evaluate and classify these variations with respect to their impact in visceral surgery.