A proposed therapeutic algorithm for colorectal cancer prevention, based on endoscopic polypectomies in patients with multiple colonic polyps

Introduction. Results from single medical centers having large numbers of patients with multiple colonic polyps that have undergone colonoscopy management are rare. Material and method. The present study is based on 2,000 cases enrolled during 2009 and 2017, including patients that underwent colonoscopy for various reasons in the Department for Upper and Lower Endoscopy of Witting Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania. Results. Of the 2,000 patients examined during 2009 - 2017, 594 tumor formations were detected; 148 (24.9%) patients had colorectal malignancies, and 446 (75%) polypoid formations in 313 patients who had one or more colon polyps were found. Discussions. After performing statistical analyses on several general parameters (such as age, sex, overall clinical outcome of the patient) and polyp-related characteristics (such as: dimensions, location, histological type), we developed a stepwise algorithm for clinical management (with endoscopic polypectomy) of patients with multiple polyposis, with the goal of reducing unnecessary colorectal surgeries. Conclusions. We believe that this type of stepwise algorithm-based approach in the clinical management of patients with multiple polyposis can lead to a substantial decrease in unnecessary colectomies (no matter the approach, via laparotomy or laparoscopic procedures), with the accompanying benefit of avoiding the complications and negative long-life impact that they impose

The prevalence of high dysplastic colonic adenomatous polyps in a 3 year endoscopic retrospective study from a single clinical center

Introduction: Many colon neoplastic tumors come from the malignancy of adenomatous polyps (70%-90%) that were not timely diagnosed in order to be resected. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study regarding the incidence of adenomatous polyps during 1.000 consecutive colonoscopies performed in our Upper and Lower Digestive Endoscopy Laboratory during a three-year period. Results: During these colonoscopies, some targeted polyps were biopsied or completely removed and the samples had been sent to a complete anatomopathological examination. Taking into consideration the results, the polyps were classified after the histological type and the form of dysplasia, in order to determine the polyp forms that present a high risk of malignancy. Conclusion: Given the rather high frequency of malignant polyps discovered during our study, we highly recommend colonoscopy as a method of choice for routine monitoring of selected cases

π\pi-Electron Ferromagnetism in Metal Free Carbon Probed by Soft X-Ray Dichroism

Elemental carbon represents a fundamental building block of matter and the possibility of ferromagnetic order in carbon attracted widespread attention. However, the origin of magnetic order in such a light element is only poorly understood and has puzzled researchers. We present a spectromicroscopy study at room temperature of proton irradiated metal free carbon using the elemental and chemical specificity of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). We demonstrate that the magnetic order in the investigated system originates only from the carbon $\pi$-electron system.Comment: 10 pages 3 color figure

Asymptotic harvesting of populations in random environments

We consider the harvesting of a population in a stochastic environment whose dynamics in the absence of harvesting is described by a one dimensional diffusion. Using ergodic optimal control, we find the optimal harvesting strategy which maximizes the asymptotic yield of harvested individuals. To our knowledge, ergodic optimal control has not been used before to study harvesting strategies. However, it is a natural framework because the optimal harvesting strategy will never be such that the population is harvested to extinction-instead the harvested population converges to a unique invariant probability measure. When the yield function is the identity, we show that the optimal strategy has a bang-bang property: there exists a threshold [Formula: see text] such that whenever the population is under the threshold the harvesting rate must be zero, whereas when the population is above the threshold the harvesting rate must be at the upper limit. We provide upper and lower bounds on the maximal asymptotic yield, and explore via numerical simulations how the harvesting threshold and the maximal asymptotic yield change with the growth rate, maximal harvesting rate, or the competition rate. We also show that, if the yield function is [Formula: see text] and strictly concave, then the optimal harvesting strategy is continuous, whereas when the yield function is convex the optimal strategy is of bang-bang type. This shows that one cannot always expect bang-bang type optimal controls

The helicase HAGE prevents interferon-a-induced PML expression in ABCB5+ malignant melanoma-initiating cells by promoting the expression of SOCS1

The tumour suppressor PML (promyelocytic leukaemia protein) regulates several cellular pathways involving cell growth, apoptosis, differentiation and senescence. PML also has an important role in the regulation of stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, we show the involvement of the helicase HAGE in the transcriptional repression of PML expression in ABCB5 + malignant melanoma-initiating cells (ABCB5 + MMICs), a population of cancer stem cells which are responsible for melanoma growth, progression and resistance to drug-based therapy. HAGE prevents PML gene expression by inhibiting the activation of the JAK-STAT (janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription) pathway in a mechanism which implicates the suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (SOCS1). Knockdown of HAGE led to a significant decrease in SOCS1 protein expression, activation of the JAK-STAT signalling cascade and a consequent increase of PML expression. To confirm that the reduction in SOCS1 expression was dependent on the HAGE helicase activity, we showed that SOCS1, effectively silenced by small interfering RNA, could be rescued by re-introduction of HAGE into cells lacking HAGE. Furthermore, we provide a mechanism by which HAGE promotes SOCS1 mRNA unwinding and protein expression in vitro

Amyloid beta oligomers induce neuronal elasticity changes in age-dependent manner: a force spectroscopy study on living hippocampal neurons

Small soluble species of amyloid-beta (Aβ) formed during early peptide aggregation stages are responsible for several neurotoxic mechanisms relevant to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), although their interaction with the neuronal membrane is not completely understood. This study quantifies the changes in the neuronal membrane elasticity induced by treatment with the two most common Aβ isoforms found in AD brains: Aβ40 and Aβ42. Using quantitative atomic force microscopy (AFM), we measured for the first time the static elastic modulus of living primary hippocampal neurons treated with pre-aggregated Aβ40 and Aβ42 soluble species. Our AFM results demonstrate changes in the elasticity of young, mature and aged neurons treated for a short time with the two Aβ species pre-aggregated for 2 hours. Neurons aging under stress conditions, showing aging hallmarks, are the most susceptible to amyloid binding and show the largest decrease in membrane stiffness upon Aβ treatment. Membrane stiffness defines the way in which cells respond to mechanical forces in their environment and has been shown to be important for processes such as gene expression, ion-channel gating and neurotransmitter vesicle transport. Thus, one can expect that changes in neuronal membrane elasticity might directly induce functional changes related to neurodegeneration

European overview of sustainable policies and approaches in COST C25 member countries

The implementation of the principles and methods towards a Sustainable Construction varies across different countries in Europe. In some countries, the sustainability of the construction sector has been effectively taken into consideration over the last years, while in other its implementation is at an initial stage. Many reasons may be pointed out for this situation. Different countries have different understandings of what is entailed in Sustainable Construction. Different cultural and educational backgrounds, along with different priorities in each country, are also contributing for the lack of a common European approach. General frameworks, aiming to cover every aspect of Sustainable Construction and to provide a consistent and integrated approach, such as Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction, gave a major advance in the search for a common approach for the construction sector. However, general agreed methodologies and tools to make this common approach operational are still missing.European Science Foundation - COST Action C2

Traumatic rupture of the right atrium with haemopericardium due to blunt car crash accident thoracic trauma, resolved in department of general surgery (Case report)

Secţia Chirurgie, Secţia ATI, Spitalul Judeţean de Urgenţă, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, România, Al XII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova cu participare internațională 23-25 septembrie 2015Caz clinic: Autorii prezintă un caz de ruptură de atriu drept în urma unui traumatism toracic închis fără fracturi costale şi fără marca traumatică tegumentară, ca urmare a unui accident rutier. Bolnava în vârstă de 31 de ani este adusă la Spitalul Judeţean de Urgenţă Tr-Severin la circă 30 de minute de la producerea accidentului, prezentând stare generală gravă, colaps vascular periferic, stare comatoasă. Investigaţiile imagistice (ecografie, CT) evidențiază numai hemopericard. S-a intervenit chirurgical prin toracotomie stângă şi sternotomie parţiala. S-a găsit ruptura de auricul drept, pentru care s-a practicat ligatura plăgii auriculare. Perioada postoperatorie a fost fără complicaţii, pacienta a supravieţuit.Clinical case: The authors present a case of the right atrium rupture following a blunt chest injury as a result of a car crash accident, without rib fractures and traumatic marks of skin. The patient aged 31 years is transported to Emergency County Hospital Tr-Severin approximately 30 minutes after trauma, presenting poor general condition, peripheral vascular collapse, and coma. Imaging studies (ultrasound, CT) reveal haemopericardium only. Left thoracotomy and partial sternotomy was performed. Auricle rupture was found, which required ligation of auricle wound. Postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient survived

Characteristics and tendencies in the steel industry, globally and regionally

The objective of this paper is to highlight the current state of the steel industry at the global and regional level, in terms of its level of important indicators, such as: production capacity, production volume, level of consumption, exports and imports. The data used are systemized on time intervals, resulting in that the steel industry remains an attractive sector for investors in terms of large profits generated, but extremely sensitive to economic fluctuations and measures taken by the authorities. In this regard, the disparities and trends of the analyzed periods at global and regional level highlight the different ways of managing the situation in the steel sector, overcapacity representing a highly controversial element nowadays