Репозиторий Университета

© 2020 The Author(s) Existing literature highlights the fact that patients with COVID-19 exhibit alterations in the coagulation process and are associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute cor pulmonale. In this report, we describe the effects of systemic thrombolysis on acute cor pulmonale in a patient suffering from COVID-19. We demonstrated that systemic thrombolysis successfully improved the hemodynamics of our patient and resulted in a prominent reduction in hypercapnia, alveolar dead space, and ventilatory ratio.

© 2020 Elsevier Inc. In the present study, the novel shell nanostructures of Cu-MOF compound were synthesized for the first time by effective, fast and controllable method of ultrasonic assisted reverse micelle. The Fe3O4 nanoparticle was used as core for improving the physicochemical properties and also the stability of these compounds. The results showed that Fe3O4@Cu-MOF/core-shell nanostructures have significant thermal stability compared to pure Cu-MOF samples. In fact, the TEM study verified the development of core shell nanostructures. The EDS with mapping has been applied to be sure about the existence of related elements in the final Fe3O4@Cu-MOF/core-shell nanostructure. The design of the fractional test was used to change the antibacterial properties of these compounds. This method of optimization generates structures with a high surface area that affect the antibacterial properties of the materials. Systematic studies applied in this study, as well as optimization processes, can be developed as a new strategy for controlling the physicochemical properties of the products. Fe3O4@Cu-MOF/core-shell nanostructures have shown reasonably good antibacterial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

© 2020 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK Graphene-based nano-porous materials (GNM) are potentially useful for all those applications needing a large specific surface area (SSA), typical of the bidimensional graphene, yet realized in the bulk dimensionality. Such applications include for instance gas storage and sorting, catalysis and electrochemical energy storage. While a reasonable control of the structure is achieved in micro-porous materials by using nano-micro particles as templates, the controlled production or even characterization of GNMs with porosity strictly at the nano-scale still raises issues. These are usually produced using dispersion of nano-flakes as precursors resulting in little control on the final structure, which in turn reflects in problems in the structural model building for computer simulations. In this work, we describe a strategy to build models for these materials with predetermined structural properties (SSA, density, porosity), which exploits molecular dynamics simulations, Monte Carlo methods and machine learning algorithms. Our strategy is inspired by the real synthesis process: starting from randomly distributed flakes, we include defects, perforation, structure deformation and edge saturation on the fly, and, after structural refinement, we obtain realistic models, with given structural features. We find relationships between the structural characteristics and size distributions of the starting flake suspension and the final structure, which can give indications for more efficient synthesis routes. We subsequently give a full characterization of the models versus H2 adsorption, from which we extract quantitative relationship between the structural parameters and the gravimetric density. Our results quantitatively clarify the role of surfaces and edges relative amount in determining the H2 adsorption, and suggest strategies to overcome the inherent physical limitations of these materials as adsorbers. We implemented the model building and analysis procedures in software tools, freely available upon request.

© 2021 Spandidos Publications. All rights reserved. Malignant melanomas within the eye present different types of metabolic and metastatic behavior. Uveal melanoma (UM) affects a quarter of a million individuals in the USA; however, the molecular pathogenesis is not well understood. Although UV radiation is a risk factor in cutaneous melanomas, it is not crucial for UM progression. Apart from chromosomal abnormalities, numerous major tumorigenic signaling pathways, including the PI3K/Akt, MAPK/ERK, Ras-association domain family 1 isoform A and Yes-associated protein/transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif signaling pathways, are associated with intraocular tumors. The present review describes the current insights regarding these signaling pathways that regulate the cell cycle and apoptosis, and could be used as potential targets for the treatment of UMs.

© 2020, Advanced Scientific Research. All rights reserved. In the modern world, acute respiratory viral infections are a widespread and socially significant disease. Having the similarity of structure, epidemiology and strong tropism to the respiratory tract, each causative agent of acute respiratory viral infection has its own characteristics. The most severe course with complications is characteristic of influenza. More than 200 viruses are known to cause acute respiratory viral infections. Their diversity is very great. This creates a situation when a person, having been ill with a disease caused by one virus, can immediately become infected with other viruses of this group and get sick again. For a year in the world, for an adult, 3-4 cases of the disease of acute respiratory viral infection occur. A child suffers from this infection 6-9 times during the year. 3.9 million deaths worldwide are associated with acute respiratory viral infections each year. Due to the enormous social significance of acute respiratory viral infection, the World Health Organization has launched the Battle against Respiratory Viruses initiative to combat it. Her prerequisites were problems with the treatment and prevention of acute respiratory viral infection. It is aimed at improving diagnostic methods to differentiate viral and bacterial infections at the earliest stages of the disease, developing effective antiviral drugs for the most common viruses and safe and effective stimulants of defense mechanisms in the body. It becomes clear that acute respiratory viral infections are a diverse group of infectious diseases of the respiratory tract that have similar developmental mechanisms, epidemiological and clinical characteristics. Given that these diseases have a high contagiousness, rapid spread, a significant number of complications, especially among people at risk, they require serious and lengthy research.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Introduction: Vaginal birth after caesarean delivery is associated with better outcomes compared to repeat caesarean section. Accurate antenatal risk stratification of women undergoing a trial of labor after caesarean section is crucial in order to maximize perinatal and maternal outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to explore the role of antepartum ultrasound in predicting the probability of vaginal birth in women attempting trial of labor; the secondary aim was to build a multiparametric prediction model including pregnancy and ultrasound characteristics able to predict vaginal birth and compare its diagnostic performance with previously developed models based exclusively upon clinical and pregnancy characteristics. Methods: Prospective study of consecutive singleton pregnancies scheduled for trial of labor undergoing a dedicated antepartum ultrasound assessment at 36–38 weeks of gestation. Head circumference, estimated fetal weight cervical length, sub-pubic angle were recorded before the onset of labour. The obstetricians and midwives attending the delivery suite were blinded to the ultrasound findings. Multivariate logistic regression and area under the curve analyses were used to explore the strength of association and test the diagnostic accuracy of different maternal and ultrasound characteristics in predicting vaginal birth. Comparison with previously reported clinical models developed by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit Network (Grobman's models) was performed using De Long analysis. Results: A total of 161women who underwent trial of labor were included in the study. Among them 114 (70.8 %) women had successful vaginal birth. At multivariable logistic regression analysis maternal height (adjusted odds ratio (aOR):1.24;9 5% Confidence Interval (CI)1.17−1.33), previous C-section for arrest labor (aOR:0.77; 95 %CI0.66−0.93), cervical dilation at admission (aOR:1.35; 95 %CI1.12−1.74), fetal head circumference (aOR:0.77; 5%CI0.43−0.89), subpubic angle (aOR:1.39 95 %CI1.11−1.99) and cervical length (aOR:0.82 95 % CI0.54−0.98) were independently associated with VBAC. A model integrating these variables had an area under curve of 0.839(95 % CI 0.710−0.727) for the prediction of vaginal birth, significantly higher than those achieved with intake (0.694; 95 %CI0.549−0.815; p = 0.01) and admission (0.732: 95 % CI 0.590−0.84; p = 0.04) models reported by Grobman. Conclusion: Antepartum prediction of vaginal birth after a caesarean section is feasible. Fetal head circumference, subpubic angle and cervical length are independently associated and predictive of vaginal birth. Adding these variables to a multiparametric model including maternal parameters improves the diagnostic accuracy of vaginal birth compared to those based only on maternal characteristic.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Introduction: Vaginal birth after caesarean delivery is associated with better outcomes compared to repeat caesarean section. Accurate antenatal risk stratification of women undergoing a trial of labor after caesarean section is crucial in order to maximize perinatal and maternal outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to explore the role of antepartum ultrasound in predicting the probability of vaginal birth in women attempting trial of labor; the secondary aim was to build a multiparametric prediction model including pregnancy and ultrasound characteristics able to predict vaginal birth and compare its diagnostic performance with previously developed models based exclusively upon clinical and pregnancy characteristics. Methods: Prospective study of consecutive singleton pregnancies scheduled for trial of labor undergoing a dedicated antepartum ultrasound assessment at 36–38 weeks of gestation. Head circumference, estimated fetal weight cervical length, sub-pubic angle were recorded before the onset of labour. The obstetricians and midwives attending the delivery suite were blinded to the ultrasound findings. Multivariate logistic regression and area under the curve analyses were used to explore the strength of association and test the diagnostic accuracy of different maternal and ultrasound characteristics in predicting vaginal birth. Comparison with previously reported clinical models developed by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit Network (Grobman's models) was performed using De Long analysis. Results: A total of 161women who underwent trial of labor were included in the study. Among them 114 (70.8 %) women had successful vaginal birth. At multivariable logistic regression analysis maternal height (adjusted odds ratio (aOR):1.24;9 5% Confidence Interval (CI)1.17−1.33), previous C-section for arrest labor (aOR:0.77; 95 %CI0.66−0.93), cervical dilation at admission (aOR:1.35; 95 %CI1.12−1.74), fetal head circumference (aOR:0.77; 5%CI0.43−0.89), subpubic angle (aOR:1.39 95 %CI1.11−1.99) and cervical length (aOR:0.82 95 % CI0.54−0.98) were independently associated with VBAC. A model integrating these variables had an area under curve of 0.839(95 % CI 0.710−0.727) for the prediction of vaginal birth, significantly higher than those achieved with intake (0.694; 95 %CI0.549−0.815; p = 0.01) and admission (0.732: 95 % CI 0.590−0.84; p = 0.04) models reported by Grobman. Conclusion: Antepartum prediction of vaginal birth after a caesarean section is feasible. Fetal head circumference, subpubic angle and cervical length are independently associated and predictive of vaginal birth. Adding these variables to a multiparametric model including maternal parameters improves the diagnostic accuracy of vaginal birth compared to those based only on maternal characteristic.

© 2020 Elsevier Inc. Aim: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is known to reduce intubation in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF). We aimed to assess the outcomes of NIV application in COVID-19 patients with AHRF. Materials & methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and AHRF receiving NIV in general wards were recruited from two university-affiliated hospitals. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded at admission. The failure of NIV was defined as intubation or death during the hospital stay. Results: Between April 8 and June 10, 2020, 61 patients were enrolled into the final cohort. NIV was successful in 44 out of 61 patients (72.1%), 17 patients who failed NIV therapy were intubated, and among them 15 died. Overall mortality rate was 24.6%. Patients who failed NIV were older, and had higher respiratory rate, PaCO2, D-dimer levels before NIV and higher minute ventilation and ventilatory ratio on the 1-st day of NIV. No healthcare workers were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the study period. Conclusions: NIV is feasible in patients with COVID-19 and AHRF outside the intensive care unit, and it can be considered as a valuable option for the management of AHRF in these patients.

© 2020 Elsevier Inc. Aim: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is known to reduce intubation in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF). We aimed to assess the outcomes of NIV application in COVID-19 patients with AHRF. Materials & methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and AHRF receiving NIV in general wards were recruited from two university-affiliated hospitals. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded at admission. The failure of NIV was defined as intubation or death during the hospital stay. Results: Between April 8 and June 10, 2020, 61 patients were enrolled into the final cohort. NIV was successful in 44 out of 61 patients (72.1%), 17 patients who failed NIV therapy were intubated, and among them 15 died. Overall mortality rate was 24.6%. Patients who failed NIV were older, and had higher respiratory rate, PaCO2, D-dimer levels before NIV and higher minute ventilation and ventilatory ratio on the 1-st day of NIV. No healthcare workers were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the study period. Conclusions: NIV is feasible in patients with COVID-19 and AHRF outside the intensive care unit, and it can be considered as a valuable option for the management of AHRF in these patients.

© 2020, The Author(s). Background: Currently, no data is available regarding the association between professional experience or limb dominance and the prevalence of asymptomatic knee joint lesions in adult professional male soccer players. Hypothesis: The prevalence of the accumulated changes increases with training experience. This is especially true for the dominant leg, which is involved in a large proportion of the athletes’ movements. Study Design: Level 2 cross-sectional cohort study Methods: MRI was used to assess the condition of 94 knee joints in 47 adult professional male soccer players (mean age 25.7 ± 4.6 years, BMI 22.8 ± 1.4). Previous surgery on joints was an exclusion criterion. No football player had knee injuries (including fresh bruises) for at least 3 months before the examination. All the scans were performed using a 1.5T MRI scanner and a slice thickness of 3 mm. The images were blindly analyzed by two experienced radiologists. We analyzed all the three compartments of the knee joint. We consider a chondral lesion already from grade I in modified Noyes and Stabler classification system. To assess the influence of soccer training experience, all players were divided into two groups: group 1 formed from players with less than 20 years of experience and group 2 with more than 20 years of experience. Results: One hundred percent of the soccer players had at least one chondral and meniscal lesion. In both legs, the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (95.6%) was the most frequent site of injury. Most of the injuries were classified as grade II injuries (73.3% for the dominant and 75.6% for the non-dominant leg). Experience and age of the athletes significantly increased the probability of subcortical bone lesions. They were significantly positively correlated with the grades of patellar lesions and lesions of the patellar surface of the femur and significantly negatively correlated with the grades of lesions of posterior horn of lateral meniscus and anterior horn of medial meniscus. No statistically significant differences in the prevalence and grades of cartilage and meniscal lesions in the dominant and non-dominant limb were observed. Conclusion: Soccer practice is associated with the increased prevalence of asymptomatic chondral and meniscal lesions. The probability of subcortical bone lesions significantly increases with training experience and age. These factors are also positively correlated with the grades of patellar lesions and lesions of the patellar surface of the femur. The prevalence and grade of asymptomatic chondral and meniscal lesions is independent of leg dominance.

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Sexting has been defined as sharing sexually suggestive content (i.e., sexts) via Internet or smartphone. To date, only a few studies investigated the role of personality traits in relation to sending or receiving sexts, and most of them used the Five Factor Model of Personality. No studies applied the theoretical model of HEXACO six personality traits (i.e., honesty-humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience) when examining different types of sexting (i.e., sending own sexts, risky sexting, sharing sexts from someone else without his/her permission, sexting under pressure). Thus, this is the first study that, using a cross-cultural perspective, investigated HEXACO personality predictors of sexting behaviors considered as a multidimensional construct. A total of 5542 participants from 13 to 30 years old (Mage = 20.36; SDage = 3.67; 60.4% girls and 39.6% boys) from 10 different countries participated in the study. Participants completed the sexting behaviors questionnaire and the HEXACO personality inventory. Four hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to investigate which HEXACO personality traits predicted different sexting behaviors, controlling for country, biological sex, age, sexual identity status, and dating relationship status. Results showed that honesty-humility and conscientiousness were negatively predictive of all investigated sexting behaviors. Emotionality and extraversion were positively related, and agreeableness was negatively related to sending own sexts and risky sexting. Finally, openness to experience was negatively related to sharing sexts from someone else without his/her consent and sexting under pressure. Results have implications for the development and implementation of sexual education and prevention programs aimed towards adolescents and young adults.

© 2020 The Authors Modern neurosurgical equipment and techniques, neuroendoscopy in particular, allow performing complex operations even in the deep and narrow anatomical structures of the brain without injuring vessels or soft tissue and consequently lowers risk of postoperative complications. The surgical treatment includes classical open microsurgical and mini-invasive neuroendoscopic cystoventriculostomy or cystocysternostomy depending on the cyst localization. In this work, we present a case of surgical treatment of a pineal cyst of a 1 year 6 months old boy with a semi-rigid neuroendoscope under neuronavigation and ultrasound guidance and provide the advantages of this technique. The good clinical and radiological improvement observed in our patient is the result of the use of triple intraoperative monitoring including a semi-rigid needle neuroendoscope, neuronavigation, ultrasound and, thus, the neurosurgeon has the entire picture of the delicate structures that allows carry our surgical intervention (endoscopic cyst fenestration) with the greatest precision and safety.

© 2020 The Authors Modern neurosurgical equipment and techniques, neuroendoscopy in particular, allow performing complex operations even in the deep and narrow anatomical structures of the brain without injuring vessels or soft tissue and consequently lowers risk of postoperative complications. The surgical treatment includes classical open microsurgical and mini-invasive neuroendoscopic cystoventriculostomy or cystocysternostomy depending on the cyst localization. In this work, we present a case of surgical treatment of a pineal cyst of a 1 year 6 months old boy with a semi-rigid neuroendoscope under neuronavigation and ultrasound guidance and provide the advantages of this technique. The good clinical and radiological improvement observed in our patient is the result of the use of triple intraoperative monitoring including a semi-rigid needle neuroendoscope, neuronavigation, ultrasound and, thus, the neurosurgeon has the entire picture of the delicate structures that allows carry our surgical intervention (endoscopic cyst fenestration) with the greatest precision and safety.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Background: Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) is an emerging method of cancer treatment based on the use of a photosensitizer near-infrared dye IRDye700DX (IR700) conjugated to a monoclonal antibody. The antibody selectively delivers IR700 to cancer cells, which can then be killed after photoexcitation. Glypican-1 (GPC-1) is a novel target expressed specifically in malignant tumors. We aimed to investigate whether anti-GPC-1 antibody Miltuximab® (Glytherix Ltd., Sydney, Australia) can be conjugated with IR700 for PIT of solid tumors. Methods: The dye IR700 was conjugated with Miltuximab® and characterized by spectrophotometry and flow cytometry. Miltuximab®-IR700-mediated PIT was tested in prostate (DU-145), bladder (C3 and T-24), brain (U-87 and U-251) and ovarian (SKOV-3) cancer cell lines. After 1 h incubation with Miltuximab®-IR700, the cells were washed by PBS and illuminated using a 690-nm light-emitting diode. The viability of the cells was assessed by a CCK-8 viability kit 24 h later. Results: Miltuximab®-IR700-mediated PIT caused 67.3–92.3% reduction in viability of cells with medium-high GPC-1 expression and did not affect the viability of GPC-1-low cells. Cytotoxicity was attributed to the targeted binding of the conjugate with subsequent photoactivation, as the conjugate or light exposure alone had no effect on the cell viability. Miltuximab®-IR700 did not induce cytotoxicity in cells blocked by unconjugated Miltuximab®. Conclusions: PIT with Miltuximab®-IR700 appears to be highly specific and effective against GPC-1-expressing cancer cells, indicating that it holds promise for an effective and safe treatment of early stage solid tumors or as adjuvant therapy following surgical resection. These findings necessitate further investigation of PIT with Miltuximab®-IR700 in other GPC-1-expressing cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo in xenograft tumor models.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Background: Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) is an emerging method of cancer treatment based on the use of a photosensitizer near-infrared dye IRDye700DX (IR700) conjugated to a monoclonal antibody. The antibody selectively delivers IR700 to cancer cells, which can then be killed after photoexcitation. Glypican-1 (GPC-1) is a novel target expressed specifically in malignant tumors. We aimed to investigate whether anti-GPC-1 antibody Miltuximab® (Glytherix Ltd., Sydney, Australia) can be conjugated with IR700 for PIT of solid tumors. Methods: The dye IR700 was conjugated with Miltuximab® and characterized by spectrophotometry and flow cytometry. Miltuximab®-IR700-mediated PIT was tested in prostate (DU-145), bladder (C3 and T-24), brain (U-87 and U-251) and ovarian (SKOV-3) cancer cell lines. After 1 h incubation with Miltuximab®-IR700, the cells were washed by PBS and illuminated using a 690-nm light-emitting diode. The viability of the cells was assessed by a CCK-8 viability kit 24 h later. Results: Miltuximab®-IR700-mediated PIT caused 67.3–92.3% reduction in viability of cells with medium-high GPC-1 expression and did not affect the viability of GPC-1-low cells. Cytotoxicity was attributed to the targeted binding of the conjugate with subsequent photoactivation, as the conjugate or light exposure alone had no effect on the cell viability. Miltuximab®-IR700 did not induce cytotoxicity in cells blocked by unconjugated Miltuximab®. Conclusions: PIT with Miltuximab®-IR700 appears to be highly specific and effective against GPC-1-expressing cancer cells, indicating that it holds promise for an effective and safe treatment of early stage solid tumors or as adjuvant therapy following surgical resection. These findings necessitate further investigation of PIT with Miltuximab®-IR700 in other GPC-1-expressing cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo in xenograft tumor models.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Background: Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) is an emerging method of cancer treatment based on the use of a photosensitizer near-infrared dye IRDye700DX (IR700) conjugated to a monoclonal antibody. The antibody selectively delivers IR700 to cancer cells, which can then be killed after photoexcitation. Glypican-1 (GPC-1) is a novel target expressed specifically in malignant tumors. We aimed to investigate whether anti-GPC-1 antibody Miltuximab® (Glytherix Ltd., Sydney, Australia) can be conjugated with IR700 for PIT of solid tumors. Methods: The dye IR700 was conjugated with Miltuximab® and characterized by spectrophotometry and flow cytometry. Miltuximab®-IR700-mediated PIT was tested in prostate (DU-145), bladder (C3 and T-24), brain (U-87 and U-251) and ovarian (SKOV-3) cancer cell lines. After 1 h incubation with Miltuximab®-IR700, the cells were washed by PBS and illuminated using a 690-nm light-emitting diode. The viability of the cells was assessed by a CCK-8 viability kit 24 h later. Results: Miltuximab®-IR700-mediated PIT caused 67.3–92.3% reduction in viability of cells with medium-high GPC-1 expression and did not affect the viability of GPC-1-low cells. Cytotoxicity was attributed to the targeted binding of the conjugate with subsequent photoactivation, as the conjugate or light exposure alone had no effect on the cell viability. Miltuximab®-IR700 did not induce cytotoxicity in cells blocked by unconjugated Miltuximab®. Conclusions: PIT with Miltuximab®-IR700 appears to be highly specific and effective against GPC-1-expressing cancer cells, indicating that it holds promise for an effective and safe treatment of early stage solid tumors or as adjuvant therapy following surgical resection. These findings necessitate further investigation of PIT with Miltuximab®-IR700 in other GPC-1-expressing cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo in xenograft tumor models.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. This work proposes an original method for generating atomistic models of multi-branched and arbitrary-shaped seamless junctions of different nanostructures. Atomic frameworks of new hybrid systems with a wide variety of topological forms based on 1D and 2D structures can be obtained using this method. The topological diversity of generated hybrid systems is provided by the some features of the developed method. This method combines a triangulated nanomesh framework generation with a molecular dynamics (MD) method that allows us to generate dozens of topological configurations of the contact region of different objects. Energetically favorable junctions of carbon nanostructures, including Y- and X-shaped junctions of carbon nanotubes, a fullerene-nanotube junction, and a fullerene-graphene hybrid system are created using the developed original method.

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Background: A beneficial impact of robotic proctectomy on circumferential resection margin (CRM) is expected due to the robot's articulating instruments in the pelvis. There are however concerns about a negative impact on the quality of total mesorectal excision (TME) due to the lack of tactile feedback. The aim of this study was to assess whether surgeons' learning curve impacted CRM and TME quality. Methods: In a multicenter study, individual patient data of robotic proctectomy for resectable rectal cancer were pooled. Patients were stratified into two phases of surgeons’ learning curve. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis was used to determine the transition from learning phase (LP) to plateau phase (PP), which were compared. CRM was microscopically measured in mm by pathologists. TME quality was classified by pathologists as complete, nearly complete or incomplete. T-test and Chi-squared tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Results: 235 patients underwent robotic proctectomy by five surgeons. 83 LP patients were comparable to 152 PP patients for age (p = 0.20), gender (67.5% vs. 65.1% males; p = 0.72), BMI (p = 0.82), cancer stage (p = 0.36), neoadjuvant chemoradiation (p = 0.13), distance of tumor from anal verge (5.8 ± 4.4 vs. 5.5 ± 3.3; p = 0.56). CRM did not differ (7.7 ± 11.4 mm vs. 8.4 ± 10.3 mm; p = 0.62). The rate of complete TME quality was significantly improved in PP patients as compared to LP patients (73.5% vs. 92.1%; p < 0.001). Conclusion: While learning had no impact on circumferential resection margins, the quality of TME significantly improved during surgeons’ plateau phase as compared to their learning phase.

© 2020 Elsevier Inc. The hypothalamus is the most important integrator of autonomic and endocrine regulation in the body and it also has a fundamental role in ageing development and lifespan control. In order to better understand the role of NO-ergic system in the hypothalamic regulation of ageing, the purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the arcuate (ARC), ventromedial (VMH) and dorsomedial (DMH) hypothalamic nuclei in young (2-3-month-old) and old (24-month-old) male and female rats using immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. In young animals, only single nNOS-immunoreactive (IR) neurons were detected in ARC, and nNOS-IR neurons were found in the VMH (19 ± 3.2% in females and 14.5 ± 2.6% in males) and DMH (17 ± 4.0% in females and 21 ± 2.8% in males). In aged animals, the number of nNOS-IR neurons increased in all studied nuclei, including ARC (36 ± 3.1% in females and 33.5 ± 3.7% in males), VMH (83 ± 4.3% in females and 58 ± 2.1% in males) and DMH (57 ± 1.9% in females and 54 ± 1.8% in males). The expression of nNOS also significantly increased in the ARC, VMH and DMH during ageing by western blot analysis. In conclusion, ageing is accompanied by increasing of nNOS expression in the hypothalamus and this process is related to regions involved in the control of feeding behavior.

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. The development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is often asymptomatic. Identification of initial indicators of cardiometabolic disruption may assist in its early detection. The objective was to determine the relationships between plasma acylcarnitines (ACs) and cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with and without CVDs. The AC profile in human plasma of healthy controls [non-CVD group, n = 13)] and individuals diagnosed with CVDs (CVD group, n = 34) were compared. A targeted analysis of 29 ACs was performed using flow injection analysis-tandem mass spectrometry. There were significant direct correlations (p < 0.05) between ACs and cardiometabolic risk factors. Comparing the groups after adjustment for covariates, showed that the ACs that were best differentiated (p < 0.05) between the two groups and that presented “good” diagnostic accuracy were carnitine [30.7 (25.5–37.7) vs. 37.7 (32.3–45.0) µM], the short-chain ACs: acetylcarnitine [8.9 (7.4–10.2) vs. 11.9 (9.2–14.4) µM] and isovalerylcarnitine [0.10 (0.06–0.13) vs. 0.13 (0.10–0.16) µM], and the medium-chain ACs: hexanoylcarnitine [0.04 (0.03–0.05) vs. 0.06 (0.05–0.07) µM] and decenoylcarnitine [0.18 (0.12–0.22) vs. 0.22 (0.17–0.32) µM]. This assessment contributes to the identification of the unique metabolic features exhibited in association with cardiometabolic risk in adults diagnosed with CVD. The altered metabolites have the potential to be used as biomarkers for early detection of CVD.