Interpenetrating poly(urethane-urea)–polydimethylsiloxane networks designed as active elements in electromechanical transducers

Original interpenetrating polymer networks suitable for active dielectric elements in actuation devices were prepared by using a dual compatibilization pathway.

Aging behavior of the silicone dielectric elastomers in a simulated marine environment

A series of silicone–barium titanate composites, designed as dielectric elastomer films to be used as active elements in wave energy conversion devices, were immersed in artificial sea water in pseudo-dynamic conditions to asses their aging behavior.

Goethite nanorods as a cheap and effective filler for siloxane nanocomposite elastomers

Composites based on PDMS and goethite nanorods are for the first time approached from the perspective of dielectric elastomers.

Superparamagnetic amorphous iron oxide nanowires self-assembled into ordered layered structures

The thermal decomposition of μ3-oxo trinuclear iron(iii) acetate in presence of dodecylamine and oleic acid, in trichloroacetic acid at 320 °C was optimized to obtain iron oxide nanoparticles with pure nanowire morphology.

Polar–nonpolar interconnected elastic networks with increased permittivity and high breakdown fields for dielectric elastomer transducers

Polysiloxanes with polar cyano groups were cross-linked with PDMS by a hydrolysis–condensation process. Materials suitable for transducer applications with improved permittivity, good mechanical properties, and high breakdown fields were obtained.

Silicone–barium titanate composites with increased electromechanical sensitivity. The effects of the filler morphology

Dielectric elastomers were prepared on the basis of high molecular weight polydimethylsiloxane-α,ω-diol filled with barium titanate particles having well-defined size and morphology.

[Immunohistochemical screening of hMLH1 and hMSH2 gene mutations in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and microsatellite instability suspicion]

STUDY AIM

Immunohistochemical screening of hMLH1 and hMSH2 gene mutations in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancers, suspected of having microsatellite instability, as diagnosed between January 2002 and December 2009 in the Surgery Department of the CF Clinical Hospital Cluj-Napoca (prospective non-randomised study).

METHODS

Inclusion criteria were adenocarcinoma pathology finding and also minimum one of the revised Bethesda criteria for genetic testing of microsatellite instability in colorectal cancers. 110 eligible patients were divided in 2 study groups according to the number of Bethesda criteria met (group A - 1 criteria; group B - 2 or more criteria). Both groups were statistically compared considering the clinical and pathological parameters specific to the Lynch syndrome. We performed immunohistochemical staining to determine the expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2 genes in the tumors of all the patients.

RESULTS

We found the differences in age, colorectal family history and right colon tumor site between the two groups to be statistically significant. Immunohistochemical stainings showed lack of hMLH1 gene expresion in 9 patients and of hMSH2 gene in 4 patients respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Immunohistochemical staining can identify patients who need to be genetically tested for mutations of the DNA mismatch repair genes, in order to establish the correct diagnostic of Lynch syndrome.

[Natural history of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis in north-western Romania]

AIM

To describe the natural history of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) patients form north-western Romania.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis and a subsequent prospective follow-up (mean = 7.3 years) of 99 patients with ACP. Average duration of ACP was 15.6 years.

RESULTS

Patients were mostly men (93%), with a mean age of 42.9 years at the time of operation and 35.7 years at the disease onset. Indications for surgery were: intractable pain (12%), complications (83%) and suspicion of malignancy (5%). During the evolution, 35 patients needed two to four surgical procedures. Calcifications developed in 63.6% of patients, steatorrhea in 41.4% and secondary diabetes in 43.4%.

CONCLUSION

ACP in north-western Romania is characterized by early onset of the disease and a severe evolution with multiple complications needing repeated surgery. The "burnout" of the disease, with calcifications, secondary diabetes and marked exocrine insufficiency leads to lasting pain relief.

[Physiopathologic and clinical aspects of Krukenberg tumors]

Although described for the first time for more than one hundred years ago, Krukenberg tumors still retain some controversial aspects. The lack of consensus and consistency in using a single definition, the difficulty to admit the existence of a primitive form of the tumor, the lack of knowledge concerning the precise mechanisms of metastases and the absence of a distinctive and characteristic clinical symptoms which often contrasts the usually large dimensions of the tumor are some of the aspects which need further elucidation.

[Ultrasound guided percutaneous drainage in the treatment of local septic complications of chronic pancreatitis]

AIM

To evaluate results of ultrasound guided percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) for local septic complications of chronic pancreatitis.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Between 1999 and 2002, PCD was used in 19 patients with chronic pancreatitis for 6 infected acute pseudocysts, 3 post-necrotic abscesses, 3 abscesses following pancreatic resections, 6 abscesses with none of the precipitating factors present (no acute episode or recent surgical/endoscopic interventions) and a tuberculous peritoneal empyema. In 17 patients, collections were unilocular.

RESULTS

Trocar technique was used in 14 patients and Seldinger technique in 5. Sixteen patients were successfully treated with PCD alone (mean drainage duration = 32 days) without abscess recurrence during the follow-up period (mean = 35.6 month). Surgical treatment was necessary in 3 patients. Pseudocyst recurrence occurred in another patient after 9 months.

CONCLUSION

PCD should be considered as the initial therapy for chronic pancreatitis local septic complications. Surgery is reserved for patients in whom PCD fails.

[Krukenberg tumors of gastric origin versus Krukenberg tumors of colorectal origin]

The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence and origin of Krukenberg tumors in our region to determine their clinical behavior and to compare some anatomo-clinical features of Krukenberg tumors of gastric origin versus those of colorectal origin. This is a retrospective, descriptive and comparative study of Krukenberg tumors diagnosed and treated in the IV-th Surgical Clinic of Cluj-Napoca. The epidemiologic features concerning global incidence, age, and menopausal status overlap the data from literature. Characteristic for our series of cases were the higher incidence of Krukenberg tumor of colorectal origin compared with those of gastric origin , significantly more frequent bilaterality of lesions of gastric origin and the prevalence of the unilateral left ovarian localization for Krukenberg tumors of colorectal origin. The differences in anatomo-clinical behavior between the Krukenberg tumors of gastric and colorectal origin may indicate different pathways of metastasizing and seeding.

[Acute diffuse peritonitis of a rare cause]

The authors report a rare case of acute onset of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with diffuse peritonitis due to bowel perforation of secondary jejunal involvement. The admission diagnosis in the 18-years-old male with acute abdominal pain for 4 days, guarding on physical examination and pneumoperitoneum on abdominal ultrasonography was peptic ulcus perforation. The palpable splenomegaly and cervical lymph nodes on ultrasonography examination might have raised suspicion of lymphoma. Surgical exploration revealed the peritonitis origin--jejunal perforation, proximal to a stenosing tumor, a gastric tumor and confirmed the splenomegaly. Small bowel resection--end to end anastomosis--and gastric tumor biopsies were performed. The pathological diagnosis was diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Some therapeutic considerations on digestive tract secondary lymphoma are made.

Nonparasitic abdominal serous cysts. A multiple case report

A group of 35 patients with nonparasitic abdominal serous cysts is reviewed in order to investigate the diagnostic and therapeutic features of these rare conditions. In most cases the cysts were localised in the liver. Other localisations were the kidney (9 cases), the mesenteric area (2 cases), the adrenals (2 cases), the spleen and the pancreas (one case each). The clinical symptoms were essentially determinated by the size of the cysts, regardless their visceral localisation. Ultrasonography was the most efficient procedure for their detection, although this method's precision for the visceral localisation of the cysts was not entirely reliable (6 errors). The low incidence of such abnormalities as well as the absence of any relevant diagnostic elements for establishing the nonparasitic character of the cysts, favoured the confusions with nonproliferous hydatid cysts, especially in cases of solitary cysts (7 patients). The most frequently used surgical procedures were partial cystectomy (18 cases) and total cystectomy (8 cases). A personal technique based on obliteration of the cavity with the bulging wall of the cysts, was used in two patients. When choosing the surgical procedure, the size, site and number of cysts were considered. Immediate and late postoperative results were very good.

[Hemorrhagic juxtapapillary duodenal ulcer with choledochal and Wirsung's duct stenosis and duodenojejunal fistula following biliojejunal en-Y diversion. The surgical solution]

The paper reports on the clinical observation of a patient with bulbar duodenal ulcer placed in a juxtapapillary position due to a short bile duct, complicated with choledochal and Wirsung's stenosis and, finally haemorrhage and duodenojejunal fistula favoured by a gallbladder-jejunum diversion assembly. Three major surgeries, during 17 years, were required: cholecystectomy and choledochoduodenostomy for the choledochal stenosis induced by penetrating posterior bulbar ulcer; after 8 years, choledocholithotomy and gallbladder-jejunum derivation the loop in Y, (Roux) for the choledochoduodenostomy stenosis with the local lithiasis of the CBP; after 9 years, the resection of the proximal segment of the anastomosed jejunal loop with CBP and gastric resection with ulcer exeresis, followed by restoration of the gallbladder-jejunum anastomosis, gastrojejunal anastomosis and reimplantation of Wirsung's duct in the duodenal stump for juxtapapillary duodenal ulcer complicated with haemorrhage, penetration into pancreas, perforation in the jejunal loop anastomosed preduodenally and stenosis of Wirsung's duct. The final therapeutic result is good and lasts in time. The paper discusses the duodenum-gallbladder-pancreas interrelationships in the juxtapapillary ulcers, drawing the attention on the possibility of forming a duodenojejunal fistula in the patients with gallbladder-jejunum derivations.