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Abstract: The aim of this retrospective single institution study was to analyse long term results of vulvar cancer treatment with conventional 2D radiotherapy in Slovenia between years 1997%2004. Patients and methods. Fifty-six patients, median age 74.4 years +/- 9.7 years, mainly stage T2 or T3, were included in the study. All patients were treated with radiotherapy, which was combined with surgery (group A), used as the primary treatment (group B) or at the time of relapse (group C). Chemotherapy was added in some patients. Histology, grade, lymph node status, details of surgery, radiation dose to the primary tumour, inguinofemoral and pelvic area as well as local control (LC) and survival were evaluated. Results. Overall survival (OS), disease specific survival (DSS) and LC rates at 10-years for all patients were as follows: 22.7%, 34.5% and 41.1%, respectively. The best 10-years results of the treatment were achieved in the primary operated patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy +/-chemotherapy (OS 31.9%, DSS 40.6% and LC 47.6%). Positive lymph nodes had a strong influence on LC. In case of positive nodes LC decreased by 60% (p = 0.03) and survival decreased by 50% (p = 0.2). There was a trend to a better LC with higher doses % 54.0 Gy (p = 0.05). Conclusions. The best treatment option for patients with advanced vulvar cancer is combined treatment with surgery and radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy, if feasible. Radiotherapy with the dose of % 54.0 Gy should be considered to achieve better LC if positive adverse factors are present.
Keywords: vulvar cancer, radiotherapy, surgery, survival
Published in DiRROS: 31.05.2024; Views: 377; Downloads: 144
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Abstract: The study was aimed to characterize tumor response after combined treatment employing electrochemotherapy with IL-12 gene electrotransfer in dogs with spontaneous mast cell tumors (MCT). Materials and methods. Eleven dogs with eleven MCTs were included in the study. Histological changes were investigated in biopsy specimens collected before the treatment (T0), and 4 (T1) and 8 weeks (T2) later. Cellular infiltrates were characterized immunohistochemically by using anti CD3, CD20, Foxp3 (Treg), CD68 and anti MHC-class II antibodies. Proliferation and anti-apoptotic activity of neoplastic cells were assessed using anti Ki-67 and Bcl-2 antibodies. Angiogenetic processes were investigated immunohistochemically by using anti Factor VIII and anti CD31 antibodies and micro vessel density quantification. Results. Histopathological examination of samples at T0 confirmed the diagnosis and the presence of scanty infiltrates consisted mainly of T-lymphocytes and macrophages. At T1 and T2 neoplastic cells were drastically reduced in 7/11 cases, small clusters of neoplastic cells were detected in 3/11 cases and 1/11 cases neoplastic cells were still evident. Proliferation activity of neoplastic cells was significantly reduced at T1 and T2 and expression of anti-apoptotic protein at T1. Microvessel density was drastically reduced in all samples after treatment. The number of T-lymphocytes increased at T1, although not significant, while Treg were significant higher at T1 and macrophages at T2. Conclusions. The combined electrochemotherapy and IL-12 gene electrotransfer effectively induced a cellular response against neoplastic cells characterized mainly by the recruitment of T-lymphocytes and macrophages and a fibrotic proliferation with reduction of microvessels.
Keywords: histopathology, interleukin-12, elektroporation, electrochemotherapy, immune cells
Published in DiRROS: 31.05.2024; Views: 397; Downloads: 164
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Abstract: Plant–soil biodiversity interactions are fundamental for the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Yet, the existence of a set of globally distributed topsoil microbial and small invertebrate organisms consistently associated with land plants (i.e., their consistent soil-borne microbiome), together with the environmental preferences and functional capabilities of these organisms, remains unknown. We conducted a standardized field survey under 150 species of land plants, including 58 species of bryophytes and 92 of vascular plants, across 124 locations from all continents. We found that, despite the immense biodiversity of soil organisms, the land plants evaluated only shared a small fraction (less than 1%) of all microbial and invertebrate taxa that were present across contrasting climatic and soil conditions and vegetation types. These consistent taxa were dominated by generalist decomposers and phagotrophs and their presence was positively correlated with the abundance of functional genes linked to mineralization. Finally, we showed that crossing environmental thresholds in aridity (aridity index of 0.65, i.e., the transition from mesic to dry ecosystems), soil pH (5.5; i.e., the transition from acidic to strongly acidic soils), and carbon (less than 2%, the lower limit of fertile soils) can result in drastic disruptions in the associations between land plants and soil organisms, with potential implications for the delivery of soil ecosystem processes under ongoing global environmental change.
Keywords: belowground networks, environmental thresholds, moss microbiome, plant microbiome, plant–soil interactions
Published in DiRROS: 31.05.2024; Views: 452; Downloads: 227
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Published in DiRROS: 29.05.2024; Views: 663; Downloads: 313
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Abstract: Historians have long come to realize the importance of the World War I as the seminal event leading to a short 20th century. If traditional research has often conceptualized the war and post-war years as two distinct historical periods, new studies have emphasized entangle-ments and intertwinements between war- and post-war processes. This turn was influenced by a gradual geographical balance and the inclusion of Eastern and Central Europe in the re-search focus. Wars, collapse of Empires and long-existing State structures, and similar events brought about processes of redefinition of territories and its peoples. The focus on volatile, overlapping and, at times, competing centers of power (States, national, regional and local structures), will allow us to reconsider criteria and concepts of citizenship and belonging that have shaped European politics of governance. Our conference focuses on the Northern Adri-atic transnational borderland from the beginning of World War I in July 1914 to the Treaty of Rome in January 1924, when the Adriatic question was temporarily settled. This decade is of fundamental importance at the global level, while the Northern Adriatic represents a unique laboratory to study the transformations of Europe in the Twentieth Century. The focus is on the question of citizenship beyond nation-state frameworks and monothematic disciplines, in which the question of citizenship is linked to the migratory movement of people. Taking the Northern Adriatic as a case study, this conference aims at rethinking the questions of citizen-ships, national affiliations, territorial belongings and state sovereignty. This will enable us to contribute to a growing dialogue in international academia and to contemporary societal de-bates at a time, when citizenship and the rights linked to it are the subject of intense discus-sions. We aim at reconsidering rigid understandings of center and periphery and restoring a more composite history of twentieth century Europe.
Published in DiRROS: 29.05.2024; Views: 382; Downloads: 313
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