Viruses are a real threat to every organism at any stage of life leading to extensive infections and casualties. N-heterocycles can affect the viral life cycle at many points, including viral entrance into host cells, viral genome replication, and the production of novel viral species. Certain N-heterocycles can also stimulate the host’s immune system, producing antiviral cytokines and chemokines that can stop the reproduction of viruses. This review focused on recent five- or six-membered synthetic N-heterocyclic molecules showing antiviral activity through SAR analyses. The review will assist in identifying robust scaffolds that might be utilized to create effective antiviral drugs with either no or few side effects.

Schwannoma is a tumor that originates from the Schwann cells that surround a neuron’s axon. This tumor is very rare in the gastrointestinal tract and develops submucosally from intestinal nerve plexuses. The most common location for gastrointestinal schwannomas is the stomach, where they account for only 0.2% of gastric tumors. We present the case of a 56-year-old asymptomatic patient who was diagnosed, following a routine ultrasound examination, with an abdominal tumor. An abdominal MRI confirmed the gastric origin of the tumor. Although a subsequent upper-digestive endoscopic ultrasound was performed, a definitive diagnosis could not be established. Thus, a laparoscopic wedge resection of the stomach was performed. The immunohistochemical examination of the tumor established the diagnosis of benign schwannoma. Despite the availability of advanced endoscopy and imaging techniques, the diagnosis of gastric schwannoma is very rarely preoperative. The immunohistochemical identification of S-100 on the surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis.

Background/Objectives: Gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach (GAPPS) is a recently discovered autosomal dominant transmission disease. Patients with this condition have a higher risk of developing gastric cancer. There are numerous questions regarding the natural history of this condition, as well as concerning the diagnostic and therapeutic management of these patients. In this systematic review, we aimed to examine the current literature to determine the role of prophylactic gastrectomy in patients diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach. Additional outcomes are Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection, treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPI), and colonoscopic examination and abdominal imaging examination, as they are important factors in the therapeutic decision. Methods: We performed a systematic review of the articles published in PubMed and Google Scholar, according to the PRISMA 2020 criteria. Results: We obtained 24 studies that included 83 patients diagnosed with GAPPS, of which 42 underwent prophylactic gastrectomy, 24 benefited from endoscopic follow-up, and 17 were diagnosed with gastric cancer at the first gastroscopic examination. In the prophylactic gastrectomy specimens, malignant gastric disease was confirmed in 10% of cases. GAPPS has been diagnosed more frequently in women. Conclusions: So far, the specialized literature includes a limited number of patients diagnosed with GAPPS. There are also no guidelines yet for the diagnosis and treatment of these patients. Prophylactic gastrectomy or endoscopic surveillance are the only options for patients diagnosed with GAPPS without gastric cancer at the initial examination. For prophylactic gastrectomy, the robotic and laparoscopic approach was preferred. For establishing appropriate lymphadenectomy in prophylactic gastrectomy, future research on gastrectomy specimens is necessary. Most of the included studies were deficient in terms of postoperative follow-up of patients. Thus, we consider it useful to include these patients in a single database. For a comprehensive examination of these and making an appropriate therapeutic decision, we consider it necessary to perform a colonoscopic evaluation, take abdominal imaging, and determine the Helicobacter pylori infection status.

Spontaneous rupture of the Iliac Vein is very rare in practice. In over 90% of cases, the venous lesion is located on the left side. The exact etiology of this condition is unknown. Spontaneous injury of the iliac vein is thought to be favored by intense exercise, constipation, cough, labor, May-Thurner syndrome or pre-existing inflammatory changes in the venous wall are also implicated. We present the case of an 83-year-old woman who is brought to the Emergency Department for abdominal pain located in the left flank and in the left iliac fossa, which appeared after a medium physical exertion. After an emergency contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scan, the diagnosis of spontaneous rupture of the left external iliac vein is established. Surgery is performed with extreme urgency by retroperitoneal approach and due to the very precarious condition of the patient, venous ligation is done, wishing to perform a Palma-Dale venous bypass at a later time. Although a rare cause of spontaneous retroperitoneal hematoma, a non-traumatic rupture of the common or external iliac vein should be considered in patients in shock with massive retroperitoneal bleeding, accompanied by a high mortality rate.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a global health challenge, with high mortality rates often linked to late-stage diagnosis. Novel, non-invasive biomarkers are urgently needed to improve the detection and prognosis of this malignant pathology. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic utility of serum Cluster of Differentiation 276 (CD276) and Dickkopf Related Protein 3 (DKK3) in patients with GC. Methods: In this case–control study, serum levels of CD276 and DKK3 were quantified in 40 GC patients and 40 age-matched healthy controls. The diagnostic performance of each marker and their combination was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Correlations between biomarker levels and clinicopathological features were evaluated using Spearman’s correlation. The Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox Proportional Hazards Regression Model were used to assess survival. Results: Serum CD276 levels were found to be significantly elevated in GC patients compared to healthy controls (median 60.06 vs. 18.71 units, p < 0.001). Conversely, serum DKK3 levels were significantly suppressed in the GC group (median 92.47 vs. 121.02 units, p < 0.001). In ROC analysis, CD276 demonstrated excellent diagnostic accuracy as a standalone biomarker (AUC: 0.836). DKK3 showed independent diagnostic value (AUC: 0.792), but adding DKK3 to CD276 did not provide statistically significant incremental benefit (DeLong’s p = 0.443). Survival analysis was underpowered due to limited events and short follow-up duration. Conclusions: In patients with predominantly locally advanced gastric cancer, CD276 can be a primary diagnostic marker, and the addition of DKK3 does not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement but may provide complementary information. Performance in early-stage disease requires validation in future studies. The opposing dysregulation of these markers, reflecting immune checkpoint activation (CD276) and tumor suppressor loss (DKK3), provides a robust and synergistic noninvasive signature. To assess the prognostic value of these two markers, studies involving a larger number of patients and a longer follow-up period are needed.

A strong synthetic tool for many naturally occurring chemicals, polymers, and pharmaceutical substances is transition metal-catalyzed synthesis. A serious concern to human health is the emergence of bacterial resistance to a broad spectrum of antibacterial medications. The synthesis of chemical molecules that are potential antibacterial candidates is underway. The main contributions to medicine are found to be effective in transition metal catalysis and heterocyclic chemistry. This review underlines the use of heterocycles and certain effective transition metals (Pd, Cu, and Ni) as catalysts in chemical methods for the synthesis of antibacterial compounds. Pharmaceutical chemists might opt for clinical exploration of these techniques due to their potential.