Bahcesehir University

This study aims to compare the clinical outcomes of patients treated for complex anal fistulas using standard laser fistula closure (FiLaC) versus FiLaC combined with an advancement flap (+FLAP).

A retrospective review was conducted on patients treated for complex anal fistulas between January 2022 and December 2023. Treatments included standard FiLaC and FiLaC combined with an advancement flap. Main outcome measures included operation duration, hospital stay, postoperative pain [Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score], complications, and success rate.

A total of 47 patients were included in the study, with 25 in the standard FiLaC group and 22 in the +FLAP group. The +FLAP group had significantly longer operation times (29.7 ± 4.7 min versus 18.7 ± 4.0 min, p < 0.001) and hospital stays (16.2 ± 5.04 h versus 3.9 ± 2.3 h p < 0.001). Postoperative pain scores were similar between groups. The mean follow-up periods for the FILAC and +FLAP groups were 10.5 ± 3.5 months and 8.4 ± 4.0 months, respectively. The success rate was significantly higher in the +FLAP group (95.5% versus 72%, p = 0.03).

In this study, we found that, compared with FiLAC alone, combining FiLaC with an advancement flap may significantly improve primary success rates in the treatment of complex anal fistulas, and we believe this approach could be a valuable option for enhancing treatment outcomes in complex cases. The increased operation and hospital stay durations appear to be balanced by the higher success rates.

Three new thymol-based molecules were synthesized and evaluated as anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant agents. Liver, colon, lung and prostate cancer cell lines were utilized in cytotoxicity tests. The results demonstrated that synthesized molecules had a cytotoxic effect against the screened cell lines. One of the molecules (4a) was found to have a higher efficacy towards the colon cancer cell line (DLD-1) with an IC₅₀ value of 12.39 µM and the other (4c) towards the prostate cancer cell line (PC3) with an IC₅₀ value of 7.67 µM than the positive control drug cisplatin. To assess the antimicrobial activity of molecules (4a-c), Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and yeast were subjected to agar disc diffusion and broth microdilution assays. The investigation of antioxidant potential was conducted using the DPPH radical scavenging activity assay. While all compounds displayed strong cytotoxic and antioxidant properties, they exhibited only moderate antimicrobial activity. Molecular docking studies were performed on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), B-Raf and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). The binding energies and interactions obtained from the docking results of compounds (4a-c) supported the experimental results. Drug similarity rates and pharmacokinetic properties were analyzed with the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) method. Geometric parameters such as chemical potential (µ), electrophilicity index (ω) and chemical softness (σ) of compounds (4a-c) were calculated using the 6-31*G basis set B3LYP method.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The regeneration of bone tissues using a composite-based tissue engineering approach is a promising strategy for repairing and restoring their biol. functions.This study extensively investigates the development and potential applications of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Polylactic Acid (MWCNT-PLA) composites for bone defect healing.The scaffolds were meticulously engineered and characterized to assess their material properties, structural compatibility, biodegradability, pH impact, water absorption, biocompatibility, cell viability, and cellular interactions.Composites were characterized using SEM (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR).Results showed a 15% increase in glass transition temperature, a 20% improvement in cell adhesion, and a 25% enhancement in mech. strength compared to pure PLA.HOB cells demonstrated increased adhesion and proliferation on the composites, highlighting their biocompatibility.The findings revealed that incorporating MWCNTs enhances the thermal and mech. properties of PLA, promotes cell adhesion, and influences the degradation behavior of the nanocomposites, marking significant progress in bone tissue engineering.