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Aim It remains unclear whether long-term daily icodextrin use can decrease technique failure and improve survival in peritoneal dialysis ( PD) patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether icodextrin use, once daily, can decrease technique failure and prolong patient survival in incident PD patients. Methods Incident PD patients who survived more than 90 days were recruited from the China Medical University Hospital, Taiwan, between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011. All patients were followed until transfer to haemodialysis ( HD), renal transplantation, transfer to another centre, death, or 31 December 2011. Results A total of 306 incident PD patients (89 icodextrin users, 217 icodextrin non-users) were recruited during the study period. Icodextrin users were more likely to have hypertension, diabetes and high or high-average peritoneal transport compared with non-users. During the follow-up period, 43 patients were transferred to HD: seven (7.87%) of the icodextrin group, and 36 (16.59%) of the non-icodextrin group. Thirty-two patients died during the follow-up period: five (5.62%) of the icodextrin group, and 27 (12.44%) of the non-icodextrin group. Icodextrin use was significantly associated with a better prognosis, in terms of technique failure (adjusted HR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.14-0.72). With regard to patient survival, icodextrin use (adjusted HR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.12-0.87) was associated with a significantly lower risk of death. Conclusion The use of icodextrin once daily may decrease technique failure and improve survival in incident PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Whether tinnitus is associated with pre-existing hypertension remains uncertain. This study explored the association between tinnitus and pre-existing hypertension. Methods: We obtained data on a retrospective cohort of 542 884 cases ≥18 years old with a first-time tinnitus diagnosis from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. We used propensity-score matching to select 542 884 matched controls and performed multiple logistic regression analyses to estimate the adjusted odds of prior hypertension among patients with tinnitus versus controls. Results: Bivariate analysis showed no significant difference in the prevalence of prior hypertension between the tinnitus and no-tinnitus groups (35.58% vs 35.5%, P =.617). Univariable logistic regression analysis confirmed the bivariate analysis finding, unadjusted odds of prior hypertension among the tinnitus group relative to controls, 1.002, 95% CI: 0.994-1.010, P =.617). After adjusting for age, sex, monthly income, geographic location and urbanization level, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hearing loss, obesity, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, alcohol abuse, nicotine dependence, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder and idiopathic intracranial hypertension, the odds of prior hypertension were similar among the tinnitus and no-tinnitus groups (OR = 1.006, 95% CI: 0.997-1.016, P =.178). Conclusions: Our population-based study found no evidence for an association between tinnitus and pre-existing hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GaN nanorods were synthesized by magnetron sputtering and ammonification system, and the thickness of Tb intermediate layer was changed to study the effect on GaN nanorods. The resultant was tested by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The results show that the thickness of Tb layer has an evident effect on the modality, quality, and luminescence properties of GaN nanorods. PL spectra at room temperature show a very strong emission peak at 368 nm and a weak emission peak at 387 nm, and the intensities of the peak for the produced samples reach the maximum when Tb layer is 20 nm. Finally, the optimal thickness of 20 nm of Tb intermediate layer for synthesizing GaN nanostructures is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify the spectrum and prevalence of anatomical variations in the origin of the celiac axis (CA), the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and their major branches by using multidetector computed tomographic (MDCT) angiography.Methods: A retrospective evaluation was carried out on 1,500 abdominal MDCT angiography images. The aortic origins of the CA, the SMA and their major branch patterns were investigated.Results: Normal aortic origins of CA and SMA were noted in 1,347 (89.8%) patients. Seven types of CA and SMA origin variants were identified in 153 (10.2%) patients. The three most common variations were hepatomesenteric trunk (67 patients, 4.47%), celiomesenteric trunk (CMT) (51 patients, 3.4%) and splenomesenteric trunk (18 patients, 1.2%). An evaluation of CMT was classified as long (34 patients, 66.7%) or short (17 patients, 33.3%) subtypes, compared with the length of the common trunk. Further CMT classification was based on the origin of the left gastric artery: subtype I, 26 patients (53.1%); subtype II, 5 patients (10.2%); subtype III, 15 patients (30.6%); subtype IV, 3 patients (6.1%).Conclusions: Dislocation interruption, incomplete interruption and persistence of the longitudinal anastomosis could be the embryological mechanisms of the variant origins of the CA, the SMA and their major branches.Key Points: • Aortic origins of CA, SMA and their major branches were investigated. • Celiomesenteric trunk includes several different subtypes and configurations. • Probable embryological mechanisms of origin variants in these observed arteries were discussed. • Origin variants in these observed arteries have wide-ranging health implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The new non-marine bivalve species Nippononaia (Martinsonella) tamurai sp. nov. is described from the Upper Formation of the Mifune Group in Kumamoto Prefecture, Southwest Japan. The specimens originally were identified as Plicatounio (Plicatounio) B sp. by Tamura (1990). The subgenus Nippononaia (Martinsonella) previously was only reported from China, and this is the first record from Japan. The Upper Formation of the Mifune Group is of Late Cenomanian to Early Turonian age, as indicated by ammonites. “Nippononaia” (?) obsoleta Hase, 1960 from the Shiohama Formation of Yamaguchi, Japan, and Plicatounio (s.l.) A sp. of Tamura (1990) from strata northeast of Geoncheonri, South Korea, are re-assigned to Nippononaia (Martinsonella). These occurrences may be of significance for the inter-regional correlation of non-marine Cretaceous strata. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives We investigated the chemo-sensitization of a ligustrazine derivate, ( E)-2-(2, 4-dimethoxystyryl)-3, 5, 6-trimethylpyrazine ( DLJ14) on Adriamycin ( Adr, Wanle, Shenzhen, China)-resistant human breast cancer ( MCF-7/ A) cells both in vivo and in vitro. Methods The antitumour effects of DLJ14 and Adr was observed in MCF-7/ A cells by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide ( MTT) assay in vitro and was evaluated by MCF-7/ A xenografts in nude mice. The intracellular Adr accumulation was assessed by mean fluorescence intensity of Adr. The messenger RNA level of glutathione ( GSH) S-transferase ( GST)π in MCF-7/ A cells was determined by real-time reverse transcription PCR assay. The expression of GSTπ, c-jun NH2-terminal kinase ( JNK) and phosphor- JNK (p- JNK) was detected by Western blotting method. Key findings The MTT results showed that DLJ14 exhibited a weak inhibition on proliferation of both MCF-7 and MCF-7/ A cells, in contrast with the strong inhibition of verapamil. When DLJ14 is combined with Adr, the inhibitory effect on MCF-7/ A cells and MCF-7/ A xenografts was enhanced significantly through increasing intracellular accumulation of Adr by inhibition of GSH level and the activity of GSH peroxidase and GST. Moreover, DLJ14 could downregulate the expression of GSTπ and increase the expression of JNK and p- JNK in MCF-7/ A cells or in xenografts. Conclusion DLJ14 is a promising chemo-sensitization candidate for the reversal of multidrug resistance in cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Statins are widely prescribed to reduce cholesterol levels in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, the debate about the effect of statins on cancer risk remains unsettled. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of utilization of statins with the risk of gastric cancer by carrying out a meta-analysis. Methods: A literature search was performed on PubMed and EMBASE up to March 2013 to identify the cohort or case-control studies or randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the relationship between statins use and the risk of gastric cancer. The bibliographies of the retrieved articles were also reviewed to identify additional studies. A random-effects model was used to calculate the summary relative risks (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Three post-hoc analyses of 26 RCTs involving 290 gastric cancers and eight observational studies totaling 7,321 gastric cancers were included. Statins use was shown to be significantly associated with a 27 % reduction in the risk of gastric cancer (RR = 0.73, 95 % CI = 0.58-0.93), with considerable heterogeneity among studies ( I = 88.9 %). Excluding one study in which all subjects are diabetic patients obtained an attenuated, but homogeneous result (RR = 0.85, 95 % CI = 0.80-0.91, I = 0.0 %). These findings were consistent in the subgroup analysis. Conclusion: A meta-analysis of existing evidence, primarily from observational studies, indicates that use of statins reduces the risk of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature to assess the diagnostic performance of FDG-PET or PET/CT in the detection of recurrent colorectal cancer (CRC) rising in patients with elevated CEA. Materials and methods: The authors conducted a systematic MEDLINE search of published articles. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study. We estimated pooled sensitivity and specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios, and summary receiver-operating characteristic curves in the detection of recurrent CRC in patients with elevated CEA. Results: Eleven studies with a total of 510 patients met the inclusion criteria. One hundred and six patients (106/510 = 20.8 %) had true-negative FDG-PET (PET/CT) results in detection of recurrent CRC when rising CEA. The pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios of FDG-PET in the detection of tumor recurrence in CRC patients with elevated CEA were 90.3 % (95 % CI, 85.5-94.0 %), 80.0 % (95 % CI, 67.0-89.6 %), 2.88 (95 % CI, 1.37-6.07), and 0.12 (95 % CI, 0.07-0.20), respectively. The pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios of FDG-PET/CT in the detection of tumor recurrence in CRC patients with elevated CEA were 94.1 % (95 % CI, 89.4-97.1 %), 77.2 % (95 % CI, 66.4-85.9 %), 4.70 (95 % CI, 0.82-12.13), and 0.06 (95 % CI, 0.03-0.13), respectively. Conclusions: Whole-body FDG-PET and PET/CT are valuable imaging tools for the assessment of patients with suspected CRC tumor recurrence based on the increase of CEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]