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Cites a case of a 76-year-old man who was diagnosed of Burkitt's lymphoma. Symptoms of the disease; Result of the computed tomography scan of the abdomen; Characterization of Burkitt's lymphoma.

Background Ustekinumab, an interleukin ( IL)-12 and IL-23 blocker, has emerged as a new therapeutic option for patients with psoriasis. It is generally well tolerated but safety data on the use of ustekinumab in patients with viral hepatitis are limited. Objective To assess the safety profile of ustekinumab in the treatment of patients with psoriasis who have concomitant hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Methods This study included 18 patients with concurrent psoriasis and hepatitis B virus ( HBV) infection (14 patients) or hepatitis C virus ( HCV) infection (four patients) who were treated with at least two ustekinumab injections. Viral loads were measured at baseline and each time before the administration of ustekinumab. Relevant clinical data were recorded. Results Among 11 patients positive for hepatitis B surface antigen ( HBsAg), two out of the seven (29%) patients who did not receive antiviral prophylaxis exhibited HBV reactivation during ustekinumab treatment. No viral reactivation was observed in the three occult HBV-infected patients ( HBsAg-negative/hepatitis B core antibody-positive patients). One patient with HCV, liver cirrhosis and treated hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC) experienced HCV reactivation and recurrent HCC during the ustekinumab treatment. No significant increase in aminotransferase levels was observed in any patient. Conclusions Antiviral prophylaxis appears to minimize the risk of viral reactivation in patients with concurrent psoriasis and HBV infection. Without effective anti-viral prophylaxis, the risk/benefit of ustekinumab treatment should be carefully assessed in patients with psoriasis and HBV or HCV infection and/or HCC. Close monitoring for HBV and HCV viral load is recommended, particularly for patients with high-risk factors. Serum aminotransferase determination may not be useful for early detection of viral reactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response from author of the article "Systematic review with metaanalysis: 10- or 14-day sequential therapy vs. 14-day triple therapy in the first line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection" that was published in a previous issue of the periodical is presented.

Artificial intelligence has become a possible solution to resolve the problem of loss of information when complexity of a disease increases. Obesity phenotypes are observable clinical features of drug-naive schizophrenic patients. In addition, atypical antipsychotic medications may cause these unwanted effects. Here we examined the performance of neuro-fuzzy modeling (NFM) in predicting weight changes in chronic schizophrenic patients exposed to antipsychotics. Two hundred and twenty inpatients meeting DSMIV diagnosis of schizophrenia, treated with antipsychotics, either typical or atypical, for more than 2 years, were recruited. All subjects were assessed in the same study period between mid-November 2003 and mid-April 2004. The baseline and first visit’s physical data including weight, height and circumference were used in this study. Clinical information (Clinical Global Impression and Life Style Survey) and genotype data of five single nucleotide polymorphisms were also included as predictors. The subjects were randomly assigned into the first group (105 subjects) and second group (115 subjects), and NFM was performed by using the FuzzyTECH 5.54 software package, with a network-type structure constructed in the rule block. A complete learned model trained from merged data of the first and second groups demonstrates that, at a prediction error of 5, 93% subjects with weight gain were identified. Our study suggests that NFM is a feasible prediction tool for obesity in schizophrenic patients exposed to antipsychotics, with further improvements required.Molecular Psychiatry (2008) 13, 1129–1137; doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4002128; published online 8 January 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) on collagen within the arterial wall may be responsible for the development of diabetic vascular injury. This study focused on investigating the role of aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of AGE formation, in the prevention of noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)-derived arterial stiffening and cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Materials and methods The NIDDM was induced in male Wistar rats, which were administered intraperitoneally with 180 mg kg−1 nicotinamide (NA) 30 min before an intravenous injection of 50 mg kg−1 streptozotocin (STZ). After induction of diabetes mellitus type 2, animals receiving daily peritoneal injections with 50 mg kg−1 AG for 8 weeks were compared with the age-matched, untreated, diabetic controls. Results After exposure to AG, the STZ-NA diabetic rats had improved aortic distensibility, as evidenced by 18·8% reduction of aortic characteristic impedance ( P < 0·05). Treatment of the experimental syndrome with AG also resulted in a significant increase in wave transit time (+23·7%, P < 0·05) and a decrease in wave reflection factor (−26·6%, P < 0·05), suggesting that AG may prevent the NIDDM-induced augmentation in systolic load of the left ventricle. Also, the glycation-derived modification on aortic collagen was found to be retarded by AG. The diminished ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight suggested that prevention of the diabetes-related cardiac hypertrophy by AG may correspond to the drug-induced decline in aortic stiffening. Conclusions Long-term administration of AG to the STZ-NA diabetic rats imparts significant protection against the NIDDM-derived impairment in vascular dynamics, at least partly through inhibition of the AGE accumulation on collagen in the arterial wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tubulointerstitial nephritis is a cardinal renal manifestation in leptospirosis and LipL32, the major lipoprotein component of leptospiral outer membrane proteins (OMPs), induces a robust inflammatory response in cultured renal proximal tubule cells through a nuclear factor-κB-related pathway. Here, we investigated whether Toll-like receptor (TLR), known to play a pivotal role in innate immunity, could mediate the inflammatory response induced by leptospiral OMPs in renal proximal tubule cells. TLR expression was analyzed by flow cytometry and indirect immunofluorescence in cultured mouse proximal tubule (pyruvate kinase simian virus 40-proximal straight (PKSV-PR)) cells. Reverse transcription-competitive polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were undertaken to analyze the inducible effects of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1 also termed CCL2) by pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospiral OMPs and recombinant lipoproteins in either PKSV-PR cells or TLR-transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. Anti-TLR antibodies were used for blocking experiments. Leptospira santarosai serovar Shermani OMPs and LipL32 induced a significant increase in TLR2 but not TLR4 expression in PKSV-PR cells. The increase in iNOS and CCL2/MCP-1 mRNA expressions could be prevented by an anti-TLR2 antibody, but not by an anti-TLR4 antibody. Furthermore, leptospiral OMPs stimulated both CCL2/MCP-1 mRNA and secreted protein in transfected HEK 293 cells with a TLR2-expressing plasmid, but had no effect in cells with a TLR4-expressing plasmid. In conclusion, these findings indicate that the stimulation of iNOS and CCL2/MCP-1 caused by pathogenic leptospiral OMPs, in particular LipL32, in proximal tubule cells requires TLR2 for the early inflammatory response.Kidney International (2006) 69, 815–822. doi:10.1038/sj.ki.5000119; published online 25 January 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural, magnetic, and ferroelectric properties have been investigated for Bi2Fe4(1-x)Ti4xO9 (0≤x≤0.2) bulk ceramics, which were synthesized by a modified Pechini method. X-ray diffraction reveals that all samples are single phase with no impurities detected. Compared with antiferromagnetic Bi2Fe4O9 compound, doping with Ti ions induces the appearance of weak ferromagnetism at room temperature, which is discussed in terms of the collapse of the frustrated antiferromagnetic spin structure. Moreover, appropriate Ti doping also significantly reduces electric leakage and leads to the enhancement of electrical polarization. Among all samples, the optimal multiferroics with Mr∼0.0188 emu/g and Pr∼0.262 μC/cm2 at room temperature is found for x=0.15 ceramics. It is thus shown that Ti-doped Bi2Fe4O9 is a promising candidate for preparing multiferroic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-grain microplasticity and intergranular microdamage in polycrystalline hexagonal-structure ceramics subjected to a sequence of dynamic compression and tension are studied computationally using the Voronoi polycrystal model, by which the topological heterogeneity and material anisotropy of the crystals are simulated explicitly. The constitutive modeling considers crystal plasticity by basal slip, intergranular shear damage during compression, and intergranular mode-I cracking during tension. The model parameters are calibrated with the available shock compression and spall strength data on polycrystalline α-6H silicon carbide. The numerical results show that microplasticity is a more plausible micromechanism for the inelastic response of the material under shock compression. On the other hand, the spallation behavior of the shocked material can be well predicted by intergranular mode-I microcracking during load reversal from dynamic compression to tension. The failure process and the resulting spall strength are, however, affected strongly by the intensity of local release heterogeneity induced by heterogeneous microplasticity, and by the grain-boundary shear damage during compression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Combined esophageal high‐resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) measures multiple pressures and bolus transit simultaneously, facilitating detailed assessment of esophageal motility. Currently, normative values for water‐perfused HRIM systems for Chinese populations are lacking. Methods: Healthy volunteers were enrolled for comprehensive anthropometric measures, blood biochemistry tests, and an HRIM study using 22 water‐perfused pressure sensors and 12 impedance channels. Ten 5‐mL liquid swallows of saline at 30‐second intervals were conducted. The following parameters were calculated: distal contractile integral (DCI), distal latency (DL), lower esophageal sphincter (LES) basal pressure, 4‐second integrated relaxation pressure (IRP‐4s), and complete bolus transit percentage. Normal values were established based on the 5th and 95th percentiles. Key Results: All 66 participants (34 male, 32 female, aged 21‐64 years) completed the study and tolerated the HRIM procedure well. The upper normal limit (95th percentile) of IRP‐4 second was 20 mmHg. The 5th‐95th percentile range for DCI, DL, and complete bolus transit was 99‐2186 mmHg●s●cm, 6.2‐11.3 second, and 50%‐100%, respectively. Age was negatively correlated with DL. Females had significantly higher upper limits for IRP‐4s and median DCI than males. Multivariate analyses confirmed that IRP‐4s was higher in females, and that higher body mass index and waist circumference were associated with reduced DL and better bolus transit, respectively. Conclusions and Inferences: We established normative values for the water‐perfused HRIM system for a Chinese population. Gender and anthropometric factors may affect various major HRIM parameters and should be taken into account when interpreting HRIM results in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor is an immunosuppressive drug used in kidney transplantation. Whether the mTOR inhibitor is associated with reduced risk of cancer development and mortality after kidney transplantation is controversial. Methods We conducted a nationwide population-based study. Patients who did not have malignancy history and received kidney transplantation between 2010 and 2013 were enrolled. Recipients who had mTOR inhibitors (n = 430) for more than 30 days comprised the study group; 1720 recipients who did not have mTOR inhibitors comprised the control group. The primary outcome is the development of cancer after kidney transplantation. These patients were followed until the first-time admission with diagnosis of cancer, death, or the end of 2014. A Cox proportional-hazard model was used to determine the risk of cancer development and all-cause mortality. Results During the 35-month median duration of observation, there were 16 and 61 patients with cancer development in the study group and the control group, respectively. The cancer incidence was 12.8 and 12.4 per 1000 person-years. There were 10 and 135 mortality cases, with the incidence rate of 7.8 and 26.9 per 1000 person-years. After multivariable adjustment, the mTOR inhibitors users were not associated with reduced risk of new cancer development as compared with control (hazard ratio [HR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46–1.60; P = .63), nor risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.33–1.46; P = .34). Conclusions The use of mTOR inhibitors was not associated with a reduction in the risk of cancer development and all-cause mortality in kidney transplantation recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Whether 10-day or 14-day sequential therapy is superior to 14-day triple therapy in the first-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori remains controversial. Aim To compare the efficacy of 10-day or 14-day sequential therapy vs. 14-day triple therapy. Methods Randomised controlled trials ( RCTs) comparing 10-day or 14-day sequential therapy and 14-day triple therapy as first-line treatment in adults were searched from the PubMed and Cochrane databases from 2000 to October 2015. Abstracts from international annual conferences were also searched. The primary and secondary outcomes were the eradication rate according to the intention-to-treat analysis and adverse effects, respectively. Results Of the 109 articles identified, 13 RCTs including 2749 patients in the sequential therapy group and 2424 patients in the 14-day triple therapy group were eligible. Overall, sequential therapy for 10 or 14 days was not significantly superior to 14-day triple therapy [Risk ratio ( RR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.99-1.08, P = 0.145]. However, there was significant heterogeneity ( I2 = 57.6%, P = 0.005). In the subgroup analysis of four trials, we found that 14-day sequential therapy was significantly more effective than 14-day triple therapy ( RR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.16, P = 0.002), and there was no significant heterogeneity ( I2 = 0%, P = 0.624) in this comparison. Sequential therapy given for 10 days was not superior to 14-day triple therapy ( RR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.98-1.09, P = 0.207). There was no significant difference in the risk of adverse effects. Conclusion Sequential therapy given for 14 days, but not 10 days, was more effective than 14-day triple therapy as first-line treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric properties of membrane and cytoplasm of cells were commonly derived using the experimental electrorotation spectra, which are proportional to the spectra of the imaginary part of the Clausius-Mossotti factor (Ki). However, it was found in this study that the cell properties thus derived do not agree with those derived using the experimental spectra of the real part of the Clausius-Mossotti factor (Kr). Both the Kr and Ki spectra are required simultaneously for deriving appropriate cell dielectric properties. Also the membrane and cytoplasm conductivities decrease, while the membrane and cytoplasm permittivities remain relatively unchanged, as the medium conductivity decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background The optimal dosage of intravenous proton pump inhibitors ( PPIs) for the prevention of peptic ulcer rebleeding remains unclear. Aim To compare the rebleeding rate of high-dose and standard-dose PPI use after endoscopic haemostasis. Methods A total of 201 patients with bleeding ulcers undergoing endoscopic treatment with epinephrine injection and heater probe thermocoagulation were randomised to receive a high-dose regimen (80 mg bolus, followed by pantoprazole 8 mg/h infusion, n = 100) or a standard-dose regimen (pantoprazole 40 mg bolus daily, n = 101). After 72 h, all patients were given 40 mg pantoprazole daily orally for 27 days. Results There were no statistical differences in mean units of blood transfused, length of hospitalisation ≦5 days, surgical or radiological interventions and mortality within 30 days between two groups. Bleeding recurred within 30 days in six patients [6.2%, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.3-11.1%] in the high-dose group, as compared to five patients (5.2%, 95% CI 0.6-9.7%) in the standard-dose group ( P = 0.77). The stepwise Cox regression analysis showed end-stage renal disease, haematemesis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (hazard ratio: 37.15, 10.07, 9.12, 95% CI: 6.76-204.14, 2.07-49.01, 1.66-50.00 respectively) were independent risk factors for rebleeding and Helicobacter pylori infection was associated with lower risk of rebleeding (hazard ratio: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04-0.94). Conclusions Following combined endoscopic haemostasis of bleeding ulcers, co-morbidities, haematemesis and H. pylori Status, but not PPI dosage, are associated with rebleeding (. ID: NCT00709046). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Posttransplant new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) is an important complication among patients receiving immunosuppressants. It has a considerable impact on chronic allograft dysfunction. Calcineurin inhibitors have been implicated in the development of posttransplant NODM. Since high-risk candidates also undergo transplantation, prevention and control of posttransplant NODM is important. A 3-year postmarketing surveillance study is currently underway in Taiwan to evaluate the incidence and risk factors leading to development of NODM among de novo and maintenance solid-organ transplant patients receiving cyclosporine (CsA)-based immunosuppressive therapy. Concomitant therapy consisted of basiliximab, mycophenolate mofetil or enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium, and corticosteroids. Diabetes was diagnosed according to the American Diabetes Association criteria. This 6-month protocol-defined interim analysis included 101 patients (84 de novo, 17 maintenance) who received renal (n = 77), liver (n = 13), or heart (n = 11) transplantation. At the end of 6 months, 8/101 (7.92%) patients experienced NODM. The mean time to NODM was 3.05 months. No significant difference was observed between NODM and non-NODM patients for risk factors: age, body mass index, blood pressure, gender, high-density lipoproteins/triglycerides hdl/tg, and anti-hepatitis C virus. The composite endpoint of biopsy-proven acute rejection, graft loss, or death was reached in four patients, with a mean time to event of 3.81 months. Infections were noted in 34 subjects but, no malignancies. Among 389 adverse events reported in 91 patients (90.1%), the majority were of mild to moderate severity. Two deaths were reported: heart transplant recipients with acute rejection and cytomegalovirus meningitis with respiratory failure. Long-term enrollment with follow-up evaluation of these NODM patients up to 3 years will help evaluate the NODM incidence rates and exact graft survival and overall survival rates of CsA-treated transplant patients in Taiwan. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The discrepancy between Eastern and Western countries exists regarding the time trends of Barrett's esophagus (BE)/adenocarcinoma. We aimed to elucidate this issue through a retrospective review of the endoscopic and pathological diagnoses of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) over time in a Chinese population. All records were analyzed from 2000 to 2007. Records included demographic data, clinical indication for endoscopy, and endoscopic findings. The total number of endoscopic procedures increased over time. The indications for referral endoscopy secondary to GERD increased from 366 cases (4.9%) in the beginning of the study to 1439 cases (14.1%) at the end. Concomitant GERD symptoms did not significantly change (range, 13–15.1%) in screening endoscopic studies. Endoscopic detection of erosive esophagitis increased in referral populations from 1546 (20.7%) to 5207 cases (51%) and by screening endoscopy from 791 (14.5%) to 1983 cases (23.5%). The prevalence of nonerosive reflux disease and BE did not change over time. BE-associated dysplasia and adenocarcinoma were rare. The detection of Los Angeles class A disease increased with time in referral endoscopy cases with a focus on erosive esophagitis composition. The endoscopic demand for GERD investigation and the GERD endoscopic diagnosis increased in our population. The results were related to a higher prevalence of low-grade erosive disease diagnosed. The incidence of BE-associated dysplasia and adenocarcinoma has been the same and the increased screening did not detect more cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The effect of metabolic risk factors on the natural course of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), which remains elusive, was quantified. Methods: The population included 3669 subjects undergoing repeated upper endoscopy. Data were analysed using a three-state Markov model to estimate transition rates (according to the Los Angeles classification) regarding the natural course of the disease. Individual risk score together with the kinetic curve was derived by identifying significant factors responsible for the net force between progression and regression. Results: During three consecutive study periods, 12.2, 14.9 and 17.9% of subjects, respectively, progressed from non-erosive to erosive disease, whereas 42.5, 37.3 and 34.6%, respectively, regressed to the non-erosive stage. The annual transition rate from non-erosive to class A-B disease was 0.151 per person year (95% CI 0.136 to 0.165) and from class A-B to C-D was 0.079 per person year (95% CI 0.063 to 0.094). The regression rate from class A-B to non-erosive disease was 0.481 per person year (95% CI 0.425 to 0.536). Class C-D, however, appeared to be an absorbing state when not properly treated. Being male (relative risk (RR) 4.31; 95% CI 3.22 to 5.75), smoking (RR 1.20; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.39) or having metabolic syndrome (RR 1.75; 95% CI 1.29 to 2.38) independently increased the likelihood of progressing from a non-erosive to an erosive stage of disease and/or lowered the likelihood of disease regression. The short-term use of acid suppressants (RR 0.54; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.75) raised the likelihood of regression from erosive to non-erosive disease. Conclusions: Intraoesophageal damage is a dynamic and migratory process in which the metabolic syndrome is associated with accelerated progression to or attenuated regression from erosive states. These findings have important implications for the design of effective prevention and screening strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose:Aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of advanced glycation endproducts, has been identified as a prominent agent that prevents the fructose-induced arterial stiffening in male Wistar rats. Our aims were to examine whether AG produced benefits on the left ventricular (LV)-arterial coupling in fructose-fed (FF) animals in terms of the ventricular and arterial chamber properties.Experimental approach:Rats given 10% fructose in drinking water (FF) were daily treated with AG (50 mg·kg−1, i.p.) for 2 weeks and compared with the untreated FF group. In anaesthetised rats, LV pressure and ascending aortic flow signals were recorded to calculate LV end-systolic elastance (E es, an indicator of myocardial contractility) and effective arterial volume elastance (E a). The optimal afterload (Q load) determined by the ratio of E a to E es was used to measure the coupling efficiency between the left ventricle and its vasculature.Key results:There was a significant interaction between fructose and AG in their effects on E a. Fructose loading significantly elevated E a and AG prevented the fructose-derived deterioration in arterial chamber elastance. Both fructose and AG affected E es and Q load, and there was an interaction between fructose and AG for these two variables. Both E es and Q load exhibited a decline with fructose feeding but showed a significant rise after AG treatment in the FF rats.Conclusions and Implications:AG prevented not only the contractile dysfunction of the heart caused by fructose loading, but also the fructose-induced deterioration in matching left ventricular function to the arterial system.British Journal of Pharmacology (2007) 151, 341–346; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707223; published online 2 April 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously shown that leptospiral membrane lipoprotein preparation (LMLP) extracted from pathogenic Leptospira santarosai serovar Shermani stimulates the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators in renal tubule epithelial cells, and implicated its role in the initiation of tubulointerstitial nephritis. Renal tubulointerstitial injury is characterized by inflammatory cell infiltrate; however, the stimuli for leukocyte recruitment are not fully understood. Initial studies by cytokine protein array analysis revealed significant upregulation of neutrophil-chemoattractant keratinocyte-derived chemokine (CXCL1/KC) at nanogram range of LMLP stimulation in cultured murine proximal tubule cells (PTCs). As PTCs express Toll-like receptors (TLRs), this study investigated the roles of TLR signaling pathways in PTCs stimulated by LMLP and its relation to CXCL1/KC secretion. The LMLP stimulated the early secretion of CXCL1/KC and enhanced the level of TLR2 mRNA expression in PTCs through time- and dose-dependent effect. The LMLP-stimulated secretion of human growth-related oncogene alpha, a functional homolog to murine KC, in TLR-defective human embryonic kidney 293 cells transiently transfected with TLR2-expressing plasmids and the response was augmented by coexpression of TLR1 and TLR2. Moreover, silencing of TLR2, myeloid differentiation factor 88, and TNF receptor-associated factor 6 with specific small interfering RNA significantly reduces the response caused by LMLP in PTCs. The LMLP-stimulated CXCL1/KC secretion was also significantly reduced by pre-incubating PTCs with a specific p38 inhibitor. These results indicate that LMLP stimulates the production of CXCL1/KC to recruit polymorphonuclear neutrophils at the site of inflammation through a TLR2-mediated pathway in renal tubule cells.Kidney International (2006) 69, 1814–1822. doi:10.1038/sj.ki.5000362; published online 19 April 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the present study was to identify the clinicopathological and molecular biological characteristics of early-onset colorectal cancers. Methods: The clinicopathological and molecular biological parameters of 138 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer aged less than 40 years were compared with those of 339 patients aged 60 years or more. Results: The younger patients with colorectal cancer had more mucin-producing (14.5 versus 4.7 per cent; P < 0.001) and poorly differentiated (7.2 versus 3.3 per cent; P = 0.015) tumours, a higher incidence of synchronous (5.8 versus 1.2 per cent; P = 0.007) and metachronous (4.0 versus 0.6 per cent; P = 0.023) colorectal cancers, and more advanced tumour stage (P < 0.001) than older patients. The operative mortality rate was lower (0.7 versus 5.0 per cent; P = 0.026), and cancer-specific survival was similar (in stage I, II and HI disease; P > 0.05) or better (in stage IV disease; 95 per cent confidence interval 22.50 to 28.41 versus 12.61 to 17.05 months; P < 0.001). There was a higher percentage of normal p53 expression (61.1 versus 46.8 per cent; P = 0.023) and high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H) (29.4 versus 6.3 per cent; P < 0.001), and a similar family history of cancer (17.5 versus 14.2 per cent; P > 0.05), compared with older patients. Conclusion: Young patients with colorectal cancer have several distinct clinicopathological and molecular biological features. The mechanisms underlying the inconsistency between the presence of MSI-H and a family history of cancer in these early-onset colorectal cancers deserve further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the operioperative and long-term outcomes of inflatable mediastinoscopic resection of esophageal carcinoma (IVMTE) and minimally invasive Mckeown resection of esophageal carcinoma (MIME) in early esophageal cancer. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. A retrospectively analysis was conducted on 176 patients with cT1N0M0 esophageal cancer who underwent IVMTE or MIME at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University from April 2017 to April 2019. There were 128 males and 48 females, aged (66.4±7.7) years (range: 45 to 87 years). General data, perioperative outcomes, pathological data of the tumors, and complications were recorded. Independent sample t -test, χ ² test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the data between the two groups. Propensity score matching was performed with gender, age, tumor location, differentiation degree, pT stage, pN stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, smoking history, and alcohol history were considered as covariates. The IVMTE group and MIME group were matched in a 1∶2 ratio using nearest neighbor match method with a caliper value of 0.02. Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, with Log-rank test for univariate survival analysis. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to analyze prognostic factors for overall survival, and subgroup stratification analysis was performed for pT stage. Results: After matching, the MIME group consisted of 54 cases, and the IVMTE group consisted of 27 cases. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender, age, smoking history, alcohol history, ASA classification, tumor location, and other factors. The IVMTE group had shorter surgery time ( M (IQR), 220 (45) minutes vs. 245 (56) minutes, Z =2.950, P =0.003) and less intraoperative blood loss (100 (50) ml vs. 125 (100) ml, Z =2.193, P =0.028) compared to the MIME group. There were no differences between the two groups in the number and quantity of lymph node stations dissected, and the IVMTE group was not at a disadvantage in terms of the number of lymph nodes dissected around the recurrent laryngeal nerve (all P >0.05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were not significantly different between the two groups (all P >0.05). Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference in OS and RFS rates between the pT1 and pT2 subgroups (all P >0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that ASA classification ( HR =2.516, 95% CI : 1.126 to 5.624, P =0.025), pN stage ( HR =2.485, 95% CI : 0.984 to 6.274, P =0.046), and whether adjuvant therapy was given postoperatively ( HR =2.915, 95% CI : 1.304 to 6.515, P =0.009) were independent risk factors affecting 5-year OS rate. For 5-year RFS, pT stage ( HR =0.403, 95% CI : 0.194 to 0.838, P =0.011), pN stage ( HR =5.219, 95% CI : 2.401 to 11.346, P <0.01), and whether adjuvant therapy was given postoperatively ( HR =5.644, 95% CI : 2.691 to 11.838, P <0.01) were independent risk factors, while the surgical approach was not an independent risk factor affecting patient prognosis. Conclusion: The short-term and long-term effect of IVMTE in the treatment of early esophageal cancer is good, and it can achieve effects comparable to MIME.

Importance: The link between gut microbiota and diet is crucial in the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This study underscores the essential role of a healthy diet in preventing and treating NASH by reversing obesity, lipidemia, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Moreover, the supplementation of functional food or drug to the diet can provide additional advantages by inhibiting hepatic inflammation through the modulation of the hepatic inflammasome signaling pathway and partially mediating the gut microbiota and lipopolysaccharide signaling pathway. This study highlights the importance of adopting healthy dietary habits in treating NASH and proposes that supplementing with ginger essential oil or obeticholic acid may offer additional benefits. Nonetheless, further clinical studies are necessary to validate these findings., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The organoid is a kind of distinctive micro-organ formed by stem cells with the ability of self-renewal, which can be cultured in three-dimensional scaffold in vitro . With the development of cell culture system, organoids have been gradually applied in researches such as in vitro organ model establishment, drug testing and even the repairing or replacing damage organs. It shows significantly promising prospects. This review article aims to summarize the latest research progress and provide the theoretical foundation and prospects for the development of organoids in stomatology.

Objective: To characterize a species of the genus Tricula and parasitized trematodes in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province using a molecular analysis, so as to understand their taxonomic positions., Methods: Tricula spp. and Oncomelania snails were collected from Xiangyun County, Yunnan Province, and cercaria parasitizing snails were observed using crushing followed by microscopy. Cercaria parasitizing Tricula snails at various morphologies were sampled using a shedding method. Genomic DNA was extracted from snail soft tissues and cercariae, and the 16S rRNA , COI , 28S rDNA genes in snails and the ND1 and 28S rDNA genes in cercariae were amplified using a PCR assay and sequenced. The species of Tricula snails and their parasitized trematodes was characterized using sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis., Results: Among 382 Tricula snails detected, there were three types of trematode cercariae found, including the non-forked (20.94%, 80/382), double-forked (3.40%, 13/382) and swallow shapes (7.07%, 27/382). Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the 16S rRNA , COI and 28S rDNA gene sequences of this species of Tricula had high homology to those in Delavaya dianchiensis , and were clustered in a branch. Sequencing analysis of the ND1 and 28S rDNA genes revealed that the non-forked cercariae belonged to the family Pleu- rogenidae, the swallow-shaped cercariae belonged to the family Opecoelidae, and the double-forked cercariae belonged to another species of the genus Schistosoma that was different from S. sinensium and S. ovuncatum ., Conclusions: The species and taxonomy of Triculla spp. and their parasitized trematodes are preliminarily determined in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province; however, further studies are required to investigate the more definite taxonomy and pathogenicity.

The scaling relations for the dispersion coefficients of long-range interactions between the Mu(1s)-Mu(1s, 2s, or 2p) systems and the H(1s)-H(1s, 2s, or 2p) systems are obtained using analytical properties of hydrogenic wavefunctions, which allows us to obtain the dispersion coefficients for Mu(1s)-Mu(1s, 2s, or 2p) systems from the corresponding H(1s)-H(1s, 2s, or 2p) systems. Additionally, the dispersion coefficients of long-range interactions of Mu(1s) with the ground-state H, noble gas atoms He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, alkali-metal atoms Li, Na, K, and Rb, alkaline-earth atoms Be, Mg, Ca, and Sr, and Cu, Ag, F, and Cl atoms are calculated.

Objective: To investigate the survival period of Yunnan Province-derived smooth-shelled Oncomelania snails bred in laboratory., Methods: Oncomelania snails were sampled from Heqing and Yongsheng counties where schistosomiasis is endemic, and uninfected adult snails were collected and bred in laboratory. The survival period of snails sampled from these two counties was compared., Results: The 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rates of laboratory-bred smooth-shelled snails sampled from Yunnan Province were 72.36%, 29.11%, 13.08% and 0.21%, respectively, and were 74.66%, 38.91%, 19.46% and 0.45% for snails derived from Heqing County, and 70.36%, 20.55%, 7.51% and 0 for snails sampled from Yongsheng County, respectively. The mean and median survival period of Yunnan Province-derived adult snails was 20.90 and 20.67 months, and there were significant differences between the snails sampled from Heqing and Yongsheng counties in terms of the mean (22.94 vs. 19.13 months, P < 0.05) and median survival period (21.63 vs. 19.81 months, P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The mean survival period of Yunnan Province-derived smooth-shelled adult snails is approximately 20 months in laboratory, and the survival varies in geographical areas.

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is an efficacious treatment for psoriasis; however, its widespread application is limited by its unpredictable efficacy., Objectives: To investigate the association of clinical factors and variants of psoriasis susceptibility genes with clinical responses to MTX in a prospective cohort., Methods: A total of 221 patients with psoriasis were recruited. Patients who achieved Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) improvement ≥ 75% at week 12 were defined as responders, whereas those with PASI improvement < 50% were defined as nonresponders. In 90 screening patients, genetic variants for 18 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 14 susceptibility genes, and HLA-Cw6 status were initially compared for responders and nonresponders. Statistically significant associations in genetic variants were verified in all 221 patients., Results: Overall, 49% and 45% of patients achieved PASI 75 improvement during screening and verification stages, respectively. Concomitant arthritis with psoriasis and high body mass index (BMI) negatively affect the efficacy of MTX. TT genotype of rs10036748 in TNIP1 was significantly associated with PASI 75 response at week 12 (54% and 37%, P < 0·05). A significantly higher PASI 90 response was observed in patients with TT genotype of rs10036748 (27% vs. 12%, P < 0·01) and TC/TT genotype of rs4112788 in LCE3D (25% vs. 13%, P < 0·05) at week 12 compared with those who had other genotypes. After adjustment for all confounding factors, only BMI (P < 0·05), arthritis (P < 0·05) and genotype of rs10036748 (P < 0·05) were significantly associated with clinical responses to MTX., Conclusions: Patients with psoriasis with TT genotype of rs10036748 in TNIP1, with lower BMI, without arthritis will achieve a better response to MTX., (© 2019 British Association of Dermatologists.)

To study the efficacy of chlorine dioxide in the inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in soil, bacteria resistant to penicillin, amoxicillin or streptomycin were screened out from the soils around a hennery. The effects of dosage, contact time and pH value on the killing rates were investigated by batch experiments. The community composition before and after inactivation was analyzed by high-throughput genetic sequencing. The results showed that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are common and widespread in soil and the most resistant species is Staphylococcus aureus . More than 99% of antibiotic-resistant bacteria could be killed by chlorine dioxide at 5 mg L -1 within 30 min under neutral conditions. The killing log value declined slightly when the pH was changed from 4 to 9. The dominant genus was Sphingomonas , which was sensitive to chlorine dioxide and could be inactivated easily similar to Arthrobacter and Massilia . However, Micromonosporaceae and Thaumarchaeota were more resistant to chlorine dioxide than other species, and their relative abundance increased after disinfection., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Germanane, fully hydrogenated germanene, has recently attracted great interest, both theoretical and experimental. In this paper we thoroughly study strain-tunable n/p-type doping in germanane by adsorption of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)/tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) molecules through first-principles calculations. The results show that both TTF and TCNQ molecules can non-covalently functionalize the electronic properties of germanane. Not surprisingly, TTF molecular adsorption induces n-type doping in germanane because the TTF molecule is a typical electron donor. Moreover, a linearly tunable band gap of germanane and differing n-type doping strengths can be realized by a biaxial strain ranging from -3% to 3%. Analysis indicates that tensile strain would promote the doping effect whereas compressive strain would inhibit it. Comparatively, TCNQ molecular adsorption induces a germanane/TCNQ system which exhibits metallic characteristics. Surprisingly, however, under a tensile strain of 2.5%, a strong p-type doping effect is achieved in germanene/TCNQ. In particular, with increasing tensile strain over the range 2.5%-3%, the strain-tunable p-type doping effect decreases gradually. Such a multiple effect of molecular adsorption and strain on the electronic properties of germanane could be helpful for potential future applications of germanane-based electron devices.

Background: Levofloxacin triple therapy has been used for the first-line and second-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection for more than 10 years., Aims: To systematically review the efficacy of levofloxacin triple therapy in the first- and second-line treatment, and to assess the time trend and factors that might affect its efficacy., Methods: Prospective trials reporting the efficacy of levofloxacin triple therapy in either the first-line or second-line treatment of H. pylori infection in adults were searched from the PubMed and Cochrane database from January 2000 to September 2015. Meta-analysis was performed to calculate the cumulative eradication rate and the efficacies in subgroups., Results: Of the 322 articles identified, a total of 4574 patients from 41 trials, including 16 trials in the first-line treatment and 25 trials in the second-line treatment were eligible for analysis. The cumulative eradication rate was 77.3% (95% confidence intervals, CI: 74.7-79.6) and was 80.7% (95% CI 77.1-83.7) in the first-line treatment and 74.5% (95% CI: 70.9-77.8) in the second-line treatment. The efficacies of levofloxacin triple therapy before 2008, between 2009 and 2011, and after 2012 were 77.4%, 79.6% and 74.8% respectively. The eradication rate was higher when levofloxacin was given once daily (80.6%, 95% CI: 77.1-83.7) than twice daily (73.6%, 95% CI: 69.7-77.2). The efficacy was significantly higher in levofloxacin-susceptible strains than resistant strains (81.1% vs. 36.3%, risk ratio 2.18, 95% CI: 1.6-3, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: The efficacy of levofloxacin triple therapy has been lower than 80% in many countries and it is not recommended when the levofloxacin resistance is higher than 5-10%., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To explore the proliferation property of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the stable CMKLR1 gene knock-down mouse VSMCs line and explore related mechanism., Methods: The short hairpin RNA sequence targeting to knockdown the coding regions of mouse CMKLR1 mRNA was synthesized and subsequently employed to construct recombinant lentivirus vector.Mouse VSMCs were cultured and infected with the recombinant lentivirus (knockdown VSMCs). mRNA and protein CMKLR1 expression in Knockdown VSMCs was measured by real-time PCR and Western blot and compared with those in normal VSMCs (vehicle VSMCs) and lentivirus control VSMCs (control VSMCs). The proliferation of normal, knockdown and control VSMCs was induced by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF VSMCs) and measured by cell number counting and BrdU.The phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) protein was investigated by Western blot., Results: The relative level of CMKLR1 mRNA in knockdown VSMCs (0.23±0.04) was significantly downregulated compared with which in vehicle VSMCs (1.05±0.05) as well as control VSMCs (0.99±0.04) (P<0.01). The relative level of CMKLR1 protein in knockdown VSMCs (0.29±0.04) was also significantly decreased, compared with which in vehicle VSMCs (1.06±0.04) as well as control VSMCs (0.95±0.02) (P<0.01). The VSMCs number ((50.33±1.20)×10(3)/cm(2)) and BrdU A450 nm value (1.80±0.05) in PDGF VSMCs were significantly increased in vehicle VSMCs ((42.02±1.53)×10(3)/cm(2,) 1.55±0.04) (both P<0.05). Compared with those in vehicle VSMCs, the VSMCs number ((23.33±2.03)×10(3)/cm(2)) and BrdU A450 nm value (1.32±0.02) in knockdown VSMCs were significantly decreased.The proliferation property between PDGF VSMCs and control VSMCs was similar(P>0.05). Compared with the relative level of p-JNK protein (1.03±0.03) in vehicle VSMCs, the p-JNK protein level was significantly increased in PDGF VSMCs (1.36±0.02, P<0.05) and significantly downregulated in knockdown VSMCs (0.79±0.05, P<0.05)., Conclusion: Knockdowning CMKLR1 gene can reduce the proliferation of mouse vascular smooth muscle cells, which was related with the down-regulation of p-JNK expression.