Chemoprevention of gastric cancer by Helicobacter pylori eradication and its underlying mechanism

The cascade of gastric cancer, a leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality, is multifactorial. Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection plays a major role in gastric cancer (GC), and there has been an accumulation of data regarding the chemopreventive effect of HP eradication. However, it remains unclear how HP infection causes GC and how HP eradication prevents GC. To clarify this issue, the following approaches were performed in this review article. First, how HP‐induced atrophic gastritis (AG) and intestinal metaplasia (IM) provoke the development of GC is shown, followed by how long HP eradication takes to induce a reversible change in AG and IM. Second, epigenetic studies of PTPN6, MOS, DCC, CRK, and VAV1 were performed in noncancerous gastric specimens in terms of HP status. Among these genes, MOS was found to be a possible surrogate marker for GC development. HP eradication decreased aberrant DNA methylation in a gene‐specific manner, and MOS played a role in metachronous gastric neoplasms. Third, transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) and TGF‐β1‐induced epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were investigated in gastric mucosa. HP infection triggered the TGF‐β1‐induced EMT pathway and caused the emergence of GC stem cells, such as CD44v8‐10. When HP was eradicated, these two pathways were inhibited. Finally, a 2222 cohort study showed that HP eradication significantly decreased the risk of noncardiac GC. Taken together, HP eradication is effective as a primary GC prevention method, and its underlying mechanism includes reversibility of AG and IM, methylation, EMT, and stem cells.     

Risk factors for newly developed osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures following treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

Background context

It has been reported that newly developed osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) occur at a relatively high frequency after treatment. While there are many reports on possible risk factors, these have not yet been clearly established.

The human milk oligosaccharides are not affected by pasteurization and freeze-drying

Objectives: Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are known as important factors in neurologic and immunologic development of neonates. Moreover, freeze-drying seems to be a promising storage method to improve the processes of human milk banks. However, the effects of pasteurization and freeze-drying on HMOs were not evaluated yet. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the HMOs profiles of human milk collected before and after the pasteurization and freeze-drying.

Methods: Totally nine fresh human milk samples were collected from three healthy mothers at the first, second, and third week after delivery. The samples were treated with Holder pasteurization and freeze-drying. HMOs profiles were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight/time-of-flight (TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry and compared between samples collected before and after the treatments.

Results: Human milk samples showed significantly different HMO patterns between mothers. However, HMOs were not affected by lactation periods within 3 weeks after delivery (r²?=?0.972–0.999, p?r²?=?0.989–0.999, p?Conclusion: HMO patterns were found not to be affected by pasteurization and freeze-drying of donor milks. We hope that introducing freeze-drying to the human milk banks would be encouraged by the present study. However, the storage length without composition changes of HMOs after freeze-drying needs to be evaluated in the further studies.     

Ultrasonographic and Mammographic Findings of Male Breast Disease

Most male breast diseases are benign, although malignancies can also occur. Gynecomastia, the most common abnormality in the male breast, has characteristic imaging findings differentiating it from cancer. Fewer than 1% of patients with breast cancer are men, but the incidence of male breast cancer is increasing worldwide. Additionally, breast cancer often presents at a more advanced stage in men than in women due to delayed diagnosis. Understanding imaging features of male breast disease is important for an accurate diagnosis and optimal care. This article reviews ultrasonography and mammography findings of benign and malignant diseases of the male breast.     

Late outcomes of strategic arch resection in acute type A aortic dissection

Objective

To compare perioperative and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing hemiarch and aggressive arch replacement for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD).