Treatment of Epilepsy with Bipolar Electro-coagulation: An Analysis of Cortical Blood Flow and Histological Change in Temporal Lobe

Background:Bipolar electro-coagulation has a reported efficacy in treating epilepsy involving functional cortex by pure electro-coagulation or combination with resection.However,the mechanisms of bipol...     

A Decade-old Change in the Screening Rate for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Among a Hepatitis B Virus-infected Population in Korea

Background:

Evaluating a change in the screening rate for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is critical for understanding screening implementation, and whether targeted population groups are receiving proper screening. This study examined recent nationwide changes in HCC screening use among hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected populations after the introduction of the Korean National Cancer Screening Program and predictors of screening adherence.

Methods:

We analyzed 165 and 276 participants ≥40 years of age who were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive from 2001 (14,936 participants) to 2010–2011 (9159 participants) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, respectively. Demographic data, socioeconomic factors, and HCC screening use were collected by means of self-reported questionnaires.

Results:

The rate of HCC screening within the previous 2 years increased significantly from 17.5% in 2001 to 40.3% in 2010–2011 (P < 0.0001). The rate of HCC screening use increased from 2001 to 2010–2011 in all study populations. Subjects who had a higher income status and were aware of their infection were more likely to have undergone recent HCC screening.

Conclusions:

This study showed a substantial increase in HCC screening in high-risk HBV-infected subjects from 2001 to 2010–2011. However, the HCC screening participation rate remained suboptimal despite the introduction of the nationwide screening program. Efforts should be made to identify high-risk individuals and increase attendance at HCC screening events among high-risk groups.     

Clinical and Immunological Features of Common Variable Immunodeficiency in China

Background:Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is one of the most common symptomatic primary immunodeficiency syndromes.The purpose of this article was to broaden our knowledge about CVID for bette...     

Serum Gamma-glutamyl Transferase Concentration Within the Reference Range is Related to the Coronary Heart Disease Risk Prediction in Korean Men: Analysis of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (V-1, 2010 and V-2, 2011)

Background:Limited data exist on the association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level within the reference range with the increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) prediction in men.The...     

Morphological Evidence of Telocytes in Mice Aorta

Background:Telocytes (TCs) are a novel type of interstitial cells,which have been recently described in a large variety of cavitary and noncavitary organs.TCs have small cell bodies,and remarkably thin...     

Effect of Glutamine Enriched Nutrition Support on Surgical Patients with Gastrointestinal Tumor: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background:Associations between glutamine (Gln) enriched nutrition support and surgical patients with gastrointestinal (GI) tumor remain controversy.The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the ...     

Postmastectomy Pain: A Cross-sectional Study of Prevalence,Pain Characteristics,and Effects on Quality of Life

Background:

Postmastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) is defined as a chronic (continuing for 3 or more months) neuropathic pain affecting the axilla, medial arm, breast, and chest wall after breast cancer surgery. The prevalence of PMPS has been reported to range from 20% to 68%. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of PMPS among mastectomy patients, the severity of neuropathic pain in these patients, risk factors that contribute to pain becoming chronic, and the effect of PMPS on life quality.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was approved by the Sakarya University, Medical Faculty Ethical Council and included 146 patients ranging in age from 18 to 85 years who visited the pain clinic, general surgery clinic, and oncology clinic and had breast surgery between 2012 and 2014. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they met PMPS criteria: pain at axilla, arm, shoulder, chest wall, scar tissue, or breast at least 3 months after breast surgery. All patients gave informed consent prior to entry into the study. Patient medical records were collected, and pain and quality of life were evaluated by the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, a short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), douleur neuropathique-4 (DN-4), and SF-36.

Results:

Patient mean age was 55.2 ± 11.8 years (33.0–83.0 years). PMPS prevalence was 36%. Mean scores on the VAS, SF-MPQ, and DN-4 in PMPS patients were 1.76 ± 2.38 (0–10), 1.73 ± 1.54 (0–5), and 1.64 ± 2.31 (0–8), respectively. Of these patients, 31 (23.7%) had neuropathic pain characteristics, and 12 (9.2%) had phantom pain according to the DN-4 survey. Patients who had modified radical mastectomy were significantly more likely to develop PMPS than patients who had breast-protective surgery (P = 0.028). Only 2 (2.4%) of PMPS patients had received proper treatment (anticonvulsants or opioids).

Conclusions:

PMPS seriously impacts patients’ emotional situation, daily activities, and social relationships and is a major economic burden for health systems. We conclude that the rate of PMPS among patients receiving breast cancer surgery in Turkey is 64.1% and that challenges to the proper treatment of these patients deserve further investigation.     

Are There Any Clinical and Radiographic Differences Between Quadriceps-sparing and Mini-medial Parapatellar Approaches in Total Knee Arthroplasty After a Minimum 5 Years of Follow-up?

Background:Although the early clinical outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using minimally invasive surgery techniques have been widely described,data on the mid-to long-term outcomes are limited...     

High Killips Class as a Predictor of New-onset Atrial Fibrillation Following Acute Myocardial Infarction: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background:Recent observational studies have shown that patients with higher Killips score (＞Ⅰ) have higher risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI),whil...     

Changes of Hemoglobin and Hematocrit in Elderly Patients Receiving Lower Joint Arthroplasty without Allogeneic Blood Transfusion

Background:It has rarely been reported about the changes of hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) in elderly patients receiving total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA).This study a...     

Comparison of C50 for Propofol-remifentanil Target-controlled Infusion and Bispectral Index at Loss of Consciousness and Response to Painful Stimulus in Elderly and Young Patients

Background:In this prospective randomized study,we compared the predicted blood and effect-site C50 for propofol and remifentanil target-controlled infusion (TCI) and the bispectral index (BIS) values ...     

Prognostic Factors Predicting the Postoperative Survival Period Following Treatment for Primary Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma

Background:Liposarcomas,which represent 20％ of all adult sarcomas,are the most common histological type of malignant soft tissue tumors.The aim of this study was to define the prognostic factors that p...     

Thalidomide-based Regimens for Elderly and/or Transplant Ineligible Patients with Multiple Myeloma: A Meta-analysis

Background:

Thalidomide is an immunomodulatory and anti-angiogenic drug that has shown promise in patients with myeloma. Trials comparing efficacy of standard melphalan and prednisone (MP) therapy with MP plus thalidomide (MPT) in transplant-ineligible or elderly patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have provided conflicting evidence. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the efficacy and toxicity of thalidomide in previously untreated elderly patients with myeloma.

Methods:

Medline, the Cochrane Controlled Trials register, conference proceedings of the American Society of Hematology (1995–2014), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (1995–2014), and CBM, VIP, and CNKI databases were searched for randomized control trials with the use of the medical subject headings “MM” and “thalidomide”. Trials were assessed by two reviewers for eligibility. Meta-analysis was conducted using a fixed effects model. Sensitivity analysis was performed to test the robustness of the findings.

Results:

Overall, seven trials were identified, covering a total of 1821 subjects. The summary hazard ratio (thalidomide vs. control) was 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72–0.94) for overall survival (OS), and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.58–0.73) for progression-free survival, in favor of thalidomide treated group. The risk ratio of complete response with induction thalidomide was 3.48 (95% CI: 2.24–5.41). A higher rate of III/IV adverse events were observed in MPT arm compared with the MP arm. However, analysis of sub-groups administering anticoagulation as venous thromboembolism prophylaxis suggested no difference in relative risk of thrombotic events between two arms (RR = 1.47, 95% CI: 0.43–5.07, P = 0.54). Further analysis of trials on the treatment effects of MPT versus MP on adverse events-related mortality showed no statistical difference between two arms (RR = 1.24, 95% CI: [0.95–1.63], P = 0.120).

Conclusion:

Thalidomide appears to improve the OS of elderly and/or transplant-ineligible patients with MM when it is added to standard MP therapy.     

Use of Platelet Indices for Determining Illness Severity and Predicting Prognosis in Critically Ⅲ Patients

Background:Decreased platelet (PLT) count is one of the independent risk factors for mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.This study was to investigate the relationship between PLT indices a...     

Mechanism of Regulatory Effect of MicroRNA-206 on Connexin 43 in Distant Metastasis of Breast Cancer

Background:

MicroRNA-206 (miR-206) and connexin 43 (Cx43) are related with the distant metastasis of breast cancer. It remains unclear whether the regulatory effect of miR-206 on Cx43 is involved in metastasis of breast cancer.

Methods:

Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, the expressions of miR-206 and Cx43 were determined in breast cancer tissues, hepatic and pulmonary metastasis (PM), and cell lines (MCF-10A, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231). MCF-7/MDA-M-231 cells were transfected with lentivirus-shRNA vectors to enhance/inhibit miR-206, and then Cx43 expression was observed. Cell counting kit-8 assay and Transwell method were used to detect their changes in proliferation, migration, and invasion activity. The mutant plasmids of Cx43-3’ untranslated region (3’UTR) at position 478–484 and position 1609–1615 were constructed. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to observe the effects of miR-206 on luciferase expression of different mutant plasmids and to confirm the potential binding sites of Cx43.

Results:

Cx43 protein expression in hepatic and PM was significantly higher than that in the primary tumor, while no significant difference was showed in messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. MiR-206 mRNA expression in hepatic and PM was significantly lower than that in the primary tumor. Cx43 mRNA and protein levels, as well as cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities, were all significantly improved in MDA-MB-231 cells after reducing miR-206 expression but decreased in MCF-7 cells after elevating miR-206 expression, which demonstrated a significantly negative correlation between miR-206 and Cx43 expression (P = 0.03). MiR-206 can drastically decrease Cx43 expression of MCF-7 cells but exerts no effects on Cx43 expression in 293 cells transfected with the Cx43 coding region but the lack of Cx43-3’UTR, suggesting that Cx43-3’UTR may be the key in Cx43 regulated by miR-206. Luciferase expression showed that the inhibition efficiency was reduced by 46.80% in position 478–484 mutant, 16.72% in position 1609–1615 mutant; the inhibition was totally disappeared in double mutant (P = 0.02).

Conclusions:

MiR-206 can regulate the expression of Cx43, the cytobiological activity, and the metastasis of breast cancer through binding to the two binding sites in Cx43-3’UTR: position 478–484 and position 1609–1615.     

Endovascular Treatment of the Huge Dissecting Aneurysms Involving the Basilar Artery by the Internal Trapping Technique: Technical Note

Background:The endovascular strategy of the huge dissecting aneurysms involving the basilar artery (BA) is controversial and challenging.This study was to investigate the clinical and angiographic outc...     

Study of Clinical and Genetic Risk Factors for Aspirin-induced Gastric Mucosal Injury

Background:

Current knowledge about clinical and genetic risk factors for aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury is not sufficient to prevent these gastric mucosal lesions.

Methods:

We recruited aspirin takers as the exposed group and healthy volunteers as the control group. The exposed group was categorized into two subgroups such as subgroup A as gastric mucosal injury diagnosed by gastroscopy, including erosion, ulcer or bleeding of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum; subgroup B as no injury of the gastric mucosa was detected by gastroscopy. Clinical information was collected, and 53 single nucleotide polymorphisms were evaluated.

Results:

Among 385 participants, 234 were in the aspirin-exposed group. According to gastroscopy, 82 belonged to subgroup A, 91 belonged to subgroup B, and gastroscopic results of 61 participants were not available. Using the Chi-square test and logistic regression, we found that peptic ulcer history (odds ratio [OR] = 5.924, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.115–16.592), dual anti-platelet medication (OR = 3.443, 95% CI: 1.154–10.271), current Helicobacter pylori infection (OR = 2.242, 95% CI: 1.032–4.870), male gender (OR = 2.211, 95% CI: 1.027–4.760), GG genotype of rs2243086 (OR = 4.516, 95% CI: 1.180–17.278), and AA genotype of rs1330344 (OR = 2.178, 95% CI: 1.016–4.669) were more frequent in subgroup A than subgroup B. In aspirin users who suffered from upper gastrointestinal bleeding, the frequency of the TT genotype of rs2238631 and TT genotype of rs2243100 was higher than in those without upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Conclusions:

Peptic ulcer history, dual anti-platelet medication, H. pylori current infection, and male gender were possible clinical risk factors for aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury. GG genotype of rs2243086 and AA genotype of rs1330344 were possible genetic risk factors. TT genotype of rs2238631 and TT genotype of rs2243100 may be risk factors for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in aspirin users.     

Fractional Flow Reserve Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Improves Clinical Outcome with Reduced Cost in Contemporary Clinical Practice

Background:Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is currently considered as the gold standard for evaluating the functional significance of coronary stenosis.However,its potential benefits in real-world practi...