Both HCV and HBV are Major Causes of Liver Cancer in Southeast Asians

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is higher in Asian Americans than in other ethnicities. While hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is more prevalent in some subgroups. Our goal was to determine the etiology of liver disease associated with HCC in subgroups of Asian Americans. This was an analysis of 510 Asian HCC patients at a US medical center. Patients were identified using ICD9 diagnosis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to study predictors of HCV as the cause of HCC. Patients were Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Korean, with similar gender, age, and foreign-born status. Southeast Asians had a similar proportion of HBV- and HCV-related HCC, while Chinese and Korean patients had a higher proportion of HBV-related HCC. HCC was usually associated with HBV in Chinese and Korean patients, but both HCV and HBV were important associations in Southeast Asians.     

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus and its association with systemic lupus erythematosus: A nationwide population-based cohort study in Korea

Although lupus erythematosus is known to be more common among women of color, the study populations in previous reports were predominantly Caucasian and there is scarce information on Asian patients. Therefore, we performed a retrospective study using a nationwide population-based cohort in South Korea. The average annual incidence of cutaneous lupus was 4.36/100 000. Among 634 patients with cutaneous lupus, 20.8% had systemic disease: cutaneous lupus was diagnosed before systemic lupus in 4.26% and after systemic lupus in 8.52%. More female patients than male patients developed systemic lupus erythematosus. The average time to progression to systemic lupus was 1.53 ± 1.46 years.     

The Efficacy of Lymph Node Embolization Using N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate Compared to Ethanol Sclerotherapy in the Management of Symptomatic Lymphorrhea after Pelvic Surgery

Purpose

To compare the efficacy of lymph node (LN) embolization using N-butyl cyanoacrylate versus ethanol sclerotherapy in the management of symptomatic postoperative pelvic lymphorrhea.

Silsesquioxane‐Containing Hybrid Nanomaterials: Fascinating Platforms for Advanced Applications

Silsesquioxanes (SSQs), with the general formula, (RSiO_1.5)_n—where R stands for an organic group, such as alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, or H—are a type of molecular‐level organic/inorganic hybrid silica‐based material. These materials contain reactive or nonreactive organic moieties as well as inorganic Si–O–Si frameworks. In the past few years, extensive efforts have been made using SSQs to construct multifunctional nanocomposites with suitable properties for a range of applications. In this review, the recent various applications of SSQ‐containing hybrid materials are discussed, in addition to updates of the nanocomposite applications. Various physical structures and chemical reactions in SSQ‐based hybrid nanomaterials are emphasized with regard to applications in the field of polymer nanocomposites, catalysts, adsorption, sensors, and biomedicine. This review focuses on results reported in the recent five years (2013–2018).