Suicide Reporting on Front Pages of Major Newspapers in Taiwan Violating Reporting Recommendations Between 2001 and 2012

Media reporting can lead to the acceptance of incorrect ideas and information by the general public, which in turn can impact behavior. A number of studies have found that suicide reporting in the media can lead to an increase in the suicide rate or copycat suicides. Therefore, the aims of this study are to (a) investigate front-page reporting of suicide in four major newspapers in Taiwan; (b) investigate violation of recommendations for reporting suicide by the four major newspapers in Taiwan; and (c) investigate the impact of important events and government policy on front-page reporting of suicide (i.e., the effect of the Apple Daily newspaper entering the market, and the start of media monitoring). We carried out content analysis of reports of suicide on the front pages of the four newspapers with the highest rates of readership in Taiwan (China Times, Liberty Times, Apple Daily, and United Daily News) between 2001 and 2012. We used the chi-squared test, chi-squared test for trend, and analysis of variance to analyze trends in violation of reporting recommendations and potential associated factors. We found that (a) suicide was most commonly reported as a front-page headline and as a whole-page spread by the four major newspapers in Taiwan, with many reports including photographs; (b) reporting of suicide by the four major newspapers in Taiwan frequently violated World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for suicide reporting in the media; (c) following the entry of the Apple Daily newspaper into the Taiwanese market, reporting approaches to suicide by the other three major newspapers changed to more sensational photos and texts; and (d) monitoring of suicide reporting by the Taiwan Suicide Prevention Center appears to have been only partially effective. In summary, reporting of suicide by the four major newspapers in Taiwan could be further improved. Effective regulation of suicide reporting by newspapers could reduce the impact of this reporting on readers. In addition, regular assessment of observance of the WHO recommendations for suicide reporting by newspapers is an important part of suicide prevention.     

Factors Affecting Optimal Aortic Remodeling After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair of Type B (IIIb) Aortic Dissection

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with entire aortic remodeling after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with type B dissection.

Materials and Methods

The patients with type B (IIIb) dissections who underwent TEVAR from 2006 to 2013 with minimum of 2 years of follow-up computed tomography data were retrospectively reviewed. Based on the status of false lumen remodeling of entire aorta, patients were divided into three groups: complete regression, total thrombosis, and inadequate regression with patent abdominal false lumen.

Results

A total of 90 patients (72 males, 18 females; mean age 56.6 ± 16.4 years) were included and divided into the complete regression (n = 22), total thrombosis (n = 18), and inadequate regression (n = 50) groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that dissection extension to iliac arteries, increased preoperative number of dissection tear over abdominal aorta, and decreased preoperative abdominal aorta bifurcation true lumen ratio, as compared between the inadequate and complete regression groups, were associated with a persistent false lumen (odds ratio = 33.33, 2.304, and 0.021; all, p ≤ 0.012). Comparison of 6, 12, and 24 months postoperative data revealed no significant differences at any level, suggesting that the true lumen area ratio might not change after 6 months postoperatively.

Conclusions

Increased preoperative numbers of dissection tear around the abdominal visceral branches, dissection extension to the iliac arteries, and decreased preoperative true lumen area ratio of abdominal aorta are predictive of entire aortic remodeling after TEVAR in patients with type B dissection.

Level of Evidence

III.

     

10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid from Royal jelly: A potential medicine for RA

Aim of the study

Rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs) are known to produce matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cause joint destruction. The purpose of this study is to develop a potential medicine for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Materials and methods

To this end, first, the MMPs inhibition factor was purified from an alkali-solubilized fraction of RJ (Apis mellifera) by C18 reverse-phase column chromatography and identified as 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10H2DA) by LTQ XL analysis. Next, Experimental test 10H2DA how to inhibited the activities of MMPs: with RASFs isolated from rheumatoid tissues by enzymatic digestion, cultures in monolayers were treated with 10H2DA (0.5 mM, 1 mM, and 2 mM) or PBS for 2 h followed by stimulation with TNF-α (10 ng/ml) for 2 h, mRNA. Protein levels of MMP-1 and MMP-3 were measured by real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the DNA-binding activity of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and the protein kinase activity of p38, ERK and JNK by kinase assay.

Results

The molecular investigation revealed that the 10H2DA-mediated suppression was likely to occur through blocking p38 kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase–AP-1 signaling pathways. In contrast, 10H2DA had no effect on extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity, NF-κB DNA-binding activity and IκBα degradation.

Conclusion

These results suggest that 10H2DA may be of potential therapeutic value in inhibiting joint destruction in RA.     

SPT辅助的1050Hz切削频率TransPRK与SMILE术后视觉质量的比较

目的:比较智能脉冲技术(SPT)辅助的1 050Hz切削频率经上皮准分子激光角膜切削术(TransPRK)与飞秒激光小切口角膜基质透镜取出术(SMILE)矫正近视和散光的视觉质量。方法:纳入2020-07/2021-01在成都中医药大学附属眼科医院接受角膜屈光手术的138例248眼患者,按术式分为TransPRK组(64例123眼)和SMILE组(74例125眼)。术后随访6mo,记录LogMAR视力,使用Sirius眼前节综合分析仪测量术前和术后不同时间点6mm瞳孔直径下斯特列尔比值(SR)和高阶像差。结果:与SMILE组相比,术后1wk, 1mo, TransPRK组UCVA更差(均P<0.05);术后6mo, TransPRK组UCVA更优(P<0.05)。术后1wk, 1mo, TransPRK组SR值比SMILE组低(均P<0.05);术后3、6mo,两组间SR值无显著差异(P=0.968、0.433)。术后1wk,两组间彗差无显著差异(P=0.554);术后1、3、6mo, TransPRK组彗差比SMILE组更低(均P<0.05)。术后1wk, 1...     

牛视网膜毛细血管周细胞的选择性培养

目的:探讨牛视网膜毛细血管周细胞(pericyte,PC)的体外选择性培养方法.方法:结合视网膜微血管的消化分离,采用含200mL/L胎牛血清的DMEM培养基选择性培养Pc,以免疫组织化学染色进行细胞鉴定.通过相差倒置显微镜观察原代PC的形态、生长特性以及与血管碎片之间的关系.结果:通过选择性培养获得的PC的纯度达到98%以上,并能连续传代.PC早期多散布在距血管碎片稍远处,形状不规则.结论:选择性培养的应用可获得较高纯度的PC,简单且具有良好的重复性,无需额外步骤来除杂.     

The p16 (CDKN2a/INK4a) tumor-suppressor gene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a promoter methylation and protein expression study in 100 cases.

The p16 (CDKN2a/INK4a) gene is an important tumor-suppressor gene, involved in the p16/cyclin-dependent kinase/retinoblastoma gene pathway of cell cycle control. The p16 protein is considered to be a negative regulator of the pathway. The gene encodes an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6, which regulate the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma gene and the G1 to S phase transition of the cell cycle. In the present study, p16 gene promoter hypermethylation patterns and p16 protein expression were analyzed in 100 consecutive untreated cases of primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by methylation-specific PCR and immunohistochemical staining. The p16 promoter hypermethylation and apparent loss of p16 protein expression were detected in 27% and 74% of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, respectively. By chi(2) test, history of alcohol or tobacco use was significantly correlated with the loss of p16 protein expression (P =.005 and.05, respectively). When patient follow-up data were correlated with various clinical and molecular parameters, tumor size and nodal and clinical stage were the strongest prognostic predictors for disease-free survival (tumor recurrence) and for cause-specific and overall survival in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Neither p16 promoter hypermethylation nor apparent loss of p16 protein expression appears to be an independent prognostic factor, although loss of p16 protein may be used to predict overall patient survival in early-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.     

Lung adenocarcinoma and sequential antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: a case report

The relationship between antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) and lung cancer remains unclear. A 66-year-old man presented with pulmonary nodules. Histological examination of a specimen from computed tomography-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma. The patient was treated using cryoablation and systemic chemotherapy. Sixteen months later, the patient presented with fever, nasal inflammation, recurrent lung lesions, elevated serum creatinine levels, and high levels of ANCA. Histological examination of a specimen from ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal biopsy revealed pauci-immune necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis. The patient responded to treatment, but granulomatosis with polyangiitis recurred and he later died. This case highlights the possibility of sequential AAV with lung cancer. Although this is relatively rare, further research is needed to better understand the association or pathophysiological link between lung cancer and AAV.