Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Hemoglobins, Abnormal ; analysis ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo evaluate apoptotic effects of cisplatin and cordycepin as single agent or in combination with cytotoxicity in oral cancer cells.

METHODSThe influences of cisplatin (2.5 μg/mL) and/or cordycepin treatment (10 or 100 μmol/L) to human OC3 oral cancer cell line were investigated by morphological observation for cell death appearance, methylthiazoletetrazolium (MTT) assay for cell viability, flow cytometry assay for cell apoptosis, and Western blotting for apoptotic protein expressions.

RESULTSData demonstrated that co-administration of cisplatin (2.5 μg/mL) and cordycepin (10 or 100 μmol/L) resulted in the enhancement of OC3 cell apoptosis compared to cisplatin or cordycepin alone treatment (24 h), respectively (P <0.05). In flow cytometry assay, percentage of cells arrested at subG1 phase with co-treatment of cordycepin and cisplatin (30%) was significantly higher than cisplatin (5%) or cordycepin (12%) alone group (P <0.05), confirming a synergistically apoptotic effect of cordycepin and cisplatin. In cellular mechanism study, co-treatment of cordycepin and cisplatin induced more stress-activated protein kinase/Jun terminal kinase (JNK), the expressions of caspase-7, and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) as compared to cisplatin or cordycepin alone treatment (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONCisplatin and cordycepin possess synergistically apoptotic effect through the activation of JNK/caspase-7/PARP pathway in human OC3 oral cancer cell line.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 7 ; metabolism ; Cell Count ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Shape ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Deoxyadenosines ; pharmacology ; Drug Synergism ; G1 Phase ; drug effects ; Humans ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Mouth Neoplasms ; pathology ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic cylindrical abdominoperineal resection.

METHODSSix patients with rectal adenocarcinoma within 3 cm above the anal verge underwent laparoscopic cylindrical abdominoperineal resection. Transabdominal levator transaction was performed laparoscopically, with no position change during the perineal operation. Pelvic reconstruction was achieved using human acellular dermal matrix mesh in 3 patients.

RESULTSAll the procedures were successfully performed without any intraoperative complications, laparoscopy-associated complications, or conversion to the open approach. The mean operation time was 186.7 minutes and intraoperative blood loss was 101.7 ml. All the specimens had a cylindrical shape with levator muscles attached to the mesorectum and circumferential margins were all negative. No adverse incidence followed the pelvic reconstruction using human acellular dermal matrix mesh.

CONCLUSIONSLaparoscopic transabdominal transection of the levator muscles without position change and pelvic floor reconstruction with human acellular dermal matrix mesh is feasible. This procedure simplifies cylindrical abdominoperineal resection which is aggressively invasive and technically complicated. The oncologic outcomes are acceptable and complications are less.

Abdomen ; surgery ; Aged ; Anal Canal ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvis ; surgery ; Perineum ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: The global burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising. An alternative term, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), instead highlights the associated metabolic risks. This cohort study examined patient classifications under NAFLD and MAFLD criteria and their associations with all-cause mortality. METHODS: Participants who attended a paid health check-up (2012-2015) were included. Hepatic steatosis (HS) was diagnosed ultrasonographically. NAFLD was defined as HS without secondary causes, while MAFLD involved HS with overweight/obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or ≥2 metabolic dysfunctions. Mortality was tracked via the Taiwan Death Registry until November 30, 2022. RESULTS: Of 118,915 participants, 36.9% had NAFLD, 40.2% had MAFLD, and 32.9% met both definitions. Participants with NAFLD alone had lower mortality, and those with MAFLD alone had higher mortality, than individuals with both conditions. After adjustment for potential confounders, the hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality were 1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78 to 1.48) for NAFLD alone and 1.26 (95% CI, 1.09 to 1.47) for MAFLD alone, relative to both conditions. Advanced fibrosis conferred greater mortality risk, with HRs of 1.93 (95% CI, 1.44 to 2.58) and 2.08 (95% CI, 1.61 to 2.70) for advanced fibrotic NAFLD and MAFLD, respectively. Key mortality risk factors for NAFLD and MAFLD included older age, unmarried status, higher body mass index, smoking, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and advanced fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS All-cause mortality in NAFLD and/or MAFLD was linked to cardiometabolic covariates, with risk attenuated after multivariable adjustment. A high fibrosis-4 index score, indicating fibrosis, could identify fatty liver disease cases involving elevated mortality risk.

INTRODUCTIONTo investigate the attitudes of medical and nursing student towards the older Chinese population.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA reliable and valid Chinese language version of Kogan's Attitudes toward Older People (KAOP) with 17 matched item pairs (34 items) was completed by 275 medical and nursing students. Descriptive data analysis was employed.

RESULTSParticipants reported slightly to have a more positive attitudes (Mean, 144.30 +/- 17.89) than those reported from studies in other countries (Jordanian: Mean, 110.6 +/- 21.79). Students who were females (Mean, 148.27 +/- 18.97), younger (Mean, 146.01 +/- 18.59) and studying nursing (Mean, 156.86 +/- 17.56) were more likely to have a more positive attitudes than older (Mean, 140.04 +/- 15.31), males (Mean, 140.47 +/- 15.93), studying medicine (Mean, 138.77 +/- 15.04).

DISCUSSIONResults show that students may have greater ambivalence attitudes on 10 out of 17 matched item pairs which provides useful information for faculty involved in aged care curriculum design. Working as a volunteer in the university hospital may increase students' interactions with the elderly and may positively influence attitudes towards the elderly.

Aged ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Students, Medical ; psychology ; Students, Nursing ; psychology ; Taiwan

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cognitive-behavioral program on pain and medical fear in hospitalized school-aged children receiving intravenous (IV) placement. METHODS: This study used an quasi-experimental design. Thirty-five participants were assigned to the experimental group and 33 to the control group in the acute internal medicine ward of a children's hospital. The cognitive-behavioral program entailed having the patients read an educational photo book about IV placement before the procedure and having them watch their favorite music video during the procedure. The outcome measures were numeric rating scales for pain intensity and fear during the procedure. RESULTS: After applying the cognitive-behavioral program, the mean scores on pain and fear decreased in the experimental group. However, the difference in pain intensity between these two groups was nonsignificant. The intensity of fear in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group. CONCLUSION: In this study, the cognitive-behavioral program used with school-aged hospitalized children promoted less fear during IV placement. The results of this study can serve as a reference for empirical nursing care and as care guidance for clinical IV injections involving children.
Child* ; Child, Hospitalized ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Music ; Needles ; Nursing Care ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Weights and Measures

Most haemoglobin (Hb) variants are clinically silent. However, some Hb variants may interfere with the measurement of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), resulting in spurious values depending on the assays used. We herein report the case of a 53-year-old Taiwanese man with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who presented with an abnormal HbA1c peak on ion-exchange chromatography. Additional investigations, including intensified self-monitored blood glucose tests, an alternative HbA1c assay, and a glycaemic indicator based on a different method, revealed that the HbA1c values were falsely elevated. Subsequent DNA analysis confirmed that the patient was heterozygous for the insertion of an isoleucine residue at codons 117/118 of the a1-globin gene, Hb Phnom Penh. Clinical laboratorians should be aware of the interfering factors in their HbA1c analysis. Cautious inspection of the chromatogram may provide a valuable clue to the presence of an Hb variant.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Diabetes Complications ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; complications ; Dyslipidemias ; blood ; complications ; Hemoglobins, Abnormal ; analysis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; complications ; Hypoglycemia ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Taiwan

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and safety of sunitinib on the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) patients with imatinib resistance.

METHODSClinical data of 48 patients with imatinib-resistant GIST received sunitinib therapy from May 2008 to April 2012 in the Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. Eighteen patients received 50 mg/d of sunitinib in a protocol of 4/2 (4 weeks on and 2 weeks off) [50 mg/d (4/2)], and 30 patients received a protocol of 37.5 mg of sunitinib continuous daily dose (37.5 mg/d CDD).

RESULTSThe median duration of sunitinib administration of all the 48 patients was 56 weeks, and the short-term efficacy was evaluated at 24 weeks after the initial treatment according to the Choi criteria. The response rate was 27.1% (13/48), including 1 case with complete response (CR), 12 cases with partial response (PR), and 21 cases with stationary disease (SD). The disease control rate was 70.8% (34/48). The mean follow-up time of 48 patients was 89 weeks. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 48 weeks and 92 weeks respectively. Stratified analyses indicated that the median PFS of patients previously treated by imatinib 400 mg/d and >400 mg/d were 53 weeks and 35 weeks respectively (P=0.018), and the median OS of these two groups were 157 weeks and 71 weeks respectively (P=0.003). Patients with exon 11 mutations had a significantly shorter OS compared with those with exon 9 mutations (71 weeks vs 157 weeks, P=0.008). Hand-foot syndrome was the most common adverse effect (25/48, 52.1%), followed by nausea (24/48, 50.0%), fatigue (23/48, 47.9%), neutropenia(21/48, 41.7%). The sub-group analysis of two protocols of sunitinib administration showed that the incidence of diarrhea and hand-foot syndrome were higher in 50 mg/d (4/2) group than those in 37.5 mg/d CDD group (P=0.027, P=0.048).

CONCLUSIONSSunitinib is effective for the patients with imatinib-resistant GIST. After 400 mg/d imatinib treatment failure, sunitinib should be prescribed instead of increased dosage of imatinib. Patients with KIT exon 9 mutations present better prognosis than those with KIT exon 11 mutations. The protocol of sunitinib 37.5 mg/d CDD possesses better safety.

Adult ; Aged ; Benzamides ; therapeutic use ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; Indoles ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Pyrimidines ; therapeutic use ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo analyze the impact of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) on cardiovascular events (CVD) in adult Beijing residents.

METHODSCVD risk factor survey was conducted in 7023 Beijing residents aged 25 - 64 by a stratified-random sample design from 1984 to 1993 in three years interval. CVD events were followed up and the association of the hypertensive LVH and risk of CVD and total death was analyzed by multivariable Cox Regression Model. All subjects were followed up to December 2004.

RESULTSThere were 211 non hypertensive LVH patients in the cohort and were excluded from the study. (1) There were 2240 hypertensive patients among 6812 subjects on baseline. The total prevalence of LVH was 11.8% (16.1% in male and 7.5% in female). (2) Compared to the group with normal blood pressure and without left ventricular hypertrophy, subjects with hypertensive LVH had significantly higher risk for acute coronary, acute stroke, total CVD and total death rate. The relative risks (RR) were 4.92 (95% CI: 2.3, 10.7), 4.2 (95% CI: 2.6, 7.0), 4.1 (95% CI: 2.6, 6.3) and 3.3 (95% CI: 2.0, 5.3), respectively. (3) Compared to the group with hypertension and without LVH, the group with hypertensive LVH had also significantly higher risk for acute stroke, total CVD and total death rate. The RR were 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1, 2.8), 1.7 (95% CI: 1.2, 2.3) and 1.7 (95% CI: 1.1, 2.7), respectively. (4) The population attribute risks (PAR) of hypertensive LVH to the incidents of acute CHD, acute stroke, total CVD and total death were 13.0%, 11.0%, 10.4% and 7.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSHypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy was an independent risk factor for long term risk of cardiovascular events and death.

Adult ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; mortality ; Cause of Death ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; epidemiology ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; epidemiology ; etiology ; mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Sampling Studies

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation is effective in restoring sinus rhythm and left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is increasingly used for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to observe the feasibility and safety of performing AF ablation and LAAC in a single (one-stop) procedure. METHODS: Consecutive AF patients who underwent the combined procedure of AF ablation and LAAC with WATCHMAN device between March 2017 and September 2018 were prospectively enrolled. Baseline and intra-procedural parameters were evaluated. Three-month and subsequent 1-year follow-up were performed in all and earlier-enrolled subjects, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 178 AF patients (94 males, 68.9 ± 8.1 years) underwent the one-stop procedure with CHA2DS2-VASc score 3.3 ± 1.5 and HAS-BLED score 1.6 ± 1.0, respectively. Pulmonary vein isolation was achieved in all patients while additional linear ablation was applied if the operator deemed necessary, yielding immediate ablation success rate of 98.9% (176/178). In the subsequent LAAC, satisfactory seal (residual leak <5 mm) was achieved in all patients. One stroke and four cardiac perforations occurred peri-operatively. At 3-month follow-up, sinus rhythm and satisfactory seal were maintained in 153/178 (86.0%) and 178/178 (100%) patients, respectively. One stroke and one delayed cardiac tamponade occurred, while no device-related thrombus or device migration was observed. During the 1-year follow-up for the earlier enrolled subjects, 52/72 (72.2%) of the patients maintained sinus rhythm. There was no stroke or systemic embolism observed. CONCLUSION Combining catheter ablation and LAAC in a single procedure can be successfully and safely performed in non-valvular AF patients of Chinese population.