Objective： To investigate the correlation between pathological features at the positive margins and biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Methods： From June 2014 to December 2019, a total of 200 patients with organ-confined prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy were included in this study by the method of case matching (1∶1). One hundred patients with positive surgical margin and 100 with negative surgical margin were enrolled in this study. All patients did not receive any adjuvant treatment after surgery with a clinical stage of T2/N0. BCR-free survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. An optimal cutoff for the PSM length which differentiated risk for BCR was identified by Classification and Regression Tree analysis (CART). Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the association between variables and BCR-free survival. Results： A total of 200 patients were included in this study, and 177 patients with pT2 stage were pathological after operation. The median follow-up time of this group of patients was 32.8 months ranged from 5.6 to 80.5 months. A total of 28 cases of biochemical recurrence were found through PSA follow-up after surgery, including 6 cases (6.0%) in the negative margin group and 22 cases (22.0%) in the positive margin group. The result of Kaplan Meier survival curve analysis showed that the non biochemical recurrence survival time of the negative margin group was longer than that of the positive margin group (log rank χ2=9.336, P=0.003). It was found that the length of positive margin ≥1 mm in the positive margin group was positively correlated with postoperative biochemical recurrence. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify that the highest Gleason score ≥8 and the length of positive ≥1 mm were independent factors of postoperative biochemical recurrence in both the overall patients and the patients with positive margin. Conclusion：　The patients with highest Gleason score ≥8 and the length of positive ≥1mm are at elevated risk for BCR.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology* ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Margins of Excision ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate

Humans ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Antigens, CD19

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of multiple negative costimulatory molecules on peripheral blood T cells in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its affection on prognosis. METHODS: The peripheral blood samples from patients with newly diagnosed AML, complete remission (CR), and no-remission (NR) were collected, the expression levels PD-1、VISTA and TIM-3 in CD4 and CD8 T cells were detected by flow cytometry , and the clinical data of patients were analyzed. RESULTS: The expression levels of PD-1、VISTA and TIM-3 of CD4 and CD8 T cells in the newly diagnosed AML patients were significantly higher than those in control group (P＜0.05). The expression levels of PD-1、TIM-3 and VISTA of CD4 and CD8 T cells in the CR group were significantly lower than those in newly diagnosed and the NR group (P＜0.05). The TIM-3 expression level positively correlated with VISTA expression level of CD4 and CD8 T cells in newly diagnosed AML patients (r=0.85 and 0.73). The VISTA and PD-1 expression level of CD4 T cells in newly diagnosed AML, NR after first induction chemotherapy and high risk patients significantly increased (P＜0.05), the TIM-3 expression level of CD8 T cells in high risk group significantly increased (P＜0.05), and the VISTA expression level of CD8 T cells in CBFβ-MYH11 mutation-positive group significantly decreased (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION The expression of PD-1、TIM-3 and VISTA in AML peripheral blood T cells may be involved in the immune escape of AML and can be the targets of treatment for acute myeloid leukemia patients.
B7 Antigens ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Flow Cytometry ; Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2 ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor

Boron neutron capture therapy and Y-90 radioembolization are emerging therapeutic methods for uncontrolled brain cancers and hepatic cancers, respectively. These advanced radiation therapies are heavily relied on theranostic nuclear medicine imaging before the therapy for the eligibility of patients and the prescribed-dose simulation, as well as the post-therapy scanning for assessing the treatment efficacy. In Taiwan, the Taipei Veterans General Hospital is the only institute performing the BNCT and also the leading institute performing Y-90 radioembolization. In this article, we present our single institute experiences and associated theranostic nuclear medicine approaches for these therapies.
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy ; Brain Neoplasms ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Nuclear Medicine ; Taiwan ; Theranostic Nanomedicine ; Treatment Outcome ; Veterans

Boron neutron capture therapy and Y-90 radioembolization are emerging therapeutic methods for uncontrolled brain cancers and hepatic cancers, respectively. These advanced radiation therapies are heavily relied on theranostic nuclear medicine imaging before the therapy for the eligibility of patients and the prescribed-dose simulation, as well as the post-therapy scanning for assessing the treatment efficacy. In Taiwan, the Taipei Veterans General Hospital is the only institute performing the BNCT and also the leading institute performing Y-90 radioembolization. In this article, we present our single institute experiences and associated theranostic nuclear medicine approaches for these therapies.

We investigated the value of autoantibodies as biomarkers of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) by analyzing the autoantibody profiles of 65 patients (34 cGVHD and 31 non-cGVHD) surviving longer than three months after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Autoantibodies to at least one antigen were detected in 45 patients (70.8%), with multiple autoantibodies detected in 30 patients (46.2%). Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) were the most frequently detected autoantibodies, with a significantly higher prevalence in non-cGVHD patients and cGVHD patients than that in healthy controls (HCs). ANA-nucleolar (ANA-N) was the main immunofluorescence pattern of ANA-positivity in both the non-cGVHD and cGVHD groups. There was a higher prevalence of anti-Ro52-positivity in non-cGVHD and cGVHD patients than in HC. Liver cGVHD was significantly associated with anti-Ro52-positivity. However, cGVHD activity and severity were not associated with the presence of autoantibodies. Similarly, there were no significant differences in overall survival or relapse among the four groups of patients expressing autoantibodies. Our results suggest that autoantibodies have limited value in predicting cGVHD.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Antinuclear/blood* ; Autoantibodies/blood* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease/diagnosis* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/mortality* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Young Adult

Chronic diseases are global threats to human health. By applying the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory of body constitution to the treatment of chronic diseases, and comprehensively identifying and differentiating the syndrome, disease, and constitution, TCM can be fully used in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases. In this manner, population-based and evidence-based modern medicine can organically align with the individual-focused and speculation-based TCM, with subsequent benefits for the control of chronic diseases, reducing their burden on human health.

BACKGROUND: We studied the association of sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) and metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in Korean adults. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study by 190 patients who visited a Health Promotion Center of National University of Pusan from 11 November to 14 November, 2008. We analyzed the association of anthropometry (waist circumference, BMI, SAD), insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance, HOMA-IR), insulin sensitivity (quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, QUICKI), and plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglyceride. SAD was categorized into quartiles and assessed odds ratio of metabolic syndrome adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle factors. RESULTS: SAD showed significance correlation to HOMA-IR than BMI. Quartiles of SAD showed a positive trend with metabolic risk factors including abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, HOMA-IR and obesity but hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterolemia did not show significant association. In men QUICKI was significantly high. A multivariate model, adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, physical activity, heavy drinking, HOMA-IR and QUICKI, revealed a progressively increased odds ratio of metabolic syndrome, 3rd quartile (odds ratio [OR]; 9.467; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.225 to 27.789; P < 0.001) and 4th quartile (OR, 7.253; 95% CI, 2.437 to 21.586; P < 0.001), with increasing SAD. CONCLUSION: As shown above, SAD was a strong anthropometric marker of insulin resistance, risk of metabolic syndrome and decreased insulin sensitivity in Korean adults.
Adult ; Anthropometry ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Drinking ; Glucose ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Life Style ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Odds Ratio ; Plasma ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUNDCardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) could improve heart function, symptom status, quality of life and reduce hospitalization and mortality in patients with severe heart failure (HF) with optimal medical management. However, the possible adverse effects of CRT are often ignored by clinicians.

METHODA retrospective analysis of CRT over a 6-year period was made in a single cardiac center.

RESULTSFifty-four patients were treated with CRT(D) device, aged (57 ± 11) years, with left ventricular ejection fraction of (32.1 ± 9.8)%, of which 4 (7%) developed ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) or junctional tachycardia after operation. Except for one with frequent ventricular premature beat before operation, the others had no previous history of ventricular arrhythmia. Of the 4 patients, 3 had dilated cardiomyopathy and 1 had ischemic cardiomyopathy, and tachycardia occurred within 3 days after operation. Sustained, refractory VT and subsequent VF occurred in one patient, frequent nonsustained VT in two patients and nonparoxysmal atrioventricular junctional tachycardia in one patient. VT was managed by amiodarone in two patients, amiodarone together with beta-blocker in one patient, and junctional tachycardia was terminated by overdrive pacing. During over 12-month follow-up, except for one patient's death due to refractory heart and respiratory failure in hospital, the others remain alive and arrhythmia-free.

CONCLUSIONSNew-onset VT/VF or junctional tachycardia may occur in a minority of patients with or without prior history of tachycardia after biventricular pacing. Arrhythmia can be managed by conventional therapy, but may require temporary discontinuation of pacing. More observational studies should be performed to determine the potential proarrhythmic effect of CRT.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the CT findings and clinical features of patients with pneumatosis intestinalis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2001 to October 2007, 15 patients with pneumatosis intestinalis were diagnosed by the use of CT. We analyzed the clinical features and CT findings to assess the involvement site, the presence of portal and mesenteric vein gas, and the existence of accompanied ischemic change. RESULTS: Of the 15 patients, five patients had end stage renal disease (33.3%), two patients underwent a gastrectomy, one patient underwent a laminectomy, one patient had tuberculous enteritis, one patient had lung cancer and one patient had pneumonia. Four patients presented with no specific disease. There was portal or mesenteric venous gas in six cases, and strangulation or an ischemic change of the bowel in five cases. Otherwise, pneumatosis intestinalis was associated with hydropneumoperitoneum in two cases, pneumoperitoneum in one case and a single case of perforated appendicitis. Nine patients underwent surgery for ischemic change of the bowel, hydropneumoperitoneum, appendicitis, and a clinical sign of panperitonitis. Among the remaining six patients, three patients recovered and were discharged, and three patients expired during progression of the disease. CONCLUSION: End stage renal disease is the most common condition associated with pneumatosis intestinalis. The presence of portomesenteric venous gas, ischemic change of the bowel, and linear pneumatosis intestinalis are indicative of a poor prognosis.
Appendicitis ; Enteritis ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Laminectomy ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mesenteric Veins ; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis ; Pneumonia ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Portal Vein ; Prognosis ; Renal Insufficiency