Background: Fusobacterium nucleatum has been identified to promote tumor progression in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, association between F. nucleatum and prognostic or clinicopathological features has been diverse among studies, which could be affected by type of biospecimen (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded or fresh frozen [FF]). Methods: Articles were systemically reviewed for studies that included the correlation between F. nucleatum and prognosis or clinicopathological features in CRC. Results: Ten articles, eight studies with survival-related features involving 3,199 patients and nine studies with clinical features involving 2,655 patients, were eligible for the meta-analysis. Overall survival, disease-free survival, and cancer-specific survival were all associated with worse prognosis in F. nucleatum–high patients (p<.05). In subgroup analysis, only studies with FF tissues retained prognostic significance with F. nucleatum. In meta-analysis of clinicopathological variables, F. nucleatum level was associated with location within colon, pT category, MLH1 hypermethylation, microsatellite instability status, and BRAF mutation regardless of type of biospecimen. However, lymph node metastasis and KRAS mutation was only associated with F. nucleatum level in FF-based studies. Conclusions In conclusion, type of biospecimen could affect the role of F. nucleatum as a biomarker associated with clinicopathological features and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Follicular patterned thyroid nodules with incomplete nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FTN-INPTCs) are difficult to diagnose, and their biological behavior and association with follicular variants of PTC (FVPTCs) have not yet been established. The aim of this study is to determine immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of FTN-INPTCs. METHODS: We investigated immunohistochemical features (galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19, fibronectin-1, CITED1), BRAF V600E mutation and RASSF1A promoter methylation status in 30 FTN-INPTC cases, along with 26 FVPTCs, 21 follicular adenomas (FAs) and 14 nodular hyperplasias (NHs). RESULTS: Expression of galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19 and CITED1 was significantly higher in FTN-INPTCs than in FAs or NHs, but expression of galectin-3, CK19 and fibronectin-1 was lower in FTN-INPTCs than in FVPTCs. The BRAF V600E mutation was not detected in the benign nodules or FTN-INPTCs, whereas 57% of FVPTCs had the mutation. RASSF1A promoter methylation was higher in FTN-INPTCs than in benign nodules but there was no difference between FTN-INPTCs and FVPTCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results represent the borderline immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of FTN-INPTC. We conclude that FTN-INPTC is an intermediate lesion between a benign nodule and a FVPTC, and that it is pathogenetically related to FVPTC.
Adenoma ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Factor IX ; Galectin 3 ; Hyperplasia ; Methylation ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule

BACKGROUND: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is critical for morphogenesis during embryonic development and is also implicated in the conversion of early-stage tumors into invasive malignancies. Recently, Twist has been identified to play an important role in EMTmediated metastatic progression of several types of human cancer. The present study examined the expression of Twist and evaluated its clinicopathologic significance in urothelial carcinoma of upper urinary tract. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for Twist expression was performed on 70 upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas (UUT-UCs) using tissue microarray. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining for Twist was positive in 31/70 cases (44.3%) of UUT-UCs. Twist expression was associated with high-grade and advanced-stage (ISUP grade, p<0.01; stage, p=0.045). The patients with Twist positive-tumors revealed lower disease free survival rate than those with Twist negative-tumors (p<0.01). The overall survival for patients with Twist positive-tumors was slightly worse than the patients with Twist negative- tumors, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.12). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Twist is a novel marker for advanced UUT-UC.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Disease-Free Survival* ; Embryonic Development ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Female ; Humans ; Morphogenesis ; Pregnancy ; Twist Transcription Factor ; Urinary Tract*

PURPOSE: Intracavernosal self injection therapy is now being widely used to treat patients with erectile dysfunction. However, there is a large number of patients who give up the self injection program due to the fear of injection. Therefore, less invasive route of drug administration is highly recommended. We investigated the efficacy of intraurethral instillation of Prostaglandin El (PGE1 ) solution in the patients who showed full erection with intracavernosal injection of PGE1. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine impotent patients who showed full erection with intracavernosal injection of PGE1 were included in this study. We estimated the grades and durations of the penile erection after intraurethral instillation of PGE1 RESULTS: Sixteen out of 29 patients(55.2%) showed full erection with intraurethral instillation. Two patients(6.9%) showed urethral pain which disappeared within 24 hours. But there was no systemic side effect CONCLUSIONS: Intraurethral instillation of PGE1 appears to be safe, well tolerated, and less invasive treatment modality Thus it can be selected as an alternative treatment of impotence in selected cases.
Alprostadil* ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Humans ; Male ; Penile Erection

An inflammation of an epiploic appendage is a relatively rare cause of acute abdominal pain. It can be clinically misdiagnosed as either acute appendicitis or diverticulitis. Judicious interpretation of imaging with ultrasound or computed tomography may lead to an early diagnosis and prevent unnecessary surgical or medical treatment. Conservative treatment of symptoms is usually sufficient. We have experienced a case of epiploic appendagitis treated by conservative management and report this case with the review of the literature.
Abdomen* ; Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis ; Diverticulitis ; Early Diagnosis ; Inflammation ; Ultrasonography

Acinar cell cystadenoma (ACA) is a very rare cystic lesion of the pancreas. The lining epithelium of ACA is morphologically identical to acinar cells of the pancreas. It is uncertain whether ACA is a benign neoplasm or cystic transformation of acinar glands but it is worthy to consider ACA in the differential diagnosis of other cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. We report here a 25-year old-woman who was operated on for a cystic mass of the pancreas. Grossly, a multilocular cystic mass containing clear serous fluid was observed. There was no communication between the cysts and the pancreatic ducts. Microscopically, cysts of various size were lined by columnar, cuboidal or flattened epithelial cells with a few foci of pseudostratification. The cells had granular apical cytoplasm and basally located nuclei with minimal atypia, the same as normal acinar cells. Metaplastic ossification was noted in the stroma. Immunohistochemically, the lining epithelium was positive for cytokeratin 7, antitrypsin and antichymotrypsin.
Acinar Cells* ; Cystadenoma* ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Keratin-7 ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Neoplasms

Acute cerebellitis is a clinically isolated condition showing cerebellar signs such as ataxia, dizziness and dysarthria. Most of them are associated with viral infection, which generally occur in childhood and show benign course without sequelae. Tuberculous cerebellitis is very rare and its outcome is not well described. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical features and course in a patient with tuberculous cerebellits. We will also discuss the possible prognostic factors in acute cerebellitis.
Adult ; Ataxia ; Cerebellum ; Dizziness ; Dysarthria ; Encephalitis ; Humans ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure person-centered critical care nursing and verify its reliability and validity. METHODS: A total of 38 preliminary items on person-centered critical care nursing were selected using content validity analysis of and expert opinion on 72 candidate items derived through literature review and qualitative interviews. We conducted a questionnaire survey with 477 nurses who worked in intensive care units. The collected data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmative factor analysis (CFA) with SPSS and AMOS 24.0 program. RESULTS: EFA was performed with principal axis factor analysis and Varimax rotation. The 15 items in 4 factors that accounted for 50.8% of the total variance were identified by deleting the items that were not meet the condition that the commonality should be .30 or more and the factor loading over .40. We named the factors as compassion, individuality, respect, and comfort, respectively. The correlation coefficient between this scale and the Caring Perception Scale was r=.57 (p < .001), which determined concurrent validity. The item-total correlation values ranged from .39 to .63, and the internal consistency for the scale was Cronbach's α=.84. CONCLUSION: The reliability and validity of the 15 item person-centered critical care nursing scale were verified. It is expected that the use of this scale would expand person-centered care in critical care nursing.
Critical Care Nursing* ; Critical Care* ; Empathy ; Expert Testimony ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Individuality ; Intensive Care Units ; Patient-Centered Care ; Reproducibility of Results

Background: The prognostic potential of Crohn-like lymphoid reaction (CLR) in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) has been investigated through the assessment of different criteria. Methods: The prognostic impact of CLR was investigated in 636 CRC patients to compare methods from previously published articles. These methods included CLR measured by number of lymphoid aggregates (LAs) (CLR count), LA size greater than or equal to 1 mm (CLR size), CLR density with a cutoff value of 0.38, and subjective criteria as defined by intense CLR. Results: In univariate survival analysis, CLR-positive CRC as defined by the four aforementioned methods was associated with better overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR], 0.463; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.305 to 0.702; p <.001; HR, 0.656; 95% CI, 0.411 to 1.046; p=.077; HR, 0.363; 95% CI, 0.197 to 0.669; p=.001; and HR, 0.433; 95% CI, 0.271 to 0.690; p<.001, respectively) and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR, 0.411; 95% CI, 0.304 to 0.639; p<.001; HR, 0.528; 95% CI, 0.340 to 0.821; p=.004; HR, 0.382; 95% CI, 0.226 to 0.645, p=.004; and HR, 0.501; 95% CI, 0.339 to 0.741; p<.001, respectively) than CLR-negative CRC, regardless of criteria with the exception of OS for CLR density. In multivariate analysis, two objective criteria (CLR count and CLR density) and one subjective criterion (intense CLR) for defining CLR were considered independent prognostic factors of OS and DFS in CRC patients. Conclusions CLR has similar traits regardless of criteria, but CLR-positivity should be defined by objective criteria for better reproducibility and prognostic value.

Several reports have described aberrant methylation in various types of human cancers. However, the interpretation of methylation frequency in various human cancers has some limitations because of the different materials and methods used for methylation analysis. To gain an insight into the role of DNA hypermethylation in human cancers and allow direct comparison of tissue specific methylation, we generated methylation profiles in 328 human cancers, including 24 breast, 48 colon, 61 stomach, 48 liver, 37 larynx, 24 lung, 40 prostate, and 46 uterine cervical cancer samples by analyzing CpG island hypermethylation of 13 genes using methylation-specific PCR. The mean numbers of methylated genes were 6.5, 4.4, 3.6, 3.4, 3.1, 3.1, 3.1, and 2.1 in gastric, liver, prostate, larynx, colon, lung, uterine cervix, and in breast cancer samples, respectively. The number of genes that were methylated at a frequency of more than 40% in each tumor type ranged from nine (stomach) to one (breast). Generally genes frequently methylated in a specific cancer type differed from those methylated in other cancer types. The findings indicate that aberrant CpG island hypermethylation is a frequent finding in human cancers of various tissue types, and each tissue type has its own distinct methylation pattern.
Quantitative Trait Loci/*genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Neoplasms/*genetics ; Humans ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics ; Gene Frequency/genetics ; DNA, Neoplasm/*genetics ; *DNA Methylation ; CpG Islands/*genetics ; Chromosome Mapping/*methods