Online courses for dentist continuing education: A new trend after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background/purpose: Online courses have been widely used in all levels of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the effectiveness of a dentist continuing education (DCE) course through the online devices in Taiwan.

Materials And Methods: The practicing dentists who participated in the online course of dental radiation technology for DCE offered by the Taiwan Dental Association (TWDA) in October 2022 and in March 2023 were enrolled in this study.

[Simultaneous determination of seven quaternary ammonium compounds in frozen food by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry combined with modified QuEChERS method].

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are a class of cationic surfactants that can be used as the main active ingredient of disinfectants. The increased use of QACs is concerning as exposure from inhalation or ingestion to these compounds that has been associated with adverse effects on the reproductive and respiratory systems. Humans are exposed to QACs primarily by food consumption and inhalation of air.

Nonsyndromic supernumerary teeth in patients in National Taiwan University Children's hospital.

Background/purpose: A literature review reveals limited data for supernumerary teeth in Taiwan. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of nonsyndromic supernumerary teeth in patients in the National Taiwan University Children's Hospital.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the nonsyndromic supernumerary teeth in 1280 patients (710 boys and 570 girls) based on examination of mainly panoramic radiographs and related radiographs.

Novel predictive epigenetic signature for temozolomide in non-G-CIMP glioblastomas.

Objective: To identify novel epigenetic signatures that could provide predictive information that is complementary to promoter methylation status of the O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene for predicting temozolomide (TMZ) response, among glioblastomas (GBMs) without glioma-CpGs island methylator phenotype (G-CIMP) METHODS: Different cohorts of primary non-G-CIMP GBMs with genome-wide DNA methylation microarray data were included for discovery and validation of a multimarker signature, combined using a RISK score model. Different statistical analyses and functional experiments were performed for clinical and biological validation.

Results: By employing discovery cohorts with radiotherapy (RT) and TMZ versus RT alone and a strict multistep selection strategy, we identified seven CpGs, each of which was significantly correlated with overall survival (OS) of non-G-CIMP GBMs with RT/TMZ, independent of age, MGMT promoter methylation status, and other identified CpGs.

Platinum sensitivity and CD133 expression as risk and prognostic predictors of central nervous system metastases in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: To characterize prognostic and risk factors of central nervous system (CNS) metastases in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

Methods: A retrospective analysis of Xijing Hospital electronic medical records was conducted to identify patients with pathologically confirmed EOC and CNS metastases. In addition to patient demographics, tumor pathology, treatment regimens, and clinical outcomes, we compared putative cancer stem cell marker CD133 expression patterns in primary and metastatic lesions as well as in recurrent EOC with and without CNS metastases.

The predictive but not prognostic value of MGMT promoter methylation status in elderly glioblastoma patients: a meta-analysis.

Background: The clinical implication of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter status is ill-defined in elderly glioblastoma patients. Here we report a meta-analysis to seek valid evidence for its clinical relevance in this subpopulation.

Methods: Literature were searched and reviewed in a systematic manner using the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases.

A meta-analysis of temozolomide versus radiotherapy in elderly glioblastoma patients.

Temozolomide (TMZ) alone has been proposed as a promising alternative to radiotherapy (RT) in elderly glioblastoma (GBM) patients. We report a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate TMZ monotherapy in older GBM patients. A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane database.

Radiotherapy plus concurrent or sequential temozolomide for glioblastoma in the elderly: a meta-analysis.

Background: Many physicians are reluctant to treat elderly glioblastoma (GBM) patients as aggressively as younger patients, which is not evidence based due to the absence of validated data from primary studies. We conducted a meta-analysis to provide valid evidence for the use of the aggressive combination of radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ) in elderly GBM patients.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases.

The treatment of glioblastomas: a systematic update on clinical Phase III trials.

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are invariably associated with unavoidable tumor recurrence and overall poor prognosis. The present study is to summarize the results of clinical Phase III studies on GBMs over the past seven years. A systematic literature search was performed using major electronic databases and by screening meeting abstracts.

A randomized controlled study comparing omeprazole and cimetidine for the prophylaxis of stress-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

Object: Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are at high risk for severe stress-related upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding, which is predictive of higher mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of omeprazole and cimetidine compared with a placebo in the prevention and management of stress-related UGI bleeding in patients with ICH.

Methods: In a single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 184 surgically treated patients with CT-proven ICH within 72 hours of ictus and negative results for gastric occult blood testing were included.

Gypenosides improve cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats by suppressing oxidative stress and astrocytic activation.

Gypenosides (GP), the saponin extract derived from the Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino, a widely reputed medicinal plant in China, has been reported to have some neuroprotective effects. We used a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion to investigate the protective effects of GP on the cortex and hippocampal CA1 region and the underlying mechanisms for its inhibition of cognitive decline. Daily doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg GP were orally administered to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats for 61 days after inducing cerebral hypoperfusion experimentally, and spatial learning and memory were assessed using the Morris water maze.

The validation of the standard Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) in pre-operative patients with brain tumor in China.

Background: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) has increasingly emphasized on cancer patients. The psychometric properties of the standard Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30, version 3.0) in brain tumor patients wasn't proven, and there was no baseline HRQOL in brain tumor patients prior to surgery.

Global histone modification patterns as prognostic markers to classify glioma patients.

Background: An altered pattern of epigenetic modifications is central to the development and progression of various tumors. We studied epigenetic changes involving multiple modifications of histones to better predict prognosis of glioma patients.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was done to investigate global histone modification expression of histone 3 lysine 4 dimethylation (H3K4diMe), histone 4 arginine 3 monomethylation (H4R3monoMe), histone 4 lysine 20 trimethylation (H4K20triMe), and acetylation of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9Ac), histone 3 lysine 18 (H3K18Ac), histone 4 lysine 12 (H4K12Ac), and histone 4 lysine 16 (H4K16Ac) in resected tumor samples of 230 glioma patients.

Hemorrhagic pituitary macroadenoma: characteristics, endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery, and outcomes.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the effect of endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETSS) of hemorrhagic pituitary macroadenoma (HPMA).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 52 cases with HPMA collected from the Xijing Hospital from April 1995 to April 2009. There were 39 males and 13 females, ranging in age from 18 to 79 years (average 51.

Health-related quality of life in glioma patients in China.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been increasingly emphasized in cancer patients. There are no reports comparing baseline HRQOL of different subgroups of glioma patients prior to surgery.

Methods: HRQOL assessments by the standard Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30, version 3.

Quantitative detection of multiple gene promoter hypermethylation in tumor tissue, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid predicts prognosis of malignant gliomas.

Aberrant promoter hypermethylation of several known or putative tumor suppressor genes occurs frequently during the malignant transformation in gliomas. We hypothesized that quantitative analysis of methylated genes will provide prognostic values in malignant glioma patients. We used an immunocapturing approach followed by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis to detect altered patterns of promoter methylation in O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), p16INK4a, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3), and thrombospondin 1 (THBS1).

Controversies concerning the application of brachytherapy in central nervous system tumors.

Introduction: Brachytherapy (BRT) is defined as a therapy technique where a radioactive source is placed a short distance from or within the tumor being treated. Much expectation has been placed on its efficacy to improve the outcome for patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors due to the initial promising results from single institution retrospective studies. However, these optimistic findings have been highly debated since the selection criteria itself is preferable to other therapeutic modalities.

Limited role of surgery in the management of primary central nervous system lymphoma (Review).

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a nervous-system-seeking extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma whose incidence has increased in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Corticosteroids are used for symptomatic management but can interfere with pathological diagnosis. The well-established treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of both remain the mainstays.

How powerful is CD133 as a cancer stem cell marker in brain tumors?

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in a growing number of hematopoietic and solid tissue malignancies and are typically recognized by virtue of the expression of cell surface markers. CD133, a stem cell marker, is now extensively used as a surface marker to identify and isolate brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) in malignant brain tumors. However, CD133 as the marker to sort BTSCs suffered some controversies.

Health-related quality of life in patients with high-grade glioma.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an increasingly important endpoint in cancer studies; however, the research into the HRQOL of patients with high-grade glioma (HGG) is sparse compared with that for patients with other neoplasms. Owing to the specific location and poor prognosis, it is more important and difficult to study HRQOL in patients with HGG than in those with other tumors; furthermore, the study of HRQOL in patients with HGG differs from that for patients with other tumors. In this review, we identified and compared the most frequently used instruments to assess HRQOL; analyzed specific facets and determinants of HRQOL (such as sex, tumor location and histological classification, depression, and cognitive function), as well as the association between HRQOL and survival; and appraised the effects of new treatments on HRQOL in patients with HGG from randomized controlled trials.

Apoptosis induced by ardipusilloside III through BAD dephosphorylation and cleavage in human glioblastoma U251MG cells.

Ardipusilloside III is a saponin newly isolated from Ardisia pusilla A.DC. Since saponins have exhibited broad anti-cancer and pro-apoptotic activity, we investigated the ability of ardipusilloside III to induce apoptosis in human glioblastoma U251MG cells, as well as the involvement of apoptotic signaling pathways.

New enlightenment of French Paradox: resveratrol's potential for cancer chemoprevention and anti-cancer therapy.

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced by many plants, and the skin of red grapes is particularly rich in resveratrol which accounts for the "French Paradox". Besides its protection of the cardiovascular system, it can affect the processes underlying all three stages of carcinogenesis, involving tumor initiation, promotion and progression. It has also been shown to suppress angiogenesis and metastasis.