Correction: Masticatory muscle index for indicating skeletal muscle mass in patients with head and neck cancer.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

The impact of sarcopenia on overall survival in patients with pan-RAS wild-type colorectal liver metastasis receiving hepatectomy.

Sarcopenia has been associated with conventional chemotherapy-related toxicity, postoperative complications and poor overall survival in patients with genotype-unselected metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic implications of sarcopenia and its change after perioperative cetuximab plus doublet chemotherapy and hepatectomy in patients with RAS wild-type colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). Patients with CRLM from 2007 to 2018 in Chang Gung Research Database were retrospectively analyzed.

Targeting the EGFR-ERK axis using the compatible solute ectoine to stabilize CFTR mutant F508del.

Mutations in the CFTR gene lead to cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease associated with chronic infection and inflammation and ultimately respiratory failure. The most common CF-causing mutation is F508del and CFTR modulators (correctors and potentiators) are being developed to rescue its trafficking and activity defects. However, there are currently no modulators that stabilize the rescued membrane F508del-CFTR which is endocytosed and quickly degraded resulting in a shorter half-life than wild-type (WT).

Prognostic Role of High-Sensitivity Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score for Patients With Operated Oral Cavity Cancer: A Retrospective Study.

Aim: We probed the prognostic value of the preoperative high-sensitivity modified Glasgow prognostic score (HS-mGPS), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) for patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) to identify patients with the highest risk of having poor survival outcomes.

Materials And Methods: We executed a retrospective assessment of the records of 303 patients with OSCC who had been subjected to curative surgery between January 2008 and December 2017. The HS-mGPS was categorized using C-reactive protein and albumin thresholds of 3 mg/L and 35 g/L, respectively.

Changes in cardiovascular mortality in Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted regular cardiovascular healthcare access and delivery. Service utilisation has declined, and excess cardiovascular mortality has been reported in several countries. We aim to estimate excess cardiovascular deaths in Chile during 2020.

Masticatory muscle index for indicating skeletal muscle mass in patients with head and neck cancer.

Background: A typical assessment for sarcopenia involves the use of abdominal computed tomography (CT) for calculating the skeletal muscle index (SMI) at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3). However, abdominal CT is not regularly performed on patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). We investigated whether masticatory SMI (M-SMI) measurements based on head and neck CT scans can be used to conduct sarcopenia assessments by evaluating whether M-SMI is correlated with L3-SMI.

Preoperative prognostic nutritional index predicts prognosis of patients with oral cavity cancer.

Objective: To investigate whether prognostic nutritional index (PNI) predicts patient survival outcomes in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Materials And Methods: The data of a total of 360 patients subjected to primary surgery for OSCC were retrospectively analysed. Patients were categorised into high-PNI (≥51.

Prognostic Value of Third Cervical Vertebra Skeletal Muscle Index in Oral Cavity Cancer: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives/hypothesis: To assess the prognostic utility of third cervical vertebra skeletal muscle index (C3 SMI) measured from preoperative head and neck computed tomography (CT) in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 125 patients who underwent primary curative surgery for OSCC between 2009 and 2017.

Identification of key candidate genes and pathways in anaplastic thyroid cancer by bioinformatics analysis.

Background: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a refractory and poor prognosis tumor Present study aimed to investigate the underlying biological functions and pathways involved in the development of ATC and to identify potential hub genes and candidate biomarkers of ATC.

Materials And Methods: Bioinformatics analyses were performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ATC tissue samples and adjacent normal tissue samples. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of the DEGs were constructed using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes online tool and Cytoscape software and divided into sub-networks using the Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) plug-in.

Robotic Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery for Rectal Lesions.

. Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) was developed as a less aggressive alternative treatment for rectal lesions. The purpose of this study was to report the results of robotic TAMIS for such patients.

Automatic Machine-Learning-Based Outcome Prediction in Patients With Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

A predictive model can provide physicians, relatives, and patients the accurate information regarding the severity of disease and its predicted outcome. In this study, we used an automated machine-learning-based approach to construct a prognostic model to predict the functional outcome in patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We retrospectively collected data on demographic characteristics, laboratory studies and imaging findings of 333 patients with primary ICH.

Reduced expression of the Ion channel CFTR contributes to airspace enlargement as a consequence of aging and in response to cigarette smoke in mice.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a complex disease resulting in respiratory failure and represents the third leading cause of global death. The two classical phenotypes of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Owing to similarities between chronic bronchitis and the autosomal-recessive disease Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a significant body of research addresses the hypothesis that dysfunctional CF Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) is implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD.

PDRG1 gene silencing contributes to inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer cells.

Objective: This paper aims to provide some experimental basis for unveiling the role of PDRG1 (P53 And DNA Damage-Regulated Gene 1) gene silencing in the growth and development of gastric cancer.

Methods: PDRG1 levels in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines were measured by Western blotting. Then, gastric cancer BGC-823 cells, divided into Control, PDRG1 siRNA, NC siRNA and PDRG1 siRNA + KU55933 (ATM inhibitor) groups, were used to conduct a series of in vitro experiments including MTT, Flow cytometry, Wound-healing and Transwell assays.

Gender differences in the acquisition of suturing skills with the da Vinci surgical system.

Background: The percentage of female medical students has been significant elevating worldwide. The demographic shift is expected to influence the proportion of male versus female surgeons soon. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gender differences in the acquisition of robotic suturing skills.

MicroRNA-214-3p Targeting Ctnnb1 Promotes 3T3-L1 Preadipocyte Differentiation by Interfering with the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

Differentiation from preadipocytes into mature adipocytes is a complex biological process in which miRNAs play an important role. Previous studies showed that miR-214-3p facilitates adipocyte differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in vitro. The detailed function and molecular mechanism of miR-214-3p in adipocyte development is unclear.

Evaluation of ε-polylysine as antimicrobial alternative for liquid-stored boar semen.

ε-polylysine (ε-PL) has potent antibacterial effects and is often used in the food industry. However, no studies have clarified the antibacterial effects of ε-PL during storage of boar semen. In this study, boar semen samples were diluted with BTS buffer supplemented with different concentrations (0, 0.

Robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer after clinical complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation.

Background: Full-thickness local excision (FTLE) for rectal cancer showing clinical complete remission (cCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NCRT) is associated with good oncological results. The purpose of this study was to report the results of robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery for such patients.

Methods: Patients were treated with a 5-fluorouracil-based NCRT regimen.

The psychoactive substance of cannabis Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) negatively regulates CFTR in airway cells.

Background: Marijuana consumption is on the rise in the US but the health benefits of cannabis smoking are controversial and the impact of cannabis components on lung homeostasis is not well-understood. Lung function requires a fine regulation of the ion channel CFTR, which is responsible for fluid homeostasis and mucocilliary clearance. The goal of this study was to assess the effect that exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance present in marijuana, has on CFTR expression and function.

Association of Chronic Kidney Disease With Small Vessel Disease in Patients With Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been closely associated with hypertension and stroke. Although studies have reported the relationship between CKD and cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), the link between CKD, hypertension, and SVD is uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between CKD and SVD in patients with strictly hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Matrine reversed multidrug resistance of breast cancer MCF-7/ADR cells through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Matrine is an alkaloid extracted from a Chinese herb Sophora flavescens Ait, and has been used clinically for breast cancer with marked therapeutic efficacy in China. However, the mechanism has not been well known. Thus, the present study was to explore whether Matrine reverses multidrug resistance for breast cancer cells through the regulation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Accuracy of Presurgical Functional MR Imaging for Language Mapping of Brain Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose To compare functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for language mapping (hereafter, language functional MR imaging) with direct cortical stimulation (DCS) in patients with brain tumors and to assess factors associated with its accuracy. Materials and Methods PubMed/MEDLINE and related databases were searched for research articles published between January 2000 and September 2016. Findings were pooled by using bivariate random-effects and hierarchic summary receiver operating characteristic curve models.

Correction: The learning curve of endoscopic total mastectomy in Taiwan: A multi-center study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

The learning curve of endoscopic total mastectomy in Taiwan: A multi-center study.

Introduction: Laparoscopic techniques are commonly used in abdominal and gynecologic surgery, while breast cancer surgery has remained largely unchanged. In Asia, especially in Japan, many surgeons have started to use endoscopic surgery for breast cancer. In Taiwan, endoscopy-assisted breast surgery started in 2010.