Arbutin overcomes tumor immune tolerance by inhibiting tumor programmed cell death-ligand 1 expression.

Arbutin, predominantly derived from the bearberry plant, exhibits promising immunomodulatory properties. Given its ability to influence the programmed cell death-ligand 1/ programmed cell death-1 (PD-L1/PD-1) pathway, it is emerging as a potential alternative treatment for cancer. A reduced expression of PD-L1, as seen after arbutin treatment, can bolster immune responses critical step in effective tumor immunotherapy.

Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter-2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin Attenuates Sorafenib-Induced Myocardial Inflammation and Toxicity.

Environmental antineoplastics such as sorafenib may pose a risk to humans through water recycling, and the increased risk of cardiotoxicity is a clinical issue in sorafenib users. Thus, developing strategies to prevent sorafenib cardiotoxicity is an urgent work. Empagliflozin, as a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor for type 2 diabetes control, has been approved for heart failure therapy.

Piscidin-1 regulates lipopolysaccharide-induced intracellular calcium, sodium dysregulation, and oxidative stress in atrial cardiomyocytes.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggers an inflammatory response, causing impairment of cardiomyocyte Ca and Na  regulation. This study aimed to determine whether piscidin-1 (PCD-1), an antimicrobial peptide, improves intracellular Ca and Na  regulation in LPS-challenged atrial cardiomyocytes. Rabbit atrial cardiomyocytes were enzymatically isolated from the left atria.

Slow skeletal muscle troponin T acts as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Slow skeletal muscle troponin T (TNNT1) as a poor prognostic indicator is upregulated in colon and breast cancers. However, the role of TNNT1 in the disease prognosis and biological functions of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), immunoblot, and immunohistochemical analyses were applied to evaluate the TNNT1 expression of human HCC.

Atrial Fibrillation Risk and Urate-Lowering Therapy in Patients with Gout: A Cohort Study Using a Clinical Database.

Individuals of Asian descent are at higher risk for developing hyperuricemia and gout as compared to Western populations. Urate-lowering therapy (ULT) is an effective treatment for hyperuricemia and gout. It was reported that febuxostat, one of the ULTs, raises the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in elderly populations.

Gender Difference in Lithium-Induced Sodium Current Dysregulation and Ventricular Arrhythmogenesis in Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Cardiomyocytes.

Lithium intoxication induces Brugada-pattern ECG, ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden death with the predominant preference for the male over the female gender. This study investigated the mechanisms of gender difference in lithium-induced arrhythmogenesis. The ECG parameters were recorded in male and female rabbits before and after the intravenous administration of lithium chloride (LiCl) (1, 3, 10 mmol/kg).

A fatal masquerade in pneumonia: Ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm.

We described an 87-year-old man who presented with fever and hemoptysis. Nosocomial pneumonia was initially suspected. However, the patient had worsening hemoptysis despite defervescence.

Identification of critical isthmus using coherent mapping in patients with scar-related atrial tachycardia.

Introduction: Accurate identification of slow conducting regions in patients with scar-related atrial tachycardia (AT) is difficult using conventional electrogram annotation for cardiac electroanatomic mapping (EAM). Estimating delays between neighboring mapping sites is a potential option for activation map computation. We describe our initial experience with CARTO 3 Coherent Mapping (Biosense Webster Inc,) in the ablation of complex ATs.

Application of noninvasive signal-averaged electrocardiogram analysis in predicting the requirement of epicardial ablation in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Background: Signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) provides not only diagnostic information but also the prognostic implication of ablation in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).

Objective: This study aimed to validate the role of SAECG in identifying arrhythmogenic substrates requiring an epicardial approach in ARVC.

Methods: Ninety-one patients with a definite diagnosis of ARVC who underwent successful ablation for drug-refractory ventricular arrhythmia were enrolled and classified into 2 groups: group 1 who underwent successful ablation at the endocardium only and group 2 who underwent successful ablation requiring an additional epicardial approach.

Acute myocarditis complicated with permanent complete atrioventricular block caused by Escherichia coli bacteremia: A rare case report.

Rationale: Acute myocarditis complicated with complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) is rare in clinical scenario. We report an uncommon case of myocarditis complicated with permanent CAVB caused by Escherichia coli (E coli) bacteremia.

Patient Concerns: A 77-year-old woman presented at the emergency department with chest pain, dizziness, nausea, and cold sweats of 1-day duration.

Unrecognized esophageal fish bone impaction with delayed presentation of acute spastic central chest pain: A case report.

Rationale: Esophageal chest pain is difficult to be identified, and the diagnosis requires a high index of clinical suspicion. Upon presentation, they are difficult to be differentiated from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) by symptomatology alone.

Patient Concerns: We report a 71-year-old woman with multiple risk factors for coronary heart disease who presented with acute central spastic chest pain and was diagnosed as ACS in emergency department.