Iron Deficiency among School-Aged Adolescents in Hong Kong: Prevalence, Predictors, and Effects on Health-Related Quality of Life.

Iron deficiency (ID) is a prevalent nutritional deficiency affecting children/adolescents worldwide. We reported (1) the prevalence of ID and ID with anemia (IDA) among Chinese school-aged adolescents, (2) clinical and dietary predictors of iron status, and (3) its impact on health-related qualities of life (HRQoL). This cross-sectional study recruited 183 boys and 340 girls (mean age = 17.

Efficacy and safety of 3-week response-guided triple direct-acting antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection: a phase 2, open-label, proof-of-concept study.

Background: To shorten the course of direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we examined the antiviral efficacy and safety of 3 weeks of response-guided therapy with an NS3 protease inhibitor and dual NS5A inhibitor-NS5B nucleotide analogue.

Methods: In this open-label, phase 2a, single centre study, Chinese patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection without cirrhosis were randomly allocated by a computer program to one of three treatment groups (sofosbuvir, ledipasvir, and asunaprevir; sofosbuvir, daclatasvir, and simeprevir; or sofosbuvir, daclatasvir, and asunaprevir) until six patients in each group (1:1:1) achieved an ultrarapid virological response (plasma HCV RNA <500 IU/mL by day 2, measured by COBAS TaqMan HCV test, version 2.0).

Evaluation of 2 real-time PCR assays for in vitro diagnostic use in the rapid and multiplex detection of EGFR gene mutations in NSCLC.

Activating mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in non-small cell lung cancer predict for a favorable clinical response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. Although Sanger sequencing is a conventional method to detect EGFR gene mutations, multiplex real-time allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) systems are increasingly used in the routine molecular diagnostic setting. We aim to evaluate 2 proprietary real-time PCR assays (cobas and therascreen) against Sanger sequencing in the detection of EGFR gene mutations.

EGFR gene mutation study in cytology specimens.

Activating mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in non-small cell lung cancer predicts a significantly higher clinical response rate to tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting EGFR, and it is currently recommended that patients under consideration for EGFR TKI as first-line therapy be tested for such mutations to determine the appropriateness of treatment. For lung cancer patients who present with advanced stage disease where surgical treatment is not indicated, cytology specimens obtained through bronchoscopy, drainage of body fluid, or fine-needle aspiration are the only means to obtain tumor cells for tissue diagnosis and EGFR gene mutation testing. We reviewed the experience of 1,410 consecutive EGFR mutation testing requests at a single institution in Hong Kong that comprised 269 cytology specimens and 1,141 surgical specimens.

Identification of BRCA1/2 founder mutations in Southern Chinese breast cancer patients using gene sequencing and high resolution DNA melting analysis.

Background: Ethnic variations in breast cancer epidemiology and genetics have necessitated investigation of the spectra of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in different populations. Knowledge of BRCA mutations in Chinese populations is still largely unknown. We conducted a multi-center study to characterize the spectra of BRCA mutations in Chinese breast and ovarian cancer patients from Southern China.

A novel de novo BRCA1 mutation in a Chinese woman with early onset breast cancer.

Germline mutations in the two breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for a significant portion of hereditary breast/ovarian cancer. De novo mutations such as multiple exon deletion are rarely occurred in BRCA1 and BRCA2. During our mutation screening for BRCA1/2 genes to Chinese women with risk factors for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer, we identified a novel germline mutation, consisting of a deletion from exons 1 to 12 in BRCA1 gene, in a patient diagnosed with early onset triple negative breast cancer with no family history of cancer.

Synchronous primary lung cancer and epidermal growth factor receptor mutation.

We describe a 75-year-old Chinese man who presented with three separate tumors in three different lobes of the lung, without evidence of mediastinal or systemic involvement. All three tumors were surgically resected by minimal invasive approach. Based on a differing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status, the tumors were characterized as synchronous triple primary rather than intrapulmonary metastases.

MicroRNAs as New Players for Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapeutic Targets in Breast Cancer.

MicroRNAs are small nonprotein-coding RNAs that regulate the expressions of a wide variety of genes by sequence-specific base pairing on the 3'UTR of mRNA targets resulting in mRNA degradation or inhibition of translation. Aberrant expressions of miRNAs have been linked to tumor development, metastasis, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy response in human breast cancer. Some miRNAs have been considered to have potential clinical applications as a tool for breast cancer prognosis and therapy.

Hematologic and genetic characterization of an MYH9-related disorder in a Chinese family.

We describe a Chinese family with an MYH9-related disorder in which a novel mutation V1516L at exon 31 of the MYH9 gene was identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported Chinese family with MYH9 mutation and supports the pan-ethnic nature of the disorder.

Kocuria kristinae infection associated with acute cholecystitis.

Background: Kocuria, previously classified into the genus of Micrococcus, is commonly found on human skin. Two species, K. rosea and K.

Ciprofloxacin decreased polyoma BK virus load in patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Polyoma BK virus (BKV) is associated with hemorrhagic cystitis during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The objective of this study was to test whether standard-dose ciprofloxacin might suppress reactivation of BKV infection during HSCT.

Methods: Sixty-eight patients received ciprofloxacin or a cephalosporin as antibiotic prophylaxis after undergoing allogeneic HSCT.