Evaluation of the prognostic and therapeutic potential of inhibin beta B for oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background/purpose: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common cancer worldwide, and its metastasis is difficult to predict and prevent. Inhibin beta B (INHBB) protein has been linked to cancer prognosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, previous study about INHBB expression focused on patients in a single region while the risk factors vary among regions.

A machine learning-based choledocholithiasis prediction tool to improve ERCP decision making: a proof-of-concept study.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated limited accuracy of existing guidelines for predicting choledocholithiasis, leading to overutilization of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). More accurate stratification may improve patient selection for ERCP and allow use of lower-risk modalities.

Methods: A machine learning model was developed using patient information from two published cohort studies that evaluated performance of guidelines in predicting choledocholithiasis.

Comparison of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-b-D-glucoside-induced proliferation and differentiation of dental pulp stem cells in 2D and 3D culture systems-gene analysis.

Background/purpose: Culture environments play a critical role in stem cell expansion. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-b-D-glucoside (THSG) on the proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) culture systems.

Materials And Methods: Human DPSCs were seeded in T25 flasks for 2D cultivation.

2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside-stimulated dental pulp stem cells-derived conditioned medium enhances cell activity and anti-inflammation.

Background/purpose: Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) contribute to the regeneration of various tissues and have superior proliferation, immune privilege, and anti-inflammation properties to other mesenchymal stem cells. 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (THSG) not only enhances the aforementioned properties of DPSCs but also promotes self-renewal and reprogramming-like ability. However, whether THSG enhances the aforementioned properties and abilities through direct or indirect interaction mechanisms remains unclear.

Resveratrol antagonizes thyroid hormone-induced expression of checkpoint and proliferative genes in oral cancer cells.

Background/purpose: Dysregulation of cell cycle checkpoint control may lead to the independence of growth regulating signals. Checkpoint protein such as the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint involving tumor cells and host immune defense lymphocytes is a well-studied therapeutic target in oncology. Acting at a cell surface receptor on plasma membrane integrin αvβ3, thyroxine stimulates intracellular accumulation of PD-L1 in cancer cells.

Dynamic liver test patterns do not predict bile duct stones.

Background: Numerous models have been developed to predict choledocholithiasis. Recent work has shown that these algorithms perform suboptimally. Identification of clinical predictors with high positive and negative predictive value would minimize adverse events associated with unnecessary diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) while limiting the use of expensive tests including magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for indeterminate cases.

High-risk symptoms do not predict gastric cancer precursors.

Background & Study Aims: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is the most common precursor of gastric cancer. Our aim is to determine if presenting symptoms predict gastric cancer precursor lesions in a high-risk population.

Patient And Methods: Consecutive unique patients evaluated by endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms at the Los Angeles County Hospital between 2010 and 2014 were evaluated.

The Pancreatitis Activity Scoring System predicts clinical outcomes in acute pancreatitis: findings from a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: The Pancreatitis Activity Scoring System (PASS) has been derived by an international group of experts via a modified Delphi process. Our aim was to perform an external validation study to assess for concordance of the PASS score with high face validity clinical outcomes and determine specific meaningful thresholds to assist in application of this scoring system in a large prospectively ascertained cohort.

Methods: We analyzed data from a prospective cohort study of consecutive patients admitted to the Los Angeles County Hospital between March 2015 and March 2017.

Native T1 and ECV of Noninfarcted Myocardium and Outcome in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the major cause of cardiac morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite the advances in treatment with coronary revascularization and modern antiremodeling therapy. Risk stratification in CAD patients is primarily based on left ventricular volumes, ejection fraction (LVEF), risk scores, and the presence and extent of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). The prognostic role of T1 mapping in noninfarcted myocardium in CAD patients has not yet been determined.

Randomized trial of cholangioscopy-guided laser lithotripsy versus conventional therapy for large bile duct stones (with videos).

Background And Aims: Bile duct stones >1 cm have a decreased incidence of successful endoscopic extraction and often require lithotripsy. Although previous guidelines suggested mechanical lithotripsy for large common bile duct stones, current guidelines suggest cholangioscopy-guided lithotripsy as an adjunct with or without balloon dilation or mechanical lithotripsy. However, no randomized trials have assessed the usefulness of this practice.

T1-Mapping and Outcome in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: All-Cause Mortality and Heart Failure.

Objectives: The study sought to examine prognostic relevance of T1 mapping parameters (based on a T1 mapping method) in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) and compare them with conventional markers of adverse outcome.

Background: NIDCM is a recognized cause of poor clinical outcome. NIDCM is characterized by intrinsic myocardial remodeling due to complex pathophysiological processes affecting myocardium diffusely.

T1 Mapping in Discrimination of Hypertrophic Phenotypes: Hypertensive Heart Disease and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Findings From the International T1 Multicenter Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Study.

Background: The differential diagnosis of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy remains challenging in clinical practice, in particular, between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and increased LV wall thickness because of systemic hypertension. Diffuse myocardial disease is a characteristic feature in HCM, and an early manifestation of sarcomere-gene mutations in subexpressed family members (G+P- subjects). This study aimed to investigate whether detecting diffuse myocardial disease by T1 mapping can discriminate between HCM versus hypertensive heart disease as well as to detect genetically driven interstitial changes in the G+P- subjects.

Native T1 in discrimination of acute and convalescent stages in patients with clinical diagnosis of myocarditis: a proposed diagnostic algorithm using CMR.

Objectives: This study investigated whether T1 mapping by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) reflects the clinical evolution of disease in myocarditis and supports its diagnosis independently of the disease stages.

Background: Acute viral myocarditis is characterized by a range of intracellular changes due to viral replication and extracellular spill of debris within days of viral infection. Convalescence may be characterized by a chronic low-grade inflammation leading to ventricular remodelling, but also a complete resolution of myocardial changes.

Reference values for healthy human myocardium using a T1 mapping methodology: results from the International T1 Multicenter cardiovascular magnetic resonance study.

Background: T1 mapping is a robust and highly reproducible application to quantify myocardial relaxation of longitudinal magnetisation. Available T1 mapping methods are presently site and vendor specific, with variable accuracy and precision of T1 values between the systems and sequences. We assessed the transferability of a T1 mapping method and determined the reference values of healthy human myocardium in a multicenter setting.

Comparative performance of PET tracers in biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer: a critical analysis of literature.

Positron emission tomography (PET) with a number of tracers targeted to particular biological features of cancer has been explored for the imaging evaluation of patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer after curative primary treatment. However, these reports are often heterogeneous in study design, patient cohorts, standards of reference for the imaging findings, data analysis, and data reporting. The aim of our study was to address these limitations by extracting and re-analyzing the PET detection data only from studies that satisfied pre-defined sets of patient selection criteria and verification standards.

Accuracy and clinical outcomes of computed tomography coronary angiography in the presence of a high coronary calcium score.

Background: A high coronary calcium burden may adversely affect image quality of CT coronary angiography (CTCA). The ability to rule out clinically significant disease in this setting is uncertain.

Methods: We examined CTCA findings in patients with a calcium score of >600.

Four-dimensional image processing of myocardial CT perfusion for improved image quality and noise reduction.

Background: Image noise and multiple sources of artifact may affect the accurate interpretation of myocardial CT perfusion (CTP) studies. Although artifact within the image is often time dependent, tissue characteristics remain unchanged irrespective of cardiac phase.

Objective: We assessed a new technique of 4-dimensional, spatiotemporal analysis, using redundant time domain information within additional phase acquisitions to reduce CTP image noise.

Defining the mid-diastolic imaging period for cardiac CT - lessons from tissue Doppler echocardiography.

Background: Aggressive dose reduction strategies for cardiac CT require the prospective selection of limited cardiac phases. At lower heart rates, the period of mid-diastole is typically selected for image acquisition. We aimed to identify the effect of heart rate on the optimal CT acquisition phase within the period of mid-diastole.