Over-interpretation of findings in diagnostic accuracy studies of infectious diseases.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of overly positive interpretation, also called 'spin',-of results in diagnostic accuracy studies of infectious diseases and to identify suggestions for improvement.

Methods: A PubMed search was performed to identify diagnostic accuracy studies of infectious diseases published between January and March 2019. Each article was assessed by two authors independently to identify study characteristics and forms of actual and potential over-interpretation.

Vasomotor symptoms, cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiovascular disease risk among Chinese postmenopausal women in Hong Kong.

Vasomotor symptoms are frequently reported by postmenopausal women and linked with unfavorable changes in cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting a likely association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of and associations between vasomotor symptoms, cardiovascular risk factors, and CVD risk among Chinese postmenopausal women. From March 2018 to August 2019, a convenience sample of 288 postmenopausal women who experienced natural menopause for ≥12 months were recruited from district centers of women associations in Hong Kong.

Phenotypic spectrum of TGFB3 disease-causing variants in a Dutch-French cohort and first report of a homozygous patient.

Disease-causing variants in TGFB3 cause an autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder which is hard to phenotypically delineate because of the small number of identified cases. The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study is to elucidate the genotype and phenotype in an international cohort of TGFB3 patients. Eleven (eight novel) TGFB3 disease-causing variants were identified in 32 patients (17 families).

Osthole: A Review on Its Bioactivities, Pharmacological Properties, and Potential as Alternative Medicine.

This paper reviews the latest understanding of biological and pharmacological properties of osthole (7-methoxy-8-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one), a natural product found in several medicinal plants such as Cnidium monnieri and Angelica pubescens. In vitro and in vivo experimental results have revealed that osthole demonstrates multiple pharmacological actions including neuroprotective, osteogenic, immunomodulatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, cardiovascular protective, and antimicrobial activities. In addition, pharmacokinetic studies showed osthole uptake and utilization are fast and efficient in body.

Risk of ischemic stroke after androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer in the Chinese population living in Hong Kong.

Objective: Previous reports on the risk of stroke after androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer were largely based on Caucasians. We investigated the risk of ischemic stroke after androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer in the Chinese population.

Methods: All Chinese prostate cancer patients who were treated primarily with radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy, with (androgen deprivation therapy group) or without (non-androgen deprivation therapy group) further androgen deprivation therapy, at our hospital from year 2000-09 were reviewed.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours of the urinary bladder: multi-centre 18-year experience.

Objective: To review a series of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours (IMTs) of the urinary bladder in 10 hospitals in Hong Kong.

Methods: A database search in the pathology archives of 10 hospitals in Hong Kong from 1995 to 2013 was performed using the key words 'inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour', 'inflammatory pseudotumour' and 'spindle cell lesion'. Patient characteristics, clinical features, histological features, immunohistochemical staining results and treatment outcomes were reviewed.

Bleeding renal angiomyolipoma presenting as duodenal obstruction.

We report a case of a 60-year-old woman who had a delayed presentation of duodenal obstruction as a result of a bleeding right renal angiomyolipoma (AML) with retroperitoneal hematoma. Her duodenal obstruction did not improve upon conservative management, and a computed tomography (CT)-guided drainage of the retroperitoneal hematoma was subsequently performed. Post-intervention, CT scan confirmed hematoma resolution, and she was able to resume normal diet afterwards.

Progressive increase of genetic alteration in urinary bladder cancer by combined allelotyping analysis and comparative genomic hybridization.

Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the world. Urothelial carcinoma (formerly known as transitional cell carcinoma) comprises the majority of bladder cancers. In order to decipher the genetic alteration leading to the carcinogenesis of urothelial cancer, we performed genome-wide allelotyping analysis using 384 microsatellite markers spanning 22 autosomes together with comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) in 21 urothelial cancer.

Twelve-year follow up of a randomized prospective trial comparing bacillus Calmette-Guerin and epirubicin as adjuvant therapy in superficial bladder cancer.

Aim: To compare bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) with epirubicin in adjuvant therapy of superficial bladder transitional cell carcinoma, with respect to recurrence, progression and survival. Prognostic factors are also evaluated.

Methods: Between October 1991 and September 1999, all patients harboring superficial bladder cancers (Ta or T1) with any of the relevant criteria (stage>a, grade>1, size>1 cm, multiple or recurrent tumors), after complete transurethral resection were randomized to receive either 81 mg Connaught strain BCG or 50 mg epirubicin.

Is surveillance necessary for inverted papilloma in the urinary bladder and urethra?

Background: A case series of inverted papilloma of the urinary bladder and urethra is presented, together with a review of the literature with respect to multiplicity, recurrence rate and association with transitional cell carcinoma, and a discussion on surveillance of the lesion.

Methods: Cases of inverted papilloma of the lower urinary tract in a single centre were reviewed. Patient and tumour characteristics, recurrence and associated transitional cell carcinoma are reported.

Carcinosarcoma of the bladder diverticulum and a review of the literature.

We report a carcinosarcoma within a bladder diverticulum together with a review of 18 previously reported cases of intradiverticular sarcomas and carcinosarcomas with respect to their clinical features, treatments and outcomes. Frequent deaths with intra-abdominal recurrences suggest the need for total cystectomy, rather than diverticulectomy.

15-year experience on intravesical therapy of T1G3 urinary bladder cancer: a conservative approach.

Objective: To report the recurrence, progression and survival in patients with T1G3 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder treated with sequential intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and chemotherapeutic agents (doxorubicin or epirubicin) on long-term follow up.

Methods: Between July 1988 and September 1999, all patients in a single center with T1G3 bladder TCC, after complete transurethral resection (TURBT), received either 81 mg of Connaught strain BCG or 50 mg of doxorubicin or epirubicin as adjuvant therapy. A conservative approach was adopted whereby those with superficial recurrences were eligible to crossover, even repeatedly, until progression to muscle invasion.

Frequent hypermethylation of promoter region of RASSF1A in tumor tissues and voided urine of urinary bladder cancer patients.

High frequency loss of 3p21.3 region where RASSF1A located was demonstrated in several tumors. We aimed to investigate the methylation status of RASSF1A and the frequency of LOH in 3p21.

Hypermethylation of multiple genes in tumor tissues and voided urine in urinary bladder cancer patients.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the methylation pattern in bladder cancer and assess the diagnostic potential of such epigenetic changes in urine.

Experimental Design: The methylation status of 7 genes (RARbeta, DAPK, E-cadherin, p16, p15, GSTP1, and MGMT) in 98 cases of bladder transitional cell carcinoma and 4 cases of carcinoma in situ was analyzed by methylation-specific PCR. Twenty-two cases had paired voided urine samples for analysis.