Decreased interleukin-17RA expression is associated with good prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer and inhibits tumor growth and vascularity in mice.

Background: Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a vital role in the promotion of tumorigenesis in various cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Based on current evidence, IL-17 binds to interleukin-17 receptor A (IL-17RA); however, the role of IL-17RA has not been elucidated in previous studies on CRC. In this study, we explored the role of IL-17RA in human CRC tissues and the progression of CRC in humans and mice.

Spilled gallstone mimicking intra-abdominal seeding of gallbladder adenocarcinoma: A case report.

Background: Gallbladder rupture is common in laparoscopic cholecystectomy because the gallbladder is usually in acute or chronic inflammation status. The gallstones may sometime be spilled into the peritoneal cavity, resulting in intra-abdominal abscess if the gallstones were not retrieved. The diagnosis of intra-abdominal abscess caused by unretrieved gallstone can usually be correctly identified in the routine imaging studies, such as abdominal ultrasonography or computed tomography (CT).

Enhanced prognostic value of combined circulating tumor cells and serum carcinoembryonic antigen in patients with colorectal cancer.

Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been investigated as a potential biomarker for predicting prognosis and monitoring therapeutic responses in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the sensitivity of CTCs detection is low, thus limiting the clinical utility of CTCs. We aim to examine the clinicopathological parameters that improve prognosis prediction for CRC using CTCs as a biomarker.

The microRNA-210-Stathmin1 Axis Decreases Cell Stiffness to Facilitate the Invasiveness of Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells.

Cell migration is critical for regional dissemination and distal metastasis of cancer cells, which remain the major causes of poor prognosis and death in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Although cytoskeletal dynamics and cellular deformability contribute to the migration of cancer cells and metastasis, the mechanisms governing the migratory ability of cancer stem cells (CSCs), a nongenetic source of tumor heterogeneity, are unclear. Here, we expanded colorectal CSCs (CRCSCs) as colonospheres and showed that CRCSCs exhibited higher cell motility in transwell migration assays and 3D invasion assays and greater deformability in particle tracking microrheology than did their parental CRC cells.

Serum Glutamine Levels as a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker in Sepsis following Surgery for Peritonitis.

Few diagnostic biomarkers for sepsis after emergency peritonitis surgery are available to clinicians, and, thus, it is important to develop new biomarkers for patients undergoing this procedure. We investigated whether serum glutamine and selenium levels could be diagnostic biomarkers of sepsis in individuals recovering from emergency peritonitis surgery. From February 2012 to March 2013, patients who had peritonitis diagnosed at the emergency department and underwent emergency surgery were screened for eligibility.

Therapeutic efficacy of Traditional Chinese medicine, "Kuan-Sin-Yin", in patients undergoing chemotherapy for advanced colon cancer - A controlled trial.

Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used increasingly as complementary medicine in cancer care. Kuan-Sin-Yin (KSY) is a TCM decoction containing seven herbs known to cause immunomodulation or anticancer activity, and which are associated with the TCM concept of Qi and energy supply. Kuan-Sin-Yin has cytostatic effects on cancer cells in animal models.

Magnetically triggered nanovehicles for controlled drug release as a colorectal cancer therapy.

Magnetic silica core/shell nanovehicles presenting atherosclerotic plaque-specific peptide-1 (AP-1) as a targeting ligand (MPVA-AP1 nanovehicles) have been prepared through a double-emulsion method and surface modification. Amphiphilic poly(vinyl alcohol) was introduced as a polymer binder to encapsulate various drug molecules (hydrophobic, hydrophilic, polymeric) and magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. Under a high-frequency magnetic field, magnetic carriers (diameter: ca.

Interleukin-4 receptor-targeted liposomal doxorubicin as a model for enhancing cellular uptake and antitumor efficacy in murine colorectal cancer.

Our previous studies showed that colorectal tumor has high interleukin-4 receptor α (IL-4Rα) expression, whereas adjacent normal tissue has low or no IL-4Rα expression. We also observed that human atherosclerotic plaque-specific peptide-1 (AP1) can specifically target to IL-4Rα. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy and systemic toxicity of AP1-conjuagted liposomal doxorubicin.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with colorectal cancer susceptibility and loss of heterozygosity in a Taiwanese population.

Given the significant racial and ethnic diversity in genetic variation, we are intrigued to find out whether the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in genome-wide association studies of colorectal cancer (CRC) susceptibility in East Asian populations are also relevant to the population of Taiwan. Moreover, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) may provide insight into how variants alter CRC risk and how regulatory elements control gene expression. To investigate the racial and ethnic diversity of CRC-susceptibility genetic variants and their relevance to the Taiwanese population, we genotyped 705 CRC cases and 1,802 healthy controls (Taiwan Biobank) for fifteen previously reported East Asian CRC-susceptibility SNPs and four novel genetic variants identified by whole-exome sequencing.

Role of taurine on acid secretion in the rat stomach.

Background: Taurine has chemical structure similar to an inhibitory neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Previous studies on GABA in the stomach suggest GABAergic neuron is involved in acid secretion, but the effects of taurine are poor understood.

Methods: The effects of taurine on acid secretion, signal transduction, and localization of taurinergic neurons were determined in the rat stomach using everted whole stomach, RIA kit and immunohistochemical methods.

A case of pulmonary aspergilloma and actinomycosis.

Pulmonary aspergilloma and pulmonary actinomycosis are rare pulmonary infectious diseases. Clinical manifestations of pulmonary aspergilloma and pulmonary actinomycosis include chronic cough, fever, chest pain, haemoptysis and other pathologies, but some patients may be asymptomatic. We report a case of a healthy 33-year-old woman without any underlying diseases, who was admitted to Zhongxing Branch of Taipei City Hospital, Taiwan, for intermittent haemoptysis and right upper chest pain, which had persisted for several months.

Novel solutions for an old disease: diagnosis of acute appendicitis with random forest, support vector machines, and artificial neural networks.

Background: Diagnosing acute appendicitis clinically is still difficult. We developed random forests, support vector machines, and artificial neural network models to diagnose acute appendicitis.

Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2008, patients who had a consultation session with surgeons for suspected acute appendicitis were enrolled.

Involvement of superoxide anion in the pathogenesis of simple mechanical intestinal obstruction.

Background: Mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of mechanical intestinal obstruction has been suggested to be closely associated with bowel inflammatory response in which reactive oxygen metabolites might play an important role. This study was designed to examine the involvement of superoxide anion in the obstruction-induced intestinal injury.

Materials And Methods: Rats were randomly aasigned to four groups: sham, obstruction, obstruction with polyethylene glycol (PEG), and obstruction with polyethylene glycol-superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) groups.

Effects of oral arginine and glutamine on radiation-induced injury in the rat.

Background: Exposure of the abdominal region to ionizing radiation is associated with serious untoward symptoms of intestinal dysfunction and some reports indicate that nutrient supplements may reduce these adverse effects. This study was designed to investigate the possible beneficial effects of oral arginine or glutamine supplementation on the radiation-induced tissue injury.

Materials And Methods: Rats were given one of three feeding regimens: standard diet and water (control group), diet and water containing 2% arginine (arginine group), diet and water containing 2% glutamine (glutamine group) for 3 days prior to radiation.