Mesenchymal Epithelial Transition (MET): A Key Player in Chemotherapy Resistance and an Emerging Target for Potentiating Cancer Immunotherapy.

The MET protein is a cell surface receptor tyrosine kinase predominately expressed in epithelial cells. Upon binding of its only known ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), MET homodimerizes, phosphorylates, and stimulates intracellular signalling to drive cell proliferation. Amplification or hyperactivation of MET is frequently observed in various cancer types and it is associated with poor response to conventional and targeted chemotherapy.

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry of saliva samples as a prognostic tool for COVID-19.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 infections are still imposing a great public health challenge despite the recent developments in vaccines and therapy. Searching for diagnostic and prognostic methods that are fast, low-cost and accurate are essential for disease control and patient recovery. The MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technique is rapid, low cost and accurate when compared to other MS methods, thus its use is already reported in the literature for various applications, including microorganism identification, diagnosis and prognosis of diseases.

Single-Hit Inactivation Drove Tumor Suppressor Genes Out of the X Chromosome during Evolution.

Unlabelled: Cancer-related genes are under intense evolutionary pressure. In this study, we conjecture that X-linked tumor suppressor genes (TSG) are not protected by the Knudson's two-hit mechanism and are therefore subject to negative selection. Accordingly, nearly all mammalian species exhibited lower TSG-to-noncancer gene ratios on their X chromosomes compared with nonmammalian species.

Probable Animal-to-Human Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta Variant AY.127 Causing a Pet Shop-Related Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in Hong Kong.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect human and other mammals, including hamsters. Syrian (Mesocricetus auratus) and dwarf (Phodopus sp.) hamsters are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection in the laboratory setting.

Short- and long-term outcomes of single-incision laparoscopic surgery for right colon cancer: A multicenter propensity score-matched analysis.

Introduction: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) for colon cancer is a recent innovation in minimally invasive surgery that can improve short-term outcome. However, several biases exist in current favorable comparisons of SILS with conventional laparoscopic (CL) surgery. Moreover, the oncological outcomes in SILS remain unclear.

Spindle cell/sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma with DCTN1::ALK fusion: broadening the molecular spectrum with potential therapeutic implications.

Spindle cell/sclerosing rbabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a recently characterized variant of RMS with several distinct molecular subtypes. We describe an example occurring in the tongue of a 10-year-old boy with a novel DCTN1::ALK fusion. The tumor exhibited infiltrative growth and was comprised of fascicles and focally whorls of spindle cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm, in a collagenous or myxoid stroma.

Novel microbiome signatures for non-invasive diagnosis of adenoma recurrence after colonoscopic polypectomy.

Background: We previously reported a panel of novel faecal microbiome gene markers for diagnosis of colorectal adenoma and cancer.

Aim: To evaluate whether these markers are useful in detecting adenoma recurrence after polypectomy.

Methods: Subjects were enrolled in a polyp surveillance study from 2009 to 2019.

Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Multicenter Propensity Score-matched Analysis.

Background/aim: The effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is not fully understood. This study aimed to identify outcomes following NAC plus AC for LARC.

Patients And Methods: We reviewed 252 patients who underwent curative resection for LARC.

Antibody Response of Combination of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac Platforms of COVID-19 Vaccines against Omicron Variant.

By vaccinating SARS-CoV-2 naïve individuals who have already received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, we aimed to investigate whether a heterologous prime-boost strategy, using vaccines of different platforms as the booster dose, can enhance the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 virus variants. Participants were assigned into four groups, each receiving different combination of vaccinations: two doses of BNT162b2 followed by one dose of BNT162b2 booster (B-B-B); Combination of BNT162b2 (first dose) and CoronaVac (second dose) followed by one dose of BNT162b2 booster (B-C-B); two doses of CoronaVac followed by one dose of CoronaVac booster (C-C-C); two doses of CoronaVac followed by one dose of BNT162b2 booster (C-C-B). The neutralizing antibody in sera against the virus was determined with live virus microneutralization assay (vMN).

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection by Intranasal or Intratesticular Route Induces Testicular Damage.

Background: The role of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the pathogenesis of testicular damage is uncertain.

Methods: We investigated the virological, pathological, and immunological changes in testes of hamsters challenged by wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and its variants with intranasal or direct testicular inoculation using influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09 as control.

Results: Besides self-limiting respiratory tract infection, intranasal SARS-CoV-2 challenge caused acute decrease in sperm count, serum testosterone and inhibin B at 4-7 days after infection; and chronic reduction in testicular size and weight, and serum sex hormone at 42-120 days after infection.

Expanding the spectrum of mesenchymal neoplasms with NR1D1-rearrangement.

Undifferentiated mesenchymal neoplasms can be morphologically subclassified based on cell shape; epithelioid tumors may be diagnostically challenging, particularly since they can show morphologic and immunohistochemical overlap with epithelial neoplasms. Following the recent report of an NR1D1::MAML1 gene fusion in an undifferentiated pediatric neoplasm, we performed a retrospective archival review and identified four additional cases of undifferentiated mesenchymal neoplasms with NR1D1-rearrangement. All four tumors occurred in adult women.

Charlson comorbidity index predicts anastomotic leakage in patients with resected right-sided colon cancer.

Purpose: Anastomotic leakage after right-sided colon cancer surgery is a serious complication that affects postoperative mortality. The Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) has been reported to be a useful predictor of postoperative complications.

Methods: A total of 593 cases of right-sided colon cancer resections performed from 2016 to 2020 were examined.

Electromyographic Analysis of Paraspinal Muscles of Scoliosis Patients Using Machine Learning Approaches.

A large number of studies have used electromyography (EMG) to measure the paraspinal muscle activity of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. However, investigations on the features of these muscles are very limited even though the information is useful for evaluating the effectiveness of various types of interventions, such as scoliosis-specific exercises. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the characteristics of participants with imbalanced muscle activity and the relationships among 13 features (physical features and EMG signal value).

Infrapatellar fat pad adipose-derived stem cells co-cultured with articular chondrocytes from osteoarthritis patients exhibit increased chondrogenic gene expression.

Aim: The variable results in clinical trials of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) for chondral defects may be due to the different ex vivo culture conditions of the ASCs which are implanted to treat the lesions. We sought to determine the optimal in vitro chondrocyte co-culture condition that promotes infrapatellar fat pad-derived (IFPD) ASC chondrogenic gene expression in a novel co-culture combination.

Methods: In our study, we utilized an in vitro autologous co-culture of IFPD ASCs and articular chondrocytes derived from Kellgren-Lawrence Grade III/IV osteoarthritic human knee joints at ASC-to-chondrocyte seeding log ratios of 1:1, 10:1, and 100:1.

Short- and mid-term outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal surgery in patients ≥ 85 years old: a multicenter study using a propensity score-matched analysis.

Purpose: The number of laparoscopic surgeries for colorectal cancer (CRC) in elderly patients has been increasing. We examined the short- and mid-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for CRC in oldest-old patients (≥ 85 years old) compared with the outcomes in younger patients (< 85 years old).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed primary tumor resection for CRC from April 2015 to December 2020 at six hospitals.

A prospective study of the impact of glycaemic status on clinical outcomes and anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses among patients with predominantly non-severe COVID-19.

Aims: We carried out this prospective study of predominantly non-severe COVID-19 patients, to evaluate the influence of glycaemic status on clinical outcomes and neutralising antibody (Nab) responses, potentially relevant to the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Methods: We included consecutive adults admitted to Queen Mary Hospital for COVID-19 from July 2020-May 2021. Glycaemic status was defined by admission HbA1c.

The establishment of CDK9/RNA PolII/H3K4me3/DNA methylation feedback promotes HOTAIR expression by RNA elongation enhancement in cancer.

Long non-coding RNA HOX Transcript Antisense RNA (HOTAIR) is overexpressed in multiple cancers with diverse genetic profiles. Importantly, since HOTAIR heavily contributes to cancer progression by promoting tumor growth and metastasis, HOTAIR becomes a potential target for cancer therapy. However, the underlying mechanism leading to HOTAIR deregulation is largely unexplored.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction Associates With Acute T Lymphocytopenia and Impaired Functionality in COVID-19 Patients.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection results in rapid T lymphocytopenia and functional impairment of T cells. The underlying mechanism, however, remains incompletely understood. In this study, we focused on characterizing the phenotype and kinetics of T-cell subsets with mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) by multicolor flow cytometry and investigating the association between MD and T-cell functionality.

The Independent Association of TSH and Free Triiodothyronine Levels With Lymphocyte Counts Among COVID-19 Patients.

Background: Both lymphopenia and thyroid dysfunction are commonly observed among COVID-19 patients. Whether thyroid function independently correlates with lymphocyte counts (LYM) remains to be elucidated.

Methods: We included consecutive adults without known thyroid disorder admitted to Queen Mary Hospital for COVID-19 from July 2020 to April 2021 who had thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3) and LYM measured on admission.

Omicron variant susceptibility to neutralizing antibodies induced in children by natural SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccine.

The novel SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant may increase the risk of re-infection and vaccine breakthrough infections as it possesses key mutations in the spike protein that affect neutralizing antibody response. Most studies on neutralization susceptibility were conducted using specimens from adult COVID-19 patients or vaccine recipients. However, since the paediatric population has an antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection that is distinct from the adult population, it is critical to assess the neutralization susceptibility of pediatric serum specimens.