Prognostic factors of early recurrence after complete cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background: Although cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) offer the potential for long-term survival in peritoneal carcinomatosis, outcomes following CRS/HIPEC vary significantly.

Aim: To identify the clinical factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) after complete CRS/HIPEC in patients with colorectal/high-grade appendiceal, ovarian, and gastric cancers.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the risk of recurrence within 1 year after CRS/HIPEC and its impact on overall survival (OS) in patients recruited between 2015 and 2020.

Gastric IgG4-related disease mimicking a gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a child: A case report.

Background: Gastric IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is rarely encountered in clinical practice, and especially more so among pediatric patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report of IgG4-RD presenting as a calcifying gastric mass in a child. We describe how this entity was difficult to differentiate from a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) imaging-based approaches.

Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 4 Induces Gastric Cancer Progression and Resistance to Cisplatin and Oxaliplatin via β-Catenin Dysregulation.

Introduction: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. There are three main ways to treat gastric cancer: surgical resection, radiation therapy, and drug therapy. Furthermore, combinations of two to three regimens can improve survival.

Influence of preoperative body mass index on prognosis for patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma treated with radical nephroureterectomy.

Purpose: The impact of body mass index (BMI) on patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) is controversial. Increasing evidence suggests an age-dependent relationship between obesity and outcomes for some solid organ tumors. Herein, we aimed to assess the prognostic value of preoperative BMI in UTUC patients treated with RNU in Taiwan.

Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System-Containing the Poorly Absorbed Drug - Valsartan in Post-Bariatric Surgery.

Purpose: Morbid obesity and its related metabolic syndrome are an important health issue. Recently, sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) have accounted for the most popular bariatric surgeries. Valsartan (VST) is a common hypertension drug, and nano-carriers can increase its solubility and bioavailability.

Comparison of stone-free rate between percutaneous nephrolithotomy and retrograde intrarenal surgery.

Background: The management of urolithiasis in the kidney has been drastically changed in the era of endourology, mainly consisting of three surgical procedures: extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). Since ESWL is usually less invasive via ambulatory clinic routes, this study aimed to examine the stone-free rate (SFR) between PCNL and RIRS.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who had renal stones and were treated with either PCNL or RIRS from June 2016 to June 2018.

Risk factors for hemorrhagic complications following robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the risk factors for hemorrhagic complications in patients who underwent robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 260 patients who underwent robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy. Hemorrhagic complications were defined as bleeding, hematoma, or arteriovenous fistula requiring hemostatic medication, blood transfusion, or therapeutic intervention.

Artificial Neural Network-Based Activities Classification, Gait Phase Estimation, and Prediction.

Gait patterns are critical to health monitoring, gait impairment assessment, and wearable device control. Unrhythmic gait pattern detection under community-based conditions is a new frontier in this area. The present paper describes a high-accuracy gait phase estimation and prediction algorithm built on a two-stage artificial neural network.

Exciplex-Forming Cohost Systems with 2,3-Dicyanopyrazinophenanthrene-based Acceptors to Achieve Efficient Near Infrared OLEDs.

Two new 2,3-dicyanopyrazinophenanthrene-based acceptors (A) p-QCN and m-QCN were synthesized to blend with a donor (D) CPTBF for the exciplex formation. The energy levels of p-QCN and m-QCN are modulated by the peripheral substituents 4- and 3-benzonitrile, respectively. Exciplex-forming blends were identified by the observation of the red-shifted emissions from various D : A blends with higher ratios of donor for suppressing the aggregation of acceptor.

Bio-inspired design of a self-aligning, lightweight, and highly-compliant cable-driven knee exoskeleton.

Powered knee exoskeletons have shown potential for mobility restoration and power augmentation. However, the benefits of exoskeletons are partially offset by some design challenges that still limit their positive effects on people. Among them, joint misalignment is a critical aspect mostly because the human knee joint movement is not a fixed-axis rotation.

Combining prostate health index and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging may better predict extraprostatic extension after radical prostatectomy.

Background: In patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer (PCa), preoperative prediction of extraprostatic extension (EPE) can facilitate patient selection for nerve-sparing procedures. Since both multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and prostate health index (PHI) have shown promise for the diagnosis and prognostication of PCa, we investigated whether a combination of mpMRI and PHI evaluations can improve the prediction of EPE after RP.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with PCa and treated with RP were prospectively enrolled between February 2017 and July 2019.

Modeling and Stiffness-based Continuous Torque Control of Lightweight Quasi-Direct-Drive Knee Exoskeletons for Versatile Walking Assistance.

State-of-the-art exoskeletons are typically limited by low control bandwidth and small range stiffness of actuators which are based on high gear ratios and elastic components (e.g., series elastic actuators).

Is Robotic Superior to Laparoscopic Approach for Radical Nephroureterectomy with Bladder Cuff Excision in Treating Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma?

Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) has become popular in treating upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and an emerging trend was observed in robotic approaches. Therefore, we compared robot-assisted radical nephroureterectomy (RANU) and LNU for the treatment of UTUC. This observational and retrospective case-series study included UTUC patients who underwent LNU or RANU.

Protein-bound polysaccharide K prolonged overall survival in gastric cancer patients from a non-Japanese Asian country who received gastrectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy.

Adding protein-bound polysaccharide K (PSK) to adjuvant chemotherapy with mitomycin and fluorouracil after gastrectomy for gastric cancer was demonstrated to improve survival in a previous study in Japan. However, the efficacy of PSK outside Japan and in combination with other adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents remains unclear. The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of PSK.

Quercetin exerts anti-inflammatory effects inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-α-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in normal human gastric epithelial cells.

Background: Gastric injury is the most common digestive system disease worldwide and involves inflammation, which can lead to gastric ulcer or gastric cancer (GC). Matrix metallopeptidase-9 [MMP-9 (gelatinase-B)] plays an important role in inflammation and GC progression. Quercetin and quercetin-rich diets represent potential food supplements and a source of medications for treating gastric injury given their anti-inflammatory activities.

Adding Value of MRI over CT in Predicting Peritoneal Cancer Index and Completeness of Cytoreduction.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the adding value of MRI over CT for preoperative cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapies (CRS/HIPEC).

Methods: Imaging and intraoperative peritoneal cancer index (PCI) were calculated in 62 patients with peritoneal metastasis. Predictive models for the completeness of cytoreductive score using PCI data were established using decision tree algorithms.

Interpretation According to Clone-Specific PD-L1 Cutoffs Reveals Better Concordance in Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma.

Because immune checkpoint inhibitors have been approved for treating advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC), programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays have been widely used as companion or complementary diagnostic tests for predicting treatment outcomes. Because different clones, scoring algorithms, and cutoffs have been used for interpretation, this study investigated the variation, correlation, and concordance of four validated PD-L1 clones (SP142, SP263, 22C3, and 28-8) and proposed a practical solution for the harmonization of PD-L1 IHC. A tissue microarray, including 46 muscle-invasive UCs, was constructed for PD-L1 testing with the four clones.

The Prostate Health Index aids multi-parametric MRI in diagnosing significant prostate cancer.

To evaluate the performance of the Prostate Health Index (PHI) in magnetic resonance imaging-transrectal ultrasound (MRI-TRUS) fusion prostate biopsy for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). We prospectively enrolled 164 patients with at least one Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) ≥ 3 lesions who underwent MRI-TRUS fusion prostate biopsy. Of the PSA-derived biomarkers, the PHI had the best performance in predicting csPCa (AUC 0.

The acceptance and impact of Google Classroom integrating into a clinical pathology course for nursing students: A technology acceptance model approach.

Background: Google Classroom (GC) is a free web-based instructional platform rarely used for nursing student education. The acceptance, intention to use, and learning outcomes of GC remain unclear in Taiwan. We sought to identify the technology acceptance level and factors affection the intention to use GC.

Association of malnutrition with postoperative complication risk after curative surgery for oral cancer: Observational study.

Malnutrition is common among patients who have oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but its effect on the incidence of postoperative complications remains uncertain. Validated nutrition and complication assessment tools were used to evaluate the effects of nutrition on the likelihood of postoperative complications after curative surgery for OSCC.A retrospective study that spanned January 2014 to December 2018 enrolled 70 patients who received curative surgery for OSCC.

Risk factors of acute renal impairment after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background: Acute renal impairment (ARI) is a major complication after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) for cancer patients with peritoneal metastases. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and identify the risk factors of post-HIPEC creatinine increased.

Methods: From April 2015 to December 2019, demographic and perioperative data of 169 patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC with a preoperative creatinine level <1.

Leveraging elastic instabilities for amplified performance: Spine-inspired high-speed and high-force soft robots.

Soft machines typically exhibit slow locomotion speed and low manipulation strength because of intrinsic limitations of soft materials. Here, we present a generic design principle that harnesses mechanical instability for a variety of spine-inspired fast and strong soft machines. Unlike most current soft robots that are designed as inherently and unimodally stable, our design leverages tunable snap-through bistability to fully explore the ability of soft robots to rapidly store and release energy within tens of milliseconds.

Quasi-Direct Drive Actuation for a Lightweight Hip Exoskeleton with High Backdrivability and High Bandwidth.

High-performance actuators are crucial to enable mechanical versatility of wearable robots, which are required to be lightweight, highly backdrivable, and with high bandwidth. State-of-the-art actuators, e.g.