Preoperative diagnosis of Gallbladder squamous cell carcinoma (GBSCC) is difficult, and the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) pattern has never been reported before. We present a case of GBSCC where CEUS revealed special findings that facilitated early diagnosis. CEUS demonstrated irregular peripheral ring-like enhancement during the arterial phase, with hypoenhancement in the late phases, and an irregular non-enhancing area persistently present in the center of the lesion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Neurol Neurosurg
December 2024
Objective: Tirofiban is an effective treatment for ischemic stroke that is frequently used following early neurological deterioration (END). However, studies investigating the effects of tirofiban on patients with posterior circulation stroke (PCS) are scarce. Thus, this study aimed to explore factors affecting the outcomes of tirofiban in PCS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To examine the performance of deep-learning models that predicts the visual acuity after cataract surgery using preoperative clinical information and color fundus photography (CFP).
Methods: We retrospectively collected the age, sex, and logMAR preoperative best corrected visual acuity (preoperative-BCVA) and CFP from patients who underwent cataract surgeries from 2020 to 2021 at National Taiwan University Hospital. Feature extraction of CFP was performed using a pre-existing image classification model, Xception.
The mechanisms underlying the ameliorative effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on metabolic disorders induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) remain poorly unclear. In this study, we investigated the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. (T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe pancreas is a rare metastatic site for lung cancer. We report the case of a 66-year-old male with pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) with pancreatic and right posterior renal fascia metastases treated with immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy. A pathological biopsy of the right posterior fascial mass showed lung invasive adenocarcinoma and sarcomatoid carcinoma metastasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTied-arch bridges, a vital component of modern infrastructure, are susceptible to various forms of damage, particularly hangers. The detection and identification of such damages are crucial for maintaining structural integrity and safety. However, traditional methods face challenges in terms of accuracy and efficiency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOsteosarcoma is the most prevalent form of primary malignant bone tumor, primarily affecting children and adolescents. The nerve growth factors (NGF) referred to as neurotrophins have been associated with cancer-induced bone pain; however, the role of NGF in osteosarcoma has yet to be elucidated. In osteosarcoma samples from the Genomic Data Commons data portal, we detected higher levels of NGF and M2 macrophage markers, but not M1 macrophage markers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResearch (Wash D C)
September 2024
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a convenient dietary intervention for multiple diseases, including type 2 diabetes. However, whether it can be used as a long-term antidiabetic approach is still unknown. Here, we confirm that IF alone is beneficial for both moderate and severe diabetic mice, but its antidiabetic effects clearly diminish at later stages, especially for severe diabetic db/db mice, which have obviously impaired autophagy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PKs) and safety of a generic drug, linezolid, compared to those of a reference drug in healthy Chinese subjects under both fasting and fed conditions. This was a randomized, open-label, 2-period, 2-sequence crossover study. The subjects received a single dose of the test or reference drug, linezolid (600 mg), in each period.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChondrosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor that emerges from abnormalities in cartilaginous tissue and is related with lung metastases. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is an adipocytokine reported to enhance tumor metastasis. Our results from clinical samples and the Gene Expression Omnibus data set reveal that NAMPT levels are markedly higher in chondrosarcoma patients than in normal individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnzymatically converted chicken bile (CB), prepared by converting taurine deoxycholic acid (TCDCA) to taurine ursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) in CB, possesses various functional activities. But their nutrient composition and safety assessment have not been fully investigated yet. CB was mainly composed of proteins and steroids.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIdentification of an early biomarker and effective testing device to differentiate dry eye disease secondary to autoimmune disease (Sjögren's syndrome dry eye disease) from non-Sjögren's dry eye disease are prerequisites for appropriate treatment. We aimed to demonstrate the capacity of a new photo-detection device to evaluate tear lactoferrin levels as a tool for differentiating systemic conditions associated with dry eye disease. Patients with non-Sjögren's and Sjögren's syndrome dry eye disease (n = 54 and n = 52, respectively) and controls (n = 11) were enrolled.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOsteosarcoma (OS) therapy presents numerous challenges, due largely to a low survival rate following metastasis onset. Nerve growth factor (NGF) has been implicated in the metastasis and progression of various cancers; however, the mechanism by which NGF promotes metastasis in osteosarcoma has yet to be elucidated. This study investigated the influence of NGF on the migration and metastasis of osteosarcoma patients (88 cases) as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms, based on RNA-sequencing and gene expression data from a public database (TARGET-OS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To develop convolutional neural network (CNN)-based models for predicting the axial length (AL) using color fundus photography (CFP) and explore associated clinical and structural characteristics.
Methods: This study enrolled 1105 fundus images from 467 participants with ALs ranging from 19.91 to 32.
Gene editing nucleases, base editors, and prime editors are potential locus-specific genetic treatment strategies for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa; however, many recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa COL7A1 pathogenic nucleotide variations (PNVs) are unique, making the development of personalized editing reagents challenging. A total of 270 of the ∼320 COL7A1 epidermolysis bullosa PNVs reside in exons that can be skipped, and antisense oligonucleotides and gene editing nucleases have been used to create in-frame deletions. Antisense oligonucleotides are transient, and nucleases generate deleterious double-stranded DNA breaks and uncontrolled mixtures of allele products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcetaminophen (APAP), the most frequently used mild analgesic and antipyretic drug worldwide, is implicated in causing 46% of all acute liver failures in the USA and between 40% and 70% in Europe. The predominant pharmacological intervention approved for mitigating such overdose is the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC); however, its efficacy is limited in cases of advanced liver injury or when administered at a late stage. In the current study, we discovered that treatment with a moderate intensity static magnetic field (SMF) notably reduced the mortality rate in mice subjected to high-dose APAP from 40% to 0%, proving effective at both the initial liver injury stage and the subsequent recovery stage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntibody responses, involving B cells, CD4 + T cells, and macrophages, are implicated in autoimmune diseases and organ transplant rejection. We have previously shown that inhibiting FROUNT with disulfiram (DSF) suppresses macrophage activation and migration, effectively treating inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of DSF in antibody-producing reactions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCombined islet and kidney xenotransplantation for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy represents a compelling and increasingly relevant therapeutic possibility for an ever-growing number of patients who would benefit from both durable renal replacement and cure of the underlying cause of their renal insufficiency: diabetes. Here we briefly review immune barriers to islet transplantation, highlight preclinical progress in the field, and summarize our experience with combined islet and kidney xenotransplantation, including both challenges with islet-kidney composite grafts as well as our recent success with sequential kidney followed by islet xenotransplantation in a pig-to-baboon model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder in which monocytes adhering to synovial tissue differentiate into the pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage phenotype. Nerve growth factors (NGF) referred to as neurotrophins have been associated with inflammatory events; however, researchers have yet to elucidate the role of NGF in RA. Our examination of clinical tissue samples and analysis of data sourced from the Gene Expression Omnibus dataset unveiled elevated expression levels of M1 macrophage markers in human RA synovial tissue samples compared to normal tissue, with no such distinction observed for M2 markers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLiraglutide is an acylated glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog, and its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties as a GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist make it an important therapeutic option for many patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study compared the bioequivalence and safety of liraglutide with the originator product in healthy Chinese adult subjects. Subjects (N = 36, both sexes) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two groups (18 cases each) for a two-cycle, self-crossover trial.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo observe the surgical outcome of "Tenon Excision with Fibrin Glue-Assisted Reattachment of Conjunctiva Flap" (T.E.F.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIndividuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit joint hypermobility and connective tissue disorders. However, it remains unclear if ASD individuals also have structural alterations in the connective tissue of the cornea. This study aims to determine whether the Kobayashi structure (K-structure) characteristics differ between adults with ASD and typically developing controls (TDC) and explore the clinical correlates of the K-structure abnormality.
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