Hypoalbuminemia is Associated with Higher 90-Day Mortality and Poor Prognosis in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Liver Cirrhosis Receiving Radiotherapy-Based Therapy.

Background: Liver cirrhosis (LC) is common among patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) due to shared etiologic factor, alcohol. For non-metastatic ESCC (nmESCC) patients with cirrhosis, surgery is often contraindicated or associated with high morbidity, therefore radiotherapy-based therapy was commonly applied. This study aims to investigate prognosticators for overall survival (OS) in nmESCC and cirrhotic patients receiving radiotherapy-based therapy.

Multimodal training with dual-task enhances immediate and retained effects on dual-task effects of gait speed not by cognitive-motor trade-offs in stroke survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Individuals who have experienced stroke may benefit from dual-task related training to improve gait speed performance. Whether noted improvements reflect true effects on gait or cognitive-motor trade-offs still remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of dual-task training on dual-task effects of both walking and cognitive domains in stroke survivors.

Functional Diversity of Memory CD8 T Cells is Spatiotemporally Imprinted.

Tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells (T) kill infected cells and recruit additional immune cells to limit pathogen invasion at barrier sites. Small intestinal (SI) T cells consist of distinct subpopulations with higher expression of effector molecules or greater memory potential. We hypothesized that occupancy of diverse anatomical niches imprints these distinct T transcriptional programs.

Identification of CD8 + T-Cell-Immune Cell Communications in Ileal Crohn's Disease.

Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) is a major subtype of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a spectrum of chronic intestinal disorders caused by dysregulated immune responses to gut microbiota. Although transcriptional and functional changes in a number of immune cell types have been implicated in the pathogenesis of IBD, the cellular interactions and signals that drive these changes have been less well-studied.

Methods: We performed Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by sequencing on peripheral blood, colon, and ileal immune cells derived from healthy subjects and patients with CD.

Small intestine and colon tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells exhibit molecular heterogeneity and differential dependence on Eomes.

Tissue-resident memory CD8 T (T) cells are a subset of memory T cells that play a critical role in limiting early pathogen spread and controlling infection. T cells exhibit differences across tissues, but their potential heterogeneity among distinct anatomic compartments within the small intestine and colon has not been well recognized. Here, by analyzing T cells from the lamina propria and epithelial compartments of the small intestine and colon, we showed that intestinal T cells exhibited distinctive patterns of cytokine and granzyme expression along with substantial transcriptional, epigenetic, and functional heterogeneity.

Kinetic Profiling of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Biocatalysts in Continuous Flow by Online Mass Spectrometry.

Enzyme kinetics is normally assessed by performing individual kinetic measurements using batch-type reactors (test tubes, microtiter plates), in which enzymes are mixed with different substrates. Some drawbacks of conventional methods are the large amounts of experimental materials, long analysis times, and limitations of spectrophotometry. Therefore, we have developed a method for facile determination of enzyme kinetics using online flow-based mass spectrometry.

The Impact of Weight Loss during Chemoradiotherapy for Unresectable Esophageal Cancer: Real-World Results.

Weight loss is a common phenomenon presented in unresectable esophageal cancer (EC) patients during their definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) treatment course. This study explored the prognostic value of weight changes during dCRT in unresectable EC patients. From 2009 to 2017, 69 cT4b thoracic EC patients undergoing complete curative dCRT without baseline malnutrition were included.

The Radiation Dose to the Left Supraclavicular Fossa is Critical for Anastomotic Leak Following Esophagectomy - A Dosimetric Outcome Analysis.

Purpose: For locally advanced esophageal cancer, definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with a radiation dose of 50-50.4 Gy/25-28 Fx is prescribed, followed by adjuvant esophagectomy for better local control or salvage treatment if locoregional recurrence occurs. However, radiation injury before surgery may delay wound healing.

Thinner Central Corneal Thickness is Associated with a Decreased Parapapillary Vessel Density in Normal Tension Glaucoma.

This retrospective cross-sectional study, which enrolled 124 normal tension glaucoma (NTG) eyes and 68 healthy eyes as the control, determined the association between central corneal thickness (CCT) and ocular parameters in NTG. CCT was measured using the Pentacam® system, optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) was adopted to measure the peripapillary and macular area VDs, and spatial data were based on the Garway-Heath map as illustrated in OCT-A. Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were used to statistically analyze for associations between CCT and other factors.

Preventive effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for oral mucositis during radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer: Study protocol for a randomized trial.

Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is a common side effect of radiotherapy (RT) that can have severe implications in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula is widely applied in treating OM, but little substantial evidence exists to clarify it effects. The study intends to determine whether the TCM-based prescription in treating HNC with RT can improve the OM when compared with RT alone.

Efficacy of modified levator-muscle resection using Putterman ptosis clamp versus traditional levator-muscle resection for aponeurotic ptosis: A retrospective analysis.

Background/objectives: In recent years, a modified levator muscle resection using Putterman ptosis clamp was developed. We used a retrospective case-control study to compare the effects of the modified and traditional levator muscle resection methods.

Methods: Patients with moderate-to-severe ptosis who underwent the traditional or modified method for levator muscle resection were divided into two groups: Group I received the traditional method in 2013 and Group II received the modified method using Putterman clamp in 2015.

Significant Reduction in Vertebral Artery Dose by Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy: A Pilot Study for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) with the vertebral artery (VA)-sparing technique has been initially proposed in our institution. This pilot study was conducted to compare the dose to VAs between IMPT and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). A total of six patients with NPC treated by IMPT were enrolled in the study.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Vessel Density Changes in Normal-tension Glaucoma Treated With Carteolol, Brimonidine, or Dorzolamide.

Precis: In patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), topical dorzolamide might enhance the vessel density (VD), topical carteolol decreased the VD in the inferior-temporal peripapillary retina, whereas topical brimonidine did not change the VD.

Purpose: Topical antiglaucoma medications may improve ocular perfusion pressure or microcirculation in the optic nerve head. The study evaluated responses of retinal VD to topical carteolol, brimonidine, and dorzolamide in NTG using optical coherence tomography angiography.

Nursing Students' Perceptions of Menstrual Distress during Clinical Practice: A Q-Methodology Study.

This study aimed to explore the cluster patterns of female nursing students' perceptions of the effects of menstrual distress during clinical practice. This study adopted the Q-methodology study design. We recruited female nursing students from a college in northern Taiwan.

Correlation of Visual Field With Peripapillary Vessel Density Through Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Normal-Tension Glaucoma.

Purpose: To investigate the retinal vessel density (VD) in healthy and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) eyes through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to determine the correlation between VD and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and functional visual field (VF) defects for different locations.

Methods: A total of 74 NTG eyes and 24 healthy eyes were included. OCTA VD at 4.

Folate-Targeted Curcumin-Encapsulated Micellar Nanosystem for Chemotherapy and Curcumin-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy.

Curcumin (CUR) is a natural phenolic product used as a high-efficiency and low-toxicity anticancer drug and photosensitizer. However, it has a poor aqueous solubility and a lack of target specificity, which limits its clinical applications. Hence, we developed a folate-conjugated polymeric micelle to enhance the efficient delivery of CUR for effective cancer cell targeting and anticancer efficiency.

Outcomes in patients with lacrimal gland carcinoma treated with definitive radiotherapy or eye-sparing surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy.

Background: The optimal treatment for lacrimal gland cancer remains unclear. Eye-preserving surgery, as opposed to exenteration, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), has recently been reported to deliver satisfactory outcomes, but evidence is sparse. The aim of the present study was to evaluate outcomes in patients with lacrimal gland cancer treated at two tertiary medical centers.

Effects of Biotin on survival, ensheathment, and ATP production by oligodendrocyte lineage cells in vitro.

Mechanisms implicated in disease progression in multiple sclerosis include continued oligodendrocyte (OL)/myelin injury and failure of myelin repair. Underlying causes include metabolic stress with resultant energy deficiency. Biotin is a cofactor for carboxylases involved in ATP production that impact myelin production by promoting fatty acid synthesis.

Early versus Delayed Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation for Acute Primary Angle-Closure.

Purpose: To compare the effects of early phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation (phaco/IOL), delayed phaco/IOL after initial laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI), and conventional LPI alone in patients with acute primary angle-closure (PAC).

Methods: Patients with acute PAC were included in the study, and those with secondary glaucoma, prior ocular trauma, or other ocular diseases and those who had undergone ocular surgeries previously were excluded. Patients were categorized into three groups: Group A, which underwent primary phaco/IOL after acute PAC; Group B, which underwent LPI initially after acute PAC, followed by phaco/IOL within 6 months; and Group C, which underwent LPI alone.

Does "hospital loyalty" matter? Factors related to the intention of using a mobile app.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the association between hospital loyalty, perceived usefulness of a mobile app, perceived ease of use of that mobile app, and satisfaction with the app's use as well as predicting patients' intended use of the app.

Patients And Methods: Purposive sampling was adopted in a cross-sectional survey. The participants were outpatients at the traditional Chinese medicine departments of three hospitals in northern Taiwan (n=125).