[Analysis of prognosis and influencing factors of No. 253 lymph node metastasis in descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectal cancer: a multicenter study].

To analyze the influencing factors of No. 253 lymph node metastasis in descending colon cancer, sigmoid colon cancer, and rectal cancer, and to investigate the prognosis of No. 253 lymph node-positive patients by propensity score matching analysis.

Equivalent effect of extracellular proteins and polysaccharides on biofilm formation by clinical isolates of .

Biofilm formation by involves formation of an extracellular matrix; however, the identity of the constituents responsible for the structure of biofilms fabricated by different clinical strains is largely unclear. Here, biofilms produced by 24 clinical isolates of were characterized. The optimal medium for was selected, and the biofilm-forming capacity was assessed.

Proposal of a New Treatment-Oriented Classification System for Spinal Deformity in Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Objective: To describe and apply an optimal classification system for the management of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) that may be appropriate to make a preoperative surgical plan.

Background: The treatment choices of ankylosing spondylitis kyphosis remain controversial. The lack of a widely accepted classification system contributes to the variation in surgical decision making.

Evaluation of Mandarin Chinese Speech Recognition in Adults with Cochlear Implants Using the Spectral Ripple Discrimination Test.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to explore the value of the spectral ripple discrimination test in speech recognition evaluation among a deaf (post-lingual) Mandarin-speaking population in China following cochlear implantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 23 Mandarin-speaking adult subjects with normal hearing (normal-hearing group) and 17 deaf adults who were former Mandarin-speakers, with cochlear implants (cochlear implantation group). The normal-hearing subjects were divided into men (n=10) and women (n=13).

Support for the association between RORA gene polymorphisms and the DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in male earthquake survivors in China.

Background: This study examined the association between interaction of retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) (rs8042149) genotype x trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

Methods: A total of 1196 Chinese adults who suffered from a deadly 2008 Wenchuan earthquake participated in this study. PTSD symptoms were measured with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease induced by noncanonical Wnt and its rescue by Wnt3a.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease, which begins with isolated steatosis and advances to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), steatofibrosis, and cirrhosis. The pathways involved in disease progression are not understood. Loss-of-function mutations in Wnt coreceptor LDL receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) underlie early-onset atherosclerosis, metabolic risk factors, and NAFLD in humans by unknown mechanisms.

Stroop-interference effect in post-traumatic stress disorder.

To investigate the conflict processing in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients, we conducted the classical Stroop task by recording event-related potentials. Although the reaction time was overall slower for PTSD patients than healthy age-matched control group, the Stroop-interference effect of reaction time did not differ between the two groups. Compared with normal controls, the interference effects of N 2 and N 450 components were larger and the interference effect of slow potential component disappeared in PTSD.

Plasma cardiotrophin-1 levels are associated with hypertensive heart disease: a meta-analysis.

Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) is a member of the interleukin 6 cytokine superfamily. Plasma CT-1 levels have been associated with heart failure and hypertension in small independent studies. Whether plasma CT-1 levels are associated with progression of hypertensive heart disease is poorly understood.

Left ventricular hypertrophy, abnormal ventricular geometry and relative wall thickness are associated with increased risk of stroke in hypertensive patients among the Han Chinese.

Our study aimed to explore whether left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), abnormal LV geometry and relative wall thickness (RWT) are associated with an increased risk of stroke in a hypertensive Chinese population. This study included 462 stroke patients and 3808 non-stroke hypertensive patients. LVH was diagnosed using the criteria of LV mass ⩾49.

Angiotensinogen gene variations and LV outflow obstruction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Variations of angiotensinogen (AGT) gene have been associated with cardiac hypertrophy. We hypothesized that AGT gene polymorphism may play a modifier role in the diversity of left ventricular outflow obstruction.

Methods: The polymorphisms of the AGT gene were genotyped in 225 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and 243 age-and sex-matched healthy controls.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: review of 408 biopsy-confirmed cases.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) has now been virtually eliminated by the discovery of its association with gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) and the consequent reduced use of GBCA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in severe renal failure patients. This review of 408 biopsy-confirmed cases shows how to minimize NSF risk when performing GBCA-enhanced MRI or magnetic resonance angiography. The absence of any NSF cases in patients less than 8 years old or greater than 87 years old suggests that infants and elderly patients are already protected.

Re-evaluation of the significance of cerebrospinal fluid human chorionic gonadotropin in detecting intracranial ectopic germinomas.

This study was conducted to establish a reference value for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels. We also evaluated the sensitivity of CSF hCG as a biomarker to detect intracranial ectopic germinomas that arise in rare sites other than the pineal and suprasellar regions. CSF hCG was measured in 201 male patients who had various types of neurological disease (not tumours of germ cell origin or other malignant tumours).

Sex hormones and androgen receptor: risk factors of coronary heart disease in elderly men.

Objective: To investigate the variation of sex hormone and its receptor level in elderly male patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and to evaluate the correlations between CHD and sex hormone as well as sex hormone receptor.

Methods: Altogether 139 male CHD patients (CHD group) aged 60-92 years and 400 healthy men (control group) aged 60-90 years were included in this cross sectional study. The plasma concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), estradiol (E2), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured.