Cytologic diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma in the Asia-Pacific region.

Background: The accurate preoperative identification of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is challenging due to the rarity of tumor and variable cytologic appearance. The Asian experience with diagnosing MTC by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) was scarcely reported.

Methods: Cases of MTC with available FNA slides were enrolled from 13 hospitals representing 8 Asia-Pacific countries.

Concurrent increases in post-pacing action potential duration and contractility predict occurrence of ventricular arrhythmia.

Excitation-contraction coupling from the integration of action potential duration (APD) and muscle contractility plays an important role in arrhythmogenesis. We aimed to determine whether distinctive excitation-contraction coupling contributes to the genesis of ventricular tachycardias (VTs). Action potential (AP) and mechanical activity were simultaneously recorded under electrical pacing (cycle lengths from 1000 to 100 ms) in the tissue model created from isolated rabbit right ventricular outflow tracts treated with NS 5806 (10 μM, transient outward potassium current enhancer), pinacidil (2 μM, ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener), and pilsicainide (5 μM, sodium channel blocker).

Mechanoelectrical feedback in pulmonary vein arrhythmogenesis: Clinical challenges and therapeutic opportunities.

Mechanoelectrical feedback is an important factor in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF). Ectopic electrical activity originating from pulmonary vein (PV) myocardial sleeves has been found to trigger and maintain paroxysmal AF. Dilated PVs by high stretching force may activate mechanoelectrical feedback, which induces calcium overload and produces afterdepolarization.

Trastuzumab increases pulmonary vein arrhythmogenesis through modulating pulmonary vein electrical and conduction properties via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling.

Objectives: Drug-induced atrial fibrillation (AF) is considered an adverse effect of chemotherapeutic drugs. AF is a crucial risk factor for stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and mortality. Pulmonary veins (PVs) are considered triggers inducing AF, and the sinoatrial node (SAN) may modulate PV activity and participate in AF genesis.

Characterization of Driver Mutations in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma Identifies and Mutations as Negative Survival Predictors.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is rare but highly aggressive. We investigated the association of selected driver mutations, including , , promoter, , , and mismatch repair deficiency (MMR-D) with the clinicopathological features of ATC to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Thirty-nine retrospective cases from pathology archives were enrolled for clinicopathology analysis and immunohistochemistry, and 27 cases had sufficient specimens for further molecular testing using targeted next-generation sequencing and mass spectrometry.

Urinary tract infection is associated with hypokalemia: a case control study.

Background: Hypokalemia is a common clinical problem. The association between urinary tract infection (UTI) and hypokalemia is not clear. Hypokalemia is common in patients with UTI in clinical observation.

Klotho modulates electrical activity and calcium homeostasis in pulmonary vein cardiomyocytes via PI3K/Akt signalling.

Aims: Klotho, a potential antiageing protein has remarkable cardiovascular effects, which is lower in the patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Chronic kidney disease increases the risk of atrial fibrillation, majorly triggered by pulmonary vein (PV) arrhythmogenesis. This study investigated whether klotho protein can modulate PV electrical activity and the underlying potential mechanisms.

Salvianolic Acid B in Microemulsion Formulation Provided Sufficient Hydration for Dry Skin and Ameliorated the Severity of Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis-Like Dermatitis in Mice.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder with a pathogenesis involving the interleukin-23/interleukin-17 axis. Salvianolic acid B exerts several pharmacological effects, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and antitumor effects. The anti-psoriatic effects of salvianolic acid B have not been reported.

Experiences of Family Resource Utilization Among Taiwanese Parents of Children with Developmental Delay.

Purpose: To describe the experiences of the utilization of family resources by parents of children with developmental delay (DD) when receiving early intervention (EI) services.

Design And Methods: A Descriptive phenomenological approach was applied to conduct this study. Purposive sampling was utilized to select 17 parents of children with DD from a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan.

Recurrent retinal detachment after diabetic vitrectomy.

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of recurrent retinal detachment (RD) after diabetic vitrectomy (DV).

Methods: Consecutive cases underwent vitrectomy for recurrent RD after DV was collected and separated into the following four groups for analysis: rhegmatogenous RD (RRD), pure tractional RD (Proliferative Subgroup 1), combined RD with proliferative tissue within the equator (Proliferative Subgroup 2), and combined RD with both posterior and peripheral proliferations (Proliferative Subgroup 3).

Results: Of the 41 cases enrolled, retinal reattachment was achieved in 73.

Various subtypes of phosphodiesterase inhibitors differentially regulate pulmonary vein and sinoatrial node electrical activities.

Phosphodiesterase (PDE)3-5 are expressed in cardiac tissue and play critical roles in the pathogenesis of heart failure and atrial fibrillation. PDE inhibitors are widely used in the clinic, but their effects on the electrical activity of the heart are not well understood. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of various PDE inhibitors on spontaneous cardiac activity and compare those effects between sinoatrial nodes (SANs) and pulmonary veins (PVs).

Malignant effusions from extranodal NK/T-cell lymphomas are frequently of anaplastic morphology with azurophilic granules and of T-cell lineage.

Background: Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) nasal type is an extranodal lymphoma, with most cases arising from the prototypic nasal/upper aerodigestive tract and the cell of origin (COO) is frequently of NK cells. Effusion involvement by ENKTL is rare. The cytomorphological and immunophenotypical features and COO of effusion ENKTL are elusive.

Expression pattern of placenta specific 8 and keratin 20 in different types of gastrointestinal cancer.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of keratin 20 (KRT20) and placenta specific 8 (PLAC8) in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer with various differentiation phenotypes. The present study retrospectively investigated archived formalin‑fixed paraffin‑embedded tissue samples from 12 patients at different stages of GI cancer [four with gastric cancer, four with pancreatic cancer and four with colorectal cancer (CRC)]. The stages were pre‑determined, according to differentiation phenotypes, by a pathologist of the Department of Pathology at Sijhih Cathay General Hospital.

[The Effects of Mobile Health Care on the Physiological Index in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease].

Background: Coronary artery disease is associated with unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking, lack of physical activity, and consuming an unhealthy diet. Other risk factors include family history and comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of mobile health care in improving the physiological index of patients with coronary artery disease.

Gut butyrate-producing organisms correlate to Placenta Specific 8 protein: Importance to colorectal cancer progression.

Tumor metastasis or recurrence often occurs in patients with curative resection of colorectal cancer (CRC). Placental-specific 8 (PLAC8), which has increased expression in stool, may be associated with CRC recurrence. Insights into the role of PLAC8 in CRC recurrence and its clinical significance may support to develop strategies for preventing CRC recurrence and deterioration.

Small bowel dose in subserosal tandem insertion during cervical cancer brachytherapy.

Cervical cancer patients may sometimes experience subserosal tandem insertions during brachytherapy, which can lead to increased but unnoticed irradiations to the small bowel (SB). In this study, we aimed to quantify and further predict individual SB dose increase and to increase focus on the SB in subserosal tandem insertions. Images and dosimetry data of cervical cancer brachytherapy with subserosal insertion (SI) were reviewed.

Yolk sac tumor of endometrium: A case report and literature review.

Objective: To report a rare case of endometrial yolk sac tumor (YST) and review published cases of YST of the endometrium.

Case Report: A 68-year-old female presented with intermittent vaginal spotting for nine months. An endometrial biopsy showed adenocarcinoma.

PAX8 expression in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is less than those reported in early studies: a multi-institutional study of 182 cases using the monoclonal antibody MRQ-50.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an aggressive malignant tumor composed of undifferentiated thyroid follicular cells. Pathological diagnosis of ATC can be challenging as the tumor may show morphological overlap with other neoplasms with anaplastic morphology. Immunohistochemical demonstration of thyroid origin facilitates the diagnosis of ATC.

Effects of ANP on pulmonary vein electrophysiology, Ca homeostasis and adrenergic arrhythmogenesis via PKA.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common form of arrhythmia and increases the risk of stroke and heart failure (HF). Pulmonary veins (PVs) are important sources of triggers that generate AF, and calcium (Ca ) overload participates in PV arrhythmogenesis. Neurohormonal activation is an important cause of AF.

Psychological Distress and Sleep Disturbance Among Female Nurses: Anxiety or Depression?

Sleep quality is an important issue in nurses' mental and general health. Long-term psychological distress leads to increased sleep disturbances among nurses. However, which forms of psychological distress are most associated with sleep disturbances is unclear among female nurses.

Melatonin attenuates epidermal growth factor-induced cathepsin S expression in ARPE-19 cells: Implications for proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Abnormal proliferation and motility of retinal pigment epithelial cells leads to proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Melatonin is a known effective antitumour and anti-invasive agent, but whether it affects the formation and underlying mechanisms of PVR remains unclear. In this study, the results of the MTT assay, colony formation and propidium iodide (PI) staining with flow cytometry revealed that melatonin dose dependently inhibited epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced proliferation of human ARPE-19 cells.

Arginine vasopressin modulates electrical activity and calcium homeostasis in pulmonary vein cardiomyocytes.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently coexists with congestive heart failure (HF) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) V1 receptor antagonists are used to treat hyponatremia in HF. However, the role of AVP in HF-induced AF still remains unclear. Pulmonary veins (PVs) are central in the genesis of AF.

Sodium hydrosulphide restores tumour necrosis factor-α-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic dysregulation in HL-1 cells.

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α induces cardiac metabolic disorder and mitochondrial dysfunction. Hydrogen sulphide (H S) contains anti-inflammatory and biological effects in cardiomyocytes. This study investigated whether H S modulates TNF-α-dysregulated mitochondrial function and metabolism in cardiomyocytes.

Smoking as an Independent Risk Factor for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Due to the α7-Nachr Modulating the JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Axis.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide health problem. Currently, there is no effective clinical therapeutic strategy for HCC. Smoking is associated with several malignant diseases including cancers.