Notes

Erratum: Transversus Wobbling throughout ^135Public realtions [Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 082501 (2015)].
When surgery requires a colorectal anastomosis, a diverting ostomy may be created to decrease the clinical impact of anastomotic failure. Unfortunately, diverting ileostomies are also associated with significant morbidity. Recent literature suggests that diverting ostomies are not necessary for the majority of patients undergoing colorectal anastomosis and that creation of a virtual ileostomy (VI) may spare patients the complications that accompany diverting ileostomy creation. We present 4 patients with complex medical histories who underwent colorectal resections with primary anastomoses and VI creation. None of these patients suffered anastomotic leak or required conversion of VI to defunctioning ileostomy and there were no major complications associated with VI creation. Our results, although limited by sample size, support the creation of a virtual ileostomy as a safe and effective alternative to diverting ileostomy creation at the time of colorectal anastomosis.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic in Hong Kong with a skewed geographical and ethnic distribution. We performed an epidemiological study of NPC in Cheung Chau Island, a fishing village with very minimal residential mobility, and compared its demographics and survival with the rest of Hong Kong.

NPC data in Cheung Chau and non-Cheung Chau residents between 2006 and 2017 treated in our tertiary center were collected. The incidence, stage distribution, and mortality of Cheung Chau NPC residents were compared with those of their counterparts in the whole Hong Kong obtained from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed between Cheung Chau and non-Cheung Chau cases in a 14 ratio. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were compared between these two cohorts by product limit estimation and log-rank tests.

Sixty-one patients residing in Cheung Chau were identified between 2006 and 2017. There was a significantly higher NPC incidence (
< .001) but an insignificant difference in the mortality rate in Cheung Chau compared to the whole Hong Kong data. After PSM with 237 non-Cheung Chau patients, the Cheung Chau cohort revealed a stronger NPC family history (
< .001). However, there were no significant differences in OS (
= .170), PFS (
= .053), and CSS (
= .160) between these two cohorts.

Our results revealed that Cheung Chau had a higher NPC incidence but similar survival outcomes compared to the whole of Hong Kong. Further prospective studies are warranted to verify this finding and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms.
Our results revealed that Cheung Chau had a higher NPC incidence but similar survival outcomes compared to the whole of Hong Kong. Further prospective studies are warranted to verify this finding and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms.Since the second half of the 20th century, our knowledge about the biology of cancer has made extraordinary progress. Today, we understand cancer at the genomic and epigenomic levels, and we have identified the cell that starts neoplastic transformation and characterized the mechanisms for the invasion of other tissues. This knowledge has allowed novel drugs to be designed that act on specific molecular targets, the immune system to be trained and manipulated to increase its efficiency, and ever more effective therapeutic strategies to be developed. Nevertheless, we are still far from winning the war against cancer, and thus biomedical research in oncology must continue to be a global priority. Likewise, there is a need to reduce unequal access to medical services and improve prevention programs, especially in countries with a low human development index.
Signal intensity (SI) of predominant fibroid (F1) on T2-weighted (T2W) images is useful for predicting the volume reduction response after gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-agonist treatment. Few studies have been published regarding when and how to use GnRH agonist before UAE.

To investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prediction of volume reduction rate (VRR) of large fibroids after GnRH-agonist treatment before uterine artery embolization (UAE) as well as the efficacy of UAE based on MRI.

Data from 30 patients with a large fibroid and MRI results both before and after GnRH-agonist treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Indications for GnRH-agonist treatment are fibroids with a maximum diameter ≥10 cm or pedunculated submucosal fibroids ≥8 cm. GnRH agonist (3.75 mg leuprolide acetate) was administered subcutaneously once per month 2-6 times. SI of F1 on T2W imaging was measured the SI was referenced to the SI of the rectus abdominis muscle (F/R).

Mean maximum fibroid diameter was 11.1 ± 1.9 cm (range = 8.0-15.5 cm). Mean number of GnRH-agonist injections before UAE was 2.8 (range = 2-6). For predicting VRR ≥50% and <30%, the optimal cut-off values of F/R were 2.58 (sensitivity 80%, specificity 80%) and 1.69 (sensitivity 100%, specificity 70%), respectively. Of the 30 patients, fibroid infarction was complete in 29 (96.7%).

SI of F1 on T2W imaging is useful for predicting the volume reduction response after GnRH-agonist treatment. After GnRH-agonist treatment for large fibroids, UAE is effective to achieve complete infarction of fibroids.
SI of F1 on T2W imaging is useful for predicting the volume reduction response after GnRH-agonist treatment. After GnRH-agonist treatment for large fibroids, UAE is effective to achieve complete infarction of fibroids.We report a case of cochleovestibular neurovascular compressive syndrome (CVCS)-induced drop attack treated with microvascular decompression (MVD) of the superior vestibular nerve. This report discusses the merits of surgical intervention through a review of related literature. A 58-year-old woman was referred to our clinic with a chief complaint of intermittent, strong, right-sided tinnitus lasting for a few seconds immediately prior to drop attack. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bilateral neurovascular contact between the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and the vestibulocochlear nerve. Based on MRI findings, history of present illness, and response to anticonvulsants, CVCS was suspected, and surgical decompression on the right side was subsequently performed. The patient became asymptomatic immediately after the surgery, and the vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials were normalized. No recurrence was reported during a 1-year follow-up period.Thirteen female Wistar rats were divided into two groups one treated with ethanol and the other of untreated. Four newborns from each mother were selected and weighed, measured, and evaluated for physical characteristics. From these neonates, chondrocytes were extracted from the articular cartilages of the femur and tibia, and cultivated in a chondrogenic medium at 37oC and 5% CO2. At 7, 14, and 21 days of cultivation, alkaline phosphatase activity tests, MTT conversion to formazan, and percentage area covered by cells per field were performed. At 21 days, the percentage of PAS+ areas in 3D cultures was performed, as well as the evaluation of gene transcript expression for aggrecan, SOX-9, collagen type II, collagen X, Runx-2, and VEGF by real-time RT-PCR. The means were compared by Student's t-test. The weight of the ethanol group neonates was significantly lower than that of the controls. L-Adrenaline cell line Chondrocyte cultures from the ethanol group showed significantly higher AP activity, MTT conversion, and cell percentage. There was higher expression of collagen type II and lower expression of SOX-9 in the ethanol group. There was no difference in the percentage of PAS+ areas in pellets and in expression of aggrecan, collagen X, Runx-2, or VEGF between groups. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to ethanol alters the phenotype and activity of offspring chondrocytes, which may be mechanisms by which endochondral bone formation is compromised by maternal ethanol consumption.
TRIM21 is a member of the tripartite motif family proteins and is one of the autoantigens which react with anti-SS-A antibody (Ab) present in sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's syndrome. Previous studies have shown that TRIM21 dysfunction promotes aberrant B-cell differentiation and Ab production in SLE, and anti-TRIM21 Ab may be related to the TRIM21 dysfunction in human SLE pathogenesis. Here, we examined the relationship between anti-TRIM21 Ab and clinical and immunological characteristics in SLE patients.

Twenty-seven patients with SLE (23 women and four men) before immunosuppressive therapies, who fulfilled the revised 1997 American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE, and four healthy controls (3 women and one man) were enrolled in the study. SLE patients were divided into two groups according to the seropositivity for anti-TRIM21 Ab. Serum anti-TRIM21 Ab levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The serum levels of cytokines and immunoglnd type I IFN overproduction in SLE patients. These findings suggest that anti-TRIM21 Ab may have an inhibitory effect on TRIM21 functions and be a novel biomarker for the level of dependence on type I IFN overproduction and B-cell abnormalities.
Anti-TRIM21 Ab seropositivity was related to B-cell abnormalities and type I IFN overproduction in SLE patients. These findings suggest that anti-TRIM21 Ab may have an inhibitory effect on TRIM21 functions and be a novel biomarker for the level of dependence on type I IFN overproduction and B-cell abnormalities.
In the recent months, there have been several case reports and case series on COVID-19 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). We conducted a pooled analysis and systematic review to summarise the findings of these articles. Besides, we aimed to determine the predictors of severe COVID-19 infection in SLE by comparing the mild to moderate cases with the severe to critical ones.

All case reports and case series pertaining to COVID-19 in SLE were retrieved from Pubmed, Wiley Online Library, Springer Link, Science Direct and Web of Science databases using 'lupus', 'systemic lupus erythematosus', 'coronavirus', 'SARS-CoV-2', 'SLE' and "Covid-19" as keywords. The following data were extracted from the selected articles country, age of the patient and the characteristics of SLE such as disease duration, organ or system involved, baseline medications and the severity of the COVID-19 infection. Data extracted from the articles were utilised to perform the pooled analysis.

A total of 24 articles with 48 patients met the eligibility criteria. The median age at diagnosis of COVID-19 infection was 41years (IQR 11-66years). The median SLE disease duration prior to the diagnosis of COVID-19 was 9years (IQR 0-30years). A total of 22 (45.83%) patients had severe to critical COVID-19. This pooled data did not demonstrate any difference in the baseline medications between the 2 groups. Patients with lupus nephritis were significantly more prone to develop severe to critical disease (
= 0 .036) with an odds ratio of 5.40 (95% confidence interval of 1.120-26.045).

We found that lupus nephritis was the only predictor of severe to critical COVID-19 in SLE.
We found that lupus nephritis was the only predictor of severe to critical COVID-19 in SLE.
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