Medicine
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Observational Study
Gastric cancer burden of last 40 years in North China (Hebei Province): A population-based study.
Gastric cancer (GC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in China. It is well known that Cixian in Hebei Province is one of the highest risk areas of GC in China and worldwide. This study aims to accurate assessment of GC burden and trend in high-risk area (Hebei Province) from 1973 to 2013. ⋯ In conclusion, males in rural areas had the highest risk of GC. GC mortality rate decreased from the 1990s in Hebei Province. Endoscopic screening project for GC is an effective method of controlling the disease.
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Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) is a condition with inherited autosomal dominant mutations in RET (rearranged during transfection) gene that predisposes the carrier to extremely high risk of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and other MEN2A-associated tumors such as parathyroid cancer and/or pheochromocytoma. Little is reported about MEN2A syndrome in the Chinese population. ⋯ The genetic evaluation is strongly recommended for patients with a positive family history, early onset of age, or multiple sites of masses. If the results verified the mutations of RET gene, thyroidectomy should be undertaken as the guide for better prognosis.
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Observational Study
Clinical and genetic factors associated with warfarin maintenance dose in northern Chinese patients with mechanical heart valve replacement.
The effects of genetic variants on warfarin dosing vary among different ethnic groups, especially in the Chinese population. The objective of this study was to recruit patients through a rigorous experimental design and to perform a comprehensive screen to identify gene polymorphisms that may influence warfarin dosing in northern Han Chinese patients with mechanical heart valve replacement. Consenting patients (n = 183) with a stable warfarin dose were included in this study. ⋯ In the dosing algorithm we developed, we confirmed the strongest effects of VKORC1, CYP2C9 on warfarin dosing. In the limited sample set, we also found that novel genetic predictors (CYP1A2, CYP3A4, APOE, EPHX1, CYP4F2, and VKORC1 rs2884737) may be associated with warfarin dosing. Further validation is needed to assess our results in larger independent northern Chinese samples.
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Weak or absent virus-specific CD8 T-cell responses to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are thought to be responsible for persistent HBV infection. Previous studies have indicated that multiple inhibitory receptors, including lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), can suppress the CD8 T-cell response in chronic viral infection. This study aimed to detect LAG-3 expression and to investigate the manner in which the immune response is regulated to balance the strength of the response with the extent of liver injury in chronic HBV infection. ⋯ Furthermore, IFN-γ secretion was restored in CD8 T cells that were treated with a specific antibody to LAG-3. Taken together, liver injury was prominent in the immune-active phase, but suppressing T-cell function could mitigate this damage. Importantly, the inhibitory function of LAG-3 can be blocked using a LAG-3-specific antibody, and this can restore the activity of non-functional T cells.
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Observational Study
Routine application of lung ultrasonography in the neonatal intensive care unit.
The aim of this study was to study the features of lung ultrasonography (LUS) in lung disease and to evaluate the usefulness of LUS in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). All of 3405 neonates included in this study underwent an LUS examination. Diagnoses were based on medical history, clinical manifestation, laboratory examination, and signs on chest radiography (CR) and/or computed tomography (CT). ⋯ LUS has clinical value for the diagnosis of lung disease and the discrimination of causes of LTOP in premature infants, particularly for the diagnosis and identification of RDS and TTN. Moreover, LUS has additional advantages, including its lack of radiation exposure and its ability to noninvasively monitor treatment progress. Therefore, LUS should be routinely used in the NICU.