Medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
Prognostic role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The potential prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in gastric cancer remains controversial. This meta-analysis examines the association between TILs and survival outcomes in gastric cancer. ⋯ The results from this meta-analysis suggest that high expression of TILs, mainly by CD8 lymphocytes, may be a potential prognostic biomarker in patients with gastric cancer.
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Apoptosis and inflammation have been shown to play an important role in the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. When macrophages undergo apoptosis and polarization, gap junctions (GJs) may be needed to provide conditions for their functions. Connexin 43 (Cx43) and connexin 37 (Cx37) are the main connexins in macrophages that participate in the formation of GJ channels. ⋯ The results confirm that H37Rv infection can obviously induce host macrophage Cx43 expression and enhance GJIC, which may implicated in host macrophage inflammatory reaction, to regulate the release of inflammatory factors and/or initiate apoptosis to activate host immune defense response.
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Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs), particularly breast IMTs, are rare neoplastic lesions typically associated with a favorable prognosis. Breast IMTs are easily misdiagnosed as other types of malignant lesions, and therefore there is a significant unmet need for a better preoperational differential diagnosis based on imaging manifestations. Here, we report the imaging findings of a breast IMT and compare our findings with previously published features of breast IMTs. ⋯ Breast IMTs commonly develop in elderly women with atypical imaging features. They are primarily composed of lobular soft tissues infiltrated with an abundant focal blood supply and granular calcification. Development of breast IMTs is closely related to trauma. A preliminary diagnosis of such masses can be made based on combined manifestations of both clinical and imaging features, while a final confirmation still requires pathological staining. Imaging examinations are of value for such tumors to define the lesion edges and their associations with adjacent tissues.
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Review Meta Analysis
Nurse-led interventions on quality of life for patients with cancer: A meta-analysis.
To compare the quality of life outcome between nurse-led and non-nurse-led interventions for patients with cancer using a meta-analysis. ⋯ The nurse-led disease management strategy seemed to be effective to improve constipation, insomnia, and financial impacts for patients with cancer in quality of life assessment.
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Meta Analysis
Electroacupuncture for patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional intestinal disease characterized by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain, abdominal distension, constipation and diarrhea. Many IBS sufferers are usually present with poor quality of life for the abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, and other complaints. At present, the commonly used drug therapy for IBS in the Western clinic, such as antidiarrheal, laxative, gastrointestinal antispasmodic, often cannot get satisfying curative effect. Thus complementary therapies like electroacupuncture (EA) which may be effective to decrease patients' pain and fewer side-effects will be sought. EA, an innovative form of traditional acupuncture, is drawing more attention to the treatment of IBS due to its roles in symptom improvement. This systematic review protocol aims at describing a meta-analysis to critically evaluate the effectiveness and safety on EA for patients with IBS. ⋯ PROSPERO CRD42018081610.