Medicine
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Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp, or Hoffman disease, is described as an extremely rare condition. Clinically, it is represented by recurrent painful nodules, purulent drainage, interconnected sinus tracts and keloid formation, leading to scaring and cicatricial alopecia. Without a precise diagnosis and an adequate treatment, the repercussions consist of severe infectious complications along with psychological negative effects and serious aesthetic alterations. There is no standard treatment. In refractory cases, surgical management is reported. ⋯ The scope of this case report is to raise awareness of the following aspects: Hoffman disease has an extremely low occurrence rate, a difficult differential diagnosis and no standard therapeutical strategy. It also highlights the effectiveness of scalpectomy and free latissimus dorsi flap covered by meshed split-thickness skin graft in treating a very advanced stage of the disease together with providing a natural contouring of the scalp. Ultimately, it discusses the other treatment alternatives.
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Although the incidence of malignant sacrococcygeal germ cell tumors (MSGCTs) is high in the East Asian countries, information about MSGCTs from this region is limited. This report aimed to analyze the data of children with MSGCTs in a single medical center in Taiwan. Patients aged 18 years or younger with primary MSGCTs or malignant recurrence of a sacrococcygeal teratoma who underwent surgery during the neonatal period between January 1999 and December 2016 were identified from the Linkou Chang Gung Cancer Center registry. ⋯ The 5-year overall and event-free survival rates were 90% and 80%, respectively. Children with MSGCTs had good overall prognoses in this case series. For those with sacrococcygeal mature teratoma or low-grade immature teratoma in the neonatal period, we recommend close follow-up for at least 3 years after surgery to detect malignant recurrence.
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In the present study, we aimed to detect the expression of CXCL2 in epithelial ovarian cancer (OC) and explore its clinical significance. ⋯ Collectively, the high expression of CXCL2 might be related to the invasion and metastasis of epithelial OC.
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Interaction with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) has been suggested as an important mechanism for the progression of multiple myeloma (MM) cells, while exosomes are crucial mediators for cell-to-cell communication. The study was to investigate the miRNA profile changes in exosomes released by BMSCs of MM patients and explore their possible function roles. The microarray datasets of exosomal miRNAs in BMSCs were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE110271: 6 MM patients, 2 healthy donors; GSE78865: 4 donors and 2 MM patients; GSE39571: 7 MM patients and 4 controls). ⋯ Furthermore, EPHA8 was identified as a DEG that was downregulated in MM cells when the use of has-miR-10a mimics; while IGF1R, CCND1, CUL3, and ELAVL1 were also screened as DEGs that were upregulated in MM cells when silencing of hsa-miR-16. BMSCs-derived exosomal miR-10a and miR-16 may be involved in MM progression by regulating EPHA8 or IGF1R/CCND1/CUL3/ELAVL1, respectively. These exosomal miRNAs or genes may represent potential biomarkers for diagnosis of MM and prediction of progression and targets for developing therapeutic drugs.
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Interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) is a special subtype of interstitial lung disease that has received worldwide attention. Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) and surfactant protein-A (SP-A) can be used as an important biomarker of interstitial lung disease, but its exact relationship with IPAF is poorly understood. A total of 65 IPAF patients were included in the study and were followed up for 52 weeks. ⋯ Diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and forced vital capacity (FVC), % predicted showed a progressive downward trend, with a significant difference at baseline and 52 weeks in IPAF patients (difference ratio = 23.8% and 20.6%, both P < .05). There was a significant correlation between KL-6 and FVC % predicted and DLCO (both P < .05), SP-A showed negatively correlated with DLCO, but not significantly correlated with FVC % predicted (P < .05 and .47). This study demonstrated that KL-6 and SP-A can reflect disease progression, and both 2 play a key role at reflection of lung epithelial cell injury and fibrosis degree in IPAF.