Int J Med Sci
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Background and Objective: Large suprasellar tumors often compress the optic chiasm and give rise to visual impairment. Most patients have significantly improved visual function at 1 to 4 months after chiasmal decompression surgery, and only a few individuals regain normal vision at 1 week after surgery. How the recovery of visual function in these patients affects the visual cortex is not fully understood. ⋯ Additionally, the FC strengths were significantly increased between the left V5 and the left V1, right orbital-frontal gyrus and left posterior supramarginal gyrus at the whole-brain network level at Post-1m compared to those at Pre-op (p < 0.05, FDR corrected). Conclusions: Postoperative visual improvement can be reflected by the increased FC of the visual cortex at Post-1w and Post-1m, especially at Post-1m. The LCOR value of the left V1 was associated with improved visual outcomes and may be used to objectively assess early visual recovery after chiasmal decompression at Post-1m.
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Observational Study
Temporomandibular Disorders and Oral Features in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: An Observational Study.
Aims: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) represent a heterogeneous group of inflammatory or degenerative diseases of the stomatognatic system, with algic and/or dysfunctional clinical features involving temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and related masticatory muscles. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune polyarthritis characterized by the chronic inflammation of synovial joints and oral implications such as hyposalivation, difficulty in swallowing and phoning, feeling of burning mouth, increased thirst, loss of taste or unpleasant taste and smell, dental sensitivity. The aim of this observational study was to investigate the prevalence of TMD symptoms and signs as well as oral implications in patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (ERA), that is a RA diagnosed within 12 months, compared with a control group. ⋯ The salivary flow was significantly decreased in the study group respect to the control one (p<0.0001). Conclusions: The data collected show a weak TMJ kinematic impairment, a paucisymptomatic muscle contracture (positive endfeel) and a remarkable reduction of salivary flow in ERA patients. Myofacial pain (MP) evoked by palpation was more frequent and severe in the control group than in the study one, this result being highly significant.
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Early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is clinically critical but technically challenging, especially in a minimal-invasive way. Emerging evidence suggests that exosome-encapsulated microRNAs (miRNAs) is a kind of promising cancer biomarker. Here we investigated the predictive potential of exosomal miR-92b in plasma samples obtained from 114 participants [40 CRC, 22 colorectal adenomas (CA), 52 non-neoplasm controls (NC)] by RT-qPCR. ⋯ The AUC in distinguishing CRC, CA and NC from each other ranged from 0.631 to 0.793, while a higher AUC of 0.830 was achieved in differentiating CRC at clinical stage II/III from NC individuals. Additionally, a logistic model integrating miR-92b with age showed a significantly improved accuracy in distinguishing CRC patients from NC (AUC increased from 0.793 to 0.867). Taken together, our findings indicated that decreased expression of exosome-derived miR-92b in plasma is a promising biomarker for early detection of CRC.
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Though living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is commonly performed for pediatric patients with biliary atresia (BA), pulmonary hypertension (PH) is seldom encountered or reported previously. The aim of this study is mainly to identify the prevalence of PH in pediatric patients undergoing liver transplantation and assess whether PH significantly augment the operative risk and evaluate the outcomes in this series of patients. ⋯ LDLT is a safe procedure in a selected group of BA patients with PH, however, further long-term clinical investigations and mechanical researches are needed.
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T-cell lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of cancers with different pathogenesis and poor prognosis. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are epigenetic modifiers that modulate many key biological processes. ⋯ In this review, we have deciphered the modes of action of HDACs, HDAC inhibitors as single agents, and HDACs guided combination therapies in T-cell lymphomas. The overview of HDACs on the stage of T-cell lymphomas, and HDACs guided therapies both as single agents and combination regimens endow great opportunities for the cure of T-cell lymphomas.