Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the appendix presenting as gangrenous appendicitis with peritonitis: a case report.

Introduction And Clinical Importance: Primary signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) of the appendix is an exceedingly rare malignancy with a non-specific clinical manifestations, and it often masquerades as acute appendicitis. Case presentation A 76-year-old man presented with acute abdominal pain and peritonitis. Abdominal computed tomography revealed relative acute appendicitis with peritonitis, and emergency laparoscopic partial cecectomy with appendectomy revealed gangrenous appendicitis with perforation.

Creating Colostomies for Sacral Pressure Ulcers: A Single-Centre Retrospective Study.

Faecal contamination of sacral pressure ulcers occurs frequently, so, theoretically, faecal diversion using colostomies is a useful procedure. We retrospectively analysed the data of adult patients for whom colostomies were created to enhance wound healing and compared patients with sacral pressure ulcers who received colostomies and those who did not during the same period. Patients' characteristics analysed included age, gender, comorbidities, WBC count, serum CRP level and microbial profile (before creating colostomy).

Enhanced sleep quality and reduced indoxyl sulfate levels following probiotic supplementation were linked to gut microbiota modulation in hemodialysis patients.

Objective: Hemodialysis patients frequently exhibit altered gut microbiota and elevated indoxyl sulfate (IS) levels, a uremic toxin linked to negative health outcomes. This study explores how probiotic supplementation may be associated with changes in uremic toxins and sleep quality in hemodialysis patients through its relationship with gut microbiota.

Design And Methods: This open-label, randomized cohort study involved 80 hemodialysis patients with poor sleep quality, assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Global Score.

Cardiorenal outcomes after herpes zoster reactivation in COVID-19 survivors from a global TriNetX study.

Herpes zoster (HZ) has emerged as a post-viral complication in COVID-19 survivors, but its long-term clinical impact remains uncertain. This retrospective cohort study utilized the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network to evaluate whether HZ reactivation after COVID-19 is associated with increased risks of mortality, cardiovascular, and renal outcomes. Adults diagnosed with HZ within one year of COVID-19 were propensity score-matched 1:1 with controls without HZ.

SLC6A3 gene methylation may be associated with alcohol use disorder, but personality and life stress may not influence methylation.

Background: DNA methylation plays a crucial role in gene regulation and has been implicated in various neuropsychiatric disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). The rs27072 polymorphism within the SLC6A3 gene has been studied in addictive disorders; however, its role in epigenetic modifications remains unclear. This study investigates the methylation levels of CpG sites near rs27072 and their potential associations with AUD, personality traits, and environmental stressors.

Clinical Outcomes of Iron Supplement Therapy in Non-Anemic Female CKD Stage 3 Patients with Low Serum Ferritin Level: A Multi-Institutional TriNetX Analysis.

: Iron deficiency without anemia (IDWA) is common among female patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet the clinical implications of iron therapy in this population remain uncertain. While iron supplementation is frequently used in anemic CKD patients, evidence regarding its outcomes in non-anemic, iron-deficient individuals is limited and conflicting. : This retrospective cohort study utilized the multi-institutional TriNetX database to examine the 5-year outcomes of iron therapy in adult women with stage 3 CKD, normal hemoglobin (≥12 g/dL), normal mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and low serum ferritin (<100 ng/mL).

Chuchiming Index for Importance-Performance Analysis of AI-Powered MyHealthBank.

We conducted a proof-of-concept for a personal health record management platform utilizing AI robotics technology. Importance-Performance Analysis and the Chuchiming Index were used to assess the importance and acceptance of (1) platform functionality, and (2) systems and security. The results suggested that development is feasible, with information visualization, platform integration, robust security, and phased feature deployment identified as key priorities.

BDNF Haplotype and Personality Traits May Influence the Development of Alcohol Use Disorder in the Han Chinese Population.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and personality traits play a crucial role in the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, the relationship between the BDNF gene, personality and AUD remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the role of BDNF gene variants, personality traits and impulsivity in both the presence of AUD and the age of onset of alcohol dependence.

Tolerability for older, persistence for younger: a real-world evidence on sacubitril/valsartan in an Asian heart failure cohort across age.

Background: Sacubitril/Valsartan (S/V) benefits patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but its tolerability and clinical outcomes across age groups, especially the elderly, remain unclear. This real-world study evaluates these factors in an Asian cohort.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the Treatment with Angiotensin Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitor for Taiwan Heart Failure Patients (TAROT-HF) registry (2017-2018).

Life-Threatening Hypokalemic Paralysis and Prevention of Severe Rebound Hyperkalemia in a Female with Barium Poisoning: A Rare Case Report.

Hypokalemic paralysis is a clinical syndrome characterized by acute flaccid paralysis with concomitant hypokalemia. Complications, such as acute respiratory failure and cardiac arrhythmias, can be fatal. If treated appropriately, the patient can recover without any sequelae.

Dietary Habits, TCM Constitutions, and Obesity: Investigating the Protective Effects of Vegetarian Dietary Patterns in Taiwan.

Obesity is a global health challenge associated with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) body constitution theory offers a unique perspective on individual susceptibility to obesity; however, its integration into public health strategies remains underexplored. To examine the associations between vegetarian dietary patterns, TCM body constitution types (Phlegm stasis, Yang deficiency, and Yin deficiency), and overweight/obesity in a large-scale national cohort.

Distal Ileal Atresia in a Preterm Infant with Minor Omphalocele: A Case Report.

Introduction: Omphalocele is a congenital abdominal wall defect that is characterized by herniation of the abdominal viscera through the umbilical ring. Compared with gastroschisis, omphalocele is less frequently associated with ileal atresia. This report describes a preterm newborn with a minor omphalocele complicated by ileal atresia, a complication that may have been previously underestimated.

Adynamic bone disorder in chronic kidney disease: meta-analysis and narrative review of potential biomarkers as diagnosis and therapeutic targets.

Adynamic bone disorder, common in chronic kidney disease (CKD), results from reduced bone turnover, often due to medications such as calcimimetics or high-dose vitamin D analogs that induce low parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Numerous factors contributing to PTH hyporesponsiveness, which also induces low bone turnover, include deficient PTH, uremic toxins like indoxyl sulfate, malnutrition, inflammation, and diabetes. Diagnosis typically involves bone biopsy, although it is inconvenient.

Associations of Dietary Protein Intake and Amino Acid Patterns with the Risk of Diabetic Kidney Disease in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and recent research highlights that amino acid composition-rather than total protein intake alone-may influence DKD risk. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between dietary protein intake, specific amino acid profiles, and the risk of DKD among adults with T2DM. A total of 378 T2DM patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study.

Infraorbital nerve as effective intraoperative guidance during the endoscopic transorbital approach to the anterolateral skull base.

Objective: The endoscopic transorbital approach (ETOA) has been recognized as a pivotal technique within the realm of endoscopic skull base surgery for the management of lesions situated in the skull base with paramedian and lateral positioning. In the execution of the ETOA targeting the anterolateral skull base, the surgical intervention is performed in the coronal plane from superficial to deep with the anatomy becoming progressively more complex. Given that the trajectory of the infraorbital nerve (ION) algins favorably with the surgical corridor of the ETOA to the anterolateral skull base, this investigation evaluates the feasibility of employing the ION as an intraoperative navigational aid during the ETOA, utilizing both cadaveric dissection and relevant clinical applications.

Inferior vena cava diameter and vascular calcification jointly influenced cardiovascular outcomes among patients with end-stage kidney disease.

Introduction: Excess body fluid, a prevalent complication in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), correlates with adverse outcomes. Whether higher vascular resistance, in the form of vascular calcification (VC), modulates the negative outcome influences posed by excess fluid remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether combination of inferior vena cava (IVCD) and VC, in the form of aortic arch calcification (AoAC) severity, influences the risk of adverse outcomes in ESKD patients.

Hyperglycemia as an atypical finding of malignant hyperthermia: A case report and literature review.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare but life-threatening disorder induced by volatile anesthetics or depolarizing muscle relaxants. Studies have reported the increased prevalence of hyperglycemia among patients susceptible to MH. Herein, we present the case of a 13-month-old toddler who had successfully undergone dextro-transposition of the great arteries and required main and bilateral pulmonary artery augmentation because of residual pulmonary atresia.

Effect of Freeze-Dried Porcine Platelet Lysate on Wound Healing in Rats.

Complications in wound healing present significant challenges in clinical settings. While platelet-rich plasma from human sources has been extensively used to aid wound recovery, allogeneic or xenogeneic platelet-derived products remain in the research phase. This study aimed to assess both the immunogenicity and therapeutic potential of xenogeneic porcine platelet lysate (pPL) in wound healing, using a rat model.

Arthroscopic Partial Trapeziectomy and Free Tendon Suspension and Interposition Combined with Internal Brace for Basal Joint Arthritis of Thumb.

Carpometacarpal thumb arthritis causes pain and functional limitations. : This study evaluated the efficacy of arthroscopic partial trapeziectomy with free palmar longus tendon suspension and interpositional arthroplasty, combined with a soft anchor internal brace, for the treatment of thumb basal joint arthritis. Between August 2010 and April 2020, 60 thumbs with symptomatic basal joint arthritis (Eaton stage II-III) were treated using this minimally invasive technique.

Understanding the Immune System's Intricate Balance: Activation, Tolerance, and Self-Protection.

Understanding the mechanisms of immune activation and deactivation is paramount. A host must initiate effective immunity against pathogenic infections while avoiding triggering immunity against self-antigens, which can lead to detrimental autoimmune disorders. Host immunological pathways can be categorized as Immunoglobulin (Ig)G-dominant eradicable immune reactions and IgA-dominant tolerable immune reactions.

Brianolide from Attenuates Atopic Dermatitis-like Skin Lesions by Regulating the NFκB and MAPK Pathways.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic skin disease affecting both children and adults. Currently lacking a clinical cure, AD presents significant physical and emotional challenges for patients and their families, substantially impacting their quality of life. This underscores significant unmet needs in AD management and highlights the necessity for developing effective therapeutic applications.

Advancing hepatic clearance prediction across in vitro, ex situ, and in vivo systems to facilitate in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation.

Background: With rapid pharmaceutical development, hepatic clearance has become crucial for assessing drug metabolism. Rapid and effective estimation of hepatic clearance can be achieved through in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) without complicated animal experiments. However, this well-established method frequently leads to significant underestimation, limiting its clinical applicability.

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Intra-Abdominal Infection Caused by .

Intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) caused by have rarely been reported. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and risk factors for mortality among patients with IAIs. A retrospective study was conducted on inpatients with IAIs caused by at Tri Service General Hospital from 2004 to 2017.