Histopathologically defined intestinal metaplasia in lesser curvature of corpus prior to Helicobacter pylori eradication is a risk factor for gastric cancer development

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Histopathologically defined intestinal metaplasia in lesser curvature of corpus prior to Helicobacter pylori eradication is a risk factor for gastric cancer development via Helicobacter Abstract Background and Aim Helicobacter pylori eradication has been shown to reduce the risk of gastric cancer (GC), with the number of eradication therapy cases on the rise. However, GC can still occur after successful treatment, and the histological differences prior to eradication in patients with and without GC are unclear. This study investigated the pre-treatment histological risk factors for GC development following eradication therapy. Methods We retrospectively enrolled consecutive adult patients diagnosed as having H. pylori infection between April 2004 and December 2018. Atrophy and intestinal metaplasia (IM) were histologically assessed according to the updated Sydney System. The operative link on gastritis assessment and the operative link on gastric intestinal metaplasia (OLGIM) were evaluated as well. Results Of the 247 patients analyzed in this study, 11 (4.5%) experienced GC after eradication therapy. Histological IM scores in the GC group were significantly higher at all gastric biopsy sites (p < .05), and the proportion of OLGIM III/IV stage was significantly greater in GC patients (81.8% vs. 31.8%, p < .01). For GC prediction, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for IM score at the lesser curvature of the corpus was the highest among all biopsy sites and not inferior to OLGIM results. Conclusions Patients with histological IM prior to H. pylori eradication, especially at the lesser curvature of the corpus, may be at elevated risk for GC development after eradication therapy and require close surveillance. View on Web

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Streptococcus mutans dexA affects exopolysaccharides production and biofilm homeostasis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Streptococcus mutans dexA affects exopolysaccharides production and biofilm homeostasis via Molecular Oral Microbiology Abstract Objectives : The study aimed to evaluate the role of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) dexA gene on biofilm structure and microecological distribution in multi-species biofilms. Materials and Methods : A multi-species biofilm model consisting of S. mutans and its dexA mutants, Streptococcus gordonii (S. gordonii) and Streptococcus sanguinis (S. sanguinis) was constructed, and bacterial growth, biofilm architecture and microbiota composition were determined to study the effect of the S. mutans dexA on multi-species biofilms. Results : Our results showed that either deletion or overexpression of S. mutans dexA had no effect on the planktonic growth of bacterium, while S. mutans dominated in the multi-species biofilms to form cariogenic biofilms. Furthermore, we revealed that the SmudexA+ group showed structural abnormality in the form of more fractures and blank areas. The morphology of the SmudexA group was sparser and more porous, with reduced and less agglomerated exopolysaccharides scaffold. Interestingly, the microbiota composition analysis provided new insights that the inhibition of S. gordonii and S. sanguinis was alleviated in the SmudexA group compared to the significantly suppressed condition in the other groups. Conclusion : In conclusion, deletion of S. mutans dexA gene re-modules biofilm structure and microbiota composition, thereby leading to decreased cariogenicity. Thus, the S. mutans dexA may be an important target for regulating the cariogenicity of dental plaque biofilms, expecting to be a probiotic for caries control. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved View on Web

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Cytomegalovirus in the transplant setting: where are we now and what happens next? A report from the International CMV Symposium 2021

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Cytomegalovirus in the transplant setting: where are we now and what happens next? A report from the International CMV Symposium 2021 via Transplant Infectious Disease Abstract The CMV Symposium in September 2021 was an international conference dedicated to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after solid organ or haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This review provides an overview of the presentations given by the expert faculty, supplemented with educational clinical cases. Topics discussed include CMV epidemiology and diagnosis, the burden of CMV infection and disease, CMV-specific immunity and management of CMV in transplant settings. Major advances in the prevention and treatment of CMV in the past decade and increased understanding of CMV immunity has led to improved patient outcomes. In the future, management algorithms may be individualised based on the transplant recipient's immune profile which will mark the start of a new era for patients with CMV. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved View on Web

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Waning of first- and second-dose ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccinations: a pooled target trial study of 12.9 million individuals in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Waning of first- and second-dose ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccinations: a pooled target trial study of 12.9 million individuals in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales via International Journal of Epidemiology - Advance Access Abstract Background Several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been shown to provide protection against COVID-19 hospitalization and death. However, some evidence suggests that notable waning in effectiveness against these outcomes occurs within months of vaccination. We undertook a pooled analysis across the four nations of the UK to investigate waning in vaccine effectiveness (VE) and relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) against severe COVID-19 outcomes. Methods We carried out a target trial design for first/second doses of ChAdOx1(Oxford–AstraZeneca) and BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) with a composite outcome of COVID-19 hospitalization or death over the period 8 December 2020 to 30 June 2021. Exposure groups were matched by age, local authority area and propensity for vaccination. We pooled event counts across the four UK nations. Results For Doses 1 and 2 of ChAdOx1 and Dose 1 of BNT162b2, VE/rVE reached zero by approximately Days 60–80 and then went negative. By Day 70, VE/rVE was –25% (95% CI: –80 to 14) and 10% (95% CI: –32 to 39) for Doses 1 and 2 of ChAdOx1, respectively, and 42% (95% CI: 9 to 64) and 53% (95% CI: 26 to 70) for Doses 1 and 2 of BNT162b2, respectively. rVE for Dose 2 of BNT162b2 remained above zero throughout and reached 46% (95% CI: 13 to 67) after 98 days of follow-up. Conclusions We found strong evidence of waning in VE/rVE for Doses 1 and 2 of ChAdOx1, as well as Dose 1 of BNT162b2. This evidence may be used to inform policies on timings of additional doses of vaccine. View on Web

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Evidence for human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus via environmental transmission inside live poultry market in Xiamen, China

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Evidence for human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus via environmental transmission inside live poultry market in Xiamen, China via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) has become prevalent in the live poultry market (LPM) worldwide, and environmental transmission mode is an important way for AIVs to infect human beings in the LPM. In order to find evidence for human infection with influenza A(H9N2) virus via environmental contamination, we evaluated one human isolate and three environmental isolates inside LPMs in Xiamen, China. The phylogeny, transmissibility, and pathogenicity of the four isolates were sorted out systematically. As for the H9N2 virus, which evolved alongside the "Avian-Environment-Human" spreading chain in LPMs from the summer of 2019 to the summer of 2020, its overall efficiency of contact and aerosol transmissibility improved, which might contribute to the increasing probability of human infection. This study indicated that environmental exposure might act as an important source of human infection in LPMs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights res erved. View on Web

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Sequence Analysis of Epstein‐Barr virus RPMS1 Gene in malignant hematopathy

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Sequence Analysis of Epstein‐Barr virus RPMS1 Gene in malignant hematopathy of Northern China via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract The RPMS1 gene is the only member of the BamHI-A rightward transcripts (BARTs) family for which a full-length cDNA has been identified, and RPMS1 transcript has been confirmed in many EBV-positive malignancies. However, the effects of sequence variations of RPMS1 in hematological malignancies and their biological significance are unclear. To explore the association between RPMS1 gene variations and hematological malignancy, the RPMS1 gene of 391 EBV-positive samples from patients with EBV-positive leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and lymphoma in northern China were sequenced. On the basis of phylogenetic tree and mutation characteristics of RPMS1, all the sequences were divided into five major types: RPMS1-A, RPMS1-B, RPMS1-C, RPMS1-E, and RPMS1-F. RPMS1-A type, similar to the prototype B95-8, was identified in 71.87% (281/391) of samples and was the major typ e in all subpopulations. The frequency of RPMS1-F type was significantly higher in all malignant hematopathy groups than in healthy donors. The Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) group contained more RPMS1-F than other malignant hematopathy groups, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) contained more RPMS1-C type than other malignant hematopathy groups. Therefore, RPMS1-A is the main type of RPMS1 gene in northern China, and RPMS1-F may be associated with hematologic malignancies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Development and validation of a potential biomarker to improve the assessment of liver fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis B

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Development and validation of a potential biomarker to improve the assessment of liver fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis B via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract Objectives We aimed to develop and validate a novel combined score to improve the assessment of liver fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods The serum levels of hub genes were examined by qRT-PCR in three cohorts of CHB patients. Results For significant liver fibrosis (≥S2), the areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUROCs) of the combined score were 0.838, 0.842 and 0.881 in the three cohorts, respectively. And for advanced liver fibrosis (≥S3), the AUROCs were 0.794, 0.801 and 0.901, respectively. Compared with the results of AUROCs for aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio (APRI) and fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4) in the validation cohorts, better clinical diagnostic value for assessing the progression of liver fibrosis was found in the combined score. Additionally, univariate ordered logistic regression analysis indicated that the combined score could serve as a more superior and stable risk factor than APRI and FIB-4 in the assessment of liver fibrosis. For CHB patients with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT), our results further emphasized the diagnostic value of the combined score for significant fibrosis (≥S2) and advanced fibrosis (≥S3). Moreover, it was found that patients with the high combined score, who were associated with the advanced fibrosis stage, had higher levels of drug sensitivity and immune checkpoint expression. Conclusion The novel combined score could serve as a potential biomarker and contribute to improving the assessment of fibrosis stage in CHB patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Cholesterol granuloma of the maxillary sinus in association with a dental implant—A case report

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Cholesterol granuloma of the maxillary sinus in association with a dental implant—A case report via Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research Abstract Background Cholesterol granuloma is typically a benign granulomatous growth seen mostly in the mastoid process and the petrous temporal bone. Although cholesterol granuloma in maxillary sinus was first reported in the scientific literature in 1978, the occurrence is very rare and it is usually clinically and radiographically manifested ambiguously as maxillary sinusitis. Purpose The presence of cholesterol granuloma in the maxillary sinus in association with a dental pathology or prosthesis has been scarcely known. In this case report, we present a case of cholesterol granuloma in the maxillary sinus of a middle-aged male who had previously undergone dental implant placement in relation to that anatomical location. Materials and Methods A 64-year-old man reported to the Dental OP with a chief complaint of oral malodor, swelling, and tenderness over the right middle third of the face for the past 3 months. A cone beam computed tomography scan showed a well-defined radio-opaque lesion along with sclerosis and thinning of bone within the right maxillary antrum in relation to the dental implant placed in the 16 regions. The left maxillary sinus appeared normal. The Caldwell-Luc procedure was performed and a solitary soft lesion with yellowish-gray contents was evident within the right maxillary sinus. Histopathological examination revealed cholesterol clefts surrounded by foreign body giant cell reaction and granulation tissue formation, along with the presence of old and recent hemorrhage. A final diagnosis of cholesterol granuloma was made based on the histopathological examination report. Conclusion Based on the evidence available in the present case, we hypothesize that the localized trauma and hemorrhage initiated by implant placement in this particular anatomical location could have plausibly resulted in the occurrence of cholesterol granuloma in our patient. View on Web

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Adoption of adjuvant chemotherapy in high‐risk salivary gland malignancies

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Adoption of adjuvant chemotherapy in high‐risk salivary gland malignancies via Head & Neck Abstract Background The present study characterizes national trends in the utilization of adjuvant chemotherapy to treat salivary gland malignancies. Methods The National Cancer Database was queried for salivary gland malignancies treated by surgery with radiation in 2004–2019. Proportions of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy over the study period were analyzed by linear regression. The impact of chemotherapy on overall survival was assessed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses. Results Among 15 965 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 2355 (14.8%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Chemotherapy utilization significantly increased from 4.9% to 16.5% over the study period (p < 0.001). No survival benefit was observed with adjuvant chemotherapy on propensity score-matched Kaplan–Meier analysis (HR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.86–1.11; p = 0.72) or multivariable Cox regression (HR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.78–1.09; p = 0.34). Conclusions Adjuvant chemotherapy has been increasingly utilized to treat salivary gland malignancies in recent years. Our findings highlight the importance of obtaining high-quality prospective data regarding the benefit of chemotherapy. View on Web

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Tamoxifen Alters TGF‐β1/Smad Signaling in Vocal Fold Injury

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Tamoxifen Alters TGF‐β1/Smad Signaling in Vocal Fold Injury via The Laryngoscope This study investigated the effects of tamoxifen on acute vocal fold injury in a preclinical model. The antifibrotic actions of tamoxifen appear to be mediated by transforming growth factor beta 1/Smad signaling providing a novel target for intervention. Objectives Effective treatments for vocal fold fibrosis remain elusive. Tamoxifen (TAM) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator and was recently reported to have antifibrotic actions. We hypothesized that TAM inhibits vocal fold fibrosis via altered transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) signaling. Both in vitro and in vivo approaches were employed to address this hypothesis. Methods In vitro, vocal fold fibroblasts were treated with TAM (10−8 or 10−9 M) ± TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml) to quantify cell proliferation. The effects of TAM on genes related to fibrosis were quantified via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In vivo, rat vocal folds were unilaterally injured, and TAM was administered by oral gavage from pre-injury day 5 to post-injury day 7. The rats were randomized into two groups: 0 mg/kg/day (sham) and 50 mg/kg/day (TAM). Histological changes were examined on day 56 to assess tissue architecture. Results TAM (10−8 M) did not affect Smad3, Smad7, Acta2, or genes related to extracellular matrix metabolism. TAM (10−8 or 10−9 M) + TGF-β1, however, significantly increased Smad7 and Has3 expression and decreased Col1a1 and Acta2 expression compared to TGF-β1 alone. In vivo, TAM significantly increased lamina propria area, hyaluronic acid concentration, and reduced collagen deposition compared to sham treatment. Conclusions TAM has antifibrotic potential via the regulation of TGF-β1/Smad signaling in vocal fold injury. These findings provide foundational data to develop innovative therapeutic options for vocal fold fibrosis. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2022 View on Web

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