AIM To explore factors associated with persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-affected families and then investigate factors that correlate with individual viral loa...AIM To explore factors associated with persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-affected families and then investigate factors that correlate with individual viral load among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive relatives. METHODS questionnaire. Demographics, relationship to index case, HBsAg status of mothers and index cases were evaluated for association with the HBV persistent infection or viral load by generalized estimating equation analysis. RESULTS Among 729 relatives enrolled, parent generation (P = 0.0076), index generation (P = 0.0044), mothers positive for HBsAg (P = 0.0007), and HBsAg-positive index cases (P = 5.98 x 10(-8)) were associated with persistent HBV infection. Factors associated with HBV viral load were evaluated among 303 HBsAg-positive relatives. Parent generation (P = 0.0359) and sex (P = 0.0007) were independent factors associated with HBV viral load. The intra-family HBV viral load was evaluated in families clustered with HBsAg-positive siblings. An intra-family trend of similar HBV viral load was found for 27 of 46 (58.7%) families. Male offspring of HBsAg-positive mothers (P = 0.024) and older siblings were associated with high viral load. CONCLUSION Sex and generation play important roles on HBV viral load. Maternal birth age and nutritional changes could be the reasons of viral load difference between generations.展开更多
Long-term exposure to arsenic is associated with cancers of lung, urinary bladder, kidney, liver and skin. Arsenic car-cinogenesis might result from oxidative stress, altered growth factors, chromosomal abnormality, i...Long-term exposure to arsenic is associated with cancers of lung, urinary bladder, kidney, liver and skin. Arsenic car-cinogenesis might result from oxidative stress, altered growth factors, chromosomal abnormality, immune dysregula-tion, and aberrant epigenetic regulations. Bowen’s disease (As-BD) is the most common form of arsenic-induces skin cancers and is characterized by chronicity, multiplicity, and predisposition in sun-spare skin. However, only about 1% of the population exposed to arsenic developped skin cancers, indicating the host immune response plays an important modulatory role in skin carcinogenesis. In this review, we review the pathomechanisms of arsenic skin carcinogenesis and the immune interactions. Arsenic affects innate and adaptive immune responses through CD4+ T cells, monocytes, macrophages, and Langerhans cells. In skin of As-BD, CD4+ T cells undergo selective and differential apoptosis via Fas-FasL interaction. Numbers and dendrites of Langerhans cells are reduced in As-BD lesions. There is a defective homeostasis and aberrant trafficking of Langerhans cells. Such information is essential to understand the molecular mechanism for arsenic carcinogenesis in both skin and in internal organs.展开更多
Aortic dissection is a life-threatening disease that can produce a variety of symptoms and complications. Patients at high risk for mortality, such as individuals with aortic regurgitation, cardiac tamponade, or myoca...Aortic dissection is a life-threatening disease that can produce a variety of symptoms and complications. Patients at high risk for mortality, such as individuals with aortic regurgitation, cardiac tamponade, or myocardial infarction, should be treated by surgery as soon as possible, especially in cases with acute ascending aortic dissections （Stanford type A）. However, patients with aortic dissection may suffer adverse outcomes that lead to mortality and morbidity, such as stoke, re-dissection, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Patients with surgically treated acute type A aortic dissection show an 18.2% likelihood of stroke in early morbidity.展开更多
基金Supported by grants from the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital(No.CMRPG3C0701)the National Science Council(No.NSC101-2314-B-182A-025-MY3)China Medical University(No.CMU103-N-15)
文摘AIM To explore factors associated with persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-affected families and then investigate factors that correlate with individual viral load among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive relatives. METHODS questionnaire. Demographics, relationship to index case, HBsAg status of mothers and index cases were evaluated for association with the HBV persistent infection or viral load by generalized estimating equation analysis. RESULTS Among 729 relatives enrolled, parent generation (P = 0.0076), index generation (P = 0.0044), mothers positive for HBsAg (P = 0.0007), and HBsAg-positive index cases (P = 5.98 x 10(-8)) were associated with persistent HBV infection. Factors associated with HBV viral load were evaluated among 303 HBsAg-positive relatives. Parent generation (P = 0.0359) and sex (P = 0.0007) were independent factors associated with HBV viral load. The intra-family HBV viral load was evaluated in families clustered with HBsAg-positive siblings. An intra-family trend of similar HBV viral load was found for 27 of 46 (58.7%) families. Male offspring of HBsAg-positive mothers (P = 0.024) and older siblings were associated with high viral load. CONCLUSION Sex and generation play important roles on HBV viral load. Maternal birth age and nutritional changes could be the reasons of viral load difference between generations.
文摘Long-term exposure to arsenic is associated with cancers of lung, urinary bladder, kidney, liver and skin. Arsenic car-cinogenesis might result from oxidative stress, altered growth factors, chromosomal abnormality, immune dysregula-tion, and aberrant epigenetic regulations. Bowen’s disease (As-BD) is the most common form of arsenic-induces skin cancers and is characterized by chronicity, multiplicity, and predisposition in sun-spare skin. However, only about 1% of the population exposed to arsenic developped skin cancers, indicating the host immune response plays an important modulatory role in skin carcinogenesis. In this review, we review the pathomechanisms of arsenic skin carcinogenesis and the immune interactions. Arsenic affects innate and adaptive immune responses through CD4+ T cells, monocytes, macrophages, and Langerhans cells. In skin of As-BD, CD4+ T cells undergo selective and differential apoptosis via Fas-FasL interaction. Numbers and dendrites of Langerhans cells are reduced in As-BD lesions. There is a defective homeostasis and aberrant trafficking of Langerhans cells. Such information is essential to understand the molecular mechanism for arsenic carcinogenesis in both skin and in internal organs.
文摘Aortic dissection is a life-threatening disease that can produce a variety of symptoms and complications. Patients at high risk for mortality, such as individuals with aortic regurgitation, cardiac tamponade, or myocardial infarction, should be treated by surgery as soon as possible, especially in cases with acute ascending aortic dissections （Stanford type A）. However, patients with aortic dissection may suffer adverse outcomes that lead to mortality and morbidity, such as stoke, re-dissection, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Patients with surgically treated acute type A aortic dissection show an 18.2% likelihood of stroke in early morbidity.
