A Community-Based Walk-In Screening of Depression in Taiwan

Depression is a crucial public health problem because of its relatively high association with suicidal attempts, prolonged social isolation, poor physical health, and dementia. However, the available data and study on the prevalence of depression in Taiwan were mostly completed within the previous 1 to 2 decades, and these studies were limited to certain areas or populations. Little is known regarding the current status of depression in Taiwan. We used a brief tool, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), to screen depression in 4 areas among the general and aged population. The results showed a higher CES-D score in the southern area among general (mean ± SD: 7.8 ± 8.4) or aged participants (mean ± SD: 7.2 ± 8.0) compared with other areas. The ratio of suspected depression patients was 16.4% of all recruited participants and 13.3% of aged participants. These results may provide information for this public health issue

Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec in MRSA, Taiwan

To determine the predominant staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec element in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, we typed 190 isolates from a hospital in Taiwan. We found a shift from type IV to type III SCCmec element during 1992–2003, perhaps caused by selective pressure from indiscriminate use of antimicrobial drugs

Seizure After Local Anesthesia for Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma

We report a young male patient who experienced seizure after local injection of 3 mL 2% lidocaine with epinephrine 1:200,000 around a recurrent nasal angiofibroma. After receiving 100% oxygen via mask and thiamylal sodium, the patient had no residual neurologic sequelae. Seizure immediately following the injection of local anesthetics in the nasal cavity is probably due to injection into venous or arterial circulation with retrograde flow to the brain circulation. Further imaging study or angiography should be done before head and neck surgeries, especially in such highly vascular neoplasm

Recombinant VP1, an Akt Inhibitor, Suppresses Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Inducing Apoptosis and Modulation of CCL2 Production

BACKGROUND: The application of viral elements in tumor therapy is one facet of cancer research. Recombinant capsid protein VP1 (rVP1) of foot-and-mouth disease virus has previously been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in cancer cell lines. Here, we aim to further investigate its apoptotic mechanism and possible anti-metastatic effect in murine models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common human cancers worldwide. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Treatment with rVP1 inhibited cell proliferation in two murine HCC cell lines, BNL and Hepa1-6, with IC₅₀ values in the range of 0.1-0.2 µM. rVP1 also induced apoptosis in these cells, which was mediated by Akt deactivation and dissociation of Ku70-Bax, and resulted in conformational changes and mitochondrial translocation of Bax, leading to the activation of caspases-9, -3 and -7. Treatment with 0.025 µM rVP1, which did not affect the viability of normal hepatocytes, suppressed cell migration and invasion via attenuating CCL2 production. The production of CCL2 was modulated by Akt-dependent NF-κB activation that was decreased after rVP1 treatment. The in vivo antitumor effects of rVP1 were assessed in both subcutaneous and orthotopic mouse models of HCC in immune-competent BALB/c mice. Intratumoral delivery of rVP1 inhibited subcutaneous tumor growth as a result of increased apoptosis. Intravenous administration of rVP1 in an orthotopic HCC model suppressed tumor growth, inhibited intra-hepatic metastasis, and prolonged survival. Furthermore, a decrease in the serum level of CCL2 was observed in rVP1-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The data presented herein suggest that, via inhibiting Akt phosphorylation, rVP1 suppresses the growth, migration, and invasion of murine HCC cells by inducing apoptosis and attenuating CCL2 production both in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant protein VP1 thus has the potential to be developed as a new therapeutic agent for HCC

Treatment selection for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma

AbstractBackgroundThe optimal treatment for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term treatment outcomes of patients with tonsillar SCC, in order to aid in appropriate treatment selection.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review of 105 patients with curatively treated tonsillar SCC between January 1996 and December 2005. Forty-three patients (41.0%) underwent primary surgery with or without adjuvant therapy (primary surgery group), and 62 patients (59.0%) were treated with radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy (RT/CRT, organ preservation group). Twenty patients (19%) received tumor tonsillectomy before definitive RT/CRT and were grouped into the organ preservation group.ResultsNo significant differences were observed between the primary surgery and organ preservation groups in terms of local control (p = 0.212), regional control (p = 0.684), distant metastasis (p = 0.627), 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS, p = 0.774), and overall survival rates (OS, p = 0.667). The rates of major complication (p = 0.216), long-term dependency on feeding tubes (p = 0.876), and tracheostomy (p = 0.401) were also similar. Advanced T classification (T3–4) was the only factor associated with significantly worse DSS (p = 0.007) and OS (p = 0.012). However, there was also no difference in final treatment outcomes in T3–4 patients regardless of whether they were treated with primary surgery or RT/CRT. In the organ preservation group, tumor tonsillectomy before RT/CRT did not improve local control (p = 0.520) or other treatment outcomes, including 5-year DSS (p = 0.707) and OS (p = 0.745).ConclusionBoth primary surgery and RT/CRT organ preservation are effective treatments for tonsillar SCC. Single modality treatment, either surgery or RT/CRT, can typically be provided for stage I–II diseases. Although RT/CRT organ preservation is used more frequently for stage III–IV tonsillar SCC in recent years, primary surgery combined with adjuvant therapy still achieves equivalent outcomes. Multidisciplinary pretreatment counseling and the facilities and personnel available are therefore important for decision-making. In addition, if RT/CRT organ preservation is selected as the primary treatment, tumor tonsillectomy is not indicated