An exploration of the connotation of clinical dental radiology education for medical radiation students in Taiwan in 2022.

Background/purpose: In Taiwan, the dental radiology has a history of more than 100 years. However, medical radiation schools or teaching hospitals have not yet established a set of standard learning content for dental radiology internship. Materials and methods: We used the observational method and dental radiology teaching survey to explore the connotation of clinical dental radiology education for medical radiation students in Taiwan. Results: There were 64 dental departments of hospitals with their own independent dental radiology departments in Taiwan in 2022. Among them, 58 (90.63%) were in the teaching hospitals. Of the 58 dental radiology departments in the teaching hospitals, 40 (68.97%) had medical radiation interns in their dental radiology departments. There was a complete set of seven training items for dental radiology internship. The mean training items in the medical centers (4.94) was significantly higher than that in the regional hospital (3.9) (P < 0.05). No matter what level of hospital, it is the most common way to implement the training mode with preclinical exercises and then clinical practice. Conclusion: In Taiwan, the current status of dental radiology teachers in the teaching hospital is indeed seriously insufficient. It is necessary to establish a standard dental radiology education system, including setting one common dental radiology subject for medical radiation students, and the relevant regulations to formulate the basic requirements of the training items and training hours for dental radiology internship. Thus, medical radiation interns can acquire the operation skills related to dental X-ray machines after completing the internship training.

San-Zhong-Kui-Jian-Tang Exerts Antitumor Effects Associated With Decreased Cell Proliferation and Metastasis by Targeting ERK and the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Pathway in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an aggressive cancer whose 5-year survival rate remains poor. San-Zhong-Kui-Jian-Tang (SZKJT), a Chinese herbal formula, has long been used in clinical practice as adjuvant therapy in cancers. However, its therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms in OSCC remain unclear. METHODS: We investigated the potential therapeutic effects and molecular mechanism of SZKJT in OSCC in tumor cell lines and in tumor xenograft mice and evaluated combined SZKJT and cisplatin treatment efficacy. In vitro-cultured OSCC cells were administered SZKJT at different doses or SZKJT plus cisplatin, and cell proliferation, colony formation assays, and cell cycle analysis were used to assess the effects on cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. We also analyzed the effects of SZKJT on oral cancer cell line migration, the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes. The antitumor effects of SZKJT plus cisplatin were also tested in vivo using a tumor-bearing NOD/SCID mice model. RESULTS: The results showed that SZKJT effectively inhibited OSCC cell proliferation, induced cell cycle S phase arrest, and induced cell apoptosis. SZKJT also inhibited cell migration by modulating the MAPK signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Further exploration suggested that SZKJT affects OSCC by modulating ERK pathway; downregulating vimentin, fibronectin, and Oct-4; and upregulating E-cadherin. In vivo, SZKJT significantly inhibited tumor growth, and SZKJT and cisplatin exerted synergistic antitumor effects in model animals. CONCLUSIONS: SZKJT exerts antitumor effects in OSCC cells. Additionally, SZKJT and cisplatin exhibit synergy in OSCC treatment. These findings support the clinical usage of Chinese herbal formulas as adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy in cancer treatment.

An Implementation of Trust Chain Framework with Hierarchical Content Identifier Mechanism by Using Blockchain Technology.

Advances in information technology (IT) and operation technology (OT) accelerate the development of manufacturing systems (MS) consisting of integrated circuits (ICs), modules, and systems, toward Industry 4.0. However, the existing MS does not support comprehensive identity forensics for the whole system, limiting its ability to adapt to equipment authentication difficulties. Furthermore, the development of trust imposed during their crosswise collaborations with suppliers and other manufacturers in the supply chain is poorly maintained. In this paper, a trust chain framework with a comprehensive identification mechanism is implemented for the designed MS system, which is based and created on the private blockchain in conjunction with decentralized database systems to boost the flexibility, traceability, and identification of the IC-module-system. Practical implementations are developed using a functional prototype. First, the decentralized application (DApp) and the smart contracts are proposed for constructing the new trust chain under the proposed comprehensive identification mechanism by using blockchain technology. In addition, the blockchain addresses of IC, module, and system are automatically registered to InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), individually. In addition, their corresponding hierarchical CID (content identifier) values are organized by using Merkle DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph), which is employed via the hierarchical content identifier mechanism (HCIDM) proposed in this paper. Based on insights obtained from this analysis, the trust chain based on HCIDM can be applied to any MS system, for example, this trust chain could be used to prevent the counterfeit modules and ICs employed in the monitoring system of a semiconductor factory environment. The evaluation results show that the proposed scheme could work in practice under the much lower costs, compared to the public blockchain, with a total cost of 0.002094 Ether. Finally, this research is developed an innovation trust chain mechanism that could be provided the system-level security for any MS toward Industrial 4.0 in order to meet the requirements of both manufacturing innovation and product innovation in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Anesthetic management for intraoperative acute pulmonary embolism during inferior vena cava tumor thrombus surgery: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a rare and potentially life-threatening condition, even with early detection and prompt management. Intraoperative APE required specific ways for detecting since classic symptoms of APE in the awake patient could not be observed or self-reported by the patient under general anesthesia. CASE SUMMARY: A 44-year-old man with a history of hepatic cell carcinoma was admitted for radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy due to a newly found kidney tumor with inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus. APE that occurred during tumor thrombectomy with hypercapnia and desaturation. The capnography combined with the transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provided a crucial differential diagnosis during the operation. The patient was continuously managed with aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation and blood transfusion under continuous cardiac output monitoring to maintain hemodynamic stability. He completed the surgery under stable hemodynamics and was extubated after percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy by a certified cardiologist. There were no significant symptoms and signs or obvious discomfort in the patient's self-report during visits to the general ward. CONCLUSION: Under general anesthesia for IVC tumor thrombus surgery, a sudden decrease in end-tidal carbon dioxide is the initial indicator of APE, which occurs before hemodynamic changes. When intraoperative APE is suspected, TEE is useful in the diagnosis and monitoring before computer tomography pulmonary angiogram. Timely clinical impression and supportive treatment and intervention should be conducted to obtain a better prognosis.

Therapeutic effects of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei NTU 101 powder on dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) whose exact cause is still unclear. Disruption of the intestinal microflora is considered one of the main causes of the disease. Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei NTU 101 (NTU 101) is a multifunctional strain that has been shown in previous studies to possess anti-inflammatory properties and to exert a modulatory effect on intestinal bacteria associated with certain pathogenic mechanisms of IBD. In the current study, we investigated the effects of NTU 101 on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in a mouse model. Colitis was induced in male C57BL/6 mice (total number n = 60) via dissolved DSS in drinking water on days 15-21 of the experiment. The effects of continuous 25 d feeding (days 0-25) of either a half or a full dose [2.3 × 109 colony-forming units (CFU)/kg body weight (BW)/d and 4.5 × 109 CFU/kg BW/d, respectively] of NTU 101 was evaluated. Lactobacillus rhamnosus BCRC 16000 (BCRC 16000) and L. paracasei subsp. paracasei BCRC 14023 (BCRC 14023) strains were given to control groups. The results indicated that NTU 101 powder improved anti-oxidant capacity, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, increased anti-inflammatory cytokine levels, and slightly ameliorated body weight loss in DSS-treated mice during the final days of the study. This indicated that NTU 101 powder can relieve the clinical symptoms of DSS-induced colitis in mice.

Intermittent parathyroid hormone improve bone microarchitecture of the mandible and femoral head in ovariectomized rats.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) can be used to treat osteoporosis of the spine and hip. However, whether it can be used to treat osteoporosis of the mandible is unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of applying intermittent PTH to ovariectomized rats on the trabecular bone microarchitecture of the mandible and femoral head. METHODS: Eighteen female rats were divided into three groups: the healthy group, ovariectomized (OVX) group, and OVX + PTH group. The OVX group and OVX + PTH group had an OVX at 8 weeks of age. The OVX + PTH group received intermittent PTH therapy for 12 weeks. The mandibles and femurs of all rats were removed at 20 weeks and were then scanned using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). RESULTS: From the micro-CT analysis, the trabecular bone microarchitecture of the mandible and femoral head are offered as follows: (1) The bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness in the OVX group were lower than those in the healthy group. (2) The bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness in the OVX + PTH group approximated those in the healthy group. CONCLUSION: The conclusions of this study regarding the trabecular bone microarchitecture of the mandible and femoral head are offered as follows: (1) The BV/TV and TbTh in the OVX group were lower than those in the healthy group. (2) The BV/TV and TbTh in the OVX + PTH group approximated those in the healthy group, therefore, intermittent PTH displayed high efficacy for treating femoral or mandibular deterioration of bone microstructure resulting from loss of ovarian function. Osteoporosis of the femur or mandible in the rats was ameliorated by intermittent PTH therapy.

Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Xerostomia and Quality of Life during Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer: A Prospective Pilot Study.

Xerostomia is one of the most common acute and late complications of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, and it affects quality of life. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in toxicities and quality of life during radiotherapy. Head and neck cancer patients who were scheduled for radiotherapy were checked for inclusion/exclusion criteria before enrollment. Patients in the study group (inpatients) were hospitalized in a Chinese medicine ward and received concomitant TCM intervention during radiotherapy, while those in the control group (outpatients) received only conventional cancer treatments at the Western outpatient department. The primary end point was amelioration of postradiotherapy side effects. The secondary end points were quality of life during the cancer therapy and occurrence of adverse events following the TCM treatments. Thirty inpatients and 50 outpatients completed the study. Compared to the control group, those in the TCM group had decreased severity of xerostomia. There was no treatment-related impairment of renal or hepatic function among TCM group. Although better outcomes of social contact, dyspnea, physical and emotional function, and financial problems were found in the TCM group, we need further confirmation about the impact of hospitalization itself on these results.

Cortical Bone Morphological and Trabecular Bone Microarchitectural Changes in the Mandible and Femoral Neck of Ovariectomized Rats.

OBJECTIVE: This study used microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to evaluate the effects of ovariectomy on the trabecular bone microarchitecture and cortical bone morphology in the femoral neck and mandible of female rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve female Wister rats were divided into two groups: the control and ovariectomized groups. The rats in the ovariectomized group received ovariectomy at 8 weeks of age; all the rats were sacrificed at 20 weeks of age, and their mandibles and femurs were removed and scanned using micro-CT. Four microstructural trabecular bone parameters were measured for the region below the first mandibular molar and the femoral neck region: bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (TbTh), trabecular separation (TbSp), and trabecular number (TbN). In addition, four cortical bone parameters were measured for the femoral neck region: total cross-sectional area (TtAr), cortical area (CtAr), cortical bone area fraction (CtAr/TtAr), and cortical thickness (CtTh). The CtTh at the masseteric ridge was used to assess the cortical bone morphology in the mandible. The trabecular bone microarchitecture and cortical bone morphology in the femoral necks and mandibles of the control group were compared with those of the ovariectomized group. Furthermore, Spearman's correlation (rs) was conducted to analyze the correlation between the osteoporosis conditions of the mandible and femoral neck. RESULTS: Regarding the trabecular bone microarchitectural parameters, the BV/TV of the trabecular bone microarchitecture in the femoral necks of the control group (61.199±11.288%, median ± interquartile range) was significantly greater than that of the ovariectomized group (40.329±5.153%). Similarly, the BV/TV of the trabecular bone microarchitecture in the mandibles of the control group (51.704±6.253%) was significantly greater than that of the ovariectomized group (38.486±9.111%). Furthermore, the TbSp of the femoral necks in the ovariectomized group (0.185±0.066 mm) was significantly greater than that in the control group (0.130±0.026mm). Similarly, the TbSp of the mandibles in the ovariectomized group (0.322±0.047mm) was significantly greater than that in the control group (0.285±0.041mm). However, the TbTh and TbN trends for the mandibles and femoral necks were inconsistent between the control and ovariectomized groups. Regarding the cortical bone morphology parameters, the TtAr of the femoral necks in the ovariectomized group was significantly smaller than that in the control group. There was no significant difference in the TtAr, CtAr, or CtTh of the femoral necks between the control and ovariectomized groups, and no significant difference in the CtTh of the mandibles between the control and ovariectomized groups. Moreover, the BV/TV and TbSp of the mandibles were highly correlated with those of the femurs (rs = 0.874 and rs = 0.755 for BV/TV and TbSp, respectively). Nevertheless, the TbTh, TbN, and CtTh of the mandibles were not correlated with those of the femoral necks. CONCLUSION: After the rats were ovariectomized, osteoporosis of the trabecular bone microarchitecture occurred in their femurs and mandibles; however, ovariectomy did not influence the cortical bone morphology. In addition, the parametric values of the trabecular bone microarchitecture in the femoral necks were highly correlated with those of the trabecular bone microarchitecture in the mandibles.

Extract of sporoderm-broken germinating spores of ganoderma lucidum activates human polymorphonuclear neutrophils via the P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

BACKGROUND: Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years because of its immunomodulatory properties. It is believed that G. lucidum enhances the human immune response by improving the function of human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs); nevertheless, the actual mechanism by which G. lucidum acts on human PMNs remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the molecular pathways through which G. lucidum activates human PMNs. METHODS: The phagocytic activity of PMNs was evaluated with and without treatment with the extract of sporoderm-broken germinating spores of G. lucidum. The same activity was measured after G. lucidum treatment with or without p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) inhibitor. The activation of p38 MAPK was also evaluated with or without treatment with the extract of sporoderm-broken germinating spores of G. lucidum. RESULTS: In this study, we found that the extract of G. lucidum enhanced the phagocytic activity of PMNs in a dose-dependent manner, but this response was attenuated by treatment with SB203580, a p38 MAPK inhibitor. The extract of G. lucidum also enhanced activation of p38 MAPK in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: These results clearly show that the extract of G. lucidum can modulate human immunity by activating human PMNs via the p38 MAPK pathway. These results may be of clinical importance to doctors of traditional Chinese medicine.

T cell augments the antitumor activity of tumor-targeting Salmonella.

Systemic administration of Salmonella to tumor-bearing mice leads to preferential accumulation within tumor sites and retardation of tumor growth. However, the detailed mechanism of Salmonella-induced antitumor immune response via host T cell remains uncertain. Herein, we used wild-type, CD4(+) T-cell-deficient, and CD8(+) T-cell-deficient mice to study the role of T cell in the antitumor immune responses induced by Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis (Salmonella Choleraesuis). When systemically administered into mice bearing tumors, Salmonella Choleraesuis significantly inhibited tumor growth by 50%. In contrast, in T-cell-deficient mice, there was only 34-42% inhibition of tumor growth. We found that treatment with Salmonella Choleraesuis significantly upregulates interferon-γ in wild-type and CD8(+) T-cell-deficient mice, but not in CD4(+) T-cell-deficient mice. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining of the tumors revealed more infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils in wild-type mice after Salmonella Choleraesuis treatment compared with those in T-cell-deficient mice. The antitumor therapeutic effect mediated by Salmonella Choleraesuis is associated with an inflammatory immune response at the tumor site and a tumor T helper 1-type immune response. In conclusion, these results suggest that tumor-targeted therapy using Salmonella Choleraesuis, which exerts tumoricidal effects and stimulates T cell activities, represents a potential strategy for the treatment of tumor.

Serum eosinophil cationic protein level and disease activity in childhood rhinitis.

In order to investigate clinical markers of disease activity in childhood rhinitis, we compared various laboratory parameters to symptom scores of children with allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis. We measured the levels of serum total IgE, aeroallergen specific IgE, serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and blood eosinophil counts in 71 children with allergic rhinitis and in 62 children with non-allergic rhinitis. We found a statistically significant difference in peripheral blood eosinophil counts between the allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis groups. Serum ECP levels were positively related to symptom scores in both groups. Peripheral blood eosinophil counts correlated with symptom scores only in the group with non-allergic rhinitis. The results demonstrated that serum ECP levels are of value in assessing disease activity in both allergic and non-allergic rhinitis, and peripheral blood eosinophil counts may play a role in the evaluation of symptom severity in non-allergic rhinitis.

Mycobacterium kansasii infection presenting as cellulitis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The prevalence of mycobacterial infection has increased in recent years, especially in patients immunocompromised due to autoimmune disease, malignancy and AIDS. Mycobacterium kansasii infection most commonly presents as tuberculosis-like pulmonary disease. We report the case of a 38-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed cellulitis over the left lower leg and had poor response to antibiotics. Two months before this admission, she had sustained a small wound over the right pretibial area and had noticed erythematous swelling after swimming at the beach. Pathologic examination of biopsied tissue showed acid-fast bacilli, and culture yielded M. kansasii. The cellulitis improved gradually during treatment with antimycobacterial agents for 1 year. This case emphasizes the possibility that cutaneous M. kansasii infection may occur in an immunocompromised patient and that exposure to contaminated water is a possible source. With early diagnosis, the response to an antimycobacterial multidrug regimen is usually satisfactory.