Deciphering the Functions of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase in Head and Neck Cancer.

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are among the ten leading malignancies worldwide. Despite significant progress in all therapeutic modalities, predictive biomarkers, and targeted therapies for HNCs are limited and the survival rate is unsatisfactory. The importance of telomere maintenance via telomerase reactivation in carcinogenesis has been demonstrated in recent decades. Several mechanisms could activate telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), the most common of which is promoter alternation. Two major hotspot TERT promoter mutations (C228T and C250T) have been reported in different malignancies such as melanoma, genitourinary cancers, CNS tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma, thyroid cancers, sarcomas, and HNCs. The frequencies of TERT promoter mutations vary widely across tumors and is quite high in HNCs (11.9-64.7%). These mutations have been reported to be more enriched in oral cavity SCCs and HPV-negative tumors. The association between TERT promoter mutations and poor survival has also been demonstrated. Till now, several therapeutic strategies targeting telomerase have been developed although only a few drugs have been used in clinical trials. Here, we briefly review and summarize our current understanding and evidence of TERT promoter mutations in HNC patients.

Revisit of the Association between Cytomegalovirus Infection and Invasive Fungal Infection after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Real-World Analysis from a High CMV Seroprevalence Area.

Infection is a major complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) especially cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and invasive fungal infection (IFI). Taiwan is a high CMV seroprevalence area. Our study aimed to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, the impact on survival of CMV infection (including reactivation and disease) and the association of CMV infection and IFI in recipients after allo-HSCT during the first 100 days after transplantation. This was a retrospective study including 180 recipients of allo-HSCT. A total of 99 patients had CMV reactivation, and nine patients had CMV diseases. There were more mismatched donors, more ATG usage and more transplantation from CMV IgG-negative donor in patients with CMV reactivation. There was no survival difference in patients with or without CMV reactivation. A total of 34 patients had IFIs, and IFI after allo-HSCT was associated with significantly inferior survival. Patients with CMV reactivation did not increase the incidence of overall IFI, but they did result in more late-onset (>40 days) IFI (p = 0.056). In this study, we demonstrated real-world data of CMV infection and IFI from a high CMV seroprevalence area.

Use of acupressure to improve gastrointestinal motility in women after trans-abdominal hysterectomy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupressure on gastrointestinal (GI) motility in women after trans-abdominal hysterectomy (TAH). Patients were randomly assigned into two groups of 21 and 20 patients each. The experimental group received acupressure for 3 minutes at each of three meridian points: Neiguan (PC-6), Zusanli (ST-36) and Sanyinjiao (SP-6). The control group received 3 minutes of acupressure on sham points. Acupressure was performed twice a day. A questionnaire was used to determine patients' satisfaction prior to and after afternoon acupressure. GI contractions were measured with a multifunctional stethoscope before and after acupressure. Acupressure of these three meridian points significantly (p < 0.05) increased GI motility in the experimental group, but there was little change in the control group (p > 0.05). Our conclusions are that non-invasive acupressure of these meridian points can significantly improve GI motility and can be incorporated into the technical curriculum and clinical education program of nursing schools. Patients and their family members can be taught to continue this procedure at home to enhance GI motility in patients who have undergone TAH.

Test-retest reliabilities of hand-held dynamometer for lower-limb muscle strength in intellectual disabilities.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliabilities of hand-held dynamometer (HDD) for measuring lower-limb muscle strength in intellectual disabilities (ID). The other purposes were to: (1) compare the lower-limb muscle strength between children with and without ID; (2) probe the relationship between the muscle forces and agility performance in ID; and (3) explore the factors associated with muscle strength in ID. Sixty-one participants (30 boys and 31 girls; mean age=14.1 ± 3.3 year) were assessed by the HDD using a "make" test. The comparative group consisted of 63 typically developing children (33 boys and 30 girls; mean age=14.9 ± 2.1 year). The ID group demonstrated lower muscle groups than in typically developing group. Except for the ankle plantarflexors (ICC=0.69, SEM=0.72), test-retest analysis showed good intrarater reliability with ICC ranging from 0.81 to 0.96, and intrarater SEM values ranged from 0.40 to 0.57. The HDD has the potential to be a reliable tool for strength measurement in ID. Muscle strength was positively related to agility performance. Regression analysis indicated that height, weight, BMI, and activity level were significant predictors of muscle strength in ID.