The Reflux Symptoms Before and After Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy of Chinese Patients With Achalasia

( Ying Xu ),( Yan Wang ),( Yun Bao ),( Ting Yu ),( Yurong Tang ),( Lin Lin ),( Liuqin Jiang ) 대한소화기기능성질환·운동학회(구 대한소화관운동학회) 2021 Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (JNM Vol.27 No.3

Background/Aims Achalasia is a rare disease, but the incidence is increasing recently. Peroral esophageal myotomy (POEM) is an effective treatment. Regurgitation is a common symptom before and after POEM. Our aim is to investigate the factors related to preoperative and postoperative reflux symptoms. Methods Our study was retrospective. The achalasia patients diagnosed by high-resolution manometry and gastroscopy were divided into reflux group and non-reflux group before and after POEM, respectively. General information, symptoms, POEM information, and manometric results were compared. Results (1) Ninety-six of 130 patients had reflux symptoms before POEM. The lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) in the reflux group was significantly higher than the non-reflux group (P = 0.023), while integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) was similar. The reflux group had longer esophagus than the non-reflux group (P = 0.006). Reflux symptoms were not related to subtypes of achalasia. (2) Twenty-five of 84 patients had reflux symptoms after POEM. Postoperative Eckardt scores, LESP, and 4-second IRP (4sIRP) were significantly lower than the preoperative values (P < 0.001). The preoperative values and POEM information were similar between the postoperative 2 groups and there was no significant difference in the presence of preoperative reflux symptoms between 2 groups. The postoperative LESP and 4sIRP were similar between the 2 groups, however, the postoperative UESP was significantly higher in the reflux group than the non-reflux group (P = 0.042). The non-reflux group had more declines in Eckardt scores and LESP than the reflux group. Conclusions The reflux symptoms of achalasia patients without treatment were mainly due to food retention. The postoperative reflux symptoms were not the sign of the excessive relaxation of lower esophageal sphincter. (J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2021;27:377-389)

PLA Reforms as Seen from the Composition of the Central Military Commission of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China

Ying Yu Lin 한국국방연구원 2019 The Korean Journal of Defense Analysis Vol.31 No.4

Following the most recent round of military reforms launched in 2016, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), from the highest to the lowest echelons, has been moving in the direction dictated by President Xi Jinping. The major concern of the PLA, however, is the membership of the Central Military Commission (CMC). The list of candidates for the CMC of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was not decided until the rst plenary session of the Central Committee of the CPC after the 19th National Congress. The CMC retains its one chairman and two vice chairmen leadership structure, but only the chiefs of the Joint Staff Department and Political Work Department, the Minister of National Defense and the head of the Commission for Discipline Inspection are granted a seat in the CMC. As compared with the 18th CMC, the 19th CMC has fewer members. The decrease in the number of CMC members represents a change in the command structure of the PLA. From a hierarchical perspective, each level of command has its political and professional signicance, also tasked with different missions. All levels work together to manage the PLA, the world’s largest military force. From the change in the composition of the CMC, the selection of candidates for CMC membership, the qualications of the candidates in terms of grade and rank, and their functions, this study seeks to nd out the impact of the 19th CMC members and newly-appointed theater commands’ and the services’ commanding generals and admirals on the PLA reforms as well as the implications thereof.

Assessing the EORTC QLQ-BM22 Module Using Rasch Modeling and Confirmatory Factor Analysis across Countries: a Comprehensive Psychometric Evaluation in Patients with Bone Metastases

Lin, Chung-Ying,Pakpour, Amir H Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2016 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.17 No.3

Background: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Bone Metastases Module (EORTC QLQ-BM22) is a recently designed supplement to EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Additional psychometric properties, especially using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the Rasch model, are warranted. Materials and Methods: A total of 573 patients with bone metastases were enrolled from eight countries with a mean${\pm}$SD age of $55.8{\pm}13.7years$. Slightly more than two thirds of them were female (n=383; 66.8%). CFA was used to examine the BM22 framework; Rasch models were applied to understand misfit items and differential item functioning (DIF). Results: The fit indices were satisfactory in CFA (comparative fit index=0.972, Tucker-Lewis index=0.964, root mean square error of approximation=0.076, and standardized root mean square residual=0.045). All items fit well in the Rasch models (mean square values were between 0.5 and 1.5), and only one item (number 17) displayed DIF across gender. However, there were six DIF items across Canada and Taiwan, ten across Canada and Iran, and six across Taiwan and Iran. Conclusions: The BM22 has satisfactory psychometric properties, and could assess the QoL of patients with bone metastases specifically focusing on their symptoms. Clinicians may want to use it to capture the underlying QoL for patients with bone metastases. However, the score of item 17 should be interpreted with caution when comparing male and female patients. In addition, researchers should note that variation in DIF items may occur when conducting an international study.

Overexpression of microRNA-612 Restrains the Growth, Invasion, and Tumorigenesis of Melanoma Cells by Targeting Espin

Ying Zhu,Hao-liang Zhang,Qi-ying Wang,Min-jing Chen,Lin-bo Liu 한국분자세포생물학회 2018 Molecules and cells Vol.41 No.2

microRNA (miR)-612 shows anticancer activity in several types of cancers, yet its function in melanoma is still unclear. This study was undertaken to investigate the expression of miR-612 and its biological relevance in melanoma cell growth, invasion, and tumorigenesis. The expression and prognostic significance of miR-612 in melanoma were examined. The effects of miR-612 overexpression on cell proliferation, colony formation, tumorigenesis, and invasion were determined. Rescue experiments were conducted to identify the functional target gene(s) of miR-612. miR-612 was significantly downregulated in melanoma tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Low miR-612 expression was significantly associated with melanoma thickness, lymph node metastasis, and shorter overall, and disease-free survival of patients. Overexpression of miR-612 significantly decreased cell proliferation, colony formation, and invasion of SK-MEL-28 and A375 melanoma cells. In vivo tumorigenic studies confirmed that miR-612 overexpression retarded the growth of A375 xenograft tumors, which was coupled with a decline in the percentage of Ki-67-positive proliferating cells. Mechanistically, miR-612 targeted Espin in melanoma cells. Overexpression of Espin counteracted the suppressive effects of miR-612 on melanoma cell proliferation, invasion, and tumorigenesis. A significant inverse correlation (r = -0.376, P = 0.018) was observed between miR-612 and Espin protein expression in melanoma tissues. In addition, overexpression of miR-612 and knockdown of Espin significantly increased the sensitivity of melanoma cells to doxorubicin. Collectively, miR-612 suppresses the aggressive phenotype of melanoma cells through downregulation of Espin. Delivery of miR-612 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy against melanoma.

Diagnostic Value of Human Epididymis Protein 4 Compared with Mesothelin for Ovarian Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Lin, Jia-Ying,Qin, Jin-Bao,Li, Xiao-Yan,Dong, Ping,Yin, Bing-De Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.11

Background and Purpose: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecologic cancers because of the lack of effective early detection methods. Accuracies of the human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and mesothelin in detecting ovarian cancer have never been systematically assessed. The current systematic review aimed to tackle this issue. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched (September 1995-November 2011) for studies on the diagnostic performances of HE4 and mesothelin in differentiating ovarian cancer from other benign gynecologic diseases. QUADAS items were used to evaluate the qualities of the studies. Meta-DiSc software was used to handle data from the included studies and to examine heterogeneity. All included studies for diagnostic performance were combined with sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves, and areas under the SROC curves (AUC). Results: A total of 18 studies and 3,865 patients were eligible for the final analysis. The pooled sensitivity estimates for HE4 (74.4%) were significantly higher than those for mesothelin (49.3%). The pooled specificity estimates for mesothelin (94.5%) were higher than those for HE4 (85.8%). The pooled DOR estimates for HE4 (26.22) were higher than those for mesothelin (24.01). The SROC curve for HE4 showed better diagnostic accuracy than that for mesothelin. The PLR and NLR of HE4 were 6.33 (95% CI: 3.58 to 11.18) and 0.27 (95% CI: 0.21 to 0.34), respectively. The PLR and NLR for mesothelin were 11.0 (95% CI: 6.21 to 19.59) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.42 to 0.62), respectively. The combination of the two tumor markers or their combination with CA-125 increased sensitivity and specificity to different extents. Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of HE4 in differentiating ovarian cancer from other benign gynecologic diseases is better than that of soluble mesothelin-related protein. Combinations of two or more tumor markers show more sensitivity and specificity.

Anisotropic In-plane Resistivity and Magnetoresistance of the Detwinned BaFe2As2

Lin Jiao,Zong Fa Weng,Xue Yan Tang,Lu Kai Guo,Tian Shang,Lin Yang,Hui Qiu Yuan,Yu Ying Wu,Zheng Cai Xia 한국물리학회 2013 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.63 No.3

We have measured the electrical resistivity and the magnetoresistance of detwinned BaFe2As2single crystals in fields up to 16 Tesla. The temperature dependence of the resistivity shows acounterintuitive anisotropic behavior in the ab-plane, likely arising from the effect of the nematicsusceptibility. Little magnetoresistance is observed at temperatures above the structural/magnetictransition, below which a huge in-plane magnetoresistance with an anisotropy is detected.

Tissue Quality Comparison Between Heparinized Wet Suction and Dry Suction in Endoscopic Ultrasound-Fine Needle Biopsy of Solid Pancreatic Masses: A Randomized Crossover Study

Lin Meng-Ying,Wu Cheng-Lin,Su Yung-Yeh,Huang Chien-Jui,Chang Wei-Lun,Sheu Bor-Shyang 거트앤리버 소화기연관학회협의회 2023 Gut and Liver Vol.17 No.2

Background/Aims: A high-quality sample allows for next-generation sequencing and the administration of more tailored precision medicine treatments. We aimed to evaluate whether heparinized wet suction can obtain higher quality samples than the standard dry-suction method during endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biopsy of pancreatic masses. Methods: A prospective randomized crossover study was conducted. Patients with a solid pancreatic mass were randomly allocated to receive either heparinized wet suction first or dry suction first. For each method, two needle passes were made, followed by a switch to the other method for a total of four needle punctures. The primary outcome was the aggregated white tissue length. Histological blood contamination, diagnostic performance and adverse events were analyzed as secondary outcomes. In addition, the correlation between white tissue length and the extracted DNA amount was analyzed. Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled, and 200 specimens were acquired (100 with heparinized wet suction and 100 with dry suction), with one minor bleeding event. The heparinized wet suction approach yielded specimens with longer aggregated white tissue length (11.07 mm vs 7.96 mm, p=0.001) and less blood contamination (p=0.008). A trend towards decreasing tissue quality was observed for the 2nd pass of the dry-suction method, leading to decreased diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy, although the accumulated diagnostic performance was comparable between the two suction methods. The amount of extracted DNA correlated positively to the white tissue length (p=0.001, Spearman̕s ρ=0.568). Conclusions: Heparinized wet suction for EUS tissue acquisition of solid pancreatic masses can yield longer, bloodless, DNA-rich tissue without increasing the incidence of adverse events (ClinicalTrials.gov. identifier NCT04707560).

Influence of Personal Character on Quality of Life of Patients with Esophageal Cancer in North Henan Province and Influencing Factors

Lin, Jian-Ying,Wang, Ming-Sheng,Dong, Liang-Peng,Xu, Da-Wei,Wang, Ying,Li, Xue-Liang,Li, Xiu-Min Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.11

The aim of this study was to investigate QoL (quality of life) of patients with esophageal cancer in northern Henan province, China, and to accurate evaluate and reflect the relationship between patient characteristics and QoL. In the high risk area of esophageal cancer in the north of Henan province, 735 patients with esophageal cancer were investigated. The Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ) and QoL were analyzed by using the questionnaire of general situation, EPQ, QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OES18. The effects of personal character on the QoL of esophageal carcinoma patients were analyzed by SPSS 11.0 software. The QoL of esophageal cancer patients in Northern Henan region was significantly affected by character. The difference between choleric and type of melancholic temperament types was significant (P<0.01), also in OESEAT, OESTA, OESCO and OESSP (P<0.05). Differences in personal character can thus influence the quality of esophageal cancer patient lives.

Living Experiences of Male Spouses of Patients with Metastatic Cancer in Taiwan

Lin, Hui-Chen,Lin, Wen-Chuan,Lee, Tzu-Ying,Lin, Hung-Ru Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.1

Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death in Taiwan. Spouses are generally the main caregivers of affectyed patients but previous studies have seldom investigated the needs of male spouses of patients with metastatic cancer. Purpose: To explore the lived experiences of such male spouses. Methods: A qualitative design using in-depth interviewswasconducted with male spouses of patients with metastatic cancer being treated at the oncology outpatient department in a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. Results: Nine participants aged 31-78 were interviewed. Content analysis of the interviews revealed five themes: suffering and struggling, difficulty in focusing on communication and interaction, shouldering responsibility, cherishing the love between husband and wife, and enabling each other to live better. This study demonstrated how male spousse experienced physical and psychological suffering when their wives suffered from metastatic cancer. They had to bear the pain of their wife's suffering, and also had to shoulder the responsibility for everything. All their efforts were put towards enabling each other to live a better life. They cherished the rest of the time they could spend with their wives, even though they had to live a hard life. As the male spouses of patients with metastatic cancer, the participants exhibited both the masculinity of men and the ability to express care and tenderness. Conclusions: The results showed that male spouses need more attention in terms of communication and bearing with suffering. Health care professionals should more actively understand the needs and provide assistance when facing the male spouse of patients with cancer, so as make sure that they possess the ability to take care of their wives. Health care professionals should also assist and properly act as a bridge of communication between husbands and wives.

China’s Progressive Military Modernization as Seen from the Wars Involving or Impacting It between 1950 and 2020

Ying Yu Lin 한국국방연구원 2022 The Korean Journal of Defense Analysis Vol.34 No.3

What distinguishes China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from other countries’ armies is the fact that the PLA was in existence, initially with a different name though, before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the legitimate government of China, as opposed to the Republic of China (ROC) government, or the Nationalist government, that retreated to Taiwan after losing the Civil War. As an armed wing of the Communist Party of China (CPC) since its inception in 1927, the PLA has undergone a considerable transformation from a “millet plus rifles” force to one that Beijing can count on as a powerful backing for its “wolf warrior” diplomacy. The meaning behind all this is that China’s military modernization efforts are paying off. Analyzing historical events in chronological order, this paper aims to find out how the wars involving or impacting China over the past seven decades, as well as specific international conflicts and China’s domestic politics in the same period of time, have contributed to the PLA’s modernization to date. The most recent round of military reform initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping serves as a case for analysis in depth so as to have a better understanding of the PLA’s modernization.