Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is well documented as an important molecule in pain hypersensitivity following inflammation and nerve injury and in many other cellular biological processes. Here, we show that TRPA1 is expressed not only by sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) but also in their adjacent satellite glial cells (SGCs), as well as nonmyelinating Schwann cells. TRPA1 immunoreactivity is also detected in various cutaneous structures of sensory neuronal terminals, including small and large caliber cutaneous sensory fibers and endings. The SGC-expressed TRPA1 is functional. Like DRG neurons, dissociated SGCs exhibit a robust response to the TRPA1-selective agonist allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) by an increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). These responses are abolished by the TRPA1 antagonist HC030031 and are absent in SGCs and neurons from global TRPA1 null mice. SGCs and neurons harvested from DRG proximal to painful tissue inflammation induced by plantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant show greater AITC-evoked elevation of [Ca2+]i and slower recovery compared to sham controls. Similar TRPA1 sensitization occurs in both SGCs and neurons during neuropathic pain induced by spared nerve injury. Together, these results show that functional TRPA1 is expressed by sensory ganglia SGCs, and TRPA1 function in SGCs is enhanced after both peripheral inflammation and nerve injury, and suggest that TRPA1 in SGCs may contribute to inflammatory and neuropathic pain.Introduction Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare disease characterized by the progressive accumulation of mucinous ascites and peritoneal implants. The optimal treatment for PMP includes the association of complete cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). For patients with a large burdensome disease, the completeness of cytoreduction sometimes requires maximal effort surgery. The aim of this article is to provide proof of concept for two stage cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in this category of patients.Methods and materials A two stage CRS and HIPEC with oxaliplatin was proposed for patients with bulky PMP including important involvement of the serosal surfaces of the bowel or colon who had an impaired nutritional status. The residual disease at the end of the first stage was less than 5 mm of thickness on several implants. Clinical, surgical and histopathological variables were analyzed.Results All eight patients completed the two-stage strategy. Mortality was nil. One Clavien Dindo grade 3 event occurred in each stage. After a median follow up of 29.5 months, all patients were alive and free of recurrence. All of the patients had histopathological complete response on the specimens obtained from the residual sites during the second stage surgery.Conclusions Two-stage surgical strategy is feasible for bulky PMP patients and it is associated with little high-grade morbidity and enhanced visceral sparing.Background The incidence of heart failure as well as its treatment costs and rehospitalization rates are increasing worldwide. Physical assessment of elderly patients with heart failure living in their homes is challenging for community nurses. Pocket-sized echocardiographs will be useful for assessing the condition of the patients with heart failure during home-visit care. Objectives This pilot study aimed to examine the feasibility of measuring the inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter using a pocket-sized ultrasound device. Methods Nursing students were trained to use the pocket-sized ultrasound device (PUSD) for measuring the inferior vena cava diameter of a healthy subject. We evaluated the accuracy and rapidity of the nursing students' measurements compared with those of an expert sonographer. Results In total, 83.3% of the participants accurately visualized the IVC using the PSUD. There was no significant difference in the mean IVC diameter between that measured by the students and the sonographer. In total, 25% of the participants accurately measured the IVC diameter. The mean measurement time was 201 seconds. Conclusion Our training program allowed the participants to accurately visualize the IVC using the PSUD. However, these results on accuracy and measurement time still need to be improved before community nurses can use the PSUD during home visits.Objective The study aimed to compare effectiveness and safety of thermal ablation and hepatic resection in patients with liver metastases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).Method A total of 55 patients (27 in the ablation group and 28 in the surgery group) with liver metastases were included. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were assessed with Kaplan-Meier's survival estimate curves. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were carried out to identify potential prognostic factors.Results The median OS was 102.0 months in the ablation group and 117.0 months in the surgery group (p = .875). The 1-, 3- and 5-year OS rates were 100%, 88.9% and 74.1% in the ablation group and 92.8%, 82.1% and 78.6% in the surgery group, respectively. The 1-, 3- and 5-year PFS rates were 48.1%, 25.9% and 18.5% in the ablation group and 67.8%, 64.3% and 64.3% in the surgery group, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment (progressive disease, PD) (HR, 13.985; 95% CI, 1.791-109.187; p = .012) was the only significant independent prognostic factor for OS. Tumor number (HR, 1.318; 95% CI, 1.021-1.702; p = .034) was identified as an independent predictor for PFS in multivariate analysis. There were fewer postoperative complications (18.5% vs. 78.6%, p = .001) and shorter lengths of hospital stay (8.0 vs. 16.5 days, p = .001) in the ablation group.Conclusion Compared with resection, thermal ablation offered comparable OS for liver metastases of GISTs. Furthermore, thermal ablation had the advantages of fewer complications and shorter lengths of hospital stay.Past research on Singapore English (SgE) has shown that there are specific segmental and prosodic patterns that are unique to the three major ethnic groups, Chinese, Malay, and Indian in Singapore. These features have been highlighted as the "stereotypical" ethnic markers of SgE speakers, assuming substrate influence from the speakers' "ethnic" languages (Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil). BMS-927711 manufacturer However, recent research suggests that Singaporeans are becoming increasingly English dominant and has challenged the position of the ethnic languages as true "mother tongues" of Singaporeans. Hence, this study seeks to question if such "stereotypical" ethnic features exist, and if so, the extent to which a less dominant ethnic language would affect the phonology of speakers' English. This study looks specifically at the production of consonants /f/, /θ/, /t/, /v/, and /w/ as salient segmental features in SgE. Participants' phonetic behavior of /θ/, which was produced similarly across the three ethnic groups, disputed substrate influence.