Background The role of HPV in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cuSCC) is not well defined, with past studies showing conflicting results. Objective We sought to determine if there is a significant association between HPV and cuSCC and whether cuSCC from immunosuppressed patients are more likely to carry HPV than cuSCC from immunocompetent patients. Methods We performed a systematic review and abstracted data from articles that included: skin samples by biopsy, HPV detection by PCR, and a minimum of 10 cases and 10 controls. Pooled effect size and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using random effects meta-analysis using the inverse variance method. Results cuSCC were more likely to carry HPV than normal skin (pooled ES 3.43, 95% CI 1.97–5.98, p<0.0001) in all patients. An increase in HPV prevalence was found in tumors from immunosuppressed patients compared to immunocompetent patients (pooled ES 3.01, 95%CI 2.00–4.52, p<0.0001). Limitations The greatest limitation is the heterogeneity of the studies included. The association of higher HPV prevalence in SCC compared to normal skin does not imply causality. Conclusion These results contribute to evidence that HPV is associated with cuSCC. Higher HPV burden in tumors from immunosuppressed patients compared to immunocompetent patients may have therapeutic implications.

Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) is a rare hereditary inflammatory disorder encompassing a continuum of three phenotypes: familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, Muckle-Wells syndrome, and neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease. Distinguishing features include cutaneous, neurological, ophthalmologic, and rheumatologic manifestations. CAPS results from a gain-of-function mutation of the NLRP3 gene coding for cryopyrin, which forms intracellular protein complexes known as inflammasomes. Defects of the inflammasomes lead to overproduction of interleukin-1, resulting in inflammatory symptoms seen in CAPS. Diagnosis is often delayed and requires a thorough review of clinical symptoms. Remarkable advances in our understanding of the genetics and the molecular pathway that is responsible for the clinical phenotype of CAPS has led to the development of effective treatments. It also has become clear that the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role in innate immune defense and therefore has wider implications for other inflammatory disease states.

A robust and selective late-stage deuteration methodology was applied to 13C-enriched amino and alpha hydroxy acids to increase spin-lattice relaxation constant T1 for hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance imaging. For the five substrates with 13C-labeling on the C1-position ([1-13C]alanine, [1-13C]serine, [1-13C]lactate, [1-13C]glycine, and [1-13C]valine), significant increase of their T1 was observed at 3 T with deuterium labeling (+26%, 22%, +16%, +25% and +29%, respectively). Remarkably, in the case of [2-13C]alanine, [2-13C]serine and [2-13C]lactate, deuterium labeling led to a greater than four fold increase in T1. [1-13C,2-2H]alanine, produced using this method, was applied to in vitro enzyme assays with alanine aminotransferase, demonstrating a kinetic isotope effect.

Ultrafast NMR measurements of diffusion and T2 relaxation reveal physical properties of samples and are compatible with hyperpolarization-based signal enhancement.

Introduction: Collision tumors of adenocarcinoma and lymphoma in the gastrointestinal tract are especially rare with few reported cases in literature. We report a unique case of a collision tumor and perform a literature review.Presentation of case: An 86-year-old patient with a history of rheumatoid arthritis on chronic azathioprine and prednisone was found to have an invasive adenocarcinoma in the descending colon. A large atypical lymphocytic infiltrate was found at the base of this lesion, which demonstrated CD20, lambda and EBER positivity consistent with adenocarcinoma colliding with EBV-driven and lambdarestricted large B-cell lymphoma.Discussion: With this report, there are now fifteen cases of this type of collision tumor although the true incidence may be higher. Our case is unique among previous reports as the collision developed within the setting of iatrogenic immunosuppression and tumor EBV positivity was demonstrated. The pathogenesis is unknown, and diagnosis requires a high-degree of suspicion.

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Background & aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) outcomes among Asians may differ by the Asian ethnic subgroup. We aim to evaluate the impact of the Asian ethnic subgroup on HCC tumor stage, treatment received, and overall survival among US adults. Methods: Using the 2004-2012 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results U.S. cancer registry, we retrospectively evaluated disparities in HCC tumor stage at diagnosis, HCC treatment received, and overall survival among Asian adults, stratified by Asian ethnic subgroups. Multivariate regression models evaluated the independent impact of Asian ethnic subgroups on the HCC tumor stage at diagnosis, treatment received, and overall long-term survival. Results: Among 8160 Asians with HCC, Southeast Asian (SEA) patients accounted for 26% of all HCC, followed by Chinese (CH) (22%), and Filipinos (FP) (14.0%) patients. Japanese (JP) patients were significantly older than those of the other subgroups (mean 71.1, SD 10.8, P < 0.01). When evaluating HCC stage, FP patients were less likely to have localized HCC and less likely to have HCC within the Milan criteria than CH HCC patients. When evaluating HCC treatment, pacific islanders (PI), FP and SEA patients were significantly less likely to any receive HCC treatment than CH patients. Overall fiveyear HCC survival was highest among CH HCC patients (33.1%) and lowest among FP (19.9%) and JP patients (22.0%). Conclusion: Among Asians with HCC in the US, significant disparities among Asian ethnic subgroups exist. More advanced disease was seen among FP patients, less HCC treatment was seen among FP and SEA patients, and significantly higher mortality was seen among FP, SEA, and JP patients with HCC.