J Formos Med Assoc
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Ten patients suffering from residual symptoms after the resolution of COVID-19, which manifested as fatigue in the lower limbs, have been submitted to nerve conduction studies. Motor demyelinating neuropathy features mainly of the tibial nerves but also the peroneal, median, and ulnar nerves were objectified. These findings might be considered as new neurological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Lacto-vegetarians (LVs) tend to have vitamin B12 deficiency (B12D). This study assessed whether 140 female LVs, including 16 B12D/LVs and 124 non-B12D/LVs, had significantly higher frequencies of microcytosis, macrocytosis, and of blood hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), and serum vitamin B12 deficiencies than 140 healthy control subjects (HCSs). ⋯ LVs have significantly higher frequencies of microcytosis, macrocytosis, blood Hb, RBC, and serum vitamin B12 deficiencies than HCSs. Normocytic and microcytic anemias are the two most common types of anemia in our LVs.
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The Taiwan Cancer Registry (TCR) is a nationwide population-based registry that collects the data of patients with newly diagnosed cancer from hospitals with ≥50 beds. TCR data are high quality in terms of completeness and timeliness. However, accuracy is also a crucial quality indicator. ⋯ We calculated the accuracy rates of the reported data by employing a reabstracted chart review. Among the 55 items, the accuracy rates of 38 (69%) were at least 95%, those of 10 (18%) were between 90% and 95%, those of 5 (9%) were between 85% and 90%, and the remaining 2 (4%) were between 80% and 85%. This demonstrates a high degree of accuracy in the TCR long-form data.
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In Taiwan, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) now became a leading cause of difficult-to-treat healthcare-associated infection, for which there are a lack of recent hospital epidemiological studies on risk factors, mortality, and antimicrobial susceptibility. ⋯ Prior exposure to carbapenems, longer hospital stay, and the presence of liver cirrhosis predicted CRKP instead of CSKP mBSI. Even with colistin therapy, CRKP mBSIs was still associated with a very high risk of mortality within 14 days. Ceftazidime/avibactam is a potentially useful therapeutic choice for cases caused by in vitro susceptible CRKP strains.
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Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) a well-recognized oral premalignant disorder. Several studies have demonstrated that periostin, a matricellular protein, is involved in the development and pathogenesis of fibrosis diseases. Nevertheless, the contribution of periostin in OSF remains to be uncovered. The purpose of the study was to illustrate the functional role of periostin involved in OSF pathogenesis. ⋯ Our results indicate the aberrant expression of periostin in OSF tissues and myofibroblasts. Moreover, the expression of periostin is positively associated with fibrosis markers, and repression of periostin may be a promising direction to alleviate the progression of OSF.