J Formos Med Assoc
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Vitrectomy may affect intravitreal drug clearance and efficacy for treating diabetic macular edema (DME). This study aimed to evaluate functional and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal dexamethasone (DEX) implant for vitrectomized and nonvitrectomized eyes with treatment-naïve DME in Taiwanese patients. ⋯ In this 6-month retrospective study, intravitreal DEX implant was effective in Taiwanese patients with treatment-naïve DME regardless of vitrectomy status.
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The inflammatory milieu has been firmly established to affect cancer progression. However, the connection between natural killer (NK) cells and prostate cancer (PCa) has not been elucidated. ⋯ NKA was significantly higher postoperatively than preoperatively. Patients with positive surgical margins had lower postoperative NKA than those with negative margins. Lower postoperative NKA was also observed in higher-stage PCa. NKA could be used as a supplemental marker for detecting the remaining tumor cells after prostatectomy in combination of PSA.
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Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) exhibits multiple biological functions in various tissues. Stem cells from apical papilla (SCAP) can be isolated from human apical papilla tissues in developmental teeth of children. The purposes of this study were to investigate the expression of FGF receptors (FGFRs) and the effects of bFGF on SCAP and related MEK/ERK signaling. ⋯ SCAP cells express FGFRs. bFGF may stimulate proliferation and affect the matrix turnover of SCAP cells, possibly via stimulation of FGFRs and MEK/ERK signaling pathway. These results are useful for clinical therapies for apexogenesis and regeneration of pulpo-dentin complex.
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The updated prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is lacking in Taiwan. We aimed to assess the accuracy of Vstrip® H. pylori Stool Antigen Rapid Test (Vstrip®HpSA) in the detection and surveillance of the updated prevalence of H. pylori in Taiwan. ⋯ The age-standardized prevalence of H. pylori infection in Taiwan was 21.8% in asymptomatic adults in 2018. The Vstrip® HpSA had equivalent performance as the ImmunoCard STAT!® HpSA, and can be used in future mass screening of H. pylori infection for gastric cancer prevention.
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Rapid on-site cytologic evaluation (ROSE) has been shown to improve the diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBB). However, ROSE by a cytopathologist or cytotechnologist is not always available during the procedure. The purposes of this study were to verify that a pulmonologist, after receiving training in cytology, could accurately assess an EBUS-TBB specimen on-site, and to evaluate the contribution of ROSE to EBUS-TBB. ⋯ A trained pulmonologist can interpret adequately cytologic smears on-site and effectively improve the accuracy of EBUS-TBB in the diagnosis of PPLs.