Single-session ethanol ablation in the treatment of thyroid cysts ≥10 mL: Effectiveness and influencing factors.

Background: Ethanol ablation (EA) has been proposed as a first-line treatment modality for recurrent symptomatic cystic thyroid nodules following initial aspiration. The efficacy of EA can be compromised when the initial nodule volume exceeds 10 mL. This study assessed the efficacy of single-session EA in managing thyroid cysts with an initial volume of ≥10 mL.

Impact of Region-of-Interest Size on the Diagnostic Performance of Shear Wave Elastography in Differentiating Thyroid Nodules.

This study investigated the impact of different region-of-interest (ROI) sizes (Max, 1 mm, and 2 mm) on shear wave elastography (SWE) in differentiating between malignant and benign thyroid nodules. The study cohort comprised 129 thyroid nodules (50 malignant, 79 benign) and 78 normal subjects. Diagnostic efficacy was assessed through pairwise comparisons of area under the curve (AUC) values in receiver operating characteristic analysis by using DeLong's test.

Interactive associations of sex and hyperlipidemia with calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in Taiwanese adults.

Calcific tendinitis (CT) of the shoulder is a painful disorder usually identified in individuals aged 40 and 60 years. The estimated global prevalence of CT is 2.7% to 36%.

Physical activity is associated with lower health care costs among Taiwanese individuals with diabetes mellitus.

The economic burden of diabetes has increased over time with disease severity. Previous publications investigating the effects of physical activity (PA) on medical costs have made use of small sample sizes. We assessed the relationship between PA and 1-year medical expenditure among Taiwanese patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Blood-Based SOX2-Promoter Methylation in Relation to Exercise and PM Exposure among Taiwanese Adults.

Increased ventilation during exercise in polluted areas could trigger airway inflammation. We evaluated blood DNA methylation of the SOX2-promoter region in relation to exercise and PM in Taiwanese adults. Data of 948 participants aged 30-70 years were retrieved from the Taiwan Biobank Database (2008-2015) and the Air Quality Monitoring Database (2006-2011).

Relationship between BRSK1 rs12611091 variant and age at natural menopause based on physical activity.

Objectives: The rs12611091 variant in the BR serine/threonine kinase 1 gene is one of the variants previously associated with age at natural menopause. So far, this variant has not been replicated in Taiwanese women. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between rs12611091 and age at natural menopause based on physical activity.

Efficacy of Predicting Videofluoroscopic Results in Dysphagic Patients with Severe Cerebral Palsy Using the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA) to predict the results of videofluoroscopic swallowing studies.

Method: Children with cerebral palsy with suspicion of aspiration were enrolled. The Functional Dysphagia Scale (FDS) was used to quantify the swallowing dysfunction in videofluoroscopic swallowing studies.