Genetic Variation in Steroid and Xenobiotic Metabolizing Pathways and Enterolactone Excretion Before and After Flaxseed Intervention in African American and European American Women.

Background: Metabolism and excretion of the phytoestrogen enterolactone (ENL), which has been associated with breast cancer risk, may be affected by variation in steroid hormone and xenobiotic-metabolizing genes.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, crossover flaxseed intervention study in 252 healthy, postmenopausal women [137 European ancestry (EA) and 115 African ancestry (AA)] from western New York. Participants were randomly assigned to maintain usual diet or consume 10 g/day ground flaxseed for 6 weeks.

Quantification of peri-aortic root fat from non-contrast ECG-gated cardiac computed tomography.

In this data, we present the details of the cross-sectional study from Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan that examined the relationship between three-dimensional (3D) peri-aortic root fat (PARF) volumes, cardiometabolic risk profiles, carotid artery morphology and remodeling. Our sample is composed of a total 1492 adults who underwent an annual cardiovascular risk survey in Taiwan. PARF was measured using images of gated non-contrast cardiac computed tomography (CT) and a dedicated workstation (Aquarius 3D Workstation, TeraRecon, San Mateo, CA, USA).

The association among peri-aortic root adipose tissue, metabolic derangements and burden of atherosclerosis in asymptomatic population.

Aim: To describe the relationship between a novel measurement of peri-arotic root fat and ultrasound measures of carotid artery remodeling.

Materials And Methods: We studied 1492 consecutive subjects (mean age: 51.04 ± 8.

Effects of hospital generic drug substitution on diabetes therapy.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects on physicians' prescribing behavior and on the therapeutic outcome of non-insulin-dependent diabetes patients of substituting different generic brands of metformin.

Methods: We adopt a retrospective cohort study involving 280 type-2 diabetes patients who regularly used the outpatient services of one medical center and who had changed metformin brands five times between 2003 and 2008. The aim was to examine the effects of switching brands.

Burnout, job satisfaction, and medical malpractice among physicians.

Objectives: Our objective was to estimate the incidence of recent burnout in a large sample of Taiwanese physicians and analyze associations with job related satisfaction and medical malpractice experience.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey. Physicians were asked to fill out a questionnaire that included demographic information, practice characteristics, burnout, medical malpractice experience, job satisfaction, and medical error experience.

Can cancer patients seeking a second opinion get better care?

Objectives: To investigate whether cancer patients who sought a second opinion received better medical care.

Study Design: A total of 1358 newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients undergoing resection were identified from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 2004 and 2008. The frequency of doctor shopping and hospital shopping in the 6 months before resection was used to define "seeking a second opinion.