Burn blister fluids in the neovascularization stage of burn wound healing: A comparison between superficial and deep partial-thickness burn wounds.

Burn wound healing is a complex and dynamic process that involves the interaction between different cell types and mediators. Neovascularization is an imperative stage of wound healing and consists of not only angiogenesis but also adult vasculogenesis. A superficial partial-thickness burn (SPTB) heals within 2 weeks without scarring.

A misdiagnosed Riedel's thyroiditis successfully treated by thyroidectomy and tamoxifen.

Riedel's thyroiditis, known as invasive fibrous thyroiditis, is a very rare form of chronic thyroiditis. It is hard to make the diagnosis without surgical biopsy. We present a case of Riedel's thyroiditis in a 52-year-old female with past history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Generalized flare of pustular psoriasis induced by PEGylated interferon-α2b therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

New onset or exacerbation of psoriasis vulgaris has been reported in a small number of patients after interferon (IFN)-α therapy. Herein, we report a case of generalized flare of pustular psoriasis induced by PEGylated IFN-α2b (PEG-IFN-α2b) in a 59-year-old woman with a 15-year history of pustular psoriasis and chronic hepatitis C. Interferon-α therapy was discontinued and the rash resolved after treatment with cyclosporin and systemic methylprednisolone.

Trismus release in oral cancer patients.

Trismus is a common problem among oral cancer patients. This report aimed to study the inciting factors of trismus and to find out the rationale of trismus release. Between 1996 and 2008, 61 oral cancer patients with retrievable records of interincisor distance (IID) were analyzed by retrospective chart review.

Increased fetuin-A concentrations in impaired glucose tolerance with or without nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, but not impaired fasting glucose.

Context: Fetuin-A, a liver-derived glycoprotein that impairs insulin signaling, is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diabetes, and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Both prediabetes and NAFLD are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and their concurrence significantly impairs hepatic and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity.

Objective: Our objective was to investigate the relationship between serum fetuin-A levels and prediabetes in subjects with or without NAFLD.

Three-dimensional ultrasound in the prenatal diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta.

Objective: Fetal osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heterogeneous group of collagen disorders characterized by bone fragility, blue sclerae, deafness, and dentinogenesis imperfecta. Ultrasonography is acknowledged as a reliable diagnostic modality for the prenatal diagnosis of OI, especially type II. In the past, two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound (US) has been applied as the mainstay of prenatal diagnosis of OI.

Collodion baby and loricrin keratoderma: a case report and mutation analysis.

Hereditary palmoplantar keratodermas (PPK) comprise a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of genodermatoses, which share the characteristic of impaired epidermal differentiation, resulting in prominent palmoplantar hyperkeratosis. Molecular genetic analyses have helped characterize the underlying genetic defects in an increasing number of hereditary PPKs over the past two decades, and thus a pathophysiological classificaiton seems more reasonable. Today PPK can be classified based on defects in keratins, loricrin, desmosomes, connexins and cathepsins.

Carbapenem therapy for bacteremia due to extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae: implications of ertapenem susceptibility.

A retrospective study was conducted at two medical centers in Taiwan to evaluate the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors for mortality among patients treated with a carbapenem for bacteremia caused by extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms. A total of 251 patients with bacteremia caused by ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates treated by a carbapenem were identified. Among these ESBL-producing isolates, rates of susceptibility to ertapenem (MICs ≤ 0.

The role of bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein in men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background And Objective: Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) is a member of the pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system. Recently, an association between genetic polymorphism in the BPI gene and a risk of airflow decline after transplantation was demonstrated, but whether these findings are reproducible in nontransplantation populations, such as those with COPD, is still unknown. The aim of this study is to explore the role of BPI in COPD.

Distribution and phenotypic and genotypic detection of a metallo-β-lactamase, CphA, among bacteraemic Aeromonas isolates.

The objectives of the study were to investigate the distribution of cphA-related genes (cphA) encoding a CphA metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) among 51 consecutive Aeromonas blood isolates and to compare different phenotypic methods for detecting CphA. The presence of cphA was detected by PCR. Four phenotypic methods, the imipenem-EDTA combined disc test, imipenem-EDTA MBL Etest, agar dilution test and modified Hodge test (MHT), were used to detect imipenem susceptibility and MBL production.

Optimal Percoll concentration facilitates flow cytometric analysis for annexin V/propidium iodine-stained ischemic brain tissues.

We sought to determine the optimal Percoll concentration for ischemic rat brain prepared for flow cytometric (FC) measurements. Animals were subjected to the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion, and were euthanized at 3, 12, 24, and 72 h after reperfusion onset. The brains were processed by different concentrations (unisolated, 20, 25, 30, or 40%) of Percoll and stained with annexin V/propidium iodine (PI).

Association between preoperative allograft function (effective renal plasma flow) and the change in glomerular filtration rate among living-donor kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Predonation kidney function may be an important factor affecting graft outcome. Increased baseline allograft function may be more effective than strategies to slow the decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR). However, the role of donor effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) on long-term outcome is less well understood.

Cyclosporine or tacrolimus: which is the better partner for myfortic or cellcept?

Background: Mycophenolic acid (MPA) pharmacokinetics using the mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) formulation are known to differ between patients receiving tacrolimus (FK) or cyclosporine (CyA), but only limited data exist concerning concomitant use of FK or CyA with enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS; Myfortic). This retrospective study compared the drug interactions with the mycophenolic acid blood levels using different immunosuppressants and their relation to graft survival.

Patients And Methods: We studied MPA levels in posttransplant sera from 298 renal transplant recipients.

Kidney grafts with multiple renal arteries is no longer a relative contraindication with advance in surgical techniques of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Objectives: Kidney grafts with multiple renal arteries were considered as a relative contraindication. We retrospectively reviewed our experience of kidney grafts with multiple renal arteries to clarify the usefulness of these grafts.

Methods: Between September 2002 and June 2011, 100 laparoscopic donor nephrectomies (LDNs) were performed consecutively.

Polymorphism of microsomal epoxide hydrolase is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchodilator response.

Background/purpose: Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX) is an important enzyme that metabolizes harmful reactive epoxides from smoking. Genetic variations of this enzyme are thought to increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to confirm and advance our knowledge of the role of this genetic variation in COPD.

Incidence of cancer in a nationwide population cohort of 7852 patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome in Taiwan.

Objectives: Patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) are at a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). However, little is known with regard to the risk of developing cancers other than NHL. The authors aimed in this study to compare the incidence of cancer in various sites among patients with pSS with the general population of Taiwan.

Bacteremia due to extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing Aeromonas spp. at a medical center in Southern Taiwan.

Although extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing aeromonads have been increasingly reported in recent years, most of them were isolates from case reports or environmental isolates. To investigate the prevalence of ESBL producers among Aeromonas blood isolates and the genes encoding ESBLs, consecutive nonduplicate Aeromonas blood isolates collected at a medical center in southern Taiwan from March 2004 to December 2008 were studied. The ESBL phenotypes were examined by clavulanate combination disk test and the cefepime-clavulanate ESBL Etest.

A new automatic algorithm to extract craniofacial measurements from fetal three-dimensional volumes.

Objectives: Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound is useful in the prenatal evaluation of fetal craniofacial structures, particularly as it provides a multiplanar view. However, an expert must designate the area of interest and the appropriate view, making measurement of fetal structures using 3D ultrasound both time-consuming and subjective. In this study we propose an image analysis system that measures automatically and precisely the fetal craniofacial structures and evaluate its performance in the second trimester of pregnancy using a new 3D volume analysis algorithm.

The use of dual-phase 18F-FDG PET in characterizing thyroid incidentalomas.

Aim: To examine the usefulness of dual-phase 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET) for the evaluation of thyroid incidentalomas.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, cases with focal thyroid lesions seen incidentally at FDG PET in which the histopathological diagnosis was available and in which dual-phase FDG PET imaging was performed at 1 and 2 h after FDG injection were reviewed. In the included cases, the 1 and 2 h maximal standard uptake value (1-hour maximal SUV and 2-hour maximal SUV, respectively) and retention index (RI) were calculated, and the differences between benign and malignant thyroid incidentalomas were analysed.

Adjunctive oral methylprednisolone in pediatric acute pyelonephritis alleviates renal scarring.

Objective: To determine if glucocorticoids can prevent renal scar formation after acute pyelonephritis in pediatric patients.

Methods: Patients younger than 16 years diagnosed with their first episode of acute pyelonephritis with a high risk of renal scar formation (ie, inflammatory volume ≥ 4.6 mL on technetium-99m-labeled dimercaptosuccinic acid scan [DMSA] or abnormal renal ultrasonography results) were randomly assigned to receive either antibiotics plus methylprednisolone sodium phosphate (1.

Painless skin electroporation as a novel way for insulin delivery.

Background: Rigorous research efforts have been undertaken worldwide to develop a needle-free insulin delivery for many decades with limited success. This translational study aims to deliver insulin through skin with painless electroporation.

Methods: A recently designed microelectrode array was used to deliver insulin in mice with diabetes under electroporation conditions that are painless and harmless on human skin.

Changes in measles seroepidemiology of healthcare workers in southern Taiwan.

To assess the measles seroepidemiology of healthcare workers (HCWs), from 2004 to 2009 all newly recruited staff at a university hospital in Taiwan, were tested for specific immunoglobulin G antibodies for measles virus using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. A total of 1584 HCWs were included. The positivity rate of measles antibody for physicians and nurses was about 90%.

Analysis of factors influencing limb amputation in high-voltage electrically injured patients.

Background: Limb amputation is considered one of the most devastating consequences of electrical injury. Any factors that correlate with the degree of muscle damage can be used to predict the necessity of limb amputation. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that can be used to predict limb amputation in high-voltage electrically injured patients.