Taiwanese parents' experience of making a "do not resuscitate" decision for their child in pediatric intensive care unit.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to explore the parental experience of making a "do not resuscitate" (DNR) decision for their child who is or was cared for in a pediatric intensive care unit in Taiwan.

Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted following parental signing of a standard hospital DNR form on behalf of their critically ill child. Sixteen Taiwanese parents of 11 children aged 1 month to 18 years were interviewed.

Analysis of the width of vertical root fracture in endodontically treated teeth by 2 micro-computed tomography systems.

Introduction: Early detection of vertical root fracture (VRF) is important for clinical endodontic practice. The purpose of this study was to measure the fracture width (distance between 2 sides of the fracture) of VRF teeth in vitro by using 2 micro-computed tomography (μ-CT) systems with different spatial resolution and voxel size.

Methods: Thirty-seven endodontically treated teeth with VRF were scanned by 80-μm pixel size μ-CT.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts regulate the plasticity of lung cancer stemness via paracrine signalling.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a promising target for treating cancer, yet how CSC plasticity is maintained in vivo is unclear and is difficult to study in vitro. Here we establish a sustainable primary culture of Oct3/4(+)/Nanog(+) lung CSCs fed with CD90(+) cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) to further advance our knowledge of preserving stem cells in the tumour microenvironment. Using transcriptomics we identify the paracrine network by which CAFs enrich CSCs through de-differentiation and reacquisition of stem cell-like properties.

Array-based high-throughput screening in mouse embryonic stem cells with shRNAs.

High-throughput short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentivirus screening is a powerful tool for identifying multiple functional regulators in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). shRNA libraries can efficiently down-regulate target genes persistently with high efficiency. The concurrent measurement of relative cell number by alamarBlue (AB) assay and undifferentiated ESC markers via an alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay in the same cell culture well provides an efficient and economical way to pinpoint factors crucial for ESC pluripotency and/or expansion.

Urethane dimethacrylate induces cytotoxicity and regulates cyclooxygenase-2, hemeoxygenase and carboxylesterase expression in human dental pulp cells.

The toxic effect of urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA), a major dental resin monomer, on human dental pulp is not fully clear. In this study, we investigated the influence of UDMA on the cytotoxicity, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and related gene expression of dental pulp cells. The role of reactive oxygen species, hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) and carboxylesterase (CES) in UDMA cytotoxicity, was evaluated.

Long-Term Outcomes of Native Coarctation of the Aorta after Balloon Angioplasty or Surgical Aortoplasty in Newborns and Young Infants Less Than 3 Months of Age.

Background: Balloon angioplasty of native coarctation of the aorta, though effective, is frequently associated with early restenosis, repeated interventions and aneurysm formation, especially in very young patients. However, available long-term data are limited.

Methods: From Jan.

Body mass index may modify asthma prevalence among low-birth-weight children.

Childhood asthma, a growing health concern, has been associated with low birth weight and elevated body mass index. This study tested the hypothesis that overweight and obese adolescents with a history of low birth weight are at even greater risk of developing asthma. A cohort of 75,871 junior high school students was screened for asthma during 1995-1996 in Taiwan.

Effect of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate on the cytotoxicity, cyclooxygenase-2 expression and prostanoids production in human dental pulp cells.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of TEGDMA on cell cycle progression as well as alterations of cell cycle-related gene and protein expression.

Methodology: Human dental pulp cells were exposed to 0-5 mmol L(-1) TEGDMA for 24 h. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay.

Tamoxifen downregulates connective tissue growth factor to ameliorate peritoneal fibrosis.

Peritoneal fibrosis (PF), including simple sclerosis and encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS), is a serious complication in patients on long-term peritoneal dialysis. Tamoxifen has successfully been used in treating EPS; however, the mechanism of tamoxifen in treating EPS fibrosis disorders remains unclear. This study demonstrates a possible antifibrotic mechanism of tamoxifen.

The mechanisms of cytotoxicity of urethane dimethacrylate to Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Monomers released from resin-containing products may cause various adverse effects. Urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) is a principal resin monomer and also a major component released from various dental resin materials. Thus the toxic effects and mechanisms should be elucidated for improving of its safety use.

Radicular cyst with actinomycotic infection in an upper anterior tooth.

Actinomycosis is an infection caused by filamentous, branching, Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria. It rarely infects the jawbone. This case report describes a patient with a left maxillary central incisor with an apical lesion and actinomycotic infection.

Late cardiovascular complications after surgical or balloon angioplasty of coarctation of aorta in an Asian cohort.

Late cardiovascular complications after intervention for coarctation of the aorta (CoA) might be common. Such data, especially in Asian populations, are still limited. A total of 169 patients with CoA who survived balloon (n = 41) or surgical (n = 128) intervention from 1986 to 2004 were enrolled.

Comparative cytotoxicity of five current dentin bonding agents: role of cell cycle deregulation.

To compare the cytotoxicity of three nano-dentin bonding agents (nano-DBAs) and two non-nano-DBAs using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells. We found that nano fillers were not the major contributing factor in DBA cytotoxicity, as analyzed by colony forming assay and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Exposure of CHO-K1 cells to all three tested total-etching DBAs led to G(0)/G(1) cell cycle arrest, whereas exposure to higher concentrations of two tested nano-DBAs induced G(2)/M arrest.

Horizontal/oblique root fractures in the palatal root of maxillary molars with associated periodontal destruction: case reports.

Aim: To report two cases of palatal root fracture in maxillary molars that were successfully managed in the short term by root canal treatment and root amputation.

Summary: In the first case, a 48-year-old woman with bony destruction and a deep periodontal pocket on the palatal root of tooth 26 (FDI) underwent root canal treatment. Bleeding into the palatal canal and radiolucent lines over the root suggested a fracture.

Treatment of pulp floor and stripping perforation by mineral trioxide aggregate.

Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has been widely used to repair various kinds of tooth perforations, but its use for obturation of the entire root canal has not been reported. We report two cases of tooth perforation successfully repaired with MTA. The first patient was a 78-year-old male with calcified canal and pulp floor perforation in the left maxillary first premolar.

Spontaneous bilateral bacterial empyema in a patient with nephrotic syndrome.

Spontaneous bacterial empyema (SBEM), a rare infectious complication among liver cirrhosis patients, is characterized by infection in the presence of pleural effusion without evidence of pre-existing pneumonia. The prevalence of SBEM in cirrhotic patients with hydrothorax is about 13%. However, it has previously not been reported in medical literature in patients with nephrotic syndrome.

Gene expression profiles in hypoxic preconditioning using cDNA microarray analysis: altered expression of an angiogenic factor, carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1.

Hypoxic preconditioning has been shown to exhibit cardioprotective effects on myocardium from ischemic or reperfusion injury. The specific regulated gene involved in the hypoxia-induced cardioprotective effects is profiled in this study. Young male Wistar rats and ICR mice were exposed to sea level (as normal control) or simulated high altitude for 15 h/day for 2, 4, or 8 weeks, or for 4 weeks at high altitude after 2 weeks at sea level.

Initial thrombosuction with subsequent angioplasty in primary coronary intervention--comparison with conventional strategy.

Background: Large thrombus burden remains challenging in the setting of acute myocardial infarct. Initial thrombosuction (IT) followed by actual angioplasty may be advantageous over conventional strategy in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: With a case-control design, 22 consecutive patients receiving primary PCI with IT were designated as group 1.