An abbreviated Faecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale for Chinese-speaking population with colorectal cancer after surgery: cultural adaptation and item reduction.

No instrument is available to assess the impact of faecal incontinence (FI) of quality of life for Chinese-speaking population. The purpose of the study was to adapt the Faecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQL) for patients with colorectal cancer, assess the factor structure and reduce the items for brevity. A sample of 120 participants were enrolled.

Chemogenomic analysis of neuronal differentiation with pathway changes in PC12 cells.

The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database creates networks from interrelations between molecular biology and underlying chemical elements. This allows for analysis of biologic networks, genomic information, and higher-order functional information at a system level. Through high throughput experiments and system biology analysis, we investigated the genes and pathways associated with NGF induced neuronal differentiation.

Autophagy promotes resistance to photodynamic therapy-induced apoptosis selectively in colorectal cancer stem-like cells.

Recent studies have indicated that cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) exhibit a high resistance to current therapeutic strategies, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), leading to the recurrence and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). In cancer, autophagy acts as both a tumor suppressor and a tumor promoter. However, the role of autophagy in the resistance of CSCs to PDT has not been reported.

[Clinical nursing manpower: development and future prospects].

The significant changes in nursing manpower utilization in Taiwan over the past two decades are due in large part to the implementation of the National Health Insurance program and the rising need for long-term care. The changes have impacted clinical nursing manpower utilization in two important ways. Firstly, there has been a substantial increase in overall demand for nursing manpower.

A novel injectable chitosan/polyglutamate polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel with hydroxyapatite for soft-tissue augmentation.

This study demonstrated a chitosan (CS)/polyglutamate (PG) polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) hydrogel combined with spherical hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles as an injectable dermal filler for soft-tissue augmentation. The CS/PG PEC hydrogel with oppositely charged ionic cross-linking, a high gel content, and low degradation rate was introduced as a carrier to achieve high shape and volume stability. An MTT assay indicated that the CS/PG PEC had satisfactory cell biocompatibility.

The outcome and prognostic factors in patients with aspiration pneumonia during concurrent chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

This study aimed to investigate the outcome in patients with aspiration pneumonia during definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer. The data of 595 patients with head and neck cancer treated by chemoradiotherapy were reviewed. Forty-one patients were identified as developing symptomatic aspiration pneumonia during treatment and were analysed for this study.

Spontaneous splenic rupture in a patient who received haemodialysis: case report and a review of the literature.

Spontaneous splenic rupture is an extremely rare complication in patients who received haemodialysis. We describe a 51-year-old woman who underwent regular haemodialysis and was admitted because of sudden onset of abdominal pain, hypovolemic shock and dizziness. Haemoperitoneum caused by spontaneous rupture of spleen was found on abdominal CT scan.

Expression of cortactin and survivin in renal cell carcinoma associated with tumor aggressiveness.

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that the expression of cortactin and survivin in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) correlates with more advanced stages of the disease.

Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis of cortactin and survivin expression (scored on a scale of 0-400) was performed in 124 renal cell carcinomas including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CRCC), papillary RCC (PRCC), CRCC with sarcomatoid differentiation (SRCC), chromophobe RCC (ChRCC), and CRCC with granular cell differentiation (GRCC).

Results: Higher cortactin scores in CRCC were significantly correlated with higher T (p = 0.

Pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation of the urinary bladder.

Pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation (PMP) of the bladder is a rare, benign, and proliferative lesion of the submucosal stroma. We report a 38-year-old female patient who was initially diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder under intravenous pyelography. Bladder tumor was resected by the transurethral method, and pathology disclosed a picture compatible with pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation.

Human leukocyte antigens in undifferentiated spondyloarthritis.

Objectives: Undifferentiated spondyloarthritis (USpA) is a major member of the spondyloarthritis family. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), the prototype of the family, is a largely genetic disease, with human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-B27 being the essential gene. Other genes in the HLA region have also been implicated.

Mycoplasma pneumonia: clinical and radiographic features in 39 children.

Background: The purpose of the present paper was to evaluate the clinical and chest radiographic features of pediatric patients with serologically proven Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (mycoplasma pneumonia).

Methods: The clinical records and chest radiographs of 39 consecutive patients (19 male, 20 female; age 3-13 years) with serologically positive IgG and IgM mycoplasma pneumonia were reviewed.

Results: More than 90% of patients presented with fever and cough and 48% of patients had leukocyte count >10,000/mm(3).

Magnetic resonance imaging of gluteal intramuscular myxoma.

Gluteal intramuscular myxomas with MR images have not been reported before. A 45-year-old man presented with a palpable mass in his right buttock for several months. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an intramuscular cystic lesion with homogeneous signal intensity at the right gluteus muscle, and the mass had thin peripheral enhancement after gadolinium administration.

Validity of sentinel lymph node biopsy in Taiwanese breast cancer patients.

Background/purpose: The clinical validity of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in Taiwanese breast cancer patients from 16 institutes in two consecutive periods was analyzed.

Methods: Data from the initial period between January 3, 1999 and July 2004 and data from the later period after August 2004 to February 2005 were compared. Data on the use of a tracer, SLN identification, harvest and examination, false negative rate (FNR) and the number of patients spared axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) were analyzed.

Penile gangrene in a patient on renal dialysis: CT findings.

We presented a case of a 63-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus and end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis. Precontrast CT images showed atrophy of kidneys bilaterally and calcification of the abdominal aorta, small branches of bilateral renal arteries and small arteries of the pelvis, including the internal pudendal artery and penile artery. Postcontrast CT scans revealed a nonenhancing glans penis with a clear margin relative to normal tissue.

Very early stage adenocarcinoma arising from adenomyosis in the uterus.

Objective: Malignant transformations of adenomyosis in premenopausal women with normal endometrium are extremely rare. We report a case of adenocarcinoma arising from an adenomyotic focus in the uterus, which was found unexpectedly in a woman undergoing myomectomy for adenomyosis.

Case Report: A 47-year-old premenopausal woman presented with massive vaginal bleeding and anemia.

Risk factors for urinary frequency in Taiwanese women aged 20-59 years.

Objective: To evaluate the risk factors for daytime urinary frequency in Taiwanese women aged 20-59 years.

Materials And Methods: In 1998, there were about 5.9 million female residents aged 29-59 years in Taiwan.

Prevalence of urinary frequency in Taiwanese women aged 20-59 years.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of daytime urinary frequency among Taiwanese women aged 20-59 years.

Materials And Methods: In 1998, there were an estimated 5.9 million female residents aged 20-59 years in Taiwan.

Effect of physiologic levels of glutamine on ICAM-1 expression in endothelial cells activated by preeclamptic plasma.

Objective: To investigate whether the plasma glutamine (GLN) concentration would be depleted in pregnant women with preeclampsia and whether administering GLN comparable to physiologic levels would decrease cellular adhesion molecule expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by plasma in preeclamptic women.

Study Design: We assessed plasma GLN levels from blood samples collected from 20 women with preeclampsia and 10 normal pregnant women. HUVECs were cultured in medium-199, containing fetal calf serum, antibiotics and growth factor, at different concentrations (0, 300, 500 microM) of GLN for 24 hours.

Intermuscular cavernous lymphangioma presenting with overgrowth of fat: MRI findings.

We present a case of an intermuscular cavernous lymphangioma with predominantly composed of fatty tissue. A 58-year-old man complained a palpable painless mass over his right arm for 1 month. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 14-cm mass with predominantly composed of fatty tissue between long and short heads of triceps muscle.

Computed tomography angiography in detection and characterization of ruptured anterior cerebral artery aneurysms at uncommon location for emergent surgical clipping.

Introduction: Cerebral subarachnoid hemorrhage may result from rupture of saccular aneurysms at uncommon location [excluding the anterior communicating artery (ACOM)] of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of helical computed tomography angiography (CTA) in detection and characterization of intracranial aneurysms at such uncommon locations before emergent surgical clipping.

Materials And Methods: Between 1998 and 2003, records for 50 consecutive patients who underwent emergent surgical clipping for intracranial aneurysms were reviewed.

Age transition of tuberculosis patients in Taiwan, 1957-2001.

Background: The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has been falling in many developed countries; however, there is a trend of an increasing proportion of TB among the elderly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the age transition of patients with TB in Taiwan from 1957 to 2001.

Methods: Data on the number of TB cases and patient age were collected from the National Tuberculosis Registry for three different 5-year periods: 1957-1961, 1977-1981, and 1997-2001.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma mimicking submucosal myoma protruding to the vagina: MRI findings.

A 46-year-old woman complained of persistent abnormal vaginal bleeding over ten days. Her intrauterine device had been removed two years before. Soon after, she suffered from menorrhagia and metrorrhagia.

Effect of glutamine on cell adhesion molecule expression and leukocyte transmigration in endothelial cells stimulated by preeclamptic plasma.

Objective: This study analyzed plasma glutamine (GLN) concentrations in women with preeclampsia. Also, in an in vitro study we evaluated whether GLN concentration was related to surface molecule expressions on endothelial cells (ECs) and polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and the transendothelial migration of PMNs through ECs stimulated by preeclamptic plasma.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 20 women with preeclampsia and 15 normal pregnant women for plasma GLN analysis.

Serial sonographic findings of lenticulostriate vasculopathy.

The vessels supplying basal ganglia and thalami are not usually detectable on the neurosonogram in the neonates. In recent studies, bright linear echogenesitis in these regions have been well decribed and were defined as lentriculostriate vasculopathy (LSV). These lesions suggested as a marker of a previous insult to the fetal or neonatal brain and the hemodynamics in the immature brain play an important role in its pathogenesis.