Medicine
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Lichtenstein technique requires identification of the iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, and genital branch of the genitofemoral nerves. The aim of the study was to verify if the transverse incision is suitable for identification of the iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, and genital branch of the genitofemoral nerves. This study included 29 patients who underwent hernioplasty, and also 10 dissections of the inguinal regions from 5 cadavers. ⋯ The associations between these measures were: BMI (P = 0.136), AbC (P = 0.104), PA (P = 0.641), and IS (P = 0.399). The rates of successful nerve identification in patients and corpse were: iliohypogastric-29 (29)/9 (10), 100% (P = 0.147); ilioinguinal-29 (29)/10 (10), 100%; and genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve-26 (29)/9 (10), 89.7/80% (P = 0.488). The transverse incision permitted identification of the nerves for Lichtenstein hernioplasty.
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Observational Study
Influence of oral health behavior and sociodemographic factors on remaining teeth in Korean adults: 2010-2012 Korea national health and nutrition examination survey.
In this study, the number and location of remaining teeth were analyzed according to sociodemographic variables, anthropometric measurements, and oral health behavior patterns. The hypothesis was that the number and location of remaining teeth would be affected by oral health behavior and by sociodemographic factors, such as education levels, household income, and urban/rural residency. This nationwide cross-sectional study was performed with a total of 36,026 representative Korean adults aged 19 and older. ⋯ The participants who brushed their teeth fewer times per day, those with low household incomes and/or education levels, and those who lived in rural districts had significantly higher prevalence of tooth loss than did other groups in Korean adults. Participants had more anterior and premolar teeth on mandible, but they had more molars on maxilla. In addition, participants with high socioeconomic status were more likely to lose their molar teeth than anterior teeth compared to those with low socioeconomic status.
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Frequent multidisciplinary communication is essential in conducting daily radiotherapy (RT) practice. However, traditional oral or paper-based communication has limitations. E-communication has been suggested, but its effects are still not well demarcated in the field of radiation oncology. ⋯ Replacing oral or paper-based practice with e-communication is useful in facilitating RT multidisciplinary teamwork. Staff satisfaction and clinical effectiveness can be increased.
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The aim of the study was to evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced breast magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) features for the prediction of early and late recurrences in patients with breast cancer. Of 1030 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery at our hospital from January 2007 to July 2011, 83 recurrent breast cancer patients were enrolled in this study. We compared MRI features (background parenchymal enhancement [BPE], internal enhancement, adjacent vessel sign, whole-breast vascularity, initial enhancement pattern, kinetic curve types, and quantitative kinetic parameters) and clinico-pathologic variables (age, stage, histologic grade, nuclear grade, existence of lymphovascular invasion and extensive intraductal carcinoma component, and immunohistochemical profiles) between patients with early (≤2.5 years after surgery) and late recurrence (>2.5 years after surgery). ⋯ On breast MRI, prominent ipsilateral whole-breast vascularity was independently associated with early recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 2.86; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.39-5.88) and moderate or marked BPE (HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.04-4.18) and rim enhancement (HR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.00-4.59) were independently associated with late recurrence. Clinico-pathologic variables independently associated with early recurrence included negative estrogen receptor (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29-0.96), whereas T2 stage (HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.04-4.16) and nuclear grade III (HR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.29-4.98) were associated with late recurrence. In DCE-MRI, prominent ipsilateral whole-breast vascularity, moderate or marked BPE, and rim enhancement could be useful for predicting recurrence timing in patients with breast cancer.
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Observational Study
Neurological, psychological, and cognitive disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease on conservative and replacement therapy.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a highly prevalent condition in the world. Neurological, psychological, and cognitive disorders, related to CKD, could contribute to the morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life of these patients. The aim of this study was to assess the neurological, psychological, and cognitive imbalance in patients with CKD on conservative and replacement therapy. ⋯ Moreover, all NPZ5 scores showed a significant difference between the means of nephropathic patients and the means of the HC, and a positive correlation with eGFR, serum nitrogen, CRP, iPTH, and vitamin D. In CKD patients, simple and noninvasive instruments, as EEG, and cognitive-psychological tests, should be performed and careful and constant monitoring of renal risk factors, probably involved in neuropsychological complications (inflammation, disorders of mineral metabolism, electrolyte disorders, etc.), should be carried out. Early identification and adequate therapy of neuropsychological, and cognitive disorders, might enable a better quality of life and a major compliance with a probable reduction in the healthcare costs.