Medicine
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Observational Study
The Associations of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in miR196a2, miR-499, and miR-608 With Breast Cancer Susceptibility: A STROBE-Compliant Observational Study.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role as regulators of tumor suppressors and oncogenes in cancer-related processes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNAs have been shown to be relevant to various different cancers, including breast cancer (BC). The aim of this study was to estimate the associations between miRNA-related gene polymorphisms (miR-196a2, miR-499, and miR-608) and the risk of BC in a Chinese population. ⋯ The miR-196a2 (rs11614913) T allele was associated with a decreased risk of BC based on results from dominant (OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.52-0.86), recessive (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.48-0.86), and allele models (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.62-0.86). In contrast, the miR-499 (rs3746444) AG/GG genotypes were associated with an increased risk of BC (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.10-1.91), and miR-608 (rs4919510) was not significantly associated with BC risk. Our study suggested that the polymorphisms of rs11614913 and rs3746444 may be associated with BC risk in Chinese individuals.
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Few studies have reported on readmissions among cancer patients receiving inpatient palliative care (IPC). This study investigated readmissions in cancer patients after their first discharge from IPC in Taiwan from 2002 to 2010. This study was a secondary data analysis using information from the National Health Insurance Database in Taiwan from 2002 to 2010. ⋯ Being male, having a higher insurance premium level, having a longer length of stay during first IPC admission, being admitted to a teaching hospital, or being admitted to a tertiary hospital increased the adjusted hazard ratio for readmission. We found that terminal cancer patients in Taiwan received relatively late referrals for first admission to IPC and experienced a high rate of readmission after first discharge from IPC. Policies to improve hospice palliative care referrals and decrease readmissions should be considered.
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Observational Study
Genetic Variation in Metastasis-Associated in Colon Cancer-1 and the Risk of Breast Cancer Among the Chinese Han Population: A STROBE-Compliant Observational Study.
Metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1), a newly identified oncogene, is involved in angiogenesis, invasiveness, and metastasis in many cancers. Epidemiological studies have indicated the associations between MACC1 polymorphisms and cancer risk. However, the association between genetic polymorphisms in MACC1 and breast cancer (BC) was not clear. ⋯ However, we failed to find any relationships between rs1990172 or rs3735615 polymorphism and BC risk. In addition, haplotype analysis indicated that the CTGG and CTCG haplotypes (rs975263, rs1990172, rs3735615, rs4721888) were significantly associated with decreased susceptibility to BC (P = 0.029 and 0.019 respectively). Our results suggest that rs975263 and rs4721888 polymorphisms in MACC1 are associated with the risk of BC susceptibility and may be involved in the progression of BC in Chinese women.
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Elevated serum homocysteine has been shown to be a risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We characterized the relationships between the serum levels of homocysteine, folic acid, and vitamins D2, D3, and B12 in patients with T2DM, CVD, and hypertension in Shanghai, China. The levels of these serum biochemical markers were determined for 9311 Chinese patients (mean age: 79.50 ± 13.26 years) with T2DM (N = 839), hypertension (N = 490), or CVD (N = 7925). ⋯ The linear regression and stratified analyses showed that the highest levels of folic acid and vitamins D2 and D3 correlated with the lowest level of homocysteine in T2DM, CVD, and hypertension patients (P < 0.05 for all), whereas the highest level of vitamin B12 correlated with a lowest level of homocysteine in CVD patients only (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that the contributions of both vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 should be considered in investigations of the effects of vitamin D supplements in T2DM, CVD, and hypertension patients. Our findings warrant future studies of the benefits of vitamin D and folic acid supplements for reducing the risk of T2DM, CVD, and hypertension in elderly Chinese people, as well as the benefits of vitamin B12 supplements for reducing the risk of CVD alone.
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Case Reports
Using a Distant Abdominal Skin Flap to Treat Digital Constriction Bands: A Case Report for Vohwinkel Syndrome.
In this study, a Vohwinkel syndrome case is presented where in 5th digit constriction bands in the right hand were reconstructed using a distant abdominal skin flap. Vohwinkel syndrome, or keratoderma hereditarium mutilans, is a rare, autosomal dominant genetic skin condition that causes palmoplantar hyperkeratosis and constricts finger and/or toe bands. ⋯ Only 1 effective approach for autoamputation has been accepted, reconstructive surgery. Applying a distant abdominal skin flap produced satisfying postoperative effects at the 18-month follow-up.