J Formos Med Assoc
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Do patients benefit more from robot assisted approach than conventional laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy? A meta-analysis of perioperative and economic outcomes.
Robotic approach has improved the ergonomics of conventional laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP), but whether patients benefit more from robot assisted distal pancreatectomy (RADP) is still controversial. This meta-analysis aims to compare the perioperative and economic outcomes of RADP with LDP. ⋯ RADP showed a slight technical advantage. But whether this benefit is worth twofold cost should be considered by patient's individuation.
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MicroRNAs (MiR, MiRNA) are small single-stranded non-coding RNAs that play an important role in the regulation of gene expression. MircoRNAs exert their effect by binding to complementary nucleotide sequences of the targeted messenger RNA, thus forming an RNA-induced silencing complex. ⋯ Recent research identifies the miR-17-92 cluster as a crucial player in the development of the immune system, the heart, the lung, and oncogenic events. In light of the miR-17-92 cluster's increasing role in regulating the immune system, our review will discuss the latest knowledge regarding its involvement in cells of both innate and adaptive immunity, including B cells, subsets of T cells such as Th1, Th2, T follicular helper cells, regulatory T cells, monocytes/macrophages, NK cells, and dendritic cells, and the possible targets that are regulated by its members.
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Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) is a rare disorder characterized by scarce adipose tissue. This disease is distributed worldwide, but little is known about these patients in the Chinese population. Here, we delineate the phenotype and prognosis of CGL in our cohort. ⋯ Our findings highlight the uniqueness of the genotype and phenotype in our cohort. Further long-term surveillance for comorbidities is necessary for early detection and management of these patients.
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Even with the increasing recognition of primary aldosteronism (PA) as a cause of refractory hypertension and an issue of public health, the consensus of its optimal surgical or medical treatment in Taiwan has not been reached. Our objective was to develop a clinical practice guideline that is feasible for real-world management of PA patients in Taiwan. ⋯ We hope this consensus will provide a guideline to help medical professionals to manage PA patients in Taiwan to achieve a better quality of care.
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There are scarce reports on the prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in Asia. This study aimed to address these matters in a real-world setting. ⋯ This is one of the largest case series of MPM reported in Asia outside of Japan. Prognostic factors in the study population included age, performance status, stage, and histology subtype. Surgery in potentially resectable disease and systemic therapy in advanced MPM confer a survival benefit in Asian patients.