J Formos Med Assoc
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The unpredictable condition of cracked teeth warrants further investigation and clinical experiences. The purpose of this study was to collect and record data on demographics, clinical characteristics, different treatment modalities and survival of cracked teeth at 6-month, 1-year and 2-year recalls. ⋯ The absence of pre-operative palpation discomfort, spontaneous pain and minimal mobility, as well as the presence of pulp vitality were associated with higher survival rates of cracked teeth at all recall times. Results are useful for diagnosis and outcomes-based treatment planning of cracked teeth.
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Ventilation limitation has a significant adverse effects on cardiovascular function and tissue oxygenation during exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) improve ventilation by washing out the anatomical dead space and providing oxygen at constant concentration. This study aimed to examine the effects of HFNC on the exercise performance and hemodynamic status in COPD patients. ⋯ HFNC resulted in a significant decrease in CO2 production and increase in exercise duration. The application of HFNC may improve the efficiency of exercise training by allowing patients to sustain exercise for longer time.
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This study measured the acceleration magnitude using a dummy model filled with various air-material ratios to elucidate the mechanism of resonance effect on ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP). ⋯ The mechanism for eliciting oVEMP is via the first-order bone vibration coupled with the second-order resonance effect. Both percentage of air volume (i.e. frontal sinus) and density of filling media (i.e. skull property) may contribute to the resonance effect, which then increases the acceleration magnitude so as to enhance the elicitation of oVEMP.
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Dental pulp fibroblasts can protect dental pulp from microbial invasion. However, little is known about the interaction between pulp fibroblasts and the immune cells. In this study, the production of proinflammatory cytokines related to inflammatory cell recruitment was evaluated in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated human dental pulp fibroblasts (HDPFs). The role of TNF-α-stimulated HDPFs in the cell fusion under inflammatory process was determined with the cell co-culture with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). ⋯ Our results indicate that under the stimulation of TNF-α, HDPFs may amplify inflammatory response by cytokines production, which in turn can modulate the differentiation of immune cells.
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Idiopathic (isolated) hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is a rare disease that can be classified as Kallmann syndrome (KS) or normosmic IHH (nIHH). This study investigated the phenotype and genotype of IHH in Taiwanese patients. ⋯ Whole exome sequencing is useful in patients with IHH, and we identified the SOX11 gene as a causal factor in this study. We described the clinical, hormonal, and molecular characteristics, and the treatment outcomes, of Taiwanese patients with IHH, which should aid therapeutic planning and further research.