J Formos Med Assoc
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Influenza A/H3N2 viruses are characterized by highly mutated RNA genomes. In this study, we focused on tracing the phylodynamics of Taiwanese strains over the past four decades. ⋯ We comprehensively investigated the evolutionary history of Taiwanese strains in 1979-2017. An epidemic caution could thus be raised if genetic diversity was found to have peaked. An example showed a newly-discovered cluster in 2016-2017 strains featuring a mutation N31S together with HA-160 quasispecies. Phylogeographic analysis, moreover, provided useful insights in tracing the possible source and migrations of these epidemics around the world. We demonstrated that Asian destinations including Taiwan were the immediate followers, while U.S. continent was predicted the origin of two summer epidemics in 2007 and 2009.
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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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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.