J Formos Med Assoc
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Cyclosporine A (CsA) is used as an immunosuppressive agent, and its prominent side effect is the induction of gingival overgrowth. Snail is a master regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT under pathological processes could lead to fibrotic changes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Snail in the pathogenesis of CsA-induced gingival overgrowth. ⋯ CsA stimulated Snail expression and cell proliferation in HGFs, while silencing Snail could effectively reverse these phenomena. These results may provide new avenues for the design of novel antifibrotic therapies for CsA-induced gingival overgrowth through targeting Snail.
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The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health-Children and Youth version (ICF-CY) depicts human functioning [body functions (b), structures (s), and activities and participation (d) components] as the product of the interaction between health conditions and contextual factors [environmental factors (e) and personal factors]. In Taiwan, testers use the Functioning Scale of the Disability Evaluation System-Child version (FUNDES-Child) to collect information related to b, d, and e for children aged 6.0-17.9 years in the Disability Eligibility System (DES). The purpose of this study was to examine the content and construct validity of the FUNDES-Child. ⋯ The FUNDES-Child had acceptable content validity and construct validity in the DES. The associations found among the ICF-CY chapter scores provided a model for investigating the impact of body functions and environmental factors on children's activities and participation.
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This study investigated the clinical significance of quality of life (QOL) related specifically to Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) among Taiwanese patients. ⋯ Scores on the Chinese (Taiwan) version of the GO-QOL were strongly correlated with disease severity and clinical activity. The GO-QOL is a simple and practical tool that can be used to evaluate health-related QOL in GO patients.
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Review Case Reports
A two-case series of entrapment of a ruptured balloon in the coronary artery: Avoidable complications and nonsurgical management.
The entrapment of a ruptured catheter balloon during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is rare, but it can lead to life-threatening complications, such as myocardial infarction (MI) and lethal arrhythmias. Ruptured balloon entrapment usually occurs in either tortuous, calcified, or angulated coronary lesions without adequate balloon deflation. ⋯ We successfully removed the ruptured and entrapped balloons through nonsurgical techniques. Coronary interventionists should be aware of the possibility of balloon entrapment during complex coronary interventions; they should also become familiar with nonsurgical catheter-based methods for the retrieval of ruptured and entrapped balloons.
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Pediatric cardiac computed tomography (CT) is a noninvasive imaging modality used to clearly demonstrate the anatomical detail of congenital heart diseases. We investigated the impact of cardiac CT on the utilization of cardiac catheterization among children with congenital heart disease. ⋯ The use of noninvasive CT in children with selected heart conditions might reduce the use of diagnostic cardiac catheterization. This may release time and facilities within the catheterization laboratory to meet the increasing demand for cardiac interventions.