Factors related to hospital-to-home transitional self-monitoring blood glucose behaviour among patients with diabetes-related foot ulcer.

Aims: To explore the factors related to hospital-to-home transitional self-monitoring blood glucose behaviour among patients with diabetes-related foot ulcer.

Background: The 30-day readmission rate of patients with diabetes-related foot ulcer can be reduced when good glycaemic control is achieved. The practice of self-monitoring blood glucose promotes optimal glycaemic control.

Factors associated with foot ulcer self-management behaviours among hospitalised patients with diabetes.

Aims And Objectives: To determine prehospitalised diabetes-related foot ulcer (DFU) self-management behaviours and explore the factors associated with these behaviours.

Background: Although there are many studies that explore DFU prevention and treatment, to our knowledge, there are no quantitative studies of DFU self-management behaviours.

Design: Cross-sectional design.

A short-term follow-up of glycemic and body weight changes in diabetic patients who replaced dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors with the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is, gliflozins) are associated with lower all-cause mortality than other anti-diabetic agents in patients with type 2 diabetes. In patients who may benefit from SGLT2is, but cannot add them to a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i, gliptin) treatment for various reasons, replacement of the DPP4i with a SGLT2i may be considered.

Objectives: Evaluate changes in metabolic parameters in patients with diabetes after replacing a DPP4i with the SGLT2i empagliflozin.

Antimicrobial resistance and outcomes of community-onset bacterial bloodstream infections in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance of bacterial pathogens in the diabetic population with infection is seldom investigated. This study evaluated the antimicrobial resistance and outcomes of community-onset bloodstream infections (CO-BSIs) in patients with diabetes.

Methods: From 2007-2014, 1271 monomicrobial CO-BSIs and 178 polymicrobial CO-BSIs were identified in patients with type 2 diabetes from three teaching hospitals in Taiwan.

Prolonged Survival of Subcutaneous Allogeneic Islet Graft by Donor Chimerism without Immunosuppressive Treatment.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether tolerance-induced protection of islets in the renal subcapsular space can also prevent subcutaneous allogeneic islets from being rejected. We used bone marrow stem cells from C57BL/6 (H2) mice to construct donor chimerism in conditioned diabetic BALB/c (H2) mice and investigated the effect of donor chimerism on engraftment and survival of subcutaneously transplanted allogeneic islets in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. We also studied the anti-inflammatory effect of mesenchymal stem cell on islet engraftment.

Effect of limb preservation status and body mass index on the survival of patients with limb-threatening diabetic foot ulcers.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of limb preservation status and body mass index (BMI) on the survival of patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).

Methods: A total of 1346 patients treated for limb-threatening DFUs at a major diabetic foot center in Taiwan from 2002 to 2009 were tracked until December 2012. The patients were classified into three groups: limb-preserved (n=858), minor lower-extremity amputation (LEA) (n=249), and major LEA (n=239).

Field Effect Microparticle Generation for Cell Microencapsulation.

The diameter and sphericity of alginate-poly-L-lysine-alginate microcapsules, determined by the size and the shape of calcium alginate microspheres, affect their in vivo durability and biocompatibility and the results of transplantation. The commonly used air-jet spray method generates microspheres with a wider variation in diameter, larger sphere morphology, and evenly distributed encapsulated cells. In order to overcome these drawbacks, we designed a field effect microparticle generator to create a stable electric field to prepare microparticles with a smaller diameter and more uniform morphology.

Pitavastatin improves glycated hemoglobin in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.

Aims/introduction: To investigate the effect of pitavastatin on glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials And Methods: Medical records of 340 patients with type 2 diabetes treated with pitavastatin or atorvastatin between 1 August 2013 and 31 May 2014 were reviewed. A total of 96 patients who had not received statins were treated with pitavastatin (N to P group).

GLP-1 receptor agonist exenatide restores atypical antipsychotic clozapine treatment-associated glucose dysregulation and damage of pancreatic islet beta cells in mice.

Background And Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), exenatide, on clozapine-associated glucose dysregulation in mice.

Materials And Methods: We randomly separated B6 male mice into four groups (A to D). Mice in groups C and D received a daily oral dose of 13.

Risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes complicated by community-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia.

Background/purpose: Patients with diabetes are at a high risk of infection-related morbidity and mortality. Klebsiella pneumoniae bacilli are prevalent among diabetic patients, especially in Asian populations. The present study aimed to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality among diabetic patients complicated by community-acquired K.

The role of foot self-care behavior on developing foot ulcers in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy: a prospective study.

Background: Although foot self-care behavior is viewed as beneficial for the prevention of diabetic foot ulceration, the effect of foot self-care behavior on the development of diabetic foot ulcer has received little empirical investigation.

Objective: To explore the relationship between foot self-care practice and the development of diabetic foot ulcers among diabetic neuropathy patients in northern Taiwan.

Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted at one medical center and one teaching hospital in northern Taiwan.

Impact of action cues, self-efficacy and perceived barriers on daily foot exam practice in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with peripheral neuropathy.

Aims And Objectives: To identify the effects of health belief model factors on daily foot-exam practice among diabetes mellitus patients with peripheral neuropathy.

Background: Daily foot exams are one of the most important self-care behaviours that prevent the occurrence of diabetic foot ulcers and subsequent amputation. Although daily foot exams were under-practiced in patients with peripheral neuropathy, few studies have explored modifiable social-psychological factors related to daily foot exams.

High-fat diet aggravates islet beta-cell toxicity in mice treated with clozapine.

Background: Clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic drug, induces derangements in glucose homeostasis in certain patients. This study investigated the mechanisms of clozapine-induced beta-cell toxicity.

Methods: Fifty-two healthy C57BL/6 male mice were randomized into 4 groups to study the effects of clozapine (group C, D) and a high-fat diet (group B, D).

Synergistic Effect of Hyperglycemia and p27(kip1) Suppression on Adult Mouse Islet Beta Cell Replication.

The complementary role of hyperglycemia and p27(kip1) suppression on islet beta cell regeneration was investigated in a syngeneic mouse model. p27(kip1) gene silencing was performed by infecting islets of C57BL/6 with shRNA lentiviral particles. At 54 hours after viral infection, p27(kip1) protein content in cultured targeting islets was 22% of that in freshly isolated islets.

Risk factors for lower extremity amputation in diabetic foot disease categorized by Wagner classification.

Aims: To elucidate the risk factors for lower extremity amputation (LEA) in patients of diabetic foot disease with different Wagner gradings.

Methods: This study was conducted in a multidisciplinary diabetic foot care center. Demographic characteristics, laboratory data, disease history, ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) and Wagner classification were considered as independent variables to predict the therapeutic outcome (major LEA, minor LEA, and non-amputation).

Down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-7 inhibits metastasis of human anaplastic thyroid cancer cell line.

Epigenetic drugs such as histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) possess anticancer properties due to its ability to regulate genes associated with tumor growth, differentiation, apoptosis and metastasis. In addition to its apoptotic effect, phenylbutyrate (PB), a carboxylic acid HDACI, inhibited an anaplastic (ATC) thyroid cancer cell line ARO from penetrating a matrigel coated transwell with concomitant suppression of a metastasis-associated gene, matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) and stimulation of a transformation suppressor protein, reversion-inducing- cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs without affecting MMP-2 expression levels. Direct evidence suggesting MMP-7 down-regulated cancer metastasis came from the observation of a decreased pulmonary metastasis in SCID mice xeno-transplanted with MMP-7-knocked-down ARO cells.

Characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia in community-acquired and nosocomial infections in diabetic patients.

Background: Although diabetes mellitus is known as a major risk factor for Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, the differences in clinical characteristics between community-acquired and nosocomial K. pneumoniae bacteremia in diabetic patients have been rarely reported.

Methods: This retrospective analysis enrolled 193 adult diabetic patients with K.

C-reactive protein as an outcome predictor for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease and infected foot ulcers.

Aim: Although percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is an effective therapeutic procedure for critical limb ischemia, several clinical factors can influence the outcome of PTA for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The aim of this study is to identify the outcome predictors of PTA in infected diabetic foot patients with PAD.

Methods: Eighty-five diabetic patients with a total of 90 infected limbs treated by PTA participated in this study.

Enhancing engraftment of islets using perioperative sodium 4-phenylbutyrate.

Primary nonfunction (PNF) adversely impacts islet transplantation. In addition to determining whether sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (4-SPB), an anti-inflammatory agent, reduces PNF, this study investigates how 4-SPB affects PNF. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic C57BL/6 mice, that received 75 syngeneic islets underneath left subrenal space, were fed twice daily of either 4-SPB at 500 mg/kg body weight or isotonic saline (NaCl) from 2 days before through 7 days after transplantation.

Canine islet isolation, cryopreservation, and transplantation to nude mice.

Background: Successful human islet transplantation has led to insulin independence in type 1 diabetes. Dogs constitute an animal model for preclinical studies. We present our recent experience in canine islet isolation, cryopreservation and transplantation.

Loofa sponge as a scaffold for the culture of human hepatocyte cell line.

Loofa sponge was investigated as a three-dimensional scaffold for stationary and perfusion culture of human hepatoblastoma cell line C3A/HepG2. In stationary culture, C3A/HepG2 cells in loofa cubes showed higher alpha-fetoprotein and albumin secretion rates than those in polyurethane foam (PU). To use loofa cylinders in a packed-bed reactor, immobilization of C3A/HepG2 cells by recirculating medium at 26 mL/min (superficial velocity = 51.

Beneficial effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on islet transplantation.

We envisage that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) would ameliorate islet anoxia, preventing early graft failure. Thus, treatment of HBO to diabetic recipients should improve the outcome of islet transplantation. We tested this hypothesis by syngeneically transplanting insufficient number of islets (150 islets) into streptozotocin-diabetic C57BL/6 mice, each followed by HBO (2.

Significance of postoperative serum thyroglobulin levels in patients with papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas.

Background And Objectives: Although there are many factors that affect postoperative serum levels of thyroglobulin (Tg), such levels have been previously used to detect recurrence of papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas. This study was conducted to elucidate the significance of postoperative levels of Tg in patients with clinical presentations of papillary thyroid carcinoma, follicular thyroid carcinomas, or both.

Methods: To collect data pertaining to patients with thyroid cancer who were treated in Chang Gung Medical Center in Linkou, Taiwan, records relating to a total of 847 patients with pathologically verified papillary or follicular thyroid cancer, all of whom received total thyroidectomy and thyroid remnant ablation with radioactive iodide ((131)I), were studied.