Reduced Deltex1 expression in T cells indicates increased disease activity in Sjögren's disease.

Objectives: Deltex1 is a transcriptional target of NFAT that promotes T cell anergy. However, whether Deltex1 affects the properties of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are involved in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's disease (SjD), is unknown.

Methods: T cells were purified from peripheral blood using a negative selection method.

Real-world risk factors for herpes zoster in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing tofacitinib treatment.

Background: This study sought to assess the risk factors of herpes zoster (HZ) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with tofacitinib (TOFA).

Methods: This retrospective study reviewed RA patients receiving TOFA. We compared clinical characteristics, laboratory profiles, concomitant medication use, and HZ incidence in patients with and without recent biologic synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) treatment, which is defined as their administration ≤180 days before the initiation of TOFA treatment.

Interstitial fibrosis increases the risk of end-stage kidney disease in patients with lupus nephritis.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in LN patients using tubulointerstitial lesion scores.

Methods: Clinical profiles and histopathological presentations of 151 biopsy-proven LN patients were retrospectively examined. Risk factors of ESKD based on characteristics and scoring of their tubulointerstitial lesions [e.

Antibodies against Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier Activating Enzyme May Be a Protective Factor from Rapid Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease in Patients Bearing Antibodies against Melanoma Differentiation Associated Gene 5.

Anti-MDA5 antibody-bearing (anti-MDA5)-dermatomyositis (DM) or polymyositis (PM) is notorious for causing rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD) and/or cancers with high mortality rate. However, anti-MDA5 antibodies (Abs) are also found in other connective tissue diseases and their link with RPILD, especially with regard to the mortality rate, are unknown. We retrospectively recruited 71 patients bearing anti-MDA5-Abs in serum, stratified them in terms of a presence or absence of RPILD, and evaluated their clinical features, laboratory findings, associated myositis antibodies, concurrent connective tissue disease (CTD) as well as newly developed malignancies.

Increased risk of malignancy in HLA-B27-positive patients with ankylosing spondylitis requiring biologics for sustained inflammation: A long-term, single-center retrospective study.

Objectives: To assess the link between the administration of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and the risk of malignancy in human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27)-positive patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) experiencing sustained inflammation.

Methods: Between 2006 and 2021, 1445 HLA-B27-positive patients with AS were retrospectively evaluated. Among them, 112 patients required bDMARD therapy.

Immune-mediated diseases after vaccinations with AZD1222, BNT-162b2, &/or mRNA-1273: An observational investigation of 78 patients.

Background: Immune-mediated diseases (IMDs) after nucleic acid-based vaccines have been sporadically reported since their introduction during the worldwide COVID-19 crisis. Confirming their cause-effect association remains challenging. We analysed the effects of AZD1222 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19), BNT-162b2, and/or mRNA-1273 on the development &/or deterioration of IMDs in terms of the time of clinical onsets of IMDs after exposure to these vaccines.

The Taiwanese Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis: Living with the Condition.

: The International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS) explores the physical, psychological, and social experiences of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). This initiative is now being expanded to Taiwan as the Taiwanese Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (TMAS). We aim to provide rheumatologists with insights into the perspectives of Taiwanese patients, enabling physicians to better understand the unmet needs of these patients and optimize their management.

Risk Factors and Incidence of Serious Infections in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Undergoing Rituximab Therapy.

Objective: To evaluate the risk and protective factors of serious infection (SI) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) within 180 days of rituximab (RTX) treatment.

Methods: Patients with SLE treated with RTX were analyzed. SI was defined as any infectious disease requiring hospitalization.

On-Chip Monolithically Integrated Ultraviolet Low-Threshold Plasmonic Metal-Semiconductor Heterojunction Nanolasers.

The metal-semiconductor heterojunction is imperative for the realization of electrically driven nanolasers for chip-level platforms. Progress in developing such nanolasers has hitherto rarely been realized, however, because of their complexity in heterojunction fabrication and the need to use noble metals that are incompatible with microelectronic manufacturing. Most plasmonic nanolasers lase either above a high threshold (10 -10  MW cm ) or at a cryogenic temperature, and lasing is possible only after they are removed from the substrate to avoid the large ohmic loss and the low modal reflectivity, making monolithic fabrication impossible.

2023 Taiwan Society of Cardiology (TSOC) and Taiwan College of Rheumatology (TCR) Joint Consensus on Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), defined as the presence of a mean pulmonary artery pressure > 20 mmHg, pulmonary artery wedge pressure ≤ 15 mmHg, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) > 2 Wood units based on expert consensus, is characterized by a progressive and sustained increase in PVR, which may lead to right heart failure and death. PAH is a well-known complication of connective tissue diseases (CTDs), such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, and other autoimmune conditions. In the past few years, tremendous progress in the understanding of PAH pathogenesis has been made, with various novel diagnostic and screening methods for the early detection of PAH proposed worldwide.

Risk factors for mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Analysis of adult and pediatric cohorts in Taiwan.

Background: Overall survival of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients significantly increased in recent decades, however, the relative risk of mortality is still high. Long-term survival outcome of pediatric SLE remains unclear. This study aims to explore the long-term survival rate and its predictors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Risks of posterior segment ocular ischaemic events in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a population-based cohort study in Taiwan.

Backgroud/aim: Ocular involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is often primarily recognised by ophthalmologists rather than internists. This study aims to investigate the incidence and risk factors for the occurrence of posterior ocular ischaemic events (OIE), including retinal vein occlusion (RVO), retinal artery occlusion (RAO) and ischaemic optic neuropathy (ION), in patients with SLE.

Methods: A national database in Taiwan was used to identify 24 472 patients newly diagnosed with SLE and 244 720 age-matched and sex-matched controls between 1997 and 2012.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate exposure links to inflammation and low bone mass in premenopausal and postmenopausal females: Evidence from ovariectomized mice and humans.

Objective: Phthalates induce inflammation and are ubiquitously used in daily life. We aim to study the impact of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) exposure on inflammation and osteoporosis in premenopausal and postmenopausal females.

Methods: Female 8-week-old C57BL/6JNarl mice received an ovariectomy (OVX) or a sham operation and were fed with DEHP or vehicle by oral gavage for 4 or 8 weeks.

Deep Learning-Based Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Hand X-ray Images Conforming to Modified Total Sharp/van der Heijde Score.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease; early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for its management. Currently, the modified total Sharp score (mTSS) is widely used as a scoring system for RA. The standard screening process for assessing mTSS is tedious and time-consuming.

Two-Step Process of a Crystal Facet-Modulated BiVO Photoanode for Efficiency Improvement in Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution.

The photoactivity of nanoporous bismuth vanadate (BiVO, BVO) photoanodes that were fabricated by a two-step process (electrodeposition and then thermal conversion) in photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen (H) evolution can be enhanced about 1.44-fold by improving the constitutive ratio of (111̅), (061), and (242̅) crystal facets. The PEC characterization was carried out to investigate the factors altering the performance, which revealed that the crystal facet modulation could improve the photoactivity of the BVO photoanodes.

The Potential Role of Genetics, Environmental Factors, and Gut Dysbiosis in the Aberrant Non-Coding RNA Expression to Mediate Inflammation and Osteoclastogenic/Osteogenic Differentiation in Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or radiographic axial spondyloarthritis is a chronic immune-mediated rheumatic disorder characterized by the inflammation in the axial skeleton, peripheral joints, and soft tissues (enthesis, fascia, and ligament). In addition, the extra-skeletal complications including anterior uveitis, interstitial lung diseases and aortitis are found. The pathogenesis of AS implicates an intricate interaction among HLA (HLA-B27) and non-HLA loci [endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (), and interleukin-23 receptor (), gut dysbiosis, immune plasticity, and numerous environmental factors (infections, heavy metals, stress, cigarette smoking, etc.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of golimumab in rheumatoid arthritis treatment: A two-center study in Taiwan.

Background: The real-world outcomes of golimumab (GLM) use have been rarely studied in Asian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study assessed the real-world effectiveness and safety of GLM in a Taiwanese cohort.

Methods: One hundred and eight GLM-treated RA patients were enrolled.

Epidemiology and risk of invasive fungal infections in systemic lupus erythematosus: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Introduction: Infections are a leading cause of mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Among various infections, invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have a particularly high mortality rate; however, studies examining IFIs in patients with SLE are limited.

Methods: Patients diagnosed as having SLE between 1997 and 2012 were enrolled from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database along with age- and sex-matched non-SLE controls at a ratio of 1:10.

Significance of high serum IgG4 in complete or non-full-fledged IgG4-related disease-a retrospective investigation of 845 patients and its clinical relevance.

Objective: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently recognized heterogeneous, subacute, and usually silent autoimmune disease involving many organs with protean manifestations. However, high IgG4 in serum is not necessarily indicating an IgG4-RD. The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical relevance of high serum IgG4 level in IgG4-RD or non IgG4-RD patients, and to see if IgG4-RD in Taiwan differs from that in other parts of the world.

Doping-free bandgap tunability in FeO nanostructured films.

A tunable bandgap without doping is highly desirable for applications in optoelectronic devices. Herein, we develop a new method which can tune the bandgap without any doping. In the present research, the bandgap of FeO nanostructured films is simply tuned by changing the synthesis temperature.

Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan.

Objective: To evaluate Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) infection risk in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Taiwan.

Methods: We identified 24,367 patients with SLE from the National Health Insurance research database between 1997 and 2012 and compared the PJP incidence rates (IRs) with those in 243,670 age- and sex-matched non-SLE controls. PJP risk in the patients was evaluated using a Cox multivariate proportional hazards model.

Ultralow-Threshold Continuous-Wave Room-Temperature Crystal-Fiber/Nanoperovskite Hybrid Lasers for All-Optical Photonic Integration.

Continuous-wave (CW) room-temperature (RT) laser operation with low energy consumption is an ultimate goal for electrically driven lasers. A monolithically integrated perovskite laser in a chip-level fiber scheme is ideal. However, because of the well-recognized air and thermal instabilities of perovskites, laser action in a perovskite has mostly been limited to either pulsed or cryogenic-temperature operations.

Synergistic Effects of Surface Passivation and Charge Separation to Improve Photo-electrochemical Performance of BiOI Nanoflakes by Au Nanoparticle Decoration.

We demonstrate that the photoactivity of bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) nanoflake (NF) photocathodes in photo-electrochemical (PEC) water splitting can be significantly enhanced by about 24-fold by thermal calcination under an air atmosphere and then surficial decoration of Au nanoparticles (NPs). To understand the key factors affecting the PEC efficiency in Au NP-decorated BiOI NF photoelectrodes, incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, photovoltage, and electrochemically active surface area measurements were performed. The analytic results presented that thermal calcining could produce mesopores, increasing active sites on the surface of BiOI NFs.

Full-color based on bismuth core-shell nanoparticles in one-step fabrication.

Plasmonic resonances in metallic nanostructures are promising for the structure-dependent color-rendering effect. In this study, bismuth is selected as an alternative plasmonic material due to its large tunable range from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared. Various sizes of core-shell bismuth nanoparticles are fabricated on a large-area silicon substrate using a one-step thermal evaporation deposition process.