Risk of non-typhoidal Salmonella vascular infections is increased with degree of atherosclerosis and inflammation: A multicenter study in southern Taiwan.

Background: Atherosclerosis and vascular inflammatory response have been considered as risk factors for non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) vascular infection. The study aims to assess the risk of vascular infection by measuring atherosclerosis severity, NTS vascular infection (NTSVI) score, and serum levels of inflammatory markers in people with NTS bacteremia.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in two medical centers and two regional hospitals.

Differential risk group of developing stroke among older women with gouty arthritis: A latent transition analysis.

Objective: Gout-related comorbidities are intricate and its clinical features may demonstrate sex difference; however, few studies have evaluated the links between comorbidities and gout in a female population. The objectives of this study were to compare the aggregation and transitive trajectories of comorbidities of gout, and their consequences in female and male gout populations.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

Longitudinal transition trajectory of gouty arthritis and its comorbidities: a population-based study.

The aim of the study was to investigate the longitudinal transition trajectory of gout and its comorbidities in male patients with gout in different age groups. A total of 3973 male patients who received a new diagnosis of gouty arthritis were identified from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database and divided into two age cohorts (<50 and ≥50 years). Each patient was individually followed from 2000 to 2009 to identify associated comorbidities, namely hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney disease.

Interlukin-18 Is a Pivot Regulatory Factor on Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 Expression and Brain Astrocytic Migration.

The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) has been shown to be elevated in some pathophysiological conditions and is involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix in astrocytes. In current study, the function of MMP-13 was further investigated. The conditioned medium (CM) collected from activated microglia increased interleukin (IL)-18 production and enhanced MMP-13 expression in astrocytes.

Cytomegalovirus disease in nonimmunocompromised, human immunodeficiency virus-negative adults with chronic kidney disease.

Background/purpose(s): To identify the clinical characteristics of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

Methods: Patients from two sources were reviewed: (1) a retrospective study of hospitalized patients admitted between January 1990 and February 2009 was performed at a tertiary hospital in Taiwan; (2) the English literature from 1990 to 2009 was reviewed for additional cases, and adults with CKD and histopathologically documented cytomegalovirus disease were included.

Results: Seven CKD patients from our hospital and seven from the literature were included.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella bacteremia in patients with connective tissue diseases.

Background/purpose: Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a crucial pathogen in immunocompromised patients, especially those with connective tissue disease (CTD) and corticosteroid or immunosuppressant therapy. The aim of this study is to identify the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with CTD and NTS bacteremia, and the clinical variations between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other CTDs.

Methods: During a 15-year study period, from 1994 to 2009, NTS bacteremia patients were reviewed from the database of clinical microbiology laboratory.

Cultures of Holder-pasteurized donor human milk after use in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: Current guidelines state that human milk, once thawed, should be kept in a refrigerator for only 24 hours. We cultured Holder-pasteurized donor human milk (DHM) after thawing and refrigeration under clinical conditions.

Study Design: Bottles of pasteurized DHM were thawed and used in a regional level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in standard clinical fashion and kept refrigerated when not in use.

Clinical manifestations and prognostic factors in cancer patients with bacteremia due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Background: Clinical information about bacteremia due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing pathogens in cancer patients was limited. The study was aimed to identify the clinical manifestations and risk factors for mortality in ESBL-producer bacteremia in cancer patients.

Methods: A retrospective study of bacteremia caused by ESBL-producing Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae in adults with cancer in National Cheng Kung University Hospital and National Taiwan University Hospital from July 2002 to August 2007 was conducted.

Voltage-gated K+ channels play a role in cAMP-stimulated neuritogenesis in mouse neuroblastoma N2A cells.

Neuritogenesis is essential in establishing the neuronal circuitry. An important intracellular signal causing neuritogenesis is cAMP. In this report, we showed that an increase in intracellular cAMP stimulated neuritogenesis in neuroblastoma N2A cells via a PKA-dependent pathway.

Efficacy of Monascus purpureus Went rice on lowering lipid ratios in hypercholesterolemic patients.

Background: Several lipid ratios may be predictors of coronary artery disease risk. We assessed the efficacy of Monascus purpureus Went rice (red yeast rice) on lowering lipid ratios.

Method And Results: We evaluated 79 hypercholesterolemic patients (aged 23-65 years) who received a twice-daily dose of either red yeast rice or a placebo at 600 mg for 8 weeks.