Biochemical analysis of soft tissue infectious fluids and its diagnostic value in necrotizing soft tissue infections: a 5-year cohort study.

Background: Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) are rapidly progressing and life-threatening conditions that require prompt diagnosis. However, differentiating NSTI from other non-necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) remains challenging. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of the biochemical analysis of soft tissue infectious fluid in distinguishing NSTIs from non-necrotizing SSTIs.

The growth factor content as an indicator of platelet counts in platelet-rich plasma.

Background: Platelet contains growth factors that enhance tissue repair mechanisms, including epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-AA and -AB), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been shown to significantly improve the treatment of tendon injuries compared with hyaluronic acid and placebo. The topic of agreement between platelet concentrations and growth factors has been covered in some previous studies, but growth factor levels did not correlate well with platelet concentrations.

Comparison of the Direct Identification and Short-Term Incubation Methods for Positive Blood Cultures via MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry.

Timely pathogen identification in bloodstream infections is crucial for patient care. A comparison is made between positive blood culture (BC) pellets from serum separator tubes using a direct identification (DI) method and colonies on agar plates from a short-term incubation (STI) method with a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization Biotyper for the evaluation of 354 monomicrobial BCs. Both the DI and STI methods exhibited similar identification rates for different types of bacteria, except for Gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria.

Village-to-village screening for hepatitis B and C using quantitative HBsAg and anti-HCV testing with reflex HCV core antigen tests in the remote communities of a resource-rich setting: a population-based prospective cohort study.

Objectives: Community-based screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is essential for hepatitis elimination. This study attempted to increase screening accessibility and efficacy by using alternative tools.

Design: Population-based prospective cohort study.

Molecular diagnosis and therapy for Plasmodium ovale infection of a returned traveler from East Africa.

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that are mainly transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The average annual number of malaria cases was less than ten in Taiwan in the last five years. Most of the cases were caused by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum, and were primarily diagnosed in travelers who returned from Southeast Asia and Africa.

Feasibility of anti-HCV reflex HCV Ag screening strategy in an HCV endemic community.

Background/purpose: The HCV core antigen (HCV Ag) assay displays high sensitivity and strong correlation with HCV RNA. However, the feasibility of anti-HCV reflex HCV Ag screening in a community-wide setting is rarely discussed.

Methods: We performed a two-phase community-based hepatitis C screen in an HCV-prone area of central Taiwan.

Usefulness of quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen testing in hepatitis B community-based screening.

Background/purpose: Low viral load (LVL) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a predictor of chronic HBV infection. However, the usefulness of quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (qHBsAg) in predicting LVL in community-based screening has not been well studied. We aimed to measure the prevalence of LVL in HBV carriers and validate the efficacy of qHBsAg in predicting LVL.

The Role of Urocortins in Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) causes an accumulation of blood in the brain parenchyma that disrupts the normal neurological function of the brain. Despite extensive clinical trials, no medical or surgical therapy has shown to be effective in managing ICH, resulting in a poor prognosis for the patients. Urocortin (UCN) is a 40-amino-acid endogenous neuropeptide that belongs to the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) family.

Hepatitis C virus core antigen is cost-effective in community-based screening of active hepatitis C infection in Taiwan.

Background And Purpose: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen is highly sensitive and specific in viremic HCV diagnosis. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of HCV core antigen (HCVcAg) in community-based screening for active HCV infection.

Methods: Between 2017/07 and 2018/07, community-based screenings for active HCV infection with two-step (anti-HCV for screening and HCVRNA for diagnosis) and one-step processes (HCVcAg for screening and diagnosis) were conducted in two districts in Kaohsiung City.

Induction of apoptotic but not autophagic cell death by Cinnamomum cassia extracts on human oral cancer cells.

Cinnamomum cassia has been widely studied in different fields to reveal its antidiabetic, antidepressive, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiosteoporotic, and anticancer effects. Its antimalignant activities have been explored in lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and even oral cancer, but the detailed signaling mechanism and effects of this plant on animal models need to be clarified. In the current study, C.

Molecular Beacon-Based Fluorescent Assay for Specific Detection of Oversulfated Chondroitin Sulfate Contaminants in Heparin without Enzyme Treatment.

Oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS) is a harmful contaminant in the pharmaceutical heparin. The development of a rapid, convenient, sensitive, and selective method is required for routine analysis of OSCS in pharmaceutical heparin. Here we report a simple, rapid, sensitive, and enzyme-free method for detecting OSCS in heparin based on the competitive binding between OSCS and the adenosine-repeated molecular beacon (MB) stem to coralyne in the presence of Ca(2+) ions.

Indirect regulation of human dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase family 1A member 2 by thyroid hormones.

Thyroid hormone, T(3), regulates cell metabolism, differentiation, and development. cDNA microarrays were performed to study the mechanism of target gene regulation after T(3) treatment in a thyroid hormone receptor-alpha (TRalpha)-overexpressing hepatoma cell line (HepG2-TRalpha). The differentially expressed target genes are several metabolic enzymes, including dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfotransferase family 1A member 2 (SULT2A1).