Publications by authors named "Kuei-Jr Liao"

Background: Although physical activity (PA) has been linked to cognitive health, the nuanced relationships between different dimensions of PA and cognitive impairment remain inconclusive. This study investigated associations between late-life PA levels, midlife-to-late-life activity patterns, and cognitive impairment in Chinese older adults, considering potential moderation by apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype.

Methods: We analyzed baseline data from 6,899 participants (median age 68 years, 55.

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Commutability is where the measurement response for a reference material (RM) is the same as for an individual patient sample with the same concentration of analyte measured using two or more measurement systems. Assessment of commutability is essential when the RM is used in a calibration hierarchy or to ensure that clinical measurements are comparable across different measurement procedures and at different times. The commutability of three new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for determining serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], defined as the sum of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], was assessed through an interlaboratory study.

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Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma (UCEC) represents a common malignant neoplasm in women, with its prognosis being intricately associated with available therapeutic interventions. In the past few decades, there has been a burgeoning interest in the role of mitochondria within the context of UCEC. Nevertheless, the development and application of prognostic models predicated on mitochondrial-related genes (MRGs) in UCEC remains in the exploratory stages.

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Glomerular endothelial cells (GECs) are pivotal in developing glomerular sclerosis disorders. The advancement of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is intimately tied to disruptions in lipid metabolism. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a molecule transported by high-density lipoproteins (HDL), exhibits protective effects on vascular endothelial cells by upregulating phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS) and enhancing nitric oxide (NO) production.

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Hyperactivation of ribosome biogenesis (RiBi) drives cancer progression, yet the role of RiBi-associated proteins (RiBPs) in breast cancer (BC) is underexplored. In this study, we perform a comprehensive multi-omics analysis and reveal that assembly and maturation factors (AMFs), a subclass of RiBPs, are upregulated at both RNA and protein levels in BC, correlating with poor patient outcomes. In contrast, ribosomal proteins (RPs) do not show systematic upregulation across various cancers, including BC.

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As one of the essential lignan derivative found in traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) was proved to promote women's health through its phytoestrogenic properties. Increasingly studies indicated that this compound could be a potential drug capable of preventing estrogen-related diseases. Here, we aimed to investigate whether SDG can counteract cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and further explore its specific molecular mechanism.

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Background: Diffusion-weighted (DW) turbo-spin-echo (TSE) imaging offers improved geometric fidelity compared to single-shot echo-planar-imaging (EPI). However, it suffers from low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and prolonged acquisition times, thereby restricting its applications in diagnosis and MRI-guided radiotherapy (MRgRT).

Purpose: To develop a joint k-b space reconstruction algorithm for concurrent reconstruction of DW-TSE images and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map with enhanced image quality and more accurate quantitative measurements.

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A Cu-catalyzed relay process for the preparation of diazidated quinazolinone and polycyclic imidazole derivatives in which readily available alkene-tethered substrates undergo an addition/cyclization/C(sp)-H functionalization of alkene sequences with high efficiency is described. Various functionalized N-heteropolycyclic compounds were readily prepared in good yields with a broad substrate scope. Moreover, the direct azidation of the α-C(sp)-H bond of the corresponding N-heterocycles has been demonstrated on the basis of mechanistic studies, which provide an alternative late-stage functionalization approach for the derivatization of N-heterocyclic scaffolds.

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Objectives: This study aimed to explore the views and expectations of medical students and faculty members on blended learning following university-wide teaching reforms, focusing on its influence on self-directed learning (SDL) and educational effectiveness.

Design: A qualitative study employing grounded theory methodology with semistructured individual and group interviews.

Setting: A tertiary medical university after institution-wide educational reforms.

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Immunotherapy has led to groundbreaking advances in anti-tumor treatment, yet significant clinical challenges remain such as the low proportion of beneficiaries and the lack of effective platforms for predicting therapeutic response. Organoid technology provides a novel solution to these issues. Organoids are three-dimensional tissue cultures derived from adult stem cells or pluripotent stem cells that closely replicate the structural and biological characteristics of native organs, demonstrating particularly strong potential in modeling the tumor microenvironment (TME).

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Objectives: Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Studies have shown that gene polymorphism is associated with the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but its role in DKD remains unclear. This study aims to analyze the distribution of alleles and genotypes of gene in patients with T2DM, and investigate the association between genetic polymorphism and DKD susceptibility in T2DM patients, which may provide new ideas for the pathogenesis of DKD.

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Pelophylax nigromaculata, common traditional Chinese medicinal material used for several hundreds of years, is one of the most widely distributed amphibians in China. In this study, a novel Ranatuerin-2 family antimicrobial peptide, Rana-2PN, was identified and characterized from its skin, and its structural characteristics and functional activities were studied extensively. First, Rana-2PN exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, displaying minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 12.

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Background: Heart failure (HF) is a high-burden clinical syndrome characterized by intravascular and extravascular congestion, impacting patients' outcomes. Current diagnostic methods for assessing intravascular congestion, including right heart catheterization (RHC), have some limitations. There is a need for accurate, stable, and widely applicable non-invasive measurement methods to improve HF diagnosis and treatment.

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Background: Nutritional factors are important for skeletal muscle mass and grip strength development in children.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid patterns and skeletal muscle mass and grip strength in children.

Methods: A total of 452 children aged 6-9 years were included in this study.

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Background And Purpose: Daily online adaptive radiotherapy (DART) increases treatment accuracy by crafting daily customized plans that adjust to the patient's daily setup and anatomy. The routine application of DART is limited by its resource-intensive processes. This study proposes a novel DART strategy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), automizing the process by propagating physician-edited treatment contours for each fraction.

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), affecting 4% of the population, is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity; however, its neurophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we discovered that deficiency of histamine H receptor (HR) in parvalbumin-positive neurons in substantia nigra pars recticulata (PV) attenuates PV neuronal activity and induces hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention in mice. Moreover, decreased HR expression was observed in PV in patients with ADHD symptoms and dopamine-transporter-deficient mice, whose behavioral phenotypes were alleviated by HR agonist treatment.

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Cesarean section (CS) is highly prevalent surgery among females. However, current absorbable anti-adhesion membranes used clinically can partially prevent postoperative adhesions but show limited efficacy in tissue regeneration, leaving post-cesarean women at risk for severe complications including cesarean scar pregnancy, placenta previa, and uterine rupture. Herein, we designed a fully amniotic membrane (AM)-derived biomimetic nanostructural materials (AM-BNMs) as an anti-adhesion barrier, and validated its therapeutic efficacy in a rat CS model.

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Herein, a novel composite solid-state polymer electrolytes (CSEs) was regulated by introducing CoNi-MOF (Metal-organic framework) @NiPc (Nickel phthalocyanine) nanofiller (CMN) into PEO (polyethylene oxide) matrix. In this novel system, the NiPc uniformly wrapped around the surface of MOF through hydrogen bond bridging, avoiding the agglomeration of the MOF particles. The chemisorption between Ni in NiPc and the O atoms in the bis(triffuoromethanesulfonyl)imide anion (TFSI) restricted the mobility of the anions within the CSEs, which improved the release of Li ions from the NiPcLi.

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Objective: To assess the agreement of transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) and transpulmonary ultrasound dilution (TPUD) against direct measurement of main pulmonary artery flow with an ultrasound transit time flow probe (UTF) over a wide range of conditions in anesthetized cats. Additionally, the trending ability of TPTD, TPUD, and esophageal Doppler ultrasonography (EDU) was evaluated against UTF.

Methods: 12 purpose-bred cats were used.

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Hearing loss (HL) is a prevalent health concern with a significant impact on society and the economy. Several factors contribute to the development of hearing impairment, with noise overexposure being the primary culprit. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is also a factor in hearing impairment, and studies have shown a positive correlation between DM and HL; however, the exact causal relationship and pathogenesis remain contentious.

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Background: Pruritus is a distressing symptom of systemic opioid analgesia that responds poorly to conventional antipruritus treatments. This study aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors for postoperative pruritus using intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA).

Methods: Opioid-naïve patients who underwent morphine-based IV-PCA for postoperative pain at a tertiary center between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2023, were included retrospectively.

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For the development of new functional materials for various applications, such as drug or gene delivery and environmental remediation, the relationship between function and morphology has been considered an important aspect for controlling affinity to the targets. However, there are only a few reports on this relationship because the molecular strategy for the precise control of vesicle shape has been restricted. Herein, we report the photocontrol of vesicle shape using azobenzene-containing amphiphilic switches.

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Objectives: To form a unique body weight support-Tai Chi Yunshou (BWS-TCY) training method, apply it to the treatment of upper limb dysfunction after stroke, and provide a new safe and effective treatment method for the clinic.

Methods: A total of 93 subjects were recruited and randomly divided into conventional rehabilitation treatment (CRT) group, BWS-TCY group and traditional robot-assisted training (RAT) group in equal proportions. Subjects in the CRT group received 60 minutes of CRT daily.

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tRNA modifications are critical for several aspects of their functions, including decoding, folding, and stability. Using a multifaceted approach encompassing eCLIP-seq and nanopore tRNA-seq, we show that the human tRNA methyltransferase TRMT1L interacts with the component of the Rix1 ribosome biogenesis complex and binds to the 28S rRNA as well as to a subset of tRNAs. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that TRMT1L is responsible for catalyzing N2,N2-dimethylguanosine (mG) solely at position 27 of tRNA-Tyr-GUA.

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A dual-mode detection platform utilizing colorimetric and Raman was developed based on the exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) strategy and a "core-satellite" structure constructed by bimetallic nanozymes to detect chloramphenicol (CAP). Initially, DNA-gated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) incorporating cascaded amplification were used to be nanocarriers for the colorimetric and Raman reporter molecules (3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbiphenyl; TMB). Subsequently, assembled DNA served as gatekeepers to create a stimulus-responsive DNA-gated MOF (TMB@DNA/MOF).

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