Travel patterns, pretravel preparation, and travel-associated morbidity in travelers with diabetes in Taiwan.

Background: International travel poses unique health risks for individuals with diabetes. This study explored their travel patterns, preparations, and morbidity, as well as identify factors influencing pre-travel health-seeking behavior from primary healthcare providers.

Methods: This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study recruited adults with diabetes who had traveled internationally within the past 12 months.

The Potential Role of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2/-4 in Excessive Mechanical Overloading-Initiated Joint Degeneration.

Excessive mechanical overloading of articular cartilage caused by excessive exercise or severe trauma is considered a critical trigger in the development of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the available clinical theranostic molecular targets and underlying mechanisms still require more elucidation. Here, we aimed to examine the possibility that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) serve as molecular targets in rat cartilages and human chondrocytes under conditions of excessive mechanical overloading.

Chitosan-glucose derivative membrane obtained by Maillard reaction improves cartilage repair in a rabbit model.

Background: Treatment of articular cartilage injury remains a challenging clinical problem in orthopedics. Chitosan-derived biomaterial could be a potential adjuvant treatment to improve cartilage repair. In the current study, we examined the effects of two potential chitosan-derived materials on cartilage regeneration of osteochondral defects in rabbits.

Do NSAIDs affect bone healing rate, delay union, or cause non-union: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may potentially delay or cause non-union of fractures by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. However, studies have shown conflicting results. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to synthesize current evidence on the potential influence of NSAIDs on bone healing.

Stigmatization and Preferences in Monkeypox Vaccine Regimens.

A significant monkeypox (mpox) outbreak occurred in 2022, particularly involving sexual and gender minority (SGM) groups. Stigma and misperceptions have led to fear of being labeled a member of the SGM group when obtaining immunization for mpox. We hypothesized that the most recommended injection site, intradermal injection in the forearm, stresses stigmatization.

Resistant Starch-Encapsulated Probiotics Attenuate Colorectal Cancer Cachexia and 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Microbial Dysbiosis.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is commonly used as the primary chemotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, it can lead to unwanted chemoresistance. Resistant starch (RS), which functions similarly to fermentable dietary fiber, has the potential to reduce the risk of CRC.

Evaluations of secondary hypertension and laboratory data in the elderly population.

Secondary hypertension in the elderly poses many challenges and requires a comprehensive diagnostic and management approach. This review explores the prevalence, diagnostic strategies, and treatment modalities for secondary hypertension in elderly patients, focusing on etiologies including primary aldosteronism, renal vascular disease, renal parenchymal disease, obstructive sleep apnea, thyroid disorders, Cushing's syndrome, pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas, and drug-induced hypertension. Key considerations include age-related changes in physiology and atypical presentations of underlying conditions necessitating thorough screening with a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, and imaging studies.

Knowledge gap of human monkeypox among high-risk individuals receiving preexposure vaccination in Taiwan.

Background: With the widespread outbreak of monkeypox, it is crucial to enhance awareness and understanding of the disease, especially among high-risk individuals. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge levels of individuals seeking preexposure vaccination in Taiwan.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted online, and included a nationwide sample of high-risk adults receiving preexposure vaccination.

COVID-19 vaccination: 2023 Taiwan Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (TAGG) consensus statements.

The COVID-19 pandemic remains challenging due to the rapid evolution of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. This article discusses recent findings on high-risk groups for COVID-19 mortality and morbidity, along with consensus statements from the 2023 Taiwan Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (TAGG) meeting. It examines evidence on viral mutation mechanisms, emerging variants, and their implications for vaccination strategies.

Healthcare Service Providers' Perspectives on Sociocultural Aspects Affecting Weight Management Activities Amongst People with Obesity in Taiwan-A Qualitative Study.

The prevalence of obesity and morbid obesity in Taiwan has risen sharply in recent decades, as in other parts of the world, necessitating urgent action to prevent and curb its detrimental effects. Asian populations are susceptible to the repercussions of obesity at a lower body weight. A higher BMI is associated with more frequent outpatient visits, in-hospital admissions, higher medical costs, and a lower quality of life.

accelerates stem cell recruitment to human skeletal muscle after exercise.

is a parasitic fungus known to induce immune responses. The impact of supplementation on stem cell homing and expansion to human skeletal muscle after exercise remains unexplored. In this study, we examined how pre-exercise supplementation influences cell infiltration, CD34 cell recruitment, and Pax7 cell expansion in human skeletal muscle after high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on a cycloergometer.

The Efficacy of ssp. Supplementation in Managing Body Weight and Blood Lipids of People with Overweight: A Randomized Pilot Trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ssp. () in improving body weight, obesity-related outcomes, and lipid profiles of overweight people. Thirty-six overweight participants were randomly assigned to either a probiotic or a placebo group.

A phase 3 randomized trial of the safety and immunogenicity of 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in adults ≥ 60 years of age in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Background: Pneumococcal infections are associated with high disease burden in older individuals in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) was developed to extend protection beyond earlier pneumococcal vaccines.

Methods: This phase 3 randomized, double-blind study investigated the safety and immunogenicity of PCV20 in participants ≥ 60 years of age from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Effects of aerobic, resistance, and high-intensity interval training on thermogenic gene expression in white adipose tissue in high fat diet induced obese mice.

Objective: Global prevalence of obesity has continued to rise and poses public health concerns. Current anti-obesity medications are mainly focused on suppressing appetite. Thermogenic fat cells that increase energy expenditure may be a promising alternative target to combat obesity.

Exploring the Role of Intraoperative Positive Culture of Allograft Bone in Subsequent Postoperative Infections among Donors and Recipients in Bone Bank Processing.

Background: Allografts have been frequently used in orthopedic procedures. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the discard rates and bacterial contamination of a bone bank, and to assess the clinical outcomes of recipients with bacterial culture-positive donor allografts.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 1764 allografts which were harvested from living donors and stored in a bone bank from 2018 to 2022.

Crosslinking chitosan with glucose via the modified Maillard reaction promotes the osteoinduction of mouse MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts.

Bone defects are a common clinical issue, but therapeutic efficiency can be challenging in cases of more considerable traumas or elderly patients with degenerated physiological metabolism. To address this issue, a more suitable cell-biomaterial construct promoting bone regeneration has been extensively investigated, with the chitosan scaffold being considered a potential candidate. In this study, chitosan was crosslinked with different doses of glucose (CTS-10~50%Glc) using a modified Maillard reaction condition to develop a more appropriate cell-biomaterial construct.

Plant-based polyphenol rich protein supplementation attenuated skeletal muscle loss and lowered the LDL level gut microbiota remodeling in Taiwan's community-dwelling elderly.

Sarcopenia, characterized by muscle loss, negatively affects the elderly's physical activity and survival. Enhancing protein and polyphenol intake, possibly through the supplementation of fermented black soybean koji product (BSKP), may alleviate sarcopenia by addressing anabolic deficiencies and gut microbiota dysbiosis because of high contents of polyphenols and protein in BSKP. This study aimed to examine the effects of long-term supplementation with BSKP on mitigating sarcopenia in the elderly and the underlying mechanisms.

Sex Differences and Positive Dose-Response Relationships between Serum Osteocalcin Levels and Low Muscle Strength.

Introduction: Impaired handgrip strength is an indication for sarcopenia and frailty screening, and is associated with increased osteoporotic risks and all-cause mortality. Osteocalcin, secreted by osteoblasts, is a versatile factor that participates in bone turnover and muscle adaptation. The role of osteocalcin in muscle strength has mainly been discussed in animal models and requires more human data.

One-Year Medical Utilization and Mortality in Home Health and Nursing Home Care Recipients from Northern Taiwan.

Objectives: Home health care (HHC) and nursing home care (NHC) are mainstays of long-term service in the aged population. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the factors associated with 1-year medical utilization and mortality in HHC and NHC recipients in Northern Taiwan.

Design: This study employed a prospective cohort design.

Reduced risk of pneumonia and influenza infection after bariatric surgery: a retrospective cohort study among patients with nondiabetic obesity in Taiwan.

Background: Bariatric surgery is associated with significant improvements in immunity in individuals with obesity, but the exact efficacy in reducing pneumonia and influenza infections is unclear.

Objective: To investigate the association between bariatric surgery and the risk of pneumonia and influenza infection.

Setting: Nondiabetic patients who underwent bariatric surgery and matched controls were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.

Effects of a 12-week walking intervention on circulating lipid profiles and adipokines in normal weight and abdominal obese female college students.

Background/objectives: Regular exercise such as aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of some diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, only few studies have investigated the impact of regular aerobic exercise on non-obese and overweight/obese persons. Therefore, this study was designed to compare the effect of a 12-week 10,000 steps a day walking intervention on the body composition, serum lipids, adipose tissue function, and obesity-associated cardiometabolic risk between normal weight and overweight/obese female college students.