Effect of lyophilized exosomes derived from umbilical cord stem cells on chronic anterior cruciate ligament cell injury.

Background: Facilitating the healing process of injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tissue is crucial for patients to safely return to sports. Stem cell derived exosomes have shown positive effects on enhancing the regeneration of injured tendons/ligaments. However, clinical application of exosomes in terms of storage and pre-assembly is challenging.

Development of a Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow Immunoassay for the Detection of Human Polyomavirus BK.

The BK virus (BKV) is an emerging pathogen in immunocompromised individuals and widespread in the human population. Polymerase chain reaction is a simple and highly sensitive method for detecting BKV, but it is time consuming and requires expensive instruments and expert judgment. The lateral flow assay, a rapid, low-cost, minimal-labor, and easy-to-use diagnostic method, was successfully applied for pathogen detection.

Healthcare utilisation for eating disorders among patients with depression: a cross-sectional study in Taiwan.

Objectives: Although depressed patients may have a comorbid eating disorder (ED), to date, no study has focused on healthcare utilisation among this population. This study was designed to investigate the characteristics of healthcare service utilisation among depressed patients with ED.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Drug-related problems among hospitalized patients with COPD in mainland China.

Background Data are lacking about the extent of drug-related problems in hospitalized patients with COPD in China. Objective Identify types and causes of drug-related problems and assess interventions performed by pharmacists. Setting Study was conducted in an academic teaching hospital in Shanghai, China.

Inappropriate self-medication among adolescents and its association with lower medication literacy and substance use.

Background: While self-medication is common, inappropriate self-medication has potential risks. This study assesses inappropriate self-medication among adolescents and examines the relationships among medication literacy, substance use, and inappropriate self-medication.

Method: In 2016, a national representative sample of 6,226 students from 99 primary, middle, and high schools completed an online self-administered questionnaire.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a novel atomized liquid needle-free transdermal delivery system.

Needle-free jet injections constitute a crucial method for drug delivery. A novel liquid drug delivery system has been proposed recently, in which pressure atomizes liquid before delivering that atomized liquid to the patient's body; however, the mechanism and efficiency of the system are unclear. This study explored the shot delivery pressure, penetration depth, and cumulative amount of permeation of this system.

Penetration depth, concentration and efficiency of transdermal α-arbutin delivery after ultrasound treatment with albumin-shelled microbubbles in mice.

Recently, the feasibility and effects of using microbubbles (MBs) as an ultrasound (US) contrast agent for enhancing the penetration in transdermal delivery in vivo have been demonstrated, but the mechanism and efficiency are unclear. This study demonstrates the penetration depth, concentration and efficiency of transdermal α-arbutin delivery during 4 weeks after US treatment with MBs in mice. Experimental animals were randomly divided into the following four groups (n = 5 animals per group): (1) penetrating α-arbutin alone (C), (2) US combined with penetrating α-arbutin, (3) US combined with MBs and penetrating α-arbutin, and (4) US combined with diluted MBs and penetrating α-arbutin (UBD).

Cross-sectional investigation of drug-related problems among adults in a medical center outpatient clinic: application of virtual medicine records in the cloud.

Purpose: To analyze and characterize data regarding the prevalence and types of outpatient drug-related problems (DRPs) found by clinical pharmacists after implementation of the Virtual Medicine Record in Cloud System (VMRCS).

Methods: A cross-sectional study regarding outpatient pharmaceutical care was conducted at a medical center in Taiwan. Patients aged >20 years old with multiple chronic diseases and polypharmacy were enrolled.

Cell Therapy Regulation in Taiwan.

Cell therapy is not only a novel medical practice but also a medicinal product [cell therapy product (CTP)]. More and more CTPs are being approved for marketing globally because of the rapid development of biomedicine in cell culture, preservation, and preparation. However, regulation is the most important criterion for the development of CTPs.

Efficacy of Combined Ultrasound-and-Microbubbles-Mediated Diclofenac Gel Delivery to Enhance Transdermal Permeation in Adjuvant-Induced Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Rat.

A previous study that investigated the effect of ultrasound (US) on the transdermal permeation of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac found that therapeutic US can increase circulation in an inflamed joint and decrease arthritic pain. Transdermal drug delivery has recently been demonstrated by US combined with microbubbles (MB) contrast agent (henceforth referred to as "US-MB"). The present study evaluated the efficacy of US-MB-mediated diclofenac delivery for treating adjuvant-induced rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in rats.

Evaluation of brain SERT occupancy by resveratrol against MDMA-induced neurobiological and behavioral changes in rats: A 4-[¹⁸F]-ADAM/small-animal PET study.

The misuse of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has drawn a growing concern worldwide for its psychophysiological impacts on humans. MDMA abusers are often accompanied by long-term serotonergic neurotoxicity, which is associated with reduced density of cerebral serotonin transporters (SERT) and depressive disorders. Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural polyphenolic phytoalexin that has been known for its antidepressant and neuroprotective effects.

Developing school-pharmacist partnerships to enhance correct medication use and pain medication literacy in Taiwan.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the health promoting school (HPS)-community pharmacist partnership program that promotes students' correct medication use and enhances pain medication literacy in Taiwan.

Design: Pre- and post-studies and intervention/comparison group comparisons.

Setting: Primary and middle schools, along with their communities, in Taiwan.

Biodegradable polymeric microsphere-based vaccines and their applications in infectious diseases.

Vaccination, which provides effective, safe infectious disease protection, is among the most important recent public health and immunological achievements. However, infectious disease remains the leading cause of death in developing countries because several vaccines require repeated administrations and children are often incompletely immunized. Microsphere-based systems, providing controlled release delivery, can obviate the need for repeat immunizations.

Pre-medication to improve esophagogastroduodenoscopic visibility: a meta-analysis and systemic review.

Background/aims: The use of pre-medication to improve visibility in gastrointestinal endoscopy has not been well addressed and remains controversial. The aim is to evaluate the effects of current pre-medication on endoscopic visualization.

Methodology: We made the overall strategies to search the different databases and assessed the quality of included studies according to the included and excluded standard.

Improving anticancer efficacy of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate gold nanoparticles in murine B16F10 melanoma cells.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major bioactive constituent in green tea, has been reported to effectively inhibit the formation and development of tumors. To maximize the effectiveness of EGCG, we attached it to nanogold particles (EGCG-pNG) in various ratios to examine in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo anti-cancer activity. EGCG-pNG showed improved anti-cancer efficacy in B16F10 murine melanoma cells; the cytotoxic effect in the melanoma cells treated with EGCG-pNG was 4.

Development of Yersinia pestis F1 antigen-loaded microspheres vaccine against plague.

Yersinia pestis F1 antigen-loaded poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) (PLGA/PEG) microspheres were produced using a water-in-oil-in-water emulsion/solvent extraction technique and assayed for their percent yield, entrapment efficiency, surface morphology, particle size, zeta potential, in vitro release properties, and in vivo animal protect efficacy. The Y. pestis F1 antigen-loaded microspheres (mean particle size 3.

Efficacy of simethicone and N-acetylcysteine as premedication in improving visibility during upper endoscopy.

Background: Simethicone and N-acetylcysteine have been widely used in improving endoscopic visibility. However, the optimal dose, volume, and dosing time for the premedication regimen are still unclear.

Aim: Our aim was to assess the efficacy of premedication in improving endoscopic visibility and determine the contributions of dose, volume, and premedication time.