Publications by authors named "N-W Chen"

There is a new awareness of the widespread nature of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its connection to cardiovascular disease (CVD). This has catalyzed collaboration between cardiologists, hepatologists, endocrinologists, and the wider multidisciplinary team to address the need for earlier identification of those with MASLD who are at increased risk for CVD. The overlap in the pathophysiologic processes and parallel prevalence of CVD, metabolic syndrome, and MASLD highlight the multisystem consequences of poor cardiovascular-liver-metabolic health.

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Adenocarcinomas from multiple tissues can converge to treatment-resistant small cell neuroendocrine (SCN) cancers composed of ASCL1, POU2F3, NEUROD1, and YAP1 subtypes. We investigated how mitochondrial metabolism influences SCN cancer (SCNC) progression. Extensive bioinformatics analyses encompassing thousands of patient tumors and human cancer cell lines uncovered enhanced expression of proliferator-activatedreceptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α), a potent regulator of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), across several SCNCs.

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Diapause (D) is a hormonally controlled alternative developmental pathway that allows mosquitoes to survive harsh winter conditions. Key characteristics of mosquito diapause include elevated lipid storage, enhanced stress and cold endurance, and extended longevity. These phenotypic changes are often associated with dynamic alterations in the transcriptome and epigenome.

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  • The study aimed to evaluate how well a deep learning model using multiparametric MRI can predict tumor deposits in rectal cancer patients and their prognostic implications.
  • A total of 529 rectal cancer patients from two surgical centers were analyzed, with data divided into training, internal validation, and external validation sets.
  • The results indicated a strong predictive capability of the combined clinical and deep learning models, with the nomogram performing best in predicting outcomes, as shown by the AUC values and survival analysis.
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  • * After three rounds of surveys, 18 out of 68 factors were identified as influential, with stable consensus on factors that favor operative treatment including professional athlete status and specific fracture characteristics.
  • * Most disagreement arose regarding treatment for certain injuries, especially those involving an anterolateral coronoid tip fracture, indicating a need for more clarity in treatment guidelines among surgeons.
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  • - The Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) effectively induces remission in mild-to-moderate Crohn's disease patients and has gained recognition in recent ESPEN guidelines, although it faces cultural implementation challenges.
  • - This case-based study compiles experiences from healthcare providers across six countries to address these challenges and find solutions, particularly focusing on how dietitians can adapt the CDED to different cultural contexts.
  • - The study emphasizes the importance of customizing dietary plans and providing personalized counseling to ensure effective CDED implementation, contributing to the overall understanding and practical application of the diet in various cultures.
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Sequential adaptive trial designs can help accomplish the goals of personalized medicine, optimizing outcomes and avoiding unnecessary toxicity. Here we describe the results of incorporating a promising antibody-drug conjugate, datopotamab-deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) in combination with programmed cell death-ligand 1 inhibitor, durvalumab, as the first sequence of therapy in the I-SPY2.2 phase 2 neoadjuvant sequential multiple assignment randomization trial for high-risk stage 2/3 breast cancer.

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Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study assesses the association between leisure-time physical activity, sedentary behavior, and CVD risk among patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease, considering genetic predisposition to CVD.

Methods: This cohort study included 157 794 participants with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease from the UK Biobank who were free of CVD at baseline.

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-forming hydrogels are an attractive option for corneal regeneration, and the delivery of growth factors from such constructs have the potential to improve re-epithelialization and stromal remodeling. However, challenges persist in controlling the release of therapeutic molecules from hydrogels. Here, an -forming bio-orthogonally crosslinked hydrogel containing growth factors tethered photocleavable linkages (PC-HACol hydrogel) was developed to accelerate corneal regeneration.

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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease, notably resistant to existing therapies. Current research indicates that PDAC patients deficient in homologous recombination (HR) benefit from platinum-based treatments and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). However, the effectiveness of PARPi in HR-deficient (HRD) PDAC is suboptimal, and significant challenges remain in fully understanding the distinct characteristics and implications of HRD-associated PDAC.

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  • * The study identifies RNU4-2, a non-coding RNA gene, as a significant contributor to syndromic NDD, revealing a specific 18-base pair region with low variation that includes variants found in 115 individuals with NDD.
  • * RNU4-2 is highly expressed in the developing brain, and its variants disrupt splicing processes, indicating that non-coding genes play a crucial role in rare disorders, potentially aiding in the diagnosis of thousands with NDD worldwide.
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BACKGROUND Flavonifractor plautii belongs to the clostridium family, which can lead to local infections as well as the bloodstream infections. Flavonifractor plautii caused infection is rarely few in the clinic. To understand better Flavonifractor plautii, we investigated the drug sensitivity and perform genome sequencing of Flavonifractor plautii isolated from blood samples in China and explored the drug resistance and pathogenic mechanism of the bacteria.

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  • Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a hereditary condition with varied clinical patterns, including one form marked by spastic paraplegia, leading researchers to examine its features and progression.
  • A study involving 249 SCA3 patients was conducted, focusing on two groups: those with spastic paraplegia (SCA3-SP) and those without (SCA3-NSP), using advanced brain imaging techniques to analyze differences.
  • The results indicated that SCA3-SP patients were younger and had more severe symptoms, as shown by higher clinical scores and larger genetic markers, compared to the SCA3-NSP group, highlighting differences in disease progression between the two subtypes
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Developing inexpensive, efficient, and stable catalysts is crucial for reducing the cost of electrolytic hydrogen production. Recently, polyoxometalates (POMs) have gained attention and widespread use due to their excellent electrocatalytic properties. This study designed and synthesized three composite materials, NF/PMoW, by using phosphomolybdic-tungstic heteropolyacids as precursors to grow in situ on nickel foam via the hydrothermal process and subsequent calcination.

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  • * A study utilized CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing with rAAV2/8 vectors to target intron 6 of the CYP4V2 gene in various cell types and a mouse model, successfully integrating critical genetic sequences for improving cell functions.
  • * The gene editing therapy showed positive outcomes, including restored cell viability and improved RPE and photoreceptor health in mouse models, indicating that this method has the potential for long-term treatment of BCD.
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KN046, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-L1 and CTLA-4, presents a promising therapeutic option for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this multicenter phase 2 trial, patients with nonsquamous (non-sq) NSCLC receive pemetrexed, whereas those with sq-NSCLC receive paclitaxel, plus KN046 and carboplatin. Following four cycles, maintenance therapy includes KN046 with pemetrexed for non-sq-NSCLC and KN046 for sq-NSCLC.

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Ciprofol (HSK3486) is a newly developed, highly selective γ-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA) receptor potentiator that is recently approved for a new indication of sedation for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) in China. This analysis aimed to characterize the population pharmacokinetics (PopPKs) of ciprofol and evaluate the relationship of exposure with hypotension in mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU. A total of 462 subjects with 3918 concentration measurements from two clinical trials of mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU, four clinical trials of elective surgical patients, and six clinical trials of healthy subjects were used in the PopPK analysis.

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Objective: The 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS) is the most common microdeletion in humans with over 180 phenotypic expressions.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered several changes in countries' health purchasing arrangements to accompany the adjustments in service delivery in order to meet the urgent and additional demands for COVID-19-related services. However, evidence on how these adjustments have played out in low- and middle-income countries is scarce. This paper provides a synthesis of a multi-country study of the adjustments in purchasing arrangements for the COVID-19 health sector response in eight middle-income countries (Armenia, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Philippines, Romania and Ukraine).

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The effects of leaves extract (NCLE), with effective ingredients of flavonoids, on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and relevant microorganisms in cecal contents and feces of broilers treated with or without lipopolysaccharide stimulation (LPS) were investigated. LPS stimulation increased ( < 0.05) the relative abundance of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as ), , , ), , ), ), , , , , , and in cecal contents.

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  • Household air pollution from biomass cooking fuels may contribute to stunted growth in infants, raising questions about whether switching to cleaner liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) can help reduce this risk.
  • A randomized trial with 3200 pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries was conducted, comparing the impact of using LPG cookstoves against traditional biomass cookstoves on infant growth at 12 months old.
  • Results showed that the intervention group using LPG had significantly lower exposure to fine particulate matter and a stunting rate of 27.4%, while the control group had a slightly higher stunting rate of 25.2%, indicating a potential benefit of switching to LPG.
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  • * Conducted between May 2018 and September 2021, the trial involved 3,195 pregnant women who were randomly assigned to use either LPG stoves (intervention group) or biomass fuel (control group), and their children's exposure to air pollution was measured.
  • * Results showed a slight reduction in severe pneumonia incidents among infants in the LPG group compared to the biomass group, but the difference was not statistically significant, suggesting that while LPG reduced air pollution exposure, it did not significantly lower pneumonia rates.
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Trans-differentiation from an adenocarcinoma to a small cell neuroendocrine state is associated with therapy resistance in multiple cancer types. To gain insight into the underlying molecular events of the trans-differentiation, we perform a multi-omics time course analysis of a pan-small cell neuroendocrine cancer model (termed PARCB), a forward genetic transformation using human prostate basal cells and identify a shared developmental, arc-like, and entropy-high trajectory among all transformation model replicates. Further mapping with single cell resolution reveals two distinct lineages defined by mutually exclusive expression of ASCL1 or ASCL2.

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