Using the Diabetes Care System for a County-Wide Hepatitis C Elimination: An Integrated Community-Based Shared Care Model in Taiwan.

Introduction: Despite the serious risks of diabetes with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, this preventable comorbidity is rarely a priority for HCV elimination. We aim to examine how a shared care model could eliminate HCV in patients with diabetes (PwD) in primary care.

Methods: There were 27 community-based Diabetes Health Promotion Institutes in each township/city of Changhua, Taiwan.

The dawn phenomenon in type 2 diabetes: its association with glucose excursions and changes after oral glucose-lowering drugs.

Background: We investigated the association between glucose excursions and the dawn phenomenon, and the effects of oral-glucose lowering drugs on the dawn phenomenon in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: We conducted a analysis using data from a previous randomized trial. Patients with T2D on metformin monotherapy were randomized to receive add-on acarbose or glibenclamide for 16 weeks.

Growth hormone rescue cerebellar degeneration in SCA3 transgenic mice.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease for which no identified effective treatment or prevention methods exist. However, low-dose growth hormone (GH) therapy, as a potential off-label use, may deter the progress of SCA3. SCA3 15Q and SCA3 84Q transgenic mice harboring a YAC transgene that expresses the human ATXN3 gene with a pathogenic expanded 15 CAG repeat and 84 CAG repeat motif, respectively, were recruited.

Author Correction: The beneficial effects of Lactobacillus reuteri ADR-1 or ADR-3 consumption on type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Effect of diabetes mellitus on risk of latent TB infection in a high TB incidence area: a community-based study in Taiwan.

Objective: To investigate the association between diabetes and latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI) in high TB incidence areas.

Design: Community-based comparison study.

Setting: Outpatient diabetes clinics at 4 hospitals and 13 health centres in urban and rural townships.

Pay-for-performance for shared care of diabetes in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: Comprehensive and continuous care is crucial for patients with diabetes. The diabetes pay-for-performance (P4P) program launched by the National Health Insurance (NHI) administration in Taiwan provides a financial incentive to facilitate this goal. In this study, we explored the characteristics of patients in the P4P program between 2005 and 2014.

Cyclophilin A and CD147 associate with progression of diabetic nephropathy.

To find the associations of circulating cyclophilin A (CyP A) and CD147/EMMPRIN with renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients and possible pathogenesis involved. Total 131 patients were recruited since 2004. Glycated hemoglobin, blood glucose and urine albumin-creatinine ratio levels at baseline and every 3 months were measured.

The beneficial effects of Lactobacillus reuteri ADR-1 or ADR-3 consumption on type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Probiotics have been reported to ameliorate symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in animal models and human studies. We previously demonstrated that oral administration of Lactobacillus reuteri ADR-3 reduced insulin resistance in high-fructose-fed (HFD) rats. In the present study, we first identified another L.

Cyclophilin A: A Predictive Biomarker of Carotid Stenosis in Cerebral Ischemic Stroke.

Background: Cyclophilin A plays a pathogenic role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, which can be assessed by measuring carotid intima-media thickness. The primary aim of this study was to examine the interaction between plasma Cyclophilin A level and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Method: Plasma concentration of Cyclophilin A was measured on admission in 66 consecutive patients who had been hospitalized for acute cerebral stroke and in 52 case-control subjects without a history of acute stroke.

Andrographolide inhibits hypoxia-induced hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and endothelin 1 expression through the heme oxygenase 1/CO/cGMP/MKP-5 pathways in EA.hy926 cells.

Andrographolide is a potent anti-inflammatory agent found in Andrographis paniculata. Endothelin 1 (ET-1) is an endothelium-derived vasoconstrictor with pro-inflammatory properties secreted in response to hypoxia. Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 5 (MKP-5) is a dual-specificity phosphatase that dephosphorylates threonine and tyrosine residues of MAPKs.

H2O2 induces caveolin‑1 degradation and impaired mitochondrial function in E11 podocytes.

Increased intercellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are the major cause of podocyte injury with proteinuria. Caveolin‑1 (CAV‑1) is an essential protein component of caveolae. CAV‑1 participates in signal transduction and endocytic trafficking.

Far-infrared radiation protects viability in a cell model of Spinocerebellar Ataxia by preventing polyQ protein accumulation and improving mitochondrial function.

Far infrared radiation (FIR) is currently investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy in various diseases though the mechanism is unknown. Presently, we tested if FIR mediates beneficial effects in a cell model of the neurodegenerative disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). SCA3 is caused by a mutation leading to an abnormal polyglutamine expansion (PolyQ) in ataxin-3 protein.

Andrographolide inhibits hypoxia-induced HIF-1α-driven endothelin 1 secretion by activating Nrf2/HO-1 and promoting the expression of prolyl hydroxylases 2/3 in human endothelial cells.

Andrographolide, the main bioactive component of the medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata, has been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory activity. Endothelin 1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor peptide produced by vascular endothelial cells, displays proinflammatory property. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), the regulatory member of the transcription factor heterodimer HIF-1α/β, is one of the most important molecules that responds to hypoxia.

Caveolin-1 Expression Ameliorates Nephrotic Damage in a Rabbit Model of Cholesterol-Induced Hypercholesterolemia.

Caveolin-1 (CAV-1) participates in regulating vesicular transport, signal transduction, tumor progression, and cholesterol homeostasis. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that CAV-1 improves dyslipidemia, inhibits cyclophilin A (CypA)- mediated ROS production, prevents mitochondrial compensatory action and attenuates oxidative stress responses in cholesterol-induced hypercholesterolemia. To determine the role of CAV-1 in mediating oxidative and antioxidative as well as cholesterol homeostasis, hypercholesterolemic rabbits were intravenously administered antenapedia-CAV-1 (AP-CAV-1) peptide for 2 wk.

Glycemic excursions are positively associated with HbA1c reduction from baseline after treatment with acarbose in patients with type 2 diabetes on metformin monotherapy.

Background: The aim of the present study was to examine the association between glycemic excursions before treatment and HbA1c reduction after treatment intensification with acarbose or glibenclamide in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: Patients receiving single or dual oral antidiabetic drug treatment with an HbA1c of 7.0-11.

Subnormal Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Strongly Predict Incident Cardiovascular Events in Type 2 Diabetic Chinese Population With Normoalbuminuria.

No study has evaluated whether subnormal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (between 61 and 90 mL/min) and high normal albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) (<30 mg/g) are associated with cardiovascular (CV) events and mortality in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients with normoalbuminuria.We observed a longitudinal cohort study of 1291 T2DM patients with normoalbuminuria who were receiving intensified multifactorial treatment from 2004 to 2008. Cox regression models were used to evaluate eGFR and ACR as the risk factors of major CV events (nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke) and mortality.

High diabetes mellitus prevalence with increasing trend among newly-diagnosed tuberculosis patients in an Asian population: A nationwide population-based study.

Aims: Our aims were to investigate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) among patients with newly-diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) and to determine its associated factors in an Asian population.

Methods: The data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database and included 9831 newly-diagnosed TB individuals in the period of 2000-2010. The data were divided into a DM group and a non-DM group.

Caveolin-1 provides palliation for adverse hepatic reactions in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Caveolins are an essential component of cholesterol-rich invaginations of the plasma membrane known as caveolae. These flask-shaped, invaginated structures participate in a number of important cellular processes, including vesicular transport, cholesterol homeostasis, and signal transduction. We investigated the effects of CAV-1 on mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidant enzymes in hypercholesterolemia-affected target organs.

Cyclophilin-A: a novel biomarker for untreated male essential hypertension.

Vascular cytokines, total nitrite, and cyclophilin-A (CyP-A) may be related to the pathogenesis of untreated hypertension. Forty males with normotensive and untreated essential hypertension were recruited in this cytokines survey. Body mass index (BMI), hyperlipidemia, and plasma CyP-A were increased in the hypertensive group (p < 0.

FGF21 in ataxia patients with spinocerebellar atrophy and mitochondrial disease.

Background: Serum fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) was proven to be a useful biomarker for the presence of mitochondrial neuromuscular disease.

Methods: In the present study, we used the difference in the serum FGF21 level to differentiate between ataxia patients with hereditary spinocerebellar atrophy (SCA-ataxia) and those with mitochondrial syndrome (Mito-ataxia). Patients with SCA-ataxia (SCA2, SCA3) and Mito-ataxia (MELAS, MERRF, LHON, maternal inherited hearing impairment mtDNA A1555G mutation) were recruited in this study.

Endogenous granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: a biomarker in acute ischemic stroke.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) may protect ischemic brain injury either in animal or human. No studies have reported that endogenous G-CSF (enG-CSF) level is related to the severity of ischemic stroke. This study was designed to assess the severity of ischemic patients correlated with the alteration of enG-CSF on the 1st day after an ischemic event.

Generation of reactive oxygen species mediates butein-induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells.

Flavonoids exhibit chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects. Butein, a bioactive flavonoid isolated from numerous native plants, has been shown to induce apoptosis in human cancer cells. In the current study, the molecular mechanisms of butein action on cell proliferation and apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells were evaluated.