Surveillance of pathogenic yeasts in hospital environments in Taiwan in 2020.

Background: A predominate azole-resistant Candida tropicalis clade 4 genotype causing candidemia has been detected in not only Taiwan but also China, Singapore, and Australia. It can also be detected on fruit surfaces. In addition to determining distribution and drug susceptibilities of pathogenic yeasts in environments of intensive care units of 25 hospitals in Taiwan, we would also like to investigate whether the azole-resistant C.

COVID-19 associated mold infections: Review of COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis and mucormycosis.

COVID-19-associated mold infection (CAMI) is defined as development of mold infections in COVID-19 patients. Co-pathogenesis of viral and fungal infections include the disruption of tissue barrier following SARS CoV-2 infection with the damage in the alveolar space, respiratory epithelium and endothelium injury and overwhelming inflammation and immune dysregulation during severe COVID-19. Other predisposing risk factors permissive to fungal infections during COVID-19 include the administration of immune modulators such as corticosteroids and IL-6 antagonist.

Candidemia in hospitalized cirrhotic patients with bloodstream infection: A retrospective analysis and brief summary of published studies.

Background: Candidemia is a life-threatening condition; however, the predictive markers for candidemia and mortality are inadequate in cirrhotic patients. This study was conducted to propose candidate predictors for the occurrence of candidemia and 30-day mortality in hospitalized cirrhotic patients with bloodstream infection (BSI) and review the related literature.

Methods: Cirrhotic patients with BSI between January 2011 and March 2020 were screened from the databank of a medical center and eligible patients were enrolled.

Bloodstream infection with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli: The role of virulence genes.

Background: Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains hold the responsibility for the majority of E. coli infections. Numerous extraintestinal virulence factors (VFs) were possessed by ExPEC which are involved in the pathogenesis of infection.

HIV-1 integrase strand-transfer inhibitor resistance in southern Taiwan.

The use of antiretroviral therapy has reduced rates of mortality and morbidity in patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome(HIV/AIDS). However, transmission of drug-resistant strains poses a challenge to control the spread of HIV-1. Primary resistance to integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) is rare despite their increased use.

Primary deep cutaneous candidiasis caused by Candida duobushaemulonii in a 68-year-old man: the first case report and literature review.

Superficial candida infections of the skin are common, but deep cutaneous candidiasis, including secondary dissemination to the skin from systemic candidiasis, candidaemia or primary invasion due to skin defects such as trauma, is rare. These patients are usually immunosuppressed, but immunocompetent hosts can be affected as well. Candida albicans is the most common pathogen.

Differential diagnosis of tuberculous and malignant pleurisy using pleural fluid adenosine deaminase and interferon gamma in Taiwan.

Accurately differentiating tuberculous pleurisy from lung cancer is important for disease management but difficult using conventional laboratory methods. This study assessed the value of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) for differentiating the two conditions in a region of Taiwan with a high prevalence of tuberculosis. The study population comprised patients with lymphocytic exudative pleural effusions: tuberculous (n=24) and malignant (n=42).

The relationship of self-reported sleep disturbance, mood, and menopause in a community study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between sleep disturbance, mood, menopausal status, and vasomotor symptoms in middle-aged women in Kinmen.

Design: A community-based sample of 1,113 Taiwanese women aged 43 to 57 years who were living on the island of Kinmen were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Menopausal status was determined by menstrual history.

Does menopausal transition affect the quality of life? A longitudinal study of middle-aged women in Kinmen.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of menopausal transition and menopausal symptoms in relation to quality of life in a cohort of middle-aged women in Kinmen.

Design: A total of 734 premenopausal women participated in the baseline study, and 579 women (78.9%) completed a follow-up 2 years later.

Pharmacokinetic interaction between 5-[2-propyloxy-5-(1-methyl-2-pyrollidinylethylamidosulfonyl)phenyl]-1-methyl-3-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo (4,3-d) pyrimidine-7-one (DA-8159) and nitroglycerin in rats.

The pharmacokinetic interaction between 5-[2-propyloxy-5-(1-methyl-2-pyrollidinylethylamidosulfonyl)phenyl]-1-methyl-3-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo (4,3-d)pyrimidine-7-one (DA-8159), a new erectogenic, and nitroglycerin has been evaluated in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received DA-8159 (30 mg kg(-1)) as a single intravenous or oral dose with the simultaneous single intravenous administration of nitroglycerin (2.5 mg kg(-1)).

Trends in fluoroquinolone resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in a Taiwanese medical centre: 1995-2003.

Objectives: Fluoroquinolones are being used more frequently for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB). This study was designed to determine the frequency of the emergence of fluoroquinolone-resistant strains in Taiwan and to assess whether this might be due to use of fluoroquinolones for treatment of patients with MDR or because of increased use of fluoroquinolones in the community for treatment of other infections. We also sought to determine whether there might be clonal spread of fluoroquinolone resistance.

A longitudinal study of cognition change during early menopausal transition in a rural community.

Objective: To characterize changes in cognition that occur during the hormonal transitions of menopause.

Method: We conducted a longitudinal population-based study in Kinmen, Taiwan, recruiting all women age 40-54 years who were premenopausal and without a history of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or hysterectomy. The cognitive measures used to assess function included the Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, visual memory, verbal fluency, Trail Making Test and digit span.

Hot flashes are associated with psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression in peri- and post- but not premenopausal women.

Objective: To explore the relationship between anxiety, depression, vasomotor symptoms, and menopausal status among middle-aged women.

Design: A population-based study involving a rural Taiwanese population. Participants received a structured questionnaire, which included the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), gynecological history and a checklist of menopausal symptoms in the most recent 2 weeks.

Effect of enzyme inducers and inhibitors on the pharmacokinetics of oltipraz in rats.

A series of in-vitro and in-vivo experiments, using various inducers and inhibitors of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes, was conducted to study oltipraz pharmacokinetics in rats. In in-vivo studies, oltipraz at a dose of 10 mg kg(-) was administered intravenously to rats. In rats pretreated with SKF 525-A (a nonspecific CYP isozyme inhibitor in rats; n-9), the time-averaged total body clearance (CL) of oltipraz was significantly slower (56.

Effects of protein-calorie malnutrition on the pharmacokinetics of DA-7867, a new oxazolidinone, in rats.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of DA-7867, a new oxazolidinone, were compared after intravenous and oral administration at a dose of 10 mg x kg(-1) to control rats and rats with protein-calorie malnutrition (rats with PCM). After intravenous administration of 10 mg x kg(-1) DA-7867 to rats, metabolism of the drug was not considerable and after 14 days approximately 85.0% of the dose was recovered as unchanged drug from urine and faeces.