Habitual tea consumption is associated with a lower prevalence of kidney stone disease in postmenopausal women.

Background: Menopause is associated with an increased risk of kidney stone disease (KSD). However, for postmenopausal women, how to avoid KSD has rarely been studied. The aim of this study was to explore whether drinking tea is associated with a reduction in the prevalence of KSD in postmenopausal women.

Vegetarian Diet Reduced Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in a Nationwide Longitudinal Survey in Taiwan.

Background/objectives: This large, longitudinal follow-up cohort study aimed to explore how being a vegetarian and related factors impacted the incident gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a comprehensive Taiwanese cohort.

Methods: The study cohort was enrolled from the Taiwan Biobank. Vegetarian status, duration of being a vegetarian, type of vegetarian diet, and whether or not the participants had GERD were recorded from self-reported surveys.

Association of the VEGF 2578C>A Polymorphism With Metabolic Syndrome and Erectile Dysfunction.

Accumulating evidence suggests a link between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), erectile dysfunction (ED), and metabolic syndrome (Mets), possibly because VEGF can alter the physiological pathways involved in the regulation of endothelial cell proliferation. This study aimed to investigate the genetic susceptibility of VEGF 2578C>A polymorphism to the development of ED and Mets. Collected data included five-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), components of Mets, and VEGF 2578C>A polymorphism.

Prognostic Significance of Gene Variants and Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is characterized by high mortality and morbidity rates. Vav guanine nucleotide exchange factors (VAVs), crucial for signal transduction between cell membrane receptors and intracellular mediators, have been implicated in carcinogenesis. However, their potential prognostic value in RCC remains unclear.

The miRNAs 203a/210-3p/5001-5p regulate the androgen/androgen receptor/YAP-induced migration in prostate cancer cells.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients with elevated level of androgen receptor (AR) correlate with higher metastatic incidence. Protein expression of AR and its target gene prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are elevated in metastatic prostate tumors as compared to organ-confined tumors. Androgen treatment or elevation of AR promotes metastasis of PCa in cell culture and murine model.

Glaucine inhibits hypoxia-induced angiogenesis and attenuates LPS-induced inflammation in human retinal pigment epithelial ARPE-19 cells.

Glaucine is an aporphine alkaloid with anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator and anti-cancer activities. However, the effects of glaucine in the regulation of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remain unclear. Herein, we aimed to investigate the anti-angiogenetic and anti-inflammatory effects of glaucine in ARPE-19 cells.

Real-world safety and effectiveness of radium-223 in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: Interim analyses of the prospective, observational RAPIT study.

Several life-prolonging therapies for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) are available, including radium-223 dichloride (Ra), which was approved based on phase 3 data demonstrating improved overall survival (OS) and a favorable safety profile. To date, real-world evidence for Ra use in Taiwan is from three studies of <50 patients. This observational study (NCT04232761) enrolled male patients with histologically/cytologically confirmed mCRPC with bone metastases from centers across Taiwan.

Coffee consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of airflow limitation in postmenopausal women.

Background: Several studies have suggested a potential correlation between menopause and airflow limitation. However, the presence of protective factors in postmenopausal women remains uncertain. Therefore, our study seeks to examine potential protective factors associated with a reduced prevalence of airflow limitation among postmenopausal women.

The association between body mass index and osteoporosis in a Taiwanese population: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

This study investigates the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and osteoporosis utilizing data from the Taiwan Biobank. Initially, a comprehensive analysis of 119,009 participants enrolled from 2008 to 2019 was conducted to assess the association between BMI and osteoporosis prevalence. Subsequently, a longitudinal cohort of 24,507 participants, initially free from osteoporosis, underwent regular follow-ups every 2-4 years to analyze the risk of osteoporosis development, which was a subset of the main cohort.

Identifying the role of MTHFD1L in prostate cancer progression from genetic analysis and experimental validation.

One-carbon metabolism plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis as it supplies the one-carbon units necessary for nucleotide synthesis, epigenetic regulation, and redox metabolism, ensuring the rapid proliferation of cancer cells. However, their roles in prostate cancer progression remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the association between genetic variants in the one-carbon metabolism pathway and clinical outcomes in patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

Enzalutamide and Quality of Life in Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: EMBARK, a controlled trial reported elsewhere, showed enzalutamide plus leuprolide (combination) and enzalutamide monotherapy prolonged metastasis-free survival versus placebo plus leuprolide (alone) in patients with high-risk biochemically recurrent prostate cancer. Health-related quality of life was also analyzed but not reported. METHODS: In EMBARK, patients with biochemical recurrence (prostate-specific antigen doubling time of ≤9 months) were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to combination (n=355), leuprolide-alone (n=358), or enzalutamide monotherapy (n=355).

Integrated analysis identifies GABRB3 as a biomarker in prostate cancer.

Background: Treatment failure following androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) presents a significant challenge in the management of advanced prostate cancer. Thus, understanding the genetic factors influencing this process could facilitate the development of personalized treatments and innovative therapeutic strategies. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in controlling cell growth and tumorigenesis.

A Genome-Wide Association Study of Metabolic Syndrome in the Taiwanese Population.

The purpose of this study was to investigate genetic factors associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) by conducting a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) in Taiwan, addressing the limited data on Asian populations compared to Western populations. Using data from the Taiwan Biobank, comprehensive clinical and genetic information from 107,230 Taiwanese individuals was analyzed. Genotyping data from the TWB1.

EGFR-mediated hyperacetylation of tubulin induced docetaxel resistance by downregulation of HDAC6 and upregulation of MCAK and PLK1 in prostate cancer cells.

Docetaxel-based chemotherapy has generally been considered as one of the effective treatments for castration-resistant prostate cancer (PCa). However, clinical treatment with docetaxel often encounters a number of undesirable effects, including drug resistance. Tubulin isoforms have been previously examined for their resistance to docetaxel in many cancers, but their real mechanisms remained unclear.

as a Potential Biomarker for Renal Cell Carcinoma: Evidence from an Integrated Genetic Analysis.

Background/aim: Oxidative stress plays an important role in various pathogenic processes, and disruption in the coordinated production of NADPH oxidase (NOX)-derived reactive oxygen species has been associated with carcinogenesis. However, little is known about whether genetic variants in NOX can contribute to the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Patients And Methods: This study aimed to bridge this knowledge gap by analysing the association of 10 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the phagocyte NOX genes, CYBA and CYBB, with RCC risk and tumour characteristics in 630 RCC patients and controls.

Association between Menopause, Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy and Metabolic Syndrome.

(1) Background: We aimed to explore the associations between menopause, postmenopausal hormone therapy, and metabolic syndrome in a large community-based group of Asian women. (2) Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which we enrolled women aged 30 to 70 years with sufficient information about menopausal status from the Taiwan Biobank. The definition for metabolic syndrome used in this study aligns with the Bureau of Health Promotion's (Taiwan) proposed definition.

The impact of secondhand smoke on the development of kidney stone disease is not inferior to that of smoking: a longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Tobacco use and secondhand smoke (SHS) are risk factors of kidney stone disease (KSD). The hypothesis is that tobacco produces chemicals that increase oxidative stress and vasopressin, which leads to decreased urine output, and contributes to stone formation. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of smoking and SHS on the development of KSD.

Anticancer Effects of Morusin in Prostate Cancer via Inhibition of Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most prevalent cancer in men worldwide. The majority of PCa incidences eventually progress to castration-resistant PCa (CRPC), thereby establishing an urgent need for new effective therapeutic strategies. This study aims to examine the effects of morusin, a prenylated flavonoid isolated from L.

Nordalbergin Exerts Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects by Attenuating MAPK Signaling Pathway, NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and ROS Production in LPS-Stimulated BV2 Microglia.

Microglia-associated neuroinflammation is recognized as a critical factor in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases; however, there is no effective treatment for the blockage of neurodegenerative disease progression. In this study, the effect of nordalbergin, a coumarin isolated from the wood bark of , on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses was investigated using murine microglial BV2 cells. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, whereas nitric oxide (NO) production was analyzed using the Griess reagent.

Skin sympathetic nerve activity as a potential biomarker for overactive bladder.

Purpose: Abnormalities in autonomic function are associated with an overactive bladder (OAB). Heart rate variability is generally used as the sole assessment of autonomic activity; however, we utilized neuECG, a novel method of recording skin electrical signals, to assess autonomic nervous function in healthy controls and patients with OAB before and after treatment.

Methods: The prospective sample included 52 participants: 23 patients newly diagnosed with OAB and 29 controls.

Darolutamide for non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: Efficacy, safety, and clinical perspectives of use.

Darolutamide, a second-generation androgen receptor inhibitor (SGARI), has been shown to increase metastasis-free survival and overall survival among men with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC). Its unique chemical structure potentially provides efficacy and safety advantages over the SGARIs apalutamide and enzalutamide, which are also indicated for nmCRPC. Despite a lack of direct comparisons, the SGARIs appear to have similar efficacy, safety, and quality of life (QoL) results.