Heat-Killed subsp. 557 Extracts Protect Chondrocytes from Osteoarthritis Damage by Reducing Inflammation: An In Vitro Study.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition characterized by joint pain and disability, driven by excessive oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokine production in chondrocytes, resulting in cell death and cartilage matrix breakdown. Our previous study showed that in monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA rats, oral administration of heat-killed subsp. 557 (LDL557) could significantly decrease OA progression.

Identification and Characterization of Acidic Degradation Products of Moxidectin Drug Substance Including Degradation Pathways Using LC, HRMS, and NMR.

Background: Moxidectin is an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) extensively used in various drug products within the pharmaceutical and animal health sectors. Despite its widespread use, the analytical methods prescribed by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and European Pharmacopoeia (EP, Ph. Eur.

Long-Term Statin Use Is Associated With Reduced Rates of Adverse Events in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: The effectiveness of statin use in preventing adverse cardiovascular events in individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF) has remained uncertain. This study aimed to assess whether statin use could lead to better outcomes among individuals with AF.

Methods And Results: We enrolled 397 787 patients with AF from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2020.

Spint1 disruption in mouse pancreas leads to glucose intolerance and impaired insulin production involving HEPSIN/MAFA.

SPINT1, a membrane-anchored serine protease inhibitor, regulates cascades of pericellular proteolysis while its tissue-specific functions remain incompletely characterized. In this study, we generate Spint1-lacZ knock-in mice and observe Spint1 expression in embryonic pancreatic epithelium. Pancreas-specific Spint1 disruption significantly diminishes islet size and mass, causing glucose intolerance and downregulation of MAFA and insulin.

Serum Methotrexate Level Predicts Acute Kidney Injury After High-Dose Methotrexate: A Case Report and Single-Center Experience.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication following high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) treatment, despite established preventive measures. This study presents a case report and a retrospective review of patients treated with HD-MTX, aiming to identify risk factors for AKI and propose a modified treatment protocol.

Methods: We report a case of a 43-year-old man with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who developed severe AKI after HD-MTX therapy.

Preliminary assessment of the diagnostic accuracy of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma through deep sequencing of T-cell receptor gamma gene.

Background: The diagnostic challenges in early mycosis fungoides (MF) and other cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) persist despite advancements in molecular methods.

Aim: The study aims to provide a preliminary assessment of next-generation sequencing in analyzing T-cell receptor gamma (TRG) sequences for distinguishing CTCL from benign inflammatory disorders.

Methods: Skin samples from CTCL and benign inflammatory skin disorders proven clinicopathologically were assessed for TRG by NGS.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Consensus on diagnosis and management in Taiwan.

Cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCLs), with mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) as the classic types, are the commonest group of primary cutaneous lymphomas. The diverse clinical manifestation and non-specific histologic findings of early lesions in CTCLs render diagnosis challenging. Treatment modalities also vary and include topical and oral medications, chemotherapy, phototherapy, and radiation therapies.

Regulatory roles of NAMPT and NAD metabolism in uterine leiomyoma progression: Implications for ECM accumulation, stemness, and microenvironment.

Uterine leiomyoma (UL), commonly referred to as benign tumors, is characterized by excessive cell proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and the presence of stem cell-like properties. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) metabolism, regulated in part by nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), plays a crucial role in these pathological processes and has emerged as a potential therapeutic target. Additionally, redox signaling pathways are integral to the pathogenesis of UL, influencing the dynamics of NAD metabolism.

SERPING1 Reduces Cell Migration via ERK-MMP2-MMP-9 Cascade in Sorafenib- Resistant Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary hepatic malignant tumor, and it ranks 2nd in terms of mortality rate among all malignancies in Taiwan. Sorafenib is a multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor that suppresses tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis around tumors via different pathways. However, the survival outcome of advanced HCC patients treated with sorafenib is still unsatisfactory.

Higher skin sympathetic nerve activity as a potential predictor of overactive bladder in females refractory to oral monotherapy.

This study investigates predictors of unsatisfactory outcomes in female overactive bladder (OAB) patients treated with oral monotherapy by analyzing skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA) using a novel "neuECG" method. The study included 55 newly diagnosed female patients with idiopathic OAB, autonomic function was evaluated using neuECG before treatment initiation, and validated OAB questionnaires and urodynamic studies were administered. Initial monotherapy was administered for the first 4 weeks, with non-responders defined as patients not achieving satisfactory symptom relief and requiring further treatment.

The Oral Administration of subsp. 557 (LDL557) Ameliorates the Progression of Monosodium Iodoacetate-Induced Osteoarthritis.

Low-grade body inflammation is a major cause of osteoarthritis (OA), a common joint disease. Gut dysbiosis may lead to systemic inflammation which can be prevented by probiotic administration. The subsp.

The Beneficial Effect of the SGLT2 Inhibitor Dapagliflozin in Alleviating Acute Myocardial Infarction-Induced Cardiomyocyte Injury by Increasing the Sirtuin Family SIRT1/SIRT3 and Cascade Signaling.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have a variety of cardiovascular and renoprotective effects and have been developed as novel agents for the treatment of heart failure. However, the beneficial mechanisms of SGLT2i on cardiac tissue need to be investigated further. In this study, we established a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using coronary artery constriction surgery and investigated the role of dapagliflozin (DAPA) in protecting cardiomyocytes from hypoxic injury induced by AMI.

Impacts of COVID-19 pandemic prevention measures to the palliative care in Taiwan.

Background: Prevention measures for palliative care and the provision of discharge planning services for inpatients in Taiwan before and during the COVID-19 pandemic had not been investigated. This study was aimed to investigate the factors associated with heightened palliative care needs and increased mortality rates.

Methods: This research adopts a retrospective case-control study design.

S-Equol Ameliorates Menopausal Osteoarthritis in Rats through Reducing Oxidative Stress and Cartilage Degradation.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease leading to articular cartilage destruction. Menopausal and postmenopausal women are susceptible to both OA and osteoporosis. S-equol, a soy isoflavone-derived molecule, is known to reduce osteoporosis in estrogen-deficient mice, but its role in OA remains unknown.

A colloidal model for the equilibrium assembly and liquid-liquid phase separation of the reflectin A1 protein.

Reflectin is an intrinsically disordered protein known for its ability to modulate the biophotonic camouflage of cephalopods based on its assembly-induced osmotic properties. Its reversible self-assembly into discrete, size-controlled clusters and condensed droplets are known to depend sensitively on the net protein charge, making reflectin stimuli-responsive to pH, phosphorylation, and electric fields. Despite considerable efforts to characterize this behavior, the detailed physical mechanisms of reflectin's assembly are not yet fully understood.

Unmet Needs in the First-Line Treatment of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma: Expert Recommendations From the Asia-Pacific Region With a Focus on the Challenging Subtypes.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for around 30-60% of all cases. The management of DLBCL in Asia has several unmet needs due to the diversity of the population, the heterogeneity of local clinical guidelines for DLBCL and the wide disparity in resources and healthcare systems across different regions. Rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (RCHOP) is widely recognized as the standard first-line treatment for DLBCL; however, alternative regimens are required to improve patient outcomes in challenging subtypes, such as patients with high International Prognostic Index scores, old/frail patients, and patients with double-hit and double-expressor DLBCL or concurrent central nervous system disease.

Rare Orbital Involvement Originating from Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma.

Ocular adnexa region (OAR) primary lymphomas are uncommon, accounting for 1-2% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas and 8% of extranodal lymphomas. Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (EMZL) originates from several epithelial tissues, including the stomach, salivary gland, lung, small intestine, thyroid gland, and ocular adnexa region. Here, we report a 66-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with EMZL of OAR.

Experimental Limits on Solar Reflected Dark Matter with a New Approach on Accelerated-Dark-Matter-Electron Analysis in Semiconductors.

Recently a dark matter-electron (DM-electron) paradigm has drawn much attention. Models beyond the standard halo model describing DM accelerated by high energy celestial bodies are under intense examination as well. In this Letter, a velocity components analysis (VCA) method dedicated to swift analysis of accelerated DM-electron interactions via semiconductor detectors is proposed and the first HPGe detector-based accelerated DM-electron analysis is realized.

A cyclic dipeptide for salinity stress alleviation and the trophic flexibility of endophyte provide insights into saltmarsh plant-microbe interactions.

In response to climate change, the nature of endophytes and their applications in sustainable agriculture have attracted the attention of academics and agro-industries. This work focused on the endophytic halophiles of the endangered Taiwanese salt marsh plant, , and evaluated the functions of these isolates through salinity stress alleviation assay using . The endophytic strain BP01R2, which can promote plant growth and salinity tolerance, was further characterized through multi-omics approaches.