Risk of Uveitis in Dengue Fever Patients: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan.

Dengue-related ocular complications were considered rare, but recent evidence points to a broader spectrum of manifestations, including uveitis. This study utilized the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to investigate the incidence of uveitis in dengue patients, aiming to fill this research gap. This population-based, retrospective cohort study utilized the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) and included patients with and without Dengue fever.

Enhancement of adult liver regeneration in mice through the hepsin-mediated epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway.

Given the widespread use of partial hepatectomy for treating various liver pathologies, understanding the mechanisms of liver regeneration is vital for enhancing liver resection and transplantation therapies. Here, we demonstrate the critical role of the serine protease Hepsin in promoting hepatocyte hypertrophy and proliferation. Under steady-state conditions, liver-specific overexpression of Hepsin in adult wild-type mice triggers hepatocyte hypertrophy and proliferation, significantly increasing liver size.

Metabolic shifts in lipid utilization and reciprocal interactions within the lung metastatic niche of triple-negative breast cancer revealed by spatial multi-omics.

The Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) subtype constitutes 15-20% of breast cancer cases and is associated with the poorest clinical outcomes. Distant metastasis, particularly to the lungs, is a major contributor to the high mortality rates in breast cancer patients. Despite this, there has been a lack of comprehensive insights into the heterogeneity of metastatic tumors and their surrounding ecosystem in the lungs.

High-resolution imaging of organic and inorganic nanoparticles at nanometre-scale resolution by X-ray ensemble diffraction microscopy.

Coherent diffraction microscopy (CDM) is a robust direct imaging method due to its unique 2D/3D phase retrieval capacity. Nonetheless, its resolution faces limitations due to a diminished signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in high-frequency regions. Addressing this challenge, X-ray ensemble diffraction microscopy (XEDM) emerges as a viable solution, ensuring an adequate SNR in high-frequency regions and effectively surmounting resolution constraints.

Therapeutic and Diagnostic Potential of a Novel K1 Capsule Dependent Phage, JSSK01, and Its Depolymerase in Multidrug-Resistant Infections.

Bacteriophages are viruses that have the potential to combat bacterial infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacterial strains. In this study, we investigated a novel lytic bacteriophage, vB_EcoS_JSSK01, isolated from sewage in Hualien, Taiwan, which effectively combats multidrug-resistant (MDR) of the K1 capsular type. K1 is a major cause of severe extraintestinal infections, such as neonatal meningitis and urinary tract infections.

Nickel-Cobalt Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheet-Decorated 3D Interconnected Porous Ni/SiC Skeleton for Supercapacitor.

In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected porous Ni/SiC skeleton (3D Ni/SiC) was synthesized by binder-free hydrogen bubble template-assisted electrodeposition in an electrolyte containing Ni ions and SiC nanopowders. This 3D Ni/SiC skeleton served as a substrate for directly synthesizing nickel-cobalt layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets via electrodeposition, allowing the formation of a nickel-cobalt LDH nanosheet-decorated 3D Ni/SiC skeleton (NiCo@3D Ni/SiC). The multiscale hierarchical structure of NiCo@3D Ni/SiC was attributed to the synergistic interaction between the pseudocapacitor (3D Ni skeleton and Ni-Co LDH) and electrochemical double-layer capacitor (SiC nanopowders).

The Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccination on Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Geriatric Patients.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in preventing the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), commonly known as long COVID, and reducing all-cause mortality among older patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX database. The study cohort consisted of older patients (age ≥ 65 years) with their first COVID-19 illness between January 1, 2022, and May 31, 2024.

Changes in Serum Rheumatoid Factor Following Eradication of Hepatitis C Virus Infection With Interferon or Direct Antiviral Therapy.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with a myriad of extrahepatic manifestations (EHM), as well as the production of autoantibodies, including rheumatoid factor (RF). This study aims to elucidate whether serum levels of RF change before and after HCV eradication, and whether these changes differ according to the type of therapy used. This is a retrospective cohort study of adults with chronic HCV infection treated with interferon-free or interferon-based regimens.

Inhibition of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling Prevents Tau Pathology in iPSC Derived Neurons and PS19 Mice.

Objective: Many neurodegenerative disorders share a common pathologic feature involving the deposition of abnormal tau protein in the brain (tauopathies). This suggests that there may be some shared pathophysiologic mechanism(s). The largest risk factor for the majority of these disorders is aging, suggesting involvement of the aging process in the shared pathophysiology.

Finite Bubble Statistics Constrain Late Cosmological Phase Transitions.

We consider first order cosmological phase transitions (PTs) happening at late times below standard model temperatures T_{PT}≲GeV. The inherently stochastic nature of bubble nucleation and the finite number of bubbles associated with a late-time PT lead to superhorizon fluctuations in the PT completion time. We compute how such fluctuations eventually source curvature fluctuations with universal properties, independent of the microphysics of the PT dynamics.

Factors influencing the decision to receive total knee replacement among patients with severe knee osteoarthritis under universal health insurance coverage.

This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the decision of patients with severe knee osteoarthritis, who are covered by universal health insurance, to undergo total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, as recommended by orthopedic physicians. A questionnaire survey was used to collect participants' demographics, socio-economic status, medical history, baseline Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and EuroQol-5 Dimension Questionnaire (EQ-5D). We included 704 patients with severe knee osteoarthritis, of which 487 underwent TKR (surgery group), while 217 did not (non-surgery group).

Investigating ITM2B-associated ataxia in a Taiwanese cerebellar ataxia cohort.

Objective: The genetic causes of a significant number of patients with cerebellar ataxia remain unsolved. Variations in the ITM2B gene, typically linked to dominantly inherited dementia, can sometimes present with cerebellar ataxia as an early symptom. This study aims to investigate the role of ITM2B variations in a Taiwanese cohort with unsolved cerebellar ataxia.

Visceral adiposity as a predictor of new-onset diabetes in patients with primary aldosteronism: a cohort study.

Background: Patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) exhibit a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the relationship between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) in PA patients remains unclear.

Objectives: To explore the association between VAT and the risk of NODM in PA patients.

The potential immunotherapy effect of Ginkgolide B thwarts oral squamous cell carcinoma progression by targeting the SREBP1/KLK8/CCL22 axis.

Background: Oral cancer is a malignant tumor of the oral cavity, with regulatory T cell (Treg) infiltration associated with poor prognosis. Ginkgolide B (GB) has demonstrated effects on lipid metabolism; however, its potential immunotherapeutic effects on oral cancer have not been elaborated.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the immunotherapeutic effects of Ginkgolide B (GB) in oral cancer.

The emergency medical service dispatch recommendation system using simulation based on bed availability.

Objective: The number of patients using emergency medical services (EMS) through ambulance dispatch has been increasing annually in Taiwan. Due to limited medical resource allocation, patients may not get on-time admission after they are sent to a hospital Emergency Department. This study aimed to construct a forecasting system to predict the availability of ED and ICU beds.

Recruitment for Voluntary Video and Mobile HIV Testing on Social Media Platforms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted social distancing policies and caused misinformation that hindered in-person HIV screening for high-risk groups. Social media platforms provide additional options for voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV, overcoming these limitations. However, there is a lack of data on HIV testing recruitment through social media platforms and its outcomes during the pandemic.