Emerging infections in Taiwan: clinical and environmental surveillance.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of clinical and environmental isolates in Taiwan.

Methods: isolates obtained from patients at three hospitals and from 530 soil samples across Taiwan were screened. , confirmed by calmodulin sequencing, was subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing and analyses.

Microbial dynamics, risk factors and outcomes of secondary pneumonia in critically ill patients with COVID-19: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Background: Secondary pneumonia has a significant clinical impact on critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Aim: Considering potential geographic variations, this study explores the clinical implications of secondary pneumonia within East Asian populations.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study enrolled critical COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care units (ICUs) admission in Taiwan from December 31, 2020, to June 1, 2022.

Effects of methylation and transcription factor YY1 on ID2 expression in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells.

The inhibitor of DNA-binding 2 (ID2) plays a major role in tumor dedifferentiation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Studies have indicated an inverse correlation between ID2 expression and NSCLC cell invasiveness. However, the mechanisms through which ID2 activation is regulated are currently unclear.

Curcumin regulates pulmonary extracellular matrix remodeling and mitochondrial function to attenuate pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the miR-29a-3p/DNMT3A axis.

Epigenetic regulation and mitochondrial dysfunction are essential to the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Curcumin (CCM) in inhibits the progression of pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the expression of specific miRNAs and pulmonary fibroblast mitochondrial function; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. C57BL/6 mice were intratracheally injected with bleomycin (5 mg/kg) and treated with CCM (25 mg/kg body weight/3 times per week, intraperitoneal injection) for 28 days.

Magnolol regulates miR-200c-3p to inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition and retinoblastoma progression by modulating the ZEB1/E-cadherin axis in vitro and in vivo.

Background: Retinoblastoma, the most common pediatric intraocular malignancy, can develop during embryogenesis, with most children being diagnosed at 3-4 years of age. Multimodal therapies are typically associated with high levels of cytotoxicity and side effects. Therefore, the development of novel treatments with minimal side effects is crucial.

Characteristics and local risk factors of community-acquired and health-care-associated Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia.

This study aims at identifying characteristics, risk factors and mortality of community-acquired (CAP) and health-care-associated pneumonia (HCAP) by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). We retrieved adults with S.

Unmet needs and practical solutions in the management of invasive mould infections in Asia.

Management of invasive mould infections (IMIs) is challenging in Asia, as awareness among medical practitioners can be low and resources are limited. Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment of IMIs can mitigate the impact on morbidity and mortality, but diagnostic methods, as well as access to preferred antifungal medications, may vary throughout the region. Knowledge of local epidemiology and accurate diagnosis and identification of causal pathogens would facilitate optimal treatment but data in Asia are lacking.

Role of helmet ventilation during the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization; it has affected millions of people and caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia may develop acute hypoxia respiratory failure and require noninvasive respiratory support or invasive respiratory management. Healthcare workers have a high risk of contracting COVID-19 while fitting respiratory devices.

A pilot crossover trial assessing the exercise performance patients chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Noninvasive ventilation improves exercise performance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the effect of helmet ventilation (HV) on the short-term self-paced exercise performance of patients with COPD remains unclear. This study investigated the use of HV during a 6 min walk test (6MWT) and analyzed its short-term cardiopulmonary outcomes in patients with stable COPD.

Effects of high-flow nasal cannula with oxygen on self-paced exercise performance in COPD: A randomized cross-over trial.

Introduction: Studies have demonstrated that noninvasive ventilation improves exercise intolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The role of heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy in patients with COPD on self-paced exercise performance remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine whether HFNC-aided supplemental oxygen during a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) would change self-paced exercise performance and cardiopulmonary outcomes in patients with stable COPD.

Maintenance of low driving pressure in patients with early acute respiratory distress syndrome significantly affects outcomes.

Background: Driving pressure (∆P) is an important factor that predicts mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We test the hypothesis that serial changes in daily ΔP rather than Day 1 ΔP would better predict outcomes of patients with ARDS.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients admitted to five intensive care units (ICUs) at a medical center in Taiwan between March 2009 and January 2018 who met the criteria for ARDS and received the lung-protective ventilation strategy.

Nutrition support for acute kidney injury 2020-consensus of the Taiwan AKI task force.

Background: We used evidence-based medicine to suggest guidelines of nutritional support for Taiwanese patients with acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods: Our panel reviewed the medical literature in group meetings to reach a consensus on answering clinical questions related to the effects of the nutritional status, energy/protein intake recommendations, timing of enteral, and parenteral nutrition supplementation.

Results: Markers of the nutritional status of serum albumin, protein intake, and nitrogen balance had positive relationships with low mortality.

miR-29a-3p/THBS2 Axis Regulates PAH-Induced Cardiac Fibrosis.

Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) pathology involves extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in cardiac tissues, thus promoting cardiac fibrosis progression. miR-29a-3p reportedly inhibits lung progression and liver fibrosis by regulating ECM protein expression; however, its role in PAH-induced fibrosis remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-29a-3p in cardiac fibrosis progression in PAH and its influence on ECM protein thrombospondin-2 (THBS2) expression.

Impact of Nutritional Assessment on the Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Non- Candidemia: A Multicenter Study.

Several studies have demonstrated that malnutrition is a negative prognostic factor for clinical outcomes. However, there is limited evidence for the effect of malnutrition on clinical outcomes in patients with candidemia. We investigated the relationship between malnutrition and all-cause 28-day mortality among patients with non- candidemia.

High Mobility Group Box 1 Promotes Lung Cancer Cell Migration and Motility via Regulation of Dynamin-Related Protein 1.

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been demonstrated to promote the migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the mechanism of action of HMGB1 in regulating tumor mobility remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether HMGB1 affects mitochondria distribution and regulates dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1)-mediated lamellipodia/filopodia formation to promote NSCLC migration.

Species identification and antifungal susceptibility of uncommon blood yeast isolates.

Background/purpose: Accurate identification of Candida species is increasingly important in the era of emergence of Candida auris. We aimed to compare the identification performance of two matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) systems (Vitek MS and Bruker biotyper MS) and an oligonucleotide array for uncommon blood yeast isolates and demonstrate the susceptibilities among those isolates.

Method: Candida species isolates from blood culture other than Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, and Candida krusei identified by biochemical methods were collected from multiple hospitals and further identified by an oligonucleotide array based on the internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) and ITS-2 sequences of the rRNA genes, Vitek MS and Bruker biotyper MS.

High rates of misidentification of uncommon Candida species causing bloodstream infections using conventional phenotypic methods.

Background: Candidemia caused by uncommon Candida species is increasing and misidentification may compromise optimal antifungal therapy. This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of species-level identification of uncommon Candida.

Methods: Uncommon causative species of candidemia identified in routine laboratories using CHROMagar, API-32C and VITEK-2 Yeast ID system were collected from July 2011 to June 2014.

GSK3 modulation in acute lung injury, myocarditis and polycystic kidney disease-related aneurysm.

GSK3 are involved in different physical and pathological conditions and inflammatory regulated by macrophages contribute to significant mechanism. Infection stimuli may modulate GSK3 activity and influence host cell adaption, immune cells infiltration or cytokine expressions. To further address the role of GSK3 modulation in macrophages, the signal transduction of three major organs challenged by endotoxin, virus and genetic inherited factors are briefly introduced (lung injury, myocarditis and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease).