Association between Scabies Treatment and Parkinson's Disease: A Nationwide, Population-Based Study.

Background: Scabies is typically treated with scabicides like lindane, which poses a risk for acute neural toxicity. Lindane's prolonged use, particularly in agriculture, is linked to neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. This study aimed to evaluate whether scabies patients, particularly those treated with topical lindane, are at increased risk of developing PD.

Entecavir vs. tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B patients with severe acute exacerbation.

Background: The efficacy of different nucleos(t)ide analogs in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) with severe acute exacerbation (SAE) remained unclear. Thus, this study aimed to compare the short-term efficacy of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and entecavir (ETV) in patients having CHB with SAE.

Methods: We analyzed consecutive patients with treatment-naive CHB receiving TDF (n = 36) or ETV (n = 65) for SAE.

Identification of novel genetic susceptibility loci for calcium-containing kidney stone disease by genome-wide association study and polygenic risk score in a Taiwanese population.

Approximately 80% of kidney stone diseases contain calcium. Inherited genetic factors are among the variables that influence the development of calcium-containing kidney stone diseases (CKSD). Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on stone diseases have been reported worldwide; however, these are not focused on calcium-containing stones.

Hemophagocytic syndrome in A patient of upper urinary tract urothelial cancer after Bacillus Calmette-Guérin instillation: A case report.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy is an adjuvant treatment for urothelial carcinomas of the upper urinary tract (UTUC). BCG therapy can result in various side effects. We present a case of a 67-year-old female with a history of UTUC who developed disseminated tuberculosis following BCG instillation into the upper urinary tract after conservative management.

Improving primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding by adapting therapy to the clinical stage of cirrhosis. A competing-risk meta-analysis of individual participant data.

Background & Aims: Non-selective β-blockers (NSBBs) and endoscopic variceal-ligation (EVL) have similar efficacy preventing first variceal bleeding. Compensated and decompensated cirrhosis are markedly different stages, which may impact treatment outcomes. We aimed to assess the efficacy of NSBBs vs EVL on survival in patients with high-risk varices without previous bleeding, stratifying risk according to compensated/decompensated stage of cirrhosis.

Severity of fatty liver is highly correlated with the risk of hypertension and diabetes: a cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort study.

Background And Aims: Fatty liver disease (FLD) is associated with several metabolic derangements. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional and longitudinal study to evaluate the role of FL severity in the risk of new-onset and co-existing hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: The cross-sectional cohort consisted of 41,888 adults who received health checkups in a tertiary hospital of Taiwan from 1999 to 2013.

Intestinal metaplasia in follow-up endoscopies among Asian patients with short-segment Barrett's esophagus: Regression, sampling error, and associated factors.

Background: The percentage of and factors associated with the regression of Barrett's esophagus (BE) or its characteristic intestinal metaplasia (IM) remain unclear, and conflicting results have been reported because of diverse regression and sampling error definitions. Thus, we investigated the rates of IM regression, sampling error, and associated factors.

Methods: Forty-two patients with proven short-segment BE with IM who underwent two follow-up endoscopies with biopsies of Barrett's mucosa were retrospectively analyzed.

Resistin-like Molecule α and Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling: A Multi-Strain Murine Model of Antigen and Urban Ambient Particulate Matter Co-Exposure.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) has a high mortality and few treatment options. Adaptive immune mediators of PH in mice challenged with antigen/particulate matter (antigen/PM) has been the focus of our prior work. We identified key roles of type-2- and type-17 responses in C57BL/6 mice.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Propranolol Use During Ligation Program for Secondary Prophylaxis of Esophageal Variceal Bleeding.

Introduction: Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) plus nonselective β-blockers (NSBB) is the standard of care for secondary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB). This trial aimed to compare the rebleeding rates between EVL plus NSBB till eradication of esophageal varices (EEV) and EVL plus long-term NSBB.

Methods: After control of acute EVB, patients with cirrhosis were randomized into 2 groups, with group A patients receiving EVL plus propranolol till EEV, while group B patients received standard of care with continuation of propranolol.

Emodin, a Natural Anthraquinone, Increases Uric Acid Excretion in Rats with Potassium Oxonate-Induced Hyperuricemia.

The treatment of hyperuricemia and gout is mostly based on lowering serum uric acid levels using drugs, such as allopurinol, or increasing urinary excretion of uric acid. However, some patients still experience adverse reactions to allopurinol and turn to Chinese medicine as an alternative. Therefore, it is crucial to design a preclinical study to obtain more convincing data on the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout with Chinese medicine.

A Case Report of Intratesticular Hematoma in a Patient with Reiter's Syndrome.

We present a case of a 28-year-old male patient with a spontaneous intratesticular hematoma. He had no history of trauma but experienced sudden onset of painful swelling in his right testis. Initially, testicular malignancy was suspected.

Scrotal Pain after Varicocelectomy: A Narrative Review.

Varicocele is a frequently encountered urological disorder, which has a prevalence rate of 8 to 15% among healthy men. However, the incidence is higher in male patients with primary or secondary infertility, with up to 35 to 80% of varicocele cases occurring in this population. The clinical manifestations of varicocele typically include the presence of an asymptomatic mass that feels like a "bag of worms", chronic scrotal pain, and infertility.

Management of Enterovesical Fistula in a Patient with Crohn's Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Enterovesical fistula (EVF) is a rare complication of Crohn's disease (CD), characterized by recurrent urinary tract infections, fecaluria, and pneumaturia. However, most diagnostic tools have low sensitivity for EVF. Management consists of conservative and surgical approaches.

The Association of Prostate Cancer and Urinary Tract Infections: A New Perspective of Prostate Cancer Pathogenesis.

Microbiota of the urinary tract may be associated with urinary tract malignancy, including prostate cancer. We retrospectively collected patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer and subjects without prostate cancer from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2016. A total of 5510 subjects were recruited and followed until the diagnosis of a primary outcome (urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis, cystitis, and prostatitis).

Chondrosarcoma of Ureter in an Elderly Patient: A Case Report.

Chondrosarcoma is a rare type of cancer that can affect the upper urinary tract. Because of its rarity, the clinical presentation of chondrosarcoma can be similar to other urinary tract conditions, such as renal colic, hematuria, and urothelial carcinoma. The primary treatment for chondrosarcoma is the surgical removal of the tumor, and radiation or chemotherapy may be used for advanced cases.

Factors Deciding Conservative or Intervention Treatment for Prostate Abscess: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

Prostate abscess (PA) can lead to severe urosepsis and septic shock if not treated promptly. However, early diagnosis can be hindered by the declining incidence of PA, especially in developing countries and high-risk patients. Despite the prevalence of PA, there is currently a lack of well-established contemporary guidelines or treatment algorithms.

Evaluation of combination treatment with DS-1205c, an AXL kinase inhibitor, and osimertinib in metastatic or unresectable EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer: results from a multicenter, open-label phase 1 study.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of DS-1205c, an oral AXL-receptor inhibitor, in combination with osimertinib in metastatic or unresectable EFGR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who developed disease progression during EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. An open-label, non-randomized phase 1 study was conducted in Taiwan, in which 13 patients received DS-1205c monotherapy at a dosage of 200, 400, 800, or 1200 mg twice daily for 7 days, followed by combination treatment with DS-1205c (same doses) plus osimertinib 80 mg once daily in 21-day cycles. Treatment continued until disease progression or other discontinuation criteria were met.

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Combined Antegrade Flexible Ureteroscope for Complete Staghorn Stones: A Case Report of a New Concept of Stone Surgery.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the treatment of choice for staghorn stones. However, residual stones in calyces remain a challenge due to the limited angle which makes the approach difficult. The new operative technique of endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS), which integrates the advantages of PCNL and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), was developed to overcome this difficulty.

New Regimen of Combining Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy and Lipiodol Embolization in Treating Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Main Portal Vein Invasion.

Background: The prognosis of HCC patients with main portal vein invasion (Vp4) is poor. We retrospectively reviewed the therapeutic outcomes with our new HAIC regimen in treating Vp4 HCC patients.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-one patients received the new regimen of combining HAIC (daily infusion of cisplatin (10 mg/m), mitomycin-C (2 mg/m) and Leucovorin (15 mg/m) plus 100 mg/m of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) using an infusion pump for 5 consecutive days) with Lipiodol embolization between 2002 and 2018.

Comparative Outcomes of Robotic Radical Prostatectomy in Patients with Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer.

The effectiveness of radical prostatectomy alone for locally advanced prostate cancer is controversial owing to an increased complication rate and treatment-related morbidity. With technical advances and refinements in surgical techniques, robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has improved the outcomes of patients with locally advanced prostate cancer. RARP therefore plays a role in the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer.

Effect of Signal Design of Autonomous Vehicle Intention Presentation on Pedestrians' Cognition.

In this study, a method is devised that allows the intentions of autonomous vehicles to be effectively communicated to pedestrians and passengers via an efficient interactive interface. Visual and auditory factors are used as variables to investigate the effects of different autonomous vehicle signal factors on the judgment of pedestrians and to determine the main factors such that the best combination can be proposed. Two visual dimensions (i.

Efficacy and Complications of the Re-Adjustable Male Sling System for Stress Urinary Incontinence after Radical Prostatectomy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes of re-adjustable male slings in pa-tients with postoperative stress urinary incontinence (SUI) following radical prostatectomy (RP). We retrospectively analyzed 18 patients with SUI following RP for prostate cancer, who were treated with re-adjustable male slings from January 2016 to December 2021. The clinical outcomes were evaluated based on daily pad usage and urodynamic studies, both preoperatively and post-operatively.

Tuberculosis Epididymo-Orchitis Mimicking Malignancy Resulting from Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer: A Case Report of a Rare Complication.

Tuberculous epididymo-orchitis is a rare complication of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy for bladder cancer. We report a patient with bladder cancer and a history of intravesical BCG immunotherapy who presented with right scrotal pain for 1 week. A heterogeneous, hypoechoic, and solid mass surrounded by increased blood flow in the right testis was seen on scrotal echogram.