Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The effect of continued treatment with tirzepatide on maintaining initial weight reduction is unknown.

Objective: To assess the effect of tirzepatide, with diet and physical activity, on the maintenance of weight reduction.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This phase 3, randomized withdrawal clinical trial conducted at 70 sites in 4 countries with a 36-week, open-label tirzepatide lead-in period followed by a 52-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled period included adults with a body mass index greater than or equal to 30 or greater than or equal to 27 and a weight-related complication, excluding diabetes.

The role of microbiome in the pathogenesis of oral-gut-liver axis between periodontitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Periodontitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are two prevalent non-communicable diseases affecting people worldwide. The delicate interplay between oral microbiome, intestinal barrier, immune system, and liver is susceptible to disruption by environmental and genetic factors which could result in the onset of systemic diseases. The oral-liver and liver-gut axes have been proposed as the possible mechanisms to explain the links among these factors.

Terminally ill patients' and their relatives' experiences and behaviors regarding complementary and alternative medicine utilization in hospice palliative inpatient care units: a cross-sectional, multicenter survey.

Background: Terminally ill patients often experience exacerbations of diseases that render mainstream medicine ineffective in relieving symptoms, prompting attempts at complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This study collected data from terminally ill patients and their relatives to determine differences between CAM use, behavioral patterns, and perceptions of health information about CAM.

Methods: A cross-sectional design using a self-administered questionnaire was adopted.

Clinical and Metabolic Characteristics of Hyperuricemia with Risk of Liver Fibrosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The role of serum uric acid (SUA) in the role of advanced fibrosis is not fully explored. The study assesses the risk of advanced fibrosis according to SUA in an Asian population with a total of 3612 subjects enrolled in one health management center between 2006 and 2008. The fibrosis-4 score was used for the prediction of the high risk of advanced fibrosis.

Association between coronary artery calcium and all-cause mortality: A large single-center retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Previous studies have revealed that coronary artery calcium is related to cardiovascular diseases and mortality. However, most studies have been conducted in Western countries and have excluded patients with pre-existing heart disease. We investigated the association between coronary artery calcium (CAC) and all-cause mortality in an Asian cohort and in subgroups stratified by age, sex, smoking, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, and biochemical parameters.

Thinking differently with Chinese medicine: 'Explanations' and case studies for a postcolonial STS.

In Mandarin, the English word 'nature' translates as '' (zìrán) in science, biomedicine and everyday life. At the same time, indexes a second older set of meanings that make little immediate sense in English. Current in many Chinese medical practices as well as in classical Chinese philosophy, these include 'what is spontaneously so' or 'let the character of the self unfold'.

Rhenium-guanidine complex as photosensitizer: trigger HeLa cell apoptosis through death receptor-mediated, mitochondria-mediated, and cell cycle arrest pathways.

The growing evidence over the past few decades has indicated that the photodynamic antitumor activity of transition metal complexes, and Re(I) compounds are potential candidates for photodynamic therapy. This study reports the synthesis, characterization, and anti-tumor activity of three new Re(I)-guadinium complexes. Cytotoxicity tests reveal that complex Re1 increased cytotoxicity by 145-fold from IC50 > 180 μM in the dark to 1.

Association between the amount of artificial hydration and quality of dying among terminally ill patients with cancer: The East Asian Collaborative Cross-Cultural Study to Elucidate the Dying Process.

Background: Artificial hydration (AH) is a challenging issue in terminally ill patients with cancer, because it influences patients' symptoms control, quality of life, and quality of dying (QOD). To date, it is not clear how much AH supply is proper for imminently dying patients. This study aimed to investigate the association between the amount of AH and QOD.

The QseEF Two-Component System-GlmY Small RNA Regulatory Pathway Controls Swarming in Uropathogenic .

Bacterial sensing of environmental signals through the two-component system (TCS) plays a key role in modulating virulence. In the search for the host hormone-sensing TCS, we identified a conserved locus following , a small RNA (sRNA) gene in uropathogenic . Genes of constitute an operon, and QseF binding sites were found in the promoter region.

The molecular mechanisms underlying arecoline-induced cardiac fibrosis in rats.

The areca nut is one of the most commonly consumed psychoactive substances worldwide, with an estimated consumption by approximately 10% of the world's population, especially in some regions of South Asia, East Africa, and the tropical Pacific. Arecoline, the major areca nut alkaloid, has been classified as carcinogenic to humans as it adversely affects various organs, including the brain, heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and reproductive organs. Earlier studies have established a link between areca nut chewing and cardiac arrhythmias, and yet research pertaining to the mechanisms underlying cardiotoxicity caused by arecoline is still preliminary.

Derivation and validation of a clinical prediction model for risks of venous thromboembolism in diabetic and general populations.

Most studies on the prediction of venous thromboembolism (VTE) focused on hospitalized, surgery, and cancer patients or women receiving hormonal contraceptives or menopausal hormone therapy. No study considered diabetic and general populations to establish a VTE prediction model, especially in Asia. We developed a predictive model for VTE among type 2 diabetic patients and the general population.

Three-year trajectories of metabolic risk factors predict subsequent long-term mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the associations between 3-year trajectories of metabolic risk factors and subsequent mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A total of 6400 persons aged ≥ 30 years with type 2 diabetes and ≥ 3 years of follow-up period were included. The cluster analysis determined the patterns of 3-year trajectories, and Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the associations between patterns and mortality.

Metabolically healthy obesity and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease severity independent of visceral fat.

Background And Aim: Obesity and metabolic conditions may be related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The study assesses the risk of NAFLD according to obesity and metabolic health status in a community-based population.

Methods: A total of 1651 subjects were recruited from the community.

Arecoline induces heart injure via Fas/Fas ligand apoptotic pathway in heart of Sprague-Dawley rat.

Habitual chewing of areca nut increases the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, but less report demonstrate the toxic mechanism of areca nut on heart. To investigate toxicity of areca nut on cardiomyocytes, we induced the heart injury with arecoline to evaluate the acute damage of areca nut on heart. Different concentrations of are coline (lowdosage: 5 mg/kg/day and high dosage 50 mg/kg/day) were injected into Sprague-Dawley rat via intra-peritoneal method for 21 days to create negative effects of arecoline on cardiomyocyte.

Frailty status changes are associated with healthcare utilization and subsequent mortality in the elderly population.

Background: This study determined (1) whether a change in frailty status after a 1 year follow up is associated with healthcare utilization and evaluated (2) whether a change in frailty status after a 1 year follow up and health care utilization are associated with all-cause mortality in a sample of Taiwan population.

Methods: This work is a population-based prospective cohort study involving residents aged ≥65 years in 2009. A total of 548 elderly patients who received follow-ups in the subsequent year were included in the current data analysis.

Enhanced home palliative care could reduce emergency department visits due to non-organic dyspnea among cancer patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Dyspnea is a common trigger of emergency department visits among terminally ill and cancer patients. Frequent emergency department (ED) visits at the end of life are an indicator of poor-quality care. We examined emergency department visit rates due to dyspnea symptoms among palliative patients under enhanced home palliative care.

To hydrate or not to hydrate? The effect of hydration on survival, symptoms and quality of dying among terminally ill cancer patients.

Background: Artificial nutrition and hydration do not prolong survival or improve clinical symptoms of terminally ill cancer patients. Nonetheless, little is known about the effect of artificial hydration (AH) alone on patients' survival, symptoms or quality of dying. This study explored the relationship between AH and survival, symptoms and quality of dying among terminally ill cancer patients.

Mitochondrial DNA haplogroups affect physical performances in Han older adults: an 8-year follow-up prospective cohort study.

Aim: The objective of this study was to explore the association between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups and physical performances in Han older adults.

Methods: This study was an 8-year follow-up prospective cohort study. A total of 104 Han older adults completed the measurements of the 6-min walk test, grip strength and mitochondrial DNA sequencing.

Effects of a single bout of short-duration high-intensity and long-duration low-intensity exercise on insulin resistance and adiponectin/leptin ratio.

Objectives: Moderate-intensity exercise improves insulin sensitivity, which may depend on the intensity, duration, and frequency of exercise. We examined the effects of a single bout of short-duration high-intensity exercise (HIE) and long-duration lowintensity exercise (LIE) on insulin sensitivity and the adiponectin/leptin ratio in individuals with different body mass indices (BMIs) who do not exercise regularly.

Methods: We enrolled 42 healthy volunteers aged 20-64 years and divided them into two groups based on BMI: BMI <24 kg/m and BMI ≥27 kg/m.

Deacidification by FhlA-dependent hydrogenase is involved in urease activity and urinary stone formation in uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis.

Proteus mirabilis is an important uropathogen, featured with urinary stone formation. Formate hydrogenlyase (FHL), consisting of formate dehydrogenase H and hydrogenase for converting proton to hydrogen, has been implicated in virulence. In this study, we investigated the role of P.

Professionals' experiences and attitudes toward use of Traditional Chinese Medicine in hospice palliative inpatient care units: A multicenter survey in Taiwan.

Background: Medical staff may have difficulties in using conventional medicine to manage symptoms among terminally ill patients, including adverse effects of the treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is regarded as a complementary or alternative medicine, and has been increasingly used in the field of palliative medicine in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of and attitudes toward using TCM among palliative care professionals, and to provide preliminary information about its use in palliative care.

Independent associations of urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio and serum cystatin C with carotid intima-media thickness in community-living Taiwanese adults.

Background: Renal function is a key factor of cardiovascular disease. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) has been widely used as a marker of early subclinical atherosclerosis. The determinants of cystatin C, a novel marker of renal function, have not been extensively studied in the Asian population.

Derivation and validation of 10-year all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality prediction model for middle-aged and elderly community-dwelling adults in Taiwan.

Prediction model mainly focused on specific diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or patients with cancer, or populations of Europe and America, thereby limiting its generalization. This study aimed to develop and validate a 10-year mortality risk score by using data from a population-representative sample of adults. Data were collected from 2,221 Taichung Community Health study participants aged ≥40 years.