Prognostic significance and accuracy of oncologists' estimates of survival time in recurrent ovarian cancer.

Objective: We evaluated the accuracy of oncologists' estimates of expected survival time in recurrent ovarian cancer.

Methods: Oncologists estimated expected survival time at baseline for each patient, who were then followed up for survival time. We hypothesized that oncologists' estimates of expected survival time would be independently significant predictors of survival, unbiased (approximately equal proportions [50%] living longer versus shorter than their expected survival time), or imprecise (<30% within 0.

Role of Metformin in Preventing New-Onset Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

: Recent evidence supports the protective role of metformin on kidney function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, its potential to prevent new-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with normal renal function remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether metformin could prevent the development of new-onset CKD in such patients.

Hospital selection for suspected stroke: risk-averse approach considering the minimal risk of exceeding the therapeutic time window.

Background: Timely treatment within the therapeutic window is critical for patients with stroke. This study adopts a risk-averse optimization approach to maximize the likelihood of receiving treatment within this window.

Methods: We developed an optimization model using data from a citywide stroke registry (July 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020).

Hypoxia-Targeted-Therapy: Mussel-inspired hollow polydopamine nanocarrier containing MoS nanozyme and tirapazamine with anti-angiogenesis property for synergistic tumor therapy.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) using thermal and tumor microenvironment-responsive reagents is promising for cancer treatment. This study demonstrates an effective PTT nanodrug consisting of hollow-structured, thermally sensitive polydopamine nanobowls (HPDA NB), molybdenum sulfide (MoS) nanozyme, and tirapazamine (TPZ; a hypoxia-responsive drug), with a structure of HPDA@TPZ/MoS NBs which is hereafter denoted as HPTZMoS NBs. With the Fenton-like activity, the HPTZMoS NBs in the presence of HO catalyze the formation of hydroxyl radicals, providing chemodynamic therapy (CDT) effect and deactivating glutathione.

Developing a Label-Free Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis with Chemometrics and Computational Enhancement for Assessing Lupus Nephritis Activity.

Patterns of disease and therapeutic responses vary widely among patients with autoimmune glomerulonephritis. This study introduces groundbreaking personalized infrared (IR)-based diagnostics for real-time monitoring of disease status and treatment responses in lupus nephritis (LN). We have established a relative absorption difference (RAD) equation to assess characteristic spectral indices based on the temporal peak heights (PHs) of two characteristic serum absorption bands: ν as the target signal and ν as the PH reference for the ν absorption band, measured at each dehydration time (t) during dehydration.

Chloroform Extract from Fermented Regulates LPS-Induced Inflammation Response in RAW 264.7 Cells by Inhibiting iNOS and COX-2.

Inflammatory is a crucial part of the immune system of body protect it from harmful invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances. In this study, the effects of chloroform extract of fermented (CEFV) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophages were investigated.

Effectiveness of a scenario-based simulation course on improving the clinical communication skills of dietetic students.

Background: Effective clinical communication skills are essential for dietitians as it impacts patient outcomes and satisfaction across diverse clinical and public healthcare settings. Despite its importance as a core competency, many dietetics programs, including those in Taiwan, need to provide sufficient training in this area. This study aimed to develop and assess a scenario-based simulation course to improve communication skills in dietetic students.

Intracerebral hemorrhage in CADASIL.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is the most common hereditary cerebral small vessel disease caused by mutations in the NOTCH3 gene. This review highlights the increasing recognition of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) as a significant manifestation of CADASIL, often predominantly characterized by ischemic strokes and vascular dementia. Recent studies indicate that the prevalence of ICH in CADASIL patients ranges from 0.

Histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) as a potential auxiliary biomarker for predicting adaptability to anti-HER2 drug treatment in breast cancer patients.

Background: Up to 23% of breast cancer patients recurred within a decade after trastuzumab treatment. Conversely, one trial found that patients with low HER2 expression and metastatic breast cancer had a positive response to trastuzumab-deruxtecan (T-Dxd). This indicates that relying solely on HER2 as a single diagnostic marker to predict the efficacy of anti-HER2 drugs is insufficient.

Escalation of genome defense capacity enables control of an expanding meiotic driver.

From RNA interference to chromatin silencing, diverse genome defense pathways silence selfish genetic elements to safeguard genome integrity. Despite their diversity, different defense pathways share a modular organization, where numerous specificity factors identify diverse targets and common effectors silence them. In the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway, target RNAs are first identified by complementary base pairing with piRNAs and then silenced by PIWI-clade nucleases.

Predictive biosignatures for hospitalization in patients with virologically confirmed COVID-19.

Background: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, presents with varying severity among individuals. Both viral and host factors can influence the severity of acute and chronic COVID-19, with chronic COVID-19 commonly referred to as long COVID. SARS-CoV-2 infection can be properly diagnosed by performing real-time reverse transcription PCR analysis of nasal swab samples.

Extracts for Cosmetic Applications: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

We have conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the cosmetic applications of extracts (DMEs). A total of 261 articles were screened; however, after eliminating inappropriate studies, only 16 individual studies were eligible. The comparative standardized mean difference (SMD) between the DME treatment and control groups was used to evaluate the cosmetic properties of DME, including its biocompatibility, whitening effects, and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Sensitivity of contributing factors to heterogeneity corrections in dosimetry of ocular brachytherapy using iodine-125 COMS plaques.

Purpose: To investigate sensitivity of contributing factors to heterogeneity corrections in ocular brachytherapy using iodine-125 (I) Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) plaques.

Material And Methods: Using egs_brachy, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were performed for I COMS plaques (model: IsoAid IAI-125A). Homogeneous dose (D) was estimated under the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group-43 assumptions, with 85 Gy prescribed to a 5 mm depth.

Coffee and tea consumption and the risk of head and neck cancer: An updated pooled analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium.

Introduction: The relations between coffee and tea consumption and head and neck cancer (HNC) incidence are unclear. With increasing global HNC burden, this study aims to examine the association between coffee, tea, and HNC.

Methods: A pooled analysis of 9548 HNC cases and 15,783 controls from 14 individual-level case-control studies was conducted from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology consortium.

Deep learning for endometrial cancer subtyping and predicting tumor mutational burden from histopathological slides.

Endometrial cancer (EC) diagnosis traditionally relies on tumor morphology and nuclear grade, but personalized therapy demands a deeper understanding of tumor mutational burden (TMB), i.e., a key biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibition and immunotherapy response.

Vagus nerve stimulation in treatment-resistant depression: A one-year, randomized, sham-controlled trial.

Background: Few treatments are available for individuals with marked treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

Objective: Evaluate the safety and effectiveness of FDA-approved adjunctive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in patients with marked TRD.

Methods: This 12-month, multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled trial included 493 adults with marked treatment-resistant major depression who were randomized to active or no-stimulation sham VNS for 12 months.

Effectiveness of Interventions to Reduce Opioid Use After Orthopaedic Surgery: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials.

Background: The prescribing of opioids to patients for postoperative pain can lead to persistent opioid use. This review investigated the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing opioid use in patients after orthopaedic surgery.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched from inception to November 2023.

Effects of vagus nerve stimulation on daily function and quality of life in markedly treatment-resistant major depression: Findings from a one-year, randomized, sham-controlled trial.

Background: Depression treatments aim to minimize symptom burden and optimize quality of life (QoL) and psychosocial function.

Objective: Compare the effects of adjunctive versus sham vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on QoL and function in markedly treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

Methods: In this multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 493 adults with TRD and ≥4 adequate but unsuccessful antidepressant treatment trials (current episode) were randomized to active (n = 249) or sham (n = 244) VNS (plus treatment as usual) over a 12-month observation period.

Habitual tea consumption is associated with a lower prevalence of kidney stone disease in postmenopausal women.

Background: Menopause is associated with an increased risk of kidney stone disease (KSD). However, for postmenopausal women, how to avoid KSD has rarely been studied. The aim of this study was to explore whether drinking tea is associated with a reduction in the prevalence of KSD in postmenopausal women.

Routine machine quality assurance tests for a self-shielded gyroscopic radiosurgery system.

Purpose: This report describes routine machine quality assurance (QA) (daily, monthly, and annual QA) tests for the Zap-X Gyroscopic Radiosurgery platform.

Methods: Following the recommendations of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group (AAPM TG)-142 and Medical Physics Practice guideline (MPPG) 8.b, routine machine QA tests for the Zap-X system were implemented.

Randomized Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Fexuprazan According to the Timing of Dosing in Patients With Erosive Esophagitis.

Background/aims: Fexuprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, was developed for treating acid-related disorders. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of fexuprazan, unlike those of proton pump inhibitors, are independent of food effect. This study aims to evaluate differences in efficacy and safety of fexuprazan in patients with erosive esophagitis (EE) according to the timing of dosing.