Trends in palliative care utilization among older adult decedents with and without cancer in Taiwan: a population-based comparative study.

Background: The leading causes of death among the older adults have shifted from cancer to non-cancer conditions such as ischemia heart diseases, stroke, and dementia, affecting end-of-life care needs. This study examined the difference in the proportion of palliative care utilization in relation to specific causes of death and compared the trends in palliative care utilization between older adult decedents with and without cancer in Taiwan from 2010 to 2020.

Methods: The study utilized data from the Health and Welfare Data Science Center in Taiwan, covering demographic and healthcare variables for 588,010 decedents aged 65+ years who died between 2010 and 2020.

The role of socioeconomic factors in sex differences in intrinsic capacity among older adults: A cross-sectional study in Taiwan.

Objectives: The World Health Organization's Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework launched in 2019 is used to assess the intrinsic capacity of older individuals. Older women may face greater socioeconomic disadvantages, which can impact their physical and mental well-being. Therefore, we examined sex differences in intrinsic capacity and the influence of socioeconomic status.

Statin Use and the Risk of Graves' Orbitopathy: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Statin use is reported to reduce the risk of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) in Western populations. However, study regarding the protective effect of statins against GO in Asians with Graves' disease (GD) is scarce. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of statins in preventing GO in Asian GD patients.

A Single Bioorthogonal Reaction for Multiplex Cell Surface Protein Labeling.

Small-molecule fluorophores are invaluable tools for fluorescence imaging. However, means for their covalent conjugation to the target proteins limit applications in multicolor imaging. Here, we identify 2-[(alkylhio)(ryl)ethylene]alononitrile (TAMM) molecules reacting with 1,2-aminothiol at a labeling rate over 10 M s through detailed mechanistic investigation.

A new biflavanol from bark of .

Seven flavanol derivatives, including three biflavanoids (-), two flavonoids ( and ), and two spirobiflavonoids ( and ), were isolated from the bark of . The structure of the undescribed compound was elucidated based on HR-ESIMS, NMR spectroscopy, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. All isolated flavanol derivatives were screened for their antioxidant capacity to scavenge DPPH and ABTS.

Intrinsic Capacity and Life Quality Among Taiwanese Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Intrinsic capacity (IC), an internal composite ability proposed by the World Health Organization, is fundamental to older people's health. The present study examined potential models explaining the association between IC and quality of life (QoL) among older people in Taiwan. Frailty, basic activities of daily living (BADL), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) were hypothesized to be mediators in the association between IC and QoL.

LC-MS-based quantitation of proteomic changes induced by Norcantharidin in MTB-Treated macrophages.

Tuberculosis drug resistance contributes to the spread of tuberculosis. Immunotherapy is an effective strategy for treating tuberculosis, with the regulation of macrophage-mediated anti-tuberculosis immunity being crucial. Norcantharidin (NCTD), a drug used in tumor immunotherapy, has significant immunomodulatory effects.

Contagion of depression: a double-edged sword.

Depression is a significant mental health issue with extensive economic implications, and recent studies suggest it may be transmitted between individuals. However, the mechanisms of this contagion remain unclear, and the social buffering effect has been understudied. This research employs three rodent models, including stress crossover, cohabitation-induced, and non-contact induced depression contagion models, to explore these mechanisms.

Pretransplant cardiac stress testing and transplant wait time in kidney transplantation candidates.

Objective: Routine screening for cardiovascular disease before kidney transplantation remains controversial. This study aims to compare cardiac testing rates in patients with end-stage renal disease, referred and not referred for transplantation, and assess the impact of testing on transplant wait times.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 22 687 end-stage renal disease patients from 2011 to 2022, within an integrated health system.

Selective Protein Degradation through Tetrazine Ligation of Genetically Incorporated Unnatural Amino Acids.

Small molecule-responsive tags for targeted protein degradation are valuable tools for fundamental research and drug target validation. Here, we show that genetically incorporated unnatural amino acids bearing a strained alkene or alkyne functionality can act as a minimalist tag for targeted protein degradation. Specifically, we observed the degradation of strained alkene- or alkyne-containing kinases and E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes upon treatment with hydrophobic tetrazine conjugates.

Association between Epstein-Barr virus infection and serum positivity rate of anti-nuclear antibodies in Chongqing, China: A cross-sectional observational study.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects over 95% of the global population and is strongly associated with various autoimmune diseases. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) serve as valuable laboratory biomarkers for screening and supporting the diagnosis of various autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of EBV infection and its association with ANA.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence of Severe Aortic Stenosis by Echocardiography.

Background: Understanding the burden of aortic stenosis (AS) across diverse racial and ethnic populations is important to ensure equitable resource allocation. This study explored whether severe AS rate varies by race and ethnicity.

Methods: The rates of severe AS, stratified by race and ethnicity, were calculated among 615,038 adults with a transthoracic echocardiogram.

Activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) alleviates depressive-like behaviors in LPS-induced mice.

The role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in regulating oxidative stress and immune responses has been increasingly recognized. However, its involvement in depression and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ), an endogenous AhR ligand, on a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression model and the underlying mechanism.

Gender and Age Differences in the Evaluation and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Palpitations.

Background: Palpitations represent a common clinic complaint.

Objective: To explore gender and age differences in the evaluation and outcomes of patients with palpitations in outpatient settings.

Design/participants: This is a retrospective observational study of 58,543 patients with no known structural cardiac disease or arrythmias presenting to primary care and cardiology clinics in an integrated health system in California with palpitations between January 2017 and December 2021.

Assessing intrinsic capacity in Taiwan: Initial psychometric properties of the Integrated Care for Older People Screening Tool for Taiwanese (ICOPES-TW).

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed the concept of intrinsic capacity (comprising composite physical and mental capacity) which aligns with their concepts of healthy aging and functional ability. Consequently, the WHO promotes the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework as guidance for geriatric care. Consequently, each government should have a screening tool corresponding to ICOPE framework to promote geriatric care.

Prognostic Value of Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Across the Spectrum of Cardiovascular Risk.

Background: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is widely used to identify ischemia. There is limited research to evaluate if there is a risk threshold below which SPECT-MPI may not add significant prognostic value.

Methods: Between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2018, individuals who underwent SPECT-MPI were stratified into 4 risk groups.

Mesenchymal stem cells and their derived exosomes for the treatment of COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 infection typically presents with fever and respiratory symptoms, which can progress to severe respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure. In severe cases, these complications may even lead to death.

A simple scoring algorithm based on intrinsic capacity for functional ability in community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan.

Background: Intrinsic capacity (IC) is a comprehensive indicator of the overall well-being of older adults, and assessing of IC can help identify early stage of disability and tailor intervention to individual needs. However, there is a lack of effective and simple IC assessment tools. This study aimed to establish predictive scoring algorithms of IC to identify older adults at high risk of impaired functional ability.

Secondary Amine Catalysis in Enzyme Design: Broadening Protein Template Diversity through Genetic Code Expansion.

Secondary amines, due to their reactivity, can transform protein templates into catalytically active entities, accelerating the development of artificial enzymes. However, existing methods, predominantly reliant on modified ligands or N-terminal prolines, impose significant limitations on template selection. In this study, genetic code expansion was used to break this boundary, enabling secondary amines to be incorporated into alternative proteins and positions of choice.