Enhancing indicator condition-guided HIV testing in Taiwan: a nationwide case-control study from 2009 to 2015.

Background: Although indicator condition (IC)-guided HIV testing (IC-HIVT) is effective at facilitating timely HIV diagnosis, research on IC categories and the related HIV risk in Taiwan is limited. To improve the adoption and spread of IC-HIVT in Taiwan, this study compared the IC categories of people living with HIV (PLWH) and non-HIV controls and investigated delays in the diagnosis of HIV infection.

Methods: This nationwide, retrospective, 1:10-matched case-control study analyzed data from the Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System and National Health Insurance Research Database to evaluate 42 ICs for the 5-year period preceding a matched HIV diagnostic date from 2009 to 2015.

Trends and the associated factors of optimal immunological response and virological response in late anti-retroviral therapy initiation HIV cases in Taiwan from 2009 to 2020.

Background: Late cART initiation (CD4 count ≤200 cells/μL or AIDS-defining opportunistic illnesses [AOIs] at cART initiation) impedes CD4 count recovery and virologic suppression after cART initiation. However, studies to evaluate trends of and modifiable factors for optimal immunological response (IR) and virological response (VR) in people living with HIV (PLWH) with late cART initiation with the current HIV treatment strategies are limited.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 475 PLWH with late cART initiation in 2009-2020.

High Prevalence of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales Producing OXA-48 among Carbapenem-Resistant Isolates in a Regional Hospital in Central Taiwan.

In response to the increasing number of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), we investigated carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and non-K. pneumoniae epidemiology and genetics. We collected 76 clinical Enterobacterales and 4 stool surveillance Escherichia coli isolates resistant to ertapenem or imipenem.

Effect of immunological non-response on incidence of Non-AIDS events in people living with HIV: A retrospective multicenter cohort study in Taiwan.

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) are susceptible to non-AIDS-related events, particularly those with immunological nonresponses (INRs) to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This study assessed the association of INRs with incident non-AIDS-related events among PLWH.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study enrolled PLWH who had newly diagnosed stage 3 HIV and received HAART between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2019.

Comparison of Virological Efficacy of DTG/ABC/3TG and B/F/TAF Regimens and Discontinuation Patterns in Persons Living with Advanced HIV in the Era of Rapid ART: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Introduction: International treatment guidelines recommend the rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) with bictegravir (B)/emtricitabine (F)/tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and dolutegravir (DTG)-based regimens for treatment-naïve persons living with HIV (PLWH) irrespective of their disease stage. However, we lack evidence of the virological efficacy, virological failure, and tolerability of coformulated B/F/TAF and DTG/ABC/3TC regimens in persons living with advanced HIV (PLWAH; defined as persons with a CD4 count of < 200 cells/μL or an AIDS-related opportunistic illness [AOI] at or before ART initiation) in the era of rapid ART.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter study enrolled treatment-naïve PLWAH initiating ART with coformulated DTG/ABC/3TC or B/F/TAF in 2019-2020.

Vascular responses of penetrating vessels during cortical spreading depolarization with ultrasound dynamic ultrafast Doppler imaging.

The dynamic vascular responses during cortical spreading depolarization (CSD) are causally related to pathophysiological consequences in numerous neurovascular conditions, including ischemia, traumatic brain injury, cerebral hemorrhage, and migraine. Monitoring of the hemodynamic responses of cerebral penetrating vessels during CSD is motivated to understand the mechanism of CSD and related neurological disorders. Six SD rats were used, and craniotomy surgery was performed before imaging.

Antifungal susceptibility of the clinical and environmental strains of Cryptococcus gattii sensu lato in Taiwan.

Background: The rare occurrence of human cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus gattii sensu lato leads to difficulties in establishing the antifungal susceptibility profile between species of this potentially lethal pathogen, which may be crucial for treating cryptococcosis.

Objective: To establish an antifungal susceptibility profile of C. gattii s.

A nosocomial salmonellosis outbreak caused by bla-carrying, extensively drug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Goldcoast in a hospital respiratory care ward in Taiwan.

Objectives: A nosocomial salmonellosis outbreak caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Goldcoast occurred in a respiratory care ward (RCW) of a hospital in central Taiwan between December 24, 2020, and January 21, 2021. Ten isolates recovered from 10 RCW residents were resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. The resistance mechanism needs to be investigated.

Late cART Initiation Consistently Driven by Late HIV Presentation: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwan from 2009 to 2019.

Introduction: Late initiation (LI) of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)-defined as having a CD4 count of < 200 cells/μL or an AIDS-defining disease at cART initiation-has detrimental outcomes but remains prevalent worldwide, with LI trends and etiologies following the implementation of various HIV policies remaining underinvestigated. We assessed key concerns, characterized the determinants of various statuses at cART initiation, and evaluated the effects of those statuses on all-cause mortality after cART initiation.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study enrolled 1198 patients with newly diagnosed HIV infection during 2009-2019 who were grouped by status at cART initiation: those without LI (non-LI group, 56.

Antimicrobial resistance genes and genetic characteristics of multidrug-resistant in a veterinary hospital in Taiwan.

Antimicrobial resistance associated with animal hosts is easily transmitted to humans either by direct contact with resistant organisms or by transferring resistance genes into human pathogens. There are limited studies on antimicrobial resistance genes and genetic elements of multidrug-resistant (MDR) in veterinary hospitals in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial resistance genes in multidrug-resistant from animals.

Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analyses of environmental and clinical isolates of Cryptococcus gattii sensu lato in Taiwan.

Background: The rare occurrence of cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus gattii sensu lato (C. gattii s.l.

Characterization of the Genetic Background of KPC-2-Producing with Insertion Elements Disrupting the Porin Gene.

Carbapenemase-producing combined porin loss is one of the primary mechanisms for carbapenem resistance. Although mutations in and genes have often been identified in carbapenem-resistant , reports on the porin protein gene disruption by insertion sequence (IS) elements are varied. The porin protein gene disruption by IS elements and OmpK36 production loss in six -carrying isolates were detected in this study.

Two-step method for isolating Cryptococcus species complex from environmental material using a new selective medium.

Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the Cryptococcus species complex. An outbreak of cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus gattii (AFLP6/VGII) in North America has indicated the need for studies of this organism and its environmental niche. Difficulties in isolating the Cryptococcus spp.

Crabp2 Promotes Metastasis of Lung Cancer Cells via HuR and Integrin β1/FAK/ERK Signaling.

Increased Crabp2 levels have been found in various types of cancer, and are associated with poor patients' survival. Although Crabp2 is found to be overexpressed in lung cancer, its role in metastasis of lung cancer is unclear. In this study, Crabp2 was overexpressed in high-metastatic C10F4 than low-metastatic lung cancer cells.

Gjb4 serves as a novel biomarker for lung cancer and promotes metastasis and chemoresistance via Src activation.

Most lung cancer patients are diagnosed late with metastasis, which is the major cause of cancer-related death and recurrent tumors that often exhibit chemoresistance. In the present study, we initially identified gap junction beta-4 protein (Gjb4) to be overexpressed in highly metastatic cancer cells selected by their enhanced binding to serum components. Overexpression or knockdown of Gjb4 increased or decreased lung metastasis of syngeneic mice, respectively.

Emergence and nosocomial spread of ST11 carbapenem-resistant co-producing OXA-48 and KPC-2 in a regional hospital in Taiwan.

Carbapenem-resistant (CRKP) has emerged as a major challenge for global healthcare systems. The objectives of this study were to determine the nosocomial spread of CRKP clones and analyse the molecular characteristics of CRKP in our hospital. Ninety-eight non-duplicated clinical CRKP isolates were collected from March 2014-June 2015.

HIF-1-alpha links mitochondrial perturbation to the dynamic acquisition of breast cancer tumorigenicity.

Up-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), even in normoxia, is a common feature of solid malignancies. However, the mechanisms of increased HIF-1α abundance, and its role in regulating breast cancer plasticity are not fully understood. We have previously demonstrated that dimethyl-2-ketoglutarate (DKG), a widely used cell membrane-permeable α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) analogue, transiently stabilizes HIF-1α by inhibiting prolyl hydroxylase 2.

Chemical and biological evaluation of nephrocizin in protecting nerve growth factor-differentiated PC12 cells by 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurotoxicity.

The neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) has been widely used to generate an experimental model of Parkinson's disease. This model is crucial in the search for compounds that diminish 6-OHDA-induced nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated PC12 cell death. Nephrocizin (luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside), a flavone glycoside, was isolated from widely distributed plants.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome and migraine in children.

Background: Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is an episodic nausea and non-bilious vomiting disorder characterized by recurrent stereotypic symptoms with disease-free intervals. CVS in children is associated with a high prevalence of migraine, and is commonly considered a precursor to migraine. This study aimed to investigate the clinical manifestations of pediatric CVS and its prognosis, and to clarify its relationship with the risk of migraine development in children.

Neurocytoprotective effects of the bioactive constituents of Pueraria thomsonii in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-treated nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated PC12 cells.

Chronic neurodegenerative disorders are having an increasing impact on public health as human longevity increases. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system and is characterized by motor system disorders resulting in loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. Pueraria thomsonii Benth.

Novel neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 1 gene mutation associated with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis.

Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type IV) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a defect in neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor and nerve growth factor, as reported in previous studies. This report is of a 6-month-old male infant with typical symptoms and signs of congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. He had a homozygous insertion mutation with c.

Zebrafish eggs used as bioreactors for the production of bioactive tilapia insulin-like growth factors.

Multiple advantages-including the short generation time, large numbers of fertilized eggs, low cost of cultivation and easy maintenance favor the use of fish as bioreactors for the production of pharmaceutical proteins. In the present study, zebrafish eggs were used as bioreactors to produce mature tilapia insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) proteins using the oocyte-specific zona pellucida (zp3) promoter. The chimeric expression plasmids, pT2-ZP-tIGFs-IRES-hrGFP, in which hrGFP was used as reporter of tilapia IGFs expression, were designed to established Tg (ZP:tIGFs:hrGFP) transgenic lines for the expression of tilapia IGF-1 and IGF-2.