Synthetic Biology Strategies for the Production of Natural Colorants and Their Non-Natural Derivatives.

Colorants are widely used in our daily lives to give colors to diverse chemicals and materials, including clothes, food, drugs, cosmetics, and paints. Although synthetic colorants derived from fossil fuels have been predominantly used due to their low cost, there is a growing need to replace them with natural alternatives. This shift is driven by increasing concerns over the climate crisis caused by excessive fossil fuel use, as well as health issues associated with the consumption of foods, beverages, and cosmetics containing petroleum-derived chemicals.

A new thyroid imaging reporting and data system for nodules: Based on grayscale and color Doppler ultrasonography.

Objective: To construct and validate a new thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) based on radiating blood flow and grayscale US features.

Materials And Methods: This study enrolled patients from 4 hospitals from January 2018 to November 2023 retrospectively and prospectively. All US features associated with malignant thyroid nodules were assessed by multivariable logistic regression to construct baseline US TI-RADS (BUS TI-RADS), which was tested with internal validation set, external validation set and prospective validation set.

Examining the Impact of the Design-Thinking Intergenerational Service-Learning Model on Older Adults' Self-Care Behaviors and Well-Being.

The Design-Thinking Intergenerational Service-Learning Model (DTISLM), rooted in the biopsychosocial model, aims to empower older adults to improve their chronic-disease management behavior through tailored programs addressing their specific healthcare needs. This study, conducted in Taiwan, used a convenience sampling method ( = 172) to evaluate the impact of DTISLM on Taiwan's adult day center participants' perception of self-care behaviors, feelings of happiness, depression, and perceived social support using pretest-posttest surveys. The results indicated a significant enhancement in participants' perception of self-care behaviors, reduction in depression score, and improvements in perceived social support following the completion of the program.

Causal association between mitochondrial function and psychiatric disorders: Insights from a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Previous observational studies have suggested that there appears to be a close association between mitochondrial function and psychiatric disorders, but whether a causal role exists remains unclear.

Methods: We extracted genetic instruments for 67 mitochondrial-related proteins and 10 psychiatric disorders from publicly available genome-wide association studies, and employed five distinct MR methods and false discovery rate correction to detect causal associations between them. Additionally, we conducted a series of sensitivity tests and additional model analysis to ensure the robustness of the results.

Association between primary biliary cholangitis with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases: A bidirectional multivariable Mendelian randomization study.

Background And Aims: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease often accompanied by multisystem damage. This study aimed to explore the causal association between genetically predicted PBC and diabetes, as well as multiple cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

Methods: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary data of PBC in 24,510 individuals of European ancestry from the European Association for the Study of the Liver was used to identify genetically predicted PBC.

Evaluating health literacy from an organizational perspective: A cross-sectional study of community health centers.

Objectives: To investigate community health centers' (CHCs) health literacy.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Sample: A total of 374 CHCs were surveyed and 258 CHCs responded, with an effective questionnaire response rate of 69.

DMAP-promoted oxidative functionalization of α-amino ketones oxygen delivery from water/alcohols.

This paper shows a novel oxidative functionalization of α-amino ketones to yield the corresponding α-ketoamides and α-acylimidates. The reaction proceeds oxygen delivery from water/alcohols in conjunction with an electron acceptor and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP). Mechanistic study indicates that DMAP exhibits a dual function of nucleophilic catalysis and proton abstraction.

A mild deprotection of isopropylidene ketals from 2-deoxyglycosides using AcOH/HO/DME: An efficient regioselective deprotection of terminal isopropylidene ketals.

This paper describes a mild and efficient catalytic deprotection method for isopropylidene ketals and benzylidene acetals using AcOH/HO/DME(1,2-Dimethoxyethane). The method effectively removes ketal and acetal protecting groups from 2-deoxyglycosides which are prone to hydrolysis under acidic conditions. Moreover, it enables the selective removal of the terminal ketal over an internal one.

Radiating blood flow signal: A new ultrasound feature of thyroid carcinoma.

Objective: To summary radiating blood flow signals and evaluate their diagnostic value in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively recruited consecutive patients undergoing US at 4 hospitals from 2018 to 2022. In a training dataset, the correlations of US features with malignant thyroid nodules were assessed by multivariate logistic analysis.

Examining Health Literacy in Taiwanese Smoking Cessation Populations: A Multidimensional Evaluation of Sociodemographic Factors and Domain-Specific Competencies.

Background: Cigarette smoking is a serious global health issue. Limited studies previously analyzed health literacy components in patients undergoing smoking cessation interventions. This study focuses on individuals enrolled in smoking cessation services and investigates the distribution of health literacy in three domains (health care, disease prevention, and health promotion) and four abilities (access, understand, appraise, and apply health information).

The effect of restrictive vs. liberal fluid protocols on ocular parameters in patients undergoing prone spine surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and optic nerve edema occurring during prone surgeries may cause ocular and optic nerve ischaemia injury. We hypothesized that a liberal fluid protocol might further increase IOP and optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) than a restrictive fluid protocol for patients in the prone position.

Methods: A single-centre, prospective and randomized trial was conducted.

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.

Effectiveness of the refined health literacy course on improving the health literacy competencies of undergraduate nursing students: quantitative and qualitative perspectives.

People with limited health literacy comprise a high-risk group for adverse health outcomes. Nurses must be made aware of the importance of health literacy and communicate with patients in plain language, which will solve the obstacles for patients using health care services. Providing health literacy education for nurses is an important strategy for health literacy practices.

Gut microbial signatures and differences in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia of emerging adulthood.

Introduction: Gut microbial disturbance has been established as potential pathogenesis of mental disorders. However, the signatures and differences regarding patients with schizophrenia (SCH) or bipolar disorder (BD) in emerging adulthood as well as their subtypes have been poorly addressed.

Methods: In the present study, stool samples obtained from 63 emerging adult patients with schizophrenia (SCH), 50 with bipolar disorder (BD), and 40 healthy controls (HC) were analyzed by 16 S rRNA gene sequencing; psychiatric symptoms and psychological, social, and professional functioning were also assessed.

REM sleep is associated with distinct global cortical dynamics and controlled by occipital cortex.

The cerebral cortex is spontaneously active during sleep, yet it is unclear how this global cortical activity is spatiotemporally organized, and whether such activity not only reflects sleep states but also contributes to sleep state switching. Here we report that cortex-wide calcium imaging in mice revealed distinct sleep stage-dependent spatiotemporal patterns of global cortical activity, and modulation of such patterns could regulate sleep state switching. In particular, elevated activation in the occipital cortical regions (including the retrosplenial cortex and visual areas) became dominant during rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep.

Multi-slice spiral computed tomography in differential diagnosis of gastric stromal tumors and benign gastric polyps, and gastric stromal tumor risk stratification assessment.

Background: The biological characteristics of gastric stromal tumors are complex, and their incidence has increased in recent years. Gastric stromal tumors (GST) have potential malignant tendencies, and the probability of transformation into malignant tumors is as high as 20%-30%.

Aim: To investigate the value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) in the differential diagnosis of GST and benign gastric polyps, and GST risk stratification assessment.

Association between socioeconomic position trajectories and frailty among elderly people in Taiwan.

This study examined the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) trajectories and frailty in the elderly population in Taiwan. We used data from people aged 53 years and over (n = 1284) collected from wave two of the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study. Frailty was identified using the modified Fried criteria, with the scores combined to use to categorize participants as frail (score = 3-5), prefrail (score = 1 or 2) and robust (score = 0).

Artificial intelligence using deep neural network learning for automatic location of the interscalene brachial plexus in ultrasound images.

Background: Identifying the interscalene brachial plexus can be challenging during ultrasound-guided interscalene block.

Objective: We hypothesised that an algorithm based on deep learning could locate the interscalene brachial plexus in ultrasound images better than a nonexpert anaesthesiologist, thus possessing the potential to aid anaesthesiologists.

Design: Observational study.

Health literacy training program for community healthcare providers using hybrid online team-based learning in Taiwan.

Background: Health literacy (HL) has proven to be a determining factor influencing the health of individuals. Community health providers (CHPs) work on the front line of improving public HL. Increasing their understanding of HL and their ability to incorporate HL into healthcare can reduce obstacles in healthcare services.