Epigenetic downregulation of the proapoptotic gene in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Homeobox A5 () has been identified as a tumor suppressor gene in breast cancers, but its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not been confirmed. The Illumina GoldenGate Assay for methylation identified that DNA methylation patterns differ between tumorous and normal tissues in the oral cavity and that is one of the genes that are hypermethylated in oral tumor tissues. The present study obtained more‑complete information on the methylation status of by using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip and bisulfite sequencing assays.

Early prediction of platelet recovery with immature platelet fraction in patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is pivotal in treating hematologic disorders, yet it poses the risk of post-transplantation pancytopenia. Prophylactic platelet transfusions are often administered to mitigate this risk. Utilizing practical markers, such as immature platelet fraction (IPF), to predict hematopoietic recovery in advance could reduce unnecessary prophylactic transfusions.

Characterization of Seven Species of Oil: Oil Content, Volatile Compounds, and Oxidative Stability.

In this study, we conducted tests on the seeds from four Taiwanese native species (, , , and ) and three commercialized species (, , and ) for comparison. We examined various aspects of these species, such as seed oil content, suitability for mechanical pressing, volatile components (edible flavor), and oil stability (suitability for cooking), to assess the feasibility of using these four native Taiwanese seeds as sources of edible oil. The results from solvent extraction tests and mechanical pressing experiments confirm that the seeds from , , and have high oil contents, and their oils are suitable for extraction via the popular mechanical pressing method, with oil yields comparable to or higher than those of the commercialized species.

Design and Development of an Interactive Assessment Application for the Observation of Heart Failure Self-Health Management.

Heart disease can lead to physical disability and mortality, ranking second among the top 10 causes of death according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. This study aims to examine the impact of the interactive assessment application on patients' public health knowledge. In this study, a single-group pretest and posttest experimental design was adopted.

The Association Between Frailty Evaluated by Clinical Frailty Scale and Mortality of Older Patients in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Frailty epitomizes the most complex consequence of an aging population. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of frailty, measured using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), on outcomes of older people in an emergency department (ED).

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study enrolling patients aged 65 years and older in a medical center of Taiwan between March 8, 2021, and November 30, 2021.

Risk Factors, Pathogens, and Outcomes of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Non-Cardiac Surgical Patients: A Retrospective Analysis.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a critical hospital-acquired infection following non-cardiac surgeries, leading to poor outcomes. This study identifies VAP risk factors in non-cardiac surgical patients and determines the causative pathogens. A retrospective analysis with 1:4 propensity-score matching was conducted on patients in a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) from 2010 to 2020 at a private tertiary medical center.

Diagnostic Yield and Model Prediction Using Wearable Patch Device in HFpEF.

Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent global health issue projected to escalate, notably in aging populations. The study aimed to identify predictive markers for Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF). We scrutinized vital parameters like age, BMI, eGFR, and comorbidities like atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellites (DM).

Gram-negative bacterial infections in surgical intensive care unit patients following abdominal surgery: high mortality associated with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection.

Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (GNB), is an emerging nosocomial pathogen. This study assessed the clinical outcomes of GNB infections in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients post-abdominal surgery, focusing on the differences between S. maltophilia and other GNBs, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Assessment of the Clinical Utility of the FilmArrayTM Gastrointestinal Panel for Detecting Gastrointestinal Pathogens.

Background: Gastrointestinal infections present a significant public health concern as they lead to diverse clinical presentations and healthcare challenges. The rapid and accurate identification of causative pathogens is imperative for effective patient management. This study aimed to assess the clinical utility of the FilmArrayTM Gastrointestinal (GI) Panel for detecting gastrointestinal pathogens.

The incidence and risk factors of proximal lower extremity deep vein thrombosis without pharmacologic prophylaxis in critically ill surgical Taiwanese patients: A prospective study.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in critically ill patients has been well-studied in Western countries. Many studies have developed risk assessments and established pharmacological protocols to prevent deep venous thrombosis (DVT). However, the DVT rate and need for pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis in critically ill Taiwanese patients are limited.

A novel class of insecticidal alkylsulfones are potent inhibitors of vesicular acetylcholine transport.

Pyridine alkylsulfone derivatives typified by oxazosulfyl (Sumitomo Chemical Company Ltd.) and compound A2 (Syngenta) represent a new class of insecticides, with potent activity against several insect orders. Whilst the MOA of this class has been attributed to interaction with the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC), here we present strong evidence that their toxicity to insects is mediated primarily through inhibition of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT).

Correlations of sST2 and Gal-3 with Cardiothoracic Ratio in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) frequently correlates with cardiovascular complications. Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) and Galectin-3 (Gal-3) are emerging as cardiac markers with potential relevance in cardiovascular risk prediction. The cardiothoracic ratio (CTR), a metric easily obtainable from chest radiographs, has traditionally been used to assess cardiac size and the potential for cardiomegaly.

ELUCIDATE Trial: A Single-Center Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, is an epochal oral antidiabetic drug that improves cardiorenal outcomes. However, the effect of early dapagliflozin intervention on left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with type 2 diabetes free from cardiovascular disease remains unclear.

Methods And Results: The ELUCIDATE trial was a prospective, open-label, randomized, active-controlled study that enrolled 76 patients with asymptomatic type 2 diabetes with LV ejection fraction ≥50%, randomized to the dapagliflozin 10 mg/day add-on or standard-of-care group.

Efficacy of Sacubitril-Valsartan on Survival and Cardiac Remodeling in Hypotensive Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Multicenter Study.

Objective: To investigate whether hypotensive patients diagnosed with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) might benefit from angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNis) in real-world practice because patients with baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) of less than 100 mm Hg have been excluded from landmark trials.

Patients And Methods: In this multicenter study conducted between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2021, a total of 7562 symptomatic patients with HFrEF were enrolled and grouped by SBP (hypotension was defined as an SBP of less than 100 mm Hg) and ARNi use as follows: group 1, hypotensive/non-ARNi users (n=484); group 2, hypotensive/ARNi users (n=308); group 3, nonhypotensive/non-ARNi users (n=4560); and group 4, nonhypotensive/ARNi users (n=2210). Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance baseline characteristics for survival analysis.

Risk Factors for Urinary Tract Infections in Children with Hematuria in the Emergency Department.

Introduction: Hematuria is a worrisome symptom in children and is sometimes associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs). This study aimed to identify useful clinical factors that can predict UTIs in hematuria patients without pyuria in the pediatric emergency department (ED).

Methods: We retrospectively recruited patients with hematuria from the pediatric ED.

Comparing transfusion reactions between pre-storage and post-storage leukoreduced apheresis platelets: an analysis using propensity score matching.

Transfusion reactions induced by platelet transfusions may be reduced and alleviated by leukocyte reduction of platelets. Although leukoreduction of apheresis platelets can be performed either pre-storage or post-storage, seldom studies directly compare the incidence of transfusion reaction in these two different blood products. We conducted a retrospective study to compare the transfusion reactions between pre-storage and post-storage leukoreduced apheresis platelets.

Prognostic factors for critically ill surgical patients with unplanned intensive care unit readmission: Developing a novel predictive scoring model for predicting readmission.

Background: Unplanned readmission to the surgical intensive care unit has been demonstrated to worsen patient outcomes. Our objective was to identify risk factors and outcomes associated with unplanned surgical intensive care unit readmission and to develop a predictive scoring model to identify patients at high risk of readmission.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (2020-2021) and categorized them as either with or without unplanned readmission.