Variant Impact Predictor database (VIPdb), version 2: trends from three decades of genetic variant impact predictors.

Background: Variant interpretation is essential for identifying patients' disease-causing genetic variants amongst the millions detected in their genomes. Hundreds of Variant Impact Predictors (VIPs), also known as Variant Effect Predictors (VEPs), have been developed for this purpose, with a variety of methodologies and goals. To facilitate the exploration of available VIP options, we have created the Variant Impact Predictor database (VIPdb).

Variant Impact Predictor database (VIPdb), version 2: Trends from 25 years of genetic variant impact predictors.

Background: Variant interpretation is essential for identifying patients' disease-causing genetic variants amongst the millions detected in their genomes. Hundreds of Variant Impact Predictors (VIPs), also known as Variant Effect Predictors (VEPs), have been developed for this purpose, with a variety of methodologies and goals. To facilitate the exploration of available VIP options, we have created the Variant Impact Predictor database (VIPdb).

Climate and Impacts on (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

The yellow crazy ant ( (Smith, 1857)) is a prominent invasive species exhibiting variable population dynamics. Through collecting long-term climate data and validating field surveys with MaxEnt SDM projections, our results indicated that winter temperature and precipitation accumulation strongly influence the population dynamics. An aggression analysis showed that nests with higher aggression levels (over 2.

Cancer risks in a population-based study of agricultural workers: results from the Taiwan's Farmers and Health Cohort study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess cancer risk among agricultural workers compared to the general population.

Methods: The study utilized data from Farmers' Health Insurance (FHI) in Taiwan, which enrolled agricultural workers (N=1 175 149). The enrolled workers were matched to a general population (N=1 175 149) of the same age, gender, township, and enrollment year.

Early detection of myocardial ischemia in resting ECG: analysis by HHT.

Background: Exercise electrocardiography (ECG) is a noninvasive test aiming at producing ischemic changes. However, resting ECG cannot be adopted in diagnosing myocardial ischemia till ST-segment depressions. Therefore, this study aimed to detect myocardial energy defects in resting ECG using the Hilbert-Huang transformation (HHT) in patients with angina pectoris.

Cerebrospinal fluid soluble programmed death-ligand 1 is a useful prognostic biomarker in primary central nervous system lymphoma.

The increased expression of programmed death-ligands 1 and 2 (PD-L1 and PD-L2, respectively) on tumour cells contributes to immune evasion, suggesting that these proteins are attractive therapeutic targets. This study aimed to evaluate the validity of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) and soluble PD-L2 (sPD-L2) as biomarkers for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). We determined the CSF concentrations of sPD-L1 and sPD-L2 in 46 patients with PCNSL using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).

Occupational health surveillance and detection of emerging occupational diseases among Taiwan farmers, through analysis of national-based farmers' and medico-administrative databases.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify occupational injuries and diseases associated with agriculture in Asia, to provide a reference for prevention and hypotheses for future research.

Methods: We matched data on agricultural workers (n = 963,124) enrolled in Taiwan's national Farmers Health Insurance since its inception in 1989, to general population controls of the same age, gender, and township. The study population was linked to the National Health Insurance Research Database from 2001 to 2016 for inpatient cases.

The association of job fatigue with mental disorders among bus drivers.

Objective: Mental disorders are a global problem with growing importance. However, the contribution of work factors to the development of mental disorders is inconclusive. This study aimed to assess the impact of fatigue and job stress on mental disorders in a prospective cohort of bus drivers.

Unraveling the relationship between serum 25‑hydroxyvitamin D levels and trabecular bone score in American adults.

Introduction: Trabecular bone score (TBS) is a novel way for clinicians to evaluate bone quality. It is directly associated with the mechanical strength of bones and helps predict fractures. Vitamin D, a secosteroid that enhances calcium absorption, is commonly used to strengthen the skeletal system.

Poloxamer-188 Adjuvant Efficiently Maintains Adaptive Immunity of SARS-CoV-2 RBD Subunit Vaccination through Repressing p38MAPK Signaling.

Poloxamer-188 (P188) is a nonionic triblock linear copolymer that can be used as a pharmaceutical excipient because of its amphiphilic nature. This study investigated whether P188 can act as an adjuvant to improve the immunogenicity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor binding domain (RBD) subunit vaccine. BALB/c mice were vaccinated twice with the RBD antigen alone or in combination with P188 or MF59 (a commercial adjuvant for comparison purposes).

The Association between Human Epididymis Secretory Protein 4 and Metabolic Syndrome.

Individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are known to have an increased risk of carcinogenesis. Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is a tumor marker and prognostic factor for epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) patients. However, no studies have evaluated the association between MetS and HE4 levels.

Prediction of hospitalization using artificial intelligence for urgent patients in the emergency department.

Timely assessment to accurately prioritize patients is crucial for emergency department (ED) management. Urgent (i.e.

Low urine pH is a risk factor for low muscle mass: A new way to predict sarcopenia.

Aims: Sarcopenia, one of the primary diseases of the older adult population, is a condition characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and functionality. Due to its considerable economic impact, preventive interventions for sarcopenia play an important role in the older adult population. Urine includes many indicators of physiology and pathophysiology.

Hepatitis B surface antigen positivity is associated with progression of disease within 24 months in follicular lymphoma.

Purpose: Studies have reported a positive association between hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and follicular lymphoma (FL). Nevertheless, clinical information concerning chronic HBV infection in FL is sparse.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study investigated the prognostic impact of HBsAg in immunocompetent patients with FL treated with frontline rituximab-containing chemoimmunotherapy in an HBV-endemic area between 2006 and 2016.

Relationship between peripheral neuropathy and cognitive performance in the elderly population.

There are only a few studies that have shown an association of peripheral neuropathy with cognitive impairment in elderly individuals. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between cognitive performance and peripheral neuropathy.From the database of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2002), each participant completed a household interview, physical performance test, questionnaire regarding personal health, and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) to evaluate cognitive performance.

Preoperative 2-[F]FDG PET-CT aids in the prognostic stratification for patients with primary ampullary carcinoma.

Objectives: We sought to investigate whether preoperative dual-phase 2-[F]FDG PET-CT identify predictors for poor survival in patients with ampullary carcinoma receiving pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Methods: The preoperative PET-CT images of patients with resected ampullary carcinoma from June 2007 to July 2017 were analyzed. Survival curves were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test.

Sensitive and Specific Cadmium Biosensor Developed by Reconfiguring Metal Transport and Leveraging Natural Gene Repositories.

Whole-cell biosensors are useful for monitoring heavy metal toxicity in public health and ecosystems, but their development has been hindered by intrinsic trade-offs between sensitivity and specificity. Here, we demonstrated an effective engineering solution by building a sensitive, specific, and high-response biosensor for carcinogenic cadmium ions. We genetically programmed the metal transport system of to enrich intracellular cadmium ions and deprive interfering metal species.

Preliminary study a non-invasion method on early cardiac energy defect based on Hilbert Huang Transform.

Statistics released by the World Health Organization in 2018 show that the total death of people is 56.9 million worldwide in 2016. The first one is cardiovascular diseases, including ischemic heart disease and stroke, which accounted for 17.

Aqueous Palladium-Catalyzed Direct Arylation Polymerization of 2-Bromothiophene Derivatives.

Aqueous palladium-catalyzed direct arylation polymerization (DArP) of 2-bromothiophene derivatives 6-(2-(2-bromothiophen-3-yl)ethoxy)hexyl trimethylammonium bromide (T1) and 4-(2-(2-bromothien-3-yl)ethoxy)butylsulfonate (T2) is achieved. The supporting ligand, triphenylphosphine-3,3',3''-trisulfonic acid trisodium salt (m-TPPTs), facilitates DArP of both derivatives; however, its separation from the polymers by dialysis is difficult due to its strong aggregation in water and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc). This is supported by dynamic light scattering, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and single-crystal X-ray crystallography.

The effect of spatial resolution on the reproducibility of diffusion imaging when controlled signal to noise ratio.

Background: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the reproducibility and repeatability of the compartmental diffusion measurement.

Methods: Two identical whipping cream phantoms and two healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were scanned on a 7T MR scanner, each repeated for three times. Diffusion weighted images were acquired along 30 non-collinear gradient directions, each with four b-values of 750, 1500, 2250 and 3000 s/mm.

Professional Driver's Job Stress and 8-year Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: The Taiwan Bus Driver Cohort Study.

Background: Two main job stress models-the Demand-Control-Support (DC) model and the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model have been used to assess the impact of psychosocial work-related factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Limited evidence elaborates the independent and combined effects on CVD events, especially for professional drivers. This study assesses the independent and combined effects of DC and ERI models on an 8-year risk of CVD among professional drivers.

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) subtotal hysterectomy: A feasibility study.

Objective: Hysterectomy via transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has been carried out for benign uterine diseases and nonprolapsed uteri in recent years. Subtotal hysterectomy was performed to remove the uterus with preservation of the cervix by abdominal, laparoscopic, or vaginal routes. The aim of this retrospective study is to gain insight into the feasibility and safety of subtotal hysterectomy through transvaginal NOTES.

Thinning Effects on Biomass and Carbon Stock for Young Taiwania Plantations.

Forests play an important role as carbon sinks by sequestrating carbon through photosynthesis. Thinning treatments have large impacts on carbon storage, in addition to strengthening quality and quantity of plantations. This study analyzed the effects of different thinning treatments on carbon stocks in both individual trees and stands of Taiwania (Taiwania cryptomerioides) plantations.

Poly(3,3-dibenzyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine)/Platinum Composite Films as Potential Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

In this study, poly(3,3-dibenzyl-3,4-dihydro-2-thieno[3,4-][1,4]dioxepine)/platinum composite films (PProDOT-Bz₂/Pt) were used as counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The composite films were prepared on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by radio frequency (RF) sputtering to deposit platinum (Pt) for 30 s. Afterwards, PProDOT-Bz₂ was deposited on the Pt⁻FTO glass via electrochemical polymerization.