Determinants of Preventive Health Behavior for Hepatitis B in Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Vertical transmission from mother to child during the perinatal period is a key route of hepatitis B infection. The infection rate among children of mothers who are hepatitis B carriers is high.

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the hepatitis-B-related preventive health behavior of pregnant women and related factors.

Associations between tooth loss, denture use, and dementia in older Taiwanese adults.

Background: The literature has mainly focused on the association between tooth loss and dementia, and evidence regarding the separate and joint effects of tooth loss and denture use on the risk of dementia is limited. This study investigated the links among tooth loss, denture use, and dementia risk in Taiwanese adults aged 65 years or older.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the 2009 National Health Interview Survey and 2008-2017 National Health Insurance claim records, including the records of 2247 individuals free from dementia treatment in 2008-2009.

Discovery of Potent Dengue Virus NS2B-NS3 Protease Inhibitors Among Glycyrrhizic Acid Conjugates with Amino Acids and Dipeptides Esters.

This study investigated a library of known and novel glycyrrhizic acid (GL) conjugates with amino acids and dipeptide esters, as inhibitors of the DENV NS2B-NS3 protease. We utilized docking algorithms to evaluate the interactions of these GL derivatives with key residues (His51, Asp75, Ser135, and Gly153) within 10 Å of the DENV-2 NS2B-NS3 protease binding pocket (PDB ID: 2FOM). It was found that compounds and exhibited unique binding patterns, forming hydrogen bonds with Asp75, Tyr150, and Gly153.

Audiological Features in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review.

Hearing impairment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis has been underestimated for decades. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect both the middle ear (specifically, the incudomalleolar and incudostapedial joints) and inner ear (including the cochlea and acoustic nerve) simultaneously. Despite ongoing research, consensus on effective treatments for hearing impairment in these patients remains elusive.

Erinacine A-Enriched Mycelium Ethanol Extract Lessens Cellular Damage in Cell and Models of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 by Improvement of Nrf2 Activation.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), caused by the abnormal expansion of polyglutamine (polyQ) in the ataxin-3 protein, is one of the inherited polyQ neurodegenerative diseases that share similar genetic and molecular features. Mutant polyQ-expanded ataxin-3 protein is prone to aggregation in affected neurons and is predominantly degraded by autophagy, which is beneficial for neurodegenerative disease treatment. Not only does mutant polyQ-expanded ataxin-3 increase susceptibility to oxidative cytotoxicity, but it also hampers antioxidant potency in neuronal cells.

Long-Term Pentoxifylline Therapy Is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Cell Apoptosis in Diabetic Kidney Disease Patients.

There is limited understanding of the optimal duration and dosage of pentoxifylline (PTX) therapy required to achieve significant reductions in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk, particularly in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of long-term PTX therapy on the risk of ASCVD in patients with DKD who do not have pre-existing cardiovascular disease, while also exploring potential vascular protective mechanisms. This retrospective cohort study included data from Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare's Health and Welfare Data Science Center.

Betulin inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines in human gingival fibroblasts and ligature-induced periodontitis.

Chronic inflammation of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth is known as periodontal disease. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) are among the greatest prevalent cells in gingival tissue and play a crucial role in oral infections. Data from the GSE dataset revealed that the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 were up-regulated in periodontitis patients compared to healthy individuals.

Lithium-doped calcium silicate cement regulates the immune microenvironment and promotes M2 macrophage polarization for enhancing bone regeneration.

Bone defects present a significant challenge in orthopedics and trauma surgery, necessitating innovative approaches to stimulate effective bone regeneration. This study investigated the potential of lithium-doped calcium silicate (LiCS) cement to enhance bone regeneration and modulate the immune microenvironment to promote tissue repair. We synthesized a LiCS ceramic powder and performed comprehensive analyses of its physicochemical properties, including phase composition, morphology, setting time, and mechanical strength.

Structural insights into signaling promiscuity of the CBASS anti-phage defense system from a radiation-resistant bacterium.

Radiation-resistant bacteria are of great application potential in various fields, including bioindustry and bioremediation of radioactive waste. However, how radiation-resistant bacteria combat against invading phages is seldom addressed. Here, we present a series of crystal structures of a sensor and an effector of the cyclic oligonucleotide-based anti-phage signaling system (CBASS) from a radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus wulumuqiensis.

Fenofibrate Inhibits LPS and Zymosan-induced Inflammatory Responses through Sonic Hedgehog in IMG Cells.

Background: Neuroinflammatory responses are strongly associated with the pathogenesis of progressive neurodegenerative conditions and mood disorders. Modulating microglial activation is a potential strategy for developing protective treatments for central nervous system (CNS)-related diseases. Fibrates, widely used in clinical practice as cholesterol-lowering medications, exhibit numerous biological activities, such as anticancer and antiinflammatory activities.

Retraction notice to "Copper oxide nanoparticles synthesized from an endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus: Bioactivity and anti-cancer evaluations" [Environ. Res. 201 (2021) 111502].

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).

The structure of meaning in schizophrenia: A study of spontaneous speech in Chinese.

Narrative speech production requires the retrieval of concepts to refer to entities, which need to be referenceable more than once for any form of narrative coherence to arise. Such coherence has long been observed to be affected in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), yet the underlying mechanisms have been a longstanding puzzle, with existing evidence predominantly derived from Indo-European languages. Here we analyzed two picture descriptions from 22 native Mandarin Chinese speakers with SSD and 15 healthy controls.

Aromatic compounds and organic acids identified from Ganoderma formosanum exhibit synergistic anti-melanogenic effects.

This study reveals the anti-tyrosinase activity of Ganoderma formosanum extracts, pinpointing compounds including gluconic acid, mesalamine, L-pyroglutamic acid, esculetin, 5-hydroxyindole, and salicylic acid, as effective melanin production inhibitors in melanoma cells and zebrafish embryos. Furthermore, multiple molecular docking simulations provided insights into interactions between the identified compounds and tyrosinase, increasing binding affinity up to -16.36 kcal/mol.

Determinants of outcomes in patients with hepatitis B virus-decompensated cirrhosis.

The role of pre-treatment HBV DNA levels on the prognosis of hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis is unclear. This study investigated the effects of pre-treatment HBV DNA and other determinants on short-term and long-term survival of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with decompensated cirrhosis. A total of 278 cirrhotic decompensated CHB patients treated with entecavir or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate were retrospectively enrolled.

Impacts of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Genotypes on Hallux Valgus.

Background/aim: Hallux valgus (HV) is the most common deformity of the forefoot. Although HV has been strongly associated with a family history, its genetic underpinnings remain unclear. Few studies have examined the relationship between folic acid metabolism, which is critical in normal bone development, and HV.

Impact of DNA Ligase 1 Genotypes on Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Background/aim: Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair mechanisms can modulate overall DNA repair capacity, potentially influencing individual susceptibility to cancer. This study investigated the relationship between polymorphic variations in DNA ligase 1 and the risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (cALL).

Materials And Methods: The genotypes of DNA ligase 1 rs20579 were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.

Prognostic Relevance of Immunosuppressive CD155/TIGIT Signaling in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients With Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy.

Background/aim: The CD155/TIGIT axis has recently emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic target in several malignancies. However, its prognostic relevance within the tumor microenvironment (TME) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) who have received neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neoCRT) remains unclarified.

Materials And Methods: The levels of tumor CD155 and TIGIT T cells in pair-matched pre-neoCRT biopsies and post-neoCRT surgical tissues were evaluated in 110 LARC tissues using immunohistochemistry.

Preliminary study of utilizing a patient derived tumor spheroid model to augment precision therapy in metastatic brain tumors.

Treating metastatic brain tumors remains a significant challenge. This study introduces and applies the Patient-Derived Tumor Spheroid (PDTS) system, an ex vivo model for precision drug testing on metastatic brain tumor. The PDTS system utilizes a decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) derived from adipose tissue, combined with the tumor cells, to form tumor spheroids.

Association of uveitis with pediatric autoimmune diseases based on a TriNetX study.

To investigate for the risk of uveitis among such patients. A retrospective cohort study utilized the TriNetX database and recruited pediatric autoimmune patients diagnosed between January 1st 2004 and December 31st 2022. The non-autoimmune cohort were randomly selected control patients matched by sex, age, and index year.

Exploration of flame characteristics of gasoline engine fuelled by gasoline-pentanol blends using combustion endoscopy.

Alcohol-based fuels have shown high compatibility with spark-ignition (SI) engines, which require improvements in fuel efficiency and emissions reduction to meet modern environmental standards. While extensive research has been conducted on ethanol and other lower-order alcohols, there has been comparatively limited investigation into higher-order alcohols like butanol and pentanol as fuel alternatives. Previous studies on pentanol-gasoline blends in SI engines have demonstrated improved engine performance and reduced emissions.

Transcriptomic data integration and analysis revealing potential mechanisms of doxorubicin resistance in chondrosarcoma cells.

Chondrosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that originates from cartilage cells. In clinical practice, surgical resection is the primary treatment for chondrosarcoma, but chemotherapy becomes essential for patients with metastasis or tumors in surgically inaccessible sites. However, drug resistance often leads to treatment failure.

Assessment of the safety and gut microbiota modulation ability of an infant formula containing Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis CP-9 or Lactobacillus salivarius AP-32 and the effects of the formula on infant growth outcomes: insights from a four-month clinical study in infants under two months old.

Background: Breast milk is a natural treasure for infants, and its microbiota contains a rich array of bacterial species. When breastfeeding is not possible, infant formula with probiotics can be used as a sole source or as a breast milk supplement. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the growth outcomes and tolerance of infants consuming an infant formula containing Bifidobacterium animalis ssp.

Contribution of Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 1A Genotypes to Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Risk in Taiwan.

Background/aim: The disruption of cell-cycle control can lead to an imbalance in cell proliferation, often accompanied by genomic instability, which in turn can facilitate carcinogenesis. This study aimed to examine the impact of CDKN1A rs1801270 and rs1059234 polymorphisms on the risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in Taiwan.

Materials And Methods: The genotypes of CDKN1A rs1801270 and rs1059234 in 266 childhood ALL cases and 266 controls were determined using PCR-RFLP techniques.