Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of α-Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate in Socket Preservation: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Tooth extraction procedures often lead to bone resorption, which can have adverse effects on the dimensions of the alveolar ridge. Research has shown that socket preservation techniques using bone graft substitutes can effectively minimize early bone loss in such cases. α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (α-CSH) has garnered significant attention as a potential bone graft material due to its favorable properties, including osteoconductivity, angiogenic potential, and biocompatibility.

Biomechanical stress distribution of medical inelastic fabrics with different porosity structures.

Clothing fit and pressure comfort play important role in clothing comfort, especially in medical body sculpting clothing (MBSC). In the present study, different body movements (forward bending, side bending, and twisting) were adopted to simulate and investigate the biomechanical stress distribution of the human body with three kinds of porosity inelastic MBSCs through the finite element analysis method. The elastic modulus of the investigated MBSCs was also measured by means of tensile testing.

An Innovative Biofunctional Composite Hydrogel with Enhanced Printability, Rheological Properties, and Structural Integrity for Cell Scaffold Applications.

The present study was conducted to manipulate various biomaterials to find potential hydrogel formulations through three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting fabrication for tissue repair, reconstruction, or regeneration. The hydrogels were prepared using sodium alginate and gelatin combined with different concentrations of Pluronic F127 (6% (3 g), 8% (4 g), and 10% (5 g)) and were marked as AGF-6%, AGF-8%, and AGF-10%, respectively. The properties of the hydrogels were investigated using a contact angle goniometer, rheometer, and 3D bioprinter.

The Lived Experience of Frailty in Patients Aged 60 Years and Older with Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study.

Purpose: The prevalence of frailty among patients with heart failure is about 45%. Frailty may result in patients' functional decline, falls, disability, and decreased quality of life. Qualitative studies can explore older patients' perceptions of frailty and help patients cope with it.

The early predictive value of frailty for health-related quality of life among elderly patients with cancer receiving curative chemotherapy.

Changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among elderly patients with cancer before and after receiving curative treatment, such as chemotherapy, have always been an important consideration in physician-patient treatment decision-making. Although frailty assessment can help predict the effects of chemotherapy, there is a lack of relevant literature on its effectiveness in predicting post-chemotherapy HRQOL. Therefore, this study investigated the early predictive value of pre-chemotherapy frailty assessment for post-chemotherapy HRQOL among elderly patients with cancer receiving curative chemotherapy.

Effectiveness of Comprehensive Physical Activity Health Promotion Program on the Essential Physical Functions of Older Patients With Multiple Diseases and Dementia in Rural Area.

Against the backdrop of aging populations worldwide, physical activity programs aimed at promoting the health of older adults have begun to flourish. However, few studies have focused on elderly residents in rural areas who may have multiple comorbidities. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week physical activity program on health promotion among rural elderly with multiple diseases.

Antioxidative Activities of Micronized Solid-State Cultivated Rich in Erinacine A against MPTP-Induced Damages.

The Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus, HE) is a traditional medical mushroom with high nutritional and economic value. HE possesses anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunomodulating, neurotrophic, and neuroprotective activities. The present study evaluated the protection and antioxidative activities of micronized mycelium of HE (HEM) in mice treated with 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPTP).

Comparison of nursing diagnostic accuracy when aided by Knowledge-Based Clinical Decision Support Systems with Clinical Diagnostic Validity and Bayesian Decision Models for psychiatric care plan formulation among nursing students: a quasi-experimental study.

Background: The most suitable and reliable inference engines for Clinical Decision Support Systems in nursing clinical practice have rarely been explored.

Purpose: This study examined the effect of Clinical Diagnostic Validity-based and Bayesian Decision-based Knowledge-Based Clinical Decision Support Systems on the diagnostic accuracy of nursing students during psychiatric or mental health nursing practicums.

Methods: A single-blinded, non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was adopted.

Effects of Digital Learning and Virtual Reality in Port-A Catheter Training Course for Oncology Nurses: A Mixed-Methods Study.

In-service education for oncology nurses usually adopts didactic teaching. This study investigated the effects of virtual reality (VR) and a digital learning-based Port-A-catheter educational course for oncology nurses. A mixed-methods research design was employed, with a convenience sample of 43 nurses from a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan participating.

The Adipokine Visfatin Modulates Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Obesity is a cancer progression risk factor; excessive adipocytes increase adipokine secretion. Visfatin, a novel adipokine highly expressed in cancer patients, is related to breast cancer risk. The modulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism and the induction of a tumorigenic environment plays a vital role in cancer progression.

Indoxyl sulfate mediates low handgrip strength and is predictive of high hospitalization rates in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Background And Aims: Sarcopenia has a higher occurrence rate in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) than in the general population. Low handgrip strength-and not sarcopenia -is associated with clinical outcomes in patients with CKD, including cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization. The factors contributing to low handgrip strength are still unknown.

The Relationship between Cancer and Dementia: An Updated Review.

The risk of cancer and dementia increases with age, raising complex questions about whether it is appropriate to continue cancer treatment in older patients. There is emerging research suggesting the association between cancer and dementia. However, the mechanistic underpinnings are still under investigation.

Factors Influencing Self-Management Behaviors among Hemodialysis Patients.

Aim: To investigate the factors affecting hemodialysis patients' self-management ability at a dialysis center in Taiwan.

Background: Taiwan has the highest incidence and prevalence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in the world. Over 90% of patients with ESKD receiving hemodialysis (HD) and self-management behaviors are critical among these patients.

Effect of High-Fructose Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome on the Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Male Rats.

Plasma testosterone levels have been found to decrease in older insulin-resistant male patients. Both lower total testosterone levels and a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome have also been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high-fructose diet-induced diabetes on both the testosterone release by Leydig cells and the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in male rats.

ONX-0914 Induces Apoptosis and Autophagy with p53 Regulation in Human Glioblastoma Cells.

Glioblastoma is believed to be one of the most aggressive brain tumors in the world. ONX-0914 (PR957) is a selective inhibitor of proteasome subunit beta type-8 (PSMB8). Previous studies have shown that inhibiting PSMB8 expression in glioblastoma reduces tumor progression.

Quercetin Ameliorates Renal Injury and Pyroptosis in Lupus Nephritis through Inhibiting IL-33/ST2 Pathway In Vitro and In Vivo.

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a common and serious symptom in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Tubular interstitial fibrosis is a common underlying mechanism in the development of lupus nephritis to end-stage renal failure (ESRD). Quercetin is widely proven to prevent tissue fibrosis.

The intrafollicular concentration of leptin as a potential biomarker to predict oocyte maturity in in-vitro fertilization.

Oocyte maturity is critical to the development potential of the embryo and pregnancy outcomes in natural and in-vitro fertilization (IVF). In IVF, oocyte maturity is typically evaluated using morphological criteria, although such assessment remains highly subjective. To identify reliable biomarkers of oocyte maturity, this study investigates the relationship between follicular cytokine concentrations and oocyte maturity in IVF patients with different ovarian reserves.

Empagliflozin and Left Ventricular Remodeling in People Without Diabetes: Primary Results of the EMPA-HEART 2 CardioLink-7 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors have been demonstrated to promote reverse cardiac remodeling in people with diabetes or heart failure. Although it has been theorized that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors might afford similar benefits in people without diabetes or prevalent heart failure, this has not been evaluated. We sought to determine whether sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition with empagliflozin leads to a decrease in left ventricular (LV) mass in people without type 2 diabetes or significant heart failure.

Effects of Rice-Husk Silica Liquid in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a complex multifactorial disease characterized by poor glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. Rice-husk silica liquid (RHSL) derived from rice husk has the ability to improve the dysfunction of pancreatic β-cells. This study aimed to confirm the potential protective effects of RHSL in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice.

Translation and validation of the Taiwanese SarQoL, a quality of life questionnaire specific to sarcopenia.

Background: The Sarcopenia Quality of Life (SarQoL) questionnaire has been translated into various languages. This study validated the Taiwanese version of the SarQoL (SarQoL-TW) questionnaire.

Methods: Forward-backward translation was conducted, along with a test of the prefinal version of the translated questionnaire.

Peritoneal dialysis after shared decision-making: the disparity between reality and patient expectations.

Background: The current health policy in Taiwan favors peritoneal dialysis (PD) at home. Policy objectives may make healthcare providers give more consideration to the introduction of PD treatment. This study aimed to explore the process of information acquisition and consideration during shared decision-making (SDM) for patients undergoing PD and compare their quality of life expectations before and after PD at home.

A Three-Dimensional Bioprinted Copolymer Scaffold with Biocompatibility and Structural Integrity for Potential Tissue Regeneration Applications.

The present study was to investigate the rheological property, printability, and cell viability of alginate−gelatin composed hydrogels as a potential cell-laden bioink for three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting applications. The 2 g of sodium alginate dissolved in 50 mL of phosphate buffered saline solution was mixed with different concentrations (1% (0.5 g), 2% (1 g), 3% (1.

Effects of Online Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nursing Students' Intention to Join the Nursing Workforce: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Nursing education programs were interrupted and largely moved online as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore Taiwanese nursing students' perspectives on online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether changes in teaching models have affected their intention to join the nursing workforce. A multi-center cross-sectional survey was conducted.