Activation of the COX-2/mPGES-1/PGE-2 cascade through the NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to Angiostrongylus cantonensis-induced eosinophilic meningoencephalitis.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2) is synthesised by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase 1 (mPGES-1). PGE-2 exhibits pro-inflammatory properties in inflammatory conditions. However, there remains limited understanding of the COX-2/mPGES-1/PGE-2 pathway in Angiostrongylus cantonensis-induced meningoencephalitis.

Challenges in the management of visual and tactile hallucinations in elderly people.

This letter provides a concise review of the pertinent literature on visual and tactile hallucinations in elderly patients. The discussion addresses differential diagnoses and potential underlying mechanisms, as well as the psychopathology associated with tactile hallucinations, and emphasizes the necessity for investigation into the possibility of coexisting delusional infestation (parasitosis). These symptoms frequently manifest in patients with primary psychotic disorders, organic mental disorders, and substance use disorders.

Auxin fluctuation and PIN polarization in moss leaf cell reprogramming.

Auxin and its PIN-FORMED (PIN) exporters are essential for tissue repair and regeneration in flowering plants. To gain insight into the evolution of this mechanism, we investigated their roles in leaves excised from Physcomitrium patens, a bryophyte known for its remarkable cell reprogramming capacity. We used various approaches to manipulate auxin levels, including exogenous application, pharmacological manipulations, and auxin biosynthesis mutants.

Impact of Functional Fluorinated Porphyrins on the Efficiency and Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells.

Additives play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and carefully designed additives contribute to major breakthroughs in device performance. In this study, a series of novel A-π-A-type porphyrin derivatives-PPH-1, PPH-2, and PPF-1-are synthesized, each incorporating pyridyl groups, specifically engineered to function as passivation agents for PSCs. The electron-withdrawing properties of fluorine in PPF-1 increase the molecular polarity, thereby strengthening its interaction with the perovskite and enhancing the passivation efficacy.

Surveillance and genetic diversity of bovine viral diarrhea virus in dairy herds across Taiwan.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) significantly impacts cattle worldwide, causing respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive disorders that lead to substantial economic losses. Despite its high global prevalence and various genotypes, the infection status of BVDV in Taiwan has not been reported. This study conducted large-scale surveillance in 2014, analyzing 460 bovine serum samples collected from 49 dairy herds across Taiwan.

Composite microRNA-genetic risk score model links to migraine and implicates its pathogenesis.

The neurobiological mechanisms driving the ictal-interictal fluctuations and the chronification of migraine remain elusive. We aimed to construct a composite genetic-microRNA model that could reflect the dynamic perturbations of the disease course and inform the pathogenesis of migraine. We prospectively recruited four groups of participants, including interictal episodic migraine (i.

Heat-inactivated Lactobacillus casei strain GKC1 Mitigates osteoporosis development in vivo via enhanced osteogenesis.

Osteoporosis, a significant bone disease predominantly affecting elderly and postmenopausal women, leads to increased bone fragility and fracture risk, presenting a major public health concern with substantial socioeconomic implications. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of Lactobacillus strains, known for their immunomodulatory properties, in an ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis mouse model. Among three tested strains Lactobacillus casei GKC1, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GKLC1, and Lactobacillus johnsonii GKJ2, GKC1 demonstrated superior efficacy in promoting osteogenesis-related gene expression, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2).

The severity of coronary heart disease and the incidence of later diabetic retinopathy in diabetic population: A retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The coronary heart disease (CHD) can influence the development of several diseases. The presence of CHD is correlated to a higher incidence of concurrent diabetic retinopathy (DR) in previous study. Herein, we aim to analyze the relationship between the CHD severity and following DR with different severity.

Prostate cancer cells elevate glycolysis and G6PD in response to caffeic acid phenethyl ester-induced growth inhibition.

Background: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is the main bioactive component of poplar type propolis. We previously reported that treatment with caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) suppressed the cell proliferation, tumor growth, as well as migration and invasion of prostate cancer (PCa) cells via inhibition of signaling pathways of AKT, c-Myc, Wnt and EGFR. We also demonstrated that combined treatment of CAPE and docetaxel altered the genes involved in glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle.

Photodissociation Dynamics of Formic Acid at 230 nm: A Computational Study of the CO and CO Forming Channels.

Recent photolysis experiments with formic acid suggest that the roaming mechanism is a significant CO-forming pathway at a photolysis energy of 230 nm. While previous computational studies have identified multiple dissociation pathways for CO-forming channels, the dynamic features of these pathways remain poorly understood. This study investigates the dissociation dynamics of the CO + HO and CO + H channels in the ground state (S) of formic acid using direct dynamics simulation and the generalized multi-center impulsive model (GMCIM) at 230 nm.

Exosomes as promising frontier approaches in future cancer therapy.

In this editorial, we will discuss the article by Tang published in the recent issue of the . They explored an innovative approach to enhancing gemcitabine (GEM) delivery and efficacy using human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (HU-BMSCs)-derived exosomes. The manufacture of GEM-loaded HU-BMSCs-derived exosomes (Exo-GEM) has been optimized.

Two-year clinical outcomes of Taiwanese and other Asian ethnicities with atrial fibrillation treated with edoxaban in the ETNA-AF Asia registry.

Background: The non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant (NOAC), edoxaban, is approved for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in many Asian countries. Nonetheless, data on its long-term effectiveness and safety in routine clinical practice are limited in Taiwan.

Methods: The Global ETNA-AF (Edoxaban Treatment in routiNe clinical prActice) registry is an observational study that integrates data of AF patients receiving edoxaban from multiple regional registries.

Donor-Interacting Arylated Carbazole Self-Assembled Monolayer Enables Highly Efficient and Stable Organic Photovoltaics.

Carbazole-derived self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are promising materials for hole-extraction layer (HEL) in conventional organic photovoltaics (OPVs). Here, a SAM Cbz-2Ph derived from 3,6-diphenylcarbazole is demonstrated. The large molecular dipole moment of Cbz-2Ph allows the modulation of electrode work function to facilitate hole extraction and maximize photovoltage, thus improving the OPV performance.

Enhancing safety with an AI-empowered assessment and monitoring system for BSL-3 facilities.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent demand for research, which has spurred the development of enhanced biosafety protocols in biosafety level (BSL)-3 laboratories to safeguard against the risks associated with handling highly contagious pathogens. Laboratory management failures can pose significant hazards.

Methods: An external system captured images of personnel entering a laboratory, which were then analyzed by an AI-based system to verify their compliance with personal protective equipment (PPE) regulations, thereby introducing an additional layer of protection.

Establishing a GRU-GCN coordination-based prediction model for miRNA-disease associations.

Background: miRNAs (microRNAs) are endogenous RNAs with lengths of 18 to 24 nucleotides and play critical roles in gene regulation and disease progression. Although traditional wet-lab experiments provide direct evidence for miRNA-disease associations, they are often time-consuming and complicated to analyze by current bioinformatics tools. In recent years, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques are powerful tools to analyze large-scale biological data.

Diverse clinical outcomes for the EGFR‑mutated and ALK‑rearranged advanced non‑squamous non‑small cell lung cancer.

EGFR and ALK are key driver mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are recommended as the first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC with driving oncogenes because they have fewer side effects and provide better disease control than chemotherapy. The present retrospective analysis aimed to investigate how altered driver genes impact cancer outcomes and clinical presentation.

Two-Dimensional Phototransistors with van der Waals Superstructure Contacts for High-Performance Photosensing.

Semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) possess exceptional photoelectronic properties, rendering them excellent channel materials for phototransistors and holding great promise for future optoelectronics. However, the attainment of high-performance photodetection has been impeded by challenges pertaining to electrical contact. To surmount this obstacle, we introduce a phototransistor architecture, in which the WS channel is connected with an alternating WS-WSe strip superstructure, strategically positioned alongside the source and drain contact regions.

Outcomes of upfront primary tumor resection in patients with synchronous wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer.

This multicenter study explored the survival benefits of upfront primary tumor resection (PTR) followed by first-line cetuximab plus chemotherapy in real-world patients with wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Treatment options for mCRC include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and surgery. The efficacy of upfront PTR in managing mCRC remains unclear.

Association between activity quotient and cause-specific mortality - A prospective cohort study of 0.5 million participants in Asia.

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) is important for reducing the risk of chronic diseases and improving overall health. Activity Quotient (AQ) is a novel metric that translates heart rate during PA into a weekly score, providing an objective measure of an individual's PA. We prospectively examined the association of AQ with cancer and cardiovascular (CVD) mortality outcomes, the two major causes of death, in a Taiwanese population.

Resistance reduction and cross-resistance of spinosad-resistant Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and the association between spinosad resistance and maltase activity.

Background: The lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica, is a serious stored-products pest mainly controlled by insecticides. Spinosad, an environmentally friendly biological insecticide with low mammalian toxicity, is considered a suitable candidate for R. dominica management.

The Latest Research on Probiotics: Nourishing Health or Pathways to Disease Resolution.

The meta-analysis on probiotics' effects on cortisol levels demonstrates their potential to modulate stress responses across diverse populations, though variability in strain efficacy highlights the need for standardization and targeted studies [...

Use of Machine Learning to Predict the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Among Relatively Healthy Adults: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study in Taiwan.

: The prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide, particularly in the Pacific Ocean island nations. Although machine learning (ML) models and data mining approaches have been applied to diabetes research, there was no study utilizing ML models to predict diabetes incidence in Taiwan. We aimed to predict the onset of diabetes in order to raise health awareness, thereby promoting any necessary lifestyle modifications and help mitigate disease burden.

The Potential for High-Priority Care Based on Pain Through Facial Expression Detection with Patients Experiencing Chest Pain.

Background And Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD), one of the chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), is defined as a cardiac and vascular disorder that includes coronary heart disease, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), congenital heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, and elevated blood pressure (hypertension). Having CVD increases the mortality rate. Emotional stress, an indirect indicator associated with CVD, can often manifest through facial expressions.

Genetic investigations of autosomal recessive inherited ichthyosis impressed by fetal ultrasound: Exome sequencing and haplotype linkage analysis.

Objective: Ichthyosis are complex skin diseases, characterized by hyperkeratosis with various degrees of thickening, desquamation, and erythema. The prenatal diagnosis of ichthyosis is challenged due to the clinical and genetic heterogeneity and the late-onset of fetal features on ultrasound scan. Here, we reported two fetuses with Harlequin ichthyosis (HI), a severe subtype of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI), who were diagnosed prenatally by images and genetic investigations.

Introduction of the single-lumen oocyte retrieval needle in an assisted reproductive technology center: Propensity score matching analysis of grouping.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of oocyte retrieval using a single-lumen aspiration needle compared to a double-lumen aspiration needle in IVF (in vitro fertilization) patients.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all IVF cycles between 1st January, 2020 and 31st December, 2022 in Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan. Pairwise comparisons were conducted through propensity score matching analysis at a 1:3 ratio according to patients' age, anti-Müllerian hormone levels, and body weight.