Epigenetic Modifications as Novel Therapeutic Strategies of Cancer Chemoprevention by Phytochemicals.

Purpose: Epigenetic modifications, such as aberrant DNA methylation, histone alterations, non-coding RNA remodeling, and modulation of transcription factors, are pivotal in the pathogenesis of diverse malignancies. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have the capacity to impact these epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, throughout the different stages of cancer development. Therefore, the aim of this review is to address the impact of.

Differential striatal dopamine binding in Parkinson's Disease with and without REM sleep behavior disorder: A Tc-99 m TRODAT-1 SPECT study.

Background: Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is an early and significant prodromal marker for Parkinson's disease (PD). While the association between RBD and PD has been well-documented, the underlying pathophysiology differentiating PD patients with RBD (PD-RBD +) from those without RBD (PD-RBD-) remained unclear. This study aims to investigate the possible relationship between RBD and striatal dopamine depletion in de novo PD patients.

Using Transcranial Magnetic Nerve Stimulation to Differentiate Motor and Sensory Fascicles in a Mixed Nerve: Experimental Rat Study.

Background:  Accurately matching the correct fascicles in a ruptured mixed nerve is critical for functional recovery. This study investigates the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to differentiate motor and sensory fascicles in a mixed nerve.

Methods:  In all 40 rats, the median nerve in the left upper arm was evenly split into three segments.

Medication Hazards and Outcome Patterns of Pediatric Drug-Associated Liver Injury in Taiwan: An Analysis of 1998-2017 Spontaneous Adverse Drug Reaction Reports.

Background And Objectives: Accumulating pediatric efficacy and safety data on drug use is inherently challenging yet essential. This study aimed to analyze the frequency and compute the odds of pediatric drug-associated liver injury across age groups (early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence) and therapeutic categories using adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reporting data spanning nearly two decades.

Methods: We analyzed the reports of suspected ADRs occurring in children and adolescents in the Taiwan National Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting System during the period from May 1998 until July 2017.

Structural engineering of flagellin as vaccine adjuvant: quest for the minimal domain of flagellin for TLR5 activation.

Flagellin stimulates Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5), triggering both innate and adaptive immune responses, making it a potential vaccine adjuvant. On mucosal surfaces, flagellin induces a strong release of cytokines, chemokines, and immunoglobulins. When used in its free monomeric form, flagellin has been shown to enhance immune responses when combined with vaccine antigens.

Vulnerable parafoveal microcirculation quadrant in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss among adults. This study evaluates Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) vessel density (VD) as a marker for DR in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. An observational study was conducted with 47 type 2 DM patients and 21 healthy controls.

Pharmacokinetic Boosting of Calcineurin Inhibitors in Transplantation: Pros, Cons, and Perspectives.

The concept of pharmacokinetic (PK) boosting of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) emerged after the FDA approval of cyclosporine-A. Several studies followed, and the proof of concept was well established by the late 1990s. This also continued for the next blockbuster immunosuppressant, tacrolimus.

Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training in Patients with COPD Exacerbations: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is considered for patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). However, the impact of adding inspiratory muscle training (IMT) to PR on inspiratory muscle function is underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of IMT in addition to PR on inspiratory muscle function, functional exercise capacity (FEC), and quality of life (QoL) in patients with AECOPD.

Association between cytokines and progression-free survival in ovarian cancer following CRS/HIPEC treatment.

Background: The benefit of cytoreduction with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains uncertain. This study investigated the relationship between serum cytokines, particularly monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), a key inflammatory mediator, and recurrence risk in EOC patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC.

Methods: From January 2018 to January 2023, serum cytokine levels were analyzed in 34 EOC patients (17 primary, 17 recurrent) before and after CRS/HIPEC using MILLIPLEX Magnetic Bead Panels.

Vaccine Strategies Against RNA Viruses: Current Advances and Future Directions.

The development of vaccines against RNA viruses has undergone a rapid evolution in recent years, particularly driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. This review examines the key roles that RNA viruses, with their high mutation rates and zoonotic potential, play in fostering vaccine innovation. We also discuss both traditional and modern vaccine platforms and the impact of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, on optimizing immunization strategies.

Dynamic Emotion Recognition and Expression Imitation in Neurotypical Adults and Their Associations with Autistic Traits.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication. While many studies suggest that individuals with ASD struggle with emotion processing, the association between emotion processing and autistic traits in non-clinical populations is still unclear. We examine whether neurotypical adults' facial emotion recognition and expression imitation are associated with autistic traits.

An Integrated Testing Strategy and Online Tool for Assessing Skin Sensitization of Agrochemical Formulations.

Non-animal assessment of skin sensitization is a global trend. Recently, scientific efforts have been focused on the integration of multiple evidence for decision making with the publication of OECD Guideline No. 497 for defined approaches to skin sensitization.

Portable SpectroChip-Based Immunoassay Platform for Rapid and Accurate Melamine Quantification in Urine Samples.

Growing concerns about the health risks of melamine adulteration in food products highlight the urgent need for reliable detection methods. However, the long-term effects of chronic low-level melamine exposure remain inadequately explored. This study introduces THE ONE InstantCare platform, a portable immunoassay analyzer integrating a SpectroChip-based spectral processing unit (SPU) with lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for sensitive and accurate quantification of melamine in human urine.

Heat-Killed subsp. 557 Extracts Protect Chondrocytes from Osteoarthritis Damage by Reducing Inflammation: An In Vitro Study.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition characterized by joint pain and disability, driven by excessive oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokine production in chondrocytes, resulting in cell death and cartilage matrix breakdown. Our previous study showed that in monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA rats, oral administration of heat-killed subsp. 557 (LDL557) could significantly decrease OA progression.

Microbial Communities in and Around the Siboglinid Tubeworms from the South Yungan East Ridge Cold Seep Offshore Southwestern Taiwan at the Northern South China Sea.

To date, only a few microbial community studies of cold seeps at the South China Sea (SCS) have been reported. The cold seep dominated by tubeworms was discovered at South Yungan East Ridge (SYER) offshore southwestern Taiwan by miniROV. The tubeworms were identified and proposed as sp.

The Melatonin Type 2 Receptor Agonist IIK7 Attenuates and Reverses Morphine Tolerance in Neuropathic Pain Rats Through the Suppression of Neuroinflammation in the Spinal Cord.

Background: Morphine analgesic tolerance (MAT) limits the clinical application of morphine in the management of chronic pain. IIK7 is a melatonin type 2 (MT2) receptor agonist known to have antioxidant properties. Oxidative stress is recognized as a critical factor in MAT.

Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Activates Mitophagy Through Cargo Receptor and Phagophore Formation.

Chronic HCV infection is a risk factor for end-stage liver disease, leading to a major burden on public health. Mitophagy is a specific form of selective autophagy that eliminates mitochondria to maintain mitochondrial integrity. HCV NS5A is a multifunctional protein that regulates the HCV life cycle and may induce host mitophagy.

Conversion of Oil-Containing Residue from Waste Oil Recycling Plant into Porous Carbon Materials Through Activation Method with Phosphoric Acid.

In the waste oil recycling industry, large amounts of oil-containing sludge are still generated, thus posing a resource depletion issue when disposed of or incinerated without energy recovery or residual oil utilization. In this work, chemical activation experiments using phosphoric acid (HPO) were performed at a low temperature (600 °C) for 30 min to produce porous carbon products. From the results of the pore property analysis, an increasing trend with an increasing impregnation ratio from 0.

The Effect of Intravascular Laser Irradiation of Blood on Serum Biomarkers and Clinical Outcome in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: A Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease globally, causing pain, stiffness, and disability. Intravascular laser irradiation of blood (ILIB) has been used for chronic pain and musculoskeletal disease. However, evidence on the clinical benefits and serum biomarkers post-ILIB therapy in knee OA is insufficient.

Long-Term Outcomes of Modified Expansive Open-Door Laminoplasty Combined with Short-Level Anterior Cervical Fusion in Multilevel Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

: Multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy (MCSM) presents complex challenges for surgical management, particularly in patients with kyphosis or significant anterior pathology. This study aimed to assess the long-term efficacy of modified expansive open-door laminoplasty (MEOLP) combined with short-level anterior cervical fusion (ACF) in providing decompression, preserving alignment, and maintaining range of motion (ROM) over a nine-year follow-up. : A retrospective analysis was conducted on 124 MCSM patients treated with MEOLP combined with ACF between 2011 and 2015.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Pancreatic Tissue Sampling: Lesion Assessment, Needles, and Techniques.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue sampling includes the techniques of fine needle aspiration (FNA) and fine needle biopsy (FNB), and both procedures have revolutionized specimen collection from the gastrointestinal tract, especially from remote/inaccessible organs. EUS-FNB has replaced FNA as the procedure of choice for tissue acquisition in solid pancreatic lesions (SPLs) across various society guidelines. FNB specimens provide a larger histological tissue core (preserving tissue architecture) with fewer needle passes, and this is extremely relevant in today's era of precision and personalized molecular medicine.

A Comparative Analysis of Toxicology and Non-Toxicology Care in Intoxicated Patients with Acute Kidney Injury.

: Intoxicated patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) experience high morbidity and mortality. While prior studies suggest that toxicology care settings improve outcomes, the impact of care settings on patients with AKI remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of intoxicated patients with AKI managed in toxicology versus non-toxicology care settings.