Low-molecular-weight polyphenol promotes cell sensitivity to cisplatin and alleviates cancer-related muscle atrophy via NF-κB suppression in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: Drug resistance and subsequent adverse effects, such as cancer cachexia, limit the clinical use of cisplatin. Oligonol® (Olg), a low-molecular-weight polyphenol, exhibits NF-κB inhibitory properties. NF-κB activation has been implicated in cisplatin resistance of cancer cells and skeletal muscle wasting.

Topical Vancomycin Paste Over the Sternal Edge During Cardiac Surgery: Effects of Renal Function and Body Size on Systemic Exposure.

Purpose: Intraoperative topical vancomycin has been widely used in several surgical fields to prevent wound infection. However, there have been limited studies on the systemic exposure of topical vancomycin. The aim of this study was to investigate systemic exposure after topical vancomycin over the sternal edge in cardiac surgical patients.

Serial changes in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease after sleeve gastrectomy and their associations with abdominal adiposity: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Little is known about the associations between changes in hepatic steatosis and changes in abdominal adiposity after metabolic bariatric surgery.

Objectives: To evaluate the serial changes in hepatic steatosis and abdominal adiposity following sleeve gastrectomy (SG).

Setting: University hospital, Taiwan.

Comparative in vitro efficacy of AR-12 derivatives against Streptococcus pyogenes.

Objectives: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) results in invasive diseases. Our published studies show that AR-12 can directly kill GAS. However, AR-12 is toxic to the human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1 cells) even at its MIC.

The therapeutic effects of probiotics on core and associated behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: We aimed at investigating the efficacies of probiotics in alleviating the core and associated symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: Randomized placebo-controlled trials were identified from major electronic databases from inception to Nov 2023. The outcomes of interests including improvements in the total and associated symptoms of ASD were quantitatively expressed as effect size (ES) based on standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI).

Metabolic Outcomes of Changing From Rilpivirine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Emtricitabine to Rilpivirine/Tenofovir Alafenamide/Emtricitabine: A Longitudinal Study.

Background And Aims: People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, PLWH) are aging, and there are growing concerns regarding combined antiretroviral therapy (cART)-associated negative metabolic consequences. We aimed to investigate the metabolic outcomes of PLWH by replacing rilpivirine (RPV)/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC) with RPV/tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)/FTC.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled PLWH who changed from RPV/TDF/FTC to RPV/TAF/FTC between January 2019 and September 2023.

Exploring the relaxation effects of Coptis chinensis and berberine on the lower esophageal sphincter: potential strategies for LES motility disorders.

Background: Esophageal achalasia, a primary disorder impacting the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), presents symptoms such as dysphagia, regurgitation, chest pain, and weight loss. Traditional treatments, including calcium channel blockers and nitrates, offer limited relief, prompting exploration into alternative therapies. This study examines the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), focusing on Coptis chinensis (C.

Exposure to Psychotropic Drugs and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Patients with Affective Disorder: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Background: This study aimed to assess the association between the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and exposure to mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotics in patients with affective disorders.

Methods: This nested case-control study used data from the National Health Insurance Database of Taiwan collected between 2001 and 2011. All participants in this study had affective disorders.

Deep Learning-Based Object Detection Strategies for Disease Detection and Localization in Chest X-Ray Images.

Background And Objectives: Chest X-ray (CXR) images are commonly used to diagnose respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, traditional manual interpretation is often subjective, time-consuming, and prone to errors, leading to inconsistent detection accuracy and poor generalization. In this paper, we present deep learning-based object detection methods for automatically identifying and annotating abnormal regions in CXR images.

Impact of general vs. regional anaesthesia on one-year clinical outcomes and healthcare utilisation after lower limb arthroplasty: a retrospective study.

Introduction: General anaesthesia and regional anaesthesia are used for hip and knee arthroplasty but their impact on long-term outcomes remains unclear. This study aimed to compare one-year clinical outcomes and healthcare utilisation in patients receiving general or regional anaesthesia for hip or knee arthroplasty.

Methods: Using data from the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 247,142 patients aged 40-90 y who underwent hip or knee arthroplasty between 2010 and 2023.

Impact of Pre-existing Anti-polyethylene Glycol Antibodies on the Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of a COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (Comirnaty) In Vivo.

The presence of anti-polyethylene glycol (anti-PEG) antibodies can hinder the therapeutic efficacy of PEGylated drugs. With the widespread use of a PEGylated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) messenger RNA vaccine (Comirnaty), the impact of pre-existing anti-PEG antibodies on vaccine potency has become a point of debate. To investigate this, we established mouse models with pre-existing anti-PEG antibodies and divided them into 3 groups: group 1 with anti-PEG immunoglobulin G + immunoglobulin M concentrations of 0.

Changes in Serum Rheumatoid Factor Following Eradication of Hepatitis C Virus Infection With Interferon or Direct Antiviral Therapy.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with a myriad of extrahepatic manifestations (EHM), as well as the production of autoantibodies, including rheumatoid factor (RF). This study aims to elucidate whether serum levels of RF change before and after HCV eradication, and whether these changes differ according to the type of therapy used. This is a retrospective cohort study of adults with chronic HCV infection treated with interferon-free or interferon-based regimens.

Consensus on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations: Challenges and strategies for high-risk populations in Taiwan.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact globally, particularly in high-risk populations such as those with underlying health conditions. In response to the evolving pandemic landscape and the recent surge in confirmed cases in Taiwan, the Taiwan Association of Family Medicine (TAFM) established a consensus on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for vulnerable groups through a comprehensive literature review, expert panel discussions, and a practice-oriented formulation procedure to develop evidence-based guidance. Its key findings highlight the increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes among individuals with disorders such as diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory illness.

Effect of pelvic arterial stenosis on erectile function: determining the severity threshold for erectile dysfunction.

Background: Pelvic arterial (PLA) stenosis is associated with arterial insufficiency of the penis and erectile dysfunction (ED), but the effect of different severities of PLA stenosis on ED remains unclear.

Aim: To investigate how different severities of PLA stenosis affect erectile function.

Methods: We included patients who visited our clinic for ED and underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA) and dynamic duplex sonography (DUS).

Too early to be different? A multi-institutional study with 30-year follow-up for prognostic factors of completely resected early stage thymoma.

Background/purpose: This multi-institutional study was aimed to analyze prognostic factors of completely resected early stage thymoma.

Methods: Patients with surgically treated early stage thymoma between 1988 and 2019 were enrolled. Statistical associations were evaluated using the χ test, Fisher's exact test, and Student's t-test.

Therapeutic effects of Huangqi formula (Eefooton) in chronic kidney disease: clinical research and narrative literature review.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the clinical effects of employing the Huangqi formula (Eefooton; EFT) for chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment. A narrative literature review was undertaken to elucidate the specific ingredients of EFT and their potential impact on renal health.

Methods: A retrospective observational study investigated EFT treatment in outpatients with stable CKD (stages 3B to 5) from March 2019 to March 2021.

Fracture Behavior and Biocompatibility of Cellulose Nanofiber-Reinforced Poly(vinyl alcohol) Composite Hydrogels Cross-Linked with Borax.

We investigated the fracture behavior of cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels cross-linked with borax and the effect of freeze-thaw (FT) cycles on it. The CNF/PVA/Borax hydrogel not subjected to FT achieved a fracture energy of 5.8 kJ m and a dissipative length of 2.

Protocol to measure glucose utilization in mouse tissues using radiolabeled 2-deoxy-D-glucose.

2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) is a glucose analog converted to 2-deoxy-D-glucose-6-phosphate (2DG-6P) by hexokinase in glycolysis. While 2DG commonly measures glucose uptake, 2DG-6P detects glucose utilization. Here, we present a protocol to measure glucose utilization in various tissues after entering a mouse's body using radiolabeled 2DG.

Association Between Current Medical Decision-Making Participation Self-Efficacy and Advance Care Planning Engagement Among Older Adults: Baseline Findings from a Nationwide Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Misconceptions of and cultural differences in aging influence older adults' medical decision-making self-efficacy and engagement in advance care planning (ACP). This study aims to investigate the association between current medical decision-making participation self-efficacy and ACP engagement among older individuals receiving home-based medical care (HBMC) in Taiwan. Baseline data analysis of a nationwide cohort study.

A zero-waste approach to Sarcodia suiae valorization: Recycling aquaculture wastes and carbon dioxide for biostimulant, biofertilizer, and bioenergy production.

Aquaculture waste and carbon dioxide (CO) are a global concern. Sarcodia suiae cultivated in outdoor photobioreactors (PBRs) using shrimp aquaculture wastewater and CO from biogas demonstrates significant benefits. It boosted biomass by 18.

Association of ambient particulate matter (PM) with reduced sex ratio at birth after the implementation of a rapid transit system in Taipei, Taiwan.

Sex ratio at birth (SRB) is a simple, noninvasive way to monitor the reproductive health of a population. Apparently only a few studies have assessed the relationship between ambient air pollution and SRBs. The studies that investigated this relationship have yielded inconsistent results.