3,442 results match your criteria: "Institute of Population Health Sciences.[Affiliation]"

Background: Early intervention in psychosis (EIP) services improve outcomes for young people, but approximately 30% disengage.

Aims: To test whether a new motivational engagement intervention would prolong engagement and whether it was cost-effective.

Method: We conducted a multicentre, single-blind, parallel-group, cluster randomised controlled trial involving 20 EIP teams at five UK National Health Service (NHS) sites.

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  • Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major cause of heart failure, and this study analyzes genetic factors by examining 14,256 DCM cases and 36,203 participants from the UK Biobank for related traits.
  • Researchers discovered 80 genomic risk loci and pinpointed 62 potential effector genes tied to DCM, including some linked to rare variants.
  • The study uses advanced transcriptomics to explore how cellular functions contribute to DCM, showing that polygenic scores can help predict the disease in the general population and emphasize the importance of genetic testing and development of precise treatments.
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Identified genetic loci for C-peptide and type 1 diabetes (T1D) age at diagnosis (AAD) explain only a small proportion of their variation. We aimed to identify additional genetic loci associated with C-peptide and AAD. Some HLA allele/haplotypes associated with T1D also contributed to variability of C-peptide and AAD, whereas outside the HLA region, T1D loci were mostly not associated with C-peptide or AAD.

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Objective: Hyperlipidemic patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at a higher risk of death from cardiovascular diseases, especially from acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Studies on the efficacy of statin therapy (ST) in dialysis patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are limited. We examine the mortality associated with ST for these patients.

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Phthalate exposure increases oxidative stress, early renal injury, and the risk of calcium urolithiasis: A case-control study.

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf

November 2024

Research Center for Precision Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Urology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Urology, Pingtung Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Pingtung, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Phthalates, commonly found in plastics, may negatively impact kidney health, particularly through oxidative stress, but their link to kidney stones (urolithiasis) is not well established.
  • A case-control study with 285 patients who have calcium urolithiasis and 594 healthy controls examined urinary levels of phthalate metabolites and biomarkers for oxidative stress and early kidney injury.
  • Results showed that kidney stone patients had higher levels of phthalate metabolites and biomarkers of oxidative stress and injury, indicating a potential increased risk of urolithiasis linked to phthalate exposure.
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A self-efficacy enhancement alcohol reduction intervention for men on-remand in prison: the APPRAISE feasibility pilot RCT.

Public Health Res (Southampt)

November 2024

Centre for Crime, Harm Prevention and Security, School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, Tees Valley, UK.

Background: As many as 70% of remand prisoners have admitted to being under the influence of alcohol when committing the crime leading to their imprisonment. Providing support and advice regarding alcohol consumption can be effective in some groups of people. There is little evidence regarding this for men on remand in prison.

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Aims/introduction: The relationship between economic disadvantages and the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as well as its impact on birth outcomes, remains uncertain.

Materials And Methods: From the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database, we identified 984,712 pregnant women between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2018. Using propensity score matching, we selected 5,068 pairs of women across four income levels: very low, low, middle and high.

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The Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) was developed for identifying, in a timely manner, patients who may benefit from supportive and palliative care for better treatment review, care-plan discussion, and end-of-life care. Although the SPICT has been validated in different languages and for patients living in different settings, it has not been validated for patients receiving home-based medical care (HBMC), or in the context of using traditional Chinese characters. The present study aimed to validate the Taiwanese version of the SPICT (SPICT-TW) and to measure its ability to predict six-month mortality in patients who received HBMC in Taiwan.

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The gaseous air pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO), ozone (O), and sulfur dioxide (SO), in addition to particulate matter (PM), are known to be associated with many adverse health effects. However, exposure estimates may not be available in rural or mountainous areas without monitoring stations. In this study, we retrieved satellite remote sensing data for NO, O, and SO from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) L3 products.

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Acquired bla carried by a conjugative transposon or duplicated intrinsic bla mediates cefiderocol resistance in Elizabethkingia anophelis clinical isolates.

Int J Antimicrob Agents

December 2024

National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Zhunan, Taiwan; Department of Biological Science & Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Objectives: Elizabethkingia spp. are resistant to multiple antibiotics. This study aimed to determine in vitro and in vivo activities of cefiderocol against Elizabethkingia spp.

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Purpose: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with breast cancer generally have poor prognoses and a higher risk of secondary cancers compared to those at the same cancer stage. Notably, AYA patients in Asia exhibit a higher incidence rate of breast cancer, with Luminal A as the predominant molecular subtype, which contrasts with the trends observed in Western countries. This study aims to compare the efficacy of Taxane/Anthracycline combination-based regimens (TACB) versus Anthracycline-based regimens (AB) in AYA patients with stage I-II breast cancer, focusing on different molecular subtypes.

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Background: Inflammation promotes atherogenesis. Randomized controlled trials of anti-inflammatory therapies for prevention after stroke have not yet demonstrated clear benefit. IL-6 (interleukin-6) and hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) are independently associated with major adverse cardiovascular events poststroke and may guide patient selection in future randomized controlled trials.

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  • The study explored the impact of alcohol use disorder (AUD) on bone turnover and psychological symptoms by measuring two key bone markers, P1NP and CTX-1, in AUD patients before and after two weeks of alcohol withdrawal.
  • Results showed that AUD patients had higher baseline levels of CTX-1, but after withdrawal, there was a significant increase in bone formation markers (P1NP) and a decrease in markers of bone resorption, indicating a shift towards better bone health.
  • Improvements in psychological symptoms like cravings and depression were correlated with changes in bone turnover markers, suggesting a potential link between bone health and psychological well-being, known as the bone-brain axis.
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  • This systemic review examines strategies aimed at reducing hospital and emergency department length of stay (LOS) while analyzing their impact on readmissions and healthcare costs.
  • Eighteen studies were included, highlighting interventions like outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) and 'hospital at home' programs, which showed potential for lower LOS and costs, though sometimes extended the total care duration.
  • Overall, the findings suggest that many reviewed interventions are cost-effective and safe for children, benefiting families without increasing the risk of negative outcomes compared to traditional hospital care.
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Rapid identification of the predominant azole-resistant genotype in Candida tropicalis.

FEMS Yeast Res

January 2024

Taiwan Mycology Reference Center, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350401, Taiwan, ROC.

Article Synopsis
  • * The study examined two specific genes, XYR1 and SNQ2, in a collection of 281 C. tropicalis samples from Taiwan and other global locations to identify markers for these resistant genotypes.
  • * The researchers found significant associations between particular codon sequences and clade 4, leading to the development of a TaqMan SNP genotyping assay that could accurately detect azole-resistant strains, improving infection management strategies.
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  • A study examined the effects of QT prolongation in cancer patients, analyzing ECG data from 59,568 patients in Taiwan to understand its impact on cardiovascular (CV) mortality.* -
  • The research found that while QT prolongation (measured by QTcB) was related to a slight increase in CV mortality risk, comorbidities were more significant factors influencing these outcomes.* -
  • Ultimately, the study concluded that the presence of comorbidities, rather than just prolonged QT intervals, played a larger role in determining CV mortality in cancer patients.*
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Aims/introduction: This study aimed to identify low- and high-risk diabetes groups within prediabetes populations using data from the Taiwan Biobank (TWB) and UK Biobank (UKB) through a clustering-based Unsupervised Learning (UL) approach, to inform targeted type 2 diabetes (T2D) interventions.

Materials And Methods: Data from TWB and UKB, comprising clinical and genetic information, were analyzed. Prediabetes was defined by glucose thresholds, and incident T2D was identified through follow-up data.

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  • A study explored how a clinical oral rehabilitation program affects salivary metabolite changes, salivary flow rate, antimicrobial peptide levels, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in dementia patients.
  • The experimental group received oral care intervention alongside standard information, showing significant improvements in salivary flow and OHRQoL compared to the control group at 3 and 6 months.
  • Results indicated that reductions in certain salivary peptide levels and increases in salivary flow were linked to better OHRQoL, suggesting the oral care program's effectiveness in managing oral health for dementia patients.
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Article Synopsis
  • * It's important to carefully choose the right medicines and blood pressure goals to help these patients without causing more problems.
  • * Families and caregivers should help in making decisions about treatment to make sure it fits what the patient needs and keeps them safe.
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Comparative Risk of Neuropsychiatric Adverse Events Associated With Leukotriene-Receptor Antagonists Versus Inhaled Corticosteroids.

J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract

October 2024

Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • A nationwide study was conducted from 2010 to 2021 to compare the risks of neuropsychiatric adverse events (NAEs) between leukotriene-receptor antagonists (LTRA) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in asthma patients.
  • The results showed that asthma patients on LTRA had a higher incidence of NAEs compared to those on ICS, with specific increases in rates of psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders, and behavioral and emotional disorders.
  • The study emphasizes the importance of clinicians discussing potential neuropsychiatric side effects with asthma patients before prescribing LTRA.
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Introduction: A significant burden of unmet pediatric surgical disease exists in low- and middle-income countries. We sought to assess the associations between the installation of a pediatric operating room (OR) and clinical and economic outcomes for families with children in Ethiopia.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed of children who underwent elective surgery in a tertiary-level Ethiopian public hospital, comparing patient outcomes before and after OR installation in August 2019.

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  • The study focuses on kidney failure, which includes acute conditions like Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and chronic ones such as Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), aiming to create a framework to cluster different subtypes of kidney failure.
  • Using data from the UK Biobank, the researchers transformed raw Electronic Health Records into standardized matrices, employing methods like convolution autoencoders and clustering algorithms to analyze the data.
  • Results revealed two distinct groups: one primarily consisting of severe CKD patients with low survival rates, and another with a mix of non-CKD and milder CKD forms showcasing better survival. This framework can lead to improved patient management and targeted treatments.
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  • The Maduo Study investigated the impact of antenatal screening for STIs in pregnant women in Botswana, comparing intervention and standard care groups.
  • The study found a significant reduction in the prevalence of STIs post-delivery among women who received regular screening and treatment during pregnancy.
  • Results indicated that a substantial number of infants born to women with untreated infections still tested positive, highlighting the importance of antenatal STI screening to prevent vertical transmission.
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Background: Clinical studies have shown that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) can have beneficial effects on cardiopulmonary function. We conducted this longitudinal cohort study to compare the risk of cardiopulmonary outcomes and mortality between GLP-1 RA use and no use in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: The study identified 8060 matched GLP-1 RA users and non-users from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2019.

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Background: To evaluate the association between maternal MVCs during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs, including intellectual disability, ADHD, ASD, and infantile cerebral palsy) in children.

Methods: This population-based cohort of live births in Taiwan was analyzed, comparing children born to mothers involved in MVCs during pregnancy with those without such exposure. Children were linked to the insurance database to identify the possible diagnosis of NDDs.

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