Tribbles pseudokinase 3 drives cancer stemness in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells by supporting the expression levels of SOX2 and EGFR.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a type of head and neck cancer (HNC) with a high recurrence rate, which has been reported to be associated with the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Tribbles pseudokinase 3 (TRIB3) is involved in intracellular signaling and the aim of the present study was to investigate the role of TRIB3 in the maintenance of CSCs. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database samples demonstrated a positive correlation between TRIB3 expression levels and shorter overall survival rates in patients with HNC.

Growth inhibition and toxicity assessments of cis-3,4-diaryl-α-methylene-γ-butyrolactams in cultured human renal cancer cells and zebrafish embryos.

This study aimed to compare and evaluate the growth inhibition effects of eight previously synthesized compounds, cis-3,4-diaryl-α-methylene-γ-butyrolactams (compounds 1-8), on two human renal carcinoma cell (RCC) lines: CRL-1932 (rapid growth) and HTB-44 (slow growth). MTT assays and flow cytometry were conducted, revealing that compounds 5 and 6 had the potential to induce cell death in the slow-growing RCC cells (HTB-44), while compound 8 demonstrated effectiveness in both RCC lines (HTB-44 and CRL-1932). Additionally, a non-transformed HEK293 cell line and a transgenic zebrafish with a green fluorescent kidney Tg(wt1b:egfp) were used to assess the toxicities of compounds 5, 6, and 8.

Denosumab and clinical outcomes among men with osteoporosis: a retrospective cohort study.

Unlabelled: Most subjects in osteoporosis clinical trials were women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and while bridging studies (BMD endpoint) provide an expectation that osteoporosis medications will reduce fracture risk in men. This real-world study shows direct evidence of fracture risk reduction among men with osteoporosis (36% of hip fracture reduction with denosumab).

Purpose: Direct evidence for fracture risk reduction of medications used among men with osteoporosis is very limited.

2025 Update Consensus of Tc-Pyrophosphate Scintigraphy in the Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis from the Taiwan Society of Cardiology and the Society of Nuclear Medicine of the Republic of China.

This 2025 updated consensus outlines the diagnostic strategy for transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Given that ATTR-CM is a significant contributor to heart failure, this article emphasizes the importance of making an early and precise diagnosis, particularly as new therapeutic options become available. Highlighting the critical importance of an early and accurate diagnosis, particularly in light of emerging therapeutic modalities, this consensus underscores the central role of Tc-pyrophosphate (PYP) scintigraphy as a non-invasive diagnostic tool.

Prevalence and the associated factors of burnout among the critical healthcare professionals during the post-pandemic era: a multi-institutional survey in Taiwan with a systematic review of the Asian literatures.

Background & Aims: Burnout is a global concern, and critical healthcare professionals have been identified as a high-risk population of burnout. Early identification is crucial, but the prevalence of burnout and its risk factors demonstrate significant geographical variations. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of burnout among critical healthcare professionals and explore potential risk factors during the post-pandemic era in Taiwan.

Effect of Electronic Moxibustion in Patients with IDH: A Randomized Crossover Pilot Study.

Objective: Intradialytic hypotension (IDH), a common complication of hemodialysis (HD), is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, morbidity, and mortality. Fatigue is one of the most frequent symptoms of IDH, and deteriorates the quality of life of patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electronic moxibustion for improving IDH and its associated symptoms.

Immunosuppressants in dermatology on vaccine immunogenicity: a prospective cohort study of pemphigus patients in the pandemic.

Introduction: Both cellular and humoral responses are important for vaccine protection, but recommendations on immunosuppressants in dermatology are largely based on pre-pandemic experiences. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of immunosuppressants on humoral and cellular immunogenicity to COVID-19 vaccinations in pemphigus patients.

Methods: SARS-CoV-2-naïve pemphigus patients and age-, and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited from multiple tertiary medical centers during 2021-2023.

A complication of recurrent artery of Heubner infarction after resection of a giant thrombotic aneurysm in the anterior cerebral artery A2 segment: case report.

Giant thrombotic aneurysms of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) are rare and pose significant challenges due to their variable clinical presentations. While complications following surgical interventions for these aneurysms are known, they have not been fully characterized. We present a novel case of postoperative infarction in the recurrent artery of Heubner (RAH) following resection of a thrombotic giant aneurysm in the ACA.

The outcomes of SGLT-2 inhibitor utilization in diabetic kidney transplant recipients.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) have demonstrated efficacy in reducing cardiovascular events and potentially improving kidney function in diabetic patients. This investigation analyzes the TriNetX database to assess the efficacy of SGLT-2i in diabetic kidney transplant recipients (KTR) concerning all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiac events (MACE), and major adverse kidney events (MAKE). The study includes type 2 diabetic patients over 18 who underwent kidney transplants between June 1, 2015, and June 1, 2023, with a focus on SGLT-2i use within the first three months post-transplant.

Comparative cardiovascular and renal outcomes of Liraglutide versus Dulaglutide in Asian type 2 diabetes patients.

Given the limited head-to-head comparison of cardiovascular and renal outcomes between liraglutide and dulaglutide, our study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes between dulaglutide and liraglutide in a real-world setting. In this new-user design, comparative and retrospective cohort study, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with prescription for GLP-1RAs from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2022 (n = 8,278) were included. Primary outcome was composite cardiovascular outcomes which was composed of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal ischemic stroke.

Evolution of hepatitis B virus polymerase and surface genes in patients receiving finite antiviral therapy.

Background And Aim: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation could develop after withdrawal following a finite course of nucleoside analog (NA) therapy, leading to virological and clinical relapses. The genetic heterogeneity in the HBV surface and polymerase genes during finite NA therapy has not been carefully studied.

Methods: Seven chronic HBV-infected patients experiencing relapses following entecavir (ETV; n = 5; Patients 1 to 5) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF; n = 2; Patients 6 and 7) withdrawal were included.

Validating ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes for Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Taiwan's National Health Insurance Claims Database.

Purpose: To validate the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Taiwan's insurance claims database.

Methods: We identified adult patients hospitalized at any Chang Gung Memorial Foundation branch hospital between January 1st, 2017, and December 31st, 2022, with ICD-10 code G61.0 in any of the five discharge diagnosis positions, indicating possible Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Privacy Preserving Technology using Federated Learning and Blockchain in protecting against Adversarial Attacks for Retinal Imaging.

Purpose: Collaboration provides valuable data for robust artificial intelligence (AI) model development. Federated learning (FL) is a privacy enhancing technology that allows collaboration while respecting privacy via the development of models without raw data transfer. However state-of-the-art FL models still face challenges in non-independent and identically distributed (non-i.

The colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor inhibitor edicotinib counteracts multidrug resistance in cancer cells by inhibiting ABCG2-mediated drug efflux.

Chemotherapy treatment faces a major obstacle with the emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR), often attributed to the elevated expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters such as ABCG2 and ABCB1 in cancer cells. These transporters hinder the efficacy of cytotoxic drugs via ATP hydrolysis-dependent efflux, leading to diminished intracellular drug levels. The scarcity of approved treatments for multidrug resistant cancers necessitates exploration of alternative strategies, including drug repositioning of molecular targeted agents to counteract ABCG2-mediated MDR in multidrug-resistant cancer cells.

Primary Mast Cell Sarcoma of the Maxillary Sinus and Gingiva Mimicking Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumor: A Case Report.

Mast cell sarcoma (MCS) is an extremely rare and aggressive malignancy primarily affecting bones, with limited literature associating it with neuroendocrine marker expression. This report presents a rare case of MCS arising in the maxillary sinus and gingiva. A 74-year-old man presented with a progressively enlarging ulcer on the right-sided upper gingiva.

Augmented reality visualization for ultrasound-guided interventions: a pilot randomized crossover trial to assess trainee performance and cognitive load.

Background: Augmented reality (AR) technology involving head-mounted displays (HMD) represents a significant innovation in medical education, particularly for training in guided invasive procedures. Novice physicians often face challenges in simultaneously identifying anatomical landmarks and performing procedures when learning point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Our primary objective was to determine the effectiveness of AR in enhancing physician training for ultrasound-guided interventions using AR visual overlays.

Acupuncture navigation method integrated with augmented reality.

Background: Acupuncture and moxibustion are effective in alleviating symptoms, but the large number of acupoints can make accurate needle placement and training difficult.

Objective: To address these challenges, this study aims to develop an augmented reality (AR) acupuncture navigation system designed to improve the accuracy and intuitiveness of acupoint localization.

Methods: The proposed system employs a six-point registration and positioning technique, enabling the AR navigation model to adapt to the specific characteristics of each patient.

The N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation to prevent depression recurrence in patients with late-life depression: A 52-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Reports on the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) for the treatment of late-life depression (LLD) are mixed, and most studies focus on the modification of depressive symptoms rather than depression prevention. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of n-3 PUFAs in preventing depressive recurrence in patients with late-life depression. In addition, we investigated the effects of n-3 PUFAs on changes in depressive and anxiety symptoms and inflammatory markers in LLD.

Utilizing diffusion tensor imaging as an image biomarker in exploring the therapeutic efficacy of forniceal deep brain stimulation in a mice model of Alzheimer's disease.

With prolonged life expectancy, the incidence of memory deficits, especially in Alzheimer's disease (AD), has increased. Although multiple treatments have been evaluated, no promising treatment has been found to date. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the fornix area was explored as a possible treatment because the fornix is intimately connected to memory-related areas that are vulnerable in AD; however, a proper imaging biomarker for assessing the therapeutic efficiency of forniceal DBS in AD has not been established.