Treatment Responses to Integrase Strand-transfer Inhibitor-containing Antiretroviral Regimens in Combination With Short-course Rifapentine-based Regimens for Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among People With HIV.

Background: Real-world experience with combinations of short-course rifapentine-based regimens and integrase strand-transfer inhibitor-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in management of latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) is limited among people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH).

Methods: From August 2019 to October 2022, PWH receiving 3 months of weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid (3HP) or 1 month of daily rifapentine plus isoniazid (1HP) in combination with ART were included. The primary outcome was virologic response within 12 months after LTBI treatment; secondary outcomes included treatment completion rate and safety of LTBI regimens.

The stability and immunogenicity of formalin-inactivated Enterovirus A71 whole virion vaccine after ten years of low temperature storage.

Background: Vaccine stability is an important issue for vaccine development, which affects whether the vaccine product is effective within a certain period of time in each progress. Hand, foot, and mouth diseases (HFMD) is an epidemic disease in young children usually caused by Enterovirus A group viruses, and the Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) had caused several pandemics and public health issues around the world. After two decades of research and development, formalin-inactivated EV-A71 (FI-EV-A71) vaccines are the first to complete the phase III clinical trials for protection against EV-A71 infection.

Separation and purification of highly infectious enterovirus A71 particles using a strong anion-exchange column.

Virions produced from cell culture is the primary source for production of formalin-inactivated whole virus vaccines for enteroviruses. EV-A71 particles produced from culture system comprise two major types, the immature/empty (E)-particle and the mature/full (F)-particle, which both exhibit low isoelectric point (pI) values but have distinct differences in infectivity and immunogenicity. Although EV-A71 particles can conventionally be separated into E-particle and F-particle using sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation, this procedure is cumbersome and difficult to put into practice for vaccine production.

Deletion of MicroRNA-21 Impairs Neovascularization Following Limb Ischemia: From Bedside to Bench.

With an increasing prevalence, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), cause by atherosclerosis is a new threat to public health beyond coronary artery disease and involves aberrant vascular endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis. The degree of vascular remodeling is influenced by the processes described. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) has been found to play a critical role in cellular functions, including angiogenesis.

Risk Management for Radiation-Induced Cardiovascular Disease (RICVD): The 2022 Consensus Statement of the Taiwan Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (TASTRO) and Taiwan Society of Cardiology (TSOC).

Advances in cancer management have significantly improved survival in patients with cancers. Cardiovascular complications of cancer treatment are becoming significant competing causes of death in these patients. Radiotherapy is an indispensable component of cancer treatment, and irradiation of the heart and vasculature during cancer radiotherapy is now recognized as a new risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

Everolimus-facilitated calcineurin inhibitor reduction in Asian de novo kidney transplant recipients: 2-year results from the subgroup analysis of the TRANSFORM study.

Objective: We analyzed the efficacy and safety of an everolimus with reduced-exposure calcineurin inhibitor (EVR+rCNI) versus mycophenolic acid with standard-exposure CNI (MPA+sCNI) regimen in Asian patients from the TRANSFORM study.

Methods: In this 24-month, open-label study, de novo kidney transplant recipients (KTxRs) were randomized (1:1) to receive EVR+rCNI or MPA+sCNI, along with induction therapy and corticosteroids.

Results: Of the 2037 patients randomized in the TRANSFORM study, 293 were Asian (EVR+rCNI, N = 136; MPA+sCNI, N = 157).

Intra-Coronary Administration of Tacrolimus Improves Myocardial Perfusion and Left Ventricular Function in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (COAT-STEMI) Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Ischemia-reperfusion injury following acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is strongly related to inflammation. However, whether intracoronary (IC) tacrolimus, an immunosuppressant, can improve myocardial perfusion is uncertain.

Methods: A multicenter double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in Taiwan from 2014 to 2017.

Statin intolerance: an updated, narrative review mainly focusing on muscle adverse effects.

Introduction: Statins have been established as the standard of care for dyslipidemia and preventing cardiovascular diseases while posing few safety concerns. However, misconceptions about statin intolerance lead to their underuse, indicating a need to improve the understanding of the safety of this treatment.

Areas Covered: We searched PubMed and reviewed literatures related to statin intolerance published between February 2015 and February 2020.

Efficacy and Safety of Renal Denervation for Patients with Uncontrolled Hypertension in Taiwan: 3-Year Results From the Global SYMPLICITY Registry-Taiwan (GSR-Taiwan).

Background: It is unclear whether renal denervation (RDN) can safely result in blood pressure (BP) reductions in Asian hypertensive patients and whether such reductions would be sustainable. The study is to assess the safety and efficacy of RDN achieved by either main renal artery ablation using the Symplicity Flex catheter or main plus branch renal artery ablations using the Symplicity Spyral catheter in Taiwanese uncontrolled hypertensive patients enrolled in the Global SYMPLICITY Registry (GSR) with 3 years of follow-up.

Methods: The GSR is a prospective, open-label, and all-comer registry to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of RDN in patients with uncontrolled hypertension worldwide.

Morphine Induces Fibroblast Activation through Up-regulation of Connexin 43 Expression: Implication of Fibrosis in Wound Healing.

Morphine is the most effective drugs for attenuating various types of severe pain, but morphine abuse carries a high risk of systemic fibrosis. Our previous have indicated that systemic administration of morphine hinders angiogenesis and delays wound healing. Here we have explained the pathological mechanism underlying the effect of morphine on wound healing.

Psychometric evaluation of the WHOQOL-BREF, Taiwan version, across five kinds of Taiwanese cancer survivors: Rasch analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.

Background: Quality of life (QoL) is important for clinicians to evaluate how cancer survivors judge their sense of well-being, and WHOQOL-BREF may be a good tool for clinical use. However, at least three issues remain unresolved: (1) the psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF for cancer patients are insufficient; (2) the scoring method used for WHOQOL-BREF needs to be clarify; (3) whether different types of cancer patients interpret the WHOQOL-BREF similarly.

Methods: We recruited 1000 outpatients with head/neck cancer, 1000 with colorectal cancer, 965 with liver cancer, 1438 with lung cancer and 1299 with gynecologic cancers in a medical center.

Fracture liaison services improve outcomes of patients with osteoporosis-related fractures: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the outcomes of patients with osteoporosis-related fractures managed through fracture liaison services (FLS) programs.

Methods: Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched (January 2000-February 2017 inclusive) using the keywords 'osteoporosis', 'fractures', 'liaison', and 'service' to identify randomised controlled trials and observational studies of patients aged ≥50years with osteoporosis-related fractures in hospital, clinic, community, or home-based settings who were managed using FLS. Risk of bias was assessed at outcome level.

The Taiwan Heart Registries: Its Influence on Cardiovascular Patient Care.

Taiwanese heart registries for the main cardiovascular diseases have been conducted in the past 10 years, with the goal of examining the quality of cardiovascular patient care, which cannot be guaranteed by the universal Taiwan National Health Insurance. The results show suboptimal adherence to guideline recommendations. Door-to-balloon time and dual antiplatelet therapy use in acute coronary syndrome, standard medications for management of heart failure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in dyslipidemia, anticoagulant agent use in atrial fibrillation, and the understanding of sudden arrhythmia death syndrome were all found to be inadequate.

Identifying characteristics of an effective fracture liaison service: systematic literature review.

Fracture liaison services (FLS) have been demonstrated to improve outcomes following osteoporotic fracture. The aim of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to determine the characteristics of an FLS that lead to improved patient outcomes. We conducted a SLR, including articles published between 2000 and February 2017, using global (Medline, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane Library) and local databases.

Economic impact and cost-effectiveness of fracture liaison services: a systematic review of the literature.

Fracture liaison services (FLS), implemented in different ways and countries, are reported to be a cost-effective or even a cost-saving secondary fracture prevention strategy. This presumed favorable cost-benefit relationship is encouraging and lends support to expanded implementation of FLS per International Osteoporosis Foundation Best Practice Standards. This study summarizes the economic impact and cost-effectiveness of FLS implemented to reduce subsequent fractures in individuals with osteoporosis.

2018 consensus of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology and the Diabetes Association of Republic of China (Taiwan) on the pharmacological management of patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

The global incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes have been escalating in recent decades. Patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). About two-thirds of death in type 2 diabetes are due to ASCVD, including 40% from coronary heart disease (CHD), 15% from heart failure (HF), and 10% from stroke.

Effect of cilostazol on plasma levels of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9.

The protein complex proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) serves as an important target for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and lipid homeostasis. This study investigated the effect of cilostazol on plasma PCSK9 concentrations. We performed a post hoc analysis of two prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trials including 115 patients of whom 61 received cilostazol 200 mg/day and 54 received placebo for 12 weeks.

Fracture liaison services for osteoporosis in the Asia-Pacific region: current unmet needs and systematic literature review.

The analysis aimed to identify the treatment gaps in current fracture liaison services (FLS) and to provide recommendations for best practice establishment of future FLS across the Asia-Pacific region. The findings emphasize the unmet need for the implementation of new programs and provide recommendations for the refinement of existing ones. The study's objectives were to evaluate fracture liaison service (FLS) programs in the Asia-Pacific region and provide recommendations for establishment of future FLS programs.

Case report of Schöpf-Schulz-Passarge syndrome resulting from a missense mutation, p.Arg104Cys, in WNT10A.

Schöpf-Schulz-Passarge syndrome (SSPS) is a rare ectodermal dysplasia characterized by cysts of the eyelids, hypodontia, hypotrichosis, palmoplantar keratosis and onychodystrophy, and it is not common in Asia according to the published work. This autosomal recessive disorder was believed to result from mutations in the WNT10A gene. We report a 54-year-old Taiwanese man with SSPS resulted from a homozygous mutation (p.

extract (SR-T100) induces melanoma cell apoptosis and inhibits established lung metastasis.

Melanoma, a cancer derived from melanocytes, is one of the most chemoresistant cancers and tends to metastasize. Once it metastasizes, the prognosis is poor. Even with the recent advancement of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, the prognosis remains discouraging.

An in vivo study on endothelialized vascular grafts produced by autologous biotubes and adipose stem cells (ADSCs).

Currently, commercial synthetic vascular grafts made from Dacron and ePTFE for small-diameter, vascular applications (<6 mm) show limited reendothelization and are less compliant, often resulting in thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia. Although good blood compatibility can be achieved in autologous arteries and veins, the number of high quality harvest sites is limited, and the grafts are size-mismatched for use in the fistula or cardiovascular bypass surgery; thus, alternative small graft substitutes must be developed. A biotube is an in vivo, tissue-engineered approach for the growth of autologous grafts through the subcutaneous implantation of an inert rod through the inflammation process.

Hepatocellular carcinoma-associated single-nucleotide variants and deletions identified by the use of genome-wide high-throughput analysis of hepatitis B virus.

This study investigated hepatitis B virus (HBV) single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and deletion mutations linked with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ninety-three HCC patients and 108 non-HCC patients were enrolled for HBV genome-wide next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. A systematic literature review and a meta-analysis were performed to validate NGS-defined HCC-associated SNVs and deletions.