Cross-cultural validation of plasma p-tau217 and p-tau181 as precision biomarkers for amyloid PET positivity: An East Asian study in Taiwan and Korea.

Introduction: Plasma phosphorylated tau (p-tau) biomarkers have improved Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis, but data from diverse Asian populations are limited. This study evaluated plasma p-tau217 and p-tau181 levels in Korean and Taiwanese populations.

Methods: All participants (n = 270) underwent amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and blood tests.

Detecting autism in children through drawing characteristics using the visual-motor integration test.

This study introduces a novel classification method to distinguish children with autism from typically developing children. We recruited 50 school-age children in Taiwan, including 44 boys and 6 girls aged 6 to 12 years, and asked them to draw patterns from a visual-motor integration test to collect data and train deep learning classification models. Ensemble learning was adopted to significantly improve the classification accuracy to 0.

Honduran nursing care to pressure injuries in patients with invasive mechanical ventilation: A qualitative study.

Background: Although substantial evidence exists regarding the treatment of pressure ulcers, there is a lack of studies demonstrating a comprehensive nursing approach for managing pressure ulcers in the ICU, particularly among patients with invasive mechanical ventilation from developing countries like Honduras. This gap in research is significant as the risk and impact of pressure ulcers on health recovery cannot be disregarded.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze Honduran nursing care for pressure ulcers in patients with invasive mechanical ventilation admitted to Intensive Care Units.

Second-line treatment patterns and outcomes in advanced HCC after progression on atezolizumab/bevacizumab.

Background & Aims: Atezolizumab/bevacizumab (A/B) is now a standard first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the optimal second-line regimen is not known. We evaluated real-world treatment patterns and outcomes to investigate factors associated with post-progression survival (PPS).

Methods: In this multicenter, international, retrospective study, we examined clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with advanced HCC who progressed on first-line A/B.

Durvalumab, Tremelimumab, and Platinum Chemotherapy in Mutation-Positive NSCLC: An Open-Label Phase 2 Trial (ILLUMINATE).

Introduction: -mutant NSCLC is associated with low mutation burden and low levels of PD-L1 expression. We conducted a phase 2 trial to determine the efficacy of durvalumab, tremelimumab, and platinum-pemetrexed in mutant NSCLC after progression with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

Methods: Participants were treated with induction durvalumab, tremelimumab, and platinum-pemetrexed, followed by durvalumab-pemetrexed maintenance.

Spatio-temporal patterns of tigers in response to prey species and anthropogenic activities.

Understanding factors influencing the spatio-temporal patterns of apex predators is prerequisite for their conservation. We studied space use and diel activity of tigers () in response to prey availability and anthropogenic activities with trail cameras in Nepal during December 2022-March 2023. We used hierarchical occupancy models to evaluate how prey availability (space use of prey species) and anthropogenic activities (number of humans and livestock) contributed to the tigers' space use, while accounting for landscape effects on their detection probability.

The Effects of Blue Light on Locomotion and Cognition in Early Adult Drosophila melanogaster.

Artificial light sources, particularly blue light, have raised concerns about their impact on biological health and behavior. In this study, we explored the effects of blue light on the locomotion and cognitive functions of early adult Drosophila melanogaster. Our experiments were conducted in a custom-designed behavioral arena to assess how blue light influences these parameters.

Interleukin-23 versus Interleukin-17 Inhibitors in Preventing Incidental Psoriatic Arthritis in Patients with Psoriasis: A Real-World Comparison From the TriNetX US Collaborative Network.

Background: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a common comorbidity in patients with psoriasis (PsO) that leads to significant disease burden. Biologic therapies targeting the interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis have been widely used for PsO, but their comparative effectiveness in preventing PsA remains unclear.

Objective: The study objective was to compare the occurrence of developing incidental PsA among PsO patients treated with interleukin-23 inhibitors (IL23is) or interleukin-17 inhibitors (IL17is).

Addressing healthcare disparities and improving osteoporosis management in rural communities: a cluster randomized control trial.

Unlabelled: Rural communities face healthcare challenges. This study assessed a multicomponent intervention to improve hospital visits and anti-osteoporosis medication (AOM) treatment rates. A total of 567 patients were randomized into three groups.

Dual modality feature fused neural network integrating binding site information for drug target affinity prediction.

Accurately predicting binding affinities between drugs and targets is crucial for drug discovery but remains challenging due to the complexity of modeling interactions between small drug and large targets. This study proposes DMFF-DTA, a dual-modality neural network model integrates sequence and graph structure information from drugs and proteins for drug-target affinity prediction. The model introduces a binding site-focused graph construction approach to extract binding information, enabling more balanced and efficient modeling of drug-target interactions.

Associations between common genetic variants and income provide insights about the socio-economic health gradient.

We conducted a genome-wide association study on income among individuals of European descent (N = 668,288) to investigate the relationship between socio-economic status and health disparities. We identified 162 genomic loci associated with a common genetic factor underlying various income measures, all with small effect sizes (the Income Factor). Our polygenic index captures 1-5% of income variance, with only one fourth due to direct genetic effects.

CN7:1h Alleviates Inflammation, Apoptosis and Extracellular Matrix Degradation in Osteoarthritis by Modulating the NF-κB and mTOR Pathways.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease with a complex aetiology, which includes inflammation, cellular growth dysregulation and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of a small-molecule compound, 2-amino-4-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-4H-benzo[h]chromene-3-carbonitrile (CN7:1h) in modulating these critical biochemical pathways in OA. Cellular models and rat models of OA were used to explore the impact of CN7:1h on the nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathways.

The Evolution of Uroflowmetry and Bladder Diary and the Emerging Trend of Using Home Devices From Hospital to Home.

Although uroflowmetry and bladder diaries are widely used for noninvasive evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms, they still have limitations in diagnostic capability and users' convenience. The aim of this paper is to discuss potential solutions by reviewing (1) the evolution and current clinical use of uroflowmetry and bladder diary, including clinical guidelines, daily practice applications, and their historical development; (2) a growing trend toward using home devices with various technologies; and (3) a comprehensive comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of these home devices. In our opinion, the following points can be highlighted: (1) the emerging trend of using home devices can enhance diagnostic capabilities through repeated measurements and the convenience of at-home testing and (2) home devices, which provide both frequency-volume and uroflowmetry information, have the potential to transform the management of lower urinary tract symptoms.

Prognostic factors in severe dengue patients: A multi-center retrospective cohort study.

Background/purpose: Early detection of severe dengue (SD) and appropriate management are crucial in reducing the case fatality rate. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of SD and identify independent risk factors associated with mortality among SD patients.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at two medical center hospitals between 2002 and 2019, involving patients aged ≧18 years with laboratory-confirmed SD.

Transthyretin variants impact blood-nerve barrier and neuroinflammation in amyloidotic neuropathy.

Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding transthyretin (TTR). Despite amyloid deposition being pathognomonic for diagnosis, this pathology in nervous tissues cannot fully account for nerve degeneration, implying additional pathophysiology for neurodegeneration, which, however, has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, neuroinflammation in ATTRv-PN was investigated by examining nerve morphometry, the blood-nerve barrier, and macrophage infiltration in the sural nerves of ATTRv-PN patients and the sciatic nerves of a complementary mouse system, i.

Association of methotrexate polyglutamates concentration with methotrexate efficacy and safety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with predefined dose: results from the MIRACLE trial.

Objectives: The usefulness of methotrexate-polyglutamates (MTX-PGs) concentration for management of rheumatoid arthritis has been debated. We aimed to clarify the association of MTX-PGs concentration with efficacy and safety in MTX-naïve patients initiating MTX in a prospective interventional clinical trial.

Methods: The MIRACLE trial enrolled 300 MTX-naïve patients.

Unraveling the phenotypic and metabolic responses induced by urea-encapsulated hydrogel beads on (L.) Czern & Coss.

Hydrogels, three-dimensional polymeric networks capable of absorbing and retaining significant amounts of aqueous solution, offer a promising platform for controlled release of desired compounds. In this study, we explored the effects of urea delivery through galactoxyloglucan-sodium alginate hydrogels on the phenotypic and metabolic responses of , a vital oilseed and vegetable crop. The experiments were conducted with four treatments: control (without hydrogel beads and urea), direct urea supplementation (U), hydrogel beads with urea (HBWU), and hydrogel beads without urea (HBWOU).

Systematic review of 99 extremity bone malignancy survival prediction models.

Background: Various prediction models have been developed for extremity metastasis and sarcoma. This systematic review aims to evaluate extremity metastasis and sarcoma models using the utility prediction model (UPM) evaluation framework.

Methods: We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane to identify articles presenting original prediction models with 1-year survival outcome for extremity metastasis and 5-year survival outcome for sarcoma.

Bisdemethoxycurcumin and Curcumin Alleviate Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Maintaining Intestinal Epithelial Integrity and Regulating Gut Microbiota in Mice.

Curcuminoids, found in turmeric ( L.), include curcumin (CUR), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC). Although CUR and DMC are well-studied, the anti-inflammatory effects of BDMC remain less explored.

Association Between Elevation of Serum Alanine Aminotransferase and HBsAg Seroclearance After Nucleos(t)ide Analog Withdrawal.

Background: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) frequently elevates in chronic hepatitis B patients stopping nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs).

Aims: To clarify the association between ALT elevation and HBsAg seroclearance after NA withdrawal.

Methods: This multicenter cohort study reviewed consecutive patients discontinuing NA between 2004/04/01 and 2022/05/24.