Incidence and outcome of hepatitis D virus infection in people with HIV in the era of tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves survival in HBV-coinfected people with HIV (PWH). We investigated the incidence of HDV infection and its clinical impact in HBV-coinfected PWH in the era of tenofovir-containing ART.

Methods: Between 2011 and 2022, HBV-coinfected PWH were included and followed until December 2023.

The Captopril Challenge Test Predicts Cardiac Structure and Dysfunction in Primary Aldosteronism.

Context: The captopril challenge test (CCT) is a commonly used confirmation test that identifies the magnitude of renin- and angiotensin II-independent aldosterone production, and thus the presence and severity of primary aldosteronism (PA).

Objective: This study investigated the association between the post-CCT plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and cardiovascular remodeling and diastolic dysfunction.

Methods: A total of 540 PA patients with complete CCT and echocardiographic data were retrospectively analyzed.

Pre-arrest atrial fibrillation and neurological recovery after cardiac arrest among hospitalized patients: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: New-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk of stroke in hospitalized patients with severe sepsis. Post-cardiac arrest patients experience conditions similar to sepsis. This study investigated whether pre-arrest AF is associated with poor neurological recovery following in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA).

Effectiveness of the primary Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine against the risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease: a meta-analysis of individual participant data.

Background: Tuberculosis vaccine trials using disease as the primary endpoint are large, time consuming, and expensive. An earlier immunological measure of the protection against disease would accelerate tuberculosis vaccine development. We aimed to assess whether the effectiveness of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for prevention of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was consistent with that for prevention of tuberculosis disease.

Protective effect of a novel smoke evacuation device during laparoscopic surgery: An experimental proof-of-concept study.

Background: Surgical smoke generated by energy devices poses health risks to medical staff. During laparoscopic surgery, the smoke aggregating around the camera obstructs the visual field, forcing surgeons to interrupt surgery, and may increase surgical risk. We propose a proximal smoke evacuation method to improve surgical quality by effectively eliminating surgical smoke.

Utility of F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Evaluating Disseminated Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infection in Patients With Anti-interferon-γ Autoantibodies.

Background: Managing disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection in patients with neutralizing anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies (AIGAs) poses substantial challenges due to the lack of established treatment guidance and predictive tools for clinical outcomes. In this study, we investigated the utility of F-fluorodeoxyglucose (2-[F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in guiding treatment decisions, with a focus on its ability to predict rehospitalization outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of the first available 2-[F]FDG PET scans of patients with AIGAs and disseminated NTM infection from a prospective observational multicenter cohort.

PD-L1 expression and immune profiling cannot predict osimertinib efficacy in lung cancer with EGFR T790 M mutation: A translational study.

Background: PD-L1 is associated with poor efficacy of first- or second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in untreated EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Whether PD-L1 is also predictive of osimertinib efficacy in pre-treated patients with an acquired EGFR T790 M mutation is unclear.

Patients And Methods: PD-L1 expression and tumor microenvironments were evaluated in tumors from EGFR-mutant T790 M + NSCLC patients treated with osimertinib.

Patient-reported quality of life in Asian patients with ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer treated with palbociclib plus letrozole in the PALOMA-4 trial.

Background: Palbociclib plus an aromatase inhibitor is approved for treatment of patients with ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC). In the PALOMA-4 trial, adding palbociclib to letrozole prolonged median progression-free survival in Asian women with ER+/HER2- ABC. Here, we report patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from PALOMA-4.

The relationship between tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 and KCNJ5 mutation in aldosterone-producing adenoma patients.

KCNJ5 somatic mutations in aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) are linked to higher left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and worse diastolic function. We previously identified an association between plasma tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) and an aldosterone-induced increase in LVMI and diastolic dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the association between the presence of KCNJ5 somatic mutation and plasma TIMP-1 in APA patients.

Stratum corneum nanotexture feature detection using deep learning and spatial analysis: a noninvasive tool for skin barrier assessment.

Background: Corneocyte surface nanoscale topography (nanotexture) has recently emerged as a potential biomarker for inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD). This assessment method involves quantifying circular nano-size objects (CNOs) in corneocyte nanotexture images, enabling noninvasive analysis via stratum corneum (SC) tape stripping. Current approaches for identifying CNOs rely on computer vision techniques with specific geometric criteria, resulting in inaccuracies due to the susceptibility of nano-imaging techniques to environmental noise and structural occlusion on the corneocyte.

Diagnostic efficacy of aldosterone-to-renin ratio to screen primary aldosteronism in hypertension: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) is commonly used for screening primary aldosteronism (PA) in patients with difficult-to-control hypertension. Various thresholds have been proposed for the confirmatory tests, leading to inconsistency in the results.

Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the performance of ARR screening in hypertensive patients.

Imlunestrant with or without Abemaciclib in Advanced Breast Cancer.

Background: Imlunestrant is a next-generation, brain-penetrant, oral selective estrogen-receptor (ER) degrader that delivers continuous ER inhibition, even in cancers with mutations in the gene encoding ERα ().

Methods: In a phase 3, open-label trial, we enrolled patients with ER-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer that recurred or progressed during or after aromatase inhibitor therapy, administered alone or with a cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor. Patients were assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive imlunestrant, standard endocrine monotherapy, or imlunestrant-abemaciclib.

Critical COVID-19 in children and adolescents during the 2022 Omicron Surge in Taiwan: Risk factors and vaccine effectiveness.

Background/aim: Critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rare but devastating complication of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection in children and adolescents. This study aimed to assess the risk factors for, and evaluate the vaccine effectiveness against, critical COVID-19 during the 2022 Omicron Surge in Taiwan.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 41 pediatric patients with critical COVID-19 (which required mechanical ventilation, inotropic agents, extracorporeal membrane oxygenator, or resulting in in-hospital death) and 793 with non-critical COVID-19 who were hospitalized at National Taiwan University Children Hospital during the 2022 Omicron Surge.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Changes in Rectus Abdominis Muscles after High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic Therapy-a pilot study for Asians.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology on rectus abdominis muscles (RAMs) in Asian individuals, hypothesizing that HIFEM is safe and effective for body contouring in this population and that volumetric assessment provides more accurate results than thickness measurements alone. In this prospective, single-center pilot study, six Asian participants (3 males, 3 females; mean age 45.5 years) underwent HIFEM training.

One-Year Insights into the GLOBOSTAD Multinational Prospective Observational Study of Patients Receiving Dupilumab for Atopic Dermatitis.

Introduction: Currently, limited data are available on long-term use of dupilumab to treat atopic dermatitis (AD) in a multinational real-world setting. The aim of this analysis was to report the interim 1-year data for patients with AD enrolled in the GLOBOSTAD registry, including treatment patterns, dupilumab effectiveness and safety, and healthcare burden.

Methods: GLOBOSTAD is an ongoing, 5-year, multinational, prospective, observational study of adult/adolescent (aged ≥ 12 years at baseline) patients with AD who initiated dupilumab in real-world settings according to their local country-specific prescribing guidelines.

Visceral adiposity as a predictor of new-onset diabetes in patients with primary aldosteronism: a cohort study.

Background: Patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) exhibit a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the relationship between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) in PA patients remains unclear.

Objectives: To explore the association between VAT and the risk of NODM in PA patients.

Stress coping and resilience of frontline nurses under the emergency infectious disease pandemic: A latent class analysis.

Aim: This study aimed to classify coping strategies and resilience among nurses caring for COVID-19 patients using latent class analysis (LCA), and to compare variations across these subgroups.

Background: The pandemic of emerging infectious diseases is a traumatic stressor for frontline nurses, potentially leading to compassion fatigue. Effective coping strategies and resilience were essential for managing stress, but their nuanced classification and outcomes remain unclear.

2024 Guidelines of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology on the Primary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease --- Part II.

For the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the recommended treatment target for each modifiable risk factor is as follows: reducing body weight by 5-10%; blood pressure < 130/80 mmHg (systolic pressure < 120 mmHg in high-risk individuals); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) < 100 mg/dL in high-risk individuals, LDL-C < 115 mg/dL in moderate-risk individuals, LDL-C < 130 mg/dL in low-risk individuals, and LDL-C < 160 mg/dL in those with a minimal; complete and persistent abstinence from cigarette smoking; hemoglobin A1C < 7.0%; fulfilling recommended amounts of the six food groups according to the Taiwan food guide; and moderate-intensity physical activity 150 min/wk or vigorous physical activity 75 min/wk. For the primary prevention of ASCVD by pharmacological treatment in individuals with modifiable risk factors/clinical conditions, statins are the first-line therapy for reducing LDL-C levels; some specific anti-diabetic drugs proven to be effective in randomized controlled trials for the primary prevention of ASCVD are recommended in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus; pharmacological treatment is recommended to assist in weight management for obese patients with a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m (or 27 kg/m who also have at least one ASCVD risk factor or obesity-related comorbidity); an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, a sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, and finerenone can be used in diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease for the primary prevention of ASCVD.

Microbiome and Communication Disorders: A Tutorial for Clinicians.

Purpose: Emerging research in the field of microbiology has indicated that host-microbiota interactions play a significant role in regulating health and disease. Whereas the gut microbiome has received the most attention, distinct microbiota in other organs (mouth, larynx, and trachea) may undergo microbial shifts that impact disease states. A comprehensive understanding of microbial mechanisms and their role in communication and swallowing deficits may have downstream diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

Corrigendum to "Epidemiology of adult patients with atopic dermatitis in AWARE 1: A second international survey" [World Allergy Organ J 16 (3) (2023) 100724].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.waojou.