Exploring the behavioural determinants of compliance in resilient high-caries-risk patients who improved caries severity.

Background: The caries severity in childhood may predict caries conditions in the future and even in adulthood in caries risk models. Nevertheless, the rate of recurrent caries after treatment of severe early childhood caries is high and correlated with behavioural factors, rather than clinical indicators. Compliance with the caries control programme has been demonstrated to prevent root caries development in head and neck cancer patients, suggesting that compliance with treatment protocols is a more important key to bringing about successful outcomes than treatment protocols themselves.

The neural correlates of guilt highlight preclinical manifestations between bipolar and major depressive disorders.

Background: Over 25 % of bipolar disorder (BD) patients are misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). An urgent need exists for a biomarker to differentiate BD from MDD. Various manifestations and intensities of maladaptive guilt processing might uniquely contribute to the pathogenesis of BD compared to MDD.

Enhancing anti-vascular endothelial growth factor with photodynamic therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: A meta-analysis.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents administered as either monotherapy or combination with verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) are the 2 dominant treatment for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV); however, controversies remain due to small sample sizes and inconsistency in prognosis from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In accordance with the PRISMA statement, we investigated the efficacy of PDT plus anti-VEGF combination with anti-VEGF monotherapy. This study was accepted by the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023471362).

A deep learning approach for the screening of referable age-related macular degeneration - Model development and external validation.

Purpose: To develop a deep learning image assessment software, VeriSee™ AMD, and to validate its accuracy in diagnosing referable age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: For model development, a total of 6801 judgable 45-degree color fundus images from patients, aged 50 years and over, were collected. These images were assessed for AMD severity by ophthalmologists, according to the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS) AMD category.

Effectiveness of tofacitinib in patients with ulcerative colitis: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of real-world studies.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of tofacitinib for treating moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC).

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched from inception up to 18 July 2023.

Long-acting injectable antipsychotic use in patients with bipolar disorder: Findings from the REAP-BD study.

Aims: This study aimed to assess treatment patterns and the effectiveness of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) across various Asian countries. The study focused on comparing the choices of LAIs, other psychotropic medications, and their psychotropic drug load to explore real-world usage and evaluate the potential benefits of LAIs in BD treatment across different countries.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with BD patients diagnosed according to ICD-10-CM codes F31.

The Characteristics and Prognosis of Acute Hearing Loss in Military Personnel.

The military population is one of the high-risk groups for acute hearing loss. This retrospective study aims to examine acute acoustic trauma (AAT) and idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) among military personnel. A total of 111 cases of acute hearing loss from a tertiary hospital between 2009 and 2021 were divided into AAT (53 cases) and ISSNHL (58 cases) groups.

Therapeutic effects of Huangqi formula (Eefooton) in chronic kidney disease: clinical research and narrative literature review.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the clinical effects of employing the Huangqi formula (Eefooton; EFT) for chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment. A narrative literature review was undertaken to elucidate the specific ingredients of EFT and their potential impact on renal health.

Methods: A retrospective observational study investigated EFT treatment in outpatients with stable CKD (stages 3B to 5) from March 2019 to March 2021.

Folate and vitamin B12 supplementation in patients with schizophrenia and low serum folate level: A 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effects of folate and vitamin B12 on psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia and low serum folate levels.

Methods: Fifty-five schizophrenia patients with serum folate levels lower than 6 mg/L were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to supplementation with 5 mg of folate and 500 μg of vitamin B12 per day (the folate group, n = 36) or placebo (the placebo group, n = 19) for 24 weeks. We evaluated patients' symptomatology with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and cognitive functions with Cogstate.

Association of changes in the number of teeth on psychological distress among community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan.

Background: Aging populations worldwide face a substantial burden of psychological distress that affects their quality of life and overall health. Oral health is associated with psychological distress; however, the effect of changes in the number of teeth on psychological distress remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the association of changes in the number of teeth with the development of psychological distress among community-dwelling older adults in Taipei City.

Dynamic Bidirectional Associations Between Global Positioning System Mobility and Ecological Momentary Assessment of Mood Symptoms in Mood Disorders: Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Although significant research has explored the digital phenotype in mood disorders, the time-lagged and bidirectional relationship between mood and global positioning system (GPS) mobility remains relatively unexplored. Leveraging the widespread use of smartphones, we examined correlations between mood and behavioral changes, which could inform future scalable interventions and personalized mental health monitoring.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the bidirectional time lag relationships between passive GPS data and active ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data collected via smartphone app technology.

Efficacy of acupuncture in reducing accidental injury risk in stroke patients: A national-scale cohort study.

Background: Falls among stroke patients pose a significant health concern, leading to injuries, reduced mobility, and functional limitations. Recent research has suggested the potential benefits of acupuncture in enhancing balance and motor function in stroke patients. However, large-scale, long-term studies on acupuncture's role in reducing the risk of accidental injuries are scarce.

Association Between Current Medical Decision-Making Participation Self-Efficacy and Advance Care Planning Engagement Among Older Adults: Baseline Findings from a Nationwide Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Misconceptions of and cultural differences in aging influence older adults' medical decision-making self-efficacy and engagement in advance care planning (ACP). This study aims to investigate the association between current medical decision-making participation self-efficacy and ACP engagement among older individuals receiving home-based medical care (HBMC) in Taiwan. Baseline data analysis of a nationwide cohort study.

Hypoxia enhances IL-8 signaling through inhibiting miR-128-3p expression in glioblastomas.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive type of brain tumor known for its hypoxic microenvironment. Understanding the dysregulated mechanisms in hypoxic GBM is crucial for its effective treatment. Through data mining of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) with hypoxia enrichment scores and in vitro experiments, miR-128-3p was negatively correlated with hypoxia signaling and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Denture Use Mitigates the Cognitive Impact of Tooth Loss in Older Adults.

Background: Denture use may contribute to maintaining cognitive function by addressing the masticatory difficulties caused by tooth loss. However, reports on the association between tooth loss and cognitive impairment have been inconsistent. The impact of changes in tooth number and denture use on the development of cognitive impairment in older adults remains unclear.

A ferritin-related dietary pattern is positively associated with iron status but negatively associated with vitamin D status in pregnant women: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: Vitamin D supplementation positively impacts anemia, but the relationship between a ferritin-related dietary pattern, iron parameters, and vitamin D in anemia is unclear.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2017-2019 National Nutrition and Health Survey, including 1423 pregnant women over 15 years old. Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and a 24-hour dietary recall.

Development and Validation of a Visualized Posture Risk Assessment Questionnaire for Low Back Pain in Daily Activities: A Study in Taiwan.

Background/objectives: A proper posture is essential for musculoskeletal health, and a poor posture can lead to low back pain. To address the limitations of traditional text-based questionnaires, this study developed and validated a visualized posture assessment questionnaire for evaluating daily postures related to low back pain. The questionnaire was administered in Taiwan and designed using Traditional Chinese language.

Potential Roles of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 in Alzheimer's Disease: Beneficial or Detrimental?

The major pathological characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which are mainly composed of aggregated amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide and hyperphosphorylated tau protein, respectively. The excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neuroinflammation are crucial contributing factors to the pathological mechanisms of AD. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor critical for tissue adaption to low-oxygen tension.

Shared differential factors underlying individual spontaneous neural activity abnormalities in major depressive disorder.

Background: In contemporary neuroimaging studies, it has been observed that patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) exhibit aberrant spontaneous neural activity, commonly quantified through the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF). However, the substantial individual heterogeneity among patients poses a challenge to reaching a unified conclusion.

Methods: To address this variability, our study adopts a novel framework to parse individualized ALFF abnormalities.

Antiretroviral Treatment Adherence among People Living with HIV in Taipei, Taiwan.

Introduction: Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is critical in controlling HIV. Poor medication adherence may lead to higher disease mortality, increased HIV spread, and transmission of drug-resistant strains. Identifying the specific factors that contribute to suboptimal medication adherence in people with HIV is crucial for developing effective, personalized interventions.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome in biliary atresia children increased postoperative complications after liver transplantation.

Background: Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a complication in biliary atresia (BA) children following hepatoportoenterostomy. Liver transplantation (LT) was the definitive treatment of HPS. However, little was known about the risk factors between HPS and mortalities.

Exploring Candesartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, as a novel inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome: alleviating inflammation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection.

Background: Gonorrhea, induced by Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection, stands as a prevalent sexually transmitted inflammatory disease globally. Our earlier research illuminated that N. gonorrhoeae-infected macrophages provoke inflammation by activating the intracellular sensor NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a pivotal regulator in inflammatory diseases governing the maturation and secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18.