Ventilatory variables and computed tomography features in COVID-19 ARDS and non-COVID-19-related ARDS: a prospective observational cohort study.

Background: This study compared the ventilatory variables and computed tomography (CT) features of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) versus those of patients with pulmonary non-COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during the early phase of ARDS.

Methods: This prospective, observational cohort study of ARDS patients in Taiwan was performed between February 2017 and June 2018 as well as between October 2020 and January 2024. Analysis was performed on clinical characteristics, including consecutive ventilatory variables during the first week after ARDS diagnosis.

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.

Soliton solutions of the (2 + 1)-dimensional Jaulent-Miodek evolution equation via effective analytical techniques.

In this study, we investigate the [Formula: see text]-D Jaulent-Miodek (JM) equation, which is significant due to its energy-based Schrödinger potential and applications in fields such as optics, soliton theory, signal processing, geophysics, fluid dynamics, and plasma physics. Given its broad utility, a rigorous mathematical analysis of the JM equation is essential. The primary objective of this work is to derive exact soliton solutions using the Modified Sub-Equation (MSE) and Modified Auxiliary Equation (MAE) techniques.

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.

Humic substances modulate bacterial communities and mitigate adverse effects of temperature stress in coral reef organisms.

Aims: In the present study, we tested if terrestrially-derived humic substances (HS) could mitigate the adverse effects of elevated temperature and UVB radiation on the bacterial communities of two hard corals (Montipora digitata and Montipora capricornis), one soft coral (Sarcophyton glaucum), sediment and water. We also examined the impact of temperature, UVB radiation and HS supplementation on coral photosynthetic activity, a proxy for coral bleaching.

Methods And Results: We performed a multifactorial experiment using a randomized-controlled microcosm setup.

Novel bioactive peptides alleviate Western diet-induced MAFLD in C57BL/6J mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis via TLR4/NF-κB and Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has emerged as a leading chronic liver disease. This condition is characterized by an abnormal accumulation of fat within liver and can progress from simple steatosis to more severe stages involving chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effects and underlying mechanism of novel bioactive peptides (EWYF and EWFY) on Western diet-induced MAFLD in C57BL/6J mice.

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.

Oxidative Scission of Bicyclo[2.2.2]octenones: Untying the α-Dimethoxycarbonyl.

This study explores the selective oxidative scission of bicyclo[2.2.2]octenones derived from masked -benzoquinones (MOBs).

Use of Electronic Health Records to Identify Factors Related to Skin Changes in Terminal Patients.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of skin changes at life's end (SCALE) among hospice patients and identify associated factors.

Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of demographic data, medical history, Braden Scale assessment scores, Charlson Comorbidity Index, symptom records, and medical treatments of patients admitted to a local teaching hospital's hospice unit between May 2019 and April 2021.

Results: Most (79%) of the 300 hospice patients included in the study had cancer.

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.

Identifying categories of patient-driven health services innovation: insights from Taiwan's health services sector.

Purpose: This study aims to build a typology of patient-driven health services innovation (PDHSI) and propose their relationships with healthcare quality.

Design/methodology/approach: Guided by value co-creation theory (VCC), this study adopted in-depth interviews and focus groups to collect qualitative data in Taiwan's health services sector. The collected data were analyzed using manual thematic analysis, following the standard procedures for transcribing, encoding and identifying themes.

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.

Oedema index trajectories at heart failure nurse clinics over 6 months after acute heart failure predict patient outcomes: a retrospective cohort study.

Aims: Fluid accumulation is associated with poor outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). After acute HF, HF nurses provide home care suggestions based on oedema status assessed at outpatient clinics. However, the pattern of serial oedema changes and their associations with patient outcomes are unknown.

Degrees of Death: The Hierarchy of Capital Punishments Between Strangulation and Decapitation in Qing China.

This article unravels the classification of individuals which operated through the dualism between two execution methods, strangulation and decapitation, during the Qing dynasty. The fundamental difference lay in whether the method of execution preserved the integrity of the corpse. As this factor entailed important moral and metaphysical consequences, there is an uncrossable boundary between the two situations.