Audiological Features in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review.

Hearing impairment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis has been underestimated for decades. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect both the middle ear (specifically, the incudomalleolar and incudostapedial joints) and inner ear (including the cochlea and acoustic nerve) simultaneously. Despite ongoing research, consensus on effective treatments for hearing impairment in these patients remains elusive.

Exploring Cognitive Deficits and Neuromodulation in Schizophrenia: A Narrative Review.

Cognitive deficits are emerging as critical targets for managing schizophrenia and enhancing clinical and functional outcomes. These deficits are pervasive among individuals with schizophrenia, affecting various cognitive domains. Traditional pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have limitations in effectively addressing cognitive impairments in this population.

Insulin Resistance and Bone Mineral Density: A Comprehensive Examination Using UK Biobank Data.

The association between insulin resistance (IR) and bone mineral density (BMD) remains contentious. The aim of this study is to assess the predictive capability of the Triglyceride and Glucose (TyG) index concerning changes in bone mineral density, encompassing both deterioration and improvement. This study analyzed data from the UK Biobank, encompassing 2527 participants after exclusions.

1008 Promotes Reproductive Function and Cognitive Activity in Aged Male Mice with High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obesity by Altering Metabolic Parameters and Alleviating Testicular Oxidative Damage, Inflammation and Apoptosis.

The effects of 1008 (LP1008) on age-related cognitive impairment and skeletal muscle atrophy have been reported previously. However, its role in obesity- and age-related hypogonadism has yet to be explored. This study investigates the therapeutic efficacy of low- and high-dose LP1008 in a high-fat-diet-fed male mouse model.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapy as a game-changer in liver diseases: review of current clinical trials.

Chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis and liver failure, remain formidable challenges due to their complex progression and limited therapeutic options. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has emerged as a game-changing approach, leveraging its potent immunomodulatory, anti-fibrotic, and regenerative capabilities, along with the ability to transdifferentiate into hepatocytes. This review delves into the latest advances in MSC-based treatments for chronic and end-stage liver diseases, as highlighted in current clinical trials.

Chronic Rhinitis Surgery: Association Between Preoperative Severity and Response Rate.

Background: The success rate of chronic rhinitis surgery varies depending on the patients' factor and surgical method. While outcomes for nasal obstruction differ, the association between preoperative severity of other rhinitis symptoms, such as rhinorrhea, sneezing, and nasal itching, measured via the reflective total nasal symptom score (rTNSS) remains unevaluated.

Objective: To evaluate the association between the response rate to surgical treatment of chronic rhinitis and preoperative severity.

GRK6 palmitoylation dictates triple-negative breast cancer metastasis via recruiting the β-Arrestin 2/MAPKs/NF-κB signaling axis.

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) belongs to the worst prognosis of breast cancer subtype probably because of distant metastasis to other organs, e.g. lungs.

Point-of-Care Potassium Measurement vs Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Electrocardiography for Hyperkalemia Detection.

Background: Hyperkalemia can be detected by point-of-care (POC) blood testing and by artificial intelligence- enabled electrocardiography (ECG). These 2 methods of detecting hyperkalemia have not been compared.

Objective: To determine the accuracy of POC and ECG potassium measurements for hyperkalemia detection in patients with critical illness.

Molecular Hydrogen as a Potential Adjunctive Therapy to Improve Renal Function and Reduce Fatigue in an Elderly Patient With Chronic Comorbidities: A Case Report.

Background/aim: Hydrogen therapy has demonstrated potential as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory intervention, particularly in the management of chronic diseases such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and autoimmune conditions. This case report presents the possible therapeutic benefits of molecular hydrogen capsule treatment in enhancing renal function and alleviating chronic fatigue in an elderly female with coronary artery disease (CAD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) complicated by nephropathy, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of adjunctive hydrogen therapy in an elderly patient with multiple chronic comorbidities.

Impacts of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Genotypes on Hallux Valgus.

Background/aim: Hallux valgus (HV) is the most common deformity of the forefoot. Although HV has been strongly associated with a family history, its genetic underpinnings remain unclear. Few studies have examined the relationship between folic acid metabolism, which is critical in normal bone development, and HV.

Precision Assessment of Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis: A Case Report on Integrating Clinical Course, Immunophenotyping, and Comprehensive Symptomatology in a Pediatric Patient With Adjunctive Hydrogen Therapy.

Background/aim: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, though rare, is the most common form of autoimmune encephalitis, predominantly affecting young individuals, particularly females. Standard treatments include corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG), and plasmapheresis, with rituximab recommended for those unresponsive to first-line therapies. However, reliable biomarkers for clinical assessment remain elusive.

Increased Risk of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Patients Receiving Sedative-Hypnotics: A Propensity Score Weighting Cohort Study.

Purpose: Benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRAs), including benzodiazepines (BZDs) and Z drugs, are widely prescribed for anxiety and sleep. Therefore, issues of tolerance, dependence and adverse effects are of concern. Recent studies suggested a potential link between BZRAs and hearing problems.

Nocturnal sentry duty and cardiometabolic characteristics in armed forces personnel.

Background: Sleep deprivation can lead to increased body weight and blood pressure (BP), but the latent effects of partial sleep deprivation related to required night sentry duties within a short-term period on cardiometabolic characteristic changes in military personnel are unclear.

Aim: To investigate the association between night sentry duty frequency in the past 3 months and cardiometabolic characteristics in armed forces personnel.

Methods: A total of 867 armed forces personnel who were aged 18-39 years and did not take any antihypertensive medications in Taiwan in 2020 were included.

Infectious intestinal diseases elevate neurodegenerative disease risk based on a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Infectious intestinal diseases (IIDs) pose a significant health and economic burden worldwide. Recent observations at the Tri-Service General Hospital, Taiwan, suggest a potential association between IIDs and neurodegenerative diseases, prompting an investigation into this relationship. This study explored interactions between IIDs and neurodegenerative diseases.

The role of personality traits and life stress in alcohol use disorder: Insights from NGF gene polymorphisms of Han Chinese population in Taiwan.

Objective: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex neuropsychiatric condition influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a crucial role in neuronal neuroplasticity and chronic alcohol consumption may alter NGF levels in specific brain regions. The study investigates the associations between NGF gene polymorphisms, susceptibility to AUD, and specific stress and personality characteristics.

Interocular retinal asymmetry and cognitive frailty: A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: The retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) or ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) is associated with cognitive impairment. However, the relationship between retinal asymmetry and cognitive frailty (CF) remains unknown.

Methods: Two hundred twenty-two community-dwelling older adults were assessed starting in 2015 and underwent biennial cognitive and frailty evaluations until 2022.

Deep learning for endometrial cancer subtyping and predicting tumor mutational burden from histopathological slides.

Endometrial cancer (EC) diagnosis traditionally relies on tumor morphology and nuclear grade, but personalized therapy demands a deeper understanding of tumor mutational burden (TMB), i.e., a key biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibition and immunotherapy response.

Impact of hematologic inflammatory markers on the prognosis of geriatric hip fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Geriatric hip fractures pose a significant health burden, and inflammation may play a role in the short- and long-term prognosis. However, the prognostic significance of hematologic inflammatory markers in geriatric patients with fractures is not understood. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the prognostic implications of systemic inflammatory markers on the long-term mortality of older patients with hip fractures.

Improving the prediction of patient survival with the aid of residual convolutional neural network (ResNet) in colorectal cancer with unresectable liver metastases treated with bevacizumab-based chemotherapy.

Background: To verify overall survival predictions made with residual convolutional neural network-determined morphological response (ResNet-MR) in patients with unresectable synchronous liver-only metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with bevacizumab-based chemotherapy (BBC).

Methods: A retrospective review of liver-only mCRC patients treated with BBC from December 2011 to Apr 2021 was performed. Patients who had metachronous liver metastases or received locoregional treatment before the initiation of BBC were excluded.

Impact of glycemic treatment and blood glucose monitoring on outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke without prior diabetes: a longitudinal cohort study.

Objectives: To explore the short- and long-term effects of glycemic management-through glycemic treatment and blood glucose monitoring (BGM)-on stroke recurrence and mortality specifically in patients experiencing a first-ever ischemic stroke (FIS) with hyperglycemia (FISHG) who have not previously been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: We gathered data on patients who were registered on Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2015. We one-fold propensity-score-matched (by sex, age, and index date) 207,054 patients into 3 cohorts: those with FIS (1) without hyperglycemia, (2) hyperglycemia without glycemic treatment, and (3) hyperglycemia with glycemic treatment.