Effectiveness of pharmacist-managed oncology ambulatory care for patients with non-small cell lung cancer in Taiwan.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is commonly treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, adverse events from such treatment can lead to treatment discontinuation and additional medical expenditures. Ambulatory care from oncology pharmacists in patient education and symptom management can benefit patients with NSCLC.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of pembrolizumab with chemotherapy for metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer in Taiwan.

This study was aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab with chemotherapy (pembrolizumab combination therapy) and compare it with standard-of-care platinum-based chemotherapy (chemotherapy alone) as a first-line treatment for metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC from the perspective of Taiwan's third-party-payer public health-care system. We used a partitioned survival model with an estimated time horizon of 10 years. The partitioned survival model uses Kaplan-Meier estimates of progression-free and overall survival from the KEYNOTE-189 clinical trial.

Risk factors for overtaking, rear-end, and door crashes involving bicycles in the United Kingdom: Revisited and reanalysed.

Background And Objective: Relevant research has provided valuable insights into risk factors for bicycle crashes at intersections. However, few studies have focused explicitly on three common types of bicycle crashes on road segments: overtaking, rear-end, and door crashes. This study aims to identify risk factors for overtaking, rear-end, and door crashes that occur on road segments.

Employing foreign caregivers: A qualitative study of the perspectives of older stroke survivors.

Background: Global populations are aging, and the numbers of stroke survivors is increasing. Consequently, the need for caregiver support has increased. Because of this and demographic and socioeconomic changes, foreign caregivers are increasingly in demand in many developed countries.

Utilizing Lateral Sprouting Axons to Reinnervate a Transferred Free Muscle to Enhance Distal Muscle Recovery When Performing High-Level Nerve Repair : Experimental Rat Study.

Background: High-level median or ulnar nerve injuries and repairs typically result in suboptimal re-innervation of distal muscles. Functioning Free Muscle Transplantation (FFMT) is increasingly recognized as an effective method to restore function in chronic muscle denervation cases. This study investigates the efficacy of using an additional FFMT, neurotized by lateral sprouting axons from a repaired high-level mixed nerve in the upper limb, to enhance distal hand function.

A comparative analysis of Marburg virus-infected bat and human models from public high-throughput sequencing data.

Marburg virus (MARV) disease (MVD) is an uncommon yet serious viral hemorrhagic fever that impacts humans and non-human primates. In humans, infection by the MARV is marked by rapid onset, high transmissibility, and elevated mortality rates, presenting considerable obstacles to the development of vaccines and treatments. Bats, particularly , are suspected to be natural hosts of MARV.

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.

Identification of a Potent CDK8 Inhibitor Using Structure-Based Virtual Screening.

Pulmonary fibrosis is excessive scarring of the lung tissues. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) has been implicated in pulmonary fibrosis due to its ability to induce the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promote epithelial cell migration. Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) can mediate the TGF-β signaling pathways and could function as an alternative therapeutic target for treating pulmonary fibrosis.

Global Fatty Degeneration Index on Preoperative MRI Predicts Early Postoperative Shoulder Stiffness at 3 Months Following Primary Rotator Cuff Repair.

Purpose: To determine if the fatty infiltration of rotator cuff muscles, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) preoperatively and assessed using the Goutallier Fatty Degeneration Index (GFDI), can predict early post-operative shoulder stiffness (POSS) following rotator cuff repair (RCR).

Methods: This retrospective longitudinal cohort study included patients who underwent primary RCR, had available medical records, and underwent MRI before RCR between November 2012 and July 2022. Patients were excluded based on the following criteria: (1) preoperative shoulder stiffness, (2) additional procedures (e.

Chatbots for breast cancer education: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Effective education and awareness regarding breast cancer are critical. Traditional educational methods often fail to meet the diverse information needs of patients. Patients should be provided with tailored, accessible information to improve their retention and understanding of disease-related information.

Therapeutic Potential of Oligo-Fucoidan in Mitigating Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Fibrosis.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) serves as a home-based kidney replacement therapy with increasing utilization across the globe. However, long-term use of high-glucose-based PD solution incites repeated peritoneal injury and inevitable peritoneal fibrosis, thus compromising treatment efficacy and resulting in ultrafiltration failure eventually. In the present study, we utilized human mesothelial MeT-5A cells for the in vitro experiments and a PD mouse model for in vivo validation to study the pathophysiological mechanisms underneath PD-associated peritoneal fibrosis.

Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Poststroke Hemineglect: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Although various repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and theta burst stimulation (TBS) protocols are used, their comparative effectiveness for treating poststroke hemineglect remains unassessed.

Objective: To investigate rTMS and TBS effects on clinical outcomes in poststroke hemineglect through a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases up to March 7, 2024, for trials on rTMS or TBS in poststroke hemineglect.

Impacts of osteosarcopenia on musculoskeletal health, risks of falls and fractures, and activities of daily living among population aged 50 and above: an age- and sex-matched cross-sectional analysis.

Aims: We conducted this study to investigate the impact of muscle loss on musculoskeletal health, fall and fracture risks, and activities of daily living (ADL) in elderly patients with osteoporosis.

Materials And Methods: This age- and sex-matched cross-sectional study analyzed data from a medical center involving patients aged ≥ 50 from 2020 to 2022. The included participants were formed into three groups: 100 with osteoporosis only, 100 with osteosarcopenia, and 50 control individuals without osteoporosis and sarcopenia.

Predictive Scores for Identifying Chronic Opioid Dependence After General Anesthesia Surgery.

Purpose: To address the prevalence and risk factors of postoperative chronic opioid dependence, focusing on the development of a predictive scoring system to identify high-risk populations.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Taiwan Health Insurance Research Database spanning January 2016 to December 2018, encompassing adults undergoing major elective surgeries with general anesthesia. Patient demographics, surgical details, comorbidities, and preoperative medication use were scrutinized.

The Relationship Between Resilience and Mental Health Status Among Nurses With Workplace Violence Experiences: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Nurses encounter many stressors and challenges at work, which can negatively affect their mental and physical health. Modern theories of resilience suggest that resilience is a dynamic process of positive adaptation to adversity. This process involves personal growth through adversity, developing effective coping strategies and inculcating the ability to cope with stress.

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.

Upper extremity function and disability recovery with vibration therapy after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of vibration therapy for improving upper extremity motor impairment, function, and disability recovery in people with stroke.

Design: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library Database, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to May 31, 2024.

IL-33/ST2 axis mediates diesel exhaust particles-induced mast cell activation.

Background: Mast cells are implicated in the pathogenesis and severity of asthma in children and adults. The release of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines from activated mast cells (MC) is associated with Type 2 (T2) cell-skewed inflammation.

Methods: We obtained the airway tissues of Balb/c mice with or without intra-tracheal diesel exhaust particles (DEP) instillation to measure the extent of tryptase MCs infiltration and interleukin (IL)-33 expression.

Effectiveness of immersive teaching strategies on pressure injury: Impact on nurses' knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy - A partially randomized participant preference (PRPP) controlled trial.

Aims: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a pressure injury educational intervention on nurses' knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy and perceived barriers.

Background: Pressure injuries remain a global healthcare challenge. Efficient teaching strategies like immersive learning are crucial to translating theoretical knowledge into practical skills.

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.

Targeting PPARγ via SIAH1/2-mediated ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation as a new therapeutic approach in luminal-type bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer (BC) is the second most prevalent genitourinary malignancy worldwide. Despite recent approvals of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy for muscle invasive or recurrent BC, options remain limited for patients with non-muscle invasive BC (NMIBC) refractory to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and chemotherapy. NMIBC is more frequently classified as a luminal subtype, in which increased PPARγ activity is a key feature in promoting tumor growth and evasion of immunosurveillance.