Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: There is a strong genetic component to Alzheimer's disease (AD), as evidenced in genome-wide association studies (GWASs) that have identified new variants associated with the disease. This is particularly true for the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene and its neighboring genes on chromosome 19q13.3.

Mesopancreas dissection level 3 for pancreatic head cancer in combined robotic/open pancreatoduodenectomy: a propensity score-matched study.

Background: Mesopancreas dissection (MPD) level 3 in combined robotic/open pancreatoduodenectomy (CR/OPD) is technique-demanding. This study aims to clarify the feasibility and justification of MPD level 3.

Methods: Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was conducted for 208 patients with pancreatic head cancer undergoing CR/OPD with or without MPD level 3.

Predictive biosignatures for hospitalization in patients with virologically confirmed COVID-19.

Background: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, presents with varying severity among individuals. Both viral and host factors can influence the severity of acute and chronic COVID-19, with chronic COVID-19 commonly referred to as long COVID. SARS-CoV-2 infection can be properly diagnosed by performing real-time reverse transcription PCR analysis of nasal swab samples.

O-antigen of uropathogenic Escherichia coli is required for induction of neutrophil extracellular traps.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are prevalent bacterial infection, with uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) as the primary causative agent. The outer membrane of UPEC contains a lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which plays crucial roles in the host's immune response to infection. Neutrophils use neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are mechanism by which neutrophils defend against bacterial infections.

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).

Impact of diagnostic coding schemas on major bleeding risk assessment for oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation using administrative claims data.

Introduction: This study evaluated how different published diagnostic coding schemas impact the assessment of major bleeding risks associated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and warfarin.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with atrial fibrillation who initiated DOACs or warfarin between 2012 and 2019, using Taiwan's national claims database. Major bleeding events, including gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and other major bleeding events, were identified using coding schemas from Cunningham et al, the Mini-Sentinel protocol, and Yao et al.

Exposure to Psychotropic Drugs and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Patients with Affective Disorder: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Background: This study aimed to assess the association between the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and exposure to mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotics in patients with affective disorders.

Methods: This nested case-control study used data from the National Health Insurance Database of Taiwan collected between 2001 and 2011. All participants in this study had affective disorders.

Resistance to antidepressant treatment among patients with major depressive disorder: a nationwide study.

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has great clinical importance because it has the highest disability burden of all depressive conditions. We investigated the prevalence of TRD and identified the risk and protective factors associated with antidepressant resistance among adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). A total of 176 132 adult patients with MDD were selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 2001 and 2010 and followed for 1 year.

Risk of Sarcopenia Following Long-Term Statin Use in Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Japan.

Background: Inconsistent results have been reported concerning the association between statin administration and muscle health, specifically its potential to increase the risk of sarcopenia. Given the widespread long-term use of statins among the elderly population, the exploration of this association remains a crucial yet insufficiently examined matter. This study aimed to assess the association between the prolonged administration of statins and the risk of sarcopenia, diminished muscle strength, reduced skeletal muscle mass and impaired physical performance.

Pulmonary Impedance and Wave Reflections in Adults with Mitral Stenosis: Immediate and Follow-Up Effects of Balloon Valvuloplasty.

Purpose: We compared adults with mitral stenosis (MS) to 8 controls (CONT) to see how pulmonary impedance and wave reflections differ at baseline and after balloon valvuloplasty.

Methods: We separated the MS patients into groups according to mean pulmonary artery pressure: moderate (MOD; ≤ 26 mmHg, n = 21) and high (HIGH; > 26 mmHg, n = 33). We made baseline high-fidelity measurements in all patients, in the MS groups after vasodilation with nitroprusside, immediately and 4 months after balloon valvuloplasty.

Inverted dome radial osteotomy and ulnar shortening for neglected paediatric distal radial epiphyseal injury with ulnar impaction syndrome.

Neglected distal radial epiphyseal injuries can result in radial deformity and positive ulnar variance. We describe an inverted-dome radial osteotomy and ulnar shortening osteotomy to treat a paediatric distal radial malunion with ulnar impaction syndrome. V.

Gastrointestinal comorbidities in patients with acne vulgaris: A population-based retrospective study.

Background: The gut-skin-brain axis has been long postulated in acne vulgaris. Few studies focused on bowel habits in patients with acne vulgaris have yielded controversial results.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between acne vulgaris and gastrointestinal comorbidities.

Multi-trajectories of intrinsic capacity and their effect on higher-level functional capacity, life satisfaction, and self-esteem in community-dwelling older adults: the NILS-LSA.

Objectives: Variability in intrinsic capacity (IC) changes among community-dwelling older adults and their effect on health outcomes remain understudied. We examined the variability in IC trajectories and their impact on higher-level functional capacity (HLFC), life satisfaction, and self-esteem.

Design: Longitudinal study.

Fluid intake impact on heart failure: Systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.

Background: Heart failure (HF) management lacks clarity regarding fluid balance strategies, with some studies suggesting potential benefits of liberal fluid intake. This review aims to evaluate both unrestricted and restricted fluid intake, including sodium restriction, in adult HF.

Methods: A thorough search of electronic databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library, identified relevant studies examining fluid intake effects on adult heart failure patients, categorized by liberal or restricted intake, with subgroup analysis on sodium restriction.

Impact of family income on the development of gestational diabetes mellitus and the associated birth outcomes: A nationwide study.

Aims/introduction: The relationship between economic disadvantages and the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as well as its impact on birth outcomes, remains uncertain.

Materials And Methods: From the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database, we identified 984,712 pregnant women between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2018. Using propensity score matching, we selected 5,068 pairs of women across four income levels: very low, low, middle and high.

Computational Modeling and AI in Radiation Neuro-Oncology and Radiosurgery.

The chapter explores the extensive integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare systems, with a specific focus on its application in stereotactic radiosurgery. The rapid evolution of AI technology has led to promising developments in this field, particularly through the utilization of machine learning and deep learning models. The diverse implementation of AI algorithms was developed from various aspects of radiosurgery, including the successful detection of spontaneous tumors and the automated delineation or segmentation of lesions.

Melatonin supplementation attenuates cuproptosis and ferroptosis in aging cumulus and granulosa cells: potential for improving IVF outcomes in advanced maternal age.

Background: Advanced maternal age is associated with decreased oocyte quantity and quality and in vitro fertilization (IVF) success rates. This study aimed to investigate whether melatonin supplementation can improve IVF outcomes in women of advanced maternal age by modulating cuproptosis and ferroptosis.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 161 women aged 35-45 years undergoing IVF-frozen embryo transfer cycles.

N-methyladenosine and its epitranscriptomic effects on hematopoietic stem cell regulation and leukemogenesis.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification orchestrates cellular epitranscriptome through tuning the homeostasis of transcript stability, translation efficiency, and the transcript affinity toward RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). An aberrant m6A deposition on RNA can lead toward oncogenic expression profile (mRNA), impaired mitochondrial metabolism (mtRNA), and translational suppression (rRNA) of tumor suppressor genes. In addition, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as X-inactive specific transcript (XIST), miRNAs, and α-ketoglutarate-centric metabolic transcripts are also regulated by the m6A epitranscriptome.

Transmission line model as a digital twin for abdominal aortic aneurysm patients.

We investigated the potential of the transmission line model as a digital twin of aneurysmal aorta by comparatively analyzing how a uniform lossless tube-load model were fitted to the carotid and femoral artery tonometry waveforms pertaining to (i) 79 abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients vs their matched controls (CON) and (ii) 35 AAA patients before vs after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). The uniform lossless tube-load model fitted the tonometry waveforms pertaining to AAA as well as CON and EVAR. In addition, the parameters in the tube-load model exhibited physiologically explainable changes: when normalized, both pulse transit time and reflection coefficient increased with AAA and decreased after EVAR, which can be explained by the increase in arterial compliance and the decrease in arterial inertance due to the aortic expansion associated with AAA.