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1.
Chemistry ; 29(58): e202301879, 2023 Oct 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37706579

ABSTRACT

The underlying biophysical principle governing the cytotoxicity of the oligomeric aggregates of Ɵ-amyloid (AƟ) peptides has long been an enigma. Here we show that the size of AƟ40 oligomers can be actively controlled by incubating the peptides in reverse micelles. Our approach allowed for the first time a detailed comparison of the structures and dynamics of two AƟ40 oligomers of different sizes, viz., 10 and 23Ć¢Ā€Ā…nm, by solid-state NMR. From the chemical shift data, we infer that the conformation and/or the chemical environments of the residues from K16 to K28 are different between the 10-nm and 23-nm oligomers. We find that the 10-nm oligomers are more cytotoxic, and the molecular motion of the sidechain of its charged residue K16 is more dynamic. Interestingly, the residue A21 exhibits unusually high structural rigidity. Our data raise an interesting possibility that the cytotoxicity of AƟ40 oligomers could also be correlated to the motional dynamics of the sidechains.


Subject(s)
Amyloid beta-Peptides , Micelles , Amyloid beta-Peptides/toxicity , Amyloid beta-Peptides/chemistry , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Peptide Fragments/toxicity , Peptide Fragments/chemistry , Amyloid/chemistry
2.
Liver Int ; 43(10): 2232-2244, 2023 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37381761

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and poses a significant threat to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic dysregulation. Statins exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and antithrombotic effects that target mechanisms underlying NAFLD. However, the protective effects of the different doses, intensities and types of statins on the incidence of NAFLD-related decompensated liver cirrhosis (DLC) in patients with T2DM remain unclear. METHODS: This study used the data of patients with T2DM who were non-HBV and non-HCV carriers from a national population database to examine the protective effects of statin use on DLC incidence through propensity score matching. The incidence rate (IR) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of DLC in patients with T2DM with or without statin use were calculated. RESULTS: A higher cumulative dose and specific types of statins, namely rosuvastatin, pravastatin, atorvastatin, simvastatin and fluvastatin, reduced the risk of DLC in patients with T2DM. Statin use was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of DLC (HR: .65, 95% CI: .61-.70). The optimal daily intensity of statin use with the lowest risk of DLC was .88 defined daily dose (DDD). CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed the protective effects of specific types of statins on DLC risk in patients with T2DM and indicated a dose-response relationship. Additional studies are warranted to understand the specific mechanisms of action of different types of statins and their effect on DLC risk in patients with T2DM.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease , Humans , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/complications , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/epidemiology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology , Incidence , Atorvastatin , Risk Factors
3.
J Formos Med Assoc ; 122(10): 976-985, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37183074

ABSTRACT

Solid organ transplant recipients have an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB). Due to the use of immunosuppressants, the incidence of TB among solid organ transplant recipients has been consistently reported to be higher than that among the general population. TB frequently develops within the first year after transplantation when a high level of immunosuppression is maintained. Extrapulmonary TB and disseminated TB account for a substantial proportion of TB among solid organ transplant recipients. Treatment of TB among recipients is complicated by the drug-drug interactions between anti-TB drugs and immunosuppressants. TB is associated with an increased risk of graft rejection, graft failure and mortality. Detection and management of latent TB infection among solid organ transplant candidates and recipients have been recommended. However, strategy to mitigate the risk of TB among solid organ transplant recipients has not yet been established in Taiwan. To address the challenges of TB among solid organ transplant recipients, a working group of the Transplantation Society of Taiwan was established. The working group searched literatures on TB among solid organ transplant recipients as well as guidelines and recommendations, and proposed interventions to strengthen TB prevention and care among solid organ transplant recipients.


Subject(s)
Organ Transplantation , Tuberculosis , Humans , Taiwan/epidemiology , Tuberculosis/diagnosis , Tuberculosis/drug therapy , Tuberculosis/epidemiology , Organ Transplantation/adverse effects , Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use , Immunosuppressive Agents/adverse effects
4.
IUBMB Life ; 74(8): 739-747, 2022 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34724333

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent and devastating neurodegenerative disease occurred in the elderly. One of the pathogenic hallmarks is senile plaques composed of amyloid-Ɵ (AƟ) fibrils. Single mutations resided in AƟ were found in familial AD (FAD) patients that have early onset of the disease. The molecular details and properties of each FAD AƟ variants are still elusive. Here, we employed collective spectroscopic techniques to examine the properties of various AƟ40 fibrils. We generated fibrils of wild type (WT) and three FAD mutants on residue E22 including E22G, E22K, and E22Q. We monitored fibril formation by thioflavin T (ThT) assay, examined secondary structure by Fourier transform infrared and far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy, imaged fibril morphology by transmission electron microscopy, and evaluated ThT-binding kinetics. In the thermal experiments, we found E22K fibrils resisted to high temperature and retained significant Ɵ-sheet content than the others. E22K fibril seeds after high-temperature treatment still possess the seeding property, whereas WT fibril seeds are disturbed after the treatment. Therefore, in this study we demonstrated the mutation at E22K increases the thermal stability and seeding function of amyloid fibrils.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Neurodegenerative Diseases , Aged , Humans , Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Amyloid/chemistry , Amyloid/genetics , Amyloid beta-Peptides/genetics , Peptide Fragments/chemistry , Peptide Fragments/genetics
5.
Sensors (Basel) ; 22(13)2022 Jun 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35808238

ABSTRACT

In recent years, the use of Artificial Intelligence for emotion recognition has attracted much attention. The industrial applicability of emotion recognition is quite comprehensive and has good development potential. This research uses voice emotion recognition technology to apply it to Chinese speech emotion recognition. The main purpose of this research is to transform gradually popularized smart home voice assistants or AI system service robots from a touch-sensitive interface to a voice operation. This research proposed a specifically designed Deep Neural Network (DNN) model to develop a Chinese speech emotion recognition system. In this research, 29 acoustic characteristics in acoustic theory are used as the training attributes of the proposed model. This research also proposes a variety of audio adjustment methods to amplify datasets and enhance training accuracy, including waveform adjustment, pitch adjustment, and pre-emphasize. This study achieved an average emotion recognition accuracy of 88.9% in the CASIA Chinese sentiment corpus. The results show that the deep learning model and audio adjustment method proposed in this study can effectively identify the emotions of Chinese short sentences and can be applied to Chinese voice assistants or integrated with other dialogue applications.


Subject(s)
Artificial Intelligence , Speech , Acoustics , China , Emotions , Neural Networks, Computer
6.
Anal Chem ; 93(49): 16320-16329, 2021 12 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34817990

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become highly relevant in aging societies, yet the fundamental molecular basis for AD is still poorly understood. New tools to study the undergoing structural conformation changes of amyloid beta (AƟ) peptides, the pathogenic hallmark of AD, could play a crucial role in the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of misfolding and cytotoxicity of this peptide. It has been recently reported that Zn2+ interacts with AƟ and changes its aggregation pathway away from less harmful fibrillar forms to more toxic species. Here, we present a versatile platform based on a set of sub-10 nm nanogap electrodes for the manipulation and sensing of biomolecules in the physiological condition at a low copy number, where molecules are trapped via dielectrophoresis (DEP) across the nanogap, which also serves as a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy hotspot. In this study, we demonstrate that our electrode nanogap platform can be used to study the structural difference between AƟ40 and ZnAƟ40 peptides at different aggregation stages in the physiologically relevant concentration and in solution phase. The Raman spectroscopic signatures of the DEP-captured neuropeptides prove the device to be attractive as a label-free bioanalytical tool.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Amyloid beta-Peptides , Electrodes , Humans , Spectrum Analysis, Raman , Zinc
7.
Medicina (Kaunas) ; 56(8)2020 Aug 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32784817

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Osteocalcin is the most abundant noncollagenous protein in bone matrix, which is considered a marker of bone formation. Previous studies indicate that circulating osteocalcin can be expressed by osteoblasts and even by osteoblast-like cells in vessel walls, and it is often associated with arterial stiffness. Our study aims to examine the potential association between osteocalcin levels and endothelial function among kidney transplant (KT) recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 68 KT recipients. To measure the endothelial function and vascular reactivity index (VRI), a digital thermal monitoring test (VENDYS) was used. A commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit was also utilized to measure serum total osteocalcin levels. In this study, a VRI of less than 1.0 indicated poor vascular reactivity; a VRI of 1.0-2.0 indicated intermediate vascular reactivity; and a VRI of 2.0 or higher indicated good vascular reactivity. RESULTS: Our findings show that 8 KT recipients (11.8%) had poor vascular reactivity (VRI < 1.0), 26 (38.2%) had intermediate vascular reactivity (1.0 ≤ VRI < 2.0), and 34 (50%) had good vascular reactivity. Increased serum osteocalcin levels (p < 0.001) were found to be associated with poor vascular reactivity. Advanced age (r = -0.361, p = 0.002), serum alkaline phosphate level (r = -0.254, p = 0.037), and log-transformed osteocalcin levels (r = - 0.432, p < 0.001) were identified to be negatively correlated with VRI in KT recipients. Multivariable forward stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that the serum level of osteocalcin (Ɵ = -0.391, adjusted R2 change = 0.174; p < 0.001) and advanced age (Ɵ = -0.308, adjusted R2 change = 0.084; p = 0.005) were significantly and independently associated with VRI in KT recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Higher serum osteocalcin level was associated with lower VRI and poorer endothelial dysfunction among KT recipients.


Subject(s)
Osteocalcin/analysis , Vascular Stiffness/physiology , Adult , Body Mass Index , Female , Humans , Kidney Failure, Chronic/epidemiology , Kidney Failure, Chronic/surgery , Kidney Transplantation/methods , Male , Middle Aged , Osteocalcin/blood , Pulse Wave Analysis/instrumentation , Pulse Wave Analysis/methods , Taiwan/epidemiology
8.
Clin Exp Nephrol ; 22(1): 188-195, 2018 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28660445

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness is an established marker of cardiovascular risk and an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and mortality in kidney transplant (KT) patients. Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), a novel adipokine, is positively associated with atherosclerosis. The present study evaluated the relationship between fasting circulating A-FABP and peripheral arterial stiffness using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in KT patients. METHODS: Fasting blood samples were collected from 74 KT patients, and serum A-FABP levels were measured using an enzyme immunoassay. CAVI was calculated using a waveform device (CAVI-VaSera VS-1000). The cutoff values for high and low levels of arterial stiffness were defined by the CAVI values of ≥9 and <9, respectively. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients (45.9%) were classified into the high arterial stiffness group. Compared with the low arterial stiffness group, the high arterial stiffness group had higher values for age (pĀ =Ā 0.015), systolic blood pressure (pĀ <Ā 0.001), pulse pressure (pĀ <Ā 0.001), duration of kidney transplantation (pĀ =Ā 0.005), serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels (pĀ =Ā 0.033 and 0.047, respectively), glomerular filtration rate (pĀ =Ā 0.019), fasting glucose levels (pĀ =Ā 0.012), and serum A-FABP levels (pĀ <Ā 0.001). Multivariate forward stepwise linear regression analysis showed that age (pĀ =Ā 0.004), systolic blood pressure (pĀ =Ā 0.001), and serum A-FABP levels (pĀ =Ā 0.003) were independent predictors of CAVI value in KT patients. CONCLUSION: Serum fasting A-FABP level is positively associated with peripheral arterial stiffness in KT patients.


Subject(s)
Ankle Brachial Index , Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins/blood , Kidney Transplantation , Vascular Stiffness , Adult , Aged , Aging , Blood Glucose/analysis , Blood Pressure , Cholesterol/blood , Female , Glomerular Filtration Rate , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Prognosis , Pulse Wave Analysis , Triglycerides/blood
9.
BMC Complement Altern Med ; 17(1): 254, 2017 May 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28482835

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound extracted from plants and is also a constituent of red wine. Resveratrol produces relaxation of vascular smooth muscle and may prevent cardiovascular diseases. Although resveratrol has been reported to cause relaxation of the guinea pig gallbladder, limited data are available about the effect of resveratrol on the gallbladder smooth muscle in humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relaxation effects of resveratrol in human gallbladder muscle strips. METHODS: We studied the relaxant effects of resveratrol in human gallbladder. In addition, we also investigated mechanism of resveratrol-induced relaxation in human gallbladder by tetraethylammonium (a non-selective potassium channels blocker), iberiotoxin (an inhibitor of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel), glibenclamide (an ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker), charybdotoxin (an inhibitor of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels and slowly inactivating voltage-gated potassium channels), apamine (a selective inhibitor of the small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel), KT 5720 (a cAMP-dependent protein kinase A inhibitor), KT 5823 (a cGMP-dependent protein kinase G inhibitor), NG-Nitro-L-arginine (a competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase), tetrodotoxin (a selective neuronal Na+ channel blocker), and ω-conotoxin GVIA (a selective neuronal Ca2+ channel blocker). RESULTS: The present study showed that resveratrol has relaxant effects in human gallbladder muscle strips. In addition, we found that resveratrol-induced relaxation in human gallbladder is associated with nitric oxide, ATP-sensitive potassium channel, and large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel pathways. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence concerning the relaxant effects of resveratrol in human gallbladder muscle strips. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that resveratrol is a potential new drug or health supplement in the treatment of biliary colic.


Subject(s)
Gallbladder/drug effects , Stilbenes/pharmacology , Vasodilator Agents/pharmacology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Female , Gallbladder/physiology , Guinea Pigs , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/drug effects , Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/physiology , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Potassium Channels/metabolism , Resveratrol , Vasodilation/drug effects , Young Adult
10.
Clin Transplant ; 30(4): 393-8, 2016 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26783039

ABSTRACT

We aimed to investigate the roles of cytokines during polyomavirus BK (BKV) reactivation in renal transplant patients. Forty-eight renal allograft recipients were enrolled, and their sera BKV viral load and mRNA expression levels of cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Patient's age and gene expression levels of interleukin (IL)-2 (10.04 Ā± 2.63 vs. 8.70 Ā± 2.40, p = 0.049) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-Ɵ (12.58 Ā± 2.59 vs. 10.89 Ā± 1.91, p = 0.015) were significantly higher in BKV viremia (+) renal transplant patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age and mRNA expression levels of TGF-Ɵ, but not IL-2, significantly correlated with the presence of BKV viremia. Sera BKV viral loads showed a positive correlation with patient age and the levels of TGF-Ɵ and IL-6 mRNA. After adjusting for age and sex in the regression model, both age and TGF-Ɵ mRNA levels maintained a significant positive association with sera BKV viral loads. Serum TGF-Ɵ concentration tended to be higher in BKV viremia (+) patients (p = 0.079). In conclusion, expression levels of TGF-Ɵ were found to correlate with both BKV viremia positivity and sera BKV viral loads in renal transplant patients.


Subject(s)
BK Virus/physiology , Kidney Failure, Chronic/surgery , Kidney Transplantation , Polyomavirus Infections/genetics , Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics , Tumor Virus Infections/genetics , Viremia/genetics , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Glomerular Filtration Rate , Graft Rejection/epidemiology , Graft Rejection/genetics , Graft Rejection/virology , Graft Survival , Humans , Kidney Function Tests , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , Male , Middle Aged , Polyomavirus Infections/epidemiology , Polyomavirus Infections/virology , Postoperative Complications , Prognosis , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Risk Factors , Tumor Virus Infections/epidemiology , Tumor Virus Infections/virology , Viral Load , Viremia/epidemiology , Viremia/virology
11.
Scand J Clin Lab Invest ; 76(3): 264-9, 2016.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26962760

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The role of adiponectin in arterial stiffness and its relationship to cardiovascular disease is not fully demonstrated and needs further elaboration. In this study, the association between adiponectin level and arterial stiffness is studied among kidney transplant patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Anthropometric data and biochemical data including fasting glucose, lipid profile, renal function and serum adiponectin were determined in 55 kidney transplant patients. Central arterial stiffness was measured and presented by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. RESULTS: Univariate linear analysis showed that body weight, waist circumference, brachial pulse pressure and body mass index were correlated positively with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity in this patient group. However, logarithmically transformed adiponectin level (log-adiponectin) correlated negatively with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. In multivariate regression analysis of factors significantly associated with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, it showed that both log-adiponectin (Ɵ = -0.427; R(2) = 0.205, p = 0.001) and body weight (Ɵ = 0.327; R(2 )=( )0.106, p = 0.007) were independently predictive of central arterial stiffness. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that fasting serum adiponectin is negatively associated with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, hence arterial stiffness, in kidney transplant patients.


Subject(s)
Adiponectin/blood , Adult , Aged , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Hypertension/blood , Hypertension/pathology , Kidney Diseases/blood , Kidney Diseases/pathology , Kidney Diseases/surgery , Kidney Transplantation , Male , Middle Aged , Protective Factors , Pulse Wave Analysis , Vascular Stiffness
12.
J Med Syst ; 40(11): 250, 2016 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27704459

ABSTRACT

Collection of radiation dose derived from radiological examination is necessary not only for radiation protection, but also for fulfillment of structured reports. However, the material regarding of radiation dose cannot be directly utilized by the Radiological Information System (RIS) since it is generated and only stored in the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). In this paper, an integration reporting module is proposed to facilitate handling of dose information and structured reporting by providing two functionalities. First, a gateway is established to automatically collect the related information from PACS for further analyzing and monitoring the accumulated radiation. Second, the designated structured reporting patterns with corresponding radiation dose measurements can be acquired by radiologists as necessary. In the design, the radiation dose collection gateway and the well-established pattern are collocated to achieve that there is no need to do manual entry for structured reporting, thus increasing productivity and medical quality.


Subject(s)
Documentation , Radiation Dosage , Radiology Information Systems/organization & administration , Humans , Systems Integration
13.
Clin Exp Nephrol ; 19(3): 534-41, 2015 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25037242

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Adiponectin is a fat-derived hormone produced and secreted exclusively by adipocytes that have anti-atherosclerotic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fasting serum adiponectin levels and arterial stiffness among kidney transplant (KT) patients. METHODS: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 69 KT patients. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured in the right or left brachial artery to the ankle segments using an automatic pulse wave analyzer. Plasma adiponectin levels were measured using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Left or right baPWV values of >14.0 m/s were used to define the high arterial stiffness group. RESULTS: Thirty-five KT patients (35/69; 50.7 %) were defined in high arterial stiffness group. Diabetes (P = 0.013), smoking (P = 0.001), KT duration (P < 0.001), body weight (P = 0.013), waist circumference (P = 0.013), body mass index (P = 0.001), fasting glucose (P = 0.013), systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.008), and pulse pressure (P = 0.003) were higher, while serum adiponectin level (P = 0.004) was lower in high arterial stiffness group compared with low arterial stiffness group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that adiponectin (odds ratio 0.90, 95 % confidence interval 0.81-0.99, P = 0.034) was still the independent predictors of arterial stiffness among the KT patients. CONCLUSION: Serum fasting adiponectin level was inversely associated with arterial stiffness among KT patients.


Subject(s)
Adiponectin/blood , Adiponectin/deficiency , Kidney Transplantation , Metabolism, Inborn Errors/physiopathology , Vascular Stiffness , Adult , Aged , Fasting , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pulse Wave Analysis
14.
Tohoku J Exp Med ; 236(4): 247-53, 2015 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26156285

ABSTRACT

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a cytokine that regulates bone resorption by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis, and OPG has been implicated in the process that causes vascular stiffness. An increase in serum OPG level has been associated with the development of arterial stiffness. Kidney transplant (KT) patients are susceptible to aortic stiffness, which is considered to be a predictor of cardiovascular events in this patient population. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) has emerged as a gold standard for non-invasive evaluation of aortic stiffness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum OPG concentration and cfPWV among KT patients. Fasting blood samples were obtained from 57 KT patients and their cfPWV was measured using applanation tonometry. The serum OPG levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Univariable linear regression analysis showed that the cfPWV in KT patients was significantly and positively correlated with age, body weight, waist circumference, body mass index, log-creatinine, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and the log-OPG concentration. KT patients with metabolic syndrome had higher cfPWV values than those without metabolic syndrome (P = 0.036), which indicates a higher incidence of aortic stiffness in this patient population. Multivariable forward stepwise linear regression analysis of the significant variables showed that the log-OPG (P = 0.001), the log-creatinine (P = 0.004), and the SBP (P = 0.005) remained as independent and positive predictors of cfPWV values. These findings indicate that serum OPG levels are positively associated with cfPWV in KT patients.


Subject(s)
Kidney Transplantation/adverse effects , Metabolic Syndrome/physiopathology , Osteoprotegerin/blood , Vascular Stiffness/physiology , Age Factors , Blood Pressure , Body Mass Index , Body Weight , Creatinine/blood , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Humans , Linear Models , Manometry , Osteoprotegerin/adverse effects , Pulse Wave Analysis , Vascular Stiffness/drug effects
15.
J Formos Med Assoc ; 114(4): 373-4, 2015 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25839773

ABSTRACT

Renal transplant patients have high risk for bladder cancer. The reactivation of BK virus is common in renal transplant patients especially in the urinary tract. There was some evidence suggesting that the reactivation of BK virus (BKV) in renal transplant patients may associate with the development of bladder cancer. Here we demonstrated that a patient that had persistent elevated BKV viruria (urine BKV DNA concentration more than 10(11) copies/ml) after renal transplantation. Then, bladder cancer was found in 13 months after kidney transplantation. The urine BKV DNA concentration was detected by real-time PCR and the BKV DNA in the bladder tumor was detected by PCR. BKV DNA was found in the marginal and central part of the bladder tumor. After removal of the bladder cancer, the urine BKV viral load in this patients dropped dramatically to <10(2) copies/ml. However, the urine viral load had increased modestly to 10(6) copies/ml in 3 months after surgery. Since there is a close correlation between the urine BK viral load and the presence of bladder cancer, we suggested that there might be a causal relationship between the reactivation of BKV and the development of bladder cancer in renal transplant patient.


Subject(s)
BK Virus/genetics , DNA, Viral/urine , Kidney Transplantation/adverse effects , Retroviridae/genetics , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/diagnosis , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/surgery , Adult , Female , Humans , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Viral Load
16.
ScientificWorldJournal ; 2014: 437162, 2014.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24982952

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a grammar and semantic corpus based similarity algorithm for natural language sentences. Natural language, in opposition to "artificial language", such as computer programming languages, is the language used by the general public for daily communication. Traditional information retrieval approaches, such as vector models, LSA, HAL, or even the ontology-based approaches that extend to include concept similarity comparison instead of cooccurrence terms/words, may not always determine the perfect matching while there is no obvious relation or concept overlap between two natural language sentences. This paper proposes a sentence similarity algorithm that takes advantage of corpus-based ontology and grammatical rules to overcome the addressed problems. Experiments on two famous benchmarks demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has a significant performance improvement in sentences/short-texts with arbitrary syntax and structure.


Subject(s)
Algorithms , Natural Language Processing , Semantics
17.
Hu Li Za Zhi ; 61(4): 15-20, 2014 Aug.
Article in Zh | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25116310

ABSTRACT

Kidney transplantation is one strategy for treating end-stage renal disease. Recent advances in perioperative management and immunosuppressive agents as well as improved understanding of transplant immunology have improved the post-surgery quality of life of kidney recipients dramatically. However, lifelong monitoring of renal functions and potential complications is essential to ensure optimal medical outcomes. Furthermore, the self-care competency of transplant recipients is a significant factor affecting survival of the graft and the patient over the long term. All kidney transplant recipients should comply with the self-care instructions provided by transplantation medical personnel and work to improve their self-care abilities in order to prevent / detect post-transplant complications such as rejection, infection, and medical comorbidities as early as possible. The purpose of this study is to explore the current management and care issues faced by kidney transplant recipients.


Subject(s)
Kidney Transplantation , Self Care , Transplant Recipients , Humans , Treatment Outcome
18.
Tzu Chi Med J ; 36(4): 418-424, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39421486

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been well known for its advantages in the past 10 years, but little is known regarding its oncologic outcomes while the technique is being developed at an institution. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of LH for patients with primary HCC at favorable locations, focusing on postoperative short- and long-term outcomes during the development period. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with primary HCC who underwent hepatectomy between January 2013 and December 2019 at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital. Patients with HCC at favorable locations (anterolateral segments) were collected and divided into laparoscopic and open hepatectomy (OH) groups. The data for long-term outcomes, as the primary endpoint, and postoperative outcomes, as the secondary endpoint, were collected. Results: The review included 159 patients, among which 42 and 44 patients in favorable locations underwent open and laparoscopic hepatectomies, respectively. There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, major complication rate, and 90-day mortality rate between the two groups. The laparoscopic group had a lower transfusion rate, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and lower 90-day readmission rate. There were no significant differences in 12-, 36-, and 60-month overall survival and disease-free survival. Conclusion: LH for favorably located HCC is the preferred surgical approach compared to OH due to the decreased transfusion rate, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and lower 90-day readmission rate. LH did not compromise the 90-day mortality rate with sustained long-term overall and disease-free survival. LH for favorably located HCC is a safe and effective surgical approach even during the development period.

19.
Am J Cancer Res ; 14(7): 3639-3651, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39113864

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a leading risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), contributing to cancer development through direct genomic integration and chronic inflammation. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), known for its antioxidant properties, is widely utilized in cancer prevention. However, clinical evidence regarding its protective effect against HCC in HBV carriers remains sparse. In this retrospective cohort study spanning 2008 to 2018, we utilized Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to include 1,061,174 chronic HBV carriers. Participants were stratified into NAC users and non-users using Propensity Score Matching. We assessed the incidence of HCC in both cohorts, examining the relationship between NAC usage duration and HCC incidence, and evaluating the dose-response effect. NAC users exhibited a significantly lower risk of developing HCC (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36-0.40; P < 0.0001). A dose-response relationship was evident, with higher cumulative defined daily doses (cDDDs) of NAC correlating with reduced HCC risk, revealing a significant trend (P < 0.0001). Notably, a daily NAC intensity of > 1.4 DDDs was associated with a decreased risk of HCC in HBV patients. Our results demonstrate that the use of NAC, in a dose-dependent manner, is intricately linked with a diminished incidence of HCC in individuals chronically infected with the HBV.

20.
Am J Cancer Res ; 14(7): 3555-3564, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39113877

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different pre-transplant local treatments on the survival of liver transplantation (LTx) recipients with BCLC Stage A Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). We analyzed data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry and National Health Insurance Research Databases spanning 2012 to 2018. Employing propensity score matching, patients were categorized into three groups: those receiving local treatments (180 patients), hepatectomy (179 patients), and combined treatments (180 patients). The primary outcomes were overall mortality and HCC-specific death, assessed using time-varying Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. During a median follow-up period of 3.92 years, all-cause mortality rates were observed as 74.44% for local treatments, 42.46% for hepatectomy, and 65.00% for combined treatments. HCC-specific mortality rates followed a similar pattern at 65.00%, 39.11%, and 59.44%, respectively. Adjusted hazard ratios demonstrated significantly elevated mortality risks associated with local and combined treatments compared to hepatectomy. Notably, the 2-year overall and HCC-specific survival rates were highest in the hepatectomy group, surpassing those observed in both the combined treatment and local treatment groups. The findings of our study highlight that for patients with BCLC Stage A HCC, undergoing hepatectomy prior to LTx is associated with superior survival outcomes compared to solely local treatments. This underscores the importance of considering hepatectomy as a vital component of the treatment strategy in this patient population.

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