Investigating the Pulmonary Host Response of Infection-Associated Pneumonia by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing.

For investigating the host response in associated pneumonia, we analyzed the host genetic sequences obtained from metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). The samples for mNGS were bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected from the lungs of patients infected with and from patients without bacterial infections. BALF samples from patients with pneumonia were collected from the lungs of patients infected with with New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM, before treatment), A.

A modified method for measuring the length of peripherally inserted central catheters to reduce the risk of malposition during catheter insertion.

Background: Malposition may occur during peripherally inserted central catheter insertion. Accurately measuring the length of a peripherally inserted central catheter is crucial to preventing malposition, including "long peripherally inserted central catheter placement," in which the tip of a peripherally inserted central catheter is deeper than the target position. The traditional method of measuring peripherally inserted central catheter length involves measuring from the insertion site to the parasternal notch and down to the third or fourth intercostal space, which may result in overestimation because of the thickness of the pectoralis major and anterior chest wall.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is rare disease manifested as alveolar macrophage dysfunction and abnormal accumulation of surfactant protein in the alveoli. In this nationwide, population-based study, we investigated the epidemiology of PAP in Taiwan, and discovered the comorbidities and prognostic factors of PAP.

Methods: From the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), we obtained comprehensive information about all patients of PAP in Taiwan between 1995 and 2013.

Recurrent Exacerbations and Evolution into Polymyositis in a Patient with Interstitial Pneumonia with Autoimmune Features: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) is a new disease entity proposed in 2015. Numerous questions regarding IPAF require clarification, including diagnostic criteria, standard managements for stable disease and exacerbation, and prognosis. We report a case of a 67-year-old Asian woman who presented with progressive dyspnea.

An integrated analysis of the cancer genome atlas data discovers a hierarchical association structure across thirty three cancer types.

Cancer cells harbor molecular alterations at all levels of information processing. Genomic/epigenomic and transcriptomic alterations are inter-related between genes, within and across cancer types and may affect clinical phenotypes. Despite the abundant prior studies of integrating cancer multi-omics data, none of them organizes these associations in a hierarchical structure and validates the discoveries in extensive external data.

Cysteinyl Leukotriene Pathway and Cancer.

Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, despite many advances being made in recent decades. Changes in the tumor microenvironment, including dysregulated immunity, may contribute to carcinogenesis and cancer progression. The cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) pathway is involved in several signal pathways, having various functions in different tissues.

Risk of pneumothorax in pneumoconiosis patients in Taiwan: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: This study was conducted to explore the association between pneumoconiosis and pneumothorax.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Nationwide population-based study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database.

The Association between Temporomandibular Disorder and Sleep Apnea-A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

An increased incidence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) among patients with sleep apnea (SA) has been reported. However, the association between TMD and SA has not been demonstrated in a large-scale study. This population-based cohort study with the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database aimed to understand the association between SA and TMD.

Imbalance in liver homeostasis leading to hyperplasia by overexpressing either one of the Bcl-2-related genes, zfBLP1 and zfMcl-1a.

Apoptosis is an essential part of normal embryonic development in vertebrates, and it is involved in sculpturing organs and controlling cell populations. In previous studies, we identified two novel proteins, zfBLP1 and zfMcl-1a, which are similar to those of the Bcl-2 family as a group of evolutionarily conserved proteins that regulate cellular anti-apoptosis. To evaluate the effect of dysregulated hepatocyte apoptosis during zebrafish hepatogenesis, we demonstrate the transgenic overexpression of either zfBLP1 or zfMcl-1a in zebrafish larval liver.