From Fragmentation to Resolution: High-Fidelity Genome Assembly of Zancudomyces culisetae through Comparative Insights from PacBio, Nanopore, and Illumina Sequencing.

Zancudomyces culisetae is an obligate symbiotic fungus inhabiting the digestive tracts of aquatic insect larvae, including black flies, midges, and mosquitoes. With a global distribution and high prevalence in disease-transmitting insects, Z. culisetae serves as a model for studying insect gut fungi.

Microbiome of limb-threatening diabetic foot ulcers indicates the association of fastidious Stenotrophomonas and major amputation.

Background: Proper identification of the polymicrobial microorganisms in patients with limb-threatening diabetic foot ulcers (LTDFUs) using conventional culture is insufficient. This prospective study evaluates the potential value of adjuvant molecular testing assisting in identify fastidious micro-organisms in LTDFUs compared to standard treatment alone.

Methods: Ninety patients with LTDFUs received interdisciplinary and standard antibiotic treatment in a referral diabetic foot center.

Performance of Sequentially Bilateral Cochlear Implanted Children Who Speak Mandarin.

Introduction: Cochlear implantation is an effective treatment for children with deafness. Although the binaural effect of bilateral cochlear implantation on sound localization and speech perception in noisy environments has been demonstrated, the outcome and performance predictors of the second cochlear implant (CI2) remain uncertain for patients receiving sequential implantation. This study evaluated the hearing performance between the first cochlear implant (CI1), CI2, and bilateral cochlear implants (CI1+2) among children with sequential bilateral cochlear implantation.

Research on the Application Effect of Strengthening Risk Management in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Nursing of Critically Ill Patients.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of risk management in the nursing of critically ill patients on continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

Methods: In this retrospective study, 80 critically ill patients on continuous renal replacement therapy in our hospital from February 2020 to February 2021 were recruited. They were randomly assigned to receive either the risk management treatment (risk management group) or the conventional management treatment (conventional management group) via the random number table method.

ENERGI-F703 gel, as a new topical treatment for diabetic foot and leg ulcers: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase II trial.

Background: Diabetic foot and leg ulcers are a major cause of disability among patients with diabetes mellitus. A topical gel called ENERGI-F703, applied twice daily and with adenine as its active pharmaceutical ingredient, accelerated wound healing in diabetic mice. The current study evaluated the safety and efficacy of ENERGI-F703 for patients with diabetic foot and leg ulcers.

Impact of wound microbiology on limb preservation in patients with diabetic foot infection.

Aims/introduction: To investigate the association between specific bacterial pathogens and treatment outcome in patients with limb-threatening diabetic foot infection (LT-DFI).

Materials And Methods: Consecutive patients treated for LT-DFI in a major diabetic foot center in Taiwan were analyzed between the years 2014 and 2017. Patients with positive wound culture results at first aid were enrolled.

Factors related to hospital-to-home transitional self-monitoring blood glucose behaviour among patients with diabetes-related foot ulcer.

Aims: To explore the factors related to hospital-to-home transitional self-monitoring blood glucose behaviour among patients with diabetes-related foot ulcer.

Background: The 30-day readmission rate of patients with diabetes-related foot ulcer can be reduced when good glycaemic control is achieved. The practice of self-monitoring blood glucose promotes optimal glycaemic control.

The analysis for time of referral to a medical center among patients with diabetic foot infection.

Background: Diabetic foot infection (DFI) is a limb- and life-threatening complication for diabetic patients needing immediate and comprehensive treatment. Early referral of DFI patients to a diabetic foot center is recommended but there appears limited validated evidence, with the association between referral time and clinical outcomes of limb- preservation or in-hospital mortality still lacking.

Methods: This retrospective research studied consecutive type 2 diabetic patients with DFI treated at the major diabetic foot center in Taiwan from 2014 to 2017.

microRNA-564 inhibits the aggressive phenotypes of papillary thyroid cancer by directly targeting astrocyte-elevated gene-1.

Accumulating evidence has revealed that an increasing number of microRNAs (miRNAs) are dysregulated in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and that their dysregulation plays an important role in PTC onset and progression. Reportedly, miRNA-564 (miR-564) is downregulated in several types of human cancer. However, its expression profile and specific functions in PTC remain unclear to date.

Amino acids and wound healing in people with limb-threatening diabetic foot ulcers.

Background: Amino acids are associated with wound healing in traumatic wounds and burns, although their effects on healing in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate and identify specific amino acids associated with healing outcomes of patients with DFUs.

Methods: Sixty-two out of 85 patients who completed the in-hospital treatment for limb-threatening DFUs were enrolled.

MicroRNA-652 suppresses malignant phenotypes in glioblastoma multiforme via FOXK1-mediated AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Purpose: An increasing number of studies have documented that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is common in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). miR-652 is aberrantly expressed in various human cancers and plays important roles in numerous cancer-related processes. However, the expression profiles and potential roles of miR-652 in GBM remain largely unknown.

Survival and associated risk factors in patients with diabetes and amputations caused by infectious foot gangrene.

Background: Infectious gangrene of the foot is a serious complication of diabetes that usually leads to a certain level of lower-extremity amputation (LEA). Nevertheless, the long-term survival and factors associated with mortality in such patients have yet to be elucidated.

Methods: A total of 157 patients with type 2 diabetes who received treatment for infectious foot gangrene at a major diabetic foot center in Taiwan from 2002 to 2009 were enrolled, of whom 90 had major LEAs (above the ankle) and 67 had minor LEAs (below the ankle).

Tone production and perception and intelligibility of produced speech in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implanted children.

Objective: This study explored tone production, tone perception and intelligibility of produced speech in Mandarin-speaking prelingually deaf children with at least 5 years of cochlear implant (CI) experience. Another focus was on the predictive value of tone perception and tone production as they relate to speech intelligibility.

Design: Cross-sectional research.

Efficient generation and frequency modulation of quasi-monochromatic terahertz wave in Lithium Niobate subwavelength waveguide.

A kind of lateral excitation (LE) configuration is proposed for quasi-monochromatic terahertz generation via impulsive stimulated Raman scattering in a LiNbO (LN) slab waveguide by numerical simulation. In an individual waveguide, maximum efficiency frequency-selective excitation is achieved with linewidth narrower than 38 GHz when phase matching is fulfilled between the pump laser and the generated terahertz (THz) waves. As a result, the frequency and linewidth of narrowband THz waves can be tuned through changing the dispersion of THz waves, which is implemented by adjusting the thickness of host LN slab.

Effect of limb preservation status and body mass index on the survival of patients with limb-threatening diabetic foot ulcers.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of limb preservation status and body mass index (BMI) on the survival of patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).

Methods: A total of 1346 patients treated for limb-threatening DFUs at a major diabetic foot center in Taiwan from 2002 to 2009 were tracked until December 2012. The patients were classified into three groups: limb-preserved (n=858), minor lower-extremity amputation (LEA) (n=249), and major LEA (n=239).

Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factor Analysis for Lower-Extremity Amputations in Diabetic Patients With Foot Ulcer Complicated by Necrotizing Fasciitis.

Patients with diabetes are at a higher risk of having diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) or necrotizing fasciitis (NF). The present study aims to examine the clinical characteristics and associated risk factors for lower-extremity amputation (LEA) in patients with DFU complicated by NF.We retrospectively reviewed patients treated at a major diabetic foot center in Taiwan between 2009 and 2014.

The impact of nutritional status on treatment outcomes of patients with limb-threatening diabetic foot ulcers.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status of patients with limb-threatening diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and its impact on treatment outcomes.

Methods: A total of 478 consecutive patients (mean age, 65.4years) treated for limb-threatening DFUs were enrolled.

Treatment for diabetic foot ulcers complicated by major cardiac events.

Objective: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a major complication in patients with diabetes mellitus and the leading cause of non-traumatic amputation in adults. Patients with DFU are usually fragile due to chronic diabetic comorbidities; therefore, tedious debridement and intervention procedures may not be well tolerated in patients with DFU. This study aimed to identify a casual relationship between in-hospital complications and treatment for limb-threatening DFUs.

Speech Recognition Performance under Noisy Conditions of Children with Hearing Loss.

Objectives: In order to understand the communicative abilities of hearing impaired children in noisy situations and their communication problems, this study was undertaken to examine speech recognition at different background noise levels, and to compare how context cues in noisy situations affect speech recognition.

Methods: Thirty-four children with severe/profound hearing impairment were enrolled. Fifteen children had cochlear implants (CIs) and 19 used hearing aids (HAs).

Risk factors for lower extremity amputation in diabetic foot disease categorized by Wagner classification.

Aims: To elucidate the risk factors for lower extremity amputation (LEA) in patients of diabetic foot disease with different Wagner gradings.

Methods: This study was conducted in a multidisciplinary diabetic foot care center. Demographic characteristics, laboratory data, disease history, ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) and Wagner classification were considered as independent variables to predict the therapeutic outcome (major LEA, minor LEA, and non-amputation).

The agreement of caregivers' initial identification of children's developmental problems with the professional assessment in Taiwan.

Children's developmental problems vary, with some easier to identify than others. The accuracy of caregivers' initial identification of children's developmental problems is important in the timely treatment of those problems by medical professionals. In this study, we investigated the degree to which caregivers' initial identification of children's developmental problems matched the clinical assessment by a team of qualified professionals in a developmental assessment unit of a medical center in Taiwan.

Tone discrimination and speech perception benefit in Mandarin-speaking children fit with HiRes fidelity 120 sound processing.

Objective: To compare tone discrimination, speech perception, and general listening benefit in Mandarin-speaking children using standard HiRes and after 1, 3, and 6 months of HiRes 120 use. The HiResolution Bionic Ear is an implantable prosthesis designed to provide access to sound and to improve perception of speech via electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve. The newest sound-processing strategy is HiRes with Fidelity 120 (HiRes 120).