Metformin modifies plasma microbial-derived extracellular vesicles in polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance.

Introduction: This study investigated changes in plasma microbial-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance (PCOS-IR) before and after metformin treatment, and aimed to identify bacterial taxa within EVs that were biologically and statistically significant for diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: The case-control study was conducted at Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Hua Qiao University. Plasma samples were collected from five PCOS-IR patients of childbearing age before and after 3 months of metformin treatment, and the samples were sequenced.

Risk factors associated with periodontal disease and its impact on quality of life among pregnant women.

Background: Periodontal disease during pregnancy affects maternal oral health and increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, studies on the risk factors for periodontal disease and its impact on oral health-related quality of life in pregnant women in Taiwan are lacking. This present study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with periodontal disease during pregnancy and examine the relationship of periodontal disease with oral health-related quality of life among pregnant women.

Reducing primary cesarean delivery rate through implementation of a smart intrapartum surveillance system.

The rapid changes in clinical maternity situations that occur in a labor and delivery unit can lead to unpredictable maternal and newborn morbidities. Cesarean section (CS) rate is a key indicator of the accessibility and quality of a labor and delivery unit. This retrospective cross-sectional study assesses the nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex (NTSV) cesarean delivery rates before and after the implementation of a smart intrapartum surveillance system.

Birth outcomes following pelvic ring injury: A retrospective study.

Objective: To report obstetric outcomes in pregnant women with previous pelvic ring injury (PRI) and investigate the correlation between residual pelvic deformity and the mode of delivery.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Single medical centre in Taiwan.

Effect of Gestational Age at Fetoscopic Laser Photocoagulation on Perinatal Outcomes for Patients with Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of gestational age (GA) at the time of fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP) for severe twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) on perinatal outcomes in a single center in Taiwan.

Materials And Methods: Severe TTTS was defined as a diagnosis of TTTS before a GA of 26 weeks. Consecutive cases of severe TTTS treated at our hospital with FLP between October 2005 and September 2022 were included.

Prenatal diagnosis of Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome type 1 with an 814 kb Xq26.2 deletion with the initial presentation of a thick nuchal fold.

Objective: Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome type 1 (SGBS1) is a rare X-linked recessive disorder characterized by overgrowth and multiple anomalies. Most clinical diagnoses of SGBS1 are made postnatally. We present the case of a pregnant woman in whom the fetus presented with a thick nuchal fold 5.

Effect of Fetoscopic Laser Photocoagulation on Fetal Growth and Placental Perfusion in Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the fetal growth pattern after fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP) in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and the effect of FLP on placental perfusion and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) incidence. Methods: TTTS cases with a live delivery of both twins at least 28 days after FLP and with a neonatal follow-up at our hospital at least 60 days after delivery were included. The biometric data obtained before FLP (based on ultrasound); time point M1), upon birth (M2), and at neonatal follow-up (M3) were analyzed.

Effect of Hypoxia on Glucose Transporter 1 and 3 Gene Expression in Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Growth-Restricted Fetuses.

(1) Background: Glucose is transferred from maternal blood to the fetus by glucose transporters. What is the effect of hypoxia on the gene expression of placenta glucose transporter 1 () and glucose transporter 3 () in growth-restricted fetus is interesting. (2) Methods: The gene expression of and and the protein expression of HIF-1α were evaluated under nonhypoxic conditions and after 4 and 8 h under hypoxic conditions in placental mesenchymal stem cells derived from monochorionic twin pregnancies with selective intrauterine growth restriction.

Incidence, prognosis, and perinatal outcomes of and risk factors for severe twin-twin transfusion syndrome with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction in the recipient twin after fetoscopic laser photocoagulation.

Background: Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) is the most frequently encountered congenital heart disease in patients with twin -twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and is especially prevalent in the recipient twin. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the incidence, prognosis, postnatal management, and perinatal outcomes of and risk factors for RVOTO in the recipient twin in severe TTTS cases which diagnosed before 26 weeks after fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP) at a single center in Taiwan.

Methods: RVOTO was diagnosed using fetal or postnatal echocardiography.

Absence of chronicity in infants born to immunized mothers with occult HBV infection in Taiwan.

Background & Aims: In the Taiwanese population born in the universal vaccination era, HBsAg carrier rates have fallen below 2%, while approximately 5% develop occult hepatitis B infection (OBI). However, the potential for transmission from mothers with OBI to their infants has not been well studied. We aimed to investigate whether mothers with OBI could transmit HBV to their babies.

The impact of prenatal screening tests on prenatal diagnosis in Taiwan from 2006 to 2019: a regional cohort study.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of prenatal screening tests on prenatal diagnosis in Taiwan's 14 years from 2006 to 2019.

Methods: The prenatal screening methods evolved from the second-trimester serum screening to combined first-trimester screening (cFTS) and then followed by the non-invasive cell-free DNA prenatal test (NIPT). The data used by the Department of Statistics, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior public website.

Taiwanese Clinical Experience with Noninvasive Prenatal Testing for DiGeorge Syndrome.

Objective: DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) is associated with microdeletions of chromosome 22q11. It is the second most common cause of congenital heart disease and is an important consideration whenever a conotruncal cardiac anomaly is identified. The availability of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is altering the practice of prenatal genetics and maternal-fetal medicine, resulting in a decline in invasive testing.

Association between intrauterine growth restriction and patent ductus arteriosus: Use of a dichorionic twin pregnancy model.

Objective: To evaluate the association between intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and the incidence of fetuses with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and Hemodynamically significant PDA (Hs-PDA) in dichorionic twins (DC) with selective IUGR.

Materials And Methods: This is an observational cohort study and retrospective case assessment, involved twins born at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan between 2013 and 2018. DC twins with selective IUGR (sIUGR) were defined as the presence of a birth weight discordance of >25% and a smaller twin with a birth weight below the tenth percentile.

Prenatal transplantation of human amniotic fluid stem cell could improve clinical outcome of type III spinal muscular atrophy in mice.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a single gene disorder affecting motor function in uterus. Amniotic fluid is an alternative source of stem cell to ameliorate SMA. Therefore, this study aims to examine the therapeutic potential of Human amniotic fluid stem cell (hAFSC) for SMA.

Placental glucose transporter 1 and 3 gene expression in Monochorionic twin pregnancies with selective fetal growth restriction.

Background: In monochorionic twin (MC) gestations with selective fetal growth restriction (FGR), the discordant fetal growth usually is due to unequal placental sharing. Glucose, which is essential for oxidative metabolism in the growing placenta and fetus, is transferred from maternal blood by facilitated carrier-mediated diffusion via glucose transporters (GLUTs). How the GLUTs expression varies in the two placenta territories manifests discordant perfusion in MC twin pregnancy with selective FGR is unknown.

Taiwanese new direction in prediction of early pregnancy preeclampsia.

Objective: First trimester screening is essential to preeclampsia (PE) prevention. Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) model combined maternal characteristics with mean arterial pressure (MAP), uterine artery pulsatility index (UtAPI) and placental growth factor (PlGF) to estimate risk. High detection rate (DR) was observed in Asia.

Violet-light stimulated synaptic and learning functions in a zinc-tin oxide photoelectric transistor for neuromorphic computation.

In contrast to the commonly present UV light-stimulated synaptic oxide thin-film transistors, this study demonstrates a violet light (wavelength of 405 nm) stimulated zinc-tin oxide (ZTO) photoelectric transistor for potential application in optical neuromorphic computation. Owing to the light-induced oxygen vacancy ionization and persistent photoconductivity effect in ZTO, this device well imitates prominent synaptic functions, including photonic potentiation, electric depression, and short-term memory (STM) to long-term memory (LTM) transition. A highly linear and broad dynamic range of photonic potentiation can be achieved by modulating the light power density, while electric depression is realized by gate voltage pulsing.

Factors affecting pregnant women's decisions regarding prenatal pertussis vaccination: A decision-making study in the nationwide Prenatal Pertussis Immunization Program in Taiwan.

Objective: To examine the factors affecting pregnant women's decisions to accept or decline the prenatal pertussis (Tdap) vaccination in Taiwan.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey, recruiting pregnant women who had received prenatal care from eight maternity hospitals between January and December 2018. We examined the participants' demographic characteristics, perceptions of pertussis disease risk and vaccination effectiveness, beliefs regarding vaccine information, physician recommendation, and other potential factors affecting decision-making regarding prenatal vaccination.

The outcomes of transient elevation of maternal liver enzymes preceding laser treatment for twin-twin transfusion syndrome.

Background: A proportion of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) patients may have elevated liver enzymes (ELEzs) before fetoscopic laser therapy, but the incidence of ELEzs before laser therapy and the association with the perinatal outcomes after laser therapy remain unclear.

Methods: From October 2008 to April 2015, 93 patients with TTTS who received fetoscopic laser therapy at our hospital were included in this study, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were measured within 24 h before therapy. If ELEzs (AST > 34 U/L or ALT > 36 U/L) were observed before therapy, the AST and ALT levels were evaluated within 24 h after therapy.