Clinical Pharmacology Characterization of the First-In-Class Oncolytic Viral Therapy T-VEC in Adults and Pediatric Subjects.

Oncolytic viruses are an emerging class of immunotherapies for cancer treatment. Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is a first-in-class oncolytic virus approved globally for advanced melanoma. Herein, we describe the quantitative clinical pharmacology aspects of T-VEC that supported the development of this unique therapy.

Impact of cilostazol on clinical outcomes in lower extremity arterial disease patients after angioplasty: A real-world analysis.

Background: Cilostazol has been shown to improve walking distance in patients with lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) and may reduce restenosis after revascularization. However, its long-term prognostic impact in real-world settings remains underexplored.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (2012-2022).

Coherence Analysis of Cardiovascular Signals for Detecting Early Diabetic Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy: Insights into Glycemic Control.

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a common yet frequently underdiagnosed complication of diabetes. While our previous study demonstrated the utility of multiscale cross-approximate entropy (MS-CXApEn) in detecting early CAN, the present study further investigates the use of frequency-domain coherence analysis between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and R-R intervals (RRI) and evaluates the effects of insulin treatment on autonomic function in diabetic rats. At the onset of diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ), rats were assessed for cardiovascular autonomic function both before and after insulin treatment.

Simplified computed tomography pulmonary angiography score predicts clinical deterioration in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: Currently, simplified methods based on computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) to predict clinical deterioration in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) are lacking. We developed a simplified imaging model with good clinical accessibility to predict this outcome.

Study Design And Methods: Patients with acute pulmonary embolism from 2008 to 2019 were retrospectively enrolled from two medical centers to form a study cohort and a validation cohort.

Classification of internet addiction using machine learning on electroencephalography synchronization and functional connectivity.

Background: Internet addiction (IA) refers to excessive internet use that causes cognitive impairment or distress. Understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning IA is crucial for enabling an accurate diagnosis and informing treatment and prevention strategies. Despite the recent increase in studies examining the neurophysiological traits of IA, their findings often vary.

Prognostic Impact of Implementation of Heart Team Approach on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Complex Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: In patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), treatment options include medical therapy, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The decision between PCI and CABG depends on disease severity and revascularization risk. Guidelines promote a heart team approach (HTA) with shared decision-making, yet PCI remains prevalent.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Tarlatamab, a Half-Life Extended DLL3-Directed Bispecific T-Cell Engager in Patients with Previously Treated Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background And Objective: Tarlatamab is a first in class, half-life extended delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) directed bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE®) immunotherapy that has shown durable efficacy in patients with previously treated small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The purpose of this analysis was to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model for tarlatamab.

Methods: This analysis includes data from 420 patients with previously treated small cell lung cancer (8509 samples) pooled across the Phase 1 DeLLphi-300 study (dose range 0.

TwPAD registry: A prospective, multicenter registry of chronic peripheral arterial disease involving lower limbs in Taiwan.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a consequence of systemic atherosclerosis, resulting in arterial narrowing and diminished blood flow, leading to complications like claudication, rest pain, ulcers, gangrene, and functional limitations. Despite its impact on cardiovascular mortality, physical function, and quality of life, PAD has received less attention than other atherosclerotic disorders. This study addresses the paucity of comprehensive clinical data on PAD in Taiwan, aiming to analyze its incidence, risk factors, pharmacological and interventional treatments, and outcomes.

Deep learning model for diagnosis of venous thrombosis from lower extremity peripheral ultrasound imaging.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) causes significant healthcare burdens worldwide. This study aims to establish a deep learning model for the diagnosis of DVT from the assessment of vein compressibility. Considering the complexity of ultrasound images, convolutional neural networks with UNet and residual neural network (ResNet) are established for image segmentation, from venous duplex ultrasonographic video images, obtained through standard and portable handheld ultrasound methods.

Macropterous species of genus Melanabropsis Wang & Liu, 2020 (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae: Anabropsini) from the localities predicted in a previous study.

The genus Melanabropsis currently consists of four micropterous species and one macropterous species from continental Asia and west Pacific islands. Yin (2024) predicted several potential habitats suitable for Melanabropsis species including Taiwan and Guizhou. In this study two additional new species from Taiwan and Guizhou are described, confirming the distribution prediction proposed by Yin.

2024 Guidelines of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology on the Primary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease --- Part II.

For the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the recommended treatment target for each modifiable risk factor is as follows: reducing body weight by 5-10%; blood pressure < 130/80 mmHg (systolic pressure < 120 mmHg in high-risk individuals); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) < 100 mg/dL in high-risk individuals, LDL-C < 115 mg/dL in moderate-risk individuals, LDL-C < 130 mg/dL in low-risk individuals, and LDL-C < 160 mg/dL in those with a minimal; complete and persistent abstinence from cigarette smoking; hemoglobin A1C < 7.0%; fulfilling recommended amounts of the six food groups according to the Taiwan food guide; and moderate-intensity physical activity 150 min/wk or vigorous physical activity 75 min/wk. For the primary prevention of ASCVD by pharmacological treatment in individuals with modifiable risk factors/clinical conditions, statins are the first-line therapy for reducing LDL-C levels; some specific anti-diabetic drugs proven to be effective in randomized controlled trials for the primary prevention of ASCVD are recommended in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus; pharmacological treatment is recommended to assist in weight management for obese patients with a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m (or 27 kg/m who also have at least one ASCVD risk factor or obesity-related comorbidity); an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, a sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, and finerenone can be used in diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease for the primary prevention of ASCVD.

Thoracic Pyogenic Spondylitis Misdiagnosed As Osteoporotic Compression Fracture Status Post Vertebral Augmentation With Resultant Paraplegia: A Case Report.

This paper describes a case of serious complications following vertebral augmentation resulting from a misdiagnosis of pyogenic spondylitis as osteoporotic compression fracture (OCF). A 56-year-old female with systemic lupus erythematosus underwent vertebral augmentation following a diagnosis of T10 OCF based on plain film analysis. Note that preoperative computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were not performed.

Normal-Incidence Germanium Photodetectors Integrated with Polymer Microlenses for Optical Fiber Communication Applications.

We present a novel photon-acid diffusion method to integrate polymer microlenses (MLs) on a four-channel, high-speed photo-receiver consisting of normal-incidence germanium (Ge) p-i-n photodiodes (PDs) fabricated on a 200 mm Si substrate. For a 29 µm diameter PD capped with a 54 µm diameter ML, its dark current, responsivity, 3 dB bandwidth (BW), and effective aperture size at -3 V bias and 850 nm wavelength are measured to be 138 nA, 0.6 A/W, 21.

Room temperature operation of germanium-silicon single-photon avalanche diode.

The ability to detect single photons has led to the advancement of numerous research fields. Although various types of single-photon detector have been developed, because of two main factors-that is, (1) the need for operating at cryogenic temperature and (2) the incompatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication processes-so far, to our knowledge, only Si-based single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) has gained mainstream success and has been used in consumer electronics. With the growing demand to shift the operation wavelength from near-infrared to short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) for better safety and performance, an alternative solution is required because Si has negligible optical absorption for wavelengths beyond 1 µm.

Dysregulation of the circRNA_0087207/miR-548c-3p/PLSR1-TGFB2 axis in Leber hereditary optic neuropathy in vitro.

Background: Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is mainly the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) associated with high apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, which is accepted to be caused by the mutations in the subunits of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The treatment is still infant while efforts of correcting genes or using antioxidants do not bring good and consistent results. Unaffected carrier carries LHON mutation but shows normal phenotype, suggesting that the disease's pathogenesis is complex, in which secondary factors exist and cooperate with the primary complex I dysfunction.

2023 TAMIS/TSOC/TACVPR Consensus Statement for Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Rehabilitation.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a comprehensive intervention recommended in international and Taiwanese guidelines for patients with acute myocardial infarction. Evidence supports that cardiac rehabilitation improves the health-related quality of life, enhances exercise capacity, reduces readmission rates, and promotes survival in patients with cardiovascular disease. The cardiac rehabilitation team is comprehensive and multidisciplinary.

Evaluation of the effect of erenumab on migraine-specific questionnaire in patients with chronic and episodic migraine.

Erenumab is a fully human anti-canonical calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor monoclonal antibody approved for migraine prevention. The Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (MSQ) is a 14-item patient-reported outcome instrument that measures the impact of migraine on health-related quality of life. Erenumab data from four phase II/III clinical trials were used to develop an item response theory (IRT) model within a nonlinear mixed effects framework, (i) evaluate the MSQ item information with respect to patient disability, (ii) characterize the longitudinal progression of the MSQ, and (iii) quantify the effect of erenumab on the MSQ in patients with migraine.

Hydrogenation Effect on Interlayer Coupling and Magneto-Transport Properties of Pd/Co/Mg/Fe Multilayers.

Hydrogenation-induced modification of magnetic properties has been widely studied. A Mg spacer layer with high hydrogen storage stability was clamped in a Pd/Co/Mg/Fe multilayer structure to enhance its hydrogen storage stability and explore the structure's magneto-transport properties. After 1 bar hydrogen exposure, the formation of a stable MgH phase was demonstrated in an ambient environment at room temperature through X-ray diffraction.

Two new species of the genus Ocellarnaca Gorochov, 2004 (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae) from China.

The paper reports two new species of the genus Ocellarnaca Gorochov, 2004 (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae) from China, i.e. Ocellarnaca longiprotubera sp.