Glycemic levels and cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes: A cohort study of drugs with different hypoglycemic potentials.

Research indicates a U-shaped association between mortality and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in patients receiving sulfonylurea or insulin. However, the relationship between glucose levels and cardiovascular events in patients on novel agents with a lower hypoglycemic potential remains unknown. This study was aimed to examine the association between cardiovascular events and HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving drugs with different hypoglycemic potentials.

Impact of Multiple Cardiovascular Events on Long-Term Outcomes and Bleeding Risk in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are at high risk for recurrent cardiovascular events and bleeding complications, particularly in Asian populations. The long-term impact of multiple cardiovascular events and bleeding on outcomes remains unclear.

Methods: Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, this retrospective cohort study included 28 086 patients with ACS categorized into single-event and multiple-event groups based on cardiovascular events occurring within 2 years of the index ACS event.

The efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a group of hereditary neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the progressive incoordination of gait, impaired motor control, and various neurological deficits. Therapeutic options for SCA remain limited. However, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has gained attention as a potential intervention due to its noninvasive nature, ease of application, and favorable safety profile.

Propafenone- vs. amiodarone-associated adverse cardiac outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

Aims: Clinical trials have shown an increased risk of death in patients with recent myocardial infarction who received antiarrhythmic drugs such as flecainide, encainide or moricizine, especially in the presence of associated structural heart disease such as cardiac dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate the safety outcomes of propafenone use in atrial fibrillation patients with heart failure when compared to those of amiodarone use.

Methods: This population-based cohort study used the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan.

Exploring using HBsAg to predict interferon treatment course to achieve clinical cure in chronic hepatitis B patients: a clinical study.

Objective: Although pegylated interferon α-2b (PEG-IFN α-2b) therapy for chronic hepatitis B has received increasing attention, determining the optimal treatment course remains challenging. This research aimed to develop an efficient model for predicting interferon (IFN) treatment course.

Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis B, undergoing PEG-IFN α-2b monotherapy or combined with NAs (Nucleoside Analogs), were recruited from January 2018 to December 2023 at Tianjin Third Central Hospital.

Numerical Investigation and Device Architecture Optimization of SbSe Thin-Film Solar Cells Using SCAPS-1D.

Antimony selenide (SbSe) shows promise for photovoltaics due to its favorable properties and low toxicity. However, current SbSe solar cells exhibit efficiencies significantly below their theoretical limits, primarily due to interface recombination and non-optimal device architectures. This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation of SbSe thin-film solar cells using SCAPS-1D simulation software, focusing on device architecture optimization and interface engineering.

Low-dose aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease: A real-world nationwide cohort study.

Aims/introduction: Cardiovascular mortality risk is elevated among patients with diabetes and concurrent chronic kidney disease. However, controversy surrounds the use of aspirin for primary prevention within this population. This study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of low-dose aspirin for primary prevention in patients with diabetes and pre-end-stage renal disease.

Correlation between Subchondral Insufficiency Fracture of the Knee and Osteoarthritis Progression in Patients with Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tear.

A medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) contributes to knee joint degeneration. Arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair (ATPR) may restore biomechanical integrity for load transmission. However, degeneration persists after ATPR in certain patients, particularly those with preoperative subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee (SIFK).

Renal outcomes after contrast exposure in patients with diabetes who use sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors.

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy has become increasingly prevalent as the age and prevalence of comorbidities in the general population have increased. Most cases of contrast-induced nephropathy are reversible; however, some may progress to acute kidney disease, and subsequently, to chronic kidney disease. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are known for their renoprotective effects.

Thromboembolic Presentations among Patients Hospitalized to the Intensive Care Unit for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - A Northern Taiwan Single Center Experience.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with a high thromboembolic risk among patients in intensive care units. Asian populations may share a similar thromboembolic risk, but with a higher prevalence of arterial thromboembolism than venous thromboembolism. To clarify this risk in Taiwan, this single-center retrospective study collected 27 consecutive intensive care unit patients with COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, with a median age of 67.

Comparison of clinical outcomes of angiotensin receptor blockers with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are considered an alternative to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but in the era of extensive use of preventive therapies and percutaneous coronary intervention, this has not been adequately evaluated in Asians.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. In total, 52,620 patients initially hospitalized due to AMI between 2002 and 2015 were assessed.

Platelet-Rich Fibrin-Augmented Gap-Bridging Strategy in Rabbit Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair.

Background: We assessed the efficacy of a novel platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)-augmented repair strategy for promoting biological healing of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) midsubstance tear in a rabbit model. The biological gap-bridging effect of a PRF scaffold alone or in combination with rabbit ligamentocytes on primary ACL healing was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.

Hypothesis: A PRF matrix can be implanted as a provisional fibrin-platelet bridging scaffold at an ACL defect to facilitate functional healing.

Real-World Experience of Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibition in Reduced Ejection Fraction Heart Failure Patients With Advanced Kidney Disease.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs) in real-world patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and advanced chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] < 30 mL/min per 1.73 m), which have been excluded from the landmark trials.

Patients And Methods: This study examined 3281 patients pooled from two multicenter HFrEF cohorts, and 661 patients with baseline eGFR less than 30 mL/min per 1.

The Flexibility of Physio-Cognitive Decline Syndrome: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

The mutual presence of impairments in physical and cognitive functions in older adults has been reported to predict incident disability, dementia, and mortality. The longitudinal transitions of phenotypes between these functional impairments, either individually or in combination, remain unclear. To investigate the natural course and prevalence of physical and/or cognitive impairments (CIs), we enrolled participants from a community-based population.

Baseline Cerebro-Cerebellar Functional Connectivity in Afferent and Efferent Pathways Reveal Dissociable Improvements in Visuomotor Learning.

Visuomotor coordination is a complex process involving several brain regions, primarily the cerebellum and motor cortex. Studies have shown inconsistent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) results in the cerebellar cortex and dentate nucleus of the cerebro-cerebellar connections. Echoing anatomical pathways, these two different cerebellar regions are differentially responsible for afferent and efferent cerebro-cerebellar functional connections.

The Clinical Course of Early and Late Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Introduction: Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can be classified as either early MCI (EMCI) or late MCI (LMCI) according to the severity of memory impairment. The aim of this study was to compare the prognosis and clinical course between EMCI and LMCI.

Methods: Between January 2009 and December 2017, a total of 418 patients with MCI and 146 subjects with normal cognition were recruited from a memory clinic.

Frequency-Dependent Effects of Cerebellar Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Visuomotor Accuracy.

The cerebellum plays a critical role in acquiring visuomotor skills. Visuomotor task mastery requires improving both visuomotor accuracy and stability; however, the cerebellum's contribution to these processes remains unclear. We hypothesized that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the cerebellum exerts frequency-dependent modulatory effects on both accuracy and stability in subjects performing a visuomotor coordination task (i.

Prediction of Cerebral Amyloid Pathology Based on Plasma Amyloid and Tau Related Markers.

Pyroglutamate-modified β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) is crucial for AD pathophysiological process. The potential associations of plasma Aβ and total tau (t-tau) with brain Aβ burden and cognitive performance remain to be clarified. Forty-six subjects with unimpaired cognition, mild cognitive impairment, or very mild dementia were enrolled.

Association of multiple preventive therapies postdischarge and long-term health outcomes after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Statins, beta-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers have been advocated by guidelines as secondary prevention medications to improve the long-term outcomes of post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. However, adequate drug adherence has always been challenging, and different treatment regimens may lead to divergent outcomes that remain unclear under current myocardial infarction (MI) care standards. This study investigated the association between use of different preventive regimens post-AMI and patients' long-term outcomes.

Investigation of dual antiplatelet therapy after coronary stenting in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is currently the standard treatment for the prevention of ischemic events after stent implantation. However, the optimal DAPT duration remains elusive for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, we aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety between long-term and short-term DAPT after coronary stenting in patients with CKD.