Association between galectin-3 and hepatosteatosis in a community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Hepatosteatosis is a common condition that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Galectin-3 (GAL-3) has been implicated in liver fibrosis and inflammation.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between GAL-3 and hepatosteatosis.

Survival benefit of sequential curative treatment for TACE suitable BCLC stage B HCC patients.

To clarify the survival benefit of sequential curative treatment post transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we retrospectively analyzed HCC patients at a hospital. From July 2017 to July 2020, 787 treatment-naïve HCC patients underwent initial treatment; 77 (9.8%) meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled.

The Cerebral Protective Effect of Novel Erinacines from Mycelium on In Vivo Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Animal Model and Primary Mixed Glial Cells via Nrf2-Dependent Pathways.

, a consumable mushroom, has shown a potential to enhance the production of neuroprotective bioactive metabolites. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often leads to cognitive, physical, and psychosocial impairments, resulting in neuroinflammation and the loss of cortical neurons. In this research, the effects of mycelium, its derivative erinacine C, along with the underlying mechanisms, were examined in terms of oxidative stress modulation and neurological improvement in a rat model of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Antrodin C Isolated from Antrodia Cinnamomea Induced Apoptosis through ROS/AKT/ERK/P38 Signaling Pathway and Epigenetic Histone Acetylation of TNFα in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Background: Antrodin C, a maleimide derivative compound isolated from the ethanol extract of the mycelium of , is an endemic fungus of Taiwan and a potential chemoprotective agent. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the mode of action of antrodin C on cancer cells, especially in human colorectal cancer (CRC), remain unclear.

Methods: The cell death and ROS of the antrodin-C-treated HCT-116 cells were measured by annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining, DCFDA, and Fluo-3 fluorescence staining assays.

Factors Associated with Large Renal Function Decline in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Successfully Treated with Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy.

The findings regarding changes in renal function in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are controversial. This study attempted to identify the factors associated with the large decline in renal function following DAA treatment. This retrospective cohort study included patients treated with DAAs at Chiayi and Yunlin Chang Gung Hospitals, Taiwan, from 1 January 2017 to 31 October 2020.

Association between viral hepatitis and metabolic syndrome in lung function impairment: A Taiwan community-based study.

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are associated with a higher risk of impaired pulmonary function (iPF). This study aimed to investigate the relationships among MetS, iPF, and viral hepatitis.

Methods: This community-based study enrolled participants undergoing annual health check-ups in southern Taiwan between March and December 2019.

Comparison of 8- versus 12-weeks of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for Taiwanese patients with hepatitis C and compensated cirrhosis in a real-world setting.

Real-world data on the effectiveness of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) for patients with HCV infection and compensated cirrhosis is limited, especially for the 8-week regimen and in an Asian population. This retrospective study enrolled 159 consecutive patients with HCV and compensated cirrhosis who were treated with GLE/PIB at a single center in Taiwan. Sustained virological response (SVR) and adverse events (AEs) were evaluated.

Alanine aminotransferase to aspartate aminotransferase ratio and hepatitis B virus on metabolic syndrome: a community-based study.

Background: The serum aminotransferase elevation in metabolic syndrome (MetS) reflected hepatosteatosis, but there is a conflict with the coexistence of viral hepatitis, especially for the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Thus, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ratio, MetS, and HBV infection in a rural Taiwanese population.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis in southern Taiwan between March and December 2019.

colonization is associated with decreased survival of -positive gastric cancer patients.

Background: An increased amount of () is frequently detected in the gastric cancer-associated microbiota of the Taiwanese population. is known to exert cytotoxic effects and play a role in the progression of colorectal cancer, though the impact of colonization on gastric cancer cells and patient prognosis has not yet been examined.

Aim: To identify dependent molecular pathways in gastric cancer cells and to determine the impact of on survival in gastric cancer.

Real-world efficacy and safety of pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals against hepatitis C virus infection in Taiwan.

Clinical trials showed pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals' (DAAs) excellent efficacy and safety when treating hepatitis C virus (HCV). Two pangenotypic regimens were examined, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) and sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL), in a real-world Taiwanese setting, including all HCV patients treated with GLE/PIB or SOF/VEL from August 2018 to April 2020. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment cessation (SVR12), including adverse events (AEs).

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir is an effective treatment for patients with hepatitis C and advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis in a real-world setting in Taiwan.

Introduction: Real-world data regarding the impact of hepatic fibrosis on the effectiveness of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) treatment is limited in the Asian population.

Methods: We analyzed data for all 823 patients with hepatitis C virus treated with SOF/VEL from June 2019 to September 2020 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Chiayi, Taiwan. The degree of fibrosis was determined using the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis defined as a FIB-4 score of > 3.

Pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral agents for mixed genotype hepatitis C infection: A real-world effectiveness analysis.

Background: Pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) and sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) are effective against all hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype infections. However, data on pangenotypic DAA treatment for mixed genotype HCV infection are sparse.

Methods: This is a retrospective, single site cohort study analyzing all patients with mixed HCV genotype infections treated with GLE/PIB or SOF/VEL from August 2018 to August 2020 in Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.

Epigenetic Silencing of STAT3-Targeted miR-193a, by Constitutive Activation of JAK/STAT Signaling, Leads to Tumor Progression Through Overexpression of YWHAZ in Gastric Cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify genes that were epigenetically silenced by STAT3 in gastric cancer.

Methods: MBDcap-Seq and expression microarray were performed to identify genes that were epigenetically silenced in AGS gastric cancer cell lines depleted of STAT3. Cell lines and animal experiments were performed to investigate proliferation and metastasis of miR-193a and YWHAZ in gastric cancer cell lines.

Long-term risk of primary liver cancers in entecavir versus tenofovir treatment for chronic hepatitis B.

It remains controversial whether entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is associated with different clinical outcomes for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study aimed to compare the long-term risk of ETV versus TDF on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in CHB patients from a large multi-institutional database in Taiwan. From 2011 to 2018, a total of 21,222 CHB patients receiving ETV or TDF were screened for eligibility.

High viral load predicts virologic failure in chronic genotype 2 hepatitis C virus-infected patients receiving glecaprevir/pibrentasvir therapy.

Background: The real-world data of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 infection remained limited. We aimed to evaluate the possible predictors of virological failure and side effects of GLE/PIB therapy for chronic genotype 2 HCV-infected patients in a real-world setting.

Methods: A total of 326 compensated HCV genotype 2 patients treated with GLE/PIB 12 weeks for cirrhotic patients (n = 56) and 8 weeks for non-cirrhotic patients (n = 270) were enrolled.

2,4-Diamino-Quinazoline, a Wnt Signaling Inhibitor, Suppresses Gastric Cancer Progression and Metastasis.

Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most treatment-refractory epithelial malignancies. Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin-signaling has been implicated in a variety of human cancers, including gastric cancer. Here we report that the elevated expression of lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 (Lef1) is associated with the TNM (tumor- node-metastasis) stage of gastric cancer.

Limited effects of antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with Child-Pugh class A/B cirrhosis and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Current guidelines recommend antibiotic prophylaxis for all patients with various degrees of cirrhosis and upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding. This study assessed the need for antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with low Child-Pugh scores. We retrospectively screened all patients with cirrhosis who underwent upper endoscopies for UGI bleeding in a referral hospital in Taiwan between 2003 and 2014, from which 913 patients were enrolled after excluding patients with active bacterial infections, recent antibiotic use, early death, and Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis.

Expression of PRDX6 Correlates with Migration and Invasiveness of Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Background/aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. PRDXs are antioxidant enzymes that play an important role in cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis and have diverse functions in malignancy development. However, the mechanism of aberrant overexpression of PRDX6 in CRC remains unclear.

Upregulation of bone morphogenetic protein 1 is associated with poor prognosis of late-stage gastric Cancer patients.

Background: Gastric cancer is the eighth most common cancer in Taiwan, with a 40% 5-year survival rate. Approximately 40% of patients are refractory to chemotherapy. Currently, the anti-HER2 therapy is the only clinically employed targeted therapy.

Increased Abundance of Clostridium and Fusobacterium in Gastric Microbiota of Patients with Gastric Cancer in Taiwan.

Helicobacter pylori is recognised as a main risk factor for gastric cancer. However, approximately half of the patients with gastritis are negative for H. pylori infection, and the abundance of H.

A Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Erinacine A's Inhibition of Gastric Cancer Cell Viability and Invasiveness.

Unlabelled: Background / Aims: Erinacine A, isolated from the ethanol extract of the Hericium erinaceus mycelium, has been demonstrated as a new alternative anticancer medicine. Drawing upon current research, this study presents an investigation of the molecular mechanism of erinacine A inhibition associated with gastric cancer cell growth.

Methods: Cell viability was determined by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining and migration using a Boyden chamber assay to determine the effects of erinacine A treatment on the proliferation capacity and invasiveness of gastric cancer cells.