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Investigating antibacterial activity of copper-silver-cerium alloys
No full text[[abstract]]Antibacterial alloys are widely applied to reduce the incidence of medical-implant-associated infection. Copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) are commonly used in antibacterial alloys; however, rare earth elements, such as Cerium (Ce), are now gaining attention because their low trace is sufficient for killing bacteria. Accordingly, the antibacterial activity of Copper48-Silver48-Cerium4 (CuAgCe4) alloys with different crystalline structures was investigated. The immersion approach was employed for alloys cultured with Escherichia coli, and a direct contact method was used for alloys cultured with Staphylococcus aureus. Surface morphology was observed when alloys were made, and the crystalline structures of alloys were examined before and after being cultured with bacteria. The immersion method revealed that all the CuAgCe4 alloy samples could inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli, and the crystallized structures were distorted after the alloys were cultured with bacteria. Conversely, the direct contact approach showed the crystalline structures of CuAgCe4 alloys remained unchanged after the culture with Staphylococcus aureus, thereby indicating that the antibacterial activity did not correspond to the crystalline structures. Despite the lack of clarity surrounding the possible antibacterial mechanisms of CuAgCe4 alloy, the current findings demonstrate the potential antibacterial effects of CuAgCe4 alloy in medical implants
Novel naphthyridones targeting pannexin 1 for colitis management
No full text[[abstract]]Pannexin 1 (PANX1) forms cell-surface channels capable of releasing signaling metabolites for diverse patho-physiological processes. While inhibiting dysregulated PANX1 has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for many pathological conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), low efficacy, or poor specificity of classical PANX1 inhibitors introduces uncertainty for their applications in basic and translational research. Here, hit-to-lead optimization is performed and a naphthyridone, compound 12, is identified as a new PANX1 inhibitor with an IC50 of 0.73 mu m that does not affect pannexin-homologous LRRC8/SWELL1 channels. Using structure-activity relationship analysis, mutagenesis, cell thermal shift assays, and molecular docking, it is revealed that compound 12 directly engages PANX1 Trp74 residue. Using a dextran sodium sulfate mouse model of IBD, it is found that compound 12 markedly reduced colitis severity, highlighting new PANX1 inhibitors as a proof-of-concept treatment for IBD. These data describe the mechanism of action for a new PANX1 inhibitor, uncover the binding site for future drug design, and present a targeted strategy for treating IBD
Statin use and the risk of graves' orbitopathy: A nationwide population-based cohort study
No full text[[abstract]]Background: Statin use is reported to reduce the risk of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) in Western populations. However, study regarding the protective effect of statins against GO in Asians with Graves' disease (GD) is scarce. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of statins in preventing GO in Asian GD patients. Materials and Methods: This nationwide, population-based retrospective cohort study used data from beneficiaries aged >40 years diagnosed with GD from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) from 2010 to 2020. The International Classification of Diseases codes, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes, and the surgery/procedure codes derived from the NHIRD were used to obtain the information on GD, GO, and statin use. Propensity score (PS) analysis with matching and inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis (IPTW) was conducted to minimize confounding. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariable Cox regression analysis were used to compare the risk of GO among statin users and nonusers. Results: The final analysis included 102,858 patients; 7,073 were statin users (62.9 +/- 10.6 years, 29.7% male), and 95,785 were nonusers (53.6 +/- 10.4 years, 25.7% male). The crude incidence rate of GO among statin users and nonusers was 5.00 parts per thousand versus 6.75 parts per thousand and 4.91 parts per thousand versus 5.15 parts per thousand for the overall population and population after PS matching method, respectively. The Cox regression analysis showed that statin users had a significantly lower risk of GO (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] after PS matching 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63-0.99, p = 0.037; adjusted HR after IPTW method: 0.64, CI: 0.51-0.79, p < 0.001). The risk of GO was not different among users of different kinds of statins (i.e., atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, pitavastatin, and other statins) or among different intensities of statins (low-to-moderate intensity vs. high intensity). Conclusions: The use of statins in Asian GD patients was associated with a reduced risk of GO. In addition, the risk of developing GO among users of commonly prescribed statins or users of different intensities of statins was not significantly different
Proximity to petrochemical industry and risk of childhood asthma occurrence
No full text[[abstract]]Adverse effects on the respiratory system were associated with intensive petroleum-related industrial activities. The study aimed to assess the impact of petrochemical exposure on childhood asthma using various surrogate indices. A singleton birth cohort from 2004 to 2017 was conducted, leveraging two linked nationwide databases in Taiwan. The distance from the nearest petrochemical industrial parks (PIPs), the probability for PIPs exposure, and benzene exposure level were used as surrogate petrochemical exposure indices. Both prenatal and postnatal exposure window were considered. The Cox proportional hazard models were applied to evaluate the effects. A total of 461,343 asthma cases were identified in this cohort by December 31, 2018. Certain risk factors such as being male, preterm birth, low birth weight, Caesarean delivery, maternal gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes, were more prevalent in children with asthma than in those without. The results indicated an increased risk of asthma for those living near PIPs or with a higher probability for PIPs exposure during prenatal and/or postnatal periods. Increased asthma risks were also observed with higher levels of benzene exposure during either the prenatal or postnatal periods. Proximity to PIPs is associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma, as indicated by three different exposure surrogate exposure indices. This underscores the significant impact of petrochemical exposure on the occurrence of childhood asthma
[[alternative]]Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of magnesium intake and cognition in the Healthy Aging Longitudinal Study in Taiwan (vol 63, pg 3061, 2024)
No full textQuantum food and nutrition: Subatomic approaches to nourishment for health and well-being
No full text[[abstract]]Nutrition science has been represented as biomedical, environmental, societal and economic field, but quantum biology is sidestepped, thereby obscuring cognate problems and solutions. We are generally nourished for health, optimal well-being, longevity and personal security through sustainable livelihoods. Our nourish-ments include not only food and energy but also light from the sun, the firmament and the earth itself, along with information transmitted in subatomic particles and electromagnetic wave forms. We propose 'quantum nutrition' as an approach to reconcile quantum phenomena with nutritional biology. Appreciating quantum nutrition and recognizing its potential applications will provide opportunities for future health and well-being and for planetary habitability
Examining the influence of PM(2.5)-bound metallic elements and potential sources on stroke emergency department visits: A case-crossover study in Taiwan
No full text[[abstract]]This study aimed to investigate the impact of short-term exposure PM(2.5) and PM(2.5)-bound metallic elements on stroke-related emergency department visits. Using a case-crossover design, data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) identified 25,055 stroke-related emergency department visits and matched them with 50,110 control days from 2017 to 2020 in six selected study areas in Taiwan. Environmental exposure data included PM(2.5) monitoring date and 35 PM(2.5)-bound metallic elements from these areas. Conditional logistic regression models were employed for the analysis. The association between overall PM(2.5) exposure and stroke emergency department visits varied by season. Significant positive associations were observed in autumn and winter across lag periods. In autumn, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) from lag 0-3 were 1.086 (95% CI: 1.078-1.095), 1.087 (95% CI: 1.078-1.096), 1.086 (95% CI: 1.077-1.095), 1.094 (95% CI: 1.085-1.103), respectively. Furthermore, during autumn, a variety of 25 PM(2.5)-bound metallic elements showed a positive association with stroke, particularly PM(2.5)-bound cadmium (Cd). Adjusted ORs for PM(2.5)-bound Cd were 1.486 (95% CI:1.385-1.594) at lag 0, 1.500 (95% CI: 1.397-1.611) at lag 1, 1.458 (95% CI: 1.359-1.565) at lag 2, and 1.465 (95% CI: 1.366-1.571) at lag 3. Conversely, specific elements (Sr, Y, Pb, Ga, Cu, Ba, K, Cs, Rb, Nd, and Al) associated with burning sources exhibited notable positive associations in winter. Our study highlights the importance of monitoring PM(2.5) composition changes and mitigate stroke risks posed by diverse metallic elements. Seasonal variability is evident, with autumn and winter showing sustained associations between stroke and PM(2.5) exposure. Notably, winter, especially during celebrations, showed a significant contribution of PM(2.5)-bound metallic elements from burning sources
Evaluating application of large language models to biomedical patent claim generation
No full text[[abstract]]Automatic patent claim generation is an emerging application of large language models (LLMs). However, the performances of general-purpose LLMs in this regard remain unclear. Here we empirically evaluate the effectiveness of four different LLMs (two from the LLaMA-2 family and two from the Mistral family) in generating biomedical patent claims. This allows comparisons between LLMs with different sizes and architectures. We show that these open-source LLMs fail to produce correctly styled patent claims despite their reported strengths in natural language tasks. Nevertheless, given selected training data and adequate fine-tuning, even relatively small LLMs can yield high-quality, correctly styled patent claims. Notably, one limitation of LLMs is that they lack the creativity and insights of human drafters. For such a professional task as claim drafting, LLMs should be considered as a digital assistant that requires human oversight
The method of the preparation of fused multicyclic compounds
No full text[[abstract]]The present invention discloses a process for preparing compounds of Formula (I), particularly, a process manufacturing thereof on a multikilogram scale: R1 Z N (I) wherein B, D, W, Z, R1 , R2, and n are defined herein
Antibodies to R-spondin 3
No full text[[abstract]]Isolated antibodies that bind specifically to R-spondin 3 (RSPO3) are described. Also described herein are compositions containing the antibodies and methods of using the antibodies to treat cancer and detect RSPO3