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This study performed beat-to-beat and spectral analyses of 20-minute skin-surface laser-Doppler-flowmetry (LDF) and radial blood-pressure-waveform (BPW) signals in order to compare the blood-flow perfusion condition and regulatory mechanisms between essential-hypertension (EHT) patients and aged-matched control subjects. Beat-to-beat LDF analyses yielded the pulse width (PW), AC-to-DC ratio (AD), and their corresponding variability indices (coefficients of variation [CVs]). The relative energy contributions (RECs) of five characteristic frequency peaks (defined as FR1–FR5) were also calculated. Spectral BPW analysis obtained the amplitude proportion (Cn) and phase angle (Pn) of each harmonic component n. PW, AD, AD_CV, and REC of FR2 were significantly smaller in the EHT group than in the control group. Regarding BPW indices, C1, C2, C4, and C5 were significantly larger and P2–P8 were significantly smaller in EHT patients than in controls. The present results indicate that BPW and LDF indices can be used to evaluate the blood-flow perfusion efficiency and microcirculatory regulatory activities in EHT. Sex differences were found, with the effects being more prominent in female patients. These findings may be partly attributable to impairment of endothelial and neural regulatory functions. The present findings might aid the development of new noninvasive methods for reducing the risk of EHT-induced damage.

// Pai-Feng Kao 1, 6, * , Ju-Chi Liu 1, 6, * , Yi-Ping Hsu 1 , Li-Chin Sung 1, 6 , Tsung-Yeh Yang 1 , Wen-Rui Hao 1 , Ying-Chin Lin 2, 3 and Szu-Yuan Wu 4, 5, 6, 7 1 Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan 2 Department of Family Medicine, Shung Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei, Taiwan 3 Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan 4 Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 5 Department of Radiation Oncology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan 6 Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan 7 Department of Biotechnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Szu-Yuan Wu, email: szuyuanwu5399@gmail.com Keywords: influenza vaccination; atrial fibrillation; ischemic stroke Received: June 11, 2017 Accepted: July 26, 2017 Published: November 09, 2017 ABSTRACT Purpose: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with the risk of ischemic stroke, regardless of the administration of appropriate antithrombotic prophylaxis. This study investigated whether influenza vaccination is associated with the risk of ischemic stroke, to determine a solution to reduce this risk in patients with AF. Methods: We used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The study cohort comprised all patients diagnosed as having AF (n = 14 454) before January 1, 2005; these patients were followed until December 31, 2012. The index date was January 1, 2005. A propensity score was derived using a logistic regression model to estimate the effect of vaccination by accounting for covariates that predict receiving the intervention (vaccine). A Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) of ischemic stroke in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients with AF. Results: We included 6570 patients (2547 [38.77%] with and 4023 [61.23%] without influenza vaccination). The adjusted HRs (aHRs) of ischemic stroke were lower in the vaccinated patients than in the unvaccinated patients (influenza season, noninfluenza season, and all seasons: aHRs = 0.59, 0.50, and 0.55; P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Influenza vaccination might exert a dose-response effect against ischemic stroke in patients with AF who have risk factors for ischemic stroke by reducing the incidence of ischemic stroke, particularly in those aged 65–74 and ≥75 y.

// Ju-Chi Liu 1, 4, * , Tsung-Yeh Yang 1, * , Yi-Ping Hsu 1 , Wen-Rui Hao 1 , Pai-Feng Kao 1, 4 , Li-Chin Sung 1, 4 , Chun-Chao Chen 1 , Szu-Yuan Wu 2, 3, 4, 5 1 Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan 2 Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 3 Department of Radiation Oncology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan 4 Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan 5 Department of Biotechnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan * Co-first authors, These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Szu-Yuan Wu, email: szuyuanwu5399@gmail.com Keywords: statins, COPD, lung cancer Received: March 09, 2016 Accepted: July 09, 2016 Published: August 09, 2016 ABSTRACT Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased lung cancer risk. We evaluated the association of statin use with lung cancer risk in COPD patients and identified which statins possess the highest chemopreventive potential. Results: After adjustment for age, sex, CCI, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, urbanization level, and monthly income according to propensity scores, lung cancer risk in the statin users was lower than that in the statin nonusers (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.37). Of the individual statins, lovastatin and fluvastatin did not reduce lung cancer risk significantly. By contrast, lung cancer risk in patients using rosuvastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, and pravastatin was significantly lower than that in statin nonusers (aHRs = 0.41, 0.44, 0.52, and 0.58, respectively). Statins dose-dependently reduced lung cancer risk in all subgroups and the main model with additional covariates (nonstatin drug use). Materials and Methods: The study cohort comprised all patients diagnosed with COPD at health care facilities in Taiwan ( n = 116,017) between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2012. Our final study cohort comprised 43,802 COPD patients: 10,086 used statins, whereas 33,716 did not. Patients were followed up to assess lung cancer risk or protective factors. In addition, we also considered demographic characteristics, namely age, sex, comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and Charlson comorbidity index [CCI]), urbanization level, monthly income, and nonstatin drug use. The index date of statin use was the COPD confirmation date. To examine the dose–response relationship, we categorized statin use into four groups in each cohort: 365 cumulative defined daily doses (cDDDs). Patients receiving < 28 cDDDs were defined as nonstatin users. Conclusions: Statins dose-dependently exert a significant chemopreventive effect against lung cancer in COPD patients. Rosuvastatin, simvastatin, and atorvastatin exhibited the highest chemopreventive potential.

// Ju-Chi Liu 1, 4, * , Wen-Rui Hao 1, * , Yi-Ping Hsu 1 , Li-Chin Sung 1, 4 , Pai-Feng Kao 1, 4 , Chao-Feng Lin 1 , Alexander T.H. Wu 6 , Kevin Sheng-Po Yuan 7 , Szu-Yuan Wu 2, 3, 4, 5 1 Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei, Taiwan 2 Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 3 Department of Radiation Oncology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan 4 Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan 5 Department of Biotechnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan 6 Ph.D. Program for Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan 7 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Szu-Yuan Wu, email: szuyuanwu5399@gmail.com Keywords: statins, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, colon cancer Received: March 22, 2016 Accepted: June 27, 2016 Published: August 12, 2016 ABSTRACT Purpose: We evaluated the chemopreventive effect of statins on colon cancer in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and identified the statin exerting the strongest chemopreventive effect. Methods: Using the National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified patients who received a COPD diagnosis in Taiwan between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2012, and included them in the study cohort. Each patient was followed to assess the colon cancer risk and protective factors. A propensity score was derived using a logistic regression model to estimate the effect of statins by accounting for covariates predicted during the intervention (statins). To examine the dose–response relationship, we categorized statin doses into four groups in each cohort [ 365 cumulative defined daily dose]. Results: Compared with the statin nonusers, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for colon cancer decreased in the statin users (aHR = 0.52, 95% confidence interval = 0.44, 0.62). Hydrophilic statins exerted a stronger preventive effect against colon cancer. Regarding the statin type, lovastatin, pravastatin, and fluvastatin nonsignificantly reduced the colon cancer risk in the patients with COPD. Compared with the statin nonusers, the aHRs for colon cancer decreased in the individual statin users (rosuvastatin, simvastatin, and atorvastatin: aHRs = 0.28, 0.64, and 0.65, respectively). In the sensitivity analysis, statins dose-dependently reduced the colon cancer risk. Conclusions: Statins dose-dependently exert significant chemopreventive effects on colon cancer in patients with COPD, with rosuvastatin exerting the largest chemopreventive effect.

Background/purpose Taiwan has one of the fastest growing aging populations in the world, which makes the effective allocation of scarce medical resources a key issue. This paper investigates patterns in the use of outpatient services by elderly individuals in Taiwan under the National Health Insurance (NHI) program. Methods We assembled a random sample from the NHI Research Database in Taiwan, comprising 50% of all claims made for elderly people (65 years old) in 2010 ( n 1,239,836 beneficiaries) including 14 variables. Results In 2010, individuals aged 65 years or older comprised 10.74% of the population of Taiwan, and accounted for 11.39% of all physician and outpatient visits. The rate of medical care visits was 28.54 ± 21.23 (Standard deviation) times per person per annum, with a higher rate for women, those in the 80–84 age group, low-income beneficiaries, and the inhabitants of offshore islands. The three most frequent diagnoses for elderly patients were hypertension, diabetes, and acute upper respiratory infections. The mean insured medical costs per person per annum were US Dollars 1,132, with higher expenses for men, those in the 80–84 age group, and those inhabiting urban areas. Conclusion This study employed nationally representative data in the detection of patterns in outpatient care utilization by elderly individuals in Taiwan. Medical care providers and policymakers should be fully aware of the complex patterns unique to older patients. The results of this study could be used as a benchmark with which to assess the impact of future medical care policy on elderly people.

PURPOSE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with an increased cancer risk. We evaluated the chemopreventive effect of statins against all cancers in COPD patients and identified the statin with the strongest chemopreventive effect. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients diagnosed with COPD at health care facilities in Taiwan (n = 116,017) from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2012, were recruited. Each patient was followed to assess the following protective and risk factors for all cancers: age; sex; comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia) and the Charlson comorbidity index [CCI]); urbanization level; monthly income; and nonstatin drug use. The index date of statins use was the date of COPD confirmation. Propensity scores (PSs) were derived using a logistic regression model to estimate the effect of statins by considering the covariates predicting intervention (statins) receipt. To examine the dose-response relationship, we categorized statin use into four groups in each cohort (365 cumulative defined daily dose). RESULTS: After PS adjustment for age, sex, CCI, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, urbanization level, and monthly income, we analyzed the all-cancer risk. The adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for the all-cancer risk were lower among statin users than among statin nonusers (aHR = 0.46, 95% confidence interval: 0.43 to 0.50). The aHRs for the all-cancer risk were lower among patients using rosuvastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, pravastatin, and fluvastatin than among statin nonusers (aHRs = 0.42, 0.55, 0.59, 0.66, and 0.78, respectively). Sensitivity analysis indicated that statins dose-dependently reduced the all-cancer risk. CONCLUSION: Statins dose-dependently exert a significant chemopreventive effect against various cancers in COPD patients. In particular, rosuvastatin has the strongest chemopreventive effect.

Purpose The risk of hemorrhagic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is low but the consequences of its occurrence are extremely severe. In this study, we investigated the association of influenza vaccination with the risk of hemorrhagic stroke to develop an efficient strategy for reducing this risk in patients with AF. Methods In this study, data were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The study cohort comprised all patients who received a diagnosis of AF ( n =14,454) before January 1, 2005 (index date) and were followed until December 31, 2012. Propensity scores were calculated using a logistic regression model to determine the effects of vaccination by accounting for covariates that predict receiving the intervention (vaccine). A time-dependent Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) for hemorrhagic stroke in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients with AF. Results The study population comprised 6570 patients who did (2547 [38.77%]) and did not receive (4023 [61.23%]) influenza vaccination. The adjusted HRs (aHRs) for hemorrhagic stroke were lower in the vaccinated patients than in the unvaccinated patients (influenza season, noninfluenza season, and all seasons: aHRs=0.97 [0.59–1.60], 0.51 [0.30–0.87], and 0.72 [0.50–1.03], respectively). Conclusions Influenza vaccination exerts dose–response and synergistic protective effects against hemorrhagic stroke in patients with AF who have a high risk of hemorrhagic stroke (i.e., male sex, age≥75years, Charlson comorbidity index ≥3, and hypertension) and reduces the incidence of hemorrhagic stroke.

This study investigated microcirculatory-blood-flow responses in nude mice following the injection of CT26 tumor cells by analyzing the frequency content of skin blood-flow signals recorded on the skin surface. CT26 cells were injected subcutaneously (10^4/100 μl) into the right back flank of each 7-week-old mouse. Three-minute laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) signals were measured in 60 nude mice. The data sequences were obtained at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after injecting CT26 cells. Mouse tissue samples were cut into sections and examined microscopically to determine the condition of cancer metastasis. Spectral analysis performed after 1 week revealed a significant decrease in the relative energy contribution of the endothelium-related frequency band, and significant increases in those of the myogenic and respiration-related frequency bands of the LDF signals in the metastasis group (n=12). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the feasibility of evaluating metastasis in animal subjects based on changes in noninvasively measured LDF parameters. Changes in the LDF spectral indexes can be attributed to differences in the microcirculatory regulatory activities. The present measurements performed on the skin surface provide a noninvasive and real-time method for evaluating the microcirculatory responses induced by implanting CT26 tumor cells.

This study describes the peer mentoring experience from doctoral student mentors’ point of view. Twelve science and engineering doctoral students participated in this phenomenology study. The findings suggest doctoral peer mentors served instrumental, psychosocial, buffering, and liaison roles; they passed on their social, professional, and academic knowledge to their mentees and tried to assist them in adapting to the culture of the lab and academia. The study identified a variety of factors that influenced their attitudes and behaviors as peer mentors and concluded this system would be beneficial to the learning and development of both individual students and lab teams. The aims of this study were threefold: first, to identify the importance and necessity of peer mentoring systems as part of the experience of working in labs in graduate school; second, to ascertain which interactions and factors in the peer mentoring relationship benefitted both peer mentors and peer mentees; and third, to explore what might constitute best practices in the peer mentoring relationship.

Angiogenesis is an indispensable mechanism in development and in many pathologies, including cancer, synovitis and aberrant wound healing. Many angiogenic stimulators and inhibitors have been investigated, and some have progressed to the clinic. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) is a group of multifunctional proteinases. ADAMTS-1 and ADAMTS-8 have been reported to be anti-angiogenic. Here, we provide evidence that ADAMTS-4, like ADAMTS-1, is expressed by endothelial cells and binds to vascular endothelial groth factor (VEGF). Moreover, ADAMTS-4 inhibited human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HuDMEC) VEGF-stimulated VEGF receptor (R) R2 phosphorylation, differentiation and migration, suggesting that ADAMTS-4 may be a novel anti-angiogenic molecule.

Previous research has shown that corrective feedback on an assignment helps learners reduce their errors on that assignment during the revision process. Does this finding constitute evidence that learning resulted from the feedback? Differing answers play an important role in the ongoing debate over the effectiveness of error correction, suggesting a need for empirical investigation. In this study, learners first wrote an in-class narrative and then revised their writing during the next class. Half the students had their errors underlined and used this feedback in the revision task while the other half did the same task without feedback. Results matched those of previous studies: the underline group was significantly more successful than the control group. One week later, all students wrote a new narrative as a measure of (short-term) learning. On this measure, change in error rate from the first narrative to the second, the two groups were virtually identical. Thus, successful error reduction during revision is not a predictor of learning (at least for the uncoded corrective feedback that has typified studies in this area), as the two groups differed dramatically on the former but were indistinguishable on the latter. Improvements made during revision are not evidence on the effectiveness of correction for improving learners’ writing ability.

Elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at a higher risk of hospitalization for cardiovascular complications, especially during respiratory infections. Previous studies showed that vaccination for influenza may reduce the risk of recurrent major cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that influenza vaccination could reduce hospitalizations for ACS in elderly patients with COPD.Using the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 1996-2008, this cohort study comprised elderly patients (≥ 55 years old) with a recorded diagnosis of COPD (n=7722) between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2007. Each patient was followed until the end of 2007. A propensity score was derived by using a logistic regression model to reduce vaccine therapy selection bias. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between the influenza vaccination and the occurrence of first hospitalization for ACS in elderly COPD patients was examined by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. In addition, we categorized the patients into four groups according to vaccination status (unvaccinated, total number of vaccinations: 1, 2-3, and ≥ 4).We found that elderly patients with COPD receiving influenza vaccination had a lower risk of hospitalization for ACS (adjusted HR=0.46, 95% CI (0.39-0.55), p0.001). We observed similar protective effects in both sexes and all age groups (55-64, 65-74, ≥ 75) regardless of influenza seasonality. When the patients were stratified according to the total number of vaccinations, the adjusted HRs for hospitalization because of ACS were 0.48 (0.38-0.62) and 0.20 (0.14-0.28) for patients who received 2-3 and ≥ 4 vaccinations during the follow-up period.Our data showed that there was a lower risk of ACS hospitalization in elderly patients with COPD receiving annual influenza vaccination.

Taiwan has the highest prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) worldwide. CKD, a manifestation of vascular diseases, is associated with a high risk of dementia. Here, we estimated the association between influenza vaccination and dementia risk in patients with CKD. Data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan were used in this study. The study cohort included all patients diagnosed with CKD (according to International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes) at healthcare facilities in Taiwan (n = 32,844) from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2007. Each patient was followed up to assess dementia risk or protective factors: demographic characteristics of age and sex; comorbidities of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cerebrovascular diseases, parkinsonism, epilepsy, substance and alcohol use disorders, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, psychotic disorder, and sleep disorder; urbanization level; monthly income; and statin, metformin, aspirin, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) use. A propensity score was derived using a logistic regression model for estimating the effect of vaccination by accounting for covariates that predict receiving the intervention (vaccine). A time-dependent Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) of dementia among vaccinated and unvaccinated CKD patients. The study population comprised 11,943 eligible patients with CKD; 5745 (48%) received influenza vaccination and the remaining 6198 (52%) did not. The adjusted HRs (aHRs) of dementia decreased in vaccinated patients compared with those in unvaccinated patients (influenza season, noninfluenza season, and all seasons: aHRs = 0.68, 0.58, and 0.64; P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001, respectively). In the sensitivity analysis, adjustments were made to estimate the association of age and sex; diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, cerebrovascular diseases, anxiety disorder; and statin, metformin, ACEI, and aspirin use with the incidence of dementia in various models. A stronger protective effect against dementia risk was demonstrated during the noninfluenza season. Regardless of comorbidities or drug use, influenza vaccination was an independent protective factor and dose-dependently reduced the risk of dementia in CKD patients. Influenza vaccination exerts dose-response and synergistic protective effects against dementia in CKD patients with dementia risk factors by reducing the incidence of dementia.

Angiogenesis is an indispensable mechanism in development and in many pathologies, including cancer, synovitis and aberrant wound healing. Many angiogenic stimulators and inhibitors have been investigated, and some have progressed to the clinic. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) is a group of multifunctional proteinases. ADAMTS-1 and ADAMTS-8 have been reported to be anti-angiogenic. Here, we provide evidence that ADAMTS-4, like ADAMTS-1, is expressed by endothelial cells and binds to vascular endothelial groth factor (VEGF). Moreover, ADAMTS-4 inhibited human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HuDMEC) VEGF-stimulated VEGF receptor (R) R2 phosphorylation, differentiation and migration, suggesting that ADAMTS-4 may be a novel anti-angiogenic molecule.