Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology

A systematic study was conducted to relate gold nanoparticle (AuNP) loading–dependent film morphology on indium tin oxide (ITO) to electron-transfer characteristics and electrochemical signal reproducibility for aptasensor interface design. AuNPs were electrostatically immobilized on amine-functionalized ITO substrates to provide Au S anchoring sites for thiolated DNA aptamers, enabling target-general electrochemical transduction. Combined scanning electron microscopy and square-wave voltammetry revealed that AuNP concentration critically determined film morphology, charge-transport pathways, and measurement dispersion. An intermediate AuNP concentration of 1.0 mM produced the most uniform coverage, minimized charge-transfer resistance surrogates, and yielded the narrowest distribution of SWV peak currents, reflecting reduced coverage-induced heterogeneity while preserving conductive connectivity. In contrast, insufficient (0.5 mM) or excessive (3.0 mM) nanoparticle deposition caused incomplete coverage or aggregation, resulting in attenuated electrochemical response and elevated coefficients of variation. The optimized AuNP/ITO electrodes also exhibited stable, reproducible current attenuation upon aptamer–cell interaction, confirming their suitability as robust electrochemical aptasensor interfaces. These findings establish quantitative design principles for nanostructured AuNP/ITO conductive interfaces by identifying an intermediate coverage regime that maximizes current stability across repeats and supports reliable aptamer-based sensing.

This study simulated valproic acid (VPA) physiological pharmacokinetics for epilepsy patients via a refined seven-compartmental model. The seven compartments were defined as oral, GI Tract, liver, whole body (WB), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), kidney, and bladder. A first-order system of seven differential equations was defined according to this specific model and solved by a self-developed program run in MATLAB to evaluate the VPA time-dependent change among compartments. Each compartment's preset dissolving half-life (in hours) was as follows: oral 0.05, GI Tract 0.10, liver 0.5, WB 2.2, CSF 0.8, kidney 1.2, and bladder 0.5, respectively. The derived results were reorganized according to various presets of dissolving half-lives of the liver, WB, CSF, or kidney to analyze the VPA time-dependent changes under various scenarios. Either the liver or WB was the dominant compartment in this model, which mainly controlled the VPA changes. In contrast, others compartments followed the principle of secular equilibrium in the chain decay of radioactive nuclides. Accordingly, the VPA degradation changes in WB ("mother" compartment) mainly affected the VPA changes in other ("daughter") compartments. Thus, the predicted VPA degradation in CSF, kidney, or bladder was always longer than in WB despite its dissolving half-life changes. The predicted results of VPA changes in various compartments were also compared with other studies, and a reasonable agreement was reached on whether the dissolving half-life of the liver or WB ranged from the original 0.2/2.2 to 1.4/0.9 h. The programable capability of this self-developed program allows one to easily modify the primary preset to comply with findings from other studies and has great potential in similar applications.

Biliary atresia (BA) is a disease of the liver and bile ducts. Newborns with BA must undergo the Kasai procedure immediately after birth to survive. Postoperative nutrition, portal hypertension, and splenomegaly affect prognosis on an ongoing basis. With recent advancements in medicine and health care quality, children treated for BA can survive into adolescence and even early adulthood. This qualitative descriptive study explores how these youths have adapted, and their concerns as they continue to age. A total of 13 patients with BA aged 16-24 years were recruited using purposive sampling at a gastroenterology outpatient clinic in northern Taiwan. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. The participants' life experiences were extracted into three themes via inductive qualitative content analysis: (1) being responsible for one's dietary regimen, (2) adjusting one's mindset about the illness, and (3) facing long-term challenges. Healthcare professionals can provide care recommendations tailored to the developmental needs of this patient group during regular follow-ups, assist them with self-care management and with accepting their uniqueness, provide information, and discuss their future careers and family plans.

The relationship between seated exercise frequency and physiological changes in older adults has received insufficient research attention. We examined how Baduanjin session frequency, Baduanjin instructional format, and low-intensity resistance training affect the body composition, muscle strength, and gait parameters of older adults. A prospective, cluster-randomised, controlled, two-arm trial was conducted at day care centres for older adults in Taiwan over 12 weeks between May and September 2024. The experimental group received a multicomponent seated Baduanjin intervention which included online and in-person sessions and additional resistance training, whereas the control group completed only the online Baduanjin sessions. Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Muscle strength of the upper and lower extremities was measured using handheld dynamometers. Gait parameters were evaluated using GaitUp wearable motion sensors. Linear mixed-effects analysis revealed significant between-group differences in grip strength, gait speed, cadence, and load ratio after 12 weeks (p < 0.05). The experimental group maintained their functional abilities, whereas the control group experienced marked declines. No significant changes were observed in skeletal muscle index, body fat percentage, or isometric knee extensor force over the intervention period. Additionally, the foot-flat ratio significantly decreased in the experimental group (p = 0.004) but increased in the control group (p = 0.011); the between-group difference was significant (B = 5.28, 95 % confidence interval [2.14, 8.41], p = 0.001). The multicomponent seated Baduanjin intervention was more effective than the once-weekly Baduanjin sessions in improving physical outcomes. Thus, Baduanjin is a safe, feasible, and beneficial. intervention for older adults. This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Registration No. NCT06550661) on 6 August 2024.

Background and Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a clinically relevant comorbidity in both alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, whether its impact differs between these etiologies remains unclear. This study directly compared OSA risk in patients with AFLD and NAFLD to elucidate its role in disease progression. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX research network. Adults aged ≥ 20 years with newly diagnosed AFLD or NAFLD between 2006 and 2020 were included. Propensity score matching was applied to balance demographic and clinical covariates. The primary endpoint was incident OSA, assessed at 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year intervals, and cumulatively through 28 September 2025. Effect estimates were expressed as relative risk, odds ratio and hazard ratio (HR). Results: Before matching, 896,302 NAFLD and 12,694 AFLD patients were identified; after 1:1 PSM, 11,583 patients remained in each group with balanced baseline characteristics. NAFLD patients consistently demonstrated higher OSA risk. Post-matching, OSA incidence became significantly elevated from year 2 onward (HR at 2 years = 1.764) and persisted at 3 years (HR = 2.078), 5 years (HR = 1.950), and cumulative follow-up (HR = 1.940). Conclusions: NAFLD confers nearly double the long-term OSA risk compared with AFLD. These findings support longitudinal OSA screening and targeted risk reduction strategies in NAFLD populations.

Curcumin (CUR) is a natural compound with anticancer potential; however, its poor water solubility, instability, and rapid degradation limit its therapeutic use. To address these issues, we developed CUR-loaded nanoparticles (CUR-NPs) based on chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and alginate, the TEM-measured diameter of 29.3 ± 9.0 nm. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis further confirmed good aqueous dispersibility, revealing hydrodynamic diameters of 39.8 ± 7.1 nm for UL-NPs and 46.1 ± 18.1 nm for CUR-NPs. Cytotoxicity assays revealed significant anticancer activity in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, with IC50 values of 17.5 ± 1.9 μg/mL and 39.9 ± 5.4 μg/mL after 72 h, respectively, indicating cell line-dependent sensitivity with MCF-7 cells being more susceptible to CUR-NP treatment. Time-dependent uptake was confirmed using fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry, which demonstrated faster and higher NP uptake by MCF-7 cells than by MDA-MB-231 cells. Collectively, these data support a cell line-dependent cell death response: MCF-7 cells displayed earlier and more pronounced changes consistent with apoptosis, whereas MDA-MB-231 cells showed slower uptake with delayed apoptosis and partial necrosis. Subcellular localization dynamics, particularly perinuclear aggregation, have emerged as determinants of NP-induced cytotoxicity, highlighting the potential for tailoring NP design to specific cellular contexts to improve therapeutic efficacy.

Both alcohol fatty liver disease (AFLD) and non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are established risk factors for liver cancer development. We conduct a comparative analysis between AFLD and NAFLD to determine which condition contributes a greater burden to liver cancer incidence. Data were obtained from the TriNetX research network. Individuals aged ≥ 20 years with newly diagnosed fatty liver disease between 2008 and 2021 were included. Participants were categorized into two groups: AFLD and NAFLD. Patients with a history of hepatic cirrhosis, liver cancer, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C before the index date were excluded. Propensity score matching was performed based on age, sex, and comorbidities, resulting in a balanced 1:1 matched cohort. Comparative analyses were conducted between the AFLD and NAFLD cohorts to assess differences in liver cancer risk profiles. A total of 13,998 AFLD and 1,165,365 NAFLD cases were analyzed. After propensity score matching, both cohorts consist of 13,998 individuals. At the 2- and 3-year follow-ups, the risk became statistically significant and showed a progressive increase, with relative risks approaching a two-fold elevation in the AFLD group. Cumulatively, by the final follow-up, AFLD patients demonstrated a markedly higher incidence of liver cancer (0.950% vs. 0.493%), confirming a sustained and significantly elevated risk even after adjustment for baseline characteristics. Patients with AFLD exhibited an approximately two-fold increased risk of liver cancer development over a 3-year follow-up period compared to those with NAFLD. This finding underscores the urgent need for comprehensive recognition and mitigation of alcohol-associated hepatocarcinogenesis.

Background/AimZinc finger CCCH-type containing 12A (ZC3H12A), also known as monocyte chemotactic protein-induced protein 1, has emerged as having a potential role in the landscape of some human cancer types, contributing to anti-tumorigenesis through signaling pathways of inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy and angiogenesis. However, its specific impact on the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains to be investigated.Patients and MethodsWe conducted in-vitro cell models in a pilot study and performed a retrospective cohort study involving 242 patients with OSCC to unravel the association between ZC3H12A expression level and oral cancer prognosis during 3, 5, and 10-year follow-up.ResultsThe findings showed that endogenous ZC3H12A expression was decreased in both the malignant (BQO) and highly metastatic (HSC-3-M3) OSCC cell lines compared to dysplastic oral keratinocytes (DOK) and the parental cell line of HSC-3-M3 (HSC-3). The analysis of clinical cancerous tissue arrays from patients with OSCC showed a significant association between complete loss of ZC3H12A expression and heightened cancer mortality, particularly at 3 and 5 years. Moreover, the complete loss of ZC3H12A expression may be associated with increased risk of lymph node involvement in OSCC.ConclusionOur investigation suggests that the complete loss of ZC3H12A expression exacerbated the unfavorable prognosis of OSCC in this Taiwanese population, but further study on elucidating the gradual decline of ZC3H12A expression in OSCC is imperative.