Taichung Veterans General Hospital

Microscope-Integrated Augmented Reality-Assisted Navigation for C1–C2 Instrumentation: A Retrospective Single-Center Case Series

Objective: Posterior C1–C2 instrumentation is technically demanding because of the complex osseous and vascular anatomy of the atlantoaxial region. This retrospective single-center case series aimed to describe the technical feasibility and observed screw-placement outcomes of a...

Using machine learning and preoperative data to predict 30-day mortality after non-cardiac major surgeries in older patients

Postoperative mortality remains a critical concern, especially among older patients undergoing non-cardiac major surgeries. With over 300 million surgeries performed worldwide annually, a significant proportion involves elderly patients, making early and precise risk stratificati...

Clinical Implications of the Novel Genetic Polymorphism Associated With Retinal Vein Occlusion: The East Asian GWAS Survey in a Single-Center Taiwanese Cohort

Purpose: To explore the single-nucleotide polymorphic features in an East Asian cohort of retinal venous occlusion (RVO) patients, to map pathogenic genes, and to analyze potential pathophysiological associations. Methods: This was a cross-sectional monocentric cohort study invol...

Standardized Short-Wave Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging for Non-Destructive Spectral Comparison of Coin Denominations, Design Variants, and Surface-Use Conditions

Coins contain multiple types of information, including denomination, design variant, year of issue, and surface condition. This study established a standardized 900–1700 nm short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging (SWIR-HSI) workflow for controlled and non-destructive spectral c...

Revisiting human circulating γδ T cells: developmental insights and manufacturing challenges for cancer immunotherapy

γδ T cells have emerged as promising candidates for adoptive cell immunotherapy due to their major histocompatibility complex-independent tumor recognition, rapid effector responses, and potential suitability for allogeneic applications. However, despite encouraging safety profil...

Progressive Conduction System Disease Preceding Hypertrophy in IVS4 + 919G > A Fabry Variant: a Population-based Electrocardiographic Study

BACKGROUND: The IVS4 + 919G > A variant is the most prevalent late-onset Fabry variant in East Asian populations, but its electrophysiological trajectory remains incompletely defined. METHODS: From a regional genetic screening program, 905 IVS4 + 919G > A carriers were identified...

Treatment-Free Interval as a Prognostic Factor for Survival Outcomes in Patients with Advanced or Recurrent Endometrial Cancer Treated with Pembrolizumab Plus Lenvatinib: A Multi-Institutional Real-World Cohort Study

Background/Objectives: The treatment-free interval (TFI) predicts benefit from platinum rechallenge in gynecological cancers, but its prognostic value in patients receiving second-line pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib for recurrent endometrial cancer (EC) is unknown. We evaluated wh...

Primary Native Bile Culture Patterns Collected During ERCP: Microbial Profiles in Malignant Versus Benign Biliary Obstruction

Acute biliary tract infection is a serious complication of biliary obstruction, and understanding the native biliary microbiota is essential for optimizing empirical antimicrobial therapy. We retrospectively reviewed 404 patients who underwent their first endoscopic retrograde ch...

Sex differences in the associations of body composition and PPARGC1A genetic variants with elevated pulse pressure

Pulse pressure (PP) is a hemodynamic marker for vascular aging. We investigated the sex-specific associations of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived body composition indices and PPARGC1A/VDR variants with elevated PP risk. This community-based study analyzed 5,829 adul...

Reproducibility-driven clinical translation of spatial multi-omics in precision medicine

Spatial multi-omics has emerged as a transformative approach for decoding tissue architecture by simultaneously profiling transcriptomic, proteomic, and epigenomic layers within their histological context. Yet despite rapid technological diversification, the transition from explo...

LDLR variants and higher LDL-C levels are associated with premature coronary disease requiring revascularization in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia-a TCVGH-TPMI cohort analysis

The specific impacts of LDLR and APOB variants on premature coronary artery disease (CAD) that requires revascularization are less explored in Han Chinese with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We investigated these genetic drivers within the Taichung Veterans General Hospital-...

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) assessing microvascular and macrovascular health in healthy octogenarians

Subclinical cardiovascular abnormalities are recognized as primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Most studies explore microcirculation, while the associations of peripheral microvascular structures and abnormalities have been understudied. This study aimed to use...

Claudin 18 is not a biomarker for breast mucinous tumor

BACKGROUND: Breast mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (BMCA) is an exceptionally rare malignancy that may resemble mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas, ovary, lung and colorectum. Claudin 18 (CLDN18), particularly its gastric-associated isoform CLDN18.2, is an emerging therapeutic target...

Erinacine C Attenuates Alzheimer’s-like Pathology: A Study in APP/PS1 Mice and PC12 Cells

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition and cognitive decline. Clinical evidence indicates that Hericium erinaceus whole fruiting body powder offers limited therapeutic efficacy, which is suggested to be c...

Long-Term Air Pollutant Exposure and the Risk of Cardiovascular- and Cancer-Related Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study in Taiwan

Air pollution exposure can cause vascular dysfunction and induce mutagenesis; however, its effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD)– and cancer-related mortality remain unclear. This prospective cohort study examined the impact of long-term exposure to multiple air pollutants on t...

Longitudinal Immunophenotypic Changes in Refractory Lupus Nephritis After B-cell Depletion: A 25-year Case Study

Background/Aim: Long-term management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) requires a persistent balance between intensive immunosuppression and the prevention of opportunistic infections. This is particularly challenging in patients with a multi-decade disease history and evolvi...

Role of fibroblast growth factor 23 in predicting CKD progression and prognosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and Objectives Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 10% of the global population. This meta-analysis evaluated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) as a prognostic biomarker for CKD progression, kidney failure, cardiovascular events, and mortality. Materials and Method...

Successful Perioperative Management of the Bentall Procedure in a Patient With Severe Hemophilia A, Infective Endocarditis, and Advanced Valve Disease

JW received an honorarium and consulting fee from Chugai, Sanofi, Takeda, Bayer, Novo Nordisk, AKSO, and Pfizer over the past 5 years. The other authors stated that they had no interests that might be perceived as posing a conflict or bias. The data that support the findings of t...

Localized Topical Melatonin Therapy Promotes Hair Regrowth in C57BL/6 Mice in Association with Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Activation

Melatonin, a methoxyindole synthesized by the pineal gland, is secreted in response to photoperiodic cues relayed from the retina through an endogenous circadian oscillator within the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Consequently, melatonin secretion regulates the circadian rhythm. Melat...

Association of HBB gene variants with cardiometabolic and renal phenotypes in a Taiwanese genomic cohort: a cross-sectional study

Heterozygous mutations in the β-globin gene (HBB) define beta-thalassemia carriers (BTC), a state traditionally regarded as clinically silent. However, the systemic consequences of HBB variant carriage on metabolic and renal phenotypes remain incompletely characterized, particula...