{"title":"Effects of Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir Therapy on Extrahepatic Manifestations in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Hepatitis C: Insights From a Nationwide Hepatitis C Virus Registry in Taiwan.","authors":"Szu-Jen Wang, Te-Sheng Chang, Ching-Chu Lo, Chao-Hung Hung, Chien-Wei Huang, Lee-Won Chong, Pin-Nan Cheng, Ming-Jong Bair, Ming-Lun Yeh, Cheng-Yuan Peng, Chien-Yu Cheng, Jee-Fu Huang, Chih-Lang Lin, Chi-Chieh Yang, Hsing-Tao Kuo, Tsai-Yuan Hsieh, Tzong-Hsi Lee, Pei-Lun Lee, Wen-Chih Wu, Chih-Lin Lin, Wei-Wen Su, Sheng-Shun Yang, Chia-Chi Wang, Jui-Ting Hu, Lein-Ray Mo, Chun-Ting Chen, Yi-Hsiang Huang, Chun-Chao Chang, Chia-Sheng Huang, Guei-Ying Chen, Chien-Neng Kao, Chi-Ming Tai, Chun-Jen Liu, Mei-Hsuan Lee, Pei-Chien Tsai, Shu-Chi Wang, Chia-Yen Dai, Jia-Horng Kao, Han-Chieh Lin, Wang-Long Chuang, Kuo-Chih Tseng, Chi-Yi Chen, Chung-Feng Huang, Ming-Lung Yu","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70067","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70067","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examines the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication through sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) treatment on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Utilizing data from the Taiwan HCV Registry, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 2180 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 695 of whom had T2DM. HbA1c levels significantly decreased in the diabetes group from 7.32% ± 1.72% at baseline to 6.87% ± 1.34% after achieving sustained virological response (SVR12). Patients with higher baseline HbA1c levels and cirrhosis experienced more pronounced HbA1c reductions. Among diabetic patients with HbA1c levels ≥ 6.5, 24.6% achieved levels < 6.5 following HCV elimination, while 24.4% of prediabetic patients observed HbA1c reductions < 5.7. Multivariate analysis identified fasting glucose levels and diabetes status as significant factors associated with HbA1c decline. These findings suggest that successful HCV treatment can improve glycemic control, highlighting the need for collaboration between hepatology and non-hepatology specialists in patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70067"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144334752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Case Report of Long QT Syndrome in a Patient With Syncope.","authors":"Chun-Yu Chen, Rui-Xian Wang, Ken-Pen Weng, Shih-Ming Huang","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.70065","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70065"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144319109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Severe Skin Necrosis and Crusting Following Disseminated Herpes in a Kidney Transplant Patient: A Rare and Alarming Case.","authors":"Chung-Ting Cheng, Lee-Moay Lim, Hung-Tien Kuo, Yi-Wen Chiu","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.70062","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70062"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144319112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Han-Bing Xu, Jian-Tao Han, Cheng-Peng Zhang, Bin Jiang
{"title":"LncRNA SOX21-AS1 Promotes the Progression of Pancreatic Cancer by Sponging miR-9-3p and Upregulating YOD1.","authors":"Han-Bing Xu, Jian-Tao Han, Cheng-Peng Zhang, Bin Jiang","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.70054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly aggressive malignancy of the digestive system. Recent studies have indicated that the long noncoding RNA SOX21-AS1 is significantly upregulated in PC tissue samples. This study aims to elucidate the biological role and underlying molecular mechanisms of SOX21-AS1 in PC progression. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot analyses were employed to assess RNA and protein expression levels, respectively. The subcellular localization of SOX21-AS1 was determined using subcellular fractionation assays. PC cell viability, migratory capacity, and apoptosis were evaluated through CCK-8 assays, wound healing assays, and flow cytometry. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays were conducted to confirm the interactions between miR-9-3p and either SOX21-AS1 or YOD1. Additionally, a xenograft mouse model was established to investigate the in vivo effects of SOX21-AS1. The findings revealed that SOX21-AS1 is highly expressed in PC tissues and cell lines, with its upregulation correlating with poor patient prognosis. Functional assays demonstrated that knockdown of SOX21-AS1 suppressed PC cell proliferation and migration, induced apoptosis in vitro, and reduced tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, SOX21-AS1 competitively interacted with miR-9-3p to upregulate YOD1, consequently activating the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. Furthermore, overexpression of YOD1 reversed the tumor-suppressive effects observed after SOX21-AS1 knockdown. In conclusion, SOX21-AS1 promotes PC cell malignancy through the miR-9-3p/YOD1 axis and subsequent activation of TGF-β/Smad signaling.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70054"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144319111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of Spread Through Air Spaces (STAS) on Recurrence and Surgical Trends in Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Real-World Cohort Study.","authors":"Cheng-Hao Chuang, Yu-Wei Liu, Wei-An Lai, Yi-Wen Shen, Shih-Yu Kao, Yu-Ching Wei, Chu-Chun Chien, Hui-Yang Hung, Jui-Ying Lee, Min-Fang Chao, Jen-Yu Hung, Inn-Wen Chong, Chih-Jen Yang","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.70061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, which remains a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Early detection, particularly at Stage I, is critical for improving survival outcomes. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has increased the detection of small asymptomatic tumors, resulting in an earlier diagnosis and facilitating less invasive surgical approaches such as segmentectomy and wedge resection, which preserve lung function while offering survival outcomes comparable to lobectomy. However, the risk factors for recurrence in Stage I NSCLC remain poorly understood. This retrospective study analyzed 1077 Stage I NSCLC patients treated at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital from 2010 to 2022. Data including AJCC 7th and 8th editions staging, surgical interventions, and pathological features were analyzed. The proportion of Stage I cases increased significantly from 9.3% in 2010 to 33.8% in 2017, with Stage IA cases increasing from 12.1% in 2018 to 38.2% in 2022. Concurrently, the lobectomy rate decreased from 75% in 2010 to 43.6% in 2022, with more sublobar resections performed. Kaplan-Meier analysis found no significant differences in recurrence-free survival between lobectomy and sublobar resection with regional lymph node dissection. Cox regression identified spread through air spaces (STAS) as an independent risk factor for recurrence (hazard ratio 2.87, p = 0.006), along with male sex, larger tumor size, and visceral pleural invasion. These findings highlight the role of LDCT in early detection and the importance of tailored treatment strategies, particularly addressing STAS, to optimize recurrence-free survival and improve outcomes of patients with Stage I NSCLC.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70061"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144319110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yun Zhu, Shi-Yun Huang, Yi Lei, An-Ni Luo, Xiang-Zhao Li, Biao Wang, Peng-Hui Sun, Si-Tang Gong, Yang Cheng
{"title":"PKN2 Inhibits VEGFA and bFGF-Mediated Angiogenesis by Targeting HIF-1α in Colon Cancer.","authors":"Yun Zhu, Shi-Yun Huang, Yi Lei, An-Ni Luo, Xiang-Zhao Li, Biao Wang, Peng-Hui Sun, Si-Tang Gong, Yang Cheng","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.70050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Angiogenesis plays a vital role in colon cancer growth and metastasis. The role of protein kinase N2 (PKN2) in colon cancer is rarely studied. In this study, we investigated the effect of PKN2 on angiogenesis in colon cancer. We evaluated the correlation between PKN2 expression and microvessel density (MVD) in tumor tissue of patients with colon cancer. The effect of PKN2 on tumor angiogenesis was investigated both in cultured colon cancer cells and in a mouse colon cancer model. PKN2 targeted vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression, and secretion were analyzed, and the specific regulatory role of PKN2 on HIF was explored. PKN2 expression was negatively correlated with tumor MVD in tumor tissue of patients with colon cancer. PKN2 inhibited angiogenesis in both in vitro and in vivo models of mouse tumors. Mechanistically, PKN2 suppressed the transcriptional activity of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and reduced its nuclear accumulation, leading to the inhibiting of VEGFA and bFGF transcription by preventing HIF-1α binding to their promoters. Additionally, PKN2 directly interacted with HIF-1α at the protein level and induced phosphorylation, resulting in ubiquitination-dependent degradation of HIF-1α in colon cancer cells. Our study demonstrated, for the first time, that PKN2 exerts inhibitory effects on tumor angiogenesis in colon cancer. We propose a novel mechanism by which PKN2 regulates VEGFA and bFGF expression through modulation of the dynamic equilibrium of HIF-1α protein levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70050"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144295572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chun-Meng Li, Xiang-Jian Zheng, Shang-Shang Xie, De-Yong Lin, Zi-Tian Liu
{"title":"Mechanistic Insights Into hsa_circ_0005654-Induced Ferroptosis in Diabetic Foot Ulcers Through IGF2BP2 Interaction.","authors":"Chun-Meng Li, Xiang-Jian Zheng, Shang-Shang Xie, De-Yong Lin, Zi-Tian Liu","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the molecular mechanism by which hsa_circ_0005654 aggravates diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) by promoting ferroptosis. A DFU rat model was established, and lentiviral vectors interfering with circ_0005654 and IGF2BP2 expression were injected into DFU rats by tail vein. The successful injection of lentiviral vectors was verified by RT-qPCR. The histopathology of foot ulcer tissues of DFU rats was observed by HE staining. Iron deposition was observed by Perls' Blue staining. Inflammatory factors were detected by ELISA. Protein expression of ferroptosis markers (GPX4 and SLC7A11) was measured by Western blot. The interaction of circ_0005654 with IGF2BP2 was verified by RNA pull-down assay and RIP assay. Iron deposition and inflammatory factor levels were increased in foot ulcer tissues of DFU rats, and wound healing was impaired. Liproxstatin-1, a ferroptosis inhibitor, promoted wound healing in DFU rats by inhibiting ferroptosis and inflammation. circ_0005654 expression was up-regulated. Down-regulating circ_0005654 promoted wound healing in DFU rats by inhibiting ferroptosis and inflammation. circ_0005654 could interact with IGF2BP2, and up-regulating IGF2BP2 attenuated the effects of circ_0005654 down-regulation in DFU rats. circ_0005654 promotes ferroptosis to aggravate DFU by interacting with IGF2BP2.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70047"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144277205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Point-of-Care Model for Hepatitis C Elimination in Remote Islands of Taiwan.","authors":"Tzu-Chun Lin, Pei-Chien Tsai, Chung-Feng Huang, Ming-Lun Yeh, Yu-Ju Wei, Ming-Yen Hsieh, Ming-Jong Bair, Chia-Yen Dai, Jee-Fu Huang, Ming-Lung Yu, Wan-Long Chuang","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.70060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Timely and efficient diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains the effective approach for the subsequent care cascade of HCV treatment. It is of importance in under-resourced areas. The study aimed to assess the feasibility of a point-of-care (POC) model by a rapid diagnostic test and subsequent confirmational HCV RNA test in remote islands where traffic is an additional hurdle for health care. We conducted a mass POC screening program in 3 outlying islands, including Liuqiu (6.8 km<sup>2</sup>, 12,000 residents), Green (15.1 km<sup>2</sup>, 4280 residents), and Orchid (48.4 km<sup>2</sup>, 5230 residents) islands. We used immunochromatography-based finger-tip assays for HCV antibody detection. Serum HCV RNA was measured among patients seropositive for the rapid anti-HCV test. There were 1055, 268, and 276 adult residents receiving rapid tests in Liuqiu, Green, and Orchid, respectively, yielding response rates of 47.0%, 41.1%, and 24.4%, respectively. The prevalence of anti-HCV-positive were 1.3% (n = 14), 1.1% (n = 3), and 0, respectively. Nine (52.9%) of the 17 anti-HCV-positive patients were HCV RNA-negative. The HCV RNA-positive patients then received anti-viral treatment. The average turnaround time for overall POC HCV test results was 11.8 ± 3.2 min, and the sampling time was completed within 10-30 s. Meanwhile, the labor cost of HCV RNA screening was 156.3 USD, which was a 28.6% decrease compared to traditional methods. The study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the POC model for HCV elimination in remote islands with limited resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70060"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144236379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dexmedetomidine as a Ropivacaine Adjuvant in a Thoracic Paravertebral Block Combined With an Erector Spinae Plane Block for Improving Early Quality of Recovery After Transapical Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.","authors":"Gui-Ling Dong, Rong-En Qiu, Chen-Zhan Xu","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.70058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine (Dex) as an adjuvant for ropivacaine in a thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) combined with an erector spinae plane block (ESPB) for improving early quality of recovery and postoperative pain after transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). A total of 89 patients who were scheduled to undergo transapical TAVI under general anesthesia were allocated into Group RS and Group RD by using a computer-generated random-number list. Group RS (n = 45) received 35 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine with 5 mL of a normal saline mixture in TPVB combined with ESPB and Group RD (n = 44) received 35 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine with 1 μg/kg Dex in 5 mL of normal saline. The RD group exhibited significantly higher global QoR-15 scores with lower visual analog scale (VAS) scores at 12 and 24 h postoperatively than the RS group. The RD group needed fewer press times of PCIA than the RS group. The postoperative sufentanil consumption was significantly less in the RD group than that in the RS group. A longer time to first use of flurbiprofen with less remedial doses of flurbiprofen consumption within 48 h postoperatively was required for the RD group than that for the RS group. The two groups did not differ in the incidence of side effects. The findings of the study suggest that adding Dex to ropivacaine in TPVB combined with ESPB is effective in improving early quality of recovery and alleviating postoperative pain for patients undergoing transapical TAVI under general anesthesia.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70058"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144236380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}