Yu-Fei Cheng, Wei Sun, Yi-Xia Wang, Jia-Jie Chen, Ya-Sen Cao
{"title":"LncRNA PVT1 Facilitates Phenotypic Switching of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Intracranial Aneurysms by Recruiting KDM1A to Reduce H3K9me2 Modification.","authors":"Yu-Fei Cheng, Wei Sun, Yi-Xia Wang, Jia-Jie Chen, Ya-Sen Cao","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70025","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explores the differential expression of lncRNA PVT1 in intracranial aneurysms (IAs) and its role in the phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). PVT1 and ALOX5 expressions in the serum of IA patients and healthy controls were detected by qRT-PCR. The diagnostic efficacy of PVT1 for IA was analyzed using the receiver operating curve (ROC). VSMCs were treated with H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> to induce phenotypic switching. PVT1 expression was silenced in VSMCs, followed by the detection of cell viability, inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6), as well as α-SMA, OPN, and MMP2. RIP confirmed the binding between PVT1 and KDM1A. The enrichment of KDM1A and H3K9me2 on ALOX5 promoter was analyzed by ChIP. PVT1 expression in IA patients was significantly elevated, and PVT1 expression was correlated with the size and location of IAs. H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> induced VSMCs to transition from contractile cells to synthetic cells, intensified cellular inflammation, and upregulated PVT1 expression. Inhibition of PVT1 repressed VSMC phenotypic switching. PVT1 promoted ALOX5 expression by recruiting KDM1A to reduce H3K9me2 modification. In conclusion, PVT1 is highly expressed in IA patients and has high diagnostic value. PVT1 promotes VSMC phenotypic switching by recruiting KDM1A to reduce H3K9me2 modification and enhance ALOX5 expression.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70025"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144040392","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}
Fei Shen, Jie Xu, Hui Rong, Jing Zhang, Yang Yang, Xian-Wen Li
{"title":"Construction and Validation of a Risk Prediction Model for Early Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Very Low Birth Weight Infants.","authors":"Fei Shen, Jie Xu, Hui Rong, Jing Zhang, Yang Yang, Xian-Wen Li","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70037","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the past several years, prediction models for severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in premature infants have emerged. However, few models have considered the importance of predictors related to the clinical course and hemostatic profile in predicting the risk of hemorrhage, such as the FiO<sub>2</sub>, hematocrit, and platelet count. Moreover, it is noteworthy that most models unreasonably confuse late-onset IVH with early-onset, posing a high risk of bias. The present study was performed to construct a new prediction model for severe IVH. The data for this population-based study came from a children's hospital. After screening by inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1009 very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) were subsequently recruited in the study and divided into training and validation sets in a ratio of 7:3. Gestational age, Max FiO<sub>2</sub>, hematokrit on admission < 45%, and platelet count on admission < 100 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L were incorporated into the nomogram chart. The area under the curve (AUC) values demonstrated robust predictive performance, with the training set yielding an AUC of 0.884 (bootstrap-corrected AUC = 0.903) and the validation set achieving an AUC of 0.859. The Delong test showed no statistically significant difference in AUCs between the training set and validation set (p = 0.528). The result of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed the model is well calibrated (p = 0.757). The present study identified the predictor model associated with severe IVH during the first 7 days of life, and the nomogram performed soundly, which would be a promising tool for early stratification of the risk for severe IVH in VLBWIs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70037"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144096570","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":"Effects of Adding Transversus Abdominis Plane Block on Intravenous Nalbuphine and Dexmedetomidine for Severely Pre-Eclamptic Parturients After Cesarean Delivery.","authors":"Yong Yang, Ya-Ni Zhang","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70027","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The use of opioids is frequently associated with the occurrence of adverse effects during cesarean delivery, especially for primiparous women with severe preeclampsia, creating a critical need for investigation of alternative analgesic strategies. The study aims to determine the effects of adding transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) on patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) of nalbuphine (Nal) and dexmedetomidine (Dex) on severely pre-eclamptic parturients after cesarean delivery. This is a randomized controlled trial. Severely pre-eclamptic parturients who were scheduled for elective cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia were randomly assigned into the TAPB group (TAPB combined with PCIA with Nal and Dex; n = 49) and the PCIA group (same block procedures with normal saline followed by PCIA with Nal and Dex; n = 51). Results showed that adding TAPB to PCIA with Nal and Dex significantly lowered visual analog scale (VAS) scores at rest at 2 and 6 h, at mobilization at 2, 6, and 12 h after surgery, reduced press time of PCIA, shortened time for first feeding and out-of-bed movement, enhanced maternal satisfaction with pain control, and lowered plasma levels of cortisone and norepinephrine. The findings of the study suggest that adding TAPB to PCIA with Nal and Dex could enhance acute recovery with fewer stress responses for severely pre-eclamptic parturients after cesarean delivery.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70027"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144113254","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}
Chia-Yu Kuo, Wei-An Lai, Tai-Huang Lee, Chih-Jen Yang
{"title":"Successful Treatment of Osimertinib Resistance in an EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancer Patient With a Rare STRN3-ALK Fusion Using Brigatinib and Osimertinib.","authors":"Chia-Yu Kuo, Wei-An Lai, Tai-Huang Lee, Chih-Jen Yang","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70021","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70021","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70021"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144053805","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":"Evaluation of Radiofrequency Ablation Safety and Efficacy in Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Single-Center Retrospective Study in Taiwan and Literature Review.","authors":"Shu-Ting Wu, Wei-Che Lin, Chih-Ying Lee, Cheng-Kang Wang, An-Ni Lin, Yen-Hsiang Chang, Shun-Yu Chi, Chen-Kai Chou","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70022","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is increasingly recognized as a minimally invasive option for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound (US)-guided RFA for the treatment of PHPT in Taiwan. We conducted a retrospective study of patients with PHPT who underwent RFA at a single medical center between March 2020 and January 2023. Serum biochemical samples, changes in parathyroid nodule volume, symptomatic scores, and complications were analyzed at follow-up after RFA. The volume reduction ratio (VRR) and treatment response at 1 year were evaluated. Among the 31 patients, 93.55% achieved a complete response with a VRR of 97.48% at 12 months post-RFA. Serum calcium and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels were significantly lower immediately after treatment than at baseline. However, a difference in phosphorus levels was noted 1 week later, and the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level was significantly decreased after 3 months (p < 0.05). Transient hoarseness occurred in three patients and resolved spontaneously within 6 months. US-guided RFA is effective and safe for treating PHPT, with a satisfactory VRR and treatment response. This approach could be an alternative to surgery for ineligible patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70022"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144096571","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":"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":"2025-07-01","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}
{"title":"Positive Association Between the Cardiometabolic Index and the Risk of Male Biochemical Androgen Deficiency in Adults.","authors":"Shuai-Shuai Mao, Wei Huang, Jia-Qing Luo","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70024","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Metabolic disorders are associated with testosterone deficiency, and the cardiometabolic index (CMI) is a recently identified metabolic indicator. The relationship between male biochemical androgen deficiency (MBAD), a precursor to testosterone deficiency, and CMI remains unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2016 to investigate the relationship between MBAD and CMI in men. This study included 1229 participants; among which, 209 participants had MBAD. Machine learning models identified that the importance of CMI on MBAD was in the top three. After adjusting for all covariates, we found a positive association between CMI and MBAD. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) curves validated this association both in age and body mass index subgroups. Trend regression showed that participants with a higher CMI tended to have a higher risk of MBAD. The positive association between CMI and MBAD persisted after multiple interpolations, validating the robustness of the results. Altogether, this study suggests that CMI exhibits a stable positive relationship with MBAD.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70024"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144059822","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":"Chemotherapy May Influence Esophageal Lugol Chromoendoscopy Severity: A Retrospective Cohort Study and Literature Review.","authors":"Wen-Hung Hsu, Chien-Chieh Lin, Hsiang-Yao Shih, Leong-Perng Chan, Hui-Ching Wang, Yi-Hsun Chen, Yu-Chung Hsu, Hui-Min Hsieh, I-Chen Wu","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70020","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lugol chromoendoscopy is widely used for screening esophageal squamous cell neoplasms (ESCNs) and evaluating dissection margins during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). However, morphological variations may arise following treatment for synchronous cancers. This study aimed to assess the impact of chemotherapy on Lugol chromoendoscopy findings during both screening and ESD. From August 2009 to March 2024, ESCN patients undergoing esophageal ESD were enrolled. Lugol chromoendoscopy findings were analyzed based on four criteria: iodine staining, lesion size, margin assessment, and the pink-color sign. Findings from screening endoscopy and ESD were compared, and medical records were reviewed for chemotherapy and radiation data. A literature review was also conducted to explore the potential effects of chemotherapy on Lugol chromoendoscopy findings. Among the 162 patients in this ESD cohort, 32 (19.8%) demonstrated notable differences between initial and follow-up Lugol chromoendoscopy. Among them, 14 (43.8%) had undergone chemotherapy prior to ESD, while 26 received chemotherapy within 2 months before ESD. A significant proportion (53.8%) of chemotherapy-treated patients exhibited faded chromoendoscopy findings (p < 0.01), despite no esophageal radiation exposure. Literature review findings supported our observation that chemotherapy may reduce Lugol voiding lesions. These findings suggest that chemotherapy influences lesion size and morphology during Lugol chromoendoscopy, underscoring the importance of careful timing and interpretation in these patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70020"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144061379","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}
Yi-Tse Su, Shu-Farn Tey, Chung-Ta Lee, Chien-Yu Lin, Jeng-Shiuan Tsai, Chien-Chung Lin, Chin-Wei Kuo
{"title":"Comparative Survival Analysis of Anti-Angiogenic Agent Plus Immunochemotherapy in NSCLC Patients After Frontline EGFR-TKI Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Yi-Tse Su, Shu-Farn Tey, Chung-Ta Lee, Chien-Yu Lin, Jeng-Shiuan Tsai, Chien-Chung Lin, Chin-Wei Kuo","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70023","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Advanced-stage EGFR-mutated lung non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) challenges current treatment paradigms, particularly after frontline EGFR-TKI therapy failure. This study investigates the survival impact of combined anti-angiogenic agent and immunochemotherapy (AICT) for this population. We retrospectively analyzed NSCLC patients at National Cheng Kung University Hospital from January 2010 to December 2022, focusing on those who had disease progression beyond frontline EGFR-TKI treatments. Survival outcomes were assessed through progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival post-TKI failure (OSpTKI). Propensity score was employed to match patients, with Kaplan-Meier curve and multivariable Cox regression analysis determining the survival benefits. Analyses were also performed for subgroups based on PD-L1 level, treatment lines, and regimens. A total of 412 patients were enrolled, with 27 receiving AICT. Compared to patients who did not receive AICT, those who received AICT had longer PFS (5.9 vs. 3.9 months, p = 0.024) and longer OSpTKI (17.9 vs. 11.9 months, p = 0.018). The observed survival advantage in PFS and OSpTKI was consistent in both the original cohort (for PFS: hazard ratio [HR] = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.39-0.90, p = 0.014; for OSpTKI: HR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.24-0.69, p < 0.001) and after propensity score matching (for PFS: HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.35-0.98, p = 0.014; for OSpTKI: HR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.26-0.79, p = 0.006). In the subgroup analyses, patients with PD-L1 ≥ 1%, those who received AICT as a second-line therapy, or those treated in conjunction with pemetrexed showed a PFS benefit. AICT improves survival outcomes in advanced-stage EGFR-mutated NSCLC, advocating for its integration into treatment regimens.</p>","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70023"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12245087/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144034468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multiple Gastric Adenomyomas Mimicking Leiomyoma: A Novel Case Report.","authors":"Chen Yuan, You-Hong Cao","doi":"10.1002/kjm2.70018","DOIUrl":"10.1002/kjm2.70018","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94244,"journal":{"name":"The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences","volume":" ","pages":"e70018"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143757090","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}