The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has driven the global COVID-19 pandemic, imposing a tremendous burden on public health. As the virus continually evolves through rapid mutations, the pandemic has transitioned into a prolonged endemic phase. Despite the development of novel drugs and vaccines, clinical outcomes remain suboptimal for vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with comorbidities or compromised immunity. Tea polyphenols, a class of structurally diverse and bioactive nutraceuticals, may modulate viral entry, replication, and host inflammatory pathways implicated in disease progression through pleiotropic effects on viral attachment, membrane fusion, intracellular replication, and proteolytic processing. Here, we provide an updated chemo-biological perspective on the antiviral and immunomodulatory mechanisms of tea polyphenols against SARS-CoV-2. Current evidence highlights their potential to serve as promising candidates for further mechanistic and translational investigation as adjunctive strategies and nutraceuticals for COVID-19 management. Importantly, no large-scale randomized controlled trials have yet demonstrated clinical benefit of tea polyphenols in COVID-19.
BACKGROUND:Cytologic inflammation is a common finding in cervical screening, yet its clinical significance remains uncertain, particularly in settings where human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is not routinely available. We examined whether recurrent inflammatory findings on Papanicolaou (Pap) smears predict subsequent cervical abnormalities in a cytology-based screening context. METHODS:We conducted a 25-year multicenter hospital-based cohort study including 21,574 women who underwent at least three consecutive Pap smears between 1997 and 2021 at three teaching hospitals in Taiwan. The number of baseline smears showing inflammation was defined as the exposure. Subsequent cytologic outcomes (ASC-US, ASC-H, LSIL, HSIL+) and histologic outcomes (CIN1 and CIN2 +) were identified from hospital registries. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS:Women with any cytologic inflammation had significantly higher risks of subsequent cytologic abnormalities, including ASC-US and ASC-H (HR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.27-2.04), LSIL (HR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.06-2.54), as well as histologic CIN1 (HR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.07-2.10). The risk was greatest among those with recurrent inflammation (≥2 findings), with HRs of 2.24 (95% CI 1.68-2.99) for cytologic ASC-US and ASC-H, 1.81 (95% CI 1.03-3.18) for cytologic LSIL, and 1.94 (95% CI 1.27-2.97) for histologic CIN1. No significant association was observed for cytologic HSIL+ or histologic CIN2 + . CONCLUSION:Recurrent cytologic inflammation was associated with an increased risk of low-grade but not high-grade cervical lesions. These findings suggest that repeated inflammatory cytology reflects a state of cervical epithelial instability or infection-related alteration rather than direct oncogenic progression. In cytology-dominant screening settings prior to widespread HPV DNA-based screening, inflammatory findings may provide contextual information for interpreting patterns of low-grade abnormality detection and highlight the importance of structured screening frameworks during periods of screening transition.
We propose a tractable SOFR-swaption pricing framework that integrates Jamshidian's decomposition with the one-factor Hull-White model in the extended forward-measure/ extended-bond setting and derives closed-form formulae consistent with SOFR's compounded-in-arrears convention. Model calibration generates a trader-ready 6-surface that supports interpolation across the expiry-tenor grid and facilitates pricing and mark-to-market valuation of less-liquid or bespoke contracts. Empirical results show good fit for short-and intermediate-maturity swaptions but significant errors for long-dated options, highlighting both the model's practical value and its structural limitations.
OBJECTIVE:Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy (CP), and developmental delay are major childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. Sibling status and birth order may influence neurodevelopmental outcomes, yet population-based evidence remains limited. This study examined their associations with childhood neurodevelopmental disorder risks in a nationwide birth cohort. METHODS:We analyzed 2,045,178 live births from Taiwan's Birth Registration Database (2004-2014), linked to National Health Insurance and Death Registry records through 2020. CP, developmental delay, ASD, and ADHD were identified using ICD codes. Children were classified by sibling status and birth order using maternal identifiers. Kaplan-Meier and Cox models estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs), controlling for maternal age, birth period, perinatal factors, socioeconomic status, and urbanization. RESULTS:Compared with single children, those with siblings generally showed lower risks of CP and ASD, whereas associations with ADHD and developmental delay varied according to birth order. Later birth order was associated with lower recorded risks of ASD and ADHD. Similar patterns were observed after excluding multiple births and in analyses restricted to diagnoses before 6 years of age. CONCLUSIONS:Family structure, including single-child status and birth order, was associated with childhood neurodevelopmental disorder risks. Compared with children who had siblings, single children generally had higher risks across multiple neurodevelopmental outcomes. These findings suggest that family structure may represent an important early-life context for neurodevelopment and may help inform developmental surveillance in societies experiencing declining fertility rates and delayed childbearing.
Purpose:Carbon dioxide monitoring is particularly critical in very preterm and very low birth weight (VLBW) infants during the first weeks of life because of the hypercarbia and hypocarbia related morbidities. Conventional methods for measuring partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) are challenging for preterm neonates due to complications. Continuous transcutaneous partial pressure of carbon dioxide (TcPCO2) measurement is a well-established method in neonatal intensive care unit. This study primarily aimed to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of transcutaneous partial pressure of CO2 (TcPCO2) compared with PaCO2 in preterm neonates and VLBW infants (birth weight <1,500 g), and secondarily to explore how accuracy varies across different gestational age and birth weight strata. Methods:This retrospective single-center observational study included a heterogeneous neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) cohort. In neonates admitted to the NICU for respiratory distress, PaCO2 and TcPCO2 were measured simultaneously. Statistical analysis included linear regression, calculation of intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), repeated measures correlation (rmcorr), and the repeated-measures Bland-Altman analysis. Results:A total of 143 infants (mean gestational age: 35 ± 3.2 weeks; mean birth weight: 2,374 ± 694.4 g) were recruited, and 410 PaCO2 and TcPCO2 measurement pairs were obtained for analysis. A strong correlation (rmcorr = 0.800) with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91-0.94, p < 0.001) was found in preterm neonates, particularly those with gestational age below 32 weeks, or a birth weight below 1,500 g. Similar correlations were observed in larger infants. Conclusions:TcPCO2 is a noninvasive and reliable method for continuous respiratory monitoring in preterm neonates and very low birth weight infants during the early postnatal period. TcPCO2 is useful for continuous trend monitoring and may reduce the need for arterial sampling; however, confirmatory blood gas testing is recommended for extreme values or unstable clinical conditions.
