Exercise capacity-hemodynamics mismatch in elderly patients with pulmonary hypertension: A nationwide multicenter study from Taiwan Society of Cardiology Pulmonary Hypertension Registry (TAIPANS).

Background: Demographics of pulmonary hypertension (PH) has changed a lot over the past forty years. Several recent registries noted an increase in mean age of PH but only a few of them investigated the characteristics of elderly patients. Thus, we aimed to analyze the characteristics of PH in such a population in this study.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension in the elderly population.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was a disease predominantly affecting young females about 40 years ago; however, it has been increasingly diagnosed in elderly individuals. Few studies have investigated the features of elderly patients with PAH. This review provides an overview of the characteristics of elderly patients with PAH compared to young patients.

Prediction of functional consequences of the five newly discovered variations in Taiwan.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD deficiency; OMIM #300908) is the most common inborn error disorders worldwide. While the G6PD is the key enzyme of removing oxidative stress in erythrocytes, the early diagnosis is utmost vital to prevent chronic and drug-, food- or infection-induced hemolytic anemia. The characterization of the mutations is also important for the subsequent genetic counseling, especially for female carrier with ambiguous enzyme activities and males with mild mutations.

Applying a multiplexed primer extension method on dried blood spots increased the detection of carriers at risk of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in newborn screening program.

Background: Patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency might develop acute hemolytic anemia, chronic hemolytic anemia, and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia when exposed to high levels of oxidative stress. Severe hemolysis may occur in not only patients but also female carriers under certain conditions. However, 80%-85% of female carriers were undetected in an existing newborn screening program because of their wide-ranging levels of enzyme activity.

Biphasic and Stage-Associated Expression of CPEB4 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein 4 (CPEB4) is a sequence-specific RNA-binding protein and translational regulator, with expression associated with tumor progression. Nevertheless, CPEB4 seems to play paradoxical roles in cancers-an oncogenic promoter in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and glioblastomas but a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To assess whether CPEB4-regulated carcinogenesis is tissue-specific, we reevaluated the role of CPEB4 in HCC.

Endothelial Cell Sensitization by Death Receptor Fractions of an Anti-Dengue Nonstructural Protein 1 Antibody Induced Plasma Leakage, Coagulopathy, and Mortality in Mice.

The mechanisms leading to the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) remain elusive. DHF preferentially occurs during secondary dengue infections, suggesting that aberrant immune responses are involved in its development. We previously demonstrated that the autoantibodies elicited by dengue virus (DENV) nonstructural protein 1 (NS1; anti-NS1 Igs) induce plasma leakage and mortality in mice with warfarinized anticoagulant suppression.

Mutation Profile of the MUT Gene in Chinese Methylmalonic Aciduria Patients.

The mut-type methylmalonic aciduria (MMA, MIM 251000) is caused by a deficiency of mitochondrial methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MCM, E.C. 5.

[Expression and significance of matrix metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase in non-melanoma skin cancer].

Objective: To investigate the expression and significance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP-2, TIMP-1) in non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

Methods: Thirty six patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 32 patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), confirmed by pathology, were selected, and 30 cases of normal skin were selected as control. The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in all samples were examined by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Mutation spectrum of and founder effects affecting the PTS gene in East Asian populations.

The enzyme 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase (PTPS, gene symbol: PTS) is involved in the second step of the de novo biosynthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), which is a vital cofactor of nitric oxide synthases and three types of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases; the latter are important enzymes in the production of neurotransmitters. We conducted a study of PTS mutations in East Asia, including Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. A total of 43 mutations were identified, comprising 22 previously reported mutations and 21 new discovered mutations.

Mutation spectrum of MMACHC in Chinese patients with combined methylmalonic aciduria and homocystinuria.

The cblC type of combined methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) and homocystinuria (HC) is the most common inborn error of vitamin B(12) metabolism and is caused by mutations in the MMACHC gene. To elucidate the spectrum of mutations that causes combined MMA and HC in Chinese patients, the MMACHC gene was sequenced in 79 unrelated Chinese patients. Sequence analysis identified 98.

[Study on proteomics of Jurkat cells treated with the extracts from Prunella vulgaris].

Objective: To analyse the differential proteins of Jurkat cells after treated with the extracts from Prunella vulgaris using two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrum.

Methods: Jurkat cell growth inhibitive effect of the extracts from Prunella vulgaris was analyzed by MTT assay. The total proteins of the cells were extracted after treated with the extracts in a dose of 20 microg/mL.

Implantation of olfactory ensheathing cells promotes neuroplasticity in murine models of stroke.

Murine olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) promote central nervous system axonal regeneration in models of spinal cord injury. We investigated whether OECs could induce a neuroplastic effect to improve the neurological dysfunction caused by hypoxic/ischemic stress. In this study, human OECs/olfactory nerve fibroblasts (hOECs/ONFs) specifically secreted trophic factors including stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha).

Enhancement of neuroplasticity through upregulation of beta1-integrin in human umbilical cord-derived stromal cell implanted stroke model.

Neuroplasticity subsequent to functional angiogenesis is an important goal for cell-based therapy of ischemic neural tissues. At present, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved are still not well understood. In this study, we isolated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from Wharton's jelly (WJ) to obtain clonally expanded human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUCMSCs) with multilineage differentiation potential.