Narrative review of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with locally advanced colon cancer.

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, with more than 1.9 million new cases reported in 2020, and is associated with major survival challenges, particularly in patients with locally advanced colon cancer (LACC). LACC often involves T4 invasion or extensive nodal involvement and requires a multidisciplinary approach for management.

Hyperthermia reduces cancer cell invasion and combats chemoresistance and immune evasion in human bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common malignancy and its most prevalent type is urothelial carcinoma, which accounts for ~90% of all cases of BC. The current treatment options for BC are limited, which necessitates the development of alternative treatment strategies. Hyperthermia (HT), as an adjuvant cancer therapy, is known to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Spatiotemporal characterization of PM, O, and trace gases associated with East Asian continental outflows via drone sounding.

East Asian continental outflows with PM, O, and other species may determine the baseline conditions and affect the air quality in downwind areas via long-range transport (LRT). To gain insight into the impact and spatiotemporal characteristics of airborne pollutants in East Asian continental outflows, a versatile multicopter drone sounding platform was used to simultaneously observe PM, O, CO, and meteorological variables (temperature, specific humidity, pressure, and wind vector) above the northern tip of Taiwan, Cape Fuiguei, which often encounters continental outflows during winter monsoon periods. By coordinating hourly high-spatial-resolution profiles provided by drone soundings, WRF/CMAQ model air quality predictions, HYSPLIT-simulated backward trajectories, and MERRA-2 reanalysis data, we analyzed two prominent phenomena of airborne pollutants in continental outflows to better understand their physical/chemical characteristics.

A novel surgical approach for feline stenotic nares: Bilateral wedge resection of the dorsal lateral nasal cartilage in seven cases.

Objective: Surgical correction of stenotic nares, one component of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), is not referenced as often in cats as it is in dogs. Similar to dogs, stenotic nares emerge as a significant contributor in the development of BOAS in cats. In this study, we propose that stenotic nares in brachycephalic cats arise from an elongated dorsal lateral nasal cartilage.

Virucidal activity of trehalose 6-monolaurate against dengue virus in vitro.

Dengue fever is an acute febrile disease caused by dengue virus (DENV) infection. Over the past 60 years, DENV has spread throughout tropical regions and currently affects more than 50% of the world's population; however, there are as of yet no effective anti-DENV drugs for clinical treatment. A number of research teams have investigated derivatives of glycolipids as possible agents for the inhibition of DENV.

Using Treg, Tr1, and Breg Expression Levels to Predict Clinical Responses to csDMARD Treatment in Drug-naive Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background/aim: Regulatory T cells (Treg) play a crucial role in maintaining immune tolerance and preventing autoimmune diseases. Recent data also indicate that type 1 regulatory T (Tr1) and regulatory B (Breg) cells play an inhibitory (i.e.

Quality of life and cost-effectiveness of different breast cancer surgery procedures: a Markov decision tree-based approach in the framework of Predictive, Preventive, and Personalized Medicine.

Purpose: Breast cancer is a complex disease with heterogeneous outcomes that may benefit from the implementation of Predictive, Preventive, and Personalized Medicine (PPPM/3PM) strategies. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential of PPPM approaches by investigating the 10-year trends in quality of life (QOL) and the cost-effectiveness of different types of surgeries for patients with breast cancer.

Methods: This prospective cohort study recruited 144 patients undergoing breast conserving surgery (BCS), 199 undergoing modified radical mastectomy (MRM), and 44 undergoing total mastectomy with transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap (TRAMF) from three medical centers in Taiwan between June 2007 and June 2010.

Predicting the clinical efficacy of JAK inhibitor treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis based on Fas+ T cell subsets.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease. Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) have been approved for the treatment of RA; however, the impact of JAKi on immune cells remains inconclusive. This study investigated the response of immune cells to JAKi treatment to identify biomarkers by which to evaluate and predict clinical outcomes.

Using drone soundings to study the impacts and compositions of plumes from a gigantic coal-fired power plant.

The immense impacts of coal-fired power plant plumes on the atmospheric environment have caused great concern linked to climate and health issues. However, studies on the field observations of aerial plumes are relatively limited, mainly due to the lack of suitable plume observation tools and techniques. In this study, we use a multicopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sounding technique to study the influences of the aerial plumes of the world's fourth-largest coal-fired power plant on the atmospheric physical/chemical conditions and air quality.

Tumor suppressive functions of hsa‑miR‑34a on cell cycle, migration and protective autophagy in bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer (BC) cells exhibit a high basal level of autophagy activity, which contributes to the development of a protective mechanism for cellular survival against current treatments. Hsa‑microRNA‑34a (miR‑34a) presents anti‑tumor function in several types of cancer. However, the functional mechanism of miR‑34a in regulating tumor aggressiveness and protective autophagy of BC remains largely unknown.

The ADAM9/WISP-1 axis cooperates with osteoblasts to stimulate primary prostate tumor growth and metastasis.

Metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) predicts a poor prognosis and lower likelihood of survival. Osteoblasts (OBs) are known to be responsible for the synthesis and mineralization of bone, although it is unclear as to whether PCa in the prostate gland cooperates with OBs in bone to promote PCa malignant transformation. We aimed to elucidate how primary PCa cells cooperate with distal OBs and contribute to the vicious cycle that leads to metastatic PCa.

A study of the vertical homogeneity of trace gases in East Asian continental outflow.

East Asian continental outflows containing with pollutants may deteriorate air quality in the downwind region via long-range transport (LRT). In particular, cold fronts with high wind speeds generally promote the LRT of air pollutants to further downwind areas, including Taiwan. To gain an insightful understanding of the characteristics and vertical homogeneity of trace gases in East Asian continental outflows, as well as their relation with atmospheric meteorological conditions, whole air samples were collected above a cape at the northern tip of the island of Taiwan during frontal passages.

Synergistic in-vitro antiviral effects of combination treatment using anidulafungin and T-1105 against Zika virus infection.

Zika virus (ZIKV) has been the cause of some epidemics since 2007. The correlations of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome with ZIKV have been noticed. Unfortunately, researchers have yet to develop an effective vaccine or drug approved for ZIKV infection.

Flow coupling between active and passive fluids across water-oil interfaces.

Active fluid droplets surrounded by oil can spontaneously develop circulatory flows. However, the dynamics of the surrounding oil and their influence on the active fluid remain poorly understood. To investigate interactions between the active fluid and the passive oil across their interface, kinesin-driven microtubule-based active fluid droplets were immersed in oil and compressed into a cylinder-like shape.

Micafungin Inhibits Dengue Virus Infection through the Disruption of Virus Binding, Entry, and Stability.

Dengue fever is an arbovirus disease caused by infection with the dengue virus (DENV). Half of the world's population lives under the threat of dengue fever, however, researchers have yet to develop any drugs that are clinically applicable to this infection. Micafungin is a member of the echinocandins family of anti-fungal drugs, capable of blocking the synthesis of β-1,3-D-glucan in the walls of fungal cells.

Development of flexible electrochemical impedance spectroscopy-based biosensing platform for rapid screening of SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enters the cells through the binding of its spike protein (S-protein) to the cell surface-expressing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Thus, inhibition of S-protein-ACE2 binding may impede SARS-CoV-2 cell entry and attenuate the progression of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this study, an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy-based biosensing platform consisting of a recombinant ACE2-coated palladium nano-thin-film electrode as the core sensing element was fabricated for the screening of potential inhibitors against S-protein-ACE2 binding.

An optimized multicopter UAV sounding technique (MUST) for probing comprehensive atmospheric variables.

The unique maneuverability, ease of deployment, simplicity in logistics, and relatively low costs of multicopters render them effective vehicles for low atmospheric research. While many efforts have contributed to the fundamental success of atmospheric applications of multicopters in the past, several challenges remain, including limited measurable variables, possible response-delay in real-time observations, insufficient measurement accuracy, endurance of harsh conditions and tolerance towards interferences. To address these challenges and further fortify the applicability in diversified research disciplines, this study developed an optimized multicopter UAV sounding technique (MUST).

Template-Assisted Proximity for Oligomerization of Fullerenes.

Demonstrated herein is an unprecedented porous template-assisted reaction at the solid-liquid interface involving bond formation, which is typically collision-driven and occurs in the solution and gas phases. The template is a TMA (trimesic acid) monolayer with two-dimensional pores that host fullerenes, which otherwise exhibit an insignificant affinity to an undecorated graphite substrate. The confinement of C units in the TMA pores formulates a proximity that is ideal for bond formation.

Cancer adjuvant chemotherapy strategic classification by artificial neural network with gene expression data: An example for non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) is used after surgery to prevent recurrence or metastases. However, ACT for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still controversial. This study aimed to develop prediction models to distinguish who is suitable for ACT (ACT-benefit) and who should avoid ACT (ACT-futile) in NSCLC.

Electricity generation and wastewater treatment of oil refinery in microbial fuel cells using Pseudomonas putida.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a novel platform for treating wastewater and at the same time generating electricity. Using Pseudomonas putida (BCRC 1059), a wild-type bacterium, we demonstrated that the refinery wastewater could be treated and also generate electric current in an air-cathode chamber over four-batch cycles for 63 cumulative days. Our study indicated that the oil refinery wastewater containing 2213 mg/L (ppm) chemical oxygen demand (COD) could be used as a substrate for electricity generation in the reactor of the MFC.

Risk classification of cancer survival using ANN with gene expression data from multiple laboratories.

Numerous cancer studies have combined gene expression experiments and clinical survival data to predict the prognosis of patients of specific gene types. However, most results of these studies were data dependent and were not suitable for other data sets. This study performed cross-laboratory validations for the cancer patient data from 4 hospitals.

Evaluation of remediation process with soapberry derived saponin for removal of heavy metals from contaminated soils in Hai-Pu, Taiwan.

The use of a biodegradable natural plant-based surfactant extracted from soapberry is proposed for the remediation of Ni, Cr and Mn from industrial soil site in Hai-Pu, Taiwan. Batch experiments were performed under variation of fundamental factors (saponin concentration, pH, and incubation time) for metal remediation. Removal of Ni and Mn were increased with increasing saponin concentration (0.

Identification and discrimination of bacteria using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Bacterial spectra were obtained in the wavenumber range of 4000-600 cm(-1) using FTIR spectroscopy. FTIR spectral patterns were analyzed and matched with 16S-rRNA signatures of bacterial strains OS1 and OS2, isolated from oil sludge. Specific spectral bands obtained from OS1 (FJ226761), reference strain Bacillus flexus (ATCC 49095), OS2 (FJ215874) and reference strain Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (ATCC 19861) respectively, suggested that OS1 and ATCC 49095 were closely related whereas OS2 was different.

Removal of Cu, Pb and Zn by foam fractionation and a soil washing process from contaminated industrial soils using soapberry-derived saponin: a comparative effectiveness assessment.

The feasibility of using the eco-friendly biodegradable surfactant saponin (a plant-based surfactant) from soapberry and surfactin from Bacillus subtilis (BBK006) for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated industrial soil (6511mgkg(-1) copper, 4955mgkg(-1) lead, and 15090mgkg(-1) zinc) by foam fractionation and a soil flushing process was evaluated under variation of fundamental factors (surfactant concentration, pH, temperature and time). The results of latter process showed that 1-2% Pb, 16-17% Cu and 21-24% Zn was removed by surfactin after 48h, whereas the removal of Pb, Cu and Zn was increased from 40% to 47%, 30% to 36% and 16% to 18% in presence of saponin with an increase from 24 to 72h at room temperature by the soil washing process at pH 4. In the foam fractionation process, the metal removal efficiencies were increased with increases in the saponin concentration (0.

Study of the effects of monacolin k and other constituents of red yeast rice on obesity, insulin-resistance, hyperlipidemia, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using a mouse model of metabolic syndrome.

Purpose. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a progressive and intractable disease associated with metabolic syndrome. Red yeast rice (RYR) contains monacolin K, a potent inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, and its consumption decreases cholesterol and triglyceride levels.