Effects of Epstein-Barr virus viral load and different treatment modality for stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: We investigated treatment results, the effects of different treatment modality, and pretreatment Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral load for stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients.

Methods: The initial definitive treatment for 356 stage III NPC patients consisted of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) or induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy (IndCT-RT). The pretreatment EBV DNA level separated patients into a high (n = 106) or low (n = 250) viral load (≥ or < 1000 copies/mL) subgroup.

Prognostic factors related to intratumoral hemorrhage in pediatric intracranial germ cell tumors.

Background: Certain types of pediatric intracranial germ cell tumors (PIGCTs) are prone to intratumoral hemorrhaging (TH) and associated with poor survival outcome. However, the impact of TH on the functional prognosis of patients with PIGCTs has not been well studied. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and MR findings in PIGCT patients with TH to identify the factors related to patient survival and functional outcome.

How Cryptococcus interacts with the blood-brain barrier.

Cryptococcus demonstrates predilection for invasion of the brain, but the mechanism by which Cryptococcus crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to cause brain invasion is largely unknown. In order for Cryptococcus to cross the BBB, there must be a way to either cross human brain microvascular endothelial cells, which are the main constitute of the BBB, or go in between tight junctions. Recent evidence of human brain microvascular endothelial cell responses to transcellular brain invasions includes membrane rearrangements, intracellular signaling pathways and cytoskeletal activations.

Modulation of Sonic hedgehog signaling and WW domain containing oxidoreductase WOX1 expression enhances radiosensitivity of human glioblastoma cells.

WW domain containing oxidoreductase, designated WWOX, FOR or WOX1, is a known pro-apoptotic factor when ectopically expressed in various types of cancer cells, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The activation of sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, especially paracrine Shh secretion in response to radiation, is associated with impairing the effective irradiation of cancer cells. Here, we examined the role of Shh signaling and WOX1 overexpression in the radiosensitivity of human GBM cells.

Long-term survival analysis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA levels.

Background: The objective of this study was to confirm the relation between plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA (pEBV DNA) load and treatment outcomes after long-term follow-up in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: In total, 210 patients with NPC were enrolled, including 99 previously reported patients and 111 new patients. They prospectively received treatment with induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy and were followed for at least 6 years.

Plasma EBV DNA clearance rate as a novel prognostic marker for metastatic/recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic effect of the concentrations and clearance rates of plasma EBV DNA in metastatic/recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Experimental Design: Thirty relapsed and four previously nontreated metastatic NPC patients were treated according to the consensus guidelines of the head and neck cancer team in our hospital (i.v.

Factors affecting the concentrations of PM10 in central Taiwan.

In this study, the synoptic weather types that have high probability and low probability of producing PM10 episode are referred to as HPE and LPE, respectively. Multiple linear regressions analysis showed that NO2 was the most important contributor (35.61%) to the concentrations of PM10 for HPE weather.

Immune response against grouper nervous necrosis virus by vaccination of virus-like particles.

The grouper is a high-value fish in the seafood market. Grouper nervous necrosis virus (GNNV) causes mass mortality, near 100% in larvae and juveniles, which has great economic impact on the aquaculture of the marine fish. Since vaccination is one of the best methods against viral diseases, grouper Epinephelus lanceolatus was injected with virus-like particles (VLPs) of GNNV at different dosages and injection frequencies.

Variations of nitrate and sulfate in the atmosphere on days of high and low particulate matters.

Particulate matters with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microm (PM10) were collected with high-volume samplers for four periods of consecutive samplings. Each period included a high PM10 (defined as PM10 > or = 110 microg/m3) episode. The concentrations of all ionic species of high PM10 day (HPD) samples were higher than those of low PM10 (defined as PM10 < 110microg/m3) d (LPD) samples.