Publications by authors named "Kannie Chim"

Background: Premature discontinuation of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in breast cancer survivors compromises treatment outcomes. We aimed to evaluate whether patient-reported joint pain predicts premature discontinuation of AIs.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of postmenopausal women with breast cancer on AIs who had completed a survey about their symptom experience on AIs with specific measurements of joint pain.

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Fluorescent proteins have wide applications in biology. However, not all of these proteins are properly expressed in bacteria, especially if the codon usage and genomic GC content of the host organism are not ideal for high expression. In this study, we analyzed the DNA sequences of multiple fluorescent protein genes with respect to codons and GC content and compared them to a low-GC gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus anthracis.

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Expression of a polysaccharide capsule is required for the full pathogenicity of many mucosal pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Although capsule allows for evasion of opsonization and subsequent phagocytosis during invasive infection, its role during mucosal colonization, the organism's commensal state, remains unknown. Using a mouse model, we demonstrate that unencapsulated mutants remain capable of nasal colonization but at a reduced density and duration compared to those of their encapsulated parent strains.

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