Publications by authors named "Ku W"

Background: The optimal myopia control measures for children with intermittent exotropia (IXT) have yet to be determined. This study evaluates the impact of Repeated low-level red-light therapy (RLRL) on myopia control in this population.

Methods: This retrospective study included 94 participants divided into three groups: Myopic children without strabismus receiving RLRL treatment (RLRL Group).

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Integrating functional proteomics and next-generation sequencing (NGS) offers a comprehensive approach to unraveling the molecular intricacies of breast cancer. This study investigates the functional interplay between genomic alterations and protein expression in Taiwanese breast cancer patients. By analyzing 61 breast cancer samples using tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling and mass spectrometry, coupled with whole-exome sequencing (WES) or targeted sequencing, we identified key genetic mutations and their impact on protein expression.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The research focuses on improving the understanding of gene sets and pathways in biomedical data using enhanced gene lists called PAGs (pathways, annotated gene lists, and gene signatures), which include additional metadata to support biological insights.
  • - A new clustering method named todenE combines topology-based and density-based approaches to better identify groups of PAGs, creating clearer functional representations known as Super-PAGs, while utilizing Large Language Models (LLM) to enrich contextual information.
  • - Through performance comparisons and innovative metrics like the Disparity Index (DI), the study assesses different clustering methods, ultimately showing that todenE offers improved semantic quality and inclusivity in gene clustering when applied to various datasets.
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Background And Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant adverse effect on the mental health of healthcare professionals. This study aims to assess the effects of the prolonged pandemic on burnout and mood disorders and to evaluate the influence of positive vaccination beliefs on these factors at a medical center during the extended COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the results of an online questionnaire survey including burnout status and mood disorders from 2020 to 2022.

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Plant senescence is a highly coordinated process that is intricately regulated by numerous endogenous and environmental signals. The involvement of phytic acid in various cell signaling and plant processes has been recognized, but the specific roles of phytic acid metabolism in Arabidopsis leaf senescence remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that in the multiple inositol phosphate phosphatase (AtMINPP) gene, encoding an enzyme with phytase activity, plays a crucial role in regulating leaf senescence by coordinating the ethylene signal transduction pathway.

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In great contrast to the numerous discoveries of superconductivity in layer-stacked graphene systems, the absence of superconductivity in the simplest monolayer graphene remains quite puzzling. Here, through realistic computation of the electronic structure, we identify a systematic trend that superconductivity emerges only upon alteration of the low-energy electronic lattice from the underlying honeycomb atomic structure. We then demonstrate that this inhibition can result from geometric frustration of the bond lattice that disables the quantum phase coherence of the order parameter residing on it.

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Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and multiple vital organs, but the immunological pathogenesis of SSc remains unclear. We show here that miR-19b promotes Th9 cells that exacerbate SSc. Specifically, miR-19b and interleukin (IL)-9 increase in CD4 T cells in experimental SSc in mice induced with bleomycin.

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Vascularization plays a significant role in promoting the expedited process of bone regeneration while also enhancing the stability and viability of artificial bone implants. Although titanium alloy scaffolds were designed to mimic the porous structure of human bone tissues to facilitate vascularization in bone repair, their biological inertness restricted their broader utilization. The unique attribute of Metal-organic framework (MOF) MIL-53(Fe), known as "breathing", can facilitate the efficient adsorption of extracellular matrix proteins and thus provide the possibility for efficient interaction between scaffolds and cell adhesion molecules, which helps improve the bioactivity of the titanium alloy scaffolds.

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Many tissue-specific adult stem cell lineages maintain a balance between proliferation and differentiation. Here, we study how the H3K4me3 methyltransferase Set1 regulates early-stage male germ cells in Drosophila. Early-stage germline-specific knockdown of Set1 results in temporally progressive defects, arising as germ cell loss and developing into overpopulated early-stage germ cells.

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Background: Approximately 7% of the males exhibit reduced fertility; however, the regulatory genes and pathways involved remain largely unknown. TBC1 domain family member 21 (TBC1D21) contains a conserved RabGAP catalytic domain that induces GDP/GTP exchange to inactivate Rabs by interacting with microtubules. We previously reported that Tbc1d21-null mice exhibit severe sperm tail defects with a disrupted axoneme, and that TBC1D21 interacts with RAB10.

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Article Synopsis
  • The SWI/SNF-like BAF complexes are crucial for animal development and can influence both gene activation and repression, but their precise functions have been unclear due to previous long-term studies.
  • In this research, a mouse line was created with a tagged Smarca4 gene, allowing for the rapid depletion of BRG1, a key component of the BAF complexes, in specific cell types.
  • Acute loss of BRG1 leads to reduced gene activity, less RNA production, and changes in the structure of chromatin, highlighting its essential role in maintaining chromatin accessibility and facilitating gene transcription.
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Maintaining the viability of damaged pulp is critical in clinical dentistry. Pulp capping, by placing dental material over the exposed pulp, is a main approach to promote pulp-dentin healing and mineralized tissue formation. The dental materials are desired to impact on intricate physiological mechanisms in the healing process, including early regulation of inflammation, immunity, and cellular events.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Pulp regeneration uses a mix of stem cells, scaffolds, and growth factors to treat teeth with pulp necrosis, and stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown promise in enhancing this process through preconditioning.
  • - The study successfully produced functional EVs from stem cells in human baby teeth, which were found to significantly stimulate the growth and differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), outperforming conventional EVs.
  • - An injectable hydrogel was developed to contain these EVs, which offered sustained release and improved compatibility with DPSCs, ultimately promoting tooth tissue regeneration in animal models.
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Axillary bud outgrowth, a key factor in ratoon rice yield formation, is regulated by several phytohormone signals. The regulatory mechanism of key genes underlying ratoon buds in response to phytohormones in ratoon rice has been less reported. In this study, GR24 (a strigolactone analogue) was used to analyze the ratooning characteristics in rice cultivar Huanghuazhan (HHZ).

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Beyond 14 GPa of pressure, bilayered La_{3}Ni_{2}O_{7} was recently found to develop strong superconductivity above the liquid nitrogen boiling temperature. An immediate essential question is the pressure-induced qualitative change of electronic structure that enables the exciting high-temperature superconductivity. We investigate this timely question via a numerical multiscale derivation of effective many-body physics.

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Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) pose significant burdens on individuals and society, necessitating accurate prediction methods. Machine learning (ML) algorithms utilizing electronic health records and survey data offer promising tools for forecasting these conditions. However, potential bias and inaccuracies inherent in subjective survey responses can undermine the precision of such predictions.

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Many cell types come from tissue-specific adult stem cells that maintain the balance between proliferation and differentiation. Here, we study how the H3K4me3 methyltransferase, Set1, regulates early-stage male germ cell proliferation and differentiation in . Early-stage germline-specific knockdown of results in a temporally progressed defects, arising as germ cell loss and developing to overpopulated early-stage germ cells.

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Combinations of semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) sensors, electrochemical (EC) sensors, and photoionization detection (PID) sensors were used to discriminate chemical hazards on the basis of machine learning. Sensing data inputs were exploited in the form of either numerical or image data formats, and the classification of chemical hazards with high accuracy was achieved in both cases. Even a small amount of gas sensing or purging data (input for ∼30 s) input can be exploited in machine-learning-based gas discrimination.

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Article Synopsis
  • Oxidative stress is responsible for a significant percentage of infertility in men, with Klotho protein playing a crucial role in regulating antioxidation and inflammation.
  • Male mice without Klotho are sterile, and men with infertility show reduced Klotho levels, indicating its importance in maintaining male fertility.
  • The study finds that reduced Klotho leads to lower levels of key GST proteins that help combat oxidative stress, resulting in increased cellular damage and reduced sperm quality.
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Adult stem cells undergo asymmetric cell divisions to produce 2 daughter cells with distinct cell fates: one capable of self-renewal and the other committed for differentiation. Misregulation of this delicate balance can lead to cancer and tissue degeneration. During asymmetric division of Drosophila male germline stem cells (GSCs), preexisting (old) and newly synthesized histone H3 are differentially segregated, whereas old and new histone variant H3.

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal malignancy worldwide. The poor specificity and sensitivity of the fecal occult blood test has prompted the development of CRC-related genetic markers for CRC screening and treatment. Gene expression profiles in stool specimens are effective, sensitive and clinically applicable.

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: To report the initial response to a single intravitreal brolucizumab (IVI-B) injection in wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) or polypoidal choroidopathy (PCV) complicated with either persistent subretinal fluid (SRF) or pigment epithelial detachment refractory to previous anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy. : In this retrospective study, all eyes received a single IVI-B (6 mg/0.05 mL) for wAMD or PCV with treatment-resistant SRF or PED.

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PD-L1 immunohistochemistry has been approved as a diagnostic assay for immunotherapy. However, an international comparison across multiple cancers is lacking. This study aimed to assess the performance of PD-L1 diagnostic assays in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) and urothelial cancer (UC).

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