ORN: Inferring patient-specific dysregulation status of pathway modules in cancer with OR-gate Network.

Pathway level understanding of cancer plays a key role in precision oncology. However, the current amount of high-throughput data cannot support the elucidation of full pathway topology. In this study, instead of directly learning the pathway network, we adapted the probabilistic OR gate to model the modular structure of pathways and regulon.

Successful treatment of a patient with cutaneous co-infection caused by Mucor irregularis and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

The authors report a rare case of primary cutaneous mucormycosis caused by Mucor irregularis and cutaneous Klebsiella pneumoniae infections in a 67-year-old Chinese woman. After the administration of liposomal amphotericin B combined with cefoperazone/sulbactam sodium, the patient recovered. Invasive fungal infection combined with cutaneous bacterial infection should receive attention.

BEM: Mining Coregulation Patterns in Transcriptomics via Boolean Matrix Factorization.

Motivation: The matrix factorization is an important way to analyze coregulation patterns in transcriptomic data, which can reveal the tumor signal perturbation status and subtype classification. However, current matrix factorization methods do not provide clear bicluster structure. Furthermore, these algorithms are based on the assumption of linear combination, which may not be sufficient to capture the coregulation patterns.

The efflux pump inhibitor tetrandrine exhibits synergism with fluconazole or voriconazole against Candida parapsilosis.

In the last two decades, with the wide use of azoles, antifungal resistance among Candida parapsilosis has considered a matter of concern worldwide. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antifungal potentials of tetrandrine (TET) alone and in combination with fluconazole (FLC)/voriconazole (VRC) against C. parapsilosis.

Integrating data and knowledge to identify functional modules of genes: a multilayer approach.

Background: Characterizing the modular structure of cellular network is an important way to identify novel genes for targeted therapeutics. This is made possible by the rising of high-throughput technology. Unfortunately, computational methods to identify functional modules were limited by the data quality issues of high-throughput techniques.

Prediction of lncRNA-disease associations by integrating diverse heterogeneous information sources with RWR algorithm and positive pointwise mutual information.

Background: Long non-coding RNAs play an important role in human complex diseases. Identification of lncRNA-disease associations will gain insight into disease-related lncRNAs and benefit disease diagnoses and treatment. However, using experiments to explore the lncRNA-disease associations is expensive and time consuming.

Tetrandrine enhances the antifungal activity of fluconazole in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis.

Background: Tetrandrine (TET), a bis-benzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Stephaniae tetrandrae, has a long history in Chinese clinical applications as an anti-inflammatory or anti-arrhythmic agent in the treatment of diverse diseases. In our previous study, TET exhibited the synergisitic action on azoles against pathogenic fungi.

Purpose: In the current study, we examined whether TET can enhance the antifungal activity of FLC against disseminated candidiasis in mice.

Synergistic Effects of Tetrandrine with Posaconazole Against Aspergillus fumigatus.

In our earlier in vitro and in vivo studies, synergistic effects were observed when itraconazole or voriconazole were combined with tetrandrine (TET) against Aspergillus fumigatus, and the synergistic mechanism was related to inhibition of the drug efflux pump. Posaconazole (PCZ) is a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal agent used for the treatment of diverse fungal infections, including aspergillosis and candidiasis. Herein, the antifungal effects of TET are further investigated in vitro and in vivo alone or combined with PCZ against 20 clinical isolates of A.

TLR2 and TLR4 polymorphisms in Southern Chinese Psoriasis Vulgaris patients.

Background: The toll-like receptors-(TLR)-2 and -4 play a role in the innate immune system and drive the autoimmune T cell cascade in psoriasis. But little is known about the association of the polymorphisms of TLR2/TLR4 and psoriasis vulgaris (PsV).

Methods: We performed a hospital-based association study involved in355 PsV patients and 213 controls.

Variants of CARD14 gene and psoriasis vulgaris in southern Chinese cohort.

Background: Recent mutation analysis identified several missense mutations in CARD14 in psoriasis.

Objectives: We performed the genomic sequence analysis on CARD14 in southern Chinese Han Cantonese with Psoriasis Vulgaris (PsV) to reveal more causative missense mutations.

Methods: A total of 131 patients with PsV and 207 matched controls were included.

CARD14 gene polymorphism c.C2458T (p.Arg820Trp) is associated with clinical features of psoriasis vulgaris in a Chinese cohort.

Genome-wide association studies have found the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) c.C2458T, at the caspase recruitment domain family member 14 (CARD14) gene, to be associated with psoriasis. But little is known about the association of c.

An association study on the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster, smoking and psoriasis vulgaris.

Genome-wide association and large cohort studies have consistently linked several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster to smoking behaviors and nicotine dependence. Smoking is one of the well-established environmental risk factors for psoriasis and also associated with severity of the disease. Then we conduct the study to examine whether the genetic variations related to smoking behavior located in the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster also predict the risk of psoriasis vulgaris (PV).

Combined effects of the BDNF rs6265 (Val66Met) polymorphism and environment risk factors on psoriasis vulgaris.

Smoking, alcohol consumption and higher body mass index (BMI) are well established risk factors for psoriasis and also associated with the clinical traits of the disease. And the genetic influences on these three risk factors indeed exist. Previously studies have demonstrated these risk factors related genetic variants may also play a role in the development of risk factors-related diseases.

Combined effect between CHRNB3-CHRNA6 region gene variant (rs6474412) and smoking in psoriasis vulgaris severity.

Background: Many factors associated with causing psoriasis have been reported, such as the genetic and environmental factors. Smoking is one of the well-established environmental risk factors for psoriasis and also associated with the disease severity. In addition, several studies of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have documented gene-environment interactions involving smoking behavior.

Association analyses identifying two common susceptibility loci shared by psoriasis and systemic lupus erythematosus in the Chinese Han population.

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have revealed a large number of genetic risk loci for many autoimmune diseases. One clear finding emerging from the published genetic studies of autoimmunity is that different autoimmune diseases, such as psoriasis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), share susceptibility loci. Our study explores additional susceptibility loci shared by psoriasis and SLE in the Chinese Han population.

Adiponectin levels in patients with psoriasis: a meta-analysis.

Conflicting results regarding adiponectin levels in patients with psoriasis have been reported. We carried out a meta-analysis on studies which compared adiponectin levels of psoriatic patients with controls. A published work search was performed through PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE and the Cochrane Library for articles published in English.

Prevalence and risk factors for latex glove allergy among female clinical nurses: a multicenter questionnaire study in China.

Background: Natural rubber latex glove use is widespread in mainland China, but the prevalence and risk factors for latex glove allergy among clinical nurses have previously been unreported.

Methods: A questionnaire was used to collect information on latex glove-related allergy among clinical nursing staff in 35 hospitals of eight provinces in the southern, central southern, and northern regions of China, and the risk factors were calculated with logistic regression analysis. Some subjects with glove dermatitis were patch tested with a modified European standard series of allergens.

Meta-analysis of IL12B polymorphisms (rs3212227, rs6887695) with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a key player in model systems of autoimmunity. One of the most robust genetic findings is the association of variants in the IL12B gene with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). This study aims to assess whether combined evidence shows the association between IL12B polymorphisms and the susceptibility to psoriasis/PsA.

Association of IL23R polymorphisms with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a meta-analysis.

Background: The association of variants in the IL23R gene with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a robust genetic finding

Objectives: To assess whether combined evidence shows the association between IL23R polymorphisms and susceptibility to psoriasis/PsA.

Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the association between the IL23R rs11209026 (Q381R), rs7530511 (L310P), and rs2201841 polymorphisms and psoriasis/PsA.

Results: Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria and contributed data to the meta-analysis.

Alcohol consumption and psoriatic risk: a meta-analysis of case-control studies.

Psoriasis is one of the most common dermatological disorders. The association between alcohol consumption and psoriasis has been inconsistent among studies. To examine the magnitude of the risk of developing psoriasis for drinking populations compared to those with non-drinking, and to determine causes of the variation in odds ratios (OR) between various case-control studies, we performed a comprehensive published work search and a meta-analysis of case-control studies considering prevalence.