The role of the university in recovering from COVID-19 and preparing for future crises-perspectives and experiences from Sunway University, Malaysia.

This article is part of the Research Topic 'Health Systems Recovery in the Context of COVID-19 and Protracted Conflict'. Universities, as engines of knowledge creation and dissemination and as incubators of disciplined yet original thinking, have a key role to play in tackling the most complex challenges that societies and our planet face, from infectious diseases to the climate emergency. This commentary presents the perspectives from Sunway University, a young private university in Malaysia that made a strong commitment to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) prior to the pandemic, and its experiences in promoting research, innovation, and learning as part of COVID-19 recovery and in preparation for future crises such as the climate emergency.

Immunogenicity and safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in clinical trials.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections were first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and resulted in a worldwide pandemic in 2020. SARS-CoV-2 infections totalled more than 180 million with 3.9 million deaths as of June 24, 2021.

Regional Diets Targeting Gut Microbial Dynamics to Support Prolonged Healthspan.

In the last 150 years, we have seen a significant increase in average life expectancy, associated with a shift from infectious to non-communicable diseases. The rising incidence of these diseases, for which age is often the largest risk factor, highlights the need for contemporary societies to improve healthy ageing for their growing silver generations. As ageing is an inevitable, non-reversing and highly individualised process, we need to better understand how non-genetic factors like diet choices and commensal gut microbes can modulate the biology of ageing.

Development of multi-epitope peptide-based vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic involving so far more than 22 million infections and 776,157 deaths. Effective vaccines are urgently needed to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections. No vaccines have yet been approved for licensure by regulatory agencies.

Lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, antigen-driven after all?

Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) was suggested as an entity separate from other types of Hodgkin lymphoma 40 years ago and recognized in the WHO classification in 2001. Based on its relatively benign course with late distant relapses, relation with lymph node hyperplasia with progressively transformed germinal centers, presence of clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements with somatic hypermutations and ongoing mutations, and relation with a number of inherited defects affecting the immune system, it has been suspected that NLPHL might be antigen-driven. Recent evidence has shown that cases of IgD-positive NLPHL are associated with infection by Moraxella catarrhalis, a common bacterium in the upper respiratory tract and in lymph nodes.

Corrigendum to "Hodgkin Lymphoma Cell Lines Are Characterized by a Specific miRNA Expression Profile." 2009, Feb;11(2):167-176.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1593/neo.08980.

Cellular localization and processing of primary transcripts of exonic microRNAs.

Processing of miRNAs occurs simultaneous with the transcription and splicing of their primary transcripts. For the small subset of exonic miRNAs it is unclear if the unspliced and/or spliced transcripts are used for miRNA biogenesis. We assessed endogenous levels and cellular location of primary transcripts of three exonic miRNAs.

HLA associations in classical Hodgkin lymphoma: EBV status matters.

The pathogenesis of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) involves environmental and genetic factors. To explore the role of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, we performed a case-control genotyping study in 338 Dutch cHL patients using a PCR-based sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe (SSOP) hybridization approach. The allele frequencies were compared to HLA typings of more than 6,000 controls.

HLA-A*02:07 is a protective allele for EBV negative and a susceptibility allele for EBV positive classical Hodgkin lymphoma in China.

HLA-A2 protects from EBV+ classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) in Western Europe, but it is unknown whether this protective effect also exists in the Chinese population. We investigated the association of HLA-A2 and specific common and well documented HLA-A2 subtypes with EBV stratified cHL patients (n = 161) from the northern part of China. Quantitative-PCR and sequence-based subtyping was performed to identify HLA-A2 positive samples and their subtypes.

Expression of the c-Met oncogene by tumor cells predicts a favorable outcome in classical Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Background: The c-Met signaling pathway regulates a variety of biological processes, including proliferation, survival and migration. Deregulated c-Met activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis and prognosis of many human malignancies. We studied the function and prognostic significance of c-Met and hepatocyte growth factor protein expression in patients with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma.

MiR-17/106b seed family regulates p21 in Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is a B cell-derived lymphoma characterized by a minority of malignant Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells that have lost their normal B cell phenotype. Alterations in the cell cycle and apoptosis pathways might contribute to their resistance to apoptosis and sustained cell cycle progression. A key player in both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis is CDKN1A, encoding p21$^{{\rm{waf/cip1}}}$ (p21).

Multiple HLA class I and II associations in classical Hodgkin lymphoma and EBV status defined subgroups.

The pathogenesis of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) involves environmental and genetic factors. To explore the role of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, we performed a case-control genotyping study in 338 Dutch cHL patients and more than 5000 controls using a PCR-based sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization approach. HLA-A68 and HLA-DR11 (5) were significantly increased in the cHL patient population compared with the controls.

Epidemiology of classical Hodgkin lymphoma and its association with Epstein Barr virus in Northern China.

Background: The incidence of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and its association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) varies significantly with age, sex, ethnicity and geographic location. This is the first report on epidemiological features of cHL patients from Northern regions of China. These features are compared to data from a previously published Dutch cHL population.

Molecular characterization of the vascular features of focal nodular hyperplasia and hepatocellular adenoma: a role for angiopoietin-1.

Unlabelled: Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) are two hepatic nodular lesions of different etiologies. FNH, a polyclonal lesion, is assumed to be a regenerative reaction following a vascular injury, whereas HCA is a monoclonal, benign neoplastic lesion. In addition to features that are predominantly found in either FNH or HCA (e.

Prognostic biomarkers in malignant lymphomas.

There has recently been a rapid expansion in research aimed at identifying biomarkers that could improve the prognosis for patients with various subtypes of malignant lymphoma. Genomic and genetic studies have led to the identification of biological and clinical subgroups of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas with distinct underlying molecular features, divergent activation of oncogenetic pathways, and clinical course. Molecular studies of follicular lymphoma have suggested complex interactions between malignant cells and the surrounding immunological network that could affect disease progression.

Expression of HLA class I and HLA class II by tumor cells in Chinese classical Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

Background: In Caucasian populations, the tumor cells of Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-positive classical Hodgkin Lymphomas (cHL) patients more frequently express HLA class I and HLA class II molecules compared to EBV-negative cHL patients. HLA expression (in relation to EBV) in Asian cHL patients has not been previously investigated.

Methodology/principal Findings: We randomly selected 145 cHL patients with formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue blocks available from 5 hospitals from the Northern part of China.

Increasing the efficacy of CD20 antibody therapy through the engineering of a new type II anti-CD20 antibody with enhanced direct and immune effector cell-mediated B-cell cytotoxicity.

CD20 is an important target for the treatment of B-cell malignancies, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as autoimmune disorders. B-cell depletion therapy using monoclonal antibodies against CD20, such as rituximab, has revolutionized the treatment of these disorders, greatly improving overall survival in patients. Here, we report the development of GA101 as the first Fc-engineered, type II humanized IgG1 antibody against CD20.

Hepatocellular carcinomas in cirrhotic and noncirrhotic human livers share angiogenic characteristics.

Background: The antiangiogenic drug sorafenib has been shown to be an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with liver cirrhosis. It might also be effective in noncirrhotic HCC provided that the angiogenic properties of both tumor types are comparable. The aim of this study is to compare endothelial cell dynamics, microvessel density (MVD), and vessel maturation as indirect markers of angiogenesis in human HCC in cirrhotic and noncirrhotic livers.

A high throughput experimental approach to identify miRNA targets in human cells.

The study of human microRNAs is seriously hampered by the lack of proper tools allowing genome-wide identification of miRNA targets. We performed Ribonucleoprotein ImmunoPrecipitation-gene Chip (RIP-Chip) using antibodies against wild-type human Ago2 in untreated Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cell lines. Ten to thirty percent of the gene transcripts from the genome were enriched in the Ago2-IP fraction of untreated cells, representing the HL miRNA-targetome.

Latent Epstein-Barr virus infection of tumor cells in classical Hodgkin's lymphoma predicts adverse outcome in older adult patients.

Purpose: In classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL), the impact of tumor cell Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status on clinical outcome is controversial.

Patients And Methods: We assessed failure-free survival (FFS) and relative survival (RS) in 412 patients with cHL and age-defined subgroups in a population-based study in the northern Netherlands. Tumor cell EBV status was positive in 34%, and the median follow-up time was 7.

miRNA profiling of B-cell subsets: specific miRNA profile for germinal center B cells with variation between centroblasts and centrocytes.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an important class of small RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. It has become evident that miRNAs are involved in hematopoiesis, and that deregulation of miRNAs may give rise to hematopoietic malignancies. The aim of our study was to establish miRNA profiles of naïve, germinal center (GC) and memory B cells, and validate their expression patterns in normal lymphoid tissues.

Hodgkin lymphoma cell lines are characterized by a specific miRNA expression profile.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is derived from preapoptotic germinal center B cells, although a general loss of B cell phenotype is noted. Using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and miRNA microarray, we determined the microRNA (miRNA) profile of HL and compared this with the profile of a panel of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The two methods showed a strong correlation for the detection of miRNA expression levels.

The angiogenic makeup of human hepatocellular carcinoma does not favor vascular endothelial growth factor/angiopoietin-driven sprouting neovascularization.

Unlabelled: Quantitative data on the expression of multiple factors that control angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are limited. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying angiogenesis in HCC will improve the rational choice of anti-angiogenic treatment. We quantified gene and protein expression of members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin systems and studied localization of VEGF, its receptors VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and Ang-2, and their receptor, in HCC in noncirrhotic and cirrhotic livers.