Redefining aberrant P53 expression of gastric cancer and its distinct clinical significance among molecular-histologic subtypes.

Background: Numerous studies have demonstrated a correlation between p53 overexpression and diminished survival in gastric cancer patients. However, conflicting findings exist, and we hypothesize that these discrepancies arise from the cancer's complexity and heterogeneity, coupled with a lack of consensus on aberrant p53 expression.

Methods: We enrolled a cohort of 187 patients with surgically resected gastric cancer.

Molecular Characteristics and Virulence Profile of Clinical Isolates in Northern Taiwan, 2009-2019.

is a critical foodborne pathogen that causes severe invasive and noninvasive diseases and is associated with high mortality. Information on the prevalence of infections in Taiwan is very limited. This study aimed to analyze the molecular epidemiological surveillance and virulence gene distribution of 176 human clinical isolates collected between 2009 and 2019 in northern Taiwan.

Classifying Alzheimer's disease and normal subjects using machine learning techniques and genetic-environmental features.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is complicated by multiple environmental and polygenetic factors. The accuracy of artificial neural networks (ANNs) incorporating the common factors for identifying AD has not been evaluated.

Methods: A total of 184 probable AD patients and 3773 healthy individuals aged 65 and over were enrolled.

Comparison of immediate germline sequencing and multi-step screening for Lynch syndrome detection in high-risk endometrial and colorectal cancer patients.

Objective: Lynch syndrome (LS) is a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome with a significantly increased risk of colorectal and endometrial cancers. Current standard practice involves universal screening for LS in patients with newly diagnosed colorectal or endometrial cancer using a multi-step screening protocol (MSP). However, MSP may not always accurately identify LS cases.

Lugdunin production and activity in isolates are associated with its genotypes.

Lugdunin produced by has been shown to have broad inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria; however, lugdunin activity among isolates and its association with different , SCC, and sequence types remain unclear. We used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify and collected 202 . samples for further assays.

Clonal Spreading of ST42 Strains Occurs Possibly Due to and Resistant Genes and Capsule-Related Genes.

Multi-drug resistant is a frequent nosocomial invasive bacteremia pathogen in hospitals. Our previous analysis showed one of the predominant strains, ST42 originated from ST3, had only one multilocus sequence typing (MLST) variation among seven loci in ; yet no significant differences in biofilm formation observed between ST42 and ST3, suggesting that other factors influence clonal lineage change. Whole genome sequencing was conducted on two isolates from ST42 and ST3 to find phenotypic and genotypic variations, and these variations were further validated in 140 clinical isolates.

An (A)-Carrying Multi-Resistance Plasmid Derived from Sequence Type 3 Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis May Contribute to Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococci.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis (MRSL) strains showing resistance to several common antibiotics have been reported recently. Sequence type (ST) 3 MRSL carrying SCC types IV, V, or Vt is the major lineage associated with health care-associated infections. We aimed to investigate the distribution and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance determinants in this lineage.

Molecular Epidemiological Survey of Isolates With Variable Number of Repeats in the von Willebrand Factor-Binding Protein Gene.

The von Willebrand factor binding protein in (vWbl) comprises four major regions: the signal peptide (S), the non-repetitive (A) region, the repeat (R) region, and the wall-associated (W) region. Previous studies have demonstrated that the R region contains 10 copies of repeating sequences; however, we reveal that the copy number of repeats in the gene varies among different isolates. In this study, an epidemiological surveillance was conducted to determine whether the copy number of repeats in in different isolates of correlates with their infectivity.

Phylogenetic Distribution of CRISPR-Cas Systems in .

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) genes (CRISPR-Cas) are present in many bacterial genomes with functions beyond adaptive immunity. We aimed to characterize the CRISPR-Cas system in the pathogenic Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus lugdunensis and determine its association with sequence types (STs) determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and oxacillin susceptibility. Primers were designed to detect and sequence types IIIA and IIC CRISPR-Cas in 199 isolates.

Characterization of New ST42 Populations in Northern Taiwan.

is an acquired opportunistic pathogen causing nosocomial infections. Our previous studies of showed a group of isolates that produced a significantly higher disease severity than the others. Further molecular typing showed that the sequence type (ST) 42 was the major clone among the isolates.

The Relationships between Leptin, Genotype, and Chinese Medicine Body Constitution for Obesity.

Methods: The adults with body mass index (BMI) more than 27 kg/m were enrolled in the study. General personal information, physical condition, TCMBC, biochemical, and SNPs were collected for eligible subjects. The body constitution questionnaire (BCQ) was used to evaluate the relationships between TCMBC tendency, biochemical values, and obesity-related SNPs.

Alterations of Gut Microbiota in Patients With Graves' Disease.

Graves' disease (GD) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by hyperthyroidism. Evidence suggests that alterations to the gut microbiota may be involved in the development of autoimmune disorders. The aim of this study was to characterize the composition of gut microbiota in GD patients.

Accurate detection of oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis by use of agar dilution.

Background/purpose: Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a Gram-positive coagulase-negative bacterium and is recognized as a critical pathogenic species recently. Here, we aimed to evaluate the cefoxitin disk diffusion (CDD), oxacillin agar dilution (OAD), and mecA PCR for detecting oxacillin-resistant S. lugdunensis (ORSL) isolates.

Pathogenic Germline Mutations of DNA Repair Pathway Components in Early-Onset Sporadic Colorectal Polyp and Cancer Patients.

Given recent increases in the proportion of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC), researchers are urgently working to establish a multi-gene screening test for both inherited and sporadic cancer-susceptible individuals. However, the incidence and spectrum of germline mutations in young sporadic CRC patients in East Asian countries and, especially, in sporadic polyp carriers and normal individuals are unknown. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 43 colonoscopy-proved normal controls and from 50 polyp patients and 49 CRC patients with no self-reported family history of cancer.

mutation status in patients with metachronous breast and ovarian malignancies: clues towards the implementation of genetic counseling.

Objective: The characteristics of patients with metachronous breast and ovarian malignancies and the pathogenic role of mutations remain poorly understood. We investigated these issues through a review of hospital records and nationwide Taiwanese registry data, followed by mutation analysis in hospital-based cases.

Methods: We retrospectively retrieved consecutive clinical records of Taiwanese patients who presented with these malignancies to our hospital between 2001 and 2017.

Targeted Next Generation Sequencing for Genetic Mutations of Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Approximately one-third of cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are caused by genetic mutations. With new sequencing technologies, numerous variants have been associated with this inherited cardiomyopathy, however the prevalence and genotype-phenotype correlations in different ethnic cohorts remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the variants in Chinese DCM patients and correlate them with clinical presentations and prognosis.

Characterization of a novel, type II staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec element from an endemic oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis clone in a hospital setting.

Background: Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a significant pathogen that causes community-acquired and nosocomial infections. The high prevalence of oxacillin-resistant S. lugdunensis (ORSL) is of major concern.

A Simple and Highly Specific MassARRAY-Based Stool DNA Assay to Prioritize Follow-up Decisions in Fecal Immunochemical Test-Positive Individuals.

Background: Seventy-five percent of fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-positive individuals are false positives and undergo unnecessary colonoscopies. Here, we established a stool DNA (sDNA) test that uses the Single Allele Base Extension Reaction (SABER) MassARRAY platform to improve the accuracy of FIT-based CRC detection.

Methods: Twenty-one variants in five CRC-associated genes were selected for the sDNA panel.

Identification of microbiota in peri-implantitis pockets by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The purpose of this study was to identify the microbial communities that colonize peri-implantitis pockets using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Subjects having at least one implant with peri-implantitis, no diabetes, and not taking antibiotics in the previous 3 months were selected. Peri-implantitis was defined when surrounding bone loss ≥0.

Mutation screening in non-syndromic hearing loss patients with cochlear implantation by massive parallel sequencing in Taiwan.

Objectives: To explore the molecular epidemiology of rare deafness genes in Taiwanese sensorineural hearing impairment (SNHI) patients with cochlear implantation (CI) by performing massive parallel sequencing (MPS) and correlating genetic factors and CI outcomes.

Methods: We enrolled 41 Taiwanese non-syndromic deafness patients with CI that lacked known mutations in common deafness genes. All probands were screened by a targeted exon amplification method that used massively parallel sequencing to screen a customized panel that included 40 relatively rare non-syndromic deafness genes.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Virulence Surveillance of spp. Isolated From Patients in Two Tertiary Medical Centers in Taiwan.

spp. may cause fever, vomiting, and diarrhea in humans. Antibiotic treatment is suggested for patients with severe campylobacteriosis.