Effects of oligo-fucoidan on the immune response, inflammatory status and pulmonary function in patients with asthma: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Asthma is a common disease occurring worldwide. The clinical treatment of asthma is constantly revised and updated; however, it is associated with side effects. Our previous in vitro and ex vivo studies found that oligo-fucoidan can improve allergic immune responses and reduce airway inflammation.

SABA prescriptions and asthma management practices in patients treated by specialists in Taiwan: Results from the SABINA III study.

Purpose: Limited data exist on asthma medication patterns in Taiwan. The objectives of the SABINA III cross-sectional study in Taiwan were thus, to describe patient demographics and clinical features and estimate short-acting β-agonist (SABA) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) prescriptions per patient.

Methods: Patients (≥18 years) with asthma were classified by investigator-defined asthma severity per the 2017 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) recommendations.

Associations of Genetic Polymorphisms with Statuses and Cancer Clinicopathologic Development in Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) is a major subtype of lung cancer, particularly among populations of East Asia. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is the most frequently mutated oncogene promoting LADC progression and can serve as a therapeutic target in LADC. The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-3 is a major regulator of extracellular matrix turnover via targeting of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and thus, plays a critical role in tumor development and progression.

Factors associated with improvement in symptoms and quality of life for first-line EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment in patients with -mutated non-small-cell lung cancer - A multicenter prospective SMILE study.

: Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are a standard first-line treatment for advanced -mutated NSCLC patients. Factors associated with symptoms and quality of life (QOL) improvements have not been investigated. : We conducted a multicenter, prospective study to evaluate improvements in QOL and symptoms in NSCLC patients treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs.

Association of mutations and genetic polymorphisms in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

High-mobility group protein box 1 (HMGB1) is overexpressed and reported to be a prognostic factor in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutants play an important role in NSCLC progression. The aim of this study was to explore potential associations between genetic polymorphisms of and mutations in a cohort that included 280 patients with NSCLC, some of whom were smokers and others who never smoked.

Association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase () polymorphisms with -mutated lung adenocarcinoma in Taiwan.

EGFR mutation of Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) was predominantly seen in Asian population and it was considered as a predictor of responsiveness. Eendothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays a vital role in chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between the genetic polymorphisms of (-786T/C and 894 G/T) and EGFR mutation in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Correlation of E-cadherin gene polymorphisms and epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in lung adenocarcinoma.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was recently discovered related to the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in NSCLC patients and cell lines. In this study, we aimed to explore the association among the E-cadherin gene () genetic variants, TK-domain mutations of , and clinicopathologic characteristics in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. A total of 280 patients with lung adenocarcinoma were recruited between years 2012 and 2015.

Evaluating the Prognostic Value of ERCC1 and Thymidylate Synthase Expression and the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation Status in Adenocarcinoma Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

The present study evaluated the prognostic value of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status, and excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) and thymidylate synthase (TS) expression following intercalated tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy and platinum- and pemetrexed-based chemotherapies (subsequent second-line treatment) for patients with adenocarcinoma non-small-cell lung cancer (AC-NSCLC). In total, 131 patients with AC-NSCLC were enrolled. The EGFR mutation status and ERCC1 and TS expression were evaluated through direct DNA sequencing and immunohistochemical analyses, respectively.

Independent Prognostic Value of Hypoxia-inducible Factor 1-alpha Expression in Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Hypoxia is an important factor in tumor angiogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and may be an indicator of poor prognosis. The transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is the key regulator of the hypoxic state. This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic value of HIF-1α expression in small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Generation of Aptamers from A Primer-Free Randomized ssDNA Library Using Magnetic-Assisted Rapid Aptamer Selection.

Aptamers are oligonucleotides that can bind to specific target molecules. Most aptamers are generated using random libraries in the standard systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Each random library contains oligonucleotides with a randomized central region and two fixed primer regions at both ends.

Association between survivin genetic polymorphisms and epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Survivin is an anti-apoptotic protein that is implicated in the regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle in various types of cancers. The current study explored the effect of gene polymorphisms and EGFR mutations in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. A total of 360 participants, including 291 adenocarcinoma lung cancer and 69 squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer patients, were selected for the analysis of three genetic variants ( -31, +9194, and +9809) by using real-time PCR genotyping.

The Clinical Significance of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor Polymorphism in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation.

The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signaling pathway mediates multiple cancer cell biological processes. IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) expression has been used as a reporter of the clinical significance of non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, the association between IGF1R genetic variants and the clinical utility of NSCLC positive for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation is not clear.

Previous antibiotic exposure and evolution of antibiotic resistance in mechanically ventilated patients with nosocomial infections.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of previous antibiotic exposure and the influence of time interval since exposure on the evolution of antibiotic-resistant infections.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 167 mechanically ventilated patients with nosocomial infections over a 3-year period, with focus on infections in the bloodstream, urinary tract, lower respiratory tract, and surgical sites.

Results: Of 167 patients, 62% were confirmed as antibiotic resistant.

Mortality and readmission among ventilator-dependent patients after successful weaned discharge from a respiratory care ward.

Background/purpose: Patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation in Taiwan are stepped down to a respiratory care ward (RCW) for further respiratory care. Only a few patients in the RCW can ultimately be weaned and discharged. In this study, we tried to determine factors that predict mortality and readmission of these patients in the post-discharge period.