Increase in short-term and long-term stress-associated mental illness after Jiji earthquake in Taiwan: A twenty-year longitudinal population-based cohort study (1999-2019).

Background: Earthquakes have caused profound physical and mental health impacts in human history. The Jiji earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale, occurred on 21 September 1999 in Taiwan.

Adaptive radiotherapy of locally advanced sigmoid colon cancer with intra‑fractional motion using the MRIdian system: A case report.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, when combined with radiotherapy, serves as an optional treatment for patients with locally advanced sigmoid colon cancer and is usually performed in conjunction with complete mesocolic excision. The substantial movement of surrounding organs in cases of sigmoid colon cancer frequently leads to toxicity in normal tissues. The present report details the case of a 76-year-old man diagnosed with locally advanced sigmoid colon cancer.

Case report and literature review: Conversion surgery for initially unresectable huge retroperitoneal liposarcoma after preoperative radiotherapy.

Background: Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPLS) is a rare malignancy that is notorious for recurrence. Surgical resection with clean margin is the current treatment of choice. However, owing to the large retroperitoneal space, RPLSs often grow to significant sizes before being diagnosed.

The impact of place attachment on well-being for older people in high-density urban environment: a qualitative study.

Aging in place has become a popular social policy worldwide. This paper argues that well-being is an important outcome of aging in place, upon which older people develop autonomy and environmental proactivity. The temporal dimension of aging in place highlights development of place attachment, which includes place identity and place dependence.

Maintaining Quality of Care among Dialysis Patients in Affected Areas after Typhoon Morakot.

Natural disasters have negative health impacts on patients who need dialysis in affected areas. Severely affected areas are usually rural, with limited basic infrastructure and a population without optimal dialysis-specific care after a disaster. A population-based longitudinal case-cohort study enrolled 715,244 adults from the National Health Insurance Registry who lived in areas affected by a major natural disaster, Typhoon Morakot, in 2009.

Increased Medical Visits and Mortality among Adults with Cardiovascular Diseases in Severely Affected Areas after Typhoon Morakot.

Natural disasters have negative health impacts on chronic diseases in affected populations. Severely affected areas are usually rural areas with limited basic infrastructure and a population have that has limited access to optimal healthcare after a disaster. Patients with cardiovascular diseases are required to maintain quality care, especially after disasters.

Increased incidence of stress-associated illnesses among elderly after Typhoon Morakot.

Background/purpose: Typhoon Morakot in August 2009 caused significant damages and health and socio-economic impacts in Taiwan. Therefore, we evaluated the mental health status of adult and patients who lived in the affected area after the disaster.

Methods: An observational, prospective population-based study was conducted.

In Vivo Efficacy of SYN023, an Anti-Rabies Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail, in Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Animal Models.

Rabies immune globulin (RIG) is an indispensable component of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) because it provides passive immunity to prevent this otherwise inescapably fatal disease in Category III exposed patients. Even with decades of development, RIG products are still criticized for their high cost, lot-to-lot variation, and potential safety issues. They remain largely unattainable in most developing regions of the world, where demand is highest.

SYN023, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody cocktail, for post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies.

Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease that is preventable in humans by appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). However, current PEP relies on polyclonal immune globulin products purified from pooled human (HRIG) or equine (ERIG) plasma that are either in chronic shortage or in association with safety concerns. Here, we present the development of an antibody cocktail, SYN023, made of two novel monoclonal antibodies (MAb) CTB011 and CTB012 that could serve as safer and more cost-effective alternatives to the current RIG products.

Construction of a versatile expression library for all human single-pass transmembrane proteins for receptor pairings by high throughput screening.

Interactions between protein ligands and receptors play crucial roles in cell-cell signalling. Most of the human cell surface receptors have been identified in the post-Human Genome Project era but many of their corresponding ligands remain unknown. To facilitate the pairing of orphan receptors, 2762 sequences encoding all human single-pass transmembrane proteins were selected for inclusion into a mammalian-cell expression library.

Human Cancer Antigen Globo H Is a Cell-Surface Ligand for Human Ribonuclease 1.

Pancreatic-type ribonucleases are secretory enzymes that catalyze the cleavage of RNA. Recent efforts have endowed the homologues from cow (RNase A) and human (RNase 1) with toxicity for cancer cells, leading to a clinical trial. The basis for the selective toxicity of ribonuclease variants for cancerous versus noncancerous cells has, however, been unclear.

Fluorogenic label to quantify the cytosolic delivery of macromolecules.

The delivery of a macromolecule to the cytosol of human cells is assessed by using a pendant di-O-glycosylated derivative of fluorescein. Its fluorescence is unmasked by Escherichia coliβ-galactosidase installed in the cytosol. Background is diminished by using RNAi to suppress the expression of GLB1, which encodes a lysosomal β-galactosidase.

Mechanism of ribonuclease A endocytosis: analogies to cell-penetrating peptides.

Pancreatic-type ribonucleases can exert toxic activity by catalyzing the degradation of cellular RNA. Their ability to enter cells is essential for their cytotoxicity. Here, we determine the mechanism by which bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase A) enters human cells.

Synthesis and utility of fluorogenic acetoxymethyl ethers.

Phenolic fluorophores such as fluorescein, Tokyo Green, resorufin, and their derivatives are workhorses of biological science. Acylating the phenolic hydroxyl group(s) in these fluorophores masks their fluorescence. The ensuing ester is a substrate for cellular esterases, which can restore fluorescence.

Cellular uptake of ribonuclease A relies on anionic glycans.

Bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase A) can enter human cells, even though it lacks a cognate cell-surface receptor protein. Here, we report on the biochemical basis for its cellular uptake. Analyses in vitro and in cellulo revealed that RNase A interacts tightly with abundant cell-surface proteoglycans containing glycosaminoglycans, such as heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, as well as with sialic acid-containing glycoproteins.

A highly sensitive fluorogenic probe for cytochrome P450 activity in live cells.

A derivative of rhodamine 110 has been designed and assessed as a probe for cytochrome P450 activity. This probe is the first to utilize a 'trimethyl lock' that is triggered by cleavage of an ether bond. In vitro, fluorescence was manifested by the CYP1A1 isozyme with k(cat)/K(M)=8.

Cytotoxic ribonucleases: the dichotomy of Coulombic forces.

Cells tightly regulate their contents. Still, nonspecific Coulombic interactions between cationic molecules and anionic membrane components can lead to adventitious endocytosis. Here, we characterize this process in a natural system.

Fluorogenic label for biomolecular imaging.

Traditional small-molecule fluorophores are always fluorescent. This attribute can obscure valuable information in biological experiments. Here, we report on a versatile "latent" fluorophore that overcomes this limitation.

Domains within the GARP subunit Vps54 confer separate functions in complex assembly and early endosome recognition.

Tethering complexes contribute to the specificity of membrane fusion by recognizing organelle features on both donor and acceptor membranes. The Golgi-associated retrograde protein (GARP) complex is required for retrograde traffic from both early and late endosomes to the trans-Golgi network (TGN), presenting a paradox as to how a single complex can interact specifically with vesicles from multiple upstream compartments. We have found that a subunit of the GARP complex, Vps54, can be separated into N- and C-terminal regions that have different functions.