Persistence of cytogenetic abnormalities at complete remission after induction in patients with acute myeloid leukemia: prognostic significance and the potential role of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.

Purpose: To determine the prognostic impact of persistent cytogenetic abnormalities at complete remission (CR) on relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to examine the potential role of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (SCT) in this setting.

Patients And Methods: Data from 254 adult patients with AML (excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia) who achieved CR after induction chemotherapy on various first-line protocols were examined.

Results: Median follow-up for surviving patients was 43 months.

Prevalence of and risk factors for lipodystrophy among HIV-infected patients receiving combined antiretroviral treatment in the Asia-Pacific region: results from the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD).

The prevalence of and risk factors for lipodystrophy (LD) among patients receiving combined antiretroviral treatment (cART) in the Asia-Pacific region are largely unknown. LD diagnosis was based on the adverse event definition from the US NIH Division of AIDS (2004 version), and only cases with a severity grade of ≥ 3 were included. TAHOD patients who had recently commenced cART with ≥ 3 drugs after 1996 from sites which had ever reported LD were included in the analysis.

Gender differences in ankylosing spondylitis-associated cumulative healthcare utilization: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is one of the most common rheumatic diseases with gender differences in prevalence and clinical presentation. This study aimed to examine whether such gender differences are correlated with cumulative healthcare utilization in Taiwan.

Methods: The National Health Insurance Research Database supplied claim records of one million individuals from 1996 to 2007.

Glycine-N methyltransferase expression in HepG2 cells is involved in methyl group homeostasis by regulating transmethylation kinetics and DNA methylation.

Glycine-N methyltransferase (GNMT) is a potential tumor suppressor that is commonly inactivated in human hepatoma. We systematically investigated how GNMT regulates methyl group kinetics and global DNA methylation. HepG2 cells (GNMT inactive, GNMT-) and cells transfected with GNMT expressed vector (GNMT+) were cultured in low (10 μmol/L), adequate (100 μmol/L), or high (500 μmol/L) l-methionine, each with 2.

Quality of life and needs assessment on people living with HIV and AIDS in Malawi.

Purpose: Malawi is a sub-Saharan African nation with a severe HIV epidemic. The quality of life (QoL) has never been investigated among people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in Malawi. This study examines the QoL and associated factors including life needs among PLWHA at different stages of their illness in the northern region of Malawi.

GNMT expression increases hepatic folate contents and folate-dependent methionine synthase-mediated homocysteine remethylation.

Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) is a major hepatic enzyme that converts S-adenosylmethionine to S-adenosylhomocysteine while generating sarcosine from glycine, hence it can regulate mediating methyl group availability in mammalian cells. GNMT is also a major hepatic folate binding protein that binds to, and, subsequently, may be inhibited by 5-methyltetrafolate. GNMT is commonly diminished in human hepatoma; yet its role in cellular folate metabolism, in tumorigenesis and antifolate therapies, is not understood completely.

Role of Service Providers of Needle Syringe Program in Preventing HIV/AIDS.

To provide a national-scale picture of the needle exchange program in Taiwan, this study examined (a) needle and syringe program (NSP) service providers' AIDS-relevant harm reduction knowledge and attitudes; and (b) NSP services schemes and operation barriers encountered by different service modalities. A self-administrated questionnaire was mailed to all participating NSP service providers in Taiwan. A total of 414 service providers completed the postal survey.

The expression of two novel orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) TNF genes in peripheral blood leukocytes, various organs, and fish larvae.

The tumour necrosis factor (TNF) super-family is a group of important cytokines involved in inflammation, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and the general stimulation of the immune system. The TNF gene has been cloned in some bony fish; however, its counterparts are still unidentified in the majority of fish species. In this study, we cloned gTNF-1 and gTNF-2 from the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), an economically important farmed fish.

Trends in CD4 counts in HIV-infected patients with HIV viral load monitoring while on combination antiretroviral treatment: results from The TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between trends in CD4 counts (slope) and HIV viral load (VL) after initiation of combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) in Asian patients in The TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD).

Methods: Treatment-naive HIV-infected patients who started cART with three or more and had three or more CD4 count and HIV VL tests were included. CD4 count slopes were expressed as changes of cells per microliter per year.

Cancers in the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD): a retrospective analysis of risk factors.

Background: This retrospective survey describes types of cancers diagnosed in HIV-infected subjects in Asia, and assesses risk factors for cancer in HIV-infected subjects using contemporaneous HIV-infected controls without cancer.

Methods: TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) sites retrospectively reviewed clinic medical records to determine cancer diagnoses since 2000. For each diagnosis, the following data were recorded: date, type, stage, method of diagnosis, demographic data, medical history, and HIV-related information.

Identification of the DC-SIGN-interactive domains on the envelope glycoprotein of HIV-1 CRF07_BC.

DC-SIGN, a C-type lection expressed on dendritic cells, enhances HIV-1 infection in cis and in trans. HIV-1 circulating recombinant form (CRF) 07_BC viruses have been the predominant strain found among injection drug users in southern China and Taiwan. The goal of this study was to map the DC-SIGN-interactive domain on the gp120 of CRF07_BC.

Identifying conserved DR1501-restricted CD4(+) T-cell epitopes in avian H5N1 hemagglutinin proteins.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses are capable of causing poultry epidemics and human mortality. Vaccines that induce protective neutralizing antibodies can prevent outbreaks and decrease the potential for influenza A pandemics. Identifying unique H5N1 virus-specific HLA class II-restricted epitopes is essential for monitoring cellular strain-specific immunity.

Deficiency of glycine N-methyltransferase results in deterioration of cellular defense to stress in mouse liver.

Purpose: Previously, we reported that glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) interacts with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and inhibits BaP-DNA adducts formation. In addition, Gnmt knockout (Gnmt(-/-)) mice developed chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aims of this study were to understand the gene expression profile of Gnmt(-/-) mice and to study the interaction between BaP and GNMT deficiency in vivo.

Predicting gene function using few positive examples and unlabeled ones.

Background: A large amount of functional genomic data have provided enough knowledge in predicting gene function computationally, which uses known functional annotations and relationship between unknown genes and known ones to map unknown genes to GO functional terms. The prediction procedure is usually formulated as binary classification problem. Training binary classifier needs both positive examples and negative ones that have almost the same size.

Unique variants of human papillomavirus genotypes 52 and 58 and risk of cervical neoplasia.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) 52 and 58 are oncogenic HPV types prevalent in Asia. Our study aims to explore intratypic variants of HPV 52 and 58 in Taiwan. A total of 11,923 women were enrolled from seven townships in 1991-1992.

Polymyositis/dermatomyositis and nasopharyngeal carcinoma: the Epstein-Barr virus connection?

Background: Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are associated with high risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Asian countries. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) might induce autoimmunity and malignancies in susceptible individuals.

Objectives: To investigate the association of EBV with PM/DM and NPC in PM/DM patients.

Intermolecular interaction in water hexamer.

The origin of the intermolecular interaction, especially the many-body interaction, in eight low-lying water hexamer structures (prism, cage, book-1, book-2, cyclic-chair, bag, cyclic-boat-1, and cyclic-boat-2) is unraveled using the localized molecular orbital energy decomposition analysis (LMO-EDA) method at the second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation (MP2) level of theory with a large basis set. It is found that the relative stabilities of these hexamer structures are determined by delicate balances between different types of interaction. According to LMO-EDA, electrostatic and exchange interactions are strictly pairwise additive.

Effectiveness of community hospital-based post-acute care on functional recovery and 12-month mortality in older patients: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Evidence supporting community hospital (CH)-based post-acute care (PAC) on long-term mortality is lacking.

Methods: A 4-week comprehensive geriatric assessment-based interdisciplinary care was introduced to reable post-acute older patients who volunteered to participate in this study without randomization. The effectiveness of CH-based PAC in functional gain and 12-month mortality were evaluated.

Integration of ceramic membrane and compressed air-assisted solvent extraction (CASX) for metal recovery.

In our previous publications, compressed air-assisted solvent extraction process (CASX) was developed and proved to be kinetically efficient process for metal removal. In the current study, CASX with a ceramic MF membrane integrated for separation of spent solvent was employed to remove and recover metal from wastewater. MF was operated either in crossflow mode or dead-end with intermittent flushing mode.

Detection of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) viruses using a localized surface plasmon coupled fluorescence fiber-optic biosensor.

Swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV) was identified as a new reassortant strain of influenza A virus in April 2009 and led to an influenza pandemic. Accurate and timely diagnoses are crucial for the control of influenza disease. We developed a localized surface plasmon coupled fluorescence fiber-optic biosensor (LSPCF-FOB) which combines a sandwich immunoassay with the LSP technique using antibodies against the hemagglutinin (HA) proteins of S-OIVs.

Care of elderly patients with diabetes mellitus: a focus on frailty.

The prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) increase with age, and its diagnosis and treatment in older people present a challenge. Applying evidence to elderly patients can be problematic, because older persons with frailty, multiple comorbidities, and functional disabilities are generally excluded from diabetes clinical trials. Frailty is characterized by multisystem decline and vulnerability to adverse health outcomes.

Potential role of Th17 cells in the pathogenesis of adult-onset Still's disease.

Objective: To investigate the potential role of Th type 17 (Th17) cells and Th17-related cytokines in the pathogenesis of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

Methods: The frequencies of circulating Th17 cells in 24 patients with active untreated AOSD, 16 patients with active SLE and 12 healthy volunteers were determined using intracellular cytokine staining and flow cytometry. Serum levels of Th17-related cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, IL-18, IL-21 and IL-23 were measured by ELISA.

Nodular mucinosis in Graves disease mimicking gouty tophi.

We report a patient who had Graves disease and recently developed subcutaneous nodules over both lower limbs. Initially, gouty tophi were suspected by the endocrinologist so he was referred to the rheumatology clinic. However, a series of studies, including soft tissue ultrasonography, magnetic resonance image, and biopsy revealed nodular mucinosis resulting from Graves dermopathy.