Translation of Mutant Repetitive Genomic Sequences in and Changes in the Secondary Structures and Functional Specifications of the Encoded Proteins.

Multiple repetitive sequences of authentic genes commonly exist in fungal genomes. AT-biased genotypes of have been hypothesized as repetitive pseudogenes in the genome of (GC-biased Genotype #1 of ) and are generated through repeat-induced point mutation (RIP), which is charactered by cytosine-to-thymine and guanine-to-adenine transitions, concurrent epigenetic methylation, and dysfunctionality. This multilocus study examined repetitive sequences in the genome and transcriptome using a bioinformatic approach and revealed that 8.

Analysis of Metabolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Chinese Cordyceps, and Based on Untargeted Metabolomics.

Chinese cordyceps (GL) is a traditional medicinal fungus, with (, BL) and (, JSB) being fungi isolated from wild Chinese cordyceps. These three species share similar chemical composition and pharmacological effects. Existing studies have primarily compared the metabolites of Chinese cordyceps and , overlooking the assessment of antioxidant capacity in Chinese cordyceps, , and .

Association between high-density lipoprotein and functional outcome of ischemic stroke patients in a Taiwanese population.

Despite recent findings indicating a paradoxical association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, the impact of HDL-C on subsequent outcomes after ischemic stroke remains unclear. The study aims to investigate the relationships between HDL-C levels and post-stroke functional outcomes while examining the potential modifying influence of HDL-C-related single nucleotide polymorphisms identified through genome-wide association studies. This cohort study included 1,310 patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), all of whom had their admission serum lipid profile and genotyping information.

Effects of temporal changes in resting heart rate on future diabetes-related outcomes.

Background And Aims: Most studies have analyzed the relationship between resting heart rate (RHR) measured at only one time point and future clinical events. The current study aims to investigate the impact of long-term RHR changes on future clinical outcomes in a decade-long cohort with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: The two-staged follow-up involved 2,513 T2DM participants.

[Testing Effectiveness of Localized Cognitive Stimulation Training With Musical Rhythm Courses Among Older People in Day Care Centers: A Pilot Study].

Background: Staff caregivers of day care centers provide many activities for older people. However, there is a lack of a systematic curriculum based on Taiwanese culture to improve cognitive function, self-care ability, and depressive mood status in these individuals.

Purpose: This study was designed to test the effectiveness of a series of localized cognitive stimulation training courses implemented by direct caregivers and aimed at improving cognitive function, self-care ability, and depressive mood in older people at day care centers.

Altered GC- and AT-biased genotypes of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in the stromal fertile portions and ascospores of natural Cordyceps sinensis.

Objective: To examine multiple genotypes of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in a semi-quantitative manner in the stromal fertile portion (SFP) densely covered with numerous ascocarps and ascospores of natural Cordyceps sinensis and to outline the dynamic alterations of the coexisting O. sinensis genotypes in different developmental phases.

Methods: Mature Cordyceps sinensis specimens were harvested and continuously cultivated in our laboratory (altitude 2,254 m).

[Differential transcription of mating-type genes during sexual reproduction of natural Cordyceps sinensis].

Natural Cordyceps sinensis as an insect-fungal complex, which is developed after Ophiocordyceps sinensis infects a larva of Hepialidae family. Seventeen genotypes of O. sinensis have been identified in natural C.

Differential coexistence of multiple genotypes of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in the stromata, ascocarps and ascospores of natural Cordyceps sinensis.

Objective: To examine the differential occurrence of Ophiocordyceps sinensis genotypes in the stroma, stromal fertile portion (SFP) densely covered with numerous ascocarps, and ascospores of natural Cordyceps sinensis.

Methods: Immature and mature C. sinensis specimens were harvested.

Medium optimization for high mycelial soluble protein content of using response surface methodology.

is widely utilized due to its pharmaceutical value. Mycelial protein forms a key active component of and determines the medicinal potential of fungus. Here, we describe the development of an optimized fermentation medium to obtain more mycelial soluble protein from using response surface methodology (RSM) and investigate the increased mycelial protein content using transcriptomics.

Role of Cell-Cell Junctions in Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Cell-cell junctions comprise various structures, including adherens junctions, tight junctions, desmosomes, and gap junctions. They link cells to each other in tissues and regulate tissue homeostasis in critical cellular processes. Recent advances in cell-cell junction research have led to critical discoveries.

Exposure to ambient air pollutants with kidney function decline in chronic kidney disease patients.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been a global public health problem with many adverse outcomes, but data are lacking regarding the relationship between air pollutants and risk of renal progression in patients with CKD. This study was to investigate whether 1-year average exposure to ambient air pollutants -CO, NO, NO, SO, O, PM, and PM-is related to renal function deterioration among patients with CKD. A total of 5301 CKD patients were included in this study between October 2008 and February 2016.

Surgical outcomes associated with sleep apnea syndrome in Stanford A aortic dissection patients.

Background: Patients suffering from aortic dissection (AD) often experience sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), which aggravates their respiratory function and aortic false lumen expansion.

Methods: We analyzed the peri-operative data of Stanford A AD patients, with or without SAS, between January 2017 and June 2019. Subjects were separated into SAS positive (SAS) and SAS negative (SAS) cohorts, based on the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) and the Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI).

Time Trends in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Incidence from 2002 to 2016 in Taiwan: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis.

Background: Psoriatic disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that is associated with morbidity and a poor quality of life. However, studies on the trends of psoriatic disease incidence are limited. We examined trends in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis from 2002 to 2016 in Taiwan and distinguished the effects of age, period, and cohort on those trends.

β-Ecdysterone Enhanced Bone Regeneration Through the BMP-2/SMAD/RUNX2/Osterix Signaling Pathway.

Bone defects are a global public health problem. However, the available methods for inducing bone regeneration are limited. The application of traditional Chinese herbs for bone regeneration has gained popularity in recent years.

Myocardial injury and inflammatory response in percutaneous device closures of pediatric patent ductus arteriosus.

Background: The percutaneous device closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is widely used in clinical practice, however full data on the changes in myocardial injury and systemic inflammatory markers' levels after PDA in children are not fully reported.

Methods: We have conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 385 pediatric patients in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2019. The patients were distributed into five groups.

Molecular chaperone heat shock protein 70 inhibitors suppress conditioned place preference induced by morphine exposure in male rats.

Previous studies have indicated a role for molecular chaperone heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in the development of behavioural sensitization to morphine in rodents, suggesting that Hsp70 expression following morphine exposure is involved in molecular changes that may underlie addiction vulnerability. The current study was carried out to investigate the role of Hsp70 in the positive reinforcing properties of morphine using conditioned place preference (CPP) in male rats. An unbiased CPP procedure of three phases (pre-conditioning: d1-d3; conditioning: d4-d6; and testing: d7) was used.

Connexin 43 affects thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum by regulating the p38 MAPK-RUNX2 signaling pathway.

This study aimed to investigate the role of connexin 43 (CX43) in thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum (TOLF) based on the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK)-runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) pathway. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect CX43 expression in TOLF and non-TOLF patients, fibroblasts of TOLF were isolated and induced osteogenic differentiation, and CX43 expression was detected by western blot analysis (WB). In addition, si-CX43 was used to intervene CX43, and SB203580 was used to inhibit the p38MAPK.

Respect in the Eyes of Non-Urban Elders: Using Qualitative Interviews to Distinguish Community Elders' Perspective of Respect in General and Healthcare Services.

This study aimed to describe the connotation of respect for community elders in daily situations, and discuss the elderly's views on respect for healthcare services. A qualitative research design was conducted to interview elders from a non-urban area in Changhua, Taiwan. Study sites were Lukang and Ershui.

L-Type Amino Acid Transporter 1 Regulates Cancer Stemness and the Expression of Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand 1 in Lung Cancer Cells.

The l-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is a membranous transporter that transports neutral amino acids for cells and is dysregulated in various types of cancer. Here, we first observed increased LAT1 expression in pemetrexed-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells with high cancer stem cell (CSC) activity, and its mRNA expression level was associated with shorter overall survival in the lung adenocarcinoma dataset of the Cancer Genome Atlas database. The inhibition of LAT1 by a small molecule inhibitor, JPH203, or by RNA interference led to a significant reduction in tumorsphere formation and the downregulation of several cancer stemness genes in NSCLC cells through decreased AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation.

Synbiotics Containing Nanoprebiotics: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy to Restore Gut Dysbiosis.

A new formulation, nanoprebiotics [e.g., phthalyl pullulan nanoparticles (PPNs)], was demonstrated to enhance the antimicrobial activity of probiotics [e.

An Abdominal Registration Technology for Integration of Nanomaterial Imaging-Aided Diagnosis and Treatment.

Image registration technology is a key technology used in the process of nanomaterial imaging-aided diagnosis and targeted therapy effect monitoring for abdominal diseases. Recently, the deep-learning based methods have been increasingly used for large-scale medical image registration, because their iteration is much less than those of traditional ones. In this paper, a coarse-to-fine unsupervised learning-based three-dimensional (3D) abdominal CT image registration method is presented.