Deciphering the evolution of composite-type GSKIP in mitochondria and Wnt signaling pathways.

We previously revealed the origin of mammalian simple-type glycogen synthase kinase interaction protein (GSKIP), which served as a scavenger and a competitor in the Wnt signaling pathway during evolution. In this study, we investigated the conserved and nonconserved regions of the composite-type GSKIP by utilizing bioinformatics tools, site-directed mutagenesis, and yeast two-hybrid methods. The regions were denoted as the pre-GSK3β binding site, which is located at the front of GSK3β-binding sites.

Secondary Metabolites with Anti-Inflammatory Activities from One Actinobacteria .

Phytochemical investigation and chromatographic separation of extracts from one new actinobacteria strain that was isolated from soil of Yilan township, in the north of Taiwan, led to the isolation of nine new compounds, amycolataiwanensins A-I (-, resp.), and one , namely amycolataiwanensin J (). The structures of the new compounds were unambiguously elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic-data analysis (1D- and 2D-NMR, MS, and UV) and comparison with literature data.

Saccharpiscinols A-C: Flavans with Potential Anti-Inflammatory Activities from One Actinobacteria .

Phytochemical investigation and chromatographic separation of extracts from the actinobacteria strain   that was isolated from dried fishpond sediment of Kouhu township, in the south of Taiwan, led to the isolation of three new compounds, saccharpiscinols A-C (-, respectively), and three new natural products namely (2)-5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-6,8-dimethylflavanone (), methyl-4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-6-methylbenzoate (), and (±)-7-acetyl-4,8-dihydroxy-6-methyl-1-tetralone (). Compounds - were reported before as synthesized products, herein, they are reported from nature for the first time. The structures of the new compounds were unambiguously elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analysis (1D- and 2D-NMR, MS, and UV) and comparison with literature data.

Increased Risk of Gastric Cancer in Asbestos-Exposed Workers: A Retrospective Cohort Study Based on Taiwan Cancer Registry 1980-2015.

Asbestos has been recognized as a human carcinogen associated with malignant mesothelioma, cancers of lung, larynx, and ovary. However, a putative association between gastric cancer and asbestos exposure remains controversial. In this study, we aimed to explore gastric cancer risk of workers potentially exposed to asbestos in Taiwan.

NBM-BMX, an HDAC8 Inhibitor, Overcomes Temozolomide Resistance in Glioblastoma Multiforme by Downregulating the β-Catenin/c-Myc/SOX2 Pathway and Upregulating p53-Mediated MGMT Inhibition.

Although histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) plays a role in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), whether its inhibition facilitates the treatment of temozolomide (TMZ)-resistant GBM (GBM-R) remains unclear. By assessing the gene expression profiles from short hairpin RNA of HDAC8 in the new version of Connectivity Map (CLUE) and cells treated by NBM-BMX (BMX)-, an HDAC8 inhibitor, data analysis reveals that the Wnt signaling pathway and apoptosis might be the underlying mechanisms in BMX-elicited treatment. This study evaluated the efficacy of cotreatment with BMX and TMZ in GBM-R cells.

Ionizing Radiation Induces Resistant Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells by Promoting Autophagy via the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway.

Therapeutic resistance in recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is a challenging issue. Although standard fractionated radiation is essential to treat GBM, it has led to local recurrence along with therapy-resistant cells in the ionizing radiation (IR) field. Lines of evidence showed cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a vital role in therapy resistance in many cancer types, including GBM.

The Phosphorylation Status of Drp1-Ser637 by PKA in Mitochondrial Fission Modulates Mitophagy via PINK1/Parkin to Exert Multipolar Spindles Assembly during Mitosis.

Mitochondrial fission and fusion cycles are integrated with cell cycle progression. Here we first re-visited how mitochondrial ETC inhibition disturbed mitosis progression, resulting in multipolar spindles formation in HeLa cells. Inhibitors of ETC complex I (rotenone, ROT) and complex III (antimycin A, AA) decreased the phosphorylation of Plk1 T210 and Aurora A T288 in the mitotic phase (M-phase), especially ROT, affecting the dynamic phosphorylation status of fission protein dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and the Ser637/Ser616 ratio.

Association between Depression, Antidepression Medications, and the Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwan.

The relationship between depression, antidepressant medications (ADMs), and the risk of subsequent type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) development remains controversial. Thus, we investigated this aspect by a population-based retrospective cohort study using the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 available in Taiwan. This large, observational study included 46,201 patients with depression and a 1 : 1 age- and sex-matched nondepression cohort enrolled between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2013, and the newly diagnosed T2DM incidence rates were determined.

A retrospective cohort study of how alveolar ridge preservation affects the need of alveolar ridge augmentation at posterior tooth implant sites.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess whether alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) can reduce the need of ridge augmentation at posterior tooth sites.

Material And Methods: This study enrolled patients who received dental implants at posterior tooth sites during 2013-2019. Demographic data and dental treatment histories were collected.

Effects of Urate-Lowering Therapy on Risk of Hyperlipidemia in Gout by a Population-Based Cohort Study and on Hepatic Lipogenesis-Related Gene Expression.

Patients with gout are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, which is associated with hyperlipidemia. Management of gout in Taiwan is poor, and the association between urate-lowering therapy (ULT) among gout patients and hyperlipidemia is unclear. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) of Taiwan on new-onset gout patients and a comparison cohort without gout.

ERCC overexpression associated with a poor response of cT4b colorectal cancer with FOLFOX-based neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) of the clinical tumor stage T4b (cT4b) refers to advanced tumors with direct invasion of adjacent structures and the tumors are considered unresectable. Despite advancements in aggressive surgery and combination chemotherapy, the prognosis of cT4b CRC remains poor. Optimizing the therapeutic sequence administered to patients with cT4b CRC to improve clinical outcomes is crucial.

A Novel Non-contact Self-Injection-Locked Radar for Vital Sign Sensing and Body Movement Monitoring in COVID-19 Isolation Ward.

Background: The outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has become the most serious global health issue. Isolation policy in hospitals is one of the most crucial protocols to prevent nosocomial infection of COVID-19. It is important to monitor and assess the physical conditions of the patients in isolation.

Association between Gout, Urate-Lowering Therapy, and Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

Gout is the most prevalent inflammatory arthritis in adults. Although the link between gout and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been documented, our understanding of the association between urate-lowering therapy (ULT) among gout patients and T2DM development remains poor. We included 69,326 patients with new-onset gout in 2000-2011.

Risk of hepatitis C virus infection in injecting and noninjecting drug users receiving opioid substitution therapy.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common viral infection among illicit drug users in the world. Although intervention of needle and syringe program and opioid substitution therapy had engaged to prevent HCV infection, the prevalence of HCV infection does not seem to decline. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of HCV infection in injecting drug users (IDUs) and noninjecting drug users (NIDUs) receiving opioid substitution therapy.

Surgical treatment of intraspinal tumors in Southern Taiwan: The 30-year experience of a single institution.

Our institute presented two reports of intraspinal tumors, one in 1997 and the other in 2007, which assessed 120 and 117 cases of diagnosed and surgically treated intraspinal tumors at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Southern Taiwan during 1988-1995 and 1999-2004, respectively. Here, we analyze data from 247 patients with medical records indicating surgery for and pathological reports of intraspinal tumors at the same institute during 2004-2014. Correlational findings from this study were compared with those from the previous two reports.

Brain surgery in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitor and whole brain radiotherapy for epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer with brain metastases.

The role of brain surgery (BS) on the survival of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and brain metastases (BM), particularly those with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations under tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is yet to be defined. We aimed to investigate whether BS could improve the survival of patients in addition to the combination of TKIs and whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT). A cohort of 1394 NSCLC patients between 2011 and 2016 was retrospectively studied.

Combination of Whole-Brain Radiotherapy with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Improves Overall Survival in EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases.

Brain metastases (BM) cause morbidity and mortality in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The use of upfront epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and withholding of whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is controversial. We aim to investigate the impact of WBRT on overall survival (OS).

Urinary thiodiglycolic acid is associated with increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children living near a petrochemical complex.

Background: Occupational and experimental studies have revealed that high vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) exposure is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Epidemiological study reported that children living near a petrochemical complex have elevated exposure levels of urinary thiodiglycolic acid (TDGA), a potential VCM biomarker. However, no studies on the association of urinary TDGA exposure with NAFLD in children are available.

Randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating oral glutamine on radiation-induced oral mucositis and dermatitis in head and neck cancer patients.

Background: Glutamine is the primary fuel for the gastrointestinal epithelium and maintains the mucosal structure. Oncologists frequently encounter oral mucositis, which can cause unplanned breaks in radiotherapy (RT).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the association between oral glutamine and acute toxicities in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing RT.

Association between urinary thiodiglycolic acid level and hepatic function or fibrosis index in school-aged children living near a petrochemical complex.

The effect of exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) on susceptibility to hepatotoxicity in children is unknown, although experimental studies have demonstrated a significantly increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in rodents exposed to VCM in early life. Epidemiological studies have revealed a high prevalence of liver fibrosis and abnormal liver function in workers exposed to high VCM levels. We aimed to assess the association among urinary thiodiglycolic acid (TDGA) level, abnormal liver function, and hepatic fibrosis in school-aged children living near a petrochemical complex.