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Antivirals blocking entry of enteroviruses and therapeutic potential J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-15 Mohd Ishtiaq Anasir; Faisal Zarif; Chit Laa Poh
Viruses from the genus Enterovirus (EV) of the Picornaviridae family are known to cause diseases such as hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD), respiratory diseases, encephalitis and myocarditis. The capsid of EV is an attractive target for the development of direct-acting small molecules that can interfere with viral entry. Some of the capsid binders have been evaluated in clinical trials but the majority
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Insights to SARS-CoV-2 life cycle, pathophysiology, and rationalized treatments that target COVID-19 clinical complications J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-12 Ioannis P. Trougakos; Kimon Stamatelopoulos; Evangelos Terpos; Ourania E. Tsitsilonis; Evmorfia Aivalioti; Dimitrios Paraskevis; Efstathios Kastritis; George N. Pavlakis; Meletios A. Dimopoulos
Gaining further insights into SARS-CoV-2 routes of infection and the underlying pathobiology of COVID-19 will support the design of rational treatments targeting the life cycle of the virus and/or the adverse effects (e.g., multi-organ collapse) that are triggered by COVID-19-mediated adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and/or other pathologies. COVID-19 is a two-phase disease being marked by
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l-Carnitine ameliorates congenital myopathy in a tropomyosin 3 de novo mutation transgenic zebrafish J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-12 Po-Jui Hsu; Horng-Dar Wang; Yung-Che Tseng; Shao-Wei Pan; Bonifasius Putera Sampurna; Yuh-Jyh Jong; Chiou-Hwa Yuh
Congenital myopathy (CM) is a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous muscle disorders, characterized by muscle weakness and hypotonia from birth. Currently, no definite treatment exists for CM. A de novo mutation in Tropomyosin 3-TPM3(E151G) was identified from a boy diagnosed with CM, previously TPM3(E151A) was reported to cause CM. However, the role of TPM3(E151G) in CM is unknown. Histopathological
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Yulink, predicted from evolutionary analysis, is involved in cardiac function J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-11 Ming-Wei Kuo; Hsiu-Hui Tsai; Sheng-Hung Wang; Yi-Yin Chen; Alice L. Yu; John Yu
The comparative evolutionary genomics analysis was used to study the functions of novel Ka/Ks-predicted human exons in a zebrafish model. The Yulink (MIOS, Entrez Gene: 54,468), a conserved gene from zebrafish to human with WD40 repeats at N-terminus, was identified and found to encode an 875 amino acid in human. The biological function of this Yulink gene in cardiomyocytes remains unexplored. The
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Advances in sepsis diagnosis and management: a paradigm shift towards nanotechnology J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-08 Amit Pant; Irene Mackraj; Thirumala Govender
Sepsis, a dysregulated immune response due to life-threatening organ dysfunction, caused by drug-resistant pathogens, is a major global health threat contributing to high disease burden. Clinical outcomes in sepsis depend on timely diagnosis and appropriate early therapeutic intervention. There is a growing interest in the evaluation of nanotechnology-based solutions for sepsis management due to the
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Siglec-E retards atherosclerosis by inhibiting CD36-mediated foam cell formation J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-05 Yaw-Wen Hsu; Fu-Fei Hsu; Ming-Tsai Chiang; Dong-Lin Tsai; Fu-An Li; Takashi Angata; Paul R. Crocker; Lee-Young Chau
The accumulation of lipid-laden macrophages, foam cells, within sub-endothelial intima is a key feature of early atherosclerosis. Siglec-E, a mouse orthologue of human Siglec-9, is a sialic acid binding lectin predominantly expressed on the surface of myeloid cells to transduce inhibitory signal via recruitment of SH2-domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1/2 upon binding to its sialoglycan
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CircNOL10 suppresses breast cancer progression by sponging miR-767-5p to regulate SOCS2/JAK/STAT signaling J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Fang Wang; Xiaochun Wang; Jingruo Li; Pengwei Lv; Mingli Han; Lin Li; Zhuo Chen; Lingling Dong; Nan Wang; Yuanting Gu
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have caught increasing attentions and interests for their important involvement in cancer initiation and progression. This study aims to investigate the biological functions of circNOL10 and its potential molecular mechanisms in breast cancer (BC). qRT-PCR and western blot assays were performed to measure the expression of related genes. CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytomerty
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Premature senescence of placental decidua cells as a possible cause of miscarriage produced by mycophenolic acid J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Paz de la Torre; Miguel Fernández-de la Torre; Ana I. Flores
Successful pregnancy is supported by a healthy maternal–fetal interface (i.e., the decidual tissues) which holds the conceptus and safeguards it against stressors from the beginning of pregnancy. Any disturbance of this interface can presumably lead to the loss of pregnancy. The use of the immunosuppressive drug mycophenolic acid (MPA) should be discontinued in pregnancy given its abortive and embryotoxic
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O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase modulates cisplatin-induced DNA double-strand breaks by targeting the homologous recombination pathway in nasopharyngeal carcinoma J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Shang-Hung Chen; Wen-Tsung Huang; Wan-Chen Kao; Sheng-Yen Hsiao; Hsin-Yi Pan; Chin-Wen Fang; Yow-Ling Shiue; Chia-Lin Chou; Chien-Feng Li
The homologous recombination (HR) pathway is involved in DNA damage response (DDR), which is crucial to cancer cell survival after treatment with DNA damage agents. O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is associated with cisplatin (CDDP) resistance in cancer cells; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we explored the interactions between MGMT and the HR pathway in CDDP-activated
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Transcriptomic and proteomic profiling revealed reprogramming of carbon metabolism in acetate-grown human pathogen Candida glabrata J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2021-01-02 Shu Yih Chew; Alistair J. P. Brown; Benjamin Yii Chung Lau; Yoke Kqueen Cheah; Kok Lian Ho; Doblin Sandai; Hassan Yahaya; Leslie Thian Lung Than
Emergence of Candida glabrata, which causes potential life-threatening invasive candidiasis, has been widely associated with high morbidity and mortality. In order to cause disease in vivo, a robust and highly efficient metabolic adaptation is crucial for the survival of this fungal pathogen in human host. In fact, reprogramming of the carbon metabolism is believed to be indispensable for phagocytosed
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Coronavirus vaccine development: from SARS and MERS to COVID-19 J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-12-20 Yen-Der Li; Wei-Yu Chi; Jun-Han Su; Louise Ferrall; Chien-Fu Hung; T.-C. Wu
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new type of coronavirus that causes the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has been the most challenging pandemic in this century. Considering its high mortality and rapid spread, an effective vaccine is urgently needed to control this pandemic. As a result, the academia, industry, and government sectors are working tightly together
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KLHL17/Actinfilin, a brain-specific gene associated with infantile spasms and autism, regulates dendritic spine enlargement J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-12-01 Hsiao-Tang Hu; Tzyy-Nan Huang; Yi-Ping Hsueh
Dendritic spines, the actin-rich protrusions emerging from dendrites, are the subcellular locations of excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain. Many actin-regulating molecules modulate dendritic spine morphology. Since dendritic spines are neuron-specific structures, it is reasonable to speculate that neuron-specific or -predominant factors are involved in dendritic spine formation. KLHL17 (Kelch-like
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Association study of rs1801282 PPARG gene polymorphism and immune cells and cytokine levels in a Spanish pregnant women cohort and their offspring J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-11-30 Maria García-Ricobaraza; Mercedes García-Bermúdez; Francisco J. Torres-Espinola; M. Teresa Segura Moreno; Mathieu N. Bleyere; Ligia E. Díaz-Prieto; Esther Nova; Ascensión Marcos; Cristina Campoy
Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARG) belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily functioning as transcription factors to regulate cellular differentiation, development and metabolism. Moreover, it has been implicated in the regulation of lipid metabolism, as well as the maturation of monocytes/macrophages and the control of inflammatory reactions. The aim of this study was to evaluate
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MicroRNA-146a suppresses tumor malignancy via targeting vimentin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells with lower fibronectin membrane assembly J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-11-28 Hong-Yi Chang; Chi-Hua Lee; Yi-Syuan Li; Jing-Tong Huang; Sheng-Hui Lan; Yi-Fang Wang; Wu-Wei Lai; Yi-Ching Wang; Yan-Ju Lin; Hsiao-Sheng Liu; Hung-Chi Cheng
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is widely prevalent in Taiwan, and high metastatic spread of ESCC leads to poor survival rate. Fibronectin (FN) assembly on the cell membrane may induce ESCC mobility. MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) are abundant in and participate in tumorigenesis in many cancers. However, the role of MiRNA in FN assembly-related ESCC mobility remains unexplored. We divided ESCC CE81T
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Correction to: EpCAM aptamer mediated cancer cell specific delivery of EpCAM siRNA using polymeric nanocomplex J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-11-08 Nithya Subramanian; Jagat R. Kanwar; Prasanna kumar Athalya; Narayanan Janakiraman; Vikas Khetan; Rupinder K. Kanwar; Sailaja Eluchuri; Subramanian Krishnakumar
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
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Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor gene therapy as a novel therapeutics for stroke in a mouse model J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-10-30 Janet M. Menzie-Suderam; Jigar Modi; Hongyaun Xu; Andrew Bent; Paula Trujillo; Kristen Medley; Eugenia Jimenez; Jessica Shen; Michael Marshall; Rui Tao; Howard Prentice; Jang-Yen Wu
Global ischemia is the resulting effect of a cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). Presently there is no effective treatment to address neurological deficits in patients who survived a CPA. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor is a growth factor (G-CSF) with a plethora of beneficial effects, including neuroprotection. Clinical application of human G-CSF (hG-CSF) is limited due to its plasma half-life of 4 h
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SUMO proteins in the cardiovascular system: friend or foe? J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-10-24 Prithviraj Manohar Vijaya Shetty; Ashraf Yusuf Rangrez; Norbert Frey
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are crucial for the adaptation of various signalling pathways to ensure cellular homeostasis and proper adaptation to stress. PTM is a covalent addition of a small chemical functional group such as a phosphate group (phosphorylation), methyl group (methylation), or acetyl group (acetylation); lipids like hydrophobic isoprene polymers (isoprenylation); sugars
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Autophagosome formation in relation to the endoplasmic reticulum J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-10-22 Yo-hei Yamamoto; Takeshi Noda
Autophagy is a process in which a myriad membrane structures called autophagosomes are formed de novo in a single cell, which deliver the engulfed substrates into lysosomes for degradation. The size of the autophagosomes is relatively uniform in non-selective autophagy and variable in selective autophagy. It has been recently established that autophagosome formation occurs near the endoplasmic reticulum
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Endothelin receptor antagonist improves donor lung function in an ex vivo perfusion system J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-10-02 K. Walweel; K. Skeggs; A. C. Boon; L. E. See Hoe; M. Bouquet; N. G. Obonyo; S. E. Pedersen; S. D. Diab; M. R. Passmore; K. Hyslop; E. S. Wood; J. Reid; S. M. Colombo; N. J. Bartnikowski; M. A. Wells; D. Black; L. P. Pimenta; A. K. Stevenson; K. Bisht; L. Marshall; D. A. Prabhu; L. James; D. G. Platts; P. S. Macdonald; D. C. McGiffin; J. Y. Suen; J. F. Fraser
A lung transplant is the last resort treatment for many patients with advanced lung disease. The majority of donated lungs come from donors following brain death (BD). The endothelin axis is upregulated in the blood and lung of the donor after BD resulting in systemic inflammation, lung damage and poor lung graft outcomes in the recipient. Tezosentan (endothelin receptor blocker) improves the pulmonary
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The trace aminergic system: a gender-sensitive therapeutic target for IBS? J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-09-28 Lesha Pretorius; Carine Smith
Due to a lack of specific or sensitive biomarkers, drug discovery advances have been limited for individuals suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While current therapies provide symptomatic relief, inflammation itself is relatively neglected, despite the presence of chronic immune activation and innate immune system dysfunction. Moreover, considering the microgenderome concept, gender is
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Correction to: Molecular networking in the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses: insights from mammalian models and the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-09-21 Robert J Huber
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
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Dissecting the conformation of glycans and their interactions with proteins. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-09-09 Sheng-Hung Wang,Tsai-Jung Wu,Chien-Wei Lee,John Yu
The use of in silico strategies to develop the structural basis for a rational optimization of glycan-protein interactions remains a great challenge. This problem derives, in part, from the lack of technologies to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the complex assembling between a glycan and the targeted protein molecule. Since there is an unmet need for developing new sugar-targeted therapeutics
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Copy number variant hotspots in Han Taiwanese population induced pluripotent stem cell lines - lessons from establishing the Taiwan human disease iPSC Consortium Bank. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-09-04 Ching-Ying Huang,Ling-Hui Li,Wan-Tseng Hsu,Yu-Che Cheng,Martin W Nicholson,Chun-Lin Liu,Chien-Yu Ting,Hui-Wen Ko,Shih-Han Syu,Cheng-Hao Wen,Zhuge Yan,Hsiang-Po Huang,Hong-Lin Su,Po-Min Chiang,Chia-Ning Shen,Hsin-Fu Chen,B Lin Ju Yen,Huai-En Lu,Shiaw-Min Hwang,Shih-Hwa Chiou,Hong-Nerng Ho,Jer-Yuarn Wu,Timothy J Kamp,Joseph C Wu,Patrick C H Hsieh
The Taiwan Human Disease iPSC Service Consortium was established to accelerate Taiwan’s growing stem cell research initiatives and provide a platform for researchers interested in utilizing induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology. The consortium has generated and characterized 83 iPSC lines: 11 normal and 72 disease iPSC lines covering 21 different diseases, several of which are of high incidence
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PEDF promotes the repair of bone marrow endothelial cell injury and accelerates hematopoietic reconstruction after bone marrow transplantation. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-09-01 Wen Ju,Wenyi Lu,Lan Ding,Yurong Bao,Fei Hong,Yuting Chen,Hui Gao,Xiaoqi Xu,Guozhang Wang,Weiwei Wang,Xi Zhang,Chunling Fu,Kunming Qi,Zhenyu Li,Kailin Xu,Jianlin Qiao,Lingyu Zeng
Preconditioning before bone marrow transplantation such as irradiation causes vascular endothelial cells damage and promoting the repair of damaged endothelial cells is beneficial for hematopoietic reconstitution. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) regulates vascular permeability. However, PEDF’s role in the repair of damaged endothelial cells during preconditioning remains unclear. The purpose
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Clinically relevant radioresistant rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines: functional, molecular and immune-related characterization. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-08-27 Francesco Petragnano,Ilaria Pietrantoni,Simona Camero,Silvia Codenotti,Luisa Milazzo,Francesca Vulcano,Giampiero Macioce,Ilenia Giordani,Paolo Tini,Sara Cheleschi,Giovanni Luca Gravina,Claudio Festuccia,Alessandra Rossetti,Simona Delle Monache,Alessandra Ordinelli,Carmela Ciccarelli,Annunziata Mauro,Barboni Barbara,Cristina Antinozzi,Amalia Schiavetti,Roberto Maggio,Luigi Di Luigi,Antonella Polimeni
The probability of local tumor control after radiotherapy (RT) remains still miserably poor in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible of tumor relapse is essential to identify personalized RT-based strategies. Contrary to what has been done so far, a correct characterization of cellular radioresistance should be performed comparing radioresistant
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Constructing conjugate vaccine against Salmonella Typhimurium using lipid-A free lipopolysaccharide. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-08-24 Tzu-Wei Chiu,Chi-Jiun Peng,Ming-Cheng Chen,Mei-Hua Hsu,Yi-Hua Liang,Cheng-Hsun Chiu,Jim-Min Fang,Yuan Chuan Lee
Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium is a nontyphoidal and common foodborne pathogen that causes serious threat to humans. There is no licensed vaccine to prevent the nontyphoid bacterial infection caused by S. Typhimurium. To develop conjugate vaccines, the bacterial lipid-A free lipopolysaccharide (LFPS) is prepared as the immunogen and used to synthesize the LFPS–linker–protein conjugates 6a–9b
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The potential role of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in reducing acute respiratory inflammation in community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-08-19 Ching-Fen Shen,Shih-Min Wang,Hsin Chi,Yi-Chuan Huang,Li-Min Huang,Yhu-Chering Huang,Hsiao-Chuan Lin,Yu-Huai Ho,Chao A Hsiung,Ching-Chuan Liu,
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) reduces both invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and other pneumococcal infections worldwide. We investigated the impact of stepwise implementation of childhood PCV programs on the prevalence of pneumococcal pneumonia, severity of acute inflammation, and associations between breakthrough pneumonia and pneumococcal serotypes in Taiwan. In total, 983 children diagnosed
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Amino acid-dependent control of mTORC1 signaling: a variety of regulatory modes. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-08-17 Terunao Takahara,Yuna Amemiya,Risa Sugiyama,Masatoshi Maki,Hideki Shibata
The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is an essential regulator of cell growth and metabolism through the modulation of protein and lipid synthesis, lysosome biogenesis, and autophagy. The activity of mTORC1 is dynamically regulated by several environmental cues, including amino acid availability, growth factors, energy levels, and stresses, to coordinate cellular status with environmental
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cjrABC-senB hinders survival of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli in the bloodstream through triggering complement-mediated killing. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-08-06 Wen-Chun Huang,Yi-Jyun Liao,Masayuki Hashimoto,Kuan-Fu Chen,Chishih Chu,Po-Chuen Hsu,Shuying Wang,Ching-Hao Teng
Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) is a common gram-negative organism causing various infections, including urinary tract infections (UTIs), bacteremia, and neonatal meningitis. The cjrABC-senB gene cluster of E. coli contributes to ExPEC virulence in the mouse model of UTIs. Consistently, the distribution of cjrABC-senB is epidemiologically associated with human UTIs caused by E. coli. cjrABC-senB
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A synthetic peptide sensitizes multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antibiotics for more than two hours and permeabilizes its envelope for twenty hours. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-08-06 Iosu Rázquin-Olazarán,Hawraa Shahrour,Guillermo Martínez-de-Tejada
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative pathogen that frequently causes life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. We previously showed that subinhibitory concentrations of short synthetic peptides permeabilize P. aeruginosa and enhance the lethal action of co-administered antibiotics. Long-term permeabilization caused by exposure of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains to peptide
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Rat models of human diseases and related phenotypes: a systematic inventory of the causative genes. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-08-02 Claude Szpirer
The laboratory rat has been used for a long time as the model of choice in several biomedical disciplines. Numerous inbred strains have been isolated, displaying a wide range of phenotypes and providing many models of human traits and diseases. Rat genome mapping and genomics was considerably developed in the last decades. The availability of these resources has stimulated numerous studies aimed at
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An obituary of Dr. Ding-Shinn Chen. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-07-30
Dr. Chen is known to be a very hard-working person. He likes to compare himself to the domesticated water buffalo in Taiwan, which are very common in the farmers’ rice field during his childhood. In his office, he collected many paintings, sculptures, and photos of water buffalo. It is clear that he is a believer in the virtue of hard-working quietly without complaints. Professor Ding-Shinn Chen, an
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Precision radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-07-22 Wen-Chi Yang,Feng-Ming Hsu,Pan-Chyr Yang
Precision medicine is becoming the standard of care in anti-cancer treatment. The personalized precision management of cancer patients highly relies on the improvement of new technology in next generation sequencing and high-throughput big data processing for biological and radiographic information. Systemic precision cancer therapy has been developed for years. However, the role of precision medicine
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Genomic landscape in acute myeloid leukemia and its implications in risk classification and targeted therapies. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-07-21 Hsin-An Hou,Hwei-Fang Tien
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy in terms of clinical features, underlying pathogenesis and treatment outcomes. Recent advances in genomic techniques have unraveled the molecular complexity of AML leukemogenesis, which in turn have led to refinement of risk stratification and personalized therapeutic strategies for patients with AML. Incorporation of prognostic
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Machine learning-based segmentation of ischemic penumbra by using diffusion tensor metrics in a rat model. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-07-15 Duen-Pang Kuo,Po-Chih Kuo,Yung-Chieh Chen,Yu-Chieh Jill Kao,Ching-Yen Lee,Hsiao-Wen Chung,Cheng-Yu Chen
Recent trials have shown promise in intra-arterial thrombectomy after the first 6–24 h of stroke onset. Quick and precise identification of the salvageable tissue is essential for successful stroke management. In this study, we examined the feasibility of machine learning (ML) approaches for differentiating the ischemic penumbra (IP) from the infarct core (IC) by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-derived
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5-methoxytryptophan: an arsenal against vascular injury and inflammation. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-07-07 Kenneth K Wu,Cheng-Chin Kuo,Shaw-Fang Yet,Chii-Ming Lee,Jun-Yang Liou
5-methoxytryptophan (5-MTP) is an endothelial factor with anti-inflammatory properties. It is synthesized from L-tryptophan via two enzymatic steps: tryptophan hydroxylase-1 (TPH-1) and hydroxyindole O-methyltransferase. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines suppress endothelial 5-MTP production by inhibiting TPH-1 expression. 5-MTP protects endothelial barrier function and promotes
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Hepatitis C virus vaccine design: focus on the humoral immune response. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-07-06 Daniel Sepulveda-Crespo,Salvador Resino,Isidoro Martinez
Despite the recent development of safe and highly effective direct-acting antivirals, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a significant health problem. In 2016, the World Health Organization set out to reduce the rate of new HCV infections by 90% by 2030. Still, global control of the virus does not seem to be achievable in the absence of an effective vaccine. Current approaches to the development
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The impact of PD-L1 N-linked glycosylation on cancer therapy and clinical diagnosis. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-07-03 Ying-Nai Wang,Heng-Huan Lee,Jennifer L Hsu,Dihua Yu,Mien-Chie Hung
N-linked glycosylation is one of the most abundant posttranslational modifications of membrane-bound proteins in eukaryotes and affects a number of biological activities, including protein biosynthesis, protein stability, intracellular trafficking, subcellular localization, and ligand-receptor interaction. Accumulating evidence indicates that cell membrane immune checkpoint proteins, such as programmed
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Ab locks for improving the selectivity and safety of antibody drugs. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-06-25 Wen-Wei Lin,Yun-Chi Lu,Chih-Hung Chuang,Tian-Lu Cheng
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a major targeted therapy for malignancies, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection and chronic inflammatory diseases due to their antigen specificity and longer half-life than conventional drugs. However, long-term systemic antigen neutralization by mAbs may cause severe adverse events. Improving the selectivity of mAbs to distinguish target antigens
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ZNF322A-mediated protein phosphorylation induces autophagosome formation through modulation of IRS1-AKT glucose uptake and HSP-elicited UPR in lung cancer. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-06-23 Chantal Hoi Yin Cheung,Chia-Lang Hsu,Tsai-Yu Lin,Wei-Ting Chen,Yi-Ching Wang,Hsuan-Cheng Huang,Hsueh-Fen Juan
ZNF322A is an oncogenic transcription factor that belongs to the Cys2His2-type zinc-finger protein family. Accumulating evidence suggests that ZNF322A may contribute to the tumorigenesis of lung cancer, however, the ZNF322A-mediated downstream signaling pathways remain unknown. To uncover ZNF322A-mediated functional network, we applied phosphopeptide enrichment and isobaric labeling strategies with
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Of tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections – a comparative analysis of epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-06-17 Radha Gopalaswamy; Sivakumar Shanmugam; Rajesh Mondal; Selvakumar Subbian
Pulmonary diseases due to mycobacteria cause significant morbidity and mortality to human health. In addition to tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), recent epidemiological studies have shown the emergence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species in causing lung diseases in humans. Although more than 170 NTM species are present in various environmental niches, only a
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The origin and underlying driving forces of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-06-07 Shu-Miaw Chaw; Jui-Hung Tai; Shi-Lun Chen; Chia-Hung Hsieh; Sui-Yuan Chang; Shiou-Hwei Yeh; Wei-Shiung Yang; Pei-Jer Chen; Hurng-Yi Wang
SARS-CoV-2 began spreading in December 2019 and has since become a pandemic that has impacted many aspects of human society. Several issues concerning the origin, time of introduction to humans, evolutionary patterns, and underlying force driving the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak remain unclear. Genetic variation in 137 SARS-CoV-2 genomes and related coronaviruses as of 2/23/2020 was analyzed. After correcting
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Immunologic aspects of characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-06-04 Feng-Yee Chang; Hsiang-Cheng Chen; Pei-Jer Chen; Mei-Shang Ho; Shie-Liang Hsieh; Jung-Chung Lin; Fu-Tong Liu; Huey-Kang Sytwu
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the worldwide spread of the infectious disease COVID-19, caused by a new strain of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, as a pandemic. Like in all other infectious diseases, the host immune system plays a key role in our defense against SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, viruses are able to evade the immune attack and proliferate and, in susceptible individuals
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Correction to: Activation of TGR5 protects blood brain barrier via the BRCA1/Sirt1 pathway after middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-06-03 Hui Liang; Nathanael Matei; Devin W. McBride; Yang Xu; Jiping Tang; Benyan Luo; John H. Zhang
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
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HBV X protein-based therapeutic vaccine accelerates viral antigen clearance by mobilizing monocyte infiltration into the liver in HBV carrier mice J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-28 Jau-Hau Horng; Wei-Hsiang Lin; Chang-Ru Wu; You-Yu Lin; Li-Ling Wu; Ding-Shinn Chen; Pei-Jer Chen
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistently infected about 250 million people worldwide, and a curative treatment remains an unmet medical need. Among many approaches to treat chronic hepatitis B (CHB), therapeutic vaccines have been developed for two decades, but none have yielded promising results in clinical trials. Therefore, dissection of HBV clearance mechanisms during therapeutic vaccination in appropriate
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Validation of genome-wide association study-identified single nucleotide polymorphisms in a case-control study of pancreatic cancer from Taiwan J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-26 Yan-Shen Shan; Li-Tzong Chen; Jin-Shang Wu; Yin-Fan Chang; Chih-Ting Lee; Chih-Hsing Wu; Nai-Jung Chiang; Hsin-En Huang; Chia-Jui Yen; Ying-Jui Chao; Hui-Jen Tsai; Chiung-Yu Chen; Jui-Wen Kang; Chin-Fu Kuo; Chia-Rung Tsai; Ya-Ling Weng; Han-Chien Yang; Hui-Chin Liu; Jeffrey S. Chang
Due to differences in genetic background, it is unclear whether the genetic loci identified by the previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of pancreatic cancer also play significant roles in the development of pancreatic cancer among the Taiwanese population. This study aimed to validate the 25 pancreatic cancer GWAS-identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a case-control study
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Anomalous AMPK-regulated angiotensin AT1R expression and SIRT1-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis at RVLM in hypertension programming of offspring to maternal high fructose exposure J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-23 Yung-Mei Chao; Kay L. H. Wu; Pei-Chia Tsai; You-Lin Tain; Steve Leu; Wei-Chia Lee; Julie Y. H. Chan
Tissue oxidative stress, sympathetic activation and nutrient sensing signals are closely related to adult hypertension of fetal origin, although their interactions in hypertension programming remain unclear. Based on a maternal high-fructose diet (HFD) model of programmed hypertension, we tested the hypothesis that dysfunction of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-regulated angiotensin type 1 receptor
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The endothelium, a key actor in organ development and hPSC-derived organoid vascularization J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-22 Alejandra Vargas-Valderrama; Antonietta Messina; Maria Teresa Mitjavila-Garcia; Hind Guenou
Over the last 4 decades, cell culture techniques have evolved towards the creation of in vitro multicellular entities that incorporate the three-dimensional complexity of in vivo tissues and organs. As a result, stem cells and adult progenitor cells have been used to derive self-organized 3D cell aggregates that mimic the morphological and functional traits of organs in vitro. These so-called organoids
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Rotavirus infection in children in Southeast Asia 2008–2018: disease burden, genotype distribution, seasonality, and vaccination J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-21 Fajar Budi Lestari; Sompong Vongpunsawad; Nasamon Wanlapakorn; Yong Poovorawan
Rotaviruses (RVs) are recognized as a major cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in infants and young children worldwide. Here we summarize the virology, disease burden, prevalence, distribution of genotypes and seasonality of RVs, and the current status of RV vaccination in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and
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Statin inhibits large hepatitis delta antigen-Smad3 -twist-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and hepatitis D virus secretion J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-21 Yuh-Jin Liang; Cheng-Pu Sun; Yu-Chen Hsu; Yi-Wen Chen; I-An Wang; Chien-Wei Su; Mi-Hua Tao; Jaw-Ching Wu
Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection may induce fulminant hepatitis in chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB) or rapid progression of CHB to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. There is no effective treatment for HDV infection. HDV encodes small delta antigens (S-HDAg) and large delta antigens (L-HDAg). S-HDAg is essential for HDV replication. Prenylated L-HDAg plays a key role in HDV assembly. Previous
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Molecular networking in the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses: insights from mammalian models and the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-20 Robert J. Huber
The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs), commonly known as Batten disease, belong to a family of neurological disorders that cause blindness, seizures, loss of motor function and cognitive ability, and premature death. There are 13 different subtypes of NCL that are associated with mutations in 13 genetically distinct genes (CLN1-CLN8, CLN10-CLN14). Similar clinical and pathological profiles of the
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Pathophysiological implications of hypoxia in human diseases J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-11 Pai-Sheng Chen; Wen-Tai Chiu; Pei-Ling Hsu; Shih-Chieh Lin; I-Chen Peng; Chia-Yih Wang; Shaw-Jenq Tsai
Oxygen is essentially required by most eukaryotic organisms as a scavenger to remove harmful electron and hydrogen ions or as a critical substrate to ensure the proper execution of enzymatic reactions. All nucleated cells can sense oxygen concentration and respond to reduced oxygen availability (hypoxia). When oxygen delivery is disrupted or reduced, the organisms will develop numerous adaptive mechanisms
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N6-methyladenosine methyltransferase METTL3 affects the phenotype of cerebral arteriovenous malformation via modulating Notch signaling pathway J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-09 Lin-jian Wang; Yimeng Xue; Ran Huo; Zihan Yan; Hongyuan Xu; Hao Li; Jia Wang; Qian Zhang; Yong Cao; Ji-zong Zhao
Cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a serious life-threatening congenital cerebrovascular disease. Specific anatomical features, such as nidus size, location, and venous drainage, have been validated to affect treatment outcomes. Until recently, molecular biomarkers and corresponding molecular mechanism related to anatomical features and treatment outcomes remain unknown. RNA N6-methyladenosine
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Activation of TGR5 protects blood brain barrier via the BRCA1/Sirt1 pathway after middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-08 Hui Liang; Nathanael Matei; Devin W. McBride; Yang Xu; Jiping Tang; Benyan Luo; John H. Zhang
The disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) plays a critical event in the pathogenesis of ischemia stroke. TGR5 is recognized as a potential target for the treatment for neurologic disorders. This study investigated the roles of TGR5 activation in attenuating BBB damage and underlying mechanisms after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to model of MCAO and
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Modulation of human platelet activation and in vivo vascular thrombosis by columbianadin: regulation by integrin αIIbβ3 inside-out but not outside-in signals J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-06 Shaw-Min Hou; Chih-Wei Hsia; Cheng-Lin Tsai; Chih-Hsuan Hsia; Thanasekaran Jayakumar; Marappan Velusamy; Joen-Rong Sheu
Columbianadin (CBN) is one of the main coumarin constituents isolated from Angelica pubescens. The pharmacological value of CBN is well demonstrated, especially in the prevention of several cancers and analgesic activity. A striking therapeutic target for arterial thrombosis is inhibition of platelet activation because platelet activation significantly contributes to these diseases. The current study
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Signaling in and out: long-noncoding RNAs in tumor hypoxia J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-05 Tse-Chun Kuo; Hsing-Jien Kung; Jing-Wen Shih
Over the past few years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recognized as key regulators of gene expression at chromatin, transcriptional and posttranscriptional level with pivotal roles in various biological and pathological processes, including cancer. Hypoxia, a common feature of the tumor microenvironment, profoundly affects gene expression and is tightly associated with cancer progression. Upon
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Fasting to enhance Cancer treatment in models: the next steps J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-05-05 Jing Zhang; Yanlin Deng; Bee Luan Khoo
Short-term fasting (STF) is a technique to reduce nutrient intake for a specific period. Since metabolism plays a pivotal role in tumor progression, it can be hypothesized that STF can improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. Recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of STF in cell and animal tumor models. However, large-scale clinical trials must be conducted to verify the safety and effectiveness
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O-GlcNAcylation and its role in the immune system J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-04-29 Yi-Hsuan Chang; Chia-Lin Weng; Kuo-I Lin
O-linked-N-acetylglucosaminylation (O-GlcNAcylation) is a type of glycosylation that occurs when a monosaccharide, O-GlcNAc, is added onto serine or threonine residues of nuclear or cytoplasmic proteins by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and which can be reversibly removed by O-GlcNAcase (OGA). O-GlcNAcylation couples the processes of nutrient sensing, metabolism, signal transduction and transcription,
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Of tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections - a comparative analysis of epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. J. Biomed. Sci. (IF 5.762) Pub Date : 2020-06-17 Radha Gopalaswamy,Sivakumar Shanmugam,Rajesh Mondal,Selvakumar Subbian
Pulmonary diseases due to mycobacteria cause significant morbidity and mortality to human health. In addition to tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), recent epidemiological studies have shown the emergence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species in causing lung diseases in humans. Although more than 170 NTM species are present in various environmental niches, only a