Antrocinol-Mediated Downregulation of ATG5 Induces Autophagy-Dependent Cell Death and Activates the Unfolded Protein Response Through PERK/CHOP Signaling in Lenvatinib-Resistant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Background: This study seeks to provide preclinical evidence demonstrating the potential of Antrocinol, a derivative of antrocin derived from the active compound of Antrodia cinnamomea, as a promising small-molecule drug candidate for overcoming drug-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We developed Lenvatinib-resistant Huh-7 and HepG cell lines (Huh-7/LR, HepG2/LR) to evaluate their viability and apoptotic response to Antrocinol. Autophagy-dependent cell death was assessed in Huh-7/LR cells using Z-VAD-FMK and shATG5 transfection.

Rare dermatomuscular manifestations in a patient with small lymphocytic lymphoma: A case report.

Small lymphocytic lymphoma is generally considered one of the indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma with slow progression. However, in certain cases of small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), an atypical clinical presentation may be observed, such as musculocutaneous involvement, which needs to be differentiated from uncontrollable cellulitis or dermatitis. Compared with T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, cutaneous lesions in patients with SLL are far less common.

Identification of two point mutations associated with inherited antithrombin deficiency.

Background: Antithrombin (AT) is a serine protease inhibitor which exerts its anticoagulant effect through binding to serine residues in the active centers of procoagulant serine proteases. Its deficiency is associated with increased risk of venous thrombosis. We aim to investigate the pathogenic mechanism of two natural mutants (W221C and M284R) in inherited AT deficiency.

Outcomes of Post-Immunotherapy Durable Responders of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma- with Emphasis on Locoregional Therapy for Oligoprogression.

Introduction: The progression patterns, dispositions, and outcomes of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who achieved durable responses with immunotherapy remain poorly characterized.

Methods: Patients with advanced HCC who received immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based immunotherapy and achieved durable responses were retrospectively included. A durable response was defined as partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) per RECIST 1.

Primary Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Spinal Bone Metastases From Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the results of primary stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for spinal bone metastases (SBM) originating from lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). We considered the revised Tokuhashi score (rTS), Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS), and genetic characteristics.

Methods: We examined adult patients with lung ADC who underwent primary SBRT (using the CyberKnife System) for SBM between March 2012 and January 2023.

Rare Orbital Involvement Originating from Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma.

Ocular adnexa region (OAR) primary lymphomas are uncommon, accounting for 1-2% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas and 8% of extranodal lymphomas. Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (EMZL) originates from several epithelial tissues, including the stomach, salivary gland, lung, small intestine, thyroid gland, and ocular adnexa region. Here, we report a 66-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with EMZL of OAR.

Underlying mechanisms of novel cuproptosis-related dihydrolipoamide branched-chain transacylase E2 (DBT) signature in sunitinib-resistant clear-cell renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the predominant form of malignant kidney cancer. Sunitinib, a primary treatment for advanced, inoperable, recurrent, or metastatic RCC, has shown effectiveness in some patients but is increasingly limited by drug resistance. Recently identified cuproptosis, a copper-ion-dependent form of programmed cell death, holds promise in combating cancer, particularly drug-resistant types.

PROX1 interaction with α-SMA-rich cancer-associated fibroblasts facilitates colorectal cancer progression and correlates with poor clinical outcomes and therapeutic resistance.

Background: The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a vital role in tumor progression through intricate molecular interactions. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), notably those expressing alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) or myofibroblasts, are instrumental in this context and correlate with unfavorable outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC). While several transcription factors influence TME, the exact regulator causing CAF dysregulation in CRC remains elusive.

Dysregulated expression of slingshot protein phosphatase 1 (SSH1) disrupts circadian rhythm and WNT signaling associated to hepatocellular carcinoma pathogenesis.

Growing evidence underscores the circadian rhythm's essential function in liver stability and disease. Its disruption is progressively linked with metabolic issues, oncogene triggers, and heightened cancer susceptibility. Research points to slingshot protein phosphatase 1 (SSH1), a modulator of cofilin-1 (CFL-1), as instrumental in the reformation of the actin cytoskeleton, thereby impacting the invasiveness of various cancer types.

Profiling of miRNAs and their interfering targets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Introduction: MicroRNAs may be implicated in the acquisition of drug resistance in chronic myeloid leukemia as they regulate the expression of not only BCR-ABL1 but also genes associated with the activation of drug transfer proteins or essential signaling pathways.

Methods: To understand the impact of specifically expressed miRNAs in chronic myeloid leukemia and their target genes, we collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and healthy donors to determine whole miRNA expression by small RNA sequencing and screened out 31 differentially expressed microRNAs (DE-miRNAs) with high expression. With the utilization of miRNA set enrichment analysis tools, we present here a comprehensive analysis of the relevance of DE-miRNAs to disease and biological function.

Non-Insulin-Based Insulin Resistance Indices and Localized Periodontitis in Physically Active Young Male Adults: CHIEF Oral Health Study.

Aims: This study aims to examine the association between non-insulin-based insulin resistance indices and periodontitis severity in young males.

Background: Periodontitis has been reported with an association with insulin resistance in middle- and old-aged adults.

Objective: The association between insulin resistance and localized periodontitis in young adults is unclear.

Real-world bleeding outcomes and product utilization in people with severe-type hemophilia A before and after switching to extended half-life rFVIIIFc prophylaxis therapy.

Background: Recombinant factor VIII-Fc (rFVIIIFc) became available in Taiwan in 2018. Before this date, no people with hemophilia A (PwHA) were enrolled in a clinical trial of rFVIIIFc. We investigated changes in bleeding outcomes and product utilization in PwHA switching from rFVIII to rFVIIIFc.

Urokinase plasminogen activator induces epithelial-mesenchymal and metastasis of pancreatic cancer through plasmin/MMP14/TGF-β axis, which is inhibited by 4-acetyl-antroquinonol B treatment.

Background: The current standard therapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer is ineffective, necessitating a new treatment approach for prognosis improvement. The urokinase-plasmin activator (uPA) is a critical factor in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer metastasis, but its underlying mechanisms in pancreatic cancer remains elusive.

Methods: We investigated uPA expression in our pancreatic cancer cohort.

Erythrocyte Indices and Long-Term Blood Pressure Variability in Military Males.

Backgrounds: Severe microcytic anemia has been associated with BP changes.

Aims And Objectives: Whether the erythrocyte indices are associated with long-term BPV is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association of hemoglobin levels and erythrocyte size with long-term blood pressure variability (BPV) in young males.

Rare Orbital Metastasis Originating from Ampullary Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Orbital metastasis from ampullary carcinoma is rare, with no previously reported cases.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 60-year-old man who complained of a right-sided headache, blurred vision, progressive proptosis, ptosis, and right eye pain for 3 months. His past medical history included an ampullary adenocarcinoma stage IIIA treated via the Whipple procedure and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy 1 year ago.

Aberrantly reduced expression of miR-342-5p contributes to CCND1-associated chronic myeloid leukemia progression and imatinib resistance.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder associated with the Philadelphia chromosome, and the current standard of care is the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). However, some patients will not achieve a molecular response and may progress to blast crisis, and the underlying mechanisms remain to be clarified. In this study, next-generation sequencing was used to explore endogenous miRNAs in CML patients versus healthy volunteers, and miR-342-5p was identified as the primary target.

A Comparative Evaluation of an Automated Functional Assay for Von Willebrand Factor Activity in Type 1 Von Willebrand Disease.

Background: von Willebrand factor ristocetin cofactor activity (VWF:RCo) is the standard functional assay used for von Willebrand disease (VWD) diagnosis. However, it has some drawbacks including being time consuming and labor intensive and having high inter-laboratory variability. The HemosIL VWF activity assay has the advantages of both high speed and automation.

Exosomal lncRNA PVT1/VEGFA Axis Promotes Colon Cancer Metastasis and Stemness by Downregulation of Tumor Suppressor miR-152-3p.

Background: Treating advanced colon cancer remains challenging in clinical settings because of the development of drug resistance and distant metastasis. Mechanisms underlying the metastasis of colon cancer are complex and unclear.

Methods: Computational analysis was performed to determine genes associated with the exosomal long noncoding (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1)/vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) axis in patients with colon cancer.

Uracil-tegafur vs fluorouracil as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in Stage II and III colon cancer: A nationwide cohort study and meta-analysis.

We conducted a population-based cohort study enrolling patients with Stage II and III colon cancer receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with uracil and tegafur (UFT) or fluorouracil (5-FU) from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2015. The outcomes of the current study were disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated by multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models.

High-Grade B-Cell Lymphoma (HGBL) with and and/or Rearrangements Is Predominantly BCL6-Rearranged and BCL6-Expressing in Taiwan.

This study investigated the epidemiological and clinical peculiarities of and rearrangement in patients with high grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL) from Taiwan, compared with data from Western countries. Two hundred and eighty-two DLBCL cases from Taipei Medical University-affiliated hospitals ( = 179) and Tri-Service General Hospital ( = 103) were enrolled for this study. From the 282, 47 (16.

Association of red blood cell size and physical fitness in a military male cohort: The CHIEF study.

Anemia manifested as reduced red blood cell (RBC) amounts or hemoglobin levels has been associated with lower cardiorespiratory fitness. However, the relationship of smaller RBC with physical fitness was unknown. We included 2933 non-anemic military males (hemoglobin levels: 11.

Targeted PARP Inhibition Combined with FGFR1 Blockade is Synthetically Lethal to Malignant Cells in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer.

The role and therapeutic promise of poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in anticancer chemotherapy are increasingly being explored, particularly in adjuvant or maintenance therapy, considering their low efficacy as monotherapy agents and their potentiating effects on concurrently administered contemporary chemotherapeutics. Against the background of increasing acquired resistance to FGFR1 inhibitors and our previous work, which partially demonstrated the caspase-3/PARP-mediated antitumor and antimetastatic efficacy of PD173074, a selective FGFR1 inhibitor, against ALDH-high/FGFR1-rich pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, we investigated the probable synthetic lethality and therapeutic efficacy of targeted PARP inhibition combined with FGFR1 blockade in patients with PDAC. Using bioinformatics-based analyses of gene expression profiles, co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity, molecular docking, immunofluorescence staining, clonogenicity, Western blotting, cell viability or cytotoxicity screening, and tumorsphere formation assays, we demonstrated that FGFR1 and PARP co-occur, form a complex, and reduce survival in patients with PDAC.