A Novel Phylogenetic Negative Binomial Regression Model for Count-Dependent Variables.

Regression models are extensively used to explore the relationship between a dependent variable and its covariates. These models work well when the dependent variable is categorical and the data are supposedly independent, as is the case with generalized linear models (GLMs). However, trait data from related species do not operate under these conditions due to their shared common ancestry, leading to dependence that can be illustrated through a phylogenetic tree. In response to the analytical challenges of count-dependent variables in phylogenetically related species, we have developed a novel phylogenetic negative binomial regression model that allows for overdispersion, a limitation present in the phylogenetic Poisson regression model in the literature. This model overcomes limitations of conventional GLMs, which overlook the inherent dependence arising from shared lineage. Instead, our proposed model acknowledges this factor and uses the generalized estimating equation (GEE) framework for precise parameter estimation. The effectiveness of the proposed model was corroborated by a rigorous simulation study, which, despite the need for careful convergence monitoring, demonstrated its reasonable efficacy. The empirical application of the model to lizard egg-laying count and mammalian litter size data further highlighted its practical relevance. In particular, our results identified negative correlations between increases in egg mass, litter size, ovulation rate, and gestation length with respective yearly counts, while a positive correlation was observed with species lifespan. This study underscores the importance of our proposed model in providing nuanced and accurate analyses of count-dependent variables in related species, highlighting the often overlooked impact of shared ancestry. The model represents a critical advance in research methodologies, opening new avenues for interpretation of related species data in the field.

Neutralization of five subgenotypes of Enterovirus 71 by Taiwanese human plasma and Taiwanese plasma derived intravenous immunoglobulin.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) commonly occurs in children, causing hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in about 29% of patients. Studies have suggested that patients develop meningitis and encephalopathy with a mortality rate of 4-26%. EV71 subgenotypes including B4, B5, C2, C4 and C5 have caused HFMD epidemics in Taiwan. In terms of therapeutical strategy, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been shown to improve patient conditions. In this study, the EV71 neutralizing titer was evaluated in 75 human plasmas and 8 lots of Taiwanese plasma derived IVIG. Results showed that human plasmas and IVIG significantly neutralized B4 and C2 subgenotypes. Four percent of human plasma contained neutralizing antibody titer of 1:128 against B4 and C2. Most IVIG lots possessed a median effective dose of over 100 against B4 and C2. IVIG lots had an average neutralizing capacity of 5.60, 0.90, 4.30, 1.12 and 0.77 log10 CCID50/ml against B4, B5, C2, C4 and C5, respectively. In conclusion, effective neutralization of B4 and C2 could be due to their earlier appearance in the EV71 epidemiology timeline of Taiwan. IVIG derived from Taiwanese plasma may be desirable for treatment of patients infected with EV71 of specific subgenotypes.

Analyzing titers of antibodies against bacterial and viral antigens, and bacterial toxoids in the intravenous immunoglobulins utilized in Taiwan.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) manufactured from human plasma contains IgG as the primary ingredient, and is used for indications such as immunodeficiency syndrome. Available IVIGs in Taiwan are either manufactured from Taiwanese or North American plasma. The effectiveness of the national immunization program of Taiwan can be evaluated by analyzing and comparing IVIG antibody titers that are induced through the corresponding vaccines (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, measles, rubella, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and varicella). Both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the in vitro neutralization test demonstrated that all IVIGs provide adequate clinical protection against diphtheria and tetanus toxins. ELISA results further revealed that plasma of Taiwanese subjects contains higher levels of pertussis toxin and filamentous hemagglutinin antibodies, when compared to foreign IVIGs. This may be related to the later adoption of acellular pertussis vaccine in Taiwan. Antibodies titers against measles, rubella, hepatitis A, and varicella-zoster virus were otherwise low. Low titers of hepatitis B surface antigen antibodies are present in Taiwanese plasma IVIG, indicating immune memory decline or loss. In conclusion, our results show that Taiwanese IVIG contains varying titers of vaccine-induced antibodies, and serves as a guide for future amendments to Taiwan's immunization program.

A novel antitubulin agent, DPQZ, induces cell apoptosis in human oral cancer cells through Ras/Raf inhibition and MAP kinases activation.

6-(N,N-Dimethylamino)-2-(naphthalene-1-yl)-4-quinazolinone (DPQZ)-induced apoptosis was accompanied by the characteristics of DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine externalization in human oral cancer HSC-3 cells. The IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) value of DPQZ is about 0.25 µM at 24 h. The interference in the dynamics of tubulin and cell division of DPQZ, like vinblastine (0.01 µM), has been proven in this study. Treatment of HSC-3 cells with DPQZ resulted in many of mitotic cells with multipolar spindles. Up-regulation of MAP kinases, such as ERK, JNK, and p38, mediated by DPQZ appears to be involved in DPQZ-induced apoptosis in HSC-3 cells. It is worthy of note that the expression of Ras and c-Raf that lie upstream of ERK were inhibited by DPQZ. In addition, the DPQZ-induced cell death was attenuated by JNK inhibitor SP600125 (3 or 10 µM), not by the ERK or p38 inhibitors. JNK inhibitor abolished the DPQZ-induced increase in the phosphorylation of Bcl-2 and the protein levels of proform caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, indicating that JNK is an upstream activator of Bcl-2 and caspase family members and plays a key role in DPQZ-induced HSC-3 cell apoptosis. We also attempted to develop an anticancer drug that is designed to kill rapidly dividing cancer cells while causing less damage to normal cells. The DPQZ-induced cytotoxicity against human gingival fibroblasts was less than that against HSC-3 cells. Our work provides a new strategy and mechanism for developing anticancer drug and may contribute to clinical anticancer drug discovery and application.

Method of compensating for pixel migration in volume holographic optical disc (VHOD).

Volume holographic optical disc (VHOD) technology is simpler than the angular multiplexing holographic system. However, disc rotation usually causes pixel migration, thus reducing signal quality. This study proposes a special geometrical arrangement to counteract pixel migration. Using paraxial approximation analysis, an optimal geometrical distance ratio, K, is calculated to compensate for pixel migration and improve image quality during disc rotation. The results of approximation analysis are confirmed by both simulation and experimental results.

Protein kinase C delta-mediated cytoskeleton remodeling is involved in aloe-emodin-induced photokilling of human lung cancer cells.

Photodynamic therapy is becoming a widely accepted form of cancer treatment using a photosensitizing agent and light. Our previous study has demonstrated that photoactivated aloe-emodin induced anoikis and changes in cell morphology, which were in part mediated through its effect on cytoskeleton in lung carcinoma H460 cells. However, the molecular mechanisms of these photoactivated aloe-emodin-induced changes remain unknown. The present study demonstrated that the expression of protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) was triggered by aloe-emodin and irradiation in H460 cells. Furthermore, the photoactivated aloe-emodin-induced cell death and translocation of PKCδ from the cytosol to the nucleus was found to be significantly inhibited by rottlerin, a PKCδ-selective inhibitor. Western blot analysis demonstrated that rottlerin also reversed the decrease in protein expression of cytoskeleton-related proteins, such as rat sarcoma (RAS), ras homolog gene family member A (RHO), p38, heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), α-actinin and tubulin, induced by photoactivated aloe-emodin. Our findings suggest that the regulation of cytoskeleton-related proteins mediated by PKCδ may be the mechanisms for the protective effects of rottlerin against the photoactivated aloe-emodin induced H460 cell death.

Proteomics displays cytoskeletal proteins and chaperones involvement in Hedyotis corymbosa-induced photokilling in skin cancer cells.

Photodynamic therapy was found to be an effective therapy for local malignant tumors. This study demonstrated that 80 µg/ml Hedyotis corymbosa extracts with 0.8 J/cm(2) fluence dose caused M21 skin cancer cell death. Photoactivated H. corymbosa-induced M21 cell death is a typical apoptosis that is accompanied by nuclear condensation, externalization of phosphatidylserine and the changes in protein expression of apoptosis-related proteins, such as Bcl-2 and caspase family members. This study applied 2D electrophoresis to analyse the proteins involved in the photoactivated H. corymbosa-induced M21 cell apoptosis. We found 12 proteins to be markedly changed. According to the results of protein sequence analysis of these altered protein spots, we identified that the expression of cytoskeletal proteins and chaperones were involved in the photoactivated H. corymbosa-induced M21 cell apoptosis. We further demonstrated that photoactivated H. corymbosa caused a significant effect on the cytoskeleton distribution and mitochondrial activity in M21 cells. Based on the above findings, this study characterized the effects and mechanisms of the photoactivated H. corymbosa-induced apoptosis in M21 skin cancer cells.

Rottlerin Inhibits Lonicera japonica-Induced Photokilling in Human Lung Cancer Cells through Cytoskeleton-Related Signaling Cascade.

This study demonstrated that many apoptotic signaling pathways, such as Rho family, PKC family, MAP kinase family, and mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway, were triggered by Lonicera japonica extracts and irradiation in CH27 cells. Rottlerin, a PKCδ -selective inhibitor, reversed the photoactivated Lonicera japonica extract-induced decrease in PKCδ protein expression and change in cell morphology in this study. In addition, rottlerin inhibited the photoactivated Lonicera japonica-induced decrease in protein expression of Ras, ERK, p38, PKCα, and PKCε, which are the kinases of prosurvival signaling pathway. We also demonstrated that pretreatment with rottlerin prevented actin microfilaments and microtubules from damage during the photoactivated Lonicera japonica-induced CH27 cell death. Furthermore, the promotion of the cytoskeleton-related signaling cascade following rottlerin by upregulation of cytoskeleton-related mediators (p38, HSP27, FAK, paxillin, and tubulin) and molecules of downstream of F-actin (mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway) reduces CH27 cell death, indicating that cytoskeleton is the potential target in the photoactivated Lonicera japonicaextract-induced photokilling of CH27 cells.

Association of cyclooxygenase 2 polymorphic genotypes with prostate cancer in taiwan.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of polymorphic genotypes in the cyclooxygenase 2 gene (COX2), which is reported to be overexpressed in prostate tumors, with Taiwan prostate cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six polymorphic variants of COX2 were analyzed for their association with prostate cancer susceptibility. A total of 218 patients with prostate cancer and 436 healthy controls in central Taiwan were enrolled in this investigation. P-values and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the strength of the association. RESULTS: Among the six polymorphic sites examined, only the Cox-2 promoter G-765C (rs14133) genotypes were distributed differently between the prostate cancer and control groups. The COX2 -765GG genotype was associated with higher prostate cancer risk than -765GC. CONCLUSION: These findings provide evidence that the G allele of COX2 promoter G-765C may be associated with the development of prostate cancer and may be a useful marker for early detection of prostate cancer.

Photodynamic activity of aloe-emodin induces resensitization of lung cancer cells to anoikis.

Aloe-emodin was found to be a photosensitizer and possess anti-tumor activity. However, the detailed mechanism underlying the biological effects of aloe-emodin remains unknown. In this study, we explored the mechanisms of photocytotoxicity induced by aloe-emodin in lung cancer H460 cells. According to the results of the photoactivated aloe-emodin-induced disruption of cytoskeleton, we verify that aloe-emodin with irradiation induces anoikis of H460 cells. Photosensitized aloe-emodin-induced anoikis is associated with the protein expression of α-actinin and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase members. In this study, a rapid opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and the change in apoptosis-related protein expression were involved in photoactivated aloe-emodin-induced cell death. We also demonstrated that anoikis induced by aloe-emodin with irradiation is mediated through the intrinsic and extrinsic death pathways in a caspase-dependent manner in H460 cells.

Mutational analysis of the autoprocessing site of subtilisin YaB-G124A.

The potential residue at the autoprocessing site for improving processing efficiency was evaluated from hydrolysis of 19 cleavage-site-mimicking octapeptides, VTTXQTVP (-4 to +4), by the mature subtilisin YaB and YaB-G124A mutants. Both enzymes cleaved the octapeptides mainly at two sites, X-Q (A-site) and Q-T (B-site), at varied preferences. Based on the results above, Met(-1) of YaB-G124A was mutated and, as expected, extracellular enzyme production increased with Gln or Ala replacement, but decreased with Ile or Asp substitution. Together with previous structural studies, our results suggest that autoprocessing is dependent on not only the primary structure, but also the peptide flexibility around the processing site. Cleavage at the B-site resulted in a novel YaB mutant lacking the N-terminus Gln 1, which led the mutant enzyme to less enzymatic activity by 80% and less thermal stability by 20 degrees C, perhaps due to its ligation to the high-affinity calcium ion.