Yuying Jiang^1,#, Renhua Huang^1,#, Lei Jiang¹, Ke Chen^1,*, Wenkun Zhu^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.90, No.2, pp. 403-415, 2021, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2021.014376 - 07 February 2021

Abstract Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve plant tolerance to several abiotic stresses, including heavy metals, drought or salinity exposure. However, the role of AMF in alleviation of soil cadmium (Cd)-induced toxicity to plants is still largely unknown. In this study, Cd speciation in soil and subcellular distribution of Cd were used to characterize the roles of application AM fungi in the alleviation of Cd toxicity in alfalfa plants. Our results showed that the addition of Glomus mosseae in Cd contaminated soil (10 mg/Kg) significantly increased soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and organic matter in rhizosphere… More >

H. N. Salwa¹, S. M. Sapuan^1,2,*, M. T. Mastura³, M. Y. M. Zuhri²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.4, pp. 803-827, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013977 - 01 February 2021

Abstract Biopolymer composite has gained huge attention for its beneficial properties such as biodegradable and less impact to the environment. This consequently would diminish the dependency on the petroleum-based polymer. Abundance of studies have been done on the development and characterization of biopolymer composite materials for food packaging application, but work on the conceptual design of biopolymer composite packaging product is hardly found. Using the Kano Model, Quality Function Deployment for Environment (QFDE), morphological map, and Analytic Hierarchy Method (AHP) framework combination, this paper presents the conceptual design of a natural fibre reinforced biopolymer composites take-out More >

A. Benabid Najjar^1,*, N. AlSahly², R. AlShamass¹, M. Hosny²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.67, No.1, pp. 1169-1189, 2021, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2021.014140 - 12 January 2021

Abstract Technology has tremendously contributed to improving communication and facilitating daily activities. Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) study particularly emerged from the need to serve people with disabilities such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). However, with the advancements in cost-effective electronics and computer interface equipment, the BCI study is flourishing, and the exploration of BCI applications for people without disabilities, to enhance normal functioning, is increasing. Particularly, the P300-based spellers are among the most promising applications of the BCI technology. In this context, the region-based paradigm for P300 BCI spellers was introduced in an effort to reduce the… More >

Mohammed Alwabel, Youngmi Kwon^*

Computer Systems Science and Engineering, Vol.36, No.2, pp. 281-292, 2021, DOI:10.32604/csse.2021.014630 - 05 January 2021

Abstract Blockchain is a technology that provides security features that can be used for more than just cryptocurrencies. Blockchain achieves security by saving the information of one block in the next block. Changing the information of one block will require changes to all the next block in order for that change to take effect. Which makes it unfeasible for such an attack to happen. However, the structure of how blockchain works makes the last block always vulnerable for attacks, given that its information is not saved yet in any block. This allows malicious node to change… More >

Talit Jumphoo¹, Monthippa Uthansakul¹, Pumin Duangmanee¹, Naeem Khan², Peerapong Uthansakul^1,*

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.66, No.1, pp. 961-976, 2021, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2020.012433 - 30 October 2020

Abstract The patients with brain diseases (e.g., Stroke and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)) are often affected by the injury of motor cortex, which causes a muscular weakness. For this reason, they require rehabilitation with continuous physiotherapy as these diseases can be eased within the initial stages of the symptoms. So far, the popular control system for robot-assisted rehabilitation devices is only of two types which consist of passive and active devices. However, if there is a control system that can directly detect the motor functions, it will induce neuroplasticity to facilitate early motor recovery. In this… More >

Ya-Sian Chang^*†‡§, Chieh-Min Chang^†‡, Chien-Yu Lin^¶#, Dy-San Chao^†, Hsi-Yuan Huang^†, Jan-Gowth Chang^{*†‡**††}

Oncology Research, Vol.28, No.2, pp. 107-116, 2020, DOI:10.3727/096504019X15698362825407

Abstract The genomic landscape of breast cancer (BC) is complex. The purpose of this study was to decipher the mutational profiles of Taiwanese patients with BC using next-generation sequencing. We performed whole-exome sequencing on DNA from 24 tumor tissue specimens from BC patients. Sanger sequencing was used to validate the identified variants. Sanger sequencing was also performed on paired adjacent nontumor tissues. After genotype calling and algorithmic annotations, we identified 49 deleterious variants in canonical cancer-related genes in our BC cohort. The most frequently mutated genes were PIK3CA (16.67%), FKBP9 (12.5%), TP53 (12.5%), ATM (8.33%), CHEK2 (8.33%), FOXO3 (8.33%), NTRK1… More >

Donghai Zhuang¹, Li Liang¹, Hongzhan Zhang, Xianguang Feng

Oncology Research, Vol.28, No.4, pp. 399-408, 2020, DOI:10.3727/096504020X15864296270581

Abstract miRNAs play an important role in progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this work, we assessed the function of miR-202 in human HCC and identified BCL2 as its target. We found miR-202 expression was found significantly downregulated, while BCL2 expression was markedly upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B, and HCCLM3). Both miR-202 and BCL2 were closely correlated with major vascular invasion and advanced TNM stage as well as overall survival of HCC patients. Overexpression of miR-202 significantly inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, and prevented More >

Qiuyun Luo^*†1, Wentao Pan^*†‡1, Suna Zhou^*†1, Guangfeng Wang^‡, Hanjie Yi^*§, Lin Zhang^*¶, Xianglei Yan^*†, Luping Yuan^*†, Zhenyi Liu^#, Jing Wang^**, Haibo Chen^#, MiaoZhen Qiu^*††, DaJun Yang^*†‡, Jian Sun^*‡‡

Oncology Research, Vol.28, No.4, pp. 331-344, 2020, DOI:10.3727/096504020X15825405463920

Abstract Despite therapeutic advances, the effective treatment for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains a major clinical challenge. Evasion of apoptosis through upregulating antiapoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family members and p53 inactivation, and abnormal activation of B-cell receptor signaling pathway are two important pathogenic factors for DLBCL. In this study, our aim is to explore a rational combination of BCL-2 inhibitor plus Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) blockade or p53 activation for treating DLBCL with the above characteristics. We demonstrated that a novel BCL-2 selective inhibitor APG-2575 effectively suppressed DLBCL with BCL-2 high expression… More >

Leonard Lothstein^*, Judith Soberman^†, Deanna Parke^*, Jatin Gandhi^*, Trevor Sweatman^‡, Tiffany Seagroves^*

Oncology Research, Vol.28, No.5, pp. 451-465, 2020, DOI:10.3727/096504020X15898794315356

Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is unresponsive to antiestrogen and anti-HER2 therapies, requiring the use of cytotoxic drug combinations of anthracyclines, taxanes, cyclophosphamide, and platinum compounds. Multidrug therapies achieve pathological cure rates of only 20–40%, a consequence of drug resistance and cumulative dose limitations necessitated by the reversible cardiotoxic effects of drug therapy. Safer and more effective treatments for TNBC are required to achieve durable therapeutic responses. This study describes the mechanistic analyses of the novel anthracycline, pivarubicin, and its in vivo efficacy against human primary TNBC. Pivarubicin directly activates PKCd, triggers rapid mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis, and… More >

Huiling Wang^*, Xin Hu^†, Feng Yang^‡, Hui Xiao^*

Oncology Research, Vol.28, No.7-8, pp. 731-744, 2020, DOI:10.3727/096504020X16100888208039

Abstract This study was designed to investigate the precise mechanisms of miR-325-3p/S100A2 axis in breast cancer (BC). In this study, we found that the level of miR-325-3p was dramatically increased in BC tissues and cell lines, and the expression of S100A2 was significantly decreased. Also, the high level of miR-325-3p was closely associated with low expression of S100A2 in BC tissues. Moreover, introduction of miR-325-3p significantly promoted proliferation, invasion, and EMT of BC cells. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that the S100A2 was a potential target gene of miR-325-3p. Luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-325-3p could directly target More >