Abstract: A 5-methoxytryptophan and its derivatives are disclosed, wherein the 5-methoxytryptophan and its derivatives are represented by the following formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and n are defined in the specification. In addition, the present invention also provides novel uses of the 5-methoxytryptophan and its derivatives for treating inflammatory-related disease and cancers.

Abstract: A composition in a water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion is disclosed. The composition comprises: (a) a continuous aqueous phase, comprising H2O; (b) an oil phase or an oil shell, dispersed in the continuous aqueous phase; and (c) a hydrophilic polymer, stabilizing an interface between the continuous aqueous phase and the oil phase or the oil shell to form the water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion. The oil phase or the oil shell comprises: (i) oil; (ii) an internal aqueous phase, dispersed within the oil or the oil shell; and (iii) a lipophilic sorbitan-polyester conjugate, stabilizing an interface between the oil and the inner aqueous phase to form a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. The lipophilic sorbitan-polyester conjugate comprises: (1) sorbitan; and (2) poly(lactide-co-?-caprolactone) or polylactic acid (polylactide), conjugated to the sorbitan.

Abstract: Disclosed is an adapted Madin-Darby canine kidney cell line capable of suspension culture in the absence of serum, and a chemically-defined medium for culture of the adapted MDCK cell line. Further disclosed are culture methods for growing the adapted MDCK cell line and methods for producing a vaccine from the adapted MDCK cell line grown in the chemically-defined medium.

Abstract: Aminothiazole compounds of Formula (I) shown herein and pharmaceutical compositions containing one of such compounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recombinant adenoviral vector for generating immunity against enterovirus infection. In one embodiment, the recombinant adenoviral vector of the invention comprises an expression cassette encoding a PI protein and a 3 CD protease of an enterovirus. In another embodiment, the recombinant adenoviral vector of the invention comprises an expression cassette encoding a 3C protease or a 3CD protease of an enterovirus. The present invention also relates to a vaccine composition comprising the recombinant adenoviral vector as described. A method of inducing an immune response in a subject against enterovirus infection using the recombinant adenoviral vector and the vaccine composition is provided. Further provided is a method for producing virus like particles of an enterovirus by expressing the adenoviral vector as described herein in mammalian cells.

Abstract: A microfluidic dual-well device is disclosed. The device comprises: (a) a first substrate having a first end, a second end, and a culture microwell forming portion; (b) a plurality of culture microwells; (c) a second substrate having a first end, a second end, and a capture microwell forming portion, the two ends of the second substrate being respectively bounded to the two ends of the first substrate; (d) a plurality of capture microwells; (e) a microfluidic channel; (f) a microfluidic inlet port; and (g) a microfluidic outlet port; wherein the microfluidic channel is in fluidic connections with the culture microwells, the capture microwells, and the inlet and outlet ports. Methods of capturing and transferring a single cell or a single cell colony for culture, and method of transferring a target cell from a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) structure of culture microwells to a culture plate for culture are also disclosed.

Abstract: Heterocyclic compounds of Formula (I) shown herein. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing the heterocyclic compounds and methods of using the heterocyclic compounds to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells into the peripheral circulation. Further provided are methods for treating tissue injury, cancer, inflammatory disease, and autoimmune disease with the heterocyclic compounds.

Abstract: The invention utilizes virtual screening strategy to seek for current market drugs as anti-schizophrenia therapy drug repurposing. Drug repurposing strategy finds new uses other than the original medical indications of existing drugs. Finding new indications for such drugs will benefit patients who are in needs for a potential new therapy sooner since known drugs are usually with acceptable safety and pharmacokinetic profiles. In this study, repurposing marketed drugs for DAAO inhibitor as new schizophrenia therapy was performed with virtual screening on marketed drugs and its metabolites. The identified and available drugs and compounds were further confirmed with in vitro DAAO enzymatic inhibitory assay.

Abstract: A 5-methoxytryptophan and its derivatives are disclosed, wherein the 5-methoxytryptophan and its derivatives are represented by the following formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and n are defined in the specification. In addition, the present invention also provides novel used of the 5-methoxytryptophan and its derivatives for treating inflammatory-related disease and cancers.

Abstract: Heterocyclic compounds of Formula (I) shown herein. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing the heterocyclic compounds and methods of using the heterocyclic compounds to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells into the peripheral circulation. Further provided are methods for treating tissue injury, cancer, inflammatory disease, and autoimmune disease with the heterocyclic compounds.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system to be used over a target area of a subject includes first and second RF coils for receiving an RF signal from the subject. The first RF coil is fixed to a position device and movable over the target area of subject. The second RF coil is larger than the first RF coil and has a larger field of view than the first RF coil. The system further includes an image processing device programmed to process RF signals coupled from the first RF coil and the second RF coil to form an MRI image.

Abstract: Disclosed is an in vitro screening method for identifying an antagonist-to-agonist allosteric modifier of a mu-opioid receptor and an in vivo method for confirming that a test compound is such a modifier of a mu-opioid receptor. Also disclosed is a method for treating an opioid receptor-associated condition using a compound of Formula (I) and a pharmaceutical composition containing the same.

Abstract: An artificial tears solution combination is composed mainly of an anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation material, a liquid viscosity-enhancing agent, and an artificial tears solution. The artificial tears solution combination is capable keeping moisture, and meanwhile having anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation capabilities. As such, it can prolong the liquid retention on ocular surfaces, to effective reduce the repeated dosing, and shorten the schedule for the dry eye syndrome.

Abstract: A method for treating an inflammatory disease or an immune disorder includes administering to a subject in need of such treatment an antagonist against ENO1. The antagonist binds ENO1 and inhibits ENO1 plasminogen receptor activity. The antagonist may be an anti-human ENO1 antibody, or an scFv, Fab, or F(ab)2 fragment thereof, that specifically binds to human ENO1 (GenBank: AAH50642.1) for the treatment of an inflammatory disease or an immune disorder, which may be multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, systemic Lupus erythematosus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, allergy, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, artherosclerosis or osteoporosis.

Abstract: The present application provides progenitor cells and a preparing method thereof. The preparing method comprises obtaining a tissue sample containing myometrium from uterus, treating the tissue sample with collagenase, and culturing the treated tissue sample to obtain the progenitor cells, wherein the progenitor cell is multipotent and immunomodulatory. The present application also provides a method for treating a degenerative disease, an ischemic disease or a disease caused by abnormal immune response comprising administering the progenitor cells to a patient subjecting the disease.

Abstract: The present application provides a method of upregulating an expression of immumodulatory cells in vitro comprising treating the immumodulatory cells with IL-25 to increase an expression of PD-L1. The present application also provides a method for treatment of immune disorders by the aforementioned methods. The present application also provides a method to suppress an expression of immumodulatory cells comprising suppressing an expression of PD-L1. The immumodulatory cells can be human monocytes or hMSCs. The present application further provides a method for treatment of immune-evasive diseases by using the aforementioned method to suppress an expression of immumodulatory cells.

Abstract: The present application provides a composition and methods to enhance nerve regeneration utilizing at least one component of neural stem cells or IL12p40. The composition comprises neural stem cells and a neurotrophic factor, which is constructed by IL12p40 as at least one subunit. The methods to enhance nerve regeneration comprise providing a nerve regeneration composition comprising a neurotrophic factor containing IL12p40 as at least one subunit to a subject. The composition of the methods can further comprise neural stem cells.

Abstract: A HBS-specific antibody, a LHBS-specific antibody, a WT LHBS-specific antibody, an immunoassay kit comprising the antibodies, and a method of detecting pre-S2 deletion mutant LHBS using the immunoassay kit are disclosed herein. The method comprises incubating a biological sample with a first antibody to captured HBS proteins; detecting the LHBS and WT LHBS bound to the immobilized first antibody, respectively; and calculating the amount of the pre-S2 deletion mutant LHBS protein by subtracting the amount of the WT LHBS protein from that of the LHBS protein. Advantageously, by the method described herein, the amount of the pre-S2 deletion mutant LHBS, a potential high-risk marker for HCC incidence in chronic HBV carriers and recurrence in HCC patients after hepatectomy surgery, in a biological sample may be easily calculated without mutual influence between the WT and pre-S mutant LHBS while reducing the labor-intensive process for cloning each gene product before analysis.

Abstract: A humanized antibody, or a binding fragment thereof, wherein the humanized antibody binds human ENO1 (GenBank: AAH50642.1), wherein the antibody comprises a light chain variable region (VL) domain comprising a CDR1 having the amino acid sequence LCDR1 (RASENIYSYLT; SEQ ID NO: 6) and a CDR2 having the amino acid sequence LCDR2 (NAKTLPE; SEQ ID NO: 7) and a CDR3 having the amino acid sequence LCDR3 (QHHYGTPYT; SEQ ID NO: 8) and an antibody heavy chain variable region (VH) domain comprising a CDR1 having the amino acid sequence HCDR1 (GYTFTSCVMN; SEQ ID NO: 3), a CDR2 having the amino acid sequence HCDR2 (YINPYNDGTKYNEKFKG; SEQ ID NO: 4) and a CDR3 having the amino acid sequence HCDR3 (EGFYYGNFDN; SEQ ID NO: 5), wherein framework regions in the light chain variable region (VL) domain and the heavy chain variable region (VH) domain comprise amino acid sequences from a human immunoglobulin.

Abstract: Described herein are isolated polypeptides each containing one or more receptor-binding sites of toxin A (tcdA) of Clostridium difficile (Cd), nucleic acids encoding the polypeptides, and methods of using the polypeptides and nucleic acids.