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Artificial intelligence (AI) has been expeditiously developing and carrying a pivotal role in education to help establish an effective educational environment. AI in Education (AIED) is impactful on the practices and environment of teaching and learning. This study investigated instructional technology faculty's perspectives about the role and utility of AI in education. Semi-structured interviews were administered to collect in-depth feedback about using AI in teaching, learning, and assessment. The four participants were college professors who taught in the instructional technology program at a large Midwestern university. Findings showed that AI does not receive enough attention from professors in general. Participants expressed strong desire to integrate AI throughout the educational environment, but maturation of integration will take time. The implication of this study is that integrating AI tools into educational settings can benefit both teachers and learners by utilizing them as intellectual assistants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional teaching approaches in research methods courses demotivate students, hindering their ability to learn and apply research concepts in practical settings. Instructors who are devoted to employing active learning pedagogy in teaching research courses have observed favorable outcomes. However, a dearth of literature has focused on students' perceptions and evaluation of active learning pedagogy. This study explores how students perceive active learning approaches via in-person and writtenresponse interviews. Eighteen participants volunteered and self-selected one of the interview forms. In addition to exploring students' perspectives on active learning pedagogy, we conducted a comparison of those interviewing modes. Our analysis revealed that regardless of interview type, participants provided similar results. In-person interviews generated more information segments; however, the segments from written-response interviews provided more informative meaning. Combining all data, we developed three themes and 29 codes about students' perceptions of active learning pedagogy. We found that students valued self-exploration as well as interactive activities that promoted deep learning and knowledge transfer. Based on the results, we provide practical recommendations for how instructors can design active learning-based research courses to facilitate students in active and self-regulated learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we obtain the multiplicity of homoclinic solutions for a class of asymptotically autonomous Hamiltonian systems with indefinite sign potentials. The concentration-compactness principle is applied to show the compactness. As a byproduct, we obtain the uniqueness of the positive ground state solution for a class of autonomous Hamiltonian systems and the best constant for Sobolev inequality which are of independent interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiac myxoma is the most common benign cardiac tumor. Its tremendous size and fragile character severely bother the surgeons. Several minimal invasive approaches had been applied for radical tumor excision. The wound was forcibly enlarged for en-bloc specimen removal and prevention of debris sputtering.Case Presentation: We reported a case of huge tricuspid valve (TV) myxoma managed by robot-assisted endoscopic tumor resection and TV repair, with initial presentation of worsening shortness of breath for two months. The tumor was downsized with a morcellator and removed through a keyhole wound (1.1 cm in diameter). The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged after four days.Conclusions: With the first morcellator application, this might be the smallest surgical wound reported after the removal of a huge cardiac myxoma. The ICU and hospital stays were shortened. This might be effectively applied to further minimally invasive surgeries for cardiac tumor excision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Long segment ureteral lesion with obstruction is a clinically difficult issue for recovering and maintaining organ or tissue function. Regeneration medicine using various biomaterials as a scaffold in supporting tissue regrowth is emerging. We developed this customized scaffold using electrospinning and 3-dimensional assistance and expected that it may provide an alternative biomaterial for ureter defect repair. Material and Methods: Our study synthesized polycaprolactone and silk fibroin combination as biomaterial scaffolds. The differences in physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of polycaprolactone--silk fibroin bio-scaffolds prepared by electrospinning alone and 3-dimensional printing combined with electrospinning in proper ratios were compared and characterized. SV-HUC-1 uroepithelial cells cultured in polycaprolactone--silk fibroin (4 : 6) scaffolds were observed under a scanning electron microscope and using calcein-acetomethoxy and propidium iodide stain. The ex vivo resected healthy human ureteral segment tissue was anastomosed with the polycaprolactone--silk fibroin scaffolds and cultured in an ex vivo bath for 2 weeks. The cellular growth on the polycaprolactone--silk fibroin scaffold was observed microscopically. In the New Zealand white rabbit model, we performed a 1/5 ratio (2 cm out of 10 cm) defect replacement of the unilateral ureter. After 7 weeks, the rabbits were sacrificed and the implanted ureter scaffolds were resected for tissue sectioning and the cellular growth was observed by hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining. Results: When the proportion of silk fibroin was increased and the 3-dimensional electrospinning method was used, both the size and diameter of nanofiber holes were increased in the polycaprolactone--silk fibroin scaffold. Scanning electron microscope and fluorescent stain revealed that cultured 3T3 and SV-HUC-1 uroepithelial cells could electively penetrate inside the polycaprolactone--silk fibroin (4 : 6) nanofibrous scaffolds in 3 days. The polycaprolactone--silk fibroin scaffold anastomosis in an ex vivo bath showed cellular growth stably along the scaffold for 2 weeks, and most of the cells grow along with the outboard of the scaffold in layers. In an animal model, different layered cells can be observed to grow along with the outboard of the scaffold with mucosa, submucosa, muscular layer, and the serosa layer order after 7 weeks. Mucosa and muscular layer growth along the scaffold inner wall were seen simultaneously. Conclusion: 3-dimensional electrospinning synthesized 4 : 6 polycaprolactone--silk fibroin nanofiber scaffolds that are feasible for tissue growth and achieve the purpose of ureteral reconstruction in animal experiments. This new form of 3-dimensional electrospinning constructed polycaprolactone--silk fibroin nanofiber scaffold may be considered as a clinical urinary tract tissue reconstruction alternative in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) offer an excellent model system for investigating the physicochemical properties of the cell membrane. In this work, dynamic and mechanical properties of SLBs are explored by dissipative particle dynamics simulations for lipids with different architectures (chain length, kink, and asymmetry associated with lipid tails). It is found that the lateral diffusivity (Dx) and flip-flop rate (FF) grow with increasing temperature in both gel and liquid phases and can be described by an Arrhenius-like expression. Three regimes can be clearly identified for symmetric and asymmetric saturated lipids but only two regimes are observed for kinked lipids. Both Dx and FF grow with decreasing tail length and increasing number of kinks. The stretching (KA) and apparent bending (KB) moduli exhibit concave upward curves with temperature and the minima are attained at Tm. In general, the minima of KA and KB decrease with the chain length and increase with number of kinks. The typical relation among the bending modulus, area stretching modulus, and bilayer thickness is still followed, KB = βKAh2 and β is much smaller in the gel phase. The dynamic and mechanical properties of lipids with asymmetric tails are found to situate between their symmetric counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase behaviors and membrane properties of small unilamellar vesicles have been explored at different temperatures by dissipative particle dynamics simulations. The vesicles spontaneously formed by model lipids exhibit pre-transition from gel to ripple phase and main transition from ripple to liquid phase. The vesicle shape exhibits the faceted feature at low temperature, becomes more sphere-like with increasing temperature, but loses its sphericity at high temperature. As the temperature rises, the vesicle size grows but the membrane thickness declines. The main transition (Tm) can be identified by the inflection point. The membrane structural characteristics are analyzed. The inner and outer leaflets are asymmetric. The length of the lipid tail and area density of the lipid head in both leaflets decrease with increasing temperature. However, the mean lipid volume grows at low temperature but declines at high temperature. The membrane mechanical properties are also investigated. The water permeability grows exponentially with increasing T but the membrane tension peaks at Tm. Both the bending and stretching moduli have their minima near Tm. Those results are consistent with the experimental observations, indicating that the main signatures associated with phase transition are clearly observed in small unilamellar vesicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent review by Montag et al. raised a taxonomical argument about internet addiction. We propose a two-dimensional taxonomy of internet addiction by both the device and the content as the solution. For the assessment of smartphone addiction, measurements should be based on functional impairment and validated by diagnostic criteria rather than solely on self-reported questionnaires. We detail the potential of mobile applications (apps) to improve the assessment of smartphone addiction. App-generated indicators could fulfill the unmet need of assessment of smartphone addiction and facilitate future assessment and treatment planning of smartphone addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact sites between lipid droplets and other organelles are essential for cellular lipid and energy homeostasis. Detection of these contact sites at nanometer scale over time in living cells is challenging. Here, we developed a tool kit for detecting contact sites based on Fluorogen-Activated Bimolecular complementation at CONtact sites, FABCON, using a reversible, low affinity split fluorescent protein, splitFAST. FABCON labels contact sites with minimal perturbation to organelle interaction. Via FABCON, we quantitatively demonstrated that endoplasmic reticulum (ER)- and mitochondria (mito)-lipid droplet contact sites are dynamic foci in distinct metabolic conditions, such as during lipid droplet biogenesis and consumption. An automated analysis pipeline further classified individual contact sites into distinct subgroups based on size, likely reflecting differential regulation and function. Moreover, FABCON is generalizable to visualize a repertoire of organelle contact sites including ER-mito. Altogether, FABCON reveals insights into the dynamic regulation of lipid droplet-organelle contact sites and generates new hypotheses for further mechanistical interrogation during metabolic switch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A model of Near Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIR-DRS) was established for the first time to determine the content of Shengmaxinside I in the honey-fried processing of Rhizoma Cimicifugae. Methods: Shengmaxinside I content was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the data of the honey-fried processing of Rhizoma Cimicifugae samples from different batches of different origins by NIR-DRS were collected by TQ Analyst 8.0. Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was used to establish a near-infrared quantitative model. Results: The determination coefficient R2 was 0.9878. The Cross-Validation Root Mean Square Error (RMSECV) was 0.0193%, validating the model with a validation set. The Root Mean Square Error of Prediction (RMSEP) was 0.1064%. The ratio of the standard deviation for the validation samples to the standard error of prediction (RPD) was 5.5130. Conclusion: This method is convenient and efficient, and the experimentally established model has good prediction ability, and can be used for the rapid determination of Shengmaxinside I content in the honey-fried processing of Rhizoma Cimicifugae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the existence of multiple homoclinic solutions for the following second order Hamiltonian systems ü(t) - L(t)u(t) + ∇W(t, u(t)) = 0, where L(t) satisfies a boundedness assumption which is different from the coercive condition and W is a combination of subquadratic and superquadratic terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With millions of people traveling to unfamiliar cities to spend holidays, travel recommendation becomes necessary to assist tourists in planning their trips more efficiently. Serving as a prerequisite to travel recommender systems, understanding tourist behavior patterns is therefore of great importance. Recently, geo-tagged photos on social media platforms like Flickr have provided a rich data source that captures location histories of tourists and reflects their preferences. This article utilizes geo-tagged photos from Flickr to extract trajectories of tourists and then extends the concept of motifs from topological spaces, to temporal spaces and to semantic spaces, for detecting tourist mobility patterns. By representing trajectories in terms of three distinct types of travel motif and further using them to measure user similarity, typical tourist travel behavior patterns associated with distinct sightseeing tastes/preferences are identified and analyzed for tourism recommendation. Our empirical results confirm that the proposed analytical framework is effective to uncover meaningful tourist behavior patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid growth of residual tumors can occur as a result of their recurrence and progression. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-2 subunit a (HIF-2a), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular A2 (EphA2) and angiogenesis in residual hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), following treatment with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation, in order to investigate the association between protein expression and tumor recurrence and growth. Athymic BALB/c (nu/nu) mice were subcutaneously inoculated with the HCC cell line HepG2, in order to create xenograft tumors. Approximately 30 days post-inoculation, eight mice were treated with HIFU, whereas eight mice received no treatment and acted as the control group. Residual tumor tissues were obtained from the experimental groups after one month. Levels of HIF-2a, VEGFA, EphA2 and cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) expression was measured by immunohistochemical staining. CD31-positive vascular endothelial cells were counted to calculate microvascular density (MVD), and western blot analysis was performed to determine levels of HIF-2a, VEGFA, and EphA2 protein. It was found that the expression levels of HIF-2a, VEGFA, EphA2, and MVD proteins in residual HCC tissues were significantly higher than in the control group tissues (P<0.05). Tumor MVD was strongly correlated with VEGFA (R=0.957, P<0.01) and EphA2 (R=0.993, P<0.01) protein expression levels. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between HIF-2a and EphA2 expression (R=0.991, P<0.01). The correlation between VEGFA and EphA2 expression was also positive (R=0.985, P<0.01). These data suggest that overexpression of HIF-2a, VEGFA and EphA2 is related to angiogenesis in residual HCC following HIFU ablation, potentially via their association with key mediators of recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focused ion beams (FIBs) are versatile tools with cross-disciplinary applications from the physical and life sciences to archeology. Nevertheless, the nanoscale patterning precision of FIBs is often accompanied by defect formation and sample deformation. In this study, the fundamental mechanisms governing the large-scale plastic deformation of nanostructures undergoing FIB processes are revealed by a series of molecular dynamic simulations. A surprisingly simple linear correlation between atomic volume removed from the film bulk and film deflection angle, regardless of incident ion energy and current, is revealed, demonstrating that the mass transport to the surface of material caused by energetic ion bombardment is the primary cause leading to nanostructure deformation. Hence, by controlling mass transport by manipulation of the incident ion energy and flux, it is possible to control the plastic deformation of nanostructures, thereby fabricating nanostructures with complex three-dimensional geometries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal hepatocytes express connexin32 (Cx32), which forms gap junctions at cell-cell contact areas. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Cx32 mediates the cell death-inducing effects of ultrasound microbubbles carrying the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) suicide gene against hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. HepG2 cells were exposed to different concentrations of trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) in culture, to evaluate the intrinsic antitumor effect of ATRA. Detailed in-vitro and in-vivo investigations on the antitumor effects of ATRA via Cx32 mediation were performed, and the possible underlying mechanisms of action of the compound were then examined. The gene expression of HSV-TK transfected by ultrasound wave irradiation in the HepG2 cells was quantified using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. The effects on cell death were assessed using an MTT assay. The protein expression levels of Cx32 in ATRA-untreated or ATRA-treated tissues were quantified by immunohistochemical analysis and Western blot assays. The HSV-TK gene was successfully transfected into the HepG2 cell using ultrasound wave irradiation, and was stably expressed. Compared with the other groups, the HSV-TK gene group treated with ATRA exhibited an increased number of apoptotic cells (P<0.05) and improved tumor suppression (P<0.05). ATRA significantly increased the expression of Cx32 in the hepatoma tissues (P<0.01). The present study demonstrated that ATRA elevated the protein expression of Cx32 and enhanced the bystander effect of the HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system, which may provide a potential strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal structure of ionic nanocrystals (NCs) is usually controlled through reaction temperature, according to their phase diagram. We show that when ionic NCs with different shapes, but identical crystal structures, were subjected to anion exchange reactions under ambient conditions, pseudomorphic products with different crystal systems were obtained. The shape-dependent anionic framework (surface anion sublattice and stacking pattern) of Cu2O NCs determined the crystal system of anion-exchanged products of CuxS nanocages. This method enabled us to convert a body-centered cubic lattice into either a face-centered cubic or a hexagonally close-packed lattice to form crystallographically unusual, multiply twinned structures. Subsequent cation exchange reactions produced CdS nanocages while preserving the multiply-twinned structures. A high-temperature stable phase such as wurtzite ZnS was also obtained with this method at ambient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the existence of non-constant periodic solutions for a class of conservative Hamiltonian systems with prescribed energy is obtained by the saddle point theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We obtain the existence of homoclinic orbits at infinity for a class of second-order Hamiltonian systems with fixed energy. We use the limit for a sequence of approximate solutions which are obtained by variational methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate a new form of collective dynamics displayed by Thiovulum majus, one of the fastest-swimming bacteria known. Cells spontaneously organize on a surface into a visually striking two-dimensional hexagonal lattice of rotating cells. As each constituent cell rotates its flagella, it creates a tomadolike flow that pulls neighboring cells towards and around it. As cells rotate against their neighbors, they exert forces on one another, causing the crystal to rotate and cells to reorganize. We show how these dynamics arise from hydrodynamic and steric interactions between cells. We derive the equations of motion for a crystal, show that this model explains several aspects of the observed dynamics, and discuss the stability of these active crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron acceleration by transversely echelon phase-modulated (EPM) circularly polarized (CP) intense laser pulse is investigated. Solution of the relativistic electron equations of motion shows that the CP EPM light wave structure can disrupt the harmonic response of a trapped electron not only in the transverse direction but also in the direction of laser propagation. In each laser cycle, there can be a net gain in the electron's transverse momentum, which is promptly converted into the forward direction by the Lorentz force. As a result, the electron can be trapped and accelerated in the favorable phase of the laser for a rather long time. Its momentum gain then accumulates and can eventually reach high levels. It is also found that with the CP EPM laser, the net acceleration of the electron is not sensitive to its initial position and velocity relative to the phase of the laser fields, so that such a laser can also be useful for accelerating thermal electron bunches to high energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By utilizing the so-called Doss--Sussman transformation, we link our stochastic 3D Burgers equation with linear multiplicative noise to a random 3D Burger equation. With the help of techniques from partial differential equations (PDEs) and probability, we establish the global wellposedness of stochastic 3D Burgers with the diffusion coefficient being constant. Next, by developing a solution which is orthogonal with the gradient of coefficient of the noise, we extend the global well-posedness to a more general case in which the diffusion coefficient is spatial dependent, i.e., it is a function of the spatial variable. Our results and methodology pave a way to extend some regularity results of stochastic 1D Burgers equation to stochastic 3D Burgers equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methamphetamine (meth) is a highly addictive psychostimulant that is among the most widely abused illicit drugs, with an estimated over 35 million users in the world. Several lines of evidence suggest that chronic meth abuse is a major factor for increased risk of infections with human immunodeficiency virus and possibly other pathogens, due to its immunosuppressive property. Influenza A virus infections frequently cause epidemics and pandemics of respiratory diseases among human populations. However, little is known about whether meth has the ability to enhance influenza A virus replication, thus increasing severity of influenza illness in meth abusers. Herein, we investigated the effects of meth on influenza A virus replication in human lung epithelial A549 cells. The cells were exposed to meth and infected with human influenza A/WSN/33 (H1N1) virus. The viral progenies were titrated by plaque assays, and the expression of viral proteins and cellular proteins involved in interferon responses was examined by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. We report the first evidence that meth significantly reduces, rather than increases, virus propagation and the susceptibility to influenza infection in the human lung epithelial cell line, consistent with a decrease in viral protein synthesis. These effects were apparently not caused by meth's effects on enhancing virus-induced interferon responses in the host cells, reducing viral biological activities, or reducing cell viability. Our results suggest that meth might not be a great risk factor for influenza A virus infection among meth abusers. Although the underlying mechanism responsible for the action of meth on attenuating virus replication requires further investigation, these findings prompt the study to examine whether other structurally similar compounds could be used as anti-influenza agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PTP1B (protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B) is a negative regulator of IR (insulin receptor) activation and glucose homoeostasis, but the precise molecular mechanisms governing PTP1B substrate selectivity and the regulation of insulin signalling remain unclear. In the present study we have taken advantage of Drosophila as a model organism to establish the role of the SH3 (Src homology 3)/SH2 adaptor protein Dock (Dreadlocks) and its mammalian counterpart Nck in IR regulation by PTPs. We demonstrate that the PTP1B orthologue PTP61F dephosphorylates the Drosophila IR in S2 cells in vitro and attenuates IR-induced eye overgrowth in vivo. Our studies indicate that Dock forms a stable complex with PTP61F and that Dock/PTP61F associate with the IR in response to insulin. We report that Dock is required for effective IR dephosphorylation and inactivation by PTP61F in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Nck interacts with PTP1B and that the Nck/PTP1B complex inducibly associates with the IR for the attenuation of IR activation in mammalian cells. Our studies reveal for the first time that the adaptor protein Dock/Nck attenuates insulin signalling by recruiting PTP61F/PTP1B to its substrate, the IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanocubes, octahedra, and rhombic dodecahedra with roughly two sets of particle sizes have been successfully synthesized via a seed-mediated growth approach. All six samples were analyzed for comparative surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity. All of these Au nanostructures were found to yield strong enhancement at a thiophenol concentration of 10-7 M and are excellent SERS substrates. Rhombic dodecahedra with a rhombus edge length of 32 nm showed significantly better enhancement than the other samples and can reach a detection limit of 10-8 M. Simulations of the binding energies of thiophenol on the different faces of gold and electric near-field intensities of these nanocrystals have been performed to evaluate the experimental results. Superior SERS activity of these nanocrystals can be expected toward the detection of many other molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urea hydrolysis method was used to prepare NiO-deposited YSZ composite powders. First, micrometer-sized YSZ particles were fabricated, and then the nanosized NiO particles were deposited on the surface of the YSZ particles. The microstructure of composite powders and the sintered bulk were further characterized with the aid of XRD, SEM, and TEM. The results indicated that the mesoporous and microsheet-like Ni(OH)2· xH2O ( x=0–1) crystals were deposited on the surface of YSZ particles. As the concentration of Ni2+ ion in the stock solution increased, the deposited NiO content and thickness of NiO layer on the YSZ particle surface also increased. In addition, the YSZ particle size showed significant influence on the microstructure and conductivity of Ni/YSZ cermet anode produced by NiO-deposited YSZ composite powders. Such NiO-deposited YSZ composite powders can be easily sintered to form a continuous NiO network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within a decade, Ming Hwa Yuan (MHY) built its fame by setting up a new image of gezaixi, Taiwanese "song opera." MHY is acutely aware of the visual possibilities on stage, the utility of stage technology, and the company's promotions and marketing are a classic example for commercial theatres in Taiwan. In the first half of this paper, a brief history of gezaixi is the axis on which is sketched the transformation of MHY; in the second half, an outstanding MHY production, The Legend of the White Snake, provides an example for further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first synthesis of elongated penta-branched gold nanocrystals with a shape resembling that of a star fruit but with sharp ends by a seeding growth approach. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) capping surfactant was used, and AgNO3was added to the last growth solution to promote the formation of the five side branches. Through an investigation of the products collected by adding AgNO3into first, second, third, or fourth growth solution, the penta-branched nanocrystals were found to be derived from pentagonal bipyramid-shaped nanocrystals. Side growth over the twin boundaries results in the formation of five elongated branches with the highest point of each branch bisecting the branch into two halves. Smaller penta-branched nanocrystals with sizes of 70−110 nm and more fully developed larger nanocrystals with sizes of 200−350 nm can be readily prepared. The branches possess single-crystalline {111} faces. The intermediate products obtained at various time points were examined and their UV−vis absorption spectra recorded. By replacing CTAB with cetyltrimethylammonium chloride surfactant, and controlling the concentration of bromide ions in the solution, gold nanostars with five symmetrical branches and monodispersed sizes of 120−130 nm were synthesized for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intranasal gliomas are challenging for several reasons. Their diagnosis may not be immediately obvious at presentation. It is important to exclude an intracranial extension, and for this some have suggested a craniotomy. We report a 9-day-old male infant in whom an intranasal glioma that mimicked an encephalocele was successfully excised by endoscopic approach after failure to excise it through a craniotomy. After more than a 5-year follow-up, the patient is still free from the disease. An endoscopic intranasal approach provides a safe and effective method for the management of nasal glioma and does not result in postoperative facial scaring or deformity. Endoscopic techniques provide excellent visualization and are preferable to the classic frontal craniotomy to excluding intracranial extension of nasal glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we consider an optimal control problem associated with jump type stochastic differential equations driven by Levy-type processes. The problem arises from portfolio optimization for the pair of the wealth process and the cumulative consumption process in (incomplete) financial market models. We establish the existence and the uniqueness of (constrained) viscosity solutions to the associated the integro-differential Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which evaluated the metabolic effect of olanzapine and risperidone. Background to the study; Mechanisms of hyperlipidaemia; Limitations of the study.

We report a method for fabricating ordered spatial arrangements of pre-synthesized CdS nanoparticles in thin block copolymer templates by first selectively dispersing these nanoparticles in one particular block of a diblock copolymer, in bulk, by means of dipole–dipole interactions and then using solvent selectivity to sequester CdS nanoparticles in the block copolymer thin film. A long-range, ordered morphology of CdS nanoclusters can be obtained by using patterned substrates with 400 nm shallow grooves. The incorporated nanoparticles retain the same luminescence characteristics as in the pure state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) on induction of action potential bursts were studied pharmacologically on the RP4 central neuron of giant African snail (Achatina fulica Ferussac). The effect of okadaic acid on the neuron was also tested. The RP4 neuron showed a spontaneous firing of action potential. Okadaic acid (1 μmol/l) did not alter the frequency of spontaneous action potential while BDM (3 mmol/l) reversibly elicited bursts of potential (BoP) of the RP4 neuron. The BoP elicited by BDM (3 mmol/l) were reversed 20 min after incubation with diazoxide (500 μmol/l) while the BoP were not altered in preparations treated with okadaic acid and BDM. The BDM-elicited BoP were not inhibited after administration with (a) hexamethonium (100 μmol/l), (b) atropine (1 mmol/l), (c) d-tubocurarine (100 μmol/l), (d) prazosin (100 μmol/l), (e) propranolol (100 μmol/l), (f) calcium-free solution, (g) high K+ (12 mmol/l) or (h) with high Mg2+ (30 mmol/l) solutions. The BDM-elicited BoP were inhibited by pretreatment with KT-5720 (10 μmol/l) or H89 (10 μmol/l), the protein kinase A inhibitors. However, the BoP were not affected after application of chelerythrine (10 μmol/l) or Ro 31-8220 (10 μmol/l), the protein kinase C inhibitors. Voltage-clamped studies revealed that BDM elicited a negative slope resistance (NSR) at membrane potentials between –50 and –10 mV. The NSR was not detectable at the same membrane potential in control RP4 neuron. It is suggested that the BoP elicited by BDM were not due to (1) the synaptic effects of neurotransmitters; (2) the activation of cholinergic, adrenergic receptors, or (3) phosphatase activity of the neuron. The BDM-elicited BoP were dependent on the protein kinase A related cAMP in the neuron and the delayed outward K+ current may contribute to the BDM-elicited BoP. Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Booming economic development has been accompanied by serious adverse impacts on China's coastal area during the last 5 decades, especially the 1970s, when the open policy began. This quickly generated intense anthropogenic problems, and led to significant losses. Anthropogenic problems include direct human impacts, such as coastal pollution, global warming-induced sea level rise, and human-enhanced disasters, which include natural disasters such as storm surge, sea or coastal river flooding, salt water intrusion, coastal erosion, and coastal land subsidence. Case studies for various kinds of anthropogenic disasters indicated that these occurred due to 1) pursuit of maximal short-term interests by the stakeholders at the expense of environment, 2) a lack of profound environmental awareness among local decision-makers, and 3) a lack of integrated comprehensive coastal management at a higher plane of vision. The review suggests that once the causes and the serious consequences of anthropogenic disasters or their risks are clearly recognized, and effective and timely counter-measures have been undertaken by the local authorities of the disaster area, with time the deteriorated environment can be largely improved and sometimes even be restored with time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 30 years have passed since Michael F. Goodchild proposed the term geographical information science (GIScience) in 1992. In the past 30 years, GIScience has made great progress in expanding research findings and perfecting theories and methods. To understand the development progress of GIScience, this research conducts a bibliometric analysis of 9400 publications between 1991 and 2020 in 10 international refereed journals and 2 international conferences of GIScience. We analyze the publication statistics and trends in GIScience from two aspects of journals/conferences and countries/territories. Based on the community detection of the citation network, we extract 15 research themes and show their leading authors and highly cited articles. Furthermore, the change of publication number in different themes over time can indicate the evolution of some research focuses in GIScience. The results demonstrate that the publication proportions of some themes grow rapidly, such as "moving object," "volunteered geographic information," and "geographically weight regression," while the publication proportions of some themes are decreasing, such as "digital elevation model," "planning support system," and "ontology." In the discussion, the journal distribution of papers on different themes is discussed. Moreover, we suggest a few research directions that are worthy of attention in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies Euclidean random fields obtained by convolution from generalized white noise. Conditions for the existence of characteristic functional and moment functions; Convergent lattice approximation; Analytic continuation of the moment functions; Relativistic functions on Minkowski space.

The contents of an incarcerated inguinal hernia sac usually consist of small bowel or omentum. Amyand’s hernia, the situation in which appendicitis is noted in the hernia sac, is a rare occurrence. Also, neoplasms of the appendix is quite uncommon. The occurrence of these two conditions together is even more rarely reported. We report the case of a 62-year-old male with these two diseases simultaneously. Incarcerated inguinal hernia was noted before operation. Amyand’s hernia was noted during the operation. Adenocarcinoid tumor of the appendix was noted after the operation. Operative decisions were changed during the medical course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A SiO2/SiOx/SiO2 strip-loaded waveguide with buried Si quantum dots is optically pumped to provide amplified spontaneous emission centered at 805 nm with spectral linewidth of 140 nm. By top-pumping the 350-nm-thick SiOx with He–Cd laser of 40 mW at 325 nm, the optical gain of 65 cm-1 and loss coefficient of 5 cm-1 are determined. Under a 785 nm small-signal injection diagnosis, the power-dependent gain curve fitting with gain-saturated amplifier model reveals a peak gain of 27 dB (not including waveguide loss) and a net power gain of 9.5 dB for the Si-rich SiOx waveguide amplifier with a length of 5 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) nickel phosphide/reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/nickel oxide composite on nickel foam (Ni2P/rGO/NiO/NF) is fabricated as a supercapacitor (SC) electrode material via the two-step electrochemical deposition of graphene oxide (GO) and nickel phosphide on the nickel foam. Typically, rGO/NiO/NF is fabricated at first by the electrochemical treatment of nickel foam at 10 V in 0.1 M sulfuric acid with GO for 10 min. The result reveals that NiO nanosheets are vertically grown on the surface of nickel foam and rGO is deposited on the surface of NiO/NF, leading to the enhancement of capacity. Secondly, nickel phosphide is electrochemically deposited on the surface of rGO/NiO/NF in the sodium hypophosphite-based aqueous solution at 10 mA cm−2 to yield the Ni2P/rGO/NiO/NF. The deposition of Ni2P leads to a much higher capacity. The optimal areal and mass specific capacities are obtained as 3.59 C cm−2 and 742 C g−1 at the electrochemical deposition time of 30 and 10 min, respectively. The high capacity reveals that the proposed two-step electrochemical fabrication process is facile and effective. In addition, the Ni2P/rGO/NiO/NF electrode-based all-solid-state asymmetric SC was fabricated and could successfully turn on a light-emitting diode light. This revealed its feasibility in practical application and confirmed that the resulting 3D Ni2P/rGO/NiO/NF has a great potential as the SC electrode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initial cases of coronavirus disease in Hong Kong were imported from mainland China. A dramatic increase in case numbers was seen in February 2020. Most case-patients had no recent travel history, suggesting the presence of transmission chains in the local community. We collected demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic data from 50 patients, who accounted for 53.8% of total reported case-patients as of February 28, 2020. We performed whole-genome sequencing to determine phylogenetic relationship and transmission dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections. By using phylogenetic analysis, we attributed the community outbreak to 2 lineages; 1 harbored a common mutation, Orf3a-G251V, and accounted for 88.0% of the cases in our study. The estimated time to the most recent common ancestor of local coronavirus disease outbreak was December 24, 2019, with an evolutionary rate of 3.04 × 10-3 substitutions/site/year. The reproduction number was 1.84, indicating ongoing community spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrile rubber O-rings seals for packaging barrel was stored in China tropical marine atmosphere environments for 10 years, and then the sealing function of nitrile rubber O-ring was failed. By comparing the molecular structure, cross-link density, thermal decomposition, content of elements and chemical functional groups of the original nitrile rubber seals, the surface and interior of nitrile rubber seals storage for 10 years, a long-term natural failure mechanism was studied. The results showed that: the surface content of dibutyl phthalate and dibutyl sebacate, the surface carbonyl peak height and the surface content of oxygen element were higher than that in internal; the surface cross-link density was lower than that in internal but still higher than in original sample; and surface carbon- to-oxygen ratio were lower than that in internal and original sample. After aging for 10 years, the weight loss of plasticizer decreased, and the main chain content increased. It can be inferred that nitrile rubber mainly undergoes oxygen-absorbing cross-linking reaction to form carboxylic acids and esters, which is accompanied by the migration and enrichment of two plasticizers to the surface, causing reductions in elasticity and elasticity. The residual permanent compression set was lower than the design critical value, and the sealing function for the packaging barrel was lost, and a leak occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is a common complication of a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction (MI). While timely re-establishment of blood flow in a thrombosed artery is the primary goal of acute therapy in these diseases, paradoxically, reperfusion of ischemic tissue can cause widespread microvascular dysfunction that significantly exacerbates organ damage. Reperfusion injury is associated with activation of the humoral and cellular components of the hemostatic and innate immune systems and also with excessive reactive oxygen species production, endothelial dysfunction, thrombosis, and inflammation. Platelets are critical mediators of thromboinflammation during reperfusion injury and a hyperactive platelet phenotype may contribute to an exaggerated IR injury response. This is particularly relevant to diabetes which is characteristically associated with hyperactive platelets, significantly worse IR injury, increased organ damage, and increased risk of death. However, the mechanisms underlying vulnerability to IR injury in diabetic individuals is not well defined, nor the role of "diabetic platelets" in this process. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the role of platelets in promoting microvascular dysfunction and inflammation in the context of IR injury. Furthermore, the authors discuss aspects of the thromboinflammatory function of platelets that are dysregulated in diabetes. They conclude that diabetes likely enhances the capacity of platelets to mediate microvascular thrombosis and inflammation during IR injury, which has potentially important implications for the future design of antiplatelet agents that can reduce microvascular dysfunction and inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identify Kette, a key regulator of actin polymerization, as a substrate for Drosophila protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP61F, as well as for dAbl tyrosine kinase. We further show that dAbl is a direct substrate for PTP61F. Therefore, Kette phosphotyrosine levels are regulated both directly and indirectly by PTP61F. Kette and PTP61F genetically interact in the regulation of F-actin organization in pupal eye discs, suggesting that tyrosine phosphorylation is essential for the proper regulation of Kette-mediated actin dynamics. This hypothesis was confirmed by demonstrating the loss of Kette-mediated F-actin organization and lamella formation in S2 cells in a Kette Y482F mutant in which the dAbl phosphorylation site was eliminated. Our results establish for the first time that PTP61F and dAbl ensure proper actin organization through the coordinated and reversible tyrosine phosphorylation of Kette. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Evolutionary and ecological roles of the chloroplast small heat shock protein (CPsHSP) have been emphasized based on variations in protein contents; however, DNA sequence variations related to the evolutionary and ecological roles of this gene have not been investigated. In the present study, a basal angiosperm, Machilus, together with the eudicot Rhododendron were used to illustrate the evolutionary dynamics of gene divergence in CPsHSPs. Methods Degenerate primers were used to amplify CPsHSP-related sequences from 16 Rhododendron and eight Machilus species that occur in Taiwan. Manual DNA sequence alignment was carried out according to the deduced amino acid sequence alignment performed by CLUSTAL X. A neighbour-joining tree was generated in MEGA using conceptual translated amino acid sequences from consensus sequences of cloned CPsHSP genes from eight Machilus and 16 Rhododendron species as well as amino acid sequences of CPsHSPs from five monocots and seven other eudicots acquired from GenBank. CPsHSP amino acid sequences of Funaria hygrometrica were used as the outgroups. The aligned DNA and amino acid sequences were used to estimate several parameters of sequence divergence using the MEGA program. Separate Bayesian inference of DNA sequences of Rhododendron and Machilus species was analysed and the resulting gene trees were used for detection of putative positively selected amino acid sites by the Codeml program implemented in the PAML package. Mean hydrophobicity profile analysis was performed with representative amino acid sequences for both Rhododendron and Machilus species by the Bioedit program. The computer program SplitTester was used to examine whether CPsHSPs of Rhododendron lineages and duplicate copies of the Machilus CPsHSPs have evolved functional divergence based on the hydrophobicity distance matrix. Key Results Only one copy of the CPsHSP was found in Rhododendron. However, a higher evolutionary rate of amino acid substitutions in the Hymenanthes lineage of Rhododendron was inferred. Two positively selected amino acid sites may have resulted in higher hydrophobicity in the region of the α-crystallin domain (ACD) of the CPsHSP. By contrast, the basal angiosperm, Machilus, possessed duplicate copies of the CPsHSP, which also differed in their evolutionary rates of amino acid substitutions. However, no apparent relationship of ecological relevance toward the positively selected amino acid sites was found in Machilus. Conclusions Divergent evolution was found for both Rhododendron lineages and the paralogues of CPsHSP in Machilus that were directed to the shift in hydrophobicity in the ACD and/or methionine-rich region, which might have played important roles in molecular chaperone activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical trapping technique is implemented to investigate the chemotactic behavior of a marine bacterial strain Vibrio alginolyticus. The technique takes the advantage that the bacterium has only a single polar flagellum, which can rotate either in the counter-clock-wise or clock-wise direction. The two rotation states of the motor can be readily and instantaneously resolved in the optical trap, allowing the flagellar motor switching rate S(t) to be measured under different chemical stimulations. In this paper the focus will be on the bacterial response to an impulsive change of chemoattractant serine. Despite different propulsion apparati and motility patterns, cells of V. alginolyticus apparently use a similar response as Escherichia coli to regulate their chemotactic behavior. Specifically, we found that the switching rate S(t) of the bacterial motor exhibits a biphasic behavior, showing a fast initial response followed by a slow relaxation to the steady-state switching rate S0. The measured S(t) can be mimicked by a model that has been recently proposed for chemotaxis in E. coli. The similarity in the response to the brief chemical stimulation in these two different bacteria is striking, suggesting that the biphasic response may be evolutionarily conserved. This study also demonstrated that optical tweezers can be a useful tool for chemotaxis studies and should be applicable to other polarly flagellated bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have successfully developed a facile method for the high-yield fabrication of Au-Pd core-shell heterostructures with an unusual tetrahexahedral (THH) morphology using Au nanocubes as the structure-directing cores. The lattice orientations of the Au nanocubes match those of the Pd shells. Structural analysis establishes that the THH nanocrystals are bounded by high-index {730} facets. A substantial lattice mismatch between Au and Pd, oxidative etching in the presence of chloride and oxygen, the use of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) surfactant, and the reaction temperature (30-60 °C) were identified to be key factors facilitating the formation of the THH core-shell nanocrystals. Intermediate products have also been examined to follow the growth process. By selecting cubic gold cores with sizes of 30-70 nm and varying the volume of the gold core solution used, THH Au-Pd core-shell nanocrystals with continuously adjustable sizes from 56 to 124 nm can be readily obtained. Their UV-vis spectra display progressive red-shifted bands. Interestingly, novel concave octahedral and octahedral Au-Pd core-shell nanocrystals can be prepared by lowering the reaction temperature and prolonging the reaction time. The concave octahedra show depressions on all the (111) faces. Electrocatalytic activity of the three Au-Pd core-shell structures for the oxidation of ethanol has been investigated. The THH nanocrystals with entirely high-index (730] facets were found to exhibit the best electrocatalytic activity. These size-tunable THH Au-Pd core-shell nanocrystals may be valuable for catalyzing other organic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between diabetes and future development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Research Design and Methods: Longitudinal, retrospective cohort study data for the period between 1997 and 2012 were obtained from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) of Taiwan. The final available 71,904 patients with diabetes and 270,213 patients without diabetes ≥50 years of age were further matched by age, sex, and Charlson comorbidity index. In the end, 54,616 study subjects in each of the diabetes and nondiabetes groups were recruited. The stratified populations of patients with diabetes with diabetic retinopathy (DR) (n = 7,119) versus those with diabetes who do not have DR (n = 7,119) and populations of patients with proliferative DR (PDR) (n = 2,134) versus those with nonproliferative DR (NPDR) (n = 2,134) were also obtained. Competing risk regression models were used to assess the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and 99% CI. The main outcome measures were the first-ever diagnosis of AMD during the observational period.Results: The incidences of nonexudative AMD (HR 1.23; P = 0.108) and exudative AMD (HR 1.37; P = 0.023) were not significantly associated with cohorts of persons with diabetes compared with cohorts without diabetes. The stratified analysis showed that nonexudative AMD (HR 3.89; P = 0.001) and exudative AMD (HR 3.42; P < 0.001) were significantly correlated to diabetes with DR cohorts, compared with diabetes without DR cohorts. The incidences of nonexudative AMD (HR 0.53; P = 0.277) and exudative AMD (HR 2.27; P = 0.058) were not significantly different between PDR cohorts compared with NPDR cohorts.Conclusions: This study provides large-scale, population-based evidence that diabetes with retinopathy is independently associated with an increased risk of subsequent AMD development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the prescribing information for Venlafaxine extended release includes a discussion about possible increases in total cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) seen in healthier adult patients during premarketing clinical trials, no post-marketing studies or case reports, that discuss the effects of venlafaxine on TG in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease.Case Presentation: We report a 71 year-old male patient with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis, with a history of coronary artery disease, mild hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. This patient twice demonstrated the severe rises in triglycerides while taking the antidepressant, i.e., venlafaxine, and discontinuing the long-term use of fenofirate. The adverse drug reaction sub-committee at the hospital rated the second event as a "probable reaction" using the Naranjo nomogram, accordingly.Conclusions: This case demonstrates the risk of changes in lipid profiles while taking venlafaxine and receiving on and off fenofibrate therapy in the older adult patient with chronic kidney disease and under hemodialysis. Regular monitoring for lipid changes after starting venlafaxine is strongly advised for patients with existing risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Point process model keyword spotting (KWS) system has attracted considerable attentions in the areas of keyword spotting by its capacity that can generalize from a relatively small numbers of training examples. But unfortunately, the accuracy level of the point process model is not comparable with the state-of-the-art KWS systems because of the poor modeling capacity of the phoneme detector, which are based on Gaussian Mixture Models. In this paper, focus on improving the performance of detector in point process model, we propose an enhanced version of point process model, which is based on hierarchical deep belief networks (DBNs). Hierarchical DBNs are used as the phoneme detector in this system, and they combine the advantages of both the DBN and the hierarchical architecture for capturing complex statistical patterns in speech while overcoming the inherent flaws of conventional hidden Markov models and multilayer layer perceptron. Experiments results on TIMIT database show that the proposed method can yield 2% improvement. Furthermore, in the case when training examples are extremely limited, it can achieve better results over state-of-the-art KWS systems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]