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Calcium zirconate (CaZrO3)‐based fibrous membrane is a promising candidate in high‐temperature areas for its high melting point, good phase stability up to 1900°C, low thermal conductivity, and low cost. To further enhance the high temperature flexibility of CaZrO3‐based fibrous membrane without sacrificing stability, modification methods should be conducted. In the present work, a CaZrO3‐BaZrO3 dual‐phasic structure was proposed to modify the high‐temperature properties from the standpoint of phase competition. CaZrO3‐BaZrO3 fibrous membranes were prepared with the combination of the electrospinning method and pyrolysis process. The decomposition process, phase transformation, crystallize size, and microstructure evolution of CaZrO3‐BaZrO3 precursor fibrous membrane were characterized. The grain size, particle size, NIR reflectivity, high‐temperature stability, fire retardancy, and high‐temperature flexibility were also characterized and compared with other CaZrO3‐based fibrous membranes. The higher thermal stability and flexibility of the CaZrO3‐BaZrO3 fibrous membrane at 1200°C would make it a good candidate for high‐temperature insulating, high‐temperature supporting, and high‐temperature filtration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to enhance the quality of diamond composite materials, this work employs a Cu-Co-Fe and Ni-Cr-Cu pre-alloyed powder mixture as a transition layer, and utilizes laser-welding technology for saw blade fabrication. By adjusting the laser-welding process parameters, including welding speed and welding power, well-formed welded joints were achieved, and the microstructure and mechanical properties of the welded joints were investigated. The results demonstrate that the best welding performance was achieved at a laser power of 1600 W and a welding speed of 1400 mm/min, with a remarkable tooth engagement strength of up to 819 MPa. The fusion zone can be divided into rich Cu phase and rich Fe phase regions, characterized by coarse grains without apparent preferred orientation. The microstructure of the heat-affected zone primarily consists of high-hardness brittle quenched needle-like martensite, exhibiting a sharp increase in microhardness up to 550 HV. Fracture occurred at the boundary between the fusion zone and the heat-affected zone of the base material, where stress concentration was observed. By adjusting the welding parameters and transition layer materials, the mechanical properties of the joints were improved, thereby achieving a reliable connection between diamond composite materials and the metal substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between mental and physical therapeutic effects through three dimensions: man–environment relationships, a sense of place, and symbolic landscapes. The study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Local residents living in the coastal area of Xinglin Bay were the research objects. Quantitative data analysis revealed that the frequency of residents' visits was an important variable affecting their physical and treatment perceptions. For those who visit frequently, these visits can evoke memories, which can better express their sensory experience. The text analysis showed that residents picked up two major landscape elements to form the sense of place and symbolic landscape: one is the water body in the coastal zone, and the other is the cultural symbol of the peninsula. Based on untoward event experience, the residents assembled the elements into a new spatial relationship with therapeutic affordance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducted 3D numerical simulations to investigate the impact of combustion chamber diameter on the combustion characteristics of liquid kerosene scramjet rotating detonation under high Mach number flow conditions (Ma6/28 km). After ignition, a local hotspot near the contact surface between the combustion product and fresh reactant facilitates the generation of new detonation wave heads, resulting in a co-directional multi-wave mode in the detonation combustion flow field. The higher total temperature of the incoming flow restricts the accumulation of a substantial fuel gas layer in the axial direction of the combustion chamber, resulting in a smaller fuel distribution area and a lower wave head. Increasing the inner diameter of the combustion chamber leads to an increase in the number of wave heads but a decrease in overall height. Specifically, when using diameters of 125 and 150 mm, we observed significant periodic low-frequency oscillations in the peak pressure of the detonation wave during stable propagation. The specific impulse of the fuel does not vary significantly across different combustion chamber diameters. However, when the inner diameter is 75 mm, periodic oscillations occur, which reduce thrust stability. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing combustion chamber design and improving the efficiency and stability of liquid kerosene scramjet rotating detonation propulsion systems under high Mach number flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is common in patients with trauma, and thromboprophylaxis has been advocated. However, conflicting results regarding VTE rates in the Asian population following orthopaedic procedures have been presented. We aimed to investigate the VTE incidence in Taiwanese patients with pelvic and/or acetabular fractures and identify the associated risk factors. We included 402 patients who underwent surgery for pelvic and/or acetabular fractures. All patients received mechanical thromboprophylaxis with graduated compression stockings. Duplex scanning was performed postoperatively or during follow-up when signs or symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) developed. Variables with a significance level of ≤ 0.1 in the univariate analyses were introduced into the multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify DVT risk factors. The overall DVT and symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) rate was 3.48% (14/402 patients). Among patients with DVT, 46.1% were asymptomatic. Patients with VTE were significantly older than those without. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age was a VTE risk factor. The incidence of DVT and symptomatic PE in our cohort was low. Advanced age was a risk factor for VTE. These findings could help clinicians develop appropriate prevention and treatment strategies for VTE in Taiwanese patients with pelvic and/or acetabular fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-world data sources can facilitate essential understanding of the epidemiological features of anaphylaxis. However, the accuracy of case-identifying definitions based on diagnosis codes for anaphylaxis in healthcare databases remains understudied. We conducted a cross-sectional study analyzing claims data from the largest multi-institutional healthcare system in Taiwan during 2017–2021. We included patients with incident anaphylaxis identified by either ICD-10-CM codes for anaphylaxis (Group 1) or ICD-10-CM codes for severe allergic or drug adverse events and additional modifier codes for acute allergy events (Group 2). We randomly selected 20% of the cases to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of anaphylaxis case-identifying definitions in Groups 1 and 2 after review of electronic medical records by two physicians. From the original cohort (n = 2,176), we randomly selected 433 patients with either a diagnosis of anaphylaxis (Group 1), or a diagnosis of severe allergic and drug adverse events with additional modifier codes for acute allergy events (Group 2). In Group 1, we judged 135 / 170 patients as true anaphylaxis cases, giving a PPV of 79.4% (95% CI: 73.3–85.5). In Group 2, we judged 47 / 263 patients as true anaphylaxis cases, giving a PPV of 17.9% (95% CI: 13.3–22.5). In conclusion, acceptable PPVs were observed when anaphylaxis cases were identified by ICD-10-CM codes for anaphylaxis, but not by ICD-10-CM codes for severe allergic or drug adverse event with additional modifier codes for acute allergy events. Our multi-institutional findings could serve as a fundamental reference for further studies of anaphylaxis based on real-world healthcare databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We delineated brain network correlates of two executive functions in older adults. • Frontoparietal functional connectivity was linked to working memory updating. • Cortico-basal ganglia functional connectivity was linked to decision-making. • Frontoparietal tract integrity was associated with updating, but not decision-making. • Function-specific targeted modulation of brain networks may delay cognitive decline. Executive functions, essential for daily life, are known to be impaired in older age. Some executive functions, including working memory updating and value-based decision-making, are specifically sensitive to age-related deterioration. While their neural correlates in young adults are well-described, a comprehensive delineation of the underlying brain substrates in older populations, relevant to identify targets for modulation against cognitive decline, is missing. Here, we assessed letter updating and Markov decision-making task performance to operationalize these trainable functions in 48 older adults. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was acquired to quantify functional connectivity (FC) in task-relevant frontoparietal and default mode networks. Microstructure in white matter pathways mediating executive functions was assessed with diffusion tensor imaging and quantified by tract-based fractional anisotropy (FA). Superior letter updating performance correlated with higher FC between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left frontoparietal and hippocampal areas, while superior Markov decision-making performance correlated with decreased FC between basal ganglia and right angular gyrus. Furthermore, better working memory updating performance was related to higher FA in the cingulum bundle and the superior longitudinal fasciculus. Stepwise linear regression showed that cingulum bundle FA added significant incremental contribution to the variance explained by fronto-angular FC alone. Our findings provide a characterization of distinct functional and structural connectivity correlates associated with performance of specific executive functions. Thereby, this study contributes to the understanding of the neural correlates of updating and decision-making functions in older adults, paving the way for targeted modulation of specific networks by modulatory techniques such as behavioral interventions and non-invasive brain stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexually exploited adolescent girls are disproportionately affected by adverse psychosocial conditions, such as intra-familial child physical and sexual abuse, extra-familial violence and sexual assault, alcohol and drug use, and suicide. Syndemic theory suggests that these adverse psychosocial or syndemic conditions are concentrated and co-occurring in socially marginalized populations, including sexually exploited adolescents, and increase their sexual health risks, including pregnancy, abortion, and the acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). To examine clusters of syndemic conditions, latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to classify 335 sexually exploited girls in Taiwan into subgroups based on their probability of experiencing each syndemic condition. We used syndemic class membership to predict their sexual health outcomes, specifically pregnancy, abortion, and the acquisition of STDs. The results of LCA revealed three classes, which were "low-risk syndemic," "moderate-risk syndemic," and "high-risk syndemic." The risk of acquisition of STDs among sexually exploited girls in the "high-risk syndemic class" and "moderate-risk syndemic class" was 239% and 135% higher, respectively, than the risk of acquisition of STDs among sexually exploited girls in the "low-risk syndemic class." Differences between these three classes in pregnancy and abortion were not significant. Our findings support the syndemic theory that a pattern of syndemic conditions is associated with an increased risk of acquiring STDs. Interventions aimed at reducing the acquisition of STDs among sexually exploited girls in Taiwan should adopt a comprehensive approach to address co-occurring conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the quality characteristics of the following foodstuffs were studied: waxy rice, three varieties of Taiwanese banana, and banana rice cakes prepared using ripe or unripe fruit. The proportions of resistant starch (RS), total starch, and amylose were significantly higher in the ripe bananas than in the unripe bananas (p <.05). Banana rice cakes prepared from the ripe bananas had a higher cooking loss rate and greater a and b values (p <.05); conversely, those prepared from the unripe bananas had greater hardness and L values. The use of unripe bananas led to the rice cakes containing more RS (8.86, 8.53, and 8.44 g/100 g vs. 8.30, 8.15, and 7.36 g/100 g for the ripe bananas). The use of any type of banana led to higher RS content values for the resulting rice cakes than did the use of pure rice (6.67%; p <.05). The rice cakes prepared from the ripe bananas had significantly greater swelling power and solubility, and these characteristics were affected by temperature; higher temperatures were found to result in significantly higher swelling power and solubility levels (p <.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We price the transboundary externality of mobile public bads such as diseases and invasive species. We focus on the marginal cost to country B of an increase in the stock (i.e. an "outbreak") in country A. These cross-jurisdiction marginal costs depend not only on economic, ecological, and spatial features of both jurisdictions but also on jurisdictions' strategic reactions to the outbreak. Using a spatial dynamic game, we calculate the "cross-jurisdiction shadow costs" of an outbreak of mobile public bad under the Markov-perfect Nash equilibrium of control efforts. We find that under reasonable conditions, the source country has private incentives to control the outbreak itself, which can lead to a situation where the cross-jurisdiction shadow cost is, in fact, zero. We also derive conditions where a country optimally fails to control the outbreak (for example, damages in that country are small), in which case cross-jurisdiction shadow costs are positive. Finally, we note that since cooperative control of the mobile public bad delivers substantially higher welfare than non-cooperative control, we derive an externality pricing instrument that perfectly internalizes the externality and induces cooperative control among all countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-phase rotating detonation ramjets are considered to be suitable for aerospace applications due to their high thermodynamic cycle efficiency. These engines have an extremely complex internal flow field, in which the liquid fuel undergoes physical and chemical processes such as fragmentation, evaporation, mixing, and combustion; these processes also interact with detonation waves that have significant gradients. This makes it difficult to simulate a three-dimensional (3D) full-process rotating detonation combustion chamber. Here, based on the Euler–Lagrangian simulation method, a 3D numerical combustion chamber was simulated using kinetic theory and the constant thermal physical property parameter (TPPP) calculation method. The accuracy of these methods was then compared with the existing experimental results and theoretical values. Calculating the TPPPs using kinetic theory brought about a relatively high-pressure peak and detonation wave temperature; the detonation wave profile was also finer and more precise. The detonation wave propagation velocity of the two-phase detonation is estimated to be about 60% of the theoretical gas-phase CJ velocity. The calculation method of physical parameters has relatively little influence on the engine's operating frequency and the detonation wave's propagation velocity but has a more significant influence on the peak pressure. Constant TPPPs can be used when the Kelvin–Helmholtz–Rayleigh–Taylor model with insufficient precision is used to consider the breakup of droplets and leads to the acceleration of the propagation speed of two-phase detonation waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly cited articles have been revealed as being informative for research fields, topics, and trends. Through reading highly cited articles, researchers can gain fruitful results from previous studies and can identify essential clues and potential future research directions for their own research. Aiming at exploring the possibility of the application of and innovations in flipped learning, this study reviewed 100 highly cited articles related to flipped learning. By performing a literature review of the highly cited studies on flipped learning, we have discovered the proposed new learning strategies and flipped learning applied to the research topics that seldom draw attention, and the research fields that are less-frequently examined, including those research issues that are rarely discussed. We have also noticed that many studies have focused on comparing different flipped learning modes and identifying more effective flipped learning approaches. Only a minority of studies have compared the influences of flipped learning and traditional learning. Moreover, we found that researchers have tended to focus more on students' learning achievements and learning behaviors. Lastly, based on the reviews of the past flipped learning articles, this study provides suggestions from different perspectives. We hope to provide a reference for researchers and teachers to conduct flipped learning studies and design flipped learning activities in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enable the accurate detection of grain moisture content and improve the efficiency of the drying process, a parallel-plate moisture content detection device (PPMCDD) was developed in this study. Firstly, the detection principle and influencing factors of this device are analyzed. Then the effects of three key factors as distance, thickness, relative area on the accuracy of the device were determined through simulation, and the optimal combination of parameters was obtained through analysis of variance of a regression model and response surface methodology. Finally, a simple test bench is built to verify the effectiveness of PPMCDD by comparative experiment. Through simulation and response surface analysis, the optimal combination parameters are as follows: thickness =1 mm, pacing =19.54 mm, relative area =4023.17 mm2, corresponding to the measured capacitance value of 37.676 pF. By comparative experimental analysis, it is found that the maximal relative error of the moisture content detection device evaluated in this study was 1.58%. The detection error is small, and the device exhibits high accuracy and stability and meets the design requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fluorinated diamine, (2,5-bis(4-amino-3-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl)diphenyl-phosphine oxide (2), was synthesized via Williamson reaction and hydrogenation. A series of polyimides with side diphenylphosphine oxide and trifluoromethyl groups were prepared by the high-temperature one-pot polymerization of diamine 2 with several commercial aromatic dianhydrides. The resulting PIs exhibit excellent solubility in common organic solvents (i.e., tetrahydrofuran, trichloromethane etc.) and are easily processed into light color transparent films (thickness: 20 ± 1 μm) through the blade-coating method. The transmittance of PI films is above 86% in the visible light region (400—760 nm). They also show good thermal stability with the glass transition temperatures from 246 to 286 °C. The limiting oxygen index values of them exceed 38.3%. At the same time, they display the low water absorption (0.89—1.32%) and good mechanical properties (tensile strength: 72.3—153.24 MPa, Young's modulus: 1.4—2.3 GPa, elongation at break: 6.9—12.5%). They are promising candidates for advanced flame-retardant and optical film materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which determined whether augmented reality (AR) could enhance trainee skill acquisition by easing spatial orientation challenges and cognitive overload during this procedure. Topics discussed include a significant challenge that novice physicians face and finding on leveraging AR technology in skill acquisition.

This study seeks exploration of how employees' moral identity is related to voice behavior (i.e., the expression of constructive suggestions or ideas for improving work-related issues) in the current organizational dynamics. By integrating the self-consistency theory with a situational strength perspective, a moderated mediation model was constructed to examine connections among moral identity, leader secure-base support (LSBS), work engagement, and voice behavior. Surveys were collected at 2 time points, 1 month apart, from 206 full-time employees in various organizations and industries in Taiwan. Supporting results indicated that employees' moral identity was positively related to voice behavior. The mediating impact of work engagement as a motivational mechanism between moral identity and voice behavior was observed. Relative to when LSBS was low, the effect of moral identity on work engagement and the indirect effect of moral identity on voice behavior through work engagement were more substantial when LSBS was high. Academic and managerial implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsecond time perception has been frequently attributed to modality-specific timing mechanisms that would predict no cross-modal transfer of temporal perceptual learning. In fact, perceptual learning of temporal interval discrimination (TID) reportedly shows either no cross-modal transfer, or asymmetric transfer from audition to vision, but not vice versa. However, here we demonstrate complete cross-modal transfer of auditory and visual TID learning using a double training paradigm. Specifically, visual TID learning transfers to and optimizes auditory TID when the participants also receive exposure to the auditory temporal interval by practicing a functionally orthogonal near-threshold tone frequency discrimination task at the same trained interval. Auditory TID learning also transfers to and optimizes visual TID with additional practice of an orthogonal near-threshold visual contrast discrimination task at the same trained interval. Practicing these functionally orthogonal tasks per se has no impact on TID thresholds. We interpret the transfer results as indications of a supramodal representation of subsecond time. Moreover, because TID learning shows complete transfer between modalities with vastly different temporal precisions, the sub-second time presentation must be conceptual. Double training may refine this supramodal and conceptual subsecond time representation and connect it to a new sense to improve time perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recently showed that incentive motivation improves the precision of the Approximate Number System (ANS) in young adults. To shed light on the development of incentive motivation, the present study investigated whether this effect and its underlying mechanisms may also be observed in younger samples. Specifically, seven-year-old children (n = 23; 12 girls) and 14-year-old adolescents (n = 30; 15 girls) performed a dot comparison task with monetary reward incentives. Both age groups showed higher accuracy in a reward compared to a neutral condition and, similarly, higher processing efficiency as revealed by the drift rate parameter of the EZ-diffusion model. Furthermore, in line with the Incentive Salience Hypothesis, phasic pupil dilations—indicating the activation of the brain's salience network—were greater in incentivized trials in both age groups. Together these finding suggest that incentive modulation improves numerosity discrimination in children and adolescents by enhancing the perceptual saliency of numerosity information. However, the observed reward anticipation effects were less pronounced in children relative to adolescents. Furthermore, unlike previous findings regarding young adults, the decision thresholds of children and adolescents were not raised by the monetary reward, which may indicate a more protracted development of incentive regulation of response caution than perceptual evidence accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A prototype system is developed to profile outcomes of 50 filtering acceptance levels (FAL). • Experiments on 27 unsupervised and 29 supervised granulated datasets are conducted. • An algorithm is developed to separate noise labels using 50 FALS. • Experimental results using five classification-oriented classifiers are presented. • Effects of 50 FALs on classification performance are profiled and summarized. Deciding whether a label in a dataset is noisy or not depends on factors such as filtering levels, data patterns, relabeling policies, and pre-defined regulations. By focusing on filtering acceptance levels (FAL), a decision support model (named DSM-ENL) is proposed and implemented on real datasets that are granulated, dealing with noise label detection and profiling effects of 50 FALs (51 %–100 %) on noise rate (NoR), classification accuracy (CA), and area under ROC curve (AUC). A case used to demonstrate the DSM-ENL is illustrated, followed by experiments on 27 unsupervised and 29 supervised granulated datasets using five classifiers with 70 %–30 % training and testing criteria. The findings revealed that: (1) the best CAs among classifiers vary with FALs; (2) NoR, CA, and AUC oscillate as FAL increases; (3) lower FAL boundaries (from 0.51 to 0.60) are more likely to lead to higher CAs; and (4) correlation of coefficient among dataset characteristics, FAL, NoR, CA, and AUC are not high compared to that of CA and NoR and that of CA and AUC. The research demonstrates the value of profiling the effects of FALs applied for noise-label datasets on learning performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic struck the world unguarded, some places outperformed others in COVID-19 containment. This longitudinal study considered a comparative evaluation of COVID-19 containment across 50 distinctly governed regions between March 2020 and November 2021. Our analysis distinguishes between a pre-vaccine phase (March–November 2020) and a vaccinating phase (December 2020–November 2021). In the first phase, we develop an indicator, termed lockdown efficiency (LE), to estimate the efficacy of measures against monthly case numbers. Nine other indicators were considered, including vaccine-related indicators in the second phase. Linear mixed models are used to explore the relationship between each government policy & hygiene education (GP&HE) indicator and each vital health & socioeconomic (VH&SE) measure. Our ranking shows that surveyed countries in Oceania and Asian outperformed countries in other regions for pandemic containment prior to vaccine development. Their success appears to be associated with non-pharmaceutical interventions, acting early, and adjusting policies as needed. After vaccines have been distributed, maintaining non-pharmacological intervention is the best way to achieve protection from variant viral strains, breakthrough infections, waning vaccine efficacy, and vaccine hesitancy limiting of herd immunity. The findings of the study provide insights into the effectiveness of emerging infectious disease containment policies worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was to efficiently remove hemicellulose from corncob and improve the feed value of corncob, to study the extraction of hemicellulose from corncob by ultrasonic microwave synergistic technology. The extraction process was optimized by single factor and response surface methodology. The results showed that NaOH concentration 5.23%, extraction temperature 80.6 °C, extraction time 74.1 min, liquid-material ratio 17.0 mL/g, extraction rate of hemicellulose (76.0±0.18)% . The membrane separation technology was used to recover NaOH, which reduced the production cost and environmental pollution. The experiment indicates that the corncob with hemicellulose removed can use in feed production and hemicellulose can use in xylose production. A new process of high-efficiency and pollution-free comprehensive utilization of corncob is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Little is known about the clinical course of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients undergoing anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to investigate the clinical course of HBV infection and IBD and to analyze liver dysfunction risks in patients undergoing anti-TNF-α therapy. Methods: This retrospective multinational study involved multiple centers in Korea, China, Taiwan, and Japan. We enrolled IBD patients with chronic or resolved HBV infection, who received anti-TNF-α therapy. The patients’ medical records were reviewed, and data were collected using a web-based case report form. Results: Overall, 191 patients (77 ulcerative colitis and 114 Crohn’s disease) were included, 28.3% of whom received prophylactic antivirals. During a median follow-up duration of 32.4 months, 7.3% of patients experienced liver dysfunction due to HBV reactivation. Among patients with chronic HBV infection, the proportion experiencing liver dysfunction was significantly higher in the non-prophylaxis group (26% vs 8%, p=0.02). Liver dysfunction occurred in one patient with resolved HBV infection. Antiviral prophylaxis was independently associated with an 84% reduction in liver dysfunction risk in patients with chronic HBV infection (odds ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.04 to 0.66; p=0.01). The clinical course of IBD was not associated with liver dysfunction or the administration of antiviral prophylaxis. Conclusions: Liver dysfunction due to HBV reactivation can occur in HBV-infected IBD patients treated with anti-TNF-α agents. Careful monitoring is needed in these patients, and antivirals should be administered, especially to those with chronic HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Little is known about the clinical course of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients undergoing anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to investigate the clinical course of HBV infection and IBD and to analyze liver dysfunction risks in patients undergoing anti-TNF-α therapy. Methods: This retrospective multinational study involved multiple centers in Korea, China, Taiwan, and Japan. We enrolled IBD patients with chronic or resolved HBV infection, who received anti-TNF-α therapy. The patients’ medical records were reviewed, and data were collected using a web-based case report form. Results: Overall, 191 patients (77 ulcerative colitis and 114 Crohn’s disease) were included, 28.3% of whom received prophylactic antivirals. During a median follow-up duration of 32.4 months, 7.3% of patients experienced liver dysfunction due to HBV reactivation. Among patients with chronic HBV infection, the proportion experiencing liver dysfunction was significantly higher in the non-prophylaxis group (26% vs 8%, p=0.02). Liver dysfunction occurred in one patient with resolved HBV infection. Antiviral prophylaxis was independently associated with an 84% reduction in liver dysfunction risk in patients with chronic HBV infection (odds ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.04 to 0.66; p=0.01). The clinical course of IBD was not associated with liver dysfunction or the administration of antiviral prophylaxis. Conclusions: Liver dysfunction due to HBV reactivation can occur in HBV-infected IBD patients treated with anti-TNF-α agents. Careful monitoring is needed in these patients, and antivirals should be administered, especially to those with chronic HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kamaboko is an important fish product that is consumed in high volumes across the globe. This study investigated whether the amount of sorghum distillers grains (SDGs) contained in kamaboko affected its quality. Kamaboko containing SDG had significantly higher cohesiveness and chewiness, but reduced springiness and gumminess. However, the SDG addition ratio had no significant effect on hardness. The pH value (range, pH 4.98–5.87) and cooking loss (range, 2.54–2.71%) were significantly lower than the control group (5.99 and 5.27%, respectively). The kamaboko's emulsification stability and water loss (range, 1.22–1.59%) decreased with increasing SDG; however, the differences were not significant. The fat loss (range, 0.02–0.10%) and water‐holding capacity (WHC) (range, 91.56–95.91%) at high SDG addition ratios (100%) were significantly lower than those in the control group (0.07 and 96.12%, respectively). Practical applications: The results of this study demonstrate the practical application of sorghum distillers grains (SDG), a byproduct of brewing a famous Taiwanese alcoholic drink, kaoliang liquor. Sorghum distillers grains can replace starch in emulsified seafood products, such as kamaboko, to create products with favorable qualities (texture profile analysis, pH value, cooking loss, and emulsification stability). Ultimately, our findings should serve as a reference for exploring the diverse roles of SDG in food processing, provide a basis for adding value to SDG, and help reduce the waste and the environmental problems caused by leftover distillers grains generated during the alcohol brewing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The auction process can be divided into the auctioning, bidding, winning, and paying stages. Nonpaying bid behavior is a critical issue underlying the customer-to-customer (C2C) business model. This paper proposes and examines a research model that describes nonpaying bid behavior by concisely considering technological (platform quality), psychological (perceived risk), and individual (impulse buying inclination) aspects. The moderation effect of interaction–risk (combined interaction quality and perceived risk) on nonpaying attitude is investigated along with the influence of gender on such moderation effect. The proposed research model is examined by performing an empirical quantitative survey among users of a C2C auction platform. Based on data collected from 303 valid samples, results show that impulsive bidding inclination (individual aspect) and interaction quality (psychological aspect) are significantly associated with nonpaying bid behavior. Meanwhile, platform quality (technological aspect) and perceived risk (psychological aspect) are unlikely to determine nonpaying bid behaviors at the bid-paying stage. The moderation effect is significant, whereas the gender effect is insignificant. The managerial implications of these findings are also discussed along with some suggestions. This research highlights the value of modeling nonpaying bid behavior for C2C auction platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many food safety issues have arisen in Taiwan during the past decade. Therefore, in 2016, the Taiwan government proposed the “five rings of food safety” policy to comprehensively protect consumer food supply. Among these policies, the “4- labels-1-Q” approach was adopted to ensure the selection of foods with traceable labels for retrospective study. Hence, this study investigated the association between the degree of familiarity with the 4-labels-1-Q food traceability system and risk perceptions and also investigated whether a consumer’s purchase intention toward fresh foods with food labels changed after viewing an educational film on food labels. This study defined subjects as the main food purchasers for their families; 290 valid questionnaire interviews were administered and educational films shown in Tainan markets and stores. Results showed that knowledge about labels significantly affected risk perception for labeling. Age, educational level, and degree of risk perception influenced purchase intention. Results also showed that after viewing the video, subjects’ label knowledge and purchase intention increased significantly. However, after adjustment for age, educational level, income, and purchase places, the effect of film education on risk perception was insignificant, especially for those who had lower educational levels, including those older than 65 years. Public trust can be boosted through label education among age groups using different channels and methods, and encouraging the sale of labeled foods in traditional markets would be a useful strategy. Age, educational level, income, and risk perception of participants significantly affected purchase intention. This study can be a reference for designing risk communication strategies and promoting traceable agricultural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arteriovenous graft (AVG) is an important vascular access route in hemodialysis patients. The optimal waiting time between AVG creation and the first cannulation is still undetermined, therefore the current study investigated the association between ideal timing for cannulation and AVG survival. This retrospective cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database, which included 6,493 hemodialysis patients with AVGs between July 1st 2008 and June 30th 2012. The waiting cannulation time was defined as the time from the date of shunt creation to the first successful cannulation. Patients were categorized according to the waiting cannulation time of their AVGs as follows: ≤30 days, between 31 and 90 days, between 91 and 180 days, and >180 days. The primary outcome was functional cumulative survival, measured as the time from the first cannulation to shunt abandonment. The AVGs which were cannulated between 31 and 90 days (reference group) after construction had significantly superior functional cumulative survival compared with those cannulated ≤30 days (adjusted HR = 1.651 with 95% CI 1.482–1.839; p < 0.0001) and >180 days (adjusted HR = 1.197 with 95% CI 1.012–1.417; p = 0.0363) after construction. An analysis of the hazard ratios in patients with different demographic characteristics, revealed that the functional cumulative survival of AVGs in most groups was better when they received cannulation >30 days after construction. Consequently, in order to achieve the best long-term survival, AVGs should be cannulated at least 1 month after construction, but you should avoid waiting for >3 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To provide a reference for the health department and to improve the medical quality by analyzing and evaluating the medical quality of public traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in Shandong Province from 2019 to 2022 comprehensively. Methods Based on the survey data of public TCM hospitals participating in performance appraisal in Shandong Province, the medical quality of public TCM hospitals in Shandong Province was comprehensively evaluated by using the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method, RSR method and the fuzzy combination method of the two. Results According to the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method, the evaluation results of medical quality were the best in 2019, followed by 2022, with C values of 0.594 4 and 0.548 6, respectively, the evaluation results of RSR method were the best in 2022, followed by 2021, with RSR values of 0.750 0 and 0.688 0, respectively, and the best evaluation results of the two fuzzy joint methods were in 2022 and followed by 2021, and the three evaluation methods showed that the evaluation results of medical quality in 2020 were the worst. Conclusion Although the evaluation results of the entropy-weighted TOPSIS and RSR methods and the fuzzy joint method are slightly different, the trend is basically the same, and the medical quality of public TCM hospitals in Shandong Province has been improving year by year from 2019 to 2022. The fuzzy combination method of the two can reflect the evaluation results more scientifically and reasonably, and has certain reference significance for the improvement of medical quality level and management standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extrusion is a modern food processing to produce a wide range of food products. This study, brown rice and corn were mixed with barley at different ratios (60:0, 40:20, 20:40, 0:60) and extruded at different die temperatures (DT, 110, 120, and 130℃) and screw speeds (SS, 200 and 300 rpm) to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of expanded barley ready‐to‐eat snacks. A decrease in the water absorption index (3.35–4.73 g/g) and an increase in the radial expansion ratio (2.35–3.60) were observed at increased DT and corn ratios, but the water solubility index (7.16%–23.25%) was not affected. Increasing the SS caused increased hardness, but this decreased as the proportion of brown rice increased. Total dietary fiber content (4.21%–13.65%) was affected by a change in the proportion of brown rice, but was significantly increased with increasing DT and SS (p <.05). Practical applications: The results of this study demonstrate the optimal conditions for the production of expanded barley ready‐to‐eat (RTE) snacks using extrusion technology. Brown rice and corn were mixed with barley at different ratios, and extruded at different die temperatures and SSs to create expanded barley RTE snacks with favorable quality characteristics. Barley was able to replace a percentage of brown rice and corn, which provided the final product with properties such as improved texture and higher total dietary fiber content. Ultimately, the results of this study can serve as a reference for effectively enhancing the quality of expanded barley RTE snacks by extrusion processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess real-world effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS) after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning we conducted a retrospective review of patients with CO poisoning admitted to Linkou Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan's largest medical center, during 2009–2015. We included patients developing DNS after CO poisoning and compared improvements in neuropsychiatric function, with and without HBOT, after 12 months post-DNS to understand differences in recovery rates. DNS improvement-associated factors were also evaluated. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess the role of time elapsed between DNS diagnosis and HBOT initiation in predicting DNS improvement. A total of 62 patients developed DNS, of whom 11 recovered while the rest did not. Possible factors predicting DNS improvement included receiving HBOT post-DNS (72.7% vs 25.5%; P = 0.006), and treatment with more than three HBOT sessions during acute stage CO poisoning (81.8% vs 27.5%; P = 0.003). The relevant area under the ROC curve was 0.789 (95% CI 0.603–0.974), and the best cut-off point was 3 days post-DNS diagnosis, with 87.5% sensitivity and 61.5% specificity. Early HBOT in patients who developed DNS after CO poisoning significantly improved their DNS symptoms, with treatment effects sustained for 1 year after DNS diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of knowledge of advance care planning and training of communication skills among nurses in Taiwan is one of the main reasons for the low rate of advance directive signing. However, there is no specific and effective solution to this problem. The purposes of this study were (1) to develop and pilot testing of an advance care planning simulation-based communication training program and (2) to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the program. This study was conducted in three phases. Phase 1: Developing an advance care planning simulation-based communication training program; Phase 2: Conducting a pilot test; Phase 3: Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of the program. Twelve convenient participants from a medical center in central Taiwan were selected. The participants believed that team-based learning was beneficial for several reasons. First, it helped to clarify the participants' understanding of advance care planning and improve their communication skills. Second, role-playing, as one of the components, was helpful for discovering their own shortcomings in communication skills while debriefing enabled them to identify their blind spots in the communication process. Finally, the reflection log documented their weekly performance so they were able to reflect upon their weekly performance, improve their performance, and become more confident. All twelve participants signed the consent form and completed the whole training program. The participants were satisfied with the program, affirming that the timing and content of the program were appropriate and that the expected learning outcomes could be achieved. According to participant feedback, the program was beneficial in improving their knowledge of advance care planning and confidence in communication. Thus, it is feasible and acceptable to introduce communication of advance care planning programs into the staff training protocols of healthcare organizations. Clinical trial registration:NCT04312295. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the susceptibility of imipenem-non-susceptible Escherichia coli (INS-EC), Klebsiella pneumoniae (INS-KP), Acinetobacter baumannii (INS-AB) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (INS-PA) to novel antibiotics.Methods: MICs were determined using the broth microdilution method. Carbapenemase and ESBL phenotypic testing and PCR for genes encoding ESBLs, AmpCs and carbapenemases were performed.Results: Zidebactam, avibactam and relebactam increased the respective susceptibility rates to cefepime, ceftazidime and imipenem of 17 INS-EC by 58.8%, 58.8% and 70.6%, of 163 INS-KP by 77.9%, 88.3% and 76.1% and of 81 INS-PA by 45.7%, 38.3% and 85.2%, respectively. Vaborbactam increased the meropenem susceptibility of INS-EC by 41.2% and of INS-KP by 54%. Combinations of β-lactams and novel β-lactamase inhibitors or β-lactam enhancers (BLI-BLE) were inactive against 136 INS-AB. In 58 INS-EC and INS-KP with exclusively blaKPC-like genes, zidebactam, avibactam, relebactam and vaborbactam increased the susceptibility of the partner β-lactams by 100%, 96.6%, 84.5% and 75.9%, respectively. In the presence of avibactam, ceftazidime was active in an additional 85% of 20 INS-EC and INS-KP with exclusively blaOXA-48-like genes while with zidebactam, cefepime was active in an additional 75%. INS-EC and INS-KP with MBL genes were susceptible only to cefepime/zidebactam. The β-lactam/BLI-BLE combinations were active against INS-EC and INS-KP without detectable carbapenemases. For INS-EC, INS-KP and INS-AB, tigecycline was more active than omadacycline and eravacycline but eravacycline had a lower MIC distribution. Lascufloxacin and delafloxacin were active in <35% of these INS isolates.Conclusions: β-Lactam/BLI-BLE combinations were active in a higher proportion of INS-EC, INS-KP and INS-PA. The susceptibility of novel fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines was not superior to that of old ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experience with native-language prosody encourages language-specific strategies for speech segmentation. Conflicting findings from previous research suggest that these strategies may not be abstracted away from the acoustic manifestation of prosodic features in the native speech. Using the artificial language learning paradigm, the current study explores this possibility in connection with listeners of a lexical tone language called Taiwanese Southern Min (TSM). In TSM, the only rising lexical tone occurs almost only on the final syllable of the language's tone sandhi domain and is phonetically associated with final lengthening. Based on these observations, Experiment I examined what constituted a sufficient finality cue for use by TSM listeners to support segmentation: (a) final fundamental frequency (F0) rise only; or (b) final F0 rise conjoined with final lengthening. The results showed that segmentation was inhibited by the former cue but facilitated by the latter. Experiment II showed that the facilitation cannot be attributed entirely to final lengthening, as a null effect was found when final lengthening was the sole prosodic cue to segmentation. It is thus assumed that acoustic details as fine-grained as the lengthening of the rising tone are involved in the modulation of the segmentation strategy whereby TSM listeners perceive F0 rise as signaling finality. The inhibitory effect of final F0 rise alone found in Experiment I motivated Experiment III, which revealed that initial F0 rise in the absence of lengthening cues improved TSM listeners' segmentation. It is speculated that such use of initial F0 rise might reflect a cross-linguistic segmentation solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpolation involves the process of estimating values at positions in between the adjacent samples, which has very fundamental and applied implications in signal processing and communication systems. In this work, a new method of cubic spline interpolation (CSI) is proposed and derived mathematically from the input samples respecting the time-domain boundary conditions, and the corresponding piecewise polynomials are optimized in the frequency domain to achieve good spectral properties. A comparative analysis of several prior arts, including arbitrary frequency response polynomial (AFRP) and basis spline (B-spline) is also presented, giving a clear overview of the advantages associated with the proposed technique in terms of implementation complexity, latency, and in-band and out-of-band spectral performance. The measurement results with three different radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) prototypes using an input stimulus comprised of different instantaneous bandwidth (iBW) carrier aggregated 5G new radio (NR) waveform are demonstrated to highlight the improved performance in the context of digital predistortion (DPD) correction. Finally, the architecture of the proposed method is illustrated, which is suitable for real-time high-speed digital implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tonal carryover assimilation, whereby a tone is assimilated to the preceding one, is conditioned by prosodic boundaries in a way suggesting that its presence may signal continuity or lack of a boundary. Its possibility as a speech segmentation cue was investigated in two artificial language (AL) learning experiments. Mandarin-speaking listeners identified the "words" of a three-tone AL (e.g., [pé.tī.kù]) after listening to six long speech streams in which the words were repeated continuously without pauses. The first experiment revealed that segmentation was disrupted in an "incongruent-cues" condition where tonal carryover assimilation occurred across AL word boundaries and conflicted with statistical regularities in the speech streams. Segmentation was neither facilitated nor inhibited in a "congruent-cues" condition where tonal carryover assimilation occurred only within the AL words in 27% of the repetitions and never across word boundaries. A null effect was again found for the congruent-cues condition of the second experiment, where all AL word repetitions carried tonal carryover assimilation. These findings show that tonal carryover assimilation is exploited to resolve segmentation problems when cues conflict. Its null effect in the congruent-cues conditions might be linked to cue redundancy and suggest that it is weighted low in the segmentation cue hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the accurate boundaries of a species is critical to have a better perspective of any biological studies. Therefore, species delimitation is a subject of extensive part of studies in the framework of biology. Erodium species possess significant pharmacological and biological activities. The whole plant was used as astringent and haemostatic in uterine and other bleeding Therefore, due to the importance of these plant species, we performed a molecular data analysis for this species. For this study, we used 60 randomly collected plants from 5 species in five provinces. Amplification of genomic DNA using 10 primers produced 52 bands, of which 50 were polymorphic (98.48%). The obtained high average PIC and MI values revealed high capacity of ISSR primers to detect polymorphic loci among Erodium species. The genetic similarities of five collections were estimated from 0.77 to 0.91. According to Inter-Simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers analysis, E. cicutarium and E. malacoides had the lowest similarity and the species of E. malacoides and E. oxyrrhynchum had the highest similarity. The aims of present study are: 1) can ISSR markers identify Erodium species, and 2) to investigate the species interrelationship? The present study revealed that ISSR markers can identify the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of previous speech segmentation research suggests the prediction that listeners of Taiwanese Southern Min (TSM), a lexical tone language, would exploit vowel lengthening and syllable-onset consonant lengthening to locate word ends and beginnings, respectively. Yet, correlations between segment duration and tone identity in tone languages along with some TSM-specific phonological phenomena may work against such use. Two artificial language learning experiments examined TSM listeners' use of the lengthening cues. The listeners heard the words of an artificial language (e.g., /ba.nu.me/) repeated continuously and identified them in a subsequent two-alternative forced-choice test. Experiment I revealed that their segmentation benefits from and only from word-initial onset lengthening or word-final vowel lengthening, supporting the prediction. Experiment II further demonstrated that these two cues in combination synergistically support segmentation at least when compared to word-initial onset lengthening alone, consistent with previous findings regarding complementary cues. These results furnish additional evidence that vowel and onset consonant lengthening affect segmentation in different ways, possibly reflecting a functional division between vowels and consonants that is supported by some prosody-computing mechanism. Additionally, vowel lengthening seems to affect segmentation to a greater extent than onset consonant lengthening. Possible explanations for this and further issues are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to determine susceptibilities of Elizabethkingia spp. to 25 commonly tested and 8 novel antibiotics, and to compare the performance of different susceptibility testing methods.Methods: Clinical isolates of Elizabethkingia spp., Chryseobacterium spp. and Flavobacterium spp. collected during 2002-18 (n = 210) in a nationwide surveillance programme in Taiwan were speciated by 16S rRNA sequencing. MICs were determined by broth microdilution. The broth microdilution results of 18 common antibiotics were compared with those obtained by the VITEK 2 automated system.Results: Among the Elizabethkingia spp. identified (n = 108), Elizabethkingia anophelis was the most prevalent (n = 90), followed by Elizabethkingia meningoseptica (n = 7) and Elizabethkingia miricola cluster [E. miricola (n = 6), Elizabethkingia bruuniana (n = 3) and Elizabethkingia ursingii (n = 2)]. Most isolates were recovered from respiratory or blood specimens from hospitalized, elderly patients. PFGE showed two major and several minor E. anophelis clones. All isolates were resistant to nearly all the tested β-lactams. Doxycycline, minocycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole inhibited >90% of Elizabethkingia spp. Rifampin inhibited E. meningoseptica (100%) and E. anophelis (81.1%). Fluoroquinolones and tigecycline were active against E. meningoseptica and E. miricola cluster isolates. Novel antibiotics, including imipenem/relebactam, meropenem/vaborbactam, ceftazidime/avibactam, cefepime/zidebactam, delafloxacin, eravacycline and omadacycline were ineffective but lascufloxacin inhibited half of Elizabethkingia spp. The very major discrepancy rates of VITEK 2 were >1.5% for ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin and vancomycin. Major discrepancy rates were >3% for amikacin, tigecycline, piperacillin/tazobactam and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.Conclusions: MDR, absence of standard interpretation criteria and poor intermethod concordance necessitate working guidelines to facilitate future research of emerging Elizabethkingia spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastasis is the most prevalent cause of cancer-associated deaths amongst patients with cervical cancer. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is essential for carcinogenesis, and it confers metastatic properties to cancer cells. Gossypol is a natural polyphenolic compound with anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant, and anticancer activities. In this study, we investigated the antimetastatic and antitumour effects of gossypol on human cervical cancer cells (HeLa and SiHa cells). Gossypol exerted a strong inhibition effect on the migration and invasion of human cervical cancer cells. It reduced the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) pathway-mediated expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and urokinase-type plasminogen activator, subsequently inhibiting the invasion of SiHa cells. In addition, gossypol reversed EMT induced by transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF- β 1) and up-regulated epithelial markers, such as E-cadherin but significantly suppressed Ras homolog family member (Rho)A, RhoB, and p-Samd3. The tail vein injection model showed that gossypol treatment via oral gavage reduced lung metastasis. Gossypol also decreased tumour growth in vivo in the nude mouse xenograft model. All these findings suggest that gossypol suppressed the invasion and migration of human cervical cancer cells by targeting the FAK signaling pathway and reversing TGF- β 1-induced EMT. Hence, gossypol warrants further attention for basic mechanistic studies and drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student views of treatment acceptability of an intervention is important but still is neither regularly assessed nor studied beyond non-behavioral interventions. Furthermore, assessment of treatment acceptability across time is almost never considered. Using data from a longitudinal, randomized controlled trial, we examined variables that predicted students' treatment acceptability of Check & Connect, a mentoring intervention with promise for promoting school engagement. A series of multiple regressions with multiple imputations revealed that students' treatment acceptability ratings in Year 1 significantly predicted Year 2 ratings. Other variables examined, including dosage, change in mentor, and student and mentor characteristics, were not significant in predicting students' treatment acceptability ratings in Year 2. Implications for using treatment acceptability to facilitate buy-in and further replications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sequence memory is subject to age-related decline, but the underlying processes are not yet fully understood. We analyzed electroencephalography (EEG) in 21 healthy older (60–80 years) and 26 young participants (20–30 years) and compared time-frequency spectra and theta-gamma phase-amplitude-coupling (PAC) during encoding of the order of visually presented items. In older adults, desynchronization in theta (4–8 Hz) and synchronization in gamma (30–45 Hz) power did not distinguish between subsequently correctly and incorrectly remembered trials, while there was a subsequent memory effect for young adults. Theta-gamma PAC was modulated by item position within a sequence for older but not young adults. Specifically, position within a sequence was coded by higher gamma amplitude for successive theta phases for later correctly remembered trials. Thus, deficient differentiation in theta desynchronization and gamma oscillations during sequence encoding in older adults may reflect neurophysiological correlates of age-related memory decline. Furthermore, our results indicate that sequences are coded by theta-gamma PAC in older adults, but that this mechanism might lose precision in aging. • Sequence memory, an important aspect of episodic memory, declines in healthy aging. • Lower theta and higher gamma activity in encoding of correct trials in young adults. • No subsequent memory effect in oscillatory brain activity in healthy older adults. • Theta phase modulates gamma amplitude to code for item position in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan has strictly followed infection control measures to prevent spread of coronavirus disease. Meanwhile, nationwide surveillance data revealed drastic decreases in influenza diagnoses in outpatient departments, positivity rates of clinical specimens, and confirmed severe cases during the first 12 weeks of 2020 compared with the same period of 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effect of the underlying layer on two-step sequential perovskite is investigated. • TiO 2 nanorod arrays can offer a better wettability for solution-based PbI 2 coating. • Extra holes induced from inter-nanorod space can improve the converted PbI 2. • A smooth perovskite film can be obtained at TiO 2 nanorod arrays with a proper length. Perovskite solar cells have attracted much attention recently because of their high conversion efficiency enabling to fabricate at low-cost solution-based process. However, the high-quality perovskite via two-step sequential deposition hinges on the morphological structure of lead iodide (PbI 2) that directly affects its conversion into the perovskite. Herein, we demonstrate a facile approach to optimize the quality of two-step sequential perovskite by manipulating the morphology of PbI 2 via the utilization of hydrothermally synthesized TiO 2 nanorod arrays as the underlying layer. Our result reveals that the nanorod-shaped TiO 2 arrays composed of inter-nanorod spaces can offer an improved wettability to the solution-based PbI 2 coating. The variation of inter-nanorod spaces with TiO 2 nanorod lengths plays a crucial role in attaining the morphology of PbI 2 film with tunable porous structure, facilitating the interfacial reaction with methylammonium iodide. The perovskite solar cell formed on the proper TiO 2 nanorod arrays can deliver a better device performance than that of the improper counterparts, leading to the increase of the conversion efficiency from 11.98% to 13.05%. Such a boosted result from the optimized underlying layer can be ascribed for the improvement of the surface roughness and the converted process of PbI 2 , beneficial for achieving a high-quality perovskite film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the magnetic and topological properties of bulk crystals and quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) thin films formed by stacking intrinsic magnetized topological insulator (for example, Mn (SbxBi1-x)2X4 with X = Se,Te) septuple layers and topological insulator quintuple layers in arbitrary order. Our analysis makes use of a simplified model that retains only Dirac cone degrees of freedom on both surfaces of each septuple or quintuple layer. We demonstrate the model's applicability and estimate its parameters by comparing with ab initio density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. We then employ the coupled Dirac cone model to provide an explanation for the dependence of thin-film properties, particularly the presence or absence of the quantum anomalous Hall effect, on film thickness, magnetic configuration, and stacking arrangement, and to comment on the design ofWeyl superlattices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening chronic cardiopulmonary disorder. However, studies providing PAH-related gene expression profiles are scarce. To identify hub genes involved in PAH, we investigate two microarray data sets from gene expression omnibus (GEO). A total of 150 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by limma package. Enriched Gene Ontology (GO) annotations and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of DEGs mostly included mitotic nuclear division, ATPase activity, and Herpes simplex virus one infection. Ten hub genes from three significant modules were ascertained by Cytoscape (CytoHubba). Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) plots showed that transcription elongation factor complex was the most significantly enriched gene set positively correlated with the PAH group. At the same time, solute proton symporter activity was the most significantly enriched gene set positively correlated with the control group. Correlation analysis between hub genes suggested that SMC4, TOP2A, SMC2, KIF11, KIF23, ANLN, ARHGAP11A, SMC3, SMC6 and RAD50 may involve in the pathogenesis of PAH. Then, the miRNA-target genes regulation network was performed to unveil the underlying complex association among them. Finally, RNA extracted from monocrotaline (MCT)-induced Rat-PAH model lung artery tissues were to conduct quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to validate these hub genes. In conclusion, our study offers new evidence for the underlying molecular mechanisms of PAH as well as attractive targets for diagnosis and treatment of PAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Culture is characterized in fundamental biobehavioral dimensions and behavior. • Cultural neuroscience within the RDoC framework advances evidence-based research. • Cultural aspects contribute to translational efforts in global mental health. A comprehensive understanding of the basic molecular and cellular mechanisms of the brain is important for the scientific discovery of root causes, risk and protective factors for mental disorders in global mental health. Systematic research in cultural neuroscience within the research domain criteria (RDoC) framework investigates the fundamental biobehavioral dimensions and observable behavior across cultures. Cultural dimensions are characterized in elements of circuit-based mechanisms and behavior across a range of analysis. Research approaches in cultural neuroscience within the RDoC framework advance the evidence-based resources for the development and implementation of cures, preventions and interventions to mental disorders in global mental health. This review presents a novel synthesis of foundations in cultural neuroscience within the research domain criteria framework to advance integrative, translational efforts in discovery and delivery science of mental disorders across cultural contexts in global mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much attention has been paid to the role of effective instruction in classroom settings and there is compelling evidence that teacher clarity, student engagement, feedback, and active supervision are keys to student success. In positive behavior interventions and support (PBIS) schools, these principles are applied school-wide with students receiving supervision, engagement, and feedback regarding behavior in all areas of the school. As an assessment of typical interactions in common areas, trained coders observed school personnel across elementary through high school levels as they were stationed in hallway and cafeteria settings. Results show very low rates of engagement and feedback but relatively high rates of active supervision. These data are described in detail, compared to published rates of similar behaviors in the classroom, and discussed in terms of strategies for increasing effective instructional practices across all areas of the school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to incorporate a group leadership promotion approach into collaborative learning tasks in the hope of developing students' creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, we recruited 59 cross-professional students from a university in northern Taiwan, and divided them into an experimental group (6 sub-groups) and a control group (6 sub-groups). The experimental group students learned with the group leadership promotion approach, while the control group learned with conventional blended learning approach. The results show that the students could better develop their creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, and learning achievement via the group leadership promotion approach. Lastly, sequential analysis of their behaviors indicated that students' interaction with group leadership in online collaborative learning can promote many more creative ideas and comments, enhance reaching a consensus and making conclusions, and finally, facilitate completion of the group learning tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel semi‐aliphatic diamine with bulky cyclohexyl and ortho‐substituted tertiary butyl groups (4,4'‐(cyclohexylmethylene)bis(2‐(tert‐butyl)aniline), CHMBTBA) is synthesized via Mannich and rearrangement reactions of cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde and 2‐tert‐butylaniline. Afterward, several semi‐aliphatic polyimides are prepared by the high‐temperature one‐pot polymerization of CHMBTBA with various aromatic dianhydrides respectively. The resulting PIs exhibit outstanding solubility in common organic solvents (i.e., trichloromethane, etc.) and are easily processed into light color or colorless transparent films (thickness: 25 ± 1 µm) by the blade coating of polymer solution. The transmittance of all resulting films is above 86% in the visible light region (400–760 nm). Their glass transition temperatures exceed 310 °C and reach even to 374 °C (by differential scanning calorimetry). They also display low water absorption (0.29–0.87%) and good mechanical properties (tensile strength: 50.9–87.7 MPa, Young's modulus: 2.0‐2.5 GPa, elongation at break: 3.8–7.6%). Thus, they are promising potential candidates for flexible display substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]