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This study examined whether table tennis as a method of sensorimotor training improves haptic and motor function and to what extent haptic function gain correlates with changes in motor ability in children with probable developmental coordination disorder (pDCD). Children with pDCD were randomly assigned to the table tennis and nontraining control groups. The children in the table tennis group received 36 sessions of table tennis training, including ball balancing, hitting the ball against the wall, strokes, and serving. Haptic sensitivity, acuity, and motor function domains were measured. The results showed a 41.5% improvement in haptic sensitivity in children exposed to table tennis training compared with 2.8% in those without training. This improved haptic sensitivity significantly correlated with motor function gain, suggesting that somatosensory gains occur simultaneously with changes in motor function in children with pDCD. This novel upper limb motor training approach may be an interesting method of sensorimotor training in neurological rehabilitation in children with pDCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) is a prevalent phthalate ester widely used as a plasticizer, leading to its widespread presence in various environmental matrices. This study presents an innovative microbial immobilization strategy utilizing biochar, calcium alginate (alginate-Ca, (C12H14CaO12)n), and waterborne polyurethane (WPU) composites to enhance the biodegradation efficiency of DBP. The results revealed that rice husk biochar, pyrolyzed at 300 °C, exhibits relatively safer and more stable physical and chemical properties, making it an effective immobilization matrix. Additionally, the optimal cultural conditions for Bacillus aquimaris in DBP biodegradation were identified as incubation at 30 °C and pH 7, with the supplementation of 0.15 g of yeast extract, 0.0625 g of glucose, and 1 CMC of Triton X-100. Algal biotoxicity results indicated a significant decrease in biotoxicity, as evidenced by an increase in chlorophyll a content in Chlorella vulgaris following DBP removal from the culture medium. Finally, microbial community analysis demonstrated that encapsulating B. aquimaris within alginate-Ca and WPU layers not only enhanced DBP degradation, but also prevented ecological competition from indigenous microorganisms. This novel approach showcases the potential of agricultural waste utilization and microbial immobilization techniques for the remediation of DBP-contaminated environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder cancer (BC) is a malignant tumor of the urinary system with high mortality and recurrence rates. Proteasome subunit type 4 (PSMB4) is highly expressed and has been identified as having oncogenic properties in a variety of cancer types. This study aimed to explore the effect of PSMB4 knockdown on the survival, migration, and angiogenesis of human bladder cancer cells with different degrees of malignancy. We analyzed the effects of PSMB4 knockdown in bladder cancer cells and endothelial cells in the tumor microenvironment. PSMB4 was highly expressed in patients with low- and high-grade urothelial carcinoma. Inhibition of PSMB4 reduced protein expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and myosin light chain (MLC), leading to reduced migration. Furthermore, the suppression of PSMB4 decreased the levels of vascular endothelial factor B (VEGF-B), resulting in lower angiogenic abilities in human bladder cancer cells. PSMB4 inhibition affected the migratory ability of HUVECs and reduced VEGFR2 expression, consequently downregulating angiogenesis. In the metastatic animal model, PSMB4 knockdown reduced the relative volumes of lung tumors. Our findings suggest the role of PSMB4 as a potential target for therapeutic strategies against human bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought-induced leaf senescence is associated with high sugar levels, which bears some resemblance to the syndrome of diabetes in humans; however, the underlying mechanisms of such 'plant diabetes' on carbon imbalance and the corresponding detoxification strategy are not well understood. Here, we investigated the regulatory mechanism of exogenous methylglyoxal (MG) on 'plant diabetes' in maize plants under drought stress applied via foliar spraying during the grain-filling stage. Exogenous MG delayed leaf senescence and promoted photoassimilation, thereby reducing the yield loss induced by drought by 14%. Transcriptome and metabolite analyses revealed that drought increased sugar accumulation in leaves through inhibition of sugar transporters that facilitate phloem loading. This led to disequilibrium of glycolysis and overaccumulation of endogenous MG. Application of exogenous MG up-regulated glycolytic flux and the glyoxalase system that catabolyses endogenous MG and glycation end-products, ultimately alleviating 'plant diabetes'. In addition, the expression of genes facilitating anabolism and catabolism of trehalose-6-phosphate was promoted and suppressed by drought, respectively, and exogenous MG reversed this effect, implying that trehalose-6-phosphate signaling in the mediation of 'plant diabetes'. Furthermore, exogenous MG activated the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway, promoting the production of lignin and phenolic compounds, which are associated with drought tolerance. Overall, our findings indicate that exogenous MG activates defense-related pathways to alleviate the toxicity derived from 'plant diabetes', thereby helping to maintain leaf function and yield production under drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The prevalence of atopic diseases has increased in recent decades. A possible link between antibiotic use during pregnancy and childhood atopic disease has been proposed. The aim of this study is to explore the association of antibiotic exposure during pregnancy with childhood atopic diseases from a nationwide, population-based perspective. Methods: This was a nationwide population-based cohort study. Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database was the main source of data. The pairing of mothers and children was achieved by linking the NHIRD with the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database. This study enrolled the first-time pregnancies from 2004 to 2010. Infants of multiple delivery, preterm delivery, and death before 5 years old were excluded. All participants were followed up at least for 5 years. Antenatal antibiotics prescribed to mothers during the pregnancy period were reviewed. Children with more than two outpatient visits, or one admission, with a main diagnosis of asthma, allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis were regarded as having an atopic disease. Results: A total of 900,584 children were enrolled in this study. The adjusted hazard ratios of antibiotic exposure during pregnancy to childhood atopic diseases were 1.12 for atopic dermatitis, 1.06 for asthma, and 1.08 for allergic rhinitis, all of which reached statistical significance. The trimester effect was not significant. There was a trend showing the higher the number of times a child was prenatally exposed to antibiotics, the higher the hazard ratio was for childhood atopic diseases. Conclusions: Prenatal antibiotic exposure might increase the risk of childhood atopic diseases in a dose-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared gut (fecal) microbiota profiles between pre-term and full-term infants, assuming that pre-term infants without feeding intolerance would have gut microbiota similar to those of full-term infants. A total of 13 pre-term infants (gestational age < 37 weeks, birthweight ≤ 2500 g) and 10 full-term infants were included. The pre-term infants were assigned to the feeding tolerance (FT) group (n = 7) if their daily intake exceeded 100 mL/kg/day at two weeks after birth, or the feeding intolerance (FI) group (n = 6). Microbial DNA from weekly fecal samples was analyzed. The microbiota profiles of the pre-term infants and full-term infants were significantly different (p = 0.0001), as well as the FT and FI groups (p = 0.0009). The full-term group had more diversity, with higher concentrations of facultative anaerobes such as Bifidobacteriaceae and Lactobacteriaceae. The FT group's gut microbiota matured over four weeks, with higher levels of digestion-related bacteria, while the FI group had more pathogens. In the FI group, a significant difference was observed between the first and second weeks, with no significant differences noted between the first week and the third or fourth weeks. The delay in the development of the pre-term infants' gut microbiota may be associated with the FI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to some inverse boundary problems associated with a time‐dependent semilinear hyperbolic equation, where both nonlinearity and sources (including initial displacement and initial velocity) are unknown. It is shown in several generic scenarios that one can uniquely determine the nonlinearity and/or the sources by using passive or active boundary observations. In order to exploit the nonlinearity and the sources simultaneously, we develop a new technique, which combines the observability for linear wave equations and an approximation property with higher order linearization for the semilinear hyperbolic equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a mechanism to help companies minimize employee infections during a pandemic by allocating work-from-home (WFH) opportunities, even when the company lacks information about individual infection risks. The mechanism is based on a two-period model where the company has two groups of workers: high-risk and low-risk. Employees are given two channels, which offer different chances of getting long-term and short-term WFH opportunities. Our findings suggest that the company should provide as many long-term WFH opportunities as possible, rather than allocating workers to work remotely only during a period with a lower quota. High-risk workers should have a higher chance of getting long-term WFH opportunities, while low-risk workers should be more likely to get short-term WFH opportunities. Additionally, we suggest that the company may benefit from reserving some WFH resources in certain situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Successful orthognathic surgery requires accurate transfer of the intraoperative surgical plan. This study aimed to (1) evaluate the surgical error of a novel intermediate splint in positioning the maxilla during maxilla-first orthognathic surgery and (2) determine factors influencing surgical error. Materials and methods: This prospective study examined 83 patients who consecutively underwent Le Fort I osteotomy for correction of skeletal class III deformity using a novel intermediate splint and a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. Surgical error was the outcome variable, measured as the difference in postoperative translational and rotational maxillary position from the virtual plan. Measures included asymmetry, need and amount for mandibular opening during fabrication of intermediate splints, and planned and achieved skeletal movement. Results: Mean errors in translation for vertical, sagittal, and transversal dimensions were 1.0 ± 0.7 mm, 1.0 ± 0.6 mm, and 0.7 ± 0.6 mm, respectively; degrees in rotation for yaw, roll, and pitch were 0.8 ± 0.6, 0.6 ± 0.4, and 1.6 ± 1.1, respectively. The transverse error was smaller than sagittal and vertical errors; error for pitch was larger than roll and yaw (both p < 0.001). Error for sagittal, transverse, and roll positioning was affected by the achieved skeletal movement (roll, p < 0.05; pitch and yaw, p < 0.001). Surgical error of pitch positioning was affected by planned and achieved skeletal movement (both p < 0.001). Conclusions: Using the novel intermediate splint when performing Le Fort I osteotomy allowed for accurate positioning of the maxilla. Clinical relevance: The novel intermediate splint for maxillary positioning can be reliably used in clinical routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphate, an essential ingredient in fertilizers and detergents used daily worldwide, is a finite resource that may be exhausted within 70 years, while improper phosphate waste disposal into aquatic environments will result in eutrophication. Despite some chemical-based methods, biological phosphorus removal using polyphosphate-accumulating organisms, such as microalgae, is a sustainable alternative to reclaim phosphate from wastewater before wastewater enters aquatic environments, preventing ecosystem damage while recovering the phosphate for industrial use. Moreover, polyphosphates have profound biological functions and biomedical applications, serving as an energy stock, drug delivery vesicles, coagulation factors, and antiviral agents depending on the length of the polyphosphate chain, showing inherent value in polyphosphate recovery. However, before this study, there were no sustainable and efficient approaches to synthesizing purified polyphosphates enriched with different lengths, which limited industrial and biomedical applications. Here, by leveraging the power of thermodynamic coupling and phase transitions, we established a one-pot, two-step multi-enzyme cascade (comprising creatine kinase and two polyphosphate kinases) to transform heterogeneous polyphosphate in microalgae biomass to insoluble long-chain polyphosphate 1300-mers, allowing for further purification in a single step. In the cascade reactions, introducing creatine as the high-energy P-shuttle enables controlled manipulation of the creatine kinase reaction direction via pH modulation, effectively circumventing the competition between the two polyphosphate kinase-mediated reactions. Finally, we optimized a thermo-digestion approach to transform polyphosphate 1300-mers into shorter polyphosphates enriched with a specific narrow length range. Therefore, the processes established here create a sustainable P bioeconomy platform to refine microalgal biomass for biotechnological use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated annual influenza vaccinations have been associated with reduced vaccine‐induced antibody responses. This prospective study aimed to explore the role of vaccine antigen‐specific regulatory T (Treg) cells in antibody response to repeated annual influenza vaccination. We analyzed pre‐ and postvaccination hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers, seroconversion rates, seroprotection rates, vaccine antigen hemagglutinin (HA)‐specific Treg cells, and conventional T (Tconv) cells. We compared these parameters between vaccinees with or without vaccine‐induced seroconversion. Our multivariate logistic regression revealed that prior vaccination was significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of achieving seroconversion for both H1N1(adjusted OR, 0.03; 95% CI, 0.01–0.13) and H3N2 (adjusted OR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.03–0.30). Furthermore, individuals who received repeated vaccinations had significantly higher levels of pre‐existing HA‐specific Treg cells than those who did not. We also found that vaccine‐induced fold‐increases in HI titers and seroconversion were negatively correlated with pre‐existing HA‐specific Treg cells and positively correlated with the ratio of Tconv to Treg cells. Overall, our findings suggest that repeated annual influenza vaccination is associated with a lower vaccine‐induced antibody response and a higher frequency of vaccine‐specific Treg cells. However, a lower frequency of pre‐existing Treg cells correlates with a higher postvaccination antibody response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful early childhood education requires close collaboration between parents and preschool teachers. The purpose of the study was to implement a mobile application to foster parent–teacher communication (PTC) in a remote preschool. Being the teacher of the preschool, I conducted a four-cycle action research to crystallize problems, introduce the mobile app, improve my implementation, and create this report. Twenty-two parents during Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 participated in the study. A parental survey, a think-aloud protocol with three tasks, and interviews served as evidence of implementation and ideas for future improvement. This action research contributes to leveraging practitioner research approaches to improve technology-assisted PTC in the remote preschool settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immune synapse, a highly organized structure formed at the interface between T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells (APCs), is essential for T cell activation and the adaptive immune response. It has been shown that this interface shares similarities with the primary cilium, a sensory organelle in eukaryotic cells, although the roles of ciliary proteins on the immune synapse remain elusive. Here, we find that inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase E (INPP5E), a cilium-enriched protein responsible for regulating phosphoinositide localization, is enriched at the immune synapse in Jurkat T-cells during superantigen-mediated conjugation or antibody-mediated crosslinking of TCR complexes, and forms a complex with CD3ζ, ZAP-70, and Lck. Silencing INPP5E in Jurkat T-cells impairs the polarized distribution of CD3ζ at the immune synapse and correlates with a failure of PI(4,5)P2 clearance at the center of the synapse. Moreover, INPP5E silencing decreases proximal TCR signaling, including phosphorylation of CD3ζ and ZAP-70, and ultimately attenuates IL-2 secretion. Our results suggest that INPP5E is a new player in phosphoinositide manipulation at the synapse, controlling the TCR signaling cascade. INPP5E is shown to be involved in the process of proximal TCR signaling activation at the immune synapse by providing a preferable phosphoinositide microenvironment via hydrolyzing PI(4,5)P2 at the plasma membrane, regulating complex formation with CD3ζ, ZAP-70, and Lck, allowing proximal TCR signaling and T cell activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical chemistry of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of polymer solutions bears directly on the assembly of biologically functional dropletlike bodies from proteins and nucleic acids. These biomolecular condensates include certain extracellular materials and intracellular compartments that are characterized as "membraneless organelles." Analytical theories are a valuable, computationally efficient tool for addressing general principles. LLPS of neutral homopolymers is quite well described by theory, but it has been a challenge to develop general theories for the LLPS of heteropolymers involving charge-charge interactions. Here, we present a theory that combines a random-phase-approximation treatment of polymer density fluctuations and an account of intrachain conformational heterogeneity based on renormalized Kuhn lengths to provide predictions of LLPS properties as a function of pH, salt, and charge patterning along the chain sequence. Advancing beyond more limited analytical approaches, our LLPS theory is applicable to a wide variety of charged sequences ranging from highly charged polyelectrolytes to neutral or nearly neutral polyampholytes. This theory should be useful in high-throughput screening of protein and other sequences for their LLPS propensities and can serve as a basis for more comprehensive theories that incorporate nonelectrostatic interactions. Experimental ramifications of our theory are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of acute kidney injury (AKI) and hepatorenal syndrome–acute kidney injury (HRS–AKI) in cirrhosis has been associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction and gut-kidney crosstalk. We use the related markers such as zonulin, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) to predict AKI and HRS–AKI in cirrhotic patients and evaluate their in vitro effects on intestinal (Caco-2) cells and renal tubular (HK-2) cells. From 2013 to 2020, we enrolled 70 cirrhotic patients and developed prediction models for AKI and HRS–AKI over a six-month period. There were 13 (18.6%) and 8 (11.4%) cirrhotic patients developed AKI and HRS–AKI. The prediction models incorporated zonulin, LPS, LBP, C-reactive protein, age, and history of hepatitis B for AKI, and zonulin, LPS, LBP, total bilirubin, and Child–Pugh score for HRS–AKI. The area under curve (AUC) for the prediction of AKI and HRS–AKI was 0.94 and 0.95, respectively. Furthermore, the conditioned medium of LPS+hrLBP pre-treated Caco-2 cells induced apoptosis, necrosis, and zonulin release in HK-2 cells, demonstrating the communication between them. This study found that zonulin, LPS, and LBP are potential practical markers for predicting AKI and HRS–AKI in cirrhotic patients, which may serve as potential targets for renal outcomes in cirrhotic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In maize (Zea mays L.) production, grain-filling stage is a pivotal phase that drought occurring would irreversibly cause leaf senescence and yield loss. Meanwhile, drought induces the disequilibrium of carbohydrates that inevitably produces the toxic substance methylglyoxal (MG) that plays dual roles including cytotoxic metabolite or signaling molecule in plants. However, how exogenous MG influences maize yield formation in response to drought during grain filling remains unknown. In this study, maize plants were exposed to moderate and severe drought conditions from 15 to 28 days after pollination with foliar spraying of MG (0, 15, 25, and 35 mM). Notably, MG application significantly increased kernel number and retrieved yield loss by 14–48% under drought, demonstrating an increased resistance of the plants. Interestingly, high (25–35 mM) and low concentrations (15–25 mM) of MG application under moderate and severe drought performed the highest yield output, respectively. To investigate the mechanisms by which MG enhanced drought resistance, we confirmed that MG application postponed leaf senescence under both drought conditions and significantly improved photosynthesis under severe drought during filling stage. Specifically, MG application escalated the levels of soluble sugar and sucrose while suppressing endogenous MG accumulation by activating glyoxalase system in leaf during the early phase of drought stress and well-watered condition. Collectively, these results demonstrate that exogenous MG application enhances drought tolerance during maize grain filling, possibly through regulation on the homeostasis of endogenous MG and sugars. These findings provide a new approach to secure yield against drought stress in maize production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study several inverse problems associated with a fractional differential equation of the following form: \begin{document}$ (-\Delta)^s u(x)+\sum\limits_{k = 0}^N a^{(k)}(x) [u(x)]^k = 0, \ \ 0

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RA) can stabilize glycemic variability (GV) and interfere with eating behavior. This study compared the impact of insulin, GLP-1 RA, and dietary components on GV using professional continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes underwent CGM before and after switching from a twice-daily pre-mixed insulin treatment regimen to a GLP-1 RA (liraglutide) plus basal insulin regimen. The dietary components were recorded and analyzed by a certified dietitian. The interactions between the medical regimen, GV indices, and nutrient components were analyzed. Results: Sixteen patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled in this study. No significant differences in the diet components and total calorie intake between the two regimens were found. Under the pre-mixed insulin regimen, for increase in carbohydrate intake ratio, mean amplitude of glucose excursion (MAGE) and standard deviation (SD) increased; in contrast, under the new regimen, for increase in fat intake ratio, MAGE and SD decreased, while when the protein intake ratio increased, the coefficient of variation (CV) decreased. The impact of the food intake ratio on GV indices disappeared under the GLP-1 RA regimen. After switching to the GLP-1 RA regimen, the median MAGE, SD, and CV values decreased significantly. However, the significant difference in GV between the two regimens decreased during the daytime. Conclusion: A GLP-1 RA plus basal insulin regimen can stabilize GV better than a regimen of twice-daily pre-mixed insulin, especially in the daytime, and can diminish the effect of food components on GV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis due to its aggressiveness and low survival rate. In Ease Asia, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) outnumbers esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). The ESCC patients still have high mortality despite modern surgical resection and neoadjuvant treatment. Determining patient and outcome prognostic factors is critical in ESCC treatment. In esophageal cancer, early growth response-1 (Egr-1) is a tumor suppressor gene, but the mechanism and associated genes are unknown. The study utilizes RNA interference method, the platform of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatics analysis to investigate the influences after the Egr-1 gene slicing on the ESCC cells. The heat maps of differentially expressed mRNA and microRNAs were analyzed using the algorithm, Burrows-Wheller Aligner. The study showed that the expression of 51 mRNA and 26 microRNAs have significant changes in ESCC cells after Egr-1 knockdown. The KEGG enrichment analysis linked Egr-1-regulated genes and microRNAs. Egr-1 interactions with these genes and microRNAs may be important in tumor progression. In conclusions, this study provided the transcriptome patterns and relating pathway analysis for Egr-1 knockdown in ESCC cells. The mRNA and microRNAs altered by Egr-1 gene silencing might provide key information in the treatment of ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insomnia and suicidal thoughts are two of the negative impacts that have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying the factors that contribute to these psychological problems may help develop strategies to sustain the mental health of the public. The present study examined the psychosocial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic among different populations in Taiwan, and investigated the relationships between these psychosocial variables, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts.Methods: Between September 2020 and May 2021, online questionnaires including psychometrically validated scales were distributed to a convenience sample of outpatients (n = 205), healthcare workers (HCWs) (n = 500), and individuals in the general population (n = 1200) in Taiwan to collect data regarding their insomnia severity, suicidal thoughts, fear of COVID-19, trust of information, and resilience. Multivariate logistic regression methods were used to identify variables associated with suicidal thoughts and insomnia.Results: Greater fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with suicidal thoughts: odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.155 (1.002-1.330) for outpatients; 1.127 (1.035-1.228) for HCWs; and 1.100 (1.130-1.222) for those in the general population. Higher resilience was significantly associated with lower insomnia: OR (95% CI) = 0.819 (0.725-0.926) for outpatients; 0.803 (0.728-0.887), for HCWs; 0.829 (0.785-0.875), and for those in the general population. In addition, there was a statistically significant association between insomnia diagnosis and greater fear of COVID-19 among HCWs (OR [95% CI] = 1.102 [1.062-1.144]) and those in the general population (OR [95% CI] = 1.079 [1.053-1.106]). Among outpatients, there was a statistically significant association between suicidal thoughts and lower trust of information (OR [95% CI] = 0.794 [0.646-0.976]), while among those in the general population there was a statistically significant association between suicidal thoughts and higher insomnia severity (OR [95% CI] = 1.175 [1.13-1.222]). A statistically significant association was also found between insomnia diagnosis and higher suicidal thoughts among those in the general population (OR [95% CI] = 3.455 [2.338-5.106]).Conclusions: Trust of information, fear, and resilience were important factors for suppressing suicidal thoughts and insomnia among the three study populations. Health policies that monitor psychological status and build resiliency of the public are recommended to help develop tailored strategies for different populations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insomnia and suicidal thoughts are two of the negative impacts that have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying the factors that contribute to these psychological problems may help develop strategies to sustain the mental health of the public. The present study examined the psychosocial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic among different populations in Taiwan, and investigated the relationships between these psychosocial variables, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts. Methods: Between September 2020 and May 2021, online questionnaires including psychometrically validated scales were distributed to a convenience sample of outpatients (n = 205), healthcare workers (HCWs) (n = 500), and individuals in the general population (n = 1200) in Taiwan to collect data regarding their insomnia severity, suicidal thoughts, fear of COVID-19, trust of information, and resilience. Multivariate logistic regression methods were used to identify variables associated with suicidal thoughts and insomnia. Results: Greater fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with suicidal thoughts: odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.155 (1.002–1.330) for outpatients; 1.127 (1.035–1.228) for HCWs; and 1.100 (1.130–1.222) for those in the general population. Higher resilience was significantly associated with lower insomnia: OR (95% CI) = 0.819 (0.725–0.926) for outpatients; 0.803 (0.728–0.887), for HCWs; 0.829 (0.785–0.875), and for those in the general population. In addition, there was a statistically significant association between insomnia diagnosis and greater fear of COVID-19 among HCWs (OR [95% CI] = 1.102 [1.062–1.144]) and those in the general population (OR [95% CI] = 1.079 [1.053–1.106]). Among outpatients, there was a statistically significant association between suicidal thoughts and lower trust of information (OR [95% CI] = 0.794 [0.646–0.976]), while among those in the general population there was a statistically significant association between suicidal thoughts and higher insomnia severity (OR [95% CI] = 1.175 [1.13–1.222]). A statistically significant association was also found between insomnia diagnosis and higher suicidal thoughts among those in the general population (OR [95% CI] = 3.455 [2.338–5.106]). Conclusions: Trust of information, fear, and resilience were important factors for suppressing suicidal thoughts and insomnia among the three study populations. Health policies that monitor psychological status and build resiliency of the public are recommended to help develop tailored strategies for different populations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: ONX-0914 (PR957) is a proteasome subunit beta type-8 (PSMB8)-selective inhibitor. Previous studies have shown that inhibiting PSMB8 expression in a glioblastoma reduces tumor progression and angiogenesis. This study shows that ONX-0914 inhibits glioblastoma cell proliferation and induces cell death through apoptosis and autophagy via p53. In a mouse xenograft model, TMZ-combined ONX-0914 reduced tumor progression. This is the first study to evaluate the ONX-0914 function in glioblastomas. Glioblastoma is believed to be one of the most aggressive brain tumors in the world. ONX-0914 (PR957) is a selective inhibitor of proteasome subunit beta type-8 (PSMB8). Previous studies have shown that inhibiting PSMB8 expression in glioblastoma reduces tumor progression. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether ONX-0914 has antitumor effects on human glioblastoma. The results indicated that ONX-0914 treatment inhibited survival in LN229, GBM8401, and U87MG glioblastoma cells. Cell cycle analysis showed that ONX-0914 treatment caused cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase and apoptosis in glioblastoma cells. The protein expression of BCL-2 was reduced and PARP was cleaved after ONX-0914 treatment. Furthermore, the levels of p53 and phosphorylated p53 were increased by ONX-0914 treatment in glioblastoma cells. ONX-0914 also induced autophagy in glioblastoma cells. Furthermore, the p53 inhibitor pifithrin attenuated apoptosis but enhanced autophagy caused by ONX-0914. In an orthotopic mouse model, TMZ plus ONX-0914 reduced tumor progression better than the control or TMZ alone. These data suggest that ONX-0914 is a novel therapeutic drug for glioblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment protocols for two-stage revision arthroplasty with diabetes mellitus (DM) have not yet been established. The control of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in two-stage revision arthroplasty is still debated. This study aimed to clarify the importance of preoperative HbA1c levels before each stage of revision arthroplasty and to analyze the risk factors for reinfection.Methods: Five hundred eighty-eight patients suffered from first-time PJI and was treated in our institute from January 1994 to December 2010 were reviewed. The mean follow-up time was 13.8 (range, 10.2-24.8) years. Patients underwent two-stage revision arthroplasty with DM at presentation were included. The endpoint of the study was reinfection of the revision arthroplasty. Demographic, survivorship, and surgical variables were also analyzed.Results: Eighty-eight patients were identified and grouped by HbA1c level before the first stage surgery: Groups 1 and 2 had HbA1c levels < 7% and ≥ 7%, respectively. Reinfection was identified in 4.55% (2/44) and 18.18% (8/44) of the patients in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Survivorship analysis revealed correction of the HbA1c before the final stage of revision arthroplasty as an independent factor (p < 0.001). The identified risks for reinfection were HbA1c levels ≥ 7% before final-stage surgery, ≥ 3 stages of revision arthroplasty, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-Escherichia coli PJI.Conclusion: The HbA1c level before the final stage of revision arthroplasty could affect staged revision arthroplasty outcomes. Therefore, the necessity of postponing the elective final-stage revision arthroplasty procedure for HbA1c control should be further investigated in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is associated with poor survival despite surgical resection, and its pathogenesis has been broadly investigated in the past decade. Early growth response 1 (EGR-1) could involve regulating tumor development in ESCC cells. Methods: An attempt was made to examine the molecular and cellular influence of EGR-1 in esophageal cancer cells by RNA extraction, real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), cell culture, small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown, western blot, migration assay, and cell viability assay. One hundred and forty-four samples of ESCC were collected from our hospital and analyzed. Significantly higher EGR-1 expression was noted in tumor-adjacent normal tissue compared with tumor lesions. Results: The univariate analysis showed no significant impacts of EGR-1 expression on patients' survival. However, after adjusting for the pathological stage, patients with EGR-1 expression > 68th percentile had lower risks of cancer-related death. Moreover, knockdown of EGR-1 significantly enhanced cell migration, invasion, and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents in two ESCC cell lines. Conclusions: EGR-1 plays a key role in tumor suppression involving tumor viability suppression and reflects the treatment effect of current chemotherapy for ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the monotonicity method for fractional semilinear elliptic equations with power type nonlinearities. We prove that if-and-only-if monotonicity relations between coefficients and derivatives of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map hold. Based on the strong monotonicity relations, we study a constructive global uniqueness for coefficients and inclusion detection for the fractional Calderón type inverse problem. Meanwhile, we can also derive the Lipschitz stability with finitely many measurements. The results hold for any n ≥ 1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous clinical trial showed that a novel concentrated herbal extract formula, YH1 (Rhizoma coptidis and Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San), improved blood glucose and lipid control. This pilot observational study investigated whether YH1 affects microbiota, plasma, and fecal bile acid (BA) compositions in ten untreated male patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), hyperlipidemia, and a body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m2. Stool and plasma samples were collected for microbiome, BA, and biochemical analyses before and after 4 weeks of YH1 therapy. As previous studies found, the glycated albumin, 2-h postprandial glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly improved after YH1 treatment. Gut microbiota revealed an increased abundance of the short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria Anaerostipes and Escherichia/Shigella. Furthermore, YH1 inhibited specific phylotypes of bile salt hydrolase-expressing bacteria, including Parabacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Bacteroides caccae. Stool tauro-conjugated BA levels increased after YH1 treatment. Plasma total BAs and 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (C4), a BA synthesis indicator, were elevated. The reduced deconjugation of BAs and increased plasma conjugated BAs, especially tauro-conjugated BAs, led to a decreased glyco- to tauro-conjugated BA ratio and reduced unconjugated secondary BAs. These results suggest that YH1 ameliorates T2D and hyperlipidemia by modulating microbiota constituents that alter fecal and plasma BA compositions and promote liver cholesterol-to-BA conversion and glucose homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common problem we often encounter during traditional contrast radiography is that contrast media are not adequately retained in the target region, especially during oesophagography and proctography. Patients with oesophageal disorders often have dysphagia or regurgitation, which increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Stercoroma in patients with rectal disease often prevents clinicians from obtaining good‐quality proctography for diagnosis. In the present case report, we introduce a novel contrast diagnostic system that has been used to diagnose oesophageal and rectal strictures. Latex bags (commercial latex condoms) are thin with good elasticity, producing a delicate interface for contrast filling, thereby providing better image quality. The watertight design of the latex bag system facilitates the retrieval of contrast media after radiographic examination. Furthermore, it significantly decreases the risk of aspiration pneumonia during the diagnostic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Hypothesis Antipsychotics remain the main treatment for schizophrenia, but their effectiveness is challenging to compare. We aimed to assess the comparative real-world effectiveness of antipsychotics in preventing readmission among patients in Asia with early-stage schizophrenia to inform clinical decision making. Study Design We did a retrospective cohort study of first-admission schizophrenia patients (ICD-9-CM: 295; ICD-10-CM: F20 and F25) from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2017. The cohort was identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database NHIRD for Psychiatric Inpatients. The exposure was any antipsychotics prescribed post-discharge. The primary outcome was the readmission risk due to psychotic disorders, which was measured by adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs). Within-individual extended Cox models were applied for analyses, where the periods of oral risperidone use served as his or her own control. Study Results We selected 75 986 patients (men, 53.4%; mean [SD] age, 37.6 [12.0] years; mean [SD] duration of follow-up, 8.9 [5.0]) who were first admitted to psychiatric wards with schizophrenia in Taiwan. Among them, 47 150 patients (62.05%) had at least one readmission within 4 years. Compared to the period under treatment with oral risperidone, that under monotherapy with long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) had the lowest risk for psychotic readmission, with a risk reduction of 15–20%. However, the prevalence of person-prescription prevalence of LAIs remained low (< 10%) during the follow-up period. Conclusions The use of LAIs after the first admission for schizophrenia has notable advantages in preventing readmission. Such formulations should be offered earlier in the course of illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider an agent who decides whether to employ an information structure to learn about a payoff-relevant state of the world before making a decision. Information is costly either because (1) the agent has to wait some time until the information structure becomes available and is impatient, or because (2) she has to pay a fixed and menu-independent cost to use the information structure. For each menu of options the analyst observes random choice from the menu and whether the agent acquires the information. We give an axiomatic characterization of when this random choice is consistent with either of the cases (1) or (2). We identify the information structure the agent can employ, as well as its costs. We also discuss implications of our approach for sequential sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auditory cues, such as real-world sounds or music, influence how we perceive food. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of negatively and positively valenced mixtures of musical and non-musical sounds on the affective states of participants and their perception of chocolate ice cream. Consuming ice cream while listening to liked music (LM) and while listening to the combination of liked music and pleasant sound (LMPS) conditions gave rise to more positive emotions than listening to just pleasant sound (PS). Consuming ice cream during the LM condition resulted in the longest duration of perceived sweetness. On the other hand, PS and LMPS conditions resulted in cocoa dominating for longer. Bitterness and roasted were dominant under the disliked music and unpleasant sound (DMUS) and DM conditions respectively. Positive emotions correlated well with the temporal sensory perception of sweetness and cocoa when consuming chocolate ice cream under the positively valenced auditory conditions. In contrast, negative emotions were associated with bitter and roasted tastes/flavours under the negatively valenced auditory conditions. The combination of pleasant music and non-musical sound conditions evoked more positive emotions than when either was presented in isolation. Taken together, the results of this study support the view that sensory attributes correlated well with emotions evoked when consuming ice cream under different auditory conditions varying in terms of their valence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that share components of their parent cells and are attractive in biotechnology and biomedical research as potential disease biomarkers as well as therapeutic agents. Crucial to realizing this potential is the ability to manufacture high‐quality exosomes; however, unlike biologics such as proteins, exosomes lack standardized Good Manufacturing Practices for their processing and characterization. Furthermore, there is a lack of well‐characterized reference exosome materials to aid in selection of methods for exosome isolation, purification, and analysis. This review informs exosome research and technology development by comparing exosome processing and characterization methods and recommending exosome workflows. This review also provides a detailed introduction to exosomes, including their physical and chemical properties, roles in normal biological processes and in disease progression, and summarizes some of the on‐going clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider an agent who faces choice problems and learns information about an objective state of the world through a technology of sequential experiments. We consider two cases of learning costs. In the first, the agent discounts future payoffs geometrically. In the second, she incurs a constant flow cost of time. If the observable data consist only of the joint distributions over chosen actions and decision times, an analyst can uniquely identify the discount factor in the first case and the flow cost of time in the second case. Moreover, we show how an analyst can recover the agent's ex ante welfare in both cases, besides identifying her prior belief. Our approach does not rely on any knowledge about the underlying sequential experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thymoma is a type of rare mediastinal tumor whose clinical characteristics and indicators of prognosis are poorly understood. This single‐institution retrospective study aimed to assess the predictive value of tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging incorporating tumor size in predicting the risk of thymoma recurrence after resection. Methods: Four binary logistic regression models were developed. Models I and II included median tumor size and TNM stage, respectively. Model III included the above two variables. Model IV was model III containing these two variables and their interaction terms. All models were adjusted for WHO histological type, operational time, and adjuvant therapy. Results: A total of 276 patients with a median age of 51.0, including 21 patients with thymoma recurrence, were included in this study. Models II or III showed a lower ‐2LogL and higher AUC (0.735 and 0.738 vs. 0.576) with significantly better discrimination than model I, and model III and model II shared similar discrimination. In model III, TNM stage was positively correlated with thymoma recurrence. The recurrence risk of patients with TNM stage IV was significantly higher than those with TNM stage I (OR of 11.03, p = 0.022). No significant correlation between the tumor size and recurrence risk (p = 0.779) and no interaction was found between medium tumor size and TNM stage in model IV. Conclusions: This study suggests that the prediction contribution of the TNM stage combined with tumor size is similar to the TNM stage alone for tumor recurrence in patients with thymoma after surgical resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and successful aging among community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Adults aged ≥ 65 years who participated in the senior health checkup program at National Taiwan University Hospital during 2011–2013 were recruited (N = 467 at baseline). The participants were followed after 4 years and 6 years. MetS was assessed at baseline. Successful aging was evaluated at baseline, 4-year follow-up, and 6-year follow-up. We adopted an extended definition of successful aging, which was defined as three major domains: physiological, psychological, and sociological and economic domains. Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess the association between MetS and successful aging adjusting for time (follow-up years), age, sex, years of education, alcohol consumption and MetS×time interaction term. Results: The mean age of the study population was 72.9 (SD 5.5) years. The absence of baseline MetS had a positive effect on the probability of successful aging over six years. The absences of abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and hypertension were associated with the physiological successful aging. The absence of hypertension was the most significant predictor of physiological successful aging [aOR (95% CI) = 2.76 (1.67–4.58), p<0.001]. Significant increased trend was found in the overall and physiological successful aging across MetS status (No MetS, pre MetS, MetS; Ptrend <0.001). Conclusions: We found that MetS is a risk factor of successful aging among community-dwelling older adults. Public health policy should aim at avoidance of MetS in order to facilitate successful aging in older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, chronic renal diseases, and all-cause mortality. Furthermore, MetS is associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, the impact of dynamic changes in MetS on changes in the HRQOL was not previously explored. This was an eight-year, prospective cohort study in which 906 middle-aged adults from Shipai, Taipei in northern Taiwan were enrolled during 2009–2010 (baseline). Of those sampled, 427 participants completed the follow-up investigation after 8 years. The HRQOL was measured using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Other variables including age, sex, marital status, level of education, smoking, alcohol consumption, baseline body mass index, and changes in physical activity were adjusted. Compared with adults who never experienced MetS, adults with persistent MetS had a negative change in mental HRQOL (β − 4.20, 95% CI − 7.54 to − 0.86, p = 0.01). The negative changes of persistent MetS on the HRQOL were in the domains of vitality and mental health (β − 4.42, 95% CI − 8.10 to − 0.73 and β − 3.47, 95% CI − 6.90 to − 0.04, respectively). Women and overweight adults were vulnerable to the detrimental effects of persistent MetS. For better HRQOL, more resources should be devoted to reversing MetS in public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify and synthesize the outcomes of nurse‐led case management interventions for improving cancer treatment. Design: Systematic review with meta‐analysis. Data sources: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and CEPS were searched for articles published from inception till June 2019, and search was finalized in January 2020. Review Methods: The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) statement guidelines. The quality of evidence was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. Outcomes were analysed by using a pool of data of 95% confidence intervals (CIs), p value and fitting model based on heterogeneity of test results. Results: Eleven articles were included in the meta‐analysis. When compared with the regular care group, the nurse‐led case management group had: 1) shorter time from diagnosis to treatment by 9.07 days, 2) an improved treatment completion rates (OR = 2.45) and 3) more number of patients received hormone therapy. Conclusion: The synthesized results presented that nurse‐led case management is more effective than regular care in improving treatment timeliness, treatment completion rates and hormone therapy rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This study focuses on the design of a 3-DOF spherical motor for the camera module of the humanoid and autonomous systems. The proposed 3-DOF spherical motor has a wide application prospect in joints and eyeballs of the humanoid, unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous cars, walking robots, and other fields. In keeping with consumers' preferences for electromagnetic motors of ever smaller power consumption, it is necessary to improve the power efficiency of the electromagnetic motors used in unmanned aerial vehicles and robots without sacrificing their performance. Three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) spherical motors have been developed for these applications. Accordingly, this study modifies the 3-DOF spherical motor proposed by Hirata's group in a previous study (Heya, A.; Hirata, K.; Niguchi, N., Dynamic modeling and control of three-degree-of-freedom electromagnetic actuator for image stabilization, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics 2018, 54, 8207905.) to accomplish a 3-DOF spherical motor for camera module with higher torque output in the large rotation angle. The main contribution of this study is to improve the static torque in the X- and Y-axes with an improved electromagnetic structure and a particular controlling strategy. In the structural design, eight symmetrical coils with specific coil combination are used instead of conventional four symmetrical coils. In this study, the development of the proposed 3-DOF spherical motor was constructed and verified by using a 3D finite-element method (3D FEM). The simulation results show that the proposed 3-DOF spherical motor has higher torque output in the large rotation angle when compared to the original 3-DOF spherical motor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effect of COVID-19 pandemic among individuals has been very disturbing especially among healthcare workers. This study aims to examine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, sleep problems, and psychological distress among COVID-19 frontline healthcare workers in Taiwan. Hence, a total of 500 frontline healthcare workers were recruited to participate in this cross-sectional study. They responded to measures on fear of COVID-19, depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, PTSD, perceived stigma, and self-stigma. The results indicated a prevalence rate of 15.4% for PTSD symptoms, 44.6% for insomnia, 25.6% for depressive symptoms, 30.6% for anxiety symptoms, and 23.4% for stress among the participants. There were significantly positive interrelationships between all these variables. Anxiety symptoms and fear of COVID-19 predicted PTSD whereas symptoms of anxiety, fear of COVID-19, and stress predicted insomnia. The prevalence rates of the psychological problems reveal a worrying view of mental health challenges among Taiwanese frontline healthcare workers. Anxiety symptoms and fear of COVID-19 are the common predictive factors of PTSD and sleep problems suggesting that mental healthcare services for them may help prevent future occurrence of psychological problems by allaying fears of healthcare workers. Therefore, there should be mental healthcare services for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapeutic drug, often causes many adverse side effects in patients with cancer, such as weight loss, motor disability, blood circulation defects, myelosuppression, myocardial injury, joint degeneration, and bone loss. The Chinese herbal medicine Guilu Erxian Glue (GEG) has been used in the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis for hundreds of years, with considerably fewer side effects. We expected that GEG could serve as a protective and beneficial alternative treatment for DOX-induced adverse side effects. In this study, we evaluated whether GEG can alleviate DOX-induced weight loss, motor disability, abnormal blood circulation, myelosuppression, myocardial injury, joint degeneration, and bone loss by using chemotherapy models of synoviocyte cell line HIG-82 and mice. Moreover, we examined the antioxidant capacity of GEG by using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free-radical scavenging. Our results revealed that GEG treatment can significantly enhance DPPH free-radical scavenging and reduce DOX-induced cytotoxicity in synoviocyte HIG-82 cells. In addition, GEG treatment for 2 weeks can significantly relieve weight loss, enhance exhaustive exercise capacity, improve blood circulation, alleviate myocardial oxidative stress and inflammation, and strengthen the tibias of DOX-treated mice. Thus, we suggest that GEG treatment can be a protective and alternative therapy for alleviating chemotherapy-related side effects such as weight loss, motor disability, blood circulation defects, and bone loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study is aimed to propose an arthroscopic repair technique using a pre-tied suture device for peripheral TFCC (triangular fibrocartilage complex) tear with proximal component involvement. Methods: Through a retrospective review in the medical records of patients who underwent unilateral arthroscopic repair for TFCC Palmer IB lesion between 2017 and 2019, 12 patients were arthroscopically diagnosed as proximal component tear and received more than 1 year follow-up postoperatively. The arthroscope was introduced from 6R portal to discriminate Atzei class II from III lesions by a "visualization test" and to supervise the repair procedure using pre-tied FasT-Fix suture device from 3-4 portal. Two poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) blocks were further advanced along the device needle to finally seat outside the ulnar joint capsule, followed by gradually tightening the pre-tied suture loop until the TFCC periphery was securely repositioned and held stably. Results: Operation time averaged 87 min. Hook test and DRUJ arthroscopy confirmed proximal component tear in all 12 wrists. Four patients were diagnosed to be Atzei class II lesion as full thickness tear of distal component was arthroscopically identified from 6R portal while the other 8 exhibited partial thickness tear and were categorized as class III lesion. Follow-up averaged 15 months with a range of 12 to 24 months. Mayo modified wrist score improved from an average of 61.3 preoperatively to 90.4 at the latest visit. Conclusions: A modified technique for diagnosis and all-arthroscopic repair in TFCC Atzei class II and III lesions using a pre-tied suture device is a feasible and safe option with promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among engineered nanomaterials, CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) are of particular interest due to their unique properties. These NPs' anti-oxidative and auto-reduction natures also render them promising in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, different synthesis methods of CeO2 NPs were studied: an NH4OH precipitation method, a NaOH precipitation method, and a microwave hydrothermal synthesis. Among these methods, the one-pot facile NH4OH method outperformed the others. The synthesized CeO2 NPs were determined to be highly monodispersed 13 nm crystallites with a pH at the potential of zero point charge (pHzpc) of 2.2. The valence states of Ce in CeO2 NPs were 3 + and 4 + were determined. The synthesized CeO2 NPs remained stable over 2 days in a medium containing FBS and over 3 days in NaCl solutions. The auto-reduction oxidation cycles of our CeO2 NPs were able to scavenge ROS multiple times. The cytotoxicity of NPs showed CeO2 NPs did not have a significant toxic effect on neuro2A cells. Owing to its synthesis of NPs of small size, with anti-oxidative/auto-reduction nature, with stability in cell culture media, and an absence of cytotoxicity toward neuroblastoma cells, this novel method proves promising as a method to generate CeO2 NPs for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A direct reconstruction algorithm based on Calderón's linearization method for the reconstruction of isotropic conductivities is proposed for anisotropic conductivities in two-dimensions. To overcome the non-uniqueness of the anisotropic inverse conductivity problem, the entries of the unperturbed anisotropic tensors are assumed known a priori, and it remains to reconstruct the multiplicative scalar field. The quasi-conformal map in the plane facilitates the Calderón-based approach for anisotropic conductivities. The method is demonstrated on discontinuous radially symmetric conductivities of high and low contrast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent disease, and Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is commonly used for treating AR. This study aims to demonstrate the CHM network for AR and possible molecular pathways. Materials and Methods. Patients with a primary diagnosis of AR (ICD-9-CM code: 477.9) in 2010 were included, and the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan was used as the data source. Association rule mining and social network analysis were used to establish and explore the CHM network. Possible molecular pathways of the CHM network were summarized and compared with commonly used western medicine (WM) by conducting overrepresentation analysis in the Reactome pathway database. The potential proteins acted by CHMs were obtained from the CHM ingredient-protein databases, including STITCH, TCMSP, TCMID, and TCM@Taiwan. Results. There were 89,148 AR subjects found in 2010, and a total of 33,507 patients ever used CHM. On an average, 5.6 types of CHMs were utilized per prescription. Xin-Yi-Qing-Fei-Tang was used most frequently (25.5% of 222,279 prescriptions), while Xiao-Qing-Long-Tang with Xin-Yi-San was the most commonly prescribed CHM-CHM combination. Up to six distinctive clusters could be found among the CHM network, and core CHMs could be found for AR, such as Xiao-Qing-Long-Tang and Xin-Yi-Qing-Fei-Tang. A total of 140 molecular pathways were covered by the CHM network (2,432 ingredients from 31 kinds of CHMs), while 39 WMs covered 55 pathways. Among pathways responding to the immune system, WM mainly acted on cytokine signaling-related pathways, while CHM mostly acted on neutrophil/macrophage-related innate pathways and dendritic cell-related adaptive immunity pathways. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated and analyzed the CHM network for AR. Core CHM for AR and possible molecular pathways were presented as well, and this information is crucial for researchers to select candidates for CHM-related studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomolecular condensates consisting of proteins and nucleic acids can serve critical biological functions, so that some condensates are referred as membraneless organelles. They can also be disease‐causing, if their assembly is misregulated. A major physicochemical basis of the formation of biomolecular condensates is liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS). In general, LLPS depends on environmental variables, such as temperature and hydrostatic pressure. The effects of pressure on the LLPS of a binary SynGAP/PSD‐95 protein system mimicking postsynaptic densities, which are protein assemblies underneath the plasma membrane of excitatory synapses, were investigated. Quite unexpectedly, the model system LLPS is much more sensitive to pressure than the folded states of typical globular proteins. Phase‐separated droplets of SynGAP/PSD‐95 were found to dissolve into a homogeneous solution already at ten‐to‐hundred bar levels. The pressure sensitivity of SynGAP/PSD‐95 is seen here as a consequence of both pressure‐dependent multivalent interaction strength and void volume effects. Considering that organisms in the deep sea are under pressures up to about 1 kbar, this implies that deep‐sea organisms have to devise means to counteract this high pressure sensitivity of biomolecular condensates to avoid harm. Intriguingly, these findings may shed light on the biophysical underpinning of pressure‐related neurological disorders in terrestrial vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]