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This document is a correction notice for an article published in the journal Remote Sensing. The correction addresses mistakes in the legend for Figure 5b,c and Figure 9, which occurred during the proofreading stage. The authors confirm that these corrections do not affect the figure captions or the scientific conclusions of the article. The corrected legend for Figure 5 provides information on the seasonal variation of the joint probability distribution of liquid water clouds over the Indochina Peninsula, while the corrected legend for Figure 9 presents the marginal probabilities of cloud top pressure with respect to cloud optical thickness in different regions. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses two methods for reconstituting injectable poly-D,L-lactic acid (PDLLA) using vacuum-assisted hydration (VAH). The first method, known as the "wet" VAH method, involves attaching a syringe containing sterile water for injection (SWFI) to a syringe housing PDLLA lumps and creating negative pressure to draw the SWFI into the lumps. The second method, known as the "dry" VAH method, involves creating a vacuum within both syringes before introducing the SWFI. Both methods are based on Boyle's law and can be completed in less than 1 minute. However, practitioners must follow aseptic procedures and have a thorough understanding of the process to avoid contamination or process failure. [Extracted from the article]

The complete regeneration of deer antlers is based on the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) of antlers have an important role in antler regeneration and rapid growth and development. HGF is mainly synthesized and secreted by mesenchymal cells. After binding to its receptor c-Met, which transduces signals into cells to stimulate cell proliferation and migration in various organs to promote tissue morphogenesis and angiogenesis. However, the role and mechanism of the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway on antler MSCs are still unclear. In this study, we established antler MSCs with overexpression and interference of HGF gene by lentivirus and small interference RNA, observed the effect of HGF/c-Met signal pathway on the proliferation and migration of antler MSCs, and detected the expression of downstream related signal pathway genes, to explore the mechanism of HGF/c-MET signal pathway on the proliferation and migration of antler MSCs. The results showed that the HGF/c-Met signal affects the expression of RAS, ERK and MEK genes, regulates the proliferation of pilose antler MSCs through Ras/Raf, MEK/ERK pathway, affects the expression of Gab1, Grb2, AKT and PI3K genes, and regulates the migration of MSCs of pilose antler through Gab1/Grb2 and PI3K/AKT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and more accurate millimeter-wave imaging algorithm, applied to a close-range monostatic personnel screening system, with consideration of dual path propagation loss, is presented in this paper. The algorithm is developed in accordance with a more rigorous physical model for the monostatic system. The physical model treats incident waves and scattered waves as spherical waves with a more rigorous amplitude term as per electromagnetic theory. As a result, the proposed method can achieve a better focusing effect for multiple targets in different range planes. Since the mathematical methods in classical algorithms, such as spherical wave decomposition and Weyl identity, cannot handle the corresponding mathematical model, the proposed algorithm is derived through the method of stationary phase (MSP). The algorithm has been validated by numerical simulations and laboratory experiments. Good performance in terms of computational efficiency and accuracy has been observed. The synthetic reconstruction results show that the proposed algorithm has significant advantages compared with the classical algorithms, and the reconstruction by using full-wave data generated by FEKO further verifies the validity of the proposed algorithm. Finally, the proposed algorithm performs as expected over real data acquired by our laboratory prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isorhamnetin (IRh), which has a wide range of pharmacological effects, is one of the most significant active components in the fruits of Hippophae rhamnoides L. and the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L. It protects the heart and brain, in addition to possessing anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, organ protection, and anti-obesity properties. We sought to assess IRh's anti-psoriatic activity, explore its immunomodulatory properties in reducing the severity of psoriatic symptoms, and evaluate its potential immunotherapeutic effects. We used IRh to treat imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis in BALB/C mice and examined the underlying mechanisms. The outcomes demonstrated that IRh reduced epidermal hyperplasia, lowered PASI scores, and improved histopathological psoriasiform lesions in IMQ-induced mice. IRh attenuated the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), and also reversed the reduction caused by IMQ of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in skin tissues. Additionally, IRh effectively inhibited IMQ's ability to increase proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17A, and transcription factor NF-κB. Furthermore, IRh significantly reduced the percentage of Th1 and Th17 in the spleens of mice treated with IMQ and suppressed the maturation of splenic dendritic cells. Overall, our research suggests that IRh protects against oxidative stress and inflammation in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, with potential for the development of new and potent medication for the treatment of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to the Taiwan Strait, the geographical channel effect (GCE) has been observed in the Taipei Basin during winters. This study explored the potential links amongst GCE phenomena in the basin, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) events, and position of the continental high-pressure system (CHPS). Principal component analysis was applied to classify the CHPS distribution patterns influencing PM2.5 concentrations and meteorological parameters in the Taipei metropolis. In addition, non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis and Dwass–Steel–Critchlow–Fligner tests were applied to compare the parameters amongst distinct groups. Moreover, track analysis was utilised to trace the trajectories of air masses. The merged Dark Target Aerosol Angstrom Exponent (Ocean), Deep Blue Aerosol Angstrom Exponent (Land), and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) 3 km (Land and Ocean) of Terra/MODIS and Aqua/MODIS were used to confirm the connection of long-range PM2.5 transport. Two features in the atmospheric environment induce double GCEs: (1) wind direction below 90° in most of the upwind area of the Taisumi and Xindian River Basins; (2) CHPS centres moved across 110° E. Double GCEs can reduce the magnitude of PM2.5 air pollution and shape the distribution of PM2.5; however, they cannot prevent PM2.5 events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Filler injection for lower eyelid rejuvenation remains a difficult subject due to many complicated anatomic changes as the face ages. Objectives: To propose an alternative, simple, and effective filler injection method in lower eyelids for Asian patients. Methods: Any patient who has tear trough deformities, infra‐orbital hollows, nasojugal grooves, dark eye circles, as well as mild eyebags is a potential candidate for this method. Our filler choice is injectable poly‐d,l‐lactic acid (PDLLA; AestheFill; REGEN). PDLLA must be reconstituted with sterile water for injection (SWFI) before administration. When the patient's troughs, grooves, or volume deficit are classes II and III, 3–4 ml of SWFI and 1 ml of lidocaine are used. When the deficits are class I, 5–7 ml of SWFI and 1 ml of lidocaine are used. With the fanning injection technique, a wide region that covers all the deficits is evenly injected. The depth is under the dermis layer. The total amount of filler injection is not more than 2 ml on each side. Results: Since 2019, we have injected more than 100 patients by following these steps in Taiwan. The level of patient satisfaction is high. Only some mild and transient post‐injection complications such as edema, erythema, and ecchymosis were found. Conclusions: We propose an alternative, simple and effective method for non‐surgical lower eyelid rejuvenation for Asian patients. However, anyone who wants to perform this procedure should be well‐trained and knowledgeable about the anatomy, product, and procedure to prevent adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exacerbated precipitation–temperature relationship can lead to compound extremes. The role of clouds in such a relationship is relatively uncertain. Here, we investigate the cloud–precipitation–temperature relationships over the Indochina Peninsula during the summer monsoon transition. The negative correlation between cloudiness/precipitation and surface maximum temperature is valid on seasonal and interannual timescales. The near-surface temperature exhibits interdecadal variability and a long-term warming trend. The warming trend has accelerated in the past two decades. In the anomalous warm years, the remarkably strong western Pacific subtropical high inhibits the development of clouds, especially the middle and high cloud-top regimes, leading to the suppression of deep convection and precipitation. There are more optically thin (moderate to thick) clouds with smaller (larger) effective radii in the high cloud-top regime for the warm (cold) years. The dominance of shallow cumulus is a distinct feature in the warm years. The daytime heating of enhanced surface insolation due to decreased cloudiness is worsened by the dry condition of the precipitation deficit. The water vapor warming effect can prevent an efficient drop in nighttime temperature, thereby exacerbating the warm condition under the warming trend. The cloud–precipitation–temperature relationships coupling with the monsoon development can be used to diagnose the regional scale cloud–climate interactions in climate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deformations in dam structures can have a critical impact on dam safety and life. Accurate methods for dam deformation prediction and safety evaluation are thus highly needed. Dam deformations can be predicted based on many factors. The analysis of these influences on the deformation of the dam reveals a problem that deserves further attention: dam deformation lags behind environmental factors of the water level and temperature as well as the time lag of the temporal dam deformation data. In this paper, a hybrid deep learning model is proposed to enhance the accuracy of dam deformation forecasting based on lag indices of these factors. In particular, dam deformations are predicted using deep networks based on gated recurrent units (GRUs), which can effectively capture the temporal characteristics of dam deformation. In addition, an improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) algorithm is used for optimizing the GRU hyperparameters. Furthermore, the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise algorithm (CEEMDAN) and the partial autocorrelation function (PACF) are exploited to select the lag factor indices. The accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed CEEMDAN–PACF–IPSO–GRU hybrid model were evaluated and compared with those of other existing models in terms of four different evaluation indices (MAE, MSE, R2 , and RMSE) and using 9-year historical data for the case of a pulp-masonry arch dam in China. The experimental results show that our model outperforms other models in terms of the deformation prediction accuracy (R2 increased by 0.16%–9.74%, while the other indices increased by 14.55% to reach 96.69%), and hence represents a promising framework for general analysis of dam deformations and other types of structural behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Oxidative stress has been proven to be essential in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effect of Gegen Qinlian decoction (GQ) on the Nrf2 pathway in the treatment of UC and explore the potential mechanism. Methods. The UC rat model was induced by 5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) aqueous solution, and UC rats were treated with GQ orally. The effect of GQ on UC rats was recorded. Human clonal colon adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were employed in this study. After being stimulated with TNF-α for 2 hours, Caco-2 cells were cultured with GQ or its major components (puerarin, baicalin, berberine, and liquiritin) for 22 hours. In addition, the Nrf2 gene of Caco-2 cells was silenced and then cultured with GQ for 22 hours. The contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in colonic tissues and Caco-2 cells were detected by assay kits. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Caco-2 cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were employed to detect the mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and its related target genes in colon tissues and Caco-2 cells. Results. GQ alleviated the injured colonic mucosa and activated the expression of Nrf2 in UC rats. In TNF-α stimulated Caco-2 cells and Nrf2 silenced Caco-2 cells, GQ also reversed the inhibitory effect of Nrf2. Furthermore, the major components of GQ could activate Nrf2 signaling in TNF-α stimulated cells as well. Moreover, the contents of SOD, GSH, MDA, and ROS were restored to normal after treatment with GQ or its major components. Among these components, puerarin, berberine, and liquiritin appear to have a better effect on activating Nrf2 in vitro. Overall, GQ can alleviate UC by increasing the activity of Nrf2/ARE signaling and enhancing the effect of antioxidant stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General theory of holographic inversion with linear frequency modulation (GHI-LFM) has been proposed recently, providing the framework for further advances in the holographic methods for image reconstruction with millimeter-wave linear frequency modulation (LFM) radar. Here, accelerated holographic imaging (AHI)-LFM, an AHI method for LFM radar that exploits range stacking, is proposed. The method is developed and validated for the purpose of whole-body security screening. The image quality and the computational efficiency are compared with the original GHI-LFM algorithm. It is demonstrated that the AHI-LFM algorithm improves the reconstruction speed by at least an order of magnitude while preserving the same image quality for the image sizes arising in practical whole-body security screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical decisions about whether and how to integrate sustainability measures into the life cycle activities of green buildings are made in the early architectural design phase. To this end, researchers have advocated the use of various green building simulation technologies (GBSTs) to perform sustainability analyses to support integrated architectural design processes, cross-disciplinary communications, and evidence-based decision making. However, the adoption of GBSTs in architectural design practices remains limited. Building on the technology acceptance model, this paper investigates the determinants and mechanisms that influence the adoption of GBSTs in practice. Empirical data collected from architectural designers in Taiwan through qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey show that perceived usefulness is a strong predictor of designers' intentions to adopt GBSTs. Job relevance, result demonstrability, compatibility, and competitive advantage are also important determinants of GBST adoption. Practical recommendations are offered to encourage greater adoption of GBSTs in architectural design practices. Theoretically, this research extends the technology adoption literature in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry by broadening and deepening the understanding of context-specific determinants of GBST adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge detection is of critical importance for middle-level and high-level tasks in computer vision. Existing edge detection methods usually use VGG16 as the encoding network and achieve exceptional performance through transfer learning, which has the characteristics of high parameters and high computational cost. Researchers have implemented edge detection by designing decoding networks. Unlike existing methods, this paper is inspired by the effective mechanisms of edge detection in the parallel pathway of biological vision and proposes a new lightweight encoding–decoding structure for edge detection networks, which we refer to as XYW-Net. In the encoding network, we drew inspiration from the receptive field properties of X-type cells, Y-type cells, and W-type cells involved in the parallel pathway, and developed more meticulous convolutional models. Based on the structure of the parallel pathway, the three cell modules are combined into a novel encoding network and excellent feature extraction performance is obtained. Within the decoding network, this paper draws inspiration from the feature integration ability of the inferotemporal cortex (IT) and introduces a novel feature integration module to constitute the decoding network. Experiments show that the proposed network in this paper obtains the Optimal Dataset Scale (ODS) = 0.812 on the BSDS500 dataset with only 0.79 M parameters. Additionally, the model has exhibited outstanding ODS performance on various publicly available edge detection datasets, including NYUD, BIPEDv1, and Multicue. Moreover, future research could concentrate on implementing more efficient antagonistic mechanisms and devising networks grounded in higher-level visual cortical mechanisms. This could further augment the performance and efficiency of edge detection networks. We encourage researchers to delve into these directions within the field. The codes are available at https://github.com/PXinTao/XYW-Net. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart floor is an indispensable component of future smart buildings, it is urgent to develop a low-cost, self-powered, and high reliability smart floor. Herein, we propose a disposable cups inspired self-powered smart floor (DCIS-floor) for trajectory recognition and human-interactive sensing. The conical surface of the cup-shaped triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is greater than the projected area, resulting in an increased working area of functional materials on a limited floor. This enables more power generation units to be arranged on the limited floor while ensuring that each unit can generate sufficient electricity. Both pressure and shear force are applied as two conical surfaces contact, increasing the degree of contact between functional materials while avoiding excessive frictional force and wear during working process. Compared to cylindrical structures, conical structures offer greater flexibility in contact-separation without intricate machining and assembly, which is ideal for efficient large-area manufacturing. In the experiments, DCIS-floor achieves object motion trajectory recognition, visual recognition based trajectory wireless sensing, and pressure distribution sensing functions. Utilizing a convolutional neural network for data analysis, DCIS-floor realizes personnel identification. This work provides an effective method for smart floors in the safety monitoring, intelligent identification, and emergency rescue of future smart buildings. [Display omitted] • A disposable cups inspired self-powered smart floor is proposed. • The conical surfaces increase the contact degree between functional materials. • The conical structures offer greater flexibility in contact-separation motion. • The trajectory printing and human-interactive sensing system is realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate poverty alleviation (APA) is crucial to building a well-off society in an all-round way. Companies and the capital market are implementers of APA. In the context of stock price collapse risk (SPCR), this paper verifies whether the APA by state-owned listed enterprises (SOLEs) could effectively suppress SPCR. Empirical results show that SOLEs engaging in APA and investing heavily in APA have a relatively low SPCR. This conclusion holds after the control of robustness and endogenous factors. Information disclosure system mediates the effect of APA on SPCR. Besides, APA suppresses SPCR more significantly in central state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and public welfare SOEs. Further analysis indicates that good institutional environment, strong poverty alleviation pressure, poverty experience of executives, and model of party organization governance can effectively enhance the influence of APA on SPCR. The research results suggest that SOLEs actively engaging in APA can effectively suppress SPCR by disclosing APA information. This is an organic manifestation of APA effectiveness in the capital market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logistics is the booster of economic development, and it is imperative to further improve the logistics energy efficiency and adjust its development model. This paper is an attempt to investigate the logistics energy efficiency and main influencing factors of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, which is the most economically intensive region that spans East, Central, and West China. The input-oriented SBM-DEA model is employed to identify factors such as energy input, undesirable output, and service capacity output as well as the logistics energy efficiency of Yangtze River Economic Belt. Energy efficiency is then further decomposed into pure technical efficiency, scale efficiency, and technical efficiency, from the perspective of which provinces and cities are compared. The research results show that the logistics energy efficiency of Yangtze River Economic Belt needs to be further improved and that energy efficiency differs greatly among cities and provinces, indicating that the development is quite unbalanced in different areas. Therefore, the local government should develop development strategies according to the main influencing factors and constraints to the local logistics industry, so as to optimize and upgrade the energy structure of the logistics industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years, contour detection algorithm has made obvious progress with the help of convolutional neural networks. The aim of this paper is to present a novel network connecting low‐ and high‐resolution features to make the network achieving richer feature representation. First, VGG net is used as encoding part with outputting the features of different resolutions, and then the feature maps are combined in some specific resolution with up‐ or down‐sample method. The combining process can be stack step‐by‐step. The proposed network makes the encoding part deeper to extract richer convolutional features. The experiments have shown that the proposed method improves the contour detection performances and outperform some existed convolutional neural networks based methods on BSDS500 and NYUD‐V2 datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Undetectable HCV RNA 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12) has been the valid efficacy endpoint in the era of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Its concordance with SVR4 and SVR24 and long-term durability is unknown in Taiwanese chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. Methods: A total of 1080 CHC patients who received all-oral DAAs and an achieved end-of-treatment virological response (EOTVR), defined as undetectable HCV RNA at the end of therapy, were consecutively enrolled. HCV RNA was monitored 4, 12, and 24 weeks after EOT. Patients who achieved SVR24, defined as undetectable HCV RNA 24 weeks after EOT, were followed annually for assessing SVR durability. Results: Eleven (1.02%) patients experienced HCV RNA reappearance after EOT. The most frequent timing of RNA reappearance was observed at SVR4 (n = 7), followed by SVR12 (n = 3) and SVR 24 (n = 1). The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of SVR4 in predicting SVR12 were 99.7% and 100%, respectively, whereas the PPV and NPV of SVR12 in predicting SVR24 were 99.9% and 100%, respectively. Pyrosequencing confirmed delayed relapse rather than reinfection for the patient who had detectable HCV RNA at SVR24. Among 978 patients who achieved SVR24, after a median follow-up period of 17.3±8.2 months, the SVR durability is 100% up to a 4-year follow-up. Conclusion: Achievement of SVR12 provides excellent durability of HCV seroclearance after DAA therapy. On-demand HCV RNA beyond SVR12 should be recommended for patients with unexplainable abnormal liver function or high-risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Springtime is the biomass burning (BB) season in Indochina. BB emissions are transported to East Asia and Taiwan at elevations of between 2000 and 4000 m and then transported downward to the near-surface layer when weather conditions are favorable. In this study, a numerical model, the Weather Research Forecast with Chemistry (WRF–Chem) model with tracer simulation was employed to explore the downward transport mechanisms and evaluate their potential effects on the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and near-surface layer during the springtime (Feb.–April) in 2018. Ambient backscatter was measured through LiDAR, aerosol optical depth was measured by MODIS and Himawari-8 satellites and by ground observations from the stations of AERONET. The data were applied to identify the transport mechanisms and evaluate the performance of the model. We summarized the downward transport mechanisms surrounding Taiwan, including the thermal effects of mountain downslope circulations (MDC), frontal secondary circulation (FSC) downward transport, and the mixing of MDC and FSC (MMF). Over Taiwan, the contributions of BB emissions for the MDC to the near-surface layer (<500 m), PBL (<1500 m), and free atmosphere (1500–6000 m) were 0.4%, 4.7%, and >95%, respectively, during springtime in 2018. For the FSC (MMF) mechanisms, the BB contributions to the near-surface layer, PBL, and free atmosphere were 2.5% (3.3%), 15.7% (17.1%), and 84.3% (82.9%), respectively. MMF occurred the most frequently among these three mechanisms and had the largest effect on the near-surface layer and PBL. The downward contributions of BB in different regions, including Taiwan, southern China, and the East China Sea (ECS), were also evaluated. Southern China had the highest value (11.0% [2.1%]) in the PBL (near-surface layer), followed by Taiwan and the ECS (8.2% [1.2%] and 4.5% [0.4%]). Overall, this research fills a gap in our understanding of the mechanisms by which BB emissions are transported to the surface and how they affect air quality in East Asia in general and Taiwan in particular. • We analyzed the BB emissions transport from Indochina to East Asia in general. • The downward transport mechanisms of aloft BB emissions have been explored. • The Impacts of BB emission on the PBL over the study regions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a general theory of the holographic image reconstruction with linear frequency modulation (LFM) radars. For the first time, the system limitations in terms of the object extent and distance are derived and explicitly related to the LFM radar frequency-modulation slope $\gamma $. The holographic inversion formula is improved to account for the spherical spread of the scattered wave. The theory and the generalized holographic inversion algorithm are validated by synthetic benchmark data as well as experimental data from an in-house LFM-radar prototype operating at 29.9-GHz central frequency and bandwidth of 5.8 GHz. Experiments confirm that the lateral spatial resolution is about 5 mm. For optimal performance, the system is calibrated using a simple but effective calibration approach based on a measurement with a metallic plate. Experiments, with a volunteer carrying metallic and nonmetallic objects, demonstrate very good performance in realistic scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the smart grid and big data environment, accurate and large amount of power load data for users can be obtained with the wide application of non-intrusive load monitoring technology. In the research process of customers' information, information security protection of users' electricity data has become a research hotspot urgently. This article proposes a new type of load decomposition method for electric vehicle load information and compares it with hidden Markov model algorithm to verify its accuracy. On this basis, the elliptic curve encryption algorithm is used to encrypt the users' electricity data, and the function and effectiveness of the encryption algorithm are verified by comparing the load decomposition of the electric vehicle with the unencrypted data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the key technology for Internet of things, wireless sensor networks have received more attentions in recent years. Mobile localization is one of the significant topics in wireless sensor networks. In wireless sensor network, non-line-of-sight propagation is a common phenomenon leading to the growing non-line-of-sight error. It is a fatal impact for the localization accuracy of the mobile target. In this article, a novel method based on the nearest neighbor variable estimation is proposed to mitigate the non-line-of-sight error. First, the linear regression model of the extended Kalman filter is used to obtain the residual of the distance measurement value. After that, the residual analysis is used to complete the identification of the measurement value state. Then, by analyzing the statistical characteristics of the non-line-of-sight residual, the nearest neighbor variable estimation is proposed to estimate the probability density function of residual. Finally, the improved M-estimation is proposed to locate the mobile robot. Experiment results prove that the accuracy and robustness of the proposed algorithm are better than other methods in the mixed line-of-sight/non-line-of-sight environment. The proposed algorithm effectively inhibits the non-line-of-sight error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of intelligent transportation systems, enormous amounts of delay-sensitive vehicular services have been emerging and challenge both the architectures and protocols of vehicular networks. However, existing cloud computing-embedded vehicular networks cannot guarantee timely data processing or service access, due to long propagation delay and traffic congestion at the cloud center. Meanwhile, the current distributed network architecture does not support scalable network management, leading the intelligent data computing policies to be undeployable. With this motivation, we propose to introduce fog computing into vehicular networks and define the Multiple Time-constrained Vehicular applications Scheduling (MTVS) issue. First, to improve the network flexibility and controllability, we introduce a Fog-based Base Station (FBS) and propose a Software-Defined Networking (SDN)-enabled architecture dividing the networks into network, fog, and control layers. To address MTVS issue, instead of normal centralized computing-based approaches, we propose to distribute mobile delay-sensitive task in data-level over multiple FBSs. In particular, we regard the fog layer of SDN-enabled network as an FBS-based network and propose to distribute the computing task based on the FBSs along multiple paths in the fog layer. By Linear Programming, we optimize the optimal data distribution/transmission model by formulating the delay computation model. Then, we propose a hybrid scheduling algorithm including both local scheduling and fog scheduling, which can be deployed on the proposed SDN-enabled vehicular networks. Simulation results demonstrate that our approach performs better than some recent research outcomes, especially in the success rate for addressing MTVS issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevant physiological studies have revealed that the response of the classical receptive field (CRF) to visual stimuli could be suppressed by non‐CRF (nCRF) inhibition of the kernel in the primary visual cortex (V1). Based on this mechanism, many bio‐inspired contour detection models have been proposed, which are mainly achieved through CRF responses and nCRF surround inhibition calculation. In fact, the dynamic characteristics of neurons play an important role in contour detection in biological vision. Inspired by these visual mechanisms, the authors propose a contour detection model that emulates these dynamic characteristics. By introducing a multi‐bandwidth Gabor filter, according to the target image, they can effectively adjust the weight ratios of the filter to protect the contours and filter the background textures in the calculation of CRF responses. Additionally, they logarithmically modulate the nCRF inhibition kernel to make texture suppression more flexible and effective, thus improving the accuracy of detection algorithm as a whole. Compared with existing bio‐inspired contour detection models, the proposed model is more effective at contour detection, which will aid engineering applications that utilise pattern recognition in machine vision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In underwater acoustic sensor networks (UASNs), the sensors are deployed at different areas of the ocean, which perform information collection and delay-sensitive routing to the data center for further processing or industrial computing. However, in UASNs, the network states have spatiotemporal characteristics due to tides or autonomous underwater vehicles. To steadily route the traffic especially when the spatiotemporal characteristics of the UASNs are considered, a network architecture with intelligent traffic engineering or routing policies is indispensable. In this paper, we employ software-defined networking (SDN) technology and propose an SDN-enabled distributed architecture for UASNs. Based on the proposed architecture, we propose a scheme DSR-SDN for delay-sensitive spatiotemporal routing in SDN-enabled UASNs. The DSR-SDN includes three phases: First, topology awareness; second, spatiotemporal characteristics estimation; and third, routing computation. Particularly, with SDN features, DSR-SDN provides topology awareness based on a proposed software-defined beaconing scheme. Based on the detected topology, the spatiotemporal characteristics of the network states are estimated based on a proposed SDN-based hierarchical node localizing approach SDN-HL. Lead by the SDN controllers, SDN-HL makes use of the proposed “minimum weighted gap” formulation and Adam algorithm to optimize the localization and builds the indirect links to increase the localization rate. To route the traffic through the network with spatiotemporal characteristics, we adopt the time-expanded network approach, based on which a spatiotemporal route decision can be made before the routing starts. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme, i.e., DSR-SDN, can conduct accurate spatiotemporal characteristic estimation for the network states and provide delay-sensitive spatiotemporal routing for the sensed data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors is influenced by environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors. We explored whether coffee consumption and the rs301 variant of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene are related to MetS. Methods: We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses using data gathered from 9523 subjects in Taiwan Biobank (TWB). Results: Our findings indicated that individuals who consumed coffee had a reduced odds ratio (OR) for MetS (0.750 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.653–0.861) compared to non-coffee drinkers. Additionally, the risk of MetS was lower for individuals with the 'TC' and 'CC' genotypes of rs301 compared to those with the 'TT' genotype. Specifically, the OR for MetS was 0.827 (95% CI 0.721–0.949) for the 'TC' genotype and 0.848 (95% CI 0.610–1.177) for the 'CC' genotype. We observed an interaction between coffee consumption and the rs301 variant, with a p-value for the interaction of 0.0437. Compared to the reference group ('no coffee drinking/TT'), the ORs for MetS were 0.836 (95% CI 0.706–0.992) for 'coffee drinking/TT', 0.557 (95% CI 0.438–0.707) for 'coffee drinking/TC', and 0.544 (95% CI 0.319–0.927) for 'coffee drinking/CC'. Notably, MetS was not observed in non-coffee drinkers regardless of their rs301 genotype. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that rs301 genotypes may protect against MetS in Taiwanese adults who consume coffee compared to non-coffee drinkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge detection is fundamental to advanced computer vision tasks. Although deep learning-based methods can generate excellent results, they tend to be computationally expensive. To address this issue, researchers have explored the development of lightweight CNNs. Physiological studies have shown that there are two visual pathways in the biological visual system. The second visual pathway can modulate the first visual pathway, aiding the visual cortex in extracting edges from images more quickly. The inferior temporal cortex can integrate the edge signals extracted by the visual pathways and generate edges. Inspired by this, we designed a bio-inspired lightweight edge detection CNN, which includes an Encoder and a Decoder. The Encoder consists of a bio-inspired first visual pathway network and a bio-inspired second visual pathway network. The Decoder consists of a compact receptive field enhanced network. Specifically, the bio-inspired first visual pathway network can calculate the rate of change of image pixels. Through adaptive antagonism, signals with different rates of change are mutually suppressed. Meanwhile, the bio-inspired second visual pathway network can guide the bio-inspired first visual pathway network to focus more on the salient parts of the image. In addition, the receptive field-enhanced network can perceive image features distributed along specific directions, helping the decoder generate clearer edges. Our proposed method achieves competitive results on the BSDS500 dataset with ODS=0.805 and on the NYUD-v2 dataset with ODS = 0.757, while also having lower computational costs than most existing methods. Therefore, our approach is suitable for devices with lower computing capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For item selection in cognitive diagnostic computerized adaptive testing (CD-CAT), ideally, a single item selection index should be created to simultaneously regulate precision, exposure status, and attribute balancing. For this purpose, in this study, we first proposed an attribute-balanced item selection criterion, namely, the standardized weighted deviation global discrimination index (SWDGDI), and subsequently formulated the constrained progressive index (CP_SWDGDI) by casting the SWDGDI in a progressive algorithm. A simulation study revealed that the SWDGDI method was effective in balancing attribute coverage and the CP_SWDGDI method was able to simultaneously balance attribute coverage and item pool usage while maintaining acceptable estimation precision. This research also demonstrates the advantage of a relatively low number of attributes in CD-CAT applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A novel water-proof hybrid wind energy harvester is proposed. • The optimized magnetic arrangement is utilized to reduce the resistance torque. • A coupled dynamic model is developed and experimentally validated. • The hybrid harvester is flexible for practical applications as well as higher power. • The mechanical durability under the rainfall condition is experimentally validated. Abstract Small-scale wind energy harvesting can be a potential way to yield endless electrical energy for small and micro mechanical systems, which has gained extensive interest from both the academia and industry. The environmental adaptability and reliability of the harvester are key issues that cannot be ignored in practical applications. To overcome these challenges, we propose a novel water-proof hybrid wind energy harvester (WP-HWH) using magnetic coupling and force amplification mechanisms. Using a symmetrical opposite magnetic arrangement, the resistance torque is reduced as much as possible and the effective magnetic force is enhanced, which is beneficial to harvest energy at low wind speeds. The magnetic force can be further amplified and applied to the piezoelectric layer more evenly, thereby achieving higher power density and better reliability. The key components of the energy harvester can be packaged easily owing to the non-contact magnetic coupling mechanism. Thus, it can operate effectively in a harsh environment, such as rainfall. A theoretical model is developed to characterize the WP-HWH. Both simulations and experiments are performed to validate the design and analysis of the WP-HWH. The experimental results indicate that combining the advantages of piezoelectric energy harvester and electromagnetic energy harvester, the WP-HWH has enhanced flexibility for practical applications as well as an outpower. Additionally, under rainfall, the WP-HWH can operate continuously for more than 100,000 cycles and saturates at 3157.7 μW at a wind speed of 7.0 m/s, implying good mechanical durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract River dust has severe impact on air quality in western Taiwan under prevailing strong northeasterly winds during passage of cold fronts. Data showed that river dust in western Taiwan from November to April came mainly from Choshui River (CS). The difference in mean seasonal concentration of river dust upstream of CS at station Erlin (EL) and downstream at station Lunbei (LB) could be as high as 14.2 μg/m3 during northeasterly monsoon from 1994 to 2015. A major river-dust event with unprecedented PM 10 concentration occurring in western Taiwan on 2 November, 2009 was examined to understand further the mechanism behind its occurrence and impact on air quality. Weather conditions of 1–2 November, 2009 showed a clear pressure gradient in a strong baroclinic environment associated with a prevailing strong continental outflow (northeasterly, ≥ 12 m/s) that lasted more than 30 h over the coastal area of China. On 2 November, 2009, the peak concentration of PM 10 concentration was 600 μg/m3at EL but exceeded 2500 μg/m3 at LB. While wind speeds of these two stations were comparable, the PM 10 concentration at LB was more than four times that at EL due to dust blown up from CS riverbed. These findings could be reasonably captured by the WRF-Chem model. Simulation results also indicated that the depth of this strong northerly wind (>10 m/s) was below 1000 m and its intensity increased significantly after 0 LST on 2 November, 2009. Strong wind did not favor vertical diffusion of river dust, thus trapping it below 200 m in height and causing severe dust concentration at near-surface level. Besides high wind speed, dry atmospheric and surface drought conditions also contributed to increase river dust suspension in the air. The results and methods obtained in this study can be applied to other regions of similar environment and with comparable relief. Graphical abstract Temporal variation of observed and simulated PM 10 concentration at Erlin (EL) and Lunbei (LB) from 12 LST, 1 Nov., to 8 LST, 3 Nov., 2009 (Left panel). Observed PM 10 concentration and wind recorded in Taiwan (right panel) at 08 UTC (16 LST) 02 Nov., 2009. Image 1 Highlights • We analyzed potential river dust events from 1994 to 2015 over western Taiwan. • A significant river dust event with unprecedented PM 10 concentration was examined. • Impact of atmospheric conditions on river dust suspension were discussed. • Findings of this study will fill the estimation gap of PM 10 due to river dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychophysical and neurophysiological investigations on the human visual system show that most neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) possess a non‐classical receptive field (nCRF) region in addition to the CRF region. The nCRF has a modulatory, normally inhibitory, effect on the responses to visual stimuli generated within the CRF. In computational terms, this mechanism suppresses the response to edges in the presence of similar edges in the surroundings. Many computational techniques have been proposed to address the surround suppression mechanism. These methods introduce an inhibition term that is required to suppress the textures and protect the contours. Several studies have found that the spatial summation properties over the receptive fields of retinal X cells are approximately linear, while they are non‐linear for Y cells. Inspired by the visual information processing in the X–Y channel and spatial summation properties of X and Y cells, the authors propose a contour detector using linear and non‐linear modulations based on nCRF suppression. Extensive experimental evaluations demonstrate that their contour detector significantly outperforms other algorithms. The methods proposed in this study are expected to facilitate the development of efficient computational models in the field of machine vision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti-35Ni-15Nb brazed Nb joint has been evaluated. The joint consists of Ti 2 Ni, TiNi intermetallic compounds and globular (β-Ti, Nb) particles. The existence of brittle Ti 2 Ni deteriorates bonding strength of the Nb/Ti-35Ni-15Nb/Nb joint. However, the amount of Ti 2 Ni is decreased with increasing the brazing temperature due to the Ti alloyed in globular (β-Ti, Nb) particles at higher brazing temperature. The clad Ti-35Ni-15Nb foil shows potential in brazing Nb for industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With advanced ICT, the ever-rapid development of informatization has become an integral part of smart city services in healthcare, transportation, energy, education, business, community life, and so on. A huge amount of data, called big data, is generated from various sources, and effective analysis and utilization of big data has become a key factor in the success of smart city services. However, in order to achieve precise big data analytics and make real-time decisions, one of the challenging issues is how to efficiently deliver the huge amounts of collected data to the processing servers. In this article, we first propose a novel architecture to support smart city services based on SDN technology. Then we study the time-constrained big data transfer scheduling (TBTS) problem under the proposed architecture, and present an intelligent strategy to address the TBTS issue by utilizing the SDN controller to conduct dynamic flow control and multi-path transfer scheduling. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed strategy can efficiently support big data transfer in terms of low transfer delay and high bandwidth utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Urban heat island (UHI) and global warming effects will raise the ambient temperature of cities and increase building energy consumption. This paper discusses the residential cooling energy variations imposed by urban warming in the present and future. Data from a dynamically downscaled hourly meteorological model with a grid resolution of 5 km and for time slices 1979–2003, 2015–2039, and 2075–2099 were used for dynamic building energy simulation against a typical residential apartment in the central Taiwan region. The meteorological grids were classified as 4 city grids, 25 town grids, and 31 countryside grids based on their urban morphology attributes. The values from 20 countryside grids with lower average ambient temperatures during cooling seasons were selected as reference. The spatial and temporal distributions of the impact of indoor overheating risk and annual cooling energy consumption by UHI and global warming effects were quantified against the reference value. Furthermore, because the energy penalty can be used to rapidly estimate the urban warming impact on total cooling energy consumption of a given city, the linear correlation of the energy penalty and the magnitude of the UHI effect was also established and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In both tumor and yeast cells that lack telomerase, telomeres are maintained via an alternative recombination mechanism. In this study, we tested genistein, a potential TOP2 inhibitor required for telomere-telomere recombination, on the repression of telomere-telomere recombination. Genistein on the repression of type II recombination on a tlc1 yeast strain was examined by the telomeric DNA structures using Southern blot analysis. Telomere patterns of freshly dissected tlc1 spores containing an empty plasmid ( pYES2) or a yeast TOP2 ( yTOP2) plasmid were analyzed. The results indicated that the reintroduction of TOP2 recovered the type II pattern, implying genistein in the blockage of type II survivors in the tlc1 strain. The effects of genistein on both tlc1 and tlc1 rad 51 strains in liquid and solid mediums were also examined. Finally, treatment of 10 μmol/L of genistein showed inhibitory effect on the growth of telomerase-negative U2 OS alternative lengthening of telomere ( ALT) cells, but not in telomerase-positive HCT116 cells. These results provide evidences that the inhibitory effects of genistein on telomerase-negative cells depend on type II recombination pathway in yeast and the ALT pathway in human tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, resource constrained hardware makes the operating system simplicity a most crucial design criterion. The majority of research in such operating systems has focused on the reactive nature of an event-driven kernel. However, the event-based kernel may result in the latency of processing events and erroneous energy profiling. Most battery-driven wireless sensor nodes use the radio event to wake up sleeping nodes, but the radio always consumes more energy than other components during the transmission intervals. The contribution of this paper is that we present EXOS , a timer-driven operating system which can both process periodic events on time and obtain rapid responses to external signals. The system kernel can be easily ported to any other memory-constrained target platforms. EXOS is able to provide the detailed prediction of each component's energy consumption during program execution. The evaluation has demonstrated that EXOS can be practically integrated into wireless sensor networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new formulation of the fundamental load impedance circuit in the z-plane is employed to study transformers. The design employs prototypes of transfer function, parametric modelling techniques, and optimisation methods; a model describing multisection transmission-line transformers is proposed to match load impedance for use in wireless and mobile communication applications. Configuration of the transformer consists of multisection serial transmission lines. This transformer was designed on a PCB FR4 substrate featuring a permittivity of 4.4, a loss tangent of 0.0245, and a thickness of 1.6 mm. Microstrip line circuits were fabricated to verify the feasibility of the technique. The simulation and measurement results show that real and complex load impedances can be matched simultaneously at three different frequency bands. The characteristic impedance values of the transmission lines synthesising the transformers were adjusted according to the autoregressive process by using optimisation algorithms. The experimental results are in agreement with theoretical values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports a novel multifunctional mussel-inspired zwitterionic catecholic assembly to form a photoresponsive biointerface. The assembly is the combination of the antifouling sulfobetaine and photocleavable o -nitrophenyl moieties into a molecule, becoming sulfobetaine nitrodopamine (SB-nDA). We demonstrated the formation of a compact thin SB-nDA film on TiO 2 by using the pH transition approach. The film thickness, surface wettability and elemental composition were characterized using ellipsometry, contact angle goniometer, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The SB-nDA thin films can effectively resist adhesion of both Gram-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa by more than 95% relative to bare TiO 2 . Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) sensor was employed for protein fouling tests, showing the comparable antifouling property of SB-nDA with thiol- or silane-based surface ligands. More importantly, the spatiotemporal control over the bioinertness by UV irradiation has been studied with bacterial and protein adsorption. Therefore, the catecholic chemistry can be used for programmable tailoring of interfacial properties, permitting potential application in light-guided targeting for nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A design methodology of maximum utilization strategy for hybrid harvesting is proposed. • The centrifugal stiffening, nonlinearity and boundary modulation are systematically considered. • The electromechanical coupling dynamic model of the proposed system is established. • The self-powered rotor condition (temperature and tire pressure) monitoring is realized. The energy harvesting technology is capable of harnessing the intrinsic rotating energy of the rotor system to realize self-powered rotor condition monitoring for the Internet of Things (IoT). It is promising to solve the issue of sustainable energy supply of the rotor monitoring system and achieve a self-powered IoT. In this work, we propose a novel maximal utilization strategy for piezoelectric-electromagnetic-triboelectric energy harvesting in a broad speed range and achieve the self-powered rotor condition monitoring system. The piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH), triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), and electromagnetic energy harvester (EMH) are respectively arranged in the place where the system exhibits the maximum strain, the maximum contact area, and the maximum displacement, respectively, which can make full use of their characteristics in the structural space. The modulation boundaries (parts of TENG) render a more controllable dynamic behavior of the harvester, and realize the vibration and impact coordinated power generation mode, which can harvest more mechanical energy in the time domain. The theoretical mathematical model and working criteria of the proposed system are established and verified experimentally. In addition, the prototype can operate effectively in a wide speed range (0–1000 r/min) and it can charge a 100 μF capacitor to 5 V within 11 s. The self-powered rotor wireless temperature monitoring and self-powered wireless tire pressure monitoring are realized during the practical road tests. The maximum utilization strategy provides a new design methodology for hybrid energy harvesting, which has potential applications in intelligent driving and rotating machinery condition monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiband coplanar waveguide-fed slot antenna design is proposed for use in wireless and mobile communication applications. This antenna was designed on a single-layer printed circuit board FR4 substrate featuring a permittivity εr = 4.4, a loss tangent tan δ = 0.0245 and a thickness of h = 1.6 mm. The antenna consists of a T-shaped signal strip and a U-shaped conducting strip placed on the upper side of the T-shaped signal strip. After simply tuning the slot parameters of the ground plane, the proposed antenna can be used in the following operations: wireless local area networks at 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz, worldwide interoperability for microwave access at 2.5/3.5/5.5 GHz and wideband code division multiple access at 1.92-2.17 GHz. The -10 dB bandwidth measured for the proposed antennas was 109.2% (1.85-6.3 GHz). The bandwidth was enhanced by choosing suitable combinations of the upper and lower ground slots. The geometrical parameters were examined to optimise the performance of the proposed antenna. The results of the return loss, far-field H- and E-planes radiation patterns, gain and radiation efficiency of the proposed antenna are presented and discussed herein. The antenna size of the radiation area and the ground plane was 50 × 50 mm2. Detailed simulations and experiments were conducted to optimise broadband operations, and the measured results concurred with the simulated results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass burning produces aerosols and air pollutants during springtime in Southeast Asia. At the Lulin Atmospheric Background Station (LABS) (elevation 2862 m) in central Taiwan, the concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and particulate matter with a diameter less than 10 µm (PM10) were found to be 135-200 ppb, 40-56 ppb and 13-26 µg/m³, respectively, in the springtime (February-April) between 2006 and 2009, which are 2-3 times higher than those in other seasons. Simulation results indicate that higher concentrations during springtime are related to biomass-burning plumes transported from the Indochinese peninsula of Southeast Asia. The spatial distribution of high aerosol optical depth (AOD) was identified by satellite measurement and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) ground observation, and could be reasonably captured by the WRF-Chem model during the study period of 15-18 March 2008. Simulated AOD reached as high as 0.8-1.2 in Indochina situated between 10-22°N and 95-107°E. According to the simulation results, 34% of the AOD was attributed to organic carbon over Indochina, while the contribution of black carbon to AOD was about 4%. During the study period, biomass-burning aerosols over Indochina have a net negative effect (-26.85 W·m-2) at ground surface, a positive effect (22.11 W·m-2) in the atmosphere and a negative forcing (-4.74 W·m-2) at the top of atmosphere. Under the influence of biomass-burning aerosol plume transported by strong wind, there is a NE-SW zone stretching from southern China to Taiwan with reduction in shortwave radiation of about 20 W·m-2 at ground surface. Such significant reduction in radiation attributed to biomass-burning aerosols and their impact on the regional climate in East Asia merit attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the high PCDD/F emissions observed in the coastal provinces of eastern China have raised global concerns over their adverse effects on human health. To address the effects of the long-range transport of persistent organic pollutants, the observations of atmospheric PCDD/F pollution were conducted across Southeast Asian in this study. Atmospheric PCDD/F levels were evaluated at two background stations (Sites A and B) in Taiwan, three remote islands (Sites C, D and E) around Taiwan and at Dongsha Island (Site F) in South China Sea at various times. Significantly lower atmospheric PCDD/F concentrations (1.24–7.75 fg I-TEQ m−3) and PCDD/F contents (3.45–49.1 pg I-TEQ/g-TSP) in total suspended particles (TSPs) were measured during the summer season. Based on a 72-h backward trajectory analysis conducted for the sampling sites used in this study, the air mass containing theses low levels had originated from the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea during the summer. The highest PCDD/F concentrations (10.2–65.2 fg I-TEQ m−3) and PCDD/F contents (132–620 pg I-TEQ/g-TSP) in ambient air were measured in northern Taiwan (Site A) and at two islands (Site C and Site E) close to mainland China during the northeast monsoon periods. In the meantime, the PCDF compounds in ambient air also increased from 52–54% to 65–75% at those sampling sites. Based on these measurements and corresponding trajectory analysis, we conclude that the significant increase in atmospheric PCDD/Fs measured during the northeast monsoon period in this study was attributable to the long-range transport of emissions from the coastal regions of mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Surface ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) mixing ratios were measured at Mei-Feng (24.05 °N, 120.10 °E, 2269 m above sea level) remote mountain site between March 2009 and September 2010 to investigate the impact of regional pollution on O3 and CO. The results showed that the maximum values of both O3 and CO were found in the springtime. Backward trajectory analysis, combined with MODIS fire spots suggested that the enhanced O3 and CO in springtime could be attributed to biomass burning (BB) activities over Southeast (SE) Asia. Thirteen BB events were identified by backward trajectory analysis, MODIS fires, NCEP weather data sets and CO concentrations. Good correlation between O3 and CO was found during the BB plumes. Using the linear regression, the slope (ΔO3/ΔCO) was calculated to be 0.18 ± 0.08 (mean ± 1σ). This value was in agreement with that of 0.2 observed over the west Pacific region during the TRACE-P campaign, but was higher than those (0.11–0.14) of Canadian and Siberian fires. Moreover, significant enhanced O3 productivity was also found in aged BB plumes and that mixed with urban emissions from SE coastal China. To assess the net influence of SE Asian BB, the air masses from SE Asia and SE China were divided in two groups: those that passed over the fire regions (PF) and those that did not (NP). The result showed that the maximum differences between PF and NP were estimated in March with 8 ppb for O3 and 45 ppb for CO, respectively, accounting for 23% of both CO and O3 levels at Mei-Feng. Although uncertainties existed in the estimations, the significant discrepancies of O3 and CO in the two air groups suggested the air pollutants emitted by SE Asian BB could be transported and influence the air quality over subtropical Taiwan in springtime. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Little is known about the relationship between cerebral beta amyloid (Aβ) deposition and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype in either Alzheimer disease or the aging brain in multi-ethnic Southeast Asia. We prospectively examined Aβ deposition in relation to ApoE genotype in 50 normal, non-demented, aging brains drawn from a Malaysian population, aged 52-92 years, using immunohistochemistry to detect Aβ and direct PCR sequencing for genotyping. The prevalence of Aβ deposition was 8%. There was no apparent association between Aβ deposition and possession of the ApoE ε4 allele in our cohort. Out of 4 cases with Aβ deposition, only one case was heterozygous for the ε4 allele; 3 cases did not have the ε4 allele. The Aβ deposition appears to increase with age and is more likely to be vascular-type deposition (cerebral amyloid angiopathy) rather than parenchymal deposition in the form of diffuse and neuritic plaques. A larger sample size with more cases of ApoE ε4 and Aβ deposition is needed to provide conclusive evidence for the apparent non-association between ApoE ε4 and Aβ deposition in the aging brain in our multi-ethnic local population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The impacts of long-range transport of Asian dust and anthropogenic air pollutants to Taiwan are strongly associated with the atmospheric conditions and paths of transport. In this study, we identified 16 significant dust events (daily mean mass concentration ≥ 120 μg m−3) to Taiwan from 2002 to 2008. To investigate transport characteristics associated with long-range transport of Asian dust and anthropogenic air pollutants to Taiwan, significant dust events were further classified into dry (12 cases) and wet (4 cases) types according to atmospheric conditions. We found that the major transport paths for the dry type (DT) dust cases passed through anthropogenic source areas in the low boundary while the major paths for the wet type (WT) dust cases passed over the ocean. After mineral dust, which occupied around 32% of total PM10 mass concentration, anthropogenic ionic pollutants was the second major contributor and occupied 19–22% at three sampling stations in Taiwan for DT cases. In the fine particle, the anthropogenic ionic pollutants contributed from 29 to 36% to PM2.5, making it the major contributor. The two most significant cases, one from the DT and one from the WT cases, were selected to study transport mechanisms with the NAQPMS air quality model. Simulation results also suggest that transport paths and boundary atmospheric conditions play important roles in aerosol compositions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Kaohsiung City and the suburban region of southwestern Taiwan have suffered from severe air pollution since becoming the largest center of heavy industry in Taiwan. The complex process of ozone (O3) formation and its precursor compounds (the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxide (NO x ) emissions), accompanied by meteorological conditions, make controlling ozone difficult. Using a decision tree is especially appropriate for analyzing time series data that contain ozone levels and meteorological and explanatory variables for ozone formation. Results show that dominant variables such as temperature, wind speed, VOCs, and NO x can play vital roles in describing ozone variations among observations. That temperature and wind speed are highly correlated with ozone levels indicates that these meteorological conditions largely affect ozone variability. The results also demonstrate that spatial heterogeneity of ozone patterns are in coastal and inland areas caused by sea-land breeze and pollutant sources during high ozone episodes over southwestern Taiwan. This study used a decision tree to obtain quantitative insight into spatial distributions of precursor compound emissions and effects of meteorological conditions on ozone levels that are useful for refining monitoring plans and developing management strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To evaluate the impacts of the urban heat island (UHI) effect on precipitation over a complex geographic environment in northern Taiwan, the next-generation mesoscale model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, coupled with the Noah land surface model and urban canopy model (UCM), was used to study this issue. Based on a better land use classification derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data (the MODIS case), it has significantly improved simulation results for the accumulation rainfall pattern as compared with the original U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 25-category land use classification (the USGS case). The precipitation system was found to develop later but stronger in the urban (MODIS) case than in the nonurban (USGS) case. In comparison with the observation by radar, simulation results predicted reasonably well; not only was the rainfall system enhanced downwind of the city over the mountainous area, but it also occurred at the upwind plain area in the MODIS case. The simulation results suggested that the correct land use classification is crucial for urban heat island modeling study. The UHI effect plays an important role in perturbing thermal and dynamic processes; it affects the location of thunderstorms and precipitation over the complex geographic environment in northern Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to compare energy utilisation of conventional (CON; Arbor Acres) and Taiwanese native (NAT) male broilers. Sixty CON and sixty NAT broiler males were randomly assigned to five treatments. Each treatment consisted of four replicates of three chicks each. The chicks were fed five different levels (ad libitum or restricted to 85%, 70%, 55% and 40% of their respective ad libitum-fed group) of a common basal diet based on maize and soybean meal for three weeks. Apparent metabolisable energy (AME) intake, nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolisability of gross energy (q), energy, fat and protein retention, heat production and gross AME efficiency (k gross) were measured. Maintenance ME (MEm), AME efficiency for growth (k g), fat (k f) and protein (k p) gain were estimated by appropriate linear and multiple regressions. The results indicate that CON birds had higher AME intake, q, k g and k p, but similar MEm and k f than NAT birds. The increased AMEI caused by the higher FI and higher q contributed approximately to 60% of the higher k gross observed in ad libitum-fed CON birds as compared with ad libitum-fed NAT birds. The remaining 40% resulted from the higher k g caused by the higher fat to protein gain ratio and the higher k p of the CON birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]