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The majority of creativity enrichment research has focused on creative skills pertaining to originality which is assessed by divergent thinking tests. This study aimed to explore a new-paradigm for creativity enhancement—improving creativity through the FACE (Feedback, Aesthetic experience, Creative design, and Evaluation of designed products) computer-based training program in which aesthetic experience and 3-D creative design were incorporated. Moreover, possible moderators such as emotional creativity (EC) and desire for aesthetics (DA) were investigated during the training. In concurrence with these endeavors, 76 college students participated in a control-group experimental design study investigating the effectiveness of the FACE training; it was invented to promote cognitive aesthetic enhancement and improve creative performance on a 3-D coffee shop design. In addition, inventories regarding emotional creativity (EC) and desire for aesthetics (DA) were employed. The findings suggest that the employed training program enhanced college students’ aesthetic understanding, and further improved their creativity through both conscious and unconscious processes. Notably, training that included constructive feedback led to better learning effects than the condition that included informational feedback. Furthermore, emotional creativity (EC) and desire for aesthetics (DA) played moderating roles during the learning process of creativity. This study provides a new archetype for improving creativity and the results support the possibility and importance of integrating aesthetics and creativity enhancement in computer based learning systems for modern educational methods.

City bus drivers are facing increasingly stressful work situations. In urban areas, bus drivers are competing for limited road space with various vehicles in mixed traffic conditions. This mixed traffic flow condition may not only cause traffic congestion problems but also increase the driving fatigue of a city bus driver. In addition, the average number of elderly passengers are increasing. Constrained by their physical conditions, elderly passengers usually take more time to get on or off a bus and require a city bus driver’s special attention or help. An increase in elderly passengers using city buses may increase the bus driver’s stress and/or fatigue levels. This study developed a structural equation model to investigate the causal relationships between a vector of stress factors and city bus drivers’ fatigue levels from a risk management perspective. The empirical study results based on a questionnaire survey indicated that mixed traffic flow conditions and the characteristics of elderly passengers are positively correlated with the levels of driving fatigue in city bus drivers. An increase in the number of motor scooters in a traffic stream and/or elderly passengers on a bus will lead to higher levels of mental fatigue for a city bus driver. This study discussed the effects of several stressors on a city bus driver’s fatigue and provided suggestions for changes in policies to ensure the fatigue mitigation of city bus drivers.

Background/purpose: Macrophages participate in the periapical inflammation with pro-inflammatory M1 cells and anti-inflammatory M2 cells. Gas6/Axl signal is the responsible pathway for the activation of M1 and polarization of M2. The aim of this study was to compare the number of CD16+ M1 cells, CD206+ M2 cells, and Gas6/Axl expression between apical granulomas and radicular cysts. Materials and methods: Twenty-four cases of granuloma and twenty of cysts were submitted to immunohistochemistry using anti-CD16 and anti-CD206 antibodies for determining M1 and M2 macrophages and investigating the cells with positive Gas6 and Axl expression. Results: There were more numerous of M1 macrophages in radicular cysts (175.9 ± 87.7) compared to apical granuloma (116.6 ± 55.8), and M2 macrophages was higher in cysts (204.0 ± 97.6) than granuloma (152.9 ± 64.6). The level of Gas6/Axl expression were similar. There was a significant different in M1 macrophage (P = 0.014) between two diagnosis. In patients with or without root resorption, the number of M1 were 194.6 ± 57.2 compared with 139.1 ± 79.6. The number of M2 were 241.7 ± 81.4 and 164.6 ± 77.1. The expression of Axl was stronger in root resorption patients (191.1 ± 43.6), but the tendency in Gas6 expression was similar. Significant differences were noted in high M2 infiltration and Axl positive lesions. Conclusion: It appears that macrophages associated with significantly higher numbers in radicular cysts than apical granuloma. Meanwhile, macrophages and Axl receptor was intensively expressed in patients with root resorption, related to severe inflammation. Keywords: Apical granuloma, Axl, Gas6, Macrophage, Radicular cyst

With the mounting empirical evidence of the benefits of mindfulness, the researchers of the present study incorporated mindful learning in digital game-based learning of creativity. A two-phase study was conducted to (1) develop the Inventory of Mindful Learning Experience in Digital Games (IMLE-DG); and (2) develop a training program of the Digital Game-based Learning of Creativity (DGLC), by which the relationship among achievement goal, self-determination, mindful learning, and mastery experience during digital game-based learning of creativity were investigated through experimental instruction. One hundred and eighty-one 3rd to 6th graders were used in the development of IMLE-DG, and 95 3rd and 4th graders were included in the six-week experimental instruction through the DGLC. The results suggest that the IMLE-DG has good reliability and validity. The Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.974 and exploratory factor analysis yielded three factors: curiosity and open-mindedness, attention and grit, and emotion regulation. Confirmatory factor analysis also showed that the three-factor structure was a good-fit model (Goodness-fit-index = 0.913). Moreover, analytical results showed that achievement goal and self-determination influenced mastery experience through mindful learning experience, suggesting that mindful learning is a crucial mediator of mastery experience in digital game-based learning of creativity. With key features of story-based, interdisciplinary, and 3-D design, The DGLC provides an original and valuable vehicle for creativity learning. In addition, the incorporated mechanisms (rewards, free choices, immediate feedback, and peer-evaluation) for enhancing goal achievement, self-determination, and mindful learning shed light on the design of game-based learning and creativity instruction.

A microscope system was developed for acquiring high resolution grain images of 30 rice varieties.The morphological, textural, and color traits of the rice grains were quantified using image processing.Trait discrepancies among varieties were observed and explained.Sparse-representation-based classifier was developed to identify the varieties of the grains.The classification achieved an accuracy of 89.1% and a standard deviation of 7.0%. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a major staple food worldwide, and is traded extensively. The objective of this study is to distinguish the rice grains of 30 varieties nondestructively using image processing and sparse-representation-based classification (SRC). SRC uses over-complete bases to capture the representative traits of rice grains. In the experiments, rice grain images were acquired by microscopy. The morphological, color, and textural traits of the grain body, sterile lemmas, and brush were quantified. An SRC classifier was subsequently developed to identify the varieties of the grains using the traits as the inputs. The proposed approach could discriminate rice grain varieties with an accuracy of 89.1%.

The physicochemical properties of Chinese soft-shell turtle egg were characterized for functional use in the food industry. The egg yolk of un-fertilized soft-shell turtle eggs was separated and fractionated into granules and plasma. Then, the egg yolk, albumen, granules, and plasma were freeze-dried for further analysis. Results showed that the Chinese soft-shell turtle egg typically comprised 50% egg yolk, 34% albumen, and 16% shell in average. The egg yolk composed of 61% granules and 39% plasma. The granules contained most of the protein, while the plasma contained most of the lipid in egg yolk. The albumen contained about 26% ash on a dry weight basis. Lysozyme was the major component in turtle egg albumen. The protein solubility of egg yolk, granules, and plasma was affected by the changes in pH, while that of albumen remains constant. The emulsifying and foaming properties increased when the concentration increased for all samples. Both the yolk and the albumen in turtle egg exhibited better functional properties than those in normal hen egg. These physicochemical and functional properties of Chinese soft-shell turtle egg are fundamental and essential for future study and food applications.

Human limbal palisades of Vogt are the ideal site for studying and practicing regenerative medicine due to their accessibility. Nonresolving inflammation in limbal stroma is common manifestation of limbal stem cell (SC) deficiency and presents as a threat to the success of transplanted limbal epithelial SCs. This pathologic process can be overcome by transplantation of cryopreserved human amniotic membrane (AM), which exerts anti-inflammatory, antiscarring and anti-angiogenic action to promote wound healing. To determine how AM might exert anti-inflammation and promote regeneration, we have purified a novel matrix, HC-HA/PTX3, responsible for the efficacy of AM efficacy. HC-HA complex is covalently formed by hyaluronan (HA) and heavy chain 1 (HC1) of inter-α-trypsin inhibitor by the catalytic action of tumor necrosis factor-stimulated gene-6 (TSG-6) and are tightly associated with pentraxin 3 (PTX3) to form HC-HA/PTX3. In vitro reconstitution of the limbal niche can be established by reunion between limbal epithelial progenitors and limbal niche cells on different substrates. In 3-dimensional Matrigel, clonal expansion indicative of SC renewal is correlated with activation of canonical Wnt signaling and suppression of canonical bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling. In contrast, SC quiescence can be achieved in HC-HA/PTX3 by activation of canonical BMP signaling and non-canonical planar cell polarity (PCP) Wnt signaling, but suppression of canonical Wnt signaling. HC-HA/PTX3 is a novel matrix mitigating nonresolving inflammation and restoring SC quiescence in the niche for various applications in regenerative medicine.

Homeostasis of the corneal epithelium is ultimately maintained by stem cells that reside in a specialized microenvironment within the corneal limbus termed palisades of Vogt. This limbal niche nourishes, protects, and regulates quiescence, self-renewal, and fate decision of limbal epithelial stem/progenitor cells (LEPCs) toward corneal epithelial differentiation. This review focuses on our current understanding of the mechanism by which limbal (stromal) niche cells (LNCs) regulate the aforementioned functions of LEPCs. Based on our discovery and characterization of a unique extracellular matrix termed HC-HA/PTX3 (Heavy chain (HC1)-hyaluronan (HA)/pentraxin 3 (PTX3) complex, “-” denotes covalent linkage; “/” denotes non-covalent binding) in the birth tissue, i.e., amniotic membrane and umbilical cord, we put forth a new paradigm that HC-HA/PTX3 serves as a surrogate matrix niche by maintaining the in vivo nuclear Pax6+ neural crest progenitor phenotype to support quiescence and self-renewal but prevent corneal fate decision of LEPCs. This new paradigm helps explain how limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) develops in aniridia due to Pax6-haplotype deficiency and further explains why transplantation of HC-HA/PTX3-containing amniotic membrane prevents LSCD in acute chemical burns and Stevens Johnson syndrome, augments the success of autologous LEPCs transplantation in patients suffering from partial or total LSCD, and assists ex vivo expansion (engineering) of a graft containing LEPCs. We thus envisage that this new paradigm based on regenerative matrix HC-HA/PTX3 as a surrogate niche can set a new standard for regenerative medicine in and beyond ophthalmology.

Rice seedlings infected by Fusarium fujikuroi show complex diseased phenotypes.The morphological and color traits of 3-week-old seedlings are examined.SVM classifiers are developed to screen diseased seedlings.Genetic algorithm is implemented for selecting significant attributes.The classification accuracy is 87.9% and the positive predictive value is 91.8%. Bakanae disease, or "foolish seedling", is a seed-borne disease of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Infected plants can yield empty panicles or perish, resulting in a loss of grain yield. The disease occurs most frequently when contaminated seeds are used. Once the seeds are contaminated, the pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi spreads in the field. Therefore, infected plants must be screened at early developmental stages. This work proposes an approach to nondestructively distinguish infected and healthy seedlings at the age of 3weeks using machine vision. Seeds of the rice cultivars Tainan 11 and Toyonishiki were inoculated with a conidial suspension of F. fujikuroi. The seedling were cultivated in an incubator for 3weeks. The images of infected and control seedlings were acquired using flatbed scanners to quantify their morphological and color traits. Support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were developed for distinguishing the infected and healthy seedlings. A genetic algorithm was used for selecting essential traits and optimal model parameters for the SVM classifiers. The proposed approach distinguished infected and healthy seedlings with an accuracy of 87.9% and a positive predictive value of 91.8%.

Both BMP and Wnt signaling control stem cells in bulge/dermal papilla, intestinal crypt, and bone marrow. To explore their roles in the limbal niche, which govern corneal epithelial homeostasis, we established an in vitro model of sphere growth by reunion between single limbal epithelial progenitor cells (LEPCs) and aggregates of limbal niche cells (LNCs) in 3D Matrigel. Compared to LEPCs alone, spheres formed by LEPC+LNC exhibited higher clonal growth and less corneal epithelial differentiation. Furthermore, pSmad1/5/8 was in the nucleus of LEPCs, but not LNCs, and correlated with upregulation of BMP1, BMP3, BMP4, all three BMP receptors, and BMP target genes. Inactivation of BMP signaling in LNCs was correlated with upregulation of noggin preferentially expressed by LNCs. Additionally, β-catenin was stabilized in the perinuclear cytoplasm in LEPCs and correlated with upregulation of Wnt7A and FZD5 preferentially expressed by LEPCs. Inactivation of Wnt signaling in LNCs was correlated with upregulation of DKK1/2 by LNCs. Addition of XAV939 that expectedly downregulated perinuclear β-catenin in LEPCs led to significant reduction of epithelial clonal growth, but upregulated all three BMP receptors and downregulated LNC-derived noggin, resulting in activation of BMP signaling in LNCs. Addition of noggin that expectedly downregulated nuclear localization of pSmad1/5/8 in LEPCs led to nuclear localization of β-catenin in larger LEPCs but membrane relocation of β-catenin in smaller LEPCs and significant upregulation of DKK1/2. Hence, balancing acts between Wnt signaling and BMP signaling exist not only within LEPCs but also between LEPCs and LNCs to regulate clonal growth of LEPCs.

To evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic uterine artery ligation (LUAL) before in situ morcellation (ISM) compared with ISM alone.Prospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-1).University-affiliated hospital.One hundred forty-four women with symptomatic uterine myomas, of whom 45 underwent LUAL and ISM and 99 underwent ISM only, from August 2007 through August 2009.Ligation or no ligation of the uterine arteries before ISM.In the LUAL+ISM group compared with the ISM group, mean (SD) operative time was significantly longer (107 [34] minutes vs 93 [35] minutes; p = .03), and there was less intraoperative blood loss (84 [53] mL vs 137 [166] mL; p.001). Eight patients in the ISM group (8.1%) required a blood transfusion, including 4 (4.0%) with excessive intraoperative bleeding and 4 (4.0%) with postoperative hematomas. Although myomas in the LUAL+ISM group weighed more (p.001), none of the patients in that group had excessive intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hematomas, or required blood transfusion (p = .046). At 2 years of follow-up, in the LUAL+ISM group compared with the ISM group, the myoma recurrence rate was 7% vs 24%, and symptom improvement was reported by 98% of patients vs 86% (statistically significant).Laparoscopic myomectomy using an ISM technique with or without simultaneous LUAL may be used in the management of symptomatic uterine myomas; however, LUAL+ISM may result in a better surgical outcome.

Summary Objective To evaluate the outcome of myoma enucleation by morcellation while it is attached to the uterus ( in situ morcellation) in laparoscopic myomectomy. Materials and Methods A total of 82 patients diagnosed with myoma or adenomyosis in 2007 were enrolled. The patients were divided into three groups according to the myoma weight. The operative time, myoma weight, blood loss, duration of hospital stay, and complication experienced were recorded for analysis. Results The mean myoma weight was 265 ± 240 g and the mean operative time was 93 ± 30 minutes. The patients were divided into three groups: group A with myomas less than 150 g; group B with myomas 150-349 g; and group C with myomas greater than 350 g. The mean myoma weights were 73 ± 34 g, 214 ± 52 g, and 571 ± 218 g for groups A, B, and C, respectively; the mean operative times were 79 ± 17 minutes, 84 ± 22 minutes, and 121 ± 32 minutes, respectively. The operative time increased with myoma weight. Two patients (8%) in group C had excessive intraoperative hemorrhage and one (4%) required a blood transfusion. There was no conversion to laparotomy. Conclusion In situ morcellation was an efficient and safe procedure for removal of large uterine myoma during laparoscopic myomectomy.

Prior research shows child welfare workforce has constantly been challenged by worker's turnover issue. Although improving job satisfaction is adopted by many agencies as a solution to encourage workers to stay, little is known whether its effect remains under the influence of certain psychosocial factors of workers. The present study attempts to explore the effect of job satisfaction on child welfare worker's desire to stay through examining the intervening effects of worker's work related self-efficacy and supervisor's support. Our findings showed that the interaction effect did exist such that job satisfaction had greater positive impact for workers of high self-efficacy in terms of the desire to stay. Findings further revealed that job satisfaction had substantial impacts on improving worker's desire to stay under most of the circumstances, except for the circumstance when workers concurrently perceiving low work related self-efficacy and low supervisor's support. Finding also revealed that supervisor's support was particularly important to retain workers of low self-efficacy. In conclusion, improving job satisfaction may not be a universal approach for worker retention due to the influence of worker's self-efficacy. On the other hand, we recognize that supervisor's support is an important factor in addition to job satisfaction that cannot be overlooked in child welfare worker retention. In light of the significant interaction effect that was identified in the present study, we suggested the need to examine the interaction effect among retention predictors in future research.

Objective To evaluate vascular perfusion and uterine healing after laparoscopic myomectomy using three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound (3D-PDU). Design Prospective study. Setting University-affiliated hospital. Patient(s) Ninety-seven women with symptomatic myomas warranting laparoscopic myomectomy. Intervention(s) Three-dimensional PDU obtained preoperatively and 1 week and 3 months postoperatively. Main Outcome Measure(s) Resistance index, pulsatility index, and peak systolic velocity of the uterine artery; vascularization index, flow index, and vascularization flow index of the uterine tissue, nonoperative area, and healing myometrial area. Result(s) The median age was 39 years. More than half of the patients were nulliparous, and one third desired fertility. The median myoma size was 8 cm, and median weight of the extirpated myomas was 250 g. The median myoma volume was 262 cm 3 , and median uterine volume was 380 cm 3 . On the 7th postoperative day all laparoscopic myomectomy healing sites appeared as highly echogenic areas with profuse blood flow at the periphery and reduced resistance index and pulsatility index of the uterine artery. Nonoperated areas had significantly more blood flow than healing areas. Two patients had hematomas, which appeared as hypoechoic areas that were almost avascular. By the 3rd postoperative month the blood flow and uterine volume decreased significantly. However, an 11-cm 3 hypoechoic hematoma with poor tissue perfusion was still seen in 1 patient with a 720-cm 3 myoma. Conclusion(s) Healing of a laparoscopic myomectomy scar can be evaluated by 3D-PDU. Adequate perfusion demonstrated by 3D-PDU might suggest good wound healing and dissolving of hematomas.

Summary Objective With improvements in immunosuppression and surgical techniques, more women are undergoing kidney transplantation (KT) for management of end-stage renal disease. Location of the transplanted pelvic kidney and transplanted ureter must be taken into consideration when performing pelvic surgery. We demonstrate that laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) can be successfully performed in patients who had previously undergone KT. Materials and Methods We prospectively enrolled four patients requiring operation for symptomatic adenomyosis after KT. LAVH was performed in these cases after initial uterine artery ligation during laparoscopy. Results The median age of the patients was 44 years (range, 40–46 years) and the extirpated uterine weight was 195 g (range, 160–380 g). Intraoperatively, the median operation time was 147.5 minutes (range, 105–175 minutes) and the blood loss was 50 mL (range, 50–100 mL). There was mild pelvic adhesion in two cases. The postoperative recovery was good in all patients with oral intake, flatus passage, and ambulation within 1 day after operation. The median intramuscular meperidine requirements were 25 mg (range, 0–100 mg) and the hospital stay was 4 days (range, 3–8 days). There were no major complications in these cases except one with mild postoperative fever. Conclusion LAVH may be a safe and effective treatment for treating patients with adenomyosis after KT.

Clinically, amniotic membrane (AM) suppresses inflammation, scarring, and angiogenesis. AM contains abundant hyaluronan (HA) but its function in exerting these therapeutic actions remains unclear. Herein, AM was extracted sequentially with buffers A, B, and C, or separately by phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) alone. Agarose gel electrophoresis showed that high molecular weight (HMW) HA (an average of approximately 3000 kDa) was predominantly extracted in isotonic Extract A (70.1 +/- 6.0%) and PBS (37.7 +/- 3.2%). Western blot analysis of these extracts with hyaluronidase digestion or NaOH treatment revealed that HMW HA was covalently linked with the heavy chains (HCs) of inter-alpha-inhibitor (IalphaI) via a NaOH-sensitive bond, likely transferred by the tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulated gene-6 protein (TSG-6). This HC.HA complex (nHC*HA) could be purified from Extract PBS by two rounds of CsCl/guanidine HCl ultracentrifugation as well as in vitro reconstituted (rcHC*HA) by mixing HMW HA, serum IalphaI, and recombinant TSG-6. Consistent with previous reports, Extract PBS suppressed transforming growth factor-beta1 promoter activation in corneal fibroblasts and induced mac ro phage apoptosis. However, these effects were abolished by hyaluronidase digestion or heat treatment. More importantly, the effects were retained in the nHC*HA or rcHC*HA. These data collectively suggest that the HC*HA complex is the active component in AM responsible in part for clinically observed anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring actions.

Optical higher harmonic generation, including second harmonic generation and third harmonic generation, leaves no energy deposition to its interacted matters due to an energy-conservation characteristic, providing the "noninvasiveness" nature desirable for biological studies. Combined with its nonlinearity, higher harmonic generation microscopy provides excellent three-dimensional (3D) sectioning capability, offering new insights into the studies of embryonic morphological changes and complex developmental processes. By choosing a laser working in the biological penetration window, here we present a noninvasive in vivo light microscopy with sub-micron 3D resolution and millimeter penetration, utilizing endogenous higher harmonic generation signals in live specimens. Noninvasive imaging was performed in live zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. The complex developmental processes within > 1-mm-thick zebrafish embryos can be observed in vivo without any treatment. No optical damage was found even with high illumination after long-term observations and the examined embryos all developed normally at least to the larval stage. The excellent 3D resolution of the demonstrated technology allows us to capture the subtle developmental information on the cellular or sub-cellular levels occurring deep inside the live embryos and larvae. This technique can not only provide in vivo observation of the cytoarchitecture dynamics during embryogenesis with submicron resolution and millimeter penetration depth, but would also make strong impact in developmental and structural biology studies.

Optical second- and third-harmonic generations have attracted a lot of attention in the biomedical imaging research field recently due to their intrinsic sectioning ability and noninvasiveness. Combined with near-infrared excitation sources, their deep-penetration ability makes these imaging modalities suitable for tissue characterization. In this article, we demonstrate a polarization harmonics optical microscopy, or P-HOM, to study the nonlinear optical anisotropy of the nanometer-scaled myosin and actin filaments inside myofibrils. By using tight focusing we can avoid the phase-matching condition due to micron-scaled, high-order structures in skeletal muscle fibers, and obtain the submicron-scaled polarization dependencies of second/third-harmonic generation intensities on the inclination angle between the long axes of the filaments and the polarization direction of the linear polarized fundamental excitation laser light. From these dependencies, detailed information on the tensor elements of the second/third-order nonlinear susceptibilities contributed from the myosin/actin filaments inside myofibrils can thus be analyzed and obtained, reflecting the detailed arrangements and structures of the constructing biomolecules. By acquiring a whole, nonlinearly sectioned image with a submicron spatial resolution, we can also compare the polarization dependency and calculate the nonlinear susceptibilities over a large area of the tissue at the same time—which not only provides statistical information but will be especially useful with complex specimen geometry.