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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is highly aggressive and has poor prognosis. There are few biomarkers to inform treatment decisions, and collecting tumour samples for testing is challenging.Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from patients with PDAC liquid biopsies were expanded ex vivo to form CTC-derived organoid cultures, using a laboratory-developed biomimetic cell culture system. CTC-derived organoids were tested for sensitivity to a PDAC panel of nine drugs, with tests conducted in triplicate, and a weighted cytotoxicity score (CTS) was calculated from the results. Clinical response to treatment in patients was evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) version 1.1 criteria at the time of blood sampling and 3 months later. The correlation between CTS and clinical response was then assessed.A total of 41 liquid biopsies (87.8% from patients with Stage 4 disease) were collected from 31 patients. The CTC-derived organoid expansion was achieved in 3 weeks, with 87.8% culture efficiency. CTC-derived organoid cultures were positive for EpCAM staining and negative for CD45 staining in the surface marker analysis. All patients had received a median of two lines of treatment prior to enrolment and prospective utility analysis indicated significant correlation of CTS with clinical treatment response. Two representative case studies are also presented to illustrate the relevant clinical contexts.CTCs were expanded from patients with PDAC liquid biopsies with a high success rate. Drug sensitivity profiles from CTC-derived organoid cultures correlated meaningfully with treatment response. Further studies are warranted to validate the predictive potential for this approach.

This work reported preparation of porous composites using a simple dip-coating method, and the fabricated composites containing hybrid carbon nanomaterials performed excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties. A commercial sponge was coated with silver nanoparticles before being dip-coated with graphene (GP)/ink, multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/ink, or hybrid GP/MWCNTs/ink to form Ag/carbon nanomaterial hybrid composites, and then the composites were subjected to EMI measurements in the frequency range of 0.45–1.5 GHz. For comparison, the sponges without Ag nanoparticle coating were also prepared. Herein, we found an insignificant difference in EMI SE among the porous composites without Ag nanoparticle coating, and the maximum values of approximately 14.4 dB was attained. Interestingly, the hybrid composites with Ag nanoparticle coating exhibited maximum EMI shielding of 24.33 dB. Due to their porous structure, the EMI SE measurements showed that reflection dominates the EMI SE for all the sponge composites studied in this work.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the oncogenic microRNA family members miR-196a and miR-196b can be circulating biomarkers for the early detection of oral cancer.To determine the stability of circulating miRNA, the blood sample was aliquot and stored at different temperature conditions for analysis. To assess the diagnostic efficacy, we determined the levels of miR-196s in plasma samples, including 53 from healthy individuals, 16 from pre-cancer patients, and 90 from oral cancer patients.In general, circulating miRNA was very stable when storing plasma samples at -20°C or below. In clinical study, both circulating miR-196a and miR-196b were substantially up-regulated in patients with oral pre-cancer lesions (5.9- and 14.8-fold, respectively; P0.01), as well as in oral cancer patients (9.3- and 17.0-fold, respectively; P0.01). These results show prominent discrimination between normal and pre-cancer patients (AUC = 0.764 or 0.840, miR-196a or miR-196b, respectively), and between normal and cancer patients (AUC = 0.864 or 0.960, miR-196a or miR-196b, respectively). The combined determination of miR-196a and miR-196b levels produces excellent sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of patients with oral pre-cancer (AUC = 0.845) or oral cancer (AUC = 0.963), as well as in the prediction of potential malignancy (AUC = 0.950, sensitivity = 91%, specificity = 85%).Combined determination of circulating miR-196a and miR-196b levels may serve as panel plasma biomarkers for the early detection of oral cancer.

To develop novel electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials, polyaniline (PAni) composites filled with graphene, graphene decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag@graphene), and graphene decorated with nickel nanoparticles (Ni@graphene) were prepared, and the microstructures, morphologies, electrical conductivities, and EMI shielding efficiencies (EMI SEs) of the composites with different filler loadings (0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 wt.%) were investigated. The PAni composite containing 5.0 wt.% Ag@graphene showed the best electrical conductivity of 20.32 S/cm and highest EMI SE of 29.33 dB. The uniform dispersion of fillers significantly enhanced the formation of conductive pathways in the PAni matrix, and the presence of metal nanoparticles on the graphene surface and between the graphene layers also increased the electrical conductivity. The results of this study show that absorption is the primary factor governing EMI shielding, which is attributed to the high permittivity of the composites. This study reveals that the Ag@graphene/PAni composite is promising for applications as an EMI shielding material.

Two paraffin composites filled separately with randomly distributed graphite nanosheets (R-GNs) and oriented graphite nanosheets (O-GNs) were fabricated, and their thermal properties and structural characteristics were investigated. The experimental results show that a conductive network at 1.0 wt.% graphite nanosheet (GN) loading was found. The thermal conductivities of the R-GNs/paraffin and the O-GNs/paraffin composites are 4.47 ± 0.15 and 1.68 ± 0.07 W/m K, respectively, when 5.0 wt.% GNs were introduced. The Maxwell–Euken model and the modified rule of mixtures model were proposed to predict the thermal conductivities of the R-GNs/paraffin and the O-GNs/paraffin composites, respectively. The melting point and the solid–liquid phase transition temperature of the R-GNs/paraffin composites are approximately 53 and 60 °C, respectively, and neither of these values was significantly affected by the presence of GNs. Decreases in the latent heat of the R-GNs/paraffin composites with increased GN loading were also found.

Highlights? Online group buying is an effective marketing method. ? Group buying has become extremely popular. ? This study proposes a data mining approach for exploring online group buying behavior in Taiwan. ? This study uses the Apriori algorithm and clustering analysis for data mining. ? Knowledge extraction is proposed suggestions to online group buying firms for future development. Online group buying is an effective marketing method. By using online group buying, customers get unbelievable discounts on premium products and services. This not only meets customer demand, but also helps sellers to find new ways to sell products sales and open up new business models, all parties benefit in these transactions. During these bleak economic times, group buying has become extremely popular. Therefore, this study proposes a data mining approach for exploring online group buying behavior in Taiwan. Thus, this study uses the Apriori algorithm as an association rules approach, and clustering analysis for data mining, which is implemented for mining customer knowledge among online group buying customers in Taiwan. The results of knowledge extraction from data mining are illustrated as knowledge patterns, rules, and knowledge maps in order to propose suggestions and solutions to online group buying firms for future development.

This work demonstrates the fabrications and characterizations of polyaniline (PAni) composites containing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), graphite nanosheets (GNS), or hybrid fillers (SWCNTs/GNS). The characterization of microstructure, examination of fracture surface morphologies, and measurement of electric conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMI SE) were performed. It was found that both the electric conductivity and the EMI SE increase with filler loading, and the nanocomposites filled with 1.0 wt.% SWCNTs/GNS possessed the highest electric conductivity of 16.2 S/cm and total EMI SE of 27.0 dB. The experimental results also show that absorption is the primary mechanism of EMI SE for all of the loadings and fillers.

Research highlights? Direct marketing is an effective marketing method. ? Direct marketing could provide exclusive products and services for specific consumers. ? This study analyzes consumer adumbration, lifestyle habits and purchasing behavior using data mining approach. ? This study finds some models including cluster consumer purchase preference and demand. Direct marketing is an effective marketing method. To compare with the expensive media advertisements, direct marketing could provide exclusive products and services for specific consumers. Also, this method could reduce transaction costs. The communication channel is diverse because virtual shop stores and online shopping are springing up. Therefore, this study proposes the application of Internet marketing to the direct selling industry and the cosmetics market in Taiwan. This study implements association rules and cluster analysis as approaches for data mining. By doing so, we analyze consumer adumbration, lifestyle habits and purchasing behavior. Finally, this study finds some models including cluster consumer purchase preference and demand in order to generate different marketing alternatives for decisions. These research results can help attract more direct marketing firms to open up broader markets and earn higher profits for direct selling.

With advances in modern technology, the Internet population has increased year by year globally. For young customers who consider convenience and speed as prerequisites, online shopping has become a new type of consumption. In addition, business-to-customer (B2C) home delivery markets have taken shape gradually, because virtual stores have risen and developed, e.g. mail-order, TV marketing, e-commerce. To integrate the above statements, this study combines online shopping and home delivery, and attempts to use association rules to determine unknown bundling of fresh products and non-fresh products in a hypermarket. Customers are then divided up in clusters by clustering analysis, and the catalog is design based on each of the cluster's consumption preferences. By this method, to increase the catalogue's attraction to customers, hypermarkets are offered an online shopping and home delivery business model for sales services and propositions. With such a model, we can expect to attract more customers open up more broad markets, and earn the higher profits for hypermarkets.

In recent years tourism has become one of the fastest growing sectors of the world economy and is widely recognized for its contribution to regional and national economic development. Tourism product design and development have become important activities in many areas/countries as a growing source of foreign and domestic earnings. On the other hand, customer relationship management is a competitive strategy that businesses need in order to stay focused on the needs of their customers and to integrate a customer-oriented approach throughout the organization. Thus, this paper uses the Apriori algorithm as a methodology for association rules and clustering analysis for data mining, which is implemented for mining customer knowledge from the case firm, Phoenix Tours International, in Taiwan. Knowledge extraction from data mining results is illustrated as knowledge patterns, rules, and knowledge maps in order to propose suggestions and solutions to the case firm for new product development and customer relationship management.

The aim of this study was to clarify relevant alterations of gene expression associated with the invasive phenotype of oral cancer. To reduce heterogeneity and to obtain data on genes specifically involved in invasive mechanism, we established a highly invasive ORC subline through in vitro Matrigel invasion method. Affymetrix microarrays were used for transcriptome profiling between parental and the highly invasive subline. Seventy-nine genes were differentially expressed at least 2-fold, including 38 up-regulated and 41 down-regulated. After analyzing the microarray data by MetaCore algorithm, a total of 12 regulatory pathways were found to be associated with invasive phenotype (p

Objectives: There is no plasma marker for detecting nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). We developed a bead-based affinity fractionated proteomic method to search potential plasma markers for NPC. Design and methods: Affinity purification of heparinized plasma with Cu-chelated beads and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis were used to screen potential NPC markers. We compiled MS protein profiles for 47 patients with NPC and compared them to profiles from 28 healthy controls. The spectra were statistically analyzed using flexAnalysis ™ and ClinProt ™ bioinformatics software. Diagnostic efficacy was evaluated by determination of the assay sensitivity and specificity of each marker. Results: Twelve mass fingerprint markers differing between cancer and control spectra were found. The sensitivities of these NPC markers are various ranging from 36% to 83%, and the specificities were all over 90%. Combine use of these markers significantly increases diagnostic efficacy. In which, the combined markers (2020 Da and 4635 Da) possess best discriminator with high sensitivity (94%) and specificity (93%). We further identify a C3 fragment, C3f, that may serve as a biomarker for NPC. Conclusion: The combined use of mass fingerprint markers in plasma proteome will enhance diagnostic efficacy for NPC. This method can be applied to search for novel plasma markers for cancers.

Direct marketing is the use of the telephone and non-personal media to communicate product and organizational information to customers, who then can purchase products via mail, telephone, or the Internet. In contrast, catalog marketing is a type of marketing in which an organization provides a catalog from which customers make selections and place orders by mail or telephone. However, most catalogs for retailing firms are presented to customers in the format of paper catalogs without strategic segmentation design and implementation. In this regard, electronic catalog design and marketing could be a method to integrate the Internet and catalog marketing using market segmentation in order to enhance the effectiveness of direct marketing and sales management in retailing. This paper uses data mining based on association rules from relational database design and implementation for mining customer knowledge. As result, marketing knowledge patterns and rules are extracted for the electronic catalog marketing and sales management of a retailing mall in Taiwan.

Two new β-carboline alkaloids, xestomanzamine A ( 1) and xestomanzamine B ( 2), and a new manzamine-type alkaloid, manzamine X ( 3), were isolated as cytotoxic constituents from an Okinawan marine sponge of Xestospongia sp. Another new manzamine-type alkaloid, manzamine Y( 4), was isolated from an Okinawan marine sponge of Haliclona sp. The structures of these alkaloids were elucidated on the bases of 2D-NMR and X-ray analyses.