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To track the driving forces of rebound effects, the household electricity consumption of air conditioner (AC) was decomposed into the number, power size, and operating hours of AC. A set of regression models was built to find the influence pathways of increasing electricity consumption. Then, a two-stage decision-making process of AC purchase was studied to find the target customers of energy-efficient AC, using the joint estimation of logistic and zero-truncated negative binomial regression models. Data of 371 households in Hsinchu County in Taiwan were used based on the questionnaire survey of the household energy consumption behavior in 2018. Estimated results indicated that households having energy-efficient AC tend to install larger-power size ones causing the electricity consumption of AC to increase. Oversized AC was the main driving force of rebound effects. Contrarily, the using time of AC was not the key influence factor on electricity consumption. Estimated results also indicated that households living in urban apartments, especially for those with large floor area, would have higher probability of choosing energy-efficient AC and would install a greater number of that. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck cancers are a type of life-threatening cancers characterized by an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Only less than 20% of the patients respond to immune checkpoint blockade therapy, indicating the need for a strategy to increase the efficacy of immunotherapy for this type of cancers. Previously, we identified a type B CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) called CpG-2722, which has the universal activity of eliciting an immune response in grouper, mouse, and human cells. In this study, we further characterized and compared its cytokine-inducing profiles with different types of CpG-ODNs. The antitumor effect of CpG-2722 was further investigated alone and in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor in a newly developed syngeneic orthotopic head and neck cancer animal model. Along with other inflammatory cytokines, CpG-2722 induces the gene expressions of interleukin-12 and different types of interferons, which are critical for the antitumor response. Both CpG-2722 and anti-programmed death (PD)-1 alone suppressed tumor growth. Their tumor suppression efficacies were further enhanced when CpG-2722 and anti-PD-1 were used in combination. Mechanistically, CpG-2722 shaped a tumor microenvironment that is favorable for the action of anti-PD-1, which included promoting the expression of different cytokines such as IL-12, IFN-β, and IFN-γ, and increasing the presence of plasmacytoid dendritic cells, M1 macrophages, and CD8 positive T cells. Overall, CpG-2722 provided a priming effect for CD8 positive T cells by sharpening the tumor microenvironment, whereas anti-PD-1 released the brake for their tumor-killing effect, resulting in an enhanced efficacy of the combined CpG-2722 and anti-PD-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem of data inconsistency between electricity consumption and value added in Taiwan, the approach of cross-dataset calibration was proposed in this study. The datasets of electricity consumption from Taiwan Power Company were calibrated using the tax information statements from the Ministry of Finance, which are compiled for an entirely different purpose. These two datasets were integrated to reclassify electricity consumption into 19 sectors and 96 divisions. The calibrating process consists of five steps: date rollback, address data cleaning, integration, industry identification, and electricity consumption analysis. The calibrated results indicate that the data inconsistency mainly came from the low-voltage commercial electricity, especially for the small-sized enterprises in the service sector. The electricity consumption of wholesale and retail trade was calibrated upward by 19,073 GWh, while that of other service was calibrated downward by 16,350 GWh. We suggest that the calibration should be conducted at regular intervals to ensure that future policies are based on reliable data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opioids are widely administered to alleviate pain, including chronic pain in advanced cancer patients. Among opioids, morphine is one of the most clinically effective drugs for the palliative management of severe pain. In the last few decades, there has been a debate around the possible influence of opioids such as morphine on tumour growth and metastasis. Whilst several in vitro and in vivo studies suggest the possible modulatory effects of morphine on tumour cells, little is known about the impact of this analgesic drug on other mediators such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that play a key role in the control of cancer cell invasion and metastasis. MMP-9 has been considered as one of the principal mediators in regulation of not only the initial steps of cancer but during the invasion and spreading of cancer cells to distant organs. Herein, current studies regarding the direct and indirect effects of morphine on regulation of MMP-9 production are discussed. In addition, drawing from previous in vivo and in vitro studies on morphine action in regulating MMP-9 production, the potential roles of several underlying factors are summarised, including nuclear factor kappa-B and intracellular molecules such as nitric oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electricity demand in the industrial and service sectors in Taiwan is estimated using a panel dataset, covering 23 industries in the industrial and 9 in the service sectors from 1998 to 2015. Static and dynamic models are studied. Industries are reclassified based on the national accounts and the energy balance sheets. Estimated results indicate the price elasticity is − 0.14 in the short term and − 0.82 in the long term, while the income elasticity is 0.08 in the short term and 0.47 in the long term. The influence of cooling degree days was positive, and substitution effect of electricity with respect to petroleum was proven. In addition, the scenario analysis reveals the gap between the current situation and the policy target of electrical efficiency. This gap can be bridged by economic development and adjustment of industrial structure if Taiwan chooses to stick with low electricity prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has become a well-recognized label-free technique for measuring the binding kinetics between biomolecules since the invention of the first SPR-based immunosensor in 1980s. The most popular and traditional format for SPR analysis is to monitor the real-time optical signals when a solution containing ligand molecules is flowing over a sensor substrate functionalized with purified receptor molecules. In recent years, rapid development of several kinds of SPR imaging techniques have allowed for mapping the dynamic distribution of local mass density within single living cells with high spatial and temporal resolutions and reliable sensitivity. Such capability immediately enabled one to investigate the interaction between important biomolecules and intact cells in a label-free, quantitative, and single cell manner, leading to an exciting new trend of cell-based SPR bioanalysis. In this Trend Article, we first describe the principle and technical features of two types of SPR imaging techniques based on prism and objective, respectively. Then we survey the intact cell-based applications in both fundamental cell biology and drug discovery. We conclude the article with comments and perspectives on the future developments.Recent developments in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging techniques allow for label-free mapping the mass-distribution within single living cells, leading to great expansions in biomolecular interactions studies from homogeneous substrates functionalized with purified biomolecules to heterogeneous substrates containing individual living cells [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very well known that bone marrow (BM) microvasculature may possess a crucial role in the maintenance of homeostasis of BM due to mutual interactions between BM microvascular system and other physiological functions including haematopoiesis and osteogenesis. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are known as main approaches for cancer treatment and also are known as the main cause of damage to the BM microvascular system. However, despite the importance of BM microvasculature in orchestrating various biological functions, less attention has been drawn to address the underlying mechanisms for the damage and to explore cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the recovery/regeneration of chemotherapy- and/or radiotherapy-induced BM microvascular system damage can occur. Therefore, in this review we firstly discuss the ultra-/structure and biological characteristics of BM microvascular system (sinusoids). Secondly, potential contribution of BM sinusoids is discussed in pathophysiological circumstances (bone remodelling, haematopoiesis, cancer bone metastasis, and haematological cancers). Thirdly, we address previous preclinical and clinical studies regarding chemotherapy- and irradiation-induced BM microvasculature damage. Finally, potential cellular and molecular mechanisms are discussed for the recovery/regeneration of damaged BM microvascular system, including the potential roles of endothelial progenitor cells, haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and stimulation of VEGF/VEGFR and Ang-1/Tie-2 signalling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In table 1 columns 10 and 16, the value of the average price was updated. In Fig. 2b, some parts of the line graph were removed by mistake during production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]