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Several guidelines do not recommend beta-blocker as the first-line treatment for hypertension because of its inferior efficacy in stroke prevention. Combination therapy with beta-blocker is commonly used for blood pressure control. We compared the clinical outcomes in patients treated with amlodipine plus bisoprolol (A + B), a ß1-selective beta-blocker and amlodipine plus valsartan (A + V). A population-based cohort study was performed using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. From 2012 to 2019, newly diagnosed adult hypertensive patients who received initial amlodipine monotherapy and then switched to A + V or A + B were included. The efficacy outcomes included all-cause death, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and coronary revascularization), hemorrhagic stroke, and heart failure. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the relationship between outcomes and different treatments. Overall, 4311 patients in A + B group and 10980 patients in A + V group were included. After a mean follow-up of 4.34 ± 1.79 years, the efficacy outcomes were similar between the A + V and A + B groups regarding all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83–1.18), ASCVD event (aHR 0.97, 95% CI 0.84–1.12), and heart failure (aHR 1.06, 95% CI 0.87–1.30). The risk of hemorrhagic stroke was lower in A + B group (aHR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52–0.94). The result was similar when taking death into consideration in competing risk analysis. The safety outcomes were similar between the 2 groups. There was no difference of all-cause death, ASCVD event, and heart failure in A + B vs. A + V users. But A + B users had a lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new 14-membered resorcylic acid lactone (RAL14), chaetolactone A (1), along with three known ones (2−4), was obtained from the fermentation of the soil-derived fungus Chaetosphaeronema sp. SSJZ001. Their structures were established based on extensive spectroscopic data analyses (UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR),13C NMR chemical shifts calculations coupled with the DP4+ probability method, theoretical calculations of ECD spectra, as well as X-ray diffraction analysis. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects against A549, HO-8910, and MCF-7 cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generic data envelopment analysis (DEA) models are based on deterministic input and output. However, input and output vectors are often interrupted by random factors, such as measurement errors and data noise, in real economic situations. This study proposes a new chance-constrained network DEA model based on the modified directional distance function (DDF) and enhanced Russell measure (ERM) model for assessing government management and culture-led urban regeneration. In addition to exploring the randomness of data, this study integrates the advantages of both ERM and DDF and considers the inefficiency level from a non-oriented viewpoint, the direction vector, and each input and output simultaneously. Each input and output of the two production stages can use non-radials to measure efficiency. Results show that the urban-rural gap has gradually widened since 2015. To validate the legitimacy of the model, this study utilizes the bootstrapping method to verify the results of the stochastic network DEA model and the conventional two-stage network DEA approach. This study also considers different alpha values as basis for comparison to confirm whether the results obtained differ by uncertainty level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between genotypes and haplotypes of OPN, and milk composition in dairy cows. A total of 317 Chinese Holstein cows were genotyped via DNA sequencing in this study. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), g.2916G > A, g.58675C > T and g.58899C > A, and eight haplotypes were identified. Of the eight possible haplotypes, four haplotypes i.e., Hap2 (ACC; 55.30%), Hap6 (GCC, 15.6%), Hap1 (ACA, 13.6%) and Hap4 (ATC, 5.70%), were considered to be major with a cumulative estimated frequency of >90%. Single markers (g.2916G > A and g.58899C > A) and Haplotype Hap6/4 were found to be associated with an increase in butter-fat percentage (p < 0.05). Taken together, our results provided evidence that polymorphisms in OPN are associated with milk composition, and could potentially be used for marker-assisted selection in Chinese Holstein cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objects in remote sensing images usually have complex background and appear anywhere in any direction, which poses challenges for deep learning-based object detection. In order to solve the above problems, we embed the local binary pattern (LBP) into deep learning-based object detection to facilitate performance improvements. Specifically, we implement thep LBP via depthwise separable convolution without any learnable parameters, which makes LBP highlight the object-related regions of feature map instead of original images. The convolutional implementation of LBP makes it easy to embed it in deep learning-based object detection, so that deep learning-based object detection can possess the ability of LBP to extract the texture information from complex background without having to learn. The gradients of the branch where LBP convolution is located are blocked and cannot be backpropagated according to proposed LBP convolution, so we propose an effective residual block, called LBPRes (Residual block with Local Binary Pattern) for normal training. To deal with the problem of object direction changes, we introduce the rotation invariance into the LBPRes, denoted as RILBPRes (LBPRes with Rotation Invariance), which makes deep learning-based object detection have the local rotation invariance to cope with the object direction changes. Finally, we construct a single-stage object detection network S2LBPNet (Single Stage object detection Network with Local Binary Pattern) with a local binary pattern and conduct related experiments on the DIOR and HRRSD datasets. According to the experimental results, with a small number of parameters added, S2LBPNet outperforms the YOLOv5s baseline by 2.2% and 5.1% on DIOR and HRRSD datasets, respectively, which prove the superiority of the proposed S2LBPNet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A semiconductor distributor that plays a third-party role in the supply chain will buy diverse components from different suppliers, warehouse and resell them to a number of electronics manufacturers with vendor-managed inventories, while suffering both risks of oversupply and shortage due to demand uncertainty. However, demand fluctuation and supply chain complexity are increasing due to shortening product life cycle in the consumer electronics era and long lead time for capacity expansion for high-tech manufacturing. Focusing realistic needs of a leading distributor for semiconductor components and modules, this study aims to construct a UNISON framework based on deep reinforcement learning (RL) for dynamically selecting the optimal demand forecast model for each of the products with the corresponding demand patterns to empower smart production for Industry 3.5. Deep RL that integrates deep learning architecture and RL algorithm can learn successful policies from the dynamic and complex real world. The reward function mechanism of deep RL can reduce negative impact of demand uncertainty. An empirical study was conducted for validation showing practical viability of the proposed approach. Indeed, the developed solution has been in real settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lychee is an economically important fruit tree in sub-tropical area. The lychee pest, Litchiomyia chinensis Yang and Luo, induces blister-galls on the leaves of lychee crop and causes yield losses. Although chemical control may effectively suppress the pest population, insecticide resistance and environmental impact should be considered. It is preferable to develop more eco-friendly tactics using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on lychee gall midges. The distribution and occurrence of parasitic wasps on L. chinensis in Taiwan were investigated to understand their biocontrol potential. As a result, 11 parasitoids were found, and five species of them were confirmed as parasitic natural enemy of the pest cecid: Aprostocetus sp., Bracon sp., Derostenus sp., and two known Quadrastichus spp. Host and biology of the remaining six parasitoids (Aphanogmus sp., Cirrospilus sp., two Eupelmus spp., Gonatocerus sp. and Quadrastichus sp.) are uncertain, although they were also found inside gall. Besides, Q. johnlasallei is considered as the best biocontrol agent as it displays the highest parasitism in all five sampling localities and commonly found in the other five randomly collected localities of Taiwan. Noncorrelation between parasitism of Q. johnlasallei and two abiotic factors (temperature and rainfall) suggested its high adaptability in various environment. Fundamental biological and distribution information of five parasitic natural enemies of L. chinensis reported herein will be helpful for further developing its biocontrol programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have concentrated on developing user-centered designs for hazard zone maps but rarely for hazard-oriented geomorphological maps, named as Geomorphological Hazard Thematic Maps (GHTMs) in this study, which provide more detailed information about natural hazards. This study developed a user-centered mapping design for GHTMs for nonexperts in geomorphology. We invited civil engineers and high school educators to evaluate a sample GHTM’s design in group and focus group panel interviews. The civil engineers preferred maps with more geomorphological features, whereas the educators preferred simple designs. Both groups indicated that the inclusion of essential facilities and road networks is essential. The map was also adjusted by adding hillshade layer and by changing the symbology for mass wasting, fault scarps, and fluvial features to increase clarity and simplicity. This case study is the first step toward developing user-centered mapping designs for hazard communication that will deepen their understanding of natural hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microextrusion 3D bioprinting is a comparatively easy method to fabricate structures in tissue engineering. But high viscosity and wall shear stress in the tube and nozzle often lead to low cell survival rate of printed tissue. To reduce the viscosity and shear stress of materials in biological 3D printing, a multidimension microvibration assisted hydrogel 3D printing method was proposed. The compliant mechanism driven by piezoceramic was applied to 3D printing of hydrogels. The shear stress and viscosity of hydrogels could be effectively reduced by multidimension microvibration. Simulation analysis of the extrusion device was carried out to study the influence of vibration parameters on viscosity and shear stress, and optimized multidimension vibration forms and vibration parameters were selected for experiments. The experiment results show that multidimension microvibration can effectively reduce the viscosity of hydrogels and improve printing resolution and print speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the effects of dietary concentrate: forage ratio (C:F) on the development of the gastrointestinal tract in Tibetan lamb. A total of 60 healthy two-month-old weaned black Tibetan sheep (approximately 10.50 kg of initial body weight) were assigned to three treatments and fed C:F of 70:30 (HC group), 50:50 (MC group) and 30:70 (LC group). Using the haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, morphological results showed that the increase of dietary roughage level from 30 to 70% exerts a positive effect on the development of the forestomach including rumen, reticulum and omasum, especially in papillae and muscle layer. Both submucosa thickness and muscle layer of abomasum are significantly increased in the LC group when compared with the HC group. Moreover, the mucosal thickness of the small intestine is higher in the LC group than that in the HC group, whereas crypt depth is higher in HC compared to the LC group. These data suggest that increased dietary forage levels promote gastrointestinal tract growth in black Tibetan sheep by changing in papilla, muscle layer and mucosal thickness, and concentrate can be supplemented up to 30% to fulfil the nutrient requirements without restriction on the development of the gastrointestinal tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new polyketide derivative containing a 3-hydroxydecanoic acid ester moiety, penicipurate A (1), was purified from the solid cultures of the fungus Penicillium purpurogenum, a fungal strain endophytic in the leaves of Edgeworthia chrysantha. The structure of 1 was established by spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR and 13C NMR chemical shifts calculations coupled with DP4+ analysis, as well as the chemical degradation method. Compound 1 showed moderate inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase (PL) with an IC50 value of 9.61 ± 1.42 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of undergraduate students' soft skills is crucial because their chances to satisfactorily deal with the demands of various environments and interlocutors increases with the development of their soft skills. Based on the achievement goal theory, this study aimed to examine the role of the school environment in fostering students' soft skills. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the relationships between five environmental factors—learning task, teacher support, extracurricular activities, interaction with teachers and peers, and soft skills. These findings positively predicted soft skills in college environments with development and competence growth, for both in-class and out-of-class contexts. In addition, the findings revealed that the most effective methods to facilitate students' soft skills development included supporting extracurricular activities, engaging students in high-order learning tasks, facilitating peer learning, and providing structured guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we consider the parameter estimation problem for a class of subdiffusion processes which are characterized by the time-changed Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes. Least squares method is used to obtain the estimator for the drift coefficient. First, we get the strong consistency, asymptotical normality and asymptotical mixed normality for the estimator on the condition that we can observe the process continuously. After that, weak consistent and asymptotic properties are derived basing on discrete observations when the time-change process is an inverse α -stable ( 4 5 < α < 1 ) subordinator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mainland China and Hong Kong, health authorities utilize Agkistrodon halys antivenom in the treatment of patients who sustained bites from green pit vipers. However, the treatment benefit of Agkistrodon halys antivenom among such patients is still controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the coagulation parameters normalization time of Agkistrodon halys antivenom in patients who sustained green pit viper bites and explore independent risk factors of patient prognosis. Data were extracted from the Donghua Hospital Information System. Comparison of the two groups of patients – who used antivenom (GPUA) and who did not use antivenom (GPNUA) were performed using stratified analysis, univariate and multivariate ordered logistic regression models to evaluate the coagulation parameters normalization time. Univariate and multivariate ordered logistic regression models were used to explore independent risk factors of patient prognosis. Between the GPUA and GPNUA groups, there is no significant difference in the coagulation parameters normalization time with the treatment of Agkistrodon halys antivenom. GPNUA consumed more cryoprecipitate and platelets and had a lower cost. The patient's severity of the bite, first coagulation profile, and dosages of fresh frozen plasma, platelet, and red cell suspension was found to be risk factors for the normalization time of coagulation parameters. The therapeutic effect of Agkistrodon halys antivenom in green pit vipers bite patients is not quite satisfying. In addition, more attention should be paid to the first coagulation profile, blood clotting factors indices, platelet count (PLT), and hemoglobin when treating such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the effect of empty-nest on mental health and behaviors of the older population and explore the urban-rural differences. Data from the Cohort of Older People Health and Environment Controllable Factors were used, including 1071 older people aged 60 or over from a rural and an urban. Mental health, daily life behaviors, chronic physical diseases, and activities of daily living were evaluated. Logistic regression was used. The prevalence of empty-nest in older people was 55.0% in urban and 58.7% in rural. The empty-nest older people in urban were more likely to participate in physical exercise (OR[95%CI]: 1.55[1.03–2.31]), while the empty-nest older people in rural had lower rate of smoking (OR[95%CI]: 0.46[0.28–0.76]) and religious belief (OR[95%CI]: 1.61[1.01–2.58]), and higher prevalence of depression (OR[95%CI]: 1.55[1.03–2.35]) and higher level of total cholesterol (OR[95%CI]: 1.51[1.03–2.19]) compared with the non-empty-nest older people. In conclusion, the prevalence of empty-nest in older people was high both in rural and urban in China. Empty-nest exerts greater influences on the older people in rural than in urban, which should be given more attention, especially the depression and high total cholesterol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer cell plasticity generates heterogeneous oncogenic subpopulations in tumors. How macroautophagy/autophagy, a catabolic system required for sustaining cell homeostasis, affects cancer cell plasticity, remains elusive. In this study, we report that MAP1LC3A/LC3A (microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha), a key molecule in autophagy, is negatively associated with histological grade and distant metastasis of lung cancer. This is achieved in part, if not all, by maintaining the mitochondria and energy homeostasis to meet the proliferation demand of lung cancer cells driven by SOX2 (SRY-box transcription factor 2) signaling. Basal autophagy is preferentially active in SOX2-positive lung cancer cells with high-proliferative and low-invasive properties. The high-proliferative cancer cells exhibit higher oxygen consumption rate (OCR), elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and profound fragmented mitochondrial patterns compared to their high-invasive counterparts. SOX2 expression promotes LC3A expression and enhances proliferation but attenuates invasion in lung cancer cells. LC3A silencing enriches cells harboring low-proliferative and high-invasive features, concomitant with decreased OCR and ROS levels and reduced expression of SOX2. Our findings provide novel insights into how basal autophagy cross talks with SOX2 proliferation signaling to regulate mitochondrial metabolism and determines cancer cell plasticity with an impact on lung tumor progression. ATG14: autophagy related 14; CDH2: cadherin 2; ChIP-qPCR: chromatin immunoprecipitation quantitative polymerase chain reaction; CQ: chloroquine; ECAR: extracellular acidification rate; EMT: epithelial-mesenchymal transition; EPCAM: epithelial cell adhesion molecule; MAP1LC3A/LC3A: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha; MAP1LC3B/LC3B: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; MAP1LC3C/LC3C: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 gamma; NDUFV2: NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit V2; OCR: oxygen consumption rate; ROS: reactive oxygen species; RT-qPCR: reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction; SC: scrambled control; shRNA: short hairpin RNA; SNAI2: snail family transcriptional repressor 2; SOX2: SRY-box transcription factor 2; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TGFB/TGF-β: transforming growth factor beta; TOMM20: translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20; ZEB1: zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to illustrate how high-energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation can be used to treat Gao Yang coking coal (GY) and Shui Yu fat coal (SY). The effects of different irradiation (5 kGy, 10 kGy, and 20 kGy) on coal quality characteristics and physical and chemical structure were also studied. The structure of the coal samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Industrial analysis results showed that irradiation of samples reduced the amount of moisture and ash. The dehydration rate of SY coal when using an irradiation of 20 kGy reached a maximum of 48.11%. XPS results showed that irradiation treatment could not directly remove organic sulfur, but it possibly transforms the thiophene sulfur (low valence state) in coal to sulfones (high valence state). The FTIR spectra showed that the side chain of fats and the C = C of aromatic hydrocarbons in the coal were destroyed during radiation. XRD spectra showed the inorganic mineral composition on the surface of coal samples changed. In addition, irradiation effectively improves the pore capacity and pore channel structure of coal samples, resulting in an apparent increase in the specific surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presented the results on the study of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) polymorphisms in Chinese black Tibetan sheep. Via DNA direct sequencing, four variations within 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of IRS1, including g.9382T > G, g.9569T > G, g.9572C > T and g.9695A > C were detected in the black Tibetan sheep population. Based on the χ2 test, those four loci deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p < 0.05). In g.9569T > G locus, genotype of GG possessed advantage on body weight (p < 0.05). In g.9572C > T locus, individuals with genotype of TT homozygous mutation decreased significantly on body weight, withers height, body length and chest circumference (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). In g.9695A > C locus, the body weight and chest circumference were also higher in AA carriers than in CC carriers (p < 0.05). Our results provided evidence that polymorphisms in IRS1 were associated with growth efficiency traits by quantitative genetic analysis, and may be used for marker-assisted selection in Chinese indigenous sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, bis (indol-3-yl) methanes (BIMs) were synthesised and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. All synthesised compounds showed potential α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities. Compounds 5 g (IC50: 7.54 ± 1.10 μM), 5e (IC50: 9.00 ± 0.97 μM), and 5 h (IC50: 9.57 ± 0.62 μM) presented strongest inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase, that were ∼ 30 times stronger than acarbose. Compounds 5 g (IC50: 32.18 ± 1.66 µM), 5 h (IC50: 31.47 ± 1.42 µM), and 5 s (IC50: 30.91 ± 0.86 µM) showed strongest inhibitory activities towards α-amylase, ∼ 2.5 times stronger than acarbose. The mechanisms and docking simulation of the compounds were also studied. Compounds 5 g and 5 h exhibited bifunctional inhibitory activity against these two enzymes. Furthermore, compounds showed no toxicity against 3T3-L1 cells and HepG2 cells. A series of bis (indol-3-yl) methanes (BIMs) were synthesised and evaluated inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Compound 5g exhibited promising activity (IC50 = 7.54 ± 1.10 μM) against α-glucosidase. Compound 5s exhibited promising activity (IC50 = 30.91 ± 0.86 μM) against α-amylase. In silico studies were performed to confirm the binding interactions of synthetic compounds with the enzyme active site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transient behaviour of the pump-turbine in load rejection is very complex, and slight changes in runner blade shape may have great influence on it. To understand the underlying flow mechanisms, the load rejection processes of two model pump-turbines with the same specific-speed but different in the runner blade inlet shape were investigated by a three-dimensional numerical simulation method. The results show that the lean angle of the runner blade leading edge impacts the evolution of backflows at the runner inlet. The backflows first emerge at the shroud side for the runner with a negative lean angle, and the backflows first emerge at the hub side for the runner with no lean angle. However, the backflows at the shroud side make more imbalanced flows in the runner passages and higher increase of pressure fluctuations in the vaneless space. As a consequence, greater radial force fluctuations on the runner blades are formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical issue for ensuring long-term sustainability of pension funds is how the Public Service Pension Fund Management Board (PSPFMB) makes entrusting decisions to choose investment trust corporations (ITCs). To design a more comprehensive performance measure, this study uses the additive network data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to measure efficiency scores of 34 ITCs, including operating performance, equity fund performance, and bond fund performance. We further propose a method to effectively forecast the future efficiency scores of each ITC by using a trend analysis technique. Our mechanism for ITC evaluation helps improve the deficiency of old decision-making processes that merely look at ITCs' past performances. Our proposed approach offers a theoretical contribution to the additive DEA literature by through its practicality and by integrating measurement and prediction procedures. For a practical implication with additive network DEA, we provide a more feasible method for selecting ITCs that will run the Public Service Pension Fund. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is well-known for its distinct flavor and texture as well as its medicinal and nutritional properties. Small good grade fresh shiitake mushrooms are highly perishable and have a low commodity value in the Taiwan market. As a result, these are frequently used as raw materials for vacuum-fried crisps. However, manufacturers continue to use traditional maltose (MO) syrup with no functional properties as a sweetener, and shiitake stipes are frequently discarded, increasing production costs. Isomalto-oligosaccharide (IMO) is a functional oligosaccharide sweetener with health benefits. The purpose of this research is to study the use of functional IMO in the processing of shiitake crisps to replace MO, and the reusability of stipes. In the manufacture of vacuum-fried shiitake cap and stipe crisps, the 30–40°Brix IMO syrup replaces the 35°Brix MO syrup. Vacuum-fried crisps' quality characteristics were determined using physicochemical and sensory evaluation. The results showed that centrifuged caps and stipes reach equilibrium after 3 h of being soaked in various concentrations of 90–95°C syrup. The L*, a*, b*, h*, and c* values for the cap crisps decreased with the increase in the level of IMO syrup. The breaking force for the stipe crisps was less than that for cap crisps. The crude protein and crude fat content of vacuum-fried cap and stipe crisps decreased as the level of IMO syrup increased, but the carbohydrate content increased. For a nine-point hedonic test, the sensory scores for cap and stipe crisps without seasoning powder were 6.9–7.4 and 6.1–6.5, respectively. Addition of seasoning powder increased the flavor and overall scores to 8.1–8.2 and 7.2–7.4, respectively. Overall, the addition of IMO syrup reduced the calories and increased the health benefits of vacuum-fried shiitake crisps. Furthermore, the result showed that stipes can also be used to make vacuum-fried crisps and increase profitability for manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the antitumor effects and ability of an anlotinib (AL) hydrogel (AL–HA–Tyr) to reduce toxicity in a mouse model of Lewis lung cancer (LLC). We constructed a drug carrier system for AL, verified its effectiveness and systemic safety, and provided a preliminary experimental foundation for clinical carrier transformation. AL–HA–Tyr was prepared by encapsulating AL with hyaluronic acid–tyramine (HA–Tyr) conjugates. Colony and tube formation assays showed that AL–HA–Tyr restrained the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and LLC cells, respectively, in vitro, and that AL exerted significant anti-angiogenesis and anti-tumor effects. The invasion and migration of HUVECs and LLC cells were efficiently suppressed by AL according to transwell assays. HUVEC and LLC cell-cycle and apoptosis analysis clarified the direct anti-tumor effects of AL–HA–Tyr. Mice engrafted with LLC cells in vivo were administered oral saline, oral AL, or an intratumoral injection of HA–Tyr or AL–HA–Tyr. The results showed that AL–HA–Tyr obviously reduced visceral toxicity and decreased Ki67 and VEGF-A expression in tumor cells compared with AL. Furthermore, AL–HA–Tyr significantly prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Overall, AL–HA–Tyr enhanced antitumor effects and reduced toxicity in the LLC model. It provided a foundation for the clinical transformation of drug carrier systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential evaluations of land consolidation projects (LCPs) are core in ex-ante evaluations to ensure that resource allocations are effective for achieving sustainable development. There are some problems with the unrealistic assumptions of the real world in these evaluations, such as the assumed independence of the criteria/dimensions in real-world problems. In this research, to fill this performance gap, a new hybrid modified MADM model was developed to construct an evaluation framework for comprehensive LCPs, covering three dimensions and ten criteria. Two LCPs real cases were used as empirical cases. The results of the DEMATEL method indicate that to achieve sustainable rural development through LCPs, "Production dimension (D1)" and "Ecological dimensions (D3)" having the characteristics that affect others should be the focus, although the DANP suggests that the "Life dimension (D2)" has the highest influence weight. The modified VIKOR suggests that Case A has more potential than Case B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new polyketides including two benzophenone derivatives, penibenzones A and B (1 and 2), and a new phthalide derivative, penibenzone C (3), along with six known compounds, were isolated from the solid-substrate cultures of the endophytic fungus Penicillium purpurogenum IMM003. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data (UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR). All compounds were evaluated for inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase, but none of them displayed activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lychee gall midge, Litchiomyia chinensis Yang and Luo (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), invaded Taiwan in 2008. This fly induces blister-galls on the leaves of lychee, Litchi chinensis Sonn (Sapindaceae), and causes significant yield losses. At present, its natural enemy complex is largely undocumented; thus, the overall aim of ongoing research is to investigate the natural enemies on L. chinensis in different areas and seasons in Taiwan. We describe two species that parasitise this gall midge: Quadrastichus lasallei, sp. n. and Quadrastichus johnlasallei, sp. n. that demonstrate biocontrol potential of this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the prognosis of adult severe aplastic anemia (SAA) patients with absolute neutrophil count (ANC) values of zero prior to immunosuppressive therapy (IST). Methods: Patients with ANC values of zero prior to IST were separated from very SAA and analyzed in a prospective study. All patients received IST with rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine (CsA). Results: A significantly lower response rate (RR) was identified in patients with ANC = 0 prior to IST when compared to patients with SAA after both 3 and 6 month periods or compared to those with vSAA at 3 months only. The efficacy of IST was inversely related to ANC = 0. The overall survival rate of the 'zero' group was significantly lower than that of the vSAA or SAA groups. Overall survival was closely associated with response to IST, and was inversely related to ANC = 0. Discussion: In SAA patients, ANC is associated with prognosis, the elucidated overall survival improvement in patients without ANC = 0 occurred in conjunction with decreased infection-related mortality. Our study revealed that adult patients with ANC = 0 prior to IST responded poorly to IST, suggesting that having a very low number of neutrophils was a highly predictive factor for efficacy and survival of SAA patients treated with IST. Conclusion: Adult SAA patients with ANC = 0 had a very poor prognosis and new therapeutic regimens may result in better outcome for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), aplastic anemia (AA) or other rare anemia require chronic blood transfusions which can lead to iron overload and subsequent excess iron-mediated complications. Intensive iron chelation with deferasirox could remove excess iron and can alleviate these events; however, the long-term safety and efficacy in Chinese population are not clearly characterized. This study examined the long-term efficacy and safety of deferasirox in a real-world setting in Taiwan. Methods: This observational, non-interventional, single-arm, multi-center, phase IV study was designed to collect the safety and clinical information about patients who were treated with deferasirox according to investigator's judgment and in accordance with the general clinical practice. Results: From 2009 to 2011, patients with MDS (N = 38), AA (N = 23), and other rare anemias (N = 18) were enrolled. The mean deferasirox exposure was 17.7 ± 4.02 mg/kg/day. The most common drug-related AEs were skin disorders (32.9%) and gastrointestinal disorders (30.4%), while grade 3–4 AEs were rare (5.1%). In the overall patient population, deferasirox effectively decreased serum ferritin levels at 1 year (P = 0.0154) and 3 years (P = 0.0424) from the baseline. Upon the use of deferasirox, 32.9% patients showed erythroid response and 16.7% patients had platelet response. Conclusions: For patients with MDS, AA, and other rare anemias, the AEs observed in this 3-year surveillance study with deferasirox were mostly mild or moderate. In addition, the hematological response rate was higher than that in the EPIC study, which primarily enrolled Caucasian patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fully understand the evolution of flow structures and pressure fluctuations in the S-shaped region of pump-turbines, three dimensional (3D) numerical simulations were carried out for a model pump-turbine at four different guide-vane openings (GVOs). We found that special backflow vortex structures (BFVSs) form around the runner inlet. The backflow location shifts from the hub side to the shroud side and then to the midspan, as the operating point moves from the best efficiency point to the zero discharge point along the S-shaped characteristic curve. At large GVO, if the discharge is relatively large, the flow separations at the runner inlet are primarily driven by the local adverse pressure gradient, resulting in hub and shroud side backflows. At small GVO or small discharge, the separations are mainly dominated by the centrifugal force, resulting in backflow at the guide-vane midspan section. The locally distributed BFVSs enhance the local rotor-stator interaction (RSI) in the vaneless space, leading to different pressure fluctuating intensities along the spanwise direction for high frequency components. On the other hand, the rotating stall is the main cause of the uneven distributions of low frequency pressure fluctuations along the vaneless space between runner and guide-vanes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new sesquiterpenoid ester glycoside (1) and a new monoterpenoid ester glycoside (2) have been isolated from an ethanol extract of the twigs of Litsea cubeba. Their structures were elucidated by extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments, and the absolute configurations were determined by chemical methods, specific rotation, and a combination of experimental and theoretically calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. Compound 1 exhibited selective cytotoxicity against A549 and HCT-8 cell lines with the IC50 values of 8.9 and 9.6 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new diketopiperazine alkaloids, named protuboxepin C (1) and protuboxepin D (2), which contain D-Phe residue and oxepin ring, were isolated from EtOAc extract of sponge-derived fungus Aspergillus sp SCSIO XWS02F40. Their structures were elucidated by 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS dates, and their absolute configurations were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments and CD analyses. The in vitro cytotoxicity of these two new compounds was further evaluated using A549 and Hela cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new oxacyclododecindione-type macrolactone, (13R,14S,15R)-13-hydroxy-14-deoxyoxacyclododecindione (1), has been obtained from the solid cultures of the fungus Exserohilum rostratum, a fungal strain endophytic in Gymnadenia conopsea. Its structure, including the absolute configuration, was extensively established by 1D and 2D NMR data, the modified Mosher method, and a combination of experimental and theoretically calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compound 1 showed weak selective cytotoxicity against the A549 lung cell line with an IC50 value of 9.2 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G72 has been characterised as a susceptibility gene that can have wide-ranging effects in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including schizophrenia and major depression. Indeed, its product, pLG72, is a potential serum biomarker for schizophrenia. Previous transcriptomic and biochemical studies have indicated that pLG72 may induce the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in cell damage. Here, we investigated the mechanism of pLG72 by transfecting a human U87 glioblastoma cell line with a G72 construct. By employing ROS-specific scavengers, we discovered that superoxide radicals were specifically induced in the pLG72-expressing cells. We also found that pLG72 interacted and co-localised with superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), resulting in aggregation of SOD1 with a concomitant 23% or 74% reduction of total SOD activity, depending on the amount of G72 transfection plasmid. Finally, we found that transfection of U87 cells with the G72 construct caused a 29% decrease in cell proliferation. The observed loss of SOD1 function in pLG72-expressing cells may explain the elevated ROS levels and inhibition of U87 cell proliferation and has implications for understanding the onset of neurodegenerative diseases in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remodeling of lipid metabolism has been implicated in cancers; however, it remains obscure how the lipid metabolic pathways are altered by oncogenic signaling to affect tumor development. We have recently shown that proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src interacts with and phosphorylates the lipogenesis enzyme phosphatidate phosphatase LPIN1 to promote breast cancer development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric particles are a major problem that could lead to harmful effects on human health, especially in densely populated urban areas. Chiayi is a typical city with very high population and traffic density, as well as being located at the downwind side of several pollution sources. Multiple contributors for PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≥2.5 μm) and ultrafine particles cause complicated air quality problems. This study focused on the inhibition of local emission sources by restricting the idling vehicles around a school area and evaluating the changes in surrounding atmospheric PM conditions. Two stationary sites were monitored, including a background site on the upwind side of the school and a campus site inside the school, to monitor the exposure level, before and after the idling prohibition. In the base condition, the PM2.5 mass concentrations were found to increase 15% from the background, whereas the nitrate (NO3−) content had a significant increase at the campus site. The anthropogenic metal contents in PM2.5 were higher at the campus site than the background site. Mobile emissions were found to be the most likely contributor to the school hot spot area by chemical mass balance modeling (CMB8.2). On the other hand, the PM2.5 in the school campus fell to only 2% after idling vehicle control, when the mobile source contribution reduced from 42.8% to 36.7%. The mobile monitoring also showed significant reductions in atmospheric PM2.5, PM0.1, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and black carbon (BC) levels by 16.5%, 33.3%, 48.0%, and 11.5%, respectively. Consequently, the restriction of local idling emission was proven to significantly reduce PM and harmful pollutants in the hot spots around the school environment. Implications: The emission of idling vehicles strongly affects the levels of particles and relative pollutants in near-ground air around a school area. The PM2.5 mass concentration at a campus site increased from the background site by 15%, whereas NO3− and anthropogenic metals also significantly increased. Meanwhile, the PM2.5 contribution from mobile source in the campus increased 6.6% from the upwind site. An idling prohibition took place and showed impressive results. Reductions of PM2.5, ionic component, and non-natural metal contents were found after the idling prohibition. The mobile monitoring also pointed out a significant improvement with the spatial analysis of PM2.5, PM0.1, PAH, and black carbon concentrations. These findings are very useful to effectively improve the local air quality of a densely city during the rush hour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a motion-damage database (the Canterbury Earthquake Building Assessment, CEBA database) using surveyed information obtained from the Canterbury earthquake sequence. The database is then applied to derive fragility curves for non-residential buildings in New Zealand. The results indicate that unreinforced masonry buildings are the most vulnerable to damage, while the concrete shear wall buildings were found to be the most resilient. Discrepancies were found when comparing equivalent structures in New Zealand and the United States. Inherent difference of building characteristics between the two countries, significant ground failure, and accumulated damage from multiple events might explain the difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new polyketides, 3,11-dihydroxy-6,8-dimethyldodecanoic acid (1) and trichopyrone B (2), together with two known polyketides, sorbicillin (3) and penicillone A (4), have been isolated from the cultures broth of the fungus Penicillium decumbens. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. Of these, compound 3 showed antifungal activity toward Candida albicans Y0109 with a MIC value of 50 μM. Moreover, compounds 3 and 4 exhibited selective cytotoxicity against the human hepatocellular carcinoma (QGY-7703) cell line with the IC50 values of 32.5 and 22.8 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the robust output tracking for heterogeneous double-integrator dynamics with external disturbance. It is assumed that there exist interactions among agents and their neighbours. All the agents have non-identical dynamics with others, and all the system matrices are unknown. A state feedback control protocol with only neighbours information is proposed based on a distributed compensator for non-identical dynamics and an internal-model compensator for the unknown parts. By the algebraic graph theory and matrix theory, sufficient conditions are given to guarantee that all the outputs of the agents converge to the reference output as time tends to infinity. Finally, two numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coherent dynamics of localised π-electron rotations in an aromatic ring molecule may play an important role in designing next generation photo-induced organic molecular devices. In this paper, we present a theoretical study of laser control of localised π-electron rotations in a low symmetry aromatic ring molecule, which are created by the coherence of two or more electronic excited states. The control scenario is to manipulate energy spacings between two electronic states by utilising AC Stark shift induced by strong non-resonant ultraviolet (UV) laser. We set three targets for laser manipulation of localised electron rotational dynamics for (P)-2,2′-biphenol with two aromatic rings. The first target is flipping of the direction of the localised π-electron rotation on the same ring, the second one is the transfer of the π-electron rotation localisation from one aromatic ring to the other, and the third one is freezing the unidirectional π-electron rotation localised on one aromatic ring. We propose the fundamental principle of laser manipulation of localised π-electron rotation utilising AC Stark shift. Expectation values of the localised electron angular momentum are calculated numerically to demonstrate our idea of laser manipulation. Effects of laser-field intensity on localised electron rotation dynamics are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sum-frequency generation spectroscopy is a powerful tool for analysing molecular species and orientation configurations on a surface or an interface. In addition to conventional vibrational resonant techniques, the electronic resonant (electronic sum-frequency generation [ESFG]) ones have been developed recently. We have established the theoretical formulation of ESFG spectroscopy based on the susceptibility approach, considering resonances with both symmetry-allowed and symmetry-forbidden electronic excited states; derivatives of transition dipole moments and vibronic couplings beyond the Condon approximation were included. With the aid of density functional theory computations, simulated ESFG spectra in resonances with both types of excited states of acetone are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six new indole alkaloid diglycosides named isatigotindolediosides A-F (1–6), along with three known analogs (7–9), were isolated from an aqueous extract of theIsatis indigoticaroots (ban lan gen). Their structures including the absolute configurations were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis, combined with enzyme or acid hydrolysis, and comparison of experimental circular dichroism (CD) and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. In the preliminary assays, compounds3,5, and8showed antiviral activity against Coxsackie virus B3. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for memory or emotional complaints in patients with complicated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records was conducted by physicians in a teaching hospital in Southern Taiwan, and complicated mTBI had been identified by means of computed tomography. Psychological complaints, including problems with memory and emotions, were collected by structured telephone interviews, 10–15 minutes long, and were held with subjects who agreed to participate in our study. Among 327 patients who were injured for more than two years, 190 agreed to join this study (mean age: 41.6 years; male: 60.5%; stably employed: 50.0%). We used demographic data and neurological factors to predict memory or emotional complaints without muscle power or response speed (MEMR) complaints. Results: Only the presence or absence of cerebral contusions predicted memory or emotional complaints without MEMR complaints in different employed status, and the odds ratio was 4.82–13.50 times higher for those with cerebral contusions than for those without. Conclusions: Cerebral contusions were the primary risk factor for MEMR complaints in chronic complicated mTBI. Early preventive psychological intervention might be necessary for patients with complicated mTBI and cerebral contusions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Retailers can construct effective marketing strategies to improve their store image and enhance customer value if they understand the nature and the impact of the quantitative data and the qualitative information regarding the factors affecting this image. Most previous studies have used a qualitative or a quantitative method, rather than both. Fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) is a tool for resolving qualitative and quantitative issues. This paper uses FSE in combination with the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to help companies better understand the quantitative data (the weights of the factors that affect store image) and the qualitative information (the segmentation of consumer groups). By using this quantitative data and qualitative information, retailers can learn pertinent information about each consumer group. Thereby, they can allocate the resources of their enterprises to better improve their store image according to the needs of different customer groups at lower costs and with greater efficiency. The findings and implications found in a case study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Three new minor valepotriate isomers, jatamanvaltrates Z1 (1), Z2 (2), and Z3 (3), have been isolated from the whole plants ofValeriana jatamansi(syn.Valeriana wallichii.). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, especially 2D NMR and ESI-MS/MSn. All isolated compounds displayed moderate cytotoxicity against the lung adenocarcinoma (A549), metastatic prostate cancer (PC-3 M), colon cancer (HCT-8), and hepatoma (Bel7402) cell lines with IC50values of 2.8–8.3 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]