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Background Taiwan will become a super-aged society by 2025, leading to the more frequent use of outpatient services by older adults for medical treatment compared with other age groups. Understanding the outpatient service consideration factors of older adults seeking medical treatment can improve health care quality. This study explored the selection factors and crucial considerations of older adults for outpatient services. Methods Qualitative study was conducted. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 16 older adults over 65 years of age with chronic disease who were patients of an internal medicine department and regularly returned for checkups. Data including reasons for receiving medical treatment, factors affecting their choice of hospitals, and health care and environmental considerations were collected through structured interviews. Results The older adults identified four factors. (1) The care of doctors: The doctors possessed professional skill, allocate sufficient consultation time, and undertake effective communication. (2) The care of other medical professionals: Other medical professionals provided services in a cordial manner. (3) The accessibility and convenience of outpatient services: Convenient transportation and registration as well as short consultation wait time. (4) Environment and equipment: The hospital had the novel facilities and satisfactory barrier-free equipment. Conclusions The older adults cared most about the adequacy of diagnosis and treatment by doctors and other medical professionals. In addition, they reported having higher satisfaction with hospitals that provide comprehensive medical facilities, fast and convenient medical procedures, and short wait times.

The male of Psechrus jinggangensis Wang & Yin, 2001 is described for the first time based on many specimens from its type locality, Jinggang Mountain National Nature Reserve, Ji’an City, Jiangxi province, China. Detailed illustrations, SEM images, and distribution map are given.

Background Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare autosomal recessive lipid disorder often associated with recurrent episodes of pancreatitis. It is documented in most cases with FCS due to the mutations of key proteins in lipolysis, including LPL, APOC2, APOA5, LMF1 and GPIHBP1. Case presentation We report the successful management of a 35-year-old pregnant woman carrying a novel homozygous frameshift mutation c.48_49insGCGG (p.P17A fs*22) in the GPIHBP1 gene with previous severe episodes of acute pancreatitis triggered by pregnancy, resulting in adverse obstetrical outcomes. With careful monitoring, the patient underwent an uneventful pregnancy and delivered a baby with no anomalies. Conclusions The case report contributes to the understanding of GPIHBP1-deficient familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) and highlights gestational management of FCS patient.

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is a major problem in coal mining. In the vicinity of underground goaf, secondary or repeated oxidation processes of the residual coal inevitably occur, increasing the risk of coal fires. In this study, the thermal reaction behaviour of two types of raw coal samples and three preoxidised coal samples with different oxidation temperatures (80, 130, and 180 °C) were investigated. The physical and chemical properties of the samples were measured using thermogravimetric analyser-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) with heating rates of 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 °C min−1. According to the characteristic temperatures in the heating processes, the entire CSC procedure can be divided into three stages: oxidation, combustion, and burnout. The results indicated that the aliphatic side chain lengths of preoxidised coal were shorter, and the number of branched aliphatic side chains was lower than that of raw coal. Furthermore, the model for the mechanism of preoxidised coal differed from that of raw coal. Average values of the apparent activation energy of the preoxidised coal samples were lower than those of the raw coal samples. Therefore, compared with raw coal, preoxidised coal requires less energy to react and more readily undergoes spontaneous combustion.

Exogenous enzymes, including protease, lipase, carbohydrate enzyme and phytase, are widely used as additives in fish feed worldwide. The chemical effects of these enzymes are well understood; however, their benefits to fish remain controversial. This review aimed to explore the current state of knowledge on the impacts of exogenous enzymes on finfish aquaculture, and demonstrate the application of exogenous enzymes as a safe and efficient bio‐additive to regulate growth performance, digestibility, feed utilization, whole‐body composition and immune performance of fish, and reduce phosphorus pollution into environment. Overall, based on the current knowledge and information gathered in this review, it is clear that the research on exogenous enzyme supplementation in finfish aquaculture is not extensive. It may be significant to increase research on this subject in future because it could broaden the application of exogenous enzyme use in diets where they cannot be applied currently.

Introduction Epidural analgesia has become a universal intervention for relieving labor pain, and its effect on the pelvic floor is controversial. Aim To investigate the effect of epidural analgesia on pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) in primiparous women at 6 months postpartum. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study involving 150 primiparous women in preparation for vaginal delivery, with 74 (49.3%) receiving epidural analgesia. Baseline demographic and intrapartum data were collected. At 6 months postpartum, PFD symptoms, including stress urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, defecation disorder, pelvic organ prolapse, and 4 kinds of sexual dysfunction (arousal disorder, low sexual desire, dyspareunia, and orgasm disorder), were evaluated. Pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function and postpartum depression were also assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with the PFD symptoms affected by epidural analgesia. Main outcome measure PFD symptoms and sexual dysfunction were evaluated through Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-12). PFM function was examined with palpation and surface electromyography (sEMG). Postpartum depression was assessed using Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Results At 6 months postpartum, women who delivered with epidural analgesia had a higher incidence of dyspareunia (43.2% vs 26.3%, P 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that epidural analgesia (OR = 3.056, 95% CI = 1.217-7.671) and SDS scores (OR = 1.066, 95% CI = 1.009-1.127) were independent risk factors for dyspareunia. Conclusion At 6 months postpartum in primiparous women, epidural analgesia was associated with an increased risk of postpartum dyspareunia and longer labor durations, which deserves attention for rehabilitation after delivery. Future studies with a larger sample size are needed to evaluate the impact of epidural analgesia on other PFD symptoms.

Cervical cancer (CC) patients have a poor prognosis due to the high recurrence rate. However, there are still no effective molecular signatures to predict the recurrence and survival rates for CC patients. Here, we aimed to identify a novel signature based on three types of RNAs [messenger RNA (mRNAs), microRNA (miRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)]. A total of 763 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEMs), 46 lncRNAs (DELs), and 22 miRNAs (DEMis) were identified between recurrent and non-recurrent CC patients using the datasets collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GSE44001; training) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (RNA- and miRNA-sequencing; testing) databases. A competing endogenous RNA network was constructed based on 23 DELs, 15 DEMis, and 426 DEMs, in which 15 DELs, 13 DEMis, and 390 DEMs were significantly associated with disease-free survival (DFS). A prognostic signature, containing two DELs (CD27-AS1, LINC00683), three DEMis (hsa-miR-146b, hsa-miR-1238, hsa-miR-4648), and seven DEMs (ARMC7, ATRX, FBLN5, GHR, MYLIP, OXCT1, RAB39A), was developed after LASSO analysis. The built risk score could effectively separate the recurrence rate and DFS of patients in the high- and low-risk groups. The accuracy of this risk score model for DFS prediction was better than that of the FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) staging (the area under receiver operating characteristic curve: training, 0.954 vs 0.501; testing, 0.882 vs 0.656; and C-index: training, 0.855 vs 0.539; testing, 0.711 vs 0.508). In conclusion, the high predictive accuracy of our signature for DFS indicated its potential clinical application value for CC patients.

PurposeThis study intends to explore the safety and effectiveness of the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the perioperative care of patients with supratentorial tumors.MethodsA total of 151 supratentorial tumor patients were enrolled in this study, and they were divided into control group (n = 75) and observation group (n = 76) according to the random number table method. Patients in the control group received routine neurosurgery care, and patients in the observation group received enhanced recovery after surgery care. The incidence of perioperative complications, postoperative hospital stays, early postoperative eating time, catheter removal time, and time to get out of bed were observed for the two groups of patients, and the quality of postoperative recovery was evaluated.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference in the basic data of the two groups of patients, such as age, gender, lesion location, and condition (P>0.05), and they were comparable. The observation group’s postoperative eating time, catheter removal time, and time to get out of bed were significantly earlier than those of the control group. Postoperative hospital stays and hospitalization expenses were less than those of the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in postoperative hospital stay between the two groups (PConclusionApplying the ERAS concept to implement perioperative care for patients with supratentorial tumors is safe and effective. It can not only reduce after-surgical stress and accelerate postoperative recovery, but also shorten hospital stays and reduce hospital costs. It is worthy of clinical application.

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is a global, long-standing thermal hazard in coal mining that causes serious environmental damage, particularly in developing countries. Ionic liquids (ILs) are environmentally friendly, green, economical, and a new type of fire-preventing material that inhibits coal oxidation and alleviates thermal production. In this study, 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazole tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazole ([BMIM][I]) at various mass ratios (0.0, 0.5, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mass%) were used to treat three types of coal (lignite, 1/3 coking coal, and anthracite) for CSC. The combustion-mass loss and thermal release rate of ILs treated relative to untreated coal samples were investigated using a synchronous thermal analyzer, and the optimal addition mass ratio of ILs was predicted. Not only do ILs have the most efficient inhibiting effect, but they also consider the economic benefit. Per thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry, for the content of 5.0 mass% [BMIM][BF4], the inhibiting effect is favorable for universal applications. In addition, coal samples treated with 5.0 mass% [BMIM][BF4] were subjected to programmed-temperature heating experiment testing. The oxygen consumption rate, inhibiting effect, as well as apparent activation energy, were determined. The inhibiting effect at 120.0–150.0 °C was the most obvious, which provided the basis of the application for CSC prevention.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a type of environmentally friendly solvents. Several studies have proven that ILs can inhibit the spontaneous combustion of coal (SCC). In this study, a synchronous thermal analyzer was used to analyze the effects of the imidazolium-based IL [BMIM][BF4] on coal of three metamorphic grades. A coal sample exhibiting the optimal inhibiting result was selected to investigate the effect of the oxygen concentration on IL inhibition. The results revealed that the influence of IL on the mass loss process of the three metamorphic grades of coal varied considerably. High inhibition was observed in lignite. However, the IL promoted the mass loss process in 1/3 coking coal and anthracite. The IL delayed the ignition temperature of lignite by 42 °C, whereas those of 1/3 coking coal and anthracite were advanced by 10 and 8 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the initial exothermic temperature of the three treated coal samples was higher than those of the raw coal samples. Compared with the raw coal samples, the heat released per gram of lignite, 1/3 coking coal, and anthracite was reduced by 1142, 353, and 226 J, respectively. The results indicated that the IL had a prominent inhibiting effect on the exothermic properties of the three coal samples, and the inhibiting effect decreased with an increase in the metamorphic grade of coal. Moreover, the oxygen concentration did not alter the inhibition properties of the IL on the SCC. However, the inhibiting effect weakened as the oxygen concentration decreased.

Thermal analysis was used to investigate the oxidation and heat-release characteristics of four coal samples from the Huainan mining area in China. Temperature and the evolution of heat and gaseous...

Background Diastasis of rectus abdominis (DRA) refers to a separation of the rectus abdominis from the linea alba. This study aimed to investigate the association with the severity of DRA for developing pelvic floor dysfunction among women during the first year postpartum. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study which collected data from 229 postpartum women. DRA was defined as a separation of ≥ 20 mm at any point 4.5 cm above, at and 4.5 cm below the umbilicus. The data for analysis includes pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q), medical history of urinary incontinence (UI), the strength of rectus abdominis muscle and pelvic floor muscle. The differences in women with and without DRA were compared with independent samples t-test and Chi-square test. Results Prevalence of DRA was 82.6% during the first postpartum year. Cesarean section and multiple parturitions are recognized as risk factors for DRA due to the odds ratio in our study were 3.48 (95% CI 1.42–8.56), 3.20 (95% CI 1.59–6.45) respectively. There was no difference in the occurrence of UI and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) comparing women with and without DRA, even changing the cut-off values (inter-rectus distance = 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm) for determining DRA. The women with weak rectus abdominis muscle and pelvic floor muscle have no statistical difference in two group. Conclusion The relationship of the diastasis recti abdominis and pelvic floor dysfunction has no connection, even with the severity of inter-rectus distance increasing.

BackgroundThe association between physical fitness performance tests and anthropometric indices is not clear. The study aims to explore the association between physical fitness performance and anthropometric indices in Taiwanese community-dwelling adults. This may help in monitoring anthropometric indices to improve physical fitness.MethodsWe recruited 2216 participants aged 23–64 years between 2014 and 2017. Physical fitness performance, including abdominal muscular endurance (60-s sit-up test), flexibility (sit-and-reach test), and cardiorespiratory endurance (3-min step test), was evaluated in all participants. The association of the physical fitness performance and anthropometric indices, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), was analyzed using linear regression, with adjustments for age and gender.ResultsBody mass index was negatively associated with abdominal muscular endurance (p < 0.001) and cardiorespiratory endurance (p < 0.001). Neither BMI, WC, WHR, nor WHtR were significantly associated with flexibility. Abdominal muscle endurance, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory endurance were significantly lower in obese participants when obesity was defined using a BMI of ≥27, 30, and 35 kg/m2. Participants with central obesity that was defined as WC ≥ 90 cm in men and 80 cm in women and WHtR ≥ 0.6 had lower abdominal muscular endurance than those without central obesity.ConclusionBody mass index is associated with abdominal muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory endurance in a reverse J-shaped manner. None of the anthropometric indices are significantly associated with flexibility. Obesity defined by BMI is linked to worse physical fitness performance and obesity defined using WHtR is linked to lower abdominal muscular endurance in Taiwanese community-dwelling adults.

The transvaginal excision of lesion seems to a feasible and safe approach to treat cesarean scar pregnancy.

Background To investigate the characteristics of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) lesion distribution when associated with ovarian endometrioma (OEM). Methods The present study analyzed retrospective data obtained by the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, between June 2008 to June 2016. A total of 304 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery for complete removal of endometriosis by one experienced surgeon, and histological confirmation of OEM associated with DIE was conducted for each patient. Clinical data were recorded for each patient from medical, operative and pathological reports. Patients were then divided into two groups according to unilateral or bilateral OEM. Patients with unilateral OEM were subsequently divided into two subgroups according to OEM location (left- or right-hand side) and the diameter of the OEM (≤50 and > 50 mm). The distribution characteristics of DIE lesions were then compared between the groups. Results DIE lesions were widely distributed, 30 anatomical sites were involved. Patients with associated unilateral OEM (n = 184 patients) had a significantly increased number of DIE lesions when compared with patients with bilateral OEM (n = 120 patients; 2.76 ± 1.52 vs. 2.33 ± 1.34; P = 0.006). Compared with bilateral OEM with DIE, there was a higher rate of intestinal (39.1% vs. 18.3%; P P P = 0.678; and 2.65 ± 1.42 vs. 2.80 ± 1.43; P = 0.518, respectively). There was no significant difference between the groups with OEM ≤50 mm and > 50 mm. Conclusion Lesion distribution characteristics in women diagnosed with histologically proven OEM associated with DIE were frequently multifocal and severe.

Background The positive predictive value (PPV) of urinary decoy cells for diagnosing BK polyomavirus associated-nephropathy (BKPyVAN) is low. This study was designed to increase the PPV of urinary decoy cells for diagnosing BKPyVAN in kidney transplant recipients. Methods A total of 105 urine sediment samples from 105 patients with positive BK viruria and decoy cells were evaluated by automatic double-immunostaining with anti-HGD (a renal tubular marker) antibody + anti-SV40-T antibody or anti-S100P (an urothelial marker) antibody + anti-SV40-T antibody. Results Of the 105 patients, 76 (72.4%) had both HGD(+)/SV40-T(+) cells and S100P(+)/SV40-T(+) cells (group A), 24 (22.9%) had only S100P(+)/SV40-T(+) cells (group B), and 5 (4.6%) had only S100P(-)/HGD(-)/SV40-T(+) cells (group C). Seventy patients in group A (92.1%), 3 patients in group B (12.5%), and no patients in group C were diagnosed with BKPyVAN. The area under the ROC curve of predicting BKPyVAN by decoy cells was 0.531 (0.431-0.630), with an optimal cut-off value of 29 (per 10 high power field), a sensitivity of 45.8% (95% CI: 34.0-58.0%), and a specificity of 68.8% (95% CI: 50.0-83.9%). Besides, the area under the ROC curve of predicting BKPyVAN by plasma BKPyV load was 0.735 (95% CI: 0.632-0.822), with an optimal cut-off value of 1,000 copies/mL, a sensitivity of 61.1% (95% CI: 48.9-72.4%) and a specificity of 84.2% (95% CI: 60.4-96.6%). In contrast, the PPV, negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity of HGD(+)/SV40-T(+) cells for diagnosing BKPyVAN were 92.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 83.0-96.7%], 89.7% (95% CI: 71.5-97.3%), 95.9% (95% CI: 87.7-98.9%), and 81.3% (95% CI: 63.0-92.1%) respectively. Conclusions Double-immunostaining with anti-HGD or anti-S100P and anti-SV40-T antibodies helps to identify the origin of decoy cells and diagnose BKPyVAN.

Background ：To assess the short-term clinical outcomes of oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) combined with multiple level fixation with the guidance of posterior "O" arm CT navigation for degenerative scoliosis. Methods ：A total of 15 patients (3 males and 12 females; average age: 62.2±5.3 years) with degenerative scoliosis were enrolled in our study. All patients were treated with OLIF combined with posterior "O" arm CT navigation and long segment (T 10 -L 5 ) internal fixation during Apr. 2016 and Dec. 2017. Collected perioperative data included surgery time, blood loss, excellent rate of intraoperative pedicle screw. Coronal Cobb angle, lumbar lordosis (LL), intervertebral space height, sagittal balance (SVA) were measured by plain radiograph. Accuracy of pedicle screw placement and intervertebral fusion was investigated with postoperative CT. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of surgery. Results ： All patients were followed for 12-25 months (16.5±5.3 months).The OLIF operation time was (98.7±16.8) min, and the blood loss was (50.2±10.7) ml. The posterior "O" arm CT-navigated long segment internal fixation was (101.5 ± 23.4) min, and the blood loss was (63.1 ± 19.7) ml. The total operation time was (200.2±40.2) min, and the blood loss was (113.3±30.4) ml. Coronal Cobb angle, LL, intervertebral space height, SVA, VAS, ODI at the last follow-up were 5.5°± 3.1°, 39.3°± 9.1°, (10.9±1.2) mm, (25.1±10.9) mm, (1.3± 0.8)and(15.8±4.5)%, respectively, showing statistically significant differences ( P

In China, coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is seriously disasters in gobs during coal seam groups mining, the secondary or multiple oxidation processes of residual coal occur inevitably, severely increasing the risk of coal fires. This paper focused on the thermal reaction behavior of two samples of raw coal and degrees of pre-oxidized (Oxi-80 °C, Oxi-130 °C, and Oxi-180 °C), we determined their characteristics of physical and chemical via thermogravimetric-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) with the heating rates being 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 °C min−1. According to the characteristic temperature, the CSC process could be divided into three stages of oxidation (stage I), combustion (stage II), and thermal residual (stage III). The results indicated that for pre-oxidized coal the length of aliphatic side chains was shorter, and the number of branched aliphatic side chains was lower than that of the raw coal. The kinetic models revealed the mechanism category was changed between raw coal and pre-oxidized coal. However, the heating rate exerted little influence on the mechanism category of each stage, particularly in stage I. The average values of apparent activation energy for the pre-oxidized coal samples were lower than that of raw coal. Therefore, the pre-oxidized coal samples required less energy to activate and more readily caused spontaneous combustion than raw coal at certain stages.

We propose a single mode polarization maintaining photonic crystal fiber (PM-PCF) with small coating diameter for higher precision fiber optic gyroscopes (FOGs) in order to solve the nonreciprocity problem caused by higher order modes transmitted in previous PM-PCF. To obtain the optimized fiber structure parameter region, the dependences of the PM-PCF properties including modal field distribution, birefringence, and confinement loss on the normalized frequency, the enlarged air hole diameter and air filling ratio are numerically analyzed by using the full vector finite element method. Taking the characteristics of PANDA PMFs as a reference, the optimized parameter region is achieved. A FOG made with the 1500 m optimized PM-PCF coil is built and tested. The static and full temperature bias stabilities of are better than 0.005 deg/h and 0.008 deg/h respectively, which illustrates that the optimized PM-PCF is suitable for higher precisions FOGs.

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is an extremely complex physical and chemical reaction between coal and oxygen, and it results in the gradual accumulation of thermal energy that eventually produces conditions that are favorable for combustion. Ionic liquids (ILs) inhibit coal oxidation and reduce the amount of heat that is produced. A synchronous thermal analyzer was used to examine the effects of imidazolium-based ILs on bituminous coal from two sources. The results revealed that with the anion [BF4]−, the inhibiting effect of [BMIM]+ was stronger than that of [EMIM]+. Moreover, with the cation [BMIM]+, the inhibiting effects of [BF4]− were stronger than that of [I]− and [NO3]−. The inhibiting effects of the ILs on CSC were estimated using the Ozawa–Flynn–Wall method, which relates the apparent activation energy to the degree of conversion. The inhibiting effect of [BMIM][BF4] offers a basis for effectively preventing CSC and is favorable for universal application.

We propose an optical gyrocompass using a three-axis Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) that is the technological heart of the optical gyrocompass. The core of the optical gyrocompass is a compact strap-down Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), which contains a three-axis FOG, three accelerometers, and a real-time computer that is responsible for computing all the necessary data for demanding navigation. Thermal design is performed to manage heat conduction and quickly balance inner temperature of the optical gyrocompass for suppressing the thermally induced error, and then the uniform temperature environment is obtained for three-axis FOG. The long-endurance sea trial experiment result proves that the dynamic accuracy of the optical gyrocompass is lower than ±0.25° secant latitude, and it is capable of navigating in high latitude region. The optical gyrocompass is also certified to meet the requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for gyrocompasses.

Hazards caused by spontaneous coal combustion are of deep concern. To explore the process of spontaneous coal combustion, we focused on the key aspects of growth temperature (Tg) and the apparent activation energy (Ea), where Tg is associated with the Ea. We used four different heating rates to perform thermogravimetric (TG) experiments to calculate Ea values through an improved Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose method. The findings revealed a sudden change point in Ea values (that is, Tg), and comparisons between experimental data and calculated results demonstrated favorable agreement. The grey correlation analysis method was used to analyze the relationship between the samples’ Tg and intrinsic properties. A quasi-Newton method and general global optimization model were adopted to derive a predictive relationship for spontaneous coal combustion. The results are beneficial and crucial for elucidating the mechanism of spontaneous coal combustion, which could facilitate a thorough understanding of this process and help provide proactive loss prevention measures.

Coal fire disasters occur frequently in exposed or underground coal zones or gobs, which usually triggered by pre-oxidised coal spontaneous combustion (PCSC). The thermal mass loss characteristics and thermal effects of pre-oxidised coal with the oxidation temperature and oxygen concentration were investigated. The thermogravimetry (TG) results revealed that the oxidation reaction occurred earlier for the pre-oxidised coal than for raw coal. The pre-oxidised coal had a poor ignition performance and burnout capacity than that of raw coal. In addition, the comprehensive combustion performance of pre-oxidised coal is weaker than that of raw coal, but its combustion rate and short-term combustion intensity are higher than raw coal. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that the temperature at which the thermal release of pre-oxidised coal increases rapidly lags behind that of raw coal. Moreover, the maximum thermal release power and thermal release for the pre-oxidised coal were less than those for raw coal. The risk of PCSC changes with the increase of oxidation temperature, and there is a critical value of oxidation temperature. When the oxidation temperature was less than the critical value the risk of PCSC is higher than that of raw coal. Furthermore, the critical value decreases with the increase of oxygen concentration.

Background: Depression is associated with inflammation and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, detailed molecular mechanisms linking mood, neuroinflammation and AD remain unclear. Although changes in peripheral inflammatory factors such as Interleukin 18 (IL18), and AD-associated amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides have been linked to depression, a solid relationship between these factors in depressive disorder has yet to be established. This study aims to further determine whether plasma IL18, Aβ40, Aβ42, and the AD-associated tangle component Tau, as well as IL18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be biomarkers for depression. Methods: We measured plasma IL18, Aβ40, Aβ42, and Tau in 64 depressive patients and 75 healthy controls, and characterized genotypes of three IL18 SNPs (rs187238, rs1946518 and rs1946519) in these subjects. Comparisons between depressive patients and controls were carried out in males, in females or in combination. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the correlation between these parameters. Results: We found that none of the plasma levels of IL18, Aβ40, Aβ42, and Tau, the ratio of Aβ42/Aβ40, and the genotypes of IL18 SNPs were significantly different between combined depressive patients and combined healthy controls, or between male depressive patients and male controls. However, IL18 levels were less in females than in males in healthy people and were significantly increased in female depressive patients compared to female controls. Moreover, IL18 and standardized IL18 were correlated with standardized Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio and standardized Tau in depressive patients. Conclusions: Plasma IL18 may be a potential biomarker for depression in women. Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, Amyloid-β, Depression, Inflammation, Interleukin 18, Tau

Background: Changes in dietary vitamin C intake have been related to the risks of various cancers. However, the association between dietary vitamin C intake and the risk of ovarian cancer has not been fully determined. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between vitamin C intake and ovarian cancer risk. Methods: Observational studies that evaluated the association between vitamin C intake and ovarian cancer risk were identified via systematic search of PubMed and Embase databases. A random effect model was used to combine relative risk (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Sixteen studies (5 cohort studies and 11 case-control studies) with 4,553 cases and 439,741 participants were included. Pooled results showed that dietary vitamin C intake had non-significant association on the risk of ovarian cancer (RR=0.95, 95%CI= 0.81-1.11, I2= 52.1%, P for heterogeneity= 0.008). Subgroup analyses according to characteristics including geographic location and study design showed consistent results with the overall result. Conclusions: In summary, findings from this study indicated that dietary vitamin C intake is not associated with the risk of ovarian cancer.

Background Hematopoietic pre‐B‐cell leukemia transcription factor (PBX)‐interacting protein (HPIP) has shown to be overexpressed in several human cancers. The purpose of this study was to explore the expression of HPIP in endometrial cancer (EC) and its associated effects on disease. Methods A total of 113 EC patients at the Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital between August 2011 and September 2012 were studied for immunohistochemistry analysis. HPIP expression was detected using real‐time reverse transcription PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Prognostic value of HPIP expression was examined using multivariate Cox regression analysis and Kaplan‐Meier method. Results The result of Western blotting indicated that HPIP protein expression is significantly high in normal tissues compared to EC tissues (P

Background: Diagnostic difficulties in hematological malignancies may lead to unacceptably prolonged help-seeking to diagnostic interval as well as increased complications and poor outcomes. Proactive consultation by a clinical pathologist (PCCP) may help clinical diagnosis and therapeutic strategy. Hence, the aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of PCCP on the help-seeking to diagnostic interval in hematological cancer cases. Materials and Methods: From January to November, 2015, abnormal results of hematological laboratory testing with added laboratory comment were selectively screened out, and patients with such abnormalities in hematological laboratory testing and accompanied laboratory comment with PCCP were enrolled. Results: A total of 125 aberrant results of hematological laboratory testing were given with accompanied laboratory comments with PCCP and 40.8% (n=51) of these patient-oriented comments had an effect on clinical diagnosis and therapeutic strategy. Twelve of the subjects belonged to newly diagnosed hematological malignancies with the assistance of PCCP, and the help-seeking to diagnostic interval was also shortened from 42 days to 26 days in chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL), from 83 days to 11 days in multiple myeloma (MM), and from 128 days to 15 days in myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MDS/MPN). During the monitoring interval, neither complication events nor deaths were reported in the study group. Conclusions: It was seemingly that PCCP prevented diagnostic delay in hematological malignancies via shortening the help-seeking to diagnostic interval, particularly in CLL, MM and MDS/MPN cases. PCCP can be considered to play an essential role in prompt establishment of diagnosis in hematological malignancies for those who newly present.

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is a major concern in the exploitation and utilisation processes of coal. Various technologies for inhibiting CSC have been developed, promoting industrial safety. With consideration of the complexity of the processes involved, efficient fire prevention and control techniques should be developed. Commonly used retardants for CSC prevention were reviewed. Based upon the necessary conditions required for CSC and coal − oxygen reaction mechanism, various materials used in CSC inhibition are analysed in detail and classified into physical-based, chemical-based, as well as composite retardants. The novel composite retardants combine both physical and chemical-based mechanisms in controlling CSC. The advantages and disadvantages of each CSC retardant are discussed and inter-compared. This review can promote research in the most needed areas to develop more efficient and affordable materials for CSC prevention.

Background This study aimed to investigate the pathological characteristics of BK polyomavirus (BKPyV)-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) with glomerular involvement in kidney transplant recipients. Methods Forty-four patients with glomerular BKPyV infection were retrospectively included for analysis. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed on paraffin sections using monoclonal mouse anti-SV40 large T antigen antibody. Results In BKPyV-infected glomeruli, the glomerular parietal epithelial cells (GPECs) were swollen, hyperchromatic, and enlarged, with an increased nuclear to cytoplasm (N/C) ratio and smudgy basophilic intra-nuclear viral inclusions. IHC staining revealed the distribution of BKPyV involvement in GPECs, podocytes, and shedding cells within Bowman's space. Notably, BKPyV affected GPEC proliferation and caused crescent formation (7 biopsies, 15.9%). Three biopsies exhibited fibrous crescents and the absence of viral inclusions. The other 4 biopsies exhibited cellular and fibro-cellular crescents, with viral cytopathic changes and positive IHC staining in the proliferative GPECs. Electron microscopy showed viral particles in both GPECs and podocytes. BKPyV-infected GPECs were degenerative, with mitochondrial swelling, endoplasmic reticulum expansion, and multi-layered membranous structure formation. Twelve (27.3%) patients received repeat biopsies within 1.6 to 39.5 months (median: 13.5 months), but none revealed persistent glomerular BKPyV infection. Conclusions Distinct glomerular changes in BKPyVAN biopsies should raise the possibility of glomerular involvement.

The effects of the ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [Bmim][BF4] on the exothermic and heat transfer characteristics of three metamorphic grades of coal during low-temperature oxidation were investigated. The C80 microcalorimeter results showed that the IL inhibited the exothermic process and characteristics of long-flame and non-caking coals, whereas the IL had a growth-promoting influence on gas-fat coal. The kinetics calculation results showed that the apparent activation energy of long-flame and non-caking coals increased after treatment but gas-fat coal was subjected to the opposite effects. According to the consequences of the LFA457 laser flash system, the IL decreased the thermal diffusivity and increased the specific heat of long-flame and non-caking coals. It had a notable inhibiting effect on the heat transfer properties of the two coals. However, the influence of IL on the heat transfer characteristics of gas-fat coal shows a salient promoting effect. Therefore, we conclude that the IL inhibited the generation and transfer of heat during the low-temperature oxidation of long-flame and non-caking coals. This prevented the occurrence and development of coal spontaneous combustion, but it had the opposite effect on gas-fat coal. The effect of the IL on the thermal behaviour of coal oxidation at low temperature varied with the degree of metamorphism of coal, and such an influence played a dual role in this because of its inhibition and promotion in relation to this reaction. This demonstrated that the IL did not inhibit the spontaneous combustion of all types of coal.

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) has become a commercially important fish species all over the world. High-density aquaculture has led to congestion and contributed to bacterial infection outbreaks that have caused high mortality. Therefore a 56-days feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (GB-9) and Yarrowia lipolytica lipase2 (YLL2) on growth performance, digestive enzymes activity, innate immunity and resistance to pathogens of A. japonica. Fish growth performance was significantly affected by dietary YLL2 supplementation but not by GB-9. Fish fed diets with YLL2 at 2.0 g/kg diet in combination of high and low levels of GB-9 (5.0 g/kg and 2.0 g/kg) produced the highest growth. For digestive enzyme, lipase and trypsin activities was promoted by dietary containing YLL2, while amylase activities was increased by dietary containing YLL2, GB-9 single or combination. For innate immunity, the mucus lysozyme activity, leukocytes phagocytosis activity and reactive oxygen species level of skin, peroxidase and lysozyme activity of serum were enhanced in fish fed with GB-9 compared to those in control group (p 0.05). The highest resistance to Vibrio anguillarum and Aeromonas hydrophila was determined in fish fed with 5.0 g kg

Exothermicity is a key parameter for evaluating coal spontaneous combustion (CSC). A suitable oxygen concentration is essential for CSC. Ionic liquids (ILs), which are a popular type of fire prevention material, inhibit coal oxidation. 1-Butyl-3-methyl imidazole tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) was used at various mass ratios (0, 2, 5, and 10 mass%) to treat coal to inhibit CSC. Through simultaneous thermal analysis tests, coal samples were investigated in atmospheres with oxygen concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 21 vol%. The results indicated that the mass loss decreased with increasing IL content. However, the mass loss did not decrease indefinitely with increasing IL content. The lowest mass loss was observed at an IL concentration of approximately 7.5 mass%. The inhibition increased with decreasing oxygen concentrations. Moreover, the inhibiting effect first increased slowly until the IL concentration exceeded 10 mass%, after which the inhibiting effect increased rapidly. The relationship between the exothermic rate and the mass loss rate of the coal at Stage 2 of the reaction was comparatively analysed. The reaction rate between oxygen and coal was the key factor influencing the exothermic rate. In the oxidation of coal, both the oxygen concentration and inhibitor content affected the comprehensive combustion index of coal.

The underlying mechanism of atypical antipsychotics in treating cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic drug, on object recognition memory and hippocampal oxidative stress in a phencyclidine (PCP) rat model of schizophrenia. Rats were treated with chronic quetiapine (10 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally) for 16 days or acute quetiapine (10 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally) on day 16. On day 16, 1 h after the administration of quetiapine, the rats were administered PCP (50 mg/kg, subcutaneously). After the last object recognition behavioral test on day 18, the rats were killed for the measurement of hippocampal protein expression of nitrotyrosine, a protein marker of oxidative stress. The results showed that chronic quetiapine significantly attenuated object recognition memory impairment and hippocampal oxidative stress in the PCP-injected rats. These suggest that the attenuating effect of chronic quetiapine on hippocampal oxidative stress may be related to quetiapine's beneficial effects on object recognition memory in PCP rats, and further suggest that neuroprotective mechanisms are involved in chronic quetiapine treatment.

Neuroactive steroids (rapidly acting steroids that act as allosteric modulators of neurotransmitter receptors such as the A‰£-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor and the NMDA glutamate receptor) are involved in brain development and have been proposed to be important in the etiology and/or pharmacotherapy of a number of psychiatric and neurologic disorders, but there is limited information available on their association with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This paper reviews the possible involvement of neuroactive steroids (NASs) and some related steroids, including testosterone, androstenedione and estradiol steroids in the etiology of ASD. NASs include progesterone, pregnanolone, pregnenolone, pregnenolone sulfate, allopregnanolone, tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS). Studies on the levels of NASs and related steroids in blood, urine, saliva, and amniotic fluid in ASD are also reviewed. The results on plasma levels of NASs in ASD reported in the literature are generally inconclusive, probably because of differences among studies in terms of experimental design and factors such as age, gender, number of subjects, and medication being taken and differences in time of day at which samples are taken and storage conditions of samples. Future studies on levels of NASs in ASD should include careful consideration of the factors mentioned above, the possible advantages of saliva sampling and the use of assay procedures that provide simultaneous analysis of levels of a large number of these steroids.

To evaluate the efficacy of low-dose (3.5 mg/kg) infliximab for induction and maintenance treatment in Chinese patients with ulcerative colitis.Treatment with 4 to 5 mg/kg of infliximab also proved to be effective in treating moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. At present there is no relevant study on the effectiveness of infliximab doses lower than 4 mg/kg in patients with ulcerative colitis.A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and single-centered study was designed. A total of 123 patients (from 17 provinces of China) with moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis despite treatment with concurrent drugs received placebo or low-dose (3.5 mg/kg) or standard-dose (5 mg/kg) infliximab intravenously at weeks 0, 2, and 6 and then every 8 weeks through week 22. Patients were followed up for 30 weeks.Overall, 73% and 78% of patients who received low-dose (3.5 mg/kg) and standard-dose (5 mg/kg) infliximab, respectively, had clinical responses at week 8, as compared with 37% of patients who received placebo (P0.01 for both comparisons with placebo). The number of patients who received low-dose (3.5 mg/kg) or standard-dose (5 mg/kg) infliximab with a clinical response at week 30 (63% and 66%, respectively) was more than the patients who received placebo (27%, P0.01 for both comparisons).Chinese patients with moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis treated with low-dose (3.5 mg/kg) or standard-dose (5 mg/kg) infliximab at weeks 0, 2, and 6 and every 8 weeks thereafter were more likely to have a clinical response at weeks 8 and 30 than those who received placebo.

An augmented reality query-answering system (AR-QAS) is designed and implemented in this study.The average question classification accuracy in an artificial neural network was 98.76%.AR-QAS can provide a fast and convenient mobile information navigation service for users.Language variety, timely feedback, and personal focus improve behavioral intentions to us AR-QAS.This study confirms that the new model combining TAM and MRT can be applied to relevant AR research. This study proposed an augmented reality query-answering system (AR-QAS) based on mobile cloud computing to provide natural language informational navigation services. Empirical research was performed to examine the effectiveness of the system in actual use. This study confirms that the new model developed by combining technology acceptance model (TAM), media richness theory, and the factors of self-efficacy can be applied to relevant AR research. The experiment results revealed that the average question classification accuracy of QAS when combined with artificial neural network and ontology was 98.76%. Moreover, the perceived media richness was found to be positively related to self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, user attitude, and use intention. Furthermore, this study reveals that combining the TAM and media richness theory provides a stronger explanation than does the TAM alone. Before new systems are created, designers are suggested to consider the four factors of media richness theory (i.e., multiple cues, language variety, timely feedback, and personal focus), to greatly improve user attitudes toward and behavioral intentions to use new technologies.

Background The relapse rate of ulcerative colitis (UC) is high. The efficacy of combined diosmectite and mesalazine treatment for active mild-to-moderate UC was investigated. Material/Methods A total of 120 patients with UC were enrolled in this randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study. Sixty patients were assigned to the Diosmectite group (diosmectite and mesalazine) and 60 were assigned to Placebo group (placebo and mesalazine). In the induction phase, the primary end point was the clinical remission rate at 8 weeks; secondary end points were clinical response, endothelial mucosal healing, Mayo score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein levels, and defecation frequency. In the maintenance phase, the primary end point was clinical remission at 52 weeks; secondary end points were clinical response, endothelial mucosal healing, Mayo score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and defecation frequency. Results At 8 weeks, the Diosmectite group had a significantly higher clinical remission rate (68.3% vs. 50%) and mucosal healing rate (66.7% vs. 48.3%) compared with the Placebo group. There were no significant differences in clinical response rates, Mayo score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, or defecation frequency. At 52 weeks, the Diosmectite group had a significantly higher clinical remission rate (61.7% vs. 40%) and mucosal healing rate (60% vs. 38.3%) compared with the Placebo group. Defecation frequency was lower, but this was not significant. Conclusions Combined diosmectite and mesalazine treatment successfully induced and maintained the treatment of active mild-to-moderate UC as indicated by higher rates of clinical remission and mucosal healing.

An intelligent tour service system including an augmented reality (AR) tour-sharing Application (APP) and a query-answering server was developed in this study to promote tourist attractions involving local Hakka culture in Thailand. Subsequently, use of this APP to navigate Hakka culture tourist attractions in Thailand was observed. The novel random neural networks (RNNs) were proposed to obtain query-answering services, and the practical experimental results showed that the accuracy of RNNs was 99.51%. This study also integrated the Technology Acceptance Model with Uses and Gratifications Theory to predict the gratification, usage intention, and user attitudes toward marketed attractions of the AR tour-sharing APP. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and 446 valid questionnaires were returned. The following results were obtained: (a) self-presentation and perceived usefulness (PU) directly influenced gratification; (b) perceived entertainment indirectly influenced gratification through perceived ease of use and PU, and information sharing indirectly influenced gratification through PU; and (c) gratification was significantly and positively related to usage intention and attitude toward attractions. Based on these results, suggestions that new technology marketing can be used to promote causes other than Hakka tourist attractions established in Thailand can be contrived. For example, the tour-sharing APP developed in this study could be applied to emphasize the characteristics of Thai Hakka culture; users’ fondness for self-presentation and information sharing can be used for word-of-mouth marketing to attract additional visitors. In addition, this research provides a reference for enterprises and marketers regarding the use of AR tour-sharing APPs to market tourist attractions, and also for future related studies.

T-type calcium channels are prominently expressed in primary nociceptive fibers and well characterized in pain processes. Although itch and pain share many similarities including primary sensory fibers, the function of T-type calcium channels on acute itch has not been explored. We investigated whether T-type calcium channels expressed within primary sensory fibers of mouse skin, especially Cav3.2 subtype, involve in chloroquine-, endothelin-1- and histamine-evoked acute itch using pharmacological, neuronal imaging and behavioral analyses. We found that pre-locally blocking three subtypes of T-type calcium channels in the peripheral afferents of skins, yielded an inhibition in acute itch or pain behaviors, while selectively blocking the Cav3.2 channel in the skin peripheral afferents only inhibited acute pain but not acute itch. These results suggest that T-type Cav3.1 or Cav3.3, but not Cav3.2 channel, have an important role in acute itch processing, and their distinctive roles in modulating acute itch are worthy of further investigation.

With the development of science and technology, Samrt Home system has become more and more widely used. In this paper, Smart Home system, based on the handheld device, using ZigBee and WIFI technology to build the internal network, and with the detailed design of the handheld device as the controller center, realizes its control of Smart Home, which also provides an universal solution to the Smart Home.

An improved program of the tip clearance of a high speed engine pump based on simulation was introduced in this paper. In order to verify its reliability, a device was designed to test the performance of the pump and found that the simulation data was in good agreement with the experiment. Within the scope of work, the improved pump shows excellent performance that the head has an improvement of more than 7m averagely, the efficiency is improved by 10 % to 20 %, and the shaft power has increased about 100Wrespectively.The results confirmed that using this numerical analysis method to optimize the tip clearance of the high speed engine pump was reasonable.

Due to the increase in advertising requirements for various multi-media services, two studies were conducted to first propose an Intelligent Embedded Marketing Service System (IEMSS) and then to use this IEMSS to implement product placement strategies for idol dramas using interactive television. In study 1, the IEMSS combines TV apps, multiple agents, and multi-document summarization technologies to retrieve and store information and comments about merchandise from search engines, blogs, and forums. The IEMSS involves a multi-document summarization technique that uses the TF-IDF (term frequency-inverse document frequency), the position and an artificial neural network (ANN) to automatically generate and transmit key positive comments to the user via TV apps. The experimental results show that the IEMSS has 100% accuracy, indicating that the IEMSS is capable of helping users understand the merchandise and improving purchase intentions. In study 2, a 2 (product description messages: shown vs. not shown)x2 (online reviews: shown vs. not shown) between-subjects design was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the IEMSS in an actual application. The results of this empirical research reveal that the display of reviews of the embedded products obtained from the Internet using the IEMSS functionality provides the viewing audience of idol dramas with the opinions of others who have used the embedded product, thereby improving attitudes toward the brand and product placement and stimulating purchase intentions. In sum, the IEMSS can be successfully applied to automatic summarization for advertising. Furthermore, this approach can be considered an extension of eWOM marketing and an application of Media Richness Theory that increases the effectiveness of product placement.

The collection of real-time traffic information is an important part of intelligent transportation systems. In particular, cellular floating vehicle data (CFVD) technology has become increasingly widespread, and more and more popular for measuring and forecasting real-time traffic information, based on anonymous sampling of the positions of mobile phones. This study proposes an analytical model to analyse the speed-reporting rates -based on communication behaviour, traffic conditions, and the two consecutive fingerprint-positioning locations from the call arrival and call completion signals of the same call - for a feasibility evaluation of CFVD. Die versamel van werklike, intydse verkeersinligting is 'n belangrike deel van intelligente vervoersisteme. In die besonder het sellulêre bewegende voertuigdata tegnologie toenemend algemeen en populêr geword vir die meting en vooruitskatting van intydse verkeersinligting. Dit word gebaseer op die anonieme monsterneming van die posisie van seltelefone. Hierdie artikel hou 'n analitiese model voor vir die ontleding van die tempo waarteen snelheid gerapporteer word soos gebaseer op die kommunikasiegedrag, verkeerstoestande en twee opeenvolgende vingerafdruk posisioneringsliggings van die oproep aankoms- en voltooiingseine soos ontvang vir dieselfde oproep - om sodoende die tegnologie te evaluaeer vir uitvoerbaarheid.

Experiments of a piece of comparable block wall and five pieces of block walls with different constructional type subjected to low reversed cyclic loading have been conducted. Investigation has been made on the failure pattern, hysteretic loop curves, displacement-restoring capacity and displacement ductility of walls. The experimental results revealed that the seismic performance of block masonry walls, which used the constructional column and concrete strips, was improved remarkably. It set a sound basis for further analysis research and engineering practice on AAC load-bearing walls in the future.

This article analyzed the influencing factors for earthquake resistance performance of load-bearing wall through the establishment of finite element model and the reasonable load way. The factors of vertical stress, masonry strength, and horizontal reinforcement strip were analyzed, and relevant conclusions were drawn. The results indicate that the masonry strength is the main factors affecting shear performance of the wall and the horizontal reinforcement strip enhance the seismic behavior of the wall.

Using cellular floating vehicle data is a crucial technique for measuring and forecasting real-time traffic information based on anonymously sampling mobile phone positions for intelligent transportation systems (ITSs). However, a high sampling frequency generates a substantial load for ITS servers, and traffic information cannot be provided instantly when the sampling period is long. In this paper, two analytical models are proposed to analyze the optimal sampling period based on communication behaviors, traffic conditions, and two consecutive fingerprint positioning locations from the same call and estimate vehicle speed. The experimental results show that the optimal sampling period is 41.589 seconds when the average call holding time was 60 s, and the average speed error rate was only 2.87%. ITSs can provide accurate and real-time speed information under lighter loads and within the optimal sampling period. Therefore, the optimal sampling period of a fingerprint positioning algorithm is suitable for estimating speed information immediately for ITSs.

Cloud computing has become a popular topic for exploration in both academic and industrial research in recent years. In this paper, network behavior is analyzed to assess and compare the costs and risks associated with traditional local servers versus those associated with cloud computing to determine the appropriate deployment strategy. An analytic framework of a deployment strategy that involves two mathematical models and the analytical hierarchy process is proposed to analyze the costs and service level agreements of services involving using traditional local servers and platform as service platforms in the cloud. Two websites are used as test sites to analyze the costs and risks of deploying services inGoogle App Engine(GAE) (1) the website ofInformation and Finance of Management(IFM) at theNational Chiao Tung University(NCTU) and (2) the NCTU website. If the examined websites were deployed in GAE, NCTU would save over 83.34% of the costs associated with using a traditional local server with low risk. Therefore, both the IFM and NCTU websites can be served appropriately in the cloud. Based on this strategy, a suggestion is proposed for managers and professionals.

Low-molecular-weight heparin has the potential for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, and targeted drug delivery to the colon is important for topical treatment of this disease, so low-molecular-weight heparin oral colon-specific delivery capsule was prepared, and the in vitro and in vivo drug release behavior was investigated. The macroscopical and histological scoring systems, wet colon mass index and myeloperoxidase activity were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of the capsule after administered orally to experimental colitis mice. Serum levels, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and a link factor of blood coagulation and inflammation factor Xa (FXa) were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of Musashi-1 (as an intestinal stem cell marker) in the colons was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. The in vitro and in vivo drug release studies clearly indicated that the specific coated capsules were capable of protecting low-molecular-weight heparin from releasing in stomach and small intestine, while specifically delivering at colon. The oral colon-specific delivery capsule of low-molecular-weight heparin could attenuate macroscopic and histological features of colitis. The results showed that low-molecular-weight heparin oral colon-specific delivery capsule significantly decreased the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 as well as FXa, while increased the expression of Musashi-1 in colon compared with acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis model group. The results showed that low-molecular-weight heparin oral colon-specific delivery capsule had the potential for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.