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Adaptive trait divergence is usually episodic rather than universal in a phylogeny. To determine whether trait divergence reaches an extreme level (i.e. deviation from neutrality), the evolutionary rate of the species and intraspecific variation must be taken into account. Accordingly, we attempt to explore the trend of trait divergence over divergence times conditioned on the genetic distance. The Brownian motion (BM) model, a commonly used random-walk process for describing the neutral evolution of traits, is used to simulate the distribution of trait divergence under neutrality. The observed trait divergences are then compared to the BM expectations to detect outliers, which are considered to be selected. We assessed the ability of this method to characterize trait divergence under selection among 14 Lithocarpus species in Taiwan. The results are consistent with the previous inference of phylogenetic constraint based on tests of the phylogenetic signal, but further signals of adaptive and conserved trait divergences are detected between some lineages derived from particular nodes (common ancestors), indicating differential investments in growth rate and chemical defense among some endemic species in Taiwan. These results show that the adaptive divergence of environmentrelated traits is transient, episodic, and punctuated. Under strong selection pressure, the trait divergence after standard deviation correction will be more significant because the trait variance within the population decreases. However, it tends to be an overestimation of conservative evolution in older common ancestors due to the larger standard deviation produced from diverse descendants. Nevertheless, this study still provides a simple approach to detect adaptive divergence in a phylogenetic framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses that the COVID-19 has spread rapidly in China and other parts of the world since December 31, 2019. It mentions that the first reported COVID-19 case in Taiwan was confirmed on January 21, 2020; and Taiwan experienced hospital-acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) infections in 2003, so people hesitated to come to hospitals and risked SARS transmission and many people in Taiwan have been afraid to visit hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Questions What are the effects of replacing mixed species natural forests with Cryptomeria japonica plantations on understorey plant functional and species diversity? What is the role of the understorey light environment in determining understorey diversity and community in the two types of forest? Location Subtropical northeast Taiwan. Methods We examined light environments using hemispherical photography, and diversity and composition of understorey plants of a 35-yr C. japonica plantation and an adjacent natural hardwood forest. Results Understorey plant species richness was similar in the two forests, but the communities were different; only 18 of the 91 recorded understorey plant species occurred in both forests. Relative abundance of plants among different functional groups differed between the two forests. Relative numbers of shade-tolerant and shade-intolerant seedling individuals were also different between the two forest types with only one shade-intolerant seedling in the plantation compared to 23 seedlings belonging to two species in the natural forest. In the natural forest 11 species of tree seedling were found, while in the plantation only five were found, and the seedling density was only one third of that in the natural forest. Across plots in both forests, understorey plant richness and diversity were negatively correlated with direct sunlight but not indirect sunlight, possibly because direct light plays a more important role in understorey plant growth. Conclusions We report lower species and functional diversity and higher light availability in a natural hardwood forest than an adjacent 30-yr C. japonica plantation, possibly due to the increased dominance of shade-intolerant species associated with higher light availability. To maintain plant diversity, management efforts must be made to prevent localized losses of shade-adapted understorey plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine suitable SARIMA models to forecast the monthly outbound tourism departures of three major destinations from Taiwan to Hong Kong, Japan and the USA, respectively. The HEGY test is used to identify the deterministic seasonality in the data. The mean absolute per cent error (MAPE) is used to measure forecast accuracy. A low MAPE demonstrates the adequacy of the fitted SARIMA models. The results indicate that all series with first non-seasonal difference are needed to obtain the deterministic trend in outbound tourism series in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares the effect of cabin safety education on passengers' cabin safety awareness in knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) in Taiwan and Mainland China, primarily for passengers that cross the Taiwan Strait. Evidence reveals that passengers from both sides of the Taiwan Strait need to be taught about safety before they fly. Passengers from both sides of the Taiwan Strait were surveyed at two Taiwan airports, the Taoyuan International Airport and the Taipei Municipal Airport. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique is used for data analysis. The results show that cabin safety education positively affects Taiwan passengers' cabin safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Safety education that involves accurate utilization of emergency equipment procedures, situational awareness, and responses is recommended. Although the cabin safety education positively affects Mainland China passengers' attitude and behavior, it does not have a strong effect on the aspect of knowledge. Emergency equipment procedures and regulations are needed content for cabin safety education for Mainland China passengers. The findings also indicate that Taiwan passengers' cabin safety knowledge will positively affect their behavior; therefore, the knowledge-behavior consistency is supported. The attitude-behavior and the knowledge-attitude consistency correlation are both supported as well. However, the relationships among Mainland China passengers' cabin safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior are not consistent. Passengers' demographic data indicate that the Mainland China passengers' educational level, age, and number of flights could be major factors in this inconsistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines the effect of aviation safety education on passenger cabin safety awareness in knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB). The educational value of KAB has been addressed in various fields such as AIDS prevention and campus safety. KAB has been applied in aviation safety related areas, especially in training, such as crew resource management training, pilot training, and mechanic training. However, KAB has not been implemented in aviation passenger education in cabin safety. This paper uses the construct of “aviation safety education”, which is intended to influence airline passenger knowledge of, attitude toward, and behavior about cabin safety awareness. Passenger surveys were done at two Taiwan airports. The results show that aviation safety education positively affects airline passenger cabin safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior. We recommend safety education that involves accurate instruction about emergency equipment procedures, situational awareness, emergency responses, and relevant cabin-safety regulations. Our findings indicated that an increase in cabin safety knowledge positively affected airline passenger behavior, which supported knowledge–behavior consistency. We also found that a positive attitude toward cabin safety positively affected airline passenger behavior, which supported attitude–behavior consistency. The hypothesis that cabin safety knowledge positively affected passenger attitude – knowledge–attitude consistency was not supported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates passenger perceptions about exit row seating limitations and obligations and about the effects of flight safety education given to the general public. The results of an empirical study in Taiwan showed that passengers in Taiwan misunderstood exit row seating, especially the age limitation regulation. The respondents also misunderstood the exit row seating obligations of being able to: (1) recognize the emergency exit opening mechanism and related instructions and (2) assist and help other passengers deplane when an emergency occurs. Statistically, there are significant differences between passenger age-groups and between passengers who travel and those who travel more by air. Passengers strongly believe that flight safety education is vital to the general public; therefore, they believe that the government needs to do more to develop safety awareness and education for passengers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sod culture (SC) and no tillage (NT) are modern orchard management systems, and are two different bases for the sustainable development and production of citrus orchards in Taiwan. However, there is no information about the efficiency of either NT or SC on the photosynthetic physiology of farmed citrus under different seasons and varying light intensities. The objective of this study was to clarify the impacts of SC and NT under eco-friendly farming management on the photosynthetic apparatus of an important plantation citrus species in response to varying light intensities over the seasons. The results showed that Rd (dark respiration rate of CO2), Qy (light quantum yield of CO2), LCP (light compensation point), Amax (maximum net assimilation of CO2), and Fv/Fm values of citrus plants under SC were somewhat higher under NT in the same season, particularly in the fall and in winter. As light intensity increased from 200 to 2000 μmol photon m−2 s−1 PPFD, higher Pn (net photosynthesis rate), Gs (stomatal conductance), ETR (electron transport rate), NPQ (non-photochemical quenching), and Fv/Fm (potential quantum efficiency of PSII) values were observed in spring and summer compared to the fall and winter, and increasing NPQ and decreasing Fv/Fm values were observed in all seasons. Positive and significant correlations were shown between the Pn and Gs under NT and SC in all seasons with all light illuminations, whereas significant and negative relationships were observed between the ETR and NPQ under NT in fall and winter at 1200~2000 PPFD. In short, ETR was useful for non-destructive estimations of Pn and NPQ since these indices were significantly and positively correlated with ETR in citrus leaves exposed to 0~1200 PPFD in all seasons and 1200~2000 PPFD in spring, the fall, and winter, providing a quick means to identify the physiological condition of plants under various seasons and tillages. The precise management of photosynthetic parameters such as ETR in response to light irradiances under varied seasons also provides implications for sustainable citrus production for tillage cropping systems in future higher CO2 and potentially wetter or drier environments. The tillages may hold promise for maximizing the economic efficiency of the growth and development of citrus plants grown in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bee pollen is a nutrient-rich food that meets the nutritional requirements of honey bees and supports human health. This study aimed to provide nutritive composition data for 11 popular bee pollen samples (Brassica napus (Bn), Bidens pilosa var. radiata (Bp), Camellia sinensis (Cs), Fraxinus griffithii (Fg), Prunus mume (Pm), Rhus chinensis var. roxburghii (Rc), Bombax ceiba (Bc), Hylocereus costaricensis (Hc), Liquidambar formosana (Lf), Nelumbo nucifera (Nn), and Zea mays (Zm)) in Taiwan for the global bee pollen database. Macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, were analyzed, which revealed that Bp had the highest carbohydrate content of 78.8 g/100 g dry mass, Bc had the highest protein content of 32.2 g/100 g dry mass, and Hc had the highest lipid content of 8.8 g/100 g dry mass. Only the bee pollen Hc completely met the minimum requirements of essential amino acids for bees and humans, and the other bee pollen samples contained at least 1–3 different limiting essential amino acids, i.e., methionine, tryptophan, histidine, valine, and isoleucine. Regarding the fatty acid profile of bee pollen samples, palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and linolenic acid (C18:3) were predominant fatty acids that accounted for 66.0–97.4% of total fatty acids. These data serve as an indicator of the nutritional quality and value of the 11 bee pollen samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bee pollen has been traditionally used for health promotion. However, the chemical constituents and pharmaceutical effects of bee pollen strongly depend on their sources. This study determined chemical compositions and evaluated the antioxidant and anticancer activity of six bee pollen samples from Taiwan. The Cs sample contained the highest amounts of carotenoid (417.67 mg/g DW) and anthocyanin (10.96 [zmol/g DW) while the Nn sample showed the highest content of chlorophyll (Chi) a (23.39 mg/g DW) and Chi b (39.17 mg/gDW). The highest flavonoid (11.69 mgQE/gDW) and phenolic content (42.91 mgGAE/gDW) were found in Bp and Pm samples, respectively. The highest Fe2+-chelating ability was observed in Bp (IC50 value of 6.28 mg/mL), while Bn exhibited the most effective in scavenging DPPH radical with IC50 value of 3.96 mg/mL. The Bp sample also showed the highest activity against three breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 (cell viability of 43.5%), BT-20 (cell viability of 0%), and Hs 578T (cell viability of 0%). This study suggested that the level of bioactive compounds and biological activity of bee pollen significantly differ among their sources and the Bp is a potent antioxidant and anticancer agent for medicinal use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of Amphinemura were described and illustrated from Taiwan Province of China: Amphinemura reni Du Zhao, sp. nov. and Amphinemura triquetra Zhao Du, sp. nov. The morphological characteristics of the new species were compared to related taxa. Additionally, a key to the adult males of Amphinemura known from Taiwan Province of China was given in this paper.

The knowledge, attitude, and behavior intentions of elementary school students about airline cabin safety before and after they took a specially designed safety education course were examined. A safety education program was designed for school-age children based on the cabin safety briefings airlines given to their passengers, as well as on lessons learned from emergency evacuations. The course is presented in three modes: a lecture, a demonstration, and then a film. A two-step survey was used for this empirical study: an illustrated multiple-choice questionnaire before the program, and, upon completion, the same questionnaire to assess its effectiveness. Before the program, there were significant differences in knowledge and attitude based on school locations and the frequency that students had traveled by air. After the course, students showed significant improvement in safety knowledge, attitude, and their behavior intention toward safety. Demographic factors, such as gender and grade, also affected the effectiveness of safety education. The study also showed that having the instructor directly interact with students by lecturing is far more effective than presenting the information using only video media. A long-term evaluation, the effectiveness of the program, using TV or video accessible on the Internet to deliver a cabin safety program, and a control group to eliminate potential extraneous factors are suggested for future studies., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)