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A review of the literature identifying the critical success factors (CSFs) of project execution revealed two research gaps: a too subjective selection of CSFs rather than an objective selection and too many critical factors, resulting in doubts about their criticality. To overcome these two research gaps, this study proposed a hybrid method that uses the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to obtain weightings of factors and ranks their importance. The meaning of criticality, in combination with the concept of acceptable advantage of VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR), was then used to objectively identify the CSFs of project execution, using the environmental consultancy service industry in Taiwan as an example. Finally, six CSFs were found and five management implications were identified, and these findings can serve as a valuable reference for project execution in the environmental consultancy service industry. This combined method can also be used to identify the CSFs of ...

Background Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains the leading cause of cancer mortality, with limited therapeutic targets, and alterations in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related proteostasis may be a potential target for therapy. The root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa has been shown to inhibit cancer growth and metastasis, although its impact on PC is unknown. Purpose To ascertain the anti-cancer effects of P. suffruticosa on oncogenic functions of PC and determine the detailed molecular mechanisms. Study design Efficacy assessment of extracts, in vitro using PC cells as a model system and in vivo in mouse xenograft tumors. Methods P. suffruticosa aqueous extracts (PS) were prepared and assessed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Cell viability, proteins, and cell components were measured using MTT assay, western blotting, and immunofluorescence. Cell apoptosis, cell cycle, and migration were assessed using colorimetric assays, fluorescence activated cell sorting, and transwell migration. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated with a commercial 2′-7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate kit. For the xenograft model, AsPC1 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into immunocompromised mice and PS (oral) was administered over 3 weeks with or without gemcitabine (GEM, intraperitoneal), a first-line advanced/metastatic PC therapy. Results PS stimulated ER stress and affected mitochondrial membrane potential to increase autophagosome numbers and block their degradation, followed by autophagy induction and finally cell apoptosis. Additionally, PS-mediated proteostasis impairment resulted in altered dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton, cell motility impairment, and cell cycle progression inhibition. Conversely, a ROS scavenger partially reversed PS-mediated degradation of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase B (PPIB), an ER protein important for protein folding, suggesting that ROS generation by PS may be the upstream of PS-triggering of mitophagy and final cell apoptosis. Nevertheless, oral administration of PS, alone or in combination with GEM, delayed tumor growth in a xenograft model without affecting body weight. Conclusion These findings indicate that PS may constitute a potential new alternative or complementary medicine for PC.

The CO2 fixation reaction performance was carried out by using propylene oxide (PO) as reactant and medium and ionic liquid as catalyst. Through variation of reaction temperature, pressure and catalyst ratio and amount, it was found that the reaction was under kinetic control, for pressure ranging from 15 to 50 atm, rather than mass transfer control. From the kinetic data, it shows a pseudo first order kinetics with respect to PO concentration under constant CO2 pressure. The corresponding activation energy was calculated to be 9.152 kcal/mol. The reaction kinetics was independent of catalyst ratio and amount, yet the optimal catalyst ratio of [Bmim]Br/ZnCl2 is 2 for the fixation reaction. It is also a high conversion reaction, 96.0% (PO), with easier product separation, and as applied to industry for CO2 reduction process, its kinetic information would be very useful for future industrial scale reactor design.

Using a murine hypodermic air pouch infection model designed to mimic the release of bacterial products at physiological levels, 3-hydroxy fatty acid (3-OH FA) and endotoxin unit levels from Burkholderia cenocepacia isolates were assessed. The B. cenocepacia environmental isolates (n=35) survived in the hypodermic air pouch but did not invade across the peritoneal epithelial layer during a 72-h infection. For all 35 strains, when the molar ratio of C(14:0) 3-OH FA to C(16:0) 3-OH FA in the air pouch fluid wash samples was between 1.4 and 2.5, the concentrations of C(14:0) 3-OH FA were correlated with the endotoxin unit levels. However, both surrogate markers exhibited different correlations to the inflammatory response. The linear regression coefficient was 0.4234 for C(14:0) 3-OH FA concentrations vs. NO productions, 0.223 for endotoxin unit levels vs. NO productions, 0.5008 for C(14:0) 3-OH FA concentrations vs. TNF-alpha productions and 0.2869 for endotoxin unit levels vs. TNF-alpha productions. Therefore, C(14:0) 3-OH FA concentrations, rather than endotoxin unit levels, acted as an immunostimulatory indicator for LPS in the B. cenocepacia isolates.

Exposure to the soil-borne pathogens Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia cenocepacia can lead to severe infections and even mortality. These pathogens exhibit a high resistance to antibiotic treatments. In addition, no licensed vaccine is currently available. A nanoscale platinum-containing titania photocatalyst (TiO(2)-Pt) has been shown to have a superior visible light-responsive photocatalytic ability to degrade chemical contaminants like nitrogen oxides. The antibacterial activity of the catalyst and its potential use in soil pathogen control were evaluated. Using the plating method, we found that TiO(2)-Pt exerts superior antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli compared to other commercially available and laboratory prepared ultraviolet/visible light-responsive titania photocatalysts. TiO(2)-Pt-mediated photocatalysis also affectively eliminates the soil-borne bacteria B. pseudomallei and B. cenocepacia. An air pouch infection mouse model further revealed that TiO(2)-Pt-mediated photocatalysis could reduce the pathogenicity of both strains of bacteria. Unexpectedly, water containing up to 10% w/v dissolved soil particles did not reduce the antibacterial potency of TiO(2)-Pt, suggesting that the TiO(2)-Pt photocatalyst is suitable for use in soil-contaminated environments. The TiO(2)-Pt photocatalyst exerted superior antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of human pathogens, including B. pseudomallei and B. cenocepacia. Soil particles (