Addition of chia seed mucilage for reduction of fat content in bread and cakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Sibele Santos; Salas-Mellado, Myriam de Las Mercedes

2017-07-15

In this study, breads and chocolate cakes were prepared with different levels of chia mucilage dried at 50°C or lyophilized as fat, resulting in healthier products. Results indicated that breads and chocolate cakes made with chia mucilage can replace up to 50% of fat without affecting the technological and physical characteristics. The replacement of 75% of fat, for both types of mucilage, had a significant reduction in fat content of 56.6% in breads and 51.6% in cakes, producing a slight decrease in the technological characteristics of the products. Sensorial parameters showed good acceptability, with greater purchase intent for both products when added with chia mucilage dried at 50°C. Therefore, chia mucilage proved to be a new alternative for replacing fat in food products, preserving the quality attributes and making them healthier foods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tai Chi and Kung-Fu practice maintains physical performance but not vascular health in young versus old participants.

Science.gov (United States)

McAnulty, Steven; McAnulty, Lisa; Collier, Scott; Souza-Junior, Tacito P; McBride, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

Kung-Fu and Tai Chi along with other martial arts are gaining popularity but studies examining the benefits of martial arts on physical fitness, vascular health, nutrition, and psychological wellness are limited. Aging is associated with declines in these health components. The objectives of this study were to examine whether Tai Chi and Kung-Fu training would maintain physical fitness, vascular health, and psychological wellness components on older versus younger practitioners. Seventeen subjects were recruited and divided into Young (age Kung-Fu maintains physical fitness in older compared to younger practitioners. However, age associated changes in cardiovascular stiffness, systolic blood pressure, and pain were not prevented.

Estudo do centro de massa e estabilidade de quatro posturas básicas do Kung-fu Pak Hok

OpenAIRE

Miranda,Pedro Jeferson; Brinatti,André Maurício; Silva,Silvio Luiz Rutz da; Godoy,Marino Luiz Michelin

2016-01-01

Este trabalho trata da análise dos centros de massa e do cálculo da estabilidade das quatro posturas básicas do Kung Fu Pak Hok. Embora a biomecânica tenha surgido em 1960, a sua aplicação em artes marciais, como no Kung Fu ainda é pouco frequente. Apesar de haver estudos de movimentos do Kung Fu, não há trabalhos sobre o centro de massa e a estabilidade para as posturas mais básicas. Este trabalho como objetivo descrever o centro de massa e a estabilidade das quatro posturas mais básicas do ...

Detection and Identification of the First Viruses in Chia (Salvia hispanica

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Marcos G. Celli

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Chia (Salvia hispanica, an herbaceous plant native to Latin America, has become important in the last 20 years due to its beneficial effects on health. Here, we present the first record and identification of two viruses in chia plants. The comparison of the complete nucleotide sequences showed the presence of two viral species with the typical genome organization of bipartite New World begomovirus, identified as Sida mosaic Bolivia virus 2 and Tomato yellow spot virus, according to the ICTV taxonomic criteria for begomovirus classification. DNA-A from Sida mosaic Bolivia virus 2 exhibited 96.1% nucleotide identity with a Bolivian isolate of Sida micrantha, and Tomato yellow spot virus showed 95.3% nucleotide identity with an Argentine bean isolate. This is the first report of begomoviruses infecting chia as well as of the occurrence of Sida mosaic Bolivia virus 2 in Argentina.

Force, reaction time, and precision of Kung Fu strikes.

Science.gov (United States)

Neto, Osmar Pinto; Bolander, Richard; Pacheco, Marcos Tadeu Tavares; Bir, Cynthia

2009-08-01

The goal was to compare values of force, precision, and reaction time of several martial arts punches and palm strikes performed by advanced and intermediate Kung Fu practitioners, both men and women. 13 Kung Fu practitioners, 10 men and three women, participated. Only the men, three advanced and seven intermediate, were considered for comparisons between levels. Reaction time values were obtained using two high speed cameras that recorded each strike at 2500 Hz. Force of impact was measured by a load cell. For comparisons of groups, force data were normalized by participant's body mass and height. Precision of the strikes was determined by a high speed pressure sensor. The results show that palm strikes were stronger than punches. Women in the study presented, on average, lower values of reaction time and force but higher values of precision than men. Advanced participants presented higher forces than intermediate participants. Significant negative correlations between the values of force and precision and the values of force and reaction time were also found.

Omega-3 fatty acids and oxidative stability of ice cream supplemented with olein fraction of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) oil

OpenAIRE

Ullah, Rahman; Nadeem, Muhammad; Imran, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Background Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) has been regarded as good source of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids with cardiac, hepatic, hypotensive, antiallergic and antidiabetic role. Concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in chia oil can be enhanced by fractionation. Olein/low melting fraction of chia oil has higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, main objective of current investigation was determination of various concentration effect of olein fraction of chia oil on omega-3 fa...

The effect of gamma radiation on Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) edible film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chierentin, Gabriel S.; Teixeira, Bruna S.; Del Mastro, Nélida L.

2017-01-01

Edible films and coatings have received considerable attention in recent years for their advantages over synthetic films for edible packaging materials. Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) have functional and important nutritional values: protein content (15 - 25%), fats (30 - 33%), carbohydrates (26 - 41%), dietary fiber (18 - 30%), and ash (4-5%). It also contains a high amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Mucilage of chia, a natural exudates from chia seeds, is mainly composed of xylose, glucose and glucuronic acid forming a branched polysaccharide. In the present preliminary work whole chia seeds were irradiated in a "6"0Co source Gammacell 220 (AECL) with doses of 0, 5 and 10 kGy, dose rate about 0.8 kGy h"-"1. The irradiated seeds were crushed and soaked in an aqueous solution (6% w/w) together with glycerol (1% w/w), under magnetic stirring for 15 minutes at room temperature and poured into casting plates. The plates were placed in an oven with forced air circulation at 35 °C for at least 20 h. Water uptake, moisture, solubility and water activity of the films were established. The most expressive result was a decrease in water uptake with the increase of the radiation dose. Solubility remained almost unaffected by radiation in doses of 5kGy and moisture analysis showed also a decrease with dose. (author)

The effect of gamma radiation on Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) edible film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chierentin, Gabriel S.; Teixeira, Bruna S.; Del Mastro, Nélida L., E-mail: gabrielsouza.ch@gmail.com [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2017-11-01

Edible films and coatings have received considerable attention in recent years for their advantages over synthetic films for edible packaging materials. Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) have functional and important nutritional values: protein content (15 - 25%), fats (30 - 33%), carbohydrates (26 - 41%), dietary fiber (18 - 30%), and ash (4-5%). It also contains a high amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Mucilage of chia, a natural exudates from chia seeds, is mainly composed of xylose, glucose and glucuronic acid forming a branched polysaccharide. In the present preliminary work whole chia seeds were irradiated in a {sup 60}Co source Gammacell 220 (AECL) with doses of 0, 5 and 10 kGy, dose rate about 0.8 kGy h{sup -1}. The irradiated seeds were crushed and soaked in an aqueous solution (6% w/w) together with glycerol (1% w/w), under magnetic stirring for 15 minutes at room temperature and poured into casting plates. The plates were placed in an oven with forced air circulation at 35 °C for at least 20 h. Water uptake, moisture, solubility and water activity of the films were established. The most expressive result was a decrease in water uptake with the increase of the radiation dose. Solubility remained almost unaffected by radiation in doses of 5kGy and moisture analysis showed also a decrease with dose. (author)

Effects on bread and oil quality after functionalization with microencapsulated chia oil.

Science.gov (United States)

González, Agustín; Martínez, Marcela L; León, Alberto E; Ribotta, Pablo D

2018-03-23

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids-rich oils suffer oxidation reactions that alter their chemical and organoleptic quality. Microencapsulation can be a powerful tool for protection against ambient conditions. In the present study, the addition of microencapsulated chia oil as an ingredient in bread preparations and its effect on the technological and chemical quality of breads was investigated. Microencapsulation of chia oil was carried out by freeze-drying with soy proteins as wall material and oil release was determined under in vitro gastric and intestinal conditions. Encapsulated oil-containing bread showed no differences in specific volume, average cell area, firmness and chewiness with respect to control bread. Unencapsulated oil-containing bread showed a marked increase in hydroperoxide values respect to control, whereas encapsulated oil-containing bread values were not affected by baking and bread storage. The fatty acid profiles showed a decrease of 13% and 16%, respectively, in α-linolenic acid in the encapsulated and unencapsulated oils with respect to bulk chia oil. Sensory analysis showed no significant differences between bread samples. The addition of encapsulated chia oil did not alter the technological quality of breads and prevented the formation of hydroperoxide radicals. A ration of encapsulated oil-containing bread contributes 60% of the recommended dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) consumption on cardiovascular risk factors in humans: a systematic review

OpenAIRE

Ferreira, Cynthia de Souza; Fomes, Lucilia de Fátima de Sousa; Silva, Gilze Espirito Santo da; Rosa, Glorimar

2015-01-01

Introduction: chia is a seed rich in such nutrients as proteins, n-3 fatty acids and especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), minerals, fibers and antioxidants. Efforts have been made to assess whether human consumption of chia can reduce cardiovascular risk factors; however, it has not been established as effective and the findings of the few studies to have looked into the matter are inconsistent. Aim: to systematize the findings of studies assessing the effect the consumption of chia seed, e...

Use of a chiA probe for detection of chitinase genes in bacteria from the Chesapeake Bay

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramaiah, N.; Hill, R.T.; Chun, J.; Ravel, J.; Matte, M.H.; Straube, W.L.; Colwell, R.R.

PCR primers specific for the chiA gene were designed by alignment and selection of highly conserved regions of chiA sequences from Serratia marcescens, Alteromonas sp., Bacillus circulans and Aeromonas caviae. These primers were used to amplify a...

Metabolomics driven analysis by UAEGC-MS and antioxidant activity of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) commercial and mutant seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

de Falco, Bruna; Fiore, Alberto; Rossi, Roberta; Amato, Mariana; Lanzotti, Virginia

2018-07-15

Chia is a food plant producing seeds which have seen increasing interest owing to their health benefits. This work is the first report on the metabolite profile, total polyphenols and antioxidant activity of chia seeds, determined by ultrasound-assisted extraction, coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (UAE GC-MS). Different chia sources were compared: two commercial (black and white) and three early flowering (G3, G8 and G17) mutant genotypes. Organic extracts were mainly composed of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids with alpha-linolenic being the most abundant. Polar extracts contained sucrose, methylgalactoside and glucose as main sugars. Antioxidant activity and total polyphenolic content were correlated. Chemical composition and yield potential of early flowering genotypes were different from commercial chia, and while white chia showed the highest content of omega-3 fatty acids, the high content of nutraceuticals in G17 and G8 suggests them as a potential source of raw materials for the food/feed industry. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole and crushed nutlets of chia (Salvia hispanica from Mexico as a source of functional gums

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Maira Segura-Campos

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to characterize the chemical and functional properties of Mexican chia (Salvia hispanica gums extracted from defatted whole and crushed nutlets using the Soxhlet and SFE-CO2 methods. Chia gums have interesting chemical and functional properties for the food industry. The oil and gum yields were in the range of 1.98-16.42% and 5.81-12.60%, respectively. The defatting procedure did not affect significantly the oil and gum extraction; the nutlet type (whole or crushed was the only parameter influencing the yield. The proximate composition and the protein and fiber contents of chia gum were evaluated. Low contents of protein and fiber and high NFE levels were found in whole nutlet gums. The functional properties of chia gum extracted from whole and crushed nutlets with the Soxhlet and SFE-COs methods showed the following ranges of water absorption capacity of 62.64 to 143.66 g/g, water adsorption capacity of 0.69 to 1.35 g/g, and water and oil holding capacity of 100 to 149.28 g/g and19.5 to 40.4 g/g, respectively. The rheological behavior exhibited by the gums was pseudoplastic or shear thinning. From a functional perspective, chia gum is an important food component due its emulsifier and stabilizer potentials.

WAVELET TRANSFORM ANALYSIS OF ELECTROMYOGRAPHY KUNG FU STRIKES DATA

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Ana Carolina de Miranda Marzullo

2009-11-01

Full Text Available In martial arts and contact sports strikes are performed at near maximum speeds. For that reason, electromyography (EMG analysis of such movements is non-trivial. This paper has three main goals: firstly, to investigate the differences in the EMG activity of muscles during strikes performed with and without impacts; secondly, to assess the advantages of using Sum of Significant Power (SSP values instead of root mean square (rms values when analyzing EMG data; and lastly to introduce a new method of calculating median frequency values using wavelet transforms (WMDF. EMG data of the deltoid anterior (DA, triceps brachii (TB and brachioradialis (BR muscles were collected from eight Kung Fu practitioners during strikes performed with and without impacts. SSP results indicated significant higher muscle activity (p = 0.023 for the strikes with impact. WMDF results, on the other hand, indicated significant lower values (p = 0. 007 for the strikes with impact. SSP results presented higher sensitivity than rms to quantify important signal differences and, at the same time, presented lower inter-subject coefficient of variations. The result of increase in SSP values and decrease in WMDF may suggest better synchronization of motor units for the strikes with impact performed by the experienced Kung Fu practitioners

Analytical Characterization of Butter Oil Enriched with Omega-3 and 6 Fatty Acid Sthrough Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Seed Oil

OpenAIRE

Muhammad Nadeem; Muhammad Ajmal; Fazal Rahman; Muhammad Ayaz

2015-01-01

Analytical characterization of blends of butter oil and chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed oil was performed. Chia oil was added in butter oil at four different levels i.e. 6.25%, 12.5%, 18.75% and 25% (T1, T2, T3 and T4), butter oil without any addition of chia oil served as control. Blends of butter oil and chia oil were packaged in tin containers, stored at ambient temperature (34±2oC) for 90-days. Iodine values of control, T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 36.85, 45.63, 57.22, 67.45 and 76.37 (cg/g).Co...

Improvement of Chia Seeds with Antioxidant Activity, GABA, Essential Amino Acids, and Dietary Fiber by Controlled Germination Bioprocess.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Favela, Mario Armando; Gutiérrez-Dorado, Roberto; Cuevas-Rodríguez, Edith Oliva; Canizalez-Román, Vicente Adrián; Del Rosario León-Sicairos, Claudia; Milán-Carrillo, Jorge; Reyes-Moreno, Cuauhtémoc

2017-12-01

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) plant is native from southern Mexico and northern Guatemala. Their seeds are a rich source of bioactive compounds which protect consumers against chronic diseases. Germination improves functionality of the seeds due to the increase in the bioactive compounds and associated antioxidant activity. The purpose of this study was to obtain functional flour from germinated chia seeds under optimized conditions with increased antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, GABA, essential amino acids, and dietary fiber with respect to un-germinated chia seeds. The effect of germination temperature and time (GT = 20-35 °C, Gt = 10-300 h) on protein, lipid, and total phenolic contents (PC, LC, TPC, respectively), and antioxidant activity (AoxA) was analyzed by response surface methodology as optimization tool. Chia seeds were germinated inside plastic trays with absorbent paper moisturized with 50 mL of 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite dissolution. The sprouts were dried (50 °C/8 h) and ground to obtain germinated chia flours (GCF). The prediction models developed for PC, LC, TPC, and AoxA showed high coefficients of determination, demonstrating their adequacy to explain the variations in experimental data. The highest values of PC, LC, TPC, and AoxA were obtained at two different optimal conditions (GT = 21 °C/Gt = 157 h; GT = 33 °C/Gt = 126 h). Optimized germinated chia flours (OGCF) had higher PC, TPC, AoxA, GABA, essential amino acids, calculated protein efficiency ratio (C-PER), and total dietary fiber (TDF) than un-germinated chia seed flour. The OGCF could be utilized as a natural source of proteins, dietary fiber, GABA, and antioxidants in the development of new functional beverages and foods.

The role of effective mass and hand speed in the performance of kung fu athletes compared with nonpractitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Neto, Osmar Pinto; Magini, Marcio; Saba, Marcelo M F

2007-05-01

The main goal of this article is to quantify the contribution of effective mass (me) and handspeed (shi) on the palm strike performance of kung fu athletes (kung fu group) compared with nonpractitioners (control group). All subjects were asked to strike a basketball. Hand and ball speed (sbf) were determined by high-speed video analysis. The value for me was determined by an equation that does not depend upon postimpact measurement of the hand speed. The results show that kung fu athletes had greater shi (6.67 [SD 1.42] m/s), p = 0.042), higher me (2.62 [SD 0.33] kg, p = 0.004), and greater sbf (9.00 [SD 1.89] m/s), p = 0.004) than the nonpractitioners (5.04 [SD 0.57] m/s, 1.33 [SD 0.19] kg, and 5.72 [SD 0.44] m/s, respectively). Comparing the average values obtained for me and hand and forearm mass (m), it was found that for the control group me is statistically equal to m (p = 0.917), whereas for the kung fu group me is significant greater than m (p = 0.003). It is suggested that for impacts against heavier objects, the effective mass would be the main factor to distinguish a martial arts-trained from an untrained subject.

Physical-chemical characterization of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd., amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L., and chia (Salvia hispanica L. flours and seeds

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Olga Lucía Torres Vargas

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Quinoa, amaranth, and chia flours have considerable amounts of protein, starch, dietary fiber, lipids, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive components, which provide in them exceptional properties for human nutrition. The aim of this research was the physical-chemical characterization of quinoa, amaranth, and chia flours and seeds through proximal, optical, functional, thermal, and structural analyses. From the results obtained during the proximal analysis, considerable proportions were determined of protein and fiber for the three flours, with the highest values in chia flour at 28.56% and 39.8%, respectively. These results were corroborated by optical microscopy analysis performed on longitudinal cuts in the three types of seeds. Thermal parameters indicated that the three flours presented irreversible thermal degradation processes and glass transition change for amaranth and chia flours at temperatures above 100ºC. Structural characterization of the flours via FTIR have allowed detecting differences in protein and lipid characteristic absorption bands. Diffraction patterns of type A starch were identified for quinoa and amaranth flours, while the chia flour had two crystalline peaks corresponding to calcium and magnesium. Scanning electron microscopy images showed starch aggregates in the quinoa flour, a complex structure composed of spherical proteins that surround the starches in amaranth flour and fibrous structures and spherical proteins in chia flour.

Translasi Pencak Silat Kedalam Film Animasi (Studi Kasus Film Kung Fu Panda

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Riyo Ramadhan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Sebagai tradisi yang telah membudaya dari sejak zaman dahulu kala, pencak silat lahir sebagai benteng kekuatan pertahanan diri sekaligus menjadi seni yang memperkaya khazanah kebudayaan bangsa Indonesia. Namun, kuatnya terpaan kebudayaan seni bela diri impor yang masuk (karate, kung fu, tae kwon do, muay thai, capoeira, dll, yang selalu didukung dengan berbagai kemasan media entertainment modern, membuat silat menjadi kalah populer bahkan di mata dan persepsi masyarakat Indonesia sendiri. Hal ini mengakibatkan para generasi muda memandang seni bela diri impor menjadi lebih superior ketimbang pencak silat. Jika hal ini terus berlangsung tanpa ada usaha untuk mengembangkan pencak silat melalui media modern, maka akan sangat sulit untuk mempertahankan dan mengembangkan tradisi ini di masa depan. Tujuan dari makalah ini ialah untuk membuktikan dan menggali potensi animasi sebagai media alternatif yang efektif untuk memvisualisasikan adegan dan cerita bertemakan pencak silat. Adapun studi kasus yang menjadi acuan dalam penelitian ialah film animasi “Kung Fu Panda”. Penelitian ini mengkaji studi kasus dengan menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif, lalu dianalisis dengan pendekatan analisis deskriptif untuk mengkaji dan mengidentifikasi pemasalahan dan solusi. Pembahasan dari makalah lebih ditekankan pada kekuatan penyampaikan cerita melalui gambar (visual storytelling yang efektif terkait dengan pencak silat. Hasil dari penelitian ialah cara penyampaian pesan yang efektif mengenai elemen dan esensi pencak silat sebagai bentuk translasinya kedalam film animasi. Pesan tersebut dapat disampaikan dengan menggunakan aspek narasi, gesture, dan simbol yang diakomodasi dengan aspek visual storytelling. Translating Pencak Silat Into An Animation Film (Case Study The Film Kung Fu Panda Abstract. A tradition that has been part of Indonesian culture since ancient times, pencak silat was born as a form of self-defense and at the same time has grown into an

Climatic zoning of chia (Salvia hispanica L. in Chile using a species distribution model

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Daniela Cortés

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Salvia hispanica L., known as chia, is a plant species originally from tropical and subtropical Mesoamerica. It is economically important because its seeds produce omega-3, thus its demand has increased in Chile and internationally. As there is no commercial production in Chile, we investigated the places in the country where this species could be cultivated in order to satisfy at the least the national demand. The aim of the study was to quantify the main climatic requirements of chia and to produce a climatic aptitude map for chia cultivation in Chile. The methodology was based on the Maxent species distribution model. We used 78 georeferenced data points where chia is grown throughout the world, mostly from the GBIF database, along with raster climatic layers from the Worldclim project. We estimated the performance curves of annual precipitation and temperature along with their respective optimal and critical values, in analogy with the Ecocrop method. The maps used two scenarios for crops in different conditions, with and without irrigation. The results indicated that the intermediate depression and coastal edge of mainly the Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta and Atacama regions have optimum conditions for irrigated crops, but it would be impossible in rainfed conditions. We conclude that chia’s cultivation niche is reduced due to its tropical climate requirements; however, it can be cultivated under irrigation in northern Chile.

Climatic zoning of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) in Chile using a species distribution model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cortés, D.; Silva, H.; Baginsky, C.; Morales, L.

2017-01-01

Salvia hispanica L., known as chia, is a plant species originally from tropical and subtropical Mesoamerica. It is economically important because its seeds produce omega-3, thus its demand has increased in Chile and internationally. As there is no commercial production in Chile, we investigated the places in the country where this species could be cultivated in order to satisfy at the least the national demand. The aim of the study was to quantify the main climatic requirements of chia and to produce a climatic aptitude map for chia cultivation in Chile. The methodology was based on the Maxent species distribution model. We used 78 georeferenced data points where chia is grown throughout the world, mostly from the GBIF database, along with raster climatic layers from the Worldclim project. We estimated the performance curves of annual precipitation and temperature along with their respective optimal and critical values, in analogy with the Ecocrop method. The maps used two scenarios for crops in different conditions, with and without irrigation. The results indicated that the intermediate depression and coastal edge of mainly the Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta and Atacama regions have optimum conditions for irrigated crops, but it would be impossible in rainfed conditions. We conclude that chia’s cultivation niche is reduced due to its tropical climate requirements; however, it can be cultivated under irrigation in northern Chile.

Climatic zoning of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) in Chile using a species distribution model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cortés, D.; Silva, H.; Baginsky, C.; Morales, L.

2017-07-01

Salvia hispanica L., known as chia, is a plant species originally from tropical and subtropical Mesoamerica. It is economically important because its seeds produce omega-3, thus its demand has increased in Chile and internationally. As there is no commercial production in Chile, we investigated the places in the country where this species could be cultivated in order to satisfy at the least the national demand. The aim of the study was to quantify the main climatic requirements of chia and to produce a climatic aptitude map for chia cultivation in Chile. The methodology was based on the Maxent species distribution model. We used 78 georeferenced data points where chia is grown throughout the world, mostly from the GBIF database, along with raster climatic layers from the Worldclim project. We estimated the performance curves of annual precipitation and temperature along with their respective optimal and critical values, in analogy with the Ecocrop method. The maps used two scenarios for crops in different conditions, with and without irrigation. The results indicated that the intermediate depression and coastal edge of mainly the Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta and Atacama regions have optimum conditions for irrigated crops, but it would be impossible in rainfed conditions. We conclude that chia’s cultivation niche is reduced due to its tropical climate requirements; however, it can be cultivated under irrigation in northern Chile.

Optimization of mucilage extraction from chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) using response surface methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Orifici, Stefania C; Capitani, Marianela I; Tomás, Mabel C; Nolasco, Susana M

2018-02-25

Chia mucilage has potential application as a functional ingredient; advances on maximizing its extraction yield could represent a significant technological and economic impact for the food industry. Thus, first, the effect of mechanical agitation time (1-3 h) on the exudation of chia mucilage was analyzed. Then, response surface methodology was used to determine the optimal combination of the independent variables temperature (15-85 °C) and seed: water ratio (1: 12-1: 40.8 w/v) for the 2 h exudation that give maximum chia mucilage yield. Experiments were designed according to central composite rotatable design. A second-order polynomial model predicted the variation in extraction mucilage yield with the variables temperature and seed: water ratio. The optimal operating conditions were found to be temperature 85 °C and a seed: water ratio of 1: 31 (w/v), reaching an experimental extraction yield of 116 ± 0.21 g kg -1 (dry basis). The mucilage obtained exhibited good functional properties, mainly in terms of water-holding capacity, emulsifying activity, and emulsion stability. The results obtained show that temperature, seed: water ratio, and exudation time are important variables of the process that affect the extraction yield and the quality of the chia mucilage, determined according to its physicochemical and functional properties. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Analytical Characterization of Butter Oil Enriched with Omega-3 and 6 Fatty Acid Sthrough Chia (Salvia hispanica L. Seed Oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Nadeem

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Analytical characterization of blends of butter oil and chia (Salvia hispanica L. seed oil was performed. Chia oil was added in butter oil at four different levels i.e. 6.25%, 12.5%, 18.75% and 25% (T1, T2, T3 and T4, butter oil without any addition of chia oil served as control. Blends of butter oil and chia oil were packaged in tin containers, stored at ambient temperature (34±2oC for 90-days. Iodine values of control, T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 36.85, 45.63, 57.22, 67.45 and 76.37 (cg/g.Concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 4.17%, 7.39%, 12.55% and 16.74%. The extent of omega-6 fatty acids in T1, T2, T3 and T4 was 2.81%, 2.94%, 3.15% and 3.32%.Concentration of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids in butter oil can be increased by chia oil.

Fatty acids characterization, oxidative perspectives and consumer acceptability of oil extracted from pre-treated chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Imran, Muhammad; Nadeem, Muhammad; Manzoor, Muhammad Faisal; Javed, Amna; Ali, Zafar; Akhtar, Muhammad Nadeem; Ali, Muhammad; Hussain, Yasir

2016-09-20

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds have been described as a good source of lipids, protein, dietary fiber, polyphenolic compounds and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The consumption of chia seed oil helps to improve biological markers related to metabolic syndrome diseases. The oil yield and fatty acids composition of chia oil is affected by several factors such as pre-treatment method and size reduction practices. Therefore, the main mandate of present investigate was to study the effect of different seed pre-treatments on yield, fatty acids composition and sensory acceptability of chia oil at different storage intervals and conditions. Raw chia seeds were characterized for proximate composition. Raw chia seeds after milling were passed through sieves to obtain different particle size fractions (coarse, seed particle size ≥ 10 mm; medium, seed particle size ≥ 5 mm; fine, seed particle size ≤ 5 mm). Heat pre-treatment of chia seeds included the water boiling (100 C°, 5 min), microwave roasting (900 W, 2450 MHz, 2.5 min), oven drying (105 ± 5 °C, 1 h) and autoclaving (121 °C, 15 lbs, 15 min) process. Extracted oil from pre-treated chia seeds were stored in Tin cans at 25 ± 2 °C and 4 ± 1 °C for 60-days and examined for physical (color, melting point, refractive index), oxidative (iodine value, peroxide value, free fatty acids), fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, α-linolenic) composition and sensory (appearance, flavor, overall acceptability) parameters, respectively. The proximal composition of chia seeds consisted of 6.16 ± 0.24 % moisture, 34.84 ± 0.62 % oil, 18.21 ± 0.45 % protein, 4.16 ± 0.37 % ash, 23.12 ± 0.29 % fiber, and 14.18 ± 0.23 % nitrogen contents. The oil yield as a result of seed pre-treatments was found in the range of 3.43 ± 0.22 % (water boiled samples) to 32.18 ± 0.34 % (autoclaved samples). The oil samples at day 0 indicated the

Analytical Characterization of Butter Oil Enriched with Omega-3 and 6 Fatty Acids Through Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Seed Oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nadeem, M.; Ajmal, M.; Rehman, F.; Ayaz, M.

2015-01-01

Analytical characterization of blends of butter oil and chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed oil was performed. Chia oil was added in butter oil at four different levels i.e. 6.25 percentage, 12.5 percentage, 18.75 percentage and 25 percentage (T/sub 1/, T/sub 2/, T/sub 3/ and T/sub 4/), butter oil without any addition of chia oil served as control. Blends of butter oil and chia oil were packaged in tin containers, stored at ambient temperature (34±2 degree C) for 90-days. Iodine values of control, T/sub 1/, T/sub 2/, T/sub 3/ and T/sub 4/ were 36.85, 45.63, 57.22, 67.45 and 76.37 (cg/g percentage). Concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in T/sub 1/, T/sub 2/, T/sub 3/ and T/sub 4/ were 4.17 percentage, 7.39 percentage, 12.55 percentage and 16.74 percentage. The extent of omega-6 fatty acids in T/sub 1/, T/sub 2/, T/sub 3/ and T/sub 4/ was 2.81 percentage, 2.94 percentage, 3.15 percentage and 3.32 percentage. Concentration of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids in butter oil can be increased by chia oil. (author)

The Promising Future of Chia, Salvia hispanica L.

OpenAIRE

Mohd Ali, Norlaily; Yeap, Swee Keong; Ho, Wan Yong; Beh, Boon Kee; Tan, Sheau Wei; Tan, Soon Guan

2012-01-01

With increasing public health awareness worldwide, demand for functional food with multiple health benefits has also increased. The use of medicinal food from folk medicine to prevent diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular problems is now gaining momentum among the public. Seed from Salvia hispanica L. or more commonly known as chia is a traditional food in central and southern America. Currently, it is widely consumed for various health benefits especially in maintaining heal...

EFFECT OF CHIA SEED (SALVIA HISPANICA L.) CONSUMPTION ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN HUMANS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Ferreira, Cynthia; dd Sousa Fomes, Lucilia de Fátima; da Silva, Gilze Espirito Santo; Rosa, Glorimar

2015-11-01

chia is a seed rich in such nutrients as proteins, n-3 fatty acids and especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), minerals, fibers and antioxidants. Efforts have been made to assess whether human consumption of chia can reduce cardiovascular risk factors; however, it has not been established as effective and the findings of the few studies to have looked into the matter are inconsistent. to systematize the findings of studies assessing the effect the consumption of chia seed, either milled or whole, has in the prevention/control of cardiovascular risk factors in humans. this is a systematic literature review (SLR) with no meta-analysis. The articles scrutinizedwere identified in the electronic databases Lilacs, Medline (Pub- Med version), Cochrane, Scielo, Scopus, and Web of Science under the keywords"dyslipidemia" or "dislipidemia", "hyperlipidemia" or "hiperlipidemia", "obesity" or "obesidade", "salvia"or"salviahispanica", "Lamiaceae" or "chia", "hypertension" or "hipertensão", "hypertrygliceridemia" or "hipertrigliceridemia", and "riscocardiovascular" or "cardiovascularrisk." We chose for our selection English-, Portuguese- or Spanish-language articles about clinical trials on humans and published within the last ten years. The biases of risk analysis were carried out considering 6 of the 8 criteria of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1. seven studies (n = 200) fit our inclusion criteria. Of the chosen clinical trials, only one was not randomized. Five of the studies were blind experiments. Two of the studies were acute trials, both of them randomized. Of the chia seed interventions, one study showed a significant drop in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and inflammatory markers, yet there was no change in body mass, lipid profile or blood sugar. In four of the studies reviewed there was a significant spike in ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), with no significant change to other parameters. In the acute trials, post

Comparison of flax (Linum usitatissimum) and Salba-chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds on postprandial glycemia and satiety in healthy individuals: a randomized, controlled, crossover study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vuksan, V; Choleva, L; Jovanovski, E; Jenkins, A L; Au-Yeung, F; Dias, A G; Ho, H V T; Zurbau, A; Duvnjak, L

2017-02-01

Flax and Salba-chia seeds have risen in popularity owing to their favorable nutrient composition, including a high fiber content. Despite having comparable nutritional profiles, preliminary observations suggest differences in gelling properties, an attribute that may alter the kinetics of food digestion. Thus, we compared the effect of two seeds on postprandial glycemia and satiety scores. Fifteen healthy participants (M/F: 5/10; age: 23.9±3 years; BMI: 22.2±0.8 kg/m 2 ) were randomized to receive a 50 g glucose challenge, alone or supplemented with either 25 g ground Salba-chia or 31.5 g flax, on three separate occasions. Blood glucose samples and satiety ratings were collected at fasting and over 2-h postprandially. In addition, in vitro viscosity of the beverages was assessed utilizing standard rheological methodology. Both Salba-chia and flax reduced blood glucose area under the curve over 120 min by 82.5±19.7 mmol/l (P<0.001) and 60.0±19.7 mmol/l (P=0.014), respectively, relative to a glucose control. Salba-chia reduced peak glucose (-0.64±0.24 mmol/l; P=0.030) and increased time to peak (11.3±3.8 min; P=0.015) compared with flax. Salba-chia significantly reduced the mean ratings of desire to eat (-7±2 mm; P=0.005), prospective consumption (-7±2 mm; P=0.010) and overall appetite score (-6±2 mm; P=0.012), when compared with flax. The viscosity of Salba-chia, flax and control was 49.9, 2.5, and 0.002 Pa·s, respectively. Despite the similarities in nutritional composition, Salba-chia appears to have the ability to convert glucose into a slow-release carbohydrate and affect satiety to a greater extent than flax, possibly due to the higher fiber viscosity. Incorporation of either flax or Salba-chia into the diet may be beneficial, although use of Salba-chia may confer additional benefit.

Influence of Pollen, Chia Seeds and Cranberries Addition on the Physical and Probiotics Characteristics of Yogurt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Pop

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Yoghurt is a fermented milk product obtained from fermentation of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus strains. The effect of bee pollen, chia seeds and cranberries on the viability of probiotic bacteria in yogurts during storage (21 days at refrigerated temperature (4°C was evaluated. The yogurt supplementation with 1,4 % chia seeds and 7,6% cranberries significantly improves the stability of the lactic acid bacteria, that contained the recommended levels of (106–107 cfu/g probiotic bacteria at the end of 21-day shelf life.

Translasi Pencak Silat Kedalam Film Animasi (Studi Kasus Film Kung Fu Panda)

OpenAIRE

Riyo Ramadhan; Hafiz Aziz Ahmad; Alvanov Z. Mansoor

2017-01-01

Sebagai tradisi yang telah membudaya dari sejak zaman dahulu kala, pencak silat lahir sebagai benteng kekuatan pertahanan diri sekaligus menjadi seni yang memperkaya khazanah kebudayaan bangsa Indonesia. Namun, kuatnya terpaan kebudayaan seni bela diri impor yang masuk (karate, kung fu, tae kwon do, muay thai, capoeira, dll), yang selalu didukung dengan berbagai kemasan media entertainment modern, membuat silat menjadi kalah populer bahkan di mata dan persepsi masyarakat Indonesia sendiri. Ha...

Modification of Docosahexaenoic Acid Composition of Milk from Nursing Women Who Received Alpha Linolenic Acid from Chia Oil during Gestation and Nursing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Valenzuela

2015-08-01

Full Text Available α-Linolenic acid (ALA is the precursor of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA in humans, which is fundamental for brain and visual function. Western diet provides low ALA and DHA, which is reflected in low DHA in maternal milk. Chia oil extracted from chia (Salvia hispanica L., a plant native to some Latin American countries, is high in ALA (up to 60% and thereby is an alternative to provide ALA with the aim to reduce DHA deficits. We evaluated the modification of the fatty acid profile of milk obtained from Chilean mothers who received chia oil during gestation and nursing. Forty healthy pregnant women (22–35 years old tabulated for food consumption, were randomly separated into two groups: a control group with normal feeding (n = 21 and a chia group (n = 19, which received 16 mL chia oil daily from the third trimester of pregnancy until the first six months of nursing. The fatty acid profile of erythrocyte phospholipids, measured at six months of pregnancy, at time of delivery and at six months of nursing, and the fatty acid profile of the milk collected during the first six months of nursing were assessed by gas-chromatography. The chia group, compared to the control group, showed (i a significant increase in ALA ingestion and a significant reduction of linoleic acid (LA ingestion, no showing modification of arachidonic acid (AA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA and DHA; (ii a significant increase of erythrocyte ALA and EPA and a reduction of LA. AA and DHA were not modified; (iii a increased milk content of ALA during the six months of nursing, whereas LA showed a decrease. AA and EPA were not modified, however DHA increased only during the first three months of nursing. Consumption of chia oil during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first three months of nursing transiently increases the milk content of DHA.

Omega-3 fatty acids, phenolic compounds and antioxidant characteristics of chia oil supplemented margarine.

Science.gov (United States)

Nadeem, Muhammad; Imran, Muhammad; Taj, Imran; Ajmal, Muhammad; Junaid, Muhammad

2017-05-31

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is known as power house of omega fatty acids which has great health benefits. It contains up to 78% linolenic acid (ω-3) and 18% linoleic acid (ω-6), which could be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids for functional foods. Therefore, in this study, margarines were prepared with supplementation of different concentrations of chia oil to enhance omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant characteristics and oxidative stability of the product. Margarines were formulated from non-hydrogenated palm oil, palm kernel and butter. Margarines were supplemented with 5, 10, 15 and 20% chia oil (T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 ), respectively. Margarine without any addition of chia oil was kept as control. Margarine samples were stored at 5 °C for a period of 90 days. Physico-chemical (fat, moisture, refractive index, melting point, solid fat index, fatty acids profile, total phenolic contents, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, free fatty acids and peroxide value) and sensory characteristics were studied at the interval of 45 days. The melting point of T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 developed in current investigation were 34.2, 33.8, 33.1 and 32.5 °C, respectively. The solid fat index of control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 were 47.21, 22.71, 20.33, 18.12 and 16.58%, respectively. The α-linolenic acid contents in T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 were found 2.92, 5.85, 9.22, 12.29%, respectively. The concentration of eicosanoic acid in T 2 , T 3 and T 4 was 1.82, 3.52, 6.43 and 9.81%, respectively. The content of docosahexanoic acid in T 2 , T 3 and T 4 was present 1.26, 2.64, 3.49 and 5.19%, respectively. The omega-3 fatty acids were not detected in the control sample. Total phenolic contents of control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 samples were 0.27, 2.22, 4.15, 7.23 and 11.42 mg GAE/mL, respectively. DPPH free radical scavenging activity for control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 was noted 65.8, 5.37, 17.82, 24.95, 45.42 and 62.8%, respectively. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid

Survival of Salmonella during Production of Partially Sprouted Pumpkin, Sunflower, and Chia Seeds Dried for Direct Consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Susanne E; Anderson, Nathan M; Wang, Can; Burbick, Stephen J; Hildebrandt, Ian M; Gonsalves, Lauren J; Suehr, Quincy J; Farakos, Sofia M Santillana

2018-04-01

Ready-to-eat foods based on dried partially sprouted seeds have been associated with foodborne salmonellosis. Whereas research has focused on the potential for Salmonella initially present in or on seeds to grow and survive during fresh sprout production, little is known about the potential for growth and survival of Salmonella associated with seeds that have been partially sprouted and dried. The goal of this study was to determine the growth of Salmonella during soaking for partial germination of pumpkin, sunflower, and chia seeds and subsequent survival during drying and storage. Pumpkin, sunflower, and chia seeds were inoculated with a four-serotype Salmonella cocktail by the dry transfer method and were soaked in sterile water at 25 or 37°C for 24 h. During the soaking period, Salmonella exhibited growth rates of 0.37 ± 0.26, 0.27 ± 0.12, and 0.45 ± 0.19 log CFU/h at 25°C and 0.94 ± 0.44, 1.04 ± 0.84, and 0.73 ± 0.36 log CFU/h at 37°C for chia, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds, respectively. Soaked seeds were drained and dried at 25, 51, and 60°C. Drying resulted in >5 log CFU/g loss at both 51 and 60°C and ∼3 log CFU/g loss at 25°C on partially sprouted pumpkin and sunflower seeds. There was no decrease in Salmonella during drying of chia seeds at 25°C, and only drying at 60°C provided losses >5 log CFU/g. Dried seeds were stored at 37 and 45°C at 15 and 76% relative humidity (RH) levels. The combination of temperature and RH exerted a stronger effect than either factor alone, such that rates at which Salmonella decreased generally followed this order: 37°C at 15% RH < 45°C at 15% RH < 37°C at 76% RH < 45°C at 76% RH for all seeds tested. Rates differed based on seed type, with chia seeds and chia seed powder having the smallest rate of Salmonella decrease, followed by sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Drying at higher temperatures (50 and 61°C) or storing at elevated temperature and humidity (45°C and 76% RH) resulted in significantly different

Comparison of force, power, and striking efficiency for a Kung Fu strike performed by novice and experienced practitioners: preliminary analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Neto, Osmar Pinto; Magini, Marcio; Saba, Marcelo M F; Pacheco, Marcos Tadeu Tavares

2008-02-01

This paper presents a comparison of force, power, and efficiency values calculated from Kung Fu Yau-Man palm strikes, when performed by 7 experienced and 6 novice men. They performed 5 palm strikes to a freestanding basketball, recorded by high-speed camera at 1000 Hz. Nonparametric comparisons and correlations showed experienced practitioners presented larger values of mean muscle force, mean impact force, mean muscle power, mean impact power, and mean striking efficiency, as is noted in evidence obtained for other martial arts. Also, an interesting result was that for experienced Kung Fu practitioners, muscle power was linearly correlated with impact power (p = .98) but not for the novice practitioners (p = .46).

Effect of the addition of chia's by-product on the composition of fatty acids in hamburgers through chemometric methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Aloisio H P; Gohara, Aline K; Rotta, Eliza M; Chaves, Marcia A; Silva, Claudia M; Dias, Lucia F; Gomes, Sandra T M; Souza, Nilson E; Matsushita, Makoto

2015-03-30

Hamburger is a meat-based food that is easy to prepare and is widely consumed. It can be enriched using different ingredients, such as chia's by-product, which is rich in omega-3. Chemometrics is a very interesting tool to assess the influence of ingredients in the composition of foods. A complete factorial design 2(2) (two factors in two levels) with duplicate was performed to investigate the influence of the factors (1) concentration of textured soy proteins (TSP) and (2) concentration of chia flour partially defatted (CFPD) as a partial replacement for the bovine meat and porcine fat mix in hamburgers. The results of proximal composition, lipid oxidation, fatty acids sums, ratios, and nutritional indexes were used to propose statistical models. The factors TSP and CFPD were significant, and the increased values contributed to improve the composition in fatty acids, crude protein, and ash. Principal components analysis distinguished the samples with a higher content of chia. In desirability analysis, the highest level of TSP and CFPD was described as the optimal region, and it was not necessary to make another experimental point. The addition of chia's by-product is an alternative to increase the α-linolenic contents and to obtain nutritionally balanced food. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Omega-3 fatty acids and oxidative stability of ice cream supplemented with olein fraction of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ullah, Rahman; Nadeem, Muhammad; Imran, Muhammad

2017-02-07

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) has been regarded as good source of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids with cardiac, hepatic, hypotensive, antiallergic and antidiabetic role. Concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in chia oil can be enhanced by fractionation. Olein/low melting fraction of chia oil has higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, main objective of current investigation was determination of various concentration effect of olein fraction of chia oil on omega-3 fatty acids, oxidative stability and sensory characteristics of ice cream. Ice cream samples were prepared by partially replacing the milk fat with olein fraction of chia oil at 5, 10, 15 and 20% concentrations (T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 ), respectively. Ice cream prepared from 100% milk fat was kept as control. Ice cream samples stored at -18 °C for 60 days were analysed at 0, 30 and 60 days of the storage period. Fatty acid profile, total phenolic contents, total flavonoids, free fatty acids, peroxide value, anisidine value and sensory characteristics of ice cream samples was studied. Concentration of α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in T 4 was 13.24, 0.58, 0.42 and 0.31%, respectively. Total phenolic contents of control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 were recorded 0.12, 1.65, 3.17, 5.19 and 7.48 mg GAE/mL, respectively. Total flavonoid content of control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 were found 0.08, 0.64, 1.87, 3.16 and 4.29 mg Quercetin Equivalent/mL. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity of control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 was noted 5.61, 17.43, 36.84, 51.17 and 74.91%, respectively. After 60 days of storage period, the highest peroxide value of 1.84 (MeqO 2 /kg) was observed in T 4 , which was much less than allowable limit of 10 (MeqO 2 /kg). Flavour score was non-significant after 30 days of storage period. Supplementation of ice cream with olein fraction of chia oil enhanced the concentration of

The Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil of Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gkogka, E.; Hazeleger, W.C.; Posthumus, M.A.; Beumer, R.R.

2013-01-01

The essential oil of the resin of Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia (mastic oil) was studied in vitro against a wide range of foodborne pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms with a diffusion and a dilution method. Furthermore its chemical composition was analyzed by means of Gas Chromatography-Mass

Electromyographic Study of a Sequence of Yau-Man Kung Fu Palm Strikes with and without Impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Neto, Osmar Pinto; Magini, Marcio; Pacheco, Marcos T T

2007-01-01

IN MARTIAL ARTS AND CONTACT SPORTS, STRIKES ARE OFTEN TRAINED IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS: with and without impacts. This study aims to compare the electromyographical activity (EMG) of the triceps brachii (TB), biceps brachii (BB) and brachioradialis (BR) muscles during strikes with and without impacts. Eight Yau-Man Kung Fu practitioners participated in the experiment. Each participant performed 5 sequences of 5 consecutive KF Yau-Man palm strikes with no impact intercalated with 5 sequences of 5 repetitions targeting a KF training shield. Surface EMG signals were obtained from the TB, BB, and RB for 3.0 seconds using an eight-channel module with a total amplifier gain of 2000 and sampled at 3500 Hz. The EMG analyses were done in the time (rms) and frequency (wavelet) domains. For the frequency domain, Morlet wavelet power spectra were obtained and an original method was used to quantify statistically significant regions on the power spectra. The results both in the time and frequency domains indicate a higher TB and BR muscle activity for the strikes with impacts. No significant difference was found for the BB in the two different scenarios. In addition, the results show that the wavelet power spectra pattern for the three analysed muscles obtained from the strikes with and without impacts were similar. Key pointsEMG analysis of a sequence of Kung Fu strikes demonstrates higher Triceps Brachii and Brachioradialis muscle activity for strikes with impact than strikes without impact.An original reliable method for quantifying EMG wavelet transform results is presented.EMG wavelet power spectra describe muscle roles during a Kung Fu sequence of strikes.

The Vibrio cholerae Extracellular Chitinase ChiA2 Is Important for Survival and Pathogenesis in the Host Intestine

Science.gov (United States)

Mondal, Moumita; Nag, Dhrubajyoti; Koley, Hemanta; Saha, Dhira Rani; Chatterjee, Nabendu Sekhar

2014-01-01

In aquatic environments, Vibrio cholerae colonizes mainly on the chitinous surface of copepods and utilizes chitin as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. Of the two extracellular chitinases essential for chitin utilization, the expression of chiA2 is maximally up-regulated in host intestine. Recent studies indicate that several bacterial chitinases may be involved in host pathogenesis. However, the role of V. cholerae chitinases in host infection is not yet known. In this study, we provide evidence to show that ChiA2 is important for V. cholerae survival in intestine as well as in pathogenesis. We demonstrate that ChiA2 de-glycosylates mucin and releases reducing sugars like GlcNAc and its oligomers. Deglycosylation of mucin corroborated with reduced uptake of alcian blue stain by ChiA2 treated mucin. Next, we show that V. cholerae could utilize mucin as a nutrient source. In comparison to the wild type strain, ΔchiA2 mutant was 60-fold less efficient in growth in mucin supplemented minimal media and was also ∼6-fold less competent to survive when grown in the presence of mucin-secreting human intestinal HT29 epithelial cells. Similar results were also obtained when the strains were infected in mice intestine. Infection with the ΔchiA2 mutant caused ∼50-fold less fluid accumulation in infant mice as well as in rabbit ileal loop compared to the wild type strain. To see if the difference in survival of the ΔchiA2 mutant and wild type V. cholerae was due to reduced adhesion of the mutant, we monitored binding of the strains on HT29 cells. The initial binding of the wild type and mutant strain was similar. Collectively these data suggest that ChiA2 secreted by V. cholerae in the intestine hydrolyzed intestinal mucin to release GlcNAc, and the released sugar is successfully utilized by V. cholerae for growth and survival in the host intestine. PMID:25244128

Heaths and forests of the western hills of Chia, Bogota savanna, Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cortes S, Sandra P.; Van der Hammen, Thomas; Rangel Ch, J Orlando

2000-01-01

The authors make a study of the heaths and forests of the western hills of the population of Chia, located in the savanna of Bogota and the presence or absences of these in the same Bogota savanna; the authors treat topics like their physiognomy and composition, distribution and ecology among other topics

Un ente innovativo di ricerca e di servizi per la informazione geospaziale: GIS Research Center della Feng-Chia University di Taiwan (GIS.FCU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Salvemini

2012-04-01

Full Text Available La storia di un Laboratorio GIS a Taiwan nato da un accordo tra Feng-Chia University e la Università di Roma “LaSapienza” oggi tra i primi nel mondo nel settore dell’informazione geospaziale per la ricerca nell’ambito dei testdell’interoperabilità. A body of research and innovative services for geospatial infor-mation: GIS Research Center of Feng-Chia University in Taiwan (GIS.FCU The story of a GIS laboratory in Taiwan born on an agreement between the Feng-Chia University and the University of Rome "La Sapienza" now among the first in the world in the field of information for research for geospatial application.

Kung Fu a jeho zařazení do výuky úpolů ve školní tělesné výchově

OpenAIRE

Krbcová, Pavlína

2015-01-01

The goal of this thesis is to analyse kung fu from the pespective of teaching Combatives in Physicial Education courses, suggest model exercises with the help of the consultants named in the theoretical part and create model lessons that teachers may use in their Physical Education courses. The teoretical part focuses on history, taxonomy and teaching of Combatives in Physical Education courses. In addition, in describes history, characteristics and taxonomy of kung fu. The experimental part ...

Translation Methods Used In Writing Indonesian Subtitles Of “Kung Fu Panda Holiday”

OpenAIRE

NURMALLAH, HERDIANTI

2013-01-01

In Indonesia, western movies that are spoken in English make the need for Indonesian subtitles increase. To make subtitles in different language, translation has an important role. The translator must use appropriate methods to produce good translation. This study aims to find out the kinds of translation methods used in writing Indonesian subtitles of the movie “Kung Fu Panda Holiday” by using Newmark's theory (1988). This study uses descriptive qualitative approach with document analysis. T...

Post 4 Ma initiation of normal faulting in southern Tibet. Constraints from the Kung Co half graben

Science.gov (United States)

Mahéo, G.; Leloup, P. H.; Valli, F.; Lacassin, R.; Arnaud, N.; Paquette, J.-L.; Fernandez, A.; Haibing, L.; Farley, K. A.; Tapponnier, P.

2007-04-01

The timing of E-W extension of the Tibetan plateau provides a test of mechanical models of the geodynamic evolution of the India-Asia convergence zone. In this work we focus on the Kung Co half graben (Southern Tibet, China), bounded by an active N-S normal fault with a minimum vertical offset of 1600 m. To estimate the onset of normal faulting we combined high and medium temperature (U-Pb, Ar/Ar) and low temperature ((U-Th)/He) thermochronometry of the Kung Co pluton, a two-mica granite of the northern Himalayan granitic belt that outcrop in the footwall of the fault. Biotite and muscovite Ar/Ar ages , are close from each other [˜ 16 Ma ± 0.2 (Ms) and ˜ 15 ± 0.4 Ma (Bt)], which is typical of fast cooling. The zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He ages range from 11.3 to 9.6 Ma and 9.9 to 3.7 Ma respectively. These He ages are indicative of (1) fast initial cooling, from 11.3 to ˜ 9 Ma, gradually decreasing with time and (2) a high geothermal gradient (˜ 400 °C/km), close to the surface at ˜ 10 Ma. The Kung Co pluton was emplaced at about 22 Ma (U-Pb on zircon) at less than 10 km depth and 520-545 °C. Subsequent to its shallow emplacement, the pluton underwent fast thermal re-equilibration ending around 7.5 Ma, followed by a period of slow cooling caused either by the end of the thermal re-equilibration or by very slow exhumation (0.02-0.03 mm/yr) from ˜ 7.5 Ma to at least 4 Ma. In either case the data suggest that the exhumation rate increased after 4 Ma. We infer this increase to be related to the initiation of the Kung Co normal fault. A critical examination of previously published data show that most ˜ N-S Tibetan normal faults may have formed less than 5 Ma ago rather than in the Miocene as assumed by several authors. Such a young age implies that E-W extension is not related to the Neogene South Tibetan magmatism (25 to 8 Ma). Consequently, models relating E-W extension to magmatism, such as convective removal of the lower lithosphere, may be inappropriate

Influences of chia flour and the concentration of total solids on the characteristics of ‘dulce de leche’ from goat milk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcia Alves CHAVES

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract A factorial categorical design totalling six treatments was applied to investigate the influence of the substitution of corn starch with whole and partially defatted chia flour under the technical characteristics (centesimal composition, instrumental analyses, and sensory evaluation and nutritional disorders (composition of fatty acids and index of the nutritional quality of the lipid fraction of ‘dulce de leche’ concentrated to 72 and 78 °B. The treatments with chia flour concentrated to 72 °B showed higher moisture content and lower compression force, and when the concentration range increased to 78 °B, the levels of total lipids amounted up to 1.40 times when compared to treatment with corn starch. The polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 and omega-6 levels, were higher in treatments with chia flour on both tracks of concentration, allowing a reduction in the atherogenic index and thrombogenic index effects and the n-6/n-3 ratio. The treatments of ‘dulce de leche’ with a lower concentration of soluble solids obtained greater acceptance and consumer purchase intention. The application of whole chia flour in small proportions and in the concentration of 72 °B was the most appropriate under the studied conditions, showing improvement in the nutritional quality and with good technical aspects of candy made with goat milk.

Salba-chia (Salvia hispanica L.) in the treatment of overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

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Vuksan, V; Jenkins, A L; Brissette, C; Choleva, L; Jovanovski, E; Gibbs, A L; Bazinet, R P; Au-Yeung, F; Zurbau, A; Ho, H V T; Duvnjak, L; Sievenpiper, J L; Josse, R G; Hanna, A

2017-02-01

Preliminary findings indicate that consumption of Salba-chia (Salvia hispanica L.), an ancient seed, improves management of type 2 diabetes and suppresses appetite. The aim of this study was to assesse the effect of Salba-chia on body weight, visceral obesity and obesity-related risk factors in overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes. A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial with two parallel groups involved 77 overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes (HbA 1c : 6.5-8.0%; BMI: 25-40 kg/m 2 ). Both groups followed a 6-month calorie-restricted diet; one group received 30 g/1000 kcal/day of Salba-chia, the other 36 g/1000 kcal/day of an oat bran-based control. Primary endpoint was change in body weight over 6-months. Secondary endpoints included changes in waist circumference, body composition, glycemic control, C-reactive protein, and obesity-related satiety hormones. At 6-months, participants on Salba-chia had lost more weight than those on control (1.9 ± 0.5 kg and 0.3 ± 0.4 kg, respectively; P = 0.020), accompanied by a greater reduction in waist circumference (3.5 ± 0.7 cm and 1.1 ± 0.7 cm, respectively; P = 0.027). C-reactive protein was reduced by 1.1 ± 0.5 mg/L (39 ± 17%) on Salba-chia, compared to 0.2 ± 0.4 mg/L (7 ± 20%) on control (P = 0.045). Plasma adiponectin on the test intervention increased by 6.5 ± 0.7%, with no change observed on control (P = 0.022). The results of this study, support the beneficial role of Salba-chia seeds in promoting weight loss and improvements of obesity related risk factors, while maintaining good glycemic control. Supplementation of Salba-chia may be a useful dietary addition to conventional therapy in the management of obesity in diabetes. REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01403571. Copyright © 2016 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the

Development of gluten-free bread using tartary buckwheat and chia flour rich in flavonoids and omega-3 fatty acids as ingredients.

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Costantini, Lara; Lukšič, Lea; Molinari, Romina; Kreft, Ivan; Bonafaccia, Giovanni; Manzi, Laura; Merendino, Nicolò

2014-12-15

In this study, chia seed flour, which is rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, and common and tartary buckwheat flour, which has a high antioxidant activity, were integrated into different types of bread with the aim of improving their nutritional value and healthy features. Our results indicate that bread made with chia and tartary buckwheat flour was more acceptable in many nutritional aspects compared to the control (common wheat bread); it contained a higher amount of protein (20%), insoluble dietary fibres (74%), ash (51%), and alpha-linolenic acid (67.4%). Moreover, this bread possessed lower energy (14%) and carbohydrate contents (24%) compared to the control. Tartary buckwheat also improved the total antioxidant capacity of the bread (about 75%) and provided a considerable amount of flavonoids, which are healthy non-nutritional compounds. Overall, chia and tartary buckwheat represent excellent raw materials for the formulation of gluten-free bread with high nutritional value. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A recombinant Anticarsia gemmatalis MNPV harboring chiA and v-cath genes from Choristoneura fumiferana defective NPV induce host liquefaction and increased insecticidal activity.

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Anabele Azevedo Lima

Full Text Available One of the interesting features of Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate 2D (AgMNPV-2D genome is the absence of chitinase (chiA and cathepsin (v-cath genes. This characteristic may be responsible for the lack of liquefaction and melanization in A. gemmatalis larvae killed by AgMNPV-2D infection. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that CHIA and V-CATH proteins from Choristonera fumiferana DEF multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (CfDEFNPV are able to liquefy and melanize the cuticle of A. gemmatalis larvae infected by a recombinant AgMNPV containing chiA and v-cath genes inserted in its genome. A fragment from the CfDefNPV genome containing chiA and v-cath genes was inserted into the genome of AgMNPV-2D. The recombinant virus (vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath was purified and used to infect insect cells and larvae. Transcripts of v-cath and chiA genes were detected along the infection of insect cells by qRT-PCR, from early to late phases of infection. The analysis of A. gemmatalis larvae killed by vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath infection confirmed the hypothesis proposed. The vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath showed higher insecticidal activity against third instar A. gemmatalis larvae when compared to AgMNPV-2D. The mean time to death was also lower for the vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath when compared to AgMNPV-2D at 10 days post infection. Occlusion body production was higher in A. gemmatalis larvae infected with vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath when compared to AgMNPV-2D. Enzyme assays showed higher chitinase and cysteine protease activities in insect cells and insects infected with vAgp2100Cf.chiA/v-cath when compared to AgMNPV-2D. The introduction of chiA and v-cath genes into the genome of AgMNPV improves its insecticidal activity against A. gemmatalis larvae and this recombinant virus could be used as an alternative to the wild type virus to control this important insect pest.

Spray dried microparticles of chia oil using emulsion stabilized by whey protein concentrate and pectin by electrostatic deposition.

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Noello, C; Carvalho, A G S; Silva, V M; Hubinger, M D

2016-11-01

Chia seed oil has a high content of α-linolenic acid (60%) and linoleic acid (20%). Use of this oil in different products is limited due to its liquid state, and the presence of insaturation is a trigger for oxidation. In this context, to facilitate the incorporation of chia oil in food products and increase its protection against oxidation, the aim of this work was to produce chia oil microparticles by spray drying using emulsions stabilized by whey protein concentrate (ζ-potential +13.4 at pH3.8) and pectin (ζ-potential -40.4 at pH3.8) through the electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition technique and emulsions prepared with only whey protein concentrate. Emulsions stabilized by whey protein concentrate and stabilized by whey protein concentrate-pectin were prepared using maltodextrin (10 DE) and modified starch (Hi-Cap® 100). They were characterized in relation to stability, droplet size, ζ-Potential and optical microscopy. The microparticles were characterized in relation to moisture content, water activity, particle size, microstructure and oxidative stability by the Rancimat method. Emulsions stabilized by whey protein concentrate-pectin with added maltodextrin 10 DE and emulsions stabilized by whey protein concentrate with added modified starch (Hi-Cap® 100) were stable after 24h. Emulsions stabilized by whey protein concentrate and by whey protein concentrate-pectin showed droplets with mean diameter ranging from 0.80 to 1.31μm, respectively and ζ-potential varying from -6.9 to -27.43mV, respectively. After spray drying, the microparticles showed an mean diameter ranging from 7.00 to 9.00μm. All samples presented high encapsulation efficiency values, above 99%. Microparticles produced with modified starch showed a smoother spherical surface than particles with maltodextrin 10 DE, which presented a wrinkled surface. All microparticles exhibited higher oxidative stability than chia oil in pure form. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recombinant Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD73 strain that synthesizes Cry1Ac and chimeric ChiA74∆sp chitinase inclusions.

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González-Ponce, Karen S; Casados-Vázquez, Luz E; Salcedo-Hernández, Rubén; Bideshi, Dennis K; Del Rincón-Castro, María C; Barboza-Corona, José E

2017-05-01

In this study, the endochitinase chiA74 gene lacking its secretion signal peptide sequence (chiA74∆sp) was fused in frame with the sequence coding for the C-terminal crystallization domain and transcription terminator of cry1Ac. The chimeric gene was expressed under the strong pcytA-p/STAB-SD promoter system in an acrystalliferous Cry - B strain of Bacillus thuringiensis and B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD73. We showed that the chimeric ChiA74∆sp produced amorphous inclusions in both Cry - B and HD73. In addition to the amorphous inclusions putatively composed of the chimera, bipyramidal Cry1Ac crystals, smaller than the wild-type crystal, were observed in recombinant HD73, and chitinase activity was remarkably higher (75-fold) in this strain when compared with parental HD73. Moreover, we observed that lyophilized samples of a mixture containing Cry1Ac, amorphous inclusions, and spores maintained chitinase activity. Amorphous inclusions could not be separated from Cry1Ac crystals by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Interestingly, the chitinase activity of purified Cry1Ac/amorphous inclusions was 51-fold higher compared to purified Cry1Ac inclusions of parental HD73, indicating that the increased enzymatic activity was due primarily to the presence of the atypical amorphous component. The possibility that the chimera is occluded with the Cry1Ac crystal, thereby contributing to the increased endochitinolytic activity, cannot be excluded. Finally, bioassays against larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda with spore/crystals of HD73 or spore-crystal ChiA74∆sp chimeric inclusions of recombinant HD73 strain showed LC 50 s of 396.86 and 290.25 ng/cm 2 , respectively. Our study suggests a possible practical application of the chimera in formulations of B. thuringiensis-based lepidopteran larvicides.

A inserção do kung fu no Brasil na perspectiva dos mestres pioneiros

OpenAIRE

Ferreira, Fernando Dandoro Castilho

2013-01-01

Resumo: Discutir atualmente a China e sua cultura parece algo bastante útil, principalmente em decorrência da sua posição econômica, que exerce uma impactante influência mundial. Para buscar trazer alguma luz sobre a China, fizemos uso de um marcante e elucidativo elemento de sua cultura, a sua arte marcial. Mais ainda, buscamos avançar neste processo tratando não do Kung Fu em seu berço de origem, mas sim, olhando-o em sua vertente contemporânea, oriunda do processo de disseminação deste em ...

Effective Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium infantis encapsulation with chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) and flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) mucilage and soluble protein by spray drying.

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Bustamante, Mariela; Oomah, B Dave; Rubilar, Mónica; Shene, Carolina

2017-02-01

Mucilage (M) and soluble protein (SP) extracted from chia seed and flaxseed were used as encapsulating material for two probiotic bacteria: Bifidobacterium infantis and Lactobacillus plantarum by spray drying. Probiotic survival and viability after spray drying and during storage were evaluated. B. infantis and L. plantarum displayed high survival (⩾98%) after encapsulation with mixtures of maltodextrin (MD) combined with M and SP from flaxseed (MD:FM:FSP - 7.5:0.2:7.5%, w/w/w) and chia seed (MD:CM:CSP - 7.5:0.6:7.5%, w/w/w), respectively. These ternary blends protected the probiotics and enhanced their resistance to simulated gastric juice and bile solution. Probiotics encapsulated with the ternary blends incorporated in instant juice powder exhibited high viability (>9Log10CFU/g) after 45days refrigerated storage. Encapsulation with the ternary blends reduced particle size of the probiotic powders thereby offering additional functional benefits. Our results reveal that chia seed and flaxseed are excellent sources of probiotic encapsulating agents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Stock Assessment of the Blue Swimming Crab Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) for Sustainable Management in Kung Krabaen Bay, Gulf of Thailand.

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Kunsook, Chutapa; Gajaseni, Nantana; Paphavasit, Nittharatana

2014-08-01

A stock assessment of blue swimming crabs, Portunus pelagicus was conducted with crab gill nets and collapsible crab traps at Kung Krabaen Bay, in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, from 2008 to 2009. Several key indicators show that P. pelagicus population is in crisis. Fishing mortality shows an increase to 4.14. The exploitation rate is 0.71, higher than the optimal value of 0.38. The size of the mature females has also decreased from 8.10±0.39 cm to 7.52±1.14 cm. The average fecundity is 0.572×10(6)±0.261×10(6) eggs per batch, and the sex ratio (male:female) is 1:0.92. Based on these results, a sustainable management program for P. pelagicus was proposed as follows: (i) closing the bay during the spawning season, (ii) restoration of the Enhalus acoroides seagrass beds, (iii) restocking crab larvae in the bay and (iv) educating and networking all stakeholders to develop a better understanding of the ecology of the crab to support sustainable fishery management in Kung Krabaen Bay.

Revisão: Composição química, propriedades funcionais e aplicações tecnológicas da semente de chia (Salvia hispanica L em alimentos

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Michele Silveira Coelho

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A chia (Salvia hispanica L. é uma semente antiga utilizada pelos maias e astecas como alimento para aumentar a resistência física. Essa semente é fonte natural de ácidos graxos ômega-3, fibras e proteínas, além de outros componentes nutricionais importantes, como os antioxidantes. Além disso, oferece um potencial na indústria de alimentos devido aos seus componentes funcionais, com aplicações no enriquecimento de pães, bolos e barras de cereais, produção de hidrolisados proteicos para aplicação em produtos de panificação, produção de maionese com adição de mucilagem de chia, entre outros produtos. Esta revisão tem como objetivo apresentar as possíveis aplicações em alimentos, demonstrando o quanto a chia ainda pode ser explorada nessa área.

Exploring Triacylglycerol Biosynthetic Pathway in Developing Seeds of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.): A Transcriptomic Approach

OpenAIRE

R. V., Sreedhar; Kumari, Priya; Rupwate, Sunny D.; Rajasekharan, Ram; Srinivasan, Malathi

2015-01-01

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.), a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), is a rediscovered crop with great importance in health and nutrition and is also the highest known terrestrial plant source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid (ALA). At present, there is no public genomic information or database available for this crop, hindering research on its genetic improvement through genomics-assisted breeding programs. The first comprehensive analysis of the global transcriptome...

From specific training to global shift of manual preference in Kung Fu experts.

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Maeda, Rodrigo S; Souza, Rosana M; Teixeira, Luis A

2014-02-01

Manual preference and intermanual performance asymmetry have been approached from a multidimensional and dynamic perspective. A point of interest from that approach is the role of lateralized motor experiences on handedness. In this study, intermanual performance asymmetry in sport-specific movements and manual preference in daily living tasks were compared between Kung Fu athletes and novices. Analysis of movement time in the performance of interlaterally symmetric and asymmetric movement patterns showed smaller intermanual performance asymmetry in experts. Analysis of manual preference using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory indicated that experts presented predominantly weak or moderate strength of right hand preference. Novices, conversely, were found to have predominantly strong right hand preference. These results suggest that extensive bimanual training by experts leads to a global shift of manual preference, affecting hand selection in distinct tasks.

FAT COMPOSITION AND FATTY ACID CHARACTERIZATION OF CHIA SEED (Salvia hispánica L.)

OpenAIRE

Mosquera Quelal, María; Reinoso García, María; Vásquez Castillo, Wilson

2017-01-01

The alterations of the lipid metabolism and the uncertainty at the moment of selecting beneficial foods to the human body lead to the investigation of omega fatty acids. The study is based on the evaluation of the effect of three preparation methods of chía seed, before getting the oil through two extraction methods and the characterization of the lipid fraction of chia seed (Salvia hispánica L.) from Colta-Ecuador. The oil yield of the conditioned seeds showed statistical differences. Regard...

“Chinos masones”. La logia Chee Kung Tong 致公堂 en México

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José Luis Chong

2015-01-01

Full Text Available La llegada de los inmigrantes chinos a México a partir de la década de 1870, fue promovida por empresarios y gobierno para hacer frente a la gran demanda de mano de obra, originada por las fuertes inversiones en la minería, ferrocarriles y la agricultura, sin embargo a partir del inicio de la Revolución mexicana, estos trabajadores fueron sistemáticamente atacados, sus propiedades confiscadas y casi en su totalidad deportados. Durante la llamada “campaña anti-chinos”, la logia masónica Chee Kung Tong致公堂les brindó protección y apoyo, funcionando con las mismas características de las ancestrales sociedades secretas en China.

Functional bread with n-3 alpha linolenic acid from whole chia (Salvia hispanica L.) flour

OpenAIRE

Luna Pizarro, Patricia; Almeida, Eveline Lopes; Coelho, Alessandra Silva; Sammán, Norma Cristina; Hubinger, Miriam Dupas; Chang, Yoon Kil

2014-01-01

This work proposed to study the effects of the addition of whole chia flour (WCF) on the technological, nutritional and sensory qualities of bread. Different WCF contents (0 and 20 %) and vital gluten (VG) (0 and 4 %) were added to bread according to a 22 central composite rotational design. WCF decreased the specific volume, lightness and hue angle of the bread loaves, but did not affect the chroma values. WCF and VG contributed to maintenance of the moisture content of the loaves during the...

Electromiographic and kinematic characteristics of Kung Fu Yau-Man palm strike.

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Neto, O P; Magini, Marcio

2008-12-01

A kinematic and electromyographic analysis of Kung Fu (KF) Yau-Man palm strikes without impact is presented. An empirical model applied to data obtained by a high-speed camera describes the kinematic characteristics of the movement. The electromyographic patterns of the biceps brachii, brachioradialis and triceps brachii muscles were studied during the strike in the time (root mean square) and frequency (wavelet transform) domains. Eight KF practitioners participated in the investigation. A wooden board was placed in front of the subjects, and they were asked to perform the strike imagining a target above the board. The results show that the Yau-Man KF palm strike has very similar kinematic characteristics to a simple moderate speed elbow extension movement. All practitioners positioned themselves in relation to the wooden board in a way to achieve their highest hand speeds in the instant their hands crossed the board. The analyses of the electromyography data shows a well developed muscle coordination of the practitioners in agreement with kinematic results. The results of this paper are important not only for improving the performance of practitioners but also to demonstrate the applicability of KF in the process of motor control development.

A randomised placebo-exercise controlled trial of Kung Fu training for improvements in body composition in overweight/obese adolescents: the "Martial Fitness" study.

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Tsang, Tracey W; Kohn, Michael; Chow, Chin Moi; Singh, M Fiatarone

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate if Chinese martial arts (Kung Fu, KF) might be effective for improving body composition, as well as being an appealing form of physical activity for inexperienced, sedentary, overweight/obese adolescents. Twenty subjects (age: 13.3 ± 1.8 y; BMI percentile: 98.6(86.5 - 99.8); 60% girls) were randomly-assigned to the supervised KF or placebo (Tai Chi, TC) control group 3 d.wk(-1) for 6 months. We assessed body composition, including total and regional fat and lean mass, total and regional bone mineral density (BMD), percent lean and fat mass, body mass index and waist circumference, at baseline and after 6 months of training using anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Habitual physical activity and dietary intake were recorded as covariates via self-report at each time-point. As expected due to natural growth, significant increases in height, weight, total and lumbar BMD, and lean mass were seen in the cohort over time, with a trend for increased whole body fat mass, with no difference between groups. By contrast, percent fat and android fat mass via DXA did not increase in either group over time. The absence of a similar expected increase in central adiposity over 6 months could indicate a positive effect of participation in both programs on the metabolically critical abdominal adiposity in this cohort. Further research in this area is warranted to determine ways to increase uptake and compliance, and to see if longer-term martial arts training not only maintains, but improves abdominal fat mass and related metabolic health indices in overweight/ obese adolescents. Key pointsParticipation in our martial arts trial attenuated the increases in body fat mass expected due to growth in our overweight/obese adolescent group.All subjects allocated to the Kung Fu intervention were satisfied with their Kung Fu training, in contrast to our placebo-exercise (Tai Chi) subjects, suggesting that this form of

Lifetime risks, loss of life expectancy, and health care expenditures for 19 types of cancer in Taiwan

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Wu TY

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Tzu-Yi Wu,1 Chia-Hua Chung,2 Chia-Ni Lin,3 Jing-Shiang Hwang,2 Jung-Der Wang3,4 1Institute of Economics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 4Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Background: The mortality rates for different cancers are no longer an efficient tool for making national policy. The purpose of this study were to quantify the lifetime risks, life expectancies (LEs after diagnosis, expected years of life lost (EYLL, and lifetime health care expenditures for 19 major cancers in Taiwan. Methods: A total of 831,314 patients with 19 pathologically proven cancers were abstracted from the Taiwan Cancer Registry from 1998 to 2012. They were linked to the National Mortality Registry (1998–2014 and National Health Insurance reimbursement database (1998–2013 for survival and health care costs. We estimated the cumulative incidence rate for ages 0–79 years and the lifetime survival function for patients with different cancer sites. The EYLL was calculated by subtracting the LE of each cancer cohort from that of the age- and sex-matched referents simulated from national life tables. The estimated lifetime cost was calculated by adding up the product of survival probability and mean cost at the corresponding duration-to-date after adjustment for the inflation to the year of 2013. Results: There were 5 cancers with a lifetime risk exceeding 4%: colorectal, liver, lung, and prostate in males, and breast and colorectal in females. Cancers with EYLL of >10 years were: esophageal, intrahepatic bile ducts, liver, pancreas, oral, nasopharyngeal, leukemia, lung, and gallbladder, extrahepatic bile ducts and biliary tract in males, and intrahepatic bile ducts

Wu-Chia-Pi Solution Attenuates Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatic Injury through the Antioxidative Abilities of Its Components Acteoside and Quercetin

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Ching-Chiung Wang

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Wu-Chia-Pi medicated wine, composed nine Chinese medicines soaked in 35% alcohol, is widely used in Asia for its health-promoting functions. However, long-term consumption of alcohol could result in liver dysfunction. In this study, Wu-Chia-Pi solution (WCPS and extract (WCPE were prepared by modification of the principals given by the Committee on Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to explore the protective effect of WCPS against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4-induced liver injury and to clarify its active component(s. Antioxidative effects of the test samples were evaluated via MDA inhibition, catalase activity and DPPH-scavenging assays. HPLC was used to analysis the active components. Results showed that WCPS (1 and 5 mL/kg significantly prevented CCl4-induced liver injury without chronic liver toxicity. Referring to the antioxidative activities, WCPE displayed significant MDA inhibitory and DPPH-scavenging activities with IC50 values of 0.91 ± 0.03 and 0.60 ± 0.04 mg/mL, respectively. Catalase activity was also enhanced by treatment of WCPE, acteoside and quercetin. Therefore, we suggest that acteoside and quercetin are the major contributors to the antioxidative and hepatoprotective activities of WCPS, and a possible mechanism could be mediated through reduction of oxidative stress.

Exploring triacylglycerol biosynthetic pathway in developing seeds of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.: a transcriptomic approach.

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Sreedhar R V

Full Text Available Chia (Salvia hispanica L., a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae, is a rediscovered crop with great importance in health and nutrition and is also the highest known terrestrial plant source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid (ALA. At present, there is no public genomic information or database available for this crop, hindering research on its genetic improvement through genomics-assisted breeding programs. The first comprehensive analysis of the global transcriptome profile of developing Salvia hispanica L. seeds, with special reference to lipid biosynthesis is presented in this study. RNA from five different stages of seed development was extracted and sequenced separately using the Illumina GAIIx platform. De novo assembly of processed reads in the pooled transcriptome using Trinity yielded 76,014 transcripts. The total transcript length was 66,944,462 bases (66.9 Mb, with an average length of approximately 880 bases. In the molecular functions category of Gene Ontology (GO terms, ATP binding and nucleotide binding were found to be the most abundant and in the biological processes category, the metabolic process and the regulation of transcription-DNA-dependent and oxidation-reduction process were abundant. From the EuKaryotic Orthologous Groups of proteins (KOG classification, the major category was "Metabolism" (31.97%, of which the most prominent class was 'carbohydrate metabolism and transport' (5.81% of total KOG classifications followed by 'secondary metabolite biosynthesis transport and catabolism' (5.34% and 'lipid metabolism' (4.57%. A majority of the candidate genes involved in lipid biosynthesis and oil accumulation were identified. Furthermore, 5596 simple sequence repeats (SSRs were identified. The transcriptome data was further validated through confirmative PCR and qRT-PCR for select lipid genes. Our study provides insight into the complex transcriptome and will contribute to further genome-wide research

Kung fu training improves physical fitness measures in overweight/obese adolescents: the "martial fitness" study.

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Tsang, Tracey W; Kohn, Michael R; Chow, Chin Moi; Fiatarone Singh, Maria Antoinette

2010-01-01

Aim. To examine the efficacy of a six-month Kung Fu (KF) program on physical fitness in overweight/obese adolescents. Methods. Subjects were randomly assigned to the KF or sham exercise (Tai Chi, TC) control group. Physical measurements in cardiovascular fitness and muscle fitness occurred at baseline and after 6 months of training thrice weekly. Results. Twenty subjects were recruited. One subject was lost to follow-up, although overall compliance to the training sessions was 46.7 +/- 27.8%. At follow-up, the cohort improved in absolute upper (P = .002) and lower (P = .04) body strength, and upper body muscle endurance (P = .02), without group differences. KF training resulted in significantly greater improvements in submaximal cardiovascular fitness (P = .03), lower body muscle endurance (P = .28; significant 95% CI: 0.37-2.49), and upper body muscle velocity (P = .03) relative to TC training. Conclusions. This short-term KF program improved submaximal cardiovascular fitness, lower body muscle endurance, and muscle velocity, in overweight/obese adolescents with very low baseline fitness.

Adding a purple corn extract in rats supplemented with chia oil decreases gene expression of SREBP-1c and retains Δ5 and Δ6 hepatic desaturase activity, unmodified the hepatic lipid profile.

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Reyna Gallegos, Sixto; Torres Arrunátegui, Génesis; Valenzuela, Rodrigo; Rincón-Cervera, Miguel Ángel; Villanueva Espinoza, María Elena

2018-05-01

Flavonoids upregulate gene expression of PPAR-α and underregulate the gene expression of SREBP-1c, and their intake increases the plasmatic concentration of n-3 LC-PUFAs. However, the biological mechanisms underlying these effects have not been elucidated. In this work, the effect of oral supplementation of ALA from chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed oil and anthocyanins from a purple corn extract (PCE) on gene expression of SREBP-1c, PPAR-α and Δ5 and Δ6 desaturases (Δ5D and Δ6D), the activity of these enzymes in the liver as well as the hepatic lipid profile were evaluated in thirty-six female Sprague Dawley rats whose diet was supplemented with olive oil (OL), chia oil (CH), olive oil and PCE (OL + PCE) or chia oil and PCE (CH + PCE). Gene expression of PPAR-α was significantly higher when supplemented with CH and CH + PCE, SREBP-1c gene expression was higher when supplemented with chia oil. CH supplementation enhanced Δ5D expression whereas no significant differences between treatments were observed concerning Δ6D gene expression. Activities of both desaturases were increased by including olive oil (OL + PCE and OL), and they were found to be higher in CH + PCE respect to CH for both enzymes. The ALA and n-3 LCPUFAs hepatic content was higher with CH, decreasing the levels of AA and n-6 LCPUFAs. It is concluded that the joint action of flavonoids such as anthocyanins and ALA show an anti-adipogenic effect. Desaturase activity was inhibited by ALA and kept by the anthocyanins from PCE, thus anthocyanins would exert a protective effect on the desaturase activity but they would not affect on its gene expression, however, high doses of ALA increased the production of its metabolites, masking the effect of PCE. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Asian Cross-border Marriage Migration. Demographic Patterns and Social Issues, Wen-Shan Yang & Melody Chia-Wen Lu (éds

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Jean-Pierre de Saint-Aubert

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Cet ouvrage collectif, qui est le résultat d’une collaboration entre l’International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS, des Pays-Bas, et la National Science Council (NSC, de Taïwan, est le fruit d’une conférence qui s’est tenue en septembre2006 sur le thème des « mariages transfrontaliers en Asie et en Europe ». Les coordinateurs de l’ouvrage sont Wen-Shan Yang, chercheur à l’Institut of Sociology, Academia Sinica de Taïwan, et Melody Chia-Wen Lu, chercheur à l’International Institute for A...

Kung Fu Training Improves Physical Fitness Measures in Overweight/Obese Adolescents: The “Martial Fitness” Study

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Tracey W. Tsang

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To examine the efficacy of a six-month Kung Fu (KF program on physical fitness in overweight/obese adolescents. Methods. Subjects were randomly assigned to the KF or sham exercise (Tai Chi, TC control group. Physical measurements in cardiovascular fitness and muscle fitness occurred at baseline and after 6 months of training thrice weekly. Results. Twenty subjects were recruited. One subject was lost to follow-up, although overall compliance to the training sessions was 46.7±27.8%. At follow-up, the cohort improved in absolute upper (P=.002 and lower (P=.04 body strength, and upper body muscle endurance (P=.02, without group differences. KF training resulted in significantly greater improvements in submaximal cardiovascular fitness (P=.03, lower body muscle endurance (P=.28; significant 95% CI: 0.37–2.49, and upper body muscle velocity (P=.03 relative to TC training. Conclusions. This short-term KF program improved submaximal cardiovascular fitness, lower body muscle endurance, and muscle velocity, in overweight/obese adolescents with very low baseline fitness.

Caracterização física, química e sensorial de sobremesas à base de soja, elaboradas com mucilagem de chia

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Jordana Corralo Spada

2014-02-01

Full Text Available No desenvolvimento de produtos, é de suma importância o conhecimento da influência das modificações da formulação nas propriedades sensoriais, físicas e químicas destes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar sobremesas à base de soja com e sem adição de mucilagem de chia, utilizada como espessante alimentar. As formulações foram caracterizadas quanto as suas propriedades reológicas, °Brix, pH e cor. O perfil sensorial foi determinado por Análise Descritiva Quantitativa (ADQ, utilizando-se uma equipe de 10 julgadores treinados. Os resultados mostraram que as amostras não diferiram quanto aos valores de pH, °Brix e coordenada cromática a*. Quanto aos outros parâmetros de cor e reológicos, foram detectadas diferenças significativas entre as amostras, o que mostra a influência do tipo de espessante nestas características. Os resultados da ADQ mostraram que as amostras não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas quanto aos atributos, cor rosa, sabor de goiaba, sabor de soja e cremosidade, porém diferiram quanto à consistência. Com isso, conclui-se que a adição da mucilagem de chia pode ser feita sem causar grandes modificações ao produto.

O "Kung Fu" no Brasil na perspectiva dos mestres pioneiros: problemas e perspectivas no uso da história oral como instrumental de análise

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Fernando Dandoro Castilho FERREIRA

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Objetivando analisar a disseminação das artes marciais chinesas no Brasil optamos por entrevistar mestres pioneiros que imigraram da China trazendo na bagagem o "Kung Fu". Ao fazer esta opção em nossa dissertação, tomamos contato com um instrumental que é o uso de entrevistas na perspectiva da História Oral. Remexer a memória, aceitar os silêncios, respeitar o conhecimento construído e desconstruir outros, por si só já se mostram tarefas bastante árduas. Escutar estes mestres nos levou, mesmo que superficialmente, a tentar compreender aspectos da cultura chinesa sob os quais os mestres e o próprio "Kung Fu" se fundamentaram. Entender as lacunas, as dificuldades e as possibilidades do uso da História Oral como ferramenta metodológica é o que neste artigo buscamos, na perspectiva de contribuir com análises semelhantes, seja de outras práticas marciais ou mesmo de outros olhares sobre a cultura chinesa. Assim sendo, objetivamos neste artigo apontar e discutir a metodologia da História Oral e sua pertinência para o estudo das práticas marciais a partir do uso de entrevistas. Podemos, fruto da discussão apresentada, apontar a História Oral como instrumental bastante útil para a discussão das práticas marciais, considerando logicamente, as pertinências e especificidades necessárias para a adequada utilização desta metodologia de pesquisa.

Tempo de jejuar e resistir: a presença do kung-fu no treinamento do ator : a experiência extracotidiana no teatro vocacional em proposição épica

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Oliveira, Juliana Rocha de [UNESP

2010-01-01

Esta pesquisa surgiu da necessidade de registrar, organizar, sistematizar e relacionar os conhecimentos adquiridos em minha formação de atriz, professora de teatro e artista marcial, no intuito de melhor explorar o processo de criação teatral, utilizando técnicas marciais orientais. Aproximando as duas artes: teatral e marcial – kung fu, termo que além de designar uma arte marcial de origem chinesa possui outros significados como, por exemplo, capacidade de aguentar jejum e resistir, vislumbr...

A randomized controlled trial of Kung Fu training for metabolic health in overweight/obese adolescents: the "martial fitness" study.

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Tsang, Tracey W; Kohn, Michael; Chow, Chin Moi; Singh, Maria Fiatarone

2009-07-01

Twenty overweight/obese adolescents underwent six months of Kung Fu or placebo (Tai Chi) training, 3x.wk(-1). Outcomes included fasting insulin and insulin resistance, lipids, glucose and HbA(1c), and C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP decreased significantly (p = 0.03) in both groups over time at six months. Although insulin sensitivity did not change, HbA(1c) tended to decrease over time (p = 0.09), again with no group difference (p = 0.60). Reduced CRP was related to increased upper body strength (p = 0.01). Increased lean body mass was related to reductions in HbA(1c), insulin resistance, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Improvements in lean body mass appear to have a potential role in favorable metabolic outcomes, independent of changes in fat mass. Further research in this area is warranted before definite conclusions can be drawn about the efficacy of martial arts training for metabolic outcomes in this cohort.

Rola nasion szałwii hiszpańskiej (chia w żywieniu pacjentów geriatrycznych = The role of chia seeds in nutrition in geriatric patients

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Karina Nowak

2016-03-01

               Geriatric patients are a special group of patients, due to the fact that the body of older people there are many changes associated with aging of the body. Deteriorating performance of many systems including the gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory changes occur in the vessels. Changes in the motility of the esophagus called esophageal senile are the result of diseases that occur in this age group. This reduces the acidity of the gastric juice which is the cause of atrophic mucosa and misuse of proton pump inhibitors. This leads also to a reduction in the number of hepatocytes and thereby reduce the weight of the liver. Changes in the urinary system include reduced ability to concentrate and dilute urine and pH adjustment [1]. Older people often suffer from hypertension, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. Products, which are the source of many vitamins, minerals or desirable ingredients in the diet of seniors can include chia seeds. Small grains, rich in protein and fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6, containing 100g more calcium than milk can become an important element in the diet of older people. Included in these alpha-linolenic acid (ALA may lower blood pressure in people with untreated hypertension, supports the work of the brain, improves memory and concentration and has protective effects on the cardiovascular system. GISSI-Prevention Study showed that omega-3 may reduce the risk of sudden death, total mortality and cardiovascular disease in patients after recent myocardial infarction [2

Physiological, performance, and nutritional profile of the Brazilian Olympic Wushu (kung-fu) team.

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Artioli, Guilherme Giannini; Gualano, Bruno; Franchini, Emerson; Batista, Rafael Novaes; Polacow, Viviane Ozores; Lancha, Antonio Herbert

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine physiological, nutritional, and performance profiles of elite Olympic Wushu (kung-fu) athletes. Ten men and four women elite athletes took part in the study. They completed the following tests: body composition, nutritional assessment, upper-body Wingate Test, vertical jump, lumbar isometric strength, and flexibility. Blood lactate was determined at rest and after the Wingate Test. Blood lactate was also determined during a training session (combat and Taolu training). We found low body fat (men: 9.5 +/- 6.3%; women: 18.0 +/- 4.8%), high flexibility (sit-and-reach-men: 45.5 +/- 6.1 cm; women: 44.0 +/- 6.3 cm), high leg power (vertical jump-men: 37.7 +/- 8.4 cm; women: 32.3 +/- 1.1 cm), high lumbar isometric strength (men: 159 +/- 13 cm; women: 94 +/- 6 cm), moderate arm mean and peak power (Wingate Test-men: 4.1 +/- 0.4 and 5.8 +/- 0.5 Wxkg, respectively; women: 2.5 +/- 0.3 and 3.4 +/- 0.3 W.kg, respectively), and elevated blood lactate after the Wingate Test (men: 10.8 +/- 2.0 mmolxL; women: 10.2 +/- 2.0 mmolxL) and during training (combat: 12.0 +/- 1.8 mmolxL; Taolu: 7.7 +/- 3.3 mmolxL). Men athletes consume a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, whereas women consume a moderate, high-carbohydrate diet. Energy consumption was markedly variable. In conclusion, Olympic Wushu seems to be a highly anaerobic-dependent combat sport. Low body fat, high flexibility, leg anaerobic power, isometric strength, and moderately high arm anaerobic power seem to be important for successful competitive performance.

I Am the Invincible Sword Goddess: Mediatization of Chinese Gender Ideology through Female Kung-Fu Practitioners in Films

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Mie Hiramoto

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The media are avid portrayers of gender binarism and the belief in male-female distinctions, which are mainly attributed to perceived differences of a physical nature. In this paper, we investigate representations of female kung-fu practitioners (nuxia in films to discuss how processes of mediation and mediatization depict their femininity, so as to mitigate their appropriation of Chinese martial arts masculinity. Often, nuxias are portrayed as empowered women who are equipped to take control of their own lives and to courageously take on challenges from a variety of opponents. However, multimodal deconstruction of the various characteristics of nuxias must be placed in an Asian-specific context in order to understand the femininity specific to these characters and to move beyond Western gender ideologies displayed by the media. Perpetuating Confucian patriarchal ideals, nuxia roles constantly and consistently associate conformation to Confucian values with virtuousness and non-conformation with wickedness. We therefore can use the ideals of Confucianism as a more accurate foundation in deconstructing the identities of nuxias, which allows us to better understand the mediation and mediatization processes of ideologies associated with Chinese femininity and masculinity in martial arts films.

ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC STUDY OF A SEQUENCE OF YAU-MAN KUNG FU PALM STRIKES WITH AND WITHOUT IMPACT

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Osmar Pinto Neto

2007-10-01

Full Text Available In martial arts and contact sports, strikes are often trained in two different ways: with and without impacts. This study aims to compare the electromyographical activity (EMG of the triceps brachii (TB, biceps brachii (BB and brachioradialis (BR muscles during strikes with and without impacts. Eight Yau-Man Kung Fu practitioners participated in the experiment. Each participant performed 5 sequences of 5 consecutive KF Yau-Man palm strikes with no impact intercalated with 5 sequences of 5 repetitions targeting a KF training shield. Surface EMG signals were obtained from the TB, BB, and RB for 3.0 seconds using an eight-channel module with a total amplifier gain of 2000 and sampled at 3500 Hz. The EMG analyses were done in the time (rms and frequency (wavelet domains. For the frequency domain, Morlet wavelet power spectra were obtained and an original method was used to quantify statistically significant regions on the power spectra. The results both in the time and frequency domains indicate a higher TB and BR muscle activity for the strikes with impacts. No significant difference was found for the BB in the two different scenarios. In addition, the results show that the wavelet power spectra pattern for the three analysed muscles obtained from the strikes with and without impacts were similar

Nasiona szałwii hiszpańskiej (Salvia Hispanica L. jako źródło składników wykazujących dobroczynny wpływ na ludzki organizm = Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L. as a source of ingredients with beneficial influence on human organism

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Grzegorz Dąbrowski

2015-09-01

  Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie Katedra Przetwórstwa i Chemii Surowców Roślinnych Pl. Cieszyński 1, 10-726 Olsztyn e-mail: grzegorz.dabrowski@uwm.edu.pl   Abstrakt Nasiona szałwii hiszpańskiej były jednym z najważniejszych źródeł pożywienia cywilizacji środkowoamerykańskich z czasów przedkolumbijskich. Z żywieniowego punktu widzenia bardzo interesujący jest ich skład chemiczny. Zawierają one duże ilości polienowych kwasów tłuszczowych. Najbardziej wartościowy jest kwas α-linolenowy, który ma między innymi zdolność zapobiegania chorobie wieńcowej i cukrzycy. Obecność kwasów fenolowych, tokoferoli i flawonoidów pomaga zapewnić stabilność oksydacyjną tłuszczu z nasion szałwii. Zawierają one duże ilości frakcji błonnika pokarmowego. Zawartość nierozpuszczalnej frakcji błonnika jest od 4 do 5 razy wyższa niż frakcji nierozpuszczalnej. Stosunek ten jest korzystny i może odgrywać rolę przy obniżaniu poziomu cholesterolu we krwi. Frakcja białkowa nasion szałwii zawiera duże ilości aminokwasów egzogennych i może być źródłem bioaktywnych peptydów. Słowa kluczowe: Salvia hispanica L., polienowe kwasy tłuszczowe, włókno pokarmowe, przeciwutleniacze, białka.   Abstract Chia (Salvia hispanica L. seeds were one of the most important sources of food for Central American civilizations in pre-Columbian times. The chemical composition of chia seeds is very interesting from nutritional point of view. It contains large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Most valuable is α-linoleic acid that can be helpful in between in coronary heart disease or diabetes prevention. The presence of phenolic acids, tocopherols and flavonoids helps to provide oxidative stability of oil from chia seeds. Chia seeds contain large amounts of dietary fiber. Content of insoluble fraction of dietary fiber is 4-5 times higher than soluble. It is good proportion and it can be helpful in lowering cholesterol content in blood

Revisão: Composição química, propriedades funcionais e aplicações tecnológicas da semente de chia (Salvia hispanica L) em alimentos

OpenAIRE

Coelho, Michele Silveira; Salas-Mellado, Myriam de Las Mercedes

2014-01-01

A chia (Salvia hispanica L.) é uma semente antiga utilizada pelos maias e astecas como alimento para aumentar a resistência física. Essa semente é fonte natural de ácidos graxos ômega-3, fibras e proteínas, além de outros componentes nutricionais importantes, como os antioxidantes. Além disso, oferece um potencial na indústria de alimentos devido aos seus componentes funcionais, com aplicações no enriquecimento de pães, bolos e barras de cereais, produção de hidrolisados proteicos para aplica...

Mucilage from seeds of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) used as soil conditioner; effects on the sorption-desorption of four herbicides in three different soils.

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Di Marsico, A; Scrano, L; Amato, M; Gàmiz, B; Real, M; Cox, L

2018-06-01

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of the mucilage extracted from Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) as soil amendment on soil physical properties and on the sorption-desorption behaviour of four herbicides (MCPA, Diuron, Clomazone and Terbuthylazine) used in cereal crops. Three soils of different texture (sandy-loam, loam and clay-loam) were selected, and mercury intrusion porosimetry and surface area analysis were used to examine changes in the microstructural characteristics caused by the reactions that occur between the mucilage and soil particles. Laboratory studies were conducted to characterise the selected herbicides with regard their sorption on tested soils added or not with the mucilage. Mucilage amendment resulted in a reduction in soil porosity, basically due to a reduction in larger pores (radius>10μm) and an important increase in finer pores (radius<10μm) and in partcles' surface. A higher herbicide sorption in the amended soils was ascertained when compared to unamended soils. The sorption percentage of herbicides in soils treated with mucilage increased in the order; sandy-loamChia seeds used as soil conditioner can reduce the mobility of herbicides tested in agricultural soils with different physico-chemical properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of mecA Gene Associated with Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and its Alternatives using Nanoparticles and Chia Seeds

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M. Rajamani

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus, a member of the family Micrococcaceae, is a Gram-positive coccus whose cells tend to occur either singly or if dividing cells do not separate, form pairs, tetrads and distinctive irregular “grape-like” structures, which is resistant to few antibiotics like Methicillin which is termed as Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA was isolated from the pus sample. Confirmation of MRSA was done by using Kirby Bauer disk method. Followed by sub culturing in Luria bertani broth and DNA isolation was performed by phenol chloroform method and confirmed by AGE (Agarose gel electrophoresis. The amplification of mecA gene thermocycler-PCR was done. Restriction fragmented linked polymorphism was done for knowing how much restriction sites are available for organism. To calculate the molecular weight of the protein SDS-PAGE (Sodium dodecyl sulphate - Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was performed. Followed by alternative measures was done, by using Silver nanoparticles at different concentrations and Chia seeds against MRSA.

EFECTO DEL GRITO COMO UN RECURSO ERGOGÉNICO PSICOLÓGICO EN PRACTICANTES DE KUNG FU

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Juan Diego Zamora Salas

2002-12-01

Full Text Available El presente estudio analizó el efecto del grito como mecanismo inhibidor de sensaciones como el dolor y la fatiga enpracticantes de Kung Fu, utilizando una prueba de push ups. Se formaron tres grupos de forma aleatoria,cada uno conformado por n= 10, cuyas edades estaban comprendidas entre los 15 y 30 años. Los sujetos del Grupo Experimental sin grito y Grupo Experimental con grito, les correspondía realizar las prácticas depush ups aplicando los tratamientos correspondientes durante cinco semanas; mientras que los sujetos delgrupo control no realizaban éstas prácticas durante el período establecido, sólo les correspondía el pre-testy post-test. A los valores recolectados durante las pruebas se les aplicó una Anova 3 x 2 y un análisis posthocde la interacción mostrando la existencia de una diferencia significativa entre el pre-test y el post-testtanto en el grupo que aplicó el grito personal como en el grupo que no lo aplicó, lo cual no se manifestóentre el pre-test y post-test del grupo control. Al comparar los datos obtenidos del grupo que utilizó el gritopersonal con respecto al grupo que no utilizó el grito como tratamiento, se encontró una diferenciasignificativa entre ambos métodos. Con el estudio se concluyó que el grito en combinación con el ejerciciofísico permite observar incrementos significativos en la cantidad de repeticiones de un ejercicio de fuerzapara el tren superior como son las push ups, luego de cinco semanas de tratamiento.

Cloning and characterization of chitinases from interior spruce and lodgepole pine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolosova, N; Breuil, C; Bohlmann, J

2014-05-01

Chitinases have been implicated in the defence of conifers against insects and pathogens. cDNA for six chitinases were cloned from interior spruce (Picea glauca x engelmannii) and four from lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). The cloned interior spruce chitinases were annotated class I PgeChia1-1 and PgeChia1-2, class II PgeChia2-1, class IV PgeChia4-1, and class VII PgeChia7-1 and PgeChia7-2; lodgepole pine chitinases were annotated class I PcChia1-1, class IV PcChia4-1, and class VII PcChia7-1 and PcChia7-2. Chitinases were expressed in Escherichia coli with maltose-binding-protein tags and soluble proteins purified. Functional characterization demonstrated chitinolytic activity for the three class I chitinases PgeChia1-1, PgeChia1-2 and PcChia1-1. Transcript analysis established strong induction of most of the tested chitinases, including all three class I chitinases, in interior spruce and lodgepole pine in response to inoculation with bark beetle associated fungi (Leptographium abietinum and Grosmannia clavigera) and in interior spruce in response to weevil (Pissodes strobi) feeding. Evidence of chitinolytic activity and inducibility by fungal and insect attack support the involvement of these chitinases in conifer defense. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus in vitro by bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus lactis KTH0-1S isolated from Thai fermented shrimp (Kung-som) and safety evaluation.

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Saelao, Sutanate; Maneerat, Suppasil; Kaewsuwan, Sireewan; Rabesona, Hanitra; Choiset, Yvan; Haertlé, Thomas; Chobert, Jean-Marc

2017-05-01

Lactococcus lactis KTH0-1S isolated from Thai traditional fermented shrimp (Kung-som) is able to produce heat-stable bacteriocin and inhibits food spoilage bacteria and food-borne pathogens. The inhibitory effect of bacteriocin remained intact after treatment with different pHs and after heating, but was sensitive to some proteolytic enzymes. Addition of bacteriocin KTH0-1S to Staphylococcus aureus cultures decreased viable cell counts by 2.8 log CFU/ml, demonstrating a bactericidal mode of action. Furthermore, the growth of S. aureus decreased significantly after 12-h co-cultivation with bacteriocinogenic strain. The molecular mass of bacteriocin KTH0-1S was found to be 3.346 kDa after ammonium sulfate precipitation, reversed phase (C 8 Sep-Pak), cation-exchange chromatography, RP-HPLC on C 8 column and mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis. Bacteriocin KTH0-1S was identified as nisin Z using PCR amplification and sequencing. The majority of tested virulence factors were absent, confirming the safety. Evidenced inhibitory effect of this strain, the absence of virulence factors creates the possibility for its application as protective culture to inhibit pathogenic bacteria in the several fermented seafood products.

Impact of Martial Arts (Judo, Karate, and Kung Fu) on Bone Mineral Density Gains in Adolescents of Both Genders: 9-Month Follow-Up.

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Ito, Igor H; Kemper, Han C G; Agostinete, Ricardo R; Lynch, Kyle R; Christofaro, Diego G D; Ronque, Enio R; Fernandes, Rômulo A

2017-11-01

To compare bone mineral density (BMD) gains in adolescents of both genders stratified according to different martial art styles in a 9-month follow-up study. The longitudinal study consisted of 29 adolescents of both genders and age between 11 and 17 years stratified into a control group (not engaged in any sport) and 50 fighters (kung fu/karate, n = 29; judo, n = 21). All 79 subjects underwent anthropometric measures (weight, height, leg length, and height set) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (BMD, in g/cm 2 ) at 2 moments, baseline and 9 months later. Maturity offset (age at peak height velocity), lean soft tissue, chronological age, and resistance training were treated as covariates. Male judoists presented higher gains in BMD-spine [0.098 g/cm 2 (95% confidence interval, 0.068-0.128)] than control group [0.040 g/cm 2 (95% confidence interval, 0.011-0.069)] (post hoc test with P = .030). There was no effect of martial art on BMD gains among girls. Independently of gender, in all multivariate models, lean soft tissue constituted the most relevant covariate. Judo practice in adolescents affected the bone accrual significantly after 9-month follow-up compared with controls, mainly in boys.

Selecting score types for longitudinal evaluations: the responsiveness of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers in children with developmental disabilities

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Tsai YP

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Yu-Pei Tsai,1,2 Li-Chen Tung,1,3 Ya-Chen Lee,4 Yu-Lin Wang,1,5 Yun-Shan Yen,1 Kuan-Lin Chen4,6 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 2Department of Special Education, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, 3School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, 4Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 5Department of Sports Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, 6Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the responsiveness of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers (CDIIT in children with developmental disabilities (DD.Methods: The responsiveness of a measure is its ability to detect change over time, and it is fundamental to an outcome measure for detecting changes over time. We compared the responsiveness of four types of scores (ie, raw scores, developmental ages [DAs], percentile ranks [PRs], and developmental quotients [DQs] in the five subtests of the CDIIT. The CDIIT was administrated three times at intervals of 3 months on 32 children with DD aged between 5 months and 64 months (mean =30.6, standard deviation [SD] =17.8. The CDIIT is a pediatric norm-referenced assessment commonly used for clinical diagnosis of developmental delays in five developmental areas: cognition, language, motor, social, and self-care skills. The responsiveness was analyzed using three methods: effect size, standardized response mean, and paired t-test.Results: The effect size results showed that at the 3-month and 6-month follow-ups, responsiveness was small or moderate in the raw scores and DAs of most of the subtest scores of the CDIIT, but the level of responsiveness varied in the PRs and DQs. The standardized response mean results of the 3-month

Association of sustained virologic response with reduced progression to liver cirrhosis in elderly patients with chronic hepatitis C

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Tseng CW

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Chih-Wei Tseng,1,2 Ting-Tsung Chang,3,4 Shinn-Jia Tzeng,5 Yu-Hsi Hsieh,1,2 Tsung-Hsing Hung,1,2 Hsiang-Ting Huang,6 Shu-Fen Wu,7 Kuo-Chih Tseng1,2 1Department of Internal Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chia-Yi, 2School of Medicine, Tzuchi University, Hualien, 3Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Medical College and Hospital, 4Infectious Disease and Signaling Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 5Department of Agronomy, National Chiayi University, 6Department of Nursing, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, 7Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan Objective: We studied the effect of sustained virologic response (SVR after treatment with pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN plus ribavirin on the development of liver cirrhosis in elderly patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC. Patients and methods: This retrospective study enrolled 145 elderly CHC patients (aged ≥65 years who were treatment-naïve and were treated with PEG-IFN plus ribavirin for 6 months between January 2005 and December 2011. Abdominal sonography was performed and liver biochemistry was studied at baseline, at the end of treatment, and every 3–6 months thereafter. The development of liver cirrhosis and related complications was evaluated at the follow-ups. The aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index was used as a noninvasive maker for fibrosis. Results: The mean patient age was 69.1±3.3 years, and the average follow-up time was 5.5 years (standard deviation: 2.5 years, range: 1.1–12.3 years. Ninety-five patients (65.5% achieved SVR, and 26 (17.9% discontinued treatment. Twenty-seven patients (18.6% developed liver cirrhosis after treatment. Patients without SVR had significantly greater risk of liver cirrhosis than those with SVR (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.312–8.761, P=0.012. The

Mining of unexplored habitats for novel chitinases - chiA as a helper gene proxy in metagenomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cretoiu, Mariana Silvia; Kielak, Anna Maria; Abu Al-Soud, Waleed

2012-01-01

encompassed (1) classical overall enzymatic assays, (2) chiA gene abundance measurement by qPCR, (3) chiA gene pyrosequencing, and (4) chiA gene-based PCR-DGGE was used. The chiA gene pyrosequencing is unprecedented, as it is the first massive parallel sequencing of this gene. The data obtained showed...... the existence across habitats of core bacterial communities responsible for chitin assimilation irrespective of ecosystem origin. Conversely, there were habitat-specific differences. In addition, a suite of sequences were obtained that are as yet unregistered in the chitinase database. In terms of chiA gene...

A RANDOMISED PLACEBO-EXERCISE CONTROLLED TRIAL OF KUNG FU TRAINING FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN BODY COMPOSITION IN OVERWEIGHT/OBESE ADOLESCENTS: THE

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Tracey W. Tsang

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to investigate if Chinese martial arts (Kung Fu, KF might be effective for improving body composition, as well as being an appealing form of physical activity for inexperienced, sedentary, overweight/obese adolescents. Twenty subjects (age: 13.3 ± 1.8 y; BMI percentile: 98.6(86.5 - 99.8; 60% girls were randomly-assigned to the supervised KF or placebo (Tai Chi, TC control group 3 d.wk-1 for 6 months. We assessed body composition, including total and regional fat and lean mass, total and regional bone mineral density (BMD, percent lean and fat mass, body mass index and waist circumference, at baseline and after 6 months of training using anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA. Habitual physical activity and dietary intake were recorded as covariates via self-report at each time-point. As expected due to natural growth, significant increases in height, weight, total and lumbar BMD, and lean mass were seen in the cohort over time, with a trend for increased whole body fat mass, with no difference between groups. By contrast, percent fat and android fat mass via DXA did not increase in either group over time. The absence of a similar expected increase in central adiposity over 6 months could indicate a positive effect of participation in both programs on the metabolically critical abdominal adiposity in this cohort. Further research in this area is warranted to determine ways to increase uptake and compliance, and to see if longer-term martial arts training not only maintains, but improves abdominal fat mass and related metabolic health indices in overweight/ obese adolescents

The predominant molecular state of bound enzyme determines the strength and type of product inhibition in the hydrolysis of recalcitrant polysaccharides by processive enzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuusk, Silja; Sørlie, Morten; Väljamäe, Priit

2015-05-01

Processive enzymes are major components of the efficient enzyme systems that are responsible for the degradation of the recalcitrant polysaccharides cellulose and chitin. Despite intensive research, there is no consensus on which step is rate-limiting for these enzymes. Here, we performed a comparative study of two well characterized enzymes, the cellobiohydrolase Cel7A from Hypocrea jecorina and the chitinase ChiA from Serratia marcescens. Both enzymes were inhibited by their disaccharide product, namely chitobiose for ChiA and cellobiose for Cel7A. The products behaved as noncompetitive inhibitors according to studies using the (14)C-labeled crystalline polymeric substrates (14)C chitin nanowhiskers and (14)C-labeled bacterial microcrystalline cellulose for ChiA and Cel7A, respectively. The resulting observed Ki (obs) values were 0.45 ± 0.08 mm for ChiA and 0.17 ± 0.02 mm for Cel7A. However, in contrast to ChiA, the Ki (obs) of Cel7A was an order of magnitude higher than the true Ki value governed by the thermodynamic stability of the enzyme-inhibitor complex. Theoretical analysis of product inhibition suggested that the inhibition strength and pattern can be accounted for by assuming different rate-limiting steps for ChiA and Cel7A. Measuring the population of enzymes whose active site was occupied by a polymer chain revealed that Cel7A was bound predominantly via its active site. Conversely, the active-site-mediated binding of ChiA was slow, and most ChiA exhibited a free active site, even when the substrate concentration was saturating for the activity. Collectively, our data suggest that complexation with the polymer chain is rate-limiting for ChiA, whereas Cel7A is limited by dissociation. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

A chitinase is required for Xylella fastidiosa colonization of its insect and plant hosts.

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Labroussaa, Fabien; Ionescu, Michael; Zeilinger, Adam R; Lindow, Steven E; Almeida, Rodrigo P P

2017-04-01

Xylella fastidiosa colonizes the xylem network of host plant species as well as the foregut of its required insect vectors to ensure efficient propagation. Disease management strategies remain inefficient due to a limited comprehension of the mechanisms governing both insect and plant colonization. It was previously shown that X. fastidiosa has a functional chitinase (ChiA), and that chitin likely serves as a carbon source for this bacterium. We expand on that research, showing that a chiA mutant strain is unable to grow on chitin as the sole carbon source. Quantitative PCR assays allowed us to detect bacterial cells in the foregut of vectors after pathogen acquisition; populations of the wild-type and complemented mutant strain were both significantly larger than the chiA mutant strain 10 days, but not 3 days, post acquisition. These results indicate that adhesion of the chiA mutant strain to vectors may not be impaired, but that cell multiplication is limited. The mutant was also affected in its transmission by vectors to plants. In addition, the chiA mutant strain was unable to colonize host plants, suggesting that the enzyme has other substrates associated with plant colonization. Lastly, ChiA requires other X. fastidiosa protein(s) for its in vitro chitinolytic activity. The observation that the chiA mutant strain is not able to colonize plants warrants future attention to be paid to the substrates for this enzyme.

A dietary pattern including nopal, chia seed, soy protein, and oat reduces serum triglycerides and glucose intolerance in patients with metabolic syndrome.

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Guevara-Cruz, Martha; Tovar, Armando R; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A; Medina-Vera, Isabel; Gil-Zenteno, Lidia; Hernández-Viveros, Isaac; López-Romero, Patricia; Ordaz-Nava, Guillermo; Canizales-Quinteros, Samuel; Guillen Pineda, Luz E; Torres, Nimbe

2012-01-01

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a health problem throughout the world and is associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Thus, the purpose of the present work was to evaluate the effects of a dietary pattern (DP; soy protein, nopal, chia seed, and oat) on the biochemical variables of MetS, the AUC for glucose and insulin, glucose intolerance (GI), the relationship of the presence of certain polymorphisms related to MetS, and the response to the DP. In this randomized trial, the participants consumed their habitual diet but reduced by 500 kcal for 2 wk. They were then assigned to the placebo (P; n = 35) or DP (n = 32) group and consumed the reduced energy diet plus the P or DP beverage (235 kcal) minus the energy provided by these for 2 mo. All participants had decreases in body weight (BW), BMI, and waist circumference during the 2-mo treatment (P < 0.0001); however, only the DP group had decreases in serum TG, C-reactive protein (CRP), and AUC for insulin and GI after a glucose tolerance test. Interestingly, participants in the DP group with MetS and the ABCA1 R230C variant had a greater decrease in BW and an increase in serum adiponectin concentration after 2 mo of dietary treatment than those with the ABCA1 R230R variant. The results from this study suggest that lifestyle interventions involving specific DP for the treatment of MetS could be more effective if local foods and genetic variations of the population are considered.

Purification, characterization, and antifungal activity of chitinases from pineapple (Ananas comosus) leaf.

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Taira, Toki; Toma, Noriko; Ishihara, Masanobu

2005-01-01

Three chitinases, designated pineapple leaf chitinase (PL Chi)-A, -B, and -C were purified from the leaves of pineapple (Ananas comosus) using chitin affinity column chromatography followed by several column chromatographies. PL Chi-A is a class III chitinase having a molecular mass of 25 kDa and an isoelectric point of 4.4. PL Chi-B and -C are class I chitinases having molecular masses of 33 kDa and 39 kDa and isoelectric points of 7.9 and 4.6 respectively. PL Chi-C is a glycoprotein and the others are simple proteins. The optimum pHs of PL Chi-A, -B, and -C toward glycolchitin are pH 3, 4, and 9 respectively. The chitin-binding ability of PL Chi-C is higher than that of PL Chi-B, and PL Chi-A has lower chitin-binding ability than the others. At low ionic strength, PL Chi-B exhibits strong antifungal activity toward Trichoderma viride but the others do not. At high ionic strength, PL Chi-B and -C exhibit strong and weak antifungal activity respectively. PL Chi-A does not have antifungal activity.

An Integrated Command and Control Architecture Concept for Unmanned Systems in the Year 2030

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-01

Tan Yean Wee ME5 Tong Kee Leong  Lu  Chin  Leong Chia Boon  Chye Henry Seet ME5 Lo Chee Hun ME5 Gabriel Tham Ho Liang Yoong Raymond Quah Quek Chee Luan Ang...Chia Tan Wei Chieh Chia Boon Chye Yionon Costica Lim Wei Han Eugene Ng Wei Gee Delvin...Gho Lo Chee Hun Tan Chin Wah John Ang Kha Luna Lu Chin Leong Tong Kee Leong

Quantum kung fu

Science.gov (United States)

Flicker, Felix

2014-07-01

If someone puts you in an armlock, what should you do? If you happen to be a martial artist well-practised in the art of joint manipulation, or chin na, you will know the answer already: there is one simple move that will allow you to turn the tables on your aggressor, leaving them on the wrong end of a throw.

Characterization of Thermotolerant Chitinases Encoded by a Brevibacillus laterosporus Strain Isolated from a Suburban Wetland

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Pulin Liu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available To isolate and characterize chitinases that can be applied with practical advantages, 57 isolates of chitin-degrading bacteria were isolated from the soil of a suburban wetland. 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed that the majority of these strains belonged to two genera, Paenibacillus and Brevibacillus. Taking thermostability into account, the chitinases (ChiA and ChiC of a B. laterosporus strain were studied further. Ni-NTA affinity-purified ChiA and ChiC were optimally active at pH 7.0 and 6.0, respectively, and showed high temperature stability up to 55 °C. Kinetic analysis revealed that ChiC has a lower affinity and stronger catalytic activity toward colloidal chitin than ChiA. With their stability in a broad temperature range, ChiA and ChiC can be utilized for the industrial bioconversion of chitin wastes into biologically active products.

Comparative performance of electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and EIA for HIV screening in a multiethnic region of China.

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Xiaohui; Ning, Hongxia; Wang, Tingting; Li, Dongdong; Liu, Yongming; Yang, Tingfu; Yu, Jiansheng; Tao, Chuanmin

2012-01-01

The recent approval of 4th generation HIV tests has forced many laboratories to decide whether to shift from 3rd to these tests. There are limited published studies on the comparative evaluation of these two different assays. We compare the performance of fourth-generation electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ChIA) and third-generation enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (EIA) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and gauge whether the shift from EIA to ChIA could be better in a multiethnic region of China. We identified a large number of routine specimens (345,492) using two different assays from Jan 2008 to Aug 2011 in a teaching hospital with high sample throughput. Of the 344,596 specimens with interpretable HIV test results, 526(0.23%) of 228,761 using EIA and 303(0.26%) of 115,835 using ChIA were HIV-1 positive. The false-positive rate of EIA was lower than that of ChIA [0.03% vs. 0.08%, odds ratio 0.33 (95% confidence interval 0.24, 0.45)]. The positive predictive value (PPV) of EIA (89.6%) was significantly higher than that of ChIA (76.1%) (<0.001), reflecting the difference between the two assays. The clinical sensitivities of two assays in this study were 99.64% for EIA and 99.88% for ChIA. Caution is needed before shifting from 3rd to 4th generation HIV tests. Since none of these tests are perfect, different geographic and ethnic area probably require different considerations with regard to HIV testing methods, taking into account the local conditions.

Punding following posterior cerebral artery infarction: a case report and review of literature

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Lin CI

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Cho-I Lin,1 Yu-Ching Lin,1–3 Wei-Chih Lien,1 Pei-Chun Hsieh,1 Sheng-Han Lin,1 Ta-Shen Kuan1,2 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 2Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 3Medical Device Innovation Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Introduction: Punding is a complex stereotyped behavior, characterized by excessiveness, non-goal orientation, and repetitiveness. It is mostly associated with Parkinson’s disease, and very few cases in non-Parkinson’s disease have been reported. We report a case of punding associated with supratentorial ischemic stroke.Case presentation: We present a 70-year-old man with left posterior cerebral artery infarction with quetiapine-induced punding manifesting as repetitive unidirectional body turning. Remission of punding behavior ensued after cessation of quetiapine and administration of clonazepam.Conclusion: This case describes the clinical course of quetiapine-induced punding in a patient with left posterior cerebral artery infarction. It suggests clonazepam may serve as a treatment option for poststroke punding. Keywords: punding, stereotyped behavior, stroke, quetiapine, clonazepam

The chitinolytic activity of Listeria monocytogenes EGD is regulated by carbohydrates but also by the virulence regulator PrfA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Marianne Halberg; Leisner, Jørgen; Ingmer, Hanne

2010-01-01

Chitin, an insoluble polymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc), is one of the most abundant carbohydrate polymers in marine and terrestrial environments. Chitin hydrolysis by Listeria monocytogenes depends on two chitinase-encoding genes, chiA and chiB, and the aim of this study was to investigate...... their regulation. Chitin induces the expression of both chitinases in late exponential growth phase, and chiA but not chiB is furthermore induced by the monomer GlcNAc. Furthermore, their expression is subjected to catabolite control. Chitinases expressed by bacterial pathogens have proven to be important not only...... in wild-type cells. In agreement with this, Northern blot analysis showed that the amounts of chiA and chiB transcripts upon induction by chitin were significantly lower in the prfA mutant than in the wild type. The chitinolytic activity and chiA and chiB expression were reduced in the absence of the sig...

The Shock and Vibration Digest, Volume 17, Number 12

Science.gov (United States)

1985-12-01

Alvisd, AN.T.................. 2280 Agraavl, .N .......... 2476, 2488 Alzheimer , .................. 2300 b.-’... Aguilar, J .................. 1289...1601 Clough, R.1............. 240, 1986 Chi, R.M .................... 2517 Coo, C.J .................... 1479 S Chia , C.Y ........................ 81...V.G ..................... 703 Mitchell, L.D ..... 50, 390, 855 Menq. Chia -Hsiang ............ 1600 .. ................ 1427, 1439, 1502 Menz, P

Omega-3 fatty acid desaturase gene family from two ω-3 sources, Salvia hispanica and Perilla frutescens: Cloning, characterization and expression.

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Yufei Xue

Full Text Available Omega-3 fatty acid desaturase (ω-3 FAD, D15D is a key enzyme for α-linolenic acid (ALA biosynthesis. Both chia (Salvia hispanica and perilla (Perilla frutescens contain high levels of ALA in seeds. In this study, the ω-3 FAD gene family was systematically and comparatively cloned from chia and perilla. Perilla FAD3, FAD7, FAD8 and chia FAD7 are encoded by single-copy (but heterozygous genes, while chia FAD3 is encoded by 2 distinct genes. Only 1 chia FAD8 sequence was isolated. In these genes, there are 1 to 6 transcription start sites, 1 to 8 poly(A tailing sites, and 7 introns. The 5'UTRs of PfFAD8a/b contain 1 to 2 purine-stretches and 2 pyrimidine-stretches. An alternative splice variant of ShFAD7a/b comprises a 5'UTR intron. Their encoded proteins harbor an FA_desaturase conserved domain together with 4 trans-membrane helices and 3 histidine boxes. Phylogenetic analysis validated their identity of dicot microsomal or plastidial ω-3 FAD proteins, and revealed some important evolutionary features of plant ω-3 FAD genes such as convergent evolution across different phylums, single-copy status in algae, and duplication events in certain taxa. The qRT-PCR assay showed that the ω-3 FAD genes of two species were expressed at different levels in various organs, and they also responded to multiple stress treatments. The functionality of the ShFAD3 and PfFAD3 enzymes was confirmed by yeast expression. The systemic molecular and functional features of the ω-3 FAD gene family from chia and perilla revealed in this study will facilitate their use in future studies on genetic improvement of ALA traits in oilseed crops.

Omega-3 fatty acid desaturase gene family from two ω-3 sources, Salvia hispanica and Perilla frutescens: Cloning, characterization and expression

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Yufei; Chen, Baojun; Win, Aung Naing; Fu, Chun; Lian, Jianping; Liu, Xue; Wang, Rui; Zhang, Xingcui

2018-01-01

Omega-3 fatty acid desaturase (ω-3 FAD, D15D) is a key enzyme for α-linolenic acid (ALA) biosynthesis. Both chia (Salvia hispanica) and perilla (Perilla frutescens) contain high levels of ALA in seeds. In this study, the ω-3 FAD gene family was systematically and comparatively cloned from chia and perilla. Perilla FAD3, FAD7, FAD8 and chia FAD7 are encoded by single-copy (but heterozygous) genes, while chia FAD3 is encoded by 2 distinct genes. Only 1 chia FAD8 sequence was isolated. In these genes, there are 1 to 6 transcription start sites, 1 to 8 poly(A) tailing sites, and 7 introns. The 5’UTRs of PfFAD8a/b contain 1 to 2 purine-stretches and 2 pyrimidine-stretches. An alternative splice variant of ShFAD7a/b comprises a 5’UTR intron. Their encoded proteins harbor an FA_desaturase conserved domain together with 4 trans-membrane helices and 3 histidine boxes. Phylogenetic analysis validated their identity of dicot microsomal or plastidial ω-3 FAD proteins, and revealed some important evolutionary features of plant ω-3 FAD genes such as convergent evolution across different phylums, single-copy status in algae, and duplication events in certain taxa. The qRT-PCR assay showed that the ω-3 FAD genes of two species were expressed at different levels in various organs, and they also responded to multiple stress treatments. The functionality of the ShFAD3 and PfFAD3 enzymes was confirmed by yeast expression. The systemic molecular and functional features of the ω-3 FAD gene family from chia and perilla revealed in this study will facilitate their use in future studies on genetic improvement of ALA traits in oilseed crops. PMID:29351555

Listeria monocytogenes has a functional chitinolytic system and an active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paspaliari, Dafni Katerina; Loose, Jennifer S. M.; Larsen, Marianne Halberg

2015-01-01

Chitinases and chitin-active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are most commonly associated with chitin metabolism, but are also reported as virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes, a well-known virulent bacterium, possesses two chitinases (ChiA and ChiB) and a ......Chitinases and chitin-active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are most commonly associated with chitin metabolism, but are also reported as virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes, a well-known virulent bacterium, possesses two chitinases (ChiA and Chi...... but different product profiles depending on the substrate. In LPMO-chitinase synergy experiments, CBP21 is able to boost the activity of both ChiA and ChiB more than LmLPMO10. Product analysis of the synergy assays revealed that the chitinases were unable to efficiently hydrolyse the LPMO products...... (chitooligosaccharide aldonic acids) with a degree of polymerization below four (ChiA and SmChiC) or three (ChiB). Gene transcription and protein expression analysis showed that LmLPMO10 is neither highly transcribed, nor abundantly secreted during the growth of L. monocytogenes in a chitin-containing medium...

EFECTO DEL MÉTODO DE ESTIRAMIENTO PNF Y ESTÁTICO EN LA MEJORA DE LA FLEXIBILIDAD DE LA ARTICULACIÓN DE LA CADERA EN PRACTICANTES DE KUNG FU

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Juan Diego Zamora Salas

2001-12-01

Full Text Available El presente estudio analizó el efecto de dos métodos de estiramiento (estático y P.N.F. para mejorar el rango de movimiento en la articulación de la cadera en practicantes de Kung Fu Wing Chun, utilizando una prueba de flexibilidad de cadera. Se formaron tres grupos cada uno conformado por n= 10, cuyas edades estaban comprendidas entre los 15 y 28 años. Los sujetos del Grupo Control les correspondía continuar con sus entrenamientos normalmente; y a los sujetos del Grupo B y Grupo C, les correspondía realizar la prueba de flexibilidad de la cadera utilizando el método estático y el método P.N.F. respectivamente. A los valores recolectados durante la prueba se les aplicó una Anova 3x3, Análisis de Efecto Simple para Grupos y Mediciones, además de un análisis de Tukey, en donde se encontró una mejora de los resultados tanto en el grupo que utilizó el método estático como para el que utilizó el método P.N.F., en comparación al grupo control, pero no existiendo una diferencia significativa entre ambos métodos, sólo entre el pre-test y post-test de ambos tratamientos. También se encontró una mayor retención de la mejora en el R.M.A.; en los sujetos que utilizaron el método P.N.F., cuatro semanas después de haberse suspendido éste método en comparación a los sujetos que utilizaron el método estático.

Time-series variations of the short-lived Ra in coastal waters: implying input of SGD to the coastal zone of Da-Chia River, Taichung, Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Feng-Hsin; Su, Chih-Chieh; Lin, In-Tain; Huh, Chih-An

2015-04-01

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) has been recognized as an important pathway for materials exchanging between land and sea. Input of SGD carries the associated nutrients, trace metals, and inorganic carbon that may makes great impacts on ecosystem in the coastal zone. Due to the variability of SGD magnitude, it is difficult to estimate the flux of those associated materials around the world. Even in the same area, SGD magnitude also varies in response to tide fluctuation and seasonal change on hydraulic gradient. Thus, long-term investigation is in need. In Taiwan, the SGD study is rare and the intrusion of seawater in the coastal aquifer is emphasized in previous studies. According to the information from Hydrogeological Data Bank (Central Geological Survey, MOEA), some areas still show potentiality of SGD. Here, we report the preliminary investigation result of SGD at Gaomei Wildlife Conservation Area which located at the south of the Da-Chia River mouth. This study area is characterized by a great tidal rang and a shallow aquifer with high groundwater recharge rate. Time-series measurement of the short-lived Ra in surface water was done in both dry and wet seasons at a tidal flat site and shows different trends of excess Ra-224 between dry and wet seasons. High excess Ra-224 activities (>20 dpm/100L) occurred at high tide in dry season but at low tide in wet season. The plot of salinity versus excess Ra-224, showing non-conservative curve, suggests that high excess Ra-224 activities derive from desorption in dry season but from SGD input in wet season.

Conservation and improvement of native pseudo cereals of Mexico; Conservacion y mejoramiento de pseudocereales nativos de Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia A, J.M.; Cruz T, E. [ININ, Departamento de Biologia, 52750 La Marquesa, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Mapes S, C. [Instituto de Biologia, UNAM, 04510 Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Laguna C, A. [Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Toluca (Mexico)

2007-07-01

With the purpose of preserving the genetic resources of the local races of pseudo cereals 'red Chia' (Chenopodium berlandieri subspecies nuttalliae), Chia blanca or alegria and Chia negra (belonging to Amaranths hypochondriacus), its were carried out exploration, characterization in situ, collects and conservation activities in the Opopeo and Santa Maria Huiramangaro communities, Michoacan. Field journeys were made and collections were carried out. The morphological typification and of physical and bromatologic characters of the seed were carried out. Parcels for the In situ conservation and the collections have also settled down in two towns of the Toluca Valley for multiplication and ex situ characterization. Seed has been redistributed among the in study area producers to foment the interest of the cultivation. (Author)

Conservation and improvement of native pseudo cereals of Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia A, J.M.; Cruz T, E.; Mapes S, C.; Laguna C, A.

2007-01-01

With the purpose of preserving the genetic resources of the local races of pseudo cereals 'red Chia' (Chenopodium berlandieri subspecies nuttalliae), Chia blanca or alegria and Chia negra (belonging to Amaranths hypochondriacus), its were carried out exploration, characterization in situ, collects and conservation activities in the Opopeo and Santa Maria Huiramangaro communities, Michoacan. Field journeys were made and collections were carried out. The morphological typification and of physical and bromatologic characters of the seed were carried out. Parcels for the In situ conservation and the collections have also settled down in two towns of the Toluca Valley for multiplication and ex situ characterization. Seed has been redistributed among the in study area producers to foment the interest of the cultivation. (Author)

Rehabilitation for a child with recalcitrant anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis: case report and literature review

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Guo YH

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Yao-Hong Guo,1 Ta-Shen Kuan,1,2 Pei-Chun Hsieh,1 Wei-Chih Lien,1 Chun-Kai Chang,1 Yu-Ching Lin1–3 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 2Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 3Medical Device Innovation Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Abstract: Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate (anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is a newly recognized, potentially fatal, but treatable autoimmune disease. Good outcome predictors include milder severity of symptoms, no need for intensive care unit admission, early aggressive immunotherapy, and prompt tumor removal. We report a case of a young girl aged 3 years 2 months and diagnosed as recalcitrant anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis without any underlying neoplasm. The patient had initial symptoms of behavioral changes that progressed to generalized choreoathetosis and orofacial dyskinesia, which resulted in 6 months of hospitalization in the pediatric intensive care unit. One year after initial onset of the disease, she had only achieved the developmental age of an infant aged 6–8 months in terms of gross and fine motor skills, but she resumed total independence in activities of daily living after receiving extensive immunotherapy and 28 months of rehabilitation. Our brief review will help clinical practitioners become more familiar with this disease and the unique rehabilitation programs. Keywords: anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, autoimmune encephalitis, rehabilitation, cognition deficits

Comparative performance of electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and EIA for HIV screening in a multiethnic region of China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaohui Bi

Full Text Available The recent approval of 4th generation HIV tests has forced many laboratories to decide whether to shift from 3rd to these tests. There are limited published studies on the comparative evaluation of these two different assays. We compare the performance of fourth-generation electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ChIA and third-generation enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (EIA for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV screening and gauge whether the shift from EIA to ChIA could be better in a multiethnic region of China.We identified a large number of routine specimens (345,492 using two different assays from Jan 2008 to Aug 2011 in a teaching hospital with high sample throughput. Of the 344,596 specimens with interpretable HIV test results, 526(0.23% of 228,761 using EIA and 303(0.26% of 115,835 using ChIA were HIV-1 positive. The false-positive rate of EIA was lower than that of ChIA [0.03% vs. 0.08%, odds ratio 0.33 (95% confidence interval 0.24, 0.45]. The positive predictive value (PPV of EIA (89.6% was significantly higher than that of ChIA (76.1% (<0.001, reflecting the difference between the two assays. The clinical sensitivities of two assays in this study were 99.64% for EIA and 99.88% for ChIA.Caution is needed before shifting from 3rd to 4th generation HIV tests. Since none of these tests are perfect, different geographic and ethnic area probably require different considerations with regard to HIV testing methods, taking into account the local conditions.

Modular Matrix Multiplication on a Linear Array.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-11-01

is fl(n2). 2 Case e Irl __ (see Figure 5.2) 2 2 ,1 Y, " X2v- ’ Y2 -. x= -- ~ Y4 "i; Yin Figure 5Ŗ At t--xi, either all Gk, such that IkEA , have n...nat and Image Proceuing, IEEE Transactions on Computers, Vol. C-31, No. 10 22 (October, 1982), pp. IO0oo09. [41 H.T. Kung, Let’s Design Algorithms for...VLSI Systems, Proc. Caltech Conf. on Very Large Scale Integration: Architecture, Design , Fabrication (January, 1979), pp. 65. 90. 151 H.T. Kung, and

Chitinase Expression in Listeria monocytogenes Is Influenced by lmo0327, Which Encodes an InternalinLike Protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paspaliari, Dafni Katerina; Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Ingmer, Hanne

2017-01-01

The chitinolytic system of Listeria monocytogenes thus far comprises two chitinases, ChiA and ChiB, and a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase, Lmo2467. The role of the system in the bacterium appears to be pleiotropic, as besides mediating hydrolysis of chitin, the second most ubiquitous...... chitinase activities enabling them to utilize chitin as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Interestingly, several bacterial chitinases may also be involved in host pathogenesis. For example, in the important food borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, the chitinases ChiA and ChiB, and the lytic...... ChiA and ChiB in the culture supernatants of the mutant strain. Our results provide new information regarding the function of the lmo0325-lmo0327 locus in L. monocytogenes and link it to the expression of chitinolytic activity.Importance: Many bacteria from terrestrial and marine environments express...

Comparison of two shoreline assessment programs conducted for the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harner, E.J.; Gilfillan, E.S.

1995-01-01

Two large shoreline assessment studies conducted in 1990 in Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill used different design strategies to determine the impact of oiling on shoreline biota. One of the studies, the Coastal Habitat Injury Assessment (CHIA) conducted for the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Council, used matched pairs of sites, normal population distributions for biota, and meta-analysis. The power of the CHIA study to detect oiling impacts depends on being able to identify and select appropriate pairs of sites for comparison. The CHIA study also increased the oiling signal by focusing on moderate to heavily oiled sites. The Shoreline Ecology Program (SEP), conducted for Exxon, used a stratified-random-sampling study design, normal and non-normal population distributions and covariates. The SEP study was able to detect oiling impacts by using a sufficient number of sites and widely spaced transects

Mechanisms Involved in the Improvement of Lipotoxicity and Impaired Lipid Metabolism by Dietary α-Linolenic Acid Rich Salvia hispanica L (Salba) Seed in the Heart of Dyslipemic Insulin-Resistant Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Creus, Agustina; Ferreira, María R.; Oliva, María E.; Lombardo, Yolanda B.

2016-01-01

This study explores the mechanisms underlying the altered lipid metabolism in the heart of dyslipemic insulin-resistant (IR) rats fed a sucrose-rich diet (SRD) and investigates if chia seeds (rich in α-linolenic acid 18:3, n-3 ALA) improve/reverse cardiac lipotoxicity. Wistar rats received an SRD-diet for three months. Half of the animals continued with the SRD up to month 6. The other half was fed an SRD in which the fat source, corn oil (CO), was replaced by chia seeds from month 3 to 6 (SRD+chia). A reference group consumed a control diet (CD) all the time. Triglyceride, long-chain acyl CoA (LC ACoA) and diacylglycerol (DAG) contents, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc) and muscle-type carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (M-CPT1) activities and protein mass levels of M-CPT1, membrane fatty acid transporter (FAT/CD36), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (PPARα) and uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) were analyzed. Results show that: (a) the hearts of SRD-fed rats display lipotoxicity suggesting impaired myocardial lipid utilization; (b) Compared with the SRD group, dietary chia normalizes blood pressure; reverses/improves heart lipotoxicity, glucose oxidation, the increased protein mass level of FAT/CD36, and the impaired insulin stimulated FAT/CD36 translocation to the plasma membrane. The enhanced M-CPT1 activity is markedly reduced without similar changes in protein mass. PPARα slightly decreases, while the UCP2 protein level remains unchanged in all groups. Normalization of dyslipidemia and IR by chia reduces plasma fatty acids (FAs) availability, suggesting that a different milieu prevents the robust translocation of FAT/CD36. This could reduce the influx of FAs, decreasing the elevated M-CPT1 activity and lipid storage and improving glucose oxidation in cardiac muscles of SRD-fed rats. PMID:26828527

Chitin utilization by the insect-transmitted bacterium Xylella fastidiosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Killiny, Nabil; Prado, Simone S; Almeida, Rodrigo P P

2010-09-01

Xylella fastidiosa is an insect-borne bacterium that colonizes xylem vessels of a large number of host plants, including several crops of economic importance. Chitin is a polysaccharide present in the cuticle of leafhopper vectors of X. fastidiosa and may serve as a carbon source for this bacterium. Biological assays showed that X. fastidiosa reached larger populations in the presence of chitin. Additionally, chitin induced phenotypic changes in this bacterium, notably increasing adhesiveness. Quantitative PCR assays indicated transcriptional changes in the presence of chitin, and an enzymatic assay demonstrated chitinolytic activity by X. fastidiosa. An ortholog of the chitinase A gene (chiA) was identified in the X. fastidiosa genome. The in silico analysis revealed that the open reading frame of chiA encodes a protein of 351 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 40 kDa. chiA is in a locus that consists of genes implicated in polysaccharide degradation. Moreover, this locus was also found in the genomes of closely related bacteria in the genus Xanthomonas, which are plant but not insect associated. X. fastidiosa degraded chitin when grown on a solid chitin-yeast extract-agar medium and grew in liquid medium with chitin as the sole carbon source; ChiA was also determined to be secreted. The gene encoding ChiA was cloned into Escherichia coli, and endochitinase activity was detected in the transformant, showing that the gene is functional and involved in chitin degradation. The results suggest that X. fastidiosa may use its vectors' foregut surface as a carbon source. In addition, chitin may trigger X. fastidiosa's gene regulation and biofilm formation within vectors. Further work is necessary to characterize the role of chitin and its utilization in X. fastidiosa.

The effects of magnetite (Fe3O4 nanoparticles on electroporation-induced inward currents in pituitary tumor (GH3 cells and in RAW 264.7 macrophages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu YC

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Yen-Chin Liu1, Ping-Ching Wu2, Dar-Bin Shieh2–5, Sheng-Nan Wu3,6,71Department of Anesthesiology, 2Institute of Oral Medicine and Department of Stomatology, 3Department of Physiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, 4Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, 5Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, 6Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Device Technology, National Cheng Kung University, 7Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, TaiwanAims: Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs have been known to provide a distinct image contrast effect for magnetic resonance imaging owing to their super paramagnetic properties on local magnetic fields. However, the possible effects of these NPs on membrane ion currents that concurrently induce local magnetic field perturbation remain unclear.Methods: We evaluated whether amine surface-modified Fe3O4 NPs have any effect on ion currents in pituitary tumor (GH3 cells via voltage clamp methods.Results: The addition of Fe3O4 NPs decreases the amplitude of membrane electroporation-induced currents (IMEP with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration at 45 µg/mL. Fe3O4 NPs at a concentration of 3 mg/mL produced a biphasic response in the amplitude of IMEP, ie, an initial decrease followed by a sustained increase. A similar effect was also noted in RAW 264.7 macrophages.Conclusion: The modulation of magnetic electroporation-induced currents by Fe3O4 NPs constitutes an important approach for cell tracking under various imaging modalities or facilitated drug delivery.Keywords: iron oxide, ion current, free radical

Biocontrol of the Sugarcane Borer Eldana saccharina by Expression of the Bacillus thuringiensis cry1Ac7 and Serratia marcescens chiA Genes in Sugarcane-Associated Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Downing, Katrina J.; Leslie, Graeme; Thomson, Jennifer A.

2000-01-01

The cry1Ac7 gene of Bacillus thuringiensis strain 234, showing activity against the sugarcane borer Eldana saccharina, was cloned under the control of the tac promoter. The fusion was introduced into the broad-host-range plasmid pKT240 and the integration vector pJFF350 and without the tac promoter into the broad-host-range plasmids pML122 and pKmM0. These plasmids were introduced into a Pseudomonas fluorescens strain isolated from the phylloplane of sugarcane and the endophytic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae found in sugarcane. The ptac-cry1Ac7 construct was introduced into the chromosome of P. fluorescens using the integration vector pJFF350 carrying the artificial interposon Omegon-Km. Western blot analysis showed that the expression levels of the integrated cry1Ac7 gene were much higher under the control of the tac promoter than under the control of its endogenous promoter. It was also determined that multicopy expression in P. fluorescens and H. seropedicae of ptac-cry1Ac7 carried on pKT240 caused plasmid instability with no detectable protein expression. In H. seropedicae, more Cry1Ac7 toxin was produced when the gene was cloned under the control of the Nmr promoter on pML122 than in the opposite orientation and bioassays showed that the former resulted in higher mortality of E. saccharina larvae than the latter. P. fluorescens 14::ptac-tox resulted in higher mortality of larvae than did P. fluorescens 14::tox. An increased toxic effect was observed when P. fluorescens 14::ptac-tox was combined with P. fluorescens carrying the Serratia marcescens chitinase gene chiA, under the control of the tac promoter, integrated into the chromosome. PMID:10877771

Chitinase expression in Listeria monocytogenes is positively regulated by the Agr system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paspaliari, Dafni Katerina; Mollerup, Maria Storm; Kallipolitis, Birgitte H.

2014-01-01

The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes encodes two chitinases, ChiA and ChiB, which allow the bacterium to hydrolyze chitin, the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature. Intriguingly, despite the absence of chitin in human and mammalian hosts, both of the chitinases have been deemed...... important for infection, through a mechanism that, at least in the case of ChiA, involves modulation of host immune responses. In this study, we show that the expression of the two chitinases is subject to regulation by the listerial agr system, a homologue of the agr quorum-sensing system of Staphylococcus...... chitinolytic activity on agar plates. Agr was specifically induced in response to chitin addition in stationary phase and agrD was found to regulate the amount of chiA, but not chiB, transcripts. Although the transcript levels of chiB did not depend on agrD, the extracellular protein levels of both chitinases...

Minerals and Total Polyphenolic Content of Some Vegetal Powders

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Roxana E. TUFEANU

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The total polyphenolic content and minerals were determined for chia seeds, Psyllium husks and watermelon rind powder. The minerals content was performed by using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emissions Spectrometer and Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, technique FIAS-Furnace (for Se. The sample with the highest content of polyphenols was chia (2.69 mg GAE/g s. followed by the watermelon rind powder. Reduced amounts of polyphenols were found in the Psyllium husks. Also, the total polyphenol concentration increased with the increase of the extraction time on the ultrasonic water bath. Minerals analysis indicated that powders obtained from chia seeds and watermelon rind contained large amounts of potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. The most abundant mineral in the Psyllium husks powder was found potassium, followed by calcium. In conclusion, these powders can be used as ingredients for functional food and food supplements production due to the high nutritional content and bioactive properties.

Processuel strategi i organisationer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gylling, Martin

2014-01-01

on process theory and strategy, which in these years aims to move focus away from the dominance of designed strategy. I.e. an approach to practice understood as methodological individualism and pragmatic rationality (Chia & Holt 2009; Steyaert 2007; Stacey 2011; Hjorth 2012). Through recent poststructuralist...... currents in the field of processual strategy thinking and organisational entrepreneurship, for example Chia & Holt’s creation philosophical research in strategy without design and Steyaert’s (2007) thinking on the concept of entrepreneuring; the process theoretical thinking of entrepreneurship...

Nitrogen regulates chitinase gene expression in a marine bacterium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Delpin, Marina; Goodman, A.E.

2009-01-01

Ammonium concentration and nitrogen source regulate promoter activity and use for the transcription of chiA, the major chitinase gene of Pseudoalteromonas sp. S91 and S91CX, an S91 transposon lacZ fusion mutant. The activity of chiA was quantified by beta-galactosidase assay of S91CX cultures con...... GlcNAc, transcription initiated from two putative sigma(54)-dependent promoters and (3) glt, transcription initiated from all three putative promoters. The ISME Journal (2009) 3, 1064-1069; doi:10.1038/ismej.2009.49; published online 14 May 2009...

Characterization of a novel Salmonella typhimurium chitinase which hydrolyzes chitin, chitooligosaccharides and an N-acetyllactosamine conjugate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Tanja; Petersen, Bent O.; Storgaard, Birgit Groth

2011-01-01

Salmonella contain genes annotated as chitinases; however, their chitinolytic activities have never been verified. We now demonstrate such an activity for a chitinase assigned to glycoside hydrolase family 18 encoded by the SL0018 (chiA) gene in Salmonella enterica Typhimurium SL1344. A C......-terminal truncated form of chiA lacking a putative chitin-binding domain was amplified by PCR, cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) with an N-terminal (His)(6) tag. The purified enzyme hydrolyzes 4-nitrophenyl N,N'-diacetyl-ß-D-chitobioside, 4-nitrophenyl ß...

Taiwan university joins search for antimatter

CERN Multimedia

Chiu, Y

2002-01-01

National Cheng Kung University announced yesterday that it will be joining the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, an international scientific research project aimed at looking for antimatter in space (1 page).

Quality improvement of gluten-free bread based on soybean and enriched with sugar beet molasses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šimurina Olivera D.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to improve the quality of gluten-free bread made with high content of soy flour and enriched with sugar beet molasses by incorporating ingredients with a potential to simultaneously enhance the nutritional quality of the breads. The following ingredients were used: pea protein isolate, pea fibre and chia seeds. The chosen ingredients exerted positive effects on bread quality. They promoted volume increase and crumb softening. In this respect, the most effective ingredients were pea protein isolate (at 1% supplementation level, pea fibre (at up to 2% supplementation level and chia seeds (at 1% supplementation level. The sensory analysis revealed that pea fibre and chia addition at 1 and 2% supplementation level provided bread with higher scores regarding overall acceptance, crumb texture and taste. At 1% supplementation level, there was not found statistically significant difference in sensory attributes of bread supplemented with pea protein isolate in comparison to the control. However, pea protein isolate was found to strongly diminish bread taste at 4% supplementation level due to presence of beany taste.

Assessing the health impact of transnational corporations: its importance and a framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, Frances E; Sanders, David M; Fisher, Matt; Anaf, Julia; Freudenberg, Nicholas; Friel, Sharon; Labonté, Ronald; London, Leslie; Monteiro, Carlos; Scott-Samuel, Alex; Sen, Amit

2016-06-15

The adverse health and equity impacts of transnational corporations' (TNCs) practices have become central public health concerns as TNCs increasingly dominate global trade and investment and shape national economies. Despite this, methodologies have been lacking with which to study the health equity impacts of individual corporations and thus to inform actions to mitigate or reverse negative and increase positive impacts. This paper reports on a framework designed to conduct corporate health impact assessment (CHIA), developed at a meeting held at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in May 2015. On the basis of the deliberations at the meeting it was recommended that the CHIA should be based on ex post assessment and follow the standard HIA steps of screening, scoping, identification, assessment, decision-making and recommendations. A framework to conduct the CHIA was developed and designed to be applied to a TNC's practices internationally, and within countries to enable comparison of practices and health impacts in different settings. The meeting participants proposed that impacts should be assessed according to the TNC's global and national operating context; its organisational structure, political and business practices (including the type, distribution and marketing of its products); and workforce and working conditions, social factors, the environment, consumption patterns, and economic conditions within countries. We anticipate that the results of the CHIA will be used by civil society for capacity building and advocacy purposes, by governments to inform regulatory decision-making, and by TNCs to lessen their negative health impacts on health and fulfil commitments made to corporate social responsibility.

Configuration Entropy Calculations for Complex Compounds Technetium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhayatun; Susanto Imam Rahayu; Surdia, N.M.; Abdul Mutalib

2002-01-01

Recently, the study of technetium complexes is rapidly increasing, due to the benefit of 99m Tc complexes (one of Tc nuclear isomers), which are widely used for diagnostics. Study of the structure-stability relationship of Tc complexes based on solid angle has been done by Kung using a Solid Angle Factor Sum (SAS). The SAS is hypothesized to be related to stability. SAS has been used by several researchers either for synthesis or designing the reaction route of the Tc complex formation and predicting the geometry of complex structures. Although the advantages of the SAS were very gratifying, but the model does not have the theoretical basis which is able to explain the correlation of steric parameters to physicochemical properties of complexes especially to those connected to a complex's stability. To improve the SAS model, in this research the model was modified by providing a theoretical basis for SAS. The results obtained from the correlation of the SAS value to the thermodynamic stability parameters of simple complexes show the values to have a similar trend as the standard entropy (S 0 ). The entropy approximation model was created by involving some factors which are not used in Kung's model. Entropy optimization to the bond length (ML) has also been done to several complexes. The calculations of SAS value using the calculated R for more than 100 Tc complexes provide a normalized mean value of 0.8545 ± 0.0851 and have similar curve profiles as those of Kung's model. The entropy value can be obtained by multiplying the natural logarithm of the a priori degeneracy of a certain distribution (Ω) and the Boltzmann constant. The results of Ω and In Ω of the Tc complexes have a narrow range. The results of this research are able to provide a basic concept for the SAS to explain the structure-stability relationship and to improve Kung's model. (author)

Anxiety and mood disorder in young males with mitral valve prolapse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

For-Wey Lung

2008-10-01

Full Text Available For-Wey Lung1–4, Chih-Tao Cheng5, Wei-To Chang6, Bih-Ching Shu71Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical Center, Taiwan; 3Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Calo Psychiatric Center, Pingtung County, Taiwan; 5School of public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; 6Liu Chia-Hsiu Hospital, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan; 7Institute of Allied Health Sciences and Department of Nursing, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, TaiwanObjective: This study explored the prevalence of panic disorder and other psychiatric disorders in young Han Chinese males with mitral valve prolapse (MVP. With the factors of age, sex, and ethnicity controlled, the specific role of MVP in panic disorder was analyzed. Methods: Subjects with chest pain aged between 18 and 25 years were assessed with the echocardiograph for MVP and the Chinese version of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for panic disorder (n = 39.Results: Of the 39 participants, 35.9% met the diagnosis of anxiety disorder, 46.2% met at least one criterion of anxiety disorder, and 23.1% met the diagnostic criteria of major depressive disorder. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of panic disorder between one of the (8.3% MVP patients, and two (7.4% control participants.Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, in those who report pain symptoms, so that diagnosis and treatment of these patients is of great importance. In addition, individuals with MVP did not have an increased risk for panic disorder. Whether MVP may be a modifier or mediating factor for panic disorder needs to be further assessed in a larger scale study.Keywords: mitral valve prolapse, panic disorder, Han Chinese males, major depressive disorder

Apoptotic effect of cordycepin combined with cisplatin and/or paclitaxel on MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells

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Kang FC

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Fu-Chi Kang,1 Pei-Jung Chen,2 Bo-Syong Pan,2,3 Meng-Shao Lai,2,3 Yung-Chia Chen,4 Bu-Miin Huang2,31Department of Anesthesia, Chi Mei Medical Center, Chiali, 2Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, 3Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 4Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: Chemotherapy is not limited to a single treatment, and the evidence demonstrates that different drug combinations can have positive results in patients. In this study, we sought to determine whether cordycepin combined with cisplatin and/or paclitaxel would have an additive effective on inducing apoptosis in mouse Leydig tumor cells, and the mechanisms were also briefly examined.Methods: The additive effects of cordycepin combined with cisplatin and/or paclitaxel on apoptosis in MA-10 cells were investigated by monitoring changes in morphological characteristics and examining cell viability, flow cytometry assays, and Western blot analyses.Results: Combination of cordycepin plus cisplatin and/or paclitaxel for 12 and 24 hours induced apoptotic features in MA-10 cells. The MTT assay showed that the combination treatment reduced the viability of MA-10 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with additive effects. Cell cycle analysis showed that combination treatment significantly increased subG1 phase cell numbers in MA-10 cells, indicating apoptosis. Moreover, cordycepin plus cisplatin and/or paclitaxel significantly induced cleavage of caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly ADP-ribose polymerase, and phosphorylation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38, and p53 proteins in MA-10 cells.Conclusion: Cordycepin plus cisplatin and/or paclitaxel can have an additive effect on apoptosis in MA-10 cells, with activation of caspase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and p53 signal pathways. Keywords: cordycepin

Enterovirus 71 Brainstem Encephalitis and Cognitive and Motor Deficits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Gordon Millichap

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Follow-up studies were conducted in 63 previously healthy children with enterovirus 71 brainstem encephalitis (49 stage II, 7 stage Ilia, and 7 stage Illb at National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.

Pärnu uue kunsti muuseumis...

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2004-01-01

Ungari keraamikute Marta Nagy ja György Kungli näitus "Echo", rootsi outsider-kunstnike Linda Perssoni ja Buster Hollingworthi maalinäitus, Konstantin Tabanakovi fotonäitus "Pärnu tšetšeeni silmadega"

Healthy food trends -- chia seeds

Science.gov (United States)

... fatty acids for healthy adults. J Acad Nutr Diet . 2014;114(1):136-153. PMID: 24342605 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24342605 . Review Date 4/24/2016 Updated by: Emily Wax, RD, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, ...

Caregiver burden among relatives of patients with schizophrenia in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

both patients and their caregivers.1,2 Caregiver burden in mental illness can either be ... with chronic mental illness.9 Consequently, there is a need to study the burden of ..... References. 1. Kung W. The illness, stigma, culture or immigration?

In vitro induction of multiple buds from cotyledonary nodes of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

reading 6

2012-02-01

Feb 1, 2012 ... Balsam pear (Momordica charantia L.) is a weak climbing annual vine ... acids, reducing sugars and fixed oil (Dhalla et al., 1961). Ambasta et ..... Lee-Huang S, Huang PL, Bourinbaiar AS, Chen HC, Kung HF (1995). Inhibition ...

Inventory and state of activity of rockglaciers in the Ile and Kungöy Ranges of Northern Tien Shan from satellite SAR interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Strozzi, Tazio; Caduff, Rafael; Kääb, Andreas; Bolch, Tobias

2017-04-01

The best visual expression of mountain permafrost are rockglaciers, which, in contrast to the permafrost itself, can be mapped and monitored directly using remotely sensed data. Studies carried out in various parts of the European Alps have shown surface acceleration of rockglaciers and even destabilization of several such landforms over the two last decades, potentially related to the changing permafrost creep conditions. Changes in rockglacier motion are therefore believed to be the most indicative short- to medium-term response of rockglaciers to environmental changes and thus an indicator of mountain permafrost conditions in general. The ESA DUE GlobPermafrost project develops, validates and implements EO products to support research communities and international organizations in their work on better understanding permafrost characteristics and dynamics. Within this project we are building up a worldwide long-term monitoring network of active rockglacier motion investigated using remote sensing techniques. All sites are analysed through a uniform set of data and methods, and results are thus comparable. In order to quantify the rate of movement and the relative changes over time we consider two remote sensing methods: (i) matching of repeat optical data and (ii) satellite radar interferometry. In this contribution, we focus on the potential of recent high spatial resolution SAR data for the analysis of periglacial processes in mountain environments with special attention to the Ile and Kungöy Ranges of Northern Tien Shan at the border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, an area which contains a high number of large and comparably fast (> 1m/yr) rockglaciers and is of interest as dry-season water resource and source of natural hazards. As demonstrated in the past with investigations conducted in the Swiss Alps, the visual analysis of differential SAR interferograms can be employed for the rough estimation of the surface deformation rates of rockglaciers and

Short communications | Mockler | Scopus: Journal of East African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Title: An exceptional gathering of Levant Sparrowhawks Accipiter brevipes in Mara North Conservancy, western Kenya. Author: Mike Mockler. Title: Recent undocumented Kenya records of the Grey-chested Babbler Kakamega poliothorax. Authors: Gladys Kung'u, Titus Imboma, Peter Njoroge. Title: Discovery of a ...

Journal of Biosciences | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Author Affiliations. Fan-Lun Liu1 Ting-Yi Liu1 Fan-Lu Kung1 2. School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051( Taiwan, R.O.C.; Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051( Taiwan, R.O.C ...

Cloning of a chitinase gene from Ewingella americana, a pathogen of the cultivated mushroom, Agaricus bisporus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.W. Inglis

2000-09-01

Full Text Available We have isolated a gene encoding a chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14 from Ewingella americana, a recently described pathogen of the mushroom Agaricus bisporus. This gene, designated chiA (EMBL/Genbank/DDBJ accession number X90562, was cloned by expression screening of a plasmid-based E. americana HindIII genomic library in Escherichia coli using remazol brilliant violet-stained carboxymethylated chitin incorporated into selective medium. The chiA gene has a 918-bp ORF, terminated by a TAA codon, with a calculated polypeptide size of 33.2 kDa, likely corresponding to a previously purified and characterised 33-kDa endochitinase from E. americana. The deduced amino acid sequence shares 33% identity with chitinase II from Aeromonas sp. No. 10S-24 and 7.8% identity with a chitinase from Saccharopolyspora erythraeus. Homology to other chitinase sequences was otherwise low. The peptide sequence deduced from chiA lacks a typical N-terminal signal sequence and also lacks the chitin binding and type III fibronectin homology units common to many bacterial chitinases. The possibility that this chitinase is not primarily adapted for the environmental mineralisation of pre-formed chitin, but rather for the breakdown of nascent chitin, is discussed in the context of mushroom disease.O gene que codifica uma quitinase (EC 3.2.1.14 foi isolado de Ewingella americana, recentemente descrita como patógeno do cogumelo Agaricus bisporus. Este gene, denominado chiA (EMBL/Genebank/DDBJ número de acesso X9061, foi clonado e selecionado a partir de livraria genômica construída por digestão do DNA de E. americana com HindIII e ligação em plasmídio de expressão em E. coli, utilizando meio seletivo contendo quitina carboximetilada, corada com "remazol brilliant violet'' para seleção de clones. O gene chiA apresenta uma ORF de 918 bp, código terminador TAA, tendo o tamanho do polipeptídeo sido calculado como 33,2 kDa, o qual corresponde ao tamanho de 33 kDa da endoquitinase

Study on photocatalysis of TiO2 nanotubes prepared by methanol ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Chau Thanh Nam1 Wein-Duo Yang1 Le Minh Duc2. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien-Kung Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 807, Republic of China; Department of Chemical Engineering, Danang University of Technology, Danang, Vietnam ...

Ida-igatsuse põhjapiir / Raivo Paltser

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Paltser, Raivo

2006-01-01

Hiina traditsiooni järgija R. Paltseri nägemus Lääne inimese ihalusest Vana-Hiina kultuuri järele, kung-fust. Toodud mõningaid näiteid Soome ja Hiina mütoloogiat ühendavast fantaasiafilmist "Igavese armastuse sõdalane - Jade Warrior"

2013 Materials Research Society Fall Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-18

Forough Mahmoudabadi, Ta-Ko Chuang, Jerry Ho Kung, Miltiadis K. Hatalis. High Performance IGZO TFTs with Modified Etch Stop Structure on Glass...gallium zinc oxide ( IGZO ) and zinc tin oxide featured strongly this year. IGZO in particular, only discovered in 2004, is already being adopted by

Biotechnology in China

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hamer, Dean H; Kung, Shain-dow

1989-01-01

... and Shain-dow Kung Center for Agricultural Biotechnology Maryland Biotechnology Institute Department of Botany University of Maryland College Park, Maryland Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People's Republic of China National Academy of Sciences National Academy Press Washington, DC 1989 i Copyrightthe cannot be not from bo...

"Jade Warrior" sai Hispaanias kolm preemiat

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2007-01-01

Eesti osalusega Soome-Hiina kung fu film "Igavese armastuse sõdalane - Jade Warrior" võitis 1. Ibiza ja Formentera filmifestivalil kolm Falco d'Ori auhinda (AJ Annila - parim debüüt-lavastaja, Jukka Uusitalo - filmikunstniku töö eest, Henri Blomberg - operaatritöö eest)

Kung fu-film alustas 15 000 vaatajaga

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2006-01-01

Soome ja Hiina mütoloogiat ühendav fantaasiafilm "Igavese armastuse sõdalane - Jade Warrior" (Soome, Hiina ja Eesti ühistöö) kogus Soome kinolevis avanädalavahetusel suhteliselt tagasihoidliku kassa

Soome-ugri kung fu / Jüri Laulik

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Laulik, Jüri, 1959-

2006-01-01

Soome ja Hiina mütoloogiat ühendav fantaasiafilm "Igavese armastuse sõdalane - Jade Warrior" (Soome, Hiina, Hollandi ja Eesti ühistöö) : stsenarist Iiro Küttner : režissöör Antti-Jussi Annila. Eestipoole produtsent Margus Õunapuu Eesti osast filmis

1,6-Diaminoperylene bisimide with a highly twisted perylene core

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... KEW-YU CHEN. ∗. Department of Chemical Engineering, Feng Chia University, 40724 Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China ... chromic materials,6 and organic field-effect transis- ..... Wasielewski M R 2012 Competition between singlet fis-.

Cultural Values and Communication Online: Chinese and Southeast Asian Students in a Taiwan International MBA Class

Science.gov (United States)

Warden, Clyde A.; Chen, Judy F.; Caskey, D'Arcy

2005-01-01

Whereas many researchers have examined differences in values and behavior between Westerners and Asians, fewer have investigated differences within Asian cultural groups. A recent government initiative in Taiwan to encourage international education has led to the development of an international MBA program at the National Cheng Kung University in…

Puzzles in B physics

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Pramana – Journal of Physics; Volume 67; Issue 5. Puzzles in physics. Hsiang-Nan Li ... Author Affiliations. Hsiang-Nan Li1 2. Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 115, Republic of China; Department of Physics, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, Republic of China ...

Combatives for Alienated Youth: Problems and Prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hellison, Don

Combative activities (boxing, wrestling, kung fu, etc.) are seen as having a positive influence on alienated inner city youth. Potential contributions of such activities in a school curriculum or recreation program include involvement, security, self-concept, and self-realization. Participants may be able to free themselves from such stereotype…

Development of an Aviation Maintenance Curriculum in an Aerospace Engineering Department.

Science.gov (United States)

Miau, Jiun-Jih; Chiu, Huei-Huang; Wu, Yuh-Yi; Lin, Chin-E; Choi, Siu-Tong; Yang, Shih-Ming; Jenq, Syh-Tsang

This paper describes the motivation of developing the Aviation Maintenance Curriculum, at National Chang Kung University (seven elective courses) contents of the elective courses, and university-industry collaborations developed along with the Curriculum. The curriculum represents an effort to respond to the needs of manpower in the aviation…

Organizational knowledge building through action research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Lone Hersted; Frimann, Søren

learning and change processes in relation to organizational knowledge building and knowledge sharing. The project draws on the dialogue tradition within action research (Coghlan et al.; 2010; Reason & Bradbury, 2001; Ripamonti et al 2016) and social constructionist ideas (Cunliffe 2002, 2004; Gergen 2003...... 2005; Chia 1996; Tsoukas, & Chia (2002)) based on a dialogical approach. Two internal consultants fulfill the roles as process facilitators of the action research process, and the two researchers from Aalborg University (LH and SF) are contributing with ideas, sparring, qualitative research design...... in a collaborative setting for learning, involving employees and managers, including as well the sharing of knowledge throughout the organization? In addition, we are curious to examine whether action research as an inquiry for learning and change can act as an alternative to the New Public Management paradigm...

Agronomic behavior of pseudo cereals genotypes subjected to drought and salinity conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cruz T, E. De la; Garcia A, J.M.; Gonzalez R, B.; Laguna C, A.

2007-01-01

With the purpose of evaluating the response to the salinity and drought of 7 genotypes of pseudo cereals that include to the variety of quinua Barandales (M7-0) and to the lines obtained by the radioinduced mutagenesis ININ 110 and ININ 333, two collections of red chia (Opopeo and Huiramangaro) and two collections of 'Huauzontle' of Atlacomulco (H1 and H3), were evaluated under a factorial experimental design two levels of humidity: normal watering and drought and three salinity levels 0, 50 and 100 mMhos. It was found a bigger yield in grams by plant in the drought subjected material (without salinity) and a bigger tolerance to the salinity in the genotypes H3, ININ M7-0, and ININ 110, exhibiting the 'Chia red' bigger susceptibility to the evaluated factors. (Author)

The SDF-1-CXCR4 Axis Functions Through p38-MAPK Signaling to Drive Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis

Science.gov (United States)

2009-09-01

2002). Rubin JB, Kung AL, Klein RS, Chan JA, Sun Y, Schmidt K, Kieran MW, Luster AD, Segal RA.A small-molecule antagonist of CXCR4 inhibits... Melanie H. Howell, Michelle Lacey, Betty Y. Shih, Carol Carter-Wientjes, Thomas E. Cleveland, John A. McLachlan, Thomas E. Wiese, Barbara S. Beckman

Reconstructive hermeneutics in African Christology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-04-10

Apr 10, 2015 ... Strictly speaking, biblical hermeneutics refer to the art or technique of interpreting the biblical text in order to ..... (p. 9f.) Others within Black Christology category in South Africa ... this category include John Pobee and E. Penoukou amongst others. ..... Kung, H., 1976, On being a Chrisfian, Collins, London.

Guam: U.S. Defense Deployments

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-15

August 8, 2013; Ta Kung Pao, August 12, 2013. 22 Sam Kim, “N. Korea Deploys Medium-Range Missiles, Bolsters Special Forces,” Yonhap, Seoul, February 23...building up its submarine force (both nuclear-powered and diesel-electric). In November 2004, the PLA Navy sent a Han -class nuclear attack submarine

Current Trends in Aerospace Engineering Education on Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Sheng-Jii

A proposal for current trends in Aerospace Engineering Education on Taiwan has been drawn from the suggestions made after a national conference of "Workshop on Aerospace Engineering Education Reform." This workshop was held in January 18-20, 1998, at the Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan,…

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 151 - 200 of 11090 ... C Ko, J Kung, R Mc Donald. Vol 14, No 25 (2015), In vitro microtuberization of Black Zira (Bunium persicum Boiss.) .... Sujing Fu, Hengkang Hu, Qixiang Zhang, Yanming Fang, Zhengxiong Shen, Yuqiong Gao. Vol 7, No 3 (2008), In vitro propagation of miracle berry (Synsepalum dulcificuDaniel) ...

Chitinase Expression in Listeria monocytogenes Is Influenced by lmo0327, Which Encodes an InternalinLike Protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paspaliari, Dafni Katerina; Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Ingmer, Hanne

2017-01-01

carbohydrate in nature, the chitinases have been deemed important for colonization of unicellular moulds, as well as mammalian hosts. In order to identify additional components of the chitinolytic system, we screened a transposon mutant library for mutants exhibiting impaired chitin hydrolysis. The screening...... ChiA and ChiB in the culture supernatants of the mutant strain. Our results provide new information regarding the function of the lmo0325-lmo0327 locus in L. monocytogenes and link it to the expression of chitinolytic activity.Importance: Many bacteria from terrestrial and marine environments express...... chitinase activities enabling them to utilize chitin as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Interestingly, several bacterial chitinases may also be involved in host pathogenesis. For example, in the important food borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, the chitinases ChiA and ChiB, and the lytic...

Agronomic behavior of pseudo cereals genotypes subjected to drought and salinity conditions; Compotamiento agronomico de genotipos de pseudocereales sometidos a condiciones de sequia y salinidad

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cruz T, E. De la; Garcia A, J.M. [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca, 52750 La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, (Mexico); Gonzalez R, B.; Laguna C, A. [Centro de Investigacion y Estudios Avanzados en Fitomejoramiento. UAEM, 50200 Toluca (Mexico)]. e-mail: ect@nuclear.inin.mx

2007-07-01

With the purpose of evaluating the response to the salinity and drought of 7 genotypes of pseudo cereals that include to the variety of quinua Barandales (M7-0) and to the lines obtained by the radioinduced mutagenesis ININ 110 and ININ 333, two collections of red chia (Opopeo and Huiramangaro) and two collections of 'Huauzontle' of Atlacomulco (H1 and H3), were evaluated under a factorial experimental design two levels of humidity: normal watering and drought and three salinity levels 0, 50 and 100 mMhos. It was found a bigger yield in grams by plant in the drought subjected material (without salinity) and a bigger tolerance to the salinity in the genotypes H3, ININ M7-0, and ININ 110, exhibiting the 'Chia red' bigger susceptibility to the evaluated factors. (Author)

DOI: 10.18697/ajfand.81.17635 13239 PROXIMATE COMPOSITION ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Yoghurt is a fermented dairy product associated with several beneficial nutritional and .... For this study, each treatment consisting of chia enriched yoghurt .... Being a saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid is stable to oxidation and heat [26], and it is.

Development of Taiwan’s strategies for regulating nanotechnology-based pharmaceuticals harmonized with international considerations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guo JW

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Jiun-Wen Guo,1 Yu-Hsuan Lee,2 Hsiau-Wen Huang,3 Mei-Chyun Tzou,3 Ying-Jan Wang,2 Jui-Chen Tsai1,4 1Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Chung Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 2Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 3Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan; 4Center for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Abstract: Nanotechnology offers potential in pharmaceuticals and biomedical developments for improving drug delivery systems, medical imaging, diagnosis, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine. Although there is no international regulation or legislation specifically for nanomedicine, it is agreed worldwide that considerably more attention should be paid to the quality, safety, and efficacy of nanotechnology-based drugs. The US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency have provided several draft regulatory guidance and reflection papers to assist the development of nanomedicines. To cope with the impact of nanotechnology and to foster its pharmaceutical applications and development in Taiwan, this article reviews the trends of regulating nanotechnology-based pharmaceuticals in the international community and proposes strategies for Taiwan’s regulation harmonized with international considerations. The draft regulatory measures include a chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC review checklist and guidance for CMC review of liposomal products. These have been submitted for discussion among an expert committee, with membership comprised of multidisciplinary academia, research institutions, the pharmaceutical industry, and regulators, and are currently approaching final consensus. Once a consensus is reached, these mechanisms will be recommended to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration for jurisdiction and may

For Community Sake

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Jeffery W.

2013-01-01

This article examines whether religious education plays a role in the promotion of harmonious international relations, arguing that a broad religious education with a dialogical approach goes to the heart of what it means to be a citizen in a global community. Christian theologian Hans Kung argues in his book "Judaism: Between Yesterday and…

A Massively Parallel Tensor Contraction Framework for Coupled-Cluster Computations

Science.gov (United States)

2014-08-02

64 (2004), pp. 1017 – 1026. [22] HONG JIA-WEI AND H. T. KUNG , I/O complexity: The red-blue pebble game, in Proceedings of the thirteenth annual ACM...electronic structure, Journal of Chemical Physics, 86 (1987), p. 7041. [36] JEPPE OLSEN, BJÖRN O. ROOS, POUL JØRGENSEN, AND HANS JØRGEN AA. JENSEN

Tao stoics : late twentieth century lessons in wisdom or subjects for discussion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

León, L.

1990-01-01

The book discusses many pieces of wisdom and human dignity,ethics and happiness as there are in the books of all ages, but now relative to the lethal problems of today. The set-up of the master-disciple relation, which is used in the television Kung Fu series, is applied and of the other Chinese

Effects of Taraxacum mongolicum on in vitro response of milk ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

uwerhiavwe

2013-03-06

Mar 6, 2013 ... 4Department of Chinese Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan. ... fed a diet with (treatment group, n=7, 150 g TM powder per head per day) ..... g/kg body weight showed no visible signs of acute.

The Function of Neuroendocrine Cells in Prostate Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-01

conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, hereditarymyop- athies, infectious diseases...mortality risk and decreased serum prostate specific antigen. J Urol 2010;184:2303–7. 2. Andriole GL, Crawford ED, Grubb RL III, Buys SS, Chia D, Church TR

Preparation and characterization of plasticized high molecular ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

volatility (Cha et al 2004). ... with scanning rate at 5 ... C at the rate of 10 ... after which ion aggregation occurs at a faster rate than ion dissociation by .... The authors would like to thank Feng Chia University for the UTAR-FCU Student Exchange.

Game over: Asian Americans and video game representation [symposium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thien-bao Thuc Phi

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Even video games by Asian creators tend to depict primarily white characters or reference Asian stereotypes such as kung fu fighters or yakuza thugs. Games depicting the Vietnam war are particularly troubling for Asian players expected to identify with white characters. As the game industry continues to expand, its representation of Asians and Asian Americans must change.

Proceedings of the Organization of 1990 Meeting of International Neural Network Society Jointed with IEEE Held in Washington, DC on January 15 - 19, 1990. Volume 2. Applications Track.

Science.gov (United States)

1990-11-30

the face recognitio task using a conven- tional nonparametric classification technique. In Section IV, we present an analysis of our implementa- tion...Markov Models ...................................................................... 11-409 W. D. Mao and S. Y. Kung Princeton University Human Face ...1 Introduction Thbs article describes an ongoing project which is concerned with the development of neural inter- faces to the human nervous system

T-DNA integration patterns in transgenic maize lines mediated by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jane

2011-10-03

Oct 3, 2011 ... locus can have profound effects on the level and stability of transgene ..... Thane N, Henke J, Wang T, Ruppert J, Shah N, Rotter K, Hodges J, ... Chia JM, Deragon JM, Estill JC, Fu Y, Jeddeloh JA, Han YJ, Lee H,. Li PH, Lisch ...

Otolith features and growth of juvenile Opsaridium microcephalum ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sanjika, Opsaridium microcephalum, were collected from two sites (Nkhotakota and Chia) along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Malawi. The sagitta of the otolith was arrow headshaped with an obvious nucleus. Increments in the sagittae were observable until the bases of the rostra but invisible in the rostra.

Journal of Chemical Sciences | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Chemical Sciences; Volume 127; Issue 8. DNA binding and cleavage activity of a structurally characterized Ni(II) Schiff base complex. Sarat Chandra Kumar Abhijit Pal Merry Mitra V M Manikandamathavan Chia -Her Lin Balachandran Unni Nair Rajarshi Ghosh. Regular Articles Volume 127 ...

Wind profiler observations on orographic effects of typhoon wind structure modification over Taiwan (120.38 E, 22.6 N)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, C.J.; Yang, S.S. [National Central Univ., Taiwan (China). Inst. of Space Science; Krishna Reddy, K. [Yogi Vemana Univ., Kadapa (India). Dept. of Physics; Lai, H.C. [Chang Jung Christian Univ., Taiwan (China). Dept. of Engineering and Management Advanced Technology; Wong, C.J. [Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia). School of Physics

2010-07-01

The interaction of the storm circulation with the Central Mountain Range (CMR) of Taiwan is studied with a wind profiler located at the leeside during the invasions of two (Kaemi (200605) and Bopha (200609)) typhoons. The moderate typhoon Kaemi upgraded from a tropical depression on 21 July 2006. It then was made landfall at 15:45 UTC on 24 July 2006 near Cheng-Kung. The weak typhoon Bopha formed at about 12:00 UTC on 5 August 2006 and also landed near Cheng-Kung at around 19:20 UTC on 8 August. A new finding from both typhoons is the vortex splitting into upper and lower parts with the two typhoons that have passed the observation site nearly. For the typhoon Kaemi, demarcation height of the upper-level vortex and lower level is at 2.8 km and passed the site about 3 h earlier than the low-level one. For the typhoon Bopha, the center of the lower-level vortex at 3.5 km locates to the north of the upper-level one at 5.2 km. The re-organization of the split vortexes is found in typhoon Kaemi but not for typhoon Bopha. (orig.)

Wind profiler observations on orographic effects of typhoon wind structure modification over Taiwan (120.38° E, 22.6° N

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. J. Pan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The interaction of the storm circulation with the Central Mountain Range (CMR of Taiwan is studied with a wind profiler located at the leeside during the invasions of two (Kaemi (200605 and Bopha (200609 typhoons. The moderate typhoon Kaemi upgraded from a tropical depression on 21 July 2006. It then was made landfall at 15:45 UTC on 24 July 2006 near Cheng-Kung. The weak typhoon Bopha formed at about 12:00 UTC on 5 August 2006 and also landed near Cheng-Kung at around 19:20 UTC on 8 August. A new finding from both typhoons is the vortex splitting into upper and lower parts with the two typhoons that have passed the observation site nearly. For the typhoon Kaemi, demarcation height of the upper-level vortex and lower level is at 2.8 km and passed the site about 3 h earlier than the low-level one. For the typhoon Bopha, the center of the lower-level vortex at 3.5 km locates to the north of the upper-level one at 5.2 km. The re-organization of the split vortexes is found in typhoon Kaemi but not for typhoon Bopha.

Role of the Neddylation Enzyme Uba3, A New Estrogen Receptor Corepressor in Breast Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

2006-09-01

vs. MCF7) Gene symbol Genbank MCF7-T MCF-F Description Notch signaling pathway PSEN1 NM_007319 1.33 7.06 Presenilin 1 ( Alzheimer disease 3...Medicine Bloomington, Indiana 47405 3Department of Life Science and Institute of Molecular Biology National Chung Cheng University Chia -Yi Taiwan

Role of Inflammation in MPTP-Induced Dopaminergic Degeneration

Science.gov (United States)

2005-12-01

outside midbrain, Mol. Brain Res. 18 (1993) 181- 186. [12] F.C. Clheng, D.R. Ni, M.C. Wu, J.S. Kuo, L.G. Chia , Glial cell line- derived neurotrophic...neurodegenerative for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease? Life diseases: pathophysiology and therapeutic interventions, Alzheimer

Reading and Spelling Gains Following One Year of Orton-Gillingham Intervention in Singaporean Students with Dyslexia

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Lois; Oei, Adam C.

2015-01-01

Despite the widespread use of Orton-Gillingham (OG) based approaches to dyslexia remediation, empirical support documenting its effectiveness is lacking. Recently, Chia and Houghton demonstrated the effectiveness of the OG approach for remediation of dyslexia in Singapore. As a conceptual replication and extension of that research, we report…

African Journal of Biotechnology - Vol 11, No 50 (2012)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Phytoestrogenic property of Labisia pumila for use as an estrogen replacement therapy agent · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. Poh Su Wei Melissa, Visneswaran Navaratnam, Chia Yoke Yin, 11053-11056. http://dx.doi.org/10.5897/AJB12.160 ...

7 CFR 205.606 - Nonorganically produced agricultural products allowed as ingredients in or on processed products...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

.... (a) Casings, from processed intestines. (b) Celery powder. (c) Chia (Salvia hispanica L.). (d) Colors...) Fructooligosaccharides (CAS # 308066-66-2). (h) Galangal, frozen. (i) Gelatin (CAS # 9000-70-8). (j) Gums—water extracted only (Arabic; Guar; Locust bean; and Carob bean). (k) Hops (Humulus luplus). (l) Inulin-oligofructose...

Proximate composition and nutritional characterization of Chia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... dairy product associated with several beneficial nutritional and health effects. ... The results for amino acids showed that the essential and non-essential amino ... proximate composition and nutritional (amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals ...

Slow Off-rates and Strong Product Binding Are Required for Processivity and Efficient Degradation of Recalcitrant Chitin by Family 18 Chitinases.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurašin, Mihhail; Kuusk, Silja; Kuusk, Piret; Sørlie, Morten; Väljamäe, Priit

2015-11-27

Processive glycoside hydrolases are the key components of enzymatic machineries that decompose recalcitrant polysaccharides, such as chitin and cellulose. The intrinsic processivity (P(Intr)) of cellulases has been shown to be governed by the rate constant of dissociation from polymer chain (koff). However, the reported koff values of cellulases are strongly dependent on the method used for their measurement. Here, we developed a new method for determining koff, based on measuring the exchange rate of the enzyme between a non-labeled and a (14)C-labeled polymeric substrate. The method was applied to the study of the processive chitinase ChiA from Serratia marcescens. In parallel, ChiA variants with weaker binding of the N-acetylglucosamine unit either in substrate-binding site -3 (ChiA-W167A) or the product-binding site +1 (ChiA-W275A) were studied. Both ChiA variants showed increased off-rates and lower apparent processivity on α-chitin. The rate of the production of insoluble reducing groups on the reduced α-chitin was an order of magnitude higher than koff, suggesting that the enzyme can initiate several processive runs without leaving the substrate. On crystalline chitin, the general activity of the wild type enzyme was higher, and the difference was magnifying with hydrolysis time. On amorphous chitin, the variants clearly outperformed the wild type. A model is proposed whereby strong interactions with polymer in the substrate-binding sites (low off-rates) and strong binding of the product in the product-binding sites (high pushing potential) are required for the removal of obstacles, like disintegration of chitin microfibrils. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

ONR Tropical Cyclone Motion Research Initiative; First-Year Review, Discussion and Tentative Hypotheses.

Science.gov (United States)

1988-02-01

Division ,, e,,science AOML/NOAA .. National Taiwan University 3401 Rickenbacker Causeway .-. Taipei, Taiwan Miami, FL 33149 Dr. Mike Fiorino Dr. Peter...Atmospheric Sciences Herb Hunter Nanjing University Nichols Research Corporation Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 4040 S. Memorial Parkway People’s Republic...Computer Center Otemachi 1-3-4, Chiyodaku Central Weather Bureau Tokyo 100 Japan 64 Kung Yuan Road Taipei, Taiwan 100 Dr. Lim Joo Tick Republic of

Chitinase Expression in Listeria monocytogenes Is Influenced by lmo0327, Which Encodes an Internalin-Like Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Paspaliari, Dafni Katerina; Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Ingmer, Hanne; Popowska, Magdalena; Larsen, Marianne Halberg

2017-11-15

The chitinolytic system of Listeria monocytogenes thus far comprises two chitinases, ChiA and ChiB, and a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase, Lmo2467. The role of the system in the bacterium appears to be pleiotropic, as besides mediating the hydrolysis of chitin, the second most ubiquitous carbohydrate in nature, the chitinases have been deemed important for the colonization of unicellular molds, as well as mammalian hosts. To identify additional components of the chitinolytic system, we screened a transposon mutant library for mutants exhibiting impaired chitin hydrolysis. The screening yielded a mutant with a transposon insertion in a locus corresponding to lmo0327 of the EGD-e strain. lmo0327 encodes a large (1,349 amino acids [aa]) cell wall-associated protein that has been proposed to possess murein hydrolase activity. The single inactivation of lmo0327 , as well as of lmo0325 that codes for a putative transcriptional regulator functionally related to lmo0327 , led to an almost complete abolishment of chitinolytic activity. The effect could be traced at the transcriptional level, as both chiA and chiB transcripts were dramatically decreased in the lmo0327 mutant. In accordance with that, we could barely detect ChiA and ChiB in the culture supernatants of the mutant strain. Our results provide new information regarding the function of the lmo0325-lmo0327 locus in L. monocytogenes and link it to the expression of chitinolytic activity. IMPORTANCE Many bacteria from terrestrial and marine environments express chitinase activities enabling them to utilize chitin as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Interestingly, several bacterial chitinases may also be involved in host pathogenesis. For example, in the important foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes , the chitinases ChiA and ChiB and the lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase Lmo2467 are implicated in chitin assimilation but also act as virulence factors during the infection of mammalian hosts. Therefore

Lost in Transition

Science.gov (United States)

Lum, Lydia

2010-01-01

When Dr. Chia Youyee Vang arrived at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee five years ago, numerous Hmong students along with community residents called for more courses specifically examining their life experiences. Now, her university offers a certificate in Hmong diaspora studies. It's part of a growing tide within Asian American studies--more…

Sadhana | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

S Ramesh1 Geok Bee Teh1 Rong-Fuh Louh2 Yong Kong Hou1 Pung Yen Sin1 Lim Jing Yi1. Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Setapak, 53300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, 100, Wenhwa Road, Seatwen, Taichung, ...

Translations on People’s Republic of China, Number 390

Science.gov (United States)

1977-08-15

machine, chemical refrigerators, high transparency fluoroscopic screen, radiotherapy localization model machine, and peritoneal dialysis machine. Some...PAO, 1 Apr 77) 18 Treatment of Carcinoma Being Studied, Improved (TA KUNG PAO, 6 Apr 77) 21 Medical Instrument Industry Increases Production...4th 5-year plan, the growth rate rose to 18.4 percent. Nan-ning city adheres to the policy of "small, native, mass" and successfully promotes

Nonlinear Photonic Systems for V- and W-Band Antenna Remoting Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2016-10-22

AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2016-0088 Nonlinear Photonic Systems for V- and W-Band Antenna Remoting Applications Sheng-Kwang Hwang NATIONAL CHENG KUNG...2016 2. REPORT TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 26 May 2015 to 25 May 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Nonlinear Photonic Systems for V- and W-Band...TERMS nonlinear, photonic , antenna, remote, microwave, amplification, bandwith, modulation 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR

Eestis algasid kung-fu-filmi võtted / Andri Maimets

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Maimets, Andri, 1979-

2005-01-01

Soome ja Hiina mütoloogiat ühendava fantaasiafilmi "Armuvalus sõdalane" (eelarve ca 40 milj. krooni, tootjad Soome, Holland, Hiina ja Eesti) võtted algavad täna Vihterpalu rabas. Kaasa teeb ka Elle Kull, lavastab debütant AJ Annila

Selections from the Peiping TA KUNG PAO - Communist China

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1961-01-01

.... The articles contains topics such as the processing of tobacco, tea, cotton and flax, agricultural products, transportation production, textile industries, grain storage, weather forecasts, fishing...

Aromatic-Mediated Carbohydrate Recognition in Processive Serratia marcescens Chitinases.

Science.gov (United States)

Jana, Suvamay; Hamre, Anne Grethe; Wildberger, Patricia; Holen, Matilde Mengkrog; Eijsink, Vincent G H; Beckham, Gregg T; Sørlie, Morten; Payne, Christina M

2016-02-25

Microorganisms use a host of enzymes, including processive glycoside hydrolases, to deconstruct recalcitrant polysaccharides to sugars. Processive glycoside hydrolases closely associate with polymer chains and repeatedly cleave glycosidic linkages without dissociating from the crystalline surface after each hydrolytic step; they are typically the most abundant enzymes in both natural secretomes and industrial cocktails by virtue of their significant hydrolytic potential. The ubiquity of aromatic residues lining the enzyme catalytic tunnels and clefts is a notable feature of processive glycoside hydrolases. We hypothesized that these aromatic residues have uniquely defined roles, such as substrate chain acquisition and binding in the catalytic tunnel, that are defined by their local environment and position relative to the substrate and the catalytic center. Here, we investigated this hypothesis with variants of Serratia marcescens family 18 processive chitinases ChiA and ChiB. We applied molecular simulation and free energy calculations to assess active site dynamics and ligand binding free energies. Isothermal titration calorimetry provided further insight into enthalpic and entropic contributions to ligand binding free energy. Thus, the roles of six aromatic residues, Trp-167, Trp-275, and Phe-396 in ChiA, and Trp-97, Trp-220, and Phe-190 in ChiB, have been examined. We observed that point mutation of the tryptophan residues to alanine results in unfavorable changes in the free energy of binding relative to wild-type. The most drastic effects were observed for residues positioned at the "entrances" of the deep substrate-binding clefts and known to be important for processivity. Interestingly, phenylalanine mutations in ChiA and ChiB had little to no effect on chito-oligomer binding, in accordance with the limited effects of their removal on chitinase functionality.

Deletion of v-chiA from a baculovirus reduces horizontal transmission in the field

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent D' Amico; James Slavicek; John D. Podgwaite; Ralph Webb; Roger Fuester; Randall A. Peiffer

2013-01-01

Nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) can initiate devastating disease outbreaks in populations of defoliating Lepidoptera, a fact that has been exploited for the purposes of biological control of some pest insects. A key part of the horizontal transmission process of NPVs is the degradation of the larval integument by virus-coded proteins called chitinases, such as V-CHIA...

Effects of rice bran on sensory and physico-chemical properties of emulsified pork meatballs.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, S C; Shiau, C Y; Liu, T E; Chu, C L; Hwang, D F

2005-08-01

Four kinds of bran, which are milled from important rice cultivators in Taiwan, have high contents of dietary fiber, fat and protein. The use of rice bran in Kung-wan, an emulsified pork meatball, was investigated. It was found that protein and fat contents, and white index of meatballs decreased as the amount of bran increased. A texture profile analysis (TPA) also indicated the hardness, gumminess and chewiness of the Kung-wan decreased. The sensory scores of taste, texture and overall acceptability of meatballs with less than 10% added bran showed no significant difference from those for meatballs without bran. However, the added amount of 15% enriched meatballs resulted in inferior sensory scores. The bran's particle size profoundly affected the sensory and physico-chemical properties of the meat products. Meatballs enriched with smaller bran particles possessed higher TPA indices and sensory scores than those added with larger ones. No significant differences in proximate composition, cooking yield, color and sensory quality were found among emulsified meatballs enriched with four different kinds of bran. Conclusively, the suitable amount of rice bran that should be added to emulsified pork meatballs was less than 10% and a smaller particle size would result in better quality.

Bacterial chitinolytic communities respond to chitin and pH alteration in soil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kielak, Anna; Cretoiu, Mariana; Semenov, Alexander

2013-01-01

by the addition of chitin at different prevailing soil pH values. Interestingly, a major role of Gram-negative bacteria versus a minor one of Actinobacteria in the immediate response to the added chitin (based on 16S rRNA gene abundance and chiA gene types) was indicated. The results of this study enhance our...

Molecular Signatures and Diagnostic Biomarkers of Cumulative, Blast-Graded Mild TBI

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

ischemic stroke. Neurol. Res. 30, 783–793. 35. Wang, H.C., Lin, W.C., Lin, Y.J., Rau, C.S., Lee, T.H., Chang, W.N., Tsai, N.W., Cheng, B.C., Kung , C.T., and...J.K., Shen, C.A., Yin, H.N., Zhou, X.F., Lu, W., Hu, Q.G., Chi, Y.F., Ma, L., 22  Deng, H.P., Zhang, X.B., Sun, T.J., and Han , Y.F. (2010). [Early

Bioconversion of α-linolenic acid to n-3 LCPUFA and expression of PPAR-alpha, acyl Coenzyme A oxidase 1 and carnitine acyl transferase I are incremented after feeding rats with α-linolenic acid-rich oils.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Mañán, Daniel; Tapia, Gladys; Gormaz, Juan Guillermo; D'Espessailles, Amanda; Espinosa, Alejandra; Masson, Lilia; Varela, Patricia; Valenzuela, Alfonso; Valenzuela, Rodrigo

2012-07-01

High dietary intake of n-6 fatty acids in relation to n-3 fatty acids may generate health disorders, such as cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Fish consumption rich in n-3 fatty acids is low in Latin America, it being necessary to seek other alternatives to provide α-linolenic acid (ALA), precursor of n-3 LCPUFA (EPA and DHA). Two innovative oils were assayed, chia (Salvia hispanica) and rosa mosqueta (Rosa rubiginosa). This study evaluated hepatic bioconversion of ALA to EPA and DHA, expression of PPAR-α, acyl-Coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1) and carnitine acyltransferase I (CAT-I), and accumulation of EPA and DHA in plasma and adipose tissue in Sprague-Dawley rats. Three experimental groups were fed 21 days: sunflower oil (SFO, control); chia oil (CO); rosa mosqueta oil (RMO). Fatty acid composition of total lipids and phospholipids from plasma, hepatic and adipose tissue was assessed by gas-liquid chromatography and TLC. Expression of PPAR-α (RT-PCR) and ACOX1 and CAT-I (Western blot). CO and RMO increased plasma, hepatic and adipose tissue levels of ALA, EPA and DHA and decreased n-6:n-3 ratio compared to SFO (p oil.

Cloning of the Bacillus thuringiensis serovar sotto chitinase (Schi gene and characterization of its protein

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wan-Fang Zhong

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Chitinase plays a positive role in the pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis to insect pests. We used touchdown PCR to clone the chitinase (Schi gene from Bacillus thuringiensis serovar sotto (Bt sotto chromosomal DNA. Our DNA sequencing analysis revealed that the Bt sotto Schi gene consists of an open reading frame (ORF of 2067 nucleotides with codes for the chitinase precursor. We also found that the putative promoter consensus sequences (the -35 and -10 regions of the Bt soto Schi gene are identical to those of the chiA71 gene from Bt Pakistani, the chiA74 gene from Bt kenyae and the ichi gene from Bt israelensis. The Schi chitinase precursor is 688 amino acids long with an estimated molecular mass of 75.75 kDa and a theoretical isoelectric point of 5.74, and contains four domains, which are, in sequence, a signal peptide, an N-terminal catalytic domain, a fibronectin type III like domain and a C-terminal chitin-binding domain. Sequence comparison and the evolutionary relationship of the Bt sotto Schi chitinase to other chitinase and chitinase-like proteins are also discussed.

Deputat Riigikogu v bojevike v stilje kung-fu / Alina Zelimhanova

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Zelimhanova, Alina

2005-01-01

Soome ja Hiina mütoloogiat ühendava fantaasiafilmi "Armuvalus sõdalane" (eelarve ca 40 milj. krooni, tootjad Soome, Holland, Hiina ja Eesti) võtted algavad täna Vihterpalu rabas. Kaasa teeb ka Elle Kull, lavastab debütant AJ Annila

Porous and Phase Change Nanomaterials For Photonic Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2014-08-28

Y. Han , M. S. Zhao, G. Morthier, and R. Baets. Athermal silicon-on-insulator ring resonators by overlaying a polymer cladding on narrowed waveguides...integrated photonics. Advanced Materials, 22(23):2561, 2010. [152] T. Sondergaard, S. M. Novikov, T. Holmgaard, R. L. Eriksen, J. Beermann, Z. H. Han , K...726, 2011. [181] N. N. Feng, D. Z. Feng, S. R. Liao, X. Wang, P. Dong, H. Liang, C. C. Kung , W. Qian, J. Fong, R. Shafiiha, Y. Luo, J. Cunningham, A. V

Intelligence quotient discrepancy indicates levels of motor competence in preschool children at risk for developmental delays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu TY

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Tzu-Ying Yu,1 Kuan-Lin Chen,2,3 Willy Chou,4,5 Shu-Han Yang,4 Sheng-Chun Kung,4 Ya-Chen Lee,2 Li-Chen Tung4,6,7 1Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 2Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 3Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 4Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 5Department of Recreation and Health Care Management, Cha Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, 6School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 7School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan Purpose: This study aimed to establish 1 whether a group difference exists in the motor competence of preschool children at risk for developmental delays with intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD; refers to difference between verbal intelligence quotient [VIQ] and performance intelligence quotient [PIQ] and 2 whether an association exists between IQD and motor competence.Methods: Children’s motor competence and IQD were determined with the motor subtests of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence™ – Fourth Edition. A total of 291 children were included in three groups: NON-IQD (n=213; IQD within 1 standard deviation [SD], VIQ>PIQ (n=39; VIQ>PIQ greater than 1 SD, and PIQ>VIQ (n=39; PIQ>VIQ greater than 1 SD.Results: The results of one-way analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the subgroups for the “Gross and fine motor” subdomains of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers, especially on the subtests of “body-movement coordination” (F=3.87, P<0.05 and “visual-motor coordination” (F=6.90, P<0.05. Motor competence was significantly

Evaluation of the hepatic bioconversion of α-linolenic acid (ALA to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA in rats fed with oils from chia (Salvia hispánica or rosa mosqueta (Rosa rubiginosa

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Tapia O., G.

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The high dietary intake of n-6 fatty acids in relation to n-3 fatty acids generates health disorders, such as cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory diseases and other chronic diseases. The consumption of fish, which is rich in n-3 fatty acids, is low in Latin America and it is necessary to seek other alternatives, such as chia oil (CO or rosa mosqueta oil (RMO, which are rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA, the precursor of the n -3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA. This study evaluates the hepatic bioconversion of ALA to EPA and DHA and the damage to the liver (histology and transaminase in Sprague- Dawley rats fed different vegetable oils. Four experimental groups (n = 9 animals each group were fed the following dietary supplements for 21 days: a sunflower oil (SFO, b RMO, c CO d olive oil with fish oil added (EPA and DHA (OO/FO. RMO and CO increased the hepatic levels of ALA, EPA and DHA and decreased the n-6/n-3 ratio compared to SFO (p El elevado aporte en la dieta de ácidos grasos omega- 6, en relación a los ácidos grasos omega-3, genera alteraciones de la salud cardiovascular, inflamación y otras patologías crónicas no transmisibles. Por otro lado, el pescado rico en ácidos grasos omega-3 es de bajo consumo en Latinoamérica, siendo necesario buscar otras alternativas de aporte de ácidos grasos omega-3, como lo son el aceite de chía (CO o el de rosa mosqueta (RMO, ricos en ácido α-linolénico (ALA, que es el precursor de los ácidos grasos omega-3, eicosapentaenoico (EPA y docosahexaenoico (DHA. Este trabajo evaluó en forma preliminar la bioconversión hepática del ALA en EPA y DHA y el daño hepático (histología y transaminasas en ratas Sprague-Dawley alimentadas con diferentes aceites vegetales. Se conformaron cuatro grupos experimentales (n = 9 animales por grupo que recibieron durante 21 días: a aceite de girasol (SFO; b RMO, c CO y d aceite de oliva adicionado de aceite de pescado (EPA

A BCR-ABL Kinase Activity-Independent Signaling Pathway in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Science.gov (United States)

2008-02-01

Breitenstein W, Bruggen J, Cowan-Jacob SW, Ray A, Huntly B, Fabbro D, Fendrich G, Hall-Meyers E, et al. (2005) Cancer Cell 7:129–141. 10. Druker BJ...2532–9. 15. Weisberg E, Manley PW, Breitenstein W, Bruggen J, Cowan-Jacob SW, Ray A, Huntly B, Fabbro D, Fendrich G, Hall-Meyers E, Kung AL, Mestan J...HG, Mountford JC, Holyoake TL. Punish the parent not the progeny. Blood. 2005; 105: 1862–6. 63. Pfeifer H, Wassmann B, Pavlova A, Wunderle L, Oldenburg

Pretreatment combination of platelet counts and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio predicts survival of nasopharyngeal cancer patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy

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Lin YH

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Yu-Hsuan Lin,1 Kuo-Ping Chang,2 Yaoh-Shiang Lin,2,3 Ting-Shou Chang2–4 1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 2Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, 3Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 4Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: Increased cancer-related inflammation has been associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. The combination of platelet count and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (COP-NLR has related outcomes in several cancers, except for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC. This study evaluated the prognostic value of COP-NLR in predicting outcome in NPC patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT.Materials and methods: We analyzed the data collected from 232 NPC patients. Pretreatment total platelet counts, neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR, and COP-NLR score were evaluated as potential predictors. Optimal cutoff values for NLR and platelets were determined using receiver operating curve. Patients with both elevated NLR (>3 and platelet counts (>300×109/L were assigned a COP-NLR score of 2; those with one elevated or no elevated value were assigned a COP-NLR a score of 1 or 0. Cox proportional hazards model was used to test the association of these factors and relevant 3-year survivals.Results: Patients (COP-NLR scores 1 and 2=85; score 0=147 were followed up for 55.19 months. Univariate analysis showed no association between pretreatment NLR >2.23 and platelet counts >290.5×109/L and worse outcomes. Multivariate analysis revealed that those with COP-NLR scores of 0 had better 3-year disease-specific survival (P=0.02, overall survival (P=0.024, locoregional relapse-free survival (P=0.004, and distant

Bibliometric analysis of martial arts monographs published in Spain (1906-2006

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Mikel Pérez Gutiérrez

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the martial arts monographs published in Spain between 1906 and 2006 from a bibliometric point of view. Starting from Pérez and Gutiérrez’s previous bibliography (2008, the total number of published monographs following the criteria of subject, decade and the combination of both was analyzed. The results showed a total of 2.036 books (1.285 original editions with a prevalence of Japanese and Chinese martial arts. A group of eight subjects exceeded a hundred volumes (karate, judo/jujutsu, taijiquan, wu-shu/kung fu, classics, qigong, philosophy, history and education, and aikido, with two patterns of bibliographic evolution appearing. The first, represented by Japanese martial arts considered as a group and martial arts focused on the utilitarian and/or sporting performance aspects (judo/jujutsu, karate and wu-shu/kung fu, developed increasingly until the 80’s when it followed a steady-state and/or drop. The second model, which characterises the Chinese martial arts group and martial arts mainly focused on healthy and/or spiritual aspects of training (taijiquan, qigong, aikido, has increased significantly from the 90’s until the present moment. The interpretation of these patterns and the evolution of the martial arts bibliographic production in Spain highlights some aspects such as the development of the Spanish society and sports practice, bibliographic production, reading habits, or the cultural influences of eastern countries on Spain.

2015 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-12

States; 2, , Colorado School of Mines , Golden, Colorado, United States. Show Abstract 10:00 AM - BREAK Show Abstract FF7: Roles of Defects in Compound...Nanoparticles for Gold Mining Weizheng Shen1 2, Sibel Cetinel1 2, Carlo Montemagno1 2. 1, , Ingenuity Lab, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; 2, Chemical...California-Irvine, Irvine, California, United States. Show Abstract 8:00 PM - GG5.10 Selective Virus Separation with Conductive Inverse Opal Films Chia

Network Intrusion Dataset Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Natural Computing, volume 2, pages 413–416, June 2009. • Rung Ching Chen, Kai -Fan Cheng, and...Chia-Fen Hsieh . “Using rough set and support vector machine for network intrusion detection.” International Journal of Network Security & Its...intrusion detection using FP tree rules.” Journal Of Advanced Networking and Applications, 1(1):30–39, 2009. • Ming-Yang Su, Gwo-Jong Yu , and Chun-Yuen

Understanding The Process Of Strategic Change From A Structurational And Cognitive Perspective: Case Study Of The Users Of A New Technology

OpenAIRE

Slocum, Alesia

2007-01-01

How does strategic change happen, and how is it understood around technology? This ethnographic research has sought to better understand this process, from a structurational, cognitive and practice perspective. Researchers have shown that change is a continuous and ongoing process (Tsoukas and Chia, 2002; Weick and Quinn, 1999), while others have shown that change, while not determinate, can be intentional and directed to a large extent by change agents in practice (Balogun ...

Prevalence and natural history of ALK positive non-small-cell lung cancer and the clinical impact of targeted therapy with ALK inhibitors

OpenAIRE

Chia, Puey Ling; John,Thomas; Dobrovic,Alex; Mitchell,Paul

2014-01-01

Puey Ling Chia,1 Paul Mitchell,1 Alexander Dobrovic,2–4 Thomas John1,2,4 1Department of Medical Oncology, Olivia-Newton John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Victoria, Australia; 2Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia; 3Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; 4School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia Abstract: Improved understanding of molecular drivers of carcinogenesis has led to significant p...

MICROBIAL FERMENTATION OF ABUNDANT BIOPOLYMERS: CELLULOSE AND CHITIN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leschine, Susan

2009-10-31

Our research has dealt with seven major areas of investigation: i) characterization of cellulolytic members of microbial consortia, with special attention recently given to Clostridium phytofermentans, a bacterium that decomposes cellulose and produces uncommonly large amounts of ethanol, ii) investigations of the chitinase system of Cellulomonas uda; including the purification and characterization of ChiA, the major component of this enzyme system, iii) molecular cloning, sequence and structural analysis of the gene that encodes ChiA in C. uda, iv) biofilm formation by C. uda on nutritive surfaces, v) investigations of the effects of humic substances on cellulose degradation by anaerobic cellulolytic microbes, vi) studies of nitrogen metabolism in cellulolytic anaerobes, and vii) understanding the molecular architecture of the multicomplex cellulase-xylanase system of Clostridium papyrosolvens. Also, progress toward completing the research of more recent projects is briefly summarized. Major accomplishments include: 1. Characterization of Clostridium phytofermentans, a cellulose-fermenting, ethanol-producing bacterium from forest soil. The characterization of a new cellulolytic species isolated from a cellulose-decomposing microbial consortium from forest soil was completed. This bacterium is remarkable for the high concentrations of ethanol produced during cellulose fermentation, typically more than twice the concentration produced by other species of cellulolytic clostridia. 2. Examination of the use of chitin as a source of carbon and nitrogen by cellulolytic microbes. We discovered that many cellulolytic anaerobes and facultative aerobes are able to use chitin as a source of both carbon and nitrogen. This major discovery expands our understanding of the biology of cellulose-fermenting bacteria and may lead to new applications for these microbes. 3. Comparative studies of the cellulase and chitinase systems of Cellulomonas uda. Results of these studies indicate

Eesti teeb koos soomlaste ja hiinlastega kung-fu filmi / Mari Rebane

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Rebane, Mari

2005-01-01

Soome ja Hiina mütoloogiat ühendava fantaasiafilmi "Armuvalus sõdalane" (eelarve 39 milj. krooni) tootjad on Soome, Holland, Hiina ja Eesti (3,9 milj. krooni). Kaasa teeb ka Elle Kull, lavastab debütant AJ Annila

KungFQ: a simple and powerful approach to compress fastq files.

Science.gov (United States)

Grassi, Elena; Di Gregorio, Federico; Molineris, Ivan

2012-01-01

Nowadays storing data derived from deep sequencing experiments has become pivotal and standard compression algorithms do not exploit in a satisfying manner their structure. A number of reference-based compression algorithms have been developed but they are less adequate when approaching new species without fully sequenced genomes or nongenomic data. We developed a tool that takes advantages of fastq characteristics and encodes them in a binary format optimized in order to be further compressed with standard tools (such as gzip or lzma). The algorithm is straightforward and does not need any external reference file, it scans the fastq only once and has a constant memory requirement. Moreover, we added the possibility to perform lossy compression, losing some of the original information (IDs and/or qualities) but resulting in smaller files; it is also possible to define a quality cutoff under which corresponding base calls are converted to N. We achieve 2.82 to 7.77 compression ratios on various fastq files without losing information and 5.37 to 8.77 losing IDs, which are often not used in common analysis pipelines. In this paper, we compare the algorithm performance with known tools, usually obtaining higher compression levels.

ORF Alignment: NC_000913 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available regulator of genes in aerobic pathways (sensors, ... ArcB and CpxA) [Shigella flexneri 2a str. 301] ... ... gb|AAN45846.2| negative response regulator of genes in ... aerobic pathways (sensors, ArcB...esponse ... regulator of genes in aerobic pathways (sensors, ArcB ... and CpxA) [Shigella flex...chia coli CFT073] gb|AAP19620.1| negative ... response regulator of genes in aerobic pathways... ... negative response regulator of genes in aerobic ... pathways, (senso

ORF Alignment: NC_003198 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available regulator of genes in aerobic pathways (sensors, ... ArcB and CpxA) [Shigella flexneri 2a str. 301] ... ... gb|AAN45846.2| negative response regulator of genes in ... aerobic pathways (sensors, ArcB...esponse ... regulator of genes in aerobic pathways (sensors, ArcB ... and CpxA) [Shigella flex...chia coli CFT073] gb|AAP19620.1| negative ... response regulator of genes in aerobic pathways... ... negative response regulator of genes in aerobic ... pathways, (senso

Health claims database study of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion treatment patterns in dry eye patients

OpenAIRE

Stonecipher, Karl G; Chia, Jenny; Onyenwenyi, Ahunna; Villanueva, Linda; Hollander, David A

2013-01-01

Karl G Stonecipher,1 Jenny Chia,2 Ahunna Onyenwenyi,2 Linda Villanueva,2 David A Hollander2 1TLC Laser Eye Centers, Greensboro, NC, 2Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA, USA Background: Dry eye is a multifactorial, symptomatic disease associated with ocular surface inflammation and tear film hyperosmolarity. This study was designed to assess patterns of topical cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% (Restasis®) use in dry eye patients and determine if there were any differences in use based o...

Infrared Detector Research

Science.gov (United States)

1976-08-01

Bratt, Howard Davis, Frank Renda , Paul Chia, Arthur Lockwood. Bell Telephone Labs Leo F. Johnson, Alfred U. MacRae, Paul Norton. Texas Ins truments Werner...impurities which can "donate" their extra electron not required for bonding with the silicon atoms. When there are more acceptors than donors the material...will be p-type. The extra electrons from the donors can complete the bond missing due to the boron atoms. This process is call compensation. The

AISLAMIENTO DE CEPAS DE ESCHERICHIA COLI DESDE CASOS CLÍNICOS DE INFECCIÓN VAGINAL: ASOCIACIÓN CON OTROS MICROORGANISMOS Y SUSCEPTIBILIDAD ANTIBACTERIANA

OpenAIRE

Padilla E, Carlos; Lobos G, Olga; Padilla E, Ramiro; Fuentes V, Leoncio; Núñez F, Loreto

2007-01-01

Objetivo: Determinar la presencia de Escheríchia coli en fluidos vaginales de mujeres con infección vaginal y analizar la susceptibilidad antimicrobiana. Método: Se estudiaron 425 muestras de mujeres con diagnóstico clínico de infección vaginal (casos) y 100 mujeres sanas (controles). Las muestras vaginales fueron estudiadas mediante los criterios de Amsel y Nugent. Se utilizaron diferentes metodologías para identificar: Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida albicans, Gardnerella vaginalis, Chlamydi...

Maximally efficient two-stage screening: Determining intellectual disability in Taiwanese military conscripts

OpenAIRE

Chien, Chia-Chang; Huang, Shu-Fen; Lung, For-Wey

2009-01-01

Chia-Chang Chien1, Shu-Fen Huang1,2,3,4, For-Wey Lung1,2,3,41Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Calo Psychiatric Center, Pingtung County, TaiwanObjective: The purpose of this study was to apply a two-stage screening method for the large-scale intelligence screening of militar...

Practice of martial arts and bone mineral density in adolescents of both sexes

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Igor Hideki; Mantovani, Alessandra Madia; Agostinete, Ricardo Ribeiro; Costa, Paulo; Zanuto, Edner Fernando; Christofaro, Diego Giulliano Destro; Ribeiro, Luis Pedro; Fernandes, Rômulo Araújo

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between martial arts practice (judo, karate and kung-fu) and bone mineral density in adolescents. Methods: The study was composed of 138 (48 martial arts practitioners and 90 non-practitioners) adolescents of both sexes, with an average age of 12.6 years. Bone mineral density was measured using Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry in arms, legs, spine, trunk, pelvis and total. Weekly training load and previous time of engagement in the sport modality were reported by the coach. Partial correlation tested the association between weekly training load and bone mineral density, controlled by sex, chronological age, previous practice and somatic maturation. Analysis of covariance was used to compare bone mineral density values according to control and martial arts groups, controlled by sex, chronological age, previous practice and somatic maturation. Significant relationships between bone mineral density and muscle mass were inserted into a multivariate model and the slopes of the models were compared using the Student t test (control versus martial art). Results: Adolescents engaged in judo practice presented higher values of bone mineral density than the control individuals (p-value=0.042; Medium Effect size [Eta-squared=0.063]), while the relationship between quantity of weekly training and bone mineral density was significant among adolescents engaged in judo (arms [r=0.308] and legs [r=0.223]) and kung-fu (arms [r=0.248] and spine [r=0.228]). Conclusions: Different modalities of martial arts are related to higher bone mineral density in different body regions among adolescents. PMID:27017002

Injuries in martial arts: a comparison of five styles.

Science.gov (United States)

Zetaruk, M N; Violán, M A; Zurakowski, D; Micheli, L J

2005-01-01

To compare five martial arts with respect to injury outcomes. A one year retrospective cohort was studied using an injury survey. Data on 263 martial arts participants (Shotokan karate, n = 114; aikido, n = 47; tae kwon do, n = 49; kung fu, n = 39; tai chi, n = 14) were analysed. Predictor variables included age, sex, training frequency (3 h/week), experience (or=3 years), and martial art style. Outcome measures were injuries requiring time off from training, major injuries (>or=7 days off), multiple injuries (>or=3), body region, and type of injury. Logistic regression was used to determine odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI). Fisher's exact test was used for comparisons between styles, with a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. The rate of injuries, expressed as percentage of participants sustaining an injury that required time off training a year, varied according to style: 59% tae kwon do, 51% aikido, 38% kung fu, 30% karate, and 14% tai chi. There was a threefold increased risk of injury and multiple injury in tae kwon do than karate (por=18 years of age were at greater risk of injury than younger ones (p3 h/week was also a significant predictor of injury (pkarate, the risks of head/neck injury, upper extremity injury, and soft tissue injury were all higher in aikido (pinjuries were higher in tae kwon do (pkarate. Different martial arts have significantly different types and distribution of injuries. Martial arts appear to be safe for young athletes, particularly those at beginner or intermediate levels.

ACEITAÇÃO SENSORIAL DE SORVETE A BASE DE VEGETAIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilherme Eiki

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Atualmente, observa-se que aumenta cada vez mais o número de indivíduos que apresenta intolerancia à lactose ou alergia à proteína do leite, aliado a este fato tem-se uma crescente busca por produtos que favorecem a saúde e bem-estar, ou seja, de alimentos funcionais. Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um sorvete sem lactose a base de vegetais, verificando a possibilidade de substituição do estabilizante e do emulsificante pela chia triturada e pelo psyllium. Foram elaboradas e analisadas sensorialmente três formulações: uma padrão, outra com psyllium e outra com chia. A análise sensorial dos sorvetes desenvolvidos demonstrou que a formulação à base de psyllium (Indice de Aceitação= 80 % se aproximou muito da formulação padrão (Indice de Aceitação= 83 %, o mesmo ocorreu no derretimento e na incorporação de ar (overrun. Assim, conclui-se que a formulação com psyllium ofereceu características muitos semelhantes à formulação padrão com valores satisfatórios, podendo ser substituído funcionalmente pela liga neutra e emustab na produção de sorvete à base de soja.

The drying method affects the organic acid content of alfalfa forages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Pezzi

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Malic acid (the main organic acid contained in alfalfa; Callaway et al., 1997 is an important metabolite for ruminal microbial population since it improves the uptake of lactic acid by Selenomonas ruminantium (Evans and Martin, 1997 and Megasphaera elsdenii (Rossi and Piva, 1999. Several studies have shown the effect of adding malic acid to the diet of steers and dairy cows on ruminal fermentation (Martin et al., 1999; Martin et al., 2000 and animal performances (Krummrey et al., 1979; Stallcup, 1979; Kung et al., 1982. Aim of this study was the evaluation of the influence of drying method.......

Preface to the Special Issue on "Connection of Solar and Heliospheric Activities with Near-Earth Space Weather: Sun-Earth Connection"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chin-Chun Wu Sunny W. Y. Tam

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This special issue of the Terrestrial, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (TAO presents a small collection of the materials presented at the 2011 International Space Plasma Symposium (ISPS, held at National Cheng-Kung University (NCKU in Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC, from August 15 - 19, 2011. The purpose of the Symposium was to bring space physicists together to present their recent research results and discuss some outstanding questions in, but not limited to, the solar corona, interplanetary medium, planetary magnetosphere and ionospheres. A total number of 59 papers were presented at the Symposium by scientists from 11 countries and regions.

Õigus / Tiina Kala

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kala, Tiina, 1967-

2008-01-01

Käsikirjalistest allikatest (Lübecki õigus = Jus Lubicense 1257 ; Lübecki õigus = Das lübische Recht 1282 ; Lübecki õigus : raehärrade valimise ja vannutamise kord = Das lübische Recht : Ordnung für die Wahl und Beeidigung der Ratsherren 13.-16. saj. ; Lübecki õigus : Tallinna privileegid : das lübische Recht : Privilegien der Stadt Reval 14. saj. ; Kuningas Magnus Erikssoni linnaõigus = Kung Magnus Erikssons stadslag 15. saj. ; Vendi linnade mereõigus = Seerecht der wendischen Städte 1482 ; Lübecki õigus = Das lübische Recht 1511) Tallinna Linnaarhiivis ja Eesti Ajaloomuuseumis

Hans Küng se voorstel vir ’n eietydse etiek

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Strauss

1998-06-01

Full Text Available This contribution undertakes a critical assessment of the well-known Hans Küng's proposal for contemporary ethics in his book Global responsibility. In search of a new world ethic (1990. This article commences by providing some background on this publication as well as on the theology of Küng in general. The content of the book is then paraphrased in summarised form. The last part of the article analyses four major convictions of Kung, against which the Reformed doctrine is brought forward. These convictions deal with the ethical aspects of normativity, humanity, postmodernity and ecumenicity.

Ga- and N-polar GaN Growths on SiC Substrate

Science.gov (United States)

2018-03-15

transverse-electric-polarized emission of an AlGaN deep -ultraviolet quantum well,” Optics Express, Vol. 25, No. 22, pp. 26365-26377, 30 October 2017. 3...23, No. 25, pp. 32274-32288, 14 December 2015. 11. Yang Kuo, Wen -Yen Chang, Chun-Han Lin, C. C. Yang, and Yean-Woei Kiang, “Evaluating the blue...unlimited. 50 dielectric interlayers,” Plasmonics, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 1029-1040, October 2015. 14. Yang Kuo, Chia-Ying Su, Chieh Hsieh, Wen -Yen Chang

The development and validation of the Satisfaction Questionnaire for Osteoporosis Prevention in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Lai, Pauline Siew Mei; Toh,Li Shean; Wong,Kok Thong; Tan,Alex Tong Boon; Low,Bee Yean; Anderson,Claire; Wu,David Bin-Chia

2014-01-01

Li Shean Toh,1 Pauline Siew Mei Lai,2 David Bin-Chia Wu,3 Kok Thong Wong,1 Bee Yean Low,1 Alexander Tong Boon Tan,4 Claire Anderson5 1School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Semenyih, Malaysia; 2Department of Primary Care Medicine, University of Malaya Primary Care Research Group, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia; 4Department of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 5Division of Soci...

Music therapy-induced changes in salivary cortisol level are predictive of cardiovascular mortality in patients under maintenance hemodialysis

OpenAIRE

Hou, Yi-Chou; Lin, Yen-Ju; Lu, Kuo-Cheng; Chiang, Han-Sun; Chang, Chia-Chi; Yang, Li-King

2017-01-01

Yi-Chou Hou,1 Yen-Ju Lin,2 Kuo-Cheng Lu,1 Han-Sun Chiang,3 Chia-Chi Chang,4 Li-King Yang1 1Department of Internal Medicine, Cardinal Tien Hospital, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, 2Department of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, 3Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, 4School of Gerontology Health Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China Background:...

Southeast Asia Report.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-03-15

Years (Phuah Eng Chye ; BUSINESS TIMES, 24 Jan 84) 67 Imports of Urea To Cease With Start-Up of Bintulu Plant (NEW STRAITS TIMES, 27 Jan 84) 68...Datuk Chia Chin Shin, who was later appointed an Assistant Minister for Welfare. CSO: 4200/538 61 MALAYSIA SUPP, UMNO YOUTH, WANITA OPPOSE SNAP...English 24 Jan 84 p 1 [Article by Phuah Eng Chye ] [Text] BASED on present trends, Malaysia’s pro- duction of palm oil is pro- jected to peak in 1992

Studies on the seedling growth of Adansonia digitata AL. | Chia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The germination and growth of seedlings of Adansonia digitata were investigated at the Biological garden of ABU Zaria, Nigeria (07o38′ and 11o11′N) at different planting depths and soil types. The seeds were planted at different planting depths of 1.0 cm, 2.0 cm, 4.0 cm and 6.0 cm in nursery bags and kept in a screen ...

Influences of xylooligosaccharides on the quality of Chinese-style meatball (kung-wan).

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yu-Bi; Lin, Kuo-Wei

2011-07-01

Physicochemical properties, sensory traits, and protein surface hydrophobicity of Chinese-style meatball (20% fat) processed from various combinations of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and sucrose were investigated. No significant differences in pH and water-holding capacity were noted for treatments following cooking and frozen storage. Sensory springiness, hardness, chewiness, and overall acceptability of all treatments were found not significantly different. Water-soluble protein and total extractable protein concentrations of XOS4 (4% xylooligosaccharides) containing treatments were higher than other treatments at any frozen storage period (0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks). Addition of xylooligosaccharides or sucrose singly or in combination at levels investigated in this experiment resulted in Chinese meatballs with comparable quality. Substitution of sucrose with varying amounts (1, 2, and 4%) of xylooligosaccharides functioned equally on the quality of Chinese-style meatball. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Practice of martial arts and bone mineral density in adolescents of both sexes].

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Igor Hideki; Mantovani, Alessandra Madia; Agostinete, Ricardo Ribeiro; Costa Junior, Paulo; Zanuto, Edner Fernando; Christofaro, Diego Giulliano Destro; Ribeiro, Luis Pedro; Fernandes, Rômulo Araújo

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between martial arts practice (judo, karate and kung-fu) and bone mineral density in adolescents. The study was composed of 138 (48 martial arts practitioners and 90 non-practitioners) adolescents of both sexes, with an average age of 12.6 years. Bone mineral density was measured using Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry in arms, legs, spine, trunk, pelvis and total. Weekly training load and previous time of engagement in the sport modality were reported by the coach. Partial correlation tested the association between weekly training load and bone mineral density, controlled by sex, chronological age, previous practice and somatic maturation. Analysis of covariance was used to compare bone mineral density values according to control and martial arts groups, controlled by sex, chronological age, previous practice and somatic maturation. Significant relationships between bone mineral density and muscle mass were inserted into a multivariate model and the slopes of the models were compared using the Student t test (control versus martial art). Adolescents engaged in judo practice presented higher values of bone mineral density than the control individuals (p-value=0.042; Medium Effect size [Eta-squared=0.063]), while the relationship between quantity of weekly training and bone mineral density was significant among adolescents engaged in judo (arms [r=0.308] and legs [r=0.223]) and kung-fu (arms [r=0.248] and spine [r=0.228]). Different modalities of martial arts are related to higher bone mineral density in different body regions among adolescents. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Stemmernes politik i samtidskunsten

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasse, Stina

2016-01-01

In the artworks Emigrant (2013) by Niels Pugholm, Nanna Lysholt Hansen's Miss no.1,2,3 (2013) and The Woman, the Orphan, and the Tiger (2010) by Jane Jin Kaisen og Guston Sondin-Kung, the voice as an artistic medium is used to create a dialogue between the artwork and the listener. It is a dialogue...... that concerns questions of identity politics, but in ways that point at the political systems and social problems that exist on a global and national level. In this article the artworks are discussed in in an effort to understand what role voice plays in the Danish contemporary art today....

Literatura Wushia, Budismo, marcialidade e ascese: da arte da guerra à historiografia sobre o mosteiro de Shaolin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Otávio Aguiar

Full Text Available O ensaio reúne as contribuições da historiografia recente para a compreensão das relações entre Budismo, marcialidade e ascese na tradição marcial do Mosteiro de Shaolin, tradicional centro de cultivo de artes marciais e um dos berços da espiritualidade Chan, localizado no Norte da China. Para responder às interrogações centrais sobre a relação entre marcialidade, espiritualidade budista Chan e cultura chinesa, recorreu-se à literatura épica, a chamada Wushia, à filmografia que abordou o tema e a entrevistas com mestres chineses migrantes e praticantes de Kung-Fu no Brasil.

ORF Alignment: NC_000913 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available NC_000913 gi|16129507 >1j9iA 1 68 1 68 3e-21 ... ref|NP_416066.1| DNA packaging prote...in NU1 homolog from lambdoid prophage Qin ... [Escherichia coli K12] gb|AAC74621.1| DNA packaging ... ... ... protein NU1 homolog from lambdoid prophage Qin; Qin ... prophage; packaging protein NU1 [Escheri...chia coli K12] ... pir||G64909 DNA packaging protein homolog nohA, phage ... ... ... protein-related - Escherichia coli (strain K-12) ... sp|P31061|NOHA_ECOLI Prophage Qin DNA packaging

ORF Alignment: NC_004556 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available NC_004556 gi|28199002 >1j9iA 1 68 1 68 3e-21 ... ref|NP_416066.1| DNA packaging prote...in NU1 homolog from lambdoid prophage Qin ... [Escherichia coli K12] gb|AAC74621.1| DNA packaging ... ... ... protein NU1 homolog from lambdoid prophage Qin; Qin ... prophage; packaging protein NU1 [Escheri...chia coli K12] ... pir||G64909 DNA packaging protein homolog nohA, phage ... ... ... protein-related - Escherichia coli (strain K-12) ... sp|P31061|NOHA_ECOLI Prophage Qin DNA packaging

ORF Alignment: NC_006814 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available NC_006814 gi|58337071 >1j9iA 1 68 1 68 3e-21 ... ref|NP_416066.1| DNA packaging prote...in NU1 homolog from lambdoid prophage Qin ... [Escherichia coli K12] gb|AAC74621.1| DNA packaging ... ... ... protein NU1 homolog from lambdoid prophage Qin; Qin ... prophage; packaging protein NU1 [Escheri...chia coli K12] ... pir||G64909 DNA packaging protein homolog nohA, phage ... ... ... protein-related - Escherichia coli (strain K-12) ... sp|P31061|NOHA_ECOLI Prophage Qin DNA packaging

ACEITAÇÃO SENSORIAL DE SORVETE A BASE DE VEGETAIS

OpenAIRE

Eiki, Guilherme; UEM; Hanai, Letícia Naomi; UEM; Pires, Letícia; UEM; Ekuni, Marcos Massao; UEM; Madrona, Grasiele Scaramal; Universidade Estadual de Maringá

2015-01-01

Atualmente, observa-se que aumenta cada vez mais o número de indivíduos que apresenta intolerancia à lactose ou alergia à proteína do leite, aliado a este fato tem-se uma crescente busca por produtos que favorecem a saúde e bem-estar, ou seja, de alimentos funcionais. Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um sorvete sem lactose a base de vegetais, verificando a possibilidade de substituição do estabilizante e do emulsificante pela chia triturada e pelo psyllium. Foram elab...

Independent dose calculation in IMRT for the Tps Iplan using the Clarkson modified integral; Calculo independiente de dosis en IMRT para el TPS Iplan usando la integral modificada de Clarkson

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adrada, A.; Tello, Z.; Garrigo, E.; Venencia, D., E-mail: jorge.alberto.adrada@gmail.com [Instituto Privado de Radioterapia, Obispo Oro 423, X5000BFI Cordoba (Argentina)

2014-08-15

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) treatments require a quality assurance (Q A) specific patient before delivery. These controls include the experimental verification in dose phantom of the total plan as well as dose distributions. The use of independent dose calculation (IDC) is used in 3D-Crt treatments; however its application in IMRT requires the implementation of an algorithm that allows considering a non-uniform intensity beam. The purpose of this work was to develop IDC software in IMRT with MLC using the algorithm proposed by Kung (Kung et al. 2000). The software was done using Matlab programming. The Clarkson modified integral was implemented on each flowing, applying concentric rings for the dose determination. From the integral of each field was calculated the dose anywhere. One time finished a planning; all data are exported to a phantom where a Q A plan is generated. On this is calculated the half dose in a representative volume of the ionization chamber and the dose at the center of it. Until now 230 IMRT planning were analyzed carried out ??in the treatment planning system (Tps) Iplan. For each one of them Q A plan was generated, were calculated and compared calculated dose with the Tps, IDC system and measurement with ionization chamber. The average difference between measured and calculated dose with the IDC system was 0.4% ± 2.2% [-6.8%, 6.4%]. The difference between the measured and the calculated doses by the pencil-beam algorithm (Pb) of Tps was 2.6% ± 1.41% [-2.0%, 5.6%] and with the Monte Carlo algorithm was 0.4% ± 1.5% [-4.9%, 3.7%]. The differences of the carried out software are comparable to the obtained with the ionization chamber and Tps in Monte Carlo mode. (author)

Independent dose calculation in IMRT for the Tps Iplan using the Clarkson modified integral

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adrada, A.; Tello, Z.; Garrigo, E.; Venencia, D.

2014-08-01

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) treatments require a quality assurance (Q A) specific patient before delivery. These controls include the experimental verification in dose phantom of the total plan as well as dose distributions. The use of independent dose calculation (IDC) is used in 3D-Crt treatments; however its application in IMRT requires the implementation of an algorithm that allows considering a non-uniform intensity beam. The purpose of this work was to develop IDC software in IMRT with MLC using the algorithm proposed by Kung (Kung et al. 2000). The software was done using Matlab programming. The Clarkson modified integral was implemented on each flowing, applying concentric rings for the dose determination. From the integral of each field was calculated the dose anywhere. One time finished a planning; all data are exported to a phantom where a Q A plan is generated. On this is calculated the half dose in a representative volume of the ionization chamber and the dose at the center of it. Until now 230 IMRT planning were analyzed carried out ??in the treatment planning system (Tps) Iplan. For each one of them Q A plan was generated, were calculated and compared calculated dose with the Tps, IDC system and measurement with ionization chamber. The average difference between measured and calculated dose with the IDC system was 0.4% ± 2.2% [-6.8%, 6.4%]. The difference between the measured and the calculated doses by the pencil-beam algorithm (Pb) of Tps was 2.6% ± 1.41% [-2.0%, 5.6%] and with the Monte Carlo algorithm was 0.4% ± 1.5% [-4.9%, 3.7%]. The differences of the carried out software are comparable to the obtained with the ionization chamber and Tps in Monte Carlo mode. (author)

Association study of a brain-derived neurotrophic factor polymorphism and short-term antidepressant response in major depressive disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lung-Cheng Huang

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Eugene Lin1,7, Po See Chen2,6,7, Lung-Cheng Huang3,4, Sen-Yen Hsu51Vita Genomics, Inc., Wugu Shiang, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Department of Psychiatry, Hospital and College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 3Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Taiwan; 4Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 5Department of Psychiatry, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan; 6Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Dou-liou Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan; 7These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Major depressive disorder (MDD is one of the most common mental disorders worldwide. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs can be used in clinical association studies to determine the contribution of genes to drug efficacy. A common SNP in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF gene, a methionine (Met substitution for valine (Val at codon 66 (Val66Met, is a candidate SNP for influencing antidepressant treatment outcome. In this study, our goal was to determine the relationship between the Val66Met polymorphism in the BDNF gene and the rapid antidepressant response to venlafaxine in a Taiwanese population with MDD. Overall, the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was found not to be associated with short-term venlafaxine treatment outcome. However, the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism showed a trend to be associated with rapid venlafaxine treatment response in female patients. Future research with independent replication in large sample sizes is needed to confirm the role of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism identified in this study.Keywords: antidepressant response, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, major depressive disorder, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, single nucleotide polymorphisms

Injury rates in martial art athletes: anthropometric parameters and training volume, but not foot morphology indexes, are predictive risk factors for lower limb injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitale, Jacopo A; Bassani, Tito; Galbusera, Fabio; Bianchi, Alberto; Martinelli, Nicolò

2017-09-22

Previous studies attempted to identify possible risk factors for acute and overuse injuries in several sports disciplines such as running, gymnastics or team sports. Given the lack of scientific works focused on risk factors for lower limb injuries in martial arts, the present study was aimed to investigate foot anatomy, anthropometric measures, and other background information as possible risk factors of injury in barefoot athletes practicing judo, karate, kung fu, thai boxe, or aikido. In addition, the injury rates were evaluated in relation with the different martial art styles. One group of 130 martial artists was retrospectively evaluated. Data of three foot morphological variables were collected: navicular height (NH), navicular drop (ND) and the rear foot (RF). In addition, each participant filled an interview questionnaire providing the following information: age, sex, body weight, height, BMI, hours of training per week, the kind of injury occurred to the lower limbs in the preceding year. Of 130 subjects, 70 (53.8%) did not sustain injuries, 35 (27.0%) suffered an acute injury and the remaining 25 (19.2%) reported an overuse injury. No significant differences were observed in the injury rates in relation to style and kind of martial art. Age, training volume and BMI were found as significant predictors of injury, while NH, ND and RF were not able to predict acute or overuse injury at lower limbs. The injury rates were similar in karate, judo, kung fu, aikido, and thai boxe. The foot morphology variables were not related with the presence or absence of acute and overuse injuries. Conversely, older and heavier martial artists, performing more hours of barefoot training, are at higher risk of acute and overuse injury. Athletic trainers should strongly take into account the present information in order to develop more accurate and specific injury prevention programs for martial artists.

Integrated optical circuits for numerical computation

Science.gov (United States)

Verber, C. M.; Kenan, R. P.

1983-01-01

The development of integrated optical circuits (IOC) for numerical-computation applications is reviewed, with a focus on the use of systolic architectures. The basic architecture criteria for optical processors are shown to be the same as those proposed by Kung (1982) for VLSI design, and the advantages of IOCs over bulk techniques are indicated. The operation and fabrication of electrooptic grating structures are outlined, and the application of IOCs of this type to an existing 32-bit, 32-Mbit/sec digital correlator, a proposed matrix multiplier, and a proposed pipeline processor for polynomial evaluation is discussed. The problems arising from the inherent nonlinearity of electrooptic gratings are considered. Diagrams and drawings of the application concepts are provided.

Inclusion of people with disabilities through fights and martial arts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Carvalho da Silva Mocarzel

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This article aimed at investigating how the fights / martial arts were adapted for inclusion of people with disabilities in the social sphere as well as for rehabilitation and sports-competition. The analysis was initially made at the global level and later specific attention was paid to the Brazilian reality, through a narrative review of literature. The following fights / martial arts were considered: fencing, judo, karate, kung fu, boxing, taekwondo and capoeira. It was concluded that the fights / martial arts can contribute to combating social exclusion, contributing to the promotion of health, beauty and leisure and new talents in parasports can be discovered too. Further studies on the subject are needed.

A Peer-Assessment Mobile Kung Fu Education Approach to Improving Students' Affective Performances

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Fon-Chu; Chen, Jun-Ming; Chu, Hui-Chun; Yang, Kai-Hsiang; Chen, Yi-Hsuan

2017-01-01

Peer-assessment and video comment-sharing are effective learning strategies for students to receive feedback on their learning. Researchers have emphasized the need for well-designed peer involvement in order to improve students' abilities in the cognitive and affective domains. Although student perceptions of peer-assessment have been studied…

Outstanding Student Paper Awards

Science.gov (United States)

2004-04-01

The following members in the Space Physics & Aeronomy Section received Outstanding Student Paper Awards at the 2003 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, California. Arve Aksnes; Aroh Barjatya; Jacob Bortnik; Amir Caspi; Ruben Delgado; Galen Fowler; Paul G. Hanlon; Sid Henderson; Tara B. Hiebert; Chia-Lin Huang; Steven P. Joy; Eun-Hwa Kim; Colby Lemon; Yingjuan Ma; Elizabeth A. MacDonald; Jaco Minnie; Mitsuo Oka; Yoshitaka Okazaki; Erin J. Rigler; Ina P. Robertson; Patrick A. Roddy; Sang-Il Roh; Albert Y. Shih; Christopher Smithtro; Emma Spanswick; Maria Spasojevic; Hiroki Tanaka; Linghua Wang; Deirdre E. Wendel; Jichun Zhang>

Characteristics of macrobenthic assemblage from sub-littoral sediment off the Lazarev Sea, East Antarctica

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ingole, B.S.

and 700 m, respectively was :r: 0. ll/l 7 S .s 6 0 ci 5 4 2 4 6 6 .-. pH ~D.O. 10 12 14 16 442 INDIAN J. MAR. SCL, VOL. ,?7, NO.4, DECEMBER 2008 Table 4-Occurrence (%) and frequency disUibution (%) of macrobenthic species Table 3-Macrofaunal communities..., salinity, pH and chlorophyll-a (ChI-a), dissolved oxygen and dissolved nutrients. Seabed sampling was conducted during the austral summer of 1984-85 (22 samples) 1992-93 (20 samples) using a La Fond SnappeJ: that sampled an area of O.017m 2 • Two...

Prevalence, risk factors, and health-related quality of life of osteoporosis in patients with COPD at a community hospital in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin CW

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Chun-Wei Lin,1,2 Yih-Yuan Chen,3 Yi-Jen Chen,1,4 Chi-Yen Liang,1 Ming-Shian Lin,1,4 Wei Chen1,5,6 1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yim, 2Division of Chest, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Kuang Tien General Hospital, Taichung, 3Department of Internal Medicine, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, 4Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, 5College of Nursing, Dayeh University, 6Department of Respiratory Therapy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan Background: Data regarding osteoporosis in COPD patients in Taiwan remain limited. The primary end point of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of osteoporosis in COPD patients in Taiwan. The secondary end point was to examine the association between osteoporosis and health-related quality of life (HRQL in COPD patients.Materials and methods: This prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 125 COPD patients (mean age 73.6 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] 1.19±0.43 L who had bone mineral-density measurements performed consecutively. Demographic data, lung function, and HRQL including modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale, St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, oxygen-cost diagram, Center for Epidemiologic Studies – depression scale, and COPD Assessment Test scores were recorded. Results: A total of 50 (40% participants were diagnosed as having osteoporosis. In a multivariate logistic regression model including age, smoking amount (pack-year, body mass index (BMI, and FEV1, only BMI (odds ratio 0.824, 95% confidence interval 0.73–0.93; P=0.002 and FEV1 (odds ratio 0.360, 95% confidence interval 0.13–0.98; P=0.046 were negatively associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis in COPD patients. In addition, COPD patients with osteoporosis had significantly higher modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale scores (1.7±0.8 vs 1.4±0.8, P=0

An Optimal Biparametric Multipoint Family and Its Self-Acceleration with Memory for Solving Nonlinear Equations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quan Zheng

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a family of Steffensen-type methods of optimal order of convergence with two parameters is constructed by direct Newtonian interpolation. It satisfies the conjecture proposed by Kung and Traub (J. Assoc. Comput. Math. 1974, 21, 634–651 that an iterative method based on m evaluations per iteration without memory would arrive at the optimal convergence of order 2m-1 . Furthermore, the family of Steffensen-type methods of super convergence is suggested by using arithmetic expressions for the parameters with memory but no additional new evaluation of the function. Their error equations, asymptotic convergence constants and convergence orders are obtained. Finally, they are compared with related root-finding methods in the numerical examples.

Regulation of health information processing in an outsourcing environment.

Science.gov (United States)

2004-06-01

Policy makers must consider the work force, technology, cost, and legal implications of their legislative proposals. AHIMA, AAMT, CHIA, and MTIA urge lawmakers to craft regulatory solutions that enforce HIPAA and support advancements in modern health information processing practices that improve the quality and cost of healthcare. We also urge increased investment in health information work force development and implementation of new technologies to advance critical healthcare outcomes--timely, accurate, accessible, and secure information to support patient care. It is essential that state legislatures reinforce the importance of improving information processing solutions for healthcare and not take actions that will produce unintended and detrimental consequences.

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U15840-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ) 1095454059903 Global-Ocean-Sampling_GS-26-01-01-1... 62 7e-05 1 ( EL541286 ) EST_omor_rgc_5239 omorrgc mixed...19 ) 1092343362582 Global-Ocean-Sampling_GS-27-01-01-1... 50 0.27 1 ( ED811876 ) ...-2a protein - common tobacco (fragment) 76 4e-12 AB234078_1( AB234078 |pid:none) Staphylococcus intermedius ...7e-08 1 ( EJ840432 ) 1093017827152 Global-Ocean-Sampling_GS-30-02-01-1... 56 1e-06 2 ( EJ932978 ) 1093018815945 Global-Ocean-Sampli...chia canis str. Jake, complete genome. 54 4e-06 2 ( EK178665 ) 1095458110548 Global-Ocean-Sampling_GS-3

Bruce Lee vs. Fu Manchu: Kung Fu Films and Asian American Stereotypes in America.

Science.gov (United States)

Farquhar, Judith; Doi, Mary L.

1978-01-01

Discussed in this article are numerous films which feature Asian characters and the influence these films have on stereotyped images of Asians and prevailing racist attitudes toward Asian Americans. (EB)

El poder del prosumidor. Identificación de sus necesidades y repercusión en la producción audioviusal transmedia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Lastra

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Un producto audiovisual transmedia se fundamenta en tres pilares: un universo narrativo, un número de plataformas de expansión de ese universo y un prosumidor que interactúe con el contenido. El presente trabajo supone un análisis de este prosumidor. Para ello, se ha realizado una documentación bibliográfica y un desarrollo comparativo de dos estudios de caso: El Ministerio del Tiempo y Kung Fury. Se optan por estos dos proyectos debido a sus diferencias tanto en su sistema de producción como en su prosumidor objetivo. Este análisis se realiza para observar cuáles son las necesidades del prosumidor y su repercusión en la viabilidad del proyecto. Se intenta, además de identificar el poder del prosumidor en la producción audiovisual transmedia, establecer qué aspectos relacionados con la comunicación deben reforzarse y/o mejorar de cara al futuro. Todo ello para obtener un feedback constructivo entre los medios de comunicación y el prosumidor. Transmedia audiovisual products have three basic pillars: a narrative universe, a number of expansion platforms of these universe and a prosumer who interacts with the content. This work represents an analysis of this prosumer. A bibliographic documentation and comparative work have been used for this two case studies, El Ministerio del Tiempo and Kung Fury. These two projects have been chosen because of their differences on production system and objective prosumer. All this analysis was made to determine which are the prosumer´s necessities and repercussion in the viability of the project. As well as identifying the power of prosumer in transmedia audiovisual production, it tries analyzing what communications aspects must be strengthen and/or improve in the future. All this work gives us a constructive feedback between mass media and prosumer.

Norm enforcement among the Ju/'hoansi Bushmen : A case of strong reciprocity?

Science.gov (United States)

Wiessner, Polly

2005-06-01

The concept of cooperative communities that enforce norm conformity through reward, as well as shaming, ridicule, and ostracism, has been central to anthropology since the work of Durkheim. Prevailing approaches from evolutionary theory explain the willingness to exert sanctions to enforce norms as self-interested behavior, while recent experimental studies suggest that altruistic rewarding and punishing-"strong reciprocity"-play an important role in promoting cooperation. This paper will use data from 308 conversations among the Ju/'hoansi (!Kung) Bushmen (a) to examine the dynamics of norm enforcement, (b) to evaluate the costs of punishment in a forager society and understand how they are reduced, and (c) to determine whether hypotheses that center on individual self-interest provide sufficient explanations for bearing the costs of norm enforcement, or whether there is evidence for strong reciprocity.

Review of Joint Forces Intelligence Command Response to 9/11 Commission

Science.gov (United States)

2008-09-23

reassigning existing personn~l. There are no active duty billets designated for counter- terrorism analysis and the people that we have doing the work...A.t’::;y. 2. t·2!.ss-ion: As c:!1:ec:te-d by ccmc-.a.."’ldE:r !r. ChiaC’. u .. s. J’o!:z.t i’c=ces C!c::;:cat:.d, Com:r.a..., de =• .n’HQ-P.I.S...el ~s,~cd to ~he fo~= Ho=elL~d Secu=ity Di:ector:ate. CJ~!!Q-F.l.S ><ill coo:c!ino:te dth the Chief of s:aff. u.s. Joia !:. Forces (:Ofr::lnr.;::l, to

OF KUNG FU AND CHOCOLATES: A STRATEGIC NARRATIVE OF KATHY’S BUSINESS SOJOURN IN CHINA

OpenAIRE

Mason, Cordelia

2013-01-01

The remarkable growth of China in the last decade catapults it rapidly into one of the most prominent players in international business. Thus, it is not surprising that many studies have been undertaken to explore various business phenomena relating to China such as how Chinese companies explore global business opportunities and how companies from all over enter the Chinese market. A review of the literature shows that many of these studies focus on corporations and SMEs (Yang and Lee, 2002, ...

Magnetic levitation/suspension system by high-temperature superconducting materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, I.; Hsu, J.; Jamn, G.; Lin, C.E.; Wu, M.K.

1997-01-01

Recently, with the advance of materials processing techniques, such as top-seeding and melt-texturing (TSMT) method, very large single-grained Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) samples up to several centimeters in diameter can be produced. Each sample is capable of levitating over kilograms of weight. A HTS magnetic levitation (MagLev) transportation prototype has been constructed at National Cheng-Kung University (NCKU) to validate the concept of HTS-MagLev system based on Meissner effect. This HTS-MagLev is an inherent stable levitation system, unlike traditional MagLev system that requires sensors and feedback circuits to dynamically adjust its unstable levitation position. In this report, the results of various magnetic levitation parameters, such as different permanent magnet configurations, relative levitation stability, levitation force, etc., as well as magnetic field intensity and distribution will be discussed. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Algorithms in invariant theory

CERN Document Server

Sturmfels, Bernd

2008-01-01

J. Kung and G.-C. Rota, in their 1984 paper, write: "Like the Arabian phoenix rising out of its ashes, the theory of invariants, pronounced dead at the turn of the century, is once again at the forefront of mathematics". The book of Sturmfels is both an easy-to-read textbook for invariant theory and a challenging research monograph that introduces a new approach to the algorithmic side of invariant theory. The Groebner bases method is the main tool by which the central problems in invariant theory become amenable to algorithmic solutions. Students will find the book an easy introduction to this "classical and new" area of mathematics. Researchers in mathematics, symbolic computation, and computer science will get access to a wealth of research ideas, hints for applications, outlines and details of algorithms, worked out examples, and research problems.

Cordycepin enhances cisplatin apoptotic effect through caspase/MAPK pathways in human head and neck tumor cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen YH

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Ying-Hui Chen,1,2,* Jo-Yu Wang,3,* Bo-Syong Pan,3,4 Yi-Fen Mu,3 Meng-Shao Lai,3,4 Edmund Cheung So,5 Thian-Sze Wong,6 Bu-Miin Huang3,4 1Department of Anesthesia, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Liouying, 2Department of Nursing, Min-Hwei College of Health Care Management, 3Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 4The Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 5Department of Anesthesia, An Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan, Taiwan; 6Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong *Authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: The present study aims to investigate whether the combination treatment of cordycepin (an extracted pure compound from Cordyceps sinensis and cisplatin (a platinum-based chemotherapy drug has better apoptotic effect in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC. Methods: The apoptotic influences of cordycepin and/or cisplatin treatments to human OC3, OEC-M1, and FaDu HNSCC cells were investigated by morphological observations, viability assay, flow cytometry assay, and Western blotting methods. Results: Data showed that the cell death phenomenon increased as the dosage of cordycepin or cisplatin increased, and it appeared more in cordycepin plus cisplatin cotreatment among three cell lines. Cell survival rates significantly decreased as the dosage of cordycepin or cisplatin increased, and the better apoptotic effects were observed in cotreatment. Cell cycle analysis further demonstrated that percentages of subG1 cells in cordycepin or cisplatin treatments significantly increased, suggesting that cells underwent apoptosis, and cordycepin plus cisplatin induced many more subG1 cells. Furthermore, cordycepin or cisplatin induced caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase protein cleavages, and stimulated c

PREFACE: 14th International Conference on Metrology and Properties of Engineering Surfaces (Met & Props 2013)

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Wei-En

2014-03-01

of Japan, Japan) Dr Heui-Jae Pahk (SNU Precision Co. Ltd., Korea) Professor Jiu-Bin Tan (Harbin Institute of Technology, China) Ms. Siew-Leng Tan (National Metrology Centre (NMC/A*STAR), Singapore) Mr. A. Tonmueanwai (National Institute of Metrology, Thailand (NIMT), Thailand) Professor Kazuhisa Yanagi (Nagaoka University, Japan) Local Organizing Committee Dr Victor Tzeng-Yow Lin (Center for Measurement Standards, ITRI, Taiwan) Professor Kuang-Chao Fan (National Taiwan University, Taiwan) Professor Jen-Fin Lin (ASME Fellow, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan) Professor Chao-Chang Chen(National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan) Professor Shih-Chieh Lin (National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan) Professor Liang-Chia Chen (National Taiwan University, Taiwan) Professor Fang-Jung Shiou (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan) Professor Chun-Hui Chung (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan) Professor Pin-Chuan Chen (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan) Dr Wen-En Fu (Center for Measurement Standards, ITRI, Taiwan)

Use of Openly Available Satellite Images for Remote Sensing Education

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, C.-K.

2011-09-01

With the advent of Google Earth, Google Maps, and Microsoft Bing Maps, high resolution satellite imagery are becoming more easily accessible than ever. It have been the case that the college students may already have wealth experiences with the high resolution satellite imagery by using these software and web services prior to any formal remote sensing education. It is obvious that the remote sensing education should be adjusted to the fact that the audience are already the customers of remote sensing products (through the use of the above mentioned services). This paper reports the use of openly available satellite imagery in an introductory-level remote sensing course in the Department of Geomatics of National Cheng Kung University as a term project. From the experience learned from the fall of 2009 and 2010, it shows that this term project has effectively aroused the students' enthusiastic toward Remote Sensing.

International Workshop on "Intersubband Transitions in Quantum Wells : Physics and Applications"

CERN Document Server

Su, Yan-Kuin

1998-01-01

The International Workshop on "Intersubband Transitions in Quantum Wells:: Physics and Applications," was held at National Cheng Kung University, in Tainan, Taiwan, December 15-18, 1997. The objective of the Workshop is to facilitate the presentation and discussion of the recent results in theoretical, experimental, and applied aspects of intersubband transitions in quantum wells and dots. The program followed the tradition initiated at the 1991 conference in Cargese-France, the 1993 conference in Whistler, B. C. Canada, and the 1995 conference in Kibbutz Ginosar, Israel. Intersubband transitions in quantum wells and quantum dots have attracted considerable attention in recent years, mainly due to the promise of various applications in the mid- and far-infrared regions (2-30 J. lm). Over 40 invited and contributed papers were presented in this four-day workshop, with topics covered most aspects of the intersubband transition phenomena including: the basic intersubband transition processes, multiquantum well i...

Jaan Krossist Kalevputrani

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2012-01-01

Välismaal ilmunud eesti kirjandusest ja eesti kirjanike tegemistest piiri taga: Eric Dickensi tõlkes ilmus inglise keeles Jaan Krossi romaan "Vastutuulelaev" (Sailing Against the Wind) ja eesti lühiproosa kogumik "The Dedalus Book of Estonian Literature" ; Indias esitleti eesti rahvuseepose "Kalevipoeg" Vishnu Khare tõlget hindi keelde ("Kalevputra") ; USA kirjandusajakiri "The Bitter Oleander" pühendas oma viimase numbri 32 lehekülge Kristiina Ehinile ja tema loomingule ; Piret Raua raamat "Printsess Luluu ja härra Kere" (läti keeles "Princese Skella un Leta kungs") võitis esikoha 2011. aasta Läti Lastežürii 3.-4. klassi vanuserühmas ; Viivi Luige teos "Varjuteater", mis ilmus 2011. aastal soome keeles, tunnistati üheks Helsingi Linnaraamatukogu iga-aastase auhinna "12 osumaa" laureaadiks ; UNESCO ülemaailmse luulepäeva tähistamiseks toimunud rahvusvahelisest luulemaratonist võttis osa ka Jüri Talvet

Subjective Experiences of Older Adults Practicing Taiji and Qigong

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Yang Yang

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This article presents a qualitative study following a 6-month Taiji (T'ai Chi/Qigong (Ch'i Kung intervention for older adults. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews of eight selected participants who elected to continue practicing Taiji after the intervention ended, in order to explore their subjective experiences of Taiji's effects and their motivations for continuing to practice. We created a Layers Model to capture the significance and meaning of the multidimensionality of their reported experiences. Participants not only reported simple benefits along five dimensions of experience (physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual but also described complex multidimensional experiences. Overall findings indicate that participants derived a very wide variety of perceived benefits, the most meaningful being a felt sense of body-mind-spirit integration. Our results support the important role of qualitative studies in researching the effects of Taiji and Qigong.

Nested dissection on a mesh-connected processor array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worley, P.H.; Schreiber, R.

1986-01-01

The authors present a parallel implementation of Gaussian elimination without pivoting using the nested dissection ordering for solving Ax=b where A is an N x N symmetric positive definite matrix. If the graph of A is a √N x √N finite element mesh then a parallel complexity of O(√N) can be achieved for Gaussian elimination with the nested dissection ordering. The authors' implementation achieves this parallel complexity on a two dimensional MIMD processor array with N processors and nearest neighbors interconnections. Thus nested dissection is a near optimal algorithm for this problem on this interconnection topology. The parallel implementation on this architecture requires 158√N + O(log/sub 2/(√N)) parallel floating point multiplications. It is faster than a Kung-Leiserson systolic array for banded matrices for N≥961, and faster than a serial implementation for N as small as 9

Atrial fibrillation is a predictor of in-hospital mortality in ischemic stroke patients

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Ong CT

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Cheung-Ter Ong,1,2 Yi-Sin Wong,3 Chi-Shun Wu,1 Yu-Hsiang Su1 1Department of Neurology, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, 2Department of Nursing, Chung Jen Junior College of Nursing, Health Science and Management, Chiayi, 3Department of Family Medicine, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan, Republic of China Background/purpose: In-hospital mortality rate of acute ischemic stroke patients remains between 3% and 18%. For improving the quality of stroke care, we investigated the factors that contribute to the risk of in-hospital mortality in acute ischemic stroke patients.Materials and methods: Between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2011, 2,556 acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to a stroke unit were included in this study. Factors such as demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and complications related to in-hospital mortality were assessed.Results: Of the 2,556 ischemic stroke patients, 157 received thrombolytic therapy. Eighty of the 2,556 patients (3.1% died during hospitalization. Of the 157 patients who received thrombolytic therapy, 14 (8.9% died during hospitalization. History of atrial fibrillation (AF, P<0.01 and stroke severity (P<0.01 were independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality. AF, stroke severity, cardioembolism stroke, and diabetes mellitus were independent risk factors of hemorrhagic transformation. Herniation and sepsis were the most common complications of stroke that were attributed to in-hospital mortality. Approximately 70% of in-hospital mortality was related to stroke severity (total middle cerebral artery occlusion with herniation, basilar artery occlusion, and hemorrhagic transformation. The other 30% of in-hospital mortality was related to sepsis, heart disease, and other complications.Conclusion: AF is associated with higher in-hospital mortality rate than in patients without AF. For improving outcome of stroke patients, we also need to focus to reduce serious neurological

International Conference on Advances in Information and Communication Technology

CERN Document Server

Nguyen, Thanh-Thuy; Vu, Duc-Thai; Phung, Trung-Nghia; Huynh, Van-Nam

2017-01-01

This book features papers presented at the International Conference on Advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICTA 2016), which was held in Thai Nguyen city, Vietnam, from December 1 to 13, 2016. The conference was jointly organized by Thai Nguyen University of Information and Communication Technology (ICTU), the Institute of Information Technology – Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (IoIT), Feng Chia University, Taiwan (FCU), the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) and the National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan (CCU) with the aim of bringing together researchers, academics, practitioners and students to not only share research results and practical applications but also to foster collaboration in information and communication technology research and education. The book includes the 66 best peer-reviewed papers, selected from the 150 submissions received.

Theory Meets Practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schlamovitz, Jesper

2015-01-01

Process thinking and process-based theory are receiving increased attention in the field of organization studies and organization theory development (Tsoukas & Chia, 2002; Langley & Tsoukas, 2010; Hernes, 2014). The aim has been to study processes rather than structures, in organizations. This has...... recently inspired research on the organizing of projects and the development of a (new) theory of temporary organizations (Bakker, 2010; Blomquist et al. 2010; Söderlund, 2013). These theories are still under development and need empirical studies that can show their relevance for practice. This paper...... will give an overview of this theoretical development and discuss the consequences for the practice of project management. The paper finds that the focus on processes such as time and temporality, meaning structures, and articulation are covered in project management research, but sparsely documented...

Dextromethorphan attenuated inflammation and combined opioid use in humans undergoing methadone maintenance treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shiou-Lan; Lee, Sheng-Yu; Tao, Pao-Luh; Chang, Yun-Hsuan; Chen, Shih-Heng; Chu, Chun-Hsien; Chen, Po See; Lee, I Hui; Yeh, Tzung Lieh; Yang, Yen Kuang; Hong, Jau-Shyong; Lu, Ru-Band

2012-12-01

Recent studies show that proinflammatory cytokines might be related to the development of opioid dependence (physiological, psychological, or both). In a double-blind, randomly stratified clinical trial investigating whether add-on dextromethorphan (60-120 mg/day) attenuated inflammation and the combined use of opioids in heroin-dependent patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment, we evaluated whether inflammation is related to the progression of opioid dependence. All participants (107 heroin-dependent patients and 84 nondependent healthy controls) were recruited from National Cheng Kung University Hospital. Their plasma cytokine levels were measured to evaluate the effect of add-on dextromethorphan. Plasma TNF-α and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in long-term heroin-dependent patients than in healthy controls (p dextromethorphan. Moreover, both tolerance to methadone and the combined use of opioids were significantly (p dextromethorphan. We conclude that dextromethorphan might be a feasible adjuvant therapeutic for attenuating inflammation and inhibiting methadone tolerance and combined opioid use in heroin-dependent patients.

The bovine papillomavirus E5 oncogene can cooperate with ras: identification of p21 amino acids critical for transformation by c-rasH but not v-rasH

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willumsen, B M; Vass, W C; Velu, T J

1991-01-01

We have previously used a series of insertion-deletion mutants of the mutationally activated v-rasH gene to identify several regions of the encoded protein that are dispensable for cellular transformation (B. M. Willumsen, A. G. Papageorge, H.-F. Kung, E. Bekesi, T. Robins, M. Johnsen, W. C. Vass...... in their v-rasH forms. We conclude that a region including amino acids 102 and 103 encodes a function that is more critical to c-rasH than to v-rasH. Guanine nucleotide exchange is one function that is compatible with such a phenotype......., and D. R. Lowy, Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:2646-2654, 1986). To determine if some of these amino acids are more important for the biological activity of c-rasH, we have now tested many of the same insertion-deletion mutants in the c-rasH form for their ability to transform NIH 3T3 cells. Since the transforming...

THE EFFECTS OF HEIGHT AND DISTANCE ON THE FORCE PRODUCTION AND ACCELERATION IN MARTIAL ARTS STRIKES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cynthia A. Bir

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Almost all cultures have roots in some sort of self defence system and yet there is relatively little research in this area, outside of a sports related environment. This project investigated different applications of strikes from Kung Fu practitioners that have not been addressed before in the literature. Punch and palm strikes were directly compared from different heights and distances, with the use of a load cell, accelerometers, and high speed video. The data indicated that the arm accelerations of both strikes were similar, although the force and resulting acceleration of the target were significantly greater for the palm strikes. Additionally, the relative height at which the strike was delivered was also investigated. The overall conclusion is that the palm strike is a more effective strike for transferring force to an object. It can also be concluded that an attack to the chest would be ideal for maximizing impact force and moving an opponent off balance

Quality and Sensorial Characteristics of Raw-Vegan Bars

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Liana Claudia Salanţă

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Increased consumer interest in healthier food products is driven by a variety of factors including growing awareness of the link between diet and health, the desire to age ‘gracefully’ by maintaining good health, greater convenience in meeting nutritional needs and preventing chronic diseases. In raw food diet, food is consumed predominantly or exclusively as uncooked and unprocessed raw food; the main components of the diet are fruits, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains and beans. The aim of this study was to obtain two raw-vegan bars using dry raw materials and to establish the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the products. Raw-vegan bars were formulated using fruits and seeds (cranberries, figs, raisins, raspberries, cashew, chia seeds, etc. and binding agents (honey. Raw-vegan bars stands out among fast foods due to their balanced nutritional content and convenience.  

Selections From Kung-Jen JIH-PAO (Source Span: 9 May-30 June 1961) Number 7 -Communist China.

Science.gov (United States)

1961-08-17

sulphate Ammonium hydrogen carbonate Sodium borate Titaniüm-iron powder Sodium fluoride Silicon dioxide Barium chloride beryllium carbonate ...Vinzenstrasse, 22a :■ P. 0. Box 3521 Aachen, Germany Washington 7> B.C. , Institute de Sociologie Solvay Rue du Chatelain, k9 Brussels, Belgium State... Sodium nitrite Specifications Pure n industrial Boric Acid " A^ua ammonia " Magnesium sulphate Industrial Manganese tedroxide Pure

“Your Kung Fu is very good, Master Fiore!” Asian and European fight books in comparison

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Wetzler Sixt

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The phenomenon of the fight book is not restricted to the European tradition. Similar artefacts, usually combining text and image to describe the techniques of close quarter combat with and without weapons, exist also in various Asian cultures, in China, Japan, Korea, and India. In the article, the question shall be raised in how far and to which end fight books of different cultures can be taken into one perspective, and be compared. To do so, similarities and dissimilarities between European and early Chinese fight books will be pointed out, and preliminary areas for comparison will be introduced. The aim of the article is to raise awareness for the topic, and to lay the ground for further discussion between specialists on the respective European and Chinese fields.

“Your Kung Fu is very good, Master Fiore!” Asian and European fight books in comparison

OpenAIRE

Wetzler Sixt

2016-01-01

The phenomenon of the fight book is not restricted to the European tradition. Similar artefacts, usually combining text and image to describe the techniques of close quarter combat with and without weapons, exist also in various Asian cultures, in China, Japan, Korea, and India. In the article, the question shall be raised in how far and to which end fight books of different cultures can be taken into one perspective, and be compared. To do so, similarities and dissimilarities between Europea...

Karl Rahner, Walter Kasper and Hans Kung on the Current State, Problems and Dimensions of Contemporary theology

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Pilipenko Evgenii

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Political history, philosophy, culture and science of the 19th century came to be very important factors in the development of Christian theology, primarily in Western Europe. Major issues of correlation between modern science, philosophical concepts of the modern period, secular ethics and Christianity led to a revision of many traditional theological concepts. There were suggested new methods of solving urgent theological, pastoral and missionary problems. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council of Roman Catholic Church represented a vivid and constructive response to contemporary challenges. German theologians were among those who contributed significantly to the dialogue between the Church and modern world. The central fi gure among them was Karl Rahner. Using achievements of modern European thought, especially transcendental and existential philosophy, Rahner made Christian theology tenable for modern historical criticism and placed the person and the experience of faith as a crucial object of theological investigation. It may seem a paradox, but the unity of Catholic dogma in the 20th century came to be established not on the unity of the formal scholastic doctrine, proclaimed straightforwardly by Church magisterium, but on theological pluralism and historical dynamism, as well as on hermeneutical analysis of the dogma and inexpressible mystical experience of Revelation proclaimed by Rahner. Walter Kasper used Rahner’s ideas when he pointed to scientific rigour, ecclesiasticism and willingness to be opened to the world as main features of modern theology. At the same time, he considers it impossible to reject metaphysics and to reduce theology to a number of disparate academic studies. He sees the Holy Scriptures and church tradition as the essential foundation for systematic theology and argues that it is necessary to restore the balance between the freedom of theological investigation and the hierarchical control of Church magisterium. Hans Küng, the Swiss Catholic theologian, is not concerned with looking for such balance. In his writings, he practically rejects confessional borders and the authority of Church. All the three authors pay attention to the ecumenical dialogue, but for Küng this “critical ecumenism” becomes the pivotal form of modern theology.

Delivery of a survivin promoter-driven antisense survivin-expressing plasmid DNA as a cancer therapeutic: a proof-of-concept study

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Lin KY

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Kun-Yuan Lin,1 Siao Muk Cheng,2 Shing-Ling Tsai,2 Ju-Ya Tsai,1 Chun-Hui Lin,1 Chun Hei Antonio Cheung1,2 1Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC; 2Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC Abstract: Survivin is a member of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis proteins family. It is overexpressed in many different cancer types but not in the differentiated normal tissue. In addition, overexpression of survivin promotes cancer cell survival and induces chemotherapeutic drug resistance, making it an attractive target for new anticancer interventions. Despite survivin being a promising molecular target for anticancer treatment, it is widely accepted that survivin is only a “semi-druggable” target. Therefore, it is important to develop a new strategy to target survivin for anticancer treatment. In this study, we constructed a novel survivin promoter-driven full-length antisense survivin (pSur/AS-Sur expression plasmid DNA. Promoter activity assay revealed that the activity of the survivin promoter of pSur/AS-Sur correlated with the endogenous expression of survivin at the transcriptional level in the transfected A549, MDA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cancer cells. Western blot analysis showed that liposomal delivery of pSur/AS-Sur successfully downregulated the expression of survivin in A549, MBA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cells in vitro. In addition, delivery of pSur/AS-Sur induced autophagy, caspase-dependent apoptosis, and caspase-independent apoptosis as indicated by the increased LC3B-II conversion, autophagosome formation, caspase-9/-3 and poly(ADP-ribose polymerase-1 cleavage, and apoptosis-inducing factor nuclear translocation in A549, MBA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cells. Importantly, liposomal delivery of pSur/AS-Sur was also capable of decreasing the proliferation of the survivin/MDR1 coexpressing multidrug-resistant KB-TAX50 cancer cells and

12th WINFOCUS world congress on ultrasound in emergency and critical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Acar, Yahya; Tezel, Onur; Salman, Necati; Cevik, Erdem; Algaba-Montes, Margarita; Oviedo-García, Alberto; Patricio-Bordomás, Mayra; Mahmoud, Mustafa Z; Sulieman, Abdelmoneim; Ali, Abbas; Mustafa, Alrayah; Abdelrahman, Ihab; Bahar, Mustafa; Ali, Osama; Lester Kirchner, H; Prosen, Gregor; Anzic, Ajda; Leeson, Paul; Bahreini, Maryam; Rasooli, Fatemeh; Hosseinnejad, Houman; Blecher, Gabriel; Meek, Robert; Egerton-Warburton, Diana; Ćuti, Edina Ćatić; Belina, Stanko; Vančina, Tihomir; Kovačević, Idriz; Rustemović, Nadan; Chang, Ikwan; Lee, Jin Hee; Kwak, Young Ho; Kim, Do Kyun; Cheng, Chi-Yung; Pan, Hsiu-Yung; Kung, Chia-Te; Ćurčić, Ela; Pritišanac, Ena; Planinc, Ivo; Medić, Marijana Grgić; Radonić, Radovan; Fasina, Abiola; Dean, Anthony J; Panebianco, Nova L; Henwood, Patricia S; Fochi, Oliviero; Favarato, Moreno; Bonanomi, Ezio; Tomić, Ivan; Ha, Youngrock; Toh, Hongchuen; Harmon, Elizabeth; Chan, Wilma; Baston, Cameron; Morrison, Gail; Shofer, Frances; Hua, Angela; Kim, Sharon; Tsung, James; Gunaydin, Isa; Kekec, Zeynep; Ay, Mehmet Oguzhan; Kim, Jinjoo; Kim, Jinhyun; Choi, Gyoosung; Shim, Dowon; Lee, Ji-Han; Ambrozic, Jana; Prokselj, Katja; Lucovnik, Miha; Simenc, Gabrijela Brzan; Mačiulienė, Asta; Maleckas, Almantas; Kriščiukaitis, Algimantas; Mačiulis, Vytautas; Macas, Andrius; Mohite, Sharad; Narancsik, Zoltan; Možina, Hugon; Nikolić, Sara; Hansel, Jan; Petrovčič, Rok; Mršić, Una; Orlob, Simon; Lerchbaumer, Markus; Schönegger, Niklas; Kaufmann, Reinhard; Pan, Chun-I; Wu, Chien-Hung; Pasquale, Sarah; Doniger, Stephanie J; Yellin, Sharon; Chiricolo, Gerardo; Potisek, Maja; Drnovšek, Borut; Leskovar, Boštjan; Robinson, Kristine; Kraft, Clara; Moser, Benjamin; Davis, Stephen; Layman, Shelley; Sayeed, Yusef; Minardi, Joseph; Pasic, Irmina Sefic; Dzananovic, Amra; Pasic, Anes; Zubovic, Sandra Vegar; Hauptman, Ana Godan; Brajkovic, Ana Vujaklija; Babel, Jaksa; Peklic, Marina; Radonic, Vedran; Bielen, Luka; Ming, Peh Wee; Yezid, Nur Hafiza; Mohammed, Fatahul Laham; Huda, Zainal Abidin; Ismail, Wan Nasarudin Wan; Isa, W Yus Haniff W; Fauzi, Hashairi; Seeva, Praveena; Mazlan, Mohd Zulfakar

2016-09-01

veterans: a retrospective analysis from the first Croatian veteran's hospitalEdina Ćatić Ćuti, Stanko Belina, Tihomir Vančina, Idriz KovačevićA15 The challenge of AAA: unusual case of obstructive jaundiceEdina Ćatić Ćuti, Nadan RustemovićA16 Educational effectiveness of easy-made new simulator model for ultrasound-guided procedures in pediatric patients: vascular access and foreign body managementIkwan Chang, Jin Hee Lee, Young Ho Kwak, Do Kyun KimA17 Detection of uterine rupture by point-of-care ultrasound at emergency department: a case reportChi-Yung Cheng, Hsiu-Yung Pan, Chia-Te KungA18 Abdominal probe in the hands of interns as a relevant diagnostic tool in revealing the cause of heart failureEla Ćurčić, Ena Pritišanac, Ivo Planinc, Marijana Grgić Medić, Radovan RadonićA19 Needs assessment of the potential utility of point-of-care ultrasound within the Zanzibar health systemAbiola Fasina, Anthony J. Dean, Nova L. Panebianco, Patricia S. HenwoodA20 Ultrasonographic diagnosis of tracheal compressionOliviero Fochi, Moreno Favarato, Ezio BonanomiA21 The role of ultrasound in the detection of lung infiltrates in critically ill patients: a pilot studyMarijana Grgić Medić, Ivan Tomić, Radovan RadonićA22 The SAFER Lasso; a novel approach using point-of-care ultrasound to evaluate patients with abdominal complaints in the emergency departmentYoungrock Ha, Hongchuen TohA23 Awareness and use of clinician-performed ultrasound among clinical clerkship facultyElizabeth Harmon, Wilma Chan, Cameron Baston, Gail Morrison, Frances Shofer, Nova Panebianco, Anthony J. DeanA24 Clinical outcomes in the use of lung ultrasound for the diagnosis of pediatric pneumoniasAngela Hua, Sharon Kim, James TsungA25 Effectiveness of ultrasound in hypotensive patientsIsa Gunaydin, Zeynep Kekec, Mehmet Oguzhan AyA26 Moderate-to-severe left ventricular ejection fraction related to short-term mortality of patients with post-cardiac arrest syndrome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Liposome-based polymer complex as a novel adjuvant: enhancement of specific antibody production and isotype switch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen CH

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Chia-Hung Chen1,*, Yu-Ling Lin1,*, Yen-Ku Liu1, Pei-Juin He2, Ching-Min Lin1, Yi-Han Chiu2, Chang-Jer Wu3, Tian-Lu Cheng4, Shih-Jen Liu5,6,**, Kuang-Wen Liao1,2,**1Institute of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, 2Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 3Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 4Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 5National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, 6Graduate Institute of Immunology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, , *Chia-Hung Chen and Yu-Ling Lin contributed equally to this work**Kuang-Wen Liao and Shih-Jen Liu contributed equally to this workAbstract: The aim of vaccination is to induce appropriate immunity against pathogens. Antibody-mediated immunity is critical for protection against many virus diseases, although it is becoming more evident that coordinated, multifunctional immune responses lead to the most effective defense. Specific antibody (Ab isotypes are more efficient at protecting against pathogen invasion in different locations in the body. For example, compared to other Ab isotypes, immunoglobulin (Ig A provides more protection at mucosal areas. In this study, we developed a cationic lipopolymer (liposome-polyethylene glycol-polyethyleneimine complex [LPPC] adjuvant that strongly adsorbs antigens or immunomodulators onto its surface to enhance or switch immune responses. The results demonstrate that LPPC enhances uptake ability, surface marker expression, proinflammatory cytokine release, and antigen presentation in mouse phagocytes. In contrast to Freund's adjuvant, LPPC preferentially activates Th1-immunity against antigens in vivo. With lipopolysaccharides or CpG oligodeoxynucleotides, LPPC dramatically enhances the IgA or IgG2A proportion of total Ig, even in hosts that have developed

The role of rabbit meat as functional food.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalle Zotte, Antonella; Szendro, Zsolt

2011-07-01

Increasing consumer knowledge of the link between diet and health has raised the awareness and demand for functional food ingredients. Meat and its derivatives may be considered functional foods to the extent that they contain numerous compounds thought to be functional. This review will attempt to outline the excellent nutritional and dietetic properties of rabbit meat and offer an overview of the studies performed on the strategies adopted to improve the functional value of rabbit meat. Dietary manipulation has been seen to be very effective in increasing the levels of essential FA, EPA, DHA, CLA, branched chain FA, vitamin E, and selenium in rabbit meat. Dietary fortification with vitamin E or natural products such as oregano essential oil, chia seed oil, and Spirulina platensis microalga seem promising in improving the oxidative stability of rabbit meat while also adding functional ingredients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tracing experiences of NHS change in England: a process philosophy perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

McMurray, Robert

2010-01-01

For over three decades public services have been the subject of unprecedented change. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the English National Health Service (NHS) where despite the effort expended on change there is growing evidence that such restructuring is largely ineffective. Drawing on a study of culture modification in the English NHS, this paper utilizes Chia's (1999) account of the metaphysics of processual change to consider why attempts to restructure public services are not always successful. The paper contributes to our understanding of public management reform by considering how an ontology of becoming, and a loosening of control, might alter how we approach reforming. Further, the paper offers a theoretical justification for the use of standard research methods for novel processual ends. The paper concludes with a reflection on the implications of a processual perspective for the future management, organization and study of change in public administration.

Ching Chuan Kang AB, Kung Kuan, Formosa. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

Science.gov (United States)

1972-04-11

jt: PERCENTAGE FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE Iso - 1 4Qo (FROM HOURLY OBSERVATIONS) VISIBILITY (STATUTE MILES) CEIUNG ,FEET, [ 0 >_6 :>5 -4 _3 2 -2 I I >_I...73,1 76,7 79,2 8o?0, 81,4 81,7 82,1 8628 82,8 82,8 2,a 82.8 82.8 >- 1500 52@ 7i),3 7,6 79, 8 s7 83,s 83,9 64,2 84.6 8a5,3 8j,1 8583 85:3 8503 85,3 1 200...19,0 46,0 7Z 252 06.06 7v9 00 7.9 ).,Z 1 4,8 3.2 17,9 42,5 7,2 252 Ol-L1 70 11,5 7.5 o.3 .#0 7,.1 7,5 23,0 25.0 6,4 252 12-14 4- iso , 9o,1 ,3 0,3 4.0

資訊素養與商業教育結合之理念與實施──以逢甲大學Sunny Net商學專業網站為例 | A Practical Application of Information Literacy in Business Education── Using a Web Site to Teach Lifelong Learning in Feng Chia University

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景祥祜、張簡誌誠 Hsiang-Hoo S. Ching、J. J. Chang-Chien

1999-10-01

Full Text Available

頁次：63-70

資訊素養融入專業課程的教學理念已愈來愈受到重視，但國內商業教育卻鮮少有此一理念。本文首先探討現階段大學商業教育教學的概況，以反映資訊素養教育的重要性及迫切性。其次，討論大學體制內於商業教育課程中實施資訊素養教育的限制因素，進一步討論如何誘導資訊素養結合商業教育理念，階段性策略的構思，接著說明理念實踐的過程，並介紹逢甲大學商學專業網Sunny Net的現況，分享初步的成果，且提出未來展望，以尋求建立一個可以適用在我國商學專業學科的教學模式。

Although efforts to integrate information literacy throughout educational curriculums is growing, it has not received much attention in Taiwan's business education at the post-secondary level. The purpose of this study is to explain the developing role of information literacy in business education and to analyze the present institutional constraints in its implementation. This study presents a pioneering project, Sunny Net sponsored by Feng Chia University, which is a resource-based learning environment requiring web site maintenance in order to promote student initiative and to help students recognize when there is a need for information, to identify the information for that need, and to be able to locate, to evaluate

nfluencia de antioxidantes en la estabilidad oxidativa del aceite de chia ( Salvia hispanica L . por rancimat

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Eudes Villanueva

2017-01-01

Full Text Available La rancidez oxidativa, conocida como autooxidación, es la principal causa de deterioro d e aceites y grasas, la que puede controlarse mediante el empleo de antioxidantes incrementando la estabilidad oxidativa y vida en anaquel. El aceite de chía es rico en ácidos grasos poli - insaturados (PUFAs, particularmente en omega - 3 (ω - 3 y omega - 6 (ω - 6 beneficiosas para la salud humana, pero también los PUFAs favorecen a la reacción de autooxidación. E l objetivo de e ste trabajo fue determinar el efecto de antioxidantes sintéticos y de origen natural a concentración de 200 ppm de etoxiquina (EQ, butilhi drixianisol (BHA, butilhidroxitolueno (BHT y fortium (FT, sobre el índice de estabilidad oxidativa (OSI del aceite de chía por rancimat a diferentes temperaturas (90, 100 y 110 °C. El método rancimat está incluido en los estándares AOCS Cd 12b - 92, deb ido a su facilidad de uso y reproducibilidad permite evaluar el OSI en un periodo relativamente corto. Los resultados muestran que entre el BHT y EQ, así como entre el BHA y FT no presentan diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p ≤ 0,05. Siendo el BH T el antioxidante que incrementó en mayor proporción el OSI del aceite de chía, con un factor de protección (FP de 1,30, 1,26 y 1,29 para las diferentes temperaturas aplicadas y con una energía de activación (Ea de 82,75 kJ/mol, por lo tanto, se recomend aría su uso .

Integrating sentiment analysis and term associations with geo-temporal visualizations on customer feedback streams

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Ming; Rohrdantz, Christian; Janetzko, Halldór; Keim, Daniel; Dayal, Umeshwar; Haug, Lars-Erik; Hsu, Mei-Chun

2012-01-01

Twitter currently receives over 190 million tweets (small text-based Web posts) and manufacturing companies receive over 10 thousand web product surveys a day, in which people share their thoughts regarding a wide range of products and their features. A large number of tweets and customer surveys include opinions about products and services. However, with Twitter being a relatively new phenomenon, these tweets are underutilized as a source for determining customer sentiments. To explore high-volume customer feedback streams, we integrate three time series-based visual analysis techniques: (1) feature-based sentiment analysis that extracts, measures, and maps customer feedback; (2) a novel idea of term associations that identify attributes, verbs, and adjectives frequently occurring together; and (3) new pixel cell-based sentiment calendars, geo-temporal map visualizations and self-organizing maps to identify co-occurring and influential opinions. We have combined these techniques into a well-fitted solution for an effective analysis of large customer feedback streams such as for movie reviews (e.g., Kung-Fu Panda) or web surveys (buyers).

New possibility of traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine as treatment for behavioral and psychiatric symptoms in dementia

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Kung FC

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Fan-Chin Kung,1 Ryouhei Ishii,2 Hsing-Cheng Liu,3 Masatoshi Takeda21Yuli Hospital, DOH, Hualien, Taiwan; 2Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan; 3Department of General Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei, TaiwanAbstract: Yokukansan, one of the Kampo prescriptions, is composed of seven herbaceous plants and was developed in China in the 16th century as a cure for restlessness and agitation in children. Yokukansan has also become a popular drug combination in Japan, especially for the behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD. Recent studies have shown that yokukansan might also be quite effective against BPSD occurring in association with other types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body disease, Parkinson's disease with dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia. Researchers have intensively investigated yokukansan, focusing on the pharmacological mechanisms against glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. This traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine holds potential promise for improving BPSD in elderly patients suffering from dementia.Keywords: yokukansan, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, Kampo, glutamate

Kakaibang Halimuyak: Iba't Ibang Imahe ng Pangangapital sa Balintawak

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Mariah Amour C. Miranda

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Ginagalugad ng sanaysay na ito ang isang pangunahing lugar na nadaraanan mula Norte patungong Maynila—ang Balintawak. Nagsisilbing manibela ng pagsusuri ang kontemporaneong pananaw sa lunan bilang pugad ng mga anyong may magkakasalungat na kahulugan. Binibigyang-pansin ng sanaysay ang iba't ibang imahe ng pagbebenta na matatagpuan sa Balintawak: ang billboard ng kumpanyang Bench na siyang pinakamalaki, ang mismong palengke, at ang mga lakong paninda sa tabing-kalsada. Sa pamamagitan nito, maipapakita ng sanaysay kung paano madadalumat ang Balintawak bilang isang panlipunang texto na sumasalamin sa mga magkakaibang pangangapital sa naturang lunan. This essay explores the space of Balintawak—a focal point of urban travel from northern Luzon to Manila. Using the contemporary view on space as a site of structures with contradictory meanings, the study seeks to understand how various images of market activities in Balintawak create meaningful representations. These images include the gigantic billboard of Bench, the central market itself, and flea markets in the area. The essay shows how Balintawak as a social text serves as a trading center of different forms of capital.

Protective effect of diallyl disulfide against the irradiation damage in mice induced by "1"2C"6"+ ion beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Shuai; Ma Xiaofei; Zhang Hong; Liu Yang

2013-01-01

The radioprotective effect of Diallyl disulfide (DADS) on "1"2C"6"+ ion irradiation was studied. Pretreated with DADS of different concentration, male Kung-Ming mice were exposed to whole body irradiation with dosage of 4 Gy "1"2C"6"+ ion. The animals were sacrificed after irradiation. Then the bone marrow cells micronucleus rate, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, content of protein carbonylation, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity were measured. As compared with those in irradiated group, the ratio of micronucleus cells in marrow and the hepatic ALT activity in the pretreatment group with low dose DADS decreased significantly (p < O.OOl). Similarly, the content of protein carbonylation and the levels of MDA dropped dramatically in the group with middle dose DADS treatment (p < 0.05). On the contrary, the hepatic T-AOC increased markedly in the group of pretreatment with low dose DADS (p < 0.05). The results showed that DADS protect lipoid, protein and genetic material from "1"2C"6"+ ion irradiation by right of resisting oxidative stress. (authors)

Record Club

CERN Multimedia

Record Club

2011-01-01

http://cern.ch/Record.Club November  Selections Just in time for the holiday season, we have added a number of new CDs and DVDs into the Club. You will find the full lists at http://cern.ch/record.club; select the "Discs of the Month" button on the left side on the left panel of the web page and then Nov 2011. New films include the all 5 episodes of Fast and Furious, many of the most famous films starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and those of Louis de Funes and some more recent films such as The Lincoln Lawyer and, according to some critics, Woody Allen’s best film for years – Midnight in Paris. For the younger generation there is Cars 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2. New CDs include the latest releases by Adele, Coldplay and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. We have also added the new Duets II CD featuring Tony Bennett singing with some of today’s pop stars including Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse and Willy Nelson. The Club is now open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday ...

Aspartate Aminotransferase and Alanine Aminotransferase Detection on Paper-Based Analytical Devices with Inkjet Printer-Sprayed Reagents

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Hsiang-Li Wang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available General biochemistry detection on paper-based microanalytical devices (PADs uses pipette titration. However, such an approach is extremely time-consuming for large-scale detection processes. Furthermore, while automated methods are available for increasing the efficiency of large-scale PAD production, the related equipment is very expensive. Accordingly, this study proposes a low-cost method for PAD manufacture, in which the reagent is applied using a modified inkjet printer. The optimal reaction times for the detection of aspartate aminotransferase (AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT are shown to be 6 and 7 min, respectively, given AST and ALT concentrations in the range of 5.4 to 91.2 U/L (R2 = 0.9932 and 5.38 to 86.1 U/L (R2 = 0.9944. The experimental results obtained using the proposed PADs for the concentration detection of AST and ALT in real human blood serum samples are found to be in good agreement with those obtained using a traditional spectrophotometric detection method by National Cheng Kung University hospital.

Coherent chemical kinetics as quantum walks. II. Radical-pair reactions in Arabidopsis thaliana

Science.gov (United States)

Chia, A.; Górecka, A.; Kurzyński, P.; Paterek, T.; Kaszlikowski, D.

2016-03-01

We apply the quantum-walk approach proposed in the preceding paper [A. Chia et al., preceding paper, Phys. Rev. E 93, 032407 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevE.93.032407] to a radical-pair reaction where realistic estimates for the intermediate transition rates are available. The well-known average hitting time from quantum walks can be adopted as a measure of how quickly the reaction occurs and we calculate this for varying degrees of dephasing in the radical pair. The time for the radical pair to react to a product is found to be independent of the amount of dephasing introduced, even in the limit of no dephasing where the transient population dynamics exhibits strong coherent oscillations. This can be seen to arise from the existence of a rate-limiting step in the reaction and we argue that in such examples, a purely classical model based on rate equations can be used for estimating the time scale of the reaction but not necessarily its population dynamics.

Nanoparticles Stabilize Thin Polymer Films: A Fundamental Study to Understand the Phenomenon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mackay, Michael [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

2013-06-03

In this project we have successfully married an experimental theoretical collaboration between the University of Delaware research group and Sandia National Laboratories. To do this Prof. Mackay supervised graduate students, Ms. Erica Tzu-Chia Tseng and Mr. Wenluan Zhang, who performed experiments, and a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Venkat Padmanabhan, who performed theoretical modeling in his laboratory and interacted with Dr. Amalie Frischknecht, a theoretician at SNL. Drs. Padmanabhan and Frischknecht had weekly teleconferences on Tuesday mornings to discuss progress and had 2-3 face-to-face meetings per year. Dr. Frischknecht was funded on her part through CINT to allow this partnership. This unique collaborative effort of placing a theoretician within a group of experimentalists has tremendously aided experimental progress since the collaborators are intimately familiar with both the experimental and theoretical efforts. Furthermore development of new theoretical tools to interpret experimental results has resulted in rational verification and enhanced investigation of parameter space.

Characterization of a chitinolytic enzyme from Serratia sp. KCK isolated from kimchi juice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyun-Soo; Timmis, Kenneth N; Golyshin, Peter N

2007-07-01

The novel chitinolytic bacterium Serratia sp. KCK, which was isolated from kimchi juice, produced chitinase A. The gene coding for the chitinolytic enzyme was cloned on the basis of sequencing of internal peptides, homology search, and design of degenerated primers. The cloned open reading frame of chiA encodes for deduced polypeptide of 563 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 61 kDa and appears to correspond to a molecular mass of about 57 kDa, which excluded the signal sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence showed high similarity to those of bacterial chitinases classified as family 18 of glycosyl hydrolases. The chitinase A is an exochitinase and exhibits a greater pH range (5.0-10.0), thermostability with a temperature optimum of 40 degrees C, and substrate range other than Serratia chitinases thus far described. These results suggested that Serratia sp. KCK chitinase A can be used for biotechnological applications with good potential.

Near-Field Source Localization by Using Focusing Technique

Science.gov (United States)

He, Hongyang; Wang, Yide; Saillard, Joseph

2008-12-01

We discuss two fast algorithms to localize multiple sources in near field. The symmetry-based method proposed by Zhi and Chia (2007) is first improved by implementing a search-free procedure for the reduction of computation cost. We present then a focusing-based method which does not require symmetric array configuration. By using focusing technique, the near-field signal model is transformed into a model possessing the same structure as in the far-field situation, which allows the bearing estimation with the well-studied far-field methods. With the estimated bearing, the range estimation of each source is consequently obtained by using 1D MUSIC method without parameter pairing. The performance of the improved symmetry-based method and the proposed focusing-based method is compared by Monte Carlo simulations and with Crammer-Rao bound as well. Unlike other near-field algorithms, these two approaches require neither high-computation cost nor high-order statistics.

Near-Field Source Localization by Using Focusing Technique

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Joseph Saillard

2008-12-01

Full Text Available We discuss two fast algorithms to localize multiple sources in near field. The symmetry-based method proposed by Zhi and Chia (2007 is first improved by implementing a search-free procedure for the reduction of computation cost. We present then a focusing-based method which does not require symmetric array configuration. By using focusing technique, the near-field signal model is transformed into a model possessing the same structure as in the far-field situation, which allows the bearing estimation with the well-studied far-field methods. With the estimated bearing, the range estimation of each source is consequently obtained by using 1D MUSIC method without parameter pairing. The performance of the improved symmetry-based method and the proposed focusing-based method is compared by Monte Carlo simulations and with Crammer-Rao bound as well. Unlike other near-field algorithms, these two approaches require neither high-computation cost nor high-order statistics

An Evidence-Based Review of Fat Modifying Supplemental Weight Loss Products

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Amy M. Egras

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To review the literature on fat modifying dietary supplements commonly used for weight loss. Methods. Recently published randomized, placebo-controlled trials were identified in PubMed, MEDLINE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Cochrane Database, and Google Scholar using the search terms dietary supplement, herbal, weight loss, obesity, and individual supplement names. Discussion. Data for conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, Garcinia cambogia, chitosan, pyruvate, Irvingia gabonensis, and chia seed for weight loss were identified. CLA, chitosan, pyruvate, and Irvingia gabonensis appeared to be effective in weight loss via fat modifying mechanisms. However, the data on the use of these products is limited. Conclusion. Many obese people use dietary supplements for weight loss. To date, there is little clinical evidence to support their use. More data is necessary to determine the efficacy and safety of these supplements. Healthcare providers should assist patients in weighing the risks and benefits of dietary supplement use for weight loss.

Unravelling the secret of seed-based gels in water: the nanoscale 3D network formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Samateh, Malick; Pottackal, Neethu; Manafirasi, Setareh; Vidyasagar, Adiyala; Maldarelli, Charles; John, George

2018-05-09

Chia (Salvia hispanica) and basil (Ocimum basilicum) seeds have the intrinsic ability to form a hydrogel concomitant with moisture-retention, slow releasing capability and proposed health benefits such as curbing diabetes and obesity by delaying digestion process. However, the underlying mode of gelation at nanoscopic level is not clearly explained or explored. The present study elucidates and corroborates the hypothesis that the gelling behavior of such seeds is due to their nanoscale 3D-network formation. The preliminary study revealed the influence of several conditions like polarity, pH and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity on fiber extrusion from the seeds which leads to gelation. Optical microscopic analysis clearly demonstrated bundles of fibers emanating from the seed coat while in contact with water, and live growth of fibers to form 3D network. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies confirmed 3D network formation with fiber diameters ranging from 20 to 50 nm.

The impac t of a scientific issue aproac h on the scientific and technological literac y of youth and adults

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Natalia Katherine García Ramírez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The processes of the scientific and technological literacy (STL developed with communities of youth and adults do not usually emerge beyond the classroom, these are simply compulsory for obtaining a degree. In such a context, this paper presents the results of a research whose purpose was to analyze the impact of the discussion about controversial aspects of a socioscientific issue (SCI on the SLT process of a group of youth and adults who studied a secondary school program by cycles in the town of Chia, Cundinamarca (Colombia. Some SCI-based activities related to the pollution caused by the industrial action in the Rio Frio sub-basin river (Cundinamarca, Colombia were designed and implemented for the analysis. It was found that working with SCI in literacy processes allows the formation of a critical and participatory subject, thus encouraging the learning of science concepts and their relationship with social and technological implications.

Effects of traditional and cyber homophobic bullying in childhood on depression, anxiety, and physical pain in emerging adulthood and the moderating effects of social support among gay and bisexual men in Taiwan

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Wang CC

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Chien-Chuan Wang,1,2 Huang-Chi Lin,2,3 Mu-Hong Chen,4,5 Nai-Ying Ko,6,7 Yu-Ping Chang,8 I-Mei Lin,9 Cheng-Fang Yen2,3 1Zuoying Branch of Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Department of Psychiatry, Graduate Institute of Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; 6Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 7Nursing Department and Center for Infection Control, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan; 8School of Nursing, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA; 9Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Objective: This study examined the differences in the current levels of depression, anxiety, and physical pain in emerging adulthood among gay and bisexual men with various experiences of traditional and cyber homophobic bullying based on gender role nonconformity and sexual orientation and the moderating effects of family and peer support.Methods: A total of 500 gay or bisexual men (age 20–25 years in Taiwan were recruited from August 2015 to July 2017. The levels of depression, anxiety, and physical pain among gay or bisexual men who had experienced both traditional and cyber homophobic bullying (n=109, only traditional or cyber bullying (n=173, and neither traditional nor cyber bullying during childhood (n=218 were compared. The moderating effects of family and peer support on the effects of homophobic bullying victimization on depression, anxiety, and physical pain

Anomalous effect in Schumann resonance phenomena observed in Japan, possibly associated with the Chi-chi earthquake in Taiwan

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M. Hayakawa

2005-06-01

Full Text Available The Schumann resonance phenomenon has been monitored at Nakatsugawa (near Nagoya in Japan since the beginning of 1999, and due to the occurance of a severe earthquake (so-called Chi-chi earthquake on 21 September 1999 in Taiwan we have examined our Schumann resonance data at Nakatsugawa during the entire year of 1999. We have found a very anomalous effect in the Schumann resonance, possibly associated with two large land earthquakes (one is the Chi-chi earthquake and another one on 2 November 1999 (Chia-yi earthquake with a magnitude again greater than 6.0. Conspicuous effects are observed for the larger Chi-chi earthquake, so that we summarize the characteristics for this event. The anomaly is characterized mainly by the unusual increase in amplitude of the fourth Schumann resonance mode and a significant frequency shift of its peak frequency (~1.0Hz from the conventional value on the B_y magnetic field component which is sensitive to the waves propagating in the NS meridian plane. Anomalous Schumann resonance signals appeared from about one week to a few days before the main shock. Secondly, the goniometric estimation of the arrival angle of the anomalous signal is found to coincide with the Taiwan azimuth (the unresolved dual direction indicates toward South America. Also, the pulsed signals, such as the Q-bursts, were simultaneously observed with the "carrier" frequency around the peak frequency of the fourth Schumann resonance mode. The anomaly for the second event for the Chia-yi earthquake on 2 November had much in common. But, most likely due to a small magnitude, the anomaly appears one day before and lasts until one day after the main shock, with the enhancement at the fourth Schumann resonance mode being smaller in amplitude than the case of the Chi-chi earthquake. Yet, the other characteristics, including the goniometric direction finding result, frequency shift, etc., are nearly the same. Although the emphasis of

Anomalous effect in Schumann resonance phenomena observed in Japan, possibly associated with the Chi-chi earthquake in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Hayakawa

2005-06-01

Full Text Available The Schumann resonance phenomenon has been monitored at Nakatsugawa (near Nagoya in Japan since the beginning of 1999, and due to the occurance of a severe earthquake (so-called Chi-chi earthquake on 21 September 1999 in Taiwan we have examined our Schumann resonance data at Nakatsugawa during the entire year of 1999. We have found a very anomalous effect in the Schumann resonance, possibly associated with two large land earthquakes (one is the Chi-chi earthquake and another one on 2 November 1999 (Chia-yi earthquake with a magnitude again greater than 6.0. Conspicuous effects are observed for the larger Chi-chi earthquake, so that we summarize the characteristics for this event. The anomaly is characterized mainly by the unusual increase in amplitude of the fourth Schumann resonance mode and a significant frequency shift of its peak frequency (~1.0Hz from the conventional value on the By magnetic field component which is sensitive to the waves propagating in the NS meridian plane. Anomalous Schumann resonance signals appeared from about one week to a few days before the main shock. Secondly, the goniometric estimation of the arrival angle of the anomalous signal is found to coincide with the Taiwan azimuth (the unresolved dual direction indicates toward South America. Also, the pulsed signals, such as the Q-bursts, were simultaneously observed with the "carrier" frequency around the peak frequency of the fourth Schumann resonance mode. The anomaly for the second event for the Chia-yi earthquake on 2 November had much in common. But, most likely due to a small magnitude, the anomaly appears one day before and lasts until one day after the main shock, with the enhancement at the fourth Schumann resonance mode being smaller in amplitude than the case of the Chi-chi earthquake. Yet, the other characteristics, including the goniometric direction finding result, frequency shift, etc., are nearly the same. Although the emphasis of the present study is

EFEITOS DA ADIÇÃO DE SEMENTE DE CHIA (Salvia hispanica) EM SORVETE DE MIRTILO (Vaccinium myrtillus)

OpenAIRE

Campidelli, Marina Leopoldina Lamounier; Paulinelli, Helenna Rosa; Magalhães, Maísa Lamounier; Penoni, Nayara; Carlos, Fernanda Gonçalves

2015-01-01

Uma estratégia para melhorar a qualidade da alimentação humana é a introdução de alimentos funcionais na dieta. Através de pesquisas é comprovado que estes componentes promovem um efeito fisiológico que vai além do valor nutritivo, contribuindo para a manutenção da saúde, bem-estar e diminuição dos riscos à saúde. Desta maneira, cresce o mercado de nutracêuticos e cada vez mais o consumidor se mostra disposto a adquirir estes produtos o que impulsiona o desenvolvimento de novas opções para o ...

Variation in male reproductive longevity across traditional societies.

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Lucio Vinicius

Full Text Available Most accounts of human life history propose that women have short reproductive spans relative to their adult lifespans, while men not only remain fertile but carry on reproducing until late life. Here we argue that studies have overlooked evidence for variation in male reproductive ageing across human populations. We apply a Bayesian approach to census data from Agta hunter-gatherers and Gambian farmers to show that long post-reproductive lifespans characterise not only women but also males in some traditional human populations. We calculate three indices of reproductive ageing in men (oldest age at reproduction, male late-life reproduction, and post-reproductive representation and identify a continuum of male reproductive longevity across eight traditional societies ranging from !Kung, Hadza and Agta hunter-gatherers exhibiting low levels of polygyny, early age at last reproduction and long post-reproductive lifespans, to male Gambian agriculturalists and Turkana pastoralists showing higher levels of polygyny, late-life reproduction and shorter post-reproductive lifespans. We conclude that the uniquely human detachment between rates of somatic senescence and reproductive decline, and the existence of post-reproductive lifespans, are features of both male and female life histories, and therefore not exclusive consequences of menopause.

Transmitting Health Philosophies through the Traditionalist Chinese Martial Arts in the UK

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George Jennings

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The dynamic relationships between “martial arts”, society and health remain unclear, particularly due to research that typically views health in a purely biomedical and compartmentalized way. Martial arts and combat sports (MACS offer a diversity of disciplines with their own intended training outcomes and techne. The traditionalist Chinese martial arts (TCMAs, such as Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan and Wing Chun Kung Fu, stress health promotion/preservation, personal development and lifelong practice. Adopting a structurationist framework, this article explores the connections between three distinct philosophies of health and TCMAs, institutions spreading such discourse, and the personal narratives of transformation and self-cultivation through these embodied art forms. Taking a perspective starting from the practitioners themselves, I explore the interplay between discourse and narrative as applied in everyday British society. Following detailed qualitative analysis, “Western scientific”, “contemporary Daoist” and “New Age” health philosophies are identified as explored via three detailed, reflexive cases of long-term practitioner-instructors, their schools and documents that connect them to international exponents across time. This article thus contributes to sociological knowledge on MACS and health, while considering the connections between health philosophies, discourse and narrative.

Effects of melatonin in experimental stroke models in acute, sub-acute, and chronic stages

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Hsiao-Wen Lin

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Hsiao-Wen Lin, E-Jian LeeNeurophysiology Laboratory, Neurosurgical Service, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Medical Center and Medical School, Tainan, TaiwanAbstract: Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine, a naturally occurring indole produced mainly by the pineal gland, is a well known antioxidant. Stroke (cerebral ischemia is the second leading cause of death worldwide. To date, however, effective and safe treatment for stroke remains unavailable. Melatonin is both lipid- and water-soluble and readily crosses the blood–brain barrier (BBB. Increasing evidence has shown that, in animal stroke models, administering melatonin significantly reduces infarct volume, edema, and oxidative damage and improves electrophysiological and behavioral performance. Here, we reviewed studies that assess effects of melatonin on cerebral ischemia in acute, sub-acute, and chronic stages. In addition to its potent antioxidant properties, melatonin exerts antiapoptotic, antiexcitotoxic, anti-inflammatory effects and promotes mitochondrial functions in animals with cerebral ischemia. Given that melatonin shows almost no toxicity to humans and possesses multifaceted protective capacity against cerebral ischemia, it is valuable to consider using melatonin in clinical trials on patients suffering from stroke.Keywords: cerebral ischemia, melatonin, stroke, neuroprotection

Menopause is associated with self-reported poor sleep quality in women without vasomotor symptoms.

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Hung, Hao-Chang; Lu, Feng-Hwa; Ou, Horng-Yih; Wu, Jin-Shang; Yang, Yi-Ching; Chang, Chih-Jen

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between menopause and self-reported sleep quality in Chinese women without vasomotor symptoms. Cross-sectional data were collected from a decoded database of the National Cheng Kung University Hospital. Menopause was defined as absence of menses for at least 12 months or a history of hysterectomy and oophorectomy. Self-reported sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A higher global PSQI score indicates poorer self-reported sleep quality, and a global PSQI score greater than 5 differentiates poor sleepers from good sleepers. Of the 1,088 women recruited, 353 (32.4%) were in postmenopause status. Postmenopausal women had higher mean (SD) global PSQI scores (8.0 [3.3] vs. 6.1 [2.2], P menopause (β = 1.532; 95% CI, 1.135 to 1.949; P menopause (odds ratio, 1.453; 95% CI, 1.030 to 2.051; P menopause and snoring are associated with an increased risk of poor self-reported sleep quality independently of cardiometabolic factors and lifestyle, whereas long sleep duration is associated with a decreased risk of poor self-reported sleep quality.

Analyzing Hollywood’s Animations Movies with Training Approach

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H. Bashir

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Today, one of the most influential and popular media production in the world in terms of the impact on education and training of children and adolescents, is animation movies especially those that are made in Hollywood. Since these 3D Animation movies have been created, these kind of products have been changed considerably and concepts of them have promoted significantly. Due to this, in this research, using qualitative content analysis, the content of these types of animations have been studied. In this study, six animation movies "Ice Age", "Kung Fu Panda", "Frozen", "Brave", "Ratatouille" and "Everyone’s Hero," are analyzed and in the end Codes and then themes of each of them are extracted. Finally, themes categorized into concepts that result in extracted 26 concepts which training effects of these concepts have been studied in three levels. Some of more important of main concepts in findings are relativity of values, desacralizing, emphasizing on the importance of family, the necessity of believing in something that needs to be done, and so on. Eventually impacts of different levels’ concepts have been studied and compared from positive and negative impacts and then theoretical and practical aspects.

Collective ordering of microscale matters in natural analogy.

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Ahn, Sungsook; Lee, Sang Joon

2015-06-01

Collective interaction occurs in many natural and artificial matters in broad scales. In a biological system, collective spatial organization of live individuals in a colony is important for their viability determination. Interactive motions between a single individual and an agglomerate are critical for whole procedure of the collective behaviors, but few has been clarified for these intermediate range behaviors. Here, collective interactions of microscale matters are investigated with human cells, plant seeds and artificial microspheres in terms of commonly occurring spatial arrangements. Human cancer cells are inherently attractive to form an agglomerate by cohesive motion, while plant chia seeds are repulsive by excreting mucilage. Microsphere model is employed to investigate the dynamic assembly equilibrated by an attraction and repulsion. There is a fundamental analogy in terms of an onset of regular pattern formation even without physical contact of individuals. The collective interactions are suggested to start before the individual components become physically agglomerated. This study contributes to fundamental understanding on the microscale particulate matters and natural pattern formation which are further useful for various applications both in academic and industrial areas.

Domestication drive the changes of immune and digestive system of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis).

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Chen, Xiaowen; Wang, Jun; Qian, Long; Gaughan, Sarah; Xiang, Wei; Ai, Tao; Fan, Zhenming; Wang, Chenghui

2017-01-01

Domestication has altered a variety of traits within the Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis), including phenotypic, physiological and behavioral traits of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis). Little is known, however, about the genetic changes between domesticated and wild Eurasian perch. In this study, we assembled a high-quality de novo reference transcriptome and identified differentially expressed genes between wild and domesticated Eurasian perch. A total of 113,709 transcripts were assembled, and 58,380 transcripts were annotated. Transcriptomic comparison revealed 630 differentially expressed genes between domesticated and wild Eurasian perch. Within domesticated Eurasian perch there were 412 genes that were up-regulated including MHCI, MHCII, chia, ighm within immune system development. There were 218 genes including try1, ctrl, ctrb, cela3b, cpa1 and cpb1, which were down-regulated that were associated with digestive processes. Our results indicated domestication drives the changes of immune and digestive system of Eurasian perch. Our study not only provide valuable genetic resources for further studies in Eurasian perch, but also provide novel insights into the genetic basis of physiological changes in Eurasian perch during domestication process.

Mastic Oil Inhibits the Metastatic Phenotype of Mouse Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loutrari, Heleni; Magkouta, Sophia; Papapetropoulos, Andreas; Roussos, Charis

2011-01-01

Mastic oil from Pistacia lentiscus variation chia, a natural combination of bioactive terpenes, has been shown to exert anti-tumor growth effects against a broad spectrum of cancers including mouse Lewis lung adenocarcinomas (LLC). However, no studies have addressed its anti-metastatic actions. In this study, we showed that treatment of LLC cells with mastic oil within a range of non-toxic concentrations (0.01–0.04% v/v): (a) abrogated their Matrigel invasion and migration capabilities in transwell assays; (b) reduced the levels of secreted MMP-2; (c) restricted phorbol ester-induced actin remodeling and (d) limited the length of neo-vessel networks in tumor microenvironment in the model of chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane. Moreover, exposure of LLC and endothelial cells to mastic oil impaired their adhesive interactions in a co-culture assay and reduced the expression of key adhesion molecules by endothelial cells upon their stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Overall, this study provides novel evidence supporting a multipotent role for mastic oil in prevention of crucial processes related to cancer metastasis

Rivastigmine: the advantages of dual inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase and its role in subcortical vascular dementia and Parkinson’s disease dementia

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Kandiah N

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Nagaendran Kandiah,1,2 Ming-Chyi Pai,3,4 Vorapun Senanarong,5 Irene Looi,6,7 Encarnita Ampil,8 Kyung Won Park,9 Ananda Krishna Karanam,10 Stephen Christopher11 1Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 2Duke-NUS, Graduate Medical School, Singapore; 3Division of Behavioral Neurology, Department of Neurology, 4Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan; 5Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 6Clinical Research Centre, 7Department of Medicine, Hospital Seberang Jaya, Penang, Malaysia; 8Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines; 9Department of Neurology and Cognitive Disorders and Dementia Center, Institute of Convergence Bio-Health, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; 10Novartis Healthcare Private Limited, Hyderabad, India; 11Novartis (Singapore Pte. Ltd., Singapore Abstract: Several studies have demonstrated clinical benefits of sustained cholinesterase inhibition with rivastigmine in Alzheimer’s disease (AD and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD. Unlike donepezil and galantamine that selectively inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7, rivastigmine is a unique cholinesterase inhibitor with both AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE; EC 3.1.1.8 inhibitory activity. Rivastigmine is also available as transdermal patch that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of mild, moderate, and severe AD as well as mild-to-moderate PDD. In this review, we explore the role of BuChE inhibition in addition to AChE inhibition with rivastigmine in the outcomes of cognition, global function, behavioral symptoms, and activities of daily living. Additionally, we review the evidence supporting the use of dual

IQ discrepancy differentiates levels of fine motor skills and their relationship in children with autism spectrum disorders

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Yu TY

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Tzu-Ying Yu,1 Willy Chou,2,3 Julie Chi Chow,4 Chien-Ho Lin,5 Li-Chen Tung,2,6 Kuan-Lin Chen7,8 1Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 2Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi-Mei Medical Center, 3Department of Recreation and Health Care Management, Cha Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, 4Department of Pediatrics, 5Department of Psychiatry, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 6Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Da Chien General Hospital, Miaoli, 7Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 8Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan Purpose: We investigated 1 the impact of differences in intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD on motor skills of preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD; 2 the relationships between IQD and motor skills in preschool-aged children with ASD. Methods: A total of 127 ASD preschool-aged children were divided into three groups according to the size of the IQD: IQD within 1 standard deviation (1SD; EVENIQ; n=81, discrepantly higher verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ; n=22; VIQ>performance intelligence quotient [PIQ] above 1SD [≥15 points], and discrepantly higher PIQ (n=24; PIQ>VIQ above 1SD [≥15 points]. Children’s IQD and motor skills were determined with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence™ – Fourth Edition and the motor subtests of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers (CDIIT, respectively. Results: One-way analysis of variance revealed significant group differences for the fine motor domain of the CDIIT and the visual–motor coordination subtest (F=3.37–4.38, p<0.05. Children with discrepantly higher PIQ were associated with better fine motor skills than were children with even IQD and those with discrepantly higher VIQ, and vice versa. IQD (PIQ �

Vegetable communities and degradation patterns and succession in the vegetation of the Western Hills of Chia, Cundinamarca - Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cortes S, Sandra P; Van der Hammen, Thomas; Rangel Ch, J Orlando

1999-01-01

Two physiognomic plant communities were characterized: open vegetation which include the associations Dichondro repentis - Cupheetum serpyllifoliae (meadows), Baccharido rupicolae - Dodonaeetum viscosae (low shrubby vegetation), Andropogono aequatoriensis - Epidendretum elongatae (casmophytic vegetation) and Chaetolepido microphyllae-Espeletiopsietum corymbosae (shrubby vegetation-type with rosette plants). The closed vegetation includes two kinds of forests, Miconio ligustrinae- Weinmannietum tomentosae and Daphnopsio caracasanae - Xylosmetum spiculiferae. According to the floristic composition, depth of the soil, slope climate, relief and the anthropic influence (including degradation and natural succession), two trends in plant succession were defined

Artificial Intelligence Learning Semantics via External Resources for Classifying Diagnosis Codes in Discharge Notes.

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Lin, Chin; Hsu, Chia-Jung; Lou, Yu-Sheng; Yeh, Shih-Jen; Lee, Chia-Cheng; Su, Sui-Lung; Chen, Hsiang-Cheng

2017-11-06

extracted enough concepts to predict the diagnosis codes. Word embedding combined with a CNN showed outstanding performance compared with traditional methods, needing very little data preprocessing. This shows that future studies will not be limited by incomplete dictionaries. A large amount of unstructured information from free-text medical writing will be extracted by automated approaches in the future, and we believe that the health care field is about to enter the age of big data. ©Chin Lin, Chia-Jung Hsu, Yu-Sheng Lou, Shih-Jen Yeh, Chia-Cheng Lee, Sui-Lung Su, Hsiang-Cheng Chen. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 06.11.2017.

Incidence, risk factors, and phenomenological characteristics of postoperative delirium in patients receiving intravenous patient-controlled analgesia: a prospective cohort study

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Lin YT

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Yao Tsung Lin,1 Kuo Mao Lan,1 Li-Kai Wang,1 Chin-Chen Chu,1 Su-Zhen Wu,1 Chia-Yu Chang,2 Jen-Yin Chen1,3 1Department of Anesthesiology, 2Department of Neurology, Chi Mei Medical Center, 3Department of the Senior Citizen Service Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan Background: Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IVPCA is a common method of relieving pain which is a risk factor of postoperative delirium (POD. However, research concerning POD in IVPCA patients is limited. Objective: We aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors, and phenomenological characteristics of POD in patients receiving IVPCA. Methods: A prospective, cohort study was conducted in post-general anesthesia IVPCA patients aged ≥60 years. POD was measured by the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (NuDESC; 0–10. Delirium, pain severity at rest and/or on movement, and side effects of IVPCA during 3 postoperative days were examined twice-daily by the acute pain service team. Pain severity is measured by an 11-point verbal numerical rating scale (11-point VNRS (0–10. An 11-point VNRS >3 was considered inadequate pain relief. If POD (detected by NuDESC ≥1 is suspected, consulting a neurologist or a psychiatrist to confirm suspected POD is required. Results: In total, 1,608 patients were included. The incidence rate of POD was 2.2%. Age ≥70 years and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status >III were the risk factors of POD in IVPCA patients. Approximately three-quarters of all POD cases occurred within the first 2 postoperative days. For pain at rest, patients with inadequate pain relief had significantly greater rates of POD than patients with adequate pain relief (day 1, 8.4% vs 1.5%, P<0.001; day 2, 9.6% vs 2.0%, P=0.028; day 3, 4.1% vs 2.1%, P=0.412. However, the incidence of POD was not associated with movement-evoked pain relief. Most (79.9% POD cases in IVPCA patients showed either one or two symptoms. The

An innovative nonpharmacological intervention combined with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia increased patient global improvement in pain and satisfaction after major surgery

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Chuang CC

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Chia-Chun Chuang,1 Chien-Ching Lee,1,2 Li-Kai Wang,1 Bor-Shyh Lin,2 Wen-Ju Wu,1 Chung-Han Ho,3 Jen-Yin Chen1,4 1Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, 2Department of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics, National Chiao Tung University, 3Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, 4Department of the Senior Citizen Service Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate whether a nonpharmacological approach through implementation of a communication improvement program (named CICARE for Connect, Introduce, Communicate, Ask, Respond and Exit into standard operating procedure (SOP in acute pain service (APS improved satisfaction in patients receiving intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA.Patients and methods: This was a nonrandomized before–after study. Adult patients (aged between 20 and 80 years who received IV-PCA after major surgery were included. Implementing CICARE into SOP was conducted in APS. Anonymous questionnaires were used to measure outcomes in this prospective two-part survey. The first part completed by APS nurses contained patients’ characteristics, morphine dosage, delivery/demand ratios, IV-PCA side effects and pain at rest measured with an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS, 0–10. A score of NRS ≥4 was defined as inadequately treated pain. The ten-question second part was completed by patients voluntarily after IV-PCA was discontinued. Each question was assessed with a 5-point Likert scale (1: extremely poor; 5: excellent. Patients were separated into “before” and “after” CICARE groups. Primary outcomes were patient global impression of improvement in pain (PGI-Improvement and patient satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included quality of communication skills, instrument proficiency and accessibility/availability of IV-PCA.Results: The response rate was 55.3%, with 187 usable questionnaires. CICARE

Visualization of Atmospheric Water Vapor Data for SAGE

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Kung, Mou-Liang; Chu, W. P. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The goal of this project was to develop visualization tools to study the water vapor dynamics using the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment 11 (SAGE 11) water vapor data. During the past years, we completed the development of a visualization tool called EZSAGE, and various Gridded Water Vapor plots, tools deployed on the web to provide users with new insight into the water vapor dynamics. Results and experiences from this project, including papers, tutorials and reviews were published on the main Web page. Additional publishing effort has been initiated to package EZSAGE software for CD production and distribution. There have been some major personnel changes since Fall, 1998. Dr. Mou-Liang Kung, a Professor of Computer Science assumed the PI position vacated by Dr. Waldo Rodriguez who was on leave. However, former PI, Dr. Rodriguez continued to serve as a research adviser to this project to assure smooth transition and project completion. Typically in each semester, five student research assistants were hired and trained. Weekly group meetings were held to discuss problems, progress, new research direction, and activity planning. Other small group meetings were also held regularly for different objectives of this project. All student research assistants were required to submit reports for conference submission.

Style of the surface deformation by the 1999 Chichi earthquake at the central segment of Chelungpu fault, Taiwan, with special reference to the presence of the main and subsidiary faults and their progressive deformation in the Tsauton area

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Ota, Y.; Watanabe, M.; Suzuki, Y.; Yanagida, M.; Miyawaki, A.; Sawa, H.

2007-11-01

We describe the style of surface deformation in the 1999 Chichi earthquake in the central segment of the Chelungpu Fault. The study covers the Kung-fu village, north of Han River, to the south of Tsauton area. A characteristic style of the surface deformation is a convex scarp in profile and sinuous plan view, due to the low angle thrust fault. Two subparallel faults, including the west facing Tsauton West fault, and the east facing Tsauton East fault, limit the western and eastern margin of the Tsauton terraced area. The Tsauton West fault is the continuation of the main Chelungpu fault and the Tsauton East fault is located about 2 km apart. Both faults record larger amounts of vertical displacement on the older terraces. The 1999 surface rupture occurred exactly on a pre-existing fault scarp of the Tsauton West and East faults. Thus, repeated activities of these two faults during the Holocene, possibly since the late Quaternary, are confirmed. The amount of vertical offset of the Tsauton East fault is smaller, and about 40-50% of that of the Tsauton West fault for the pre-existing fault. This indicates that the Tsauton East fault is a subsidiary fault and moved together with the main fault, but accommodated less amount.

An Overview of Chemical Profiles, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Commercial Vegetable Edible Oils Marketed in Japan

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Gangqiang, Gu; Quy, Tran Ngoc; Khanh, Tran Dang

2018-01-01

This study analyzed chemical components and investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of fourteen vegetable edible oils marketed in Japan. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify and quantify principal phenolic acids and flavonoids. In the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, sunflower, safflower, canola, soybean, Inca inchi, sesame, and rice bran showed markedly greater activity, whilst the percentage of lipid peroxidation inhibition (LPI%) in sunflower, canola, cotton, grape, flax, perilla, Inca inchi, perillartine, and rice bran were significantly higher than other oils. Maximum total phenol content (TPC) was recorded in flax, followed by perillartine, rice bran, and perilla, whereas total flavonoid content (TFC) was the greatest in Inca inchi and sesame. Benzoic acid was the most common constituent, followed by vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid. On the other hand, luteolin was the most abundant flavonoid, followed by esculetin, myricetin, isoquercetin, and kaempferol, while fisetin was detected only in sunflower. In general, all of the edible oils showed antimicrobial activity, but the growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli of cotton, grape, chia, sesame, and rice bran were greater than other oils. PMID:29439420

Prehispanic Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals in the Treatment of Dyslipidemia Associated to Cardiovascular Disease: a Mini-Review.

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Ríos-Hoyo, Alejandro; Romo-Araiza, Alejandra; Meneses-Mayo, Marcos; Guttiérrez-Salmeán, Gabriela

2017-01-27

Dyslipidemia is an important modifi able risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, which are responsible for a large number of mortality and disability cases around the globe. Different strategies have been used within the treatment of dyslipidemia, including lifestyle modifi cations, pharmacologic therapy, as well as functional foods and nutraceuticals. Functional foods have been used worldwide since ancient times, particularly, the prehispanic civilizations utilized several as medicinal foods. In the current pandemic of dyslipidemia as well as the nutritional transition, particularly in Latin America, the use of native functional foods represents an attractive target for the treatment and/ or prevention of these conditions. In this mini-review, evidence regarding different functional foods such as cacao, amaranth, chia, nopal, spirulina, as well as their nutraceutical compounds, including fl avonoids, omega-3 PUFAs, fi ber, prebiotics, lovastatin, c-phycocyanin, among others, and their mechanism of action are presented and discussed. Although such foods certainly are considered as attractive potential agents to target dyslipidemia thus decrease the associated cardiometabolic risk, we conclude that for most of the presented functional foods there is currently not enough evidence to support its recommendation and every-day use.

Prevalence and natural history of ALK positive non-small-cell lung cancer and the clinical impact of targeted therapy with ALK inhibitors

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Chia PL

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Puey Ling Chia,1 Paul Mitchell,1 Alexander Dobrovic,2–4 Thomas John1,2,4 1Department of Medical Oncology, Olivia-Newton John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Victoria, Australia; 2Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia; 3Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; 4School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia Abstract: Improved understanding of molecular drivers of carcinogenesis has led to significant progress in the management of lung cancer. Patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK gene rearrangements constitute about 4%–5% of all NSCLC patients. ALK+ NSCLC cells respond well to small molecule ALK inhibitors such as crizotinib; however, resistance invariably develops after several months of treatment. There are now several newer ALK inhibitors, with the next generation of agents targeting resistance mutations. In this review, we will discuss the prevalence and clinical characteristics of ALK+ lung cancer, current treatment options, and future directions in the management of this subset of NSCLC patients. Keywords: anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK, gene rearrangements, lung cancer, kinase inhibitors, lung adenocarcinoma

Conductivity hysteresis in polymer electrolytes incorporating poly(tetrahydrofuran)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akbulut, Ozge; Taniguchi, Ikuo; Mayes, Anne M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Kumar, Sundeep; Shao-Horn, Yang [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States)

2007-01-01

Conductivity hysteresis and room temperature ionic conductivities >10{sup -3}S/cm were recently reported for electrolytes prepared from blends of an amphiphilic comb copolymer, poly[2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxapentadecamethylene (5-hexadecyloxy-1,3-phenylene)] (polymer I), and a linear multiblock copolymer, poly(oligotetrahydrofuran-co-dodecamethylene) (polymer II), following thermal treatment [F. Chia, Y. Zheng, J. Liu, N. Reeves, G. Ungar, P.V. Wright, Electrochim. Acta 43 (2003) 1939]. To investigate the origin of these effects, polymers I and II were synthesized in this work, and the conductivity and thermal properties of the individual polymers were investigated. AC impedance measurements were conducted on I and II doped with LiBF{sub 4} or LiClO{sub 4} during gradual heating to 110{sup o}C and slow cooling to room temperature. Significant conductivity hysteresis was seen for polymer II, and was similarly observed for poly(tetrahydrofuran) (PTHF) homopolymer at equivalent doping levels. From thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy, both polymer II and PTHF were found to partially decompose to THF during heat treatment, resulting in a self-plasticizing effect on conductivity. (author)

Real-world evaluation of compliance and preference in Alzheimer’s disease treatment: an observational study in Taiwan 

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Lai TH

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Tzu-Hsien Lai,1,2,* Wen-Fu Wang,3,* Bak-Sau Yip,4 Yu-Wan Yang,5 Giia-Sheun Peng,6 Shih-Jei Tsai,7,8 Yi-Chu Liao,9 Ming-Chyi Pai10,111Section of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, 2Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, 3Department of Neurology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, 4Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu, 5Department of Neurology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 6Department of Neurology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 7Department of Neurology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 8School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, 9Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, 10Division of Behavioral Neurology, Department of Neurology, 11Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan *These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: Among the medications approved for Alzheimer’s disease (AD, rivastigmine is the only one available as transdermal patch. The aim of this study was to evaluate compliance and caregivers’ preference with oral and transdermal (rivastigmine monotherapy in patients with mild-to-moderate AD from Taiwan.Methods: Real-world Evaluation of Compliance And Preference in Alzheimer’s disease treatment (RECAP in Taiwan was a prospective, noninterventional, observational study with a 24-week (±8 weeks observational period for each participant. Eligible patients were grouped into one of the two treatment cohorts based on the baseline AD therapy: oral (donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, or memantine or transdermal (rivastigmine patch. The primary end points were caregiver preference and caregiver assessment of patients’ compliance to

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus-infected patients

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Chang CM

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Chia-Ming Chang,1–3 Ming-Shun Hsieh,1–4 Tsung-Chieh Yang,3,5 Vivian Chia-Rong Hsieh,6 Jen-Huai Chiang,7 Hsien-Hao Huang,1,3 Chorng-Kuang How,1,3 Sung-Yuan Hu,8 David Hung-Tsang Yen1,3 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 2Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, 3College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 4Department of Emergency Medicine, 5Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan, 6Department of Health Services Administration, 7Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University, 8Department of Emergency Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV infection.Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study by using claims data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD. The study cohort comprised 1380 newly diagnosed HBV-infected patients with SSRI use who were frequency matched by age, sex, liver cirrhosis, and index year with HBV-infected patients without SSRI use in the comparison cohort. Each patient case was followed from 2000 to 2012 to identify incident HCC cases. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to evaluate the association between SSRI use and HCC risk. The further sensitivity analysis used case-control study design. A total of 9070 HCC subjects retrieved from NHIRD, and equal non-HCC subjects were analyzed after matching for age and sex.Results: We identified 9 and 24 HCC cases in the study and comparison cohorts during the follow-up period of 7056 and 6845 person-years, respectively. The incidence rate of HCC was 1.28 and 3

Meditative Movement for Depression and Anxiety

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Peter ePayne

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This review focuses on Meditative Movement (MM and its effects on anxiety, depression and other affective states. MM is a term identifying forms of exercise that use movement in conjunction with meditative attention to body sensations, including proprioception, interoception and kinesthesis. MM includes the traditional Chinese methods of Qigong (Chi Kung and Taijiquan (Tai Chi, some forms of Yoga and other Asian practices, as well as Western Somatic practices; however this review focuses primarily on Qigong and Taijiquan. We clarify the differences between MM and conventional exercise, present descriptions of several of the key methodologies of MM, and suggest how research into these practices may be approached in a systematic way. We also present evidence for possible mechanisms of the effects of MM on affective states, including the roles of posture, rhythm, coherent breathing, and the involvement of specific cortical and subcortical structures. We survey research outcomes summarized in reviews published since 2007. Results suggest that MM may be at least as effective as conventional exercise or other interventions in ameliorating anxiety and depression; however, study quality is generally poor and there are many confounding factors. This makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions at this time. We suggest, however, that more research is warranted, and we offer specific suggestions for ensuring high-quality and productive future studies.

PARTICIPATION MOTIVATION IN MARTIAL ARTISTS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS REGION OF ENGLAND

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Derek M. Peters

2006-07-01

Full Text Available The objectives were to identify the participation motivations and the perceived importance of certain participation factors in martial artists in the West Midlands, England, UK. A 28-item adapted version of the Participation Motivation Questionnaire with additional demographic questions was distributed to 30 martial arts clubs in the West Midlands region. Eight questions that assessed the perceived importance for participation of progression through grades, learning self defence skills, technical ability of instructors, cost of participating, development of confidence, underpinning philosophy and instructional style were included. Seventy-five questionnaires were returned from a total of 11 clubs from across representing practitioners in Tai Chi, Karate, Kung fu, Aikido, Jeet Kune Do, British Free Fighting, Taekwon-Do and Jujitsu. Results indicated that the rank order in terms of participation motives was: 1-Affiliation; 2-Friendship; 3-Fitness; 4-Reward/status; 5-Competition; 6-Situational and 7-Skill development. Participants who trained for more than 4 hours per week placed greater importance on the underpinning philosophy of the martial art. Findings suggest that whilst there is a gender discrepancy in participation level, once engaged, females were equally committed to weekly training. The 'style' of the instructor is of paramount importance for enhancing student motivation to participate. High volume practitioners would appear to be fully immersed in the holistic appreciation of the martial art through increased value placed on its underpinning philosophy

Major ocular trauma in Taiwan: 2002-2004 versus 2012-2014.

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Chang, Yi-Sheng; Teng, Yu-Ti; Huang, Yi-Hsun; Liu, Mei-Ling; Hung, Jia-Horung; Hsu, Sheng-Min; Huang, Fu-Chin; Shih, Min-Hsiu; Chen, Wan-Ju; Lai, Chun-Chieh; Hsiao, Shu-Fang; Wang, Shih-Hao; Tseng, Sung-Huei

2018-05-04

We investigated the temporal changes in major eye injuries in Taiwan by reviewing the medical records of all patients with ocular trauma hospitalized at the National Cheng Kung University Hospital during 2002-2004 and 2012-2014. A total of 169 eyes (161 patients) during 2002-2004 and 121 eyes (120 patients) during 2012-2014 were enrolled (mean ± SD age: 41.9 ± 20.8 years in 2002-2004, and 51.8 ± 19.3 years in 2012-2014). Males accounted for ~75% of patients. The most frequent injury-causing object was metallic material (~24%), and blunt traumas were most frequently attributable to traffic accidents and falls. The most common locations of injuries for males and females were the workplace and home, respectively. Open-globe injuries occurred in ~70% of eyes, requiring primary repair, cataract extraction, and/or intraocular lens implantation. The frequencies of fall injury, lacrimal system laceration, lens injury, corneal/scleral foreign bodies, and use of intracameral antibiotics increased from 2002-2004 to 2012-2014, while those of closed-globe injury, vitreous haemorrhage, optic nerve injury, and medical treatment decreased. The final visual acuity remained poor (≤20/200) in >1/3 of injured eyes. Despite therapeutic advancements, major eye injuries still pose a high risk for poor visual outcome.

Embers of society: Firelight talk among the Ju/'hoansi Bushmen.

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Wiessner, Polly W

2014-09-30

Much attention has been focused on control of fire in human evolution and the impact of cooking on anatomy, social, and residential arrangements. However, little is known about what transpired when firelight extended the day, creating effective time for social activities that did not conflict with productive time for subsistence activities. Comparison of 174 day and nighttime conversations among the Ju/'hoan (!Kung) Bushmen of southern Africa, supplemented by 68 translated texts, suggests that day talk centers on economic matters and gossip to regulate social relations. Night activities steer away from tensions of the day to singing, dancing, religious ceremonies, and enthralling stories, often about known people. Such stories describe the workings of entire institutions in a small-scale society with little formal teaching. Night talk plays an important role in evoking higher orders of theory of mind via the imagination, conveying attributes of people in broad networks (virtual communities), and transmitting the "big picture" of cultural institutions that generate regularity of behavior, cooperation, and trust at the regional level. Findings from the Ju/'hoan are compared with other hunter-gatherer societies and related to the widespread human use of firelight for intimate conversation and our appetite for evening stories. The question is raised as to what happens when economically unproductive firelit time is turned to productive time by artificial lighting.

Covalent Allosteric Inactivation of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) by an Inhibitor-Electrophile Conjugate.

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Punthasee, Puminan; Laciak, Adrian R; Cummings, Andrea H; Ruddraraju, Kasi Viswanatharaju; Lewis, Sarah M; Hillebrand, Roman; Singh, Harkewal; Tanner, John J; Gates, Kent S

2017-04-11

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a validated drug target, but it has proven difficult to develop medicinally useful, reversible inhibitors of this enzyme. Here we explored covalent strategies for the inactivation of PTP1B using a conjugate composed of an active site-directed 5-aryl-1,2,5-thiadiazolidin-3-one 1,1-dioxide inhibitor connected via a short linker to an electrophilic α-bromoacetamide moiety. Inhibitor-electrophile conjugate 5a caused time-dependent loss of PTP1B activity consistent with a covalent inactivation mechanism. The inactivation occurred with a second-order rate constant of (1.7 ± 0.3) × 10 2 M -1 min -1 . Mass spectrometric analysis of the inactivated enzyme indicated that the primary site of modification was C121, a residue distant from the active site. Previous work provided evidence that covalent modification of the allosteric residue C121 can cause inactivation of PTP1B [Hansen, S. K., Cancilla, M. T., Shiau, T. P., Kung, J., Chen, T., and Erlanson, D. A. (2005) Biochemistry 44, 7704-7712]. Overall, our results are consistent with an unusual enzyme inactivation process in which noncovalent binding of the inhibitor-electrophile conjugate to the active site of PTP1B protects the nucleophilic catalytic C215 residue from covalent modification, thus allowing inactivation of the enzyme via selective modification of allosteric residue C121.

Improving nuclear envelope dynamics by EBV BFRF1 facilitates intranuclear component clearance through autophagy.

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Liu, Guan-Ting; Kung, Hsiu-Ni; Chen, Chung-Kuan; Huang, Cheng; Wang, Yung-Li; Yu, Cheng-Pu; Lee, Chung-Pei

2018-02-26

Although a vesicular nucleocytoplasmic transport system is believed to exist in eukaryotic cells, the features of this pathway are mostly unknown. Here, we report that the BFRF1 protein of the Epstein-Barr virus improves vesicular transport of nuclear envelope (NE) to facilitate the translocation and clearance of nuclear components. BFRF1 expression induces vesicles that selectively transport nuclear components to the cytoplasm. With the use of aggregation-prone proteins as tools, we found that aggregated nuclear proteins are dispersed when these BFRF1-induced vesicles are formed. BFRF1-containing vesicles engulf the NE-associated aggregates, exit through from the NE, and putatively fuse with autophagic vacuoles. Chemical treatment and genetic ablation of autophagy-related factors indicate that autophagosome formation and autophagy-linked FYVE protein-mediated autophagic proteolysis are involved in this selective clearance of nuclear proteins. Remarkably, vesicular transport, elicited by BFRF1, also attenuated nuclear aggregates accumulated in neuroblastoma cells. Accordingly, induction of NE-derived vesicles by BFRF1 facilitates nuclear protein translocation and clearance, suggesting that autophagy-coupled transport of nucleus-derived vesicles can be elicited for nuclear component catabolism in mammalian cells.-Liu, G.-T., Kung, H.-N., Chen, C.-K., Huang, C., Wang, Y.-L., Yu, C.-P., Lee, C.-P. Improving nuclear envelope dynamics by EBV BFRF1 facilitates intranuclear component clearance through autophagy.

Rare clinical experiences for surgical treatment of melanoma with osseous metastases in Taiwan

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Yang Rong-Sen

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Malignant melanoma occurs infrequently in Taiwan. Once it has progressed into osseous metastases, the prognosis is poor. There are no reported clinical experiences of surgical management in this area. Methods To improve our understanding of the rare clinical experiences, we retrospectively investigated clinical characteristics, radiological findings, treatment modalities, survival outcomes and prognoses of 11 Taiwanese patients with osseous metastasis of melanoma treated surgically at two national medical centers, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Cheng Kung University Hospital from January 1983 to December 2006. Results Six patients suffered from acral-lentiginous melanoma. Nine patients sustained multiple osseous metastases and most lesions were osteolytic. Nine patients also had sustained metastases to other organs including liver, lungs, lymph nodes, brain and spleen. Second malignancies including lung cancer, thyroid papillary carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma and cervical cancer co-existed in four patients. The interval from the initial diagnosis of melanoma to the clinical detection of osseous metastases varied from 0–37.8 months (mean 9.75 months. Metastatic melanoma was invariably fatal; the mean survival time from bone metastases to death was 5.67 months. Conclusion Due to the high morbidity and poor survival of Taiwanese patients with osseous metastases of melanoma, surgical treatment should be directed towards pain relief and the prevention of skeletal debilitation in order to maintain their quality of life.

Role and development of GLP-1 receptor agonists in the management of diabetes

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Chee W Chia

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Chee W Chia, Josephine M EganNational Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, USAAbstract: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 is a hormone secreted from enteroendocrine L cells of the intestine in response to food. Exogenous GLP-1 administration at pharmacological doses results in many effects that are beneficial for treating type 2 diabetes, these include: (1 an increase in insulin secretion from β cells; (2 a suppression of glucagon secretion from α cells in the presence of hyperglycemia but not hypoglycemia; (3 a delay in gastric emptying and gut motility which in turns delays absorption of ingested nutrients and dampens post-prandial glucose excursion; and (4 an increase in the duration of postprandial satiety therefore suppressing appetite and decreasing food intake which eventually leads to weight loss. However, GLP-1 is subject to rapid enzymatic degradation, and therefore, not suitable for long-term treatment. A synthetic enzyme-resistant GLP-1 receptor agonist that reproduces the biological effects of GLP-1 is in use and more are under development. This review aims at providing a summary of the properties of GLP-1 and the development of GLP-1-based therapies for treatment of diabetes.Keywords: incretin, GLP-1, GLP-1R agonist, diabetes

Greening in sunflower butter cookies as a function of egg replacers and baking temperature.

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Rogers, Amanda; Hahn, Lan; Pham, Vu; Were, Lilian

2018-04-01

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) binding to proteins in alkaline conditions results in the production of green trihydroxy benzacradine (TBA) derivatives. The formation of TBA derivatives could decrease product quality due to the potential losses in soluble protein and antioxidants and the production of an undesirable green color. To determine how cookie formulation affected the formation of TBA derivatives in sunflower butter cookies, two egg replacers (chia and banana) and two baking temperatures (162.8 and 190.6 °C) were used. Moisture, greening intensity, CGA content and antioxidant capacity were measured. Cookies made with egg and baked at 162.8 °C had the highest moisture, internal greening intensity, and TBA derivative formation, in addition to lower CGA content and antioxidant capacity. Cookies made with banana baked at 190.6 °C produced the opposite outcome with 35, 4, and 23% less internal greening, moisture, and TBA derivatives, respectively, and 90 and 76% higher CGA and antioxidant capacity. Internal greening was positively correlated with moisture and adduct concentration, and negatively correlated with spread factor and CGA content. Moisture had a significant impact on greening, which indicates that baking temperature and cookie dough formulation can be modified to produce a less green cookie with more unreacted antioxidants and protein.

Effects of environmental factors on the morphometric characteristics of cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.

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Antonio D Ojeda

2012-09-01

Full Text Available We evaluated the phenotypic response of three varieties of lettuce Batavia Colwart, Lisa Elisa and Crespa Verde Cassabella in three growing environments: plastic greenhouse, glass greenhouse and open field on the Bogota Plateau (Chia, Cundinamarca, in order to generate useful information to improve the quality of plants grown by farmers, ensuring a healthy product with characteristics that meet market demands. The three agroecosystems were constantly monitored for the environmental variables of temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation; which showed a significant variation between the three agroecosystems. To assess the phenotypic response, we examined the effect of the environmental variables mentioned on seven morphometric variables of agronomic interest. The study showed that, for the variables germination percentage and fresh weight, the environmental effect reached a variance percentage of 79 and 44%, respectively. On the contrary, it was established that the average phenotypic response of the variables clean weight and percentage of dry mass corresponds especially to the effect of genetic varieties with a variance percentage of 35 and 45%, respectively. Similarly, for the variables specific leaf area and total leaf area, it was established that both the effects of environmental and genetic variables explain 87% (50 genetic, 37 environmental and 56% (31 genetic, 25 environmental, respectively, of the total variability observed

Medicinal Plants in the Flora of Luhansk Region

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S.Yu. Naumov

2016-11-01

Full Text Available To establish a resource base of medicinal plants of Donbass, and to develop methods for their balanced use, it is necessary to conduct an inventory and analysis of the spread of wild species, that recently was not carried out in Luhansk and Donetsk region. These circumstances have served as an incentive to carry out special investigations. Test species belong to 403 genus and 108 families. List of vascular plants of Luhansk region has more than 1,200 species. We have established that in the study area, there are 718 species of medicinal plants, representing 60 % of the total flora of the region, covering so much of the taxonomic diversity of Donbass flora. The family of the Asteraceae (105 species, 50 genuses is different in terms of the greatest number of species of medicinal plants and genus family. The families of Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae and Poaceae contain more than 40 species, the families of Apiaceae и Rosaceae — over 30 species, Caryophylaceae и Polygonaceae — more than 20 species, a total of 301 species. The remaining 99 families presented a small number of basic taxonomic units. The species Viscum album, Ajuga chia, Salvia nemorosa were found during expeditions. These species have not been previously described for the region.

Food combination based on a pre-hispanic Mexican diet decreases metabolic and cognitive abnormalities and gut microbiota dysbiosis caused by a sucrose-enriched high-fat diet in rats.

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Avila-Nava, Azalia; Noriega, Lilia G; Tovar, Armando R; Granados, Omar; Perez-Cruz, Claudia; Pedraza-Chaverri, José; Torres, Nimbe

2017-01-01

There is few information about the possible health effects of a food combination based on a pre-hispanic Mexican diet (PMD). This diet rich in fiber, polyphenols, a healthy ratio of omega 6/omega 3 fatty acids, and vegetable protein could improve carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, gut microbiota and cognitive function. We examined the effect of a PMD in a sucrose enriched high-fat model. The PMD contains corn, beans, tomato, nopal, chia and pumpkin seeds in dehydrated form. Following induction of obesity, rats were fed PMD. PMD consumption decreased glucose intolerance, body weight gain, serum and liver triglycerides and leptin. In addition, PMD decreased the size of the adipocytes, and increased the protein abundance of UCP-1, PPAR-α, PGC1-α and Tbx-1 in white adipose tissue. Finally, the PMD significant decreased hepatic levels of ROS, oxidized proteins and GSSG/GSH ratio and an increase in the relative abundance of Bifidobacteria and the improvement of cognitive function. Consumption of a PMD decreased the glucose intolerance and the biochemical abnormalities caused by the obesity by increasing the abundance of proteins involved in fatty acid oxidation, decreasing the oxidative stress and modifying the gut microbiota. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Chemical Profiling of Primary Mesothelioma Cultures Defines Subtypes with Different Expression Profiles and Clinical Responses.

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Schunselaar, Laurel M; Quispel-Janssen, Josine M M F; Kim, Yongsoo; Alifrangis, Constantine; Zwart, Wilbert; Baas, Paul; Neefjes, Jacques

2018-04-01

Purpose: Finding new treatment options for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma is challenging due to the rarity and heterogeneity of this cancer type. The absence of druggable targets further complicates the development of new therapies. Current treatment options are therefore limited, and prognosis remains poor. Experimental Design: We performed drug screening on primary mesothelioma cultures to guide treatment decisions of corresponding patients that were progressive after first- or second-line treatment. Results: We observed a high concordance between in vitro results and clinical outcomes. We defined three subgroups responding differently to the anticancer drugs tested. In addition, gene expression profiling yielded distinct signatures that segregated the differently responding subgroups. These genes signatures involved various pathways, most prominently the fibroblast growth factor pathway. Conclusions: Our primary mesothelioma culture system has proved to be suitable to test novel drugs. Chemical profiling of primary mesothelioma cultures allows personalizing treatment for a group of patients with a rare tumor type where clinical trials are notoriously difficult. This personalized treatment strategy is expected to improve the poor prospects of patients with mesothelioma. Clin Cancer Res; 24(7); 1761-70. ©2017 AACR See related commentary by John and Chia, p. 1513 . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Health Informatics and E-health Curriculum for Clinical Health Profession Degrees.

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Gray, Kathleen; Choo, Dawn; Butler-Henderson, Kerryn; Whetton, Sue; Maeder, Anthony

2015-01-01

The project reported in this paper models a new approach to making health informatics and e-health education widely available to students in a range of Australian clinical health profession degrees. The development of a Masters level subject uses design-based research to apply educational quality assurance practices which are consistent with university qualification frameworks, and with clinical health profession education standards; at the same time it gives recognition to health informatics as a specialised profession in its own right. The paper presents details of (a) design with reference to the Australian Qualifications Framework and CHIA competencies, (b) peer review within a three-university teaching team, (c) external review by experts from the professions, (d) cross-institutional interprofessional online learning, (e) methods for evaluating student learning experiences and outcomes, and (f) mechanisms for making the curriculum openly available to interested parties. The project has sought and found demand among clinical health professionals for formal health informatics and e-health education that is designed for them. It has helped the educators and organisations involved to understand the need for nuanced and complementary health informatics educational offerings in Australian universities. These insights may aid in further efforts to address substantive and systemic challenges that clinical informatics faces in Australia.

El ejemplar del Geka seiso (1791 de la Colección Francisco Guerra por José Luis Gonzalo Sánchez-Molero

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Gonzalo Sánchez-Molero, José Luis

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Desde 2007 la Biblioteca Histórica Marqués de Valdecilla conserva un ejemplar del Geka seiso, un libro xilográfico japonés impreso en el siglo XVIII. Su título original chino es Waik'o Cheng Tsung, o Método ortodoxo de la cirugía, en español. Esta tratado médico fue escrito al inicio del siglo anterior por Chen Shih-kung, o Chen Shigong, (c. 1555-1636, y en 1791 fue editado de nuevo en Japón por el médico imperial Ogino Gengai (1737-1806. Este ejemplar complutense proviene de la colección de Francisco Guerra Pérez-Carral. En este artículo se estudian tres aspectos del Geka seiso, en un orden cronológico inverso. Primero, su adquisición por el doctor Guerra, quien lo compró en Miami (1990, procedente el volumen de la colección del doctor norteamericano Otto Orren Fisher. A continuación se analiza el contenido de esta obra, publicada por vez primera en 1611, en China. En ella su autor (Chen Shigong incluyó sus famosos preceptos profesionales y éticos: Los cinco mandamientos y las diez exigencias. Por último se estudian, por un lado, las circunstancias históricas de esta edición en 1791, relacionada probablemente con el proceso político de restauración de los estudios Chu Hsi, y por otro lado el proceso técnico de su impresión, realizado en Kyoto por Hayashi Gonbe, Hayashi Ihe y Takemura Kahe. Finalmente se describen y comentan algunas de las características materiales de este ejemplar del Geka seiso, para su mejor comprensión por un lector occidental.Since 2007, the Historical Library "Marqués de Valdecilla" preserves a copy of Geka seiso, a Japanese blockbook printed in the eighteenth century. Its original title Chinese is Waik'o Cheng Tsung, or Orthodox method of surgery, in English. This medical treatise was written at the beginning of the previous century by Chen Shih-kung, or Chen Shigong, (c. 1555-1636, and in 1791 was printed again in Japan by the imperial doctor Gengai Ogino (1737-1806. This complutense copy

Development of an Indoor Location Based Service Test Bed and Geographic Information System with a Wireless Sensor Network

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Jan, Shau-Shiun; Hsu, Li-Ta; Tsai, Wen-Ming

2010-01-01

In order to provide the seamless navigation and positioning services for indoor environments, an indoor location based service (LBS) test bed is developed to integrate the indoor positioning system and the indoor three-dimensional (3D) geographic information system (GIS). A wireless sensor network (WSN) is used in the developed indoor positioning system. Considering the power consumption, in this paper the ZigBee radio is used as the wireless protocol, and the received signal strength (RSS) fingerprinting positioning method is applied as the primary indoor positioning algorithm. The matching processes of the user location include the nearest neighbor (NN) algorithm, the K-weighted nearest neighbors (KWNN) algorithm, and the probabilistic approach. To enhance the positioning accuracy for the dynamic user, the particle filter is used to improve the positioning performance. As part of this research, a 3D indoor GIS is developed to be used with the indoor positioning system. This involved using the computer-aided design (CAD) software and the virtual reality markup language (VRML) to implement a prototype indoor LBS test bed. Thus, a rapid and practical procedure for constructing a 3D indoor GIS is proposed, and this GIS is easy to update and maintenance for users. The building of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan is used as an example to assess the performance of various algorithms for the indoor positioning system. PMID:22319282

Development of an Indoor Location Based Service Test Bed and Geographic Information System with a Wireless Sensor Network

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Shau-Shiun Jan

2010-03-01

Full Text Available In order to provide the seamless navigation and positioning services for indoor environments, an indoor location based service (LBS test bed is developed to integrate the indoor positioning system and the indoor three-dimensional (3D geographic information system (GIS. A wireless sensor network (WSN is used in the developed indoor positioning system. Considering the power consumption, in this paper the ZigBee radio is used as the wireless protocol, and the received signal strength (RSS fingerprinting positioning method is applied as the primary indoor positioning algorithm. The matching processes of the user location include the nearest neighbor (NN algorithm, the K-weighted nearest neighbors (KWNN algorithm, and the probabilistic approach. To enhance the positioning accuracy for the dynamic user, the particle filter is used to improve the positioning performance. As part of this research, a 3D indoor GIS is developed to be used with the indoor positioning system. This involved using the computer-aided design (CAD software and the virtual reality markup language (VRML to implement a prototype indoor LBS test bed. Thus, a rapid and practical procedure for constructing a 3D indoor GIS is proposed, and this GIS is easy to update and maintenance for users. The building of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan is used as an example to assess the performance of various algorithms for the indoor positioning system.

Betel nut chewing associated with increased risk of arterial stiffness.

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Wei, Yu-Ting; Chou, Yu-Tsung; Yang, Yi-Ching; Chou, Chieh-Ying; Lu, Feng-Hwa; Chang, Chih-Jen; Wu, Jin-Shang

2017-11-01

Betel nut chewing is associated with certain cardiovascular outcomes. Subclinical atherosclerosis may be one link between betel nut chewing and cardiovascular risk. Few studies have examined the association between chewing betel nut and arterial stiffness. The aim of this study was thus to determine the relationship between betel nut chewing and arterial stiffness in a Taiwanese population. We enrolled 7540 eligible subjects in National Cheng Kung University Hospital from October 2006 to August 2009. The exclusion criteria included history of cerebrovascular events, coronary artery disease, and taking lipid-lowering drugs, antihypertensives, and hypoglycemic agents. Increased arterial stiffness was defined as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) ≥1400cm/s. According to their habit of betel nut use, the subjects were categorized into non-, ex-, and current chewers. The prevalence of increased arterial stiffness was 32.7, 43.3, and 43.2% in non-, ex- and current chewers, respectively (p=0.011). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that ex-chewers (odds ratio [OR] 1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.08-2.65) and current chewers (OR 2.29, 95% CI=1.05-4.99) had elevated risks of increased arterial stiffness after adjustment for co-variables. Both ex- and current betel nut chewing were associated with a higher risk of increased arterial stiffness. Stopping betel nut chewing may thus potentially be beneficial to reduce cardiovascular risk, based on the principals of preventive medicine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Structure and Family Type in Patients With Substance Abuse or Dependence Psychoactive Rehabilitation Center of Addiction in the Municipality of Chia Cundinamarca].

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Vargas Navarro, Pedro; Parra Vera, Mario Danilo; Arévalo Zamora, Caterín; Cifuentes Gaitán, Luisa Karen; Valero Carvajal, Jaime; Sierra de Jaramillo, Margarita

2015-01-01

To determine the family type, family structure in a group of patients with a diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence who were at a rehabilitation center for addiction during the period between August and October 2009. Through a descriptive qualitative-interpretative methodology 10 patients who met inclusion criteria for substance dependence or abuse were studied. The fieldwork and transcripts were made for three months by non-participant observation, non-structured interviews and examination of patients' clinical history. Seven of the families interviewed were single-parent families with an unconventional organization on "gender roles". Single-parent families favored loneliness, difficulty in rule-setting, de-idealization of the place of the father in the family structure and a constant search for complicity. In the analysis by categories, we found that in 10 families in the study of individuals with addictions it is common to find family structure characteristics such as inadequate communication, lack of authority rules and limits, presence of triangulations, the lack of cohesion due to the existence of a disconnected relationship pattern and changed roles compared to conventional gender. The search for the affection of the mother at her emotional overload absence of roles and lack of father, raised by the separation of the couple, was found as an essential aspect underlying the addictive behavior. A pattern of parental abandonment is configured. The findings confirmed what has been mentioned by various authors regarding the characteristics of the family typology structure and personal factors in patients with addictions, in addition to their need for affection combined with the desire for the mother's presence. The family typology does not determine for itself the abuse of psychoactive substances, but the influence of other factors such as family structure, especially deficient affective interactions, which should be considered in the development of therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Rescuing apoptotic neurons in Alzheimer’s disease using wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated and cardiolipin-conjugated liposomes with encapsulated nerve growth factor and curcumin

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Kuo YC

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Yung-Chih Kuo, Ching-Chun Lin Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan, Republic of China Abstract: Liposomes with cardiolipin (CL and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA were developed to permeate the blood–brain barrier and treat Alzheimer’s disease. WGA-conjugated and CL-incorporated liposomes (WGA-CL-liposomes were used to transport nerve growth factor (NGF and curcumin (CUR across a monolayer of human brain-microvascular endothelial cells regulated by human astrocytes and to protect SK-N-MC cells against apoptosis induced by ß-amyloid1–42 (Aß1–42 fibrils. An increase in the CL mole percentage in lipids increased the liposomal diameter, absolute zeta potential value, entrapment efficiency of NGF and CUR, release of NGF, biocompatibility, and viability of SK-N-MC cells with Aß1–42, but decreased the atomic ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus and release of CUR. In addition, an increase in the WGA concentration for grafting enhanced the liposomal diameter, atomic ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus, and permeability of NGF and CUR across the blood–brain barrier, but reduced the absolute zeta potential value and biocompatibility. WGA-CL-liposomes carrying NGF and CUR could be promising colloidal delivery carriers for future clinical application in targeting the blood–brain barrier and inhibiting neurotoxicity. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, nerve growth factor, curcumin, wheat germ agglutinin, cardiolipin, liposome

[Professional communication in long term health care quality].

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Martín Padilla, E; Sarmiento Medina, P; Ramírez Jaramillo, A

2014-01-01

To Identify aspects of professional communication that affect the quality of long-term care for patients with chronic illness or disabilities and their families, in the experience of health professionals, as input for the development of an assessment tool. Descriptive qualitative.The data was processed by performing an interpretative analysis from grounded theory. The participants included 12 health professionals (three doctors, three nurses, three therapists and three psychologists), who work at the Hospital of the Universidad de La Sabana, Chia, and other institutions in Bogota, Colombia,with more than five years experience in programs treating chronic disease or disability in hospital therapeutic contexts. Semi-structured interviews and a Delphi survey were used. Validation strategies included, theoretical sampling, script evaluation by judges, triangulation of data collection techniques, and interviewers. We defined specific aspects of professional communication that could optimize the quality of health care, in information management as well as in the relationships with patients and families. From these aspects, an explanatory matrix was designed with axes, categories, and codes as a support for the construction of tools. Health communication, in order to become a therapeutic support element, requires professional training in communication skills to give information in an understandable way, with emotional support and coping possibilities. It should include and involve the family in decision making. Copyright © 2013 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Nature's amazing biopolymer: basic mechanical and hydrological properties of soil affected by plant exudates

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Naveed, Muhammad; Roose, Tiina; Raffan, Annette; George, Timothy; Bengough, Glyn; Brown, Lawrie; Keyes, Sam; Daly, Keith; Hallett, Paul

2016-04-01

Plant exudates are known to have a very large impact on soil physical properties through changes in mechanical and hydrological processes driven by long-chain polysaccharides and surface active compounds. Whilst these impacts are well known, the basic physical properties of these exudates have only been reported in a small number of studies. We present data for exudates obtained from barley roots and chia seeds, incorporating treatments examining biological decomposition of the exudates. When these exudates were added to a sandy loam soil, contact angle and drop penetration time increased exponentially with increasing exudate concentration. These wetting properties were strongly correlated with both exudate density and zero-shear viscosity, but not with exudate surface tension. Water holding capacity and water repellency of exudate mixed soil tremendously increased with exudate concentration, however they were significantly reduced on decomposition when measured after 14 days of incubation at 16C. Mechanical stability greatly increased with increasing exudate amendment to soils, which was assessed using a rheological amplitude sweep test near saturation, at -50 cm matric potential (field capacity) using indentation test, and at air-dry condition using the Brazilian test. This reflects that exudates not only attenuate plant water stress but also impart mechanical stability to the rhizosphere. These data are highly relevant to the understanding and modelling of rhizosphere development, which is the next phase of our research.

Penguin-like diagrams from the standard model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ping, Chia Swee

2015-01-01

The Standard Model is highly successful in describing the interactions of leptons and quarks. There are, however, rare processes that involve higher order effects in electroweak interactions. One specific class of processes is the penguin-like diagram. Such class of diagrams involves the neutral change of quark flavours accompanied by the emission of a gluon (gluon penguin), a photon (photon penguin), a gluon and a photon (gluon-photon penguin), a Z-boson (Z penguin), or a Higgs-boson (Higgs penguin). Such diagrams do not arise at the tree level in the Standard Model. They are, however, induced by one-loop effects. In this paper, we present an exact calculation of the penguin diagram vertices in the ‘tHooft-Feynman gauge. Renormalization of the vertex is effected by a prescription by Chia and Chong which gives an expression for the counter term identical to that obtained by employing Ward-Takahashi identity. The on-shell vertex functions for the penguin diagram vertices are obtained. The various penguin diagram vertex functions are related to one another via Ward-Takahashi identity. From these, a set of relations is obtained connecting the vertex form factors of various penguin diagrams. Explicit expressions for the gluon-photon penguin vertex form factors are obtained, and their contributions to the flavor changing processes estimated

Penguin-like diagrams from the standard model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ping, Chia Swee [High Impact Research, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2015-04-24

The Standard Model is highly successful in describing the interactions of leptons and quarks. There are, however, rare processes that involve higher order effects in electroweak interactions. One specific class of processes is the penguin-like diagram. Such class of diagrams involves the neutral change of quark flavours accompanied by the emission of a gluon (gluon penguin), a photon (photon penguin), a gluon and a photon (gluon-photon penguin), a Z-boson (Z penguin), or a Higgs-boson (Higgs penguin). Such diagrams do not arise at the tree level in the Standard Model. They are, however, induced by one-loop effects. In this paper, we present an exact calculation of the penguin diagram vertices in the ‘tHooft-Feynman gauge. Renormalization of the vertex is effected by a prescription by Chia and Chong which gives an expression for the counter term identical to that obtained by employing Ward-Takahashi identity. The on-shell vertex functions for the penguin diagram vertices are obtained. The various penguin diagram vertex functions are related to one another via Ward-Takahashi identity. From these, a set of relations is obtained connecting the vertex form factors of various penguin diagrams. Explicit expressions for the gluon-photon penguin vertex form factors are obtained, and their contributions to the flavor changing processes estimated.

Identifikasi berat, diameter, dan tebal daging buah melon (Cucumis melo L. kultivar action 434 tetraploid akibat perlakuan kolkisin

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Y. Ulung Anggraito

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Indonesian farmers are very dependence on certificated seed from another countries. In the other side the natural resources andmen powers very abundance. For these reason it is properly developed the research in agriculture sector, especially on plants breeding.It can be hoped that in the future the dependence on certificated seed from another countries can be minimized. The objective of thisresearch were: (1 to find out the concentration and dipping period which is effective to induce polyploid in musk melon plant, (2identify the weight, diameter, dan flesh thickness of tetraploid musk melon as result of colchicines treatment. The sample of this researchwas Action 434 musk melon cultivar, product of Chia-Thai Seed, Thailand. The number of sample was 480 plants, which plants on fieldrandomly. There were four colchicines concentration as an independent variable: 0.0%, 0.05%, 0.10% and 0.2%. The dipping periodwere 12, 16, 20, and 24 hours for each concentration respectively. Completely Random Design was used in three replications. Datameasurement were analyzed with Two Way ANOVA, DMRT, and LSD. From this research can be concluded that: (1 0.2 % colchicinesis the most effective concentration to induce polyploid on musk melon, with dipping period effective varied from 16–24 hours, (2 thereare changes in weight, diameter, and flesh thickness characters, with the increased tendency of each character in definite norm.

Molecular dynamics in germinating, endophyte-colonized quinoa seeds

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Aims The pseudo-cereal quinoa has an outstanding nutritional value. Seed germination is unusually fast, and plant tolerance to salt stress exceptionally high. Seemingly all seeds harbor bacterial endophytes. This work examines mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activities during early development. It evaluates possible contribution of endophytes to rapid germination and plant robustness. Methods MAPK activities were monitored in water- and NaCl-imbibed seeds over a 4-h-period using an immunoblot-based approach. Cellulolytic and pectinolytic abilities of bacteria were assessed biochemically, and cellular movement, biofilm, elicitor and antimicrobial compound synthesis genes sequenced. GyrA-based, cultivation-independent studies provided first insight into endophyte diversity. Results Quinoa seeds and seedlings exhibit remarkably complex and dynamic MAPK activity profiles. Depending on seed origin, variances exist in MAPK patterns and probably also in endophyte assemblages. Mucilage-degrading activities enable endophytes to colonize seed surfaces of a non-host species, chia, without apparent adverse effects. Conclusions Owing to their motility, cell wall-loosening and elicitor-generating abilities, quinoa endophytes have the potential to drive cell expansion, move across cell walls, generate damage-associated molecular patterns and activate MAPKs in their host. Bacteria may thus facilitate rapid germination and confer a primed state directly upon seed rehydration. Transfer into non-native crops appears both desirable and feasible. PMID:29416180

Technological and safety properties of newly isolated GABA-producing Lactobacillus futsaii strains.

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Sanchart, C; Rattanaporn, O; Haltrich, D; Phukpattaranont, P; Maneerat, S

2016-09-01

To evaluate the technological and safety properties of Lactobacillus futsaii CS3 and CS5 isolated from Thai fermented shrimp products (Kung-Som) in order to develop a valuable gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing starter culture. Both strains showed a high GABA-producing ability (>8 mg ml(-1) ) in MRS broth containing 20 mg ml(-1) monosodium glutamate (MSG) for 120 h. They also exhibited inhibitory activity against foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria. Cell surface hydrophobicity and proteolytic activity were observed in both strains. Strain CS3 survived better under simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions with only 1·5 log-units cell decrease over 8 h. Both strains showed the ability to deconjugate taurocholate and taurodeoxycholate acid. Neither virulence genes nor biogenic amine production was detected. Strain CS3 exhibited susceptibility to all tested antibiotics with the exception of vancomycin, while strain CS5 showed resistance to vancomycin, ampicillin and chloramphenicol. Based on the results obtained, Lact. futsaii CS3 is very promising as a GABA-producing and potentially probiotic starter culture strain for applications in functional fermented foods. This study focuses on the technological and safety characteristics of Lact. futsaii CS3 and CS5 including their high GABA-producing capacity for the first time. This provides a way of replacing chemical GABA by natural GABA using a GABA-producing starter culture candidate, at the same time offering the consumer new attractive food products. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Increased expression of argininosuccinate synthetase protein predicts poor prognosis in human gastric cancer

Science.gov (United States)

SHAN, YAN-SHEN; HSU, HUI-PING; LAI, MING-DERG; YEN, MENG-CHI; LUO, YI-PEY; CHEN, YI-LING

2015-01-01

Aberrant expression of argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS1, also known as ASS) has been found in cancer cells and is involved in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of ASS expression in human gastric cancer and to determine the possible correlations between ASS expression and clinicopathological findings. Immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin-embedded tissues to determine whether ASS was expressed in 11 of 11 specimens from patients with gastric cancer. The protein was localized primarily to the cytoplasm of cancer cells and normal epithelium. In the Oncomine cancer microarray database, expression of the ASS gene was significantly increased in gastric cancer tissues. To investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic roles of ASS expression, we performed western blot analysis of 35 matched specimens of gastric adenocarcinomas and normal tissue obtained from patients treated at the National Cheng Kung University Hospital. The ratio of relative ASS expression (expressed as the ASS/β-actin ratio) in tumor tissues to that in normal tissues was correlated with large tumor size (P=0.007) and with the tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system (P=0.031). Patients whose cancer had increased the relative expression of ASS were positive for perineural invasion and had poor recurrence-free survival. In summary, ASS expression in gastric cancer was associated with a poor prognosis. Further study of mechanisms to silence the ASS gene or decrease the enzymatic activity of ASS protein has the potential to provide new treatments for patients with gastric cancer. PMID:25333458

Genomic, proteomic and biochemical analysis of the chitinolytic machinery of Serratia marcescens BJL200.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuveng, Tina R; Hagen, Live Heldal; Mekasha, Sophanit; Frank, Jeremy; Arntzen, Magnus Øverlie; Vaaje-Kolstad, Gustav; Eijsink, Vincent G H

2017-04-01

The chitinolytic machinery of Serratia marcescens BJL200 has been studied in detail over the last couple of decades, however, the proteome secreted by this Gram-negative bacterium during growth on chitin has not been studied in depth. In addition, the genome of this most studied chitinolytic Serratia strain has until now, not been sequenced. We report a draft genome sequence for S. marcescens BJL200. Using label-free quantification (LFQ) proteomics and a recently developed plate-method for assessing secretomes during growth on solid substrates, we find that, as expected, the chitin-active enzymes (ChiA, B, C, and CBP21) are produced in high amounts when the bacterium grows on chitin. Other proteins produced in high amounts after bacterial growth on chitin provide interesting targets for further exploration of the proteins involved in degradation of chitin-rich biomasses. The genome encodes a fourth chitinase (ChiD), which is produced in low amounts during growth on chitin. Studies of chitin degradation with mixtures of recombinantly produced chitin-degrading enzymes showed that ChiD does not contribute to the overall efficiency of the process. ChiD is capable of converting N,N'-diacetyl chitobiose to N-acetyl glucosamine, but is less efficient than another enzyme produced for this purpose, the Chitobiase. Thus, the role of ChiD in chitin degradation, if any, remains unclear. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of Pore-Scale Wettability on Rhizosphere Rewetting

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Pascal Benard

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Vast amounts of water flow through a thin layer of soil around the roots, the rhizosphere, where high microbial activity takes place—an important hydrological and biological hotspot. The rhizosphere was shown to turn water repellent upon drying, which has been interpreted as the effect of mucilage secreted by roots. The effects of such rhizosphere water dynamics on plant and microbial activity are unclear. Furthermore, our understanding of the biophysical mechanisms controlling the rhizosphere water repellency remains largely speculative. Our hypothesis is that the key to describe the emergence of water repellency lies within the microscopic distribution of wettability on the pore-scale. At a critical mucilage content, a sufficient fraction of pores is blocked and the rhizosphere turns water repellent. Here we tested whether a percolation approach is capable to predict the flow behavior near the critical mucilage content. The wettability of glass beads and sand mixed with chia seed mucilage was quantified by measuring the infiltration rate of water drops. Drop infiltration was simulated using a simple pore-network model in which mucilage was distributed heterogeneously throughout the pore space with a preference for small pores. The model approach proved capable to capture the percolation nature of the process, the sudden transition from wettable to water repellent and the high variability in infiltration rates near the percolation threshold. Our study highlights the importance of pore-scale distribution of mucilage in the emergent flow behavior across the rhizosphere.

[Family adherence in serious mental disorder].

Science.gov (United States)

Martín Padilla, Ernesto; Obando Posada, Diana; Sarmiento Medina, Pedro

2017-10-09

Identify attitudes and behaviors that evidence and characterize family adherence to treatment in patients with severe mental disorder. Qualitative descriptive, from an interpretative social approach. Chia, Colombia, with professionals in the psychiatric and geriatric settings. Twelve professionals in psychiatry, nursing and psychology, with experience in care of patients with serious mental disorder and their families. Intentional sampling. Twelve semi-structured interviews were carried out. The analysis strategy was made from the procedures of constant comparison and open coding of the grounded theory. As validation strategies, triangulation was done between researchers and methods, as interviews and results survey. Two categories of family adherence were defined: family and treatment (treatment cooperation, knowledge about the disease and attention to the disease evolution), and family attitudes towards the patient (patient's care, patient's promotion of autonomy, and affective attachment with the patient). A third category showed aspects that diminished family adherence, such as lack or distortion of information regarding mental disorder, or family and patient endurance attitudes. Participants agree about the relevance of the construct named «family adherence», which describes the behaviors and attitudes of the family regarding the treatment of patients with severe mental disorder. Family adherence can be seen as active participation behavior, but also as a process of strengthening relationships, which can reduce the burden and suffering on family members, caregivers and patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Genotoxic and Antigenotoxic Assessment of Chios Mastic Oil by the In Vitro Micronucleus Test on Human Lymphocytes and the In Vivo Wing Somatic Test on Drosophila.

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Dimitris Vlastos

Full Text Available Chios mastic oil (CMO, the essential oil derived from Pistacia lentiscus (L. var. chia (Duham, has generated considerable interest because of its antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant and other beneficial properties. In the present study, the potential genotoxic activity of CMO as well as its antigenotoxic properties against the mutagenic agent mitomycin-C (MMC were evaluated by employing the in vitro Cytokinesis Block MicroNucleus (CBMN assay and the in vivo Somatic Mutation And Recombination Test (SMART. In the in vitro experiments, lymphocytes were treated with 0.01, 0.05 and 0.10% (v/v of CMO with or without 0.05 μg/ml MMC, while in the in vivo assay Drosophila larvae were fed with 0.05, 0.10, 0.50 and 1.00% (v/v of CMO with or without 2.50 μg/ml MMC. CMO did not significantly increase the frequency of micronuclei (MN or total wing spots, indicating lack of mutagenic or recombinogenic activity. However, the in vitro analysis suggested cytotoxic activity of CMO. The simultaneous administration of MMC with CMO did not alter considerably the frequencies of MMC-induced MN and wing spots showing that CMO doesn't exert antigenotoxic or antirecombinogenic action. Therefore, CMO could be considered as a safe product in terms of genotoxic potential. Even though it could not afford any protection against DNA damage, at least under our experimental conditions, its cytotoxic potential could be of interest.

Synergetic Enhancement of the Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 with Visible Light by Sensitization Using a Novel Push-Pull Zinc Phthalocyanine

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A. Luna-Flores

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A new one-pot synthesis of a novel A3B-type asymmetric zinc phthalocyanine (AZnPc was developed. The phthalocyanine complex was characterized unambiguously and used to prepare a TiO2 hybrid photocatalyst to enhance its photocatalytic activity in the visible range. Different compositions of the phthalocyanine dye were tested in order to find the optimum amount of sensitizer to get the highest activity during the photocatalytic tests. The hybrid photocatalyst was characterized by UV-Vis diffuse reflectance (DRS and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR and its photocatalytic activity was compared with that of the individual components considering the effects of sensitization on their efficiency to degrade Rhodamine B as a model reaction. A synergic improvement of the photocatalytic activity for the hybrid system was explained in terms of an improved electron injection from the photo-activated phthalocyanine to the TiO2. Considering the structural features of the phthalocyanine sensitizer and their effect on aggregation, some mechanistic aspects of its binding to TiO2 are suggested to account for the photocatalytic activity enhancement. Finally, the inhibitory effect on the sprouting of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica was evaluated in order to test the toxicity of the water effluent obtained after the photodegradation process. According to our growth inhibition assays, it was found that the Rh-B degradation by-products do not lead to an acute toxicity.

Condiciones de higiene y seguridad presentes en el personal de empresas contratistas que prestan servicio al sector petrolero en el municipio Maracaibo

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Kennia Barrera

2014-01-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo permite profundizar sobre la higiene y seguridad presentes en el personal de empresas contratistas que prestan servicio al sector petrolero en el municipio Maracaibo. Las teorías se sus ten ta ron en los autores: Carneiro (2004, Chia ve na to (2007, Fernández (2005, Comisión de las Comunidades Europeas (2001, entre otros. El tipo de investigación fue descriptiva, con diseño no experimental- transeccional. La población estuvo constituida por el personal de perforación de esas organizaciones: ingenieros y supervisores de taladro,un total de 34 unidades informantes. Para la recolección de da tos se utilizó la técnica de la encuesta y como instrumento el cuestionario con dieciséis (16 ítems,de (5 alternativas de frecuencia. El cuestionario fue validado por cinco (5 expertos. Para la confiabilidad se aplicó una prueba pi lo to a diez (10 su je tos con si mi a res características a la población, calculándo se el coeficiente Alpha Cronbach’ sen 0,91, lo cual indica un alto grado de con fiabilidad en el instrumento. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron concluir que, las condiciones de higiene y seguridad,de es tas empresas muestran estar equipadas con los elementos neceserios para asegurar la integridad física de sus trabajadores.

Indole and synthetic derivative activate chaperone expression to reduce polyQ aggregation in SCA17 neuronal cell and slice culture models

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Kung PJ

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Pin-Jui Kung,1,* Yu-Chen Tao,1,* Ho-Chiang Hsu,1 Wan-Ling Chen,1 Te-Hsien Lin,1 Donala Janreddy,2 Ching-Fa Yao,2 Kuo-Hsuan Chang,3 Jung-Yaw Lin,1 Ming-Tsan Su,1 Chung-Hsin Wu,1 Guey-Jen Lee-Chen,1 Hsiu-Mei Hsieh-Li1 1Department of Life Science, 2Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: In spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17, the expansion of a translated CAG repeat in the TATA box binding protein (TBP gene results in a long polyglutamine (polyQ tract in the TBP protein, leading to intracellular accumulation of aggregated TBP and cell death. The molecular chaperones act in preventing protein aggregation to ameliorate downstream harmful events. In this study, we used Tet-On SH-SY5Y cells with inducible SCA17 TBP/Q79-green fluorescent protein (GFP expression to test indole and synthetic derivative NC001-8 for neuroprotection. We found that indole and NC001-8 up-regulated chaperone expression to reduce polyQ aggregation in neuronal differentiated TBP/Q79 cells. The effects on promoting neurite outgrowth and on reduction of aggregation on Purkinje cells were also confirmed with cerebellar primary and slice cultures of SCA17 transgenic mice. Our results demonstrate how indole and derivative NC001-8 reduce polyQ aggregation to support their therapeutic potentials in SCA17 treatment. Keywords: spinocerebellar ataxia type 17, TATA box binding protein, polyQ aggregation, indole and derivative, therapeutics

Experimental Study of Irregular Waves on a Gravel Beach

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Hu, Nai-Ren; Wu, Yun-Ta; Hwung, Hwung-Hweng; Yang, Ray-Yeng

2017-04-01

In the east coast of Taiwan, the sort grain size more belongs to cobble or gravel, which is physically distinct compared to the sandy beach in the west coast of Taiwan. Although gravel beaches can dissipate more of wave energy, gravel beaches were eroded and coastal road were damaged especially during typhoons. The purpose of this study is to investigate the geomorphological response of gravel beach due to irregular waves. This experiment was carry out in a 21m long, 50 cm wide, 70 cm high wave tank at Tainan Hydraulics Laboratory, National Cheng-Kung University, Taiwan. To simulate of the geometry in the east coast of Taiwan, a physical model with 1/36 scale-down was used, in which the seawall was 10cm built upon a 1:10 slope and gravel grains with D50 being 3.87 mm was nourished in front of the seawall. In terms of typhoon-scale wave condition, irregular waves with scale-down conditions were generated for 600 s for each scenarios and, three different water levels with respect to the gravel beach are designed. Application of laser combined with image processing to produce 3D topographic map, the erosion zone and accretion zone would be found. The resulting morphological change of gravel beach will be measured using an integrated laser and image processing tool to have 3D topographic maps. It is expected to have more understanding about under what conditions the gravel coasts suffer the least damage. In particular, the relation between erosion rates of gravel beach, the angle of gravel slope and the length of the plane on the gravel slope will be achieved

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics in hospitalized young children with acute gastroenteritis in southern Taiwan: According to major pathogens

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Ning Chung

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE can be caused by a wide array of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. A prospective study to investigate the epidemiology and clinical presentation in young children hospitalized with AGE was conducted in a medical center in southern Taiwan. Methods: Patients aged less than 5 years who was hospitalized due to AGE in National Cheng Kung University Hospital were enrolled from July 2014 to June 2016. The demographic information, clinical features and laboratory data were collected by chart reviews, and stool samples were sent to Centers of Disease Control, Taiwan (Taiwan CDC for a panel of pathogen identification consisting of two viruses, nine bacteria, and five parasites. Results: Totally 441 patients were enrolled in this study. Salmonella spp. was the leading cause of disease (21.8%, followed by norovirus (17.0%, Clostridium difficile (9.5%, and rotavirus (9.3%. Norovirus identification rate was the highest among patients less than 6 months of age, while Salmonella was highest among patients between 2 and 3 years old. Patients with Salmonella infection frequently presented with fever, lethargy, bloody stool, and elevated serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP; norovirus and rotavirus infection frequently presented with vomiting. Salmonella gastroenteritis also resulted in longer hospitalization and more frequent antibiotics administration. C. difficile could be isolated from both gastroenteritis patients and control children. Conclusion: Salmonella spp. was the most common pathogen of AGE in hospitalized children in southern Taiwan during 2014–2016, followed by norovirus and rotavirus. Further monitoring of epidemiology characteristics among cardinal pathogens of pediatric gastroenteritis is necessary. Keywords: Acute gastroenteritis, Children, Epidemiology, Taiwan

Nonbehavioral Selection for Pawns, Mutants of PARAMECIUM AURELIA with Decreased Excitability

Science.gov (United States)

Schein, Stanley J.

1976-01-01

The reversal response in Paramecium aurelia is mediated by calcium which carries the inward current during excitation. Electrophysiological studies indicate that strontium and barium can also carry the inward current. Exposure to high concentrations of barium rapidly paralyzes and later kills wild-type paramecia. Following mutagenesis with nitrosoguanidine, seven mutants which continued to swim in the `high-barium' solution were selected. All of the mutants show decreased reversal behavior, with phenotypes ranging from extremely non-reversing (`extreme' pawns) to nearly wild-type reversal behavior (`partial' pawns). The mutations fall into three complementation groups, identical to the pwA, pwB, and pwC genes of Kung et al. (1975). All of the pwA and pwB mutants withstand longer exposure to barium, the pwB mutants surviving longer than the pwA mutants. Among mutants of each gene, survival is correlated with loss of reversal behavior. Double mutants (A–B, A–C, B–C), identified in the exautogamous progeny of crosses between `partial' mutants, exhibited a more extreme non-reversing phenotype than either of their single-mutant (`partial' pawn) parents.———Inability to reverse could be expected from an alteration in the calcium-activated reversal mechanism or in excitation. A normal calcium-activated structure was demonstrated in all pawns by chlorpromazine treatment. In a separate report (Schein, Bennett and Katz 1976) the results of electrophysiological investigations directly demonstrate decreased excitability in all of the mutants, a decrease due to an altered calcium activation. The studies of the genetics, the survival in barium and the electro-physiology of the pawns demonstrate that the pwA and pwB genes have different effects on calcium activation. PMID:1001878

Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia: German Protestantism, conscience, and the limits of purely ethical reflection.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartmann, Peter

2003-01-01

In this essay I shall describe and analyse the current debate on physician assisted suicide in contemporary German Protestant church and theology. It will be shown that the Protestant (mainly Lutheran) Church in Germany together with her Roman Catholic sister church has a specific and influential position in the public discussion: The two churches counting the majority of the population in Germany among their members tend to "organize" a social and political consensus on end-of-life questions. This cooperation is until now very successful: Speaking with one voice on end-of-life questions, the two churches function as the guardians of a moral consensus which is appreciated even by many non-believers. Behind this joint service to society the lines of the theological debate have to be ree-discovered. First it will be argued that a Protestant reading of the joint memoranda has to be based on the concept of individual conscience. The crucial questions are then: Whose conscience has the authority to decide? and: Can the physician assisted suicide be desired faithfully? Prominent in the current debate are Ulrich Eibach as a strict defender of the sanctity of life, and on the other side Walter Jens and Hans Kung, who argue for a right to physician assisted suicide under extreme conditions. I shall argue that it will be necessary to go beyond this actual controversy to the works of Gerhard Ebeling and Karl Barth for a clear and instructive account of conscience and a theological analysis of the concepts of life and suicide. On the basis of their considerations, a conscience-related approach to physician assisted suicide is developed.

Synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectroscopy study of recombinant T β4 folding

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yung-Chin; Chu, Hsueh-Liang; Chen, Peng-Jen; Chang, Chia-Ching

Thymosin beta 4 (T β4) is a 43-amino acid small peptide, has been demonstrated that it can promote cardiac repair, wound repair, tissue protection, and involve in the proliferation of blood cell precursor stem cells of bone marrow. Moreover, T β4 has been identified as a multifunction intrinsically disordered protein, which is lacking the stable tertiary structure. Owing to the small size and disordered character, the T β4 protein degrades rapidly and the storage condition is critical. Therefore, it is not easy to reveal its folding mechanism of native T β4. However, recombinant T β4 protein (rT β4), which fused with a 5-kDa peptide in its amino-terminal, is stable and possesses identical function of T β4. Therefore, rT β4 can be used to study its folding mechanism. By using over-critical folding process, stable folding intermediates of rT β4 can be obtained. Structure analysis of folding intermediates by synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) and fluorescence spectroscopies indicate that rT β4 is a random coli major protein and its hydrophobic region becomes compact gradually. Moreover, the rT β4 folding is a two state transition. Thermal denaturation analysis indicates that rT β4 lacks stable tertiary structure. These results indicated that rT β4, similar to T β4, is an intrinsically disordered protein. Research is supported by MOST, Taiwan. MOST 103-2112-M-009-011-MY3. Corresponding author: Chia-Ching Chang; ccchang01@faculty.nctu.edu.tw.

Rescuing cholinergic neurons from apoptotic degeneration by targeting of serotonin modulator- and apolipoprotein E-conjugated liposomes to the hippocampus

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Kuo YC

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Yung-Chih Kuo, Yin-Jung Lee Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan, Republic of China Abstract: β-Amyloid (Aβ-targeting liposomes (LIP with surface serotonin modulator (SM and apolipoprotein E (ApoE were utilized to facilitate the delivery of nerve growth factor (NGF across the blood–brain barrier (BBB for neuroprotection in the hippocampus. The therapeutic efficacy of SM- and ApoE-grafted LIP carrying NGF (NGF-SM-ApoE-LIP was assessed by an in vitro Alzheimer’s disease (AD model of degenerated SK-N-MC cells and an in vivo AD model of Aβ-insulted Wistar rats. The experimental evidences revealed that the modified SM and ApoE on the surface of LIP increased the permeation of NGF across the BBB without serious damage to structural integrity of tight junction. When compared with free NGF, NGF-SM-ApoE-LIP upregulated the expression of phosphorylated neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 1 on cholinergic neurons and significantly improved their survival. In addition, NGF-SM-ApoE-LIP could reduce the secretion of acetylcholinesterase and malondialdehyde and rescue hippocampal neurons from apoptosis in rat brains. The synergistic effect of SM and ApoE is promising in the induction of NGF to inhibit the neurotoxicity of Aβ and NGF-SM-ApoE-LIP can be a potent antiapoptotic pharmacotherapy for clinical care of patients with AD. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, blood–brain barrier, serotonin modulator, apolipoprotein E, nerve growth factor, liposome

PENGARUH INTERAKSI KETIDAKPASTIAN LINGKUNGAN, DESENTRALISASI, DAN AGREGAT INFORMASI AKUNTANSI MANAJEMEN TERHADAP KINERJA MANAJERIAL

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A.A.N.B. Dwirandra

2007-07-01

Full Text Available This three-variate model of study is aimed to test whether variables ofenvironment uncertainty perceptions, decentralization, and aggregate of managerialaccounting information affect the performance of management. This study replicatesprevious studies to check the results consistency of the studies when they areimplemented in star-hotel industry which involve managers’ multicultural interaction.The qualitative primary data is collected using questionnaires developed byMahoney, Jerdee, and Carroll (1983 for managerial performance variable,Govindarajan (1986 for variable of environment uncertainty, Gul and Chia (1994 forvariable of decentralization, and Chenhall and Morris (1986 for variable aggregate ofmanagerial accounting information. The instruments have been tested and all are validand reliable. Non response bias tests have also been conducted and show that there areno significant differences between respondents who respond and those who do not. Thestudy uses partial derivation analysis of multiple regression model implemented bySchoonhoven (1981 and Govindarajan (1986.The results support all hypothesis which conclude that: (1 interaction ofenvironment uncertainty, decentralization, and aggregate of managerial accountinginformation affect managerial performance, (2 interaction of high degree ofdecentralization and wide scope of managerial accounting information system affectnegatively performance of managers who perceive low for environment uncertainty,and (3 interaction of high degree of decentralization and wide scope of managerialaccounting information system affect positively performance of managers who perceivehigh for environment uncertainty. The main implication of this study is that it isnecessary to consider degree of decentralization and perception of environmentuncertainty of users of information in designing managerial accounting system in orderto improve managers’ performances.

Effects of superfoods on risk factors of metabolic syndrome: a systematic review of human intervention trials.

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van den Driessche, José J; Plat, Jogchum; Mensink, Ronald P

2018-04-25

Functional foods can be effective in the prevention of metabolic syndrome and subsequently the onset of cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes mellitus. More recently, however, another term was introduced to describe foods with additional health benefits: "superfoods", for which, to date, no generally accepted definition exists. Nonetheless, their consumption might contribute to the prevention of metabolic syndrome, for example due to the presence of potentially bioactive compounds. This review provides an overview of controlled human intervention studies with foods described as "superfoods" and their effects on metabolic syndrome parameters. First, an Internet search was performed to identify foods described as superfoods. For these superfoods, controlled human intervention trials were identified until April 2017 investigating the effects of superfood consumption on metabolic syndrome parameters: waist circumference or BMI, blood pressure, or concentrations of HDL cholesterol, triacylglycerol or glucose. Seventeen superfoods were identified, including a total of 113 intervention trials: blueberries (8 studies), cranberries (8), goji berries (3), strawberries (7), chili peppers (3), garlic (21), ginger (10), chia seed (5), flaxseed (22), quinoa (1), cocoa (16), maca (1), spirulina (7), wheatgrass (1), acai berries (0), hemp seed (0) and bee pollen (0). Overall, only limited evidence was found for the effects of the foods described as superfoods on metabolic syndrome parameters, since results were not consistent or the number of controlled intervention trials was limited. The inconsistencies might have been related to intervention-related factors, such as duration or dose. Furthermore, conclusions may be different if other health benefits are considered.

Vegetable oils rich in alpha linolenic acid allow a higher accretion of n-3 LCPUFA in the plasma, liver and adipose tissue of the rat

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Valenzuela, R.

2014-06-01

Full Text Available ALA is the precursor of EPA and DHA and its dietary availability is limited. Vegetable oils rich in ALA (48–64% are alternatives for increasing its consumption. The conversion of ALA into EPA and DHA and the ratio (EPA+DHA/ALA was evaluated in different tissues from male Wistar rats fed ALA –rich oils. Four groups (n=12/group were fed for 21 days with oils from: a corn (CO, 3% ALA; b soybean (SO, 6% ALA; c sacha inchi (SIO, 48% ALA and; d chia (ChO, 64% ALA. SO, SIO and ChO significantly increased ALA levels (pALA es precursor de EPA y DHA y sus fuentes dietarias son limitadas. Aceites ricos en ALA (48–64% son una alternativa para incrementar su consumo. En este trabajo se evaluó la conversión de ALA a EPA y DHA, y la relación (EPA+DHA/ALA en tejidos de ratas macho Wistar alimentadas con aceites con alto contenido en ALA. Cuatro grupos (n=12/grupo recibieron durante 21 días aceite de: a maíz (CO, 3% ALA; b soja (SO, 6% ALA; c sacha inchi (SIO, 48% ALA y; d chía (ChO, 64% ALA. SO, SIO y ChO incrementaron ALA (p<0,05 en los tejidos. Solo SIO y ChO incrementaron el EPA y DHA, disminuyendo la relación n-6/n-3 (p<0,05. Se propone SIO y ChO como fuentes de ALA para incrementar EPA y DHA en los tejidos.

The Physics and Applications of High Brightness Beams: Working Group C Summary on Applications to FELS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuhn, Heinz-Dieter

2003-01-01

This is the summary of the activities in working group C, ''Application to FELs,'' which was based in the Bithia room at the Joint ICFA Advanced Accelerator and Beam Dynamics Workshop on July 1-6, 2002 in Chia Laguna, Sardinia, Italy. Working group C was small in relation to the other working groups at that workshop. Attendees include Enrica Chiadroni, University of Rome ape with an identical pulse length. ''La Sapienza'', Luca Giannessi, ENEA, Steve Lidia, LBNL, Vladimir Litvinenko, Duke University, Patrick Muggli, UCLA, Alex Murokh, UCLA, Heinz-Dieter Nuhn, SLAC, Sven Reiche, UCLA, Jamie Rosenzweig, UCLA, Claudio Pellegrini, UCLA, Susan Smith, Daresbury Laboratory, Matthew Thompson, UCLA, Alexander Varfolomeev, Russian Research Center, plus a small number of occasional visitors. The working group addressed a total of nine topics. Each topic was introduced by a presentation, which initiated a discussion of the topic during and after the presentation. The speaker of the introductory presentation facilitated the discussion. There were six topics that were treated in stand-alone sessions of working group C. In addition, there were two joint sessions, one with working group B, which included one topic, and one with working group C, which included two topics. The presentations that were given in the joint sessions are summarized in the working group summary reports for groups B and D, respectively. This summary will only discuss the topics that were addressed in the stand-alone sessions, including Start-To-End Simulations, SASE Experiment, PERSEO, ''Optics Free'' FEL Oscillators, and VISA II

Neuroprotection against apoptosis of SK-N-MC cells using RMP-7- and lactoferrin-grafted liposomes carrying quercetin

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Kuo Y

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Yung-Chih Kuo, Chien-Wei Tsao Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan, Republic of China Abstract: A drug delivery system of quercetin (QU-encapsulated liposomes (LS grafted with RMP-7, a bradykinin analog, and lactoferrin (Lf was developed to permeate the blood–brain barrier (BBB and rescue degenerated neurons, acting as an Alzheimer’s disease (AD pharmacotherapy. This colloidal formulation of QU-encapsulated LS grafted with RMP-7 and Lf (RMP-7-Lf-QU-LS was used to traverse human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs regulated by human astrocytes (HAs and to treat SK-N-MC cells after an insult with cytotoxic β-amyloid (Aβ fibrils. We found that surface RMP-7 and Lf enhanced the ability of QU to cross the BBB without inducing strong toxicity and damaging the tight junction. In addition, RMP-7-Lf-QU-LS significantly reduced Aβ-induced neurotoxicity and improved the viability of SK-N-MC cells. Compared with free QU, RMP-7-Lf-QU-LS could also significantly inhibit the expression of phosphorylated c-Jun N terminal kinase, phosphorylated p38, and phosphorylated tau protein at serine 202 by SK-N-MC cells, indicating an important role of RMP-7, Lf, and LS in protecting neurons against apoptosis. RMP-7-Lf-QU-LS is a promising carrier targeting the BBB to prevent Aβ-insulted neurodegeneration and may have potential in managing AD in future clinical applications. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, blood–brain barrier, β-amyloid, drug targeting, neurodegeneration, pharmacotherapy

A Simple and Reliable Health Monitoring System For Shoulder Health: Proposal

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Lee, Yann-Long

2014-01-01

Background The current health care system is complex and inefficient. A simple and reliable health monitoring system that can help patients perform medical self-diagnosis is seldom readily available. Because the medical system is vast and complex, it has hampered or delayed patients in seeking medical advice or treatment in a timely manner, which may potentially affect the patient’s chances of recovery, especially those with severe sicknesses such as cancer, and heart disease. Objective The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology in designing a simple, low cost, Internet-based health-screening platform. Methods This health-screening platform will enable patients to perform medical self-diagnosis over the Internet. Historical data has shown the importance of early detection to ensure patients receive proper treatment and speedy recovery. Results The platform is designed with special emphasis on the user interface. Standard Web-based user-interface design is adopted so the user feels ease to operate in a familiar Web environment. In addition, graphics such as charts and graphs are used generously to help users visualize and understand the result of the diagnostic. The system is developed using hypertext preprocessor (PHP) programming language. One important feature of this system platform is that it is built to be a stand-alone platform, which tends to have better user privacy security. The prototype system platform was developed by the National Cheng Kung University Ergonomic and Design Laboratory. Conclusions The completed prototype of this system platform was submitted to the Taiwan Medical Institute for evaluation. The evaluation of 120 participants showed that this platform system is a highly effective tool in health-screening applications, and has great potential for improving the medical care quality for the general public. PMID:24571980

Participation motivation in martial artists in the west midlands region of England.

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Jones, Gareth W; Mackay, Ken S; Peters, Derek M

2006-01-01

The objectives were to identify the participation motivations and the perceived importance of certain participation factors in martial artists in the West Midlands, England, UK. A 28-item adapted version of the Participation Motivation Questionnaire with additional demographic questions was distributed to 30 martial arts clubs in the West Midlands region. Eight questions that assessed the perceived importance for participation of progression through grades, learning self defence skills, technical ability of instructors, cost of participating, development of confidence, underpinning philosophy and instructional style were included. Seventy-five questionnaires were returned from a total of 11 clubs from across representing practitioners in Tai Chi, Karate, Kung fu, Aikido, Jeet Kune Do, British Free Fighting, Taekwon-Do and Jujitsu. Results indicated that the rank order in terms of participation motives was: 1-Affiliation; 2-Friendship; 3-Fitness; 4-Reward/status; 5-Competition; 6-Situational and 7-Skill development. Participants who trained for more than 4 hours per week placed greater importance on the underpinning philosophy of the martial art. Findings suggest that whilst there is a gender discrepancy in participation level, once engaged, females were equally committed to weekly training. The 'style' of the instructor is of paramount importance for enhancing student motivation to participate. High volume practitioners would appear to be fully immersed in the holistic appreciation of the martial art through increased value placed on its underpinning philosophy. Key PointsWhilst there is a gender discrepancy in participation level, once engaged, females were equally committed to weekly training.The four most important participation motivations evident were 'Affiliation', 'Fitness', 'Skill Development' and 'Friendship'.The three least influential motives were 'Rewards/status; 'Situational' and 'Competition'. " There were no significant gender or experience

The effect of hand dominance on martial arts strikes.

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Neto, Osmar Pinto; Silva, Jansen Henrique; Marzullo, Ana Carolina de Miranda; Bolander, Richard P; Bir, Cynthia A

2012-08-01

The main goal of this study was to compare dominant and non-dominant martial arts palm strikes under different circumstances that usually happen during martial arts and combative sports applications. Seven highly experienced (10±5 years) right hand dominant Kung Fu practitioners performed strikes with both hands, stances with left or right lead legs, and with the possibility or not of stepping towards the target (moving stance). Peak force was greater for the dominant hand strikes (1593.76±703.45 N vs. 1042.28±374.16 N; p<.001), whereas no difference was found in accuracy between the hands (p=.141). Additionally, peak force was greater for the strikes with moving stance (1448.75±686.01 N vs. 1201.80±547.98 N; p=.002) and left lead leg stance (1378.06±705.48 N vs. 1269.96±547.08 N). Furthermore, the difference in peak force between strikes with moving and stationary stances was statistically significant only for the strikes performed with a left lead leg stance (p=.007). Hand speed was higher for the dominant hand strikes (5.82±1.08 m/s vs. 5.24±0.78 m/s; p=.001) and for the strikes with moving stance (5.79±1.01 m/s vs. 5.29±0.90 m/s; p<.001). The difference in hand speed between right and left hand strikes was only significant for strikes with moving stance. In summary, our results suggest that the stronger palm strike for a right-handed practitioner is a right hand strike on a left lead leg stance moving towards the target. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The association between self-reported sleep quality and metabolic syndrome.

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Hao-Chang Hung

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Short and long sleep duration are associated with metabolic syndrome. However, there is limited research on the association between sleep quality and metabolic syndrome, and thus the aim of this study is to investigate this relationship. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional baseline data were collected from the decoded database of the Prevention Health Center of National Cheng Kung University Hospital from 2002 to 2006. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was according to the statement of the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI. A higher global PSQI score indicates poorer sleep quality, and a global PSQI score greater than five differentiates poor from good sleepers. RESULTS: Of the 3,435 subjects recruited, 899 (26.2% had metabolic syndrome. Subjects with metabolic syndrome had higher PSQI and prevalence of poor sleepers than those without metabolic syndrome. The multivariate lineal regression analysis showed that female gender, metabolic syndrome, sleep duration, snoring, alcohol drinking, and habitual exercise were independent predictors of PSQI. When substituting metabolic syndrome with the five components, hyperglycemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C were positively associated with PSQI. The multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that female gender, metabolic syndrome, sleep duration, and snoring were independently associated with being poor sleepers. Of the five components, only low HDL-C was an independent predictor of being poor sleepers. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with metabolic syndrome have higher global PSQI scores and a higher risk of being poor sleepers. Of the five components of metabolic syndrome, hyperglycemia and low HDL-C are independently associated with the global PSQI scores, while low HDL-C is an independent predictor of being poor sleepers.

A simple and reliable health monitoring system for shoulder health: proposal.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuo-Fang; Lee, Yann-Long

2014-02-26

The current health care system is complex and inefficient. A simple and reliable health monitoring system that can help patients perform medical self-diagnosis is seldom readily available. Because the medical system is vast and complex, it has hampered or delayed patients in seeking medical advice or treatment in a timely manner, which may potentially affect the patient's chances of recovery, especially those with severe sicknesses such as cancer, and heart disease. The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology in designing a simple, low cost, Internet-based health-screening platform. This health-screening platform will enable patients to perform medical self-diagnosis over the Internet. Historical data has shown the importance of early detection to ensure patients receive proper treatment and speedy recovery. The platform is designed with special emphasis on the user interface. Standard Web-based user-interface design is adopted so the user feels ease to operate in a familiar Web environment. In addition, graphics such as charts and graphs are used generously to help users visualize and understand the result of the diagnostic. The system is developed using hypertext preprocessor (PHP) programming language. One important feature of this system platform is that it is built to be a stand-alone platform, which tends to have better user privacy security. The prototype system platform was developed by the National Cheng Kung University Ergonomic and Design Laboratory. The completed prototype of this system platform was submitted to the Taiwan Medical Institute for evaluation. The evaluation of 120 participants showed that this platform system is a highly effective tool in health-screening applications, and has great potential for improving the medical care quality for the general public.

Heart Toxicity Related to Herbs and Dietary Supplements: Online Table of Case Reports. Part 4 of 5.

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Brown, Amy C

2017-10-05

The purpose of this review was to create an online research summary table of heart toxicity case reports related to dietary supplements (DS; includes herbs). Documented PubMed case reports of DS appearing to contribute to heart-related problems were used to create a "Toxic Table" that summarized the research (1966 to April, 2016, and cross-referencing). Keywords included "herb," "dietary supplement," and cardiac terms. Case reports were excluded if they were herb combinations (some exceptions), Chinese herb mixtures, teas of mixed herb contents, mushrooms, poisonous plants, self-harm (e.g. suicide), excess dose (except vitamins/minerals), drugs or illegal drugs, drug-herbal interactions, and confounders of drugs or diseases. The spectrum of heart toxicities included hypertension, hypotension, hypokalemia, bradycardia, tachycardia, arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, heart attack, cardiac arrest, heart failure, and death. Heart related problems were associated with approximately seven herbs: Four traditional Chinese medicine herbs - Don quai (Angelica sinensis), Jin bu huan (Lycopodium serratum), Thundergod vine or lei gong teng (Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F), and Ting kung teng (Erycibe henryi prain); one an Ayruvedic herb - Aswagandha, (Withania somnifera); and two North American herbs - blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), and Yohimbe (Pausinystalia johimbe). Aconitum and Ephedra species are no longer sold in the United States. The DS included, but are not limited to five DS - bitter orange, caffeine, certain energy drinks, nitric oxide products, and a calming product. Six additional DS are no longer sold. Licorice was the food related to heart problems. The online "Toxic Table" forewarns clinicians, consumers and the DS industry by listing DS with case reports related to heart toxicity. It may also contribute to Phase IV post marketing surveillance to diminish adverse events that Government officials use to regulate DS.

The Effect of Glycemic Status on Kidney Stone Disease in Patients with Prediabetes

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Tzu-Hsien Lien

2016-04-01

Full Text Available BackgroundWhile the evidence supporting a positive association between diabetes mellitus and kidney stone disease (KSD is solid, studies examining the association between impaired fasting glucose (IFG and KSD show inconsistent results. Currently, there are no studies examining the relationship between impaired glucose tolerance (IGT and KSD. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of different glycemic statuses on KSD. The results may help to motivate patients with diabetes to conform to treatment regimens.MethodsWe conducted a cross sectional study of a population that underwent health check-ups between January 2000 and August 2009 at the Health Evaluation Center of National Cheng Kung University Hospital. A total of 14,186 subjects were enrolled. The following categories of glycemic status were used according to the criteria of the 2009 American Diabetes Association: normal glucose tolerance, isolated IGT, isolated IFG, combined IFG/IGT, and diabetes. The existence of KSD was evaluated using renal ultrasonography, and the presence of any hyperechoic structures causing acoustic shadowing was considered to be indicative of KSD.ResultsThe prevalence of KSD was 7.4% (712/9,621, 9.3% (163/1,755, 10.8% (78/719, 12.0% (66/548, and 11.3% (174/1,543 in subjects with NGT, isolated IGT, isolated IFG, combined IFG/IGT, and diabetes, respectively. Isolated IFG, combined IFG/IGT, and diabetes were associated with KSD after adjusting for other clinical variables, but isolated IGT was not. Age (41 to 64 years vs. ≤40 years, ≥65 years vs. ≤40 years, male gender, hypertension, and hyperuricemia were also independently associated with KSD.ConclusionIsolated IFG, combined IFG/IGT, and diabetes, but not isolated IGT, were associated with a higher risk of KSD.

The preparation and characterization of gold-conjugated polyphenol nanoparticles as a novel delivery system

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Hsieh DS

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Dar-Shih Hsieh1,2, Hsiu-Chin Lu5, Cheng-Cheung Chen1,3, Chang-Jer Wu1,*, Ming-Kung Yeh4,* 1Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan; 2Division of Urology, 3Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, 4Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defence Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Nanogold particles are commonly used in nanomedicine. We generated physical nanogold (pNG conjugated with different ratios of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG and evaluated its physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity in vitro as well as anticancer activity in vivo. Results showed that the EGCG-pNG conjugates were successfully prepared at ratios between 23:1 and 23:5, with the percentage of EGCG content increasing with the EGCG:pNG ratio from 23:1 (2.0% ± 0.02% to 23:5 (28% ± 0.3%. EGCG-pNG particles at ratios of 23:1 and 23:5 demonstrated significantly decreased size from 500 to 20 nm and decreasing zeta potentials of 21 mV to –22 mV, respectively. At a ratio of 23:2.5, the EGCG-pNG particles (27% EGCG, 50 nm in size, zeta potential of –8 mV showed longer EGCG activity half-life (110 days vs 5 hours, controlled release (2 hours vs 30 minutes, and higher antioxidant activity (four times, as well as inhibition of tumor cell growth, than controls. The present study indicated that EGCG-pNG possesses promising therapeutic potential, based on its strong free-radical scavenging and anticancer activities.Keywords: EGCG, nanoparticles, antioxidant, antitumor activity, nanogold

Alimentação como fator de risco para câncer de intestino em universitários

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Liliane Almeida

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Analisar a qualidade da alimentação de universitários como fator de risco para câncer de intestino. Métodos: Estudo transversal com 100 universitários do curso de Gastronomia de uma instituição de ensino privada em Montes Claros, Minas Gerais. Aferiu-se o índice de massa corporal (IMC. Coletaram-se o comportamento alimentar, prática de atividade física e a frequência alimentar. Utilizou-se a análise descritiva. Resultados: A partir dos resultados, verificou-se que 46% (n=46 dos estudantes estavam com a massa corporal elevada, ou seja, IMC ≥ 25 kg/m2 (sobrepeso e obesidade. A análise dos hábitos alimentares demonstrou mudança de peso corporal em 44% dos entrevistados, destes 25% apresentou ganho de massa corporal. Dentre os entrevistados, 41% alegou consumir embutidos, pizzas e fast foods dentre outros, e 57% relatou consumir alimentos industrializados de 1 a 3 vezes por semana. Os alimentos ricos em açúcar (café com açúcar, refrigerantes e chocolate eram consumidos diariamente por 71%, 30% e 24% dos participantes. O consumo de grãos (chia, linhaça e quinoa foi relatado por 7%. Conclusão: Observou-se alto consumo de alimentos processados e/ou industrializados com alto teor de gorduras e açúcares, juntamente com uma baixa ingestão de grãos. Essa conjuntura alimentar associada a um estilo de vida sedentário são fatores de risco para a instalação de um quadro de neoplasia.

Wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated liposomes incorporated with cardiolipin to improve neuronal survival in Alzheimer’s disease treatment

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Kuo YC

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Yung-Chih Kuo,1 Che-Yu Lin,1 Jay-Shake Li,2 Yung-I Lou3 1Department of Chemical Engineering, 2Department of Psychology, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, 3Department of Accounting, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China Abstract: Curcumin (CRM and nerve growth factor (NGF were entrapped in liposomes (LIP with surface wheat germ agglutinin (WGA to downregulate the phosphorylation of kinases in Alzheimer’s disease (AD therapy. Cardiolipin (CL-conjugated LIP carrying CRM (CRM-CL/LIP and also carrying NGF (NGF-CL/LIP were used with AD models of SK-N-MC cells and Wistar rats after an insult with β-amyloid peptide (Aβ. We found that CRM-CL/LIP inhibited the expression of phosphorylated p38 (p-p38, phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK, and p-tau protein at serine 202 and prevented neurodegeneration of SK-N-MC cells. In addition, NGF-CL/LIP could enhance the quantities of p-neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 1 and p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 for neuronal rescue. Moreover, WGA-grafted CRM-CL/LIP and WGA-grafted NGF-CL/LIP significantly improved the permeation of CRM and NGF across the blood–brain barrier, reduced Aβ plaque deposition and the malondialdehyde level, and increased the percentage of normal neurons and cholinergic activity in the hippocampus of AD rats. Based on the marker expressions and in vivo evidence, current LIP carriers can be promising drug delivery systems to protect nervous tissue against Aβ-induced apoptosis in the brain during the clinical management of AD. Keywords: liposome, Alzheimer’s disease, β-amyloid, neurodegeneration, blood–brain barrier, wheat germ agglutinin

Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa chitinase, a gradually secreted protein.

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Folders, J; Algra, J; Roelofs, M S; van Loon, L C; Tommassen, J; Bitter, W

2001-12-01

The gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes many proteins into its extracellular environment via the type I, II, and III secretion systems. In this study, a gene, chiC, coding for an extracellular chitinolytic enzyme, was identified. The chiC gene encodes a polypeptide of 483 amino acid residues, without a typical N-terminal signal sequence. Nevertheless, an N-terminal segment of 11 residues was found to be cleaved off in the secreted protein. The protein shows sequence similarity to the secreted chitinases ChiC of Serratia marcescens, ChiA of Vibrio harveyi, and ChiD of Bacillus circulans and consists of an activity domain and a chitin-binding domain, which are separated by a fibronectin type III domain. ChiC was able to bind and degrade colloidal chitin and was active on the artificial substrates carboxymethyl-chitin-Remazol Brilliant Violet and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-N,N',N"-triacetylchitotriose, but not on p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-N-acetylglucosamine, indicating that it is an endochitinase. Expression of the chiC gene appears to be regulated by the quorum-sensing system of P. aeruginosa, since this gene was not expressed in a lasIR vsmI mutant. After overnight growth, the majority of the ChiC produced was found intracellularly, whereas only small amounts were detected in the culture medium. However, after several days, the cellular pool of ChiC was largely depleted, and the protein was found in the culture medium. This release could not be ascribed to cell lysis. Since ChiC did not appear to be secreted via any of the known secretion systems, a novel secretion pathway seems to be involved.

Canopy structural alterations to nitrogen functions of the soil microbial community in a Quercus virginiana forest

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Moore, L. D.; Van Stan, J. T., II; Rosier, C. L.; Gay, T. E.; Wu, T.

2014-12-01

Forest canopy structure controls the timing, amount and chemical character of precipitation supply to soils through interception and drainage along crown surfaces. Yet, few studies have examined forest canopy structural connections to soil microbial communities (SMCs), and none have measured how this affects SMC N functions. The maritime Quercus virginiana Mill. (southern live oak) forests of St Catherine's Island, GA, USA provide an ideal opportunity to examine canopy structural alterations to SMCs and their functioning, as their throughfall varies substantially across space due to dense Tillandsia usneoides L. (spanish moss) mats bestrewn throughout. To examine the impact of throughfall variability on SMC N functions, we examined points along the canopy coverage continuum: large canopy gaps (0%), bare canopy (50-60%), and canopy of heavy T. usneoides coverage (>=85%). Five sites beneath each of the canopy cover types were monitored for throughfall water/ions and soil leachates chemistry for one storm each month over the growing period (7 months, Mar-2014 to Sep-2014) to compare with soil chemistry and SMC communities sampled every two months throughout that same period (Mar, May, Jul, Sep). DGGE and QPCR analysis of the N functioning genes (NFGs) to characterize the ammonia oxidizing bacterial (AOB-amoA), archaea (AOA-amoA), and ammonification (chiA) communities were used to determine the nitrification and decomposition potential of these microbial communities. PRS™-probes (Western Ag Innovations Inc., Saskatoon, Canada) were then used to determine the availability of NO3-N and NH4+N in the soils over a 6-week period to evaluate whether the differing NFG abundance and community structures resulted in altered N cycling.

Development of a quantitative pachytene chromosome map and its unification with somatic chromosome and linkage maps of rice (Oryza sativa L.).

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Ohmido, Nobuko; Iwata, Aiko; Kato, Seiji; Wako, Toshiyuki; Fukui, Kiichi

2018-01-01

A quantitative pachytene chromosome map of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was developed using imaging methods. The map depicts not only distribution patterns of chromomeres specific to pachytene chromosomes, but also the higher order information of chromosomal structures, such as heterochromatin (condensed regions), euchromatin (decondensed regions), the primary constrictions (centromeres), and the secondary constriction (nucleolar organizing regions, NOR). These features were image analyzed and quantitatively mapped onto the map by Chromosome Image Analyzing System ver. 4.0 (CHIAS IV). Correlation between H3K9me2, an epigenetic marker and formation and/or maintenance of heterochromatin, thus was, clearly visualized. Then the pachytene chromosome map was unified with the existing somatic chromosome and linkage maps by physically mapping common DNA markers among them, such as a rice A genome specific tandem repeat sequence (TrsA), 5S and 45S ribosomal RNA genes, five bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones, four P1 bacteriophage artificial chromosome (PAC) clones using multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Detailed comparison between the locations of the DNA probes on the pachytene chromosomes using multicolor FISH, and the linkage map enabled determination of the chromosome number and short/long arms of individual pachytene chromosomes using the chromosome number and arm assignment designated for the linkage map. As a result, the quantitative pachytene chromosome map was unified with two other major rice chromosome maps representing somatic prometaphase chromosomes and genetic linkages. In conclusion, the unification of the three rice maps serves as an indispensable basic information, not only for an in-depth comparison between genetic and chromosomal data, but also for practical breeding programs.

Position paper on vegetarian diets from the working group of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition.

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Agnoli, C; Baroni, L; Bertini, I; Ciappellano, S; Fabbri, A; Papa, M; Pellegrini, N; Sbarbati, R; Scarino, M L; Siani, V; Sieri, S

2017-12-01

Interest in vegetarian diets is growing in Italy and elsewhere, as government agencies and health/nutrition organizations are emphasizing that regular consumption of plant foods may provide health benefits and help prevent certain diseases. We conducted a Pubmed search, up to September, 2015, for studies on key nutrients (proteins, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, and n-3 fatty acids) in vegetarian diets. From 295 eligible publications the following emerged: Vegetarians should be encouraged to supplement their diets with a reliable source of vitamin B12 (vitamin-fortified foods or supplements). Since the plant protein digestibility is lower than that of animal proteins it may be appropriate for vegetarians to consume more proteins than recommended for the general population. Vegetarians should also be encouraged to habitually consume good sources of calcium, iron and zinc - particularly vegetables that are low in oxalate and phytate (e.g. Brassicaceae), nuts and seeds, and calcium-rich mineral water. Calcium, iron, and zinc bioavailability can be improved by soaking, germination, and sour-dough leavening that lower the phytate content of pulses and cereals. Vegetarians can ensure good n-3 fatty acid status by habitually consuming good sources of a-linolenic acid (walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and their oils) and limiting linoleic acid intake (corn and sunflower oils). Well-planned vegetarian diets that include a wide variety of plant foods, and a reliable source of vitamin B12, provide adequate nutrient intake. Government agencies and health/nutrition organizations should provide more educational resources to help Italians consume nutritionally adequate vegetarian diets. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Temperature-dependent inhibition of opportunistic Vibrio pathogens by native coral commensal bacteria.

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Frydenborg, Beck R; Krediet, Cory J; Teplitski, Max; Ritchie, Kim B

2014-02-01

Bacteria living within the surface mucus layer of corals compete for nutrients and space. A number of stresses affect the outcome of this competition. The interactions between native microorganisms and opportunistic pathogens largely determine the coral holobiont's overall health and fitness. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that commensal bacteria isolated from the mucus layer of a healthy elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, are capable of inhibition of opportunistic pathogens, Vibrio shiloi AK1 and Vibrio coralliilyticus. These vibrios are known to cause disease in corals and their virulence is temperature dependent. Elevated temperature (30 °C) increased the cell numbers of one commensal and both Vibrio pathogens in monocultures. We further tested the hypothesis that elevated temperature favors pathogenic organisms by simultaneously increasing the fitness of vibrios and decreasing the fitness of commensals by measuring growth of each species within a co-culture over the course of 1 week. In competition experiments between vibrios and commensals, the proportion of Vibrio spp. increased significantly under elevated temperature. We finished by investigating several temperature-dependent mechanisms that could influence co-culture differences via changes in competitive fitness. The ability of Vibrio spp. to utilize glycoproteins found in A. palmata mucus increased or remained stable when exposed to elevated temperature, while commensals' tended to decrease utilization. In both vibrios and commensals, protease activity increased at 30 °C, while chiA expression increased under elevated temperatures for Vibrio spp. These results provide insight into potential mechanisms through which elevated temperature may select for pathogenic bacterial dominance and lead to disease or a decrease in coral fitness.

Seismic investigation of an ocean-continent transition zone in the northern South China Sea

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Zhu, J.; Qiu, X.; Xu, H.; Zhan, W.; Sun, Z.

2011-12-01

Rifted continental margins and basins are mainly formed by the lithospheric extension. Thined lithosphere of passive continental margins results in decompression melt of magma and created oceanic crust and thined ocean-continent transition (OCT) zone. Two refraction profiles used ocean bottom seismometers deployed in the broad continental shelf and three multi-channel seismic reflection lines in the northern South China Sea, acquired by the ship "Shiyan 2" of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2010, are processed and interpreted in this study. Seismic reflection lines cut through the Dongsha rise, Zhu-1 and Zhu-2 depression within a Tertiary basin, Pear River Mouth basin (called as Zhujiangkou basin). These tectonic features are clear imaged in the seismic reflection records. Numerous normal faults, cutted through the basement and related to the stretch of the northern South China Sea margin, are imaged and interpreted. Reflection characteristics of the ocean-continent transition (OCT) zone are summaried and outlined. The COT zone is mainly divided into the northern syn-rift subsidence zone, central volcano or buried volcano uplift zone and tilt faulted block near the South Chia Sea basin. Compared to the previous seismic reflection data and refraction velocity models, the segmentation range of the OCT zone is outlined, from width of about 225 km in the northeastern South China Sea , of 160 km in the central to of 110 km in the north-central South China Sea. Based on the epicenter distribution of sporadic and large than 6 magnitude earthquakes, it suggests the OCT zone in the northern South China Sea at present is still an active seismic zone.

Physical characterization and in vivo pharmacokinetic study of self-assembling amphotericin B-loaded lecithin-based mixed polymeric micelles

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Chen YC

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Ying-Chen Chen,* Chia-Yu Su,* Hua-Jun Jhan, Hsiu-O Ho, Ming-Thau Sheu School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: To alleviate the inherent problems of amphotericin B (AmB, such as poor water solubility and nephrotoxicity, a novel self-assembling mixed polymeric micelle delivery system based on lecithin and combined with amphiphilic polymers, Pluronic®, Kolliphor®, d-alpha tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate, and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-methoxy(poly(ethylene glycol-2000 (DSPE-PEG2K was developed. An optimal formulation (Ambicelles composed of AmB:lecithin:DSPE-PEG2K in a 1:1:10 weight ratio was obtained. The particle size, polydispersion index, drug encapsulation efficiency, and drug loading were 187.20±10.55 nm, 0.51±0.017, 90.14%, and 7.51%, respectively, and the solubility was increased from 0.001 to 5 mg/mL. Compared with that of Fungizone®, the bioavailability of Ambicelles administered intravenously and orally increased 2.18- and 1.50-fold, respectively. Regarding the in vitro cytotoxicity, Ambicelles had a higher cell viability than free AmB solution or Fungizone® did. With pretreatment of 50 µg/mL ethanolic extract of Taiwanofungus camphoratus followed by AmB to HT29 colon cancer cells, the 50% inhibitory concentration of AmB solution was 12 µg/mL, whereas that of Ambicelles was 1 µg/mL, indicating that Ambicelles exerted a greater synergistic anticancer effect. Keywords: amphotericin B, micelle, amphiphilic polymer, lecithin, DSPE-PEG

Effect of rehabilitation on a patient suffering from a tuberculous brain abscess with Gerstmann's syndrome: case report

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Kuo CL

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Chih-Lan Kuo1, Sui-Foon Lo1,2, Chun-Lin Liu3, Chia-Hui Chou4, Li-Wei Chou1,2,5¹Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; ²School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; 3Department of Neurosurgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; 4Department of Infectious disease, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; 5Department of Physical Therapy, China Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanAbstract: There are few reports in the literature of tuberculous brain abscess. Tuberculous brain abscess usually occurs in an immunocompromised host. Almost all previously documented cases have involved acquired immune deficiency syndrome. We encountered a 53-year-old right-handed immunocompetent male who was initially suspected of having a cerebrovascular accident due to acute-onset right hemiparesis and paresthesia. A tentative diagnosis of brain tumor versus brain abscess was made on imaging studies. The patient was finally diagnosed with a tuberculous brain abscess based upon deterioration on imaging and a positive tuberculosis culture. The tuberculous brain abscess was located in the left parietal lobe, which resulted in Gerstmann's syndrome and right-sided apraxia. Stereotactic surgery was performed. He was also given antituberculosis chemotherapy and comprehensive rehabilitation. Considerable improvement was noted after rehabilitation. The patient even returned to a normal life and work. Our case demonstrates that an aggressive intensive inpatient rehabilitation program combined with stereotactic surgery and effective antituberculosis therapy play an important role in improving the outcome for patients with tuberculous brain abscess, Gerstmann's syndrome, and right-sided apraxia.Keywords: tuberculous brain abscess, Gerstmann's syndrome, rehabilitation

Influência da universidade aberta da terceira idade (UATI e do programa de revitalização (REVT sobre a qualidade de vida de adultos de meia-idade e idosos Influence of the Open University for the Third Age (UATI and the revitalization program (REVT on quality of life in middle-aged and elderly adults

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PC Castro

2007-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Foi avaliada a influência da Universidade Aberta da Terceira Idade - Fundação Educacional de São Carlos (UATI-FESC e do Programa de Revitalização Geriátrica (REVT sobre a qualidade de vida de adultos de meia-idade e idosos. MÉTODO: Participaram deste estudo 70 indivíduos do primeiro ano da UATI e do REVT. Os critérios de inclusão foram ter 50 anos ou mais e ser capaz de preencher os questionários. A UATI é um programa interdisciplinar com seis disciplinas (uma vez por semana cada, três de atividades físicas: Tai Chi Chi Kung, Expressão Corporal, Fisioterapia e Promoção da Saúde; e três de promoção social e cultural: Educação Musical, Arte, Cidadania e Terceira Idade, além de atividades comemorativas e turismo cultural. O REVT teve 48 sessões de atividade física, três vezes por semana, com duração de 50-55 minutos cada. Todos os participantes foram avaliados por meio dos instrumentos de qualidade de vida World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-bref e Short-Form 36 - Medical Outcomes Study (SF36 no início e ao término da intervenção de 16 semanas. Para análise dos dados, foi utilizada ANOVA com medida repetida. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença entre os grupos. Ambos os grupos apresentaram melhora significativa do nível de qualidade de vida de acordo com o resultado geral do WHOQOL-bref e também nos domínios psicológico, meio ambiente e questões iniciais: "Como você avaliaria sua qualidade de vida?" e "Quão satisfeito(a você está com a sua saúde?" do WHOQOL-bref. Também houve melhora significativa do domínio Estado Geral de Saúde do SF36. Para os domínios Físico e Relações Sociais do WHOQOL-bref e outros domínios do SF36 não houve melhora significativa. CONCLUSÃO: Esses programas melhoraram a qualidade de vida segundo o WHOQOL-bref e EGS-SF36.OBJECTIVE: The influence of the Open University of the Third Age (São Carlos Educational Foundation (UATI-FESC and the Geriatric

Management of groundwater in farmed pond area using risk-based regulation.

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Huang, Jun-Ying; Liao, Chiao-Miao; Lin, Kao-Hung; Lee, Cheng-Haw

2014-09-01

Blackfoot disease (BFD) had occurred seriously in the Yichu, Hsuehchia, Putai, and Peimen townships of Chia-Nan District of Taiwan in the early days. These four townships are the districts of fishpond cultivation domestically in Taiwan. Groundwater becomes the main water supply because of short income in surface water. The problems of over pumping in groundwater may not only result in land subsidence and seawater intrusion but also be harmful to the health of human giving rise to the bioaccumulation via food chain in groundwater with arsenic (As). This research uses sequential indicator simulation (SIS) to characterize the spatial arsenic distribution in groundwater in the four townships. Risk assessment is applied to explore the dilution ratio (DR) of groundwater utilization, which is defined as the ratio showing the volume of groundwater utilization compared to pond water, for fish farming in the range of target cancer risk (TR) especially on the magnitude of 10(-4)~10(-6). Our study results reveal that the 50th percentile of groundwater DRs served as a regulation standard can be used to perform fish farm groundwater management for a TR of 10(-6). For a TR of 5 × 10(-6), we suggest using the 75th percentile of DR for groundwater management. For a TR of 10(-5), we suggest using the 95th percentile of the DR standard for performing groundwater management in fish farm areas. For the TR of exceeding 5 × 10(-5), we do not suggest establishing groundwater management standards under these risk standards. Based on the research results, we suggest that establishing a TR at 10(-5) and using the 95th percentile of DR are best for groundwater management in fish farm areas.

Assessing the health impact of transnational corporations: a case study on McDonald's Australia.

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Anaf, Julia; Baum, Frances E; Fisher, Matt; Harris, Elizabeth; Friel, Sharon

2017-02-06

The practices of transnational corporations affect population health through production methods, shaping social determinants of health, or influencing the regulatory structures governing their activities. There has been limited research on community exposures to TNC policies and practices. Our pilot research used McDonald's Australia to test methods for assessing the health impacts of one TNC within Australia. We adapted existing Health Impact Assessment methods to assess McDonald's activities. Data identifying potential impacts were sourced through document analysis, including McDonald's corporate literature; media analysis and semi-structured interviews. We commissioned a spatial and socioeconomic analysis of McDonald's restaurants in Australia through Geographic Information System technology. The data was mapped against a corporate health impact assessment framework which included McDonald's Australia's political and business practices; products and marketing; workforce, social, environmental and economic conditions; and consumers' health related behaviours. We identified both positive and detrimental aspects of McDonald's Australian operations across the scope of the CHIA framework. We found that McDonald's outlets were slightly more likely to be located in areas of lower socioeconomic status. McDonald's workplace conditions were found to be more favourable than those in many other countries which reflects compliance with Australian employment regulations. The breadth of findings revealed the need for governments to strengthen regulatory mechanisms that are conducive to health; the opportunity for McDonald's to augment their corporate social responsibility initiatives and bolster reputational endorsement; and civil society actors to inform their advocacy towards health and equity outcomes from TNC operations. Our study indicates that undertaking a corporate health impact assessment is possible, with the different methods revealing sufficient information to

Effect of cell wall integrity stress and RlmA transcription factor on asexual development and autolysis in Aspergillus nidulans.

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Kovács, Zsuzsanna; Szarka, Máté; Kovács, Szilvia; Boczonádi, Imre; Emri, Tamás; Abe, Keietsu; Pócsi, István; Pusztahelyi, Tünde

2013-05-01

The cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling pathway is responsible for cell wall remodeling and reinforcement upon cell wall stress, which is proposed to be universal in fungal cultures. In Aspergillus nidulans, both the deletion of rlmA encoding the RlmA transcription factor in CWI signaling and low concentrations of the cell wall polymer intercalating agent Congo Red caused significant physiological changes. The gene deletion mutant ΔrlmA strain showed decreased CWI and oxidative stress resistances, which indicated the connection between the CWI pathway and the oxidative stress response system. The Congo Red stress resulted in alterations in the cell wall polymer composition in submerged cultures due to the induction of the biosynthesis of the alkali soluble fraction as well as the hydrolysis of cell wall biopolymers. Both RlmA and RlmA-independent factors induced by Congo Red stress regulated the expression of glucanase (ANID_00245, engA) and chitinase (chiB, chiA) genes, which promoted the autolysis of the cultures and also modulated the pellet sizes. CWI stress and rlmA deletion affected the expression of brlA encoding the early conidiophore development regulator transcription factor BrlA and, as a consequence, the formation of conidiophores was significantly changed in submerged cultures. Interestingly, the number of conidiospores increased in surface cultures of the ΔrlmA strain. The in silico analysis of genes putatively regulated by RlmA and the CWI transcription factors AnSwi4/AnSwi6 in the SBF complex revealed only a few jointly regulated genes, including ugmA and srrA coding for UgmA UDP-galactopyranose mutase and SrrA stress response regulator, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of preneoplastic lesion yield by Chios Mastic Gum in a rat liver medium-term carcinogenesis bioassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doi, Kenichiro; Wei, Min; Kitano, Mitsuaki; Uematsu, Naomi; Inoue, Masayo; Wanibuchi, Hideki

2009-01-01

The mastic (Pistacia lentiscus var. chia) tree is native throughout the Mediterranean region and has long proved a source of food additives and medical treatments. To investigate the modifying effects of Chios Mastic Gum on rat liver carcinogenesis, 6-week-old male F344 rats were subjected to the established rat liver medium-term carcinogenesis bioassay (Ito-test). At the commencement, rats (groups 1-4) were intraperitoneally injected with 200 mg/kg body weight of diethylnitrosamine (DEN). After two weeks, mastic was added to CRF (Charles River Formula)-1 powdered basal diet at doses of 0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1% in groups 1-4, respectively. At week 3, all rats were underwent two-thirds partial hepatectomy. The experiment was terminated at week 8. As results show, liver weights were significantly increased in a mastic dose-dependent manner among groups 1-4. The numbers (/cm 2 ) and the areas (mm 2 /cm 2 ) of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive cell foci (≥ 0.2 mm in diameter) were significantly increased in the DEN-1% group compared to the DEN-alone group, along with the average areas per foci and larger-sized foci (≥ 0.4 mm). 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) + GST-P double-immunohistochemistry showed the highest BrdU-labeling indices within GST-P foci in the DEN-1% group. 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels in liver DNA did not vary, while real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of livers revealed many up- or down-regulated genes in the DEN-1% group. In conclusion, this is the first report to display a promotion potential of Chios Mastic Gum on the formation of preneoplastic lesions in the established rat liver medium-term carcinogenesis bioassay

Exonic variants associated with development of aspirin exacerbated respiratory diseases.

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Seung-Woo Shin

Full Text Available Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD is one phenotype of asthma, often occurring in the form of a severe and sudden attack. Due to the time-consuming nature and difficulty of oral aspirin challenge (OAC for AERD diagnosis, non-invasive biomarkers have been sought. The aim of this study was to identify AERD-associated exonic SNPs and examine the diagnostic potential of a combination of these candidate SNPs to predict AERD. DNA from 165 AERD patients, 397 subjects with aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA, and 398 normal controls were subjected to an Exome BeadChip assay containing 240K SNPs. 1,023 models (210-1 were generated from combinations of the top 10 SNPs, selected by the p-values in association with AERD. The area under the curve (AUC of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC curves was calculated for each model. SNP Function Portal and PolyPhen-2 were used to validate the functional significance of candidate SNPs. An exonic SNP, exm537513 in HLA-DPB1, showed the lowest p-value (p = 3.40×10-8 in its association with AERD risk. From the top 10 SNPs, a combination model of 7 SNPs (exm537513, exm83523, exm1884673, exm538564, exm2264237, exm396794, and exm791954 showed the best AUC of 0.75 (asymptotic p-value of 7.94×10-21, with 34% sensitivity and 93% specificity to discriminate AERD from ATA. Amino acid changes due to exm83523 in CHIA were predicted to be "probably damaging" to the structure and function of the protein, with a high score of '1'. A combination model of seven SNPs may provide a useful, non-invasive genetic marker combination for predicting AERD.

Effectiveness of stress management in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate

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Chiu LP

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Li-Pin Chiu,1,2 Heng-Hsin Tung,3 Kuan-Chia Lin,3 Yu-Wei Lai,1,4 Yi-Chun Chiu,1,4 Saint Shiou-Sheng Chen,1,4 Allen W Chiu1,4 1Division of Urology, Taipei City Hospital, 2University of Taipei, General Education Center, 3School of Nursing, Department of Care Management, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science, 4Department of Urology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: To assess the utilization of stress management in relieving anxiety and pain among patients who undergo transrectal ultrasound (TRUS-guided biopsy of the prostate.  Methods: Eighty-two patients admitted to a community hospital for a TRUS biopsy of the prostate participated in this case-controlled study. They were divided into an experimental group that was provided with stress management and a control group that received only routine nursing care. Stress management included music therapy and one-on-one simulation education. Before and after the TRUS biopsy, the patients’ state-anxiety inventory score, pain visual analogue scale (VAS, respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood pressure were obtained.  Results: There were no differences in baseline and disease characteristics between the two groups. The VAS in both groups increased after the TRUS biopsy, but the difference in pre- and postbiopsy VAS scores was significantly lower in the experimental group (P=0.03. Patients in both groups experienced mild anxiety before and after the biopsy, but those in the experimental group displayed a significantly greater decrease in postbiopsy state-anxiety inventory score compared to the control group (P=0.02.Conclusion: Stress management can alleviate anxiety and pain in patients who received a TRUS biopsy of the prostate under local anesthesia. Keywords: anxiety, pain, stress management, transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate

Integration of multidisciplinary technologies for real time target visualization and verification for radiotherapy

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Chang WC

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Wen-Chung Chang,1,* Chin-Sheng Chen,2,* Hung-Chi Tai,3 Chia-Yuan Liu,4,5 Yu-Jen Chen3 1Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Automation Technology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Radiation Oncology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan  *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: The current practice of radiotherapy examines target coverage solely from digitally reconstructed beam's eye view (BEV in a way that is indirectly accessible and that is not in real time. We aimed to visualize treatment targets in real time from each BEV. The image data of phantom or patients from ultrasound (US and computed tomography (CT scans were captured to perform image registration. We integrated US, CT, US/CT image registration, robotic manipulation of US, a radiation treatment planning system, and a linear accelerator to constitute an innovative target visualization system. The performance of this algorithm segmented the target organ in CT images, transformed and reconstructed US images to match each orientation, and generated image registration in real time mode with acceptable accuracy. This image transformation allowed physicians to visualize the CT image-reconstructed target via a US probe outside the BEV that was non-coplanar to the beam's plane. It allowed the physicians to remotely control the US probe that was equipped on a robotic arm to dynamically trace and real time monitor the coverage of the target within the BEV during a simulated beam-on situation. This target visualization system may provide a direct remotely accessible and real time way to visualize, verify, and ensure tumor targeting during radiotherapy. Keywords: ultrasound, computerized tomography

Enzimas fibrolíticas exógenas en la digestibilidad in vitro de cinco ecotipos de Brachiaria

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Juan H. Avellaneda-Cevallos

2007-01-01

Full Text Available En zi mas fi bro lí ti cas exó ge nas en la di ges ti bi li dad in vi tro de cin co eco ti pos de Bra chia ria. Este experimento se llevó a cabo en la Estación Experimental del Colegio de Postgraduados, en Montecillo, Estado de México, México, durante el 25 abril y el 27 noviembre de 2002. Se usó la primera fase de la técnica de Tilley y Terry (3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 h incubación con el objetivo de medir el efecto de un compuesto enzimático fibrolítico exógeno (enzima; Fibrozyme®; 0 y 1,5 g enzima/kg MS en la digestibilidad in vitro (DIV de MS, FDN y FDA de henos de cinco ecotipos de Brachiaria [brizantha var. Toledo (BT; ruziziensis x decumbens CIAT 46024 (RD; decumbens var. Señal (DS; ruziziensis x brizantha CIAT 36061 cv. Mulato (RBM; brizantha var. Insurgente (BI]. La DIVMS a las 48 y 72 h, para 0 y 1,5 g enzima, fue mayor (p<0,05 para los ecotipos BT y BI, respecto a RD, DS y RBM. La DIVFDN a las 48 y 72 h, para 0 y 1,5 g enzima, fue mayor (p<0,05 para BT y BI, respecto a RD, DS y RBM. La enzima aumentó (p<0,05 la DIVFDN sólo para el ecotipo RD a las 72 h; además, incrementó la DIVFDA para BT a 12 h; BT y DS a 24 h; BT, RD y BI a 48 h. Por tanto, las enzimas fibrolíticas aumentaron la digestibilidad in vitro de la pared celular de cinco ecotipos de Brachiaria.

PDGF-metronidazole-encapsulated nanofibrous functional layers on collagen membrane promote alveolar ridge regeneration

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Ho MH

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Ming-Hua Ho,1 Hao-Chieh Chang,2,3 Yu-Chia Chang,3 Jeiannete Claudia,1 Tzu-Chiao Lin,2 Po-Chun Chang2,3 1Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan Abstract: This study aimed to develop a functionally graded membrane (FGM to prevent infection and promote tissue regeneration. Poly(L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide encapsulating platelet-derived growth factor (PDLLA-PDGF or metronidazole (PDLLA-MTZ was electrospun to form a nanofibrous layer on the inner or outer surface of a clinically available collagen membrane, respectively. The membrane was characterized for the morphology, molecule release profile, in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, and preclinical efficiency for alveolar ridge regeneration. The PDLLA-MTZ and PDLLA-PDGF nanofibers were 800–900 nm in diameter, and the thicknesses of the functional layers were 20–30 µm, with sustained molecule release over 28 days. All of the membranes tested were compatible with cell survival in vitro and showed good tissue integration with minimal fibrous capsule formation or inflammation. Cell proliferation was especially prominent on the PDLLA-PDGF layer in vivo. On the alveolar ridge, all FGMs reduced wound dehiscence compared with the control collagen membrane, and the FGM with PDLLA-PDGF promoted osteogenesis significantly. In conclusion, the FGMs with PDLLA-PDGF and PDLLA-MTZ showed high biocompatibility and facilitated wound healing compared with conventional membrane, and the FGM with PDLLA-PDGF enhanced alveolar ridge regeneration in vivo. The design represents a beneficial modification, which may be easily adapted for future clinical use. Keywords: tissue engineering, platelet-derived growth factor, metronidazole, alveolar process

Maximally efficient two-stage screening: Determining intellectual disability in Taiwanese military conscripts

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Chia-Chang Chien

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Chia-Chang Chien1, Shu-Fen Huang1,2,3,4, For-Wey Lung1,2,3,41Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Calo Psychiatric Center, Pingtung County, TaiwanObjective: The purpose of this study was to apply a two-stage screening method for the large-scale intelligence screening of military conscripts.Methods: We collected 99 conscripted soldiers whose educational levels were senior high school level or lower to be the participants. Every participant was required to take the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R assessments.Results: Logistic regression analysis showed the conceptual level responses (CLR index of the WCST was the most significant index for determining intellectual disability (ID; FIQ ≤ 84. We used the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the optimum cut-off point of CLR. The optimum one cut-off point of CLR was 66; the two cut-off points were 49 and 66. Comparing the two-stage window screening with the two-stage positive screening, the area under the curve and the positive predictive value increased. Moreover, the cost of the two-stage window screening decreased by 59%.Conclusion: The two-stage window screening is more accurate and economical than the two-stage positive screening. Our results provide an example for the use of two-stage screening and the possibility of the WCST to replace WAIS-R in large-scale screenings for ID in the future.Keywords: intellectual disability, intelligence screening, two-stage positive screening, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised

The nitrate export in subtropical mountainous catchment: implication for land use change impact

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Huang, J.-C.; Lee, T.-Y.; Kao, S.-J.; Hsu, S.-C.; Lin, H.-J.; Peng, T.-R.

2010-12-01

Agricultural activity is the dominant factor affecting water quality and nitrate export, which causes eutrophication and episodic acidification in downstream water bodies (e.g., reservoirs, lakes, and coastal zones). However, in subtropical mountainous areas such environmental impact due to the land use change was rarely documented. In this study, we investigated 16 sub-catchments during 2007 and 2008 in the Chi-Chia-Wan catchment where is the sole habitat for the endemic species, Formosan landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus masou formosanus). The results revealed that the NO3-N concentration in pristine catchments varied from 0.144 to 0.151 mg/L without significant seasonal variation. This concentration was comparable with other forestry catchments around the world. However, the annual nitrate export was around 375.3-677.1 kg/km2/yr, much higher than other catchments due to the greater amount of rainfall. This is an important baseline for comparisons with other climate areas. As for the impact of agricultural activities, the catchments with some human disturbance, ~5.2% of the catchment area, might yield 5947.2 kg N/km2/yr - over 10-times higher than that of pristine catchment. Such high export caused by such a low level of disturbance might indicate that subtropical mountainous area is highly sensitive to agricultural activities. As for the land-use effect on nitrate yield, the forestry land might yield 488.5 ± 325.1 kg/km2/yr and the vegetable farm could yield 298 465.4 ± 3347.2 kg/km2/yr - 1000-times greater than the forestry. The estimated nitrate yields for land use classes were a crucial basis and useful for the land manager to assess the possible impacts (e.g., non-point source pollution evaluation and the recovery of land expropriation).

Underestimated Rate of Status Epilepticus according to the Traditional Definition of Status Epilepticus.

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Ong, Cheung-Ter; Wong, Yi-Sin; Sung, Sheng-Feng; Wu, Chi-Shun; Hsu, Yung-Chu; Su, Yu-Hsiang; Hung, Ling-Chien

2015-01-01

Status epilepticus (SE) is an important neurological emergency. Early diagnosis could improve outcomes. Traditionally, SE is defined as seizures lasting at least 30 min or repeated seizures over 30 min without recovery of consciousness. Some specialists argued that the duration of seizures qualifying as SE should be shorter and the operational definition of SE was suggested. It is unclear whether physicians follow the operational definition. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the incidence of SE was underestimated and to investigate the underestimate rate. This retrospective study evaluates the difference in diagnosis of SE between operational definition and traditional definition of status epilepticus. Between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2014, patients discharged with ICD-9 codes for epilepsy (345.X) in Chia-Yi Christian Hospital were included in the study. A seizure lasting at least 30 min or repeated seizures over 30 min without recovery of consciousness were considered SE according to the traditional definition of SE (TDSE). A seizure lasting between 5 and 30 min was considered SE according to the operational definition of SE (ODSE); it was defined as underestimated status epilepticus (UESE). During a 2-year period, there were 256 episodes of seizures requiring hospital admission. Among the 256 episodes, 99 episodes lasted longer than 5 min, out of which 61 (61.6%) episodes persisted over 30 min (TDSE) and 38 (38.4%) episodes continued between 5 and 30 min (UESE). In the 38 episodes of seizure lasting 5 to 30 minutes, only one episode was previously discharged as SE (ICD-9-CM 345.3). Conclusion. We underestimated 37.4% of SE. Continuing education regarding the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy is important for physicians.

Estimating Source Duration for Moderate and Large Earthquakes in Taiwan

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Chang, Wen-Yen; Hwang, Ruey-Der; Ho, Chien-Yin; Lin, Tzu-Wei

2017-04-01

Estimating Source Duration for Moderate and Large Earthquakes in Taiwan Wen-Yen Chang1, Ruey-Der Hwang2, Chien-Yin Ho3 and Tzu-Wei Lin4 1 Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC 2Department of Geology, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC 3Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC 4Seismology Center, Central Weather Bureau, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC ABSTRACT To construct a relationship between seismic moment (M0) and source duration (t) was important for seismic hazard in Taiwan, where earthquakes were quite active. In this study, we used a proposed inversion process using teleseismic P-waves to derive the M0-t relationship in the Taiwan region for the first time. Fifteen earthquakes with MW 5.5-7.1 and focal depths of less than 40 km were adopted. The inversion process could simultaneously determine source duration, focal depth, and pseudo radiation patterns of direct P-wave and two depth phases, by which M0 and fault plane solutions were estimated. Results showed that the estimated t ranging from 2.7 to 24.9 sec varied with one-third power of M0. That is, M0 is proportional to t**3, and then the relationship between both of them was M0=0.76*10**23(t)**3 , where M0 in dyne-cm and t in second. The M0-t relationship derived from this study was very close to those determined from global moderate to large earthquakes. For further understanding the validity in the derived relationship, through the constructed relationship of M0-, we inferred the source duration of the 1999 Chi-Chi (Taiwan) earthquake with M0=2-5*10**27 dyne-cm (corresponding to Mw = 7.5-7.7) to be approximately 29-40 sec, in agreement with many previous studies for source duration (28-42 sec).

SU-E-T-211: Induced Release of Nanocarrier Encapsulated Chemotherapeutic Drugs Using Proton Radiotherapy Beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polf, J; Jackson, I [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States); Ranjan, A; Fernando, R [Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK (United States); Zheng, Y [Procure Proton Therapy Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States)

2014-06-01

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to develop and validate an open source independent MU dose calculation software for S and S IMRT based in the algorithm proposed by Kung et.al. Methods: Treatment plans were done using Iplan v4.5 BrainLAB TPS and S and S IMRT modality. A 6MV photon beam produced by a Primus linear accelerator equipped with an Optifocus MLC was used. TPS dose calculation algorithms were pencil beam and Monte Carlo. 230 IMRT treatments plans were selected for the study. The software was written under MALTLAB environment. Treatment plans were imported by the software using RTP format. Field fluences were reconstructed adding all segments.The algorithm implemented in the software calculates the dose at a reference point as the sum of primary and scatter dose. The primary dose is obtained by masking the fluence map with a circle of radius 1cm. The scatter dose is obtained through a shaped ring mask around the previous circle with a thickness of 0.5cm; the rings are increased one after another with constant thickness until cover the entire map of influence. The dosimetric parameters Sc, Sp and TPR vary depending on radio, the transmission effect of the MLC, inverse square law and dose profile are used for the calculation. Results: The average difference between measured and independent calculated dose was 0.4% ± 2.2% [−6.8%, 6.4%]. For 91% of the studied plans the difference was less than 3%. The difference between the measured and TPS dose with pencilbeam algorithm was 2.6% ± 1.41% [−2.0%, 5.6%] and Monte Carlo algorithm was 0.4% ± 1.5% [−4.9%, 3.7%]. The differences obtained are comparable to that obtained with the ionization chamber and TPS. Conclusion: The developed software is suitable for use in S and S IMRT dose calculation. This application is open and can be downloading under request.

The antidiabetic effects of a dry powder of dietary vegetable and fruit mixtures in diabetic db/db mice

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Chung-Man Yeung

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Chung-Man Yeung1, Yi Tan1, Sidney Tam2, Liwei Lu3, King-Hung Ko3, Pai-Hao Yang1,4, Hsiang-Fu Kung4, Marie C Lin11Department of Chemistry, Open Laboratory of Chemical Biology of the Institute of Molecular Technology, 2Clinical Biochemistry Unit, 3Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; 4Centre of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, ChinaAbstract: We evaluated the antidiabetic effects of a mixed vegetable powder-formula I (MVP-FI, which is a dry powder mixture of over 65 kinds of vegetables and fruits, using the db/db type 2 diabetes mouse model. The db/db mice at 8–10 weeks of age were randomly divided into three groups: vehicle treatment, 1.575 g/kg MVP-FI treatment, and 3.15 g/kg MVP-FI treatment. During 12 days of treatment, we measured food intake and body weight changes, fasting blood glucose levels, and plasma lipid levels. Our results showed that the food intake and the body weight of MVP-FI-treated group were decreased gradually. Moreover, the fasting blood glucose level of the treated group was significantly dropped to a normal level comparable to that of the lean mice. Furthermore, we also found that the plasma triglyceride level in the treated group was dropped, whereas the high-density lipoprotein (HDL level was increased and total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio was decreased. Taken together, these results suggest that the diabetic conditions of the db/db mice have been improved after 12 days treatment with MVP-FI. The antihyperglycemic and antiobese activities of the MVP-FI, as demonstrated in the present study, may have important clinical implications for improving the management of type 2 diabetic patients.Keywords: traditional Chinese medicine (TCM, db/db mice, diabetes

Midazolam induces apoptosis in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells through caspase activation and the involvement of MAPK signaling pathway

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So EC

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Edmund Cheung So,1,2 Yu-Xuan Lin,3 Chi Hao Tseng,1 Bo-Syong Pan,3 Ka-Shun Cheng,2 Kar-Lok Wong,2 Lyh-Jyh Hao,4 Yang-Kao Wang,5 Bu-Miin Huang2 1Department of Anesthesia, Tainan Municipal An Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan, Taiwan; 2Department of Anesthesia, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; 3Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kaohsiung Veteran General Hospital Tainan Branch Tainan, Taiwan; 5Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan Purpose: The present study aims to investigate how midazolam, a sedative drug for clinical use with cytotoxicity on neuronal and peripheral tissues, induced apoptosis in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells. Methods: The apoptotic effect and underlying mechanism of midazolam to MA-10 cells were investigated by flow cytometry assay and Western blotting methods. Results: Data showed that midazolam induced the accumulation of the MA-10 cell population in the sub-G1 phase and a reduction in the G2/M phase in a time- and dose-dependent manner, suggesting an apoptotic phenomenon. Midazolam could also induce the activation of caspase-8, -9, and -3 and poly (ADP-ribose polymerase proteins. There were no changes in the levels of Bax and cytochrome-c, whereas Bid was significantly decreased after midazolam treatment. Moreover, midazolam decreased both pAkt and Akt expression. In addition, midazolam stimulated the phosphorylation of p38 and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Conclusion: Midazolam could induce MA-10 cell apoptosis through the activation of caspase cascade, the inhibition of pAkt pathway, and the induction of p38 and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase pathways. Keywords: midazolam, apoptosis, MA-10 cell, caspase, Akt, MAPKs

Effects of martial arts on health status: a systematic review.

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Bu, Bin; Haijun, Han; Yong, Liu; Chaohui, Zhang; Xiaoyuan, Yang; Singh, Maria Fiatarone

2010-11-01

To systematically summarize the evidence for the effects of martial arts on health and fitness, to show the strengths of different types of martial arts, and to get a more complete picture of the impacts of martial arts on health, and also to provide a basis for future research on martial arts as an exercise prescription in exercise therapy. We searched for "martial arts"health" and "random" in eight databases (n= 5432). Randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials on the health effects of martial arts were included in the study. The final analysis included 28 papers (one general martial arts, one kung fu, sixteen tai chi, six judo, three karate, and one taekwondo). Among the disciplines of martial arts, tai chi was the most well-studied, followed by judo, karate, and taekwondo. Research topics varied widely, and included health, injuries, competition, morals and psychology, and herbal medicine. Most found positive effects on health. Tai chi is no-contact, low-impact, soft body and mindfulness exercise, which has been widely adopted by elderly people and proven to be a beneficial health promotion exercise. Research on judo, karate, and taekwondo mainly focused on improvements to athletes' competitive abilities, rather than on health effects. We did not find any published randomized controlled trials or controlled clinical trials on aikido, kendo, sumo, kyudo, qi gong, or other disciplines. Since martial arts are widely practiced, their effects on physiology, morphology, immunology, and neurology should be further studied in order to help people to select the best discipline or style to accomplish their purposes. This necessitates categorizing and classifying the disciplines and styles according to their effects on different body systems and levels of contact, as well as standardizing evaluation criteria for martial arts. Martial arts as an exercise prescription can then move from an experience-based to an evidence-based treatment. © 2010 Blackwell

Influence of charge on FITC-BSA-loaded chondroitin sulfate-chitosan nanoparticles upon cell uptake in human Caco-2 cell monolayers

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Hu CS

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Chieh-shen Hu,1 Chiao-hsi Chiang,2 Po-da Hong,1,4,* Ming-kung Yeh1–3,*1Biomedical Engineering Program, Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology; 2School of Pharmacy, National Defence Medical Center; 3Bureau of Pharmaceutical Affairs, Ministry of National Defence Medical Affairs Bureau; 4Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground and methods: Chondroitin sulfate-chitosan (ChS-CS nanoparticles and positively and negatively charged fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA-loaded ChS-CS nanoparticles were prepared and characterized. The properties of ChS-CS nanoparticles, including cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and transepithelial transport, as well as findings on field emission-scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy were evaluated in human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2 fibroblasts. ChS-CS nanoparticles with a mean particle size of 250 nm and zeta potentials ranging from –30 to +18 mV were prepared using an ionic gelation method.Results: Standard cell viability assays demonstrated that cells incubated with ChS-CS and FITC-BSA-loaded ChS-CS nanoparticles remained more than 95% viable at particle concentrations up to 0.1 mg/mL. Endocytosis of nanoparticles was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and measured by flow cytometry. Ex vivo transepithelial transport studies using Caco-2 cells indicated that the nanoparticles were effectively transported into Caco-2 cells via endocytosis. The uptake of positively charged FITC-BSA-loaded ChS-CS nanoparticles across the epithelial membrane was more efficient than that of the negatively charged nanoparticles.Conclusion: The ChS-CS nanoparticles fabricated in this study were

Walking in the high-rise city: a Health Enhancement and Pedometer-determined Ambulatory (HEPA program in Hong Kong

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Leung AYM

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Angela YM Leung,1,2 Mike KT Cheung,3 Michael A Tse,4 Wai Chuen Shum,5 BJ Lancaster,1,6 Cindy LK Lam7 1School of Nursing, 2Research Centre on Heart, Brain, Hormone and Healthy Aging, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, 3Centre on Research and Advocacy, Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation, 4Institute of Human Performance, University of Hong Kong, 5Sheng Kung Hui Holy Carpenter Church Social Services, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China; 6School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; 7Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Due to the lack of good infrastructure in the public estates, many older adults in urban areas are sedentary. The Health Enhancement and Pedometer-Determined Ambulatory (HEPA program was developed to assist older adults with diabetes and/or hypertension to acquire walking exercise habits and to build social support, while engaged in regular physical activity. This study aimed to describe the HEPA program and to report changes in participants’ walking capacity and body strength after 10-week walking sessions. A pre- and postintervention design was used. Pedometers were used to measure the number of steps taken per day before and after the 10-week intervention. Upper and lower body strength, lower body flexibility, and quality of life were assessed. A total of 205 older adults completed the program and all health assessments. After the 10-week intervention, the average number of steps per day increased by 36%, from 6,591 to 8,934. Lower body strength, upper body strength, and aerobic fitness increased significantly after 10 weeks, along with improvement in the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF™-12 physical and mental health component summary scores. A social support network was built in the neighborhood, and the local environment was

Comparison of safety and outcomes of shock wave lithotripsy between elderly and non-elderly patients

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Chen YZ

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Yi-Zhong Chen,1 Wun-Rong Lin,1,2 Chih-Chiao Lee,1,2 Fang-Ju Sun,1,3 Yung-Chiong Chow,1,2 Wei-Kung Tsai,1,2 Pai-Kai Chiang,1,2 Ting-Po Lin,1,2 Marcelo Chen,1–3 Allen W Chiu1,4 1Department of Urology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, 2School of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, 3Department of Cosmetic Applications and Management, MacKay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, 4School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan Background: This study compared the clinical outcomes of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy between elderly (aged ≥65 years and non-elderly (aged <65 years patients.Methods: A retrospective review of medical records was performed on 483 (non-elderly: 245, elderly: 238 patients with upper urinary tract stones who underwent shock wave lithotripsy between 2007 and 2015. The demographic data, stone parameters, stone-free rate, retreatment rate, and complication rate were analyzed in both elderly and non-elderly patient groups.Results: There was no significant difference between non-elderly and elderly patients in terms of stone-free rate (46.5% vs 41.1%, P>0.05 regardless of stone site or stone size and overall retreatment rate (41.6% vs 37.0%, P>0.05. Elderly patients had a higher complication rate than non-elderly patients (15.5% vs 23.5%, P=0.026. The most common complication was flank pain. Receiver operating characteristic curves predicted that elderly patients (cutoff value: 65 years of age had a higher risk of complications and that patients with smaller stones (cutoff value: 0.8 cm had a higher stone-free rate.Conclusion: This study showed that elderly patients with upper urinary tract stones undergoing shock wave lithotripsy had comparable efficacy for stone-free rates and retreatment rates, but higher complication rates. Keywords: elderly, shock wave lithotripsy, upper urinary tract stone, safety, outcome

Compression of Single-Crystal Orthopyroxene to 60GPa

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Finkelstein, G. J.; Dera, P. K.; Holl, C. M.; Dorfman, S. M.; Duffy, T. S.

2010-12-01

Orthopyroxene ((Mg,Fe)SiO3) is one of the dominant phases in Earth’s upper mantle - it makes up ~20% of the upper mantle by volume. At high pressures and temperatures, this phase undergoes several well-characterized phase transitions. However, when compressed at low temperature and high-pressure, orthopyroxene is predicted to exhibit metastable behavior(1). Previous researchers have found orthoenstatite (Mg endmember of orthopyroxene) persists up to ~10 GPa, and diffraction(2-3), Raman(4), and elasticity(5) experiments suggest a phase transition above this pressure to an as-yet unidentified structure. While earlier diffraction data has surprisingly only been evaluated for structural information to ~9 GPa(2), changes in high-pressure Raman spectra to ~70 GPa indicate that several more high-pressure phase transitions in orthopyroxene are likely, including at least one change in Si-coordination(6). We have recently conducted exploratory experiments to further elucidate the high-pressure behavior of orthopyroxene. Compressing a single crystal of Fe-rich orthopyroxene (Fe0.66Mg0.24Ca0.05SiO3) using a diamond anvil cell, we observe phase transitions at ~10, 14, and 30 GPa, with the new phases having monoclinic, orthorhombic, and orthorhombic symmetries, respectively. While the first two transitions do not show a significant change in volume, the phase transition at ~30 GPa shows a large decrease in volume, which is consistent with a change in Si coordination number to mixed 4- and 6-fold coordination. References: [1] S. Jahn, American Mineralogist 93, 528-532 (2008). [2] R. J. Angel, J. M. Jackson, American Mineralogist 87, 558-561 (2002). [3] R. J. Angel, D. A. Hugh-Jones, Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth 99, 19,777-19,783 (1994). [4] G. Serghiou, Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 34, 587-590 (2003). [5] J. Kung et al., Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors 147, 27-44 (2004). [6] G. Serghiou, A. Chopelas, R. Boehler, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter

The impact of the duration of an untreated episode on improvement of depression and somatic symptoms

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Hung CI

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Ching-I Hung,1,2 Nan-Wen Yu,1,2 Chia-Yih Liu,1,2 Kuan-Yi Wu,1,2 Ching-Hui Yang3 1Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan, 2Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; 3Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the duration of an untreated episode (DUE on the improvement of depression and somatic symptoms among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD, after the patients had received 4 weeks of pharmacotherapy. Methods: In this open-label study, there were 155 participants with MDD who were treated daily with 75 mg of venlafaxine for 4 weeks. DUE was defined as the interval between the onset of the index major depressive episode and the start of pharmacotherapy. The Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS, composed of the depression subscale (DS and the somatic subscale (SS, was used. The SS included the pain subscale (PS and the nonpain somatic subscale (NPSS. Multiple linear regressions were used to test the impacts of DUE on the improvement percentages (IPs of depression and somatic symptoms. Results: Eighty-five subjects completed the 4-week treatment. The IPs of the DS, SS, and NPSS were significantly negatively correlated with DUE. A shorter DUE was related to higher IPs. DUE was an independent factor, predicting the IPs of the DS, SS, and NPSS. DUE <1 month was the most powerful time-point to predict the IPs of the DS, SS, and NPSS. However, DUE was unable to predict the IP of the PS at all time-points. Conclusion: A shorter DUE might be one of the factors related to greater improvement of depression and somatic symptoms. DUE should be considered as an important factor when investigating the prognosis of depression and somatic symptoms. Keywords: early intervention, somatization, treatment response, prognosis, outcome

Estimating Typhoon Rainfall over Sea from SSM/I Satellite Data Using an Improved Genetic Programming

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Yeh, K.; Wei, H.; Chen, L.; Liu, G.

2010-12-01

Estimating Typhoon Rainfall over Sea from SSM/I Satellite Data Using an Improved Genetic Programming Keh-Chia Yeha, Hsiao-Ping Weia,d, Li Chenb, and Gin-Rong Liuc a Department of Civil Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 300, R.O.C. b Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Informatics, Chung Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 300, R.O.C. c Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research, National Central University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, 320, R.O.C. d National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction, Taipei County, Taiwan, 231, R.O.C. Abstract This paper proposes an improved multi-run genetic programming (GP) and applies it to predict the rainfall using meteorological satellite data. GP is a well-known evolutionary programming and data mining method, used to automatically discover the complex relationships among nonlinear systems. The main advantage of GP is to optimize appropriate types of function and their associated coefficients simultaneously. This study makes an improvement to enhance escape ability from local optimums during the optimization procedure. The GP continuously runs several times by replacing the terminal nodes at the next run with the best solution at the current run. The current novel model improves GP, obtaining a highly nonlinear mathematical equation to estimate the rainfall. In the case study, this improved GP described above combining with SSM/I satellite data is employed to establish a suitable method for estimating rainfall at sea surface during typhoon periods. These estimated rainfalls are then verified with the data from four rainfall stations located at Peng-Jia-Yu, Don-Gji-Dao, Lan-Yu, and Green Island, which are four small islands around Taiwan. From the results, the improved GP can generate sophisticated and accurate nonlinear mathematical equation through two-run learning procedures which outperforms the traditional multiple linear regression, empirical equations and back-propagated network

Health claims database study of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion treatment patterns in dry eye patients

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Stonecipher KG

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Karl G Stonecipher,1 Jenny Chia,2 Ahunna Onyenwenyi,2 Linda Villanueva,2 David A Hollander2 1TLC Laser Eye Centers, Greensboro, NC, 2Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA, USA Background: Dry eye is a multifactorial, symptomatic disease associated with ocular surface inflammation and tear film hyperosmolarity. This study was designed to assess patterns of topical cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% (Restasis® use in dry eye patients and determine if there were any differences in use based on whether dry eye is physician-coded as a primary or nonprimary diagnosis. Methods: Records for adult patients with a diagnosis of dry eye at an outpatient visit from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009 were selected from Truven Health MarketScan® Research Databases. The primary endpoint was percentage of patients with at least one primary versus no primary dry eye diagnosis who filled a topical cyclosporine prescription. Data analyzed included utilization of topical corticosteroids, oral tetracyclines, and punctal plugs. Results: The analysis included 576,416 patients, accounting for 875,692 dry eye outpatient visits: 74.7% were female, 64.2% were ages 40-69 years, and 84.4% had at least one primary dry eye diagnosis. During 2008–2009, 15.9% of dry eye patients with a primary diagnosis versus 6.5% with no primary diagnosis filled at least one cyclosporine prescription. For patients who filled at least one prescription, the mean months’ supply of cyclosporine filled over 12 months was 4.44. Overall, 33.9% of dry eye patients filled a prescription for topical cyclosporine, topical corticosteroid, or oral tetracycline over 2 years. Conclusion: Patients with a primary dry eye diagnosis were more likely to fill a topical cyclosporine prescription. Although inflammation is key to the pathophysiology of dry eye, most patients seeing a physician for dry eye may not receive anti-inflammatory therapies. Keywords: corticosteroids, cyclosporine, dry eye syndromes

Purple urine bag syndrome in nursing homes: Ten elderly case reports and a literature review

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Chi-Hung Lin

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Chi-Hung Lin1, Hsien-Te Huang1, Chia-Chang Chien1, Dong-Sheng Tzeng1,2, For-Wey Lung1,3–51Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Occupational Safety and Health; 3Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Calo Psychiatric Center, Pingtung County, TaiwanAbstract: Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS is a rare occurrence, in which the patient has a purple-colored urine bag following urinary catheterization for hours to days. Most of authors believe it is a mixture of indigo (blue and indirubin (red that becomes purple. Previous study showed that PUBS occurred predominantly in chronically catheterized, constipated women. We collected 10 elderly patients with PUBS in two nursing homes. The first two cases were identified by chart review in 1987 and 2003, and then later eight cases (42.1% were collected among 19 urinary catheterized elderly in the period between January 2007 and June 2007. In the present report, PUBS probably can occur in any patients with the right elements, namely urinary tract infection (UTI with bacteria possessing these enzymes, diet with enough tryptophan, and being catheterized. Associations with bed-bound state, Alzheimer’s, or dementia from other causes are reflections of the state of such patients who are at higher risk for UTI, and hence PUBS occurred. Although we presented PUBS as a harmless problem, prevention and control of the nosocomial catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs has become very important in the new patient-centered medical era. Thus, we should decrease the duration of catheterization, improve catheter care, and deploy technological advances designed for prevention, especially in the elderly cared for in nursing homes.Keyword: purple urine bag syndrome, indigo, indirubin, nursing home, bacteriuria, indoxyl sulphatase

The effects of cigarette smoking on aerobic and anaerobic capacity and heart rate variability among female university students

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Lee CL

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Chia-Lun Lee,1 Wen-Dien Chang21Physical Education Section for General Education, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Department of Sports Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanAim: In this study, the effects of cigarette smoking on maximal aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, and heart rate variability among female university students were investigated.Materials and methods: Twelve smokers and 21 nonsmokers participated in this study. All participants performed an intermittent sprint test (IST and a 20 m shuttle run test to measure their anaerobic capacity and maximal aerobic capacity. The IST was comprised of 6 × 10-second sprints with a 60-second active recovery between each sprint. Heart rate variability was recorded while the participants were in a supine position 20 minutes before and 30 minutes after the IST.Results: The total work, peak power, and heart rate of the smokers and nonsmokers did not differ significantly. However, the smokers’ average power declined significantly during sprints 4 to 6 (smokers versus nonsmokers, respectively: 95% confidence interval =6.2–7.2 joule/kg versus 6.8–7.6 joule/kg; P<0.05, and their fatigue index increased (smokers versus nonsmokers, respectively: 35.8% ± 2.3% versus 24.5% ± 1.76%; P<0.05 during the IST. The maximal oxygen uptake of nonsmokers was significantly higher than that of the smokers (P<0.05. The standard deviation of the normal to normal intervals and the root mean square successive difference did not differ significantly between nonsmokers and smokers. However, the nonsmokers exhibited a significantly higher normalized high frequency (HF, and significantly lower normalized low frequency (LF, LF/HF ratio, and natural logarithm of the LF/HF when compared with those of the smokers (P<0.05.Conclusion: Smoking may increase female smokers’ exercise fatigue and decrease their average performance during an IST, while reducing their maximal aerobic

Prescription patterns of Chinese herbal products for patients with sleep disorder and major depressive disorder in Taiwan.

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Chen, Yi-Lin; Lee, Chien-Ying; Huang, Kuang-Hua; Kuan, Yu-Hsiang; Chen, Ming

2015-08-02

Chinese herbal products (CHPs) are commonly prescribed for sleep disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this study was to investigate the prescription patterns of CHPs and Western medicine for patients with these disorders in Taiwan, and analyze the frequency of using single herbs (SHs) and herbal formulas (HFs). In this retrospective population-based study secondary data analysis was performed using data from Taiwan's Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) between January 2007 and December 2011. In total, 1000,000 beneficiaries from the LHID were randomly selected from the 2010 registry for beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients with sleep disorder and MDD according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 307.40 and 311, respectively. Among a total of 11,030 patients with sleep disorder, 9619 used Western medicine, 1334 used CHPs, and 77 used both, Among a total of 11,571 patients with MDD, 11,389 used Western medicine, 131 used CHPs, and 51 used both. Regardless of disorder type, women were predominant The majority of the patients were aged 22-44 years, had a monthly income of NT$17,281-NT$22,800, and lived in an area with Level 1 and Level 2 urbanization. Of the patients with sleep disorder, 1411 had used CHPs and visited a clinic 5298 times on average. Of the patients with MDD, 182 had used CHPs and visited a clinic 755 times on average. The three most commonly used SHs and HFs were Ziziphi Spinosae Semen, Polygoni Multiflori Caulis, and Polygalae Radix, and Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, Suan-Zao-Ren-Tang, and Chai-Hu-Chia-Lung-Ku-Mu-Li-Tang, respectively. Chinese herbal products including SHs and HFs are prescribed for patients with sleep disorder and MDD. However, the efficacy and safety of CHPs for sleep disorder and MDD need to be further evaluated. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Profiling the Aspergillus fumigatus Proteome in Response to Caspofungin ▿ †

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Cagas, Steven E.; Jain, Mohit Raja; Li, Hong; Perlin, David S.

2011-01-01

The proteomic response of Aspergillus fumigatus to caspofungin was evaluated by gel-free isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) as a means to determine potential biomarkers of drug action. A cell fractionation approach yielding 4 subcellular compartment fractions was used to enhance the resolution of proteins for proteomic analysis. Using iTRAQ, a total of 471 unique proteins were identified in soluble and cell wall/plasma membrane fractions at 24 and 48 h of growth in rich media in a wild-type drug-susceptible strain. A total of 122 proteins showed at least a 2-fold change in relative abundance following exposure to caspofungin (CSF) at just below the minimum effective concentration (0.12 μg/ml). The largest changes were seen in the mitochondrial hypoxia response domain protein (AFUA_1G12250), the level of which decreased >16-fold in the secreted fraction, and ChiA1, the level of which decreased 12.1-fold in the cell wall/plasma membrane fraction. The level of the major allergen and cytotoxin AspF1 was also shown to decrease by 12.1-fold upon the addition of drug. A subsequent iTRAQ analysis of an echinocandin-resistant strain (fks1-S678P) was used to validate proteins specific to drug action. A total of 103 proteins in the 2 fractions tested by iTRAQ were differentially expressed in the wild-type susceptible strain but not significantly changed in the resistant strain. Of these potential biomarkers, 11 had levels that changed at least 12-fold. Microarray analysis of the susceptible strain was performed to evaluate the correlation between proteomics and genomics, with a total of 117 genes found to be changing at least 2-fold. Of these, a total of 22 proteins with significant changes identified by iTRAQ also showed significant gene expression level changes by microarray. Overall, these data have the potential to identify biomarkers that assess the relative efficacy of echinocandin drug therapy. PMID:20974863

Liver cancer cells: targeting and prolonged-release drug carriers consisting of mesoporous silica nanoparticles and alginate microspheres

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Liao YT

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Yu-Te Liao,1 Chia-Hung Liu,2 Jiashing Yu,1 Kevin C-W Wu1,3 1Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Department of Urology, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; 3Division of Medical Engineering Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan Township, Miaoli County, Taiwan Abstract: A new microsphere consisting of inorganic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs and organic alginate (denoted as MSN@Alg was successfully synthesized by air-dynamic atomization and applied to the intracellular drug delivery systems (DDS of liver cancer cells with sustained release and specific targeting properties. MSN@Alg microspheres have the advantages of MSN and alginate, where MSN provides a large surface area for high drug loading and alginate provides excellent biocompatibility and COOH functionality for specific targeting. Rhodamine 6G was used as a model drug, and the sustained release behavior of the rhodamine 6G-loaded MSN@Alg microspheres can be prolonged up to 20 days. For targeting therapy, the anticancer drug doxorubicin was loaded into MSN@Alg microspheres, and the (lysine4-tyrosine-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (K4YRGD peptide was functionalized onto the surface of MSN@Alg for targeting liver cancer cells, hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2. The results of the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT assay and confocal laser scanning microscopy indicate that the MSN@Alg microspheres were successfully uptaken by HepG2 without apparent cytotoxicity. In addition, the intracellular drug delivery efficiency was greatly enhanced (ie, 3.5-fold for the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD-labeled, doxorubicin-loaded MSN@Alg drug delivery system compared with the non-RGD case. The synthesized MSN@Alg microspheres show great potential as drug vehicles with high biocompatibility, sustained release, and targeting features for future intracellular DDS. Keywords

Biosignature for airway inflammation in a house dust mite-challenged murine model of allergic asthma

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Hadeesha Piyadasa

2016-02-01

Full Text Available House dust mite (HDM challenge is commonly used in murine models of allergic asthma for preclinical pathophysiological studies. However, few studies define objective readouts or biomarkers in this model. In this study we characterized immune responses and defined molecular markers that are specifically altered after HDM challenge. In this murine model, we used repeated HDM challenge for two weeks which induced hallmarks of allergic asthma seen in humans, including airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR and elevated levels of circulating total and HDM-specific IgE and IgG1. Kinetic studies showed that at least 24 h after last HDM challenge results in significant AHR along with eosinophil infiltration in the lungs. Histologic assessment of lung revealed increased epithelial thickness and goblet cell hyperplasia, in the absence of airway wall collagen deposition, suggesting ongoing tissue repair concomitant with acute allergic lung inflammation. Thus, this model may be suitable to delineate airway inflammation processes that precede airway remodeling and development of fixed airway obstruction. We observed that a panel of cytokines e.g. IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, KC, TNF-α, IL-13, IL-33, MDC and TARC were elevated in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar fluid, indicating local lung inflammation. However, levels of these cytokines remained unchanged in serum, reflecting lack of systemic inflammation in this model. Based on these findings, we further monitored the expression of 84 selected genes in lung tissues by quantitative real-time PCR array, and identified 31 mRNAs that were significantly up-regulated in lung tissue from HDM-challenged mice. These included genes associated with human asthma (e.g. clca3, ear11, il-13, il-13ra2, il-10, il-21, arg1 and chia1 and leukocyte recruitment in the lungs (e.g. ccl11, ccl12 and ccl24. This study describes a biosignature to enable broad and systematic interrogation of molecular mechanisms and intervention

Land use effect and hydrological control on nitrate yield in subtropical mountainous watersheds

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J.-C. Huang

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Nitrate export in small subtropical watersheds is rarely observed and the estimation of individual land use nitrate yield from a mixed combination within catchments has scarcely been studied. In this study the nitrate concentrations at 16 nested catchments in the Chi-Chia-Wan watershed in Central Taiwan were measured during 2007–2008. A 3-layer TOPMODEL was applied to estimate daily discharge for ungauged sub-catchments. The observed nitrate concentrations and the simulated discharges were used for nitrate flux estimations through four flux methods. Meanwhile, a new deconvolution computation was developed to resolve the nitrate yield of each land use from within the mixed combinations.

The results showed that the observed mean NO₃-N concentration in relatively pristine catchments was approximately 0.145 ± 0.103 mg l⁻¹, which is comparable with other forestry catchments around the world. However, the higher rainfall/runoff, substantial N deposition, and other nitrogen sources resulted in significantly higher annual export of approximately 238–1018 kg-N km⁻² yr⁻¹. Our deconvolution computation showed that the background yield of natural forestry was ~351 ±62 kg-N km⁻² yr⁻¹. On the other hand, the extremely high nitrate yield of active farmland was ~308, 170 ± 19 241 kg-N km⁻² yr⁻¹ due to over-fertilization. The deconvolution computation technique is capable of tracing the mixed signals at the outlet back to the nitrate productions from varied land use patterns. It advances the application of river monitoring network. The typical values of nitrate yields can serve as a guideline for land management. Comparing the nitrogen input and output, we found some nitrogen missing in the cycling which may indicate certain removal processes and we therefore suggest further study to be carried out to fully understand nitrogen cycling in

Effects of different amounts of exercise on preventing depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: a prospective cohort study in Taiwan.

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Chang, Yu-Chen; Lu, Mei-Chun; Hu, I-Han; Wu, Wan-Chi Ida; Hu, Susan C

2017-05-02

To compare the effects of four different amounts of exercise for preventing depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults. Prospective cohort study. A nationally representative sample in Taiwan. Four waves of the survey 'Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA)' from 1996 to 2007 were analysed. A total of 2673 older adults aged 65 years and over were recruited. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD). Four different types/amounts of exercise were examined including: (1) 3 times/week, 15 min/time; (2) 3 times/week, 30 min/time; (3) 6 times/week, 15 min/time; and (4) 6 times/week, 30 min/time. All exercise types were required to have at least moderate intensity. The impacts of different amounts of exercise on depressive symptoms were analysed using generalised linear mixed models. More than one-fifth of the elder individuals under consideration had depressive symptoms (CESD ≥10). About 38.6% of older adults met the lowest criteria for exercise type 1, and fewer (28.0%) met the highest criteria for type 4. Only exercise type 4 in the current survey was initially related to lower depressive symptoms (OR=0.8, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.95). However, after considering the interaction between time and changes in exercise patterns, the results showed that all persistent exercise models, even if a very low amount (3 times/week, 15 min/time), had significantly preventive effects on depressive symptoms (OR=0.56~0.67). Consistent exercise with at least 15 min per time, three times a week of moderate intensity is significantly associated with lower risk of depressive symptoms. This low amount of exercise may be easier to promote at the community and population level than other alternatives. Registry number 104040 of the Institutional Ethics Committee of Chia-Yi Christian Hospital. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No

Evaluation of RRTMG and Fu-Liou RTM Performance against LBLRTM-DISORT Simulations and CERES Data in terms of Ice Clouds Radiative Effects

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Gu, B.; Yang, P.; Kuo, C. P.; Mlawer, E. J.

2017-12-01

Evaluation of RRTMG and Fu-Liou RTM Performance against LBLRTM-DISORT Simulations and CERES Data in terms of Ice Clouds Radiative Effects Boyan Gu1, Ping Yang1, Chia-Pang Kuo1, Eli J. Mlawer2 Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER), Lexington, MA 02421, USA Ice clouds play an important role in climate system, especially in the Earth's radiation balance and hydrological cycle. However, the representation of ice cloud radiative effects (CRE) remains significant uncertainty, because scattering properties of ice clouds are not well considered in general circulation models (GCM). We analyze the strengths and weakness of the Rapid Radiative Transfer Model for GCM Applications (RRTMG) and Fu-Liou Radiative Transfer Model (RTM) against rigorous LBLRTM-DISORT (a combination of Line-By-Line Radiative Transfer Model and Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer Model) calculations and CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) flux observations. In total, 6 US standard atmospheric profiles and 42 atmospheric profiles from Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER) Company are used to evaluate the RRTMG and Fu-Liou RTM by LBLRTM-DISORT calculations from 0 to 3250 cm-1. Ice cloud radiative effect simulations with RRTMG and Fu-Liou RTM are initialized using the ice cloud properties from MODIS collection-6 products. Simulations of single layer ice cloud CRE by RRTMG and LBLRTM-DISORT show that RRTMG, neglecting scattering, overestimates the TOA flux by about 0-15 W/m2 depending on the cloud particle size and optical depth, and the most significant overestimation occurs when the particle effective radius is small (around 10 μm) and the cloud optical depth is intermediate (about 1-10). The overestimation reduces significantly when the similarity rule is applied to RRTMG. We combine ice cloud properties from MODIS Collection-6 and atmospheric profiles from the Modern

Changes in anthropometric measurements, body composition, blood pressure, lipid profile, and testosterone in patients participating in a low-energy dietary intervention.

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Balliett, Mary; Burke, Jeanmarie R

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was to describe changes in anthropometric measurements, body composition, blood pressure, lipid profile, and testosterone following a low-energy-density dietary intervention plus regimented supplementation program. The study design was a pre-post intervention design without a control group. Normal participants were recruited from the faculty, staff, students, and community members from a chiropractic college to participate in a 21-day weight loss program. All participants (n = 49; 36 women, 13 men; 31 ± 10.3 years of age) received freshly prepared mostly vegan meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) that included 1200 to 1400 daily calories (5020.8 to 5857.6 J) for the women and 1600 to 1800 (6694.4 to 7531.2 J) daily calories for the men. Nutritional supplements containing enzymes that were intended to facilitate digestion, reduce cholesterol levels, increase metabolic rate, and mediate inflammatory processes were consumed 30 minutes before each meal. The regimented supplementation program included once-daily supplementation with a green drink that contained alfalfa, wheatgrass, apple cider vinegar, and fulvic acid throughout the study period. A cleanse supplementation containing magnesium, chia, flaxseed, lemon, camu camu, cat's claw, bentonite clay, tumeric, pau d'arco, chanca piedra, stevia, zeolite clay, slippery elm, garlic, ginger, peppermint, aloe, citrus bioflavonoids, and fulvic acid was added before each meal during week 2. During week 3, the cleanse supplementation was replaced with probiotic and prebiotic supplementation. Multiple paired t tests detected clinically meaningful reductions in weight (- 8.7 ± 5.54 lb) (- 3.9 ± 2.5 kg), total cholesterol (- 30.0 ± 29.77 mg/dL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (- 21.0 ± 25.20 mg/dL) (P < .05). There was a pre-post intervention increase in testosterone for men (111.0 ± 121.13 ng/dL, P < .05). Weight loss and improvements in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein

Periocular capillary hemangioma: management practices in recent years

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Hernandez JA

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Jo Anne Hernandez,1,3,4 Audrey Chia,2 Boon Long Quah,1,2 Lay Leng Seah1,2 1Department of Ophthalmology, Kandang Kerbau Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore; 2Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; 3National Healthcare Group Eye Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore; 4Department of Ophthalmology, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, San Juan, Manila, Philippines Purpose: To present a case series on the management options for capillary hemangiomas involving the eyelid and orbit. Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of clinically diagnosed capillary hemangioma cases involving the periocular region treated at two local eye institutions. The patients' demographics and clinical presentation – including visual acuity, refractive error, periorbital and orbital examinations, and ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging findings – were reviewed. The clinical progression, modalities of treatment, and treatment outcomes were studied. Results: Sixteen cases of capillary hemangiomas involving the eyelid and orbit were studied. The mean age at consultation was 9.6 months (range: 1 month–72 months. The majority were females (75%, with 50% presenting as upper-eyelid hemangiomas and the remaining as lower-eyelid (38% and glabellar (12% lesions. Combined superficial and deep involvement was common (64%. Cases whose lesions were located at the upper eyelid or superior orbit led to amblyopia (25%. Fifty-six percent of cases (9/16 were managed conservatively, and 44% (7/16 underwent treatment with either single-agent (n = 4 or combined treatments (n = 3. Conclusion: Close monitoring of visual development and prompt institution of amblyopia therapy for children with periocular capillary hemangiomas generally preserve vision. Extensive lesions that affect the visual axis require local and systemic treatments, alone or in combination, in order to reduce the size and impact of lesions on the eyeball, to reduce induced refractive error and

Prevalence and related factors of psychological distress among cancer inpatients using routine Distress Thermometer and Chinese Health Questionnaire screening

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Chiou YJ

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Yu-Jie Chiou,1 Nien-Mu Chiu,1 Liang-Jen Wang,2 Shau-Hsuan Li,3 Chun-Yi Lee,1 Ming-Kung Wu,1 Chien-Chih Chen,1 Yi-Shan Wu,1 Yu Lee1 1Department of Psychiatry, 2Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 3Department of Hematology-Oncology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: Clinical practice guidelines suggest routine screening for distress among cancer patients for immediate early psychiatric care. However, previous studies focusing on routine screening for psychological distress among cancer inpatients in Taiwan are scant. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and related factors of psychological distress and mental illness among cancer inpatients in Taiwan. Patients and methods: This study was conducted as a retrospective chart review in a general hospital in southern Taiwan. Cancer inpatients were regularly screened by nursing staff using the Distress Thermometer and the 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire. Positive screening results on either instrument were followed by a non-commanded referral to psychiatrists for clinical psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. Results: Of the 810 participants in this study, 179 (22.1% were recognized as having psychological distress. Younger age (odds ratio [OR] =1.82, having head and neck cancer (OR =2.43, and having not received chemotherapy (OR =1.58 were significantly related to psychological distress. Among the 56 patients (31.3% with psychological distress who were referred to psychiatrists, the most common mental illness was adjustment disorder (n=22, 39.2%, followed by major depressive disorder (n=13, 23.2%, depressive disorder not otherwise specified (n=6, 10.7%, and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified (n=4, 7.1%. Conclusion: Our study indicated that cancer inpatients with psychological distress were more likely to be younger in age, have head and neck cancer, and have not

The 2-oxoglutarate analog 3-oxoglutarate decreases normoxic hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in cancer cells, induces cell death, and reduces tumor xenograft growth

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Koivunen P

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Peppi Koivunen,1 Stuart M Fell,2,3 Wenyun Lu,4 Joshua D Rabinowitz,4 Andrew L Kung,5,6 Susanne Schlisio,2,7 1Biocenter Oulu, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; 2Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd, Stockholm, Sweden; 3Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 4Department of Chemistry and Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 5Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 6Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; 7Department of Microbiology and Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Abstract: The cellular response to hypoxia is primarily regulated by the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs. HIF-1α is also a major mediator of tumor physiology, and its abundance is correlated with therapeutic resistance in a broad range of cancers. Accumulation of HIF-1α under hypoxia is mainly controlled by the oxygen-sensing HIF prolyl 4-hydroxylases (EGLNs, also known as PHDs. Here, we identified a high level of normoxic HIF-1α protein in various cancer cell lines. EGLNs require oxygen and 2-oxoglutarate for enzymatic activity. We tested the ability of several cell-permeable 2-oxoglutarate analogs to regulate the abundance of HIF-1α protein. We identified 3-oxoglutarate as a potent regulator of HIF-1α in normoxic conditions. In contrast to 2-oxoglutarate, 3-oxoglutarate decreased the abundance of HIF-1α protein in several cancer cell lines in normoxia and diminished HIF-1α levels independent of EGLN enzymatic activity. Furthermore, we observed that 3-oxoglutarate was detrimental to cancer cell survival. We show that esterified 3-oxoglutarate, in combination with the cancer chemotherapeutic drug vincristine, induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Our data

Improved analyses of human mtDNA sequences support a recent African origin for Homo sapiens.

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Penny, D; Steel, M; Waddell, P J; Hendy, M D

1995-09-01

New quantitative methods are applied to the 135 human mitochondrial sequences from the Vigilant et al. data set. General problems in analyzing large numbers of short sequences are discussed, and an improved strategy is suggested. A key feature is to focus not on individual trees but on the general "landscape" of trees. Over 1,000 searches were made from random starting trees with only one tree (a local optimum) being retained each time, thereby ensuring optima were found independently. A new tree comparison metric was developed that is unaffected by rearrangements of trees around many very short internal edges. Use of this metric showed that downweighting hypervariable sites revealed more evolutionary structure than studies that weighted all sites equally. Our results are consistent with convergence toward a global optimum. Crucial features are that the best optima show very strong regional differentiation, a common group of 49 African sequences is found in all the best optima, and the best optima contain the 16 !Kung sequences in a separate group of San people. The other 86 sequences form a heterogeneous mixture of Africans, Europeans, Australopapuans, and Asians. Thus all major human lineages occur in Africa, but only a subset occurs in the rest of the world. The existence of these African-only groups strongly contradicts multiregional theories for the origin of Homo sapiens that require widespread migration and interbreeding over the entire range of H. erectus. Only when the multiregional model is rejected is it appropriate to consider the root, based on a single locus, to be the center of origin of a population (otherwise different loci could give alternative geographic positions for the root). For this data, several methods locate the root within the group of 49 African sequences and are thus consistent with the recent African origin of H. sapiens. We demonstrate that the time of the last common ancestor cannot be the time of major expansion in human numbers

Proteomic Analysis of Copper-Binding Proteins in Excess Copper-Stressed Roots of Two Rice (Oryza sativa L. Varieties with Different Cu Tolerances.

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Chen Chen

Full Text Available To better understand the mechanisms involved in the heavy metal stress response and tolerance in plants, a proteomic approach was used to investigate the differences in Cu-binding protein expression in Cu-tolerant and Cu-sensitive rice varieties. Cu-binding proteins from Cu-treated rice roots were separated using a new IMAC method in which an IDA-sepharose column was applied prior to the Cu-IMAC column to remove metal ions from protein samples. More than 300 protein spots were reproducibly detected in the 2D gel. Thirty-five protein spots exhibited changes greater than 1.5-fold in intensity compared to the control. Twenty-four proteins contained one or more of nine putative metal-binding motifs reported by Smith et al., and 19 proteins (spots contained one to three of the top six motifs reported by Kung et al. The intensities of seven protein spots were increased in the Cu-tolerant variety B1139 compared to the Cu-sensitive variety B1195 (p<0.05 and six protein spots were markedly up-regulated in B1139, but not detectable in B1195. Four protein spots were significantly up-regulated in B1139, but unchanged in B1195 under Cu stress. In contrast, two protein spots were significantly down-regulated in B1195, but unchanged in B1139. These Cu-responsive proteins included those involved in antioxidant defense and detoxification (spots 5, 16, 21, 22, 28, 29 and 33, pathogenesis (spots 5, 16, 21, 22, 28, 29 and 33, regulation of gene transcription (spots 8 and 34, amino acid synthesis (spots 8 and 34, protein synthesis, modification, transport and degradation (spots 1, 2, 4, 10, 15, 19, 30, 31, 32 and 35, cell wall synthesis (spot 14, molecular signaling (spot 3, and salt stress (spots 7, 9 and 27; together with other proteins, such as a putative glyoxylate induced protein, proteins containing dimeric alpha-beta barrel domains, and adenosine kinase-like proteins. Our results suggest that these proteins, together with related physiological processes, play

Competitive inhibition of survivin using a cell-permeable recombinant protein induces cancer-specific apoptosis in colon cancer model

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Roy K

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Kislay Roy,1 Rupinder K Kanwar,1 Subramanian Krishnakumar,2,3 Chun Hei Antonio Cheung,4 Jagat R Kanwar1 1Nanomedicine-Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biomedical Research (NLIMBR, Molecular and Medical Research (MMR Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine (SoM, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, Australia; 2Department of Nanobiotechnology, 3Larsen & Toubro (L&T Ocular Pathology Department, Vision Research Foundation, Kamalnayan Bajaj Institute for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Chennai, India; 4Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China Abstract: Endogenous survivin expression has been related with cancer survival, drug resistance, and metastasis. Therapies targeting survivin have been shown to significantly inhibit tumor growth and recurrence. We found out that a cell-permeable dominant negative survivin (SurR9-C84A, referred to as SR9 competitively inhibited endogenous survivin and blocked the cell cycle at the G1/S phase. Nanoencapsulation in mucoadhesive chitosan nanoparticles (CHNP substantially increased the bioavailability and serum stability of SR9. The mechanism of nanoparticle uptake was studied extensively in vitro and in ex vivo models. Our results confirmed that CHNP–SR9 protected primary cells from autophagy and successfully induced tumor-specific apoptosis via both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. CHNP–SR9 significantly reduced the tumor spheroid size (three-dimensional model by nearly 7-fold. Effects of SR9 and CHNP–SR9 were studied on 35 key molecules involved in the apoptotic pathway. Highly significant (4.26-fold, P≤0.005 reduction in tumor volume was observed using an in vivo mouse xenograft colon cancer model. It was also observed that net apoptotic (6.25-fold, P≤0.005 and necrotic indexes (3.5-fold, P≤0.05 were comparatively higher in CHNP–SR9 when compared to void CHNP and CHNP–SR9

Kerelaan Berbagi dan Keberanian Berbeda Perubahan Identitas Priyayi dalam Dwilogi Para Priyayi Karya Umar Kayam

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Pujiharto Pujiharto

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui bagaimana dua elemen budaya Jawa, yaitu kerelaan berbagi dan keberanian berbeda mengalami perubahan dari waktu ke waktu. Upaya itu dilakukan dengan menganalisis dwilogi novel Para Priyayi dan Jalan Menikung karya Umar Kayam. Un tuk mencapai tujuan tersebut digunakan konsep-konsep yang dikemukakan oleh Kayam sendiri dalam menciptakan novel-novelnya. Selain itu, digunakan juga konsep model of dan model for yang dikemukakan oleh Clifford Geertz dalam menginterpretasikan kebudayaan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dalam dwilogi karya Umar Kayam nilai kerelaan berbagi diwujudkan dalam berbagai relasi, baik relasi antaranggota keluarga maupun relasi sosial dari waktu ke waktu. Berbeda dengan nilai tersebut, nilai keberanian berbeda sulit diwujudkan dalam berbagai relasi, baik relasi antar anggota keluarga maupun relasi sosial. Kesulitan itu terjadi karena ada perbedaan kelas sosial, perbedaan orientasi dalam beragama Islam, perbedaan pandangan tentang kesempatan bagi wong cilik untuk mengenyam pendidikan, perbedaan agama, perbedaan orientasi politik di dalam dua novel tersebut. Namun, dalam hal perbedaan kelas sosial dan perbedaan agama tidak selamanya berani berbeda itu tidak bisa bersama. Abstract: This research aims to interpret how two elements of Javanese culture, those are a willingness to divisible and bravery to difference change from time to time. That effort has done with analyze Umar Kayam’s novel Para Priyayi and Jalan Men Kung. This reasearch uses Kayam’s concepts in the creative process. Besides that, is used the model of and model for concepts from Clifford Geertz in the interpretation of culture. The result of this research shows that in Kayam’s novel values of willingness to divisible shown in the relation between members of the family or social relationship, from time to time. Different from a willingness to divisible, values of bravery to difference difficult to show in relation between

Radio-sensibility study of pseudo cereals by means of molecular markers and electronic microscopy; Estudio de radiosensibilidad de pseudocereales mediante marcadores moleculares y microscopia electronica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allende C, L.

2014-07-01

With the purpose of observing the radio sensibility in two species of pseudo cereals group (Amaranthus hypochondria cus and Chenopodium berlandieri subsp. nuttalliae), germplasm of 4 amaranth genotypes was irradiated (A-21-0-10, Mixquic-09, M-2 and M-6) and 4 huauzontle genotypes (H-18, H-19, H-10 and red Chia) in the Gamma Irradiator of the ININ in a dose range of 50 to 500 Gy with intervals each 50 Gy and a treatment witness without irradiating. The evaluation of the material was carried out in three stages: 1) the pheno logy and morphology was evaluated during the plants development in each treatment under greenhouse conditions; 2) the radio sensibility was evaluated at molecular level by means of molecular markers type Ssr (Simple Sequence Repeats); and 3) the irradiated seeds were analyzed by under vacuum electronic microscopy. According to the results, the pheno logy phases were ahead in lower doses to 250 Gy for amaranth and higher doses to 150 Gy for huauzontle, there being a morphological variation in leaves and cob. The morphological variables were favored in dose from 50 to 200 Gy for amaranth, while in huauzontle the morphology presented more response variation to the radiation. In the DNA, the 21 Ssr were 100% polymorphic in amaranth and 97% polymorphic in huauzontle, being one of the more polymorphic the QCA0005 in amaranth and QCA0005 in huauzontle. The generated dendrograms showed greater similarity between Mixquic-09 and M-2 (amaranth) and between H-19 and H-10 (huauzontle). While by treatments, in amaranth the dose of 500 Gy presented most polymorphic difference and in huauzontle was the dose of 200 Gy. The under vacuum electronic microscopy did not show differences in the seed structure while the elemental analysis showed the presence of carbon, oxygen, aluminum, sulfur and calcium as the most common elements and in more concentration carbon and oxygen. For A. hypochondria cus the dose DL{sub 50} (median lethal dose) was between 50 and 100 Gy and

Caracterización genotipica de aislamientos de Escherichia coli obtenidos de cerdos con diarrea posdestete y enfermedad de los edemas Genotypic characterization of toxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from pigs with postweaning diarrhea (PWD and edema disease (ED

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Fabiana A Moredo

2012-06-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue caracterizar mediante PCR 47 aislamientos de Escheríchia coli recuperados de 32 cerdos con diagnóstico clínico de diarrea posdestete (DPD y de 3 cerdos con enfermedad de los edemas (ED. Sobre 44 aislamientos provenientes de cerdos con DPD, 42 (95,5 % fueron caracterizados como E. coli enterotoxigénicos (ETEC y 2 (4,5 % como E. coli productores de toxina Shiga (STEC. Catorce aislamientos de ETEC (33,3 % fueron positivos para los genes estl/estlI/fedA. El genotipo más complejo fue eltA/estll/east1/faeG/aidA. Los aislamientos provenientes de cerdos con ED se clasificaron como STEC porcinos y fueron portadores de stxJaidA. Once aislamientos (25 % fueron portadores del gen que codifica la expresión de la adhesina AIDA-I. Sin embargo, en ningún aislamiento se detectaron los genes que codifican la expresión de las adhesinas F5, F6, F41, de intimina y de "Paa". La prevención de la DPD y de la ED podría realizarse mediante el desarrollo de vacunas que generen anticuerpos contra las adhesinas de las cepas de E. coli prevalentes en la Argentina.The purpose of this work was to characterize 47 Escherichia coli strains isolated from 32 pigs diagnosed with postweaning diarrhea and tree pigs with edema disease by PCR. Forty two (95.5 % of the strains isolated from diarrheic pigs were characterized as enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC and 2 (4.5 % as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC. Fourteen (33.3 % ETEC strains were positive for est/estll/fedA genes. The most complex genotype was eltA/estl/faeG/aidA. Strains isolated from pigs with ED were classified as porcine STEC and were stxjaidA carriers. Eleven (25 % strains carried the gene encoding adhesln protein AIDA-I. However, genes coding for F5, F6, F41, intimin and Paa were not detected. The development of vaccines generating antibodies against prevalent E. coli adhesins in Argentina could be useful for the prevention of PWD and ED.

Radio-sensibility study of pseudo cereals by means of molecular markers and electronic microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allende C, L.

2014-01-01

With the purpose of observing the radio sensibility in two species of pseudo cereals group (Amaranthus hypochondria cus and Chenopodium berlandieri subsp. nuttalliae), germplasm of 4 amaranth genotypes was irradiated (A-21-0-10, Mixquic-09, M-2 and M-6) and 4 huauzontle genotypes (H-18, H-19, H-10 and red Chia) in the Gamma Irradiator of the ININ in a dose range of 50 to 500 Gy with intervals each 50 Gy and a treatment witness without irradiating. The evaluation of the material was carried out in three stages: 1) the pheno logy and morphology was evaluated during the plants development in each treatment under greenhouse conditions; 2) the radio sensibility was evaluated at molecular level by means of molecular markers type Ssr (Simple Sequence Repeats); and 3) the irradiated seeds were analyzed by under vacuum electronic microscopy. According to the results, the pheno logy phases were ahead in lower doses to 250 Gy for amaranth and higher doses to 150 Gy for huauzontle, there being a morphological variation in leaves and cob. The morphological variables were favored in dose from 50 to 200 Gy for amaranth, while in huauzontle the morphology presented more response variation to the radiation. In the DNA, the 21 Ssr were 100% polymorphic in amaranth and 97% polymorphic in huauzontle, being one of the more polymorphic the QCA0005 in amaranth and QCA0005 in huauzontle. The generated dendrograms showed greater similarity between Mixquic-09 and M-2 (amaranth) and between H-19 and H-10 (huauzontle). While by treatments, in amaranth the dose of 500 Gy presented most polymorphic difference and in huauzontle was the dose of 200 Gy. The under vacuum electronic microscopy did not show differences in the seed structure while the elemental analysis showed the presence of carbon, oxygen, aluminum, sulfur and calcium as the most common elements and in more concentration carbon and oxygen. For A. hypochondria cus the dose DL 50 (median lethal dose) was between 50 and 100 Gy and for

The Associations Among Individual Factors, eHealth Literacy, and Health-Promoting Lifestyles Among College Students.

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Yang, Shu-Ching; Luo, Yi-Fang; Chiang, Chia-Hsun

2017-01-10

-promoting lifestyle. Moreover, this study showed that college students with a higher critical eHealth literacy engaged better in health-promoting activities than those with functional and interactive literacy. ©Shu-Ching Yang, Yi-Fang Luo, Chia-Hsun Chiang. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 10.01.2017.

A transcriptomic computational analysis of mastic oil-treated Lewis lung carcinomas reveals molecular mechanisms targeting tumor cell growth and survival

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Roussos Charis

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mastic oil from Pistacia lentiscus variation chia, a blend of bioactive terpenes with recognized medicinal properties, has been recently shown to exert anti-tumor growth activity through inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and inflammatory response. However, no studies have addressed its mechanisms of action at genome-wide gene expression level. Methods To investigate molecular mechanisms triggered by mastic oil, Lewis Lung Carcinoma cells were treated with mastic oil or DMSO and RNA was collected at five distinct time points (3-48 h. Microarray expression profiling was performed using Illumina mouse-6 v1 beadchips, followed by computational analysis. For a number of selected genes, RT-PCR validation was performed in LLC cells as well as in three human cancer cell lines of different origin (A549, HCT116, K562. PTEN specific inhibition by a bisperovanadium compound was applied to validate its contribution to mastic oil-mediated anti-tumor growth effects. Results In this work we demonstrated that exposure of Lewis lung carcinomas to mastic oil caused a time-dependent alteration in the expression of 925 genes. GO analysis associated expression profiles with several biological processes and functions. Among them, modifications on cell cycle/proliferation, survival and NF-κB cascade in conjunction with concomitant regulation of genes encoding for PTEN, E2F7, HMOX1 (up-regulation and NOD1 (down-regulation indicated some important mechanistic links underlying the anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects of mastic oil. The expression profiles of Hmox1, Pten and E2f7 genes were similarly altered by mastic oil in the majority of test cancer cell lines. Inhibition of PTEN partially reversed mastic oil effects on tumor cell growth, indicating a multi-target mechanism of action. Finally, k-means clustering, organized the significant gene list in eight clusters demonstrating a similar

Effectiveness of high-intensity interval training on the mental and physical health of people with chronic schizophrenia

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Wu MH

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Meng Hsiu Wu,1,2 Chin Pang Lee,1–3 Shih Chieh Hsu,1,3 Chia Ming Chang,1,3 Ching Yen Chen1–3 1Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan; 2Men’s Health Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan; 3School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan Background: Low-volume high-intensity interval training (HIIT is emerging as a time-efficient exercise strategy for improving cardiorespiratory fitness and for controlling blood sugar levels and hypertension. In addition, patient acceptance of HIIT may improve adherence to exercise programs. This study evaluated the effectiveness of HIIT for improving the mental and physical health of people with chronic schizophrenia. Methods: Twenty patients attending a psychiatric day care unit volunteered for an 8-week program of HIIT. Blood pressure, resting heart rate, body weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio were measured weekly. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score was recorded at baseline and at the end of the study. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI scores were recorded every 2 weeks. Results: Statistically significant changes occurred in the physical and mental parameters measured in the 18 patients who completed the study. Body weight, body mass index, resting heart rate, and pulse pressure decreased significantly. Mean arterial pressure and diastolic blood pressure increased significantly. Mental health scores improved, with the Negative Scale score decreasing from 31.17±5.95 to 27.78±3.57 (P<0.01 and the General Psychopathology Scale score from 14.28±2.16 to 13.00±1.72 (P<0.01. Positive Scale scores changed, but not significantly, from 12.28±2.27 to 12.33±2.00 (P=0.729. Scores on the BDI (from 19.56±15.28 to 15.89±14.33, P<0.001 and BAI (from 13.67±13.83 to 10.06±11.18, P=0.003 both improved significantly. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that HIIT has positive

Untangle soil-water-mucilage interactions: 1H NMR Relaxometry is lifting the veil

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Brax, Mathilde; Buchmann, Christian; Schaumann, Gabriele Ellen

2017-04-01

Mucilage is mainly produced at the root tips and has a high water holding capacity derived from highly hydrophilic gel-forming substances. The objective of the MUCILAGE project is to understand the mechanistic role of mucilage for the regulation of water supply for plants. Our subproject investigates the chemical and physical properties of mucilage as pure gel and mixed with soil. 1H-NMR Relaxometry and PFG NMR represent non-intrusive powerful methods for soil scientific research by allowing quantification of the water distribution as well as monitoring of the water mobility in soil pores and gel phases.Relaxation of gel water differs from the one of pure water due to additional interactions with the gel matrix. Mucilage in soil leads to a hierarchical pore structure, consisting of the polymeric biohydrogel network surrounded by the surface of soil particles. The two types of relaxation rates 1/T1 and 1/T2 measured with 1H-NMR relaxometry refer to different relaxation mechanisms of water, while PFG-NMR measures the water self-diffusion coefficient. The objective of our study is to distinguish in situ water in gel from pore water in a simplified soil system, and to determine how the "gel effect" affects both relaxation rates and the water self-diffusion coefficient in porous systems. We demonstrate how the mucilage concentration and the soil solution alter the properties of water in the respective gel phases and pore systems in model soils. To distinguish gel-inherent processes from classical processes, we investigated the variations of the water mobility in pure chia mucilage under different conditions by using 1H-NMR relaxometry and PFG NMR. Using model soils, the signals coming from pore water and gel water were differentiated. We combined the equations describing 1H-NMR relaxation in porous systems and our experimental results, to explain how the presence of gel in soil affects 1H-NMR relaxation. Out of this knowledge we propose a method, which determines in

Protocolo estandarizado para el seguimiento poblacional del pavón, Oreophasis derbianus: propuesta de métodos de campo y analíticos

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Fernando González-García

2017-04-01

Full Text Available La estimación robusta del tamaño poblacional de especies de fauna silvestre es un requisito fundamental en estudios ecológicos y en el diseño e implementación de estrategias de conservación. Sin embargo, en varios casos, estas estimaciones carecen de exactitud, precisión, representatividad y comparabilidad. Esto ha ocasionado que la información generada para las poblaciones de una determinada especie sea difícilmente generalizable y que su aplicación sea limitada. Éste es el caso del pavón, Oreophasis derbianus, un ave endémica de Mesoamérica y en peligro de extinción. En este trabajo presentamos una propuesta de protocolo de muestreo en campo y métodos analíticos estandarizados para el estudio poblacional de esta especie. La propuesta está basada en nuestra experiencia en el estudio de la especie y en la aplicación de la teoría del muestreo de distancias. El propósito de este protocolo estandarizado es generar datos de campo de calidad para obtener estimaciones robustas de la abundancia poblacional de O. derbianus. Este protocolo lo desarrollamos y evaluamos principalmente en la Reserva de la Biosfera El Triunfo, en Chia­pas, México, pero también fue replicado en otras tres localidades en México y Guatemala. Su desarrollo y evaluación incluyó muestreos mensuales en campo durante casi diez años y la impartición de talleres de capacitación teórico-prácticos a personal de campo para la adecuada implementación de este protocolo. Como resultado de esta experiencia, definimos una serie de li­neamientos básicos y factibles que proponemos sea un estándar como métodos de muestreo y analíticos de las poblaciones de O. derbianus para asegurar la calidad y comparabilidad de los datos generados en campo. Finalmente, presentamos estimaciones de la densidad poblacional de O. derbianus en las cuatro localidades estudiadas y discutimos el significado de su variación espacial y temporal en el contexto de esta propuesta.

大學教師對與圖書館員合作推動資訊素養融入課程之態度 A case study of faculty attitudes toward collaboration with librarians to integrate information literacy into the curriculum

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Tien-Yu Cha

2009-06-01

Full Text Available 教師與館員合作將資訊素養融入課程，乃促進資訊素養學習成效之關鍵策略，為探索大學教師與館員進行資訊素養課程合作之態度，本研究以逢甲大學專任教師為對象進行問卷調查，探討教師對於資訊素養融入課程的合作策略、與館員的合作態度及影響教師館員合作的因素，以期作為館員與教師建立或拓展課程合作關係之參考。研究結果顯示，個案機構的教師對協同合作抱持正面的態度，不同年齡層則略有差異。此外，教師對培養高階思維能力與低階思維能力的合作態度不同；而「館員學科知識」、「館員專業素養」、「課程策略」、「學生學習」四大因素構面對教師與館員間的合作具有影響作用。Faculty-librarian partnership in information literacy (IL instruction through subject course has been advocated within LIS field over years. In order to understand faculty attitudes toward collaboration with librarians to integrate IL into their curriculum, a survey was conducted at Feng Chia University. Findings show positive attitudes from faculty while differences were observed among ages. Meanwhile, different attitudes were revealed between teaching higher order thinking skills and lower order thinking skills. Librarian Domain Knowledge, Librarian Professionalism, Curriculum Strategies, and Student Learning were identified as factorial dimensions influencing faculty-librarian collaboration.

Hospital visits among women with skeletal-related events secondary to breast cancer and bone metastases: a nationwide population-based cohort study in Denmark

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Svendsen ML

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Marie Louise Svendsen,1 Henrik Gammelager,1 Claus Sværke,1 Mellissa Yong,2 Victoria M Chia,2 Christian F Christiansen,1 Jon P Fryzek1 1Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 2Center for Observational Research, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA Objective: Skeletal-related events (SREs among women with breast cancer may be associated with considerable use of health-care resources. We characterized inpatient and outpatient hospital visits in a national population-based cohort of Danish women with SREs secondary to breast cancer and bone metastases. Methods: We identified first-time breast cancer patients with bone metastases from 2003 through 2009 who had a subsequent SRE (defined as pathologic fracture, spinal cord compression, radiation therapy, or surgery to bone. Hospital visits included the number of inpatient hospitalizations, length of stay, number of hospital outpatient clinic visits, and emergency room visits. The number of hospital visits was assessed for a pre-SRE period (90 days prior to the diagnostic period, a diagnostic period (14 days prior to the SRE, and a post-SRE period (90 days after the SRE. Patients who experienced more than one SRE during the 90-day post-SRE period were defined as having multiple SREs and were followed until 90 days after the last SRE. Results: We identified 569 women with SREs secondary to breast cancer with bone metastases. The majority of women had multiple SREs (73.1%. A total of 20.9% and 33.4% of women with single and multiple SREs died in the post-SRE period, respectively. SREs were associated with a large number of hospital visits in the diagnostic period, irrespective of the number and type of SREs. Women with multiple SREs generally had a higher number of visits compared to those with a single SRE in the post-SRE period, eg, median length of hospitalization was 5 days (interquartile range 0–15 for women with a single SRE and 13 days (interquartile range 4�

Exceedingly biocompatible and thin-layered reduced graphene oxide nanosheets using an eco-friendly mushroom extract strategy

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Muthoosamy K

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Kasturi Muthoosamy,1 Renu Geetha Bai,1 Ibrahim Babangida Abubakar,2 Surya Mudavasseril Sudheer,1 Hong Ngee Lim,3 Hwei-San Loh,2,4 Nay Ming Huang,5 Chin Hua Chia,6 Sivakumar Manickam1 1Manufacturing and Industrial Processes Research Division, Faculty of Engineering, 2School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia; 3Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; 4Biotechnology Research Centre, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia; 5Low Dimension Materials Research Centre, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 6School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Purpose: A simple, one-pot strategy was used to synthesize reduced graphene oxide (RGO nanosheets by utilizing an easily available over-the-counter medicinal and edible mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum. Methods: The mushroom was boiled in hot water to liberate the polysaccharides, the extract of which was then used directly for the reduction of graphene oxide. The abundance of polysaccharides present in the mushroom serves as a good reducing agent. The proposed strategy evades the use of harmful and expensive chemicals and avoids the typical tedious reaction methods. Results: More importantly, the mushroom extract can be easily separated from the product without generating any residual byproducts and can be reused at least three times with good conversion efficiency (75%. It was readily dispersible in water without the need of ultrasonication or any surfactants; whereas 5 minutes of ultrasonication with various solvents produced RGO which was stable for the tested period of 1 year. Based on electrochemical measurements, the followed method did not jeopardize RGO’s electrical conductivity. Moreover, the obtained RGO was

Clinical benefit of ertapenem compared to flomoxef for the treatment of cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia

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Lee C

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Chen-Hsiang Lee,1,2 I-Ling Chen,3 Chia-Chin Li,4 Chun-Chih Chien4 1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial, Hospital, 2Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, 3Department of Pharmacy, 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Objectives: Cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CE infections are intractable, with limited treatment options. Though carbapenems are frequently prescribed for CE infections, the emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae is of huge concern. Flomoxef is effective against CE in vitro, and some clinical data on its demonstrated effectiveness against CE bloodstream infections (BSIs exists.Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective study on adults with BSI caused by flomoxef-susceptible CE to investigate the efficacy of flomoxef compared with that of ertapenem. The outcome was evaluated with propensity score-based matching and logistic regression analysis.Results: Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients treated with flomoxef (n = 58 or ertapenem (n = 188 were compared. In the multivariate analysis, severe sepsis (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16–12.78; p = 0.03, high BSI mortality score (AOR = 5.59; 95% CI, 2.37–13.21; p < 0.01, ultimately or rapidly fatal comorbidity (AOR = 10.60; 95% CI, 3.43–32.75; p < 0.01, and pneumonia (AOR = 10.11; 95% CI, 3.43–29.81; p < 0.01 were independently associated with 28-day mortality. Using propensity scores, 58 flomoxef-treated patients were matched to 116 ertapenem-treated patients. There were no intergroup differences in BSI severity, comorbidity, or BSI sources. The 28-day mortality rates (20.7% vs 13.8%, p = 0.28 did not differ significantly. However, hospitalization length was shorter in the ertapenem group (10.2 ± 8.5 vs. 14.6 ± 9.4 days, p < 0.01.Conclusion: Although similar outcomes were

Trends in intensive care unit admissions of COPD patients from 2003 to 2013 in Taiwan

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Liao KM

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Kuang-Ming Liao,1 Yi-Chen Chen,2 Kuo-Chen Cheng,3 Jhi-Joung Wang,2 Chung-Han Ho2,4 1Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Chiali, Taiwan; 2Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; 3Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; 4Department of Hospital and Health Care Administration, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the trends in COPD patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU in Taiwan from 2003 to 2013. Patients and methods: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the available data in the National Health Insurance Research Database compiled by the Taiwan Department of Health. We selected patients admitted to the ICU nationwide from 2003 to 2013. Patients older than 40 years with a diagnosis of COPD were enrolled. The ICU admission date was used as the index date. Baseline comorbidities existing before the index date were identified. The comorbidities of interest included diabetes, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, stroke, dyslipidemia, cancer, and end-stage renal disease. Results: The number of COPD patients in the ICU increased from 12,384 in 2003 to 13,308 in 2013 (P<0.0001. The mean age of patients and SD was 76.66±9.48 and 78.32±10.59 in 2003 and 2013, respectively. The percentage of COPD patients aged ≥70 years in the ICU decreased markedly. COPD patients per 10,000 ICU patients decreased for both males and females. The length of ICU stays, and in-hospital mortality increased from 21.58 to 23.14 days and 14.97% to 30.98% from 2003 to 2013, respectively. Conclusion: The number of COPD patients admitted to the ICU in Taiwan increased over the 11-year study period. Increased mean patient age, length of ICU stays, hospital mortality, and comorbidities were observed. The use of a nationwide population-based database allowed for a

[99mTc]/[123I] Simultaneous dual-isotope brain striatum phantom SPECT study: preparing for simultaneous [99mTc]TRODAT-1/[123I]-IBZM pre- and post-synaptic dopamine imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kao, PF; Hsu, HT; Tzen, KY; Wey, SP

2004-01-01

Introduction: The brain dopamine transporters (DAT) and dopamine D2 receptors are implicated in all kinds of movement disorders. Both sites are also targets for drug treatment, Therefore, brain dopamine system is important in both basic and clinical neurological researches. Kung HF et al. developed [ 99m Tc]TRODAT-l for DAT and [ 123 I]IBZM for D2 receptor SPECT imaging in living human brain. In this work, the possibility of doing [ 99m Tc]TRODAT-1/[ 123 I]IBZM simultaneous dual-isotope SPECT for both DAT/D2 receptor imaging was studied. The SPECT acquisition protocol, the percent of 99m Tc/ 123 I energy cross contamination, and the reproducibility of striatal /background ratios were studied with a striatal phantom to confirm the accuracy of 99m Tc/ 123 I dual-isotope simultaneous SPECT technique. Materials and Methods: In each set of experiment, the 4 striatum (target) chambers and the rest of the brain (background) were filled with solutions containing 99m Tc only, 123 I only, and both isotopes. Several sets of experiment with different target/background ratios were tested. For SPECT image acquisition, a triple-head gamma camera equipp with high resolution fan-beam collimators (Siemens Multi-SPECT3). Energy window settings of a 15% centered window at 140KeV for 99m Tc and a 10% asymmetric window with a lower bound at 159KeV for 123 I were used. After filtered backprojection and Chang's attenuation correction, regions of interest were defined at the bilateral basal ganglia and occipital areas. The reproducibility of counting activity and the different target/background ratios from each isotope were observed. Results: The results of the study revealed that the energy crossed contaminations from I-123 into Tc- 99m and vice verse were 22±12.4 % and 0.4±1.0 %, respectively. The correlation of striatum/background ratios between single isotope and simultaneous was excellent (R2 = 0.99). The success of this simultaneous dual-isotope SPECT technique is suggestive of the

Non-small-cell lung cancer cells combat epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition through immediate adhesion-related responses

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Wang HY

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Hsian-Yu Wang,1,2 Min-Kung Hsu,3,4 Kai-Hsuan Wang,1 Ching-Ping Tseng,2,4 Feng-Chi Chen,3,4 John T-A Hsu1,4 1Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, National Health Research Institutes (NHRI, Zhunan, Miaoli County, 2Institute of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Chiao Tung University (NCTU, Hsinchu, 3Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes (NHRI, Zhunan, Miaoli County, 4Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University (NCTU, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs, such as gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib, have greatly improved treatment efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC patients with drug-sensitive EGFR mutations. However, in some TKI responders, the benefits of such targeted therapies are limited by the rapid development of resistance, and strategies to overcome this resistance are urgently needed. Studies of drug resistance in cancer cells typically involve long term in vitro induction to obtain stably acquired drug-resistant cells followed by elucidation of resistance mechanisms, but the immediate responses of cancer cells upon drug treatment have been ignored. The aim of this study was to investigate the immediate responses of NSCLC cells upon treatment with EGFR TKIs.Results: Both NSCLC cells, ie, PC9 and H1975, showed immediate enhanced adhesion-related responses as an apoptosis-countering mechanism upon first-time TKI treatment. By gene expression and pathway analysis, adhesion-related pathways were enriched in gefitinib-treated PC9 cells. Pathway inhibition by small-hairpin RNAs or small-molecule drugs revealed that within hours of EGFR TKI treatment, NSCLC cells used adhesion-related responses to combat the drugs. Importantly, we show here that the Src family inhibitor, dasatinib, dramatically inhibits

Theoretical Modeling for the X-ray Spectroscopy of Iron-bearing MgSiO3 under High Pressure

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Wang, X.; Tsuchiya, T.

2012-12-01

The behaviors of iron (Fe) in MgSiO3 perovskite, including valence state, spin state, and chemical environments, at high pressures are of fundamental importance for more detailed understanding the properties of the Earth's lower mantle. The pressure induced spin transition of Fe-bearing MgO and MgSiO3 are detected often by using high-resolution K-edge X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) [1,2,3] and confirmed by theoretical simulations. [4,5] Since the Fe K-edge XES is associated to the 3p orbital, which is far from the valence orbitals (3d and 4s), it provides no information about its coordination environments. However, the Fe L-edge XES and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) can directly present the distribution and intensity of Fe-3d character. To identify both the spin states and the coordination environments of iron-bearing MgSiO3, we systematically investigate the L-edge XAS, XES and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopy of Fe2+- and Fe3+-bearing MgSiO3 under high pressure by using the first-principles density functional method combined with the slater-transition method. Our results show that Fe2+ and Fe3+ can be distinguished easily by taking the XPS spectra. The spin transition of Fe2+ and Fe3+ can also be clearly certified by XAS and XES. Interestingly, the broadness of L-edge XES of Fe changes depending on the iron position, meaning that its coordination environment might also be distinguishable by using high-resolution XES measurements. Research supported by the Ehime University G-COE program and KAKENHI. [1] James Badro, Guillaume Fiquet, FranÇois Guyot, Jean-Pascal Rueff, Viktor V. Struzhkin, György VankÓ, and Giulio Monaco. Science 300, 789 (2003), [2] James Badro, Jean-Pascal Rueff, György VankÓ, Giulio Monaco, Guillaume Fiquet, and FranÇois Guyot, Science 305, 383 (2004), [3] Jung-Fu Lin, Viktor V. Struzhkin, Steven D. Jacobsen, Michael Y. Hu, Paul Chow, Jennifer Kung, Haozhe Liu, Ho-kwang Mao, and Gussell J. Hemley, Nature 436, 377 (2005). [4

The development and validation of the Satisfaction Questionnaire for Osteoporosis Prevention in Malaysia

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Toh LS

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Li Shean Toh,1 Pauline Siew Mei Lai,2 David Bin-Chia Wu,3 Kok Thong Wong,1 Bee Yean Low,1 Alexander Tong Boon Tan,4 Claire Anderson5 1School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Semenyih, Malaysia; 2Department of Primary Care Medicine, University of Malaya Primary Care Research Group, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia; 4Department of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 5Division of Social Research in Medicine and Health, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK Purpose: To develop and validate the English version of the Satisfaction Questionnaire for Osteoporosis Prevention (SQOP in Malaysia.Methods: The SQOP was modified from the Osteoporosis Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire and developed based on literature review and patient interviews. Face and content validity were established via an expert panel. The SQOP consists of two sections: clinical services and types of counseling. There were 23 items in total, each with a five-point Likert-type response. Satisfaction score was calculated by converting the total score to a percentage. A higher score indicates higher satisfaction. English speaking, non-osteoporotic, postmenopausal women aged ≥50 years were included in the study. Participants were randomized to either the control or intervention group. Intervention participants were provided counseling, whereas control participants received none. Participants answered the SQOP at baseline and 2 weeks later.Results: A total of 140 participants were recruited (control group: n=70; intervention group: n=70. No significant differences were found in any demographic aspects. Exploratory factor analysis extracted seven domains. Cronbach’s a for the domains ranged from 0.531–0.812. All 23 items were highly correlated using Spearman’s correlation coefficient 0.469–0.996 (P<0.05, with no significant change in the control

Effects of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed oil press-cake and decaffeinated green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) on functional characteristics of gluten-free crackers.

Science.gov (United States)

Radočaj, Olga; Dimić, Etelka; Tsao, Rong

2014-03-01

contributed to their functional properties. This qualified the crackers as a healthy snack with a minimal content saturated fatty acids and an abundance of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids that originated from chia seeds residual oil present in the hemp flour. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Does the Timing of Measurement Alter Session-RPE in Boxers?

Science.gov (United States)

Uchida, Marco C; Teixeira, Luis F M; Godoi, Vladmir J; Marchetti, Paulo H; Conte, Marcelo; Coutts, Aaron J; Bacurau, Reury F P

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the influence of measuring the overall session rating of perceived exertion (session-RPE) at 10 vs. 30 minutes following exercise. Eight boxers completed three different standardized training sessions of different intensities (easy, moderate and hard) in a matchedpairs, randomized research design. Exercise intensity was assessed during each bout by measuring heart rate, blood lactate concentration and session-RPE. To assess the effect of measurement timing on session-RPE, RPE data were collected either 10 or 30 minutes post-exercise. There was no significant effect of measurement time on session-RPE values following easy (10 minutes: session-RPE = 1.3 ± 1.0 Arbitrary Unit (AU), %Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) = 49.5 ± 11.1, and ∆Blood lactate = -2.3 ± 16.3%; 30 minutes: session-RPE = 1.7 ± 1.0 AU, %HRR = 51.3 ± 10.8, and ∆Blood lactate = 0.7 ± 25.2%), moderate (10 minutes: session-RPE = 2.7 ± 1.6 AU, %HRR = 67.2 ± 10.8, and ∆Blood lactate = 2.2 ± 19%; 30 minutes: session-RPE = 2.5 ± 0.9 AU, %HRR = 67.2 ± 5.9, and ∆Blood lactate = 24.5 ± 17.1%) and hard (10 minutes: session-RPE = 5.7 ± 1.0 AU, %HRR = 88.1 ± 6.3, and ∆Blood lactate = 146.3 ± 87.9%; 30 minutes: session-RPE = 5.8 ± 1.9 AU, %HRR> = 83.3 ± 8.0, and ∆Blood lactate = 91.6 ± 39%) sessions. In conclusion, our findings suggest that session-RPE can be used in boxing training routines across a range of intensities and accurate measurements can be determined as early as 10 minutes after exercise. Key PointsIt is difficult to quantify and monitoring the external training load in martial arts (e.g. Aikido, Kung Fu, Judo) and physical combat sports (e.g. Boxing, Muay Thai), session RPE method appears to be a reliable method to quantifying training load in those sports.For many athletes it is impractical to wait 30 minutes after training session to provide a session-RPE. The present findings show that collecting ses-sion-RPE measures at 10 min

Development of PPAR-agonist GW0742 as antidiabetic drug: study in animals

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Niu HS

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Ho-Shan Niu,1 Po-Ming Ku,2,3 Chiang-Shan Niu,1 Juei-Tang Cheng,3,4 Kung-Shing Lee5–71Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi College of Technology, Hualien City, 2Department of Cardiology, 3Department of Medical Research, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Yong Kang, Tainan City, 4Institute of Medical Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Guiren, Tainan City, 5Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Pingtung Hospital, 6Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University, 7School of Medicine, Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, TaiwanBackground: The development of new drugs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM is critically important. Insulin resistance (IR is one of the main problems associated with type-2 DM (T2DM seen in clinics. GW0742, a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-δ agonist, has been shown to ameliorate metabolic abnormalities including IR in skeletal muscle in mice fed high-fructose corn syrup. However, the influence of GW0742 on systemic insulin sensitivity has still not been elucidated. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effect of GW0742 on systemic IR in diabetic rats for the development of new drugs.Methods: The present study used a T2DM animal model to compare the effect of GW0742 on IR using homeostasis model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamping. Additionally, the insulinotropic action of GW0742 was investigated in type-1 DM (T1DM rats. Changes in the protein expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4 and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK in skeletal muscle and in liver, respectively, were also identified by Western blots.Results: GW0742 attenuated the increased HOMA-IR in diabetic rats fed a fructose-rich diet. This action was blocked by GSK0660 at the dose sufficient to inhibit PPAR-δ. Improvement of IR by GW0742 was also characterized in diabetic rats using hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamping. Additionally, an

Development of betulinic acid as an agonist of TGR5 receptor using a new in vitro assay

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Lo SH

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Shih-Hsiang Lo,1,2 Kai-Chung Cheng,3 Ying-Xiao Li,3,4 Chin-Hong Chang,4,5 Juei-Tang Cheng,4,6 Kung-Shing Lee7,8 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Zhongxing Branch of Taipei City Hospital, 2Department of History and Geography, University of Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Psychosomatic Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan; 4Department of Medical Research, 5Department of Neurosurgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Yong Kang, 6Institute of Medical Science, College of Health Science, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, 7Department of Surgery, Pingtung Hospital, 8Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Background: G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1, also known as TGR5 is known to be involved in glucose homeostasis. In animal models, treatment with a TGR5 agonist induces incretin secretion to reduce hyperglycemia. Betulinic acid, a triterpenoid present in the leaves of white birch, has been introduced as a selective TGR5 agonist. However, direct activation of TGR5 by betulinic acid has not yet been reported. Methods: Transfection of TGR5 into cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1 cells was performed to establish the presence of TGR5. Additionally, TGR5-specific small interfering RNA was employed to silence TGR5 in cells (NCI-H716 cells that secreted incretins. Uptake of glucose by CHO-K1 cells was evaluated using a fluorescent indicator. Amounts of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and glucagon-like peptide were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Betulinic acid dose-dependently increases glucose uptake by CHO-K1 cells transfected with TGR5 only, which can be considered an alternative method instead of radioligand binding assay. Additionally, signals coupled to TGR5 activation are also

Potential role of pre- and postnatal testosterone levels in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: is there a sex difference?

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Wang LJ

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Liang-Jen Wang,1,2 Miao-Chun Chou,1 Wen-Jiun Chou,1 Min-Jing Lee,1 Sheng-Yu Lee,3,4 Pao-Yen Lin,5 Yi-Hsuan Lee,1 Yi-Hsin Yang,6 Cheng-Fang Yen2,7 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 2Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 3Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, 4Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 5Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 6School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 7Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Objective: Both prenatal testosterone (T exposure and postnatal T levels have been associated with developing neural circuitry and behavioral systems. This study examined the potential correlation between pre- and postnatal T levels and behavioral and neurocognitive profiles of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD.Methods: Two hundred ADHD patients with a mean age of 8.7±2.0 years (158 boys and 42 girls were recruited. The ratio of the length of the right index finger (2D to that of the right ring finger (4D (2D/4D ratio served as a surrogate of prenatal T exposure, and postnatal T was determined using salivary T concentration. Behavioral symptoms were evaluated using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham – Version IV Scale for ADHD (SNAP-IV. Neurocognitive function was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV and Conners’ Continuous Performance Test (CPT.Results: Lower 2D/4D ratios were associated with comorbid disruptive behavior disorders (t=2.15, P=0.033 in all participants. Among the boys with ADHD, neither 2D/4D ratios nor salivary T levels

Trend, characteristics, and pharmacotherapy of adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide survey in Taiwan

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Cheng YS

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Yu-Shian Cheng,1,2 Yu-Chiau Shyu,3,4 Sheng-Yu Lee,5,6 Shin-Sheng Yuan,7 Chun-Ju Yang,8 Kang-Chung Yang,8,9 Tung-Liang Lee,10 Liang-Jen Wang1 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 2Department of Psychiatry, Tsyr-Huey Mental Hospital, Kaohsiung Jen-Ai’s Home, Kaohsiung, 3Community Medicine Research Center, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, 4Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei, 5Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, 6Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 7Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, 8Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, 9Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 10Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD in adults may result in functional impairment warranting clinical interventions. However, few studies have investigated the diagnosis and treatment rates of adult ADHD in non-Caucasian ethnic groups. This study used nationwide population-based data to investigate the rate of diagnosis, associated characteristics, and pharmacological treatment for adult ADHD in Taiwan. Methods: Adults (age ≥18 years newly diagnosed with ADHD (n=5,397 between January 2000 and December 2011 were enrolled from the National Health Insurance database in Taiwan. All patients were monitored until December 31, 2011. Patients who received treatment with immediate-release methylphenidate (IR-MPH, osmotic release oral system-methylphenidate (OROS-MPH, and atomoxetine (ATX were analyzed. Results: The cumulative prevalence of adult ADHD was 0.028%, and the incidence increased 10.9-fold from 2000 to 2011. The male to female ratio

Global economic burden of schizophrenia: a systematic review

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Chong HY

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Huey Yi Chong,1 Siew Li Teoh,1 David Bin-Chia Wu,1 Surachai Kotirum,1 Chiun-Fang Chiou,2 Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk1,3–5 1School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies Asia Pacific, Singapore; 3Center of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CPOR, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand; 4School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 5School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Background: Schizophrenia is one of the top 25 leading causes of disability worldwide in 2013. Despite its low prevalence, its health, social, and economic burden has been tremendous, not only for patients but also for families, caregivers, and the wider society. The magnitude of disease burden investigated in an economic burden study is an important source to policymakers in decision making. This study aims to systematically identify studies focusing on the economic burden of schizophrenia, describe the methods and data sources used, and summarize the findings of economic burden of schizophrenia. Methods: A systematic review was performed for economic burden studies in schizophrenia using four electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and EconLit from inception to August 31, 2014. Results: A total of 56 articles were included in this review. More than 80% of the studies were conducted in high-income countries. Most studies had undertaken a retrospective- and prevalence-based study design. The bottom-up approach was commonly employed to determine cost, while human capital method was used for indirect cost estimation. Database and literature were the most commonly used data sources in cost estimation in high-income countries, while chart review and interview were the main data sources in low and middle-income countries. Annual costs for the schizophrenia population in the country ranged from US$94

Environmental exposure to cooking oil fumes and cervical intraepithelial neoplasm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, M.-T.; Lee, L.-H.; Ho, C.-K.; Wu, S.-C.; Lin, L.-Y.; Cheng, B.-H.; Liu, C.-L.; Yang, C.-Y.; Tsai, H.-T.; Wu, T.-N.

2004-01-01

The fumes from cooking oil, similar to cigarette smoke, contain numerous carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic amines, nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc. In this study, we examined the association between exposure to cooking oil fumes and the risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasm. The study population in this nested case-control study consisted of women above the age of 19 years living in Chia-Yi County, located in the southwestern Taiwan, who had received pap smear screening between October, 1999, and December, 2000 (n=32,466). The potential cases were women having lesions greater than cervical intraepithelium neoplasm II (≥CIN2) reconfirmed by cervical biopsy (n=116). The potential controls (case: control=1:2) were age-matched (±2 years) and residence-matched women who had normal pap smears within 6 months of the cases. In total, 100 cases and 197 controls were completely interviewed by public health nurses about cooking methods, ventilation, and other potential risk factors. Women who cooked at home in a kitchen (n=269) without the presence of a fume extractor at least once a week between the ages of 20 and 40 had a 2.29 times higher risk [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.08-4.87] of developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasm than those who did not cook once a week in such a kitchen during the same age span, after adjusting for other potential confounders. This finding was further strengthened by the finding that women who did not use the fume extractors had a 2.47 times higher risk (95% CI=1.15-5.32) of developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasm than women who cooked in kitchens with fume extractors that were always switched on while cooking. We also found a joint protective effect of fume extractor use among women older than 40 years (n=202) if they used the extractors during both age spans of their lives, ages 20-40 and >40 years. Comparing our findings on women more than 40 years old who used fume extractors during

What influences patients’ acceptance of a blood pressure telemonitoring service in primary care? A qualitative study

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Abdullah A

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Adina Abdullah,1 Su May Liew,1 Nik Sherina Hanafi,1 Chirk Jenn Ng,1 Pauline Siew Mei Lai,1 Yook Chin Chia,1 Chu Kiong Loo2 1Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya Primary Care Research Group, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 2Department of Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Background: Telemonitoring of home blood pressure (BP is found to have a positive effect on BP control. Delivering a BP telemonitoring service in primary care offers primary care physicians an innovative approach toward management of their patients with hypertension. However, little is known about patients’ acceptance of such service in routine clinical care.Objective: This study aimed to explore patients’ acceptance of a BP telemonitoring service delivered in primary care based on the technology acceptance model (TAM.Methods: A qualitative study design was used. Primary care patients with uncontrolled office BP who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled into a BP telemonitoring service offered between the period August 2012 and September 2012. This service was delivered at an urban primary care clinic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Twenty patients used the BP telemonitoring service. Of these, 17 patients consented to share their views and experiences through five in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions. An interview guide was developed based on the TAM. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used for analysis.Results: Patients found the BP telemonitoring service easy to use but struggled with the perceived usefulness of doing so. They expressed confusion in making sense of the monitored home BP readings. They often thought about the implications of these readings to their hypertension management and overall health. Patients wanted more feedback from their doctors and

Music therapy-induced changes in salivary cortisol level are predictive of cardiovascular mortality in patients under maintenance hemodialysis

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Hou YC

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Yi-Chou Hou,1 Yen-Ju Lin,2 Kuo-Cheng Lu,1 Han-Sun Chiang,3 Chia-Chi Chang,4 Li-King Yang1 1Department of Internal Medicine, Cardinal Tien Hospital, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, 2Department of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, 3Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, 4School of Gerontology Health Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: Music therapy has been applied in hemodialysis (HD patients for relieving mental stress. Whether the stress-relieving effect by music therapy is predictive of clinical outcome in HD patients is still unclear.Methods: We recruited a convenience sample of 99 patients on maintenance HD and randomly assigned them to the experimental (n=49 or control (n=50 group. The experimental group received relaxing music therapy for 1 week, whereas the control group received no music therapy. In the experimental group, we compared cardiovascular mortality in the patients with and without cortisol changes.Results: The salivary cortisol level was lowered after 1 week of music therapy in the experimental group (−2.41±3.08 vs 1.66±2.11 pg/mL, P<0.05, as well as the frequency of the adverse reaction score (−3.35±5.76 vs −0.81±4.59, P<0.05, the severity of adverse reactions score (−1.93±2.73 vs 0.33±2.71, P<0.05, and hemodialysis stressor scale (HSS score (−6.00±4.68 vs −0.877±7.08, P<0.05. The difference in salivary cortisol correlated positively with HD stress score scales (r=0.231, P<0.05, systolic blood pressure (r=0.264, P<0.05, and respiratory rates (r=0.369, P<0.05 and negatively with finger temperature (r=−0.235, P<0.05 in the total study population. The 5-year cardiovascular survival in the experimental group was higher in patients whose salivary cortisol lowered by <0.6 pg/mL than that in patients whose salivary cortisol lowered by >0.6 pg/mL (83.8% vs

Association of low serum aluminum level with mortality in hemodialysis patients

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Hsu CW

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Ching-Wei Hsu,1–3 Cheng-Hao Weng,1–3 Cheng-Chia Lee,1–3 Dan-Tzu Lin-Tan,1–3 Kuan-Hsing Chen,1–3 Tzung-Hai Yen,1–3 Wen-Hung Huang1–3 1Department of Nephrology, Division of Clinical Toxicology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China; 2Department of Nephrology, Division of Clinical Toxicology, Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; 3Department of Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China Background: The National Kidney Foundation–Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative recommends that the serum aluminum level (SAL should be below 20 µg/L for patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD. However, serum aluminum may have toxic effects on MHD patients even when it is in the apparently acceptable range (below 20 µg/L.Methods: The Medical Ethics Committee approved this study. Initially, 954 MHD patients in dialysis centers were recruited. A total of 901 patients met the inclusion criteria and were followed-up for 1 year. Patients were stratified by SAL into four equal-sized groups: first quartile (<6 µg/L, second quartile (6–9 µg/L, third quartile (9–13 µg/L, and fourth quartile (>13 µg/L. Demographic, biochemical, and dialysis-related data were obtained for analyses. A linear regression model was applied to identify factors associated with SAL. Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the significance of variables in prediction of mortality.Results: Only 9.3% of MHD patients had SALs of 20 µg/L or more. At the end of the follow-up, 54 patients (6% died, and the main cause of death was cardiovascular disease. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that patients in the fourth SAL quartile had higher mortality than those in the first SAL quartile (log rank test, χ2=13.47, P=0.004. Using the first quartile as reference, Cox multivariate analysis indicated that patients in the third quartile (hazard ratio =1.31, 95% confidence

Regional drought in the southern of South America: physical aspects Seca regional no sul da América do Sul: aspectos físicos

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Juan Leonidas Minetti

2010-03-01

Full Text Available From the indices of monthly and annual climatic drought in six regions in southern South America and their associations with seventeen predictors, the probable physical causes of droughts are analyzed. These indices are used in operational climate monitoring and describe the atmospheric temperature and sea surface temperature (SST near South America. Subtropical anticyclone activity over both coasts of South America is one of the main predictors, together with its interaction with the continental depression and SST at the coast of Brazil. The highest predictability concentrates in November-December-May and the lowest in March, June and August. In the sub regional scale, the main predictors respond to atmospheric pressure anomalies in the Atlantic Ocean for Argentinean Northwest (NOA, SST in the Brazilian coast for Argentinean Northeast (NEA, anticyclonic conditions over the Pacific and Atlantic for the Central West (CO, the latter and their interaction with the continental depression for Humid Pampa (PH, anticyclonic activity over the Pacific for the Patagonia (PAT and trans cordillera circulation for Central Chile and Comahue (CHI.As causas físicas prováveis das secas em seis regiões no sul da América do Sul são analisadas, através de índices da seca climática mensal e em suas associações com dezessete preditores. Esses indices são usados no monitoramento operacional do clima, e descrevem a temperatura atmosférica e a temperatura de superfície do mar (TSM perto de América do Sul. A atividade do anticiclone subtropical sobre ambas as costas de América do Sul é um dos preditores principais, junto com sua interação com a depressão continental e a SST na costa do Brasil. A previsibilidade mais elevada concentra-se nos meses Novembro-Dezembro-Maio e a mais baixa, em março, junho e agosto. Na escala regional secundária, os principais preditores respondem às anomalias da pressão atmosférica sobre o Oceano Atlântico para

Assessment of pain score and specimen adequacy for ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules

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Liao LJ

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Li-Jen Liao,1 Wu-Chia Lo,1 Wan-Lun Hsu,2 Po-Wen Cheng,1 Cheng-Ping Wang3 1Department of Otolaryngology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, 2Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, 3Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate pain scores and specimen adequacy for ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB of thyroid nodules without and with local anesthesia (LA. Materials and methods: The US-FNAB procedure was performed on 183 patients with and without LA. One puncture was made for solid nodules, and if patients could tolerate it, a two-puncture technique was used for nodules with a cystic change. Four-point verbal rating scores were assessed by a nursing assistant after completion of US-FNAB. To be an adequate specimen, at least six groups of follicular cells are required, and each group should contain at least 10 cells.Results: Immediately after US-FNAB, 92% of patients with LA and 80% without LA reported no or mild pain (p=0.01. Most patients tolerated the procedure well, with no pain (82.5% reported 5 minutes after the procedure. In univariate logistic regression, irregular boundary (odds ratio [OR]: 2.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–6.06, p=0.04, calcification (OR: 2.86, 95% CI: 1.06–7.76, p=0.04, and LA (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15–0.86, p=0.02 were significantly associated with immediate moderate or severe pain. Specimen adequacy was significantly associated with age (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92–0.97, p<0.01, heterogeneous echo-texture (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.23–5.17, p=0.01, predominate solid architecture (OR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.42–5.41, p<0.01, and the use of LA (OR: 3.34, 95% CI: 1.70–6.56, p<0.01. In multivariate logistic regression, patients receiving LA had lower risk of moderate or severe pain (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.09–0.67, p=0.01 and higher chances of specimen adequacy (OR: 4.84, 95% CI: 2.17–10.7, p<0

Clinical effectiveness, toxicity, and failure patterns of helical tomotherapy for postoperative oral cavity cancer patients

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Hsieh CH

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Chen-Hsi Hsieh,1–3 Pei-Wei Shueng,1,4 Li-Ying Wang,5 Li-Jen Liao,6 Yu-Chin Lin,7 Ying-Shiung Kuo,8 Wu-Chia Lo,6 Chien-Fu Tseng,8 Hui-Ju Tien,1 Hsiu-Ling Chou,9,10 Yen-Ping Hsieh,11 Le-Jung Wu,1 Yu-Jen Chen3,12–14 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, 2Department of Medicine, 3Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, 4Department of Radiation Oncology, National Defense Medical Center, 5School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, 6Department of Otolaryngology, 7Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, 8Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, 9Department of Nursing, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, 10Department of Nursing, Oriental Institute of Technology, Taipei, 11Department of Senior Citizen Service Management, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung, 12Department of Radiation Oncology, 13Department of Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, 14Graduate Institute of Sport Coaching Science, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan Background: The outcome of postoperative high- and intermediate-risk oral cavity cancer (OCC patients receiving helical tomotherapy (HT remains limited. Materials and methods: Between November 2006 and November 2012, 53 postoperative high- and intermediate-risk OCC patients treated with HT were enrolled. Results: The 4-year locoregional, local, and regional control rates were 66%, 76.4%, and 94.3%, respectively. The 4-year locoregional control rates of oral tongue and buccal mucosa cancer were 88.3% and 37.1%, respectively (P=0.012. Eleven (20.8% patients experienced locoregional failure. In-field failure occurred in six of 53 (11.3% in the primary area and three of 53 (5.7% in the regional lymph-node area. No marginal failure was noted. Two of 53 (3.8% experienced out-of-field failure. The rates of grade 3 dermatitis

Cost-effectiveness analysis of a fixed-dose combination of indacaterol and glycopyrronium as maintenance treatment for COPD

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Chan M

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Ming-Cheng Chan,1,* Elise Chia-Hui Tan,2 Ming-Chin Yang3,* 1Section of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China; 2National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China; 3Institute of Health Policy and Management, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the long-acting beta-2 agonist (LABA/long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA dual bronchodilator indacaterol/glycopyrronium (IND/GLY as a maintenance treatment for COPD patients from the perspective of health care payer in Taiwan. Patients and methods: We adopted a patient-level simulation model, which included a cohort of COPD patients aged ≥40 years. The intervention used in the study was the treatment using IND/GLY, and comparators were tiotropium or salmeterol/fluticasone combination (SFC. Data related to the efficacy of drugs, incidence of exacerbation, and utility were obtained from clinical studies. Direct costs were estimated from claims data based on the severity of COPD. The cycle length was 6 months (to match forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] data, and the time horizons included 1, 3, 5, 10 years, and lifetime. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the model results. Costs were expressed in US dollars with a discount rate of 3.0%. Results: Compared to tiotropium and SFC, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs per quality-adjusted life year (QALY gained of patients treated with IND/GLY were US$5,987 and US$14,990, respectively. One-way sensitivity analysis revealed that the improvement in FEV1 provided by IND/GLY, the distribution of patients with regard to the severity of COPD, and acute exacerbation rate ratio were the key

Nanoemulsion as a strategy for improving the oral bioavailability and anti-inflammatory activity of andrographolide

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Yen CC

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Ching-Chi Yen,1 Yi-Chen Chen,1 Ming-Tsang Wu,2 Chia-Chi Wang,1,3 Yu-Tse Wu1,4 1School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Chinese Medicine Department, Ditmanson Medical Foundation, Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chiayi City, Taiwan; 3PhD Program in Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Background: Andrographolide (AG, a compound with low water solubility, possesses various pharmacological activities, particularly anti-inflammatory activity. However, its low oral bioavailability is a major obstacle to its potential use. This study developed and optimized an AG-loaded nanoemulsion (AG-NE formulation to improve AG oral bioavailability and its protective effects against inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: A high-pressure homogenization technique was used to prepare the AG-NE and solubility, viscosity, and droplet size tests were conducted to develop the optimized AG-NE composed of α-tocopherol, ethanol, Cremophor EL, and water. The permeability was assessed using everted rat gut sac method and in vivo absorption and anti-inflammatory effect in rats was also evaluated. The plasma concentration of AG was determined using our validated high performance liquid chromatography method, which was used to generate a linear calibration curve over the concentration range of 0.1–25 µg/mL in rat plasma (R2>0.999.Results: The optimized AG-NE had a droplet size of 122±11 nm confirmed using transmission electron microscopy and a viscosity of 28 centipoise (cps. It was stable at 4 and 25°C for 90 days. An ex vitro intestinal permeability study indicated that the jejunum was the optimal site for AG absorption from the optimized AG-NE, which was 8.21 and 1.40 times higher than that from an AG suspension and AG ethanol solution, respectively. The pharmacokinetic results indicate that

Demography and childcare in preindustrial societies.

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Hewlett, B S

1991-01-01

The preliminary comparison of hunter gatherers, horticulturalists, and pastoralists is based on 57 preindustrial populations with demographic and child care data out of a potential of 1264 documented cultures from the Ethnographic Atlas. The purpose of this effort is to demonstrate that the demographic characteristics of a population influence its child care practices and provides clues to understanding child care patterns. Traditional practices and provides clues to understanding child care patterns. Traditional practices including multiple caregiving, multistage play groups, and parents or siblings as cultural transmitters are reviewed in a demographic context. Other emerging practices are also discussed: the role of stepparents and differential parental investment in sons and daughters. Anthropological data published and unpublished included only those using standardized methods on total fertility, infant or child mortality, and/or sex/age distribution. Problems with the data set include limited cultural representation, small study sizes, limited time trends, and reliability. There is a concentration on the ]Kung San, Efe, Aka, Gidjingali, Yanomamo, Dusan, Semai, and Kipsigis. Only 7 of the 57 are outside the tropics. Foragers are farmers are primarily represented, because the pastoralists are primarily East African and smaller samples. Tables provide cultural specific data on total fertility rates (TRF), infant and child mortality, and sex ratios at birth and among the juvenile and adult population. Sections are devoted to methods, general patterns, traditional characteristics of childcare based on 5 hypotheses, and emergent trends with 2 more hypotheses on stepparenting and male preference. 2 patterns prevail: 1) hunter gatherers and horticulturalists/pastoralists show great intercultural variability in fertility and mortality rates, and 2) the ranges and means of both groups are very similiar. In the discussion of specific cultures, the hypothesis is proposed

How do general practitioners implement decision-making regarding COPD patients with exacerbations? An international focus group study

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Laue J

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Johanna Laue,1 Hasse Melbye,1 Peder A Halvorsen,1 Elena A Andreeva,2 Maciek Godycki-Cwirko,3 Anja Wollny,4 Nick A Francis,5 Mark Spigt,6 Kenny Kung,7 Mette Bech Risør1 1Department of Community Medicine, General Practice Research Unit, University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; 2Department of Family Medicine, Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk, Russia; 3Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; 4Institute of General Practice, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Germany; 5Cochrane Institute of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; 6CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; 7The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Purpose: To explore the decision-making of general practitioners (GPs concerning treatment with antibiotics and/or oral corticosteroids and hospitalization for COPD patients with exacerbations.Methods: Thematic analysis of seven focus groups with 53 GPs from urban and rural areas in Norway, Germany, Wales, Poland, Russia, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong.Results: Four main themes were identified. 1 Dealing with medical uncertainty: the GPs aimed to make clear medical decisions and avoid unnecessary prescriptions and hospitalizations, yet this was challenged by uncertainty regarding the severity of the exacerbations and concerns about overlooking comorbidities. 2 Knowing the patient: contextual knowledge about the individual patient provided a supplementary framework to biomedical knowledge, allowing for more differentiated decision-making. 3 Balancing the patients’ perspective: the GPs considered patients’ experiential knowledge about their own body and illness as valuable in assisting their decision-making, yet felt that dealing with disagreements between their own

Introduction: Paving the Old-New Way from Qing to China.

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Sela, Ori

2017-09-01

The funeral procession of Sheng Xuanhuai (, 1844-1916) - the renowned Qing scholar-official, financier, and "father of Chinese industrialism" - meandered through the streets of Shanghai on 18 November 1917. The funeral was a grand event, one that was purportedly documented in film, later to be distributed as the first "news short-film" () in China. The North China Herald reported on the event in some detail, at times in rather florid language, and suggested that "the cortege was splendid and impressive, bringing back the days of the Manchu emperors. The ceremonial costumes, the musical instruments and much more of the accoutrements dated back to the days of the Empire" ("Sheng Kung-pao's Funeral," 1917, 467-68). And indeed, the procession included a variety of ritual customs and insignia from Qing (1644-1911) times: imperial banners, ancestral tablets, Buddhist and Daoist priests, paper artifacts, and much more. Simultaneously, nonetheless, other kinds of participants and objects - new and not of imperial pedigree - were part of and intermixed with the older materials: certificates of rank were carried on cars; boy scouts and college students marched alongside the priests; many of the participants arrived by train (mainly from Sheng's hometown, Suzhou); and as the Shanghai portion of the procession ended, it continued by steamer to Suzhou. The conclusion of the North China Herald account, however, seems to have emphasized a dichotomy of old and new rather than a joyful mix of the two: Hundreds of men, dressed in the ancient costume of the old dynasties, bore a strong contrast to the eight behind them, sons of intimate friends of the deceased. They were on horseback and wore high silk hats, frock coats and white breeches tucked in riding boots. Truly the passing of the old and the entering of the new. (Ibid.; emphasis added) This view - the old giving way to the new - was not just an off-hand (Western) journalistic analysis; it was part of a larger discourse about

In vivo tumor targeting and imaging with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody-conjugated dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles

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Hsieh WJ

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Wan-Ju Hsieh,1 Chan-Jung Liang,1 Jen-Jie Chieh,4 Shu-Huei Wang,1 I-Rue Lai,1 Jyh-Horng Chen,2 Fu-Hsiung Chang,3 Wei-Kung Tseng,4–6 Shieh-Yueh Yang,4 Chau-Chung Wu,7 Yuh-Lien Chen11Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, 2Department of Electrical Engineering, 3Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Institute of Electro-Optical Science and Technology, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 6Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, I-Shou University, Taipei, Taiwan; 7Department of Internal Medicine and Primary Care Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, TaiwanBackground: Active targeting by specific antibodies combined with nanoparticles is a promising technology for cancer imaging and detection by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether the systemic delivery of antivascular endothelial growth factor antibodies conjugating to the surface of functionalized supermagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (anti-VEGF-NPs led to target-specific accumulation in the tumor.Methods: The VEGF expression in human colon cancer and in Balb/c mice bearing colon cancers was examined by immunohistochemistry. The distribution of these anti-VEGF-NPs particles or NPs particles were evaluated by MRI at days 1, 2, or 9 after the injection into the jugular vein of Balb/c mice bearing colon cancers. Tumor and normal tissues (liver, spleen, lung, and kidney were collected and were examined by Prussian blue staining to determine the presence and distribution of NPs in the tissue sections.Results: VEGF is highly expressed in human and mouse colon cancer tissues. MRI showed significant changes in the T*2 signal and T2 relaxation in the anti-VEGF-NP- injected-mice, but not in mice injected with NP alone. Examination of paraffin

Understanding Older Adult's Technology Adoption and Withdrawal for Elderly Care and Education: Mixed Method Analysis from National Survey.

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Chiu, Ching-Ju; Liu, Chia-Wen

2017-11-03

affected by health barriers (26.0%, 39/150 vs 15.9%, 22/138; P=.004) and anthropic factors or accidental barriers (7.3%, 11/150 vs 2.9%, 4/138; P=.02). Our findings that the need to keep up with the world associated with Internet adoption, and gender differences in reasons behind Internet withdrawal, such that women reported more health and anthropic factors or accidental barriers than man, may provide a new perspective that help health educators understand strategies that encourage older adults to keep learning, an important component of active aging. ©Ching-Ju Chiu, Chia-Wen Liu. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 03.11.2017.

Novel targeted nuclear imaging agent for gastric cancer diagnosis: glucose-regulated protein 78 binding peptide-guided 111In-labeled polymeric micelles

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Cheng CC

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Chun-Chia Cheng,1,2,* Chiung-Fang Huang,3,4,* Ai-Sheng Ho,5 Cheng-Liang Peng,6 Chun-Chao Chang,7,8 Fu-Der Mai,1,9 Ling-Yun Chen,10 Tsai-Yueh Luo,2 Jungshan Chang1,11,121Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 2Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, Taoyuan, 3School of Dental Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 4Division of Family and Operative Dentistry, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, 5Division of Gastroenterology, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, 6Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 7Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, 8Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 9Department of Biochemistry, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 10Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, 11Neuroscience Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, 12Research Center for Biomedical Implants and Microsurgery Devices, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Increased expression of cellular membrane bound glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78 is considered to be one of the biomarkers for gastric cancers. Therefore, peptides or molecules with specific recognition to GRP78 can act as a guiding probe to direct conjugated imaging agents to localized cancers. Based on this rationale, GRP78-guided polymeric micelles were designed and manufactured for nuclear imaging detection of tumors. Thiolated GRP78 binding peptide (GRP78BP was first labeled with maleimide-terminated poly(ethylene glycol–poly(ε-caprolactone and then mixed with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA-linked poly(ethylene glycol–poly(ε-caprolactone to form DTPA/GRP78BP-conjugated micelles. The coupling efficiency of micelles with

Outcome of stroke patients receiving different doses of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator.

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Ong, Cheung-Ter; Wong, Yi-Sin; Wu, Chi-Shun; Su, Yu-Hsiang

2017-01-01

Intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) at a dose of 0.9 mg/kg body weight is associated with a high hemorrhagic transformation (HT) rate. Low-dose tPA (0.6 mg/kg) may have a lower hemorrhage rate but the mortality and disability rates at 90 days cannot be confirmed as non-inferior to standard-dose tPA. Whether the doses 0.7 and 0.8 mg/kg have better efficacy and safety needs further investigation. Therefore, this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of each dose of tPA (0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9 mg/kg body weight) and to investigate the factors affecting early neurological improvement (ENI) and early neurological deterioration (END). For this observational study, data were obtained from 274 patients who received tPA thrombolytic therapy in Chia-Yi Christian Hospital stroke unit. The tPA dose was given at the discretion of each physician. The definition of ENI was a >8 point improvement (compared with baseline) at 24 h following thrombolytic therapy or an improvement in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Score (NIHSS) to 0 or 1 toward the end of tPA infusion. The definition of END was a >4 point increase in NIHSS (compared with baseline) within 24 h of tPA infusion. The primary objective was to investigate whether 0.7 and 0.8 mg/kg of tPA have higher ENI rate, lower END rate, and better outcome at 6 months. Poor outcome was defined as having a modified Rankin Scale of 3 to 6 (range, 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]). The secondary objective was to investigate whether low-dose tPA has a lower risk of intracerebral HT than that with standard-dose tPA. We also investigated the factors affecting ENI, END, HT, and 6-month outcome. A total of 274 patients were included during the study period, of whom 260 were followed up for >6 months. There was a trend for the HT rate to increase as the dose increased ( P =0.02). The symptomatic HT rate was not significantly different among the low-dose and standard-dose groups. The ENI and END ( P =0.52) were

No gynecologist in town: the gynecological care of women in rural Taiwan

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Lai LJ

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Li-Jung Lai,1 Chia-Lin Chou,2 H Irene Su,3 Tzeng-Ji Chen,1,4 Li-Fang Chou,5 Yueh-Ching Chou,2,6,7 Shinn-Jang Hwang,1,8 Hann-Chin Yu9,10 1Department of Family Medicine, 2Department of Pharmacy, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; 4Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, 5Department of Public Finance, National Chengchi University, 6Department and Institute of Pharmacology, National Yang-Ming University, 7College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 8Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; 9Taipei Veterans General Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu County, Taiwan; 10Department of Healthcare Management, Yuanpei University, Hsinchu, Taiwan Background: A shortage of gynecologists exists in many countries. Even within an affluent country, gynecological clinics might not be evenly distributed. The purpose of the study was to investigate the disparity in gynecological care between adult women living in towns with and without gynecologists in Taiwan.Methods: Data sources were the cohort datasets of the National Health Insurance Research Database, with claims data of 1 million beneficiaries in 2010. A woman’s residency was operationally inferred from the locations where she had most frequently visited physicians’ clinics or local community hospitals within the year.Results: In Taiwan, 145 (39.4% of 368 towns had no practicing gynecologist. Of 382,167 women with health care use in the datasets, 21,794 (5.7% lived in towns without a gynecologist. The overwhelming majority of these towns lay in sparsely populated, rural areas. During the year, 132,702 women (34.7% had sought medical help for gynecological diseases and 113,698 (29.8% had visited gynecologists for gynecological diseases. Women in towns without a gynecologist were less

Efficacy and safety of prostaglandin analogues in patients with predominantly primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension: a meta-analysis

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Oghenowede Eyawo

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Oghenowede Eyawo1, Jean Nachega2,3, Pierre Lefebvre4, David Meyer5, Beth Rachlis6, Chia-Wen Lee7, Steven Kelly7, Edward Mills81Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada; 2Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; 3Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA; 4Department of Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; 5Department of Ophthalmology, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; 6Department of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; 7Outcome Research and Evidence Based Medicine, Pfizer Ltd UK. Tadworth, UK; 8Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, CanadaBackground: First-line therapy for primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension generally involves prostaglandin analogue therapy. The relative efficacy of differing prostaglandin therapy is disputed.Methods: A meta-analysis was conducted of head-to-head randomized trials of prostaglandin therapies. We included randomized trials assessing head-to-head evaluations of prostaglandin analogues travoprost, latanoprost and bimatoprost in patients with predominantly primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Findings were interpreted in light of equivalence margins.Results: Our search identified 16 eligible trials, of which 15 were included in the meta-analysis. Trials were, in general, poorly reported. We pooled 9 trials assessing IOP-lowering effects of travoprost vs latanoprost (total n = 1098, weighted mean difference [WMD], –0.24 mmHg, 95% CI, –0.87 to 0.38, P = 0.45, I2 = 56%, 95% CI, 0 to 0.77, heterogeneity P = 0.01. Eight trials assessed travoprost vs bimatoprost (total n = 714, WMD, 0.88 mmHg, 95% CI, 0.13 to 1.63, P = 0.02, I2 = 56%, 95% CI, 0% to 78%, heterogeneity P = 0.02. And 8 trials assessed latanoprost vs bimatoprost (total n = 943, WMD, 0.73 mmHg, 95% CI, 0.10 to 1

Effects of multiple training modalities in patients with Alzheimer’s disease: a pilot study

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Tai SY

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Shu-Yu Tai,1–4 Chia-Ling Hsu,5 Shu-Wan Huang,5 Tzu-Chiao Ma,6,7 Wen-Chien Hsieh,8,9 Yuan-Han Yang5,7,10,11 1Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, 2Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, 3Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 4Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 5Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, 6Graduate Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, 7Mentality Protection Center, Fo Guang Shan Compassion Foundation, 8Department of Social Work, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, 9Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kaohsiung Medical University, 10Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, 11Department of and Master’s Program in Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan Objective: This pilot study investigated the effects of multiple training modalities on cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms, caregivers’ burden, and quality of life in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD.Patients and methods: This intervention study was conducted in 24 patients with AD aged ≥65 years with a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR score of 0.5–1. The patients were assigned to receive multiple training modalities (1 hour for each training: Tai Chi, calligraphy, and drawing over a 6-week period in either the experimental group (n=14 or the comparison group (n=10. A series of neuropsychological tests – namely the Traditional Chinese version Mini-Mental Status Examination, Cognitive Assessment Screening Instrument (CASI, Neuropsychiatric Inventory and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Caregiver Distress Scale, and the Clinical Dementia

Cisplatin induces protective autophagy through activation of BECN1 in human bladder cancer cells

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Lin JF

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Ji-Fan Lin,1 Yi-Chia Lin,2 Te-Fu Tsai,2,3 Hung-En Chen,2 Kuang-Yu Chou,2,3 Thomas I-Sheng Hwang2–4 1Central Laboratory, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, 2Division of Urology, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, 3Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, 4Department of Urology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan Purpose: Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the first line treatment for several cancers including bladder cancer (BC. Autophagy induction has been implied to contribute to cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer; and a high basal level of autophagy has been demonstrated in human bladder tumors. Therefore, it is reasonable to speculate that autophagy may account for the failure of cisplatin single treatment in BC. This study investigated whether cisplatin induces autophagy and the mechanism involved using human BC cell lines.Materials and methods: Human BC cells (5637 and T24 were used in this study. Cell viability was detected using water soluble tetrazolium-8 reagents. Autophagy induction was detected by monitoring the levels of light chain 3 (LC3-II and p62 by Western blot, LC3-positive puncta formation by immunofluorescence, and direct observation of the autophagolysosome (AL formation by transmission electron microscopy. Inhibitors including bafilomycin A1 (Baf A1, chloroquine (CQ, and shRNA-based lentivirus against autophagy-related genes (ATG7 and ATG12 were utilized. Apoptosis level was detected by caspase 3/7 activity and DNA fragmentation.Results: Cisplatin decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis of 5637 and T24 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The increased LC3-II accumulation, p62 clearance, the number of LC3-positive puncta, and ALs in cisplatin-treated cells suggested that cisplatin indeed induces autophagy. Inhibition of cisplatin-induced autophagy using Baf A1, CQ, or ATG7/ATG12 shRNAs significantly enhanced cytotoxicity of

The 8th International Conference on Highly Frustrated Magnetism (HFM 2016)

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Gardner, J. S.; Kao, Y. J.

2017-04-01

decided at the conference that the next HFM conference will be held in two years, in 2018, on the campus of UC Davis, followed one in Shanghai around December 2019. Finally, on behalf of the HFM 2016 Organizing Committee, I wish to deeply thank all the people who generously helped us in organizing and running the HFM 2016 conference. These include the numerous funding sources, Committee Members, Program and Session chairs, Chia-Chi Liu, Chao-Jung Kuo, Hanz Peng, Laura Bravo and Stella Su and of course all the participants, without you it would have simply been another wet week in Taipei. One might remember HFM2016 for the power outage, but we hope you remember the taste, sounds and views of Taipei as well as stimulation conversations and hopefully the beginnings of productive partnerships.

Mobile Technology in E-Learning for Undergraduate Medical Education on Emergent Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Disorders: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Lee, Li-Ang; Wang, Shu-Ling; Chao, Yi-Ping; Tsai, Ming-Shao; Hsin, Li-Jen; Kang, Chung-Jan; Fu, Chia-Hsiang; Chao, Wei-Chieh; Huang, Chung-Guei; Li, Hsueh-Yu; Chuang, Cheng-Keng

2018-03-08

(difference 1.7, 95% CI 0.1-2.7; P=.03), and hedonic stimulation (difference 1.9, 95% CI 0.3-3.1; P=.01) compared with the PPS group. Qualitative feedback indicated that the various games in the IM module attracted the participants' attention but that the nonlinearly arranged materials affected their learning. Using M-TEL for undergraduate medical education on emergent ORL-HNS disorders, an IM module seems to be useful for gaining knowledge, but competency may need to occur elsewhere. While the small sample size reduces the statistical power of our results, its design seems to be appropriate to determine the effects of M-TEL using a larger group. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02971735; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02971735 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6waoOpCEV). ©Li-Ang Lee, Shu-Ling Wang, Yi-Ping Chao, Ming-Shao Tsai, Li-Jen Hsin, Chung-Jan Kang, Chia-Hsiang Fu, Wei-Chieh Chao, Chung-Guei Huang, Hsueh-Yu Li, Cheng-Keng Chuang. Originally published in JMIR Medical Education (http://mededu.jmir.org), 08.03.2018.

pH-Responsive therapeutic solid lipid nanoparticles for reducing P-glycoprotein-mediated drug efflux of multidrug resistant cancer cells

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Chen HH

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Hsin-Hung Chen,1 Wen-Chia Huang,2 Wen-Hsuan Chiang,2 Te-I Liu,2 Ming-Yin Shen,2,3 Yuan-Hung Hsu,4 Sung-Chyr Lin,1 Hsin-Cheng Chiu2 1Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 2Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, 3Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital-Hsinchu Branch, 4Pharmaceutical Optimization Technology Division, Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratory, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan Abstract: In this study, a novel pH-responsive cholesterol-PEG adduct-coated solid lipid nanoparticles (C-PEG-SLNs carrying doxorubicin (DOX capable of overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR breast cancer cells is presented. The DOX-loaded SLNs have a mean hydrodynamic diameter of ~100 nm and a low polydispersity index (under 0.20 with a high drug-loading efficiency ranging from 80.8% to 90.6%. The in vitro drug release profiles show that the DOX-loaded SLNs exhibit a pH-controlled drug release behavior with the maximum and minimum unloading percentages of 63.4% at pH 4.7 and 25.2% at pH 7.4, respectively. The DOX-loaded C-PEG-SLNs displayed a superior ability in inhibiting the proliferation of MCF-7/MDR cells. At a DOX concentration of 80 µM, the cell viabilities treated with C-PEG-SLNs were approximately one-third of the group treated with free DOX. The inhibition activity of C-PEG-SLNs could be attributed to the transport of C-PEG to cell membrane, leading to the change of the composition of the cell membrane and thus the inhibition of permeability glycoprotein activity. This hypothesis is supported by the confocal images showing the accumulation of DOX in the nuclei of cancer cells and the localization of C-PEG on the cell membranes. The results of in vivo study further demonstrated that the DOX delivered by the SLNs accumulates predominantly in tumor via enhanced permeability and retention effect, the

Design of acid-responsive polymeric nanoparticles for 7,3',4'-trihydroxyisoflavone topical administration

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Huang PH

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Pao-Hsien Huang,1,* Stephen Chu-Sung Hu,2,3,* Chiang-Wen Lee,4,5 An-Chi Yeh,6 Chih-Hua Tseng,7 Feng-Lin Yen1,8,9 1Department of Fragrance and Cosmetic Science, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 2Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 3Department of Dermatology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, 4Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Kweishan, Taoyuan, 5Department of Nursing, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chia-Yi, 6Department of Cosmetics and Fashion Styling, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung, 7School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 8Lipid Science and Aging Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 9Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: 7,3',4'-Trihydroxyisoflavone (734THIF is a secondary metabolite of daidzein and has been recently found to possess antioxidant, melanin inhibition, and skin cancer chemopreventive activities. However, the poor water solubility of 734THIF impedes its absorption and skin penetration and, therefore, limits its pharmacological effects when applied topically to the skin. We seek to use the nanoprecipitation method to prepare optimal eudragit E100 (EE–polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-loaded 734THIF nanoparticles (734N to improve its physicochemical properties and thereby increase its water solubility, skin penetration, and biological activities. EE–PVA-loaded 734THIF nanoparticles (734N were prepared, and their morphology and particle size were evaluated using a particle size analyzer and by electron microscopy. The drug loading and encapsulation efficiencies and in vitro solubility were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Hydrogen

Lingon sa Iskolarsyip sa Dulaan (1948-2007 Looking Back on Theater Scholarship (1948-2007

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Apolonio B. Chua

2012-12-01

mga pag-aaral sa mga panahong naturan. Nagsimula sa mga tutok sa iskrip/dula text noong dekada singkwenta at sisenta sa mga tesis at disertasyon, natampok sa pag-aaral ang pagsusulat ng dula/drama ang pampanitikang salik, awtor, at mga kaakibat. Hanggang bumagtas ang mga pag-aaral sa interes din ng mananaliksik sa usapin ng pagsasaentablado ng mga dula, sa usapin ng teatro/dulaan. Mula iskrip ng unang kaabalahan, natampok ang mga datos ng mise en scéne, ng tekstong aktuwal na pinapanood ng mga nakakasaksi sa mga pagtatanghal, ng mga kapamaraanang pang-entablado at kaugnay na usapin. Nang dumating ang dekada otsenta, lumundo ang pagtanaw ng mananaliksik sa pagtingin sa dulaan bilang produktong panlipunan. Ang participant observation, field work at ethnography ng pangalawang tutok ay nadagdagan ng higit na panlipunang hangganan, ng mga diing kontekstuwal at sosyolohikal. Sabihin pa, sumaklaw ang disiplina ng agham panlipunan sa pangatlong naobserbahang tutok sa mga pag-aaral, kumpara sa disiplina ng panitikan at disiplina ng teatro sa nangauna. Sa mga huling dekada ng dantaon dalawampu, umangat pa ang pag-aaral sa tutok kultural, kung saan higit na sinalungguhitan ng mga pananaliksik ang mga partikular na dalumat na umiinog sa mga ritwal at pagtatanghal, higit na tinutukan ng mga pag-aaral ang salik ng panata at mga kahalintulad; bagay na nag-angat sa mga pag-aaral na ito sa higit na malawakang interes—hindi na lang sa sining at pamayanan, kundi sa kulturang umiiral dito, manapa, kinilala ang pag-aaral ng dulaan na larang ng pag-aaral ng kultura.

PREFACE: The 3rd ISESCO International Workshop and Conference On Nanotechnology 2012 (IWCN2012)

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Umar, Akrajas Ali; Yahaya, Muhammad; Mat Salleh, Muhamad

2013-04-01

unwavering support dedicated by all the referees. Their tireless work has helped guarantee the high scientific level of this series. Many thanks are also addressed to the ISESCO, COMSATS, MASS, UKM and FST for their financial support. Logistics support provided by IMEN and MNA is also much appreciated. We realized that this volume would never have materialized without the hard work of Ms Siti Khatijah Md Saad who helped the editorial secretariat in many ways communicating with the authors and reviewers and checking and typesetting the papers in the final stage. Finally, great appreciation is addressed to all who have worked hard and given support ensuring that the conference was a success. Editors Associate Professor Dr Akrajas Ali Umar Professor Dr Muhamad Mat Salleh Professor Dato' Dr Muhammad Yahaya IWCN 2012 Organizing Committee International Advisory Board Professor Dato' Dr Muhammad Yahaya (UKM, Malaysia) Dr Faiq Bilal (ISESCO, Morocco) Professor Dr Michael Graetzel (Switzerland) Professor Dr Muhamad Rasat (Malaysia) Prof Dr Masbah R T Siregar (Indonesia) Associate Professor Dr Munetaka Oyama (Japan) Professor Dr Ismat Shah (USA) Professor Dr Muhamad Mat Salleh (Malaysia) Chairman Associate Professor Dr Mohammad Kassim Co-Chairman Dr Mohammad Hafizuddin Haji Jumali Secretary Dr Lorna Jeffry Minggu Treasurer Dr Sharina Abu Hanifah Committee Members Associate Professor Dr Mohd Azmi Abd Hamid Associate Professor Dr Akrajas Ali Umar Dr Zahari Ibarahim Dr Rozidawati Awang Dr Farah Hannan Anuar Secretariat Dr Khuzaimah Mohd Firdauz Ismail Izura Izzuddin Nor Huwaida Janil Jamil Siti Khatijah Md Saad Noor Razinah Rahmat Mark Lee Wun Fui Ng Kim Hang Lee Thian Khoon Law Kung Pui Choong Yan Yi

Importance-Performance Analysis of Personal Health Records in Taiwan: A Web-Based Survey.

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Rau, Hsiao-Hsien; Wu, Yi-Syuan; Chu, Chi-Ming; Wang, Fu-Chung; Hsu, Min-Huei; Chang, Chi-Wen; Chen, Kang-Hua; Lee, Yen-Liang; Kao, Senyeong; Chiu, Yu-Lung; Wen, Hsyien-Chia; Fuad, Anis; Hsu, Chien-Yeh; Chiu, Hung-Wen

2017-04-27

participants, 56.6%), with a monthly income of less than NT $30,000 (230 of 350 participants, 65.7%), and living in the North Taiwan (236 of 350 participants, 67.4%), with a good self-identified health status (171 of 350 participants, 48.9%). After performing the importance-performance analysis, we found the following: (1) instead of complex functions, people just want to have a platform that can let them integrate and manage their medical visit, health examination, and life behavior records; (2) they do not care whether their PHR is shared with others; and (3) most of the participants think the system security design is not important, but they also do not feel satisfied with the current security design. Overall, the issues receiving the most user attention were the system functions, circulation, integrity, ease of use, and continuity of the PHRs, data security, and privacy protection. ©Hsiao-Hsien Rau, Yi-Syuan Wu, Chi-Ming Chu, Fu-Chung Wang, Min-Huei Hsu, Chi-Wen Chang, Kang-Hua Chen, Yen-Liang Lee, Senyeong Kao, Yu-Lung Chiu, Hsyien-Chia Wen, Anis Fuad, Chien-Yeh Hsu, Hung-Wen Chiu. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 27.04.2017.

研究／電子資源使用統計標準與規範之探討／陳雪華；許嘉珍；朱雅琦 | Study of the Electronic Resources Usage Statistics Standards and Guidelines/ Hsueh-Hua Chen;Chia-Chen Hsu;Ya-Chi Chu

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陳雪華、許嘉珍、朱雅琦

2007-04-01

Full Text Available

近年來，由於資訊科技的進步，圖書館中的電子資源數量快速增加，所佔預算金額比例也大幅增長。圖書館希望能夠透過評鑑電子資源的使用，以便能夠在電 子資源館藏發展等方面做出正確的決策。由於體認到電子資源使用統計之重要性，圖書館界與相關組織紛紛發展或修訂圖書館統計標準，增列電子資源使用統計的項 目以充分反映圖書館電子資源使用之狀況。本文主要採用文獻分析法以及內容分析法，收集探討並比較近軍來國內外電子資源使用統計之相關規範及標準，包含 ISO 2789、 ICOLC Guidelines、州ANSI/NISO Z39.7、CNS13151、ARL E-Metrlcs、E-Measures Project、以及Project COUNTER等。

Recently, due to the advances of information technology, electronic resources are gradually replacing print resources as the largest consumer of library acquisition budgets. Logically, libraries want to evaluate the usage of electronic resources and incorporate the results into their decision making regarding electronic resource acquisition. Over these years, there is a general awareness among libraries to develop statistics standards and guidelines for library electronic resources usage. In this paper, literature review and content analysis methods are used to compare several library statistics standards, including: ISO 2789 、ICOLC Guidelines、ANSI/NISO Z39.7、CNS13151、ARL E-Metrics、E-Measures Project、and Project COUNTER etc.

頁次：89-102

Primary care physician perceptions on the diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in diverse regions of the world

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Aisanov Z

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Zaurbek Aisanov1,*, Chunxue Bai2,*, Otto Bauerle3,*, Federico D Colodenco4,*, Charles Feldman5,6,*, Shu Hashimoto7,*, Jose Jardim8,*, Christopher KW Lai9,*, Rafael Laniado-Laborin10,*, Gilbert Nadeau11,*, Abdullah Sayiner12,*, Jae Jeong Shim13,*, Ying Huang Tsai14,*, Richard D Walters11,*, Grant Waterer15,* 1Pulmonology Research Institute, Moscow, Russia; 2Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; 3Centro Médico de las Américas, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico; 4Hospital de Rehabilitación Respiratoria "María Ferrer," Buenos Aires, Argentina; 5Department of Internal Medicine, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa; 6Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 7Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; 8Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; 9Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China; 10Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico; 11Medical Affairs, GlaxoSmithKline, Brentford, UK; 12Department of Chest Diseases, Ege University Medical School, Izmir, Turkey; 13Department of Pulmonology, Guro Hospital, Korea University Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea; 14Department of Respiratory Care Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan; 15School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia*ICON group (International COPD Network, listed in alphabetical orderAbstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD is a multicomponent disorder that leads to substantial disability, impaired quality of life, and increased mortality. Although the majority of COPD patients are first diagnosed and treated in primary care practices, there is comparatively little

Manipulation of nano-entities in suspension by electric fields

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Fan, Donglei

, and Prof. Chia-Ling Chien in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and the director of Materials Research Science and Engineering Center of the Johns Hopkins University.