Negative air ions (NAIs) being bioactive and negative charged molecules may confer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. We assessed the effect of NAIs on two inflammatory diseases in animal ...models including lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced acute lung injury (ALI) and wound healing in diabetic rats. We used intra-tracheal infusion of LPS to induce ALI and made a full-thickness cutaneous wound in streptozotocin-induced diabetic female Wistar rats. We evaluated NAIs effects on reactive oxygen species amount, leukocyte infiltration, wound healing rate, western blot, and immunohistochemistry in the lungs of ALI and skin sections of wounds. Our data found NAIs exposed saline displayed higher antioxidant activity vs. non-exposed saline. NAIs exposure did not significantly affect arterial blood pressure and respiratory frequency in control and LPS treated groups. LPS increased leukocyte infiltration, caspase 3/Poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase-mediated apoptosis formation and decreased Beclin-1/LC3-II-mediated autophagy in lungs. NAIs exposure conferred pulmonary protection by depressed leukocyte infiltration and caspase 3/Poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase mediated apoptosis and enhanced LC3-II-mediated autophagy in LPS induced ALI. NAIs treatment resulted in a significantly accelerated wound closure rate, decreased erythrocyte accumulation and leukocyte infiltration mediated oxidative stress and inflammation, and upregulated expression of skin collagen, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and factor transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) vs non-treated group. Based on these results, it is suggested that NAIs conferred a protection through the upregulating LC3-II-dependent autophagy mechanism and downregulating leukocyte infiltration mediated inflammation and caspase 3/Poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase signaling in the LPS-treated ALI and promoted diabetic wound healing through the enhancing skin collagen synthesis, VEGFR-2 and TGF-β1 pathways.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Severe weather nowcasting is a crucial mission of atmospheric science for the betterment of society to save life, limb, and property. In this study, composite radar data from the Central ...Weather Bureau of 16 typhoons are collected to examine the statistical performance of the McGill Algorithm for Precipitation nowcasting using Lagrangian Extrapolation (MAPLE) over Taiwan, an extrapolation algorithm that predicts future precipitation based on current radar echoes. In addition, instead of mixing the precipitation between radar extrapolation and numerical model forecast as in previous studies, a blending system is formed by synthesizing the wind information from model forecast with the echo extrapolation motion field via a variational algorithm to improve the nowcasting system. The statistical results of the radar echo extrapolation for 16 typhoon cases show that while the quantitative precipitation nowcasting skill can persist for up to 2 h, significant distortion for the rotational system is found after 2 h. On the other hand, the blending system helps to capture and maintain the rotation of typhoon rainband structures. The blending system extends the nowcasting skill by 1 h to a total of 3 h. Furthermore, the blending scheme performs especially well after the typhoon makes landfall in Taiwan. For disaster prevention and mitigation, this blending nowcasting technique may provide effective weather information immediately.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Certain bacteria demonstrate the ability to target and colonize the tumor microenvironment, a characteristic that positions them as innovative carriers for delivering various therapeutic agents in ...cancer therapy. Nevertheless, our understanding of how bacteria adapt their physiological condition to the tumor microenvironment remains elusive. In this work, we employed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to examine the proteome of
colonized in murine tumors. Compared to
cultivated in the rich medium, we found that
colonized in tumors notably upregulated the processes related to ferric ions, including the enterobactin biosynthesis and iron homeostasis. This finding indicated that the tumor is an iron-deficient environment to
. We also found that the colonization of
in the tumor led to an increased expression of lipocalin 2 (LCN2), a host protein that can sequester the enterobactin. We therefore engineered
in order to evade the nutritional immunity provided by LCN2. By introducing the IroA cluster, the
synthesizes the glycosylated enterobactin, which creates steric hindrance to avoid the LCN2 sequestration. The IroA-
showed enhanced resistance to LCN2 and significantly improved the anti-tumor activity in mice. Moreover, the mice cured by the IroA-
treatment became resistant to the tumor re-challenge, indicating the establishment of immunological memory. Overall, our study underscores the crucial role of bacteria's ability to acquire ferric ions within the tumor microenvironment for effective cancer therapy.
Aim: This study aimed to determine whether sleep disturbance, defined as the wakeup frequency at night, is associated with atherogenic dyslipidemia and to explore possible sex differences.Methods: A ...total of 1,368 adults aged 19–70 years were included in the study of lifestyles and atherogenic dyslipidemia at the National Taiwan University Hospital in the period of 2008–2012. They completed a questionnaire regarding lifestyle information and sleep quality, including sleep hour duration, use of sleeping pills, and wakeup frequency during nighttime sleep. The measured lipid profiles included total cholesterol, triglycerides, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C, respectively), non-HDL-C, and small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine habitual interrupted sleep and the odds ratio of atherogenic dyslipidemia following adjustment for conventional risk factors and for sex-based subgroup analysis.Results: A wakeup frequency ≥ 3 times per night was independently associated with an increased risk odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of dyslipidemia was 1.96 (1.17–3.28), and non-HDL-C ≥ 160 mg/dL was 1.78 (1.09–2.89). A higher wakeup frequency was associated with increased atherogenic dyslipidemia in women than in men. The multivariate adjusted relative risks for non-HDL ≥ 160 mg/dL and cholesterol ≥ 200 mg/dL were 3.05 (1.27–7.34) and 4.01(1.29-12.45) for female individuals with insomnia and those with a wakeup frequency ≥ 2 times per night, respectively.Conclusion: A higher wakeup frequency was associated with atherogenic dyslipidemia in Taiwanese adults, particularly in women. This study also provided another evidence of increasing cardiovascular diseases in subjects with habitual interrupted sleep.
Recently, aluminum ion batteries (AIBs) have attracted great attention across the globe by virtue of their massive gravimetric and volumetric capacities in addition to their high abundance. Though ...carbon derivatives are excellent cathodes for AIBs, there is much room for further development. In this study, flexuous graphite (FG) was synthesized by a simple thermal shock treatment, and for the first time, an Al/FG battery was applied as a cathode for AIBs to reveal the real-time intercalation of AlCl4 – into FG with high flexibility by using in-situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements exclusively. Similarly, in-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and in-situ Raman techniques have been used to understand the anomalous electrochemical behavior of FG. It was found that FG adopts a unique integrated intercalation–adsorption mechanism where it follows an intercalation mechanism potential above 1.5 V and an adsorption mechanism potential below 1.5 V. This unique integrated intercalation–adsorption mechanism allows FG to exhibit superior properties, like high capacity (≥140 mAh/g), remarkable long-term stability (over 8000 cycles), excellent rate retention (93 mAh/g at 7.5 A/g), and extremely rapid charging and slow discharging.
•Using 894 college students in Taiwan, we found out that only 1% of the sample was classified as addicts, but 17.8% was on the alert stage.•Approximate 80% of the sample used Facebook everyday, and ...10% of them spent more than 8h a day.•Interpersonal relationships and online social support was found positively related to Facebook addiction.•Some personality traits: agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism were negatively associated with Facebook addiction.•Online interpersonal relationship and neuroticism were found to be the prominent predictors of Facebook addiction.
Because of the prevalence of mobile devices, the overuse of social networking sites has become a global phenomenon. One of the most popular social networking sites, Facebook, has received a considerable attention in recent years, and the excessive use of Facebook has become a major concern in schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons for Facebook addiction. By surveying 894 college students in Taiwan, we found that although only 1% was classified as addicts, 17.8% were in the alert group. Approximately 80% of the students used Facebook every day, and 10% spent more than 8h a day on Facebook. Interpersonal relationships and online social support were found to be positively associated with Facebook addiction; however, some personality traits, such as agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism, were negatively associated with Facebook addiction. Online interpersonal relationships and neuroticism were found to be prominent predictors of Facebook addiction. Practical implications are provided herein.
Background
In 2011, two national policies aiming to foster hospice services for terminal cancer patients took effect in Taiwan. The single‐payer National Health Insurance of Taiwan started to ...reimburse full hospice services. The national hospital accreditation program, which graded all hospitals, incorporated hospice utilization in its evaluation. We assessed the impact of these national policies.
Methods
A cohort of 249,394 patients aged ≥18 years who died of cancer between 2008 and 2013 were identified from the National Death Registry. We retrieved utilization data of medical services and compared the health care utilization in the final month of life before and after the implementation of the new policies.
Results
After the policy changes, hospice utilization increased from 20.8% to 36.2%. In a multivariate analysis adjusting for patient demographics, cancer features, and hospital characteristics, hospice utilization significantly increased after 2011 (adjusted odds ratio AOR 2.35, p < .001), accompanied by a decrease in intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR; AORs 0.87, 0.75, and 0.80, respectively; all p < .001). The patients who received hospice services were significantly less likely to receive ICU admissions, IMV, and CPR (AORs 0.20, 0.12, and 0.10, respectively; all p < .001). Hospice utilization was associated with an adjusted net savings of U.S. $696.90 (25.2%, p < .001) per patient in the final month of life.
Conclusion
The national policy changes fostering hospice care significantly increased hospice utilization, decreased invasive end‐of‐life care, and reduced the medical costs of terminal cancer patients.
Implications for Practice
National policies fostering hospice care significantly increased hospice utilization, decreased invasive end‐of‐life care, and reduced the medical costs of terminal cancer patients.
摘要
背景. 台湾当局于2011年出台了两项政策, 旨在面向癌症晚期患者推行临终关怀服务。采用单一支付制度的台湾全民健康保险已开始全额报销临终关怀服务的相关费用。台湾医院认证项目旨在评定所有医院的等级, 其评价项目中也纳入了临终关怀的利用情况。我们评估了上述政策带来的影响。
方法. 我们查阅了台湾死亡登记处的资料, 从中发现249 394例在2008‐2013年期间死于癌症的≥18岁患者。我们还检索了医疗服务利用数据, 并比较了新政策实施前后患者在生命最后一个月内的医疗资源利用情况。
结果. 政策变更后, 临终关怀利用率从20.8%增至36.2%。在一项多变量分析中, 调整患者人口统计学、癌症特征和医院特征后, 结果显示2011年后临终关怀利用率显著增加调整比值比（AOR）2.35, p <0.001, 与此同时, 进入重症监护室（ICU）、行有创机械通气（IMV）和行心肺复苏（CPR）的患者有所减少（AOR分别为0.87、0.75和0.80；所有 p <0.001）。接受临终关怀服务的患者进入ICU、行IMV和行CPR的可能性显著降低（AOR分别为0.20、0.12和0.10；所有p<0.001）。临终关怀利用使每例患者在生命最后一个月内的调整后费用净减少696.90美元（25.2%, p <0.001）。
结论. 台湾当局关于推行临终关怀的政策变更显著增加了癌症晚期患者的临终关怀利用率, 减少了侵入性临终诊治, 并降低了医疗费用。
The National Health Insurance (NHI) of Taiwan is a single‐payer, mandatory health insurance system. In 2011, two national policies fostering hospice services for terminal cancer patients took effect. This study explores the impact of these policy changes.
Abstract The development of immune cell engagers (ICEs) can be limited by logistical and functional restrictions associated with fusion protein designs, thus limiting immune cell recruitment to solid ...tumors. Herein, a high affinity superantigen‐based multivalent ICE is developed for simultaneous activation and recruitment of NK and T cells for tumor treatment. Yeast library‐based directed evolution is adopted to identify superantigen variants possessing enhanced binding affinity to immunoreceptors expressed on human T cells and NK cells. High‐affinity superantigens exhibiting improved immune‐stimulatory activities are then incorporated into a superantigen‐based tri‐functional yeast‐display‐enhanced multivalent immune cell engager (STYMIE), which is functionalized with a nanobody, a Neo‐2/15 cytokine, and an Fc domain for tumor targeting, immune stimulation, and prolonged circulation, respectively. Intravenous administration of STYMIE enhances NK and T cell recruitment into solid tumors, leading to enhanced inhibition in multiple tumor models. The study offers design principles for multifunctional ICEs.
Intercrossed ZnS nanostructures doped with Ga (ZnS:Ga nanowalls) have been synthesized in high yield from mixed powders in a vacuum furnace. ZnS:Ga nanowalls were grown vertically on the substrate ...with the size in the range of several micrometers and the thickness down to ∼15 nm and have very rough edges. Due to the high surface area and distinctive morphology of ZnS:Ga nanowalls, the photocatalytic activity and the photoresponse show superior properties compared to ZnS:Ga films. The increased conductivity of metal−semiconductor−metal (Ag−ZnS:Ga nanowalls−Ag) Schottky photodetectors under light illumination is attributed to the photogenerated electron−hole pairs, the desorption of oxygen molecules on the ZnS:Ga surface, and the lowering of the Schottky barrier height. The results indicate that ZnS:Ga nanowalls are promising candidate materials for photocatalysts and applicable as photodetectors, optical switches, and sensors in the visible light region.
This study investigated the practical feasibility of synergistically and optimally applying ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (UAOD) practices for the pineapple slice picking process (in sugar ...osmotic solution), with potential implications for improving current practices. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of different treatment conditions of single (40 and 80 kHz)/multiple (40/80 kHz) frequencies, output powers (300, 450, and 600 W), and treatment time (5–40 min) at 30, 45, and 60 °Brix applied, respectively, on the pineapple slices picking process. The sound pressure of the UA was also measured to confirm that it provided the corresponding effect stably under different conditions. The ideal UAOD operating condition for pineapple slices is a 45 °Brix sugar osmotic solution, with frequency multiplexing at 40/80 kHz and an output power of 450 W for 25 min, which yields the optimal solids gain (SG) rate of 7.58%. The above results of this study indicated that UAOD could improve the accelerated quality transfer of pineapple slices and enhance the final product quality, thereby increasing the efficiency of the dehydration process and saving processing costs and time.
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