As a trust machine, blockchain was recently introduced to the public to provide an immutable, consensus based and transparent system in the Fintech field. However, there are ongoing efforts to apply ...blockchain to other fields where trust and value are essential. In this paper, we suggest Gcoin blockchain as the base of the data flow of drugs to create transparent drug transaction data. Additionally, the regulation model of the drug supply chain could be altered from the inspection and examination only model to the surveillance net model, and every unit that is involved in the drug supply chain would be able to participate simultaneously to prevent counterfeit drugs and to protect public health, including patients.
Aging and frailty are associated with a high risk of lean mass (LM) loss, which leads to physical disability and can be effectively alleviated by protein supplementation (PS) and muscle strengthening ...exercise (MSE). In this study, the associations between LM gain and PS + MSE efficacy (measured using physical outcomes) in elderly patients with a high risk of sarcopenia or frailty were identified. A comprehensive search of online databases was performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting the efficacy of PS + MSE in elderly patients with sarcopenia or frailty. The included RCTs were analyzed using meta-analysis and risk of bias assessment. We finally included 19 RCTs in this meta-analysis with a median (range/total) Physiotherapy Evidence Database score of 7/10 (5-9/10). The PS + MSE group exhibited significant improvements in the whole-body LM (standard mean difference (SMD) = 0.66;
< 0.00001), appendicular LM (SMD = 0.35;
< 0.00001), leg strength (SMD = 0.65;
< 0.00001), and walking capability (SMD = 0.33;
= 0.0006). Meta-regression analyses showed that changes in appendicular LM were significantly associated with the effect sizes of leg strength (β = 0.08;
= 0.003) and walking capability (β = 0.17;
= 0.04), respectively. Our findings suggest that LM gain after PS + MSE significantly contributes to the efficacy of the intervention in terms of muscle strength and physical mobility in elderly patients with a high risk of sarcopenia or frailty.
Blockchain technology, while still challenged with key limitations, is a transformative Information and Communications Technology (ICT) that has changed our notion of trust. Improved efficiencies for ...agricultural sustainable development has been demonstrated when ICT-enabled farms have access to knowledge banks and other digital resources. UN FAO-recommended ICT e-agricultural infrastructure components are a confluence of ICT and blockchain technology requirements. When ICT e-agricultural systems with blockchain infrastructure are immutable and distributed ledger systems for record management, baseline agricultural environmental data integrity is safeguarded for those who participate in transparent data management. This paper reviewed blockchain-based concepts associated with ICT-based technology. Moreover, a model ICT e-agriculture system with a blockchain infrastructure is proposed for use at the local and regional scale. To determine context specific technical and social requirements of blockchain technology for ICT e-agriculture systems, an evaluation tool is presented. The proposed system and tool can be evaluated and applied to further developments of e-agriculture systems.
Objective
To investigate the effect of muscle strength exercise training (MSET) on lean mass (LM) gain and muscle hypertrophy in older patients with lower extremity osteoarthritis (OA).
Methods
A ...comprehensive search of online databases was performed on April 20, 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported the effects of MSET on LM, muscle thickness, and cross‐sectional area (CSA) in older patients with OA were identified. A risk of bias assessment and meta‐analysis were performed for the included RCTs.
Results
We included 19 RCTs with a median Physiotherapy Evidence Database score of 6 of 10 (range 3–7). In total, data from 1,195 patients (65% women, 85% with knee OA) with a mean age of 62.1 years (range 40–86 years) were analyzed. MSET resulted in significantly higher LM gain (standardized mean difference SMD 0.49 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.28, 0.71, P < 0.00001) than did the nonexercise controls. Meta‐analysis results revealed significantly positive effects of MSET on muscle thickness (SMD 0.82 95% CI 0.20, 1.43, P = 0.009) and CSA (SMD 0.80 95% CI 0.25, 1.35, P = 0.004) compared with nonexercise controls. No significant effects in favor of MSET were observed for any muscle outcome compared with exercise controls. Five RCTs reported nonsevere adverse events in response to MSET, whereas no RCTs reported severe events.
Conclusion
MSET is effective in increasing LM and muscle size in older adults with OA. Clinicians should incorporate MSET into their management of patients at risk of low muscle mass to maximize health status, particularly for older individuals with OA.
Algal reefs, concreted by crustose coralline algae (CCA), are the main biotic reefs in temperate waters but rare in the subtropics and tropics. The world's largest known intertidal algal reef in the ...subtropics is the Taoyuan Algal Reef (TAR) located in the northwestern coast of Taiwan. The biodiversity and ecology of the TAR are scarcely explored, and now the reef is imperiled by industrialization. Here, we document cryptic species of CCA in Taiwan, particularly the TAR, by sequencing the psbA genes of over 1800 specimens collected across Taiwan. We also examine the ecological background of the TAR by surveying its benthic composition and measuring its environmental parameters. Our data reveal that the TAR harbours a high diversity of cryptic CCA species (27 molecular operational taxonomic units, or mOTUs), many of which are potentially new to science (18 mOTUs) and/or endemic to the TAR (9 mOTUs). Comparing the CCA species inventory of the TAR with the rest of Taiwan shows that the TAR represents a unique hotspot of CCA taxa in the waters of Taiwan. Our analyses show that variation in the CCA assemblages in the TAR is associated with geographic distance, sedimentation, and substrate type (for example, reef vs. hermit crab shell), suggesting that dispersal limitation and contemporary environmental selection shape the CCA assemblages in the TAR. The data from this study can inform the monitoring of human impacts on the health of the TAR and contribute to our understanding of the ecological processes underlying algal reef development.
Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are increasingly used in sunscreens, food additives, pigments, rubber manufacture, and electronic materials. Several studies have shown that ZnO-NPs inhibit cell ...growth and induce apoptosis by the production of oxidative stress in a variety of human cancer cells. However, the anti-cancer property and molecular mechanism of ZnO-NPs in human gingival squamous cell carcinoma (GSCC) are not fully understood. In this study, we found that ZnO-NPs induced growth inhibition of GSCC (Ca9-22 and OECM-1 cells), but no damage in human normal keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) and gingival fibroblasts (HGF-1 cells). ZnO-NPs caused apoptotic cell death of GSCC in a concentration-dependent manner by the quantitative assessment of oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. Flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle progression revealed that sub-G1 phase accumulation was dramatically induced by ZnO-NPs. In addition, ZnO-NPs increased the intracellular reactive oxygen species and specifically superoxide levels, and also decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential. ZnO-NPs further activated apoptotic cell death via the caspase cascades. Importantly, anti-oxidant and caspase inhibitor clearly prevented ZnO-NP-induced cell death, indicating the fact that superoxide-induced mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with the ZnO-NP-mediated caspase-dependent apoptosis in human GSCC. Moreover, ZnO-NPs significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K kinase). In a corollary in vivo study, our results demonstrated that ZnO-NPs possessed an anti-cancer effect in a zebrafish xenograft model. Collectively, these results suggest that ZnO-NPs induce apoptosis through the mitochondrial oxidative damage and p70S6K signaling pathway in human GSCC. The present study may provide an experimental basis for ZnO-NPs to be considered as a promising novel anti‑tumor agent for the treatment of gingival cancer.
Real-time identification of irrigation water pollution sources and pathways (PSP) is crucial to ensure both environmental and food safety. This study uses an integrated framework based on the ...Internet of Things (IoT) and the blockchain technology that incorporates a directed acyclic graph (DAG)-configured wireless sensor network (WSN), and GIS tools for real-time water pollution source tracing. Water quality sensors were installed at monitoring stations in irrigation channel systems within the study area. Irrigation water quality data were delivered to databases via the WSN and IoT technologies. Blockchain and GIS tools were used to trace pollution at mapped irrigation units and to spatially identify upstream polluted units at irrigation intakes. A Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP) model was then used to simulate water quality by using backward propagation and identify potential pollution sources. We applied a “backward pollution source tracing” (BPST) process to successfully and rapidly identify electrical conductivity (EC) and copper (Cu2+) polluted sources and pathways in upstream irrigation water. With the BPST process, the WASP model effectively simulated EC and Cu2+ concentration data to identify likely EC and Cu2+ pollution sources. The study framework is the first application of blockchain technology for effective real-time water quality monitoring and rapid multiple PSPs identification. The pollution event data associated with the PSP are immutable.
Growing evidence suggests the link between gut microbiota and mood regulation. The current study aimed to identify microbiota targets for major depressive disorder (MDD) and mood-related traits in ...Taiwanese samples, while taking into account the influence of dietary patterns. We recruited 36 MDD patients and 37 healthy controls for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We assessed nutrient content using food frequency questionnaire, and mood related phenotypes, including depressive severity, anxiety, and perceived stress. Analysis of composition of microbiomes (ANCOM) models were performed to evaluate microbiota compositions between patients and controls, while adjusted for fat intake% and sequencing platforms. We found 23 taxa (4 phyla, 7 families and 12 genera) to be associated with depression and beta diversity was differed between groups. Phylum Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were overrepresented in MDD patients. At genus level, Bifidobacterium (7%) and Blautia (8%) had relatively high abundance among MDD patients, while Prevotella (16%) had high abundance in controls. Holdemania exhibited moderate correlation with anxiety (r = 0.65) and perceived stress level (r = 0.49) mainly in MDD patients but not controls. Pathway analyses revealed that pentose phosphate and starch and sucrose metabolism processes were important pathways for depression via microbiota functions. In conclusion, our results revealed microbiota targets for depression that are independent of fat intake. It is worthwhile to conduct further studies to replicate the current findings and to integrate with biochemistry and metabolomics data to better understand the functions of identified targets.
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