Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) has been investigated to retrieve optical phase information of an object and applied to biological microscopy and related medical studies. In recent examples, ...differential phase contrast (DPC) microscopy can recover phase image of thin sample under multi‐axis intensity measurements in wide‐field scheme. Unlike conventional DPC, based on theoretical approach under partially coherent condition, we propose a new method to achieve isotropic differential phase contrast (iDPC) with high accuracy and stability for phase recovery in simple and high‐speed fashion. The iDPC is simply implemented with a partially coherent microscopy and a programmable thin‐film transistor (TFT) shield to digitally modulate structured illumination patterns for QPI. In this article, simulation results show consistency of our theoretical approach for iDPC under partial coherence. In addition, we further demonstrate experiments of quantitative phase images of a standard micro‐lens array, as well as label‐free live human cell samples.
The left‐hand side panel shows individual phase contrast images in isotropic differential phase contrast (iDPC) dataset with corresponding gradient amplitude mask on top‐right side. White arrows denote phase gradient direction of each phase contrast image. The figure in right‐hand side is quantitative phase image of alive human adipose‐derived stem cells reconstructed using iDPC dataset.
This study proposed and tested a model adapted from Biggs' 3P model that quantifies the behaviors of students who completed MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in order to design intervention ...measures for low retention rates. Psychomotor domain data from 300 MOOC learners was analyzed in a covariance-based structural equation model (CB-SEM) to analyze the direct and indirect effects of various factors. Results show the basic psychological needs theory (BPNT) in the presage stage significantly positively correlated with engagement in the process stage. Meanwhile, the process stage exhibited a significantly positive correlation with the product stage, representing persistence intention (PI). Furthermore, a full mediation effect was observed among the presage, process, and product stages. The mediating effect demonstrates that higher student engagement leads to more positive exertion on BNPT and PI to complete the course. Moreover, results show bolstering students' behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement strengthens their PIs.
Elizabethkingia anophelis has recently emerged as a cause of life-threatening infections in humans. We aimed to investigate the clinical and molecular characteristics of E. anophelis.
A clinical ...microbiology laboratory database was searched to identify patients with Elizabethkingia infections between 2005 and 2016. Isolates were re-identified and their species were confirmed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Patients with E. anophelis infections were included in this study. Clinical information, antimicrobial susceptibility and mutations in DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV were analysed.
A total of 67 patients were identified to have E. anophelis infections, including 47 men and 20 women, with a median age of 61 years. Comorbidity was identified in 85.1% of the patients. Among the 67 E. anophelis isolates, 40 (59.7%) were isolated from blood. The case fatality rate was 28.4%. Inappropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy was an independent risk factor for mortality (adjusted OR = 10.01; 95% CI = 1.20-83.76; P = 0.034). The isolates were 'not susceptible' to multiple antibiotics. All the isolates were susceptible to minocycline. Susceptibilities to ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were 4.5% and 58.2%, respectively. Mutations in DNA gyrase subunit A were identified in 11 isolates that exhibited high-level fluoroquinolone resistance.
Minocycline has the potential to be the drug of choice in patients with E. anophelis infections. Additional investigations are needed to determine the optimal antimicrobial agents to treat this life-threatening infection.
The first imported case of monkeypox in Taiwan Huang, Shao-Tsung; Wu, Ying-Hsun; Lin, Hsi-Hsun ...
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association,
January 2023, 2023-Jan, 2023-01-00, 2023-01-01, Letnik:
122, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
he first imported case of monkeypox in Taiwan was diagnosed in an Asian man with HIV-1 infection and asymptomatic COVID-19, returning from Germany. Atypical presentations included asynchronous skin ...lesions, anogenital lesions and prominent inguinal lymphadenopathy. Whole genomic sequence alignment indicate that the Taiwan strain clustered together with human monkeypox virus West African clade B.1, currently circulating in Europe. Prompt diagnosis and infection control measures are crucial to mitigate the spread of monkeypox.
Summary Background The association between enterovirus infections in children and risk of leukaemia is unclear. We aimed to assess the risk of leukaemia after enterovirus infection in children. ...Methods We did a nationwide retrospective cohort study by analysing data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan. Children with enterovirus infections aged younger than 18 years were identified. With use of computer-generated random numbers, children not infected with enterovirus were randomly selected and frequency matched (1:1) with children infected with enterovirus by sex, age, urbanisation level, parental occupation, and index year of enterovirus infection. We only included children with complete baseline data for age and sex and who had at least three clinic visits with the diagnosis of enterovirus infection. The diagnosis date of the first clinic visit for the enterovirus infection was defined as the index date for initiation of follow-up person-year measurement and participants. All study patients were followed up until they developed leukaemia, were lost to follow-up, withdrew from the NHI programme, or until the end of the study without leukaemia (censored). Our primary endpoint was a diagnosis of leukaemia during follow-up. Findings Insurance claims data for 3 054 336 children younger than 18 years were randomly selected from all insured children in the NHIRD. We identified 282 360 children infected with enterovirus and 282 355 children not infected with enterovirus between Jan 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2007. The incidence density rates of leukaemia were 3·26 per 100 000 person-years for the enterovirus-infected and 5·84 per 100 000 person-years for the non-enterovirus-infected cohorts. The risk of leukaemia was significantly lower in the enterovirus-infected cohort than in the non-enterovirus-infected cohort (adjusted subhazard ratio SHR 0·44, 95% CI 0·31–0·60; p<0·0001). Children infected with enterovirus have a reduced risk of both lymphocytic leukaemia (adjusted SHR 0·44, 0·30–0·65; p<0·0001) and acute myeloid leukaemia (adjusted SHR 0·40, 0·17–0·97; p=0·04). Herpangina and hand-foot-and-mouth disease were the main diseases associated with the reduced risk of leukaemia. Interpretation The association between enterovirus infection and the reduced risk of developing leukaemia supports Greaves' delayed infection hypothesis for the cause of childhood leukaemia. Funding Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, Academia Sinica, NRPB Stroke Clinical Trial Consortium, Tseng-Lien Lin Foundation, Taiwan Brain Disease Foundation, Katsuzo and Kiyo Aoshima Memorial Funds, China Medical University Hospital, and Taiwan Ministry of Education.
The emergence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection in the era of widespread HBV vaccination has not been described before. We aimed to investigate the changing epidemiology of HDV infection among ...high‐ and low‐risk populations after an outbreak of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among injection drug users (IDUs) in Taiwan. A prospective, multicenter, cohort study of 2,562 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)‐positive individuals was conducted to determine the prevalence, genotype, and risk factors of HDV infection from 2001 through 2012. The prevalence rates of HDV infection were 74.9%, 43.9%, 11.4%, 11.1%, and 4.4% among HIV‐infected IDUs, HIV‐uninfected IDUs, HIV‐infected men who have sex with men, HIV‐infected heterosexuals, and the general population of HBsAg‐positive subjects, respectively. A significant increase in the trend of HDV prevalence from 38.5% to 89.8% was observed in HIV‐infected IDUs (odds ratio = 3.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.68‐5.56; P = 0.0002). In multivariate analysis, injection drug use, hepatitis C virus infection, HIV infection, serum HBsAg level ≧250 IU/mL, duration of drug use, and older age were significant factors associated with HDV infection. HDV genotype IV (72.2%) was the prevalent genotype circulating among IDUs, whereas genotype II was predominant in the non‐IDU populations (73.3%). In the HIV cohort born after 1987 who were HBsAg negative, over half (52.9%) had antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen antibody levels of <10 mIU/mL and there was a significantly higher HBsAg seroprevalence in the HIV cohort, compared to the control group (8.1% vs. 0.0%; P = 0.02). Conclusion: In the era of HBV vaccination, IDUs and HIV‐infected individuals have emerged as high‐risk groups and a reservoir for HDV infection. Effective strategies are needed to curb the reemerging epidemic of HDV infection in these high‐risk groups. (Hepatology 2015;61:1870–1879)
Elizabethkingia anophelis has become an emerging infection in humans. Recent research has shown that previous reports of E. meningoseptica infections might in fact be caused by E. anophelis. We aimed ...to investigate the genomic features, phylogenetic relationships, and comparative genomics of this emerging pathogen. Elizabethkingia anophelis strain EM361-97 was isolated from the blood of a cancer patient in Taiwan. The total length of the draft genome was 4,084,052 bp. The whole-genome analysis identified the presence of a number of antibiotic resistance genes, which corresponded with the antibiotic susceptibility phenotype of this strain. Based on the average nucleotide identity, the phylogenetic analysis revealed that E. anophelis EM361-97 was a sister group to E. anophelis FMS-007, which was isolated from a patient with T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in China. Knowledge of the genomic characteristics and comparative genomics of E. anophelis will provide researchers and clinicians with important information to understand this emerging microorganism.
College students’ graduation projects reflect their teamwork abilities. The current research develops a practical framework and causal model of knowledge-sharing behavior, cohesion, and team ...performance for design college students in Taiwan. Using survey data collected from 115 students who completed their graduation projects in a design college, PLS-SEM was run to test the model. In addition, 11 students who were on teams that won competitions or were shortlisted were interviewed. Results found that knowledge sharing has a significant positive effect on team performance, and cohesion has a significant positive effect on both team performance and knowledge sharing. The students with high cohesion often exhibit knowledge sharing behaviors and excellent team performance. These findings suggest project supervisors should induce knowledge sharing behaviors during the graduation project process in order to enhance student group cohesion.
The investigation of plastic pallet molding, assisted by a sequential valve gate system, has not yet been performed due to the limitations of the pallet scale. Furthermore, at present, the ...application of recycled plastics by chemical industries has become extremely popular around the world. This study aimed to determine pallet flatness experimentally and numerically using recycled polypropylene with a large-scale pallet. Short-shot testing on injection molding was performed to obtain short-shot samples for confirmation of the flow front during simulated filling. The real injected pallet profile, which was measured by an ATOS, was compared after confirmation to the numerical profile of the pallet. The pallet's flatness was accurately compared to the real experimental and numerical results. By adjusting the temperature of the cooling channel within the cavity plate to 55 °C, the flatness of the pallet achieved by the newly proposed sequential valve gate-opening scheme was about 7 mm, which meets the height directional warpage standard determined by the pre-set sequential scheme. The numerical flatness is in line with existing flatness values for pallets. Furthermore, the proposed cooling temperature gives the highest yield in terms of pallet molding from the perspective of the stakeholders.
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