PurposeThis study presents one of the earliest empirical investigations on how brand chatbots' anthropomorphic design and social presence communication strategies may improve consumer evaluation ...outcomes via the mediators of parasocial interaction and perceived dialogue.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a 2 (high vs. low social presence communication) by 2 (anthropomorphic vs. non-anthropomorphic bot profile) between-subject experimental design to evaluate how chatbots' high social presence communication and anthropomorphic profile design may enhance perceptions of parasocial interactions and dialogue with the chatbot, which in turn drive user engagement, interaction satisfaction and attitude toward the represented brand.FindingsThe influences of chatbots' high social presence communication on consumer engagement outcomes are mediated by perceived parasocial interaction and dialogue. Additionally, chatbots' anthropomorphic profile design can boost the positive effects of social presence communication via the psychological mediators.Originality/valueThis study advances the interactive marketing literature by focusing on an emerging interactive technology, chatbots. Additionally, distinct from prior chatbot studies that focused on the utilitarian use of chatbots for online customer support, this study not only examines which factors of chatbot communication and profile design may drive chatbot effectiveness but also examines the mechanism underlying the messaging and design effects on consumer engagement. The findings highlight the mediating role of interpersonal factors of parasocial interaction and perceived dialogue.
Disrupted‐in‐Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is a susceptibility gene for several psychiatric illnesses. To study the pathogenesis of these disorders, we generated Disc1 mutant mice by introducing the ...129S6/SvEv 25‐bp deletion Disc1 variants into the C57BL/6J strain. In this study, we used heterozygous Disc1 mutant (Het) mice to evaluate the DISC1 haploinsufficiency model of schizophrenia. No changes in locomotor behaviors were observed in Het mice; however, after amphetamine injection, greater locomotor activity was observed in Het mice compared with wild‐type (WT) mice. Moreover, amphetamine‐induced elevations of c‐Fos expression and dopamine level in the striatum were greater in Het mice than in WT controls, suggesting an altered dopaminergic regulation in the striatum of Het mice. Compared with those in WTs, the striatal protein levels of dopamine transporter and D2 dopamine receptor were increased in Het mice, while D1 dopamine receptor level was decreased. DISC1 interacting proteins, GSK3α and GSK3β, were downregulated in Het mice, whereas the levels of PDE4B and CREB were not altered. Morphologically, the complexities of striatal median spiny neurons (MSNs), parvalbumin‐positive interneurons and Iba1‐positive microglia were all decreased in Het mice. The density and head diameter of dendritic spines in the MSNs of Het mice were also reduced. Our results indicate that mice lacking one WT Disc1 allele are more sensitive to psychostimulant amphetamine challenge, which might be attributed to the altered structure and function of the striatal dopaminergic system. Here, we demonstrated striatal phenotypes in heterozygous Disc1 mutant mice, which could be a promising model of DISC1 haploinsufficiency.
In the striatum of Het Disc1 mutant mice, the protein levels of DAT and D2R are increased while D1R and GSK3 α/β are decreased, the complexities of MSNs, PVNs and microglia as well as the densities of MSN spine and PVN are reduced.
Dengue virus (DENV) is the most common mosquito-borne flavivirus; it can either cause mild dengue fever or the more severe dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). One of the ...characteristic features of DHF/DSS is vascular leakage; although DENV nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) has been proved to induce vascular leakage after binding to Toll-like receptor 4, the down-stream mechanism has not yet been fully understood. In the sera of DENV-infected patients, the concentrations of DENV NS1 and inflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) are positively correlated with disease severity, but whether DENV NS1 induces vascular leakage through MIF secretion remains unknown. We demonstrated that recombinant NS1 induced vascular leakage and MIF secretion both in human endothelial cell line HMEC-1 and in mice. Furthermore, these phenomena were inhibited in the presence of anti-NS1 antibodies both in vitro and in vivo. DENV NS1 also induced LC3-I to LC3-II conversion and p62 degradation in endothelial cell line, which indicated the formation of autophagy. To clarify whether MIF or autophagy mediated DENV NS1-induced vascular leakage, various inhibitors were applied. The results showed that DENV NS1-induced vascular leakage and VE-cadherin disarray were blocked in the presence of MIF inhibitors, anti-MIF-antibodies or autophagy inhibitors. An Atg5 knockdown clone further confirmed that autophagy formation of endothelial cells was required in NS1-induced vascular leakage. Furthermore, DENV NS1-induced LC3 puncta were also decreased in the presence of MIF inhibitors, indicating that MIF mediated DENV NS1-induced autophagy. Taken together, the results suggest a potential mechanism of DENV-induced vascular leakage and provide possible therapeutic targets against DHF/DSS.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the important pathogens leading to acute respiratory tract infection in infants and young children. We aimed to investigate the seasonality of RSV ...infection in different parts of Taiwan and to delineate the risk factors for severe RSV infections. We collected RSV‐infected patients' data by retrospective chart review. A total of 1740 RSV‐infected children aged under 18 years were enrolled. The infection was acquired during hospitalization in 103 (7.1%) children, while none of them required ventilator support or needed intensive care before RSV infection. The need for intensive care or ventilator support was significantly associated with congenital heart disease (CHD), chronic lung disease, and neuromuscular diseases. Age <1 year and nosocomially acquired infection are also significant predictors for the need of intensive care. Only the presence of CHD, especially acyanotic CHD, was significantly associated with a fatal outcome. RSV infection occurs all year round. Monthly distribution of RSV infections in Northern Taiwan showed a bimodal pattern, with one peak from March to May, and another from August to October. The distribution in Southern Taiwan showed a single peak from April to July. The occurrence of RSV correlates positively with temperature and rain. The bimodal seasonal distribution pattern in Northern Taiwan may be a transitional pattern shifting from a single high winter peak in temperate areas to a wider summer peak in tropical areas. Continuous surveillance is needed to explore the possible effect of global warming on the seasonality of RSV infection.
Abstract Autophagy is a cellular response against stresses which include the infection of viruses and bacteria. We unravel that Dengue virus-2 (DV2) can trigger autophagic process in various infected ...cell lines demonstrated by GFP-LC3 dot formation and increased LC3-II formation. Autophagosome formation was also observed under the transmission electron microscope. DV2-induced autophagy further enhances the titers of extracellular and intracellular viruses indicating that autophagy can promote viral replication in the infected cells. Moreover, our data show that ATG5 protein is required to execute DV2-induced autophagy. All together, we are the first to demonstrate that DV can activate autophagic machinery that is favorable for viral replication.
Dengue is the most common mosquito-transmitted viral infection for which an improved vaccine is still needed. Although nonstructural protein-1 (NS1) immunization can protect mice against dengue ...infection, molecular mimicry between NS1 and host proteins makes NS1-based vaccines challenging to develop. Based on the epitope recognized by the anti-NS1 monoclonal Ab (mAb) 33D2 which recognizes a conserved NS1 wing domain (NS1-WD) region but not host proteins, we synthesized a modified NS1-WD peptide to immunize mice. We found that both mAb 33D2 and modified NS1-WD peptide immune sera could induce complement-dependent lysis of dengue-infected but not un-infected cells in vitro. Furthermore, either active immunization with the modified NS1-WD peptide or passive transfer of mAb 33D2 efficiently protected mice against all serotypes of dengue virus infection. More importantly, dengue patients with more antibodies recognized the modified NS1-WD peptide had less severe disease. Thus, the modified NS1-WD peptide is a promising dengue vaccine candidate.
Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) have emerged as major health problems throughout the world. Most SSTI ...CA-MRSA strains produce Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), but its contribution to CA-MRSA pathogenesis is poorly denned. Here, we used an endemic PVL-positive SSTI-causing CA-MRSA strain from Taiwan, together with an isogenic PVL-knockout mutant (Δpvl) and complemented PVL-positive derivative, to evaluate the role of PVL in the pathogenesis of CA-MRSA in the RHEK-1 human keratinocyte cell line and a rabbit skin infection model. We found that both PVL-positive CA-MRSA and isogenic Δpvl strains attached and were engulfed into endosomes of RHEK-1 cells within 1 hour following infection. However, by 2 hours after infection PVL-positive CA-MRSA more effectively disrupted endosomes, escaped into the cytoplasm, and replicated intracellularly. By 6 hours after infection, the PVL-positive strain caused significantly more caspase-dependent keratinocyte apoptosis than the isogenic Δpvl mutant. In the rabbit infection model, 1 week following infection the wildtype strain produced significantly more widespread lesions and cell apoptosis than the isogenic Δpvl mutant. These findings indicate that PVL is an important virulence factor that enables CA-MRSA to produce necrotizing skin infections by allowing the bacteria to escape from endosomes, replicate intracellularly, and induce apoptosis.
Norovirus is a common acute gastroenteritis (AGE) pathogen across all age groups worldwide, which is difficult to differentiate from other pathogens. This study aimed to understand the clinical ...characteristics and risk factors of norovirus gastroenteritis among children in Taiwan.
A prospective AGE surveillance study was conducted in children aged ≤5 years who were hospitalized in 10 major hospitals in Taiwan between 2014 and 2017. The non-AGE control group included healthy children who were matched based on age, gender, season, and geographic area.
Overall, 674 norovirus gastroenteritis patients were enrolled. Fever (p < 0.001), mucoid stool (p < 0.001), and bloody stool (p < 0.001) occurred less frequently among norovirus gastroenteritis patients. Norovirus gastroenteritis patients yielded lower CRP values on admission (21.78 ± 36.81 vs. 46.26 ± 58.12 mg/L, p < 0.001) than non-norovirus controls. Norovirus gastroenteritis patients were associated with higher direct contact rates with AGE patients within 1 week (30.5% vs. 0.97%, p < 0.001), lower hand wash rates before meals (21.6% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.001), lower human milk (15.8% vs. 19.8%, p = 0.045) and guava consumption rates (17.8% vs. 24.3%, p = 0.002) than non-AGE participants.
Body temperature, stool characteristics, and CRP value can help distinguish the norovirus from other pathogens. The major risk factor of norovirus AGE is contact with AGE patient. Higher frequency of hand wash, human milk, and guava intake may be protective against norovirus gastroenteritis.
Global aphasia without hemiparesis (GAWH) is a rare stroke syndrome characterized by the dissociation of motor and language functions. Here, we present a case of GAWH with the patient later regaining ...speech fluency.
A 73-year-old man was admitted to our emergency department immediately after an episode of syncope. On arrival, we noted his global aphasia but without any focal neurologic signs. Computed tomography (CT) perfusion scans showed a large hypodense region over his left perisylvian area. Under the impression of acute ischaemic stroke, he received recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) injection and was treated as an inpatient. The patient was later discharged with GAWH status and received regular speech rehabilitation. After 14 months of rehabilitation, the patient gradually recovered his language expression ability. The degree of aphasia was evaluated with the Concise Chinese Aphasia Test (CCAT), and we obtained brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans to assess cerebral blood flow.
A patient with severe impairments of Broca's and Wernicke's areas was able to talk fluently despite being unintelligible. SPECT revealed relative high level of radioactivity uptake in the right frontal lobe, suggesting the deficits in speech fluency could have been compensated by the right hemisphere. Although this is a single case demonstration, the results may strengthen the role of the right hemisphere in GAWH patients and suggests additional study that examines the possible benefits of stimulating activity at right homologous regions for recovering language function after global aphasia.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The purpose of this study was to determine the pathogens and to estimate the incidence of pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Taiwan.
This prospective study was conducted at eight medical ...centers from November 2010 to September 2013. Children aged 6 weeks to 18 years who met the radiologic criteria for pneumonia were enrolled. To detect classical and atypical bacteria and viruses, blood and pleural fluids were cultured, and respiratory specimens were examined by multiple conventional and molecular methods.
At least one potential pathogen was identified in 705 (68.3%) cases of 1032 children enrolled, including bacteria in 420 (40.7%) cases, virus in 180 (17.4%) cases, and mixed viral-bacterial infection in 105 (10.2%) cases. Streptococcus pneumoniae (31.6%) was the most common pathogen, followed by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (22.6%). Adenovirus (5.9%) was the most common virus. RSV was significantly associated with children aged under 2 years, S. pneumoniae in children aged between 2 and 5 years, and M. pneumoniae in children aged >5 years. The annual incidence rate of hospitalization for CAP was highest in children aged 2–5 years (229.7 per 100,000). From 2011 to 2012, significant reduction in hospitalization rates pertained in children under 5 years of age, in pneumonia caused by pneumococcus, adenovirus or co-infections and complicated pneumonia.
CAP related pathogens have changed after increased conjugated pneumococcal vaccination rates. This study described the latest incidences and trends of CAP pathogens, which are crucial for prompt delivery of appropriate therapy.
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