•Enhancement of arsenic removal was achieved by capacitive deionization.•Electrosorption of As(V) is ascribed to electrical double-layer charging.•Removal of As(III) may involve its oxidation to ...As(V) on the anode electrode.•The presence of NaCl or natural organic matter reduces the degree of arsenic removal.
The feasibility of the electro-removal of arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) from aqueous solutions via capacitive deionization was investigated. The effects of applied voltage (0.0–1.2V) and initial concentration (0.1–200mgL−1) on arsenic removal were examined. As evidenced, an enhancement of arsenic removal can be achieved by capacitive deionization. The capacity to remove As(V) at an initial concentration of 0.2mgL−1 on the activated carbon electrode at 1.2V was determined to be 2.47×10−2mgg−1, which is 1.8-fold higher than that of As(III) (1.37×10−2mgg−1). Notably, the possible transformation of arsenic species was further characterized. The higher effectiveness of As(V) removal via electrosorption at 1.2V was attributed to the formation of an electrical double layer at the electrode/solution interface. The removal of As(III) could be achieved by the oxidation of As(III) to As(V) and subsequent electrosorption of the As(V) onto the electrode surface of the anode. The presence of sodium chloride or natural organic matter was found to considerably decrease arsenic removal. Single-pass electrosorption-desorption experiments conducted at 1.2V further demonstrated that capacitive deionization is a potential means of effectively removing arsenic from aqueous solutions.
Liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment for end‐stage cirrhosis and fulminant liver failure, but the lack of available donor livers is a major obstacle to liver transplantation. ...Recently, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from the reprogramming of somatic fibroblasts, have been shown to resemble embryonic stem (ES) cells in that they have pluripotent properties and the potential to differentiate into all cell lineages in vitro, including hepatocytes. Thus, iPSCs could serve as a favorable cell source for a wide range of applications, including drug toxicity testing, cell transplantation, and patient‐specific disease modeling. Here, we describe an efficient and rapid three‐step protocol that is able to rapidly generate hepatocyte‐like cells from human iPSCs. This occurs because the endodermal induction step allows for more efficient and definitive endoderm cell formation. We show that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which synergizes with activin A and Wnt3a, elevates the expression of the endodermal marker Foxa2 (forkhead box a2) by 39.3% compared to when HGF is absent (14.2%) during the endodermal induction step. In addition, iPSC‐derived hepatocytes had a similar gene expression profile to mature hepatocytes. Importantly, the hepatocyte‐like cells exhibited cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzyme activity, secreted urea, uptake of low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), and possessed the ability to store glycogen. Moreover, the hepatocyte‐like cells rescued lethal fulminant hepatic failure in a nonobese diabetic severe combined immunodeficient mouse model. Conclusion: We have established a rapid and efficient differentiation protocol that is able to generate functional hepatocyte‐like cells from human iPSCs. This may offer an alternative option for treatment of liver diseases. (Hepatology 2012)
Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) with smart, stimuli‐responsive characteristics have gained considerable attention owing to their noninvasive manipulation and applications in future ...technologies. To address this potential, in this work, we demonstrate photoresponsive composite polymer electrolytes, consisting of gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) and spiropyran‐immobilized nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (SP‐AAO) templates. Under UV irradiation, the close SP form isomerizes to the open merocyanine (MC) form, creating extremely polarized AAO surfaces; whereas, under visible light irradiation, the MC form reverts to the SP form, creating neutral surface conditions. The electrostatic interactions between ions and AAO surfaces are investigated by attenuated total reflection Fourier‐transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy. Moreover, the behavior of ionic conductivity of the GPE@SP‐AAO is found to be consistent with the kinetics of isomerization tracked by UV‐Vis spectroscopy. This work provides a promising platform for developing next‐generation photoelectronic smart devices.
A photoswitchable ionic conductivity of spiropyran‐based composite polymer electrolyte is developed and demonstrated. The photoisomerization of the spiropyran derivative results in a tunable ionic conductivity with a maximum 30 % difference under UV and visible irradiations. The quantitative and qualitative ATR‐FTIR data reveal the interactions of the ions and the grafted molecules at the interfaces. The knowledge obtained from this work provides a potential platform for synthetic electrolytes with tailored conducting functionality.
While online game communities have been found to be useful for retaining gamers, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is not fully understood. Knowledge about such mechanism enables managers of ...online games to effectively retain their customers. This study thus investigates how network convergence and interdependence—2 characteristics of online game social networks—fuel gamers' continuance intention. Social presence and social capital theories were used for developing the study hypotheses, and responses from 1,467 online gamers were used in the analysis. The findings indicate that both network convergence and interdependence are positively related to sense of community and relational switching cost (coefficients ranging from .20 to .50), which further contribute to gamer continuance intention (coefficients ranging from .13 to .72).
Administration of a single broadly neutralizing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific antibody to HIV-infected persons leads to the development of antibody-resistant virus in the absence of ...antiretroviral therapy (ART). It is possible that monotherapy with UB-421, an antibody that blocks the virus-binding site on human CD4+ T cells, could induce sustained virologic suppression without induction of resistance in HIV-infected persons after analytic treatment interruption.
We conducted a nonrandomized, open-label, phase 2 clinical study evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics, and antiviral activity of UB-421 monotherapy in HIV-infected persons undergoing analytic treatment interruption. All the participants had undetectable plasma viremia (<20 copies of HIV RNA per milliliter) at the screening visit. After discontinuation of ART, participants received eight intravenous infusions of UB-421, at a dose of either 10 mg per kilogram of body weight every week (Cohort 1) or 25 mg per kilogram every 2 weeks (Cohort 2). The primary outcome was the time to viral rebound (≥400 copies per milliliter).
A total of 29 participants were enrolled, 14 in Cohort 1 and 15 in Cohort 2. Administration of UB-421 maintained virologic suppression (<20 copies per milliliter) in all the participants (94.5% of measurements at study visits 2 through 9) during analytic treatment interruption, with intermittent viral blips (range, 21 to 142 copies per milliliter) observed in 8 participants (28%). No study participants had plasma viral rebound to more than 400 copies per milliliter. CD4+ T-cell counts remained stable throughout the duration of the study. Rash, mostly of grade 1, was a common and transient adverse event; one participant discontinued the study drug owing to a rash. A decrease in the population of CD4+ regulatory T cells was observed during UB-421 monotherapy.
UB-421 maintained virologic suppression (during the 8 to 16 weeks of study) in participants in the absence of ART. One participant discontinued therapy owing to a rash. (Funded by United Biomedical and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02369146.).
Purpose
No studies in the extant literature have explored the role of media richness, i.e., the ability of media to enhance understanding among communication partners in a timely manner, in ...determining customer loyalty to mobile instant messaging (MIM). Grounded in media richness theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine how media richness influences customer perceived values, consequently contributing to customer loyalty to MIM.
Design/methodology/approach
Collecting data by an online survey, the authors apply partial least square procedures for hypothesis testing.
Findings
The authors obtain the following findings: multiple cues are positively related to functional value; immediate feedback is positively related to social value; personal focus is positively related to self-expressive value; language variety is positively related to all the above values that lead to user loyalty; and language variety has the strongest effect on user loyalty to MIM.
Originality/value
A first attempt to examine the impact of media richness on user loyalty to MIM, this study provides insights for MIM service providers to make decisions to build loyal user bases.
Segmenting online gamers by motivation Tseng, Fan-Chen
Expert systems with applications,
June 2011, 2011-06-00, 20110601, Letnik:
38, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Recenzirano
► This study identifies two underlying motivational factors for playing online games: (1) the need for exploration, and (2) the need for aggression. ► From these two factors, online gamers are ...clustered into three segments: (1) the aggressive gamers, (2) the social gamers, and (3) the inactive gamers. ► Significant differences exist in consumer behaviors across different segments of online gamer.
Online games are becoming one of the most profitable online entertainment businesses. Nevertheless, online game players may have diverse motivations for playing online games, which in turn influence their behaviors and preferences in playing online games. Through factor analysis for dimensionality reduction, this study identifies two underlying motivational factors: (1) the need for exploration, and (2) the need for aggression. From these two factors, this study clusters online gamers into three segments: (1) the aggressive gamers, (2) the social gamers, and (3) the inactive gamers. The aggressive gamers score highest on both factors. The social gamers score high on the first factor, but score lowest on the second factor. The inactive gamers score lowest on the first factor, and score in the middle on the second factor. Significant differences exist in consumer behaviors across different segments of online gamers. Theoretical supports for the two motivational factors are discussed, and managerial implications for online game service firms are provided.
PurposeThis study intended to identify and categorize the drivers of using online English learning resources (OELR) and to understand OELR's impacts.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted ...an online survey, obtained complete responses from 157 OELR users and used structural equation modeling (SEM) for hypothesis testing.FindingsMost utilitarian and hedonic drivers lead to positive perceptions of OELR, which in turn positively contribute to continuance intention (CI). Two counterintuitive findings were obtained. First, functionality was negatively related to the perception of ease of use. Second, perceived ease of use (PEOU) was not related to CI to use OELR.Practical implicationsThis study has implications as follows: (1) complexity of the functions of OELR may deter rather than attract users, (2) ease of use of OELR is not directly positively related to CIs and (3) users may seek practical benefits (utilitarian) and experiential learning processes (hedonic) when using OELR.Originality/valueThe authors' study has theoretical significance by being the first to caution that excessive functionality or complexity in assisting learning tools would likely hinder further use of OELR. The practical significance of this finding is that the finding highlights two factors (perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived enjoyment) that could effectively increase OELR use.
A subset of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients exhibiting minimal change disease (MCD) like features present with nephrotic-range proteinuria and warrants immunosuppressive therapy (IST). However, the ...diagnosis of MCD-like IgAN varied by reports. We aimed to identify the key pathological features of MCD-like IgAN.
In this cohort, 228 patients had biopsy-proven IgAN from 2009 to 2021, of which 44 without segmental sclerosis were enrolled. Patients were classified into segmental (< 50% glomerular capillary loop involvement) or global (> 50%) foot process effacement (FPE) groups. We further stratified them according to the usage of immunosuppressant therapy after biopsy. Clinical manifestations, treatment response, and renal outcome were compared.
26 cases (59.1%) were classified as segmental FPE group and 18 cases (40.9%) as global FPE group. The global FPE group had more severe proteinuria (11.48 2.60, 15.29 vs. 0.97 0.14, 1.67 g/g, p = 0.001) and had a higher proportion of complete remission (81.8% vs. 20%, p = 0.018). In the global FPE group, patients without IST experienced more rapid downward eGFR change than the IST-treated population (-0.38 -1.24, 0.06 vs. 1.26 -0.17, 3.20mL/min/1.73 m2/month, p = 0.004).
The absence of segmental sclerosis and the presence of global FPE are valuable pathological features that assist in identifying MCD-like IgAN.
Calcaneal quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) is a useful prescreening tool for osteoporosis, while the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the mainstream in clinical practice. We evaluated the ...correlation between QUS and DXA in a Taiwanese population. A total of 772 patients were enrolled and demographic data were recorded with the QUS and DXA T-score over the hip and spine. The correlation coefficient of QUS with the DXA-hip was 0.171. For DXA-spine, it was 0.135 overall, 0.237 in females, and 0.255 in males. The logistic regression model using DXA-spine as a dependent variable was established, and the classification table showed 66.2% accuracy. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses with Youden's Index revealed the optimal cut-off point of QUS for predicting osteoporosis to be 2.72. This study showed a meaningful correlation between QUS and DXA in a Taiwanese population. Thus, it is important to pre-screen for osteoporosis with calcaneus QUS.
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