New records of Benthesicymus Bate, 1881 (Dendrobranchiata, Penaeoidea, Benthesicymidae) from the abyssal depths of Taiwan

The deep-sea Benthesicymus shrimps generally inhabit waters deeper than 1000 m deep. Recent deep-sea cruises off Taiwan collected two species of Benthesicymus Bate, 1881 from the abyssal depths greater than 3,000 m. They are B. crenatus Bate, 1881 and B. laciniatus Rathbun, 1906. Both of them are new records for Taiwan, with B. crenatus also representing the deepest (5,314 m) marine animal so far known for the island. The major distinguishing characters of these two species are described and illustrated

Plesionika persica (Kemp, 1925) and P. reflexa Chace, 1985 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Pandalidae) from India

The availability of Indian specimens of Plesionika persica (Kemp, 1925) and P. reflexa Chace, 1985 provided more information on the taxonomy around these two species. Moreover, it is the first record of P. persica to India. Although P. taiwanica Chan and Yu, 2000 is superficially rather similar to P. persica, there are many differences between them and probably it is inappropriate to establish a species group for these two species. It is likely that all previous records of P. ensis (A. Milne-Edwards, 1881) from India actually represent P. reflexa Chace, 1985. Nevertheless, the present Indian specimens of P. reflexa have more than 10% COI sequence divergence from the topotypic materials of both P. ensis and P. reflexa, and the epipods at the pereiopods III and IV reduced or absent. This data further highlights the confusing taxonomy in the "P. ensis" grou

Multi-targeting aurones with monoamine oxidase and amyloid-beta inhibitory activities: structure-activity relationship and translating multi-potency to neuroprotection

Previously, a series of aurones bearing amine and carbamate functionalities was synthesized and evaluated for their cholinesterase inhibitory activity and drug-like attributes. In the present study, these aurones were evaluated for their multi-targeting properties in two Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related activities namely, monoamine oxidase (MAO) and amyloid-beta (Aβ) inhibition. Evaluation of the aurones for MAO inhibitory activity disclosed several potent selective inhibitors of MAO-B, particularly those with 6-methoxyl group attached at ring A. Of the different amine moieties attached as side chains, pyrrolidine-bearing aurones were prominent as represented by 2-2, the most potent inhibitor. Evaluation on the Aβ aggregation inhibition identified 4-3 as the best inhibitor with a percentage inhibition comparable to that of a known Aβ inhibitor curcumin. Examination on the neuroprotective ability of the more drug-like aurone 4-3 in two Caenorhabditis elegans neurodegeneration models showed 4-3 to protect the nematodes against both Aβ- and 6-hydroxydopamine-induced toxicities. These new activities further support 4-3 as a promising lead to develop the aurones as potential multipotent agents for neurodegenerative diseases

New records of the squat lobster genus Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1874 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Munidopsidae) from the deep sea off Taiwan

Two species of the squat lobster family Munidopsidae, Munidopsis albatrossae Pequegnat & Pequegnat, 1973 and M. pycnopoda Baba, 2005, are reported from Taiwan for the first time based on specimens collected from lower bathyal depths. The Taiwanese material of M. pycnopoda also represents the first record of the species from the Pacific Ocean and greatly extends this species’ geographical range from the western Indian Ocean to western Pacific. The giant Munidopsis specimen from Taiwan is identified as M. albatrossae mainly by DNA barcoding even though M. albatrossae and M. aries (A. Milne-Edwards, 1880) are both morphologically and genetically extremely similar

Uniformly Distributed Graphene Domain Grows on Standing Copper via Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition

Uniformly distributed graphene domains were synthesized on standing copper foil by a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition system. This method improved the distribution of the graphene domains at different positions on the same piece of copper foil along the forward direction of the gas flow. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the average size of the graphene domains to be about ~20 m. This results show that the sheet resistance of monolayer graphene on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate is about ~359 /□ whereas that of the four-layer graphene films is about ~178 /□, with a transmittance value of 88.86% at the 550 nm wavelength. Furthermore, the sheet resistance can be reduced with the addition of HNO3 resulting in a value of 84 /□. These values meet the absolute standard for touch sensor applications, so we believe that this method can be a candidate for some transparent conductive electrode applications

Feasibility Analysis of Improving the Accessibility and Security of Nano-Labs via Kinect

Abstract. This paper aims to probe into the feasibility of using Kinect to improve the accessibility and security of Nano labs, and characteristic analysis of the integrated system, i.e. Kinect, laptop, and IP Power, has been therefore carried out to interpret the feasibility in question. The finding is that the integrated system can improve the interaction between participants and labs, and the aforementioned interaction includes accessibility and security of both teachers and learners while using Nano labs. It is expected that following its future development, the use of Kinect on automatic switches of electronic equipment and devices, and the condition for commercializing the use on security maintenance and safety warnings of labs will mature in the future

Effect of Supplementation of Tanshinone IIA and Sodium Tanshinone IIA Sulfonate on the Anticancer Effect of Epirubicin: An In Vitro Study

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) and sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) were found to have protective effects on cardiomyocyte against adriamycin-induced damage and may be used clinically. It is unclear whether the supplementation of STS or Tan IIA would affect the anticancer activity of anthracycline. To evaluate the effect of Tan IIA or STS on the anticancer of epirubicin, the cell viability, apoptosis, Akt expression, and uptake of epirubicin after supplementation of Tan IIA or STS in the epirubicin-treated BT-20 cells were measured and compared. Tan IIA inhibited BT-20 cell growth and induced apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. When Tan IIA was used with epirubicin, an increase of BT-20 cells apoptosis was accompanied by the decreasing phosphorylation of Akt. STS had no effect on the cell viability of BT-20 cells. However, when used with epirubicin, STS decreased the epirubicin-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in BT-20 cells. The antagonistic effect of STS on epirubicin-induced cytotoxicity in BT-20 cells occurred concomitantly with the reduced epirubicin uptake and the increased phosphorylation of Akt. STS decreased the uptake of epirubicin in BT-20 cells and blocked epirubicin-induced apoptosis through activation of Akt

Be Stars in the Open Cluster NGC 6830

We report the discovery of 2 new Be stars, and re-identify one known Be star in the open cluster NGC 6830. Eleven H-alpha emitters were discovered using the H-alpha imaging photometry of the Palomar Transient Factory Survey. Stellar membership of the candidates was verified with photometric and kinematic information using 2MASS data and proper motions. The spectroscopic confirmation was carried out by using the Shane 3-m telescope at Lick observatory. Based on their spectral types, three H-alpha emitters were confirmed as Be stars with H-alpha equivalent widths > -10 Angstrom. Two objects were also observed by the new spectrograph SED-Machine on the Palomar 60 inch Telescope. The SED-Machine results show strong H-alpha emission lines, which are consistent with the results of the Lick observations. The high efficiency of the SED-Machine can provide rapid observations for Be stars in a comprehensive survey in the future.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, AJ in pres

The Effect of Annealing on Nanothick Indium Tin Oxide Transparent Conductive Films for Touch Sensors

This study aims to discuss the sheet resistance of ultrathin indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive films during the postannealing treatment. The thickness of the ultrathin ITO films is 20 nm. They are prepared on B270 glass substrates at room temperature by a direct-current pulsed magnetron sputtering system. Ultrathin ITO films with high sheet resistance are commonly used for touch panel applications. As the annealing temperature is increased, the structure of the ultrathin ITO film changes from amorphous to polycrystalline. The crystalline of ultrathin ITO films becomes stronger with an increase of annealing temperature, which further leads to the effect of enhanced Hall mobility. A postannealing treatment in an atmosphere can enhance the optical transmittance owing to the filling of oxygen vacancies, but the sheet resistance rises sharply. However, a higher annealing temperature, above 250°C, results in a decrease in the sheet resistance of ultrathin ITO films, because more Sn ions become an effective dopant. An optimum sheet resistance of 336 Ω/sqr was obtained for ultrathin ITO films at 400°C with an average optical transmittance of 86.8% for touch sensor applications

Pressure to Publish: Laura Terracina and her Editors

Laura Terracina (1519–c.1577) was the bestselling female author of sixteenth-century Italy, publishing eight poetry collections, several of which went through numerous reprints. While other female poets attained greater cultural prestige, none was as widely published, nor reflected so well the developing worlds of print, publication, and authorship from mid- to late Cinquecento. Her publication history problematizes the accepted narrative of how women came to print and of their relationship with their editors and publishers. From the time she first appeared in print in 1546 to the writing of her final manuscript in 1577, Terracina proved to be an engaged and headstrong author with a strong sense of ownership of her works. This article will explore Terracina’s relationships with her editors and publishers, analyzing her role in the publication process to argue that she took a much more active part in their production than has previously been appreciated