The influence of the technical dimension, functional dimension, and tenant satisfaction on tenant loyalty: an analysis based on the theory of planned behavior

This study primarily explored the influence of the technical dimension, functional dimension, and tenant satisfaction on tenant loyalty. The theory of planned behavior served as the basis of this study, and the three aforementioned factors (the technical dimension, the functional dimension, and tenant satisfaction) were incorporated into a conceptual framework for tenant loyalty. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for parameter estimation. The participants consisted of tenants residing in eight administrative districts in Kaohsiung City. 315 questionnaires were administered, all of which were returned. After removing 15 invalid responses, there were 300 valid responses, which indicated an effective recovery rate of 95.2%. The results showed that the technical dimension, the functional dimension, and attitude significantly and positively influenced tenant satisfaction. Tenant satisfaction, perceived behavioral control, and social norms significantly and positively influenced tenant loyalty. Tenant satisfaction mediated the influence of the technical dimension and the functional dimension on tenant loyalty; the mediating effect of the functional dimension on tenant loyalty was greater than that of the technical dimension. The findings of this study highlight the measures rental companies should adopt in order to enhance the technical dimension, functional dimension, and tenant satisfaction, as this is crucial to maintaining sustainable operations

Apoptotic Cell Death and Inhibition of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Human Colon Cancer Cells by an Active Fraction (HS7) from Taiwanofungus camphoratus

Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays an important role in the development of colon cancer. HS7 is an active fraction extracted from Taiwanofungus camphoratus, which had been widely used as complementary medicine for Taiwan cancer patients in the past decades. In this study, we demonstrated the effects of HS7 on the growth inhibition, apoptosis induction, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling suppression in human colon cancer cells. HS7 significantly inhibited proliferation of HT29, HCT116, and SW480 colon cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The apoptosis induction was evidenced by DNA fragmentation and subG1 accumulation, which was associated with increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP. By using Tcf-dependent luciferase activity assay, HS7 was found to inhibit the β-catenin/Tcf transcriptional activities. In addition, HS7 strongly suppressed the binding of Tcf complexes to its DNA-binding site shown in electrophoretic mobility shift assay. This inhibition was further confirmed by the decreased protein levels of Tcf-4 and β-catenin. The β-catenin/Tcf downstream target genes, such as survivin, c-myc, cyclin D1, MMP7, and MT1-MMP involved in apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis were also diminished as well. These results indicate that Taiwanofungus camphoratus may provide a benefit as integrative medicine for the treatment of colon cancer

Pressure-Controlled Chemical Vapor Deposition of Graphene as Catalyst for Solar Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

In the present report, graphene-based catalysts on silicon substrate have been examined as the photocathode for solar hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Mono-layered graphene has been synthesized through low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), whereas multi-layered graphene has been synthesized by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD). Copper foil is used as the substrate. The graphene layer on Cu foil subsequently transferred on to silicon photoabsorber using poly(methyl-2-methylpropenoate) (PMMA). At the initial linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) scan, LPCVD-synthesized graphene-Si (LPCVD-Si) electrode showed an onset potential of −0.65 V and photocurrent of −4.31 mA cm^(−2) (at −0.385 V). On the contrary, the onset potential and photocurrent of APCVD-prepared graphene-Si (APCVD-Si) photocathode are −0.36 V and −28.28 mA cm^(−2) (at −0.385 V), respectively. After the 130th LSV scan, the onset potential and photocurrent of LPCVD-Si improved to −0.39 V and −13.28 mA cm^(−2) (at −0.385 V), respectively. In addition, the onset potential and photocurrent of APCVD-Si photocathode at the LSV 130th scan are enhanced to −0.36 V and −28.28 mA cm^(−2) (at −0.385 V), respectively. The graphene sample grown via LPCVD-Si show stable performance whereas, the graphene obtained via APCVD-Si have higher photocurrent poor stability

Acute cerebral infarction in a patient with nodular glomerulopathy—Atypical features and differential diagnosis

AbstractNodular glomerulopathy is a pattern of glomerular injury observed under light microscopy that could result from several diseases presented as nephrotic syndrome clinically. Compared with venous thrombosis, cerebral infarction resulting from arterial thrombosis is relatively rare in these patients. We report an interesting case of severe nephrotic syndrome complicated with acute cerebral infarction, and renal biopsy revealed nodular glomerulopathy under light microscopy. Immunofluorescent staining was positive for λ light chain (predominant) and κ light chain, mainly in mesangial areas, and electron microscopic study showed massive amorphous acellular deposits also in mesangial areas with some local extension to subendothelial space. Congo red stain gave negative results under polarized light. The case was concluded as an atypical presentation of light chain deposition disease both pathologically and clinically

Seroepidemiology of Klebsiella pneumoniae colonizing the intestinal tract of healthy chinese and overseas chinese adults in Asian countries

[[abstract]]BACKGROUND:Capsular serotypes K1 and K2 of Klebsiella pneumoniae are thought to the major virulence determinants responsible for liver abscess. The intestine is one of the major reservoirs of K. pneumoniae, and epidemiological studies have suggested that the majority of K. pneumoniae infections are preceded by colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. The possibility of fecal-oral transmission in liver abscess has been raised on the basis of molecular typing of isolates. Data on the serotype distribution of K. pneumoniae in stool samples from healthy individuals has not been previously reported. This study investigated the seroepidemiology of K. pneumoniae isolates from the intestinal tract of healthy Chinese in Asian countries. Stool specimens from healthy adult Chinese residents of Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam were collected from August 2004 to August 2010 for analysis.RESULTS:Serotypes K1/K2 accounted for 9.8% of all K. pneumoniae isolates from stools in all countries. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of K1/K2 isolates among the countries excluding Thailand and Vietnam. The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was nearly the same in K. pneumoniae isolates. The result of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed no major clonal cluster of serotype K1 isolates.CONCLUSIONS:The result showed that Chinese ethnicity itself might be a major factor predisposing to intestinal colonization by serotype K1/K2 K. pneumoniae isolates. The prevalent serotype K1/K2 isolates may partially correspond to the prevalence of K. pneumoniae liver abscess in Asian countries

Early utilization of hypertonic peritoneal dialysate and subsequent risks of non-traumatic amputation among peritoneal dialysis patients: a nationwide retrospective longitudinal study

BACKGROUND: The hemodialysis (HD) population has a particularly high incidence of amputation, which is likely associated with decreased tissue oxygenation during HD. However, information about the risk factors leading to amputation in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is limited. Here, we have investigated the association between the use of hypertonic peritoneal dialysate (HPD) and subsequent amputation in PD patients. METHODS: Based on the data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance research database, this observational cohort study enrolled 203 PD patients who had received HPD early during treatment and had not undergone amputation and 296 PD controls who had not undergone amputation. Subjects were followed through until the end of 2009 and the event rates of new non-traumatic amputation were compared between groups. RESULTS: The incidence of amputation was 3 times higher for the HPD cohort than for the comparison cohort (23.68 vs. 8.01 per 1000 person-years). The hazard ratio (HR) for this group, estimated using a multivariable Cox model, was 2.48 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06–5.79). The HR for patients with both diabetes and early adoption of HPD increased to 44.34 (95% CI = 5.51-357.03), compared to non-HPD non-diabetic PD controls. CONCLUSION: Early utilization of HPD in PD patients is associated with increasing risk of amputation; this risk considerably increases for those with concomitant diabetes

Calcium oscillations coordinate feather mesenchymal cell movement by SHH dependent modulation of gap junction networks

Collective cell migration mediates multiple tissue morphogenesis processes. Yet how multi-dimensional mesenchymal cell movements are coordinated remains mostly unknown. Here we report that coordinated mesenchymal cell migration during chicken feather elongation is accompanied by dynamic changes of bioelectric currents. Transcriptome profiling and functional assays implicate contributions from functional voltage-gated Ca^(2+) channels (VGCCs), Connexin-43 based gap junctions, and Ca^(2+) release activated Ca^(2+) (CRAC) channels. 4-Dimensional Ca^(2+) imaging reveals that the Sonic hedgehog-responsive mesenchymal cells display synchronized Ca^(2+) oscillations, which expand progressively in area during feather elongation. Inhibiting VGCCs, gap junctions, or Sonic hedgehog signaling alters the mesenchymal Ca^(2+) landscape, cell movement patterns and feather bud elongation. Ca^(2+) oscillations induced by cyclic activation of opto-cCRAC channels enhance feather bud elongation. Functional disruption experiments and promoter analysis implicate synergistic Hedgehog and WNT/β-Catenin signaling in activating Connexin-43 expression, establishing gap junction networks synchronizing the Ca^(2+) profile among cells, thereby coordinating cell movement patterns

Transcriptomic analyses of regenerating adult feathers in chicken

Transcriptome Expression Data. Table of mapped reads to Galgal4 transcripts for all 15 data sets. FPKM (Fragments per kilobase of exon per million fragments mapped): normalized transcript abundance values for each gene in the indicated tissues. (CSV 1314 kb