trans-Diacetonitrile­tetra­kis(1H-pyrazole-κN 2)nickel(II) dinitrate

In the title complex, [Ni(CH3CN)2(C3H4N2)4](NO3)2, the cation lies on an inversion center and adopts an octa­hedral coordination geometry about the Ni atom. The two acetonitrile ligands are in a trans conformation. N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between cations and anions link the complex mol­ecules into one-dimensional chains running parallel to [100]

Low Cost Seismic Network Practical Applications for Producing Quick Shaking Maps in Taiwan

Two major earthquakes of ML greater than 6.0 occurred in Taiwan in the first half of 2013. The vibrant shaking brought landslides, falling rocks and casualties. This paper presents a seismic network developed by National Taiwan University (NTU) with 401 Micro-Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) accelerators. The network recorded high quality strong motion signals from the two events and produced delicate shaking maps within one minute after the earthquake occurrence. The high shaking regions of the intensity map produced by the NTU system suggest damage and casualty locations. Equipped with a dense array of MEMS accelerometers, the NTU system is able to accommodate 10% signals loss from part of the seismic stations and maintain its normal functions for producing shaking maps. The system also has the potential to identify the rupture direction which is one of the key indices used to estimate possible damage. The low cost MEMS accelerator array shows its potential in real-time earthquake shaking map generation and damage avoidance

Frequency Dependent Alterations in Regional Homogeneity of Baseline Brain Activity in Schizophrenia

Low frequency oscillations are essential in cognitive function impairment in schizophrenia. While functional connectivity can reveal the synchronization between distant brain regions, the regional abnormalities in task-independent baseline brain activity are less clear, especially in specific frequency bands. Here, we used a regional homogeneity (ReHo) method combined with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate low frequency spontaneous neural activity in the three different frequency bands (slow-5:0.01–0.027 Hz; slow-4:0.027–0.08 Hz; and typical band: 0.01–0.08 Hz) in 69 patients with schizophrenia and 62 healthy controls. Compared with controls, schizophrenia patients exhibited decreased ReHo in the precentral gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and posterior insula, whereas increased ReHo in the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior insula. Significant differences in ReHo between the two bands were found in fusiform gyrus and superior frontal gyrus (slow-4> slow-5), and in basal ganglia, parahippocampus, and dorsal middle prefrontal gyrus (slow-5> slow-4). Importantly, we identified significant interaction between frequency bands and groups in the inferior occipital gyrus and caudate body. This study demonstrates that ReHo changes in schizophrenia are widespread and frequency dependent

Women with endometriosis have higher comorbidities: Analysis of domestic data in Taiwan

AbstractEndometriosis, defined by the presence of viable extrauterine endometrial glands and stroma, can grow or bleed cyclically, and possesses characteristics including a destructive, invasive, and metastatic nature. Since endometriosis may result in pelvic inflammation, adhesion, chronic pain, and infertility, and can progress to biologically malignant tumors, it is a long-term major health issue in women of reproductive age. In this review, we analyze the Taiwan domestic research addressing associations between endometriosis and other diseases. Concerning malignant tumors, we identified four studies on the links between endometriosis and ovarian cancer, one on breast cancer, two on endometrial cancer, one on colorectal cancer, and one on other malignancies, as well as one on associations between endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome, one on links with migraine headache, three on links with pelvic inflammatory diseases, four on links with infertility, four on links with obesity, four on links with chronic liver disease, four on links with rheumatoid arthritis, four on links with chronic renal disease, five on links with diabetes mellitus, and five on links with cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.). The data available to date support that women with endometriosis might be at risk of some chronic illnesses and certain malignancies, although we consider the evidence for some comorbidities to be of low quality, for example, the association between colon cancer and adenomyosis/endometriosis. We still believe that the risk of comorbidity might be higher in women with endometriosis than that we supposed before. More research is needed to determine whether women with endometriosis are really at risk of these comorbidities

Western Star, 1911-01-04

The Western Star began publication on Newfoundland's west coast on 4 April 1900, appearing weekly with brief semiweekly periods up to 1952, when it became a daily. As of 17 April 2019 it continues as a free weekly community paper

Low-cost seismic network for earthquake disaster mitigation in Taiwan

大地震後，近乎即時製出的震度圖可以呈現不同空間位置的強地動及震度分布情形，以供快速評估地震對各地的影響。由地震規模及位置等震源的不確定對震度精度影響的研究得知，臺灣地區的地震速報系統基於點震源的假設，會產生震度0.5及最大加速度7.2cm/s2的誤差。近年來，在臺灣設置的高密度地震觀測網，每一測站都裝設由臺灣大學研究團隊發展的微機電地震儀。該地震網擷取的大量中、大型地震紀錄，被用於探討即時震度圖製作及門檻值判別型的現地預警系統應用的可行性。結果顯示，該地震網製作出地震圖不但詳細，且可即時顯示震源破裂方向，有助於災害應變，減少災損；該地震網亦顯現其在現地型地震預警的功能，可在強大震波到達前提供足夠的應變時間。另外，在新竹工業園區內由數部微機電地震儀及一部寬頻地震儀組成的地震觀測網，以其在2015年收錄到的地震紀錄，即建立可供迅速評估該地地動特性的Pd與PGV的迴歸關係式，此一作法可應用至以往未有完整地震資料的地區。由上可知，對於地震減災而言，低價位的微機電地震觀測網實在具有多方面的應用價值。Nearly real-time shaking maps can promptly provide spatial distributions of ground motion and seismic intensity soon after significant earthquakes hit, which are valuable to conduct rapid assessments on possible seismic adverse impacts. First, this research investigates the affecting factors of source uncertainties (e.g., magnitudes and locations) as to determine seismic intensity estimations. Conclusive results of case studies indicate that the current rapid earthquake reporting system based on a point source assumption could have uncertainties of 0.5 in intensity and 7.2 cm/s2 in peak ground acceleration (PGA). According to recent case studies, a dense seismic network adopting the micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers has been developed by an earthquake early warning (EEW) research group at National Taiwan University. Through data collected by the network, this research retrieves massive information from lots of moderate-to-large earthquake records to explore the feasibility of producing real-time shaking map and the performance of threshold-based on-site EEW approach. According to the studies of shaking maps, the dense network can produce higher-resolution shaking maps and identify direction of source rupture through real-time calculation which effectively benefits emergency response operations and disaster risk reduction. This research also demonstrates this network is desirable for a functional threshold-based implementation of EEW and issues early warnings with sufficient leading time. In addition, from the analysis of data collected by an array of MEMS accelerometers and a broad-band seismometer within 2015, this research finds Pd correlates well with peak ground velocity (PGV). The MEMS seismic network shows its potential capabilities in disaster mitigation

N-[2-(Methylsulfanyl)phenyl]-2-sulfanylbenzamide

In the title compound, C14H13NOS2, the S atom with the methyl group is involved in an intramolecular hydrogen bond with the amido H atom. In the crystal, the sulfanyl H atoms form intermolecular hydrogen bonds with the O atoms, connecting the molecules into zigzag chains along the c axis. The two aromatic rings exhibit a small interplanar angle of 16.03 (9)°

N,N′-Bis[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-2,2′-(disulfanediyl)dianiline

The symmetrical title compound, C20H20N6S2, contains a disulfide bond of 2.0884 (6) Å. The C—S—S—C torsion angle is −59.57 (7)°. In the crystal, classical N—H...N and non-classical C—H...N hydrogen bonds link the compounds into chains along the a axis