End-to-end thiocyanato-bridged helical chain polymer and dichlorido-bridged copper(II) complexes with a hydrazone ligand: synthesis, characterisation by electron paramagnetic resonance and variable- temperature magnetic studies, and inhibitory effects on human colorectal carcinoma cells

The reactions of the tridentate hydrazone ligand, N’-[1-(pyridin-2-yl)ethylidene]acetohydrazide (HL), obtained by condensation of 2-acetylpyridine with acetic hyadrazide, with copper nitrate trihydrate in the presence of thiocyanate, or with CuCl2 produce two distinct coordination compounds, namely a one-dimensional helical coordination chain of [CuL(NCS)]n (1) units, and a doubly chlorido-bridged dinuclear complex [Cu2L2Cl2] (2) (where L=CH3C(O)=N − N=CCH3C5H4N). Single-crystal X-ray structural determination studies reveal that in complex 1, a deprotonated hydrazone ligand L- coordinates a copper(II) ion that is bridged to two neighbouring metal centres by SCN- anions, generating a one-dimensional helical coordination chain. In complex 2, two symmetry-related, adjacent copper(II) coordination entities are doubly chlorido-bridged, producing a dicopper entity with a Cu···Cu distance of 3.402 (1). The two coordination compounds have been fully characterised by elemental analysis, spectroscopic techniques including IR, UV– vis and electron paramagnetic resonance, and variable-temperature magnetic studies. The biological effects of 1 and 2 on the viability of human colorectal carcinoma cells (COLO-205 and HT-29) were evaluated using an MTT assay, and the results indicate that these complexes induce a decrease in cell-population growth of human colorectal carcinoma cells with apoptosis

A lack of association between genetic polymorphisms in beta-defensins and susceptibility of psoriasis in Taiwanese: A case–control study

AbstractBackgroundGenetic predisposition of the inflammatory-host response may affect the development of psoriasis. Previous studies have shown that copy number variations (CNVs) of β-defensin genes (DEFB) are associated with the susceptibility of psoriasis in Caucasian populations.ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the role of the CNVs of the DEFB4 gene and functional variants in the DEFB1 gene in Taiwanese patients with psoriasis.MethodsIn total, 196 patients with psoriasis and 196 control individuals were analyzed for the presence of the DEFB4 CNVs using the paralogue ratio test, and also for the DEFB1 polymorphisms rs11362, rs1800972, and rs1799946, using a polymerase chain reaction.ResultsNone of the polymorphisms were found to be associated with psoriasis. The distribution of DEFB4 genomic CNVs did not significantly differ between the control group and psoriasis group. The frequencies of patients who carried a greater than the median (≥ 5) number of copies did not significantly differ in patients with psoriasis and controls. The multivariate analysis similarly revealed that the DEFB4 CNVs were not associated with psoriasis (odds ratio = 1.03, 95% confidence interval = 0.89–1.19, p = 0.720). No significant difference was detected in the genotype and allele distribution for any of the individual DEFB1 polymorphisms between the cases and the controls. Finally, the overall haplotype frequency profiles derived from the three polymorphisms did not significantly differ between the cases and the controls.ConclusionOur results do not suggest that these genetic variants of the β-defensin genes contribute to the genetic background of psoriasis in Taiwanese patients

Associations between child maltreatment, PTSD, and internet addiction among Taiwanese students

AbstractThis study examines (1) the associations between multiple types of child maltreatment and Internet addiction, and (2) the mediating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on these associations. We collected data from a national proportionately stratified random sample of 6233 fourth-grade students in Taiwan in 2014. We conducted bivariate correlations and sets of multiple regression analyses to examine the associations between multiple types of maltreatment (5 types in total) and Internet addiction, and to identify the mediating role of PTSD. The results reveal that being male and experiencing abuse (psychological neglect, physical neglect, paternal physical violence, sexual violence) were associated with increased risk among children of developing PTSD and Internet addiction. Moreover, PTSD mediated the associations between multiple types of maltreatment (except maternal physical violence) and Internet addiction. This study demonstrates (1) the effects of multiple types of maltreatment on the PTSD and Internet addiction of children and (2) the importance of early prevention and intervention in addressing related public-health concerns

Functional Effects of let-7g Expression in Colon Cancer Metastasis.

MicroRNA regulation is crucial for gene expression and cell functions. It has been linked to tumorigenesis, development and metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, the let-7 family has been identified as a tumor suppressor in different types of cancers. However, the function of the let-7 family in CRC metastasis has not been fully investigated. Here, we focused on analyzing the role of let-7g in CRC. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) genomic datasets of CRC and detailed data from a Taiwanese CRC cohort were applied to study the expression pattern of let-7g. In addition, in vitro as well as in vivo studies have been performed to uncover the effects of let-7g on CRC. We found that the expression of let-7g was significantly lower in CRC specimens. Our results further supported the inhibitory effects of let-7g on CRC cell migration, invasion and extracellular calcium influx through store-operated calcium channels. We report a critical role for let-7g in the pathogenesis of CRC and suggest let-7g as a potential therapeutic target for CRC treatment

A 64-week, multicenter, open-label study of aripiprazole effectiveness in the management of patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder in a general psychiatric outpatient setting

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To evaluate the overall long-term effectiveness of aripiprazole in patients with schizophrenia in a general psychiatric practice setting in Taiwan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a prospective, open-label, multicenter, post-market surveillance study in Taiwanese patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder requiring a switch in antipsychotic medication because current medication was not well tolerated and/or clinical symptoms were not well controlled. Eligible patients were titrated to aripiprazole (5-30 mg/day) over a 12-week switching phase, during which their previous medication was discontinued. Patients could then enter a 52-week, long-term treatment phase. Aripiprazole was flexibly dosed (5-30 mg/day) at the discretion of the treating physicians. Efficacy was assessed using the Clinical Global Impression scale Improvement (CGI-I) score, the Clinical Global Impression scale Severity (CGI-S) score, The Brief Psychiatry Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Quality of Life (QOL) scale, as well as Preference of Medicine (POM) ratings by patients and caregivers. Safety and tolerability were also assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 245 patients were enrolled and switched from their prior antipsychotic medications, and 153 patients entered the 52-week extension phase. In all, 79 patients (32.2%) completed the study. At week 64, the mean CGI-I score was 3.10 and 64.6% of patients who showed response. Compared to baseline, scores of CGI-S, QOL, and BPRS after 64 weeks of treatment also showed significant improvements. At week 12, 65.4% of subjects and 58.9% of caregivers rated aripiprazole as better than the prestudy medication on the POM. The most frequently reported adverse events (AEs) were headache, auditory hallucinations and insomnia. A total of 13 patients (5.3%) discontinued treatment due to AEs. No statistically significant changes were noted with respect to fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, body weight, and body mass index after long-term treatment with aripiprazole.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although the discontinuation rate was high, aripiprazole was found to be effective, safe and well tolerated in the long-term treatment of Taiwanese patients with schizophrenia who continued to receive treatment for 64 weeks.</p

New Ventures, Internationalization, and Asymmetric Grin Curve: Analysis of Taiwan’s Big Data

Under globalization, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that predominate Taiwan’s economy have been primarily original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) continuing to adjust operating strategies in order to extend supply chains and enhance competitiveness. This paper adopts the big data composed of 104,377 Taiwanese manufacturers from the 2011 Industry, Commerce, and Service Census to assess impact of the business life cycle, brand revenue, R&amp;D spending, and internationalization on value creation. Major findings are as follows. First, the link of the firm’s operating years with value creation is characterized by a quadratic U-shaped curve where the minimum point corresponds to 15 years of operation, suggesting a cost of lower value added for new ventures at the early stage of development. Second, a reversed U-shaped curve of value creation is found as regards brand revenue and R&amp;D spending, with the greater impact of the latter. Third, the impact of overseas investment and export expansion is also captured by a reversed U-shaped curve, with greater impact for the former. Fourth, an asymmetric grin curve rather than a smile curve is found in Taiwan’s manufacturers, whose value creation can be strengthened by strategies that focus on the learning curve, internationalization, internet, operating scale, and capital intensity

Numerical Study of Thermal and Flow Characteristics of Plate-Fin Heat Sink with Longitudinal Vortex Generator Installed on the Ground

This study applied the commercial software ANSYS CFD (FLUENT), for simulating the transient flow field and investigating the influence of each parameter of longitudinal vortex generators (LVGs) on the thermal flux of a plate-fin heat sink. Vortex generator was set in front of plate-fin heat sink and under the channel, which was in common-flow-down (CFD) and common-flow-up (CFU) conditions, which have the result of vortex generator of delta winglet pair (DWP). In this study the parameters were varied, such as the minimum transverse distance between winglet pair, the attack angle of the vortex generator, fins number, the fin height, and the distance between the vortex generator and plate-fin. The coolant fluid flew into the fin-to-fin channel and pushed the vortex from different geometry toward the bottom. This phenomenon took off the heat from the plate to enhance the heat transfer. The numerical results indicated that the LVGs located close to the plate-fin heat sink are zero with the attack angle being 30°, presenting optimal overall conditions

New Ventures, Internationalization, and Asymmetric Grin Curve: Analysis of Taiwan’s Big Data

Under globalization, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that predominate Taiwan’s economy have been primarily original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) continuing to adjust operating strategies in order to extend supply chains and enhance competitiveness. This paper adopts the big data composed of 104,377 Taiwanese manufacturers from the 2011 Industry, Commerce, and Service Census to assess impact of the business life cycle, brand revenue, R&D spending, and internationalization on value creation. Major findings are as follows. First, the link of the firm’s operating years with value creation is characterized by a quadratic U-shaped curve where the minimum point corresponds to 15 years of operation, suggesting a cost of lower value added for new ventures at the early stage of development. Second, a reversed U-shaped curve of value creation is found as regards brand revenue and R&D spending, with the greater impact of the latter. Third, the impact of overseas investment and export expansion is also captured by a reversed U-shaped curve, with greater impact for the former. Fourth, an asymmetric grin curve rather than a smile curve is found in Taiwan’s manufacturers, whose value creation can be strengthened by strategies that focus on the learning curve, internationalization, internet, operating scale, and capital intensity