Autocrine and paracrine Wingless signalling in the Drosophila midgut by both continuous gradient and asynchronous bursts of wingless expression

Wingless (Wg)/ Wnt signalling is a major regulator of homeostasis in both the mammalian andDrosophilaintestine. InDrosophilathe organisation and function of Wingless signalling in the adult intestine remain poorly understood. Here we characterise the pattern of expression ofwg, the stabilisation of its effector Armadillo in the adultDrosophilamidgut, and correlate them with the response of the cells to Wg signalling activation. We show that in normal homeostasis there is a gradient of Wingless signalling in the intestinal stem cell (ISC) and the undifferentiated progenitor cell (enteroblast, EB) populations along the posterior midgut, with a high point at the midgut-hindgut boundary (pylorus). This gradient results from a combination of two sources of Wingless: a distant source outside the epithelium (the pylorus) and a local one from the ISCs and EBs themselves. Altogether, our studies show that Wingless expression and signalling in the epithelium is not continuous, but operates through bursts that occur randomly in space and time.</ns4:p

Compositions and Methods for Inhibiting Gene Expressions

A combined packing and assembly method that efficiently packs ribonucleic acid (RNA) into virus like particles (VLPs) has been developed. The VLPs can spontaneously assemble and load RNA in vivo, efficiently packaging specifically designed RNAs at high densities and with high purity. In some embodiments the RNA is capable of interference activity, or is a precursor of a RNA capable of causing interference activity. Compositions and methods for the efficient expression, production and purification of VLP-RNAs are provided. VLP-RNAs can be used for the storage of RNA for long periods, and provide the ability to deliver RNA in stable form that is readily taken up by cells

Uma versão em espanhol da Achievement Task Value Scale for University Students: confiabilidade e validade interna, convergente e de critério em estudantes argentinos

Objective: An Achievement Task Value Scale Spanish Language Adjusted Version, assessing task value items corresponding to importance, utility, interest and cost, was evaluated regarding its psychometric properties, in a sample of Argentine students. Method: In order to assess internal structure, exploratory and confirmatory strategies have been used. Besides, scale convergence was assessed by relating them with a one-dimensional task value scale. Evidences of criterion validity were supported by relating scales with enjoyment, achievement goals, and attention. Finally, internal consistency was estimated using Cronbach’s Alpha and Omega coefficients. Conclusions: Results allow to state that this version of the instrument makes it possible to assess, in a reliable and valid way, three components of task value: utility, interest, and cost.Objetivo: se evaluó una versión ajustada al idioma español de la Achievement Task Value Scale, la cual evalúa los ítems valorativos de tareas que corresponden a importancia, utilidad, interés y costo, con respecto a sus propiedades psicométricas en una muestra de estudiantes argentinos. Método: para evaluar la estructura interna se utilizaron estrategias exploratorias y de confirmación. Además, la convergencia de la escala se evaluó relacionándola con una escala valorativa unidimensional de tareas. Las evidencias de la validez de criterio se sustentaron relacionando las escalas con disfrute, metas de progreso y atención. Finalmente, la consistencia interna se estimó utilizando los coeficientes Alpha y Omega de Cronbach. Conclusiones: los resultados permiten afirmar que esta versión del instrumento hace posible evaluar de manera confiable y válida tres componentes valorativos de la tarea: utilidad, interés y costo.Objetivo: foi avaliada uma versão adaptada a espanhol da Achievement Task Value Scale, a qual avalia os itens valorativos de tarefas que correspondem a importância, utilidade, interesse e custo, a respeito de suas propriedades psicométricas numa amostra de estudantes argentinos. Método: para avaliar a estrutura interna, foram utilizadas estratégias exploratórias e de confirmação. Além disso, a convergência da escala foi avaliada relacionando-a com uma escala valorativa unidimensional de tarefas. As evidências da validade de critério foram apoiadas relacionando as escalas com deleite, metas de progresso e atenção. Finalmente, a consistência interna foi estimada utilizando os coeficientes Alpha e Ômega de Cronbach. Conclusões: os resultados permitem afirmar que essa versão do instrumento torna possível avaliar, de maneira confiável e válida, três componentes valorativos da tarefa: utilidade, interesse e custo

The experience and attitude of TMU faculty and researchers toward predatory journals and research productivity

A questionnaire&nbsp;related to&nbsp;journal submission was sent to researchers for a 2-week period to investigate the submission status as well as the problems faced by Taipei Medical University faculties and researchers. This study has two major findings including the Experience of predatory journal and Calculations of academic performance point and discuss about users’ cognition and their needs from the library and the university, as well as the library policy and services related to predatory journals. It is authors’ hope that the research results can serve as reference for other medical libraries planning to provide relevant services

Time-Selective RNN for Device-Free Multi-Room Human Presence Detection Using WiFi CSI

Human presence detection is a crucial technology for various applications, including home automation, security, and healthcare. While camera-based systems have traditionally been used for this purpose, they raise privacy concerns. To address this issue, recent research has explored the use of channel state information (CSI) approaches that can be extracted from commercial WiFi access points (APs) and provide detailed channel characteristics. In this thesis, we propose a device-free human presence detection system for multi-room scenarios using a time-selective conditional dual feature extract recurrent Network (TCD-FERN). Our system is designed to capture significant time features with the condition on current human features using a dynamic and static (DaS) data preprocessing technique to extract moving and spatial features of people and differentiate between line-of-sight (LoS) path blocking and non-blocking cases. To mitigate the feature attenuation problem caused by room partitions, we employ a voting scheme. We conduct evaluation and real-time experiments to demonstrate that our proposed TCD-FERN system can achieve human presence detection for multi-room scenarios using fewer commodity WiFi APs

The Enterprise Risk Management of Foreign Exchange Exposures: Evidence from Taiwanese Hospitality Industry

For this paper, I use the ARIMA model to study the relationship between business performance and exchange rate fluctuations. Through this model, the empirical results shows that the influences of foreign exchange rate fluctuations on the tourist hotel business performance are significant and different across currencies and firms. Furthermore, according to the framework of Kim (2013) we employ the modern portfolio theory proposed by Markowitz (1952) to give an optimal foreign exchange allocation for each tourist hotel company's financial decision-makers, which will avoid the risk of exchange rate fluctuations expose and reduce losses due to the fluctuations of exchange rates, and complete the construction of enterprise risk management system (ERM)

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Activation during Cardioplegia-Induced Hypoxia/Reoxygenation Injury Attenuates Cardiomyocytic Apoptosis via Reduction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Cardioplegic-induced H/R injury results in cardiomyocytic apoptosis. AMPK has been shown to reduce ER stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR). Whether AMPK activation can attenuate cardiomyocytic apoptosis after cardioplegia-induced H/R injury is unknown. Cardiomyocytes were exposed to simulated ischemia by incubation in a hypoxic chamber with intermittent cold cardioplegia solution infusion at 20-minute intervals and subsequently reoxygenated in a normoxic environment. Various doses of AMPK activators (AICAR or metformin) were given 2 days before H/R injury. The cardiomyocytes were harvested after reoxygenation for subsequent examination. With both AMPK activators, the antiapoptotic genes of ER stress and UPR, the subsequent production of proapoptotic proteins was attenuated, and the antiapoptotic proteins were elevated. The activity of the apoptotic effectors of ER stress was also reduced with AMPK activation. Moreover, TUNEL staining showed that AMPK activation significantly reduced the percentage of apoptotic cardiomyocytes after cardioplegia-induced H/R injury. Our results revealed that AMPK activation during cardioplegia-induced H/R injury attenuates cardiomyocytic apoptosis, via enhancement of antiapoptotic and reduction of proapoptotic responses, resulting from lessening ER stress and the UPR. AMPK activation may serve as a future pharmacological target to reduce H/R injury in the clinical setting

Bidirectional associations between hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, and strabismus, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: a national population-based cohort study

Objectives: The present study analyzed the reciprocal relationships between four common pediatric ophthalmic diseases (i.e., hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, and strabismus) and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Methods: This study enrolled 86,028 children with ADHD and 1,798,673 children without ADHD in the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database who were born at any time from 2004 to 2017. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the bidirectional relationships of the four ophthalmic diseases with ADHD in children after adjusting for age, sex, and gestational age at birth. Survival curves for time-to-event variables were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to compare the curves. Results: The results indicated that ADHD significantly predicted the occurrence of hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, and strabismus. Furthermore, hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, and strabismus significantly predicted the occurrence of ADHD. The time between enrollment and ADHD diagnosis was shorter for patients with ophthalmic diseases than for the control group, and the time between enrollment and ophthalmic disease diagnosis was also shorter for ADHD patients than for the control group. Sex differences were found in the associations between ADHD and ophthalmic diseases. Conclusion: Clinicians should monitor children with ADHD for hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, and strabismus to ensure appropriate treatment, and vice versa

Impact of ovarian preservation in women with endometrial cancer

AbstractBackgroundBilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) is standardly performed in the treatment of endometrial cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of ovarian preservation on the outcome of patients with endometrial cancer.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was performed using the 2000–2010 database of endometrial cancer patients who were treated at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Information regarding patient age, pathologic reports, and follow-up results was abstracted from medical records.ResultsFive hundred and twenty-nine patients were reviewed in this study. Mean age and follow-up duration were 55.7 ± 11.4 years and 37.5 ± 30.1 months, respectively. The median disease-free survival was 31.2 months (range 0.2–126.9 months). There were no significant differences in disease-free survival between stage I patients with ovarian preservation versus those with oophorectomy (p = 0.473). In a multivariate Cox model, ovarian preservation had no effect on disease-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.72; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.48–15.59]; however, it was not significantly related to stage and para-aortic lymph node involvement.ConclusionOvarian preservation may be considered in premenopausal women with early-stage low-risk endometrial cancer