Web Usage Mining to Extract Knowledge for Modelling Users of Taiwan Travel Recommendation Mobile APP

This work presents the design of a web mining system to understand the navigational behavior of passengers in developed Taiwan travel recommendation mobile app that provides four main functions including recommend by location , hot topic , nearby scenic spots information , my favorite and 2650 scenic spots. To understand passenger navigational patterns, log data from actual cases of app were collected and analysed by web mining system. This system analysed 58981 sessions of 1326 users for the month of June, 2014. Sequential profiles for passenger navigational patterns were captured by applying sequence-based representation schemes in association with Markov models and enhanced K-mean clustering algorithms for sequence behavior mining cluster patterns. The navigational cycle, time, function numbers, and the depth and extent (range) of app were statistically analysed. The analysis results can be used improved the passengers\u27 acceptance of app and help generate potential personalization recommendations for achieving an intelligent travel recommendation service

Effect of end-stage renal disease on long-term survival after a first-ever mechanical ventilation: a population-based study

The 30-day, 6-month, and 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival rate differences in the ESRD Pos and ESRD Neg groups from the beginning. (DOCX 17 kb

EFFECTS OF IXERIS CHINENSIS (THUNB.) NAKAI BOILING WATER EXTRACT ON HEPATITIS B VIRAL ACTIVITY AND HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma are major diseases that affect the Taiwanese population. Therefore, the development of an alternative herbal medicine that can effectively treat these diseases is a research target. In this study, we tested Ixeris Chinensis (Thunb.) Nakai boiling water extract (ICTN BWE) in vitro and analysed its effects on the HBV and liver cancer. Materials and Methods: We used a human liver cancer cell line (Hep3B, a cell line that continuously secretes HBV particles into a medium) as an experimental model for the screening of various ICTN BWE concentrations and their effects on the HBV in vitro. Results: Our results showed that 75 µg/mL ICTN BWE downregulated the relative expression of the hepatitis B virus surface antigens (HBsAg) to 77.1%. Using the human liver cancer cell lines HuH-7 and HepG2, and 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-zyl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and tumour clonogenic assays, we then showed that ICTN BWE inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma growth. Conclusion: Fluorescent microscopy of DAPI(4',6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole)-stained nuclei and DNA fragmentation assays confirmed the inhibitory effects of ICTN BWE on liver tumour cell growth through induction of apoptosis

Novel Observer-Based Suboptimal Digital Tracker for a Class of Time-Delay Singular Systems

This paper presents a novel suboptimal digital tracker for a class of time-delay singular systems. First, some existing techniques are utilized to obtain an equivalent regular time-delay system, which has a direct transmission term from input to output. The equivalent regular time-delay system is important as it enables the optimal control theory to be conveniently combined with the digital redesign approach. The linear quadratic performance index, specified in the continuous-time domain, can be discretized into an equivalent decoupled discrete-time performance index using the newly developed extended delay-free model. Additionally, although the extended delay-free model is large, its advantage is the elimination of all delay terms (which included a new extended state vector), simplifying the proposed approach. As a result, the proposed approach can be applied to a class of time-delay singular systems. An illustrative example demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed design methodology

Decentralized Control for the Interconnected Time-Delay Singular/Nonlinear Subsystems with Closed-Loop Decoupling Property

This paper presents the decentralized trackers using the observer-based suboptimal method for the interconnected time-delay singular/nonlinear subsystems with closed-loop decoupling property. The observer-based suboptimal method is used to guarantee the high-performance trajectory tracker for two different subsystems. Then, due to the high gain that resulted from the decentralized tracker, the closed-loop system will have the decoupling property. An illustrative example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control structure

Clonal spread of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in eastern Taiwan

Background and PurposeThis study was conducted to investigate the molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii to three types of antibiotics.MethodsOne hundred and thirty-four specimens of MDR A baumannii were collected from three branches (Taipei, Dalin, and Hualien branches) of Buddhist Tzu Chi Hospital, which are located in northern, southern, and eastern Taiwan, during 2007. Genotyping was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Antibiotic susceptibilities to colistin, rifampicin, and tigecycline were determined. The synergistic effects of rifampin and colistin were also evaluated.ResultsAntibiotic susceptibility testing showed that 10.4%, 47.8% and 45.5% of the MDR A baumannii isolates are resistant to colistin, rifampicin, and tigecycline, respectively. A majority of the rifampicin-resistant isolates (62.7%) were found in the Haulien branch, whereas 62.2% of tigecycline-resistant isolates were found in the Taipei branch. The combination of colistin and rifampicin had a synergistic effect on all of the isolates. Genotyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis identified 17, 23, and 11 pulsotypes in the Taipei, Dalin, and Haulien branches, respectively. Furthermore, 74.5% of isolates in the Haulien branch were identified as one of three pulsotypes. Among 37 rifampicin-resistant and 22 tigecycline-resistant MDR A baumannii isolates found in the Haulien branch, 51.3% (19/37) and 50% (11/22) of the isolates belonged to the same clone, respectively.ConclusionThis study confirms the high prevalence of resistance to rifampicin and tigecycline in MDR A baumannii in the three hospitals that were studied, and the high proportion of identical strains that exist in eastern Taiwan

Major Functional Transcriptome of an Inferred Center Regulator of an ER(−) Breast Cancer Model System

We aimed to find clinically relevant gene activities ruled by the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) proteins in an ER(−) breast cancer population via network approach. STAT3 is negatively associated with both lymph nodal category and stage. MYC is a component of STAT3 network. MYC and STAT3 may co-regulate gene expressions for Warburg effect, stem cell like phenotype, cell proliferation and angiogenesis. We identified a STAT3 network in silico showing its ability in predicting its target gene expressions primarily for specific tumor subtype, tumor progression, treatment options and prognostic features. The aberrant expressions of MYC and STAT3 are enriched in triple negatives (TN). They promote histological grade, vascularity, metastasis and tumor anti-apoptotic activities. VEGFA, STAT3, FOXM1 and METAP2 are druggable targets. High levels of METAP2, MMP7, IGF2 and IGF2R are unfavorable prognostic factors. STAT3 is an inferred center regulator at early cancer development predominantly in TN

Biomechanical investigation of flexor digitorum tendons in trigger finger patients using sonography

Trigger finger (TF) has generally been ascribed to primary changes in the first annular (A1) pulley. Repeated friction between the A1 pulley and flexor digitorum tendons could result in swelling of soft tissues, and thus it has been speculated that TF affects tendons’ biomechanical behaviors. However, the pathology mechanism related to these behaviors remains unclear. The purposes of this study are to understand (1) the variations in the morphologies of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) between normal fingers and TFs, (2) the differences in the biomechanical behaviors of the FDP and FDS between normal fingers and TFs in various finger flexion positions, and (3) the effect of various finger positions on the biomechanical behaviors of the FDP and FDS