Protective effects of Scoparia dulcis L. extract on high glucose-induced injury in human retinal pigment epithelial cells

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of vision loss in diabetic patients. Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and the accumulation of inflammatory factors result in blood-retinal barrier dysfunction and the pathogenesis of DR. Scoparia dulcis L. extract (SDE), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been recently recognized for its various pharmacological effects, including anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative activities. However, there is no relevant research on the protective effect of SDE in DR. In this study, we treated high glucose (50 mM) in human retinal epithelial cells (ARPE-19) with different concentrations of SDE and analyzed cell viability, apoptosis, and ROS production. Moreover, we analyzed the expression of Akt, Nrf2, catalase, and HO-1, which showed that SDE dose-dependently reduced ROS production and attenuated ARPE-19 cell apoptosis in a high-glucose environment. Briefly, we demonstrated that SDE exhibited an anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory ability in protecting retinal cells from high-glucose (HG) treatment. Moreover, we also investigated the involvement of the Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in SDE-mediated protective effects. The results suggest SDE as a nutritional supplement that could benefit patients with DR

Вихретоковый анизотропный термоэлектрический первичный преобразователь лучистого потока

Представлена оригинальная конструкция первичного преобразователя лучистого потока, который может служить основой для создания приемника неселективного излучения с повышенной чувствительностью

The 5p15.33 Locus Is Associated with Risk of Lung Adenocarcinoma in Never-Smoking Females in Asia

Genome-wide association studies of lung cancer reported in populations of European background have identified three regions on chromosomes 5p15.33, 6p21.33, and 15q25 that have achieved genome-wide significance with p-values of 10−7 or lower. These studies have been performed primarily in cigarette smokers, raising the possibility that the observed associations could be related to tobacco use, lung carcinogenesis, or both. Since most women in Asia do not smoke, we conducted a genome-wide association study of lung adenocarcinoma in never-smoking females (584 cases, 585 controls) among Han Chinese in Taiwan and found that the most significant association was for rs2736100 on chromosome 5p15.33 (p = 1.30×10−11). This finding was independently replicated in seven studies from East Asia totaling 1,164 lung adenocarcinomas and 1,736 controls (p = 5.38×10−11). A pooled analysis achieved genome-wide significance for rs2736100. This SNP marker localizes to the CLPTM1L-TERT locus on chromosome 5p15.33 (p = 2.60×10−20, allelic risk = 1.54, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.41–1.68). Risks for heterozygote and homozygote carriers of the minor allele were 1.62 (95% CI; 1.40–1.87), and 2.35 (95% CI: 1.95–2.83), respectively. In summary, our results show that genetic variation in the CLPTM1L-TERT locus of chromosome 5p15.33 is directly associated with the risk of lung cancer, most notably adenocarcinoma

The Relationship among Consumption Value, Experience of Service Quality, and Customer Satisfaction─A Study of 3C Chain Stores in Hsinchu.

[[abstract]]本研究主要在探討3C（電腦、通訊及消費性電子產品）連鎖賣場消費者的消費價值、服務品質體驗與顧客滿意度之關係，並根據研究結果提出建議，以供3C連鎖業者日後提供服務之參考。本研究運用問卷調查方法進行敘述性統計、因素分析、信度分析、迴歸分析等統計方法，針對各構面之間的關係做實證分析。實證結果顯示，愈注重享樂主義的消費者，愈重視情感體驗與思考體驗；愈注重實用主義的消費者，愈重視感官體驗、行動體驗與關聯體驗。在五種服務品質體驗滿意度中，以空間環境因素、以客為尊因素、科技環保因素、主動服務因素和信譽保障因素對整體滿意度的影響最大。對於追求尋寶賞玩價值的消費者來說，公益形象因素屬於激勵因子，能有效提升其整體滿意度；對於追求好奇探索價值的消費者來說，只有廣告識別因素屬於激勵因子；而對於追求速戰速決價值的消費者來說，空間環境因素、以客為尊因素、科技環保因素、e化服務因素、公益形象因素與信譽保障因素都屬於激勵因子。因此，本研究建議應分別就享樂主義及實用主義的消費者，各自研擬適當的體驗行銷策略，以同時滿足消費者的要求及進而提升其整體滿意度。[[abstract]]The objective of this thesis is to study the relationship among consumption value, experience of service quality, and customer satisfaction for 3C (computer, communication, and consumer electronic products) chain store customers, and provide some suggestions of future services for 3C chain stores’ reference based on the findings of this study. The information is gathered by questionnaire, adopting descriptive statistics, factors analysis, reliability analysis and regression to analyze and prove the relationship among the dimensions. The findings of this study show the hedonist would much care about feel and think experiences, and the utilitarian would care more about sense, act, and relate experiences. In the 5 kinds of service quality satisfaction, environment factor, customer respect factor, technology environmental protection factor, active service factor, and credit guarantee factor show most positive and significant relevance to customer satisfaction. For the consumers who are pursuing search enjoy value, public welfare reputation factor is a motivator, which is the most effective way to raise the customer satisfaction. To those who are after curious explore value, only advertisement recognition factor is a motivator. As for the customers who are looking for timing saving value, environment factor, customer respect factor, technology environmental protection factor, e service factor, public welfare reputation factor, and credit guarantee factor are motivators. Therefore, this study suggests the stores to apply the experience marking strategy accordingly to hedonist and utilitarian separately, in order to meet customers demand and improve their customer satisfaction.[[note]]碩

Direct imprinting on a polycarbonate substrate with a compressed air press for polarizer applications

a b s t r a c t In this study, simple two-step processes were used to fabricate the wire-grid polarizer (WGP) on a polycarbonate (PC) sheet. The PC gratings were fabricated by direct imprinting of the PC sheet onto a silicon mold with a compressed air press (CAP). No additional imprinted polymer was required in the imprinting step. The applied pressure of 5 bar was much lower than the pressure reported in the literature, which was due to the use of the CAP. The WGP was further fabricated with an oblique aluminum (Al) sputtering on the PC grating. The rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) was performed to explain and verify the experimental results. The fabricated WGP should have potential application in the infrared region

Detailed profiling of carbon fixation of in silico synthetic autotrophy with reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle and Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle in Esherichia coli using hydrogen as an energy source

Carbon fixation is the main route of inorganic carbon in the form of CO2 into the biosphere. In nature, RuBisCO is the most abundant protein that photosynthetic organisms use to fix CO2 from the atmosphere through the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle. However, the CBB cycle is limited by its low catalytic rate and low energy efficiency. In this work, we attempt to integrate the reductive tricarboxylic acid and CBB cycles in silico to further improve carbon fixation capacity. Key heterologous enzymes, mostly carboxylating enzymes, are inserted into the Esherichia coli core metabolic network to assimilate CO2 into biomass using hydrogen as energy source. Overall, such a strain shows enhanced growth yield with simultaneous running of dual carbon fixation cycles. Our key results include the following. (i) We identified two main growth states: carbon-limited and hydrogen-limited; (ii) we identified a hierarchy of carbon fixation usage when hydrogen supply is limited; and (iii) we identified the alternative sub-optimal growth mode while performing genetic perturbation. The results and modeling approach can guide bioengineering projects toward optimal production using such a strain as a microbial cell factory. Keywords: Reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle, Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle, Carbon fixation, Metabolis

Risk factors of distant metastasis in the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma

The follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) is the most common variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A previous population-based study revealed its clinical behavior as a mix of classic papillary thyroid carcinoma (C-PTC) and follicular thyroid carcinoma. Whereas locoregional extension was lower in FVPTC than in C-PTC, the distant metastasis rate was higher in FVPTC than in C-PTC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of distant metastasis in FVPTC postoperatively. Methods: A retrospective review of 359 patients with final pathological diagnosis of FVPTC treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between January 2000 and January 2014 was performed. After excluding patients who had inadequate pathological data for analysis or did not attend regular follow up for >1 year, 346 patients were included in this study. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to determine the significance of various factors. Results: Of the 346 patients with FVPTC, 19 (5.5%) had lymph node metastases and 32 (9.2%) had distant metastases. Two positive and one negative risk factors were predictive for distant metastasis using multivariate analysis: angiolymphatic invasion [odds ratio (OR), 3.085; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.008–9.442], extrathyroidal extension (OR, 3.929; 95% CI, 1.330–11.602), and encapsulation (OR, 0.361; 95% CI, 0.154–0.850). Conclusion: The presence of angiolymphatic invasion, extrathyroidal extension, or nonencapsulation was associated with distant metastasis in FVPTC in this study. In FVPTC patients, postoperative investigation for distant metastasis may be warranted by the presence of these two positive risk factors or the absence of the one negative risk factor

Effects of Electroacupuncture on Methamphetamine-Induced Behavioral Changes in Mice

Methamphetamine (METH) is a major drug of abuse worldwide, and no efficient therapeutic strategies for treating METH addiction are currently available. Continuous METH use can cause behavioral upregulation or psychosis. The dopaminergic pathways, particularly the neural circuitry from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), have a critical role in this behavioral stage. Acupuncture has been used for treating diseases in China for more than 2000 years. According to a World Health Organization report, acupuncture can be used to treat several functional disorders, including substance abuse. In addition, acupuncture is effective against opioids addiction. In this study, we used electroacupuncture (EA) for treating METHinduced behavioral changes and investigated the possible therapeutic mechanism. Results showed that EA at the unilateral Zhubin (KI9)-Taichong (LR3) significantly reduced METH-induced behavioral sensitization and conditioned place preference. In addition, both dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels decreased but monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) levels increased in the NAc of the METH-treated mice receiving EA compared with those not receiving EA. EA may be a useful nonpharmacological approach for treating METH-induced behavioral changes, probably because it reduces the METH-induced TH expression and dopamine levels and raises MAO-A expression in the NAc