Purification and Characterization of Hemagglutinating Proteins from Poker-Chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria) and Corbicula Clam (Corbicula fluminea)

Hemagglutinating proteins (HAPs) were purified from Poker-chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria) and Corbicula clam (Corbicula fluminea) using gel-filtration chromatography on a Sephacryl S-300 column. The molecular weights of the HAPs obtained from Poker-chip Venus and Corbicula clam were 358 kDa and 380 kDa, respectively. Purified HAP from Poker-chip Venus yielded two subunits with molecular weights of 26 kDa and 29 kDa. However, only one HAP subunit was purified from Corbicula clam, and its molecular weight was 32 kDa. The two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed hemagglutinating ability (HAA) for erythrocytes of some vertebrate animal species, especially tilapia. Moreover, HAA of the HAP purified from Poker-chip Venus was higher than that of the HAP of Corbicula clam. Furthermore, Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA at a pH higher than 7.0. When the temperature was at 4°C–10°C or the salinity was less than 0.5‰, the two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA compared with that of Corbicula clam

Real-Time Telemetry System for Amperometric and Potentiometric Electrochemical Sensors

A real-time telemetry system, which consists of readout circuits, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a graphical user interface (GUI), and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, is proposed for amperometric and potentiometric electrochemical sensors. By integrating the proposed system with the electrochemical sensors, analyte detection can be conveniently performed. The data is displayed in real-time on a GUI and optionally uploaded to a database via the Internet, allowing it to be accessed remotely. An MCU was implemented using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to filter noise, transmit data, and provide control over peripheral devices to reduce power consumption, which in sleep mode is 70 mW lower than in operating mode. The readout circuits, which were implemented in the TSMC 0.18-μm CMOS process, include a potentiostat and an instrumentation amplifier (IA). The measurement results show that the proposed potentiostat has a detectable current range of 1 nA to 100 μA, and linearity with an R2 value of 0.99998 in each measured current range. The proposed IA has a common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) greater than 90 dB. The proposed system was integrated with a potentiometric pH sensor and an amperometric nitrite sensor for in vitro experiments. The proposed system has high linearity (an R2 value greater than 0.99 was obtained in each experiment), a small size of 5.6 cm × 8.7 cm, high portability, and high integration

A Corpus-Based Analysis of William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale

This study was a corpus-based analysis of William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. A corpus based on the original text of the play was built for analysis. Then, a program called AntConc was used to acquire the top 200 frequency words from the corpus. Finally, five of the most frequently occurring content words were manually selected to analyze their relationship with the main characters or the content/implications of the play. The results obtained via the AntConc program showed that (1) lord appeared 89 times in the corpus and ranked 50th among the top 200 frequency words. It has the power and implication of making people forget their original intention and self, deceiving people, and causing people to forget how to cherish the people around them. (2) Shepherd occurred 65 times and ranked 68th. It symbolizes the idea of hope. (3) Daughter appeared 34 times and 125th. It assumes a crucial role throughout the whole play and makes the story go smoothly. (4) Honour occurred 34 times and ranked 126th. It represents the transformation of danger into safety. (5) Beseech appeared 18 times and ranked 198th. It can be understood as turning bad results into good results

Laparoscopic myomectomy instead of hysteroscopic myomectomy for large submucous fibroids

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopy in treating large submucous fibroids with deeply intramural invasion. Study design: Twenty-eight women with a main submucous fibroid >4 cm and with >50% intramural extension were enrolled in this study. Laparoscopic myomectomy was performed instead of hysteroscopic surgery. Results: Median fibroid diameter and weight were 5.0 cm [interquartile range (IQR) 4.6–6.0 cm] and 50.0 g (IQR 36.3–77.5 g), respectively. Median operating time was 60 minutes (IQR 50.0–73.8 minutes) and blood loss was 50 mL (IQR 50–100 mL). Median postoperative hospital stay was 2 days (IQR 2–3 days) and no patient developed complications. Seven women had coexistence of intramural and/or subserosal fibroids (median number of fibroids removed was 1, IQR 1–2). Conclusion: When the diagnosis of submucous fibroid >4 cm with >50% intramural extension is made, laparoscopic myomectomy can be performed instead of hysteroscopic surgery for the sake of safety and removal of nonsubmucous type fibroids concomitantly

Determining the Development Strategy and Suited Adoption Paths for the Core Competence of Shared Decision-Making Tasks through the SAA-NRM Approach

Shared decision making (SDM) is an interactive process that involves patients and their healthcare professionals reaching joint decisions about medical care through negotiation. As the initiators of medical decision-making in daily routine, physicians should be aware of and concerned about the SDM process. Thus, professional competency development for SDM has become increasingly critical for physicians’ training. Therefore, this study investigates the professional competency and the important competency development aspects/criteria of SDM tasks through expert interviews and literature research. The study adopts the SAA (satisfaction-attention analysis) method to assess the status of competency development aspects/criteria and determine the NRM (network relation map) based on the DEMATEL (decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory) technique. The results demonstrate that the CE (concept and evaluation) aspect is the dominant aspect, and the CR (communication and relationship) aspect is the aspect being dominated. The CE aspect influences the aspects of SP (skill and practice), JM (joint information and decision making) and CR, and the SP aspect affects the aspects of JM and CR. Then, the JM aspect affects the CR aspect. The study also suggests suitable adoption paths of competency development for SDM tasks using the NRM approach. It provides recommendations and strategic directions for SDM competency development and sustainable training programs

Establishing the Competency Development and Talent Cultivation Strategies for Physician-Patient Shared Decision-Making Competency Based on the IAA-NRM Approach

Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process involving patients and their healthcare workers negotiating to reach a shared decision about medical care. However, various physician stakeholders (attending physicians, medical residents, and doctors in post-graduate years) may have different viewpoints on SDM processes. The purpose of this study is to explore the core competence of physicians in performing SDM tasks and to investigate the significant competency development aspects/criteria by applying the literature research and expert interviews. We adopt the IAA (importance awareness analysis) technique for different stakeholders to evaluate the status of competency development aspects/criteria and to determine the NRM (network relation map) based on the DEMATEL (decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory) technique. The study combines the IAA and NRM methods and suggests using the IAA-NRM approach to evaluate the adoption strategies and common suitable paths for different levels of physicians. Our findings reveal that SDM perception and practice is the primary influencer of SDM competence development for all stakeholders. The current model can help hospital administrators and directors of medical education understand the diverse stakeholders’ perspectives on the core competence of SDM tasks and determine common development plans. It provides strategic directions for SDM competency development and talent cultivation programs

Physiological and molecular responses of seedlings of an upland rice ('Tung Lu 3') to total submergence compared to those of a submergence-tolerant lowland rice ('FR13A')

Understanding the responses of rice to environmental stresses such as unscheduled submergence is of pressing important owing to increasing severity of weather thought to arise from global climate change. When rice is completely submerged, different types adopt either a quiescence survival strategy (i.e., minimal shoot elongation) or an escape strategy (i.e., enhanced shoot elongation). Each strategy can prolong survival depending on the circumstances. While submergence responses have been studied in rice typical of lowland and flood-prone areas, few studies have explored the physiological and molecular properties of upland rice under submergence. Here, we use seedlings of the upland rice 'Tung Lu 3' ('TL3') to analyze physiological and molecular responses to submergence. We compare them with those of 'FR13A', a lowland rice that tolerates submergence by adopting the quiescence strategy

Bilaterality of ovarian endometriomas does not affect the outcome of in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection in infertile women after laparoscopic cystectomy

Background: To assess whether the unilateral or bilateral lesions can affect ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcome in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) in infertility patients underwent laparoscopic cystectomy. Methods: A total of 148 IVF/ICSI cycle in patients who had undergone laparoscopic cystectomy for unilateral or bilateral endometriomas were reviewed retrospectively. There were 103 cycles where laparoscopic cystectomy had been carried out for unilateral endometriomas and 45 cycles after bilateral-side surgery. Primary outcome measures were ovarian reserve and ovarian response. Secondary outcome measures were the implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate. Results: The number of dominant follicle on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration (5.2 ± 3.1 vs. 4.2 ± 2.7; p = 0.048), and oocytes retrieved (10.0 ± 6.9 vs. 7.6 ± 6.6; p = 0.047) were significantly lower in the bilateral-side group compare with the unilateral-side group. However, the mean number of antral follicle count, metaphase II oocytes, the doses of gonadotropin used, fertilization rate, the rate of good quality embryos transferred, implantation rate and clinical pregnancy, live-birth rate and miscarriage rate were similar between the two groups. Conclusion: There were no associations among the bilaterality of ovarian endometriomas, ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcomes in IVF/ICSI cycles. However, bilateral ovarian endometriomas after laparoscopic cystectomy may impair ovarian response as compared to unilateral ovarian endometrioma