Seismology-based early identification of dam-formation landquake events

Flooding resulting from the bursting of dams formed by landquake events such as rock avalanches, landslides and debris flows can lead to serious bank erosion and inundation of populated areas near rivers. Seismic waves can be generated by landquake events which can be described as time-dependent forces (unloading/reloading cycles) acting on the Earth. In this study, we conduct inversions of long-period (LP, period ≥20 s) waveforms for the landquake force histories (LFHs) of ten events, which provide quantitative characterization of the initiation, propagation and termination stages of the slope failures. When the results obtained from LP waveforms are analyzed together with high-frequency (HF, 1–3 Hz) seismic signals, we find a relatively strong late-arriving seismic phase (dubbed Dam-forming phase or D-phase) recorded clearly in the HF waveforms at the closest stations, which potentially marks the time when the collapsed masses sliding into river and perhaps even impacting the topographic barrier on the opposite bank. Consequently, our approach to analyzing the LP and HF waveforms developed in this study has a high potential for identifying five dam-forming landquake events (DFLEs) in near real-time using broadband seismic records, which can provide timely warnings of the impending floods to downstream residents

Women with endometriosis have higher comorbidities: Analysis of domestic data in Taiwan

AbstractEndometriosis, defined by the presence of viable extrauterine endometrial glands and stroma, can grow or bleed cyclically, and possesses characteristics including a destructive, invasive, and metastatic nature. Since endometriosis may result in pelvic inflammation, adhesion, chronic pain, and infertility, and can progress to biologically malignant tumors, it is a long-term major health issue in women of reproductive age. In this review, we analyze the Taiwan domestic research addressing associations between endometriosis and other diseases. Concerning malignant tumors, we identified four studies on the links between endometriosis and ovarian cancer, one on breast cancer, two on endometrial cancer, one on colorectal cancer, and one on other malignancies, as well as one on associations between endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome, one on links with migraine headache, three on links with pelvic inflammatory diseases, four on links with infertility, four on links with obesity, four on links with chronic liver disease, four on links with rheumatoid arthritis, four on links with chronic renal disease, five on links with diabetes mellitus, and five on links with cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.). The data available to date support that women with endometriosis might be at risk of some chronic illnesses and certain malignancies, although we consider the evidence for some comorbidities to be of low quality, for example, the association between colon cancer and adenomyosis/endometriosis. We still believe that the risk of comorbidity might be higher in women with endometriosis than that we supposed before. More research is needed to determine whether women with endometriosis are really at risk of these comorbidities

Multi-layered Colonialities and the Making of Modern Taiwan: A Critical Comparison between the Peace Act Incident and Kaohsiung Incident

This thesis re-examines two significant socio-political movements in pre- and post-WWII Taiwan in which two generations of Taiwanese activists sought licensed reformation for self-determination instead of overthrowing the alien regimes. By studying the Peace Act Incident (1923-1925) and Kaohsiung Incident (1979-1980), I aim to illuminate such moderate resistance mode as a historical category of anti-colonial struggle and the structural conditions under which such mode was produced. My studies use verdicts, newspapers, and other trial records to reconstruct the legal-political debates. The magazines the activists published also allow us to understand how they utilized modern Western progressive values, such as human rights and democracy, as discursive strategies to construct the nation of Taiwan and defy Japan’s and Kuomintang’s oppression.The comparative historical analysis of the two incidents shows the similarities of governmentality between imperial Japan and autocratic Kuomintang. Both regimes created constitutional states of exception which empowered them to suppress dissidents legally. Restricted by these structures, Taiwanese activists attempted to demand self-rule within the colonial legal-political institutions. However, both authorities viewed Taiwanese pursuit of home rule as separatism and trialed the two incidents’ activists publicly. The public trials were social drama arranged to delegitimize the oppositional movements and prevent them from becoming effective political agents. Yet, the defendants’ and their barristers’ eloquence not only justified the activisms, but also delegitimized the authorities’ autocracies. Through media, the trials aroused Taiwanese society’s moral shock and earned the activisms popular support. To conclude, court is the main arena for modern Taiwanese anti-colonial struggles and nationalistic movements

Multi-layered Colonialities and the Making of Modern Taiwan: A Critical Comparison between the Peace Act Incident and Kaohsiung Incident

This thesis re-examines two significant socio-political movements in pre- and post-WWII Taiwan in which two generations of Taiwanese activists sought licensed reformation for self-determination instead of overthrowing the alien regimes. By studying the Peace Act Incident (1923-1925) and Kaohsiung Incident (1979-1980), I aim to illuminate such moderate resistance mode as a historical category of anti-colonial struggle and the structural conditions under which such mode was produced. My studies use verdicts, newspapers, and other trial records to reconstruct the legal-political debates. The magazines the activists published also allow us to understand how they utilized modern Western progressive values, such as human rights and democracy, as discursive strategies to construct the nation of Taiwan and defy Japan’s and Kuomintang’s oppression.The comparative historical analysis of the two incidents shows the similarities of governmentality between imperial Japan and autocratic Kuomintang. Both regimes created constitutional states of exception which empowered them to suppress dissidents legally. Restricted by these structures, Taiwanese activists attempted to demand self-rule within the colonial legal-political institutions. However, both authorities viewed Taiwanese pursuit of home rule as separatism and trialed the two incidents’ activists publicly. The public trials were social drama arranged to delegitimize the oppositional movements and prevent them from becoming effective political agents. Yet, the defendants’ and their barristers’ eloquence not only justified the activisms, but also delegitimized the authorities’ autocracies. Through media, the trials aroused Taiwanese society’s moral shock and earned the activisms popular support. To conclude, court is the main arena for modern Taiwanese anti-colonial struggles and nationalistic movements

The optimal concentration of intralesional triamcinolone acetonide for patchy alopecia areata: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Intralesional steroid treatment for alopecia areata (AA) has been developed for decades, yet the optimal concentration of triamcinolone acetonide (TrA) is not well-established. Objectives: This review aims to determine the optimal concentration of intralesional TrA in treating patchy AA. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, and searched the Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed databases on July 4, 2021, to identify randomized or nonrandomized comparative studies reporting the response rates and/or adverse events among AA patients treated with various concentrations of TrA. The meta-analysis of proportions and odds ratios was analyzed using random-effects modeling. Results: Nineteen studies and a total of 783 participants were included. The estimated response rate of 5 mg/dl (74.82%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 64.99%–83.50%) was shown to be more efficacious than 2.5/3.33 mg/dl (38.64%, 95% CI 16.98%–62.99%) but similar to 10 mg/dl (71.06%, 95% CI 59.72%–81.20%), while pooled estimate of odds ratios revealed higher efficacy with 10 mg/dl than 5 mg/dl (odds ratio = 1.64, 95% CI 1.05–2.58, P = 0.031). The rates of skin atrophy were 18.05% (95% CI, 10.32%–27.38%), 11.49% (95% CI, 2.86%–24.84%), and 3.85% (95% CI, 1.27%–14.01%) in groups 10, 5, and 2.5/3.33 mg/dl, respectively. Higher concentration is associated with more skin atrophy in a dose-dependent fashion (P = 0.012). Heterogeneity among studies in the meta-analyses was high. Conclusion: The optimal intralesional concentration of TrA for patchy AA is probably 10 mg/dl with acceptable adverse events

The Functional Role of CONNEXIN 26 Mutation in Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss, Demonstrated by Zebrafish Connexin 30.3 Homologue Model

Nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) is of great clinical importance, and mutations in the GJB2 gene and the encoded human CONNEXIN 26 (CX26) protein play important roles in the genetic pathogenesis. The CX26 p.R184Q mutation was shown to be a dominant-negative effect in our previous study. Previously, we also demonstrated that zebrafish Cx30.3 is orthologous to human CX26. In the present study, we established transgenic zebrafish models with mutated Cx30.3 specifically expressed in the supporting cells of zebrafish inner ears driven by the agr2 promoter, to demonstrate and understand the mechanism by which the human CX26 R.184 mutation causes NSHL. Our results indicated that significant structural changes in the inner ears of transgenic lines with mutations were measured and compared to wild-type zebrafish. Simultaneously, significant alterations of transgenic lines with mutations in swimming behavior were analyzed with the zebrafish behavioral assay. This is the first study to investigate the functional results of the CX26 p.R184Q mutation with in vivo disease models. Our work supports and confirms the pathogenic role of the CX26 p.R184Q mutation in NSHL, with a hypothesized mechanism of altered interaction among amino acids in the connexins

Diagnosis and management of jejunoileal diverticular haemorrhage: An update on the experience in a single centre.

IntroductionJejunoileal diverticular haemorrhage is a rare disease that is difficult to diagnose and treat. Despite advances in endoscopic technology, recommendations on diagnosis and management for jejunoileal diverticular haemorrhage have remained unchanged and these new options have not been compared against traditional surgical management.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed the diagnosis, management, and outcome for jejunoileal diverticular haemorrhage cases at our institution over the past 20 years. Data were organized and analysed by chi-square test, student t-test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.ResultsThe most utilised diagnostic procedure was computed tomography, followed by enteroscopy, angiography, small bowel flow-through and surgery. Primary treatments included, in a decreasing order, medical therapy, surgery, endoscopy and radiology. Surgical treatment was not associated with rebleeding, but it did result in longer hospital stays and larger blood transfusions than non-surgical treatments. The bleeding-related mortality rate was very low. Notably, there was also little change in the diagnosis and treatment between decades.ConclusionWe presented our experience with the diagnosis and management of jejunoileal diverticular haemorrhage, as well as long-term follow-up after treatments that have not been reported previously. Surgical treatment continues to dominate management for jejunoileal diverticular haemorrhage, but we support increasing the role of endoscopy for select patient groups

Metabolic potential and community structure of bacteria in an organic tea plantation

Revealing the spatial and temporal distribution of bacteria in organic tea plantations is of great importance to clarify soil- and/or tea plant-associated community. In this study samples were collected from three rhizo-compartments of tea plant during four seasons, which were further subjected to community level physiological profiling and 16S rDNA next generation sequencing. Organic fertilization caused a short-term disturbance on pH, EC, and organic matter content of soil. Three rhizo-compartments harbored distinct bacterial community as revealed by PCA, PCoA and UPGMA analysis. Utilization of six carbon source categories was positively correlated with root surface community while negatively correlated with root interior community. Although there were variations in microbial parameters during four seasons, higher metabolic potential and diversity were observed in soil-associated rhizo-compartments. Bacterial families Gemmataceae, Pedosphaeraceae, and Solibacteraceae were more abundant in soil and root surface, while root interior were dominated by families Acidothermaceae, Burkholderiaceae, Ktedonobacteraceae, and Xanthobacteraceae. It is proposed that Burkholderiaceae and Xanthobacteraceae which dominate in root surface or root interior samples and other poorly studied phylogenetic groups may serve as potential candidates to study their interaction with tea plant