Electron Donor-Acceptor Organic Polymers by “Click” Type Cycloaddition/Retroelectrocyclization Reaction

The “click” type cycloaddition/retroelectrocyclization reaction is an intriguing approach for synthesizing electron donor-acceptor organic polymers. This chapter covers the fundamental reaction mechanism and the basic principles of applying this reaction to the synthesis of organic polymers via postfunctionalization or step-growth polymerization. The electron donor-acceptor moieties can be incorporated into the main-chain and/or side-chain of both conjugated and nonconjugated polymers. These polymers feature attractive properties including intramolecular charge-transfer bands, nonlinear optical properties, redox activities, third-order nonlinear optical properties, and enhanced thermal stability. Because of this, these polymers have found a variety of applications such as colorimetric chemosensors of metal ions, nonlinear optics, and solar cells. This novel “click” chemistry paves a unique path toward the synthesis of next-generation functional materials that cannot be accomplished by the incumbent synthetic methods

A Commentary on Taiwan’s Creative and Cultural Industries

Abstract. A commentary is offered for the further development of Taiwanese cultural and creative industries (CCI). Although there have been some scant successful cases in the context, more systematic and value co-creating efforts should be committed. The issues mentioned are especially important for CCI in a knowledge heterogeneous business world, due to the cross-sector collaboration nature of the phenomenon.Keywords. Creative and cultural industries, Commentary, Value Co-creation.JEL. M10, M11, M14

Change Pressure on Organizational Commitment and Identification: Knowledge and Decision-making Competencies in Government Units

Abstract. Staffs in government units may encounter problems of pressure when facing dramatic organizational changes. In an interesting context of administrative merge of Kaohsiung city and county, we examined the influences of change pressure on post-merger organizational identification and commitment. We further developed and investigated the detailed relationships from competence perspective, which emphasizes the importance of knowledge processing and decision making capabilities. Results followed. First, the hypothesized negative impact of change pressure on organizational identification was not supported. Second, change pressure has a significant negative influence on commitment. Third, identification influences on commitment positively. Fourth, the positive moderation role of knowledge capability in the relationship between pressure and identification was not supported. Fifth, the positive moderation role of knowledge capability in the relationship between change pressure and commitment was supported. Sixth, the positive moderation role of decision-making capability in the relationship between pressure and identification was not supported. Seventh, the positive moderation role of decision-making capability in the relationship between pressure and commitment was supported.Keywords. Change pressure, Commitment, Identification, Knowledge competence, Decision-making competence, Government units.JEL. M10

MtNet: A Multi-Task Neural Network for Dynamic Malware Classification

Abstract. In this paper, we propose a new multi-task, deep learning architecture for malware classification for the binary (i.e. malware versus benign) malware classification task. All models are trained with data extracted from dynamic analysis of malicious and benign files. For the first time, we see improvements using multiple layers in a deep neural network architecture for malware classification. The system is trained on 4.5 million files and tested on a holdout test set of 2 million files which is the largest study to date. To achieve a binary classification error rate of 0.358%, the objective functions for the binary classification task and malware family classification task are combined in the multi-task architecture. In addition, we propose a standard (i.e. non multi-task) malware family classification architecture which also achieves a malware family classification error rate of 2.94%

Does Fintech affect the psychological traits of managers? Based on the perspective of manager overconfidence

Overconfidence has undertaken an indispensable role in the psychology of managers and places important significance on managers’ behavior and decision-making. This study investigates the effect of Fintech on the psychological traits of managers from the perspective of overconfidence based on the panel data of Chinese A-share non-financial listed firms and the digital inclusive finance index of Chinese prefecture-level cities between 2011 and 2020. The empirical results show that (1) Fintech exerts a negative effect on manager overconfidence; (2) the main channels of the negative effect of Fintech on manager overconfidence include Fintech coverage breadth and Fintech usage depth; (3) for firms with severe financing constraints and lower power concentration, the negative effect of Fintech on manager overconfidence is more prominent; and (4) our benchmark results still hold after a series of robust tests, including IV regression, altering the measurement of Fintech and manager overconfidence, and employing logit model re-estimation. Based on the above findings, this study provides some insights into the cause for managers’ psychological traits, maintaining managers’ mental health, and empowering the firms’ sustainable development by adopting Fintech

Effect of triptolide on proliferation and apoptosis of angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibroblasts in vitro: a preliminary study

Background: The effect of triptolide (TPL) on cardiac fibroblasts (CFbs) and cardiac fibrosis remain unknown till now. This study was conducted to explore the effects of TPL on proliferation and apoptosis of angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced CFbs.Materials and Methods: Ang II was used to promote proliferation of CFbs. Two dosages of TPL (10ng/ml and 100ng/ml) were chosen. MTT assay was used to detect cell survival rate in vitro. Flow cytometer was performed to analyze apoptosis of CFbs. Hydroxyproline concentration was detected with hydroxyproline assay kit. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of TGF-β1 and Smad3 mRNA.Results: Ang II promoted CFbs proliferation significantly. Compared to Ang II group, TPL markedly reduced the viability of CFbs and its Hydroxyproline concentration (P<0.05). Besides, TPL can significantly promote apoptosis of CFbs (P<0.05). Furthermore, TPL reduced the expressions of TGF-β1 and Smad3 mRNA in Ang II-induced CFbs (P<0.05).Conclusion: TPL can inhibit the proliferation of CFbs in rats by down-regulating TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway. TPL might be a promising therapeutic drug for myocardial fibrosis.Keywords: Cardiac fibroblast; triptolide; proliferation; apoptosis; angiotensi

Quality of life in children with new-onset epilepsy; A 2-year prospective cohort study

Objectives: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) over 2 years in children 4-12 years old with new-onset epilepsy and risk factors. Methods: Data are from a multicenter prospective cohort study, the Health-Related Quality of Life Study in Children with Epilepsy Study (HERQULES). Parents reported on children\u27s HRQL and family factors and neurologists on clinical characteristics 4 times. Mean subscale and summary scores were computed for HRQL. Individual growth curve models identified trajectories of change in HRQL scores. Multiple regression identified baseline risk factors for HRQL 2 years later. Results: A total of 374 (82%) questionnaires were returned postdiagnosis and 283 (62%) of eligible parents completed all 4. Growth rates for HRQL summary scores were most rapid during the first 6 months and then stabilized. About one-half experienced clinically meaningful improvements in HRQL, one-third maintained their same level, and one-fifth declined. Compared with the general population, at 2 years our sample scored significantly lower on one-third of CHQ subscales and the psychosocial summary. After controlling for baseline HRQL, cognitive problems, poor family functioning, and high family demands were risk factors for poor HRQL 2 years later. Conclusions: On average, HRQL was relatively good but with highly variable individual trajectories. At least one-half did not experience clinically meaningful improvements or declined over 2 years. Cognitive problems were the strongest risk factor for compromised HRQL 2 years after diagnosis and may be largely responsible for declines in the HRQL of children newly diagnosed with epilepsy. © 2012 by AAN Enterprises, Inc

Clinical implication of PD-L2 in the prognosis assessment of HNSCC immunotherapy

Background and purpose: Programmed death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody therapy plays an increasingly important role in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, low response rate and lack of predictive biomarkers are still the challenging problems. This study aimed to confirm that programmed death ligand-2 (PD-L2) is a predictive biomarker for the outcome of HNSCC anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Methods: The samples and clinical data of 50 HNSCC patients undergoing PD-1 monoclonal antibody immunotherapy were collected. Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze the level of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and PD-L2. Kaplan-Meier overall survivals were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software, grouped by the basic clinical characteristics and the PD-L1 and PD-L2 levels. Survival curves were plotted using GraphPad Prism. Results: HNSCC had a relatively high expression rate of PD-L2 with more than 80% of cases detected as PD-L2 positive. The expression of PD-L2 significantly correlated with the clinical outcome of immunotherapy, with a mean survival of 18.8 (16.0-21.7) months for patients with high PD-L2 expression and 11.0 (9.1-12.8) months for patients with low PD-L2 expression, this difference being statistically significant. Conclusion: PD-L2 has the potential to be used as a predictive biomarker for HNSCC anti-PD-1 immunotherapy

A novel lysosome-related gene signature coupled with gleason score for prognosis prediction in prostate cancer

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is highly heterogeneous, which makes it difficult to precisely distinguish the clinical stages and histological grades of tumor lesions, thereby leading to large amounts of under- and over-treatment. Thus, we expect the development of novel prediction approaches for the prevention of inadequate therapies. The emerging evidence demonstrates the pivotal role of lysosome-related mechanisms in the prognosis of PCa. In this study, we aimed to identify a lysosome-related prognostic predictor in PCa for future therapies.Methods: The PCa samples involved in this study were gathered from The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA) (n = 552) and cBioPortal database (n = 82). During screening, we categorized PCa patients into two immune groups based on median ssGSEA scores. Then, the Gleason score and lysosome-related genes were included and screened out by using a univariate Cox regression analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operation (LASSO) analysis. Following further analysis, the probability of progression free interval (PFI) was modeled by using unadjusted Kaplan–Meier estimation curves and a multivariable Cox regression analysis. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, nomogram and calibration curve were used to examine the predictive value of this model in discriminating progression events from non-events. The model was trained and repeatedly validated by creating a training set (n = 400), an internal validation set (n = 100) and an external validation (n = 82) from the cohort.Results: Following grouping by ssGSEA score, the Gleason score and two LRGs—neutrophil cytosolic factor 1 (NCF1) and gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (IFI30)—were screened out to differentiate patients with or without progression (1-year AUC = 0.787; 3-year AUC = 0.798; 5-year AUC = 0.772; 10-year AUC = 0.832). Patients with a higher risk showed poorer outcomes (p < 0.0001) and a higher cumulative hazard (p < 0.0001). Besides this, our risk model combined LRGs with the Gleason score and presented a more accurate prediction of PCa prognosis than the Gleason score alone. In three validation sets, our model still achieved high prediction rates.Conclusion: In conclusion, this novel lysosome-related gene signature, coupled with the Gleason score, works well in PCa for prognosis prediction