TEACHING AND PROMOTION ON INQUIRYBASED INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE

The purpose of this study is to design two teaching modules that will enable science teachers to teach laboratory course for students to achieve a meaningful and useful learning. We emphasize students’ self-exploration about science. Each module can be modified for students of different grades (7-12 students) and abilities. The modules greatly enhanced the teacher's own understanding of what he/she wishes the laboratory teaching to achieve. The module contained inquiring activities with explicit teaching of the nature of science. At the same time, these activities can promote their learning motivation; let the students have a better understanding of the science concepts by doing the experiments, and to undergo an experience of learning and reflection by themselves. By observing interesting phenomena and practicing the scientific process skills repeatedly, the modules also efficiently inspired students who lack of learning motivation. This study involves the design of two experimental teaching modules dealing with concepts about animal life, plant life, foraging behavior and social behavior. The designed modules are: 1) Ecosphere experimental teaching module: including photosynthesis, respiration and burning; and 2) Animal behavior ecological observation experimental teaching module: including foraging behavior and social behavior

Prognostic factors of candidemia among nonneutropenic adults with total parenteral nutrition

BackgroundImmediate removal of central venous catheters (CVCs) is not possible in patients with candidemia requiring total parenteral nutrition (TPN). This study analyzed the possible prognostic factors for survival time after onset of candidemia among nonneutropenic adults requiring TPN.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis from September 2003 to August 2005.ResultsA total of 59 nonneutropenic adults with candidemia and requiring TPN were identified retrospectively. All Candida isolates were susceptible to flucytosine and amphotericin B. With the exception of one C glabrata isolate, all other isolates were susceptible to fluconazole and itraconazole. The only predictor of 30-day survival rate after onset of candidemia identified in our analysis was an Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score of 23 points or less. Adults with higher APACHE II scores, who did not have their CVCs changed, did not receive antifungal treatment, or who had thrombocytopenia had shorter survival times after the onset of candidemia.ConclusionsAPACHE II scores, thrombocytopenia, antifungal agents, and CVCs changes are associated with survival time in nonneutropenic adults requiring TPN after the onset of candidemia

THE EFFECTS OF FUNGAL MEDIUM ON HATCHING RATE OF BITING MIDGE

The little black mosquitos, Forcipomyia taiwana, bite human and become one of the most annoying pests in Taiwan. Recently, the population of F. taiwana increases and invades urban and countryside. In order to effectively prevent the harassment of F. taiwana, develop control strategy is urgent and necessary. Our study found that the fungal medium influenced the length and width of the F. taiwana eggs. It also significantly decreased the hatching rate of F. taiwana. Besides, this artificial diet was more non-toxic and environment-friendly than general chemical pesticides. Thus, this study provided critical information to develop potentially useful bait of F. taiwana in the future

Purple urine bag syndrome in nursing homes: Ten elderly case reports and a literature review

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a rare occurrence, in which the patient has a purple-colored urine bag following urinary catheterization for hours to days. Most of authors believe it is a mixture of indigo (blue) and indirubin (red) that becomes purple. Previous study showed that PUBS occurred predominantly in chronically catheterized, constipated women. We collected 10 elderly patients with PUBS in two nursing homes. The first two cases were identified by chart review in 1987 and 2003, and then later eight cases (42.1%) were collected among 19 urinary catheterized elderly in the period between January 2007 and June 2007. In the present report, PUBS probably can occur in any patients with the right elements, namely urinary tract infection (UTI) with bacteria possessing these enzymes, diet with enough tryptophan, and being catheterized. Associations with bed-bound state, Alzheimer’s, or dementia from other causes are reflections of the state of such patients who are at higher risk for UTI, and hence PUBS occurred. Although we presented PUBS as a harmless problem, prevention and control of the nosocomial catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) has become very important in the new patient-centered medical era. Thus, we should decrease the duration of catheterization, improve catheter care, and deploy technological advances designed for prevention, especially in the elderly cared for in nursing homes

Posterolateral Lumbar Spinal Fusion with Autogenous Bone Chips from Laminectomy Extended with OsteoSet®

BackgroundThis study was conducted to evaluate posterolateral lumbar fusion with autogenous corticocancellous bone chips from the laminae and spinous processes extended with OsteoSet® instead of cancellous bone from the iliac crest.MethodsA total of 124 patients who underwent posterior decompression and posterolateral fusion with instrumentation between May 2001 and December 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. The study population comprised 49 males and 75 females with a mean age of 66 ± 9.5 years. In all the patients, corticocancellous bone chips from laminectomy and OsteoSet® were used as the graft material. There was no cancellous bone harvested from the iliac crest. The follow-up period was 28 + 7.1 months.ResultsThe overall union rate was 91%, and the average union time was 3.9 months. There were 3 complications, including 2 patients with dura tear, and 1 with deep infection. At the final follow-up, the good and excellent results were up to 83.9%.ConclusionGraft material from laminae and spinous processes extended with OsteoSet® is reliable and effective enough to replace the graft from the posterior iliac crest

Fucosyltransferase 1 and 2 play pivotal roles in breast cancer cells.

FUT1 and FUT2 encode alpha 1, 2-fucosyltransferases which catalyze the addition of alpha 1, 2-linked fucose to glycans. Glycan products of FUT1 and FUT2, such as Globo H and Lewis Y, are highly expressed on malignant tissues, including breast cancer. Herein, we investigated the roles of FUT1 and FUT2 in breast cancer. Silencing of FUT1 or FUT2 by shRNAs inhibited cell proliferation in vitro and tumorigenicity in mice. This was associated with diminished properties of cancer stem cell (CSC), including mammosphere formation and CSC marker both in vitro and in xenografts. Silencing of FUT2, but not FUT1, significantly changed the cuboidal morphology to dense clusters of small and round cells with reduced adhesion to polystyrene and extracellular matrix, including laminin, fibronectin and collagen. Silencing of FUT1 or FUT2 suppressed cell migration in wound healing assay, whereas FUT1 and FUT2 overexpression increased cell migration and invasion in vitro and metastasis of breast cancer in vivo. A decrease in mesenchymal like markers such as fibronectin, vimentin, and twist, along with increased epithelial like marker, E-cadherin, was observed upon FUT1/2 knockdown, while the opposite was noted by overexpression of FUT1 or FUT2. As expected, FUT1 or FUT2 knockdown reduced Globo H, whereas FUT1 or FUT2 overexpression showed contrary effects. Exogenous addition of Globo H-ceramide reversed the suppression of cell migration by FUT1 knockdown but not the inhibition of cell adhesion by FUT2 silencing, suggesting that at least part of the effects of FUT1/2 knockdown were mediated by Globo H. Our results imply that FUT1 and FUT2 play important roles in regulating growth, adhesion, migration and CSC properties of breast cancer, and may serve as therapeutic targets for breast cancer

The Effect of Alcohol Intoxication on Mortality of Blunt Head Injury

Alcohol is found to have neuroprotection in recent studies in head injuries. We investigated the association of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) with mortality of patients with blunt head injury after traffic accident. All patients sustaining blunt head injury caused by traffic accident brought to our emergency department who had obtained a brain computed tomography scans and BAC were analyzed. Patients with unknown mechanisms, transfers from outside hospitals, and incomplete data were excluded. Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of mortality. During the study period, 3,628 patients with brain computed tomography (CT) were included. Of these, BAC was measured in 556 patients. Patients with the lowest BAC (less than 8 mg/dl) had lower mortality; intoxicated patients with BAC between 8 and less than 100 mg/dl were associated with significantly higher mortality than those patients in other intoxicated groups. Adjusted logistic regression demonstrated higher BAC group and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores, and lower ISS and age were identified as independent predictors of reduced mortality. In our study, we found that patients who had moderate alcohol intoxication had higher risk of mortality. However, higher GCS scores, lower ISS, and younger age were identified as independent predictors of reduced mortality in the study patients