What is Needed for Future 3D Printing from Maker’S Viewpoints

This study focused on investigating makers’ opinions about current 3D printing technology to foster the development and use of 3D printing technologies in Taiwan. 3D printing has revolutionized the manufacturing industries as it provided a highly flexible, customizable way of small-quantity production at low cost. Its popularity among general users, however, encountered difficulties such as high requirements in skills, less user-friendliness, lack of practicality, low reliability, etc. Makers, a special group of customers of 3D printers are familiar with problems of this technology as they shared experience on the Internet, started collaborative manufacturing with open sources and turned their DIY activities into E-business. The study utilized questionnaires in the makers’ space to obtain the background of this special group of customers, their viewpoints regarding important features to consider for purchasing a 3D printer, and difficulties and solutions in propagation of 3D printing. The results demonstrated that makers were a group of extrovert and intuitive thinkers in terms of MBTI personalities and treasured printing precision (surface quality), stability (long tuning period) and easy maintenance as most attractive factors to customers. From their viewpoints, difficulties in use, customers’ low interests, and lack of practicality of its products were rated top 3 problems for 3D printing. However, school education, propagation of makers’ space and development of ease-to-use 3D software may help its popularity. The results of this study may help 3D printer manufacturers and 3D printing service providers to better understand their customers’ behaviors, based on which better 3D printing services and 3D printers can be developed to improve their business

Diagnosis and Treatment of Comorbidities of Tourette's Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder in A 10-Year-Old Boy

Changes in moods are one of the comorbid psychiatric manifestations that frequently occur in patients with Tourette's syndrome. The assessment of a manic episode in children with Tourette's syndrome is challenging. Furthermore, the treatment of children with comorbid mania and Tourette's syndrome has not been extensively studied. We present a 10-year-old boy who suffered from both Tourette's syndrome and mania, whose symptoms improved after using lithium and risperidone. The child was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome at 7 years of age when he suffered from tics and experienced his first manic episode. He received monotherapy, including haloperidol, risperidone and aripiprazole, and the response was poor. When the combination of lithium and risperidone was used, the tics and mania subsided. It is important to assess individuals with Tourette's syndrome for associated bipolar disorder. The treatment of children with both disorders is a major clinical issue, and our case may serve as an example for successful treatment strategies

Angelica Sinensis promotes myotube hypertrophy through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

BACKGROUND: Angelica Sinensis (AS), a folk medicine, has long been used in ergogenic aids for athletes, but there is little scientific evidence supporting its effects. We investigated whether AS induces hypertrophy in myotubes through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt (also termed PKB)/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. METHODS: An in vitro experiment investigating the induction of hypertrophy in myotubes was conducted. To investigate whether AS promoted the hypertrophy of myotubes, an established in vitro model of myotube hypertrophy with and without AS was used and examined using microscopic images. The role of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in AS-induced myotube hypertrophy was evaluated. Two inhibitors, wortmannin (an inhibitor of PI3K) and rapamycin (an inhibitor of mTOR), were used. RESULT: The results revealed that the myotube diameters in the AS-treated group were significantly larger than those in the untreated control group (P < 0.05). Wortmannin and rapamycin inhibited AS-induced hypertrophy. Furthermore, AS increased Akt and mTOR phosphorylation through the PI3K pathway and induced myotube hypertrophy. CONCLUSION: The results confirmed that AS induces hypertrophy in myotubes through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

An miR-200 Cluster on Chromosome 23 Regulates Sperm Motility in Zebrafish

Besides its well-documented roles in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and carcinogenesis, the function of the p53-microRNA axis has been recently revealed in the reproductive system. Recent studies indicated that miR-200 family members are dysregulated in nonobstructive azoospermia patients, whereas their functions remain poorly documented. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of the miR-200 family on zebrafish testis development and sperm activity. There was no substantial difference in testis morphology and histology between wild-type (WT) and knockout zebrafish with deletion of miR-200 cluster on chromosome 6 (chr6-miR-200-KO) or on chromosome 23 (chr23-miR-200-KO). Interestingly, compared with WT zebrafish, the chr6-miR-200-KO zebrafish had no difference on sperm motility, whereas chr23-miR-200-KO zebrafish showed significantly improved sperm motility. Consistently, ectopic expression of miR-429a, miR-200a, and miR-200b, which are located in the miR-200 cluster on chromosome 23, significantly reduced motility traits of sperm. Several sperm motility-related genes, such as amh, wt1a, and srd5a2b have been confirmed as direct targets of miR-200s on chr23. 17a-ethynylestradiol (EE2) exposure resulted in upregulated expression of p53 and miR-429a in testis and impairment of sperm motility. Strikingly, in p53 mutant zebrafish testis, the expression levels of miR-200s on chr23 were significantly reduced and accompanied by a stimulation of sperm motility. Moreover, the upregulation of miR-429a associated with EE2 treatment was abolished in testis with p53 mutation. And the impairment of sperm activity by EE2 treatment was also eliminated when p53 was mutated. Together, our results reveal that miR-200 cluster on chromosome 23 controls sperm motility in a p53-dependent manner.</p

Diisopropyl [(benzoyl­amino)­(phen­yl)meth­yl]phospho­nate

The title compound, C20H26NO4P, has been obtained by the reaction of benzoyl chloride and diisoprop­yl[amino­(phen­yl)meth­yl]phospho­nate. The dihedral angle between the planes of the benzoyl­amino group and the phenyl ring is 77.0 (2)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by strong inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the doubly bonded phosphoryl O atom and the amide N atom which link the mol­ecules into pairs about a center of symmetry

Correlation analysis of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and clinical characteristics and cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes mellitus comorbid major depressive disorder

IntroductionType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are both chronic diseases, and they are often co-morbid. Usually, T2DM and MDD are associated with cognitive impairment, and the comorbidity status of both may increase the risk of cognitive impairment, but the underlying pathogenesis is not clear. Studies have shown that inflammation, especially monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), could be associated with the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus comorbid major depressive disorder.AimsTo investigate the correlations of MCP-1 with clinical characteristics and cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients combined with major depressive disorder.MethodsA total of 84 participants were recruited in this study, including 24 healthy controls (HC), 21 T2DM patients, 23 MDD patients, and 16 T2DM combined with MDD (TD) patients, to measure the serum MCP-1 levels using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). And the cognitive function, depression, and anxiety degree were assessed using Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17), and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), respectively.Results(1) Serum MCP-1 expression levels in the TD group were higher than HC, T2DM, and MDD groups, respectively (p &lt; 0.05). And compared with HC and MDD groups, serum MCP-1 levels in the T2DM group were higher (p &lt; 0.05) statistically. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve showed that MCP-1 could diagnose T2DM at cut-off values of 503.8 pg./mL (sensitivity 80.95%, specificity 79.17%, AUC = 0.7956) and of 718.1 pg./mL for TD (sensitivity 81.25%, specificity 91.67%, AUC = 0.9271). (2) Group differences in cognitive function were significant. Compared with the HC group, total RBANS scores, attention scores, and language scores in the TD group were lower, respectively (p &lt; 0.05), and total RBANS scores, attention scores, and visuospatial/constructional scores in the MDD group were lower, respectively (p &lt; 0.05). Compared with the T2DM group, immediate memory scores in HC, MDD, and TD groups were lower, respectively, and total RBANS scores in TD were lower (p &lt; 0.05). (3) Correlation analysis showed that hip circumference was negatively correlated with MCP-1 levels in the T2DM group (R = −0.483, p = 0.027), but the correlation disappeared after adjusting age and gender (r = −0.372; p = 0.117), and there were no significant correlations between MCP-1 and other variables.ConclusionMCP-1 may be involved in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients combined with major depressive disorder. And MCP-1 may be significant for the early evaluation and diagnosis of TD in the future

Surgical techniques in radiation induced temporal lobe necrosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

Background Radiation induced brain injury ranges from acute reversible edema to late, irreversible radiation necrosis. Radiation induced temporal lobe necrosis is associated with permanent neurological deficits and occasionally progresses to death. Objective We present our experience with surgery on radiation induced temporal lobe necrosis (RTLN) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with special consideration of clinical presentation, surgical technique, and outcomes. Method This retrospective study includes 12 patients with RTLN treated by the senior author between January 2010 and December 2014. Patients initially sought medical treatment due to headache; other symptoms were hearing loss, visual deterioration, seizure, hemiparesis, vertigo, memory loss and agnosia. A temporal approach through a linear incision was performed for all cases. RTLN was found in one side in 7 patients, and bilaterally in 5. 4 patients underwent resection of necrotic tissue bilaterally and 8 patients on one side. Results No death occurred in this series of cases. There were no post-operative complications, except 1 patient who developed aseptic meningitis. All 12 patients were free from headache. No seizure occurred in patients with preoperative epilepsy. Other symptoms such as hemiparesis and vertigo improved in all patients. Memory loss, agnosia and hearing loss did not change post-operatively in all cases. The follow-up MR images demonstrated no recurrence of necrotic lesions in all 12 patients. Conclusion Neurosurgical intervention through a temporal approach with linear incision is warranted in patients with radiation induced temporal lobe necrosis with significant symptoms and signs of increased intracranial pressure, minimum space occupying effect on imaging, or neurological deterioration despite conservative management

Social skills deficits and their association with Internet addiction and activities in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

The aims of this study were to examine the association between social skills deficits and Internet addiction and activities in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as the moderators for this association. Methods A total of 300 adolescents, aged between 11 and 18 years, who had been diagnosed with ADHD participated in this study. Their Internet addiction levels, social skills deficits, ADHD, parental characteristics, and comorbidities were assessed. The various Internet activities that the participants engaged in were also examined. Results The associations between social skills deficits and Internet addiction and activities and the moderators of these associations were examined using logistic regression analyses. Social skills deficits were significantly associated with an increased risk of Internet addiction after adjustment for the effects of other factors [odds ratio (OR) = 1.049, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.030–1.070]. Social skills deficits were also significantly associated with Internet gaming and watching movies. The maternal occupational socioeconomic levels of the participants moderated the association between social skills deficits and Internet addiction. Conclusions Social skills deficits should be considered targets in prevention and intervention programs for treating Internet addiction among adolescents with ADHD