Risk Analysis of Cargos Damages for Aquatic Products of Refrigerated Containers: Shipping Operators’ Perspective in Taiwan

As the development of refrigerated container, transportation of aquatic products is growing rapidly in recent years. It is very important to avoid cargos damages for aquatic products of refrigerated containers, while the shipping operators are running this scope of business. Hence, the risk issue of adopting various improvement strategies would be important for the container shipping operators. In the light of this, the main purpose of this paper is to analyze the risks of cargos damages for aquatic products of refrigerated containers based on the container shipping operators’ perspective in Taiwan. We use four risk assessment procedures - risk identification, risk analysis and evaluation, risk strategies, and risk treatment - as the research method in this paper. The risk factors are generated from literature review and experts interviewing. Then, three dimensions with nineteen risk factors are preliminary identified. We used these risk factors to proceed with the empirical study via questionnaires. Three points of empirical results are presented. At first, the top factor of perceived risk as well as of risk severity is ‘container data setting errors.’ Secondly, the top factor of risk frequency is ‘lack of the goods’ pre-cooling themselves.’ Thirdly, three risk factors are classified into the low-risk area, whereas sixteen risk factors are placed on the medium-risk area. There is no risk factor fix on the high-risk area. Furthermore, three risk strategies - risk prevention, risk reduction, and risk transfer - are suggested to adopt by different risk factors

Risk factors for urinary tract infection in infants with unexplained hyperbilirubinemia: a single center case-control study

BackgroundUrinary tract infection (UTI) is a potential cause of neonatal jaundice. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of consensus regarding appropriate screening practices for UTI in infants with hyperbilirubinemia. This study aimed to analyze a group of jaundiced infants to assess the prevalence of UTI, explore potential risk factors, and examine the impact of UTI on the course and severity of neonatal jaundice.MethodsThis retrospective case-control study was conducted on 150 jaundiced infants (aged < 8 weeks) without a known etiology in the hyperbilirubinemia work-up. All subjects underwent phototherapy treatment and UTI screening by catheterization. They were then classified into UTI and non-UTI groups based on urine culture results, with a positive urine culture indicating the growth of ≥10,000 colony-forming units. The clinical characteristics and jaundice-related parameters of both groups were analyzed.ResultsAmong the 150 jaundiced patients, the prevalence of UTI was 29%. There was a significantly higher male predominance in the UTI group, and patients with UTI also had a significantly longer duration of hospitalization compared to those without UTI. Significant risk factors associated with UTI in jaundiced infants included male gender and a peak total bilirubin level higher than 18 mg/dl during hospitalization. The most common pathogens identified in urine culture were Escherichia coli (41.9%) and Enterococcus faecalis (30.2%).ConclusionIn cases of neonatal jaundice where the underlying cause is not evident, screening for UTI should be performed, particularly when associated risk factors or inadequate response to phototherapy is present

Structural and cognitive deficits in chronic carbon monoxide intoxication: a voxel-based morphometry study

BACKGROUND: Patients with carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication may develop ongoing neurological and psychiatric symptoms that ebb and flow, a condition often called delayed encephalopathy (DE). The association between morphologic changes in the brain and neuropsychological deficits in DE is poorly understood. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological tests were conducted on 11 CO patients with DE, 11 patients without DE, and 15 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy subjects. Differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between the subgroups were assessed and further correlated with diminished cognitive functioning. RESULTS: As a group, the patients had lower regional GMV compared to controls in the following regions: basal ganglia, left claustrum, right amygdala, left hippocampus, parietal lobes, and left frontal lobe. The reduced GMV in the bilateral basal ganglia, left post-central gyrus, and left hippocampus correlated with decreased perceptual organization and processing speed function. Those CO patients characterized by DE patients had a lower GMV in the left anterior cingulate and right amygdala, as well as lower levels of cognitive function, than the non-DE patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CO intoxication in the chronic stage showed a worse cognitive and morphologic outcome, especially those with DE. This study provides additional evidence of gray matter structural abnormalities in the pathophysiology of DE in chronic CO intoxicated patients

Preparation and Characterization of Pure Rutile TiO 2

Pure rutile-phase TiO2 (r-TiO2) was synthesized by a simple one pot experiment under hydrothermal condition using titanium (IV) n-butoxide as a Ti-precursor and HCl as a peptizer. The TiO2 products were characterized by XRD, TEM, ESCA, and BET surface area measurement. The r-TiO2 were rodlike in shape with average size of ∼61×32 nm at hydrothermal temperature of 220°C for 10 h. Hydrothermal treatment at longer reaction time increased the tendency of crystal growth and also decreased the BET surface area. The degradation of methylene blue was selected as a test reaction to confer the photocatalytic activity of as-obtained r-TiO2. The results showed a strong correlation between the structure evolution, particle size, and photocatalytic performance of r-TiO2. Furthermore, the r-TiO2-based solar cell was prepared for the photovoltaic characteristics study, and the best efficiency of ~3.16% was obtained

Purification and differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells by membrane filtration and membrane migration methods

Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) are easily isolated from fat tissue without ethical concerns, but differ in purity, pluripotency, differentiation ability, and stem cell marker expression, depending on the isolation method. We isolated hADSCs from a primary fat tissue solution using: (1) conventional culture, (2) a membrane filtration method, (3) a membrane migration method where the primary cell solution was permeated through membranes, adhered hADSCs were cultured, and hADSCs migrated out from the membranes. Expression of mesenchymal stem cell markers and pluripotency genes, and osteogenic differentiation were compared for hADSCs isolated by different methods using nylon mesh filter membranes with pore sizes ranging from 11 to 80 μm. hADSCs isolated by the membrane migration method had the highest MSC surface marker expression and efficient differentiation into osteoblasts. Osteogenic differentiation ability of hADSCs and MSC surface marker expression were correlated, but osteogenic differentiation ability and pluripotent gene expression were not

Task-Switching Performance Improvements After Tai Chi Chuan Training Are Associated With Greater Prefrontal Activation in Older Adults

Studies have shown that Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) training has benefits on task-switching ability. However, the neural correlates underlying the effects of TCC training on task-switching ability remain unclear. Using task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with a numerical Stroop paradigm, we investigated changes of prefrontal brain activation and behavioral performance during task-switching before and after TCC training and examined the relationships between changes in brain activation and task-switching behavioral performance. Cognitively normal older adults were randomly assigned to either the TCC or control (CON) group. Over a 12-week period, the TCC group received three 60-min sessions of Yang-style TCC training weekly, whereas the CON group only received one telephone consultation biweekly and did not alter their life style. All participants underwent assessments of physical functions and neuropsychological functions of task-switching, and fMRI scans, before and after the intervention. Twenty-six (TCC, N = 16; CON, N = 10) participants completed the entire experimental procedure. We found significant group by time interaction effects on behavioral and brain activation measures. Specifically, the TCC group showed improved physical function, decreased errors on task-switching performance, and increased left superior frontal activation for Switch > Non-switch contrast from pre- to post-intervention, that were not seen in the CON group. Intriguingly, TCC participants with greater prefrontal activation increases in the switch condition from pre- to post-intervention presented greater reductions in task-switching errors. These findings suggest that TCC training could potentially provide benefits to some, although not all, older adults to enhance the function of their prefrontal activations during task-switching

The Effect of Oxygen in Solution on the Growth of Rose Plants

本試驗是以玫瑰花砧木品種Rosa multiflora''K-2''、Rosa indica'' Major''，及切花品種(Rosa hybrida cvs)''Samantha'' 、''Landora''為材料 ，探討養液中溶氧量對玫瑰花植株生育之影響，並藉此試驗方法了解玫瑰 花不同的砧木品種，和切花品種植株對土壤低氧逆境之抗性。 養液栽 培玫瑰花植株，通入不同溶氧量分別為3~4ppm為低氧組，5~6ppm為中氧組 及7~8ppm為高氧組。Rosa multiflora''K-2''和Rosa indica''Major''、'' Samantha''和''Landora''植株生長在低氧組之養液中，植株的生育明顯受到 抑制。 四個玫瑰花品種，低氧組植株的根群之根長，皆明顯比另二組 為短。植株根群 在水面下的分佈，玫瑰花砧木品種Rosa multiflora''K-2 和''Rosa indica''Major''，及切花品種''Samantha''和''Landora''，栽培在低 溶氧量之養液中，植株根群鮮重與乾重集中在水面下10公分的範圍內，但 高氧組植株的根群分佈則較深。 Rosa multiflora ''K-2''根部碳水化 合物之含量，澱粉含量三組並無顯著差異，可溶性糖則以中氧組植株根部 含量最高，還原糖則以低氧組植株根部含量為最高。 Rosa indica'' Major''低氧組植株根部澱粉、可溶性糖及還原糖的含量，皆為三組中含量 最高。切花品種''Samantha''三組植株根部澱粉以高氧組含量為最高。'' Landora''植株根部之澱粉、可溶性糖和還原糖之含量，低氧組植株根部之 含量皆明顯低於高氧組植株。 Rosa multiflora''K-2''、Rosa indica''Major''、''Samantha''和''Landora''植株葉片中營養元素含量，大量 元素氮、磷、鉀和鈣之含量，低氧組的植株明顯低於高氧組之植株。Rosa multiflora ''K-2''則以高氧組鎂含量較少。但''Landora''葉片中鎂的含量 在高氧組反而較高。但養液溶氧量對微量元素含量的影響，則因玫瑰花品 種不同而有所差別。The effect of oxygen in solution on the root and shoot developmentof Rosa multiflora ''K-2''、Rosa indica ''Major''、Rosa hybrida cv.''Samantha''and ''Landora'' roses were studied. In order to realise the response of rosa plants under low oxygen stress. The low oxygen content tolerance in root was studied for the difference rootstock and cut flower cultivarof rose. Plants of Rosa multiflora''K-2''、Rosa indica ''Major''、Rosa hybrida cv. ''Samantha'' and ''Landora'' were cultured in solution with low oxygen (3~4ppm), middle oxygen (5~6ppm), or high oxygen (7~8ppm) respestively. The shoot and root growth were inhibited when plants were cultured in low oxygen solution. The root of rose plants cultured in solution with low oxygen were restrained. Most of level root distributed in 10cm depth under solution.However the root of plants cultured in high oxygen solution distributeddeeper. The carbohydrates in rose root were affectedby the oxygen in solution.The root of Rosa multiflora "k-2'' cultured in low oxygen solution contained th highest reducing sugars. All of carbohydrate (starch, soluble sugar andreducing sugars) in Rosa indica ''Major'' root cultured in low oxygen solution was the highest. On the other hand, ''Samantha'' root xultured in high oxygen solution contained the hightest starch. And all carbohydrates in starch, soluble sugars, and reducing sugars of ''Landora'' root cultured in high oxygensolution were higher The marconutrient in rose plants cultured in low oxygen solution was higherthan plants cultured in low oxygen had higher Mg content, but the Mg content of ''Landora'' plants cultured in high oxygen solution plants were higher. However,on the response of microelements in rose plants cultured in solution with different oxygen content was depended on rose cultivars

The Creation Context of Economic Value and Social Value － Take the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh as Example

　　對於企業或非營利組織而言，創造經濟價值亦或社會價值，不僅不再有壁壘分明的責任歸屬，兩迥異型態的組織能緊密合作，或者透過一新型態組織予以連結，皆有助於促進經濟層面與社會層面兼備的價值產出成果。然而，經濟與社會一向被認為必須有所取捨，在創造價值的過程中又能如何共存？ 　　回顧論及「企業之於社會價值」及「非營利組織之於經濟價值」相關文獻，發現其探討多源於以機構為核心的價值創造思考；然而，價值創造理論已然發展至共創（Value Cocreation，即以個人為核心的創價思考），當更多人有能力參與組織創價過程時，組織的價值創造又將如何發展？ 　　於價值共創架構下，能創造更大經濟價值已被廣為驗證，機構如與個人共創解決社會問題，亦能創造社會價值。本研究透過個人為中心的價值共創架構，以孟加拉葛拉敏銀行（Grameen Bank）為例，試圖詮釋選定個案與共創架構的對應關係，藉以觀察葛拉敏銀行與借款人參與經濟價值與社會價值的創造脈絡，尋求經濟價值、社會價值可同時發展，取得機構與個人共識之可行性研究。 經由本研究有以下發現： 1.以機構為核心的創價邏輯，是單向且簡化地揣測個人需求價值，以致於局限了創價來源的廣度與價值內涵的深度。 2.葛拉敏銀行不需獨斷地揣測客戶需求，客戶確實需要什麼，什麼價值對客戶有意義，全在不斷地互動過程中明確獲知、參與討論、進而共創。 3.信任基礎、小處著手、避免衝突、留給借款人介入空間、共同原則，皆有助於葛拉敏銀行與借款人之間互動品質的提升。 4.產品為主的經驗環境尚需隨著大環境的改變進行演進，在基礎建設匱乏的孟加拉，員工於經驗環境中的重要性更高。 5.以個人為中心與銀行、行員、純粹社群、及葛拉敏姐妹機構所構成的經驗網絡，能使個人自由選擇共創經驗，是謂未來葛拉敏銀行強力的競爭基礎。 6.葛拉敏銀行透過價值共創直接針對社會需求缺口提供服務。社會價值，是每一借款人與葛拉敏銀行共創價值的集合，社會價值的最大公約數是雙方共同的目標。 7.於價值共創架構中，葛拉敏銀行透過互動品質的追求、經驗環境的創新、與經驗網絡的建置，維持獲利。追求社會價值之餘，不需犧牲機構的經濟價值