The Management of Debris Flow in Disaster Prevention using an Ontology-based Knowledge Management System

In recently years, the government, academia and business have applied different information technologies to disaster prevention and diverse web sites have been developed. Although these web sites provide a large number of data about disaster-prevention, they are knowledge poor in nature. Furthermore, disaster-prevention is a knowledge-intensive task and a potential knowledge management system can overcome the shortcoming of knowledge poor. On the other hand, ontology design plays the key role toward designing a successful knowledge management system. In this paper, we introduce a three-stage life cycle for ontology design for supporting the service of disaster prevention of debris flow and propose a framework of an ontology-based knowledge management system with the KAON API environment. In addition, by appealing to the technology of component reuse, the system is developed at lower cost thus knowledge workers can focus on the design of ontology and knowledge objects. The objectives of the proposed system is to facilitate knowledge accumulation, knowledge reuse and dissemination for the management of disaster prevention. This work is expected to enable the promotion of the traditional disaster management of debris flow towards the so-called knowledge-driven decision support services

End-to-end thiocyanato-bridged helical chain polymer and dichlorido-bridged copper(II) complexes with a hydrazone ligand: synthesis, characterisation by electron paramagnetic resonance and variable- temperature magnetic studies, and inhibitory effects on human colorectal carcinoma cells

The reactions of the tridentate hydrazone ligand, N’-[1-(pyridin-2-yl)ethylidene]acetohydrazide (HL), obtained by condensation of 2-acetylpyridine with acetic hyadrazide, with copper nitrate trihydrate in the presence of thiocyanate, or with CuCl2 produce two distinct coordination compounds, namely a one-dimensional helical coordination chain of [CuL(NCS)]n (1) units, and a doubly chlorido-bridged dinuclear complex [Cu2L2Cl2] (2) (where L=CH3C(O)=N − N=CCH3C5H4N). Single-crystal X-ray structural determination studies reveal that in complex 1, a deprotonated hydrazone ligand L- coordinates a copper(II) ion that is bridged to two neighbouring metal centres by SCN- anions, generating a one-dimensional helical coordination chain. In complex 2, two symmetry-related, adjacent copper(II) coordination entities are doubly chlorido-bridged, producing a dicopper entity with a Cu···Cu distance of 3.402 (1). The two coordination compounds have been fully characterised by elemental analysis, spectroscopic techniques including IR, UV– vis and electron paramagnetic resonance, and variable-temperature magnetic studies. The biological effects of 1 and 2 on the viability of human colorectal carcinoma cells (COLO-205 and HT-29) were evaluated using an MTT assay, and the results indicate that these complexes induce a decrease in cell-population growth of human colorectal carcinoma cells with apoptosis

Bacteria in the apical root canals of teeth with apical periodontitis

Background/PurposeBacteria in the tooth root canal may cause apical periodontitis. This study examined the bacterial species present in the apical root canal of teeth with apical periodontitis. Antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed to evaluate whether these identified bacterial species were susceptible to specific kinds of antibiotics.MethodsSelective media plating and biochemical tests were used first to detect the bacterial species in samples taken from the apical portion of root canals of 62 teeth with apical periodontitis. The isolated bacterial species were further confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.ResultsWe found concomitant presence of two (32 teeth) or three species (18 teeth) of bacteria in 50 (80.6%) out of 62 tested teeth. However, only 34 bacterial species were identified. Of a total of 118 bacterial isolates (83 anaerobes and 35 aerobes), Prophyromonas endodontalis was detected in 10; Bacteroides, Dialister invisus or Fusobacterium nucleatum in 9; Treponema denticola or Enterococcus faecalis in 8; Peptostreptococcus or Olsenella uli in 6; and Veillonella in 5 teeth. The other 25 bacterial species were detected in fewer than five teeth. Approximately 80–95% of bacterial isolates of anaerobes were sensitive to ampicillin/sulbactam (Unasyn), amoxicillin/clavulanate (Augmentin), cefoxitin, and clindamycin. For E. faecalis, 85–90% of bacterial isolates were sensitive to gentamicin and linezolid.ConclusionRoot canal infections are usually caused by a mixture of two or three species of bacteria. Specific kinds of antibiotic can be selected to control these bacterial infections after antibiotic sensitivity testing

Evodiamine Induces Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid-1-Mediated Protective Autophagy in U87-MG Astrocytes

Cerebral ischemia is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, which results in cognitive and motor dysfunction, neurodegenerative diseases, and death. Evodiamine (Evo) is extracted from Evodia rutaecarpa Bentham, a plant widely used in Chinese herbal medicine, which possesses variable biological abilities, such as anticancer, anti-inflammation, antiobesity, anti-Alzheimer’s disease, antimetastatic, antianoxic, and antinociceptive functions. But the effect of Evo on ischemic stroke is unclear. Increasing data suggest that activation of autophagy, an adaptive response to environmental stresses, could protect neurons from ischemia-induced cell death. In this study, we found that Evo induced autophagy in U87-MG astrocytes. A scavenger of extracellular calcium and an antagonist of transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV-1) decreased the percentage of autophagy accompanied by an increase in apoptosis, suggesting that Evo may induce calcium-mediated protective autophagy resulting from an influx of extracellular calcium. The same phenomena were also confirmed by a small interfering RNA technique to knock down the expression of TRPV1. Finally, Evo-induced c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) activation was reduced by a TRPV1 antagonist, indicating that Evo-induced autophagy may occur through a calcium/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. Collectively, Evo induced an influx of extracellular calcium, which led to JNK-mediated protective autophagy, and this provides a new option for ischemic stroke treatment

Modulation of nucleosome-binding activity of FACT by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation

Chromatin-modifying factors play key roles in transcription, DNA replication and DNA repair. Post-translational modification of these proteins is largely responsible for regulating their activity. The FACT (facilitates chromatin transcription) complex, a heterodimer of hSpt16 and SSRP1, is a chromatin structure modulator whose involvement in transcription and DNA replication has been reported. Here we show that nucleosome binding activity of FACT complex is regulated by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. hSpt16, the large subunit of FACT, is poly(ADP-ribosyl)ated by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) resulting from physical interaction between these two proteins. The level of hSpt16 poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is elevated after genotoxic treatment and coincides with the activation of PARP-1. The enhanced hSpt16 poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation level correlates with the dissociation of FACT from chromatin in response to DNA damage. Our findings suggest that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of hSpt16 by PARP-1 play regulatory roles for FACT-mediated chromatin remodeling

Ileocecal Burkitt's Lymphoma Presenting as Ileocolic Intussusception With Appendiceal Invagination and Acute Appendicitis

Intussusception is a common cause of abdominal pain in children. Although most cases are idiopathic, about 10% of cases have a pathologic lead point. Burkitt's lymphoma is not a common etiology. Burkitt's lymphoma might present primarily as intussusception in children but has rarely been associated with appendicitis. We report a case in which a 10-year-old obese boy who initially presented with acute appendicitis due to ileocolic intussusception with appendiceal invagination. He underwent one-trocar laparoscopy and antibiotic treatment. The symptoms recurred 10 days after discharge. Colonoscopy disclosed ileocecal Burkitt's lymphoma as the pathological lead point. This case emphasizes the importance of the age of the patient and the anatomic location of the intussusception related to possible etiology, and hence the most appropriate surgical procedure

Phyllanthus urinaria Induces Apoptosis in Human Osteosarcoma 143B Cells via Activation of Fas/FasL- and Mitochondria-Mediated Pathways

Phyllanthus urinaria (P. urinaria), in this study, was used for the treatment of human osteosarcoma cells, which is one of the tough malignancies with few therapeutic modalities. Herein, we demonstrated that P. urinaria inhibited human osteosarcoma 143B cells growth through an apoptotic extrinsic pathway to activate Fas receptor/ligand expression. Both intracellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species were increased to lead to alterations of mitochondrial membrane permeability and Bcl-2 family including upregulation of Bid, tBid, and Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2. P. urinaria triggered an intrinsic pathway and amplified the caspase cascade to induce apoptosis of 143B cells. However, upregulation of both intracellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and the sequential membrane potential change were less pronounced in the mitochondrial respiratory-defective 143Bρ0 cells compared with the 143B cells. This study offers the evidence that mitochondria are essential for the anticancer mechanism induced by P. urinaria through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways

Associations between child maltreatment, PTSD, and internet addiction among Taiwanese students

AbstractThis study examines (1) the associations between multiple types of child maltreatment and Internet addiction, and (2) the mediating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on these associations. We collected data from a national proportionately stratified random sample of 6233 fourth-grade students in Taiwan in 2014. We conducted bivariate correlations and sets of multiple regression analyses to examine the associations between multiple types of maltreatment (5 types in total) and Internet addiction, and to identify the mediating role of PTSD. The results reveal that being male and experiencing abuse (psychological neglect, physical neglect, paternal physical violence, sexual violence) were associated with increased risk among children of developing PTSD and Internet addiction. Moreover, PTSD mediated the associations between multiple types of maltreatment (except maternal physical violence) and Internet addiction. This study demonstrates (1) the effects of multiple types of maltreatment on the PTSD and Internet addiction of children and (2) the importance of early prevention and intervention in addressing related public-health concerns

Ellagic Acid, the Active Compound of Phyllanthus urinaria, Exerts In Vivo Anti-Angiogenic Effect and Inhibits MMP-2 Activity

This study aimed to assess the potential anti-angiogenic mechanism of Phyllanthus urinaria (P. urinaria) and characterize the major compound in P. urinaria that exerts anti-angiogenic effect. The water extract of P. urinaria and Ellagic Acid were used to evaluate the anti-angiogenic effect in chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in chicken embryo and human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). The matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity was determined by gelatin zymography. The mRNA expressions of MMP-2, MMP-14 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Level of MMP-2 proteins in conditioned medium or cytosol was determined by western blot analysis. We confirmed that P. urinaria's in vivo anti-angiogenic effect was associated with a reduction in MMP-2 activity. Ellagic acid, one of the major polyphenolic components as identified in P. urinaria by high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS), exhibited the same anti-angiogenic effect in vivo. Both P. urinaria and Ellagic Acid inhibited MMP-2 activity in HUVECs with unchanged mRNA level. The mRNA expression levels of MMP-14 and TIMP-2 were not altered either. Results from comparing the change of MMP-2 protein levels in conditioned medium and cytosol of HUVECs after the P. urinaria or Ellagic Acid treatment revealed an inhibitory effect on the secretion of MMP-2 protein. This study concluded that Ellagic Acid is the active compound in P. urinaria to exhibit anti-angiogenic activity and to inhibit the secretion of MMP-2 protein from HUVECs