Formation of an SIR-Nucleosome Filament in vitro and Its Modulation by O-Acetyl-ADP-Ribose

It is not possible to clearly visualize how chromatin condenses to heterochromatin in vivo. However, in an in vitro system for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the requirements for heterochromatin filament formation mirror those found in vivo. Here we report that the nucleosomes and the Sir2, Sir3 and Sir4 proteins, which are required for in vitro filament assembly, are also components of these filaments, confirming that the filaments are SIR-nucleosome filaments. We show the individual localization patterns of the Sir proteins on this SIR-nucleosome filament, and demonstrate that the metabolite, AAR, plays a specific and essential role in promoting the formation of this SIR-nucleosome filament

Antipsychotic Prescription Trends, Patterns and Associated Factors in Taiwanese Children and Adolescents

This study evaluated the prescription trends, patterns and associated factors of antipsychotic medication in children and adolescents. We conducted a retrospective study by using the database of outpatient health insurance files of a psychiatric center in Northern Taiwan from 2004 to 2013. A total of 173,209 outpatient health insurance files were included. The average age of the study patients was 11.3 (±3.9) years. Of all visits of the patients, 13.4% were prescribed antipsychotics. The prescription rate of all antipsychotic medication types in all the outpatients aged ≤18 years increased yearly by 0.6%. The prescription rate of first-generation antipsychotics decreased with an estimated average annual percent change of 5.6% (p < .001). By contrast, the prescription rate of second-generation antipsychotics increased with an estimated average annual percent change of 3.4% (p <.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine clinical factors (age, sex and diagnosis) associated with antipsychotic prescription. After adjusting for other variables, antipsychotic prescription was found to be increased by 1.31 times every year with age and by 1.06 times in the male patients. The patients with diagnoses other than schizophrenia appeared less likely to be prescribed antipsychotics. Antipsychotic medications are being increasingly prescribed to children and adolescents in recent years. T he efficacy and safety of antipsychotics in children and adolescents warrant clinical attention

Prediction Primary Available Blend Biodiesel of Waste Oil from Aurantiochytrium sp. for General Diesel Engines

Chemical and enzyme transesterification were compared by discussing preliminary transesterification of waste oil of Aurantiochytrium sp., which was then used in transesterification for the primary available blend biodiesel for a general diesel engine in this study. We made progress on the winterized characteristics of the waste oil’s biodiesel of Aurantiochytrium sp. and its biodiesel, which included the reactivity parameters and properties. This approach led to the development of a novel idea for the evaluation of kinetic parameters of winterization, along with obtaining the suitable operation and storage conditions of biodiesel. Therefore, the waste oil of Aurantiochytrium sp. could be developed for biodiesel production and successfully made into a suitable blend diesel. Overall, we acquired the best condition of mixtures and the highly mixed rate of petrodiesel: biodiesel = 80 : 20 (activation energy of winterization 21.32 kJ/mol; onset temperature of winterization -4.15 °C; heat of combustion 43.15 MJ/kg; kinematic viscosity 3.51 mm2/s; flash point 67.5 °C), which was an appropriate blend biodiesel from the waste oil’s biodiesel of Aurantiochytrium sp.

Compositionally Complex Perovskite Oxides as a New Class of Li-Ion Solid Electrolytes

Compositionally complex ceramics (CCCs), including high-entropy ceramics (HECs) as a subclass, offer new opportunities of materials discovery beyond the traditional methodology of searching new stoichiometric compounds. Herein, we establish new strategies of tailoring CCCs via a seamless combination of (1) non-equimolar compositional designs and (2) controlling microstructures and interfaces. Using oxide solid electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries as an exemplar, we validate these new strategies via discovering a new class of compositionally complex perovskite oxides (CCPOs) to show the possibility of improving ionic conductivities beyond the limit of conventional doping. As an example (amongst the 28 CCPOs examined), we demonstrate that the ionic conductivity can be improved by >60% in (Li0.375Sr0.4375)(Ta0.375Nb0.375Zr0.125Hf0.125)O3-{\delta}, in comparison with the state-of-art (Li0.375Sr0.4375)(Ta0.75Zr0.25)O3-{\delta} (LSTZ) baseline, via maintaining comparable electrochemical stability. Furthermore, the ionic conductivity can be improved by another >70% via grain boundary (GB) engineering, achieving >270% of the LSTZ baseline. This work suggests transformative new strategies for designing and tailoring HECs and CCCs, thereby opening a new window for discovering materials for energy storage and many other applications

Application of artificial intelligence in measuring novel pH-impedance metrics for optimal diagnosis of GERD

Novel metrics extracted from pH-impedance monitoring can augment the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Artificial intelligence (AI) is being widely used to improve the diagnostic capabilities of various diseases. In this review, we update the current literature regarding applications of artificial intelligence in measuring novel pH-impedance metrics. AI demonstrates high performance in the measurement of impedance metrics, including numbers of reflux episodes and post-reflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave index and, furthermore, extracts baseline impedance from the entire pH-impedance study. AI is expected to play a reliable role in facilitating measuring novel impedance metrics in patients with GERD in the near future

Emerged HA and NA Mutants of the Pandemic Influenza H1N1 Viruses with Increasing Epidemiological Significance in Taipei and Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 2009–10

The 2009 influenza pandemic provided an opportunity to observe dynamic changes of the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) of pH1N1 strains that spread in two metropolitan areas -Taipei and Kaohsiung. We observed cumulative increases of amino acid substitutions of both HA and NA that were higher in the post–peak than in the pre-peak period of the epidemic. About 14.94% and 3.44% of 174 isolates had one and two amino acids changes, respective, in the four antigenic sites. One unique adaptive mutation of HA2 (E374K) was first detected three weeks before the epidemic peak. This mutation evolved through the epidemic, and finally emerged as the major circulated strain, with significantly higher frequency in the post-peak period than in the pre-peak (64.65% vs 9.28%, p<0.0001). E374K persisted until ten months post-nationwide vaccination without further antigenic changes (e.g. prior to the highest selective pressure). In public health measures, the epidemic peaked at seven weeks after oseltamivir treatment was initiated. The emerging E374K mutants spread before the first peak of school class suspension, extended their survival in high-density population areas before vaccination, dominated in the second wave of class suspension, and were fixed as herd immunity developed. The tempo-spatial spreading of E374K mutants was more concentrated during the post–peak (p = 0.000004) in seven districts with higher spatial clusters (p<0.001). This is the first study examining viral changes during the naïve phase of a pandemic of influenza through integrated virological/serological/clinical surveillance, tempo-spatial analysis, and intervention policies. The vaccination increased the percentage of E374K mutants (22.86% vs 72.34%, p<0.001) and significantly elevated the frequency of mutations in Sa antigenic site (2.36% vs 23.40%, p<0.001). Future pre-vaccination public health efforts should monitor amino acids of HA and NA of pandemic influenza viruses isolated at exponential and peak phases in areas with high cluster cases

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of the APC gene and colorectal cancer risk: a case-control study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC), which has become especially prevalent in developed countries, is currently the third highest cause of cancer mortality in Taiwan. Mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene, a tumour suppressor, is thought to be an early event in colorectal tumourigenesis. To date, however, no large-scale screening for APC gene variants in Chinese subjects has been performed. The present study was undertaken to identify APC gene variants that are significantly associated with the occurrence of CRC in Taiwanese subjects. METHODS: In order to compare the genotype distribution of variant sites, the full-length APC genes of 74 healthy individuals and 80 CRC patients were sequenced. RESULTS: Among the 154 Taiwanese subjects examined in this study, three new mutations, but no previously reported mutations, were found. One deletion at codon 460 leading to a frameshift and two missense mutations resulting in p.V1125A and p.S1126R substitutions were identified. Additionally, three high risk genotypes associated with three single nucleotide polymorphisms and one low risk genotype at codon 1822 were identified. CONCLUSION: The findings of this case-control study are consistent with the proposal that Taiwanese subjects differ from other subjects with respect to phenotypic presentation of APC and CRC risk