[[alternative]]The Impact of Annual Reporting Tones on the Operational Efficiency of Banks

[[abstract]]　　金融體系好壞牽動著政治、社會、經濟穩定的關鍵，鑒於我國有些大型的金控機構的營利收入來源，有很多是來自於銀行的營收狀況，因此銀行的經營效率攸關金控體系之成敗，於2008年引發的世界金融海嘯，更讓金融相關行業飽受衝擊，對台灣銀行業也有重大的影響，因此本研究將運用資料包絡分析法(Data Envelopment Analysis，DEA)與麥氏生產力指數(Malmquist Productivity Index，MPI)，以2010年到2020年期間為樣本進行分析，並做跨時間評估台灣銀行業經營效率的變動狀況，運用Tobit迴歸，探討公司年報用詞對銀行經營效率的影響，最後研究發現，在金融海嘯後，台灣銀行業經營效率普遍上升，年報相關詞彙對銀行業技術效率與純技術效率具顯著正向影響。[[abstract]]　　The quality of a financial system plays an important role for political, social and economic stability. In view of the fact that some large financial holding institutions in our country have profit-making sources of income, many of them come from the revenue of banks, so the operating efficiency of banks is related to the financial holding system. Success or failure, the world financial tsunami triggered by 2008 has further impacted financial-related industries, and had a significant impact on Taiwan's banking industry. Therefore, this research uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI), analyzes the sample from 2010 to 2020, and evaluates the changes in the operating efficiency of Taiwan's banking industry across time, and uses Tobit regression to explore the impact of corporate annual report terms on bank operating efficiency Finally, the results show that after the financial tsunami, the operating efficiency of Taiwan's banking industry generally increased. The terminology associated with the annual report also has an significant positive impact on technical efficiency and pure technical efficiency of the banks in Taiwan

Improving Carrier Transport Behavior in a Bilayer ETL for Enhanced Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells: An Investigation

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are currently among the most promising solar cell technologies. A key component influencing their efficiency and stability is the electron transport layer (ETL). This study examined the carrier transport properties of various ETL materials, including TiO2, SnO2, and TiO2/SnO2 bilayer ETLs, to understand their effects on PSC performance. The study proposed a hypothesis that the bilayer design, integrating TiO2 and SnO2, enhances performance, and it used experimental results to substantiate this. Through analysis and discussion of the ETLs, the interface between perovskite (PVSK) and ETLs, and other PSC components, we gained insights into the carrier transport dynamics in PSCs with different ETL configurations. Our findings indicate that the TiO2/SnO2 bilayer ETL structure can significantly improve PSC performance by reducing current leakage, improving carrier transport, and minimizing carrier recombination. This enhancement is quantified by the increase in efficiency from 13.58% with a single-layer TiO2 ETL to 20.49% with the bilayer ETL

Metal nanobullets for multidrug resistant bacteria and biofilms

Infectious diseases were one of the major causes of mortality until now because drug-resistant bacteria have arisen under broad use and abuse of antibacterial drugs. These multidrug-resistant bacteria pose a major challenge to the effective control of bacterial infections and this threat has prompted the development of alternative strategies to treat bacterial diseases. Recently, use of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) as antibacterial agents is one of the promising strategies against bacterial drug resistance. This review first describes mechanisms of bacterial drug resistance and then focuses on the properties and applications of metallic NPs as antibiotic agents to deal with antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant bacteria. We also provide an overview of metallic NPs as bactericidal agents combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their potential in vivo toxicology for further drug development

Dendrimer phthalocyanine-encapsulated polymeric micelle-mediated photochemical internalization extends the efficacy of photodynamic therapy and overcomes drug-resistance in vivo

Clinically, the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents can be dramatically reduced in cancer cells with multiple drug resistance (MDR). In doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer cells, drugs accumulate only within discrete cytosolic organelles that abrogate their therapeutic effects in vitro and in vivo. Photochemical internalization (PCI), a specific branch of photodynamic therapy (PDT), is a novel strategy utilized for the site-specific triggered drug/gene release. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nanoparticle-based PDT/PCI effects on the reversal of drug resistance. Dendrimer phthalocyanine-encapsulated polymeric micelle (DPc/m)-mediated PCI, combined with doxorubicin, was studied in drug-resistant MCF-7 cells and a xenograft model. Our results show that the internalized DPc/m showed unique PCI properties inside the cells and thereby facilitating doxorubicin release from the endo-lysosomes to nuclei after photoirradiation. Moreover, 'light before' PCI showed the highest antitumor efficacy and the depth of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen-negative area in tumor sections after DPc/m-mediated PDT was obviously increased by combination therapy with doxorubicin; this indicates the limitation of depth of light penetration in PDT, which may be improved by PCI. We conclude that nanotechnology-based PCI possesses several clinical benefits, such as overcoming drug resistance and treating deeper lesions that are intractable by PDT alone. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

台中市北屯區淹水危險度分析

Taiwan is located at the subtropical monsoon zone and the Circum-Pacific Seismic Zone. Therefore, typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and slopeland disasters are occasionally occurred in Taiwan. Taiwan also possesses a special geography environment such as complex terrain and high mountains, and precipitation in an uneven distribution of time and space. The loss of the lives and property caused by flood disaster are higher than that of the other disasters in Taiwan. This study aimed to perform the risky analysis grade of inundation at the areas of Beitun Districts, Taichung city. The potential inundation maps of 24 hours accumulated rainfall equal to 150mm, 300mm, 450mm, and 600mm (close to the return period of 100 year) and short-duration rainfall of 3 hours were used for the analysis. The historical flooding sites were marked on the potential inundation maps. The analysis includes the potential inundation maps, population density, and elevation of the study areas. It is expected the results could be a reference for planning of flood damage mitigation of Taichung city government.台灣位處副熱帶季風區，且於環太平洋地震帶上，因此颱風、洪水、地震及坡地災害等 經常發生，又因台灣地理環境特殊，地形陡峭，山勢高聳，加上降水的時間及空間分布呈現不 均勻的現象，造成台灣最多生命財產損失的災害即是洪水災害。本文針對台中市北屯區，建置 24 小時累積雨量分別為 150mm、300mm、450mm、600mm(近乎百年重現期距)、及短延時(3 小時) 雨量之淹水潛勢圖，另將歷史易淹水點位數化套疊於潛勢圖上，再進行危險度分析，分析方法 包含淹水潛勢、人口密度與高程資料進行計算，並針對易淹水地區，分別擬訂短、中、長期治 理對策建議，且其危險度分析結果可提供台中市府日後防災決策時所使用

Practical Synthesis and Field Application of the Synthetic Sex Pheromone of Rice Stem Borer, Chilo suppressalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, is a common and major serious pest of rice, maize, and wheat crops across Asia, Europe, and Oceania countries. Its sex pheromone consists of three analogously compounds, i.e., (Z)-hexadec-11-enal (1), (Z)-octadec-13-enal (2), and (Z)-hexadec-9-enal (3), as long-chain aliphatic internal cis-alkenyl aldehydes. In order to perform an economic and widespread pest control management of rice stem borer, a versatile and efficient synthetic strategy is required. A versatile and efficient synthesis using a common synthetic route for cis-alkenals with high overall yields is described. Commercially available inexpensive aliphatic diols were chosen as starting materials. Two key steps were employed to synthesize the long-chain aliphatic internal cis-alkenes in excellent yields, including the alkylation of terminal alkynes without the utilization of a highly polar aprotic cosolvent and the versatile cis-selective semihydrogenation for the reduction of internal alkynes with excellent stereoselectivity. The results of field tests showed that the synthetic sex pheromone blend was highly effective for the capture of rice stem borer

The mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis–derived outer membrane vesicles-induced neurotoxicity and microglia activation

Background/purpose: Periodontitis is associated with various systemic diseases, potentially facilitated by the passage of Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane vesicles (Pg-OMVs). Several recent studies have suggested a connection between Pg-OMVs and neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, but the precise causal relationship remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying these associations using in vitro models. Materials and methods: Isolated Pg-OMVs were characterized by morphology, size, and gingipain activity. We exposed SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and BV-2 microglial cells to various concentrations of Pg-OMVs. Cell morphology, a 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot analysis were used to evaluate the cellular mechanism underlying Pg-OMV-induced neurotoxicity in neuronal cells and inflammatory responses in microglial cells. Results: Exposure to Pg-OMVs induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells, as evidenced by cellular shrinkage, reduced viability, activation of apoptotic pathways, and diminished neuronal differentiation markers. Gingipain inhibition mitigated these effects, suggesting that gingipain mediates Pg-OMVs-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. Our research on neuroinflammation suggests that upon endocytosis of Pg-OMVs by BV-2 cells, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can modulate the production of inducible nitric oxide synthase and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by activating pathways that involve phosphorylated AKT and the phosphorylated JNK pathway. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that following the endocytosis of Pg-OMVs, gingipain can induce neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, the Pg-OMVs-associated LPS can trigger neuroinflammation via AKT and JNK signaling pathways in BV-2 cells

A Portable Low-Power Acquisition System with a Urease Bioelectrochemical Sensor for Potentiometric Detection of Urea Concentrations

This paper presents a portable low-power battery-driven bioelectrochemical signal acquisition system for urea detection. The proposed design has several advantages, including high performance, low cost, low-power consumption, and high portability. A LT1789-1 low-supply-voltage instrumentation amplifier (IA) was used to measure and amplify the open-circuit potential (OCP) between the working and reference electrodes. An MSP430 micro-controller was programmed to process and transduce the signals to the custom-developed software by ZigBee RF module in wireless mode and UART in able mode. The immobilized urease sensor was prepared by embedding urease into the polymer (aniline-co-o-phenylenediamine) polymeric matrix and then coating/depositing it onto a MEMS-fabricated Au working electrode. The linear correlation established between the urea concentration and the potentiometric change is in the urea concentrations range of 3.16 × 10−4 to 3.16 × 10−2 M with a sensitivity of 31.12 mV/log [M] and a precision of 0.995 (R2 = 0.995). This portable device not only detects urea concentrations, but can also operate continuously with a 3.7 V rechargeab-le lithium-ion battery (500 mA·h) for at least four days. Accordingly, its use is feasible and even promising for home-care applications

Improved Photodynamic Cancer Treatment by Folate-Conjugated Polymeric Micelles in a KB Xenografted Animal Model

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a light-induced chemical reaction that produces localized tissue damage for the treatment of cancers and various nonmalignant conditions. In the clinic, patients treated with PDT should be kept away from direct sunlight or strong indoor lighting to avoid skin phototoxicity. In a previous study, it was demonstrated that the skin phototoxicity of meta - tetra (hydroxyphenyl)chlorin (m-THPC), a photosensitizer used in the clinic, can be signifi cantly reduced after micellar encapsulation; however, no improvement in antitumor effi cacy was observed. In this work, a folate-conjugated polymeric m-THPC delivery system is developed for improving tumor targeting of the photosensitizer, preventing photodamage to the healthy tissue, and increasing the effectiveness of the photosensitizers. The results demonstrate that folate-conjugated m-THPC-loaded micelles with particle sizes around 100 nm are taken up and accumulated by folate receptor-overexpressed KB cells in vitro and in vivo, and their PDT has no signifi cant adverse effects on the body weight of mice. After an extended delivery time, a single dose of folate-conjugated m-THPCloaded micelles has higher antitumor effects (tumor growth inhibition = 92%) through inhibition of cell proliferation and reduction of vessel density than free m-THPC or m-THPC-loaded micelles at an equivalent m-THPC concentration of 0.3 mg kg − 1 after irradiation. Furthermore, folate-conjugated m-THPC-loaded micelles at only 0.2 mg kg − 1 m-THPC have a similar antitumor effi cacy to m-THPC or m-THPCloaded micelles with the m-THPC concentration at 0.3 mg kg − 1 , which indicates that the folate conjugation on the micellar photosensitizer apparently reduces the requirement of m-THPC for PDT. Thus, folate-conjugated m-THPC-loaded micelles with improved selectivity via folate–folate receptor interactions have the potential to reduce, not only the skin photosensitivity, but also the drug dose requirement for clinical PDT