A mini-review on release oscillation in a hollow fiber

This mini-review aims at strengthening the links among textile science, physics, and mathematics. The state-of-the-art technology for silver ions’ release from hollow fibers is reviewed, its bottleneck problems are identified, and some open problems are elucidated. The release oscillation opens a new era for modern applications of hollow fibers containing silver ions

Market promotion of paid socket: A feasiblility analysis

This study analyzed an innovation product i.e. paid socket, not on the market yet, and aimed at the feasibility analysis of paid socket market. We used survey method to investigate the end users. Firstly, in view of the "public", we surveyed people about what factors affecting the consumers' willingness to use this socket. The Second part was to understand merchants' ideas about the socket by in-depth interviews. Through SEM analysis, we found that safety and environmental friendliness are two important factors for the users to use the socket, and through in-depth interviews, we found the "installation convenience" and "marketing activities" are most considered by the stores. The implication of the results show that business opportunities behind the paid socket are large, whether in public area or stores , and the viewpoints of using the paid socket were different. Enhanced design and development of the socket could solve the two sides' problems and meet needs of the public and merchants by recovering the cost and expending marketing spots. Consumers didn't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy convenience, fairness and justice caused by paid sockets

Carbon Future Price Return, Oil Future Price Return and Stock Index Future Price Return in the U.S.

The European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) has established a pricing system for carbon emissions. As the new commodity may increase the diversification of a financial portfolio and reduce the overall investment risk, a deeper investigation of its properties is needed. Investigating the link between carbon and other asset classes, such oil and stock markets, is important to understand how carbon market interacts with other financial markets. Empirical results indicate that carbon futures returns do respond positively to oil returns shock. A shock in oil price initially has a positive impact on stock market. The multivariate generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) of the BEKK model indicate that oil market has an effect on the volatility of the other two markets but it is much less affect by them. These results should be useful for policy makers, portfolio managers and others interested in this rapidly developing field of finance. Keywords: Carbon future return, MGARCH-BEKK, Volatility. JEL Classifications: C58, G13, Q43

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

Syndecan-2 induces filopodia and dendritic spine formation via the neurofibromin–PKA–Ena/VASP pathway

Syndecan-2 induced filopodia before spinogenesis; therefore, filopodia formation was used here as a model to study the early downstream signaling of syndecan-2 that leads to spinogenesis. Screening using kinase inhibitors indicated that protein kinase A (PKA) is required for syndecan-2–induced filopodia formation in both human embryonic kidney cells and hippocampal neurons. Because neurofibromin, a syndecan-2–binding partner, activates the cyclic adenosine monophosphate pathway, the role of neurofibromin in syndecan-2–induced filopodia formation was investigated by deletion mutant analysis, RNA interference, and dominant-negative mutant. The results showed that neurofibromin mediates the syndecan-2 signal to PKA. Among actin-associated proteins, Enabled (Ena)/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) were predicted as PKA effectors downstream of syndecan-2, as Ena/VASP, which is activated by PKA, induces actin polymerization. Indeed, when the activities of Ena/VASP were blocked, syndecan-2 no longer induced filopodia formation. Finally, in addition to filopodia formation, neurofibromin and Ena/VASP contributed to spinogenesis. This study reveals a novel signaling pathway in which syndecan-2 activates PKA via neurofibromin and PKA consequently phosphorylates Ena/VASP, promoting filopodia and spine formation

Asiatic acid, a triterpene, induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest through activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in human breast cancer cells

ABSTRACT This study first investigates the anticancer effect of asiatic acid in two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Asiatic acid exhibited effective cell growth inhibition by inducing cancer cells to undergo S-G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. Blockade of cell cycle was associated with increased p21/ WAF1 levels and reduced amounts of cyclinB1, cyclinA, Cdc2, and Cdc25C in a p53-independent manner. Asiatic acid also reduced Cdc2 function by increasing the association of p21/WAF1/Cdc2 complex and the level of inactivated phospho-Cdc2 and phospho-Cdc25C. Asiatic acid treatment triggered the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway indicated by changing Bax/Bcl-2 ratios, cytochrome c release, and caspase-9 activation, but it did not act on Fas/Fas ligand pathways and the activation of caspase-8. We also found that mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and p38, but not c-Jun NH 2 -terminal kinase (JNK), are critical mediators in asiatic acid-induced cell growth inhibition. U0126 [1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(2-aminophenylthio)butadiene] or SB203580 [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-imidazole], specific inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase and p38 kinase activities, significantly decreased or delayed apoptosis. Asiatic acid was likely to confine the breast cancer cells in the S-G2/M phase mainly through the p38 pathway, because both SB203580 and p38 small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibition significantly attenuated the accumulation of inactive phospho-Cdc2 and phospho-Cdc25C proteins and the cell numbers of S-G2/M phase. Moreover, U0126 and ERK siRNA inhibition completely suppressed asiatic acid-induced Bcl-2 phosphorylation and Bax up-regulation, and caspase-9 activation. Together, these results imply a critical role for ERK1/2 and p38 but not JNK, p53, and Fas/Fas ligand in asiatic acid-induced S-G2/M arrest and apoptosis of human breast cancer cells

Lysophosphatidic Acid and Hematopoiesis: From Microenvironmental Effects to Intracellular Signaling.

Vertebrate hematopoiesis is a complex physiological process that is tightly regulated by intracellular signaling and extracellular microenvironment. In recent decades, breakthroughs in lineage-tracing technologies and lipidomics have revealed the existence of numerous lipid molecules in hematopoietic microenvironment. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a bioactive phospholipid molecule, is one of the identified lipids that participates in hematopoiesis. LPA exhibits various physiological functions through activation of G-protein-coupled receptors. The functions of these LPARs have been widely studied in stem cells, while the roles of LPARs in hematopoietic stem cells have rarely been examined. Nonetheless, mounting evidence supports the importance of the LPA-LPAR axis in hematopoiesis. In this article, we have reviewed regulation of hematopoiesis in general and focused on the microenvironmental and intracellular effects of the LPA in hematopoiesis. Discoveries in these areas may be beneficial to our understanding of blood-related disorders, especially in the context of prevention and therapy for anemia

Nonparetic Knee Extensor Strength Is the Determinant of Exercise Capacity of Community-Dwelling Stroke Survivors

Objective. To investigate the relationship among walking speed, exercise capacity, and leg strength in community dwelling stroke subjects and to evaluate which one was the leading determinant factor of them. Design. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Thirty-five chronic stroke patients who were able to walk independently in their community were enrolled. Walking speed was evaluated by using the 12-meter walking test. A maximal exercise test was used to determine the stroke subjects’ exercise capacity. Knee extensor strength, measured as isokinetic torque, was assessed by isokinetic dynamometer. Results. The main walking speed of our subjects was 0.52 m/s. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) was 1.21±0.43 L/min. Knee extensor strength, no matter whether paretic or nonparetic side, was significantly correlated to 12-meter walking speed and exercise capacity. Linear regression also showed the strength of the affected knee extensor was the determinant of walking speed and that of the nonparetic knee extensor was the determinant of exercise capacity in community dwelling stroke subjects. Conclusions. Walking speed and peak oxygen uptake were markedly decreased after stroke. Knee extensor strength of nonparetic leg was the most important determinant of exercise capacity of the community-dwelling stroke subjects. Knee extensor strengthening should be emphasized to help stroke patient to achieve optimal community living

Burkitt's Lymphoma Mimicking a Primary Gynecologic Tumor

SummaryObjectiveBurkitt's lymphoma (BL) occurs mostly in children; bilateral ovarian involvement mimicking a gynecologic malignancy in adults is extremely rare. Here, we report a patient with BL mimicking a gynecologic tumorCase ReportA 50-year-old Taiwanese woman presented with the complaint of persistent lower abdominal distension with dull pain, easy satiety, and progressively increasing abdominal girth for 2 weeks. Amenorrhea was also noted for about 2 months, and her review of systems was negative for the common “B” symptoms associated with lymphoma. At our hospital, imaging studies revealed a huge pelvic mass (10.8 ×8.7 cm), suggesting a large subserous myoma or an ovarian tumor. Under the impression of pelvic mass, she underwent exploratory laparotomy. Primary ovarian sex-cord malignancy with cecum involvement was impressed by the primitive intraoperative frozen section report. Subsequently, an optimal cytoreductive operation with right hemicolectomy was performed. However, final histopathologic report was an extranodal multifocal BL.ConclusionAlthough extranodal BL in ovaries is a rare condition, it should be noted in the differential diagnosis of pelvic gynecologic malignancies