Current status and needs of educational computer network system for secondary industrial arts education in Taiwan, Republic of China

The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the current status of computer use and the existence of computer networks used in secondary schools\u27 industrial arts education, (2) to identify the needs for an educational computer network system that can be used in secondary schools\u27 industrial arts classroom, and (3) to develop an appropriate configuration of educational computer network for secondary schools\u27 industrial arts education in Taiwan;There were two populations for this study. One was the population of industrial arts teachers in secondary schools in Taiwan. The other population was administrators in secondary schools in Taiwan. Two hundred and twenty schools were randomly selected. One industrial arts teacher and one administrator were selected from these schools as the sample for this study. The questionnaire method of data collection was used. Two questionnaires were designed for industrial arts teachers and administrators respectively. Industrial arts teachers were asked questions related to (1) general information, (2) hardware, (3) software, (4) network hardware and software, (5) factors affecting the use of computers and computer network in teaching, (6) network service needs assessment, and (7) suitability of subjects. Administrators were asked questions related to general information and network service needs assessment;The results indicate the differences between current and ideal numbers of computers and network equipment in secondary schools were significant. The current and ideal frequencies of using software applications were also significantly different. Based on the responses, a general configuration of educational computer network system was developed for secondary schools in Taiwan. The configuration included ideal numbers of computers and networks equipment, purchasing priorities of this equipment, services and in-service training should be provided, approaches to encourage using computer network systems, and suitability of subjects

Perspectives From Different Levels Of Management Teams On Business And Information Systems Strategies Alignment – A Case Of Alpha Networks Inc.

When formulating their business strategies, companies are influenced by both the internal and external environments. Strategic alignment has been studied extensively for more that two decades, most research has focused are on the strategic alignment between business strategy and information systems [9][21][24]. Few works have studied the relationship between business strategies and IS alignment from the perspective of different levels of management. This study uses questionnaires and interviews to analyze the perspectives of thirty-three managers from different departments. The findings show that the higher an executive’s level, the greater the alignment perceived between the company’s businesses and IS strategies

Dermoscopic characterization and image study of a Sister Mary Joseph nodule in a patient with esophageal cancer

AbstractA Sister Mary Joseph nodule (SMJN) is rare cutaneous metastasis spreading to the umbilicus. It originates mostly from an intra-abdominal or pelvic malignancy and is an ominous sign. In this paper, we report a case of a SMJN in a 64-year-old man with esophageal cancer. We recorded his clinical progression, radiologic and nuclear scintigraphic images, and histopathologic and dermoscopic findings. The image study provided information on the localization of the SMJN and dermoscopy showed a polymorphous vascular pattern. The patient received palliative therapy because of terminal disease

Real-time bioprocess and automated feed control with in-line Raman sensor

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Gender Differences and the Trend in the Acute Myocardial Infarction: A 10-Year Nationwide Population-Based Analysis

It is not clear whether gender is associated with different hospitalization cost and lengths for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We identified patients hospitalized for primary diagnosis of AMI with (STEMI) or without (NSTEMI) ST elevation from 1999 to 2008 through a national database containing 1,000,000 subjects. As compared to that in 1999~2000, total (0.35‰  versus 0.06‰, P<0.001) and male (0.59‰  versus 0.07‰, P<0.001) STEMI hospitalization percentages were decreased in 2007~2008, but female STEMI hospitalization percentages were not different from 1999 to 2008. However, NSTEMI hospitalization percentages were similar over the 10-year period. The hospitalization age for AMI, STEMI, and NSTEMI was increased over the 10-year period by 14, 9, and 7 years in male, and by 18, 18, and 21 years in female. The female and male hospitalization cost and lengths were similar in the period. As compared to nonmedical center, the hospitalization cost for STEMI in medical center was higher in male patients, but not in female patients, and the hospitalization cost for NSTEMI was higher in both male and female gender. We found significant differences between male and female, medical center and non-medical center, or STEMI and NSTEMI on medical care over the 10-year period

Attenuation of Guided Wave Propagation by the Insulation Pipe

Pipeline systems are widely used in gas, refinery, chemical and petro-chemical industries, which usually carry high pressure, high temperature or even highly corrosive fluids. Cracks and corrosion are often found at the outer or inner surface of pipeline and can lead to a serious thinning of wall thickness. Leaks or sudden failures of pipes can cause injuries, fatalities and environmental damage. Ultrasonic nondestructive techniques are available for the detection of wall loss associated with defects in the pipe. Unfortunately, a high proportion in pipelines of these industrial are insulated, so that even external corrosion cannot readily be detected by the conventional ultrasonic testing (single position measurement) without the removal of the insulation, which in most case is time-consuming and cost expensive. Especially in typically industrial plants, there are hundreds of kilometers of pipelines can be in operation. Making inspection of full pipelines is virtually impossible in industrial plants. There is therefore a quick reliable method for the detection of corrosion under insulation (CUI). This technique, called guided wave, employs a pulseecho system applied at a single location of a pipe where only a small section of insulation need to be removed, using waves propagation along the pipe wall. The changes in the response signal indicate the presence of an impedance change in the pipe. The shape and axial location of defects and features in the pipe are also determined by reflected signals and their arrival times. Propagation distance of many tens of meters can readily be obtained in steel pipes [1-6]. Since these guided waves are cylindrical Lamb waves along the pipe, no lateral spreading can occur and the propagation is essentially one-dimensional. In a uniform pipe, their amplitude with propagation distance is therefore only reduced by the material attenuation of the steel [7]

Bacteroides fragilis aortic arch pseudoaneurysm: case report with review

We present a case of 58-year-old woman with underlying diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C virus-related liver cirrhosis, and total hysterectomy for uterine myoma 11 moths ago, who was diagnosed ruptured aortic arch mycotic pseudoaneurysm after a certain period of survey for her unknown fever cause. After emergent surgery with prosthetic graft interposition, all her blood cultures and tissue cultures revealed pathogen with Bacteroides fragilis. Although mycotic aneurysms have been well described in literatures, an aneurysm infected solely with Bacteroides fragilis is unusual, with only eight similar cases in the literature. Here we reported the only female case with her specific clinical and management course and summarized all reported cases of mycotic aneurysm caused by Bacteroides fragilis to clarify their conditions and treatments, alert the difficulty in diagnosis, and importance of highly suspicious

Social Capital and Technological Literacy in Taiwan

The burgeoning interest in social capital within the technology community represents a welcome move towards a concern for the social elements of technological adaptation and capacity. Since technology plays an ever larger role in our daily life, it is necessary to articulate social capital and its relationship to technological literacy. A nationwide data was collected by area sampling, and position generator was used to measure social capital. Regression model was constructed for technological literacy. Age, gender, education, income, web access, and social capital were included as independent variables. The results show that age, gender, education, web access, and social capital were good predictors of technological literacy. It is concluded that social capital is helpful in coping with rapid technological change. Theoretical and empirical implications and future research are discussed

Bioprocess intelligent for the improvements and prediction on fed-batch cell culture in bioreactor

With advances in biotechnology, the antibody productivity is not the only issue in biopharmaceutical manufacturing; moreover, how to control the quality and quantity of antibody production in bioprocess has become prominent. In typical fed-batch cell culture, it is not easy to control the dynamic cultivation and feeding conditions. The study is to present an intelligent bioprocess make use of design of experiments (DOE) and multivariate data analysis (MVDA). In the culture medium optimization, we performed the medium screening with the DOE method in shake spin tubes and shake flasks. DOE provides a cost-effective methodology for medium development and optimization, and furthermore we utilized multivariate data analysis methodology to build up the fed-batch intelligence bioprocess in 5 L bioreactor. We analyzed mass data transferred from 5 L bioreactor process and established the fed-batch culture model with SIMCA software. Combination of the batch process and big data sets, we can be easy to do batch-to-batch comparison, cell culture profile prediction, and key parameter finding to improve the process performance with more steady product quality and less error. In this fed-batch culture model, we achieved more than 5 g/L cell productivity consistently and predictably in 5 L bioreactor cultivation with CRISPR-mediated targeted gene site-specific integration CHO cell line