The requirement of English language proficiency for graduation in Taiwanese universities : its impact on non-English majors and their English curruculum

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Structural Characterization and Antioxidative Activity of Low-Molecular-Weights Beta-1,3-Glucan from the Residue of Extracted Ganoderma lucidum Fruiting Bodies

The major cell wall constituent of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) is β-1,3-glucan. This study examined the polysaccharide from the residues of alkaline-extracted fruiting bodies using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC), and it employed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) to confirm the structures. We have successfully isolated low-molecular-weight β-1,3-glucan (LMG), in high yields, from the waste residue of extracted fruiting bodies of G. lucidum. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay evaluated the capability of LMG to suppress H2O2-induced cell death in RAW264.7 cells, identifying that LMG protected cells from H2O2-induced damage. LMG treatment decreased H2O2-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. LMG also influenced sphingomyelinase (SMase) activity, stimulated by cell death to induce ceramide formation, and then increase cell ROS production. Estimation of the activities of neutral and acid SMases in vitro showed that LMG suppressed the activities of both neutral and acid SMases in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that LMG, a water-soluble β-1,3-glucan recycled from extracted residue of G. lucidum, possesses antioxidant capability against H2O2-induced cell death by attenuating intracellular ROS and inhibiting SMase activity

Application of 2,3-Naphthalenediamine in Labeling Natural Carbohydrates for Capillary Electrophoresis

Neutral and acidic monosaccharide components in <em>Ganoderma lucidum</em> polysaccharide are readily labeled with 2,3-naphthalenediamine, and the resulting saccharide-naphthimidazole (NAIM) derivatives are quantified by capillary electrophoresis (CE) in borate buffer. Using sulfated-α-cyclodextrin as the chiral selector, enantiomers of monosaccharide-NAIMs are resolved on CE in phosphate buffer, allowing a simultaneous determination of the absolute configuration and sugar composition in the mucilage polysaccharide of a medicinal herb<em> Dendrobium</em> <em>huoshanense</em>. Together with the specific enzymatic reactions of various glycoside hydrolases on the NAIM derivatives of glycans, the structures of natural glycans can be deduced from the digestion products identified by CE analysis. Though heparin dissachrides could be successfully derived with the NAIM-labeling method, the heparin derivatives with the same degree of sulfation could not be separated by CE

Congenital Chylothorax in a Late Preterm Infant and Successful Treatment With Octreotide

Chylothorax is defined as abnormal accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the pleural space and is a rare condition in neonates. Chylothorax causes respiratory and nutritional problems and a significant mortality rate. Octreotide is a long-acting somatostatin analog that can reduce lymphatic fluid production and has been used as a new strategy in the treatment of chylothorax. Here, we report a premature baby with severe bilateral pleural effusion diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound and subsequently confirmed to be congenital chylothorax after birth. This newborn baby was initially treated with bilateral chest tube insertion to relieve severe respiratory distress. However, the chylothorax recurred after a medium-chain-triglyceride-enriched formula was initiated. The accumulation of chylothorax diminished after the administration of octreotide. Therefore, octreotide may allow the patient to avoid invasive procedures, such as reinsertion of chest tubes or surgery

Quality gaps and priorities for improvement of healthcare service for patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation in the view of family

Background: Little is known about the gaps between expectation and the perception of service quality in the care setting of prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV). Methods: We conducted this prospective study at the Respiratory Care Center (RCC) of a medical center from February 2017 to January 2018. Family members of the patients admitted to the RCC completed a questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL instrument in two sections – expectation and perception, consisting of 22 questions each in five dimensions. We analyzed the gaps between paired items, used important-performance analysis (IPA) to identify priority items for improvement, and performed multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 167 respondents participated in the survey. The average length of patient stay in the RCC was 19.4 days, and 70.7% were successfully liberated from MV. The overall mean SERVQUAL scores for the two sections were similar (4.50 ± 0.52 and 4.51 ± 0.54 for expectation and perception, respectively; p = 0.808). IPA identified four items, including one “tangible,” one “reliability” and two “empathy” with an undesired expectation/perception gap indicating a priority for improvement. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male respondents, patients older than 75 years, tracheostomy, and the need for physical training or dialysis were associated with an increased gap in these priority items. Conclusion: Gaps exist between expectation and perception in multiple dimensions of the quality of healthcare service in the care setting of prolonged MV, indicating unmet needs and priorities for improvement. Keywords: Respiratory care center, Service quality, Satisfaction, Gap, Expectation, Perceptio

ERBB2-modulated ATG4B and autophagic cell death in human ARPE19 during oxidative stress.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an ocular disease with retinal degeneration. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration is mainly caused by long-term oxidative stress. Kinase activity could be either protective or detrimental to cells during oxidative stress; however, few reports have described the role of kinases in oxidative stress. In this study, high-throughput screening of kinome siRNA library revealed that erb-b2 receptor tyrosine-protein kinase 2 (ERBB2) knockdown reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in ARPE-19 cells during oxidative stress. Silencing ERBB2 caused an elevation in microtubule associated protein light chain C3-II (MAP1LC3B-II/I) conversion and sequesterone (SQSTM)1 protein level. ERBB2 deprivation largely caused an increase in autophagy-regulating protease (ATG4B) expression, a protease that negatively recycles MAP1LC3-II at the fusion step between the autophagosome and lysosome, suggesting ERBB2 might modulate ATG4B for autophagy induction in oxidative stress-stimulated ARPE-19 cells. ERBB2 knockdown also caused an accumulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and enhanced its transcriptional activity. In addition, ERBB2 ablation or treatment with autophagy inhibitors reduced oxidative-induced cytotoxic effects in ARPE-19 cells. Furthermore, ERBB2 silencing had little or no additive effects in ATG5/7-deficient cells. Taken together, our results suggest that ERBB2 may play an important role in modulating autophagic RPE cell death during oxidative stress, and ERBB2 may be a potential target in AMD prevention