56 research outputs found

    Distribution of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidative Activities of Rice Kernel and Their Relationships with Agronomic Practice

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    The phenolic and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract of two Japonica rice cultivars, Taikeng no. 16 (medium and slender grain) and Kaohsiung no. 139 (short and round grain), grown under organic and conventional farming were examined. Analyses shows that Kaohsiung no. 139 contains the highest amount of secondary metabolites and continuous farming can increase its production. Results also suggest that phenolic content under different agronomic practices, has not shown significant differences but organically grown rice has proven to be better in higher accumulation of other secondary metabolites (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), flavonoid content, and ferrous chelating capacity). In nutshell, genetic traits and environment have significant effect on phenolic compounds and the least variation reported under agronomic practices

    On Connected Target Coverage for Wireless Heterogeneous Sensor Networks with Multiple Sensing Units

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    The paper considers the connected target coverage (CTC) problem in wireless heterogeneous sensor networks (WHSNs) with multiple sensing units, termed MU-CTC problem. MU-CTC problem can be reduced to a connected set cover problem and further formulated as an integer linear programming (ILP) problem. However, the ILP problem is an NP-complete problem. Therefore, two distributed heuristic schemes, REFS (remaining energy first scheme) and EEFS (energy efficiency first scheme), are proposed. In REFS, each sensor considers its remaining energy and its neighbors’ decisions to enable its sensing units and communication unit such that all targets can be covered for the required attributes and the sensed data can be delivered to the sink. The advantages of REFS are its simplicity and reduced communication overhead. However, to utilize sensors’ energy efficiently, EEFS is proposed. A sensor in EEFS considers its contribution to the coverage and the connectivity to make a better decision. To our best knowledge, this paper is the first to consider target coverage and connectivity jointly for WHSNs with multiple sensing units. Simulation results show that REFS and EEFS can both prolong the network lifetime effectively. EEFS outperforms REFS in network lifetime, but REFS is simpler

    Graphene on Au-coated SiOx substrate: Its core-level photoelectron micro-spectroscopy study

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    The core-level electronic structures of the exfoliated graphene sheets on a Au-coated SiOx substrate have been studied by synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-PES) on a micron-scale. The graphene was firstly demonstrated its visibility on the Au-coated SiOx substrate by micro-optical characterization, and then conducted into SR-PES study. Because of the elimination of charging effect, precise C 1s core-level characterization clearly shows graphitic and contaminated carbon states of graphene. Different levels of Au-coating-induced p-type doping on single- and double-layer graphene sheets were also examined in the C 1s core-level shift. The Au-coated SiOx substrate can be treated as a simple but high-throughput platform for in situ studying graphene under further hybridization by PES

    Molecular signature of clinical severity in recovering patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)

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    BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a recent epidemic human disease, is caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV). First reported in Asia, SARS quickly spread worldwide through international travelling. As of July 2003, the World Health Organization reported a total of 8,437 people afflicted with SARS with a 9.6% mortality rate. Although immunopathological damages may account for the severity of respiratory distress, little is known about how the genome-wide gene expression of the host changes under the attack of SARS-CoV. RESULTS: Based on changes in gene expression of peripheral blood, we identified 52 signature genes that accurately discriminated acute SARS patients from non-SARS controls. While a general suppression of gene expression predominated in SARS-infected blood, several genes including those involved in innate immunity, such as defensins and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, were upregulated. Instead of employing clustering methods, we ranked the severity of recovering SARS patients by generalized associate plots (GAP) according to the expression profiles of 52 signature genes. Through this method, we discovered a smooth transition pattern of severity from normal controls to acute SARS patients. The rank of SARS severity was significantly correlated with the recovery period (in days) and with the clinical pulmonary infection score. CONCLUSION: The use of the GAP approach has proved useful in analyzing the complexity and continuity of biological systems. The severity rank derived from the global expression profile of significantly regulated genes in patients may be useful for further elucidating the pathophysiology of their disease

    Genotype-phenotype correlation in Taiwanese children with diazoxide-unresponsive congenital hyperinsulinism

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    ObjectiveCongenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders characterized by dysregulated insulin secretion. The aim of the study was to elucidate genetic etiologies of Taiwanese children with the most severe diazoxide-unresponsive CHI and analyze their genotype-phenotype correlations.MethodsWe combined Sanger with whole exome sequencing (WES) to analyze CHI-related genes. The allele frequency of the most common variant was estimated by single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotype analysis. The functional effects of the ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel variants were assessed using patch clamp recording and Western blot.ResultsNine of 13 (69%) patients with ten different pathogenic variants (7 in ABCC8, 2 in KCNJ11 and 1 in GCK) were identified by the combined sequencing. The variant ABCC8 p.T1042QfsX75 identified in three probands was located in a specific haplotype. Functional study revealed the human SUR1 (hSUR1)-L366F KATP channels failed to respond to intracellular MgADP and diazoxide while hSUR1-R797Q and hSUR1-R1393C KATP channels were defective in trafficking. One patient had a de novo dominant mutation in the GCK gene (p.I211F), and WES revealed mosaicism of this variant from another patient.ConclusionPathogenic variants in KATP channels are the most common underlying cause of diazoxide-unresponsive CHI in the Taiwanese cohort. The p.T1042QfsX75 variant in the ABCC8 gene is highly suggestive of a founder effect. The I211F mutation in the GCK gene and three rare SUR1 variants associated with defective gating (p.L366F) or traffic (p.R797Q and p.R1393C) KATP channels are also associated with the diazoxide-unresponsive phenotype

    Image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy with helical tomotherapy for postoperative treatment of high-risk oral cavity cancer

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to assess the treatment results and toxicity profiles of helical tomotherapy (HT) for postoperative high-risk oral cavity cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From December 6, 2006 through October 9, 2009, 19 postoperative high-risk oral cavity cancer patients were enrolled. All of the patients received HT with (84%) or without (16%) chemotherapy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median follow-up time was 17 months. The 2-year overall survival, disease-free survival, locoregional control, and distant metastasis-free rates were 94%, 84%, 92%, and 94%, respectively. The package of overall treatment time > 13 wk, the interval between surgery and radiation ≤ 6 wk, and the overall treatment time of radiation ≤ 7 wk was 21%, 84%, and 79%, respectively. The percentage of grade 3 mucositis, dermatitis, and leucopenia was 42%, 5% and 5%, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>HT achieved encouraging clinical outcomes for postoperative high-risk oral cavity cancer patients with high compliance. A long-term follow-up study is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.</p

    Isolation and Characterization of Novel Murine Epiphysis Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

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    BACKGROUND: While bone marrow (BM) is a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), previous studies have shown that MSCs derived from mouse BM (BMMSCs) were difficult to manipulate as compared to MSCs derived from other species. The objective of this study was to find an alternative murine MSCs source that could provide sufficient MSCs. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we described a novel type of MSCs that migrates directly from the mouse epiphysis in culture. Epiphysis-derived MSCs (EMSCs) could be extensively expanded in plastic adherent culture, and they had a greater ability for clonogenic formation and cell proliferation than BMMSCs. Under specific induction conditions, EMSCs demonstrated multipotency through their ability to differentiate into adipocytes, osteocytes and chondrocytes. Immunophenotypic analysis demonstrated that EMSCs were positive for CD29, CD44, CD73, CD105, CD166, Sca-1 and SSEA-4, while negative for CD11b, CD31, CD34 and CD45. Notably, EMSCs did not express major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) or MHC II under our culture system. EMSCs also successfully suppressed the proliferation of splenocytes triggered by concanavalin A (Con A) or allogeneic splenocytes, and decreased the expression of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α in Con A-stimulated splenocytes suggesting their anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, EMSCs enhanced fracture repair, ameliorated necrosis in ischemic skin flap, and improved blood perfusion in hindlimb ischemia in the in vivo experiments. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCES: These results indicate that EMSCs, a new type of MSCs established by our simple isolation method, are a preferable alternative for mice MSCs due to their better growth and differentiation potentialities

    Effects of soil characteristics on eating quality of rice II. Quality and balance of cooked rice as affected by soil fertility

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    調查分析臺灣中部地區108個地點土壤及米質資料,利用米質優劣之差異進行各項土壤肥力因子對比。對比結果顯示,不論在總評、外觀、香味、口味、粘性、硬性等影響米飯食味品質因素中,土壤交換性鎂、鋅皆達極顯著差異,顯示土壤交換性鎂、鋅含量較低,生產之米飯食味均有較佳之趨勢。土壤全氮含量較低者,各項米飯食味皆顯著改善。另以米飯物性均衡度之優劣對土壤肥力因子進行對比,顯示全氮、交換性鎂、鈣、锌含量較低之土壤,生產之米飯均衡度有較佳之趨勢。有機質含量較高之土壤,有助於生產均衡度較優之稻米。從土壤肥力管理觀點,減少氮肥施用,選择交換性鐵、鈣、辞含量較低土壤,並選擇施用高碳氮比的有機肥,可能有助於生產較高品質的良質米。 Field experiments including 108 paddy fields at central Taiwan were conducted to investigate the effect of soil fertility on rice eating quality. Data of the soil and the rice quality were analyzed, the differences of the soil properties between the two classes of rice quality, the better and the poorer one,were tested by linear contrast. It was showed that rice eating quality in appearance, aroma, flavor, clavor, cohesion, hardness and overall sensory evaluation, are significantly affected by contents of exchangeable magnesium and zinc in soils. A lower soil exchangeable magnesium and zinc contents enhanced the eating quality of rice. Soils with lower total nitrogen contents also produced rice with high eating quality. Rice with the best balance (-H/H) by physical test were produced from soils with a lower nitrogen, exchangeable magnesium, calcium and zinc contents. Soils with higher organic matter also produced rice with higher balance. The results suggest that decreasing nitrogen fertilizer input,selecting soils with lower exchangeable magnesium, calcium and zinc contents, and applying organic matter with a higher carbon nitrogen ratio (C/N) are essential to high quality vice production

    Stress in Soil Environment and Production of Rice

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    臺灣稻田根系環境普遍存在之障礙為通氣逆境及土壤壓實。臺灣稻田歷經三百餘年的浸水耕犁,造成犁底層普遍壓實,最大總體密度曾發現高達1.9 gcm-3者,形成人為的淺土層,因而造成根系發育的障礙,並嚴重一減緩滲漏速率,使得土壤氧化還原電位低落,對根系活性有不良的影響。過去育種者由於根系觀察困難,往往未及於根系性狀的選拔,加上整地良好,肥力充裕的根系選拔環境,使得育成之新品種不易適應根系逆境。未來育種若能適度考慮根系性狀,並配合消除土壤環境障礙等措施,當有助於水稻生產之進一步突破。 Aeration stress and soil compaction are serious constraints existed in rice rooting environment of Taiwan. After more than 300 years submergence tillage and puddle, plow-pan barrier is commonly existed in most paddy fields around the island. A high bulk density of 1. 9 g cm-3 in plow-pan existed in a latosol paddy fields was recorded. Plow-pan barrier formed paddy soils an artificial shallow soil layer, and thus restricted development of rice rooting system. Low percolation rates of compacted soils affect the aeration and form low soil redox potential regime. Root activity of rice then declined by poor soil aeration. Since the difficult of observation for rice root, and the selection been made rice progeny growing on well-prepared fertile soil environment, most of the new cultivars are lack of adaptability to root environmental stress. Production of rice may achieve some breakthrough if rooting characteristics have been considered in breeding selection, and the barrier of rooting envirenment been eliminated
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