Fabrication of Stable Liquid-like Wetting Buckled Surfaces as Bioinspired Antibiofouling Coatings by Using Silicon-Containing Block Copolymers.

Inspired by animals with a slippery epidermis, durable slippery antibiofouling coatings with liquid-like wetting buckled surfaces are successfully constructed in this study by combining dynamic-interfacial-release-induced buckling with self-assembled silicon-containing diblock copolymer (diBCP). The core diBCP material is polystyrene--poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PS--PDMS). Because silicon-containing polymers with intrinsic characters of low surface energy, they easily flow over and cover a surface after it has undergone controlled thermal treatment, generating a slippery wetting layer on which can eliminate polar interactions with biomolecules.

Taurine Rescues Cancer-induced Atrophy in Human Skeletal Muscle Cells Ameliorating the Inflammatory Tumor Microenvironment.

Background/aim: Cancer cachexia is a wasting syndrome that has a devastating impact on the prognosis of patients with cancer. It is well-documented that pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in the progression of this disorder. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of taurine, an essential nonprotein amino acid with great anti-inflammatory properties, in attenuating muscle atrophy induced by cancer.

Fabrication of Self-Wrinkling Polymer Films with Tunable Patterns through an Interfacial-Fuming-Induced Surface Instability Process.

Inspired by the superglue fuming method for fingerprint collection, this study developed a novel interfacial-fuming-induced surface instability process to generate wrinkled patterns on polymeric substrates. High-electronegativity groups are introduced on the substrate surface to initiate the polymerization of monomer vapors, such as ethyl cyanoacrylate, which results in the formation of a stiff poly(ethyl cyanoacrylate) capping layer. Moreover, interfacial polymerization resulted in the covalent bonding of the substrate, which led to the volumetric shrinkage of the composite and the accumulation of compressive strain.

Peer Victimization Trajectory and Psychosocial Maladjustment in Early Taiwanese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study.

This study examined the peer victimization trajectory and maladjustment outcomes among early Taiwanese adolescents. Data were extracted from a large-scale longitudinal study with a national representative sample. A total of 1691 school students in 4th, 6th, and 8th grade were analyzed.

Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition from neural network flows.

We adopt the neural network (NN) flow method to study the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) phase transitions of the two-dimensional q-state clock model with q≥4. The NN flow consists of a sequence of the same units that proceed with the flow. This unit is a variational autoencoder trained by the data of Monte Carlo configurations in unsupervised learning.

A distinct sensitivity to the priming effect between labile and stable soil organic carbon.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a mixture of various carbon (C) compounds with different stability, which can be distinctly affected by the priming effect (PE). However, little is known about how the PE changes with SOC stability. We address this issue by combining results from two experiments and a metaanalysis.

2D gapless topological superfluids generated by pairing phases.

We systematically investigate the ground state phase diagram and the finite temperature phase transitions for a Rydberg-dressed Fermi gas loaded in a bilayer optical lattice. When an effective finite-ranged attraction is induced, our self-consistent mean-field calculation shows that the gapped topological (-wave) superfluids in each layer are coupled together by the-wave pairing in an intermediate inter-layer distance with a spontaneously modulated phases between these two order parameters. The obtained ground state is a gapless topological superfluid with quantized topological charges characterizing the gapless points, leading to a zero energy flat band at the edges.

Relationship between Aspiration Pneumonia and Feeding Care among Home Care Patients with an In-Dwelling Nasogastric Tube in Taiwan: A Preliminary Study.

Home care patients have swallowing dysfunction and rely on an in-dwelling nasogastric tube (NGT) to complement oral food intake, supplement their diet, and maintain adequate nutritional status. This study explored the relationship between aspiration pneumonia (AP) and feeding care among home care patients with an in-dwelling NGT. This preliminary study employed a cross-sectional design.

Rape Stereotype Acceptance in the General Population of England and Wales.

The #MeToo movement has facilitated a growing awareness in the UK of rape stereotypes but there has been little research on how accurately rape is perceived in this region, especially regarding demographics such as ethnicity and age. This study recruited 1000 participants, representative of the UK population, to complete an online survey prompting beliefs about rape perpetrators, rape victims, rape allegations, male rape, and motives for and consequences of rape. After carrying out frequency analyses on agree-incorrect and disagree-incorrect statements, we found that, generally, accuracy was high, although there were higher levels of stereotype acceptance for perpetrator related stereotypes.

Developing and Validating Risk Scores for Predicting Major Cardiovascular Events Using Population Surveys Linked with Electronic Health Insurance Records.

A risk prediction model for major cardiovascular events was developed using population survey data linked to National Health Insurance (NHI) claim data and the death registry. Another set of population survey data were used to validate the model. The model was built using the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) collected from 1993-1996 and linked with 10 years of events from NHI data.

Ecological Predictors and Trajectory of Internet Addiction from Childhood through Adolescence: A Nationally Representative Longitudinal Study.

We examined multidimensional factors within four systems (individual, family, school, and community) that influence internet addiction across time among children through adolescence in Taiwan. We hypothesize that internet addiction increases from childhood to adolescence and that resilience, child neglect, positive school experiences, and community violence are significant predictors at baseline and of the rate of change across time. Based on stratified random sampling, a valid sample size of 6233 Taiwanese children participated in our study, which we began in 2014 and then followed this sample in 2016 and 2018 using repeated measures.

Genetic variation in catechol-O-methyltransferase is associated with individual differences in conditioned pain modulation in healthy subjects.

Background: Genetic variation in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is associated with sensitivity to both acute experimental pain and chronic pain conditions. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have traditionally been used to infer three common haplotypes designated as low, average and high pain sensitivity and are reported to affect both COMT enzymatic activity and pain sensitivity. One mechanism that may partly explain individual differences in sensitivity to pain is conditioned pain modulation (CPM).

Predicting maximal oxygen uptake from a 3-minute progressive knee-ups and step test.

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness assessment is crucial for diagnosing health risks and assessing interventions. Direct measurement of maximum oxygen uptake (V̇O max) yields more objective and accurate results, but it is practical only in a laboratory setting. We therefore investigated whether a 3-min progressive knee-up and step (3MPKS) test can be used to estimate peak oxygen uptake in these settings.

A Single Session of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Produced Greater Increases in Heart Rate Variability Than Autogenic Training.

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF) has been confirmed to increase heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac outflows by baroreflex in healthy populations and clinical patients. Autogenic training (AT) is common used in the psychological intervention. This study integrates a single-session of HRV-BF and AT into a high-technology mobile application (app), and examines the effects on HRV indices, breathing rates, and subjective relaxation scores.

Dual expression of transgenic delta-5 and delta-6 desaturase in tilapia alters gut microbiota and enhances resistance to Vibrio vulnificus infection.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), exhibit antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. Furthermore, diets rich in n-3 PUFAs are known to improve disease resistance and limit pathogen infection in commercial aquaculture fishes. In this study, we examined the effects of transgenic overexpression of n-3 PUFA biosynthesis genes on the physiological response to bacterial infection in tilapia.

Applying Hierarchy of Expert Performance (HEP) to investigative interview evaluation: strengths, challenges and future directions.

The purpose of this paper is to systematically examine the research literature on the decision of expert interviewers within the theoretical framework of the Hierarchy of Expert Performance (HEP). After providing an overview of the HEP framework, existing research in the investigative interviewing at each of the eight levels of the HEP framework is reviewed. The results identify areas of strength in (Level 2) and of weakness in (Level 6).

Symmetrical Wrinkles in Single-Component Elastomers with Fingerprint-Inspired Robust Isotropic Dry Adhesive Capabilities.

Robust and inexpensive dry adhesives have a great potential in multitudinous industrial applications. However, to date, the fabrication of dry adhesives, prepared using high aspect ratio structures in general, requires specific equipment and time-consuming processes, which limit their practicable utilization. Inspired from human fingerprints, in this study, we created durable single-component elastomer surfaces with symmetric and multiple concentric-shaped wrinkled patterns that exhibit isotropic dry adhesion capabilities.

Parental Attachment, Adult-Child Romantic Attachment, and Marital Satisfaction: An Examination of Cultural Context in Taiwanese and Thai Heterosexual Couples.

Relationship dynamics between married couples can differ considerably, with varying impacts on relationship satisfaction. However, very limited research attention has been paid to how intergenerational attachment, relating to an individual's perception of his/her own and that of his/her parents' attachment, can affect marital dynamics within different cultural contexts. The current study examined associations between married heterosexual couples' romantic attachment, perception of parental attachment, and marital satisfaction in 100 Thai couples ( age = 45.

Bioinspired Durable Superhydrophobic Surface from a Hierarchically Wrinkled Nanoporous Polymer.

Inspired by complex multifunctional leaves, in this study, we created robust hierarchically wrinkled nanoporous polytetrafluoroethene (PTFE) surfaces that exhibit superhydrophobic properties by combination of PTFE micellization and spontaneous surface wrinkling on a commercially available thermoretractable polystyrene (PS) sheet. A PTFE dispersion was coated onto the PS sheet, followed by thermal treatment to remove the surfactants surrounding the PTFE particles, and surface wrinkling was induced through a dynamic thermal contraction process. Thermally induced contraction from the PS sheet provided the driving force for developing and stabilizing micrometer-sized wrinkle formation, whereas the nanometer-sized PTFE particle aggregation formed a rigid nanoporous film, providing its intrinsic hydrophobic character.

Relationships between Parent-Reported Parenting, Child-Perceived Parenting, and Children's Mental Health in Taiwanese Children.

The current study examines the relationship between parents' and children's reports of parenting and their effects on children's mental health symptoms. Six hundred and sixty-six parent-child dyads in Taiwan participated in this study. The parents and the children filled out the parenting questionnaires, and the children also reported their general mental health.

Associations Between Parenting Styles and Perceived Child Effortful Control Within Chinese Families in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan.

The current study examined the associations between parentally perceived child effortful control (EC) and the parenting styles of 122 Chinese mothers (36 first-generation Chinese immigrants in the United Kingdom, 40 first-generation Chinese immigrants in the United States, and 46 Taiwanese mothers) of 5- to 7-year-old ( age = 5.82 years, = .805; 68 boys and 54 girls) children.

T cell proliferation and adaptive immune responses are critically regulated by protein phosphatase 4.

The clonal expansion of activated T cells is pivotal for the induction of protective immunity. Protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) is a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine phosphatase with reported functions in thymocyte development and DNA damage responses. However, the role of PP4 in T cell immunity has not been thoroughly investigated.