Aggregation-induced barrier to oxygen-a new AIE mechanism for metal clusters with phosphorescence.

Metal clusters are useful phosphors, but highly luminescent examples are quite rare. Usually, the phosphorescence of metal clusters is hindered by ambient O molecules. Transforming this disadvantage into an advantage for meaningful applications of metal clusters presents a formidable challenge.

PFKFB4 Overexpression Facilitates Proliferation by Promoting the G1/S Transition and Is Associated with a Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Background: 6-Phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphate-4 (PFKFB4) is a key factor that plays an important role in tumorigenesis. However, its role in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression needs to be further validated. We investigated whether PFKFB4 is directly involved in the oncogenic signaling networks of TNBC.

A Type of Atypical AIEgen Used for One-Photon/Two-Photon Targeted Imaging in Live Cells.

Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) with a large electron donor and acceptor (D-A) conjugated system have been widely used in the development of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), chemosensors, and bioimaging materials due to their excellent properties such as high quantum yields, long emission wavelengths, controllable luminescence lifetimes, and nonlinear optics (NLO) properties. However, most of the AIE materials have been derived from limited classic AIE cores such as tetraphenylethene (TPE) and tetraphenylpyrazine (TPP), and thus, tedious syntheses or later modifications toward those AIEgens have always been unavoidable. In this report, a type of atypical AIEgens (designated as ASIQs) composed of large conjugated structures with a natural electron D-A system is disclosed, which shows large Stokes shifts, high photostabilities, excellent cell permeabilities, low biotoxicities, and good two-photon excited capacities, making them suitable for applications of one-photon/two-photon targeted imaging in live cells.

Photoresponsive Propeller-like Chiral AIE Copper(I) Clusters.

A pair of propeller-like chiral trinuclear Cu clusters (R/S-Cu3) with unique photoinduced fluorescence enhancement were prepared. R/S-Cu3 showed intense variable luminescence after UV light irradiation, which was attributed to the stepwise oxidation of ligand in the clusters. It exhibited typical aggregation-induced emission (AIE) (α =17.

Chimeric antigen receptor macrophage therapy for breast tumours mediated by targeting the tumour extracellular matrix.

Background: The extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential for malignant tumour progression, as it is a physical barrier to various kinds of anticancer therapies. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) can degrade almost all ECM components, and macrophages are an important source of MMPs. Studies using macrophages to treat tumours have shown that macrophages can enter tumour tissue to play a regulatory role.

Absorptive interactions of concurrent oral administration of (+)-catechin and puerarin in rats and the underlying mechanisms.

Aim: (+)-Catechin and puerarin are polyphenol and flavonoid, respectively, in green tea and foodstuffs. They exhibit potent antioxidant activity and are widely used for treating cardiocerebrovascular diseases. The aim of this work was to investigate the potential interactions between (+)-catechin and puerarin following concurrent oral administration in rats, and their absorption mechanisms in Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Perinatal and childhood risk factors for early-onset type 1 diabetes: a population-based case-control study in Taiwan.

Background: Certain factors originating from the perinatal and childhood periods are suspected of contributing to the recent increasing trend of childhood type 1 diabetes (T1D) incidence. This study sought to investigate the relationships between various perinatal and childhood risk factors and T1D incidence in young children (<10 years).

Methods: We used a nested case-control design based on 1,478,573 live births born in 2000-05 in Taiwan.

Development and preliminary testing of an instrument to measure healthiness of lifestyle among breast cancer survivors.

Monitoring lifestyle to maintain health is an important issue for breast cancer survivors. No multidimensional instrument has previously been available specifically for assessing overall healthiness of lifestyle among breast cancer survivors. This study aims (i) to establish the Healthy Lifestyle Instrument for Breast Cancer Survivors (HLI-BCS) and (ii) to examine the reliability and validity of the established scale.

The effectiveness of an accessibility-enhanced multimedia informational educational programme in reducing anxiety and increasing satisfaction of patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation.

Aims And Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of an accessibility-enhanced multimedia informational educational programme in reducing anxiety and increasing satisfaction with the information and materials received by patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation.

Background: Cardiac catheterisation is one of the most anxiety-provoking invasive procedures for patients. However, informational education using multimedia to inform patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation has not been extensively explored.

Participation in decision making as a property of complex adaptive systems: developing and testing a measure.

Objectives. To (1) describe participation in decision-making as a systems-level property of complex adaptive systems and (2) present empirical evidence of reliability and validity of a corresponding measure. Method.

Sleep Quality among Female Hospital Staff Nurses.

Purpose. To investigate sleep quality of hospital staff nurses, both by subjective questionnaire and objective measures. Methods.

[Progress in application of microbeam X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy in forensic science].

Microbeam X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) spectrometry has been raised as an analytical technique of microbeam during the recent years. With its advantages of high sensitivity, small sample requirement, high testing accuracy and non-destruction, the technique is widely utilized in forensic science. This review bases on recent researches at home and abroad, describes its applications including identification of gunshot residue, visualization of fingerprints, discrimination of drug source, production process, and other material evidences of analysis in crime scene.

Detection of diatoms in water and tissues by combination of microwave digestion, vacuum filtration and scanning electron microscopy.

The detection of diatoms has been proposed to be useful in the diagnosis of drowning. In the presented paper, we describe a novel method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of diatoms in water and organs. Samples were treated by microwave digestion.

Age- and sex-specific risks of colorectal cancers in diabetic patients.

Diabetes has been reported to increase the risk of colorectal neoplasm in most but not all studies. However, the data on age- and sex-specific incidence rates and relative risks associated with diabetes are limited. We carried out this population-based cohort study to investigate the overall sex- and age-specific risks of colorectal cancer in association with diabetes.

Risk of Parkinson disease onset in patients with diabetes: a 9-year population-based cohort study with age and sex stratifications.

Objective: We retrospectively assessed the age- and sex-specific incidence and relative risk of Parkinson disease (PD) in Taiwan's diabetic population.

Research Design And Methods: Study cohort included 603,416 diabetic patients and 472,188 nondiabetic control subjects. Incidence rate and relative risk of PD (ICD-9-CM 332.

Incidence and recurrence of acute otitis media in Taiwan's pediatric population.

Objective: To report the incidence and recurrence of acute otitis media (AOM) in Taiwan's pediatric population.

Methods: Information from children (aged <= 12 years) with a diagnosis of AOM was retrieved from the 2006 National Healthcare Insurance claims database. We calculated the cumulative incidence rate and the incidence density rate of recurrent AOM within one year after the initial diagnosis in 2006.

Prevalence and associated factors of sexual dysfunction in cervical cancer patients.

Introduction: Cervical cancer (CC), compared with other gynecological cancers, has critical implications for women's sexual lives. For most Asian people, the issue of sexual dysfunction (SD) is treated as a taboo especially in a conservative culture. As a result, little is known about the prevalence of SD among CC patients.

A pilot study of a case management program for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The purpose of this study was to develop a case management program for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to test the effects of the developed program on patient length of stay in the hospital, medical costs, disease knowledge and level of satisfaction with nursing care received. This quasi-experimental study focused on a group of 50 COPD patients (24 in the control group and 26 in the experimental one), all treated in one hospital medical ward in northern Taiwan. The control group received routine care, while those in the experimental group received a COPD case management protocol.

Retention and attrition of certified care assistants in the long-term care industry from the Taipei area: an interview survey.

Background/objectives: The question, "do certified care assistants (CCAs), after finishing their training, devote themselves to the long-term care industry in accordance with the original expectations?", is still unknown. Few studies have focused on CCAs who have left the long-term care industry. The purposes of this study were to identify the employment status of CCAs over the January 2000-July 2002 time period who had undergone a training program sometime in 1999 and to explore the factors affecting whether the CCAs stay or leave the long-term care industry in the Taipei area.