Biodiversity survey and estimation for line-transect sampling.

Conducting biodiversity surveys using a fully randomised design can be difficult due to budgetary constraints (, the cost of labour), site accessibility, and other constraints. To this end, ecologists usually select representative line transects or quadrats from a studied area to collect individuals of a given species and use this information to estimate the levels of biodiversity over an entire region. However, commonly used biodiversity estimators such as Rao's quadratic diversity index (and especially the Gini-Simpson index) were developed based on the assumption of independent sampling of individuals.

Alcohol-Guided Growth of Two-Dimensional Narrow-Band Red-Emitting KTiF:Mn for White-Light-Emitting Diodes.

The use of red phosphors with low light-scattering loss could improve the luminous efficacy and color rendering of white-light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Thus, the discovery of such phosphors is highly desired. In this work, high-efficiency two-dimensional red-emitting KTiF:Mn (KTFM) were synthesized via an alcohol-assisted coprecipitation route.

Hyperlipidemia and statins use for the risk of new-onset anxiety/depression in patients with head and neck cancer: A population-based study.

Objective: Anxiety/depression is common among patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), and can negatively affect treatment compliance and outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the association between hyperlipidemia and the risk of new-onset anxiety/depression after the diagnosis of HNC and the influence of administering statins.

Methods: A matched longitudinal cohort study of 1632 subjects (408 HNC patients with preexisting hyperlipidemia and 1224 age- and sex-matched HNC patients without hyperlipidemia) was included and analyzed by using data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database from January 1996 to December 2012.

[Impact of different temperatures and ambient PM2.5 on the cytotoxicity and cytophagocytic function of alveolar macrophages of rat].

Objective: To investigate the interactive effects of different temperatures and ambient PM2.5 on the rat alveolar macrophages.

Methods: The rat alveolar macrophages were collected.

Association between MSX1 variants and oral clefts in Han Chinese in western China.

Previous animal and association studies have shown that the MSX1 gene is associated with oral clefts. Our aim was to investigate association between variants in the MSX1 gene and oral clefts in a Han Chinese population. Our study group consisted of 206 nonsyndromic oral cleft (NSOC) nuclear families (including the patients and their parents) and 224 controls.

[Association between fibroblast growth factor 3 polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting].

Objective: To investigate the association between fibroblast growth factor 3 (FGF3) gene rs4980700 and rs4631909 polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting (NSOC).

Methods: Blood samples from 186 NSOC patients, patients' parents and 200 controls were collected. DNA was extracted and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify genotypes of the samples.

[Association between interferon regulatory factor 6 gene polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting].

Objective: To investigate the association between interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) gene polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting (NSOC).

Methods: Experimental group consisted of 186 Ningxia NSOC patients, their parents (183 fathers and 174 mothers), 172 core families (patient+parents), and control group consisted of 200 normal children. DNA was extracted and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify the genotypes of the samples, case-control analyses and transmission-disequilibrium test (TDT) were carried out.

Theoretical investigations of the reactivities of cationic six-membered carbene analogues of group 14 elements.

The potential energy surfaces for the chemical reactions of cationic six-membered group 14 heavy carbene species have been studied using density functional theory (B3LYP/LANL2DZ) and CCSD (CCSD/LANL2DZ//B3LYP/LANL2DZ) methods. Five six-membered group 14 cationic heavy carbene species, [HC(CMeNPh)2E:](+), where E = C, Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb, have been chosen as model reactants in this work. Also, four kinds of chemical reaction, C-H bond insertion, multiple bond cycloaddition, dimerization, and O-H bond insertion, have been used to study the chemical reactivities of these group 14 cationic carbene species.