A smartphone-based support system coupled with a bluetooth breathalyzer in the treatment of alcohol dependence: A 12-week randomized controlled trial.

Background: Our prior open trial showed the feasibility of a smartphone-based support system coupled with a Bluetooth breathalyzer (SoberDiary) in assisting recovery for patients with alcohol dependence (AD). In this 24-week follow-up study, we further explored the efficacy of supplementing SoberDiary to treatment as usual (TAU) over 12 weeks of intervention and whether the efficacy persisted in the post-intervention 12 weeks.

Methods: 51 patients who met the DSM-IV criteria of AD were randomly assigned to the technological intervention group (TI group, receiving technology intervention of SoberDiary plus TAU,  = 25) or those receiving only TAU (TAU group,  = 26).

Hybridization affects the structure and function of root microbiome by altering gene expression in roots of wheat introgression line under saline-alkali stress.

The mutually beneficial relationship between plants and their root microbiota is essential for plants to adapt to unfavorable environments. However, the molecular mechanism of wheat regulating the structure of root microbiome and the influence of distant hybridization on this process are poorly understood. In this study, we systematically compared the root transcriptome and microbiome between a saline-alkali tolerant wheat introgression line SR4 (derived from somatic hybridization between wheat and tall wheatgrass) and its parent wheat variety JN177.

Prevalence and Correlates of Prescription Drug Misuse in a Nationwide Population Survey in Taiwan.

Background: Prescription drug misuse (PDM) is a critical mental health issue relating to psychiatric morbidity. This study investigated the prevalence of PDM and its associated psychopathology and psychosocial factors in the general population in Taiwan.

Methods: The survey randomly selected a representative sample >15 year-olds using the stratified proportional randomization method.

Lead as a legendary pollutant with emerging concern: Survey of lead in tap water in an old campus building using four sampling methods.

In this study, a sampling campaign with a total of nine sampling events investigating lead in drinking water was conducted at 7 sampling locations in an old building with lead pipes in service in part of the building on the National Taiwan University campus. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of four different sampling methods, namely first draw sampling, sequential sampling, random daytime sampling and flush sampling, in lead contamination detection. In 3 out of the 7 sampling locations without lead pipe, lead could not be detected (<1.

Robust microscale superlubricity under high contact pressure enabled by graphene-coated microsphere.

Superlubricity of graphite and graphene has aroused increasing interest in recent years. Yet how to obtain a long-lasting superlubricity between graphene layers, under high applied normal load in ambient atmosphere still remains a challenge but is highly desirable. Here, we report a direct measurement of sliding friction between graphene and graphene, and graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) under high contact pressures by employing graphene-coated microsphere (GMS) probe prepared by metal-catalyst-free chemical vapour deposition.

Transcriptome profiling reveals the genetic basis of alkalinity tolerance in wheat.

Background: Soil alkalinity shows significant constraints to crop productivity; however, much less attention has been paid to analyze the effect of soil alkalinity on plant growth and development. Shanrong No. 4 (SR4) is an alkalinity tolerant bread wheat cultivar selected from an asymmetric somatic hybridization between the bread wheat cultivar Jinan 177 (JN177) and tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum), which is a suitable material for studying alkalinity tolerant associate genes.

Nanodroplet-Vaporization-Assisted Sonoporation for Highly Effective Delivery of Photothermal Treatment.

Sonoporation refers to the use of ultrasound and acoustic cavitation to temporarily enhance the permeability of cellular membranes so as to enhance the delivery efficiency of therapeutic agents into cells. Microbubble-based ultrasound contrast agents are often used to facilitate these cavitation effects. This study used nanodroplets to significantly enhance the effectiveness of sonoporation relative to using conventional microbubbles.

Knockdown of USP39 by lentivirus-mediated RNA interference suppresses the growth of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a frequently diagnosed life-threatening oral cancer worldwide and has become one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality. However, the pathogenesis of this disease is very limited.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the functional relationship between OSCC and a potential tumor related gene ubiquitin-specific proteases 39 (USP39).

[Discovery and its significance of spawning grounds of Jinshaiasinensis from upper and middle Jinshajiang River].

During April, July to August and November of 2012,three surveys were conducted to estimate the early-stage fish resources in the area of Liyuan power station on Jinshajiang River of Yunnan Province. During the survey conducted at the crossing of Daju Town, Yulong County, Yunnan Province, from July to August, 2012, two egg-tides of Jinshaia sinensis were detected. One was from 8:00 of August 1(st) to 10:00 of August 4(th) and the other one was from 23:00 of August 9(th) to 6:00 of August 13(th).

[Two new Cypriniformes fish records from Yunnan Province-Carassioides acuminatus and Hemimyzon pumilicorpora].

Two new Cypriniformes fish records from Yunnan Province, Carassioides acuminatus (collected from mainstream of Red River in Hekou County) and Hemimyzon pumilicorpora (collected from Gula River, Gula Town, Funing County, upper stream of the Pearl River drainage), were identified during fish specimen sorting at Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. These two new records not only clarify the distribution patterns of the two species, but also enrich the knowledge of native fishes of Yunnan Province.

Lentivirus-based RNA silencing of Nemo-like kinase (NLK) inhibits the CAL 27 human adenosquamos carcinoma cells proliferation and blocks G0/G1 phase to S phase.

Background: The Nemo-like kinase (NLK) is a serine/threonine-protein kinase that involved in a number of signaling pathways regulating cell fate. Variation of NLK has been shown to be associated with the risk of cancer. However, the function of NLK in oral adenosquamous carcinoma cells line CAL-27 is unknown.

Spindle and kinetochore associated complex subunit 1 regulates the proliferation of oral adenosquamous carcinoma CAL-27 cells in vitro.

Background: The prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma is very poor due to local recurrence and metastasis. This study explores the molecular events involved in oral carcinoma with the goal of developing novel therapeutic strategies. The mitotic spindle is a complex mechanical apparatus required for the accurate segregation of sister chromosomes during mitosis.

[Effects of functional connectivity between anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on executive control of attention in healthy individuals].

Objective: To explore the presence of functional connectivity between anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during the manipulation of attentional network test (ANT) and its relationship with behavioral performance.

Methods: Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 25 healthy subjects aged 17 - 20 years. And ANT was used as a paradigm.

Acquisition of thin coronal sectional dataset of cadaveric liver.

Purpose: To obtain the thin coronal sectional anatomic dataset of the liver by using digital freezing milling technique.

Methods: The upper abdomen of one Chinese adult cadaver was selected as the specimen. After CT and MRI examinations verification of absent liver lesions, the specimen was embedded with gelatin in stand erect position and frozen under profound hypothermia, and the specimen was then serially sectioned from anterior to posterior layer by layer with digital milling machine in the freezing chamber.

Downregulation of KLF8 expression by shRNA induces inhibition of cell proliferation in CAL27 human oral cancer cells.

Objectives: KLF8 is a member of KLF transcription factors which play an important tolr in oncogenesis. It is barely expressed in normal human epithelial cells but highly overexpressed in several types of human cancer cell lines. In the present study, we investigate the role of KLF8 in oral cancer and the effects of KLF8 knockdown via lentivirus mediated siRNA infection in human adenosquamos carcinoma CAL 27 cells.

[Mapping fetal brain development in the second trimester with 7.0T magnetic resonance imaging].

Objective: To obtain the three dimensional visualization model with normal measurements of fetal brain in the second trimester and analyze the developmental changes with gestational age (GA), sexual dimorphisms and cerebral asymmetries.

Methods: The brains of 69 fetal specimens of 12 - 22 weeks GA were scanned by 7.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Pulmonary intersegmental planes: imaging appearance and possible reasons leading to their visualization.

Purpose: To describe the normal imaging appearance of pulmonary intersegmental planes on thoracic computed tomographic (CT) scans and determine the possible reasons related to their visualization in terms of aging and anatomy.

Materials And Methods: The study was approved by the internal ethics review board. Informed consent was obtained.

Quantitative assessment of gait and neurochemical correlation in a classical murine model of Parkinson's disease.

Background: Gait deficits are important clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, existing behavioral tests for the detection of motor impairments in rodents with systemic dopamine depletion only measure akinesia and dyskinesia, and data focusing on gait are scarce. We evaluated gait changes in the methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced C57BL/6 murine model of PD by using a computer-assisted CatWalk system.

The Visible Human Projects in Korea and China with improved images and diverse applications.

Purpose: The Visible Human Projects, which were launched in the United States, have also been developed in Korea and China during the past decade. This article includes the new trials to promote a variety of their applications.

Methods: In a Korean laboratory, whole bodies of two cadavers were serially sectioned (Visible Korean), while two Chinese institutes have sectioned nine cadavers (Chinese Visible Human and Virtual Chinese Human).

High frequency of HMW-GS sequence variation through somatic hybridization between Agropyron elongatum and common wheat.

A symmetric somatic hybridization was performed to combine the protoplasts of tall wheatgrass (Agropyron elongatum) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum). Fertile regenerants were obtained which were morphologically similar to tall wheatgrass, but which contained some introgression segments from wheat. An SDS-PAGE analysis showed that a number of non-parental high-molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) were present in the symmetric somatic hybridization derivatives.

[Quantifying direct N2O emissions from paddy fields during rice growing season in China: model application].

Based on statistical analysis of field N2O measurements in rice paddies in China, the models on direct N2O emissions under different water regimes were established. After successes in model validation and input data verification, the models were used to quantify changes in direct N2O emissions from paddy fields during the rice growing season in mainland China between the 1950s and the 1990s. Due to increases in rice planting area and nitrogen input and changes in water regime, the models predicted that seasonal N2O-N emissions from rice paddies have increased from 9.