Exploring native arsenic (As)-resistant bacteria: unveiling multifaceted mechanisms for plant growth promotion under As stress.

Aims: This study explores the plant growth-promoting effect (PGPE) and potential mechanisms of the arsenic (As)-resistant bacterium Flavobacterium sp. A9 (A9 hereafter).

Methods And Results: The influences of A9 on the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana, lettuce, and Brassica napus under As(V) stress were investigated.

Revealing the phosphate-solubilizing characteristics and mechanisms of the plant growth-promoting bacterium Agrobacterium deltaense C1.

Aims: This study explores the phosphate (Pi)-solubilizing characteristics and mechanisms of a novel phosphate-solubilizing bacterium, Agrobacterium deltaense C1 (C1 hereafter).

Methods And Results: The growth-promoting effects of C1 were investigated by gnotobiotic experiments, and the Pi-solubilizing mechanism was revealed by extracellular metabolomics, liquid chromatography analysis, and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results showed that C1 significantly increased Arabidopsis biomass and total phosphorus (P) content under P deficiency.

5-HT receptor-dependent intestinal neurite outgrowth contributes to visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by visceral hypersensitivity (VH) associated with abnormal serotonin/5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) metabolism and neurotrophin-dependent mucosal neurite outgrowth. The underlying mechanisms of VH remain poorly understood. We investigated the role of 5-HT receptor in mucosal innervation and intestinal hyperalgesia.

A Model to Explore how Communal Traits Affects Stay Intent Amongst Taiwanese Nurses.

Aims: This study discusses the model built to explore low levels of communal traits' influence on nurses' stay intent.

Background: The high turnover rate and low stay intent amongst Taiwan's nurses is a serious issue. One reason for the low stay intent is nurse-to-nurse interpersonal conflict.

Novel Stable Capacitive Electrocardiogram Measurement System.

This study presents a noncontact electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement system to replace conventional ECG electrode pads during ECG measurement. The proposed noncontact electrode design comprises a surface guard ring, the optimal input resistance, a ground guard ring, and an optimal voltage divider feedback. The surface and ground guard rings are used to reduce environmental noise.

Potential surrogate quantitative immunomodulatory potency assay for monitoring human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells production.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play an important role as immune modulator through interaction with several immune cells, including macrophages. In this study, the immunomodulatory potency of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) was demonstrated in the in vivo middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo)-induced brain injury rat model and in vitro THP-1-derived macrophages model. At 24 h after induction of MCAo, hUC-MSCs was administered via tail vein as a single dose.

The characteristics and algicidal mechanisms of cyanobactericidal bacteria, a review.

Cyanobacterial blooms are a worldwide problem, especially in freshwaters. As one of the most abundant co-existing organisms of algae, bacteria play critical roles in cyanobacteria growth, particularly the cyanobactericidal bacteria which can efficiently kill cyanobacteria. Recent years, cyanobactericidal bacteria are highly recognized as a method that could potentially block cyanobacterial blooms.

Polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane tethered perylene diimide for application in optical limiting and rapid detection of fluoride ions.

A novel perylene diimide derivative equipped with polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane nanocages (POSS-AMPDI) was designed and synthesized for application in optical limiting. Moreover, due to the dual mechanisms of POSS collapse and intermolecular proton transfer, POSS-AMPDI exhibits high sensitivity and rapid selectivity to fluoride ions, with a detection limit as low as 1.64 × 10-8 M.

Ankylosing spondylitis and the risk of cancer.

Cancer is a multifactorial disease, and imbalances of the immune response and sex-associated features are considered risk factors for certain types of cancer. The present study aimed to assess whether ankylosing spondylitis (AS), an immune disorder that predominantly affects young adult men, is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, a cohort of patients diagnosed with AS between 2000 and 2008 who had no history of cancer prior to enrollment was established (n=5,452).

Improved infrared-sensing running wheel systems with an effective exercise activity indicator.

This paper describes an infrared-sensing running wheel (ISRW) system for the quantitative measurement of effective exercise activity in rats. The ISRW system provides superior exercise training compared with commercially available traditional animal running platforms. Four infrared (IR) light-emitting diode/detector pairs embedded around the rim of the wheel detect the rat's real-time position; the acrylic wheel has a diameter of 55 cm and a thickness of 15 cm, that is, it is larger and thicker than traditional exercise wheels, and it is equipped with a rubber track.

Benzo[a]carbazole-Based Donor-π-Acceptor Type Organic Dyes for Highly Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

A novel class of metal-free organic dyes based on benzo[a]carbazole have been designed, synthesized, and used in dye-sensitized solar cells for the first time. These types of dyes consisted of a cyanoacrylic acid moiety as the electron acceptor/anchoring group and different electron-rich spacers such as thiophene (JY21), furan (JY22), and oligothiophene (JY23) as the π-linkers. The photophysical, electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties, as well as theoretical calculations of these dyes were investigated.

Design of a novel flexible capacitive sensing mattress for monitoring sleeping respiratory.

In this paper, an algorithm to extract respiration signals using a flexible projected capacitive sensing mattress (FPCSM) designed for personal health assessment is proposed. Unlike the interfaces of conventional measurement systems for poly-somnography (PSG) and other alternative contemporary systems, the proposed FPCSM uses projected capacitive sensing capability that is not worn or attached to the body. The FPCSM is composed of a multi-electrode sensor array that can not only observe gestures and motion behaviors, but also enables the FPCSM to function as a respiration monitor during sleep using the proposed approach.

A novel oncogenic role of inositol phosphatase SHIP2 in ER-negative breast cancer stem cells: involvement of JNK/vimentin activation.

Overexpression of SH2-containing-5'-inositol phosphatase-2 (SHIP2) correlates with poor survival in breast cancer. However, its role in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) remains unclear. Here, we showed that the percentage of SHIP2(+) cells was positively correlated with that of CD24(-) CD44(+) cells in 60 breast cancer specimens.

An enhanced sensing application based on a flexible projected capacitive-sensing mattress.

This paper presents a cost-effective sensor system for mattresses that can classify the sleeping posture of an individual and prevent pressure ulcers. This system applies projected capacitive sensing to the field of health care. The charge time (CT) method was used to sensitively and accurately measure the capacitance of the projected electrodes.

The expression and significance of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor and its pathway on breast cancer stem/progenitors.

Introduction: Dysregulation of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R)/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway was shown to correlate with breast cancer disease progression. Cancer stem cells are a subpopulation within cancer cells that participate in tumor initiation, radio/chemoresistance and metastasis. In breast cancer, breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) were identified as CD24-CD44+ cells or cells with high intracellular aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (ALDH+).

Molecular cloning of a new immunomodulatory protein from Anoectochilus formosanus which induces B cell IgM secretion through a T-independent mechanism.

An immunomodulatory protein (IPAF) was purified and cloned from Anoectochilus formosanus, an Orchidaceae herbal plant in Asia. The major targeting immune cells of IPAF and its modulating effects toward B lymphocytes were investigated. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) was conducted to clone the IPAF gene, and the obtained sequence was BLAST compared on the NCBI database.

The candidate tumor suppressor BTG3 is a transcriptional target of p53 that inhibits E2F1.

Proper regulation of cell cycle progression is pivotal for maintaining genome stability. In a search for DNA damage-inducible, CHK1-modulated genes, we have identified BTG3 (B-cell translocation gene 3) as a direct p53 target. The p53 transcription factor binds to a consensus sequence located in intron 2 of the gene both in vitro and in vivo, and depletion of p53 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) abolishes DNA damage-induced expression of the gene.

Willingness to pay for drug abuse treatment: results from a contingent valuation study in Taiwan.

Objective: In this study, we attempted to describe and justify the use of a contingent valuation (CV) method to elicit the willingness to pay (WTP) for a drug abuse treatment program by the general public in Taiwan.

Method: In total, 1817 CV survey questionnaires were conducted through telephone interviews from randomly dialed numbers. Subjects were members of the general public aged between 20 and 65 years, with full-time jobs, and residing in the three major Taiwanese cities of Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung.

Stage of exercise and health-related quality of life among overweight and obese adults.

Aim: This paper reports a study whose main aim was to understand the correlation between stages of exercise and health-related qualities of life among overweight and obese adults in Taiwan.

Background: Regular exercise has been shown to improve health-related quality of life in the general population and among patients with chronic diseases. Nevertheless, systematic investigations of the correlation between exercise stages and the health-related quality of life among overweight and obese adults are lacking in Taiwan.