A Study of MgZnO Thin Film for Hydrogen Sensing Application.

This research introduces a hydrogen sensor made from a thin film of magnesium zinc oxide (MgZnO) deposited using a technique called radiofrequency co-sputtering (RF co-sputtering). Separate magnesium oxide (MgO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) targets were used to deposit the MgZnO film, experimenting with different deposition times and power levels. The sensor performed best (reaching a sensing response of 2.

Nano-Si for On-Demand H Production: Optimization of Yield and Real-Time Visualization of Si─HO Reaction Using Liquid-Phase Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Hydrogen (H), the most abundant element in the universe, has the potential to address the challenges of energy security and climate change. However, due to the lack of a safe and efficient method for storing and delivering hydrogen, its practical application is still in its infancy stages. To overcome this challenge, a promising solution is demonstrated in the form of on-demand production of H using nano-Silicon (Si) powders.

Creating an AI-Enhanced Morse Code Translation System Based on Images for People with Severe Disabilities.

(1) Background: Patients with severe physical impairments (spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) often have limited mobility due to physical limitations, and may even be bedridden all day long, losing the ability to take care of themselves. In more severe cases, the ability to speak may even be lost, making even basic communication very difficult. (2) Methods: This research will design a set of image-assistive communication equipment based on artificial intelligence to solve communication problems of daily needs.

[Testing Effectiveness of Localized Cognitive Stimulation Training With Musical Rhythm Courses Among Older People in Day Care Centers: A Pilot Study].

Background: Staff caregivers of day care centers provide many activities for older people. However, there is a lack of a systematic curriculum based on Taiwanese culture to improve cognitive function, self-care ability, and depressive mood status in these individuals.

Purpose: This study was designed to test the effectiveness of a series of localized cognitive stimulation training courses implemented by direct caregivers and aimed at improving cognitive function, self-care ability, and depressive mood in older people at day care centers.

Versatile and Accessible Magnetic Diagnosis Platform with Different Types of Magnetic Particles for Liquid and Solid Biopsies.

The diagnosis of liquid and solid biopsies by different instruments makes the clinic loading difficult in many aspects. Given the compositions of magnetic particles (MPs) with diverse characterizations and the innovative acoustic type of vibration sample magnetometer (VSM), the versatile, accessible magnetic diagnosis platform was proposed to meet clinical demands, such as low loading for multiple biopsies. In liquid biopsies of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) standard solutions and subject serums, molecular concentration was analyzed from saturation magnetization by the soft type of FeO MPs with AFP bioprobe coating.

Response Surface Methodology Optimization in High-Performance Solid-State Supercapattery Cells Using NiCoS-Graphene Hybrids.

In this work, NiCoS-graphene hybrids (NCS@G) with high electrochemical performance were prepared using a hydrothermal method. The response surface methodology (RSM), along with a central composite design (CCD), was used to investigate the effect of independent variables (G/NCS, hydrothermal time, and S/Ni) on the specific capacitances of the NCS@G/Ni composite electrodes. RSM analysis revealed that the developed quadratic model with regression coefficient values of more than 0.

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Inhibits Basal Lipolysis by Activating PPAR-Gamma and Increasing Lipid Droplet-Associated Perilipin in Mature Rat Adipocytes.

Abnormal lipolysis is correlated with metabolic syndrome. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a natural product from honeybee hives, has been reported to improve metabolic syndrome. However, the effects of CAPE on lipolysis and perilipin-1 (the major lipid droplet-associated protein) in mature adipocytes were not clarified.

A knowledge elicitation approach to traffic accident analysis in open data: comparing periods before and after the Covid-19 outbreak.

Extracting knowledge from open data of traffic accidents has been attracting increasing attention to policymakers responsible for road safety. This article presents a knowledge elicitation approach to exploring the determinants of traffic accidents from open government data of an urban area in Taiwan. The collected open dataset contains 34 decisional attributes and one predictive attribute (i.

Thermal Annealing Effects of VO Thin Film as an Ionic Storage Layer for Electrochromic Application.

A vanadium pentoxide (VO) thin film with thermal annealing as an ionic storage layer for electrochromic devices is presented in our study. The VO thin film was deposited on an ITO glass substrate by an RF magnetron sputtering. The electrochromic properties of the film were evaluated after various thermal annealing temperatures.

Reticulate evolution in the Pteris fauriei group (Pteridaceae).

The Pteris fauriei group (Pteridaceae) has a wide distribution in Eastern Asia and includes 18 species with similar but varied morphology. We collected more than 300 specimens of the P. fauriei group and determined ploidy by flow cytometry and inferred phylogenies by molecular analyses of chloroplast and nuclear DNA markers.

Bright CsPbBr Perovskite Nanocrystals with Improved Stability by In-Situ Zn-Doping.

In this study, facile synthesis, characterization, and stability tests of highly luminescent Zn-doped CsPbBr perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) were demonstrated. The doping procedure was performed via partial replacement of PbBr with ZnBr in the precursor solution. Via Zn-doping, the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of the NCs was increased from 41.

Adaptation capability of rainfall hotspots in water resilient cities using QGIS: a case study of Taichung City in Taiwan.

In the context of extreme climate due to global climate transition, rainwater adaptation in resilient cities is a key issue for countries. The purpose of this study is to identify the rainfall hotspots in urban areas and investigate whether these hotspots have environmental conditions for rainfall adaptation. The study site is located in the Taichung area.

Empowerment of frail institutionalized older people for self-care: from administrators' and staff caregivers' perspectives.

Purpose: To investigate the perspectives of administrators and staff caregivers in empowering older people living in long-term care facilities to improve self-care abilities.

Methods: A phenomenology research design was employed to generate data. The purposive sampling method was used to recruit administrator (n = 7) and staff caregiver groups (n =11).

Programmable Engineering of Sunlight-Fueled, Full-Wavelength-Tunable, and Chirality-Invertible Helical Superstructures.

Dynamic control of motion at the molecular level is a core issue in promoting the bottom-up programmable modulation of sophisticated self-organized superstructures. Self-assembled artificial nanoarchitectures through subtle noncovalent interactions are indispensable for diverse applications. Here, the active solar renewable energy is used to harness cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) superstructure devices via delicate control of the dynamic equilibrium between the concentrations of molecular motor molecules with opposite handedness.

Levels of Phthalates, Bisphenol-A, Nonylphenol, and Microplastics in Fish in the Estuaries of Northern Taiwan and the Impact on Human Health.

Due to the sparsity in knowledge, we investigated the presence of various estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EEDCs), including phthalates (PAEs), bisphenol-A (BPA), and nonylphenol (NP), as well as microplastics (MPs) in samples of the most widely consumed fish collected from different estuaries in northern Taiwan. We then proceeded to determine the likely contribution that this exposure has on the potential for health impacts in humans following consumption of the fish. Six hundred fish caught from five river estuaries (producing 130 pooled samples) were analyzed to determine how different factors (such as the river, benthic, pelagic, and migratory species) influence EEDCs' contamination and the possible impacts on human health following typical consumption patterns.

Control of Large-Area Orderliness of a 2D Supramolecular Chiral Microstructure by a 1D Interference Field.

Self-organized periodic micro/nanostructures caused by stimulus-responsive structural deformation often occur in anisotropic self-assembled supramolecular systems (e.g., liquid crystal systems).

Denoising Autoencoder-Based Feature Extraction to Robust SSVEP-Based BCIs.

For subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the verbal and nonverbal communication is greatly impaired. Steady state visually evoked potential (SSVEP)-based brain computer interfaces (BCIs) is one of successful alternative augmentative communications to help subjects with ALS communicate with others or devices. For practical applications, the performance of SSVEP-based BCIs is severely reduced by the effects of noises.

Attachment of the levator ani muscle extends to the superior ramus of the pubic bone through electrophysiological and anatomical examinations.

Myofascial pelvic pain (MFPP) of pelvic floor muscles is a common cause of chronic pelvic pain (CPP). The pathological mechanisms and treatments of MFPP are complex and still unclear until now. The levator ani muscle (LAM) is the major pelvic floor muscle.

Giant gauge factor of Van der Waals material based strain sensors.

There is an emergent demand for high-flexibility, high-sensitivity and low-power strain gauges capable of sensing small deformations and vibrations in extreme conditions. Enhancing the gauge factor remains one of the greatest challenges for strain sensors. This is typically limited to below 300 and set when the sensor is fabricated.

A Novel Application on the Drive Elements of Using Electrical Contact Resistance and Friction Coefficient for Evaluating Induction Heat Treatment.

The load on drive elements under extreme pressure conditions is significantly larger than that used in machine tools. When operating under a heavy load for a long period, large deformation and severe wear between the ball and the track are more likely to occur. To reduce wear, the most fundamental solution is to improve the surface properties of the material.