An efficient incremental learning mechanism for tracking concept drift in spam filtering.

This research manages in-depth analysis on the knowledge about spams and expects to propose an efficient spam filtering method with the ability of adapting to the dynamic environment. We focus on the analysis of email's header and apply decision tree data mining technique to look for the association rules about spams. Then, we propose an efficient systematic filtering method based on these association rules.

ESA-UbiSite: accurate prediction of human ubiquitination sites by identifying a set of effective negatives.

Motivation: Numerous ubiquitination sites remain undiscovered because of the limitations of mass spectrometry-based methods. Existing prediction methods use randomly selected non-validated sites as non-ubiquitination sites to train ubiquitination site prediction models.

Results: We propose an evolutionary screening algorithm (ESA) to select effective negatives among non-validated sites and an ESA-based prediction method, ESA-UbiSite, to identify human ubiquitination sites.

Enhancement of mosquito trapping efficiency by using pulse width modulated light emitting diodes.

In this study, a light-driving bug zapper is presented for well controlling the diseases brought by insects, such as mosquitoes. In order to have the device efficient to trap the insect pests in off-grid areas, pulse width modulated light emitting diodes (PWM-LED) combined with a solar power module are proposed and implemented. With specific PWM electric signals to drive the LED, it is found that no matter what the ability of catching insects or the consumed power efficiency can be enhanced thus.

The differentiation of common species in a coral-reef fish assemblage for recreational scuba diving.

Background: Recreational scuba diving is a popular activity of the coral reef tourism industry. In practice, local diving centers recommend interesting sites to help visiting divers make their plans. Fish are among the major attractions, but they need to be listed with care because the temporal occurrence of a fish species is difficult to predict.

Performance Improvement of Total Ionization Dose Radiation Sensor Devices Using Fluorine-Treated MOHOS.

Fluorine-treated titanium nitride-silicon oxide-hafnium oxide-silicon oxide-silicon devices (hereafter F-MOHOS) are candidates for total ionization dose (TID) radiation sensor applications. The main subject of the study reportedherein is the performance improvement in terms of TID radiation-induced charge generation effect and charge-retention reliability characterization for F-MOHOS devices. In the case of F-MOHOS TID radiation sensors, the gamma radiation induces a significant decrease of threshold voltage VT and the radiation-induced charge density is nearly six times larger than that of standard metal-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon MONOS devices.

Alternative Roles of STAT3 and MAPK Signaling Pathways in the MMPs Activation and Progression of Lung Injury Induced by Cigarette Smoke Exposure in ACE2 Knockout Mice.

Inflammation-mediated abnormalities in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of lung injury. Angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2), an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) homologue that displays antagonist effects on ACE/angiotensin II (Ang II) axis, could also play a protective role against lung diseases. However, the relationship between ACE2 and MMPs activation in lung injury is still largely unclear.

Understanding the carbon-monoxide oxidation mechanism on ultrathin palladium nanowires: a density functional theory study.

The CO oxidation mechanism catalyzed by ultrathin helical palladium nanowires (PdNW) was investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The helical PdNW structure was constructed on the basis of the simulated annealing basin-hopping (SABH) method with the tight-binding potential and the penalty method in our previous studies (J. Mater.

In Situ Regeneration of Si-based ARROW-B Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors.

Si-based antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide type B (ARROW-B) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors allow label-free high-sensitivity detection of biomolecular interactions in real time. The ARROW-B waveguide, which has a thick guiding layer, provides efficient coupling with a single-mode fiber. The Si-based ARROW-B SPR biosensors were fabricated by using the standard semiconductor fabrication processes with a single-step lithography.

Quantitative measurement of Parkinsonian gait from walking in monocular image sequences using a centroid tracking algorithm.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that results from the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Abnormal gait begins in the early stage and becomes severe as the disease progresses; therefore, the assessment of gait becomes an important issue in evaluating the progression of PD and the effectiveness of treatment. To provide a clinically useful gait assessment in environments with budget and space limitations, such as a small clinic or home, we propose and develop a portable method utilizing the monocular image sequences of walking to track and analyze a Parkinsonian gait pattern.

Using K-Nearest Neighbor Classification to Diagnose Abnormal Lung Sounds.

A reported 30% of people worldwide have abnormal lung sounds, including crackles, rhonchi, and wheezes. To date, the traditional stethoscope remains the most popular tool used by physicians to diagnose such abnormal lung sounds, however, many problems arise with the use of a stethoscope, including the effects of environmental noise, the inability to record and store lung sounds for follow-up or tracking, and the physician's subjective diagnostic experience. This study has developed a digital stethoscope to help physicians overcome these problems when diagnosing abnormal lung sounds.

Influence of chopstick size on taste evaluations.

This study explored the influence of the length of chopsticks on taste evaluations. Participants (N=78; M age=21.1 yr.

An ionizing radiation sensor using a pre-programmed MAHAOS device.

Metal-aluminum oxide-hafnium aluminum oxide-silicon oxide-silicon (hereafter MAHAOS) devices can be candidates for ionizing radiation sensor applications. In this work, MAHAOS devices (SONOS-like structures with high k stack gate dielectric) were studied regarding the first known characterization of the ionization radiation sensing response. The change of threshold voltage V(T) for a MAHAOS device after gamma ray exposure had a strong correlation to the total ionization dose (TID) of gamma radiation up to at least 5 Mrad TID.

Bidirectional and multi-user telerehabilitation system: clinical effect on balance, functional activity, and satisfaction in patients with chronic stroke living in long-term care facilities.

Background: The application of internet technology for telerehabilitation in patients with stroke has developed rapidly.

Objective: The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of a bidirectional and multi-user telerehabilitation system on balance and satisfaction in patients with chronic stroke living in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).

Method: This pilot study used a multi-site, blocked randomization design.

Prevalence and risk factors of frailty phenotype among vulnerable solitary elderly individuals.

The World Health Organization has defined elderly individuals living independently as an 'at risk' group. This vulnerable population thus faces a disproportionate amount of frailty, disabilities and/or death. In this study, the total number of participants was 276, with 13 incomplete responses, resulting in 263 valid questionnaires.

A novel method for preparation of Zn-doped CuInS₂ solar cells and their photovoltaic performance.

In this study, a novel method was proposed to synthesize high quality Zn-doped CuInS₂ nanocrystals under high frequency magnetic field at ambient conditions. The magnetic Zn-doping gave superparamagnetic heating of the resulting nanocrystals via magnetic induction, causing an accelerating growth rate of the doped CuInS₂ under ambient conditions faster than conventional autoclave synthesis. Shape evolution of the Zn-doped CuInS₂ nanocrystals from initially spherical to pyramidal, to cubic, and finally to a bar geometry was detected as a function of time of exposure to magnetic induction.

Antioxidant potential and antioxidant compounds of extracts from the medicinal sulphur polypore, Laetiporus sulphureus (Higher Basidiomycetes) in submerged cultures.

Fermented products, dried mycelia broth, and mycelia-free broth of Laetiporus sulphureus submerged cultures were extracted with ethanol and hot water under optimal culture conditions and investigated for their antioxidant properties. Ethanolic extracts from dried mycelia broth (EEM) and mycelia-free broth (EEB) and hot water extracts from dried mycelia (HWEM) show extraordinary antioxidant properties for all EC50 values below 10 mg/mL except for EEM, as measured by the scavenging effects on DPPH radicals and chelating effects on ferrous ions. Ascorbic acid is rich in EEB and α-tocopherol, and total flavonoids are abundant in EEM.

[Noninvasive medical imaging system for tissue classification using RGB LED and micro-spectroscopy].

As skin is the exterior organ of human body, cosmetic industry advances year by year. To reveal the details of skin tissue, threedimensional medical imaging is required. Based on the idea of "readout instead of write", a new scheme named spectral classification imaging (SCI) is proposed in the present study to reduce the invasiveness by applying the reflection spectra of the sample points for three-dimensional medical imaging.

[The study of absorption efficiency and restoring effects of collagen and ascorbic acid on aged skin by fluorescence and reflection spectroscopy].

Collagen is one of the main structural proteins in human dermis. The lack and atrophy of collagen induces the appearance of wrinkles and beginning of aging. L-ascorbic acid has significant effects on skin-whitening and anti-oxidation, which helps keep skin beautiful and healthy, respectively.

High-performance III-V MOSFET with nano-stacked high-k gate dielectric and 3D fin-shaped structure.

A three-dimensional (3D) fin-shaped field-effect transistor structure based on III-V metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) fabrication has been demonstrated using a submicron GaAs fin as the high-mobility channel. The fin-shaped channel has a thickness-to-width ratio (TFin/WFin) equal to 1. The nano-stacked high-k Al2O3 dielectric was adopted as a gate insulator in forming a metal-oxide-semiconductor structure to suppress gate leakage.

Life decisions of Taiwanese women who care for a sibling with cerebral palsy.

We used a phenomenological method to examine how the caregiving experiences of Taiwanese women who care for a sibling with cerebral palsy (CP) influence their life decisions. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with six adult women, each of whom self-identified as being the sister most involved in caring for a sibling with CP. Themes emerging from caregivers' experiences were caring through interpretation, caring through protection, and caring through sacrifice.

Production of bioactive exopolysaccharides from bitter medicinal mushroom, Antrodia camphorata (M. Zang et C.H. Su) Sh.H. Wu et al. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) in submerged cultivation.

This study examines the effects of various fructose concentrations in media on the production and quality of bioactive exopolysaccharides (EPS) from Bitter medicinal mushroom, Antrodia camphorata in submerged cultures. The fructose in media of submerged cultures of A. camphorata significantly affected the production, average molecular weight (Mn), and antioxidant activity of exopolysaccharides.

Antioxidant properties of the edible Basidiomycete Armillaria mellea in submerged cultures.

Antioxidant components, ascorbic acid, total flavonoids and total phenols are produced effectively by Armillaria mellea submerged cultures. Dried mycelia and mycelia-free broths obtained by A. mellea submerged cultures are extracted with methanol and hot water and investigated for antioxidant properties.

Optical properties and residual stress in aluminum nitride films prepared by alternating-current dual reactive magnetron sputtering.

Aluminum nitride films were deposited by alternating-current dual reactive magnetron sputtering. The influence of different nitrogen flow and working pressures at a sputtering power of 5 kW on the refractive index, extinction coefficient, crystalline structure, residual stress, and surface roughness of aluminum nitride films was discussed. The aluminum nitride film would have high refractive index, low extinction coefficient and small residual stress at suitable nitrogen flow rate and low working pressure.

Effect of thermal annealing on the optical properties and residual stress of graded-index-like films deposited by radio-frequency ion-beam sputtering.

Composite films of Ta-Si oxide and graded-index-like films have been realized by using radio-frequency ion-beam sputtering. The influence of thermal annealing on the optical properties and residual stress of single-layer composite films and graded-index-like films has been studied. The residual stress and optical properties of both types of films were more stable than that of the notch filters fabricated from a series of discrete quarter-wave layers made by alternatively stacking high and low index materials after annealing.