Experimental-design-based optimization of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization-mass spectrometry for the determination of pyrethroids in agricultural products and drinks.

Pyrethroids are synthetic chemicals that account for 16% of the international insecticide market and have been shown to be of varying toxicity to different species. There are various methods available for detecting pyrethroids in agricultural products, but these products must be pre-treated to remove interference from the food matrix, such as through dispersion liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME). This study employed two experimental design methods to optimize the continuous and discontinuous experimental parameters of DLLME and investigated whether DLLME combined with GC-NICI-MS is effective for detecting pyrethroids in agricultural products.

Effects of intentionally-treated water on cell migration of human glioblastoma cells.

Objective: This study investigated if human glioblastoma cancer cells (U87MG cell line) cultured in intentionally treated water could reduce cell migration, a prerequisite for metastasis, as compared to the same cells cultured in untreated (control) water.

Design: Three Buddhist monks entered a meditative state and directed their awareness to bottles of ultrapure water while holding the intention that the water would cause beneficial changes in U87MG. The study was conducted double-blind whereby all aspects of the study involving cell growth and migration measures, as well as all subsequent statistical evaluations, were performed without knowledge of the type of water being used.

Assisting Standing Balance Recovery for Parkinson's Patients with a Lower-Extremity Exoskeleton Robot.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and always results in balance loss. Although studies in lower-extremity exoskeleton robots are ample, applications with a lower-extremity exoskeleton robot for PD patients are still challenging. This paper aims to develop an effective assistive control for PD patients with a lower-extremity exoskeleton robot to maintain standing balance while being subjected to external disturbances.

Thiol-linked hyaluronic acid-mediated encapsulation of RCR-stabilized gold nanoclusters for hyaluronidase sensing and cellular imaging.

Encapsulating peptide-stabilized gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) with thiolated hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) and selectively adding cysteine to the peptide sequence increased their photoluminescence. We found that peptide compositions with cysteine in the middle emitted the most. RCR-stabilized AuNCs can be purified using size-exclusion chromatography to characterize their optical characteristics, chemical composition, and possible structure.

The effect of Mozart's K.448 on epilepsy: A systematic literature review and supplementary research on music mechanism.

The "Mozart effect" in epilepsy was first identified by Hughes et al. in 1998. In their treatment of 29 (ages 3-47) patients with epilepsy, including children, the patients showed a significant reduction in epileptic activity on the EEG while listening to "Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos K.

IL-10RA governor the expression of IDO in the instruction of lymphocyte immunity.

Background: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) impairs anti-pathogen and anti-tumour immunity. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) modulate immunity via IDO but also suppress IFN-γ. While MSC IDO induction by IFN-γ is established, other drivers in this immunosuppressive setting remain unknown.

Reliability and validity of five balance assessments battery in individuals with schizophrenia.

This study examines the test-retest reliability, concurrent and discriminant validity of Star excursion balance test (SEBT), One-leg stance (OLS), Functional reach test (FRT), Timed up-and-go test (TUG), and Tandem walking test (TW) in individuals with schizophrenia. Thirteen participants with schizophrenia who had a history of falls and 13 age-matched controls with schizophrenia who had no history of falls received the five balance assessments battery to establish test-retest reliability. A force platform was administered to examine concurrent validity, while balance assessment performance between fallers and non-fallers was examined for discriminant validity.

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder exhibit intact physical causal inference but weak intention inference.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show impaired mentalizing skills, specifically in understanding intentions. They have difficulty understanding social situations with multiple cues due to their limited ability to perceive subtle social contextual cues. Studies that used comic strips and the strange stories as intention attribution tests found that individuals with ASD exhibit a reduced ability in attributing intentions compared to inferring causal consequences.

The Optimal Dosage and Duration of Metformin for Prevention and Treatment of Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Weight gain and metabolic complications are substantial adverse effects associated with second-generation antipsychotics. However, comprehensive guidelines for managing antipsychotic-induced weight gain are lacking.

Methods: This review included all double-blind, placebo-controlled studies investigating metformin's effectiveness in addressing antipsychotic-related weight gain.

Video Head Impulse Test Coherence Predicts Vertigo Recovery in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss With Vertigo.

Objectives: Labyrinthitis significantly reduces quality of life due to prolonged vestibular symptoms in patients experiencing sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo (SSNHLV). This study employed a novel coherence analysis in the video head impulse test (vHIT) to explore vertigo outcomes in SSNHLV patients.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 48 SSNHLV patients who completed high-dose steroid treatment between December 2016 and April 2023.

Health risks of environmentally persistent free radicals in atmospheric particulate matter during the spring festival travel season in Tainan, Taiwan.

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent pollutants in atmospheric particulate matter that are detrimental to human health. This study collected atmospheric particulate matter during and after the spring festival travel season in Tainan, Taiwan, from various locations and analyzed the carbon composition and PAH isomeric ratios to identify the sources. In this study, EPFR concentrations were measured using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, with the highest concentration found to be 3.

The effects of university badminton class on health and well-being in untrained college students.

This study investigated the effects of a 6-week activity course on health and well-being in untrained college students. Twenty-two participants (ages 18-23) engaged in either badminton or soccer twice a week. Using Badminton World Federation (BWF) Shuttle Time Lesson Plans, both groups showed significant improvements in the quadrant jump and standing long jump tests, with badminton participants demonstrating greater gains in the quadrant jump.

Pursuing equitable access to vaccines for the next epidemic.

To mitigate the pandemic stemming from COVID-19, numerous nations have initiated extensive vaccination campaigns for their citizens since late 2020. While affluent countries have predominantly received vaccine allocations, fewer doses have been dispatched to nations with lower average incomes. This unequal distribution not only widens the disparity between wealthy and impoverished regions but also prolongs the pandemic, evident in the emergence of new viral variants.

Effects of long-term Tai Chi vs. aerobic exercise on antioxidant activity and cognitive function in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

An imbalance between the generation of reactive oxygen species and the body's antioxidant defense mechanisms is closely related to the development and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Considering that physical exercise is a potential therapeutic intervention for modulating oxidative stress markers and cognitive function in PD, the primary purpose of this study was to compare the effects of different long-term exercise modalities on antioxidants and cognitive performance in patients with PD. In addition, the secondary purpose was to explore whether changes in the levels of these biochemical markers are associated with alterations in cognitive performance pre- and post-intervention.

Assessing the fate, toxicity, and ecological risk of mixtures of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and di-n-butylphthalate using aquatic and terrestrial microcosms.

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) frequently coexist in different environmental compartments. Thus, in this study, model aquatic and terrestrial microcosms were prepared to analyze the combined effect of DEHP and DBP on their fate, toxicity, and ecological risk. In the aquatic microcosms, with the addition of the same amount of DEHP and DBP, a higher total amount of DEHP was detected in water, suspended particles, and sediment than DBP due to the higher K and half-life of DEHP than DBP.

Pulmonary Tuberculosis Diagnosis Using an Intelligent Microscopy Scanner and Image Recognition Model for Improved Acid-Fast Bacilli Detection in Smears.

Microscopic examination of acid-fast mycobacterial bacilli (AFB) in sputum smears remains the most economical and readily available method for laboratory diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). However, this conventional approach is low in sensitivity and labor-intensive. An automated microscopy system incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning for AFB identification was evaluated.

The application of blood flow sound contrastive learning to predict arteriovenous graft stenosis of patients with hemodialysis.

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) presents a significant public health challenge, with hemodialysis (HD) remaining one of the most prevalent kidney replacement therapies. Ensuring the longevity and functionality of arteriovenous accesses is challenging for HD patients. Blood flow sound, which contains valuable information, has often been neglected in the past.

Care Needs, Challenges, and Experiences of Sexual and Gender Minority Cancer Survivors in Taiwan: Findings from a Qualitative Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the care needs, challenges, and experiences of cancer care among sexual and gender minority (SGM) cancer survivors in Taiwan.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face or telephonically with 30 SGM cancer survivors in Taiwan. Data were analyzed using the socio-ecological model and the constant comparative technique.

Unique electronic and optical properties of stacking-modulated bilayer graphene under external magnetic fields.

This study delves into the magneto-electronic and magneto-optical properties of stacking-modulated bilayer graphene. By manipulating domain walls (DWs) across AB-BA domains periodically, we unveil oscillatory Landau subbands and the associated optical excitations. The DWs act as periodic potentials, yielding fascinating 1D spectral features.

Taiwanese nurse educators' behaviour or intention to teach LGBT health content: A qualitative study.

Aim: To explore factors associated with Taiwanese nurse educators' behaviour or intention to teach lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) health content.

Background: Nurse educators were found to have limited experiences and readiness to teach LGBT health content. However, limited evidence exists to comprehensively understand factors associated with nurse educators' behaviour and intentions to teach LGBT health content.

Effects of a Taiwanese Adaptation of the Group Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Program on Mild-To-Moderate Dementia: A Quasi-Experimental Trial.

Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) was found to significantly improve cognitive function and quality of life (QOL) in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia in the UK. However, indigenous research on older adults with dementia in Taiwan is scarce. Therefore, this study developed and investigated the effects of a Taiwan version of group CST (CST-T) through a quasi-experimental trial.

Neurocognitive performance of badminton players at different competitive levels in visuospatial attention tasks.

Visuospatial attention (VSA) is a cognitive function that enables athletes, particularly those engaged in open-skill sports, to allocate attentional resources efficiently to the appropriate target and in the appropriate direction. Studies have indicated that expert players exhibit superior cognitive performance to that of novices. However, no study has investigated differences in VSA performance among elite, expert, and intermediate badminton players or the potential neurophysiological mechanisms underlying such differences.