Radiomics in Early Lung Cancer Diagnosis: From Diagnosis to Clinical Decision Support and Education.

Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer-related death around the world. With the recent introduction of low-dose lung computed tomography for lung cancer screening, there has been an increasing number of smoking- and non-smoking-related lung cancer cases worldwide that are manifesting with subsolid nodules, especially in Asian populations. However, the pros and cons of lung cancer screening also follow the implementation of lung cancer screening programs.

Novel TB smear microscopy automation system in detecting acid-fast bacilli for tuberculosis - A multi-center double blind study.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, there is a large global drop in the number of newly diagnosed cases with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. Actions to mitigate and reverse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB are urgently needed. Recent development of TB smear microscopy automation systems using artificial intelligence may increase the sensitivity of TB smear microscopy.

Shared Death Experiences: A Multicultural Survey.

Background: Shared-death-experiences (SDEs) and after-death-communication-experiences (ADCEs) are non-ordinary mental experiences related to the death of a known or unknown person.

Methods: These experiences were investigated by surveying four samples with different cultural backgrounds: Italian, Mexican, Brazilian and Taiwanese people. One-hundred-twenty-one participants reported 146 experiences of this type.

A clinical observational study of effectiveness of a solid coupling medium in extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

This study aimed to investigate clinical effectiveness of stone disintegration by using isolation coupling pad ("icPad") as coupling medium to reduce trapped air pockets during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Patients underwent ESWL between Oct. 2017 and May 2018 were enrolled in this clinical observational study.

Asymmetric Electrokinetic Energy Conversion in Slip Conical Nanopores.

Ion current rectification (ICR) phenomena in asymmetric nanofluidic structures, such as conical-shaped nanopores and funnel-shaped nanochannels, have been widely investigated in recent decades. To date, the effect of asymmetric nanofluidic structures on electrokinetic power generation driven by the streaming current/potential has not been explored. Accordingly, this study employed a numerical model based on the Poisson equation, Nernst-Planck equation, and Navier-Stokes equation to investigate the electrokinetic energy conversion (EKEC) in a conical nanopore while considering hydrodynamic slippage.

Combined effect of Photorhabdus luminescens and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai on Plutella xylostella.

In this study, we evaluated a new biopesticide containing different combinations of Photorhabdus luminescens (ATCC 29,999; Pl) and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai (Bt) to leverage their insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella. Mixtures containing proteins of various sizes were assayed to determine which combination of the two bacteria would yield the maximum insecticidal activity.

Female preference for song frequency in the cicada Mogannia formosana Matsumura (Hemiptera: Cicadidae).

In chorusing species, sound frequency has been suggested as a decisive cue for male body size in female mate choice. However, few studies on the female choice of male song frequency have been conducted in cicadas, in which males of most species sing in chorusing groups to attract females for mating. In this study, we investigated female mate choice for song frequency and body size of males of a chorusing cicada, Mogannia formosana, by phonotaxis experiments using two-choice tests and field observation, respectively.

Comparison of Various Solvent Extracts and Major Bioactive Components from for Antioxidant, Anti-Tyrosinase, and Anti-α-Glucosidase Activities.

is a well-known species for traditional medicine and food homology in Taiwan. In traditional medicine, is also used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, liver inflammation, fever, severe inflammation, and headaches. We investigated antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and anti-α-glucosidase activities of various solvent extracts and major bioactive components from .

Antioxidant and Anti-α-Glucosidase Activities of Various Solvent Extracts and Major Bioactive Components from the Fruits of .

is used to treat various diseases, including indigestion, congestive heart failure, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and myocardial dysfunction. We evaluated antioxidant and anti-α-glucosidase activities of various solvent extracts and major bioactive components from the fruit of . Ethyl acetate extracts showed potent antioxidant activities with IC values of 23.

Bioremediation of hexavalent-chromium contaminated groundwater: Microcosm, column, and microbial diversity studies.

Sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) have the capability of bioreducing hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] to trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] under sulfate-reducing conditions for toxicity reduction. However, a high amount of sulfate addition would cause elevated sulfide production, which could inhibit the growth of SRB and result in reduced Cr(VI) bioreduction efficiency. A slow release reagent, viscous carbon and sulfate-releasing colloidal substrates (VCSRCS), was prepared for a long-lasting carbon and sulfate supplement.

Directed self-assembly of Ag-deposited MoS quantum dots for colorimetric, fluorescent and fluorescence-lifetime sensing of alkaline phosphatase.

We developed a triple-readout probe for colorimetric, fluorescent, and fluorescence-lifetime sensing of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) through the hydrolyzed ascorbic acid phosphate (AAP)-mediated formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on Ag-deposited MoS quantum dots (QDs). Ag ions were self-assembled on a monolayer MoS QD surface through the formation of Ag-S bonds. When ALP hydrolyzed AAP in an alkaline buffer, the resultant ascorbic acid (AA) triggered the reduction of the bound Ag ions into AgNPs on the MoS QD surface.

Non-Contact Optical Detection of Foreign Materials Adhered to Color Filter and Thin-Film Transistor.

This paper describes the non-contact optical detection of debris material that adheres to the substrates of color filters (CFs) and thin-film transistors (TFTs) by area charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and laser sensors. One of the optical detections is a side-view illumination by an area CCD that emits a coherency light to detect debris on the CF. In contrast to the height of the debris material, the image is acquired by transforming the geometric shape from a square to a circle.

Microporous Carbon and Carbon/Metal Composite Materials Derived from Bio-Benzoxazine-Linked Precursor for CO Capture and Energy Storage Applications.

There is currently a pursuit of synthetic approaches for designing porous carbon materials with selective CO capture and/or excellent energy storage performance that significantly impacts the environment and the sustainable development of circular economy. In this study we prepared a new bio-based benzoxazine (AP-BZ) in high yield through Mannich condensation of apigenin, a naturally occurring phenol, with 4-bromoaniline and paraformaldehyde. We then prepared a PA-BZ porous organic polymer (POP) through Sonogashira coupling of AP-BZ with 1,3,6,8-tetraethynylpyrene (P-T) in the presence of Pd(PPh).

Impaired wrist position sense is linked to motor abnormalities in young adults with a probable developmental coordination disorder.

Proprioceptive deficits have been found to underlie motor abnormalities in individuals with movement disorders. This study investigated wrist proprioceptive acuity in young adults with and without probable developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and examined how proprioceptive acuity is linked to different domains of motor function. Thirty participants were included in this study (age, 19-22 years), ten with probable DCD and 20 controls.

Effects of intentionally treated water on the growth of mesenchymal stem cells: An exploratory study.

Objective: This study explored if human primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), derived from two donors and cultivated in a medium made with intentionally treated water, would exhibit more growth and pluripotency than MSCs from the same source but grown in untreated (control) water.

Design: To create the treated water, three Buddhist monks directed their attention toward commercially bottled water while holding the intention that the water would enhance the growth of MSCs. Under double-blind conditions, cell culture growth mediums were prepared with the treated and untreated water, which was in turn used to grow the primary MSCs.

The Optical Properties of Metal-Free Polymer Films with Self-Assembled Nanoparticles.

In this paper, it is reported that a metal-free and non-conjugated polymer, MA-PEG 8000-BADGE (MP8B), exhibits an antireflective property and substrate-dependent photoluminescence (SDP). MP8B was constructed from maleic anhydride, poly(ethylene glycol) and bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether. Self-assembled nanoparticles are found in MP8B and can prospectively act as scattering centers to improve light trapping and extraction.

Therapeutic Targeting of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Downregulating SREBP-1C Expression AMPK-KLF10 Axis.

Krüppel-like factor 10 (KLF10) is a phospho-regulated transcriptional factor involved in many biological processes including lipogenesis; however, the transcriptional regulation on lipogenesis by KLF10 remains largely unclear. Lipogenesis is important in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which was known regulated mainly by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP-1C). Interesting, our previous study using phosphorylated site prediction suggested a regulation of AMPK on KLF10.

Acute Effects of Different Exercise Intensities on Executive Function and Oculomotor Performance in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise vs. High-Intensity Interval Exercise.

A wealth of evidence has shown that a single bout of aerobic exercise can facilitate executive function. However, none of current studies on this topic have addressed whether the magnitude of the acute-exercise benefit on executive function and oculomotor performance is influenced by different aerobic exercise modes. The present study was thus aimed toward an investigation of the acute effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) vs.

The Societal Influences and Quality of Life Among Healthcare Team Members During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The coronavirus infection disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is likely to put healthcare professionals across the world in an unprecedented situation. A total of 683 healthcare workers were recruited in this study. Short form12 items (SF-12), Societal Influences Survey Questionnaire (SISQ), and Disaster-Related Psychological Screening Test (DRPST) were used to survey participants.

Spatiotemporal distribution and risk assessment of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in 30 major rivers in Taiwan.

Because of their highly persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties, short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) have become emerging contaminants and have been included in Annex A (elimination) of the Stockholm Convention since 2017. The contamination of SCCPs has been observed in the environment and biota worldwide but has not been detected in Taiwanese river ecosystems. Thus, this study aimed to determine the occurrence of SCCPs in sediments and fish from 30 major rivers in Taiwan and to evaluate the risk of SCCPs to river ecosystems and human health.

A Comparative Study of Social Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Republic of Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

Objective: The frequency of various disasters has become a 21st century global crisis. The biological-disaster of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) gave rise to a multi-dimensional global impact. The 25 items of Societal Influences Survey Questionnaire (SISQ) was developed to assess various categories of social influence during the pandemic.

A Study of Disposition, Engagement, Efficacy, and Vitality of Teachers in Designing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education.

This study proposes and tests a theoretical model of how perceptions of disposition, engagement, and efficacy of teachers for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) e-learning can predict their sense of vitality when they designed STEM education. Upon the proposition, we developed and validated an instrument for examining the relationships between these variables. The participants were 122 secondary teachers of STEM education from Hong Kong.

Comparison of surgical outcomes of sleep surgeries preoperatively evaluated with drug-induced sleep endoscopy and Müller's maneuver.

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare surgical outcomes for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) when the procedure was based on the results of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) vs. the awake Müller's maneuver (MM). Methods Forty-seven patients with OSA who underwent sleep surgery were included.