Uncovering the Modulatory Interactions of Brain Networks in Cognition with Central Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising treatment for neurological and psychiatric disorders. It acts by altering brain networks and facilitating synaptic plasticity. For enhancing cognitive functions, the central thalamus (CT) has been shown to be a potential DBS target.

Acellularized spinal cord scaffolds incorporating bpV(pic)/PLGA microspheres promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a traumatic injury to the central nervous system (CNS) with a high rate of disability and a low capability of self-recovery. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) inhibition by pharmacological blockade with bisperoxovanadium (pic) (bpV(pic)) has been reported to increase AKT/mTOR activity and induce robust axonal elongation and regeneration. However, the therapeutic effect of bpV(pic) in treating SCI is limited due to the lack of efficient delivery approaches.

A PCB Alignment System Using RST Template Matching with CUDA on Embedded GPU Board.

The fiducial-marks-based alignment process is one of the most critical steps in printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing. In the alignment process, a machine vision technique is used to detect the fiducial marks and then adjust the position of the vision system in such a way that it is aligned with the PCB. The present study proposed an embedded PCB alignment system, in which a rotation, scale and translation (RST) template-matching algorithm was employed to locate the marks on the PCB surface.

Perovskite-like Framework Encapsulated with Fe-Based Magnetic Units in BaFeSbSe.

BaFeSbSe was synthesized using a KBr flux at 850 °C (Crystal Data: orthorhombic, 2, = 9.3412(2) Å, = 44.6666(10) Å, = 12.

Sensitivity analysis of key factors influencing compression-induced deformation of waste rocks for backfilling to reduce environmental pollution.

As solid wastes are generated during coal mining, waste rocks can be backfilled into goaf so as to reduce geological hazards and environmental damage caused by coal mining; however, under different stress regimes, the sensitivities of factors influencing compression-induced deformation (CID) of waste rocks for backfilling (WRBs) are different. In order to control the compression-induced deformation of waste rocks for backfilling more efficiently, compression characteristics of waste rocks for backfilling under four different stress levels were tested by using a homemade loading test system for granular materials based on an orthogonal experiment. The influences of lithology, particle size distribution (PSD), lateral stress, and number of lateral loading cycles on compression-induced deformation of waste rocks for backfilling and sensitivities ranks of the four factors were analysed.

Urban-rural disparity in lower extremities amputation in patients with diabetes after nearly two decades of universal health Insurance in Taiwan.

Background: To assess the prevalence of urban-rural disparity in lower extremities amputation (LEA) among patients with diabetes and to explore whether patient-related or physician-related factors might have contributed to such disparity.

Methods: This was a population-based study including patients with diabetes aged ≥55 years from 2009 to 2013. Among them, 9236 received LEA.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among patients with sleep disorders: a Nationwide study of Taiwan.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases. Studies have shown that sleep apnea is associated with NAFLD. However, studies on the association between sleep disorders in general and NAFLD are limited.

Anti-apoptotic proteins in the autophagic world: an update on functions of XIAP, Survivin, and BRUCE.

X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), survivin, and BRUCE are members of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein (IAP) family known for their inhibitory effects on caspase activity and dysregulation of these molecules has widely been shown to cause embryonic defects and to promote tumorigenesis in human. Besides the anti-apoptotic functions, recent discoveries have revealed that XIAP, survivin, and BRUCE also exhibit regulatory functions for autophagy in cells. As the role of autophagy in human diseases has already been discussed extensively in different reviews; in this review, we will discuss the emerging autophagic role of XIAP, survivin, and BRUCE in cancer cells.

Ultrastable Lubricating Properties of Robust Self-Repairing Tribofilms Enabled by in Situ-Assembled Polydopamine Nanoparticles.

Aqueous lubrication in nature is attracting increasing attention in the tribological fields for reducing friction energy consumption and improving anti-wear durability. Generally, adding nanolubricant additives is one of the most important strategies to effectively enhance the interface performance under boundary lubrication via the formation of a protective tribofilm on rubbing surfaces. However, the adsorbed tribofilms are unstable and are prone to failure during friction, and the interaction mechanism between the tribofilms and frictional interfaces is partly disclosed.

Agrimonia pilosa polysaccharide and its sulfate derives facilitate cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells by targeting miR-107.

The present study showed that low level of miR-107 in femoral head tissues from rats suffering steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SANFH) was associated with high degree of osteonecrosis and apoptosis. In vitro assay, pretreatment with an Agrimonia pilos polysaccharide (APP-AW) and its sulphated derivatives (S2) at 50 μg/ml for 48 h or overexpressing miR-107 were able to prevent cytotoxicity induced by 1 μM dexamethasone (DEX) in MC3T3-E1 cells via inhibition of apoptosis. Meanwhile, the decreased ALP activity, collagen content, BMP2, Runx2, OSX and OCN protein expression in DEX-treated MC3T3-E1 cells were rescued by the addition of APP-AW and S2, or miR-107 transfection.

Using deep reinforcement learning to speed up collective cell migration.

Background: Collective cell migration is a significant and complex phenomenon that affects many basic biological processes. The coordination between leader cell and follower cell affects the rate of collective cell migration. However, there are still very few papers on the impacts of the stimulus signal released by the leader on the follower.

Microfluidic retention of progressively motile zebrafish sperms.

Genetic manipulation of zebrafish results in thousands of mutant strains and to efficiently preserve them for future use, zebrafish sperms have been cryopreserved in various cryopreservation centers. However, cryopreservation protocols are known to alter genetic entities. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an efficient method that can select morphologically superior and progressively motile zebrafish sperms after their activation for in vitro fertilization success.

Understanding profit margins of medical providers from prescription drugs: evidence from Taiwan.

Background: This study empirically estimates the magnitude and associated determinants of profit margins that medical providers earn from prescription drugs based on Taiwan's pharmaceutical market.

Methods: Our main data set is from the population-based claims data compiled by the National Health Insurance Research Database covering three waves of price adjustment: July-December 2004, October 2007-September 2008 and October 2009-September 2010. Only drugs whose reimbursement prices were adjusted using the R-zone formula were used as samples for this study.

EPA and DHA can modulate cell death via inhibition of the Fas/tBid-mediated signaling pathway with ISKNV infection in grouper fin cell line (GF-1) cells.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play important roles in organisms, including the structure and liquidity of cell membranes, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation. Very little has been done in terms of the effect of PUFAs on cell death, especially on DNA virus. In this study, we demonstrated that the infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) can induce host cell death via the apoptotic cell death pathway, which correlated to modulation by PUFAs in grouper fin cell line (GF-1) cells.

Self-formed silver nanoparticles on freestanding silicon nanowire arrays featuring SERS performances.

Herein, the universal luminescence characteristics of porous Si nanowire arrays were exploited using a wide range of doping types and concentrations; we found that the dual-band photoluminescence intensities were correlated with the formation rates of Si nanowires with porous features; however, these intensities exhibited no evident dependence on the doping conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrated a facile and reliable transfer method implementing the freestanding Si nanowire arrays while maintaining the robust photoluminescence behaviors under bending conditions. The fabrication protocol, involving lateral etching locally at the nanowire ends, enabled the controlled formation of uniform and large-area transferred nanowires with vertical regularity.

Acute and long-term treadmill running differentially induce c-Fos expression in region- and time-dependent manners in mouse brain.

Acute and long-term exercise differentially affect brain functions. It has been suggested that neuronal activation is one of the mechanisms for exercise-induced enhancement of brain functions. However, the differential effects of acute and long-term exercise on the spatial and temporal profiles of neuronal activation in the brain have been scarcely explored.

Hydrometallurgical Process for Tantalum Recovery from Epoxy-Coated Solid Electrolyte Tantalum Capacitors.

Tantalum is a critical metal that is widely used in electronic products. The demand for tantalum is increasing, but the supply is limited. As tantalum waste products have increased in Taiwan in recent years, the treatment of spent tantalum capacitors has become necessary and important.

Quantifying security and resilience of Chinese coastal urban ecosystems.

The emerging threat to the coastal urban ecosystems from increased intensity and frequency of weather events is a compelling reason for improving our understanding of the integrity of the existing ecosystem. Resilience of an ecosystem is a critical property that aids recovery and adaptation when subject to intense stress. Quantifying the resilience of an ecological system requires a detailed understanding of the vulnerabilities and interactions within a complex web of interconnected social, technological and economic networks.

Novel method for analyzing transport parameters in through-diffusion tests.

Buffer materials such as bentonite are vital for absorbing radionuclide leakage and retarding migration from radioactive waste canisters. The diffusion coefficient and the retardation factor are the predominant properties controlling the diffusion-reaction process in a buffer material. Diffusion experiments combined with Crank's graphical method are a well-established process for determining asymptotic diffusion coefficients.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 mediates the low-frequency vertical vibration enhanced production of tenomodulin and type I collagen in rat Achilles tendon.

Vertical vibration (VV) is a whole-body vibration with mechanical loading that commonly used in rehabilitation and sports training to increase athlete muscle strength. Our previous study showed that low-magnitude, low-frequency VV at 8 Hz and 10 Hz increased myoblast myogenesis. Herein, we investigated whether a VV frequency at low-frequency 5-10 Hz has anabolic effects on tenocytes and improves tendon stiffness.

Overexpression of and in results in reduction of plant size.

Recently, two rice genes, () and have been reported to be positive regulators involved in increased lamina inclination and grain size through cell elongation. Here, we found that the two genes have tightly linked expression patterns and functional convergence in rice, and are also likely to play an opposite role in . Overexpression of the two rice transcription factors in caused smaller plant size with reduced cell size, and the expression of a series of genes encoding expansins and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases (XTHs) involved in cell elongation was reduced.

A Shape Memory Alloy-Based Miniaturized Actuator for Catheter Interventions.

In the current scenario of endovascular intervention, surgeons have to manually navigate the catheter within the complex vasculature of the human body under the guidance of X-ray. This manual intervention upsurges the possibilities of vessel damage due to frequent contact between the catheter and vasculature wall. In this context, a shape memory alloy-based miniaturized actuator was proposed in this study with a specific aim to reduce vessel wall related damage by improving the bending motions of the guidewire tip in a semi-automatic fashion.

Graphene Oxide Sponge as Nanofillers in Printable Electrolytes in High-Performance Quasi-Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

A graphene oxide sponge (GOS) is utilized for the first time as a nanofiller (NF) in printable electrolytes (PEs) based on poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) for quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (QS-DSSCs). The effects of the various concentrations of GOS NFs on the ion diffusivity and conductivity of electrolytes and the performance of the QS-DSSCs are studied. The results show that the presence of GOS NFs significantly increases the diffusivity and conductivity of the PEs.

Di-2-(2-oxindolin-3-ylidene)malononitrile Derivatives for N-Type Air-Stable Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

The nitrogenization of phenyl rings on DIM derivatives not only enhances molecular coplanarity but also stabilizes molecular LUMO levels, favoring charge transfer and improving air stability. Therefore, n-type organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) that are based on DIM-N2C8 with nitrogen atoms on both sides of the phenyl rings exhibit a moderate electron mobility of 0.059 cm V s under ambient conditions.

Development of an efficient viral aerosol collector for higher sampling flow rate.

Viral aerosol infection through cough generates large amounts of viral aerosol and can result in many adverse health effects such as influenza flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). To characterize the coughed viral aerosol, the sampler needs to sample at higher flow rate and possess high physical collection efficiency as well as high viral preservation. However, most current inertia-based high flow bioaerosol samplers are not suited for viral aerosol sampling since the viability will be lost doing the sampling process.