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Association of Interleukin-8 Promoter Genotypes With Taiwan Lung Cancer Risk
No full text[[abstract]]Background/aim: Chronic inflammation is believed to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is an inflammatory cytokine and plays an important role in cancer development. Few studies have investigated the association between interleukin-8 - 251T/A (rs4073) genotype and lung cancer risk in various populations.
Materials and methods: In the current study, genotypes of interleukin-8 rs4073 were analyzed in 358 lung cancer patients and 716 healthy controls in Taiwan, by the PCR-RFLP methodology.
Results: The distribution frequencies of interleukin-8 rs4073 genotypes between control and case groups were compared, and the homozygous variant AA genotypes showed a lower percentage in the case group compared to the control group (OR=0.57, 95%CI=0.39-0.85, p=0.0059). The distributions of alleles frequencies also exhibited statistical difference (p=0.0066). There was an interaction between interleukin-8 rs4073 and smoking habits (p=0.0051).
Conclusion: Interleukin-8 rs4073 genotypes were associated with lung cancer susceptibility, especially for smokers
以家庭托顧為基礎建構家庭照顧者有給制之評估研究
No full text[[abstract]]如何保障因為需要照顧家中失能者而退出勞動市場的家庭照顧者一定期間之基本生活，讓勞動者可以無虞地照顧家中失能者，是現今高齡社會的台灣，在制定長期照顧政策時須積極面對的重要議題。因此，本研究之主要目的在於建構一可行之家庭照顧者有給制，以符合家庭照顧者之需求。本研究運用實地研究法，透過現場觀察與訪談三家托顧家庭和訪談三位縣市政府家托業務相關人員，來評估家庭托顧服務的執行情形，進而評估家庭照顧者有給制之可行性。本研究發現雖然家庭托顧的給付制度與輔導制度，是決定家庭托顧業務之經營成敗的關鍵因素，而如能給付2位照顧服務員，依據其自宅空間大小，在自宅24小時照顧4至6位失能老人，即可以將家庭托顧與家庭照顧者有給制結合。因此，建議政府應重新審視與制定符合家庭照顧者需求的家庭托顧政策。[[abstract]]This research applies the ?Airiti Library? and ?Community Development Journal Quarterly? databases, using keywords such as ?hospice?, ?hospice care?, ?palliative care?, and has been published in Taiwan before 2020. A total of 634 journal articles in Chinese have been published in full for analysis. The text is major based on the practical experience of hospice care, using ?hospice care? as an idiomatic phrase; 2. the number of articles has increased since 2016, and the most used vocabulary is ?patient?. 3. The frequency of being mentioned in terms of physiology and psychology has increased over the years; while spirituality and quality of life still maintain a certain frequency of use. 4. Due to the differences in time, the three key points of euthanasia, natural death, and death with dignity are also different. The vocabulary related images of hospice palliative care presented in this research are for reference in follow-up research
Exploring the effectiveness and moderators of augmented reality on science learning: A meta-analysis
No full text[[abstract]]The use of augmented reality (AR) technology in the science curriculum has the potential to assist students in comprehending abstract and complex concepts or unobservable phenomena, as well as to better explain knowledge regarding science content by superimposing virtual objects over genuine items or environments in a multidimensional approach. However, the overall effects on students’ academic achievement of using AR technology in scientific courses and the key factors that influence such effects are still unclear. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis in this work to systematically review 35 empiric trials (with 39 effect sizes) that used experimental or quasi-experimental approaches to determine the academic achievement of using AR techniques in science-related courses. In addition, we explored possible moderators such as differences in disciplines, educational stages, types of AR (marker-based, markerless-based, or location-based), display devices (mobiles, tablets, computers, or headsets), intervention duration, group size, and instructional strategies. The results revealed that the overall mean effect size (with AR into instruction vs without AR into instruction) was 0.737 under the random effects model, indicating a medium-to-large significant positive effect on students’ academic achievement. The disciplines had significant moderating effects, types of AR had marginally significant effects, while educational stages, display devices, intervention duration, group size, and strategies used had insignificant influence. The impact of AR technology on scientific education was discussed in connection to the above seven moderators
Investigating university students’ attitude and intention to use a learning management system from a self-determination perspective
No full text[[abstract]]The goal of this study was to investigate the determinants affecting university students’ attitude and intention towards using a learning management system from the perspective of self-determination theory, and to examine the moderating effect of gender and usage experience and the relationships between these determinants. Two hundred forty-one Chinese university students’ responses addressing their perceptions of using Blackboard for autonomous learning were gathered through a convenient sampling technique and were analysed by PLS-SEM. We found that autonomy, relatedness, competence, and satisfaction had a positive and significant impact on students’ intention towards using Blackboard; furthermore, the construct of autonomy was the strongest determinant for the use of Blackboard. However, students who used Blackboard were not found to be moderated by gender and usage experience. This study provides important implications for educators and institutions and contributes to our understanding of university students’ adoption of learning management systems
Fungi fabrication, characterization, and anticancer activity of silver nanoparticles using metals resistant Aspergillus niger
No full text[[abstract]]The purpose of this study was to assess the bio-fabrication possibilities of pre-isolated (from bauxite mine tailings) metal-tolerant Aspergillus niger biomass filtrate and the anticancer potential of synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) tested with a Human Cervical cancer cell line (HeLa cells: Henrietta Lacks cells). The nitrate reduction test demonstrated that A. niger has the ability to reduce nitrate, and filtrate derived from A. niger biomass efficiently fabricated AgNPs from AgNO3, as demonstrated by a visible color change from pale greenish to brownish. The UV–visible spectroscopy analysis revealed an absorbance peak at 435 nm, which corresponded to the AgNPs. These AgNPs have been capped and stabilized with several functional groups related to various bioactive molecules such as aldehyde, benzene rings, aldehydic, amines, alcohols, and carbonyl stretch protein molecules. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the capping and stabilizing chemical bonding pattern. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed that the synthesized AgNPs were spherical, with an average size of 21.38 nm. This bio-fabricated AgNPs has in-vitro anticancer potential when tested against the HeLa cell line due to its potential size and shape. At 100 g mL?1 concentrations of this bio-fabricated AgNPs, the anticancer activity percentage was found to be 70.2%, and the IC50 value was found to be 66.32 g m?1. These findings demonstrated that the metal-tolerant A. niger cell filtrate could produce AgNPs with anticancer potential
Processing of household waste via hydrothermal gasification and hydrothermal liquefaction for bio-oil and bio-hydrogen production: Comparison with RSM studies
No full text[[abstract]]This study focuses on bio-hydrogen production from household mixed waste via hydrothermal gasification (HTG) and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) experiments. HTG and HTL studies were performed at temperature 280–420 °C and 280–360 °C, catalyst of 1–5 wt% and varying solvent proportion. Bentonite/Nb-TiO2 catalyst was synthesized via sol-gel method. Maximum hydrogen yield from HTL was 26 wt% (catalyst load: 3 wt%) and HTG was 39 wt% (catalyst load: 4 wt%) for solvent to waste ratio of 13.33 mL/g, ethanol to water ratio of 1:1 and time of 60 min. Enhanced hydrogen yield in the HTG process was via gas water shift, methanation and reforming reactions in the system due to ethanol as half-solvent and optimum solvent to biomass load. Second product from HTL process was bio-oil which resulted in yield of 33 wt% with O/C and H/C values of 0.1 and 0.95 with HHV of 34.74 MJ/kg. Mechanistic reactions like depolymerisation, hydration, reduction and hydrolysis reaction in the HTL system resulted in higher proportion of gaseous product. Optimization studies showed that temperature and solvent to waste ratio are the desired variables in the hydrogen production process. This study provides support for energy nexuses from household mixed waste
Adjuvant Radiotherapy Is Associated with an Increase in the Survival of Old (Aged over 80 Years) and Very Old (Aged over 90 Years) Women with Breast Cancer Receiving Breast-Conserving Surgery
No full text[[abstract]]This study is the first to examine the effect of adjuvant whole-breast radiotherapy (WBRT) on oncologic outcomes such as all-cause death, locoregional recurrence (LRR), and distant metastasis (DM) in old (aged ?80 years) and very old (aged ?90 years) women with breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) receiving breast-conserving surgery. After propensity score matching, adjuvant WBRT was associated with decreases in all-cause death, LRR, and DM in old and very old women with IDC compared with no use of adjuvant WBRT. Background: To date, no data on the effect of adjuvant whole-breast radiotherapy (WBRT) on oncologic outcomes, such as all-cause death, locoregional recurrence (LRR), and distant metastasis (DM), are available for old (aged ?80 years) and very old (?90 years) women with breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) receiving breast-conserving conservative surgery (BCS). Patients and Methods: We enrolled old (?80 years old) and very old (?90 years old) women with breast IDC who had received BCS followed by adjuvant WBRT or no adjuvant WBRT. We grouped them based on adjuvant WBRT status and compared their overall survival (OS), LRR, and DM outcomes. To reduce the effects of potential confounders when comparing all-cause mortality between the groups, propensity score matching was performed. Results: Overall, 752 older women with IDC received BCS followed by adjuvant WBRT, and 752 with IDC received BCS with no adjuvant WBRT. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of all-cause death for adjuvant WBRT compared with no adjuvant WBRT in older women with IDC receiving BCS was 0.56 (0.44-0.70). The aHRs (95% CIs) of LRR and DM for adjuvant WBRT were 0.29 (0.19-0.45) and 0.45 (0.32-0.62), respectively, compared with no adjuvant WBRT. Conclusions: Adjuvant WBRT was associated with decreases in all-cause death, LRR, and DM in old (aged ?80 years) and very old (aged ?90 years) women with IDC compared with no adjuvant WBRT
從優惠性差別待遇談台灣原住民就業保障
No full text[[abstract]]臺灣組成份子相當多元，除了原住民族之外，尚有來自於各地之移民與新住民。面對不同族群之文化差異，往往族群間之問題，攸關社會秩序之穩定與發展。為此，如何兼顧不同族群權益，考驗著國家統治正當性的基礎。憲法增修條文第10條第11項明文要求國家「肯定多元文化」，然而於社會發展過程中，相關政策的推動而導致原住民族於生活、經濟與既有文化受到衝擊，甚至因族群偏見或歧視而產生相對剝奪感。面對此等不利處境，如何提昇其社會、經濟地位以符合憲法上肯定多元文化之預設？國家勢必要有更積極之作為。而在保護原住民族之脈絡下，憲法增修條文第10條第12項更要求國家應「保障扶助並促其發展」，進而國家須透過具體建制因應之。考量工作乃促進自立發展之關鍵，因此保障就業即成為維繫原住民族地位並促進其發展之關鍵。然而該如何立論並賦予其正當性？本文藉由「優惠性差別待遇」（Affirmative action）概念進行探討，同時透過釋憲實務見解檢視現行法制相關規定，並從中思考如何強化對其之就業保障，積極落實前開憲法明文之要求。[[abstract]]Equality is the basic Principle guaranteed by the Constitution. If there is a different treatment between races or people, we need to check if the treatment meets the requirement of the principle of equality. Indigenous peoples are equal in dignity and rights to other people. But from their special status, they still need different protection for their development and growth. It's considered that the practice of Indigenous People Employment Rights Protection Act gives advantage to indigenous people; due to the special regulations of the act, which results in the priority for indigenous people on employment. This article focuses on the issue of the right to work for protection of indigenous peoples under the concept of affirmative action. In order to understand the concept, this article observes the theory and constitutional interpretations No. 719. Under the context, it also compares with the development of affirmative action in the United Sates. Through the comparative analysis, this article provides some advice for legislation or law reform in the future
An Informational Theory of the Dynamic Value of the Firm
No full text[[abstract]]This paper formulates an informational theory of the evolving value of the firm under uncertainties and unknowns in the future payoff structures. In general, the horizon of business firms would last for an indefinitely long period of time, and events in the considerably far future are intrinsically unknown. The existing study of indefinite horizon firms often relies on the assumption of time-invariant structures for the derivation of an optimal solution. In this paper, information about the firm’s future payoffs will be revealed as time goes by. The firm will revise its strategies accordingly, and the process will continue indefinitely. This new approach for the analysis of infinite horizon firms via information updating provides a more realistic and practical alternative to the study of the dynamic value of the firm. Finally, information-based option pricing formulae and non-random walks and cycles in asset price can also be generated with this theory
pH/redox-responsive core cross-linked based prodrug micelle for enhancing micellar stability and controlling delivery of chemo drugs: An effective combination drug delivery platform for cancer therapy
No full text[[abstract]]Core-crosslinking of micelles (CCMs) appears to be a favorable strategy to enhance micellar stability and sustained release of the loaded drug. In this study, the DOX-conjugated pH-sensitive polymeric prodrug Methoxy Poly (ethylene oxide)-b-Poly (Aspartate-Hydrazide) (mPEG-P [Asp-(Hyd-DOX)] was created using ring-opening polymerization. To further enhance the micellar system, 3,3′-diselanediyldipropanoic acid (DSeDPA) was applied to link the hydrophobic segment via click reaction to form pH/redox-responsive CCMs. Dual anti-cancer drugs, DOX as a pro-drug and SN-38 as a targeting drug, were used to enhance inhibition. DLS confirmed that the non-cross-linked micelle (NCMs) showed a higher (96.43 nm) particle size compared to the CCMs (72.63 nm). Due to micellar shrinkage after crosslinking, CCMs displayed SN-38 drug loading (7.32 %) and encapsulation efficiency (86.23 %). The mPEG-P(Asp-Hyd) copolymer's in vitro cytotoxicity on HeLa and HaCaT cell lines found that 84.52 % of the cells are alive, and zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae are highly biocompatible. The DOX/SN-38@CCMs had a sustained discharge profile in vitro, unlike the DOX/SN-38@NCMs. In DOX/SN-38@CCMs, HeLa cells were inhibited 50.90 % more than HaCaT (14.25 %) at the maximum drug dose (10 μg/mL). The CCMs successfully targeted and supplied DOX/SN-38 in HeLa cells rather than HaCaT cells, based on cellular uptake of 2D cell culture. CCMs, unlike NCMs, inhibit the growth of spheroids for extended periods of time due to the prolonged release of the loaded drug. Overall, CCMs are good-looking for use as regulated delivery of DOX/SN-38 in cancer cells because of all of these appealing characteristics