1,150 research outputs found
Pseudolitochira taiwang Ng & Lin 2023, n. sp.
No full text<i>Pseudolitochira taiwang</i> n. sp. <p>(Figs. 1D, 6, 7)</p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> <i>Holotype</i>: female (11.2 × 8.1 mm) (NMMBCD5627), Badouzi, Keelung County, Taiwan, coll. SCUBA, C.-W. Lin, 27 July 2016.</p> <p> <b>Other material examined.</b> 1 female (11.0 × 7.6 mm) (RUMF-ZC-7770), Sesoko Island, Okinawa Island, Ryukyus, Japan, <i>ca</i>. 1.0 m, coll. T. Maenosono, 25 December 2022; 1 male (8.5 × 5.9 mm) (ZRC 2023.0031, ex RUMF-ZC-7523), subtidal, off Kudaka island, Nanjo, Okinawa Island, Ryukyus, Japan, coll. Okinawa Prefecture Environment Center, T. Saito, 21 May 2021.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> Carapace transversely ovate, width 1.38 times length (Fig. 6A, B); surface covered with short fine pubescence, frontal and anterolateral margins with dense, long silk-like pubescence, those lining postfrontal ridge relatively shorter, plumose (Figs. 1D, 6A, C); external orbital tooth low, barely separated from very low first anterolateral tooth, margin appears granulate, second anterolateral tooth distinct but short, lateral margins lined with denticles, last anterolateral tooth small, directed laterally (Fig. 6B); posterior margin of epistome with median lobe low, broadly triangular, lateral margin gently concave (Fig. 6C, E). Third maxilliped with short, subquadrate ischium, merus quadrate, subdistal margin with low granules (Fig. 6D). Chelipeds homochelous, chela with fingers about three-quarters length of palm, outer surface covered with granules and long setae obscuring margins (Fig. 6A, G). Ambulatory legs with merus and propodus distinctly short, stout, lined with dense long silk-like setae (Fig. 6A, H). Vulvae large, ovate, on proximal half of sternite 6, positioned close to median part of sternite 6, opening obliquely (Fig. 6F).</p> <p> <b>Colour in life.</b> Carapace, chelipeds and ambulatory legs orangish-red with long setae bright yellow; distal twothirds of fingers black (Fig. 1D).</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The name is an arbitrary combination of the name Taiwan with Wang Chia-Hsiang. Chia-Hsiang, who passed away in 2022, was the first author’s oldest friend in Taiwan, and a valued colleague beyond measure. He encouraged many generations of young people to pursue carcinology and bring the community in the island together. That the species is found in Taiwan and Okinawa is also providence, it was there where Chia-Hsiang and the first author first met a lifetime ago. The name is used as a noun in apposition.</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> With regards to the dense and long silk-like setae on the carapace and armature of the anterolateral carapace teeth, <i>Pseudolitochira taiwang</i> <b>n. sp.</b> most closely resembles <i>P. lanuginosus</i> (Klunzinger, 1913) from the Red Sea, but <i>P. taiwang</i> <b>n. sp.</b> is a distinctly larger species with the adult holotype female measuring 11.2 × 8.1 mm (adult females of <i>P. lanuginosus</i> already mature at 5.4 × 3.5 mm and ovigerous at 5.1 × 3.5 mm); the carapace is higher with the dorsal surface prominently convex (Fig. 6A, C) (carapace relatively lower in <i>P. lanuginosus</i>; Ng & Clark 2022b: fig. 1A, B); and the merus of the third maxilliped is proportionately smaller (Fig. 6D) (distinctly larger in <i>P. lanuginosus</i>; Ng & Clark 2022b: fig. 2D).</p> <p> <i>Pseudolitochira taiwang</i> <b>n. sp.</b> is also close to <i>P. crinita</i> Ng & Clark, 2022a, from Papua New Guinea. It can, however, easily be separated by the setae on the carapace and legs being much denser (Figs. 1D, 6A) (setae less dense in <i>P. crinita</i>; Ng & Clark 2022a: fig. 2b); the carapace is more hexagonal with the posterolateral margins slightly concave to almost straight (Fig. 6A, B) (carapace transversely ovate with the posterolateral margins gently convex in <i>P. crinita</i>; Ng & Clark 2022a: figs. 2b, 5e); the dorsal surface of the carapace is distinctly higher and more convex in frontal view (Fig. 6A, C) (dorsal surface relatively lower in <i>P. crinita</i>; Ng & Clark 2022a: fig. 5f, g); the anterolateral carapace margin has the first anterolateral spine low, with the next two spines more prominent, the junction with the posterolateral margin marked by a spine (Fig. 6B) (with only two very low spines, the junction with the posterolateral margin being rounded in <i>P. crinita</i>; Ng & Clark 2022a: fig. 5e); the merus of the third maxilliped is proportionately smaller (Fig. 6D) (larger in <i>P. crinita</i>; Ng & Clark 2022a: figs. 5h, 7c); and the merus of the fourth ambulatory leg is proportionately shorter (Fig. 6H) (merus distinctly longer in <i>P. crinita</i>; Ng & Clark 2022a: fig. 6g).</p> <p> <i>Pseudolitochira taiwang</i> <b>n. sp.</b> closely resembles <i>H. setosus</i> (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873) from New Caledonia, especially with regards to the pattern of setation (cf. A. Milne-Edwards 1873: 267–268). The latter species is poorly known and although often reported from various parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans (<i>e</i>. <i>g</i>., see Poupin 2010; Trivedi <i>et al.</i> 2018), it has never been redescribed to modern standards. The figures of the species are relatively accurate, and the first author has examined photographs of four dried syntypes in the Muséum national d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris. The species was originally described in <i>Carcinoplax</i> H. Milne Edwards, 1852, but was referred to <i>Heteropilumnus</i> by Balss (1933). The figure of the frontal part of the cephalothorax of <i>H. setosus</i> by A. Milne-Edwards (1873: pl. 12 fig. 2a) is diagnostic and shows the posterior margin of the epistome entire, without any lateral clefts or lobes: a diagnostic character of <i>Pseudolitochira</i>. As such, <i>Carcinoplax setosa</i> A. Milne-Edwards, 1873, is here also transferred to <i>Pseudolitochira</i>. <i>Pseudolitochira taiwang</i> <b>n. sp.</b> can be distinguished from <i>P. setosa</i> by its relatively narrower carapace (width to length ratio 1.38 versus 1.50; Fig. 6A, B versus A. Milne-Edwards, 1873: pl. 12 fig. 2); the last anterolateral carapace tooth is spiniform (Fig. 6B) (dentiform in <i>P. setosa</i>; A. Milne-Edwards 1873: pl. 12 fig. 2); the posterolateral margins are more convergent towards the posterior carapace margin (Fig. 6A, B) (more divergent in <i>P. setosa</i>; A. Milne-Edwards 1873: pl. 12 fig. 2); the median lobe of the posterior margin of the epistome is relatively lower (Fig. 6C, E) (more produced in <i>P. setosa</i>; A. Milne-Edwards 1873: pl. 12 fig. 2a); and the merus of the fourth ambulatory leg is distinctly shorter (Fig. 6A, H) (more elongate in <i>P. setosa</i>; A. Milne-Edwards 1873: pl. 12 fig. 2).</p> <p> The specimen identified as “ <i>Heteropilumnus longisetum</i> Davie & Humpherys, 1997 ” (type locality Western Australia) by Maenosono (2023: 165) (RUMF-ZC-7770) from Sesoko Island, Okinawa, Ryukyus, Japan, is clearly identical to <i>P. taiwang</i> <b>n. sp.</b> The figures of the specimen (Maenosono 2023: figs. 1, 2) agree with the type female in all aspects. There is also a male specimen (ZRC 2023.0031) from Okinawa that agrees with the rest of the material in all non-sexual aspects; its male pleon and gonopods are here figured (Fig. 7E–I). Compared to <i>P. maenosonoi</i>, the only congener in which males are known, the G1 is distinctly more sinuous with the distal part more elongate and directed laterally (Fig. 7F–H) (G1 less sinuous with the distal part gently curved and not elongate in <i>P. maenosonoi</i>; cf. Ng & Clark, 2022a: fig. 7e–g).</p> <p> <b>Biology.</b> The type specimen was found under a rock with a soft, muddy substrate.</p>Published as part of <i>Ng, Peter K. L. & Lin, Chia-Wei, 2023, Two new species of hairy crabs (Pilumnidae) and the first record of Crinitocinus alcocki (Borradaile, 1900) (Acidopsidae) (Crustacea: Brachyura) from Taiwan, pp. 101-114 in Zootaxa 5297 (1)</i> on pages 106-111, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.1.5, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7989367">http://zenodo.org/record/7989367</a>
Supplementary Material - Lipoxin A<sub>4</sub> Suppresses Estrogen-Induced Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition via ALXR-Dependent Manner in Endometriosis
No full textSupplementary Material for Lipoxin A4 Suppresses Estrogen-Induced Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition via ALXR-Dependent Manner in Endometriosis by Rong-Feng Wu, Zhi-Xiong Huang, Jing Ran, Song-Juan Dai, Dian-Chao Lin, Tai-Wei Ng, Qing-Xi Chen, and Qiong-Hua Chen in Reproductive Sciences</p
Effect of different coupling agents in covalent enzyme immobilization on kenaf micro fibre (pdf author Ng Lin Cieh)
No full textEnzyme immobilization by covalent binding is a technique that localizes the enzymes on a support material through the formation of covalent bonds, with retained catalytic activity. Covalent immobilization is popular for minimizing leaching of the immobilized enzymes. Therefore, using covalently immobilized enzymes enables repeated uses of the biocatalyst. It also allows easier separation between the products and the immobilized enzymes. However, many conventional support matrixes used for enzyme immobilization requires high cost. This causes the use of immobilized enzymes in industries to be less preferable. To solve this problem, researches are needed to find out alternative support materials which are more economical for industrial applications. In order to ensure the optimum performance of the immobilized enzymes in industrial operations, it is also required to study the effect of coupling agents (spacer arms and ligands) on the properties of the immobilized enzymes. Hence the objectives in this research are to study the potential of bleached kenaf bast micro fibre as the support matrix for covalent immobilization of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) and also to investigate the effect of different spacer arms and ligands on the properties of the immobilized CGTase. In this study, raw kenaf bast fibre was firstly bleached. After that, CGTase from Bacillus macerans was immobilized on the bleached kenaf bast micro fibre with the use of different coupling agents. Hexamethylenediamine, HMDA and Ethylenediamine, EDA were used as the spacer arms, while glutaraldehyde, GA and o-phthalaldehyde, OPA were used as the ligands. This is followed by determination of the immobilized CGTases properties such as storage stability and reusability. From the results, when 55.6 U/mL of free CGTase was initially added during immobilization, the recovered activity of immobilized CGTases are in the range of 0.16 to 0.24 U/(mg fibre). Besides, a shift in optimum temperature was also detected from 60oC (free CGTase) to 70oC (immobilized CGTases). This indicates that the thermal stability for the immobilized CGTases are higher when compared to free CGTase. For storage stability at 60oC, CGTase immobilized with ethylenediamine and o-phthalaldehyde, has retained 60% of its initial activity after 15 days of storage. This highest stability was confirmed by its lowest deactivation constant, kd (0.0361 day-1). However for reusability, CGTase immobilized using ethylenediamine and glutaraldehyde retains the highest residual activity (72.72%) after 12 cycles of batch reaction. From this study, the potential of bleached kenaf bast micro fibre has been confirmed since it can enhance the performance of all the immobilized CGTase, regardless of the coupling agents used. In addition, the present study has also proven the importance of selecting suitable coupling agents as they have different effect on the properties of the immobilized enzymes
Vascular endothelial growth factor restores delayed tumor progression in tumors depleted of macrophages
No full textGenetic depletion of macrophages in Polyoma Middle T oncoprotein (PyMT)-induced mammary tumors in mice delayed the angiogenic switch and the progression to malignancy. To determine whether vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) produced by tumor-associated macrophages regulated the onset of the angiogenic switch, a genetic approach was used to restore expression of VEGF-A into tumors at the benign stages. This stimulated formation of a high-density vessel network and in macrophage-depleted mice, was followed by accelerated tumor progression. The expression of VEGF-A led to a massive infiltration into the tumor of leukocytes that were mostly macrophages. This study suggests that macrophage-produced VEGF regulates malignant progression through stimulating tumor angiogenesis, leukocytic infiltration and tumor cell invasion
Psammoecus taiwanensis Ng & Lin 2023, sp. nov.
No full textPsammoecus taiwanensis sp. nov. (Figs. 1A, 2, 3 and 4 A-C) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 549E3797-8024-4C89-A13C-547166490EAA Type series: Holotype: male, Sungkang, Jing Ying Village, Ren-ai Township, 2-VII-2014, T. Yoshida leg. (NMNS, male genitalia illustrated). Paratypes: TAIWAN: [New Taipei City] 1 female & 1 ex., Wulai District, 4-VI-1970, Y. Hori leg. (EUMJ). [Yilan County] 2 exs, Fushan Botanical Garden, Yuanshan Township, 25-27-IX-2000, L. Papp, L. Peregovits & L. Ronkay leg., at light (HNHM; studied by MK); 2 exs, Cueifong Lake, Nan-ao Township, alt. 1950 m, 1-IV-2004, T. Kurihara leg. (ELKU). [Nantou County] 1 ex., Gaofeng, 7-8- V-2009, J. Aoki leg. (ELKU); 3 males, 1 female & 2 exs, Tun-yuan-trail, Jing Ying Village, Ren-ai Township, 1-VII-2014, T. Yoshida leg. (ELKU); 3 exs, same locality, 6-VII-2014, T. Yoshida leg. (ELKU); 10 exs, same data as holotype. (ELKU); 1 male, Tsiufeng, Ren-ai Township, 10-VII-1966, H. Kamiya leg. (KUM). [Chiayi County] 1 ex., Alishan, Alishan Township, 1-VIII-1968, K. Y. leg. (ELKU); 1 ex., Fenchihu, Zhuqi Township, 22-VII-1966, H. Kamiya leg. (KUM); 2 exs, same locality, 23-VII-1966, H. Kamiya leg. (KUM); 1 ex., same locality, 24-VII-1966, H. Kamiya leg. (KUM); 1 ex., same locality, 22-VI-1968, M. Tomokuni leg. (EUMJ). [Kaohsiung City] 1 ex., Shanping, Liouguei District, 20-21-III-1980, T. Niisato leg. (EUMJ); 1 ex., Mt. Su-shan (Shi Shan) near Liouguei, Taoyuan © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan District, 25-IV-1986, K. Baba leg. (KUM). Etymology: The specific name is derived from Taiwan, the type locality of the new species. Diagnosis: This species resembles P. piceus Grouvelle, 1882; it is distinguished by the distal portions of parameres bearing dense short pubescence, in comparison with distal portions of parameres bearing only two apical setae in P. piceus. This species also resembles P. harmandi but is easily distinguished by the presence of a row of long erect setae along each lateral elytral margin, the expanded anterior angles of pronotum and the stick-shaped and elongate parameres (cone-shaped and stout in P. harmandi) (Figs. 3 and 4). Description: Body length: 2.83-3.43 mm (n = 20). Coloration: (Figs. 1A and 2). Head and pronotum dark brown. Elytra somewhat lighter colored, with a quadrate black macula on each elytron at middle, connected by narrow horizontal band at posterior 1/3, round maculae at posterior 1/4, connected to lateral margins, darkened around humeri and end of elytra. Antennae dark brown, 7th and/or 8th to 10th antennomere darker, 11th (apex) yellowish-brown. Head: (Fig. 2A and B). Wide, HW/HL 1.28- 1.43; IE/HL 0.86-0.98. Temples somewhat enlarged behind eyes, narrowed gradually toward basis. Eyes of moderate size, slightly prominent. Dorsal surface with coarse punctation. Antennae long; antennomeres with pubescence of moderate to large length; distal portion of 7th to 10th and entire 11th antennomeres with short pubescence, very dense on 8th to 11th antennomeres; approximate ratios of antennomere lengths of holotype as follows: 2.6: 1.0: 1.2: 1.3: 1.3: 1.5: 1.4: 1.2: 1.1: 1.0: 1.7. Pronotum: (Figs. 2A, B and 4B). Subquadrate, widest near anterior margin, straightly narrowed toward base, lateral margins slightly flattened; lateral areas of basis somewhat flattened, PW/ PL 1.18-1.27. Punctation on pronotal disk as on vertex; pubescence composed of numerous setae of moderate length, very long setae on teeth of lateral margins and anterior and posterior angles (Fig. 4B). Anterior angle with two small teeth and few small tubercles; lateral margin with some very small teeth, anterior tooth largest; posterior angle with small tooth (Fig. 4B). Elytra: (Figs. 2A and 4C). Elongate-oval, EW/BL 0.40-0.45. Rows of punctures wider than interstices. Pubescence composed of numerous semi-erect setae of medium length, some very long, erect setae along each lateral margin, longer toward humeral swelling, with some long setae on lateral margin (Fig. 4C). Male genitalia: (Fig. 3). Spiculum gastrale (Fig. 3A) with long and very thin strut, diverging widely around apex; branches slightly widened, connected by membrane; lateral sclerites elongate, curved inwards around apices, with short and thin strut. Parameres (Fig. 3B) stick-shaped, elongate, depressed at base, protruding dorsally at inner basal angles, narrowed at basal 1/3 to 2/3, dorsally densely punctate, punctures of various size on basal 1/3, with a short seta on each inner margin of basal 1/3, dorsally densely with short setae on distal 1/2 or 1/3 to apices, with a long seta and a very long seta on each apex. Phallobase (Fig. 3B) long, upper layer deeply and widely incised at distal 1/3, with incision covered by a membrane, lower layer thin, extending toward base. Penis (Fig. 3B) long, sub-parallel, gradually narrowed around apex, with rounded protrusion at apex, finely punctate near apex. Internal sac recurved around apex, with a thin ringed structure and a thin apical strut, densely armed with numerous spines on apical half near space of the ringed structure, with two spinous parallel armed lines around middle, with dense, minute spines near middle. © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan Distribution: Taiwan. Remarks: This new species is distributed in high altitudes of Taiwan and occurs sympatrically with P. harmandi. On Tun-yuan-trail, the species was collected from dead leaves of broad-leaved trees.Published as part of Yoshida 1, Takahiro, Karner, Michael & Hirowatari, Toshiya, 2018, A Revision of Taiwanese Species in the Genus Psammoecus Latreille (Coleoptera, Silvanidae), pp. 1-18 in Zoological studies 57 (18) on pages 2-6, DOI: 10.6620/ZS.2018.57-18, http://zenodo.org/record/806433
Next-Generation Sequencing: Application in Liver Cancer—Past, Present and Future?
No full textHepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the third most deadly malignancy worldwide characterized by phenotypic and molecular heterogeneity. In the past two decades, advances in genomic analyses have formed a comprehensive understanding of different underlying pathobiological layers resulting in hepatocarcinogenesis. More recently, improvements of sophisticated next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have enabled complete and cost-efficient analyses of cancer genomes at a single nucleotide resolution and advanced into valuable tools in translational medicine. Although the use of NGS in human liver cancer is still in its infancy, great promise rests in the systematic integration of different molecular analyses obtained by these methodologies, i.e., genomics, transcriptomics and epigenomics. This strategy is likely to be helpful in identifying relevant and recurrent pathophysiological hallmarks thereby elucidating our limited understanding of liver cancer. Beside tumor heterogeneity, progress in translational oncology is challenged by the amount of biological information and considerable “noise” in the data obtained from different NGS platforms. Nevertheless, the following review aims to provide an overview of the current status of next-generation approaches in liver cancer, and outline the prospects of these technologies in diagnosis, patient classification, and prediction of outcome. Further, the potential of NGS to identify novel applications for concept clinical trials and to accelerate the development of new cancer therapies will be summarized
Is fiber the catalyst for growth of the mobile wireless network?
No full textThis paper will focus on how the growth of the mobile wireless technology can be supported by optical fiber, through wireless over fiber technologies. The paper will include recent advances in the field of fiber-wireless convergence such as cloud-based radio-over-fiber (RoF), point-to-point RoF system and millimeter wave network architectures. The advances in the mobile networks to meet the demand of mobile broadband, is driving the size of the cells to reduce. These small cells will be a prominent feature in the next generation 4G and 5G technologies and these cells must be connected with a high speed backbone. RoF offers a technology for seamless link between the small cells and macrocells. Therefore the convergence of mobile wireless and optical fiber will be essential to accommodate the growth of bandwidth requirements, thus enabling a high speed channel at the access network
Media literacy of government leaders in the e-government era
No full textWith the development of globalization and information technology, the process of government management is become more and more digital. E-government has become an inevitable choice of public management, leading to the high demand for media literacy of government leaders. Leaders should not only have high levels of professional ability and moral quality, but also need excellent media literacy to spread the latest thoughts of government leadership. Media literacy of government leaders includes three parts: network governance (NG), propaganda on party building and regulate the network of democracy. Based on the investigation of current government leaders' media literacy, the author finds that government leaders' media literacy still needs to be further improved. This paper provides the following recommendations: (1) adhering to people-oriented ideology, (2) perfecting the training and appointive mechanism of government leaders, (3)combine government leaders' media literacy with human resource management process (e.g. selection, recruitment, performance evaluation), (4)strengthen the party's construction and management of media
GENERATIVE DESIGN WITH COST INPUTS FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT BOARD PROJECTS
No full textBachelor'sBACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PROJECT AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
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