Comparison of thermal alkaline pretreatment and zinc acetate-catalyzed methanolysis (MtOH-ZnOAc) for anaerobic digestion of bioplastic waste.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of thermal alkaline pretreatment and zinc acetate-catalyzed methanolysis (MtOH-ZnOAc) in biogas production from bioplastic in anaerobic digestion. The pretreated bioplastic with MtOH-ZnOAc performs efficient solubilization and produced 205.7 ± 6.9 mL/g CODadded, which is higher than thermal alkaline degradation. The mesophilic condition produces more than 79% higher biogas compared with the thermophilic condition with the diluted pretreated bioplastic by 30 times. The kinetic study was well fit the experimental data and showed the correlation between cumulative biogas, production rate, and lag phase with mono- and two-stage system in batch fermentation. The two-stage system produced 315.6 ± 7.7 mL/g CODadded which was higher 67.2 ± 2.02 than the mono-stage system. Methanosaetaceae predominates among the Archaea, which are primarily responsible for methanogenesis, showing a contribution to a higher biogas production rate.

Explainable analytics: understanding causes, correcting errors, and achieving increasingly perfect accuracy from the nature of distinguishable patterns.

In addition to pursuing accurate analytics, it is invaluable to clarify how and why inaccuracy exists. We propose a transparent classification (TC) method. In training, data consist of positive and negative observations. To obtain positive patterns, we find the intersection between each of the two positive observations. The negative patterns are obtained in the same manner. Next, pure positive and pure negative patterns are established by selecting patterns that appear in only one type. In testing, such pure positive and pure negative patterns are used for scoring observations. Next, an observation is classified as positive if its positive score is not zero or if both its positive and negative scores are zero; otherwise, it is classified as negative. By experiment, TC can identify all positive (e.g., malignant) observations at low ratios of training to testing data, e.g., 1:9 using the Breast Cancer Wisconsin (Original) and 3:7 using the Contraceptive Method Choice. Without fine-tuned parameters and random selection, the uncertainty of the methodology is eliminated when using TC. TC can visualize causes, and therefore, prediction errors in a network are traceable and can be corrected. Furthermore, TC shows potential in identifying whether the ground truth is incorrect (e.g., identifying diagnostic errors).

Enhanced photocurrent density for photoelectrochemical catalyzing water oxidation using novel W-doped BiVO4 and metal organic framework composites.

Doping heteroatoms and decorating co-catalyst are intensively applied to improve photocatalytic ability of BiVO4. In this study, it is the first time to design W-doped BiVO4 coupling MIL-101(Fe) as photocatalyst for water oxidation using electrodeposition and hydrothermal processes. Similar system with Mo as dopant has been reported, but the dopant plays important roles on electrochemical performance. It is worthy to study the efficient system with different dopant. Doping amount of W is optimized to achieve high carrier density without creating serious recombination sites. MIL-101(Fe) is decorated on W-doped BiVO4 to suppress surface recombination, create accessible active sites and improve water oxidation kinetics. Optimized W-doped BiVO4/MIL-101(Fe) electrode shows a high photocurrent density of 4.00 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE) under air mass 1.5-global simulated light illumination without hole scavenger in electrolyte, due to large electrochemical surface area, high carrier density and small charge-transfer resistance. The W-doped BiVO4 and BiVO4 electrodes merely show photocurrent densities of 2.96 and 1.72 mA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE, respectively. Photocurrent retention higher than 95.5% is obtained for W-doped BiVO4/MIL-101 (Fe) electrode under continuous illumination for 6300 s, suggesting lasting photocatalytic ability of this novel W-doped BiVO4/MIL-101(Fe) electrode.

Electrochemical Imaging of Endothelial Permeability Using a Large-Scale Integration-Based Device.

It is important to clarify the transport of biomolecules and chemicals to tissues. Herein, we present an electrochemical imaging method for evaluating the endothelial permeability. In this method, the diffusion of electrochemical tracers, [Fe(CN)6]4-, through a monolayer of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was monitored using a large-scale integration-based device containing 400 electrodes. In conventional tracer-based assays, tracers that diffuse through an HUVEC monolayer into another channel are detected. In contrast, the present method does not employ separated channels. In detail, a HUVEC monolayer is immersed in a solution containing [Fe(CN)6]4- on the device. As [Fe(CN)6]4- is oxidized and consumed at the packed electrodes, [Fe(CN)6]4- begins to diffuse through the monolayer from the bulk solution to the electrodes and the obtained currents depend on the endothelial permeability. As a proof-of-concept, the effects of histamine on the monolayer were monitored. Also, an HUVEC monolayer was cocultured with cancer spheroids, and the endothelial permeability was monitored to evaluate the metastasis of the cancer spheroids. Unlike conventional methods, the device can provide spatial information, allowing the interaction between the monolayer and the spheroids to be monitored. The developed method is a promising tool for organs-on-a-chip and drug screening in vitro.

Renal Function-Dependent Associations of Statins with Outcomes of Ischemic Stroke.

AIM: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. One major metabolic derangement of CKD is dyslipidemia, which can be managed by statins. This study aimed to investigate whether the association of statins with post-stroke outcomes would be affected by renal function. METHODS: We evaluated the association of statin therapy at discharge with 3-month outcomes according to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 50,092 patients with acute ischemic stroke from the Taiwan Stroke Registry from August 2006 to May 2016. The outcomes were mortality, functional outcome as modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and recurrent ischemic stroke at 3 months after index stroke. RESULTS: Statin therapy at discharge was associated with lower risks of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34 to 0.50) and unfavorable functional outcomes (mRS 3-5; aHR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.84) in ischemic stroke patients. After stratification by eGFR, the lower risk of mortality associated with statins was limited to patients with an eGFR above 15 mL/min/1.73 m2. Using statins at discharge was correlated with a lower risk of unfavorable functional outcomes in patients with an eGFR of 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m2. Statin therapy in patients with an eGFR of 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m2 may be associated with a higher risk of recurrent ischemic stroke compared with nonusers (aHR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.57). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute ischemic stroke, the associations of statins with mortality and functional outcomes was dependent on eGFR.

Plasma Exosomal Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Correlated with the Postural Instability and Gait Disturbance-Related Motor Symptoms in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an essential neurotrophin, responsible for neuronal development, function, and survival. Assessments of peripheral blood BDNF in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) previously yielded inconsistent results. Plasma exosomes can carry BDNF, so this study investigated the role of plasma exosomal BDNF level as a biomarker of PD. A total of 114 patients with mild to moderate PD and 42 non-PD controls were recruited, and their clinical presentations were evaluated. Plasma exosomes were isolated with exoEasy Maxi Kits, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to assess plasma exosomal BDNF levels. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 19.0, and findings were considered significant at p < 0.05. The analysis revealed no significant differences in plasma exosomal BDNF levels between patients with PD and controls. Patients with PD with low plasma exosomal BDNF levels (in the lowest quartile) exhibited a significant association with daily activity dysfunction but not with cognition/mood or overall motor symptoms as assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Investigation of UPDRS part III subitems revealed that low plasma exosomal BDNF level was significantly associated with increased motor severity of postural instability and gait disturbance (PIGD)-associated symptoms (rising from a chair, gait, and postural stability) after adjustment for age and sex. In conclusion, although plasma exosomal BDNF level could not distinguish patients with PD from controls, the association with PIGD symptoms in patients with PD may indicate its potential role as a biomarker. Follow-up studies should investigate the association between plasma exosomal BDNF levels and changes in clinical symptoms.

The Association of Serum Testosterone Levels With Recurrence and Mortality After Acute Ischemic Stroke in Males.

The current study aimed to investigate whether low testosterone predicted the recurrence and clinical outcomes after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in males. From June 2015 through August 2017, the study prospectively enrolled 110 male AIS patients. All received detailed evaluations at admission and were followed for at least 1 year. The cumulative incidence, overall survival, length of hospital stay, and the percentage of previous stroke were compared between subjects with testosterone <440 ng/dl and >440 ng/dl. The median age was 62 years (range, 35-93 years). The median serum testosterone at admission was 438 [203] ng/dl (range, 44-816 ng/dl); 55 patients (50%) had testosterone <440 ng/dl and were considered as low testosterone. The median follow-up was 23 months. During the period, 12 recurrences and 10 deaths occurred. The 1-year and 3-year cumulative recurrence rate were 8.3% and 11.9%, respectively; the 1-year and 3-year overall survival were 96.3% and 84.6%, respectively. The cumulative recurrence rates were similar between the two testosterone groups (log-rank test, p = .88). Low testosterone was associated with poor survival with marginal significance (log-rank test, p = .079). Men with low testosterone had a higher percentage of previous stroke (29.1% versus 12.7%, p = .035). The mean lengths of hospital stay were similar between the two testosterone groups (16.6 ± 15.8 days versus 14.0 ± 10.6, p = .31). Total testosterone at admission fails to predict stroke recurrence. However, men with low testosterone at admission are more likely to have previous stroke and may have a higher all-cause mortality rate after AIS.

Renal function is associated with 1-month and 1-year mortality in patients with ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Renal dysfunction is a potent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of admission estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels on short-term (1-month) and long-term (1-year) mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: From the Taiwan Stroke Registry data, we classified ischemic stroke patients, identified from April 2006 to December 2015, into 5 groups by eGFR at admission: ≥ 90, 60-89, 30-59, 15-29, and <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or on dialysis. Risks of 1-month mortality and 1-year mortality after ischemic stroke were investigated by the eGFR level. RESULTS: Among 52,732 ischemic stroke patients, 1480 died within one month. The 1-month mortality rate was over 5-fold greater in patients with eGFR <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or dialysis than in patients with eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2 (2.88 versus 0.56 per 1000 person-days). The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1-month mortality increased from 1.31 (95% CI = 1.08-1.59) for patients with eGFR 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m2 to 2.33 (95% CI = 1.80-3.02) for patients with eGFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or on dialysis. 3226 patients died within one year. The adjusted HR of mortality increased from 1.38 (95% CI = 1.21-1.59) for patients with eGFR 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m2 to 2.60 (95% CI 2.18-3.10) for patients with eGFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or on dialysis, compared to patients with eGFR ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m2. CONCLUSIONS: After acute ischemic stroke, patients with reduced eGFR are at elevated risks of short-term and long-term deaths in a graded relationship.

The evaluation of trustworthiness to identify health insurance fraud in dentistry.

OBJECTIVE: According to the investigations of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), health insurance fraud has caused an enormous pecuniary loss in the U.S. In Taiwan, in dentistry the problem is getting worse if dentists (authorized entities) file fraudulent claims. Several methods have been developed to solve health insurance fraud; however, these methods are like a rule-based mechanism. Without exploring the behavior patterns, these methods are time-consuming and ineffective; in addition, they are inadequate for managing the fraudulent dentists. METHODS: Based on social network theory, we develop an evaluation approach to solve the problem of cross-dentist fraud. The trustworthiness score of a dentist is calculated based upon the amount and type of dental operations performed on the same patient and the same tooth by that dentist and other dentists. RESULTS: The simulation provides the following evidence. (1) This specific type of fraud can be identified effectively using our evaluation approach. (2) A retrospective study for the claims is also performed. (3) The proposed method is effective in identifying the fraudulent dentists. CONCLUSIONS: We provide a new direction for investigating the genuineness of claims data. If the insurer can detect fraudulent dentists using the traditional method and the proposed method simultaneously, the detection will be more transparent and ultimately reduce the losses caused by fraudulent claims.

Lower leg weakness as the presentation of infective endocarditis with septic emboli.

Lower leg weakness is a common and nonspecific complaint that encompasses a broad differential diagnosis at emergency department, which includes neurologic aspect and a wide range of nonneurologic conditions. Infective endocarditis usually presented with variable symptoms emphasizing constitutional complaints, or complaints that focus on primary cardiac effects or secondary embolic phenomena. Underdiagnosis of the disease can lead to clinical catastrophe and even death. By far, it is rarely considered in the differential diagnosis of lower leg weakness. Herein, we present a case of a 56-year-old man who came to our emergency department with a chief concern of lower leg weakness, which was actually the result of L-spine osteomyelitis and spondylodiscitis as complications of infective endocarditis with septic emboli.

Isolated basilar artery dissection--a rare cause of stroke in young adult.

Syncope accounts for approximately 1% to 2% of emergency department visits each year and up to 6% of hospital admissions [1,2]. The causes of syncope are numerous, from common benign disorders to life-threatening processes including transient ischemic attack and even stroke. Although cervicocerebral artery dissection is an uncommon etiology in ischemic stroke, it is the second leading cause in patients younger than 45 years, and most of them predominantly involved the extracranial artery [3-5]. Dissections of intracranial arteries are increasingly being recognized with advanced imaging study; however, isolated basilar artery dissection (IBAD) is rarely reported. Here, we present a case of a 32-year-old man who presented to our emergency department with the chief complaint of syncope and finally diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke resulted from IBAD.

Multiple cerebral and cerebellar infarcts as the first clinical manifestation in a patient with Churg-Strauss syndrome: case report and literature review.

PURPOSE: Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare autoimmune disease with small-vessel vasculitis. Neurological manifestation of CSS is common. Central nervous system is less frequently involved than that of peripheral nervous system. CASE REPORT: We report a case of 60-year-old man who presented with acute onset of right hemiparesis and impaired cognition. The presence of hypereosinophilia, asthma, sinusitis and extravascular eosinophil accumulation led to the diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndrome. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple infarcts in bilateral cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres. The neurophysiology study did not reveal peripheral neuropathy. The patient was effectively treated with methylprednisolone, cyclophosphamide and warfarin. CONCLUSION: Symptoms and signs of central nervous system can be the initial neurological manifestation of CSS patients. CSS should be considered while patients have stroke and hypereosinophilia. In our patient, there is a good response to timely steroid, immunosuppressant and anticoagulant therapies.

Iron deficiency anemia - a rare etiology of sinus thrombosis in adults.

PURPOSE: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) has a wide spectrum of symptoms and is therefore difficult to diagnose. CVT has been reported to be associated with various etiologies. There are, however, very few reported cases of CVT associated with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), especially in adults. CASE REPORT: We reported the case of a female patient with seizure and hemorrhagic infarction due to sagittal sinus thrombosis. She had severe hypochromic microcytic anemia due to iron deficiency, and had a good prognosis after iron supplementation and oral anticoagulation therapy. CONCLUSION: The present case indicates that iron deficiency is a risk factor for CVT.

Identification of protein domains required for makorin-2-mediated neurogenesis inhibition in Xenopus embryos.

Makorin-2, consisting of four highly conserved C(3)H zinc fingers, a Cys-His motif and a C(3)HC(4) RING zinc finger domain, is a putative ribonucleoprotein. We have previously reported that Xenopus makorin-2 (mkrn2) is a neurogenesis inhibitor acting upstream of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway. In an effort to identify the functional domains required for its anti-neurogenic activity, we designed and constructed a series of N- and C-terminal truncation mutants of mkrn2. Concurred with the full-length mkrn2, we showed that overexpression of one of the truncation mutants mkrn2(s)-7, which consists of only the third C(3)H zinc finger, Cys-His motif and C(3)HC(4) RING zinc finger, is essential and sufficient to produce the phenotypical dorso-posterior deficiencies and small-head/short-tail phenotype in tadpoles. In animal cap explant assay, we further demonstrated that mkrn2(s)-7 not only inhibits activin and retinoic acid-induced animal cap neuralization and the expression of a pan-neural marker neural cell adhesion molecule, but also induces GSK-3beta expression. These results collectively suggest that the third C(3)H zinc finger, Cys-His motif and C(3)HC(4) RING zinc finger are indispensable for the anti-neurogenic activity of mkrn2.

Makorin-2 is a neurogenesis inhibitor downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) signal.

Makorin-2 belongs to the makorin RING zinc finger gene family, which encodes putative ribonucleoproteins. Here we cloned the Xenopus makorin-2 (mkrn2) and characterized its function in Xenopus neurogenesis. Forced overexpression of mkrn2 produced tadpoles with dorso-posterior deficiencies and small-head/short-tail phenotype, whereas knockdown of mkrn2 by morpholino antisense oligonucleotides induced double axis in tadpoles. In Xenopus animal cap explant assay, mkrn2 inhibited activin, and retinoic acid induced animal cap neuralization, as evident from the suppression of a pan neural marker, neural cell adhesion molecule. Surprisingly, the anti-neurogenic activity of mkrn2 is independent of the two major neurogenesis signaling cascades, BMP-4 and Wnt8 pathways. Instead, mkrn2 works specifically through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt-mediated neurogenesis pathway. Overexpression of mkrn2 completely abrogated constitutively active PI3K- and Akt-induced, but not dominant negative glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta)-induced, neural cell adhesion molecule expression, indicating that mkrn2 acts downstream of PI3K and Akt and upstream of GSK-3beta. Moreover, mkrn2 up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of GSK-3beta. These results revealed for the first time the important role of mkrn2 as a new player in PI3K/Akt-mediated neurogenesis during Xenopus embryonic development.

The antidiabetic effects of a dry powder of dietary vegetable and fruit mixtures in diabetic db/db mice.

We evaluated the antidiabetic effects of a mixed vegetable powder-formula I (MVP-FI), which is a dry powder mixture of over 65 kinds of vegetables and fruits, using the db/db type 2 diabetes mouse model. The db/db mice at 8-10 weeks of age were randomly divided into three groups: vehicle treatment, 1.575 g/kg MVP-FI treatment, and 3.15 g/kg MVP-FI treatment. During 12 days of treatment, we measured food intake and body weight changes, fasting blood glucose levels, and plasma lipid levels. Our results showed that the food intake and the body weight of MVP-FI-treated group were decreased gradually. Moreover, the fasting blood glucose level of the treated group was significantly dropped to a normal level comparable to that of the lean mice. Furthermore, we also found that the plasma triglyceride level in the treated group was dropped, whereas the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level was increased and total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio was decreased. Taken together, these results suggest that the diabetic conditions of the db/db mice have been improved after 12 days treatment with MVP-FI. The antihyperglycemic and antiobese activities of the MVP-FI, as demonstrated in the present study, may have important clinical implications for improving the management of type 2 diabetic patients.

Inhibition of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma growth and metastasis in mice by adenovirus-associated virus-mediated expression of human endostatin.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a highly malignant and frequently metastasized tumor. Endostatin has been shown to inhibit NPC growth, but its efficacy against NPC metastasis has not been shown in vivo. Here, we established a NPC metastasis model in mice by transplanting EBV-positive NPC cells, C666-1, in the livers of nude mice and observed lung metastasis. Furthermore, we showed that tail vein injection of recombinant adeno-associated virus encoding human endostatin (rAAV-hEndo) significantly prolonged the median survival rate of NPC metastasis-bearing mice (from 22 to 37 days, P < 0.01). The rAAV-hEndo treatment resulted in a statistically significant reduction in tumor growth and microvessel formation. It also increased the apoptotic index in the primary liver tumor but not in the normal liver tissue. Importantly, no formation of liver or lung metastasis was detected. The potent inhibition of NPC metastasis suggests the feasibility of combining rAAV-hEndo gene therapy with other therapies for the prevention and treatment of NPC metastasis.

Cold-inducible RNA binding protein is required for the expression of adhesion molecules and embryonic cell movement in Xenopus laevis.

We have previously shown that the Xenopus homologue of cold-inducible RNA binding protein, XCIRP-1, is required for the morphogenetic migration of the pronephros during embryonic development. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that XCIRP is essential for embryonic cell movement, as suppression of XCIRP by microinjection of anti-sense mRNA and morpholino antisense oligonucleotides (MOs) significantly reduced protein expression, inhibited the cell migration rate, and inhibited eFGF and activin-induced animal cap elongation. By immunoprecipitation and RT-PCR, we further showed that the mRNA of a panel of adhesion molecules, including alphaE- and beta-catenin, C- and E-cadherin, and paraxial proto-cadherin, are the targets of XCIRP. Consistently, in animal cap explant studies, suppression of XCIRP by MOs inhibited the expression of these adhesion molecules, while over-expression of sense XCIRP-1 mRNA fully rescued this inhibition. Taken together, these results suggest for the first time that XCIRP is required to maintain the expression of adhesion molecules and cell movement during embryonic development.

Ascorbic acid inhibits ROS production, NF-kappa B activation and prevents ethanol-induced growth retardation and microencephaly.

In this study, we established an embryo model to study the effects of ethanol on fetal development. When embryos of Xenopus laevis (the African clawed frog) were exposed to ethanol, the resultant tadpoles had significantly reduced brain sizes (microencephaly) and retarded growth rates. These effects, similar to those observed in human fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), were dose- and time-dependent. We further showed that the antioxidant ascorbic acid (vitamin C) could inhibit the ethanol-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and NF-kappaB activation and protect the ethanol-treated embryos against microencephaly and growth retardation. These results suggest the involvement of NF-kappaB and oxidative stress in ethanol-mediated developmental defects, and the potential use of ascorbic acid as a new and effective protective agent for FAS.