BACKGROUND The incidence of diabetic atherosclerosis(DMA)is increasing worldwide,but its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood.In addition to cardiovascular complications,bladder dysfunction is one of the commo...BACKGROUND The incidence of diabetic atherosclerosis(DMA)is increasing worldwide,but its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood.In addition to cardiovascular complications,bladder dysfunction is one of the common comorbidities associated with DMA but is often refractory to current treatments.AIM To investigate the therapeutic effect of human amniotic fluid stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles(hAFSC-EVs)on the recovery of bladder dysfunction in DMA rats.METHODS Eighty rats were divided into normal control,streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats,diabetic rats subjected to arterial balloon endothelial injury of common iliac artery(DMA),and DMA rats treated with hAFSC-EVs(DMA+hAFSC-EVs).At 4 weeks and 12 weeks after DMA induction,levels of blood glucose,total cholesterol,triglyceride,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,homeostasis model assessment(HOMA)-insulin resistance,and HOMA-βwere measured.Cystometry,common iliac artery wall thickness,and bladder tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-6,transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1,Smad3,connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)and fibronectin were also evaluated.RESULTS Bladder weight and blood glucose,triglyceride,HOMA-insulin resistance,common iliac artery intima thickness,voided volume,intercontraction interval,bladder capacity,and mRNA expression of TNF-α,IL-6,TGF-β1,Smad3,CTGF and fibronectin were significantly increased at 4 weeks and 12 weeks after induction,while the HOMA-βlevel decreased at 4 weeks and 12 weeks,and the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level decreased at 12 weeks.hAFSC-EVs treatment in DMA rats significantly reduced bladder weight and blood glucose,thickness of common iliac arterial intima,voided volume,intercontraction interval and bladder capacity at 4 weeks.The mRNA expression of TNF-α,TGF-β1,and CTGF in DMA rats treated with hAFSC-EVs were significantly decreased at 4 weeks,while the mRNA expressions of IL-6 and Smad3 were significantly decreased 12 weeks.CONCLUSION hAFSC-EVs treatment can help restore DMA-induced bladder dysfunction,which is associated with lowered blood glucose levels,reduced arterial wall thickness,and decreased TNF-α,IL-6,TGF-β1,Smad3,and CTGF expression.展开更多
The advantages of a cloud computing service are cost advantages,availability,scalability,flexibility,reduced time to market,and dynamic access to computing resources.Enterprises can improve the successful adoption rate...The advantages of a cloud computing service are cost advantages,availability,scalability,flexibility,reduced time to market,and dynamic access to computing resources.Enterprises can improve the successful adoption rate of cloud computing services if they understand the critical factors.Tofind critical factors,this studyfirst reviewed the literature and established a three-layer hierarch-ical factor table for adopting a cloud computing service based on the Technology-Organization-Environment framework.Then,a hybrid method that combines two multi-criteria decision-making tools—called the Fuzzy Analytic Network Process method and the concept of VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje acceptable advantage—was used to objectively identify critical factors for the adop-tion of a cloud computing service,replacing the subjective decision of the authors.The results of this study determinedfive critical factors,namely data access secur-ity,information transmission security,senior management support,fallback cloud management,and employee acceptance.Finally,the paper presents thefindings and implications of the study.展开更多
Tuberculosis(TB) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in more than one-third of the world population. Its impact on global health is a result of decades of neglect for such an important infectious disease, la...Tuberculosis(TB) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in more than one-third of the world population. Its impact on global health is a result of decades of neglect for such an important infectious disease, lack of resources for national TB control programs, poor case detection, and inadequate/inappropriate therapy in high-burden countries. The worldwide dissemination of multidrug(MDR) and extensively drug resistant(XDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis poses a serious threat to human health due to inadequacy of long and cumbersome tuberculosis(TB) therapy. Treatment regimens consist of at least four drugs with different mechanisms of action. Several new molecules in clinical development hasencouraged the scientific community to discover new drug targets and new drug candidates. Therefore, new drugs are urgently needed to shorten and improve the treatment course in drug resistant TB, and to minimize the occurrence of new infections and death. Nowadays, various new investigational drugs, such as bedaquine(TMC207), nitroimidazoles(PA-824, OPC-67683), diamines(SQ109), oxazolidinones(Linezolid, PNU-100480(Sutezolid), ADZ5847), pyrroles(LL3858) and fluoroquinolones(moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin), have entered clinical trials and are in progress to be developed for the treatment of MDR-TB. In this perspectivearticle, an overview of the new anti-TB drugs with different structures that are either being clinically used or in advanced stages clinical stages as well as of preclinical development are presented. This review provides snapshots of the efforts that are being made in the development of new drugs as lead anti-TB agents. Finally, it is crucial to improve the connection between research and development institutes, industries, drug contro l authorities, and international policy-making bodies to deliver efficacious therapies for patients who are suffering from TB.展开更多
Stability analysis plays a central role in nonlinear system theory and engineering application. Over the past few years, the stability analysis of fuzzy systems has been proposed and there are many successful applicat...Stability analysis plays a central role in nonlinear system theory and engineering application. Over the past few years, the stability analysis of fuzzy systems has been proposed and there are many successful applications in practical engineering. Therefore, in this paper firstly proposed is the stability analysis on oceanic structure by fuzzy models. In the present study, Takagi-Sugeno （T-S） fuzzy model is proposed for a time delay tension leg platform （TLP） system subjected to an external wave force. In terms of stability analysis, linear matrix inequality （LMI） conditions are derived via Lyapunov theory to guarantee the stability of the TLP system.展开更多
<span style="font-family:Verdana;">The aim of this paper was to serve as a reference for the development of renewable energy sources of energy policy in Taiwan by investigating current barriers to sola...<span style="font-family:Verdana;">The aim of this paper was to serve as a reference for the development of renewable energy sources of energy policy in Taiwan by investigating current barriers to solar energy use. Through a meta-analysis of relevant literature, we </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">classified current barriers into 3 dimensions and 13 criteria. Our selected m</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ethodology was the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DE</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">- </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">MATEL) </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">integrated with the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). This approach enabled us to determine the relationships among the dimensions and criteria. The results indicate the geographical and topographical factors represent the greatest barriers to solar energy development in Taiwan. Our findings serve as a valuable reference for decision-makers both in terms of policy and investment as well as offer a starting point for those working to priority barriers and choose the optimal barrier to the direction </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">sustainable future in solar energy.</span></span></span></span>展开更多
基金the Ministry of Science and Technology Taiwan,No.MOST 109-2314-B-182A-091,No.NSTC 112-2314-B-182A-062, No.NSTC 113-2314-B-182A-125.
文摘BACKGROUND The incidence of diabetic atherosclerosis(DMA)is increasing worldwide,but its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood.In addition to cardiovascular complications,bladder dysfunction is one of the common comorbidities associated with DMA but is often refractory to current treatments.AIM To investigate the therapeutic effect of human amniotic fluid stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles(hAFSC-EVs)on the recovery of bladder dysfunction in DMA rats.METHODS Eighty rats were divided into normal control,streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats,diabetic rats subjected to arterial balloon endothelial injury of common iliac artery(DMA),and DMA rats treated with hAFSC-EVs(DMA+hAFSC-EVs).At 4 weeks and 12 weeks after DMA induction,levels of blood glucose,total cholesterol,triglyceride,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,homeostasis model assessment(HOMA)-insulin resistance,and HOMA-βwere measured.Cystometry,common iliac artery wall thickness,and bladder tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-6,transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1,Smad3,connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)and fibronectin were also evaluated.RESULTS Bladder weight and blood glucose,triglyceride,HOMA-insulin resistance,common iliac artery intima thickness,voided volume,intercontraction interval,bladder capacity,and mRNA expression of TNF-α,IL-6,TGF-β1,Smad3,CTGF and fibronectin were significantly increased at 4 weeks and 12 weeks after induction,while the HOMA-βlevel decreased at 4 weeks and 12 weeks,and the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level decreased at 12 weeks.hAFSC-EVs treatment in DMA rats significantly reduced bladder weight and blood glucose,thickness of common iliac arterial intima,voided volume,intercontraction interval and bladder capacity at 4 weeks.The mRNA expression of TNF-α,TGF-β1,and CTGF in DMA rats treated with hAFSC-EVs were significantly decreased at 4 weeks,while the mRNA expressions of IL-6 and Smad3 were significantly decreased 12 weeks.CONCLUSION hAFSC-EVs treatment can help restore DMA-induced bladder dysfunction,which is associated with lowered blood glucose levels,reduced arterial wall thickness,and decreased TNF-α,IL-6,TGF-β1,Smad3,and CTGF expression.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology(MOST),Taiwan,R.O.C.(104-2410-H-327-024-).
文摘The advantages of a cloud computing service are cost advantages,availability,scalability,flexibility,reduced time to market,and dynamic access to computing resources.Enterprises can improve the successful adoption rate of cloud computing services if they understand the critical factors.Tofind critical factors,this studyfirst reviewed the literature and established a three-layer hierarch-ical factor table for adopting a cloud computing service based on the Technology-Organization-Environment framework.Then,a hybrid method that combines two multi-criteria decision-making tools—called the Fuzzy Analytic Network Process method and the concept of VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje acceptable advantage—was used to objectively identify critical factors for the adop-tion of a cloud computing service,replacing the subjective decision of the authors.The results of this study determinedfive critical factors,namely data access secur-ity,information transmission security,senior management support,fallback cloud management,and employee acceptance.Finally,the paper presents thefindings and implications of the study.
文摘Tuberculosis(TB) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in more than one-third of the world population. Its impact on global health is a result of decades of neglect for such an important infectious disease, lack of resources for national TB control programs, poor case detection, and inadequate/inappropriate therapy in high-burden countries. The worldwide dissemination of multidrug(MDR) and extensively drug resistant(XDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis poses a serious threat to human health due to inadequacy of long and cumbersome tuberculosis(TB) therapy. Treatment regimens consist of at least four drugs with different mechanisms of action. Several new molecules in clinical development hasencouraged the scientific community to discover new drug targets and new drug candidates. Therefore, new drugs are urgently needed to shorten and improve the treatment course in drug resistant TB, and to minimize the occurrence of new infections and death. Nowadays, various new investigational drugs, such as bedaquine(TMC207), nitroimidazoles(PA-824, OPC-67683), diamines(SQ109), oxazolidinones(Linezolid, PNU-100480(Sutezolid), ADZ5847), pyrroles(LL3858) and fluoroquinolones(moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin), have entered clinical trials and are in progress to be developed for the treatment of MDR-TB. In this perspectivearticle, an overview of the new anti-TB drugs with different structures that are either being clinically used or in advanced stages clinical stages as well as of preclinical development are presented. This review provides snapshots of the efforts that are being made in the development of new drugs as lead anti-TB agents. Finally, it is crucial to improve the connection between research and development institutes, industries, drug contro l authorities, and international policy-making bodies to deliver efficacious therapies for patients who are suffering from TB.
基金supported by the Science Council under Contract Nos.NSC 96-2628-E-366-004-MY2 and NSC96-2628-E-132-001-MY2
文摘Stability analysis plays a central role in nonlinear system theory and engineering application. Over the past few years, the stability analysis of fuzzy systems has been proposed and there are many successful applications in practical engineering. Therefore, in this paper firstly proposed is the stability analysis on oceanic structure by fuzzy models. In the present study, Takagi-Sugeno （T-S） fuzzy model is proposed for a time delay tension leg platform （TLP） system subjected to an external wave force. In terms of stability analysis, linear matrix inequality （LMI） conditions are derived via Lyapunov theory to guarantee the stability of the TLP system.
文摘<span style="font-family:Verdana;">The aim of this paper was to serve as a reference for the development of renewable energy sources of energy policy in Taiwan by investigating current barriers to solar energy use. Through a meta-analysis of relevant literature, we </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">classified current barriers into 3 dimensions and 13 criteria. Our selected m</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ethodology was the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DE</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">- </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">MATEL) </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">integrated with the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). This approach enabled us to determine the relationships among the dimensions and criteria. The results indicate the geographical and topographical factors represent the greatest barriers to solar energy development in Taiwan. Our findings serve as a valuable reference for decision-makers both in terms of policy and investment as well as offer a starting point for those working to priority barriers and choose the optimal barrier to the direction </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">sustainable future in solar energy.</span></span></span></span>
