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High-risk neuroblastoma is associated with low long-term survival rates due to recurrence or metastasis. Retinoids, including 13-cis-retinoic acid (13cRA), are commonly used for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma after myeloablative therapy; however, there are significant side effects and resistance rates. In this study, we demonstrated that 13cRA has a better antiproliferative effect in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells than in MYCN-nonamplified neuroblastoma cells. In MYCN-amplified SK-N-DZ cells, 13cRA induced significant upregulation of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS) expression in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, poly (I:C), a synthetic agonist of TLR3, effectively synergized with 13cRA to enhance antiproliferative effects through upregulation of the innate immune signaling and the mitochondrial stress response, leading to augmentation of the apoptotic response in 13cRA-responsive cancer cells. In addition, the 13cRA/poly (I:C) combination induced neural differentiation through activation of retinoic acid receptors beta (RAR-β), restoring expression of α-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX) protein, and inhibiting vessel formation, leading to retarded tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. These results suggest that the combination of poly (I:C) and RA may provide synergistic therapeutic benefits for treatment of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Isoflavones are the major bioactive components in soybeans. Sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ions (SWATH) is a kind of data-independent acquisition (DIA), such that all fragments of each precursor will be preserved in a SWATH-Mass Spectrometry (SWATH-MS) run. In this study, a high-throughput SWATH-MS method for the determination of 12 isoflavones in soybeans was established. Furthermore, amino acids, saponins can be semi-quantitated from the same SWATH-MS data. Combination of targeted quantification and untargeted profiling with SWATH, all bioactive compounds were analyzed within 5 min in 10 min run time, and the method had good linear regression with r2 > 0.99. The precisions (RSD %) of the intra-day and inter-day analyses ranged from 2.11% to 18.7%, and the accuracies (RE%) ranged from −14.39% to 17.48%. The matrix effect ranged from 88.66% to 114.82%. Moreover, 7 varieties of soybeans were analyzed and compared with this robust screening method.

The dried root of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) is a Chinese medicine that has been used in traditional treatments for more than 2000 years in Asia. It has also been used to treat cardiovascular diseases for decades. The goal of this study was to develop a new, fast, and simple ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) analytical method for the analysis of phenolic acids and tanshinones in Danshen. The samples were separated on a Kinetex F5 column (2.1 x 100 mm, 1.7 μm, pentafluorophenyl) using 78% acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase with isocratic elution while the flow rate was set at 0.45 mL/min. The analysis was performed in a Waters Xevo TQ mass spectrometer via multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in polarity switching mode. The linearity values of the calibration curves of eight compounds were in the range from 3 to 3200 ng/mL (r2 > 0.99). Method validation was performed in terms of linearity, the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the intra-day and inter-day, and it was found that precisions were within 15% and the accuracy ranged from 93% to 118%. The recovery was more than 87%. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of the eight analytes varied between 0.023 to 0.75 ng/mL and 0.375 to 1.5 ng/mL, respectively. This approach has the shortest analysis time for the separation of phenolic acids and tanshinones in Danshen using a UPLC core-shell column with F5 stationary phase. Meanwhile, this robust and high-throughput method not only has a short run time (2 min) but also reduce the consumption of organic solvents.

Background and aim Most previous attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) studies have used only a single sensory modality (usually vision) to investigate attentional problems, although patients with ADHD might display deficits of auditory attention similar to their visual attention. This study explored intraindividual auditory and visual attention in children with and without ADHD to examine the relationship between these two dimensions of attention. Methods Attentional performances of 140 children (70 children with ADHD and 70 typically developing peers) were measured through the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) in the present study. Results For both groups, most attentional indices showed significant differences between the two modalities (d ranging from 0.32 to 0.72). The correlation coefficients of most of the attentional variables in children with ADHD were lower than their typically developing peers. All attentional indices of children with ADHD (ranging from 12.8%–55.7%) were much higher than those of their typically developing peers (ranging from 1.4%–8.6%). Conclusion These results not only indicate that typically developing children display more consistent attentional performance, but also support the view that children with ADHD may show attention deficiency in one modality but not necessarily in the other.

The study aimed to investigate the relationships among psychological distresses, resourcefulness, sleep disturbances, anxiety and depressive symptoms in family members of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was employed. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, relationships among factors, mediators, and outcomes were analyzed. The SEM explained 59% of the variances in depressive symptoms and 36% in anxiety. Family members with greater learned resourcefulness had fewer sleep disturbances, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Nursing professionals need to detect psychiatric disease of family members and must be especially vigilant with people who have low resourcefulness and sleep disturbances.

The increasing size and number of data sets of large four dimensional (three spatial, one temporal) magnetic resonance (MR) cardiac images necessitates efficient segmentation algorithms. Analysis of phase-contrast MR images yields cardiac flow information which can be manipulated to produce accurate segmentations of the aorta. Phase contrast segmentation algorithms are proposed that use simple mean-based calculations and least mean squared curve fitting techniques. The initial segmentations are generated on a multi-threaded central processing unit (CPU) in 10. seconds or less, though the computational simplicity of the algorithms results in a loss of accuracy. A more complex graphics processing unit (GPU)-based algorithm fits flow data to Gaussian waveforms, and produces an initial segmentation in 0.5. seconds. Level sets are then applied to a magnitude image, where the initial conditions are given by the previous CPU and GPU algorithms. A comparison of results shows that the GPU algorithm appears to produce the most accurate segmentation.

The purposes of this study are to (1) identify the role of the psychological traits of university students in Facebook addiction and Facebook usage; and (2) explore the correlation between Facebook usage and Facebook addiction. This study treated 241 university students in Taiwan as the research subjects, and adopted the Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale, Lai’s personality test, a Facebook usage scale, and a Facebook addiction scale (FAS). The structured equation modeling (SEM) was used for data analysis. The results showed that: (1) self-inferiority can significantly predict Facebook usage; and (2) having a depressive character and Facebook usage can significantly predict Facebook addiction. Finally, discussion was conducted on the findings, and relevant suggestions were proposed for schools, students, and future studies.

Objectives We have reported previously that the TP53 codon72 polymorphism (rs1042522) is associated with the incidence and invasiveness of bladder cancer in a Han Chinese population. Using an enlarged sample, we investigated the role of rs1042522 and of tagSNPs that were predicted to be in linkage disequilibrium with codon72 in relation to the incidence, invasiveness, and prognosis of bladder cancer. Methods and materials A sample of 201 patients and 311 controls without cancer were genotyped for 5 tagSNPs using tetra-primer ARMS and/or an allele-specific PCR technique. Results The genotyped data were analyzed using Haploview 4.2, and a 10,000-permutation test showed that the rs9895829G allele ( P = 0.003) and the rs1788227C allele ( P = 0.027) were both associated with the incidence of bladder cancer. With respect to haplotype associations, after the data were adjusted for age, the haplotypes GTT ( P = 0.001) and GGTC ( P TP53 haplotypes were associated significantly with high tumor grade or muscle invasiveness. On the basis of Cox regression analysis, haplotype CGCC and invasiveness were associated with cancer-related death. Structural equation modeling showed that haplotypes GGCC and CGCC played opposing roles with respect to bladder cancer-related death; haplotype GGCC was a protective factor, whereas haplotype CGCC was a risk factor. Conclusions The TP53 codon72 polymorphism appears to play a crucial role in determining the association between TP53 haplotype and the incidence and prognosis of bladder cancer. Further functional assays to confirm whether these TP53 haplotypic variants interact with the proteins N-Myc and NDRG is necessary.

A new class of nanoparticle-based dual-modality positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) contrast agents has been developed. The probe consists of a superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) or manganese oxide core coated with 3,4-dihydroxy-D,L-phenylalanine (DL-DOPA). The chelator 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) was conjugated to DOPA termini. The DOTA modified nanoparticles allow chelation of copper for PET imaging. These surface functionalized nanoparticle-based probes have been characterized by various analytical techniques. The cell-labeling efficacy, cytotoxicity and relaxivity of these nanoparticles have been evaluated and compared with the same properties of one of the most commonly utilized MRI contrast agents, Feridex( ). Evidently, this new nanoparticle has a great potential for use in cell tracking with MRI and PET in the absence of transfecting agent. It is noteworthy that there is a sharp increase in r(2) relaxivity of these nanoparticles on coordination with Cu(2 ) ions. Thus these iron oxide nanoparticles can also be explored as the smart magnetic resonance (MR) sensor for the detection of micromolar changes in copper concentration for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Menkes and Wilson's diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and prion diseases.

We have developed an ion-sensing nanoparticle that is comprised of a superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) core encapsulated with a porous silica shell. The latter can be readily anchored with ligands capable of coordinating with positron-emitting metal. Evidently, this nanoparticle has a great potential for use in cell tracking with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET). Herein we report the synthesis, surface functionalization and characterization of the magnetic nanoparticle-based probes and evaluate their cell-labeling efficacy, cytotoxicity and relaxivity in comparison to one of the most commonly utilized MRI contrast agents, Feridex.

Retrocaval ureter is a rare congenital anomaly in which the ureter passes behind, and is compressed by, the inferior vena cava. Its etiology is assumed to be abnormal embryologic development of the inferior vena cava as a result of atrophy failure of the right subcardinal vein in the lumbar portion. We report two cases of retrocaval ureter and review the relevant literature. One patient was a 7-year-old boy who presented with right flank pain. The other was a 40-year-old male who was found to have right hydronephrosis accidentally on abdominal sonography during a health examination. Both underwent retrograde pyelography which showed the typical S-shape of a retrocaval ureter. Abdominal computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of retrocaval ureter. Ureteroureterostomies were performed. One patient showed focal squamous metaplasia of the ureter and the other had chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Follow-up studies showed improvement in hydronephrosis and renal function in both patients. We conclude that retrocaval ureter is a rare disorder and surgical correction is usually effective.

As personal communication systems (PCSs) enter the realm of communications, there is an increasing need to protect the wireless link between subscribers and the service provider. Authentication protocols provide the fundamental means for implementation of security services. Designing a secure authentication protocol is a complex task because of the vulnerability of radio communication, the fact that users traverse different service domains and the limited computing resources associated with PCS users’ devices. This paper first introduces the security services required to counteract security threats and the cryptographic techniques used to provide these services. Then, we provide a comprehensive review of the authentication protocols proposed by standards organizations and by independent researchers for readers who need to understand issues associated with securing PCS services, what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done or what can be improved.

This paper describes a software authentication technique based on the public key cryptography for information integrity. The software provider can use a secret key to sign any released program and the user can verify the integrity of programs obtained from vendors or a ''trusted information database''. The software provider needs to go through a registration process to become ''licensed'' and obtains certificates from multiple certificate centers before being able to sign any released program. Users need only one public key to verify the integrity of the programs.

In 1982, Akl and Taylor proposed an elegant solution to the partially ordered multilevel key distribution problem, using a cryptographic approach. Since then, continuing research has been conducted to try to realize and simplify their scheme. Generally speaking, there are two problems associated with their scheme. First, a large value associated with each security class needs to be made public. Secondly, new security classes are not permitted to be added into the system once all the security keys have been issued. Our paper presents a very similar approach. But, instead of using the top-down design approach as in their scheme, our scheme is using a bottom-up key generating procedure. The result is that the published values for most security classes can be much smaller than in their scheme. This property becomes more obvious for a broad and shallow hierarchical graph. In addition, our scheme can accommodate the changes of adding new security classes into the system.

After gathering sufficient shadows from honest participants and deriving the secret exclusively, a participant, in the process of reconstruction a secret, can turn dishonest and withhold his own shadow (or present a fake shadow) so that others cannot obtain the secret. Previous solutions to overcome this cheating problem require all participants to release their shadows simultaneously; which is difficult to enforce without other supporting protocols. In this paper, we propose a secret reconstruction protocol to solve the cheating problem without the simultaneous release constraint. This protocol is unconditionally secure and can be incorporated with any secret sharing scheme to realize any secret sharing policy.