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The influence of annealing treatment on the mechanical properties and interfacial characteristics of a TA1/Al5083 bimetal composite was investigated in this research. The bimetal composite plates were prepared by explosive welding and annealing at temperatures ranging from 400 to 550 °C at intervals of 50 °C for 3 h. Uniaxial tensile and shear tests were employed to study the influence of the annealing treatments. Uniaxial tensile tests indicate that the tensile strength and elongation display a tendency to first improve and then decrease with increasing annealing temperature. No obvious necking phenomenon is observed in the composite sheet annealed at 400 and 450 °C, and extremely short cracks appear in the interfacial transition zone, while localized necking and delamination phenomena are found to occur in the composite sheet annealed at 500 and 550 °C. The ultimate tensile strength and elongation of specimens annealed at 450 and 500 °C is improved, while specimens annealed at 550 °C show a serious deterioration in elongation. In addition, shear tests demonstrate that the shear strength first improves and then decreases with increasing annealing temperature. On the basis of a finite element method (FEM) simulation, a cohesive zone model is validated to reveal the interfacial characteristics. The research results obtained in this work provide a direction for further investigation and design of bimetal or laminated composite components for application in industrial fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social isolation is a pervasive and debilitating condition that has adverse prognostic impacts. This condition often co-occurs with other geriatric syndromes, further exacerbating negative health outcomes. Given these considerations, the present study aims to elucidate the roles of social isolation in older adults with anorexia of aging and/or sarcopenia with respect to long-term mortality using a nationally representative cohort study. Methods: Data were obtained from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA), with a sample size of 3,762 study participants aged 50 years and older. Data from 1999 (wave 4) to 2015 (wave 9) were analyzed. The TLSA questionnaire was used to define social isolation, anorexia, and sarcopenia. Logistic regressions were employed to explore the associations between social isolation, anorexia, and sarcopenia. The Cox proportional hazard model was utilized to examine the synergistic effects of social isolation and anorexia or sarcopenia on 16-year all-cause mortality. Results: After controlling for demographic information and comorbidities, older adults with social isolation were significantly associated with anorexia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.46 [95% confidence interval: 1.00–2.12, p=0.0475]) and sarcopenia (aOR 1.35 [95% CI: 1.12–1.64, p=0.0021]). Furthermore, the synergistic effects of social isolation with anorexia (aOR 1.65 [95% CI: 1.25–2.18, p=0.0004]) or sarcopenia (aOR 1.65 [95% CI: 1.42–1.92, p<0.0001]) were both significantly associated with higher risks of all-cause mortality, while social isolation alone revealed borderline statistical significance. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that social isolation is closely linked to anorexia and sarcopenia among middle-aged and older adults. Additionally, social isolation significantly exacerbates the long-term mortality risk associated with anorexia of aging and sarcopenia. However, social isolation alone appears to have borderline long-term mortality risk in this cohort. These findings underscore the importance of addressing social isolation in older adults with anorexia and/or sarcopenia to optimize their health outcomes and mitigate long-term mortality risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid gate approach, including a two-step gate recess and a sputtered HfO2 layer, is employed to fabricate HfO2|AlGaN|GaN normally-Off high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Ni|Au and Pt are used as gate metals in the studied metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS)-type devices. The two-step gate recess approach can effectively deplete the two-dimensional electron gas density in the channel. The studied MOS-type structure demonstrates a lower gate leakage and significantly positive gate threshold voltage. Attributed to the high work function of Pt metal, the device with Pt gate metal exhibits excellent thermal stability, including gate leakage, high saturation current, transconductance, On/Off current ratio, and threshold voltage, measured from 300 to 500 K, as compared with the device with Ni|Au gate metal. Furthermore, the studied devices show superior behaviors as compared with other devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Acute phase response (APR), including myalgia, influenza-like symptoms, headache, arthralgia, and pyrexia, is the most common adverse reaction to initial zoledronic acid infusion. Dexamethasone plus acetaminophen is effective in significantly reducing the incidence and severity of APR. Introduction: Acute phase response (APR), including myalgia, influenza-like symptoms, headache, arthralgia, and pyrexia, is due to immunomodulatory actions and is the most common adverse reaction to zoledronic acid (ZOL). The aims of our study were to compare the differences between acetaminophen and dexamethasone plus acetaminophen on the incidence and severity of APRs and to clarify the clinical factors related to APR with initial ZOL infusion. Methods: Patients with osteoporosis receiving their first ZOL infusion (N = 96) were assigned into two groups and given either acetaminophen (58 patients, control group) or acetaminophen plus dexamethasone (38 patients, study group). APRs were assessed through telephone interviews 2 weeks later post-infusion. Clinical, demographic, and serologic data were recorded. Results: There was a significant increase in the incidence and severity of any APR in the control group than the study group (67% vs. 34%, p = 0.003; 0.69 ± 0.50 vs. 0.34 ± 0.48, p = 0.001). Among the APRs, only myalgia incidence and score were significantly higher in the control group than in the study group. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that previous use of osteoporosis medication and participation in the study group was negatively related to the occurrence of any APR or myalgia. Advanced age was shown to significantly increase myalgia. Study group participants had significantly reduced severity of myalgia. The adherence for redosing ZOL was significantly higher in the study group. Conclusion: Dexamethasone plus acetaminophen is effective in significantly reducing the incidence and severity of APR, especially myalgia, and increasing adherence following initial ZOL infusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intermediate-temperature (473–973 K) deformation behavior of a nickel-based superalloy is researched by uniaxial tensile experiments. It is observed that the flow characteristics and the Portevin–Le Chatelier (PLC) effects are significantly affected by the thermo-mechanical parameters. The serrated flow features are obvious under the testing conditions. A stacked auto-encoders (SAEs) network model is proposed for predicting the flow behaviors of the researched superalloy. The architecture of the established SAEs model is optimized layer by layer. The best number of hidden layer is 3, and the nodes per hidden layer are 15, 20 and 50, respectively. The excellent prediction ability suggests that the developed SAEs model can well reconstruct the intermediate-temperature flow behavior involving the PLC effects of the researched superalloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Pd|HfO2|AlGaN|GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) enhancement-mode high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is fabricated with low-temperature sensitization, activation, electroless-plating, and two-step gate-recess approaches. Experimentally, a high positive threshold voltage Vth of 1.96 V, a very low gate leakage IG of 6.3 × 10–8 mA/mm, a high maximum extrinsic transconductance gm, max of 75.3 mS/mm, a high maximum drain saturation current ID, max of 266.9 mA/mm, and a high ON/OFF current ratio of 7.6 × 107 are obtained at 300 K. Moreover, the related temperature-dependent characteristics, over temperature ranges from 300 to 500 K, are comprehensively studied. The very low temperature coefficients on gate current, drain saturation current, transconductance, and threshold voltage confirm the thermal-stable capability of the studied device. Therefore, based on these advantages, the studied Pd|HfO2|AlGaN|GaN MOS structure is suitable for the development of high-performance HEMTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staggered spinning is an advanced method to manufacture thin-walled cylindrical parts. The microstructure evolution, which dominantly influences the overall performance, is very complex during the staggered spinning of Ni-based cylinder. In this work, the influences of feed rate and wall thickness reduction on the microstructures of a thin-walled Hastelloy C-276 cylinder during staggered spinning are investigated. It is found that the deformation of parts is highly inhomogeneous, and the microstructures are sensitive to the feed rate and wall thickness reduction during the staggered spinning. When the wall thickness reduction is small, the single slip is responsible for the deformation of grains. The deformation mechanism changes from single slip to cross slip with the increase of wall thickness reduction. Moreover, the uniform deformation of thin-walled Hastelloy C-276 cylinder can be obtained when the feed rate is about 0.8 mm/r or the wall thickness reduction is about 44.1%. These findings provide guidance for controlling the microstructures of thin-walled cylindrical parts during staggered spinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructural evolution is complex and time-varying in the practice hot forming process of alloy parts. Therefore, accurately online optimizing forming parameters and controlling microstructural evolution are the urgent tasks. In this work, an action-dependent heuristic dynamic programming (ADHDP) is developed to online optimize processing parameters during hot deformation of alloys. The ADHDP is based on adaptive dynamic programming and only contains action/critic neural networks (ANN/CNN). ANN is utilized to determine the next control signals (processing parameters) of hot deformation, while CNN is used to obtain the approximation of cost-to-go function. The weights of these neural networks are online-updated by back-propagation algorithm. The control goals include the recrystallization volume fraction and average grain size. The proposed ADHDP method is successfully applied to online optimize processing parameters of GH4169 superalloy during hot deformation, and its effectiveness is verified by numerical simulations. According to the optimized processing parameters, the hot compressive tests of GH4169 superalloy are conducted to further verify the validity of the developed method. Furthermore, the microstructures, which are obtained by the proposed method, are more uniform and fine than those obtained by the traditional processing without online optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain the designed target microstructures of an aged superalloy during isothermal forging, a multi-level processing parameters optimization method is developed based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. In the developed method, the accurate material models are used to characterize the microstructural evolution. Based on the designed target microstructures, the global and local optimality criterions are constructed to alternately optimize global and local multi-level processing parameters by the PSO algorithm with a linear decreasing inertia weight strategy. The optimized initial volume fraction of δ phase (δVF), deformation temperature and strain rate are 12.95%, 1000 °C and 0.001 s−1, respectively. According to these optimized parameters, the recrystallization volume fraction, average grain size and δVF are 100%, 11.2 µm and 2.1%, respectively, which well agree with the designed targets. Additionally, the processing parameters optimized by the developed method and traditional processing maps are compared. It is found that the developed method is more effective to control microstructures for the studied superalloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate constitutive model is essential for analyzing deformation behavior of material and reliable numerical simulations in metal forming processes. In this study, hot tensile tests of Inconel 718 alloy have been conducted over a wide range of temperatures (300-973 K at an interval of 100 K), strains (0.01-0.3 at an interval of 0.01) and quasi-static strain rates (0.0001, 0.001, 0.01 s−1). Flow stress behavior is significantly affected by test temperatures and strain rates. Microstructure characteristics of deformed test specimens have been examined using scanning electron microscope and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The fractography study revealed that fracture is mix-mode type, i.e., ductile and brittle. Subsequently, EBSD analysis shown that dynamic recrystallization mechanism is more pronounced at a higher temperature. Furthermore, four constitutive models, namely modified Cowper–Symonds, modified Johnson Cook, modified Zerillie-Armstrong and integrated Johnson Cook–Zerillie-Armstrong (JC-ZA) models have been investigated for flow stress prediction. Capability of models has been evaluated based on the correlation coefficient (R), average absolute error (Δ) and its standard deviation (δ). Accurate prediction of flow stress behavior is found by integrated JC-ZA model with R = 0.9873, Δ = 2.44 and δ = 4.08%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hot deformation behavior of a Ni-based superalloy is studied by hot compressive experiments. The true stress is found to be highly affected by the deformation parameters, including strain rate and deformation temperature. The true stress dramatically decreases with decreasing strain rate or increasing deformation temperature. A deep belief network (DBN) model is developed for predicting true stress of the studied superalloy based on the experimental data. The structure of the developed DBN model is optimized layer by layer. The high accuracy indicates that the developed DBN model is able to effectively characterize the hot deformation behavior of the studied Ni-based superalloy. Moreover, the developed DBN model also has an excellent interpolation ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time variance and nonlinearity of forging processes pose great challenges to high-quality production. In this study, a one-step-ahead model predictive control (MPC) strategy based on backpropagation (BP) neural network is proposed for the precise forging processes. Two online updated BP neural networks, predictive neural network (PNN) and control neural network (CNN), are developed to accurately control the die forging hydraulic press machine. The PNN and CNN are utilized to predict the output (the velocity of upper die) and determine the input (the oil pressure of driven cylinders), respectively. The weights of neural networks are initially trained offline and then updated online according to an error backpropagation algorithm. In the proposed control strategy, only the input and output are required, which makes the forging process easy to be controlled. In addition, because of the generalized ability and adaptability of neural networks, the proposed predictive controller can well deal with the time variance and nonlinearity of forging process. Two forging experiments demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Moreover, comparing the proposed MPC strategy with the traditional MPC approach and PID controller, it can be found that the proposed MPC strategy is the most effective control approach for the practical forging process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-deformation annealing treatments of a commercial cold-worked corrosion-resistant superalloy steel (Sanicro 28 steel) were carried out at different temperatures in the range of 900-1100 °C for different holding durations of 5, 10, and 15 min. The effects of post-deformation annealing time and temperature on the microstructural evolution and subsequent mechanical properties of the processed Sanicro 28 steel were investigated. The observations indicated that twin-twin hardening in cold deformation condition mainly correlates with abundant nucleation of mechanical twins in multiple directions resulting in considerable strain hardening behavior. Microstructural investigations showed that the static recrystallization takes place after isothermal holding at 900 °C for 5 min. Increasing the annealing temperature from 900 to 1050 °C leads to recrystallization development and grain refinement in the as-recrystallized state. In addition, an increase in annealing duration from 5 to 15 min leads to subgrain coarsening and subsequently larger recrystallized grains size. The occurrence of large proportion of the grain refinement, which is achieved in the first annealing stage at 1050 °C after 5 min, is considered as the main factor for the maximum elongation at this stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The purpose of this study is to assess the differences in VFA diagnostic accuracy when using bilateral decubitus views and whether diagnostic accuracy is affected by scoliosis. Our findings show that the current practice of performing only one side is valid; however, bilateral views can improve specificity in scoliosis. Introduction: The diagnostic accuracy of vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) can be influenced by poor patient position and scoliosis. This study aims to assess the differences in VFA diagnostic accuracy for right and left lateral decubitus views and the effect of scoliosis. Methods: One hundred fourteen postmenopausal women received right and left lateral thoracolumbar spine dual-energy VFA and radiography. Cobb angles were measured from the posteroanterior absorptiometry image, and lumbar spine radiography was the standard reference for vertebral fracture and also provides the levels investigated. McNemar's test was used to compare accuracy between the two decubitus position and Fisher's exact test was used for patients with and without scoliosis. Results: Forty-two vertebral fractures (VFs) were identified. There was no significant difference in sensitivity ( p = 0.125) or specificity ( p = 0.866) between the left lateral decubitus (64.3, 97.2%) and right lateral decubitus (76.2, 91.1%), respectively, views. Scoliotic patients had a significantly worse specificity (92.7 vs 98.1%, p = 0.003) than patients without scoliosis; however, a combination of both decubitus positions significantly improved specificity ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Right and left side lateral decubitus views have excellent agreement with radiography and similar diagnostic accuracy in the detection of VFs. Thus, the current practice of performing only one side is valid. With scoliosis, bilateral decubitus views can improve the specificity of detecting VF; however, this would increase radiation dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 6-week experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of diets containing 0, 0.004, 0.008, 0.012 and 0.016 % synthetic canthaxanthin on growth, feed utilization and skin pigmentation of parrot cichlid ( Amphilophus citrinellus × Paraneetroplus synspilus). Three hundred and sixty fish with initial body weights of 18.0 ± 1.6 g were randomly stocked equally into 15 glass aquaria (each 80 × 40 × 50 cm) to form five triplicate groups. Fish were fed one of five diets daily at 2 % of their total body weight. At the end of the experiment, all fish were harvested and weighed to calculate growth parameters. After weighing, randomly selected two fish from each aquarium were used to assess the body colour using a colorimeter. Results indicated that dietary canthaxanthin supplementation had no effect on growth, feed conversion ratio, ingestion rate and condition factor of parrot cichlid. The degree of pigmentation in skin of parrot cichlid increased significantly ( P < 0.05) with increasing inclusion of canthaxanthin up to 0.012 % in the diet. Canthaxanthin inclusion over that level did not lead to increase more redness, yellowness, hue and chroma of parrot cichlid skin. Diet containing more than 0.012 % canthaxanthin even decreased redness of fish skin (16 % decreased) compared to diet containing 0.012 % canthaxanthin (18.67 ± 0.32). In the present study, observations based on the effects of various canthaxanthin levels on colour parameters suggest that the diet containing a 0.012 % canthaxanthin may be considered as the best level of canthaxanthin supplementation for best skin colouration of parrot cichlid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cullin 3 (Cul3)-family ubiquitin ligases use the BTB-domain-containing proteins for the recruitment of substrates, but the regulation of this family of ubiquitin ligases has not been completely understood. KLHL20 is a BTB-family protein and targets tumor suppressor promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) and death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) to its kelch-repeat domain for ubiquitination and degradation. Here, we show that another BTB-kelch protein KLHL39 is recruited to the substrate-binding domain of KLHL20 but is not a substrate of Cul3-KLHL20 complex. Interestingly, KLHL39 does not bind Cul3 because of the absence of certain conserved residues in the BTB domain. Instead, KLHL39 blocks KLHL20-mediated ubiquitination of PML and DAPK by disrupting the binding of these substrates to KLHL20 as well as the binding of KLHL20 to Cul3. Through the two mechanisms, KLHL39 increases the stability of PML and DAPK. In human colon cancers, downregulations of KLHL39, PML and DAPK are associated with metastatic progression. Furthermore, preclinical data indicate that KLHL39 promotes colon cancer migration, invasion and survival in vitro and metastasis in vivo through a PML- and DAPK-dependent mechanism. Our study identifies KLHL39 as a negative regulator of Cul3-KLHL20 ubiquitin ligase and reveals a role of KLHL39-mediated PML and DAPK stabilization in colon cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong sea surface temperature fronts in open seas are known to affect the atmosphere. Shelf-sea fronts in winter have comparable strengths, yet their impacts on winds have not been studied. In January of 2012, a persistent, narrow band of cloud stretching 600-1,000 km was observed along the front of East China Sea (ECS). Numerical and analytical models show that the cloud was formed atop a recirculating cell induced by the front and, more generally, that β-plumes of low and high pressures emanate and spread far from fronts. Consistent with the theory, observations show that in ECS at inter-annual time scales, strong fronts co-vary with on-shelf convergent wind, strong northeasterly monsoon, and alongshelf alignment of clouds with low clouds near the coast and higher clouds offshore. Our results suggest that shelf-sea fronts are potentially an important dynamic determinant of climate variability of East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives:Oxidative stress and the insulin-resistant state are thought to be key components in the pathogenesis of pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Heme oxygenase (HO) is important in the defense against oxidative stress. This study aimed to assess the association of HO-1 gene promoter polymorphism and insulin resistance with NAFLD among obese children.Methods:A total of 101 obese children aged 6-17 years were recruited. Anthropometric, serum biochemical variables and biomarkers for glucose and insulin metabolism were measured. We screened the allelic frequencies of (GT)n repeats in the HO-1 gene promoter among these obese children. NAFLD was determined through liver ultrasonography. Because the distribution of numbers of (GT)n repeats was bimodal, we divided the alleles into two classes: class S included shorter (27) repeats, and class L included longer (⩾27) repeats. We assessed the effects of the length of (GT)n repeats in HO-1 gene promoter on pediatric NAFLD.Results:Of the 101 obese subjects, 27 (26.7%) had NAFLD. The alanine aminotransferase level was higher in patients carrying L alleles (L/L and L/S) than patients with S alleles (S/S) (46.2±49.3 IU|−1 versus 30.2±20.1 IU|−1; P=0.027). The significant risk factors for pediatric NAFLD were patients carrying L alleles (L/L and L/S) (odds ratio (OR)=18.84; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45-245.22; P=0.025), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (OR=1.40; 95% CI: 1.07-1.83; P=0.014) and age (OR=1.24; 95% CI: 1.03-1.50; P=0.025).Conclusion:In this hospital-based study, the obese children with longer GT repeats in the HO-1 gene promoter and insulin resistance were susceptible to NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:MicroRNA-210 (miR-210) is an oncogenic miRNA previously associated with prognosis in human gliomas, an incurable tumour type of the central nervous system. Here miR-210 was investigated as a potential serum biomarker in the diagnosis and prognosis of glioma.Methods:Serum was immediately prepared from blood samples collected from patients with glioma grades I-IV at primary diagnosis (n=136) and healthy controls (n=50) from February 2007 to March 2014 in the Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College (Wuhu, China). Total RNA was isolated from serum. cDNA was synthesised with primers specific for miR-210 and miR-16-1 (internal control), and quantitative real-time RT-PCR was performed. Results were statistically analysed to determine the role of miR-210 in the diagnosis and prognosis of human glioma patients.Results:An approximately seven-fold increase in miR-210 expression was detected in serum samples from glioblastoma patients relative to healthy controls. A threshold expression value (2.259) was chosen from receiver operator characteristic curves (ROC), and the low and high miR-210 expression groups were analysed by multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Results revealed an association of high serum miR-210 expression with tumour grade and poor patient outcome (P-values <0.001).Conclusions:Serum miR-210 is a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker that can be detected in the peripheral blood of patients with glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The study was to investigate the outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with hip fractures with a large-scale, population-based, nationwide, case-cohort study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance database. The group has hip fractures at a younger age, higher complication, and mortality rate, which indicate that early intervention is necessary. Introduction: This study seeks to evaluate the incidence, mortality, and complication rates in RA patients with hip fractures, using a nationwide database. Methods: Data were collected from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. The study group included 117,129 patients with hip fractures diagnosed from January 2004 to December 2010. Matching based on the propensity of RA patients was used. In total, 1,088 hip fractures were reported among patients with RA. Patients with hip fractures were divided into two groups: those without RA (controls) and those with RA (RA group). The incidence of hip fracture and mortality and complication rates after the hip fracture were then compared between the two groups. Results: RA patients had a significantly higher incidence of hip fracture (3,260/100,000 person-years) compared with the general population (72/100,000 person-years). Hip fractures occurred significantly earlier among RA patients (70.6 ± 5.3 years) compared with the control group (76.1 ± 6.2 years). Cumulative mortality rates at 6-month and 1-year follow-up were significantly higher among patients in the RA group (9.47 and 18.47 %) compared to the controls (8.47 and 13.62 %) and among RA patients without hip fractures (3.24 and 6.16 %). There was a significantly higher incidence of osteomyelitis after hip fracture among the RA group than among the body mass index-, comorbidity-, age-, and sex-matched patients in the control group. Conclusions: Compared to patients without RA, those with RA have a higher incidence of hip fractures at a relatively younger age and with higher complication and mortality rates. Steroid and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, the most common medicine in Taiwanese RA patients, might contribute to the high incidence of fracture and post-op infection. Appropriate early intervention to prevent hip fractures in RA patients is a critical issue in rheumatology care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To test whether depressive symptoms mediate the effects of activities of daily living (ADLs) on nutritional status of older adults living in long-term care (LTC) facilities in Taiwan. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Seventy-three community-based LTC facilities in northern Taiwan. Participants: This study sampled 306 adults ranging in age from 65 to 97 years who were free of acute infection or disease and who were able to communicate. Measurements: Nutritional status was assessed by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale and depressive symptoms were assessed by the short form of the Geriatric Depressive Scale (GDSSF). Results: MNA scores revealed that 65% of the subjects were at risk for malnutrition (17 to 23.5 points). In addition, depressive symptoms partially mediated the relationship between ADLs and nutritional status, with 10.7% of the effect of depressive symptoms on nutritional status going through the mediator. Conclusion: Interventions to reduce depressive symptoms among institutionalized older adults should focus on improving nutritional status rather than promoting ADLs, which are believed to be difficult to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of tantalum as adhesion layer for Au/Si eutectic bonding was investigated and compared to the frequently used materials chromium or titanium in the case of oxidized silicon substrates. Suitable test structures have been fabricated, bonded and evaluated. The eutectically bonded chips were characterized in respect to the maximum bearable tensile and shear loading. Interfacial reactions were observed by SEM and optical microscopy. As a significant result when tantalum was used, the external load until fracture occurred could be increased up to a factor of 3 in comparison to usually applied chromium or titanium. Analyses after bonding gave no prove for diffusion between the metallic alloy and the adhesion layer and delamination could be minimized therefore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The etiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) involves a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Investigations have shown that environmentally driven epigenetic changes contribute to the etiology of SLE. Here, we hypothesize that aberrant DNA methylation may contribute to the activation of the immune machinery and trigger lupus disease activity. A whole genome methylation array was applied to investigate the DNA methylation changes between 12 pairs of active SLE patients and healthy controls. The results were further confirmed in 66 SLE patients, 102 healthy controls. The methylation statuses of the IL10 and IL1R2 genes were significantly reduced in the SLE patient samples relative to the healthy controls (age-adjusted odds ratios, 64.2 and 16.9, respectively, P<0.0001). There was a trend toward SLE patients having hypomethylated IL10 and IL1R2 genes accompanied by greater disease activity. We observed that the methylation degree of IL10 and IL1R2 genes were reduced in the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients as well but the hypomethylation change was more significant in IL1R2 genes than in the IL10 genes in RA patients. This study demonstrated that DNA hypomethylation might be associated with SLE. Hypomethylated IL10 and IL1R2 genes may provide potential epigenetic markers as clinical predictors for autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy forgings are the essential parts of some nuclear, electrical power generation, rolling mill equipments. The rigid-viscoplastic finite element models (FEM) were established to study the effects of processing parameters (deformation degree, tool width ratio, blank width ratio, strain rate, friction, and forming temperature) on the mean elongation ratio and maximum spread ratio of heavy forgings during stretching process. A new formula (LD model) is proposed to predict the mean elongation ratio for stretched heavy forgings. The predicting capabilities of LD model were verified by experiments. Results show that: (1) The mean elongation ratio and maximum spread ratio increase with the increase of deformation degree; (2) When the tool width ratio is decreased, the mean elongation ratio increases and the maximum spread ratio decreases; (3) When the blank width ratio is increased, the mean elongation ratio increase and the maximum spread ratio decrease; (4) The mean elongation ratio is not affected by strain rate, friction, and forming temperature. However, the effects of these three process parameters on the maximum spread ratio of deformed block are significant; (5) There is a good agreement between the experimental results and predictions by LD model, which confirms that the proposed LD model is valid for the practical industrial productions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of the Simian virus 40 (SV40) early region, the telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) and an oncogenic allele of H-Ras directly transforms primary human cells. SV40 small T antigen (ST), which forms a complex with protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and inhibits PP2A activity, is believed to have a critical role in the malignant transformation of human cells. Recent evidence has shown that aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns are correlated with cancer development. Here, we identified miR-27a as a differentially expressed miRNA in SV40 ST-expressing cells. miR-27a is upregulated in SV40 ST-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells (HBERST). Suppression of miR-27a expression in HBERST cells or lung cancer cell lines (NCI-H226 and SK-MES-1) that exhibited high levels of miR-27a expression lead to cell growth arrested in the G0-G1 phase. In addition, suppression of miR-27a in HBERST cells attenuated the capacity of such cells to grow in an anchorage-independent manner. We also found that suppression of the PP2A B56γ expression resulted in upregulation of miR-27a similar to that achieved by the introduction of ST, indicating that dysregulation of miR-27a expression in ST-expressing cells was mediated by the ST-PP2A interaction. Moreover, we discovered that Fbxw7 gene encoding F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 7 was a potential miR-27a target validated by dual-luciferase reporter system analysis. The inverse correlation between miR-27a expression levels and Fbxw7 protein expression was further confirmed in both cell models and human tumor samples. Fbxw7 regulates cell-cycle progression through the ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of a set of substrates, including c-Myc, c-Jun, cyclin E1 and Notch 1. Thus, promotion of cell growth arising from the suppression of Fbxw7 by miR-27a overexpression might be responsible for the viral oncoprotein ST-induced malignant transformation. These observations demonstrate that miR-27a functions as an oncogene in human tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A regulator of the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), α4, has been implicated in a variety of functions that regulate many cellular processes. To explore the role of α4 in human cell transformation and tumorigenesis, we show that α4 is highly expressed in human cells transformed by chemical carcinogens including benzo(a)pyrene, aflatoxin B1, N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, nickel sulfate and in several hepatic and lung cancer cell lines. In addition, overexpression of α4 was detected in 87.5% (74/80) of primary hepatocellular carcinomas, 84.0% (21/25) of primary lung cancers and 81.8% (9/11) of primary breast cancers, indicating that α4 is ubiquitously highly expressed in human cancer. Functional studies revealed that elevated α4 expression results in an increase in cell proliferation, promotion of cell survival and decreased PP2A-attributable activity. Importantly, ectopic expression of α4 permits non-transformed human embryonic kidney cells (HEKTER) and L02R cells to form tumors in immunodeficient mice. Furthermore, we show that the highly expressed α4 in transformed cells or human tumors is not regulated by DNA hypomethylation. A microRNA, miR-34b, that suppresses the expression of α4 through specific binding to the 3′-untranslated region of α4 is downregulated in transformed or human lung tumors. Taken together, these observations identify that α4 possesses an oncogenic function. Reduction of PP2A activity due to an enhanced α4-PP2A interaction contributes directly to chemical carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glass-forming ability of a PdNiSiP alloy has been investigated. This alloy exhibits a wide supercooled liquid region of 107 K, a high reduced glass transition temperature of 0.596 and a small fragility parameter of 28, indicating that this alloy is a good glass former. Using flux treatment, the PdNiSiP alloys can be easily produced as centimeter-scale metallic glasses. The glass transition and crystallization kinetics of this alloy were investigated by means of both differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential isothermal calorimetry (DIC). Thermoplastic forming of the PdNiSiP glassy alloy is easily performed due to the high thermal stability and low viscosity of the supercooled liquid. By pressing a 'flat' silicon wafer onto a sample within the thermoplastic forming region, the surface of the PdNiSiP metallic glasses could be significantly smoothened. The final surface showed a reduced root mean square roughness R as low as ~2 nm. This indicates a simple approach to prepare 'flat' surfaces for metallic glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we reported that Akt inactivation determines the sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells to bortezomib. In this study, we report that cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A), a cellular inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), mediates the apoptotic effect of bortezomib in HCC. Silencing PP2A by small interference RNA (siRNA) abolishes bortezomib-induced down-regulation of phospho-Akt and apoptosis. Bortezomib increases PP2A activity in sensitive HCC cells, including Sk-Hep1, Hep3B and Huh-7, but not in resistant PLC5 cells. Bortezomib down-regulates CIP2A in a dose- and time-dependent manner in all sensitive HCC cells, whereas no alterations in CIP2A were found in resistant PLC5 cells. Knockdown of CIP2A by siRNA restored bortezomib's effects on apoptosis and PP2A activity in PLC5 cells. Moreover, over-expression of CIP2A up-regulated phospho-Akt and protected Sk-Hep1 cells from bortezomib-induced apoptosis. It is significant that, ectopic expression of CIP2A decreased Akt-related PP2A activity, whereas silencing CIP2A increased this activity, indicating that CIP2A negatively regulates Akt-related PP2A activity in HCC cells, furthermore, our in vivo data showed that bortezomib down-regulates CIP2A and up-regulates PP2A activity in Huh-7 tumors, but not in PLC5 tumors. In conclusion, inhibition of CIP2A determines the effects of bortezomib on apoptosis and PP2A-dependent Akt inactivation in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate whether there is any impact of rotavirus infection on nontyphoid Salmonella (NTS) gastroenteritis, a total of 207 diarrheal children who had positive stool culture for NTS and also a stool examination for the rotavirus antigen were retrospectively analyzed. According to the positivity of the stool rotavirus antigen, patients were divided into two groups and compared with regard to demographic data, clinical features, laboratory findings, and complications. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups of patients with regard to demographic data, clinical features, and laboratory findings, except that vomiting was more common in patients with a coinfection of rotavirus (70.4% vs 40.0%, P = 0.003). Complication by bacteremia occurred more frequently in patients with coinfection of rotavirus (32% vs 9.3%, P = 0.004), but none of them developed extraintestinal focal infections, which were observed only in patients with isolated NTS infection. Our study indicated that concomitant rotavirus infection increased the risk of bacteremia in children with NTS gastroenteritis, although the prognosis remained favorable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eye (2009) 23, 397–406; doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6703017; published online 2 November 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and study two new hybrid proximal-point algorithms for finding a common element of the set of solutions to a generalized equilibrium problem and the sets of zeros of two maximal monotone operators in a uniformly smooth and uniformly convex Banach space. We established strong and weak convergence theorems for these two modified hybrid proximal-point algorithms, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New interconnect materials are always necessary as a result of evolving packaging technologies and increasing performance and environmental demands on electronic systems. Polymer-based conductive-adhesive materials have become widely used in many electronic packaging interconnect applications. Among all the conductive-adhesive materials, the anisotropic conductive adhesives (ACA) (or anisotropic conductive adhesive films, ACF) have gained popularity as a potential replacement for solder interconnects. The interest in using ACA instead of solder comes partly from the fact that the use of ACA for the direct interconnection of flipped silicon chips to printed circuits (flip chip packaging) offers numerous advantages such as reduced thickness, improved environmental compatibility, lowered assembly process temperature, increased metallization options, reduced cost, and decreased equipment needs. In this review, a summary of our understanding of the electrical, physical, thermal, chemical, environmental, and cost behaviors of ACA in conjunction with various packaging applications is elaborated. First, the formulation and curing kinetics of ACA materials, as well as the conduction mechanisms of ACA joints, are introduced; second, the influencing factors, including the boding process (boding temperature, boding pressure, curing conditions, reflow and misalignment processes, etc), the environmental factors (temperature, humidity, impact load, etc), and the properties of the components (the properties of the ACA, substrates, conductive particles, the bump height, etc), on the reliability of ACA joining technology are presented. Finally, future research areas and remaining issues are pointed out. The purpose is simply to pinpoint the most important papers that have played significant role for the advancement of the ACA bonding technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that testosterone enhances sexual interest leading to an increased frequency of sexual acts and an increase in the frequency of sleep-related erections. However, it has little effect on fantasy- or visually induced erections. Exact contribution to erection from testosterone in men remains unclear. Animal studies have well demonstrated that testosterone plays critical physiological (activity of nitric oxide synthases and phosphodiesterases), biochemical (through an endothelial-independent pathway and adrenergic tonicity) and structural (change of fibroelasticity and hollow cell accumulation) roles in erectile function. The supplementation of testosterone to castrated animals can restore erectile function. Clinically, reports of patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) combined with hypogonadism who receive testosterone therapy have inconsistent results. However, testosterone may ameliorate the expression of the phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor, and the use of testosterone in conjunction with the PDE5 inhibitor revealed convincing results. Because of potential risks in clinical use, testosterone therapy should be individualized, carefully considered and closely monitored, especially, in patients with possible occult prostate cancer, and large benign prostatic hyperplasia. Lower urinary tract symptoms might be worsened by this treatment, since the prostate is an androgen-dependent tissue.International Journal of Impotence Research (2008) 20, 231–235; doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3901633; published online 28 February 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its associated risk factors in a cohort of university freshmen.Design:A cross-sectional study in a university health center in North Taiwan.Subjects:A total of 8226 students (mean age: 19.2±2.3 years) receiving pre-entrance health examinations and lifestyle questionnaires during the 2005–2006 academic year were recruited.Measurements:A fasting plasma glucose, lipids, uric acid and hepatitis B serology were measured for each subject. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components were examined using the America Heart Association and National Heart Lung Blood Institute criteria. The risk factors for metabolic syndrome were identified using a multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:The prevalence of overweight, obesity and metabolic syndrome was 12.7% (17.0% in men and 7.6% in women), 13.0% (18.4% in men and 6.4% in women) and 4.6% (6.4% in men and 2.4% in women). The risk for metabolic syndrome increased with an increase of body mass index and plasma uric acid level, and decreased with the vigorous physical activity and current alcohol drinking. Furthermore, as compared to subjects with seroprotective titers from hepatitis B vaccination (anti-HBs(+) and anti-HBc(−)), those without protective titers of anti-HBs after vaccination or without hepatitis B infection (anti-HBs(−) and anti-HBc(−)) had 34% higher risk for metabolic syndrome, and those with natural infection of hepatitis B (anti-HBc(+)) had 58% higher risk for metabolic syndrome.Conclusions:Overweight, obesity and metabolic syndrome were more common among men than women in university freshmen. Hepatitis B vaccination with anti-HBs(+) was associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome as compared to anti-HBs(−). However, hepatitis B infection presented with anti-HBc(+) was associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome. The interplay between hepatitis B infection, hepatitis B vaccination and metabolic syndrome needs further investigation.International Journal of Obesity (2008) 32, 474–480; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803753; published online 23 October 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The INK4A locus encodes two tumor suppressor genes, p16INK4A and p14ARF, transcribed using alternative exons 1α or 1β spliced onto the same exons 2 and 3. Both p16INK4A and p14ARF are capable of inhibiting the cell-cycle progression, albeit in different manner; p16INK4A is phosphorylation of retinoblastoma (pRB) dependent while p14ARF is p53-dependent. In this study, we report the discovery of a novel variant of p16INK4A, termed p16γ, in a primary T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patient sample and a neuroblastoma cell line, which was expressed at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Cloning and sequencing of the p16γ cDNA revealed that p16γ was identical to p16INK4A, except that it contained an in-frame insertion of 197 bp between exons 2 and 3. p16γ expression was detected in the majority of p16INK4A-expressing primary T-ALL and B-ALL patient samples and other p16INK4A-expressing tumor samples, but was only barely detectable in some normal mononuclear cells and other non-tumor samples. Structural analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism confirmed that p16γ, like p16INK4A, is also an ankyrin-repeat protein. Functional analysis of p16γ revealed that p16γ protein interacted with cyclin D-dependent kinase4 and inhibited its kinase activity. Using a luciferase reporter assay, the transfection of p16γ repressed the E2F response, the downstream target of pRB, with an efficacy equivalent to that of p16INK4A. Moreover p16γ, like p16INK4A, induced cell-cycle arrest at G0/G1, and inhibited cell growth in colony formation assay.Oncogene (2007) 26, 7017–7027; doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1210507; published online 7 May 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, electrical characterization for lead-free materials in bump technology was developed and joint assemblies were thermally treated under temperature cycling tests. Measurements of sheet resistivity and contact resistance of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in solder joints were conducted. Quantitative analysis and elemental redistribution of IMCs were obtained by field-emission electron probe microanalyzer. A scanning-electron microscopy internal probing system was introduced to evaluate electrical characteristics in IMCs after thermal treatments. To determine resistivity of IMCs, a novel method incorporating SELA-EM2 and a focused ion beam was developed to prepare the joint sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to (1) evaluate efficacy and safety of transdermal testosterone gel (AndroGel) for hypogonadal men in Taiwan, and (2) observe improvements in sexual function through international index of erectile function (IIEF) scores. Eligible hypogonadal men were randomized to receive 50 mg/day transdermal testosterone gel (TTG) or placebo for 3 months. Primary end point was change from baseline in total testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT). Secondary end points were change from baseline in serum hormone levels (such as dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)) and changes in IIEF scores. Safety evaluations included adverse events (AEs) and skin irritation assessment. Compared with baseline, the TTG group (n=20) had statistically significant increases in mean TT levels at month 1 (P=0.024) and month 2 (P=0.025), but no significant changes at month 3. TT levels in the placebo group (n=18) showed no statistically significant change at any visit. Changes in FT levels paralleled changes in TT levels in both groups. TTG group IIEF scores were significantly increased at month 3 (P=0.01), compared with a decline in placebo scores. No drug-related AEs occurred in the TTG group; the placebo group had 2 AEs (mild skin rash). In conclusion, TTG effectively restores serum TT and FT levels to a normal physiological range for hypogonadal men in Taiwan and improves sexual function.International Journal of Impotence Research (2007) 19, 411–417; doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3901562; published online 31 May 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical properties of thin films on substrates can be evaluated directly through nanoindentation. For a comprehensive study, thin films should be characterized via Young’s modulus, yield stress and strain-hardening exponent at constant temperature. In this paper, we evaluate these effects of thin films on silicon substrate through finite element analysis. Thin films, from soft to hard relative to the silicon substrate, are investigated in three categories: soft films on hard substrates, soft to hard films on no elastic mismatch substrates, and hard films on soft substrates. In addition to examining the load-displacement curve, the normalized hardness versus normalized indentation depth is checked as well to characterize its substrate effect. We found that the intrinsic film hardness can be acquired with indentation depths of less than 12% and 20% of their film thickness for soft films on hard substrates and for soft to hard films on no elastic mismatch substrates, respectively. Nevertheless, nanoindentation of hard films on soft substrates cannot determine the intrinsic film hardness due to the fact that a soft substrate cannot support a hard film. By examining the von Mises stresses, we discovered a significant bending phenomenon in the hard film on the soft substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to elucidate correlations between different biochemical measurements of androgen deficiency and clinical symptoms in male residents of Taiwan. An investigation of the serum biochemical markers for androgen deficiency in 650 males, including total testosterone, calculated free testosterone, and bioavailable testosterone, was conducted. Measurements of clinical symptoms were obtained using a questionnaire of the androgen deficiency in the aging male (ADAM) by St Louis University (SLQ). Correlations among the biochemical markers, correlations of the biochemical markers and age, and relationships between the biochemical markers and the SLQ were evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity of the SLQ were determined. Bioavailable and calculated free testosterone correlated better with age than did total testosterone. Eighty percent of the men had a positive SLQ, and 20% had a negative SLQ. The percentage of positive SLQ results increased with age. No statistically significant difference was noted between the biochemical markers of bioavailable and calculated free testosterone levels and the SLQ status except for men aged over 70 years. The SLQ in this study showed an acceptable sensitivity of about 80%, but the specificity was poor (about 20%). In conclusion, bioavailable testosterone and calculated free testosterone were more-closely correlated with age and may be better biochemical markers for androgen deficiency. SLQ might not be a suitable single measurement for androgen deficiency and should be used together with biochemical markers.International Journal of Impotence Research (2006) 18, 343–347. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3901417; published online 17 November 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the therapeutic effect of androgen on hypogonadal patients unresponsive to sildenafil alone. In total, 32 hypogonadal patients with erectile dysfunction (ED), initially had an inadequate response to sildenafil (100 mg). Oral testosterone undecanoate (Restandol®, 80 mg, bid or tid) alone was supplied for 2 months, and if patients could not achieve a satisfactory erection, combined use of testosterone and sildenafil was continued thereafter. Total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), and the parameters of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and uroflow rate (UFR) were assessed. Eleven patients (34.3%) achieved satisfactory erectile function after testosterone replacement only. Another 12 (37.5%) patients experienced satisfactory intercourse after combined therapy. Serum TT and FT levels significantly increased after the use of testosterone alone (415±163 vs 220±101 ng/dl, P<0.01; 10.4±4.6 vs 5.1±1.9 ng/dl; P<0.01, respectively) and the combined use of testosterone and sildenafil (498±178 vs 220±101 ng/dl, P<0.01; 11.7±4.6 vs 5.1±1.9 ng/dl, P<0.001, respectively); as did the IIEF score (14.8±6.8 vs 12.6±7.5, P<0.01, 17.5±5.2 vs 12.6±7.5, P<0.001, respectively). However, no statistical differences were demonstrated for IPSS or UFR. In conclusions, one-third of hypogonadal patients with ED who failed to respond to sildenafil, responded to testosterone alone, another third responded to sildenafil again after normalization of testosterone. So, in hypogonadal patients with ED, androgen supplementation is first-line therapy. If patients are unresponsive to androgen alone or sildenafil alone, combined use may improve erectile function and enhance the therapeutic effect of PDE-5 inhibitors.International Journal of Impotence Research (2006) 18, 400–404. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3901446; published online 5 January 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses case reports of patients presenting with leukemic infiltration of the optic nerve as the initial manifestation of leukemic relapse. Age of patients; Visual acuity; Enlargement of the optic nerve; Treatment modality; Importance of early diagnosis in preventing irreversible neuronal damage; Clinical signs and symptoms.

This investigation examines burnishing using a microscopic perspective and elucidates the mechanism of surface roughness improvement by asperity deformation. This study uses tribology theory to propose a burnishing factor Lb to explain why the same burnishing result can be obtained in different burnishing conditions. The burnishing factor was determined by appropriate experiments, and the results demonstrated that a quadric curve relationship exists between surface roughness and burnishing factor and is analogous to the Stribeck curve in lubrication regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) is associated with the EWS/ATF1 oncogene that is created by chromosomal fusion of the Ewings Sarcoma oncogene (EWS) and the cellular transcription factor ATF1. The melanocytic character of CCS suggests that the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf), a major inducer of melanocytic differentiation, may be miss-expressed in CCS. Accordingly, we show that the mRNA and protein of the melanocyte-specific isoform of Mitf (Mitf-M) are present in several cultured CCS cell lines (Su-ccs-1, DTC1, Kao, MST-1, MST-2 and MST-3). The above cell lines thus provide a valuable experimental resource for examining the role of Mitf-M in both CCS and melanocyte differentiation. Melanocyte-specific expression of Mitf-M is achieved via an ATF-dependent melanocyte-specific cAMP-response element in the Mitf-M promoter, and expression of Mitf-M in CCS cells suggests that EWS/ATF1 (a potent and promiscuous activator of cAMP-inducible promoters) may activate the Mitf-M promoter. Surprisingly, however, the Mitf-M promoter is not activated by EWS/ATF1 in transient assays employing CCS cells, melanocytes or nonmelanocytic cells. Thus, our results indicate that Mitf-M promoter activation may require an appropriate chromosomal context in CCS cells or alternatively that the Mitf-M promoter is not directly activated by EWS/ATF1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the touch trigger probe radius compensation of CMMs using the multi-cross-product method. This method determines the four normal vectors of the compensatedpoint using the cross-product of the vectors deduced from the probe centre of the compensated point and its four nearest points, respectively. Weighting factors were employed to correct the error and to obtain the final direction of the normal vectors of the compensated point. The simulation results were compared with theoretical results to identify the error in this method. The error analysis shows that this method can yield more precise prediction values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]