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A proper regulation of membrane fluidity is critical for cellular activities such as communication between cells, mitosis, and endocytosis. Unsaturated lipids, a main component of biological membranes, are particularly susceptible to oxidative attack of reactive oxygen species. The oxidation of lipids can produce structural derangement of membranes and eventually alter the membrane fluidity. We have applied fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and Raman spectroscopy to investigate the fluidity and structure of model membranes subject to oxidative attack. Hydrogen peroxide has little effect on the lateral fluidity of membranes, whereas hydroxyl radical causes a significantly increased fluidity. The latter is rationalized with the cleavage of the acyl chains of lipids caused by hydroxyl radical; this interpretation is founded on the diminished intensities of lines in Raman spectra associated with -CH(2) and C═C moieties in lipids and supported by mass-spectral measurements. The same approach provides a mechanistic account of the inhibitory capability of vitamins C and E against the increased membrane fluidity resulting from an oxidative attack. Membranes with much cholesterol exhibit a novel resistance against altered membrane fluidity induced with oxidative attack; this finding has biological implications. Our approach combining FCS and Raman measurements reveals the interplay between the structure and fluidity of membranes and provides insight into the pathophysiology of cellular oxidative injury.

This paper is a report of the development and psychometric testing of the Chinese version of the Diabetes Empowerment Process Scale.In people living with diabetes, empowerment can improve metabolic and psychosocial outcomes. A scale for measuring empowerment processes can also help healthcare professionals to optimize their empowering actions and would improve their interactions with people living with diabetes.Based on literature reviews and interviews with people living with diabetes, a 27-item Chinese Diabetes Empowerment Process Scale was developed. Fifteen items were produced after item analysis and content validity testing. To test construct validity, concurrent validity and internal consistency, 211 outpatients living with diabetes completed the Chinese Diabetes Empowerment Process Scale, a Self-care Behaviour Scale and a Diabetes Empowerment Scale. Test-retest reliability was also analysed with 30 patients. The study was conducted in 2008 and 2009 in Taiwan.Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a second-order factorial model with four subscales and 15 items best fitted the data. The four subscales were Mutual participation, Raising awareness, Providing necessary information and Open communication. Scores on the Chinese Diabetes Empowerment Process Scale correlated statistically significantly with those on the Self-care Behaviour Scale (r=0.21-0.40; P0.01) and Diabetes Empowerment Scale (r=0.35-0.65; P0.01). Reliability was supported by acceptable Cronbach's α (range: 0.73-0.91) and test-retest reliability scores (range: 0.75-0.83).The Chinese Diabetes Empowerment Process Scale has satisfactory validity and reliability for measuring the empowerment process of health professionals. Further studies are needed to test the applicability of the scale to other populations.

PURPOSE. To determine whether palmitic acid methyl ester (PAME) or methyl palmitate is the retina-derived relaxing factor (RRF). METHODS. A superfusion bioassay cascade technique was used with rat isolated retina as donor tissue and rat aortic ring as detector tissue. The superfusate was analyzed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The biochemical and pharmacologic characteristics of RRF and PAME were compared. RESULTS. The authors demonstrated that the retina on superfusion with Krebs solution spontaneously released RRF (indicated by aortic ring relaxation) and PAME (measured by GC/ MS). The release of RRF and PAME was calcium dependent because the release was abolished when the retinas were superfused with calcium-free Krebs solution. Furthermore, aortic relaxations induced by RRF and PAME were not affected after heating their solutions at 70°C for 1 hour, suggesting that both are heat stable. Exogenous PAME concentration dependently induced aortic relaxation with EC50 of 0.82 0.75 pM. The aortic relaxations induced by RRF and exogenous PAME were inhibited by 4-aminopyridine (2 mM) and tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 mM) but were not affected by TEA at 1 mM or 3 mM, glibenclamide (3 M), or iberiotoxin (100 nM). The vasodilator activity of Krebs solution containing RRF or exogenous PAME was greatly attenuated after hexane extraction. CONCLUSIONS. RRF and PAME share similar biochemical properties and react similarly to all pharmacologic inhibitors examined. Both act primarily on the voltage-dependent K (Kv) channel of aortic smooth muscle cells, causing aortic relaxation. These results suggest that PAME is the hydrophobic RRF. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2010;51:4746 – 4753)

Arsenic, a potent carcinogen, fails to induce gene mutations in mammalian cells. However, posttreatment of ultraviolet light (UV)-irradiated cells with sodium arsenite synergstically enhances the mutation frequency on the hypoxanthine (Guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase locus. To investigate the molecular mechanism of the comutagenic effects of sodium arsenite, the authors characterized the alternations of nucleotide sequences in 30 UV-induced and 39 sodium arsenite enhanced hprt mutants from CHinese hamster ovary K1 cells by direct sequencing of mRNA-PCR amplified cDNA. The majority of sequence alterations derived from UV irradiation (80%) and from sodium arsenite posttreatment (70%) were single base substitutions. UV irradiation induced all types of base substitutions. Among them, 57% were transversions. The frequency of transversion increased to 70% in sodium arsenite enhanced mutants. While base substitutions observed in UV-induced mutants were evenly distributed along with the whole coding region, exons 3 and 8 were most frequently mutated in sodium arsenite enhanced mutants. Sodium arsenite posttreatment did not alter the strand bias for mutation induction, i.e., 73% and 78%, of the mutations were located on the non-transcribed strand in UV-induced and sodium arsenite enhanced mutants, respectively. In contrast to UV-induced mutations, bases at the 5' position of TT and the 3' position ofmore » CT sequences were the most frequent mutation sites observed in sodium arsenite enhanced mutants. The authors hypothesize that sodium arsenite may interfere with the process of mutation fixation of TT and CT dimers during DNA replication. 50 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Background aims We have isolated human neuronal stem cells from exfoliated third molars (wisdom teeth) using a simple and efficient method. The cultured neuronal stem cells (designated tNSC) expressed embryonic and adult stem cell markers, markers for chemotatic factor and its corresponding ligand, as well as neuron proteins. The tNSC expressed genes of Nurr1, NF-M and nestin. They were used to treat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery-inflicted Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats to assess their therapeutic potential for stroke therapy. Methods For each tNSC cell line, a normal human impacted wisdom tooth was collected from a donor with consent. The tooth was cleaned thoroughly with normal saline. The molar was vigorously shaken or vortexed for 30min in a 50-mL conical tube with 15–20mL normal saline. The mixture of dental pulp was collected by centrifugation and cultured in a 25-cm 2 tissue culture flask with 4–5mL Medium 199 supplemented with 5–10% fetal calf serum. The tNSC harvested from tissue culture, at a concentration of 1–2×10 5 , were suspended in 3µL saline solution and injected into the right dorsolateral striatum of experimental animals inflicted with MCAO. Results Behavioral measurements of the tNSC-treated SD rats showed a significant recovery from neurologic dysfunction after MCAO treatment. In contrast, a sham group of SD rats failed to recover from the surgery. Immunohistochemistry analysis of brain sections of the tNSC-treated SD rats showed survival of the transplanted cells. Conclusions These results suggest that adult neuronal stem cells may be procured from third molars, and tNSC thus cultivated have potential for treatment of stroke-inflicted rats.

Nitric oxide (NO) is identified as the endothelium-derived relaxing factor and a neurotransmitter with a superfusion bioassay cascade technique. By using a similar technique with rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) as donor tissue and rabbit endothelium-denuded aortic ring as detector tissue, we report here that a vasodilator, which is more potent than NO, is released in the SCG upon field electrical stimulation (FES) or addition of nicotine. Release of this vasodilator was enhanced by arginine analogs, including N ω -nitro- l -arginine (a NO synthase inhibitor), suggesting that it is not NO. Analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry identified 2 saturated fatty acids, palmitic acid methyl ester (PAME) and stearic acid methyl ester (SAME), being released from the SCG upon FES in the presence of arginine analogs. Exogenous PAME but not SAME induced significant aortic dilation (EC 50 = 0.19 nM), indicating that PAME is the potent vasodilator. Release of PAME and SAME was significantly diminished in chronically decentralized SCG but not denervated SCG, suggesting the preganglionic origin. Furthermore, release of both fatty acids was calcium- and myosin light chain kinase-dependent, suggesting that both were released from axoplasmic vesicular stores. Electrophysiological studies further demonstrated that PAME but not SAME inhibited nicotine-induced inward currents in cultured SCG and the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-expressing Xenopus oocytes. Endogenous PAME appears to play a role in modulation of the autonomic ganglionic transmission and to complement the vasodilator effect of NO.

Background and Purpose— Prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) modulates autonomic transmission in the peripheral circulation. We investigated the role of endogenous PGE 2 and its presynaptic EP 1 receptor subtype in modulating the autonomic neurotransmission in cerebral vasculature. Methods— The standard in vitro tissue-bath technique was used for measuring changes in isolated porcine basilar arterial tone. Calcium imaging and nitric oxide estimation along with immunohistochemical analysis for cyclo-oxygenase-1, cyclo-oxygenase-2, EP 1 receptor, PGE synthase, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase were done in cultured sphenopalatine ganglia and basilar artery. Results— Selective EP 1 receptor antagonists (SC-19220 and SC-51322) inhibited relaxation of endothelium-denuded basilar arterial rings elicited by transmural nerve stimulation (2 and 8 Hz) without affecting that induced by nicotine or sodium nitroprusside (a nitric oxide donor). The SC-19220 inhibition of transmural nerve stimulation-elicited relaxation was blocked by cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors (salicylic acid and naproxen) but was not affected by guanethidine (a sympathetic neuronal blocker) or atropine. Perivascular cyclo-oxygenase-1- and cyclo-oxygenase-2-immunoreactive fibers were observed in basilar arteries. PGE synthase and EP 1 receptor immunoreactivities were coincident with neuronal nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivities in perivascular nerves of the basilar arteries and the sphenopalatine ganglia. ω-conotoxin (an N-type calcium channel blocker) significantly blocked transmural nerve stimulation-induced relaxation, which was further attenuated by SC-19220. In cultured sphenopalatine ganglia neurons, exogenous PGE 2 significantly increased calcium influx and diaminofluorescein fluorescence indicative of nitric oxide synthesis. Both responses were blocked by SC-19220. Conclusions— These results suggest that neuronal PGE 2 facilitates nitric oxide release from the cerebral perivascular parasympathetic nitrergic nerve terminals by increasing neuronal calcium influx through activation of presynaptic EP 1 receptors. PGE 2 may play an important role in regulating the nitrergic neurovascular transmission in the cerebral circulation.

The Taiwanese government is moving forward in earnest to reform the local financial system with a series of mergers&acquisitions (M&A) to enhance its competitiveness after Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). Threatened by job insecurity in a global market, retail banking employees suffer from high job stress that may negatively impact their performance. To learn about job stress in depth, this study investigates the relationships among workplace factors, job stress, and turnover intentions in the Taiwanese retail banking sector. Empirical data collected from 255 Taiwanese retail banking employees and the results of multiple regression analysis provide evidence that role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload indeed have positive impacts on job stress but job autonomy has a negative impact on job stress as expected. Employees with higher levels of job stress are more likely to entertain turnover intentions, whereas those more strongly perceiving the fairness of rewards are less likely to have turnover intentions. Managerial implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are given.

Summary Online learning has become a common means of enhancing face-to-face classroom learning and is at the center of most collaborative, multimedia educational environments. There is some evidence that students’ self-regulatory (SR) learning can be facilitated in a web-based learning environment, but studies of the effectiveness of self-directed online courses for post-registration nursing students have been few, and the results have been inconclusive. This study qualitatively examined the ways in which adding an online, asynchronous learning component to a nursing course might facilitate post-registration nursing students’ self-regulatory learning. Learners’ asynchronous communication on an online bulletin board comprised the qualitative dataset. Content related to their e-learning activities and experiences was extracted and generalized in order to examine the possible effects of this online interaction on SR learning. The themes that emerged indicated that students practiced SR learning skills through their online peer interaction. We propose several strategies for facilitating a self-regulatory learning environment based on these results from a course for post-registration nursing students in Taiwan.

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, can induce the adhesiveness of monocytes to vascular endothelium, and chemokines play an important role in this process. The present study was carried out to test whether the inhibitory effect of losartan on ADMA-induced monocytic adhesion is mediated by chemokine receptors.Human monocytoid cells (THP-1) were incubated with exogenous ADMA (30 microM) for 4 or 24 h in the absence or presence of losartan. The monocytic adhesion, the levels of chemokines, and the expression of chemokine receptors were determined. The possible signal pathway was also explored.In cultured monocytes, ADMA (30 microM) markedly increased monocytic adhesion to endothelial cells, elevated the levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), and upregulated the mRNA expression of chemokine receptors CCR2 and CXCR2. Exposure to ADMA (30 microM) significantly induced the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB. Pretreatment with AT1 receptor blocker (ARB) losartan (1, 3, 10 microM) attenuated monocytic adhesiveness elicited by ADMA and downregulated the expression of CCR2 and CXCR2 mRNA, accompanied by a significant decrease in ROS generation and NF-kappaB activity and expression.The present study suggests that the inhibitory effect of losartan on ADMA-induced monocytic adhesion may be related to downregulation of chemokine receptors by inhibiting the ROS/NF-kappaB pathway.

To understand the infection and epidemiology of norovirus and rotavirus and enteral adenovirus among adult with sporadic viral gastroenteritis in Beijing and provide theoretical basis for clinical prevention and control.Stool specimens were collected from all 312 sporadic outpatient among adult with non-cholera watery diarrhea in Infectious Disease Department of Peking University People's Hospital 2005-2006. PAGE were used for detection of rotavirus RNA in stool specimens; R-Biopharm RIDASCREEN norovirus and RIDASCREEN adenovirus were used for detection of norovirus and adenovirus.Rotavirus RNA was not present in all 312 stool specimens; Norovirus was present in 17.6% (22/125) and in 32.4% (11/34) in October; Adenovirus was present in 3.3% (3/92); Mixed infections of norovirus and adenovirus was present in 1 stool specimen.Norovirus is more common etiologic agents of sporadic acute viral gastroenteritis among adult in Beijing, The infection peak of norovirus is in autumn. Maybe the infection of rotavirus is few.

To explore the effect of chronic iron overload on the lesion of atherosclerosis (AS) in apolipoprotein (apo) E knockout mice.Twenty-four ApoE knockout mice were randomly divided into ApoE knockout group (0.1 mL saline for 4 weeks) and iron overload group (10 mg iron dextran for 4 weeks). The levels of serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity, contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver were measured. Iron deposition in the liver and heart was determined, and atherosclerotic plaque areas of the sinus aortae were analyzed.In the iron overload group, the levels of SI increased by 377.86%, the saturation of transferrin increased by 121.98% and the levels of iron in the liver increased by 2,548.15% (P0.01). The contents of MDA in the liver increased by 32.51% (P0.01), and the activity of SOD in the liver decreased by 17.2% in the ApoE knockout group (P0.05). The level of MDA in the liver increased by 411.15%, and the activity of SOD in the liver decreased by 46.84% in the iron overload group (P0.01). There was a significant deposition of iron in the liver and heart of mice, and the areas of atherosclerotic plaque of sinus aortae increased markedly in the iron overload group.Chronic iron overload may promote the development of AS lesion in the ApoE knockout mice, in which the increased oxidative stress and lipid oxidation may involve.

To better understand the clinical feature of viral gastroenteritis attributed to noroviruses and to summarize the experience on an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis through rapidly colleting and confirmation of related information regarding to noroviruses in hospitals.Information on an outbreaks involving 18 patients with acute gastroenteritis in one hospital regarding its epidemiological and clinical features and to perform bacteria culture for stool specimens on every patient. On 7 patients, rotavirus antigen were RNA tested together with norovirus nucleic acid were examined by ELISA and PAGE and RT-PCR.(1) Most of the patients were elderly with several chronic diseases. (2) Watery diarrhea (12/18, 66.67%) and few with mucous (3/18, 16.67%) were seen. Most stool examination was normal (10/18, 55.56%) but few stool specimen could be found with some leucocytes (3/18, 16.67%) and little occult blood (4/18, 22.22%). (3) All bacteria culture in stools showed negative. There was no rotavirus RNA identified but 3 specimen showed norovirus nucleic acid positive as 42.86% (3/7).Norovirus was one of the important pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in hospitals attacking elderly with several chronic diseases in particular. Surveillance program targeting elderly inpatient with diarrhea should be enhanced, especially in autumn and winter.

To explore the effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on the activity of NF-kappaB and fibronectin (Fn) synthesis in the endothelial cells in aged rats.Endothelial cells were cultured in M199 from the aorta of 24 month old rats and divided into 3 groups: Group A (5 mmol/L glucose) as controls, Group B (25 mg/L AGEs for 48 h), and Group C (50 mg/L AGEs for 48 h). The activity of NF-kappaB was evaluated by immunofluorescence and the expression of Fn mRNA was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Compared with the controls, AGEs induced the activity of NF-kappaB and increased the Fn mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner (P0.05).The activity of NF-kappaB and up-regulated expression of Fn mRNA induced by AGEs may contribute to chronic complications of diabetes.

To investigate the pregnancy outcomes of couples with either maternal or paternal balanced translocations.One hundred and ninety-four couples were divided into three groups based on the kind of translocations: 135 with reciprocal translocation, 52 with nonhomologous Robertsonian translocations, and 7 with homologous Robertsonian translocations. Past reproductive histories were surveyed. For those who wanted to have their own babies by natural conceptions after knowing their karyotypes as well as the risks of abnormal offsprings, subsequent pregnancy outcomes were recorded. Total pregnancy outcomes were compared between three groups.(1) 503 previous and subsequent pregnancies were recorded in detail. The pregnancy outcomes are as follows: spontaneous abortions 81.7% (411/503); induced terminations because of fetal abnormalities 3.2% (16/503); birth defects 7.2% (36/503); normal/balanced offsprings 8.0% (40/503). In reciprocal translocations, nonhomologous Robertsonian translocations and homologous Robertsonian translocations, the birth defects rates were 5.7% (20/350), 10.9% (14/128) and 8.0% (2/25), respectively (P0.05). The rates of normal/balanced offsprings in each group were 6.6% (23/350), 13.28% (17/128) and 0, respectively (P0.05). The rates of spontaneous abortions as well as the rates of induced terminations among three groups had no statistical differences. (2) Among the 52 congenital defects, induced terminations accounted for 30.8% (16/52), and liveborn 69% (36/52). Cytogenetic analyses were performed for 27 congenital defects and Down's syndrome occupied 59% (16/27). (3) 39 couples with reciprocal or nonhomologous Robertsonian translocations gave birth to 40 normal/balanced offsprings, of which 26 were karyotyped: normal karyotypes were 6 (23%) and balanced translocations 20 (77%). Couples with homologous Robertsonian translocations had no normal/balanced offspring.Balanced translocation carriers suffer from poor pregnancy prognosis. Couples with homologous Robertsonian translocations have little chance to give birth to normal/balanced offsprings.

The prevalence and mortality rates for diabetes in Taiwan have gradually increased in recent years. Moreover, according to the Bureau of National Health Insurance in 1998, diabetes accounts for 11.5% of overall health care spending in Taiwan, which imposes a substantial cost burden on society and patients. From the perspective of economics, exercise is the most effective, and yet the hardest behavior for patients to carry out in terms of diabetes control. Self-regulation theory is a model that can be used to develop effective strategies for behavioral modification. We designed activities for a diabetes exercise protocol on the basis of three components (i.e., self-monitoring, self-judgment and self-reaction) of self-regulation theory. It is expected that this protocol will effectively improve patients' exercise behavior.

Customer loyalty has been treated as an important source of sustained competitive advantages to a company's continued survival and to strong future growth. Customer satisfaction is known to be the key antecedent to customer loyalty. In recent service management literature, researchers have found the impact of customer satisfaction on customer loyalty might vary under different switching barrier conditions. However, switching barriers and their importance in professional service contexts have received little in-depth attention. This paper aims to examine the impact of switching barriers as a potential moderator on the complex interrelationships among the antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction in professional service contexts. The empirical dataset, which covers 160 life insurance accounts in Taiwan, is analyzed by moderated regression analysis to test the proposed hypotheses. The main findings of this study show that the switching barriers do have a moderating effect on customer loyalty. Therefore, in addition to customer satisfaction, switching barriers play a crucial role in winning customer loyalty

To investigate the protective effect of losartan against on injury induced by ox-LDL in endothelial cells and the relationship with asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA).Endothelial injury was induced by incubation with ox-LDL 100 mg/L in cultured HUVECs for 24 h, and the levels of ADMA, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the conditioned medium were measured. The activity of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) of cultured endothelial cells was also determined.Incubation of endothelial cells with ox-LDL 100 mg/L for 24 h induced a marked elevation of the levels of ADMA, LDH and TNF-alpha in the conditioned medium and a significant decrease in the activity of DDAH and the content of NO (P0.05). Pretreatment with losartan (10(-8) - 10(-6) mmol/L) significantly inhibited the increased levels of ADMA, LDH and TNF-alpha, attenuated the decreased levels of NO and the decreased activity of DDAH induced by ox-LDL (P0.05).Losartan may preserve ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury by increasing the DDAH activity and decreasing the ADMA level.

The exact mechanism underlying regional cerebral hypoperfusion in the early phase of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not understood. We have shown in isolated porcine cerebral arteries that stimulation of sympathetic α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChRs) causes release of nitric oxide in parasympathetic nitrergic nerves and vasodilation. We therefore examined if β-amyloid peptides (Aβs), which play a key role in pathogenesis of AD, blocked sympathetic α7-nAChRs leading to reduced neurogenic nitrergic dilation in isolated porcine basilar arteries, using in vitro tissue bath, calcium image, and patch clamping techniques. The results indicated that Aβ1–40, but not Aβ40–1, blocked relaxation of endothelium-denuded basilar arterial rings induced by nicotine (100μ;mol/L) and choline (1 mmol/L) without affecting that induced by sodium nitroprusside or isoproterenol. In cultured superior cervical ganglion (SCG) cells, Aβ1–40, but not Aβ40–1, blocked choline- and nicotine-induced calcium influx and inward currents. The Aβ blockade of the nitrergic vasodilation and inward currents, but not that of calcium influx, was prevented by acute pretreatment with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors mevastatin and lovastatin. These results suggest that Aβ1–40 blocks cerebral perivascular sympathetic α7-nAChRs, resulting in the attenuation of cerebral nitrergic neurogenic vasodilation. This effect of Aβ may be responsible in part for cerebral hypoperfusion occurred in the early phase of the AD, which may be prevented by statins most likely because of their effects independent of cholesterol lowering. Statins may offer an alternative strategy in the prevention and treatment of AD.

To observe the efficacy of electrical stimulation in treatment of overactive bladder (OAB).Patients (n = 60) with overactive bladder were randomly divided into 2 groups. Electrical stimulation group (n = 35) used an instrument for electrical stimulation through a special vagina or rectum probe transfer current (8-70 mA), for 20 min, qd, for 20-30 times. Medical group (n = 25) received oral tolterodine 2 mg, bid, for 2-4 weeks.The total effective rate and cure rate were 74%, 37% in electrical stimulation group and 76%, 40% in medical group, respectively, showing no significant difference between two groups (P0.05). While patients' satisfactory rate was significantly higher in electrical stimulation group than in medical group (P0.05). Side effects were more commonly seen with tolterodine.Electrical nerve stimulation is effective and safe for overactive bladder. Further studies are needed to show the long term efficacy and cost-effectiveness.

The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional survey was to understand the correlation between symptom distresses and coping strategies in female victims of breast cancer with in two years of their undergoing a mastectomy. The instruments used in this study were the Physical Symptoms Scale, short form of Profile of Mood states (POMS-SF), Social Function Distress Questionnaire, Jalowiec Coping scale (JCS), and demographic data. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistic, t-test, one-way ANOVA, post Scheffe test and Pearson product-moment correlation. The essential results are summarized as follows. Degrees of biopsychosocial distresses varied from none to mild. Physical symptom distress, psychological distress, and social function distress were positively correlated. When patients were confronted with symptom distresses, they tended to adopt problem-focused coping strategies. The more problem-focused coping strategies, they used the less symptom distresses they experienced. The results of this study could be used to help to develop nursing interventions and efficient coping strategies. Patient may then be able to use the latter to solve symptom distresses and enhance their quality of life.

Previous investigations have demonstrated that asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an important factor contributing to endothelial dysfunction, and that fenofibrate has a protective effect on the endothelium in hyperlipidaemic patients. In the present study in rats treated with native low-density lipoprotein (nLDL), we addressed the question of whether the beneficial effect of fenofibrate on endothelial cells is related to reduction of the ADMA concentration. A single injection of nLDL (4 mg/kg, 48 h) markedly reduced endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to acetylcholine and the plasma level of nitrite/nitrate and increased the plasma concentrations of ADMA, malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Treatment with fenofibrate (30 or 100 mg/kg) significantly reduced the inhibition of vasodilator responses to acetylcholine, decreased the elevated levels of ADMA, MDA and TNF-alpha, and enhanced the decreased level of nitrite/nitrate in the rats treated with LDL. These results suggest that the protective effect of fenofibrate on endothelial cells in rats treated with LDL may be related to the reduction of ADMA concentration.

Investigators have shown that service quality perceptions are multi-dimensional and multi-leveled. However, from the strategic and competitive points of view, marketers would like to know which service quality dimensions or levels are more important when a customer evaluates the quality of service they provide. Since service quality is basically determined by subjective perceptions and feelings towards each of the evaluated criteria, the fuzzy MCDM (Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision Making, FMCDM) approach can explain more effectively how customers make their evaluation of service quality and select the service provider, and is recommended for practical use. The approach is illustrated using an empirical example in the fast food industry. The results demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of this approach.

The opening and closing of chloride (Cl−) channels in the ClC family are thought to tightly couple to ion permeation through the channel pore. In the prototype channel of the family, the ClC-0 channel from the Torpedo electric organ, the opening-closing of the pore in the millisecond time range known as “fast gating” is regulated by both external and internal Cl− ions. Although the external Cl− effect on the fast-gate opening has been extensively studied at a quantitative level, the internal Cl− regulation remains to be characterized. In this study, we examine the internal Cl− effects and the electrostatic controls of the fast-gating mechanism. While having little effect on the opening rate, raising [Cl−]i reduces the closing rate (or increases the open time) of the fast gate, with an apparent affinity of >1 M, a value very different from the one observed in the external Cl− regulation on the opening rate. Mutating charged residues in the pore also changes the fast-gating properties—the effects are more prominent on the closing rate than on the opening rate, a phenomenon similar to the effect of [Cl−]i on the fast gating. Thus, the alteration of fast-gate closing by charge mutations may come from a combination of two effects: a direct electrostatic interaction between the manipulated charge and the negatively charged glutamate gate and a repulsive force on the gate mediated by the permeant ion. Likewise, the regulations of internal Cl− on the fast gating may also be due to the competition of Cl− with the glutamate gate as well as the overall more negative potential brought to the pore by the binding of Cl−. In contrast, the opening rate of the fast gate is only minimally affected by manipulations of [Cl−]i and charges in the inner pore region. The very different nature of external and internal Cl− regulations on the fast gating thus may suggest that the opening and the closing of the fast gate are not microscopically reversible processes, but form a nonequilibrium cycle in the ClC-0 fast-gating mechanism.

Previous studies have shown that endothelin-1 (ET-1) may play a pathophysiological role in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. In the present study, BMS-182874 significantly improved the recovery of cardiac function and reduced the release of CK during reperfusion after ischemia and the content of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) in myocardial tissues. BMS-182874 also reduced myocardial injury and the increased level of TNF-alpha by exogenous ET-1. These results suggest that the cardioprotective effects of the ET receptor antagonist may be related to inhibition of TNF-alpha production.

The charge on the side chain of the internal pore residue lysine 519 (K519) of the Torpedo ClC-0 chloride (Cl−) channel affects channel conductance. Experiments that replace wild-type (WT) lysine with neutral or negatively charged residues or that modify the K519C mutant with various methane thiosulfonate (MTS) reagents show that the conductance of the channel decreases when the charge at position 519 is made more negative. This charge effect on the channel conductance diminishes in the presence of a high intracellular Cl− concentration ([Cl−]i). However, the application of high concentrations of nonpermeant ions, such as glutamate or sulfate (SO42−), does not change the conductance, suggesting that the electrostatic effects created by the charge at position 519 are unlikely due to a surface charge mechanism. Another pore residue, glutamate 127 (E127), plays an even more critical role in controlling channel conductance. This negatively charged residue, based on the structures of the homologous bacterial ClC channels, lies 4–5 Å from K519. Altering the charge of this residue can influence the apparent Cl− affinity as well as the saturated pore conductance in the conductance-Cl− activity curve. Amino acid residues at the selectivity filter also control the pore conductance but mutating these residues mainly affects the maximal pore conductance. These results suggest at least two different conductance determinants in the pore of ClC-0, consistent with the most recent crystal structure of the bacterial ClC channel solved to 2.5 Å, in which multiple Cl−-binding sites were identified in the pore. Thus, we suggest that the occupancy of the internal Cl−-binding site is directly controlled by the charged residues located at the inner pore mouth. On the other hand, the Cl−-binding site at the selectivity filter controls the exit rate of Cl− and therefore determines the maximal channel conductance.

The fast gate of the muscle-type ClC channels (ClC-0 and ClC-1) opens in response to the change of membrane potential (V). This gating process is intimately associated with the binding of external Cl(-) to the channel pore in a way that the occupancy of Cl(-) on the binding site increases the channel's open probability (P(o)). External H(+) also enhances the fast-gate opening in these channels, prompting a hypothesis that protonation of the binding site may increase the Cl(-) binding affinity, and this is possibly the underlying mechanism for the H(+) modulation. However, Cl(-) and H(+), modulate the fast-gate P(o)-V curve in different ways. Varying the external Cl(-) concentrations ([Cl(-)](o)) shifts the P(o)-V curve in parallel along the voltage axis, whereas reducing external pH mainly increases the minimal P(o) of the curve. Furthermore, H(+) modulations at saturating and nonsaturating [Cl(-)](o) are similar. Thus, the H(+) effect on the fast gating appears not to be a consequence of an increase in the Cl(-) binding affinity. We previously found that a hyperpolarization-favored opening process is important to determine the fast-gate P(o) of ClC-0 at very negative voltages. This [Cl(-)](o)-independent mechanism attracted little attention, but it appears to be the opening process that is modulated by external H(+).

BACKGROUND: Since May 2009, exposure of the population of Beijing, China to pH1N1 has resulted in an increase in respiratory illnesses. Limited information is available on the etiology and clinical characteristics of the influenza-like illness (ILI) that ensued in adults following the pH1N1 pandemic. METHODS: Clinical and epidemiological data of ILI in adults was collected. A total of 279 throat swabs were tested for twelve respiratory viruses using multiplex RT-PCR. Clinical characteristics of influenza A in outpatients versus test-negative patients were compared using Pearson's χ2 and the Mann-Whitney U test. 190 swabs were tested for pH1N1 by virus isolation. Consultation rates for ILI were compared between 2009 and 2010. RESULTS: One or two virus were detected in 29% of the samples. Influenza A virus (FLU-A) accounted for 22.9% (64/279). Other viruses were present at a frequency less than 3.0%. Cough was significantly associated with Influenza A virus infection (χ2, p

Based on the social exchange theory, both relationship-selling behaviours and switching-barrier strategies are often adopted together in some complex, customised and continuous stream of transaction service contexts. The purpose of this study is to examine the joint impact of relationship-selling behaviours and switching barriers as a potential moderator in the light of the current service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty paradigm. Results of a moderated regression analysis (MRA) from Taiwan's life insurance industry provide evidence that core-service quality and relationship quality are positive contributors to customer satisfaction, which in turn contributes positively to customer loyalty as expected. In addition, as the joint impact of relationship-selling behaviours and switching barriers is introduced in the research framework, the positive relationship between core-service quality and customer satisfaction diminishes and so does the positive relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Managerial implications are provided herein.

This paper applies DEA (data envelopment analysis) and Mamlquist models to evaluate the efficiency and productivity of Taiwan's biotech industry. Moreover, we use the two-stage approach to find the effects of environmental variables on efficiency and productivity scores. A panel data set is used composed of 31 listed or over-the-counter biotech-related firms during 1998-2001. The DEA results show that the proportion of biotech firms with inefficient returns to scale rose during this period. The results from the Tobit regression further indicate that food-related firms have higher scale efficiencies than others. Mamlquist indices reveal that food- and chemical-related firms have lower technical efficiencies than others, and their total factor productivities (TFP) grew from 1998 to 2000 but fell in 2001. Obviously, technical changes constitute the main source of biotech TFP changes in Taiwan. In addition to maintaining competitive advantage in technology improvements, the managers in Taiwan's biotech industry have to put more efforts into efficiency improvement.