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Capitation is a healthcare reimbursement scheme in which a healthcare provider equitable access to funding for services and greater flexibility and budgeting. The objectives of the study are to investigate the effect of capitation signaling on patients' perceived value and trust and on their use intention.This study was a scenario-based survey to examine interaction design, including capitation policy information and value-added health services information, which act as a combination of to test the hypotheses using signaling theory. Subject may receive the information about health services, information about a capitation policy, both of these two signals, or neither of them.The results of this study show that signal capitation policy and value-added health service information positively affects patients' perceived value, but not patients' trust. When a patient receives a signal either capitation policy information or value-added health service information, their perceived value, trust, and use intention are significantly higher than those who receive neither signal.We suggest that high-quality healthcare institutions should consider distinguishing themselves from other low-quality providers by signaling information and allocate resources on value-added health services to enhance patients' awareness of healthy behavior and benefit from implementing a capitation payment scheme. This research contributes to healthcare stakeholders, especially policymakers and service providers, in terms of how best to engage with patients.

Objective Probiotics participate in regulating oral microbiota and reducing the prevalence of oral diseases; however, clinical research on probiotics is insufficient. Therefore, in this study, we performed in vitro screening of potential oral protective probiotic strains, and then evaluated the clinical efficacy of the selected strains on maintaining oral health. Materials and methods Fifty healthy individuals were recruited and randomly assigned into the placebo group and probiotics group, which included three strains of probiotics, Lactobacillus salivarius subs. salicinius AP-32, Lactobacillus paracasei ET-66, and Lactobacillus plantarum LPL28. Each group was blindly administered placebo or probiotics for four weeks. Results Next-generation sequencing results showed that the oral microbiota of Lactobacillus salivarius in the oral cavity were significantly increased in subjects supplemented with mixed probiotic lozenges. The antibacterial activities of viable probiotics were observed within two weeks. Both IgA levels and Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium abundances in the oral cavity were significantly increased in the experimental groups, along with a reduced formation of plaque. Most participants reported that their oral health conditions and intestinal symptoms had improved. Conclusions Overall, our clinical study suggests that oral probiotic lozenges may enhance oral immunity, modulate oral microbiota, and improve oral health.

學生學習預警資訊系統被認為是評量學生學習成效、預測學習困擾、輔導高危險群學生的有力機制，尤其近年來新興資訊技術的進步，使學習預警資訊系統在規模和作法上都有所突破。國內各大學發展學習預警資訊系統已超過 10 年，普及率也相當高，但是相較於國外既有的深入性和檢討性研究，目前針對國內現有學習預警機制與系統運作的著述仍然頗為零散，而該系統在功能上的敏感性及資料上的隱密性，也讓各校之間缺乏相關資訊交流。因此，本研究主要透過文獻探討、訪察和訪談等方法，針對國內目前 56 所公私立一般大學學習預警資訊系統的現行運作情況進行概括性調查。研究發現，目前各校多已建立了學期間、即時和特殊預警等不同機制，系統使用率在許多大學也都達到半數課程以上，但在實際使用上常面 臨教師反彈和後續追蹤不易等問題。建議未來各校應以加強跨單位合作、提升系統使用成效評估，以及提供更多元的預警指標為方向，進一步落實學習預警資訊系統之功能及使用效益。 The development of students’ early alert systems (EAS), or students’ learning alarm systems, has long been discussed by administrators and researchers in higher education. They are considered a powerful mechanism for evaluating students’ learning effectiveness, predicting potential learning difficulties, and identifying academically at-risk students. The rapid growth of information technology has made the EAS advanced in scale and practice. However, although most universities in Taiwan have established similar preventive systems or mechanisms, few studies have focused on exploring actual uses of and possible restrictions on existing EAS. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to outline the current situation of EAS in Taiwanese universities. We explored the following questions: (1) What types of EAS have been established in universities in Taiwan? (2) What are the main functions and mechanisms of the current EAS? (3) What are the actual uses of EAS in universities? (4) What are the possible restrictions on and solutions for using EAS? Data were gathered from 56 public and private universities in Taiwan. Experts familiar with or in charge of EAS design, development, and use in these universities were interviewed by telephone or face-to-face. We found that although the utility rate of EAS in most universities tended to be high, faculty resistance and difficulty in follow-up assessments on EAS utilization were the two common restrictions that occurred across campuses. To enhance the use effectiveness of EAS, faculty and administrators from both departmental and institutional levels should be involved. In addition, this study suggested that in the future, universities must attempt to strengthen collaboration among units related to EAS, improve the evaluation of EAS effectiveness, and provide additional early alert indicators of students’ academic performance.

Probiotics can stabilize gut flora, regulate intestinal immunity and protect the host from enteric diseases; however, their roles in oral health have received little attention compared to their roles in gut health. Nowadays, the prevalence of sugar-sweetened foods and abuse of antibiotics contribute towards dysbiosis of oral microbiota and drug resistance development in oral pathogens, resulting in various intractable oral diseases. We screened the antibacterial activities of viable and heat-killed probiotic strains against the oral pathogens Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The probiotic strains Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius AP-32, L. rhamnosus CT-53, L. paracasei ET-66 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CP-9 displayed strong antipathogenic activities, whereas heat-killed AP-32, CT-53 and ET-66 displayed high levels of pathogen inhibition. The antibacterial activities of these probiotics were not associated with their H2 O2 production; L. acidophilus TYCA02 produced high levels of H2 O2 but merely exhibited moderate antibacterial activities. Oral tablets containing probiotics showed positive inhibitory effects against oral pathogens, particularly those containing viable probiotics. Our results indicate that probiotics prevent the growth of oral pathogens and improve oral health, providing insights into the antipathogenic efficacy of different probiotic species and their potential role in functional foods that improve oral health. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Our study provides insights into the antipathogenic efficacy of different probiotic species and their potential roles in developing functional foods to improve oral health. We showed that the probiotic strains Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius AP-32, L. rhamnosus CT-53, L. paracasei ET-66 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CP-9 have great potential for use in the development of functional foods to improve oral health. Since active probiotics may provide strong and long-term protection, the development of functional food products should favour the use of viable bacteria.

The oral cavity plays a crucial role in food digestion and immune protection. Thus, maintaining oral health is necessary. Postbiotic and heat-killed probiotic cells have shown increased antibacterial potential with stable viability compared with live strains. However, clinical evidence regarding their effect on oral health is insufficient. Therefore, in this study, we tested postbiotic lozenges of

Lichens are abundant with functional groups that are capable of adsorbing dissolved metals in moisture and intercepting suspended particles in the atmosphere. Using lichen chemistry as an indicator is a prominent method of assessing a long-term baseline of atmospheric quality. This study collected foliose lichens, Parmelia sp., from an area with intensive post-volcanic activity (Tatun Volcano Group) and a deep mountain trail (Nan-ao Trail) in northern Taiwan. The geochemical results show that the lichens from Nan-ao have much higher enrichment factors (EFs) for most metals than those from the Tatun Volcano Group, which revealed that the geochemistry of Nan-ao lichens is dominated by interception of suspended particles rather than absorption of lichen surface. In addition, the fact that no Eu-negative anomaly ( $${{\text{Eu}}/{\text{Eu}}^{*} }$$ ≈ 1.0) can be observed in the normalized patterns of rare earth elements of lichens from Nan-ao reconfirms the derivation. In contrast, lichens from the Tatun Volcano Group are characterized by lower enrichment factors of metals, evident from Ce-negative and Eu-positive anomalies ( $${{\text{Ce}}/{\text{Ce}}^{*} }$$ 1.0), which implies that the lichen chemistry may be principally established by the chemical adsorption of functional groups on the lichen surface. In addition, the extraordinary enrichment factors of Ca, Mg, Na, and K of lichens near the northern coast (EF > 10) prove the involvement of seawater aerosol on the atmospheric chemistry. The lead isotopic compositions reveal that unleaded gasoline could be the dominant source of lead for Nan-ao lichens (207Pb/206Pb > 0.86 and 208Pb/206Pb

Some breathing indexes during sleep, including the apnea-hypopnea index, oxygen desaturation index, and oxygen saturation during sleep, can be recorded by overnight polysomnography. We aimed to investigate the association of various breathing indexes during sleep with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score in adults. We retrospectively collected the clinical and overnight polysomnography data of 2829 adults aged 20 years or older from November 2011 to June 2017. The association of various breathing indexes during sleep and ESS score was analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis for all adults (20-91 years), and in each sex and of body mass index (26 kg/m2 vs ≥26 kg/m2). The mean ESS score was 6.2 (standard deviation = 4.3; range = 0-24) for all adults. After adjustment for age, sex, many common diseases, and health-related habits, apnea-hypopnea index, oxygen desaturation index, percentage of oxygen saturation below 90% during sleep, and percentage of oxygen saturation below 85% during sleep were significantly positively associated with ESS score in all adults, whereas mean oxygen saturation during sleep, minimal oxygen saturation during sleep, and awake oxygen saturation during sleep were significantly negatively associated with ESS score in all adults. In subgroup analysis, we found that the association between breathing indexes during sleep and ESS score was similar in both sex, but was significant in subjects of body mass index ≥ 26 kg/m2. All breathing indexes during sleep had significant positive or negative correlation with ESS score in all adults, especially in obese subjects.

Psoriasis is a long-lasting inflammatory skin disease lacking proper cure. Dysregulated activation of neutrophils is a major pathogenic factor in psoriasis. Formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) triggers neutrophil activation in response to bacteria- or mitochondria-derived N-formyl peptides, but its significance in neutrophilic psoriasis remains unknown. In this study, we discovered two derivatives of ursolic acid, 3β-hydroxyurs-12,18-dien-28-oic acid (randialic acid B, RAB) and 3β-hydroxyurs-12,19-dien-28-oic acid (tomentosolic acid, TA), as FPR1 inhibitors in human neutrophils with ability to suppress psoriatic symptoms in mice. Both RAB and TA, triterpenoids of traditional medicinal plant Ilex kaushue, selectively inhibited reactive oxygen species production, elastase release, and CD11b expression in human neutrophils activated by FPR1, but not non-FPR1 agonists. Importantly, RAB and TA inhibited the binding of N-formyl peptide to FPR1 in human neutrophils, neutrophil-like THP-1 cells, and hFPR1-transfected HEK293 cells, indicating FPR1 antagonism. Moreover, in assays induced by various concentrations of FPR1 agonist, both RAB and TA acted competitively for its binding to the FPR1 receptor. The FPR1-downstream signaling such as Ca2+ mobilisation and activation of Akt and MAPKs was also competitively inhibited. In addition, imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like symptoms, including epidermal hyperplasia, desquamation with scaling, neutrophil skin infiltration, and transepidermal water loss were significantly reduced by both RAB and TA. The results illustrate a possible role of human neutrophils FPR1 receptor in psoriasis-like inflammation. Accordingly, triterpenoids RAB and TA represent novel FPR1 antagonists and exhibit therapeutic potential for treating neutrophilic inflammatory skin diseases.

Alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) is a complex multifactorial disease that can lead to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis if not treated promptly. Alcohol-induced oxidative stress and inflammation are the main factors that cause steatohepatitis and liver injury; however, probiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract have been revealed to regulate immune responses and reduce oxidative stress, suggesting that functional probiotics could help to prevent ASH and liver injury. Despite numerous reports on the interactions between ASH and probiotics, the mechanisms underlying probiotic-mediated liver protection remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to screen probiotics with high antioxidant capacity and investigate the ability of different probiotic combinations to reduce alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in a mouse model. It was identified that Lactobacillus plantarum (TSP05), Lactobacillus fermentum (TSF331) and Lactobacillus reuteri (TSR332) neutralized free radicals and displayed high antioxidant activity in vitro. In addition, these three functional probiotic strains protected mice from alcohol-induced liver injury in vivo. Mice treated with the probiotics demonstrated significantly lower alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and triglyceride levels, which were associated with the downregulation of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. Furthermore, probiotic treatment upregulated glutathione and glutathione peroxidase activity, which are bioindicators of oxidative stress in the liver. Collectively, the present results indicated that Lactobacillus strains TSP05, TSF331 and TSR332 reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, thus preventing ASH development and liver injury.

ObjectivesPatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exhibit strong insulin resistance or abnormal insulin production. Probiotics, which are beneficial live micro-organisms residing naturally in the intestinal tract, play indispensable roles in the regulation of host metabolism. However, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we evaluate the mechanisms by which probiotic strains mediate glycemic regulation in the host. The findings should enable the development of a safe and natural treatment for patients with T2DM.Research designs and methodsSugar consumption by more than 20 strains of Lactobacillus species was first evaluated. The probiotic strains that exhibited high efficiency of sugar consumption were further coincubated with Caco-2 cells to evaluate the regulation of sugar absorption in gut epithelial cells. Finally, potential probiotic strains were selected and introduced into a T2DM animal model to study their therapeutic efficacy.ResultsAmong the tested strains, Lactobacillus salivarius AP-32 and L. reuteri GL-104 had higher monosaccharide consumption rates and regulated the expression of monosaccharide transporters. Glucose transporter type-5 and Na+-coupled glucose transporter mRNAs were downregulated in Caco-2 cells after AP-32 and GL-104 treatment, resulting in the modulation of intestinal hexose uptake. Animal studies revealed that diabetic mice treated with AP-32, GL-104, or both showed significantly decreased fasting blood glucose levels, improved glucose tolerance and blood lipid profiles, and attenuated diabetes-mediated liver and kidney injury.ConclusionOur data elucidate a novel role for probiotics in glycemic regulation in the host. L. salivarius AP-32 and L. reuteri GL-104 directly reduce monosaccharide transporter expression in gut cells and have potential as therapeutic probiotics for patients with T2DM.

Background/aim The effects of cinnamaldehyde on glioma are still unclear. We aimed to investigate the effects of cinnamaldehyde on the viability and expression of chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7 in temozolomide (TMZ)-treated glioma cells. Materials and methods Cell viability and CXCR4 and CXCR7 expression were measured by western blotting at 72 h after treatment with various concentrations of cinnamaldehyde and TMZ. Results Cell viability was significantly lower after treatment with 300 μM TMZ, 50 μM cinnamaldehyde, 75 μM cinnamaldehyde, or combined treatment with 300 μM TMZ plus 50 μM or 75 μM cinnamaldehyde than after no treatment (i.e., without TMZ or cinnamaldehyde); and significantly lower after combined treatment with 300 μM TMZ plus 75 μM cinnamaldehyde but not 50 μM cinnamaldehyde, than treatment with 300 μM TMZ alone. Western blotting showed that either single treatments or combined treatments had lower CXCR4 expression (compared to the no-treatment control). Compared to 300 μM TMZ alone, both combined treatment of 300 μM TMZ plus 50 μM cinnamaldehyde or 75 μM cinnamaldehyde had significantly lowered CXCR4 expression. However, CXCR7 expression was not significantly different in all groups. Conclusion Cinnamaldehyde, acting with TMZ, reduces glioma cell viability possibly via decreasing CXCR4 expression.

A new downhole sampler, GTFSampler, is designed to collect in-situ geothermal fluids and preserve the conditions of the sampling depth. The GTFSampler is mainly composed of a stainless sampling cylinder and a gas driven shut-in valve, which are hosted in an equipment protector. The sampler assembly connects to a stainless tube for hoisting in a borehole and switching the shut-in valve by changing the inner pressure of the stainless tube on surface. Selected gas (e.g., N2 or noble gas) is pre-filled to the sampling cylinder at a fixed pressure before sampling. The GTFSampler is also equipped with a traditional mercury maximum thermometer. The comparison between the measured temperature and calculated thermodynamic equilibrium temperature from saturation degree of minerals is used to verify the representativeness of downhole sample collection, on-site sample separation and laboratory analysis. In the borehole IC-19 deployment in Chingshui geothermal field, Ilan, Taiwan, the measured temperature at 800 m are ca. 190∼198 °C. Three downhole samplings were conducted in this study, i.e., the first and second samplings were deployed in discharged borehole condition and the third sampling in closed borehole condition. The first and second samplings showed that the theoretical equilibrium temperature calculated by geochemical modeling from fluid composition is very close to the measured temperature at the sampling depth. However, no convergence solution for equilibrium temperature is obtained for the third sampling, indicating certain interference in geothermal water quality by the natural convection inside the borehole as the control valve is closed. In summary, the GTFSampler and its corresponding sampling procedures successfully collect the downhole geothermal fluids.

Miocene lenticular basaltic volcanics that have mineral-trapping capability enclosed in the potential sandstone reservoirs in Northwestern Taiwan inspired a CO2 multi-sequestration shale-sandstone-basalt system. To analyze the behavior of injected CO2 and the mineral trapping capability in the proposed multi-sequestration shale-sandstone-basalt system, numerical simulations were conducted with the reactive geochemical transport code TOUGHREACT. Results indicate that the main storage mechanism in shale-sandstone system is solubility trapping, and the mineral sequestration is only 3.5 kg/m3-rock in 1000 years in 1D simulation and 2–3 kg/m3-rock in 500 years in 2D simulation. However, the mineral sequestration in shale-sandstone-basalt system quickly reaches to 130 kg/m3-rock in 200 years in 1D simulation, and 12 kg/m3-rock in 20 years and 45 kg/m3-rock in 100 years in 2D simulation. The majority of CO2 is trapped to form dolomite, calcite, and ankerite. Optimum injection point and injection pressure can achieve the maximum CO2-basalt interaction volume and best storage efficiency of this system. The basalt intrusion bodies, which have mineral trapping capability, act as a “sponge” to rapidly fix CO2 as carbonate minerals and the long-term safety of storage is improved in the multi-sequestration shale-sandstone-basalt system.

In recent years, probiotics of human origin have shown superior results and performance compared to probiotics from plant or dairy sources, in both in vitro and animal studies. Towards this end, the current study was conducted to explore the ergogenic properties of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum OLP-01 isolated from the intestinal microbiome of the gold medalist from the 2008 Beijing Olympics women&rsquo, s 48 kg weightlifting competition. Male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were divided into four groups (n = 10 per group) and orally administered OLP-01 for 4 weeks at 0 (vehicle), 2.05 &times, 109 (OLP-01-1X), 4.10 &times, 109 (OLP-01-2X), and 1.03 &times, 1010 (OLP-01-5X) CFU/kg/day. Physical performance tests including grip strength and endurance time were measured, with OLP-01 supplementation dose-dependently elevating grip strength and endurance. The anti-fatigue activity levels of serum lactate, ammonia, glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatine kinase (CK) were measured after an acute exercise challenge, and OLP-01 was found to significantly decrease lactate, ammonia, and CK levels. OLP-01 treatment was also found to significantly increase the resting levels of both hepatic and muscular glycogen, an indicator of energy storage. Supplementation by OLP-01 showed no subchronic toxic effects while supporting many health-promoting, performance-improving, and fatigue-ameliorating functions.

Background/Objectives Genetic factors play an important role in body mass index (BMI) variation, and also likely play a role in the weight-loss and body composition response to physical activity/exercise. With the recent identification of BMI–associated genetic variants, it is possible to investigate the interaction of these genetic factors with exercise on body composition outcomes. Subjects/Methods In a block-randomized clinical trial of resistance exercise among women (n=148), we examined whether the putative effect of exercise on weight and DXA-derived body composition measurements differs according to genetic risk for obesity. Approximately one-half of the sample was randomized to an intervention consisting of a supervised, intensive, resistance exercise program, lasting one year. Genetic risk for obesity was defined as a genetic risk score (GRS) comprised of 21 SNPs known to be associated with normal BMI variation. We examined the interaction of exercise intervention and the GRS on anthropometric and body composition measurements after one year of the exercise intervention. Results We found statistically significant interactions for body weight (p=0.01), body fat (p=0.01), body fat % (p=0.02), and abdominal fat (p=0.02), whereby the putative effect of exercise is greater among those with a lower level of genetic risk for obesity. No single SNP appears to be a major driver of these interactions. Conclusions The weight-loss response to resistance exercise, including changes in body composition, differs according to an individual’s genetic risk for obesity.

The Hoping power plant (HPP), located on the northeastern coast of Taiwan, is considered an ideal site to test the accelerated weathering of limestone (AWL) technique for fossil fuel CO2 mitigation because the required reactants, seawater and limestone, are readily available and inexpensive to obtain. In this study, we investigated the current status of chemical hydrography at two off-shore stations near the HPP, the results of which can provide a baseline for future evaluations of marine environmental changes arising from the potential implementation of AWL. Additionally, seawater samples collected around the HPP were used to evaluate the effectiveness of CO2 absorption for the One-step and the Two-step AWL reactors, which were designed by the Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan. The results demonstrate that the Two-step reactor is more effective than the One-step reactor in terms of CaCO3(s) dissolution, thus implying conversion of more dissolved CO2 into HCO3− balanced by Ca2 +, which is environmentally benign and can be stored for the long-term in the ocean. The capacity of CO2(g) absorption for the current Two-step reactor was estimated to be 121 μmol kg− 1. However, more efficient conversion of CO2 to ocean alkalinity using this method is possible with optimizing reactor designs and operating procedures. The impacts of the AWL effluent solution on pH and carbonate saturation state (Ω) in the receiving seawater were further examined by conducting a simple mixing simulation. The simulated result indicates that a 10-fold dilution would be sufficient to maintain the pH and Ω changes within a range of 0.2 and 0.8, respectively, which are regarded as constraints for safely discharging wastewater into the ocean.

Heavy metal contamination commonly appears in mining areas and volcanic watersheds due to the acidic drainage water. Under the hydrochemical condition, the solar photocycle would result in changes of the water temperature, in photosynthesis and in iron photoreduction, which leads to substantial hydrochemical fluctuations, especially for heavy metals. It is important to consider the daily variations in water quality when developing a hydrochemical monitoring plan for an area with highly developed agriculture, such as the Tatun Volcano Group watershed area in this study. The results show that the water chemistry is highly complicated by both solar photocycles and hydrochemical fluctuations in the upstream area. Using principal component analysis, the contributions from the two factors can be successfully separated. During the daytime, the photocycle results in the formation of aluminum hydroxide, which can remove heavy metals from water. Consequently, the content of heavy metals, including As, Cu, Ni, Co and Ba, increases after sunset and can reach a maximum before sunrise, while Fe behaves inversely due to the photoreduction. The variation of As during a diel cycle can reach 97%. However, the content of most of the heavy metals during diel cycle is incomparable with those in the earlier studies due to the formation of aluminum hydroxide instead of iron hydroxide. The other significant factor, hydrochemical fluctuation, can explain the variation of major components in water including Cl, SO4. Rare earth elements (REEs) were also analyzed and can be an excellent natural tracer in this study. The distribution of REEs shows a depletion of light REEs and an even normalized concentration of middle and heavy REEs. It is theorized that the REEs in the water in this study derive mainly from the reservoir rock of geothermal water. In a hydrochemical monitoring plan, REEs can be an indicator for identifying an anthropogenic source.

This study attempts to enhance students’ willingness to communicate in the field of English technical terms learning. The proposed learning design aims to train students in using various meaning negotiation strategies to discuss and clarify the meaning of given English technical terms and acquire the different aspects of word knowledge of these terms. Twenty-five senior students in a technology institute were provided with interesting corporative films introducing these English technical terms. At the end, participants completed a video-making project demonstrating the target English technical terms. The pre- and post-test of English technical terms and survey of willingness to communicate showed that the proposed learning not only improved students’ vocabulary, but also increased significantly their willingness to communicate in English. The results could provide a new way of English technical terms learning.

New service development (NSD) is the process of creating new services to fulfill target customers' needs. It is essential that an NSD project team cooperate across organizational boundaries and various disciplines to achieve the sustainability goal of an NSD project. This study adopted Activity Theory to understand dynamics of complex service innovation system and model the actions taken by different entities in telehealth service projects, in which we identified important contradictions that affect the sustainability of newly developed services. Based on multiple case study findings, this research identified challenges for these new service development projects such as user needs identification, the involvement of emergent technology and collaboration between entities from different industries. This study contributes to the NSD research by proposing five propositions which could be used for guiding stakeholders to effectively manage NSD projects to offer sustainable newly developed services.

This study investigated the impact of team diversity, task interdependence, team conflict, and team cooperation on job performance. The research subjects were real estate brokers in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, and the results were measured by a linear structural model. A total of 568 questionnaires were distributed, of which367 were retrieved. After eliminating the invalid samples, 362 valid questionnaires remained, with a valid return rate of 98.64%. According to the empirical results of the study, the following conclusions can be drawn: team diversity positively and significantly influences task conflict and relationship conflict; task interdependence positively and significantly influences job performance and team cooperation; task interdependence negatively and significantly influences relationship conflict; relationship conflict negatively and significantly influences team cooperation; and team cooperation positively and significantly influences job performance. In addition, team diversity and task interdependence were found to be critical exogenous factors of job performance.

The effect of the bandgap narrowing (BGN) on performance of power devices is investigated in detail in this paper. The analysis reveals that the change in the energy band structure caused by BGN can strongly affect the conductivity modulation of the bipolar devices resulting in a completely different performance. This is due to the modified injection efficiency under high-level injection conditions. Using a comprehensive analysis of the injection efficiency in a p-n junction, an analytical model for this phenomenon is developed. BGN model tuning has been proved to be essential in accurately predicting the performance of a lateral insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). Other devices such as p-i-n diodes or punch-through IGBTs are significantly affected by the BGN, while others, such as field-stop IGBTs or power MOSFETs, are only marginally affected.

Study objective We determine the usefulness of the procalcitonin for early identification of young children at risk for severe bacterial infection among those presenting with fever without source. Methods The design was a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies. Data sources were searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE in April 2011. Included were diagnostic studies that evaluated the diagnostic value of procalcitonin alone or compared with other laboratory markers, such as C-reactive protein or leukocyte count, to detect severe bacterial infection in children with fever without source who were aged between 7 days and 36 months. Results Eight studies were included (1,883 patients) for procalcitonin analysis, 6 (1,265 patients) for C-reactive protein analysis, and 7 (1,649 patients) for leukocyte analysis. The markers differed in their ability to predict serious bacterial infection: procalcitonin (odds ratio [OR] 10.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.9 to 16.0), C-reactive protein (OR 9.83; 95% CI 7.05 to 13.7), and leukocytosis (OR 4.26; 95% CI 3.22 to 5.63). The random-effect model was used for procalcitonin analysis because heterogeneity across studies existed. Overall sensitivity was 0.83 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.91) for procalcitonin, 0.74 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.82) for C-reactive protein, and 0.58 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.67) for leukocyte count. Overall specificity was 0.69 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.85) for procalcitonin, 0.76 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.81) for C-reactive protein, and 0.73 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.77) for leukocyte count. Conclusion Procalcitonin performs better than leukocyte count and C-reactive protein for detecting serious bacterial infection among children with fever without source. Considering the poor pooled positive likelihood ratio and acceptable pooled negative likelihood ratio, procalcitonin is better for ruling out serious bacterial infection than for ruling it in. Existing studies do not define how best to combine procalcitonin with other clinical information.

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of the procalcitonin (PCT) test for diagnosis of bacterial sepsis in pediatric cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Methods Three major databases, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies that evaluated the diagnostic value of PCT alone or compared with other laboratory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) to identify bacterial sepsis in children with fever and neutropenia. A bivariate model was used to derive summary sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic tests. Results A total of 10 studies looking into PCT tests and 8 studies looking into CRP tests were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of bacterial sepsis was 304 of 1031 (29.5%) in PCT studies and 741 of 1316 (56.3%) in CRP studies. In terms of area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, PCT had comparable discrimination to CRP (area under the curve: 0.75 versus 0.74). PCT was not as sensitive as the CRP test. The pooled sensitivity of PCT was 0.59 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42-0.74) as compared with 0.75 (95% CI: 0.61-0.85) for CRP. PCT was more specific than sensitive whereas CRP was more sensitive than specific in this population. The pooled specificity was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64-0.85) for PCT and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.49-0.73) for CRP. PCT had greater likelihood ratio positive (2.50; 95% CI: 1.64-3.81), making it the better rule-in test. Conclusions Of three markers potentially useful for diagnosing bacterial sepsis in children with fever and neutropenia, PCT had comparable diagnostic accuracy to CRP.

This paper describes a method to extract the ideality factor, barrier height and series resistance of a lateral AlGaN/GaN heterostructure power Schottky diode using a simple I-V measurement in on-state and sub-threshold domains. An analytical model previously developed for Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Silicon vertical diodes [1] is applied to lateral AlGaN/GaN Schottky diodes and calibrated using extensive experimental results. The validity of the model at increased temperatures (up to 428K) is also investigated and the dependence of the ideality factor and barrier height with temperature are obtained and assessed against those previously reported in the literature [2].

New service development (NSD) is getting important for companies that wish to gain a competitive advantage on service-driven markets. While research on NSD has grown rapidly over the last decade, many studies have been highly fragmented and concentrated on different innovation issues. Few studies have focused on the stages, activities, and techniques of NSD. In addition, the NSD process is delivered through service value net, and can often be carried out by multiple companies. Therefore, this study aims to provide a SAT (Stage-Activity-Technique) framework for NSD stages, activities, and techniques based on a literature review and trend analysis. This study divides the NSD process into five stages: service identification, service value net formation, service modeling, service implementation, and service commercialization. In addition, the NSD process is more likely to be spiral in form for new services that are examined. The NSD process is also likely to be refined by service providers and customers to incorporate their detailed requirements and integrate service value into future development processes. The SAT model can assist service designers and engineers in developing new services by providing a structured NSD process and identifying techniques for activities in the NSD process. [Service Science, ISSN 2164-3962 (print), ISSN 2164-3970 (online), was published by Services Science Global (SSG) from 2009 to 2011 as issues under ISBN 978-1-4276-2090-3.]

The Darongshan granitic suite (~ 10,000 km2) consists of five major units (Taima, Nadong and Jiuzhou plutons, and Pubei and Darongshan batholiths) typical of peraluminous S-type granitoids containing abundant granulite inclusions in the Cathaysia block, South China. Six samples from these plutons and batholiths have been investigated using both LA-ICPMS U–Pb age dating on zircon cores and EMP U–Th–Pb chemical age dating on monazite cores and rims. LA-ICPMS zircon results give similar major age populations ranging between 260 ± 3 and 250 ± 3 Ma for all units, with apparent older age peaks concentrated at 1020, 800, 430 and 330 Ma. On the other hand, EMP monazite results yield younger ages of 231–229 Ma for Nadong, Taima, Pubei and Darongshan and 224 Ma for Jiuzhou samples, with older age groups of 264 Ma for Taima and 256–250 Ma for Pubei units. Since the older monazite ages are similar to the majority of zircon ages, the latter are considered as inherited ages. Further because such zircon ages are similar with the emplacement time of the Emeishan large igneous province in western South China, they likely reflect the timing of metamorphism for the included fragments of granulitic crusts that had been formed by invasion of the Emeishan plume. The younger monazite ages, as present for all plutons and batholiths in the entire Darongshan area, are taken as the formation age of the host granites. Combining U–Pb zircon and EMP monazite ages known for Permo-Triassic high temperature and high pressure metamorphic rocks and granites in the Indochina block (e.g., the Kannack Complex of the Kontum massif), it is suggested that the Indosinian thermal activity had set records over both the Indochina (plus Simao) and South China blocks in two main episodes, one is 260–250 Ma and the other is 231–229 Ma. One plausible explanation is that these two blocks were one united continent before the Emeishan plume activity and an opening was triggered by this plume at ~ 260 Ma. Due to forces of the approaching Sibumasu block, both the South China and Indochina blocks were amalgamated again at ~ 230 Ma. We, therefore, advocate that double subduction of the plume-triggered oceanic crusts in opposite directions is responsible for the generation of the Darongshan granitic suite in the South China block and its counterpart in the Indochina block.

This letter demonstrates for the first time the effect of the incomplete ionization (I.I.) of the transparent p-anode layer on the static and dynamic characteristics of the field-stop insulated gate bipolar transistors (FS IGBTs). This effect needs to be considered in FS IGBTs TCAD modeling to match accurately the device characteristics across a wide range of temperatures. The acceptor ionization energy (EA) governing the I.I. mechanism for the p-anode is extracted via matching the experimental turn-off waveforms and the static performance with Medici simulator.