Comparison between multiple logistic regression and machine learning methods in prediction of abnormal thallium scans in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND The prevalence of type 2 diabetes(T2D)has been increasing dramatically in recent decades,and 47.5%of T2D patients will die of cardiovascular disease.Thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scan(MPS)is a precise and noninvasive method to detect coronary artery disease(CAD).Most previous studies used traditional logistic regression(LGR)to evaluate the risks for abnormal CAD.Rapidly developing machine learning(Mach-L)techniques could potentially outperform LGR in capturing non-linear relationships.AIM To aims were:(1)Compare the accuracy of Mach-L methods and LGR;and(2)Found the most important factors for abnormal TMPS.METHODS 556 T2D were enrolled in the study(287 men and 269 women).Demographic and biochemistry data were used as independent variables and the sum of stressed score derived from MPS scan was the dependent variable.Subjects with a MPS score≥9 were defined as abnormal.In addition to traditional LGR,classification and regression tree(CART),random forest,Naïve Bayes,and eXtreme gradient boosting were also applied.Sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and area under the receiver operation curve were used to evaluate the respective accuracy of LGR and Mach-L methods.RESULTS Except for CART,the other Mach-L methods outperformed LGR,with gender,body mass index,age,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,glycated hemoglobin and smoking emerging as the most important factors to predict abnormal MPS.CONCLUSION Four Mach-L methods are found to outperform LGR in predicting abnormal TMPS in Chinese T2D,with the most important risk factors being gender,body mass index,age,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,glycated hemoglobin and smoking.

Hepatitis B virus pre-S/S variants in liver diseases

Chronic hepatitis B is a global health problem. The clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis B infection include asymptomatic carrier state, chronic hepatitis(CH), liver cirrhosis(LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Because of the spontaneous error rate inherent to viral reverse transcriptase, the hepatitis B virus(HBV) genome evolves during the course of infection under the antiviral pressure of host immunity. The clinical significance of pre-S/S variants has become increasingly recognized in patients with chronic HBV infection. Pre-S/S variants are often identified in hepatitis B carriers with CH, LC, and HCC, which suggests that these naturally occurring pre-S/S variants may contribute to the development of progressive liver damage and hepatocarcinogenesis. This paper reviews the function of the pre-S/S region along with recent findings related to the role of pre-S/S variants in liver diseases. According to the mutation type, five pre-S/S variants have been identified: pre-S deletion, pre-S point mutation, pre-S1 splice variant, C-terminus S point mutation, and pre-S/S nonsense mutation. Their associations with HBV genotype and the possible pathogenesis of pre-S/S variants are discussed. Different pre-S/S variants cause liver diseases through different mechanisms. Most cause the intracellular retention of HBV envelope proteins and induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress, which results in liver diseases. Pre-S/S variants should be routinely determined in HBV carriers to help identify individuals who may be at a high risk of less favorable liver disease progression. Additional investigations are required to explore the molecular mechanisms of the pre-S/S variants involved in the pathogenesis of each stage of liver disease.

Clinical correlation of gallstone disease in a Chinese population in Taiwan:Experience at Cheng Hsin General Hospital

AIM： TO explore the prevalence of gallstone disease （GSD） in Taiwan and condition-associated factors related to it. METHODS： We studied a total of 2386 healthy adults （1235 males and 1151 females） voluntarily admitted to Cheng Hsin General Hospital for a paid physical check-up between January 2002 and December 2002. Blood samples and ultrasound sonography results were collected. RESULTS： The overall prevalence of GSD among this study-population was 5.3%, including 1.7% （n=40） having a single stone, 2.3% （n = 55） having multiple stones, and 1.3% （n = 31） having cholecystectomy. The prevalence revealed a statistically significant increase with increasing age （P〈 0.0001）. Females exhibited a greater prevalence of multiple stones than did males （3.0% vs 1.7%, P= 0.04）. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, the following appeared to be significantly related to the prevalence of GSD： older age （40-49 years vs 〈40 years, OR= 1.63 [95% CI： 0.76-3.48], 50-59 years vs 〈40 years, OR=4.93 [95% CI： 2.43-9.99], 60-69 years vs 〈40 years, OR = 6.82 [95% CI： 3.19-14.60], ≥70 years vs 〈40 years, OR= 10.65 [95% CI： 4.78-23.73]）, higher BMI （≥27 kg/m^2 vs 〈24 kg/m^2, adjusted OR= 1.74 [95% CI： 1.04-2.88]）, and higher FPG （≥ 126 mg/dL vs 〈110 mg/dL, OR= 1.71, 95% CI： 1.01-2.96）. CONCLUSION： Older age （≥50 years）, obesity （BMI ≥ 27 kg/m^2）, and type 2 diabetes （FPG ≥126 mg/dL） are associated with the prevalence of GSD.

Vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus: Current knowledge and perspectives

Hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection is a major global health issue.Infection by the HCV can cause acute and chronic liver diseases and may lead to cirrhosis,hepatocellular carcinoma or liver failure.The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 3% of the world population have been infected with HCVand the worldwide prevalence is between 1% and 8% in pregnant women and between 0.05% and 5% in children.Following the introduction of blood product screening,vertical transmission becomes the leading cause of childhood HCV infection.The prevalence of pediatric HCV infection varies from 0.05% to 0.36% in developed countries and between 1.8% and 5% in the developing world.All children born to women with antiHCV antibodies should be checked for HCV infection.Though universal screening is controversial,selective antenatal HCV screening on high-risk populations is highly recommended and should be tested probably.Multiple risk factors were shown to increase the possibility of HCV vertical transmission,including coinfections with human immunodeficiency virus,intravenous drug use and elevated maternal HCV viral load,while breastfeeding and HCV genotypes have been studied to have little impact.At present,no clinical intervention has been clearly studied and proved to reduce the HCV vertical transmission risk.Cesarean section should not be recommended as a procedure to prevent vertical transmission,however,breastfeeding is generally not forbidden.The high prevalence of global HCV infection necessitates renewed efforts in primary prevention,including vaccine development,as well as new approaches to reduce the burden of chronic liver disease.Future researches should focus on the interruption of vertical transmission,developments of HCV vaccine and directacting antivirals in infancy and early childhood.

Novel methylation gene panel in adjacent normal tissues predicts poor prognosis of colorectal cancer in Taiwan

BACKGROUND It is evident that current clinical criteria are suboptimal to accurately estimate patient prognosis.Studies have identified epigenetic aberrant changes as novel prognostic factors for colorectal cancer(CRC).AIM To estimate whether a methylation gene panel in different clinical stages can reflect a different prognosis.METHODS We enrolled 120 CRC patients from Tri-Service General Hospital in Taiwan and used the candidate gene approach to select six genes involved in carcinogenesis pathways.Patients were divided into two groups based on the methylation status of the six evaluated genes,namely,the<3 aberrancy group and≥3 aberrancy group.Various tumor stages were divided into two subgroups(local and advanced stages)on the basis of the pathological type of the following tissues:Tumor and adjacent normal tissues(matched normal).We assessed DNA methylation in tumors and adjacent normal tissues from CRC patients and analyzed the association between DNA methylation with different cancer stages and the prognostic outcome including time to progression(TTP)and overall survival.RESULTS We observed a significantly increasing trend of hazard ratio as the number of hypermethylated genes increased both in normal tissue and tumor tissue.The 5-year TTP survival curves showed a significant difference between the≥3 aberrancy group and the<3 aberrancy group.Compared with the<3 aberrancy group,a significantly shorter TTP was observed in the≥3 aberrancy group.We further analyzed the interaction between CRC prognosis and different cancer stages(local and advanced)according to the methylation status of the selected genes in both types of tissues.There was a significantly shorter 5-year TTP for tumors at advanced stages with the promoter methylation status of selected genes than for those with local stages.We found an interaction between cancer stages and the promoter methylation status of selected genes in both types of tissues.CONCLUSION Our data provide a significant association between the methylation markers in normal tissues with advanced stage and prognosis of CRC.We recommend using these novel markers to assist in clinical decision-making.

Low-dose testosterone treatment decreases oxidative damage in TM3 Leydig cells

Testosterone replacement therapy has benefits for aging men and those with hypogonadism. However, the effects of exogenous testosterone on Leydig cells are still unclear and need to be clarified. In this report, we demonstrate that testosterone supplementation can reduce oxidative damage in Leydig cells. The TM3 Leydig cell line was used as an in vitrocell model in this study. Cytoprotective effects were identified with 100-nmol l-1 testosterone treatment, but cytotoxic effects were found with ≥ 500-nmol l-1 testosterone supplementation. Significantly reduced reactive oxygen species （ROS） generation, lipid peroxide contents and hypoxia induction factor （HIF）-lα stabilization and activation were found with lO0-nmol 1-1 testosterone treatment. There was a 1.72-fold increase in ROS generation in the 500-nmol l-1 compared to the lO0-nmol l-1 testosterone treatment. A 1.58-fold increase in steroidogenic acute regulatory protein （STAR） expression was found in 50-nmol l-1 testosterone-treated cells （P〈0.01）. Chemically induced hypoxia was attenuated by testosterone supplementation. Leydig cells treated with low-dose testosterone supplementation showed cytoprotection by decreasing ROS and lipid peroxides, increasing StAR expression and relieving hypoxia stress as demonstrated by HIF-1α stabilization. Increased oxidative damage was found with ≥ 500-nmol l-1 testosterone manipulation. The mechanism governing the differential dose effects of testosterone on Leydig cells needs further investigation in order to shed light on testosterone replacement therapy.

A population-based follow-up study on gallstone disease among type 2 diabetics in Kinmen,Taiwan

AIM： To assess the incidence of and risk factors for gallstone disease （GSD） among type 2 diabetics in Kinmen, Taiwan. METHODS： A screening program for GSD was performed by two specialists who employed real-time abdominal ultrasound to examine the abdominal region after patients had fasted for at least eight hours. Screening, which was conducted in 2001, involved 848 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After exclusion of 63 subjects with prevalent GSD, 377 participants without GSD were invited in 2002 for a second round of screening. A total of 281 （74.5%） subjects were re-examined. RESULTS： Among the 281 type 2 diabetics who had no GSD at the first screening, 10 had developed GSD by 2002. The incidence was 3.56% per year （95%CI： 1.78% per year-6.24% per year）. Using a Cox regression model, age （RR = 1.07, 95% CI： 1.00-1.14）, waist circumference （RR = 1.12, 95% CI： 1.01-1.29）, and ALT （RR = 1.13, 95%CI： 1.01-1.26） appeared to be significantly correlated with development of GSD. CONCLUSION： Older age is a known risk factor for the development of GSD. Our study shows that greater waist circumference and elevated ALT levels are also associated with the development of GSD among type 2 diabetics in Kinmen.

Epidemiology,management,and economic evaluation of screening of gallstone disease among type 2 diabetics:A systematic review

The knowledge of gallstone disease(GSD) is crucial to manage this condition when organizing screening and preventive strategies and identifying the appropriated clinical therapies. Although cholecystectomy still be the gold standard treatment for patients with symptomatic GSD, expectant management could be viewed as a valid therapeutic method for this disorder. If early treatment of GSD decreases the morbidity or avoids further cholecystectomy, it may save clinical care costs in later disease periods sufficiently to offset the screening and early treatment costs. In addition, whether routine screening for GSD is worthwhile depends on whether patients are willing to pay the ultrasonography screening cost that would reduce the risk of cholecystectomy. In this review we discuss the epidemiology, management, and economic evaluation of screening of GSD among type 2 diabetics.

Evidence-Based Medicine of Screening of Diabetic Retinopathy among Type 2 Diabetes: A Clinical Overview

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a well-characterized chronic ocular disorder that developed in nearly all diabetic patients in the long run. The knowledge of DR is crucial to manage this disorder when planning screening and preventive programs and identifying the appropriated therapeutic strategies among. Expectant management may represent a valid therapeutic approach depending upon the clinical manifestations of the disease and, in particular, on the changes over time. If early treatment of DR reduces the probability of severe stage or slows the progression of blindness, it might sufficiently reduce treatment costs in later years to offset the costs of screening and early treatment. In addition, whether screening for DR is worthwhile is contingent on whether subjects are willing to pay the eye screening program that would decrease the risk of photocoagulation. In this review we discuss epidemiology, management, and economic evaluation of screening of DR among type 2 diabetes.

Serum insulin, insulin resistance, p-cell dysfunction, and gallstone disease among type 2 diabetics in Chinese population: A community-based study in Kinmen, Taiwan

AIM: To explore the association of serum insulin, insulin resistance, and β-cell dysfunction with gallstone disease (GSD) in type 2 diabetics. METHODS: We used a community-based study conducted between 1991 and 1993 in Kinmen, Taiwan to identify type 2 diabetics. A screening program for GSD was performed in 2001 by a panel of specialists who employed real-time ultrasound sonography to examine the abdominal region after the patient had fasted for at least 8 h. Screening was conducted in 2001 on 848 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The HOMA method was used to compare the profile differences for insulin resistance (HOMA IR) and β-cell dysfunction (HOMA β-cell). RESULTS: We studied 440 type 2 diabetics who attended sonography check-ups. After excluding eight insulin-treated diabetics, the prevalence of GSD among the remaining 432 was 13.9% (26/187) among males and 14.7% (36/245) among females. After adjustment for other GSD-associated risk factors in addition to age and obesity, GSD risk increased among females with levels of serum insulin [4th vs 1st quartile odds ratios (OR) = 4.46 (95%CI: 1.71-11.66)] and HOMA IR [4th vs 1st quartile OR = 4.46 (95%CI: 1.71-11.66)]. Better HOMA β-cell function was significantly related to decreased risk of GSD [4th vs 1st quartile OR = 0.16 (95%CI: 0.03-1.70)]. Among males, age and central obesity were the most significant risk factors for GSD. No association of GSD with serum insulin, HOMA IR, and HOMA β-cell was observed among males. CONCLUSION: Serum insulin, insulin resistance, and β-cell dysfunction are risk factors for GSD in females, but not males with type 2 diabetes.

Differential DNA methylation analysis of SUMF2,ADAMTS5,and PXDN provides novel insights into colorectal cancer prognosis prediction in Taiwan

BACKGROUND Patients with colorectal cancer(CRC)undergo surgery,as well as perioperative chemoradiation or adjuvant chemotherapy primarily based on the tumor–node–metastasis(TNM)cancer staging system.However,treatment responses and prognostic outcomes of patients within the same stage vary markedly.The potential use of novel biomarkers can improve prognostication and shared decision making before implementation into certain therapies.AIM To investigate whether SUMF2,ADAMTS5,and PXDN methylation status could be associated with CRC prognosis.METHODS We conducted a Taiwan region cohort study involving 208 patients with CRC recruited from TriService General Hospital and applied the candidate gene approach to identify three genes involved in oncogenesis pathways.A methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction(MS-PCR)and Epi TYPER DNA methylation analysis were employed to detect methylation status and to quantify the methylation level of candidate genes in tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissue from participants.We evaluated SUMF2,ADAMTS5,and PXDN methylation as predictors of prognosis,including recurrence-free survival(RFS),progression-free survival(PFS),and overall survival(OS),using a Cox regression model and Kaplan–Meier analysis.RESULTS We revealed various outcomes related to methylation and prognosis.Significantly shorter PFS and OS were associated with the CpG_3+CpG_7 hypermethylation of SUMF2 from tumor tissue compared with CpG_3+CpG_7 hypomethylation[hazard ratio(HR)=2.24,95%confidence interval(CI)=1.03-4.85 for PFS,HR=2.56 and 95%CI=1.08-6.04 for OS].By contrast,a significantly longer RFS was associated with CpG_2 and CpG_13 hypermethylation of ADAMTS5 from normal tissue compared with CpG_2 and CpG_13 hypomethylation[HR(95%CI)=0.15(0.03-0.71)for CpG_2 and 0.20(0.04-0.97)for CpG_13].The relationship between the methylation status of PXDN and the prognosis of CRC did not reach statistical significance.CONCLUSION Our study found that CpG_3+CpG_7 hypermethylation of SUMF2 from tumor tissue was associated with significantly shorter PFS and OS compared with CpG_3+CpG_7 hypomethylation.CpG_2 and CpG_13 hypermethylation of ADAMTS5 from normal tissue was associated with a significantly longer RFS compared with CpG_2 and CpG_13 hypomethylation.These methylationrelated biomarkers which have implications for CRC prognosis prediction may aid physicians in clinical decision-making.

MTNR1B polymorphisms with CDKN2A and MGMT methylation status are associated with poor prognosis of colorectal cancer in Taiwan

BACKGROUND Identifying novel colorectal cancer(CRC)prognostic biomarkers is crucial to helping clinicians make appropriate therapy decisions.Melatonin plays a major role in managing the circadian rhythm and exerts oncostatic effects on different kinds of tumours.AIM To explore the relationship between MTNR1B single-nucleotide polymorphism(SNPs)combined with gene hypermethylation and CRC prognosis.METHODS A total of 94 CRC tumour tissues were investigated.Genotyping for the four MTNR1B SNPs(rs1387153,rs2166706,rs10830963,and rs1447352)was performed using multiplex polymerase chain reaction.The relationships between the MTNR1B SNPs and CRC 5-year overall survival(OS)was assessed by calculating hazard ratios with 95%CIs.RESULTS All SNPs(rs1387153,rs2166706,rs10830963,and rs1447352)were correlated with decreased 5-year OS.In stratified analysis,rs1387153,rs10830963,and rs1447352 risk genotype combined with CDKN2A and MGMT methylation status were associated with 5-year OS.A strong cumulative effect of the four polymorphisms on CRC prognosis was observed.Four haplotypes of MTNR1B SNPs were also associated with the 5-year OS.MTNR1B SNPs combined with CDKN2A and MGMT gene methylation status could be used to predict shorter CRC survival.CONCLUSION The novel genetic biomarkers combined with epigenetic biomarkers may be predictive tool for CRC prognosis and thus could be used to individualise treatment for patients with CRC.

Pilot Study on an Integrated Pilates and Yoga Program for Decreasing Postpartum Depression in Women

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 10-week exercise intervention in reducing depression and fatigue in women with postpartum depression. Design: A one-group pretest/ posttest quasi-experiment was conducted. Setting: A postpartum ward in a medical center in Taipei city was used. Participants: Nineteen women at 7 - 12 weeks postpartum with an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score ≥ 9 were recruited. Methods: The women participated in a postpartum exercise support program 1 hour per week for 10 weeks. The program was led by a professional coach;it integrated yoga, Pilates, elastic band exercise, low-intensity aerobics, and motherhood role experience sharing. Results: After the postpartum exercise support program intervention, depression scores decreased from 10.4 ± 3.29 to 7.80 ± 2.73 (t = 3.632, P = 0.003);fatigue scores decreased from 8.73 ± 5.02 to 5.40 ± 3.89 (t = 2.988, P = 0.010). Conclusion: PESP administered to women with postpartum depression appeared to benefit their psychological wellbeing.

《文心雕龍》所隱涵二重“文心”的結構及其功能

劉勰將自己的著作命名爲《文心雕龍》,很自覺地使用'文心'與'雕龍'兩個關鍵詞,表述全書的文學理論體系。什麽是'文心'?劉勰只簡單説是'爲文之用心',也就是創作文章所運用的'心';然而,這一'文心'實質的内涵是什麽?包含哪些要素?諸多要素之間,以什麽邏輯關係形成整體的'結構'?這一'結構'有何相應的'功能'?這是'文心雕龍學'必須解答的基本論題;然而,關於這一論題,學界至今只做了粗略、表淺的論説。本論文針對《文心雕龍》全書的相關文本,經由精密的分析,有效地揭明其中隱含的二重'文心',並分别詮釋這二重'文心'各自具有什麽實質内涵?各自包含哪些要素?諸多要素之間,以什麽邏輯關係形成整體的'結構'?而這一'結構'有何相應的'功能'?

Economic and medical benefits of ultrasound screenings for gallstone disease

AIM:To investigate whether screening for gallstone disease was economically feasible and clinically effective.METHODS:This clinical study was initially conducted in2002 in Taipei,Taiwan.The study cohort total included2386 healthy adults who were voluntarily admitted to a regional teaching hospital for a physical check-up.Annual follow-up screening with ultrasound sonography for gallstone disease continued until December 31,2007.A decision analysis using the Markov Decision Model was constructed to compare different screening regimes for gallstone disease.The economic evaluation included estimates of both the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of screening for gallstone disease.RESULTS:Direct costs included the cost of screening,regular clinical fees,laparoscopic cholecystectomy,and hospitalization.Indirect costs represent the loss of productivity attributable to the patient’s disease state,and were estimated using the gross domestic product for 2011 in Taiwan.Longer time intervals in screening for gallstone disease were associated with the reduced efficacy and utility of screening and with increased cost.The cost per life-year gained(average cost-effectiveness ratio)for annual screening,biennial screening,3-year screening,4-year screening,5-year screening,and no-screening was new Taiwan dollars(NTD)39076,NTD 58059,NTD 72168,NTD 104488,NTD 126941,and NTD 197473,respectively(P<0.05).The cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained by annual screening was NTD 40725;biennial screening,NTD64868;3-year screening,NTD 84532;4-year screening,NTD 110962;5-year screening,NTD 142053;and for the control group,NTD 202979(P<0.05).The threshold values indicated that the ultrasound sonography screening programs were highly sensitive to screening costs in a plausible range.CONCLUSION:Routine screening regime for gallstone disease is both medically and economically valuable.Annual screening for gallstone disease should be recommended.

Unraveling the Pattern Weaving Technology in Ming Dynasty

The Ming dynasty （1368 - 1644） inherited the lens-standing culture in China, of course including the textile technology. Besides a large amount of sinsle color damask silk, many pattern woven silk including dragon robes, patterned costumes and luxurious silk textiles are found in complicated and colorful pattern woven brocade called zhuang hua. It was prevailed in Ming dynasty when compared with the frequency of the name chuang hua recorded in related historical documents. These pattern silk and brcrade were produced by the advanced pattern weavin8 technology, which was well developed in Ming dynasty. From historical documents of＂Tian gong kai wu＂, Exploitation of the works of nature, there is the detailed description of the draw loom （hua Io ji） which can weave normal patterned textiles. It also indicated that to produce dragon robes needed much more high technique, similar to the hua Io ）i but more complicated and difficult. A big draw loom is found to weave Nanjing Yen brocade today inherits the technolosy to weave zhuang hua brocade. After sorting the historical documents, it is found that some records are coincident with the existed materials, both the silk textiles and weaving technology. With these evidences research and exploration, this dissertatien tries to unravel the pattern weaving technolosy in the Ming dynasty.

Hypoglycemic and Antioxidative Effects of <i>Glossogyne tenuifolia</i>on Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide-Induced Diabetic Rats

Glossogyne tenuifolia (GT) is the traditional herbal tea in Penghu Island, Taiwan. Recent research has shown that the active components in GT are potential inhibitors of α-glucosidase. The present study investigated that whether or not GT could improve the status of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Male Wistar rats aged eight weeks were induced to be hyperglycemic by subcutaneous injection of streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA) and combination of high-fat diet (HFD). The animals were given GT extracts at the low dose or high dose, or the anti-diabetic drug (acarbose), in drinking water for 4 weeks. The results showed that hot water extracts from GT resulted in significantly decreases in fasting blood glucose at the 1st and 2nd weeks, fasting insulin levels at the 2nd week, 1 hour postprandial blood glucose after the starch tolerance test on Day 23 and blood glucose levels after oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at the 60th minute on Day 25. In addition, diabetic rats treated with GT extracts from hot water for 4 weeks displayed significantly decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the serum, liver and kidney, serum total cholesterol, fasting insulin levels and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Overall, these results demonstrate that the hot water extracts of GT might improve the progression of diabetes and decrease oxidative stress in STZ-NA-induced diabetic rats.

Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Activities of 5,8,11-<i>cis</i>-Eicosatrienoic Acid

The main eicosanoids inflammatory mediators, prostaglandins and leukotrienes, are both generated from arachidonic acid (AA;20:4 n-6). AA is a member of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Numerous studies have demonstrated that various contents of PUFAs can modulate the inflammatory responses. However, fewer studies have examined n-9PUFAs and their effects on the inflammatory responses. In the present study, the role of 5,8,11-cis-eicosatrienoic acid (ETrA;20:3 n-9, also called Mead acid) in the inflammatory responses has been investigated. The anti-inflammatory activities of ETrA were examined using an in vitro macrophage system and the inhibitory effect was confirmed by western blot analysis for iNOS and COX-2 expressions. The interactions between ETrA and COX-2 protein were simulated to produce a computer modeling protein-ligand complexes and the results suggest a possible mechanism for the effects of ETrA. In this study, we described a significant inhibition of the inflammatory activities initiated by ETrA. Since ETrA is a substance presented in the tissues of young animals, we therefore anticipate that ETrA can be utilized as a natural therapeutic supplement to inhibit inflammatory activities.

Mortuary Mentalities in Ancient Egypt

There is almost no work on ancient Egypt in Taiwan since historians are logically interested in ancient China.Egyptologists either work on archeology or study papyrus and written texts found in pyramids and tombs,without putting it in perspective with other civilizations,such as Greek civilization.Philippe Ariés’ global history offers innovative opportunities on the study of Egyptian mentalities.All traditional historical work aims to study an ancient society,a social class,but very few focuses on the individuals.The theses of Lucien Febvre,father of the notion of mentalities,allow the historical discipline to have access not only to the factual structures of societies but also to the mental structures of the individuals that compose it.This new approach raises a crucial question: What are Europe’s roots? Has the Egyptian heritage been underestimated?