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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal human malignancy and a leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Patients with HCC are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, and the prognosis is usually poor. The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib is the first‐line treatment for patients with advanced HCC. However, cases of primary or acquired resistance to sorafenib have gradually increased, leading to a predicament in HCC therapy. Thus, it is critical to investigate the mechanism underlying sorafenib resistance. Transactivation response element RNA‐binding protein 2 (TARBP2) is a multifaceted miRNA biogenesis factor that regulates cancer stem cell (CSC) properties. The tumorigenicity and drug resistance of cancer cells are often enhanced due to the acquisition of CSC features. However, the role of TARBP2 in sorafenib resistance in HCC remains unknown. Our results demonstrate that TARBP2 is significantly downregulated in sorafenib‐resistant HCC cells. The TARBP2 protein was destabilized through autophagic–lysosomal proteolysis, thereby stabilizing the expression of the CSC marker protein Nanog, which facilitates sorafenib resistance in HCC cells. In summary, here we reveal a novel miRNA‐independent role of TARBP2 in regulating sorafenib resistance in HCC cells. Sorafenib is the first‐line treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The cases of sorafenib resistance have gradually increased, leading to a predicament HCC therapy. Our results demonstrate that transactivation response element RNA‐binding protein 2 (TARBP2) is downregulated in sorafenib‐resistant HCC cells. TARBP2 protein was destabilized through autophagic–lysosomal proteolysis, thereby stabilizing Nanog, which facilitates sorafenib resistance in HCC cells.

Although boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising treatment option for malignant brain tumors, the optimal BNCT parameters for patients with immediately life-threatening, end-stage brain tumors remain unclear. We performed BNCT on 34 patients with life-threatening, end-stage brain tumors and analyzed the relationship between survival outcomes and BNCT parameters. Before BNCT, MRI and 18F-BPA-PET analyses were conducted to identify the tumor location/distribution and the tumor-to-normal tissue uptake ratio (T/N ratio) of 18F-BPA. No severe adverse events were observed (grade ≥ 3). The objective response rate and disease control rate were 50.0% and 85.3%, respectively. The mean overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and relapse-free survival (RFS) times were 7.25, 7.80, and 4.18 months, respectively. Remarkably, the mean OS, CSS, and RFS of patients who achieved a complete response were 17.66, 22.5, and 7.50 months, respectively. Kaplan–Meier analysis identified the optimal BNCT parameters and tumor characteristics of these patients, including a T/N ratio ≥ 4, tumor volume < 20 mL, mean tumor dose ≥ 25 Gy-E, MIB-1 ≤ 40, and a lower recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class. In conclusion, for malignant brain tumor patients who have exhausted all available treatment options and who are in an immediately life-threatening condition, BNCT may be considered as a therapeutic approach to prolong survival.

Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) poses a challenge to treatment planning due to the large target, field junction, and multiple organs at risk (OARs) involved. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of knowledge-based planning (KBP) in CSI by comparing original manual plans (MP), KBP RapidPlan initial plans (RP ), and KBP RapidPlan final plans (RP ), which received further re-optimization to meet the dose constraints. Dose distributions in the target were evaluated in terms of coverage, mean dose, conformity index (CI), and homogeneity index (HI). The dosimetric results of OARs, planning time, and monitor unit (MU) were evaluated. All MP and RP plans met the plan goals, and 89.36% of RP plans met the plan goals. The Wilcoxon tests showed comparable target coverage, CI, and HI for the MP and RP groups; however, worst plan quality was demonstrated in the RP plans than in MP and RP . For the OARs, RP and RP groups had better dosimetric results than the MP group ( < 0.05 for optic nerves, eyes, parotid glands, and heart). The planning time was significantly reduced by the KBP from an average of 677.80 min in MP to 227.66 min ( < 0.05) and 307.76 min ( < 0.05) in RP , and RP , respectively. MU was not significantly different between these three groups. The KBP can significantly reduce planning time in CSI. Manual re-optimization after the initial KBP is recommended to enhance the plan quality.

Music interventions (MIs) have been widely used to relieve anxiety in dementia in clinical settings. However, limited meta-analysis with randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on this topic has been conducted so far. A systematic search was conducted in four major databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) for data provided by RCTs from the inception to February 2023. The search strategy employed the terms “anxiety AND music AND dementia OR Alzheimer’s disease”. Thirteen RCTs (827 participants) were included. The results showed MI reduced anxiety significantly (SMD = −0.67, p < 0.001), especially for Alzheimer’s disease (p = 0.007) and Mixed (p < 0.001)-type dementia. Moreover, significant improvements in agitation (p = 0.021) and depression (p < 0.001) in dementia were observed. Additionally, several psychological mechanisms which may be associated with MI were reviewed comprehensively. In conclusion, our findings support the efficacy of MI in alleviating anxiety symptoms in dementia patients. PROSPERO Registration (ID: CRD42021276646).

For Al-Zn-Mg-Cu aluminium alloys, 15 types of η precipitates would possess the symmetrically variants distributed on the closed planes of the Al matrix, parallel to the (0001)η, (21̅1̅0)η, or (101̅0)η interfaces of precipitates. The η2 precipitates, possessing the crystallographic orientation of (111̅1̅) a l // (0001)η2 and [110] a l // [101̅0]η2, would exhibit four equivalent variants, i.e., η2 (1) to η2 (4) , on the (11̅1̅) a l habit planes. In the present work, along the zone axis of [110] a l // [101̅0]η, the edge-on configurations showing the twin-like atomic arrays would occur as the growth/coalescence of two η2 variants grown on (111̅1̅) a l and (11̅1) a l planes, respectively. The twin relationship can be revealed in term of the crystallographic relationship at 70.5° with respect to their habit planes. Alternatively, on the (11̅1̅0) a l image, it also indicates the nearly-twinning configuration in between the variant-pair of η2.

Hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) is a lethal human malignancy and a leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Patients with HCC are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, and the prognosis is usually poor. The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib is the first‐line treatment for patients with advanced HCC . However, cases of primary or acquired resistance to sorafenib have gradually increased, leading to a predicament in HCC therapy. Thus, it is critical to investigate the mechanism underlying sorafenib resistance. Transactivation response element RNA ‐binding protein 2 (TARBP2) is a multifaceted mi RNA biogenesis factor that regulates cancer stem cell ( CSC ) properties. The tumorigenicity and drug resistance of cancer cells are often enhanced due to the acquisition of CSC features. However, the role of TARBP 2 in sorafenib resistance in HCC remains unknown. Our results demonstrate that TARBP 2 is significantly downregulated in sorafenib‐resistant HCC cells. The TARBP 2 protein was destabilized through autophagic–lysosomal proteolysis, thereby stabilizing the expression of the CSC marker protein Nanog, which facilitates sorafenib resistance in HCC cells. In summary, here we reveal a novel mi RNA ‐independent role of TARBP 2 in regulating sorafenib resistance in HCC cells.

We investigate the association between CEO incentives and liquidity policy of commercial banks in the United States from 1992 to 2012. Empirical analyses indicate that CEO incentives affected the liquidity holdings of commercial banks, but the effect was different for S＆P 1,500 and non-S＆P 1,500 banks. We found that S＆P 1,500 banks with higher CEO equity ownership usually had lower proportions of loan commitments, were less involved in non-interest generating activities, but maintained higher levels of liquidity. Our study indicates that S＆P 1,500 banks with different level of CEO incentives had different business policies, which affected bank liquidity holdings and bank performance, but this relation was not clear for non-S＆P 1,500 banks. Our results complement current understanding of how different CEO incentives affect bank liquidity policy.

This study aims to investigate the impact of fiscal expenditures and tax policies at the county and city level in Taiwan on the number of local business registrations, with particular emphasis on identifying potential spatial spillover effects. To this end, the study compiles panel data covering 22 counties and cities in Taiwan from 2000 to 2023. In terms of spatial dependence, Moran’s I index is employed to test the spatial autocorrelation of business activities, and the spatial weight matrix is constructed based on the queen contiguity criterion. Based on the results of the Hausman test and model fit comparison, the Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) with random effects is ultimately selected as the most appropriate model. Empirical findings reveal significant spatial autocorrelation in the distribution of business registrations. Both fiscal expenditure and tax variables exhibit not only direct impacts on local jurisdictions but also significant spatial spillover effects. In particular, expenditures on education, science, and culture show a notable positive influence on business formation in neighboring regions. Conversely, certain tax variables exhibit negative spillovers, suggesting that interjurisdictional policy competition may be present.

This study focuses on exploring the impact of festival tourism experiences on tourists' satisfaction, well-being, and revisit intention. Through a survey conducted among tourists who attended the Penghu Ocean Fireworks Festival, with 385 valid responses collected, this study conducted an in-depth analysis of the data using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The empirical results show that festival tourism experiences significantly enhance tourists' intrinsic satisfaction and extrinsic satisfaction, which in turn positively influence their well-being and increase their revisit intention. This indicates that tourists' satisfaction with the core content and additional services of the festival can significantly enhance their well-being and encourage them to participate in similar or related events in the future. This further demonstrates the importance of overall festival experience for tourist satisfaction. By providing high-quality core activities and excellent additional services, festival organizers can simultaneously enhance tourists' intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction, thereby improving their well-being and revisit intention.

The objective of this thesis is to develop an empirically-based probabilistic model of the perception-action behaviors of human wheelchair locomotion and navigation over short distance ranges relevant for small space scenarios. More specifically, a probabilistic description and model is sought for the visual perception of distance and orientation with respect to objects, and for wheelchair locomotion based upon straight line and turning behaviors. Further, the specific behavior of manual wheelchair users boarding a small platform area, relevant for lifts and small elevators, is studied experimentally and in a probabilistic-based simulation. The approach taken consists of two parts. First, human subject studies were conducted to characterize the errors of egocentric human spatial perception (i.e., distance and azimuth direction) and locomotion in a near-body 'interactive range', of approximately one to two meters. Second, a predictive model and simulation of locomotion was developed based on data collected in Part I, in order to describe manual wheelchair user locomotion and navigation. The experimental results showed that the main source of perception error was from direction perception. Further, the average wheelchair paths taken in navigation experiments were found to approximate smoothly connected straight line and circular arc (constant turn radius) segments. The simulation results of Part II generally demonstrated good agreement with experimental data based on correlation analysis. Overall, the probabilistic modeling architecture used here enables the simulation of manual wheelchair locomotion and navigation using Hidden Markov Model and Bayes interpretation. The results presented here could inform the development of simulation tools for evaluating the accessibility and mobility of the built environment and assistive devices.