S-Nitrosylation of Tissue Transglutaminase in Modulating Glycolysis, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammatory Responses in Normal and Indoxyl-Sulfate-Induced Endothelial Cells.

Circulating uremic toxin indoxyl sulfate (IS), endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction, and decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability are found in chronic kidney disease patients. NO nitrosylates/denitrosylates a specific protein's cysteine residue(s), forming S-nitrosothios (SNOs), and the decreased NO bioavailability could interfere with NO-mediated signaling events. We were interested in investigating the underlying mechanism(s) of the reduced NO and how it would regulate the S-nitrosylation of tissue transglutaminase (TG2) and its substrates on glycolytic, redox and inflammatory responses in normal and IS-induced EC injury. TG2, a therapeutic target for fibrosis, has a Ca2+-dependent transamidase (TGase) that is modulated by S-nitrosylation. We found IS increased oxidative stress, reduced NADPH and GSH levels, and uncoupled eNOS to generate NO. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated the upregulation of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and significant downregulation of the beneficial ACE2 isoform that could contribute to oxidative stress in IS-induced injury. An in situ TGase assay demonstrated IS-activated TG2/TGase aminylated eNOS, NFkB, IkBα, PKM2, G6PD, GAPDH, and fibronectin (FN), leading to caspases activation. Except for FN, TGase substrates were all differentially S-nitrosylated either with or without IS but were denitrosylated in the presence of a specific, irreversible TG2/TGase inhibitor ZDON, suggesting ZDON-bound TG2 was not effectively transnitrosylating to TG2/TGase substrates. The data suggest novel roles of TG2 in the aminylation of its substrates and could also potentially function as a Cys-to-Cys S-nitrosylase to exert NO's bioactivity to its substrates and modulate glycolysis, redox, and inflammation in normal and IS-induced EC injury.

Caregiving and future planning perspectives of siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Insights from South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities age, their siblings are more likely to assume caregiving responsibilities. However, little is known about experiences of East Asian siblings with respect to their caregiving and future-planning within their own country, as well as other East Asian countries. METHODS: Using a national survey, this study explored experiences of 576 siblings across South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. RESULTS: A common factor across the three countries was that siblings were less engaged in advocacy and future-planning activities and felt less competent to play the role of caregiving. Korean siblings reported more negative views about disability, while Japanese siblings reported less engagement in future-planning and Taiwanese siblings reported greater involvement in caregiving. CONCLUSION: Based on 'universalism without uniformity', it is recommended to develop culturally sensitive sibling-targeted intervention based on each country's context.

The effects of the class-wide function-related intervention teams on behaviors of an elementary student with autism spectrum disorder in an inclusive classroom in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, most students with disabilities receive education in an inclusive setting. Literature has documented the effects of interventions in increasing students' positive behaviors in inclusive settings, including students with disabilities in Western countries; however, effectiveness of such interventions in an Asian context remains unclear. The Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is one of the interventions that applies reinforcement-based strategies and provides multi-tiered supports to students with various severity of challenging behaviors. This study investigates the effects of CW-FIT Tier I (i.e. class-wide intervention) and Tier II (i.e. self-management) on the on-task and disruptive behaviors of a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder in an inclusive elementary classroom in Taiwan. Across nine weeks of intervention, the researchers used a reversal single-case design A-B-C-B-C to demonstrate experimental control over five phases. In addition, the researchers administered interviews and questionnaires to collect social validity data from the teacher and peers' perceptions toward the intervention. Findings from this study support that the CW-FIT is an effective intervention in increasing a student's on-task behaviors and decreasing disruptive behaviors in an inclusive classroom in an Asian context. The effect of implementing multiple tiers of CW-FIT was much more effective than implementing solely Tier I (class-wide intervention). The intervention was also well-received by the general education teacher and students.

The way to ultimate wisdom: an exploratory qualitative study on Taiwanese students with disabilities attending college.

Background: In Asian culture, knowledge obtained at institutions of higher education contributes to heightened social status, greater respect in the community, and family prestige. As a result, Taiwan's central government sought to maximize opportunities for students to attend institutions of higher education, including students with disabilities. However, professional development and systems-capacity are needed to keep pace with the rapid expansion of higher education opportunities for students with disabilities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to expand the limited body of information on college students with disabilities in Taiwan. Method: In total, we conducted nine in-depth interviews with key stakeholders: (a) individuals with disabilities, (b) high school educators, and (c) university faculty and staff. Results: Five primary findings emerged from our analysis: (a) accessibility in college, (b) College Resource Rooms, (c) faculty involvement, (d) parent involvement, and (e) recommendations to enhance student outcomes. Conclusion: Findings reflect Taiwanese efforts to enact laws and implement regulations to secure rights for students with disabilities to participate in post-secondary education. However, as participants highlighted, there remains a need to determine how to best support students with disabilities in institutions of higher education, including effectively preparing students with disabilities for college, making environments accessible, supporting faculty to effectively teach diverse students, providing college staff support, and supporting parents to facilitate students' self-determination.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of a Family Quality of Life Scale for Taiwanese Families of Children With Intellectual Disability/Developmental Delay.

The Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale is an internationally validated instrument for measuring family outcomes. To revise the scale for better alignment with the Family Quality of Life theory, the authors excluded non-outcome items in this revision. In this study, we examined reliability and validity of the revised scale (i.e., the FQoL Scale-21) and its scores for Taiwanese families of children and youth with intellectual disability and developmental delay (age 0-18). Results from 400 Taiwanese respondents suggested that the FQoL Scale-21 has the potential to be used as an indicator of positive outcomes in intervention evaluation, policy making, and service delivery.

Decomposition and Mineralization of Dimethyl Phthalate in an Aqueous Solution by Wet Oxidation.

Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) was treated via wet oxygen oxidation process (WOP). The decomposition efficiency η DMP of DMP and mineralization efficiency η TOC of total organic carbons were measured to evaluate the effects of operation parameters on the performance of WOP. The results revealed that reaction temperature T is the most affecting factor, with a higher T offering higher η DMP and η TOC as expected. The η DMP increases as rotating speed increases from 300 to 500 rpm with stirring enhancement of gas liquid mass transfer. However, it exhibits reduction effect at 700 rpm due to purging of dissolved oxygen by overstirring. Regarding the effects of pressure P T, a higher P T provides more oxygen for the forward reaction with DMP, while overhigh P T increases the absorption of gaseous products such as CO2 and decomposes short-chain hydrocarbon fragments back into the solution thus hindering the forward reaction. For the tested P T of 2.41 to 3.45 MPa, the results indicated that 2.41 MPa is appropriate. A longer reaction time of course gives better performance. At 500 rpm, 483 K, 2.41 MPa, and 180 min, the η DMP and η TOC are 93 and 36%, respectively.

Adsorption Removal of Environmental Hormones of Dimethyl Phthalate Using Novel Magnetic Adsorbent.

Magnetic polyvinyl alcohol adsorbent M-PVAL was employed to remove and concentrate dimethyl phthalate DMP. The M-PVAL was prepared after sequential syntheses of magnetic Fe3O4 (M) and polyvinyl acetate (M-PVAC). The saturated magnetizations of M, M-PVAC, and M-PVAL are 57.2, 26.0, and 43.2 emu g(-1) with superparamagnetism, respectively. The average size of M-PVAL by number is 0.75 µm in micro size. Adsorption experiments include three cases: (1) adjustment of initial pH (pH0) of solution to 5, (2) no adjustment of pH0 with value in 6.04-6.64, and (3) adjusted pH0 = 7. The corresponding saturated amounts of adsorption of unimolecular layer of Langmuir isotherm are 4.01, 5.21, and 4.22 mg g(-1), respectively. Values of heterogeneity factor of Freundlich isotherm are 2.59, 2.19, and 2.59 which are greater than 1, revealing the favorable adsorption of DMP/M-PVAL system. Values of adsorption activation energy per mole of Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm are, respectively, of low values of 7.04, 6.48, and 7.19 kJ mol(-1), indicating the natural occurring of the adsorption process studied. The tiny size of adsorbent makes the adsorption take place easily while its superparamagnetism is beneficial for the separation and recovery of micro adsorbent from liquid by applying magnetic field after completion of adsorption.

Kinetics and equilibrium of desorption removal of copper from magnetic polymer adsorbent.

This study examined the desorption of copper ions, which were adsorbed on the magnetic polymer adsorbent (MPA) of polyvinyl acetate-iminodiacetic acid (M-PVAC-IDA), by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Stage-wise desorptions were applied to remove the Cu(II) ions from the Cu(II) adsorbed M-PVAC-IDA (A-M-PVAC-IDA). About seven desorption runs were needed to regenerate the A-M-PVAC-IDA. The Cu(II) desorbed M-PVAC-IDA (D-M-PVAC-IDA) was then reused to adsorb the Cu(II) ions from the Cu(II) ions-containing solution. The cyclic adsorption and desorption operations (CADOs) were performed to further elucidate the kinetics and equilibria of the desorption system of EDTA/A-M-PVAC-IDA and the adsorption system of Cu(II)-containing solution/D-M-PVAC-IDA. Two simple kinetic models, the pseudo-first-order equation and pseudo-second-order equation, were employed to simulate the kinetic behaviors of adsorption and desorption. With respect to the kinetics of adsorption behavior, the simulated results by both kinetic models exhibit good agreement with the experimental data. However, the adsorption capacities (q(e)) estimated by the pseudo-first-order equation are more accurate in comparison with those simulated by the pseudo-second-order equation. As for the desorption kinetics, the examination of correlation coefficients of model fittings of data shows that the pseudo-first-order kinetic model gives the better agreement for the cases with different initial solid-phase concentrations and can accurately compute the equilibrium concentrations of solid-phase. The values of q(e) after CADOs are consistent with the predicted results via the previous work, evidencing that the adsorption behavior and the characteristics of the regenerated adsorbent of D-M-PVAC-IDA were not altered. In the experiments of desorbing copper ions and CADOs, the desorption isotherm was set up. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption (or desorption) isotherms were used to simulate the equilibrium of desorption. The results indicate that the Freundlich equation shows better agreement with the experimental data than the Langmuir equation. The information thus obtained is useful for the better use of M-PVAC-IDA on the removal of heavy mental ions of Cu(II) from the Cu(II) ion-containing water solution with the consideration of its regeneration.

Pt-catalyzed ozonation of aqueous phenol solution using high-gravity rotating packed bed.

In this study, a high-gravity rotating packed bed (HGRPB or HG) was used as a catalytic ozonation (Cat-OZ) reactor to decompose phenol. The operation of HGRPB system was carried out in a semi-batch apparatus which combines two major parts, namely the rotating packed bed (RPB) and photo-reactor (PR). The high rotating speed of RPB can give a high volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient with one or two orders of magnitude higher than those in the conventional packed beds. The platinum-containing catalyst (Dash 220N, Pt/gamma-Al(2)O(3)) and activated alumina (gamma-Al(2)O(3)) were packed in the RPB respectively to adsorb molecular ozone and the target pollutant of phenol on the surface to catalyze the oxidation of phenol. An ultra violet (UV) lamp (applicable wavelength lambda=200-280 nm) was installed in the PR to enhance the self-decomposition of molecular ozone in water to form high reactive radical species. Different combinations of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) with the HGRPB for the degradation of phenol were tested. These included high-gravity OZ (HG-OZ), HG catalytic OZ (HG-Cat-OZ), HG photolysis OZ (HG-UV-OZ) and HG-Cat-OZ with UV (HG-Cat-UV-OZ). The decomposition efficiency of total organic compound (eta(TOC)) of HG-UV-OZ with power of UV (P(UV)) of 16W is 54% at applied dosage of ozone per volume sample m(A,in)=1200 mg L(-1) (reaction time t=20 min), while that of HG-OZ without the UV irradiation is 24%. After 80 min oxidation (m(A,in)=4800 mg L(-1)), the eta(TOC) of HG-UV-OZ is as high as 94% compared to 82% of HG-OZ process. The values of eta(TOC) for HG-Cat-OZ process with m(S)=42 g are 56% and 87% at m(A,in)=1200 and 4800 mg L(-1), respectively. By increasing the catalyst mass to 77 g, the eta(TOC) for the HG-Cat-OZ process reaches 71% and 90% at m(A,in)=1200 and 4800 mg L(-1), respectively. The introduction of Pt/gamma-Al(2)O(3) as well as UV irradiation in the HG-OZ process can enhance the eta(TOC) of phenol significantly, while gamma-Al(2)O(3) exhibits no significant effect on eta(TOC). For the HG-Cat-UV-OZ process with m(S)=42 g, the values of eta(TOC) are 60% and 94% at m(A,in)=1200 and 4800 mg L(-1), respectively. Note that the decomposition of TOC via HG-UV-OZ is already vigorous. Thus, the enhancing effect of catalyst on eta(TOC) is minor.

Combined photolysis and catalytic ozonation of dimethyl phthalate in a high-gravity rotating packed bed.

In this study, a high-gravity rotating packed bed (HGRPB) was used as a catalytic ozonation reactor to decompose dimethyl phthalate (DMP), an endocrine disrupting chemical commonly encountered. The HGRPB is an effective gas-liquid mixing equipment which can enhance the ozone mass transfer coefficient. Platinum-containing catalyst (Pt/-Al2O3) of Dash 220N and ultra violet (UV) lamp were combined in the high-gravity ozonation (HG-OZ) system to enhance the self-decomposition of molecular ozone in liquid to form highly reactive radical species. Different combinations of HG-OZ with Dash 220N and UV for the degradation of DMP were tested. These include HG-OZ, HG catalytic OZ (HG-Pt-OZ), HG photolysis OZ (HG-UV-OZ) and HG-UV-Pt-OZ. The result indicated that all the above four ozonation processes result in significant decomposition of DMP and mineralization of total organic carbon (TOC) at the applied ozone dosage per volume of liquid sample of 1.2gL(-1). The UV and Pt/gamma-Al2O3 combined in HG-OZ can enhance the TOC mineralization efficiency (eta(TOC)) to 56% (via HG-UV-OZ) and 57% (via HG-Pt-OZ), respectively, while only 45% with ozone only. The process of HG-UV-Pt-OZ offers the highest eta(TOC) of about 68%.

Removal of naphthalene in Brij 30-containing solution by ozonation using rotating packed bed.

The removal efficiency of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by ozonation using a rotating packed bed (RPB) in the surfactant-containing solution is studied. As an ozonation process starts, the ozone-containing gas is introduced and transferred into to the solution. The target PAHs in the solution would be then eliminated via both the gas stripping and ozonation decomposition. The RPB, which provides high gravitational force by adjusting the rotational speed, is employed as a novel ozone contactor. The naphthalene (NAP) and Brij 30 are chosen as the model pollutant and surfactant. Note that the experiments with different concentrations of NAP, Brij 30, and inlet gas ozone are performed for the further investigation. The residual NAP, effluent dissolved oxygen and ozone, and off-gas ozone concentrations are simultaneously monitored. As a result, the removal of NAP in the RPB is remarkably efficient compared with the convectional contactors because of its greater mass transfer coefficient. Moreover, the removal efficiency of NAP is found significantly dependent on the concentrations of NAP, Brij 30, and inlet gas ozone. It takes about several minutes to reach the steady state under the conditions of this study. In addition, it suggests employing RPBs as ozone contacting devices for the high removal efficiency of NAP. Consequently, the present study is useful for the practicable understanding of application of RPBs for the ozonation of PAHs in surfactant-containing solution.

Decomposition of 2-naphthalenesulfonate in electroplating solution by ozonation with UV radiation.

This study investigates the ozonation of 2-naphthalenesulfonate (2-NS) combined with UV radiation in the electroplating solution. 2-NS is commonly used as a brightening and stabilization agent in the electroplating solution. Semibatch ozonation experiments were conducted under various reaction conditions to study the effects of ozone dosage and UV radiation on the oxidation of 2-NS. The concentrations of 2-NS were analyzed at specified time intervals to elucidate the decomposition of 2-NS. Total organic carbon (TOC) is chosen as a mineralization index of the ozonation of 2-NS. In addition, values of pH and oxidation reduction potential were continuously measured in the course of experiments. As a result, the nearly complete mineralization of 2-NS via the ozonation treatment can be achieved. The mineralization of 2-NS is found accelerated by the introduction of UV radiation and has a distinct relationship with the consumption of applied ozone. These results can provide useful information for the proper removal of 2-NS in the electroplating solution by the ozonation with UV radiation.