Structurally ordered nanofiltration membranes prepared by spatially anchoring interfacial polymerization for highly efficient separation properties

Ao Sheng,Hao Wang,Haoji Jiang,Yaxin Zhao,Hao Li,Hao Jia,Zhong Wei,Heyun Wang 한국화학공학회 2021 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.38 No.9

The incorporation of various nanofillers into the interfacial polymerization (IP) process is widely applied to prepare higher performance NF membranes. However, few studies have reported the influence of nanofillers on nanocomposite membrane formation in the IP process. Here, an optical microscope was employed to study the change rule in the 8-NH2-POSS/PSA nanocomposite membrane formation process due to the addition of 8-NH2-POSS nanoparticles. First, the addition of 8-NH2-POSS reduced the diffusion rate of the polyacrylamide hydrochloride (PAH) water phase on the surface against the oil phase because of the interaction with the PAH molecules. Furthermore, the 8-NH2- POSS/PSA nanocomposite membrane structure was more homogeneous and exhibited uniform pinhole defects distribution due to the interaction of the 8-NH2-POSS nanoparticles to the PAH segment. A significant separation performance was observed in the 8-NH2-POSS/PSA nanocomposite membrane due to the hydrophilicity and positive charge of the 8-NH2-POSS nanoparticles. The permeation flux and MgCl2 rejection of the 8-NH2-POSS/PSA nanocomposite membrane increased up to 50.5 L/m2 h at 0.5MPa and 94.8%, respectively, which corresponded to increases of 73.5% and 8.7% as compared to the pristine PSA membrane. 8-NH2-POSS/PSA nanocomposite membranes have great application potential in the water softening and treatment of divalent metals ions under acidic conditions.

Acupuncture for ventilator-dependent patients at a hospital-based respiratory care center: A randomized controlled trial

Jia-Ming Chen,Wan-Li Chiang,Bin-Chuan Ji,Ruei-Jhe Jhang,Pei-Hsin Chen,Ya-Lun Li,Che-Ju Chang,Sung-Yen Huang,Tsung-Chieh Lee,Chia-Yun Chen,Ching-Hsiung Lin,Sheng-Hao Lin 한국한의학연구원 2023 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.12 No.4

Background: In intensive care units, mechanical ventilation is an important therapy to help patients with dysp- nea. However, long-term ventilator dependence would consume huge medical resources and increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to examine the efficacy of the acupuncture combined with western medical care on ventilator parameters in ventilator-dependent patients. Methods: In this clinical trial, 80 ventilator-dependent patients aged 20 to 80 years old were randomly assigned to acupuncture group and control group in the respiratory care center (RCC) of Changhua Christian Hospital. Besides regular medical care and therapy, participants in the acupuncture group received acupuncture therapy at the same 17 acu-points for 20 minutes once a day, a total of 12 sessions. The ventilator parameters were recorded to evaluate the respiratory efficiency for all participants. The primary outcome was rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI), and secondary outcomes were respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (TV) and ventilation per minute (MV). Results: Though there was no significant difference in the parameter between the acupuncture group and the control group, we found the trend of decreasing RSBI in the acupuncture group. In subgroup analyses, the mean of RSBI significantly decreased 16.02 (with the SD in 60.84) in acupuncture group, while it increased 17.84 (with the SD in 39.38) in control group (p = 0.036) after 12 sessions. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment can improve breathing ability of patients with respirator dependence in respiratory care center.

Long-term surgical outcomes of liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus co-infection: A multicenter observational study

Hang-Dong JIA,Lei LIANG,Chao LI,Han WU,Hong WANG,Ying-Jian LIANG,Ya-Hao ZHOU,Wei-Min GU,Xin-Ping FAN,Wan Yee LAU,Timothy M. PAWLIK,Yong-Kang DIAO,Qiu-Ran XU,Feng SHEN,Cheng-Wu ZHANG,Dong-Sheng HUANG,T 한국간담췌외과학회 2021 Annals of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery Vol.25 No.-

Thermal study of a scanning beam in granular flow target

Lin Ping,Qin Yuanshuai,Hao Changwei,Tian Yuan,Wan Jiangfeng,Jia Huan,Yang Lei,Duan Wenshan,Cai Han-Jie,Zhang Sheng 한국원자력학회 2022 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.54 No.11

The concept of dense granular-flow target (DGT) for the China Initiative Accelerator Driven Subcritical system (CiADS) is an attractive choice for high heat removal ability, low chemical toxicity, and radiotoxicity. A wobbling hollow beam is proposed to enhance the homogeneity of temperature rise of flowing particles in beam-target coupling zone. In this paper, the design procedure of target and beam parameters was discussed firstly. Then we simulated the heat deposition and transfer of the scanning beam in DGT to study the effect of beam parameters. The results show the flux density of proton beam plays a crucial role in the distribution of temperature rise while the contributions from scanning frequency heat transfer are also obvious. Moreover, heat transfer in transversal directions is insignificant, resulting in a low heat flux towards the sidewalls of DGT. This work not only contributes to the design of DGT, but also beneficial for understanding the beam-target coupling in porous materials

Flow-induced Orientations of Fibers and Their Influences on Warpage and Mechanical Property in Injection Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Parts

Chao-Tsai Huang,Jia-Hao Chu,Wei-Wen Fu,Chia Hsu,Sheng-Jye Hwang 한국정밀공학회 2021 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol.8 No.3

During the past two centuries, due to too fast growth of the human population, the pollution made by human has seriously impacts on our environment, particularly, for the CO2 emission. To diminish the CO2 emission problem, one of the effective solutions is applying lightweight material, such as the fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), to replace metal in the manufacturing of transportation vehicles. However, since the reinforced function of the fibers inside plastic matrix is very complex, it is not easy to be visualized and managed. Specifically, the connection from microstructures of the fibers to the physical properties of the final product is far from our understanding. In this study, we have proposed a benchmark with three standard specimens based on ASTM D638 with different gate designs. This system is used to study the fiber microstructures and associated mechanical properties using numerical simulation and experimental studies. Results showed that the tensile properties (including tensile modulus and tensile stress) of all three ASTM standard specimens can be improved significantly in the appearance of the fibers. Moreover, the tensile properties variation of the finished parts associated with the microstructures of the short fibers based on the gate design have been also investigated. Specifically, the tensile modulus and the strength of the Model I are greater than that of Model II, while Model III is much less than others because of its double gate effect. The reason why the tensile modulus and the strength of the Model I is greater than that of Model II is due to some entrance effect. That entrance effect will further provide flow-induced fiber orientation to melt and then enhance the tensile properties of Model I. To confirm the observation, a series simulation and experimental studies have been performed. Specifically, the fiber orientation distribution is predicted using CAE, and verified using micro-CT scan and image analysis by Avizo software. Hence, the correlation from fiber microstructure feature (particularly in fiber orientation) to tensile modulus and tensile stress for fiber reinforced thermoplastic (FRP) in injection molding process can be validated.

Current Evidence on the Relationship Between Two Polymorphisms in the NBS1 Gene and Breast Cancer Risk: a Meta-analysis

Zhang, Zhi-Hua,Yang, Lin-Sheng,Huang, Fen,Hao, Jia-Hu,Su, Pu-Yu,Sun, Ye-Huan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.11

Introduction: Published studies on the association between Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1(NBS1) gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk have been inconclusive, and a meta-analysis was therefore performed for clarification. Methods: Eligible articles were identified by a search of MEDLINE and EMBASE bibliographic databases for the period up to March 2012. The presence of between-study heterogeneity was investigated using the chi-square-based Cochran's Q statistic test. When there was statistical heterogeneity, the random effects model was chosen; otherwise, fixed effects estimates were reported as an alternative approach. Results: A total of 11 eligible articles (14 case-control studies) were identified, nine case-control studies were for the 657del5 mutation (7,534 breast cancer cases, 14,034 controls) and five case-control studies were for the I171V mutation (3,273 breast cancer cases, 4,004 controls). Our analysis results indicated that the 657del5 mutation was associated with breast cancer risk (carriers vs. non-carriers: pooled OR =2.63, 95% CI: 1.76-3.93), whereas the I171V mutation was not (carriers vs. non-carriers: pooled OR =1.52, 95% CI: 0.70-3.28). Conclusion: The present meta-analysis suggests that the 657del5 gene mutation in the NBS1 gene plays a role in breast cancer risk, while the I171V mutation does not exert a significant influence.

The completemitochondrial genome of the endangered Apollo butterfly, Parnassius apollo (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) and its comparison to other Papilionidae species

Yan-hong Chen,Dun-yuan Huang,Yun-liangWang,Chao-dong Zhu,Jia-sheng Hao 한국응용곤충학회 2014 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.17 No.4

The Apollo butterfly, Parnassius apollo is a representative species of the butterfly subfamily Parnassiinae. Thischarming species is one of the most endangered butterfly species in the world. In this study, we sequenced itscomplete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome), with the aim of accumulating genetic information for furtherstudies of population genetics and mitogenome evolution in the Papilionidae. The 15,404-bp long mitogenomeharbors a typical set of 37 genes and is the largest butterfly mitogenome determined, except for Papiliomaraho (16,094 bp). Like many other sequenced lepidopteran species, one tRNATrp-like and onetRNALeu(UUR)-like sequences were detected in the AT-rich region. A total of 164 bp of non-codingsequences are dispersed in 14 regions throughout the genome. The longest intergenic spacer (68 bp) islocated between tRNASer(AGN) and tRNAGlu, and is the largest spacer at this location among Papilionidaespecies. This spacer may have resulted from an 8-fold repetition of a TTTCTTCT motif or a 4-fold repetitionof a CTTTATTT motif.

Preoperative Prealbumin Level as an Independent Predictor of Long-Term Prognosis after Curative Liver Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (a Multicenter Study of 1,483 Patients)

( Ju-dong Li ),( Xin-fei Xu ),( Jiong-jie Yu ),( Jia-he Wang ),( Li- Yang Sun ),( Wen-tao Yan ),( Bing Quan ),( Jian-hong Zhong ),( Yi-sheng Huang ),( Ya-hao Zhou ),( Ting-hao Chen ),( Hong Wang ),( W 대한간학회 2018 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2018 No.1

Aims: Serum prealbumin is more sensitive to profile nutritional status and liver function than albumin, which could hardly be affected by infusion supplement. This study aims: to identify the relationship between preoperative prealbumin level and the long-term prognosis after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Patients undergone HCC curative resection between 2001 and 2014 at six institutions in China were enrolled. By using 170 mg/dl as cut-off value of serum prealbumin level, these patients were divided into the low and normal preoperative prealbumin groups. The overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed and compared. Univariable and multivariable Cox-regression analyses were performed to identify predictive factors of OS and RFS. Results: Among 1,483 patients, 437 (29.5%) had a low prealbumin level within a week before surgery. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS and RFS rates of patients in the low prealbumin group were 83.8, 57.0, and 31.1%, and 67.0, 39.8, and19.9%, respectively, which was significantly poorer than those in the normal group (93.0, 75.5, and 42.6%, and 77.0, 56.4, and 28.4%, both P<0.001). Multivariable analyses revealed that preoperative prealbumin level, but not albumin level, was an independent predictor of OS (HR, 1.789; 95% CI: 1.544 -2.072, P<0.001) and RFS (HR, 1.420; 95% CI: 232-1.636, P<0.001). Conclusions: Preoperative prealbumin level is useful for predicting long-term prognosis in patients undergoing liver resection for HCC. Prealbumin may be suitable to displace albumin, yielding to an updated Child-Pugh grade for accessing liver function.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Common Red Apollo, Parnassius epaphus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Parnassiinae)

Yun-liangWang,Yan-hong Chen,Chen-chen Xia,Xue-qin Xia,Rui-song Tao,Jia-sheng Hao 한국응용곤충학회 2015 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.18 No.2

The complete mitochondrial genome of Parnassius epaphus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Parnassiinae) was 15, 458 bp in length, harboring typical 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transferRNA genes (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs) and a non-coding control region (AT-rich region), with an 81.4% A + T content. The gene orientation and arrangement are the same as those of other sequenced lepidopterans. All PCGs startwith the typical ATN codon, with the exception of the COI gene that utilizes CGA as its initial codon. In addition, all PCGs terminate at the common stop codon TAA or TAG, except for the COII genewhich uses single T as its stop codon. All tRNAs possess the typical clover-leaf structure, except for tRNAser(AGN), inwhich the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm forms a simple loop. The predicted lrRNA and srRNA secondary structures harbor six domainswith 49 helices and three domains with 33 helices, respectively. In total, P. epaphus mitogenome harbors 12 intergenic spacers. The 122 bp longest one located between tRNAser(AGN) and tRNAGlu is characterized by the multiple duplications of TTTTTCTTTTT and TTTATCTATTTCTTTmotifs, and this sequence is the largest intergenic spacer among all butterflies detected to date. The 496 bp AT-rich region is located between srRNA and tRNAMet, containing some conserved structural characteristic of lepidopterans, such as the motif ATAGA followed by an 18-bp poly-T stretch, a microsatellite-like (AT)9 element preceded by the ATTTA motif. Moreover, two tRNA-like sequences (tRNATrp-like, tRNALeu(UUR)-like) and two sequence stretches potential to form stem-loop structures are also found in the AT-rich region.