Examining the temperature at which magnesium titanates undergo phase formation in the presence of various sintering accelerators

Ping-Cheng Chen,Chung-Long Pan,Kuei-Chih Lin,Chun-Hsu Shen 한양대학교 청정에너지연구소 2024 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.25 No.2

The lower phase-forming temperature of magnesium titanate, MgTiO3, means that it can be used to replace magnesium ionswith cobalt ions at 0.05 mole when a mixture of diverse low melting point materials as sintering accelerators is employed(single: B2O3, CuO, V2O5, ZnO; binary: ZnO-B2O3). The phase formation of 0.9Mg0.95Co0.05TiO3 - 0.1 Ca0.61Nd0.78/3TiO3 dielectricceramics was verified using XRD diffraction to observe crystallites at different phases. SEM was used to observe the graingrowth of the ceramic system, and the composition ratio of the grain was analyzed via EDS. Compared with 0.9Mg0.95Co0.05TiO3- 0.1 Ca0.61Nd0.78/3TiO3 dielectric ceramics without the addition of a sintering accelerator, the results show that the sinteringtemperature could be effectively decremented, and the results of the binary addition were better than the single result. Themicrowave dielectric performances of 0.9Mg0.95Co0.05TiO3 - 0.1Ca0.61Nd0.78/3TiO3 dielectric ceramics were closely related tothe density and growth of grains experienced by the specimens. When 1 wt% binary sintering accelerators (ZnO-B2O3) wereadded to 0.9Mg0.95Co0.05TiO3-0.1 Ca0.61Nd0.78/3TiO3 dielectric ceramics, they showed an εr value of 21.7, a Qf value of 42,000 GHz,and a τf value of -27.2 ppm/oC; the phase-forming temperature was minimized from 1350 oC to 1150 oC.

A study on Safe Pork Consumption Behavior in Taiwan

( Cheng-wei Chen ),( Yu-ping Fan ),( Cheng-hsing Yeh ) 한국농업경제학회 2009 KOREAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS(KJAT) Vol.50 No.3

Pork is the most popular meat in Taiwan, that makes hog industry an important agriculture industry. The government had lauched the traceability system of agricultural products from 2004. It is needed to appreciate the policy affecting consumers’ willingness to buy safe pork for hog industry to separate market. This research use consumer decision process model and market segmentation to separate four respective factors as age group, educational background, family income, and the population element as family structure to find out the habit of safe pork consumption. This study was based on household as its unit, and had conducted questionnaire survey upon the primary purchasers of pork, which were then analyzed with descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and the logit model so as to differentiate the preference of demographic characteristics among consumers with various features. This research indicated consumers with more members of household, older, less educated,less income, less cognitive about pork risk would have higher possibility to buy warm pork. Consumers with female, more educated, more income, more cognitive about pork risk would have higher willingness to pork with traceability system.However consumers in Taiwan still prefer buy warm body pork, little perception about pork marketing risk. The government should improve pork safety by more inspecting hog farms, processing factories and markets and educating consumers the knowledge of safe pork by television broadcasting and other mass media.

The feasibility of detecting endometrial and ovarian cancer using DNA methylation biomarkers in cervical scrapings

Cheng-Chang Chang,Hui-Chen Wang,Yu-Ping Liao,Yu-Chih Chen,Yu-Chun Weng,Mu-Hsien Yu,Hung-Cheng Lai 대한부인종양학회 2018 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.29 No.1

Objective: We hypothesized that DNA methylation of development-related genes may occur in endometrial cancer (EC)/ovarian cancer (OC) and may be detected in cervical scrapings. Methods: We tested methylation status by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction for 14 genes in DNA pools of endometrial and OC tissues. Tissues of EC/normal endometrium, OC/normal ovary, were verified in training set using cervical scrapings of 10 EC/10 OC patients and 10 controls, and further validated in the testing set using independent cervical scrapings in 30 EC/30 OC patients and 30 controls. We generated cutoff values of methylation index (M-index) from cervical scrapings to distinguish between cancer patients and control. Sensitivity/specificity of DNA methylation biomarkers in detecting EC and OC was calculated. Results: Of 14 genes, 4 (PTGDR, HS3ST2, POU4F3, MAGI2) showed hypermethylation in EC and OC tissues, and were verified in training set. POU4F3 and MAGI2 exhibited hypermethylation in training set were validated in independent cases. The mean M-index of POU4F3 is 78.28 in EC and 20.36 in OC, which are higher than that in controls (6.59; p<0.001 and p=0.100, respectively), and that of MAGI2 is 246.0 in EC and 12.2 in OC, which is significantly higher that than in controls (2.85; p<0.001 and p=0.480, respectively). Sensitivity and specificity of POU4F3/MAGI2 were 83%–90% and 69%–75% for detection of EC, and 61% and 62%–69% for the detection of OC. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate the potential of EC/OC detection through testing for DNA methylation in cervical scrapings.

A Study on Safe Pork Consumption Behavior in Taiwan

Cheng-Wei Chen,Yu-Ping Fan,Cheng-Hsing Yeh 한국농업경제학회 2009 農業經濟硏究 Vol.50 No.4

Pork is the most popular meat in Taiwan, that makes hog industry an important agriculture industry. The government had lauched the traceability system of agricultural products from 2004. It is needed to appreciate the policy affecting consumers’ willingness to buy safe pork for hog industry to separate market. This research use consumer decision process model and market segmentation to separate four respective factors as age group, educational background, family income, and the population element as family structure to find out the habit of safe pork consumption. This study was based on household as its unit, and had conducted questionnaire survey upon the primary purchasers of pork, which were then analyzed with descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and the logit model so as to differentiate the preference of demographic characteristics among consumers with various features. This research indicated consumers with more members of household, older, less educated, less income, less cognitive about pork risk would have higher possibility to buy warm pork. Consumers with female, more educated, more income, more cognitive about pork risk would have higher willingness to pork with traceability system.However consumers in Taiwan still prefer buy warm body pork, little perception about pork marketing risk. The government should improve pork safety by more inspecting hog farms, processing factories and markets and educating consumers the knowledge of safe pork by television broadcasting and other mass media.

Carbon black sintering effects on the composition of multiphase calcium phosphate bioceramics

Wen-Cheng Chen,Chien-Ping Ju,Wen-Hsien Cheng,Jiin-Huey Chern Lin 한양대학교 세라믹연구소 2013 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.14 No.3

The presence of carbonate (CO3 2-) combined with calcium phosphates has been believed to increase the susceptibility of natural bone formation. This study was carried out to investigate the thermal properties of apatite in nano scale precipitates with added carbon black that could act as a sintering inhibitor and a carbonate preserver. In addition, the present study aimed to determine the effects of those additives and analyze their chemical compositions. Ceramics processed at different heating temperatures were compared and characterized. The results showed that a multiphase ceramic of apatite-calcium carbonate (CaCO3)-calcium oxide (CaO) was formed in a temperature range of 600 to 800 ο C. By observing the morphologies of the ceramics, the addition of carbon black which acts as a carbonate supplier in the heating processes and further as an inhibitor to prevent the sintering effect of the nano scale particles in sub-micro range efficiently at 1400 ο C were established.

A Comparative Study of Filter Media Used in a Vertical Subsurface Flow Stormwater Wetland

( Yao Ping Chen ),( Si Ping Niu ),( Ki Soo Park ),( Heidi B. Guerra ),( Jing Cheng ),( Young Chul Kim ) 한국물환경학회 ( 구 한국수질보전학회 ) 2012 한국물환경학회·대한상하수도학회 공동 춘계학술발표회 Vol.2012 No.-

Pimecrolimus increases the melanogenesis and migration of melanocytes in vitro

Ping Xu,Jie Chen,Cheng Tan,Ren-Sheng Lai,Zhong-Sheng Min 대한약리학회 2017 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.21 No.3

Vitiligo is an intriguing depigmentary disorder and is notoriously difficult to be treated. The ultimate goal of vitiligo treatment is to replenish the lost melanocytes by immigration from hair follicle and to restore the normal function of melanogenesis by residual melanocytes. There are two types of topical calcineurin inhibitors called tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, and are recommended as the first-line treatments in vitiligo. Although pimecrolimus is efficacious for the repigmentation of vitiligo, its intrinsic mechanisms have never been investigated in vitro. This research aimed to study the ability of pimecrolimus on stimulating melanogenesis, melanocyte migration and MITF (microphthalmia associated transcription factor) protein expression. Results showed that pimecrolimus at the dosages of 1, 10, 102 nM were neither mitogenic nor cytotoxic to melanocytes. The addition of pimecrolimus at 10, 102 and 103 nM significantly increased intracellular tyrosinase activity, which was consistent with the elevated content of melanin content at the same concentrations. The peak effect was seen at 72 h in response to 102 nM pimecrolimus. Results of the wound scratch assay and Transwell assays indicate that pimecrolimus is effective in facilitating melanocyte migration on a collagen IV-coated surface. In addition, MITF protein yield reached the highest by pimecrolimus at 102 nM. In brief, pimecrolimus enhances melanin synthesis as well as promotes migration of melanocytes directly, possibly via their effects on MITF protein expression.

Pimecrolimus increases the melanogenesis and migration of melanocytes <em>in vitro</em>

Ping Xu,Jie Chen,Cheng Tan,Ren-Sheng Lai,Zhong-Sheng Min 대한생리학회-대한약리학회 2017 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.21 No.3

Vitiligo is an intriguing depigmentary disorder and is notoriously difficult to be treated. The ultimate goal of vitiligo treatment is to replenish the lost melanocytes by immigration from hair follicle and to restore the normal function of melanogenesis by residual melanocytes. There are two types of topical calcineurin inhibitors called tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, and are recommended as the first-line treatments in vitiligo. Although pimecrolimus is efficacious for the repigmentation of vitiligo, its intrinsic mechanisms have never been investigated in vitro. This research aimed to study the ability of pimecrolimus on stimulating melanogenesis, melanocyte migration and MITF (microphthalmia associated transcription factor) protein expression. Results showed that pimecrolimus at the dosages of 1, 10, 10² nM were neither mitogenic nor cytotoxic to melanocytes. The addition of pimecrolimus at 10, 10² and 10³ nM significantly increased intracellular tyrosinase activity, which was consistent with the elevated content of melanin content at the same concentrations. The peak effect was seen at 72 h in response to 10² nM pimecrolimus. Results of the wound scratch assay and Transwell assays indicate that pimecrolimus is effective in facilitating melanocyte migration on a collagen IV-coated surface. In addition, MITF protein yield reached the highest by pimecrolimus at 10² nM. In brief, pimecrolimus enhances melanin synthesis as well as promotes migration of melanocytes directly, possibly via their effects on MITF protein expression.

Control of Cascaded H-Bridges STATCOM based on the Power Flow Management

Ping-Heng Wu,Chia-Tse Lee,Hsin-Chin Chen,Po-Tai Cheng 전력전자학회 2015 ICPE(ISPE)논문집 Vol.2015 No.6

As smart grid techniques are getting more positive perspective and expected to grow in the future, the STATic synchronous COMpensator (STATCOM) has become one of the most important roles to manage the power flow and regulate the grid voltage. The Modular Multilevel Cascaded Converter (MMCC) based on single star bridge cell (SSBC) is very suitable for STATCOM application at the medium-voltage level in the power system. The dc capacitors voltage balancing control is a critical issue to secure the stable operation of MMCCSSBC converter. Four different control methods based on power flow analysis have been considered. The performance of each controller is evaluated under steady state or even Low Voltage Ride Through (LVRT) operation. Each controller has its power flow management and its feature. Experimental test results are given to verify these control methods can well regulated the dc bus voltages under the unbalanced grid voltages.

Neutropenia during the First Cycle of Induction Chemotherapy Is Prognostic for Poor Survival in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Real-World Study in an Endemic Area

Cheng Xu,Shi-Ping Yang,Yuan Zhang,Ling-Long Tang,Guan-Qun Zhou,Xu Liu,Yan-Ping Mao,Rui Guo,Wen-Fei Li,Lei Chen,Ai-Hua Lin,Ying Sun,Jun Ma 대한암학회 2018 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.50 No.3

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of neutropenia during the first cycle of induction chemotherapy (IC-1) on survival in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LANPC). Materials and Methods Eligible patients (n=545) with LANPC receiving IC+concurrent chemoradiotherapy were included. Based on nadir neutrophil after IC-1, all patients were categorized into three groups: no/grade 1-2/grade 3-4 neutropenia. Five-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between groups and subgroups stratified by IC regimen. We also explored the occurrence of IC-1–induced myelosuppression events and the minimal value of post-treatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (post-NLRmin). Univariate/multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the effect of IC-1–induced neutropenia, timing of neutropenia, number of myelosuppression events, and high post-NLRmin on OS/DFS. Results Grade 1-2/grade 3-4 neutropenia were associated with poorer OS/DFS than no neutropenia (all p < 0.05); OS/DFS were not significantly different between patients experiencing grade 1-2 vs. 3-4 neutropenia. Neutropenia had no significant effect on OS/DFS in patients receiving docetaxel–cisplatin–5-fluorouracil (TPF). Grade 1-2 (grade 3-4) neutropenia negatively influenced OS/DFS in patients receiving cisplatin–5-fluorouracil (PF) (PF and docetaxel– cisplatin [TP]; all p < 0.05). Neutropenia, two/three myelosuppression events, and high post-NLRmin ( 1.33) was most frequent on days 5-10, second and third week of IC-1, respectively. After adjustment for covariates, IC-1–induced neutropenia, two/three myelosuppression events, and post-NLRmin  1.33 were validated as negative predictors of OS/DFS (all p < 0.05); timing of neutropenia had no significant effect. Conclusion Occurrence of neutropenia, number of myelosuppression events, and high post-NLRmin during PF/TP IC-1 have prognostic value for poor survival in LANPC.