Influence of host plants on the development, survivorship, and fecundity of the summer fruit tortrix moth, Adoxophyes orana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Li Guang‐wei,Wang Hui‐min,Yang Wen‐tao,Chen Xiu‐lin,Li Bo‐liao,Chen Yu‐xin 한국곤충학회 2021 Entomological Research Vol.51 No.10

The summer fruit tortrix moth Adoxophyes orana is a seriously damaged leaf roller pest for fruit trees. In this study, we evaluated the effect of five host plants (apple, Malus domestica B.; peach, Prunus persica var. nectarina; apricot, Armeniaca vulgaris Lam.; mulberry, Morus alba L.; and jujube, Ziziphus jujuba M.) on the development, survival, and fecundity of A. orana under laboratory conditions. Results showed that the development times of A. orana on jujube were significantly longer than those on the other four plants. The preimaginal survival rate was influenced by the host plants, which were fed during the larval stage, and with the highest on peach, followed by apple, apricot, and mulberry, and with the lowest on jujube. Adult females from larvae reared on apricot laid the greatest numbers of eggs (318.11 eggs per female), while that on apple, jujube, and mulberry was smaller, and no significant difference was observed among them. The highest intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was observed on peach and apricot; these two fruit trees were considered to be the most suitable host plant for A. orana because of the shorter developmental duration, higher survival rate, and the highest fecundity.

Validation of the Chinese Version of Penn Alcohol Craving Scale for Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder

Yu-Yu Ko,Su-Chen Fang,Wei-Chien Huang,Ming-Chyi Huang,Hu-Ming Chang 대한신경정신의학회 2024 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.21 No.2

Objective The Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) is a five-item, single-dimension questionnaire that is used to measure a patient’s alcohol craving. We sought to develop the Chinese version of the PACS (PACS-C) and assess its reliability and validity.Methods A total of 160 Taiwanese patients with alcohol use disorder were enrolled in this study. The internal consistency and concurrent validity of the PASC-C with the visual analogue scale (VAS) for craving, the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale for heavy drinking (YBOCS-hd), and the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) were assessed. The test–retest reliability of the PASC-C was evaluated 1 day after the baseline measurements. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to examine the psychometric properties of the PACS-C.Results The PACS-C exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.95) and test–retest reliability (r=0.97). This scale showed high correlations with the VAS (r=0.81) and YBOCS-hd (r=0.81 and 0.79 for the obsession and compulsion subscales, respectively), and moderate correlation with the SADQ-C (r=0.47). Furthermore, CFA results revealed that the PACS-C had good fit indices under various models.Conclusion The PACS-C appears to be a reliable and valid tool for assessing alcohol craving in patients with alcohol use disorder in Taiwan.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir plus ribavirin for Child-Pugh B and Child-Pugh C hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis

( Chen-hua Liu ),( Chi-yi Chen ),( Wei-wen Su ),( Chun-jen Liu ),( Ching-chu Lo ),( Ke-jhang Huang ),( Jyh-jou Chen ),( Kuo-chih Tseng ),( Chi-yang Chang ),( Cheng-yuan Peng ),( Yu-lueng Shih ),( Chia 대한간학회 2021 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.27 No.4

Background/Aims: Real-world studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) plus ribavirin (RBV) for Child-Pugh B/C hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis are limited. Methods: We included 107 patients with Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis receiving SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks in Taiwan. The sustained virologic response rates at off-treatment week 12 (SVR₁₂) for the evaluable population (EP), modified EP, and per-protocol population (PP) were assessed. The safety profiles were reported. Results: The SVR₁₂ rates in the EP, modified EP and PP were 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.5-94.2%), 94.1% (95% CI, 87.8-97.3%), and 100% (95% CI, 96.2-100%). Number of patients who failed to achieve SVR₁₂ were attributed to virologic failures. The SVR₁₂ rates were comparable regardless of patient characteristics. One patient discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs). Twenty-four patients had serious AEs and six died, but none were related to SOF/VEL or RBV. Among the 96 patients achieving SVR₁₂, 84.4% and 64.6% had improved Child-Pugh and model for endstage liver disease (MELD) scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that a baseline MELD score ≥15 was associated with an improved MELD score of ≥3 (odds ratio, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.16-14.71; P=0.02). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1 had more significant estimated glomerular filtration rate declines than patients with CKD stage 2 (-0.42 mL/min/1.73 ㎡/month; P=0.01) or stage 3 (-0.56 mL/min/1.73 ㎡/month; P<0.001). Conclusions: SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks is efficacious and well-tolerated for Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis. (Clin Mol Hepatol 2021;27:575-588)

Using the Juice of Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) as Culture Medium to Increase the Cell Density and the Production of Microbial Lipid

Yu-Hsien Lien,Fu-Yao Liu,Jyy-Ning Chen,Yu-Shan Huang,Yu-Hong Wei,Chiyang Yu,Che-Chi Shu 한국생물공학회 2019 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.24 No.2

Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) is one of the most well-known aquatic weeds as it causes problems in watercourses all over the world. This invasive species is fast-growing and thus has the potential for its use in preparing growth medium of microorganisms. Toward it, the pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification are positively the decisive processes. But there are other crucial processes, which are usually ignored by researchers. To the best of my knowledge, this presented work is the first time discovering that the juice obtained from water lettuce is valuable. Except for sterilization, no treatment is needed for the water lettuce’s juice and it can be directly served for cell growth. For Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris, Bacillus subtilis, Lactococcus Lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus plantarum, the cell density in the broth of water lettuce’s juice as the only carbon source is 10-60% higher than that in LB, YPD, BHI, M17, MRS. We then examined the production of microbial lipid by YM prepared in the juice of water lettuce. In comparison to commercial medium YM broth, the YM with juice caused 84% increase in the production of microbial lipid. A simple process of collecting juice notably increased productivity.

IL-33/ST2 axis mediates hyperplasia of intrarenal urothelium in obstructive renal injury

Wei-Yu Chen,Jenq-Lin Yan,Yi-Hsiu Wu,Lung-Chih Li,Ru-Fang Li,Ya-Ting Chang,Lo-Hsin Dai,Wan-Chen Wang,Ya-Jen Chang 생화학분자생물학회 2018 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.50 No.-

The monolayered intrarenal urothelium covers the renal papilla and ureteropelvic junction (UPJ). In response to increased renal pressure during obstruction or ischemic injuries, intrarenal urothelial cells begin to proliferate and form a multilayered urothelium. Little is known regarding the mechanism and pathophysiological role of urothelium hyperplasia during renal obstruction. In this study, we investigated the expression of interleukin (IL)-33, an IL-1 family cytokine, in kidneys with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced obstructive injury. IL-33 levels in hydronephrotic urine and serum were upregulated 2 days after UUO. The number of ST2-expressing immune cells was increased in the UUO kidney. We found that IL-33 was upregulated in vimentin-positive cells in the cortical and medullar layers and the UPJ stroma. Moreover, IL-33 expression was predominantly induced in multilayered keratin 5- positive urothelial cells in the UPJ. IL-33 was not detected in terminally differentiated superficial umbrella cells expressing uroplakin 3a. In vivo, we confirmed that deficiency of IL33 or its receptor ST2 attenuated UUO-induced hyperplasia of the UPJ urothelium. Deficiency of IL33 attenuated the expression of UUO-induced type 2 inflammatory cytokines and upregulated uroplakins and urothelial differentiation signaling in UPJ tissues. Our results collectively suggest that the IL-33/ST2 axis mediates the activation of innate immune responses and contributes to urothelial hyperplasia by regulating urothelial differentiation in obstructive kidney injury.

Cadmium Uptakes By Different Rice Cultivars Related To Iron Nutritional Levels In Plant And Iron Plaque Formation

Yu-Hsuan Chen,Chun-Hui Yu,Ching-Ming Yang,Wan-Ting Chiao,Shan-Li Wang,Kai-Wei Juang 한국토양비료학회 2014 한국토양비료학회 학술발표회 초록집 Vol.2014 No.6

Nonlinear vibration of hybrid composite plates on elastic foundations

Chen, Wei-Ren,Chen, Chun-Sheng,Yu, Szu-Ying Techno-Press 2011 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.37 No.4

In this paper, nonlinear partial differential equations of motion for a hybrid composite plate subjected to initial stresses on elastic foundations are established to investigate its nonlinear vibration behavior. Pasternak foundation and Winkler foundations are used to represent the plate-foundation interaction. The initial stress is taken to be a combination of pure bending stress plus an extensional stress in the example problems. The governing equations of motion are reduced to the time-dependent ordinary differential equations by the Galerkin's method. Then, the Runge-Kutta method is used to evaluate the nonlinear vibration frequency and frequency ratio of hybrid composite plates. The nonlinear vibration behavior is affected by foundation stiffness, initial stress, vibration amplitude and the thickness ratio of layer. The effects of various parameters on the nonlinear vibration of hybrid laminated plate are investigated and discussed.

Analyses of the transcriptome of Bombyx mori cells infected with either BmNPV or AcMNPV

Yu-Wei Chen,Carol-P Wu,Tsai-Chin Wu,Yueh-Lung Wu 한국응용곤충학회 2018 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.21 No.1

Baculoviruses are insect-specific DNA viruses with a restricted host range. Two examples of such includeAutographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) and Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). AcMNPV is a commercially available and widely used baculovirus prototype which can infect 39 species in 13families. On the other hand, BmNPV is a major pathogen of silkworms which has developed high host specificityto Bombyx mori. Coincidentally, AcMNPV and BmNPV are highly homologous, but share no overlapping hostrange on a genomic level. In fact, these two similar viruses have extremely different infection outcomes inBombyx mori. We hypothesized that the determination of host specificity may depend on virus-host interactionsand several genes may be involved in determining host specificity. Therefore, we used next generation sequencing(NGS) to analyze transcriptome responses of hosts to these viruses. A transcriptome library was constructed,annotated, and grouped after sequence assembly. The comparison of gene expressions showed severalsignificant differences in the gene expression profiles of BmNPV and AcMNPV, especially in cases where genesinvolved with immune responses were verified by RNA interference. In addition, studies have shown that smallRNA plays a role in virus-host interaction, and further determines host specificity. Therefore, we screenedmicroRNA induced by AcMNPV infection, and then combined NGS data from cellular gens to predict possibleregulation networks. The manipulation of virus-host specificity can provide a breakthrough for the application ofbaculovirus in protein expression systems and the development of bio-control agents.

Effect of the Circle-Grid Electrodes on Concentrated GaAs Solar Cell Efficiency

Chen-Chen Chung,Binh Tinh Tran,Ming-Hung Han,Kung-Liang Lin,Hung-Wei Yu,Yen-Teng Ho,Chun-Yen Chang,Edward Yi Chang 대한금속·재료학회 2014 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.10 No.5

In this study, we investigate the effect of the shading factor of the front grid pattern on concentrated solar cell efficiency, taking the trade-off between the series resistance of the electrodes and the amount of incident light into consideration. We examine the thermal effect with regard to five different circle-grid electrode patterns of the front contact. The front contacts with different grid patterns affect the characteristics of light-concentratedtype GaAs single-junction solar cells. The device parameters analyzed include the open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Isc), fill factor (FF) and conversion efficiency (η). The results of our study show that for a concentration ratio greater than 60x with AM1.5G, the device with a shading factor of 7.1% has the best cell efficiency of 27.05%, due to the smaller current crowding at the center spot. The results indicate that the conversion efficiency of solar cells can be improved by establishing a compromise between the shading effect and the series resistance effect.

Interleukin-20 targets podocytes and is upregulated in experimental murine diabetic nephropathy

Yu-Hsiang Hsu,Hsing-Hui Li,Junne-Ming Sung,Wei-Yu Chen,Ya-Chin Hou,Yun-Han Weng,Wei-Ting Lai,Chih-Hsing Wu,Ming-Shi Chang 생화학분자생물학회 2017 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.49 No.-

Interleukin (IL)-20, a proinflammatory cytokine of the IL-10 family, is involved in acute and chronic renal failure. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of IL-20 during diabetic nephropathy development. We found that IL-20 and its receptor IL-20R1 were upregulated in the kidneys of mice and rats with STZ-induced diabetes. In vitro, IL-20 induced MMP-9, MCP-1, TGF-β1 and VEGF expression in podocytes. IL-20 was upregulated by hydrogen peroxide, high-dose glucose and TGF-β1. In addition, IL-20 induced apoptosis in podocytes by activating caspase-8. In STZ-induced early diabetic nephropathy, IL-20R1-deficient mice had lower blood glucose and serum BUN levels and a smaller glomerular area than did wild-type controls. Anti-IL-20 monoclonal antibody (7E) treatment reduced blood glucose and the glomerular area and improved renal functions in mice in the early stage of STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy. ELISA showed that the serum IL-20 level was higher in patients with diabetes mellitus than in healthy controls. The findings of this study suggest that IL-20 induces cell apoptosis of podocytes and plays a role in the pathogenesis of early diabetic nephropathy.