Effects of Modafinil on Behavioral Learning and Hippocampal Synaptic Transmission in Rats

Wen-Wen Yan,Li-Hua Yao,Chong Chen,Hai-Xia Wang,Chu-Hua Li,Jun-Ni Huang,Peng Xiao,Cheng-Yi Liu 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2015 International Neurourology Journal Vol.19 No.4

Purpose: Modafinil is a wake-promoting agent that has been proposed to improve cognitive performance at the preclinical and clinical levels. Since there is insufficient evidence for modafinil to be regarded as a cognitive enhancer, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic modafinil administration on behavioral learning in healthy adult rats. Methods: Y-maze training was used to assess learning performance, and the whole-cell patch clamp technique was used to assess synaptic transmission in pyramidal neurons of the hippocampal CA1 region of rats. Results: Intraperitoneal administration of modafinil at 200 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg significantly improved learning performance. Furthermore, perfusion with 1mM modafinil enhanced the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous postsynaptic currents and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents in CA1 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal slices. However, the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents in CA1 pyramidal neurons were inhibited by treatment with 1mM modafinil. Conclusions: These results indicate that modafinil improves learning and memory in rats possibly by enhancing glutamatergic excitatory synaptic transmission and inhibiting GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic) inhibitory synaptic transmission.

Are Surgically Remediable Headaches Associated With Cervical Spondylosis Equivalent to “Cervicogenic Headaches”?

Wen-Cheng Huang,Shih-Pin Chen,Shuu-Jiun Wang 대한척추신경외과학회 2020 Neurospine Vol.17 No.2

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Pyogenic Liver Abscess as a Warning Sign for Primary Liver Cancer: A Nationwide Population-based Study

Huang, Wen-Kuan,Lin, Yung-Chang,Chiou, Meng-Jiun,Yang, Tsai-Sheng,Chang, John Wen-Cheng,Yu, Kuang-Hui,Kuo, Chang-Fu,See, Lai-Chu Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.8

Background: There have been no large-scale population-based studies to estimate the subsequent risk of primary liver cancer (PLC) among patients with pyogenic liver abscess (PLA). This study aimed to provide relevant data. Materials and Methods: The Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database for the years 2000 and 2005 was used. The PLA group were adult inpatients who were newly diagnosed with PLA from 2000 to 2008. The control group was randomly selected and matched with the PLA group in terms of age, sex, and date in which medical treatment was sought other than for PLA. Results: There were 1,987 patients each in the PLA and control groups. In total, 56 had PLC, 48 (2.4%, 601.5 per 100,000 person-years) from the PLA group, and 8 from the control group. After adjusting for potential covariates, the hazard ratio of PLC for the PLA group was 3.4 times that of the control group (95% confidence interval = 1.6-7.3, p <0.001). The PLC risk for the PLA group was significantly higher within the first year after PLA diagnosis (hazard ratio: 35.4) as compared with the control group and became insignificant (hazard ratio: 2.0, 95% confidence interval = 0.8-4.9) more than one year after PLA diagnosis. Conclusions: Patients with PLA have a higher rate of PLC than matched controls, especially within the first year after the diagnosis of PLA, suggesting PLA is a warning sign for PLC.

Preservation Versus Elimination of Segmental Motion in Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery

Wen-Cheng Huang,Jau-Ching Wu 대한척추신경외과학회 2019 Neurospine Vol.16 No.3

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The Development of Embedded Bundling Machinery for Cabbage Roll

( Wen-luh Huang ),( Jia-jyun Huang ),( Chih-cheng Pai ),( Zi-yuan Xue ),( Yu-hsuan Wu ) 한국농업기계학회 2018 한국농업기계학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.23 No.1

The traditional process of cabbage roll at present is to use the manpower to excavate cabbage stem, to invert the hot water to heat(70-80℃) to shell leaf and cool it down, patting the cabbage leaf stem and then put the stuffing on the leaf, rolling the leaf and tying a knot by hand finally. Most processes of production are hand-made. The human resource cost is high and the production capacity is limited. Therefore, our project is designed to develop and research for the tying and bundling machinery for cabbage roll. Our machinery is mainly composed of U-type platform for cabbage roll, hook for calabash melon wire, adjustable varying speed motor, insert machinery, Single acting cylinder,Programmable Logic Controller(PLC) and others elements. According to our test results, the embedded machinery operates fine, not only bundling a single cabbage spent less than 6 seconds, but also passing the 6 hours cooking test. The wire lead won’t be dropout. The bundled cabbage roll achieved the same standard specification of cabbage roll that the 7-11 convenience stores’re selling now. At the same time, we tried different wire materials and different process (bundling and tying) to make questionnaire. According to our statistical results, no matter the texture, process(bundling and tying)and taste, the bundling process is all better than the traditional tying process, and preference of wires materials shows the most respondents choose the calabash melon which account for 45.9%, the second and third choice is konjac jelly, leek(16.5%)and Dried bamboo shoot (15.3%), others account for 5.8%. Finally we find that this embedded bundling machinery’s feature and performance will satisfy with the Mechanization demands for the food factory.

Contact wear of Low-Zirconia Toughened Alumina (ZTA) produced by a colloidal process

Ching-Wen Huang,Ming-Tsung Weng,Wen-Cheng J. Wei 한양대학교 세라믹연구소 2008 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.9 No.3

This study focuses on the wear and related mechanical properties of zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) composites with 4.7- 30 vol% yttria doped-TZP (YTZP) particulates. A colloidal process was used to achieve a homogeneous distribution of fine TZP grains in an alumina matrix. Mechanical properties, flexural strength, hardness, fracture toughness, and contact wear were measured. Quantified microstructures by SEM are also reported. A wear-resistant ZTA with a low-zirconia content (< 5%) was obtained by improvements in microstructural homogeneity and optimization. This study focuses on the wear and related mechanical properties of zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) composites with 4.7- 30 vol% yttria doped-TZP (YTZP) particulates. A colloidal process was used to achieve a homogeneous distribution of fine TZP grains in an alumina matrix. Mechanical properties, flexural strength, hardness, fracture toughness, and contact wear were measured. Quantified microstructures by SEM are also reported. A wear-resistant ZTA with a low-zirconia content (< 5%) was obtained by improvements in microstructural homogeneity and optimization.

Tight-Binding Theory for Coupling Asymmetric Photonic Crystal Waveguides

Szu-Cheng Cheng,Chih-Hsien Huang,Wen-Feng Hsieh 한국물리학회 2008 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.53 No.2

The physical properties of asymmetric photonic-crystal directional couplers are studied under the tight-binding model, which asumes that the field distribution of photonic-crystal waveguides is localized around periodic defects. The couplings of nearby defects betwen two asymmetric waveguides cause two dispersion relations to split further whereas the couplings of nearby defects within an individual waveguide cause the sinusoidal modulations of the dispersion curves. The field-envelope distributions of the coupler are expresed by using the eigenmodes of the tight- binding equations and are consistent with the comparing results from nite-dierence time-domain simulations.

Mutation of IPO13 causes recessive ocular coloboma, microphthalmia, and cataract

Xiu-Feng Huang,Lue Xiang,Wan Cheng,Fei-Fei Cheng,Kai-Wen He,Bo-Wen Zhang,Si-Si Zheng,Ru-Yi Han,Yi-Han Zheng,Xiao-Tao Xu,Huan-Yun Yu,Wenjuan Zhuang,Yuk Fai Leung,Zi-Bing Jin 생화학분자생물학회 2018 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.50 No.-

Ocular coloboma is a developmental structural defect of the eye that often occurs as complex ocular anomalies. However, its genetic etiology remains largely unexplored. Here we report the identification of mutation (c.331C>T, p. R111C) in the IPO13 gene in a consanguineous family with ocular coloboma, microphthalmia, and cataract by a combination of whole-exome sequencing and homozygosity mapping. IPO13 encodes an importin-B family protein and has been proven to be associated with the pathogenesis of coloboma and microphthalmia. We found that Ipo13 was expressed in the cornea, sclera, lens, and retina in mice. Additionally, the mRNA expression level of Ipo13 decreased significantly in the patient compared with its expression in a healthy individual. Morpholinooligonucleotide- induced knockdown of ipo13 in zebrafish caused dose-dependent microphthalmia and coloboma, which is highly similar to the ocular phenotypes in the patient. Moreover, both visual motor response and optokinetic response were impaired severely. Notably, these ocular phenotypes in ipo13-deficient zebrafish could be rescued remarkably by full-length ipo13 mRNA, suggesting that the phenotypes observed in zebrafish were due to insufficient ipo13 function. Altogether, our findings demonstrate, for the first time, a new role of IPO13 in eye morphogenesis and that loss of function of IPO13 could lead to ocular coloboma, microphthalmia, and cataract in humans and zebrafish.

Taiwan Neurosurgical Spine Society: The New Shining Star

Yi-Hsuan Kuo,Jau-Ching Wu,Wen-Cheng Huang,Ming-Chao Huang,E-Jian Lee,Henrich Cheng 대한척추신경외과학회 2018 Neurospine Vol.15 No.4

As spine surgery flourished in Taiwan and neurosurgeons became more involved in spine surgery towards the end of the 20th century, the Taiwan Neurosurgical Spine Society (TNSS), earlier named the Taiwan Neurospinal Society, was established on March 11, 2001. As its main founder, Dr. Chun-I Huang was elected as the first president of the TNSS. The goals of the TNSS were to promote research, to hold academic seminars, to participate in international conferences, and to exchange clinical experiences. The mission of the TNSS was successful, and the profession of spine surgery in Taiwan advanced during the first decade of the 21st century, culminating in the TNSS joining ASIA SPINE in 2010. Since its establishment, the TNSS has always been supportive of collaboration and communication with the Korean Spinal Neurosurgery Society and the Neurospinal Society of Japan. Through periodical meetings, supported by the TNSS, surgeons worldwide have enjoyed a platform of sharing and mutual learning. To further promote academic research, the TNSS has officially supported the journal Neurospine since 2018. With extensive efforts from local and international surgeons, the TNSS will continue to adhere to its mission and to advance the profession of spine surgery.

Glycerol steam reforming over Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts modified by metal oxides

Cheng-Hua Xu,Zun-Yu Huang,Chuan-Qi Liu,Hui-Wen Xiao,Jun Chen,Yong-Xiang Zhang,Ya-Cong Lei 한국화학공학회 2013 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.30 No.3

The metal oxides modified Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts for glycerol steam reforming were prepared by impregnation. Characterization results of fresh catalysts indicated that the molybdates modification abated the acidity and the stronger metal-support interaction of Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts, leading to a stable catalytic activity. Especially, NiMoLa-CaMg/γ-Al2O3 (NiMoLa/CMA) catalyst exhibited no deactivation along with glycerol complete conversion to stable gaseous products containing 69% H2, 20% CO and 10% CO2 during time-on-stream of 42 h. TPO of spent Ni/γ-Al2O3catalysts modified by different components showed that the carbon deposit on acidic sites and NiAl2O4 species led to catalysts deactivation. A lower reforming temperature and a higher LHSV and glycerol content were helpful to the production of syngas from GSR over NiMoLa/CMA; the reverse conditions would improve the formation of H2.