Male Infertility Increases the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan

Chen Peng-Ciao,Chen Yu-Ju,Yang Chia-Chen,Lin Ting-Ti,Huang Chien-Chu,Chung Chi-Hsiang,Sun Chien-An,Chien Wu-Chien 대한남성과학회 2022 The World Journal of Men's Health Vol.40 No.3

Purpose: Some evidence suggests that male infertility increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, the evidence in Asian populations is relatively scarce. The aim of this study is to determine whether male infertility increases the risk of CVDs. Materials and Methods: We used inpatient and outpatient data for the years 2000 to 2015 from the Taiwanese Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. We enrolled 7,016 males over 18 years old and diagnosed with male infertility. Of these, 2,326 matched our inclusion criteria and were assigned to the study group. For each infertility patient, four comparison patients were frequency-matched by age and index date to form a control cohort comprising 9,304 patients. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate the association between male infertility and CVDs. Results: After a 15-year follow-up, the incidence rate of CVDs was higher in the infertility group than the control group (1,460.23 and 1,073.70 per 100,000 person-years, respectively). The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that the adjusted HR for CVDs was 1.472 for the infertility group (95% CI, 1.288–1.683; p<0.001) relative to the control group. The Kaplan–Meier analysis of the cumulative incidence of CVDs in the two groups showed that the cumulative risk curve for CVDs was significantly higher for the infertility group than the control group. Conclusions: This study shows that men with infertility have a higher risk of developing incident CVDs. In the future, healthcare providers should pay attention to these patients because of their higher health risks.

Prospects of wind energy on Penghu Island, Taiwan

Chen, Tsai-Hsiang,Tran, Van-Tan Techno-Press 2015 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.20 No.1

This study applied long-term wind speed data from Penghu and Dongjidao weather stations to simulate the wind energy production for eight onshore and one offshore wind farms at Penghu Island, Taiwan by a commercial software package, Wind Atlas Application Program (WAsP). In addition, the RET Screen software suite was also applied to analyze economic characteristics of these nine wind farms (WFs). The results show that the capacity factors (CFs) of the nine wind farms mentioned above are in the range of 44.5% to 49.1%. In addition, utilizing 1.8-MW wind turbines (WTs) for all onshore WFs was the most feasible selection among the four potential types of WTs (600, 900, 1,800 and 3,600 kW) considered. 3-MW WTs selected for the offshore WF can produce the most wind energy and the smallest wake loss among the three possible types of WTs (1, 2 and 3MW). As a consequence of implementing these WFs, the emission of about 680,977 tons carbon dioxide ($tCO_2$) into the local atmosphere in Penghu Island annually could be avoided. Finally, based on the payback periods achieved, the order of implementation of the considered WFs can be identified more clearly. Longmen WF should be the first priority, and the next one should be SiyuWF and so on. Besides, this study provides much useful information for WF planning on Penghu Island.

Optimal damping ratio of TLCDs

Chen, Yung-Hsiang,Chao, Chen-Chi Techno-Press 2000 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.9 No.3

The study of the optimal damping ratio of a tuned liquid-column damper (or TLCD) attached to a single-degree-of-freedom system is presented. The tuned liquid-column damper is composed of two vertical columns connected by a horizontal section in the bottom and partially filled with water. The ratio of the length of the horizontal section to the effective wetted length of a TLCD considered as another important parameter is also presented for investigation. A simple pendulum-like model test is conducted to simulate a long-period motion in order to prove the effectiveness of TLCD for vibrational control. Comparisons of the experimental and analytic results of the TLCD, TLD (tuned-liquid damper), and TMD (tuned-mass damper) are included for discussion.

Passive, semi-active, and active tuned-liquid-column dampers

Chen, Yung-Hsiang,Ding, Ying-Jan Techno-Press 2008 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.30 No.1

The dynamic characteristics of the passive, semi-active, and active tuned-liquidcolumn dampers (or TLCDs) are studied in this paper. The design of the latter two are based on the first one. A water-head difference (or simply named as water head in this paper) of a passive TLCD is pre-set to form the so-called semi-active one in this paper. The pre-set of water head is released at a proper time instant during an earthquake excitation in order to enhance the vibration reduction of a structure. Two propellers are installed along a shaft inside and at the center of a passive TLCD to form an active one. These two propellers are driven by a servo-motor controlled by a computer to provide the control force. The seismic responses of a five-story shear building with a passive, semiactive, and active TLCDs are computed for demonstration and discussion. The responses of this building with a tuned mass damper (or TMD) are also included for comparison. The small-scale shaking-table experiments of a pendulum-like system with a passive or active TLCD to harmonic and seismic excitations are conducted for verification.

A Study of WiMAX Implementation at University Campuses

Chen-Hsiang Yu,Don-Lin Yang,An-Chi Liu 보안공학연구지원센터 2009 International Journal of Future Generation Communi Vol.2 No.1

Intentional Identity Revisited

Hsiang-Yun Chen 서울대학교 철학사상연구소 2017 철학사상 Vol.S No.-

The phenomenon of intentional identity has bemused philosophical communities since Geach (1967). I argue that the phenomenon is ubiquitous and much more significant than previously acknowledged. The foundations of the problem are implicated in many other well-known puzzles, such as Kripke’s (1979) puzzles about beliefs. Thus, the need for a proper analysis is eminently pressing. I specify a template for generalizing intentional identity, identify the challenges involved, and argue that positing a level of representational entity in both philosophy of mind and language (e.g., mental files) is a promising approach to tackling the problem across the board.

Enhanced Performance of Solution‐Processed TESPE‐ADT Thin‐Film Transistors

Chen, Liang‐,Hsiang,Hu, Tarng‐,Shiang,Huang, Peng‐,Yi,Kim, Choongik,Yang, Ching‐,Hao,Wang, Juin‐,Jie,Yan, Jing‐,Yi,Ho, Jia‐,Chong,Lee, Cheng‐,Chung,Chen WILEY‐VCH Verlag 2013 Chemphyschem Vol.14 No.12

<P><B>Abstract</B></P><P>A solution‐processed anthradithiophene derivative, 5,11‐bis(4‐triethylsilylphenylethynyl)anthradithiophene (TESPE‐ADT), is studied for use as the semiconducting material in thin‐film transistors (TFTs). To enhance the electrical performance of the devices, two different kinds of solution processing (spin‐coating and drop‐casting) on various gate dielectrics as well as additional post‐treatment are employed on thin films of TESPE‐ADT, and <I>p</I>‐channel OTFT transport with hole mobilities as high as ∼0.12 cm<SUP>2</SUP> V<SUP>−1</SUP> s<SUP>−1</SUP> are achieved. The film morphologies and formed microstructures of the semiconductor films are characterized in terms of film processing conditions and are correlated with variations in device performance.</P>

Passive, semi-active, and active tuned-liquid-column dampers

Yung-Hsiang Chen,Ying-Jan Ding 국제구조공학회 2008 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.30 No.1

The dynamic characteristics of the passive, semi-active, and active tuned-liquidcolumn dampers (or TLCDs) are studied in this paper. The design of the latter two are based on the first one. A water-head difference (or simply named as water head in this paper) of a passive TLCD is pre-set to form the so-called semi-active one in this paper. The pre-set of water head is released at a proper time instant during an earthquake excitation in order to enhance the vibration reduction of a structure. Two propellers are installed along a shaft inside and at the center of a passive TLCD to form an active one. These two propellers are driven by a servo-motor controlled by a computer to provide the control force. The seismic responses of a five-story shear building with a passive, semiactive, and active TLCDs are computed for demonstration and discussion. The responses of this building with a tuned mass damper (or TMD) are also included for comparison. The small-scale shaking-table experiments of a pendulum-like system with a passive or active TLCD to harmonic and seismic excitations are conducted for verification.

Identifying Optimal Inbound Market Mixes of the US Tourism Industry

Ming-Hsiang Chen,Yi-Wen Chen 한국관광학회 2012 International Journal of Tourism Sciences Vol.12 No.1

This paper applies a financial portfolio theory to identify the optimal market mixes of foreign tourist arrivals. The international tourism industry often has large fluctuations in demand due to unexpected events, economic situations, and political relations among nations. Targeting the minimization of these fluctuations, this study can shed some light on diversification in the tourism markets and offer tourism authorities explicit guidelines for long-term development of the US tourism industry. For example, to achieve the goal of foreign tourist arrivals to the US, US tourism authorities should shift available resources to the UK, Mexico and Canada. If they pursue the highest reward ratio, they have to focus on UK, Asian (excluding Japan), and Mexican markets. Further implications in this paper are provided to guide tourism authorities and marketers.

Incorporating Mind-mapping with Initial Activities Design in Courses for Pre-service Teachers of Visual Arts

Yu-Hsiang Chen 한국조형교육학회 2016 한국조형교육학회 학술대회지 Vol.2016 No.-

Since the development of Discipline-Based Art Education, theories of art education have also focused more on the design and organization of art curriculums. Despite learners’ psychological organization or the logical structure of the subject knowledge, curriculum design is the holistic thoughts and planning of the curriculum. Despite the many ways that can be applied in curriculum design, for the researcher, visual images are also an important “language.” While images stimulate our sensation and perception, what meanings does their existence have in our thinking process? What possibilities do they have for art education? Answers to such questions may be revealed through related articles, discourses, or psychological empirical studies, but it is the researcher’s belief that in addition to the discussion through literature review, we, as a researcher as well as an art educator, should always possess such questions in mind and try to answer the questions through practice.