Combined Assessment of Serum Alpha-Synuclein and Rab35 is a Better Biomarker for Parkinson’s Disease

Hung-Li Wang,Chin-Song Lu,Tu-Hsueh Yeh,Yu-Ming Shen,Yi-Hsin Weng,Ying-Zu Huang,Rou-Shayn Chen,Yu-Chuan Liu,Yi-Chuan Cheng,Hsiu-Chen Chang,Ying-Ling Chen,Yu-Jie Chen,Yan-Wei Lin,Chia Chen Hsu,Huang-Li 대한신경과학회 2019 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.15 No.4

Background and Purpose It is essential to develop a reliable predictive serum biomarker for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Te accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) and up-regulated expression of Rab35 participate in the etiology of PD. Te purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the combined assessment of serum αSyn and Rab35 is a useful predictive biomarker for PD. Methods Serum levels of αSyn or Rab35 were determined in serum samples from 59 sporadic PD patients, 19 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients, 20 multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients, and 60 normal controls (NC). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated to determine the diagnostic accuracy of αSyn or/and Rab35 in discriminating PD patients from NC or atypical parkinsonian patients. Results The levels of αSyn and Rab35 were increased in PD patients. The serum level of Rab35 was positively correlated with that of αSyn in PD patients. Compared to analyzing αSyn or Rab35 alone, the combined analysis of αSyn and Rab35 produced a larger area under the ROC curve and performed better in discriminating PD patients from NC, MSA patients, or PSP patients. When age was dichotomized at 55, 60, 65, or 70 years, the combined assessment of αSyn and Rab35 for classifying PD was better in the group below the cutof age than in the group above the cutof age. Conclusions Combined assessment of serum αSyn and Rab35 is a better biomarker for discriminating PD patients from NC or atypical parkinsonian patients, and is a useful predictive biomarker for younger sporadic PD patients.

Fabrication of Multifunctional Polyester Fabrics by Using Fluorinated Polymer Coatings

Chia-Jung Chen,Wen-Hui Li,Wei-Yu Chen,Yu-Min Yang 한국섬유공학회 2019 Fibers and polymers Vol.20 No.10

Facile and effective polymer coatings are highly desirable in the creation of functional surfaces for variousapplications. A polymer coating by using poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) and a fluorinatedalkyl silane (FAS-17) in volatile solvent has been proposed in the literature for the fabrication of chemically stable andsuperamphiphobic fabrics. This method, however, suffered from the fact that the results were unable to be experimentallyreproduced by the authors. In this work, FAS-17-modified PVDF-HFP with surface energy of 14.04 mN/m was preparedthrough two-step reactions in acetone using coupling agent 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (H2N-(CH2)3-Si-(OCH3)3) and1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FAS-17, F3C-(CF2)7-(CH2)2-Si-(OC2H5)3) in the first and second reaction steps,respectively. This coating solution was then applied onto the twill weave polyester fabric using a dip-coating method. The asfabricatedsurfaces exhibited extreme liquid repellency as signified by high static contact angles (149.5 o-105.7 o) against sixpure liquids (water, ethylene glycol, hexadecane, pentadecane, nonane, octane) with surface tension values ranging from 72.8to 21.4 mN/m. Furthermore, this coating showed chemical stability to strong acid (96 % sulfuric acid) and strong base (38 %sodium hydroxide). In addition to self-cleaning property, the coating also exhibited self-healing property as revealed by thestatic contact angle change with the plasma-and-heat treatment cycles. Moreover, it is interesting to note that coating offabrics with the pristine solution of PVDF-HFP and FAS-17 may instead find its potential applications in oil-waterseparation. High separation efficiency, stability, and reusability were exhibited by the as-fabricated separation membrane.

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.

Advertising Banners on Sport Web Sites

( Chia Chen Yu ),( David K. Statlar ) 한국스포츠정책과학원(구 한국스포츠개발원) 2000 International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences Vol.12 No.1

With the advantage of multimedia capabilities, the development of World Wide Web (WWW) has been innovating and increasing during the past years. Taking advantage of the accessibility of the WWW, sports organizations use WWW where they can reach customers globally, promote their products, and provide information to users, etc. The increasing popularity of sport and growth number of visitors to sport Web sites catch corporations` attention and interest to buy into sports advertising on Web sites. There is a common model, the advertising banner, for sponsors to sponsor sport organizations on Web sites. Advertising banners online are much like sponsorships in sports events: the hope that users will more closely associate the image of the sport with the sponsors. Studies of online buying show that the advertising banner is a good way to Build Brand awareness (Williamson, 1997). banners have become a significant means of advertising and source of information because they help guide people to their web pages. Also, banners have proven to be the most effective direct marketing tool, producing quantifiable units. Moreover, advertising banners remain the predominant advertising vehicle on the Web--accounting for approximately 54% of total online advertising revenues--the increased use of content sponsorships marking a shift towards more creative advertising on the Web (Hyland, 1998). The purposes of this study were to examine the advertising banners presented on the Web pages and also analyze the characteristics of sponsors for sports organizations on WWW. This study focused on the category of sponsors and the content of banners` links to their Web pages. In addition, the differences among sports organizations were also examined by sponsors who put the advertising banners on the sport web pages. The population of this study was randomly selected from several Internet search engines. based on an analysis of sampling, sponsors valued sports information or news related sites as major places for advertising opportunities on WWW. Results indicated that car, computer product manufacturers, and Internet services are the types of companies most interested in advertising on sports web pages. These findings have important implications that the use of advertising banners will be a trend on sports Web sites as another new way of sponsorship and advertisement for corporations and sports organizations.

Web Advertising Opportunities on Professional Sport Team Web Sites

( Chia Chen Yu ),( Susan M. Barnd ) 한국스포츠정책과학원(구 한국스포츠개발원) 2003 International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences Vol.15 No.2

In the early 1990s, the World Wide Web (WWW) was mainly used for informational purposes. As more people search the web for information or add new materials, advertisers are finding the web to be a viable advertising opportunity for their products and services. This current trend also reflects on the area of sport management. Similar to sponsorship of sporting events and the endorsement of professional players, professional sport team web sites also attract attention from sponsors and corporations. The major purpose of this research was to explore the web advertising opportunities on professional sport team web sites. The subjects of this research were the professional sport team web sites. Content analysis was primarily used as the research method for this study. The findings showed that only a few professional sport teams present sponsorship and advertising opportunities on their web pages, even though almost every professional team has advertising banners on their homepages. The use of advertising banners on professional sport team web sites reflects the current developing stage of web advertising campaigns. The use of an advertising banner has been increasing; however, there is still no formal format for the advertising campaign. The authors also found that a large portion of professional sport teams contracted sport media companies to deal with the web advertising campaign, which might be a trend for sport management in the future. It is recommended that sport marketers provide the informational about the demographics because it is valuable informational to the potential sponsors who would like to know if the viewers match the characteristics of their target market.

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)

Probability-based Tamper Detection Scheme for BTC-compressed Images Based on Quantization Levels Modification

Yu-Chen Hu,Chun-Chi Lo,Chang-Ming Wu,Wu-Lin Chen,Chia-Hsien Wen 보안공학연구지원센터 2013 International Journal of Security and Its Applicat Vol.7 No.3

Sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the gp200 protein of Ehrlichia canis from dogs in Taiwan

Chia-Chia Huang,Yu-Chen Hsieh,Chau-Loong Tsang,Yang-Tsung Chung 대한수의학회 2010 JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE Vol.11 No.4

Ehrlichia (E.) canis is a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium responsible for canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. Currently, the genetic diversity of E. canis strains worldwide is poorly defined. In the present study, sequence analysis of the nearly full-length 16S rDNA (1,620 bp) and the complete coding region (4,269 bp) of the gp200 gene, which encodes the largest major immunoreactive protein in E. canis, from 17 Taiwanese samples was conducted. The resultant 16S rDNA sequences were found to be identical to each other and have very high homology (99.4~100%) with previously reported E. canis sequences. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of gp200 demonstrated that the E. canis Taiwanese genotype was genetically distinct from other reported isolates obtained from the United States, Brazil, and Israel, and that it formed a separate clade. Remarkable variations unique to the Taiwanese genotype were found throughout the deduced amino acid sequence of gp200, including 15 substitutions occurring in two of five known species-specific epitopes. The gp200 amino acid sequences of the Taiwanese genotype bore 94.4~94.6 identities with those of the isolates from the United States and Brazil, and 93.7% homology with that of the Israeli isolate. Taken together, these results suggest that the Taiwanese genotype represents a novel strain of E. canis that has not yet been characterized.

MyEvalvid_RTP: a Evaluation Framework for More Realistic Simulations of Multimedia Transmission

Chia-Yu Yu,Chih-Heng Ke,Reuy-Shin Chen,Ce-Kuen Shieh,Naveen Chilamkurti 보안공학연구지원센터 2008 International Journal of Software Engineering and Vol.2 No.2

Recently, multimedia is a more and more important Internet service. For multimedia, Quality of service (QoS) support is a crucial requirement. To meet these QoS requirements, researchers develop specific multimedia mechanism to enhance the performance of video transmission. When they evaluate the performance of their mechanism, most researchers use simulation tools to evaluate. However, when using these simulation tools, researchers usually acquire network-level performance metrics, such as throughput. They cannot evaluate video and audio delivered quality by comparing the original and distorted video. However, using network-level performance metrics can not evaluate the delivered quality correctly. To address this issue, some esearchers proposed simulation tool-sets. These simulation tool-sets can evaluate the video delivered quality well. However, they cannot evaluate the audio delivered quality. Therefore, we propose a new simulation tool-set called as MyEvalvid_RTP to achieve more realistic simulations in this paper. By MyEvalvid_RTP, researchers can evaluate both the video delivered quality and the audio delivered quality.

Important Computer Competencies for Sport Management Professionals

( Chia Chen Yu ) 한국스포츠정책과학원(구 한국스포츠개발원) 2007 International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences Vol.19 No.1

With the assistance of computer and related software, sport management professionals can complete tasks and projects more effectively than before. As a result, having fundamental computer competencies is essential for sport management professionals. The major purpose of this study was to reveal important computer competencies for sport management professionals. Common sport management tasks and projects completed by computer software and programs were also discussed. Online and mail surveys were administrated for data collection to 450 sport management professionals. A total of 224 participants responded, for a 49.8% response rate. The top rated computer competencies for sport management professionals include word processing, using spreadsheet programs and communication via the Internet. Results of MAVOVA analysis revealed significant differences among sport organizations for advanced computer applications. The results of this study provide important implications for sport management educators and students to better prepare individuals` competencies for future careers in sport management.