An 8-Week Low-Intensity Progressive Cycling Training Improves Motor Functions in Patients with Early-Stage Parkinson’s Disease

Hsiu-Chen Chang,Chin-Song Lu,Wei-Da Chiou,Chiung-Chu Chen,Yi-Hsin Weng,Ya-Ju Chang 대한신경과학회 2018 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.14 No.2

Background and Purpose The effects of high-intensity cycling as an adjuvant therapy forearly-stage Parkinson’s disease (PD) were highlighted recently. However, patients experience difficultiesin maintaining these cycling training programs. The present study investigated the efficacyof cycling at a mild-to-moderate intensity in early-stage PD. Methods Thirteen PD patients were enrolled for 16 serial cycling sessions over a 2-month period. Motor function was assessed using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III(UPDRS III) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test as primary outcomes. The Montreal CognitiveAssessment (MoCA), modified Hoehn and Yahr Stage (mHYS), total UPDRS, Falls EfficacyScale, New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living, 39-item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire, Patient Global Impression of Change, and gait performancewere assessed as secondary outcomes. Results The age and the age at onset were 59.67±7.24 and 53.23±10.26 years (mean±SD), respectively. The cycling cadence was 53.27±8.92 revolutions per minute. The UPDRS III scoreimproved significantly after 8 training sessions (p=0.011) and 16 training sessions (T2) (p=0.001) in the off-state, and at T2 (p=0.004) in the on-state compared to pretraining (T0). TheTUG duration was significantly shorter at T2 than at T0 (p<0.05). The findings of MoCA, totalUPDRS, double limb support time, and mHYS (in both the off- and on-states) also improvedsignificantly at T2. Conclusions Our pioneer study has demonstrated that a low-intensity progressive cycling exercisecan improve motor function in PD, especially akinesia. The beneficial effects were similarto those of high-intensity rehabilitation programs.

Factors Influencing Intention to Receive Examination of Diabetes Complications

Yi-Lin Hsieh,Fang-Hsin Lee,Chien-Liang Chen,Ming-Fong Chang,Pei-Hsuan Han 한국간호과학회 2016 Asian Nursing Research Vol.10 No.4

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the situation of diabetes patients receiving examinations for diabetes complications and to explore the factors influencing their intention to receive examinations for diabetes complications. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed that included 251 diabetes patients who visited outpatient clinics in Southern Taiwan. A survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted from October 2015 to January 2016. The questionnaire included items on demographic characteristics, perceived susceptibility to diabetes complications, perceived seriousness of diabetes complications, perceived benefits of taking action to receive diabetes complication examinations, perceived barriers to taking action to receive diabetes complication examinations, and the intention to receive diabetes complication examinations. The data were analyzed using regression analysis. Results: The percentage of participants who received fundus, foot, and kidney examinations was 67.7%, 61.4%, and 73.3%, respectively. Every point increase on the perceived barriers to taking action to receive diabetes complication examinations scale increased the intention to receive a foot examination in the following year by 0.91 times (p = .002), and every point increase on the perceived susceptibility to diabetes complications scale increased the intention to receive a kidney examination in the following year by 1.19 times (p = .045). Conclusions: Nurses should shoulder the responsibility to increase patients' intention to receive examination of diabetes complications. The results of this study can be used to promote nurses' care efficacy in preventing diabetes complications. They can also provide medical institutions with information to establish prevention and control policies for diabetes complications.

GreenIoT Architecture for Internet of Things Applications

( Yi-wei Ma ),( Jiann-liang Chen ),( Yung-sheng Lee ),( Hsin-yi Chang ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2016 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.10 No.2

A power-saving mechanism for smartphone devices is developed by analyzing the features of data that are received from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors devices to optimize the data processing policies. In the proposed GreenIoT architecture for power-saving in IoT, the power saving and feedback mechanism are implemented in the IoT middleware. When the GreenIoT application in the power-saving IoT architecture is launched, IoT devices collect the sensor data and send them to the middleware. After the scanning module in the IoT middleware has received the data, the data are analyzed by a feature evaluation module and a threshold analysis module. Based on the analytical results, the policy decision module processes the data in the device or in the cloud computing environment. The feedback mechanism then records the power consumed and, based on the history of these records, dynamically adjusts the threshold value to increase accuracy. Two smart living applications, a biomedical application and a smart building application, are proposed. Comparisons of data processed in the cloud computing environment show that the power-saving mechanism with IoT architecture reduces the power consumed by these applications by 24% and 9.2%.

Origins of Kerr phase and orientational phase in polymer-dispersed liquid crystals

Chang, Chia-Ming,Lin, Yi-Hsin,Reshetnyak, Victor,Park, Chui Ho,Manda, Ramesh,Lee, Seung Hee The Optical Society 2017 Optics express Vol.25 No.17

The Relationship between the Landscape Preference of Campus Greenland and Place Attachment

Yi Hsin Yeh,Sheng Jung Ou,Chun Yeng Chang 한국원예학회 2006 한국원예학회 기타간행물 Vol.- No.-

High Quality Partially Relaxed SiGe Film Grown on Silicon-on-Insulator Substrate by Ultra-High Vacuum Chemical Vapor Deposition

Chang Chun Chen,Wen Tao Huang,Zhi Hong Liu,Ji Lin Wang,Xiao Yi Xiong,Yi Lin Shan,Wei Zhang,Jun Zhu,Pei Hsin Tsien 대한금속학회 2004 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.10 No.3

Feline mammary carcinoma-derived extracellular vesicle promotes liver metastasis via sphingosine kinase-1-mediated premetastatic niche formation

Yi-Chih Chang,Hao-Ping Liu,Hsiao-Li Chuang,Jiunn-Wang Liao,Pei-Ling Kao,Hsun-Lung Chan,Ter-Hsin Chen,Yu-Chih Wang 한국실험동물학회 2023 Laboratory Animal Research Vol.39 No.4

Background: Feline mammary carcinoma (FMC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies of female cats. FMC is highly metastatic and thus leads to poor disease outcomes. Among all metastases, liver metastasis occurs in about 25% of FMC patients. However, the mechanism underlying hepatic metastasis of FMC remains largely uncharacterized. Results: Herein, we demonstrate that FMC-derived extracellular vesicles (FMC-EVs) promotes the liver metastasis of FMC by activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to prime a hepatic premetastatic niche (PMN). Moreover, we provide evidence that sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1) delivered by FMC-EV was pivotal for the activation of HSC and the formation of hepatic PMN. Depletion of SK1 impaired cargo sorting in FMC-EV and the EV-potentiated HSC activation, and abolished hepatic colonization of FMC cells. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings uncover a previously uncharacterized mechanism underlying liver-metastasis of FMC and provide new insights into prognosis and treatment of this feline malignancy.

Dynamic Protein Adsorption-Desorption Analysis of Contact Lenses in a Three-Dimensional-Printed Eye Model

Wan-Hsin Chang,Pei-Yi Liu,Dai-En Lin,Yuan-Ting Jiang,Chien-Ju Lu,Yuan-Hao Howard Hsu 한국고분자학회 2022 Macromolecular Research Vol.30 No.1

Adsorption of secreted protein on contact lenses is a dynamic and complex behavior. To understand this behavior, we used three-dimensional (3D) printing technology to create an eye model that simulated the anterior segment of the actual human eyeball. In this model, the fluid inlet was connected to a syringe pump to mimic the rate of human tear secretion and the outlet was connected to an ultraviolet- visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. The experimental results revealed that the symmetrical eye model with a 180° inlet-outlet angle was suitable for dynamic analysis of protein adsorption. In this model, protein adsorption was slow and desorption was rapid. The contact lens was soaked in poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine- co-butyl methacrylate) (PMB) to confirm the anti-protein adsorption property of this polymer through dynamic adsorption and desorption eye model analysis.

Reduction of Physical Strength and Enhancement of Anti-Protein and Anti-Lipid Adsorption Abilities of Contact Lenses by Adding 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine

Wan-Hsin Chang,Pei-Yi Liu,Chien-Ju Lu,Dai-En Lin,Min-Hsuan Lin,Yuan-Ting Jiang,Yuan-Hao Howard Hsu 한국고분자학회 2020 Macromolecular Research Vol.28 No.12

Biocompatible 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) can enhance the adsorption of water molecules and is therefore used for manufacturing contact lenses. This study investigated the mechanical strength, anti-protein deposition, and anti-lipid adsorption effects of MPC addition to contact lenses. Experimental contact lenses produced by copolymerizing multiple ratios of MPC to 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) were analyzed. Atomic force microscopy revealed that MPC addition increased surface roughness. The anti-protein deposition and anti-lipid adsorption effects on poly(HEMA-MPC) polymers of various phosphorylcholine quantities were experimentally confirmed. The water content of the contact lenses was proportional to the MPC content in the polymer. The hydrated PC moiety of MPC drastically altered the network of the poly-HEMA polymer by inserting water molecules, which were trapped in the concave region of the surface. MPC addition had negative effects on all examined strength factors because of structural destabilization of the copolymer through water insertion. The anti-deposition effects of MPC were verified by examining the lysozyme and lipid adsorption abilities of the prepared contact lenses. Our results revealed that MPC enhanced interactions of the poly(HEMA-MPC) copolymer with water molecules; these interactions weakened the mechanical strength of the copolymer but markedly improved the anti-adsorption property of the biomolecules. The optimal proportion of HEMA–MPC for contact lenses is in the range 14.9%-28.5%.

Cardiovascular Medication Use and Risk of Acute Exacerbation in Patients With Asthma-COPD Overlap (CVACO Study)

Su Vincent Yi-Fong,Ko Szu-Wen,Chang Yuh-Lih,Chou Yueh-Ching,Lee Hsin-Chen,Yang Kuang-Yao,Chou Kun-Ta,Hsu Chia-Chen 대한천식알레르기학회 2022 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.14 No.3

Purpose: Current clinical guidelines are unclear regarding the association of cardiovascular medication with the risk of acute exacerbation (AE) in patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap (ACO). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study by interrogating the claims database of Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Patients with coexistent fixed airflow limitation and asthma were enrolled as an ACO cohort between 2009 and 2017. Exposure to cardiovascular medications, including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), non-selective beta-blockers, cardioselective beta-blockers, dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and non-DHP CCBs, in 3-month period each served as time-dependent covariates. Patients receiving a cardiovascular medication ≥ 28 cumulative daily doses were defined as respective cardiovascular medication users. Patients were followed up until December 31, 2018. The primary endpoint was severe AE, defined as hospitalization or emergency department visit for either asthma, COPD, or respiratory failure. The secondary outcome was moderate AE. Results: The final study cohort consisted of 582 ACO subjects, with a mean follow-up period of 2.98 years. After adjustment, ARB (hazard ratio [HR], 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44–0.93, P = 0.019), cardioselective beta-blocker (HR, 0.29, 95% CI, 0.11–0.72, P = 0.008) and DHP CCB (HR, 0.66, 95% CI, 0.45–0.97, P = 0.035) therapies were associated with lower risks of severe AE. ARB (HR, 0.42, 95% CI, 0.30–0.62, P < 0.001) and DHP CCB (HR, 0.55, 95% CI, 0.38–0.80, P = 0.002) therapies were associated with lower risks of moderate AE. Cardioselective beta-blockers, ARBs, and DHP CCBs were associated with lower risks of severe AE in frequent exacerbators. ACEI, non-selective beta-blocker, or non-DHP CCB use did not change the risk of severe AE. Conclusions: ARB, cardioselective beta-blocker, and DHP CCB therapies may lower the risk of AE in patients with ACO.