A Simple Timeout Algorithm for Point-to-Multipoint ABR Service

Lai, Wei-Kuang,Chen, Chien-Ting,Li, Chilin The Korea Institute of Information and Commucation 2004 Journal of communications and networks Vol.6 No.1

The ABR point-to-multipoint connection is now playing a more important role than before. Many consolidation algorithms have been proposed to solve the consolidation noise problem and the slow transient response problem. But few timeout algorithms are proposed to handle the non-responsive branches for the multicast connections. Chen’s algorithm needs exchanging control messages between switches [9]. Besides, it may mistake a responsive branch as a non-responsive branch because of fast changes in source rates, which causes wrong information in BRM cells and may lead to network congestion and data losses in the responsive branch. We propose a simple timeout algorithm which can handle the non-responsive branches without exchanging message between switches. The timeout value for each switch is computed locally. Simulation results show that the proposed timeout algorithm can efficiently handle the non-responsive branches and utilize the available bandwidth within a small period of time. In addition, our algorithm could handle the situation when the source rates change quickly.

Age and Sex Distribution of Chinese Chronic Cough Patients and Their Relationship With Capsaicin Cough Sensitivity

Kefang Lai,Li Long,Fang Yi,Jiaman Tang,Zhe Chen,Fagui Chen,Jianmeng Zhou,Wen Peng,Liting Zhang,Hu Li,Wenzhi Zhan,Ruchong Chen,Wei Luo,Qiaoli Chen,Kian Fan Chung,Nanshan Zhong 대한천식알레르기학회 2019 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.11 No.6

Purpose: An older female predominance has been reported among chronic cough patients in Western countries, which is considered to be associated with a higher cough sensitivity in females. However, the characteristics of Chinese chronic cough patients remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the age and sex distribution as well as their relationship with cough reflex sensitivity to capsaicin in Chinese chronic cough patients. Methods: We analyzed the demographic features of 1,882 consecutive chronic cough patients who attended our cough clinic in Guangzhou, China. Cough sensitivity to capsaicin, which was defined as the lowest concentration of capsaicin causing 5 coughs or more (C5), was measured in 539 of the 1,882 patients and 68 healthy volunteers. Results: The mean age of the patients was 43.0 ± 13.7 years and patients aged <50 years accounted for more than two-thirds of the study population. Around 87% of the patients were never-smokers. The proportion of females (51.5%) was almost equal to that of males (48.5%). The pattern of the age and sex distribution was consistently reflected within most common causes of chronic cough, while a female predominance was shown in patients with coughvariant asthma and patients aged ≥50 years. Female patients had higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin than male patients (log C5: 1.58 ± 0.84 vs. 2.04 ± 0.84 μmol/L, P = 0.001), and patients aged ≥50 years had higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin than patients aged <50 years. Conclusions: In China, patients with chronic cough have a roughly equal sex distribution and a middle-aged predominance, irrespective of a higher cough sensitivity to capsaicin in females and older patients.

L-Theanine-Treated Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alleviate the Cytotoxicity Induced by N-Nitrosodiethylamine in Liver

Lai Yun-Ju,Sung Yi-Ting,Lai Yi-An,Chen Li-Nian,Chen Tung-Sheng,Chien Chiang-Ting 한국조직공학과 재생의학회 2022 조직공학과 재생의학 Vol.19 No.6

BACKGROUND: Liver inflammation is the main cause of severe liver diseases, including liver fibrosis, steatohepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell therapy topics are receiving increasingly more attention. The therapeutic applications of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have become one of the most discussed issues. While other stem cells have therapeutic effects, they have only one or two clinical applications. MSCs are responsible for repairing a variety of tissue injuries. Moreover, MSCs could be derived from several sources, including adipose tissue. MSCs are usually more abundant and easier to obtain compared to other stem cells. METHODS: To prove the concept that MSCs have homing ability to the injured tissue and assist in tissue repair, we examined the effects of intravenous injected adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) in a N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN)-induced liver injury rat model. RESULTS: The significant repairing ability of ADSCs was observed. The levels of fibrosis, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis in the DEN-injured liver tissues all decreased after ADSC treatment. Furthermore, to enhance the therapeutic effects of ADSCs, we pretreated them with L-theanine, which promotes the hepatocyte growth factor secretion of ADSC, and therefore improved the healing effects on injured liver tissue. CONCLUSION: ADSCs, especially L-theanine-pretreated ADSCs, have anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and anti-tumorigenesis effects on the N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced liver injury rat model.

The Reaction of Taiwan Civil Society Towards Cross‐Strait Integration During the Period from 2008 to 2016: Spillover or Politicization?

Lai Yun‐Chen 인하대학교 국제관계연구소 2022 Pacific Focus Vol.37 No.1

This study explores the integration attempt between Taiwan and China during the period from 2008 to 2016, focusing on the perspective of Taiwan civil society, as both the initiation and the deadlock of the cross-strait integration during this period were primarily triggered by Taiwan. This research adopts functionalist theory, as the design of integration derived from neo-functionalism and the deadlock of integration would be better explained by politicization, which constitutes the emphasis of post-functionalism. The findings demonstrate that different extents of politicization made the fates of the two major integration attempts during that period (Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement and Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement) dissimilar. It is further concluded that common identity is the key factor for cross-strait integration in the future.

Use of Acupressure to Improve Gastrointestinal Motility in Women after Trans-abdominal Hysterectomy

Chen, Li-Li,Hsu, Sheng-Feng,Wang, Min-Hung,Chen, Chao-Ling,Lai, Jim-Shoung 경희대학교 2001 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON EAST-WEST MEDICINE Vol.2001 No.1

Objective : To evaluate the effectiveness of acupressure on the gastrointestinal motility (GI) in women after trans-abdominal hysterectomy(TAH). Methods : Forty-one women undergoing trans-abdominal hysterectomy were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups. Twenty-one patients were assigned to the experimental group while remaining 20 patients were assigned as controls. A single blinded test was used for this study. Patients were not informed as to the tripe of treatment they would receive. The experimental group received twice daily acupressure for 3 minutes at three meridian points, Neiguan(PC-6), Zusanli(ST-36) and Sanyinjiao(SP-6), beginning 4 hours after surgery and continuing for 3 days. Control group received 3 minutes acupressure on non-meridian points on the tibia or radial bone surface approximately 3 to 4 cm from the corresponding three meridian points. Acupressure was performed twice a day, one at 10 Am and another at 2 Pm. GI contractions was measured by stethoscope prior to and after afternoon acupressure during 2- minute observational period. Results : Results show that acupressure of these three meridian points significantly (p<0.05) increased GI motility in the experimental groups, but not in the control group (p>0.05). Conclusions : Results showed that non-invasive acupressure of these meridian points could significantly improve the GI motility and could be incorporated into the technical curriculum and clinical education program of nursing schools. Family members of the patient could be taught to continue this procedure at home to enhance GI motility in patients undergoing trans-abdominal hysterectomy.

A Blind Normal Fault beneath the Taipei Basin in Northern Taiwan

Chen, Kou-Cheng,Huang, Bor-Shouh,Huang, Win-Gee,Wang, Jeen-Hwa,Kim, Kwang-Hee,Lee, Shiann-Jong,Lai, Ya-Chuan,Tsao, Shuhjong,Chen, Chi-Hsuan Chinese Geoscience Union 2010 TAO Vol.21 No.3

Patterns and Trends with Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates Reported by the China National Cancer Registry

Chen, Peng-Lai,Zhao, Ting,Feng, Rui,Chai, Jing,Tong, Gui-Xian,Wang, De-Bin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.15

National cancer registration reports provide a huge potential for identifying patterns and trends of important policy, research, prevention and treatment significance. As summary reports written on an annual basis, the China Cancer Registry Annual Reports (CCRARs) fall short from fully addressing their potential. This paper attempts to explore part of the patterns and trends hidden behind published CCRARs. It extracted data for cancer incidence rates (IRs) and mortality rates (MRs) for 2004, 2006 and 2009 from relevant CCRARs and portrayed 4 kinds of indicators in line graphs. The study showed that: a) all of the line graphs of age-specific IRs and MRs characterized typical "growth curves or histogram"; b) graphs of IRs and MRs for males and urban areas had higher peaks than that for females and rural regions; c) most of the line graphs of IR/MR ratios comprised a starting peak, a secondary peak and a decreasing tail and the secondary peaks for females and urban areas were higher than those for males and rural areas; d) most of the urban versus rural IR ratios valued above one, but most the urban versus rural MR ratios, below one; e) the accumulative IRs and MRs showed a stable increasing trend from 2004 to 2009 for urban areas, but mixed for rural regions.

Monitoring of genetically close Tsaiya duck populations using novel microsatellite markers with high polymorphism

Lai, Fang-Yu,Chang, Yi-Ying,Chen, Yi-Chen,Lin, En-Chung,Liu, Hsiu-Chou,Huang, Jeng-Fang,Ding, Shih-Torng,Wang, Pei-Hwa Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2020 Animal Bioscience Vol.33 No.6

Objective: A set of microsatellite markers with high polymorphism from Tsaiya duck were used for the genetic monitoring and genetic structure analysis of Brown and White Tsaiya duck populations in Taiwan. Methods: The synthetic short tandem repeated probes were used to isolate new microsatellite markers from the genomic DNA of Tsaiya ducks. Eight populations, a total of 566 samples, sourced from Ilan Branch, Livestock Research Institute were genotyped through novel and known markers. The population genetic variables were calculated using optional programs in order to describe and monitor the genetic variability and the genetic structures of these Tsaiya duck populations. Results: In total 24 primer pairs, including 17 novel microsatellite loci from this study and seven previously known loci, were constructed for the detection of genetic variations in duck populations. The average values for the allele number, the effective number of alleles, the observed heterozygosity, the expected heterozygosity, and the polymorphism information content were 11.29, 5.370, 0.591, 0.746, and 0.708, respectively. The results of analysis of molecular variance and principal component analysis indicated a contracting Brown Tsaiya duck cluster and a spreading White Tsaiya duck cluster. The Brown Tsaiya ducks and the White Tsaiya ducks with Pekin ducks were just split to six clusters and three clusters when K was set equal to 6 and 3 in the Bayesian cluster analysis. The individual phylogenetic tree revealed eight taxa, and each individual was assigned to its own population. Conclusion: According to our study, the 24 novel microsatellite markers exhibited a high capacity to analyze relationships of inter- and intra-population in those populations with a relatively limited degree of genetic diversity. We suggest that duck farms in Taiwan could use the new (novel) microsatellite set to monitor the genetic characteristics and structures of their Tsaiya duck populations at various intervals in order to ensure quality breeding and conservation strategies.

Dioxygen Activation bya Non-Heme Iron(II) Complex: Theoretical Study toward UnderstandingFerric–Superoxo Complexes

Chen, Hui,Cho, Kyung-Bin,Lai, Wenzhen,Nam, Wonwoo,Shaik, Sason American Chemical Society 2012 Journal of chemical theory and computation Vol.8 No.3

<P>We present a systematic study using density functional theory (DFT) and coupled cluster (CCSD(T)) computations with an aim of characterizing a non-heme ferric-superoxo complex [(TMC)Fe(O-2)(2+) (TMC = 1,4,8,11-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) that was proposed to perform allylic C-H activation of cyclohexene (Lee, Y.-M. et al. J. Am. Chem, Soc. 2010, 132, 10668). As such, we investigated a series of iron-O-2 species without and with a sixth ligand bound to the iron ion in different O-2 coordination modes (end-on and side-on) and different spin states. Most of the iron-O-2 complexes were found to be iron(III)-superoxo species, Fe(III)(O-2(-)), with high-spin (S = 5/2) or intermediate-spin (S = 3/2) ferric centers coupled ferromagnetically or antiferromagnetically to the superoxide anion radical. One iron(IV)-peroxo state, Fe(IV)(O-2(2-)), was also examined. The preference for ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic coupling modes between the superoxo and ferric radicals was found to depend on the FeOO angle, where a side-on tilt favors ferromagnetic coupling whereas the end-on tilt favors antiferromagnetic states. Experimental findings, e.g., the effects of solvent, spin state, and redox potential of non-heme Fe(II) complexes on O-2 activation, were corroborated in this work. Solvent effects were found to disfavor O-2 binding, relative to the unbound ferrous ion and O-2. The potential H-abstraction reactivity of the iron(III)-superoxo species was considered in light of the recently proposed exchange-enhanced reactivity principle (Shaik, S.; Chen, H.; Janardanan, D. Nat. Chem. 2011, 3, 19). It is concluded that localization and/or decoupling of an unpaired electron in the d-block of high-spin Fe(III) center in the S = 2 and 3 ferric-superoxo complexes during H abstractions enhances exchange stabilization and may be the root cause of the observed reactivity of [(TMC)Fe(O-2)](2+).</P>

The long-term anatomical and visual effect of intravitreal triamcinolone injection during vitrectomy for the treatment of idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane

Lai, Chi-Chun,Wang, Nan-Kai,Wu, Wei-Chi,Yeung, Ling,Hwang, Yih-Shiou,Chen, Kuan-Jen,Chen, Tun-Lu,Chuang, Lan-Hsin Informa Healthcare 2011 Cutaneous and ocular toxicology Vol.30 No.4

<P><I>Purpose</I>: To compare the long-term anatomical and visual outcomes of patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) removed by vitrectomy and membrane peeling with or without the use of intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA).</P><P><I>Methods</I>: A retrospective chart review was performed. Subjects who underwent vitrectomy and who were followed over 12 months were included. The study included two groups of patients. In group 1 (71 eyes), the patients underwent vitrectomy and membrane peeling without the use of IVTA. In group 2 (27 eyes), 2 mg of IVTA was given at the end of the surgery. The main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central foveal thickness (CFT) determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT), the number of cataract surgeries, and the use of anti-glaucomatous drugs during the follow-up period.</P><P><I>Results</I>: This study included 98 eyes with ERM from 98 patients. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to age, gender, pre- and postoperative lens status, BCVA, CFT, or length of the follow-up period. The mean age for all of the patients was 62.45 ± 10.01 (mean ± SD) years, and the mean follow-up length was 20.58 ± 9.64 (mean ± SD) months. In all cases, the mean best-corrected logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) acuity improved from a preoperative value of 0.91 ± 0.32 [Snellen equivalent (SE), 0.16 ± 0.14] to a postoperative value of 0.46 ± 0.36 (SE, 0.46 ± 0.29) (<I>P</I> < 0.0001). The CFT was reduced from a preoperative value of 473.46 ± 96.91 μm to a postoperative value of 302.44 ± 69.80 μm (<I>P</I> < 0.0001). Six patients (22.2%) in group 2 required anti-glaucomatous drugs to control intraocular pressure (IOP) during the follow-up period, and three patients (4.2%) in group 1 required drugs to control IOP (<I>P</I> == 0.012).</P><P><I>Conclusions</I>: The postoperative visual outcomes for patients with idiopathic ERM were favorable, but CFT did not return to a normal level, even in eyes in which 2 mg IVTA was used. The IVTA use after ERM removal produced no significant benefits during long-term follow-up, but IVTA did increase the risk of increased IOP.</P>