GROUND OBSERVATIONS OF SPRITES AND OTHER TLES IN TAIWAN

WANG YUN-CHING,HSU RUE-RON,SU HAN-TZONG,CHEN ALFRED BING-CHIH,LEE YI-JEN,KUO CHENG-LING,TSAY WEAN-SHUN,CHANG CHAN-KAO,WANG SHI-CHUN,LEE LOU-CHUANG,LIU TIE-YUE The Korean Astronomical Society 2005 Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society Vol.38 No.2

Sprites, elves and blue jets are collectively denominated as the upper atmospheric transient luminous events (TLEs). They are recently discovered optical flashes between active thunderstorms and the ionosphere. In this report, a brief introduction to the most important characteristics of TLEs is given. Since 2001, scientists from the National Cheng Kung University have been performing yearly summer campaigns from various locations in Taiwan. The main achievements of their yearly campaign are presented.

Causes, Features, and Outcomes of Drug-Induced Liver Injury in 69 Children from China

( Yun Zhu ),( Yong Gang Li ),( Jia Bo Wang ),( Shu Hong Liu ),( Li Fu Wang ),( Yan Ling Zhao ),( Yun Feng Bai ),( Zhong Xia Wang ),( Jian Yu Li ),( Xiao He Xiao ) 대한소화기학회 2015 Gut and Liver Vol.9 No.4

Background/Aims: Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a frequent cause of pediatric liver disease; however, the data on DILI are remarkably limited. Methods: All 69 children hospitalized with DILI between January 2009 and December 2011 were retrospectively studied. Results: A total of 37.7% of the children had medical histories of respiratory infection. The clinical injury patterns were as follows: hepatocellular 89.9%, cholestatic 2.9%, and mixed 7.2%. Liver biopsies from 55 children most frequently demonstrated chronic (47.3%) and acute (27.3%) hepatitis. Hypersensitivity features, namely, fever (31.9%), rash (21.7%), and eosinophilia (1.4%), were found. Twenty-four children (34.8%) developed chronic DILI. Antibiotics (26.1%) were the most common Western medicines (WMs) causing DILI, and the major implicated herbs were Ephedra sinica and Polygonum multiflorum. Compared with WM, the children whose injuries were caused by Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) showed a higher level of total bilirubin (1.4 mg/dL vs 16.6 mg/dL, p=0.004) and a longer prothrombin time (11.8 seconds vs 17.3 seconds, p=0.012), but they exhibited less chronic DILI (2/15 vs 18/39, p=0.031). Conclusions: Most cases of DILI in children are caused by antibiotics or CHM used to treat respiratory infection and present with hepatocellular injury. Compared with WM, CHM is more likely to cause severe liver injury, but liver injury caused by CHM is curable. (Gut Liver 2015;9:525-533)

Genes Regulating the ABORTED MICROSPORES (AMS)-Mediated Male Sterility Networks in Melon (Cucumis melo L.)

Ling Wang,Dong-yang Dai,Xia Wu,Yun-yan Sheng,Peng Ji,Dan-dan Li,Fan Zhang,Di Wang 한국원예학회 2021 원예과학기술지 Vol.39 No.5

The male sterile plants have higher heterosis in the production of hybrid seeds. The ABORTED MICROSPORES (AMS) gene has been demonstrated to be a candidate gene for ms-5. However, the genetic mechanism underlying AMS-mediated male sterility (MS) regulatory networks in melon (Cucumis melo L.) is still not clearly understood. In the present study, we used transcriptome sequencing analysis, yeast hybridization technology, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and bioinformatics analyzed to systematically investigate the AMS-mediated MS regulatory networks in melon. A set of 15 proteins interacting with AMS, including the C. melo L. Zinc Ribbon protein 1 (CmZR1) gene, was identified using the yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) system and further confirmed using the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay. The interaction of the CmZR1 protein with the C. melo L. Pectin Methylesterase Inhibitor 1 (CmPMEI1) protein was identified and further verified by the glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down technique. Bioinformatics analyzed the physical and chemical properties, gene structure, and kinship of the melon PMEI family. We proposed a partial regulatory network for melon MS in which the interaction of CmPMEI1 protein with CmZR1 protein regulates the expression of the AMS gene for pollen abortion. These findings provide important information for increasing the understanding of the molecular mechanism of the MS regulatory network in melon.

Selective Stripping of Zr (IV) over Hf (IV) in Loaded D2EHPA Extracted from Strong Sulfuric Acid Solutions

( Ling Yun Wang ),( Man Seung Lee ) 대한금속재료학회(구 대한금속학회) 2016 대한금속·재료학회지 Vol.54 No.2

To develop a process for the selective extraction of Hf (IV) over Zr (IV) from a strong sulfuric acid solution, we investigated the stripping of Zr (IV) and Hf (IV) from loaded D2EHPA using alkaline reagents and various acid solutions. Since both Zr (IV) and Hf (IV) were quantitatively stripped by oxalic acid as well as by alkaline reagents (Na2CO3 and (NH4)2CO3), it was difficult to separate the two metals during the stripping step. Among the tested inorganic acids (HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4), only sulfuric acid could strip Zr (IV) and Hf (IV) and the stripping behavior was dependent on the sulfuric acid concentration employed in the extraction. When the extraction of the two metals by D2EHPA was conducted with a 0.5 M sulfuric acid solution, Zr (IV) was selectively stripped from the loaded D2EPA with a sulfuric acid solution of 3-5 M. A separation factor of 10 resulted from the stripping with a 4 M sulfuric acid solution.(Received June 16, 2015)

Pan-cancer Analysis of Tumor Mutational Burden and Homologous Recombination DNA Damage Repair Using Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing

Hai-Yun Wang,Ling Deng,Ying-Qing Li,Xiao Zhang,Ya-Kang Long,Xu Zhang,Yan-Fen Feng,Yuan He,Tao Tang,Xin-Hua Yang,Fang Wang 대한암학회 2021 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.53 No.4

Purpose Current variability in methods for tumor mutational burden (TMB) estimation and reporting demonstrates the urgent need for a homogeneous TMB assessment approach. Here, we compared TMB distributions in different cancer types using two customized targeted panels commonly used in clinical practice. Materials and Methods TMB spectra of 295- and 1021-gene panels in multiple cancer types were compared using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). The TMB distributions across a diverse cohort of 2,332 cancer cases were then investigated for their associations with clinical features. Treatment response data were collected for 222 patients who received immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and their homologous recombination DNA damage repair (HR-DDR) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression were additionally assessed and compared with the TMB and response rate. Results The median TMB between gene panels was similar despite a wide range in TMB values. The highest TMB was eight and 10 in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal carcinoma according to the classification of histopathology and cancer types, respectively. Twenty-three out of 103 patients (22.3%) were HR-DDR–positive and could benefit from ICI therapy; out of those 23 patients, seven patients had high TMB (p=0.004). Additionally, PD-L1 expression was not associated with TMB or treatment response among patients receiving ICIs. Conclusion Targeted NGS assays demonstrated the ability to evaluate TMB in pan-cancer samples as a tool to predict response to ICIs. In addition, TMB integrated with HR-DDR–positive status could be a significant biomarker for predicting ICI response in patients.

The Influence of Enjoyment Factors, Satisfaction, and Flow Experience on the Happiness of Chinese Dance Sports Participants

Yongdi Wang,Ling Chen,Yun Liu,Junke Wang,Wang Zuo 아시아스포츠융합과학회 2023 Asia Pacific Journal of Applied Sport Sciences Vol.4 No.2

PPURPOSE This research investigates the current experience and satisfaction of Chinese university students participating in dance sports by investigating the participation and enjoyment factors. We provide a theoretical basis for the further development of Chinese dance sports. METHODS In this study, the research hypothesis is discussed and the structural equation model (SEM) is established. The research assumes that engagement factors, satisfactions, and flow experience can have an impact on happiness, and Amos 26.0 is used for data analysis. A total of 400 valid questionnaires were recovered. RESULTS The factor loading of the SEM falls between 0.469 and 0.911, and the model fits well. The path coefficient reached a significant level, and flow experience had an impact on happiness, thereby supporting the hypothesis. CONCLUSION The results show that enjoyment factors, satisfaction, and flow experience have a positive effect on happiness, and enjoyment factors have a positive impact on university students’ satisfaction and flow experience.

Prevalence and Prognostic Role of PIK3CA/AKT1 Mutations in Chinese Breast Cancer Patients

Ling Deng,Xuehua Zhu,Yun Sun,Jiemin Wang,Xiaorong Zhong,Jiayuan Li,Min Hu,Hong Zheng 대한암학회 2019 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.51 No.1

Purpose The prevalence of PIK3CA in Chinese breast cancer patients may be underestimated. Therefore, we investigated the distribution of somatic PIK3CA/AKT1mutations in Chinese breast cancer patients and explored their roles in tumor phenotypes and disease prognosis. Materials and Methods Tumors from 507 breast cancer patients were prospectively collected from the West China Hospital between 2008 and 2013. Whole exons of AKT1 and PIK3CAwere detected in freshfrozen tumors using next-generation sequencing, and correlations between PIK3CA/AKT1 mutations and clinicopathological features were analyzed. Results The AKT1mutation was found in 3.6% (18/507) of patients. Tumors from patients that carried the AKT1mutation were estrogen receptor (ER)+/progesterone receptor (PR)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and were more likely to have high expression levels of Ki67. The prevalence of the PIK3CA mutation was 46.5% (236/507), and 35 patients carried two or three variants of the PIK3CA gene. PIK3CA mutations were associated with ER+/PR+/HER2 status. The prognosis of patients with one mutation in PIK3CA (or PIK3CA/AKT1) was not significantly different than that of patients with wild-type PIK3CA (or PIK3CA/AKT1), while patients with two or three variants in PIK3CA (or PIK3CA/AKT1) exhibited poorer outcomes in the entire group and in all three subgroups (ER+, HER2, Ki67 high), particularly with respect to overall survival. Conclusion A high frequency of somatic PIK3CA mutations was detected in Chinese breast cancer patients. In addition to the mutation frequency, the tumor mutational burden of the PIK3CA and AKT1 genes should also be of concern, as they may be associated with poor prognosis.

Potassium Humate-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Activated Carbons with Narrow Micropore Size Distribution for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Lingli Xie,Litao Kang,Yae Li,Mangwei Cui,Bo Chang,Haiwei Jiang,Lili Gao,Xiaomin Wang,Shan Yun 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2017 NANO Vol.12 No.4

Micro-porous activated carbons (ACs) with a narrow pore size distribution of 0.4–0.6 nm and high specific surface areas (1160–1315 m2 · g-1) are prepared from environment-friendly, lowgrade potassium humate (HA-K, carbon resource) and mild activating agent potassium acetate (CH3COOK). Microstructure characterizations indicate that the introduction of activating agent CH3COOK is a key step to achieve high specific surface area and carbonization degree. These ACs contain small amount of oxygen and nitrogen, and show obvious pseudo-capacitance besides double layer capacitance. As a result, the optimized ACs achieve high specific capacitances of 311 F · g-1 and 317 F · g-1 at 0.1 A · g-1 in 2 M KOH and 1 M H2SO4 aqueous electrolytes, respectively. This sample also shows a good charge-discharge cycling stability within 10 000 cycles.

In-situ synthesis of ZrC@ZrO2 core-shell high temperature thermal insulation nanopowders by precipitation method

Yun Zhang,Jie Wang,Yang Yang,Ling Li 한양대학교 세라믹연구소 2019 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.20 No.1

ZrC (shell) and ZrO2 (core) (ZrC@ZrO2) core-shell nanopowders were in-situ synthesized by precipitating method usingzirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and sucrose (C12H22O11). C12H22O11 was selected since it can be completely decomposed to carbon. Thus, carbon might be accounted precisely for the carbothermal reduction reaction. The ZrC@ZrO2 core-shell nanopowderswere obtained with a molar ratio of C / Zr = 2 for the starting materials at 1500 oC for 2 hrs. The SEM photomicrographreveals that ZrC@ZrO2 core-shell particles had an equiaxed morphology with a high surface rough. Furthermore, the sizedistribution of the particles was around 100 nm in diameter. Additionally, in the case of either C / Zr (mol.) > 1 or pyrolyzingtemperature above 1400 oC, the thickness of ZrC shell could be increased. Moreover, the HR-TEM showed that thenanopowders possessed core-shell structure with ZrO2 core and ZrC shell, and the thickness of ZrC was about 10 nmcarbothermally reduced at 1500 oC for 2 hrs with a molar ratio of C / Zr = 2

Demethylation of CpG islands in the 5` upstream regions mediates the expression of the human testis-specific gene MAGEB16 and its mouse homolog Mageb16

( Yun Qiang Liu ),( Mei Ling Wang ),( Si Yuan Jiang ),( Yong Jie Lu ),( Da Chang Tao ),( Yuan Yang ),( Yong Xin Ma ),( Si Zhong Zhang ) 생화학분자생물학회 2014 BMB Reports Vol.47 No.2

Tissue-specific gene expression is regulated by epigenetic modification involving trans-acting factors. Here, we identified that the human MAGEB16 gene and its mouse homolog, Mageb16, are only expressed in the testis. To investigate the mechanism governing their expression, the promoter methy-lation status of these genes was examined in different samples. Two CpG islands (CGIs) in the 5` upstream region of MAGEB16 were highly demethylated in human testes, whereas they were methylated in cells without MAGEB16 expression. Similarly, the CGI in Mageb16 was hypomethylated in mouse testes but hypermethylated in other tissues and cells without Mageb16 expression. Additionally, the expression of these genes could be activated by treatment with the demethylation agent 5`-aza-2`- deoxycytidine (5`-aza-CdR). Luciferase assays revealed that both gene promoter activities were inhibited by methylation of the CGI regions. Therefore, we propose that the testis-specific expression of MAGEB16 and Mageb16 is regulated by the methylation status of their promoter regions. [BMB Reports 2014; 47(2): 86-91]