The observation of microstructures in the trigonal shape memory alloys

Liu, Tzu-Cheng,Tsou, Nien-Ti 테크노프레스 2016 Multiscale and multiphysics mechanics Vol.1 No.2

The trigonal shape memory alloys (SMAs) have a great potential to be utilized as the applications with special purposes, such as actuators with high operation frequency. Most studies on the trigonal microstructures typically focus on the well-known classic herringbone pattern, but many other patterns are also possible, such as non-classic herringbone, toothbrush and checkerboard patterns. In the current work, a systematic procedure is developed to find all possible laminate twin microstructures by using geometrically linear compatibility theory. The procedure is verified by SEM images with the information of crystallographic axes of unitcells obtained by EBSD, showing good agreement. Many interesting trigonal R-phase patterns are found in the specimen. Then, their incompatibility are analyzed with nonlinear compatibility theory. The relationship between such incompatibility and the likelihood of occurrence of the microstructures is revealed. The current procedure is rapid, computationally efficient and sufficiently general to allow further extension to other crystal systems and materials.

The observation of microstructures in the trigonal shape memory alloys

Liu, Tzu-Cheng,Tsou, Nien-Ti Techno-Press 2016 Coupled systems mechanics Vol.5 No.4

The trigonal shape memory alloys (SMAs) have a great potential to be utilized as the applications with special purposes, such as actuators with high operation frequency. Most studies on the trigonal microstructures typically focus on the well-known classic herringbone pattern, but many other patterns are also possible, such as non-classic herringbone, toothbrush and checkerboard patterns. In the current work, a systematic procedure is developed to find all possible laminate twin microstructures by using geometrically linear compatibility theory. The procedure is verified by SEM images with the information of crystallographic axes of unitcells obtained by EBSD, showing good agreement. Many interesting trigonal R-phase patterns are found in the specimen. Then, their incompatibility are analyzed with nonlinear compatibility theory. The relationship between such incompatibility and the likelihood of occurrence of the microstructures is revealed. The current procedure is rapid, computationally efficient and sufficiently general to allow further extension to other crystal systems and materials.

Ga Content and Thickness Inhomogeneity Effects on Cu(In, Ga)Se2 Solar Modules

Xiaobo Zhu,Tzu-Huan Cheng,Chee-Wee Liu 대한금속·재료학회 2016 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.12 No.4

The fluctuation of Ga content and absorption layer thickness of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar modules is investigated by 3-dimensional numericalsimulation. The band gap of CIGS is increased by the increasing Gacontent, and the residual compressive strain. Strain effect worsens thedegradation of the power conversion efficiency of CIGS module in additionto Ga fluctuation. The intracell Ga fluctuation degrades the open circuitvoltage due to the minimum open circuit voltage in the parallelconfiguration, and also affects the short circuit current due to the Gadependentlight absorption. The intercell Ga fluctuation leads to a moresignificant degradation for CIGS solar module efficiency than the intracellGa fluctuation due to the additional degradation of the fill factor. Thethickness fluctuation has a small effect on open circuit voltage, but causesstrong degradation of short circuit current and fill factor, which leads to amore significant degradation on power conversion efficiency than Gafluctuation to the same fluctuation percentage. In reality, the thickness canbe tightly controlled within the fluctuation of 5% or less.

Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) Fruit Extracts Improve Colon Microflora and Exert Anti-Inflammatory Activities in Caco-2 Cells

Hsin-Lun Huang,Cheng-Tzu Liu,Ming-Chih Chou,Chien-Hui Ko,Chin-Kun Wang 한국식품영양과학회 2015 Journal of medicinal food Vol.18 No.6

Intestinal microflora and inflammation are associated with the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases. Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) has various bioactivities, but its effect on colon health remains unknown. This study focused on the effects of fermented noni fruit extracts on colon microflora and inflammation of colon epithelial cells. The anti-inflammatory activities of ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts on Caco-2 cells were evaluated including interleukin-8 (IL-8) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The growth of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species was promoted by ethanol extract. Ethyl acetate extract decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species and significantly suppressed COX-2, IL-8, and prostaglandin E2 production and neutrophil chemotaxis by suppressing the translocation of the p65 subunit. Quercetin was the main contributor to the anti-inflammatory activity. The fermented noni fruit promoted probiotic growths and downregulated the intracellular oxidation and inflammation in Caco-2 cells. These results suggest that fermented noni fruit might protect against inflammatory diseases of the colon.

Potential of a combination of entomopathogenic fungal strains and a non-ionic surfactant to control the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)

Wu Sing-Shan,Tseng Ching-Tzu,Yang Yu-Hung,Liu Yao-Chia,Chang Ju-Chun,Gyawali Purushottam,Li Yi-Hsuan,Yang Tzu-Hao,Tsai Yi-Fang,Tang Li-Cheng,Nai Yu-Shin 한국응용곤충학회 2022 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.25 No.4

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is an emerging invasive pest in Taiwan that feeds on a wide range of crops and causes serious damage. Herein, an entomopathogenic fungal library (EFLib) was constructed to identify potential microbes to control FAW. Twenty-eight indigenous entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) were iso lated and investigated for their potential pathogenicity, with Metarhizium pinghaense (Mp-NCHU-124) and Beauveria bassiana (Bb-NCHU-157) exerting dose-dependent effects on the 4th instar FAW larvae. The non-ionic surfactant Silwet L-77 rapidly killed FAW larvae after spraying at a concentration of 300 mg/kg and the toxic effect of Silwet L-77 on FAW larvae was dose-dependent. When the EPF isolates (10 6 conidia/mL) were applied to FAW larvae in combination with the non-ionic surfactant Silwet L-77 (30–90 mg/kg), the mortality rate dramatically increased and the LT 50 reduced, with increased fungal mycosis (Mp-NCHU-124: 38% to 72% and Bb-NCHU-157: 20 to 62%), indicating the high compatibility of EPF with the non-ionic surfactant. Thus, the Silwet L-77+EPF combined formulation has potential for practical field application for FAW pest control and sustainable agriculture in the future.

User Identification Design by Fusion of Face Recognition and Speaker Recognition

Chao-Yu Lin,Kai-Tai Song,Yi-Wen Chen,Shuo-Cheng Chien,Sin-Horng Chen,Chen-Yu Chiang,Jyh-Her Yang,Yi-Chiao Wu,Tzu-Jui Liu 제어로봇시스템학회 2012 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2012 No.10

Intelligent human-robot interface helps a mobile robot to extract external information and interact with a user. User identification information allows a robot to generate appropriate behaviors and make personalized human-robot interaction (PHRI) more natural and safe. Most of service robots move around in various application settings, and biometric features always change during relative movements. In this work, a fusion recognition system based on face and speaker classifiers is designed to achieve the user recognition in various environments. We propose a method to fuse face and speech recognition results based on the concept of confidence indices. Through the derived confidence indices, the system combines the two classifiers and gives improved recognition results. Experiments on a laboratory home service robot show that person recognition rates in 15 environmental situations all outperform those of using single modality.

Maintenance of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin/carboplatin in patients with advanced ovarian cancer: randomized study of an Asian Gynecologic Oncology Group

Chyong-Huey Lai,Elizabeth Vallikad,Hao Lin,Lan-Yan Yang,Shih-Ming Jung,Hsueh-Erh Liu,Yu-Che Ou,Hung-Hsueh Chou,Cheng-Tao Lin,Huei-Jean Huang,Kuan-Gen Huang,Jiantai Qiu,Yao-Ching Hung,Tzu-I Wu,Wei-Yang 대한부인종양학회 2020 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.31 No.1

Objectives: An Asian Gynecologic Oncology Group phase III randomized trial was conducted to determine whether maintenance chemotherapy could improve progression-free survival (PFS) in stages III/IV ovarian cancer. Methods: Between 2007 and 2014, 45 newly-diagnosed ovarian cancer patients were enrolled after complete remission and randomized (1:1) to arm A (4-weekly carboplatin area under the curve 4 and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin [PLD] 30 mg/m2, n=24) for 6 cycles or arm B (observation, n=21). The primary end-point was PFS. A post hoc translational study was conducted to deep sequence BRCA/homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) genes, because BRCA/HRD mutations (BRCA/HRDm) are known to be associated with better prognosis. Results: Enrollment was slow, accrual was closed when 7+ years had passed. With a median follow-up of 88.9 months, the median PFS was significantly better in arm A (55.5 months) than arm B (9.2 months) (hazard ratio [HR]=0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.19–0.87; p=0.020), yet the median overall survival was not significantly different in arm A (not reached) than arm B (95.1 months) (p=0.148). Overall grade 3/4 adverse events were more frequent in arm A than arm B (60.9% vs 0.0%) (p<0.001). Quality of life was generally not significantly different. Distribution of BRCA1/2m or BRCA/HRDm was not significantly biased between the two arms. Wild-type BRCA/non-HRD subgroup seemed to fare better with maintenance therapy (HR=0.35; 95% CI=0.11–1.18; p=0.091). Conclusions: Despite limitations in small sample size, it suggests that maintenance carboplatin-PLD chemotherapy could improve PFS in advanced ovarian cancer.