Detecting small lung tumors in mouse models by refractive-index microradiology

Chien, Chia-Chi,Zhang, Guilin,Hwu, Y.,Liu, Ping,Yue, Weisheng,Sun, Jianqi,Li, Yan,Xue, Hongjie,Xu, Lisa X.,Wang, Chang Hai,Chen, Nanyow,Lu, Chien Hung,Lee, Ting-Kuo,Yang, Yuh-Cheng,Lu, Yen-Ta,Ching, Y Springer-Verlag 2011 ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Vol.401 No.3

An approach for product life functionality under component deterioration process

Chien-Ping Chung,Angus Jeang 대한기계학회 2009 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.23 No.1

Product designers are always concerned that a newly developed product is properly performing its functionality for its intended life under consumer usage conditions. It is known that the failure rate is increased in the late time of product life cycle as the consequence of deterioration being built up. Namely, continuous changes may take place in the parameter values of product and the product application may be ended before expiration of its intended life. Hence, a design that considers parameter compensation to extend using time becomes an important factor in earlier stages of product design. Other than the parameter values, the tolerance values are an important element affecting the product performance, which are also needed to be decided appropriately. In this paper, an optimization model considers minimizing the total cost, which includes material cost, inspection cost, quality loss, failure cost, and tolerance cost by conducting concurrent optimization of the decision variables, initial setting, process mean, process tolerance, and using time. The design constraints are the restrictions resulting from process capability limits, functionality requirements, and quality necessities. The software GAMS was used to find optimal values for the decision variables of interest. Finally, an example of various components and subassemblies under deterioration process is presented to explain the proposed model and sensitivity analysis on some decision variables is performed.

Doxorubicin Promotes Migration and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells through the Upregulation of the RhoA/MLC Pathway

Chien-Liang Liu,Ming-Jen Chen,Jiunn-Chang Lin,Chi-Hsin Lin,Wen-Chien Huang,Shih-Ping Cheng,Shan-Na Chen,Yuan-Ching Chang 한국유방암학회 2019 Journal of breast cancer Vol.22 No.2

Purpose: Cancer cells develop acquired resistance induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, we investigated the effects of brief treatment with cytotoxic drugs on the phenotype of breast cancer cells. Methods: Breast cancer cells MCF7 and BT-474 were briefly treated with paclitaxel or doxorubicin. Clonogenic, migration, and invasion assays were performed on the treated cells. Western blot analysis and RhoA activity assay were also performed. Results: Breast cancer cells when briefly treated with paclitaxel or doxorubicin showed reduced clonogenic ability. Doxorubicin, but not paclitaxel, augmented cell migration and invasion. The invasion-promoting effects of doxorubicin were lost when the two drugs were sequentially used in combination. Myosin light chain (MLC) 2 phosphorylation and RhoA activity were upregulated by doxorubicin and downregulated by paclitaxel. Pretreatment with RhoA inhibitors abolished the migration- and invasion-promoting effects of doxorubicin. Conclusion: Doxorubicin activates the RhoA/MLC pathway and enhances breast cancer cell migration and invasion. Therefore, this pathway might be explored as a therapeutic target to suppress anthracycline-enhanced tumor progression.

Seismicity, active faults, stress patterns, and rupture processes in the Hualien region, Taiwan, investigated using the 1990 Hualien earthquake sequence

Lee, Chien-Ping,Kim, Kwang-Hee,Huang, Bor-Shouh,Huang, Win-Gee Elsevier 2011 Tectonophysics Vol.511 No.1

<P><B>Abstract</B></P><P>The Hualien mainshock–aftershock sequence from December 1990 to January 1991 was used to investigate seismicity, active faults, stress patterns, and complex rupture processes in the Hualien region of eastern Taiwan. A combined data set, compiled from observations by the regional seismic network (Taiwan Telemetered Seismograph Network, TTSN) and a dense aftershock monitoring array (Hualien Temporary Seismic Network, HTSN), provided high-quality seismic data. Using these data, earthquake source parameters could be well constrained by the joint hypocenter determination (JHD) and double-difference relocation methods. These two relocation methods presented similar results and produced improved estimations of earthquake location. Station corrections determined by JHD showed significant lateral velocity variations across the Yuehmei fault. The relocated seismicity indicated that a previously known active fault, the Chimei fault, extends to offshore. Earthquake relocations also revealed a northwest dipping seismicity probably related to the Chimei fault. In addition, three sets of focal mechanism solutions are presented and their discrepancies are attributed to the complex rupture process. At first, earthquakes were initiated by thrust motions. Later, the rupture pattern changed to strike–slip motions. Variations in slip may reflect the fault geometry or rupture boundary conditions in the region. The observed stress patterns are considered to relate not only to the regional collision and mountain-building processes, but also to active faults in local structures.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P><P>► Active faults along the collision boundary are analyzed using 1990 Hualien earthquake sequence. ► Precise earthquake locations indicate previously known active faults and blind faults. ► Differences in three sets of focal mechanism solutions indicate complex rupture processes of earthquake initiation and evolution in the eastern Taiwan. ► Observed stress patterns from focal mechanism solutions also indicate the role of regional tectonics and local faults.</P>

Numerical investigations of dynamic stall characteristics with laminar-to-turbulence transition

Chien-Chou Tseng,Ping-Ben Liu,Sheng-Yen Hsu 대한기계학회 2021 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.35 No.8

The influence of laminar-to-turbulence transition of the laminar separation bubble (LSB) on the dynamic stall process of a pitching foil was investigated using transition SST k-ω turbulence model. As the LSB moves to the leading edge, the strong strain rate produces a pronounced laminar-to-turbulence transition, resulting in a turbulent mixing, faster turbulent reattachment, and shrinkage of LSB. This transition leads to the enhancement of the friction coefficient after the reattachment point and delays the suction collapse and evolution of secondary vortex. A baseline SST k-ω model was also applied. Without the transition mechanism, the suction collapse occurs too early, and the downstroke relaminarization is absent. The oscillation of the downstroke lift curve is severer using the SST model than that using the transition SST model. This study extends the detailed validations of transition model and helps improve the understanding of the influence of the transition on the dynamic stall process.

Cilostazol ameliorates diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting highglucose-induced apoptosis

Chien-Wen Chian,Yung-Shu Lee,Yi-Ju Lee,Ya-Hui Chen,Chi-Ping Wang,Wen-Chin Lee,Huei-Jane Lee 대한생리학회-대한약리학회 2020 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.24 No.5

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a hyperglycemia-induced progressive development of renal insufficiency. Excessive glucose can increase mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce cell damage, causing mitochondrial dysfunction. Our previous study indicated that cilostazol (CTZ) can reduce ROS levels and decelerate DN progression in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes. This study investigated the potential mechanisms of CTZ in rats with DN and in high glucose-treated mesangial cells. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 5 mg/kg/day of CTZ after developing STZ-induced diabetes mellitus. Electron microscopy revealed that CTZ reduced the thickness of the glomerular basement membrane and improved mitochondrial morphology in mesangial cells of diabetic kidney. CTZ treatment reduced excessive kidney mitochondrial DNA copy numbers induced by hyperglycemia and interacted with the intrinsic pathway for regulating cell apoptosis as an antiapoptotic mechanism. In high-glucose-treated mesangial cells, CTZ reduced ROS production, altered the apoptotic status, and down-regulated transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). Base on the results of our previous and current studies, CTZ deceleration of hyperglycemia-induced DN is attributable to ROS reduction and thereby maintenance of the mitochondrial function and reduction in TGF-β and NF-κB levels.

Globalization, Economic Growth and Institutional Development in China

Chien-Chiang Lee,Chi-Chuan Lee,Chun-Ping Chang 연세대학교 동서문제연구원 2015 Global economic review Vol.44 No.1

Unlike most previous works which commonly define globalization as a strict economic characteristic, using the overall globalization index and its three sub-dimensions – economic, social and political integrations to proxy openness, this paper examines the effect of globalization on economic growth associated with autocratic institutional in China, using the a two-step dynamic panel generalized method of moments technique in a panel of 30 provinces, municipalities and the autonomous regions over the period of 1970–2006. We find that different globalization indices have different impacts on regional economic growth. Also, autocracy may harm regional development, but these conclusions are very sensitive to different globalization variables specifications. Further, considering the interactive effects between globalization and economic growth, we show that in the period of higher global integration, the higher democracy (lower autocracy) may harm economic growth in the case of China. We emphasize that democracy is clearly not a necessary condition for the purpose of economic growth in China.

Flexural behavior of reinforced lightweight concrete beams under reversed cyclic loading

Chien, Li-Kai,Kuo, Yi-Hao,Huang, Chung-Ho,Chen, How-Ji,Cheng, Ping-Hu Techno-Press 2014 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.52 No.3

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the flexural behavior of doubly reinforced lightweight concrete (R.L.C.) beams tested under cyclic loading. A total of 20 beam specimens were tested. Test results are presented in terms of ductility index, the degradation of strength and stiffness, and energy dissipation. The flexural properties of R.L.C. beam were compared to those of normal concrete (R.C.) beams. Test results show that R.L.C. beam with low and medium concrete strength (20, 40MPa) performed displacement ductility similar to the R.C. beam. The ductility can be improved by enhancing the concrete strength or decreasing the tension reinforcement ratio. Using lightweight aggregate in concrete is advantageous to the dynamic stiffness of R.L.C. beam. Enhancement of concrete strength and increase of reinforcement ratio will lead to increase of the stiffness degradation of beam. The energy dissipation of R.L.C beam, similar to R.C. beam, increase with the increase of tension reinforcement ratio. The energy dissipation of unit load cycle for smaller tension reinforcement ratio is relatively less than that of beam with higher reinforcement ratio.

Social Security Expenditure and GDP in OECD Countries: a Cointegrated Panel Analysis

Lee, Chien-Chiang,Chang, Chun-Ping 한국국제경제학회 2006 International Economic Journal Vol.20 No.3

Globalization, Real Output and Multiple Structural Breaks

CHUN-PING CHANG,CHIEN-CHIANG LEE,MENG-CHI HSIEH 연세대학교 동서문제연구원 2011 Global economic review Vol.40 No.4

This paper adopts an advanced panel cointegration method which incorporates multiple structural breaks to examine the long-run relationship between real output (RGDP) and the Konjunkturforschungsstelle (KOF) index of globalization (overall and its three main subindices), employing annual data of G7 countries from 1970 to 2006. Our empirical findings provide strong evidence that overall globalization and its social dimension are cointegrated with RGDP, and most of the structural break points are discovered during the period of the oil crisis (the mid-1970s) and the process of European Union integration. In addition, in evaluating whether or not the structural breaks affect the RGDP through globalization, we discover that both the overall globalization index and the social globalization index have a directly positive impact on RGDP but indirectly exhibit negative impacts on real output via the channel of social globalization.