Mapping Signals That Are Important for Nuclear and Nucleolar Localization in MCRS2

Chung-Wen Kuo,Shih-Tung Liu,Wen-Hung Wang 한국분자세포생물학회 2011 Molecules and cells Vol.31 No.6

MCRS2 is an oncoprotein that is sequestered in the nu-cleolus. When in the nucleolus, it promotes the transcrip-tion of the rRNA gene. MCRS2 also brings proteins into the nucleolus to change their function. This study analyzes the sequence of MCRS2 and determines that the nuclear localization signal, which has the sequence KRKK, is situ-ated between amino acids 66 and 69. Meanwhile, MCRS2 contains a bipartite nucleolar localization signal, which comprises a KKSK motif, located between amino acids 133 and 136, and a downstream 152-amino acid region, from amino acid 314 to 465. The results of this study are impor-tant to understand the function of MCRS2.

An Enhanced Robust and Efficient Password-Authenticated Key Agreement Using Smart Cards

Wen-Chung Kuo,Kai Chain,Jiin-Chiou Cheng,Jar-Ferr Yang 보안공학연구지원센터 2012 International Journal of Security and Its Applicat Vol.6 No.2

Secure Modulus Data Hiding Scheme

( Wen-chung Kuo ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2013 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.7 No.3

In 2006, Zhang and Wang proposed a data hiding scheme based on Exploiting Modification Direction (EMD) to increase data hiding capacity. The major benefit of EMD is providing embedding capacity greater than 1 bit per pixel. Since then, many EMD-type data hiding schemes have been proposed. However, a serious disadvantage common to these approaches is that the embedded data is compromised when the embedding function is disclosed. Our proposed secure data hiding scheme remedies this disclosure shortcoming by employing an additional modulus function. The provided security analysis of our scheme demonstrates that attackers cannot get the secret information from the stegoimage even if the embedding function is made public. Furthermore, our proposed scheme also gives a simple solution to the overflow/underflow problem and maintains high embedding capacity and good stegoimage quality.

On the Security of ”A Novel Elliptic Curve Dynamic Access Control System”

Wen-Chung Kuo,Lih-Chyau Wuu 보안공학연구지원센터 2009 International Journal of Security and Its Applicat Vol.3 No.2

In 2007, Wen et al. proposed a novel elliptic curve dynamic access control system. In this paper, we will show that the scheme is vulnerable to various attacks.

A Characteristic Analysis of Vehicle’s Lateral Dynamics

Wen-Ching Chung,Der-Cherng Liaw,Kuo-Liang Chang,Chiz-Chung Cheng 제어로봇시스템학회 2009 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2009 No.8

In this paper, characteristic analysis of vehicle’s lateral dynamics is proposed to understand the nonlinear behavior of vehicle system. It was observed in Liaw and Chung (2006) that, with the variation of the front wheel steering angle, the vehicle dynamics would exhibit the saddle-node bifurcation. That might result in spin motion and/or system instability. To find out the key factors for causing the instability of vehicle system, the driving speed, the vehicle’s mass and the location of the center of gravity were treated as system variables for analytical study. Numerical simulations for an example model demonstrate the main results of the theoretical analysis.

Hints from a Female Patient with Breast Cancer Who Later Presented with Cowden Syndrome

Wen-Chung Wang,Tai-Cheng Hou,Chen-Yun Kuo,Yen-Chein Lai 한국유방암학회 2020 Journal of breast cancer Vol.23 No.4

A 51-year-old woman presented with metachronous tumor development in bilateral breasts, thyroid, and endometrium. Additional signs and symptoms fulfilled the National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria for Cowden syndrome. Immunohistochemistry showed loss of PTEN expression in all tumors. Single nucleotide variants, 647 germline variants (including one each in PTEN and MSH3), and 21 somatic mutations within exons were detected in all tumors after whole-exome sequencing. There were 0, 11, and 46 specific somatic mutations in bilateral breasts, thyroid, and endometrial cancers, respectively. Although PTEN mutation is key to the development of Cowden syndrome, DNA repair dysfunction might be the initial driver of mutations. Fewer mutations were required to induce initial bilateral breast carcinomas, with subsequent thyroid and endometrial carcinomas requiring more mutations for induction. When genetic screening is unavailable, breast cancer patients with clinical manifestations of Cowden syndrome must be carefully assessed for secondary malignancies, such as thyroid and endometrial carcinomas.

Impact of fine fillers on flowability, fiber dispersion, strength, and tensile strain hardening of UHPC

Chung-Chan Hung,Kuo-Wei Wen,Yueh-Ting Chen Techno-Press 2023 Advances in concrete construction Vol.15 No.6

While ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is commonly reinforced with micro straight steel fibers in existing applications, studies have indicated that the use of deformed steel macro-fibers leads to enhanced ductility and post-peak responses for UHPC structural elements, which is of particular importance for earthquake-resistant structures. However, there are potential concerns regarding the use of UHPC reinforced with macro-fibers due to the issues of workability and fiber distribution. The objective of this study was to address these issues by extensively investigating the restricted and non-restricted deformability, filling ability, horizontal and vertical velocities, and passing ability of UHPC containing macro hooked-end steel fibers. A new approach is suggested to examine the homogeneity of fiber distribution in UHPC. The influences of ultra-fine fillers and steel macro-fibers on the workability of fresh UHPC and the mechanics of hardened UHPC were examined. It was found that although increasing the ratio of quartz powder to cement led to an improvement in the workability and tensile strain hardening behavior of UHPC, it reduced the fiber distribution homogeneity. The addition of 1% volume fraction of macro-fibers in UHPC improved workability, but reduced its compressive strength, which is contrary to the effect of micro-fiber inclusion in UHPC.

Ginsenoside Rg3 ameliorates allergic airway infl ammation and oxidative stress in mice

Wen-Chung Huang,Tse-Hung Huang,Kuo-Wei Yeh,Ya-Ling Chen,Szu-Chuan Shen,Chian-Jiun Liou 고려인삼학회 2021 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.45 No.6

Background: Ginsenoside Rg3, isolated from Panax ginseng, has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. It is known to reduce inflammation in acute lung injury in mice, and to reduce the expression ofinflammatory cytokines and COX-2 in human asthmatic airway epithelium. In this study, we attemptedto determine whether ginsenoside Rg3 inhibits airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and airwayhyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the lungs of asthmatic mice. We also investigated its effects on oxidativestress and the inflammatory response in tracheal epithelial cells. Methods: Asthma symptoms were induced in female BALB/c mice sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA). Micewere divided into five groups: normal controls, OVA-induced asthmatic controls, and asthmatic micetreated with ginsenoside Rg3 or prednisolone by intraperitoneal injection. Inflammatory BEAS-2B cells(human tracheal epithelial cells) treated with ginsenoside Rg3 to investigate its effects on inflammatorycytokines and oxidative responses. Results: Ginsenoside Rg3 treatment significantly reduced eosinophil infiltration, oxidative responses,airway inflammation, and AHR in the lungs of asthmatic mice. Ginsenoside Rg3 reduced Th2 cytokineand chemokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids and lung. Inflammatory BEAS-2B cells treated withginsenoside Rg3 reduced the eotaxin and pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions, and monocyteadherence to BEAS-2B cells was significantly reduced as a result of decreased ICAM-1 expression. Furthermore, ginsenoside Rg3 reduced the expression of reactive oxygen species in inflammatory BEAS-2B cells. Conclusion: Ginsenoside Rg3 is a potential immunomodulator that can ameliorate pathological featuresof asthma by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation

MR Imaging of Pregnancy Luteoma: a Case Report and Correlation with the Clinical Features

Hung-Wen Kao,Ching-Jiunn Wu,Kuo-Teng Chung,Sheng-Ru Wang,Cheng-Yu Chen 대한영상의학회 2005 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.6 No.1

We report here on a 26-year-old pregnant female who developed hirsutism and virilization during her third trimester along with a significantly elevated serum testosterone level. Abdominal US and MR imaging studies were performed, and they showed unique imaging features that may suggest the diagnosis of pregnancy luteoma in the clinical context. After the delivery, the serum testosterone level continued to decrease, and it returned to normal three weeks postpartum. The follow-up imaging findings were closely correlated with the clinical presentation.

Differentiation of the Infarct Core from Ischemic Penumbra within the First 4.5 Hours, Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Derived Metrics: A Rat Model

Duen-Pang Kuo,Chia-Feng Lu,Michelle Liou,Yung-Chieh Chen,Hsiao-Wen Chung,Cheng-Yu Chen 대한영상의학회 2017 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.18 No.2

Objective: To investigate whether the diffusion tensor imaging-derived metrics are capable of differentiating the ischemic penumbra (IP) from the infarct core (IC), and determining stroke onset within the first 4.5 hours. Materials and Methods: All procedures were approved by the local animal care committee. Eight of the eleven rats having permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion were included for analyses. Using a 7 tesla magnetic resonance system, the relative cerebral blood flow and apparent diffusion coefficient maps were generated to define IP and IC, half hour after surgery and then every hour, up to 6.5 hours. Relative fractional anisotropy, pure anisotropy (rq) and diffusion magnitude (rL) maps were obtained. One-way analysis of variance, receiver operating characteristic curve and nonlinear regression analyses were performed. Results: The evolutions of tensor metrics were different in ischemic regions (IC and IP) and topographic subtypes (cortical, subcortical gray matter, and white matter). The rL had a significant drop of 40% at 0.5 hour, and remained stagnant up to 6.5 hours. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in rL values were found between IP, IC, and normal tissue for all topographic subtypes. Optimal rL threshold in discriminating IP from IC was about -29%. The evolution of rq showed an exponential decrease in cortical IC, from -26.9% to -47.6%; an rq reduction smaller than 44.6% can be used to predict an acute stroke onset in less than 4.5 hours. Conclusion: Diffusion tensor metrics may potentially help discriminate IP from IC and determine the acute stroke age within the therapeutic time window.