The association of ambient air pollution with airway inflammation in schoolchildren.

Chen, Bing-Yu,Chan, Chang-Chuan,Lee, Chung-Te,Cheng, Tsun-Jen,Huang, Wen-Chuan,Jhou, Ji-Ci,Han, Yueh-Ying,Chen, Chu-Chih,Guo, Yue Leon School of Hygiene and Public Health of the Johns H 2012 American Journal of Epidemiology Vol.175 No.8

<P>The biologic mechanisms involved in airway inflammatory response to air pollution are not clearly understood. The authors conducted a longitudinal study to investigate whether exposure to ambient air pollutants affected inflammatory cells and mediators from nasal lavage in schoolchildren. Study participants were 100 elementary and middle-school students in New Taipei City, Taiwan. A structured respiratory health questionnaire was administered in September 2007, followed by monthly measurement of nasal inflammation from October 2007 to November 2009. During the study period, daily concentrations of air pollutants were obtained from the Environmental Protection Administration monitoring station and the Aerosol Supersite. Mixed-effects models were applied to examine the association between air pollution and nasal inflammatory cells and mediators, including percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes in lavaged cells and interleukin-8. A total of 824 measurements were obtained from 100 participants over a period of 10 months. The level of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM(2.5)) was found to be associated with percentage of neutrophils (β = 3.45%, 95% confidence interval: 0.89, 6.01) and interleukin-8 level (β = 29.98 pg/mL, 95% confidence interval: 3.26, 56.69) in the nasal lavage on the day of exposure. In this longitudinal cohort study of schoolchildren, results indicated that exposure to PM(2.5) might induce nasal inflammation.</P>

ONYX-II: Efficacy of Ombitasvir/Paritaprevir/Ritonavir + Dasabuvir + Ribavirin in HCV Genotype 1b-Infected Patients with Compensated Cirrhosis from South Korea and Taiwan

( Seung Woon Paik ),( Chi-jen Chu ),( Yan Luo ),( Kwang-hyub Han ),( Jia-horng Kao ),( Jeong Heo ),( Cheng-yuan Peng ),( Yoon Jun Kim ),( Ting-tsung Chang ),( Young-suk Lim ),( Ming Lung Yu ),( Linda 대한간학회 2016 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2016 No.1

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with development of complications including hepatocellular carcinoma, liver failure and cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis are historically more difficult to cure. In southeastern Asia, the most prevalent HCV genotype (GT) is GT1b. In western populations, the 3 direct-acting antiviral (3-DAA) regimen of ombitasvir (OBV), ritonavir-boosted paritaprevir (PTV/r; identified by AbbVie and Enanta) and dasabuvir (DSV) ± ribavirin (RBV) demonstrated sustained virologic response (SVR) at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12) rates of 99% in patients with GT1b infection and compensated cirrhosis regardless of prior treatment experience. The regimen, however, has not been investigated in southeastern Asian populations. The ONYX-II study is evaluating the efficacy and safety of this regimen in Asian patients with HCV GT1b infection and compensated cirrhosis. Methods: Treatment-naive and interferon-based therapy-experienced patients with HCV GT1b-infection and compensated cirrhosis were enrolled in South Korea, Taiwan, and China, and received 12 weeks of OBV/PTV/r (25 mg/150 mg/100 mg once daily) and DSV (250 mg twice daily) with RBV (weight-based). Patients will be followed for 48 weeks after the last dose of study drugs. The primary objectives are to compare the SVR12 rate to the known SVR rate of telaprevir + peg-interferon (IFN) + RBV therapy, and to assess the safety of OBV/PTV/r + DSV + RBV. Results: Twenty-one and 20 subjects were enrolled in South Korea and Taiwan, respectively. Of South Korean patients, 52% were male and 71% were treatment-experienced; of Taiwanese patients, 45% were male and 65% were treatment-experienced. Safety data and SVR at post-treatment week 4 (SVR4) will be available for presentation. Conclusions: The ONYX-II study evaluates the 3-DAA regimen of OBV/PTV/r + DSV with RBV for Asian patients with compensated cirrhosis and HCV GT1b infection. Resultant data may provide evidence for treatment guidelines for HCV GT1b in this population.

An On-Machine and Vision-Based Depth-Error Measurement Method for Micro Machine Tools

Shih-Ming Wang,Han-Jen Yu,Shih-His Liu,Da-Fan Chen 한국정밀공학회 2011 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

The error measurement method is an essential for further enhancing the machining accuracy of a micro machine tool. An on-machine vision-based measurement method that can measure 2-D contouring-/tracking errors of a micro machining process had been previously developed. An on-machine depth-error measurement method was proposed in this study to fulfill the complete 3-D machining errors measurement. The method adopts image re-constructive technology and camera pixel correction to provide non-contact measurement capability. To improve the measurement limits due to the pixel resolution and the filler of view of a CCD, a 2-step measurement method with use of a depth model was developed. Because of the capability of eliminating the shadow effects caused by the tilting light source, the proposed method provides more accurate and reliable measurement results. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the influence of the CCD setup errors on the measurement accuracy for implementation. Experiment was conducted and the results have shown the effectiveness and feasibility of the measurement method.

Comparisons of Moisturizing Function Between Rayon Fabric with Collagen Peptides from Fish Scales and Regular Rayon Fabric Under Various Relative Humidity

Chi‑Shih Huang,Erh‑Jen Hou,Ying‑Chou Lee,Tzong‑Huei Lee,Yi‑Jun Pan,Ta Yu,Wei‑Hsin Lin,Chun‑Han Shih,Wei‑Che Chang 한국섬유공학회 2023 Fibers and polymers Vol.24 No.12

The study was inspired by the specialized facial masks made of rayon non-woven fabrics which contained collagen peptides for improving moisturizing function. This study explored the moisturizing function of a rayon fabric containing collagen peptides extracted from tilapia fish scales under various conditions of relative humidity. This research had implications for the development of clothing that can prevent dry skin. A two-stage nested design experiment was adopted. The first-stage factor such as the fabric has two levels and the second-stage factor such as the relative humidity with three levels nested under each level of the first-stage factor. Preliminary results indicated that introducing a new variable (i.e., fabric moisturizing value, which combines the moisture regains of adsorption and desorption) would be useful. The moisturizing value of the novel rayon fabric and regular rayon fabric increased with the increase in relative humidity, and moisturizing effect of the novel rayon fabric with collagen peptides was better than that of the regular rayon fabric. Therefore, the novel rayon fabric may be suitable for preventing dry skin in winter.

Virtual Screening and Testing of GSK-3 Inhibitors Using Human SH-SY5Y Cells Expressing Tau Folding Reporter and Mouse Hippocampal Primary Culture under Tau Cytotoxicity

Lin Chih-Hsin,Hsieh Yu-Shao,Sun Ying-Chieh,Huang Wun-Han,Chen Shu-Ling,Weng Zheng-Kui,Lin Te-Hsien,Wu Yih-Ru,Chang Kuo-Hsuan,Huang Hei-Jen,Lee Guan-Chiun,Hsieh-Li Hsiu Mei,Lee-Chen Guey-Jen 한국응용약물학회 2023 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.31 No.1

Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is an important serine/threonine kinase that implicates in multiple cellular processes and links with the neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study, structure-based virtual screening was performed to search database for compounds targeting GSK-3β from Enamine’s screening collection. Of the top-ranked compounds, 7 primary hits underwent a luminescent kinase assay and a cell assay using human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells expressing Tau repeat domain (TauRD) with pro-aggregant mutation ΔK280. In the kinase assay for these 7 compounds, residual GSK-3β activities ranged from 36.1% to 90.0% were detected at the IC50 of SB-216763. In the cell assay, only compounds VB-030 and VB-037 reduced Tau aggregation in SH-SY5Y cells expressing ΔK280 TauRD-DsRed folding reporter. In SH-SY5Y cells expressing ΔK280 TauRD, neither VB-030 nor VB-037 increased expression of GSK-3α Ser21 or GSK-3β Ser9. Among extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT), mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 (P38) and mitogenactivated protein kinase 8 (JNK) which modulate Tau phosphorylation, VB-037 attenuated active phosphorylation of P38 Thr180/ Tyr182, whereas VB-030 had no effect on the phosphorylation status of ERK, AKT, P38 or JNK. However, both VB-030 and VB-037 reduced endogenous Tau phosphorylation at Ser202, Thr231, Ser396 and Ser404 in neuronally differentiated SH-SY5Y expressing ΔK280 TauRD. In addition, VB-030 and VB-037 further improved neuronal survival and/or neurite length and branch in mouse hippocampal primary culture under Tau cytotoxicity. Overall, through inhibiting GSK-3β kinase activity and/or p-P38 (Thr180/Tyr182), both compounds may serve as promising candidates to reduce Tau aggregation/cytotoxicity for AD treatment.

Lack of Association between Pre-Operative Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 and the Risk of Post-Operative Delirium in Elderly Chinese Patients

Che-Sheng Chu,Chih-Kuang Liang,Ming-Yueh Chou,Yu-Te Lin,Chien-Jen Hsu,Chin-Liang Chu,Po-Han Chou 대한신경정신의학회 2016 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.13 No.3

ObjectiveaaPostoperative delirium (POD) is a highly prevalent complex neuropsychiatric syndrome in elderly patients. However, its pathophysiology is currently unknown. Early detection and prevention of POD is important; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the link between preoperative insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels in the serum and POD in the Chinese elderly patients. MethodsaaOne hundred and three patients who were undergoing an orthopedic operation took part in the study. Preoperative serum IGF-1 levels were measured. POD was determined daily using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and DSM-IV TR. Baseline serum IGF-1 levels were compared between patients who did and did not develop POD. Correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate relationship between baseline characteristics and serum IGF-1 levels. The relationship between baseline biomarkers and delirium status was investigated using logistic regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounding variables. ResultsaaTwenty-three patients developed POD. The POD group had lower MMSE scores and higher CCI scores and proportions of acute admission. Preoperative serum IGF-1 levels were correlated with MMSE scores and age (MMSE: r=0.230, p<0.05; age: r=-0.419, p<0.001). Baseline serum IGF-1 levels did not differ between patients who did and did not develop POD, even after adjusting for potential confounding factors, MMSE score, and age. ConclusionaaNo association was found between preoperative IGF-1 levels and POD, suggesting that they are not direct biomarkers of the incidence of POD among the Chinese elderly population. Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to clarify the relationship.

A review of rotorcraft Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) developments and applications in civil engineering

Peter Liu,Albert Y. Chen,Yin-Nan Huang,Jen-Yu Han,Jihn-Sung Lai,Tzong-Hann Wu,Ming-Chang Wen,Meng-Han Tsai,Shih-Chung Kang 국제구조공학회 2014 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.13 No.6

Civil engineers always face the challenge of uncertainty in planning, building, and maintaininginfrastructure. These works rely heavily on a variety of surveying and monitoring techniques. Unmannedaerial vehicles (UAVs) are an effective approach to obtain information from an additional view, andpotentially bring significant benefits to civil engineering. This paper gives an overview of the state of UAVdevelopments and their possible applications in civil engineering. The paper begins with an introduction toUAV hardware, software, and control methodologies. It also reviews the latest developments in technologiesrelated to UAVs, such as control theories, navigation methods, and image processing. Finally, the paperconcludes with a summary of the potential applications of UAV to seismic risk assessment, transportation,disaster response, construction management, surveying and mapping, and flood monitoring and assessment.

A review of rotorcraft Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) developments and applications in civil engineering

Liu, Peter,Chen, Albert Y.,Huang, Yin-Nan,Han, Jen-Yu,Lai, Jihn-Sung,Kang, Shih-Chung,Wu, Tzong-Hann,Wen, Ming-Chang,Tsai, Meng-Han Techno-Press 2014 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.13 No.6

Civil engineers always face the challenge of uncertainty in planning, building, and maintaining infrastructure. These works rely heavily on a variety of surveying and monitoring techniques. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are an effective approach to obtain information from an additional view, and potentially bring significant benefits to civil engineering. This paper gives an overview of the state of UAV developments and their possible applications in civil engineering. The paper begins with an introduction to UAV hardware, software, and control methodologies. It also reviews the latest developments in technologies related to UAVs, such as control theories, navigation methods, and image processing. Finally, the paper concludes with a summary of the potential applications of UAV to seismic risk assessment, transportation, disaster response, construction management, surveying and mapping, and flood monitoring and assessment.