The Ship Demolition Market behind the Economic Miracle in Taiwan

Chih-lung Lin(林志龍) 한국외국어대학교 대만연구센터 2020 대만연구 Vol.- No.15·16

The demolition industry is in the final destination of all ships worldwide. It is also notorious due to the pollution produced. In spite of the damages to the environment, many countries maintain this business operation. This paper outlines the short history of the ship demolition industry in Taiwan from its beginnings in 1945 to its end in the early 1980s. The general workings of this industry are known about, but detailed information is unavailable and low status. The ship demolition industry could be seen as the other side of the economic growth in Taiwan. It promoted the economy while damaging the environment. It was a typical industry of that period in Taiwan, when a firm expected low costs to make more profit. It is also an industry that the Taiwanese Government refrained from assisting as the shipbreakers helped themselves. As an industry whose machinations have been ignored and neglected in academics internationally, this case study would benefit the development of this subject for academic research.

Taiwanese Female Vegetarians Have Lower Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Compared with Omnivores

Chih-Wei Chen,Chin-Lon Lin,Chih-Ta Lin,Ying-Lung Lin,Tin-Kwang Lin 연세대학교의과대학 2011 Yonsei medical journal Vol.52 No.1

Purpose: Many studies supported that vegetarians have a lower risk of cardiac diseases and mortality, partly due to better blood pressure and serum cholesterol profiles. However, the inflammatory markers, especially lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), have not been well-studied. This study aimed to compare inflammatory markers and conventional risk factors between vegetarians and omnivores. Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventy-three vegetarians and 190 omnivores were studied. Fasting blood samples were obtained to compare levels of glucose, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, homocysteine, Lp-PLA2 activity, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Results: Vegetarians had higher serum levels of the following markers: hs-CRP (1.8 ± 3.4 vs. 1.2 1.8 mg/L, respectively; p = 0.05), homocysteine (9.39 ± 3.22 vs. 7.62 ± 2.41 μmol/L, respectively; p < 0.01), and triacylglycerol (96.91 ± 59.56 vs. 84.66 ± 43.24 mg/dL, respectively; p < 0.05). Vegetarians also had lower levels of Lp-PLA2 (18.32 ± 7.19 10-3 μmol/min/mL vs. 20.22 8.13 10-3 μmol/min/mL; p < 0.05), total cholesterol (180.62 ± 36.55 mg/dL vs. 192.73 ± 36.57 mg/dL; p < 0.01), LDL cholesterol (118.15 ± 32.8 vs. 126.41 ± 34.28 mg/dL; p < 0.05), and HDL cholesterol (55.59 ± 13.30 vs. 62.09 ± 14.52 mg/dL, p < 0.01). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that a vegetarian diet increases the chances for high serum hs-CRP and low Lp-PLA2 activity. Conclusion: In addition to lower total cholesterol,LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol, Taiwanese female vegetarians have lower serum Lp-PLA2 activity but higher levels of hs-CRP, homocysteine, and triacylglyerol. It might be due to geographic differences of vegetarian diets, and further studies are needed.

Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir in the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C - A Subgroup Analysis from A Nationwide Real-World HCV Registry Program (TACR) in Taiwan

( Ming-Lung Yu ),( Chi-Yi Chen ),( Kuo-Chih Tseng ),( Ching-Chu Lo ),( Pin-Nan Cheng ),( Cheng-Yuan Peng ),( Ming-Jong Bair ),( Chih-Lang Lin ),( Chi-Ming Tai ),( Chi-Chieh Yang ),( Chih-Wen Lin ),( C 대한간학회 2020 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2020 No.1

Aims: TASL HCV Registry (TACR) is a nationwide registry program organized and supervised by Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL), which aims to setup the database and biobank of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Taiwan. The present study aimed to evaluate the treatment outcome of sofosbuvir (SOF)/ledipasvir (LDV) in Taiwanese CHC patients in TACR. Methods: By May 2020, 19 tertiary hospitals, 23 community hospitals and one primary care clinic join the TACR program. The baseline characteristics, prior liver and non-liver related medical history, DAA regimens, laboratory results, treatment course and outcome were recorded. The primary objective was sustained virological response, defined as undetectable HCV RNA 3 months after end-of-treatment (SVR12). Results: A total of 4742 SOF/LDV+ ribavirin treated CHC patients with available SVR12 data from 39 sites were enrolled in the current analysis. The mean age was 61.3 years, and female accounted for 54.8% of the population. The dominant viral genotypes were GT1b (52.6%) and GT2 (35.6%). 1354 (28.6%) patients had liver cirrhosis, including 156 (3.3%) with liver decompensation, 552 (11.6%) had preexisting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before DAAs treatment and 413 (8.7%) had hepatitis B virus dual infections. The overall SVR12 rate was 98.5%, with 98.5%, 98.2%, 99.7% and 98.6% in treatment- naïve non-cirrhotics, treatment-naïve cirrhotics, treatment- experienced non-cirrhotics and treatment-experienced cirrhotics patients, respectively. While patients were stratified by HCV genotype, the SVR12 was 98.5%, 98.4% and 98.5% among those with GT1, GT2 and GT6 infection, respectively. The strongest factor independent associated with treatment failure was DAA adherence < 60% (odds ratio [OR]/95% confidence intervals [CI]: 125.4/25.7-612.4, P<0.0001), followed by active HCC (OR/CI: 6.20/2.57-14.97, P<0.0001), HIV co-infection (OR/CI: 3.01/1.14-7.92, P=0.026), and male gender (OR/ CI: 1.85/1.09-3.13, P=0.023). The eGFR decreased significantly at the end of treatment (EOT) (89.3 ml/min/1.73㎡ vs. 93.2 ml/min/1.73㎡, P< 0.001) and remained stable 3 months after EOT (89.3 ml/min/1.73㎡). However, the decreased eGFR was observed only in patients whose baseline eGFR > 90 ml/ min/1.73㎡. Instead, patients with chronic kidney diseases whose pretreatment eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73㎡ had improved eGFR after SOF/LDV. Conclusions: SOF/LDV is highly effective in treating CHC patients in real-world setting of Taiwan. The satisfactory result could be explicitly generalized to patients with different viral genotypes and liver disease severities.

A Three-Phase AC-DC High Step-up Converter for Microscale Wind-power Generation Systems

Lung-Sheng Yang,Chia-Ching Lin,En-Chih Chang 전력전자학회 2016 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.16 No.5

In this paper, a three-phase AC-DC high step-up converter is developed for application to microscale wind-power generation systems. Such an AC-DC boost converter prossessess the property of the single-switch high step-up DC-DC structure. For power factor correction, the advanced half-stage converter is operated under the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). Simulatanously, to achieve a high step-up voltage gain, the back half-stage functions in the continuous conduction mode (CCM). A high voltage gain can be obtained by use of an output-capacitor mass and a coupled inductor. Compared to the output voltage, the voltage stress is decreased on the switch. To lessen the conducting losses, a low rated voltage and small conductive resistance MOSFETs are adopted. In addition, the coupled inductor retrieves the leakage-inductor energy. The operation principle and steady-state behavior are analyzed, and a prototype hardware circuit is realized to verify the performance of the proposed converter.

A Three-Phase AC-DC High Step-up Converter for Microscale Wind-power Generation Systems

Yang, Lung-Sheng,Lin, Chia-Ching,Chang, En-Chih The Korean Institute of Power Electronics 2016 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.16 No.5

In this paper, a three-phase AC-DC high step-up converter is developed for application to microscale wind-power generation systems. Such an AC-DC boost converter prossessess the property of the single-switch high step-up DC-DC structure. For power factor correction, the advanced half-stage converter is operated under the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). Simulatanously, to achieve a high step-up voltage gain, the back half-stage functions in the continuous conduction mode (CCM). A high voltage gain can be obtained by use of an output-capacitor mass and a coupled inductor. Compared to the output voltage, the voltage stress is decreased on the switch. To lessen the conducting losses, a low rated voltage and small conductive resistance MOSFETs are adopted. In addition, the coupled inductor retrieves the leakage-inductor energy. The operation principle and steady-state behavior are analyzed, and a prototype hardware circuit is realized to verify the performance of the proposed converter.

Production of antifungal lipopeptide from Bacillus subtilis in submerged fermentation using shake flask and fermentor

Ing-Lung Shih,Chih-Yang Lin,Jane-Yii Wu,Chienyan Hsieh 한국화학공학회 2009 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.26 No.6

Optimization of the production of antifungal lipopeptide, iturin A, by B. subtilis was carried out in submerged cultural fermentation. In a shake-flask experiment, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the cultivation conditions of Bacillus subtilis S3 for the enhancement of iturin A production. The optimal conditions for iturin A production obtained from RSM were pH 6.0, 0.93% maltodextrin, 1.11% glucose, 0.72% corn steep powder (C.S.P), 1.5 mM MgSO4, 0.75 mM KH2PO4, rotation speed 180 rpm and area of aeration 4.35 cm2. 57% increase of iturin A productivity (from 47.19 mg/L to 74.22 mg/L) was observed using the one-factor-at -a-time technique; however, 180% increase of iturin A productivity (from 47.19 mg/L to 132.23 mg/L) was observed with RSM. The iturin A production was further studied in a 5-L fermentor with a variation of agitation speed, aeration and baffles. In the 5-L fermentor, it was found that increased agitation speed improved the growth of B. subtilis and the production of iturin A. Aeration at 2 vvm gave excellent production of iturin A (175.52 mg/L) at 6 d of fermentation. The addition of baffles in the fermentor has significantly influenced the oxygen mass transfer coefficient (KLa) and iturin A production.

Significant down-regulation of growth hormone receptor expression revealed as a new unfavorable prognostic factor in hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

( Ching-chih Lin ),( Ta-wei Liu ),( Ming-lun Yeh ),( Yi-shan Tsai ),( Pei-chien Tsai ),( Chung-feng Huang ),( Jee-fu Huang ),( Wan-long Chuang ),( Chia-yen Dai ),( Ming-lung Yu ) 대한간학회 2021 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.27 No.2

Background/Aims: Growth hormone (GH) is the main regulator of somatic growth, metabolism, and gender dimorphism in the liver. GH receptor (GHR) signaling in cancer is derived from a large body of evidence, although the GHR signaling pathway involved in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC, remains unclear. We aimed to explore the expression of GHR and analyze its association with clinicopathologic features and prognosis of patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCC. Methods: The expression of GHR mRNA was investigated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in paired tumors and adjacent non-tumorous (ANT) liver tissues of 200 patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCC. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays using the HCV-infected Huh7.5.1 cell model was performed. Results: GHR mRNA was significantly lower in HCV-HCC tissues than in corresponding ANT liver tissues. GHR mRNA and protein levels also decreased in the HCV-infected Huh7.5.1 cell model. Notably, lower GHR expression was associated with age of >60 years (P=0.0111) and worse clinicopathologic characteristics, including alpha-fetoprotein >100 ng/mL (P=0.0403), cirrhosis (P=0.0075), vascular invasion (P=0.0052), pathological stage II-IV (P=0.0002), and albumin ≤4.0 g/dL (P=0.0055), which were linked with poor prognosis of HCC. Most importantly, the high incidence of recurrence and poor survival rates in patients with a low ratio of tumor/ANT GHR (≤0.1) were observed, indicating that low expression levels of GHR had great risk for development of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a significant down-regulation of GHR expression as a new unfavorable independent prognostic factor in patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCC. (Clin Mol Hepatol 2021;27:313-328)

Clinical Outcomes and Cost-Effectiveness of Osteoporosis Screening With Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry

Hsu Chiao-Lin,Wu Pin-Chieh,Yin Chun-Hao,Chen Chung-Hwan,Lee King-Teh,Lin Chih-Lung,Shi Hon-Yi 대한영상의학회 2023 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.24 No.12

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for osteoporosis screening. Materials and Methods: Eligible patients who had and had not undergone DXA screening were identified from among those aged 50 years or older at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan. Age, sex, screening year (index year), and Charlson comorbidity index of the DXA and non-DXA groups were matched using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) for propensity score analysis. For cost-effectiveness analysis, a societal perspective, 1-year cycle length, 20-year time horizon, and discount rate of 2% per year for both effectiveness and costs were adopted in the incremental cost-effectiveness (ICER) model. Results: The outcome analysis included 10337 patients (female:male, 63.8%:36.2%) who were screened for osteoporosis in southern Taiwan between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2021. The DXA group had significantly better outcomes than the non-DXA group in terms of fragility fractures (7.6% vs. 12.5%, P < 0.001) and mortality (0.6% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.001). The DXA screening strategy gained an ICER of US$ -2794 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) relative to the non-DXA at the willingness-to-pay threshold of US$ 33004 (Taiwan’s per capita gross domestic product). The ICER after stratifying by ages of 50–59, 60–69, 70–79, and ≥ 80 years were US$ -17815, US$ -26862, US$ -28981, and US$ -34816 per QALY, respectively. Conclusion: Using DXA to screen adults aged 50 years or older for osteoporosis resulted in a reduced incidence of fragility fractures, lower mortality rate, and reduced total costs. Screening for osteoporosis is a cost-saving strategy and its effectiveness increases with age. However, caution is needed when generalizing these cost-effectiveness results to all older populations because the study population consisted mainly of women.

Constituents from Senecio scandens and Their Antioxidant Bioactivity

Yann-Lii Leu,Chih-Lung Lin,Ping-Chung Kuo 대한약학회 2011 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.34 No.3

Forty-one compounds including two new constituents, senecainin A (1) and 3-methoxyisonicotinic acid (2), were characterized from the methanol extracts of the whole plant of Senecio scandens. The structures of the new compounds were comprehensively established with the aid of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric analyses. The chemical structures of known compounds were identified by comparison of their spectroscopic and physical data with those reported in the literature. In addition, the antioxidant activity of some of the isolates was examined in the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Among the tested compounds, (–)-monoepoxylignanolide, (–)-pinoresinol and (–)-epi-pinoresinol displayed significant antioxidant bioactivity.

IL-33/ST2 axis mediates hyperplasia of intrarenal urothelium in obstructive renal injury

Wei-Yu Chen,Jenq-Lin Yan,Yi-Hsiu Wu,Lung-Chih Li,Ru-Fang Li,Ya-Ting Chang,Lo-Hsin Dai,Wan-Chen Wang,Ya-Jen Chang 생화학분자생물학회 2018 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.50 No.-

The monolayered intrarenal urothelium covers the renal papilla and ureteropelvic junction (UPJ). In response to increased renal pressure during obstruction or ischemic injuries, intrarenal urothelial cells begin to proliferate and form a multilayered urothelium. Little is known regarding the mechanism and pathophysiological role of urothelium hyperplasia during renal obstruction. In this study, we investigated the expression of interleukin (IL)-33, an IL-1 family cytokine, in kidneys with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced obstructive injury. IL-33 levels in hydronephrotic urine and serum were upregulated 2 days after UUO. The number of ST2-expressing immune cells was increased in the UUO kidney. We found that IL-33 was upregulated in vimentin-positive cells in the cortical and medullar layers and the UPJ stroma. Moreover, IL-33 expression was predominantly induced in multilayered keratin 5- positive urothelial cells in the UPJ. IL-33 was not detected in terminally differentiated superficial umbrella cells expressing uroplakin 3a. In vivo, we confirmed that deficiency of IL33 or its receptor ST2 attenuated UUO-induced hyperplasia of the UPJ urothelium. Deficiency of IL33 attenuated the expression of UUO-induced type 2 inflammatory cytokines and upregulated uroplakins and urothelial differentiation signaling in UPJ tissues. Our results collectively suggest that the IL-33/ST2 axis mediates the activation of innate immune responses and contributes to urothelial hyperplasia by regulating urothelial differentiation in obstructive kidney injury.