IBM Zigbee Positioning Method for Smart Home Applications

Ming-Hui Jin,Chung-Jung Fu,Chih-Hao Yu,Hung-Ren Lai,Ming-Whei Feng 보안공학연구지원센터 2008 International Journal of Smart Home Vol.2 No.2

This paper presents a smart home system prototype which employs an indoor positioning system called the III Beacon Match (I3BM) positioning method to intelligently trigger the appropriately services for the home members. To overcome the ninja problem in the I3BM method, the signal filtering, adjustment and smooth procedures are proposed. The proposed system prototype employs the Zigbee module to implement the prototypes of the components for the I3BM positioning method, and the prototypes had passed the ZigBee Compliant Platform (ZCP) certification test. The proposed system prototype which intelligently controls the air condition and light system for smart home applications is also verifying in our demo room and in the smart house in National Taiwan University.

Attenuating Development of Cardiovascular Hypertrophy with Hydrolysate of Chicken Leg Bone Protein in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Cheng, Fu-Yuan,Wan, Tien-Chun,Liu, Yu-Tse,Lai, Kung-Ming,Lin, Liang-Chuan,Sakata, Ryoichi Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2008 Animal Bioscience Vol.21 No.5

This study developed a natural ingredient as a functional food possessing properties of attenuation of hypertension and cardiovascular hypertrophy. In a previous study hydrolysates obtained from chicken leg bone protein using Alcalase strongly inhibited angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) in vitro. In particular, hydrolysate (A4H) from four hours of incubation exhibited the highest ACE inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.545 mg/ml). A4H was selected as a potent ACE inhibitor and orally administrated to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) for eight weeks to investigate attenuating effects on age-related development of hypertension and cardiovascular hypertrophy. Results showed that treatment with A4H of SHRs attenuated the development of hypertension as effectively as the clinical antihypertensive drug captopril. Moreover, a significantly lower heart to body weight ratio and thinness of coronary arterial wall was observed in SHRs that had been treated with A4H or captopril. The results suggest that A4H can be utilized in developing an ACE inhibitor as a potential ingredient of functional foods to alleviate hypertension and cardiovascular hypertrophy.

Study of the Flow Behavior and Defect Formation in Forming of Axisymmetrically Flanged and Multi-Scaled Parts

Ji Lai Wang,Ming Wang Fu,Junxi Yu,Xing Wang,Wenbin Yang 한국정밀공학회 2016 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol.17 No.10

In microforming, the quality of microparts is one of the most critical issues. Folding caused by the abnormal material flow is one of the most common flow-induced defects in macroforming process. The identified formation mechanism of flow-induced defects in macro-forming process could be affected by the so-called size effects when the part dimension is scaled down to micro scale. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the influence of size effects on the material plastic flow and deformation behavior in multiscaled deformation scenarios. To explore the formation mechanism of flow-induced defects, FE simulation is used to simulate the forming process. On the other hand, the multi-scaled forming was designed. To study the relationship of the flow-induced defect and sizes effects, forming of the axisymmetric parts with flanged features and different scales was conducted. The microstructure and plastic flow behavior of the deformed parts are also revealed. Based on the experimental and FEM simulation results, the formation of folding defects is mainly affected by the geometries and the sizes of the deformed flanged parts instead of grain sizes. In the cases by using material with coarse grains, the folding defect can be significantly reduced.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Interbody Debridement and Fusion for Pyogenic Lumbar Spondylodiskitis: Surgical Technique and the Comparison With Percutaneous Endoscopic Drainage and Debridement

Po-Ju Lai,Sheng-Fen Wang,Tsung-Ting Tsai,Yun-Da Li,Ping-Yeh Chiu,Ming-Kai Hsieh,Fu-Cheng Kao 대한척추신경외과학회 2021 Neurospine Vol.18 No.4

Objective: Surgical treatment of severe infectious spondylodiskitis remains challenging. Although minimally invasive percutaneous endoscopic drainage and debridement (PEDD) may yield good results in complicated cases, outcomes of patients with extensive structural damage and mechanical instability may be unsatisfactory. To address severe infectious spondylodiskitis, we have developed a surgical technique called percutaneous endoscopic interbody debridement and fusion (PEIDF), which comprises endoscopic debridement, bone-graft interbody fusion, and percutaneous posterior instrumentation. Methods: Outcomes of PEIDF in 12 patients and PEDD in 15 patients with infectious spondylodiskitis from April 2014 to July 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. Outcome were compared between 2 kinds of surgical procedures. Results: Patients in PEIDF group had significantly lower rate of revision surgery (8.3% vs. 58.3%), better kyphosis angle (-5.73°±8.74 vs. 1.07°±2.70 in postoperative; 7.09°±7.23 vs. 0.79°±4.08 in kyphosis correction at 1 year), and higher fusion rate (83.3% vs. 46.7%) than those who received PEDD. Conclusion: PEIDF is an effective approach for treating infectious spondylodiskitis, especially in patients with spinal instability and multiple medical comorbidities.

Evaluation of Key Success Factors for Web Design in Taiwan’s Bike Case Study

I-Sung LAI,Yung-Fu HUANG,Jie-Hua SIANG,Ming-Wei WENG 한국유통과학회 2020 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.7 No.11

Global warming awareness through energy conservation is growing due to the regulatory policies issued by governments and voluntary organization that established carbon emission limits. Transportation is one of the major contributors to carbon emissions. Bike will be simultaneously saving money, getting fit and helping to reduce global warming. Web design has been identified as a key factor for the acceptance and success of the websites and electronic commerce. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effective implementation of the proposed Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique on a bike case study whose company (Bike Company) is involved in web design for a critical component in the demonstration. Survey research used a variety of data collection methods, with the most common being questionnaires and interviews of some exporters. The research results reveal that the top five key success factors are Good reputation, Transaction security, Ease of use, Promotion, and Diversified choices, which provide the guidelines and directions for decision-makers to design effective websites in the current competitive business scenario. The major findings of this study are suggesting that Internet marketing channels are securing the company’s relevance, together with paving the way for methods to increase web traffic.

Grain Size Effect on Multi-Stage Micro Deep Drawing of Micro Cup with Domed Bottom

Wen Ting Li,Ming Wang Fu,Ji Lai Wang,Bao Meng 한국정밀공학회 2016 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol.17 No.6

A two-stage micro deep drawing system was designed and developed to manufacture a micro cup with domed bottom. The copper blank was annealed at three different conditions to obtain different grain sizes in such a way to study the grain size effect on the deformation behavior and thickness variation of the micro part. To investigate the instantaneous effect and deformation behavior, finite element simulation was used to simulate the whole drawing process. It revealed that the fracture in the place with the thinnest thickness in the micro part drawn from a circle blank with residual stress induced in blanking can be easily happen and the deformation load in the first-stage decreases more than that in the second-stage with the increase of grain size. Moreover, the micro part with a larger grain size has more nonuniform thickness and severer thinning around the punch corner. The surface roughness at the bottom of micro part increases with the grain size. The surface roughness at the wall of it, however, decreases with the deformation stage mainly due to the ironing effect. The research promotes the understanding of grain size effect on multi-stage micro deep drawing and facilitates the development of microforming process.

A Study of Optical Properties of InGaAs/GaAs Quantum Dots

Gwo-Jen Jan,Chih-Ming Lai,Fu-Yu Chang,Hao-Hsing Lin 한국물리학회 2003 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.42 No.III

The optical properties of InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) were investigated by temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) and photoreflectance (PR) spectroscopies. The surface morphology and structure analysis of InGaAs QDs were also examined and characterized by a field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM). The In$_{0.5}$Ga$_{0.5}$As/GaAs self-assembled QDs specimens were grown with gas-source molecular beam epitaxy and migration enhanced techniques. The area density of the QDs is on an order of magnitude about 1 $\times$ 10$^{10}$ dots/cm$^2$. The measured PL results exhibited 5 major energy peaks, two of which are attributed to InGaAs QDs, one is attributed to the InGaAs wetting layer and the other two are attributed to GaAs band-gap transitions. Two of the low energy features are identified to the optical transitions of the ground state. They were originated from the two kinds of InGaAs QDs which might be formed with slight change of the indium composition. An inverted ``S curve'' shape of the temperature-dependent PL peak energies was observed. This abnormal behavior of the line-shape is attributed to carrier localization. The results of PR measurement which reveal energy features on the high energy side contributed by GaAs is also reported.

Significantly Higher Percentage of Circulating CD27high Plasma Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients with Infection than with Disease Flare-Up

Deng-Ho Yang,Deh-Ming Chang,Jenn-Haung Lai,Fu-Huang Lin,Chen-Hung Chen 연세대학교의과대학 2010 Yonsei medical journal Vol.51 No.6

Purpose: To distinguish lupus flare-up from infection in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we analyze the expression of circulating CD27 high plasma cells in SLE patients with and without infection, in comparison to non-SLE patients with infection. Materials and Methods: The percentage of circulating CD27 high plasma cells was measured by flow cytometry in the following four groups: 36 SLE patients without infection, 23 SLE patients with infection, eight non-SLE patients with infection, and 26 healthy controls. Results: The frequency of CD27high plasma cells had a correlation with the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (r = 0.866, p < 0.05), level of anti-dsDNA (r = 0.886, p < 0.05), C3 (r = - 0.392, p < 0.05), and C4(r = - 0.337, p < 0.05) in SLE patients without infection, but there was no correlation with disease activity in SLE patients with infection. Among three groups in particular-SLE without infection, SLE with infection, and non-SLE with infection-the percentages of CD27 high plasma cells were elevated. The percentage of CD27high plasma cells was higher in SLE patients with infection, when compared to SLE patients without infection. Conclusion: The percentage of CD27high plasma cells is a biomarker for disease activity of SLE without infection, under correlation with SLEDAI, anti-dsDNA, and C3 and C4 level. However, when the SLE patients have an infection, the percentage of CD27 high plasma cells is not an adequate biomarker for the survey of disease activity. The percentage of CD27 high plasma cells may serve as a potential parameter to distinguish a lupus flare-up from infection.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Optical Studies of a Tetranuclear Silver(I) Complex with Bis(diphenylphosphino)methane

Liu, Bing,Zhou, Guo-Wei,Fu, Ming-Lai,Xu, Ling,Guo, Guo-Cong,Huang, Jin-Shun Korean Chemical Society 2004 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.25 No.12

Slide Session : OS-GAS-04 ; Gastroenterology : Uric Acid Regulates Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Sig-naling Through the NLRP3 Infl ammasome Dependent Mechanism

( Wan Xing Yong ),( Xu Cheng Fu ),( Lu Chao ),( Yu Wei Lai ),( Zhu Hua Tuo ),( Yu Chao Hui ),( Li You Ming ) 대한내과학회 2014 대한내과학회 추계학술대회 Vol.2014 No.1

Background: Serum uric acid is strongly associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and insulin resistance in patients. However, whether this association is causally or coincidentally with NAFLD and insulin resistance remains uncertain, neither the mechanisms behind this association are unclear so far. Methods: We first analyzed the impact of uric acid on development of hepatic steatosis in mice and two cell models (HepG2 and HL7702), and then explored the effect of uric acid on insulin signaling, including phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and Akt in HepG2 and HL7702 cells. Further, we studied the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in regulation of hepatic steatosis and insulin signaling. Results: Uric acid directly induced hepatocyte fat accumulation both in vivo and in vitro. Further, uric acid treatment decreased insulin-induced phospho-Akt (ser437) and enhanced the phospho-IRS1(ser307) in HepG2 and HL7702 cells. Then, we found significant increases of NLRP3 inflammasome-related molecules, both mRNA and protein levels, including NLPR3, caspase-1, IL-1ß, and IL-18, in HepG2 and HL7702 cells stimulated with uric acid. We also found that uric acid induced significant elevations of IL-1ß and IL-18 levels in culture supernatants of HepG2 and HL7702 cells. Consistent with in vitro results, mice fed 8 weeks of hyperuricemia-inducing diet resulted in significant up-regulation of hepatic mRNA and protein expressions of NLPR3, caspase-1, IL-1ß and IL-18, and elevation of serum IL-1ß and IL-18 levels. Further experiments indicated that silencing NLRP3 expression significantly alleviated uric acid-induced fat accumulation in vitro. Moreover, inhibition of NLRP3 expression ameliorated uric acid induced insulin signaling impairing, confirmed by increased insulin- induced phospho-Akt (ser437) and reduced the phospho-IRS1(ser307) in vitro. Conclusions: Our results suggest that uric acid contributes to hepatic steatosis and impairs insulin signaling through the NLRP3 inflammasome dependent mechanism.