New slave-node constraints and element for adaptive analysis of C⁰ plates

Sze, K.Y.,Wu, D. Techno-Press 2011 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.39 No.3

In the h-type adaptive analysis, when an element is refined or subdivided, new nodes are added. Among them are the transition nodes which are the corner nodes of the new elements formed by subdivision and, simultaneously, the mid-side nodes of the adjacent non-subdivided elements. To secure displacement compatibility, the slave-node approach in which the DOFs of a transition node are constrained by those of the adjacent nodes had been used. Alternatively, transition elements which possess the transition nodes as active mid-side/-face nodes can be used. For C0 plate analyses, the conventional slave-node constraints and the previously derived ANS transition elements are implemented. In both implementations, the four-node element is the ANS element. With reference to the predictions of the transition elements, the slave-node approach not only delivers erroneous results but also fails the patch test. In this paper, the patch test failure is resolved by developing a set of new constraints with which the slave-node approach surpasses the transition-element approach. The accuracy of the slave-node approach is further improved by developing a hybrid four-node element in which the assumed moment and shear force modes are in strict equilibrium.

Deep Foundations for High-Rise Buildings in Hong Kong

Sze, James W.C. Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat Korea 2015 International journal of high-rise buildings Vol.4 No.4

Hong Kong is a renowned small city with densely placed skyscrapers. It is no surprise that heavy duty or even mega foundations are built over the years to support these structures. To cope with the fast construction pace, several heavy deep foundation types have been widely adopted with some prescribed design rules. This Paper has selected two commonly adopted but distinctive foundation types, namely large diameter bored piles and percussive steel H-piles to illustrate the special design and construction considerations related to these pile types in related to local context. The supervision requirement in related to foundation works for which again may be unique in Hong Kong will also be highlighted. A case history is also discussed in the later part of the Paper to illustrate the application of one of these foundations and to highlight the importance of considering foundation design and basement excavation method in a holistic manner.

Exosome Released from Nuclear Met Expressing Cells Promote Liver Cancer Metastasis and Formation of Lung Premetastatic Niche

( Sze Keong Tey ),( Xiao Wen Mao ),( Judy Wai Ping Yam ) 대한간학회 2017 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2017 No.1

Aims: Our previous study have provided the first evidence about the clinical relevance of nMet in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study was aimed to assess the role of exosomes isolated from nMet overexpressing cell line in promoting HCC metastasis as well as formation of lung premetastatic niche. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from metastatic MHCC97L HCC cell in which nMet was overexpressed using ExoQuick solution. The integrity and size of isolated exosomes were examined by electron microscopy. Immunoblotting was performed to determine the exosomal marker of isolated exosomes. Normal liver and naïve HCC cells were treated with isolated exosomes and functional assays including Transwell migration and invasion assays were performed. Nude mice was injected with nMet-exosomes to study the HCC metastasis and lung premetastatic niche formation. Results: In our present study, exosomes were isolated from conditioned media of control MHCC97L/Vec and MHCC97L/nMet cells. Transmission electron microscopy images of isolated exosomes revealed typical exosome structure with diameter of approximately 50-80 nm. Immunoblotting showed that the isolated exosomes were positive for exosomal markers (Alix, TSG101 and CD9) while depleted of cis-Golgi marker GM130 and nucleoporin p62. Further functional assays showed that nMet-exosomes significantly augmented both migratory and invasive properties of normal liver (MIHA) and naïve HCC cells (BEL7402 and MHCC97L). We also labeled exosomes with PKH26 and observed the uptake of exosomes by naïve cells with fluorescence microscopy. Intravenous injection of nMet-exosomes was administered prior to orthotopic liver implantation of tumor xenograft in nude mice. nMet-exosomes treated mice displayed increased incidence of distant metastasis from HCC primary tumor to lungs when compared with control mice, suggesting the promoting effect of nMet-exosomes on distant metastasis and lung premetastatic niche formation. Conclusions: Our findings will provide useful evidences about tumor- derived exosomes in driving metastasis and yield novel mechanistic insights into liver cancer metastasis.

A Theory of Licensing in English Syntax and its Applications

Sze-Wing Tang 한국영어학회 2005 영어학 Vol.5 No.1

Clinical Relevance and Functional Role of Nuclear Met in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

( Sze Keong Tey ),( Edith Yuk Ting Tse ),( Frankie Chi Fat Ko ),( Xiao Wen Mao ) 대한간학회 2016 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2016 No.1

Aims: Met is a receptor tyrosine kinase which triggers a wide range of normal physiological signaling cascades. However, a perturbation of the Met pathway is commonly found in human cancers. Emerging evidence has shown the presence of nuclear Met in some cancerous tissues and cell lines, suggesting that nuclear Met could have unexplored functions in the nucleus. The present study aimed to assess the expression and functions of nuclear Met in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Nuclear Met expression of 103 clinicopathologically characterized HCC paired samples was examined by immunohistochemistry using an antibody against the carboxyl terminus of Met. Statistical analyses were applied to evaluate the association of nMet with different clinical parameters. Nuclear localization of Met was determined by western blot analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy. Met cytoplasmic fragments were characterized by in vitro functional assay such as migration, invasion and proliferation in HCC cells. Nude mice model was employed to investigate the in vivo functional impact of nuclear Met. Results: Nuclear Met is overexpressed in nearly 90% of HCC paired samples and its expression is progressively increased along HCC development from non-tumorous liver tissue to advanced HCC. Nonetheless, nuclear Met overexpression is significantly associated with venous invasion and poorer overall survival. We found that nuclear Met, which has a lower molecular weight than Met, could only be detected using an antibody against the carboxyl terminus of Met (C28) in tumorous tissues. This finding strongly suggests that nuclear Met only comprises of the carboxyl cytoplasmic region of full length Met. Moreover, both western blot analysis of nuclear fraction of HCC cells and immunofluorescence confirmed the nuclear localization of Met. We designed construct J1, J3 and T2 that encode Met fragment truncated after tyrosine residues D972 and P1027 in the juxtamembrane region and after tyrosine kinase domain beginning at L1157, respectively. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed both J1 and J3 constructs are dominantly expressed in the nucleus whereas T2 construct is expressed in the cytoplasm. These observations indicated the region in between J1 and T2 as the important region that facilitates the nuclear localization of Met. In vitro functional assay showed that nMet significantly promoted HCC cell proliferation and anchorage independent growth. It also significantly augmented HCC cell migration and invasiveness. Besides that, nMet also enhanced HCC tumor formation in animal model. Furthermore, we showed that nMet promoted tumor invasiveness and aggressiveness through NF-κ B/MMP2 pathway. Conclusions: Nuclear Met is overexpressed and associated with venous invasion and poorer overall survival in HCC. We found that nuclear Met is actually the carboxyl terminal fragment of Met and translocates into nucleus to promote invasiveness in HCC cells.

merely curios

Sze-Yin Cicy CHING 한국색채학회 2016 International Invitation Exhibition of Color Works Vol.2016 No.-

Complete mitochondrial genome of Bactrocera ritsemai (Insecta: Tephritidae) and phylogenetic relationship with its congeners and related tephritid taxa

Sze-Looi Song,Hoi-Sen Yong,I. Wayan Suana,Phaik-Eem Lim 한국응용곤충학회 2018 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.21 No.1

Bactrocera ritsemai is a dacine fruit fly found in Indonesia. We report here the complete mitogenome of this fruitfly from Lombok, Indonesia determined by Illumina MiSeq sequencing and its phylogenetic relationship with itscongeners and related tephritid taxa. The whole mitogenome of B. ritsemai had a total length of 15,927 bp,comprising 37 genes – 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) and 22 transferribonucleic acid (tRNA) genes – and a control region (D-loop). Of the PCGs, 6 (atp6, cob, cox2, cox3, nad4, nad4l)had ATG start codon, 4 (nad2, nad3, nad5, nad6) had ATT, and one each had ATA (nad1), GTG (atp8) and TCG(cox1). Seven PCGs (atp6, atp8, cox2, cox3, nad2, nad4l, nad6) had TAA stop codon, 3 (cob, nad3, nad4) had TAG,and 3 had incomplete stop codon (cox1 – TA; nad1, nad5 – T). The TΨC-loop of tRNA was absent in trnF whiletrnS1 lacked the DHU-loop. Phylogenetic analysis based on 15 mt-genes (13 PCGs+2 rRNA genes) indicated B. ritsemai forming a sister group with B. umbrosa and the subgenus Bactrocera was monophyletic. The generaBactrocera and Zeugodacus were monophyletic while the subfamilies Dacinae and Tephritinae were paraphyletic. A broader taxa sampling of the Tephritidae is needed to better elucidate the phylogenetics and systematics of thetribes and subfamilies of tephritid fruit flies.

Two-Inductor Non-Isolated DC-DC Converter with High Step-Up Voltage Gain

Sze Sing Lee,Bing Chu,Chee Shen Lim,이교범 전력전자학회 2019 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.19 No.5

In this paper, an alternative non-isolated DC-DC converter with a high voltage boosting capability is proposed. Two inductors are used and one of them has its flux linkage increases during its charging period to achieve a high step-up voltage gain. Among the three integrated capacitors, one portrays the partial characteristic of the switched-capacitor technique, while the other two are connected in series across the load. With the two switches controlled using the same duty cycle, the proposed topology demonstrates the merits of a higher and wider range of step-up voltage gain when compared with recent topologies. In addition, a reduction in loss is induced and a higher efficiency is ensured with all the voltage stresses constrained within the output voltage. Operation of the proposed converter is analyzed and validated through experimental results obtained with a prototype.

Is student-centered pedagogy impossible in Hong Kong? The case of inquiry in classrooms

Sze Yin 서울대학교 교육연구소 2009 Asia Pacific Education Review Vol.10 No.3

Hong Kong has been actively promoting a student-centered approach to teaching since the 1980s. Despite this effort, students in Hong Kong still tend to be traditional learners who rarely experience and gain from real student-centered learning. While teachers hold a "quantitative" concept of learning and focus on transmitting declarative knowledge to students (Biggs and Watkins, Classroom learning: Educational psychology for the Asian teacher, 1995), students generally practise "rote learning." Constructive learning models such as inquiry remain little used by students in most Hong Kong classrooms. This article reports a study that examines the feasibility of implementing inquiry method in Kong Kong's primary classrooms. It analyses the implementation and some outcomes of an inquiry-based project conducted in two local primary schools-a traditional elite Catholic school and a progressive, less-privileged school. Finally, it discusses the contextual factors as well as cultural issues on teachers' perception and implementation of inquiry in teaching. These factors include the following: impacts of prevailing ideology in the community of Hong Kong, and the top-down policy-making and management by the government.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Dacus conopsoides (Insecta: Tephritidae) with tRNA gene duplication and molecular phylogeny of Dacini tribe

Sze-Looi Song,Hoi-Sen Yong,I. Wayan Suana,Phaik-Eem Lim,Praphathip Eamsobhana 한국응용곤충학회 2019 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.22 No.3

To date there is only a single report on the complete mitochondrial genome of the Dacus fruit flies. We report here the whole mitogenome of Dacus conopsoides with first report of tRNA gene duplication in tephritid fruit flies determined using next-generation sequencing and discuss the molecular phylogeny of Dacini tribe. It had a total length of 15,852 bp, comprising 13 protein coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 23 tRNA genes, and a non-coding region (A + T-rich control region). The 65-bp trnF gene was duplicated, and the 68-bp trnE gene was partially duplicated resulting in a 31-bp pseudogene. The cloverleaf structure for trnN, trnH, and trnF lacked the TΨC-loop, while trnS lacked the D-stem. The start codons for the protein coding genes included 6 ATG, 3 ATC, 2 ATA, and 1 each of ATT and TCG. Seven PCGs had TAA stop codon, two had TAG and four had incomplete T stop codon. Molecular phylogeny based on 15 mt-genes (13 PCGs +2 rRNA genes) and 30 taxa of Tephritidae indicated D. conopsoides forming a monophyletic sister group with D. longicornis supported by high bootstrap value. The lineage containing also the monophyletic genus Zeugodacus. The Dacini and Ceratitidini tribes of the subfamily Dacinae were monophyletic but the subfamilies Dacinae and Trypetinae were paraphyletic. A broader taxa sampling of the Tephritidae is needed to better elucidate the phylogenetics and systematics of the tribes and subfamilies of tephritid fruit flies.