Carbon black sintering effects on the composition of multiphase calcium phosphate bioceramics

Wen-Cheng Chen,Chien-Ping Ju,Wen-Hsien Cheng,Jiin-Huey Chern Lin 한양대학교 세라믹연구소 2013 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.14 No.3

The presence of carbonate (CO3 2-) combined with calcium phosphates has been believed to increase the susceptibility of natural bone formation. This study was carried out to investigate the thermal properties of apatite in nano scale precipitates with added carbon black that could act as a sintering inhibitor and a carbonate preserver. In addition, the present study aimed to determine the effects of those additives and analyze their chemical compositions. Ceramics processed at different heating temperatures were compared and characterized. The results showed that a multiphase ceramic of apatite-calcium carbonate (CaCO3)-calcium oxide (CaO) was formed in a temperature range of 600 to 800 ο C. By observing the morphologies of the ceramics, the addition of carbon black which acts as a carbonate supplier in the heating processes and further as an inhibitor to prevent the sintering effect of the nano scale particles in sub-micro range efficiently at 1400 ο C were established.

Efficacy and safety of a novel partially absorbable mesh in totally extraperitoneal hernia repair

Hsien Wen Yang,Sang Hee Kang,Sung Yeop Jung,Byung Wook Min,Sun Il Lee 대한외과학회 2017 Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research(ASRT) Vol.93 No.6

Purpose: Partially absorbable mesh has been introduced and used for inguinal hernia repair for the purpose of minimizing pain and improving abdominal wall compliance. In this study, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of ProFlex mesh, a partially absorbed mesh with new structural architecture. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 64 cases of totally extraperitoneal herniorrhapy (TEP) from January 2013 to December 2014 for their clinical features, including operation time, pain, postoperative complications, and recurrence. Results: There were no significant differences in operation time, hospital stay, postoperative pain, or complications between the 28 patients who received the ProFlex mesh and the 36 who received nonabsorbable lightweight mesh, although one patient who received the nonabsorbable had a recurrence during follow-up. There were differences in operation time, complications, and hospital stay according to the surgeon’s previous operation volume. Conclusion: This study showed that there were significant differences in the fixation strength of different polypropylene meshes in combination with various fibrin glues. ProFlex, a partially absorbable mesh with new architecture, was feasible and safe in TEP.

Comparison of the trometamol-balanced solution with two other crystalloid solutions for fluid resuscitation of a rat hemorrhagic model

Wen-Ting Ting,Ru-Wen Chang,Chih-Hsien Wang,Yih-Sharng Chen,Jih-Jong Lee 대한수의학회 2020 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.21 No.1

Currently, the optimal resuscitation fluid remains debatable. Therefore, in the present study, we designed a trometamol-balanced solution (TBS) for use as a resuscitation fluid for hemorrhagic shock. Hemorrhagic shock was induced in 18 male Wistar-Kyoto rats, which were assigned to normal saline (NS), Ringer's solution (RS), and TBS groups. During the hemorrhagic state, their hemodynamic parameters were recorded using an Abbott i-STAT analyzer with the CG4+ cartridge (for pH, pressure of carbon dioxide, pressure of oxygen, total carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, base excess, oxygen saturation, and lactate), the CG6+ cartridge (for sodium, potassium, chloride, blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, hematocrit, and hemoglobin), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits (calcium, magnesium, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, and albumin). Similar trends were found for the parameters of biochemistries, electrolytes, and blood gas, and they revealed no significant changes after blood withdrawal-induced hemorrhagic shock. However, the TBS group showed more effective ability to correct metabolic acidosis than the NS and RS groups. TBS was a feasible and safe resuscitation solution in this study and may be an alternative to NS and RS for resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock patients without liver damage.

THE EFFECTS OF INGREDIENT ANTHROPOMORPHISM ON CONSUMPTION DECISIONS

Wen-Hsien Huang,Chun-Ming Yang 글로벌지식마케팅경영학회 2018 Global Marketing Conference Vol.2018 No.07

Ingredients are the component parts or elements of something. Brands often portray a product’s ingredients, components, and parts as humanlike messengers in advertising and packaging. Nature’s Way, for example, humanizes a strawberry for their Vita Gummies by portraying it with eyes and a mouth. This study explores whether imbuing ingredients or components with humanlike features influences consumer perceptions and decisions. The results of Study 1 demonstrated that anthropomorphizing an ingredient successfully intensified consumer purchase decision in a coffee shop context. However, not all humanized ingredients were effective. The data from Study 2 revealed that anthropomorphizing a primary ingredient was more likely to increase purchase intentions than anthropomorphizing a secondary ingredient. This effect was mediated by quality perceptions. While prior research investigated the effect of product anthropomorphization on consumer responses, our study mainly focused on humanizing the ingredients that constitute a product, an important topic that has not yet been investigated in the marketing and consumer research.

A miR-155–Peli1–c-Rel pathway controls the generation and function of T follicular helper cells

Liu, Wen-Hsien,Kang, Seung Goo,Huang, Zhe,Wu, Cheng-Jang,Jin, Hyun Yong,Maine, Christian J.,Liu, Yi,Shepherd, Jovan,Sabouri-Ghomi, Mohsen,Gonzalez-Martin, Alicia,Xu, Shunbin,Hoffmann, Alexander,Zheng, The Rockefeller University Press 2016 The Journal of experimental medicine Vol.213 No.9

<P>MicroRNA (miRNA) deficiency impairs the generation of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, but the contribution of individual miRNAs to this phenotype remains poorly understood. In this study, we performed deep sequencing analysis of miRNAs expressed in Tfh cells and identified a five-miRNA signature. Analyses of mutant mice deficient of these miRNAs revealed that miR-22 and miR-183/96/182 are dispensable, but miR-155 is essential for the generation and function of Tfh cells. miR-155 deficiency led to decreased proliferation specifically at the late stage of Tfh cell differentiation and reduced CD40 ligand (CD40L) expression on antigen-specific CD4<SUP>+</SUP> T cells. Mechanistically, miR-155 repressed the expression of Peli1, a ubiquitin ligase that promotes the degradation of the NF-κB family transcription factor c-Rel, which controls cellular proliferation and CD40L expression. Therefore, our study identifies a novel miR-155–Peli1–c-Rel pathway that specifically regulates Tfh cell generation and function.</P>

Exendin-4 improves resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection in diabetic db/db mice

Hsien Yueh Liu,Chih-Yao Chung,Wen-Chin Yang,Chih-Lung Liang,Chi-Young Wang,Chih-Yu Chang,Cicero Lee-Tian Chang 대한수의학회 2012 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.13 No.3

The incidence of diabetes mellitus is increasing among companion animals. This disease has similar characteristics in both humans and animals. Diabetes is frequently identified as an independent risk factor for infections associated with increased mortality. In the present study, homozygous diabetic (db/db) mice were infected with Listeria (L.) monocytogenes and then treated with the anti-diabetic drug exendin-4, a glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue. In aged db/db mice, decreased CD11b+ macrophage populations with higher lipid content and lower phagocytic activity were observed. Exendin-4 lowered high lipid levels and enhanced phagocytosis in macrophages from db/db mice infected with L. monocytogenes. Exendin-4 also ameliorated obesity and hyperglycemia, and improved ex vivo bacteria clearance by macrophages in the animals. Liver histology examined during L. monocytogenes infection indicated that abscess formation was much milder in exendin-4-treated db/db mice than in the control animals. Moreover, mechanistic studies demonstrated that expression of ATP binding cassette transporter 1, a sterol transporter, was higher in macrophages isolated from the exendin-4-treated db/db mice. Overall, our results suggest that exendin-4 decreases the risk of infection in diabetic animals by modifying the interaction between intracellular lipids and phagocytic macrophages.

The Effects of Consumers’ Perceived Value and Satisfaction on the Purchase Behavior Towards Biotechnology-Derived Health Products

Hsien-Ming, Shih,Feng Lin,Wen-Tsann Lin,Ching-Hsin Wang,Meng-Hua Li 대한산업공학회 2015 대한산업공학회 추계학술대회논문집 Vol.2015 No.11

In this study, consumers’ perceived value of branded products is regarded as their overall evaluation of the brand according to currently available information. When consumers develop favorable perceived value for a brand, their satisfaction with the brand’s product increases accordingly, thus prompting purchase behavior. This study adopted a reliability and path analysis to test the research hypotheses. The findings of this study indicate that perceived value positively influences customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction positively influences purchase behavior. However, perceived value does not significantly influence purchase behavior.

Immobilization of Proteins on Magnetic Nanoparticles

Wen-Chien Lee,Tzu-Hsien Wang 한국생물공학회 2003 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.8 No.4

Magnetic nanoparticles prepared from an alkaline solution of divalent and trivalent iron ions could covalently bind protein via the activation of N-ethyl-N’-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC). Trypsin and avidin were taken as the model proteins for the formation of protein-nanoparticle conjugates. The immobilized yield of protein increased with molar ratio of EDC/nanoparticle. Higher concentrations of added protein could yield higher immobilized protein densities on the particles. In contrast to EDC, the yields of protein immobilization via the activation of cyanamide were relatively lower. Nanoparticles bound with avidin could attach a single-stranded DNA through the avidin-biotin interaction and hybridize with a DNA probe. The DNA hybridization was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy observations. Immobilized DNA on nanoparticles by this technique may have widespread applicability to the detection of specific nucleic acid sequence and targeting of DNA to particular cells.

The kinematic design of a planar-cam type pick-and-place device

Wen-Tung Chang,Long-Iong Wu,Chun-Hsien Liu 대한기계학회 2008 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.22 No.12

The planar-cam type pick-and-place device can clearly and effectively achieve the desired curvilinear motion of its end effector, and it can be designed and fabricated easily. By employing the concept of velocity instant center, the cam profiles, the paths of cutters, the pressure angles and the radii of curvature of the dual cams of the planar-cam type pickand- place device can be expressed parametrically. The cam profiles may have concave portions, and each minimum radius of curvature of the concave portion of the dual cam profiles is the upper bound of the grinding-wheel radius that may not cause undercutting.

A Quantity-Based Method to Predict More Accurate Project Completion Time

Hsien-Kuan Chang,Wen-der Yu,Tao-Ming Cheng 대한토목학회 2020 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.24 No.10

‘Completion in time’ is a crucial element of project management. Previous studies show that earned value management (EVM), earned schedule method, or earned duration management do not give an accurate project completion time estimation (PCTE) because of theoretical weaknesses. Inaccurate PCTE may provide misleading information, so that the project manager cannot take effective schedule control actions timely, and thus it results in failure of project time management. To improve the above-mentioned problem, this research proposes a quantity-based project duration estimating method (Q-PDEM), which calculates the PCTE using the de facto work quantities and the updated productivity information of activities. The results of two case studies show that the proposed Q-PDEM gives a 7.55% better mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) than the existing methods for predicted project completion duration for Case I, and 24.54% for Case II. It is concluded that the proposed Q-PDEM gives a more accurate estimation of the time for project completion and allows more effective control of the project schedule.