Initial Factors Influencing Duration of Hospital Stay in Adult Patients With Peritonsillar Abscess

Yu-Hsi Liu,Hsing-Hao Su,Yi-Wen Tsai,Yu-Yi Hou,Kuo-Ping Chang,Chao-Chuan Chi,Ming-Yee Lin,Pi-Hsiung Wu 대한이비인후과학회 2017 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.10 No.1

Objectives. To review cases of peritonsillar abscess and investigate the initial clinical factors that may influence the duration of hospitalization. To determine the predictive factors of prolonged hospital stay in adult patients with peritonsillar abscess. Methods. Subjects were adults hospitalized with peritonsillar abscess. We retrospectively reviewed 377 medical records from 1990 to 2013 in a tertiary medical center in southern Taiwan. The association between clinical characteristics and the length of hospital stay was analyzed with independent t-test, univariate linear regression and multiple linear regression analysis. Results. The mean duration of hospitalization was 6.2±6.0 days. With univariate linear regression, a prolonged hospital stay was associated with several variables, including female gender, older ages, nonsmoking status, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, band forms in white blood cell (WBC) counts, and lower hemoglobin levels. With multiple linear regression analysis, four independent predictors of hospital stay were noted: years of age (P<0.001), history of diabetes mellitus (P<0.001), ratio of band form WBC (P<0.001), and hemoglobin levels (P<0.001). Conclusion. In adult patients with peritonsillar abscess, older ages, history of diabetes mellitus, band forms in WBC counts and lower hemoglobin levels were independent predictors of longer hospitalization.

Effect of Tissue Factor on Invasion Inhibition and Apoptosis Inducing Effect of Oxaliplatin in Human Gastric Cancer Cell

Yu, Yong-Jiang,Li, Yu-Min,Hou, Xu-Dong,Guo, Chao,Cao, Nong,Jiao, Zuo-Yi Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.5

Objective: Tissue factor (TF) is expressed abnormally in certain types of tumor cells, closely related to invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study was to construct a human gastric cancer cell line SGC7901 stably-transfected with human TF, and observe effects on oxaliplatin-dependent inhibition of invasion and the apoptosis induction. Methods: The target gene TF was obtained from human placenta by nested PCR and introduced into the human gastric cell line SGC7901 through transfection mediated by lipofectamine. Stably-transfected cells were screened using G418. Examples successfully transfected with TF-pcDNA3 recombinant (experimental group), and empty vector pcDNA3 (control group) were incubated with oxaliplatin. Transwell chambers were used to show change in invasive ability. Caspase-3 activity was detected using a colorimetric method and annexin-V/PI double-staining was applied to detect apoptosis. Results: We generated the human gastric cancer cell line SGC7901/TF successfully, expressing TF stably and efficiently. Compared with the control group, invasion increased, whereas caspase-3 activity and apoptosis rate were decreased in the experimental group. Conclusion: TF can enhance the invasive capacity of gastric cancer cells in vitro. Its increased expression may reduce invasion inhibition and apoptosis-inducing effects of oxaliplatin and therefore may warrant targeting for improved chemotherapy.

Kinesin superfamily member 15 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Yi Cai,Qianyue Lai,Xuan Zhang,Yu Zhang,Man Zhang,Shaoju Gu,Yuan Qin,Jingshen Hou,Li Zhao 대한약리학회 2023 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.27 No.5

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of kinesin superfamily member 15 (KIF15) in nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis (NPC) and explore its underlying mechanisms. We employed various assays, including the CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, the Transwell and scratch assay, Western blotting, and nude mice transplantation tumor, to investigate the impact of KIF15 on NPC. Our findings demonstrate that KIF15 plays a critical role in the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of NPC cells. Furthermore, we discovered that silencing KIF15 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis, and that KIF15's effect on NPC cell growth is mediated through the PI3K/AKT and P53 signaling pathways. Additionally, we showed that KIF15 promotes nasopharyngeal cancer cell growth in vivo. Our study sheds light on the significance of KIF15 in NPC by revealing that KIF15 knockdown inhibits NPC cell growth through the regulation of AKT-related signaling pathways. These findings suggest that KIF15 represents a promising therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of NPC. INTRODUCTION Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a malignant epithelial tumor, typically arises in the top and lateral walls of the nasopharyngeal cavity and can invade surrounding tissues. It is a prevalent malignancy in China and exhibits a geographically uneven distribution [1]. Specifically, 92% of new cases occur in economically less developed countries, with at least twice as many new cases occurring in East or Southeast Asia [2]. The World Health Organization

Comprehensive profiles and diagnostic value of menopausal-specific gut microbiota in premenopausal breast cancer

Hou Ming-Feng,Ou-Yang Fu,Li Chung-Liang,Chen Fang-Ming,Chuang Chieh-Han,Kan Jung-Yu,Wu Cheng-Che,Shih Shen-Liang,Shiau Jun-Ping,Kao Li-Chun,Kao Chieh-Ni,Lee Yi-Chen,Moi Sin-Hua,Yeh Yao-Tsung,Cheng Chi 생화학분자생물학회 2021 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.53 No.-

In Western countries, breast cancer tends to occur in older postmenopausal women. However, in Asian countries, the proportion of younger premenopausal breast cancer patients is increasing. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays a critical role in breast cancer. However, studies on the gut microbiota in the context of breast cancer have mainly focused on postmenopausal breast cancer. Little is known about the gut microbiota in the context of premenopausal breast cancer. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the gut microbial profiles, diagnostic value, and functional pathways in premenopausal breast cancer patients. Here, we analyzed 267 breast cancer patients with different menopausal statuses and age-matched female controls. The α-diversity was significantly reduced in premenopausal breast cancer patients, and the β-diversity differed significantly between breast cancer patients and controls. By performing multiple analyses and classification, 14 microbial markers were identified in the different menopausal statuses of breast cancer. Bacteroides fragilis was specifically found in young women of premenopausal statuses and Klebsiella pneumoniae in older women of postmenopausal statuses. In addition, menopausal-specific microbial markers could exhibit excellent discriminatory ability in distinguishing breast cancer patients from controls. Finally, the functional pathways differed between breast cancer patients and controls. Our findings provide the first evidence that the gut microbiota in premenopausal breast cancer patients differs from that in postmenopausal breast cancer patients and shed light on menopausal-specific microbial markers for diagnosis and investigation, ultimately providing a noninvasive approach for breast cancer detection and a novel strategy for preventing premenopausal breast cancer.

Controlled Growth of Well-Defined Conjugated Polymers from the Surfaces of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: Photoresponse Enhancement <i>via</i> Charge Separation

Hou, Wenpeng,Zhao, Ning-Jiu,Meng, Dongli,Tang, Jing,Zeng, Yi,Wu, Yu,Weng, Yangziwan,Cheng, Chungui,Xu, Xiulai,Li, Yi,Zhang, Jian-Ping,Huang, Yong,Bielawski, Christopher W.,Geng, Jianxin American Chemical Society 2016 ACS NANO Vol.10 No.5

<P>The installation of heterojunctions on the surfaces of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is an effective method for promoting the charge separation processes needed for CNT-based electronics and optoelectronics applications. Conjugated polymers are proven state-of-the-art candidates for modifying the surfaces of CNTs. However, all previous attempts to incorporate conjugated polymers to CNTs resulted in unordered interfaces. Herein we show that well-defined chains of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) were successfully grown from the surfaces of multiwalled CNTs (MWNTs) using surface-initiated Kumada catalyst-transfer polycondensation. The polymerization was found to proceed in a controlled manner as chains of tunable lengths were prepared through variation of the initial monomer-to-initiator ratio. Moreover, it was determined that large-diameter MWNTs afforded highly ordered P3HT aggregates, which exhibited a markedly bathochromically shifted optical absorption due to a high grafting density induced planarization of the polymer chains. Using ultrafast spectroscopy, the heterojunctions formed between the MWNTs and P3HT were shown to effectively overcome the binding energy of excitons, leading to photoinduced electron transfer from P3HT to MWNTs. Finally, when used as prototype devices, the individual MWNT-g-P3HT core-shell structures exhibited excellent photoresponses under a low illumination density.</P>

Multilevel LDPC Codes Design for Multimedia Communication CDMA System

Hou, Jia,Yi, Yu,Lee, Moon Ho Hindawi Publishing Corporation 2004 Eurasip Journal on Wireless Communications and Net Vol.2004 No.-

<P>We design multilevel coding (MLC) with a semi-bit interleaved coded modulation (BICM) scheme based on low density parity check (LDPC) codes. Different from the traditional designs, we joined the MLC and BICM together by using the Gray mapping, which is suitable to transmit the data over several equivalent channels with different code rates. To perform well at signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to be very close to the capacity of the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel, random regular LDPC code and a simple semialgebra LDPC (SA-LDPC) code are discussed in MLC with parallel independent decoding (PID). The numerical results demonstrate that the proposed scheme could achieve both power and bandwidth efficiency.</P>

Identification, fine mapping and characterization of Rht-dp, a recessive wheat dwarfing (reduced height) gene derived from Triticum polonicum

Hou-Yang Kang,Li-Juan Lin,Zhi-Jian Song,Jing-Ya Yuan,Mei-Yu Zhong,Hai-Qin Zhang,Xing Fan,Li-Na Sha,Yi Wang,Li-Li Xu,Jian Zeng,Yong-Hong Zhou 한국유전학회 2012 Genes & Genomics Vol.34 No.5

Semi-dwarfism is an agronomically important trait in breeding for resistance to damage by wind and rain (lodging resistance)and for stable high yields. Dwarf Polish wheat (Triticum polonicum L., 2n = 4x = 28, AABB AS304) is a potential donor of dwarfing and other traits for common wheat improvement. A genetic analysis using an F2 population derived from a cross of AS304 and tall cultivar AS302 and derived F2:3 lines indicated that AS304 carries a recessive dwarfing gene, temporarily designated Rht-dp. Molecular markers and bulked segregant analysis were used to characterize and map the gene. Eight polymorphic SSR markers (Xwmc511, Xgwm495, Xgwm 113, Xgwm192, Xgpw7026, Xgpw3017, Xgpw1108 and Xgpw7521) on chromosome arm 4BS and two AFLP markers (M8/E5 and M4/E3) were mapped relative to the dwarfing locus. The closest linked markers, Xgpw3017 and M8/E5 at 0.5 and 3.5 cM, respectively, from Rht-dp will enable its marker assisted transfer to wheat breeding populations. Allelic tests indicated that Rht-dp was allelic to Rht-B1b; hence it may be an alternative allele at the Rht-B1 locus.

A 100W Regenerative Fuel Cell System

Ming HOU,Baolian YI,Hongmei YU,Jinfeng WU,Zhigang SHAO,Zhongjun HOU,Hao LIU 한국태양에너지학회 2004 한국태양에너지학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.- No.-

Relation between the local structure and solid solubility of the layered material LiMO2 (M=Co, Ni, Fe) in Li2MnO3

Chen Hou,Xiang Xiao,Yi-Ran Xing,Le-Le Yu,Yong-Heng Si,Han Lu,Yu-Juan Zhao 대한금속·재료학회 2022 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.18 No.1

Although low solid solubility and activity of LiFeO2in xLi2MnO3·(1–x)LiFeO2 limit its practical application, it still has thepotential to become a new-generation cathode material without cobalt or nickel for Li-ion batteries. In order to understand theeffects of the local structures of different LiMO2(M = Co, Ni, Fe) layered materials on their solid solubility in Li2MnO3,partialdensities of states are calculated to determine the Jahn–Teller distortion in the layered cathode material, and the first-principlescalculation method based on density functional theory is used to optimize and compare the local structures of LiCoO2,LiNiO2,LiFeO2,LiMnO2,and Li2MnO3. The degrees of distortion of the transition metal–oxygen (M–O) and lithium–oxygen (Li–O)octahedra in the crystal structure of the material are evaluated. It is clear that the solid solubility of layered materials is relatedto the bond lengths and degrees of distortion of the M–O and Li–O octahedra. Among them, the similar bond length of LiNiO2and Li2MnO3and the high distortion of NiO6enhance the solid solubility of LiNiO2in Li2MnO3. Owing to the absence ofJahn–Teller distortion in LiFeO2and LiCoO2,the FeO6and CoO6octahedra are slightly distorted, thereby decreasing thesolid solubility of LiMO2(M = Fe, Co) in Li2MnO3. Understanding the relation between intra-octahedral distortion and solidsolubility provides simple and efficient evidence for comparing the solid solubilities of different LiMO2layered materials inthe Li2MnO3of Li-rich cathode materials. This study can be used as a reference for component design in Li-rich materials.

다중 레벨 LDPC 부호의 설계 및 성능 분석

이광재,이문호,Yu Yi,Jia Hou 한국전자파학회 2004 한국전자파학회논문지 Vol.15 No.1

본 논문에서는 LDPC에 근거한 semi-BICM 기법에 의해 다중 레벨 부호화(MLC)를 설계한다. 기존의 설계와는 다르게 그레이 매핑에 의해 MLC와 BICM을 결합함으로써 서로 다른 부호율(code rate)의 다수의 등가 채널상에서의 멀티미디어 데이터 전송이 가능하다. AWCN 채널용량에 매우 가까운 SNR에서 양호한 성능을 얻기 위해 랜덤 레귤러 LDPC 부호와 단순한 SA-LDPC 부호를 병렬 독립 복호가 가능한 MLC 부호로서 고찰하였다. 또한, 제안방식은 멀티미디어 통신시스템을 위한 전력 및 대역폭 효율을 얻을 수 있음을 수치해석 결과를 이용하여 나타내었다. We design multilevel coding(MLC) with a semi bit-interleaved coded modulation(BICM) scheme based on low density parity check(LDPC) codes. Different from traditional designs, we joint the MLC and BICM together by using the Gray mapping, which can transmit the multimedia data over several equivalent channels with different code rates. To get a good performance from signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) very close to the capacity of the additive white Gaussian noise(AWGN) channel, random regular LDPC code and a simple semi-algebra LDPC(SA-LDPC) code are discussed in MLC with parallel independent decoding(PID). Finally, the numerical results demonstrate that the proposed scheme could achieve both power and bandwidth efficiency for multimedia communication system.