The Optical Measurement and Quantitative Analysis of Algesia in Spodoptera litura Larva

Ying-Yun Chen,Rong-Seng Chang,Mi-Yin Tsai,Der-Chin Chen 한국광학회 2015 Current Optics and Photonics Vol.19 No.2

Muscle vibration measurement has long been an unique scientific study, in general, and the directreaction of animals to feel pain (algesia), either from vascular or muscle contraction, is a complexperceptual experience. Thus this paper proposes a way to measure animal algesia quantitatively, bymeasuring the changes in muscle vibration due to a pinprick on the surface of the skin of a Spodopteralitura larva. Using the laser optical triangulation measurement principle, along with a CMOS image sensor,linear laser, software analysis, and other tools, we quantify the subtle object point displacement, with aprecision of up to 10 μm, for our chosen Spodoptera litura larva animal model, in which it is not easyto identify the tiny changes in muscle contraction dynamics with the naked eye. We inject differentconcentrations of formalin reagent (empty needle, 12% formalin, and 37% formalin) to obtain a varietyof different muscle vibration frequencies as the experimental results. Because of the high concentrationsof reagent applied, we see a high frequency shift of muscle vibration, which can be presented as painindices, so that the algesia can be quantified

Combined Assessment of Serum Alpha-Synuclein and Rab35 is a Better Biomarker for Parkinson’s Disease

Hung-Li Wang,Chin-Song Lu,Tu-Hsueh Yeh,Yu-Ming Shen,Yi-Hsin Weng,Ying-Zu Huang,Rou-Shayn Chen,Yu-Chuan Liu,Yi-Chuan Cheng,Hsiu-Chen Chang,Ying-Ling Chen,Yu-Jie Chen,Yan-Wei Lin,Chia Chen Hsu,Huang-Li 대한신경과학회 2019 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.15 No.4

Background and Purpose It is essential to develop a reliable predictive serum biomarker for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Te accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) and up-regulated expression of Rab35 participate in the etiology of PD. Te purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the combined assessment of serum αSyn and Rab35 is a useful predictive biomarker for PD. Methods Serum levels of αSyn or Rab35 were determined in serum samples from 59 sporadic PD patients, 19 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients, 20 multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients, and 60 normal controls (NC). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated to determine the diagnostic accuracy of αSyn or/and Rab35 in discriminating PD patients from NC or atypical parkinsonian patients. Results The levels of αSyn and Rab35 were increased in PD patients. The serum level of Rab35 was positively correlated with that of αSyn in PD patients. Compared to analyzing αSyn or Rab35 alone, the combined analysis of αSyn and Rab35 produced a larger area under the ROC curve and performed better in discriminating PD patients from NC, MSA patients, or PSP patients. When age was dichotomized at 55, 60, 65, or 70 years, the combined assessment of αSyn and Rab35 for classifying PD was better in the group below the cutof age than in the group above the cutof age. Conclusions Combined assessment of serum αSyn and Rab35 is a better biomarker for discriminating PD patients from NC or atypical parkinsonian patients, and is a useful predictive biomarker for younger sporadic PD patients.

Association between PM2.5 exposure and risk of Parkinson’s disease in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Taiwan: a nested case-control study

Ci-Wen Luo(Ci-Wen Luo),Yu-Hsiang Kuan(Yu-Hsiang Kuan),Wen-Ying Chen(Wen-Ying Chen),Chun-Jung Chen(Chun-Jung Chen),Frank Cheau-Feng Lin(Frank Cheau-Feng Lin ),Stella Chin-Shaw Tsai(Stella Chin-Shaw Tsa 한국역학회 2023 Epidemiology and Health Vol.45 No.-

OBJECTIVES: This cohort study investigated the correlation between Parkinson’s disease (PD) risk and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk under particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) exposure. METHODS: Data from the National Health Research Institutes of Taiwan were used in this study. The Environmental Protection Administration of Taiwan established an air quality monitoring network for monitoring Taiwan’s general air quality. COPD was indicated by at least 3 outpatient records and 1 hospitalization for COPD. After the implementation of age, sex, and endpoint matching at a 1:4 ratio, 137 patients and 548 patients were included in the case group and control group, respectively. Based on the 2005 World Health Organization (WHO) standards, monthly air particle concentration data were classified into the following 4 groups in analyses of exposure–response relationships: normal level, and 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 times the WHO level ([concentration ≥2]×25 μg/m3×number of exposure months). RESULTS: A multivariate logistic regression revealed that the 1.0 and 1.5 WHO level groups did not significantly differ from the normal level group, but the 2.0 WHO level did (odds ratio, 4.091; 95% confidence interval, 1.180 to 14.188; p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PM2.5 concentrations were significantly correlated with an increased risk of PD among patients with COPD. Furthermore, exposure to high PM2.5 levels can further increase the risk of PD.

Using the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to Improve the Safety and Integrity of Patients’ Identification

Ying-Hui Wu,Shih-Chin Chen 한국간호과학회 2009 한국간호과학회 학술대회 Vol.2009 No.10

Girls’ and Boys’ Science Choices and Learning in Upper-Secondary Schools in Taiwan

Hsiao-chin Hsieh,Pei-ying Chen,Ta-sen Lin 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2017 Asian Women Vol.33 No.3

This study explores differences in how high school girls and boys in upper-secondary schools in Taiwan choose courses and learn science. The Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is adopted as the analytical approach. Two upper-secondary schools, LL Senior High School and MM Vocational High School, were selected due to their emphasis on science and technology education. Student surveys were conducted to investigate how students chose between courses and majors; two chemistry lab classes, one led by a male teacher and the other by a female teacher, in LL Senior High School, and one chemical-engineering lab class of MM Vocational High School were observed multiple times. Lab class teachers from both schools were interviewed. The survey data showed clear gender segregation in both schools, but only part of the students considered gender to be an important factor influencing their selection of courses and major fields. Observations of the relatively gender-balanced chemistry laboratories revealed that equipment and instrumentation were sufficient and equally accessible to all, that girls and boys behaved differently in the lab, and that patterns of teacher-student interaction varied by teacher’s gender, which might result in differences in laboratory learning between boys and girls. The concept of embodied pedagogical insight of female teachers, which may specifically benefit girls’ learning, is discussed.

The Effectiveness of OSCE Staged Training Program on Nurse Practitioner Learning

Wu Shu-Chen,Chen Yen-Chin,Ding Jian-Siou,Lin Hui-Shan,Lin Chia-Ying,Change Wan- Ling 한국간호과학회 2023 한국간호과학회 학술대회 Vol.2023 No.11

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.

Comparison of the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians and the fracture risk assessment tool - FRAX to identify densitometric defined osteoporosis: A discriminatory value analysis in a multi-ethnic female population in Southeast Asia

Manju Chandran,Yun Ann Chin,Kuan Swen Choo,Wan Chen Ang,Xiao Feng Huang,Xiao Ming Liu,Donovan Tay,Tin Kyaw Kyaw Aung,Amin Ali,Win Pa Pa Thu,Susan Logan,Sean Xuexian Yan,Sarath Lekamwasam,Ying Hao 대한골다공증학회 2020 Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia Vol.6 No.2

Objectives: The accuracy of FRAX® as a screening tool to identify osteoporosis and how it compares with tools such as Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA), in Southeast Asian women has so far been unexplored. We aimed to determine the FRAX® thresholds that accurately identify densitometric osteoporosis and to compare its performance with that of OSTA for this purpose. Methods: Singaporean postmenopausal women (n ¼ 1056) were evaluated. FRAX® Major Osteoporotic Fracture Probability (MOFP), Hip Fracture Probability (HFP) scores, and OSTA indices were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and via the Youden index, the optimal cut-off points of balanced sensitivity and specificity for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-defined osteoporosis were identified and the performance characteristics were compared. Results: A FRAX® MOFP threshold of ≥3.7% had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 0.78 (0.73-0.83), 0.63 (0.59-0.66), 0.4 (0.36-0.44), and 0.9 (0.87-0.92), respectively in identifying osteoporosis. The corresponding values for a HFP threshold of 0.6% were 0.85 (0.80-0.89), 0.58 (0.55-0.62), 0.39 (0.35-0.43), and 0.92 (0.9-0.94) and that for an OSTA index cut-off of ≥ -1.2 were 0.76 (0.70-0.81), 0.74 (0.71-0.77), 0.48 (0.43-0.54), and 0.91 (0.88-0.93). The area under the ROC curves were 82.8% (79.9%-85.6%), 77.6% (74.2%-81%), and 79.6% (76.5%-82.8%) for OSTA, MOFP, and HFP thresholds respectively. Conclusions: FRAX® and OSTA perform comparably in identifying osteoporosis in our population. OSTA has only 2 parameters and may be simpler to use. However, FRAX® may also have a role in primary screening to identify the postmenopausal woman to be referred for DXA scanning and may help facilitate fracture risk reduction discussions with the patient.

Provable Secure Brand-new Multi-auction Mechanism with Dynamic Identity

Lee, Jung-San,Wei, Kuo-Jui,Chen, Ying-Chin,Sun, Yun-Hsiang Korean Society for Internet Information 2016 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.10 No.12

Different from traditional auctions, electronic auctions provide a platform to allow bidders and auctioneers merchandise to each other over network anytime and anywhere. Auctioneers can publish information of goods, and bidders can choose the interested targets through this bidding platform. To ensure the fairness and security of electronic auctions, Li et al. have proposed a practical electronic auction scheme which can confirm the requirement of strong anonymity, bidding privacy, and secret bidding price. However, we have found out that Li et al.'s scheme may lurk the risk of the denial-of-service attack during the bidding phase in a sealed-bid auction. Thus, we propose a brand-new sealed-bid auction mechanism, in which the essentials of e-auction can be firmly preserved. In particular, each bidder only needs to register at the center once and then can join to multiple plays launched by different auctioneers. Moreover, the correctness of mutual authentication is confirmed according to the BAN logic model.

Provable Secure Brand-new Multi-auction Mechanism with Dynamic Identity

( Jung-san Lee ),( Kuo-jui Wei ),( Ying-chin Chen ),( Yun-hsiang Sun ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2016 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.10 No.12

Different from traditional auctions, electronic auctions provide a platform to allow bidders and auctioneers merchandise to each other over network anytime and anywhere. Auctioneers can publish information of goods, and bidders can choose the interested targets through this bidding platform. To ensure the fairness and security of electronic auctions, Li et al. have proposed a practical electronic auction scheme which can confirm the requirement of strong anonymity, bidding privacy, and secret bidding price. However, we have found out that Li et al.`s scheme may lurk the risk of the denial-of-service attack during the bidding phase in a sealed-bid auction. Thus, we propose a brand-new sealed-bid auction mechanism, in which the essentials of e-auction can be firmly preserved. In particular, each bidder only needs to register at the center once and then can join to multiple plays launched by different auc-tioneers. Moreover, the correctness of mutual authentication is confirmed according to the BAN logic model.