2022 Taiwan clinical multicenter expert consensus and recommendations for thyroid radiofrequency ablation

Wei-Che Lin,Wen-Chieh Chen,Pei-Wen Wang,Yi-Chia Chan,Yen-Hsiang Chang,Harn-Shen Chen,Szu-Tah Chen,Wei-Chih Chen,Kai-Lun Cheng,Shun-Yu Chi,Pi-Ling Chiang,Chen-Kai Chou,Feng-Fu Chou,Shun-Chen Huang,Feng 대한초음파의학회 2023 ULTRASONOGRAPHY Vol.42 No.3

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive management strategy that has been widely applied for benign and recurrent malignant thyroid lesions as an alternative to surgery in Taiwan. Members of academic societies for specialists in interventional radiology, endocrinology, and endocrine surgery collaborated to develop the first consensus regarding thyroid RFA in Taiwan. The modified Delphi method was used to reach a consensus. Based on a comprehensive review of recent and valuable literature and expert opinions, the recommendations included indications, pre-procedural evaluations, procedural techniques, post-procedural monitoring, efficacy, and safety, providing a comprehensive review of the application of RFA. The consensus effectively consolidates advice regarding thyroid RFA in clinical practice for local experts.

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.

Large local lattice expansion in graphene adlayers grown on copper

Chen, Chaoyu,Avila, José,Arezki, Hakim,Nguyen, Van Luan,Shen, Jiahong,Mucha-Kruczyń,ski, Marcin,Yao, Fei,Boutchich, Mohamed,Chen, Yue,Lee, Young Hee,Asensio, Maria C. Nature Publishing Group UK 2018 NATURE MATERIALS Vol.17 No.5

<P>Variations of the lattice parameter can significantly change the properties of a material, and, in particular, its electronic behaviour. In the case of graphene, however, variations of the lattice constant with respect to graphite have been limited to less than 2.5% due to its well-established high in-plane stiffness. Here, through systematic electronic and lattice structure studies, we report regions where the lattice constant of graphene monolayers grown on copper by chemical vapour deposition increases up to similar to 7.5% of its relaxed value. Density functional theory calculations confirm that this expanded phase is energetically metastable and driven by the enhanced interaction between the substrate and the graphene adlayer. We also prove that this phase possesses distinctive chemical and electronic properties. The inherent phase complexity of graphene grown on copper foils revealed in this study may inspire the investigation of possible metastable phases in other seemingly simple heterostructure systems.</P>

Continuous Low-Level Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Stellate Ganglion Nerve Activity and Paroxysmal Atrial Tachyarrhythmias in Ambulatory Canines

Shen, Mark J.,Shinohara, Tetsuji,Park, Hyung-Wook,Frick, Kyle,Ice, Daniel S.,Choi, Eue-Keun,Han, Seongwook,Maruyama, Mitsunori,Sharma, Rahul,Shen, Changyu,Fishbein, Michael C.,Chen, Lan S.,Lopshire, J Ovid Technologies Wolters Kluwer -American Heart A 2011 CIRCULATION - Vol.123 No.20

Neural correlates of the popular music phenomenon: evidence from functional MRI and PET imaging

Chen, Qiaozhen,Zhang, Ying,Hou, Haifeng,Du, Fenglei,Wu, Shuang,Chen, Lin,Shen, Yehua,Chao, Fangfang,Chung, June-key,Zhang, Hong,Tian, Mei Springer-Verlag 2017 European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular Vol.44 No.6

<P>Popular music Gangnam Style can arouse pleasure experience and strong emotional response. The left putamen is positively correlated with the mood arousal level score under the Gangnam Style condition. Our results revealed characteristic patterns of brain activity associated with Gangnam Style, and may also provide more general insights into the music-induced emotional processing.</P>

Drain-Side Discrete-Distributed Layout Influences on Reliability Issues in the 0.25 μm 60-V Power pLDMOS

Shen-Li Chen,Yu-Ting Huang 전력전자학회 2015 ICPE(ISPE)논문집 Vol.2015 No.6

Repercussions on the reliability capability and electrical performance of power p-channel LDMOS devices by different discrete-distributed architectures in the drainside are investigated in this paper. Here, in order to effectively improve the reliability issues, a drain-side "NPN" and "PNP" styles of pLDMOS-SCR with some discrete-distributed areas arrangement are fabricated by a 0.25 μm 60 V BCD process. From the experimental results, we can find that the layout manner of discrete-distributed types in the drain-side have little impacts on the anti-ESD capability, due to their secondary breakdown current (It2) values are greater than 7 A. On the other hand, the lowest N+/P+ area ratio of discrete-distributed type has a better electrical property and anti-latchup (LU) immunity than that of the reference DUT (type-6). In other words, the layout type of "NPN_discrete 3_2co" has a higher Vt1, Vh, and VBK values; the Vt1 improvement is more than 18.2%, Vh improvement is more than 25.6%, and VBK improvement is more than 24.24% as compared with the reference DUT (type-6), respectively. Finally, it can be summarized that the "PNP" stripe-type (type 7) is the best choice for the anti- ESD/LU immunities and electrical performance considerations.

Efficacy and Safety of Selumetinib Compared with Current Therapies for Advanced Cancer: a Meta-analysis

Shen, Chen-Tian,Qiu, Zhong-Ling,Luo, Quan-Yong Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.5

Background and Aim: Selumetinib is a promising and interesting targeted therapy agent as it may reverse radioiodine uptake in patients with radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. We conduct this metaanalysis to compare the efficacy and safety of selumetinib with current therapies in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: An electronic search was conducted using PubMed/ Medicine, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases. Statistical analyses were carried out using either random-effects or fixed-effects models according to the heterogeneity of eligible studies. Results: Six eligible trials involved 601 patients were identified. Compared with current therapies, treatment schedules with selumetinib did not improve progression free survival (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95%CI 0.70-1.17, P= 0.448), but did identify better clinical benefits (odds ratio, 1.24; 95%CI 0.69-2.24, P = 0.472) and less disease progression (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95%CI 0.51-1.00, P = 0.052) though its impact was not statistically significant. Sub-group analysis resulted in significantly improved progression free survival (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95%CI 0.49-0.57, P = 0.00), clinical benefits (odds ratio, 3.04; 95%CI 1.60-5.77, P = 0.001) and reduced disease progression (hazard ratio, 0.35; 95%CI 0.18-0.67, P = 0.001) in patients administrated selumetinib. Dermatitis acneiform (risk ratio, 9.775; 95%CI 3.143-30.395, P = 0.00) and peripheral edema (risk ratio, 2.371; 95%CI 1.690-3.327, P = 0.00) are the most frequently observed adverse effects associated with selumetinib. Conclusions: Compared with current chemotherapy, selumetinib has modest clinical activity as monotherapy in patients with advanced cancer, but combinations of selumetinib with cytotoxic agents in patients with BRAF or KRAS mutations hold great promise for cancer treatment. Dermatitis acneiform and peripheral edema are the most frequently observed adverse effects in patients with selumetinib.

Optimal Lot-sizing and Pricing with Markdown for a Newsvendor Problem

Chen, Jen-Ming,Chen, Yi-Shen,Chien, Mei-Chen Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers 2008 Industrial Engineeering & Management Systems Vol.7 No.3

This paper deals with the joint decisions on pricing and ordering for a monopolistic retailer who sells perishable goods with a fixed lifetime or demand period. The newsvendor-typed problem is formulated as a two-period inventory system where the first period represents the inventory of fresh or new-arrival items and the second period represents the inventory of items that are older but still usable. Demand may be for either fresh items or for somewhat older items that exhibit physical decay or deterioration. The retailer is allowed to adjust the selling price of the deteriorated items in the second period, which stimulates demand and reduces excess season-end or stale inventory. This paper develops a stochastic dynamic programming model that solves the problem of preseason decisions on ordering-pricing and a within-season decision on markdown pricing. We also develop a fixed-price model as a benchmark against the dual-price dynamic model. To illustrate the effect of the dual-price policy on expected profit, we conduct a comparative study between the two models. Extension to a generalized multi-period model is also discussed.

Eclosion hormone functions in larva-pupa-adult ecdysis in Leptinotarsa decemlineata

Shen Chen-Hui,Jin Lin,Fu Kai-Yun,Guo Wen-Chao,Li Guo-Qing 한국응용곤충학회 2021 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.24 No.1

In Drosophila melanogaster, ecdysis-triggering hormone (ETH) and eclosion hormone (EH) mutually enhance the release of each other through a positive feedback loop. Both are involved in the stimulation of ecdysis behavior series and molting-related physiological preparations. However, whether 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) controls eh expression and whether EH plays a similar role in non-Drosophilid insects remain to be determined. In Lep tinotarsa decemlineata, we found that Ldeh mRNA levels were high in the early and/or late stages and low in the intermediate period within each larval instar, indicating that the mRNA peaks positively correlate with 20E pulses. Consistent with the indication, we confirmed that 20E signaling stimulated the transcription of Ldeh. RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knockdown of Ldeh at the final instar stage slightly impaired pupation and signifi cantly affected wing expansion. Around 20% of the Ldeh RNAi larvae remained as prepupae, completely wrapped in the old larval cuticles. These prepupae gradually darkened, dried and withered, and finally died. The remaining (about 80%) Ldeh hypomorphs became pupae and emerged as abnormal adults, bearing smaller and wrinkle elytra and hindwings. The adult tracheae in the Ldeh hypomorphs were full of liquid. In addition, the low pupation rate and high deformed adult proportion cannot be rescued by ingestion of either 20E or juvenile hormone. Thus, EH is critical for ecdysis and trachea clearance in L. decemlineata. The failure of trachea clearance may disenable air-swallowing during larva-pupa-adult transition and thus impacts wing growth and expansion.

mTOR- and SGK-Mediated Connexin 43 Expression Participates in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Macrophage Migration through the iNOS/Src/FAK Axis

Shen, Chen,Chen, Jin Hong,Lee, Youngyi,Hassan, Md. Mehedi,Kim, Su Jin,Choi, Eun Young,Hong, Seong-Tshool,Park, Byung-Hyun,Park, Ji Hyun American Association of Immunologists 2018 Journal of Immunology Vol. No.

<P>Connexin 43 (Cx43) deficiency was found to increase mortality in a mouse model of bacterial peritonitis, and Cx43 is upregulated in macrophages by LPS treatment. In this study, we characterized a novel signaling pathway for LPS-induced Cx43 expression in RAW264.7 cells and thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal macrophages (TGEMs). LPS alone or LPS-containing conditioned medium (CM) upregulated Cx43. Overexpression or silencing of Cx43 led to the enhancement or inhibition, respectively, of CM-induced TGEM migration. This response involved the inducible NO synthase (iNOS)/focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/Src pathways. Moreover, CM-induced migration was compromised in TGEMs from Cx43<SUP>+/−</SUP> mice compared with TGEMs from Cx43<SUP>+/+</SUP> littermates. Cx43 was upregulated by a serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK) activator and downregulated, along with inhibition of CM-induced TGEM migration, by knockdown of the <I>SGK</I> gene or blockade of the SGK pathway. LPS-induced SGK activation was abrogated by Torin2, whereas LPS-induced Cx43 was downregulated by both Torin2 and rapamycin. Analysis of the effects of FK506 and methylprednisolone, common immunosuppressive agents following organ transplantation, suggested a link between these immunosuppressive drugs and impaired macrophage migration via the Cx43/iNOS/Src/FAK pathway. In a model of <I>Escherichia coli</I> infectious peritonitis, GSK650349-, an SGK inhibitor, or Torin2-treated mice showed less accumulation of F4/80<SUP>+</SUP>CD11b<SUP>+</SUP> macrophages in the peritoneal cavity, with a delay in the elimination of bacteria. Furthermore, following pretreatment with Gap19, a selective Cx43 hemichannel blocker, the survival of model mice was significantly reduced. Taken together, our study suggested that Cx43 in macrophages was associated with macrophage migration, an important immune process in host defense to infection.</P>