Malignant transformation of ovarian mature cystic teratoma into squamous cell carcinoma: a Taiwanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (TGOG) study

An Jen Chiang,Min-Yu Chen,Chia-Sui Weng,Hao Lin,Chien-Hsing Lu,Peng-Hui Wang,Yu-Fang Huang,Ying-Cheng Chiang,Mu-Hsien Yu,Chih-Long Chang 대한부인종양학회 2017 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.28 No.5

Objective: The malignant transformation (MT) of ovarian mature cystic teratoma (MCT)to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is very rare. This study analyzed cases from multiplemedical centers in Taiwan to investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment, andprognostic factors of this disease and reviewed related literature. Methods: Pathological reports of 16,001 patients with primary ovarian cancer who weretreated at Taiwan medical centers from 1990 to 2011 were reviewed. In total, 52 patients withMT of MCT to SCC were identified. Results: Among all ovarian MCTs, the incidence of MT to SCC is 0.2%. The median age ofpatients was 52 years (range, 29–89 years), and the mean tumor size was 10.5 cm (range, 1–40cm). We analyzed the patients in our study and those in the literature and determined thatearly identification and complete surgical resection of the tumor are essential for long-termsurvival. In addition, adjuvant chemotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy can be usedto treat this malignancy. Old age, large tumor size (≥15.0 cm), and solid components in MCTsare suitable indicators predicting the risk of MT of MCT to SCC. Conclusion: Similar to general epithelial ovarian cancers, the early detection of MT of MCTto SCC is critical to long-term survival. Therefore, older patients with a large tumor or those with a tumor containing a solid component in a clinically diagnosed MCT should beevaluated to exclude potential MT to SCC.

Issues in Simulating Falling Weight Deflectometer Test on Concrete Pavements

Chen-Ming Kuo,Chih-Chiang Lin,Cheng-Hao Huang,Yi-Cheng Lai 대한토목학회 2016 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.20 No.2

Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) produces pavement responses using a falling mass drop. This study investigated the features involved in the finite element modeling of FWD tests to help in the calibration of backcalculation. Falling mass, model size, subgrade damping, and boundary conditions were studied to reveal the significances of these factors on pavement responses. By modeling the falling mass in finite element models, this study has justified the idea that field-measured time history of impact force can be used as an alternative to falling mass. It is also concluded that subgrade damping, self-weight of slab, and boundary conditions are significant in modeling and interpretation of FWD finite element analysis. Finite element model with at least six times radius of relative stiffness is required to simulate dynamic responses of a continuously reinforced concrete slab.

THE DETERMINANTS OF CONSUMER’S INTENTION TO CONTINUE TO USE OR APPLY FOR THE DEPARTMENT STORE CO-BRANDED CREDIT CARD

Mei-Fang Chen,Chih-Hao Chiang 글로벌지식마케팅경영학회 2014 Global Marketing Conference Vol.2014 No.10

Marketers commence to use types of brand alliance strategies including co-branding. Many previous studies focused on the strategic performance of the co-branded credit card or loyalty programs. The introduction of the department store co-branded credit card successfully increases revenues and expands the market shares for both the banking industry and the department store industry in Taiwan. In view of the importance of co-branding strategy to extend market share for both the banking industry and the retailing industry in Taiwan, it is worthy to have a better understanding of whether or not consumer’s affective loyalty to the bank and/or consumer’s affective loyalty to the department store will influence his/her attitude toward the department store co-branded credit card, which in turn influence his/her intention to continue to use or apply for the co-branding credit card. This study aims to ascertain what factors determine consumer’s intention to continue to use and/or to apply for the department store co-branded credit card. This study collected data on the Internet Website from December 8, 2013 to January 30, 2014. A total of 444 valid data were used in this study. The two-stage procedure of structural equation model (SEM) analysis was conducted to examine the hypothetical causal relationship in the proposed theoretical model. The results indicate that for those who had applied for the department store co-branded credit card, consumer’s affective loyalty to the bank and consumer’s affective loyalty to the department store indeed exert positive impacts on his/her attitude toward department store co-branded credit card, which in turn influence his/her intention to continue to use the co-branded credit card. In addition, for those who did not have the department store co-branded credit card, consumer’s affective loyalty to the department store can induce his/her attitude toward department store co-branded credit card, which in turn influences his/her intention to apply for co-branding credit card. The implications and suggestions for both the banking industry and the retailing industry are also provided in this study.

THE DETERMINANTS OF CONSUMER’S INTENTION TO CONTINUE TO USE OR APPLY FOR THE DEPARTMENT STORE CO-BRANDED CREDIT CARD

Mei-Fang Chen,Chih-Hao Chiang 글로벌지식마케팅경영학회 2014 Global Marketing Conference Vol.2014 No.7

Marketers commence to use types of brand alliance strategies including co-branding. Many previous studies focused on the strategic performance of the co-branded credit card or loyalty programs. The introduction of the department store co-branded credit card successfully increases revenues and expands the market shares for both the banking industry and the department store industry in Taiwan. In view of the importance of co-branding strategy to extend market share for both the banking industry and the retailing industry in Taiwan, it is worthy to have a better understanding of whether or not consumer’s affective loyalty to the bank and/or consumer’s affective loyalty to the department store will influence his/her attitude toward the department store co-branded credit card, which in turn influence his/her intention to continue to use or apply for the co-branding credit card. This study aims to ascertain what factors determine consumer’s intention to continue to use and/or to apply for the department store co-branded credit card. This study collected data on the Internet Website from December 8, 2013 to January 30, 2014. A total of 444 valid data were used in this study. The two-stage procedure of structural equation model (SEM) analysis was conducted to examine the hypothetical causal relationship in the proposed theoretical model. The results indicate that for those who had applied for the department store co-branded credit card, consumer’s affective loyalty to the bank and consumer’s affective loyalty to the department store indeed exert positive impacts on his/her attitude toward department store co-branded credit card, which in turn influence his/her intention to continue to use the co-branded credit card. In addition, for those who did not have the department store co-branded credit card, consumer’s affective loyalty to the department store can induce his/her attitude toward department store co-branded credit card, which in turn influences his/her intention to apply for co-branding credit card. The implications and suggestions for both the banking industry and the retailing industry are also provided in this study.

Self-Assembled Hierarchical Superstructures from the Benzene-1,3,5-Tricarboxamide Supramolecules for the Fabrication of Remote-Controllable Actuating and Rewritable Films

Choi, Yu-Jin,Kim, Dae-Yoon,Park, Minwook,Yoon, Won-Jin,Lee, Yumin,Hwang, Joo-Kyoung,Chiang, Yeo-Wan,Kuo, Shiao-Wei,Hsu, Chih-Hao,Jeong, Kwang-Un American Chemical Society 2016 ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Vol.8 No.14

<P>The well-defined hierarchical superstructures constructed by the self assembly of programmed supramolecules can be organized for the fabrication of remote-controllable actuating and rewritable films. To realize this concept, we newly designed and synthesized a benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) derivative (abbreviated as BTA-3AZO) containing photoresponsive azobenzene (AZO) mesogens on the periphery of the BTA core. BTA-3AZO was first self-assembled to nanocolumns mainly driven by the intermolecular hydrogen-bonds between BTA cores, and these self-assembled nanocolumns were further self-organized laterally to form the low-ordered hexagonal columnar liquid crystal (LC) phase below the isotropization temperature. Upon cooling, a lamello-columnar crystal phase emerged at room temperature via a highly ordered lamello-columnar LC phase. The three-dimensional (3D) organogel networks consisted of fibrous and lamellar superstructures were fabricated in the BTA-3AZO cyclohexane-methanol solutions. By tuning the wavelength of light, the shape and color of the 3D networked thin films were remote-controlled by the conformational changes of azobenzene moieties in the BTA-3AZO. The demonstrations of remote-controllable 3D actuating and rewritable films with the self-assembled hierarchical BTA-3AZO thin films can be stepping stones for the advanced flexible optoelectronic devices.</P>