A Proteomic Analysis of Leaf Responses to Enhanced Ultraviolet-B Radiation in Two Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivars Differing in UV Sensitivity

Xing-Chun Wu,Chang-Xun Fang,Jin-Yang Chen,Qing-Shui Wang,Ting Chen,Wen-Xiong Lin,Zhong-Liang Huang 한국식물학회 2011 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.54 No.4

To determine the proteomic response to UV irradiation, two cultivars, i.e., Lemont (UV tolerant) and Dular (UV sensitive), were exposed to natural and enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation for 1, 7, and 14 days, and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in combination with mass spectrometry (MS) and bioinformatics were used to compare the different proteomic responses in the leaves of the two cultivars. Thirty-nine proteins were up- or downregulated following the UV-B treatments. Among them, 30 increased or decreased more than 1.5-fold in abundance. They were further tested by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight MS and performed a database search. Twentyfour proteins were thus identified. These identified proteins were mostly upregulated in Lemont, whereas only 14 of them upregulated in Dular. Nine proteins involved in glycometabolism and fatty acid metabolisms, signal transduction, and protein synthesis and folding in Dular were not changed. These results suggest that there was a complex regulative mechanism on the proteomes in rice leaves upon UV-B exposure.

Pyogenic Liver Abscess as a Warning Sign for Primary Liver Cancer: A Nationwide Population-based Study

Huang, Wen-Kuan,Lin, Yung-Chang,Chiou, Meng-Jiun,Yang, Tsai-Sheng,Chang, John Wen-Cheng,Yu, Kuang-Hui,Kuo, Chang-Fu,See, Lai-Chu Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.8

Background: There have been no large-scale population-based studies to estimate the subsequent risk of primary liver cancer (PLC) among patients with pyogenic liver abscess (PLA). This study aimed to provide relevant data. Materials and Methods: The Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database for the years 2000 and 2005 was used. The PLA group were adult inpatients who were newly diagnosed with PLA from 2000 to 2008. The control group was randomly selected and matched with the PLA group in terms of age, sex, and date in which medical treatment was sought other than for PLA. Results: There were 1,987 patients each in the PLA and control groups. In total, 56 had PLC, 48 (2.4%, 601.5 per 100,000 person-years) from the PLA group, and 8 from the control group. After adjusting for potential covariates, the hazard ratio of PLC for the PLA group was 3.4 times that of the control group (95% confidence interval = 1.6-7.3, p <0.001). The PLC risk for the PLA group was significantly higher within the first year after PLA diagnosis (hazard ratio: 35.4) as compared with the control group and became insignificant (hazard ratio: 2.0, 95% confidence interval = 0.8-4.9) more than one year after PLA diagnosis. Conclusions: Patients with PLA have a higher rate of PLC than matched controls, especially within the first year after the diagnosis of PLA, suggesting PLA is a warning sign for PLC.

Measurement of Deformity at the Craniovertebral Junction: Correlation of Triangular Area and Myelopathy

Chih-Chang Chang,Jau-Ching Wu,Chin-Chu Ko,Hsuan-Kan Chang,Yi-Hsuan Kuo,Chao-Hung Kuo,Tsung-Hsi Tu,Wen-Cheng Huang 대한척추신경외과학회 2022 Neurospine Vol.19 No.4

Objective: Diseases of the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) are commonly associated with deformity, malalignment, and subsequent myelopathy. The misaligned CVJ might cause compression of neuronal tissues and subsequently clinical symptoms. The triangular area (TA), measured by magnetic resonance imaging/images (MRI/s), is a novel measurement for quantification of the severity of compression to the brain stem. This study aimed to assess the normal and pathological values of TA by a comparison of patients with CVJ disease to age- and sex-matched controls. Moreover, postoperative TAs were correlated with outcomes. Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent surgery for CVJ disease were included for comparison to an age- and sex-matched cohort of normal CVJ persons as controls. The demographics, perioperative information, and pre- and postoperative 2-year cervical MRIs were collected for analysis. Cervical TAs were measured and compared. Results: A total of 201 patients, all of whom had pre- or postoperative MRI, were analyzed. The TA of the CVJ deformity group was larger than the healthy control group (1.62 ± 0.57 cm2 vs. 1.01 ± 0.18 cm2 , p < 0.001). Moreover, patients who had combined anterior odontoidectomy and posterior laminectomy with fixation had the greatest reduction in the TA (1.18 ± 0.58 cm2 ). Conclusion: In CVJ deformity, the measurement of the cervical TA could indicate the severity of brain stem compression. After surgery, the TA had a varying degree of improvement, which could represent the efficacy of surgery.

The Option of Motion Preservation in Cervical Spondylosis: Cervical Disc Arthroplasty Update

Chih-Chang Chang,Wen-Cheng Huang,Jau-Ching Wu,Praveen V. Mummaneni 대한척추신경외과학회 2018 Neurospine Vol.15 No.4

Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA), or total disc replacement, has emerged as an option in the past two decades for the management of 1- and 2-level cervical disc herniation and spondylosis causing radiculopathy, myelopathy, or both. Multiple prospective randomized controlled trials have demonstrated CDA to be as safe and effective as anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, which has been the standard of care for decades. Moreover, CDA successfully preserved segmental mobility in the majority of surgical levels for 5–10 years. Although CDA has been suggested to have long-term efficacy for the reduction of adjacent segment disease in some studies, more data are needed on this topic. Surgery for CDA is more demanding for decompression, because indirect decompression by placement of a tall bone graft is not possible in CDA. The artificial discs should be properly sized, centered, and installed to allow movement of the vertebrae, and are commonly 6 mm high or less in most patients. The key to successful CDA surgery includes strict patient selection, generous decompression of the neural elements, accurate sizing of the device, and appropriately centered implant placement.

Comparison of Cortical Bone Trajectory to Pedicle-Based Dynamic Stabilization: An Analysis of 291 Patients

Chih-Chang Chang,Hsuan-Kan Chang,Chin-Chu Ko,Ching-Lan Wu,Yi-Hsuan Kuo,Tsung-Hsi Tu,Wen-Cheng Huang,Jau-Ching Wu 대한척추신경외과학회 2023 Neurospine Vol.20 No.1

Objective: Pedicle-based dynamic stabilization (DS) has gained popularity outside of America. Although pedicle screw (PS) loosening has always been a concern, it is reportedly innocuous. Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screw is an emerging option with less invasiveness and similar effectiveness to PS in short-segment lumbar fusion. This study aimed to verify the use of CBT for DS by comparing the outcomes between pedicle- and CBT-based DS. Methods: Consecutive patients with lumbar spondylosis or low-grade spondylolisthesis who underwent 1- or 2-level DS between L3–5 with a minimum follow-up of 24 months were reviewed. Screw loosening was determined by computed tomography and the incidences were compared. Results: A total of 291 patients who underwent Dynesys DS (235 pedicle- and 56 CBT-based, respectively) were compared. The demographics and preoperative conditions were similar. All the clinical outcomes improved at 24-month postoperation, while the CBT-based group had less operation time and blood loss than the pedicle-based group. The rates of screw loosening were lower in the CBT-based (5.4% per screw and 12.5% per patient) than the pedicle-based group (9% per screw and 26.4% per patient). Furthermore, there were no differences in the clinical outcomes and complication profiles. Conclusion: The CBT-based DS for 1- or 2-level lumbar degeneration demonstrated equivalent clinical improvement as the pedicle-based DS. The adaption of CBT-based screws for DS could be a less invasive approach (shorter operation time and less blood loss), with lower chances of screw loosening than the conventional PS-based DS.

The Quantitative Evaluation of Automatic Segmentation in Lumbar Magnetic Resonance Images

Yao-Wen Liang,Yu-Ting Fang,Ting-Chun Lin,Cheng-Ru Yang,Chih-Chang Chang,Hsuan-Kan Chang,Chin-Chu Ko,Tsung-Hsi Tu,Li-Yu Fay,Jau-Ching Wu,Wen-Cheng Huang,Hsiang-Wei Hu,You-Yin Chen,Chao-Hung Kuo 대한척추신경외과학회 2024 Neurospine Vol.21 No.2

Objective: This study aims to overcome challenges in lumbar spine imaging, particularly lumbar spinal stenosis, by developing an automated segmentation model using advanced techniques. Traditional manual measurement and lesion detection methods are limited by subjectivity and inefficiency. The objective is to create an accurate and automated segmentation model that identifies anatomical structures in lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging scans. Methods: Leveraging a dataset of 539 lumbar spinal stenosis patients, the study utilizes the residual U-Net for semantic segmentation in sagittal and axial lumbar spine magnetic resonance images. The model, trained to recognize specific tissue categories, employs a geometry algorithm for anatomical structure quantification. Validation metrics, like Intersection over Union (IOU) and Dice coefficients, validate the residual U-Net’s segmentation accuracy. A novel rotation matrix approach is introduced for detecting bulging discs, assessing dural sac compression, and measuring yellow ligament thickness. Results: The residual U-Net achieves high precision in segmenting lumbar spine structures, with mean IOU values ranging from 0.82 to 0.93 across various tissue categories and views. The automated quantification system provides measurements for intervertebral disc dimensions, dural sac diameter, yellow ligament thickness, and disc hydration. Consistency between training and testing datasets assures the robustness of automated measurements. Conclusion: Automated lumbar spine segmentation with residual U-Net and deep learning exhibits high precision in identifying anatomical structures, facilitating efficient quantification in lumbar spinal stenosis cases. The introduction of a rotation matrix enhances lesion detection, promising improved diagnostic accuracy, and supporting treatment decisions for lumbar spinal stenosis patients.

Herbivorous insects alter the chlorophyll metabolism of galls on host plants

Meng-Yuan Huang,Wen-Dar Huang,Hsueh-Mei Chouc,Chang-Chang Chen,Yung-Ta Chang,Chi-Ming Yang 한국응용곤충학회 2014 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.17 No.3

Five types of insect-induced galls derived from three host plant leaveswere analyzed for their carotenoid (Car), chlorophyll(Chl), and Chl biosynthesis porphyrins such as protoporphyrinogen IX (PPIX), magnesium protoporphyrin(MGPP) and protochlorophyllide (Pchlide), and Chl degradation intermediates including chlorophyllide (Chlide),pheophytin (Phe), pheophorbide (Pho), and phytylated and dephytylated pigments, and compared to ungalledportions of the same leaf. Galls contain significantly lower levels of Chl-related compounds (CRCs) than ungalledportions of host leaves. The mole percent of porphyrin and the ratios of Chlide/Phe and phytylated/dephytylatedpigments are both very different between galls and host leaves.We, therefore, conclude that leaf-derived gall is akind of non-leaf green tissue, that herbivorous insects alter gall Chl biosynthesis and degradation pathways, thatMg-chelatase, Mg-dechelatase, and chlorophyllase may be the major non-lethal enzymes in galls, and thatwhile ungalled host leaves take Chl → Phe → Pho and Chl → Chlide → Pho as the major and minor degradationroutes, respectively, all galls are in contrast with the host leaves.

Treatment Response Evaluation by Computed Tomography Pulmonary Vasculature Analysis in Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

Yu-Sen Huang,Zheng-Wei Chen,Wen-Jeng Lee,Cho-Kai Wu,Ping-Hung Kuo,Hsao-Hsun Hsu,Shu-Yu Tang,Cheng-Hsuan Tsai,Mao-Yuan Su,Chi-Lun Ko,Juey-Jen Hwang,Yen-Hung Lin,Yeun-Chung Chang The Korean Society of Radiology 2023 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.24 No.4

Objective: To quantitatively assess the pulmonary vasculature using non-contrast computed tomography (CT) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) pre- and post-treatment and correlate CT-based parameters with right heart catheterization (RHC) hemodynamic and clinical parameters. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 patients with CTEPH (mean age, 57.9 years; 53% female) who received multimodal treatment, including riociguat for ≥ 16 weeks with or without balloon pulmonary angioplasty and underwent both non-contrast CT for pulmonary vasculature analysis and RHC pre- and post-treatment were included. The radiographic analysis included subpleural perfusion parameters, including blood volume in small vessels with a cross-sectional area ≤ 5 mm² (BV5) and total blood vessel volume (TBV) in the lungs. The RHC parameters included mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and cardiac index (CI). Clinical parameters included the World Health Organization (WHO) functional class and 6-minute walking distance (6MWD). Results: The number, area, and density of the subpleural small vessels increased after treatment by 35.7% (P < 0.001), 13.3% (P = 0.028), and 39.3% (P < 0.001), respectively. The blood volume shifted from larger to smaller vessels, as indicated by an 11.3% increase in the BV5/TBV ratio (P = 0.042). The BV5/TBV ratio was negatively correlated with PVR (r = -0.26; P = 0.035) and positively correlated with CI (r = 0.33; P = 0.009). The percent change across treatment in the BV5/TBV ratio correlated with the percent change in mPAP (r = -0.56; P = 0.001), PVR (r = -0.64; P < 0.001), and CI (r = 0.28; P = 0.049). Furthermore, the BV5/TBV ratio was inversely associated with the WHO functional classes I-IV (P = 0.004) and positively associated with 6MWD (P = 0.013). Conclusion: Non-contrast CT measures could quantitatively assess changes in the pulmonary vasculature in response to treatment and were correlated with hemodynamic and clinical parameters.

Photocatalytic study of Zinc Oxide with bismuth doping prepared by spray pyrolysis

Lin, Tzu-Yang,Hsu, Yu-Ting,Lan, Wen-How,Huang, Chien-Jung,Chen, Lung-Chien,Huang, Yu-Hsuan,Lin, Jia-Ching,Chang, Kuo-Jen,Lin, Wen-Jen,Huang, Kai-Feng Techno-Press 2015 Advances in nano research Vol.3 No.3

The unintentionally doped and bismuth (Bi) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) films were prepared by spray pyrolysis at $450^{\circ}C$ with zinc acetate and bismuth nitrate precursor. The n-type conduction with concentration $6.13{\times}10^{16}cm^{-3}$ can be observed for the unintentionally doped ZnO. With the increasing of bismuth nitrate concentration in precursor, the p-type conduction can be observed. The p-type concentration $4.44{\times}10^{17}cm^{-3}$ can be achieved for the film with the Bi/Zn atomic ratio 5% in the precursor. The photoluminescence spectroscopy with HeCd laser light source was studied for films with different Bi doping. The photocatalytic activity for the unintentionally doped and Bi-doped ZnO films was studied through the photodegradation of Congo red under UV light illumination. The effects of different Bi contents on photocatalytic activity are studied and discussed. Results show that appropriate Bi doping in ZnO can increase photocatalytic activity.

Escherichia coli-Derived Outer Membrane Vesicles Deliver Galactose- 1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase and Yield Partial Protection against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in Mice

( Keji Quan ),( Zhuang Zhu ),( Sanjie Cao ),( Fei Zhang ),( Chang Miao ),( Xintian Wen ),( Xiaobo Huang ),( Yiping Wen ),( Rui Wu ),( Qigui Yan ),( Yong Huang ),( Xiaoping Ma ),( Xinfeng Han ),( Qin Z 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2018 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.28 No.12

In our previous studies, we have identified several in vivo-induced antigens and evaluated their potential as subunit vaccine candidates in a murine model, in which the recombinant protein GalT showed the most potent immunogenicity and immunoprotective efficacy against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. To exploit a more efficient way of delivering GalT proteins, in this study, we employed the widely studied E. coli outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as a platform to deliver GalT protein and performed the vaccine trial using the recombinant GalTOMVs in the murine model. Results revealed that GalT-OMVs could elicit a highly-specific, IgG antibody titer that was comparable with the adjuvant GalT group. Significantly higher lymphocyte proliferation and cytokines secretion levels were observed in the GalT-OMVs group. 87.5% and 50% of mice were protected from a lethal dose challenge using A. pleuropneumoniae in active or passive immunization, respectively. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical analyses showed remarkably reduced pathological changes and infiltration of neutrophils in the lungs of mice immunized with GalT-OMVs after the challenge. Taken together, these findings confirm that OMVs can be used as a platform to deliver GalT protein and enhance its immunogenicity to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses in mice.