Flexural behavior of reinforced lightweight concrete beams under reversed cyclic loading

Li-Kai Chien,Yi-Hao Kuo,Chung-Ho Huang,How-Ji Chen,Ping-Hu Cheng 국제구조공학회 2014 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.52 No.3

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the flexural behavior of doubly reinforced lightweight concrete (R.L.C.) beams tested under cyclic loading. A total of 20 beam specimens were tested. Test results are presented in terms of ductility index, the degradation of strength and stiffness, and energy dissipation. The flexural properties of R.L.C. beam were compared to those of normal concrete (R.C.) beams. Test results show that R.L.C. beam with low and medium concrete strength (20, 40MPa) performed displacement ductility similar to the R.C. beam. The ductility can be improved by enhancing the concrete strength or decreasing the tension reinforcement ratio. Using lightweight aggregate in concrete is advantageous to the dynamic stiffness of R.L.C. beam. Enhancement of concrete strength and increase of reinforcement ratio will lead to increase of the stiffness degradation of beam. The energy dissipation of R.L.C beam, similar to R.C. beam, increase with the increase of tension reinforcement ratio. The energy dissipation of unit load cycle for smaller tension reinforcement ratio is relatively less than that of beam with higher reinforcement ratio.

Flexural behavior of reinforced lightweight concrete beams under reversed cyclic loading

Chien, Li-Kai,Kuo, Yi-Hao,Huang, Chung-Ho,Chen, How-Ji,Cheng, Ping-Hu Techno-Press 2014 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.52 No.3

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the flexural behavior of doubly reinforced lightweight concrete (R.L.C.) beams tested under cyclic loading. A total of 20 beam specimens were tested. Test results are presented in terms of ductility index, the degradation of strength and stiffness, and energy dissipation. The flexural properties of R.L.C. beam were compared to those of normal concrete (R.C.) beams. Test results show that R.L.C. beam with low and medium concrete strength (20, 40MPa) performed displacement ductility similar to the R.C. beam. The ductility can be improved by enhancing the concrete strength or decreasing the tension reinforcement ratio. Using lightweight aggregate in concrete is advantageous to the dynamic stiffness of R.L.C. beam. Enhancement of concrete strength and increase of reinforcement ratio will lead to increase of the stiffness degradation of beam. The energy dissipation of R.L.C beam, similar to R.C. beam, increase with the increase of tension reinforcement ratio. The energy dissipation of unit load cycle for smaller tension reinforcement ratio is relatively less than that of beam with higher reinforcement ratio.

Navigation-Assisted Full-Endoscopic Radiofrequency Rhizotomy Versus Fluoroscopy-Guided Cooled Radiofrequency Ablation for Sacroiliac Joint Pain Treatment: Comparative Study

Chien-Min Chen,Jae Hwan Lee,Meng-Yin Yang,Shang-Wun Jhang,Kai-Sheng Chang,Su-Wei Ou,Li-Wei Sun,Kuo-Tai Chen 대한척추신경외과학회 2023 Neurospine Vol.20 No.1

Objective: Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is a common cause of chronic low back pain. Full-endoscopic rhizotomy of lateral branches of dorsal rami innervating SIJ is a potential option for patients’ refractory to medical treatment. The full-endoscopic rhizotomy is sometimes challenging under fluoroscopic guidance. This study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the navigation-assisted full-endoscopic rhizotomy for SIJ pain. Methods: The study was a retrospective match-paired study that enrolled consecutive patients undergoing navigation-assisted full-endoscopic rhizotomy for SIJ pain. The patient demographics, clinical outcomes, and operative parameters of endoscopic rhizotomy were compared with conventional cooled radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment. Results: The study enrolled 72 patients, including 36 patients in the endoscopic group. Thirty-six patients in the cooled RFA group were matched by age as the control. The follow-up time was at least 1 year. Patient characteristics were similar between the groups. The navigation-assisted endoscopic rhizotomy operation time was significantly longer than the cooled RFA. The visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) significantly decreased after each treatment. However, the between-group comparison revealed that the VAS and ODI of the patients after endoscopic rhizotomy were significantly lower than those after the cooled RFA group. There were no postoperative complications in the study. Conclusion: Navigation-assisted full-endoscopic rhizotomy is an alternative to SIJ pain treatment. Integrating intraoperative navigation can ensure accurate full-endoscopic rhizotomy to provide better durability of pain relief than the cooled RFA.

Full Endoscopic Removal of Cervical Spinal Epidural Abscess: Case Report and Technical Note

Kai-Sheng Chang,Li-Wei Sun,Chun-Yuan Cheng,Shang-Wen Chang,Chien-Min Chen 대한척추신경외과학회 2020 Neurospine Vol.17 No.sup.

Spinal epidural abscess is a rare disease that is less likely to occur in the cervical region. When it occurs here, cervical spondylodiscitis can develop. Surgical treatment is recommended because of possible life-threatening septic and neurological complications. We present a case of an 81-year-old man who suffered from right side paralysis and was subsequently diagnosed with a C4 to C7 epidural abscess. We utilized full endoscopic surgery for patient management. The traditional surgical methods for treating cervical epidural abscesses may cause spinal instability. There has only been one previous case report on the endoscopic-assisted method. Minimal invasive surgery by a full endoscopic method can be done with a small incision and is associated with minimal blood loss and muscle damage. This is the first report on cervical epidural abscess drainage utilization a full endoscopic method. We recommend this alternative minimally invasive method to manage cervical epidural abscess.

Flow and Learning Emotions in Computer Education

Chih-Chien Wang,Kai-Li Wang,Chien-Chang Chen,Yann-Jy Yang 한국데이타베이스학회 2014 Journal of information technology applications & m Vol.21 No.3

It is important to keep learners’ feeling positive during learning to enhance learning performance. According to flow theory,challenge-skill balance is a precondition for flow experience: Learnersfeel anxietywhen the challenge of learning is higher than their ability, feel boredom when the challenge of learning is lower than learners’ ability, and engage in flow status when the challenge of learning matches the learners’ ability. However, the current empirical study reveals that emotions related to enjoyment may appear when the learners’ skill is equal to or higher than the learning challenge. Nevertheless, boredom emotion may appear when learners perceive the courses are difficult but unimportant. These empirical survey results revealed the necessary of rethinking the appearance of boredom and enjoyment emotions in computer education.

Flow and Learning Emotions in Computer Education: An Empirical Survey

Wang, Chih-Chien,Wang, Kai-Li,Chen, Chien-Chang,Yang, Yann-Jy Korea Data Strategy Society 2014 Journal of information technology applications & m Vol.21 No.3

It is important to keep learners' feeling positive during learning to enhance learning performance. According to flow theory,challenge-skill balance is a precondition for flow experience: Learners feel anxiety when the challenge of learning is higher than their ability, feel boredom when the challenge of learning is lower than learners' ability, and engage in flow status when the challenge of learning matches the learners' ability. However, the current empirical study reveals that emotions related to enjoyment may appear when the learners' skill is equal to or higher than the learning challenge. Nevertheless, boredom emotion may appear when learners perceive the courses are difficult but unimportant. These empirical survey results revealed the necessary of rethinking the appearance of boredom and enjoyment emotions in computer education.

Poster Session : PS 0589 ; Psychiatry ; Holistic Care Unit Improves Access Block in Emergency Department in Taiwan

( Meng Chieh Wu ),( Hsin Kai Huang ),( Chun Cheng Zhang ),( Li Sheng Chang ),( Yung Ze Cheng ),( Chien Chin Hsu ),( Kao Chang Lin ) 대한내과학회 2014 대한내과학회 추계학술대회 Vol.2014 No.1

Background: Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a problem in many countries including Taiwan. Access block refers to a situation where patients in the emergency department requiring inpatient care are unable to gain access to appropriate hospital beds within a reasonable time frame (more than 8 hours total time in the emergency department). Access block is one major reason of ED overcrowding. Methods: A new holistic care unit was established in our medical center in Taiwan in July 2012, with the attending physicians including internal medicine physicians and a neurologist. The patients who required hospitalized treatment were referred to internal medicine physicians in the emergency department. The new department was comprised of seven experienced medical attending physician to take care of the patients directly, with 8-hour duty work shifts within 24 hours, in collaboration with emergency physicians, radiologists, nurses, social workers and case managers to form a team. This team had similar three-shift work duty, education and training programs, and they shared medical devices and resources. If beds in the intensive care unit or ward are not available immediately, procedures and treatment can be performed in the holistic care unit. The pediatric patients were excluded from this study. Results: In total, 26,623 patients were admitting to ward from our emergency department from August 2011 to July 2012, and 23,790 patients from August 2012 to July 2013. The rate of access block decreased from 55.29% to 50.01% ( p < 0.01) after holistic care unit was established. The mean time of ED length of stay was also improved from 18.04 hours to 15.43 hours ( p < 0.01). Conclusions: The newly established holistic care unit in our hospital improved the quality of medical care, not only physiologically but also psychologically.

Effects of post anneal for the INZO films prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Lan, Wen-How,Li, Yue-Lin,Chung, Yu-Chieh,Yu, Cheng-Chang,Chou, Yi-Chun,Wu, Yi-Da,Huang, Kai-Feng,Chen, Lung-Chien Techno-Press 2014 Advances in nano research Vol.2 No.4

Indium-nitrogen co-doped zinc oxide thin films (INZO) were prepared on glass substrates in the atmosphere by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. The aqueous solution of zinc acetate, ammonium acetate and different indium sources: indium (III) chloride and indium (III) nitrate were used as the precursors. After film deposition, different anneal temperature treatment as 350, 450, $550^{\circ}C$ were applied. Electrical properties as concentration and mobility were characterized by Hall measurement. The surface morphology and crystalline quality were characterized by SEM and XRD. With the activation energy analysis for both films, the concentration variation of the films at different heat treatment temperature was realized. Donors correspond to zinc related states dominate the conduction mechanism for these INZO films after $550^{\circ}C$ high temperature heat treatment process.

Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor-α Subunit Targeting Suppresses Metastasis in Advanced Thyroid Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo

( Ching-ling Lin ),( Ming-lin Tsai ),( Yu-hsin Chen ),( Wei-ni Liu ),( Chun-yu Lin ),( Kai-wen Hsu ),( Chien-yu Huang ),( Yu-jia Chang ),( Po-li Wei ),( Shu-huey Chen ),( Li-chi Huang ),( Chia-hwa Lee 한국응용약물학회 2021 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.29 No.5

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancers, such as papillary and follicular cancers, have a favorable prognosis. However, poorly differentiated thyroid cancers, such as medullary, squamous and anaplastic advanced thyroid cancers, are very aggressive and insensitive to radioiodine treatment. Thus, novel therapies that attenuate metastasis are urgently needed. We found that both PDGFC and PDGFRA are predominantly expressed in thyroid cancers and that the survival rate is significantly lower in patients with high PDGFRA expression. This finding indicates the important role of PDGF/PDGFR signaling in thyroid cancer development. Next, we established a SW579 squamous thyroid cancer cell line with 95.6% PDGFRA gene insertion and deletions (indels) through CRISPR/Cas9. Protein and invasion analysis showed a dramatic loss in EMT marker expression and metastatic ability. Furthermore, xenograft tumors derived from PDGFRA geneedited SW579 cells exhibited a minor decrease in tumor growth. However, distant lung metastasis was completely abolished upon PDGFRA gene editing, implying that PDGFRA could be an effective target to inhibit distant metastasis in advanced thyroid cancers. To translate this finding to the clinic, we used the most relevant multikinase inhibitor, imatinib, to inhibit PDGFRA signaling. The results showed that imatinib significantly suppressed cell growth, induced cell cycle arrest and cell death in SW579 cells. Our developed noninvasive apoptosis detection sensor (NIADS) indicated that imatinib induced cell apoptosis through caspase-3 activation. In conclusion, we believe that developing a specific and selective targeted therapy for PDGFRA would effectively suppress PDGFRA-mediated cancer aggressiveness in advanced thyroid cancers.