Chinese Translation and Validation of the Child and Adolescent Sleep Checklist for Parents

Yang Ya-Ting,Chang Han-Yun,Hsu Chung-Yao,Lin Cheng-Yu,Zeitzer Jamie M. 대한수면학회 2020 sleep medicine research Vol.11 No.2

Background and ObjectiveaaThe Child and Adolescent Sleep Checklist (CASC) for parents was originally developed and published in Japanese and has served as a valid and effective tool for the assessment of a parent’s perspective of their adolescent child’s sleep behaviors. To allow for comparisons of such perspectives among parents of different cultures, and with different linguistic backgrounds, reliable and valid measurement tools are necessary. The purpose of this study was to translate and validate a Chinese language version of this questionnaire. MethodsaaInternal consistency, factor structure, and criterion validity data were tested using 497 parent/adolescent dyads in Taiwan. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and internal consistency reliability were examined in a subset of the cohort (n = 241), while criterion validity and conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was examined in a second subset of the cohort (n = 256). Preliminary criterion validity was established through a comparison with a measure of chronotype, Morningness- Eveningness Scale for Children. ResultsaaEFA resulted in four factors, consistent with the original version, with the four factors accounting for 60% of the total variance. The results of CFA presented good fit to the data. The questionnaire demonstrated also acceptable to good internal consistency (α = 0.84–0.89). Preliminary criterion validity was evident as the total score and each of the subscale scores on the questionnaire were significantly higher (worse sleep-related behavior) in evening-types. ConclusionsaaThe Chinese language version of the CASC for parents appears to be a psychometrically sound measure to evaluate sleep behaviors in Chinese-speaking adolescents.

AKT1 Inhibitory DNAzymes Inhibit Cell Proliferation and Migration of Thyroid Cancer Cells

Yang, Le,He, Jin-Ting,Guan, Hong,Sun, Ya-Dong Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.4

AKT1 is a member of the serine/threoine AGC protein kinase family involved in thyroid cancer metabolism, growth, proliferation and survival. It is overexpressed in thyroid tumors. In this study, we designed two AKT1 specific DNAzymes (DRz1 and DRz2) that target AKT1 mRNA. The results showed that DRz1 could decrease the expression of AKT1 by 58%. Furthermore, DRz1 significantly inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and inhibited invasion in SW597 cells. In addition, down-regulation of survivin expression was associated with decreased caspase-3, VEGF and MMP2 in SW597 cells after 24 h. In our study, the efficacy of DRz1 in decreasing AKT1 protein levels were better than DRz2. AKT1-DRz1 might have anti-tumorigenic activity and may provide the basis for a novel therapeutic intervention in thyroid cancer treatment.

An Investigation Into the Relationship Between Metabolic Responses and Energy Regulation in Antibody-Producing Cell

Ya Ting Sun,Liang Zhao,Zhao Yang Ye,Li Fan,Xu Ping Liu,Wen Song Tan 한국미생물생명공학회(구 한국산업미생물학회) 2013 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.23 No.11

Energy-efficient metabolic responses were often noted in high-productive cultures. To better understand these metabolic responses, an investigation into the relationship between metabolic responses and energy regulation was conducted via a comparative analysis among cultures with different energy source supplies. Both glycolysis and glutaminolysis were studied through the kinetic analyses of major extracellular metabolites concerning the fast and slow cell growth stages, respectively, as well as the time-course profiles of intracellular metabolites. In three cultures showing distinct antibody productivities, the amino acid metabolism and energy state were further examined. Both the transition of lactate from production to consumption and steady intracellular pools of pyruvate and lactate were observed to be correlated with efficient energy regulation. In addition, an efficient utilization of amino acids as the replenishment for the TCA cycle was also found in the cultures with upregulated energy metabolism. It was further revealed that the inefficient energy regulation would cause low cell productivity based on the comparative analysis of cell growth and productivity in cultures having distinct energy regulation.

Three-Dimensional Elastic Stress Fields of Finite Thickness Plates with Elliptical Hole

Yang, Zheng,Cho, Chong Du,Su, Ting Ya,Kim, Chang Boo,Beom, Hyeon Gyu Trans Tech Publications, Ltd. 2007 Key Engineering Materials Vol.353 No.-

<P>Based on detailed three-dimensional finite element analyses, elastic stress and strain field of ellipse major axis end in plates with different thickness and ellipse configurations subjected to uniaxial tension have been investigated. The plate thickness and ellipse configuration have obvious effects on the stress concentration factor, which is higher in finite thickness plates than in plane stress and plane strain cases. The out-of-plane stress constraint factor tends the maximum on the mid-plane and approaches to zero on the free plane. Stress concentration factors distribute ununiformly through the plate thickness, the value and location of maximum stress concentration factor depend on the plate thickness and the ellipse configurations. Both stress concentration factor in the middle plane and the maximum stress concentration factor are greater than that under plane stress or plane strain states, so it is unsafe to suppose a tensioned plate with finite thickness as one undergone plane stress or plane strain. For the sharper notch, the influence of three-dimensional stress state on the SCF must be considered.</P>

Comparison between residents with a 6-year medical program and a 7-year medical program in terms of objective structured clinical examination performance in postgraduate year training in Taiwan: a 2-group pre- and post-test non-synchronized study

Ya-Ting Chang,Ying-Ying Yang,Chung-Pin Li,Chen-Huan Chen 한국보건의료인국가시험원 2022 보건의료교육평가 Vol.19 No.-

Purpose In 2013, medical schools in Taiwan implemented a 6-year medical program that replaced the previous 7-year medical education program. The postgraduate year (PGY) program was also extended from 1 year to 2 years. The new program is characterized by diversified teaching, integration of medical skills, a system-oriented curriculum, and the implementation of primary care and clinical thinking training. The purpose of this study was to examine whether postgraduate residents who learned under the new program have better patient care skills than those who learned under the previous program. Methods Of 101 residents in the PGY program at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 78 were trained in the 6-year program, while 23 were trained in the 7-year program. During the PGY training, 2 objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) were used to evaluate clinical reasoning, communication skills, and procedural skills at the beginning of the training and after 11 months of training, respectively. The scores of each OSCE and the rate of improvement of the pre- and post-tests were analyzed. Results Residents trained in the new program scored higher on clinical reasoning (P<0.001) and the total scores of the 3 tested skills (P=0.019) on the pre-test. In terms of improvement, residents educated in the previous system improved more in clinical reasoning than those educated in the new education system. Conclusion The new medical education program, which emphasizes clinical thinking, improved residents’ clinical skills. The PGY program was effective in improving the clinical performance of residents who were educated in the previous system.

Prioritization of Sleep: Discrepancies Between Attitude and Practice

Ya-Chuan Huang,Tzu-Ting Lin,Chien-Ming Yang 대한수면연구학회 2023 Journal of sleep medicine Vol.20 No.3

Objectives: With the promotion of sleep through education, an increasing recognition of the importance of sleep among the general public has been observed. However, whether this increased recognition affects sleep practices is unknown. To provide direction for future sleep education programs, this study aimed to explore the consistency between people’s prioritization of sleep among their daily life activities and their actual practice when sleep conflicts with other activities.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional online survey with 898 adults (male:female=372:526; age=39.74±10.04 years). The participants were asked to complete an online survey that required them to 1) rate how important sleep was; 2) prioritize daily life activities including sleep, work, family activities, leisure activities, social activities, and exercise; and 3) recall the actions they undertook at the most recent instance when sleep conflicted with each of the other activities.Results: Although 70.7% of the participants prioritized sleep by placing it in their top three daily life activities, only 35.7% and 38.1% chose to go to sleep when it conflicted with work and family activities, respectively. Gender and occupational factors also significantly influenced the discrepancy between sleep attitudes and practices.Conclusions: Our study demonstrated an inconsistency between reporting sleep as a priority in daily life activities and actual behavioral practices when sleep conflicted with other activities. The results suggest that sleep education should not only emphasize the importance of sleep but also provide practical solutions for circumstances when sleep conflicts with other activities.

Aspartate Transaminase to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and Albumin-Bilirubin Grade (ALBI) Predict Postoperative Morbidity Following Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma A Multicenter Cohort Study

( Tian Yang ),( Li-yang Sun ),( Lei Liang ),( Ya-hao Zhou ),( Wei-min Gu ),( Hong Wang ),( Ting-hao Chen ),( Yong-yi Zeng ),( Wan Yee Lau ),( Meng-chao Wu ),( Feng Shen ) 대한간학회 2020 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2020 No.1

Aims: Postoperative morbidity following hepatectomy remains high, and understanding its risk factors is important to improve perioperative outcomes. We aimed to identify the role of two non-invasive markers - albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) and aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index (APRI) - in predicting postoperative morbidity following hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A multicenter data of patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC at 8 centers were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into normal and high groups according to preoperative ALBI and APRI scores. ALBI and APRI’s predictive accuracy of postoperative 30-day overall and major morbidity were evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and compared with two conventional scores: Child-Pugh grade and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD). Results: In 2,301 patients, 866 (37.6%) and 400 (17.4%) were in the high ALBI and APRI groups, respectively. There were significant differences of postoperative overall morbidity between the normal and high ALBI groups (26.2% vs. 40.1%, P<0.001), as well as between the normal and high APRI groups (29.2% vs. 42.4%, P<0.001). The AUCs of the ALBI and APRI scores for predicting overall morbidity are greater than those of Child- Pugh grade and MELD score. Multivariable analyses revealed that ALBI and APRI were independent predictors of overall morbidity in both preoperative and postoperative prediction models. Similar results existed in predicting postoperative major morbidity. Conclusions: Preoperative ALBI and APRI could predict postoperative 30-day overall and major morbidity following hepatectomy for HCC before or after surgery.

High Levels of Malic Acid Production by the Bioconversion of Corn Straw Hydrolyte Using an Isolated Rhizopus Delemar Strain

Xingjiang Li,Ya Liu,Ying Yang,Hua Zhang,Hualin Wang,Yue Wu,Min Zhang,Ting Sun,Jieshun Cheng,Xuefeng Wu,Lijun Pan,Shaotong Jiang,Hongwei Wu 한국생물공학회 2014 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.19 No.3

The microbial fermentation of malic acid,which is one of the most important organic acid platformsused widely in food and chemical engineering, hasattracted considerable interest. A malate production strainwas isolated, a mutation was induced, and regulation of themetabolic network was then conducted. The identificationresults showed that the malic acid production strain, HF-119, belonged to Rhizopus delemar. An analysis of themetabolic pathway showed that the malic acid flux of thisstrain occurred through three main pathways, and manybyproducts, such as succinic acid, fumaric acid andethanol, were produced. Although corn straw hydrolytewas used, the metabolism of xylose was not as rapid as thatof glucose. Subsequently, breeding of the strains andregulation of the metabolic network resulted in an increasein malate yield, and the strain HF-121 produced more than120 g/L malic acid within 60 h. The ability to producemalic acid from biomass hydrolyte highlights the industrialdevelopment potential of this strain.

Active Distribution System Planning Considering Battery Swapping Station for Low-carbon Objective using Immune Binary Firefly Algorithm

Ji-Ying Shi,Ya-Jing Li,Fei Xue,Le-Tao Ling,Wen-An Liu,Da-Ling Yuan,Ting Yang 대한전기학회 2018 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.13 No.2

Active distribution system (ADS) considering distributed generation (DG) and electric vehicle (EV) is an effective way to cut carbon emission and improve system benefits. ADS is an evolving, complex and uncertain system, thus comprehensive model and effective optimization algorithms are needed. Battery swapping station (BSS) for EV service is an essential type of flexible load (FL). This paper establishes ADS planning model considering BSS firstly for the minimization of total cost including feeder investment, operation and maintenance, net loss and carbon tax. Meanwhile, immune binary firefly algorithm (IBFA) is proposed to optimize ADS planning. Firefly algorithm (FA) is a novel intelligent algorithm with simple structure and good convergence. By involving biological immune system into FA, IBFA adjusts antibody population scale to increase diversity and global search capability. To validate proposed algorithm, IBFA is compared with particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm on IEEE 39-bus system. The results prove that IBFA performs better than PSO in global search and convergence in ADS planning.

The Clinical Characteristics and Manifestation of Anxious Depression Among Patients With Major Depressive Disorders-Results From a Taiwan Multicenter Study

Huang-Li Lin,Wei-Yang Lee,Chun-Hao Liu,Wei-Yu Chiang,Ya-Ting Hsu,Chin-Fu Hsiao,Hsiao-Hui Tsou,Chia-Yih Liu 대한신경정신의학회 2024 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.21 No.6

Objective Anxious depression is a prevalent characteristic observed in Asian psychiatric patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aims to investigate the prevalence and clinical presentation of anxious depression in Taiwanese individuals diagnosed with MDD. Methods We recruited psychiatric outpatients aged over 18 who had been diagnosed with MDD through clinical interviews. This recruitment took place at five hospitals located in northern Taiwan. We gathered baseline clinical and demographic information from the participants. Anxious depression was identified using a threshold of an anxiety/somatization factor score ≥7 on the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). Results In our study of 399 patients (84.21% female), 64.16% met the criteria for anxious depression. They tended to be older, married, less educated, with more children, and an older age of onset. Anxious depression patients had higher HAM-D and Clinical Global Impression–Severity scale score, more panic disorder (without agoraphobia), and exhibited symptoms like agitation, irritability, concentration difficulties, psychological and somatic anxiety, somatic complaints, hypochondriasis, weight loss, and increased insight. Surprisingly, their suicide rates did not significantly differ from non-anxious depression patients. This highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing these unique characteristics. Conclusion Our study findings unveiled that the prevalence of anxious depression among Taiwanese outpatients diagnosed with MDD was lower compared to inpatients but substantially higher than the reported rates in European countries and the United States. Furthermore, patients with anxious depression exhibited a greater occurrence of somatic symptoms.