New self-activated eulytite-type compounds of M₇Zr(PO₄)₆ (M=Ca, Sr, Ba)

Qin, L.,Wei, D.,Huang, Y.,Kim, S.I.,Yu, Y.M.,Seo, H.J. Elsevier Sequoia 2013 Journal of alloys and compounds Vol.574 No.-

Eulytite-type orthophosphates M<SUB>7</SUB>Zr(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>6</SUB> (M=Ca, Sr, Ba) were prepared by conventional high temperature solid-state reaction. Sr<SUB>7</SUB>Zr(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>6</SUB> and Ba<SUB>7</SUB>Zr(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>6</SUB> crystallize in the pure eulytite-type phase with cubic space group (I4@?3d). The impurity phase β-Ca<SUB>3</SUB>(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB> was inevitably coexisted with the Ca<SUB>7</SUB>Zr(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>6</SUB> phase. The luminescence properties are investigated by UV-VUV excitation and emission spectroscopy and X-ray-excited luminescence (XEL) spectroscopy. The broad excitation and emission bands are observed due to the charge transfer transition from Zr<SUP>4+</SUP> to O<SUP>2-</SUP> in M<SUB>7</SUB>Zr(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>6</SUB> (M=Ca, Sr, Ba) eulytite. The characteristics of the phosphors including the luminescence mechanism are explained by Stokes shift, decay curves, and CIE color coordinates. The Sr<SUB>7</SUB>Zr(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> and Ba<SUB>7</SUB>Zr(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> phosphors exhibit unusual spectral features with the emission bands at 470 and 480nm, respectively. The weak luminescence centered at 495nm is observed in the Ca<SUB>7</SUB>Zr(PO<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>6</SUB> eulytite with lifetime of 4.67μs. The unusual self-activated luminescence is discussed on the base of the crystal structure of eulytite.

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Increased Autonomic Activation and Improved Symptoms of Depression and Insomnia among Patients with Major Depression Disorder

I-Mei Lin,Sheng-Yu Fan,Cheng-Fang Yen,Yi-Chun Yeh,Tze‐Chun Tang,Mei-Feng Huang,Tai-Ling Liu,Peng-Wei Wang,Huang-Chi Lin,Hsin-Yi Tsai,Yu-Che Tsai 대한정신약물학회 2019 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.17 No.2

Objective: Autonomic imbalance is considered a psychopathological mechanism underlying major depressive disorder (MDD). Heart rate variability (HRV) is an index for autonomic activation. Poor sleep quality is common among patients with MDD. HRV biofeedback (BF) has been used for regulating autonomic balance among patients with physical illness and mental disorders. The purpose of present study was to examine the effects of HRV-BF on depressive symptoms, sleep quality, pre-sleep arousal, and HRV indices, in patients with MDD and insomnia. Methods: In this case-controlled study, patients with MDD and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score higher than 6 were recruited. The HRV-BF group received weekly 60-minute protocol for 6 weeks, and the control group who have matched the age and sex received medical care only. All participants were assessed on Beck Depression Inventory-II, Back Anxiety Inventory, PSQI, and Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale. Breathing rates and electrocardiography were also performed under resting state at pre-testing, and post-testing conditions and for the HRV-BF group, also at 1-month follow-up. Results: In the HRV-BF group, symptoms of depression and anxiety, sleep quality, and pre-sleep arousal were significantly improved, and increased HRV indices, compared with the control group. Moreover, in the HRV-BF group, significantly improved symptoms of depression and anxiety, decreased breathing rates, and increased HRV indices were detected at post-testing and at 1-month follow-up, compared with pre-testing values. Conclusion: This study confirmed that HRV-BF is a useful psychosocial intervention for improving autonomic balance, baroreflex, and symptoms of depression and insomnia in MDD patients.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor nintedanib activates SHP-1 and induces apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer cells

Chun-Yu Liu,Tzu-Ting Huang,Pei-Yi Chu,Chun-Teng Huang,Chia-Han Lee,Wan-Lun Wang,Ka-Yi Lau,Wen-Chun Tsai,Tzu-I Chao,Jung-Chen Su,Ming-Huang Chen,Chung-Wai Shiau,Ling-Ming Tseng,Kuen-Feng Chen 생화학분자생물학회 2017 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.49 No.-

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains difficult to treat and urgently needs new therapeutic options. Nintedanib, a multikinase inhibitor, has exhibited efficacy in early clinical trials for HER2-negative breast cancer. In this study, we examined a new molecular mechanism of nintedanib in TNBC. The results demonstrated that nintedanib enhanced TNBC cell apoptosis, which was accompanied by a reduction of p-STAT3 and its downstream proteins. STAT3 overexpression suppressed nintedanib-mediated apoptosis and further increased the activity of purified SHP-1 protein. Moreover, treatment with either a specific inhibitor of SHP-1 or SHP-1-targeted siRNA reduced the apoptotic effects of nintedanib, which validates the role of SHP-1 in nintedanib-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, nintedanib-induced apoptosis was attenuated in TNBC cells expressing SHP-1 mutants with constantly open conformations, suggesting that the autoinhibitory mechanism of SHP-1 attenuated the effects of nintedanib. Importantly, nintedanib significantly inhibited tumor growth via the SHP-1/p-STAT3 pathway. Clinically, SHP-1 levels were downregulated, whereas p-STAT3 was upregulated in tumor tissues, and SHP-1 transcripts were associated with improved disease-free survival in TNBC patients. Our findings revealed that nintedanib induces TNBC apoptosis by acting as a SHP-1 agonist, suggesting that targeting STAT3 by enhancing SHP-1 expression could be a viable therapeutic strategy against TNBC.

Application of subspace identification on the recorded seismic response data of Pacoima Dam

Yu, I-No,Huang, Shieh-Kung,Loh, Kenneth J.,Loh, Chin-Hsiung Techno-Press 2019 Structural monitoring and maintenance Vol.6 No.4

Two seismic response data from the CSMIP strong motion instrumentation of Pacoima dam are selected: San Fernando earthquake (Jan 13, 2001; ML=4.3) and Newhall earthquake (Sept. 1, 2011; ML=4.2), for the identification of the dam system. To consider the spatially nonuniform input ground motion along the dam abutment, the subspace identification technique with multiple-input and multiple-output is used to extract the dynamic behavior of the dam-reservoir interaction system. It is observed that the dam-reservoir interaction is significant from the identification of San Fernando earthquake data. The influence of added mass (from the reservoir) during strong ground motion will create a tuned-mass damper phenomenon on the dam body. The fundamental frequency of the dam will be tuned to two different frequencies but with the same mode shapes. As for the small earthquake event, the dam-reservoir interaction is insignificant.

A Research on the Impact of Taiwan’s Cultural Colors on Cultural Identity

I-Ling Shih,Yu-Chiou Tchen,Chia-Hui Huang 한국일러스트레이션학회 2019 일러스트레이션 포럼 Vol.20 No.61

Taiwan is a country composed of diverse ethnic groups, and the people in Taiwan have not completely identified with a particular culture in the midst of changing history. According to a recent research, Taiwan has entered the phase of “national identity.” It is the hope of this research that the Taiwanese people will be able to identify themselves with the uniqueness of the Taiwanese culture, and will have greater self-confidence in the process of cultural identity. This research studied the colors expressed in the Taiwanese culture because these colors are infused in everyday living and accumulated in culture. We see these colors every day and get accustomed to them, and often do not know they contain special meanings. So we do not understand the cultural meanings embedded in these colors. Countries closest to Taiwan like Korea, Japan, Thailand, India have organizations that are almost, if not already, at the national level committed to researching and preserving cultural colors. Only Taiwan lacks such an organization. So most people do not understand cultural colors, and miss an observational perspective on Taiwan’s cultural identify. This research explored the influence of Taiwan’s cultural colors on cultural identity, and included a curriculum design and implementation with a theme on “Cultural Colors in Life” in a university’s general education course for the first and second-year students. This curriculum used Walker’s “Big Idea” to design and plan three themed courses on etiquette and customs, nature and ecosystems, land and beliefs in Taiwan; and henceforth introducing the three cultural colors of “Taiwan Form(Red),” “Taiwan Chic(Green)” and “Taiwan Gene (Gold)” into the course content. Each theme included teaching activities like the explanation of the cultural color, the viewing and analysis of a short film “Colorful Taiwan” by Public Television Service(PTS), and so on. A total of four consecutive weeks of teaching activities related to the theme were planned and implemented. The analysis of student questionnaire results shows that after taking the “Cultural Colors in Life” course, students understand more clearly about the cultural colors represented by “Taiwan Red,” “Taiwan Green” and “Taiwan Gold”, and raise their comprehension and identification with the Taiwanese culture.

The Associations between Visual Attention and Facial Expression Identification in Patients with Schizophrenia

I-Mei Lin,Sheng-Yu Fan,Tiao-Lai Huang,Wan-Ting Wu,Shi-Ming Li 대한신경정신의학회 2013 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.10 No.4

Objective Visual search is an important attention process that precedes the information processing. Visual search also mediates the relationship between cognition function (attention) and social cognition (such as facial expression identification). However, the association between visual attention and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia remains unknown. The purposes of this study were to examine the differences in visual search performance and facial expression identification between patients with schizophrenia and normal controls, and to explore the relationship between visual search performance and facial expression identification in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Fourteen patients with schizophrenia (mean age=46.36±6.74) and 15 normal controls (mean age=40.87±9.33) participated this study. The visual search task, including feature search and conjunction search, and Japanese and Caucasian Facial Expression of Emotion were administered. Results Patients with schizophrenia had worse visual search performance both in feature search and conjunction search than normal controls, as well as had worse facial expression identification, especially in surprised and sadness. In addition, there were negative associations between visual search performance and facial expression identification in patients with schizophrenia, especially in surprised and sadness. However, this phenomenon was not showed in normal controls. Conclusion Patients with schizophrenia who had visual search deficits had the impairment on facial expression identification. Increasing ability of visual search and facial expression identification may improve their social function and interpersonal relationship.

Clinical Features of Patients with Esophageal and Second Primary Cancers

Tsai, Huang-Wen,Chang, Chih-Chun,Sun, Jen-Tang,Liou, Ching-Biau,Lin, Hsiu-Chen,Lin, I-Hsin,Yu, Yun-Chieh,Weng, Wei-Ling,Leong, Ka-I,Yen, Tzung-Hai,Wu, Jiann-Ming Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.22

Background: The prevalence of esophageal cancer (EC) with second primary cancers (SPC) is increasing worldwide. This study was aimed to understand the clinical features of EC patients with SPC in the Taiwanese population. Materials and Methods: Clinical and laboratory data for 180 EC patients with or without SPC were collected between January 2009 and December 2013. Information on treatment approaches, location of SPCs and ABO blood type were also collected and stratified. Results: The most common SPC in EC patients was hypopharyngeal cancer, followed by laryngeal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in our study. Malignancies of colon, prostate and lung were also found. There was a significant higher portion of blood type A in the EC patients with SPC compared with those without (42.4% vs 19.5%, P=0.006). Conclusions: The frequency and SPC site distribution and blood type A should be considered in clinical evaluation of EC patients with a high risk of developing SPC in the Taiwanese population.

Preparation and characterization of superhydrophobic coatings

Hsing-I Hsiang,Ming-Tsai Liang,Yu-Lun Chang,Hung-Chin Huang,Fu-Su Yen 한양대학교 세라믹연구소 2010 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.11 No.3

To obtain a surface with water-repelling and self-cleaning abilities attracts much interest in the nanotechnology age. In this study, a perfluroalkyl surfactant (perflurodecanoic acid, PFDA) was coated on nano-sized boehmite surfaces to obtain hydrophobic nano-particles via surface modification. Then the hydrophobic boehmite was coated on a transparent plastic film using spin-coating to obtain a hydrophobic film. The effects of various amounts of hydrophobic polymer on the adsorption behavior and contact angle for hydrophobic properties were investigated using FTIR, and a contact-angle meter. The adsorption of PFDA onto the surface of boehmite takes place through ionic bonding. The contact angles of the thin film prepared by spin coating PFDA-modified-boehmite on glass substrates were above 150o as the adsorption of PFDA onto the surface of boehmite reached saturation.

A new green-emitting barium zinc silicate: Eu²⁺-doped Ba₂Zn₃Si₃O₁₁

Wei, D.,Huang, Y.,Kim, S.I.,Yu, Y.M.,Seo, H.J. North-Holland 2013 Materials letters Vol.99 No.-

A series of Eu<SUP>2+</SUP>-activated green-emitting phosphors, barium zinc silicate Ba<SUB>2</SUB>Zn<SUB>3</SUB>Si<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>11</SUB>:Eu<SUP>2+</SUP>, was first synthesized by chemical sol-gel method. The photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra, the concentration quenching of the phosphors, the luminescence color chromaticity and absolute quantum efficiency (QE), were measured. The results indicate that Ba<SUB>2</SUB>Zn<SUB>3</SUB>Si<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>11</SUB>:Eu<SUP>2+</SUP> phosphors can be efficiently excited by not only UV- but also blue-LED chips to realize novel green-emitting luminescence corresponding to the electric-dipole allowed 4f-5d transition of the Eu<SUP>2+</SUP> ions. Additionally, the luminescence was suggested to originate from two kinds of Eu<SUP>2+</SUP> centers in terms of photoluminescence properties. The energy transfer between the Eu<SUP>2+</SUP> centers was discussed by analyzing the photoluminescence spectra, concentration-dependent luminescence intensity and lifetimes. This is a potential candidate for the application to white LEDs because the tunable luminescence and small thermal quenching.

The Natural Flavonoid Apigenin Suppresses Th1- and Th2-Related Chemokine Production by Human Monocyte THP-1 Cells Through Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathways

Ching-Hua Huang,Po-Lin Kuo,Ya-Ling Hsu,Tai-Tsung Chang,Hsing-I Tseng,Yu-Te Chu,Chang-Hung Kuo,Huan-Nan Chen,Chih-Hsing Hung 한국식품영양과학회 2010 Journal of medicinal food Vol.13 No.2

Dietary flavonoids have various biological functions, and there is increasing evidence that reduced prevalence and severity of allergic reactions are associated with the intake of flavonoids. Among natural flavonoids, apigenin is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. However, the mechanisms of apigenin's effect remain uncertain. Monocyte-derived chemokine (MDC) plays a pivotal role in recruiting T-helper (Th) 2 cells in the allergic inflammation process. In the late phase of allergic inflammation, the Th1 chemokine interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) has also been found in elevated levels in the bronchial alveolar fluid of asthmatic children. We used human THP-1 monocyte cells, pretreated with or without apigenin, prior to lipopolysaccharide stimulation. By means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we found that apigenin inhibited production of both MDC and IP-10 by THP-1 cells and that the suppressive effect of apigenin was not reversed by the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI182780. The p65 phosphorylation of nuclear factor κB remained unaffected, but the phosphorylation of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways were all blocked. We found that inhibition of c-raf phosphorylation might be the target of apigenin's anti-inflammation property.