Biocatalysis and Bioprocess Engineering : < Note >: Improving 3`-Hydroxygenistein Production in Recombinant Pichia pastoris Using Periodic Hydrogen Peroxide-Shocking Strategy

( Tzi Yuan Wang ),( Yi Hsuan Tsai ),( I Zen Yu ),( Te Sheng Chang ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2016 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.26 No.3

3`-Hydroxygenistein can be obtained from the biotransformation of genistein by the engineered Pichia pastoris X-33 strain, which harbors a fusion gene composed of CYP57B3 from Aspergillus oryzae and a cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase gene (sCPR) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. P. pastoris X-33 mutants with higher 3`-hydroxygenistein production were selected using a periodic hydrogen peroxide-shocking strategy. One mutant (P2-D14-5) produced 23.0 mg/l of 3`-hydroxygenistein, representing 1.87-fold more than that produced by the recombinant X-33. When using a 5 L fermenter, the P2-D14-5 mutant produced 20.3 mg/l of 3`-hydroxygenistein, indicating a high potential for industrial-scale 3`-hydroxygenistein production.

Dark current suppression of amorphous selenium based photosensors by the ZnO hole blocking layer

Tung-Yuan Yu,Fu-Ming Pan,Cheng-Yi Chang,Tien Hu,Jenn-Fang Chen,Jia-Feng Wang,Jia-Feng Wang,Cheng-Lu Lin,Te-Ming Chen 한국물리학회 2014 Current Applied Physics Vol.14 No.5

To study the influence of defects in the hole blocking layer (HBL) on the dark current of amorphous selenium (a-Se) based photosensors, we prepared ZnO thin films by reactive sputter deposition (RSD) for the use as the HBL of the photosensors. The ZnO HBL layers prepared with different oxygen flow rates were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman scattering analysis and photoluminescence, indicating that the density of oxygen vacancies in the ZnO thin films is significantly affected by the oxygen flow rate. The deep level transient spectroscopy measurement reveals two hole trap levels present in the RSD deposited ZnO thin films; one is at 0.94 eV and the other at 0.24 eV above the valence band edge. The electrical performance of the a-Se photosensor is largely influenced by the amount of oxygen vacancies in the ZnO thin film. The a-Se photosensor with the ZnO HBL of the most oxygen vacancies has the lowest dark current and demonstrates the highest breakdown field.

The Correlation between Thyrotropin and Dyslipidemia in a Population-based Study

Li Lu,Beibei Wang,Zhongyan Shan,Fengwei Jiang,Xiaochun Teng,Yanyan Chen,Yaxin Lai,Jiani Wang,Haibo Xue,Sen Wang,Chenyan Li,He Liu,Ningna Li,Jiashu Yu,Liangfeng Shi,Xin Hou,Qian Xing,Xue Bai,Weiping Te 대한의학회 2011 Journal of Korean medical science Vol.26 No.2

This study investigated the relationship between serum thyrotrophin levels and dyslipidemia in subclinical hypothyroid and euthyroid subjects. A total of 110 subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism and 1,240 euthyroid subjects enrolled in this study. Patients with subclinical hypothyroidism had significantly lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels than those who were euthyroid. The lipid profiles were each categorized and mean thyrotrophin levels were higher in subjects in the dyslipidemia subclasses than subjects in the normal subclasses. Thyrotrophin was positively associated with serum triglyceride and negatively associated with serum HDL-C in women. Thyrotrophin was also positively associated with total cholesterol (TC) in the overweight population along with TC and LDL-C in overweight women. In the euthyroid population, thyrotrophin was positively associated with TC in the overweight population. In conclusion, serum thyrotrophin was correlated with dyslipidemia in subclinical hypothyroid and euthyroid subjects; the correlation was independent of insulin sensitivity.

A Decision Support System to Estimate the Carbon Emission and Cost of Product Designs

Jack C. P. Su,Chih-Hsing Chu,Yu-Te Wang 한국정밀공학회 2012 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

Due to the rising awareness of environmental protection, environmental impact of a product becomes an important design criterion. However, most companies do not have sufficient tools to evaluate the environmental impact of their designs. In this paper, a system to evaluate the carbon emission and cost of product designs is developed to help company determine which design to adopt. For a given design, the assembly structure, assembly sequence, and the supply chain configuration are optimized to minimize the carbon emission. An evolution based genetic algorithm is developed to search the assembly structure and sequence. A dynamic programming based algorithm is developed to optimize the supply chain configuration. To estimate the carbon emission, from cradle to gate life cycle assessment approach is adopted. A real world computer chair examples are used to illustrate the system.

Quality assessment of high performance concrete using digitized image elements

Sheng-Szu Peng,Her-Yung Wang,Yu-Te Chou,Edward H. Wang 사단법인 한국계산역학회 2012 Computers and Concrete, An International Journal Vol.10 No.4

The quality of high performance concrete largely depends on water cement ratio, porosity,material composition and mix methods. The uniformity of color, texture and compressive strengths are quality indicators commonly used to assess the overall characteristics of concrete mixes. The homogeneity and share of coarse aggregates play a key role in concrete quality and must be analyzed in a microscopic point of view. This research studies the quality of high performance concrete by taking drilled cores in both horizontal and vertical directions from a 1.0 m3 specimen. The coarse aggregate, expressed in digitized 100×116 dpi resolution images are processed based on brightness in colors through commercial software converted into text files. With the image converting to text format, the share of coarse aggregate is quantified leading to a satisfactory assessment of homogeneity – a quality index of high performance concrete. The compressive strengths of concrete and the shares of coarse aggregate of the samples are also compared in this research study to illustrate its correlation in concrete quality. It is concluded that a higher homogeneity of aggregate exists in the vertical plane than that of the horizontal planes of the high performance concrete. In addition, the concrete specimen showing denser particle packing has relatively higher compressive strengths. The research methodology provides an easy-to-use, direct measurement of high performance concrete when conducting quality assessment in the construction site.

Surgical Outcomes and Predictive Factors in Patients With Detrusor Underactivity Undergoing Bladder Outlet Obstruction Surgery

Ming-Syun Chuang,Yin-Chien Ou,Yu-Sheng Cheng,Kuan-Yu Wu,Chang-Te Wang,Yuan-Chi Huang,Yao-Lin Kao 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2024 International Neurourology Journal Vol.28 No.1

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of bladder outlet surgery in patients with detrusor underactivity (DU) and to identify factors associated with successful outcomes.Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of men diagnosed with DU in urodynamic studies who underwent bladder outlet surgery for lower urinary tract symptoms between May 2018 and April 2023. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire, uroflowmetry (UFM), and multichannel urodynamic studies were administered. Successful treatment outcomes were defined as either an IPSS improvement of at least 50% or the regaining of spontaneous voiding in patients urethral catheterization prior to surgery.Results: The study included 93 male patients. Men diagnosed with significant or equivocal bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) experienced significant postoperative improvements in IPSS (from 20.6 to 6.0 and from 17.4 to 6.5, respectively), maximum urine flow rate (from 5.0 mL/sec to 14.4 mL/sec and from 8.8 mL/sec to 12.2 mL/sec, respectively) and voiding efficiency (from 48.8% to 86.0% and from 61.2% to 85.1%, respectively). However, in the group without obstruction, the improvements in IPSS and UFM results were not significant. The presence of detrusor overactivity (odds ratio [OR], 3.152; P=0.025) and preoperative urinary catheterization (OR, 2.756; P=0.040) were associated with favorable treatment outcomes. Conversely, an unobstructed bladder outlet was identified as a negative prognostic factor.Conclusions: In men with DU accompanied by equivocal or significant BOO, surgical intervention to alleviate the obstruction may enhance the IPSS, quality of life, and UFM results. However, those with DU and an unobstructed bladder outlet face a comparatively high risk of treatment failure. Preoperative detrusor overactivity and urinary catheterization are associated with more favorable surgical outcomes. Consequently, active deobstructive surgery should be considered for patients with DU who are experiencing urinary retention. Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of bladder outlet surgery in patients with detrusor underactivity (DU) and to identify factors associated with successful outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of men diagnosed with DU in urodynamic studies who underwent bladder outlet surgery for lower urinary tract symptoms between May 2018 and April 2023. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire, uroflowmetry (UFM), and multichannel urodynamic studies were administered. Successful treatment outcomes were defined as either an IPSS improvement of at least 50% or the regaining of spontaneous voiding in patients urethral catheterization prior to surgery. Results: The study included 93 male patients. Men diagnosed with significant or equivocal bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) experienced significant postoperative improvements in IPSS (from 20.6 to 6.0 and from 17.4 to 6.5, respectively), maximum urine flow rate (from 5.0 mL/sec to 14.4 mL/sec and from 8.8 mL/sec to 12.2 mL/sec, respectively) and voiding efficiency (from 48.8% to 86.0% and from 61.2% to 85.1%, respectively). However, in the group without obstruction, the improvements in IPSS and UFM results were not significant. The presence of detrusor overactivity (odds ratio [OR], 3.152; P=0.025) and preoperative urinary catheterization (OR, 2.756; P=0.040) were associated with favorable treatment outcomes. Conversely, an unobstructed bladder outlet was identified as a negative prognostic factor. Conclusions: In men with DU accompanied by equivocal or significant BOO, surgical intervention to alleviate the obstruction may enhance the IPSS, quality of life, and UFM results. However, those with DU and an unobstructed bladder outlet face a comparatively high risk of treatment failure. Preoperative detrusor overactivity and urinary catheterization are associated with more favorable surgical outcomes. Consequently, active deobstructive surgery should be considered for patients with DU who are experiencing urinary retention.