The Presence of Borrelia valaisiana-Related Genospecies in Ticks and a Rodent in Taiwan

Chun-Man Huang,Hsi-Chieh Wang,Ying-Chun Lin,Shih-Hui Chiu,Ying-Shun Kao,Pei-Lung Lee,Hsiu-I Wang,Ruei-Chen Hung,Huang-I Chan,Ho-Sheng Wu,Chuen-Sheue Chiang,Jung-Jung Mu 한국미생물학회 2010 The journal of microbiology Vol.48 No.6

A field survey was conducted to investigate the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) in six counties of Taiwan. Spirochetes were successfully isolated from one rodent ear sample out of 485 rodent ears and 53live, fed tick (Ixodes granulatus) samples. The spirochetes were confirmed to be B. burgdorferi s.l. by real-time PCR. In addition, 23 of 113 tick samples were tested positive for Borrelia DNA according to real-time PCR. The Borrelia isolate from the rodent and the 23 Borrelia DNA samples from the ticks were identified as B. valaisiana-related genospecies by phylogenetic analysis based on flagellin gene sequences. These findings suggest that the Borrelia valaisiana-related strains are maintained in a zoonotic cycle between tick vectors and reservoir hosts in Taiwan.

A retrospective analysis of 20-year data of the surgical management of ulcerative colitis patients in Taiwan: a study of Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

( Chun-chi Lin ),( Shu-chen Wei ),( Been-ren Lin ),( Wen-sy-tsai ),( Jinn-shiun Chen ),( Tzu-chi Hsu ),( Wei-chen Lin ),( Tien-yu Huang ),( Te-hsin Chao ),( Hung-hsin Lin ),( Jau-min Wong ),( Jen-kou 대한장연구학회 2016 Intestinal Research Vol.14 No.3

Background/Aims: With the recent progress in medical treatment, surgery still plays a necessary and important role in treating ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. In this study, we analyzed the surgical results and outcomes of UC in Taiwan in the recent 20 years, via a multi-center study through the collaboration of Taiwan Society of IBD. Methods: A retrospective analysis of surgery data of UC patients from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2014, in 6 Taiwan major medical centers was conducted. The patients’ demographic data, indications for surgery, and outcome details were recorded and analyzed. Results: The data of 87 UC patients who received surgical treatment were recorded. The median post-operative follow-up duration was 51.1 months and ranged from 0.4 to 300 months. The mean age at UC diagnosis was 45.3±16.0 years and that at operation was 48.5±15.2 years. The 3 leading indications for surgical intervention were uncontrolled bleeding (16.1%), perforation (13.8%), and intractability (12.6%). In total, 27.6% of surgeries were performed in an emergency setting. Total or subtotal colectomy with rectal preservation (41.4%) was the most common operation. There were 6 mortalities, all due to sepsis. Emergency operation and low pre-operative albumin level were significantly associated with poor survival (P =0.013 and 0.034, respectively). Conclusions: In the past 20 years, there was no significant change in the indications for surgery in UC patients. Emergency surgeries and low pre-operative albumin level were associated with poor survival. Therefore, an optimal timing of elective surgery for people with poorly controlled UC is paramount.

Treatment outcomes of patients with stage II pure endometrioid-type endometrial cancer: a Taiwanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (TGOG-2006) retrospective cohort study

Hung-Chun Fu,Jen-Ruei Chen,Min-Yu Chen,Keng-Fu Hsu,Wen-Fang Cheng,An Jen Chiang,Yu-Min Ke,Yu-Chieh Chen,Yin-Yi Chang,Chia-Yen Huang,Chieh-Yi Kang,Yuan-Yee Kan,Sheng-Mou Hsiao,Ming-Shyen Yen 대한부인종양학회 2018 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.29 No.5

Objective: Choice of hysterectomy and adjuvant treatment for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2009 stage II endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) is still controversial. Aims of this study were to evaluate survival benefits and adverse effects of different hysterectomies with or without adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), and to identify prognostic factors. Methods: The patients at 14 member hospitals of the Taiwanese Gynecologic Oncology Group from 1992 to 2013 were retrospectively investigated. Patients were divided into simple hysterectomy (SH) alone, SH with RT, radical hysterectomy (RH) alone, and RH with RT groups. Endpoints were recurrence-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), adverse effects and prognostic factors for survival. Results: Total of 246 patients were enrolled. The 5-year RFS, OS, DSS and recurrence rates for the entire cohort were 89.5%, 94.3%, 96.2% and 10.2%, respectively. Patients receiving RH had more adverse effects including blood loss (p<0.001), recurrent urinary tract infections (p=0.013), and leg lymphedema (p=0.038). Age over 50-year (HR=9.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–70.9) and grade 3 histology (HR=7.28; 95% CI, 1.45–36.6) were independent predictors of OS. Grade 3 histology was an independent predictor of RFS (HR=5.13; 95% CI, 1.38–19.1) and DSS (HR=5.97; 95% CI, 1.06–58.7). Patients receiving adjuvant RT had lower locoregional recurrence (p=0.046), but no impact on survival. Conclusion: Different treatment modalities yield similar survival outcomes. Patients receiving SH with RT had lower locoregional recurrent with acceptable morbidity. Age and tumor grading remained significant predictors for survival among patients with FIGO 2009 stage II EEC.

Lactoferrin Increases Antioxidant Activities and Ameliorates Hepatic Fibrosis in Lupus-Prone Mice Fed with a High-Cholesterol Diet

Hung-An Chen,Chun-Ching Chiu,Chih-Yang Huang,Li-Jeng Chen,Chun-Chou Tsai,Tsai-Ching Hsu,Bor-Show Tzang 한국식품영양과학회 2016 Journal of medicinal food Vol.19 No.7

Lactoferrin (LF) has beneficial effects against various diseases. However, the effects of LF on liver fibrosis in systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are unknown. In this study, NZB/W F1 mice were utilized to investigate the effects of LF on SLE. Experiments reveal that LF significantly increases glutathione and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl levels and significantly decreased malondialdehyde levels in both serum and liver in NZB/W F1 mice. LF also lowered matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and liver inflammatory indices, such as aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Notably, significantly decreased expression of fibrotic related molecules, including transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and TGF-β1 receptor, were observed in the livers of NZB/W F1 mice that had been treated with LF. Significantly, suppressed Smad2/3 signaling, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen deposition were also detected. These findings reveal that LF has beneficial effects on SLE by increasing antioxidant activities and ameliorating liver inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting the therapeutic effectiveness of LF against SLE.

HUA ENHANCER1 Is Involved in Posttranscriptional Regulation of Positive and Negative Regulators in <i>Arabidopsis</i> Photomorphogenesis

Tsai, Huang-Lung,Li, Yi-Hang,Hsieh, Wen-Ping,Lin, Meng-Chun,Ahn, Ji Hoon,Wu, Shu-Hsing American Society of Plant Biologists 2014 The Plant cell Vol.26 No.7

<P>This work reports that the expression of <I>HEN1</I>, a small regulatory RNA methyltransferase essential for microRNA biogenesis, is activated by light signaling pathways to regulate <I>Arabidopsis</I> photomorphogenesis. The expression of positive (<I>HY5</I>) and negative (<I>TCPs</I>) regulators is tuned by miR157d and miR319, respectively, in deetiolating seedlings, demonstrating a posttranscriptional control in the photomorphogenic development.</P>

Echocardiographic parameters and indices in 23 healthy Maltese dogs

Chih-Hung Tsai,Chao-Chun Huang,Chia Chi Ho,Marta Claretti 대한수의학회 2021 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.22 No.5

Background: Echocardiography is a primary tool used by veterinarians to evaluate heart diseases. In recent years, various studies have targeted standard echocardiographic values for different breeds. Reference data are currently lacking in Maltese dogs and it is important to fill this gap as this breed is predisposed to myxomatous mitral valve disease, which is a volume overload disease. Objectives: To establish the normal echocardiographic parameters for Maltese dogs. Methods: In total, 23 healthy Maltese dogs were involved in this study. Blood pressure measurements, thoracic radiography, and complete transthoracic echocardiography were performed. The effects of body weight, age and sex were evaluated, and the correlations between weight and linear and volumetric dimensions were calculated by regression analysis. Results: The mean vertebral heart size was 9.1 ± 0.4. Aside from the ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and the left atrial to aorta root ratio, all the other echocardiographic parameters were significantly correlated with weight. Conclusion: This study describes normal echocardiographic parameters that may be useful in the echocardiographic evaluation of Maltese dogs.

Where Are Landscape Designers' Spatial Abilities in the Brain? An fMRI Study

Shih-Han Hung,Chia-Yi Huang,Tsung-Ren Huang,Shih-An Tang,Yu-Ping Tsai,Chun-YenChang 인간식물환경학회 2023 인간식물환경학회지 Vol.26 No.5

Background and objective: To effectively understand and communicate their work, landscape designers should possessexcellent spatial abilities. Neurological methods have confirmed that activation of the occipital lobe, parietal cortex, andprefrontal cortex affect the judgment of space; however, few studies have measured spatial abilities in landscape design. This study aimed to identify the potential role of various brain regions during spatial interpretation processes by landscapedesigners, particularly the effect of stimulating the frontal lobe on enhancing design capabilities. Methods: This study tested the spatial abilities of landscape designers when transforming a planar drawing into a sectionaldrawing and the brain regions activated in this process. The subjects were asked to identify the correct option whenmatching given section lines in a planar drawing. The correct answer rate and response time were used to score brainactivation during spatial task processes. A total of 16 valid subjects were divided into high- and low-accuracy groupsaccording to the correct answer rate. Results: The results for the high-accuracy group showed that the left inferior frontal gyrus was activated during spatialdesign tasks. In contrast, the findings for the low-accuracy group revealed that the left middle occipital gyrus was activatedfor processing visual information. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the frontal lobe plays a role in allowing landscape designers to make planar tocross-sectional inferences via mental rotations and categorical spatial relations. The findings offer implications forlandscape designers in stimulating the frontal lobe and enhancing their design capabilities.

Clinical and Histologic Features of Patients with Biopsy-Proven Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease

( Shang-chin Huang ),( Hau-jyun Su ),( Jia-horng Kao ),( Tai-chung Tseng ),( Hung-chih Yang ),( Tung-hung Su ),( Pei-jer Chen ),( Chun-jen Liu ) 대한간학회 2021 Gut and Liver Vol.15 No.3

Background/Aims: Fatty liver disease is defined as a cluster of diseases with heterogeneous etiologies, and its definition continues to evolve. The novel conceptional criteria for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) were proposed in 2020 to avoid the exclusion of a certain subpopulation, but their evaluations have been limited. We aimed to examine and compare the clinical as well as histologic features of MAFLD versus nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with biopsy-proven hepatic steatosis. Methods: From January 2009 to December 2019, 175 patients with histology-proven hepatic steatosis and 10 with cryptogenic cirrhosis who were treated at National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, were enrolled. Patients were classified into different groups according to the diagnostic criteria of MAFLD and NAFLD. The clinical and histologic features were then analyzed and compared. Results: In total, 76 patients (41.1%) were diagnosed with both MAFLD and NAFLD, 81 patients (43.8%) were diagnosed with MAFLD alone, nine patients (4.9%) were diagnosed with NAFLD alone, and 19 patients (10.3%) were diagnosed with neither. Those with MAFLD alone exhibited a higher degree of disease severity regarding histology and laboratory data than those with NAFLD alone. Advanced fibrosis was associated with the presences of hepatitis B virus infection and metabolic diseases. Conclusions: The novel diagnostic criteria for MAFLD include an additional 38.9% of patients with hepatic steatosis and can better help identify those with a high degree of disease severity for early intervention than can the previous NAFLD criteria. (Gut Liver 2021;15:451-458)

Estimation of channel MSE for ATSC 3.0 receiver and its applications

Yu-Sun Liu,Chun-Hung Huang,Shingchern D. You 한국통신학회 2022 ICT Express Vol.8 No.2

In this paper, we propose a method to estimate the mean square error (MSE) of the estimated channel for ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) 3.0 systems. When combining the channel MSE and noise variance, we can better estimate the a priori LLR (log likelihood ratio) for the sum–product algorithm. The experimental results show that doing so yields better BER (bit error rate) performance in the 0 dB echo channel. The improvement in the 2-D channel estimation is about 0.2 dB. In the 1-D estimation case, the proposed approach is essential to decode codewords.

Enhanced Phase Relaxation in a Hybrid Ferromagnet/Semiconductor System

Kuang Yao Chen,Chun-Kai Yang,N. Aoki,Y. Ochiai,Y. Ujiie,K. A. Cheng,Li-Hung Lin,C. F. Huang,Yu-Ru Li,Yen Shung Tseng,Po-Tsun Lin,Jau-Yang Wu,Sheng-Di Lin,C.-T. Liang 한국물리학회 2009 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.55 No.1

Hybrid ferromagnet/semiconductor systems have been the focus of considerable attention because of the transport properties of two-dimensional electron systems and their potential applications to magnetic storage and sensing devices. We use the weak localization effect to probe the dephasing mechanism at low temperatures. In our study, the zero-temperature phase-relaxation rate can be enhanced in a hybrid ferromagnet/semiconductor system, which may be due to the inhomogeneous magnetic field emanating from the Ni film. The result may improve understanding of the issue of zero-temperature dephasing in disordered systems. Hybrid ferromagnet/semiconductor systems have been the focus of considerable attention because of the transport properties of two-dimensional electron systems and their potential applications to magnetic storage and sensing devices. We use the weak localization effect to probe the dephasing mechanism at low temperatures. In our study, the zero-temperature phase-relaxation rate can be enhanced in a hybrid ferromagnet/semiconductor system, which may be due to the inhomogeneous magnetic field emanating from the Ni film. The result may improve understanding of the issue of zero-temperature dephasing in disordered systems.