Search Results - (Author, Cooperation:S. C. Tsai)

2013-12-24

Nature Publishing Group (NPG)

0028-0836

1476-4687

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Medicine

Natural Sciences in General

Physics

Acyl Carrier Protein/*chemistry/*metabolism ; Binding Sites ; Catalytic Domain ; Cross-Linking Reagents/chemistry ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Escherichia coli/*chemistry ; Fatty Acid Synthase, Type II/chemistry/metabolism ; Fatty Acids/*biosynthesis ; Histidine/metabolism ; Hydro-Lyases/chemistry/metabolism ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Dynamics Simulation ; Protein Binding ; Protein Interaction Maps

1551-2916

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics

Physics

This paper presents new findings on ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of zirconium hydroxyl acetate precursor drops whose sizes were precisely measured using laser light diffraction technique. Precursor concentration plays a predominant role in determination of product particle size. At 0.01 wt% precursor concentration, conventional spray pyrolysis at 750°C using precursor drops 5–8 μm in diameter, generated by an ultrasonic nebulizer at 2.66 MHz, yielded uniform spherical yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles 73 nm in diameter measured by scanning electron microscopy. The YSZ particle diameters were much smaller than those predicted by the one-particle-per-drop mechanism. Under similar reaction conditions, the high-throughput ultrasound-modulated two-fluid (UMTF) spray pyrolysis of larger precursor drops (28-μm peak diameter) also yielded spherical dense particles; they were significantly smaller in size than those produced by the low-throughput conventional ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of smaller drops (6.8-μm peak diameter).

Electronic Resource

0926-6542

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect 1907 - 2002

Biology

Physics

Electronic Resource

0003-9861

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect 1907 - 2002

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Physics

Electronic Resource

0003-9861

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect 1907 - 2002

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Physics

Electronic Resource

0006-291X

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect 1907 - 2002

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Physics

Electronic Resource

0006-291X

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect 1907 - 2002

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Physics

Electronic Resource

0969-8043

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect 1907 - 2002

Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering

Electronic Resource

0304-4165

ADP-ribosylation ; AdP-ribosylation factor ; Adenylyl cyclase ; Cholera toxin ; Guanine nucleotide-binding protein

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect 1907 - 2002

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Medicine

Physics

Electronic Resource

1432-1750

Key words: Isoflurane—Technetium-99m diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid—Lung ventilation—Alveolar epithelial permeability.

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract. Fifteen patients undergoing surgery and receiving volatile anesthesia with isoflurane were enrolled as the study group. At the same time, 15 patients undergoing surgery with intravenous anesthesia drugs were included as a control group to compare each other. Before surgery, 1 h after surgery, and 1 week after surgery, we investigated these two groups of patients with technetium-99m–labeled diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid radioaerosol inhalation lung scan (DTPA lung scan), a test to evaluate lung ventilation (LV), which was evaluated by the first and equilibrium lung ventilation image and alveolar epithelial permeability (AP) which was evaluated by the half time (T1/2, minutes) of Tc-99m DTPA radioaerosol lung clearance. No significant change and abnormality of LV before surgery, 1 h after surgery, or 1 week after surgery was found in either group of patients. In addition, no significant change in AP before surgery (T1/2 = 64.0 ± 17.3 min), 1 h after surgery (64.5 ± 19.6 min), or 1 week after surgery (63.6 ± 17.6 min) was found among the control group patients (p values 〉 0.05). However, a significant transient increase in AP was found in the study group 1 h after surgery (71.7 ± 17.5 versus 51.2 ± 16.4 min), but it recovered 1 week after surgery (51.2 ± 16.4 versus 70.9 ± 16.0 min) (p values 〈 0.05). We conclude that volatile anesthesia with isoflurane can induce transient increase of AP.

Electronic Resource

1432-0827

Key words: Age — Bone mineral density — Chinese men.

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Biology

Medicine

Physics

Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of age on bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine for healthy Chinese men. In 430 healthy Chinese men (ages 20–92 years) living on Taiwan, BMD at the level of the 2nd to 4th lumbar vertebraes (L2–L4) was determined with a commercial dual-energy X-ray absorptiometer (DXA). Our study found that the peak BMD value of lumbar spines of healthy Chinese men was 1.056 ± 0.127 g/cm2 which occurs from age 20 to 29. The results show that a linear correlation between the age and BMD of lumbar vertebraes for healthy Chinese is notable. Only slight decreases of BMD values in the different age groups are found. In comparison with the normal data of white men and Asian men from Japan and Korea, the mean BMD values of lumbar spines of Chinese men seem to be lower than those of the white, Japanese, and Korean men of the same ages. Our findings indicate that the influence of age and ethnicity may exist in the BMD values for healthy Chinese males.

Electronic Resource

1432-0851

Key words: Prolactin – Preneoplasia – Lymphocyte function – IL-2

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract. We have previously shown that the immunoregulatory function of prolactin may play a role in the progression of the mouse mammary preneoplastic hyperplastic alveolar nodule (HAN) line C4 to carcinoma. In this study we investigated the direct effect of prolactin on lymphocytes isolated from normal and C4-HAN-bearing mice. In addition, we tested the effect of ovariectomy on prolactin/lymphocyte interaction to see whether, as has been reported in rats [Mukherjee P., Hymer W. C. (1992) Prog Neuroendocrinol Immunol 5: 108; Viselli S. M. et al. (1991) Endocrinology 129: 983], removal of estrogen would enhance the response to prolactin in mice. Proliferation of splenocytes, lymph node cells and HAN-infiltrating lymphocytes was stimulated by prolactin in a dose-responsive fashion. Ovariectomy did not alter this effect consistently. Cell-cycle analysis based on simultaneous staining of DNA and RNA revealed that prolactin-stimulated lymphocytes progress through all phases of the cell cycle whereas anti-prolactin antiserum inhibits this stimulation. Two-color flow-cytometric analysis revealed the time-dependent induction of interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor expression on both CD4+ and CD8+ cells by prolactin. Prolactin-treated lymphocytes also produced low yet detectable levels of bioactive IL-2 in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Prolactin enhanced lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogens and showed a marked synergism at suboptimal concentrations. Pretreatment of splenocytes from HAN bearers with a high concentration of prolactin slightly enhanced natural killer (NK) activity; anti-prolactin antiserum reduced the NK lytic activity of poly(I)·poly(C)-activated splenocytes from HAN-bearing mice. Our results provide direct experimental evidence for the stimulatory effect of prolactin on lymphocyte function and IL-2-mediated lymphocyte proliferation and suggest a mechanism linking the endocrine system to immunomediated enhancement of HAN progression.

Electronic Resource

1432-0851

Prolactin ; Preneoplasia ; Lymphocyte function ; IL-2

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract We have previously shown that the immunoregulatory function of prolactin may play a role in the progression of the mouse mammary preneoplastic hyperplastic alveolar nodule (HAN) line C4 to carcinoma. In this study we investigated the direct effect of prolactin on lymphocytes isolated from normal and C4-HAN-bearing mice. In addition, we tested the effect of ovariectomy on prolactin/lymphocyte interaction to see whether, as has been reported in rats [Mukherjee P., Hymer W. C. (1992) Prog Neuroendocrinol Immunol 5: 108; Viselli S. M. et al. (1991) Endocrinology 129: 983], removal of estrogen would enhance the response to prolactin in mice. Proliferation of splenocytes, lymph node cells and HAN-in-filtrating lymphocytes was stimulated by prolactin in a dose-responsive fashion. Ovariectomy did not alter this effect consistently. Cell-cycle analysis based on simultaneous staining of DNA and RNA revealed that prolactinstimulated lymphocytes progress through all phases of the cell cycle whereas anti-prolactin antiserum inhibits this stimulation. Two-color flow-cytometric analysis revealed the time-dependent induction of interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor expression on both CD4+ and CD8+ cells by prolactin. Prolactin-treated lymphocytes also produced low yet detectable levels of bioactive IL-2 in a dose-and time-dependent fashion. Prolactin enhanced lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogens and showed a marked synergism at suboptimal concentrations. Pretreatment of splenocytes from HAN bearers with a high concentration of prolactin slightly enhanced natural killer (NK) activity; anti-prolactin antiserum reduced the NK lytic activity of poly(I)-poly(C)-activated splenocytes from HAN-bearing mice. Our results provide direct experimental evidence for the stimulatory effect of prolactin on lymphocyte function and IL-2-mediated lymphocyte proliferation and suggest a mechanism linking the endocrine system to immunomediated enhancement of HAN progression.

Electronic Resource

1432-0509

Key words: Radioisotope penile plethysmography—Impotence.

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract. Nineteen impotent patients were included in the study. Radioisotope penile plethysmography using technetium-99m-labelled RBC was performed on each patient before and after intracavernosal injection of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) for quantitating the penile hemodynamic change. The peak penile blood flow (PPF) and penile blood volume change (dPV) were evaluated. The results revealed that (a) the PPF values (mean 2.24 ± 1.38 ml/min) of all patients were lower than that of the patients with no arterial changes previously reported, and (b) there was good correlation between PPF and dPV (r= 0.75). We conclude that quantitative radioisotope penile plethysmography coupled with intracavernosal injection of PGE1 is a valuable method for the objective evaluation of the penile erectile response of impotent patients, and that the PPF values of the impotent patients with arterial insufficiency might be a reliable parameter of penile volume change.

Electronic Resource

1432-0509

Key words: Scintigraphic gastric emptying study—Animal butter—Vegetable soybean oil.

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract Background: To determine whether vegetable fats cause a slower or quicker rate of gastric emptying (GE) than animal fats, we evaluated the effect of animal butter and vegetable soybean oil on solid-phase GE in patients with functional dyspepsia. Methods: Twenty-seven patients with functional dyspepsia were enrolled in this study. Radionuclide-labeled solid meals were used to evaluate GE. A study meal was composed of 206.8 kcal to 9.2 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, and 10 g fat (formula 1, with animal butter: 26.2% saturated palmitic acid, 29.1% unsaturated oleic acid, 3.5% linoleic acid, and 0.5% linolenic acid; formula 2, with vegetable soybean oil: 11.0% saturated palmitic acid, 23.4% unsaturated oleic acid, 53.7% linoleic acid, and 7.8% linolenic acid). Each patient received formulas 1 and 2 as study meals on separate days. GE was represented by the gastric retention ratio of the study meal at 90 min (RR90): RR90 = residual radioactivity within the region of interest (ROI) covering the entire stomach at 90 min ÷ the initial radioactivity within the ROI at 0 min. Results: The RR90 was 0.648 ± 0.156 for formula 1 and 0.600 ± 0.131 for formula 2. There was no significant difference for the RR99 between formulas 1 and 2 (paired Student's t test, p 〉 0.05). Of the 27 patients, 12 (44.4%) demonstrated an increased RR99 from formula 1 to formula 2, and the RR90 of remaining 15 (55.6%) patient decreased. In addition, neither the patients with increased RR90 nor those with decreased RR90 showed a difference of symptoms between the two study meals. Conclusion: Our data suggest that there is no difference between these two types of fat on gastric emptying.

Electronic Resource

1432-8798

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Summary Interferon (IFN) was measured in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of dogs after experimental (intranasal) infection with different strains of virulent canine distemper virus (CDV). Viral strains employed produce neurological changes in dogs that range from acute inflammatory to subacute, delayed demyelinating encephalomyelitis. With few exceptions, first appearance of serum-IFN correlated with the first elevated body temperature 4 days post-infection (p.i.). By 16 days p.i. IFN had disappeared from the serum of all infected dogs. In contrast, IFN was constantly detectable in CSF in dogs with CDV infection of the central nervous system (CNS). It was first detected 5 days p.i., was continuously detectable during the variable preclinical phase and into the period when signs of acute or delayed encephalomyelitis were evident. Dogs from which CDV would be retrieved from CNS tissue at necropsy always had CSF-IFN (up to 56 days p.i.). In contrast, dogs that recovered from infection, substantiated at necropsy by minimal, resolving CNS lesions and non-detectable virus, had IFN in CSF demonstrable for only a brief post-inoculation period. CSF-IFN appears to be a valid marker for CDV persistence in the canine CNS and may have broader applications.

Electronic Resource

1573-4889

18O diffusion ; massive Cr2O3 ; Cr2O3 scales ; ridge model

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics

Abstract The lattice and grain-boundary diffusion coefficients of18O atP O 2=0.1 atm and at 900°C were determined in massive Cr2O3 and in Cr2O3 scales which were grown on a Ni−30Cr alloy. The diffusion profiles were established by SIMS and analyzed considering two domains in the case of polycrystalline Cr2O3 (massive or scales), the first one relative to apparent diffusion and the second to grain-boundary diffusion. A ridge model is proposed for Cr2O3 scales to modify thef value, fraction of sites associated with the grain boundary. With such a model,f is equal to 0.0006 and 0.0005 for the scales formed during 15 hr and 165 hr, respectively. The oxygen-lattice diffusion coefficients determined in Cr2O3 scales are in very good agreement with those in massive Cr2O3. With some assumptions, our diffusion data lead to a calculated parabolic oxidation constant equal to the experimental one. Scale growth occurs by countercurrent diffusion of oxygen and chromium, mainly by grain-boundary diffusion.

Electronic Resource

1573-4811

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics

Electronic Resource

1573-7276

breast cancer ; dormancy ; growth stimulation ; host stromal cells ; immunosuppression

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

This review examines the evidence that a subset of patients with breast cancer have tumors that are stimulated to grow by host cells in the tumor stroma. The search for such a minority group was prompted by the following observations. Adjuvant chemotherapy which is immunosuppressive improves disease-free interval and survival, whereas non-specific immunostimulation worsens the prognosis. Intrinsic immune reactivity is associated with a poor prognosis. A subset of tumors with a bad prognosis has anaplastic cells, dermal lymphatic invasion and a moderate to intense lymphoplasmacytic stromal infiltrate. Evidence is reviewed that adjuvant chemotherapy may be beneficial by virtue of its immunosuppressive effects in addition to tumor kill of minimal residual disease.

Electronic Resource

1573-8248

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition

Résumé Une combinaison d'Elodea densa (Planchon)Caspary et d'un filtre à graviers a été employée dans un système fermé pour élever la planaire prédatrice de moustiques,Dugesia dorotocephala (Woodworth). La population du prédateur a augmenté de 88 fois en 95 jours par scissiparité. La filtration a amélioré la production de 270%. Dans les lots non filtrés, l'eau s'infectait et la reproduction deDugesia a cessé après 65 jours. La cause de la réduction était probablement l'accumulation de l'azote des déjections: 0,22 contre 0,02 ppm de nitrite, 2,2 contre 0,8 ppm d'ammoniaque et 16 contre 3,3 ppm de nitrate dans les variantes non filtrées et filtrées, respectivement. L'oxygène dissous a diminué jusqu'à 1,8 ppm dans l'eau non filtrée, mais est resté sursaturé à 8,8 ppm dans le cas de filtration, à cause de l'activité de la colonie d'Elodea. Une quantité plus importante d'oxygène dissous permettait une meilleure oxydation des nitrites par les bactéries du filtre. Les planaires pouvaient être amenées à la surface de l'eau en arrêtant la filtration pour 24 heures, ce qui facilitait la récolte. Le stockage prolongé des planaires mûres dans l'eau d'irrigation à 10°C a provoqué une mortalité seulement de 10% après 6 mois mais a causé une diminution de 2,5 fois de la longueur du corps.

Abstract An aquatic plant,Elodea densa (Planchon)Caspary, and gravel filter combination was employed in a closed system to rear the planarian mosquito predator,Dugesia dorotocephala (Woodworth). The predator population increased 88 times in 95 days by fission. Filtration improved yields 270%. In unfiltered units the water fouled andDugesia reproduction ceased after 65 days. The reduction was probably caused by accumulating nitrogenous wastes: 0.22 vs 0.02 ppm nitrite-N, 2.2 vs 0.8 ppm ammonia-N, and 16 vs 3.3 ppm for nitrate-N in unfiltered and filtered replicates, respectively, The dissolved O2 decreased to 1.8 ppm in the unfiltered water, but remained supersaturated at 8.8 ppm with filtration through the activity of theElodea colony. The higher dissolved O2 permitted greater nitrite oxidation by bacteria inhabiting the filter bed. Planaria could be induced to rise to the water surface by halting filtration for 24 h, which facilitated harvesting. Prolonged storage of mature planarians in irrigation water at 10°C resulted in only a 10% mortality after 6 months, but caused a 2.5-fold decrease in body length.

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