Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the best choice for curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases not suitable for surgical intervention, but efforts should be made to reduce the risk ...of tumor recurrence. We aimed to investigate the association between nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) therapy for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the risk of HCC recurrence post‐RFA. Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between July 1, 2004 and December 31, 2012, we screened 48,807 patients with newly diagnosed HBV‐related HCC. We identified 850 patients (200 patients who used NAs for more than 90 days and 650 who never used NA post‐RFA) who received RFA as a potentially curative treatment for HCC. Patients in the NA‐treated cohort were randomly matched 1:2 with patients in the untreated cohort by age, sex, cirrhosis, and the time period between RFA and initiation of NA therapy. Finally, 133 patients were recruited in the NA‐treated group and 266 in the untreated group for analysis. Cumulative incidences of and hazard ratios (HRs) for HCC recurrence were analyzed after adjusting for competing mortality. The HCC recurrence rate of the NA‐treated group was significantly lower than that of the untreated group (2‐year recurrence rate: 41.8%; 95% confidence interval CI: 32.9‐50.6 vs. 54.3%; 95% CI: 48.0‐60.6; modified log‐rank test: P < 0.05). In modified Cox's regression analysis, NA therapy was independently associated with a decreased risk of HCC recurrence (HR, 0.69; 95% CI: 0.50‐0.95; P < 0.05). Multivariate stratified analyses verified the association of NA therapy and decreased HCC recurrence in almost all patient subgroups. Conclusion: NA therapy was associated with a decreased risk of HCC recurrence among patients with HBV‐related HCC post‐RFA. (Hepatology 2016;63:1517‐1527)
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ZnO nanowires were synthesized hydrothermally on a glass substrate, and then decorated with Pt nanoparticles to fabricate the working electrode for a non-enzymatic glucose biosensor. ...The Pt nanoparticles, acting as a catalyst, enhanced the biosensor’s glucose sensitivity 10-fold in comparison with the initial ZnO nanowires electrode. Under the UV and green LEDs, the respective wavelengths of which were 367nm and 539nm, the sensing current of the Pt-nanoparticle-decorated ZnO nanowires biosensors increased ∼4 times. These biosensors under UV and green illumination feature superior sensitivity (UV: 928.1μAcm−2mM−1, green: 123.0μAcm−2mM−1) than those reported in previous non-enzymatic glucose sensing studies. The performance of these non-enzymatic glucose-sensing biosensors was enhanced by reducing the Schottky barrier and localizing the surface plasmonic resonance effect under such illumination.
We assessed 22 selected endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) and other emerging, potentially endocrine-active compounds with estrogenic activity from the waters of the Wuluo River, southern Taiwan. ...This watershed receives high amounts of livestock and untreated household wastewaters. The river is surrounded by concentrated animal feedlot operations (CAFOs). River water samples were analyzed for selected compounds by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), T47D-KBluc reporter gene assay, and E-screen cell proliferation in vitro bioassay. Total concentrations of ∑alkylphenolic compounds (bisphenol A, 4-nonylphenol, t-nonylphenol, octylphenol, nonylphenol mono-ethoxylate, nonylphenol di-ethoxylate) were much higher than ∑estrogens (estrone, 17 β-estradiol, estriol, 17ß-ethynylestradiol, diethylstilbestrol), ∑preservatives (methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben), ∑UV-filters (benzophenone, methyl benzylidene camphor, benzophenone-3), ∑antimicrobials (triclocarben, triclosan, chloroxylenol), and an insect repellent (diethyltoluamide) over four seasonal sampling periods. The highest concentration was found for bisphenol A with a mean of 302 ng/L. However, its contribution to estrogenic activity was not significant due to its relatively low estrogenic potency. Lower detection rates were found for BP, EE2, TCS, and PCMX, while DES and EP were not detected. E1 and E2 levels in raw water samples were 50% higher than the predicted no-effect concentrations (PNEC) for aquatic organisms of 6 and 2 ng/L, respectively. The potency of estrogenic activity ranged from 11.7 to 190.1 ng/L E2T47D-Kbluc and 6.63 to 84.5 ng/L E2E-Screen for extracted samples. Importantly, estrone contributed 50% of the overall activity in 60% and 44% of the samples based on T47D-KBluc and MCF-7 bioassays, followed by 17 ß-estradiol, highlighting the importance of total steroid estrogen loading. This study demonstrates that the estrogenic activity of target chemicals was comparable to levels found in different countries worldwide. More intense wastewater treatment is required in areas of intensive agriculture in order to prevent adverse impacts on the ambient environment and aquatic ecosystems.
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•The presence of 22 emerging compounds was determined for an area containing intensive animal feedlot operations.•Estrogenic activity obtained from T47D-Kbluc assays on real samples was at much lower levels in pre-concentration extracts.•Highest contributions to estrogenic activity were due to the presence of estrone and 17ß-estradiol.•Estrogenic activity being underestimated may be due to conjugated estrogens or their metabolites being excluded.
The growth of ZnO nanowires (NWs) on a zinc oxide (ZnO)/textured crystalline-Si (c-Si) photovoltaic device via the hydrothermal method is investigated. The average length and diameter of the ZnO NWs ...are around 0.65μm and 70–100nm, respectively. Experimental results indicate that a ZnO/textured c-Si photovoltaic device with ZnO NWs has the lowest reflectance among the tested substrates, especially in the range of ultraviolet (UV) and green light (350nm to 590nm). Compared to SiNx/textured c-Si and ZnO/textured c-Si photovoltaic devices, the proposed device exhibits photovoltaic conversion efficiency improvements of around 7% and 6.3%, respectively. After encapsulation, the ZnO NWs/ZnO/textured c-Si photovoltaic device has the lowest drop in conversion efficiency. Furthermore, a small NW diameter increases light absorption.
The consumption of green tea has long been associated with a reduced risk of cancer development. (-)-Epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) or (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) are the major antioxidative ...polyphenolic compounds of green tea. They have been shown to exert growth-inhibitory potential of various cancer cells in culture and antitumor activity in vivo models. ECG or EGCG could interact with various molecules like proteins, transcription factors, and enzymes, which block multiple stages of carcinogenesis via regulating intracellular signaling transduction pathways. Moreover, ECG and EGCG possess pharmacological and physiological properties including induction of phase II enzymes, mediation of anti-inflammation response, regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis effects and prevention of tumor angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. Numerous review articles have been focused on EGCG, however none have been focused on ECG despite many studies supporting the cancer preventive potential of ECG. To develop ECG as an anticarcinogenic agent, more clear understanding of the cell signaling pathways and the molecular targets responsible for chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects are needed. This review summarizes recent research on the ECG-induced cellular signal transduction events which implicate in cancer management.
The ZnO nanowires (NWs) on a textured crystalline-silicon photovoltaic device as an anti-reflection layer (AR layer) have been optimized via a hydrothermal method. The better encapsulation material ...than ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) for the ZnO NWs AR layer has been investigated also. The best results were achieved the 300-nm long ZnO NWs as the AR layer on a 2.5 × 2.5-cm 2 area solar cell, with the efficiency (η) reaching up to 15.21%, with an FF of 72.71%, VOC of 0.57 V, JSC of 36.07mA. The foregoing cell was encapsulated with silicone with the efficiency up to 14.53 %.
In this work, we propose an electronic system-level (ESL) power estimation framework which can support several low power methodologies such as dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) and dynamic ...power management (DPM). Based on the proposed framework, designers can analyze the system power and develop the suitable low power strategies for different applications in the early design stage. The proposed framework had been applied to a heterogeneous multi-core platform. We rapidly characterized the required power models by using physical power measurement to construct the ESL power estimation environment. According to the experimental results, using the proposed framework can have quite accurate power estimation and correct power trend prediction in different voltage/frequency conditions. We also had demonstrated that the low power methodologies can be analyzed and simulated based on this framework.
碩士
國立嘉義大學
音樂學系
99
This thesis is a study of Frederick Chopin’s (1810-1849) piano work, Preludes Op. 28. Followed in the footsteps of Bach’s forty-eight Preludes and Fugues (The Well Tempered Clavier ...I, II), Chopin’ s preludes established a new level of importance as a traditional musical form. The twenty-four Preludes are composed of twelve major keys and minor keys. Each prelude is a complete independent sketch portraying the inner thoughts of the composer. Due to Chopin’s influence, the prelude’s role changed from that of a “supporting character” to that of a “leading character” and became an independent form of piano work.
This thesis includes five chapters. The first chapter outlines the research motivation, goals, ranges, and methods. Chapter two describes the development of the Preludes, as well as the historic background and the musical style of the work. Chapter three analyzes the twenty-four preludes, categorizing them into four groups, Etude form, Nocturne form, Funeral March, and other forms (Mazur
碩士
國立臺灣大學
物理研究所
95
The electric and optical properties of the effects of nitrogen doing on diamond-like carbon films are studied in this thesis. The resistivity, carrier concentration, and mobility ...of the samples are measured by Hall effect. Raman, Photoluminescence (PL), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies were used to analyze the structure and bonding of our samples.
We found that the electrical conduction of nitrogen doped diamond like carbon is due to the thermal activation of carriers into the extended states at high temperature and hopping conduction at low temperature. The resistivity and carrier concentration could be changed by doping with nitrogen but the doping efficiency is low and increasing flow rate of N2 during sample growth does not necessary yield higher electron concentration in the sample. The effect of annealing has a much better effect in decreasing the resistivity and in increasing the carrier concentration of the samples.
Raman measurements show that the fraction of sp
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