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Chang Chien SW, Wang MC, Huang CC. Reactions of compost-derived humic substances with lead, copper, cadmium, and zinc. CHEMOSPHERE 2006; 64:1353-61. [PMID: 16490235 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.12.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2005] [Revised: 12/07/2005] [Accepted: 12/19/2005] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Thermodynamic stability constants of the formation of complexes from the reactions of humic substances with various metals are usually used as parameters to judge the reactivities of both humic substances and metals. However, in calculating the thermodynamic stability constants, complicated processes for the acquisition of activities of components in reactions are absolutely inevitable. In this study, we investigated the average conditional concentration quotients of the complexes formed from the reaction of metals with humic substances and the relations of these quotients to thermodynamic stability constants. The characterized humic substances including HA (MW>1,000), FA (MW>1,000), and FA (MW<1,000) extracted from a swine compost were prepared to react with Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn at 25 degrees C and at pH 4.00 and 6.50. Reactions of HA (MW>1,000), FA (MW>1,000), and FA (MW<1,000) with the four metals were carried out at 1:0.1, 1:0.5, 1:1, 1:5, and 1:10 ligand:metal stoichiometry. The concentrations of the free ions of Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn in the reaction systems of metal-HA suspensions and metal-FA solutions were measured by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The sequence of the average conditional concentration quotients of the formed complexes from the reaction of humic substances with metals was FA(MW<1,000)>FA(MW>1,000)>HA(MW>1,000), showing the relative reactivities of the fractions of swine compost-derived humic substances. The sequence of reacting metals with humic substances was Pb>Cu>Cd>Zn, which is in good agreement with the sequence reported by judging the thermodynamic stability constants. The average conditional concentration quotients of the formed complexes from the reaction of humic substances with metals were thus useful parameters that can be directly related to thermodynamic stability constants and other parameters.
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102
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Veum M, Blees MK, Voshell N, Nguyen HT, Huang CC. Role of molecular weight and phase sequence in the temperature variation of film tension above the bulk isotropic transition in freestanding liquid-crystal films. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2006; 74:011703. [PMID: 16907107 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.74.011703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2006] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Building upon our previous report [Veum, Phys. Rev. E 17, 020701(R) (2005)] involving two compounds, we have performed a systematic study of the temperature variation of film tension above the bulk isotropic transition in freestanding films to include a total of six smectic liquid-crystal compounds. Consistent with the previous results, the tension increases sharply with temperature above the transition, the tension-temperature slope is proportional to the film's thickness, and the data can be interpreted in the context of theoretical models for layer thinning. Our data suggest that both molecular weight and bulk phase appearing below its isotropic phase play important roles in the slope values.
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Panov VP, McCoy BK, Liu ZQ, Vij JK, Goodby JW, Huang CC. Investigations of nanoscale helical pitch in smectic-C*alpha and smectic-C* phases of a chiral smectic liquid crystal using differential optical reflectivity measurements. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2006; 74:011701. [PMID: 16907105 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.74.011701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2006] [Revised: 05/16/2006] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Differential optical reflectivity (DOR) was used to study the temperature dependence of the short helical pitch in freestanding films of a liquid crystal compound. The experimentally measured DOR signal was fitted using Berreman's 4 x 4 matrix method to get the pitch value in the smectic-C*alpha (sMC*alpha) phase. The results show continuous evolution of the pitch between the smectic-C*alpha and sMC*alpha phases. In sMC*alpha, the pitch decreases as temperature increases and is found to level off at 16+/-1 smectic layers at the sMC*alpha to smectic-A* transition.
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104
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Huang CW, Hsieh YJ, Huang CC, Tsai JJ. Non-ketotic hyperglycaemia-related paroxysmal bilateral hand paraesthesia misdiagnosed as diabetic neuropathy. Neurol Sci 2006; 27:180-2. [PMID: 16897631 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-006-0665-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2006] [Accepted: 05/17/2006] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Non-ketotic hyperglycaemia (NKH)-related partial seizure disorders are not uncommon in clinical practice but still deserve attention as they significantly affect neurologic outcome if unnoticed. The atypical presentation of sensorimotor symptoms can be seen in this setting, with paroxysmal character as the rule. Atypical manifestations could cause confusion and might lead to improper diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of inadequately controlled diabetes mellitus and NKH presenting as paroxysmal paraesthesia of both hands, which was misdiagnosed as diabetic neuropathy.
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105
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Kao PH, Huang CC, Hseu ZY. Response of microbial activities to heavy metals in a neutral loamy soil treated with biosolid. CHEMOSPHERE 2006; 64:63-70. [PMID: 16403552 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2005] [Revised: 10/27/2005] [Accepted: 11/11/2005] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Application of biosolid on land has been widespread in numerous countries for last several decades. This study performed incubation experiments by mixing a neutral loamy soil and biosolid enriched in Cu, Pb and Zn to explore how heavy metal affects soil mineralization and microbial biomass. The experimental results indicated that large nutrient, microorganism and C sources from biosolid were beneficial to microbial respiration. However, compared to the biosolid alone treatment, the supplemented Cu, Pb and Zn in biosolid reduced the mineralized C by roughly 36%. This phenomenon was probably caused by a portion of the Cu, Pb and Zn being complexed with organic matter to prevent decomposition of organic carbon by microorganisms. Equally, soil treated with biosolid increased the quantity of mineralized N by approximately five-fold and accelerated the rate of N mineralization by about one-fold compared to untreated soil. Notably, addition of heavy metals impaired the mineralization process, particularly when Pb reached about 64%. The reduced N mineralization occurred for similar reasons to the microbial respiration. The addition of biosolid in soil considerably increased the amount of mineralizable N; however, the increase was lower in biosolid-treated soil spiked by heavy metals. The addition of heavy metals in the soil-biosolid mixture clearly reduced the microbial biomasses C (MBC) and N (MBN), indicating that the microbial activities had been disrupted by the heavy metals. The microbial biomass C/N ratio had changed initially from 8 to 13 at the end of incubation period, owing to various groups of microbes expressing different mechanisms of metabolism, indicating that the microbial population had changed from bacteria to fungi, which had higher metal tolerance.
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106
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Ke WC, Fu CP, Huang CC, Ku CS, Lee L, Chen CY, Tsai WC, Chen WK, Lee MC, Chou WC, Lin WJ, Cheng YC. Optical properties and carrier dynamics of self-assembled GaN/Al(0.11)Ga(0.89)N quantum dots. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2006; 17:2609-2613. [PMID: 21727512 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/17/10/027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
GaN quantum dots were grown on an Al(0.11)Ga(0.89)N buffer layer by using flow rate modulation epitaxy. The Stranski-Krastanov growth mode was identified by an atomic force microscopy study. The thickness of the wetting layer is about 7.2 monolayers. The temperature dependent photoluminescence studies showed that at low temperature the localization energy, which accounts for de-trapping of excitons, decreases with the reducing dot size. The decrease in emission efficiency at high temperature is attributed to the activation of carriers from the GaN dot to the nitrogen vacancy (V(N)) state of the Al(0.11)Ga(0.89)N barrier layer. The activation energy decreases with reducing dot size.
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McCoy BK, Liu ZQ, Wang ST, Panov VP, Vij JK, Goodby JW, Huang CC. Surface-induced multiple reentrant transitions. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2006; 73:041704. [PMID: 16711824 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.73.041704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2005] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
We have studied tilted surface layers in the bulk SmA temperature window of one liquid crystal using null transmission ellipsometry. Five distinct nonplanar surface structures were observed. We present analyses of the tilt and azimuthal profiles of the structures and examine the transitions between the structures. The transitions are identified as a double reentrant synclinic-anticlinic-synclinic-anticlinic transition. Meanwhile, the transitions also display reentrant ferroelectric-antiferroelectric-ferroelectric behavior.
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108
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Wang HP, Huang CC, Chen CH, Lin HY. Weber–Christian disease presenting with intractable fever and periorbital swelling mimicking angioedema. Clin Rheumatol 2006; 26:1002-4. [PMID: 16550303 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-006-0235-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2006] [Revised: 01/24/2006] [Accepted: 01/24/2006] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A 22-year-old male patient with Weber-Christian disease (WCD) presenting with periorbital swelling is a very rare occurrence. Lobular panniculitis in the periorbital and anterior tibial skin was diagnosed in this patient, based on the histological findings from biopsy specimens. The differential diagnosis was done before administering systemic corticosteroid. A dramatic response was achieved several days later, but relapse with intractable fever occurred 1 month later. The use of other immunosuppressive agents failed, and he died of septic shock 2 months later. The preceding infection may have been the immunopathologic factor in the development of WCD. Other effective treatments for WCD may be described in the future.
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109
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Wang ST, Liu ZQ, McCoy BK, Pindak R, Caliebe W, Nguyen HT, Huang CC. Optical and resonant X-ray diffraction studies confirm a SmC*FI2-SmC* liquid crystal phase sequence reversal. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2006; 96:097801. [PMID: 16606316 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.96.097801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2005] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Employing both null transmission ellipsometry and resonant x-ray diffraction, we confirmed the SmC*FI2-SmC* phase sequence reversal in one liquid crystal compound and specially prepared binary mixtures. This phase sequence reversal was predicted by two recent theoretical advances. Moreover, the temperature range for the SmC*FI2 phase increases significantly in the mixture suggesting that such a phase sequence may exist in other compounds.
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110
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Hwang IS, Huang CC, Sul JH, Huang CT, Wang CH, Young MS. The effects of weight load and joint immobilization on reorganization of postural tremor. ELECTROMYOGRAPHY AND CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY 2006; 46:67-77. [PMID: 16795996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
To investigate change in coordinative strategies due to wrist immobilization and index loading, postural tremors from the index, hand, and forearm were recorded during different postural holding tasks. The wrist joint was immobilized with a thermoplastic splint in the constrained condition, and a copper mass of 100 grams was applied to the index finger in the loaded condition. The structures of the postural tremors of all upper limb segments among the unloaded-unconstrained, unloaded-constrained, loaded-unconstrained, and loaded-constrained conditions were compared. Index loading exaggerated index/forearm postural tremor, while the load-induced tremor enhancement was no longer evident for wrist immobilization. In the unloaded condition, wrist immobilization resulted specifically in enhancement of carpal postural tremor, rather than in the index and forearm. Index loading induced a marked tremor peak and relative power in the range of 5-8 Hz. Wrist immobilization potentiated the carpal tremor peak of 1-4 Hz in association with enhancement of carpal-forearm mechanical coupling. In light of structural changes in postural tremor, our data suggest that (1) a wrist splint is effective to counteract load-induced enhancement of postural tremor, and (2) freezing of the wrist joint might facilitate compensatory strategies to minimize passive fluctuation transmission from the carpal to index.
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Chen YC, Tsai MH, Ho YP, Hsu CW, Lin HH, Fang JT, Huang CC, Chen PC. Comparison of the severity of illness scoring systems for critically ill cirrhotic patients with renal failure. Clin Nephrol 2005; 61:111-8. [PMID: 14989630 DOI: 10.5414/cnp61111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mortality rates of cirrhotic patients with renal failure admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) are high. End-stage liver disease is frequently complicated by disturbances of renal function. This investigation is aimed to compare the predicting ability of acute physiology, age, chronic health evaluation II and III (APACHE II and III), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and Child-Pugh scoring systems, obtained on the first day of ICU admission, for hospital mortality in critically ill cirrhotic patients with renal failure. METHODS Sixty-seven patients with liver cirrhosis and renal failure were admitted to ICU from April 2001-March 2002. Information considered necessary for computing the Child-Pugh, SOFA, APACHE II and APACHE III score on the first day of ICU admission was prospectively collected. RESULTS The overall hospital mortality rate was 86.6%. Liver disease was most commonly attributed to hepatitis B viral infection. The development of renal failure was associated with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding. Goodness-of-fit was good for SOFA, APACHE II and APACHE III scores. The APACHE III and SOFA models reported good areas under receiver operating characteristic curve (0.878 +/- 0.050 and 0.868 +/- 0.051, respectively). CONCLUSION Renal failure is common in critically ill patients with cirrhosis. The prognosis for cirrhotic patients with renal failure is poor. APACHE III and SOFA showed excellent discrimination power in this group of patients. They are superior to APACHE II and Child-Pugh scores in this homogenous group of patients.
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112
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Hseu ZY, Huang CC. Nitrogen mineralization potentials in three tropical soils treated with biosolids. CHEMOSPHERE 2005; 59:447-454. [PMID: 15763098 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2003] [Revised: 10/14/2004] [Accepted: 10/22/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
This study attained anaerobic biosolids (DS) and aerobic biosolids (MS) from the wastewater treatment plants in Kaohsiung and Taipei, Taiwan. Three tropical soils (Lt, Cp and Ca) were selected for incubation with the two biosolids at application rates of 10, 50 and 100 Mg ha(-1) for 48 weeks. This study aims to characterize the influence of the application of biosolids on the soil potential for N mineralization (N0) and also to elucidate the kinetics of N mineralization in tropical soils treated with different biosolids. Experimental results indicate that the amounts of N mineralized accumulated in the biosolids-treated soils during the incubation period tended to match the first-order kinetics calculated by the nonlinear least squares equation. The N0 values of the MS biosolids-treated soils greatly exceeded those of the DS soils. The rates of N mineralization (k) of the DS biosolids-treated soils varied greatly from 0.047 to 0.075 week(-1) and that of the MS soils varied from 0.047 to 0.105 week(-1). Little of the organic N fraction in the biosolids remained available for further mineralization following 48 weeks of incubation. Based on the demand of N uptake by vegetables grown in Taiwanese soils, the rates of biosolids application to the soils are safe, as determined by the amount of N mineralization that does not cause nitrate accumulation.
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Badagnani I, Chan W, Castro RA, Brett CM, Huang CC, Stryke D, Kawamoto M, Johns SJ, Ferrin TE, Carlson EJ, Burchard EG, Giacomini KM. Functional analysis of genetic variants in the human concentrative nucleoside transporter 3 (CNT3; SLC28A3). THE PHARMACOGENOMICS JOURNAL 2005; 5:157-65. [PMID: 15738947 DOI: 10.1038/sj.tpj.6500303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The human concentrative nucleoside transporter, CNT3 (SLC28A3), plays an important role in mediating the cellular entry of a broad array of physiological nucleosides and synthetic anticancer nucleoside analog drugs. As a first step toward understanding the genetic basis for interindividual differences in the disposition and response to antileukemic nucleoside analogs, we examined the genetic and functional diversity of CNT3. In all, 56 variable sites in the exons and flanking intronic region of SLC28A3 were identified in a collection of 270 DNA samples from US populations (80 African-Americans, 80 European-Americans, 60 Asian-Americans, and 50 Mexican-Americans). Of the 16 coding region variants, 12 had not been previously reported. Also, 10 resulted in amino-acid changes and three of these had total allele frequencies of >/=1%. Nucleotide diversity (pi) at nonsynonymous and synonymous sites was estimated to be 1.81 x 10(4) and 18.13 x 10(4), respectively, suggesting that SLC28A3 is under negative selection. All nonsynonymous variants, constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, transported purine and pyrimidine model substrates, except for c. 1099G>A (p. Gly367Arg). This rare variant alters an evolutionarily conserved site in the putative substrate recognition domain of CNT3. The presence of three additional evolutionarily conserved glycine residues in the vicinity of p. Gly367Arg that are also conserved in human paralogs suggest that these glycine residues are critical in the function of the concentrative nucleoside transporter family. The genetic analysis and functional characterization of CNT3 variants suggest that this transporter does not tolerate nonsynonymous changes and is important for human fitness.
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Ema K, Takekoshi K, Yao H, Wang ST, Huang CC. Calorimetric investigations of liquid-crystal compounds exhibiting almost no layer-shrinkage behavior through the smectic-A-smectic- C* transition. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2005; 71:031706. [PMID: 15903446 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.71.031706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2004] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Heat-capacity measurements have been made on liquid-crystal compounds exhibiting almost no layer-shrinkage (NLS) behavior through the Sm-A-Sm- C(*) phase transition. The transition was found to be second order for two of the substances studied. It was found that the heat-capacity anomaly accompanying a second-order Sm-A-Sm- C(*) transition with NLS behavior is quite similar to that observed for typical antiferroelectric liquid crystals of the 4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl)phenyl 4'-octyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate (MHPOBC) group, showing three-dimensional (3D) XY behavior in the vicinity of the transition. On the other hand, for one compound which shows a weakly first-order transition, the anomaly is almost symmetric above and below T(c) , with a significant fluctuation effect in the Sm-A phase. For this compound, the critical behavior of the heat-capacity anomaly is almost tricritical in the immediate vicinity of T(c) , while away from T(c) the behavior can be explained with the 3D XY model. This suggests that the underlying transition with the 3D XY critical behavior is driven to almost being tricritical but remaining weakly first order. No indication of low-dimensional character in the critical behavior was found in both cases.
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115
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Huang CS, Huang CC, Lien HH. Prolene hernia system compared with mesh plug technique: a prospective study of short- to mid-term outcomes in primary groin hernia repair. Hernia 2005; 9:167-71. [PMID: 15703858 DOI: 10.1007/s10029-005-0318-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2004] [Accepted: 12/23/2004] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Two types of anterior tension-free hernioplasty, prolene hernia system (PHS) repair and mesh plug technique (MPT), were introduced to Taiwan in 2001. This study compared the short- to mid-term outcomes following primary groin hernia repair with PHS and MPT. From January 2001 to December 2003, 393 patients with 426 primary groin hernias were operated on by a single surgeon using MPT (n=192) and PHS (n=234). Baseline perioperative details and follow-up information were compared. Demographic characteristics of both groups were similar. The laterality, types of anesthesia, postoperative stay, postoperative wound pain scores, wound complications and days to return to activities of daily life were equally distributed between the two groups. However, the distribution of Gilbert types in the PHS group was shifted a little to the right compared with that of the MPT group. PHS repair had longer operative time (34+/-17 vs 25+/-9 minutes, p<0.01). No recurrence was noted in both groups during the follow-up from 5 to 41 months. Chronic non-disabling groin pains were noted in 2.8% (6/218) of patients in the PHS group and 8.9% (14/175) in the MPT group (p=0.01). Our results show that both PHS and MPT repairs can be performed with short operation time, minor wound pain and quick return to activities of daily life without short- to mid-term recurrences, but postoperatively the MPT group had higher incidence of chronic non-disabling groin pain. Although the MPT is less invasive, the additional protective patch in the preperitoneal space of the PHS may provide a further safeguard against recurrences, especially for those patients with attenuated inguinal floor. Long-term follow-up is needed.
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Veum M, Kutschera E, Voshell N, Wang ST, Wang SL, Nguyen HT, Huang CC. Temperature variation of film tension above the bulk smectic-A-isotropic transition in freestanding liquid-crystal films. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2005; 71:020701. [PMID: 15783308 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.71.020701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
We have measured the temperature variation of film tension above the bulk smectic-A-isotropic transition in freestanding films of two liquid-crystal compounds. Above the transition, the tension increases sharply with temperature, and the slope is proportional to the film's thickness regardless of whether or not the compound exhibits regular layer-by-layer thinning. The data can be interpreted in the context of theoretical models for layer thinning.
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Ting LJ, Lee MS, Huang TS, Huang CC, Kuo ST, Lee F, Jong MH, Shiau JR, Lin SY. Identification of bluetongue virus in goats in Taiwan. Vet Rec 2005; 156:52. [PMID: 15675526 DOI: 10.1136/vr.156.2.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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118
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Lay JJ, Tsai CJ, Huang CC, Chang JJ, Chou CH, Fan KS, Chang JI, Hsu PC. Influences of pH and hydraulic retention time on anaerobes converting beer processing wastes into hydrogen. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2005; 52:123-9. [PMID: 16180418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
To convert high-solids organic wastes (3% w./w.) to high-value hydrogen, a full factorial experimental design was employed in planning the experiments for learning the effects of pH and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the hydrogen production in a chemostat reactor using waste yeast obtained from beer processing wastes. For determining which experimental variable settings affect hydrogen production, predictive polynomial quadratic equation and response surface methodology were employed to determine and explain the conditions required for high-value hydrogen production. Experimental results indicate that a maximum hydrogen production rate of 460 mL/gVSS/d was obtained at pH = 5.8 and HRT = 32 hours. Moreover, hydrogenase targeted RT-PCR results indicate that Clostridium thermocellum and Klebsiella pneumoniae predominated.
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Chen JJ, Weng LY, Peng SM, Tsai MW, Hsu MJ, Huang CC, Lin SL, Liing RJ, Hsien HW, Liao YH. Development of interesting step-climbing styles. Methods Inf Med 2005; 44:323-7. [PMID: 15924201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study was to investigate the influence of stepping styles (forward, side, and cross steppings) and inclinations (25 and 45 degrees) on cardiorespiratory responses (C-R responses). METHODS Twenty volunteers were recruited and randomly arranged into two ten-people groups, exercising on step-climbing machines respectively of 25 and 45 degrees of inclination. C-R responses were recorded during each test which lasted for six minutes at 50 steps per minute on a step-climbing machine. RESULTS The group on 25-degree inclination had significantly lower C-R responses than the group on 45-degree inclination. Although only small differences, probably statistically insignificant, were found among the three step-climbing styles, these differences showed interesting trends independent of inclination. CONCLUSIONS Climbing stairs with the three interesting step-climbing styles in this study could be considered as an exercise of moderate intensity (60-80% HRmax ). Climbing on 25-degree inclination at 50 steps per minute is recommended for less fit individuals because of lower cardiovascular stress as compared with on 45-degree inclination.
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Wang ST, Han XF, Cady A, Liu ZQ, Kamenev A, Glazman L, Sadashiva BK, Reddy RA, Huang CC. Optical investigations on the biaxial smectic- A phase of a bent-core compound. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2004; 70:061705. [PMID: 15697388 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.70.061705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2003] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Several unique optical properties have been obtained from freestanding films of a bent-core compound. Our experimental results indicate the existence of the antiferroelectric biaxial smectic-A (Sm A) phase. The critical exponent associated with the biaxiality through the uniaxial-antiferroelectric biaxial Sm A transition has been measured to be 0.82+/-0.04 , which is in good agreement with our theoretical calculation. Our theoretical advances further demonstrate that the critical behavior of the optical biaxiality with the order parameter being a vector is described by the secondary-order parameter of the three-dimensional XY model. We also observe a remarkable even-odd layering effect exhibited by the surface layers of freestanding films under an applied electric field (approximately 20 V/cm) in the film plane.
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Bai Y, van der Hulst R, Huang CC, Wei L, Stam P, Lindhout P. Mapping OI-4, a gene conferring resistance to Oidium neolycopersici and originating from Lycopersicon peruvianum LA2172, requires multi-allelic, single-locus markers. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2004; 109:1215-23. [PMID: 15340683 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-004-1698-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Lycopersicon peruvianum LA2172 is completely resistant to Oidium neolycopersici, the causal agent of tomato powdery mildew. Despite the large genetic distance between the cultivated tomato and L. peruvianum, fertile F1 hybrids of L. esculentum cv. Money maker x L.peruvianum LA2172 were produced, and a pseudo-F2 population was generated by mating F, half-sibs. The disease tests on the pseudo-F2 population and two BC,families showed that the resistance in LA2172 is governed by one dominant gene, designated as 01-4. In the pseudo-F2 population, distorted segregation was observed, and multi-allelic, single-locus markers were used to display different marker-allele configurations per locus. Para-meters for both distortion and linkage between genetic loci were determined by maximum likelihood estimation, and the necessity of using multi-allelic, single-locus markers was illustrated. Finally, a genetic linkage map of chromosome 6 around the 01-4 locus was constructed by using the pseudo-F2 population.
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Ko YC, Lee CT, Cheng YF, Hung KH, Kuo CY, Huang CC, Chen JB. Hypercalcaemia and haemophagocytic syndrome: rare concurrent presentations of disseminated tuberculosis in a dialysis patient. Int J Clin Pract 2004; 58:723-5. [PMID: 15311732 DOI: 10.1111/j.1368-5031.2004.00054.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis remains an important cause of infection in chronic haemodialysis patients. Frequent extrapulmonary involvement, non-specific presentation and limited diagnostic tools usually make early diagnosis difficult. Herein, we report on an 83-year-old female patient who had been on regular heamodialysis therapy for 15 years, who presented with asymptomatic hypercalcaemia and pancytopenia. Haemophagocytic syndrome was documented during the admission period. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured from bone marrow 1 month after her demise. This case report highlights the non-specific manifestations of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in dialysis patients and the limited value of conventional diagnostic methods. We would like to recommend aggressive intervention and early tissue aspiration from possible infectious sites when tuberculosis cannot be completely ruled out. Disseminated tuberculosis should be considered as an indication of hypercalcaemia where haemophagocytic syndrome occurs simultaneously.
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Li CC, Ko SF, Ng SH, Huang CC, Wan YL, Lee TY. Symptomatic giant Müllerian duct cyst in an infant: radiographic and CT findings. ABDOMINAL IMAGING 2004; 29:525-7. [PMID: 15024515 DOI: 10.1007/s00261-003-0143-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
We report an unusual case of Müllerian duct cyst in an 8-month-old infant who presented with frequent vomiting and recurrent urinary tract infections. Computed tomography showed a midline giant cyst in the pelvic floor. Delayed enhanced computed tomography demonstrated contrast filling of the cyst, indicating a communication with the urotract. Subsequent cystourethrogram and surgery confirmed a giant Müllerian duct cyst.
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Huang CC, Hewak D, Badding J. Deposition and characterization of germanium sulphide glass planar waveguides. OPTICS EXPRESS 2004; 12:2501-2506. [PMID: 19475087 DOI: 10.1364/opex.12.002501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Germanium sulphide glass thin films have been deposited on CaF2 and Schott N-PSK58 glass substrates directly by means of chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The deposition rate of germanium sulphide glass film by this CVD process is estimated about 12 microm/hr at 500oC. These films have been characterized by micro-Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Their transmission range extends from 0.5microm to 7microm measured by UV-VIS-NIR and FT-IR spectroscopy. The refractive index of germanium sulphide glass film measured by prism coupling technique was 2.093+/-0.008 and the waveguide loss measured at 632.8nm by He-Ne laser was 2.1+/-0.3 dB/cm.
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Huang CC. New approaches to surgery of lentigo maligna. SKIN THERAPY LETTER 2004; 9:7-11. [PMID: 15146261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Lentigo maligna (LM) is a pigmented lesion that occurs most commonly on the sun-exposed skin of the head and neck of an older patient. LM can be difficult to completely remove due to its occasional extensive subclinical extension. Surgical treatments, including standard excision and margin-controlled excision (Mohs micrographic surgery or rush permanent sections), are reviewed. Immunostains that can increase sensitivity and specificity of margin-controlled excision are discussed, and other nonscalpel treatments including destruction, topical imiquimod, radiation therapy and cryotherapy are briefly discussed. The gold standard treatment for LM is margin-controlled excision.
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