Fu Jen Catholic University

About: Fu Jen Catholic University is a education organization based out in Taipei, Taiwan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 6842 authors who have published 9512 publications receiving 171005 citations. The organization is also known as: FJU & Fu Jen.

Structure and elastic properties of low-temperature sealing phosphate glasses

Abstract: The structure of 56P2O5–10B2O3–4Al2O3–15Li2O–15Na2O glasses doped with alkaline earth oxides is investigated by infrared reflectivity measurements and polarized Raman scattering. Vibrational modes are assigned to different types of atomic motion in the glass network. These glasses exhibit a distribution of chains of PO4 tetrahedra which are held together by bonding between the non-bridging oxygens of the tetrahedra and the metal cations. Room temperature ultrasonic velocities (both longitudinal and transverse) in these glasses are determined by the pulse-echo technique. The experimental results are used to obtain elastic constants. The measured values of Young's, shear and bulk moduli for our glasses show a good agreement with the theoretically calculated results based on the Makishima and Mackenzie model. A correlation between glass structure and elastic property is discussed in terms of a chain entanglement mechanism of PO2 groups.

Cognitive-metacognitive and content-technical aspects of constructivist internet-based learning environments: a LISREL analysis

Abstract: Through a LISREL analysis, this study validated the Constructivist Internet-based Learning Environment Survey (CILES). CILES consisted of six scales, sorted by two aspects. The first aspect, the cognitive-metacognitive aspect, included the scales of student negotiation, inquiry learning, and reflective thinking, whereas the second aspect, the content-technical aspect, involved the scales of Relevance, Ease of Use, and Challenge. A LISREL structural model was also proposed to examine the relationships between students' responses across these two aspects. Survey responses gathered from 483 high school students in Taiwan were the research data for this study. The results from the LISREL confirmatory analysis showed that CILES had highly satisfactory validity and reliability to assess students' preferences for constructivist Internet-based learning environments. Moreover, the structural model indicated that the Internet learning environments that challenged students existing concepts could facilitate their preferences for student negotiation, inquiry learning and reflective thinking activities. It is proposed that the Internet can have rich connections with numerous resources and a variety of perspectives, thus constructing appropriate learning environments to provide different kinds of challenges for learners.

Activation of multiple apoptotic pathways in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by the prenylated isoflavone, osajin

Abstract: Osajin is a prenylated isoflavone showing antitumor activity in different tumor cell lines. The underlying mechanism of osajin-induced cancer cell death is not clearly understood. In the present study, the mechanisms of osajin-induced cell death of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells were explored. Osajin was found to significantly induce apoptosis of NPC cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Multiple molecular effects were observed during osajin treatment including a significant loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, enhanced expression of Fas ligand (FasL), suppression of glucose-regulated protein 78 kDa (GRP78), and activation of caspases-9, -8, -4 and -3. In addition, up-regulation of proapoptotic Bax protein and down-regulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein were also observed. Taken together, osajin induces apoptosis in human NPC cells through multiple apoptotic pathways, including the extrinsic death receptor pathway, and intrinsic pathways relying on mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Thus, osajin could be developed as a new effective and chemopreventive compound for human NPC.