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 & Hazard ratio. The organization has 6842 authors who have published 9512 publications receiving 171005 citations. The organization is also known as: FJU & Fu Jen.

The Effect of Urban Air Pollution on Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Coagulation, and Autonomic Dysfunction in Young Adults

Abstract: Rationale: The biological mechanisms linking air pollution to cardiovascular events still remain largerly unclear.Objectives: To investigate whether biological mechanisms linking air pollution to cardiovascular events occurred concurrently in human subjects exposed to urban air pollutants.Methods: We recruited a panel of 76 young, healthy students from a university in Taipei. Between April and June of 2004 or 2005, three measurements were made in each participant of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), plasminogen activator fibrinogen inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) in plasma, and heart rate variability (HRV). Gaseous air pollutants were measured at one air-monitoring station inside their campus, and particulate air pollutants were measured at one particulate matter supersite monitoring station 1 km from their campus. We used linear mixed-effects models to associate biological endpoints with individual air pollutants averaged over...

Positive correlations of Oct-4 and Nanog in oral cancer stem-like cells and high-grade oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract: Purpose: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), like many solid tumors, contains a heterogeneous population of cancer cells. Recent data suggest that a rare subpopulation of cancer cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSC), is capable of initiating, maintaining, and expanding the growth of tumor. Identification and characterization of CSC from OSCC facilitates the monitoring, therapy, or prevention of OSCC. Experimental Design: We enriched oral cancer stem-like cells (OC-SLC) through sphere formation by cultivating OSCC cells from established OSCC cell lines or primary cultures of OSCC patients within defined serum-free medium. Differential expression profile of stemness genes between enriched OC-SLC and parental OSCC was elucidated. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining of stemness markers on OSCC patient tissues was examined to evaluate the association between stemness genes and prognosis of OSCC. Results: Enriched OC-SLC highly expressed the stem/progenitor cell markers and ABC transporter gene (Oct-4, Nanog, CD117, Nestin, CD133, and ABCG2) and also displayed induced differentiation abilities and enhanced migration/invasion/malignancy capabilities in vitro and in vivo . Elevated expression of CD133 was shown in the enriched OC-SLC from OSCC patients9 tumors. Positive correlations of Oct-4, Nanog, or CD133 expression on tumor stage were shown on 52 OSCC patient tissues. Kaplan-Meier analyses exhibited that Nanog/Oct-4/CD133 triple-positive patients predicted the worst survival prognosis of OSCC patients. Conclusion: We enriched a subpopulation of cancer stem-like cell from OSCC by sphere formation. The enriched OC-SLC possesses the characteristics of both stem cells and malignant tumors. Additionally, expression of stemness markers (Nanog/Oct-4/CD133) contradicts the survival prognosis of OSCC patients.

Cesarean scar pregnancy: issues in management

Abstract: Objective To evaluate our experience with the diagnosis and treatment of Cesarean scar pregnancy. Methods During a 6-year period, 12 cases of Cesarean scar pregnancy were diagnosed using transvaginal color Doppler sonography and treated conservatively to preserve fertility. Incidence, gestational age, sonographic findings, β-human chorionic gonadotropin ( β-hCG) levels, flow profiles of transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound, and methods of treatment were recorded. Results The incidence of Cesarean scar pregnancy was 1:2216 and its rate was 6.1% in women with an ectopic pregnancy and at least one previous Cesarean section. Gestational age at diagnosis ranged from 5 + 0 to 12 + 4 weeks. The time interval from the last Cesarean section to the diagnosis of Cesarean scar pregnancy ranged from 6 months to 12 years. High-velocity and low-impedance subtrophoblastic flow (resistance index, 0.38) persisted until β-hCG declined to normal. Patients were treated as follows: transvaginal ultrasound-guided injection of methotrexate into the embryo or gestational sac (n = 3), transabdominal ultrasound-guided injection of methotrexate (n = 2), transabdominal ultrasound-guided injection of methotrexate followed by systemic methotrexate administration (n = 2), systemic methotrexate administration alone (n = 2), dilatation and curettage (n = 2), or local resection of the gestation mass (n = 1). Eleven of the 12 patients preserved their reproductive capacity; the remaining patient, treated by dilatation and curettage, underwent a hysterectomy because of profuse vaginal bleeding. The Cesarean scar mass regressed from 2 months to as long as 1 year after treatment. Uterine rupture occurred in one patient during the following pregnancy at 38 + 3 weeks' gestational age. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided methotrexate injection emerges as the treatment of choice to terminate Cesarean scar pregnancy. Surgical or invasive techniques, including dilatation and curettage are not recommended for Cesarean scar pregnancy due to high morbidity and poor prognosis. Copyright © 2004 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Intelligent control battery equalization for series connected lithium-ion battery strings

Abstract: An intelligent battery equalization scheme based on fuzzy logic control is presented to adaptively control the equalizing process of series-connected lithium-ion batteries. The proposed battery equalization scheme is a bidirectional dc-dc converter with energy transferring capacitor that can be used to design the bidirectional nondissipative equalizer for a battery balancing system. Furthermore, it can be designed as a ripple-free converter for improving the input current distortion of the battery charge supply power system. A fuzzy-logic-controlled strategy is constructed with a set of membership functions to prescribe the cells equalizing behavior within a safe equalizing region for rapid cell voltage balancing. The simulation and experimental results show the advantage of the predicted equalizing performance of the lithium-ion battery stacks. The proposed fuzzy logic control battery equalization controller can abridge the equalization time about 32%. The proposed method maintains safe operation during the charge/discharge state in each lithium-ion cell of the battery strings.