National Cheng Kung University

About: National Cheng Kung University is a education organization based out in Tainan City, Taiwan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Thin film. The organization has 49723 authors who have published 69799 publications receiving 1437420 citations. The organization is also known as: NCKU.

In vivo photoacoustic molecular imaging with simultaneous multiple selective targeting using antibody-conjugated gold nanorods

Abstract: The use of gold nanorods for photoacoustic molecular imaging with simultaneous multiple targeting is reported. Multiple targeting is done by utilizing the tunable optical absorption property of gold nanorods. This technique allows multiple molecular signatures to be obtained by simply switching laser wavelength. HER2 and EGFR were chosen as the primary target molecules for examining two cancer cells, OECM1 and Cal27. Both in vitro and in vivo mouse model imaging experiments were performed, with contrast enhancement of up to 10 dB and 3.5 dB, respectively. The potential in improving cancer diagnosis is demonstrated.

Arsenic methylation and bladder cancer risk in Taiwan

Abstract: Objective: The mechanism of arsenic detoxification in humans remains unclear. Data are especially lacking for lowlevel arsenic exposure. We hypothesize that arsenic methylation ability, defined as the ratios of monomethylarsonic acid (MMA(V))/inorganic arsenic (primary arsenic methylation index, PMI) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V))/ MMA(V) (secondary arsenic methylation index, SMI), may modify the association between cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE, mg/L-year) and the risk of bladder cancer. In this study we investigated the relationship among arsenic methylation ability, CAE, and the risk of bladder cancer in a hospital-based case–control study in southwestern Taiwan. Methods: From January 1996 to December 1999 we identified 49 patients with newly diagnosed cases of bladder cancer at the National Cheng-Kung University (NCKU) Medical Center; controls consisted of 224 fracture and cataract patients selected from the same medical center. The levels of four urinary arsenic species: arsenite (As(III)), arsenate (As(V)), MMA(V), and DMA(V)) were determined in all subjects by using the high-performance liquid chromatography hydride-generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HPLC-HGAAS). CAE was estimated by using published data collected in a survey from 1974 to 1976. Results: Compared to a CAE 2 2 mg/L-year, CAE > 12 mg/L-year was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer (multivariate odds ratio (OR) 4.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12–16.01), in the setting of a low SMI (24.8). Compared to women, smoking men (OR 6.23, 95% CI 1.88–20.62) and non-smoking men (OR 3.25, 95% CI 0.95–11.06) had higher risks of bladder cancer. Given the same level of PMI, smoking men (OR 9.80, 95% CI 2.40–40.10) and non-smoking men (OR 4.45, 95% CI 1.00–19.84) had a higher risk of bladder cancer when compared to women. With the same level of SMI, both smoking men (OR 6.28, 95% CI 1.76–22.39) and nonsmoking men (OR 3.31, 95% CI 0.84–12.97) had a higher risk of bladder cancer when compared to women. Conclusions: Subjects with low SMI have a substantially increased risk of bladder cancer, especially when combined with high CAE levels.