Browsing by Author "Yang, Chih-Hui"

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Alignment of Stretchable Nanoparticle Chains with Tunable Optical Properties Formed from Molecular Machinery
(2013-01-01)
Lin, Ming-Yu
;
Lu, Yen-Pei
;
Yang, Yuh-Shyong
;
Chen, Hsuen-Li
;
Yang, Chih-Hui
Control orientation and interparticle spacing of self-assembled nanoparticles can provide versatile functional materials for optical and electronic applications. In this study, we have obtained a glass substratum with tunable optical properties using flowing control and bimolecular competition. The surface of glass was modified from immobilized stretchable gold nanoparticle chains. The long and periodic single-stranded DNA nanotemplates were prepared using Phi29 DNA polymerase molecular machinery according to precise molecular biology regulation. Gold nanoparticle (Au NP) docked at the default sites of the nanotemplates and optical anisotropic absorption were enhanced by approximately 55 % by using tunable, flexible, and oriented one-dimensional metallic nanostructures.
Development of an Animal Model for Alcoholic Liver Disease in Zebrafish
(2015-08-01)
Lin, Jiun-Nong
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Chang, Lin-Li
;
Lai, Chung-Hsu
;
Lin, Kai-Jen
;
Lin, Mei-Fang
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) continues to be a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. To date, no zebrafish animal model has demonstrated the characteristic manifestations of ALD in the setting of chronic alcohol exposure. The aim of this study was to develop a zebrafish animal model for ALD. Male adult zebrafish were housed in a 1% (v/v) ethanol solution up to 3 months. A histopathological study showed the characteristic features of alcoholic liver steatosis and steatohepatitis in the early stages of alcohol exposure, including fat droplet accumulation, ballooning degeneration of the hepatocytes, and Mallory body formation. As the exposure time increased, collagen deposition in the extracellular matrix was observed by Sirius red staining and immunofluorescence staining. Finally, anaplastic hepatocytes with pleomorphic nuclei were arranged in trabecular patterns and formed nodules in the zebrafish liver. Over the time course of 1% ethanol exposure, upregulations of lipogenesis, fibrosis, and tumor-related genes were also revealed by semiquantitative and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. As these data reflect characteristic liver damage by alcohol in humans, this zebrafish animal model may serve as a powerful tool to study the pathogenesis and treatment of ALD and its related disorders in humans.
Facile Synthesis of Radial-Like Macroporous Superparamagnetic Chitosan Spheres with In-Situ Co-Precipitation and Gelation of Ferro-Gels
(2012-11-30)
Yang, Chih-Hui
;
Wang, Chih-Yu
;
Huang, Keng-Shiang
;
Yeh, Chen-Sheng
;
Wang, Andrew H. -J.
Macroporous chitosan spheres encapsulating superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by a facile and effective one-step fabrication process. Ferro-gels containing ferrous cations, ferric cations and chitosan were dropped into a sodium hydroxide solution through a syringe pump. In addition, a sodium hydroxide solution was employed for both gelation (chitosan) and co-precipitation (ferrous cations and ferric cations) of the ferro-gels. The results showed that the in-situ co-precipitation of ferro-ions gave rise to a radial morphology with non-spheroid macro pores (large cavities) inside the chitosan spheres. The particle size of iron oxide can be adjusted from 2.5 nm to 5.4 nm by tuning the concentration of the sodium hydroxide solution. Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectra, the synthesized nanoparticles were illustrated as Fe3O4 nanoparticles. In addition, the prepared macroporous chitosan spheres presented a super-paramagnetic behaviour at room temperature with a saturation magnetization value as high as ca. 18 emu/g. The cytotoxicity was estimated using cell viability by incubating doses (0 similar to 1000 mu g/mL) of the macroporous chitosan spheres. The result showed good viability (above 80%) with alginate chitosan particles below 1000 mu g/mL, indicating that macroporous chitosan spheres were potentially useful for biomedical applications in the future.
High prevalence of fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pyogenes emm12 in Taiwan
(2015-10-01)
Lin, Jiun-Nong
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Chang, Lin-Li
;
Lai, Chung-Hsu
;
Huang, Yi-Han
;
Chen, Wei-Fang
Fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pyogenes has rapidly emerged in several countries. The aim of this study was to survey the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible S. pyogenes in Taiwan. A total of 350 consecutive S. pyogenes isolates were collected between January 2005 and December 2012, including 152 (43.4%) invasive and 198 (56.6%) noninvasive isolates. Thirty-nine isolates (11.1%) of S. pyogenes were nonsusceptible to fluoroquinolones, including one emm1/ST28, 4 emm4/ST39, 33 emm12/ST36, and 1 emm87/5T62. Of all the isolates, emm12 (50%) demonstrated the highest prevalence of fluoroquinolone nonsusceptibility. Alterations of Ser79Phe and Ala12Val in ParC were the most frequently mutations in fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible S. pyogenes isolates. There were no amino acid substitutions in GyrB, and 1 emm87 isolate exhibited 3 nonsynonymous mutations in ParE. Our study reveals the emergence of fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible S. pyogenes emm12/ST36 in Taiwan. Regular surveillance of fluoroquinolone susceptibility in S. pyogenes is suggested. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Microfluidic Synthesis of Microfibers for Magnetic-Responsive Controlled Drug Release and Cell Culture
(2012-03-28)
Lin, Yung-Sheng
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Huang, Keng-Shiang
;
Yang, Chih-Hui
;
Wang, Chih-Yu
;
Yang, Yuh-Shyong
This study demonstrated the fabrication of alginate microfibers using a modular microfluidic system for magnetic-responsive controlled drug release and cell culture. A novel two-dimensional fluid-focusing technique with multi-inlets and junctions was used to spatiotemporally control the continuous laminar flow of alginate solutions. The diameter of the manufactured microfibers, which ranged from 211 mm to 364 mm, could be well controlled by changing the flow rate of the continuous phase. While the model drug, diclofenac, was encapsulated into microfibers, the drug release profile exhibited the characteristic of a proper and steady release. Furthermore, the diclofenac release kinetics from the magnetic iron oxide-loaded microfibers could be controlled externally, allowing for a rapid drug release by applying a magnetic force. In addition, the successful culture of glioblastoma multiforme cells in the microfibers demonstrated a good structural integrity and environment to grow cells that could be applied in drug screening for targeting cancer cells. The proposed microfluidic system has the advantages of ease of fabrication, simplicity, and a fast and low-cost process that is capable of generating functional microfibers with the potential for biomedical applications, such as drug controlled release and cell culture.
Synthesis of uniform core-shell gelatin-alginate microparticles as intestine-released oral delivery drug carrier
(2014-02-01)
Huang, Keng-Shiang
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Yang, Chih-Hui
;
Kung, Chao-Ping
;
Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai
;
Ker, Ming-Dou
A core-shell gelatin-alginate composite used for intestine-released oral delivery drug carrier was synthesized through microfluidic technique. At the fixed continuous phase flow rate, the size of the core-shell gelatin-alginate microparticles increases with the dispersed phase flow rate, and monodispersity can be retained (the variation coefficient for the diameter distribution can be kept less than 10%). The fabricated microparticles could remain intact in gastric juice for at least 3 h, indicating that the gelatin core could be well protected by alginate shell in acid environment. However, the alginate shell of the microparticles would swell or collapse in alkali environment in half an hour, assuring the controlled drug release in intestinal juice. The fabricated uniform core-shell gelatin-alginate microparticles were potential as pH-responsive drug carriers.
Tumor Marker Detection by Aptamer-Functionalized Graphene Oxide
(2013-01-01)
Lin, Ming-Yu
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Lu, Yen-Pei
;
Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai
;
Ho, Fu Han
;
Kao, Ying-Hsien
Interaction of the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamers and proteins was investigated on graphene oxide (GO)-based biosensors. GO was applied for biological applications because of its unique properties, which include water dispensability, exclusive selection of ssDNA, and fluorescence-quenching effects. In this study, aptamer-functionalized GO sheets of nanometer-scale thickness and micrometer-scale dimension were developed. Based on a simple mixed-and-measured strategy, platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF), the tumor marker of ovarian cancer, triggered aptamers conformation switched and deliberated aptamers from GO surface according to thermal dynamic analysis. By functionalizing with various aptamers on GO, the strategy could provide designed functions on GO-based biosensors, bioreactors, and other devices.