Victorian Japan in Taiwan: Transmission and Impact of the ‘Modern’ upon the Architecture of Japanese Authority, 1853-1919.

This research assesses how contact with Europe and America from 1853 created a new notion of the modern in Japan and colonial Taiwan, through exploring the architectural expressions of Japanese architects. Taking a detailed look at relevant theories of the modern, and the geo-political, governmental and intellectual histories of Meiji Japan, I analyse how Japan used architecture in their nation-building process, and later the role of architecture in building colonial modernity in Taiwan. The study explores how colonial buildings crystallised Japan’s fledgling modernity, cumulating in an extensive case study of the Taiwan Governor-General’s Office, focusing on how the building spatially embedded hierarchical relationships, and how through mastery of European architectural forms it became an artefact of techno-cultural superiority. Through these analyses I find that whilst Japan’s modernity was genuine (in that it was rationally innovative and fashionably reflected up-to-date forms and technologies) the conditions that produced it were sufficiently different that Japan effectively created a split in the idea of what it meant to be modern. Whilst modernity in Europe occurred over a long period, driven by the Enlightenment and the growth of imperialism, in Japan the primary driver was the desire to be seen as civilised, which required instrumental utilisation of reason (and later colonisation) to achieve. Japan’s architectural modernity was intrinsically tied to the state’s drive towards Great Power status, dominance over East Asian neighbours and the reframing of a national Japanese cultural identity as intrinsically superior. These diverse aims led to a unique cultural gap between public and private life developing in Japan, and to Japan politically and culturally splitting off from East Asia. This thesis looks in detail at the story of kindai (modern) architecture in Japan, through exploring a number of themes. First, how translated concepts entered Japan through Josiah Conder, the first Professor of Architecture in Japan, who instituted a new ranking of building types that placed indigenous architecture below European masonry. Second, how political centralisation led to the creation of a modern Japanese architecture style promoted by Conder’s successor TATSUNO Kingo, which became a national style through its use first in Japan and later more extensively in Japan’s colonies. Third, due to the foundational splits in the basis for architectural education in Japan, new social boundaries were created through the Governor-General’s Office which allowed colonial architects to shore their sense of superiority whilst avoiding Orientalist rackets. In spite of this the building remains equivocal: the modern split between Japanese administration and residential architecture even applied to the Governor-General, and implied Euro-American authority remains through the necessary spatial and stylistic appropriations. As the first study that traces the formation of modern architecture in Taiwan to Japan and further back to Victorian Britain, this thesis provides a trans-disciplinary contribution to the field

Self-Determined Behaviors of Young Children with Cerebral Palsy

Self-determined behaviors refer to children taking an active role in knowing needs, making choices, solving problems, and interacting with others. The aims of this research were to: 1) identify determinants of self-determined behaviors of children with cerebral palsy (CP); and 2) determine whether self-determined behaviors, frequency, and enjoyment of participation differed between children who are more playful and less playful. Participants in study I were 429 children with CP (18 to 60 months, 56% boys) and their parents. The measures were the Early Coping Inventory, Test of Playfulness (ToP), Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Health Conditions for Children with CP, Family Expectation of Child, and Family Support to Child. Structural equation modeling was used to test two models of self-determined behaviors. For children with walking mobility (GMFCS levels I-II), the model explained 60% of variance in self-determined behaviors. The determinants were cognitive-behavioral function and family provided opportunity to support their child’s self-determined behaviors. For children with limited mobility (GMFCS levels III-V), the model explained 68% of variance in self-determined behaviors. The determinants were cognitive-behavioral function, playfulness, and family provided opportunity. Participants in Study II were 127 children with CP: walking mobility (more playful, n=40; less playful, n=39) and limited mobility (more playful, n=24; less playful, n=24). The measures were Early Coping Inventory, Child Engagement in Daily Life measure, ToP, GMFCS, and Health Conditions for Children with CP. ANCOVA or Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine the difference of playfulness on dependent variables based on number of covariates. Children with walking mobility who are more playful had more effective self-determined behaviors than children who are less playful (p<.02). Children with limited mobility who are more playful had greater enjoyment of participation than children who are less playful (p<.01). The findings support children’s learning and understanding, communication, controlling emotions and behaviors, playfulness, mobility, and family provided opportunity for their child to try things as important considerations to support self-determined behaviors. Service providers are encouraged to appreciate the multi-dimensional nature of self-determination, support children from a holistic perspective, and value team collaboration to enhance children’s self-determined behaviors.Ph.D., Pediatric Physical Therapy -- Drexel University, 201

IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF WARM UP BY OVERWEIGHED BAT IMPLEMENT ON BAT SWING VELOCITY

The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of warming up by overweighed bat implement on bat swing velocity. Five softball players worked in this experiment and processed the following steps: swing official bat with and without overweight warm-ups (5 and 10 times). The maximal velocity of official bat swing was recorded by a 3-D cinematograph. By one-way ANOVA, the results were described as follows: the maximal velocity of official bat swing after 5-swingings of the overweight bat was greater than that without warm up (F=9.28,

Pioneering Astaxanthin-Tumor Cell Membrane Nanoparticles for Innovative Targeted Drug Delivery on Melanoma

BackgroundRecently, the use of the tumor or its secretions as drug carriers has gradually become popular, with the advantages of high biocompatibility and enhanced drug delivery to specific cells. Melanoma is the most malignant tumor of all skin cancers; it is the most metastatic and, therefore, the most difficult to treat. The main purpose of this study is to develop nanovesicles with tumor cell membrane secretion properties to encapsulate target substances to enhance the therapeutic effect of cancer.MethodsAstaxanthin was selected as an anticancer drug due to our previous research finding that astaxanthin has extremely high antioxidant, anti-ultraviolet damage, and anti-tumor properties. The manufacturing method of the astaxanthin nanovesicle carrier is to mix melanoma cells and astaxanthin in an appropriate ratio and then remove the genetic material and inflammatory factors of cancer cells by extrusion.ResultsIn terms of results, after the co-culture of astaxanthin nanovesicles and melanoma cancer cells, it was confirmed that the ability of astaxanthin nanovesicles to inhibit the growth and metastasis of melanoma cancer cells was significantly better than the same amount of astaxanthin alone, and it had no effect on normal Human cells are also effective. There was no apparent harm on normal cells, indicating the ability of the vesicles to be selectively transported.ConclusionOur findings illustrated the potential of astaxanthin nanovesicles as an anticancer drug

Incidence and recurrence of acute otitis media in Taiwan's pediatric population

OBJECTIVE: To report the incidence and recurrence of acute otitis media (AOM) in Taiwan's pediatric population. METHODS: Information from children (aged <= 12 years) with a diagnosis of AOM was retrieved from the 2006 National Healthcare Insurance claims database. We calculated the cumulative incidence rate and the incidence density rate of recurrent AOM within one year after the initial diagnosis in 2006. We used a multivariate logistic regression model to assess the predictors for recurrence of AOM. RESULTS: The annual incidence rate of AOM was estimated to be 64.5 cases per 1,000 children. The overall one-year cumulative incidence rate of recurrence was 33.1%, and the incidence density rate was 33.5 cases per 100 personyears, with the highest figure (41.2 cases per 100 person-years) noted for children aged 0-2 years. Recurrence was significantly associated with age, gender, place of treatment, and physician specialty. CONCLUSION: AOM remains a major threat to children's health in Taiwan. Male children and very young children require more aggressive preventive strategies to reduce the risk of recurrence

AMPK-α1 functions downstream of oxidative stress to mediate neuronal atrophy in Huntington's disease

AbstractHuntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurological disorder that is induced by a CAG trinucleotide expansion in exon 1 of the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. We previously reported that the abnormal activation of an important energy sensor, AMP-activated protein kinase α1 (AMPK-α1), occurs in the brains of mice and patients with HD, which suggests that this abnormal activation may contribute to neuronal degeneration in HD. In the present study, we demonstrated that the elevated oxidative stress that was evoked by a polyQ-expanded mutant HTT (mHTT) caused the abnormal activation of AMPK-α1 and, subsequently, resulted in neurotoxicity in a striatal progenitor cell line (STHdhQ109) and in the striatum of a transgenic mouse model of HD (R6/2). The systematic administration of an antioxidant (N-acetyl-cysteine, NAC) to R6/2 mice suppressed the activation of AMPK-α1, reduced neuronal toxicity, which was assessed by the activation of caspases, increased neuronal density, ameliorated ventricle enlargement, and improved motor dysfunction. This beneficial effect of NAC in vivo appears to be direct because NAC also reduced the activation of AMPK-α1 and the death of STHdhQ109 cells upon elevated oxidative stress. Moreover, the activation of AMPK enhanced the level of oxidative stress in STHdhQ109 cells, in primary neurons of R6/2 mice, and in the striatum of two different HD mouse models (R6/2 and Hdh150Q/+), whereas the inhibition of AMPK reduced the level of oxidative stress. Collectively, our findings suggest that positive feedback regulation between the elevated oxidative stress and the activation of AMPK-α1 contributes to the progression of HD

GPER-induced signaling is essential for the survival of breast cancer stem cells.

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor-1 (GPER), a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily, mediates estrogen-induced proliferation of normal and malignant breast epithelial cells. However, its role in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) remains unclear. Here we showed greater expression of GPER in BCSCs than non-BCSCs of three patient-derived xenografts of ER- /PR+ breast cancers. GPER silencing reduced stemness features of BCSCs as reflected by reduced mammosphere forming capacity in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo with decreased BCSC populations. Comparative phosphoproteomics revealed greater GPER-mediated PKA/BAD signaling in BCSCs. Activation of GPER by its ligands, including tamoxifen (TMX), induced phosphorylation of PKA and BAD-Ser118 to sustain BCSC characteristics. Transfection with a dominant-negative mutant BAD (Ser118Ala) led to reduced cell survival. Taken together, GPER and its downstream signaling play a key role in maintaining the stemness of BCSCs, suggesting that GPER is a potential therapeutic target for eradicating BCSCs