Characterization of the Nanoporous Template Using Anodic Alumina Method

Porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is deposited on a 5 cm × 5 cm tin-doped indium oxide (ITO)/glass substrate, and the AAO/ITO/glass structure thus formed is used to reduce the amount of unreacted Al inside the AAO template, thereby reducing the transmittance of the AAO/glass structure. The enhancement of transmittance is achieved by modulating the diameter of the pores and varying the applied bias. The proposed AAO can be used at a high applied bias (up to 120 V) to improve the uniformity of the current density. Following pore-widening treatment and posttreatment annealing, the morphologies and transmittance of the AAO/ITO/glass structure were also investigated

Tetrahydrofuran Cembranoids from the Cultured Soft Coral Lobophytum crassum

Three new cembranoids, culobophylins A–C (1–3), along with two known compounds (4 and 5) were isolated from the cultured soft coral Lobophytum crassum. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data and comparison of the NMR data with those of known analogues. Among these metabolites, 2 is rarely found in cembranoids possessing an isopropyl moiety with an epoxide group. Compound 1 exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against HL60 and DLD-1 cancer cell lines

Curcumin induces the apoptosis of human monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells via the activation of JNK/ERK Pathways

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Curcumin is a principal compound of turmeric, commonly used to treat tumors and other diseases. However, its anti-cancer activity in human acute monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells is not clear. This study aimed to study the anti-cancer effect and action of curcumin on THP-1 cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>THP-1 parental cells and PMA-treated THP-1 cells, were used as <it>in vitro </it>models to evaluate the anti-cancer effect and mechanism of curcumin. Apoptosis and its mechanism were evaluated by WST-1, flow cytometry and Western blotting. MAPK inhibitors were used to further confirm the molecular mechanism of curcumin-induced THP-1 cell apoptosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Curcumin induced cell apoptosis of THP-1 cells as shown by cell viability, cell cycle analysis and caspase activity. Curcumin significantly increased the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK and their downstream molecules (c-Jun and Jun B). Inhibitor of JNK and ERK reduced the pro-apoptotic effect of curcumin on THP-1 cells as evidenced by caspase activity and the activation of ERK/JNK/Jun cascades. On the contrary, the pro-apoptotic effect of curcumin was abolished in the differentiated THP-1 cells mediated by PMA.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study demonstrates that curcumin can induce the THP-1 cell apoptosis through the activation of JNK/ERK/AP1 pathways. Besides, our data suggest its novel use as an anti-tumor agent in acute monocytic leukemia.</p

4β-Hydroxywithanolide E from Physalis peruviana (golden berry) inhibits growth of human lung cancer cells through DNA damage, apoptosis and G2/M arrest

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The crude extract of the fruit bearing plant, <it>Physalis peruviana </it>(golden berry), demonstrated anti-hepatoma and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the cellular mechanism involved in this process is still unknown.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Herein, we isolated the main pure compound, 4β-Hydroxywithanolide (4βHWE) derived from golden berries, and investigated its antiproliferative effect on a human lung cancer cell line (H1299) using survival, cell cycle, and apoptosis analyses. An alkaline comet-nuclear extract (NE) assay was used to evaluate the DNA damage due to the drug.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>It was shown that DNA damage was significantly induced by 1, 5, and 10 μg/mL 4βHWE for 2 h in a dose-dependent manner (<it>p </it>< 0.005). A trypan blue exclusion assay showed that the proliferation of cells was inhibited by 4βHWE in both dose- and time-dependent manners (<it>p </it>< 0.05 and 0.001 for 24 and 48 h, respectively). The half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of 4βHWE in H1299 cells for 24 and 48 h were 0.6 and 0.71 μg/mL, respectively, suggesting it could be a potential therapeutic agent against lung cancer. In a flow cytometric analysis, 4βHWE produced cell cycle perturbation in the form of sub-G₁accumulation and slight arrest at the G₂/M phase with 1 μg/mL for 12 and 24 h, respectively. Using flow cytometric and annexin V/propidium iodide immunofluorescence double-staining techniques, these phenomena were proven to be apoptosis and complete G₂/M arrest for H1299 cells treated with 5 μg/mL for 24 h.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study, we demonstrated that golden berry-derived 4βHWE is a potential DNA-damaging and chemotherapeutic agent against lung cancer.</p

Identification of Critical Amino Acids in an Immunodominant IgE Epitope of Pen c 13, a Major Allergen from Penicillium citrinum

Background: Pen c 13, identified as a 33-kDa alkaline serine protease, is a major allergen secreted by Penicillium citrinum. Detailed knowledge about the epitopes responsible for IgE binding would help inform the diagnosis/prognosis of fungal allergy and facilitate the rational design of hypoallergenic candidate vaccines. The goal of the present study was to characterize the IgE epitopes of Pen c 13. Methodology/Principal Findings: Serum samples were collected from 10 patients with mold allergy and positive Pen c 13 skin test results. IgE-binding epitopes on rPen c 13 were mapped using an enzymatic digestion and chemical cleavage method, followed by dot-blotting and mass spectrometry. A B-cell epitope-predicting server and molecular modeling were used to predict the residues most likely involved in IgE binding. Theoretically predicted IgE-binding regions were further confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis assays. At least twelve different IgE-binding epitopes located throughout Pen c 13 were identified. Of these, peptides S16 (A 148 –E 166) and S22 (A 243 –K 274) were recognized by sera from 90 % and 100 % of the patients tested, and were further confirmed by inhibition assays. Peptide S22 was selected for further analysis of IgE-binding ability. The results of serum screening showed that the majority of IgE-binding ability resided in the C-terminus. One Pen c 13 mutant, G270A (T 261 –K 274), exhibited clearly enhanced IgE reactivity, whereas another, K274A, exhibited dramatically reduced IgE reactivity

Real-time Hand gesture controlled mouse using Kinect

傳統的人機介面當中，幾乎都是利用接觸式的方式與電腦做溝通，隨著軟硬體技術不斷增進，人機介面的研究領域亦伴隨著重大發展，從早期的命令式介面、圖形化介面、接觸式近距離操作，到現在的非接觸式遠距離操作。在這麼多種操作方式之中，其中以非接觸式遠距離操作最常使用在遊戲操作上，像是：XBOX360 Kinect、Wii...等，這些都是利用手中的感測器和影像識別技術所達成，讓使用者可以在遠處操作電腦，取代了傳統操作上的拘束性。 在本論文中，利用影像識別、影像切割技術並搭配Kinect深度攝影機，改善了傳統接觸式滑鼠的缺點，達到非接觸式遠距離操作的目的。在即時辨識系統下，如何經由影像識別技術來判斷使用者手勢，是本論文的重要議題，所以本論文提出了五種不同程序來解決此議題，並將識別結果來當成滑鼠移動、控制的基準，使用者只需利用簡單手勢就可達到手勢滑鼠的操作，藉由此系統將取代傳統滑鼠的不便性，已達到更友善的操作方式。Hand gesture recognition has been a popular research in recent years with a major emphasis on tracking, automatic feature detection and matching. Hand gesture recognition was not often applied to real applications. However, with an inexpensive and effective sensor, hand gesture input can become a useful and popular approach for the human-computer interface such as the remote mouse and virtual keyboard. In this thesis, image segmentation and object recognition techniques are adopted to implement a real-time non-contact mouse using a Kinect. The algorithm consists of five main procedures: hand/arm detection, preprocessing, hand segmentation, hand gesture recognition, and mouse actions. Through simple hand gestures, the user can control the cursor in the windows system to achieve the control and operation performed by the traditional mouse.目錄 致謝…...…………………………..…………………………………………….I 摘要…...…………………………..…………………………………………….II Abstract.……………………...………………………………………………...III 目錄…..………………………………………………………………...……..IV 圖目錄..………..………………………………………………………………VI 表目錄..………………………………………………………………..……IX 第一章 緒論…...………………………………………………………………1 1.1 研究動機與目的..…………………………………………………….1 1.2 相關研究…...…………………………………………………………2 1.3 研究方法…...…………………………………………………………3 1.4 論文架構…...…………………………………………………………4 第二章 手勢偵測系統架構….………………………………………………..5 2.1 攝影機系統及硬體介紹….………………………………..…………6 2.2 物體偵測程序…….……………………………………………11 2.3 影像前處理程序….………………………………………………..13 2.4 手腕位置與切割程序 ………………………………………………14 2.5 手勢辨識程序………………………………….………………..15 2.6 手勢滑鼠辨識程序…………………………………….…...…………16 第三章 影像前處理程序..…………………………………………………...17 3.1 光源補償技術…..……………………………………………….…..18 3.2 色彩空間轉換…..………………………………………….………..22 3.3 色彩空間表……...…………………………….…………………….26 3.4 深度特徵…...……………………….……………………………….28 3.5 影像標註 (Labeling)..………………………………………………32 3.6 形態學 (morphological processing).………………………….……34   第四章 手腕位置與切割程序……….………………………………………36 4.1 手部質心位置…………...…………………………………………..37 4.2 手部角度校正…...…………………………………………………..38 4.3 手腕位置切割...……………………………………………………..40 第五章 手勢辨識程序...……………………………………………………..44 5.1 高斯濾波器 (Gaussian filter)..……………………………………..44 5.2 手指切割…………………………………………………………….46 5.3 指尖偵測 (Fingertip detection)……………………………………..47 第六章 手勢滑鼠辨識程序.…………………………………………………49 6.1 手勢滑鼠定義...……………………………………………………..49 6.2 螢幕解析度………………………………………………………….50 6.3 定義滑鼠座標...……………………………………………………..51 第七章 實驗結果…………………………………………………………….52 7.1 影像資料庫………………………………………………………….53 7.2 不同角度手部切割結果…………………………………………….54 7.3 手勢辨識率………………………………………………………….55 7.4 手勢與臉部切割結果.………………………………………………57 7.5 手勢滑鼠應用於瀏覽網頁………………………………………….58 7.6 手勢滑鼠應用於小畫家…………………………………………….59 7.7 手勢滑鼠應用於遊戲.………………………………………………60 第八章 未來展望與結論...…………………………………………………..61 參考文獻…..………………………………………………………………….6

Factors influencing the development of urban and suburban cultural creativity in the framework of KPI

一個地方能否創造競爭優勢，從商業科技業發展來看已經不是現在的趨勢，如何讓一個地方具有當地特色、屬於自己的文化創意，才是現今為大家所重視的部分，尤其要端看它吸引人力資本的能力或人才的能力，有人才的地方就更有優勢發展文化創意。在找出文創人才KPI之前，知道哪些地方能夠吸引創意人才和了解地方品質在創意經濟所扮演之角色會更有幫助。 我們先將之前各個國家（香港、歐洲以及亞太文創產業協會）和台灣曾做過的創意城市指標進行比較，並參考Richard Florida的4T以及聯合國的5C，並分析與調查各地文創人才、文創城鄉基盤的需求與實態。「文創人才指標」的構面包括：文創人才基盤、文創人才資本；「文創城鄉基盤指標」的構面包括：文創建設、文創傳承、文創精神、文創政策和文創經費，再藉由專家訪談、德爾菲法調查法發展出最適台灣的「文創人才KPI」和「文創城鄉基盤KPI」，評量各城鄉文創人才、文創城鄉基盤之實力與潛能，以及規劃人才、城鄉基盤育成