Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThe present research investigates lightweight and normal weight precast concrete panels for highway bridges. The panels are reinforced with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars. A benefit of precast concrete panels reinforced with GFRP bars for bridge decks is that they are essentially immune to environments where chloride-induced deterioration is an issue. Twenty panels constructed using lightweight and normal weight concrete reinforced with GFRP bars for flexure without any shear reinforcement were tested to failure. The variables investigated were concrete compressive strength, deck span, panel thickness and width, and reinforcement ratio. The experimental performance of lightweight precast GFRP reinforced panels versus normal weight precast GFRP reinforced panels was investigated in terms of shear capacity, deck deflections, and moment of inertia. The experimental results show that lightweight concrete panels performed similar to normal weight concrete panels; however, they experienced larger deflections under the same load and had a lower ultimate shear strength than normal weight concrete panels. An extended database of 97 test results including normal weight and lightweight concrete restricted to members reinforced with GFRP bars for flexure without any shear reinforcement was compiled. The extended database including 77 normal weight concrete members from literature, 8 normal weight concrete panels and 12 lightweight concrete panels tested in the current research; no lightweight concrete members reinforced with GFRP has been found. ACI 440.1R predicted smaller shear strength conservatism of lightweight concrete panels compared with normal weight concrete panels. A reduction factor has been recommended for the ACI 440.1R shear strength prediction equation when lightweight concrete is used. Modified Compression Filed Theory (MCFT) was also used for the prediction of ultimate shear strength of GFRP reinforced concrete panels. The comparison of prediction to the experimental results shows that MCFT can predict accurately the shear strength for both lightweight and normal weight concrete panels reinforced with GFRP bars. All the tested panels both normal weight and lightweight concrete panels designed according to ACI 440.1R satisfy the service load deflection requirements of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. The experimental results indicate that the moment of inertia for precast panels reinforced with GFRP bars with initial cracks was less than the gross moment of inertia even before the cracking moment is reached. An expression for predicting deflection using a conservative estimate of the moment of inertia for precast concrete panels reinforced with GFRP bars is proposed. Using the proposed equation, a better deflection prediction is obtained for precast concrete panels reinforced with GFRP bars under service load

Dual-Functional PLGA Nanoparticles Co-Loaded with Indocyanine Green and Resiquimod for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Purpose: With the advance of screening techniques, there is a growing number of low-risk or intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) cases, remaining a serious threat to men's health. To obtain better efficacy, a growing interest has been attracted to develop such emerging treatments as immunotherapy and focal therapy. However, few studies offer guidance on whether and how to combine these modalities against PCa. This study was designed to develop dual-functional nanoparticles (NPs) which combined photothermal therapy (PTT) with immunotherapy and determine the anti-tumor efficacy for PCa treatment. Methods: By a double emulsion technique, the drug nanocarrier, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) or PLGA, was applied for co-loading of a fluorescent dye, indocyanine green (ICG) and a toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8) agonist resiquimod (R848) to synthesize PLGA-ICG-R848 NPs. Next, we determined their characteristic features and evaluated whether they inhibited the cell viability in multiple PCa cell lines. After treatment with PLGA-ICG-R848, the maturation markers of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) were detected by flow cytometry. By establishing a subcutaneous xenograft model of mouse PCa, we explored both the anti-tumor effect and immune response following the NPs-based laser ablation. Results: With a mean diameter of 157.7 nm, PLGA-ICG-R848 exhibited no cytotoxic effect in PCa cells, but they significantly decreased RM9 cell viability to (3.9 +/- 1.0)% after laser irradiation. Moreover, PLGA-ICG-R848 promoted BMDCs maturation with the significantly elevated proportions of CD11c+CD86+ and CD11c+CD80+ cells. Following PLGA-ICG-R848-based laser ablation in vivo, the decreased bioluminescent signals indicated a significant inhibition of PCa growth, while the ratio of splenic natural killer (NK) cells in PLGA-ICG-R848 was (3.96 +/- 1.88)% compared with (0.99 +/- 0.10)% in PBS group, revealing the enhanced immune response against PCa. Conclusion: The dual-functional PLGA-ICG-R848 NPs under laser irradiation exhibit the anti-tumor efficacy for PCa treatment by combining PTT with immunotherapy

Dual-Functional PLGA Nanoparticles Co-Loaded with Indocyanine Green and Resiquimod for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Purpose: With the advance of screening techniques, there is a growing number of low-risk or intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) cases, remaining a serious threat to men's health. To obtain better efficacy, a growing interest has been attracted to develop such emerging treatments as immunotherapy and focal therapy. However, few studies offer guidance on whether and how to combine these modalities against PCa. This study was designed to develop dual-functional nanoparticles (NPs) which combined photothermal therapy (PTT) with immunotherapy and determine the anti-tumor efficacy for PCa treatment. Methods: By a double emulsion technique, the drug nanocarrier, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) or PLGA, was applied for co-loading of a fluorescent dye, indocyanine green (ICG) and a toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8) agonist resiquimod (R848) to synthesize PLGA-ICG-R848 NPs. Next, we determined their characteristic features and evaluated whether they inhibited the cell viability in multiple PCa cell lines. After treatment with PLGA-ICG-R848, the maturation markers of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) were detected by flow cytometry. By establishing a subcutaneous xenograft model of mouse PCa, we explored both the anti-tumor effect and immune response following the NPs-based laser ablation. Results: With a mean diameter of 157.7 nm, PLGA-ICG-R848 exhibited no cytotoxic effect in PCa cells, but they significantly decreased RM9 cell viability to (3.9 +/- 1.0)% after laser irradiation. Moreover, PLGA-ICG-R848 promoted BMDCs maturation with the significantly elevated proportions of CD11c+CD86+ and CD11c+CD80+ cells. Following PLGA-ICG-R848-based laser ablation in vivo, the decreased bioluminescent signals indicated a significant inhibition of PCa growth, while the ratio of splenic natural killer (NK) cells in PLGA-ICG-R848 was (3.96 +/- 1.88)% compared with (0.99 +/- 0.10)% in PBS group, revealing the enhanced immune response against PCa. Conclusion: The dual-functional PLGA-ICG-R848 NPs under laser irradiation exhibit the anti-tumor efficacy for PCa treatment by combining PTT with immunotherapy

Role of miR-182 in response to oxidative stress in the cell fate of human fallopian tube epithelial cells

High grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) is a DNA instable tumor and its precursor is commonly found originating from the fimbriated end of the fallopian tube secretory epithelial (FTSE) cells. The local stresses via ovulation and related inflammation are risks for HGSC. In this study, we examined the cellular and molecular responses of FTSE cells to stress. We found that excess intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in normal FTSE cells upregulated a subset of microRNA expression (defined as ROSmiRs). Most ROSmiRs' expression and function were influenced and regulated by p53, and together they drove the cells into stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS). However, ROS-induced miR-182 is regulated by β-catenin, not by p53. In normal FTSE cells, miR-182 overexpression triggers cellular senescence by p53-mediated upregulation of p21. Conversely, in cells with p53 mutations, miR-182 overexpression no longer enhances p21 but functions as an “Onco-miR”. p53 dysfunction is a prerequisite for miR-182-mediated tumorigenesis. In addition, we found that human follicular fluid could significantly induce intracellular ROS in normal FTSE cells. These findings suggest that ROS and p53 mutations may trigger a series of events, beginning with overexpressing miR-182 by ROS and β-catenin, impairing the DNA damage response, promoting DNA instability, bypassing senescence and eventually leading to DNA instable tumors in FTSE cells

Building a Hospital Alliance: Taiwan Landseed Medical Alliance

The Taiwan Landseed Medical Alliance (TLMA) was formed in 1993 by eight private district hospitals. It was the first successful hospital alliance in Taiwan. After reading the financial statements of TLMA hospitals for the past few years, Dr. Victor Chang, the CEO as well as one of the founders of the TLMA, noticed that TLMA hospitals’ rates of return for the year of 2008 had stagnated. In order to figure out a plan for restructuring Landseed Hospital to make it more operationally efficient, Dr. Chang had to consider the various issues to be discussed with alliance members in forthcoming meetings and the need to find answers to these questions. This case aims to evoke discussion on the important role of alliances in competitive markets and ways to form strategic alliances, as well as on supportive actions and alliance structures

建设医院联盟：台湾联新医疗联盟

台湾联新医院联盟于1993年成立，包括八家私立的地区医院，是台湾第一家成功的医院联盟。张焕祯博士是该联盟的CEO及创始人之一。在阅读了过去几年该联盟的财务报告后，张博士注意到2008年的收益率停滞不前。为了对台湾联新医院联盟进行结构重组以提高运营效率，张博士正在思考将要在会议上与联盟成员进行沟通的几个重要问题。本案例的教学目的在于，启发学生讨论在竞争激烈的市场中联盟的重要作用，以及形成战略联盟的方式，并对联盟成员的支持性行动和联盟结构进行讨论

The interaction between

Sedum sarmentosum and Sedum lineare, two common plants for green roof, were planted in two engineered media meeting FLL standards at three depths. Root characteristics of root length density, root surface area density, and root volume density were quantified. And a key hydraulic property, saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) values of the engineered media with and without plants were measured. The results showed that engineered media type, engineered media depth, and their interaction all have a significant impact on Sedum root traits. For the engineered media with Sedum, only engineered media type and depth had a significant effect on Ks. When the type of engineered media was the same, with the same plant used, Ks of the engineered media at a depth of 14 cm was significantly smaller than Ks of any other depth. This can be attributed to the maximum level of RSD and RVD at the 14-cm depth. The reduction in Ks of the perlite-based engineered media due to plant roots is an important finding, as plant roots clog the pore spaces and lead to poor drainage and unexpected ponding in roofs. This research provides better understanding of the interaction between plant roots and engineered media in green roofs