Publications by authors named "Fung-Hsiang Chu"

On the heels of the continuous development of optical fiber sensing technology, optical fiber sensors based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) have attracted widespread attention. Herein, an SPR sensor based on the six nested anti-resonant fiber (ARF) is designed and analyzed by the finite element method (FEM). All the structural parameters are optimized to achieve high-sensitivity liquid refractive index detection.

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A symmetrical dual-D and dual-core single-mode fiber surface plasmon resonance (SPR) liquid sensor is designed for biological detection. The dual-core design optimizes the transmission path, improves the momentum matching between free electrons and photons, and facilitates bidirectional coupling, consequently amplifying the SPR effect and enabling sensitive monitoring of the refractive index changes of biological solutions. In this structure, a gold wire is placed in the middle of the polished surface of the double-D-shaped single-mode fiber (SMF) to produce high-quality free electrons and promote the mode-coupling excitation of the SPR effect.

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Boron deficiency is an abiotic stress that negatively impacts plant growth and yield worldwide. Boron deficiency primarily affects the development of plant meristems, groups of stem cells critical for all postembryonic tissue growth. The link between boron and meristem development was first established in 1923, when boron's essentiality was discovered.

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Background: Injuries to the common peroneal nerve often result in significant sensory and motor function loss, severely affecting patients' quality of life. Although existing treatments, including medication and surgery, provide some degree of efficacy, their effectiveness is limited by factors such as tolerance and adverse side effects.

Methods: This study aims to evaluate the effects of a 4-week regimen of mirror therapy combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation on lower limb function, muscle strength, and sensation in patients with common peroneal nerve injuries.

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Introduction: African swine fever is a highly transmissible and lethal infectious disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), which has considerably impacted the global swine industry. Lipid metabolism plays a vital role in sustaining lipid and energy homeostasis within cells and influences the viral life cycle.

Methods And Results: In this study, we found that ASFV infection disrupts lipid metabolism in the host.

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In conclusion, the distinct evolution patterns of panzootic influenza A(H5Nx) compared to A(H1N1) and A(H3N2) complicate vaccine development. Effective strategies must consider these unique patterns and the impact of pre-existing immunity. Leveraging AI-based methods for optimized antigen design is essential to mitigate the potential impact of emerging antigenically variable strains and will provide valuable insights for developing more effective vaccines to prepare for future pandemics.

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Background: Long-term haemodialysis patients often experience physical symptom distress (PSD) and varying levels of demoralization. Spirituality and self-compassion can help patients to cope these challenges. However, the interrelations between these variables remain underexplored, necessitating further investigation.

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Breaking the thermal, mechanical and lightweight performance limit of aerogels has pivotal significance on thermal protection, new energy utilization, high-temperature catalysis, structural engineering, and physics, but is severely limited by the serious discrete characteristics between grain boundary and nano-units interfaces. Herein, a thermodynamically driven surface reaction and confined crystallization process is reported to synthesize a centimeter-scale supercontinuous ZrO nanolayer on ZrO-SiO fiber aerogel surface, which significantly improved its thermal and mechanical properties with density almost unchanged (≈26 mg cm). Systematic structure analysis confirms that the supercontinuous layer achieves a close connection between grains and fibers through Zr─O─Si bonds.

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Background: Observational studies indicate that serum urate level is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, whether this association is causal remains controversial, due to confounding factors and reverse causality. We aim to evaluate the causal relationship of genetically predicted serum urate level with AF.

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Background: Atherosclerosis serves as the fundamental pathology for a variety of cardiovascular disorders, with its pathogenesis being closely tied to the complex interplay among lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Wogonoside is a natural flavonoid extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis with a variety of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and cardiac function improvement properties. Despite these known effects, the specific role of wogonoside in the context of atherosclerosis remains to be elucidated.

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Objective: This study aims to explore the genetic characteristics of pediatric sepsis through a combined analysis of multiple methods, including Mendelian Randomization (MR), differential gene expression analysis, and immune cell infiltration assessment. It explores their potential as biomarkers for sepsis risk and their involvement in immune-related pathways.

Methods: Differential expression analysis was performed using public datasets to identify genes with significant expression changes between pediatric sepsis patients and healthy controls.

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Background: Sheep horns play a critical role in the survival and reproduction of sheep. Research on sheep horns not only aids in comprehending their biological roles but is also vital for developing hornless breeds. Although previous studies have suggested that KLK7 may be associated with keratin growth, there are few studies that have focused on the role of KLK7 in sheep horns.

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Rac/Rop proteins, a kind of unique small GTPases in plants, play crucial roles in plant growth and development and in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. However, it is poorly understood whether cotton Rac/Rop protein genes are involved in mediating cotton resistance to Verticillium dahliae. Here, we focused on the function and mechanism of cotton Rac/Rop gene GhRac9 in the defense response to Verticillium dahliae infection.

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Acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) in children may be accompanied by acute otitis media (AOM) which is often associated with bacterial co-infections. These conditions are among the primary reasons that children visit hospitals and require antibiotic treatment. This study evaluated the efficacy of the nasal-spraying probiotics (LiveSpo Navax containing 5 billion Bacillus subtilis and B.

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Background: Fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) boosts the antitumour immune response in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The gut microbiota is a key host immunity regulator, affecting physiological homeostasis and disease pathogenesis.

Objective: We aimed to investigate how FMD protects against CRC via gut microbiota modulation.

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Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant global health challenge, particularly due to the resistance of gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs) to chemotherapy. This study investigates the role of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (HNRNPA2B1), a member of the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs), in modulating mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming and contributing to chemoresistance in GCSCs. Through extensive analysis of tumor cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets, HNRNPA2B1 was identified as a key regulator in GCSCs, correlating with poor prognosis and enhanced resistance to chemoresistance.

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Backgrounds: Abuse of feed supplement can cause oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in Gallus gallus. Synbiotics are composed of prebiotics and probiotics and it possess huge application potentials in the treatment of animal diseases.

Methods: This study examined the effect of d-tagatose on the probiotic properties of L.

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Background: Hospitals face mounting pressure to reduce unplanned utilization amid rising healthcare demands from an aging population. The Case management for At-Risk patients in the Emergency Department (CARED) program is among the first ED transitional care strategies to focus on both frail older adults and emergency department (ED) re-attenders to reduce acute hospital utilization. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CARED program in reducing hospital (re)admissions and ED re-attendances within 30- and 60 days post-discharge.

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Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have emerged as promising materials for electrochemiluminescence (ECL) applications due to their unique optical and electronic properties. In this study, GQDs were synthesized via electrochemical exfoliation of graphite in a constant current density mode, enabling scalable production with controlled size and surface functionalization. GQDs-4 and GQDs-20, synthesized at applied current densities of 4 mA/cm2 and 20 mA/cm2 to the graphite electrode, respectively, were investigated on roles of surface states and exciplex dominated aggregation-induced emission (AIE) in their ECL performance.

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The incidence of thyroid cancer has shown marked increases globally over recent decades. This study investigated how the incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) subtypes and World Health Organisation (WHO) endocrine tumour classification changes have affected overall thyroid cancer incidence recorded in Australia. Using incidence data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare cancer registry (spanning 1982 to 2019), this descriptive epidemiological study employed joinpoint regression analysis to assess temporal trends in thyroid carcinoma incidence, focusing on PTC.

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Coronary artery disease remains a significant global health issue and is a leading cause of mortality. Dual antiplatelet therapy, including clopidogrel, is essential for preventing stent thrombosis after coronary artery stenting. This study assessed the comparative efficacy and safety of generic versus brand-name clopidogrel in a large Taiwanese cohort.

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Aims: Alexander disease (AxD) is a leukodystrophy caused by mutations in the astrocytic filament gene GFAP. There are currently no effective treatments for AxD. Previous studies have rarely established AxD models with the patient's original GFAP mutations.

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Accumulating research indicates that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification plays a pivotal role in colorectal cancer (CRC). Hence, investigating the m6A-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) significantly improves therapeutic strategies and prognostic assessments. This study aimed to develop and validate a prognostic model based on m6A-related lncRNAs to improve the prediction of clinical outcomes and identify potential immunological mechanisms in CRC.

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