Jian-Chiun Liou

• Taipei Medical University

Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) is a promising brain stimulation method that can target deep brain regions by delivering an interfering current from surface electrodes. Most instances of tTIS stimulate the brain with a single-frequency sinusoidal waveform generated by wave interference. Theta burst stimulation is an effective...

Paired stimulation of the brain and spinal cord can remodel the central nervous tissue circuitry in an animal model to induce motor neuroplasticity. The effects of simultaneous stimulation vary according to the extent and severity of spinal cord injury. Therefore, our study aimed to determine the significant effects on an incomplete SCI rat brain a...

Intermittent theta burst (iTBS) powered by direct current stimulation (DCS) can safely be applied transcranially to induce neuroplasticity in the human and animal brain cortex. tDCS-iTBS is a special waveform that is used by very few studies, and its safety needs to be confirmed. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the safety of tDCS-iTBS in an animal...

Background/Purpose Paired stimulation can cause neuroplasticity in corticospinal and spinal pathways in subjects with a chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). We aimed to know the effects of different waveforms using paired stimulations with bicycling in subjects with a chronic SCI. Methods Recruited subjects with an SCI underwent three treatment inter...

Oxygen consumption (VO2) during strength training can be predicted through surface electromyography (sEMG) of local muscles. This research aimed to determine relations between VO2 and sEMG of upper and lower body muscles to predict VO2 from sEMG during moderate-intensity strength training exercises. Of the 12 participants recruited, 11 were divided...

Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) has been proposed as a new neuromodulation technology for non-invasive deep-brain stimulation (DBS). However, few studies have detailed the design method of a tTIS device and provided system validation. Thus, a detailed design and validation scheme of a novel tTIS device for animal brain stimula...

Hypoxemia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been recognized as a threat to life. Nonetheless, information regarding the association between pre-dialytic pulse oximeter saturation (SpO2) level, OSA and mortality risks remains mysterious in patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Bioclinical characteristics and laboratory features were rec...

Energy expenditure through metabolic equivalent (MET) prediction during resistance exercises in humans can be modeled by using cardiorespiratory parameters. In this study, we aimed to predict MET during six moderate-intensity resistance training sessions consisting of three different exercises. Eleven participants were recruited into two groups; an...

Energy expenditure during weight training exercises produces great fitness and health benefits for humans, but few studies have investigated energy expenditure directly during weight training. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine energy costs during three training sessions consisting of three different exercises. Ten participants were ra...

Background: The risk of skeletal events is rising in parallel with the burden of chronic kidney disease and mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD), whilst the role of the fat-bone axis in CKD-MBD remains elusive. Adiponectin derived from adipocytes has emerged as a valid biomarker of low bone mineral density and increased marrow adiposity. We aimed to ex...

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially those undergoing hemodialysis, are at a considerably high risk of bone fracture events. Experimental data indicate that uremic toxins intricately involved in bone-related proteins exert multi-faced toxicity on bone cells and tissues, leading to chronic kidney disease–mineral and bone disorder (...

We investigated the effects of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) on locomotor function, motor plasticity, and axonal regeneration in an animal model of incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Aneurysm clips with different compression forces were applied extradurally around the spinal cord at T10. Motor plasticity was evaluated by examining t...

Background: A cylindrical piezoelectric element and a specific multi-channel circular microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-transducer array of ultrasonic system were used for ultrasonic energy generation and ablation. A relatively long time is required for the heat to be conducted to the target position. Ultrasound thermal therapy has great poten...

Background: The risk of cardiovascular (CV) and fatal events remains extremely high in patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD), and the growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) has emerged as a valid risk stratification biomarker. We aimed to develop a GDF15-based risk score as a death prediction model for MHD patients. Methods: Age, biomar...

The system designed in this study involves a three-dimensional (3D) microelectronic mechanical system chip structure using DNA printing technology. We employed diverse diameters and cavity thickness for the heater. DNA beads were placed in this rapid array, and the spray flow rate was assessed. Because DNA cannot be obtained easily, rapidly deployi...

Bladder dysfunction is a common phenomenon in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. A research attempt was made to analyze the voiding efficiency (VE) and bladder functions in rats with PD induced by unilateral or bilateral injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the medial forebrain bundle. PD rats were divided into unilateral- and bilateral-in...

In this study, a medical grade pulse rate (PR) instrument was used to monitor hemodialysis patients, and the wearable product was applied for the 4 h observation. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) data were simultaneously collected to observe physiological phenomena in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The analyzed results of 3...

Objective: Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a prime public health challenge with a high incidence of mortality, and also reflect severe economic impacts. One of their severe symptoms is bladder dysfunction. Conventional therapeutic methods are not effective in managing bladder dysfunction. Henceforth, a research endeavor was attempted to explor...

This Scientific Report 2020-2021 presents the main research activities carried out by the Professors and research teams of the College of Biomedical Engineering at Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. The report highlights the main research focus of the College in the fields of (a) Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, (b) Nanomedicine...

Osteogenesis in human arterial smooth muscle cell (HASMC) is a key feature of uremic vascular calcification (UVC). Concerning pro-oxidant properties of p-cresyl sulfate (PCS), the therapeutic effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger on PCS triggered inflammatory signaling transduction in osteogenesis was investigated in this translational...

The nephrotoxicity of aristolochic acids (AAs), p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) and indoxyl sulfate (IS) were well-documented, culminating in tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF), advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and fatal urothelial cancer. Nonetheless, information regarding the attenuation of AAs-induced nephropathy (AAN) and uremic toxin retention is s...

Infrared thermography can be applied in different medical systems, for example it can be used to catch the images of living blood vessels. Far infrared rays can be used in a heating machine, which can be applied in the clinical hemodialysis patients. Infrared electronically sensitized images, which are generated by near-infrared Charge-coupled Devi...

Background: Cardiac sympathetic response (CSR) and malnutrition-inflammation syndrome (MIS) score are validated assessment tools for patients' health condition. We aim to evaluate the joint effect of CSR and MIS on all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in patients with hemodialysis (HD). Methods: Changes in normalized low frequency (ΔnLF) dur...

Background: Uremic vascular calcification (UVC) is reminiscent of osteogenesis and apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC). We aimed to identify how circulating procalcific particles dramatically leak into VSMC layer in human tissue models of vascular rings. Methods: According to baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), patient...

Objective: Systemic hypoperfusion is intricately involved in neurohormone secretion, vascular calcification (VC) related impaired vasodilation, and luminal stenosis. We aimed to conduct a joint evaluation of vasopressin-neurophysin II-copeptin peptide (VP) and advanced aortic arch calcification (AAC) on all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality i...

We developed a new format for liquid crystal (LC)-based multi-microfluidic immunoassays, hosted on a polydimethylsiloxane substrate. In this design, the orientations of the LCs were strongly affected by the interface between the four microchannel walls and surrounding LCs. When the alignment layer was coated inside a microchannel, the LCs oriented...

In this paper, we present a photovoltaics system with a Cu (In, Ga) (S, Se)2 (CIGS) film that can be applied in portable power devices for electronic products. The primary material of the major photovoltaics film layer is CIGS thin film. The photovoltaics system is made on an AZO/ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/flexible substrate. An SEM photo of the CIGS/Mo/flexi...

This document presents the Research fields and performance of the College of Biomedical Engineering of Taipei Medical University (TMU). After only three years of existence, our College of Biomedical Engineering (CBME) was already listed in the top 150 in Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) in 2018. CBME has 26 full-time professors and clo...

In this study, DNA sequencing droplet trajectories are observed and analyzed using an application-specific integrated circuit system and a micro-electromechanical system structure jetting chip. We investigate a droplet jetting technique and apply it to biomedical test chips. This use of a sprayed chip structure can reduce sequencing time by two-thi...

Background: Interactions and early warning effects of non-hepatic alkaline phosphatase (NHALP) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) on the progression of vertebral fractures (VFs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain unclear. We aim to explore whether serum concentrations of NHALP and hs-CRP could serve as a promising dual...

According to the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Ranking 2018, Taipei Medical University continues to improve its ranking to reach now the 83th place. Our College of Biomedical Engineering was for the first time listed in the top 150-200 biomedical engineering academic institutes in the world in the ARWU ranking, after only 3 years of...

An optimized array process of micro light-emitting diode (LED) display is descripted as follows. Silicon nitride (SiNx) is the main component of dielectric protective layer as a mask layer in the fine-grain etching process of LED pixel platform. GaN-based material is etched by the etching mask layer. The size of 12 × 12 μm micro-die LED array is us...

Background: Interactions and joint effects of galectin-3 and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) on risks of all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality remain unclear in patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods: Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of mortality risks were analyzed between higher and lower concentrati...

Molecular mechanisms and pathological features of p-Cresyl sulfate (PCS)-induced uremic lung injury (ULI) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain unclear. We analyzed pleural effusions (PE) from CKD and non-CKD patients for uremic toxins, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and chemotactic cytokines. Correlations between PE biomarkers and serum creatinin...

This paper proposes a novel technology of memory protection for the Non-Volatile Memory (NVM), applied to smart sensors and smart data. Based on the asymmetry of failure rate between the statuses of bit-0 and bit-1 in the non-volatile memory, as a result of the pollution of the radiation of cosmic ray, a two-dimensional parity with variable length...

The integration of logic function is enabling TIJ-based products to move ever further up-market. The depicted integrated circuit TIJ transducer array serves 1024 jets and includes data interfacing, jet addressing, drop generation power pulsing, and bidirectional operation. Experimental design and a new printhead multiplexed data registration system...

There are exciting research topics at the College of Biomedical Engineering of Taipei Medical University for Foreign MS and PhD students.We have several international MS and PhD programs in Biomedical Engineering covering Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Nanotechnologies and Medical Engineering, and Bio-Optomechatronics. Teaching is 100...

In this study, we demonstrate and investigate a new droplet injection design. We create a thermal inkjet (TIJ) printhead using an application-specific integrated circuit system and bulk micromachining technology (microelectromechanical systems). We design inkjet printhead chips with a new structure and investigate their properties. For the new stru...

Transcranial electric stimulation (rTMS) has been widely used in research on stroke patients. However, studies have yet to derive quantified evidence on this type of neurostimulation used for regulating the brain's neural plasticity. Therefore, it is worth further exploration. In rTMS, analyses are integrated with an electromyographic system, which...

This article describes the aims to establish a thermal inkjet (TIJ) printhead with multi-channel driven simultaneously for DNA droplet arrangement. It proposed a monolithic CMOS/MEMS system with multi-level output voltage ESD protection system for protected inkjet printhead. High voltage power, low voltage logic and CMOS/MEMS architecture were inte...

This paper describes the advantages of integrating a common Power Clamp with the ability to withstand voltage and save on wafer area. The system chip does not require a power clamp for each input source. It is as long as the system core circuit by electrostatic protection. It can reach normal operation and save as much chip area as possible. The st...

This paper describes an integrated logic timing CMOS control circuit and micro-electromechanical (MEMS) structure on a liquid-jet wafer. It can be a large current high voltage drive components. It is multi-level voltage output and ESD electrostatic protection circuit. It can be integrated with the liquid-jet actuator components of the wafer process...

The integration of logic function is enabling TIJ-based products to move ever further up-market. The depicted integrated circuit TIJ transducer array serves 1024 jets and includes data interfacing, jet addressing, drop generation power pulsing, and bidirectional operation. A novel printhead multiplexer data registration system has been designed and...

This article describes the aims to establish a thermal bubble printhead with simultaneously driving multi-channel for DNA droplet arrangement. It proposed a monolithic CMOS/MEMS system with multi-level output voltage ESD protection system for protected inkjet printhead. High-voltage power, low-voltage logic, and CMOS/MEMS architecture were integrat...

In this study, we focused on benzocyclobutene (BCB) coatings, finger structure bonding, and adhesion observation. To investigate a microdisk laser operating at a wavelength of 1310 nm, a system involving the use of 2 mm × 2 mm InP laser chips (bonded using divinyl siloxane–BCB through 2 cm × 2 cm hybrid laser processes), silicon-on-insulator wafer...

A 60-year-old man had a long history of chronic hepatitis C. He presented to the emergency department with 2 days of progressive dyspnoea. Clinical manifestations included respiratory distress, cyanosis, digital clubbing, spider naevi on the upper chest and shifting dullness in the abdomen (see online supplementary figure S1). The ECG showed sinus...

Background: No large epidemiological study has been conducted to investigate the interaction and joint effects of periodontal pocket depth and hyperglycemia on progression of chronic kidney disease in patients with periodontal diseases. Methods: Periodontal pocket depth was utilized for the grading severity of periodontal disease in 2,831 patien...

To reduce the noise interference, we designed multiplexer-drive circuit used in InP laser array. This system is the use of D-Filp Flop circuit architecture do digital operations. It controls two adjacent InP laser systems, two InP laser is not functioning at the same time and will not cause interference. In order to investigate the micro-disk laser...

A compact and simple balun-bandpass filter was investigated by using a pair of half-wavelength open-loop ring resonators (OLRRs) and two microstrip lines. The balun-bandpass filter could be designed easily with a different center frequency by changing the path length of OLLRRs. The design methodology was adopted based on EM simulation to obtain the...

This paper describes the development of a thermal inkjet print head with an identification circuit. The identification circuit was designed using a fuse and other electronic components. The multifunctionality of the integrated circuit in a print head of the cartridge was used to satisfy user demands. The circuit was encoded to enable identification...

This paper describes the development of a thermal inkjet print head with an identification circuit. The identification circuit was designed using a fuse and other electronic components. The multifunctionality of the integrated circuit in a print head of the cartridge was used to satisfy user demands. The circuit was encoded to enable identification...

This paper showcases a low-power demodulator for medical implant communication services (MICS) applications. Complementary shunt resistive feedback, current reuse configuration, and sub-threshold LO driving techniques are proposed to achieve ultra-low power consumption. The chip has been implemented in standard CMOS process and consumes only 260-(F...

A 0.18 µm CMOS Binary Frequency Shift Keying Modulator with a novel frequency synthesizer structure is proposed in this paper. Based on an analog adder technique being the backbone of the synthesizer, this prototype demonstrates a compact modulator with low complexity, which achieves 1 Mbps at 400 MHz while dissipating 3.1 mW at 1.5 V supply. The p...

Si photonic is an optical information processing technology, including lasers, optical modulators, waveguide and a photodetector, and the light signal is performed by a basic photonic systems. In silicon microelectronics world, hundreds of millions of pieces of single components are integrated into a single platform to "parallel manufacturing" appr...

A self-powered complementary electrochromic device (CECD) driven by a high open-circuit voltage InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) solar cell has been designed. Radio frequency magnetron sputtering was used to deposit a nickel oxide (NiO) thin film and a tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin film on an indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate to form the C...

The purpose of this study was look for the optimized design of light source array applied in indoor lighting combined with visible light communication. The design of different light source arrays: circle, radiation, and rectangle were simulated and experimental for lighting, and then actually be used in visible light communication. The simulation r...

This paper addresses the specific technological challenges of autostereoscopic 3-D displays and presents a novel system that integrates an active slanted LED backlight slit system with slanted lenticular lens array. Including light scattering strips configured to scatter the illumination light, and disposed on the light guide plate. Furthermore, wi...

An intelligent data encoding algorithm to control high voltage multiplexers for multi-channel medical ultrasound applications is validated in this paper. The time interleaving scanning sequence is controlled spatially on the ultrasound transducer elements to avoid the strong interference caused by the excitation of neighbor elements. The output noi...