全國中小學科展

2012年

探討第三號誘餌受體對NOD小鼠糖尿病預防與T細胞分化影響之研究

DcR3是腫瘤壞死因子6B的成員(Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily),又稱為TR6或M68。DcR3會藉由與Fas Ligand, LIGHT或TL1A等細胞表面配位結合,阻擋T細胞的死亡訊息傳輸,保護該細胞免於細胞凋亡;另外,DcR3也會與抗原呈現細胞的硫化肝素糖蛋白結合,誘導未分化之T細胞發育成能減少自體免疫疾病發生的Th2細胞,顯示DcR3有充分作為自體免疫疾病預防之藥物的可能性。因此我藉本實驗探討DcR3對T細胞分化與發育造成的影響與造成此一現象的原因。 根據實驗結果,我們發現DcR3不僅有上述之功能,更能增加調節型T細胞(Treg)這種抑制免疫反應的特殊T細胞表現量,若能藉由Treg調控免疫系統活力,將可改善易般免疫抑制劑治療造成病人免疫力下降之缺點。因此我藉由NOD小鼠,實際檢測DcR3在活體中對抗自體免疫疾病發生的能力,並以DcR3與T 細胞之交互作用實驗,探討現象的成因。根據實驗結果,在Somatic gene therapy和Protein therapy的實驗中,皆可看出疾病延遲發生的現象。而在DcR3對T細胞存活率的影響方面,可看出DcR3並不會造成T細胞之異常死亡。故我們推測DcR3可藉由增加Treg表現量減緩或降低NOD小鼠糖尿病的發病。 因此我們認為DcR3非常有潛力作為未來自體免疫疾病預防或移植手術後用以抗排斥之藥物。

刑案現場大發現-那是血嗎?

目前警察機關採用酚酞法檢驗有無血跡存在的可能性,我們希望研發新的試劑取代酚酞以增加靈敏度。 研發實驗分為四個階段: 一、 定性階段:實驗何種指示劑可取代酚酞法,檢驗有無血跡存在的可能性。 二、 定量階段:實驗新試劑與雙氧水之最適比例以及新試劑與不同血液樣品之反應速率比較。 三、 靈敏度比較階段:實驗亞甲藍法與酚酞法在不同濃度樣品的比較。 四、 反應機構推論階段:由實驗推論可能的反應機構並由新試劑之結構探討可能的反應機構。 實驗結果顯示,我們已成功地找到新的試劑(亞甲藍)作為初步血跡預備試驗。亞甲藍除了較容易配製、顏色不易與血液混淆,且在檢驗有無血跡時,其靈敏度亦較酚酞法高,以上優點證實此新試劑亦可做為血跡檢驗之用,作為初步血液預備檢驗。

Development of an ECG-System using AndroidTM and Modified Bluebeatc Hardware

Electrocardiograms are important medical devices used to monitor the cardiac activity of patients over a period of time. Designed to provide convenient monitoring of patients, although most useful, ECG’s however are expensive and usually not portable, limiting its availability and therefore usefulness. Taking advantage of current technological developments, the researchers developed an ECG System with Androidâ„¢ smartphone based monitor, and Bluebeat© ECG Front circuit based electrodes. The system is divided into two, software and hardware interface. The developed software interface code used an Android based Java language which displays the converted ADC values in the LCD. Saving and user friendly features were also included in the smartphone. The hardware interface is composed of the ECG front and the Data Acquisition Module. The ECG front contains the filters and amplifiers that will receive the human cardiac signal. The DAT Module will then receive it with its Gizduino (Arduinoâ„¢ clone) microcontroller which converts the analog signals into ADC values, and finally sends it to the smartphone using Bluetooth© wireless communication. The first phase of data gathering used signal generator and indicates the system’s accuracy and speed. The second phase testing of the study meanwhile utilizes the ECG front to get actual cardiac signals from human. This phase has already been done, though it still needs more polishing and further trials. For the final testing, nine patients of varying ages and cardiac health status will be taken with ECG readings, three replicates from the developed ECG system, and one from an actual ECG device. Using cardiologists’ and patients’ feedback, the user friendliness and accuracy of the ECG-system will be confirmed, and further modifications shall be made. Lastly, the overall cost of producing the ECG system shall be compared to the price of an ECG device, to see if the developed system is indeed cheaper. However, it is ensured that the system is far more portable than its bulkier ancestors. Once the project is fully finished, the accuracy, replicability and usefulness of the system shall be confirmed using F-test.

Drawing versus Clay

1. Purpose of Research / Project The purpose of this research was to find out whether clay has any diagnostic value as a three-dimensional medium compare to drawing which is two dimensional medium and to determine if learners would prefer to work with clay or to rather draw a picture when depicting their ″feeling-stories″. Furthermore to do research on the effect that different coloured clay has on the emotions and behavior of learners during therapy. 2. Procedure A number of learners from different backgrounds, ages and cultures were used in this empirical research. They were asked to draw a ″feeling-story″ with a two-dimensional medium and then depict a ″feeling-story″ with different coloured clay which is a three-dimensional medium. Afterwards they had to describe their stories. They also had to choose what they liked best-the two-dimensional medium (drawing) or the three-dimensional medium (clay). 3. Data From the results it was clear that clay projections have diagnostic value. The learners were able to communicate their ″feeling-story″ better by using the three-dimensional figures in a verbal and non-verbal way. Through actions and the choice of coloured clay they used, they could portray and describe their emotions and symbolic messages. This indicated that they enjoyed the clay projections more than the drawings they made. 4. Conclusion From my research I found that clay as a three-dimensional medium has diagnostic value and can be applied as a supplementary projection medium. Different coloured clay can be associated with different emotions and behaviours in children. More learners preferred to work with clay (three-dimensional) as a medium in depicting their ″feeling-story″ rather than drawing two-dimensional pictures.

車輛滑動預防系統研究

近年來,未拉上手煞車所造成的傷害事故層出不窮,主要有兩個導因,一、車主已離車但未拉上手煞車;二、看見自己的車已經開始滑動,想用徒手力量阻擋。因為車輛的質量很大,往往沒有辦法阻止,反而造成了車主自身或周遭行人的傷亡。本設計主要功能是用於車輛滑動的預防。我們運用了加速規來感測地面的坡度,當車輛停放在斜坡,駕駛座上無人,且沒有拉起手煞車,本系統將會自動偵測,我們使用了OPA比較電路來判斷坡度是否達到我們預設的值,如果是,系統將會啟動警報器警告周圍的人,而且會自動將手煞車拉起,以防止車輛繼續下滑,這就是我們所發明的智慧手煞車的作動原理及基本的構想。我們希望藉由此設計,達到減少因未拉上手煞車而造成的事故,並且能藉由警報聲改正駕駛人習慣,減少傷亡提升車輛安全。

Computer Vision for Alternative Input Systems

In the fast-paced environment of a hospital intensive care unit (ICU), good doctor-patient communication is essential. However, medical conditions and devices often inhibit a patient’s ability to speak, write or type. Current assistive communication devices are either prohibitively expensive or cumbersome and time-consuming, creating a gap in communication during a patient’s first days in the ICU. This project applies computer vision to develop a low-cost software solution that bridges this gap by enabling patients to generate words with eye movements. In the system, a webcam acquires an image of the patient, and an image processing algorithm classifies patient’s gaze as pointing in one of eight directions. Each direction corresponds to an option on a graphical menu presented to the patient on the computer’s display. The patient can use the menu to select a preformed phrase from a list of common phrases. Patients desiring to express more complex ideas can type custom words using the menu as an ambiguous keyboard (similar to a phone keypad). In either case, the patient-generated text will be displayed on screen and read aloud through the computer’s audio system. The only hardware requirements are an existing computer and a $6 webcam. The program can process and respond to an image in 148ms. A new user can be trained in approximately 10 minutes, and after training can type a simple phrase such as “hello world” in 40 seconds. While further testing and improvement is required before the system will be ready for implementation, the project shows promise as a low-cost solution to ICU communication.

A Study For Heavy Metals Detection Using The Solubility change of Different Kinds Solute

A research on how a solution mixed with two or more solutes affect the solubility of each solute was done. If different solutes are put in a solution with a specific concentration, the solubility of the single state solute increases, stays the same, or decreases. The difference in solubility caused by several solutes will give solutions on selectively collecting heavy metals from bodies of water polluted by these heavy metals even more effectively. To test the changes in the solubility of the solution with several solutes, sedimentation has been used; however, colorimetric analysis was also done to observe the changes in color of solutes that show color in the solution. Nitrate compounds of Sodium, Magnesium, Strontium and Potassium were used for the typical metals, and for the transition metals, nitrate compounds of Silver, Cadmium and Lead were used. Test results show that Sodium decreased the solubility of Lead, and as the concentration of Sodium increased, the solubility of Lead increased too. On the other hand, K increased the solubility of Pb, and as the concentration of K increased, the solubility of Pb decreased. We can use the radius of ions and the enthalpy of hydration to explain the changes in solubility. In the case of Cd, as the concentration of K, Mg and Sr increase, the solubility of Cd increased with it. This is because the difference between the ionic radii of Cd and the other ions (K, Mg, Sr) has a tendency to increase in solubility in the enthalpy of hydration. Also, as the concentration of Ca increased, there was a tendency in which the solubility of Cd decreased. This is because the ionic radii of Cd and Ca are similar to each other and there was a tendency that the solubility decreased in the enthalpy of hydration. Through this experiment, the study shows the tendency of the change in solubility of several solutes by comparing ionic radius and the enthalpy of hydration, and if this result is used, the processing of certain heavy metals in the bodies of water can be even more effectively used than the previous method.

二維顆粒流體崩塌倒序現象之探討

本研究探討斜面上二維顆粒體流動的現象,分析各種變因(軌道盒傾斜角度、軌道盒側壁傾斜角度、軌道盒出口大小、顆粒粒徑)對斜面顆粒流性質的影響: 一、 顆粒流圖形與表層崩塌角 (一)顆粒流圖形: 「V字下滑」 (二)表層崩塌角: ‧正向關係: 軌道盒傾斜角 ‧負向關係: 軌道盒側壁傾斜角、粒徑 ‧ 未知關係: 出口大小 二、 中央線上目標顆粒的落下時間 ‧正向關係: 軌道盒側壁傾斜角度 ‧ 負向關係: 軌道盒傾斜角度、出口大小 ‧未知關係: 粒徑 三、 探討傾斜軌道盒顆粒流中,崩塌以及倒序區域分布圖形 ‧起始位置較高且較遠離中軸線的顆粒將可能發生「起始位置較高的顆粒卻較早落下」的倒序現象; 依照顆粒實際發生的崩塌類型,能將軌道盒分為穩定區、內崩塌區及表層崩塌區。 ‧崩塌區域的分佈受顆粒粒徑與軌道盒側壁傾斜角影響。

轉譯在延長階段所做的調控

高中生物課本內對於轉譯機制所舉的例子,通常僅侷限於轉譯起始階段(initiation)所受的調控,例如色胺酸調控組。因此,我們想藉此研究更進一步探討:細胞在不同階段是否有調控轉譯的現象。我們利用冷光蛋白測定法(luciferase reporter assay)測出CPEB3的確對於轉譯有減緩的效果,並利用不同internal ribosome entry site(IRES)間接證明轉譯速率的變化主要是根據延長階段的不同而有所改變。另一方面,我們將多組CPEB3突變株進行交叉分析,找出cpeb3序列中兩百多個鹼基對的重要基因片段,並發現其為不連續的基因,且用Co-Immunoprecipitation(Co-IP)驗證我們的實驗結果。未來,我們將繼續探討在延長階段抑制的意義,以助於我們進一步了解細胞轉譯的過程。

Complicated reproductive system in the Brown-foot Ant, Technomyrmex brunneus. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

本研究主要針對棕色扁琉璃蟻的生殖型蟻以及其生殖行為進行探討。在生殖季節中,處女蟻后出現的比例明顯高於有翅型雄蟻。而蟻后的死亡率高,且其所產下的卵有27%為畸型卵,具有生殖衰退(reproductive decline)的現象。此外,部分棕色扁琉璃蟻聚落中,蟻后會被工蟻逐出巢外並進行搬運屍體、搬運廢棄物及覓食等職蟻的行為。 有別於大多數的蟻種,棕色扁琉璃蟻存在著工蟻型雄蟻(Ergatoid male)和具有生殖能力的工蟻。工蟻型雄蟻的外型與氣味皆與一般工蟻相似,羽化後即具有生殖能力,可與聚落中多隻生殖型工蟻行多次交配(multiple mating);而可生殖的工蟻又包含三種中間階級(intercaste),於體長、複眼數目、胸線皆有所差異,微卵管數目則可依階級分為4至6條、12至14條、18至22條三種範圍。 棕色扁琉璃蟻的繁衍方式是多樣且複雜的:聚落中主要由生殖型工蟻進行有性生殖及孤雌產雌,繁殖出蟻后、工蟻和二種型態的雄蟻。而蟻后則可與有翅型雄蟻交配,但只產出一般工蟻及生殖型工蟻。 本研究首次提出了棕色扁琉璃蟻具有工蟻型雄蟻,而對這種具有複雜生殖方式的社會結構之探討,也為聚落發展的方式提供了一個新的研究方向