全國中小學科展

2019年

FAT10 Haplotypes as a Potential Biomarker for Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of death today[1], accounting for nearly 1 in 6 deaths worldwide. Despite this, diagnosis and treatment models for cancer are limited and as such, new methods to identify and treat susceptible patients are required urgently. HLAF- adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10) is an oncogene that is strongly implicated in the development of inflammation-associated cancers[2]. Previous research on this highly polymorphic gene has identified 2 haplotypes – the reference haplotype, which is found in both cancer patients and healthy individuals, as well as an additional haplotype that is occurs at higher frequency in cancer patients and is associated with higher odds of cancer. In this study, it was hypothesised that the cancer-associated FAT10 haplotype can better promote tumorigenicity and could thereby serve as a useful biomarker for cancer. Here, we functionally characterize the 2 FAT10 haplotypes to understand how they influence some of the hallmarks of cancer. The cancer-exclusive haplotype was observed to enhance hallmarks of cancer, namely uncontrolled cell growth, resisting cell death and anchorage-independent growth as compared to the reference haplotype. Moreover, we uncovered the differential gene expression patterns induced by each haplotype. Molecules involved in cell adhesion and proliferation, as well as transcription were upregulated by the cancer-associated haplotype and hence could have contributed to the increased tumourigenic potential of the cancer haplotype.

以狀態有向圖探討跳躍數列方法數

本篇研究針對跳躍進行數列本身意義的探討,用新的數列V表示跳躍數列的接球狀況,接著利用狀態有向圖定義出表示跳躍數列球在空中狀況的「頂點」以及表示跳躍數列內數值的「邊」,而迴圈狀況即為跳躍數列的情況下我們利用鄰接矩陣的想法進行探討,並且最後利用跡數的方式進行跳躍數列形式的討論。不同於文獻中僅針對用球數b和跳躍數列字串長度n做為討論,本篇研究增加了代表著跳躍數列中數值可達到的最大數值s(也代表著表示跳躍數列球在空中狀況的「頂點」長度),針對用球數為1顆的情況下為k階盧卡斯數的數值,而在其他用球數也有好的結果,並且針對不同情況下的跳躍數列整理出遞迴關係式以及生成函數。最後,在本篇研究中也找到許多在OEIS上所沒有的數列,並且給予這些數列有不同的解釋。

"turn" -on (free food and renewable energy )

Nowadays Electric energy is the most useful in the world because we use it every day for lightening, work, entertainment ext … but electric energy also can be expensive and it will pollute the air plus we all know that the air pollution is getting worse. Our world consumes a huge amount of electric energy . Also we know that the homelessness is getting higher all around the globe and it reached a high percentage. The high price and the sudden cut of the electric energy and with it the air pollution makes a big problem. That’s why we created this project named TURN ON which is a friend of the environment and a friend of the humans. Our product will help us to produce and create strong, clean and renewable energy plus it will help the homeless to have free food and free transport tickets. After doing a lot of researches we found that our new method of producing energy gives a great electric energy and limit pollution. The kinetic energy is produced using rotations. That’s why we used the rotations of motorbikes, bicycles, cars wheels and turn that mechanical energy (wm) into electrical energy (we) that we can easily use in our daily life plus we can help homeless by giving them food widgets… in exchange with the electrical energy that they produced while using bicycles…After performing several tests and taking notes, we are able to conclude that our apparatus is indeed efficient as it is able to convert the rotation into electronic energy that we can store and use in emergencies to solve this big problem and in the same time to limit air pollution with using bicycles and reducing hunger regarding homeless. This machine should be easy to implement, cheap, does not depend on any other parameters such as the wind. Any rotation in any place can be a source of Electrical Energy. To facilitate the use of this new device, A START UP will be launched to rent electric bikes for “free”, distribute free food, snacks, tickets to homeless regarding to the energy production.

Multiple Time-step Predictive Models for Hurricanes in the North Atlantic Basin Based on Machine Learning Algorithms

The cost of damage caused by hurricanes in 2017 is estimated to be over 200 billion dollars. Quick and accurate prediction of the path of a hurricane and its strength would be very valuable in alleviating these losses. Machine learning based prediction models, in contrast to models based on physics, have been developed successfully in many problem domains. A machine learning system infers the modeling function from a training dataset. This project developed machine learning based prediction models to forecast the path and strength of hurricanes in the North Atlantic basin. Feature analysis was performed on the HURDAT2 dataset, which contains paths and strengths of past hurricanes. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and Generalized Linear Model (GLM) approaches such as Tikhonov regularization were investigated to develop nine hurricane prediction models. Prediction accuracy of these models was compared using a testing dataset, disjoint from the training dataset. The coefficient of determination and the mean squared error were used as performance metrics. Post-processing metrics, such as geodesic error in path prediction and the mean wind speed error, were also used to compare different models. TLS linear regression model performed the best of out the nine models for one and two time steps, while the ANNs made more accurate predictions for longer periods. All models predicted location and strength with greater than .95 coefficient of determination for up to two days. My models predicted hurricane path in under a second with accuracy comparable to that of current models.

Co-evolution of transcription factors and their binding sites in DNA

The synthesis of RNA using DNA (transcription) can be regulated by special proteins - transcription factors (TF) by binding to specific DNA regions - binding sites (BSTF). The purpose of the project is building a phylogenetic tree of orthologous groups of the each studying TF subfamilies, compare it with the tree of the corresponding BSTF motifs belonging to one orthologous group, find some common parts.

水稻根表鐵膜對植體營養元素吸收的影響

鐵是植物生長的必要營養元素之一,土壤中的鐵含量雖然不低,但受限於含鐵礦物的溶解度使得鐵的有效性低,植物對鐵的吸收因此受限,進而影響人類的鐵攝取量並造成相關的健康問題。欲提高植物對鐵的利用效率,必須先了解植物對其吸收之相關機制,主要關鍵之一為植物根如何改變根圈環境以控制鐵吸收的有效性。 本研究以水稻為對象,探討水稻不同根部泌氧能力,對水稻根部鐵膜組成、鐵吸收效率,及其對其他營養元素吸收的影響。我們藉由遺傳篩選方法,選殖出較不易生成鐵膜之突變株(#878),透過比較野生型與突變株 (#878)水稻生理性狀之差異,發現通氣組織的生成為控制根系泌氧的影響因子;此泌氧能力會使根系周圍的鐵氧化,並於根表形成一層含有鐵氧化物的沉澱 (即鐵膜);而鐵膜的生成會影響水稻營養元素的吸收,其中鐵膜對陽離子型態的營養元素有較好吸持效果。

上皮細胞黏著分子(EpCAM)促進大腸癌細胞中對於艾瑞莎(Gefitinib)之抗藥性研究 EpCAM enhances Gefitinib-induced drug resistance in colon cancer cells

上皮生長因子受體 (EGFR) 已被確認在人類上皮惡性腫瘤扮演重要角色,因此臨床上開發出許多針對EGFR之大腸癌、肺癌等的小分子標靶藥物,但治療期間所產生的抗藥性仍是一大瓶頸。 過去上皮細胞黏著分子(EpCAM)只被認為是胞間連接分子,現今則在癌幹細胞 (cancer stem cells,CSCs)等領域被研究。然而從文獻與先前實驗室的試驗,可以看見EpCAM促進癌症抗藥性的可能。 本研究發現在大腸癌中,艾瑞莎 (Gefitinib) 會透過轉錄因子FOXO3a促進細胞凋亡,而EpEX會經由抑制FOXO3a所促進的凋亡路徑,導致癌細胞產生Gefitinib抗藥性,且此抗藥性,也與EpICD下游之誘導性多能幹細胞相關基因 ( iPS-related genes )的表現有關,但其分子機制尚不清楚。 本研究以大腸癌與Gefitinib做為癌症與EGFR小分子藥物的模型,找出EpCAM可能造成的抗藥路徑,未來可應用在各類癌症之聯合治療 (Combination therapy) ,以克服癌症治療所產生的EGFR小分子藥物抗藥性。

Robotic Search and Rescue

I built a robot that is able to improve safety in mines. The robot takes a series of sensor readings, do 3D mapping to compare deteriorating physical conditions in time, detect CO and CH4 levels and record video footage. All of this information is then sent back to the user. The project aims to build a robot that could decrease the amount of casualties in mines due to gas or instability. A strict engineering process, which comprised researching different features on a robot, was followed. A prototype robot was built, tested and improvements made. Some of the challenges faced, while building the prototype robot, included manoeuvrability over any type of terrain, even rough and rocky terrain. Choosing the correct driving mechanism (wheels, tracks, suspension and steering) also proved to be a very important feature that had to be kept in mind. The sensors used included, a temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide gas, as well as a methane gas sensor. A Gyro, Accelerometer and compass for easier navigation were also used. Two cameras which included a front camera for navigation and 3D mapping as well as a back camera for navigation were installed. The robot was tested over various terrains, it was able to retrieve sensor data and all of the engineering goals were reached. After the robot was built it was tested on various terrains. The robot achieved all of the engineering goals. The sensors was able to give readings, the robot 3D mapped an area and was also able to manoeuvre over rough terrain.

旋轉方塊路橋問題之探討

本研究為一迷宮遊戲和旋轉方塊所組合成的問題。在給定行列數的可旋轉方塊上,置入「路」和「橋」,指定起點,並透過方塊的旋轉改變路徑,探討所有可能到達的終點以及抵達各終點的最短路線數。 此研究中,首先透過問題簡化和圖形討論,發現旋轉方塊以迴圈和無法繞行的路線(構造S)交錯形成,得到所有可能的終點位置。接著,整理所有簡化圖形的規律,利用加法原理推算出最短路線數。透過找出圖形對稱特性,得到不同終點之最短路徑數的關係。而後將不同規格的旋轉方塊的最短路線數關係,以遞迴關係式表示,並且找出其生成函數,希望透過生成函數得到最短路徑數的一般式。研究時,我們不僅發現不同規格之最短路線數生成函數的關係,從而能探討每一規格的最短路線數。更進一步發現無論方塊行數取至極限時或方塊行列數相同時,其最短路徑數的數列與卡特蘭數列(the Catalan numbers)有關。

費馬多邊形數定理之延伸探討

本研究旨在對費馬多邊形數定理(任意非負整數皆可表成n個n邊形數的和)進行更進一步的延伸探討,更精確地說,即是:對於給定的二次式an2+bn+c,定義一數列〈an 〉n=-1∞=〈a-1=0,an=an2+bn+c, ∀n≥0〉,而若存在一最小正整數γ,使得對於所有非負整數x,可由數列〈a_n 〉_(n=-1)^∞中取出共γ項,滿足x恰為這γ項之和。這時,我們稱正整數γ為二次式an^2+bn+c的指標值,定義函數Yi使得γ=Yi(an2+bn+c)。 在本研究中,首先先行探討函數Yi的一些基本性質,再藉由電腦以暴力法算出一些二次式指標值的下界,從這些指標值中找出規律,將其推廣至所有我們所討論的二次式,並證明之,至於再探討二次式指標值的上界的部分,我將數學家MelvynB.Nathanson證明費馬多邊形數定理的證明技巧,稍作改寫,使其能夠應用至更為一般的情況,藉此系統性的求得二次式指標值的可能上界。最後,經由不斷的優化上界與下界,即可求得二次式的指標值。