2005年

流行病的傳染過程如同一個無尺度網路，但較一般無尺度網路有著更多的變數而明顯差異，因此無法直接應用一般的無尺度網路模式來描述其傳染途徑。我建立一個新模式「無尺度流行病模式」，經由比較模擬結果與疾病管制局的數據，證實此「無尺度流行病模式」是正確與確切可用，且適用於短期暴發性傳染病與長期流行病。SARS案例研究結果，顯示影響SARS疾病傳染因子的大小是：ψ>m>γ。其中降低ψ值可使SARS確定病例至5月31日止降為143人(減少確定病例190人，相當於減少死亡21人)；僅提高防疫使5=γ，亦可使確定病例減至307人(減少確定病例26人，相當於減少死亡3人)。因此強化隔離措施以減少傳染天數最為重要，且可以有效控制每日SARS新增病例，避免發生高侵襲率的現象。HIV/AIDS案例研究結果，獲知採用ψ值來進行月份模擬，則至 2005年12月HIV(+)與AIDS分別為可減少2,715與285人。而進行年度模擬結果，則至 2014年底HIV(+)與AIDS分別為可減少41,936與5,328人。無尺度流行病模式可以協助所需警戒的程度與政策決定的計畫結果。因此無尺度流行病模式在幫助政府評估社會經濟成本與健康憂慮上的有用之工具。當面臨一個全然無知的新病毒的侵襲時，如何減少死亡與傷害人數？是本研究之最終目的。因此，本研究結合了流行病、無尺度網路與灰預測，建立面對病毒侵襲，一個確切可行的對抗無尺度流行病傳染新方法，並詳細說明運作流程。\r \r \r The course of epidemic infections resembles a scale-free network. However, they are different due to more variables in the epidemic infection. Therefore, the model of scale-free networks is not enough to satisfy the reality epidemic infections. In this study, I propose a new the Scale-Free Epidemic Model. Comparison of the simulation results with Taiwan CDC report data for SARS and HIV/AIDS cases show that the Scale-Free Epidemic Model is accurate and useful. This model can be used in the short-term outbreak of infectious diseases and for the longer-term epidemics. In the SARS case study, the results show that the sequence of effect of the epidemic factors was: ψ>m>γ. The SARS confirmed cases would decrease to 143 cases (reduced 190 confirmed cases or 3 death cases) calculated to May 31, 2003, if the average infection time was reduced to two days (an optimum value of ψ). Therefore, vigorous action in isolation quarantine and treatment for SARS cases is most effective policy; the number of new cases and the attack rate would also decrease. In the HIV/AIDS case study, the simulation results of the Scale-Free Model indicates that the reduced numbers of HIV(+) and AIDS in the monthly simulation calculated to December 2005 are 2,310 and 361 and the annual simulation by December 2014 are 27,161 and 3,710. The Scale-Free Epidemic model can help determine the level of caution needed and the projected results of policy decisions. Therefore it is a useful tool in assisting the government to balance socio-economic and health concerns. The fight against a new epidemic and how to reduce the number of deaths is the main purpose of this study. So, a new method to fight against epidemics is proposed. Detailed procedures of this method are explained.

經食道超音波 (TEE) 是診斷心血管疾病的重要方法之一，目前一般的診斷中，都是由心血管超音波影像的空間分布，藉以了解心血管的狀況或是阻塞的情況；以及用超音波都卜勒影像，觀察血液在血管中的流動。在這個研究中，我們嘗試用主動脈超音波影像圖形隨時間的變化，作為新的診斷方法，藉以定量地診斷出主動脈硬化的情形。研究過程中，我們將主動脈模擬為受到心臟之週期性壓力驅動之阻尼振盪器，其中主動脈之硬度變化即相當於阻尼因子。由心血管超音波圖形隨時間變化的分析中，測量出 “主動脈擴張到最大時” 相對於 “心電圖中的R-尖峰” 之間的延遲時間，理論上，此一延遲時間即可反應出主動脈硬化的程度。我們由10個樣品的資料中，對每個樣品進行大約50至100次心跳的分析。初步的研究成功地發現：上述之主動脈擴張延遲時間超過0.17秒時，即明確地顯示出樣品具有主動脈硬化之現象，而且此一方法也可由數據的分佈發覺心血管之其他病徵。未來仍需應用此一方法對較多樣品進行研究以確定此診斷方法之可靠性，並且由體外攝取主動脈超音波影像進行分析，藉以取代經食道超音波的方法，增加診斷的方便性以及減少病患之痛苦。 Echocardiography is a very important tool for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Important information about the intracardiac blood flow, shunt direction and cardiovascular system function can be obtained by echocardiography due to its high spatial resolution capability. However, seldom message is known about the aorta stiffness. This research investigated a new method to quantitatively analyze the aorta stiffness. The aorta was modeled as a periodic-force-driven damping oscillator, in which the stiffness of aorta was simulated as the damping factor. From the temporal analysis of the echocardiographic images, the delay time of the maximal aorta distention relative to the R-peak of electrocardiographic trace was measured to study the damping and stiffness of the aorta. The preliminary study successively found that a delay time greater than 0.17 sec could be a criterion to diagnose that the aorta is quite stiff. This method could also clearly discern some abnormal cardiac performance. A large scale study with this method should be conducted in the future.

為了瞭解黃斑黑蟋蟀叫聲和溫度之間的關係，我應用物理熱平衡原理，自製水浴槽控制環境溫度，以電腦錄音程式分別錄製15℃、20℃、25℃、30℃、35℃時的蟋蟀叫聲，利用Sound Forge軟體分析並比較不同溫度下的各種特性。結果發現所分析的chirp、chirp period、syllable period、pause均和溫度呈負相關，而單位時間內的叫聲次數則與溫度成正相關，並推導出15~35℃範圍內蟋蟀叫聲次數與溫度成正相關的公式。最佳直線為：﹙15秒內叫聲次數＋19.385﹚÷2.483=當時溫度﹙℃﹚，呈高度正相關﹙相關係數：0.9398﹚。本實驗也比較母蟋蟀對不同溫度下雄蟋蟀叫聲的偏好程度，發現母蟋蟀較偏愛25℃時的雄蟋蟀叫聲，此結果可能與雄蟋蟀在25℃時叫聲的波形最為穩定有關。為探測蟋蟀觸角上的溫度感受器位置，我們曾將不同部位的觸角加以剪除，結果顯示觸角剪除面積越大的雄蟋蟀越不傾向鳴叫，但無法證實是否為溫度偵測異常所導致。本實驗除供學術研究外，因黃斑黑蟋蟀在世界各地均有分布，所以希望能藉由分析溫度與蟋蟀叫聲的相關性實驗，未來嘗試能探討其在不同環境的適應行為亦或種化的可能性。另外，全球暖化問題日益嚴重，也希望能藉由相關實驗探討暖化對蟋蟀生態上的影響。最後，我們的實驗證明了蟋蟀叫聲和環境溫度確實有極大的關聯性，未來或許能參考蟋蟀感覺溫度的機制，製作出一個天然零污染的溫度計。 To find out the relationship of cricket’s calling and temperature, we use a hand-made water-bath tank to control the temperature and record the callings with microphone and software, Sound Forge. After analyzing the collected data, we’ve found that cricket’s chirp, chirp period, syllable period, and pause are indeed affected by temperature (15 degrees - 35 degrees C). Moreover, we also compare female cricket’s preference to the callings, and the result indicates that female cricket’s preference is changing with temperature. In the last, we tried to find out where the thermoreceptors are by cutting out the antennae. After cutting, crickets tend to not to make any calls at all, so we conclude the antennae might play an important role in sensing and calling. The experiment proves that this communication system is temperature coupled. Because the cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, is a worldwide species, we may learn the accommodation or the possibility of performing a new species by researching the relationship of temperature and cricket’s callings. By the way, the Green House Effect is getting more and more serious, so we want to search for the influences on crickets that are caused by Green House Effect. The last but not the least, according to the report, maybe we can investigate the mechanism of sensing temperature and then make a natural thermometer that is no pollution in the future.

資訊時代的來臨，促使我們的社會型態大幅改變，無一不朝數位化的方向邁進。網際網路與資訊科技的快速發展，近年來影像資料庫和數位圖書館大量的成立，關於影像資料檢索的研究已漸漸成為一門極為重要的研究議題。在本研究報告中，我們提出一種植基於向量量化編碼法的灰階影像檢索技術。向量量化編碼法是一種極為簡單的影像壓縮技術。我們應用這個編碼法，來萃取出灰階影像內容的特徵值。同時我們也計算出整張影像與影像中間位置的像素平均值，作為日後檢索影像時過濾掉影像資料庫中不需要比對特徵值的依據。\r 我們所提出的方法能有效地萃取影像內容的特徵值並且讓使用者可以快速且正確地查詢到所需要的影像。當影像資料庫中存在與查詢影像完全相同的影像時，我們的檢索技術都能在第一時間第一順位檢索出這張影像。即便影像資料庫中不存在與查詢影像完全相同的影像時，我們的檢索技術平均74.3%也能在第一時間前五個順位檢索出最相似的影像。\r \r With the coming of the information age, our sociological system change extensively, and everything has moves toward digitization. Due to the rapid development of Internet, information technology, the rapid growth of image databases and digital libraries recently, the related researches of image retrieval have become a very important issue. In this memoir, we propose an image retrieval scheme based on the vector quantization to retrieve similar images from the image database according to the pre-collected image features. Vector quantization is a very simple image compression scheme. We have applied vector quantization to extract features from grayscale image. In order to speed up the retrieval process, we also calculated the mean pixel values of whole images and the central part of the image to filter the images, which are significantly dissimilar to the query image.\r The experimental results show that our proposed approaches can effectively extract features from the image and enable users to retrieve images from image database quickly and accurately. When images stored in image database match query image, the proposed scheme can instantly retrieve the stored image at the first rank. Even though images stored in image database query image exactly, the proposed scheme can instantly retrieve the stored image over 74.3% at the first five ranks.

本研究以模擬實驗探討波浪在斜坡海灘上的行為。實驗在長1.8公尺、寬0.75公尺的透明水波槽中進行，以長0.90公尺、寬0.60公尺的木板在深水區產生單峰波向淺水區前進，同時以數位錄影機錄影後進行分析。結果發現單峰波由深水進入淺水，波速會變慢，但當波高對水深的比值增加到一定值時，波速隨水深變淺而變快，波高也變高。當比值繼續增加，波前方的水面形成垂直的水牆，接著波就碎了。如果坡度較緩，碎波點會離水岸線較遠，水牆維持的時間也較長。有趣的是，水波槽中的單峰波移動時，有蠕動現象，波寬會伸縮，波高會起伏，波速也會些微地忽快忽慢。 ;This study simulates the behavior of the wave on a sloping beach. Experiments are performed in a sloping wave tank. A paddle wave maker at the deeper end generates single crest waves. To analyze the wave height, speed and breaking point, a digital camera is used. The results show that when the wave moves toward the coast, the shallower the water is, the slower the wave moves. But when the ratio (wave-height/water-depth) exceeds a critical value, it turns out that when the water is shallower, the wave speed becomes faster and the wave height, higher. As the ratio keeps on increasing, the front part of wave becomes a vertical water-wall, and then breaks. If the slope is gentler, the breaking point will be farther from the coast and the water-wall will keep for a longer time. An interesting phenomenon is also found that a single crest wave squirms with slightly undulated changing of width, height, and speed while it propagates in the sloping wave tank.

In this experiment, we hope to produce appropriate-sized nano particles of by using the chitin. By mixing the particles with the metal of Ti, Fe and Zn of proper proportions and therefore narrow their band gaps. Thus, the Bacteriostasis of LightPhotocatalysts could appear under the environment where the energy is lower than ultraviolet ray. We use de-acetylated chitin in three ways -- chelating agent, surfactant and protecter. Then we put a thin layer of the mixture of chitin and metal nano particles on a piece of glass, and afterwards, sintering the mixture on the glass. Next, we scan the surface of the glass with AFM(Atomic Force Microscopy) to measure its particle size. The result we got showed that the surface-roughness of the Ti-Fe nano particles was 30.642nm, the best solution of all the samples. Yet, in this experiment, Fe was not suitable. Therefore we should choose the sample of Ti-Zn mixture, which is slightly smaller in roughness. According to the result we got from the experiment, we found that, under the yellow light, the survivable strain-number ratio of the sintered Ti-Fe-Zn mixture on the glass and empty glass was 0.09±0.06. This was much better than the survivable strain-number ratio of 0.17±0.06, the result we got out from the glass of pure Ti and empty glass. From the measurement, we found that the proportion of mixture could lower the excitation energy Ti needs. Through this experiment, we hope to create a layer of film containing nano particles, and by applying it to daily-use products, we could prevent harmful bacteria. 本實驗的目的，就是希望可以利用幾丁質製作出適當粒徑大小的金屬奈米顆粒，混合適當比例的鈦、鐵、鋅金屬，使其能隙變窄，讓我們能在低於紫外光能量的光譜下，產生奈米光觸媒的抑菌效果。筆者在實驗中利用去乙醯化之幾丁質在本實驗中扮演三種角色:螯合劑、介面活性劑及保護劑，以將幾丁質與金屬奈米顆粒均勻塗抹於玻璃上，並以燒結玻璃的方式進行實驗。並且利用AFM掃描玻璃表面，確認其表面尺度，驗證的結果Ti-Fe混合比例的奈米顆粒之表面粗糙度為30.642nm，為最佳狀態，但在本實驗中Fe並不適用，故應以粗糙度僅次於Ti-Fe的Ti-Zn混合比例為主。根據實驗的結果，在綠光下，混合比例的Ti-Fe-Zn玻璃與空白玻璃的菌落數比，菌落存活率為0.09±0.06，相較於純Ti的0.17±0.06來的低，代表混合比例可降低Ti所需之激發能量。經過此實驗未來筆者希望可以以幾丁質製作出一層含奈米顆粒的薄膜，應用到各種生活用品防止細菌的危害。

In order to facilitate a paradigm shift from traditional high volume chemical experiments to an environmentally friendly microdose experiment; I had to innovate and overcome a lot of difficulties. After six generations of experiment design I successfully reduced the volume of the combined reactants to a single drop. I utilized many recycled components to build my apparatus including a vintage computer, a simple CD disk, optical sensors and a transistor from a common computer mouse. By using a CCD monitor with an external camera feed, the single drop chemical reaction can be observed in real time and a recording of the event can be made. I chose the focus of the experiment to be the reaction of sodium thiosulfate and hydrochloric acid to create a colloidal solution of sulfonium nanoparticles. By employing a custom-made transparency target to achieve a higher precision of measurement I have also conducted deeper research into the reaction order and the rate constants. 為了將傳統高劑量的化學實驗順利的推向顯微液滴的化學實驗上，今年我們更是創新突破了很多困難的關卡。 儀器設計由第一代減量研究到第六代的減量設計，目前已能成功的運用報廢的光碟片、報廢的電腦、報廢滑鼠內的感光二極體元件及電晶體來自製設計出兩反應物各一滴溶液做自動偵測反應的記錄。透過顯微鏡加裝的CCD電子螢幕目視觀看、拍成電子影片檔由電腦播放的目標。 因此，我選定了硫代硫酸鈉溶液和鹽酸溶液反應可產生硫奈米微粒的膠態溶液作為實驗的主軸及設計可較精確定量的投影片載液面，我們也企圖對其反應速率式的級數及反應速率常數做更深入的探討。

筆者利用自製的幾丁質與不同金屬的混合溶液而燒結出的奈米顆粒成效極佳，不但粒徑大小符合，在燒結的過程中也不需經過物理研磨及介面活性劑的輔助，並且在低溫下即可燒結，可以增加實用性以及商業價值。此外，在分解亞甲藍方面也有不錯的效率，並進一步從金屬氧化物之奈米膠體混合溶液比例的不同，決定其粗糙度（以AFM測定）及能隙改變，在陽光下有更高的應用效率。而在實驗的延伸研究上，希望應用在防菌、除污、甚至光電池。 We make use of self-made chitin with the mixed solutions of different metals to solder nano particles, and the result is excellent. The particle radius not only matches up to the size, but in the process of soldering nano particles, it doesn’t need any physical pulverizing or surfactant assistance. Also, it can solder in low temperature. And we could raise its practicality and the business value. What’s more, there is a good efficiency in decomposing Methylene Blue. We can further decide the roughness (measured with AFM) and the variation of the band gap from nano colloid of different metal oxide mixed ratios.Our experiment in the extending research aims to apply it to the defense of bacteria and pollution, and even photoelectric cell.

The natural fruits of soap berry are worth-while detergent in the aspect of environmental conservation. It has been shown that the soap berry fruits can reduce the itching of head and inhibit the growth of fungi. Here we would like to test the inhibitory activity of soap berry fruits on the bacteria. This might benefit to the further application of the soap berry fruits. First,the soap berry extract was prepared and mixed with E.coli or S. aureaus. The number of bacteria was counted to realize the inhibitory activity of the soap berries. We found that the soap berry extract can inhibit the growth of E.coli and S. aureaus. Higher concentration of the soap berry extract and longer duration for the mixture make better inhibitory activities. 天然的無患子果實是一種極具環保價值的清潔劑，已知它有抑制黴菌生長的能力，可以 去頭皮屑、止頭皮癢。因此，我們想進一步探討無患子果實對於細菌生長的抑制能力，以期 了解無患子清潔劑在廣泛推廣上的應用價值。 在實驗設計上，我們自製無患子萃取液，並選擇日常生活中常見的大腸桿菌及金黃色葡 萄球菌，並然後使菌液與適量的無患子萃取液混合，計算菌液在加入無患子之前、後的細菌 個數，藉以了解無患子的殺菌力。我們發現無患子萃取液對大腸桿菌及金黃色葡萄菌有明顯 的殺菌力，且無患子濃度愈高、作用時間愈長，殺菌力愈好。

The first aim of my project is to learn more about mushrooms: their lifecycle, their structures, the nutritional value of mushrooms, the medicinal values of mushrooms as well as the biological importance of mushrooms.\r The second aim of my project was to find how mushroom are cultivated in the world and specifically how they are cultivated in Namibia, where climatic conditions are rather harsh for mushrooms. Through interviews, I aimed to understand why mushroom cultivation is not widely practiced in Namibia and what are direct economic advantages of mushroom cultivation in Namibia.\r The third aim of my project was to see whether I could find cheap and economic methods of cultivating mushrooms in Namibia, a semi arid country where humidity is so scarce.