Astaxanthine Secured Apoptotic Death of PC12 Cells Induced by β-Amyloid Peptide 25–35: Its Molecular Action Targets

Chi-Huang Chang,Chung-Yin Chen,Jueen-Ya Chiou,Robert Y. Peng,Chiung-Huei Peng 한국식품영양과학회 2010 Journal of medicinal food Vol.13 No.3

Astaxanthine (ASTx) is a novel carotenoid nutraceutical occurring in many crustaceans and red yeasts. It has potent antioxidant, photoprotective, hepatodetoxicant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Documented effect of ASTx on treatment of neurodegenerative disease is still lacking. We used the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) 25–35-treated PC12 model to investigate the neuron-protective effect of ASTx. The parameters examined included cell viability, caspase activation, and various apoptotic biomarkers that play their critical roles in the transduction pathways independently or synergistically. Results indicated that Aβ25–35 at 30μM suppressed cell viability by 55%, whereas ASTx was totally nontoxic below a dose of 5.00μM. ASTx at 0.1μM protected PC12 cells from damaging effects of Aβ25–35 in several ways: (1) by securing the cell viability; (2) by partially down-regulating the activation of caspase 3; (3) by inhibiting the expression of Bax; (4) by completely eliminating the elevation of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α; (5) by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB; (6) by completely suppressing the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase; (7) by completely abolishing the calcium ion influx to effectively maintain calcium homeostasis; and (8) by suppressing the majority (about 75%) of reactive oxygen species production. Conclusively, ASTx may have merit to be used as a very potential neuron protectant and an anti–early-stage Alzheimer's disease adjuvant therapy.

Male Infertility Increases the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan

Chen Peng-Ciao,Chen Yu-Ju,Yang Chia-Chen,Lin Ting-Ti,Huang Chien-Chu,Chung Chi-Hsiang,Sun Chien-An,Chien Wu-Chien 대한남성과학회 2022 The World Journal of Men's Health Vol.40 No.3

Purpose: Some evidence suggests that male infertility increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, the evidence in Asian populations is relatively scarce. The aim of this study is to determine whether male infertility increases the risk of CVDs. Materials and Methods: We used inpatient and outpatient data for the years 2000 to 2015 from the Taiwanese Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. We enrolled 7,016 males over 18 years old and diagnosed with male infertility. Of these, 2,326 matched our inclusion criteria and were assigned to the study group. For each infertility patient, four comparison patients were frequency-matched by age and index date to form a control cohort comprising 9,304 patients. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate the association between male infertility and CVDs. Results: After a 15-year follow-up, the incidence rate of CVDs was higher in the infertility group than the control group (1,460.23 and 1,073.70 per 100,000 person-years, respectively). The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that the adjusted HR for CVDs was 1.472 for the infertility group (95% CI, 1.288–1.683; p<0.001) relative to the control group. The Kaplan–Meier analysis of the cumulative incidence of CVDs in the two groups showed that the cumulative risk curve for CVDs was significantly higher for the infertility group than the control group. Conclusions: This study shows that men with infertility have a higher risk of developing incident CVDs. In the future, healthcare providers should pay attention to these patients because of their higher health risks.

Real-World Evidence for the Association Between Pneumonia-Related Intensive Care Unit Stay and Dementia

Chun-Han Wu,Chung-Kan Peng,Chi-Hsian Chung,Wu-Chien Chien,Nian-Sheng Tzeng 대한신경정신의학회 2022 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.19 No.4

Objective There is limited clarity concerning the risk of dementia after pneumonia with intensive care unit (ICU) stay. We conducted a nationwide cohort study, which aimed to investigate the impact of dementia after pneumonia with and without intensive care unit admission.Methods Data was obtained from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database between 2000 and 2015. A total of 7,473 patients were identified as having pneumonia required ICU stay, along with 22,419 controls matched by sex and age. After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate Cox regression model analysis was used to compare the risk of developing dementia during the 15-years follow-up period.Results The enrolled pneumonia patients with ICU admission had a dementia rate of 9.89%. Pneumonia patients without ICU admission had a dementia rate of 9.21%. The multivariate Cox regression model analysis revealed that the patients with ICU stay had the higher risk of dementia, with a crude hazard ratio of 3.371 (95% confidence interval, 3.093–3.675; p<0.001).Conclusion This study indicated that pneumonia with ICU stay is associated with an increased risk of dementia. A 3-fold risk of dementia was observed in patients admitted to the ICU compared to the control group.

Real-World Effectiveness and Safety of SOF/LDV for Pa-tients with Chronic Hepatitis C in Taiwan

( Ching-chu Lo ),( Pin-nan Cheng ),( Chi-yi Chen ),( Chung-feng Huang ),( Hsing-tao Kuo ),( Kuo-chih Tseng ),( Yi-hsiang Huang ),( Chi-ming Tai ),( Cheng-yuan Peng ),( Ming-jong Bair ),( Chien-hung Ch 대한간학회 2021 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2021 No.1

Antioxidant and antibacterial capacity of stingless bee honey from Borneo (Sarawak)

Lalita Tuksitha,Yi-Lin Sophia Chen,Yi-Ling Chen,Kie-Yiong Wong,Chi-Chung Peng 한국응용곤충학회 2018 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.21 No.2

Stingless honey bees form a large group of bees that lack of a sting and are found among Meliponinae species indigenous to various tropical and subtropical regions. They are able to produce “stingless bee honey” that contains divergent categories of phenolic and flavonoid compounds and have been associated with antioxidant and antibacterial activity. This study examines the physicochemical properties, antioxidant-activity and antimicrobial activity of stingless bee honey from Malaysia that was produced by Geniotrigona thoracica, Heterotrigona itama and Heterotrigona erythrogastra. The results show that G. thoracica honey has the highest concentration of the total phenolic context (99.04 ± 5.14 mg/ml) and the greatest reducing power (19.05 ± 0.79%), while flavonoids (17.67 ± 0.75 mg/ml), reducing power (18.10 ± 0.35%), DPPH (47.40 ± 3.18%) and FRAP (50.66 ± 5.77mM of Fe2+/100 g) of H. itama honey is significantly higher than those of the other honeys. In addition, G. thoracica honey has the highest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus xylosus (2.10 ± 0.10 cm), which is Gram-positive bacterium, and against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.60 ± 0.10 cm) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (2.03 ± 0.06 cm), which are Gram-negative bacteria. These results suggest that stingless bee honeys possess useful amounts of phenolic and flavonoid compounds that are able to act as natural anti-oxidants and also have significant anti-microbial activity.

The development of Taiwan Fracture Liaison Service network

Lo-Yu Chang,Keh-Sung Tsai,Jen-Kuei Peng,Chung-Hwan Chen,Gau-Tyan Lin,Chin-Hsueh Lin,Shih-Te Tu,I-Chieh Mao,Yih-Lan Gau,Hsusan-Chih Liu,Chi-Chien Niu,Min-Hong Hsieh,Jui-Teng Chien,Wei-Chieh Hung,Rong-S 대한골다공증학회 2018 Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia Vol.4 No.2

Osteoporosis and its associated fragility fractures are becoming a severe burden in the healthcare system globally. In the Asian-Pacific (AP) region, the rapidly increasing in aging population is the main reason accounting for the burden. Moreover, the paucity of quality care for osteoporosis continues to be an ongoing challenge. The Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) is a program promoted by International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) with a goal to improve quality of postfracture care and prevention of secondary fractures. In this review article, we would like to introduce the Taiwan FLS network. The first 2 programs were initiated in 2014 at the National Taiwan University Hospital and its affiliated Bei-Hu branch. Since then, the Taiwan FLS program has continued to grow exponentially. Through FLS workshops promoted by the Taiwanese Osteoporosis Association (TOA), program mentors have been able to share their valuable knowledge and clinical experience in order to promote establishments of additional programs. With 22 FLS sites including 11 successfully accredited on the best practice map, Taiwan remains as one of the highest FLS coverage countries in the AP region, and was also granted the IOF Best Secondary Fracture Prevention Promotion award in 2017. Despite challenges faced by the TOA, we strive to promote more FLS sites in Taiwan with a main goal of ameliorating further health burden in managing osteoporotic patients.