Reading Kyoko Mori : Demystifying the Ideals of Women, Asian Immigrants and Diaspora

Joan, Chiung-huei Chang 한국영미문학페미니즘학회 2002 영미문학페미니즘 Vol.10 No.2

After returning to her hometown of Kobe, Japan for the first time in thirteen years, Kyoko Mori finds herself a stranger in a foreign land. Her memoir, The Dream of Water, is not only her account of the seven-week trip back to Japan but also her discovery of many family secrets, her awakeningssafreeindividual,andherchallengetothedictatorialJapanese patriarchy embodied by her father, the society, and the nation. Kyoko Mori, a Japanese immigrant to the United States of America, won a New York Times Notable Book of the Year award and a publishers weekly Editor's Choice Best Book award with her first novel, Shizuko's Daughter, in 1993. Even though sharing a similar plotand theme with that of her award-winning fiction, her memoir, The Dream of Water, is more disturbing and penetrating by virtue of the author's keen observation and examination of Japanese culture. Due to the switch in genre-from fiction to memoir-more agonizing sentiments are unveiled. Positioning herself as a grown-up and an outsider, but inspecting her family and Japanese society from an insider's viewpoint, Mori analyzes the physical and spiritual violence that her suicidal mother suffered, the hypocrisy in the discrepancy between the public image and private life of her father, and the egocentric supremacy of Japanese culture in the society. This paper will discuss how Kyoto Mori, through her journey to Japan, awakens to herempathy with people of differentracesand to her sense of self as a woman with independence and confidence.

Conflicts between Nation and Family: A Study of the Diaspora in Monica Sone`s Nisei Daughter

( Joan Chiung Huei Chang ) 한국아메리카학회 2000 美國學論集 Vol.32 No.2

The Concept of the Land and the Construction of National Identity : Teaching American Literature to Students in Taiwan

Joan Chiung-huei Chang 한국영미문학교육학회 2003 영미문학교육 Vol.7 No.1

The national identity of the people in Taiwan has long been a hot debate topic, especially after the lifting of martial law in 1987 and the vigorous exercise of the freedom of speech since. Centering on the concept of belonging to the land in the study of American literature, my teaching an elective course, "Modern American Literature" for senior students in the English Department at Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan, tries to help the students better understand the texts by relating what they read to the controversial construction of national identity in Taiwan. Focusing by turns on American history and literature associated with the early immigrants from England, the establishment of the nation, the westward movement, the sense of homelessness and the sense of belonging, the rising power of ethnic groups, and the participation of the new immigrants, the students may examine the controversy in Taiwan from a different perspective.

Metallic Stent Placement in Hemodialysis Graft Patients after Insufficient Balloon Dilation

Huei-Lung Liang,Huay-Ben Pan,Yih-Huie Lin,Chiung-Yu Chen,Hsiao-Min Chung,Tung-Ho Wu,Kang-Ju Chou,Pin-Hong Lai,Chien-Fang Yang 대한영상의학회 2006 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.7 No.2

Objective: We wanted to report our experience of metallic stent placement after insufficient balloon dilation in graft hemodialysis patients. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three patients (13 loop grafts in the forearm and 10 straight grafts in the upper arm) underwent metallic stent placement due to insufficient flow after urokinase thrombolysis and balloon dilation. The indications for metallic stent deployment included 1) recoil and/or kinked venous stenosis in 21 patients (venous anastomosis: 17 patients, peripheral outflow vein: four patients); and 2) major vascular rupture in two patients. Metallic stents 8 10mm in diameter and 40 80 mm in length were used. Of them, eight stents were deployed across the elbow crease. Access patency was determined by clinical follow-up and the overall rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results: No procedure-related complications (stent fracture or central migration) were encountered except for a delayed Wallstent shortening/migration at the venous anastomosis, which resulted in early access failure. The overall primary and secondary patency rates ( standard error) of all the vascular accesses in our 23 patients at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months were 69% 9 and 88% 6, 41% 10 and 88% 6, 30% 10 and 77% 10, and 12% 8 and 61% 13, respectively. For the forearm and upper-arm grafts, the primary and secondary patency rates were 51% 16 and 86% 13 vs 45% 15 and 73% 13 at 6 months, and 25% 15 and 71% 17 vs 23% 17 and 73% 13 at 12 months (p = .346 and .224), respectively. Conclusion: Metallic stent placement is a safe and effective means for treating peripheral venous lesions in dialysis graft patients after insufficient balloon dilation. No statistically difference in the patency rates between the forearm and upper-arm patient groups was seen.

The Usefulness of Fast-Spin-Echo T2-Weighted MR Imaging in Nutcracker Syndrome: a Case Report

Heong-Leng Wong,Matt Chiung-Yu Chen,Cgek-Siung Wu,Kuo-An Fu,Cheng-Hao Lin,Mei-Jui Weng,Huei-Lung Liang,Huay-Ben Pan 대한영상의학회 2010 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.11 No.3

Nutcracker syndrome occurs when the left renal vein (LRV) is compressed between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta, and this syndrome is often characterized by venous hypertension and related pathologies. However, invasive studies such as phlebography and measuring the reno-caval pressure gradient should be performed to identify venous hypertension. Here we present a case of Nutcracker syndrome where the LRV and intra-renal varicosities appeared homogeneously hyperintense on magnetic resonance (MR) fast-spin-echo T2- weighted imaging, which suggested markedly stagnant intravenous blood flow and the presence of venous hypertension. The patient was diagnosed and treated without obtaining the reno-caval pressure gradient. The discomfort of the patient lessened after treatment. Furthermore, on follow-up evaluation, the LRV displayed a signal void, and this was suggestive of a restoration of the normal LRV flow and a decrease in LRV pressure.

The Efficacy and Long-Term Outcome of Microcoil Embolotherapy for Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Hui-Chung Teng,Huei-Lung Liang,Yih-Huie Lin,Jer-Shyung Huang,Chiung-Yu Chen,Shang-Chieh Lee,Huay-Ben Pan 대한영상의학회 2013 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.14 No.2

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy as well as long-term clinical outcomes of superselective microcoil embolization for lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). Materials and Methods: Between 1997 and 2009, 26 patients with intended transcatheter embolotherapy for LGIB were retrospectively reviewed. Embolization was performed only when the catheter could be advanced to or distal to the mesenteric border of the bowel. The main purpose of our study was to assess technical success, recurrent bleeding rate and complications. We also evaluated the long-term clinical outcome, including late recurrent LGIB, bowel ischemia and the survival rate. Results: Twenty-two bleeding sources were in the territory of superior mesenteric artery and four in the inferior mesenteric artery. Technical success was achieved in 22 patients (84.6%). The target vessel of embolization was vasa recta in seventeen patients and marginal artery in the remaining five patients. Early rebleeding occurred in two patients (7.7%) and bowel ischemia in two patients, of whom the embolized points were both at the marginal artery. Delayed recurrent bleeding (> 30 days) occurred in two angiodysplasia patients. Five patients (19.2%) died within the first 30 days of intervention. Long-term follow-up depicted estimated survival rates of 58.2 and 43.1% after one, and five years, respectively. Conclusion: Transcatheter embolotherapy to treat LGIB is effective with low rebleeding and ischemic complications. Considering the advanced age and complex medical problems of these patients, the minimal invasive embolotherapy may be used as both a primary and potentially definitive treatment of LGIB.

Treatment of Hemodialysis Vascular Access Rupture Irresponsive to Prolonged Balloon Tamponade: Retrospective Evaluation of the Effectiveness of N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate Seal-Off Technique

Mei-Jui Weng,Matt Chiung-Yu Chen,Huei-Lung Liang,Huay-Ben Pan 대한영상의학회 2013 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.14 No.1

Objective: The current study retrospectively evaluated whether the percutaneous N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) seal-off technique is an effective treatment for controlling the angioplasty-related ruptures, which are irresponsive to prolonged balloon tamponade, during interventions for failed or failing hemodialysis vascular accesses. Materials and Methods: We reviewed 1588 interventions performed during a 2-year period for dysfunction and/or failed hemodialysis vascular access sites in 1569 patients. For the angioplasty-related ruptures, which could not be controlled with repeated prolonged balloon tamponade, the rupture sites were sealed off with an injection of a glue mixture (NBCA and lipiodol), via a needle/needle sheath to the rupture site, under a sonographic guidance. Technical success rate,complications and clinical success rate were reported. The post-seal-off primary and secondary functional patency rates were calculated by a survival analysis with the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Twenty ruptures irresponsive to prolonged balloon tamponade occurred in 1588 interventions (1.3%). Two technical failures were noted; one was salvaged with a bailout stent-graft insertion and the other was lost after access embolization. Eighteen accesses (90.0%) were salvaged with the seal-off technique; of them, 16 ruptures were completely sealed off, and two lesions were controlled as acute pseudoaneurysms. Acute pseudoaneurysms were corrected with stentgraft insertion in one patient, and access ligation in the other. The most significant complication during the follow-up was delayed pseudoaneurysm, which occurred in 43.8% (7 of 16) of the completely sealed off accesses. Delayed pseudoaneurysms were treated with surgical revision (n = 2), access ligation (n = 2) and observation (n = 3). During the follow-up, despite the presence of pseudoaneurysms (acute = 1, delayed = 7), a high clinical success rate of 94.4% (17 of 18) was achieved, and they were utilized for hemodialysis at the mean of 411.0 days. The post-seal-off primary patency vs. secondary patency at 90, 180 and 360 days were 66.7 ± 11.1% vs. 94.4 ± 5.4%; 33.3 ± 11.1% vs. 83.3 ± 8.8%; and 13.3 ± 8.5% vs. 63.3 ± 12.1%, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the NBCA seal-off technique is effective for immediate control of a venous rupture irresponsive to prolonged balloon tamponade, during interventions for hemodialysis accesses. Both high technical and clinical success rates can be achieved. However, the treatment is not durable, and about 40% of the completely sealed off accesses are associated with developed delayed pseudoaneurysms in a 2-month of follow-up. Further repair of the vascular tear site, with surgery or stent-graft insertion, is often necessary.

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.