The Natural Flavonoid Apigenin Suppresses Th1- and Th2-Related Chemokine Production by Human Monocyte THP-1 Cells Through Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathways

Ching-Hua Huang,Po-Lin Kuo,Ya-Ling Hsu,Tai-Tsung Chang,Hsing-I Tseng,Yu-Te Chu,Chang-Hung Kuo,Huan-Nan Chen,Chih-Hsing Hung 한국식품영양과학회 2010 Journal of medicinal food Vol.13 No.2

Dietary flavonoids have various biological functions, and there is increasing evidence that reduced prevalence and severity of allergic reactions are associated with the intake of flavonoids. Among natural flavonoids, apigenin is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. However, the mechanisms of apigenin's effect remain uncertain. Monocyte-derived chemokine (MDC) plays a pivotal role in recruiting T-helper (Th) 2 cells in the allergic inflammation process. In the late phase of allergic inflammation, the Th1 chemokine interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) has also been found in elevated levels in the bronchial alveolar fluid of asthmatic children. We used human THP-1 monocyte cells, pretreated with or without apigenin, prior to lipopolysaccharide stimulation. By means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we found that apigenin inhibited production of both MDC and IP-10 by THP-1 cells and that the suppressive effect of apigenin was not reversed by the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI182780. The p65 phosphorylation of nuclear factor κB remained unaffected, but the phosphorylation of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways were all blocked. We found that inhibition of c-raf phosphorylation might be the target of apigenin's anti-inflammation property.

Evaluation of Clinical Training Program for Nurse Diabetes Educators in Taiwan

Yueh-Chu Wu,Hsiu-Li Wu,Pei-Yung Liao,Shih-Li Su,Su-Lan Lin,Shu-Man Lin,Hui-Fang Wang,Ching-Wen Wu,Shi-Dou Lin,Hon-Ke Sia 한국간호과학회 2009 한국간호과학회 학술대회 Vol.2009 No.10

Mitigation the Impact and Survive from Extreme Drought of Climate Change and Global Warming

Chien-Hsing Chu,Ching-yuan Lu,Chung-Yan Li,Fang-Lin Liao,Yu-Chi Lee 한국방재학회 2016 Journal of Disaster Management Vol.1 No.2

Tap Water is the lifeline of human existence. Due to the effect of the Climate Change, the world has experienced an uneven distribution of rainfall in recent years, cause of floods or droughts. A series drought broke out in Taipei city gave chance to protect our county and test our reliabilities to citizen. This developments but has also realize the agricultural water should cooperate effectively shift dial [2], active water conservation ordinance relaxed, provide valuable water resources. Water utilities in response to the challenges of extreme drought, should face the New thinking that the difference between the price of water upon request, considering distinguish the dry season and the rainy season in different water, and the water does not hike the basic livelihood of the people; to consider the idea of building “Our sponge cities sponge Taiwan”; avoid low tariff wasted water, or the use of reasonable price adjustments after yearly, water problems can be solved in Taipei area; contributed to the dry season to strengthen water conservation and carbon reduction to achieve the effect or open consumptive water use of large household[2] and strengthen told: the key to sustainable development of water resources, “NO WATER NO FUTURE”.

Altered Auditory P300 Performance in Parents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Offspring

Mei Hung Chi,Ching-Lin Chu,I Hui Lee,Yi-Ting Hsieh,Ko Chin Chen,Po See Chen,Yen Kuang Yang 대한정신약물학회 2019 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.17 No.4

Objective: Altered event-related potential (ERP) performances have been noted in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients and reflect neurocognitive dysfunction. Whether these ERP alterations and correlated dysfunctions exist in healthy parents with ADHD offspring is worth exploring. Methods: Thirteen healthy parents with ADHD offspring and thirteen healthy controls matched for age, sex and years of education were recruited. The auditory oddball paradigm was used to evaluate the P300 wave complex of the ERP, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and continuous performance test were used to measure neurocognitive performance. Results: Healthy parents with ADHD offspring had significantly longer auditory P300 latency at Fz than control group. However, no significant differences were found in cognitive performance. Conclusion: The presence of a subtle alteration in electro-neurophysiological activity without explicit neurocognitive dysfunction suggests potential candidate of biological marker for parents with ADHD offspring.

Pan-Caspase Inhibitor zVAD Induces Necroptotic and Autophagic Cell Death in TLR3/4-Stimulated Macrophages

Yuan-Shen Chen,Wei-Chu Chuang,Hsiu-Ni Kung,Ching-Yuan Cheng,Duen-Yi Huang,Ponarulselvam Sekar,Wan-Wan Lin 한국분자세포생물학회 2022 Molecules and cells Vol.45 No.4

In addition to inducing apoptosis, caspase inhibition contributes to necroptosis and/or autophagy depending on the cell type and cellular context. In macrophages, necroptosis can be induced by co-treatment with Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands (lipopolysaccharide [LPS] for TLR4 and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly I:C] for TLR3) and a cell-permeable pan-caspase inhibitor zVAD. Here, we elucidated the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of cell death. We showed that LPS/zVAD- and poly I:C/zVAD-induced cell death in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) was inhibited by receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP1) inhibitor necrostatin-1 and autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine. Electron microscopic images displayed autophagosome/autolysosomes, and immunoblotting data revealed increased LC3II expression. Although zVAD did not affect LPS- or poly I:C-induced activation of IKK, JNK, and p38, it enhanced IRF3 and STAT1 activation as well as type I interferon (IFN) expression. In addition, zVAD inhibited ERK and Akt phosphorylation induced by LPS and poly I:C. Of note, zVAD-induced enhancement of the IRF3/IFN/STAT1 axis was abolished by necrostatin-1, while zVAD-induced inhibition of ERK and Akt was not. Our data further support the involvement of autocrine IFNs action in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent necroptosis, LPS/zVAD-elicited ROS production was inhibited by necrostatin-1, neutralizing antibody of IFN receptor (IFNR) and JAK inhibitor AZD1480. Accordingly, both cell death and ROS production induced by TLR ligands plus zVAD were abrogated in STAT1 knockout macrophages. We conclude that enhanced TRIF-RIP1-dependent autocrine action of IFNβ, rather than inhibition of ERK or Akt, is involved in TLRs/zVAD-induced autophagic and necroptotic cell death via the JAK/STAT1/ROS pathway.

Recent progress in thin film metallic glasses in Taiwan

Jyh-Wei Lee,Chia-Lin Li,Jinn P. Chu,Jason Shian-Ching Jang,Jenq-Gong Duh,Yu-Lun Deng,Yung-Chin Yang,Tzu-Pin Hsiao,Li-Ting Chen,Bih-Show Lou 한국진공학회 2014 한국진공학회 학술발표회초록집 Vol.2014 No.8

ORiginal Article : Association between IPTA Gene Polymorphisms and Hematological Abnormalities in Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Patients Receiving Combination Therapy

( Jow Jyh Hwang ),( Ching Chu Lo ),( Chien Hung Lin ),( Hsu Sheng Cheng ),( I Wen Hung ),( Wan Ju Tsai ),( Chien Hui Hung ) The Editorial Office of Gut and Liver 2015 Gut and Liver Vol.9 No.2

Background/Aims: Hematological abnormalities during hepatitis C virus (HCV) combination therapy with pegylated interferon α and ribavirin often necessitate dose reduction. Variants of the ITPA gene have been reported to protect against anemia during the early stages of HCV combination treatments but have also been associated with larger decreases in platelet counts. We aimed to identify the association between specific ITPA gene polymorphisms and hematological abnormalities in patients undergoing HCV combination therapy. Methods: In this retrospective study, 175 patients treated with HCV combination therapy were enrolled at St. Martin De Porres Hospital in Taiwan between 2006 and 2012. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within or adjacent to the ITPA gene (rs1127354, rs6051702) were genotyped. We investigated the effect of ITPA gene variants on hematological abnormalities during the therapy. Results: The ITPA rs1127354 minor variants were significantly associated with protection against anemia at week 4 (p=1.86×10-6) and with more severe decreases in platelet counts during HCV combination therapy. SNP rs6051702 was not associated with the hemoglobin decline to >3 g/dL at week 4 in our study (p=0.055). Conclusions: The ITPA SNP rs1127354 is a useful predictor of ribavirin-induced anemia in Taiwanese patients and may be related to more severe decreases in platelet counts during the early stage of HCV combination therapy. (Gut Liver, 2015;9:214-223)

A Simple Partial Discharge Detector for Low-Voltage Rotating Electrical Machines

Cheng-Chi Tai,Ting-Cheng Huang,Ching-Chau Su,Chien-Yi Chen,Ju-Chu Hsieh,Yu-Shiun Lin,Chung-Tzong Wang,Jeng-Hung Lai 전력전자학회 2007 ICPE(ISPE)논문집 Vol.- No.-

A new, simple partial discharge (PD) detector for low-voltage rotating electrical machines using acoustical emission (AE) technique is dseveloped in this study. Common electric components were used in the detector, which reduces the cost of inspection, comparing with the traditional PD detection methods that use expensive equipment costing from tens of thousands to several millions dollars. Experimental results by resonant type AE sensors (150 ㎑) which utilize power line-cycle in a microcontroller unit (MCU) as reference to measure the PDs generated in a low-voltage motor are presented. The AE signals are then amplified by a pre-amplifier (30 ㎑ ~ 300 ㎑, 34 ㏈). Since the resonant frequency of the sensor is much lower than that of the electromagnetic (EM) interferences around the motor, the effects of noise is substantially reduced by this method. In the mean time, the use of 150-㎑ resonant type AE sensor also avoids the disturbance of mechanical vibration noise. According to the experiment results, the measurement system developed in this study can be used to detect the PDs’ AE signals correctly. The AE measurement scheme proposed in this study provides an effective, low-cost method for PD measurements.

Interpretation and Use of Natriuretic Peptides in Non-Congestive Heart Failure Settings

Shih-Hung Tsai,Yen-Yue Lin,Shi-Jye Chu,Ching-Wang Hsu,Shu-Meng Cheng 연세대학교의과대학 2010 Yonsei medical journal Vol.51 No.2

Natriuretic peptides (NPs) have been found to be useful markers in differentiating acute dyspneic patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) and emerged as potent prognostic markers for patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). The best-established and widely used clinical application of BNP and NT-proBNP testing is for the emergent diagnosis of CHF in patients presenting with acute dyspnea. Nevertheless, elevated NPs levels can be found in many circumstances involving left ventricular (LV) dysfunction or hypertrophy; right ventricular (RV) dysfunction secondary to pulmonary diseases; cardiac inflammatory or infectious diseases;endocrinology diseases and high output status without decreased LV ejection fraction. Even in the absence of significant clinical evidence of volume overload or LV dysfunction, markedly elevated NP levels can be found in patients with multiple comorbidities with a certain degree of prognostic value. Potential clinical applications of NPs are expanded accompanied by emerging reports regarding screening the presence of secondary cardiac dysfunction;monitoring the therapeutic responses, risk stratifications and providing prognostic values in many settings. Clinicians need to have expanded knowledge regarding the interpretation of elevated NPs levels and potential clinical applications of NPs. Clinicians should recognize that currently the only reasonable application for routine practice is limited to differentiation of acute dyspnea, rule-out-diagnostic-tests, monitoring of therapeutic responses and prognosis of acute or decompensated CHF. The rationales as well the potential applications of NPs in these settings are discussed in this review article.

Comparison of Insulin Sensitivity, Glucose Sensitivity, and First Phase Insulin Secretion in Patients Treated with Repaglinide or Gliclazide

Chung-Ze Wu,Dee Pei,An-Tsz Hsieh,Kun Wang,Jiunn-Diann Lin,Li-Hsiu Lee,Yi-Min Chu,Fone-Ching Hsiao,Chun Pei,Te-Lin Hsia 대한약학회 2010 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.33 No.3

The traditional sulfonylureas with long half-lives have sustained stimulatory effects on insulin secretion compared to the short-acting insulin secretagogue. In this study, we used the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) to evaluate the insulin sensitivity (IS), glucose sensitivity (SG), and acute insulin response after glucose load (AIRg) after 4months treatment with either gliclazide or repaglinide. The design of study was randomizedcrossover. We enrolled 20 patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes (mean age, 49.3 years). Totally three FSIGTs were performed, one before and one after each of the two treatment periods as aforementioned. No significant differences in fasting plasma glucose, insulin, body mass index, blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin, or lipids were noted between the two treatments. After the repaglinide treatment, higher AIRg, lower IS, and lower SG were noted, but they did not reach statistical significance. The disposal index (DI) was also not significantly different between the two treatments. In conclusion, since non-significantly higher DI, AIRg, lower IS and SG were noted after repaglinide treatment, it might be a better treatment for diabetes, relative to gliclazide.