Palliative Care for Adult Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities

Wei-Min Chu,Hung-Bin Tsai,Yu-Chi Chen,Kuan-Yu Hung,Shao-Yi Cheng,Cheng-Pei Lin 한국호스피스완화의료학회 2024 한국호스피스.완화의료학회지 Vol.27 No.1

This article underscores the importance of integrating comprehensive palliative care for noncancer patients who are undergoing hemodialysis, with an emphasis on the aging populations in Asian nations such as Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and China. As the global demographic landscape shifts towards an aging society and healthcare continues to advance, a marked increase has been observed in patients undergoing hemodialysis who require palliative care. This necessitates an immediate paradigm shift to incorporate this care, addressing the intricate physical, psychosocial, and spiritual challenges faced by these individuals and their families. Numerous challenges impede the provision of effective palliative care, including difficulties in prognosis, delayed referrals, cultural misconceptions, lack of clinician confidence, and insufficient collaboration among healthcare professionals. The article proposes potential solutions, such as targeted training for clinicians, the use of telemedicine to facilitate shared decision-making, and the introduction of time-limited trials for dialysis to overcome these obstacles. The integration of palliative care into routine renal treatment and the promotion of transparent communication among healthcare professionals represent key strategies to enhance the quality of life and end-of-life care for people on hemodialysis. By embracing innovative strategies and fostering collaboration, healthcare providers can deliver more patient-centered, holistic care that meets the complex needs of seriously ill patients within an aging population undergoing hemodialysis.

Personalized ovarian stimulation for IVF: how to take both accessibility and success into considerations

( Po-wei Chu ) 대한산부인과학회 2019 대한산부인과학회 학술대회 Vol.105 No.-

The need of IVF treatment is increasing rapidly. It has been generally understood that antral ovarian follicles develop during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. However, with the use of high-resolution ultrasonography more than one wave of follicular development could be identified. Typically, gonadotropin treatment is started on the second to third day post menses to stimulate the growth of multiple antral follicles. Multiple waves of follicle development occur across the menstrual cycle implies now we can start the induction of ovulation not just from the beginning of each menstrual cycle. Prevention of premature luteinizing hormone (LH) surge is the key point of induction of ovulation. The GnRH agonist down-regulation and GnRH antagonist treatment are two ways to prevent LH surge, both of them need to be done by daily subcutaneous injection. The use of oral progestin has been shown to effectively prevent luteinizing hormone (LH) surge during ovarian stimulation with daily human menopausal gonadotropin injections. Therefore, injections of GnRH analogues can be omitted. By the application of recombinant DNA technologies, single injection long-acting follicular stimulation hormone (FSH) was constructed, which is able to substitute as the first seven daily FSH injections without inferior outcomes in IVF treatment. With improvements in techniques of cryopreservation and thawing, i.e., vitrification of embryos and oocytes, thawed embryo transfer produce excellent outcome. In conclusion, with the combination of random start IVF protocol, thawed embryo transfer, possible utilization of long-acting FSH injection, and oral progestin prescription, personalized ovarian stimulation for IVF can be done with the concern of both accessibility and success.

The State Actor in Human-Security Issues : A Study of Cambodia and Indonesia

TA-WEI (DAVID) CHU 이화여자대학교 국제통상협력연구소 2015 Asian International Studies Review Vol.16 No.2

Human security has become a popular issue in the realm of international relations, particularly since The Human Development Report 1994 was published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Some research on the subject has acknowledged that individual states are essential actors in achieving human security. This article considers the context of Southeast Asia and explores the case studies of the Cambodian and Indonesian governments, to address their respective domestic human-security issues. To this end, this article considers the modern political histories of Cambodia and Indonesia from a comparative perspective. The article concludes that as a state becomes more democratic its people are likely to have more human security.

The Human Security Crisis in Cambodia : Is Transdisciplinarity a Solution?

Ta-Wei Chu Institute for International Trade and Cooperation, 2020 Asian International Studies Review Vol.21 No.2

In post-conflict Cambodia, the Hun Sen government has launched many development projects that have plunged various communities into precarious situations marked by unemployment woes and unmet basic needs. A potential approach to these human security crises is transdisciplinarity, which rests on an integration of knowledge from academic and non-academic stakeholders. However, scholars who have situated their transdisciplinary studies in the Global South have identified linkages between local particularities, especially hierarchical ones, and impediments to knowledge coproduction: the stakeholders on the higher end of a hierarchy restrain the knowledge contributions of those on the lower end. I further these scholars’ research findings by arguing that hierarchies impede knowledge coproduction insofar as its democratic, equal spaces stemming from transdisciplinarity might empower lower-end stakeholders (project-affected villagers) and disempower higher-end stakeholders (government officials), thus prompting the latter–in a bid to re-attain their authority–to counteract transdisciplinarity’s potential reconfiguration of power dynamics. Thus, transdisciplinary interactions between stakeholders can give rise to knowledge contestation. I deepen this central argument by focusing on the counteractions of higher-end stakeholders in my own recent (and ongoing) two-year transdisciplinary project examining the controversial case of Sesan Riverine communities’ livelihood difficulties in Cambodia’s Stung Treng Province. While reflecting on my role in this two-year project, I have found that a nexus exists between the counteractions of government stakeholders and the patronage governance system of the Hun Sen regime.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Naringin in Chronic Pulmonary Neutrophilic Inflammation in Cigarette Smoke-Exposed Rats

Yi-Chu Nie,Hao Wu,Pei-Bo Li,Yu-Long Luo,Kang Long,Li-Ming Xie,Jian-Gang Shen,Wei-Wei Su 한국식품영양과학회 2012 Journal of medicinal food Vol.15 No.10

Naringin, a well-known flavanone glycoside of grapefruit and citrus fruits, was found to be as an effective anti-inflammatory compound in our previous lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury mouse model via blockading activity of nuclear factor κB. The current study sought to explore the anti-inflammatory effects of naringin on chronic pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation in cigarette smoke (CS)-induced rats. Seventy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups to study the effects of CS with or without various concentrations of naringin or saline for 8 weeks. The results revealed that naringin supplementation at 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg significantly increased body weight of CS-induced rats as compared to that in the CS group. Moreover, naringin of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg prevented CS-induced infiltration of neutrophils and activation of myeloperoxidase and matrix metalloproteinase-9, in parallel with suppression of the release of cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-8 (IL-8). IL-10 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was significantly suppressed after CS exposure, but dose dependently elevated by naringin. The results from hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that naringin dose dependently reduced CS-induced infiltration of inflammatory cells, thickening of the bronchial wall, and expansion of average alveolar airspace. In conclusion, our data suggest that naringin is an effective anti-inflammatory compound for attenuating chronic pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation in CS-induced rats.

Evaluation of Protective Immune Response Induced by a DNA Vaccine Encoding GRA8 against Acute Toxoplasmosis in a Murine Model

Jia-Qi Chu,Shuai Huang,Xuan-Yan Fan,Wei Ye,Rui Huang,Shi-Cai Ye,Cai-Yuan Yu,Wei-Yun Wu,Yu Zhou,Wei Zhou,Young-Ha Lee,Juan-Hua Quan 대한기생충학열대의학회 2018 The Korean Journal of Parasitology Vol.56 No.4

경계 없는 영상? 대만의 가상현실 영화에서 프레임의 문제

시 웨이추(Wei-Chu SHIH) 동의대학교 영화·트랜스미디어연구소 2019 디스포지티프 Vol.6 No.-

360-degree VR works are carried out in different fields for various purposes such as physical training, psychiatric treatment or entertainment. In 2017, the Venice International Film Festival launched the first competition for story-based VR works; this significant gesture indicates the emergence of a new form of cinema: VR cinema. In Taiwan, the Kaohsiung Film Archive has produced ten 360-degree VR works since 2017 and the Golden Horse Academy also produced five works in 2018 in celebration of its 10thanniversary.Takingacloserlookattheseworks,theyrevealadeep connectionwiththenarrativefilmonthelanguagelevel. However, it requires further analytic arguments for story-based 360-degree VR works to be called “Cinematic VR”. First comes the question of how the cinematographic language can be identified in 360-degree VR works. Is there a certain narrative heritage deriving from the narrative film in this new media? If the answer is positive, what elements of the cinematographic language can be recognized? Do they still maintain the same nature in 360-degree VR works as in the narrative film? Or is there any inevitable change due to their different natures on technological and dispositive level? Ultimately, can we still put story-based 360-degree VR works within the genealogy of cinema? Is “Cinematic VR” an appropriate term? To answer the above questions, we will examine cinematographic terms such as frame, shot, sequence/plan-sequence in four VR works by Taiwanese filmmakers: Your Spiritual Temple Sucks by John Hsu, The Train Hamasen by Lai Kuan-Yuan, Afterimage for Tomorrow by Chen Singing and Mr. Buddha by Lee Chung. Are the terms suitable for the VR works? Does any transformation or variation occur within the images that surround the spectator? How is the cinematic experience altered in a virtual reality environment?

Identifying Post-translational Modification Crosstalks for Breast Cancer

Chi-Hua Tung,Pei-Wei Shueng,Yen-Wei Chu,Chi-Wei Chen,Chian-Ying Chen 한국정보과학회 2017 Journal of Computing Science and Engineering Vol.11 No.4

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins play substantial roles in the gene regulation of cell physiological functions and in the generation of major diseases. However, the majority of existing studies only explored a certain PTM of proteins, while very few have investigated the PTMs of two or more domains and the effects of their interactions. In this study, after collecting data regarding a large number of breast cancer-related and validated PTMs, a sequence and domain analysis of breast cancer proteins was carried out using bioinformatics methods. Then, protein-protein interaction network-related tools were applied in order to determine the crosstalks between the PTMs of the proteins. Finally, statistical and functional analyses were conducted to identify more modification sites of domains and proteins that may interact with at least two or more PTMs. In addition to exploring the associations between the interactive effects of PTMs, the present study also provides important information that would allow biologists to further explore the regulatory pathways of biological functions and related diseases.

Identifying Post-translational Modification Crosstalks for Breast Cancer

Tung, Chi-Hua,Shueng, Pei-Wei,Chu, Yen-Wei,Chu, Yen-Wei,Chen, Chian-Ying Korean Institute of Information Scientists and Eng 2017 Journal of Computing Science and Engineering Vol.11 No.4

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins play substantial roles in the gene regulation of cell physiological functions and in the generation of major diseases. However, the majority of existing studies only explored a certain PTM of proteins, while very few have investigated the PTMs of two or more domains and the effects of their interactions. In this study, after collecting data regarding a large number of breast cancer-related and validated PTMs, a sequence and domain analysis of breast cancer proteins was carried out using bioinformatics methods. Then, protein-protein interaction network-related tools were applied in order to determine the crosstalks between the PTMs of the proteins. Finally, statistical and functional analyses were conducted to identify more modification sites of domains and proteins that may interact with at least two or more PTMs. In addition to exploring the associations between the interactive effects of PTMs, the present study also provides important information that would allow biologists to further explore the regulatory pathways of biological functions and related diseases.

Structural characterization of the pulmonary innate immune protein SPLUNC1 and identification of lipid ligands

Ning, Fangkun,Wang, Chao,Berry, Karin Zemski,Kandasamy, Pitchaimani,Liu, Haolin,Murphy, Robert C.,Voelker, Dennis R.,Nho, Chu Won,Pan, Choel-Ho,Dai, Shaodong,Niu, Liwen,Chu, Hong-Wei,Zhang, Gongyi The Federation of American Societies for Experimen 2014 The FASEB Journal Vol.28 No.12

<P>The short palate, lung and nasal epithelial clone 1 (SPLUNC1) protein is a member of the palate, lung, and nasal epithelium clone (PLUNC) family, also known as bactericidal/permeability-increasing (BPI) fold-containing protein, family A, member 1 (BPIFA1). SPLUNC1 is an abundant protein in human airways, but its function remains poorly understood. The lipid ligands of SPLUNC1 as well as other PLUNC family members are largely unknown, although some reports provide evidence that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could be a lipid ligand. Unlike previous hypotheses, we found significant structural differences between SPLUNC1 and BPI. Recombinant SPLUNC1 produced in HEK 293 cells harbored several molecular species of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine as its ligands. Significantly, <I>in vitro</I> lipid-binding studies failed to demonstrate interactions between SPLUNC1 and LPS, lipoteichoic acid, or polymyxin B. Instead, one of the major and most important pulmonary surfactant phospholipids, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), bound to SPLUNC1 with high affinity and specificity. We found that SPLUNC1 could be the first protein receptor for DPPC. These discoveries provide insight into the specific determinants governing the interaction between SPLUNC1 and lipids and also shed light on novel functions that SPLUNC1 and other PLUNC family members perform in host defense.—Ning, F., Wang, C., Berry, K. Z., Kandasamy, P., Liu, H., Murphy, R. C., Voelker, D. R., Nho, C. W., Pan, C.-H., Dai, S., Niu, L., Chu, H.-W., Zhang, G. Structural characterization of the pulmonary innate immune protein SPLUNC1 and identification of lipid ligands.</P>