Pub Date : 2024-04-30eCollection Date: 2024-10-01DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_233_23
Nicolas Daniel Widjanarko, Jonathan Christianto Subagya, Josephine Immanuel Maksi, Felicia Grizelda Suryatenggara, Sharon Claudia Ethelyn Sihole
Objectives: This systematic review aimed to summarize the benefit of apitherapy in human and animal models of asthma.
Materials and methods: The procedures in this review were performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020 protocol, where MEDLINE, ProQuest, and EBSCOhost databases were used to obtain eligible studies dating to 2023. Furthermore, the risk of bias was assessed using Risk of Bias Tool 2.0 (RoB-2) for randomized-control trials and Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation's RoB for animal studies.
Results: A total of 12 studies were included in the review based on the predetermined eligibility criteria, consisting of 4 human and 8 animal model reports. Among the four human studies, two had a low risk, while the other two had some concerns of bias. In the case of eight animal model of asthma, a total of three domains had a high risk of bias. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory properties of apitherapy were demonstrated by its capacity to inhibit NF-κB, nuclear factor of activated T cells, and IgE antibodies, leading to decreased production of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6, and IL-8, and an increase in IL-10 levels. These beneficial effects were reported to be associated with improvements in clinical manifestations and lung function parameters in human subjects. The use of apitherapy was also related to the restoration of airway structure, and reduction of inflammatory cell infiltration, epithelial thickness, and mucus secretion in lung tissue of animal model of asthma.
Conclusion: Based on the results, apitherapy was effective in improving asthma symptoms and reducing inflammation in human and animal models of asthma.
目的:本系统综述旨在总结哮喘治疗对人类和动物模型的益处:本综述根据《2020年系统综述和荟萃分析首选报告项目》(Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020 protocol)执行,使用MEDLINE、ProQuest和EBSCOhost数据库获取2023年前符合条件的研究。此外,随机对照试验采用偏倚风险工具 2.0(RoB-2)评估偏倚风险,动物研究采用实验室动物实验系统综述中心的 RoB 评估偏倚风险:根据预先确定的资格标准,共有 12 项研究被纳入审查范围,其中包括 4 项人体研究和 8 项动物模型报告。在 4 项人体研究中,有 2 项风险较低,而另外 2 项则存在一些偏倚问题。在 8 个哮喘动物模型中,共有 3 个领域存在高偏倚风险。此外,抗哮喘疗法的抗炎特性还体现在它能够抑制 NF-κB、活化 T 细胞核因子和 IgE 抗体,从而减少肿瘤坏死因子-α、白细胞介素-2(IL-2)、IL-6 和 IL-8 的产生,并提高 IL-10 的水平。据报道,这些有益效果与人体临床表现和肺功能参数的改善有关。哮喘动物模型肺组织中的炎症细胞浸润、上皮厚度和粘液分泌减少也与使用哮喘治疗法恢复气道结构有关:结论:根据研究结果,气道疗法能有效改善人类和动物哮喘模型的哮喘症状并减轻炎症反应。
{"title":"Utilization of apitherapy in allergic asthma: A systematic review of clinical and preclinical studies.","authors":"Nicolas Daniel Widjanarko, Jonathan Christianto Subagya, Josephine Immanuel Maksi, Felicia Grizelda Suryatenggara, Sharon Claudia Ethelyn Sihole","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_233_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_233_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This systematic review aimed to summarize the benefit of apitherapy in human and animal models of asthma.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The procedures in this review were performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020 protocol, where MEDLINE, ProQuest, and EBSCOhost databases were used to obtain eligible studies dating to 2023. Furthermore, the risk of bias was assessed using Risk of Bias Tool 2.0 (RoB-2) for randomized-control trials and Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation's RoB for animal studies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 12 studies were included in the review based on the predetermined eligibility criteria, consisting of 4 human and 8 animal model reports. Among the four human studies, two had a low risk, while the other two had some concerns of bias. In the case of eight animal model of asthma, a total of three domains had a high risk of bias. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory properties of apitherapy were demonstrated by its capacity to inhibit NF-κB, nuclear factor of activated T cells, and IgE antibodies, leading to decreased production of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6, and IL-8, and an increase in IL-10 levels. These beneficial effects were reported to be associated with improvements in clinical manifestations and lung function parameters in human subjects. The use of apitherapy was also related to the restoration of airway structure, and reduction of inflammatory cell infiltration, epithelial thickness, and mucus secretion in lung tissue of animal model of asthma.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on the results, apitherapy was effective in improving asthma symptoms and reducing inflammation in human and animal models of asthma.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 4","pages":"440-451"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11483089/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Objective: Uremic pruritus (UP) is a prevalent and troublesome condition affecting individuals with end-stage renal failure, which results in intense pruritus, depression, as well as poor quality of sleep, significantly impacting their quality of life. According to previous studies, acupuncture and acupoint stimulation have been shown to provide additional benefits in treating UP in dialysis patients. In addition, using acupoints combination may yield superior effectiveness compared to utilizing a singular acupoint. To investigate the potential correlations between acupoint combinations, an association-rule analysis was employed.
Materials and methods: Apriori algorithms stand out as highly potent techniques for identifying associations in databases; this study utilized an association rule mining to examine the association rules of key acupoint groupings that could be employed for treating UP.
Results: The analysis utilized information derived from the meta-analysis encompassing 40 randomized controlled trials that used acupuncture to treat UP. In total, 64 acupoints were analyzed, and 71 association rules were found. The following acupoint combinations: Auricular shenmen (TF4), Quchi (LI11), and Geshu (BL17); Auricular heart (Extra14), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Auricular lung (CO14); and Auricular heart (Extra14), Xuehai (SP10), and Auricular lung (CO14) showed the strongest associations.
Conclusion: Acupoints involving Auricular shenmen (TF4), Quchi (LI11), Geshu (BL17), Auricular heart (Extra14), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Auricular lung (CO14), and Xuehai (SP10) can be regarded as the core combination of acupuncture points for managing UP.
目的尿毒症瘙痒症(Uremic pruritus,UP)是终末期肾衰竭患者普遍存在的一种令人头疼的病症,会导致剧烈瘙痒、抑郁以及睡眠质量差,严重影响患者的生活质量。以往的研究表明,针灸和穴位刺激对治疗透析患者的瘙痒症有额外的益处。此外,与单个穴位相比,组合使用穴位可能会产生更好的疗效。为了研究穴位组合之间的潜在相关性,我们采用了关联规则分析法:Apriori算法是识别数据库中关联的高效技术;本研究利用关联规则挖掘法来研究可用于治疗UP的关键穴位组合的关联规则:该分析利用了荟萃分析(meta-analysis)中的信息,荟萃分析涵盖了40项使用针灸治疗UP的随机对照试验。共分析了 64 个穴位,发现了 71 条关联规则。以下是穴位组合:心包经(TF4)、曲池(LI11)和尺泽(BL17);心包经(Extra14)、三阴交(SP6)和肺俞(CO14);心包经(Extra14)、学海(SP10)和肺俞(CO14)的关联性最强:结论:耳穴神门(TF4)、曲池(LI11)、合谷(BL17)、心包经(Extra14)、三阴交(SP6)、肺俞(CO14)和学海(SP10)可视为调理 UP 的核心穴位组合。
{"title":"An Apriori algorithm-based association rule analysis to identify acupoint combinations for treating uremic pruritus.","authors":"Ping-Hsun Lu, Chien-Cheng Lai, Ling-Ya Chiu, I-Hsin Lin, Chih-Chin Iou, Po-Hsuan Lu","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_217_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_217_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Uremic pruritus (UP) is a prevalent and troublesome condition affecting individuals with end-stage renal failure, which results in intense pruritus, depression, as well as poor quality of sleep, significantly impacting their quality of life. According to previous studies, acupuncture and acupoint stimulation have been shown to provide additional benefits in treating UP in dialysis patients. In addition, using acupoints combination may yield superior effectiveness compared to utilizing a singular acupoint. To investigate the potential correlations between acupoint combinations, an association-rule analysis was employed.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Apriori algorithms stand out as highly potent techniques for identifying associations in databases; this study utilized an association rule mining to examine the association rules of key acupoint groupings that could be employed for treating UP.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis utilized information derived from the meta-analysis encompassing 40 randomized controlled trials that used acupuncture to treat UP. In total, 64 acupoints were analyzed, and 71 association rules were found. The following acupoint combinations: Auricular shenmen (TF4), Quchi (LI11), and Geshu (BL17); Auricular heart (Extra14), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Auricular lung (CO14); and Auricular heart (Extra14), Xuehai (SP10), and Auricular lung (CO14) showed the strongest associations.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Acupoints involving Auricular shenmen (TF4), Quchi (LI11), Geshu (BL17), Auricular heart (Extra14), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Auricular lung (CO14), and Xuehai (SP10) can be regarded as the core combination of acupuncture points for managing UP.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"195-202"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025587/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140866096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a prevalent condition with multifactorial pathogenesis, involves esophageal motor dysmotility as a key contributing factor to its development. When suspected GERD patients have an inadequate response to proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and normal upper endoscopy results, high-resolution manometry (HRM) is utilized to rule out alternative diagnosis such as achalasia spectrum disorders, rumination, or supragastric belching. At present, HRM continues to provide supportive evidence for diagnosing GERD and determining the appropriate treatment. This review focuses on the existing understanding of the connection between esophageal motor findings and the pathogenesis of GERD, along with the significance of esophageal HRM in managing GERD patients. The International GERD Consensus Working Group introduced a three-step method, assessing the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), esophageal body motility, and contraction reserve with multiple rapid swallow (MRS) maneuvers. Crucial HRM abnormalities in GERD include frequent transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations, disrupted EGJ, and esophageal body hypomotility. Emerging HRM metrics like EGJ-contractile integral and innovative provocative maneuver like straight leg raise have the potential to enhance our understanding of factors contributing to GERD, thereby increasing the value of HRM performed in patients who experience symptoms suspected of GERD.
{"title":"Esophageal motor abnormalities in gastroesophageal reflux disorders.","authors":"Wei-Yi Lei, Chih-Hsun Yi, Tso-Tsai Liu, Jui-Sheng Hung, Ming-Wun Wong, Chien-Lin Chen","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_209_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_209_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a prevalent condition with multifactorial pathogenesis, involves esophageal motor dysmotility as a key contributing factor to its development. When suspected GERD patients have an inadequate response to proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and normal upper endoscopy results, high-resolution manometry (HRM) is utilized to rule out alternative diagnosis such as achalasia spectrum disorders, rumination, or supragastric belching. At present, HRM continues to provide supportive evidence for diagnosing GERD and determining the appropriate treatment. This review focuses on the existing understanding of the connection between esophageal motor findings and the pathogenesis of GERD, along with the significance of esophageal HRM in managing GERD patients. The International GERD Consensus Working Group introduced a three-step method, assessing the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), esophageal body motility, and contraction reserve with multiple rapid swallow (MRS) maneuvers. Crucial HRM abnormalities in GERD include frequent transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations, disrupted EGJ, and esophageal body hypomotility. Emerging HRM metrics like EGJ-contractile integral and innovative provocative maneuver like straight leg raise have the potential to enhance our understanding of factors contributing to GERD, thereby increasing the value of HRM performed in patients who experience symptoms suspected of GERD.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"120-126"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025585/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140854009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cerebrovascular accidents, also known as strokes, represent a major global public health challenge and contribute to substantial mortality, disability, and socioeconomic burden. Multidisciplinary approaches for poststroke therapies are crucial for recovering lost functions and adapting to new limitations. This review discusses the potential of neuromodulation techniques, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), transcranial direct current stimulation, spinal cord stimulation (SCS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS), as innovative strategies for facilitating poststroke recovery. Neuromodulation is an emerging adjunct to conventional therapies that target neural plasticity to restore lost function and compensate for damaged brain areas. The techniques discussed in this review have different efficacies in enhancing neural plasticity, optimizing motor recovery, and mitigating poststroke impairments. Specifically, rTMS has shown significant promise in enhancing motor function, whereas SCS has shown potential in improving limb movement and reducing disability. Similarly, VNS, typically used to treat epilepsy, has shown promise in enhancing poststroke motor recovery, while DBS may be used to improve poststroke motor recovery and symptom mitigation. Further studies with standardized protocols are warranted to elucidate the efficacy of these methods and integrate them into mainstream clinical practice to optimize poststroke care.
{"title":"Neuromodulation techniques in poststroke motor impairment recovery: Efficacy, challenges, and future directions.","authors":"Xiang-Ling Huang, Ming-Yung Wu, Ciou-Chan Wu, Lian-Cing Yan, Mei-Huei He, Yu-Chen Chen, Sheng-Tzung Tsai","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_247_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_247_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cerebrovascular accidents, also known as strokes, represent a major global public health challenge and contribute to substantial mortality, disability, and socioeconomic burden. Multidisciplinary approaches for poststroke therapies are crucial for recovering lost functions and adapting to new limitations. This review discusses the potential of neuromodulation techniques, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), transcranial direct current stimulation, spinal cord stimulation (SCS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS), as innovative strategies for facilitating poststroke recovery. Neuromodulation is an emerging adjunct to conventional therapies that target neural plasticity to restore lost function and compensate for damaged brain areas. The techniques discussed in this review have different efficacies in enhancing neural plasticity, optimizing motor recovery, and mitigating poststroke impairments. Specifically, rTMS has shown significant promise in enhancing motor function, whereas SCS has shown potential in improving limb movement and reducing disability. Similarly, VNS, typically used to treat epilepsy, has shown promise in enhancing poststroke motor recovery, while DBS may be used to improve poststroke motor recovery and symptom mitigation. Further studies with standardized protocols are warranted to elucidate the efficacy of these methods and integrate them into mainstream clinical practice to optimize poststroke care.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"136-141"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025597/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140855499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-26eCollection Date: 2024-04-01DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_267_23
Chien-Hao Wang, Jai-Sing Yang, Chao-Jung Chen, San-Hua Su, Hsin-Yuan Yu, Yu-Ning Juan, Yu-Jen Chiu, Tsung-Jung Ho
Objectives: The protective effects and related mechanisms of Jing-Si herbal tea (JSHT) were investigated in cellular damage mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, on normal human lung fibroblast by multiomic platform analysis.
Materials and methods: The insilico high-throughput target was analyzed using pharmacophore models by BIOVIA Discovery Studio 2022 with ingenuity pathway analysis software. To assess cell viability, the study utilized the MTT assay technique. In addition, the IncuCyte S3 ZOOM System was implemented for the continuous monitoring of cell confluence of JSHT-treated cytokine-injured HEL 299 cells. Cytokine concentrations were determined using a Quantibody Human Inflammation Array. Gene expression and signaling pathways were determined using next-generation sequencing.
Results: Insilico high-throughput target analysis of JSHT revealed ingenuity in canonical pathways and their networks. Glucocorticoid receptor signaling is a potential signaling of JSHT. The results revealed protective effects against the inflammatory cytokines on JSHT-treated HEL 299 cells. Transcriptome and network analyses revealed that induction of helper T lymphocytes, TNFSF12, NFKB1-mediated relaxin signaling, and G-protein coupled receptor signaling play important roles in immune regulatory on JSHT-treated cytokine-injured HEL 299 cells.
Conclusion: The findings from our research indicate that JSHT holds promise as a therapeutic agent, potentially offering advantageous outcomes in treating virus infections through various mechanisms. Furthermore, the primary bioactive components in JSHT justify extended research in antiviral drug development, especially in the context of addressing coronavirus.
{"title":"Protective effects of Jing-Si-herbal-tea in inflammatory cytokines-induced cell injury on normal human lung fibroblast <i>via</i> multiomic platform analysis.","authors":"Chien-Hao Wang, Jai-Sing Yang, Chao-Jung Chen, San-Hua Su, Hsin-Yuan Yu, Yu-Ning Juan, Yu-Jen Chiu, Tsung-Jung Ho","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_267_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_267_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The protective effects and related mechanisms of Jing-Si herbal tea (JSHT) were investigated in cellular damage mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, on normal human lung fibroblast by multiomic platform analysis.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The <i>in</i> <i>silico</i> high-throughput target was analyzed using pharmacophore models by BIOVIA Discovery Studio 2022 with ingenuity pathway analysis software. To assess cell viability, the study utilized the MTT assay technique. In addition, the IncuCyte S3 ZOOM System was implemented for the continuous monitoring of cell confluence of JSHT-treated cytokine-injured HEL 299 cells. Cytokine concentrations were determined using a Quantibody Human Inflammation Array. Gene expression and signaling pathways were determined using next-generation sequencing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong><i>In</i> <i>silico</i> high-throughput target analysis of JSHT revealed ingenuity in canonical pathways and their networks. Glucocorticoid receptor signaling is a potential signaling of JSHT. The results revealed protective effects against the inflammatory cytokines on JSHT-treated HEL 299 cells. Transcriptome and network analyses revealed that induction of helper T lymphocytes, TNFSF12, NFKB1-mediated relaxin signaling, and G-protein coupled receptor signaling play important roles in immune regulatory on JSHT-treated cytokine-injured HEL 299 cells.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings from our research indicate that JSHT holds promise as a therapeutic agent, potentially offering advantageous outcomes in treating virus infections through various mechanisms. Furthermore, the primary bioactive components in JSHT justify extended research in antiviral drug development, especially in the context of addressing coronavirus.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"152-165"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025590/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140855565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-26eCollection Date: 2024-04-01DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_276_23
Chi-Cheng Li, Xavier Cheng-Hong Tsai, Wei-Han Huang, Tso-Fu Wang
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can cure malignant and nonmalignant hematological disorders. From 1983 to 2022, Taiwan performed more than 10,000 HSCT transplants. The Taiwan Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry collects clinical information to gather everyone's experience and promote the advances of HSCT in Taiwan to gather everyone's experience and promote advances of HSCT in Taiwan. Compared with matched sibling donors, transplants from matched unrelated donors exhibited a trend of superior survival. In Taiwan, transplant donors showed remarkable growth from unrelated (24.8%) and haploidentical (10.5%) donors. The number of older patients (17.4%; aged ≥61 years) who underwent transplantation has increased markedly. This review summarizes several significant developments in HSCT treatment in Taiwan. First, the use of Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and intravenous busulfan regimens were important risk factors for predicting hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome. Second, a new, machine learning-based risk prediction scoring system for posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder has identified five risk factors: aplastic anemia, partially mismatched related donors, fludarabine use, ATG use, and acute skin graft-versus-host disease. Third, although the incidence of idiopathic pneumonia syndrome was low (1.1%), its mortality rate was high (58.1%). Fourth, difficult-to-treat mantle cell and T-cell lymphomas treated with autologous HSCT during earlier remission had higher survival rates. Fifth, treatment of incurable multiple myeloma with autologous HSCT showed a median progression-free survival and overall survival of 46.5 and 70.4 months, respectively. Sixth, different haploidentical transplantation strategies were compared. Seventh, caution should be taken in administering allogeneic HSCT treatment in older patients with myeloid leukemia with a Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥3 because of a higher risk of nonrelapse mortality.
{"title":"Recent advancements in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Taiwan.","authors":"Chi-Cheng Li, Xavier Cheng-Hong Tsai, Wei-Han Huang, Tso-Fu Wang","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_276_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_276_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can cure malignant and nonmalignant hematological disorders. From 1983 to 2022, Taiwan performed more than 10,000 HSCT transplants. The Taiwan Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry collects clinical information to gather everyone's experience and promote the advances of HSCT in Taiwan to gather everyone's experience and promote advances of HSCT in Taiwan. Compared with matched sibling donors, transplants from matched unrelated donors exhibited a trend of superior survival. In Taiwan, transplant donors showed remarkable growth from unrelated (24.8%) and haploidentical (10.5%) donors. The number of older patients (17.4%; aged ≥61 years) who underwent transplantation has increased markedly. This review summarizes several significant developments in HSCT treatment in Taiwan. First, the use of Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and intravenous busulfan regimens were important risk factors for predicting hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome. Second, a new, machine learning-based risk prediction scoring system for posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder has identified five risk factors: aplastic anemia, partially mismatched related donors, fludarabine use, ATG use, and acute skin graft-versus-host disease. Third, although the incidence of idiopathic pneumonia syndrome was low (1.1%), its mortality rate was high (58.1%). Fourth, difficult-to-treat mantle cell and T-cell lymphomas treated with autologous HSCT during earlier remission had higher survival rates. Fifth, treatment of incurable multiple myeloma with autologous HSCT showed a median progression-free survival and overall survival of 46.5 and 70.4 months, respectively. Sixth, different haploidentical transplantation strategies were compared. Seventh, caution should be taken in administering allogeneic HSCT treatment in older patients with myeloid leukemia with a Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥3 because of a higher risk of nonrelapse mortality.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"127-135"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025591/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140857562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-26eCollection Date: 2024-04-01DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_288_23
Kuo-Liang Yang, Py-Yu Lin
<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>It is thought that Taiwanese indigenous people were the "first people" to populate Taiwan (Formosa) having been there for over 5000 years, preceding the Dutch colonization (from 1624 to 1662) and Spanish colonization (from 1626 to 1642). Taiwan's indigenes, represented by Austronesian language speakers, currently constitute approximately 2% of the total population in Taiwan. It is unknown whether they evolved from Taiwan's Paleolithic or Neolithic cultures, arrived during or after the Neolithic period from China or Southeast Asia or both. HLA studies on the Taiwanese indigenous population have found several intriguing genetic information showing one or two relatively frequently observed alleles and a small number of relatively less frequently observed ones. We report here a relatively frequently observed HLA-C*07:359 allele in the Taiwanese indigenous population, its linkage with HLA-B*39:01, and its probable associated HLA haplotype in two Taiwanese indigenous families. HLA-C*07:359 is a rarely observed allele in the HLA-C locus in the world populations. The objective of this study is to report the allele HLA-C*07:359 that is more frequently found in the Taiwanese population, especially in the Taiwanese indigenous people, to demonstrate that it has a close linkage with HLA-B*39:01 allele in the HLA-B locus and to show the plausible deduced HLA-A-C-B-DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes in association with HLA-C*07:359 in two families of Taiwanese indigenous unrelated individuals.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The samples were peripheral whole blood, with dipotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and/or acid citrate dextrose anticoagulation additives. The sequence-based typing method was employed to confirm the low incidence of the allele of HLA-C*07:359 observed in Taiwanese. Polymerase chain reaction was carried out to amplify exons 2, 3, and 4 of the HLA-A,-B,-C,-DRB1 and-DQB1 loci with group-specific primer sets. Amplicons were sequenced using the BigDye Terminator Cycle Sequencing Ready Reaction Kit in both directions according to the manufacturer's protocol.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>C*07:359 is an uncommon allele in the HLA-C locus in the world general population, according to our literature review. However, in this study, it is observed in the general Taiwanese population (frequency 0.41%), especially in the Taiwanese indigenous people at a frequency of 0.23%. In addition, we deduced two probable HLA haplotypes in association with C*07:359 in two indigenous families: A*24:02-C*07:359-B*39:01-DRB1*04:36 and A*24:02-C*07:359-B*39:01-DRB1*04:04.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The two deduced HLA haplotypes associated with the uncommon C*07:359 allele that we report here are valuable for HLA tissue typing laboratories for reference purposes and for stem cell transplantation donor search coordinators to determine the likelihood of finding compatible donors in unrelated bone marrow donor registries fo
{"title":"Association of HLA-C*07:359 with HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 alleles in Taiwanese.","authors":"Kuo-Liang Yang, Py-Yu Lin","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_288_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_288_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>It is thought that Taiwanese indigenous people were the \"first people\" to populate Taiwan (Formosa) having been there for over 5000 years, preceding the Dutch colonization (from 1624 to 1662) and Spanish colonization (from 1626 to 1642). Taiwan's indigenes, represented by Austronesian language speakers, currently constitute approximately 2% of the total population in Taiwan. It is unknown whether they evolved from Taiwan's Paleolithic or Neolithic cultures, arrived during or after the Neolithic period from China or Southeast Asia or both. HLA studies on the Taiwanese indigenous population have found several intriguing genetic information showing one or two relatively frequently observed alleles and a small number of relatively less frequently observed ones. We report here a relatively frequently observed HLA-C*07:359 allele in the Taiwanese indigenous population, its linkage with HLA-B*39:01, and its probable associated HLA haplotype in two Taiwanese indigenous families. HLA-C*07:359 is a rarely observed allele in the HLA-C locus in the world populations. The objective of this study is to report the allele HLA-C*07:359 that is more frequently found in the Taiwanese population, especially in the Taiwanese indigenous people, to demonstrate that it has a close linkage with HLA-B*39:01 allele in the HLA-B locus and to show the plausible deduced HLA-A-C-B-DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes in association with HLA-C*07:359 in two families of Taiwanese indigenous unrelated individuals.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The samples were peripheral whole blood, with dipotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and/or acid citrate dextrose anticoagulation additives. The sequence-based typing method was employed to confirm the low incidence of the allele of HLA-C*07:359 observed in Taiwanese. Polymerase chain reaction was carried out to amplify exons 2, 3, and 4 of the HLA-A,-B,-C,-DRB1 and-DQB1 loci with group-specific primer sets. Amplicons were sequenced using the BigDye Terminator Cycle Sequencing Ready Reaction Kit in both directions according to the manufacturer's protocol.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>C*07:359 is an uncommon allele in the HLA-C locus in the world general population, according to our literature review. However, in this study, it is observed in the general Taiwanese population (frequency 0.41%), especially in the Taiwanese indigenous people at a frequency of 0.23%. In addition, we deduced two probable HLA haplotypes in association with C*07:359 in two indigenous families: A*24:02-C*07:359-B*39:01-DRB1*04:36 and A*24:02-C*07:359-B*39:01-DRB1*04:04.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The two deduced HLA haplotypes associated with the uncommon C*07:359 allele that we report here are valuable for HLA tissue typing laboratories for reference purposes and for stem cell transplantation donor search coordinators to determine the likelihood of finding compatible donors in unrelated bone marrow donor registries fo","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"166-174"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025586/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140869327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thyroid nodules (TNs) are pathological changes characterized by abnormal proliferation of thyroid gland tissue. Approximately 19% to 67% of asymptomatic individuals are diagnosed with TNs, with the majority being benign nodules and 4% to 6.5% being thyroid cancer nodules. Western medicine recommends regular examinations and surgery, while traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides an alternative choice to maintain thyroid function and reduce the need for surgery. However, in Taiwan, research on TCM treatment for benign TNs is primarily limited to case reports, lacking large-scale and systematic clinical studies. We conducted a search of electronic databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Wanfang Data, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure to collect clinical trials related to TCM treatment for TNs. Our goal is to provide new treatment options, further validate the value of TCM in the treatment of TNs, and lay a foundation for future clinical research.
{"title":"Traditional Chinese medicine treatment for benign thyroid nodules: Literature review.","authors":"Chun-Yao Cheng, Ching-Yuan Chen, Jian-Jung Chen, Chia-Ying Chuang","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_178_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_178_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thyroid nodules (TNs) are pathological changes characterized by abnormal proliferation of thyroid gland tissue. Approximately 19% to 67% of asymptomatic individuals are diagnosed with TNs, with the majority being benign nodules and 4% to 6.5% being thyroid cancer nodules. Western medicine recommends regular examinations and surgery, while traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides an alternative choice to maintain thyroid function and reduce the need for surgery. However, in Taiwan, research on TCM treatment for benign TNs is primarily limited to case reports, lacking large-scale and systematic clinical studies. We conducted a search of electronic databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Wanfang Data, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure to collect clinical trials related to TCM treatment for TNs. Our goal is to provide new treatment options, further validate the value of TCM in the treatment of TNs, and lay a foundation for future clinical research.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"142-151"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140858677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-26eCollection Date: 2024-04-01DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_243_23
Peeraporn Varinthra, Shameemun Naseer Mohamed Nizarul Anwar, Shu-Ching Shih, Ingrid Y Liu
Sleep is an essential activity for the survival of mammals. Good sleep quality helps promote the performance of daily functions. In contrast, insufficient sleep reduces the efficiency of daily activities, causes various chronic diseases like Alzheimer's disease, and increases the risk of having accidents. The GABAergic system is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter system in the central nervous system. It transits the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter via GABAA and GABAB receptors to counterbalance excitatory neurotransmitters, such as glutamate, noradrenaline, serotonin, acetylcholine, orexin, and dopamine, which release and increase arousal activities during sleep. Several studies emphasized that dysfunction of the GABAergic system is related to insomnia, the most prevalent sleep-related disorder. The GABAergic system comprises the GABA neurotransmitter, GABA receptors, GABA synthesis, and degradation. Many studies have demonstrated that GABA levels correlate with sleep quality, suggesting that modulating the GABAergic system may be a promising therapeutic approach for insomnia. In this article, we highlight the significance of sleep, the classification and pathology of insomnia, and the impact of the GABAergic system changes on sleep. In addition, we also review the medications that target the GABAergic systems for insomnia, including benzodiazepines (BZDs), non-BZDs, barbiturates, GABA supplements, and Chinese herbal medicines.
{"title":"The role of the GABAergic system on insomnia.","authors":"Peeraporn Varinthra, Shameemun Naseer Mohamed Nizarul Anwar, Shu-Ching Shih, Ingrid Y Liu","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_243_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_243_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sleep is an essential activity for the survival of mammals. Good sleep quality helps promote the performance of daily functions. In contrast, insufficient sleep reduces the efficiency of daily activities, causes various chronic diseases like Alzheimer's disease, and increases the risk of having accidents. The GABAergic system is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter system in the central nervous system. It transits the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter via GABA<sub>A</sub> and GABA<sub>B</sub> receptors to counterbalance excitatory neurotransmitters, such as glutamate, noradrenaline, serotonin, acetylcholine, orexin, and dopamine, which release and increase arousal activities during sleep. Several studies emphasized that dysfunction of the GABAergic system is related to insomnia, the most prevalent sleep-related disorder. The GABAergic system comprises the GABA neurotransmitter, GABA receptors, GABA synthesis, and degradation. Many studies have demonstrated that GABA levels correlate with sleep quality, suggesting that modulating the GABAergic system may be a promising therapeutic approach for insomnia. In this article, we highlight the significance of sleep, the classification and pathology of insomnia, and the impact of the GABAergic system changes on sleep. In addition, we also review the medications that target the GABAergic systems for insomnia, including benzodiazepines (BZDs), non-BZDs, barbiturates, GABA supplements, and Chinese herbal medicines.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"103-109"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025592/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140858955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-26eCollection Date: 2024-04-01DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_144_23
Hafizah Sururul Nur Rakhmawati, Citrawati Dyah Kencono Wungu, Bambang Purwanto, Andre Andarianto
Objectives: To analyze the impact of exercise under hypoxic exposure versus normoxic exposure on blood glucose level, insulin level, and insulin sensitivity in people at risk of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Materials and methods: We systematically performed electronic searching on PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Scopus. Primary studies that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed using Revman 5.4.1.
Results: Nine randomized controlled trials were included in this meta-analysis. We found that physical exercise under hypoxic exposure had no significant effect on improving blood glucose levels, insulin levels, and insulin sensitivity in the elderly and sedentary people compared to normoxic condition. However, physical exercise during hypoxic exposure had a significant effect on lowering blood glucose levels in overweight/obese individuals (pooled Standardized Mean Difference = 0.29; 95% confidence interval = 0.01-0.57; P = 0.04).
Conclusions: Exercising under hypoxic exposure can be an alternative strategy for reducing blood glucose levels in overweight/obese people. Nevertheless, in other populations at risk of T2DM, exercising in hypoxic conditions gives similar results to normoxic conditions.
{"title":"Exercise under hypoxia on glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetes mellitus risk individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Hafizah Sururul Nur Rakhmawati, Citrawati Dyah Kencono Wungu, Bambang Purwanto, Andre Andarianto","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_144_23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_144_23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To analyze the impact of exercise under hypoxic exposure versus normoxic exposure on blood glucose level, insulin level, and insulin sensitivity in people at risk of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>We systematically performed electronic searching on PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Scopus. Primary studies that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed using Revman 5.4.1.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine randomized controlled trials were included in this meta-analysis. We found that physical exercise under hypoxic exposure had no significant effect on improving blood glucose levels, insulin levels, and insulin sensitivity in the elderly and sedentary people compared to normoxic condition. However, physical exercise during hypoxic exposure had a significant effect on lowering blood glucose levels in overweight/obese individuals (pooled Standardized Mean Difference = 0.29; 95% confidence interval = 0.01-0.57; <i>P</i> = 0.04).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Exercising under hypoxic exposure can be an alternative strategy for reducing blood glucose levels in overweight/obese people. Nevertheless, in other populations at risk of T2DM, exercising in hypoxic conditions gives similar results to normoxic conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"36 2","pages":"212-222"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11025589/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140865380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}