Publications by authors named "Nu-man Tsai"

Background: In Taiwan, as the population ages, palliative care services (PCS) have expanded significantly to include comprehensive benefit plans for critically ill individuals, supported by reimbursements from the National Health Insurance program. However, incorporating palliative care into the medical management of these patients presents several challenges. We aim to evaluate the effects of palliative care interventions on medical resources in end-of-life scenarios, to promote earlier palliative care access and provide high-quality healthcare services for patients.

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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common serious complication of sepsis that is characterized by the rapid deterioration of kidney function. Neng-Jing-Huo (NJH) is an essential oil blend, including Gaultheria procumbens, Zingiber officinale, Bulnesia sarmientoi, Artemisia vulgaris, and Styrax benzoin oils, with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Here, we investigated the effects of NJH on oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis in an in vitro septic AKI model and explored the underlying mechanisms.

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Background: In Taiwan, as the population ages, palliative care services (PCS) have expanded significantly to include comprehensive benefit plans for critically ill individuals, supported by reimbursements from the National Health Insurance program. However, incorporating palliative care into the medical management of these patients presents several challenges. We aim to evaluate the effects of palliative care interventions on medical resources in end-of-life scenarios, to promote earlier palliative care access and provide high-quality healthcare services for patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The study investigated CAt's effects on melanoma cells, revealing that it decreased cell viability, inhibited migration/invasion, and induced apoptosis by altering certain proteins involved in these processes.
  • * In animal tests, CAt not only slowed tumor growth and increased mice lifespan but also worked well with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to enhance anti-cancer effects and reduce drug resistance, indicating its potential as an effective treatment for melanoma.
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Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a secondary complication of diabetes that can lead to visual impairment and blindness. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a monolayer of pigment cells that forms the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) via tight junction (TJ) proteins and plays a crucial role in the physiological function of the retina. Hyperglycemia induces RPE death and BRB breakdown, which accelerates the process of DR.

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Cedrol is a sesquiterpene alcohol isolated from , which has been traditionally used in aromatherapy and has anticancer, antibacterial and antihyperalgesic effects. One characteristic of glioblastoma (GB) is the overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which induces a high degree of angiogenesis. Although previous studies have reported that cedrol inhibits GB growth by inducing DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, its role in angiogenesis remains unclear.

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Glioblastoma (GB) is one of the most aggressive and malignant tumors of the central nervous system. Conventional treatment for GB requires surgical resection followed by radiotherapy combined with temozolomide chemotherapy; however, the median survival time is only 12-15 months. Angelica sinensis Radix (AS) is commonly used as a traditional medicinal herb or a food/dietary supplement in Asia, Europe, and North America.

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Aims: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of diabetes that causes visual impairment and blindness in adults. This study aimed to explore the protective effects of n-Butylidenephthalide (BP) on hyperglycemia-treated RPE in vitro and in vivo.

Main Methods: C57BL/6 mice were injected with STZ by intraperitoneal to induce early DR and orally administrated with 2 mg/kg BP every day for twelve weeks.

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Background: Lung cancer, especially non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Vincristine (VCR) is a chemotherapeutic agent for lung cancers; however, its effectiveness is limited by side effects and the development of drug resistance. Patchouli alcohol (PA), from Pogostemon cablin extract, is known to possess anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

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Melanoma is a highly metastatic cancer with a low incidence rate, but a high mortality rate. Patchouli alcohol (PA), a tricyclic sesquiterpene, is considered the main active component in Pogostemon cablin Benth, which improves wound healing and has anti-tumorigenic activity. However, the pharmacological action of PA on anti-melanoma remains unclear.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study addresses the challenges of personalized immunotherapy for cancer due to genetic diversity in patients and side effects like immune-related adverse events, emphasizing the need for regulatory immunotherapy.
  • Researchers developed a cationic lipo-PEG-PEI complex (LPPC) as a flexible immunoregulatory platform that can adaptively present various proteins to enhance immune responses according to individual patient needs.
  • Results demonstrated that the LPPC/MP/CD28 complex effectively activated vital immune responses and eliminated metastatic melanoma cells more efficiently while showing that treatment effects could be altered by using different complexes, highlighting the platform's adaptability.
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Cedrol is a natural sesquiterpene alcohol found in , which has been proven to have a broad spectrum of biological activities, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic, and anti-cancer effects. However, the underlying anticancer mechanisms and inhibitory effects of cedrol on colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the anti-CRC potential of cedrol using and models.

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is a tree species found in Morocco with many clinical benefits in genitourinary, musculoskeletal, and skin systems. Previous studies have reported that extracts of have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear.

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Juniperus communis (JCo) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal plant that has been used to treat wounds, fever, swelling, and rheumatism. However, the mechanism underlying the anticancer effect of JCo extract on colorectal cancer (CRC) has not yet been elucidated. This study investigated the anticancer effects of JCo extract in vitro and in vivo as well as the precise molecular mechanisms.

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Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy in women. Current clinical therapy for breast cancer has many disadvantages, including metastasis, recurrence, and poor quality of life. Furthermore, it is necessary to find a new therapeutic drug for breast cancer patients to meet clinical demand.

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and accounts for the fourth leading cause of all cancer deaths. Scientific evidence has found that plant extracts seem to be a reliable choice due to their multitarget effects against HCC. Juniperus communis has been used for centuries in traditional medicine and its anticancer properties have been reported.

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has been indicated to treat many kinds of diseases and the progression of cancers, such as colorectal cancer. However, the effects of extract (PPa extract) against acute myeloid leukemia have not been investigated. Thus, this study explored the anticancer potential of PPa extract and its mechanism in HL-60 cells.

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Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in humans, exhibiting highly infiltrative growth and drug resistance to conventional chemotherapy. (CAt) extract has been shown to decrease postoperative pain and inhibit the growth of K562 leukemia cells. The aim of this study was to assess the anti-GBM activity and molecular mechanism of CAt extract and .

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Kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) is the pivotal enzyme in the kynurenine pathway and is located on the mitochondrial outer membrane. The dysregulation of KMO leads to various neurodegenerative diseases; however, it is rarely mentioned in cancer progression. Our previous study showed that KMO overexpression in canine mammary gland tumors (cMGT) is associated with poor prognosis in cMGT patients.

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second and sixth leading cause of cancer death in men and woman in 185 countries statistics, respectively. n-Butylidenephthalide (BP) has shown anti-HCC activity, but it also has an unstable structure that decreases its potential antitumor activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the cell uptake, activity protection, and antitumor mechanism of BP encapsulated in the novel liposome LPPC in HCC cells.

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Isoamylamine (IA) is an aliphatic monoamine molecule present in cheese, eggs, and wine. It belongs to the family of polyamines and also can be synthesized endogenously. It has been known that regulation of polyamines in cells is related to cell cycle and tumor formation.

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Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers. It has a high mortality rate and requires novel effective drugs and therapeutic approaches. (JCo), used to flavor gin and food, has been documented to have anti-tumor activity.

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Bertol. is an herbal plant that belongs to the genus , which is commonly used in traditional medicine to refresh the mind and for diuretic use. However, few studies have reported the function of Bertol.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated the anti-hepatoma properties of PPa extract, showing it effectively inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells while being less harmful to normal liver cells.
  • PPa extract blocks the cell cycle at the G/G phase and activates both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, potentially due to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.
  • In animal models, PPa extract reduced HCC tumor growth and improved survival by targeting the VEGF/VEGFR axis and inducing tumor cell death, indicating its potential as a treatment with fewer side effects for clinical use.
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This study investigated the anti-leukemic effects of Cedrus atlantica extract (CAt extract) on cell cycle distribution and apoptosis in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. AML often occurs in older adults, accounting for 60% of the cases, and is likely to be resistant to chemotherapy due to multidrug resistance, resulting in early death during cancer treatment. With the increasing focus on prevention medicine, natural plant components are being used as a major source for the development of therapeutic drugs or functional foods to cure or alleviate the disease.

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