Publications by authors named "Po-Wei Chu"
Surveillance of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Taiwan, 2008-2019.
J Microbiol Immunol Infect
February 2023
Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a major contributor to global cases of antimicrobial resistance and remains a public health challenge. To understand the extent and trend of DR-TB under an enhanced multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) management program, we conducted a population-based retrospective study of 1511 Taiwanese MDR-TB cases reported from 2008 to 2019.
Methods: We obtained patient demographics and clinical and bacteriological information from the National TB Registry and the Infectious Disease Notification System.
An outbreak of pneumonia associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and has been spread worldwide rapidly now. Over 5.3-million confirmed cases and 340,000 disease-associated deaths have been found till May 25, 2020.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is a regulator of the processes of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, but the roles that it plays in endometrial cancer remain largely unknown. This study evaluated the PKM2 expression in normal endometrium, endometrial hyperplasia, and endometrial carcinoma, and its prognostic value was investigated in endometrial carcinoma patients.
Methods: A hospital-based retrospective review was conducted to examine the immunohistochemical PKM2 distribution in 206 endometrium samples from biopsies or hysterectomies.
Background: The treatment outcomes of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients in the 1990s in Taiwan was not satisfactory. To strengthen programmatic management of drug-resistant tuberculosis (PMDT), Taiwan MDR-TB Consortium (TMTC) was established in 2007. We assess the performance and epidemiologic impact of TMTC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Bisphenol A (BPA) is a common plastic component that disrupts endocrine function and can cause reproductive lesions, particularly in pregnant mice, leading to reduced newborn numbers and affecting the placenta's hormone production.
- In laboratory studies using JEG-3 cells, exposure to low levels of BPA was found to downregulate key steroidogenic genes (CYP11A1 and CYP19) responsible for hormone synthesis without harming cell viability.
- BPA also impacted the ERK signaling pathway, contributing to decreased hormone production in placental cells, a trend that was confirmed through analysis of trophoblasts from human placentas.
Article Synopsis
- Plasma membrane-localized pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) like FLS2, EFR, and CERK1 detect microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) and trigger pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) in plants.
- A study identified IOS1 as a key player in PTI, demonstrating that Arabidopsis ios1 mutants are more susceptible to bacterial infections due to impaired PTI responses.
- IOS1 interacts with various PRRs and positively influences their signaling pathways, highlighting its role in enhancing plant immunity against pathogens.
Plasma membrane-localized pattern recognition receptors such as FLAGELLIN SENSING2 (FLS2) and EF-TU RECEPTOR (EFR) recognize microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) to activate the first layer of plant immunity termed pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). A reverse genetics approach with genes responsive to the priming agent β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) revealed IMPAIRED OOMYCETE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 (IOS1) as a critical PTI player. Arabidopsis thaliana ios1 mutants were hypersusceptible to Pseudomonas syringae bacteria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPethidine is an opioid that gains its popularity for the effective pain control through acting on the opioid-receptors. However, rapid pain relief sometimes brings about unfavourable side effects that largely limit its clinical utility. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting and hypotension.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant cells can be sensitized toward a subsequent pathogen attack by avirulent pathogens or by chemicals such as β-aminobutyric acid (BABA). This process is called priming. Using a reverse genetic approach in Arabidopsis thaliana, we demonstrate that the BABA-responsive L-type lectin receptor kinase-VI.
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- - The study aimed to explore how the Notch 1 signaling pathway affects embryo implantation rates using mouse embryos in a fertility research setting.
- - Researchers modified Notch 1 expression by adding a γ-secretase inhibitor, which resulted in a reduced implantation rate of blastocysts in a dose-dependent manner.
- - Findings indicated that sufficient expression of Notch 1 is crucial for successful embryo implantation, particularly during a specific time frame, and this regulation is linked to the Notch 1 intracellular domain.
Objective: A solitary fibrous tumor is an uncommon soft-tissue tumor and rarely occurs in the uterus. We present such a case.
Case Report: A 78-year-old woman presented with low abdominal pain, and pelvic computed tomography showed a pelvic mass attached to the uterus.