Tag: Taipei Medical University

The 2024 Commencement Ceremony for the College of Nursing at Taipei Medical University (TMU) was marked by a special celebration, featuring three esteemed winners of the 2024 College of Nursing Outstanding Alumni awards. These accomplished alumni shared their wisdom and experiences with the Class of 2024, offering valuable advice and inspiration as the graduates embark on their professional journeys.

This year, the College of Nursing at TMU has honored three outstanding alumni: President Shu-Fang Vivienne Wu, Dr. Cheryl Chia-Hui Chen, and Ms. Li-Yu Tang.

The awardee in the category of Management is President Wu, a 1995 graduate and the current President of National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, has been recognized for her exceptional contributions to the field. Her leadership and innovative approaches have significantly advanced the institution’s stature and operational excellence.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chen, a 1994 graduate and the Director of the School of Nursing at National Taiwan University, has been celebrated for her Academic Achievements. Her prolific research, published in top-tier journals and extensively cited, has made a substantial impact on the academic community and contributed to the advancement of nursing science.

The winner in the category of Social Service is Ms. Tang, a 1982 graduate and a consultant for the Taiwan Alzheimer’s Disease Association, has been acknowledged for her outstanding contributions to dementia care. Her work in advancing dementia care policies and enhancing Taiwan’s international standing in this area has been exemplary, reflecting her dedication and expertise in the field.

In a lively and engaging moderated session, the alumni discussed their personal definitions of success, emphasizing that success is multifaceted and often extends beyond professional achievements. They highlighted the importance of finding a balance between work and personal life, the significance of continuous learning, and the fulfillment that comes from making a positive impact on patients’ lives.

The session also delved into the alumni’s experiences with frustration and failure. They candidly shared stories of obstacles they faced throughout their careers, illustrating how these challenges ultimately shaped their paths and contributed to their growth. Their narratives underscored the importance of resilience, perseverance, and the ability to adapt and learn from setbacks.

As a highlight of the discussion, the alumni offered heartfelt advice to the new graduates. They encouraged the Class of 2024 to stay humble, remain curious, and continue learning.

The presence of these distinguished alumni and their invaluable insights added a meaningful dimension to the commencement ceremony, leaving the graduates inspired and ready to take on the challenges and opportunities of their careers. This event not only celebrated the achievements of the graduates but also highlighted TMU College of Nursing’s commitment to fostering excellence. The performance of its graduates and the recognition they receive from employers are key indicators of the university’s success.

In today’s digital age, there has been a noticeable shift in public awareness towards the importance of maintaining a healthy diet. More individuals are carefully examining the internet for information on the nutritional content of the good. However, this increased awareness possibly poses a challenge to people as the easy access to numerous conflicting nutritional advice and unchecked sources on the internet may steer them away from a healthy lifestyle.

Yen Nhi Hoang, from Taipei Medical University, School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, investigated the health information accuracy of the handy online AI tool “ChatGPT” with her team members, Jung-Su Chang and Dang Khanh Ngan Ho, among others. They compared the reliability of ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 in providing information on calorie and macronutrients, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

The research identified minimal differences between nutritionist and AI estimations of energy, carbohydrate, and fat contents. Notably, there was a significant divis ion in protein estimation. Both chatbots accurately provided energy contents for approximately 35% to 48% of the 222 food items within ±10%, with a caffeine variation of less than 10%. It was observed that ChatGPT-4 outperformed in this aspect.

Their research results showed that AI can undoubtedly be a useful and convenient tool for acquiring energy and macronutrient information. However, limitations include the AI having a knowledge cutoff of September 2021. In an interview with Nutrition Insight, Dr. Jung-Su Chang cautioned about the existence of “AI hallucination.” Depending on different chatroom environments, such as types of input language and clarity of the prompt, AI may provide convincing information that is factually incorrect. Chang also pointed out that it’s hard for average people to tell the reliability of the information the chatbot provided.

“Currently, the capability of AI chatbots to provide personalized dietary advice, such as specific nutrition guidelines and exact portion sizes, is limited.” the research team warned.

Despite this current limitation, AI chatbots could be a handy tool for nutritionists to quickly access nutrition information. Nonetheless, it’s remains challenging for AI chatbots to function independently as nutritionists.

Supported by the National Research Council provided through integrated project funding, Professor Shih-Min Hsia’s research team at the School of Nutrition and Health Sciences of Taipei Medical University has found a potential relationship between long-term exposure to the non-nutritive sweetener acesulfame potassium and uterine hypercontraction, particularly those induced by oxytocin, and reported the discovery in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. In the study, it was demonstrated that an excessive intake of non-nutritive sweeteners containing acesulfame potassium may cause uterine hypercontraction and increase preterm risk, suggesting that pregnant women should avoid long-term consumption of processed foods containing artificial sweeteners.

Along with the development of the food industry, the demand for sugar has been gradually increasing. Due to their high level of sweetness and low cost, non-nutritive sweeteners are often used in the food industry as food additives. Previous studies have shown the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners to be associated with a 1.2-fold increase in preterm births and a reduction in the gestational period by 0.11 weeks, but the effect of acesulfame potassium exposure on uterine contraction in pregnant women has not yet been studied.

Uterine hypercontraction is significantly triggered by the influx of calcium ions or oxytocin signaling pathway, which causes the contraction of uterine muscle bundles. The medical conditions caused by uterine hypercontraction include preterm labor risk, endometriosis, and menstrual pain, and consequent inflammatory responses can result in the secretion of cytokines and the aggravation of oxidative stress, which may lead to menstrual discomfort and a deterioration in life quality for women.

In the study, it was revealed that exposure to acesulfame potassium caused an upsurge in the concentration of calcium ions in uterine smooth muscle cells and calcium ion influx, which resulted in an increase in uterine contractions. In a long-term exposure experiment, the subjects were fed daily with an amount of acesulfame potassium equivalent to that contained in two cans of Coca-Cola Zero, as well as a tolerable daily intake via oral gavage for 8 weeks. The results showed that acesulfame potassium increased intrauterine pressure and oxytocin-induced contractions. In a further clinical collaboration, it was found in a cohort study that pregnant women with higher exposure to acesulfame potassium had a higher risk of preterm birth.

This study was the first to investigate the influence of non-nutritive sweeteners on pregnant women and confirm their effect on uterine hypercontraction with scientific evidence, alerting people with their life quality affected by uterine hypercontraction, such as those with menstrual pain, endometriosis, and pregnancy to the risk of long- term consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the vast majority of hepatitis patients worldwide do not have access to timely hepatitis detection and treatment. Sadly, the condition of millions of hepatitis patients is at risk of worsening into cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death. Hepatitis also strongly impacts us, as it is the leading cause of death among Taiwanese. Furthermore, liver cancer has been ranked among the top 2 causes of death for the last 40 years.

Reluctantly tacking these problems, Chair Prof. Oliver Hu (Hu Yao-pu), alongside his research this research team from the Taipei Medical University, Academia Sinica, and National Defense Medical Center, in collaboration with international biomedical companies Avalon HepaPOC Limited and Jaco Biotech, successfully developed the “GSP (Galactose Single Point) Rapid Measurement System.” This system facilitates instant and quantitative measurement of the blood flow and enzymes of the liver using a single-point blood test to determine actual liver function.

To save us time and alleviate pain, the GSP Rapid Measurement System was created to use the GSP (Galactose Single Point). We are proud to announce, this method invented by Prof. Hu can be employed immediately in a clinical setting. The Method has been recommended in the guidelines promulgated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare. Apart from that, GSP is also included in widely used medical textbooks in the U.K. and the U.S. In May 2022, it was also published in “Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.” a world-leading biomedical analytical journal that’s existed for over 100 years.
(https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-022-04051-1)

This measurement system allows rapid quantification of the degree of liver impairment in patients. It can be applied to a wide range of patients with liver insufficiency by adjusting the dose of medications such as phenytoin, statins, and cefoperazone. Moreover, GSP also facilitates the screening for congenital galactosemia for the timely and cost-effective clinical management of patients.

Prof. Hu highlighted that the GSP Rapid Measurement System can be used in hospitals, clinics, and even pharmacies to test liver functioning. The actual liver function results are available within an hour. The simple measurement method is similar to blood glucose testing: patients just have to draw a little blood an hour after drinking or injecting galactose, and their liver function can be tested within 75 seconds. Currently, the System is patented in Taiwan, the U.S., China, and other countries, and was granted an In Vitro Diagnostic Device (IVD) license by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan. It is expected to serve and benefit a large number of patients diagnosed with liver disease as well as those taking physical examinations.

In addition to prolonging lifespan, scientists also have long been in pursuit of maintaining human healthspan. For the elderly, as their declined muscle mass and strength cause physical inconvenience, maintaining the health of skeletal muscle is therefore of vital importance so as to keep the ideal quality of life.

Professor Yi-Fan Chen and Professor Yun Yen from Taipei Medical University, in collaboration with researchers from Japan and Taiwan, have recently published their work in npj regenerative medicine. The research article examines how Ribonucleotide reductase M2B (Rrm2b) modulates the fate of stem cells in skeletal muscle in response to injury. The homeostasis of skeletal muscle relies on the interplay between the muscle stem cells (MuSCs) and their microenvironment (niche). By genetically modified mouse models, Chen unveiled that specific knockout of Rrm2b in the myofibers (a part of niche), but not in MuSCs, led to the weakness of muscles, including loss of muscle mass and strength. These Rrm2b myofiber-specific knockout mice displayed compromised regenerative capacity of muscle with thinner fiber sizes and weaker functioning. Moreover, the lack of Rrm2b in the myofibers resulted in mitochondrial defects, showing a part of the typical characteristics of mitochondrial myopathy.

Furthermore, Chen’s team collaborated with Dr. I-Hsuan Lin, her fellow TMU researcher, for RNA-sequencing to identify several myokines released from Rrm2b-deleted myofibers. These myokines, including FGF-21, GDF-15, and Mthfd2, triggered MuSCs differentiation rather than reentry of quiescence to repopulate the stem cell pool. The decreased MuSC pool due to the imbalance between differentiation and self-renewal of MuSCs thus contributed to muscle weakness and impaired regenerative capacity.

In conclusion, Chen’s study identified a novel role of Rrm2b in muscle homeostasis. Rrm2b in the myofibers plays a critical role in modulating the stem cell fate of MuSCs by an alternation of the microenvironment (niche), and it provides an opportunity for strategy development to treat muscle disorders. Animals with defective Rrm2b expression can probably serve as a disease model for investigating mitochondrial myopathy in mammals. It is expected that such promising research findings will lead to clinical use in promoting muscle health in the coming years.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41536-022-00231-w

 

Dr. Lin-Yi Tseng is currently an associate professor from the Center for General Education at Taipei Medical University. Her work on “the Development of Western Medicine in Dadaocheng(大稻埕) in Modern Taiwan” recently won the 8th Professor Shutsung Liao Research Award by North America Taiwanese Professors’ Association (NATPA).

According to Dr. Tseng, Dadaocheng played a very important role in the modernization of Taiwan’s medical care, and was the location of many firsts, such as Taiwan’s first general hospital, “Hongji Hospital”; Taiwan’s first female physician, A-Hsin Tsai (蔡阿信); Taiwan’s first dentist, Dr. Tseng-Chyuan Chen (陳增全) (Tseng-Chyuan Dentistry); and the first Indigenous Taiwanese physician (from the Puyuma tribe) to complete a Western-style medical education path, Dr. Tang-Shan Hsieh (謝唐山). In addition, from the Japanese Colonial Period to the early Post-War Period, Dadaocheng had a large number of western hospitals and pharmacies, such as Watsons Pharmacy and Taihetang Pharmacy, etc., which influenced the medical development of not just Taipei, but arguably even all of Taiwan. Unfortunately, Dadaocheng’s medical history and contributions are rarely covered in our history textbooks, and there is a dearth of complete and comprehensive professional research, which is a pity.

Dr. Tseng’s research depicts the evolvement of medical care over decades. The Japanese colonial period brought modern medical care to Taiwan. Through the establishment of new medical schools and hospitals, as well as various medical experiments, the medical foundation of modern Taiwan was laid. Among them, Dadaocheng is an important area for the attainment and practice of medical knowledge.

Dr. Tseng indicated that “humanities” are also of great significance to medical research. With the passage of time, many important medical materials in Taiwan may gradually disappear. As a historian, one has the responsibility of getting Taiwanese people understand the medical history of modern Taiwan through interviews, studies, writing and publications. Furthermore, as a lecturer at a medical university, it is one’s responsibility to get students to understand the medical development of modern Taiwan. The research results should also be published as a historical publication so that more people can understand the deep relationship between Dadaocheng and Western medicine.

Taipei Medical University research team, led by Professor Chia-Kwung Fan of the Department of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, visited the Kingdom of Eswatini, a diplomatic ally of Taiwan, between October and December in 2021.
During the visit, the team successfully carried out a parasitic disease investigation and continued to support the bilateral public health cooperation for parasite control and prevention which was initiated 12 years ago.

Professor Chia-Kwung Fan has for many years been a key supporter of public health diplomacy, leading the collaboration with Mbabane Government Hospital , Malaria Center and the Parasite Prevention Center to monitor various parasitic diseases in Eswatini, such as intestinal parasites, malaria and schistosomiasis by disseminating knowledge and skills required for laboratory work and pest control through tailored training programs. The hope is to bring neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) to an end by 2030 (in line with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Target 3.3 on communicable diseases) through cross-national collaboration.

The planned collaboration in research was forced to suspend due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which could lead to the lost momentum in in disease prevention and control and the consequent reappearance of chains of infection. Professor Fan therefore led a team of researchers, consisting of post-doctoral researcher, Chia-Mei Chou , doctoral student of the Department of Public Health, Hsiao-Ching Kuo , and doctoral student of the Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Yun-Hung Tu , to re-initiate the collaborative research project in Eswatini.

Reflecting on the task, Professor Fan indicated that the project was awash with unknown and possibly severe challenges. In addition to the preparation of protective equipment and vaccines necessary for protection from COVID-19, a large majority of time was spent with the health personnel in Eswatini strategizing the best plan of action to go deep into the community through scenario planning and carrying out itinerary checks for the inspections, blood collection and questionnaires. On top of the monitoring of intestinal parasites, they also targeted provinces with potential pork tapeworm epidemics risks for serum screening.

Yun-Hung Tu found that even with the training and work experience of a professional medical examiner, he finds it challenging working in the field while wearing full PPE and shuttling between local communities to recover blood, urine and feces samples. Meanwhile, Hsiao-Ching Kuo encountered problems during her research when the off-road bus she took broke down and there was power outage in the accommodation area followed by bad weather. The outbreak of the South African variant of Omicron further complicated matters and resulted in the cancellation of the return flight. While in the field members of the TMU research team faced numerous situations that tested their adaptability and communication skills.

Despite a series of challenges, Professor Fan and his team successfully completed the investigation and produced a solid analysis with recommendations for the local authorities and communities to plan for follow-up treatment. Professor Fan believes that long-term bilateral medical and public health collaboration projects serve to benefit a new generation of medical talent in the fields of biomedical research and international collaboration. Taiwan is uniquely placed to offer its strong clinical capabilities in medical and parasite control and public health to contribute to the wellbeing of international communities. Professor Fan hopes that TMU and the Taiwanese government will continue to pay attention to the development of related fields in medicine and continue to support such partnerships between Taiwan and its international friends.

Taipei Medical University (TMU) Innovation & Entrepreneurship Education Center (IEEC) recently held the inaugural Medical Humanistic Care Workshop 2022 in collaboration with Shuang Ho Hospital, themed “Applying medical 3D printing to restore the body integrity of organ donors”.

The use of 3D printing for the replication of organs enables donors’ bodies to be returned to a full body state after donation and acts as a reassuring measure for the donor and their relatives in the process of organ donation. Influenced by traditional ideas, Taiwan’s organ donation rate has been much lower than most Western countries.

According to the statistics from the Taiwan Organ Registry and Sharing Center , over 10,000 patients are on the waiting list for an organ transplant as of May 2022, among them less than 335 (3.2%) have already received an organ or tissue transplant. Data over the years shows that in total only close to 10% of those waiting for organ donation successfully received an organ transplant, while many patients with organ failure are still waiting desperately for a life-saving donation.

The organ recruitment team leader, Dr. Hui-Tzung Luh from the Neurosurgery Department of Shuang Ho Hospital said that currently most of those on the waiting list are in need of a new kidney. On average, there are about 8,000 patients in need of kidney transplantation each year, but only over 200 are ever successful in receiving an organ transplant. Most patients can only rely on dialysis and keep waiting for the right match. The use of dialysis machines not only is a heavy burden on health insurance finances, but also seriously affects the quality of life of patients who routinely have to use the machines.

Dr. Luh explained that after an organ is removed from the donor, the cavity in the body will be dented and deformed where it has been sutured, and this will affect the body’s appearance. With the use of 3D printing, the shape of the organ can be realistically restored, so that the appearance of the donor will not be greatly affected. Shuang Ho Hospital recently used such method on a brain-dead patient, whose body was sutured and filled with the 3D printed organs with thank-you message after the organ donation.

This was a great comfort to the patient’s mother. The TMU team behind this 3D printing technology hopes that the adoption of such method helps address concerns of the individuals wishing to observe traditional ideas and gives the public more confidence in voluntary organ donation in the future. The Director of IEEC at TMU, Professor Yu-Cheng Hsiao indicated that 3D printing can quickly customize and is now a commonly used tool. However, there are still challenges in the 3D printing of organs such as making the organs match close to the size of the donor’s body and considering how they will be disposed of during cremation. And for those considerations, corn flour was therefore used as the material for its organic properties suitable for printing of human organs.

Director Hsiao pointed out that the workshop not only taught students how to operate the medical 3D printer to make the organs, but more importantly, gave the students a thorough knowledge of the organ donation process. The workshop was set to teach medical students for the time being, but its long-term objectives are expected to be reaching out to anyone who wanted to know more about the organ donation process in the future. Director Hsiao hopes that the willingness of the Taiwanese public to voluntarily donate organs will increase when they are given the option of filling the body with 3D printed organs, hence improving the likelihood of those waiting for organ donation getting matched with the organs they need.