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Background/purpose: Myeloma jaw lesions are not uncommon. The study aimed to investigate the status of jaw lesions and medication-related osteonecrosis of jaw (MRONJ) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients.Methods: One hundred and twenty-two consecutive newly-diagnosed MM patients seeking dental care at a hospital of southern Taiwan was examined according to jaw lesions with complete follow-up data.Results: Median age of the patients was 67.8 years, and 88.5% of patients were of DS stage III and 41.0% were of ISS stage III at diagnosis. Median survival was 37.9 months for 43 (35.2%) patients with jaw lesions and 57.4 months for 79 patients without jaw lesions. 1-year, 5-year and >7-year overall survival rates for patients with jaw lesions versus patients without jaw lesions were 94.9%, 67.2%, 56.7% vs 83.7%, 51.8%, 26.8% respectively. Patients with jaw lesions had the worse survival (P = 0.03). Neither age nor stage affected survival. Jaw lesions involved the mandible more often than the maxilla and stopped progressing during remission, but did not repair. Jaw lesions were the first evidence or recurrent sign of MM in six (4.9%) patients. Long-term monthly antiresorptive therapy changed the radiographic patterns of jawbones and induced MRONJ developing in 16.7% (8/48) of patients. Five (62.5%) MRONJ sites spontaneously occurred without local risk factors.Conclusion: Nearly one-third of MM patients develop osteolytic jaw lesions that seem to be associated with poorer survival. Jaw lesion is an independent prognostic predictor of survival in myeloma. Antiresorptive drugs at less frequent dosing regimen are crucial to minimize spontaneous MRONJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A baseline study was undertaken on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in phytoplankton. Plankton samples from six stations (duplicates) in Kaohsiung Harbor (KH), Taiwan along with a phytoplankton control sample afar from the harbor, were collected. We applied size-fractionation to isolate phytoplankton (55–120 μm), followed by sedimentation and centrifugation to remove abiogenic particulates. The phytoplankton was freeze-dried, extracted with acetone: n -hexane (1:1, v/v), and analyzed using GC–MS. ΣPAHs in phytoplankton ranged between 5204 and 28,903 ng/g dry weight (mean: 12,150 ng/g). The ΣPAHs in KH were >7 times than the control site (C1: 3972 ng/g). Cluster analysis showed spatial gradients (northern < southern KH). Accumulated PAHs in phytoplankton were from petrogenic (fishing ports and ships) and pyrogenic (river outflows), dominated by lower-ring PAHs, likely due to their higher bioavailability in the dissolved phase. We present a practical phytoplankton isolation technique for more accurate phytoplankton PAH concentrations with insights into their distribution and sources. [Display omitted] • First report on PAHs in size-fractionated marine harbor phytoplankton • Use of simple pre-treatment to isolate and study PAHs in phytoplankton • PAHs accumulated in phytoplankton are from pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. • Fishing ports and rivers are major PAH sources in phytoplankton from study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most concerning emerging pollutants is microplastics (MPs), which can infiltrate soft tissues of organisms by ingestion, adhesion, and fusing and may even become embedded in biominerals. However, very little evidence is available about MPs in biominerals found in the wild. This study detected the abundance and characteristics of MPs in the shells of farmed oysters (Crassostrea angulata) off the coast of Taiwan and discussed the distribution, accumulation, and diversity in the oyster shells. The results showed that MPs were ubiquitous in oyster shells, with an average abundance of 0.70 ± 0.40 MPs/g. MPs abundance was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in small oyster shells (shell length < 6.5 cm, weight 5–10 g) and inorganic (CaCO 3) fraction (HCl digestion) than in large oyster shells (>6.5 cm, 10–25 g) and an organic fraction (H 2 O 2 digestion), respectively. However, there was no significant difference in MPs abundance between the top and bottom shells (p > 0.05). MPs with a size <2 mm accounted for 78.5 %, fibrous MPs for 93.7 %, and rayon for 89.5 %. The MPs diversity integrated index (MPDII) in oyster shells was low (0.27), and the small and fibrous MPs seemed more easily embedded in biominerals. The findings confirm the presence of MPs in oyster shells in coastal environments. In addition, oyster shells may contain higher amounts of MPs than soft tissues 4–5 times, which needs to be confirmed. Further revealing the distribution and accumulation of MPs in water/terrestrial biominerals will help to understand the fate of MPs in the environment. • Microplastics are found in the shells of coastal-farmed oysters. • Small size (<2 mm) and fibrous MPs are more likely to embed in oyster shells. • Rayon is the main polymer type, followed by PET, cellophane, and PP. • There is low diversity of MPs in oyster shells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose: The incidence of multiple myeloma in Asia has risen in the past 30 years. Lenalidomide, an IMiD immunomodulatory agent, has improved the overall survival in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) when used with dexamethasone versus dexamethasone alone. This observational registry (T-CC-MM-009; NCT01752075) assessed the safety and efficacy of lenalidomide plus dexamethasone in a large Chinese population of patients with RRMM.Methods: This registry followed the first 100 patients treated with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone in Taiwan. Patients were ≥18 years old and had ≥1 prior treatment. The recommended starting dose for the first four 28-day cycles was 25 mg lenalidomide on days 1-21 and 40 mg dexamethasone on days 1-4, 9-12, and 17-20. Thereafter, dexamethasone was given on days 1-4 only. The primary objective was safety; secondary objectives were efficacy, lenalidomide dosage, and reasons for discontinuation.Results: The median duration of treatment was 34.6 weeks, and 75.5% completed ≥3 cycles. Most patients (82.7%) experienced ≥1 treatment-related adverse event; the most commonly reported were neutropenia (23.5%), thrombocytopenia (19.4%), anemia (16.3%), fatigue (16.3%), and hypoesthesia (15.3%). Bleeding events (25.5% of patients) were mostly grade 1/2 (80%). Three patients (3%) had venous thromboembolic events. Two invasive second primary malignancies were reported; however, time to onset was <1 year, suggesting they may not be related to lenalidomide. The overall response rate was 34.7%; median time to disease progression was 20.5 months.Conclusion: These data confirm the safety and efficacy of lenalidomide plus dexamethasone for patients with RRMM in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are fat soluble synthetic chemicals, usually regarded as plasticizers for being added in numerous plastic products. Thus, environmental and health hazards of PAEs are associated with increasing plastic pollution. In this study, PAEs from sludge samples collected from water, sewage, and industrial treatment plants (N = 17) were analyzed using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. Microplastics (MPs) were also quantified and correlated with PAEs. Results showed the highest average PAE concentrations in sewage treatment plants. The greatest ΣPAEs concentration were found in sewage treatment plant (STP4) with 32,414 μg/kg dw, while the lowest found in water treatment plant (WTP3) with 2062 μg/kg dw. Among different PAEs, di-(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) contributes the highest. Similarly, DEHP, di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) significantly correlated with the total PAEs indicating their large contribution to sludge contamination. The abundance of microplastics in sludge ranged between 1 and 7 MP/g, highest at ITP6, but not detected in some stations. While microplastics may potentially increase PAEs, there was no significant relationship between ΣPAEs and MP abundance. The estimated human daily intake of DEHP and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) when contaminated sludge be used showed low toxicological risks to exposed adults. This research presents the sludge characteristics, PAEs, and microplastic concentrations in different wastewater treatment plants in Taiwan. PAE contamination was highly contributed by domestic and industrial wastes shown by their significant amounts in STP and ITP. Results further provide evidence for potential sludge recycling (WTP sludge) and application to soil. [Display omitted] • The ΣPAEs concentration ranged between 2062 and 32,414 μg/kg in sludge samples. • DiNP, DnOP, DEHP contributed >94% of PAEs in sludge samples, except ITP2 and ITP6. • Low toxicological risk of WTP sludge shows possible disposal and soil application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of pollutants in the semi-enclosed waters of ports has long been a concern. This study assessed the pollution status, sources, and toxicity risks of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of 7 major ports in Taiwan. Total PAHs concentrations in sediments ranged between 8.4 and 572.5 ng/g dw, with an average of 112.4 ± 136.5 ng/g dw. The 3- and 4-ring PAHs (63 %) were the major constituents of PAHs in the sediments. Diagnostic ratios and positive matrix factorization analyses indicated that PAHs in sediments were mainly contributed by biomass combustion (45.0 %), coal combustion (31.5 %), and vehicle emissions and related fossil fuels (23.5 %). The results of ecological risk assessment showed a low–medium risk of PAHs in the sediments outside the port, whereas most of the sediments within the port presented a medium–high risk. An assessment of the possible human health risks indicated that PAHs were present at acceptable levels. [Display omitted] • Significant accumulation of PAHs in sediments of commercial ports in Taiwan. • Biomass and coal combustion are the main sources of PAHs in sediments. • Coal-fired power plants near ports are a source of PAHs in sediments. • TEQ of PAHs in the port sediments may pose moderate–high ecological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies show that hospitality and services can, if attractively designed, elicit positive responses from guests or customers. Although responses are individual and highly subjective, Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment (FQFD) may provide a competitive advantage to those who are able to read and interpret customers’ responses and needs in terms of hospitality services. This study introduces an integrative framework of Kano's model and FQFD applied to Taiwanese Ban-Doh banquet services. Kano's model with fuzzy sets was used and integrated into the FQFD method to show the relation between service attributes and customer responses. Kano's model categorizes service attributes into three major groups: Must-be, One-dimensional and Attractive. The findings of a case study involving six senior Ban-Doh chefs and 80 guests who attended Ban-Doh banquets are presented. By focusing on the quality of service characteristics that satisfy customers, this study enables service providers and managers to determine the extent to which they can prioritize the improvement of service design in Ban-Doh banquet services to satisfy customer expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest thinning is an important method for managing forests, changing forest structure, biological diversity and community. This study examined forest thinning effects on macrofungal diversity and the environmental factors affecting fruiting and community structure. Field surveys were conducted from 2006 to 2010 in 35-year-old Cryptomeria japonica plantations in central Taiwan. Thinning was completed in October 2007 and included control, 25% thinning, and 50% thinning treatments. Each treatment had four replications. Forest thinning and time affected macrofungal species richness observed but not abundance. Thinning influenced macrofungal community compositions; however, the difference between the two thinning intensities was not significant. The macrofungal community showed significant differences between communities of eastern and northern aspect. A redundancy analysis indicated that macrofungal communities in the C. japonica plantations were significantly affected by relative humidity, light, canopy cover, soil water content, soil temperature, soil pH value and soil texture. The fruiting of a dominant coral fungal species, Scytinopogon sp., was affected by thinning and light. The fruiting bodies of this species decreased in the 25% thinning plots and disappeared in 50% thinning plots in the first two years post-thinning, but were recorded in the third year post-thinning. After thinning, macrofungal species richness observed decreased, the community changed, and changes were associated with environmental conditions. Forest thinning decreased observable macrofungal diversity and changed the community structure, and these changes were associated with environmental variation after thinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This research uses the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to analyze the key factors in evaluating and screening managers of the intellectual property rights speciality in Taiwan, related to industry. Industry can utilize the key factors of human resource management to provide self-growth and obtain competitive advantage opportunities for expanding the global market share. This research summarizes the evaluation and screening criteria of managers of the intellectual property rights speciality via a questionnaire of 29 managerial or technical staff from the IP rights-related industries, technology or management experts from the governmental departments related to IP rights industries, and scholars with backgrounds in IP rights related industries who had actually participated in IP rights managers speciality decisions or related tasks and who had employed AHP screening criteria. The findings include three key factors in evaluating and screening the managers’ speciality: evaluating IP rights competency, locating the core patent group competency, and calculating the chance of patents to be granted competency. This research can provide a reference for Taiwan’s related industry, when evaluating and screening managers of the IP rights speciality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Japan established the medical system in Taiwan during its 50 years of occupation, which evolved into the present National Taiwan University Hospital system. This paper summarizes the biographies of 97 Japanese leaders in various medical disciplines during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. These leaders were among the elite of Japan, with superior intellectual, social and economic status, who helped to establish the important attributes of medical professionals in Taiwan, such as a good academic background, heritage, and research skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemical engineering Professors in Taiwan commonly deliver lectures in mixed Chinese and English words accompanied with numbers. To the authors’ best knowledge, no studies have explored how the brain of the same individual processes reading of numbers, Chinese words and English words. This work investigated brain activity by applying functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for selected University students. The activation patterns in brains revealed distinct behavior, which can be roughly divided into two categories. The Group A subjects focused on language words reading; conversely, showed little interest to numbers with no intention for further comprehension. The Group B subjects paid high attention to numbers, and activate numerous brain areas to interpret the therein hidden meanings. Meanwhile, these subjects largely ignored the Chinese or English words in reading. The two groups of subjects should be subjected to different curriculums in chemical engineering education. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The prognosis of in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest remains very poor. Reports have shown patients often have clinically abnormal events prior to arrest. To improve patient outcome and prevent arrest, detection of the abnormal events with early intervention has been advocated. However, the incidence of these events in Taiwan and their clinical significance remain unclear.Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study with the implementation of the clinical alert system (CAS) in a university-affiliated tertiary referral medical center. Clinically abnormal events were detected using the CAS criteria for acute physiologic deterioration, and reported to experienced physicians for management. Patient and report data were retrieved, collected and analyzed.Results: During the 14-month study period, a total of 2,050 events were detected in 1,640 patients. The estimated incidence of the events was 3.19 per 1,000 bed-days, which occurred in 2.14% of admissions. The most common event was abnormal heart rate (36.5%), followed by desaturation (26.7%), abnormal respiratory rate (24.5%), and abnormal blood pressure (23.1%). The majority of the events were reported in the day time, and nurses contributed most of the reports (66.4%). The 30-day and in-hospital mortality rates were 26.3% and 34%, respectively. Multivariate survival analysis showed that desaturation (relative risk [RR] = 1.715; p < 0.001), abnormal respiratory rate (RR = 1.652; p < 0.001), abnormal blood pressure (RR = 1.460; p = 0.001), coma (RR = 1.918; p < 0.001), and oliguria (RR = 1.424; p = 0.0024) were significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Mortality of patients in the last 2 months was significantly lower than that in the first 2 months (20.5% vs. 35.4%; p < 0.001), which suggests the effectiveness of the CAS.Conclusion: The development of clinically abnormal events is associated with poor outcome, which suggests that early detection and timely management of these events is necessary. Implementation of the CAS may improve the in-hospital outcome of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Forecasts can be improved by combining separate forecasts obtained by different methods. The complementary nature of the scenario analysis and technological substitution models means that combining the two can obtain improved forecasts. The former has the strength of dealing with the uncertain future, while the later offers data-based forecasts of quantifiable parameters. This study thus proposes a process for combining the scenario analysis with the technological substitution model for discussing new generation technological developments. The proposed process not only has the strengths of scenario analysis, but also contains features that scenario analysis lacks, including predicting annual developments for future years, considering old technology development, and forecasting substitution of old technologies. This study uses the forecast of the market share of Fiber to the x in Taiwan over the next ten years as an example illustrating the proposed combined forecast process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have investigated the clay mineralogy of 3 pedons along a toposequence of perhumid forest soils facing a subalpine lake in northeastern Taiwan to gain insight into the individual factors that affect weathering rates. Toposequence of the transect was investigated from summit to footslope and at the lakeshore. The natural drainage of soils varies from well drained to poorly drained. The major minerals in the well-drained soils at the summit site were illite and kaolinite, whereas illite and vermiculite were dominant in the poorly drained soil at the footslope. In the poorly drained soils of the lakeshore site, almost permanent saturation inhibited weathering of minerals, and vermiculite, illite and illite–vermiculite were the dominant minerals. The magnitude of the mean layer charge of vermiculite was estimated by use of the alkylammonium exchange method (nC=12). The mean layer charge of vermiculite ranged between 0.63 and 0.78 cmolc/(O10(OH)2). The distribution of clay layer charge varied with location and soil depth. Vermiculite in the surface horizons displayed lower mean layer charges, indicating stronger weathering intensity in the surface horizons. Acidification by organic acids may result in the reduction of layer charge in vermiculite, particularly at the surface. Differences in layer charge with landscape position may be due to differences in weathering processes. The drainage condition caused by topography is a critical factor in the transformation and redistribution of clay minerals. High precipitation, combined with surface runoff, enhance the variation of the type and mean layer charge of clay minerals along this toposequence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We used the buried-bag in situ incubation technique to quantify net rates of N mineralization and nitrification in a forest ecosystem in northeastern Taiwan. At the near-ridge top site, NH4+ concentrations in the organic horizon (O horizon; 2–0 cm) ranged from 14.5 to 58.5 mg N kg−1 and NO3− varied from 2.5 to 7.8 mg N kg−1. In the lower part of the watershed, NH4+ concentrations in the O horizon were between 10.3 and 28.8 mg N kg−1 and NO3− varied from 2.6 to 20.1 mg N kg−1. There were slightly lower soil NH4+ concentrations during the summer than other seasons. Using the buried-bag technique, we estimated net mineralization rates to vary between 0.02 and 0.28 mg N kg−1 soil per day and net nitrification rates between 0.02 and 0.26 mg N kg−1 soil per day at the upper site. Rates of both processes were lower during the summer and were positively related to soil moisture content. We speculate that differences in soil texture are likely related to the differing pattern in concentrations of inorganic soil N between the two sites. N mineralization was positively correlated with nitrification rate (r=0.820, P<0.001) and relative nitrification (slope of this relationship) was 0.709, indicating the dominance of nitrate cycling relative to ammonium cycling. Our results show that improved knowledge about rates of fundamental ecosystem nutrient cycling processes in watersheds in Taiwan can contribute to our understanding of regional variation in rates of ecosystem function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Statistical and machine learning methods for imputing missing electric power data are studied. • Multiple missing feature values of each electric power data are considered. • The performance of different methods over the summer and non-summer season data is compared. • The imputation performances during the peak, off-peak, and semi-peak times are examined. Demand for electricity is gradually increasing in many countries. Efforts in related studies have been made for the application of data mining techniques over related electric power data for the development of more effective energy management systems. However, one major challenge is how to compensate for parts of the collected dataset, such as power consumption, voltage, or electric current that may be missing for a specific period of time. In the literature, several methods have been employed for imputation of the missing data, especially single feature value imputation. However, the performance of the different types of imputation methods, i.e. statistical and machine learning methods, for multiple missing features of electric power data has not been fully explored. Moreover, variations in their imputation performance during the summer/non-summer seasons and in the peak/off-peak/semi-peak times have not been investigated. In this paper, the performance of five well-known imputation methods for processing electric power data, two statistical methods, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and linear interpolation (LI) models, and three machine learning methods, k-nearest neighbor (K-NN), multilayer perceptron (MLP), and support vector regression (SVR) is compared. The experimental results, based on electric power data for a two-year period in Taiwan, show that the machine learning methods generally perform better than the statistical ones, with K-NN and SVR performing the best. In particular, all of the imputation methods produced higher error rates during the summer season than the non-summer seasons. Moreover, the machine learning methods (especially K-NN) are better choices for the imputation of missing data during peak times, whereas the statistical methods (especially LI) are better for off-peak and semi-peak times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on 27 rare filter-feeding megamouth sharks (Megachasma pelagios) captured as a by-catch of drift gillnet fishery in the Pacific Ocean to the east of Taiwan, this study analyzes the concentrations of 24 elements in their muscle, discusses the bioaccumulation of each element and the correlation between different elements, and assesses the potential health risks of consuming megamouth shark muscle. Among the 24 elements, mean concentrations of Ga, Ag, Li, Bi, Hg, Co, and Cd were relatively low ranging from 10−3 to 10−1 mg/kg, those of Pb, Ba, Mn, Ni, As, Cr, B, Sr, Cu, and Zn ranged from 10−1–101 mg/kg, and those of Fe, Ca, Al, K, Mg, Ti, and Na were relatively high ranging from 101 to 103 mg/kg. The toxic element content index was most significantly correlated with the concentration of Cu. Hence, this study recommends that the concentration of Cu could be used as an indicator of metal accumulation in megamouth shark muscle. The log bioconcentration factor (BCF) ranged from less than 0 to 7.85 in shark muscle. For elements with a concentration of less than 100 μg/L in seawater, the log BCF was inversely proportional to their concentration in seawater. According to the correlation analysis, the accumulation of elements in muscle of megamouth sharks is primarily affected by the concentrations of dissolved elements in seawater, except that the accumulation of Hg, As, Cu, Ti, Al, and Fe appears to be mainly affected by feeding behaviors. The assessment of the health risk of consuming megamouth shark muscle showed that its total hazard index was greater than 1. This suggests that the long-term or high-frequency consumption of megamouth shark muscle may cause health hazards due to the accumulation of trace elements, particularly those with a large contribution of health risk, including As, Hg, and Cu. Image 1 • Reveals the profile of 24 elements in the muscle tissue of Megachasma pelagios. • Cu level may be used as an indicator of metal accumulation in megamouth shark muscle. • Metal in seawater with level <100 μg/L inversely correlated with its log BCF in muscle. • Feeding behavior seems mainly affecting on element bioaccumulation of shark. • Long-term eating megamouth shark muscle may cause adverse risk to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level and distribution of 16 USEPA Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in aquaculture farmed fish (Mugil cephalus and Oreochromis mossambicus) and shellfish (Corbicula fluminea Formosa and Meretrix lusoria) were determined in Taiwan and then assessed cancer and non-cancer risks for those consuming these kinds of seafood. Results indicated that C. fluminea Formosa accumulated the highest average concentration of total PAHs (43.0 ± 11.3 ng/g wet weight) while M. lusoria contained the lowest concentration (20.0 ± 5.8 ng/g) among all species. The low-molecular-weight PAHs were dominant for both fish and shellfish, which consistent with other studies. Notably, parts of high-molecular-weight PAHs were found in shellfish whereas that was little in fish. The calculated hazard quotients (HQ) of all PAHs were smaller than 1 and the incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCR) for Benzo[ a ]pyrene were below 1 × 10−5, suggesting that PAHs in the collected seafood could pose a low hazard to residents. Although the results indicated that the studied seafood is safe for human consumption, children and seniors post relatively higher risks, suggesting that it needs to continue monitoring and control the PAHs concentration in seafood and the associated environments. [Display omitted] • Level of 16 PAHs in five famous seafood collected from aquaculture in western Taiwan was measured. • Level in bivalves showed a higher proportion of high-molecular-weight PAHs than that in fish. • Although no risk for all populations consuming the 5 seafood, the slightly high risk for children and seniors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigates the species of Cu and As (enargite) residues present in soils of the Chinkuashih area, northern Taiwan. Two pedons, on the shoulder and footslope along a toposequence, were examined for their metal partitioning and geochemical origins. The bulk soils were analyzed by sequential extraction combined with mineralogical analyses, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy ∕ energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM ∕ EDS) analyses. Soil pH ranged from 4.23 to 4.91 with low base saturation, and the soils can be classified as fine, mixed, thermic, Typic Kandiudults. Mineralogical study indicated that enargite and pyrite particles mainly coexisted in silt and sand fractions, particularly in lower soil horizons of the footslope, showing high contents of Cu and As. Kaolinite and illite were dominant minerals in clay fractions. The footslope accumulated more total Cu and As than that of shoulder pedon. The sequential extraction experiments resulted in high proportions of Cu remaining in residual fractions, while the most of As was bound in amorphous Fe and Al oxyhydroxide fraction. The risk analyses of Cu and As (enargite) contamination in soils of the Chinkuashih area merits further study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The occurrence of glauconite in Oligocene and Miocene sedimentary rocks remains obscure. This study focused on the mineralogy and occurrence of glauconite at Kuohsing (KH) and Chungliao (CL) villages, Nantou Prefecture in central Taiwan. The glauconite pellets occur mainly in siltstones and mudstones that contain abundant shell and fossils, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) with petrography microscopic investigations, and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) were employed for this study. The glauconitic pellets show two main types of morphology. (1) Spheroidal or ovoidal glauconitic pellets consist of microcrystals of phyllosilicates in random orientation. The HRTEM study showed that the spheroidal or ovoidal pellets consist mainly of glauconitic packets, iron-rich chlorite, muscovite, biotite and low amounts of smectites. The glauconite and chlorite packets were generally arranged in random orientation in the spheroidal or ovoidal pellet. There are also low concentrations of submicroscopic quartz, apatite, and monazite in the pellets. (2) Vermicular pellets in packet sizes of glauconite ranging from several to 50 nm in thickness. Vermicular glauconitic pellets occur like a single crystal (i.e., oriented aggregation of polycrystalline glauconites). The basal planes of vermicular glauconitic pellets show cleavages, which are approximately perpendicular to the long axis of the vermicular pellets. The XRD analysis of vermicular glauconitic pellets showed glauconite and chlorite present. The EPMA indicated that vermicular glauconitic pellets contained more K and Fe than spheroidal or ovoidal glauconitic pellets. The spheroidal or ovoidal glauconitic pellets contained more glauconitic/smectite mixed-layer clays than the vermicular glauconitic pellets. The morphology, mineral constituents and chemical compositions, and submicroscopic textures, indicated that spheroidal or ovoidal and vermicular glauconitic pellets are formed from faecal pellets through neoformation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Sixteen third-order Oligo-Miocene well-log sequences are identified in Taiwan. • These sequences are deposited in the northeast passive margin of the South China Sea. • Sequence development is governed by eustasy but modulated by local tectonics. Oligocene-Miocene sediments in the Taiwan region were accumulated in the NE passive-continental margin of the South China Sea. We utilized around ~200 boreholes and reflection seismic data to study the Oligo-Miocene sequence stratigraphic framework in the Taiwan region. Major sequence boundaries are used to map out various sediment isopach maps, enabling us to decipher dominant tectonic events during the course of passive-margin evolution. The Oligocene-Miocene succession is divided into 16 sequences on the basis of well-log correlation. These 16 sequences can be grouped into four (A, B, C, D) sequence sets. Isopach maps of sequence sets B and C (~21–12.5 Ma) show that they blanket the west Taiwan basins with relatively uniform thickness deposited during uniform and slow basement subsidence. Sequence sets A (~30–21 Ma) and D (~12.5–6.5 Ma), however, thickened into fault-bounded troughs, recording two extensional events that were especially active in the outer margin (i.e., the Tainan Basin). There is a general correlation between the Taiwan Miocene sequences and the glacioeustasy during the interval ~21–6.5 Ma. Therefore, eustasy is the dominant control on the Taiwan Miocene stratigraphic development. The deposition of the sequence set A during ~30–21 Ma and possibly the sequence set D in the outer margin during the late Miocene, however, appears to have been strongly modulated by extensional tectonics and local sedimentary factors (e.g., rates of basin subsidence, sediment supply and basin physiography, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Food hazards can appear at any stage of global food supply chains, making it essential to define critical control points to capture the data about ingredients, manufacture and dates-certain (sell-by, use-by), etc., and provide it in a transparent manner to supply chain participants and consumers. The government of Taiwan has appointed a non-profit research organization to conduct a pilot project to launch a potential national-wide food traceability system to increase the intangible value of purchased food and to enhance food safety. This paper discusses a financially viable business model for a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) application to a food traceability system. We conduct a case study of RFID implementation in the chain of convenience stores in Taiwan. The Taiwanese experiment may have implications for policy-makers, industry and public health officials elsewhere. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study investigates the species of As and Pb (beudantite) residues present in the seriously contaminated agricultural rice soils of the Guandu Plain. Two pedons in the Guandu Plain agricultural soils, each pedon separated into five horizons (each of 20cm) were collected for this study. Soil samples were packed into a column for leaching with simulated acid rains. Soil pH ranged from 5.1 to 7.1 with high base saturation. Soils can be classified as clay loam, mixed, thermic, Typic or Umbric Albaqualfs. The XRD analysis indicated the beudantite particles are present in clay fractions, showing high concentrations of As and Pb. This is because of 50–100 years ago irrigation water was introduced from Huang Gang Creek of hot springs containing high concentrations of As and Pb. Only low concentrations of As and Pb can be leached out with simulated acid rains (i.e., pHs 2 and 4), even through 40 pore volumes of leaching experiments. The sequential extraction experiments resulted in the high portions of As and Pb remaining in the amorphous, Fe and Al oxyhydroxides and residual fractions. Thus, the remediation of As and Pb in this agricultural rice paddy soils merits further study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Purpose of the study: While the outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) are reported for many regions, none is reported for Asian countries. We report the outcomes of CPR for pediatric IHCA in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan and also identify prognostic factors associated with poor outcome. Methods: Data were retrieved retrospectively from 2000 to 2003 and prospectively from 2004 to 2006 from our web-based registry system. We evaluated patients younger than 18 years of age who had IHCA and received CPR. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge, and the secondary outcomes were sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and favorable neurological outcomes as assessed by pediatric cerebral performance categories (PCPC). Results: We identified 316 patients and the overall hospital survival was 20.9% and 16.1% had favorable neurological outcomes. Sixty-four patients ever supported with ECMO. We further analyzed 252 patients who underwent conventional CPR only and most had cardiac disease (133/252, 52.8%). The second most common preexisting condition was hematologic or oncologic disease (43/252, 17.1%). Of the 252 patients, 153 (60.7%) achieved sustained ROSC, 50 (19.8%) survived to discharge, and 39 patients (15.5%) had favorable neurological outcomes. CPR during off-work hours resulted in inferior chances of reaching sustained ROSC. Multivariate analysis showed that long CPR duration, hematology/oncology patients, and pre-arrest vasoactive drug infusion were significantly associated with decreased hospital survival (p <0.05). Conclusions: Outcomes of CPR for pediatric patients with IHCA in Taiwan were comparable to corresponding reports in Western countries, but more hematology/oncology patients were included. Long CPR duration, hematologic or oncologic underlying diseases, and vasoactive agent infusion prior IHCA were associated with poor outcomes. The concept of palliative care should be proposed to families of terminally ill cancer patients in order to avoid unnecessary patient suffering. Also, establishing a balanced duty system in the future might increase chances of sustained ROSC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: To assess the relationship between acarbose and hepatotoxicity, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality among type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).Methods: 32,531 T2D patients with ESRD were identified from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database in 2000~∼2012 and followed up until 2013. 19.3% of subjects were newly initiated with acarbose during the follow-up. The use of acarbose was quantified as the numbers of the 30-day drug's supplies and dosages (measured by defined daily doses; DDDs), respectively. Time-varying Cox models were applied to evaluate the association of acarbose use with hepatic, cardiovascular and mortality outcomes, with adjustment for patients' demographics, comorbidities, diabetes severity, and co-medications.Results: For each 30-day supply increase in acarbose exposure, the risks of hepatic injury, composite CVD events, and all-cause mortality were significantly lowered by 9% (95% confidence interval: 6-12%), 7% (6-7%) and 7% (7-8%), respectively, while for each 30-day DDD increase in acarbose exposure, the risks for three aforementioned outcomes were significantly reduced by 45% (33-54%), 33% (29-36%) and 35% (32-39%), respectively. In subgroup analyses, the favorable study outcomes of acarbose use were more apparent among patients with more severe diabetes, a longer diabetes duration, or absence of established CVD at baseline.Conclusion: Acarbose used in real-world T2D patients with ESRD may have hepatic and cardiovascular safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]