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This study uses Taiwan stock market-listed company data to analyze relationships between managerial compensation, corporate risk, and operating efficiency. This study focuses on three aspects. First, we examined how different types of corporate risk can relate differently to top manager salaries. Second, we investigated whether management efficiency is associated with managerial compensation in Taiwan. Last, we explored how firm size moderates the relationships between top-manager salaries, corporate risk, and operating efficiency. Our findings reveal that credit risk is remarkably different from other risks related to managerial compensation. Moreover, the moderating effect of firm size varies across various factors. Furthermore, most estimated results supported all our hypotheses. We provided subsequent explanations for the outcomes. The particular phenomenon found in this study also gave implications for the contract design of managerial compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prospective elementary teachers must understand fraction division deeply in order to meaningfully teach this topic to their future students. This paper explores the nature of the subject content knowledge of fraction division possessed by a group of Taiwanese prospective elementary teachers at the beginning of their mathematics methods course. The findings provide preliminary evidence that many prospective Taiwanese elementary teachers have developed the knowledge package of fraction division as described by Ma ("Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics: Teachers' understanding of fundamental mathematics in China and the United States." Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, 1999). The nature of various strategies used by these teachers provides further illustration of a secure common content knowledge that can serve as a benchmark for the development of mathematics courses for prospective teachers. However, the findings also show that the tasks of representing fraction division, through either word problems or pictorial diagrams, are challenging even for those highly proficient in elementary and middle school mathematics. The broader implications of this research for the international community are discussed, and recommendations for elementary teacher education programs are presented.

This study aims to compare the clay mineralogy and whole-soil major chemistry of elements in late Miocene soil sediments and early Quaternary red paleosols in the Penghu Islands, (Pescadores), Taiwan, and Zhangpu Volcanic Park, Fujian. There were the late Miocene Chu Wan (CWI and CWII), Shiao Men Yu (SMY) and two intergrade red soils, Chu Wan (CW(irs)) and Shiao Men Yu (SMY(irs)), with three distinctive zones of different dominating kaolins in the profiles of the Penghu Islands. A Tong Wei (TW) paleosol of early Quaternary basaltic eruptions in the Penghu Islands was collected. The Anzei (AZ), Si Yu (HY) and Chianmei (CM) paleosols were sampled from the Penghu Islands and Yulinshi (YLS) paleosols near the Zhangpu Volcanic Park for this study. The CW and SMY paleosols erupted in the late Miocene, and the other paleosols erupted on the Penghu Islands. These paleosols were fractionated into clay fractions and subjected to soil physical and chemical analyses. Kaolin minerals were dominant in the CW(irs) and SMY(irs) paleosols. The top layer (layer one) in the CW(irs) was 7 Å-halloysite, and order/disordered kaolinites were present in layers two and three. The CW(irs) and SMY(irs) hexagonal-like, platy kaolinites (0.1–0.2 µm in diameter), spheroidal and hollow 7 Å-halloysite (layer 1) was determined with transmission electron microscopic (TEM) investigations. The early Quaternary red soil of TW consisted of kaolinite, illite, vermiculite and smectite clay assemblages. Late Miocene paleosols were classified as fine, kaolinite, hyperthermic and Typic Rhodic Paleudults, and the early Quaternary red paleosols were classified as fine, mixed, hyperthermic and Typic Rodistalf, respectively. Late Miocene paleosols contained more clays, lower SiO2/Al2O3 and higher chemical index of weathering (CIW) than early Quaternary paleosols. The kaolin, illite, smectite and vermiculite mineralogy, physical and chemical properties of paleosols and landscapes in the Zhangpu YLS, Fujian, were similar to those of late Miocene sediments and early Quaternary red paleosols in the Penghu Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims Diagnosis of isolated laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms (ILPRS), ie, without concomitant typical reflux symptoms (CTRS), remains difficult. Mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) reflects impaired mucosal integrity. We determined whether esophageal MNBI could predict pathological esophagopharyngeal reflux (pH+) in patients with ILPRS. Methods In this cross-sectional study conducted in Taiwan, non-erosive or low-grade esophagitis patients with predominant laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms underwent combined hypopharyngeal multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring when off acid suppressants. Participants were divided into the ILPRS (n = 94) and CTRS (n = 63) groups. Asymptomatic subjects without esophagitis (n = 25) served as healthy controls. The MNBI values at 3 cm and 5 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and the proximal esophagus were measured. Results Distal but not proximal esophageal median MNBI values were significantly lower in patients with pH+ than in those with pH– (ILPRS in pH+ vs pH–: 1607 Ω vs 2709 Ω and 1885 Ω vs 2563 Ω at 3 cm and 5 cm above LES, respectively; CTRS in pH+ vs pH–: 1476 vs 2307 Ω and 1500 vs 2301 Ω at 3 cm and 5 cm above LES, respectively, P < 0.05 for all). No significant differences of any MNBI exist between any pH– subgroups and healthy controls. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the ILPRS group were 0.75 and 0.80, compared to the pH– subgroup and healthy controls (P < 0.001 for both), respectively. Interobserver reproducibility was good (Spearman correlation 0.93, P < 0.0001). Conclusion Distal esophageal MNBI predicts pathological reflux in patients with ILPRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow bathymetry is important for ocean exploration, and the development of high-precision bathymetry inversion methods, especially for shallow waters with poor quality, is a major research aim. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image data benefit from a wide coverage, high measurement density, rapidity, and low consumption but are limited by low accuracy. Alternatively, multibeam data have low coverage and are difficult to obtain but have a high measurement accuracy. In this paper, taking advantage of the complementary properties, we use SAR image data as the content map and multibeam images as the migrated style map, applying the VGG19 neural network (optimizing the loss function formula) for bathymetric inversion. The model was universal and highly accurate for bathymetric inversion of shallow marine areas, such as turbid water in Taiwan. There was a strong correlation between bathymetric inversion data and measured data (R2 = 0.8822; RMSE = 1.86 m). The relative error was refined by 9.22% over those of previous studies. Values for different bathymetric regions were extremely correlated in the region of 20–40 m. The newly developed approach is highly accurate over 20 m in the open ocean, providing an efficient, precise shallow bathymetry inversion method for complex hydrographic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspidistra Ker Gawl. is one of the the most diverse and fastest-growing genera of angiosperm. Most Aspidistra species have been discovered in a limited area or a single site through morphological comparison. Because of the lack of population studies, morphological variation within species and the boundaries of some species remain unclear. In recent years, combining genetic and morphological markers has become a powerful approach for species delimitation. In this study, we performed population sampling and integrated morphometrics and microsatellite genetic diversity analyses to determine the species diversity of Aspidistra in Taiwan. We identified three species, namely Aspidistra attenuata Hayata; A. daibuensis Hayata var. daibuensis; A. mushaensis Hayata var. mushaensis; and reduced A. longiconnectiva C.T.Lu, K.C.Chuang & J.C. Wang to the variety level, and described a new variety, A. daibuensis Hayata var. longkiauensis. The description, diagnosis, distribution, and photographs of this new variety as well as a key to the known Taiwanese Aspidistra are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is now the standard of care for patients with inoperable early‐stage lung cancer. Many of these patients are elderly. EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) mutation is also common in the Asian population. Methods: To evaluate the effects of old age and EGFR mutation on treatment outcomes and toxicity, we reviewed the medical records of 71 consecutive patients with inoperable early‐stage non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received SABR at Taipei Veterans General Hospital between 2015 and 2021. Results: The study revealed that median age, follow‐up, Charlson comorbidity index, and ECOG score were 80 years, 2.48 years, 3, and 1, respectively. Of these patients, 37 (52.1%) were 80 years or older, and 50 (70.4%) and 21 (29.6%) had T1 and T2 diseases, respectively. EGFR mutation status was available for 33 (46.5%) patients, of whom 16 (51.5%) had a mutation. The overall survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 97.2, 74.9, and 58.3%, respectively. The local control rate at 1, 3, and 5 years was 97.1, 92.5, and 92.5%, respectively. Using Cox proportional hazards regression we found that male sex was a risk factor for overall survival (p = 0.036, 95% CI: 1.118–26.188). Two patients had grade 2 pneumonitis, but no other grade 2 or higher toxicity was observed. We did not find any significant differences in treatment outcomes or toxicity between patients aged 80 or older and those with EGFR mutations in this cohort. Conclusion: These findings indicate that age and EGFR mutation status do not significantly affect the effectiveness or toxicity of SABR for patients with inoperable early‐stage NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a follow-up study to a cross-sectional national study that established the linkage between gender as well as family factors and the likelihood of being Taiwanese adolescent readers, this study attempted to utilize the same data set with longitudinal data to explore whether the association between family factors and being an avid adolescent readers differs between male and female adolescents. The results of the study suggest that unlike their female counterparts, higher parental education level, richer family cultural environment, and better parental reading modeling might both be as relevant to male adolescents' likelihood of being avid readers: they need support from parent-child literacy interactions along the way as they grow up. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study investigated and compared the geometry knowledge and levels of pre-service elementary teachers from the United States and Taiwan. Forty pre-service teachers in Taiwan and 48 pre-service teachers in the United States at the beginning of their teacher education programs completed the Entering Geometry Test (EGT) and the van Hiele Geometry Test (VHGT) developed by Usiskin (1982). The data gathered through these two tests was analysed to determine if there were any significant differences in the geometric knowledge and van Hiele levels between the American and Taiwanese pre-service elementary teachers. The findings indicated that Taiwanese pre-service elementary teachers had significantly higher mean scores on the EGT and achieved higher van Hiele levels than their U.S. counterparts. Possible factors that contribute to these differences as well as the implications are discussed in the paper. (Contains 7 tables.)

The aim of this research was to explore demographic, familial, and attitudinal correlates of Taiwanese women's employment status. Using data from a representative nationwide sample of female workers aged 21 and above (N = 1,047), the author found that (a) the employment rate of females decreased steadily with age, with no sign of reentry into the labor market in middle adulthood; (b) the more educated women had higher employment likelihood throughout the early and middle adulthood than their less educated counterparts, whereas this trend reversed after the age of 60; (c) multivariate analysis confirmed that age, education, personal health, and family income were significant predictors of female employment. In a fast changing society, more concerted research is needed to inform public policies and human resource practices to ameliorate the challenges faced by female workers, to promote social justice and female labor participation. (Contains 3 tables.)

The purpose of this paper is to show the similarities as well as the differences of fundamental fraction knowledge owned by preservice elementary teachers from the United States (N = 89) and Taiwan (N = 85). To this end, we examined and compared their performance on an instrument including 15 multiple-choice test items. The items were categorized into four different types of fundamental fraction constructs, including part-whole relationship, quotient, equivalence, and meanings of operations. Each item was embedded in the area, linear, or set model except for the items constructed out of the meaning of operations. Several items were featured with a pictorial illustration. Quantitative analysis showed that U.S. preservice teachers were significantly outperformed by their Taiwanese counterparts overall. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant on 12 of 15 items. Findings suggest that preservice elementary teachers from both countries need to be better prepared in their understanding of the meaning of fraction multiplication or division operations. Findings also suggest that U.S. preservice elementary teachers need to be more knowledgeable in dealing with fraction problems embedded in a linear model. Further research is suggested to study the issues raised from the findings. (Contains 9 tables.)

The aim of this research was to examine attitudinal barriers to the managerial intention to hire older workers (aged 60 and above). Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of managers with hiring power (N = 305). We found that (a) positive attitudes towards older people in general, perceived subjective norm, personal experiences with older people, and traditional Chinese cultural values were all related to stronger intentions to hire older workers; (b) among competing structural models, the expanded model adding personal experiences to the theory of reasoned action emerged to be the best one accounting for hiring intention. The associations of positive attitudes and subjective norm with intention were found after controlling for demographics, organizational characteristics, cultural values, and personal contact experiences with older people. Our results highlight the importance and urgency of more concerted research to inform public and organizational policies to better promote and manage the careers of older workers in an ageing developing society. (Contains 3 tables.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore reciprocal relationships between work/family resources, work/family enrichment (WFE), and work/family satisfaction in a Chinese society. Design/methodology/approach: A longitudinal design was adopted using a three-wave panel sample. Data were obtained from 310 Taiwanese employees on three occasions, six months apart. Findings: Results of cross-lagged structural equation modeling analyses offered strong support for the hypothesized reciprocal relationships between the focal constructs. The authors found that while modeling WFE, work resources (supervisory support), WFE and job satisfaction were mutually related to one another over time. While modeling family-to-work enrichment (FWE), family resources (family support), FWE and family satisfaction were again mutually related to one another over time. Originality/value: This is the first longitudinal study on WFE with a non-Western sample. Basing upon the findings, the authors suggest that the common theoretical models postulating a linear causal chain of work/family antecedents[arrow right]work/family interaction (WFI)[arrow right]work/family consequences are inadequate. Instead it is recommended that more elaborate and recursive models including reciprocal relationships need to be formulated to better represent the dynamic and fluid nature of WFI processes. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

We aimed to explore older people's subjective leisure experiences and to further examine associations of such experiences with their depressive symptoms in Taiwan. Known correlates of depression, such as demographics, physical health, and social support, were taken into account. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data using structured questionnaires from a national representative sample of community older people (N = 1308, aged 65+). We found that (a) being female, older, single, less educated, and having lower family income were demographic risk factors of depression; (b) worse physical health, lack of independent functioning in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and disability were related to more depressive symptoms; (c) greater social support was related to fewer depressive symptoms; (d) having controlled for effects of demographics, physical health, and social support, positive leisure experiences were independently related to fewer depressive symptoms. The benefits of meaningful leisure pursuits for successful aging are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

The aim of this research was twofold: to examine the prevalence of employment and under-employment among Taiwanese older workers (aged 50 and above), and to explore personal correlates of their employment status, in particular gender and education. Using a national representative sample, we found that: 1) a rather substantial percentage of people continued to work well into their older years; 2) the underemployment rates were substantial in the older age, and less-educated workers and women were more at risk; and 3) multivariate analysis confirmed that age, gender, personal health, spousal health, and family income were significant predictors of continued employment after age 50. Gender and education were also significantly related to the risk of under-employment. Our results highlight the importance and urgency of more concerted research to inform public labor policies, especially in an aging developing society where older workers are faced with a double challenge of economic and societal restructuring. (Contains 6 tables.)

The aim of this research was to examine attitudinal barriers to the employment of Taiwanese older workers (aged 60 and above). Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data using structured questionnaires from a sample of full-time employees (N = 258). We found that: (1) positive attitudes toward older people in general, perceived subjective norm, and traditional Chinese cultural values were all related to stronger intentions to work with older employees; (2) the model derived from the theory of reasoned action emerged the best model accounting for behavioral intention among competing structural models. The associations of positive attitudes and subjective norm with intention were found after controlling for demographics, cultural values, and personal contact experiences with older people. Our results highlight the importance and urgency of more concerted research to inform public and organizational policies to better promote and manage the careers of older employees in an aging, economically developing society. (Contains 3 tables.)

With rapid advances in the development of information technology, information access has become central to life in the 21st century. In recent years, the development of useful learning-assistance systems has become a popular topic in literature. Learners can benefit from guidance provided by a tool that assists learning when a student has trouble using an e-learning platform. An effective learning-assistance tool can reduce teacher workload and increase the time spent giving individual guidance to learners who fall behind. However, few machine-learning techniques have been used as learning-assistance tools in literature to determine learner status or provide feedback to learners and teachers. Therefore, this work employs a learning-assistance tool that uses learning-reinforcement techniques to continuously interact with an environment and provides learners with suitable and timely feedback to guide students through difficulties, inspire them, and help them complete assigned tasks. The learning-assistance tool can promote learners' information and communication technology (ICT) literacy and assist learners in overcoming difficulties. Furthermore, teacher workload is significantly reduced because appropriate hints or feedback are automatically delivered to learners without teacher involvement. (Contains 14 tables and 3 figures.)

Recently, a lot of open source e-learning platforms have been offered for free in the Internet. We thus incorporate the intelligent diagnosis and assessment tool into an open software e-learning platform developed for programming language courses, wherein the proposed learning diagnosis assessment tools based on text mining and machine learning techniques are employed to alleviate the loading of the teachers. Experiments were conducted in two introductory-undergraduate programming courses to examine the effectiveness of the proposed diagnosis and assessment tools. The learners' work including the source code and comments were processed by the proposed text mining and machine learning techniques. This system also provides immediate feedback and high-quality evaluation results to guide the learners with poor performance. Our experimental results reveal that the proposed work can effectively assist the low-ability learners. (Contains 6 tables and 13 figures.)

This study aimed to explore the parenthood transition in a Chinese cultural context. Three hundred sixty-four parents (201 females, 163 males) took part in this panel study conducted twice at 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after the birth of their children. Results showed that (a) in cross-sectional analyses, parenthood stress had consistent negative effects on mental health and marital satisfaction; (b) in prospective analyses, stress still had adverse effects on postnatal mental health or marital satisfaction after controlling for their prenatal baseline levels; (c) social support and marital congruence had beneficial effects on the parenthood adjustment; (d) compared to men, women reported higher stress, more psychological symptoms, lower marital satisfaction than men, but receiving more social support. These results are discussed in relation to existing Western theories and research, as well as the distinct characteristics of the contemporary Chinese society. Possible implications for community interventions are also suggested. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

Police misconduct erodes police-citizen relations, which in turn, discourages people from cooperating with police. While a substantial volume of research has focused on how citizens' demographics, media trust, and neighborhood context can exert an influence on perceptions of police misconduct, very little research has explored the impact of procedural justice in this regard. To fill in the gaps in this literature, the present study utilizes Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine factors affecting citizens' perceptions of police misconduct in Taiwan. Data were obtained from a CATI telephone survey of 1,806 residents in Metropolitan Taipei in 2014. It was found that citizens' primary concerns of police misconduct include the covering-up of misconduct on the part of powerful suspects/celebrities, followed by the abuse of power by legal authorities, and the discriminatory enforcement of regulations, respectively. The results revealed importantly that procedural justice, perceptions of crime prevalence, and gender had significant direct influences, whereas media trust, victimization, and involuntary contact with police only had indirect effects on citizens' perceptions of police misconduct. Procedural justice was the most robust variable in predicting citizens' perceptions of police misconduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionary history of Clematis section Tubulosae, an East Asian endemic lineage, has not been comprehensively studied. In this study, we reconstruct the phylogeny of this section with a complete sampling using a phylogenomic approach. The genome skimming method was applied to obtain the complete plastome sequence, the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA), and the nuclear SNPs data for phylogenetic reconstruction. Using a Bayesian molecular clock approach and ancestral range reconstruction, we reconstruct biogeographical history and discuss the biotic and abiotic factors that may have shaped the distribution patterns of the section. Both nuclear datasets better resolved the phylogeny of the sect. Tubulosae than the plastome sequence. Sect. Tubulosae was resolved as a monophyletic group sister to a clade mainly containing species from the sect. Clematis and sect. Aspidanthera. Within sect. Tubulosae, two major clades were resolved by both nuclear datasets. Two continental taxa, C. heracleifolia and C. tubulosa var. ichangensis, formed one clade. One continental taxon, C. tubulosa, and all the other species from Taiwan island, the Korean peninsula, and the Japanese archipelago formed the other clade. Molecular dating results showed that sect. Tubulosae diverged from its sister clade in the Pliocene, and all the current species diversified during the Pleistocene. Our biogeographical reconstruction suggested that sect. Tubulosae evolved and began species diversification, most likely in mainland China, then dispersed to the Korean peninsula, and then expanded its range through the Japanese archipelago to Taiwan island. Island species diversity may arise through allopatric speciation by vicariance events following the range fragmentation triggered by the climatic oscillation and sea level change during the Pleistocene epoch. Our results highlight the importance of climatic oscillation during the Pleistocene to the spatial-temporal diversification patterns of the sect. Tubulosae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This cohort study investigated the correlation between Parkinson's disease (PD) risk and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk under particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter =2.5 µm (PM2.5) exposure. METHODS: Data from the National Health Research Institutes of Taiwan were used in this study. The Environmental Protection Administration of Taiwan established an air quality monitoring network for monitoring Taiwan's general air quality. COPD was indicated by at least 3 outpatient records and 1 hospitalization for COPD. After the implementation of age, sex, and endpoint matching at a 1:4 ratio, 137 patients and 548 patients were included in the case group and control group, respectively. Based on the 2005 World Health Organization (WHO) standards, monthly air particle concentration data were classified into the following 4 groups in analyses of exposure-response relationships: normal level, and 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 times the WHO level ([concentration =2]×25 µg/m3×number of exposure months). RESULTS: A multivariate logistic regression revealed that the 1.0 and 1.5 WHO level groups did not significantly differ from the normal level group, but the 2.0 WHO level did (odds ratio, 4.091; 95% confidence interval, 1.180 to 14.188; p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PM2.5 concentrations were significantly correlated with an increased risk of PD among patients with COPD. Furthermore, exposure to high PM2.5 levels can further increase the risk of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve block (UISB) is commonly used to alleviate postoperative pain during shoulder arthroscopy. This retrospective observational study aimed to evaluate the intraoperative advantages and analgesic effects of preoperative UISB. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective observational study, a total of 170 patients underwent shoulder arthroscopy at a tertiary medical center in southern Taiwan throughout 2019. After applying the exclusion criteria, 142 of these cases were included, with 74 and 68 in the UISB group and control groups, respectively. The primary outcome was the evaluation of intraoperative morphine milligram equivalent (MME) consumption. Secondary outcomes were sevoflurane consumption, the use of intraoperative antihypertensive drugs, and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and in the ward at 24 h after surgery. Results: Preoperative UISB effectively reduced opioids and volatile gases during surgery, supported by a 48.1% and 14.8% reduction in the median intraoperative MME and sevoflurane concentrations, respectively, and showed less need for antihypertensive drugs. The preoperative UISB group also showed significantly better performance on the VAS in both the PACU and ward. Conclusion: Taken together, the preoperative UISB reduced not only intraoperative MME and sevoflurane consumption but also had satisfactory VAS scores in both the PACU and ward without any symptomatic respiratory complications. In summary, preoperative UISB is a reliable adjuvant analgesic technique and a key factor in achieving opioid-sparing and sevoflurane-sparing anesthesia and multimodal analgesia during shoulder arthroscopy. Graphical [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic impact of the lowest level of tumor location for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Materials and methods: Data were collected from patients with UTUC treated with RNU (01/2005-06/2020) at a single center in Taiwan. Patients were stratified by the lowest level of tumor location into three groups: renal pelvis only (RPO), above upper ureter (AUU), and below upper ureter (BUU). We compared characteristics between groups and examined the association of the lowest level of tumor involvement with intravesical recurrence (IVR), systemic metastasis (SM), and cancer-specific mortality (CSM). Results: Overall, 1239 patients (542 RPO, 260 AUU, 437 BUU) were enrolled. Concurrent bladder cancer, multifocality, tumor architecture, lymphovascular invasion, carcinoma in situ, and variant histology were significantly different across different tumor locations. BUU had worse five-year intravesical recurrence (IVR), systemic metastasis (SM) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) (p < 0.001, p = 0.056 and p = 0.13, respectively). In multivariable models, the lowest level of tumor involvement was an independent predictor of IVR (AUU hazard ratio (HR) = 1.52, p = 0.007; BUU HR = 1.75, p < 0.001), but only BUU was an independent predictor of SM (HR = 1.61, p = < 0.001) and CSM (HR = 1.51, p = 0.008). Conclusion: The lowest level of tumor involvement in UTUC, especially BUU, was associated with a higher risk of IVR, SM and CSM. Assessment of the lowest level of tumor involvement after RNU may help identify patients who require more intensive follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total electron content (TEC) profiles from the FORMOsa SATellite mission‐3/Constellation Observing System for the Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) and the Fengyun‐3C (FY‐3C) radio occultation (RO) missions during 2006 and 2019 are used to establish the models for deriving the ionospheric sporadic E (Es) critical frequency (foEs). Smax is derived as the maximum vertical gradient of TEC disturbance, which is extracted from a RO TEC profile using the singular spectrum analysis method. Three candidate conversion models are obtained by fitting Smax with foEs observed by collocated ionosondes, and the one with the best performance, the COSMIC&FY‐3C (CF) model, is applied for deriving foEs (foEsCF) from the TEC data of the two missions jointly. For comparison, the C model, which is of similar form as the CF model while being established without using the FY‐3C data, is applied for deriving foEs (foEsC) from the COSMIC TEC data only. The validations over four independent ionosonde stations demonstrate that mean improvements of 0.11 MHz (32%) in the absolute bias and 0.24 MHz (17%) in the root mean square error are obtained by foEsCF compared with foEsC. The spatiotemporal distributions of Es intensity during 2015 and 2019, presented respectively by foEsCF and foEsC, are further compared. The CF model provides more abundant and more detailed information about Es intensity distribution, which is most distinct at high latitudes where the contribution of FY‐3C RO TEC data is significant. Our results reveal that with the aging of the COSMIC satellites, FY‐3C TEC data is a valuable supplementary RO data source for Es‐related studies. Plain Language Summary: Ionospheric sporadic E (Es) layers have significant impacts on radio communication and the propagation of global navigation satellite system signals, and the degrees of the impacts are closed related to the distributions and the intensity of Es layers. The radio occultation (RO) total electron content (TEC) profiles can be used for detecting the existence and the intensity of Es layers due to that the Es layers can bring to sudden enhancements of TEC values. In this study, based on the TEC data from FORMOsa SATellite mission‐3/Constellation Observing System for the Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) and Fengyun‐3C (FY‐3C) RO missions and the collocated ionosonde observations during 2006 and 2019, an optimal model for deriving the Es intensity is promoted, and is compared with another model established using the same method but without using the FY‐3C data. The model using the FY‐3C data shows a better performance for deriving the Es intensity and provides more abundant and more detailed information about Es intensity distributions, especially in high‐latitude regions. The results contribute to understanding the value of FY‐3C RO TEC data for Es layer‐related studies, which is most significant during the last years of COSMIC mission lifespan, when the aging of the satellites brings to the decline in the COSMIC RO data volume. Key Points: The COSMIC&FY‐3C (CF) model, a model for deriving the sporadic E (Es) critical frequency from radio occultation (RO) total electron content data, is promoted by using the Constellation Observing System for the Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) and the Fengyun‐3C (FY‐3C) data jointlyImprovements in the absolute bias and root mean square error of Es critical frequency are obtained by the CF model due to the contribution of FY‐3C RO dataDuring 2015 and 2019, the integrity of Es intensity distribution is improved by using the RO data from the two missions jointly [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the relationships between cultural values and experiences of happiness in two samples focusing on university students in Taiwan (n=439) and the United Kingdom (n=344). Reports that the relationships between values and happiness were stronger in the Taiwanese sample. Includes references and an appendix. (CMK)

This study conducted interviews with 19 survivors of sexual abuse and three social workers in Taiwan. It found sexual stigmatization and feelings of disempowerment and betrayal as the most pervasive trauma complex among the abuse survivors. Effects of cultural attitudes toward sexual victimization of women and Chinese patriarchal familialism are discussed. (DB)

There is a critical need for detection of administrative regions through network map pictures in map censorship tasks, which can be implemented by target detection technology. However, on map images there tend to be numerous administrative regions overlaying map annotations and symbols, thus making it difficult to accurately detect each region. Using a RetinaNet-based target detection model integrating ResNet50 and a feature pyramid network (FPN), this study built a multi-target model and a single-target cascading model from three single-target models by taking Taiwan, Tibet, and the Chinese mainland as target examples. Two models were evaluated both in classification and localization accuracy to investigate their administrative region detection performance. The results show that the single-target cascading model was able to detect more administrative regions, with a higher f1_score of 0.86 and mAP of 0.85 compared to the multi-target model (0.56 and 0.52, respectively). Furthermore, location box size distribution from the single-target cascading model looks more similar to that of manually annotated box sizes, which signifies that the proposed cascading model is superior to the multi-target model. This study is promising in providing support for computer map reading and intelligent map censorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Rapid global warming is threatening global biodiversity, and it will likely lead to varying degrees of local adaptation, particularly amongst plant species. Besides, rising temperatures frequently result in upslope distribution shifts towards climatic optima (i.e. the escalator effect) within a limited dispersal space, such as in insular environments. Here, we integrated ecological and genetic approaches to investigate how climate change will impact the genetic compositions and spatial distributions of Taiwan's endemic maple Acer caudatifolium. Location: Taiwan. Methods: We estimate the distribution range shifts of A. caudatifolium under climate change through species distribution modelling (SDM). We also use 368 genotyped samples to infer dispersal and genetic hotspots and quantify the contributions of geography/environments to genetic variations. We further assess the potential risk to A. caudatifolium under different climate warming scenarios. Results: We detected three genetic diversity hotspots near mountainous glacial refugia and two dispersal hotspots in northern Taiwan and the central‐to‐southern Central Mountain Range. Overall range reductions and an altitudinal upslope shift were observed in SDM. Using both linear and nonlinear regression approaches, we found that genetic variation was significantly associated with geographic distance and elevation‐related climatic variables. The potential risk analysis revealed that the northernmost summit‐dwelling populations were the most vulnerable. Furthermore, the major risk factor differed amongst populations: for central populations, temperature and precipitation jointly determined the potential risk, whereas precipitation was the only risk factor for northern and southern populations. Main conclusions: This case study demonstrates how various climate factors, mountain height and the availability of corridors jointly determine the demographic fates and sustainability of island maples in the face of climate change. This study also provided estimates of the implications of global warming, which can be conducive to developing appropriate conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Valuation of the EQ-5D-5L in Taiwan" published in the journal PLoS ONE. The correction addresses errors in the Funding statement and Competing Interests statement. The correct Funding statement acknowledges the sponsorship of various organizations, while clarifying that they had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The correct Competing Interests statement clarifies that two of the authors were executive directors of sponsoring agencies but declared no competing interests. The document also mentions that the Acknowledgement section was missing from the original article and provides the correct section, which includes gratitude to study participants, research assistants, interviewers, and others involved in the study. [Extracted from the article]

Trichiurus nanhaiensis is one of the most important commercial fish species in the South China Sea. This study aimed to investigate the level of genetic variation and population genetic structure of T. nanhaiensis in the South China Sea for the first time, using 281 individuals collected from seven locations along the coast of mainland China, Taiwan, and Hainan Island. A high level of haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity were detected in the mitochondrial DNA cyt b gene and nuDNA RYR 3 gene. The overall expected heterozygosity (He = 0.693) among the seven populations ranged from 0.681 to 0.706 in microsatellite DNA data, which revealed high levels of genetic diversity. Significant genetic differentiation was found in Taidong populations in Taiwan, revealing the prevention of gene flow caused by the Kuroshio Current. Two major lineages based on the cyt b gene suggested that the Taiwan Strait acted as a geographic barrier for T. nanhaiensis during the glacier periods in the late Pleistocene. The Bayesian skyline plot also revealed that population demographic expansion of T. nanhaiensis was estimated to have occurred in 0.1 Mya. Our results indicated that all populations of T. nanhaiensis had experienced a recent genetic bottleneck following recent expansion based on ABC analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The application of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for recurrent thyroid cancer has been demonstrated to effectively manage lesions at critical locations, such as abutting the trachea, with limited complications. Comprehensive investigation of both biochemical (B) and structural (S) change after RFA remains limited. We herein present the first single-center experience of RFA for the treatment of locoregional recurrent thyroid cancer in Taiwan. Design: 23 patients were enrolled, and the treatment responses after RFA were divided into four groups (E, S(+), B(+), and SB(+)), and then compared. The RFA technique, follow-up strategy, changes in pre-and post-operative status, and complications are presented. The volume reduction rate at 1, 3, and 6 months, and the differing responses between lesions abutting/not abutting the trachea are also discussed. Results: In patients with pre-RFA structural and biochemical incomplete (SB(+)) status, presenting with lesion with an initial maximum diameter of >3.2cm, a higher rate of structural incomplete status at the 6-month follow-up was noted in ROC analysis, with a sensitivity of 57% and specificity of 91%. Favorable structural remission after RFA was noted, and 60.9% of patients achieved biochemical complete status. No significant correlation was noted between the trachea-abutted lesion number and complete remission (p= 0.474). No significant difference in RFA efficacy was noted between the lesions abutting/not abutting the trachea. Conclusions: This retrospective study reveals that RFA can achieve both structural and biochemical improvements for locoregionally recurrent thyroid cancer, with a low complication rate. Nearly half of the patients achieved an excellent response after RFA, while a favorable treatment response can be achieved despite the lesion abutting the trachea, with a mean VRR of 84.74%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Unlike other head and neck cancers, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with long-latent recurrence (>five years) is not rare. This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of long-latent recurrent NPC. We found that 8.1% recurrence occurred after five years. About two thirds of these patients' primary cancer belonged to the early stages, and almost half of the recurrence was a local recurrence. The five-year overall survival and disease-specific survival rate of long-latent recurrence was 19.7% and 24.5%, respectively. Most long-latent local recurrence was found in unresectable rT3 or rT4 cases, while one-third could not be detected by endoscopy due to recurrence in the skull base. A higher percentage of patients who died after long-latent recurrence were symptomatic with a follow-up interval more than six months, reflecting that delayed detection of recurrence may have a great impact on survival outcome. A long-term follow-up is necessary for early detection of NPC recurrence even after five years of disease-free interval. Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of long-latent recurrence (>five years) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: This retrospective study enrolled newly diagnosed NPC patients from the Chang Gung Research Database between January 2007 and December 2019. We analyzed the patients' characteristics and survival outcomes after recurrence. Results: A total of 2599 NPC patients were enrolled. The overall recurrence rate was 20.5%, while 8.1% of patients had long-latent recurrence (>five years). These patients had a higher percentage of initial AJCC (The American Joint Committee on Cancer) stage I/II (60.5%, p = 0.001) and local recurrence (46.5%, p < 0.001). Unresectable rT3 and rT4 were found in 60% of patients when recurrence and 30% of local recurrence occurred in the skull base, which could not be detected by the regular endoscopy. The five-year overall survival rate of long-latent recurrence was 19.7%. Alive patients tended to be asymptomatic but have regular follow-ups with the interval less than six months. Multivariate analysis showed age and initial advanced AJCC stages were independent risk factors of death after recurrence. In contrast, patients with recurrence between two and five years, salvage surgeries, and regional recurrence had favorable survival outcomes. Conclusion: Long-latent NPC recurrence is not rare, and the survival outcome is poor. Regular follow-up for early detection of NPC recurrence is necessary even after five years of disease-free period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five funnel-web spiders in the genus Macrothele are widely distributed to Taiwan. We herein reported the severe case of a woman bitten by a male Macrothele gigas who present with autonomic (i.e., profuse sweating and piloerection), cardiovascular (hypertension and tachycardia), and neurologic effects (perioral numbness) in addition to local tissue swelling and regional limb pain. Morphine and ampicillin/sulbactam were administered. Her cardiovascular, neurologic, and local symptoms gradually improved, and thus was discharged 24 h post-bite. However, persistent diaphoresis and piloerection lasted for at least 3 days, and pre-renal azotemia was suspected. Due to the risk of severity and death reported for the Australian funnel web spider bites, we suggest patients bitten by an Asian funnel-web spider be carefully monitored and resuscitation performed as indicated. • Information on the diagnosis and management of the Asian funnel-web spiders' bites remains limited. • The patient bitten by Macrothele gigas (Asian funnel-web spider) developed cardiovascular, neurologic, and autonomic effects. • Specific antivenom is unavailable in Taiwan. • Immediately applying pressure immobilization and transporting the patient to the emergency department are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urine-soluble CD163 (usCD163) is released from alternatively activated macrophages involved in the resolution of inflammation in glomeruli and plays an important role in glomerulonephritis. This study explored the role of usCD163 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Materials and Methods: usCD163 concentrations were measured cross-sectionally in 261 SLE patients in Taiwan. Clinical and laboratory data were collected, and SLE disease activity scores were calculated to assess the correlation with usCD163. Results: SLE patients with high usCD163 levels tended to be younger, with a higher hospital admission rate, higher prednisolone dose, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, higher urine protein creatinine ratio (UPCR), more pyuria and hematuria, higher levels of inflammatory markers, higher rates of anemia, neutropenia, and lymphopenia, lower complement 3 (C3) levels, higher anti-double-stranded DNA antibody (anti-dsDNA Ab) levels, and higher disease activity scores (p < 0.05). usCD163 levels were significantly higher in patients with active lupus nephritis (LN) than in those with extrarenal or inactive SLE and correlated with UPCR, disease activity, and anti-dsDNA Ab levels. SLE patients with high usCD163 levels tended to have a higher chronic kidney disease stage. Discussion and conclusion: The usCD163 level correlates with the severity of LN and disease activity in renal SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancers are life-threatening malignancies that cause great healthcare burdens in Taiwan and worldwide. The 5-year survival rate for Taiwanese patients with lung cancer is approximately 29%, an unsatisfactorily low number that remains to be improved. We first reviewed the molecular epidemiology derived from a deep proteogenomic resource in Taiwan. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)antioxidant mechanism was discovered to mediate the oncogenesis and tumor progression of lung adenocarcinoma. Additionally, DNA replication, glycolysis and stress response are positively associated with tumor stages, while cell-to-cell communication, signaling, integrin, G protein coupled receptors, ion channels and adaptive immunity are negatively associated with tumor stages. Three patient subgroups were discovered based on the clustering analysis of protein abundance in tumors. The first subgroup is associated with more advanced cancer stages and visceral pleural invasion, as well as higher mutation burdens. The second subgroup is associated with EGFR L858R mutations. The third subgroup is associated with PI3K/AKT pathways and cell cycles. Both EGFR and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways have been shown to induce NRF2 activation and tumor cell proliferation. We also reviewed the clinical evidence of patient outcomes in Taiwan given various approved targeted therapies, such as EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)inhibitors, in accordance with the patients' characteristics. Somatic mutations occurred in EGFR, KRAS, HER2 and BRAF genes, and these mutations have been detected in 55.7%, 5.2%, 2.0% and 0.7% patients, respectively. The EGFR mutation is the most prevalent targetable mutation in Taiwan. EML4-ALK translocations have been found in 9.8% of patients with wild-type EGFR. The molecular profiling of advanced NSCLC is critical to optimal therapeutic decision-making. The patient characteristics, such as mutation profiles, protein expression profiles, drug-resistance profiles, molecular oncogenic mechanisms and patient subgroup systems together offer new strategies for personalized treatments and patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of rocuronium/sugammadex in otorhinolaryngologic surgery improves intubation conditions and surgical rating scales. This study primarily aimed to evaluate the effect of the combination of rocuronium and sugammadex on intraoperative anesthetic consumption. The secondary outcomes were the intraoperative and postoperative morphine milligram equivalent (MME) consumption, duration of intraoperative hypertension, extubation time, incidence of delayed extubation and postoperative nausea and vomiting, pain score, and length of stay. A total of 2848 patients underwent otorhinolaryngologic surgery at a tertiary medical center in southern Taiwan. After applying the exclusion criteria, 2648 of these cases were included, with 167 and 2481 in the rocuronium/sugammadex and cisatracurium/neostigmine groups, respectively. To reduce potential bias, 119 patients in each group were matched by propensity scores for sex, age, body weight, and type of surgery. We found that the rocuronium/sugammadex group was associated with significant preservation of the intraoperative sevoflurane and MME consumption, with reductions of 14.2% (p = 0.009) and 11.8% (p = 0.035), respectively. The use of the combination of rocuronium and sugammadex also significantly increased the dose of intraoperative labetalol (p = 0.002), although there was no significant difference in intraoperative hypertensive events between both groups. In conclusion, our results may encourage the use of the combination of rocuronium and sugammadex as part of volatile-sparing and opioid-sparing anesthesia in otorhinolaryngologic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to use the geopolymer technique to solidify/stabilize heavy metal contaminated soil. There are over 739,700 square meters of heavy-metal-contaminated sites in Taiwan; most sites are soil farmlands. These heavy metal contaminants in soil can also infiltrate into groundwater and cause more serious pollution problems. This study explores the possibility of using the geopolymer technique to solidify heavy metal contaminated soil (CS), stabilize heavy metal, and produce good mechanical and physical properties. The ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) was activated by an alkali solution to form a geopolymer binder that can be used to solidify CS and stabilize the heavy metal. The effect of GGBFS and CS mixing ratio on the mechanical and physical properties and the TCLP test was investigated. The test results show that the compressive strength of specimens made with a 1.5 CS/GGBFS ratio can reach 46.61 MPa and 47.66 MPa after curing for 14 and 28 days, respectively. TCLP tests show only 2 ppm Cu was detected from a geopolymer-treated contaminated soil sample. The influence of alkali solution, such as the molarity of the NaOH, SiO2/Na2O, and SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio, were also evaluated. The specimens prepared with 8 M NaOH, 0.96 SiO2/Na2O, and 1.28 SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio alkali solution have a compressive strength of 51.74 MPa and 58.63 MPa after 14 and 28 days of curing. The TCLP tests show no heavy metal ions leached from the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many gamification applications (apps) have been designed to motivate students to learn particular content. Based on the brain activation approach, the present study adapted an app, named Shaking‐On, which requires students to shake their mobile devices to send their answers to multiple‐choice questions to the teacher. Students then learn from their performance. Objectives: To understand how this approach can stimulate participants' emotions when achieving their learning goals, the present study compared Shaking‐On to Kahoot! by checking participants' gameplay anxiety, learning interest, perceived learning value, and learning achievement while learning the Taiwanese language. Methods: The students were divided into two groups to play with one of the two apps, Shaking‐On or Kahoot!, as part of a quasi‐experimental study in which they used the assigned app six times in 6 weeks. Moreover, a questionnaire was distributed to participants and 151 useful responses from the Shaking‐On group, and 148 from the Kahoot! group were returned. Results and Conclusions: After statistical analysis, the results of this study revealed that besides no difference in gameplay anxiety when comparing the two groups of students, there were significant differences in game interest, flow experience, perceived learning value, and learning achievement, further indicating that Shaking‐On with hands‐on shaking outperformed Kahoot!. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The adoption of technology in learning pedagogies should enable students to interact with their technological devices in a fun way and there needs to be interested during the learning process.Different designs of e‐learning platforms have different functions for students to interact that promote in them different psychological outcomes, by shaping their learning behaviours and enhancing their motivation and engagement. What this paper adds: The present study adapted an app, named Shaking‐On, which requires students to shake their mobile devices to send their answers to multiple‐choice questions to the teacher, students will then learn from their performance.To understand how this approach can stimulate participants' emotions in achieving learning goals, the present study compared Shaking‐On to Kahoot! by checking participants' gameplay anxiety, learning interest, perceived learning value, and learning achievement when learning the Taiwanese language. Implications for practice and/or policy: The research on the application of CATML to education is increasing, but there has been less research in the field of Taiwanese languages.The studies related to digital game‐based learning, there are few studies that compare games with different operation movements. Therefore, this study can be used as a reference for the application of cognitive and affective theories of multimedia learning to study the field of learning other native and disappearing languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research attempts to explore digital divide among tribes in Taiwan and to reveal relevant important tribal contextual features. Firstly, we collect residents' connection event logs from the free wireless Internet, i-Tribe. Those connect behaviors are quantified as average of daily connection frequency, daily connection time, daily data transmission, inter-login time, Internet speed, and connection quality which are corresponding to evaluate how often, how long, how much, how active, how fast and the effectiveness of the information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility of tribes. Then the tribes are grouped into tribal clusters optimally by a rank aggregation algorithm and are asked if there are significant differences among them by three stages of hypothesis testing. After the phenomenon of digital divide is confirmed, some important contextual features, longitude, female dependency ratio, network environment level, economic service level, and policy cooperation level, are identified using the ordinal regression model (ORM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals are not only regulated by their own genes but also influenced by symbiotic bacteria, most of which are colonized in the gut. The gut bacterial community is involved in plenty of physiological processes; therefore, intestinal colonization by commensal microbiota is essential to the health of the host animal. Here, metagenome sequencing of the A. japonicus gut, surrounding water, and feed was performed to explore the structural and functional characteristics of the colonized bacteria in the gut of A. japonicus. Results showed that Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were the main dominant phyla of the A. japonicus gut, and Formosa, Vibrio, and Lactobacillus were the dominant genera. There was asymmetry between the A. japonicus gut and its surrounding environment in the bacterial community. In terms of the top 50 abundant genera, those colonized in the gut shared a similarity of 26% with those colonized in the surrounding water and a similarity of 30% with those colonized in the feed. According to KEGG annotation, the dominant metabolic pathways in the gut of A. japonicus were glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and cysteine and methionine metabolism. This implies that the gut-colonized bacteria of A. japonicus are influenced by the surrounding water and the feed. In addition, the gut-colonized bacteria might be related to the growth and metabolism of A. japonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The divergence process of incipient species is fascinating but elusive by incomplete lineage sorting or gene flow. Species delimitation is also challenging among those morphologically similar allopatric species, especially when lacking comprehensive data. Cycas sect. Asiorientales , comprised of C. taitungensis and C. revoluta in the Ryukyu Archipelago and Taiwan, diverged recently with continuous gene flow, resulting in a reciprocal paraphyletic relationship. Their previous evolutionary inferences are questioned from few genetic markers, incomplete sampling, and incomprehensive morphological comparison by a long-term taxonomic misconception. By whole range sampling, this study tests the geographic mode of speciation in the two species of Asiorientales by approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The individual tree was reconstructed to delimit the species and track the gene-flow trajectory. With the comparison of diagnostic morphological traits and genetic data, the allopatric speciation was rejected. Alternatively, continuous but spatially heterogeneous gene flow driven by transoceanic vegetative dispersal and pollen flow with contrasting population sizes blurred their species boundary. On the basis of morphological, genetic, and evolutionary evidence, we synonymized these two Cycas species. This study highlights not only the importance of the Kuroshio Current to species evolution but also the disadvantage of using species with geographically structured genealogies as conservation units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated lasting effects of long working hours on well-being and job performance through lack of detachment in the "long working hours" and "always on" Chinese work context. Adopting the conservation of resources (COR) perspective regarding compensation of resources, we incorporated individual-level cultural resources, individual- and social-oriented achievement motivations, as moderators in the recovery process. The integrated moderated mediation model was tested with data from 323 employees in Taiwan, and all the variables were measured twice in the interval of 6 months. Our results revealed that detachment mediated the effects of long working hours on well-being and performance over 6 months. We also found that social-oriented (but not individual-oriented) motivation buffered the noxious impact of lacking detachment on job performance (but not well-being). Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedentary behaviors are increasingly common, exerting a heavy financial burden on society and becoming a risk factor for chronic diseases and mortality. Taiwan has one of the highest obesity prevalence rates among Asian countries. This cross-sectional study investigated the correlation of sociodemographic characteristics and PE enrollment with the time spent on various sedentary behaviors. The valid responses of 1,195 Taiwanese university students on a survey were analyzed. They were recruited between May and June 2019 using cluster sampling. The survey inquired into demographic characteristics and the self-reported time spent on various sedentary behaviors. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, a t test, and effect size analysis were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that university students in Taiwan were sedentary for an average of 474 minutes per day, with use of social media being the most prevalent sedentary activity at 123 minutes per day. The severely overweight group was most sedentary, and female students and students that were not enrolled in a PE class tended to spend more time on video games and social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the growth of the aging population, the need for colonoscopies in nonagenarians is rising. However, few data on colonoscopies in extremely elderly individuals are available. To better acknowledge the role of colonoscopies in this specific group of patients, we conducted this study to evaluate the safety and clinical impact of colonoscopy in nonagenarian patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study comparing nonagenarians who received colonoscopy in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan in 2016 with 76- to 80-year-old patients (relatively elderly patients) who were 1:1 propensity score matched by sex as the control subjects. The postcolonoscopy 30-day adverse events, mortality, and long-term survival were recorded. Results: A total of 137 nonagenarians and 137 relatively elderly patients were included. The nonagenarians receiving colonoscopy were more likely to be hospitalized (40.1% vs 19.7%, p < 0.001), and the adjusted colonoscopy completion rates were comparable in both groups (92.0% vs 97.1%, p = 0.063). The overall adverse event rate and postcolonoscopy 30-day mortality rates were low in both groups (2.9% vs 1.5%, p = 0.409 and 2.2% vs 1.5%, p = 0.652, respectively). A total of 18.2% of the nonagenarians were diagnosed with advanced neoplasia. Among the nonagenarians diagnosed with colorectal cancer, the patients receiving surgery had a significantly lower risk of death than the patients receiving conservative management (hazards ratio 0.1044, 0.01275-0.8529, p = 0.0352). Conclusion: Colonoscopy in patients older than 90 years is generally safe. Colonoscopy findings that led to surgery in nonagenarians diagnosed with colorectal cancer were associated with survival benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the role of competitive aggressiveness in the relationship between top management team (TMT) collective efficacy and firm performance under the contextual influence of TMT trust. Based on a sample obtained from 376 top executives in 147 firms in Taiwan, we find that competitive aggressiveness is a key mediator in converting TMT collective efficacy into advantageous performance. Moderated-mediation analyses further show that the mediating effect of competitive aggressiveness is more prominent under lower level of TMT trust, a finding that is contrary with our prediction. Our research contributes to the upper echelons and competitive dynamics theories by identifying the interplay of TMT shared cognitions and socio-behavioral processes as critical drivers of firm initiatives and outcomes in the rivalrous contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The unusual high dialysis prevalence and upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) incidence in Taiwan may attribute to aristolochic acid (AA), which is nephrotoxic and carcinogenic, exposure. AA can cause a unique mutagenic pattern showing A:T to T:A transversions (mutational Signature 22) analyzed by whole exome sequencing (WES). However, a fast and cost-effective tool is still lacking for clinical practice. To address this issue, we developed an efficient and quantitative platform for the quantitation of AA and tried to link AA detection with clinical outcomes and decipher the genomic landscape of UTUC in Taiwan. Patients and Methods: We recruited 61 patients with de novo onset of UTUC after kidney transplantation who underwent radical nephroureterectomy. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) platform was developed for the quantitation of AA. Pearson's chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier method, and Cox proportional hazard model were utilized to assess the correlations among AA detection, clinicopathological characteristics, and clinical outcomes. Seven tumors and seven paired normal tissues were sequenced using WES (approximately 800x sequencing depth) and analyzed by bioinformatic tool. Results: We found that high level of 7-(deoxyadenosin-N6-yl)aristolactam I (dA-AL-I) detected in paired normal tissues was significantly correlated with fast UTUC initiation times after renal transplantation (p = 0.035) and with no use of sirolimus (p = 0.046). Using WES analysis, we further observed that all tumor samples were featured by Signature 22 mutations, apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC)-associated gene mutations, p53 mutations, no fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutation, and high tumor mutation burden (TMB). Especially, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation predominated in dA-AL-I-detected samples compared with those without dA-AL-I detection and might be associated with UTUC initiation through cell proliferation and suppression of UTUC progression via autophagy inhibition. Conclusion: Accordingly, dA-AL-I detection can provide more direct evidence to AA exposure and serve as a more specific predictive and prognostic biomarker for patients with de novo onset of UTUC after kidney transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nurse practitioners (NPs) play an important role in addressing growing health care needs. Among NPs, organizational empowerment is positively associated with overall practice outcomes. Therefore, efforts to promote organizational empowerment in practice are necessary to increase job satisfaction among NPs as well as decrease the stress and intention to leave. Purpose: This study investigated the relationships of organizational empowerment and practice outcomes of job satisfaction, work stress, and intention to leave in acute care practices. Methodological orientation: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional design with a national survey of 946 acute care NPs. Questionnaires contained demographic and practice characteristics, Misener Nurse Practitioner Job Satisfaction Scale, Condition for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II, and the work stress VAS scale. Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) was used to investigate individual NP-level or organization-level effects on job satisfaction. The factors associated with job satisfaction were examined by stepwise multiple regression. Results: The organizational empowerment was low, work stress was moderately high, and job satisfaction was between slightly unsatisfied and slightly satisfied. The HLM results indicated that organization-level effects did not affect the job satisfaction of NPs. Nurse practitioners with greater formal power, resources, and informal power had higher job satisfaction. Conversely, NPs with an intention to leave and a higher level of stress showed lower job satisfaction. Conclusions: Organizational empowerment, intention to leave, and stress affect job satisfaction of acute care NPs in Taiwan. Implications for practic: To enhance the job satisfaction of NPs, health care administrators should empower NPs by providing access to opportunity, support, information, and resources in the health care delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate and compare the therapeutic efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA), between primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) patients, with or without previous parathyroidectomy (PTX). Subjects and Methods: A total of 21 patients (7 PHPT, 14 SHPT) underwent RFA for hyperparathyroidism (HPT) at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan. Five of the 14 SHPT patients had previously received PTX. The laboratory data, volume change of each parathyroid nodule, symptomatic scores, and complications were analyzed and compared between all groups at 1 and 7 days, and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after RFA. Results: After RFA, the volume reduction ratio (VRR) for all patients at the last follow-up was 93.76%, and clinical symptoms significantly improved. At 12 months, all PHPT patients achieved successful treatment of intact PTH (iPTH). In SHPT patients, the mean iPTH value significantly decreased 1-day post-RFA, subsequently exhibiting a transient rebound which proceeded to decrease, with 57.1% reaching successful treatment standards. SHPT patients with PTX showed a lower complication score, shorter ablation time, higher iPTH baseline and outcomes, and lower VRR, compared to patients without PTX. The serum calcium level significantly decreased to normal range in 85.7% of all patients at 12 months. Severe hypocalcemia occurred in 23.8% at 1 week, and all were corrected with calcium supplements. Conclusions: RFA demonstrates a therapeutic efficacy similar to PTX. It can thus be considered an effective alternative treatment for PHPT, SHPT, or post-PTX patients who are unsuitable for another PTX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most abundant atmospheric aerosols and effective ice nuclei, mineral dust affects clouds and precipitation in the Earth system. Here numerical experiments are carried out to investigate the impacts of dust aerosols on summertime convective clouds and precipitation over the mountainous region of Taiwan by acting as ice-nucleating particles. We run the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) with the Morrison two-moment and spectral-bin microphysics (SBM) schemes at 3 km resolution, using dust number concentrations from a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem-APM). The case study indicates that the long-range-transported mineral dust, with relatively low number concentrations, can notably affect the properties of convective clouds (ice and liquid water contents, cloud top height, and cloud coverage) and precipitation (spatial pattern and intensity). The effects of dust are evident during strong convective periods, with significantly increased ice water contents in the mixed-phase regime via the enhanced heterogeneous freezing. With both the Morrison and SBM schemes, we see the invigoration effects of dust aerosols on the convective intensity through enhanced condensation and deposition latent heating. The low-altitude dust particles are uplifted to the freezing level by updrafts, which, in turn, enhance the convective cloud development through immersion freezing and convective invigoration. Compared to the Morrison scheme, the SBM scheme predicts more realistic precipitation and different invigoration effects of dust. The differences are partially attributed to the saturation adjustment approach utilized in the bulk scheme, which leads to a stronger enhancement of condensation at midlatitudes to low altitudes and a weaker deposition increase at the upper level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]