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Cohabitation has become more common in communities that have experienced demographic transitions, including in Taiwan, and hence it has become a research interest. However, our understanding of cohabitation in Taiwan has been limited to indirect estimations and cross-sectional analysis due to the lack of appropriate data. These analyses can provide a quick overview of the prevalence of cohabitation at specific periods, but they cannot portray the risk of cohabitation over the life course. Using recent panel data from the Taiwan Youth Project, we estimate cohabitation risk among young adults in their mid-20s to early-30s. We also examine the determinants of cohabitation. Results show that being a woman, not employed, living in emerging regions, not having varying residential locations, ever having sex (especially at an earlier age), and being more open to premarital intimacy were associated with higher odds of cohabitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To address the dynamic challenges associated with developing a globally sustainable society, numerous scholars have stressed the need to cultivate the imagination of agricultural students. This study aimed to explore how pictorial representations stimulate the imaginative capacities of agricultural extension students. Design/methodology/approach: We adopted a focus group method that enabled in-depth discussions amongst selected participants. Three focus group discussions were held with 15 student participants in Taiwan. Regarding the pictorial representations, a series of works from three great artists were selected, namely Jean-François Millet, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró. The works were chosen. Findings: The results indicated that different indicators of imaginative capacities were stimulated by different types or combinations of pictorial representations. For example, realistic visual stimuli were beneficial for cultivating student intuition of problem solving. The atmosphere and colour of visual stimuli affected student sensibilities. The abstract stimuli and remote analogues were beneficial in generating original ideas and breaking design fixations. These stimulations occurred largely according to encountering problems and project needs. Practical implications: These findings can assist agricultural educators in developing imaginative curricula and instructional strategies and might increase students' creative performance. Originality/value: This research provides intriguing insights into the complexities of human imagination. First, the present study developed a novel approach to assess how pictorial representations stimulate the imaginative-capacity indicators of agricultural extension students. Our results indicated that various indicators were stimulated by various types or combinations of pictorial representations, and how and why these stimulations occurred largely depended on design problems and project needs.

Simple Summary: This population-based study, spanning 20 years, revealed trends regarding the incidence and mortality due to malignant neoplasm of the brain (MNB) in association with mobile phone usage in Taiwan. The findings indicate a trend of increase in the number of mobile phone users over the study period, accompanied by a slight rise in the incidence and death rates of MNB. The compound annual growth rates further support these observations, highlighting consistent growth in mobile phone users and a corresponding increase in MNB incidences and deaths. While this study suggests a weak association between mobile phone users and MNB incidence and mortality, it is important to acknowledge that conclusive results cannot be drawn at this stage. Further investigation is required to obtain more definitive findings. Continued research in this area will contribute to better understanding of the potential risks and aid in the development of safer mobile phone usage practices in the future. (1) Objective: This population-based study was performed to examine the trends of incidence and deaths due to malignant neoplasm of the brain (MNB) in association with mobile phone usage for a period of 20 years (January 2000–December 2019) in Taiwan. (2) Methods: Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and joinpoint regression analysis were used to examine the trends of incidence of MNB and deaths due to MNB in association with mobile phone usage. (3) Results: The findings indicate a trend of increase in the number of mobile phone users over the study period, accompanied by a slight rise in the incidence and death rates of MNB. The compound annual growth rates further support these observations, highlighting consistent growth in mobile phone users and a corresponding increase in MNB incidences and deaths. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest a weaker association between the growing number of mobile phone users and the rising rates of MNB, and no significant correlation was observed between MNB incidences and deaths and mobile phone usage. Ultimately, it is important to acknowledge that conclusive results cannot be drawn at this stage and further investigation is required by considering various other confounding factors and potential risks to obtain more definitive findings and a clearer picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid progress in information technology, interactive whiteboards have become IT-integrated in teaching activities. The theory of multiple intelligences argues that every person possesses multiple intelligences, emphasizing learners' cognitive richness and the possible role of these differences in enhanced learning. This study is the first to investigate the influence of interactive whiteboards on the learning effectiveness of 4th-grade science students in Taiwan from the perspective of multiple intelligences. The experiment in this study was based on a quasi-experimental design. The results indicated that the learning achievement of the students taught using interactive whiteboards was greater than that of the students taught using lectures. Among the students in the experimental group using interactive whiteboards, the learning achievement of the students with weaker logical-mathematical intelligence was higher than that of those with strong logical-mathematical intelligence. In other words, it can be inferred that the interactive whiteboards achieved good learning effects even for the students with weak logical-mathematical intelligence.

Objectives: A vast amount of literature has been conducted for investigating the association of different lunar phases with human health; and it has mixed reviews for association and non-association of diseases with lunar phases. This study investigates the existence of any impact of moon phases on humans by exploring the difference in the rate of outpatient visits and type of diseases that prevail in either non-moon or moon phases. Methods: We retrieved dates of non-moon and moon phases for eight years (1st January 2001-31st December 2008) from the timeanddate.com website for Taiwan. The study cohort consisted of 1 million people from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) followed over eight years (1st January 2001-31st December 2008). We used the two-tailed, paired-t-test to compare the significance of difference among outpatient visits for 1229 moon phase days and 1074 non-moon phase days by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes from NHIRD records. Results: We found 58 diseases that showed statistical differences in number of outpatient visits in the non-moon and moon phases. Conclusions: The results of our study identified diseases that have significant variations during different lunar phases (non-moon and moon phases) for outpatient visits in the hospital. In order to fully understand the reality of the pervasive myth of lunar effects on human health, behaviors and diseases, more in-depth research investigations are required for providing comprehensive evidence covering all the factors, such as biological, psychological and environmental aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the Taiwan orogen, an active arc–continent collision zone between the North Luzon Arc (NLA) and the Eurasian continent, is recorded in arc volcanic and sedimentary rocks from the Taiyuan retro‐foredeep basin of the Coastal Range, eastern Taiwan. Arc volcanism in the northern NLA experienced a magmatic culmination at 9–7 Ma and a cessation at 5.3–4.3 Ma, based on new U‐Pb zircon ages. Young zircon U‐Pb ages (1.74, 1.58, and <1.2 Ma) and low Hf isotope signatures also indicate that three biotite‐bearing lapilli tuff layers deposited in the retro‐foredeep basin are associated with eruptions of the Lutao volcano in the southern NLA. NLA volcanism terminated progressively from ∼5.3 to <1.2 Ma in response to a southward‐propagating collision zone that followed the uplift of the orogenic wedge by <3 myr. The detrital zircon U‐Pb age spectra suggest no significant shift in provenance during the Plio‐Pleistocene period and indicate that the synorogenic sediments in the Taiyuan Basin were mainly derived from the Yuli Belt, a Miocene accretionary complex in the eastern Taiwan orogen. The accumulation rate of synorogenic deposits varies from 0.53 to 5.14 km/myr, with an abrupt increase at ∼2 Ma. This new rate is higher than the previously proposed rates and that of the pro‐foreland basin to the west, suggesting asymmetric and rapid uplift of the Taiwan orogen. Plain Language Summary: Taiwan was formed by the northwestward convergence of the North Luzon Arc (NLA) with the Eurasian continental margin. Most of the uppermost parts of the arc volcanoes and orogens have been intensely eroded; nevertheless, their detritus is well preserved in the Taiyuan Basin in the southern Coastal Range, eastern Taiwan. In this study, zircons separated from remnant arc volcanic and sedimentary sequences are dated by an in situ U‐Pb method to offer temporal constraints and provide insight into the arc‐continental collision evolution in Taiwan. The latest ages from the NLA volcanoes reveal a southward cessation of magmatism from ∼5.3 to <1.2 Ma, which is consistent with an oblique collision. Detritus from the Yuli Belt, a Miocene accretionary prism in the eastern Taiwan orogen, started to fill the Taiyuan Basin beginning at <4.3 Ma. Meanwhile, three embedded tuff layers dated at 1.74, 1.58, and <1.2 Ma indicate eruptions associated with Lutao, an offshore NLA volcanic islet, and suggest an abrupt increase in the deposition rate at ∼2 Ma, corresponding to rapid and extensive exhumation of the Taiwan orogen. Key Points: New zircon U‐Pb ages confirm the history of the volcanic arc and retro‐foredeep sediments and their linkages to the nearby Taiwan orogenThe previously proposed shift in clastic composition of the retro‐foredeep sediments is interpreted as an unroofing record of the Yuli BeltOur zircon ages confirm the abrupt increase in the deposition rate of retro‐foredeep basin infilling from 0.53 to 5.14 km/myr at ∼2 Ma [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proportion of renewable power generation in the world has been increasing in recent years. However, the fluctuations and uncertainties of renewable power generation bring a considerable challenge to future unit scheduling. Therefore, the generation flexibility in power systems becomes more critical as a large amount of renewable generation is integrated into power systems. The use of flexible generators with energy storage systems is one of the most efficient methods of improving power system flexibility. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the effect of generation flexibility on the cost of unit scheduling. A flexibility index is used to evaluate the generation flexibility in the Taiwan power system, and a multi-scenario analysis for renewable power integration is considered. This study also considers various system constraints, such as the unit commitment of actual hydro and thermal units, the scheduling of flexible internal combustion engines (ICEs) and energy storage systems, and possible curtailments of renewable power generation. According to the seasonable characteristics of renewable power generation, this study provides a suitable capacity for flexible ICE units and energy storage systems. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the cost of unit scheduling is effectively reduced by increasing flexible ICE units and energy storage systems. The results of this study can be used as a reference for power systems in preparing flexible generating units and energy storage systems under the integration of a large amount of renewable power generation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant fossil specimens of Scaphechinus mirabilis, now occurring mostly in temperate waters, have been found in the Toukoshan Formation (Pleistocene) in Miaoli County, Taiwan. Environmental changes leading to its extirpation (local extinction) have thus far been elusive. Here, we reconstruct past environmental and oceanic conditions off northwest Taiwan by analyzing clumped isotopes, as well as stable oxygen isotopes, of well-preserved fossil echinoid tests collected from the Toukoshan Formation. Radiocarbon dates suggest that these samples are from Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3). Paleotemperature estimates based on clumped isotopes indicate that fossil echinoids were living in oceanic conditions that range from 9 to 14 °C on average, comparable with the estimate derived for a modern sample from Mutsu Bay, Japan. Notably, this temperature range is ~ 10 °C colder than today's conditions off northwest Taiwan. The substantially lower temperatures during ~ 30 ka (MIS 3) compared to the modern conditions might be due to the rerouting of surface currents off northwest Taiwan when the sea level was ~ 60 m lower than today, in addition to the cooling caused by a lower atmospheric CO2 level during the Last Glacial Period. Colder waters brought here by the China Coastal Current (CCC) and the existence of shallow subtidal zones termed "Miaoli Bay" (mainly located in the present-day Miaoli county) during MIS 3 plausibly sustained generations of S. mirabilis, yielding tens of thousands of fossil specimens in the well-preserved fossil beds. The likely extirpation driver is the drastic change from a temperate climate to much warmer conditions in the shallow sea during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The collection and analysis of alert logs are necessary for hospital administrators to understand the types and distribution of alert categories within the organization and reduce alert fatigue. However, this is not readily available in most homegrown Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) systems. Objective: To present a novel method that can collect alert information from a homegrown CPOE system (at an academic medical center in Taiwan) and conduct a comprehensive analysis of the number of alerts triggered and alert characteristics. Methods: An alert log collector was developed using the Golang programming language and was implemented to collect all triggered interruptive alerts from a homegrown CPOE system of a 726-bed academic medical center from November 2017 to June 2018. Two physicians categorized the alerts from the log collector as either clinical or non-clinical (administrative). Results: Overall, 1,625,341 interruptive alerts were collected and classified into 1,474 different categories based on message content. The sum of the top 20, 50, and 100 categories of most frequently triggered alerts accounted for approximately 80, 90 and 97 percent of the total triggered alerts, respectively. Among alerts from the 100 most frequently triggered categories, 1,266,818 (80.2%) were administrative and 312,593 (19.8%) were clinical alerts. Conclusion: We have successfully developed an alert log collector that can serve as an extended function to retrieve alerts from a homegrown CPOE system. The insight generated from the present study could also potentially bring value to hospital system designers and hospital administrators when redesigning their CPOE system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The penetration of renewable energy is gradually increasing. Therefore, power system flexibility, which is required to maintain system security and to cope with renewable generation uncertainty, becomes more important. Various technologies, such as flexible generators, demand management, energy storage, network reconfiguration, and even efficient system operations, are capable of improving power system flexibility. Nevertheless, among them, flexible generation resources can provide a direct way to enhance the power system flexibility. This article first applies the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to calculate the flexibility index of generation resources. Then, the process of unit scheduling is implemented under various operation scenarios to investigate the relationship between the generation flexibility and the cost of unit scheduling. Finally, the required flexibility and the corresponding capacity of flexible generators under a specified penetration of renewable power generation are investigated under different operation scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan has experienced significant demographic changes since the late 20th century, including decreasing fertility rate, increasing life expectancy, postponement of marriage and childbearing, reduced marriage rate, and rise in divorce. These demographic trends are likely to change the family structure. The objective of this article is to describe and summarize the changes in family structure between 1990 and 2010 in Taiwan using the Population and Housing Census data. During this period, the average household size decreased from 4.1 to 3.0 persons per household. Also, the share of couple households with unmarried children decreased by 15.1%, and the share of single-person households increased by 8.6%. Nuclear-family households, though they became less common, remained the dominant household type. Single-person households surpassed stem-family households as the second most common household type in 2000 and 2010. Households that are at greater risk of economic hardship, such as single-parent households and skipped-generation households, also increased their respective share during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe psychotropic medications prescription patterns among adolescents in Taiwan; focusing on age, gender, duration of treatments and various classes of psychotropic medications.Design: A retrospective description analysis.Setting: Taiwan National Health Insurance Database.Participants: Twelve to seventeen years' patients treated with psychotropic medications.Intervention: None.Main Outcome Measure(s): Percentage and duration of treatment with psychotropic medications during the study periods by medication classes and age groups were calculated. In addition, top three prescribed psychotropic medications were also determined.Results: A total of 3,120 patients were prescribed psychotropic drugs. The percentage of adolescent patients that received anxiolytics and antidepressants in 2002-2012 were 2.89% and 2.15%, respectively. Also, 851 patients (1.21%) were prescribed hypnotics and 638 (0.91%) were given sedatives. The prevalence rate of the prescription of psychotropic drugs increased steadily with age and females were more treated than males except antipsychotic. Among psychotropic drugs, antidepressants (mean: 8.6 times) were refilled more but antipsychotics (mean 188 days) were the long-term treatment drugs. Additionally, the trend of hospital visits fluctuated over the year while May and December showed a higher rate of visits.Conclusions: These findings show that the prevalence of psychotropic drug prescriptions in Taiwanese adolescents is even low but increasing trends in the prescription of these medications raises some concern. As the evidence of psychotropic drug safety and effectiveness in adolescents is still inadequate; we recommend that healthcare providers should consider psychotropic drugs therapy, continuously monitor for outcomes and empower their patients to improve their knowledge, therapeutic outcomes and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is most common in Southeast Asia. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between wait time and length of radiotherapy and overall survival (OS) of NPC patients in Taiwan.Methods: From Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, this nationwide population-based cohort study identified 3605 NPC patients who received radiotherapy between 2008 and 2011. The impact of time factors on NPC survival rates was estimated with Kaplan-Meier survival curves. A multivariable Cox hazards regression model tested the significance of results after adjustment for other covariables.Results: In all, 317 patients had wait times >4 weeks, 1404 patients had longer duration of radiotherapy (i.e., >10 weeks) and 499 died. Patients with wait times > 4 weeks and length of radiotherapy ≤ 10 weeks didn't have significantly inferior survival. Patients with wait times >4 weeks and length of radiotherapy >10 weeks had significantly lower OS than other groups, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.7 (95 % CI, 1.10-2.60).Conclusion: Time was a significant prognostic factor for NPC patients who had both >4 weeks wait times and length of radiotherapy >10 weeks. Patients with wait time > 4 weeks and length of radiotherapy ≤ 10 weeks had a trend toward an inferior survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electronic medical records (EMRs) contain vast amounts of data that is of great interest to physicians, clinical researchers, and medial policy makers. As the size, complexity, and accessibility of EMRs grow, the ability to extract meaningful information from them has become an increasingly important problem to solve.Methods: We develop a standardized data analysis process to support cohort study with a focus on a particular disease. We use an interactive divide-and-conquer approach to classify patients into relatively uniform within each group. It is a repetitive process enabling the user to divide the data into homogeneous subsets that can be visually examined, compared, and refined. The final visualization was driven by the transformed data, and user feedback direct to the corresponding operators which completed the repetitive process. The output results are shown in a Sankey diagram-style timeline, which is a particular kind of flow diagram for showing factors' states and transitions over time.Results: This paper presented a visually rich, interactive web-based application, which could enable researchers to study any cohorts over time by using EMR data. The resulting visualizations help uncover hidden information in the data, compare differences between patient groups, determine critical factors that influence a particular disease, and help direct further analyses. We introduced and demonstrated this tool by using EMRs of 14,567 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients.Conclusions: We developed a visual mining system to support exploratory data analysis of multi-dimensional categorical EMR data. By using CKD as a model of disease, it was assembled by automated correlational analysis and human-curated visual evaluation. The visualization methods such as Sankey diagram can reveal useful knowledge about the particular disease cohort and the trajectories of the disease over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether the use of levothyroxine was associated with breast cancer risk.Methods: We conducted a population-based case-control study in Taiwan. Cases consisted of all patients who were aged 20 years and older, and had a first-time diagnosis of breast cancer for the period between 2001 and 2011. The controls were matched to the cases by age, sex, year, and month of diagnosis. Adjusted odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by a conditional logistic regression.Results: We examined 65,491 breast cancer cases and 261,964 controls. We found that use of levothyroxine was associated with a significant increase in breast cancer risk (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.15-1.33; P < 0.001). Compared with no use levothyroxine, the adjusted odd ratio was 1.22 (95% CI 1.11-1.35; P = 0.01) for the group having been prescribed levothyroxine 2 months to 1 year, and 1.26 (95% CI 1.12-1.41; P < 0.01) for the group with more than 1 year. When stratified by age, the adjusted odd ratio was 1.45 (95% CI 1.23-1.71; P < 0.01) for the patients aged 65 years or more and 1.19 (95% CI 1.09-1.29, P < 0.01) for the patients aged less than 65 years.Conclusion: The results of the present study are the first to suggest that levothyroxine use increased the risk of breast cancer. However, a larger long-term prospective randomized-controlled trial specifically designed to assess the effect of levothyroxine use on the risk of developing breast cancer is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tananao Schist Belt is a low-pressure metamorphic complex comprised of three lithological units of marble, schist formation, and granite, in ascending order of proportion. Previous studies have found that the schist formation was formed during the Mesozoic. However, there is a lack of geochronological data to corroborate the schist protolith and metamorphic ages. In this study, we have used U Pb zircon geochronology to provide a time frame for the creation of the schist formation and metamorphism, as well as a new tectonic model. Twenty-three schist and eleven meta-magmatic samples were used for U Pb dating by LA-ICP-MS. Results from the youngest peak age of detrital zircon indicate that the schist formed in a new depositional age of 120–110 Ma and, therefore, is different from the previously estimated age of the Paleozoic-Mesozoic. Additionally, the block-in-matrix schist indicates an age that ranges from 270 to 80 Ma and was inferred from the chaotic deposits to be a metamorphic mélange. The Tananao Schist Belt appears to represent an arc-trench system that formed during the Cretaceous in the South China Block margin. Moreover, the youngest U Pb age of 80 Ma from the leucogranite dike and schist, constrains the upper age limit for a metamorphism that is younger than the previously accepted age of 100–90 Ma. The contact layer between Permian-Triassic marble and the overlying early Cretaceous schists remains a chloritoid bed that is, therefore, considered to be a paleosol at the unconformity, which formed over an extended duration of 60 ± 30 Ma. The stratigraphic contact indicates a long period of erosion during the Jurassic and suggests that a tectonic event occurred. However, we propose that two important metamorphic events took place prior to, and following, the schist formation during the Jurassic and late Cretaceous orogenic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent discussions have focused on using health information technology (HIT) to support goals related to universal healthcare delivery. These discussions have generally not reflected on the experience of countries with a large amount of experience using HIT to support universal healthcare on a national level. HIT was compared globally by using data from the Ministry of the Interior, Republic of China (Taiwan). Taiwan has been providing universal healthcare since 1995 and began to strategically implement HIT on a national level at that time. Today the national-level HIT system is more extensive in Taiwan than in many other countries and is used to aid administration, clinical care, and public health. The experience of Taiwan thus can provide an illustration of how HIT can be used to support universal healthcare delivery. In this article we present an overview of some key historical developments and successes in the adoption of HIT in Taiwan over a 17-year period, as well as some more recent developments. We use this experience to offer some strategic perspectives on how it can aid in the adoption of large-scale HIT systems and on how HIT can be used to support universal healthcare delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study draws on classical conditioning to explain how investors react to short sale-related measures. Our results reveal that measures related to the capital cost of short sellers cause a conditioned response among investors. This explains how investors actually perceive and relate to short sale-related measures and shows that many measures fail to achieve the expected results. Additionally, the conditioned response to measures related to the capital cost of short sellers reveals investor sentiment about the adjustment of short sale margin requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The rapid growth of the elderly population has given rise to the need for better geriatric care. The present study explored the common conditions of elderly outpatients with multiple physician visits in order to develop feasible clinical indicators that can be rapidly administered for the evaluation of geriatric syndromes in outpatient settings. Methods The National Health Insurance Research Database (2008) was analyzed. Claims for elderly outpatients with more than two physician visits in the same day were retrieved. The primary diagnoses, types of prescriptions and comorbidities were cross-examined. Results The overall prevalence rate for elderly patients with multiple physician visits ranged from 28.41% to 39.40%, and which increased steadily with age. A maximum of seven physician visits in a single day was observed. The most common multiple physician visit was two visits per day, with a prevalence rate of 30.97%. The two most common accompanying conditions were hypertension (3.79%) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (3.68%). There was a greater relative increase in the prevalence of senile dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in older age groups. The three overall leading specialties were cardiology, internal medicine, and ophthalmology; however, rehabilitation medicine was the most common female-specific specialty. The most commonly prescribed medications were antihypertension drugs. The most prevalent comorbidity was type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Conclusion We conclude that our data represent crucial information for the design of concise assessment metrics for application to the most chronic conditions in an effort to implement better geriatric healthcare. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2014; 14: 372-380. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medication errors are common, life threatening, costly but preventable. Information technology and automated systems are highly efficient for preventing medication errors and therefore widely employed in hospital settings. The aim of this study was to construct a probabilistic model that can reduce medication errors by identifying uncommon or rare associations between medications and diseases. Methods and Finding(s): Association rules of mining techniques are utilized for 103.5 million prescriptions from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance database. The dataset included 204.5 million diagnoses with ICD9-CM codes and 347.7 million medications by using ATC codes. Disease-Medication (DM) and Medication-Medication (MM) associations were computed by their co-occurrence and associations’ strength were measured by the interestingness or lift values which were being referred as Q values. The DMQs and MMQs were used to develop the AOP model to predict the appropriateness of a given prescription. Validation of this model was done by comparing the results of evaluation performed by the AOP model and verified by human experts. The results showed 96% accuracy for appropriate and 45% accuracy for inappropriate prescriptions, with a sensitivity and specificity of 75.9% and 89.5%, respectively. Conclusions: We successfully developed the AOP model as an efficient tool for automatic identification of uncommon or rare associations between disease-medication and medication-medication in prescriptions. The AOP model helps to reduce medication errors by alerting physicians, improving the patients’ safety and the overall quality of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the penetration of photovoltaic (PV) power generation in Taiwan has increased significantly. However, most photovoltaic facilities, especially for small-scale sites, do not include relevant monitoring and real-time measurement devices. The invisible power generation from these PV sites would cause a huge challenge on power system scheduling. Therefore, appropriate methods to estimate invisible PV power generation are needed. The main purpose of this paper is to propose an improved fuzzy model for estimating the PV power generation, which includes the clustering processing for PV sites, selection of representative PV sites, and the improvement of the conventional fuzzy model. First, this research uses the K-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm to fill in some of the missing data; then, two clustering algorithms are applied to cluster all the photovoltaic sites. Next, the relationship between the power generation of a single PV site and the total generation of all sites at the same cluster is further analyzed to select the representative PV sites. Finally, an improved fuzzy model is implemented to estimate the PV power generation. This research used actual data that were measured from PV sites in Taiwan for the estimation, verification, and comparison study. The numerical results demonstrate that the proposed method can obtain an average estimation error about 7% by using limit measurements from PV sites, highlighting the high efficiency and practicability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid progress in information technology, interactive whiteboards have become IT-integrated in teaching activities. The theory of multiple intelligences argues that every person possesses multiple intelligences, emphasizing learners' cognitive richness and the possible role of these differences in enhanced learning. This study is the first to investigate the influence of interactive whiteboards on the learning effectiveness of 4th-grade science students in Taiwan from the perspective of multiple intelligences. The experiment in this study was based on a quasi-experimental design. The results indicated that the learning achievement of the students taught using interactive whiteboards was greater than that of the students taught using lectures. Among the students in the experimental group using interactive whiteboards, the learning achievement of the students with weaker logical-mathematical intelligence was higher than that of those with strong logical-mathematical intelligence. In other words, it can be inferred that the interactive whiteboards achieved good learning effects even for the students with weak logical-mathematical intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is caused primarily by infection with oncogenic types of human papillomavirus (HPV). However, HPV infection alone is not sufficient for the progression to cervical cancer. Host immunogenetic factors may involve in the development of this disease. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase C (ITPKC) is recently shown to act as a negative regulator of T-cell activation. We aim to study if polymorphisms in the ITPKC gene are associated with the risk of cervical cancer in Taiwanese women. ITPKC rs28493229 C/G, rs890934 G/T, rs2303723 C/T, and rs10420685 A/G polymorphisms were genotyped in a hospital-based study of 465 women with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and 800 age-matched healthy control women. The presence and genotypes of HPV in CSCC were determined. The frequency of G/G genotype and G allele of the ITPKC rs28493229 polymorphism was significantly higher in patients with CSCC compared with controls (OR = 1.81, 95 % CI 1.20-2.73, P = 0.005, P = 0.02; OR = 1.70, 95 % CI 1.14-2.54, P = 0.008, P = 0.03, respectively). No significant associations were found for other 3 polymorphisms. Haplotype analysis revealed the distribution of haplotype CGTA was significantly reduced in women with CSCC (OR = 0.59, 95 % CI 0.40-0.89, P = 0.01, P = 0.04). In conclusion, we found the G/G genotype and G allele of the ITPKC rs28493229 polymorphism may contribute to the risk of CSCC in Taiwanese women. This finding provides new insights into the mechanisms of immune activation in cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Usually patients receive healthcare services from multiple hospitals, and consequently their healthcare data are dispersed over many facilities' paper and electronic-based record systems. Therefore, many countries have encouraged the research on data interoperability, access, and patient authorization. This study is an important part of a national project to build an information exchange environment for cross-hospital digital medical records carried out by the Department of Health (DOH) of Taiwan in May 2008. The key objective of the core project is to set up a portable data exchange environment in order to enable people to maintain and own their essential health information. This study is aimed at exploring the factors influencing behavior and adoption of USB-based Personal Health Records (PHR) in Taiwan. Methods: Quota sampling was used, and structured questionnaires were distributed to the outpatient department at ten medical centers which participated in the DOH project to establish the information exchange environment across hospitals. A total of 3000 questionnaires were distributed and 1549 responses were collected, out of those 1465 were valid, accumulating the response rate to 48.83%. Results: 1025 out of 1465 respondents had expressed their willingness to apply for the USB-PHR. Detailed analysis of the data reflected that there was a remarkable difference in the "usage intention" between the PHR adopters and non-adopters (x2 =182.4, p < 0.001). From the result of multivariate logistic regression analyses, we found the key factors affecting patients' adoption pattern were Usage Intention (OR, 9.43, 95%C.I., 5.87-15.16), Perceived Usefulness (OR, 1.60; 95%C.I., 1.11-2.29) and Subjective Norm (OR, 1.47; 95%C.I., 1.21-1.78). Conclusions: Higher Usage Intentions, Perceived Usefulness and Subjective Norm of patients were found to be the key factors influencing PHR adoption. Thus, we suggest that government and hospitals should promote the potential usefulness of PHR, and physicians should encourage patients' to adopt the PHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The rising trend of marital dissolution, just like marriage delay and non-marriage, has received much attention in both academic and public arena in East Asia in recent years. Taking a gender and comparative perspective, our research investigates marital dissolution by examining the changes in marital attitudes, gender roles, socio-economic status and educational opportunity of women and their influence on marital decisions in three East Asian countries, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. In addition, we also investigate the impact of shifting social expectations towards marriage and the reconfiguration of the meaning of matrimony. Furthermore, our study aims to explore the clash between institutional purposes of marriage in Confucian and Collectivist values and modern and individualistic goals of marriage in East Asian societies today. Our analysis is based on data from the special family module of the 2006 East Asia Social Survey conducted simultaneously in Taiwan, Korea and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article identifies the cultural differences and language barriers faced by Taiwanese social workers when working with families of cross-border marriages, and discusses the importance of adopting a multicultural approach in social work practice in order to cater to the urgent needs of an increasingly culturally diverse society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work analyzed metal concentrations and potential sources of sediment pollutants in the Tamsui River, Taiwan, by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The Tamsui River, the second longest of Taiwan’s three major rivers, flows through metropolitan Taipei City in northern Taiwan and is renowned for its preserved mangrove wetlands. In total 11 elements Al, As, Br, Cs, Fe, La, Mg. Mn, Na, Sc, and Ti were identified in 24 samples taken from three sites upriver, the mangrove area and estuary during the spring of 2004. Specifically, the most abundant Al metal concentration was 15.6–0.92 mg/g adopted as standard reference in this study. Only few sites had As at the statistical meaning (>DL). Furthermore, arsenic concentrations fluctuated at roughly 0.67 ± 0.09 mg/kg based on variations in background counts in various γ-ray spectra. Elemental concentrations of these elements were compared with those in other nations, and discussed in the context of enrichment factors calculated for elements using the earth crust of various sediments as references, based on elemental values of Al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Taiwan Electronic Medical Record Template (TMT) developed by the Taiwan Association for Medical Informatics research group. The TMT serves as basic structure of reference for setting up electronic medical records (EMRs) in Taiwan's health insurance industry. The TMT standards seeks to achieve functional and semantic interoperability in electronic health records (EHRs).

Kinmen Island is a small, tectonically stable, granitic island that has been suffering from a scarcity of fresh water resources due to excessive annual evapotranspiration over annual precipitation. Recent studies further indicate that shallow (0–70 m) sedimentary aquifers, the major sources of groundwater supply, have already been over-exploited. Therefore, this preliminary study is to investigate the existence of exploitable water resources that can balance the shortage of fresh water on this island. Site characterization data are obtained from island-wide geophysical surveys as well as small-scale tests performed in a study area formed by three deep (maximum depth to 560 m) vertical boreholes installed in mid-east Kinmen northeast to Taiwu Mountain. Vertical fracture frequency data indicate that the rock body is fractured with a spatially correlated pattern, from which three major fracture zones (depths 0–70, 330–360, and below 450 m) can be identified. Geologic investigations indicate that the deepest fracture zone is caused by the large-scale, steeply dipping Taiwushan fault. This fault may have caused a laterally extensive low-resistivity zone, a potential fractured aquifer, near Taiwu Mountain. The middle fracture zone is induced by the Taiwushan fault and intersects the fault approximately 21 m southeast of the study area below a depth of 350 m. Slug testing results yield fracture transmissivity varying from 4.8 × 10−7 to 2.2 × 10−4 m2/s. Cross-hole tests have confirmed that hydraulic connectivity of the deeper rock body is controlled by the Taiwushan fault and the middle fracture zone. This connectivity may extend vertically to the sedimentary aquifers through high-angle joint sets. Despite the presence of a flow barrier formed by doleritic dike at about 300 m depth, the existence of fresh as well as meteoric water in the deeper rock body manifests that certain flow paths must exist through which the deeper fractured aquifers can be connected to the upper rock body. Therefore, groundwater stored within the Taiwushan fault and the associated low-resistivity zone can be considered as additional fresh water resources for future exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleoseismic trench excavations in the Dafu area of eastern Taiwan have provided data on the rupture history of the Rueisuei segment of the Longitudinal Valley fault during the late Holocene. The 1951 Taitung earthquake ruptured the Dafu site, which is characterized by several terrace raises with late Holocene sediments uplifted by the westward thrust fault. Trenches across the northwest-facing fault scarp exposed fluvial and alluvial deposit sediments. Although nearly all of the 23 radiocarbon ages vary somewhat within each layer, the overall age determined for each layer is in good accord with the stratigraphic ordering of these layers. Based on stratigraphic ordering and a statistical comparison of radiocarbon dates using the OxCal program, we estimate that two pre-1951 earthquake surface ruptures at the Dafu site occurred in the periods A.D. 1736-1898 and A.D. 1564-1680. The same OxCal model constrains the past two recurrence intervals to about 165 and 140 yr, although with sizable uncertainties, 55-215 and 90-260 yr, respectively, which are 95% ranges. Through the correlation of three trenches across the Longitudinal Valley fault, we are able to identify evidence for at least three earthquakes with moment magnitudes of about 7.0-7.2 that occurred up to 390 yr prior to and during 1951. Furthermore, based on the radiocarbon dates, the mean recurrence interval is roughly 150 yr (uncertainty is indeterminate), with a minimum vertical uplift rate of 8:5-12:2 mm/yr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geomorphic expression of the frontal Western Foothills in central Taiwan is usually defined by a late Holocene scarp that ranges from tens to hundreds of meters in height. This scarp is the product of displacement on a near-surface 20-30° east-dipping thrust fault, the Chelungpu fault, which ruptured during the Chichi earthquake. The large scarp height may correspond directly to the accumulation of successive surface ruptures. The Chushan site is located on the southern part of this fault where the Chichi earthquake produced a scarp with a 1.7-m vertical offset for the total vertical separation. Based on core-boring estimates, the vertical displacement on both sides is 7 m along a 24° east-dipping thrust fault. The results from our paleoseismic analysis indicate that five large paleoearthquake events have caused the large offsets during the past 2 ka. The radiocarbon age constraints of the paleoearthquakes suggest a clustering of 540-790 cal yr B.P. (E2), 710-950 cal yr B.P, (E3), 1380-1700 cal yr B.P. (E4), 1710-1930 cal yr B.P. (E5), and the 1999 Chichi earthquake. Events E3 and E4 have not been reported in previous studies and we did not observe event E1 (300-430 cal yr B.P.) at the site. Based on displacement and fault segmentation from the geologic features, we argue that the two new events may have occurred along the northern part of the Chelengpu fault. The vertical slip rate is estimated to be at least 3.9 ± 0.2 mm/yr over the past 2 ka, which is similar to the long-term estimation through a calculation of late Pleistocene-Holocene terrace elevations on the hanging wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 21 September 1999 earthquake (MW 7.6) produced a surface rupture that extended for 100-km in a general north–south direction in front of the Western Foothills, central Taiwan. The study area, located in a segment of the fold–thrust belt of central Taiwan, provides an important natural laboratory to study the relationship between active thrust deformation and fluvial terrace development. We recognize, from west to east, three subparallel thrusts, the Sanyi, Houli, and Shihkang faults in the northern part of the earthquake disaster area. The 1999 earthquake rupture occurred only along the Shihkang fault, whereas the other two faults were inactive. Along the Tachia River in the hanging wall of the Shihkang fault, eight well-developed terrace levels are observed, and can be subdivided into lateritic (Lt5–Lt1) and non-lateritic terraces (Ft3–Ft1). Five levels of lateritic terrace (Lt5–Lt1) are located in the hanging wall of the Houli fault, and a lateritic terrace (Lt5) is present in the hanging wall of the Sanyi fault. Stratigraphic and elevation correlations between these well-developed fluvial terraces in relationship to nearby geologic structures show that the Sanyi fault is the oldest structure. Lateritic terraces of at least 10,000 yr bp, for example, overlie the Sanyi fault, but correlative terraces associated with the Houli fault are offset. These types of terrace correlations allow us to define the progressive development of the thrust system within the Western Foothills. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Focuses on the relationship between the 1999 surface rupture and prior earthquake offsets in central Taiwan. Documentation of prehistoric ruptures; Effect of art-continent collision; Failure to recognize fault-related geomorphic features.

Examines the pliocene-pleistocene collisional marine foreland basin of Taiwan. Description of the geological setting; Conduction of lithofacies, magnetostratigraphic and seismic profile analysis of foreland basin deposits; Identification of conformity surfaces in seismic sections.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) to health has increased, including to COVID-19. This study aimed to provide a clear overview of COVID-19-related AI publication trends using longitudinal bibliometric analysis. A systematic literature search was conducted on the Web of Science for English language peer-reviewed articles related to AI application to COVID-19. A search strategy was developed to collect relevant articles and extracted bibliographic information (e.g., country, research area, sources, and author). VOSviewer (Leiden University) and Bibliometrix (R package) were used to visualize the co-occurrence networks of authors, sources, countries, institutions, global collaborations, citations, co-citations, and keywords. We included 729 research articles on the application of AI to COVID-19 published between 2020 and 2021. PLOS One (33/729, 4.52%), Chaos Solution Fractals (29/729, 3.97%), and Journal of Medical Internet Research (29/729, 3.97%) were the most common journals publishing these articles. The Republic of China (190/729, 26.06%), the USA (173/729, 23.73%), and India (92/729, 12.62%) were the most prolific countries of origin. The Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences were the most productive institutions. This is the first study to show a comprehensive picture of the global efforts to address COVID-19 using AI. The findings of this study also provide insights and research directions for academic researchers, policymakers, and healthcare practitioners who wish to collaborate in these domains in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the gender and cause-specific postneonatal mortality in Taiwan. Equality in mortality rate for both genders; Relationship between socio-economic status and mortality rates; Male-to-female ratio of overall death; Trends for cause-specific mortality for male and female infants.

The influence of social and biologic factors on sudden infant death was studied in a large Chinese population. Data from all birth certificates in Taiwan from 1988 to 1992 were merged with death certificate data for postneonatal deaths from sudden infant death syndrome and suffocation. The Cox's proportional hazard model was used to compute multivariate adjusted relative risk estimates and 95% confidence intervals. Age difference of parents of more than 10 years was associated with a relative risk (RR) of 1.8 (multivariate adjusted, 95% confidence interval (Cl) 1.3–2.3). Better than elementary education for the father was protective (adjusted RR 0.8, 95% Cl 0.7–1.0, p < 0.05), and college education of the mother elevated the risk (adjusted RR 1.2, 95% Cl 1.0–1.4, p < 0.05). Infants born second to fourth had an adjusted RR of 1.7 (95% Cl 1.5–1.9), and infants bom fifth or higher had a RR of 2.3 (95% Cl 1.5–3.4). The multivariate adjusted RR for low birth weight and prematurity were 2.3 (95% Cl 1.9–2.8) and 1.2 (95% Cl 1.0–1.5), respectively. Data from this 5-year cohort in Taiwan emphasize biologic and social variables as important risk factors of sudden infant death in Chinese babies. Am J Epidemiol 1996;144:1070-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coastal Range in eastern Taiwan, which has resulted from arc-continent collisions, involves well-developed Holocene uplifted marine terraces along a 140-km long stretch of the coast. This is the first study that unraveled the aseismic generation of marine terraces associated with coseismic uplift along the creeping fault. We organized DEMs/LiDAR mapping and field surveys to obtain detailed and systematic measurements of the inner and outer edges and wave-cut platform elevations along thirty-three stream profile transects, allowing us to locate the bedrock profile. Spatial and temporal variations in the 14C age are characterized by an offlapping built feature of significant seaward younging trend of ages across the marine terrace, caused by aseismic and coseismic uplift. Thus, heights of the bedrock riser and platform are caused by coseismic (large earthquake) and aseismic plus moderate coseismic vertical deformations during a large earthquake cycle, respectively. This indicates that each terrace duration and paleoshoreline ages can be used to infer the recurrence interval and the timing of large earthquake events, respectively. Results of the age of the paleoshoreline indicate six paleoseismic events at ∼8500, ∼6300, ∼4800, ∼3400, ∼1700, and ∼700 yr BP. This implies that the Chihshang creeping Fault could be capable of producing large earthquakes (greater than M7) at millennial time scales associated with larger coseismic deformations. The creep faulting associated with seismic and aseismic uplift is a dominant process constraining the Holocene marine terrace evolution. • This is the first study that unraveled the aseismic generation of marine terraces associated with coseismic uplift along the creeping fault. • The creeping fault could generate large earthquakes (greater than M7) at millennial time scales with larger coseismic displacements. • Offlapping built feature of seaward younging trend of ages across terrace caused by aseismic and coseismic uplift during the interseismic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first deep geothermal energy development project in Taiwan was launched at the Ilan Plain in northeastern Taiwan, where metamorphic rock is covered by sediments and detailed subsurface structures were poorly known. An eastward plunging anticline containing a fault system was effectively imaged in our seismic sections. However, since some rock fragments recovered from the exploration wells were still questioned, two fault structure models were proposed. One is an extensional strike-slip fault system, and the other is an active normal fault system, which depends on whether the rock fragments were affiliated with the Hsuehshan Range or with the Backbone Range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete volcanic sequences restored in the Coastal Range of Taiwan are key archives for better understanding the magmatic and tectonic evolution of the Northern Luzon Arc. This paper reports (1) new zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic data of fourteen volcanic samples from different sequences of four major volcanoes in the Coastal Range, (2) Hf isotopic data of dated magmatic and detrital zircons from two offshore volcanic islands, Lutao and Lanyu. These data indicate that the arc magmatism in the Coastal Range started at ~15 Ma, most active at ~9 Ma, and ceased at ~4.2 Ma. Magmatic zircons from the arc rocks show a significant variation in Hf isotopic composition, with eHf(T) values varying from +24.9 to +4.8. As pointed out by our previous studies, old continental zircons that show Cathaysian-type ages and Hf isotope features are common in samples from the Yuemei, Chimei, and Lanyu volcanoes, supporting the notion for the influence of the existence of an accreted micro-continent or continental fragment plays a role in the petrogenesis. Such inherited zircons are not observed in the Chengkuang'ao and Tuluanshan volcanoes and uncommon in Lutao, implying the discontinuity or a limited extent of the accreted continental fragment. The eHf(T) values are high and positive from ~15 - 8 Ma (+25 to +15; ±5e-unit variation), and became lower from ~6 to 4.2 Ma (+20 to +8; ±6e units) and the lowest from ~1.3 Ma (+19 to +5; ±7e units). Such a temporal variation in zircon Hf isotopic ratios can be also identified in whole-rock Hf and Nd isotopic compositions, which decrease from ~6 Ma when the Northern Luzon Arc may have started colliding with the Eurasian continental margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An increasing number of cyclotrons at medical centers in Taiwan have been installed to generate radiopharmaceutical products. An operating cyclotron generates immense amounts of secondary neutrons from reactions such the 18O(p, n)18F, used in the production of FDG. This intense radiation can be hazardous to public health, particularly to medical personnel. To increase the yield of 18F-FDG from 4200GBq in 2005 to 48,600GBq in 2011, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital (CSMUH) has prolonged irradiation time without changing the target or target current to meet requirements regarding the production 18F. The CSMUH has redesigned the CTI Radioisotope Delivery System shield. The lack of data for a possible secondary neutron doses has increased due to newly designed cyclotron rooms. This work aims to evaluate secondary neutron doses at a CTI cyclotron center using a thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD-600). Two-dimensional neutron doses were mapped and indicated that neutron doses were high as neutrons leaked through self-shielded blocks and through the L-shaped concrete shield in vault rooms. These neutron doses varied markedly among locations close to the H2 18O target. The Monte Carlo simulation and minimum detectable dose are also discussed and demonstrated the reliability of using the TLD-600 approach. Findings can be adopted by medical centers to identify radioactive hot spots and develop radiation protection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to scrutinize the development, process and control of an early post-rift siliciclastic fill-up wedge, sequence stratigraphy was applied to the Oligo-Miocene coastal-shelf strata of a mid-Tertiary rift basin in Taiwan. Four sequences at the million-year/3rd-order scale, constrained by microfossil biohorizons and radioactive dates, were identified and correlated regionally. The lower sequence belongs to the fault-bounded Oligocene syn-rift wedge. The middle two comprise the lower Miocene early post-rift wedge, onlapping onto the Mesozoic basement highs. The upper sequence is the lower Miocene late post-rift drape on the continental margin. The middle two sequences record a process of active topographic transformation through successive coastal-shelf progradations. At first, the remnant rift topographic low received drastic progradations from both the inner and outer highs. During the later progradations principally from the inner high, the topographic low was filled up for the successive drape. This wedge formation was characteristically short-lived and high in sedimentation rate, when accommodation space and sediment supply both increased. The initial accommodation space of the remnant rift deep shelf was augmented by rapid thermal subsidence and long-term eustatic sea level rise. The sediment supply, in spite of a decrease in provenance exposure due to onlapping, was promoted by periodic exposures due to 3rd-order eustatic sea level falls, and additionally by a warm and humid climate. These falls are age concordant with the sequence boundaries and thus evidently important for the sequence boundary formations and sediment dispersal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We find three coral boulders (approx. 5 m across) resting on the Holocene coral terrace on the Jiupeng coast of southeastern Taiwan. Three exotic corals on the outer part of the boulders are dated at ca. 5000 yr BP which is similar to that of in situ corals composing the Holocene terrace. We interpret that these boulders were broken off from the coral terrace and were transported by tsunami waves, although the timing of the paleotsunami is not determined at this stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A trenching site was excavated for the purpose of paleoseismic exploration and slip-rate acquisition along the Chelungpu fault, the source fault for the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake (Mw 7.3) in central Taiwan. In previous studies that used conventional and AMS radiocarbon dating, sample ages clustered in three unevenly spaced groups: <400, 1700–2200, and >30000BP. Those prior studies also yielded questionable long-term slip rates: the rate for the last 2ka was six times higher than the average for the past 40ka. In order to reevaluate the time frame for this trench, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was applied. The large- and small-aliquot dose distributions were used to investigate the completeness of bleaching on nearby collected modern samples. Results indicate that the 5% minimum ages derived from the small-aliquot dose distributions are preferable for dating young samples, which may include unbleached sediment grains associated with the incompletely bleached sediments. The final OSL dates indicate that the previously published radiocarbon ages include some incorrect ages resulting from contamination and reworking of deposits, and a revised time frame is presented. Cumulative vertical slip independently derived from trench log restoration is 1.8m in the past 2000 years, which is consistent with the vertical slip rate, i.e., 0.91m/ka, calculated from the depositional rate in the footwall. This result inversely suggests that the time frame presented in this study is reliable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reviews the research on active and earthquake faults in Taiwan conducted prior and after the 1999 Chichi earthquake. The Chichi earthquake plays as a turning point of the relevant studies, since the 1999 coseismic surface rupture exactly follows preexisting fault scarps, created in turn by previous seismic events along the Chelungpu Fault. This fact indicates that the precise mapping on the other active faults is fundamental to predict the location of surface rupture caused by large future earthquakes. Since 1999, many trenching studies have been carried out along the Chichi earthquake fault. A few of them demonstrates that the penultimate event is as young as probably only 200–430 years old; however, some others show a rather old age of several hundreds years or even older for the last faulting event before 1999. More trenching studies are necessary for such a long fault in order to understand the possible segmentation features and the correlation of the paleoseismic events identified along the entire fault length. In addition, we further discuss the offshore faulting associated with seismic event along the eastern coast of Taiwan, where the multiple Holocene terraces are well known. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report on the near-surface (< 500 m) seismic structure (Vp, Vs, and Vs anisotropy) of Taiwan using the empirical Green's functions of body waves between vertical station pairs at 60 borehole sites. The near-surface anisotropy in metamorphic rocks and Miocene or older sedimentary strata are mostly categorized as orogeny-parallel anisotropy (OPA), and sites exhibiting stress-aligned anisotropy (SAA) are located in areas with late Quaternary sedimentary deposits or in alluvial coastal plains. The results show that there is a significant variation of the anisotropy strength even within the same geological unit. Since all the major geological units of Taiwan are well sampled by borehole arrays, and drilling data for 52 sites are available, this provides a unique opportunity to investigate the geological implications of strong variations in near-surface anisotropy. The investigation indicates that (1) near-surface anisotropy caused by structural fabric is generally stronger than that resulting from the alignment of stress-induced open cracks, (2) SAA strength in sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks, and gravel sediments is generally higher than that in fine-grained sediments, and (3) the sites with the strongest OPA (> 30%) are located in mountain ranges and the mean OPA strength of these sites is significantly higher than that of foothills, suggesting that foliated metamorphic rocks lead to stronger OPA than do dipping sedimentary strata. The results also suggest that the fluid-saturation of micro-cracks is not a necessary condition for the occurrence of the SAA mechanism in the near-surface depth range. • Structure-related anisotropy is generally stronger than stress-induced anisotropy. • Consolidated rocks and gravels show higher anisotropy than fine-grained sediments. • Foliated metamorphic rocks show stronger OPA than dipping sedimentary strata. • Fluid-saturation is not necessary for SAA occurrence in near-surface depth range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Drug–drug interactions have long been an active research area in clinical medicine. In Taiwan, however, the widespread use of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) presents additional complexity to the topic. Therefore, it is important to see the interaction between traditional Chinese and western medicine. Objective (1) To create a comprehensive database of multi-herb/western drug interactions indexed according to the ways in which physicians actually practice and (2) to measure this database's impact on the detection of adverse effects between traditional Chinese medicine compounds and western medicines. Methods First, a multi-herb/western medicine drug interactions database was created by separating each TCM compound into its constituent herbs. Each individual herb was then checked against an existing single-herb/western drug interactions database. The data source comes from the National Health Insurance research database, which spans the years 1998–2011. This study estimated the interaction prevalence rate and further separated the rates according to patient characteristics, distribution by county, and hospital accreditation levels. Finally, this new database was integrated into a computer order entry module of the electronic medical records system of a regional teaching hospital. The effects it had were measured for two months. Results The most commonly interacting Chinese herbs were Ephedrae Herba and Angelicae Sinensis Radix/Angelicae Dahuricae Radix. Ephedrae Herba contains active ingredients similar to in ephedrine. 15 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine compounds contain Ephedrae Herba. Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Angelicae Dahuricae Radix contain ingredients similar to coumarin, a blood thinner. 9 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine compounds contained Angelicae Sinensis Radix/Angelicae Dahuricae Radix. In the period from 1998 to 2011, the prevalence of herb–drug interactions related to Ephedrae Herba was 0.18%. The most commonly prescribed traditional Chinese compounds were MA SHING GAN SHYR TANG (23.1%), followed by SHEAU CHING LONG TANG (15.5%) and DINQ CHUAN TANG (13.2%). The prevalence of herb–drug interactions related to Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Angelicae Dahuricae Radix was 4.59%. The most common traditional Chinese compound formula were TSANG EEL SAAN (32%), followed by HUOH SHIANG JENQ CHIH SAAN (31.4%) and SHY WUH TANG (10.7%). Once the multi-herb drug interaction database was deployed in a hospital system, there were 480 prescriptions that indicated a TCM–western drug interaction. Physicians were alerted 24 times during two months. These alerts resulted in a prescription change four times (16.7%). Conclusion Due to the unique cultural factors that have resulted in widespread acceptance of both western and traditional Chinese medicine, Taiwan stands well positioned to report on the prevalence of interactions between western drugs and traditional Chinese medicine and devise ways to reduce their incidence. This study built a multi-herb/western drug interactions database, embedded inside a hospital clinical information system, and then examined the effects that drug interaction alerts had on clinician prescribing behaviour. The results demonstrated that western drug/traditional Chinese medicine interactions are prevalent and that western-trained physicians tend to change their prescribing behaviour more than traditional Chinese medicine physicians in their response to medication interaction alerts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are currently 501 hospitals and about 20,000 clinics in Taiwan. The National Health Insurance (NHI) system, which is operated by the NHI Administration, uses a single-payer system and covers 99.9% of the nation's total population of 23,000,000. Taiwan's NHI provides people with a high degree of freedom in choosing their medical care options. However, there is the potential concern that the available medical resources will be overused. The number of doctor consultations per person per year is about 15. Duplication of laboratory tests and prescriptions are not rare either. Building an electronic medical record exchange system is a good method of solving these problems and of improving continuity in health care. In November 2009, Taiwan's Executive Yuan passed the ‘Plan for accelerating the implementation of electronic medical record systems in medical institutions’ (2010–2012; a 3-year plan). According to this plan, a patient can, at any hospital in Taiwan, by using his/her health insurance IC card and physician's medical professional IC card, upon signing a written agreement, retrieve all important medical records for the past 6 months from other participating hospitals. The focus of this plan is to establish the National Electronic Medical Record Exchange Centre (EEC). A hospital's information system will be connected to the EEC through an electronic medical record (EMR) gateway. The hospital will convert the medical records for the past 6 months in its EMR system into standardized files and save them on the EMR gateway. The most important functions of the EEC are to generate an index of all the XML files on the EMR gateways of all hospitals, and to provide search and retrieval services for hospitals and clinics. The EEC provides four standard inter-institution EMR retrieval services covering medical imaging reports, laboratory test reports, discharge summaries, and outpatient records. In this system, we adopted the Health Level 7 (HL7) Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) standards to generate clinical documents and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Cross-enterprise Document Sharing (XDS) profile for the communication infrastructure. By December of 2014, the number of hospitals that provide an inter-institution EMR exchange service had reached 321. Hospitals that had not joined the service were all smaller ones with less than 100 beds. Inter-institution EMR exchange can make it much easier for people to access their own medical records, reduce the waste of medical resources, and improve the quality of medical care. The implementation of an inter-institution EMR exchange system faces many challenges. This article provides Taiwan's experiences as a reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]