Quantifying thermoplastic mask quality for precision radiotherapy in head and neck cancer: A 3D stress test and 6D-axis error analysis.

Patients with head and neck cancers often require radiotherapy, where immobilization devices like thermoplastic masks ensure precise radiation delivery by minimizing movement. However, the quality of these masks lacks standard reference data. This study aimed to establish institutional acceptance criteria for thermoplastic mask quality and quantify their effectiveness using a 3 dimensional stress test and verified the setup errors using daily megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT).

Calreticulin regulates hepatic stellate cell activation through modulating TGF-beta-induced Smad signaling.

Liver fibrosis is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) as a wound healing process. Activated hepatic stellate cells (HpSCs) are the major producer of the ECM and play a central role in liver fibrogenesis. It has been widely accepted that elimination of activated HpSCs or reversion to a quiescent state can be a feasible strategy for resolving the disease, further highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic targets.

A Phase II Study of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy with Docetaxel, Cisplatin and 5-FU Followed by Surgical Resection in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Esophagogastric Junction Cancer and Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer.

Purpose: We conducted a phase II study evaluating chemoradiotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer, using the docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) regimen followed by surgery. The primary purposes of this clinical trial were to assess the efficacy and safety of chemoradiotherapy employing the DCF regimen in the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer.

Material And Methods: We enrolled a total of 24 newly diagnosed esophageal cancer patients between April 2015 and November 2017 in this prospective study.

Enhancing the Efficiency of a Radiation Oncology Department Using Electronic Medical Records: Protocol for Preparing Radiotherapy.

Background: Electronic medical records (EMRs) streamline medical processes, improve quality control, and facilitate data sharing among hospital departments. They also reduce maintenance costs and storage space needed for paper records, while saving time and providing structured data for future research.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether the integration of the radiation oncology information system and the hospital information system enhances the efficiency of the department of radiation oncology.

Empirical study on the factors influencing the successful aging of the middle-aged and older adult community volunteers.

Background: The pursuit of successful aging is currently the most important research and policy issue in an aging society. Participating in voluntary services can help middle-aged and older adults recognize the positive value and benefits of social participation, feel a sense of happiness and accomplishment, and improve their overall life satisfaction, which can also contribute to successful aging. This study wants to understand whether the participation motivation and expectation confirmation of middle-aged and older adult volunteering will affect their continuous participation behavior and successful aging because of the satisfaction of actual participation?

Objective: This study explores the factors related to middle-aged and older adult volunteering participation and their impact on successful aging.

Mobile Device-Based Video Screening for Infant Head Lag: An Exploratory Study.

Introduction: Video-based automatic motion analysis has been employed to identify infant motor development delays. To overcome the limitations of lab-recorded images and training datasets, this study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model using videos taken by mobile phone to assess infants' motor skills.

Methods: A total of 270 videos of 41 high-risk infants were taken by parents using a mobile device.

Machine learning of cell population data, complete blood count, and differential count parameters for early prediction of bacteremia among adult patients with suspected bacterial infections and blood culture sampling in emergency departments.

Background: Bacteremia is a life-threatening complication of infectious diseases. Bacteremia can be predicted using machine learning (ML) models, but these models have not utilized cell population data (CPD).

Methods: The derivation cohort from emergency department (ED) of China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) was used to develop the model and was prospectively validated in the same hospital.

Improving the Efficiency of Medication Reconciliation in Two Taiwanese Hospitals by Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance PharmaCloud Medication System.

Purpose: Medication reconciliation (MedRec) is a process to ensure complete and accurate communication of patient medication information throughout care transitions to prevent medication errors. Hospitals in Taiwan have stride to implement a universal protocol for MedRec. To establish a feasible protocol indigenously, the World Health Organization (WHO) protocol was incorporated with the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) PharmaCloud patient medication profile.

The Effect of Emotional Labor on the Physical and Mental Health of Health Professionals: Emotional Exhaustion Has a Mediating Effect.

(1) Background: Workers who perform emotional labor for an extended period are prone to emotional exhaustion; in particular, when the work exceeds the range of one's emotional resources, it will produce job burnout. This study investigated the effects of emotional labor and emotional exhaustion on the physical and mental health of health professionals. (2) Methods: This study was cross-sectional and the sampling criteria were health professionals from August 2020 to July 2021, including rehabilitators, nutritionists, clinical psychologists, radiologists, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, medical examiners and audiologists.

Peri-Neural Invasion Is an Important Prognostic Factor of T2N0 Oral Cancer.

Unlabelled: : Among patients with pathologically proven T2N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a notable amount of patients still die from tumor recurrence although they have radical surgery for early stage cancers. In literature, the prognostic indicators of this specific disease entity were rarely reported. This study aims at analyzing the prognostic factors of T2N0 OSCC patients and discussing possible managements to improve the survival.

Clinical Safety and Effectiveness of Robotic-Assisted Surgery in Patients with Rectal Cancer: Real-World Experience over 8 Years of Multiple Institutions with High-Volume Robotic-Assisted Surgery.

The perioperative and short-term oncological outcomes of robotic-assisted rectal surgery (RRS) are unclear. This retrospective observational study enrolled patients with rectal adenocarcinoma undergoing RRS from three high-volume institutions in Taiwan. Of the 605 enrolled patients, 301 (49.

Transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: it's come a long way and here to stay.

Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) was introduced as a novel technique to deal with rectal cancers. Its transanal approach offered the shortest distance to approach a challenging location, allowing an excellent visualization of the distal resection margin. Since its introduction in 2010, a significant amount of research has been put in to measure its development.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Pathological Node-Positive Disease in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Plus Surgery.

The purpose of the present study is to determine the impact on survival using adjuvant chemotherapy on patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. From 2007 to 2016, we enrolled 127 locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with combined neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and surgery. For patients with the pathological residual primary disease (pT+) and/or residual node disease (pN+) after nCRT, adjuvant chemotherapy was also given after consideration of the toxicity of nCRT, patient performance, and/or comorbidity.

Stratified analysis of the association between periodontitis and female breast cancer based on age, comorbidities and level of urbanization: A population-based nested case-control study.

Purpose: To conduct stratified analysis of the association between periodontitis exposure and the risk of female breast cancer based on age, comorbidities and level of urbanization.

Methods: Using claims data taken from the 1997-2013 Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), we identified 60,756 newly-diagnosed female breast cancer patients during the period 2003-2013 from all beneficiaries. We then randomly selected 243,024 women without breast cancer matching (1:4) for age and the year of the index date during 1997-2013 from a one million representative population acting as the control group.

Early Lipid Metabolic Effects of the Anti-Psychotic Drug Olanzapine on Weight Gain and the Associated Gene Expression.

Background: Atypical antipsychotics such as olanzapine often cause metabolic side effects such as obesity and diabetes, leading to an increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of olanzapine treatment on hepatic lipid metabolism and its possible relationship with adipose tissue status.

Methods: Using a female rat model, we investigated the effects of chronic olanzapine administration on the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism including lipid biosynthesis, oxidation, efflux, and lipolysis in liver and adipose tissue.

Transoral Robotic Surgery for Early-T Stage Glottic Cancer Involving the Anterior Commissure-News and Update.

Background: About 20% of all glottic carcinomas involve the anterior commissure (AC), and AC involvement was deemed to be a risk factor of local recurrence and poor prognosis. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has been developed for a panoramic view of the AC and en-bloc resection of the tumor by multidirectional dissection with endo-wristed instruments. With satisfactory preliminary results, we would like to update the data with a bigger cohort and present the news on using TORS for salvage treatment of recurrence from irradiation failure.

Role of Infodemics on Social Media in the Development of People's Readiness to Follow COVID-19 Preventive Measures.

Unparalleled levels of misinformation have contributed to widespread misunderstandings about the nature of the coronavirus, its cure and preventative measures. Misinformation crosses borders rapidly with the help of social media, and this phenomenon is constantly increasing. Thus, the current study proposes a research framework to explore how citizens' trust in government and social media influences their readiness to follow COVID-19 preventive measures.

Emerging Roles of Calcium Signaling in the Development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

The liver plays a central role in energy metabolism. Dysregulated hepatic lipid metabolism is a major cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a chronic liver disorder closely linked to obesity and insulin resistance. NAFLD is rapidly emerging as a global health problem with currently no approved therapy.

Lightning-induced high temperature and pressure microstructures in surface and subsurface fulgurites.

Cloud-to-ground lightning causes both high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphism of rocks, forming rock fulgurite. We demonstrate that a range of microstructural features indicative of high temperatures and pressures can form in fulgurites at the surface and in fractures up to several meters below the surface. In comparison to a granite reference sample collected from a borehole at a depth of 138 m, microstructures in both the surface and fracture fulgurite are characterized by: (i) the presence of glass, (ii) a phase transformation in K-feldspar with the presence of exsolution lamellae of plagioclase, and (iii) high residual stresses up to 1.

Sunlight Exposure and Phototherapy: Perspectives for Healthy Aging in an Era of COVID-19.

Most humans depend on sunlight exposure to satisfy their requirements for vitamin D. However, the destruction of the ozone layer in the past few decades has increased the risk of skin aging and wrinkling caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which may also promote the risk of skin cancer development. The promotion of public health recommendations to avoid sunlight exposure would reduce the risk of skin cancer, but it would also enhance the risk of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency, which may cause disease development and progression.

Robotic versus transanal total mesorectal excision in sexual, anorectal, and urinary function: a multicenter, prospective, observational study.

Purpose: Improved long-term survival after low anterior resection (LAR) for rectal cancer highlights the importance of functional outcome. Urogenital and anorectal dysfunction is frequently reported after conventional LAR. Advanced minimally invasive techniques such as robotic (RoTME) and transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) might improve functional results by precisely dissecting and preserving autonomic nerves.