Effects of cooperative learning on undergraduate nursing students: a quasi- experimental study.

Aim: This study evaluated the effect of cooperative learning on the attitude, satisfaction, and performance of undergraduate nursing students enrolled in community nursing courses.

Design: A one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design.

Methods: This study was conducted at a university in northern Taiwan.

Continuous quality improvement: reducing informed consent form signing errors.

Background: Adherence to ethical guidelines and regulations and protecting and respecting the dignity and autonomy of participants by obtaining a valid informed consent form (ICF) prior to participation in research are crucial; The subjects did not add signatures next to the corrections made to signatures or dates on the ICF, Multiple signatures in other fields, ICF missing/missing signature, Incorrect ICF version Signed after modification, Correction tape used to correct signature, Impersonated signature, Non-research-member signature, however, ICFs are often not properly completed, which must be addressed. This study analyzed ICF signing errors and implemented measures to reduce or prevent these errors.

Methods: We used the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle to help improve the correctness and validity of ICF signing.

Gender Equality in Employment among Health Care Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to predict the important variables associated with health care undergraduate students' opinion of gender equality (GE) in employment.

Design: This study adopted a cross-sectional design with multistage sampling and adhered to STROBE guidelines.

Setting: From one of the universities of health care in northern Taiwan.

Can simulation-based team resource management training help students to pass entrustable professional activities 13?

Objective: Simulation technology has been integrated into team resource management (TRM) training in many hospitals. We designed a simulation-based TRM training scenario (SBTRM) aiming to help post graduate year (PGY) physicians to fulfil the requirements of the entrustable professional activities 13 (EPA 13). In this study, we investigate and report the SBTRM effectiveness.

Investigation of Prognostic Features in Primary Cutaneous and Soft Tissue Angiosarcoma After Surgical Resection: A Retrospective Study.

Primary cutaneous and soft tissue angiosarcoma is a rare but highly aggressive malignancy. To date, surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment, but poor prognosis is expected. To investigate whether there are factors associated with poor prognosis after surgical resection and to develop a treatment guideline for current therapy, we retrospectively collected data on 28 patients who underwent surgery as initial treatment and reviewed patient demographics, tumor characteristics, disease courses, and prognoses from September 1996 to May 2013.

Second hernia repairs in children-a nationwide study.

Background: Second inguinal hernia repairs may be needed either owing to contralateral metachronous hernia (MH) or ipsilateral recurrent hernia (RH). In this study, we estimated the incidence rates of MH and RH from a large nationwide database.

Methods: The information was obtained from the National Health Insurance Database (with 23 million insurants).

The discrimination of using the short physical performance battery to screen frailty for community-dwelling elderly people.

Purpose: This study explored the risk factors, cut-off points, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values of physical performance testing among community-dwelling frail elderly people in Taiwan.

Organizing Construct: The empirical measurement of frailty is based on the following five indicators: weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, slow responses, and minimal physical activity. The frail phenotype is considered present if three or more of the indicators are observed.

A longitudinal cohort study of incidence rates of inguinal hernia repair in 0- to 6-year-old children.

Background/purpose: This study provides epidemiologic data on the incidence of inguinal hernia repair in preschool children using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We believe that the data on hernia repair in said database provide a close approximation of the true incidence of inguinal hernia in young children.

Method: A cohort of 1,073,891 deidentified individuals was randomly selected from an insured population of 23 million.

Combined enteral feeding and total parenteral nutritional support improves outcome in surgical intensive care unit patients.

Background: For intensive care unit (ICU) patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction and in need of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) support, the benefit of additional enteral feeding is not clear. This study aimed to investigate whether combined TPN with enteral feeding is associated with better outcomes in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients.

Methods: Clinical data of 88 patients in SICU were retrospectively collected.

Perception of quality of life of a cohort population years after relocation from previous low-dose radiation exposure in Co-60 contaminated buildings in Taiwan.

Purpose: To evaluate measures of health-related quality of life in a cohort study in Taiwan to assess late health effects of protracted low-dose-rate γ-radiation exposure during 1982 to the mid-1990s.

Materials And Methods: In 2004, 1,407 cohort subjects were evaluated by a self-measured World Health Organisation-Brief quality of life Questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version) during an annual medical check-up in a hospital. Results of their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in physical, psychological, social relationship and environmental domains were compared with an unexposed reference population in the same city.

Accuracy of helical computed tomography in the detection of pulmonary colorectal metastases.

Objective: This study assessed the sensitivity of helical computed tomography in the detection of pulmonary metastases in patients with colorectal cancer and the role of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in patients with pulmonary metastases.

Methods: A total of 120 operations for pulmonary metastases were performed in 91 patients with colorectal cancer. All patients received an open thoracotomy that allowed full operative inspection and palpation.

Predictors of disability in Taiwanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore predictors of disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Taiwan.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting mainly the joints. However, little information is currently available on the disability of Asian patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Persistently high serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels after surgery indicate poor prognosis in patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic significance of preoperative and postoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer.

Material And Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of 257 patients with stage I lung cancer undergoing surgical resection was performed. The clinical data of each patient was collected for analysis including age, smoking habits, gender, preoperative and postoperative serum CEA levels, tumor diameter, histologic type, visceral pleural invasion, pathologic stage, and type of operation.

Bacterial colonization of epidural catheters used for short-term postoperative analgesia: microbiological examination and risk factor analysis.

Background: The authors conducted this prospective study to determine the incidence, potential routes, and risk factors of microbial colonization of epidural catheter used for postoperative pain control.

Methods: Two-hundred five patients with epidural analgesia for postoperative pain were studied. On removal of the catheter, five samples were sent for culture: the infusate, a swab from inside the hub of the epidural catheter connector, a swab from the skin around the catheter insertion site, the subcutaneous segment, and the tip of the catheter.

Comparison of Charlson comorbidity index and Kaplan-Feinstein index in patients with stage I lung cancer after surgical resection.

Objective: We sought to determine whether Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) or Kaplan-Feinstein index (KFI) is a better predictor of prognosis in patients with stage I NSCLC after surgical resection.

Methods: A retrospective study of medical records of 426 patients with stage I lung cancer having complete surgical resection from 1995 to 2000 was performed. Data collected included age, gender, smoking history, resection type, pleural invasion status, and tumor type and size.

Characterization of a multiple epigenetic marker panel for lung cancer detection and risk assessment in plasma.

Background: Methylation patterns may be useful biomarkers of cancer detection and risk assessment.

Methods: The methylation status of 6 genes, including a candidate tumor suppressor gene (BLU), the cadherin 13 gene (CDH13), the fragile histidine triad gene (FHIT), the cell cycle control gene p16, the retinoic acid receptor beta gene (RARbeta), and the Ras association domain family 1 gene (RASSF1A), was examined in plasma samples, corresponding tumor tissues, and normal lung tissues from a group of 63 patients with lung cancer and in plasma samples from 36 cancer-free individuals. The detection rate of the p16 gene was validated in a test group of 20 patients with lung cancer.

Thymoma is associated with relapse of symptoms after transsternal thymectomy for myasthenia gravis.

Thymectomy is considered a therapeutic option for patients with myasthenia gravis. A myasthenic patient who has not received any treatment for years and shows no signs or symptoms of the disease after operation is still susceptible to a recurrence of myasthenic symptoms. To investigate which factors are related to relapse of symptoms in patients having thymectomy, we conduct a retrospective review in the patients who had experienced complete remission after thymectomy.

Preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen level is a prognostic factor in women with early non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is one of the markers evaluated in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The significance of the preoperative serum CEA level in female patients with NSCLC is seldom discussed. In this study, we conducted a retrospective review to investigate the prognostic significance of the preoperative CEA level in female patients with stage I NSCLC.

Management of primary chest wall tumors: 14 years' clinical experience.

Background: Primary chest wall tumor is rare but it encompasses tumors of various origins. We analyzed our experience with primary chest wall tumors with emphasis on its demographic presentation and management.

Methods: From 1991 to 2004, 62 patients with the diagnosis of primary chest wall tumors were enrolled.

Low conversion rate to multiple sclerosis in idiopathic optic neuritis patients in Taiwan.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with idiopathic optic neuritis (ON) in Taiwan and to assess the conversion rate to multiple sclerosis (MS) in these patients.

Methods: We studied the medical records of a total of 109 patients with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic ON treated in the Taipei Veterans General Hospital during the period from January 1986 to May 2003. Clinical characteristics, management, and disease courses were retrospectively reviewed.

A pilot clinical trial of vaccination with dendritic cells pulsed with autologous tumor cells derived from malignant pleural effusion in patients with late-stage lung carcinoma.

Background: The authors conducted a pilot clinical trial to explore the vaccination of patients with late-stage lung carcinoma with dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with necrotic tumor cells derived from malignant pleural effusion specimens, and to evaluate the antitumor immune response induced by this therapy.

Methods: Autologous DCs were generated by culturing adherent mononuclear cells with interleukin-4 and granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor for 7 days. Day-7 DCs were cocultured overnight with autologous necrotic tumor cells derived from pleural effusion specimens to allow internalization of tumor antigens.

[An assessment of the health of foreign brides in Hsin-Tien County].

The numbers of foreign brides are increasing and they have become a major source of caregivers to families in Taiwan. Because of cultural and linguistic barriers, however, they may not be able to handle either their own health needs or those of the families for which they work effectively. A comprehensive assessment of their own health needs is therefore the first step to solving these problems.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for chronic calcific tendinitis of the shoulders: a functional and sonographic study.

Objectives: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in shoulders with chronic calcific tendinitis, to compare the functional outcomes of ESWT and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy, and to investigate which types of calcium deposit effectively respond to ESWT.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Outpatient clinics of the departments of physical medicine and rehabilitation and of orthopedics and traumatology of a veterans hospital in Taiwan.