Framing the virus: The political, economic, biomedical and social understandings of the COVID-19 in Taiwan.

The purpose of this paper is to study how people use texts and languages to interpret or make sense of the COVID-19 pandemic. We draw on the theoretical literature of framing perspectives to formulate our arguments that consider the virus a socially constructed reality. We use Taiwan as an empirical case study, using topic modeling analysis of newspaper articles.

Effectiveness of Digital Flipped Learning Evidence-Based Practice on Nurses' Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice: A Quasi-Experimental Trial.

Background: Evidence-based care has become critical in raising the quality of medical facilities. The implementation of evidence-based practice helps medical practitioners make better clinical decisions. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the innovative flipped teaching model could be as effective as the conventional teaching model in terms of knowledge, attitude, and practice and to confirm the continuous effect.

Overview of drug treatment for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in Taiwan emergency departments: Adenosine using trend from 2000 to 2012.

Background: Before 2010, guidelines recommended adenosine 6, 12, and a repeat dose of 12 mg for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). After 2010, these doses were reduced to two. This study aims to outline adenosine using trend from 2000 to 2012 in Taiwan emergency departments (EDs).

A direct connection promotes time efficiency for transfer of ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients.

Introduction: Reducing the delay in time to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome patients in the non-urban emergency department (ED) is of critical importance. Conventionally, physicians in a non-PCI-capable, non-urban local emergency department (LED) require approval from a tertiary university hospital emergency department (TUH-ED) prior to transferring eligible STEMI patients for PCI procedures. To reduce the ED delay time, this study developed a direct connection between the LED and the cardiac catheterisation laboratory in the TUH (TUH cath lab).

Dural Arteriovenous Fistula With Sinus Thrombosis and Venous Reflux Presenting as Parkinsonism: A Case Report.

The occurrence of dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is rare. The clinical manifestation varies and depends on the location and venous drainage pattern. We present a case of a 57-year-old man with a left transverse sinus DAVF along with sigmoid thrombosis, cortical venous reflux, and congestion, that initially presented as parkinsonism.

Tamoxifen use correlates with increased risk of hip fractures in older women with breast cancer: A case-control study in Taiwan.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the association between tamoxifen use and hip fractures in older women with breast cancer in Taiwan.

Methods: We carried out a retrospective nationwide case-control study using the database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. A total of 762 female patients with breast cancer aged ≥65 years newly diagnosed with hip fractures from 2000 to 2011 were identified for inclusion in the study.

Using proton pump inhibitors correlates with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease: a nationwide database-derived case-controlled study.

Background: Those taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) might have a higher risk of acute kidney injury. The long-term safety, especially the PPI-associated chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the subsequent concern.

Objective: This study explores the potential relationship between using PPIs and CKD in Taiwan.

Use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Risk of Hip Fracture in the Elderly: A Case-Control Study in Taiwan.

Background: This population based study investigated the relationship between use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and hip fractures in the elderly in Taiwan.

Methods: Analysis of a random sample of 1 million insurance enrollees' data identified 4,891 patients with newly diagnosed hip fractures and 4,891 controls without hip fracture between 2000 and 2011. Both cases and controls were ≥65 years of age and were matched by sex, age, comorbidities, and index year of hip fracture diagnosis.

Non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in rural Taiwan: A retrospective study.

Objective: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) studies are usually conducted at metropolitan medical centres. Because rural studies are rare, our study aimed to assess non-traumatic OHCA prevalence and resuscitation outcomes in rural Taiwan.

Design: A retrospective observational study.

Chest compression fraction in ambulance while transporting patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest to the hospital in rural Taiwan.

Introduction: Maintaining the standard two-handed chest compression is difficult in high-speed ambulances in rural areas.

Methods: A retrospective, video-based, observational study was conducted from June to September 2013 in Nantou, a rural county of central Taiwan, to evaluate the chest compression fraction in an ambulance carriage during the travel from the scene to the hospital. The chest compression fraction was calculated as the chest compression time period divided by the ambulance travelling time period; the one-handed and two-handed chest compression fractions were also calculated.

Nabumetone use and risk of acute pancreatitis in a case-control study.

Background: It remains unknown whether nabumetone increases or decreases acute pancreatitis risk. To investigate this, we conducted a population-based case-control study using the database from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program.

Methods: We analysed 5384 cases aged 20-84 years who had their first attack of acute pancreatitis during 1998-2011 and 21,536 controls without acute pancreatitis, and matched them according to sex, age and year in which acute pancreatitis was diagnosed.

Use of celecoxib correlates with increased relative risk of acute pancreatitis: a case-control study in Taiwan.

Objectives: This study evaluated whether there is an association between the use of celecoxib and acute pancreatitis in Taiwan.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study using the database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. The participants comprised 5,095 subjects, aged 20-84 years, with a first admission episode of acute pancreatitis from 2000 to 2011 as the cases and 20,380 randomly selected sex-matched and age-matched subjects without acute pancreatitis as the controls.

Association between comorbidities and dementia in diabetes mellitus patients: population-based retrospective cohort study.

Aims: Most diabetes mellitus (DM) patients have several comorbidities; the correlation of these comorbidities with dementia in DM requires clarification.

Methods: Using claims data from Taiwan National Health Insurance, we identified 33,709 DM adults before the year 2000 and randomly selected 67,066 non-DM patients matched by sex and age. Subjects were followed until diagnosis with dementia, excluded due to death/withdrawal from the insurance program, or followed until 2011.

Hearing Loss is Associated With Risk of Alzheimer's Disease: A Case-Control Study in Older People.

Background: It remains unknown whether hearing loss increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. This study aimed to examine the association between hearing loss and risk of Alzheimer's disease in older people in Taiwan.

Methods: Analyzing the database from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Program, this case-control study enrolled 488 subjects ≥65 years old with newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease as a case group and 1952 subjects without Alzheimer's disease as a control group from 1998-2011.

Risk factors associated with symptomatic cholelithiasis in Taiwan: a population-based study.

Background: Cholelithiasis has become a major health problem in Taiwan. The predominant type of gallstone found in Asian populations differs from that in the West, indicating possible differences in the etiology and risk factors for cholelithiasis. The aim of this study is to investigate the risk factors for cholelithiasis using data representative of the general population.

Ultra-miniature wireless temperature sensor for thermal medicine applications.

This study presents a prototype design of an ultra-miniature, wireless, battery-less, and implantable temperature-sensor, with applications to thermal medicine such as cryosurgery, hyperthermia, and thermal ablation. The design aims at a sensory device smaller than 1.5 mm in diameter and 3 mm in length, to enable minimally invasive deployment through a hypodermic needle.