Correlates of community rehabilitation service utilization among persons with psychiatric disabilities.

Background: The use community psychiatric rehabilitation (CPR) service could facilitate community tenure, autonomy, and recovery among persons with psychiatric disabilities. Nevertheless, based on existing scientific evidence, the conformance rate with the treatment recommendations was modest and the existing services are underutilized in Taiwan.

Aims: This study examined the correlates of CPR service utilization based on the Behavioral Model of Health Service Utilization.

A validation study on the Recovery-Promoting Relationship Scale (RPRS) in a Chinese population.

Objective: This study examined the psychometric properties of a Chinese language version of the Recovery-Promoting Relationship Scale (RPRS) scale in a sample of persons with severe mental illness in Taiwan.

Method: Five hundred ninety-two participants from 32 community psychiatric rehabilitation centers in Taiwan agreed to participate in this study. Principal component factor analysis with oblique rotation was performed.

Predictors of personal recovery for persons with psychiatric disabilities: An examination of the Unity Model of Recovery.

This study examined a comprehensive set of potential correlates of recovery based on the Unity Model of Recovery. Thirty-two community psychiatric rehabilitation centers in Taiwan agreed to participate in this study. A sample of 592 participants were administered the questionnaires.

Service utilization, perceived changes of self, and life satisfaction among women who experienced intimate partner abuse: the mediation effect of empowerment.

This study explored the growth experiences of women abused by their intimate partner, specifically focusing on the associations between social services and empowerment, perceived changes of self, and life satisfaction. The potential effects of demographic variables, social support, coping, and experience of partner abuse were also explored. A survey study was conducted through the collaboration of social workers in the Centers of Prevention and Intervention for Domestic Violence and private sectors in Taiwan.

[Effects of climate change on photosynthesis of Diospyros kaki under different soil moisture conditions].

Taking two-year-old Diospyros kaki as test material, this paper studied the effects of high CO2 concentration (700 micromol x mol(-1)), high temperature (5 degrees C higher than the mean daily temperature); and their combination on the net photosynthesis rate (Pn), evapotranspiration (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs), water use efficiency (WUE), chlorophyll content, Fv/Fm, and Fv/Fo under different soil moisture conditions, with the ambient air temperature and CO2 concentration (380 micromol x mol(-1)) as the control. Under all test soil moisture conditions, the combination of high CO2 concentration and high temperature decreased the Tr and Gs, but increased the WUE. This combination increased the Pn when the soil moisture content was 75%-85% and 55%-65% of field capacity, but decreased the Pn when the soil moisture content was 35%-45%.

Study on influencing factors on removal of chlorobenzene from unsaturated zone by soil vapor extraction.

This paper deals with the influencing factors on removal of chlorobenzene from unsaturated soils by soil vapor extraction (SVE) method. A series of one-dimensional column experiments were conducted to study the influencing factors for SVE method, the factors included extracted vapor flow rate, soil grain size, extraction mode, soil organic matter content and water content. The results indicated that: (1) the increase of vapor flow rate led to higher contaminant removal efficiency, but the increment of removal was not significant at higher flow rate levels; (2) soil grain sizes had a great impact on chlorobenzene removal efficiency, the coarser the sand, the higher the removal rate; (3) pulsed vapor extraction and continuous vapor extraction almost had the same contaminant removal effects in the sand column; (4) the higher organic content in the soil could decrease the removal efficiency; (5) water content in the soil had different impact on the contaminant removal efficiency which related with the organic content in the soil.

Factors, process and outcomes of recovery from psychiatric disability: the unity model.

Background: Despite the fruitful findings on related issues of recovery in the West, some researchers have called for more studies on the factors that facilitate recovery and international literature on recovery to be made available. Moreover, to date, a united model that integrates outcome, component process and contextual factors of recovery has not yet been developed. Thus, this study explored the recovery experiences of persons with psychiatric disabilities (hereinafter called consumers) in Taiwan and extracted the key facilitators for developing a preliminary unity theory of recovery.

The attitudes towards and enactment of psychosocial rehabilitation principles: discrepancies and correlates.

Background: Previous literature suggests that attitudes have critical effects on recovery outcomes. Yet mental health professionals' attitudes towards psychiatric rehabilitation principles (PRP) have not been fully addressed. Whether the professionals could act in accordance with attitudes has also not been examined.

Measuring social capital of persons residing in a long-term psychiatric institution.

Background: Most studies support the association between social capital and health. However, none of the studies to date has focused on persons with psychiatric disability, and these past studies have drawbacks in conceptual development and the use of operational variables of social capital.

Aims: This study develops measures and examines patterns of social capital for persons with psychiatric disability.

Community attitudes towards the mentally ill: the results of a national survey of the Taiwanese population.

Background: In Taiwan, to strengthen the psychiatric rehabilitation system has been one of the primary goals of the Department of Health since 1985. Unfortunately, this endeavor has not been successful and it is believed that one of the barriers is social stigma towards the mentally ill. However, to date no national survey has been conducted for Chinese population on the focal topic using a random sample.

Superantigen-SEA gene modified tumor vaccine for hepatocellular carcinoma: an in vitro study.

Aim: To construct an eukaryotic superantigen gene expression vector containing the recombinant gene of SEA and CD80 molecule transmembrane region (CD80TM), and to express staphylococcus enterotoxin A (SEA) on the membrane of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell to form a superantigen gene modified tumor vaccine for HCC.

Methods: SEA and linker-CD80TM gene were amplified through PCR from plasmid containing cDNA of SEA and CD80. Gene fragments were then subcloned into the multiple cloning sites of retroviral vector pLXSN.