Publications by authors named "M A Ku"

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence was high before the national vaccine policy was introduced in Taiwan, indicating significant HBV infection rates. The success of the HBV immunization program and other preventive measures likely led to decreased HBsAg prevalence among pregnant women. This study reports on the HBV seroprevalence among pregnant women in Taiwan from 2016 to 2021, including those potentially affected by the universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Most of the excessive aflatoxins in peanut oil are present at lower levels, and few photocatalysts have been reported for degrading low concentrations of aflatoxin B (AFB). This study employed aptamer-modified magnetic graphene oxide/titanium dioxide (MGO/TiO-aptamer) photocatalysts to degrade low concentrations of AFB in peanut oil, thoroughly investigating their selective efficiency, degradation mechanism, and product toxicity. The results indicated that the modification of aptamers on the surface of photocatalytic materials can enhance the selectivity of photocatalysts for AFB in peanut oil.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Gliomas are a major cause of cancer-related death among children, adolescents, and young adults (age 0-40 years). Primary mismatch repair deficiency (MMRD) is a pan-cancer mechanism with unique biology and therapeutic opportunities. We aimed to determine the extent and impact of primary MMRD in gliomas among children, adolescents, and young adults.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Widespread interest in nanoscale pillar structures for optical devices faces challenges like high equipment costs and limited scalability due to traditional manufacturing methods.
  • The study introduces a novel technique using thermally assisted nanotransfer printing to create highly uniform nanoscale pillar arrays, achieving an impressive density of 0.1 tera-pillars per square inch.
  • These nanopillars are demonstrated as effective surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors, providing consistent performance and sensitivity at very low concentrations while maintaining durability for multiple uses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the decision of patients with severe knee osteoarthritis, who are covered by universal health insurance, to undergo total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, as recommended by orthopedic physicians. A questionnaire survey was used to collect participants' demographics, socio-economic status, medical history, baseline Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and EuroQol-5 Dimension Questionnaire (EQ-5D). We included 704 patients with severe knee osteoarthritis, of which 487 underwent TKR (surgery group), while 217 did not (non-surgery group).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF