Disparities in the Prevalence of Urinary Diseases Among Prisoners in Taiwan: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Prisoner health is a major global concern, with prisoners often facing limited access to health care and enduring chronic diseases, infectious diseases, and poor mental health due to unsafe prison environments, unhygienic living conditions, and inadequate medical resources. In Taiwan, prison health is increasingly an issue, particularly concerning urinary diseases such as urinary tract infections. Limited access to health care and unsanitary conditions exacerbate these problems.

Protective effect of a novel smoke evacuation device during laparoscopic surgery: An experimental proof-of-concept study.

Background: Surgical smoke generated by energy devices poses health risks to medical staff. During laparoscopic surgery, the smoke aggregating around the camera obstructs the visual field, forcing surgeons to interrupt surgery, and may increase surgical risk. We propose a proximal smoke evacuation method to improve surgical quality by effectively eliminating surgical smoke.

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on liver function in patients with hepatitis B.

Objective: To investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on liver function and prognosis in patients with HBV infection.

Methods: A total of 154 HBV-positive patients (HBV ( +) group) and 154 HBV-negative patients (HBV (-) group) diagnosed with COVID-19 at Taizhou Hospital between December 10, 2022, and January 31, 2023, were included in this study. Clinical characteristics, treatment, and laboratory findings were collected from patients at three time points: before (T1), during (T2), and at the time of discharge (T3) from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Harnessing mixed-phase MoS for efficient room-temperature ammonia sensing.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS), a notable two-dimensional (2D) material, has attracted considerable interest for its potential applications in gas sensing, despite its typically insulating characteristics, which have limited its practical use. In this study, we present the use of mixed phase MoS (1T@2H-MoS) to overcome sensing limitations of MoS material by enhancing its conductivity and demonstrating its high-performance characteristics for sensing ammonia (NH) at room temperature (20 °C). The 1T@2H-MoS was synthesized a hydrothermal process, and the coexistence of two different phases (the 1T and 2H phases) was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy.

A machine learning-based risk score for prediction of mechanical ventilation in children with dengue shock syndrome: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Patients with severe dengue who develop severe respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) support have significantly increased mortality rates. This study aimed to develop a robust machine learning-based risk score to predict the need for MV in children with dengue shock syndrome (DSS) who developed acute respiratory failure.

Methods: This single-institution retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary pediatric hospital in Vietnam between 2013 and 2022.

Doctors' Abusive Supervision and Patients' Deviant Behavior in Taizhou, China: The Mediating Role of Patients' Negative Emotion.

Objective: To explore the association between doctors' abusive supervision and patients' deviant behavior, and to evaluate the mediating role of patients' negative emotion.

Methods: A cross-sectional study with a convenient sample was conducted among hospitalized patients from April 13 to May 23, 2022, at a medical center in Taizhou, China. A total of 923 hospitalized patients participated in this survey.

Identifying the Needs of Paediatric-Friendly Care in Emergency Department: A Delphi Study.

Aims: To systematically analyse expert perspectives on paediatric-friendly care in the emergency department and establish specific indicators.

Background: With an increasing number of children seeking emergency care, nurses must understand the specific needs of paediatric patients and their families.

Design: A two-round modified Delphi method was used in this study.

Hybrid multi-criteria decision-making model for assessing perceived significance of 23 potentially modifiable cancer risk factors among senior nursing officers.

Background: Potentially modifiable cancer risk factors have been increasingly recognized among the Chinese population. In this study, we aimed to investigate the perceived significance of these risk factors among senior nursing officers, who play a crucial role in providing healthcare services. We also sought to determine senior nursing officers' performance in reducing these risk factors.

Associations between pre-infection serum vitamin D concentrations and Omicron COVID-19 incidence, severity and reoccurrence in elderly individuals.

Objective: Previous studies suggest a link between vitamin D status and COVID-19 susceptibility in hospitalised patients. This study aimed to investigate whether vitamin D concentrations in elderly individuals were associated with their susceptibility to Omicron COVID-19 incidence, the severity of the disease and the likelihood of reoccurrence during the era of the post-'zero-COVID-19' policies in China.

Design: In this retrospective study, participants were categorised into three groups based on their 25(OH)D concentrations: deficiency (< 20 ng/ml), insufficiency (20 to < 30 ng/ml) and sufficiency (≥ 30 ng/ml).

Hesitation towards COVID-19 booster vaccination among dialysis patients: a cross-sectional study in Taizhou, China.

Purpose: This research aimed to explore hesitation towards the COVID-19 booster vaccine among dialysis patients and study the association between COVID-19 pandemic-induced health behavior and vaccination hesitancy.

Methods: A self-administered online questionnaire evaluating dialysis patients' hesitation to take COVID-19 booster vaccination was conducted between March 24 and 22 April 2022 in Taizhou, China. The logistic regression method was applied to identify factors associated with vaccination hesitancy, and all data were analyzed using R software.

Gender-specific outcomes of low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer detection: A retrospective study in Chinese never-smoker population.

Objectives: Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has emerged as a pivotal tool for detecting lung cancer among ever-smokers. This study aims to evaluate the gender-specific outcomes of LDCT screening within the Chinese never-smoking population.

Methods: We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study, which analyzed LDCT screening outcomes for 42,018 asymptomatic participants.

Effect of omicron infection on maternal and neonatal delivery outcomes: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: People are very concerned about the adverse effects of Omicron infection on delivery modes, duration of labor, and the postpartum status of pregnant women and neonates.

Methods: 382 pregnant women (Omicron group: 136 cases; non-Omicron group: 246 cases) giving birth in our hospital were collected, demographic characteristics, vaccination, clinical manifestation and medication, delivery outcomes of pregnant women and neonates were recorded. Delivery outcomes were compared between the Omicron and non-Omicron groups, acute infection and non-acute infection groups to explore the relationship between adverse delivery outcomes and Omicron infection.

Exploring the Health Literacy Behavior Patterns of Male Patients Using an Interpretable Method.

Background: Improving overall and individual health literacy is a major focus of national initiatives in China and similar initiatives globally. However, few studies have examined the identification and improvement of individual health literacy levels, especially among patients.

Purpose: To develop an interpretable method with decision rules to assess the health literacy levels of male patients and identify key factors influencing health literacy levels.

Lipidomics reveals ceramide biomarkers for detecting central precocious puberty in girls.

Background: Pubertal timing is modulated by complex interactions between the pituitary and gonadal sex steroid hormones. Evidence indicates that sphingolipids are involved in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones at multiple levels.

Method: This study recruited adolescent female patients from pubertal and pediatric endocrine clinics in Northern and Southern Taiwan from the Taiwan Puberty Longitudinal Study.

Chinese Health Insurance in the Digital Era: Bibliometric Study.

Background: China has entered the era of digital health care after years of reforms in the health care system. The use of digital technologies in healthcare services is rapidly increasing, indicating the onset of a new period. The reform of health insurance has also entered a new phase.

Prognosis of concurrent renal impairment at diagnosis of multiple myeloma: a systematic review.

Background: Multiple myeloma is a malignant tumour of the blood in which abnormal proliferation of plasma cells leads to bone destruction, renal impairment, anaemia, and hypercalcaemia. Renal impairment caused by multiple myeloma is a common and serious condition; however, the prognosis of multiple myeloma at the time of diagnosis remains unclear.

Method: We conducted searches for literature in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases up to 30 April 2023.

Association of cord blood Ang-1 and sCD105 levels with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants.

Background: To investigate the relationship between cord blood levels of Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and S-endoglin (sCD105) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants.

Methods: Sixty-one preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of the study hospital between July 2021 and September 2022 were included. Cord blood was collected after the birth of premature infants.

The association between air pollution and obesity: an umbrella review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews.

The objective of this umbrella review was to investigate comprehensive and synthesized evidence of the association between ambient air pollution and obesity based on the current systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Related studies from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, published before July 16, 2023, were considered in the analysis. All selected systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included in accordance with PRISMA guidelines.

Prevalence of skin diseases among elderly prisoners in Taiwan: an examination of skin health in prison.

Background: Although prisoner health is a topic of significant importance, it has received limited attention in epidemiological studies, likely due to challenges in obtaining data. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of skin diseases among elderly prisoners in Taiwan.

Methods: We examined the presence of skin diseases in 2215 elderly prisoners based on the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM).

Self-perceived knowledge, attitude, and practice of evidence-based medicine before and after training among healthcare workers in Taizhou, China.

Background: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the combination of the best research evidence with our clinical expertise, specific situations, and the unique values of our patients. It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of EBM training for healthcare workers (HCWs).

Objectives: This study aims to assess the impact of EBM training on HCWs' knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) related to EBM.