Different impacts of physical activity on health in urban and rural older adults.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of physical activity on health among older adults in urban and rural areas in Taiwan.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design and data were analyzed from 2015 to 2019 from the Hualien County Health Bureau. Participants were divided into urban (n = 4780) and rural groups (n = 4983), and logistic regression models were employed to examine how physical activity relates to their health condition in urban and rural older adults.

Liposomal β-Sitosterol Suppresses Metastasis of CT26/luc Colon Carcinoma via Inhibition of MMP-9 and Evoke of Immune System.

β-sitosterol (SITO) has been reported with anticancer effects; however, with poor bioavailability. The current study aimed to investigate whether liposomal encapsulated β-sitosterol (LS) has a better inhibition effect on tumor metastasis than β-sitosterol in a CT26/ lung metastasis mouse model and the possible underlying mechanism. LS was liposomal-encapsulated SITO and was delivered to mice by oral gavage.

Urban-rural differences in factors affecting mortality and causes of death among older adults.

This study examined the differences in factors affecting mortality between urban and rural areas in Taiwan. A retrospective study design was adopted by using the older adult health examination data during 2013-2019 from Hualien, Taiwan. The overall mortality risk in rural areas was significantly higher than urban areas.

Comparison of the internal fit of metal crowns fabricated by traditional casting, computer numerical control milling, and three-dimensional printing.

This experimental study aimed to compare the internal fit (marginal fit and internal discrepancy) of metal crowns fabricated by traditional casting and digital methods (computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling and three-dimensional [3D] printing). Thirty standard master abutment models were fabricated using a 3D printing technique with digital software. Metal crowns were fabricated by traditional casting, CNC milling, and 3D printing.

Impact of radiation attenuation by a carbon fiber couch on patient dose verification.

The aim of this study was to understand the difference between the measured and calculated irradiation attenuations obtained using two algorithms and to identify the influence of couch attenuation on patient dose verification. We performed eight tests of couch attenuation with two photon energies, two longitudinal couch positions, and two rail positions. The couch attenuation was determined using a radiation treatment planning system.

Cranioplasty Using a Novel Osteoconductive Scaffold and Platelet Gel.

Background: Commonly used materials for cranioplasty include autogenous bone grafts, methyl methacrylate, and titanium mesh. We evaluated a novel osteoconductive scaffold [N-isopropylacrylamide cross-linked with acrylic acid using γ-rays (ANa powder)] mixed with platelet gel for cranioplasty.

Methods: ANa powder mixed with platelet gel was implanted into a 15 × 15-mm, full-thickness calvarial bone defect in 5 New Zealand white rabbits.

Association between the disability prevention program "Secondary Preventive Services" and disability incidence among the elderly population: A nationwide longitudinal comparison of Japanese municipalities.

Aim: The aim of the present ecological study was to evaluate the relationship between the rate of participation in Secondary Preventive Services (SPS) and the incidence of disability in Japanese municipalities.

Methods: We used the national statistics data for Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI), because all Japanese people aged ≥65 years are eligible for LTCI services depending on their functional status assessed by a national uniform standard in all municipalities. The disability incidence rate for the 2-year period in 2009-2010 was compared among five different levels of SPS participation in 2006-2008.

Dietary patterns and colorectal cancer risk in Japan: the Ohsaki Cohort Study.

Purpose: To evaluate dietary patterns in relation to colorectal cancer risk in Japanese.

Methods: We prospectively assessed the association between dietary patterns among the Japanese and the risk of colorectal cancer. Dietary information was collected from 44,097 Japanese men and women aged 40-79 years without a history of cancer at the baseline in 1994.

Relationships between changes in time spent walking since middle age and incident functional disability.

Objective: To examine the relationship between changes in time spent walking since middle age and incident functional disability.

Method: In 2006, we conducted a prospective cohort study of 7177 disability-free Japanese individuals aged ≥65years who lived in Ohsaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Participants were categorized into four groups according to changes in time spent walking based on two questionnaire surveys conducted in 1994 and in 2006.

Dietary patterns and incident functional disability in elderly Japanese: the Ohsaki Cohort 2006 study.

Background: To date, little is known about the association between dietary pattern and disability in older adults. The present prospective cohort study investigated the association between dietary patterns and incident functional disability.

Methods: Information on food consumption and other lifestyle factors was collected from Japanese older persons aged ≥65 years via a questionnaire.

Comparative characterization of stromal vascular cells derived from three types of vascular wall and adipose tissue.

Multipotent stem/progenitor cells localize perivascularly in many organs and vessel walls. These tissue-resident stem/progenitor cells differentiate into vascular endothelial cells, pericytes, and other mesenchymal lineages, and participate in physiological maintenance and repair of vasculatures. In this study, we characterized stromal vascular cells obtained through the explant culture method from three different vessel walls in humans: arterial wall (ART; >500 μm in diameter), venous wall (VN; >500 μm in diameter), and small vessels in adipose tissue (SV; arterioles and venules, <100 μm in diameter).

The applications of polysaccharides from various mushroom wastes as prebiotics in different systems.

The bases or stipes of mushrooms are normally discarded as low-economic value animal feed and compost. There are no known reports on deriving polysaccharides from these mushroom wastes for use as prebiotics. This study showed that the relatively low concentration (0.

Impact of weight change since age 20 and cardiovascular disease mortality risk: the Ohsaki Cohort Study.

Background: It is unclear whether weight change since young adulthood affects the risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to investigate weight change since age 20 in relation to the risk of CVD mortality.

Methods And Results: A total of 41,364 eligible Japanese men and women aged 40-79 years participated in the Ohsaki Cohort Study baseline survey in 1994.

Performance of European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation in Veterans General Hospital Kaohsiung cardiac surgery.

Background: The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) model is a widely-used risk prediction algorithm for in-hospital or 30-day mortality in adult cardiac surgery patients. Recent studies indicated that EuroSCORE tends to overpredict mortality. The aim of our study is to evaluate the validity of EuroSCORE in Veterans General Hospital Kaohsiung (VGHKS) cardiac surgery including a number of different surgical and risk subgroups.

The refinement of dose assessment of the THOR BNCT beam.

A refined dose assessment method has been used now in the THOR BNCT facility, which takes into account more delicate corrections, carefully handled calibration factors, and the spectrum- and kerma-weighted k(t) value. The refined method solved the previous problem of negative derived neutron dose in phantom at deeper positions. With the improved dose assessment, the calculated and measured gamma-ray dose rates match perfectly in a 15×15×15 cm(3) PMMA phantom.

A fast automatic RBS/w channeling system for damage depth profiling.

A computer-aided data acquisition coupling with goniometer-control system dedicated for damage depth profile measurements is established. The channeling direction searching is performed along tilt and azimuth directions. The system includes a computer code to convert the measured spectra into damage depth profile.