Rapid Administration of Antibiotics for Reducing Fever Days in Patients Receiving Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background and Objectives: Neutropenic fever (NF) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). To date, no study has discussed the relationship of fever days in HSCT with the time between recording the fever and administering antibiotics. This study aimed to examine the association between fever days in HSCT and the time interval between recording the fever and intravenous (IV) antibiotics to the febrile neutropenia patient.

The retail brand personality-Behavioral outcomes framework: Applications to identity and social identity theories.

This study applies identity and social identity theories to develop and test a framework in which retail brand personality influences consumer outcomes [i.e., positive word-of-mouth (WOM) about and patronage intention toward the retailer] through public and/or private self-congruity, strengthened by shopping conspicuousness situation, and retail brand identification (RBI).

Cancer Impact, Complementary/Alternative Medicine Beliefs, and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among cancer impact, belief in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), CAM use, and quality of life (QOL).

Design: The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design with convenience sampling. A total of 122 cancer patients participated.

A Decade of Changes in Family Caregivers' Preferences for Life-Sustaining Treatments for Terminally Ill Cancer Patients at End of Life in the Context of a Family-Oriented Society.

Context: Temporal changes in different family caregiver cohorts' preferences for life-sustaining treatments (LSTs) at end of life (EOL) have not been examined nor have the concept of whether caregivers' LST preferences represent a homogeneous or heterogeneous construct. Furthermore, LST preferences are frequently assessed from multiple treatments, making clinical applications difficult/infeasible.

Objectives: To identify parsimonious patterns and changes in the pattern of LST preferences for two independent cohorts of family caregivers for terminally ill Taiwanese cancer patients.

Optimal policies of non-cross-resistant chemotherapy on Goldie and Coldman's cancer model.

Mathematical models can be used to study the chemotherapy on tumor cells. Especially, in 1979, Goldie and Coldman proposed the first mathematical model to relate the drug sensitivity of tumors to their mutation rates. Many scientists have since referred to this pioneering work because of its simplicity and elegance.

Factors related to the prevention and management of pressure ulcers.

Pressure ulcers (a type of skin failure) have served as an indicator of care quality. The purpose of this study was to utilize data-mining techniques as a means of identifying risk factors related to different stages of pressure ulcers to demonstrate how this means of analysis might be used as a vehicle to guide improved care quality. Data were obtained from a Web-based incident reporting system at a regional hospital in Taiwan.

The evaluation of a web-based incident reporting system.

A Web-based reporting system is essential to report incident events anonymously and confidentially. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a Web-based reporting system in Taiwan. User satisfaction and impact of system use were evaluated through a survey answered by 249 nurses.

Endophthalmitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Taiwan.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical settings, treatment given, and visual outcomes for eyes with Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis in Taiwan.

Methods: This is a retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive case series. Medical records were reviewed in 72 eyes of 71 patients with culture-proven P.

Application of data mining to the identification of critical factors in patient falls using a web-based reporting system.

Purpose: The implementation of an information system has become a trend in healthcare institutions. How to identify variables related to patient safety among accumulated data has been viewed as a main issue. The purpose of this study was to identify critical factors related to patient falls through the application of data mining to available data through a hospital information system.

Ghost cell glaucoma after intravitreal bevacizumab for postoperative vitreous hemorrhage following vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Background And Objective: To report the occurrence of ghost cell glaucoma after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for the treatment of postoperative vitreous hemorrhage after vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Patients And Methods: Retrospective chart review from August 2006 to December 2007. Patients who had postoperative vitreous hemorrhage after vitrectomy for PDR and received an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab were enrolled in the study.

Postcataract endophthalmitis caused by Enterococcus faecalis.

Purpose: To investigate the management strategies, susceptibility patterns, and visual outcomes of postcataract Enterococcus faecalis endophthalmitis.

Methods: Retrospective chart review study of 26 eyes of 26 patients with culture-proven E. faecalis endophthalmitis.

Intravitreal loading injection of ganciclovir with or without adjunctive oral valganciclovir for cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis.

Background: A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic results of intravitreal ganciclovir injection as a loading dose with or without the following oral valganciclovir for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) anterior uveitis in immunocompetent patients.

Methods: Six consecutive patients in whom active CMV anterior uveitis was detected by polymerase chain reaction assay of the aqueous humor were enrolled between January 2006 and December 2008. These patients received an intravitreal injection of ganciclovir (2 mg/0.

Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of pediatric retinal detachments with lens disorders.

Purpose: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of eyes with retinal detachments with lens disorders and compare them to eyes with retinal detachments without lens disorders.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of 42 eyes of 37 children who had retinal detachments with lens disorders was performed. Eyes were compared based on epidemiological data, characteristics of retinal detachment, and anatomical and functional surgical outcomes and were then compared to 254 eyes with retinal detachment without lens disorders.

Reducing the incidence of early postoperative vitreous haemorrhage by preoperative intravitreal bevacizumab in vitrectomy for diabetic tractional retinal detachment.

Purpose:  This study aimed to evaluate whether preoperative intravitreal injection of bevacizumab reduces early postoperative vitreous haemorrhage (VH) in vitrectomy for diabetic tractional retinal detachment.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of a consecutive, interventional case series. This included 29 eyes (27 patients) in the bevacizumab group and 40 eyes (37 patients) in the non-bevacizumab group.

Chronic postoperative Roseomonas endophthalmitis.

We report one case with chronic postoperative endophthalmitis caused by Roseomonas species. Roseomonas spp. induced chronic endophthalmitis, which might result in misdiagnosis and delayed treatment and causes ocular damage and severe visual loss.

Traumatic pediatric retinal detachment following open globe injury.

Purpose: It was the aim of this study to describe the clinical features and surgical outcomes of retinal detachment following open globe injuries in a pediatric population.

Methods: The study was a retrospective chart review of 33 children who had undergone surgery for retinal detachment after open globe injury.

Results: The mean age was 11 years (range 4-18) and the mean follow-up period was 57.

Temperature-dependent development and population growth of Tetraneura nigriabdominalis (Homoptera: Pemphigidae) on three host plants.

The root aphid Tetraneura nigriabdominalis (Sasaki) (Homoptera: Pemphigidae) is a pest of many Gramineae species; however, little is known about its biology and relationships with host plants. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effects of temperature on development, longevity, fecundity, and population growth of T. nigriabdominalis and to assess the effects of host plant on development of T.

Induction of cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase by extracts of the medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza.

The herbal medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) is currently used for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. To assess possible herb-drug interactions, the effects of the aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of S. miltiorrhiza on cytochrome P450 (CYP) were studied.

Treatment of retinal detachment resulting from posterior staphyloma-associated macular hole in highly myopic eyes.

Purpose: To evaluate the surgical outcome of retinal detachment resulting from a posterior staphyloma-associated macular hole in highly myopic eyes.

Methods: Fifty-seven consecutive highly myopic eyes with retinal detachment resulting from a posterior staphyloma-associated macular hole diagnosed between January 1993 and June 2003 were retrospectively studied. Anatomical reattachment of the retina and best-corrected visual acuity were measured.

Severe vitreous hemorrhage associated with closed-globe injury.

Background: The presence of marked vitreous hemorrhage is associated with poor visual prognosis in ocular trauma involving the posterior segment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical features, prognostic factors, and visual outcomes in such eyes after closed-globe injury.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients with severe vitreous hemorrhage after closed-globe injury between January 2000 and December 2002.

Retinal function and histologic changes following intravitreal injection of indocyanine green in a rabbit model.

The aim of this animal study was to investigate the effects of intravitreal injection of indocyanine green (ICG) applied in macular hole surgery on retinal functional, morphology, and histologic changes. Eighteen (18) New Zealand albino rabbits were divided equally into three groups (6 rabbits in each). In Group A, both eyes of each rabbit were vitrectomized by perflouropropane gas compression.

Induction of CYP1A by a diterpene quinone tanshinone IIA isolated from a medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza in C57BL/6J but not in DBA/2J mice.

Effects of tanshinone IIA, an active diterpene quinone of the herbal medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), on cytochrome P450 (CYP), UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UGT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were studied in the arylhydrocarbon (Ah)-responsive C57BL/6J (B6) and nonresponsive DBA/2J (D2) mice. Oral treatment of tanshinone IIA caused a dose-dependent increase of liver microsomal 7-methoxyresorufin O-demethylation (MROD) activity in B6 but not in D2 mice. In B6 mice, tanshinone IIA increased hepatic benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylation (AHH), 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation, MROD, and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation activities.

Diterpene quinone tanshinone IIA selectively inhibits mouse and human cytochrome p4501A2.

1. Tanshinone IIA is the main active diterpene quinone in the herbal medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza. In untreated mouse liver microsomes, tanshinone IIA selectively inhibited 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD) and 7-methoxyresorufin O-demethylation (MROD) activities without affecting the oxidation of benzo(a)pyrene, tolbutamide, N-nitrosodimethylamine and nifedipine.

Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous: magnetic resonance imaging and clinical findings.

Background: This study presents magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of both the anterior and posterior types of persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) to facilitate the differential diagnosis from other intraocular abnormalities.

Methods: Seventeen patients with PHPV who were evaluated using non-contrast and contrast-enhanced T1- and T2-weighted images were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Among the 17 patients with PHPV (6 males, 11 females), 13 had unilateral PHPV (11 left eyes, 2 right eyes), and 4 had bilateral PHPV.

Nuclear sclerotic cataract in young patients in Taiwan.

Purpose: To document the clinical features of discrete nuclear sclerosis in young patients.

Setting: Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Methods: The medical records of all patients younger than 45 years with nuclear sclerosis who had cataract surgery at 1 hospital were retrospectively reviewed.