Psychometric Evaluation of the Good Death Index from Patients with Terminal Cancer's Perspectives: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: Patients with terminal illness often experience significant physical and mental suffering. This distress affects the patients themselves, as they endure the pain of their condition and their family members, who are affected by the patient's situation and medical decisions. Furthermore, exploring the patients' and their families' concepts of a "good death" is crucial for reflecting on the value of life and for planning treatment or care models (such as advance care planning).

Scotch Whiskies and Forensic Examinations of Manufacturing-Derived Features for Their Authentication.

With the global whisky market reaching $65.6 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $89.48 billion by the end of 2029, the incentives for fraud in relation to (and adulteration of) this alcoholic beverage are self-evident.

Rapid detection of blood using a novel application of RT-RPA integrated with CRISPR-Cas: ALAS2 detection as a model.

A rapid, sensitive and specific test for blood is reported based on a novel application of recombinase polymerase amplification integrated with CRISPR-Cas and lateral flow assay (LFA). The blood specific marker ALAS2 was used as the target to record the presence of blood. The assay used either RNA extracted from a body fluid as a template, or omitting this extraction step and using a direct approach where the questioned body fluid was added directly to the assay.

Development and Validity and Reliability of an Instrument to Assess Patient's Spiritual Well-Being.

Background: Spiritual care is not limited to palliative care or end-of-life care. The spiritual well-being of patients also needs to be taken into account in the multidisciplinary healthcare system of whole person care. For medical institutions providing spiritual care, it is necessary to develop a tool for clinical spiritual care providers to assess patient's spiritual well-being of.

In vitro metabolic studies and machine learning analysis of mass spectrometry data: A dual strategy for differentiating alpha-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (α-PHP) and alpha-pyrrolidinoisohexanophenone (α-PiHP) in urine analysis.

Synthetic cathinones are some of the most prevalent new psychoactive substances (NPSs) globally, with alpha-pyrrolidinoisohexanophenone (α-PiHP) being particularly noted for its widespread use in the United States, Europe, and Taiwan. However, the analysis of isomeric NPSs such as α-PiHP and alpha-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (α-PHP) is challenging owing to similarities in their retention times and mass spectra. This study proposes a dual strategy based on in vitro metabolic experiments and machine learning-based classification modelling for differentiating α-PHP and α-PiHP in urine samples: (1) in vitro metabolic experiments using pooled human liver microsomes and liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) were conducted to identify the key metabolites of α-PHP and α-PiHP from the high-resolution MS/MS spectra.

Effects of shift work on sleep quality and cardiovascular function in Taiwanese police officers.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of shift work on sleep quality, cardiovascular function, and physical activity (PA) levels in Taiwanese police officers. Twenty-one male police officers aged 26.9 ± 4.

The Link Between Victimization and Misconduct in Prison Inmates: The Influence of Importation, Deprivation, and Low Self-Control Factors.

There has been limited study of the link between victimization and the criminal offense in the correctional context, despite the extensive literature supporting the overlap of victims and offenders in the general population. In this study, 2,880 inmates in 12 institutional correction facilities in Taiwan were examined to explore the common factors of the victim-offender overlap, guided by the importation, deprivation, and low self-control theories. The results of bivariate probit regression analysis revealed the presence of the victim-offender phenomenon in Taiwanese inmates.

The Study of Forensically Important Insects Recovered from Human Corpses in Taiwan.

A study of entomological specimens recovered from 117 human corpses in 114 forensic cases was conducted in Taiwan between 2011 and 2018. The comparisons and discussions of the entomological data were based on the locations (indoor vs. outdoor), environments (urban vs.

Unhelmeted Riding, Drunk Riding, and Unlicensed Riding among Motorcyclists: A Population Study in Taiwan during 2011-2016.

This study aimed to investigate the association between drunk riding, unhelmeted riding, unlicensed riding, and running-off-road (ROR) crashes. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) by using the National Taiwan Traffic Crash Dataset for 2011-2016. The results revealed that unhelmeted riding was associated with 138% (AOR = 2.

Evaluating the effect of drunk driving on fatal injuries among vulnerable road users in Taiwan: a population-based study.

Background: Most studies have focused on injuries sustained by intoxicated drivers themselves, but few have examined the effect of drunk driving on injury outcomes among VRUs (vulnerable road users) in developing countries. This study aims to evaluate the effect of drunk driving on fatal injuries among VRUs (pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists).

Methods: The data were extracted from the National Taiwan Traffic Crash Dataset from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2019.

Methanol concentration as a preceding eliminative marker for the authentication of Scotch Whiskies in Taiwan.

Modern rectified spirit is distilled ethanol (EtOH) containing only a tiny amount of methanol (MeOH), as opposed to former industrial alcohol, and is frequently used by perpetrators to adulterate or counterfeit Scotch whiskies in Taiwan. As a result, MeOH level presents an obvious discrepancy between adulterated whiskies and authentic Scotch whiskies. In this study, 54 authentic single malt Scotch whisky samples and 30 authentic blended Scotch whisky samples were comparatively analyzed.

Evaluation of three commercial kits effective identification of menstrual blood based on the D-dimer.

Blood or bloodstains are encountered frequently in forensic investigations. Presumptive and more confirmatory tests for peripheral blood are well established, however, similar methods for menstrual blood identification are less so. D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product that occurs at high concentration in menstrual blood and therefore a potential target to screen for this body fluid.

Onset Crime Typology of Sexual Offenders and Their Differences on Specialization and Risk Factors.

In those theories or empirical-evident model of sexual offending, they all recognized which major life event would cause the sex offense in some conditions, therefore the onset crime of sexual offenders were not only a mark of personal history, but also could reflect the heterogeneity of sexual offenders. Our purpose is to study the onset crime typology of sexual offender and their difference in specialization, problem of psychology marks, and negative developmental experiences. We analyzed the pre-conviction data from 3,750 sexual offenders and their risk assessment data.

Quantitative determination and metabolic profiling of synthetic cathinone eutylone in vitro and in urine samples by liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

In Taiwan, synthetic cathinones are the most prevalent new psychoactive substances, and their use is growing continuously. Urine samples are currently analysed to determine drug abuse, but the metabolic profiles and metabolites of these compounds are not widely reported. Given that cases of eutylone abuse have been growing since 2020, this study established a method employing supported liquid extraction combined with liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify and quantify eutylone and its metabolites in urine samples.

Spermatozoa identification by the 3-plex MSRE-PCR assay: a collaborative exercise.

Identification of semen and spermatozoa is crucial in the forensic investigation of alleged sexual assault cases. In cases of alleged sexual assault where there is a long time gap between the incident and sample collection, or in cases of low sperm count, current methods have limitations of specificity, in the case of presumptive tests for semen, or the problem of recording spermatozoa by microscopy if they are few in number. A 3-plex MSRE-PCR (methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme-PCR) assay using a spermatozoa-specific DNA methylated marker to identify spermatozoa has been reported previously by our laboratory.

A novel co-amplification system for simultaneous amplification of 23 Y-STR and identification of spermatozoa.

In alleged sexual assault cases, identification of the presence of spermatozoa at the crime scene, or on items of eventual significance, or associated with the body of the victim, is integral to the forensic investigation to support or refute the proposition that sexual act has occurred. A 3-plex MSRE-PCR (methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme-PCR) system has been developed previously to identify spermatozoa based on the presence or absence of DNA methylation. This assay showed that 0.

Effect of Distance to Trauma Centre, Trauma Centre Level, and Trauma Centre Region on Fatal Injuries among Motorcyclists in Taiwan.

Background: Studies have suggested that trauma centre-related risk factors, such as distance to the nearest trauma hospital, are strong predictors of fatal injuries among motorists. Few studies have used a national dataset to study the effect of trauma centre-related risk factors on fatal injuries among motorists and motorcyclists in a country where traffic is dominated by motorcycles. This study investigated the effect of distance from the nearest trauma hospital on fatal injuries from two-vehicle crashes in Taiwan from 2017 to 2019.

An innovative emergency transportation scenario for mass casualty incident management: Lessons learnt from the Formosa Fun Color Dust explosion.

The purpose of this research is to analyze and introduce a new emergency medical service (EMS) transportation scenario, Emergency Medical Regulation Center (EMRC), which is a temporary premise for treating moderate and minor casualties, in the 2015 Formosa Fun Color Dust Party explosion in Taiwan. In this mass casualty incident (MCI), although all emergency medical responses and care can be considered as a golden model in such an MCI, some EMS plans and strategies should be estimated impartially to understand the truth of the successful outcome.Factors like on-scene triage, apparent prehospital time (appPHT), inhospital time (IHT), and diversion rate were evaluated for the appropriateness of the EMS transportation plan in such cases.

Southward spreading of the Changjiang Diluted Water in the La Niña spring of 2008.

The La Niña of 2007/2008 was particularly strong, so was the southward flow of the cold, nutrient-rich Changjiang (Yangtze River) Diluted Water (CDW) when the winter monsoon started to blow in the fall. Here we use shipboard data in 2008 in two transects, one in the southwestern East China Sea and one in the southern Taiwan Strait, to show that as late as April in 2008 the CDW was still clearly identifiable when the winter monsoon had weakened. Waters as cold as 16 °C with a salinity lower than 30 still occupied the southwestern East China Sea.

Reduction of Au to distinctive Au-based materials by amphiphilic sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate.

Based on their morphologies or states, Au-based materials will be operative under a specific aqueous or organic phase. Reduction of Au by amphiphilic sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate is proposed to improve the phase challenge an amphiphilic nature. Moreover, the green approach is expected to be suitable to prepare myriad Au-based materials which can be applied with a limited phase problem.

Syndecan-3 contributes to the regulation of the microenvironment at the node of Ranvier following end-to‑side neurorrhaphy: sodium image analysis.

Syndecan-3 (SDC3) and Syndecan-4 (SDC4) are distributed throughout the nervous system (NS) and are favourable factors in motor neuron development. They are also essential for regulation of neurite outgrowth in the CNS. However, their roles in the reconstruction of the nodes of Ranvier after peripheral nerve injury (PNI) are still unclear.

A forensic examination of four popular cross-platform file-sharing apps with Wi-Fi P2P.

File-sharing apps with Wi-Fi hotspot or Wi-Fi Direct functions become more popular. They can work on multiple platforms and allow users to transfer files in a concealed manner. However, when criminals use these apps in illegal activities, it becomes an important issue for investigators to find digital evidence on multiple platforms.

Collaboration between Law Enforcement Agencies in Combating Cybercrime: Implications of a Taiwanese Case Study about ATM Hacking.

An increasing number of cybercrimes has presented new global challenges to law enforcement agencies that traditionally operate within designated geographical jurisdictions and patrol territories. The borderless nature of cyberspace has brought substantial opportunities-both legal and illegal-to its users, and many local law enforcement agencies have encountered motivated offenders taking advantage of the globally connected Internet and causing damage locally and transnationally. This study examines a high-profile case of European criminals who hacked into a Taiwanese financial institution-First Commercial Bank (FCB)-and programmed its ATMs to "spit out" cash netting the thieves $2.

The effects of psychotherapy for depressed or posttraumatic stress disorder women with childhood sexual abuse history: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the most common mental disorders of women suffered from childhood sexual abuse histories. It has been widely recognized that depression and PTSD may decrease patients' quality of life. The objective of this study is conducted to explore the effects of psychotherapy for depressed or PTSD women with childhood sexual abuse history.