Maintenance chemotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after standard concurrent chemoradiotherapy: a national propensity score matching cohort study.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common and aggressive cancer, and its standard treatment is concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Maintenance chemotherapy is often used to help prevent cancer recurrence, but its efficacy for patients with ESCC receiving CCRT remains unclear. We conducted a large head-to-head propensity score matching cohort study to estimate the effects of maintenance chemotherapy on overall survival and cancer-specific survival in patients with ESCC receiving standard CCRT.

The effect of social anxiety on teenagers' internet addiction: the mediating role of loneliness and coping styles.

Background & Aim: There is a lack of understanding of how social anxiety may affect Internet addiction among adolescents. Based on several theories, the purpose of this study was to investigate the multiple mediating roles of loneliness and coping styles in the association between social anxiety and Internet addiction in Chinese adolescents.

Methods: This study used the Social Anxiety Scale, Internet Addiction Test, Loneliness Scale, and Simple Coping Style Questionnaire to investigate 1188 students in two junior high schools and senior high schools in Henan Province, China.

Association between postoperative hyperactive delirium and major complications in elderly patients undergoing emergency hip fracture surgery: A large-scale cohort study.

Aim: This cohort study aimed to explore the connection between postoperative hyperactive delirium and major complications in elderly patients undergoing emergency hip fracture surgery.

Methods: Elderly patients aged 65 years and older undergoing emergency hip fracture surgery were included in the study. The presence of postoperative hyperactive delirium was assessed, and logistic regression analysis, following propensity score matching, was conducted to investigate the association between postoperative hyperactive delirium and major complications occurring 30 and 90 days post-surgery.

Cost-effectiveness of diabetic retinopathy screening for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients: A nationwide population-based propensity score-matched cohort study.

Aims: This study investigated the association between the frequency of screening for diabetic retinopathy (DR) versus the development of DR and corresponding medical expenses among patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This longitudinal, population-based study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (2004 to 2020) as a data source. Propensity score matching (PSM) (sex, age, comorbidities and concurrent medication use) was employed in the grouping of T2DM patients according to different frequency of DR screening.

Digital Adoption by an Organization Supporting Informal Caregivers During COVID-19 Pandemic Showing Impact on Service Use, Organizational Performance, and Carers' Well-Being: Retrospective Population-Based Database Study With Embedded User Survey.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed a move from face-to-face to digital delivery of services by hospitals and primary care. However, little is known about the impact of digital transformation on organizations supporting unpaid caregivers. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the value of care provided by such informal caregivers is estimated to be £111 billion (US$ 152.

The association between comprehensive patient-centered care and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for patients with chronic viral hepatitis-A pathway analysis.

Background: Patient-centered care (PCC) is a crucial objective for enhancing healthcare in the 21st century. PCC has demonstrated effectiveness in caring for patients with chronic conditions. However, the process from PCC to patient outcomes has not been thoroughly studied, particularly for patients with chronic hepatitis.

The effect of perceived organizational justice on workplace deviant behavior of new nurses: the role of emotional labor and psychological capital.

Background: New nurses are prone to workplace deviant behavior in the constrained hospital environment, which will not only directly affect the safety of patients, but also reduce the work efficiency of nurses and bring negative results to the hospital. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived organizational justice, emotional labor, psychological capital, and workplace deviant behavior of new nurses.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was used in this study.

Analyzing Longitudinal Health Screening Data with Feature Ensemble and Machine Learning Techniques: Investigating Diagnostic Risk Factors of Metabolic Syndrome for Chronic Kidney Disease Stages 3a to 3b.

Longitudinal data, while often limited, contain valuable insights into features impacting clinical outcomes. To predict the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with metabolic syndrome, particularly those transitioning from stage 3a to 3b, where data are scarce, utilizing feature ensemble techniques can be advantageous. It can effectively identify crucial risk factors, influencing CKD progression, thereby enhancing model performance.

The effect of work readiness on work well-being for newly graduated nurses: The mediating role of emotional labor and psychological capital.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between work readiness and work well-being for newly graduated nurses and the mediating role of emotional labor and psychological capital in this relationship.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in mainland China. A total of 478 newly graduated nurses completed the Work Readiness Scale, Emotional Labour Scale, Psychological Capital Questionnaire, and Work Well-being Scale.

Explainable machine learning model for identifying key gut microbes and metabolites biomarkers associated with myasthenia gravis.

Diagnostic markers for myasthenia gravis (MG) are limited; thus, innovative approaches are required for supportive diagnosis and personalized care. Gut microbes are associated with MG pathogenesis; however, few studies have adopted machine learning (ML) to identify the associations among MG, gut microbiota, and metabolites. In this study, we developed an explainable ML model to predict biomarkers for MG diagnosis.

Dose-Dependent Effect of Aspirin Use in Reducing Diabetes-Associated Dementia Risk Among Elderly Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective: This study investigated the association between aspirin use and diabetes-associated dementia in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), assessing aspirin's potential protective effects, intensity of use, and dose-dependency against dementia.

Design: A cohort study evaluating the dose-dependent protective impact of aspirin against dementia in a population-based sample.

Setting And Participants: Older patients with T2DM (≥60 years), comparing aspirin users with nonusers.

Risk of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder After General Anesthesia in Infants and Toddlers: A Propensity Score-Matched Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background And Hypothesis: The potential role of anesthesia as an independent risk factor for childhood bipolar disorder (BD) remains unclear. To address this, we conducted a population-based cohort study employing propensity score matching to compare BD incidence between pediatric patients undergoing surgery with and without general anesthesia.

Study Design: Our study included patients aged 0-3 years who received at least 1 episode of general anesthesia and were hospitalized for over 1 day in Taiwan between January 2004 and December 2014.

Extended TAM based acceptance of AI-Powered ChatGPT for supporting metacognitive self-regulated learning in education: A mixed-methods study.

This mixed-method study explores the acceptance of ChatGPT as a tool for Metacognitive Self-Regulated Learning (MSRL) among academics. Despite the growing attention towards ChatGPT as a metacognitive learning tool, there is a need for a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing its acceptance in academic settings. Engaging 300 preservice teachers through a ChatGPT-based scenario learning activity and utilizing convenience sampling, this study administered a questionnaire based on the proposed Technology Acceptance Model at UTM University's School of Education.

The impact of perceived organizational justice on young nurses' job performance: a chain mediating role of organizational climate and job embeddedness.

Background: The level of nurses' job performance has always been of great concern, which not only represents the level of nursing service quality but is also closely related to patients' treatment and prognosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between perceived organizational justice and job performance and to explore the mediating role of organizational climate and job embeddedness among young Chinese nurses.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1136 young nurses was conducted between March and May 2023 using convenience sampling.

Adapted diabetes complications severity index predicts dementia risk in ageing type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

This study investigated the link between the adapted diabetes complication severity index at the time of type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis and diabetes-induced dementia risk in elderly patients. Elderly type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (age ≥ 60) were matched using propensity score matching. Cox regression was used to determine dementia hazard ratios; Kaplan-Meier method to assess cumulative incidence.

The impact of postoperative agitated delirium on dementia in surgical patients.

This study investigates the association between postoperative agitated delirium and the risk of dementia in patients who were cognitively intact before undergoing major inpatient surgery. The study included inpatients aged 20 years or older who underwent major surgery requiring general, epidural, or spinal anaesthesia and hospitalization for over one day in Taiwan between 2008 and 2018. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence or absence of postoperative agitated delirium.

StresSense: Real-Time detection of stress-displaying behaviors.

Background: Wrist-worn gadgets like smartphones are ideal for unobtrusively gathering user data, in various fields such as health and fitness monitoring, communication, and productivity enhancement. They seamlessly integrate into users' daily lives, providing valuable insights and features without the need for constant attention or disruption. In sensitive domains like mental health, these devices provide user-friendly, privacy-protected means of diagnosis and treatment, offering a secure and cost-effective avenue for seeking help.

Out-of-pocket expenditures associated with double disease burden in Pakistan: a quantile regression analysis.

Background: Pakistan is currently experiencing a double burden of disease. Families with members having both communicable and noncommunicable diseases are at a greater risk of impoverishment due to enormous out-of-pocket payments. This study examines the percentile distribution of the determinants of the out-of-pocket expenditure on the double disease burden.

Persistence of analgesic usage and opioid consumption in sarcopenic patients undergoing neuraxial anesthesia: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: This study investigates the association between chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) and long-term postsurgical analgesic usage in patients undergoing neuraxial anesthesia, with a specific focus on the presence or absence of sarcopenia.

Objectives: To assess the rate of analgesic prescription, including opioids, at 3 and 6 months postsurgery for patients with and without preoperative sarcopenia, and to determine the impact of sarcopenia on analgesic use after neuraxial anesthesia surgery.

Methods: Patients undergoing surgery under neuraxial anesthesia were categorized into sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic groups based on preoperative diagnosis using the ICD-10-CM code M62.

The Relationship Between Illness Uncertainty and Social Support Among Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis.

Background: As a common psychological problem in cancer patients, illness uncertainty has attracted wide attention from scholars. Some studies have pointed out that the level of social support may affect illness uncertainty in patients with cancer, but the results of these studies remain controversial.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between illness uncertainty and social support in patients with cancer using meta-analysis.

Associations of lower-limb muscle strength performance with static and dynamic balance control among older adults in Taiwan.

Background: Aging is an inevitable process of life development. These physical changes can cause a decline in the functional adaptability and health status of older adult individuals.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of lower-limb muscle strength performance with static and dynamic balance control among older adults in Taiwan.

Aggregate Shocks and Enrollment Rates over a Decade in Malawi.

In this paper we report the impact of shocks of different nature and their impact on child schooling. The study is based on project, which provide information on seven different types of shocks and along with information on schooling of boys and girls from 2008 to 2019. We found that all shocks climatic nature or otherwise have negative effect on child enrollment except in case of damage to the house substitution effect dominate and we found evidence that girls of 7-12 years of age and boys in 13-17 years of age cohort have positive correlation with this specific shock.