Development and evaluation of a Hospice Foundation of Taiwan Bereavement Assessment Scale: A psychometric properties test.

Objectives: Supporting family caregivers (FCs) is a critical core function of palliative care. Brief, reliable tools suitable for busy clinical work in Taiwan are needed to assess bereavement risk factors accurately. The aim is to develop and evaluate a brief bereavement scale completed by FCs and applicable to medical staff.

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[Effects of a Steno Diabetes Dialogue Card-Based Intervention on Self-Perceived Health, Health Literacy, and Glycemic Control in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Living in the Community].

Background: The process of aging is associated with the deterioration of normal body functions as well as lower health awareness due to a reduced ability to acquire and understand health-related information. The subjects of this study were older adults with diabetes mellitus living in community settings. Visual-learning-based Steno diabetes dialogue cards were used to strengthen the learning and knowledge absorption capabilities of the subjects to improve diabetes health knowledge and increase compliance with blood sugar control protocols to achieve blood sugar control goals and delay / reduce the severity of complications.

[The Effectiveness of a Pap Smear Screening Practical Skills Training Program for Nurse-Midwifery Students].

Background: Pap smear screenings effectively reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. However, the effectiveness of practical teaching strategies for this procedure is seldom discussed.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Pap smear screening training approach using the two strategies of classroom simulation and practical community screening demonstrations.

[Integrated Geriatric Healthcare and Related Innovative Models].

The intensifying trend of population aging has made geriatric healthcare a key concern for countries worldwide. According to the United Nations, the global elderly population is projected to increase to 1.6 billion by 2050 at which time persons above 65 years old are expected to account for 16% of the world's population (United Nations, 2023).

A historical overview of policy perspectives towards informal care in Taiwan (1996-2023).

This paper examines the evolution of policy perspectives towards informal care in Taiwan, focusing on the development of carer support services. It traces the transition from self-funded services by the Taiwan Association of Family Caregivers (a nonprofit organisation), to services funded by the government. Taiwan's approach highlights the considerable changes brought about by the implementation of the Long-Term Care Services Act which elevated the legal status of carers.

Establishment of reference audiometric norms for the elderly population: A community-based study on mean and median hearing thresholds.

Background: This investigation quantifies the mean and median hearing thresholds and assesses the prevalence of age-related hearing loss within the senior population of Taipei.

Methods: In a substantive geriatric assessment supported by government initiative, 1696 individuals from a community hospital partook in this cross-sectional study (2016-2018). Detailed audiometric evaluations logged pure-tone thresholds across critical frequencies (0.

Exploring effects of a booster workshop on progression and retention of resuscitation skills of residents when added to regular low-dose simulation.

Background: Improving the resuscitation and teamwork skills of residents is key to better outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest events. This study aims to explore the effects of regular low-dose simulation combined with a booster workshop on the progression and retention of resuscitation skills and teamwork among residents.

Methods: This comparative study took place at a teaching hospital in Northern Taiwan from August 2019 to June 2021.

Effects of a home-based multicomponent exercise programme on frailty in postcardiac surgery patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Aims: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effects of a home-based multicomponent exercise programme on frailty in patients who underwent cardiac surgery.

Methods And Results: A convenience sample of 92 patients who underwent cardiac surgery at two medical centres in Taiwan were recruited and randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 46) and control (n = 46) groups. The intervention group underwent a 12-week home-based multicomponent exercise programme, including individual nursing consultation, home-based exercise intervention, nutritional assessment and guidance, and continuous support.

Low-positive controls for monitoring progesterone receptor immunohistochemical staining.

Aims: Progesterone receptor (PR) is a crucial prognostic marker in breast cancer. However, achieving consistent results in PR immunohistochemistry (IHC) remains challenging due to the lack of well-defined low-positive controls. This study aimed to identify benign tissues with consistent low-level PR expression to serve as ideal controls for IHC.

Young Hearts: A Film Review.

Young Hearts, a gay movie from Belgium directed by Anthony Schatteman, was released in December 2024. It offers a tender and nuanced portrayal of queer love, identity, and self-discovery. The film follows Elias and Alexander, two 14-year-olds navigating the complexities of a budding relationship amidst societal expectations in a conservative town.

Taiwanese fathers' experiences following the death of a child to cancer.

This study descried the experiences of fathers who had lost a child to cancer. The participants were eight fathers whose children died following cancer treatment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and content analysis identified six major themes: (1) accompanying their child on the final journey home, (2) stabilizing family life, (3) coping with unbearable grief, 4) maintaining the memory and continuing the bond, (5) reflecting on the regrets and contradictions of the treatment process, (6) finding new meaning, and cherishing the present.

NRICM101 in combatting COVID-19 induced brain fog: Neuroprotective effects and neurovascular integrity preservation in hACE2 mice.

Amidst growing concerns over COVID-19 aftereffects like fatigue and cognitive issues, NRICM101, a traditional Chinese medicine, has shown promise. Used by over 2 million people globally, it notably reduces hospitalizations and intubations in COVID-19 patients. To explore whether NRICM101 could combat COVID-19 brain fog, we tested NRICM101 on hACE2 transgenic mice administered the S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2, aiming to mitigate S1-induced cognitive issues by measuring animal behaviors, immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis.

Prediction of physiological status, community participation, and daily activity function to sleep quality for outpatient dynapenic older people.

Background: The global aging population has increased dynapenia prevalence, leading to mobility issues and poor sleep quality among older adults. Despite its impact, research on sleep quality in dynapenic outpatients is limited. This study investigates how physiological status, community participation, and daily activity function influence sleep quality in this group.

Effects of interactive boxing-cycling on dual-task walking and prefrontal cortex activation in older adults with cognitive frailty: A randomized controlled trial.

Older adults with cognitive frailty often have impaired dual-task walking and prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation. Combining cycling with interactive boxing offers an innovative and interesting dual-task training to challenge both physical and cognitive skills. This study investigated the effects of interactive boxing-cycling on this population.

The efficacy of abdominal binder in women undergoing cesarean delivery: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Abdominal binders are a prominent non-pharmacological intervention aimed at mitigating adverse outcomes following Cesarean delivery (CD), including pain and distress.

Aim: We conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively evaluate the effects of abdominal binders on women undergoing CD.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted using terms such as "abdominal binder," "clinical trials," and variations of "cesarean" across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.

A Preliminary Qualitative Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Presenteeism Among Taiwanese Nursing Staff.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of presenteeism among Taiwanese nursing staffs.

Background: Presenteeism is a subjective and multifaceted experience, but nurses have rarely been invited to provide their own views of presenteeism.

Methods: A qualitative study based on content analysis was conducted.

Using a Mobile Health App (ColonClean) to Enhance the Effectiveness of Bowel Preparation: Development and Usability Study.

Background: Colonoscopy is the standard diagnostic method for colorectal cancer. Patients usually receive written and verbal instructions for bowel preparation (BP) before the procedure. Failure to understand the importance of BP can lead to inadequate BP in 25%-30% of patients.

Neuroprotective potential of isofraxidin: Alleviating parkinsonian symptoms, inflammation and microglial activation.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders. Previous research has confirmed that isofraxidin can reduce macrophage expression and inhibit peripheral inflammation. However, its effects on the central nervous system remain underexplored.

Long-Term Determinants of Depression Mood: A 19-Year Follow Up of 2344 Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

This study explores depression changes and influencing factors in middle-aged and older individuals, focusing on different cognitive function states. This cohort study uses panel data from seven waves of the nationally representative Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (1996-2015) with 2344 participants aged 50 or above. Data analysis was conducted from 25 January 2023 to 4 May 2023.

Insulin Resistance and Bone Mineral Density: A Comprehensive Examination Using UK Biobank Data.

The association between insulin resistance (IR) and bone mineral density (BMD) remains contentious. The aim of this study is to assess the predictive capability of the Triglyceride and Glucose (TyG) index concerning changes in bone mineral density, encompassing both deterioration and improvement. This study analyzed data from the UK Biobank, encompassing 2527 participants after exclusions.

Predictive modeling and interpretative analysis of risks of instability in patients with Myasthenia Gravis requiring intensive care unit admission.

Objective: Myasthenia gravis (MG), a low-prevalence autoimmune disorder characterized by clinical heterogeneity and unpredictable disease fluctuations, presents significant risks of acute exacerbations requiring intensive care. These crises contribute substantially to patient morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to develop and validate machine-learning models for predicting intensive care unit (ICU) admission risk among patients with MG-related disease instability.

Healthcare utilization and costs for patients with Parkinson's disease in Taiwan.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) exerts a considerable burden on the elderly. Studies on long-term costs for Parkinson's disease patients in Taiwan are not available.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the medical resource utilization and medical costs including drug costs for PD patients in Taiwan over up to 15 years of follow-up.

Development and Testing of the Hypertensive Nephropathy Self-Care Knowledge Scale.

There is currently no scale to measure the self-care knowledge of patients with hypertensive nephropathy. This study aimed to develop the Hypertensive Nephropathy Self-Care Knowledge (HN-SCK) scale for these patients and to test its reliability and validity. A methodological study was conducted in two stages.