Effects of Whole-Body Vibration on Exercise Performance among Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Whole-body vibration (WBV), an intervention for enhancing athletes' exercise performance (muscle strength and power), is often used either as a supplement or an alternative to conventional training. The current systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effects of WBV on exercise performance in athletes. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials published from database inception to April 2024.

Lifestyle and Job-Related Factors Associated with Sleep Quality: Gender-Specific Insights from Taiwanese Hospital Physicians.

Background: Poor sleep in physicians is a major concern, affecting their physical and psychological well-being and increasing the risk of medical errors. In this cross-sectional study, we explored gender-specific differences in factors associated with sleep quality in physicians.

Participants And Methods: Self-report questionnaires were distributed to 401 hospital physicians in Taiwan.

The mediating role of health literacy for COVID-19 between preventive behaviors and quality of life.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly developed around the world. Plenty of health information about the virus was available from multiple media platforms, but such information was not always accurate. Identifying misinformation depends on an individual's health literacy.

Experiences and perspectives related to shared decision-making among outpatients with degenerative joint disease in Taiwan: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Various treatment options are available for degenerative joint disease (DJD). During clinical visits, patients and clinicians collaboratively make decisions regarding the optimal treatment for DJD; this is the essence of shared decision-making (SDM). Here, we collated and assessed the SDM-related experiences and perspectives of outpatients with DJD in Taiwan.

Overactive bladder with urodynamic study-induced bladder pain: An overactive bladder subtype with symptoms similar to those of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.

Overactive bladder (OAB) and interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) are 2 lower urinary tract disorders with urgency and bladder pain for diagnosis and with several other shared symptoms. Because of their overlapping symptoms, precise differential diagnosis of OAB and IC/PBS remains difficult. Thus, we characterize a subgroup of OAB with bladder pain (OAB-BP) that can be differentiated from OAB alone by urodynamic study (UDS) findings.

Fascia defect closure versus non-closure in minimal invasive direct inguinal hernia mesh repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis of real-world evidence.

Purpose: Laparoscopic and robotic inguinal hernia mesh repair are both common surgical procedures worldwide. Postoperative hernia recurrence and seroma formation are important concerns. In ventral hernia, primary defect closure in laparoscopic surgery reduces the recurrence rate.

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Immune and Inflammatory Markers in Athletes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

: Probiotic supplementation can prevent and alleviate gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections in healthy individuals. Markers released from the site of inflammation are involved in the response to infection or tissue injury. Therefore, we measured the pre-exercise and postexercise levels of inflammation-related markers-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-γ, salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA), IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, and C-reactive protein (CRP)-in probiotic versus placebo groups to investigate the effects of probiotics on these markers in athletes.

Effectiveness of interprofessional shared decision-making training: A mixed-method study.

Objective: This study evaluated the learning effects and examined the participants' perceptions of an interprofessional shared decision-making (IP-SDM) training program.

Methods: This mixed-method study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design in the quantitative phase and semi-structured interviews in the qualitative phase. The 6-week curriculum design, based on Kolb's experiential learning cycle, consisted of two simulated objective structured clinical examinations with standardized patients and blended teaching methods through various course modules.

Effectiveness of question prompt lists in patients with breast cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a question prompt list (QPL) in decision self-efficacy, decision-making participation, patient-physician communication, decisional conflict or regret, and health status in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: A total of 240 patients with breast cancer were randomly assigned to a QPL group or control group (n = 120 each). The intervention and control groups received an additional educational QPL booklet and routine care, respectively.

Organizational Factors Are Key Predictors of Physicians' Confidence in Handling Workplace Violence.

Many studies have investigated health-care workers' confidence in handling workplace violence with the aim of preventing negative outcomes and fear of such events. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify the predictors of physicians' confidence in handling workplace violence. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on various factors related to workplace violence against physicians in four regional teaching hospitals in northern Taiwan.

Medical undergraduates' self-evaluation: before and after curriculum reform.

Background: In 2013, Taiwan launched a curriculum reform-the 7-year undergraduate medical education program was shortened to 6 years. This study explored the evaluation results from students regarding the curriculum reform and investigated graduates' perceptions regarding the curriculum organization of the two academic training programs affected by this curricular reform.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 14 to June 12, 2019.

How technology-enhanced experiential e-learning can facilitate the development of person-centred communication skills online for health-care students: a qualitative study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought a new challenge to medical education-health-care students had fewer opportunities to interact with and treat real patients in clinical settings. Interpersonal communication skills are often developed through human interaction and communication in person, and few studies have proposed feasible digital solutions to develop learners' communication skills. Consequently, understanding how medical teachers facilitate and implement online training programmes, with feasible instruments, to enhance students' learning effectiveness when in-person training is not possible is critical.

Overactive bladder syndrome is associated with detrusor overactivity and abnormal voiding pattern in nulliparous women.

Background: Pregnancy and childbirth are frequently associated with overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). However, the role of parous effects in OAB among nulliparous (NP) women remains controversial.

Methods: This study investigated abnormal voiding patterns and detrusor overactivity (DO) among NP women with OAB in comparison with parous women.

Laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy versus multi-port laparoendoscopic adrenalectomy: A systemic review and meta-analysis.

Background: To investigate the outcomes of laparoendoscopic single-site adrenalectomy (LESS-A) compared to multi-port laparoendoscopic adrenalectomy (m-LA).

Methods: Studies comparing LESS-A with m-LA were identified from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library before June 2020. Post-operative pain, resumption outcomes, and perioperative outcomes were analyzed.

Non-Muscular Invasive Bladder Cancer: Re-envisioning Therapeutic Journey from Traditional to Regenerative Interventions.

Non-muscular invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is one of the most common cancer and major cause of economical and health burden in developed countries. Progression of NMIBC has been characterized as low-grade (Ta) and high grade (carcinoma in situ and T1). The current surgical intervention for NMIBC includes transurethral resection of bladder tumor; however, its recurrence still remains a challenge.

Effects of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation on urinary incontinence: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: To examine the effectiveness of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation for treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Resources: Four electronic databases from inception to 18 May 2019.

Factors associated with physicians' behaviours to prevent needlestick and sharp injuries.

Objective: Needlestick and sharp injuries (NSIs) experienced by physicians have been identified as a major occupational hazard. Blood-borne pathogens resulting from the NSIs experienced by physicians pose severe physical and psychological threats to them, as well as people who are around them. However, there is little research focusing on physicians' behaviours to prevent NSIs.

Effects of Retzius sparing on robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: To comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of Retzius sparing (RS) for men undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RARP).

Methods: We searched four electronic databases and reference lists of relevant studies for eligible research published before March 11, 2019. After quality assessment, eligible studies were synthesized for relevant outcomes, including positive surgical margin (PSM), continence, incontinence, complication, console time, and hospital stay.

Determinants of workplace violence against clinical physicians in hospitals.

Objectives: Workplace violence in the health sector is a worldwide concern. Physicians play an essential role in health-care teamwork; thus, understanding how organizational factors influence workplace violence against physicians is critical.

Methods: A total of 189 physicians from three public hospitals and one private hospital in Northern Taiwan completed a survey, and the response rate was 47.