Factors associated with the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in adults.

Background: Hypovitaminosis D has a significant negative impact on general health. Although some factors associated with hypovitaminosis D have been previously reported, they have seldom been analyzed simultaneously in community-based research. This study aims to investigate some potential factors associated with serum 25 (OH)D level, representing a vitamin concentration.

Generation of complex bone marrow organoids from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

The human bone marrow (BM) niche sustains hematopoiesis throughout life. We present a method for generating complex BM-like organoids (BMOs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). BMOs consist of key cell types that self-organize into spatially defined three-dimensional structures mimicking cellular, structural and molecular characteristics of the hematopoietic microenvironment.

Transcriptomic responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to cyclosporin and etanercept in a female infant with juvenile generalized pustular psoriasis.

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare but severe form of psoriasis. An early onset of the diseases is correlated with mutations among IL36RN, CARD14, AP1S3, MPO and SERPINA3 genes. Systemic biological agents including anti-TNF-α, anti-IL-17, anti-IL-12/IL-23, anti-IL1R, anti-IL1β and anti-IL-36R act as novel treatment methods for GPP.

Using EEG to investigate the influence of boredom on prospective memory in top-down and bottom-up processing mechanisms for intelligent interaction.

We aimed to investigate the alpha (α) activity in operators experiencing boredom while performing prolonged monitoring and prospective memory tasks using different processing mechanisms. Fifty-four participants underwent electroencephalography (EEG) and were found to have poorer prospective memory performance under top-down conditions. Further, α power and synchronisation were higher during bottom-up than in top-down processes, revealing an inhibition effect of the former.

Do Congruent Auditory Stimuli Facilitate Visual Search in Dynamic Environments? An Experimental Study Based on Multisensory Interaction.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cue congruency effect of auditory stimuli during visual search in dynamic environments. Twenty-eight participants were recruited to conduct a visual search experiment. The experiment applied auditory stimuli to understand whether they could facilitate visual search in different types of background.

Alpha Oscillations in Parietal and Parietooccipital Explaining How Boredom Matters Prospective Memory.

Intelligent interaction alters previous human-machine task allocation patterns. Human workers will suffer from boredom and inattention, posing a significant challenge for the human-machine interaction loop. This study aims to investigate the relationship between boredom and prospective memory, which is a memory form including the detecting, identifying, and executing functions.

A Rapid Detection of COVID-19 Viral RNA in Human Saliva Using Electrical Double Layer-Gated Field-Effect Transistor-Based Biosensors.

In light of the swift outspread and considerable mortality, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) necessitates a rapid screening tool and a precise diagnosis. Saliva is considered as an alternative specimen to detect the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since the viral load is comparable to what are found in a throat and a nasal cavity. The electrical double layer (EDL)-gated field-effect transistor-based biosensor (BioFET) emerges as a promising candidate for salivary COVID-19 tests due to a high sensitivity, a portable configuration, a label-free operation, and a matrix insensitivity.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort among female cabin crew in Taiwan.

Objectives: This study investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort among female cabin crew through cabin tasks and demographic factors, including age and seniority.

Methods: This study conducted an online questionnaire survey targeted at female cabin crew in Taiwan and ensured that the sample size was with a statistical power of 0.95.

The objective structured clinical examination as an assessment strategy for clinical competence in novice nursing practitioners in Taiwan.

Background: The conventional written tests and professional assessment have limitation in fair judgement of clinical competence. Because the examiners may not have total objectivity and may lack standardization throughout the assessment process. We sought to design a valid method of competence assessment in medical and nursing specialties.

Adjunctive dexmedetomidine infusion in open living donor hepatectomy: A way to enhance postoperative analgesia and recovery.

Background: Open living donor hepatectomy (OLDH) is a highly painful procedure. Advanced strategies for enhancing perioperative analgesia and accelerating recovery are needed for patients undergoing OLDH. This study evaluated the effects of intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine (DEX) during OLDH on postoperative analgesia and recovery.

Abdominal obesity and hypertension are correlated with health-related quality of life in Taiwanese adults with metabolic syndrome.

Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) gains more attention due to high prevalence of obesity, diabetes and hypertension among adults. Although obesity, diabetes and hypertension can certainly compromise health-related quality of life (HRQoL), the correlations of sociodemographic factors, quality of life and MetS remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between HRQoL and MetS in an Asian community of the sociodemographic characteristics.

Fentanyl-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia with low dose of ketamine is not inferior to thoracic epidural analgesia for acute post-thoracotomy pain following video-assisted thoracic surgery: A randomized controlled study.

Background: Thoracic epidural analgesia is the preferred method for postoperative analgesia following thoracic surgery. However, intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IVPCA) may be an effective alternative. This study was conducted because few scientific reports exist comparing fentanyl-based IVPCA including a low dose of ketamine (fk-IVPCA) with thoracic patient-controlled epidural analgesia (t-PCEA) for the treatment of postoperative pain after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

Correlates Between Health Beliefs and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profiles in the Development of Metabolic Syndrome in Taiwan.

Differences in sociodemographic variables, health beliefs, and a healthy lifestyle all contribute to the varied prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). We investigated the associations among MetS-related risk factors and performed a cross-sectional study, recruiting 1741 Taiwanese residents aged ≥30 years, between August 2014 and August 2015. Data were obtained on sociodemographic factors, health beliefs, and health-promoting lifestyle profiles using questionnaires.