Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new tool for early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis using combined biomarkers; synovial MAGE-1 mRNA and serum anti-CCP and RF

Introduction rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease with unknown etiology and pathogenesis. Biomarkers have the potential to aid in the clinical diagnosis of the disease, or to provide means of detecting early signs of the disease. Evaluating Melanoma associated antigen genes (MAGE-1) mRNA expression rate in synovial fluid cells and serum levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) for RA early diagnosis. Methods a total of 213 subjects were enrolled in the study, 135 RA patients and 78 normal subjects with traumatic knee joints (control group). Serum RF and anti-CCP were estimated quantitatively using ELISA. MAGE-1 mRNA expression rate was analyzed by RT-PCR. Results a significant increase in serum levels of RF IgM and anti-CCP in RA patients compared to the controls. A positively significant correlation was found between serum anti-CCP and RF IgM. The expression rate of MAGE-1 mRNA was 100% in RA patients versus the controls (0%). The specificity and the sensitivity of the three biomarkers was 100%. Conclusion the high expression rate of MAGE-1 in synovial fluid cells of RA patients is encouraging its utilization as a diagnostic biomarker for RA. The combined use of MAGE-1 transcript in synovial fluid cells, serum RF and anti-CCP is recommended for improving early diagnostic ability of RA.
Electrochemical Na Insertion and Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Hard‐Carbon Electrodes and Application to Na‐Ion Batteries

Recently, lithium‐ion batteries have been attracting more interest for use in automotive applications. Lithium resources are confirmed to be unevenly distributed in South America, and the cost of the lithium raw materials has roughly doubled from the first practical application in 1991 to the present and is increasing due to global demand for lithium‐ion accumulators. Since the electrochemical equivalent and standard potential of sodium are the most advantageous after lithium, sodium based energy storage is of great interest to realize lithium‐free high energy and high voltage batteries. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no successful reports on electrochemical sodium insertion materials for battery applications; the major challenge is the negative electrode and its passivation. In this study, we achieve high capacity and excellent reversibility sodium‐insertion performance of hard‐carbon and layered NaNi0.5Mn0. 5O2 electrodes in propylene carbonate electrolyte solutions. The structural change and passivation for hard‐carbon are investigated to study the reversible sodium insertion. The 3‐volt secondary Na‐ion battery possessing environmental and cost friendliness, Na+‐shuttlecock hard‐carbon/NaNi0.5Mn0. 5O2 cell, demonstrates steady cycling performance as next generation secondary batteries and an alternative to Li‐ion batteries.
Community-acquired Klebsiella spp Meningitis/Invasive Infection in Filipino-descent Patients Living in Greece: A Case Series

Klebsiella spp community-acquired meningitis caused by hypervirulent strains is well described as part of a distinct syndrome consisting of liver abscess and multiple septic metastatic lesions (Klebsiella pneumoniae invasive syndrome) occurring usually in diabetic, alcoholic, elderly or cancer patients, in Taiwan and other South-East Asian countries. In Western countries, these infections are very rare in natives and usually occur in patients of Asian origin. We report three cases of Filipino-origin patients, residents of Greece, with community-acquired invasive Klebsiella meningitis, who were treated in our ICU over a 10-year period. LEARNING POINTS Community-acquired Klebsiella spp meningitis has a very bad prognosis. A physician must suspect an invasive Klebsiella infection in patients of Asian origin, even though they are residents of Western countries and have not visited their homeland recently.
Development of B2B electronic data interchange using XML format

Purpose – To propose some recommendations to improve the model that the Taiwanese Government developed for business to business data‐interchange standards for XML format (DIS_XML) of seven industries.Design/methodology/approach – This study examines the DIS_XML development of Taiwan from a practical perspective. After an assessment of industrial structures and characteristics and recommendations are proposed for the development model.Findings – The study concludes that the structure and function of development organization, expert knowledge, top management involvement and support, communication between relevant departments and the achievement of consensus are key factors in establishing the industrial DIS_XML. Practical implications – The study revealed the development content of government promoting the DIS_XML of seven industries in Taiwan and will be of assistance to other countries that are inclined to promote.Originality/value – Governmental involvement of the sort demonstrated by the Taiwanese Govern.
Key Factors for Involvement Degree and Perceived Value in Consumers’ Purchase Intention in Unpacked Stores

The Taiwanese government has decided to reduce the use of disposable plastics in response to the European Union’s announcement of the Circular Economy Action Plan. With the circular economy becoming a sustainable development trend, consumers have become the latter and the environment’s lifeblood. There has been a wave of unpacked stores around the world in recent years, encouraging consumers to reduce the use of plastics and bring their own bags or containers when shopping, thereby reducing the waste of resources. This research adopted qualitative and quantitative research methods to verify the model of involvement degree and perceived value on consumers’ purchase intentions in unpacked stores through expert interviews and structural equations and extract the key factors for promoting unpacked stores. The research results show that the three dimensions of involvement degree will indirectly affect consumers’ purchase intentions through the four dimensions of perceived value. Perceived value plays a mediating role between the involvement degree and purchase intention. Unpacked stores can be used to promote industry characteristics and image, and unpacked consumption thinking can be advanced through the Internet, education, or lectures based on community development. In this way, unpacked stores can be instilled in people’s psychological value.
The relation of unrest-related distress with probable depression during and after widespread civil unrest

Abstract Background This study investigated whether subjective unrest-related distress was associated with probable depression during and after the 2019 anti-ELAB movement in Hong Kong. Methods Population-representative data were collected from 7157 Hong Kong Chinese in four cross-sectional surveys (July 2019–July 2020). Logistic regression examined the association between subjective unrest-related distress and probable depression (PHQ-9 ⩾ 10), stratified by the number of conflicts/protests across the four timepoints. Results Unrest-related distress was positively associated with probable depression across different numbers of conflicts/protests. Conclusion Unrest-related distress is a core indicator of probable depression. Public health interventions should target at resolving the distress during seemingly peaceful period after unrest.
You Only Live Once! Understanding Indonesian and Taiwan Travel Intention During COVID-19 Pandemic

Indonesia and Taiwan are two countries that have been affected by the tourism sector, although with different policies to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan is known as a country with pandemic policies that have been recognized around the world, although it has a high vulnerability to experiencing a high number of infections due to its geographical and political position close to the source of the pandemic. On the other hand, Indonesia is known for its controversial pandemic management and control policies. Indonesia and Taiwan have carried out various public policies to increase tourism activities during the pandemic, such as accelerating vaccination in tourist areas and for tourists, as well as various other stimuli to stimulate tourism. The debate over vaccination raises questions about attitudes toward vaccines in society. The lack of clarity on psychosocial and political conditions creates confusion among the public in perceiving the COVID-19 pandemic and in perceiving the risks of traveling. This can affect people's attitudes toward vaccines, travel anxiety, and travel intentions. This study aims to analyze traveling intention due to the COVID-19 pandemic through COVID-19 Risk Perception, Fear of COVID-19, Risk Perception to Travel, Vaccine Attitude, and Fear to Travel. The research in Indonesia involved 358 respondents while the research in Taiwan involved 283 respondents. The research analysis used multiple regression and simple linear regression to ascertain the role of each association. The results showed that the travel intention of Indonesian tourists was formed from the direct and indirect roles of covid 19 risk perception, fear of covid 19, risk perception to travel, vaccine attitude, and fear to travel. Meanwhile, the travel intention of Taiwanese tourists is not influenced by a fear of covid. The travel intention model of Taiwanese tourists is formed from the direct and indirect roles of covid 19 risk perception, risk perception to travel, vaccine attitude, and fear to travel. This research contributes to tourism risk management in the face of pandemics, particularly in terms of government policies that can reduce tourism anxiety to travel during disasters.
The Taiwan Area Mesoscale Experiment (TAMEX): An Overview

The Taiwan Area Mesoscale Experiment (TAMEX) is a research program conducted jointly by scientists of Taiwan, the Republic of China, and the United States to improve, through better understanding, the forecasting of heavy precipitation events that lead to flash floods. In order to achieve this objective the field phase of TAMEX was launched to collect the data necessary to study the mesoscale circulation associated with the Mei-Yu front; the evolution of the mesoscale convective systems in the vicinity of the Mei-Yu front; and the effects of orography on the Mei-Yu front and on mesoscale convective systems. The field phase extended from 1 May to 29 June 1987, covering 13 operational missions. In addition, soundings were taken every 6 h within the special network for a 1-month period from 15 May to 15 June. Meteorological phenomena on which special observations were collected include the Mei-Yu front, low-level jet, prefrontal squall lines, open-ocean mesoscale convective systems, mountain convection, terr.
The Experience of Happiness among Chinese Postpartum Mothers

Postpartum maternal happiness, an indicator of quality of life that may decrease the effects of negative emotions such as postpartum depression, is not well studied. The purpose of this analysis was to explore how postpartum mothers experience happiness. Data were part of two cross-sectional studies with snowball sampling designed to understand health status of Chinese postpartum mothers. Forty-eight and 151 Chinese mothers within 1-year postpartum in the United States and Taiwan, respectively, answered an open-ended question about the happiest events they experienced during the postpartum period. Qualitative data were analyzed by bracketing contexts to meaning units, aggregating meaning units into themes, and deriving a thematic structure that fitted all themes. Interconnectedness and fulfillment were identified as describing postpartum maternal happiness. Existence of the baby, interaction with the baby, connecting everybody in the family, and integration of the baby into the family were the categories of interconnectedness whereas extension of mother’s life, achievement, and being supported were the categories of fulfillment. The center of the postpartum mother’s life was the baby and the baby, as well as activities associated with the baby, was the main source of mothers’ happiness. Family support and achievement of various expectations, including continuation of the family name, also contributed to maternal happiness. Helping new mothers to understand both positive and negative emotions may encourage further discussion about areas in which mothers are feeling particularly challenged. Interventions such as cognitive counseling that stresses positive emotions may be used to assist new mothers find a healthy balance of emotions, especially cope with depression or feelings of sadness.
Superficial and Deep Structure of Central Asia as Example of Continental Lithosphere Heterogeneity

The north part of central Asia belongs to the north Eurasian lithosphere plate separated from neighboring plates by some transit zones. These zones consist of numerous crust blocks limited by active faults and interblock zones, in which maximal volumes of the seismic energy release. The examination of different geophysical fields of central Asia shows that interblock zones coincide with some anomalies in magnetic and partly gravity fields. Heat-flow values increase up to 80-100 μW/m -2 and more in interblock zones in boundaries of Hangay, Amurian, Tibet's, and Tarim blocks as well as in some inner continental rifts. Some of heat-flow anomalies can be connected with mantle plumes under Hangay and north part of the Amurian Block. Within the central Asian transit zone the up-to-date tectonic compression distinctly predominates, while in the east Asian zone it changes partly on extension and slipping with extension. The crust thickness changes from 25-30 km in the east of central Asia up to 50-75 km in the west under Tibet and neighboring blocks. The lithosphere thickness changes in the same direction from 60-80 km up to 120-150 km, but it decreases up to 100 km and less under inner continental rifts coinciding with interblock zones. The direction of the P- and S-waves anisotropy shows within the great part of the region the coupling deformation in the lithosphere upper mantle and crust. But east of the east Himalayan syntax differently directed vectors of horizontal displacement are established in the crust and upper mantle indicating decoupling these layers under the influence of the Hindustan-Asia collision and "a threshold" of the SE China thick lithosphere, coinciding with the interblock zone between SE China and Tibet's blocks. The majority of above-mentioned geophysical and geological data prove the heterogeneity of the central Asia lithosphere and its direct connection with interblock zones.
East Asians with Internet Addiction: Prevalence Rates and Support Use Patterns

The issue of Internet addiction has become a serious social and health issue in East Asian countries. There are only a few treatment programs for Internet addiction, and their effectiveness with people from East Asian remains unclear. As support and treatment develop, it is necessary to understand cultural preferences for dealing with this concern. Using data from the East Asian Social Survey (EASS), this study examined preferred sources of assistance for help with internet use problems in four countries - China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Preferences for kin versus non-kin support, use of alternative medicine, and professional mental health assistance were examined, as were between-country differences in support preferences. The results indicate a strong preference for seeking assistance from close relatives, followed by non-kin support (i.e., close friends and co-participants in religious institutions), alternative medicine, and professional mental health services, respectively. While there is a strong preference for family support, over 80% of survey respondents were open to seeking formal or informal mental health support outside the family. There were some significant differences between countries, with South Koreans being more likely to seek non-kin support and professional support for internet addiction concerns compared to Chinese. These differences are discussed in the context of cultural and policy developments in East Asian countries. Findings suggest the need for a more holistic approach to treating low mental health concerns.
Reliability of clinical and radiographic measurement of rearfoot alignment in a patient population

Abstract Rearfoot alignment measures in relaxed and neutral calcaneal stance were made on eight patients using skin marking of the central bisection of the rearfoot. To assess the within-tester repeatability, measurements were made more than two weeks apart, without access to previous records. The angle of rearfoot compensation, which indicated the frontal plane movement of the rearfoot between the neutral and relaxed positions, was calculated. For the two sessions, very good agreement was evident in compensation measures for the left ( r =0.93) and right foot ( r =0.95) and the standard deviation of a single determination approximated the 0.5° measurement resolution. Using radiography, a skin marked central bisection line (50%) of the rearfoot was shown to be coincident with a line from a point 40% from the lateral side at the lower margin of the calcaneus to the mid point of its superior margin. This 40% line bisected the body of the calcaneus bone, and at the inferior end appeared coincident with the mid-point of the Achilles tendon attachment.
DMSO_A_220180 2725..2733

Yi-Hsin Lin Hsuan Huang 1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Taiwan Adventist Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (R.O.C.); 2Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Background/purpose: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are the most popular oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) in recent 20 years because of the low risk of hypoglycemia, intermediate efficacy to lower glycated hemoglobin (△HbA1c): 0.5–0.9%, neutral effect on body weight change, convenience for usage (mostly once daily), and rare occurrence of major side effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the important predictors of the efficacy of naïve use of DPP-4 inhibitors in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. Of the T2D patients, 193 (122 men) naïve DPP-4 inhibitor users with an age of 58.0 ± 12.6 years, disease duration 5.4 ± 4.7 years, body mass index (BMI) 26.1 ± 4.3 kg/m, and estimated glomerular filtration rate 95.9 ± 27.0 mL/min/1.73M were assessed for △HbA1c in 6 months. Results: After 6 months of DPP-4 inhibitors use, mostly second or third line of OADs (2.8 ± 0.7 kinds of OADs), 193 T2D patients (mean baseline HbA1c: 8.4 ± 1.4%) had △HbA1c 1.1 ± 1.2% on average (P < 0.01). The group with a higher baseline HbA1c level had more effective efficacy (△HbA1c ≥0.5%) in lowering HbA1c. Single regression analysis showed that the change in HbA1c after 6 months of treatment was positively associated with the baseline HbA1c level (R = 0.71, P < 0.001). In addition, multiple regression analysis showed that contributors to decrease HbA1c level after 6 months were high baseline HbA1c level, low BMI, short T2D duration, and fewer kinds of OADs. Conclusion: Our study suggested that high baseline HbA1c level, low BMI, short T2D duration, and fewer kinds of OADs are the predictors of the efficacy of DPP-4 inhibitors in Taiwanese patients with T2D. The baseline HbA1c level, in particular, played the most important role in effective efficacy (△HbA1c ≥0.5%).
Numerical Investigation of Droplet Vaporization and Combustion Models Spray Combustion

Wei-Hsin Chen (Department of Environmental Engineering and Sanitation, Foo Yin Institute of Technology, Taliao, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, 831 R.O.C), Email:whchen@cc.fy. edu.tw Chao-Chung Liu (National Center for High-Performance Computing P.O.Box 19-136, Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C), Email:c00jcl00@nchc.gov. tw Tsung Leo Jiang (Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, 701 R.O.C), Email: jiang@mail.ncku. edu.tw
The Related Risk Factors of Diabetic Retinopathy in Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Hospital-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), caused by small vessel disease, is the main cause of blindness in persons with diabetes. Taiwan is one of the Asian countries with the highest prevalence rate of DR. The purpose was to investigate the related risk factors of DR in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), in Lee’s Endocrinology Clinic. 792 T2DM patients over 60 years old were invited to have an outpatient visit at least every three months, and all of them were asked to undergo a standardized interview and collect their blood samples. Significant factors were being female (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.287; 95% CI, 1.082–1.531), higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (HR: 1.067; 95% CI: 1.016–1.119), higher mean low density of lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) (HR: 1.004; 95% CI: 1.001–1.006), and chewing betel nut (HR: 1.788; 95% CI: 1.362–2.347). This study showed that gender, the behavior of chewing betel nut, HbA1c, and LDL-c are important factors for the development of DR in elderly patients with T2DM. It is suggested that patients should control their HbA1c and LDL-c and quit chewing betel nut to prevent DR. This suggestion applies especially to female patients.
Analysis and Evaluation of Competitiveness in Medical Tourism Industry in Taiwan

Tourism is relatively high profit, low-cost and high work opportunity industry Medical tourism is special kind of business type in tourism industry The characteristic of medical tourism is high threshold and high profit for hospital and government But, fewer literatures research about competitiveness of medical tourism industry until now Especially, medical tourism industry faces big challenge when COVID-19 occurs which stop patient to go abroad for treating in the world This research arranges relative literatures and invite some expert's opinion to design criteria for evaluating competitiveness of medical tourism industry in each area After that, linguistic VIKOR and Entropy will be integrated to analyze and evaluate performance of medical tourism industry among China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea Finally, some reasonable suggestion will be provided for Taiwan government and hospital © 2020 ASTES Publishers All rights reserved
Management of Crohn's disease in Taiwan: consensus guideline of the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing and remitting inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. CD is rare in Taiwan and other Asian countries, but its prevalence and incidence have been steadily increasing. A steering committee was established by the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease to formulate statements on the diagnosis and management of CD taking into account currently available evidence and the expert opinion of the committee. Thorough clinical, endoscopic, and histological assessments are required for accurate diagnosis of CD. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are complementary to endoscopic evaluation for disease staging and detecting complications. The goals of CD management are to induce and maintain remission, reduce the risk of complications, and improve quality of life. Corticosteroids are the mainstay for inducing re-mission. Immunomodulating and biologic therapies should be used to maintain remission. Patients should be evaluated for hepatitis B virus and tuberculosis infection prior to treatment and receive regular surveillance for cancer. These consensus statements are based on current local evidence with consideration of factors, and could be serve as concise and practical guidelines for supporting clinicians in the management of patients with CD in Taiwan.