Possible Effect of Implementing a National Query Program on Site-Specific Cancer Mortality Rates in Taiwan

Lin, Ching-Yih,Cheng, Tain-Junn,Peng, Hua-Chun,Chen, Lea-Hua,Huang, Shiuh-Ming,Lu, Tsung-Hsueh Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.2

Background: This study aimed to examine possible effects of implementing a national query program on site-specific cancer mortality rates. Materials and Methods: A total of 2,874 query letters were sent out by the Department of Statistics, Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan between January 2009 and December 2011 to medical certifiers who reported "neoplasm with uncertain nature" on the death certificate asking for more detailed information for coding. Results: Of the 2,571 responses, in 1,398 cases (54%) medical certifiers were still unable to determine the nature of the neoplasm. There were four neoplasm sites for which more than 50% of the responses changed the category to malignant, the gastrointestinal system (73%), urinary system (60%), stomach (55%) and rectum (53%). The liver was the cancer site that showed the largest absolute increase in the number of deaths after the query; however, the brain showed the largest relative increase, at 12%. Conclusions: Different neoplasm sites showed different magnitudes of change in nature after the query. Brain cancer mortality rates exhibited the largest increase.

Analytical methodology for solving anisotropic materials of antiplane problems

Ma, Chien-Ching,Cheng, Yih-Hong Techno-Press 1999 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.7 No.2

An analytical methodology for solving antiplane problem of anisotropic materials is proposed and discussed in detail in this study. The material considered in this study possesses a symmetry plane at z=0. The relationship between the problems of anisotropic materials and the corresponding isotropic problems are established by Ma (1996) on the basis of the general solutions for the shear stresses and displacement in both the polar and Cartesian coordinate systems. This implies that any solution of an anisotropic problem can be obtained by solving a corresponding isotropic problem. In this study some examples and numerical results are presented as an explanation of how the complicated anisotropic problem could be solved by the associated simpler isotropic problem.

Kinetic investigation on asymmetric bioreduction of ethyl 4-chloro acetoacetate catalyzed by baker’s yeast in an organic solvent-water biphasic system

Jer-Yiing Houng,Jui-Ching Tseng,Hsia-Fen Hsu,Jiumn-Yih Wu 한국화학공학회 2008 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.25 No.6

This study investigated the kinetic characteristics of asymmetric bioreduction of ethyl 4-chloro acetoacetate (ECA) to produce (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyric acid ethyl ester (S-CHBE) by baker’s yeast in a water-organic solvent biphasic system. Exactly how several organic solvents affect reaction performance was studied first. Among the solvents tested, petroleum ether exhibited the optimum reaction efficiency. Compared with the aqueous system, reaction yield was enhanced from 74.5% to 84.0%, and the product’s ee increased from 82.3% to 88.0% after 10% petroleum ether was added. The kinetic behavior of asymmetric bioreduction of ECA in the petroleum ether-water biphasic system was then examined by using a mathematical model. Kinetic analysis reveals that the maximal reaction rate and affinity between the substrate and the biocatalyst were both lower in the biphasic system than in the aqueous system. Additionally, the substrate inhibition effect was greater in this biphasic system than in the aqueous system. However, the ratio of the formation rate for producing S-CHBE to that for producing R-CHBE in the biphasic system was significantly higher than that in the aqueous system. Moreover, adding petroleum ether reduced spontaneous ECA degradation markedly. These two kinetic characteristics explain why the biphasic system exhibited a higher yield and a better product’s ee (enantiomeric excess) than the aqueous system.

Prediction of Mortality after Emergent Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Placement: Use of APACHE II, Child-Pugh and MELD Scores in Asian Patients with Refractory Variceal Hemorrhage

Wen-Sheng Tzeng,Reng-Hong Wu,Ching-Yih Lin,Jyh-Jou Chen,Ming-Juen Sheu,Lok-Beng Koay,Chuan Lee 대한영상의학회 2009 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.10 No.5

Objective: This study was designed to determine if existing methods of grading liver function that have been developed in non-Asian patients with cirrhosis can be used to predict mortality in Asian patients treated for refractory variceal hemorrhage by the use of the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure. Materials and Methods: Data for 107 consecutive patients who underwent an emergency TIPS procedure were retrospectively analyzed. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II), Child-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were calculated. Survival analyses were performed to evaluate the ability of the various models to predict 30-day, 60-day and 360-day mortality. The ability of stratified APACHE II, Child-Pugh, and MELD scores to predict survival was assessed by the use of Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log-rank test. Results: No patient died during the TIPS procedure, but 82 patients died during the follow-up period. Thirty patients died within 30 days after the TIPS procedure; 37 patients died within 60 days and 53 patients died within 360 days. Univariate analysis indicated that hepatorenal syndrome, use of inotropic agents and mechanical ventilation were associated with elevated 30-day mortality (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that a Child-Pugh score > 11 or an MELD score > 20 predicted increased risk of death at 30, 60 and 360 days (p < 0.05). APACHE II scores could only predict mortality at 360 days (p < 0.05). Conclusion: A Child-Pugh score > 11 or an MELD score > 20 are predictive of mortality in Asian patients with refractory variceal hemorrhage treated with the TIPS procedure. An APACHE II score is not predictive of early mortality in this patient population. Objective: This study was designed to determine if existing methods of grading liver function that have been developed in non-Asian patients with cirrhosis can be used to predict mortality in Asian patients treated for refractory variceal hemorrhage by the use of the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure. Materials and Methods: Data for 107 consecutive patients who underwent an emergency TIPS procedure were retrospectively analyzed. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II), Child-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were calculated. Survival analyses were performed to evaluate the ability of the various models to predict 30-day, 60-day and 360-day mortality. The ability of stratified APACHE II, Child-Pugh, and MELD scores to predict survival was assessed by the use of Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log-rank test. Results: No patient died during the TIPS procedure, but 82 patients died during the follow-up period. Thirty patients died within 30 days after the TIPS procedure; 37 patients died within 60 days and 53 patients died within 360 days. Univariate analysis indicated that hepatorenal syndrome, use of inotropic agents and mechanical ventilation were associated with elevated 30-day mortality (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that a Child-Pugh score > 11 or an MELD score > 20 predicted increased risk of death at 30, 60 and 360 days (p < 0.05). APACHE II scores could only predict mortality at 360 days (p < 0.05). Conclusion: A Child-Pugh score > 11 or an MELD score > 20 are predictive of mortality in Asian patients with refractory variceal hemorrhage treated with the TIPS procedure. An APACHE II score is not predictive of early mortality in this patient population.

Serum Uric Acid Relation for Hearing Threshold Shiftt

Hui-Fang Yang,Tung-Wei Kao,Tao-Chun Peng,Yu-Shan Sun,Fang-Yih Liaw,Chung-Ching Wang,Ju-Ting Hsueh,Wei-Liang Chen 대한이비인후과학회 2017 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.10 No.2

Objectives. The effects of serum uric acid (UA) level on a variety of diseases were found from experimental and observational studies via oxidative stress and anti-oxidants. However, research on the association of UA and hearing thresholds is relatively sparse. We investigated this issue in the U.S. general population to evaluate the relationship of serum UA levels and pure tone threshold of hearing. Methods. Forty four thousand eighty four eligible participants aged 20 to 69 years who have serum UA data and received Audiometry Examination Component were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004. Hearing thresholds (dB) as a pure tone average at low frequencies (0.5, 1, 2 kHz) and at high frequencies (3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz) were computed. Multivariate linear regression models and tertile-based analysis with an extended-model approach for covariates adjustment were used to assess the correlation between serum UA level and hearing thresholds. Results. In the adjusted mode of tertile-based analysis, the regression coefficients elucidated as the change of log-transformed mean hearing thresholds upon comparing participants in the highest tertile of serum UA to those in the lowest tertile were –0.067 (P=0.023) in high frequency and –0.058 (P=0.054) in low frequency. After adjusting for multiple pertinent covariates, inverse association between tertiles of serum UA and hearing thresholds remained essentially unchanged. The negative trends between serum UA and hearing thresholds were statistically significant (P for trends <0.05) in tertile-based multiple linear regressions. Conclusion. Individuals with elevated UA levels independently were found to be inversely associated with hearing thresholds for pure tone audiometry in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.