Effects of an Anti-Smoking Program to Prevent Lung Cancer among Urban Aboriginals in Taiwan

Lin, Mei-Hsiang,Huang, Sheu-Jen,Shih, Whei-Mei Jean,Wang, Pao-Yu,Lin, Li-Hui,Hsu, Hsiu-Chin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.11

Background and Purpose: Indigenous people who leave their hometowns and move to the city to earn a living became urban aboriginals. During the process of adapting to urban living situations, they may use various coping strategies such as smoking to overcome their stress. Therefore, it is crucial to provide health education including smoking prevention, increasing knowledge regarding of tobacco hazard, self-efficacy of anti-smoking, and adjusting smoking behavior so as to empower their anti-smoking motivation to prevent lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of an anti-smoking program on urban aboriginals in Taiwan. Methods: A quasi-experimental study design with purposeful sampling was employed. A total of 125 aboriginal subjects were recruited from two local churches at Shu Lin area in northern Taiwan. Subjects were divided into an experimental group (n =64 ) and a control group (n = 61). Both took pre-tests in order to set baseline values, and only the experimental group participated for 3-weeks in the anti-smoking program classes. Both groups took post-tests immediately after the intervention in order to evaluate the immediate effects of the teaching program, and a follow-up test was conducted four weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANCOVA, and repeat measure ANCOVA. Results: After controlling for confounding variables, the results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the self-efficacy of anti-smoking and smoking behavior between experimental and control groups in the immediately post-test and the follow-up test (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant differences in the recognition of hazards of smoking at eiter time point. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: The findings of this study revealed that the anti-smoking program effectively improved self-efficacy of anti-smoking, and decreased the smoking behavior in urban aboriginals. They provide useful information as a reference regarding of aboriginal health promotion to health providers. It is imperative that anti-smoking be reinforced for those regular smokers to prevent induction of lung cancer.

Mucolipidosis I/II/III in Taiwan

Lin, Hsiang-Yu,Lin, Shuan-Pei Association for Research of MPS and Rare Diseases 2016 Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare disease Vol.2 No.1

Early Diagnosis for Mucopolysaccharidosis I - A 6-month-old Female Infant Presenting with Gibbus, Hirsutism and Mongolian Spots in a Well Baby Clinic

Lin, Hsiang-Yu,Chuang, Chih-Kuang,Chang, Jui-Hsing,Lin, Shuan-Pei Association for Research of MPS and Rare Diseases 2016 Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare disease Vol.2 No.1

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) I is a rare, progressive and multisystemic disease with insidious initial signs and symptoms, and making an early diagnosis can be a challenge for the first-line general medical practitioner. We report a 6-month-old girl who was brought to our well baby clinic for regular immunization with the manifestations of lumbar gibbus, hirsutism, large Mongolian spots over back and buttock, and mild bilateral legs spasticity noticed by the general pediatrician, and then newly diagnosed with MPS I after referral to the geneticist in time. Her surgical history included inguinal hernia repair at 1 month old, $CO_2$ laser supraglottoplasty for laryngomalacia and tracheostomy due to chronic respiratory failure with ventilator dependence at 2 months old. Understanding and identification of the early signs and symptoms of this disease have the potential to early diagnosis and timely appropriate treatment, which could contribute to a better clinical outcome.

Newborn Screening for Lysosomal Storage Diseases in Taiwan

Lin, Hsiang-Yu,Chuang, Chih-Kuang,Lin, Shuan-Pei Association for Research of MPS and Rare Diseases 2017 Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare disease Vol.3 No.1

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a group of rare inherited metabolic disorders caused by the deficiency of specific lysosomal enzymes and subsequent accumulation of substrates. Enzyme deficiency leads to progressive intra-lysosomal accumulation of the incompletely degraded substances, which cause dysfunction and destruction of the cell and eventually multiple organ damage. Patients have a broad spectrum of clinical phenotypes which are generally not specific for some LSDs, leading to missed or delayed diagnosis. Due to the availability of treatment including enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for some LSDs, early diagnosis is important. ERT products have been approved with optimal outcomes for some LSDs in the recent decades, including Gaucher, Fabry, mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) I, Pompe, MPS VI, MPS II, and MPS IVA diseases. ERT can stabilize the clinical condition, prevent disease progression, and improve the long-term outcome of these diseases, especially if started prior to irreversible organ damage. Based on the availability of therapy and suitable screening methods in the recent years, some LSDs, including Pompe, Fabry, Gaucher, MPS I, MPS II, and MPS VI diseases have been incorporated into nationwide newborn screening panels in Taiwan.

Mucopolysaccharidoses in Taiwan

Lin, Hsiang-Yu,Chuang, Chih-Kuang,Lin, Shuan-Pei Association for Research of MPS and Rare Diseases 2018 Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare disease Vol.4 No.1

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of rare inherited metabolic disorders caused by specific lysosomal enzyme deficiencies leading to the sequential degradation of glycosaminoglycans, causing substrate accumulation in various cells and tissues and progressive multiple organ dysfunction. The rare disease medical care team at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan has been dedicated to the study of MPSs for more than 20 years. Since 1999, more than 50 academic papers focusing on MPSs have been published in international medical journals. Topics of research include the following items regarding MPSs: incidence, natural history, clinical manifestations, gene mutation characteristics, cardiac function, bone mineral density, sleep studies, pulmonary function tests, hearing assessments, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, anesthetic experience, imaging analysis, special biochemical tests, laboratory diagnostics, global expert consensus conferences, prenatal diagnosis, new drug clinical trials, newborn screening, and treatment outcomes. Of these published academic research papers, more than half were cross-domain, cross-industry, and international studies with results in cooperation with experts from European, American and other Asian countries. A cross-specialty collaboration platform was established based on high-risk population screening criteria with the acronym "BECARE" (Bone and joints, Eyes, Cardiac and central nervous system, Abdomen and appearance, Respiratory system, and Ear, nose, and throat involvement). Through this platform, orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists, rehabilitation physicians, gastroenterologists, otorhinolaryngologists, and medical geneticists have been educated with regards to awareness of suspected cases of MPSs patients to allow for a further confirmative diagnosis of MPSs. Because of the progressive nature of the disease, an early diagnosis and early multidisciplinary therapeutic interventions including surgery, rehabilitation programs, symptom-based treatments, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and enzyme replacement therapy, are very important.

A novel illumination system design for application in the integrated screen 3D display

Lin, Chu-Hsun,Lin, Chun-Chuan,Lo, Hsin-Hsiang,Chung, Shuang-Chao,Chen, Tian-Yuan,Wang, Chy-Lin The Korean Infomation Display Society 2010 Journal of information display Vol.11 No.1

A mini-projector prototype employing a LED light source, a nontelecentric structure, and an LCOS panel for application in the integrated 3D display was fabricated. A seamless image was obtained by tilting an array of mini-projectors. Seamless quality was created by the excellent uniformity of the projection intensity on the mini-projector's screen, which was simulated as 98.34%. Great uniformity can be realized by optimizing the design of the light source and the optics configuration, which is the key to such realization.

Portable Laser Doppler Flowmeter for Microcirculation Detection

Chang-Lin Hu,Meng-Lin Li,Zhan-Sheng Lin,Yen-Yu Chen,Yuan-Hsiang Lin 대한의용생체공학회 2013 Biomedical Engineering Letters (BMEL) Vol.3 No.2

Purpose The microcirculatory system of the human body is closely related to its physiological conditions. The laser Doppler flowmeter can detect symptoms through variations in the microcirculation; however, the present commercial Doppler flowmeter is very expensive, heavy, and inconvenient to carry. Therefore, an inexpensive, small, and portable laser Doppler flowmeter is proposed. Methods In this study, we designed a laser Doppler flowmeter transmitting receiving module based on the fundamental principles of laser Doppler, using a common computer for flow calculation. A self-designed correction system was used to validate the portable laser Doppler flowmeter. Results The coefficient of correlation between the mean frequency offset <ω> of the flowmeter and the actual mimicked blood flow rate reached a high value of R = 0.99, and the variations in microcirculation flow could be accurately measured. Conclusions The results proved that the low-cost portable laser Doppler flowmeter can be used extensively in early symptom detection for disease prevention and control.

Anterior fibromuscular stroma: The possible role for transient incontinence after endoscopic enucleation of prostate

Yu-Hsiang Lin,Ke-Hung Tsui,Horng-Heng Juang 대한비뇨의학회 2023 Investigative and Clinical Urology Vol.64 No.5

Severity Staging of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Differences in Pre- and Post-Bronchodilator Spirometry

Sheng-Hsiang Lin,Ping-Hung Kuo,Sow-Hsong Kuo,Pan-Chyr Yang 연세대학교의과대학 2009 Yonsei medical journal Vol.50 No.5

Purpose: The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) uses the post-bronchodilator spirometry for diagnosis and severity staging. We evaluated differences in the severity classification of COPD, based on pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. Materials and Methods: From 2000 to 2004, 207 COPD patients who underwent spirometry before and after inhalation of 400 μg of fenoterol were analyzed. A responder to the bronchodilator test (BDT) was defined by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) as an increase in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) or forced vital capacity ≥ 12% and ≥ 200 mL, and by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) as an increase in FEV1 ≥ 10% of the predicted value. COPD severity was classified according to the 2008 GOLD guidelines. Results: For the entire study population, the FEV1 increased by 11.8 ± 12.5% of baseline after BDT and 41.1% and 27.1% of subjects were classified as responders using the ATS and ERS criteria, respectively. Based on pre-BDT spirometry, 55, 85, 58, and 9 patients were classified as Stage I-IV COPD, respectively. Sixty-seven (32.4%) patients changed severity staging after BDT, including 20.0%, 28.2%, 44.8%, and 66.7% of pre-BDT patients Stages I through IV, respectively. More ATS or ERS BDT-responders had a change in severity staging than non-responders (52.9% vs. 18.9% and 62.5% vs. 21.2%, both p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our data suggest that the severity staging of COPD using pre-BDT spirometry might lead to significant differences as compared to staging, based on post-BDT spirometry, as recommended by the current GOLD guidelines. Purpose: The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) uses the post-bronchodilator spirometry for diagnosis and severity staging. We evaluated differences in the severity classification of COPD, based on pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. Materials and Methods: From 2000 to 2004, 207 COPD patients who underwent spirometry before and after inhalation of 400 μg of fenoterol were analyzed. A responder to the bronchodilator test (BDT) was defined by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) as an increase in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) or forced vital capacity ≥ 12% and ≥ 200 mL, and by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) as an increase in FEV1 ≥ 10% of the predicted value. COPD severity was classified according to the 2008 GOLD guidelines. Results: For the entire study population, the FEV1 increased by 11.8 ± 12.5% of baseline after BDT and 41.1% and 27.1% of subjects were classified as responders using the ATS and ERS criteria, respectively. Based on pre-BDT spirometry, 55, 85, 58, and 9 patients were classified as Stage I-IV COPD, respectively. Sixty-seven (32.4%) patients changed severity staging after BDT, including 20.0%, 28.2%, 44.8%, and 66.7% of pre-BDT patients Stages I through IV, respectively. More ATS or ERS BDT-responders had a change in severity staging than non-responders (52.9% vs. 18.9% and 62.5% vs. 21.2%, both p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our data suggest that the severity staging of COPD using pre-BDT spirometry might lead to significant differences as compared to staging, based on post-BDT spirometry, as recommended by the current GOLD guidelines.

A novel illumination system design for application in the integrated screen 3D display

Chu-Hsun Lin,Chun-Chuan Lin,Hsin-Hsiang Lo,Shuang-Chao Chung,Tian-Yuan Chen,Chy-Lin Wang 한국정보디스플레이학회 2010 Journal of information display Vol.11 No.1

A mini-projector prototype employing a LED light source, a nontelecentric structure, and an LCOS panel for application in the integrated 3D display was fabricated. A seamless image was obtained by tilting an array of mini-projectors. Seamless quality was created by the excellent uniformity of the projection intensity on the mini-projector’s screen, which was simulated as 98.34%. Great uniformity can be realized by optimizing the design of the light source and the optics configuration, which is the key to such realization.