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BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have demonstrated that hospice palliative care interventions for cancer patients can reduce health care utilzation. In Taiwan, 20-25% of patients who require mechanical ventilation are using prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV); however, only a limited number of studies have addressed the effectiveness of hospice palliative care for these patients. This study investigated the impact of hospice palliative care utilization on medical utilization among subjects using PMV. METHODS: By using the health insurance database of a nationwide population-based study, we identified subjects who had been on mechanical ventilation for > 21 d, were age ≥18 y between 2009 and 2017, and had received hospice palliative care. The control group was formed through 1:1 matching by using propensity scoring after excluding patients who had participated in palliative care for <15 d or for >181 d. Furthermore, we used a conditional logistic regression analysis to investigate the incidence of ICU admission, emergency department presentation, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation within 14 d before death. RESULTS: A total of 186,533 new subjects receiving PMV age ≥ 18 y were admitted between 2009 and 2017. In addition, the number of subjects receiving palliative care increased annually, rising from 0.6% in 2009 to 41.33% in 2017. The emergency department visits (odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% CI 0.63-0.74), ICU admission (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.53-0.66), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.35-0.46), and total hospitalization cost ($1,319.91 ± $1,821.66 versus $1,544.37 ± $2,309.27 [$USD], P < .001) were significant lower in the palliative care group. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects undergoing PMV while receiving hospice palliative care experienced significant reductions in total hospitalization costs, ICU admissions, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and medical expenses within 14 d before death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is an endangered wildlife that is protected under Taiwan's regulations. The body of a road-killed leopard cat was found to contain sequences of feline calicivirus (FCV), designated W109-1443. Analysis of the complete genomic sequence revealed that it shared approximately 81% similarity with a Chinese strain of FCV found in a domestic cat. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene indicated that the W109-1443 isolate belonged to genogroup II. Recombination analysis revealed that the W109-1443 isolate may have resulted from recombination between two FCV strains. Given the potential impact of FCV on the health and survival of wild felids, further investigation is necessary to assess its pathogenicity in the leopard cat population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low-energy PEO coatings were grown on Mg–Li alloy in presence of ionic liquid. • The corrosion resistance of low-energy PEO coating with ionic liquid was enhanced. • The role of ionic liquid was demonstrated by molecular dynamics simulation. • Influence of ionic liquid on the formation of LePEO coating was discussed. A low-energy plasma electrolytic oxidation (LePEO) technique is developed to simultaneously improve energy efficiency and anti-corrosion. Ionic liquids (1‑butyl‑3-methylimidazole tetrafluoroborate (BmimBF 4)) as sustainable corrosion inhibitors are chosen to investigate the corrosion inhibition behavior of ionic liquid (ILs) during the LePEO process for LA91 magnesium–lithium (Mg–Li) alloy. Results show that the ionic liquid BmimBF 4 participates in the LePEO coating formation process, causing an increment in coating thickness and surface roughness. The low conductivity of the ionic liquid is responsible for the voltage and breakdown voltage increases during the LePEO with IL process (LePEO-IL). After adding BmimBF 4 , corrosion current density decreases from 1.159 × 10−4 A·cm−2 to 8.143 × 10−6 A·cm−2. The impedance modulus increases to 1.048 × 104 Ω·cm−2 and neutral salt spray remains intact for 24 h. The superior corrosion resistance of the LePEO coating assisted by ionic liquid could be mainly attributed to its compact and thick barrier layer and physical absorption of ionic liquid. The ionic liquid-assisted LePEO technique provides a promising approach to reducing energy consumption and improving film performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is an endangered wildlife that is protected under Taiwan's regulations. The body of a road-killed leopard cat was found to contain sequences of feline calicivirus (FCV), designated WI 09-1443. Analysis of the complete genomic sequence revealed that it shared approximately 81% similarity with a Chinese strain of FCV found in a domestic cat. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene indicated that the WI 09-1443 isolate belonged to genogroup II. Recombination analysis revealed that the W109-1443 isolate may have resulted from recombination between two FCV strains. Given the potential impact of FCV on the health and survival of wild fel ids, further investigation is necessary to assess its pathogenicity in the leopard cat population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a complication that may occur after abdominal or nonabdominal surgery. Intravenous dexmedetomidine (Dex) has been reported to accelerate postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery; however, updated evidence is required to confirm its robustness. Methods: To identify randomized controlled trials examining the effects of perioperative intravenous Dex on gastrointestinal function recovery in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library were searched on August 2023. The primary outcome was time to first flatus. Secondary outcomes included time to oral intake and defecation as well as postoperative pain scores, postoperative nausea/vomiting (PONV), risk of hemodynamic instability, and length of hospital stay (LOS). To confirm its robustness, subgroup analyses and trial sequential analysis were performed. Results: The meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials with 2566 patients showed that Dex significantly reduced the time to flatus [mean difference (MD): -- 7.19 h, P<0.00001), time to oral intake (MD: -- 6.44 h, P=0.001), time to defecation (MD: -- 13.84 h, P=0.008), LOS (MD: -- 1.08 days, P<0.0001), and PONV risk (risk ratio: 0.61, P< 0.00001) without differences in hemodynamic stability and pain severity compared with the control group. Trial sequential analysis supported sufficient evidence favoring Dex for accelerating bowel function. Subgroup analyses confirmed the positive impact of Dex on the time to flatus across different surgical categories and sexes. However, this benefit has not been observed in studies conducted in regions outside China. Conclusions: Perioperative intravenous Dex may enhance postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery and reduce LOS, thereby validating its use in patients for whom postoperative ileus is a significant concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) in improving postoperative ileus after colorectal surgery. Methods: Electronic databases (e.g. Medline) were screened to identify randomized controlled trials that focused on the association between EA and postoperative ileus. Time to first flatus served as the primary outcome, while the secondary outcomes included time required for the recovery of other gastrointestinal functions (e.g. bowel sound recovery), time to tolerability of liquid/solid food, postoperative pain scores, risk of overall complications, and hospital length of stay. Results: Our meta-analysis focusing on 16 studies with a total of 1562 patients demonstrated positive associations of EA with shorter times to the first flatus [mean difference (MD): -10.1 h, P< 0.00001, n =1562], first defecation (MD: -11.77 h, P< 0.00001, n =1231), bowel sound recovery (MD: -10.76 h, P<0.00001, n= 670), tolerability of liquid (MD: -16.44 h, P=0.0002, n=243), and solid food (MD: -17.21 h, P =0.005, n= 582) than those who received standard care. The use of EA was also correlated with a lower risk of overall complications (risk ratio:0.71, P= 0.04, n =1011), shorter hospital length of stay (MD: -1.22 days, P= 0.0001, n =988), and a lower pain score on postoperative days two (standardized MD: - 0.87, P= 0.009, n= 665) and three (standardized MD: -0.45, P<0.00001, n= 795), without a difference in time to first ambulation. Conclusion: Our findings showed an association between EA and enhanced gastrointestinal functional recovery and reduced pain severity following colorectal surgery, highlighting the potential benefits of incorporating EA into perioperative care to enhance recovery outcomes in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common health condition that may interfere with the quality of life. A comprehensive evaluation of female UI helps with effective and safe treatments. Ultrasound has gained popularity to explore UI recently because it can collect crucial information for treatment planning and counseling. Translabial and introital approaches are commonly and reliably applied to ultrasound. The images can be obtained using two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasounds. Ultrasound is the only modality capable of confirming the presence or absence of a mid-urethral sling (MUS) and is able to demonstrate bulking agents as well. Although some of the ultrasound findings may only be incidental or supplementary to the patient's symptoms, ultrasound benefits for investigating the pathophysiology of UI and surgical outcomes of MUS procedures. It is anticipated that standardization in terminology, measurement techniques, and reporting can be established in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In June 2021, a yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula chrysospila) submitted for postmortem examination was diagnosed as rabid through laboratory testing. The rabies virus detected was closest phylogenetically to viruses of ferret badgers (Melogale moschata subaurantiaca) in Taiwan, indicating spillover infection from the primary reservoir in this area, the ferret badger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The increased life expectancy and accompanying comorbidities of elderly patients is in- creasing the need for composite soft tissue defect reconstruction. Since its introduction in 2004, the superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap has become popular among reconstructive surgeons for its various advantages. We describe our experience of free SCIP flap reconstruction in geriatric patients and examine its versatility in a literature review. Methods: Between 2018 and 2022, 19 geriatric patients (12 males, 7 females; 65--82 years old) under- went free SCIP flap transfer for reconstruction. The locations of the defects were all over the body area, from the trunk to the extremities. Patient perioperative demographic data are listed, along with surgical outcomes and complications. Results: In our experience, only one of 19 free SCIP flaps failed (total skin flap necrosis), presenting an overall flap survival rate of 94.7%. Partial flap loss was noted in 2 cases, which could be managed by other minor operations. Over at least 6 months of follow-up, all surviving flaps showed good contour and minimal donor site morbidity. Conclusion: The success rate was high and remained stable over time in geriatric patients managed with free SCIP flap reconstruction. The appearance of recipient and donor sites was optimal. With reduced donor site morbidity, we believe that the free SCIP flap will become a popular option for composite soft tissue defect coverage in the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of clonal haematopoietic stem cell disorders characterised by ineffective haematopoiesis and cytopenia. Studies have reported differences in MDS between Asian and Western countries, but data from Taiwan are scarce. Materials and Methods: In this study we analysed the clinical and pathological features of 32 Taiwanese MDS patients with del(5q) (ie, del(5q) alone [Group A, n = 11], del(5q) with one additional cytogenetic abnormality other than monosomy 7 or del(7q) [Group B, del(5q)+1; n = 6], and del(5q) with =2 additional cytogenetic abnormalities [Group C, n = 15]). Results: Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were more favourable for Group A than for Groups B (p < 0.05) and C (p ≤ 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that age >70 years, thrombocytopenia, and karyotype other than del(5q) alone were poor prognostic factors. Among the patients that had World Health Organization (WHO)-defined MDS with isolated del(5q), one patient (9%) had a typical marrow morphology of 5q minus syndrome with erythroid hypoplasia and four patients (36%) had hypolobated megakaryocytes. In addition, PFS and OS were significantly more favorable for the patients with del(5q) alone than for those with del(5q)+1 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The bone marrow morphology, clinical features, and prognosis of Taiwanese MDS patients with del(5q) were different from those associated with MDS with isolated del(5q) as defined in the current WHO classification. Researchers should compare different geographic regions and racial populations to determine whether geographic and racial differences exist with respect to MDS with del(5q.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric conduit is most widely used method for esophageal reconstruction. Despite its popularity, certain complications, such as anastomotic leakage and strictures, remain to be resolved. In the present study, we reviewed the outcomes of narrow gastric conduit compared to wide gastric conduit reconstruction. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 493 patients with esophageal cancer who received esophagectomy with reconstruction in Taichung Veteran General Hospital, Taiwan between January 2010 and December 2019. We performed gastric conduit reconstruction with two different methods, narrow gastric conduit made of multistaples (more than four staples) and wide gastric conduit made of two or three staples. Among the 493 patients, 170 patients underwent wide gastric conduit formation and 323 patients underwent narrow gastric conduit. After propensity score matching, 140 patients from each group were matched by 1:1. Results: The average anastomotic leakage rate is 80 of 493 (16.23%). The leakage rate, length of hospital stay, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and ICU stay were significantly lower in the narrow gastric conduit group than in the wide gastric conduit group. The need for postoperation dilatation was significantly higher in wide gastric conduit group (19.41% vs 11.76%, p = 0.0217), and the time to first dilatation was similar in both groups (p = 0.9808). Similar results were observed even after propensity score matching. In univariate analysis, the narrow gastric conduit, circular stapler, video-assisted thoracic surgery, and laparoscopic surgery were associated with a reduced risk of anastomotic leakage. However, these factors are not statistically significant in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: The narrow gastric conduit is not inferior to the wide gastric conduit and can be considered an alternative option for gastric conduit preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women usually have higher risk after receiving percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) than men with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of sex differences with future outcomes in CAD patients undergoing PCI, to assess the role of age, and to extend observed endpoints to stroke and congestive heart failure. Methods: Six thousand six hundred forty-seven patients with CAD who received successful PCIs. The associations between clinic outcomes and sex were analyzed. The primary outcome was major cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infraction, and nonfatal stroke. The secondary outcome was MACE and hospitalization for heart failure (total CV events). Results: During a mean of 52.7 months of follow-up, 4833 men and 1614 women received PCI. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that women were independently associated with an increased risk of cardiac death (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.32-2.41), hospitalization for heart failure (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.23-1.89), MACE (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.10-1.63), and total CV events (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.20-1.62). In the subgroup analysis, women aged under 60 years had higher cardiovascular risks than men of the same age category. Conclusion: Women with CAD after successful PCI had poorer cardiovascular outcomes than men. Additionally, younger women (aged <60 years) were especially associated with a higher risk of developing future adverse cardiovascular outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is the leading cause of death in infants with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Early recognition of AHT is important for improving outcomes, but it can be challenging due to its similar presentations with non-abusive head trauma (nAHT). This study aims to compare clinical presentations and outcomes between infants with AHT and nAHT, and to identify the risk factors for poor outcomes of AHT. We retrospectively analyzed infants of TBI in our pediatric intensive care unit from January 2014 to December 2020. Clinical manifestations and outcomes were compared between patients with AHT and nAHT. Risk factors for poor outcomes in AHT patients were also analyzed. 60 patients were enrolled for this analysis, including 18 of AHT (30%) and 42 of nAHT (70%). Compared with those with nAHT, patients with AHT were more likely to have conscious change, seizures, limb weakness, and respiratory failure, but with a fewer incidence of skull fractures. Additionally, clinical outcomes of AHT patients were worse, with more cases undergoing neurosurgery, higher Pediatric Overall Performance Category score at discharge, and more anti-epileptic drug (AED) use after discharge. For AHT patients, conscious change is an independent risk factor for a composite poor outcome of mortality, ventilator dependence, or AED use (OR = 21.9, P = 0.04) AHT has a worse outcome than nAHT. Conscious change, seizures and limb weaknesses but not skull fractures are more common in AHT. Conscious change is both an early reminder of AHT and a risk factor for its poor outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• As the lightest structural material, the development of magnesium alloy in aerospace application is summarized. Adding alloying elements is one of the effective methods to improve the mechanical properties of magnesium alloys. Future work will focus on the rational design of magnesium alloy composition and the development of low-cost, high-performance magnesium alloys. • The breakthrough of thermal control coating, anti-corrosion conductive coating and other surface technologies of magnesium alloys has been reviewed. In the application process, there is still much space for research and improvement on the stability of the space environment of its thermal control coating, the improvement of the anti-corrosion performance of the conductive coating, and the stable optimization of the adhesion of the surface coating in the service process. • With the in-depth research of many scholars, the improvement of material properties and the development of surface protection and functional technology, it is believed that magnesium alloys will be used in more and more aerospace applications and make more contributions to the aerospace field. With the increasingly excellent performance of magnesium alloy materials, magnesium alloys are increasingly widely used under the urgent need for weight reduction in aerospace applications. However, due to the severe aviation environment, the strength, corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity of magnesium alloy materials need to be further improved. Many scholars are committed to studying higher comprehensive mechanical properties. Besides, they have studied surface treatment processes with space application characteristics, such as high emissivity oxidation and high anti-corrosion electroplating. To further improve the safety and reliability of magnesium alloys and expand their applications, this paper discusses several kinds of magnesium alloys and summarizes their research progress. The whole manuscript should be revised by an expert who has more experience on English writing. At the same time, the surface treatments of magnesium alloy materials for aerospace are analyzed. Besides, the application of magnesium alloy in aerospace field is summarized. With the in-depth research of many scholars, the improvement of material properties and the development of surface protection and functional technology, it is believed that magnesium alloys will be used in more and more aerospace applications and make more contributions to the aerospace field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Residents in nursing homes are generally highly dependent on others, and unplanned hospitalizations often have major impacts on their physical and cognitive functions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that affect the unplanned hospitalization of nursing home residents. Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 98 residents from a nursing home affiliated with a regional hospital in northern Taiwan. A chart review was performed to transcribe variable data, including demographic characteristics, health status, nutritional status, and the length and frequency of unscheduled transfers to the hospital. Results: A total of 64.3% of the residents experienced one or more unplanned hospitalization. The major causes of unplanned hospitalization were cerebrovascular accident, congestive heart failure, and pneumonia. The factors affecting the unplanned hospitalization of residents were a Barthel index of 20 and the use of a nasogastric or urinary catheter. Conclusion: Strengthening the management of nursing homes and developing preventive guidelines for treating residents with poor ability to perform activities of daily living or using invasive devices are crucial. By implementing preventive measures early and improving the quality of monitoring care, nursing homes can reduce the incidence of unplanned hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Information systems outsourcing (ISO) is one of the critical businesses in information technology outsourcing (ITO). Due to the increasing complexity of ISO, the failure rate of such outsourcing increases. Outsourcing information system services (OISS) was thus proposed to deal with this. A conceptual framework based on the information processing view was developed to investigate how the client firms assess OISS goal performance. Governance mechanisms (governance structure, relational governance, and IT coordination) were treated as antecedents of transaction cost and outsourcing flexibility; these would further affect goal performance (goal achievement and goal exceedance) with task complexity as a moderator. Method: A mix-methods study was conducted; the qualitative approach was employed to validate the conceptual framework by interviewing three managers with experiences in OISS from the client firms, whereas the quantitative approach, with 206 responses from those with OISS experiences from the client firms, provides empirical evidence. Results: The results indicated that relational governance effectively reduced transaction cost and increased outsourcing flexibility; the governance structure was also vital for outsourcing flexibility. Transaction cost was found to negatively affect goal achievement, and outsourcing flexibility positively affected both goal achievement and goal exceedance. The moderating effects of task complexity were also confirmed. Conclusion: The results extended the information processing view to OISS and proved that transaction cost and outsourcing flexibility are necessary to link governance mechanisms and goal performance. Practically, the client firms are suggested to maintain a positive relationship with the OISS provider. The OISS provider should offer an exclusive channel during and after the execution of the OISS project to reduce the possible cost that occurs during the implementation and improve the outsourcing flexibility to allow the client firms to consider their goals have been achieved and beyond their expectations. By doing so, the effect of goal performance can be maximized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviewing literature, sprouty 4 (SPRY4) has not been studied in human oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). The study aimed to examine SPRY4 expression in human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis. A total of 95 OSCCs, 10 OPMDs with malignant transformation (MT), 17 OPMDs without MT, and six normal oral mucosa (NOM) samples were recruited for immunohistochemical staining; three OSCC tissues with normal tissue counterpart NOM were employed for Western blotting. Three human oral cancer cell lines (OCCLs), an oral precancer cell line (dysplastic oral keratinocyte, DOK), and a primary culture of normal oral keratinocytes (HOK) were used for Western blotting; OCCLs and HOK were employed for real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. OCCLs were evaluated in terms of proliferation, migration, and invasion assays. SPRY4 protein expression was significantly increased in OSCCs compared with NOM. Protein and mRNA SPRY4 expression in OCCLs were significantly elevated compared with HOK. Significant increases in the degrees of proliferation, migration, and invasion were noted in OCCLs with SPRY4 siRNA transfection compared with those without transfection. SPRY4 protein level was increased in OPMD with MT compared to OPMD without MT. SPRY4 protein was significant increase in DOK in comparison with HOK. SPRY4 protein expression was significantly increased from NOM and OPMD without MT to OSCC. SPRY4 protein expression in OCCLs was significantly enhanced compared with DOK and HOK respectively. Our results indicate that SPRY4 expression is possibly involved in human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ARX-based lightweight block cipher is widely used in resource-constrained IoT devices due to fast and simple operation of software and hardware platforms. However, there are three weaknesses to ARX-based lightweight block ciphers. Firstly, only half of the data can be changed in one round. Secondly, traditional ARX-based lightweight block ciphers are static structures, which provide limited security. Thirdly, it has poor diffusion when the initial plaintext and key are all 0 or all 1. This paper proposes a new dynamic ARX-based lightweight block cipher to overcome these weaknesses, called DABC. DABC can change all data in one round, which overcomes the first weakness. This paper combines the key and the generalized two-dimensional cat map to construct a dynamic permutation layer P1, which improves the uncertainty between different rounds of DABC. The non-linear component of the round function alternately uses NAND gate and AND gate to increase the complexity of the attack, which overcomes the third weakness. Meanwhile, this paper proposes the round-based architecture of DABC and conducted ASIC and FPGA implementation. The hardware results show that DABC has less hardware resource and high throughput. Finally, the safety evaluation results show that DABC has a good avalanche effect and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transient receptor potential melastatin (TRPM) channel is involved in cell proliferation and cell survival. Eight members (TRPM1–8) are within the TRPM subfamily. The current study is aimed to investigate TRPM6 expression in human oral carcinogenesis. Sixty-six oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), 47 oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) with moderate-severe epithelial dysplasia (ED), 28 OPMD with mild ED, and 33 normal oral mucosa (NOM) samples were subjected to immunohistochemical staining. Two human oral cancer cell lines (OCCLs), an oral premalignant cell line (DOK), and a normal oral keratinocyte culture (HOK) were used for Western blot analysis. OCCLs were evaluated for proliferation, migration, invasion assays, and intracellular calcium concentration. TRPM6 protein expression in OSCC was significantly increased as compared with normal samples. Protein expression of TRPM6 in OCCLs was significantly higher as compared with HOK. Significant decreases in degrees of proliferation, migration, invasion, and intracellular calcium concentration were noted in OCCLs with TRPM6 siRNA transfection as compared with those without transfection. Significantly increased TRPM6 protein level was noted in OPMD with moderate-severe ED as compared with those with mild ED. Our results implicate that TRPM6 overexpression is potentially related to human oral carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omphalocele and gastroschisis are the two most common congenital abdominal wall defects; however, no previous study has focused on gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tract malformations in these two conditions. This study aimed to investigate the demographic characteristics, coexisting congenital gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tract anomalies, hospital course, and outcomes of patients with gastroschisis and omphalocele. This is retrospective chart review of all patients admitted to one tertiary medical center in Taiwan between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2020 with a diagnosis of gastroschisis or omphalocele. The medical records were reviewed to obtain demographic data regarding coexisting gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tract anomalies and outcomes. Of the 51 patients included, 21 had gastroschisis and 30 had omphalocele. Gastroschisis was associated with a significantly younger maternal age and a higher incidence of small for gestational age. Of the 30 patients with omphalocele, twelve had associated gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary anomalies. Seven of the 21 patients with gastroschisis had gastrointestinal anomalies, and none had hepatobiliary anomalies. Among the omphalocele patients, three (10%) had documented malrotation, and one developed midgut volvulus. Among gastroschisis patients, four patients (19%) had malrotation, and two developed midgut volvulus. There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative complications or mortality rates between those with and without gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary tract anomalies. The diversity of coexisting gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tract anomalies is higher in the omphalocele than in gastroschisis. In addition, we demonstrate that patients with gastroschisis or omphalocele have a higher rate of intestinal malrotation and midgut volvulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides is a biologically active ingredient that is not easy to be digested. It is fermented by intestinal microflora to promote qualitative and selective changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiome, which often result in beneficial effects on the health of the host. People call it "prebiotics". In this review, we systematically summarized the anti-diabetic effect of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides. These polysaccharides regulate the metabolism of sugar and lipids by inter-influence with the intestinal microflora, and maintain human health, while improving type 2 diabetes-like symptoms such as high blood glucose, and abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initial corrosion of Mg alloys is important for the conversion coating treatment, by which the conversion coating is formed in a few minutes of immersion in the conversion solution. This study detailed the initial corrosion of AZ31B Mg alloy in chloride and sulfate solutions by acquiring the open circuit potential, optical image and hydrogen evolution, together with the post-immersion TEM and XPS characterization. Before the breakdown of the surface film, more hydrogen evolved in the SO4 2− solution than in Cl− solution, and the corrosion products formed in the former were thicker than in the latter. The initial corrosion of AZ31B was thus more severe in SO4 2− solution than in Cl− solution, which is different from the typical role of Cl− ions in metal corrosion. Local attack at nanometric scales was observed in Cl− solution, but not in SO4 2− solution. The presence of SO4 2− in Cl− solution mitigated local attack and the corrosion products were more uniform, due to the competitive adsorption effect of SO4 2−. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]