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Tackles a variety of issues concerning national reunification and territorial integrity of China over Taiwan in 1949. History of China's administrative authority in Taiwan; Efforts of the Chinese government to protect Taiwan from foreign invasions and occupation; Origin of the issue concerning China's jurisdiction over Taiwan.

The performance-based research evaluation focusing exclusively on the number of publications and citations has been used in almost all nations. The use of only quantitative indicators, however, provides insufficient information for evaluating a country's strategic research areas. Understanding the universities' fields of specializations and research strengths based on content-based analysis is also crucial for supporting areas of research excellence and promoting collaboration in a country. In this study, a multiphase analysis beginning with benchmarking of research performance and then identifying research strengths of the Thailand National Research Universities (NRUs) via a content-based co-citation analysis was performed. The data were retrieved from the ISI-Web of Science during 2009-13. The main findings show that most core research strengths of the high-performing NRUs were in common with the national S&T strategic plan announced in 2006. Each university also has the expertise related to its organizational path dependence and research infrastructures. In addition, we can identify the research areas which the NRUs still lack or have low performance. Rather than providing only the broad mission and general information about the university's research fields, a university should also promote its expertise and the up-to-date core research interests. On the other hand, policymakers need to understand the international trend, monitor the universities' research strengths dynamically, and balance them with the domestic needs. They should also act as intermediaries in research collaboration by matching the universities' useful research for other actors in the national innovation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socio-political context of Taiwan has long impeded the full recognition of surviving Comfort Women and the issues they face. This paper examines the public discourses with which activists have engaged to gain public support for survivors in such a challenging environment. Besides the dominant discourses centred on nationalism and women's human rights, there is also a 'humanistic discourse' that has been undertheorized. This article discusses how activists in Taiwan initiated a humanistic public discourse that emphasizes the individual human characteristics of Comfort Women survivors, resisting the collective image reinforced by other narratives. By reflecting on the author's professional experience of arts-based social activism in this field, the paper offers new perspectives on Comfort Women discourses and the implications for human rights practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of the East Asian Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs) Taiwan has one of the most inspiring stories. In almost all accounts of Taiwan, the state has been described as the major impetus of economic development and technological upgrading. Consequently, Taiwan has become the "poster child" of the neo-developmental state theories. This paper takes a critical view of these accounts, exploring the capabilities and limits of the Taiwanese state in achieving sustained industrial growth in two key sectors of the IT industry, software and IC design. This is done through mapping the evolution of the two subsectors and the changing roles of the state in it, looking specifically at capabilities, innovations, and business models employed by private firms. The main arguments are, first, that the division of labor between state and private industry that successfully developed an industrial system utilizing OEM and ODM business strategies may now limit R&D activities to second-generation innovations. Second, I argue that the public research institution-based industrial technology policy of Taiwan has been helping the growth of private industry when: (1) these research institutions created and expanded multiple and broad interactions with the private IT industry; and, (2) when the public research institute has seen private IT firms as their final customers. However, the same policy approach has hampered the growth of the industry when the institutions competed directly with the industry for its own customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the results of a two-year research project on the sources of success in regional clusters of entrepreneurship and innovation like Silicon Valley. Our project has studied a number of locations, most of which have shown spectacular rates of growth of information and communications technology-related activities during the 1990s. Our case studies comprise some emerging regions, notably in Ireland, India, Israel and Taiwan, along with more advanced areas like Northern Virginia in the US, Cambridge, UK, the Scandinavian countries and the Silicon Valley 40 years ago by way of the memory of one of its 'father founders', Gordon Moore. Through visits, interviews and other materials, we uncovered some regularities about the determinants of success of these entrepreneurial-led models of economic growth. We find that the economic factors that give rise to the start of a cluster can be very different from those that keep it going. Agglomeration economies, external effects and 'social increasing returns' of any sort arise almost naturally after a cluster has taken off But the most difficult and risky part is to get the new clusters started. At that stage, 'old economy' factors like firm-building capabilities, managerial skills, a substantial supply of skilled labor and connection to markets were crucial for the take off of these 'new economy' clusters (including Silicon Valley 40 years ago). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Taiwan air quality monitoring network (TAQMN) and the AirBox network both monitor PM2.5 in Taiwan. The TAQMN, managed by Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), provides high‐quality PM2.5 measurements at 77 monitoring stations. The AirBox network launched more recently consists of low‐cost, small internet‐of‐things (IoT) microsensors (i.e., AirBoxes) at thousands of locations. While the AirBox network provides broad spatial coverage, its measurements are unreliable and require calibrations. However, applying a universal calibration procedure to all AirBoxes does not work well because the calibration line varies with local factors, including the chemical compositions of PM2.5, which are not homogeneous in space. Therefore, different calibrations are needed at different locations to adapt to their local environments. Unfortunately, AirBoxes and EPA locations are misaligned, challenging the calibration task. In this paper, we propose a spatial model with spatially varying coefficients to account for the heterogeneity in the data. Our method gives spatially adaptive calibrations of AirBoxes and produces accurate PM2.5 concentration estimates with their error bars at any location, incorporating two types of measurements. In addition, the proposed method is robust to outliers, requires no colocated data, and provides calibration formulas for new AirBoxes once they are added to the network. We illustrate our approach using hourly PM2.5 data in 2020. After the calibration, the results show that the PM2.5 prediction improves by about 38%–68% in root‐mean‐squared prediction error. Once the calibration formulas are established, we can obtain reliable PM2.5 values even if we ignore EPA data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring survival in cancer is a common concern for patients, physicians, and public health researchers. The traditional cohort approach for monitoring cancer prognosis has a timeliness problem. In this paper, we propose a survivorship-period-cohort (SPC) model for examining the effects of survivorship, period, and year-of-diagnosis cohort on cancer prognosis and for predicting future trends in cancer survival. We used the developed SPC model to evaluate the relative survival (RS) of patients with liver cancer in Taiwan (diagnosed from 1997 to 2016) and to predict future trends in RS by imputing incomplete follow-up data for recently diagnosed patient cohorts. We used cross-validation to select the extrapolation method and bootstrapping to estimate the 95% confidence interval for RS. We found that 5-year cumulative RS increased for both men and women with liver cancer diagnosed after 2003. For patients diagnosed before 2010, the 5-year cumulative RS rate for men was lower than that for women; thereafter, the rates were better for men than for women. The SPC model can help elucidate the effects of survivorship, period, and year-of-diagnosis cohort effects on cancer prognosis. Moreover, the SPC model can be used to monitor cancer prognosis in real time and predict future trends; thus, we recommend its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal for Quality in Health Care is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines how mobile messaging apps have changed the way that people microcoordinate. It is based on five focus groups of young adults in Singapore and Taiwan. Originally, microcoordination usually assumed dyadic interaction using either SMS or mobile voice calls. Increasingly, mediated communication uses mobile messaging apps that allow multisided interactions that facilitate task-based chat groups. Groups are easily formed but can be difficult to manage. This paper advances our understanding of microcoordination via the use of messaging apps. Specifically, it provides insights into the dual roles of instrumental and expressive interaction integral to the functioning of these messaging groups, ambient-mediated sociation in the form of readily available communication partners in groups, and the emergence of meme-based coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mapping of disease incidence has long been of importance to epidemiology and public health. In this paper, we consider identification of clusters of spatial units with elevated disease rates and develop a new approach that estimates the relative disease risk in association with potential risk factors and simultaneously identifies clusters corresponding to elevated risks. A heterogeneity measure is proposed to enable the comparison of a candidate cluster and its complement under a pair of complementary models. A quasi‐likelihood procedure is developed for estimating the model parameters and identifying the clusters. An advantage of our approach over traditional spatial clustering methods is the identification of clusters that can have arbitrary shapes due to abrupt or noncontiguous changes while accounting for risk factors and spatial correlation. Asymptotic properties of the proposed methodology are established and a simulation study shows empirically sound finite‐sample properties. The mapping and clustering of enterovirus 71 infections in Taiwan are carried out for illustration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we test whether or not structural and morphological features inherited from the Eurasian continental margin are affecting the contemporary stress and strain fields in south-central Taiwan. Principal stress directions (σ1, σ2 and σ3) are estimated from the inversion of clustered earthquake focal mechanisms and the direction of the maximum compressive horizontal stress (S H) is calculated throughout the study area. From these data the most likely fault plane orientations and their kinematics are inferred. The results of the stress inversion are then discussed together with the directions of displacement, compressional strain rate and maximum shear strain rate derived from GPS data. These data show that there is a marked contrast in the direction of S H from north to south across the study area, with the direction of S H remaining roughly subparallel to the relative plate motion vector in the north, whereas in the south it rotates nearly 45° counter-clockwise. The direction of the horizontal maximum compression strain rate (εH) and associated maximum shear planes, together with the displacement field display an overall similar pattern between them, although undergoing a less marked rotation. We interpret the southward change in the S H, εH and the dextral maximum shear plane directions, together with that of the horizontal displacement field to be related to the reactivation of east–northeast striking faults inherited from the rifted Eurasian margin and to the shelf/slope break. Inherited faults in the basement are typically reactivated as strike-slip faults, whereas newly formed faults in the fold-and-thrust belt are commonly thrusts or oblique thrusts. Eastwards, the stress inversions and strain data show that the western flank of the Central Range is undergoing extension in the upper crust. S H in the Central Range is roughly parallel to the relative plate convergence vector, but in southwestern Taiwan it undergoes a marked counter-clockwise rotation westwards across the Chaochou fault. Farther north, however, there is no significant change across the Lishan fault. This north to south difference is likely due to different margin structures, although local topographic effects may also play a role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon Valley in California and the Hsinchu-Taipei region of Taiwan are among the most frequently cited 'miracles' of the information technology era. The dominant accounts of these successes treat them in isolation, focusing either on free markets, multinationals or the role of the state. This paper argues that the dynamism of these regional economies is attributable to their increasing interdependencies. A community of US-educated Taiwanese engineers has coordinated a decentralized process of reciprocal industrial upgrading by transferring capital, skill and know-how to Taiwan, and by facilitating collaborations between specialist producers in the two regions. This case underscores the significance of technical communities and their institutions in transferring technology and organizing production at the global as well as the local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Taiwan has launched a Family Practice Integrated Care Project (FPICP) to develop an accountable family doctor system since March 2003. We aim to report the effectiveness of this nationwide demonstration programme over a 10-year period.Methods: Papers and reports related to the FPICP published both in English and in Chinese from 2003 to 2015 were collected systematically based on keywords including 'family doctor', 'primary care', 'integrated care' and 'Taiwan'. Also collected and reviewed were national health insurance administration annual reports and related publications from Taiwan Association of Family Medicine. Quality care indicators including structure, process and outcome for programme monitoring were reported.Results: Up to June 2015, the project had enrolled a total of 10.5% of Taiwan's population. Approximately 24.9% of primary care physicians and 29.7% of community clinics joined the project to serve the members of 426 community health care groups (CHCGs). Compared to non-members, CHCG members received more preventive care services, especially in adult health examination (49% versus 19%), Pap smear (29% versus 22%), elderly influenza vaccination (42% versus 28%) and immunochemical faecal occult blood test (43% versus 31%) (P < 0.01). Members showed a markedly high level of satisfaction (>95%), especially in overall satisfaction, provision of health consultation and information, and improvement in understanding personal health condition.Conclusions: In the future, through the support of family physicians and CHCGs, a person-centred integrated health care delivery system can be an effective solution to the current barriers in the medical care system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, channels have opened for citizens to publish an increasing and varied amount of personalized political information. In addition, social media has enabled users to broaden their political knowledge base through online interactions with individuals or groups. This study examines the ideological score of >0.2 million Facebook pages in Taiwan, where politics has long been polarized between the two major parties the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). This paper first measures users ideological scores along a Pro-KMT and Pro-DPP spectrum on the basis of their endorsements of political celebrities' Facebook pages. Second, due to the one-dimensional polarization in Taiwanese politics, we assume that a user's ideological position may lead them to endorse other Facebook pages that publish and share similar ideological content. Finally, based on this assumption, we estimate the ideological scores of the collected Facebook pages. Our results do not only present a political ideology estimation of pages with different perspectives (popularity, politicalness and category), they also propose applications of identifying potential political and conflicting/sarcastic pages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The Fugl-Meyer assessment for upper extremity (FMA-UE) is a measure for assessing upper extremity motor function in patients with stroke. However, the considerable administration time of the assessment decreases its feasibility. This study aimed to develop an accumulative assessment system of upper extremity motor function (AAS-UE) based on the FMA-UE to improve administrative efficiency while retaining sufficient psychometric properties. Methods. The study used secondary data from 3 previous studies having FMA-UE datasets, including 2 follow-up studies for subacute stroke individuals and 1 test-retest study for individuals with chronic stroke. The AAS-UE adopted deep learning algorithms to use patients' prior information (ie, the FMA-UE scores in previous assessments, time interval of adjacent assessments, and chronicity of stroke) to select a short and personalized item set for the following assessment items and reproduce their FMA-UE scores. Results. Our data included a total of 682 patients after stroke. The AAS-UE administered 10 different items for each patient. The AAS-UE demonstrated good concurrent validity (r =0.97-0.99 with the FMA-UE), high test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient=0.96), low random measurement error (percentage of minimal detectable change=15.6%), good group-level responsiveness (standardized response mean=0.65-1.07), and good individual-level responsiveness (30.5%-53.2% of patients showed significant improvement). These psychometric properties were comparable to those of the FMA-UE. Conclusion. The AAS-UE uses an innovative assessment method, which makes good use of patients' prior information to achieve administrative efficiency with good psychometric properties. Impact. This study demonstrates a new assessment method to improve administrative efficiency while retaining psychometric properties, especially individual-level responsiveness and random measurement error, by making good use of patients' basic information and medical records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Foot complications are common in people with diabetes mellitus (DM), leading to increased health care utilization, heightened mortality risk, and notable recurrence rates even after treatment. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the impact of repeated occurrence of DM-related foot complications on the risk of all-cause mortality and to identify the potential risk factors associated with repeated events. Methods People with DM admitted with foot complications (ulcer, skin and soft tissue infection, or osteomyelitis) from 2012 to 2014 were identified from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, with a 3-year follow-up for repeated events. We categorized the study subjects based on their cumulative number of hospital admissions with foot complications. Logistic regression was conducted to explore the potential risk factors associated with repeated diabetic foot events. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the associations between repeated diabetic foot events and all-cause mortality. Results In this study, 28 754 eligible individuals were enrolled and classified into 3 groups: no repeated diabetic foot events (76.1%), 1 repeated event (16.0%), and 2 or more repeated events (7.9%). Logistic regression revealed that advanced age, male sex, congestive heart failure, dyslipidemia, hypertension, nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes-related preventable hospitalizations, and outpatient visits due to diabetic foot were significantly associated with repeated events of diabetic foot complications. Compared with those with no repeated events, the adjusted hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were 1.26 (95% CI, 1.19–1.34) for 1 repeated event and 1.36 (95% CI, 1.26–1.47) for 2 or more repeated events. Conclusions The significant association between repeated diabetic foot and elevated mortality risk highlights the critical necessity for proactive and targeted patient care within clinical practice. More research to delve into the predictive factors related to the repeated occurrence of diabetic foot is needed to provide additional insights for prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The long-term effects of the unilateral muscle-sparing pedicled transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAMmsp) flap procedure on trunk muscle performances and core stability were investigated in women with breast cancer. Methods Forty women (mean age = 42.6 years) who had received breast reconstruction with the unilateral TRAMmsp flap procedure no less than 6 months earlier (mean = 10.3 [standard deviation, SD = 4.9] months) (TRAM group) participated, and 30 women who were healthy and matched for age (mean age = 41.2 years) served as controls (control group). Their abdominal and back muscle strength was assessed using the curl-up and prone extension tests, respectively, and their static abdominal muscle endurance and back extensor endurance were assessed using the sit-up endurance test in the crook-lying position and the Biering-Sørensen test, respectively. Core stability strength was assessed using a 4-level limb-lowering test (abdominal muscle test), and core stability endurance was assessed while lying supine with both flexed legs 1 inch off the mat while keeping the pelvis in a neutral position with a pressure biofeedback unit. Results Compared with the control group, trunk muscles of the TRAM group were weaker, showing less endurance, as were their core stability strength and endurance. Static trunk muscle endurances and trunk flexion strength were associated with core stability in both groups. Conclusions Women exhibit trunk flexor and extensor weakness along with poor endurance and impaired core stability even after an average of 10 months from receiving the TRAMmsp flap procedure. Immobilization after surgery, with possible systemic inflammatory effects from surgery and chemotherapy, might have further contributed to the generalized weakness subsequent to the partial harvesting of the rectus abdominis. Impact Women after breast reconstruction with the TRAMmsp flap procedure show long-lasting deficits of strength and endurance in abdominal muscles, back extensors, and core stability. Proactive measures including early detection and evaluation of impairments as well as timely intervention targeting these clients are important to minimize the dysfunction and support their return to community participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political turmoil sometimes gives courts the opportunity to decide the fate of the top political leadership. Such judicial decisions are difficult and easily backfire. Recently, however, the constitutional courts in South Korea and Taiwan have rendered decisions that have resolved political crises successfully. By examining the two cases in detail, this paper finds that both decisions employ a strikingly similar judicial strategy. Both cases create “win-win” situations, issue a decision with a single voice, use literal interpretations, and adopt self-empowering legal doctrines. This paper argues that these features are critical to their success. In addition, the paper finds that the two political milieus were also similar. Both cases were decided in the context of a divided government; however, the democratic commitments of the political actors had become entrenched. The paper concludes that well-crafted judicial strategies alone will not guarantee success, and judicial solutions, to varying degrees, are dependant on favorable political contexts and always run the risk of politicization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth in commercial transactions with Mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Taiwan region (Taiwan) as well as the economic integration in the entire area have lead to an increase in disputes. Considering the importance of arbitration as a mechanism for resolving commercial disputes in the area, the paper discusses whether a substantial "clash" between their legal frameworks for the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards can be observed. After a critical analysis, the paper concludes that these frameworks are either subject to or modelled on the New York Convention. Yet, each has a distinct approach to the implementation, and dissimilarities arise. Furthermore, the specific legal framework for the recognition and enforcement of Mainland China awards in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and vice versa, still raises some concerns and is not fully reliable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Group has developed a new multidimensional instrument measuring cancer-related fatigue to be used in conjunction with the quality of life core questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). The module EORTC QLQ-FA13 assesses physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects of cancer-related fatigue.Methods: The methodology follows the EORTC guidelines for phase IV validation of modules. This paper focuses on the results of the psychometric validation of the factorial structure of the module. For validation and cross-validation confirmatory factor analysis (maximum likelihood estimation), intraclass correlation and Cronbach alpha for internal consistency were employed. The study involved an international multicenter collaboration of 11 European and non-European countries.Results: A total of 946 patients with various tumor diagnoses were enrolled. Based on the confirmatory factor analysis, we could approve the three-dimensional structure of the module. Removing one item and reassigning the factorial mapping of another item resulted in the EORTC QLQ-FA12. For the revised scale, we found evidence supporting good local (indicator reliability ≥ 0.60, factor reliability ≥ 0.82) and global model fit (GFI t1|t2 = 0.965/0.957, CFI t1|t2 = 0.976/0.972, RMSEA t1|t2 = 0.060/0.069) for both measurement points. For each scale, test-retest reliability proved to be very good (intraclass correlation: R t1-t2 = 0.905-0.921) and internal consistency proved to be good to high (Cronbach alpha = .79-.90).Conclusion: Based on the former phase III module, the multidimensional structure was revised as a phase IV module (EORTC FA12) with an improved scale structure. For a comprehensive validation of the EORTC FA12, further aspects of convergent and divergent validity as well as sensitivity to change should be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relational turn of IR stresses the processual constitution of the state. The indigenous theory of Chinese IR adopts the relational turn but contends that the Chinese experiences are distinctive. Relying on the case of Singapore-Taiwan relationship, this paper argues that the Chinese relationality attests to a bilateral sensibility that does not confront the relational turn in general, which is multilateral. The case further contributes to the relational turn in showing non-security and affirmative components of relationality to the extent that the studies of the relational turn have remained embedded in the security concerns. The case applies the theory of "balance of relationship," in which nations can practice selfrestraint not in response to unilateral strategic calculus or multilateral rule making, but to bilateral reciprocity. The balance of relationship of the two proceeds at both the statist and the personal levels, introducing the affect of passion to the relational turn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speciation in the face of gene flow is usually associated with a heterogeneous genomic landscape of divergence in nascent species pairs. However, multiple factors, such as divergent selection and local recombination rate variation, can influence the formation of these genomic islands. Examination of the genomic landscapes of species pairs that are still in the early stages of speciation provides an insight into this conundrum. In this study, population genomic analyses were undertaken using a wide range of sampling and whole-genome resequencing data from 96 unrelated individuals of Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) and white-faced plover (Charadrius dealbatus). We suggest that the two species exhibit varying levels of population admixture along the Chinese coast and on the Taiwan Island. Genome-wide analyses for introgression indicate that ancient introgression had occurred in Taiwan population, and gene flow is still ongoing in mainland coastal populations. Furthermore, we identified a few genomic regions with significant levels of interspecific differentiation and local recombination suppression, which contain several genes potentially associated with disease resistance, coloration, and regulation of plumage molting and thus may be relevant to the phenotypic and ecological divergence of the two nascent species. Overall, our findings suggest that divergent selection in low recombination regions may be a main force in shaping the genomic islands in two incipient shorebird species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a common hemodialysis complication causing adverse outcomes. Despite the well-documented associations of ambient temperatures with fluid removal and pre-dialysis blood pressure (BP), the relationship between ambient temperature and IDH has not been adequately studied. Methods We conducted a cohort study at a tertiary hospital in southern Taiwan between 1 January 2016 and 31 October 2021. The 24-h pre-hemodialysis mean ambient temperature was determined using hourly readings from the weather station closest to each patient's residence. IDH was defined using Fall40 [systolic BP (SBP) drop of ≥40 mmHg] or Nadir90/100 (SBP <100 if pre-dialysis SBP was ≥160, or SBP <90 mmHg). Multivariate logistic regression with generalizing estimating equations and mediation analysis were utilized. Results The study examined 110 400 hemodialysis sessions from 182 patients, finding an IDH prevalence of 11.8% and 10.4% as per the Fall40 and Nadir90/100 criteria, respectively. It revealed a reverse J-shaped relationship between ambient temperature and IDH, with a turning point around 27°C. For temperatures under 27°C, a 4°C drop significantly increased the odds ratio of IDH to 1.292 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.228 to 1.358] and 1.207 (95% CI 1.149 to 1.268) under the Fall40 and Nadir90/100 definitions, respectively. Lower ambient temperatures correlated with higher ultrafiltration, accounting for about 23% of the increased IDH risk. Stratified seasonal analysis indicated that this relationship was consistent in spring, autumn and winter. Conclusion Lower ambient temperature is significantly associated with an increased risk of IDH below the threshold of 27°C, irrespective of the IDH definition. This study provides further insight into environmental risk factors for IDH in patients undergoing hemodialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis and dementia are both common conditions. Because of how both diseases develop within the body, they might have certain shared traits, and it has been suggested that patients with psoriasis may be at greater risk of developing impaired mental function and/or dementia. This study from Taiwan examines the published research to see whether there may be evidence of such a link. The authors carried out a systematic literature search using PubMed and Embase looking for relevant studies published up to July 2019. Initially, a total of 814 publications was screened. Using established research methods to eliminate duplication and minimise bias, eventually only 11 studies met the authors' inclusion criteria. Of these, 10 studies compared 165 74 patients with psoriasis against over 450 78 controls (people without the disease), and one study compared 7118 dementia sufferers with 213 54 controls. Most of the studies (nine out of 11) found a positive association (a 'link') between psoriasis and the risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia. In one study there was no association, and the remaining paper showed an inverse link (meaning that there was a reduced risk of dementia in patients with psoriasis). The authors suggest that the risk of dementia may be greatest in those with moderate to severe, rather than mild psoriasis. They also indicate that so far there is no published evidence to support the use of any specific anti‐psoriatic treatment based on effectiveness at protecting against dementia. Finally, they support the use of simple screening tools for detecting early cognitive impairment in psoriasis patients. Linked Article: Yen et al. Br J Dermatol 2021; 184:34–42. Linked Article: Yen et al. Br J Dermatol 2021; 184:34–42. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to critically examine the social work profession's enactment of classifying a group of people as sexual minorities on the basis of the essentialist paradigm along with the Western-centred legacy of scholarship. To enhance epistemological acuity for social workers, the historical backdrop of, theoretical applications concerning, and the ongoing debate between essentialist and social constructionist approaches to sexuality are reviewed. We also conduct a transnational analysis of sexuality discourses by juxtaposing their development in the Western and Taiwanese academic scholarships to indicate the dynamics of colonisation/resistance in a non-Western context and the emerging trend of hybridity. Therefore, we underline social workers' epistemological reflexivity in practice, and further argue that an active engagement with history and alternative discursive lenses concerning sexual minority populations can lead social work practitioners and researchers to extend respect to this marginalised group in the global context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why does Ma Ying-jeou pursue a China-tilting policy when US-PRC relations become more competitive after 2010? Indeed, the president's mainland policy has gone far beyond the strategic requirements to satisfy international pressures for a stable cross-strait relationship. According to neoclassical realism, domestic politics acts as 'intervening variables' through which systemic imperatives are translated into a state's foreign policy response. Based, in part, on this author's interviews in Taiwan, this paper contends that due to Taiwan's internal political divisions on the 'one China' issue, elected leaders strive for their own nation-building projects, which, in turn, generate policies that undermine Taiwan's national security. Since 2008, the KMT tries to reshape Taiwan's identity through the rehabilitation of the ROC as the legitimate 'one China'. Though Ma's rapprochement with Beijing on the basis of the '1992 consensus' has contributed to cross-strait stability, his embrace of a China-centric national identity has also placed the administration increasingly at odds with Taiwan's public which gave the KMT a resounding electoral defeat in Taiwan's local elections of November 2014. As Taipei becomes more aligned to the PRC, its security ties with America and Japan could be compromised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study follows the historical evolution of Taiwan’s household appliances industry and reviews the establishment of design divisions in domestic household appliance manufacturers, including Tatung and Sampo. By examining historical documents and conducting interviews with senior industry personnel, this study explores the ways in which household appliance companies respond to domestic consumer characteristics. Further, this paper analyses the companies’ industrial policies in the mid-1980s under international economic liberalization and the technical support received from overseas partners. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article argues that one source of Taiwan's exceptionally rapid growth rate in value added per worker in manufacturing was its ability to tap the accumulated technology of more advanced industrial nations. The impact of technology embodied in new equipment is quantified. The role of knowledge transfers from purchasers of exports, consultants, technology licensing agreements, returning Taiwanese nationals educated abroad and foreign direct investment is documented. It is argued that considerable local effort was expended to assimilate successfully the transferred technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The relationship between maternal chronic diseases and congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) in offspring still needs elucidation. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the associations between maternal chronic disease and CAKUT in their offspring. Methods Data of mothers and children were extracted from the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database and National Health Insurance Research Database. The concept of developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) was used to select maternal chronic diseases. Results The study cohort included 1 196 175 mothers and 1 628 706 offspring. Analysis showed that maternal chronic diseases, especially type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, connective tissue disorders and CAKUT were highly associated with CAKUT in the offspring. Higher maternal age, abnormal birthweight (>3500 g or <2500 g), gestational age <36 weeks and birth order <2 were all associated with a higher risk of CAKUT. Maternal chronic hypertension and taking angiotensin-related drugs increased the odds ratios of obstructive kidney disease in the offspring. Offspring tended to have the same type of CAKUT as their mothers. Conclusion Maternal chronic diseases, older maternal age and abnormal birthweight are risk factors for CAKUT. Also, a percentage of patients with CAKUT were not full-term newborns. Results support prenatal counselling and health management of pregnant women with chronic diseases and extra care for infants with a high risk of anomalies. It is strongly recommended that prevention of CAKUT in offspring should start with care of the mothers' prenatal chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Some schizophrenia patients treated with clozapine experience an inadequate response and adherence problems. The purpose of this study was to compare time to rehospitalization within 6 months in schizophrenia patients discharged on 3 clozapine regimens. Additionally, the temporal trend of prescription rate in each group was also explored. Methods Schizophrenia patients discharged from the study hospital from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2021, (n = 3271) were included in the analysis. The type of clozapine prescribed at discharge was divided into 3 groups: clozapine plus long-acting injectable antipsychotics (clozapine + LAIs), clozapine plus other oral antipsychotics (clozapine + OAPs), and clozapine monotherapy. Survival analysis was used to compare time to rehospitalization within 6 months after discharge among the 3 groups. The temporal trend in the prescription rate of each group was analyzed using the Cochran-Armitage Trend test. Results Patients discharged on clozapine + LAIs had a significantly longer time to rehospitalization than those on clozapine + OAPs or clozapine monotherapy. The prescription rates of clozapine + LAIs and clozapine + OAPs significantly increased over time, whereas the prescription rates of clozapine monotherapy significantly decreased. Conclusions Compared with the clozapine + OAPs group, the clozapine + LAIs group had a lower risk of rehospitalization and a lower dose of clozapine prescribed. Therefore, if a second antipsychotic is required for patients who are taking clozapine alone, LAIs should be considered earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KAGRA is a newly built gravitational wave observatory, a laser interferometer with a 3 km arm length, located in Kamioka, Gifu prefecture, Japan. In this article, we describe the KAGRA data management system, i.e., recording of data, transfer from the KAGRA experiment site to computing resources, as well as data distribution to tier sites, including international sites in Taiwan and Korea. The amount of KAGRA data exceeded 1.0 PiB and increased by about 1.5 TB per day during operation in 2020. Our system has succeeded in data management, and has achieved performance that can withstand observations after 2023, that is, a transfer rate of 20 MB s-1 or more and file storage of sufficient capacity for petabyte class. We also discuss the sharing of data between the global gravitational-wave detector network with other experiments, namely LIGO and Virgo. The latency, which consists of calculation of calibrated strain data and transfer time within the global network, is very important from the view of multi-messenger astronomy using gravitational waves. Real-time calbrated data delivered from the KAGRA detector site and other detectors to our computing system arrive with about 4–15 seconds of latency. These latencies are sufficiently short compared to the time taken for gravitational wave event search computations. We also established a high-latency exchange of offline calibrated data that was aggregated with a better accuracy compared with real-time data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an interconnected world, higher education systems, the institutions that comprise them, educational policy makers, quality assurance agencies are all supposed to interact simultaneously in a global, national, and local, or glonacal, context. Like some other Asian nations, Taiwan has been developing its glonacal quality assurance framework. At the same time, it attempted to give more institutional autonomy to universities by awarding them a self-accreditation status. The main purpose of the paper is to examine transformation of QA systems in Taiwan's higher education under the glonacal context and to analyze the new development of self-accreditation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the importance of political factors in the allocation of agricultural disaster payments as a result of Typhoon Morakot that ravaged Taiwan in 2009. The instrumental variable model was estimated using a unique data set that combines a national administrative profile of the 607,704 recipients of disaster relief payments and the matched weather and geographic information. Results show that the political factor significantly determined the level of disaster relief payments. The incumbent government paid more to the farms located in towns which voted for the incumbent party to a greater extent than they did for the opposition party. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how the components of the technological regime affect catching-up and leadership change in green technologies in countries that are leaders and successful latecomers. We look at the extent to which technological opportunity, cumulativeness, originality and complexity of the knowledge base, and the maturity of technology contribute to the growth of patenting in green technologies. We test the relationships using USPTO patent data in green technologies over a 40-year time span (1975–2015), distinguishing two periods (1975–1999 and 2000–2015) and controlling for country-specific variables. Our results show that opportunity, complexity, originality, and maturity of the technology are positively associated with countries' growth of patenting in green technologies, while cumulativeness has a negative effect, but only in the second period (2000–2015). The stock of knowledge has a positive effect in the first period and a negative effect in the second one. Furthermore, we find confirmation that the process of growth in green patenting has been remarkable in successful latecomer countries (i.e. South Korea, Taiwan, and China). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study question During controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), does the duration of premature serum progesterone (P) elevation before administration of hCG affect the outcomes of IVF/ICSI embryo transfer (-ET) cycles? Summary answer The duration of the premature serum P elevation is inversely related to the clinical pregnancy rate of IVF/ICSI-ET cycles. What is known and what this paper adds The majority of the previous studies only considered a single serum P measurement made on the day of hCG administration and the results of attempts to relate this to IVF/ICSI-ET outcomes were controversial. However, the effect of the duration of premature serum P elevation before the hCG administration on the outcomes of IVF/ICSI-ET cycles has not been studied well. Here we demonstrate that the duration of premature serum P elevation has a more significant inverse correlation than the absolute serum P concentration on the day of hCG administration with IVF/ICSI-ET outcomes. Design It is a retrospective, single-centre cohort study. A total of 1784 IVF and/or ICSI-ET cycles were included from October 2005 to June 2011. Participants and setting A total of 1784 patients underwent their IVF and/or ICSI-ET cycles in a university hospital IVF unit. The inclusion criteria include (i) age between 20 and 42 years and (ii) eligible indications for COS before IVF/ICSI. Main results and the role of chance The duration of premature serum P elevation to >1 ng/ml is significantly inversely associated with the probability of clinical pregnancy (odds ratio = 0.773, 95% confidence interval: 0.660–0.891, P < 0.001), after adjustment for possible confounders with multivariate logistic regression analysis. However, the significance of inverse correlation between the absolute serum P concentration on the day of hCG administration with clinical pregnancy rate decreased after adjustment. Bias, confounding and other reasons for caution The cutoff value we chose to define premature serum P elevation (P > 1.0 ng/ml) might not be able to be applied to different immunoassay kits and study population. The retrospective nature of this study inevitably might be influenced by some selection bias. Generalizability to other populations Older patients (>42 years) are excluded from our study. Study funding/competing interest(s) This study was supported in part by grants from the National Science Council (100-2314-B-002-022-MY3) and National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH 100-S1555), Taipei, Taiwan. No competing interests are declared. Trial registration number nil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: research in care home settings is often negatively focused, portraying life as sterile and devoid of meaningful experiences. Care homes have the potential to influence people's lives socially, physically and psychologically. It is important to understand what factors contribute to this.Objective: to conduct a systematic qualitative review of care home life and provide practical recommendations to enhance residents' quality of life.Methods: the following databases were searched: PsycINFO, Medline, Web of Science, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. References from appropriate journals and individual articles were checked. Papers that fitted our selection criteria were selected. Two independent reviewers assessed methodological study quality. Thematic analysis and meta-ethnographic methods were adapted to synthesise findings.Results: thirty-one studies were identified. People in care homes voiced concerns about lack of autonomy and difficulty in forming appropriate relationships with others. Four key themes were identified: (i) acceptance and adaptation, (ii) connectedness with others, (iii) a homelike environment, (iv) caring practices.Conclusion: positive experiences in care homes can occur and are important for residents' quality of life. The review supports literature highlighting the need for relationship-centred approaches to care and emphasises the importance of understanding the resident's attitude towards living in care homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. We implemented a community-run and GP-supervised self-care for minor illnesses (CGPSC) program in a mountainous area where medical resources for caring for minor illnesses were scarce. In this paper, we reported the residents’ experiences and evaluations of this program. Methods. The CGPSC program was implemented through easy-access self-care medical spots (ESCMSs) that were set up in the community with following services: non-prescription medications for minor illness (MMI) service, materials for caring for minor injuries, pamphlet on self-care for minor illnesses and minor injuries and medical consultation line. Ten selected residents were trained to run the ESCMSs. All services were supervised by the GP in charge. Nine months after the opening of the ESCMSs, a survey was conducted to evaluate residents’ reactions to it. Results. Eighty per cent (n = 80) of the respondents were aware of the existence of the ESCMSs, and the MMI service was known to most residents and most utilized by them. Compared to respondents who had not used the MMI service (n = 30), those who had used the service (n = 50) considered the ESCMSs more helpful (90.00% versus 76.67%, P < 0.05) and had greater willingness to seek help from the ESCMS in the future (88.00% versus 56.67%, P < 0.01). Conclusions. The collaborative efforts of the communities and the medical staff had made the ESCMS a safe, convenient and user-friendly resource to self-care for residents in a rural area. Under the supervision of the GP, trained community residents were able to run the ESCMS smoothly and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper explores the dynamics of the configuration of the national, the sectoral and the technological innovation systems and defines the configuration of these three innovation systems as the national, sectoral and technological innovation systems (NSTISs). Through comparing the Taiwanese pharmaceutical biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology innovation systems we find that even within the same nation different NSTISs reveal different dynamics, in terms of actors and networks, the application of technology and knowledge and institutions. We conclude that the new research, technology, development and innovation policies should be customized according to the differing dynamics of the NSTISs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically identifies cross-price elasticities of betel nut and cigarette consumption in Taiwan based on the Central Bureau of Statistics demand model. It compares reduction of cigarette consumption as a result of the proposed Betel Nut Health Tax with reduction of betel nut consumption as a result of the Tobacco Health and Welfare Taxes levied in 2002 and 2006, in order to determine which tax is most effective. Results from a simulated comparative analysis indicate that the Betel Nut Health Tax reduces cigarette consumption to a much greater extent than the Tobacco Health and Welfare Taxes reduce betel nut consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The welfare states in East Asia have been widely considered underdeveloped. Since the definition and measurements of social policy and the welfare state are subject to change depending on the specific historical, political and economic context, the welfare underdevelopment thesis deserves scrutiny. In Japan, Korea and Taiwan, agricultural protection and enterprise welfare, among others, have been surrogates of conventional welfare policies. As a way of critically engaging in the debate over the East Asian welfare model, this paper focuses on these two areas of surrogate social policy and explores their empirical basis with the OECD data on Japan and Korea. The result shows that surrogate social policy measures such as producer support estimates for agricultural protection and mandatory private social spending for enterprise welfare add up to make a difference between the East Asian countries and the other OECD members. This suggests a distinct political-economic model for East Asian social welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

China has become Taiwan's most important export and investment destination. This phenomenon is puzzling to realism as concerns for security externalities should discourage commerce between adversaries. Liberalism also has difficulty in accounting for this phenomenon because an absence of facilitative institutions should discourage commerce across the Taiwan Strait. This paper applies recent theoretical development on credible communication to this seemingly baffling situation. Whereas it has been suggested that commercial ties enable states to signal resolve short of military demonstration, I argue that these ties can also be used to credibly communicate reassurance and commitment to peaceful cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Taiwan orogen has long been regarded as a case example for studying mountain building in association with subduction processes. In this paper, we present a fully coupled thermomechanical modelling of the Taiwan collision based on a realistic viscous-elastic–plastic rheology. It satisfactorily reproduces available thermochronometric data, long-/short-term deformation patterns, heat flux and erosion/sedimentation distribution across the Taiwan orogeny. We found that a deep seated flux of Asian crustal material into the orogenic wedge should be invoked to counter-balance observed exhumation and erosion in the Central Range. However, in contrast with recent thermokinematic models of exhumation and deformation suggesting that underplating plays a significant role, we show that most constraints on exhumation and deformation can be more straightforwardly interpreted by the frontal accretion of the rheologically layered Asian crust. We finally infer that such a model is in better agreement with the basic expectation that the hot/young and buoyant Chinese continental margin should hardly be subducted beneath the cold/old and dense oceanic plate of the Philippines Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan remains central to peace and stability in U.S.–China relations, and to prospects for democracy and prosperity in the Far East. The Taiwan Relations Act assigns to the U.S. Congress a greater role in the formulation of U.S. policy toward Taiwan than it exercises in other areas of foreign policy. Within the U.S. House of Representatives, the only organization that is explicitly supportive of a robust U.S.–Taiwan relationship is the Congressional Taiwan Caucus. Yet there exists, to our knowledge, no systematic empirical study of the correlates of Caucus membership. Few studies systematically analyze the factors that impel Members of Congress publicly to take positions that favor Taiwan. This paper addresses that gap with respect to the 109th Congress (2005–2006). We develop a method of analyzing Caucus membership and show that it yields new empirical findings about the micro-foundations of Taiwan policy making in Congress. Unlike previous studies, our unit of analysis is not the legislature, nor the legislative chamber, nor the parties within the chamber. We drill down further, collecting data at the level of the individual Member. For the 109th Congress, we find evidence that (1) Caucus membership is related in identifiable and quantifiable ways to left/right ideology, district demographics, personal interest and individual-level engagement with human rights. (2) Party has no independent effect on the likelihood of Caucus membership, but it does condition other factors. Put simply, Republicans and Democrats join the Caucus for different reasons. Election-induced changes in the composition of Congress may influence U.S. policy toward Taiwan. The findings presented here enhance our understanding of and ability to anticipate the nature of that influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acids are important to all animal life. Termites rely mainly on microorganisms to retrieve these nitrogen sources from their food. One naturally occurring amino acid, m-tyrosine, has been reported to be toxic to bacteria and weeds. Its direct effects on termite survival are unknown however. Both no-choice and choice bioassays using five different doses of m-tyrosine were conducted to determine the feeding response and survival of Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), in the laboratory. In no-choice tests, although all doses of m-tyrosine tested reduced filter paper consumption, only the highest dose tested (0.05 M) had significantly lower consumption compared with the control. This dose also caused significantly high termite mortality. In a five-choice bioassay, all doses of m-tyrosine tested reduced filter paper consumption significantly compared with the control. No mortality was observed in the choice tests, and very little feeding of filter paper treated with m-tyrosine occurred. From these experiments, we conclude that m-tyrosine is toxic to Formosan subterranean termites and acts as a feeding deterrent, and therefore, may be a promising wood preservative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study investigating EFL teachers' views on the educational values of English picture story books in Taiwan. Ten teachers with experience of using the books with primary school children participated in this study. The results suggest three main educational values perceived by the teachers: ( 7 ) linguistic value, (2) the value of the story, and (3) the value of the picture. A pattern of how the teachers presented the books also emerged from the data: the majority of the teachers perceived themselves as a mediator whose job was not to transmit the meaning of the book to the students, but to encourage participation and interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In its relations with Taiwan and China, Washington has begun to implement separate dual strategies in order to simultaneously deter unilateral action while balancing out the rival political and military forces of each side. A simple standard strategy just is not sufficient to maintain the status quo. The way to maintain peace is for Washington to keep its role as a moderator between the two sides while preventing both from taking unilateral steps toward goals that would naturally provoke the other. US policy has to mirror the duality of the cross-strait arena by implementing dual balancing and deterrent strategies. It is also imperative that policymakers realize the complexity of the situation so as not to unwittingly provoke either side. This paper is an analysis of the emerging US strategy of deterring both sides of the Taiwan Strait from taking unilateral action while maintaining a balance of military and political forces, and gives some suggestions as to the further development of this strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the geography of technological learning and knowledge acquisition among Taiwanese and Korean firms. Specifically it focuses on the knowledge sourcing experience of Asian manufacturing latecomers in the United States (US). The Asian latecomer model of learning is characterized by a triangular spatial division of knowledge sourcing and technological production that involves the transfer and circulation of knowledge across multiple spatial scales. At the regional level, Korean and Taiwanese firms rely on local learning systems in the form of science parks to create favorable domestic agglomeration economies that are conducive for knowledge accretion. At the trans-regional level, non-core R&D and the manufacturing of technology-driven products are geographically concentrated in China. Lastly, local and trans-regional learning are supplemented by international sourcing of knowledge through the location and investment of R&D facilities in the US. To the extent that extra-local knowledge sourcing in the US is associated with the acquisition of new knowledge forms, such a multiscalar spatial strategy is expected to help transform Asian learners from technology latecomer to technology newcomer status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We first discern three different sources to describe the non-modelling-friendly environment in Taiwan: the background of mathematics teachers and students, examinations and textbooks. Under such unfriendly circumstances, how one can implement the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling is explored. In this paper, we focus on the analysis of distinctive characteristics of high school studentsapos; thinking of modelling. The changes required of the participating teacher and the evolution supporting these changes will be written in another article. Three kinds of Taiwanese students' modelling processes are identified, and the finding shows that the common feature of mathematical thinking of modelling is that, in practice, students do not solve mathematical models. We further conjecture that provoking students to explore mathematical solutions during modelling activities will benefit their situational reasoning, mathematizating, interpreting and communicating. On one hand, teachers can design model-exploring activities based on characteristics of students' thinking during modelling activities, and provide settings where conflicts between models and situations are confronted and the need to justify the validity of models and solutions is considered. On the other hand, students may elaborate their models and learn alternative approaches or tools for rethinking previously studied mathematical models during model-exploring activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1995, a combined ocean-bottom-seismometric (OBS) and multichannel seismic (MCS) survey with strong air-gun shots was carried out in the southernmost Ryukyu subduction zone. A crustal velocity structure constructed from the layer-stripping Monte Carlo inversion of three OBS/MCS profiles and the associated density models inverted from gravity data in the SW end of the Ryukyu arc-trench system are presented. Parallel to the arc in the southernmost Ryukyu subduction system, the OBS/MCS profiles show sedimentary layers of the Hoping, Nanao and East-Nanao forearc basins from west to east, warping of the arc basement and buckling of the subducted slab beneath the Hoping basement rise. The arc-parallel variation of the crustal structure may result from increasing lateral compression westward due to oblique subduction of the Philippine Sea plate and collision with the Luzon arc near the northwestern edge of the forearc region. Northward subduction and arc-parallel compression of the slab also have generated thrust faulting along the subduction interface and strike-slip faulting within the subducted slab, respectively. On 2002 March 31, an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.84 was induced by buckling of the subducted slab and strongly affected cities within an epicentral distance of 100 km. The velocity-interface models, the density models and the focal mechanisms presented in this paper therefore suggest that earthquakes induced by slab buckling or arc-parallel compression have been stronger but less frequent than those generated by northward subduction in the Ryukyu seismogenic zone off Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many Asian countries, physicians both prescribe and dispense drugs. This practice is hypothesized to have caused high drug expenditure and widespread prescription of antibiotics in Asia. Recently, Taiwan implemented the separation policy on an experimental basis. This paper's objective is to empirically evaluate the impact of Taiwan's reform to separate drug prescribing and dispensing on drug expenditure and total health expenditure. The research design consists of a pre/post comparison of the experimental with the control sites (difference-in-difference). Separation policy was implemented in Kaohsung and Taipei in March 1997, and expanded to Chia-yi and Taichung in March 1998. Changes in drug prescription behaviour before and after implementation in these two pairs of experimental cities were compared to Hsin-chu and Tainan (control), where separation policy was not implemented during the study period. To reduce resistance, providers in experimental sites were allowed to hire on-site pharmacists and dispense drugs through them if they chose to do so. Our study sample consists of all outpatient visits to clinics in the study sites between December 1996 and June 1998, with a total of 55.23 million claim records. The drug prescription rate, drug expenditure and total health expenditure per visit were the main outcome measures. We found that the probability of prescription and drug expenditure per visit were, respectively, 17-34% and 12-36% less among visits to clinics without on-site pharmacists, compared with the control sites. However, no difference in total health expenditure was found between these two types of visits. Hence, the separation policy could be effective in reducing drug expenditure and affecting prescription behaviour, but is less certain as a policy for reducing total health expenditure. We also found that the policy has practically no effect on clinics that have on-site pharmacists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]