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Highlights: λ Information on driving cessation has rarely been reported for Taiwan. λ Stride length and conceptualization are identified as predictors of driving cessation for the first time. λ Marital status, body mass index, heart disease, and regular exercise are also associated with driving cessation. This 4-year prospective cohort study was conducted to identify predictors of driving cessation among older people in Taiwan. Individuals who had visited the outpatient clinics of a general hospital in Taipei City, were aged ≥ 65 years, and drove a car at least once a week were recruited for this study. Baseline data on sociodemographics, lifestyle behaviors, health conditions, driving characteristics, and functional measures were collected. The driving status of participants was followed up through telephonic interviews at 2-month intervals. Driving cessation was defined as not having driven a car in the previous 6 months. Of the 245 drivers in the study, 86 (35.1%) had ceased driving. A proportional hazard model revealed that after adjustment for age, sex, height, and other variables, older drivers who were widowed, were single or divorced (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58–5.31), had coronary artery disease (HR = 3.48; 95% CI, 1.90–6.40), and had a short stride length (HR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96–0.98) were significantly more likely than their counterparts to cease driving. By contrast, older drivers who were overweight or obese (HR = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.31–0.83), exercised at least 3 times a week (HR = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.33–0.88), and had high scores on cognitive conceptualization (HR = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.82–0.97) were significantly less likely to cease driving. Numerous factors, including marital status, body mass index, coronary artery disease, stride length, cognitive conceptualization, and regular exercise, were identified as predictors among older Taiwanese drivers. Gait characteristics were identified as a predictor of driving cessation for the first time, but the underlying mechanism requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Situational factors during a fall among three common types of fractures of the distal forearm, hip, and vertebrae among older women in Taiwan were investigated.Methods: In 2016 ~ 2017, study participants were identified from those aged ≥65 years who visited emergency departments due to a fall in two university-affiliated hospitals in Taipei. In addition to individual characteristics, situational factors during the fall (location, activity, change of center of mass, fall mode, fall direction, initiating a protective response, and being hit) were collected. A sample of 203 distal-forearm fractures, 189 vertebral fractures, and 375 hip fractures was recruited, while 717 women with a soft-tissue injury were used as a control group. The identification of situational risk factors for each type of fracture was validated by using those who sustained one of the other two types of fracture as a control group.Results: After adjusting for age and other individual characteristics, compared to soft-tissue injuries, distal-forearm fractures were significantly more likely to occur with slips (odds ratio [OR] = 11.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.76 ~ 25.4), trips (OR = 3.40; 95% CI = 1.42 ~ 8.17), step-downs (OR = 4.95; 95% CI = 2.15 ~ 11.4), and from sideways falls (OR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.12 ~ 2.67) and significantly less likely to occur indoors (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.42 ~ 0.90) or from backwards falls (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.41 ~ 0.95). Hip fractures were significantly more likely to occur with step-downs (OR = 1.76; 95% CI = 1.13 ~ 2.75) and from backwards (OR = 3.16; 95% CI = 2.15 ~ 4.64) or sideways falls (OR = 5.56; 95% CI = 3.67 ~ 8.41) and significantly less likely when hitting an object (OR = 0.26; 95% CI = 0.13 ~ 0.52) or initiating a protective response (OR = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.36 ~ 0.93). Vertebral fractures were significantly more likely to occur with slips (OR = 2.42; 95% CI = 1.30 ~ 4.50), step-downs (OR = 2.53; 95% CI = 1.43 ~ 4.48), and backwards falls (OR = 2.15; 95% CI = 1.39 ~ 3.32). Similar results were found in the validation analyses.Conclusions: Large variations in situational risk factors for the three types of fracture in older women existed. A combination of individual and situational risk factors may display a more-comprehensive risk profile for the three types of fracture, and an intervention that adds training programs on safe landing strategies and effective compensatory reactions may be valuable in preventing serious injuries due to a fall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the demographics, types and causes of illness and injury, and risk factors for serious illness and injury among visitors at the 2010 Taipei International Floral Exposition. Methods: During the 171-day period from November 6th to April 25th 2011, 8,963,666 people visited the Exposition. There were four medical stations located in parks in Yuanshan, Arts, Xinsheng, and Dajia-Riverside during the Exposition period. Of these visitors, 11,489 people received medical services, and 470 of them were sent to a hospital for further treatment. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with serious illness and injury. Results: The medical usage rate was 7.5 per million person-days, and the rate of ambulance to hospital usage was 2.3 per 10,000 patient-days. The three most prevalent illnesses were gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, and flu, while the three most prevalent injuries were abrasions/lacerations, strained muscles/contusions/sprains, and burns/sunburns/blisters. Serious illnesses were associated with a population density of < 124 persons per 100 m2, and the time periods of November and December 2010, and January to March 2011. Serious injuries were associated with age over 70, morning sessions, rain, a population density of < 57 persons per 100 m2, and the time periods November and December, 2010 and March, 2011. Conclusions: We suggest that the occurrences and severity of illness and injury be monitored during an exposition in order to provide immediate and effective medical interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compressed fossil seed, described as Carpolithes sp., is found in the coal-bearing Miocene Shihti Formation from the Lifeng coal mine, Sanshia District of the New Taipei City. The fossil is generally rounded with a diameter of ca. 10 mm in lateral view. The anatomical features of the testa epidermal cells were observed using anatomical analysis. The anatomical features of the megafossil organ from the Formation are reported for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Bicycle-related head injury is an important public health issue. A paucity of statistical data on bicycle accidents exists in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to report the characteristics of bicycle-related head injuries among school-aged children in Taipei, Taiwan. Methods: Between 2001 and 2002, basic patient information of those with bicycle-related head injuries was collected from the Trauma Data Registry in 5 hospitals of the Taipei area. Telephone interviews were conducted to collect specific information surrounding bicycle accidents. Results: Of 324 patients with bicycle-related head injuries, 90 (27.8%) had severe head injuries. Boys compared with girls had a higher proportion of severe head injuries (34.1% vs 23.4%; P = .048). Children aged 5 to 9 years had a higher proportion of severe head injuries compared with ages 10 to 14 years (65.2% vs 6.4%; P = .043). Bicycles without reflectors had a higher proportion of severe head injuries compared to bicycles with reflectors (69.0% vs 5.7%; P = .004). Bicyclists carrying goods (such as backpacks or weighted toward the road) and speeding were associated with severe head injury (P < .05). Collisions with vehicles of a larger size resulted in a higher rate of severe head injury compared with collisions with pedestrians (76.9% vs 3.6%; P = .043). Conclusions: For children whose main mode of transport is bicycles, the enforcement of helmet legislation, educational programs in bicycling safety and equipment, and improving the infrastructure for bicycling in urban areas are needed in Taiwan to reduce potentially debilitating or life-threatening injuries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]