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An English reading class of 10th graders (N = 50) was asked to self-construct English word cards for unknown vocabulary incidentally encountered when completing textbook readings. The students were assigned this task to determine what linguistic and nonlinguistic elements they would self-select to include on the cards and whether the appearance of those particular self-selected elements affect English vocabulary growth. Learners' second language (L2) vocabulary size was assessed before and after the investigation, and learners' self-constructed word cards were subjected to qualitative analysis uncovering additional "elements" included on the cards that were not suggested by the classroom teacher. Among the uncovered "element" themes (i.e., Formulaic Language, Word Formation, Additional Language Features, Creativity, Misunderstanding, and Carelessness), Word Formation was found to correlate significantly with L2 vocabulary growth. A multiple regression model accounted for 15.8% of the variance in vocabulary growth of which word formation explained the most variance, yielding a medium effect. A critical discussion of findings is provided in connection with previous literature to elucidate the feasibility of incorporating word card construction into L2 classroom instruction while also providing teachers suggestions on implementing a word card construction component into their classes.

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Simple Summary: Tomato yellow leaf curl disease is a serious problem for tomato farmers worldwide. This disease is caused by a group of viruses, namely, tomato yellow leaf curl viruses. These viruses are mainly transmitted by the sweet potato whitefly. After the virus is ingested by the whitefly through the process of feeding on diseased plants, the virus circulates in the body of the whitefly and infects its tissues. This virus–insect relationship can influence virus transmission. The life history and feeding preference of whiteflies may be affected by viral infection in a negative, neutral, or positive manner, depending on the species of virus and whitefly involved. The tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus (TYLCTHV) and the tomato leaf curl Taiwan virus (ToLCTV) are common in tomato fields in Taiwan. This study examined the direct and indirect effects of TYLCTHV and ToLCTV on the life history traits (longevity, fecundity, nymph survival, and nymph developmental time) and feeding preference of whiteflies. The results revealed that TYLCTHV did not affect the life history and feeding preference of the whiteflies. However, ToLCTV infection caused low fecundity and slow development when the whiteflies fed on diseased plants. ToLCTV infection also altered the feeding preference of the whiteflies. These findings could help explain why ToLCTV is less common than TYLCTHV in tomato fields in Taiwan. Tomato yellow leaf curl disease, caused by a group of closely related tomato yellow leaf curl viruses, is a major threat to tomato cultivation worldwide. These viruses are primarily transmitted by the sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) in a persistent-circulative manner, wherein the virus circulates in the body of B. tabaci and infects its tissues. The complex relationship between viruses and whiteflies significantly influences virus transmission, with studies showing varying effects of the former on the life history and feeding preference of the latter. Whether these effects are direct or indirect, and whether they are negative, neutral, or positive, appears to depend on the specific interactions between virus and whitefly species. The tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus (TYLCTHV) and the tomato leaf curl Taiwan virus (ToLCTV) are two prevalent begomoviruses in fields in Taiwan. This study examined the direct and indirect effects of TYLCTHV and ToLCTV on the life history traits (longevity, fecundity, nymph survival, and nymph developmental time) and feeding preference of B. tabaci Middle East–Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1). The results revealed that TYLCTHV had no effects on these life history traits or the feeding preference of MEAM1 whiteflies. Although ToLCTV did not directly affect the longevity and fecundity of MEAM1 whiteflies, their fecundity and the nymph developmental time were negatively affected by feeding on ToLCTV-infected plants. In addition, ToLCTV infection also altered the feeding preference of MEAM1 whiteflies. The different effects of virus infection may contribute to the lower prevalence of ToLCTV compared to TYLCTHV in fields in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine who purchases private insurance in Taiwan based on latent class analysis (LCA) framework. The 2005 Nation Health Interview Survey (NHIS) linked to the 2006 and 2007 National Health Insurance Research Claim Database (NHIRD) have been used to identify individual’s risk preference classification by LCA. We further utilize a bivariate probit regression to investigate the relationship between each latent risk preference classification and purchase of private health insurance, and the subsequent inpatient service utilization. Empirical results indicate that compared with the high cautiousness class, individuals in the low cautiousness with smoking behavior class tend to less likely to purchase private health insurance; however, individuals in the low cautiousness with smoking behavior class and private health insurance tend to more likely to utilize inpatient services. Our empirical results provide information about how insurance companies can perform a target market strategy on their potential customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to investigate the relationship between the utilization of free adult preventive care services and subsequent utilization of inpatient services among elderly people under the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan. The study used secondary data from the 2005 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey and claim data from the 2006 Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for the elderly aged 65 or over. A bivariate probit model was used to avoid the possible endogeneity in individuals’ utilization of free adult preventive care and inpatient services. This study finds that, when individuals had utilized the preventive care services in 2005, the probability that they utilized inpatient services in 2006 was significantly reduced by 13.89%. The findings of this study may provide a good reference for policy makers to guide the efficient allocation of medical resources through the continuous promotion of free adult preventive care services under the National Health Insurance program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The health care needs of elderly people were influenced by their heterogeneity. This study aimed to identify the health latent classes of elderly people by using latent class analysis to deal with heterogeneity and examine their socio-demographic characteristics. Data came from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) in Taiwan. In total, 2449 elderly individuals with available health indicators were examined in latent class analysis (LCA), and 2217 elderly community-dwellings with complete socio-demographic data were analyzed by multinomial logistic regression. Four health latent classes were identified which included 1066 (43.5%) people in the High Comorbidity (HC), 152 (6.2%) in the Functional Impairment (FI), 252 (10.3%) in the Frail (FR), and 979 (40.0%) in the Relatively Healthy (RH) group. Multinomial logistic regressions revealed socio-demographic characteristics among health classes. The variables associated with an increased likelihood of being in the FR group were age, female, and living with families. They were also correlated to ethnicity and educations. Apart from age and gender, the Functional Impairment group was less likely to be ethnicity of Hakka, more likely to live with others than were the RH group. The HC group tended to be younger, with higher educations, and more likely to live in urban area than the Functional Impairment group. The correlations between health classes and socio-demographic factors were discussed. The health status of elderly people includes a variety of health indicators. A person-centered approach is critical to identify the health heterogeneity of elderly people and manage their care needs by targeting differential aging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Taiwan commercial native chickens have played a vital role in the domestic market due to Taiwanese traditional cooking style and culture. This study investigated the genetic characterization and population structure of 10 Taiwan commercial native chicken populations, together with two exotic breeds and one population of red jungle fowl, using 22 microsatellites. The results showed that Taiwan commercial native chickens generally harbored high genetic diversity but lower than that of red jungle fowl population in terms of number of alleles and gene diversity. The neighbor-joining tree revealed a poor resolution with only two branches showing bootstrap values above 70%. Based on Bayesian clustering approach, thirteen populations were inferred into eight distinct clusters namely Game bird, B strain, L2 strain,White Broiler andWhite Leghorn with an average proportion of membership higher than 0.90 and the values higher than 0.85 for red jungle fowl, Hakka chicken and Hakka strain while four remaining breeds were closely related together. The population structure showed Taiwan commercial native chickens are more admixed, in contrast to occidental highly productive breeds. The high genetic variation within breed as shown in the results of the analysis of molecular variance, facilitated by gene exchanges, did not allow discriminating in an efficient way. This suggests that the genetic pool of Taiwan commercial native chickens is well distributed among breeds and therefore there is a good potential for adaptation to new environmental conditions or markets. Some populations, namely L2 strain and B strain showed very high inbreeding coefficient and thus could be considered at risks. Therefore, management needs to be taken into account for the populations, to prevent inbreeding depression and maintain genetic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on a study on the affects of passive leg press (PLP) training on jumping performance, speed, and muscle power. The study was conducted on 30 college students who had not performed training in the previous 6 months. The study found improvement in jump performance, speed, and muscle power of subjects after 10 weeks of PLP training.

Previous studies have shown that demand for the quantity of medical services has increased since the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) programme. This paper extends the investigation to the relationship between private health insurance and inpatient service utilisation under the NHI programme in Taiwan. By using nationwide population-based claim data, we utilise a two-part model to investigate whether individuals with private health insurance have higher probabilities of utilising inpatient services. We further examine the effect of those individuals with private health insurance on the inpatient length of stay for those utilising inpatient services. The results indicate that individuals with private health insurance are more likely to use inpatient services and spend more days in a hospital compared to those without private health insurance. We propose that this finding provides a good reference for government and insurance companies when formulating relevant health insurance policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Purpose: Data on hospitalized novel influenza A (H1N1) infected children are limited and urgently in demand. We conducted a clinical study to identify clinical features and risk factors associated with severe novel H1N1 infections of children in Taiwan. Methods: From July 24, 2009 to December 4, 2009, data from 61 hospitalized children infected with 2009 novel H1N1 were collected. Demographics, underlying medical conditions, clinical data, receipt of antiviral therapy, need for intensive care and outcome were analyzed to identify clinical features and risk factors of severe infections. Results: Of the 61 inpatients, the male to female ratio was 41 to 20 and the most common age group was between 6 and 12 years (36%). Almost all (98%) patients had fever, 53 (87%) patients received oseltamivir treatment and 51% of them received oseltamivir within 48 hours. Fourteen (23%) needed intensive care and 3 died. Obesity (a Body Mass Index ≥ 25 kg/m2 in children ≥ 2 years of age, or a body weight ≥ the 95th percentile in children <2 years of age), dyspnea, C-reactive protein (CRP) > 3 mg/dL, pleural effusion, and delayed antiviral therapy were significantly associated with the need for intensive care and/or death. Conclusion: Obesity, dyspnea, CRP > 3 mg/dL, pleural effusion, and delayed antiviral therapy are significantly associated with severe novel H1N1 infections in children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The specimens for previous studies on the secondary metabolites of the Formosan octocoral Isis hippuris were all collected at Green Island. In the course of our studies on bioactive compounds from marine organisms, the acetone-solubles of the Formosan octocoral I. hippuris collected at Orchid Island has led to the isolation of six new polyoxygenated steroids (1–6), along with a known compound 7. Compound 6 possesses a new type of steroid side chain moiety. The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of their spectroscopic and physical data. The anti-HCMV (human cytomegalovirus) activity and cytotoxicity against selected cell lines of 1–7 were evaluated. Compound 3 exhibited inhibitory activity against HCMV, with an EC50 values of 2.0μg/mL, respectively. Compound 7 displayed cytotoxicity against P-388 and A-549 cell lines with ED50 values of 3.2 and 3.86μg/mL, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

During August-November 2009, to investigate disease transmission within households in Taiwan, we recruited 87 pandemic (H1N1) 2009 patients and their household members. Overall, pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus was transmitted to 60 (27%) of 223 household contacts. Transmission was 4x higher to children than to adults (61% vs. 15%; p<0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a crystallization of Chinese Buddhism field in the 20th century, the Earthly Buddhism Thought initiated by Master Taixu has already become the mainstream of contemporary Buddhism thoughts after many years' effort to develop and enhance it. Among the most important masters who have done this in Taiwan, Master Chuandao is a focus of attention because of his standout contribution. This article aims at making a brief commentary of Master Chuandao's thought and practice of earthly Buddhism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A nationwide population-based dataset was used to explore the association between length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission rates for hospitalized patients with schizophrenia in Taiwan. Methods: The National Health Insurance Research Database was used for the years 2001-2003 and included a total of 29,373 patients with schizophrenia divided equally into four groups according to LOS of index hospitalization. After adjusting for hospital, physician and patient characteristics, a multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between LOS and 30-day readmission rates. Results: After discharge from their index hospitalization, 12,468 (42.5%) patients with schizophrenia were readmitted within 30 days. The adjusted odds ratio for 30-day readmission rates was increased for shorter LOS. Conclusions: Healthcare providers should exert caution while trying to reduce LOS within the current cost-conscious environment and balance it with creating a minimal status necessary for discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper was to present the modeling and optimization of mooring lines for floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT) located in various water depths from 50 m to 100 m in Taiwan western offshore areas. A semi-submersible floating wind turbine system is considered based on Offshore Code Comparison Collaborative Continuation (OC4) DeepCwind platform with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) offshore 5-MW baseline wind turbine. The mooring lines proposed consist of a catenary mooring with studless chains. Three nominal sizes of the mooring chain links are taken into account with diameters of 95 mm, 115 mm and 135 mm. According to this configuration, a total of five mooring designs for different water depths (i.e., 50 m, 60 m, 70 m, 80 m, 100 m) are analyzed according to the rules and regulations of the two certification institutions, Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and American Petroleum Institute (API). Considering ultimate limit state (ULS), fatigue limit state (FLS) and maximum operating sea state (MOSS) based on a typhoon with a 50-year return period and current with a 10-year return period, 25-year design life, as well as 1-year return period, respectively, long-term predictions of breaking strength, fatigue and stability are performed. The software OrcaFlex version 10.3 d is used to simulate and design the mooring lines. The obtained results show that the shallow mooring design of 50 m water depth case presents the heaviest chains among the other water depths, increasing their mooring costs. On the other hand, the 100 m water design has much longer mooring lines, making this parameter the cost driving one. Thus, the minimum mooring cost range is from 60 m to 80 m water depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The male predominance in the incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) suggests the contribution of the X chromosome to the susceptibility of NPC. However, no X-linked susceptibility loci have been examined by genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for NPC by far. Methods: To understand the contribution of the X chromosome in NPC susceptibility, we conducted an X chromosome-wide association analysis on 1615 NPC patients and 1025 healthy controls of Guangdong Chinese, followed by two validation analyses in Taiwan Chinese (n = 562) and Malaysian Chinese (n = 716). Results: Firstly, the proportion of variance of X-linked loci over phenotypic variance was estimated in the discovery samples, which revealed that the phenotypic variance explained by X chromosome polymorphisms was estimated to be 12.63% (non-dosage compensation model) in males, as compared with 0.0001% in females. This suggested that the contribution of X chromosome to the genetic variance of NPC should not be neglected. Secondly, association analysis revealed that rs5927056 in DMD gene achieved X chromosome-wide association significance in the discovery sample (OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.73–0.89, P = 1.49 × 10−5). Combined analysis revealed rs5927056 for DMD gene with suggestive significance (P = 9.44 × 10−5). Moreover, the female-specific association of rs5933886 in ARHGAP6 gene (OR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.47–0.81, P = 4.37 × 10−4) was successfully replicated in Taiwan Chinese (P = 1.64 × 10−2). rs5933886 also showed nominally significant gender × SNP interaction in both Guangdong (P = 6.25 × 10−4) and Taiwan datasets (P = 2.99 × 10−2). Conclusion: Our finding reveals new susceptibility loci at the X chromosome conferring risk of NPC and supports the value of including the X chromosome in large-scale association studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the "dialectical view of categorization and identification," and adopting a "social categorization/group identification" set of concepts, the article discusses the importance of historical process, culture, and agency in shaping people's identities through their traditions and making collective symbols. We suggest that residents of Dachen islands, who were withdrawn and resettled in Taiwan in 1955 because of military operations, responded favorably and positively to the war regime and the category of "Dachen Yibao" (Dachen Righteous Compatriots) given by the State and the public in the 1950s and the 1970s. They even formed their own symbol for "Chiang Lord Worship" and practice. We explain why there was a revival of collective interest in traditional Dachen beliefs in the mid-1980s, and why the Chiang Kai-shek Worship receded, especially after the year 2000. In the meantime, we observe a gradualfading of the category of Dachen Yibao and its replacement with "Dachen Ren" (Dachen people). Through analyzing changing symbols-from the collective symbol of Chang Lord Worship to traditional symbols of Dachen belief-we interpret the meanings, interests, and social dignities of different social categories and identifications. We submit that the state, as an external force, can easily create social categories, and it is the people who give meanings to the categories and develop their own identities through rituals and symbols, recreating their own identities with religion and other social collective forces in relation to the external category because of environment and institutional changes that affect their existence and living conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to "apologetics," are there any intrinsic mechanisms of religion that enable it to maintain the plausibility of gods under the challenge of secular reason? This article uses the production of miracles in Taiwan's folk religion as a case to undertake this discussion. A miracle involves the emergence of a particular interpretation of an event and the repression of other ones, and therefore it is about the social control of consciousness. This article considers miracles in the context of Durkheim's argument about "how god is conceived as true" and as a problem of how religion produces "misrecognition." It then uses Bourdieu's concepts of "field," "habitus," and "euphemism" to discuss how this "misrecognition" is produced. The discussion proceeds within a diachronic framework by taking into account the consequences of modernity. This article also considers the issue of individuals' predicaments under the modern circumstance of pluralism. The case examined provides significant understanding of how people cope with this situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in lifestyle behaviors may effectively maintain or improve the health status of individuals with chronic diseases. However, such health behaviors adopted by individuals are unlikely to demonstrate similar patterns. This study analyzed the relationship between the heterogeneous latent classes of health behavior and health statuses among middle-aged and older adults with hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia in Taiwan. After selecting 2103 individuals from the 2005 and 2009 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we first identified heterogeneous groups of health behaviors through latent class analysis (LCA). We further explored the relationship between each latent class of health behavior and health status through ordered logit regression. We identified the following five distinct health behavior classes: the all-controlled, exercise and relaxation, healthy diet and reduced smoking or drinking, healthy diet, and least-controlled classes. Regression results indicated that individuals in classes other than the all-controlled class all reported poor health statuses. We also found great magnitude of the coefficient estimates for individuals who reported their health status to be poor or very poor for the least-controlled class. Therefore, health authorities and medical providers may develop targeted policies and interventions that address multiple modifiable health behaviors in each distinct latent class of health behavior., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objectives: In Taiwan, although the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) program reduced financial barriers and enhanced accessibility for individuals to utilize health care services, an unequal distribution of medical care resources still exists. This paper is focusing on analyzing factors that are associated with unmet health care needs among the middle-aged and elderly under the NHI in Taiwan., Methods: Statistical analysis from the 2007 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan. We firstly adopted latent class analysis to classify individuals' observable reasons for feeling unwell but not seeing a doctor within the last 3 months into three latent perceived barriers classes. We further used a multinomial probit regression model to analyze factors that are associated with each perceived barrier class to the access of health care service., Results: Results indicate relative to the "relatively no barriers" class, individuals with a high level of educational attainment tend to more likely to be in the "accommodation barriers" class, and individuals live in the most developed areas with the densest medical facilities tend to less likely to be in the "accessibility barriers" class., Conclusions: We identified possible risk factors for each perceived barrier, which could provide important insights for health authorities and medical providers when targeting policies and interventions to efficiently assist people in need., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with risk of vascular disease. The association between atrial fibrillation (AF), vascular events, and different HRTs, including estradiol and conjugated equine estrogens (CEE), has been controversial in previous studies. Thus, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate these associations. Female patients (>45 years old) first diagnosed with menopause were enrolled from National Health Insurance Research Dataset (1998-2008). Cox regression analysis estimated risk of new-onset AF, stroke, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after exposure to estradiol or CEE. Of 5489 females (mean age = 55 years) enrolled, 1815 treated with estradiol and 3674 treated with CEE. Incidence per 10(3) person-years of AF, stroke, and MACE in CEE vs estradiol patients was 2.23 vs. 0.92, 14.0 vs. 9.09, and 15.55 vs. 10.47. As compared with patients treated with estradiol, those treated with CEE had a significantly higher incidence of AF, stroke, and MACE. The adjusted hazard ratios for each category were 1.96, 1.30, and 1.26, respectively. The significant results remained similar, even after use of propensity-score-matched strategy. In conclusion, CEE was associated with a higher risk of AF, stroke, and MACE than estradiol in menopausal females. Further exploration of underlying mechanisms is necessary.

Background: Areca nut chewing is associated with the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and cardiovascular mortality. Although a few case reports or case series have suggested the link between areca nut chewing and cardiac arrhythmias, information about the relationship between areca nut chewing and atrial fibrillation (AF) is lacking. Thus, a nationwide ecological study was conducted to investigate this., Methods: Two national datasets, the nationwide population-based 2005 Taiwan National Health Insurance Research dataset (NHIRD) and the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), were used for analyses. The clinical characteristics, inhabited area and medical histories for 375,360 eligible males were retrieved from the 2005 NHIRD. Health related behaviors including areca nut chewing, cigarette smoking, infrequent vegetable eating, and exercise habit were collected from the 2005 NHIS. The prevalence of AF and the areca nut chewing rate were evaluated by multivariate analysis., Results: Of the 375,360 males (mean age, 44 years old), 1,326 (0.35%) were diagnosed with AF. The higher areca nut chewing rate, the higher prevalence rate of AF in Taiwan (Spearman correlation coefficient r=0.558, p=0.007). After adjusting for other covariates, the current areca nut chewing rate was found to be independently associated with the prevalence of AF. The adjusted odd ratio for areca nut chewing was 1.02 (95% CI=1.00-1.04) in risk of AF prevalence., Conclusions: Areca nut chewing is independently associated with the prevalence of AF in Taiwanese men. However, further exploration of the underlying mechanisms is necessary.

In previous studies on the secondary metabolites of the Taiwanese octocoral Isis hippuris, specimens have always been collected at Green Island. In the course of our studies on bioactive compounds from marine organisms, the acetone-solubles of the Taiwanese octocoral I. hippuris collected at Orchid Island have led to the isolation of five new polyoxygenated steroids: hipposterone M-O (1-3), hipposterol G (4) and hippuristeroketal A (5). The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of their spectroscopic and physical data. The anti-HCMV (human cytomegalovirus) activity of 1-5 and their cytotoxicity against selected cell lines were evaluated. Compound 2 exhibited inhibitory activity against HCMV, with an EC(50) value of 6.0 μg/mL.

Background: Previous studies have indicated that atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients over the age of 60 at diagnosis is a risk factor for a substantial increase in cardiovascular events. However, information about the impact of age on the atrial substrate and clinical outcome after catheter ablation of AF is limited., Methods: This study included 350 patients (53 ± 12 years, 254 males) who underwent circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI) of AF, guided by a NavX mapping system. The subjects were divided into three groups according to their age, as follows: Group I: age ≤50 (n = 141), Group II: age = 51-64 (n = 149) and Group III: age ≥65 years old (n = 60). The mean voltage and total activation time of the individual atria were obtained by using a NavX mapping system before ablation. Several parameters, including the gender, AF duration, and left atrial (LA) diameter were analyzed., Results: The younger age group had a significantly smaller LA diameter (Group I vs Group II vs Group III, 36.89 ± 7.11 vs 39.16 ± 5.65 vs 40.77 ± 4.95 mm, P = 0.002) and higher LA bipolar voltage (2.09 ± 0.83 vs 1.73 ± 0.73 vs 1.86 ± 0.67 mV, respectively, P = 0.024), compared with the older AF patients. The LA bipolar voltage exhibited a significant reduction when the patients became older, however, that did not occur in the right atrium. The incidence of an AF recurrence was higher in the older age group than in the younger age groups. A subgroup of patients with lone AF was analyzed and age was found to be an independent predictor of the AF recurrence after receiving the first CPVI in the multivariable model (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Age has a significant impact on the LA substrate properties and outcome of the catheter ablation of AF., (© 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

In general, biopsy is the preferred management method for women with indeterminate mammographically dense breasts. In this review, we describe a decision analysis model comparing technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (Tc-99m sestamibi) scintimammography and excisional biopsy as breast cancer evaluation strategies for hypothetical cohorts of estimated 16,000-40,000 women with indeterminate mammographic probability of malignancy because of mammographically dense breasts. In cost-effectiveness analysis, quantitative decision tree sensitivity analysis was used to compare the conventional excision biopsy alone strategy (strategy A) with decision strategy for screening with Tc-99m sestamibi scintimammography before excision biopsy (strategy B) after an indeterminate mammogram. Strategy B showed a cost saving of US dollars 649,600-1,624,000 in reducing the cost of unnecessary biopsies. The total cost of strategy B showed a cost saving of US dollars 123,075-307,776 compared to strategy A. The analysis data indicate that Tc-99m sestamibi scintimammography can save the cost of unnecessary biopsies in Taiwanese women with non-diagnostic mammogram because of mammographically dense breasts., (Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.)