Visual Function and Visual Perception among Senior Citizens with Mild Cognitive Impairment in Taiwan

Purpose: With the benefits of advanced medical technology, Taiwan has gradually changed from an aged society to a super-aged society. According to previous studies, the prevalence rate of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) over the age of 60 is 15% to 20%. Therefore, the main purpose of our study was to analyze the correlation of cognitive function with visual function (specifically, binocular vision and visual perception) in Taiwanese volunteers aged 60 years or older. Methods: Thirty-six healthy participants who were not taking psychiatric medications and who had not been diagnosed with any retinal or optic nerve diseases were enrolled. Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination III (ACE-III), binocular visual function, and visual perception evaluation were performed, and the data analyzed statistically by t-test, χ2, linear regression, and MANOVA. Results: Cognitive function was closely correlated with visual function and visual perception; the horizontal adjustment time of binocular eye movement, stereopsis, the motor-free visual perception test-4 (MVPT-4), and peripheral awareness actually displayed higher explanatory power in predicting cognitive function. In addition, various interactive parameters between visual function and visual perception were found to affect specific aspects of ACE-III. Discussion: Our study revealed that there was a close correlation of cognitive function with visual function; as such, it may be possible to predict visual function deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Study on Health Management and Service Model of Chifeng Class 3A General Public Hospital

This study investigates the construction of a health management service mode based on large-scale comprehensive hospitals by analyzing health management service modes at home and abroad, that is, taking the Affiliated Hospital of Chifeng University as an example, establish a health examination hospital, undertake core tasks such as health service operation process, system, monitoring, and system formulation, and take the best medical resources. Attract social medical resources to collaborate and give health service mode of health status monitoring, evaluation, and intervention to health service objects, aided by advanced medical technology. To extend the traditional health management service with the hospital as the protagonist to health management with participation from family and society beyond the hospital, forming a closed-loop, rapid, and efficient health service management system. Thus, through graded quality services, to lessen the difficulties of patients seeing a doctor and to solve the problem of overcrowding and minor ailments in major hospitals.

Explaining the adoption and use of computed tomography and magnetic resonance image technologies in public hospitals

Objective This article examines what the adoption and use of advanced medical technologies – computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – by public hospitals depend on and to what extent. Methods From a sample of panel data for all public hospitals in the health service of Galicia (a subregion of the Galicia-North of Portugal Euroregion) for the 2010–2017 period, we grouped explanatory variables into inputs (resources), outputs (activities) and socio-demographic variables. Factor analysis was used to reduce as much as possible the number of analysed variables, discriminant analysis to examine the technologies adoption decision, and multiple regression analysis to investigate their use. Results Factor analysis identified motivators on adoption and use of CT and MRI medical technologies as follows: hospital inputs/outputs (Factor 1); radiology studies and adoption of CT by public hospitals (Factor 2); research/teaching role and big-ticket diagnostic and therapeutic (lithotripsy) technologies (Factor 3); number of transplants (Factor 4); cancer diagnosis/treatment (Factor 5); and catchment area geographical dispersion (Factor 6). Cronbach’s alpha of 0.881 indicated an acceptable degree of reliability of the factor variables. Regarding adoption of these technologies, Factor 1 is the most influential, explaining 37% of the variance and showing adequate global internal consistency, whereas Factor 2 is limited to 13% of the variance. In the discriminant analysis, values for Box’s M test and canonical correlations such as Wilks’s lambda for the two technologies underpin the reliability and predictive capacity of the discriminant equations. Finally, and according to the regression analysis, the factor with the greatest influence on CT and MRI use is Factor 2, followed by Factors 1 and 3 in the case of CT use, and Factors 3 and 5 in the case of MRI use. Conclusion CT and MRI adoption by public hospitals is mainly determined by hospital inputs and outputs. However, the use of both medical technologies is mainly influenced by conventional radiology studies and CT adoption. These results suggest that both choices – adoption and use of advanced medical technology – may be separate decisions as they are taken possibly by different people (the former by managers and policymakers and the latter by physicians).

iBTA-Induced Biotube® Blood Vessels: 2020 Update

Blood access is a lifeline for dialysis patients. However, serious problems such as stenosis or obstruction of access blood vessels, which are life-threatening conditions in daily clinical practice, still remain. One of the most promising candidates for solving these problems may be Biotube blood vessels. More than 20 years have passed since the development of in-body tissue architecture (iBTA), a technology for preparing tissues for autologous implantation in patients. The tissues obtained by iBTA do not elicit immunological rejection, which is one of the ultimate goals of regenerative medical engineering; however, their practical applications were quite challenging. The seemingly unorthodox iBTA concepts that do not follow the current pre-established medical system may not be readily accepted in general medicine. In contrast, there are many diseases that cannot be adequately addressed even with the latest and most advanced medical technology. However, iBTA may be able to save patients with serious diseases. It is natural that the development of high-risk medical devices that do not fit the corporate logic would be avoided. In order to actively treat such largely unattached diseases, we started Biotube Co., Ltd. with an aim to contribute to society. Biotubes induced by iBTA are collagenous tubular tissues prepared in the patient’s body for autologous implantation. The application of Biotubes as tissues for vascular implantation has been studied for many years. Biotubes may have excellent potential as small-diameter artificial blood vessels, one of the most difficult to clinically achieve. Their possibility is currently being confirmed in preclinical tests. Biotubes may save hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide annually from amputation. In addition, we aim to eliminate the recuring access vascular problems in millions of dialysis patients. This study provides an update on the current development status and future possibilities of Biotubes and their preparation molds, Biotube Makers.

The Analysis of COVID-19 Prevention Experience Using DEMATEL-Based ANP

This research uses the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory and Analytic Network Process (DEMATEL-Based ANP) analysis to examine the Taiwan’s experience for preventing COVID-19. We use the eight factors to fight COVID-19 as listed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare such as SARS experience, Central Epidemic Command Center, Information Transparency, Good resource allocation, Timely border control, Smart community transmission prevention, Advanced medical technology, Good etiquette of a citizen. The result findings present the key factors for success and their interrelationships with each other. This study would be expected as a reference for suggesting other countries those are working together to fight COVID-19. JEL classification numbers: A10, D71, H51. Keywords: Key success factors, COVID-19, DEMATEL-based ANP.

Construction of Modular-Based Curriculum Framework for Medical English Teaching in China

Current research on the medical English curriculum system is in an unsystematic state. According to the modular teaching theory and ESP classification, especially Hutchinson & Waters’s (1986) and Jordan’s (1997) categories, three modules of medical English curriculum system are put forward for non-English speaking countries to cultivate their international medical students and strengthen their international cooperation. These modules are Medical Humanities English, Medical Occupational English and Medical Academic English. Each of the above modules is independent but related to the others in a sequential relationship. Offering modular medical courses not only provides a language platform for medical students to catch up with the pace of internationalization, but also accelerates the process to study the advanced medical technology through international communications.

Family roles, challenges and needs in caring for traumatic brain injury (TBI) family members: a systematic review

PurposeAdvanced medical technology has reduced the mortality rate among traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. This, however, has led to an increasing number of surviving patients with a major disability. As a consequence, these patients need attentive care which becomes an important issue for the society, particularly family members. Thus, this paper aims to review some of the salient roles, challenges and needs of the family caregivers in caring or nursing for their family members diagnosed with TBI.Design/methodology/approachAn inclusive search of the literature was undertaken to identify the family roles, challenges and needs in supporting and nursing TBI patients.FindingsPrevious studies have shown that the family needs to address two important aspects of taking care of TBI patients, which involve emotional and physical affairs. Hence, it is essential for the family members to have adequate information on healing treatment, nursing and care methods, financial support, support groups, managing self-care and, more importantly, emotional and social support.Originality/valueThis paper is not currently under consideration, in press or published elsewhere. In Malaysian culture, nursing disabled patients have always been a family responsibility. The role of nursing the patients has been done domestically and is considered a private affair. In order to execute the role, some put the patient needs as their priority and leave aside their needs and matters.

The Role of Procreation (injāb) in Marital Life: a Shift Between Classical Islamic Law and Contemporary Fatwas

Classical Islamic marriage and divorce laws focus on both spouses’ ability to perform sexually. In fiqh texts, sexual disability is considered a serious medical condition. The fiqh literature lists certain sexual disabilities unique to men, unique to women, or shared by both sexes. Infertility (ʿuqm) is not found in any of these early fiqh lists, although we have proof in various Islamic religious texts that fertility and procreation have always been highly valued in society. In contemporary fatwas (from the Sunni world), the picture appears reversed, as fertility is given priority over sexual performance. In this paper, I illustrate this shift in attitude between the classical legal texts and contemporary fatwas. Then, I offer possible explanations for it. Among the main motivations suggested for the change are feminist Muslim writings, a growing awareness of human rights in the Islamic world, advanced medical technology, and economic factors.

United Arab Emirates as a Global Medical Tourism Destination

UAE is also known as the fastest-growing medical tourism hub due to its most advanced medical technology, affordable treatments cost, and highly specialized doctors with world-class healthcare services. In this context, the Dubai Health Experience (DXH) is developed by Dubai Health Authority as a brand name for global healthcare and medical tourism, which aims to build up Dubai as a medical tourism hub. Dubai Health Experience (DXH) the United Arab Emirates is also widening its opportunity for the medical tourism market in the Gulf Cooperation Council is a political and economic alliance of six countries in the Arabian Peninsula where UAE is itself member country. In this continuation, Dubai Tourism Strategy 2020 is also a strategic roadmap with the target of attracting 20 million visitors per year by 2020. This chapter will reveal the emerging medical tourism and healthcare trends, healthcare policy of UAE, investment in healthcare and medical tourism, government initiatives, public-private partnership, and key initiatives to achieving sustainable development goals.

Recent Advances in Extracellular Matrix for Engineering Stem Cell Responses

Stem cell transplantation is an advanced medical technology, which brings hope for the treatment of some difficult diseases in the clinic. Attributed to its self-renewal and differential ability, stem cell research has been pushed to the forefront of regenerative medicine and has become a hot topic in tissue engineering. The surrounding extracellular matrix has physical functions and important biological significance in regulating the life activities of cells, which may play crucial roles for in situ inducing specific differentiation of stem cells. In this review, we discuss the stem cells and their engineering application, and highlight the control of the fate of stem cells, we offer our perspectives on the various challenges and opportunities facing the use of the components of extracellular matrix for stem cell attachment, growth, proliferation, migration and differentiation.