National Cheng Kung University Hospital

Cross-cultural measurement of social overload and social networking sites exhaustion: Rasch and DIF evidence from Ghana, Hong Kong, Türkiye

Social media research increasingly examines the psychological costs of constant connectivity, yet the cross-cultural comparability of widely used social overload and Social Networking Sites (SNS) exhaustion measures remains insufficiently tested. This study examined the dimension...

Single-Lens Reconstructed Three-Dimensional Versus Two-Dimensional Visualization in Uniportal Full-Endoscopic Unilateral Laminotomy with Bilateral Decompression for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Retrospective Comparative Study

Background: Full-endoscopic unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression (ULBD) through a single portal lacks stereopsis, which dual-lens three-dimensional (3D) endoscopes cannot supply. This study evaluated whether a single-lens 3D reconstructed system shortens key operati...

Beyond Weight Loss and Glycemic Control: Molecular Mechanisms and Hypothesis-Generating Therapeutic Potential of Incretin-Based Therapies Against Peritoneal Fibrosis in Peritoneal Dialysis

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an established kidney replacement therapy, but long-term exposure to bioincompatible dialysate, uremic toxins, recurrent peritonitis, glucose degradation products, oxidative stress, and sterile inflammation progressively remodels the perito...

Associations between MoodSensing smartphone application use and psychiatric readmissions and emergency department visits among patients with bipolar disorder in Taiwan

Introduction This study examined the association between the frequency of MoodSensing smartphone application (MS app) use and psychiatric readmissions and emergency department visits among patients with bipolar disorder. Methods A 6-month prospective observational pilot study was...

Molecular Heptazine–Platinum Complexes to Model Metal–Support Coordination in Platinized Graphitic Carbon Nitride: Insights into Catalyst Stability and Support Suitability

Abstract Solid support materials are crucial in heterogeneous catalysis for stabilizing active metallic species. Among potential support materials, heptazine-based “graphitic carbon nitride” or “gC3N4” has received significant research attention due to its abundant nitrogen sites...

Arsenic-endemic regions correlate with elevated tumor mutational burden and genomic alterations in urothelial carcinoma

Purpose: Urothelial carcinoma includes upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). In Taiwan, the incidence of UTUC is disproportionately high. Environmental carcinogens such as arsenic may contribute to this pattern. This study aimed to...

MALT lymphoma mimicking IgG4-related disease

A 75-year-old man presented with left eye fullness, proptosis, and bilateral lacrimal gland enlargement with elevated serum IgG4 levels, initially suggesting IgG4-related disease. However, lacrimal gland biopsy revealed MALT lymphoma. This case highlights the overlapping clinical...

Thermoelectric Performance Enhancement in Off-Stoichiometric Ag–Se Alloys via Composition Imbalance and Vacancy Suppression

Abstract This study investigates the thermoelectric performance of off-stoichiometric Ag–Se alloys through composition-imbalance engineering. By varying the Ag-to-Se ratio, we successfully tuned the carrier concentration and mobility by suppressing Se-vacancy formation and reduci...

Prognostic Role of Adverse Events in a Worldwide Population of Patients with Biliary Tract Cancer Treated with Chemo-Immunotherapy

Background: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are aggressive malignancies with limited treatment options. The addition of durvalumab or pembrolizumab to cisplatin–gemcitabine improves overall survival (OS), but validated biomarkers of benefit remain limited. Immune-mediated adverse ev...

Immediate Effects of Manual Muscle Stretching on Respiratory Capacity, Heart Rate Variability, and Diaphragmatic Function in Patients With COPD

Objective: To investigate the acute physiological responses following a single session of manual muscle stretching in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods: A single-group pre–post design was used. Nineteen participants with moderat...

Outcome Evaluation of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention vs Medical Therapy Alone in Patients with Chronic Coronary Syndrome

This study provides real-world evidence by comparing the long-term clinical outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus medical therapy alone in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) diagnosed non-invasively, given the lack of evidence in this population....

Necrotising enterocolitis triggers a TNF-driven gut-blood-brain cascade that disrupts the blood-brain barrier and induces TNFR1-skewed neuronal apoptosis and pyroptosis

Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants is associated with neurodevelopmental difficulties, but the mechanisms linking intestinal disease to brain injury remain unclear. We asked whether NEC propagates along a tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-ce...

Transforming naval organizations in the digital age: leadership, AI and dynamic capabilities for change

Purpose Indonesia, with over 17,000 islands and one of the world's longest coastlines, faces escalating geopolitical dynamism, maritime tensions, and transnational threats such as narcotics trafficking, piracy and illegal fishing. As the principal naval defense force, the Indones...

Two Faces of the Right Ventricle in Fabry Cardiomyopathy: Septal-Coupled and Atrial-Coupled Strain Patterns and Their Differential Associations with Enzyme Replacement Therapy

Right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) and right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) are both used to assess right ventricular involvement, but they include different myocardial components. We examined their cross-sectional correlates and longitudinal...

Tumor-derived RPS19 engages C5AR1+ inflammatory macrophages to drive astrocyte reprogramming and glioblastoma progression

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an incurable brain tumor with poor survival outcomes. Its progression and recurrence are strongly influenced by infiltrative growth of tumor cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) components, particularly tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). To identify pote...

Magneto-Electronically Coupled Quasiparticle Statesin Monolayered MoS2 Driven by the Proximity Effect of UltrathinSmFeO3

Abstract The magnetic proximity effect (MPE) of magnetic substrates provides an effective route to manipulate spin/valley-dependent quasiparticles in two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) without requiring large external magnetic fields. Herein, we demonstrate a...

Effects of Ageism, Depression, Physical Resilience, and Frailty on Quality of Life Among Older Women

In Taiwan, as a super-aging society, older women face unique challenges that affect their health and quality of life (QoL). The present 1-year longitudinal study was conducted to examine changes in physical and psychosocial health and the relationship between these factors and Qo...

Prevention of new-onset chronic kidney disease with renin–angiotensin system blockers in type 2 diabetes with preserved kidney function

Renin–angiotensin system (RAS) blockers, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), are known to slow chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression in patients with established renal impairment. However, whether RAS blockade ca...