National Defense Medical Center

Value perceptions and implementation priorities for public PHR adoption in Taiwan: an importance–performance analysis with the Chuchiming Index

Abstract Background Value perceptions of personal health record (PHR) components at the pre-adoption stage remain underexplored, despite their critical role in promoting the adoption of public PHRs. Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA) may have limitations in identifying priorit...

Short-film–based world café for faculty development in medical humanities: a mixed-method evaluation across three teaching hospitals

Clinical educators play a central role in guiding the professional identity formation, ethical reasoning, and communication skills of medical students. Rapid changes in healthcare, including evolving legal frameworks, increasing visibility of gender diversity, and the emphasis on...

Computer-Aided Design of a Palatal Obturator in Treating Feline Oronasal Fistula: A Case Report

Oronasal fistulas in felines present significant clinical challenges and complicate treatment planning and intervention. This report investigates the application of the virtual twin concept and advanced digital technologies, specifically 3-dimensional (3D) scanning, computer-aide...

¹⁸F-sodium fluoride PET/CT as a complementary measure of osteoblastic disease burden in axial spondyloarthritis: a prospective exploratory study

PURPOSE: To determine whether SIJ ¹⁸F-NaF uptake is associated with MRI-defined inflammation and structural damage and whether it provides a complementary measure of osteoblastic disease burden. METHODS: In this prospective exploratory study, 43 adults with chronic low back pain...

Economic evaluation of atogepant compared to placebo for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in Taiwan

Abstract Objectives This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of atogepant, an oral calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist, for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults from the perspective of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system. M...

Revisiting human circulating γδ T cells: developmental insights and manufacturing challenges for cancer immunotherapy

γδ T cells have emerged as promising candidates for adoptive cell immunotherapy due to their major histocompatibility complex-independent tumor recognition, rapid effector responses, and potential suitability for allogeneic applications. However, despite encouraging safety profil...

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...

High‐Resolution IVIM MRI Characterizes Diffusion–Perfusion Properties of the Parasagittal Dura

The objectives of this study were to characterize the diffusion-perfusion properties of the parasagittal dura (PSD) using high-resolution intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI and to explore whether PSD-specific IVIM metrics reflect distinct fluid-transport-related signal behav...

LDLR variants and higher LDL-C levels are associated with premature coronary disease requiring revascularization in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia-a TCVGH-TPMI cohort analysis

The specific impacts of LDLR and APOB variants on premature coronary artery disease (CAD) that requires revascularization are less explored in Han Chinese with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We investigated these genetic drivers within the Taichung Veterans General Hospital-...

Epiphyseal Chondroblastoma of the Femoral Head Treated with Joint-preserving Curettage without Dislocation: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract Chondroblastoma is a rare benign bone tumor of cartilaginous origin, and its occurrence in the femoral head is particularly uncommon. We report the case of a 20-year-old female who presented with progressive left hip pain, with imaging revealing a well-defined, lobulated...

Application of machine learning to identify predictors of bone health in older male populations in Taiwan

Approximately 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 will experience a fragility fracture. Unlike women, men exhibit a gradual decline in bone mineral density beginning in their 60s. While multiple linear regression (MLR) has been the standard approach in osteoporosis risk modeling, machi...

Longitudinal Immunophenotypic Changes in Refractory Lupus Nephritis After B-cell Depletion: A 25-year Case Study

Background/Aim: Long-term management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) requires a persistent balance between intensive immunosuppression and the prevention of opportunistic infections. This is particularly challenging in patients with a multi-decade disease history and evolvi...

Combined Orbital Decompression and Rectus Muscle Myectomy for Large-Angle Strabismus in Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy

Thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) often causes restrictive strabismus and diplopia. Large-angle deviations pose particular challenges owing to extraocular muscle fibrosis and unpredictable surgical dose–response. Although combined orbital decompression and strabismus correctio...

Prognostic Relevance and Immune Correlates of DAPK1 Expression and CD4+/CD8+ T-Cell Infiltration in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: Death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) is a key regulator of apoptosis and immune responses; however, its prognostic significance in oral cancer remains insufficiently characterized. This study investigated the prognostic relevance of DAPK1 in oral squamous cell ca...

Automated alveolar bone and teeth 3D segmentation on the cone-beam computed tomographic images using the convolutional neural network

Abstract Background Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is widely used in dental diagnosis and implant planning. The accurate segmentation of teeth and alveolar bone from CBCT images is essential for precise diagnosis and treatment planning. In this study, we propose two distinc...

Unraveling the immune landscape and molecular signatures of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in SARS-CoV-2 clearance

Beyond direct neutralization, antibodies clear SARS-CoV-2 by triggering antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), which guides natural killer (NK) cells to eliminate infected cells. To understand ADCC’s role in COVID-19, we analyze samples from primary patients and find th...

Identification of features associated with dysmenorrhea in women aged 20–50 years using logistic regression and synthetic minority oversampling technique

Dysmenorrhea (Dys) is a prevalent gynecological condition that significantly impairs women’s quality of life. This study investigates the key predictive features associated with Dys in Taiwanese women aged 20–50, using logistic regression (LR) with and without the Synthetic Minor...

Diabetes mellitus and risk of injury requiring medical care: a nationwide population-based matched cohort study in Taiwan

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with multiple microvascular and macrovascular complications; however, its association with clinically significant injury requiring medical care remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the associatio...

Predicting Insulin Resistance in Taiwanese Men Using Machine Learning: An Integrated Analysis of Biochemical Markers and Volatile Organic Compounds

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance (IR) are major global health challenges. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath offer a non-invasive window into metabolic dysregulation. This study aimed to predict HOMA-IR using machine learning (ML) by integ...

Sulfated PSGL-1 primes the enterovirus A71 fivefold vertex for localized remodeling

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) causes hand, foot, and mouth disease and poses a significant public health threat through severe neurological complications in pediatric cases. P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) functions as an attachment factor, yet the structural basis of PSGL-1...