Background: Telework adoption in Taiwan has surged because of government guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the disclosure practices of Taiwanese-listed companies, assessing their adherence to government telework guidelines and their correlation with corporate governance, focusing on occupational health measures. Methods: We conducted a guideline-adherent cohort analysis of the 2020 and 2021 sustainability reports of 295 Taiwanese-listed companies. We assessed their disclosure of corporate measures for teleworking in alignment with two government guidelines, specifically occupational health measures. Using the McNemar test and general estimating equation analysis, we compared the 2020 and 2021 responses and examined their associations with corporate governance rankings. Results: Telework adoption increased significantly from 2020 to 2021, with 68% of companies reporting new work modes. The mentioning of government guidelines also increased to 67% by 2021. Companies with higher governance rankings were more likely to adopt online occupational health measures, including occupational health services (RR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.41–2.94; p < 0.001) and mental health promotion activities (RR = 2.01; 95% CI = 1.06–3.82; p = 0.032), than those with low rankings. Although on-site and online occupational health services increased, home workspace assessments did not. Conclusion Our findings highlight significant upward trends in the disclosure of telework measures following the issuance of government guidelines. Corporate governance is significantly associated with the implementation of occupational health measures. Amid the evolution of teleworking, both government guidelines and corporate governance have become essential for shaping work arrangements and ensuring workforce well-being.

OBJECTIVES: Information regarding the underlying causes of death (UCODs) and standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of dementia is instrumental in formulating medical strategies to prolong life in persons with dementia (PWD). We examined the leading UCODs among PWD and estimated the overall and cause-specific SMRs in relation to dementia in Taiwan. METHODS: Data were retrieved from 2 national datasets: the Taiwan Death Registry and the medical claim datasets of the National Health Insurance program. The observed person-years for each study participant were counted from the date of cohort enrollment to either the date of death or the final day of 2016. Sex-specific and age-specific SMRs were then calculated. RESULTS: The leading UCOD was circulatory disease, accounting for 26.0% of total deaths (n=3,505), followed by respiratory disease at 21.3% (n=2,875). PWD were at significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality (SMR, 2.01), with SMR decreasing with advancing age. A cause-specific analysis revealed that the highest SMRs were associated with nervous system diseases (SMR, 7.58) and mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders (SMR, 4.80). Age appeared to modify SMR, suggesting that younger age at cohort enrollment was linked to higher SMRs for nearly all causes of mortality. CONCLUSIONS Circulatory and respiratory diseases were the leading UCODs among PWD. The particularly elevated mortality due to nervous system diseases and mental disorders suggests that allocating more resources to neurological and psychiatric services is warranted. The elevated SMRs of various UCODs among younger PWD underscore the need for clinicians to pay particular attention to the medical care provided to these patients.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is gradually widely used in prevention of gene diseases and chromosomal abnormalities. Much improvement has been achieved in biopsy technique and molecular diagnosis. Blastocyst biopsy can increase diagnostic accuracy and reduce allele dropout. It is cost-effective and currently plays an important role. Whole genome amplification permits subsequent individual detection of multiple gene loci and screening all 23 pairs of chromosomes. For PGD of chromosomal translocation, fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) is traditionally used, but with technical difficulty. Array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) can detect translocation and 23 pairs of chromosomes that may replace FISH. Single nucleotide polymorphisms array with haplotyping can further distinguish between normal chromosomes and balanced translocation. PGD may shorten time to conceive and reduce miscarriage for patients with chromosomal translocation. PGD has a potential value for mitochondrial diseases. Preimplantation genetic haplotyping has been applied for unknown mutation sites of single gene disease. Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) using limited FISH probes in the cleavage-stage embryo did not increase live birth rates for patients with advanced maternal age, unexplained recurrent abortions, and repeated implantation failure. Polar body and blastocyst biopsy may circumvent the problem of mosaicism. PGS using blastocyst biopsy and array CGH is encouraging and merit further studies. Cryopreservation of biopsied blastocysts instead of fresh transfer permits sufficient time for transportation and genetic analysis. Cryopreservation of embryos may avoid ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and possible suboptimal endometrium.
Abortion, Habitual ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Alleles ; Aneuploidy ; Biopsy ; Blastocyst ; Chimera ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; Cryopreservation ; Embryonic Structures ; Endometrium ; Female ; Fluorescence ; Genetic Testing ; Genome ; Humans ; Live Birth ; Mass Screening ; Maternal Age ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Mosaicism ; Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ; Patient Dropouts ; Polar Bodies ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Pregnancy ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; Prostaglandins D ; Translocation, Genetic ; Transportation ; Vitrification

Thyroid radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation are widely adopted minimally invasive treatments for diverse thyroid conditions worldwide. Fundamental skills such as the trans-isthmic approach and the moving shot technique are crucial for performing thyroid ablation, and advanced techniques, including hydrodissection and vascular ablation, improve safety and efficacy and reduce complications. Given the learning curve associated with ultrasound-guided therapeutic procedures, operators need training and experience. While training models exist, limited attention has been given to ultrasound maneuvers in ablation needle manipulation. This article introduces two essential maneuvers, the zigzag moving technique and the alienate maneuver, while also reviewing the latest ultrasound techniques in thyroid ablation, contributing valuable insights into this evolving field.

Purpose: Stroke survivors and their informal family caregivers may share the impact of the disease, which may affect family functioning and quality of life (QoL) for both. This study compared the perceptions of stroke survivors and informal family caregivers regarding family functioning and QoL and examined the QoL of those reporting effective versus ineffective family functioning. Methods: A cross-sectional study design and convenience sampling were used. Stroke survivoreinformal family caregiver dyads were recruited from a medical university hospital. We assessed participants’ demographic and clinical variables, including disease severity, family functioning, and QoL. Independent t-test, paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and ManneWhitney U test were used to analyze the data. Results: Seventy-one stroke survivoreinformal family caregiver dyads participated in the current study. Most stroke survivors and informal family caregivers reported effective family functioning, with no significant differences. However, significant differences existed in the seven domains (physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, and role-emotional) of QoL, except emotional health. Stroke survivors reporting ineffective family functioning had a significantly lower mental component summary score, unlike informal family caregivers. Conclusions Our findings suggest that family functioning is crucial to ensure stroke survivors’ QoL, particularly regarding their mental health. Health professionals should prioritize mental health assessments and provide appropriate care interventions for stroke survivors in the first 1e6 months after stroke onset.