All clinical trials

This study is to develop an IADL Scale for patients with SCI (IADL-SCI) and examine its psychometric properties in three years.

The goals of this trial are: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of various tools including Doppler and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosing vertebral artery stenosis and carotid artery stenosis. The positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI fusion imaging will be a promising tool to provide both anatomical and functional imaging for vulnerable plaques. To identify patients at high risk of plaque rupture by image studies, biomedical profile, and gene expression of circulating monocytes.

Specific aims of this project were as follows: To investigate the eye-head coordination of patients with cervical spine degeneration. To investigate the relationship of these impairment measurements (range of motion, muscle power, proprioception, sensory threshold, eye-head coordination) and functional outcome (neck disability index, quality of life evaluation). To develop a computer assistant device and software for the proprioceptive training and eye-head coordination. To provide a treatment and prevention program emphasized on proprioception treatment and coordination for employee with neck-shoulder complaints.

Our study involved 142 children with EV71 CNS infections that included 61 (43%) with viral meningitis, 53 (37%) with severe CNS involvement including encephalitis, polio-like syndrome and encephalomyelitis, and 28 (20%) with cardiopulmonary failure after CNS involvement. These children were subjected to physical and neurological examinations 2.85 (range 1.0-7.39) years after disease onset. Those below the age of 6 years took the Denver developmental screening test, while those 4 years and over took the intelligence quotient (IQ) test.

In malignant or neoplastic disease, angiogenesis is defined as the generation of new capillaries from preexisting blood vessels, e.g. by sprouting or by intusseption. Through the pioneering work of Folkman, it was recognized that angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor development, progression, and metastasis. It is also conceivable that there are forms or developmental stages of leukemia, multiple myeloma, or lymphomas that will progress independently of angiogenesis. Synthesis of angiogenesis activators, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and other angiogenic factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), has been demonstrated for leukemia cells, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and myeloma cells. Microvessel density is also significantly elevated over normal controls with progressive increases according to the stages of myelodysplastic syndrome. Increased microvessel density (MVD) in the bone marrow was found in patients with multiple myeloma in comparison to normal controls and increased MVD is an adverse prognostic marker in multiple myeloma. However, the functional status of the blood vessel (e.g. permeability) cannot be determined by the above mentioned methods.

Our previous results revealed that the expression of killer inhibitory receptors (KIRs) on NK cells was decreased in eutopic endometrium in women with adenomyosis. It implies that the formation of adenomyosis might be due to abnormal endometrial tissues, but not the aberrant local immunological dysfunction in myometrium. In addition, in vitro coculture of macrophages and endometrial stromal cells (ESC) increase the expression of IL-6 mRNA in ESC, which might further enhance the proliferation of ESC and subsequently result in the formation of ectopic endometrial implants in adenomyosis. Besides, another possible mechanism is the abnormal apoptosis of ESC in adenomyosis. In endometriosis, apoptotic endometrial cells were found to be decreased, which possibly accounts for the formation of endometriosis. However, there have not been reports investigating the apoptosis of ESC in adenomyosis. In this study, we try to investigate apoptotic ESC with flow cytometry in women with and without adenomyosis. Annexin V, bcl-2, and caspase-3 were measured to represent the degree of apoptosis in ESC.

The quantity and quality of inpatient services for persons with psychiatric illness have been enhanced in the last two decades. Following the enforcement of nationwide health insurance and the Physically and Mentally Disabled Citizens Protection Act, the financial pressure of medical care for psychiatric patients is relieved, and actions related to the protection of patients' human rights have been taken. Nonetheless, problems related to psychiatric illness are not limited to symptoms. Patients' daily functions are affected and it causes continuous pressure on the family. Currently, psychiatric care places more emphasis on inpatient services. Once the patient is discharged from the hospital, related psychiatric services are not widely available, which leads to symptom exacerbation, repeated hospital admissions, increased burden to the family, etc. A provision of continuous long-term care that meets the various needs of psychiatric patients is a critical issue in current psychiatric care. Based on a three-phase needs assessment model, the purpose of the study is to evaluate the needs of long-term care for psychiatric patients. The first phase will identify the current status of needs from the perspectives of patients and the family, psychiatric professionals, and the system. The second phase will identify the goals of long-term care for psychiatric patients. The goals will be identified by a nominal group, composed of experts related to the field of psychiatric long-term care. The third phase will determine the objectives of long-term care services for psychiatric patients. That is to determine the proper contents of long-term care services for the patients based on the goals identified in the previous phase. The three-phase needs assessment will be carried out in a two-year period. The results of the study will provide important information to the future planning of long-term care for psychiatric patients.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the monoclonal protein in patients with tuberculosis and monoclonal gammopathy has anti-tuberculous activity, and whether genes coding their monoclonal proteins show characteristic mutations.

To investigate the prevalence of family history in prostate cancer patients in Taiwan and evaluate the association of variation of diseases and family history

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a diagnostic technique in MRI that distinguishes various metabolites on the basis of their slightly different chemical shifts or resonance frequencies. The Proton is the most abundant nucleus in the body. We will try to establish the typical proton MRS pattern of normal women breasts to be a guideline for future further investigations.