102 research outputs found
Increasing utilization of Internet-based resources following efforts to promote evidence-based medicine: a national study in Taiwan
BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of 2007, the National Health Research Institutes has been promoting the dissemination of evidence-based medicine (EBM). The current study examined longitudinal trends of behaviors in how hospital-based physicians and nurses have searched for medical information during the spread of EBM. METHODS: Cross-sectional postal questionnaire surveys were conducted in nationally representative regional hospitals of Taiwan thrice in 2007, 2009, and 2011. Demographic data were gathered concerning gender, age, working experience, teaching appointment, academic degree, and administrative position. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine predictors and changes over time. RESULTS: Data from physicians and nurses were collected in 2007 (n = 1156), 2009 (n = 2975), and 2011 (n = 3999). There were significant increases in the use of four Internet-based resources – Web portals, online databases, electronic journals, and electronic books – across the three survey years among physicians and nurses (p < 0.001). Access to textbooks and printed journals, however, did not change over the 4-year study period. In addition, there were significant relationships between the usage of Internet-based resources and users’ characteristics. Age and faculty position were important predictors in relation to the usage among physicians and nurses, while academic degree served as a critical factor among nurses only. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians and nurses used a variety of sources to look for medical information. There was a steady increase in use of Internet-based resources during the diffusion period of EBM. The findings highlight the importance of the Internet as a prominent source of medical information for main healthcare professionals
Role of Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor in Stem/Progenitor Cell-Associated Neovascularization
Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) was first identified in retinal pigment epithelium cells. It is an endogenously produced protein that is widely expressed throughout the human body such as in the eyes, liver, heart, and adipose tissue; it exhibits multiple and varied biological activities. PEDF is a multifunctional protein with antiangiogenic, antitumorigenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, neurotrophic, and neuroprotective properties. More recently, PEDF has been shown to be the most potent inhibitor of stem/progenitor cell-associated neovascularization. Neovascularization is a complex process regulated by a large, interacting network of molecules from stem/progenitor cells. PEDF is also involved in the pathogenesis of angiogenic eye disease, tumor growth, and cardiovascular disease. Novel antiangiogenic agents with tolerable side effects are desired for the treatment of patients with various diseases. Here, we review the value of PEDF as an important endogenous antiangiogenic molecule; we focus on the recently identified role of PEDF as a possible new target molecule to influence stem/progenitor cell-related neovascularization
AMiBA Wideband Analog Correlator
A wideband analog correlator has been constructed for the Yuan-Tseh Lee Array
for Microwave Background Anisotropy. Lag correlators using analog multipliers
provide large bandwidth and moderate frequency resolution. Broadband IF
distribution, backend signal processing and control are described. Operating
conditions for optimum sensitivity and linearity are discussed. From
observations, a large effective bandwidth of around 10 GHz has been shown to
provide sufficient sensitivity for detecting cosmic microwave background
variations.Comment: 28 pages, 23 figures, ApJ in press
The Yuan-Tseh Lee Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy
The Yuan-Tseh Lee Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) is the
first interferometer dedicated to studying the cosmic microwave background
(CMB) radiation at 3mm wavelength. The choice of 3mm was made to minimize the
contributions from foreground synchrotron radiation and Galactic dust emission.
The initial configuration of seven 0.6m telescopes mounted on a 6-m hexapod
platform was dedicated in October 2006 on Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Scientific
operations began with the detection of a number of clusters of galaxies via the
thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. We compare our data with Subaru weak lensing
data in order to study the structure of dark matter. We also compare our data
with X-ray data in order to derive the Hubble constant.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ (13 pages, 7 figures); a version with
high resolution figures available at
http://www.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/~keiichi/upfiles/AMiBA7/pho_highreso.pd
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