Current Status of Antimicrobial Resistance in Taiwan

While some trends in antimicrobial resistance rates are universal, others appear to be unique for specific regions. In Taiwan, the strikingly high prevalence of resistance to macrolides and streptogramin in clinical isolates of gram-positive bacteria correlates with the widespread use of these agents in the medical and farming communities, respectively. The relatively low rate of enterococci that are resistant to glycopeptide does not parallel the high use of glycopeptides and extended-spectrum beta-lactams in hospitals. The evolving problem of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates is substantial, and some unique enzymes have been found. Recently, some gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii) that are resistant to all available antimicrobial agents including carbapenems have emerged

SWITCHING THE HORIZONTAL GRF TO THE PATH OF PROGRESSION IN THE TABLE TENNIS FOREHAND DRIVE

Knowing the kinetic strategies of the lower limbs is a crucial factor to investigate the forehand drive which comprises the changes of the foot placement. It is difficult to directly evaluate the movement of feet with the data of ground reaction force (GRF) and impulse (GRI).This study tried to analyze table tennis forehand drives via the GRF and GRI data based upon the anatomical perspective. The motion and the GRF data were collected from eight right-handed Taiwanese elite table tennis players. The horizontal GRF data were transformed to a reference frame and then integrated with time to get the GRI. During the forehand drive shot, the participants performed a greater lateral impulse to cause the trunk rotation and decelerated their body from initial to mid-phase and then accelerated the body to perform a forehand drive shot

HOP llMlNG OF SPLlT STEP AND KINETICS ANALYSIS OF LOWER EXTREMITIES IN BADMINTON START FOOTWORK

The purpose of this study was to compare the split timing, and lower extremity kinetics of badminton players during push-off steps in six directions. Eight collegiate elite male badminton players received the random shot from an opponent in one of six directions. Result: Hop timing was 0.014-0.037 sec after the opponent struck the shuttlecock. The leg that was opposite the movement direction showed significantly greater tower extremity horizontal push-off force than the other leg did. Conclusion: The hop timing of split step simultaneous with the opponent striking the shuttlecock. The leg opposite the movement direction was the main push leg. When lower extremities exhibit the correct pushing direction and reach the peak push off force within 0.3 sec after the opponent strikes the shuttlecock, players should have more effective return in badminton

Assessment of Residential Electricity Consumption and Renewable Energy Self-Sufficiency – a Case Study of Tainan, Taiwan

Significant carbon dioxide emissions contribute to global issues such as rising temperatures and climate change impacts, which have emerged as a major and urgent global concern. As a result, numerous countries have committed to cutting down the emission of carbon dioxide to achieve low carbon and net zero emissions targets. As we know human activities such as transportation, construction, and electricity consumption significantly contribute to carbon emissions, and they are all in need of energy. Hence, it’s important for every country to use clean energy to transform from low carbon to net zero emissions. The transformation to renewable energy sources, particularly solar energy, has become a global imperative to combat climate change. However, in Taiwan, despite favorable conditions for solar energy development, there are challenges regarding the policy direction and spatial planning of PV (photovoltaics) installations. The current focus on ground-mounted PV, primarily in rural areas, has raised concerns about land use, environmental impact, and social equity. As a result, there is a pressing need to prioritize PV development in built-up areas to minimize conflicts with green resources and ensure sustainable land use, so the potential of rooftop PV is vital to built-up areas. This study uses Tainan, Taiwan, as a case study area, and the objective is to forecast electricity consumption in the residential and commercial sectors, evaluate the potential for rooftop PV development, and assess the feasibility of achieving renewable energy self-sufficiency in built-up areas. It also examines the electricity consumption patterns and rooftop PV generation potential in different urbanization contexts, emphasizing the need for tailored policies and regulations to promote fair and just renewable energy development. The research highlights the importance of managing land resources judiciously and implementing policies that prioritize PV deployment in urban and rural built environments. In conclusion, the study underscores the urgency of addressing the spatial, environmental, and social implications of PV development in Taiwan to achieve sustainable energy transition goals. The findings are intended to provide a reference for integrating low-carbon principles into urban management plans. Furthermore, employing growth management as a tool for urban energy management is vital to ensure that renewable energy development adheres to rational processes and standards while protecting environmental resources

THE DYNAMICAL ANALYSIS OF TABLE TENNIS FOREHAND AND BACKHAND DRIVES

The purpose of this study was to analyze the dynamics parameters of table tennis drives by Taiwan collegiate first class table tennis players when they were performing straight and cross court forehand and backhand drives from receiving topspin and backspin serves. Ten Vicon MX-13+ high-speed cameras (250Hz) and two Kistler force plates (1500 Hz) were used to collect the kinematics and kinetics data. The Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank nonparametric statistical test was to compare the differences between forehand and backhand drives. The results showed that there were significant differences between forehand and backhand drives were in the ball initial velocity and the kinetics variables. The GRF data of the players were different between forehand and backhand drives when they performed four different paths of drive

BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF BADMINTON FOREHAND NET SHOTS

The purpose of this study was to compare the upper extremity kinematics variables of badminton forehand dab shot, stab shot and cross court net shot. The participants were eight elite collegiate male players in Taiwan. The kinematical data were collected by Vicon system (250Hz) and the Visual 3D software was used to analyze the variables. The results indicated that the elite badminton players perfomed dab net shot with less angular velocity in racket upper limb joints. They performed the stab net shot with faster angular velocity in forearm supination and wrist ulnar flexion. The cross court net shot had greatest angular velocity in shoulder internal rotation, forearm pronation and the least distance between the contact point and the mid-line of body

KINEMATICAL ANALYSIS OF TWO DIFFERENT FOREHAND BADMINTON DROP SHOTS TECHNIQUES

The purpose of this study was to compare the kinematics variables between badminton forehand regular and reverse slice drop shots. The participants were eight elite male players. Eight Vicon Motion T20s System cameras (300Hz) were used to record the 3D kinematic data, which were computed by Visual 3D software. All the variables were tested by Wilcoxon rank analysis of variance nonparametric statistical test with the significant level at a = .05. The results showed that there was significant difference between the two forehand drop shots in the racket pan angle. The strategy of two drop shots seems different. That might because the reverse slice drop was with greater shoulder abduction movement than the regular drop shot. The players performed reverse slice drop shot might because that the abduction movement was similar with the smash

Maximum Power Point Tracking Method Based on Modified Particle Swarm Optimization for Photovoltaic Systems

This study investigated the output characteristics of photovoltaic module arrays with partial module shading. Accordingly, we presented a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method that can effectively track the global optimum of multipeak curves. This method was based on particle swarm optimization (PSO). The concept of linear decreases in weighting was added to improve the tracking performance of the maximum power point tracker. Simulation results were used to verify that this method could successfully track maximum power points in the output characteristic curves of photovoltaic modules with multipeak values. The results also established that the performance of the modified PSO-based MPPT method was superior to that of conventional PSO methods

Cirsium tatakaense (Compositae), a new species from Taiwan

A new species of Cirsium, Cirsium tatakaense Y.H.Tseng & C.Y.Chang, from central-southern Taiwan is described and illustrated. This species is similar to C. kawakamii Hayata in leaf shape, achene and chromosome number (2n = 64), but can be readily distinguished from C. kawakamii by the narrower leaf lobes, usually higher number of florets and phyllaries, the purplish-red corolla (vs. white) and larger pollen grains. A key to the species of Cirsium in Taiwan is also presented