Fu Jen Catholic University

About: Fu Jen Catholic University is a education organization based out in Taipei, Taiwan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 6842 authors who have published 9512 publications receiving 171005 citations. The organization is also known as: FJU & Fu Jen.

Risk factors for ischemic stroke and its subtypes in Chinese vs. Caucasians: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract: BackgroundChinese populations are reported to have a different distribution of ischemic stroke subtypes compared with Caucasians.AimsTo understand this better, we aimed to evaluate the differences ...

Epidemiology and Predictors of NTM Pulmonary Infection in Taiwan - a Retrospective, Five-Year Multicenter Study

Abstract: Multicenter, longitudinal studies on nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary infection (PI) are lacking. This study provides a 5-year epidemiological overview of NTM-PI in Taiwan and investigated its predictors. The clinical relevance of each respiratory NTM isolate in six hospitals between 2008 and 2014 was determined according to current guidelines. Recurrent episodes were judged by serial bacteriological results. New episodes of NTM-PI and pulmonary colonization (PC) occurring since 2010 were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of NTM-PI. Between 2010 and 2014, the incidence rate of NTM-PI was 46.0 episodes per 100,000 hospital-based patient-years. Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex (MAC) was predominant in Northern Taiwan, whereas MAC and M. abscessus were copredominant in Southern Taiwan. Multiple episodes occurred in 9.5% of NTM-PI patients. No female predominance was observed, except for MAC-PI. Previous pulmonary tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were the most common pulmonary comorbidities and independent risk factors for NTM-PI. Other risk factors included M. kansasii, M. abscessus, and southern Taiwan. Geographical variation of NTM-PI exists in Taiwan. Clinicians should keep a high suspicion on NTM-PI in the risk population. In endemic area of tuberculosis and COPD, there may be no female predominance in NTM-PI.

Effects of different carrageenan types on the rheological and water-holding properties of tofu

Abstract: Effects of three carrageenan types including κ/ι-hybrid carrageenan, κ/ι-mixture carrageenan, and K+-κ-carrageenan in the concentrations of 0.5 g/kg, 1.5 g/kg, 2.5 g/kg on the texture, rheological property, microstructure, and water holding property of tofu were compared for texture control. Types of carrageenan repeating units affected the coagulation process by changing the protein aggregation behavior in heated soymilk, resulting in the formation of tofu with distinct rheological and water-holding properties. The hardness and elasticity of tofu with κ/ι-hybrid carrageenan were higher. The addition of carrageenan increased the expressible water of tofu without varying its syneresis. The stress relaxation data suggested two relaxation mechanisms in tofu. One appears at a shorter time between 0.4 and 15 s for both λ1 and λ2 that represents the aqueous phase with buffering ability in the tofu matrix. The other shows at a longer time around 60–95 s (λ3), that represents the network frame structure in the matrix. The addition of carrageenan increased the λ3 of tofu, indicating the decrease of network chain mobility. Tofu became softer and less elastic when the concentration of carrageenan was increased. The above phenomenon might be due to the changes in the network structure of tofu by carrageenan.

Gross Motor Profile and Its Association with Socialization Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Abstract: Background While social impairment is considered to be the core deficit in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a large proportion of these children have poor gross motor ability, and gross motor deficits may influence socialization skills in children with ASD. The objectives of this study were to compare gross motor skills in children with ASD to typically developing children, to describe gross motor problems in children with ASD, and to investigate associations between gross motor and socialization skills in children with ASD. Methods This was a cross-sectional study including 40 ASD children aged from 18 months to 6 years and 40 age-matched typically developing controls. Gross motor and socialization skills were scored using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, 2 nd edition (Vineland-II). Results Below average gross motor function was found in eight of 40 (20%) ASD children. The mean gross motor v-scale score in the ASD group was 15.1 [standard deviation (SD) 3.12], significantly lower than in the control group [18.7, SD 2.09, p = 0.0001; 95% confidence intervals (CI) from −4.725 to −2.525]. The differences were most prominent in ball throwing and catching, using stairs, jumping, and bicycling. The ASD children with gross motor impairments had a mean socialization domain score of 66.6 (SD 6.50) compared to 85.7 (SD 10.90) in those without gross motor impairments ( p = 0.0001, 95% CI from −25.327 to −12.736). Conclusion Children with ASD had lower gross motor skills compared to typically developing children. Gross motor impairments were found in 20% of the ASD children, and these children also had lower socialization skills than those without gross motor impairments.