Yilan County Research Articles

Outbreak investigation of food poisoning attributed to Omphalotus japonicus using polymerase chain reaction‐based sequencing

AbstractObjectiveThis study aims to report and analyse an outbreak of Omphalotus japonicus poisoning following mushroom ingestion in Taiwan, and to employ PCR methods for accurate identification of the toxic mushrooms involved.MethodsA descriptive observational study was conducted involving a family of four who ingested the mushrooms in the mountainous rural area of Yilan County, Taiwan. Data were collected through interviews with the affected individuals and a review of their medical records. Due to the destruction of the mushroom samples, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods were utilized for identification. Genomic DNA was extracted from the raw fruiting bodies, and specific primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA were designed for PCR detection.ResultsThree family members (mother, daughter, and son) experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea, approximately 30 min after consuming the mushrooms. Upon admission to the emergency room, they were hydrated and monitored, with laboratory results showing slightly elevated alanine transaminase levels. The affected individuals recovered within 12 h and were discharged in good condition on day 2. PCR analysis of the mushroom sample confirmed the identification of Omphalotus japonicus, known to produce Illudin S and Illudin M, which cause acute gastrointestinal symptoms. This case represents the first documentation of using PCR‐based sequencing to diagnose Omphalotus japonicus poisoning in the English literature.

Identification of Harbin Ecological Function Degradation Areas Based on Ecological Importance Assessment and Ecological Sensitivity

This study is based on the National Spatial Ecological Protection and Restoration Plan, using logical ecological evaluation indicators to determine the extent of ecological function degradation areas in Harbin City. In the Heilongjiang Province, Harbin faces severe ecological environment degradation, characterized by reduced area, deteriorated water quality, loss of biodiversity, and water resource competition. Identifying degraded ecological regions can effectively address these environmental issues. A multi-level indicator system was constructed to evaluate and identify ecological important and sensitive areas across the city, followed by integrating these results to delineate various levels and types of ecological protection and restoration zones in Harbin. Results indicate that these zones include ecological priority protection areas such as marshes surrounding the Harbin section of the Songhua River, southern aquatic wetlands, and scattered forest conservation areas. Key ecological restoration areas are found in the eastern urban core of Harbin, as well as in Bayan County, Bin County’s northern region, Wuchang City’s northwest region, and Yilan County. General ecological restoration areas are primarily distributed in Songbei District, Shuangcheng District, Mulan County, southeastern Bin County, Shangzhi City, southeastern Wuchang City, and some surrounding counties along the Songhua River. Priority ecological protection areas consist mainly of unused land, cultivated land, and forests, while key and general ecological restoration areas are predominantly composed of cultivated land and forests respectively.

An efficient 2-D flood inundation modelling based on a data-driven approach

Study regionThe plain areas of Yilan County in Taiwan. Study focusThe present study employed hourly precipitation and inundation simulation data from a 5-km resolution HiRAM-WRF (High-Resolution Atmospheric Model-Weather Research and Forecasting) downscaled model and a 40-m resolution SOBEK model to construct a data-driven two-dimensional flood inundation model (D2DFIM) based on the support vector regression (SVR) approach. New hydrological insights for the regionThe dataset comprised 149 rainfall events and corresponding inundation events. We extracted the inundated and interpolated rainfall grid points distributed across Yilan County, Taiwan, from the SOBEK and HiRAM-WRF models. The D2DFIM (data-driven two-dimensional flood inundation model) utilized the parallel computing approach in the training phase, saving 90% of the elapsed time. The comparisons between the data-driven and physical-based models indicate that the D2DFIM could perform better in flood simulation if the input features comprised previous inundation depth and the last three time steps of rainfall information. Regarding the minimal required number of training samples, we found almost no significant difference in the flooding simulation once the training samples equalled or exceeded 50. Additionally, the elapsed time of D2DFIM is 9–10 times faster than that of SOBEK. We validated the well-developed D2DFIM using three historical inundated events induced by typhoons in Yilan County; the flood extents derived from the D2DFIM agreed well with the survey results.

Medication-Seeking Behaviors and Correlated Characteristics of Zolpidem Users in Taiwan-A Shared Patient Network Analysis.

Increasing insomnia signals a public health problem, alongside rising zolpidem use. This study investigates the factors behind the disproportionate rise in zolpidem prescriptions in Taiwan. It aims to identify the determinants of high-dose zolpidem users in Taiwan's Yilan County and employ an innovative approach to outline their medication-seeking patterns, using Taiwan's healthcare database. The associations between sociodemographic and clinical factors and low-dose and high-dose users were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Social network analysis was employed to explore medication-seeking behavior among these user groups across different healthcare institutions. Of our 5290 participants, 22.82% are high-dose users. This study found that males face a 1.33-fold higher risk and that having chronic diseases is a major risk factor, contributing to a more than four-times higher risk (adjusted OR = 4.27, 95% CI 1.55-11.70) of being a high-dose user of zolpidem. A social network analysis showed a higher density (0.52) for high-dose users, revealing their frequent visits, for zolpidem, to different healthcare institutions. Psychiatrists have a central role in both low-dose and high-dose user networks, with a greater influence on low-dose users (64.4) than high-dose users (32.2). In sum, patients seeking high doses of zolpidem are driven by personal factors. Future efforts should include regulated dispensing, public health education, and specialized training for healthcare professionals on drug addiction.

First Report of False Rust caused by Synchytrium psophocarpi on Winged Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) in Taiwan.

From September 2020 to January 2021, an unknown disease of winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) was reported by local growers in the Toucheng Town, Yilan County (N24.91, E121.85). The disease occurs in all age of winged bean, and the occurrence tended to be higher in humid environment, such as branches in lower canopy or branches in high density. The disease symptoms, which also appeared to be the sign of the pathogen, were spherical pustules in yellow to orange color on the stems, leaves, and pods of winged bean. Severely infected plants also exhibited growth reduction, malformation, and curling of the leaves and pods. According to the disease literature of winged bean, this unknown disease was likely to be the false rust caused by a chytrid pathogen, Synchytrium psophocarpi (UK, CAB International. 1993); and the uredinia-liked pustules could be the sori, which contain numerous ovoid to globose sporangia inside. In order to characterize the pathogen identity, the sori were manually ruptured to assess the size of individual sporangium, which had an average of 26.71 ± 4.25 μm x 26.61 ± 4.60 μm (n=42), similar to the size reported in literature (Drinkall and Price. 1979). To confirm the molecular identity, the full genomic sequences from the small subunit (SSU) to the internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1), 5.8S unit, and ITS-2 were amplified using the primer sets NS3 and ITS4. The 2,263 bp amplicon was cloned and sequenced to reveal the identity (Smith et al. 2014). The BLASTN results matched the SSU of our isolate (MW649126.1) to the Synchytrium minutum (HQ324138.1) with 96% similarity (1,075 out of 1,121 bp in length), Synchytrium decipiens isolate DAOM_87618 (KF160868.1) with 92% similarity (1,215 out of 1,326 bp in length) and S. decipiens isolate AFTOL-ID 634 (DQ536475.1) with 92% similarity (1210 out of 1316 bp in length). Phylogenetic analysis using the SSU sequence revealed this unknown pathogen was the grouped within the clade of Synchytrium genus with 100% bootstrapping confidence (Smith et al. 2014). Accordingly, the pathogen was confirmed to be a Synchytrium chytrid fungus. To complete the Koch's postulates, the sori were collected from infected tissue. After vortexing washing in 1% bleach for surface sterilization, the sori were gently crashed by a plastic tube pestle to harvest sporangia. The sporangia were sprayed onto healthy winged beans cultivated in pots, and the inoculated plants were kept in a moisture bag in 25 °C. While leaf curling and malformation could be observed about 14 days post inoculation, the yellow to orange sori could be observed around 30 to 40 days post inoculation on the whole plants cultivated in pots. The sori were collected to confirm the sporangia and the sequences were identical to the original pathogen. Collectively, this study not only presents the first report for the false rust of winged bean in Taiwan, but also documents the first reference sequence of S. psophocarpi that will be useful for future molecular diagnosis. Since S. psophocarpi has been only reported in tropic regions including Indonesia, Malay Peninsula, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Philippines, this report provides the first observation of S. psophocarpi moving in the subtropic region.

The Report of Community-Based and Government-Endorsed Screening Program of Atrial Fibrillation in Taiwan.

Although international guidelines recommended opportunistic screening for atrial fibrillation (AF), the community-based AF screening program incorporated into the government-endorsed health care system is rarely reported in Asian countries. We aimed to test the feasibility of adding AF screening into the preexistent adult health check program and report the AF detection rate and percentages of OAC prescriptions before and after AF screening with the involvement of public health care systems. We performed this program in three counties (Chiayi county, Keelung City, and Yilan county) in Taiwan which have their own official preexistent adult health check programs conducted by public health bureaus for years. However, electrocardiography (ECG) was not included in these programs before. We cooperated with the public health bureaus of the three counties and performed single-lead 30-second ECG recording for every participant. From January to December 2020, AF screening was performed in 199 sessions with 23,572 participants. AF was detected in 278 subjects with a detection rate of 1.19% (age ≥65 years: 2.39%; ≥75 years: 3.73%). The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score of these 278 subjects was 2.36, with 91% of them had a score ≥1 (males) or ≥2 (females). The number needed to screen was 42 and 27 for subjects aged ≥65 and ≥75 years, respectively. The prescription rate of OACs significantly increased from 11.4 to 60.6% in Chiayi county and from 15.8 to 50.0% in Keelung City after screening (both p-values <0.001). This community-based and government-endorsed AF screening project in Taiwan demonstrated that incorporation of AF screening into the preexistent adult health check programs through co-operations with the government was feasible. Actions to detect AF, good education, and well-organized transferring plan after AF being detected with the involvement of public health care systems could result in a substantial increase in the prescription rate of OACs.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Burden, Cognitive Impairments and Incident Dementia among Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged and Older Adults: An 8-Year Longitudinal Follow-up Study.

To evaluate the associations between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk burden (estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) algorithm) and cognitive impairments (e.g., incident dementia, global and domain-specific impairments) among CVD-, dementia- and disability-free, community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults during an 8-year follow-up. A community-based longitudinal cohort study. Yuanshan township in Yi-Lan County, Taiwan. A total of 889 community-dwelling residents aged 50 years or older. Age, sex, educational level, employment status, alcohol status, body mass index, physical activity, gait speed, depressive symptoms, WHO region-specific CVD risk scores (10-year CV risk, low: <10% vs. moderate-to-high: ≥ 10%), Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), verbal memory by the delay-free recall in the Chinese Version Verbal Learning Test (CVVLT), language function by the Boston Naming Test and the category (animal) Verbal Fluency Test, visuospatial function by the Taylor Complex Figure Test, executive function by the digit backward and the Clock Drawing Test. Compared to those with low CVD risk, middle-aged and older adults with moderate-to-high CVD risk were at greater risk for cognitive impairments with respect to the MMSE (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.60 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-2.15], P=0.002), verbal memory (aOR 1.97 [1.43-2.70], P< 0.001) and language (aOR 1.99 [1.46-2.70], P< 0.001), as well as incident dementia (aOR 2.40 [1.33-4.33], P=0.004). After adjusting for all covariates, CVD risk was not associated with other domains of cognitive impairment. Among healthy, community-dwelling, middle-aged and older adults, those with moderate-to-high cardiovascular risk burden were significantly associated with incident dementia and global and domain-specific cognitive impairments (verbal memory and language), which suggests the existence of a relationship between early cognitive deficits and CVD risk burden. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanism of the link between CVD risk burden and cognitive impairment.

Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Variation in Sustainable Water Resources and Their Use Based on Improved Combination Weights

The sustainable use of water resources has become increasingly crucial given the present water supply and demand situation. In this study, the degree of sustainable water resource utilization in Harbin City from 2014 to 2021 was calculated using a fuzzy identification model with a combination of the “sequential relationship analysis method (G1) and coefficient of variation method (CVM)” and 18 evaluation indicators retrieved for water resources, reflecting social, economic, and ecological aspects. The study shows that (1) in terms of the research method, the combined weighting of “G1-CVM” is a feasible approach to avoid the shortcomings of single weighting and (2) in terms of the evaluation of water resources sustainable utilization, the spatial distribution of water resources in each district (county) of Harbin City has been stable over the past 8 years. The spatial distribution pattern is relatively stable, with the three regions of Binxian, Bayan, and Shuangcheng showing better sustainable water resource utilization and the three regions of Tonghe County, including the main urban area and Wuchang City, showing deteriorating sustainable water resource utilization. As a whole, the spatial distribution of sustainable water resources in the 13 districts (counties) of Harbin City from 2014 to 2021 shows a negative correlation, with the main urban area, Wuchang City, Hulan District, Bayan County, Shuangcheng District, and Yilan County showing a clustering type in the local spatial autocorrelation analysis. Based on the evaluation results, the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of the sustainable use of water resources in Harbin are identified and found to be conducive to the timely adjustment of water resources allocation and the rational use of water resources in each district (county). Meanwhile, the research ideas and methods used in this paper can be applied to research on the sustainable use of water resources in other regions.

The Coastal Future We Want: Implications of Coastal People’s Perceptions on Satoumi Actions and Sustainable Development in Northeastern Taiwan

Satoumi is advocated for coastal sustainability under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI), and has provided a basis for countries around the world to formulate national biodiversity strategies and action plans. Given the significant impact of environmental changes and socio-economic decline, relevant policy directions and practices are urgently required to promote the sustainable development of fishing communities in Taiwan. However, local residents and communities are not sufficiently aware of or involved in this concept to facilitate the development of a holistic Satoumi implementation strategy. Therefore, this study integrates the concepts of Satoumi actions and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has adopted a questionnaire survey to investigate the perceptions of 202 fishing community residents in the Gongliao District of New Taipei City and Yilan County towards these concepts. The standpoint and perception of the fishing community residents regarding Satoumi actions and SDGs provided a valuable reference. The results of the perception of Satoumi actions revealed that all of the respondents recognized Satoumi actions. However, the ranking demonstrated the urgency for some actions (e.g., clear marine litter), and measures that have been implemented in Taiwan but still need improvement (e.g., fish stocking practices). Satoumi actions were associated with two key factors that affect the perception of residents at Satoumi: “Empowerment through community-based industry and environmental education”, and “Conservation of crucial biological resources and habitats”. For the SDGs perceptions, the two factors were “Marine socio-economic sustainability” and “The sustainable use of marine ecological resources”. This study also adopted cluster analysis and identified three characteristically different groups of residents: The Conservation Priority Group, Industry–Society Priority Group, and Balanced Development Group. According to the major research findings, policies implemented in coastal areas of Taiwan have aligned with global sustainability trends. However, the attitude of the Industry–Society Priority Group, which has the largest sample size, should be changed to that held by the Balanced Development Group, in order to formulate a strategy for a balanced development that secures existing livelihoods and aligns with expectations on environmental sustainability. This study suggests that methodologies that encourage stakeholder interactions, dialogues, and consensus-building should be utilized to develop strategies for future work. Furthermore, policy tools related to coastal management should be analyzed to establish a comprehensive toolkit for coastal governance. Finally, Satoumi requires public–private collaboration to achieve both biodiversity conservation and transformative change towards more sustainably and equitably social, environmental, and economic coastal development.

Abstracts 13th PCNE Working Conference “Pharmacies' new roles in pharmaceutical care: bridging research and practice”

Abstracts 13th PCNE Working Conference “Pharmacies' new roles in pharmaceutical care: bridging research and practice”

The relationship between population growth and industrial structure transformation in Yilan County and Jiang Wei-shui Freeway from 1999 to 2019

&lt;p&gt;本文主要目的為探討1999-2019年間宜蘭縣人口、產業、地價之變化與2006年通車的北宜高速公路之關聯。採用政府部門統計資料，分析人口之自然增加、社會增加判斷20年間人口成長與空間分布的變化趨勢，並透過區位商數解釋產業結構的變遷，以及由都市地價的變動探討各鄉鎮市發展的消長狀況。 研究發現1999-2019年間宜蘭縣受到少子化、高齡化的影響使得人口自然增加率為負成長的趨勢；北宜高速公路通車減緩人口外移的趨勢帶來「時空收斂」的效果，宜蘭縣內部的人口分布也趨於分散符合了Friedmann「空間發展階段」中成熟階段所提及的平衡都市體系。產業結構雖沒有出現明顯的變化，但在行業別中以區位商數計算出「運輸、倉儲及通訊業」、「住宿及餐飲業」、「不動產業及租賃業」這三種行業在北宜高速公路通車後有明顯變動，尤其是「運輸、倉儲及通訊業」、「住宿及餐飲業」為穩定的發展，可以判斷對觀光相關產業有深遠影響。都市地價指數則呈現先下後上，依其變化趨勢劃分為三個階段：1998-2004年通車前黑暗期、2005-2013通車觀察期、2014-2019穩定成長期，但並非雨露均霑，其中以觀光業最發達的礁溪鄉成長最為顯著。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The main purpose of this study is to discuss the relationship between the changes in Yilan County’s population, industrial structure, and land prices and the Jiang Wei-shui Freeway from 1999 to 2019. This study uses the statistical data of government departments to analyze the natural increase and social increase of population, and to distinguish the changing trend of population growth and spatial distribution in the past 20 years. This study explains the changes in industrial structure through LQ(location quotient), and then discusses the change of land price in each township. The study found that from 1999 to 2019, negative trend of natural population growth rate in Yilan County was affected by the declining birthrate and aging population. Jiang Wei-shui Freeway slows down the trend of population outflow, and brings the effect of &amp;quot;&amp;quot;space-time convergence&amp;quot;&amp;quot;. The population distribution within Yilan County also tends to disperse, in line with the balanced urban system mentioned in Friedmann’s &amp;quot;&amp;quot;Space Development Stage&amp;quot;&amp;quot; in the mature stage. There have been obvious changes in tertiary industry of &amp;quot;&amp;quot;transportation, storage and communications&amp;quot;&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;&amp;quot;accommodation and food service activities&amp;quot;&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;&amp;quot;real estate and leasing activities&amp;quot;&amp;quot; calculated by LQ. Especially, &amp;quot;&amp;quot;transportation, storage and communications&amp;quot;&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;&amp;quot;accommodation and food service activities&amp;quot;&amp;quot; have developed steadily, which can be determine to have a profound effect on tourism-related industries. The urban land price index showed first down then up. It can be divided into three stages: the dark period before the opening to traffic in 1998-2004, the observation period of opening to traffic in 2005-2013, and the stable growth period in 2014-2019. And it is not equally allocation in Yilan County, Jiaoxi Township which has the most developed tourism industry, has the most significant growth.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

Development and application of flood impact maps under climate change scenarios: A case study of the Yilan area of Taiwan

Flooding is the main disaster type in Taiwan and is usually caused by typhoons and heavy rainfall. To understand the flood impacts in Taiwan caused by increasing rainfall due to global warming, this study adopts a high-resolution atmospheric model (HiRAM) under the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario to project future changes in flood impact. For the flood simulation, the SOBEK flood model was used to determine the maximum accumulated flooding depth and flood probability in the two periods of the present and the middle of the 21st century. Yilan County, one of the most flood-prone areas in Taiwan, was chosen as a demonstration case for the development of flood impact maps. According to the results of flood map application, flooded areas were predicted to increase in the middle period of the 21st century due to increasing rainfall, especially in paddy fields, maricultural farms, and stock farms. From the base period to the middle of the 21st century, the area of flooding impacts was projected to increase from 24% to 40% in paddy fields, from 9% to 15% in maricultural farms, and from less than 1% to 9% in stock farms. These results show that the development of flood maps can help elucidate the actual impacts of climate change in Taiwan and serve as a scientific basis for adaptation actions.

The COVID-19 Epidemic Spreading Effects

Cities are hotbeds for the outbreak and spread of infectious diseases. In the process of urban development, frequent interpersonal interactions are conducive to the spread of viruses. After the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China in 2019, it quickly spread to Europe, North America, and Asia. This paper collects data on the number of COVID-19-infected cases per 100,000 people in Taiwan from 1 January to 4 May 2022 and the researcher uses the spatial regression model to analyze the spatial effect of the COVID-19 epidemic. The results of the study find that the hot zones of COVID-19-infected cases per 100,000 people are distributed in Taipei City, New Taipei City, Keelung City, Yilan County, and Taoyuan City, and the cold zones are distributed in Changhua County, Yunlin County, Chiayi County, Chiayi City, Tainan City, and Kaohsiung City. There are three types of urban development indicators: density, urbanization, and transportation system and means of transport, all of which can significantly affect the spatial spread of COVID-19. There is a negative correlation between the area of the “urban planning” district, the “road area” per person, the current status of the urban planning district population “density”, and the number of infected cases of “COVID19”. There is a negative correlation between “urban planning”, “road area”, “urbanization”, and “density” of neighboring cities and “COVID19” in a certain city.

A Study on the Reasons for No Soil Liquefaction Occurring in the Lanyang Plain in a Strong Earthquake Area

The Lanyang Plain is prone to earthquakes of magnitude 5 or higher. The Central Geological Survey’s soil liquefaction potential map of Yilan County shows that more than 69% of the plain area has high liquefaction potential: but why have there not been any liquefaction cases in the past 23 years? Based on the results of the groundwater pumping test, geological history, and the soil liquefaction analysis method, this study aimed to explore and analyze the causes of no liquefaction occurring in the Yilan region. To understand the permeability of the overall stratum structure of the Lanyang Plain and the spring phenomenon, the relationship between groundwater well-pumping test results and the permeability coefficient experience formulas was first studied. Then the Chapuis’ experience formula of the K value multiplied by 10 was recommended herein such that the permeability coefficient K values of the Lanyang plain could be estimated with large numbers. The reasons for the absence of liquefaction cases in Lanyang plain were then investigated. It was found that less serious earthquakes occurred and combined with the extremely ideal permeable soil conditions existing in the Lanyang plain, this led to no catastrophic liquefaction cases occurring over the last 23 years.

Assessing the effective spatial characteristics of input features through physics-informed machine learning models in inundation forecasting during typhoons

This study aimed to assess the effective spatial characteristics of input features by using physics-informed, machine learning (ML)-based inundation forecasting models. To achieve this aim, inundation depth data were simulated using a numerical hydrodynamic model to obtain training and testing data for these ML-based models. Effective spatial information was identified using a back-propagation neural network, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system, support vector machine, and a hybrid model combining support vector machine and a multi-objective genetic algorithm. The conventional average rainfall determined using the Thiessen polygon method, rain gauge observations, radar-based rainfall data, and typhoon characteristics were used as the inputs of the aforementioned ML models. These models were applied in inundation forecasting for Yilan County, Taiwan, and the hybrid model had the best forecasting performance. The results show that the hybrid model with crucial features and appropriate lag lengths has the best performance.

Low masseter muscle mass is associated with frailty in community-dwelling older adults: I-Lan Longitudinal Aging Study.

Sarcopenia, defined as age-related diminution of muscle mass and strength, is a key determinant of frailty status and progression. We investigated the hypothesis that changing masseter muscle structure with advancing age may contribute to the development of frailty. Study data were excerpted from the I-Lan Longitudinal Aging Study, a research cohort of community-dwelling residents aged ≥53years from Yilan (I-Lan) County, Taiwan. The study sample comprised 56 subjects classified as frail, 41 pre-frail, and 41 robust, according to Cardiovascular Health Study criteria; all groups were matched by age and sex. Masseter muscle volume was quantified based on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and adjusted for height to derive the masseter volume index (MVI). Appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and used to derive the height-adjusted skeletal mass index (SMI). Nutrition status was assessed with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) form. The MVI was significantly smaller in frail versus pre-frail subjects. Among frail individuals, only the MVI was significantly correlated with MNA scores. MVI, but not SMI, was associated with increased risk of being frail versus pre-frail. An MVI cut-off score of 9.5cm3/m2 in males discriminated frail from pre-frail status with acceptable sensitivity and specificity. Low MVI was associated with the frailty criteria of slowness. MVI is a potential clinical index for evaluating phenotypic frailty. Diminished masseter muscle volume may predispose pre-frail/frail elders to depletion of physical reserves, consequent to its detrimental effect on oral functioning and nutrient intake.

Premyopia at Preschool Age: Population-based Evidence of Prevalence and Risk Factors from a Serial Survey in Taiwan

Premyopia at a young age carries a great risk of developing early-onset myopia, especially in regions with myopia epidemics, such as the developed areas in East Asia. This study aims to report the prevalence of premyopia and its risk factors in a Taiwan preschool population and lifestyle changes among premyopic preschoolers before and during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Repeated countywide population-based, cross-sectional study in Yilan County, northeastern Taiwan. From 2014 to 2020, a total of 23 930 kindergarteners aged 5 to 6 years were identified in the Yilan Myopia Prevention and Vision Improvement Program (YMVIP). Of those, 21 761 (11 335 [52.1%] boys; mean age, 5.15 ± 0.37 years) were included for final analysis. Annual kindergarten-based eye examinations and myopia prevention strategies have been conducted since the commencement of the YMVIP in 2014. Refractive error was determined by cycloplegic autorefraction. The data of potential risk factors for myopia were gathered by caregiver-administered questionnaires. The prevalence of premyopia (spherical equivalent [SE] >-0.5 diopter [D] and ≤+0.75 D in the eye with less SE value). The prevalence of myopia (SE ≤-0.5 D), premyopia, and hyperopia (SE >+0.75) was 10.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.3-11.1), 52.0% (95% CI, 51.3-52.7), and 37.3% (95% CI, 36.7-37.9), respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that premyopia prevalence was significantly associated with male gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.18-1.32), caregiver myopia (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.37-1.56), screen time ≥ 1 hour per weekdays (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.04-1.17), 2-year exposure to myopia prevention strategy (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.54-0.65), and college or higher education level of caregiver (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85-0.96). Even without large-scale school closure in Taiwan, there was a slight upward trend of increased time spent on screen-based devices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings showed that premyopia was the most common refractive error in a Taiwan preschool population. Premyopia was also associated with both parental and environmental myopiogenic factors. Longitudinal studies are warranted to examine the lifestyle change and myopic shift of premyopic preschoolers in the postpandemic era.

On-Site Investigations of Coastal Erosion and Accretion for the Northeast of Taiwan

Coastal erosion is a major natural hazard along the northeastern shoreline (i.e., Yilan County) of Taiwan. Analyses of the evolution of the 0 m isobath of the Yilan County coastline indicate that erosion and accretion are occurring north and south of Wushi Fishery Port, respectively, because of jetty and groin construction. Topographic and bathymetric surveys involving the measurement of 43 cross sections were conducted in 2006, 2012, 2013, and 2019. The cross-shore profile comparisons reveal that the erosion of onshore dunes is significant in the northern Jhuan River estuary. Due to the establishment of a nature reserve in the southern Lanyang River estuary, the sediments are carried northward by tidal currents, and accretion is inevitable in the northern Lanyang River estuary. The results of the bathymetric surveys also suggest that the shoreline of Yilan County tends to accrete in summer because of abundant sediment from the rivers; however, it is eroded in winter, owing to the large waves induced by the northeast monsoon. Additionally, the calculated net volume of erosion and accretion between each pair of cross sections shows that the length of coastline impacted by estuarine sediment transport is approximately 2 km long from north to south along the coastline of the Lanyang River estuary.

An Investigation on Multifunctionality of Organic Farming–A Case of Xingjian Village, Sanshing Township, Yilan County

An Investigation on Multifunctionality of Organic Farming–A Case of Xingjian Village, Sanshing Township, Yilan County

Development of the Manure Distributing Machine

HighlightsIn this study, a compact, mobile manure distributor capable of operating effectively on narrow farm roads and applying undiluted, highly concentrated manure on fields was developed.The inclusion of three manure distribution functions is expected to reduce manure transport and application costs.The use of this machine can reduce livestock waste disposal costs, increase soil fertility, enhance the physical and chemical properties of soil, reduce the use of commercial fertilizers when planting crops, upgrade the technology employed for recycling domestic livestock resources, and assist with animal husbandry by facilitating the planting of forage and high-energy crops.Abstract. In this study, the aim has been developed a manure collecting, processing, and distributing processor (machine) that is suitable for farming in Taiwan’s agricultural lands. The designed machine is composed of a stirring and draw unit, a manure containing barrel, a manure output mechanism, a ditch excavator, and a soil covering device or filling pipes set with pan-breakers. A tractor both carries and supplies power to the machine. Undiluted manure is pumped from an anaerobic fermentation tank into the manure containing barrel within which the stirring and draw unit is set, and after the manure is thoroughly mixed and stirred, it well the manure is delivered to the manure output mechanism through a 2-in. round pipe. The processing and spreading units developed here are soil-surface-spreading type, soil-stratum-setting type, and deep-soil-setting type. The soil-surface spreading type unit output manure on land surface directly then mixes the manure into soil by tillage, the soil-stratum-setting-type unit uses the ditch excavator to first dig a ditch, and after manure is pumped into the ditch, the soil covering device covers the ditch with the excavated soil. The deep soil setting enables manure to be deposited 30~40 cm below the soil surface, with the loose soil being spread back over the manure after filling. In field tests, manure was spread over the soil surface, incorporated into the soil, or deep filled into subsoil at three test sites, namely Yilan County riverside land, the Tainan County Livestock Research Institute, and a sweet potato field and cornfield in Tainan County. The results revealed that the 3-ton capacity of soil-stratum-setting method field capacity reached 0.58 ha/h at a speed of 2.92 ± 0.07 km/h, and the average cultivation depth was 17.5 ± 0.3 cm. The 5-ton capacity of soil-surface-spreading method working capacity was 1.02 ha/h at a speed of 3.49 ± 0.23 km/h. The 5-ton capacity of soil-stratum-setting method working capacity was 0.61 ha/h at a speed of 2.52 ± 0.32 km/h, and the average cultivation depth was 21.29 ± 1.31 cm. For the 5-ton capacity barrel of the deep-soil-setting type manure spreading machine field capacity was 0.62 ha/h at a speed of 2.8 ± 0.43 km/h. By using the soil-surface-spreading method can fast to handle livestock wastewater and/or manure spray-on land, and using the soil-stratum-setting method or deep-soil-setting method can reduce odor dissipation and fill it directly. Thus, this study successfully developed the compact, mobile, and domestically made manure-distributing processor that can suitably operate in Taiwan farm roads and apply undiluted, highly concentrated manure on fields. The three manure-distributing methods are expected to lower manure transport and application costs. Keywords: Fertilizer spreading, Reuse, Swine manure, Waste reduction.