PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the concordance between claims records in the National Health Insurance Research Database and patient self-reports on clinical diagnoses, medication use, and health system utilization.MethodsIn this study, we used the data of 15,574 participants collected from the 2005 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey. We assessed positive agreement, negative agreement, and Cohen's kappa statistics to examine the concordance between claims records and patient self-reports.ResultsKappa values were 0.43, 0.64, and 0.61 for clinical diagnoses, medication use, and health system utilization, respectively. Using a strict algorithm to identify the clinical diagnoses recorded in claims records could improve the negative agreement; however, the effect on positive agreement and kappa was diverse across various conditions.ConclusionWe found that the overall concordance between claims records in the National Health Insurance Research Database and patient self-reports in the Taiwan National Health Interview Survey was moderate for clinical diagnosis and substantial for both medication use and health system utilization.

No abstract

A major goal of phytoremediation is to transform fast-growing plants with genes from plant species that hyperaccumulate toxic trace elements. We overexpressed the gene encoding selenocysteine methyltransferase (SMT) from the selenium (Se) hyperaccumulator Astragalus bisulcatus in Arabidopsis and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea). SMT detoxifies selenocysteine by methylating it to methylselenocysteine, a nonprotein amino acid, thereby diminishing the toxic misincorporation of Se into protein. Our Indian mustard transgenic plants accumulated more Se in the form of methylselenocysteine than the wild type. SMT transgenic seedlings tolerated Se, particularly selenite, significantly better than the wild type, producing 3-to 7-fold greater biomass and 3-fold longer root lengths. Moreover, SMT plants had significantly increased Se accumulation and volatilization. This is the first study, to our knowledge, in which a fast-growing plant was genetically engineered to overexpress a gene from a hyperaccumulator in order to increase phytoremediation potential.Although selenium (Se) is a necessary micronutrient for humans and animals at very low doses, it is extremely toxic at higher doses (Wilber, 1983). Excess Se has been implicated in birth defects, sterility, and disease in animals, fish, and wildlife and loss of hair, teeth, and nails, fatigue, and even death in humans (Moxon, 1937;Eisler, 1985;Lemly and Smith, 1987;Sorenson, 1991). Environmental Se pollution is a worldwide problem. Anthropogenic Se pollution arises from many sources, such as aqueous discharges from electric power plants, coal ash leachates, refinery effluents, and industrial wastewater (American Medical Association, 1989). Selenium also occurs naturally in soils formed from Se-bearing shales. This leads to Se-contaminated irrigation drainage water, one of the most serious agricultural problems in the western United States and other areas with similar environments and geological conditions (Presser and Ohlendorf, 1987).Cleaning up Se-contaminated soil and water is a major concern. Phytoremediation, using plants to remove, stabilize, or detoxify pollutants, is a promising technology for remediating Se-contaminated soil and water (Terry et al., 2000). In a process called phytoextraction, plants extract Se from soils and water into their tissues, which can be harvested and removed. Selenium is unusual among trace elements because it can also be removed from the ground ecosystem by phytovolatilization, i.e. plants metabolize inorganic Se to relatively nontoxic, volatile forms (dimethyl selenide [DMSe] and dimethyl diselenide [DMDSe]), which escape to the atmosphere (Lewis et al., 1966;Terry et al., 2000). Selenium phytoremediation has been achieved under field conditions using fast-growing plant species, such as Indian mustard (Brassica juncea; Bañ uelos et al., 1997), which accumulates Se to hundreds of parts per million (Bañ uelos and Schrale, 1989). Hyperaccumulating plant species, such as Astragalus bisulcatus, have adapted to seleniferous soils and accum...

Schizophrenia was associated with a greater variety of autoimmune diseases than was anticipated. Further investigation is needed to gain a better understanding of the aetiology of schizophrenia and autoimmune diseases.

TaSi2 nanowires have been synthesized on a Si substrate by annealing NiSi2 films at 950 degrees C in an ambient containing Ta vapor. The nanowires could be grown up to 13 microm in length. Field-emission measurements show that the turn-on field is low at 4-4.5 V/microm and the threshold field is down to 6 V/microm with the field enhancement factor as high as 1800. The metallic TaSi2 nanowires exhibit excellent electrical properties with a remarkable high failure current density of 3 x 10(8) A cm(-2). In addition, effects of annealing temperatures and capability of metal silicide mediation layer on the growth of nanowires are addressed. This simple approach promises future applications in nanoelectronics and nano-optoelectronics.

BackgroundAntipsychotics have been linked to prolongation of the QT interval. However, little is known about the risk of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) and/or sudden cardiac death (SCD) associated with individual antipsychotic drug use. This study was designed to investigate the association between specific antipsychotic drugs and the risk of VA and/or SCD.Methods and ResultsWe conducted a case‐crossover study using a nation‐wide population‐based sample obtained from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 17 718 patients with incident VA and/or SCD were enrolled. Conditional logistic regression models were applied to examine the effects of antipsychotic drug use on the risk of VA/SCD during various case and control time windows of 7, 14, and 28 days. The effect of the potency of a human ether‐à‐go‐go‐related gene (hERG) potassium channel blockade was also assessed. Antipsychotic drug use was associated with a 1.53‐fold increased risk of VA and/or SCD. Antipsychotic drugs with increased risk included clothiapine, haloperidol, prochlorperazine, thioridazine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and sulpiride. The association was significantly higher among those with short‐term use. Antipsychotics with a high potency of the hERG potassium channel blockade had the highest risk of VA and/or SCD.ConclusionUse of antipsychotic drugs is associated with an increased risk of VA and/or SCD. Careful evaluations of the risks and benefits of antipsychotic treatment are highly recommended.

No abstract

These findings suggest that antidepressant use may be associated with an increased risk of stroke. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.