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Widespread vote buying is a major characteristic of Taiwan's election politics. We examine the impact of political factors (including partisanship, whether persons are elected or not, and type of election) on court decisions at three levels for vote-buying litigation in southwestern Taiwan between 1990 and 1999. Findings reveal that political variables have considerably less effect than expected on trial outcomes.

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Candidate selection is an important part of the political process, and it has received comparatively little attention other than in some western countries. With respect to the criterion of centralization, this article analyzes the transformation of the ruling Kuomintang's (KMT) candidate selection system in Taiwan over the past five decades. The analysis draws implications for the evolution of decentralization in KMT candidate selection. Throughout this essay and in the conclusion, I note that the KMT appears likely to open its candidate selection practice in an attempt to perpetuate its dominant position in the electoral process.

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Background: Active aging has been the paradigm of the old-age lifestyle. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of a multi-disciplinary intervention program in community-based elderly. Methods: We conducted a 2-arm trial comparing the effectiveness between the study group and the control group. The intervention contents included active aging concepts and preparation, physical activity, health care management, cognitive training, emotional awareness and coping skills, family relationship and resilience, and internet use. A questionnaire tapping into the constructs of the expanded healthy life, mental health, social participation, and active aging was administered at baseline, 7 th week, and 19 th week. Results: The generalized estimating equations analysis revealed that the study group exhibited significant improvements in healthy life, mental health, social participation, and active aging compared with the control group ( P < .001). Conclusions: This study provided a good evidence supporting the effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary intervention program in improving the cognition of healthy life, mental health status, social participation activities, and active aging. A promotion of similar intervention is recommended.

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Toxic megacolon can occur in patients with rotavirus gastroenteritis. An abdominal radiograph should be taken for patients with rotavirus gastroenteritis who have systemic toxicity and persistent abdominal fullness.