Tag: Taipei Medical University

By combining hyperspectral imaging with deep learning-based wavelength selection, the research team successfully created a new approach to egg quality assessment. The technology is the result of collaboration between a research team led by Associate Professor Yung-Kun Chuang from the TMU School of Food Safety and Professor Pauline Ong from the Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM).

The research findings were published in Current Research in Food Science, an international journal with a 2024 impact factor of 7.0, ranking in the top 9.9% of the Food Science & Technology category. The publication highlights TMU’s growing influence in global food safety research and advanced AI applications.

Associate Professor Yung-Kun Chuang, School of Food Safety, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University

Eggs are one of the most vital and complete protein sources in our daily diet—rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. However, the freshness of eggs, which is key to their nutritional value, safety, and overall quality, can be compromised during storage, transportation, and distribution. Traditional evaluation methods rely on destructive laboratory testing, making them unsuitable for real-time or large-scale monitoring along the production and supply chain. This has driven the need for rapid, accurate, and non-destructive technologies that can assess egg quality without breaking the shell.

Research Workflow and Data Analysis Summary

To overcome these limitations, the research team developed a novel wavelength selection technique that integrates distance correlation analysis with a convolutional neural network model. This approach analyzes hyperspectral images of eggs to reduce spectral variability, identify the most informative wavelengths, and to enhance the accuracy of freshness levels. Compared with commonly used wavelength selection regression models, this innovative method demonstrated stability, reliability and overall performance, offering strong potential for real-world industrial adoption.

The achievements of this international collaboration pointed a new era in egg quality control. The AI-powered hyperspectral egg scanner provides fast and non-destructive testing, and provides quantifiable freshness assessments, and adaptable across production, processing, and distribution.

assessments, and adaptable across production, processing, and distribution. 111modernization of the egg industryalso reinforces TMU’s leadership in food safety research and artificial intelligence applications.intelligence applications.

Dr. Tian-Shin Yeh, Associate Professor and attending physician at Taipei Medical University (TMU), recently shared her academic perspective on the relationship between dairy consumption and cognitive health in an editorial published in Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Dr. Tian-Shin Yeh is Associate Professor and attending physician at Taipei Medical University, with expertise in epidemiology and evidence-based interpretation of long-term health studies.

In the article, titled High-Fat Dairy and Cognitive Health: What Are the Alternatives, Dr. Yeh examined findings from a long-term cohort study investigating the potential association between dairy intake and dementia risk. Drawing on her expertise in epidemiology and evidence-based interpretation of population studies, she highlighted several methodological considerations that are important when interpreting the study’s conclusions.

Dr. Yeh noted that the research relied on dietary data collected at a single time point and that the reported associations lost statistical significance in certain follow-up analyses. These limitations, she explained, suggest that the findings should be interpreted with caution and should not be taken as definitive evidence that high-fat dairy products are inherently neuroprotective.

Instead, Dr. Yeh emphasized that broader dietary patterns and food substitutions may play a more meaningful role in long-term brain health. In particular, replacing processed or high-fat red meats with foods of higher nutritional quality may contribute more substantially to cognitive health outcomes.

Her commentary reflects TMU researchers’ active participation in international scientific dialogue and their commitment to promoting evidence-based perspectives on nutrition and dementia research.

Dr. Tian-Shin Yeh’s editorial:

High-Fat Dairy and Cognitive Health: What Are the Alternatives

https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214587

Summary

A new study from Taipei Medical University, led by Assoc. Prof. Jihwan Myung of the Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain and Consciousness (GIMBC), reveals how disrupted sleep, mood stabilizers, and artificial light interfere with women’s menstrual cycles and mental health—highlighting the need for rhythm-aware treatments that align the body’s daily and monthly clocks.

This study reveals how disruptions in the body’s internal clock (caused by modern life and certain mood medications) can interfere with women’s hormonal health and potentially worsen mood disorders. This research underscores the need for more rhythm-aware treatments that balance mental health and hormonal well-being.

Sleep Loss, Shift Work, and Mood Drugs Disrupt Menstrual Cycles in Millions of Women

Millions of women experience disruptions in their menstrual cycles due to irregular sleep patterns, shift work, jet lag, and mood stabilizers. These disruptions not only affect reproductive health but can also signal or worsen mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder. The study calls for a better understanding of how biological timing systems regulate both mood and menstruation—information that could shape how doctors manage mental health in women.

New Insights Reveal How the Body’s Daily Clock Governs Monthly Hormonal Cycles

The study outlines several vital discoveries that explain how circadian rhythms and reproductive cycles are intertwined and how this relationship can be disrupted. The circadian clock refers to the body’s internal 24-hour timing system, which helps regulate sleep, hormone release, and other essential bodily functions.

• Disrupted rhythms affect cycles: Exposure to artificial light at night and irregular schedules can interfere with the body’s circadian clock, which in turn can disrupt menstrual cycles.
• Mood stabilizers have hormonal side effects: Lithium, a common drug used to treat bipolar disorder, was shown to lengthen circadian rhythms and disturb hormonal cycles, possibly contributing to menstrual irregularities.
• Timing systems are deeply connected: The brain’s master clock (in the hypothalamus) not only keeps daily time but also interacts with reproductive systems that operate on monthly cycles.
• Photoperiod matters: Shorter daylight periods tend to lengthen reproductive cycles, while longer daylight periods shorten them—suggesting our internal systems are sensitive to seasonal changes.

“Our biological clocks don’t just govern when we sleep. They deeply shape how we feel and how our bodies function. By understanding how daily and monthly rhythms interact, we can begin designing treatments that support both mental and hormonal health, rather than forcing women to choose between the two,” said Prof. Jihwan Myung, lead author of the study.

Study Combines Human and Animal Data to Show How Mood Drugs Disrupt Hormonal Rhythms

The study drew on existing anatomical and physiological research, combining insights from animal models and human data. It reviewed how various biological clocks, daily (circadian) and monthly (ovarian), interact in the brain and reproductive system. Special focus was placed on how mood medications like lithium alter these rhythms. The author advocates for future models that integrate multiple timescales to predict and manage these effects more accurately.

Bridging the Gap: Why Mental Health Treatments Must Consider Women’s Hormonal Rhythms

This research highlights a critical but often overlooked intersection between mental and reproductive health. Understanding how the body’s clocks operate together opens the door to more personalized, rhythm-informed treatments—helping women manage mood disorders without compromising hormonal health. This research perspective was published in Chronobiology in Medicine in June 2025, contributing valuable insight to the growing field of chronobiological research.

Original Research Article: Integrating Circadian and Reproductive Rhythms in Mood Regulation

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Original Article: Integrating Circadian and Reproductive Rhythms in Mood Regulation

During his time studying in Taiwan, Guatemalan medical student José Roberto Rodriguez Mazariegos has learned more than a new language and culture. “It opened my mind about medical research and what was possible,” he says. “Back home in Guatemala, we do not have the resources or trained people to undertake a lot of research.”

While Mazariegos focused on clinical medicine in Guatemala, he embarked on a new direction at Taipei Medical University (TMU) through its international graduate programme in medicine.

“It’s a whole different world in which you are not just prescribing medicine, but we can start from the beginning to develop new things,” he says. “It has helped me to understand that being a good clinical doctor and doing research go hand-in-hand.”

Mazariegos recently completed his master’s at TMU as part of the MOFA Taiwan Scholarship, receiving the academic achievement award for outstanding performance in the programme.

The MOFA Taiwan Scholarship, funded by the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to encourage outstanding international students to study in Taiwan. It offers scholarships to bachelor’s, master’s and PhD candidates from countries with diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The programme includes an additional compulsory year in which scholars learn Mandarin.

“The scholarship has something different compared to other scholarships because they don’t just train you in what you want to study,” says Mazariegos. “They also give you the language.” He says that learning Mandarin in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, extended beyond words and phrases. “It helped me, not just with the language, but also with the culture.”

Mazariegos’ research focuses on the relationship between gut microbiome and precocious puberty, which is when a child’s body starts to develop into an adult body at an unusually early age. He will also pursue his doctoral studies at TMU.

He recognises support from the MOFA programme and TMU in helping him adjust to living and studying in another country. “I came with a group of people who shared the same scholarship as me, even though they were in different fields and at different levels of study,” Mazariegos says. This created a ready-made support network, he says.

TMU offers many activities to help students immerse themselves in the culture, such as workshops and mentoring programmes. He also points to the Office of Global Engagement, which is “always open for you for any questions you have”.

The MOFA Taiwan Scholarship allows students to attend Taiwanese institutions. Mazariegos chose TMU in part because he was impressed with the application process, which invited him to an interview with the head of the course. Application interviews are not just for institutions to determine whether to take on a candidate. “It’s also for the people that are applying to get to know the university and the people there,” he says.

The deciding factor was that TMU offers many of its courses in English. “If your programme is in English, then everything is in English, including correspondence with the university,” he says. While Mazariegos can now communicate in Mandarin, he doubts he would be able to understand his medical speciality in the language. “Luckily, in Taiwan, there are many options that are available in English.”

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Original Article: https://oge.tmu.edu.tw/taiwan-scholarship-programme-broadens-student-horizons/

“Innovation requires more than just specialised engineering or design talents,” says Thera Chiu, an associate professor in the Center for General Education at Taipei Medical University. The knowledge economy and ever-changing digital technologies have impacted traditional production and business models, and education needs to adapt to the changing era.

This is why Taiwan’s Ministry of Education places design thinking at the heart of its Miaopu programme. Design thinking “focuses on human needs, with processes including empathy, define, ideate, prototype and test”, she says. The programme, known as Miaopu, which means sapling, in Chinese, aims to foster interdisciplinary talent through design thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit.

“It emphasises a human-centric approach to problem-solving, encouraging collaboration across different fields and seeking to bridge the gap between higher education and industrial transformation,” Chiu says.

Taipei Medical University (TMU) has been involved with the programme since its inception eight years ago, participating in all five phases of the Sapling Project. TMU is a leading private university in Taiwan, renowned for its strong focus on medicine, health sciences and biomedical innovation. Since its founding in 1960, TMU has grown into a comprehensive university with 11 colleges and more than 6,000 students from more than 40 countries.

Since the university became involved in the Miao Pu programme, it has guided “more than 4,000 first-year students in designing their own university learning journeys and provided design-thinking workshop experiences to more than 3,000 students,” Chiu says. More than 10 of its faculty members have been certified by the Ministry of Education as official coaches.

The benefits of the programme extend beyond the university. “The Sapling Project has now evolved into a methodology that supports other Ministry of Education initiatives, making it a truly unique programme,” Chiu says.

Teacher development is a starting point, she says: “It begins with cross-disciplinary teaching collaboration among faculty members, which then extends to cross-disciplinary learning among students.”

Cross-disciplinary collaboration is vital because it directly responds to the demands of a rapidly evolving world. “A core objective is to cultivate individuals who can collaborate effectively across different fields,” she says. “This is seen as crucial for developing innovative solutions and addressing the complexities of future society.”

Chiu’s own research focuses on identifying the factors that contribute to success in interdisciplinary education. She says that there are two critical factors: students’ self-understanding and their ability to collaborate in teams. While there is a great deal of research highlighting the importance of collaboration, there’s a lack of concrete steps for educators to follow. “Our team has developed a structured and effective set of guidance strategies for fostering team collaboration, which has proven to be successful and is supported by empirical research,” she says.

As the only university that has contributed to all of the programme’s phases, TMU will continue to adopt design thinking as a guiding methodology. “It will help students to design their life paths, root medical education in empathy and promote team collaboration,” Chiu says. “Our next vision for this project is to empower students to identify and solve real-world problems through teamwork and empathy, ultimately becoming the kind of future-ready talent needed by society.”

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Original Article: https://oge.tmu.edu.tw/design-thinking-creates-future-ready-graduates/

Dr. Ya-Tin Lin, Assistant Professor at the Graduate Institute of Metabolism and Obesity Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University (TMU), has been awarded the 2024 Early-Stage Faculty Prize by the International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS).

She is the first scholar from an Asian academic institution to receive this honor, which is a significant recognition of Taiwan’s growing influence in global physiological research.

The IUPS, representing physiological societies from over 60 countries, is the world’s most recognized academic organization in physiology. It is dedicated to promoting the advancement of physiological research and teaching, while fostering platforms for international exchange. The IUPS International Early-Stage Faculty Prize recognizes up to four promising young scholars each year, selected for the quality of their research contributions, dedication to teaching, and engagement in academic development.

Dr. Lin’s research focuses on neuronal regulation of metabolism, particularly in the context of metabolic diseases. Her research team has conducted extensive studies on neuropeptide FF (NPFF), investigating its physiological roles in energy homeostasis, pain transmission, and stress responses. A key discovery revealed that NPFF receptor type 2 (NPFFR2) is co-expressed with insulin receptors in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, and its activation impaired the hypothalamic insulin downstream signaling. Notably, modulating NPFFR2 significantly impacts obesity- and diabetes-related metabolic dysfunctions, offering new directions for clinical treatment strategies. Parts of the findings were published in Clinical Nutrition, entitled “Hypothalamic NPFFR2 attenuates central insulin signaling and its knockout diminishes metabolic dysfunction in mouse models of diabetes mellitus”.

In addition to research relating to metabolic disorders, Dr. Lin also conducted pioneering research on the use of focused ultrasound for pain management. Her research demonstrated that low-intensity focused ultrasound can activate gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in the dorsal root ganglion, which further reduces the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) cascade, and relieve chronic and neuropathic pain. Her study, titled “Stimulation of dorsal root ganglion with low-intensity focused ultrasound ameliorates pain responses through the GABA inhibitory pathway”, was published in Life Sciences and showcases significant clinical translation potential.

Beyond her research achievements, Dr. Lin serves as the Secretary-General of the Chinese Physiological Society, where she contributes significantly to the society’s efforts to foster Taiwan’s international links in physiology, strengthen physiology education, and advance research in the field. As a recipient of the 2024 IUPS International Early-Stage Faculty Prize, Dr. Lin is recognized not only for her innovative contributions to science but also for marking a significant milestone for TMU in the global academic community. This recognition further strengthens Taiwan’s international academic presence and fosters deeper collaboration in translational studies.

Summary

Researchers from Taipei Medical University (TMU) and collaborating institutions conducted a large-scale study of over 500,000 adults, revealing that cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic (CKM) syndrome significantly increases the risk of early death, cardiovascular deaths, kidney failure, and reduced life expectancy—highlighting the urgent need for integrated chronic disease care.

A study involving over half a million adults has confirmed that the combination of cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic conditions substantially increases the risk of early death and serious illness. The findings highlight the urgent need for integrated care that treats these conditions together rather than in isolation.

Why Chronic Disease Care Needs a Unified, Global Approach

As chronic diseases continue to rise globally, this research offers timely evidence for healthcare providers, policymakers, and the public. The study shows that CKM syndrome, newly defined by the American Heart Association in 2023, is not just a medical concept but a real-world predictor of life expectancy and health outcomes. The findings support a shift toward cross-speciality collaboration in medicine, with particular relevance for aging populations, health insurers, and those shaping chronic disease policy.

Every Added Condition Matters: New Patterns Reveal Deadly Toll of CKM Syndrome

The study uncovered several significant patterns that clarify how CKM syndrome and its components influence long-term health risks:

• Widespread Impact: Over 70% of the study’s participants met the criteria for CKM syndrome. Among adults aged 55 and older, nearly 90% were affected.
• Increased Risk of Death: People with CKM syndrome had a 33% higher risk of death from any cause and were nearly three times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.
• Kidney Disease Link: Those with CKM syndrome were over ten times more likely to develop end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), requiring dialysis or transplantation.
• Each Added Condition Matters: Every additional CKM component (such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, or high triglyceride) increased the risk of all-cause death by 22% and cardiovascular death by 37%.
• Shorter Life Expectancy: Each additional component reduced life expectancy by approximately 2.5 years for men and 3 years for women. Those with all five components could lose up to 13–16 years of life.

Massive 25-Year Study Confirms CKM’s Deadly Impact in Over Half a Million Adults

Researchers from Taipei Medical University and collaborating institutions analyzed medical data from over 515,000 adults in Taiwan, collected between 1996 and 2017. Participants underwent physical exams, laboratory tests, and completed lifestyle questionnaires. The study tracked deaths and disease progression over 25 years, using statistical models to assess the impact of CKM components on mortality. The team used standardized definitions aligned with American Heart Association guidelines, which were adjusted for use in Asian populations.

“Our findings show that cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic conditions are not isolated challenges—they are profoundly interconnected. We need a healthcare model that reflects the reality of how these diseases cluster and amplify risk, especially as populations age,” said Prof. Mai-Szu Wu and Prof. Mei-Yi Wu, the corresponding authors of the study.

First Large-Scale Asian Study Urges Shift to Integrated Chronic Disease Care

This study, published in PLOS Medicine in June 2025, is among the first large-scale evaluations of CKM syndrome in an Asian population, reinforcing the need for coordinated, multidisciplinary care. Treating high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease in isolation may miss the broader picture—where the intersection of these conditions drives worse health outcomes. Early intervention and integrated disease management could help millions live longer and healthier lives.

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Original Article: Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: A retrospective cohort study

Further context

This article is a repost from News-Medical, covering a recent study led the research team of Professor Shih-Min Hsia at Taipei Medical University (TMU)’s College of Nutrition. The study investigates the potential effects of sucralose on male reproductive health. The research has also been featured by New York Post and MSN, highlighting the growing international attention to TMU’s contributions to preventive and translational medicine.

• Original study in Environmental Health Perspectives

Male infertility is a global health concern, impacting 8% to 12% of couples and contributing to nearly half of infertility cases worldwide. Male infertility is affected by hormonal, environmental, and genetic factors that impede spermatogenesis and reproductive function. Dietary and lifestyle changes, including the elevated intake of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) and sugar-sweetened beverages, are among these factors implicated in the growing prevalence of infertility.

Sucralose, an NNS, constitutes 30% of the sweetener market in the United States. Although sucralose has antibacterial properties and lower calories, there are emerging concerns about potential health risks and environmental persistence. It is also a persistent contaminant in aquatic systems, with studies revealing its consistent presence throughout the urban water cycle. Notably, the study highlights concerns about sucralose-6-acetate, a genotoxic byproduct of sucralose manufacturing and metabolism, which may exacerbate health and environmental risks. Despite research on NNSs, data on potential links between sucralose and male infertility are limited.

About the study

In the present study, researchers evaluated the effects of sucralose on male reproductive health. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, aged six weeks, were acclimated for a week under controlled conditions and subsequently randomized to one of four experimental groups. Sucralose was administered at 1.5 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg, or 90 mg/kg for two months.

The controls received deionized water. Body weight was monitored weekly for eight weeks. At the end of the study, animals were euthanized, and blood samples were collected for biochemical analyses. Organs such as the liver, spleen, heart, testes, epididymis, and kidneys were harvested for histopathological evaluation.

The cauda epididymis was cut into pieces and briefly maintained in culture medium, and the supernatant was used for sperm motility analysis. Sperm samples were subject to a Western blot analysis to evaluate DNA damage markers. Besides, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and Kisspeptin1 (KISS1).

Chemiluminescence immunoassays were performed to measure serum testosterone, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Further, mouse Sertoli cells (TM4) and Leydig cells (TM3) were treated with varying concentrations of sucralose for 24–72 hours. These cells were subject to intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell viability, and Western blot analyses. To assess autophagy-lysosome dysfunction, researchers used Bafilomycin A1, a compound that blocks lysosomal acidification, revealing impaired fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes.

The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test assessed data normality. Non-parametric tests were applied for data violating normality assumptions. A two-way analysis of variance was performed to evaluate the effects of sucralose and exposure duration. Group differences were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test or the Student’s t-test.

Findings

TM3 and TM4 cells exposed to varying sucralose concentrations (1 μM, 10 μM, 100 μM, 1000 μM, and 10,000 μM) had significantly lower cell viability. Cells also showed higher levels of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3B, form II (LC3B-II) at 1000 or 10,000 μM and slightly lower p62 levels. These changes, combined with reduced cathepsin B (a lysosomal enzyme), suggest impaired autophagic degradation. Following sucralose treatment, there was a significantly lower expression of cathepsin B, indicative of impaired lysosomal function.

ROS levels in TM3 and TM4 cells after sucralose exposure at 1 mM, 2.5 mM, 5 mM, 7.5 mM, or 10 mM were significantly higher; sucralose-treated cells also had elevated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression and heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1) levels, suggesting an increase in oxidative stress. Notably, exposed cells had a reduction in taste receptor type 1 member 3 (T1R3) protein expression.

Moreover, co-treatment with a known T1R3 antagonist (lactisole) repressed T1R3 expression more than sucralose treatment alone. To further examine the relevance of T1R3 modulation, rat pituitary adenoma cells (RC-4B/C) were treated with sucralose, with or without lactisole co-treatment. This revealed a significant reduction in LH levels dose-dependently. Lactisole co-treatment exacerbated this suppression, especially at lower sucralose levels.

SD rats exposed to sucralose showed no differences in body weight, AST or ALT levels, and heart and liver indices between groups. Although the appearance of reproductive organs was not remarkably different, exposed animals had significantly lower epididymis and testis indices. Further, rats showed significant reductions in serum testosterone and LH levels and serum and testicular KISS1 levels. KISS1, a key regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, is critical for initiating puberty and maintaining reproductive hormone balance; its suppression may directly contribute to impaired fertility.

Sucralose exposure also reduced protein levels of T1R3 in the testes. Exposed animals had abnormal sperm morphology (with coiled and bent tails) and lower sperm viability. Histological examination of the testes showed changes in the seminiferous epithelium, including severe vacuolization, disrupted germ cell organization, and nuclear condensation.

DNA damage was also observed in sperm, indicative of cellular impairment. The testes of sucralose-exposed animals had higher levels of LC3B and lower levels of p62, suggesting changes in autophagy. Moreover, exposed animals had higher serum and testicular levels of malondialdehyde, indicating increased lipid peroxidation.

Conclusions

Taken together, sucralose exposure adversely affects male reproductive outcomes in rats by inducing oxidative stress, causing DNA damage, and disrupting autophagy. The study notes that in vitro doses (up to 10 mM) likely exceed typical human dietary exposure, warranting caution in extrapolating results to real-world intake levels.

The findings underscore the need for careful evaluation of dietary NNSs and call for better food safety regulations to alleviate potential risks. Additionally, the environmental persistence of sucralose and its byproduct, sucralose-6-acetate, highlights broader ecological concerns.

Further studies are required to examine dose-response relationships, long-term effects, and underlying molecular mechanisms to comprehensively delineate the adverse effects of sucralose.

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Original Study: Exposure to Sucralose and Its Effects on Testicular Damage and Male Infertility: Insights into Oxidative Stress and Autophagy

News: Sucralose disrupts male fertility by damaging sperm and altering hormones in animal study

As dengue fever continues to rise globally, accurate data on disease burden is essential for informed public health planning and resource allocation. A recent study led by Professor Wei-Cheng Lo of Taipei Medical University examines discrepancies between the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) estimates and reported dengue case data in 30 high-burden countries, calling attention to the need for improved methodologies in disease modeling.

Understanding the Gaps in Global Estimates

The study compared GBD’s model-generated dengue estimates with official surveillance data from countries including Brazil, India, Indonesia, China, and Taiwan. The findings revealed substantial differences: in some instances, GBD estimates were several hundred times higher than reported cases. For instance, in China and India, the GBD estimated 570 and 303 times more cases, respectively, than national health data indicated.

In countries like Taiwan and Argentina, where dengue outbreaks vary dramatically by year, GBD figures showed relatively steady trends, potentially overlooking the episodic nature of epidemic spikes.

Modeling Assumptions and Their Limitations

The observed discrepancies are linked to how the GBD constructs its estimates. These models account for underreporting by adjusting data based on known limitations in surveillance systems. However, many of these adjustments rely on data collected before 2010. In locations where diagnostic tools and case reporting have significantly improved in recent years—such as Taiwan—current estimates may not reflect these advancements.

Additionally, the smoothing algorithms used to illustrate long-term trends may downplay sharp increases in case numbers during outbreak years, especially in regions with cyclic epidemic patterns.

Implications for Public Health Policy

Reliable disease estimates are a crnerstone of health policy and planning. When estimates deviate significantly from local data, they can influence policy decisions and funding allocation. This study emphasizes the importance of aligning global modeling with recent,country-specific data to better support public health decision-making.

Recommendations for Improved Disease Burden Modeling

The authors advocate for more frequent updates to global health models and greater integration of real-time surveillance and diagnostic advancements. They also suggest that future models incorporate the cyclical behavior of diseases like dengue to better capture the reality of epidemic patterns.

Broader Considerations

While this research focuses on dengue, it raises important considerations for global disease burden estimation more broadly. Refining modeling approaches across disease areas will support more effective global health strategies and ensure resources are targeted where they are most needed.

Founded by Professor Cheng-Yu Chen of Taipei Medical University (TMU), DeepRad.AI is transforming the future of radiology through the integration of advanced artificial intelligence technologies and medical imaging. With a mission to bridge the gap between clinical practice and AI innovation, the company leverages the expertise of experienced radiologists and AI engineers to enhance diagnostic precision, reduce interpretation time, and improve patient outcomes.

DeepLung-CAC: Dual Screening with a Single LDCT Scan

DeepRad.AI’s flagship product,DeepLung-CAC, is an AI-powered pulmonary-coronary screening platform that utilizes a single low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan to simultaneously assess the risk of pulmonary nodules and coronary artery calcification (CAC). This dual-purpose screening not only improves efficiency but also reduces radiation exposure and costs associated with multiple tests.

The platform is certified by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) and recognized as the first domestically developed AI pulmonary-coronary screening system. One of its standout features is the LungRads module, which incorporates deep learning models for nodule detection, segmentation, and classification, trained on over 6,000 CT cases. Powered by state-of-the-art 3D deep learning, DeepLung-CAC can complete detailed analyses in under one minute.

Professor Chen emphasizes the significance of early detection in improving lung cancer survival rates. While traditional methods often require 25 to 30 minutes of physician review time, DeepLung-CAC reduces interpretation time to just 5 minutes—enabling radiologists to efficiently analyze images and provide quicker diagnoses. The platform also supports multi-disease risk assessment from a single scan, enhancing its
clinical utility.

DeepBrain-Cognito: Personalized Dementia Risk Assessment

Beyond thoracic imaging, DeepRad.AI has also developed DeepBrain-Cognito, a computational model designed for the early detection of cognitive decline. This platform provides personalized risk assessments for populations with suboptimal health, such as the elderly or those with chronic conditions. By integrating AI with large-scale brain imaging data, DeepBrain-Cognito enables timely intervention for neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Recognition and Future Directions

In 2024, DeepRad.AI’s innovations were widely recognized. The company received several prestigious awards, including:

• Future Tech Award
• NBRP Pitch Day Outstanding Team Award
• GenAI Stars Quality Innovation Award
• National Pharmaceutical Technology & Research Development Award

These accolades reflect the platform’s strong potential for real-world clinical applications and its role in driving forward Taiwan’s biomedical AI industry. By combining AI with medical expertise, DeepRad.AI continues to push the boundaries of radiology, aiming to create faster, more accurate, and accessible diagnostic tools for global healthcare systems.