Efficacy of GMI, a fungal immunomodulatory protein, for head and neck cancer patients with chemotherapy-related oral mucositis: An open-labeled prospective single-arm study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients usually suffer from intensive chemotherapy-related oral mucositis (OM), yet limited effective treatment can rapidly alleviate OM severity. METHODS: This prospective study examined the efficacy of Reishimmune-S containing one fungal immunomodulatory protein, GMI on OM in patients with head and neck cancer. Patients with head and neck cancer and the diagnosis of chemotherapy-related OM were enrolled randomizedly to receive standard supportive care with/without Reishimmune-S 500 mg/day orally for consecutive 14 days. Due to intolerance to standard supportive care alone in the control arm, only the experimental arm with Reishimmune-S supplementation was analyzed in our trial. OM grading was evaluated as the primary outcome on day 1, 8, and 15. Secondary outcomes were absolute neutrophil counts and quality of life assessed by the EORTC-QLQ-H&N 35 questionnaire on day 1, 8, and 15. RESULTS: Reishimmune-S supplement significantly reduced OM grading both at day 8 and 15. Trouble with social contact and weight loss conditions were also improved by Reishimmune-S. Reishimmune-S did not significantly affect absolute neutrophil counts during the 15-day follow-up. CONCLUSION: Reishimmune-S supplement potentially alleviates the severity of chemotherapy-mediated OM.

Reducing Food Waste in Buffet Restaurants: A Corporate Management Approach.

Food waste has become a significant issue in the foodservice industry. However, food waste management in buffet restaurants has rarely been investigated. Considering the popularity of buffet restaurants in Taiwan, this study serves as the first attempt to identify a corporate management approach to food waste reduction in Taiwanese buffet restaurants. The study case comprises two buffet restaurants of a large chain restaurant company in Taiwan. This study uses both individual in-depth interviews and a focus group, comprising 15 managers, chefs, and front-line employees. The results identify various strategies to mitigate food waste in buffet restaurants at different stages of operation: establishing a central kitchen, cooperating with qualified suppliers, accurate forecasting of food demand, aesthetic buffet table design, redesigning the service method, continually monitoring food waste, and proactive communication to customers. The 3R (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle) food waste hierarchy is also developed to encourage buffet restaurant practitioners to design appropriate food waste mitigation programs.

2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Taiwan: Reports of two cases from Wuhan, China.

We reported two cases with community-acquired pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) who returned from Wuhan, China in January, 2020. The reported cases highlight non-specific clinical presentations of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as well as the importance of rapid laboratory-based diagnosis.