Neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children in Taiwan: A cross-section, multicenter study.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been a global public health threat since December 2019. This study aims to investigate the neurological characteristics and risk factors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Taiwanese children, using data from a collaborative registry.

Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional, multi-center study was done using an online network of pediatric neurological COVID-19 cohort collaborative registry.

Eyelid myoclonia with absences related to epileptic negative myoclonus.

Eyelid myoclonia with absences (EMA) is an epileptic syndrome characterised by eyelid myoclonia with or without absences, eye closure-induced paroxysms, and photosensitivity. The relationship between EMA and epileptic negative myoclonus has not previously been reported. Herein, we describe a case of a 10-year-old girl who presented with eyelid myoclonia, eye closure-induced paroxysms, and photosensitivity, which was compatible with the diagnosis of EMA.

The impact of rotavirus vaccination in the prevalence of gastroenteritis and comorbidities among children after suboptimal rotavirus vaccines implementation in Taiwan: A population-based study.

In Taiwan, rotavirus vaccination was implemented in 2006 in the private sector. The population-based impact of rotavirus vaccination on gastroenteritis and comorbidities of children remains under-investigated.We analyzed the annual prevalence of rotavirus-related disease, including gastroenteritis, convulsions, epilepsy, type I diabetes mellitus, intussusception, and biliary atresia among children under 5 years of age.

Variable predictors of acute pulmonary embolism recurrence with duration of follow-up.

Background: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a critical disease and often leads to a high mortality and morbidity. Several studies have identified predictors of PE recurrence, but whether these predictors have prognostic value and how they vary during varied follow-up periods remain unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed the occurrence of recurrent PE and the survival time of patients with a diagnosis of acute PE at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from May 2007 to May 2018.

Sex differences of hemodynamics during acute vasoreactivity testing to predict the outcomes of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Acute vasoreactivity testing (AVT) which reflects the compliance of the pulmonary vascular bed has been proven to be of prognostic value. The purpose of the present study is to explore the sex differences of hemodynamics during the AVT and their impact on event-free survival in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).

Methods: Eighty-six patients underwent a right heart catheterization and AVT at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from February 2009 to February 2018.

Molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of norovirus gastroenteritis with seizures in children in Taiwan, 2006-2015.

This study examined the characteristics of norovirus (NoV) gastroenteritis associated with convulsions in children and its molecular epidemiology. From July 2006 through December 2015, NoV infection was confirmed by the genome detection using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Viral genotyping with strain validation was achieved using sequence analyses with Basic Local Alignment Search Tool genome identification.

Inhibitory effects of high stability fucoxanthin on palmitic acid-induced lipid accumulation in human adipose-derived stem cells through modulation of long non-coding RNA.

Obesity is a serious worldwide disease, which is growing in epidemic proportions. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are characterized as a source of mesenchymal stem cells that have acted as a potential application for regeneration. Recently, seaweeds rich in flavonoids and polysaccharides have been supposed to show the ability to modulate risk factors for obesity and related diseases.

High-resolution melting analysis is a more effective approach for screening TSC genes mutations.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder with a prevalence of 1 in 95,136 in Taiwan. TSC is characterized by hamartomatous lesions in multiple organ systems. Genetic defects in TSC1 and TSC2 genes are the main causes of TSC.

[Impact of age and gender on cardiac structure and function in normal Chinese population].

Objective: To identify the impact of age and gender on cardiac structure and left ventricular function in normal Chinese by echocardiography.

Methods: Cardiac structure, valve flow velocity and cardiac function were measured by echocardiography in 15,692 healthy volunteers. Subjects were grouped by age at 5 years interval in population older than 5 years.

High frequency of multiexonic deletion of the GCH1 gene in a Taiwanese cohort of dopa-response dystonia.

Large deletions in the GCH1 gene have been reported in a minority of cases of dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD). In this study, we performed an extensive clinical and genetic investigation of 22 affected members in eight families. Sequence analysis revealed five different mutations in five families (n = 10); Ser81Pro (novel), Ser76X, Gly203Arg, 249del A, and IVS5 + 3insT.

Visualized regional hypodermic migration channels of interstitial fluid in human beings: are these ancient meridians?

Background: Since the 1980s, many studies have indicated there are hypodermic migration channels of radiotracer along meridians independent of lymphatic and blood vessels in vivo. However, the radioactive trajectories were not clear enough to identify the anatomic structures in the living body.

Objectives: To establish an alternative method to image the specific fluid pathways, we hypothesized that a minimal amount of low molecular weight tracer could enter the specific channels and by magnetic resonance imaging technique, we could image the regional channels originating from the acupoints on 6 yin meridians of forearm and lower leg.