Integrating Citizen Scientist Data into the Surveillance System for Avian Influenza Virus, Taiwan.

The continuing circulation and reassortment with low-pathogenicity avian influenza Gs/Gd (goose/Guangdong/1996)-like avian influenza viruses (AIVs) has caused huge economic losses and raised public health concerns over the zoonotic potential. Virologic surveillance of wild birds has been suggested as part of a global AIV surveillance system. However, underreporting and biased selection of sampling sites has rendered gaining information about the transmission and evolution of highly pathogenic AIV problematic.

Two-stage algorithms for visually exploring spatio-temporal clustering of avian influenza virus outbreaks in poultry farms.

The development of visual tools for the timely identification of spatio-temporal clusters will assist in implementing control measures to prevent further damage. From January 2015 to June 2020, a total number of 1463 avian influenza outbreak farms were detected in Taiwan and further confirmed to be affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5Nx. In this study, we adopted two common concepts of spatio-temporal clustering methods, the Knox test and scan statistics, with visual tools to explore the dynamic changes of clustering patterns.

Pulmonary vein volume and myocardial sleeve extension estimated by 3D computed tomography and voltage mapping predict arrhythmogenic triggers of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Purpose: Relationship between pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy and the pathophysiology of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) remains incompletely studied. The aim of this study was to determine whether PV anatomy predicts arrhythmogenic PVs.

Methods: Twenty-six consecutive PAF patients with spontaneous PAF or consistently frequent ectopic beats during electrophysiological study were enrolled.

Overexpression of MutL homolog 1 and MutS homolog 2 proteins have reversed prognostic implications for stage I-II colon cancer patients.

Background: The outcome of colon cancer patients without lymph node metastasis is heterogeneous. Searching for new prognostic markers is warranted.

Methods: One hundred twenty stage I-II colon cancer patients who received complete surgical excision during 1995-2004 were selected for this biomarker study.

Transforming Growth Factor-β1 T869C Gene Polymorphism Is Associated with Acquired Sick Sinus Syndrome via Linking a Higher Serum Protein Level.

Background: Familial sick sinus syndrome is associated with gene mutations and dysfunction of ion channels. In contrast, degenerative fibrosis of the sinus node tissue plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acquired sick sinus syndrome. There is a close relationship between transforming growth factor-β1 mediated cardiac fibrosis and acquired arrhythmia.

The Hepatitis Viral Status in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: a Study of 3843 Patients From Taiwan Liver Cancer Network.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cancer death in Taiwan. Chronic viral hepatitis infections have long been considered as the most important risk factors for HCC in Taiwan. The previously published reports were either carried out by individual investigators with small patient numbers or by large endemic studies with limited viral marker data.

Carboxypeptidase E is a prediction marker for tumor recurrence in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Tumor recurrence and metastasis are the major causes of death for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who are able to receive curative resection. Identifying the predicting biomarkers for tumor recurrence would improve their survival. RNA extracted from fresh frozen tumors and adjacent non-tumor liver tissues of 120 HCC patients were obtained from Taiwan Liver Cancer Network (TLCN) in year 2010 for determination of the carboxypeptidase E (CPE) expression level (including its splicing mutant CPE-ΔN) in the tumor tissue (T) and paired non-tumor liver tissue (N) by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Early radiographic response to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor in non-small cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutations: A prospective study.

Background: The time schedules for response evaluation of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase Inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are still ill-defined.

Methods: Stage IIIB/IV patients with histologically proven NSCLC were enrolled in this study if the tumor cells bore EGFR mutations other than T790M. Eligible patients were treated with either 250 mg of gefitinib or 150 mg of erlotinib once daily.

Identification of transforming hepatitis B virus S gene nonsense mutations derived from freely replicative viruses in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: The correlation between chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been well-established. But the roles of viral factor remain uncertain. Only HBV X gene and nonsense mutations of S gene (C-terminal truncation of HBV surface protein) have been demonstrated to have transforming activity.

The temporal trend of influenza-associated morbidity and the impact of early appearance of antigenic drifted strains in a Southeast Asian country.

Globally, influenza infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly, who are suggested to be the major target group for trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) vaccination by World Health Organization. In spite of an increasing trend in vaccine coverage rates in many countries, the effect of vaccination among the elderly in reducing hospitalization and mortality remains controversial. In this study, we conducted a historical cohort study to evaluate the temporal pattern of influenza-associated morbidity among persons older than 64 years over a decade.

Varicella vaccination alters the chronological trends of herpes zoster and varicella.

Background: Population studies on trends of varicella and herpes zoster (HZ) associated with varicella zoster vaccination and climate is limited.

Methods: This study used insurance claims data to investigate the chronological changes in incident varicella and HZ associated with varicella zoster vaccination. Poisson regression was used to estimate the occurrence of varicella associated with the occurrence of HZ and vice versa by year, season, sex, temperature, and sunny hours.

Clinical implications of high MET gene dosage in non-small cell lung cancer patients without previous tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment.

Introduction: Recently, two studies revealed that MET amplification was associated with secondary epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. But it remains uncertain whether MET amplification could be related to primary TKI resistance in NSCLC because of limited data.

Materials And Methods: MET gene dosage of the tumor tissues from 208 NSCLC patients was investigated by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and compared with molecular and clinical features, including EGFR mutations, KRAS mutations, EGFR gene copy numbers, and patient survivals.

Prognostic implications of epidermal growth factor receptor and KRAS gene mutations and epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy numbers in patients with surgically resectable non-small cell lung cancer in Taiwan.

Introduction: The prognostic role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in patients with surgically resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment has not been well established, because the reports are still few.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed the survival data of 164 patients with surgically resectable (stages I to IIIA) NSCLC of two year groups (1996-1998 and 2002-2004), and compared with EGFR mutations, KRAS mutations, and EGFR gene copy numbers.

Results: Comparing the survival of wild-type patients and patients having L858R mutations or exon 19 deletion, the median survival was much longer for patient with EGFR mutations (54.

Predictors for early HBeAg loss during lamivudine therapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with acute exacerbation.

Purpose: To examine the rate of early HBeAg loss and predictors of HBeAg loss in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with acute exacerbation (AE) treated with lamivudine.

Methods: A total of 146 patients diagnosed with CHB and AEs were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into two groups: decompensated and compensated.

Model-based prediction of length of stay for rehabilitating stroke patients.

Background/purpose: Accurate length-of-stay (LOS) estimates have an impact on medical costs for stroke patients. Most studies have reported only descriptive sample means or have provided linear-model-based estimates for LOS. This study calculated point and interval estimates by treating hospital discharge as an event, and utilizing the proportional hazards (PH) model to provide the estimation of hospital stay for first-ever stroke patients in a rehabilitation department of a clinical center.

Schedule effect and laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy.

Background: Prolonged surgical workload and different starting times of laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) might be factors influencing surgical and patient's outcomes.

Aims: The aim of this study is to elucidate possible detrimental results of the schedule effect on LAVH.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study based on patient charts and hospital's electronic database in a tertiary teaching hospital.

Survival analysis: comparing peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis in Taiwan.

Objectives: Comparisons of survival in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and on hemodialysis (HD) have been conducted in many Western countries, but publications on this subject in Asian populations are scarce. The present study estimated the survival and the relative mortality hazard for HD and PD patients in Taiwan.

Methods: Incident end-stage renal disease patients reported to the Taiwan Renal Registry during 1995 - 2002 were included in the study.

The relationship between self-reported tobacco exposure and cotinines in urine and blood for pregnant women.

To explore the relationship of self-reported exposure to tobacco smoke and the cotinine levels in the urine and blood over the follow-up period for pregnant women. Three hundred ninety-eight pregnant women undergoing prenatal care were interviewed in different trimesters at three hospitals in central Taiwan using a structured questionnaire. Based on their self-reported smoking experience, the participants were classified into three groups (25 smokers, 191 passive smokers, and 182 non-smokers) and were tracked in this study up to the time of delivery.

Associations among genetic susceptibility, DNA damage, and pregnancy outcomes of expectant mothers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke.

This study determined the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on fetal growth by measuring neonatal birth outcomes and the extent of maternal DNA damage, and investigating the relationships among gene polymorphisms, genotoxicity, and pregnancy outcomes of expectant mothers who had exposed to tobacco smoke. This prospective study enrolled 685 pregnant women who completed an initial questionnaire at three central Taiwan hospitals between 2003 and 2004. Genotype analyses of CYP1A1, GSTT1, GSTM1, and NAT2 were performed from 421 women.

Risk factors for chickenpox incidence in Taiwan from a large-scale computerized database.

Objective: We analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Research (NHIR) database in the year 2000 to estimate the seasonal variation in the chickenpox rate in Taiwan.

Patients And Methods: All chickenpox cases listed in the NHIR database were included (n = 165,719). A Lorenz curve was plotted and a chi-square test for equal proportions calculated for seasonal variation.

Differentiation of serum levels of trace elements in normal and malignant breast patients.

The objective of this study was to determine which elements in serum best differentiated breast cancer in a case-control study. Concentrations of 13 elements in serum of 68 breast tumor patients (25 malignant and 43 benign) and 26 healthy controls were measured. Logistic regression with different variable-selection procedures was used to determine a possible configuration of elements.

Emergency department response to SARS, Taiwan.

How emergency departments of different levels and types cope with a large-scale contagious infectious disease is unclear. We retrospectively analyzed the response of 100 emergency departments regarding use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and implementation of infection control measures (ICMs) during the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in Taiwan. Emergency department workers in large hospitals were more severely affected by the epidemic.

Analysis of 7-methylguanine using isotope dilution and gas chromatography/electron-capture negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

This paper presents results obtained for in vivo endogenous and exogenous 7-methylguanine (7-MG) analyzed using a method incorporating gas chromatography with electron-capture negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry and isotope dilution (GC/EC-ID-MS). 13C4-Labeled 7-MG was synthesized to serve as an internal standard to improve accuracy of quantitation, and was used to analyze 7-MG in livers of control mice and dacarbazine-treated mice. The results confirm that 7-MG in tissue DNA can be measured using this GC/EC-ID-MS method with excellent sensitivity and specificity.