Risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Messenger RNA Vaccination-Associated Myocarditis and Pericarditis - A Systematic Review of Population-Based Data.

Purpose: Early studies showed that the risks of mRNA vaccine-associated myocarditis and pericarditis are low but with substantial variation across studies. Study characteristics, ethnicity, vaccine types, dose intervals, and SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence may influence the rates of myocarditis and pericarditis after mRNA vaccination in population-based studies.

Methods: We comprehensively searched MEDLINE for relevant articles published before November 30, 2022.

Risk of myocarditis and pericarditis following coronavirus disease 2019 messenger RNA Vaccination-A nationwide study.

Background: An extended interval between the two primary doses may reduce the risk of myocarditis/pericarditis after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. Taiwan has implemented a two-dose regimen with a 12-week interval for adolescents. Here we present nationwide data of myocarditis/pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccinations.

Urban wastewater treatment plants as a potential source of ketamine and methamphetamine emissions to air.

Urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can be an emission source of aerosol particles to the air and this process has the potential to spread emerging pollutants into the air, where the particles can be widely transported over long distances to areas where this pollution is unexpected. This study demonstrates aeration tanks in WWTPs as a potential source of ketamine, methamphetamine and other emerging contaminant emissions into the air. Ketamine and methamphetamine are frequently detected in high concentrations (maximum of 151.

Size distribution, biological characteristics and emerging contaminants of aerosols emitted from an urban wastewater treatment plant.

Air-liquid exchange process could spread pathogens and pharmaceutical emerging pollutants into the air as aerosol particles in an Urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTPs). These particles can later be transported to places where such pollution is unforeseen. In this study, measurements were conducted in the aeration area of a UWTP in northern Taiwan.

The design of a sunlight-focusing and solar tracking system: A potential application for the degradation of pharmaceuticals in water.

Photolysis is considered one of the most important mechanisms for the degradation of pharmaceuticals. Photodecomposition processes to remove pharmaceuticals in water treatment presently use artificial UV light incorporated in advanced oxidation processes. However, UV lighting devices consume a substantial amount of energy and have high operational costs.

The persistence and photostabilizing characteristics of benzotriazole and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole reduce the photochemical behavior of common photosensitizers and organic compounds in aqueous environments.

Benzotriazole (BT) and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5-MeBT) are broadly used in industrial applications, such as anti-icing fluids and dishwashing detergent, and act as the primary building blocks for UV absorbers and photostabilizers. This study examined the occurrence of these two compounds in the environment and their unique photochemical behavior affecting photosensitizers and other micro-organic pollutants in aqueous environments. BT and 5-MeBT were detected in all river water samples from the major rivers in Taipei City in the concentration ranges of 147 to 1560 ng/L and 22 to 235 ng/L, respectively, and both compounds persisted through a conventional wastewater treatment plant.

Photolytic degradation of ciprofloxacin in solid and aqueous environments: kinetics, phototransformation pathways, and byproducts.

Many lipophilic pharmaceuticals may be sorbed in solid phases, leading to different photochemical behaviors. This study investigated the photochemistry of ciprofloxacin in a solid-phase system and compared it to that in a water-phase system. Kaolinite was used as the model solid matrix.

Role of Dissolved Organic Matter in Sorption of Perfluorooctanoic Acid to Metal Oxides.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an important perfluorinated chemical of significant environmental concern. It has been widely found at high concentrations in the environment. We have exposed sediment constituent minerals SiO2, Fe2O3, and Al2O3 to PFOA and humic acid (HA) and studied the adsorption of PFOA by introducing the adsorbates in different orders.

Occurrence of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and perfluorinated compounds in groundwater in Taiwan.

In this work, we investigated the emerging pollutants in Taiwanese groundwater for the first time and correlated their presence with possible contamination sources. Fifty target pharmaceuticals and perfluorinated chemicals in groundwater were mostly present at ng L(-1) concentrations, except for 17α-ethynylestradiol, sulfamethoxazole, and acetaminophen (maximums of 1822, 1820, and 1036 ng L(-1), respectively). Perfluorinated compounds were detected with the highest frequencies in groundwater at almost all of the sample sites, especially short-chained perfluorinated carboxylates, which were easily transferred to the groundwater.

Prevalence and sunlight photolysis of controlled and chemotherapeutic drugs in aqueous environments.

This study addresses the occurrences and natural fates of chemotherapeutics and controlled drugs when found together in hospital effluents and surface waters. The results revealed the presence of 11 out of 16 drugs in hospital effluents, and the maximum detected concentrations were at the μg L(-1) level in the hospital effluents and the ng L(-1) level in surface waters. The highest concentrations corresponded to meperidine, morphine, 5-fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide.

Effects of water washing on removing organic residues in bottom ashes of municipal solid waste incinerators.

Due to their potential toxicity and odourous nature, the residual organics in municipal solid waste incinerators are recently gaining attention as an important issue of resources recovery apart from their complex mixture of organic counterpart. Studies of the organic fractions in municipal solid waste incinerator residues have been limited. In this study, extended solid-phase extraction of the water-washed bottom ash and liquid-phase extraction of the washing water were carried out with regard to bottom ash samples from three mass-burning incinerators in Taipei County (Taiwan) during four consecutive seasons of year 2008-2009.

Characteristics of residual organics in municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash.

Although heavy metals in bottom ash have been a primary issue in resource recovery of municipal solid waste incinerator residues in past decades, less studied are potentially toxic and odorous organic fractions that exist as they have not been completely oxidized during the mass burn process. Using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and soxtec extraction (SE) techniques, this study investigated the characteristics of un-oxidized organic residues contained in bottom ash from three municipal solid waste incinerators in Taiwan during 2008-2009. All together 99 organics were identified in bottom ash samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Novel mutations of the OPA1 gene in Chinese dominant optic atrophy.

Purpose: To investigate OPA1 gene mutations in Chinese patients with autosomal dominant optic atrophy and sporadic optic atrophy.

Design: Molecular genetic studies and observational case series.

Participants: Twenty-four patients from 10 unrelated Chinese pedigrees of autosomal-dominant optic atrophy, 35 isolated cases with bilateral optic atrophy of unknown cause, and 50 unrelated normal controls.

Systemic lupus erythematosus-associated optic neuritis: clinical experience and literature review.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the visual outcome of optic neuritis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: A retrospective, case-observational study was conducted by reviewing eight patients with SLE-associated optic neuritis from January 1986 to October 2004. The demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory data, medical management and disease courses of these eight patients were retrospectively analysed.

Systemically disseminated extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of lacrimal gland in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

A 33-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus had bilateral eyelid swelling. On examination, bilateral lacrimal gland mass were palpable. The morphologic and the immunohistochemical features were supportive of the diagnosis of extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-type (MALT lymphoma).

Early relapse in multiple sclerosis-associated optic neuritis following the use of interferon beta-1a in Chinese patients.

Purpose: The incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) is relatively rare in Chinese. The beneficial effect of interferon beta-1a in modifying the disease course of MS has been rarely analyzed in Chinese patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical response to interferon beta1-a in Chinese patients with MS-associated optic neuritis (ON).

Low conversion rate to multiple sclerosis in idiopathic optic neuritis patients in Taiwan.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with idiopathic optic neuritis (ON) in Taiwan and to assess the conversion rate to multiple sclerosis (MS) in these patients.

Methods: We studied the medical records of a total of 109 patients with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic ON treated in the Taipei Veterans General Hospital during the period from January 1986 to May 2003. Clinical characteristics, management, and disease courses were retrospectively reviewed.

Phthiriasis palpebrarum: an unusual blepharoconjunctivitis.

Phthiriasis palpebrarum is an unusual cause of blepharoconjunctivitis and may easily be overlooked because of the failure of physicians to recognize Phthirus pubis. We report a case of a 30-year-old woman with persistent itching in the left eyelid which was unsuccessfully treated under the diagnosis of allergic blepharoconjunctivitis. Careful ophthalmic examination revealed seven bugs with multiple red pinpoint excretions and numerous small translucent oval eggs (nits) coating the eyelashes.