Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome-associated disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma in a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus: Report of an autopsy case.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome is a collection of inflammatory disorders associated with paradoxical worsening of preexisting infectious processes following the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It involves a wide range of pathogens, neoplasms such as Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and some autoimmune diseases. We describe an autopsy report of a 40-year-old man infected with HIV.

Four-year entecavir therapy reduces hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhotic events and mortality in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background & Aims: Oral antiviral therapy may reduce the disease progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. We aimed to further investigate the efficacy of long-term entecavir therapy in reduction of the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhotic events and mortality in a large group of CHB-related cirrhosis patients.

Methods: The C-TEAM (Cirrhosis-Taiwanese EntecAvir Multicenter) study was a nationwide, multicenter, retrospective-prospective cohort study in Taiwan.

High grade serous ovarian carcinoma with serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma in a case presented with atypical glandular cell favor neoplasm cervical cytology and dermatomyositis.

Objective: This report describes a case of serous ovarian carcinoma with occult serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC), which presented as atypical glandular cells favor neoplasia (AGC-FN) with Pap cytology and dermatomyositis.

Case Report: A 48-year-old woman presented with symptoms of dermatomyositis. An AGC-FN result from a Pap smear, with an absence of a cervical or endometrial lesion was noted.

Strongyloides stercoralis infection: a health issue regarding indigenous people in Taiwan.

Strongyloidiasis, caused by Strongyloides stercoralis, is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions. Whether or not the infection rate is higher among indigenous populations in Taiwan remains unclear. The aim of our study was to assess the racial demographics, diagnoses and clinical details of strongyloidiasis.

Hypomania with hypersexuality following bilateral anterior limb stimulation in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

This 28-year-old Chinese man was referred for deep brain stimulation (DBS) evaluation for an 8-year history of refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder. After the patient had signed an informed consent, the authors implanted DBS leads. Hypomania with hypersexuality was noted on stimulation at Contact 2 and became aggravated with a higher voltage (> or = 3 V) during chronic bilateral DBS.

Influence of intravenous propofol sedation on anorectal manometry in healthy adults.

Background: We aimed to determine whether conscious sedation by propofol could affect anorectal manometry.

Methods: Eighteen healthy subjects underwent anorectal manometry at baseline and during conscious sedation by propofol. Sedation levels were monitored by auditory-evoked potentials.

The effect of acid suppression on sleep and cardiac autonomic regulation in GERD.

Background/aims: Autonomic dysfunction and sleep disturbances have been observed in patients with reflux disease. The study aim was to investigate whether acid suppression changed autonomic function and subjective sleep function in patients with erosive esophagitis.

Methodology: Twenty-eight patients with erosive esophagitis underwent assessment of heart rate variability and a subjective sleep questionnaire.

Effect of acid suppression on gastric myoelectrical activity in GERD.

Background/aims: The study aimed to investigate whether acid suppression influences gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with reflux disease.

Methodology: Twenty-eight patients with erosive esophagitis underwent electrogastrography. All patients were studied before and after esomeprazole.

Anorectal manometry in patients with chronic constipation: a single-center experience.

Background/aims: Constipation is a common complaint, but its clinical presentation varies with each individual. The aim of this study was to evaluate anorectal physiology in a prospective group of patients with chronic constipation.

Methodology: A total of 24 consecutive patients with constipation underwent solid-state anorectal manometry.

Expression of androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptors in mucinous carcinoma of the breast.

Hormone receptors play important roles in breast cancer. We investigated the expression of hormone receptors in breast cancer to evaluate the importance of hormone receptors in the clinicopathology of breast cancer. Androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression characteristics were evaluated using immunohistochemistry stain, comparing patient age, tumor size and axillary lymph node status for 23 pure mucinous and 105 non-mucinous infiltrating ductal carcinomas in the human female breast.

Utility of esophageal impedance in identifying dysmotility in patients with erosive esophagitis.

This study was intended to assess the utility of combined multiple intraluminal impedance and esophageal manometry (MII-EM) in evaluating reflux patients and in identifying those with esophageal dysmotility. Thirteen controls and 20 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) underwent combined MII-EM with a catheter containing four impedance-measuring segments and four solid-state pressure transducers. Each subject received 10 liquid and 10 viscous boluses to be swallowed.

Immunohistochemical study of scrub typhus: a report of two cases.

Scrub typhus is a zoonotic disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted by chiggers. The target cells of this rickettsia are poorly defined in humans. Immunohistochemical staining of tissue sections of patients with scrub typhus is helpful in investigating the target cells of this rickettsia in different organs.

Sleep symptoms and gastroesophageal reflux.

Background: This study was to determine whether patients with significant nighttime heartburn had more disturbed sleep and more gastroesophageal acid reflux than those without significant nighttime heartburn.

Methods: Thirty-three reflux patients were stratified into 2 groups (nighttime heartburn, without nighttime heartburn). All patients completed questionnaires assessing daytime and nighttime heartburn and subjective sleep by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Assessment of esophageal motor function using combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and manometry in healthy volunteers: a single-center study in Taiwan.

Background: Combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and manometry (MII-EM) allow simultaneous measurement of both pressure and bolus transit. The aim of this study was to establish normative data in Chinese subjects for combined MII-EM and to correlate liquid and viscous bolus transit by impedance with esophageal contractions by manometry.

Methods: Eighteen normal volunteers (six women and 12 men; mean age 24 years, range 19-36 years) underwent combined MII-EM with a catheter containing four impedance-measuring segments and five solid-state pressure transducers.

The Taipei Adolescent Twin/sibling Family Study I: behavioral problems, personality features, and neuropsychological performance.

The present study aimed to investigate genetic and environmental influences on behavioral problems, personality features, and neuropsychological performance among adolescents in Taipei, Taiwan. Between 1996 and 1998, with the assistance of the Twin Association and junior high schools in Taipei City, we solicited a list of twins from 51 junior high schools in Taipei. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the twins enrolled in these schools were obtained.

Clinical utility of electrogastrography and the water load test in patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms.

We assessed gastric myoelectric functioning in patients with various gastrointestinal symptoms and to determine the utility of electrogastrography in differentiating specific disease entities. Electrogastrography with a water load was performed in 101 patients with reflux disease, 55 patients with active gastric ulcer, 59 patients with functional dyspepsia, and 30 controls. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed in each patient.

Dynamic CT perfusion imaging with acetazolamide challenge for evaluation of patients with unilateral cerebrovascular steno-occlusive disease.

Background And Purpose: Perfusion CT (PCT) has the ability to measure quantitative values and produce maps of cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and mean transit time (MTT). We assessed cerebral hemodynamics by using these parameters and acetazolamide challenge in patients with cerebrovascular steno-occlusive disease.

Methods: Fifteen patients underwent PCT with acetazolamide challenge.

Genetic and environmental influences on schizotypy among adolescents in Taiwan: a multivariate twin/sibling analysis.

This study aimed to examine the relative contribution of genes and environment to psychometrically measured schizotypy and the causes for the covariation between different dimensions of schizotypy in a total of 330 pairs of twins and 36 same-sex sib-pairs aged 12-16 and systematically recruited from junior high schools in Taipei. Twins' zygosity was determined by a combination of DNA typing and physical similarity. Schizotypy was measured using the Perceptual Aberration Scale (PAS) as well as the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and its three factors (Cognitive-perceptual Dysfunction, Disorganization, and Interpersonal Dysfunction).

Comparison of esophageal motility in patients with solid dysphagia and mixed dysphagia.

It is unclear whether there is any difference in esophageal motor abnormalities between patients complaining of dysphagia for solids or both solids and liquids. The aim of this study was to determine any difference in the manometric findings between patients with dysphagia for solids and those with mixed dysphagia. Manometric tracings were performed in 200 consecutive patients (66 M, 134 F; mean age = 51 years) with nonobstructive dysphagia.

Expression of p53, DCC, and HER-2/neu in mucinous carcinoma of the breast.

We investigated the clinicopathologic and oncoprotein expression characteristics of 11 pure mucinous and 76 non-mucinous infiltrating ductal carcinomas in the human female breast. We compared patient age, tumor size, axillary lymph node status, and the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), deleted-in-colon cancer (DCC), HER-2/neu, and p53. Mucinous carcinoma with axillary lymph node metastasis occurs less frequently than non-mucinous carcinoma (0% vs 63.

Electrogastrography differentiates reflux disease with or without dyspeptic symptoms.

Many patients with gastroesophgeal reflux disease (GERD) may also have overlapping symptoms of dyspepsia. This study was to examine if GERD patients could be separated into meaningful groups based on their gastric myoelectrical characteristics. The study included 20 GERD patients with dyspeptc symptoms (GERD+) and 17 patients with GERD.

Autonomic responses to heartburn induced by esophageal acid infusion.

Background And Aim: Studies have shown that altered visceral perception and lower pain thresholds in patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and non-cardiac chest pain. Autonomic changes associated with the perception of heartburn in patients with GERD are poorly understood.

Methods: A total of 12 GERD patients (six male, six female; mean age 37.

Immunohistochemical localization of endothelin-converting enzyme-1 in neuroendocrine tumors and normal human tissue.

Endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) is the key enzyme of endothelin biosynthesis, catalyzing the final step in the process. In this study, we investigated the cellular distribution of ECE-1 in 19 normal human tissues and 16 neuroendocrine tumors using immunohistochemical staining with antigen retrieval. ECE-1 was expressed in vessel endothelial cells as well as nearly all epithelial cells, glands and duct cells in normal human tissues including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, appendix, colon, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, endometrium, cervix, breast, skin, prostate, urinary bladder, lung, kidney, sympathetic ganglion, thyroid gland, and adrenal gland.