The Challenge of a Recall Program from a Community-Based Hepatitis C Screening Campaign: The Effectiveness in HCV Microelimination.

The optimal strategy for the microelimination of HCV within community settings remains ambiguous. We evaluated the percentage of participants who achieved linkage to care (LTC) following the conclusion of a screening campaign and examined the diverse factors influencing LTC among these individuals. The effectiveness of recall intervention for the non-LTC population and its barriers were analyzed.

Current Trend in Antiviral Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis B.

Since active hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication is the key driver of hepatic necroinflammation and disease progression, the treatment aim of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is to suppress HBV replication permanently to prevent hepatic decompensation, liver cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma and prolong survival. Currently, pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN), entecavir (ETV), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) are the first-line drugs of choice. Peg-IFN therapy has been used rarely due to its subcutaneous injection and significant side effect profile.

In Vitro Biomechanical Validation of a Self-Adaptive Ratchet Growing Rod Construct for Fusionless Scoliosis Correction.

Study Design: In vitro biomechanical evaluation of a novel self-adaptive unidirectional ratchet growing rod (RGR) system.

Objective: The aim of this study was to propose and biomechanically validate a novel RGR construct in vitro using porcine thoracic spines and calculate the tensile force required to elongate the RGR with springs, without springs, and with soft tissue encapsulation (induced in vivo in rabbits).

Summary Of Background Data: Literature lacks clear consensus regarding the implant of choice for early-onset scoliosis.

Taiwan consensus statement on the management of chronic hepatitis B.

The experts of Taiwan Association for the Study of Liver (TASL) have actively participated and led the guidelines on hepatitis B virus (HBV) management by Asian Pacific Association for the Study of Liver (APASL) which is the first international association for the study of liver to publish the statement on HBV management before. However, there are more and more new data on the natural history and treatment of HBV infection in the past decade. These include new application of an old biomarker (quantitative HBsAg), clinical significance of HBV genotype and naturally occurring mutations, the role of non-invasive examination in evaluating severity of hepatic fibrosis, clinical significance of outcome calculators, new drug or new combination strategies towards more effective therapy and organ transplantation including liver and non-liver transplantation.

Multiple sleep latency test in narcolepsy type 1 and narcolepsy type 2: A 5-year follow-up study.

Excessively sleepy teenagers and young adults without sleep-disordered breathing are diagnosed with either narcolepsy type 1 or narcolepsy type 2, or hypersomnia, based on the presence/absence of cataplexy and the results of a multiple sleep latency test. However, there is controversy surrounding this nomenclature. We will try to find the differences between different diagnoses of hypersomnia from the results of the long-term follow-up evaluation of a sleep study.

Painful ophthalmoplegia with normal cranial imaging.

Background: Painful ophthalmoplegia with normal cranial imaging is rare and confined to limited etiologies. In this study, we aimed to elucidate these causes by evaluating clinical presentations and treatment responses.

Methods: Cases of painful ophthalmoplegia with normal cranial MRI at a single center between January 2001 and June 2011 were retrospectively reviewed.

Long-term neurotoxic effects of dimethylamine borane intoxication.

Objectives: To investigate the long-term neurotoxic effects in a patient with acute dimethylamine borane (DMAB) intoxication.

Patients: A 38-year-old man, working in a semiconductor factory, with acute DMAB intoxication presented with confusion, and drowsiness, followed by cognitive impairments and motor-predominant axonal polyneuropathy.

Investigations: We performed serial neurobehavioral assessments and functional neuroimaging studies, including brain (99m)Tc-TRODAT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and brain positron emission tomography (PET) scan to monitor the long-term central nervous system (CNS) effects of DMAB intoxication.

Clinical, immunological and genetic features in Taiwanese patients with the phenotype of hyper-immunoglobulin E recurrent infection syndromes (HIES).

Hyper-immunoglobulin E recurrent infection syndromes (HIES) have distinct features, with identified associated mutations of STAT3, TYK2, and DOCK8. Among 197 Taiwanese patients with primary immunodeficiency on a referral-base of over 23 million inhabitants, STAT3 (R382W and Q469R) and DOCK8 mutations (exon 1-9 deletion) were identified in two patients each from six AD-HIES and five AR-HIES patients, respectively. Aside from decreased Th17 and memory B cells, characteristic facies and pneumatocele were not mutually exclusive regardless of STAT3 and DOCK8 mutations.

Clinical aspects and genetic analysis of Taiwanese patients with the phenotype of hyper-immunoglobulin E recurrent infection syndromes (HIES).

Background: Hyper-immunoglobulin E recurrent infection syndromes (HIES) has characteristic features and identified mutations. This study investigated clinical features and causal candidate mutations in Taiwanese patients with the HIES phenotype on referral base over 23 million inhabitants.

Patients And Methods: Clinical manifestations of the HIES phenotype, severity scoring, immunological functions and candidate genes of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), tyrosine kinase 2 (TYKZ), and dedicator of cytokineses 8 (DOCK8) were analyzed.

Temporal features of magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in non-ketotic hyperglycemic chorea-ballism patients.

Background: Non-ketotic hyperglycemic chorea-ballism (NKHCB) had special reversible hyperintense on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) lesion in comparsion to gray matter. However, the mechanism accounts for these lesions is still unclear.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with NKHCB were recruited from 2002 to 2004.

Coexistence of pernicious anemia and myasthenia gravis--a rare combination of autoimmune diseases in Taiwan.

About 5-10% of patients with myasthenia gravis concomitantly have other autoimmune diseases. However, the coexistence of myasthenia gravis and pernicious anemia is rare. Here, we report a 73-year-old Taiwanese woman who developed myasthenia gravis 5 months after the onset of pernicious anemia.