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The factors of dyeing technology for PET knit fabrics using liquid flow dyeing machine include the dye exhaustion property of PET fiber and liquid flow parameters in the dyeing machine. This article is focused on: 1. The relationship between the concentration of disperse dyes and critical temperature zone, 2. The effect of pump flow on fabric running speed and even dyeing. As the results proved 1, the concentration of disperse dyes in the PET dyeing got lower with lower critical temperature zone 2. In the adjustment of dyeing pump flow and nozzle pressure, the running speed of pump at the same nozzle pressure did affect the dyeing flow with the differential rate of ± 10% while the fabric running rate with lower rate 3. The application of fabric running speed and nozzle pressure was influenced by the flow rate. Therefore, the optimization of dyeing process should combine the three components of fabrics, dyes and dyeing machine, in order to achieve the aims of energy saving and quality improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken in order to analyse the immuno-regulatory mechanism of none responsiveness to hepatitis B (HB) vaccine in healthy individuals. We have reported already that peripheral mononuclear cells (MNC) isolated from anti-HBs sero-positive subjects after booster injection are able to make anti-HBs in vitro by stimulation with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) plus HBsAg. In contrast, under the same conditions, non-responder (NR) MNC failed to produce anti- HBs in vitro, even after an additional injection, although an amount of immunoglobulin was synthesized corresponding with the responder controls. Coculture experiments carried out with T- cell fractions (T) and non-T-cell fractions (NT) from NR and controls showed: (i) by Week 2 after the last vaccination, NT from NR could hardly be activated to produce anti-HBs; however, by Week 4 significant synthesis of anti-HBs was induced by the stimulation of responder T; (ii) in experiments using responder NT and T from NR, seven out of eight and five out of nine co-cultures were found to make anti-HBs by Weeks 2 and 4, respectively; (iii) T from NR, as well as their culture supernatants, specifically suppressed anti-HBs production of responder MNC, especially by Week 4 after the last vaccination. From these results, it is predicted that the early stage of non-responsiveness in NR is mainly due to a defect of the B-cell repertoire, while that of the late stage is caused by the existence of HBsAg-specific suppressor T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sequenced part of the X boxes of alpha-thalassemia-1 of Southeast Asia type (- -SEA) with -alpha 4.2, -alpha 3.7, -alpha G-Taichung, and alpha CS alpha. We found the X box of -alpha 3.7 belonged to the X box of alpha 2 globin gene and the X box of alpha CS alpha contained X boxes of both alpha 1 and alpha 2 globin gene, whereas the X box of -alpha 4.2 and -alpha G-Taichung was a hybrid of X boxes of alpha 2 and alpha 1 globin gene. We also found there are two types of -alpha 4.2 deletion; type 1 is a common type of -alpha 4.2 deletion and type 2 is linkage to -alpha G-Taichung. We used a combination of two methods, the amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) and the amplified created restriction sites (ACRS), to amplify the hybrids of X boxes specifically. The upstream primer for X box of alpha 2 globin gene was designed following the standard ARMS procedure to amplify the X segment of the alpha-globin gene. The downstream primer was designed according to the ACRS method to check the specificity of PCR products. Using this approach, we can diagnose the different types of -alpha 4.2 deletion. This kind of approach can also be used to amplify the specific region from the cluster of highly homologous genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue vaccine candidates have been shown to improve vaccine safety and efficacy by altering the residues or accessibility of the fusion loop on the virus envelope protein domain II (DII FL ) in an ex vivo animal study. The current study aimed to comprehensively investigate the impact of DII FL mutations on the antigenicity, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) virus-like particles (VLPs) in mice. We found the DII FL G106K/L107D (KD) and W101G/G106K/L107D (GKD) mutations altered the binding activity of JEV VLP to cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies but had no effect on their ability to elicit total IgG antibodies in mice. However, JEV VLPs with KD or GKD mutations induced significantly less neutralizing antibodies against JEV. Only 46% and 31% of the KD and GKD VLPs-immunized mice survived compared to 100% of the wild-type (WT) VLP-immunized mice after a lethal JEV challenge. In passive protection experiments, naïve mice that received sera from WT VLP-immunized mice exhibited a significantly higher survival rate of 46.7% compared to those receiving sera from KD VLP- and GKD VLP-immunized mice (6.7% and 0%, respectively). This study demonstrated that JEV DII FL is crucial for eliciting potently neutralizing antibodies and protective immunity against JEV., Importance: Introduction of mutations into the fusion loop is one potential strategy for generating safe dengue and Zika vaccines by reducing the risk of severe dengue following subsequent infections, and for constructing live-attenuated vaccine candidates against newly emerging Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) or Japanese encephalitis (JE) serocomplex virus. The monoclonal antibody studies indicated the fusion loop of JE serocomplex viruses primarily comprised non-neutralizing epitopes. However, the present study demonstrates that the JEV fusion loop plays a critical role in eliciting protective immunity in mice. Modifications to the fusion loop of JE serocomplex viruses might negatively affect vaccine efficacy compared to dengue and zika serocomplex viruses. Further studies are required to assess the impact of mutant fusion loop encoded by commonly used JEV vaccine strains on vaccine efficacy or safety after subsequent dengue virus infection., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Advanced therapies have improved outcomes and also resulted in a growing risk of long-term adverse health events. This study intends to estimate incidences of adverse health events and examine differences in adverse health events among childhood cancer survivors, and to understand the concerns of mothers after their child has completed cancer treatment. An explanatory sequential mixed-method was used. A total of 201 paediatric cancer survivors' mothers with mean age 43.6 years were recruited. Of the survivors, 12.4% experienced five or more adverse health events. The incidence of adverse health events of altered body image, fatigue and neurocognitive problems were 31.54%, 14.77% and 12.53% respectively. Among survivors, significant differences in adverse health events of pain, endocrine problems and altered body image issues were identified. Survivors receiving radiotherapy, bone marrow transplants or completing treatment after 6-10 years experienced significantly more adverse health events. Maintaining health was the greatest concern for mothers, and the qualitative reports of their concerns could be categorised: living in uncertainty, and keeping forward-looking. Childhood brain tumour survivors were identified as experiencing more adverse health events than other survivors. The need for healthcare teams to consider mothers' health concerns was highlighted., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The T1P1 strain of Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus was recently isolated from paddy-free Liu-Chiu Islet in which natural JE antibody has been prevalent. In mouse neuroblastoma-derived Neuro-2a cells, T1P1 appeared significantly lower in virus productivity than another local isolate, CH1392. It implied that this new isolate possesses a characteristic viral replication pattern other than that of CH1392. T1P1 has also shown lower neurovirulence, which was reflected by a significantly higher LD(50) (2.44 x 10(6) PFU) than CH1392 (2.87 x 10(2) PFU). In comparison of the full-length RNA sequences between T1P1 and CH1392, a total of 7 nucleotides, including 1 in preM/M and 2 each in NS3, NS5, and the 3'-end noncoding region (NCR), appeared different. Of them, only the changes in NS3 (position 325, T for CH1392, A for T1P1; and position 364, G for CH1392 and A for T1P1) resulted in substitutions of deduced amino acids. There were two additional nucleotide changes appearing in the 3'-NCR. The amino acids 109 Phe and 122 Glu in NS3 of CH1392 were substituted by Ile and Lys, respectively, in T1P1. The unique growth properties and low virulence of T1P1 presented in this report were likely related to abnormal enzymatic activity due to mutations of the NS3 gene (especially position 364) and possibly to the mutations in the 3'-NCR. The natural attenuation of T1P1 that has been circulating in paddy-free Liu-Chiu Islet may account for the absence of clinical JE cases in past years., (Copyright 2001 Academic Press.)

Background: Hemophilia, thalassemia and uremia patients are at risk of parenterally transmitted infectious agents. The status and nature of the course of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) infection among these groups and blood donors in Taiwan was investigated., Methods: Serum GBV-C HGV-RNA and antibodies to GBV-C/HGV envelope-2-protein (anti-E2) were determined in 500 blood donors and in 44 hemophilia, 37 thalassemia and 85 uremia patients. Phylogenetic analysis was performed., Results: The prevalence of GBV-C/HGV-RNA and anti-E2, respectively, was 38.6 and 27.3% in hemophilia patients, 27.0 and 27.3% in thalassemia patients, 14.1 and 10.6% in uremia patients and 3.4 and 7.2% in blood donors. The prevalence of GBV-C HGV exposure was 59.1 and 51.4% in hemophilia and thalassemia patients, respectively, which was significantly higher than that for uremia patients (22.4%; P < 0.01) and blood donors (10.2%; P < 0.001). The anti-E2 seroconversion rate was 66.7% in blood donors and 47.4, 36.8 and 34.6% in thalassemia, uremia (P < 0.05 compared with blood donors) and hemophilia (P < 0.01 compared with blood donors) patients, respectively. Discrepancies in the prevalence of GBV-C HGV and hepatitis C virus infection were found among the three risk groups. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 51 of 56 GBV-C HGV isolates clustered in group 3; the remaining five were of group 2a. Twelve of 39 viremic patients in the risk groups cleared the virus during the 4 year follow-up period; seven developed concomitant anti-E2 reactivity., Conclusions: GB virus C hepatitis G virus infection is epidemic among risk groups and GBV-C HGV group 3 is the major strain in Taiwan. In the risk groups, approximately 18% of infections resolve with concomitant anti-E2 seroconversion within 4 years.

This study examined the traumatic-injury characteristics associated with one of the high-risk occupations in the construction industry--drywall installers--through an analysis of the traumatic-injury data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. An additional objective was to demonstrate a feasible and economic approach to identify risk factors associated with a specific occupation by using an existing database. An analysis of nonfatal traumatic injuries with days away from work among wage-and-salary drywall installers was performed for 1992 through 1995 using the Occupational Injury and Illness Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Results from this study indicate that drywall installers are at a high risk of overexertion and falls to a lower level. More than 40% of the injured drywall installers suffered sprains, strains, and/or tears. The most frequently injured body part was the trunk. More than one-third of the trunk injuries occurred while handling solid building materials, mainly drywall. In addition, the database analysis used in this study is valid in identifying overall risk factors for specific occupations.

Alstrom syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disease; less than 60 cases have been reported. No Chinese patient with this disease has been reported previously in the literature. Here, we describe an 11-year-old Chinese boy with this condition. His elder sister also had Alstrom syndrome, and his father had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Both siblings had degenerative retinopathy, obesity, mental retardation, perceptive hearing loss, short stature, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, nephropathy, hyperlipidemia, acanthosis nigricans, and hepatic dysfunction. The boy also developed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which was confirmed by cytochemistry and immunophenotyping findings. He received chemotherapy and radiotherapy for the malignancy. The present case suggests that acute lymphoblastic leukemia may be coincident with or may be a previously undescribed systemic manifestation of Alstrom syndrome.

A nation-wide chemotherapeutic trial for childhood non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was conducted by the Taiwan Pediatric Oncology Group (TPOG). Four TPOG-NHL92 protocols based on stage and histology were activated in 1992: TPOG-92LD (treatment duration: 8 months) was used for localized (stages I/II) NHL with any histology, 92LB (2 years), 92SNC (5 months), and 92LC (1 year) for advanced (stages III/IV) lymphoblastic (LB), small non-cleaved cell (SNC), and large cell (LC) lymphoma, respectively. From January 1992 through June 1998, 200 children with newly diagnosed NHL from 13 member hospitals of TPOG were enrolled. There were 140 boys and 60 girls. Their ages at diagnosis ranged from 2.4 months to 18.3 years with a median of 8.2 years. There were 54 (27.3%) patients with LB, 94 (47.5%) with SNC including B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), and 50 (25.2%) with LC. Stages I, II, III, and IV (including B-ALL) of the disease comprised 5%, 10%, 43%, and 42% of cases, respectively. There were 176 patients eligible for evaluation of treatment results. The remission rate of induction was 82.4%, induction failed in 22 (12.5%) patients, and nine patients died during induction. As of August 31, 1999, 26 patients relapsed, six died during remission, one patient developed secondary acute myelomonocytic leukemia, and 105 patients remained in continuous remission with a median remission duration of 49 months. The event-free survival (EFS) at 7 years was 63.5%, 61.5% and 65% for LB, SNC, and LC groups (P = 0.8298). The 7-year EFS for stages I/II, III, and IV of the disease was 73%, 68.9%, and 50.3% (P = 0.0212), respectively. We concluded that following the strategy of stratification of therapy, only disease stages had prognostic significance in this study. More efforts are needed to improve our treatment results.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) refers to the production of blood cells outside the bone marrow and is a compensatory mechanism for bone marrow dysfunction. A 34 year-old female patient with beta thalassemia major was found to have multiple large, well-circumscribed radiopaque paravertibral mass lesions in chest radiography. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the thorax disclosed a right upper apical and two lower thoracic paraspinal mass lesions with heterogeneous isointensity on T1-weighted images and hypointensity on T2-weighted images. Because intrathoracic EMH is suspected in our case, which had obvious bone marrow dysfunction, radionuclide bone marrow scintigraphy is helpful in supporting the diagnosis. Tc99m sulfur colloid scintigraphy demonstrated three intense radioactive thoracic paraspinal mass lesions corresponding to the lesions seen on MRI. We believe whole body bone marrow scintigraphy with Tc99m sulfur colloid is the best convenient noninvasive method for supporting the diagnosis of EMH.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness characterized by multiple clinical and biochemical features of inflammation and the most common complications of coronary artery abnormality (CAA). Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute-phase protein whose phenotype is known to be involved in coronary artery diseases. In this paper, we report the investigation of the association of Hp phenotype with the formation of CAA in KD., Patients and Methods: Forty-seven consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed KD were admitted. Sera were taken before therapy of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) plus aspirin, and levels of serum proteins were measured by a rate immunonephelometer. The echocardiographic criteria for coronary artery abnormality were evaluated during acute or subacute stages. Hp phenotyping was performed by Western immunoblotting., Results: Duration of fever at diagnosis of KD was significantly different between patients with Hp 2-2 (6.4 +/- 1.2 days, n = 25) and with Hp1 allele (Hp 2-1 plus Hp 1-1; 8.8 +/- 3.5 days, n = 22). In contrast, serum levels of Hp between KD patients with Hp2-2 and with Hp1 allele (297 +/- 121 mg dL-1 vs. 330 +/- 101 mg dL-1, respectively) was not significantly different. On the other hand, no patients with Hp 2-2 (0/25) were recognized as having KD in subacute stage. However, 5 out of 20 patients with Hp 2-1 were recognized in subacute stage, and their incidence of CAA was 80.0% (4/5)., Conclusions: Patients with Hp 2-1 have patterns of delayed or incomplete presentation of clinical symptoms. Therefore, the late diagnosis of KD is associated with haptoglobin phenotype.

Thrombocytosis in children is common, but usually without symptoms. The causes of thrombocytosis in children are considered to be mostly due to infection, trauma, surgery, blood disease, prematurity, renal disease and chronic inflammation. To evaluate the incidence and etiology of thrombocytosis of the hospitalized patients, patients who were admitted to the Pediatric Department of Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital (KMCH) from October 1996 to November 1997 were studied. There were 2910 cases studied and 220 cases (127 male and 93 female) had thrombocytosis (> or = 500 x 10(9)/L) with a rate of 7.6%. The causes of thrombocytosis are infections (49.5%), Kawasaki disease (6.4%), postsplenectomy (7.8%), blood diseases (3.7%), malignancies (3.2%), renal disorders (3.2%), prematurity (3.2%), tissue damage (4.5%), chronic inflammation (1.8%), recovery from marrow suppression (1.3%), immunologic disturbances (2.2%), essential thrombocythemia (0.5%), and miscellaneous factors (3.7%). Thrombocytosis associated with multiple, simultaneous causative factors was found in 9.0% of these cases. Thrombocytosis secondary to infectious diseases or Kawasaki disease was significantly more common in children under 2 years old. The most commonly associated infectious disease was respiratory tract infection (61.1%). There were 29 children (13.2%) presenting a platelet count of more than 800,000/mm3. However, no thrombotic complications were seen in any of the children. By far, the major cause of thrombocytosis in our cases was reactive in character. Most of the thrombocytosis cases were due to infections, inflammatory diseases, or Kawasaki disease.

This study examined biomechanical stressor variables (physical work exposures) in relation to job title, gender, and back-belt status in 134 retail store workers. The principal concerns were to quantitatively describe physical work exposures and to determine the degrees to which these quantitative variables correlated with job title and with the use of back belts. An additional objective was to assess the inter-rater reliability of the observation method. The systematic observation method employed was based on a modification of the PATH (Postures, Activities, Tools, and Handling) measurement method. Chi-square analysis indicated that the frequencies of bent or twisted postures followed the pattern of unloaders > stockers > department managers. For weight handled per lift, lower, or carry, the pattern was unloaders > department managers > stockers. The mean lifting frequencies per hour were 35.9 for department managers, 48.8 for stockers, and 137.4 for unloaders. Back-belt-wearing percentages were higher for unloaders (63%) compared with stockers (48%) and department managers (25%). Back-belt-wearing workers had higher levels of biomechanical stressor variables, including arm position, twisting, weight handled, and number of lifts per hour. Kappa statistics ranged from 0.5 to 0.63, a level of adequate or good reliability beyond chance. The method employed in this study is applicable in studies that require only fairly crude distinctions among biomechanical stressor variables. Nevertheless, this level of distinction may be sufficient when implementing intervention studies and control strategies for many material-handling-intensive jobs.