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We performed the modified-embedded-atom-method (MEAM) based molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the plastic deformation and phase transformation behaviors in the CoCrFeMnNi HEA under high compression at room temperature. Our MD simulations revealed that the stress-induced phase transformations in the CoCrFeMnNi HEA are strongly crystal orientation-dependent. The [0 0 1] uniaxial compression can induce the significant face-centered-cubic (fcc) -to-hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) phase transformation via successive emissions of partial dislocations from the extended stacking faults, twin boundaries and hcp-lamellas created during the early stage of deformation. As for the [1 1 0] and [1 1 1] uniaxial compressions, however, the transformed hcp atoms can simply form the intrinsic/extrinsic stacking faults. Although the [0 0 1] uniaxial compression produced a much lower dislocation density than the other two systems, it induced much more constituents transformed into the hcp atoms at the end of phase transformation. Our results clearly indicated that the deformation twin boundaries and extended hcp-lamellas play a critical role in facilitating the stress-induced fcc-to-hcp phase transformation in the CoCrFeMnNi HEA. Furthermore, it was found that the phase transformation in the CoCrFeMnNi HEA can be effectively facilitated by a large deviatoric compressive stress while it may tend to be significantly retarded by a hydrostatic compression. Our results also showed that the plastic deformation behaviors in Ni under high compression are very similar to those occurred in the CoCrFeMnNi HEA though nearly all the hcp atoms can simply constitute the intrinsic/extrinsic stacking faults without the formation of any bulk hcp phase in the fcc lattice. The main discrepancy in the phase transformation behaviors between the Ni and CoCrFeMnNi HEA can be largely attributed to the much lower stacking fault energy of the CoCrFeMnNi HEA than other fcc metals.

The superior mechanical properties of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have made an outstanding success in materials science and engineering. Studies to date have been devoted to what the severe lattice distortion induces. However, most researchers focus on its stimulation to plastic deformation instead of scrutinizing the variations on elasticity. Compared with conventional alloys, HEAs may perform disproportionate elasticity with uneven local lattice strain resulting from the severe lattice distortion. Therefore, it is necessary to survey its influence on the mechanical properties of HEAs systematically. In this study, the Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential, the embedded atom method (EAM) potential, and the modified embedded atom method (MEAM), are respectively conducted to investigate the lattice distortion effect on Young’s modulus E (hkl) and Poisson’s ratio ν (hkl, θ) along [100], [110], and [111] loading directions for several fcc metals composed of 1 ∼ 5 atomic types, including Ni, Ni98W2, Ni96W4, FeCrNi, and CoNiCrFeMn HEAs. Also, a method is used to analyze the performance of the individual element on the elastic properties in the HEA environment. As a result, it can be unveiled that the effect of electron density inconsistency is more dominant than the effect of lattice distortion associated with the atomic size difference. The electronic configuration in the HEA environment plays a major role in elastic anisotropy while the difference of the atomic radii does the minor one. The anisotropy of CoNiCrFeMn HEA analyzed by this work is also consistent with in-situ neutron diffraction measurements.

Summary: A 34-year-old para 2 + 0 Indonesian woman presented with persistent right-sided gestational gigantomastia some 24 months following delivery. This was severely debilitating her activities of daily living, including caring for her children. On examination, she was found to have extreme hypertrophy of her right breast, which was nodular throughout on palpation. Biochemical investigations were unremarkable and revealed no obvious etiology. Magnetic resonance imaging identified grossly enlarged right breast tissue with prominent vessels. Given the minimal involution of her breast over the 24 months postpartum, she elected for a breast reduction with free nipple grafting following appropriate counseling. This was performed through excision of breast parenchyma preserving superior-medial tissue, followed by a free nipple graft.

In this study, we propose an effective strategy to prepare an effectiveness and stable of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active substrate by using dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) with top-down wet chemical etching. This method was made by DPN to pattern arrays, 16-mercaplohexadecaoic acid (MHA) on Au/Cr/Si substrates and then ferri/ferrocyanide etching was adopted to remove the exposed gold. It was found that a nanostructure with Ø 300 nm gold dots and the distance between dot and dot is 400 nm can be obtained on the surface of substrates after etching. These nanostructure gold dots can enhance local electromagnetic resulting in increasing Raman signal. This process supply effectiveness and stable of SERS-active substrate which can be used as biomedical applications, such as protein chip, and microorganisms' discrimination chip.

Background The exact anatomical cause of the tear trough remains undefined. This study was performed to identify the anatomical basis for the tear trough deformity. Methods Forty-eight cadaveric hemifaces were dissected. With the skin over the midcheek intact, the tear trough area was approached through the preseptal space above and prezygomatic space below. The origins of the palpebral and orbital parts of the orbicularis oculi (which sandwich the ligament) were released meticulously from the maxilla, and the tear trough ligament was isolated intact and in continuity with the orbicularis retaining ligament. The ligaments were submitted for histologic analysis. Results A true osteocutaneous ligament called the tear trough ligament was consistently found on the maxilla, between the palpebral and orbital parts of the orbicularis oculi, cephalad and caudal to the ligament, respectively. It commences medially, at the level of the insertion of the medial canthal tendon, just inferior to the anterior lacrimal crest, to approximately the medial-pupil line, where it continues laterally as the bilayered orbicularis retaining ligament. Histologic evaluation confirmed the ligamentous nature of the tear trough ligament, with features identical to those of the zygomatic ligament. Conclusions This study clearly demonstrated that the prominence of the tear trough has its anatomical origin in the tear trough ligament. This ligament has not been isolated previously using standard dissection, but using the approach described, the tear trough ligament is clearly seen. The description of this ligament sheds new light on considerations when designing procedures to address the tear trough and the midcheek.

This paper considers the problem of searching for a vector of multipliers in a two-term third-order multiple recursive generator (3MRG) with the objective of maximizing the spectral test performance. On computers with double precision floating point, the maximum spectral value can serve as an initial threshold one. The spectral value found by this paper is superior to the best spectral value previously published for the full period 3MRG.

This paper considers the problem of reducing the number of possible vectors of multipliers in a multiple recursive generator (MRG). We construct an associated MRG that satisfies a linear relationship between original and associated ones. It is shown that these two generators are equal in both periodicity and spectral value, thereby reducing the number of possible vectors of multipliers.

This paper considers the problem of searching for the maximum spectral value in a full period two-term kth-order multiple recursive generator with the unrestricted multipliers. The maximum spectral value with the double precision floating-point restricted multipliers can serve as an initial threshold spectral value. Based on equivalence properties of full period and spectral test, a backward heuristic algorithm with the threshold spectral value for efficiently calculating spectral value and checking full period is presented and is suitable for the parallel computations.

In this study, two kinds of hydroxyethyl methacrylate–polyurethane (HEMA–PU) were used as volume shrinkage modifiers, and several hydroxyethyl methacrylate–polyurethane modified unsaturated polyester (HEMA–PU/St./UP) resins crosslinked with styrene were synthesized and characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and in terms of their mechanical properties, including their tensile strengths and Izod impact energies. The properties of the HEMA–PU–modified St./UP and St./UP were compared for potential applications as matrices for glass fiber-, aramid fiber-, and UHMWPE fiber-reinforced composites. The effects of the HEMA–PU content and the type of polyol in the HEMA–PU resin matrices of the composites were investigated through testing of their mechanical properties, bulletproof testing, and observations of their morphologies.

In this study, nanoscale organic rigid-rod compounds were utilized as self-reinforcing composites to enhance the physical properties of an epoxy resin diglycidylether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). First, DGEBA was used to react with an aromatic diisocyanate of methylene diphenyl isocyanate (MDI) to form an urethane linkage. Next, four different organic rigid-rod compounds including 4′-hydroxyphenyl-4-hydroxybenzoate, phenyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol, and 2-naphthol were incorporated to react individually with the remaining isocyanate groups of the MDI units after the previous step. Finally, the four different rigid-rod-modified DGEBA systems were examined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electric microscopy, and mechanical property analyses. Each of the four rigid-rod-reinforced DGEBA systems exhibited greatly improved mechanical properties, e.g., higher tensile strengths and fracture energies. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1281–1288, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers

Kinetic studies of the catalyzed urethane reactions between isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and alcohols and of the urea reactions between an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer [IPDI–PPG2000–IPDI, where PPG2000 is poly(propylene glycol) with a number-average molecular weight of 2000 g/mol] and water in the bulk state were performed with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Dibutyltin dilaurate was used as the catalyst for the urethane reaction, and various tertiary amines were used as catalysts for the urea reactions. The reactions were followed through the monitoring of the change in the intensity of the absorbance band for NCO stretching at 2270 cm−1 in the FTIR spectra; the activation parameters were determined through the evaluation of the kinetic data obtained at various temperatures (within the range of 30–60°C). The kinetic data indicated that the catalyzed isocyanate/alcohol and isocyanate/water reactions both followed second-order kinetics during their initial stages but later followed third-order kinetics resulting from the autocatalytic effects of hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl groups and the newly formed urethane and urea groups. Furthermore, activation energies of 64.88 and about 80 kJ/mol for the isocyanate/alcohol and isocyanate/water reactions, respectively, indicated that the urea-forming reactions were more sensitive to the reaction temperature than the urethane-forming reactions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008

Two surface modification methods—plasma surface treatment and chemical agent treatment—were used to investigate their effects on the surface properties of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. In the analyses, performed using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, changes in weight, and scanning electron microscope observations, demonstrated that the two fiber-surface-modified composites formed between UHMWPE fiber and epoxy matrix exhibited improved interfacial adhesion and slight improvements in tensile strengths, but notable decreases in elongation, relative to those properties of the composites reinforced with the untreated UHMWPE fibers. In addition, three kinds of epoxy resins—neat DGEBA, polyurethane-crosslinked DGEBA, and BHHBP-DGEBA—were used as resin matrices to examine the tensile and elongation properties of their UHMWPE fiber-reinforced composites. From stress/strain measurements and scanning electron microscope observations, the resin matrix improved the tensile strength apparently, but did not affect the elongation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 655–665, 2007

A novel epoxy containing rigid rods in the side chain (SR-epoxy) was synthesized by bulk polymerization. The SR-epoxy resins were characterized by Fourier transform infrared. The cured SR-epoxies showed excellent mechanical properties and high thermal stabilities. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the cured SR-epoxy illustrated a fiber-like morphology. The thermal properties, dynamic mechanical properties, compatibility, and morphology of the SR-epoxies were extensively investigated in the study. SEM photographs showed that there were some fiber-like structures in the system of the SR-epoxy containing the rigid-rod group 4,4′-bis(6-hydroxyhexoxy) biphenyl, which formed a self-reinforcing composite. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 4030–4036, 2006

The rapid growth in printed circuit board production has led to the growing importance of microdrilling. Owing to the trend for high-density circuits on printed circuit boards, the diameter of a microdrill has to be much finer than ever before. The inspection for microdrills becomes more difficult and the detection of defects is harder. An automated visual inspection scheme for detecting the major defects of microdrills is proposed. The colour images of microdrills are first derived, and the boundary of the lip relief plane is extracted. A robust K-curvature corner detection algorithm is then used to detect the corners on the blade boundaries and to split boundaries into segments. The least-squares linear regression method is used to fit the segments into linear equations. With the fitted equations, the intersections on the boundaries of two facets are located and their distances (gap or overlap) are measured. In addition, the defects of taper and flare are identified by comparing the angle measurements w...

Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were prepared from polyurethane (PU)-modified epoxy with different molecular weight of polyol and polyurethanes based on the mixture of polydiol and polytriol by a one-shot method. Two types of PU-modified epoxy: PU-crosslinked epoxy and PU-dangled epoxy were synthesized, and the effects of the different molecular weights of polyol in the PU-modified epoxy/PU IPNs on the dynamic mechanical properties, morphology, and damping behavior were investigated. The results show that the damping ability is enhanced through the introduction of PU-modified epoxy into the PU matrix to form the IPN structure. As the molecular weight of polyol in PU-modified epoxy increases, the loss area (LA) of the two types of the IPNs increases. PU-dangled epoxy/PU IPNs exhibit much higher damping property than that of the PU-crosslinked epoxy/PU IPNs with 20 wt % of PU-crosslinked epoxy. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 328–335, 1999

Bradykinin (BK, Arg-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe-Ser-Pro-Phe-Arg) antagonists are potentially useful for treating inflammation, pain and severe trauma. To identify what chemical features might promote effective antagonism, we replaced Arg1 and Pro7 with structurally constrained and proteolytic-resistant residues, such as Bip (biphenylalanine), Dip (diphenylalanine) or 2Ind (indane amino acid). To determine which BK folding might lead to favourable interactions with receptors, the effects of cyclo(3,8) vs. cyclo(5,8) analogues were compared. The resulting BK analogues were examined for their agonistic and antagonistic activities in guinea pig ileum, rat uterus and depressor assays. The results suggest that co-planarity of the residue-7 side chain with its backbone NH is important for potent agonism as well as antagonism, and a d-directed side chain is crucial for antagonism. For residue-1 an l-orientation is important, and Dip1 may mimic a folded Arg1 side chain to elicit agonistic activities, with Bip1 mimicking an extended Arg1 side chain to elicit inhibitory activities. However, ileal and uterine receptors appear to prefer differently folded BK. For ileum, a BK conformation in which residues-3 and -8 are proximal to each other, but apart from residue-5, led to improved pA2.

Summary Background The group 7 mite allergens react with IgE in 50% of sera from allergic patients. Objective To determine the molecular and antigenic characteristics and heterogeneity of Der f 7 in mite extracts. Methods Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) produced from mice immunized with recombinant Der f 7 were examined for crossreactivity to Der p 7 and then used for immunoblotting of 1 and 2-D gel electrophoresis. Deglycosylation was studied with N-glycosidase-F and N-terminal sequencing by Edman degradation. The epitopes of the monoclonal antibodies were compared by cross-inhibitory immunoassays. Results Immunoblotting of D. farinae extracts with all the anti Der f 7 MoAbs showed major reactivities at 31, 30 and 25 kDa. The strongest immunostaining was at 25 kDa which contrasted with Der p 7 where the 31 and 30 kDa bands were strongest. The relative strength of staining however varied between extracts. The 31 and 30 kDa components were glycosylation products of the 25 kDa form which had the N-terminal sequence predicted from cDNA analysis. Two MoAbs stained an 18 kDa band consistent with a degradation product. The 2-D gels showed that different components with pls from 5.6–6.4. Both species-specific and Der p 7 crossreactive MoAbs were produced and a two-site ELISA assay for detecting group 7 allergen was developed with MoAbs recognizing different epitopes. Conclusions Der f 7 has been defined by its natural N-terminal sequence and MoAbs. It apparently exists as different glycosylation and degradation products in mite extracts, the relative abundance of which differs with different preparations. A two-site ELISA to measure the allergen was developed.

Summary Background The underlying mechanisms of elevated IgE level in atopic patients are still obscure, however, extensive efforts have been tried to identify an immunological parameter as a predictor of atopy. Objective This study compared the difference in cytokine production by cord blood mononuclear cells between new borns with high-risk of allergy (family allergy score, FAS ± 3) and those with low-risk (FAS = 0). Methods Following stimulation with PHA(100 μg/mL) and PMA (1 ng/mL), the cytokines produced by cord blood CD4+ T cells in the presence of monocytes were measured by ELISA kits and the mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. Results Our results showed: CD4+ T cells in the presence of monocytes and isolated monocytes from the high-risk group produced a much greater amount of IL-6, either spontaneously or after stimulation, than did those of the low-risk group; CD4+ T cells of low-risk group produced a significantly greater amount of interferon gamma (IFNγ) than did those from the high-risk group; IL-4 cannot be detected by ELISA kit, and only a trace amount of IL-4 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR technique; cord blood basophils stimulated with PHA and PMA could produce a significant amount of IL-4; there was an inverse correlation between the production of IFNγ and cord blood IgE level (high-risk group, r - 0.647, n = 17) and the number of natural killer (NK) cells (CD3− CD16+ CD56+) was signiticantly lower in high-risk group than for low-risk group. Conclusion Our data suggested increased production of IL-6 and decreased production of IFNγ of cord blood mononuclear cells appear to be the hallmark of newborns from the high-risk population.

Summary Background The recently characterized group 7 house dust mite allergens give positive skin-test reactions in 53% of allergie patients. Objective This study was performed to compare the IgE bindinig activity of natural and recombinant Der p 7, to measure the binding in allergic sera in comparison to major allergen Der p 2 and characterize the response by competitive inhibition with monoclonal antibodies. Methods IgE anti Der p 2 and Der p 7 antibodies against the recombinant allergens and monoclonal binding activities were measured by a solid phase radioimmune assay. Reslts A competitive binding assay showed that rDer p 7 inhibited 91% of IgE-binding to natural Der p 7 in 2 sera and 73% in a further two. The IgE binding of rDer p 2 and Der p 7 from 41 sera was then compared. Of the sera 88% and 46% respectively showed positive binding. All of the 19 sera which bound Der p 7 also bound Der p 2 but 11 (58%) had bound IgE to Der p 7 as high or higher than the binding to Der p 2. These sera were mostly high responders to both allergens. A panel of six monoclonal antibodies produced against either rDer p 7 or rDer f 7 was used for epitope analysis. All of these reaeted with eaeh allergen by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting. Two patterns of cross inhibition of monoclonal antibody binding were observed and of five monoclonal antibodies tested, lour could inhibit the binding of IgE (WH9, WH22. WPS and HD19) while one (WH14) could not. Conclusions Although Der p 7 only reacts with 50% of allergic sera it often has a high IgE binding activity and may be more important than the major Der p 2 allergen in a high percentage of subjects. The combined competitive inhibition experiments show the IgE response is directed at several specilieities.

An open clinical trial of thymopentin was conducted on 16 children with severe atopic dermatitis. The patients were treated with injections three times a week of 50 mg thymopentin for six weeks. They were then divided randomly into two groups: group A continued thymopentin for an additional six weeks, and group B were treated with normal saline. Clinical parameters and immunological function were evaluated serially. The total severity score started to decline from baseline significantly three weeks after treatment, and continued throughout the study period in group A but began to flare up in group B two weeks after stopping thymopentin. All the eight patients in group A completed the trial but three out of eight in group B dropped out because of flaring up of skin lesion. In vitro production of interleukin-4 tended to decrease and that of interferon gamma tended to increase, but total serum IgE, in vitro IgE synthesis, and abnormally low CD8+ CD11b+ suppressor T cells remained unchanged. Histamine releasing factor (HRF), plasma histamine, and respiratory burst activities of polymorphonuclear leucocytes were appreciably decreased after thymopentin treatment. It is concluded that the clinical efficacy of short term thymopentin treatment very possibly results from the decreased production of HRF and decreased release of polymorphonuclear leucocyte derived inflammatory mediators and may have no relation with antigen-IgE immune reaction.

The authors are indebted to the collaborators in the participating centres and all parents, children, teachers and other school staff who participated in the surveys. There are many field workers and funding agencies who supported data collection and national, regional and international meetings, including the meetings of the ISAAC Steering Committee. Unfortunately, these are too numerous to mention (they are acknowledged elsewhere) but the authors particularly wish to thank the funders who supported the ISAAC International Data Centre including the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand, the National Child Health Research Foundation, the Hawke’s Bay Medical Research Foundation, the Waikato Medical Research Foundation, Glaxo Wellcome New Zealand and Astra New Zealand, as well as Glaxo Wellcome International Medical Affairs for finding the regional coordinating centres. The International Data Centre is now supported by a grant from the BUPA Foundation., The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase One showed large worldwide variations in the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema, up to 10 to 20 fold between countries. Ecological analyses were undertaken with ISAAC Phase One data to explore factors that may have contributed to these variations, and are summarised and reviewed here. In ISAAC Phase One the prevalence of symptoms in the past 12 months of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema were estimated from studies in 463,801 children aged 13 - 14 years in 155 centres in 56 countries, and in 257,800 children aged 6-7 years in 91 centres in 38 countries. Ecological analyses were undertaken between symptom prevalence and the following: Gross National Product per capita (GNP), food intake, immunisation rates, tuberculosis notifications, climatic factors, tobacco consumption, pollen, antibiotic sales, paracetamol sales, and outdoor air pollution. Symptom prevalence of all three conditions was positively associated with GNP, trans fatty acids, paracetamol, and women smoking, and inversely associated with food of plant origin, pollen, immunisations, tuberculosis notifications, air pollution, and men smoking. The magnitude of these associations was small, but consistent in direction between conditions. There were mixed associations of climate and antibiotic sales with symptom prevalence. The potential causality of these associations warrant further investigation. Factors which prevent the development of these conditions, or where there is an absence of a positive correlation at a population level may be as important from the policy viewpoint as a focus on the positive risk factors. Interventions based on small associations may have the potential for a large public health benefit., peer-reviewed

Data gathered from mothers on parenting and family climate when almost 1,000 children in the Dunedin, New Zealand, longitudinal study were 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, and 15 years of age were used to predict intergenerational relations between young adult children (age 26) and their middle-aged parents. Analyses focused on distinct developmental epochs revealed greater prediction from the middle-childhood and early-adolescent periods than from the early-childhood years: most indicated that more supportive family environments and child-rearing experiences in the family of origin forecasted more positive and less negative parent-child relationships (in terms of contact, closeness, conflict, reciprocal assistance) in young adulthood, though associations were modest in magnitude. Some evidence indicated that (modestly) deleterious effects on intergenerational relations of experiencing relatively unsupportive child-rearing environments in 1 but not 2 (of 3) developmental periods studied could be offset by relatively supportive family environments in the remaining developmental periods.

The cause of allergy is multi-factorial, and the development of an allergic disease seems to be the result of an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. The goal for preventing the development of allergic diseases is to avoid sensitization to allergens. The aim of this work was to study whether or not exposure to environmental allergens early in infancy would influence the occurence of various allergic diseases in later life. On an annual basis, a total of 931 healthy newborns were followed-up until they reached 3 years of age. The occurence of allergic diseases was recorded by trained medical students during visits. Measurement of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p 1) concentration in house dust was performed when each baby was 18 and 36 months old. Total and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies against Der p 1, cow's milk, and egg white were evaluated at birth and at 18 months of age. The following results were obtained: at 3 years of age, 10.4% had bronchial asthma (BA), 21.4% atopic dermatitis (AD), 7.0% urticaria, and 46.8% had experienced wheezing; higher family allergy scores led to a higher incidence of AD (p=0.0012); exposure to a mite allergen concentration of 1 microg/g of dust may be associated with a higher incidence of AD (p=0.0156); the presence of Der p 1 IgE antibody at 18 months of age was associated with a higher incidence of BA (p=0.0001); and children sensitized to egg whites at 18 months of age had an increased risk of developing AD at 3 years of age (p=0.0187). Hence, early exposure to mite allergen is a risk factor for the development of atopic dermatitis, but seems not to be related to the development of bronchial asthma. Early sensitization to egg whites increases the risk of developing AD. The early detection of serum Der p 1 IgE antibody is associated with a higher incidence of bronchial asthma.

House dust mite (HDM) Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is the most important source of indoor allergens that cause allergic diseases in Taiwan. We prepared purified HDM allergens (Der p 1, Der p 2 and Der p 5) to detect allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E responsiveness among a large number of test subjects. The robust genetic typing system for HLA class II genes also facilitated the study on association of HLA and allergic response toward HDM.This study intended to investigate the association between HLA class II alleles and the IgE responsiveness to the major allergens from HDM, D. pteronyssinus.Two hundred and forty-eight subjects were selected for HLA association study. Plasma HDM allergen (Der p 1, Der p 2, Der p 5) -specific IgE and Der p 2-specific IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA, while HLA class II -DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPB1 genetic polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction/sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization (PCR/SSOPH). Statistical comparison of the allelic distribution of each HLA class II genes among the individuals with/without HDM allergen-specific IgE and IgG antibodies were performed.There was no significant association between HLA DRB1, DQB1, DQA1 alleles and HDM-specific IgE responsiveness noted. Only DRB1*0803 and the linked DQA1*0103 alleles showed positive association with Der p 5-specific IgE responsiveness. However, we found that HLA-DPB1*1301 predisposed subjects to IgE responsiveness to HDM Der p 5. HLA DPB1*0501 was weakly associated with the IgE responsiveness to HDM Der p 1 and Der p 5. There was a strong negative association between the HLA-DPB1*0201 allele with IgE responsiveness to Der p 1 (OR: 0.30, P/= 0.0001, P/= 0.0007, Pc/= 0.010).We clearly observed the association between HLA DPB1 alleles and specific IgE responsiveness to HDM major allergens. The molecular mechanism of HLA-DPB1*0201 involvement in protecting subjects from HDM-specific IgE responsiveness awaits further investigation.

House dust mite allergens from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is an important cause of severe allergic asthma and rhinitis in many countries. Although several low to medium molecular weight allergens had been well characterized, limited studies on the high molecular weight IgE-binding components were reported. In this study, a 94 kD high molecular weight allergen from crude mite body extract of D. pteronyssinus was purified and characterized. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) affinity chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography were used to purify 94 kD allergen. Its antigenicity and allergenicity were confirmed by in vitro and in vivo studies. Two mAbs 2205-3.45 and 2220-7.25 specific to 94 kD high molecular weight component of D. pteronyssinus were generated. The epitopes recognized by these mAbs were species-specific. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of IgE reactivity in the sera from 40 asthmatic children allergic to D. pteronyssinus showed that 37.5% of them had significantly higher optical density values (range 0.011 to 0.452) than normal (range 0.013 to 0.035). In in vivo skin test showed that 9 out of 20 (45%) asthmatic children were positive to 94 kD allergen. The results demonstrate that 94 kD high molecular weight component is an important allergen existing in house dust mite in Taiwan.

We report a 12-year-old girl with hyperimmunoglobulin E (HIE) syndrome who presented with genu vulgus of left knee, joint deformities involving both hands, and frequent fractures. She had had chronic eczema and recurrent skin and soft tissue infections since infancy, and was found to have a pneumatocele during admission. Immunologic abnormalities included extremely elevated serum IgE levels (18989 IU/ml) and cutaneous anergy to candida, purified protein derivative, and tetanus toxoid. The results of polymorphonuclear leukocyte function tests including the nitroblue tetrazolium test and chemotaxis were normal. A high index of suspicion for HIE syndrome should be given in patients with recurrent skin infections and orthopedic complaints. The physician should anticipate orthopedic problems in caring for patients with HIE syndrome, and optimal antibiotics prophylaxis should be used.

We report the simultaneous development of fulminant hepatic failure, thrombocytopenia and erythroid hypoplasia in a child treated with sulphasalazine. A 12-year-old girl with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis developed fulminant hepatic failure, thrombocytopenia and erythroid hypoplasia, which was confirmed by liver histology and bone marrow examination, 2 weeks after initiation of sulphasalazine therapy. The patient recovered after administration of high doses of intravenous immunoglobulin. this is the first reported case of the concurrent development of these complications associated with sulphasalazine hypersensitivity. The use of intravenous immunoglobulin may have helped in the treatment of this rare adverse effect of sulphasalazine.

The aim of this study was to further investigate the cytokine profile and the level of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) and IgG4 in asthmatic children of different disease activity. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from seventy asthmatic children who had been newly diagnosed (N = 21), had good (N = 20) or poor response (N = 12) to immunotherapy or during acute attack (N = 17) and from twenty normal children. Cytokines produced by both PHA and mite allergen stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were assayed. Resulting data suggested: 1) the level of IgE anti-house dust mite (HDM) antibody was higher in asthmatic children with poor response to immunotherapy; in contrast, among the five groups the level of IgG4 anti-HDM antibody was the highest in asthmatic children with good response to immunotherapy among the five groups; 2) the level of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) produced by mite-stimulated PBMCs was the highest in asthmatic children with good response to immunotherapy among the five groups; in contrast, the level of interleukin-4 (IL-4) was the highest in the group of newly diagnosed asthmatic children; 3) the level of IL-13 was higher in asthmatic children with poor response to immunotherapy compared to those of the other groups; 4) a higher level of IL-10 and lower level of IL-12 were noted in groups of both good and poor response to immunotherapy compared to those of other groups. Although more studies are needed, the change of cytokines in asthmatic children with different disease activity or response to immunotherapy might shed light on further understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of atopic diseases.

The clinical and laboratory features of 72 children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) were examined to determine if there were associations between the laboratory indices--including white blood cell (WBC) counts, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, platelet (PLT) counts--and the clinical manifestations of acute HSP. Marked leukocytosis (WBC15,000/mm3), elevation of serum CRP levels (10 mg/L) and thrombocytosis (PLT400 x 10(3)/mm3) were associated with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, but not associated with abdominal pain in the absence of GI bleeding. None of the three parameters was associated with arthritis and nephritis. Elevated serum CRP levels alone was associated with prolonged hospital course, and may serve as an indicator of disease severity in patients with HSP. GI bleeding did not occur in patients with normal WBC counts, serum CRP levels, PLT counts (0/19), but occurred in 21.7% (5/23), 50% (8/16), and 85.7% (12/14) in patients with only one, two of the three and all three laboratory abnormalities, respectively. Patients with GI bleeding had higher mean WBC, PLT counts and serum CRP levels than those with abdominal pain in the absence of GI bleeding, and than those without abdominal pain. Routine measurement of these parameters is warranted to monitor children with acute HSP.

A 2-year-old boy presented with chronic wheezes and was refractory to medical treatment. A high carina with bilateral bronchial stenosis was erroneously diagnosed by bronchoscopic examination. Serial direct coronal computed tomographic scans showed a displaced right upper lobe tracheal bronchus associated with tracheal stenosis below the abnormal bronchus. A direct coronal computed tomographic scan of the tracheobronchial tree is a useful imaging technique for the delineation of airway configuration when the bronchoscope fails to pass beyond a stenotic region. A coronal computed tomographic scan may make invasive tracheobronchography unnecessary.

The current study investigated the effects of vary epoxides on linking capacity of collagen to carboxyl-group-enriched polyurethane (PU) and the consequent effects on the growth of endothelial cells. Epoxides of EX-810, 1,4BDE, DER732, DER331, and DER332 were initially reacted with the carboxyl groups of PU substrates at 110 degrees C for 20 h. Free epoxy rings of epoxide-PU substrates, characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and quantified by titration with HCl and NaOH, were available for collagen grafting. The amounts of collagen grafted were in accordance with the amounts of free epoxy rings detected and correlated with the growth of endothelial cells on the substrates. Our results indicated that epoxides with shorter aliphatic intermediate chain can graft more collagen to the epoxide-PU substrates than epoxides with longer intermediate chain or with aromatic groups. Epoxides were also demonstrated to be nontoxic linking agents for biomaterials.

Osteocalcin is mainly secreted by osteoblasts, and then diffuses into blood which can be detected by several experimental methods. This study determined the osteocalcin level by solid phase fluorescent immunosorbent assay (Pharmacia CAP; Sweden), a well-established and accurate laboratory method for determining the minor concentration of substances in blood. A total of 332 healthy children were enrolled in the study, including 176 boys and 156 girls ranging in age from one to fifteen years. It was concluded that (1) quantitative osteocalcin (OCs) value varies between 30.2 to 41.0 ng/ml; (2) there is an incremental tendency in both sexes until puberty; (3) girls generally have a higher osteocalcin level than boys before mid-puberty (2-12 years old). The differences are statistically significant.

From 1982 to 1997, 12 Chinese children were admitted to Chang Gung Memorial Hospital with acetaminophen overdose. Six subjects (one young child, and five adolescents) developed liver damage which was severe in three cases (AST1000 IU/L). Acetaminophen-induced liver function abnormalities were characterized by elevation of transaminase levels with ALT higher than AST(6/6), coagulopathy(5/6), thrombocytopenia (1/6), but absence of jaundice(6/6). Fortunately, none of the six patients with liver damage developed fulminant liver failure, and all recovered completely. Acetaminophen overdose can cause significant morbidity in children and adolescents. Caretakers should be well instructed to give the drug correctly. So far, acetaminophen is still considered as the drug-of-choice for antipyresis in pediatric practice. However, multicentered collaborative study is necessary to determine whether acetaminophen intoxication causes less hepatic failure in Chinese children than in Western children.

With advances in technology, several in vitro screening tests such as MAST and CAP system have been used for analyzing the allergens involved in allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma (BA), allergic rhinitis (AR), atopic dermatitis (AD) and urticaria. In this study, CAP system (Pharmacia, Sweden) was used to screen the prevalence of allergens responsible for these atopic diseases. A total of 392 children were enrolled in this study retrospectively, all these atopic children visited the allergy clinic of the Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital during the period March 1995 and August 1995. Our results showed: (1) Among these 392 allergic children, included 82 BA, 70 AR, 22 AD, 156 BA + AR. 8 BA + AD, 12 AR + AD, and 42 AD + AR + AD: (2) House dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus: D. p and Dermatophagoides farinae: D. f) are the most common allergens triggering atopic disease in the Taiwan area. (3) Total IgE level is the highest in three combined allergic disease (BA + AR + AD) [2179.9 +/- 504.2KU/L] and lowest in single disease (AR) [503.1 +/- 84.8 KU/L]. Mite-specific IgE (D. p + D. f-specific IgE) concentration is also the highest in three combined disease (BA + AR + AD) [499.1 +/- 86.0KU/L] and lowest in AR [159.5 +/- 47.5 KU/L], (4) elevated specific IgE antibody to egg white and milk were found in 68.4% and 47.4% of patients with AD and/or urticaria. In conclusion, these data suggest that house dust mites, are the most important allergens in respiratory allergy as well as in atopic dermatitis, while food allergens play relatively important roles only in skin allergy. Furthermore, the highest IgE level was noted in children with combined allergic diseases.

The group 7 mite allergens react with IgE in 50% of sera from allergic patients.To determine the molecular and antigenic characteristics and heterogeneity of Der f 7 in mite extracts.Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) produced from mice immunized with recombinant Der f 7 were examined for crossreactivity to Der p 7 and then used for immunoblotting of 1 and 2-D gel electrophoresis. Deglycosylation was studied with N-glycosidase-F and N-terminal sequencing by Edman degradation. The epitopes of the monoclonal antibodies were compared by cross-inhibitory immunoassays.Immunoblotting of D. farinae extracts with all the anti Der f 7 MoAbs showed major reactivities at 31, 30 and 25 kDa. The strongest immunostaining was at 25 kDa which contrasted with Der p 7 where the 31 and 30 kDa bands were strongest. The relative strength of staining however varied between extracts. The 31 and 30 kDa components were glycosylation products of the 25 kDa form which had the N-terminal sequence predicted from cDNA analysis. Two MoAbs stained an 18 kDa band consistent with a degradation product. The 2-D gels showed that different components with pIs from 5.6-6.4. Both species-specific and Der p 7 crossreactive MoAbs were produced and a two-site ELISA assay for detecting group 7 allergen was developed with MoAbs recognizing different epitopes.Der f 7 has been defined by its natural N-terminal sequence and MoAbs. It apparently exists as different glycosylation and degradation products in mite extracts, the relative abundance of which differs with different preparations. A two-site ELISA to measure the allergen was developed.

Four children with chronic arthritis (3 juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and 1 juvenile ankylosing spondylitis) and poorly controlled chronic uveitis, were given sulphasalazine (SASP) therapy for a mean period of 3.3 years. Three patients showed an excellent response, as evidenced by a reduction of inflammatory cells in the anterior chamber of the eyes and improvement of visual acuity. The response occurred after a mean of 7.7 weeks. These data suggested SASP therapy may have a role in the treatment of chronic anterior uveitis in children with chronic arthritis.

Impingement syndrome is a common cause of shoulder pain. Conservative treatment should always be initially considered. But for those patients with persistent symptoms, open acromioplasty is a reliable method to relieve pain and improve function.From May 1989 to September 1994, a series of 36 anterior acromioplasties for impingement syndrome of the shoulder in 34 patients was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, rotator cuff tear was found in 25, and concomitant cuff repair was performed in 20. Five shoulders were not repaired because of a massive tear with marked cuff retraction. Neer's functional criteria and Constant's functional score were used to evaluate the results of anterior acromioplasty. The postoperative evaluation included patient satisfaction, relief of pain, range of motion and full use of the shoulder.Thirty-four patients with an average follow-up of 34 months were available for assessment. The average Constant's functional score was 94.7 points in the excellent group (55.5%), 77.2 points in the good group (30.5%) and 58.6 points in the poor group (13.9%).Overall there was an 86% satisfactory rate by Neer's criteria. Anterior acromioplasty appears to be an effective procedure for shoulder impingement syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of latex-allergy in hospital personnel and the presence of latex-specific IgE in a latex-allergic group in Taiwan. A total of 1,021 hospital employees were initially screened for latex allergy with a questionnaire, which included sex, age, job categories, number of years of employment, daily working hours, frequency of latex glove wearing, symptoms of immediate reactions to latex gloves and history of previous atopic diseases. Among them, 70 hospital employees (6.8%; 95% confidence interval 1.9%-11.8%) had symptoms associated with glove wearing. The frequencies in different job categories were 28.3% of surgical nurses, 9.2% of surgeons, 5.8% of regular floor nurses, 5.2% of technicians, 4.6% of physicians, and 4.5% of laboratory researchers. The symptoms were significantly related to the frequency of latex glove exposure, surgical work, current hand eczema and history of atopic dermatitis. In contrast, the number of years of employment, daily working hours and previous history of hand eczema were not correlated with the symptoms of latex allergy. Latex-specific IgE was assayed by the dot blot method in 36 hospital employees of the latex allergic group (positive rate, 55.6%). We concluded that the prevalence of latex-allergy among hospital personnel was 6.9% and certain predisposing factors such as atopic dermatitis, current hand eczema ad surgical work may play a critical role in triggering and aggravating the symptoms.

The interpenetrating polymer networks (INPs) of polyurethane (PU) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (MEHA)-terminated polyurethane (HPU) were prepared by solution polymerization. PU prepolymer was synthesized from 4,4-diphenyl methane diisocyanate (MDI) and poly(propylene oxide) glycol (PPG). HPU prepolymer was synthesized from MDI, poly(tetramethylene oxide) glycol and HEMA. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the resultant IPN membranes have good compatibility between their constituents. As the HPU content increased, the tensile strength of the IPNs first increased and then decreased. For the highest tensile strength, the optimum HPU content was about 25 wt %. The value of surface tension of IPNs varied from 44.4 to 50.5 dyne/cm, and polarity ranged from 0.59 to 0.91. The relative index of platelet adhesion (RIPA) of the IPN membranes was measured by the dynamic thrombosis test at constant shaking speed and temperature. By the criteria of this test, the IPN membranes with HPU content of about 25 wt% to the minimum platelet adhesion. When measured by the angular dependent ESCA technique on the surface of IPN samples, the variation in the RIPA correlated to the change in the surface soft segment to hard segment ratio. Higher HPU content resulted in more migration of soft segments toward the surface. The platelet adhesion was observed to be minimized when the surface O/N ratio was around 12.

Oxatomide is an orally active H1-histamine receptor antagonist. It has been demonstrated to have therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of allergic diseases in adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oxatomide in the treatment of asthma in children. Sixty-four asthmatic children of both sexes, aged between 5 and 16 years, were enrolled in this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a duration of 4 months. Patients were randomized chosen to receive either oxatomide with a daily dose of 1 to 2 mg/kg body weight or a placebo twice daily. Clinical evaluations including pulmonary function tests and immunological studies. The patients' impression on the effect of treatment also were recorded during the study. The effects of bronchodilatation and normalizing pulmonary function were observed 2 months after oxatomide treatment. The levels of eosinophil cationic protein and total asthma symptom scores were significantly reduced during treatment with oxatomide. There was no significant change in total IgE or IgG4 before or after treatment in either the treatment or control groups. During the study, two (5.8%) oxatomide treated patients reported slight drowsiness and one (2.9%) reported body weight gain. Routine laboratory tests showed no significant alterations. In conclusion, oxatomide was generally well tolerated in this study and may have the potential of being an effective treatment for childhood asthma.

Collagen has been widely coated or grafted onto polymer surfaces to improve the biocompatibility of materials. To better support the growth of endothelial cells on polyurethane (PU), collagen was grafted to the carboxyl group enriched PU through 1,2-bis(2,3-epoxypropoxy)ethane linking. Our results demonstrated that collagen in various conditions may result in different forms being grafted to the PU substrate, which subsequently affected the growth of endothelial cells. Collagen predialyzed against physiological phosphate buffered saline (PBS) could be reconstituted into native type fibrils with a bigger diameter at 37 degrees C than could collagen neutralized by titration with NaOH. At low temperature, titrated collagen formed floss-like fibrils packed in a ball with cobblestone-like morphology. The amount of collagen grafted was related to the condition of the collagen used, which in consequence affected the diameter of the collagen fibril formed and the growth of endothelial cells. In conclusion, reconstituted collagen fibrils formed from collagen in PBS at 37 degrees C grafted in the highest amounts to an epoxy-PU substrate and that optimally supported the growth of endothelial cells. Such prepared materials may be potentially good vascular bioprosthetic materials and may provide a wide range of biological applications.

Seventy-one children with mite-sensitive asthma were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 was comprised of 28 patients who were provided with new Microstop-treated bedding including matresses, quilts, pillows, bed linens and quilt covers. The Microstop mattresses and pillows were made of impermeable Polyurethane coated nylon ticking. Group 2 included 28 patients who were provided with new, conventional, mat Polyurethane mattresses, quilts, pillows, bed linens and quilt covers made of cotton and polyester which had not been Microstop treated. Group 3 included 15 patients who used their old bedding. Mite counts were performed on samples of dust collected from the old mattresses, pillows and quilts before the bedding was changed. After changing the bedding, mite counts were performed on dust from the same three bed sites at the end of months 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 12. Morning and evening peak expiratory flow, asthma symptom scores, were recorded by each patient at least 1 month before entering the study and every month during the one-year study period. Mattress mite counts were significantly reduced in Group 1 but not in Groups 2 or 3. However, quilt mite counts were significantly reduced in both Group 1 and Group 2 throughout the 12-monthstudy while mite counts in Group 3 quilts remained unchanged. The results provide evidence that the PU-coated nylon material was effective in reducing house dust mites, but do not demonstrate that the Microstop treatment had an obvious anti-mite effect. One-year follow-up of asthma symptom scores showed significant improvement in Group 1, but not in Groups 2 or 3. This suggests that the Microstop-treated bedding, as a system, was effective in asthma prevention.

The molecular and functional basis of allergen-induced inflammation seen in atopic dermatitis (AD) remains undefined.The objective of this study is to establish a murine model to dissect the pathological mechanisms of inflammatory reactions leading to the development of AD.An inbred strain of mice, BALB/c, when injected peritoneally with 30 micrograms of recombinant Sj26 protein (rSj26), a glutathione-S-transferase of Schistosoma japonicum worm, developed systematic dermatitis 21 days after immunization. The pathology of the dermatitis was examined by histological evaluation and immunostaining. The immediate skin hypersensitivity was demonstrated by serum transfer and skin test. Epicutaneous patch test was used to demonstrate the antigen-specific late phase response.Significant responses of rSj26-specific IgE were detected 2 weeks after immunization, and such changes paralleled formation of skin lesions. The diseased skin pathology showed inflammatory changes such as infiltration of mononuclear cells and eosinophils in the dermis and mild spongiosis in the epidermis. Numerous IgE bearing cells were also detected in the dermis. Peripheral blood showed eosinophilia at the same time. In addition, rSj26-specific positive skin test and epicutaneous patch test could be demonstrated in rSj26-sensitized mice.These results suggest that rSj26 is capable of eliciting atopic dermatitis-like lesions in BALB/c mice. This can be a useful animal model for elucidating allergen-induced immune responses and the development of various therapeutic interventions of atopic dermatitis in humans.

The report describes a premature infant with necrotizing enterocolitis who developed symptoms of zinc (Zn) deficiency after three to four weeks of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Clinical presentations included characteristic skin rash, alopecia, retarded growth, generalized edema and decreased serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Immune function studies revealed impaired neutrophil adhesion and mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation, whereas phagocytosis, chemotaxis and lymphocyte subsets remained normal. A high dose of elemental Zn (2.5 mg/kg/day), administered orally, improved the clinical symptoms and restored the immune function. In patients with Zn deficiency, impaired neutrophil adhesion and lymphocyte function may contribute to immunodeficiency which can be reversed with adequate Zn supplementation.

Histamine-releasing factor (HRF) consists of a group of cytokines that can cause basophil/mast cell to release histamine, however, the composition of HRF still remains undefined. This study was designed to measure the concentrations of chemokines in asthmatic children receiving immunotherapy. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells culture supernatants were obtained from six asthmatic children before and four, eight months after immunotherapy (IT). The levels of monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF), macrophage inflammatory protein-1a (MIP-1a), regulated on activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) spontaneously and after stimulation with PHA and mite allergen in the supernatants. The data showed: 1) The levels of MCAF and MIP-1a increased four months, and decreased eight months, after IT; 2) By contrast, the level of RANTE increased after IT; 3) The level of IL-8 also tended to increase after IT. Abnormal chemokine production may contribute to the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma and restoration of normal chemokine production may be used to partially explain the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy.