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The search for a matched bone marrow donor in the Malaysian population

Chan, L.L., Law, C.W., Hunn, P.S., Yew, C.B., Lim, P.P.L., Teo, L.T., et al.

Malaysian Journal of Child Health, 1997;9(2):182-188.
MyJurnal

In Malaysia, an estimated 50 children per annum suffering from a variety of haematological and inherited disorders would benefit from bone marrow or stem cell trans-plantation. By mendelian inheritance 25% of these children would be able to find a sibling who is a matched histocompatible donor. For the remaining 75% to have a chance at survival, search from another source would have to be made. This could mean a mismatched non-sibling related donor or a matched unrelated donor. We studied the chance of a Malaysian patient finding a matched sibling donor and a matched unrelated donor. Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) data from patients and their siblings were analysed. The HLA data were matched against the largest Asian bone marrow donor registry in Taiwan. 95% of the 138,744 donors in this registry come from Taiwanese Hokkien ancestry.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
Parasitic infections among Southeast Asian labourers in Taiwan: a long-term study

Wang LC

Epidemiol Infect, 1998 Feb;120(1):81-6.
PMID: 9528821

Parasitic infections have been reported to be relatively common among the Southeast Asian labourers in Taiwan. This study, conducted in 1992-6, was designed to determine the temporal changes of the prevalence. Faecal specimens were examined by the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation technique and blood samples screened using the quantitative buffy coat technique and confirmed by Giemsa stained blood smear. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 10.3%. The annual prevalence decreased from 33.3% in 1992-3 to 4.6% in 1995-6. The Thai (12.0%) and Indonesian (11.1%) had a higher prevalence than the Malaysian (6.7%) and Filipinos (5.9%). Opisthorchis viverrini was the most important parasite in the Thai and Trichuris trichiura in the remaining groups. Moreover, no blood parasites were found in the labourers. The dramatic temporal decline in the intestinal parasitic infections suggests that limiting the entry of infected persons, periodic follow-ups, and immediate treatment of sporadic cases are necessary in preventing transmission of non-indigenous parasites through large population change.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/epidemiology
Enterovirus 71 from fatal and nonfatal cases of hand, foot and mouth disease epidemics in Malaysia, Japan and Taiwan in 1997-1998

Shimizu H, Utama A, Yoshii K, Yoshida H, Yoneyama T, Sinniah M, et al.

Jpn J Infect Dis, 1999 Feb;52(1):12-5.
PMID: 10808253

Enterovirus 71 (EV71), one of the major causative agents for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), is sometimes associated with severe central nervous system diseases. In 1997, in Malaysia and Japan, and in 1998 in Taiwan, there were HFMD epidemics involving sudden deaths among young children, and EV71 was isolated from the HFMD patients, including the fatal cases. The nucleotide sequences of each EV71 isolate were determined and compared by phylogenetical analysis. EV71 strains from previously reported epidemics belonged to genotype A-1, while those from recent epidemics could be divided into two genotypes, A-2 and B. In Malaysia, genotype A-2 was more prevalent, while in Japan and Taiwan, B genotype was more prevalent. Two isolates from fatal cases in Malaysia and one isolate from a fatal case in Japan were genotype A-2. However, all isolates from three fatal cases in Taiwan belonged to genotype B. The severity of the HFMD did not link directly to certain genotypes of EV71.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/epidemiology
Estimates of mineral intakes using food composition tables vs measures by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry: Part 1. calcium, phosphorus and iron

Zhang ZW, Shimbo S, Miyake K, Watanabe T, Nakatsuka H, Matsuda-Inoguchi N, et al.

Eur J Clin Nutr, 1999 Mar;53(3):226-32.
PMID: 10201805

To examine the accuracy of food composition table (FCT)-based estimation of dietary nutrient element intake in reference to the instrumental measurement by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
Fulltext Outbreaks of enterovirus 71 infection

AbuBakar S, Chan YF, Lam SK

N Engl J Med, 2000 Feb 3;342(5):355-6.
PMID: 10660400 DOI: 10.1056/NEJM200002033420513
Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/epidemiology
Emerging and re-emerging epidemic encephalitis: a tale of two viruses

Wong KT

Neuropathol. Appl. Neurobiol., 2000 Aug;26(4):313-8.
PMID: 10931364

Two major epidemics of viral encephalitis occurred in Asia in 1997 and 1998. The first was a re-emergence of neurovirulent strains of enterovirus 71, which caused severe encephalomyelitis in children in Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan, on a background of hand, foot and mouth disease. Necropsy studies of patients who died of enterovirus 71 infection showed severe perivascular cuffing, parenchymal inflammation and neuronophagia in the spinal cord, brainstem and diencephalon, and in focal areas in the cerebellum and cerebrum. Although no viral inclusions were detected, immunohistochemistry showed viral antigen in the neuronal cytoplasm. Inflammation was often more extensive than neuronal infection, suggesting that other factors, in addition to direct viral cytolysis, may be involved in tissue damage. The second epidemic of viral encephalitis was the result of a novel paramyxovirus called Nipah, which mainly involved pig handlers in Malaysia and Singapore. Pathological evidence suggested that the endothelium of small blood vessels in the central nervous system was particularly susceptible to infection. This led to disseminated endothelial damage and syncytium formation, vasculitis, thrombosis, ischaemia and microinfarction. However, there was also evidence of neuronal infection by the virus and this may also have contributed to the neurological dysfunction in Nipah encephalitis. Some patients who seemed to recover from the acute symptoms have been re-admitted with clinical findings suggestive of relapsing encephalitis. As these two epidemics indicate, the emergence and re-emergence of viral encephalitides continue to pose considerable challenges to the neuropathologist, in establishing the diagnosis and unravelling the pathogenesis of the neurological disease.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/epidemiology
Enterovirus 71: the virus, its infections and outbreaks

Ho M

J Microbiol Immunol Infect, 2000 Dec;33(4):205-16.
PMID: 11269363

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) was first recognized in 1974. Since then it has been implicated in 13 small and large outbreaks world-wide. Large outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), mostly benign, occurred in Japan in 1973 and 1978. Four outbreaks with brain stem encephalitis and significant numbers of deaths occurred in Bulgaria and Hungary in the late 1970's and in Malaysia and Taiwan in 1997 and 1998 respectively. During the latter two epidemics, pulmonary edema and hemorrhage often leading to quick deaths in children aged from 0.5 to 3 years old was first recognized. In Taiwan 78 deaths and over 100,000 cases of HFMD occurred. Coxsackie A16 cocirculated with EV 71, without however, causing any severe illnesses. The transmission of EV 71 was related to number of siblings in a household, rural residence and contact with cases of HFMD. Genotype analyses show that genotypes have changed with time in the United States and Japan. Recent isolates from Japan are similar to the isolates from Malaysia and Taiwan in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Even though genotype analysis has not identified specific sequences responsible for neurovirulence, the strains causing brain stem encephalitis and pulmonary edema in the Far East are similar and have arisen since 1997. Seroepidemiological studies in Taiwan suggest that children aged from 0.5 to 4 years old are most susceptible while the rest of the population are over 50% immune. Theoretically there is a pool of such susceptible subjects every few years. In prevention for another major outbreak, a simple, inactivated Salk type vaccine should be immediately prepared and made available.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/epidemiology
Eating disorders in the Far East

Tsai G

Eat Weight Disord, 2000 Dec;5(4):183-97.
PMID: 11216126

OBJECTIVE: To investigate eating disorders (EDs) prevalence rates among Asian populations and identify characteristics that distinguish them from their Western counterparts.
METHOD: Potential references were identified through an English-language literature search using Medline, Psychinfo, Dissertation Abstracts (1966 to 1999) and through extensive manual searching of textbooks, reviews and reference lists.
RESULTS: The majority of studies related to EDs were conducted in Japan and China and a few were conducted in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Korea whereas there was none in the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand. Prevalence rates in Japan range from 0.025 to 0.030% for anorexia nervosa (AN) and from 1.9 to 2.9% for bulimia nervosa (BN). Community studies in China have found the AN prevalence to be 0.01% and BN rates ranging from 0.5% to 1.3%. These rates are lower than ED rates in the West (particularly the U.S. and Britain). Body dissatisfaction (BD) and dieting rates, however, were similar to those in the West. BD rates ranged from 68% (Taiwan) to 81% (Korea) and dieting rates ranged from 34% (Taiwan) to 68% (Japan). Sociocultural and developmental risk factors were relevant to this population.
CONCLUSIONS: EDs in Asian populations have received little attention because they have been predominantly viewed as associated with Western culture. Classified by many as a "culture-bound syndrome" of the West, they may really be a culture-change syndrome.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/epidemiology
Molecular epidemiology of HIV-1: an example of Asia

Chen MY, Lee CN

Adv Pharmacol, 2000;49:417-36.
PMID: 11013770
Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/epidemiology
Consolidating international relations

Gething M

J Small Anim Pract, 2001 Feb;42(2):100-1.
PMID: 11263696
Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
Differential expression and geographic variation of the venom phospholipases A2 of Calloselasma rhodostoma and Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus

Tsai IH, Chen YH, Wang YM, Liau MY, Lu PJ

Arch Biochem Biophys, 2001 Mar 15;387(2):257-64.
PMID: 11370849

To investigate the geographic variations in venoms of two medically important pitvipers, we have purified and characterized the phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) from the pooled venoms of Calloselasma rhodostoma from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, as well as the individual venom of Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus collected from both North and South Taiwan. Enzymatic and pharmacological activities of the purified PLA2s were also investigated. The complete amino acid sequences of the purified PLA2s were determined by sequencing the corresponding cDNAs from the venom gland and shown to be consistent with their molecular weight data and the N-terminal sequences. All the geographic venom samples of C. rhodostoma contain a major noncatalytic basic PLA2-homolog and two or three acidic PLA2s in different proportions. These acidic PLA2s contain Glu6-substitutions and show distinct inhibiting specificities toward the platelets from human and rabbit. We also found that the T. mucrosquamatus venoms from North Taiwan but not those from South Taiwan contain an Arg6-PLA2 designated as TmPL-III. Its amino acid sequence is reported for the first time. This enzyme is structurally almost identical to the low- or nonexpressed Arg6-PLA2 from C. rhodostoma venom gland, and thus appears to be a regressing venom component in both of the Asian pitvipers.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
Current status of imported parasitic infection among foreign workers in northern Taiwan (1999-2000)

Fan PC, Chung WC, Chen ER

Kaohsiung J. Med. Sci., 2001 Oct;17(10):503-8.
PMID: 11831113 DOI: 10.6452/KJMS.200110.0503

In the present study, a simple, economic and practical technique was employed for stool examination. Of a total of 6,146 fecal samples from foreign workers in Northern Taiwan between 1999 and 2000 were examined, 615 were found to be positive for parasitic infection and the overall infection rate was 10%. Newly arriving foreign workers had a significantly higher infection rate (15%) than those who had worked in Taiwan for 6-12 months (8%). The foreign workers came from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Except for the small number of workers from Malaysia which was not included, the infection rate order by nationality was Vietnamese (21%) > Indonesian (13%) > Philippino (10%) > Thai (4%). The female examined workers were about 3-fold of males and their infection rate (11%) was also significantly higher than the males (5%). The order of rates by age was 20-30 years (11%) > 31-40 years (8%) > 41-50 years (5%). According to the species of parasites, 569 foreign workers were infected with 1 species (9%) > with 2 species (0.7%) > with 3 species (0.1%). Totally, 14 species (10 helminths including 1 plant nematode, Heterodera and 4 protozoa; hookworm might include 2 or 3 species, but counted as one species here) were found, of which 10 species were pathogenic (9 helminths and 1 protozoa) and 4 non-pathogenic. Foreign workers from Indonesia harbored 12 species of parasites > from the Philippines, 9 species > from Thailand, 8 species > from Vietnam, 7 species.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/epidemiology
Detection of Sugarcane yellow leaf virus in Quarantine and Production of Virus-free Sugarcane by Apical Meristem Culture

Chatenet M, Delage C, Ripolles M, Irey M, Lockhart BEL, Rott P

Plant Dis, 2001 Nov;85(11):1177-1180.
PMID: 30823163 DOI: 10.1094/PDIS.2001.85.11.1177

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) was detected for the first time in 1996 in the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) sugarcane quarantine at Montpellier by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in varieties from Brazil, Florida, Mauritius, and Réunion. Between 1997 and 2000, the virus was found by RT-PCR and/or tissue-blot immunoassay (TBIA) in additional varieties from Barbados, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Taiwan, suggesting a worldwide distribution of the pathogen. An excellent correlation was observed between results obtained for the two diagnostic techniques. However, even though only a few false negative results were obtained by either technique, both are now used to detect SCYLV in CIRAD's sugarcane quarantine in Montpellier. The pathogen was detected by TBIA or RT-PCR in all leaves of sugarcane foliage, but the highest percentage of infected vascular bundles was found in the top leaves. The long hot water treatment (soaking of cuttings in water at 25°C for 2 days and then at 50°C for 3 h) was ineffective in eliminating SCYLV from infected plants. Sugarcane varieties from various origins were grown in vitro by apical bud culture and apical meristem culture, and the latter proved to be the most effective method for producing SCYLV-free plants.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
Characterization of Cryptocaryon irritans, a parasite isolated from marine fishes in Taiwan

Yambot AV, Song YL, Sung HH

Dis Aquat Organ, 2003 Mar 31;54(2):147-56.
PMID: 12747640

The ciliated protozoan parasite Cryptocaryon irritans infecting marine fishes in Taiwan is described. Developmental characteristics and sequences of the ribosomal DNA regions such as part of 18 S, the entire first internal transcribed spacer, and part of 5.8 S of various Taiwan isolates of C. irritans were investigated. A total of 5 isolates was obtained from different fish-host species and localities, the majority from cultured fish species. C. irritans from Taiwan is able to shift its developmental characteristics, i.e. from non-adherent to adherent tomonts, from individualistic to aggregate-forming tomonts, from infection of the gills only to infection of the gills and body. Thus, it is not possible to classify strains of C. irritans on the basis of these parameters. Premature tomonts that developed from dead fishes were able to produce theronts that could infect fish host. Isolates from Pingtung and the USA had identical nucleotide sequences while an isolate from Malaysia was identical to an Israel isolate. Percentage variation among pairs of Taiwan isolates showed a higher degree of variation than isolate sequences listed in GenBank. Sequence analysis revealed highly aberrant isolates in Taiwan, and a phylogenetic tree distinguished a marine and a low-salinity variant. C. irritans from marine fishes in Taiwan, therefore, display some characteristics not previously reported. Since manipulation of salinity in brackishwater ponds and marine cage sites is not feasible, there is a need to develop new strategies for the control and prevention of cryptocaryoniasis.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
SARS: current overview, aetiology and epidemiology

Cavaljuga S, Faulde M, Scharninghausen JJ

Bosn J Basic Med Sci, 2003 May;3(2):46-55.
PMID: 16223373

At this moment, public health authorities, physicians and scientists around the world are struggling to cope with a severe and rapidly spreading new disease in humans called severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) this appears to be the first severe and easily transmissible new disease to emerge in the 21st century. Though much about the disease remains poorly understood, including the details of the causative virus, we do know that it has features that allow it to spread rapidly along international air travel routes. As of 10 May 2003, a cumulative 7296 probable SARS cases with 526 deaths have been reported from 30 countries on three continents (WHO, ProMED). In the past week, more than 1000 new probable cases and 96 deaths were reported globally. This represents an increase of 119 new cases and 8 new deaths compared with 9 May 2003 (China (85), Taiwan (23), and Hong Kong (7) represented the overwhelming majority, with one additional case each reported from France, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States). Only in China, as of 10 May 2003 (WHO) total of 4884 with 235 deaths have been reported. Some outbreaks have reassuring features.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
Treatment of atrophic vaginitis with topical conjugated equine estrogens in postmenopausal Asian women

Raymundo N, Yu-cheng B, Zi-yan H, Lai CH, Leung K, Subramaniam R, et al.

Climacteric, 2004 Sep;7(3):312-8.
PMID: 15669556

We investigated the effects of 2 months of treatment with topical estrogens on atrophic vaginitis and gynecological health in Asian women.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
An Asian perspective on relationship and marriage education

Huang WJ

Fam Process, 2005 Jun;44(2):161-73.
PMID: 16013743

The goal of this article is to provide couple therapists and relationship educators with information to enhance the cultural relevance of their work with Asian populations. Because of the rapid social, economic, cultural, and gender role changes, the various Asian interpretations of the institution of marriage are undergoing major transformation. This article describes the general trends in marriage in several Asian nations, with a focus on the swiftly rising divorce rates and changing cultural attitudes to marriage, and discusses current relationship education initiatives in these nations. Finally, based on my experiences working with Asian populations, I present a few humble insights regarding adaptation of marriage education to render it more culturally appropriate for Asians.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
Haplotype diversity in 11 candidate genes across four populations

Beaty TH, Fallin MD, Hetmanski JB, McIntosh I, Chong SS, Ingersoll R, et al.

Genetics, 2005 Sep;171(1):259-67.
PMID: 15965248

Analysis of haplotypes based on multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) is becoming common for both candidate gene and fine-mapping studies. Before embarking on studies of haplotypes from genetically distinct populations, however, it is important to consider variation both in linkage disequilibrium (LD) and in haplotype frequencies within and across populations, as both vary. Such diversity will influence the choice of "tagging" SNPs for candidate gene or whole-genome association studies because some markers will not be polymorphic in all samples and some haplotypes will be poorly represented or completely absent. Here we analyze 11 genes, originally chosen as candidate genes for oral clefts, where multiple markers were genotyped on individuals from four populations. Estimated haplotype frequencies, measures of pairwise LD, and genetic diversity were computed for 135 European-Americans, 57 Chinese-Singaporeans, 45 Malay-Singaporeans, and 46 Indian-Singaporeans. Patterns of pairwise LD were compared across these four populations and haplotype frequencies were used to assess genetic variation. Although these populations are fairly similar in allele frequencies and overall patterns of LD, both haplotype frequencies and genetic diversity varied significantly across populations. Such haplotype diversity has implications for designing studies of association involving samples from genetically distinct populations.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan/ethnology
Losartan reduces the costs of diabetic end-stage renal disease: an Asian perspective

Seng WK, Hwang SJ, Han DC, Teong CC, Chan J, Burke TA, et al.

Nephrology (Carlton), 2005 Oct;10(5):520-4.
PMID: 16221106

To evaluate losartan and conventional antihypertensive therapy (CT) compared with CT alone on the cost associated with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan
Multiple invasions of the Ryukyu Archipelago by Oriental frogs of the subgenus Odorrana with phylogenetic reassessment of the related subgenera of the genus Rana

Matsui M, Shimada T, Ota H, Tanaka-Ueno T

Mol Phylogenet Evol, 2005 Dec;37(3):733-42.
PMID: 15964212

The genus Rana, notably diversified in Oriental regions from China to Southeast Asia, includes a group of cascade frogs assigned to subgenera Odorrana and Eburana. Among them, R. ishikawae and the R. narina complex represent the northernmost members occurring from Taiwan to the Ryukyu Archipelago of Japan. Relationships of these frogs with the continental members, as well as the history of their invasions to islands, have been unclear. The taxonomic status of Odorrana and related genera varies among authors and no phylogenetic reassessment has been done. Using partial sequences of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes, we estimated phylogenetic relationships among 17 species of the section Hylarana including Odorrana and Eburana, and related species from the Ryukyus, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. We estimate that (1) Odorrana is monophyletic and encompasses species of Eburana and R. hosii, which is now placed in Chalcorana, (2) the ancestor of R. ishikawae separated from other Rana in the middle to late Miocene prior to its entry to the Ryukyu Archipelago, (3) the ancestor of the R. narina complex later diversified in continental Asia, and invaded the Ryukyu Archipelago through Taiwan, (4) the R. narina complex attained its current distribution within the Ryukyus through niche segregations, and (5) vicariance of R. hosii between Malay Peninsula and Borneo occurred much later than the divergence events in the R. narina complex. Current subgeneric classification of Rana, at least of Southeast Asian members, requires full reassessment in the light of phylogenetic relationships.

Matched MeSH terms: Taiwan

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