Background & Aims Mother-to-infant transmission is the major cause of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among immunized children. There has been much debate about screening pregnant women and ...administering hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) to newborns. We analyzed the rate of HBV infection among children born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers and whether HBIG administration reduces transmission. Methods We analyzed data from 2356 children born to HBsAg-positive mothers, identified through prenatal maternal screens. In addition to HBV vaccines, HBIG was given to all 583 children with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive mothers and to 723 of 1773 children with HBeAg-negative mothers. Serology tests for HBV were performed from 2007 to 2009, when children were 0.5–10 years old. Results A significantly greater percentage of children with HBeAg-positive mothers tested positive for antibodies against the hepatitis B core protein (16.76%) and HBsAg (9.26%) than children with HBeAg-negative mothers (1.58% and 0.29%, respectively; P < .0001 and <.001). Among the HBV-infected children, the rate of chronicity also was higher among children with HBeAg-positive mothers than children with HBeAg-negative mothers (54% vs 17%; P = .002). Similar rates of antibodies against the hepatitis B core protein (0.99% and 1.88%; P = .19) and HBsAg (0.14% and 0.29%; P = .65) were noted in children born to HBeAg-negative mothers who were or were not given HBIG. Infantile fulminant hepatitis developed in 1 of 1050 children who did not receive HBIG (.095%). Conclusions Children born to HBeAg-positive mothers are at greatest risk for chronic HBV infection (9.26%), despite immunization. Administration of HBIG to infants born to HBeAg-negative mothers did not appear to reduce the rate of chronic HBV infection, but might prevent infantile fulminant hepatitis. Screening pregnant women for HBsAg and HBeAg might control mother-to-infant transmission of HBV.
Biliary atresia is the most common cause of death from liver disease in children. Although the Kasai operation before 60 days of age can significantly improve prognosis, delay in referral and surgery ...remains a formidable problem worldwide because of difficulties in differentiating it from benign prolonged neonatal jaundice. We established a universal screening system using an infant stool color card to promote the early diagnosis and treatment of biliary atresia. After a pilot regional study in 2002–2003, a national stool color screening system was established by integrating the infant stool color card into the child health booklet given to every neonate in Taiwan since 2004. Within 24 hours of the discovery of an abnormal stool color, this event is reported to the registry center. The annual incidence of biliary atresia per 10,000 live births in 2004 and 2005 was 1.85 (40/216,419) and 1.70 (35/205,854), respectively. The sensitivity of detecting biliary atresia using stool cards before 60 days of age was 72.5% in 2004, which improved to 97.1% in 2005. The national rate of the Kasai operation before 60 days of age increased from 60% in 2004 to 74.3% in 2005. The jaundice‐free rate (<2 mg/dL) at 3 months after the Kasai operation among infants with biliary atresia in 2004–2005 was 59.5% (44 of 74), significantly higher than the historical data of 37.0% in 1976–2000 before the stool card screening program (P = 0.002). Conclusion: Universal screening using the stool color cards can enhance earlier referral, which may ultimately lead to timely performance of the Kasai operation and better postoperative outcome in infants with biliary atresia. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.)
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Background and Aim
The aim of this study is to identify gastric cancer burden in Indigenous Taiwanese peoples and conduct a project to evaluate how to reduce the disparities most effectively in ...Indigenous communities.
Methods
First, we quantified the health disparities in gastric cancer in Indigenous peoples using data from the cancer registries during the period of 2006–2014. Second, we identified parameters that might be associated with Helicobacter pylori infection or help identify a good eradication strategy.
Results
Gastric cancer incidence (24.4 vs 12.3 per 100 000 person‐years) and mortality rates (15.8 vs 6.8 per 100 000 person‐years) were higher in Indigenous than in non‐Indigenous, with 2.19‐fold (95% confidence interval CI: 2.06–2.33) and 2.47‐fold (2.28–2.67) increased risk, respectively. In Indigenous communities, H. pylori infection was more prevalent in Indigenous than in non‐Indigenous (59.4% vs 31.5%, P < 0.01). Regression analyses consistently showed that either the mountain or plain Indigenous had 1.89‐fold (95% CI: 1.34–2.66) and 1.73‐fold (95% CI: 1.24–2.41) increased risk for H. pylori infection, respectively, as compared with non‐Indigenous, adjusting for other baseline characteristics. The high infection rates were similarly seen in young, middle‐aged, and older adults. Program eradication rates using clarithromycin‐based triple therapy were suboptimal (73.7%, 95% CI: 70.0–77.4%); the habits of smoking (1.70‐fold, 95% CI: 1.01–2.39) and betel nut chewing (1.54‐fold, 95% CI: 0.93–2.16) were associated with the higher risk of treatment failure.
Conclusion
Gastric cancer burden is higher in Indigenous Taiwanese peoples than in their non‐Indigenous counterparts. Eliminating the prevalent risk factor of H. pylori infection is a top priority to reduce this health disparity.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm) is a common intestinal parasitic infection in children. A gradual decrease in the prevalence of pinworm infection has been noted in resource-rich settings, such as ...Taiwan. However, the influence of sociodemographic factors on the temporal trend in pinworm infection rates in children under the current pinworm infection prevention policy in Taiwan is not well characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the trend of pinworm infection prevalence and the associated factors among children in Hualien County, Taiwan.
In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we included a total of 56,197 students (aged 6-10 years) in grades 1 and 4 in Hualien in 2009-2018. Children were screened for pinworm infection using adhesive cellophane perianal swabs in the routine student health examination. Logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the factors associated with pinworm infection. Associations between dependent and independent variables were measured by odds ratios. The Cochran-Armitage test was used to assess whether there were significant trends in different stratifications. Variables with P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
A total of 56,197 school-age children from grades 1 and 4 during 2009-2018 were included. Young age and male sex were risk factors for pinworm infection (P < 0.001). A negative correlation between body mass index and enterobiasis was observed, and decreased pinworm infection was noted during the study reference period. Children living in suburban and rural areas had higher odds of having a pinworm infection than those living in urban areas (P < 0.001). A significant decrease in the overall prevalence rate of pinworm infection was observed among children in 2009-2018 (P < 0.001). However, there was no obvious change in the pinworm infection rate in rural areas during this period (P = 0.953), and it was higher than that in urban and suburban areas.
The overall prevalence of pinworm infection gradually decreased from 2009 to 2018 among school-age children in Hualien. However, there was no declining trend in pinworm infection in rural areas. Young age, male sex, and rural residence were significantly associated with pinworm infection. Pinworm infection remains a major public health concern among children in rural areas of Hualien.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Gastric cancer is an inflammation-related cancer triggered by Helicobacter pylori infection. Understanding of the natural disease course has prompted the hypothesis that gastric cancer can be ...prevented by administering a short-course antibiotic treatment to eradicate the H. pylori infection and interrupt this carcinogenic cascade. Results from randomized controlled trials and cohort studies have repeatedly confirmed this concept, which has moved attention from individual management of H. pylori infection to population-wide implementation of screening programs. Such a paradigm shift follows a three-tier architecture. First, healthcare policy-makers determine the most feasible and applicable eligibility, invitation, testing, referral, treatment, and evaluation methods for an organized screening program to maximize the population benefits and cost-effectiveness. Second, provision of knowledge and effective feedback to frontline general practitioners, including choice of diagnostic tests, selection of eradication regimens, and the indication of endoscopic examination, ensures the quality of care and increases the likelihood of desired treatment responses. Third, initiatives to raise population awareness are designed regarding the impact of H. pylori infection and risky lifestyle habits on the stomach health. These programs, with increased accessibility and geographic coverage in progress, will accelerate the decline in morbidity, mortality, and associated costs of this preventable malignancy.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This paper presents a two-phase fully-integrated dc-dc converter for system-in-package systems with passive components fabricated using a glass-substrate-integrated passive device (GIPD) process. The ...proposed self-adaptive discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) controller and low-swing/full-swing buffer were incorporated to reduce the switching loss and maintain high efficiency at high switching frequency. A secondary phase and phase controller were added to increase the output power and reduce the output ripple. The proposed GIPD solution packages a standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process and GIPD process in 3-D format to reduce the footprint of the system. The proposed self-adaptive DCM controller and low-swing/fullswing buffer improve efficiency of 15% in measurement compared to our previous work on the GIPD process in simulation. The peak efficiency of the proposed converter was 79.09% at a 400-mA load current, 5% higher than the peak efficiency presented in previous study. The maximal output power could reach 720 mW and the maximal switching frequency (f CCM ) was designed to be 70 MHz (measured at 50 MHz) with only two 6-nH inductors and one 15-nF capacitor.
Background:
Our study examined the age, period, and cohort effects on overweight and obesity in children using a 10-year dataset collected from schoolchildren in Hualien, Taiwan.
Methods:
We used ...data from the annual health checkup of a total of 94,661 schoolchildren in primary schools and junior high schools in Hualien from 2009 to 2018. Children were defined as overweight or obese by the gender- and age-specific norm of the body mass index. We conducted the age-period-cohort (APC) analysis in boys and girls separately.
Results:
From 2009 to 2018, the rates of children overweight and obese were 12.78 and 14.23%, respectively. Boys had higher rates of overweight and obesity than girls (29.73 vs. 24.03%,
P
< 0.001). Based on APC analysis results, positive age effect existed regardless of gender. The risk of overweight or obesity of children aged 9 or 12 years was significantly higher compared to the average rate. As for period effect, a fluctuating downward trend in overweight was evident in 2016, and a similar trend in obesity was seen in 2017 across gender groups. The birth cohort of 2007 to 2009 had a significant higher proportion of overweight and obese than other birth cohorts. This indicated that the proportion of children overweight and obese in the young generation is higher than that in the old generation.
Conclusion:
An increased risk of children overweight or obese was associated with age and later birth cohort. For the period effect, the trend in the prevalence of overweight and obesity fluctuated downward slowly from 2016 to 2017.
Pediatric hematuria/proteinuria is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease in later life, and school urinary screening can detect asymptomatic glomerulonephritis in the early stage. This study aimed ...to evaluate the prevalence of hematuria/proteinuria and its association with different socio-demographic factors among school children in 2013 in Hualien, Taiwan.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among first, fourth, and seventh graders. Health examination results and urinalysis data were analyzed. Logistic regression models were used to the simultaneously analyze the association between the prevalence of hematuria/proteinuria and socio-demographic factors.
A total of 9544 students were included. The overall prevalence of hematuria and proteinuria was 4.1% and 5.7%, respectively. Students who were females, of a high grade level, of aboriginal ethnicity, and living in rural areas had higher hematuria risk (all P < 0.001) than other students. Underweight students had low odds ratio (0.53) of hematuria (P < 0.001). Seventh-grade students had higher odds ratio (3.63) of proteinuria than first grade students (P < 0.001). Students with both parents of aboriginal descent had lower odds ratio (0.81) of proteinuria than those with non-aboriginal parents (P = 0.044). Only higher grade level students had significantly higher risk of combined hematuria and light proteinuria (odds ratio: 10.67) and heavy proteinuria with/without hematuria (odds ratio: 3.22) than first graders.
Increased hematuria/proteinuria prevalence was noted in our county as compared to prior studies. Hematuria/proteinuria was significantly associated with gender, grade level, body mass index, ethnicity, and residence urbanization. Our data can be used for future longitudinal dataset collection to prevent pediatric renal disorders in Taiwan.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Background & Aims The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) increases with age, but protective antibody responses decrease with time after infants are immunized against hepatitis B virus (HBV). ...We investigated whether immunization of infants against HBV prevents their developing HCC as adults. We also searched for strategies to maximize the cancer-preventive effects. Methods We collected data from 2 Taiwan HCC registry systems on 1509 patients (6–26 years old) diagnosed with HCC from 1983 through 2011. Data on history of HBV immunization and prenatal maternal levels of HBV antigens of all HCC patients born after July 1984 were retrieved from the HBV immunization data bank of the Taiwan Center for Disease Control. We collected data on birth cohort-specific populations (6–26 years old) of Taiwan using the National Household Registry System. Rates of HCC incidence per 105 person-years were derived by dividing the number of patients with HCC by the person-years of the general population. Relative risks (RR) for HCC were estimated by Poisson regression analysis in vaccinated vs unvaccinated birth cohorts. We stratified patients by age group to evaluate the association of birth cohorts and HCC risks. Results Of the 1509 patients with HCC, 1343 were born before, and 166 were born after, the HBV vaccination program began. HCC incidence per 105 person-years was 0.92 in the unvaccinated cohort and 0.23 in the vaccinated birth cohorts. The RRs for HCC in patients 6–9 years old, 10–14 years old, 15–19 years old, and 20–26 years old who were vaccinated vs unvaccinated were 0.26 (95% confidence interval CI, 0.17–0.40), 0.34 (95% CI, 0.25–0.48), 0.37 (95% CI, 0.25–0.51), and 0.42 (95% CI, 0.32–0.56), respectively. The RR for HCC in 6- to 26-year-olds was lower in the later vs the earlier cohorts (born in 1992–2005 vs 1986–1992; P < .001 and 1986–1992 vs 1984–1986; P < .002). Transmission of HBV from highly infectious mothers and incomplete immunization were associated with development of HCC. Conclusions Based on an analysis of 1509 patients with HCC in Taiwan, immunization of infants against HBV reduces their risk of developing HCC as children and young adults. Improving HBV vaccination strategies and overcoming risk factors could reduce the incidence of liver cancer.
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