Shih-Wen Huang

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Verified

Shih-Wen verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• MD
• Professor Emeritus at University of Florida

Dear Colleagues! YOUR COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS ARE VERY VALUABLE: « What do you think about the impact of HONEY on the treatment of the viral diseases? » This question naturally arises in regard with the current worldwide situation and urgent need of the effective anti-viral compounds (https://www.ft.com/content/a26fbf7e-48f8-11ea-aeb3-955839e06441)....

Suboptimal treatment of asthma could lead to lower quality of life among those asthmatic children

The appropriate management of hematology patients depends first on correct diagnoses. Expert review is important in reaching accurate diagnoses. To improve diagnostic accuracy, the Taiwan Society of Pathology and the Taiwan Division of the International Academy of Pathology has been conducting an expert consultation program for general pathologists...

Abstract The WHO lymphoma classification has been widely adopted by hematopathologists. However, its practical application in general pathologists is largely unknown. By a hematopathology consultation program in Taiwan, we had reviewed 406 cases. Diagnostic discrepancies were scored based upon whether the divergence would alter disease management a...

The fine article, "First Attack of Acute Urticaria in a Pediatric Emergency Department" by Liu et at, which appeared in the June issue of Pediatrics and Neonatology prompted me to submit comments and a review on the subject of urticaria in children, because this is indeed a pediatric problem that is frequently seen in clinical practice.

Upper respiratory symptoms and sinusitis constitute a major reason for patient visits to their physician. The diagnosis of sinusitis is often made based on history and physical exam, but the accuracy of such diagnosis is questioned. Sinus films or CT scans are expensive. Obtaining pus from the middle meatus is impractical. We studied whether analys...

The epinephrine autoinjector (EpiPen, DEY, L.P., Napa, CA) is a lifesaving device, but the teaching of its use has not been properly evaluated. We enrolled parents of pediatric patients (n = 224) with a history of anaphylaxis in a study to evaluate teaching of the use of the EpiPen. Parents were taught nine steps to the correct use of the EpiPen, a...

Young children sensitized with foods may develop early respiratory symptoms including nasal symptoms and cough, but not clinical manifestations in the skin or gastrointestinal tract. The long-term outcome of these patients is largely unknown. We studied 36 children sensitized with cow's milk and three different age-matched control groups. The patie...

There is solid evidence that a positive association exists between nasal allergy and acute or chronic sinusitis in both adults and children. Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis-especially those with significant sensitivity to molds and/or house dust mites-are particularly susceptible to acute sinusitis. It therefore seems reasonable to assume...

There is solid evidence that a positive association exists between nasal allergy and acute or chronic sinusitis in both adults and children. Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis-especially those with significant sensitivity to molds and/or house dust mites-are particularly susceptible to acute sinusitis. It therefore seems reasonable to assume...

Entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria bassiana are considered promising biological control agents for a variety of arthropod pests. Beauveria species, however, have the potential to elicit allergenic reactions in humans, although no specific allergens have been characterized to date. Four putative allergens were identified within B. bassiana exp...

Bermuda grass pollen (BGP) contains a very complex mixture of allergens, but only a few have been characterized. One of the allergens, with an apparent molecular mass of 21 kDa, has been shown to bind serum IgE from 29% of patients with BGP allergy. A combination of chromatographic techniques (ion exchange and reverse phase HPLC) was used to purify...

There is a prevailing myth that iodine levels in seafood and seafood allergy are connected. Therefore, we designed a study to collect information about this misconception from patients referred to our pediatric allergy clinic because of suspected seafood allergy. We presented five questions to our patients, and the most surprising result was that t...

Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) pollen (BGP) is one of the most common causes of airway allergic disease, and has been shown to contain over 12 allergenic proteins on 1-D immunoglobulin E (IgE) immunoblots. However, only a few allergens have been identified and characterized. Cyn d 1 is a major allergen and the most abundant protein in BGP, repres...

Background Beauveria bassiana is an important entomopathogenic fungus currently under development as a bio-control agent for a variety of insect pests. Although reported to be non-toxic to vertebrates, the potential allergenicity of Beauveria species has not been widely studied. Methods IgE-reactivity studies were performed using sera from patient...

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare but potentially fatal disease. An on-line survey was conducted of 63 patients in order to analyze the current clinical status of these patients. Sixty percent (n = 38) had type 1 HAE, 16% (n = 10) had type 2 HAE, and 24% (n = 15) did not know their type. The mean and median ages of onset of symptoms were predom...

A novel immunoreactive isoallergen of a major Bermuda grass pollen allergen, Cyn d 1, was purified by the use of a combination of various chromatographic techniques, including high-performance liquid chromatography. This new isoallergen has a pI value of 9.1 and shows significant N-terminal sequence homology with other isoforms. Carbohydrate compos...

To test the TH1/TH2 paradigm, we determined the prevalence of asthma and allergic disorders (TH2-driven diseases) in children with type 1 diabetes (a TH1-driven disease) in the United States. The survey was conducted using an online survey (www.childrenwithdiabetes.com). In 3 months, we enrolled a total of 403 children with diabetes (under the age...

A tragic case of 7 years old child who suffered from injury caused by chemical burn of esophagus uncovered an urgent need of public education on the labeling of reused medicine bottle. The sad fact is that the case presented in the article or similer cases which occurred in the past in children is largely preventable. This article makes a plead to...

Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) may cause significant morbidity in children but its relationship to allergic rhinitis (AR) has not been studied. To determine the risk factor of AH in patients with AR. We studied 315 children (ages 1 to 18 years) who had AH and AR. We compared them with 315 age-matched controls who had AR alone. To identify risk factors, t...

Adverse reactions to drugs are relatively common in pediatric practice, but true drug allergy in children is rare. The author examines the causes of true drug allergy and other adverse reactions to drugs and their management.

It is said that bacterial sinusitis occurs often in patients with allergic rhinitis, but this correlation has not yet been determined. We studied this issue for 5 years in 413 children, of whom 215 had perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) and 198 had seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). The prevalence of sinusitis in patients with PAR compared with those...

The worldwide increase in diagnosed cases of asthma in the last 15 years, in spite of the better understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease and the availability of more potent bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory agents, has been the concern of clinicians worldwide. For pediatricians, it is most disturbing to learn that asthma is the most co...

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated drug sensitivity in children is uncommon. However, undefined skin rash following antibiotic ingestion in younger children is commonly observed in clinical practice. We studied 86 consecutively referred patients to our allergy clinic over a 5-year period. We found that the majority of children (80%) with skin rashes w...

In a previous study, protein components purified from latex gloves that elicited allergenic reactions were characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and yielded apparent molecular weights of 14, 22, 30, 34, 46, and 58 kD. These allergenic components were isolated for further characterization by capillary...

A recent report on the incorrect use of metered-dose inhalers by asthmatic patients' and a survey that showed the deficiency of physicians in providing after-care instructions to patients with Hymenoptera sting-induced anaphylaxis^.^ prompted us to observe closely how patients and their parents are instructed to use Epi-PEN or Epi-PEN Jr (Dey Labor...

Wheezing in children may be caused by a broad range of stimuli. Allergy is a common precipitating cause, particularly in children older than 2 years. Findings from the history and physical examination provide important diagnostic clues. An allergy work-up is indicated for children whose wheezing cannot be attributed to nonallergic causes or is not...

In winter, children with mold allergy may develop persistent cold-like symptoms (PCLS) that often defy conventional therapy. To investigate the cause of PCLS, we enrolled 44 children (25 with PCLS and 19 controls) in a 2-year study to compare their clinical symptoms and the mold count in their homes. Children with PCLS had a higher percent of eosin...

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to study latex-specific IgE and IgG. Levels of these immunoglobulins were correlated with latex allergy severity. Total protein content and relative immunoreactivity of 12 different brands of disposable gloves were compared. Specific latex proteins were extracted and characterized by immunoblotting...

In a previous study we showed that antigen BG60 of Bermuda grass pollen contains isoallergens. Because the yield of purified isoallergens was low when a chromatofocusing technique was used, it was difficult to carry out further studies, such as determination of carbohydrate composition and structure. The aim of this study was to establish a procedu...

In search of a better universal marker of tissue inflammation in allergic reactions, we studied platelet activation and its relation to allergic asthma in sheep. University research laboratory. Twenty-three allergic sheep. We serially measured plasma thrombospondin (TSP), a glycoprotein secreted from activated platelets, using enzyme-linked immunos...

Sinusitis is an infectious, inflammatory disease. Aggressive, multifaceted treatment is often required for control, with emphasis on anti-inflammatory therapy. Medical and surgical treatment is similar in children and adults, but more aggressive therapy, particularly surgery, is more controversial in the former.

Because latex products are essential in preventing the transmission of blood-borne diseases, reports of severe, immediate allergic reactions to latex exposure have become a major public health concern. In recent years, immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reactions to latex have been reported with increasing frequency and have been associated with anaph...

Plasma thrombospondin (TSP) levels were monitored in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) exacerbated by food hypersensitivity (FH) or skin infection. In both groups, the TSP levels correlated positively with skin disease severity score from the onset to 2 months after treatment. A sustained TSP level above 250 ng/ml predicted a 7-fold increase in...

Seventy-five children (ages 4 to 14 years) with perennial rhinitis caused by mold allergy (36 had asthma) were enrolled in an air-cleaner study for 2 years. Symptom scores prior to the study were compared with scores 1 and 2 years after placement of air-cleaners in the bedrooms. Forty-two homes were surveyed for mold count in the air in summer and...

Hypersensitivity reactions to carboplatin are rare but potentially life-threatening complications. A patient with an anaphylactic reaction to carboplatin is presented. This patient had received multiple courses of platinum-based chemotherapy including cisplatin and carboplatin. Close patient monitoring during chemotherapy is essential and skin test...

The tests currently used to monitor atopic dermatitis in children--serum IgE level and eosinophil count--are not sensitive enough to accurately track the course of the disease. Because previous studies have shown that atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory disease and because our previous work has shown that plasma thrombospondin level correlates wel...

Ninety children (age 4-14 years) with perennial allergic rhinitis were surveyed to determine the effect of an air cleaner in their bedroom on their allergic symptoms and on the quality of their lives. All of the children had symptoms for more than 2 years and were sensitive to multiple mold allergens. Multiple medications had not controlled the sym...

We hypothesized that differential housing, shown to influence emotionality and health in infectious and neoplastic disease, would influence onset/incidence of diabetes in an autoimmune animal model of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Non-obese diabetic mice were assigned to same-sex groups of one, five, or eight animals/cage, counterbala...

Current evidence supports an autoimmune etiopathogenesis for Type I, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in which the pancreatic beta (beta) cell is the specific target tissue. Recently, the NOD (non-obese diabetic) mouse has become an important model for IDDM, exhibiting many of the pathological features observed in man, including a progres...

Lymphocyte promoting factor (LPF), a bioproduct of Bordetella pertussis shown previously to exert immunosuppressive effects, was examined for its effect on Concanavalin A (Con A) induced T lymphocyte suppressor activity by human lymphocytes. Suppressor cells (5 x 10(4) cells/well) first generated with Con A (10 micrograms/ml) for 24h were co-cultur...

In the last two decades, diabetes research has advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Genetic factors, environmental influences, and the immune responses of susceptible individuals are now known to play significant roles, separately and together. Research on animal models has helped elucidate t...

Thrombospondin (TSP) is a glycoprotein that was first identified as a secretory product released from activated platelets and subsequently shown to be present in other types of cells involved in inflammation. Its plasma concentration rises dramatically in response to inflammation and selective forms of tissue damage. The availability of a rapid, pr...

Forty-five asthmatic children were enrolled in a swimming program in Baltimore. After participating in a 2-month swimming session, the children showed significant improvement in all clinical variables including symptoms, hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and school absenteeism compared with their previous medical history or to those of age-m...

Using a previously developed in vitro assay of glass adherence of neutrophils following blood clotting, we compared the results of new patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and those of normal controls. In acute phase of the disease, all 33 patients (100%) of SLE, 2 of 35 patients (5.7%) with JRA had...

The use of plasma thrombospondin (TSP) concentration was investigated as an indicator of intravascular platelet activation. Patients (n = 20) with diseases that have known vasculitis were included in the study. The range and the mean of plasma TSP concentrations of patients with vasculitis were 117 ng/ml to 6500 ng/ml and 791 +/- 1412 ng/ml (mean +...

Sera obtained from normal subjects and juvenile-onset diabetes (JD) and systemic lupus erythromatus (SLE) patients were examined for free fatty acid composition and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha content. In addition, prostaglandins in urine samples from normal and diabetic individuals were separated by HPLC, and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels were monitored by RIA....

A patient who rapidly developed impressive local edema around a rat bite site is described. An interesting differential diagnosis was presented since the offending rat was experiencing an opiate withdrawal syndrome. A discussion of the possibilities of animal product allergy, local infection, and edema produced by opiate histamine releasers was con...

Protective effect of pertussis vaccine (PV) against the development of insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD) induced by streptozotocin (STZ) in young CD-1 male mice were studied. When PV at a dose of 1.2 X 10(10) microorganism was administered on -10, 0, or +4 d relative to a single injection of STZ (60 mg/kg body wt) on d 0, it completely aborted the d...

The case is presented of an infant with chlamydia pneumonitis who developed clinical and electrocardiographic signs of myocarditis. No significant antiviral antibodies developed. Elevated antichlamydial IgG titers were demonstrated during the initial phase. These declined during convalescence. This report provides further evidence associating C. tr...

Serologic studies in a 9-year-old black girl with acute infectious myocarditis revealed a dramatic rise in antichlamydial antibodies. All viral titers obtained during the course of her illness remained nonreactive or demonstrated no change. Chlamydia trachomatis infection, as a cause of myocarditis, is strongly suggested by this case report.

Children and adolescents with asthma were divided into groups of responders (N = 22) and nonresponders (N = 22) on the basis of their response to medical management. The mothers and children from both groups were given scales to measure life events and perceptions of behavior style. The effects of life event stresses and parent-child relations on t...

Normally, the injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at a lower dose (60 mg/kg body weight) to young (45 days old) CD-1 male mice produces a sustained hyperglycemia with the concomitant development of hypoinsulinemia and immune insulitis in the pancreas, both of which lead to insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD). In an effort to abort the development of IDD...

In three experiments, groups of 8-18, 45-day-old male CD-1 mice were injected with a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) and were followed for 12-31 weeks. Experimental groups were given periodic. light-shock stimulation beginning at various times after streptozotocin injection. Blood samples were taken biweekly from all mice. Blood glucose levels...

We have studied nucleic acid antibodies in 23 insulin-dependent diabetics, 27 of their first degree relatives, and 23 normal, unrelated controls. We have found a significantly increased prevalence of antibody to ss-DNA, ds-RNA (reovirus), and synthetic RNA (Poly A.Poly U, Poly I.Poly C) in the unaffected relatives as well as in the diabetics when c...

Neonatal Chlamydia trachomatis infection is thought to be acquired as a result of contact with infected cervical secretions during vaginal delivery. An infant, delivered by cesarean section, who was infected with C trachomatis has been described. At 31 days of age he had conjunctivitis and respiratory distress. Nasopharyngeal aspirate grew C tracho...

Streptozotocin (STZ), a known beta cell toxin, given in a single injection of either a high (100 mg/kg body weight) or a low dose (60 mg/kg body weight) to young (45 days old) CD-I mice induced permanent hyperglycaemia which led to insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD). Further study, however, revealed that the course of the disease was strikingly diffe...

An improved in vitro technique to assay for migration inhibitory factor is presented. The method employs chromium-51-radiolabelled guinea-pig macrophages and offers significant advantages including (1) elimination of observer to observer variation and tedious measurements resulting in an objective and technically simple assay, (2) the requirement f...

Antibodies to single stranded (SS-) and double stranded (DS-) DNA and RNA were determined by a passive microhemagglutination assay in sera from 80 children with juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus (JDM) and 129 children with asthma. The latter group was chosen for comparison with the JDM group because of their increased susceptibility to viral infecti...

Antibodies to thyroid cytoplasm (T.C.A.), to thyroid nuclei (ANA) and to thyroglobulin (T.G.A.) were determined in 30 children with thyrotoxicosis (Tx), in 13 with euthyroid goiter (EG), in 9 with hypothyroidism and goiter (H.G.) and in 6 with hypothyroidism with no goiter (H). Histocompatibility (HL-A) antigens were also studied. The results (as p...

The study on viral agent as a possible etiological factor in the development of juvenile onset diabetes (JDM) was undertaken by surveying serum antibodies to DNA and RNA from 80 children with JDM. 129 children with asthma and 40 normal individuals were selected for controls. The asthmatics were chosen for comparison because of their increased susce...

This article has no abstract; the first 100 words appear below. To the Editor: The possibility that viruses are one of the causes of the juvenile-onset type of diabetes mellitus has recently received considerable attention. A number of viruses, including those of mumps, Coxsackie B4 and rubella, as well as cytomegalovirus, have been implicated, but...

A close association of autoimmune diseases or autoimmune phenomena in myasthenia gravis is well known. A comprehensive immunological study of 22 patients with myasthenia gravis showed that changes in the immune system mainly involve the thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells). Anti-thymus antibody was present in 90% of the patients, and it paralleled...

Werner's syndrome, or adult progeria, is characterized by short stature, a trcphic changes in skin and muscle, sclero-dermatous lesions, chronic leg ulcers, secondary hypogonadism, premature atherosclerosis, cataracts, insulin independent diabetes (I.I.D.) and an autosonal recessive inheritance. A black boy, C.M., presented at 15 years with diabeti...

The adherence of circulating phagocytes to glass was studied in 15 children with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis and in 27 healthy adults, 21 healthy children, and 14 children with normocomplementemic renal disease. The phagocytic adherence to glass in the patients with hypocomplementemic PSGN differed significantly from that of the cont...