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Biomedical subjects

C L Lim

Publications and source records attributed to C L Lim.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The effects of 20 weeks basic military training program on body composition, VO2max and aerobic fitness of obese recruits.

Forty of the most obese recruits going through a 20 weeks Basic Military Training (BMT) program were selected from a cohort of 197 obese recruits. Their TBW, BF, FFW, VO2max, time taken to achieve VT (VTTime) and maximal heart rate (HRmax) were measured before, in the middle, and at the end of the program. The means for each of these variables measured in the 3 occasions were analysed for significant differences with the repeated measures analysis of variance. Variables that achieved significant difference were further analysed for pairwise difference with the post-hoc Tukey test. The critical value was set at p < 0.05. Mean TBW and BF decreased from 108.33 +/- 13.1 kg to 90.82 +/- 12.3 kg (p < 0.001), and 34.3 +/- 1.2% to 23.9 +/- 2.3% (p 0.001) respectively. Mean FW decreased from 37.4 +/- 4.8 kg to 22.0 +/- 4.5 kg (p < 0.001). FFW decreased slightly from a mean of 71.5 +/- 8.6 kg to 69.2 +/- 8.8 kg, which was not significantly different (p > 0.05). Mean VO2max increased from 28.1 +/- 6.3 ml.kg-1.min-1 to 32.1 +/- 5.1 ml.kg-1.min-1 (p < 0.001), and mean VTTime on similar exercise protocol increased from 13.3 +/- 2.7 minutes to 15.8 +/- 3.8 minutes (p < 0.001). Mean HRmax decreased from 183.5 +/- 12.1 beats.min-1 to 177.3 +/- 10.1 beats.min-1 (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adipose Tissue↗

Motor evoked potentials: a new method of controlled facilitation using quantitative surface EMG.

A new method of assessing MEP facilitation using surface EMG under computer control is described. Transcranial magnetic stimulation with voluntary contraction at a value between 2 and 6% of maximal surface EMG activity produced responses with shortest latencies and largest amplitudes and power. No significant changes occurred when facilitation increased beyond this level. These results are similar to previously published studies using a force transducer, confirming the reliability of the system as an alternative method of monitoring voluntary contraction. The controlling system may potentially provide an easy, flexible, quantitative method of ensuring adequate, reproducible facilitation with minimum EMG interference for testing in a clinical setting.

Electromyography↗

Successful transfer of "free" microvascular superficial temporal artery flap with no obvious venous drainage and use of leeches for reducing venous congestion: case report.

A case is presented of "free" flap based on the frontal branch of the left superficial temporal artery and its surrounding soft tissues, without any proper vein for anastomosis, successfully transferred for eyebrow reconstruction. One can argue that this flap was a Wolfe graft. It probably was not for two reasons. First, "hairy Wolfe grafts" are always composite grafts with a thickness of 3-4 mm, as the base of the hair follicles lies in the subcutaneous tissue. Second, the edges of the flap were not sutured to the surrounding skin. Therefore, vascularization is unlikely from the surrounding skin and there was constant, definite oozing from the edge of this flap.

Animals↗

Estrogen and antiestrogen binding sites in desmoid tumors.

Clinical and experimental evidence suggests a role for estrogen in the natural history of desmoid tumors (DT). Antiestrogen (tamoxifen) has been used empirically in some patients with significant tumor regression. To further investigate the mechanism of hormonal influence on desmoid tumors we initially characterized the cytosol estrogen receptor (ER) and antiestrogen binding sites (AEBS) in microsomal fractions of 15 cases of DT. Biopsy specimens were obtained from nine female and six male patients. ER assay was determined in cytosol (105,000 g) and the AEBS was detected in the microsomal fraction (7000 g for 20 min) by a DCC assay technique. ER was present in 33% of DT assayed (5/15), with equal incidence in males and females. Receptor content in female patients was higher than in male patients (26.52 +/- 16 vs 10.82 +/- 8.32 fmol/mg protein). Dissociation constant (Kd) range (0.44-3.97 nM) was well within the values seen in other estrogen target tissues. The AEBS were detected in 79% of the cases. The mean binding value was 236.7 +/- 170.2 fmol/mg protein. Kd values were between 0.39 and 5.97 nM. ER settled predominantly in the 4S region and AEBS settled in the 5-5.5S region in a 5-20% sucrose gradient. AEBS was detected in seven patients with negative ER. No correlation between ER and AEBS contents was observed. Competition studies revealed minimal binding with either DEX, DHT, R5020, and R1881, but partial binding with tamoxifen in cytosol and estradiol in microsomal fractions. ER and AEBS assays may be of prognostic significance in the natural history of these tumors.

Adult↗

Facial sweating in Horner's syndrome.

The distribution of sweating on the face was studied in 31 patients with Horner's syndrome. In patients whose lesion was known to be distal to the bifurcation of the common carotid artery impairment of sweating was confined to the medial aspect of the forehead and side of the nose. In more proximal lesions loss of sweating involved the whole of one side of the face. Facial sweating was normal in 6 patients with avulsion injuries of the brachial plexus and in 2 patients with a lateral medullary syndrome. These findings suggest that the pattern of sweating in Horner's syndrome may be useful in some patients in localizing the site of the lesion.

Adult↗

Clinical and electroencephalographic data indicative of brain tumours in a seizure population.

One hundred and two patients suffering from seizures, with focal EEG signs (101 cases) and focal seizures but generalized EEG abnormalities (one case) were divided into tumour (twenty-one cases) and non-tumour (eighty-one cases) groups on the basis of contrast radiological studies. Retrospective analysis of various clinical data and EEG abnormalities, determined before the contrast radiological examinations, showed that the following were statistically significantly different between the two groups in favour of a tumoral aetiology for the seizures: age at onset of fits (greater than 20 years), presence of focal neurological signs and increased intracranial pressure, presence of focal unilateral delta waves without accompanying epileptic discharges, beta asymmetry between the cerebral hemispheres and hyperventilation-induced electrical seizures. A brain scan was a very useful screening test for the detection of a tumoral aetiology for seizures.

Age Factors↗

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis with unusual ocular movements: polygraphic studies.

A 5-year-old child with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis had continuous involuntary ocular movements while awake. At this stage of illness, stereotyped periodic EEG complexes over the two hemispheres were asynchronous. Polygraphic studies showed three diffrent types of ocular movements, each apparently related to the degree of phase shift between the EEG complexes from the two hemispheres. The involuntary ocular movements in one direction were always preceded by periodic EEG complexes from the contralateral hemisphere. Overnight polygraphic studies revealed early disruption of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep patterns and preservation of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, even in a late stage of illness.

Child, Preschool↗

Epileptic discharges triggered by eye convergence.

A 27-year-old man with major motor and minor seizures showed focal epileptic discharges and electrical seizures triggered by eye convergence. Other voluntary ocular movements failed to evoke reflex epileptic discharges. Eye convergence triggered discharges even after the eyelids were strapped open with tapes and the pupillary and accommodation reflexes were temporarily paralyzed. This patient also showed pattern-sensitive focal epileptic discharges arising from the same area of the brain as those induced by eye convergence, but he was not photosensitive.

Adult↗

Electro-oculographic analysis of opsoclonus: its relationship to saccadic and nonsaccadic eye movements.

Opsoclonus and intention tremors of the body were seen transiently in a 20-year-old woman with postinfectious encephalopathy. Electro-oculograms showed multidirectional eye oscillations: oblique and disconjugate involuntary movements were commonly seen. The opsoclonus was triggered by both saccadic and nonsaccadic eye movements including those not concerned with visual fixation.

Adult↗

The relationship between quantified EEG and skin conductance level.

Electroencephalographic measures (EEG) and skin conductance level (SCL) respectively reflect cerebral cortical activity and sympathetic autonomic activity. Such central and autonomic activities associated with arousal generally have been studied separately, despite their potential to reflect complementary dimensions of reticular-thalamo-hypothalamo-cortical activating networks. In this study, we examined the relationship between cortical (19 EEG sites) and autonomic (SCL) activities recorded simultaneously in 10 normal adults. Two second pre-stimulus EEGs and SCLs were assessed from an habituation paradigm which presented 22 trains of 7 tones in an 'ignore' condition. The mean SCLs of the epochs across subjects showed an initial rise (sensitization) followed by an exponential decline (habituation). Although EEG associated with the tones did not demonstrate such a distinct profile, EEG total power and band powers (beta, alpha and theta) associated with the trains showed a systematic increasing response profile. In the group data the mean SCLs within trains showed a significant correlation with alpha and beta band powers. Finer EEG band analyses indicated that beta 3 at Fz and alpha 2 at Cz showed the strongest separate linear correlations with SCL. beta 3 and alpha 1 at Fz were found to jointly covary with SCL. The findings indicate a substantive relationship between measures of cerebral function and autonomic arousal.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

The effects of age on late components of the ERP and reaction time.

The effects of age on late component (N100, P200, N200, and P300) event-related potentials (ERP) and reaction time (RT) were investigated in 50 normal subjects, 18 to 70 years of age. A conventional auditory oddball paradigm was employed. An equal number of subjects, as well as an equal number of males and females, were examined in each decade. There were no significant associations found between ERP amplitude and age. A significant positive correlation was found between age and N200/P300 latency. There were no significant effects of age on RT in the overall group. However, females had slower RT and decreased P200 and N200 amplitude as compared with males. Moreover, males had significant correlations between N200 latency and RT, whereas females showed significant correlations between P300 amplitude and RT. ERP/RT effects should be further explicated between gender, as well as across age.

Adolescent↗