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Biomedical subjects

C M Wu

Publications and source records attributed to C M Wu.

47 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Isolation and identification of xanthotoxin (8-methoxypsoralen) and bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen) from celery infected with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Methods for the production, isolation, and identification of xanthotoxin and bergapten from celery diseased by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Libert) de Bary were investigated. The only conditions under which this mold was capable of producing xanthotoxin and bergapten occurred when the mold was actively growing on fresh (metabolizing) celery. Neither compound was found in uninfected celery, in the mold growing on nutrient media, on nutrient media fortified with 30% filter-sterilized celery juice, or on nonmetabolizing celery. Maximal xanthotoxin production of 320 mug per g of dry rotted celery occurred at 20 C, although mycelial growth increased until 30 C. Neither xanthotoxin nor bergapten was found when the mold grew on 11 agricultural commodities other than celery.

Animals↗

Serous cystic neoplasm involving the pancreas and liver: an unusual clinical entity.

Serous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas is typically considered to represent a benign pancreatic neoplasm. We present a case where the tumor displayed unusually aggressive behavior with metastatic disease to the liver and pancreatic bed. Although serous cystic neoplasms should be considered a benign lesion and will be cured in most cases by surgical excision, the radiologist should be aware that on occasion they can exhibit aggressive behavior.

Cystadenoma, Serous↗

Breast carcinoma metastatic to the esophagus. CT findings with pathologic correlation.

The common sites of metastasis from breast carcinoma include local and distant lymph nodes, lung parenchyma, bone, liver and brain. While less common, gastrointestinal carcinoma, involving everything from the tip of the tongue to the rectum, secondary to metastatic breast carcinoma have been reported. Many of these lesions occur years after treatment of the primary breast cancer and they can be confused with a second primary. We present a case of breast cancer metastatic to the esophagus which produced symptoms of progressive dysphagia in a women thirteen years after mastectomy and radiation therapy for breast cancer.

Aged↗

Efficacy of single-bolus vs. frequent low-dose treatment with nitrosourea in experimental gliomas.

BACKGROUND: Malignant glioma remains a fatal disease. Continuous or frequent low-dose (FLD) chemotherapy with nitrosoureas reportedly causes fewer side-effects than single-bolus therapy without decreasing the antitumour effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To study the effect of FLD treatment with nimustine (ACNU) in rats with glioma, we intracerebrally inoculated with C6 glioma cells. We began the ACNU treatment 5 or 8 days later (total dose, 25 or 40 mg/kg) i.p. as either one bolus or smaller doses spread over 5 days week. RESULTS: At a total dose of 25 mg/kg beginning at day 8, survival duration did not differ between untreated controls and the FLD group, while the bolus significantly prolonged survival; the FLD group showed some improvement beyond control survival at 40 mg/kg (each p <0.001). Beginning treatment after 5 rather than 8 days prolonged survival somewhat further. CONCLUSION: FLD treatment with ACNU is less effective against experimental glioma in rats than bolus treatment.

Animals↗

Pulsatile flow changes in the anterior cerebral arteries in infants with patent ductus arteriosus: measured with Doppler technique.

Cerebral hemodynamics were measured, using the Doppler ultrasound technique (directed toward anterior cerebral artery through the anterior fontanel), in 6 patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) patients with large left to right shunt and in 32 neonates before and just following functional closure of ductus arteriosus. PDA was confirmed by color echocardiogram and Doppler flow study. All 6 sick babies had prominent retrograde flow in the descending aorta during diastole. The value of pulsatility index (PI) derived from the components of peak systolic and end--diastolic frequency, was calculated. An obvious higher PI with simultaneous decrease in diastolic Doppler frequency in sick babies (PI = 0.89 +/- 0.05) were detected. On the contrary, the PI valves in the presence of opening of the ductus (PI = 0.65 +/- 0.07) in normal newborn infants didn't differ significantly with those just following functional closure (PI = 0.63 +/- 0.05). These data suggested that PDA might result in the physiologic consequence of ischemic cerebral injury if large left to right shunt occurred.

Cerebral Arteries↗

Changes of respiratory chain enzyme activities in growing rat muscle mitochondria.

The activities of three mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes, namely rotenone sensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase (NCCR), succinate-cytochrome c reductase (SCCR), and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) in the extensor digitorum longus muscle were determined in Wistar rats, twenty each, at 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 26 weeks of age. The activity of NCCR was extremely low from birth up to 10 weeks of age. The activity of SCCR was stable at 64% to 72% during the first 6 weeks of life and increased to 78% of the adult level at 10 weeks of age. The CCO activity was only 52% of the adult level at 3 weeks of age, increased to 78% to 86% during the next 3 weeks and reached 92% at 10 weeks of age which was not statistically different from the adult level. We conclude that the activities of these 3 respiratory chain enzymes, in muscle mitochondria in rats, were low during development and reached the adult levels at various ages. Before the normal values of these enzyme activities can be established in human pediatric population, age-matched control should be used as the reference value for evaluation of mitochondrial myopathy.

Age Factors↗

[Hemophilus aphrophilus meningitis: report of one case].

Hemophilus aphrophilus, a gram negative, capnophilic slow growing bacillus, is a rarely recognized pathogen in meningitis and is most frequently seen in patients with either endocarditis or brain abscess. This article reported one case with Hemophilus aphrophilus meningitis. A 10-year-old boy presented at the emergency room with chief complaint of fever for 2 days and sudden onset of loss of consciousness. Hemophilus aphrophilus was isolated from the blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Aqueous penicillin and chloramphenicol were given for three weeks. The patient discharged without any sequelae. Three months later, fever and consciousness disturbance were noted again. No pathogen was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid and blood culture this time, but CSF finding was consistent with bacterial meningitis. Aqueous penicillin and chloramphenicol were readministered for 30 days. The patient recovered smoothly. Because the patient had no history of CSF rhinorrhea or hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrence of the bacterial meningitis could be due to incomplete treatment during the first admission. Brain computed tomography (CT) done during the two admissions showed focal cortical enhancement in the fronto-temporo-parietal region. This is presumed to indicate infarction over these regions. The findings of brain CT are in accordance with the development of hemiplegia in the patient. It is still unknown, however, whether Hemophilus aphrophilus meningitis also causes a higher incidence of brain infarction, which was frequently noted in patients with Hemophilus influenzae meningitis.

Child↗

Significance of nm23 mRNA expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

It has been proposed that nm23-H1, a candidate suppressor gene for metastasis, plays an important role in the metastasis of human tumors. In order to investigate its role in the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 18 matched pairs of tumorous and adjacent nontumorous liver tissues of hepatectomy from patients with HCC were studied by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Further analyses of the nm23-H1 gene were also done. The results of these molecular studies were correlated with the clinicopathologic features of the patients. Nm23-H1 transcript was expressed in all neoplastic and adjacent nontumorous liver tissue. The level of expression, however, did not correlate well with the extension or metastatic potential of the tumors. Instead, in 15 (83.3%) of 18 HCC, nm23-H1 expression was higher in the tumorous tissues, compared with the adjacent nontumorous tissues; and significantly higher levels of nm23-H1 mRNA expression was detected in HCC with poor differentiation (Edmonson classification, III and IV) than those with moderate differentiation (I and II). Southern blot analysis of nm23-H1 gene revealed neither amplification nor loss of heterozygosity of all HCC tissues examined. Direct sequencing of the nm23-H1 gene in all HCC tissues detected no mutations. Our findings suggested that increased nm23-H1 mRNA expression is correlated with HCC tumor progression.

Aged↗