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Biomedical subjects

C S Lin

Publications and source records attributed to C S Lin.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Oral calcium loading test and response to diuretics in normal Taiwanese school children.

To investigate possible mechanisms of increased urinary calcium excretion and increased prevalence of urolithiasis in 16- to 20-year-old children, oral calcium loading and diuretic tests were performed in 120 normal children in three age groups (7-8, 12-13, and 17-18 years of age). Urinary calcium/creatinine ratios and 24-h urinary calcium excretion were significantly increased following the oral calcium loading test in 17- to 18-year-olds compared with the two younger age groups. Oral furosemide resulted in increased urinary calcium excretion in the 17- to 18-year age group, while hydrochlorothiazide was less effective in reducing urinary calcium excretion in this age group. These results suggest that increased intestinal calcium absorption and decreased renal tubular reabsorption of calcium in 17- to 18-year-olds may be contributing factors in the increased prevalence of nephrolithiasis in older Taiwanese children.

Acetazolamide↗
PubMed1996

Survey on the distribution of Vibrionaceae at the seaport areas in Taiwan, 1991-1994.

A monthly survey on the distribution of human-pathogenic Vibrionaceae of the seawater from five principal harbors in Taiwan was conducted by National Quarantine Service from July, 1991 to February, 1994. Of the total 1,167 Vibrionaceae isolates, strains of Vibrio alginolyticus (449 strains) were the most frequently isolated, followed by Vibrio parahaemolyticus (262) , Aeromonas hydrophila (153), Vibrio cholerae non-O1 (86), and Vibrio vulnificus (67). None of Vibrio cholerae O1 was isolated. The pH, salinity, and water temperature in this study ranged from 5.8 to 8.6, 0.1 to 4.2% , and 15 to 34 degrees C, respectively. It is concluded that the family Vibrionaceae exists autochthonously around the coastal waters in Taiwan.

Hydrogen-Ion Concentration↗
PubMed1996

Expression of polyphosphate kinase inhibits the glucose uptake in Escherichia coli.

This paper examines the effects of phosphate pool and expression of polyphosphate kinase on glucose uptake by expressing the polyphosphate kinase under the control of lac promoter. The E. coli transformant of pL1, containing an IPTG controllable element for polyphosphate kinase expression, showed that the total intracellular phosphate significantly increased. However, the rate of glucose uptake by the resting plasmid-bearing cells with IPTG induction significantly decreased. These findings suggest that the polyphosphate can not directly function as an energy source in E. coli or at least not as a good energy supplier.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1996

[Clinicopathological study of 34 autopsy cases of mycobacteriosis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: Clinicopathological features of mycobacteriosis were studied by means of microscopical examination of 34 autopsy cases in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the diagnostic methods were evaluated. METHODS: All cases were anatomized, sampled, fixed and embedded routinely and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Acid fast stain was applied to identify the mycobacteria. The pathological sections and files were reviewed systemically and retrospectively. RESULTS: Thirty-four cases of mycobacteriosis, including Mycobacterium avium-intracellular complex (MAI) infection (20 cases) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (10 cases) and mixed infection of both pathogens (4 cases) were found out of 151 autopsy AIDS patients. MAI infection involved mostly the lymph nodes (21 cases) and followed by spleen, liver and lung, etc. The infection were often disseminated and characterized by proliferation of histocytes with foamy or vacuolar cytoplasm containing acid fast bacilli and formation of granulomatous nodules. Tuberculosis often involved the lung (10 cases) and lymph node (8 cases), the typical manifestations of which were caseous necrosis and tuberculation. Other opportunistic infections and neoplasmas occurred with mycobacteriosis in 25 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Mycobacteriosis, especially the tuberculosis and MAI infection are common in patients with AIDS, which are often disseminated and involved the lung and lymph node. The diagnosis can be made according to the specific pathological appearances and positive acid fast stain.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1996

[The detection and study on enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in China].

In this paper, some strains of ETEC were first detected from the stools of the patients with cholerae-like diarrhea in China in 1974. With a detected rate 36.48% of ETEC Detected rates weve 20.18% from patients with acute diarrhea, 19.74% from environment and sea foods. ETEC produced most of LT toxin in culture medium when the they were incubated at 37-42 degrees C for 4 days. When Rabbit ileal loop test (RILT) was performed with the culture of ETEC or with germ-free culture supernatant, a large quantity of intestinal fluid in response to LT was accumulated at 24 hour and showed positive reaction at every test. Similar results were qained by using 5 cm or 10 cm ileal loop of RILT for LT detectoing. Better effects were noticed through injection of 1.0-3.0 ml culture of ETEC or germ-free enterotoxin in per 5 cm ileal loop. LT could be destroyed by heating at > 50 degrees C or pH < 4.0.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Temperature induction of bacteriophage lambda mutants in Escherichia coli.

The paper presents temperature induction in Escherichia coli cells with phage lambda on the target-protein production and cell growth. Replicated lambda-DNA particles in the Q- and S- mutants remain naked for a longer time by preventing DNA packaging and cell lysis, and therefore the expression of the foreign genes is high. However, the parasitic infection of phage-lambda causes on significant losses of host cell viability in the induction phase. The temperature effects on cell growth and targeted-gene product formation were investigated. Gene amplification was found to be growth phase dependent for both Qam73 (Q mutation) and Sam100 (S mutation) mutants. Maximum induction occurs in the early exponential phase and under the optimal cell density. The total beta-galactosidase activity at this optimal induction condition increases roughly 8-10-fold with respect to that without thermal induction. To maximize the induction efficiency for the gene-product beta-galactosidase activity, several operating parameters were investigated. In this study, temperature induction is strongly dependent upon the population density of 'susceptible' cells at which time the temperature is shifted to 38-42 degrees C. This may be due to the 'threshold' population density to regulate the infection of lambda to hosts and control the productivity of target gene expression.

Bacteriophage lambda↗
PubMed1995

Nucleotide sequence and expression of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase gene required for the synthesis of xanthan gum in Xanthomonas campestris.

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, producing large amounts of exopolysaccharide xanthan gum, has a mucoid phenotype. Strain SD7 was a non-mucoid mutant deficient in UDP-glucose dehydrogenase. A DNA fragment able to complement the mutation of SD7 was cloned from the parental wild-type strain Xc11. Sequence analysis of the region required for the complementation revealed an open reading frame which could encode a polypeptide of 445 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 48,432, a size similar to that of the product produced by maxicell. The amino acid sequence had significant homology to that of the GDP-mannose dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Expression of rabbit C-reactive protein in transgenic mice.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a prototypic acute phase reactant in humans and rabbits whose serum concentration can increase up to 1000-fold following an acute inflammatory stimulus. CRP binds to many phosphate ester-containing compounds including phosphorylcholine, nucleotides, chromatin and snRNP. To examine the in vivo function of this protein, we produced transgenic mice capable of significant CRP synthesis. In contrast to most other vertebrates, mice synthesize CRP in only trace amounts. The transgenic animals express rabbit CRP from either the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase promoter (PEPCK-CRP) or the mouse metallothionein I promoter (MT-CRP). Manipulating the diet in one of the PEPCK-CRP lines led to a rise in serum CRP levels from < 5 mu g/mL to 100-200 mu g/mL over a period of 2 days. The two MT-CRP lines examined expressed CRP constitutively which could be further elevated 2-4-fold following an inflammatory stimulus. Transgenic CRP bound phosphorylcholine was pentameric, had a circulating half-life of 30-60 min and was capable of activating mouse complement when bound to a ligand. We conclude that these transgenic lines express CRP with many of the properties of authentic rabbit CRP, and that the expression of CRP can be controlled to be dependent or independent of the acute phase response.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed1995

Isoform-specific complementation of the yeast sac6 null mutation by human fimbrin.

The actin cytoskeleton is a fundamental component of eukaryotic cells, with both structural and motile roles. Actin and many of the actin-binding proteins found in different cell types are highly conserved, showing considerable similarity in both primary structure and biochemical properties. To make detailed comparisons between homologous proteins, it is necessary to know whether the various proteins are functionally, as well as structurally, conserved. Fimbrin is an example of a cytoskeletal component that, as shown by sequence determinations and biochemical characterizations, is conserved between organisms as diverse as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and humans. In this study, we examined whether the human homolog can substitute for the yeast protein in vivo. We report here that two isoforms of human fimbrin, also referred to as T- and L-plastin, can both substitute in vivo for yeast fimbrin, also known as Sac6p, whereas a third isoform, I-fimbrin (or I-plastin), cannot. We demonstrate that the human T- and L-fimbrins, in addition to complementing the temperature-sensitive growth defect of the sac6 null mutant, restore both normal cytoskeletal organization and cell shape to the mutant cells. In addition, we show that human T- and L-fimbrins can complement a sporulation defect caused by the sac6 null mutation. These findings indicate that there is a high degree of functional conservation in the cytoskeleton, even between organisms as diverse as S. cerevisiae and humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Development of hematopoietic cells lacking transcription factor GATA-1.

GATA-1 is a zinc-finger transcription factor believed to play an important role in gene regulation during the development of erythroid cells, megakaryocytes and mast cells. Other members of the GATA family, which can bind to the same DNA sequence motif, are co-expressed in several of these hemopoietic lineages, raising the possibility of overlap in function. To examine the specific roles of GATA-1 in hematopoietic cell differentiation, we have tested the ability of embryonic stem cells, carrying a targeted mutation in the X-linked GATA-1 gene, to contribute to various blood cell types when used to produce chimeric embryos or mice. Previously, we reported that GATA-1- mutant cells failed to contribute to the mature red blood cell population, indicating a requirement for this factor at some point in the erythroid lineage (L. Pevny et al., (1991) Nature 349, 257-260). In this study, we have used in vitro colony assays to identify the stage at which mutant erythroid cells are affected, and to examine the requirement for GATA-1 in other lineages. We found that the development of erythroid progenitors in embryonic yolk sacs was unaffected by the mutation, but that the cells failed to mature beyond the proerythroblast stage, an early point in terminal differentiation. GATA-1- colonies contained phenotypically normal macrophages, neutrophils and megakaryocytes, indicating that GATA-1 is not required for the in vitro differentiation of cells in these lineages. GATA-1- megakaryocytes were abnormally abundant in chimeric fetal livers, suggesting an alteration in the kinetics of their formation or turnover. The lack of a block in terminal megakaryocyte differentiation was shown by the in vivo production of platelets expressing the ES cell-derived GPI-1C isozyme. The role of GATA-1 in mast cell differentiation was examined by the isolation of clonal mast cell cultures from chimeric fetal livers. Mutant and wild-type mast cells displayed similar growth and histochemical staining properties after culture under conditions that promote the differentiation of cells resembling mucosal or serosal mast cells. Thus, the mast and megakaryocyte lineages, in which GATA-1 and GATA-2 are co-expressed, can complete their maturation in the absence of GATA-1, while erythroid cells, in which GATA-1 is the predominant GATA factor, are blocked at a relatively early stage of maturation.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Hepatocellular carcinoma with metastasis to right atrium--a report of three cases.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common neoplasma in Taiwan. The tumor itself has the tendency of extension into the venous system, such as to the portal vein, hepatic vein and inferior vena cava (IVC), but intra-atrial metastasis is unusual. Antemortem diagnosis was difficult before the availability of two-dimensional echocardiography (2-DE). Sometimes, the first symptoms and signs are cardiogenic manifestations such as dyspnea on exertion, syncope, edema of the lower legs, and shock. Clinicians may mistakenly make the wrong diagnosis of heart failure. Because of this, we hereby report three cases of HCC with right intra-atrial metastasis to raise the physician's awareness. All three cases initially presented as right side heart failure. Imaging study revealed hepatocellular carcinoma with right intra-atrial metastasis. Two of the three cases died within one month after diagnosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[The thermoregulatory threshold during surgery with propofol-nitrous oxide anaesthesia].

BACKGROUND: Thermoregulatory responses are thought to be drastically suppressed by general anesthesia. In previous studies, it was shown that halothane, isoflurane and fentanyl-N2O combination decrease the threshold of vasoconstriction in general anesthesia. Propofol is a recently introduced intravenous anesthetic. The thermoregulatory threshold of its administration during surgery has not been quantified. MATERIALS: Fourteen unpremedicated ASA class I patients were anesthetized with N2O (67%) and propofol (2 mg/kg in bolus followed by 6 mg/kg/h infusion) during elective surgery of free flap. Patients were randomly assigned either to receive additional warming (n = 5) or standard (n = 9) management. Significant vasoconstriction was prospectively defined as the temperature gradient between forearm surface and finger-tip surface is > or = 4 degrees C, and the thermoregulatory threshold was defined as the esophageal temperature (core temperature) at a point where the skin temperature gradient between two tested zones exceeds 4 degrees C. RESULTS: Vasoconstriction did not occur in patients who received additional warming and they remained in nearly normothermia. The average minimum core temperature was 36.3 +/- 0.4 degrees C. In patients who underwent standard management the core temperature ranged from 32.8 to 34.6 degrees C (33.6 +/- 0.7 degrees C), signifying significant vasoconstriction. CONCLUSIONS: General anesthesia with propofol/N2O during surgery drastically inhibits thermoregulatory vasoconstriction. This effect should also be noted during long-term use of propofol (e.g. ICU-sedation).

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Effect of distance and travel time on rural women's compliance with screening mammography: an UPRNet study. Upper Peninsula Research Network.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the distance and time required for rural women to travel for a mammogram is associated with their compliance with screening mammography recommendations. METHODS: Women who were > or = 40 years old and visiting family physician offices for any reason were given a questionnaire regarding their frequency of mammography during the past 4 years, the distance and travel time from their homes to the nearest mammography unit, their attitudes and knowledge about mammography, and demographics. The study was conducted in the 12 family practices of the Upper Peninsula Research Network (UPRNet), a Michigan rural family practice research network. RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent (N = 416) of the women in the study had previously had mammography, but 41% were not compliant with American Cancer Society guidelines regarding mammography screening. After controlling for confounding, none of the measures of travel time or distance were associated with mammography compliance. CONCLUSIONS: In this rural population, mammography compliance is not affected by distance, travel time, or transportation. A population-based study in a more remote area is needed to further explore geographic barriers to mammography compliance among rural women.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Molecular epidemiological studies of Vibrio cholerae in Taiwan: genotyping by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing.

To type the Vibrio cholerae strains isolated from sporadic and epidemic cases in Taiwan, 28 toxigenic isolates were studied by sequencing polymerase chain reaction-amplified cholera toxin gene (ctx) fragments. Based on specific base substitutions on positions 115 and 203 of ctxB and comparison with previously published typing system from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Olsvik theta et al., J Clin Microbiol 1993; 31:22-5, Ref.1), two genotypes were identified. Cholera strains from imported seafood and sporadic cases in Taiwan had ctxB polymorphism of genotype 1; strains from patients in the 1962 Taiwan epidemic and Taiwan raised soft-shell turtles had ctxB polymorphism of genotype 3. Moreover, one toxigenic non-O1 strain was found to have other 11 different nucleotides in ctxB compared with those of the O1 and O139 strains. Therefore, DNA sequencing is a useful method for obtaining more complete genetic information. The approach could be improved by applying it to other more polymorphic regions of bacterial genome to obtain better epidemiological information among infected cases.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Sequence and expression of a cDNA encoding the mouse homologue of the rat ribosomal protein L28.

A cDNA encoding the mouse homologue of the rat ribosomal protein L28 was isolated from an adult mouse total testis cDNA library. The L28 cDNA contained a single long open reading frame and exhibited a high degree of conservation to rat L28 at both the nucleotide and amino-acid levels. Northern blot hybridization analysis detected a single transcript in embryo, placenta and adult tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Identification of I-plastin, a human fimbrin isoform expressed in intestine and kidney.

The complete cDNA sequence of human intestine-specific plastin (I-plastin) was determined from a clone derived by PCR. It consists of a 97-bp 5' untranslated region, a 1,887-bp coding region, and a 1,655-bp 3' untranslated region. The coding region predicts a 629-residue polypeptide whose sequence displays 86, 75, and 73% identities with chicken intestine fimbrin, human T-plastin, and human L-plastin, respectively. Recombinant I-plastin cross-linked actin filaments into bundles in the absence but not in the presence of calcium. The I-plastin gene was mapped by PCR to human chromosome 3; the L- and T-plastin genes were previously mapped to chromosomes 13 and X, respectively. I-plastin mRNA was detected in the small intestine, colon, and kidneys; relatively lower levels of expression were detected in the lungs and stomach. In contrast, L-plastin expression was restricted to the spleen and other lymph node-containing organs, while T-plastin was expressed in a variety of organs, including muscle, brain, uterus, and esophagus. In contrast to the situation for the intestine, high levels of L- and T-plastin mRNAs were detected in Caco-2, a human colon-derived cell line. Immunofluorescence microscopy detected I-plastin in the brush border of the small intestine and colon. These results identify I-plastin as the human homolog of chicken intestine fimbrin and as a third plastin isoform in humans.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Predictors of use of secondary carers used by the elderly following hospital discharge.

This research examines how caregiver-patient relationship (female spouses, and adult daughters and daughters-in-law) when cross classified with patient coresidence patterns explains the level of secondary carers' involvement among patients with newly added needs for assistance at home following hospital discharge. Among 196 primary caregivers (104 spouses, 92 daughters and daughters-in-law), patient needs were divided into ADL and mobility limitations, and medical tasks. Secondary carer involvement was categorized into levels differing at two observations: one following discharge and a second 3 months later. Analyses focused on explaining the levels of involvement of secondary carers following hospital discharge and the changes in secondary carers' involvement between the two observations. The baseline and change analyses revealed that caregiver-patient relationship was more important than coresidence patterns or patients' demands in explaining assistance from secondary carers. The implications of these findings on caregivers' reactions and policies regarding home care are explored.

Aged↗