[The role of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase in cardiovascular system].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C S Tang.
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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the level of sexual abuse knowledge and self-protection skills in a sample of female Chinese adolescents with mild mental retardation. It was hypothesized that the participants would exhibit impoverished knowledge on sexual abuse and related self-protection strategies. METHOD: A total of 77 female Chinese adolescents aged from 11 to 15 years old who met the inclusion criterion of the study were recruited from four special schools for mental retardation. The Chinese versions of the Personal Safety Questionnaire and the "What If' Situation Test (Wurtele, 1990) were administered orally to the participants during individual interviews. RESULTS: Participants were more able to accurately recognize inappropriate than appropriate touches and sexual requests, and possessed limited information about sexual abuse. They were also inadequate in protecting themselves against sexual abuse, and had the most difficulty in reporting the sexually abusive incident and characteristics of the offender. Regression analyses also showed that their sexual abuse knowledge was the best predictor for self-protection skills. CONCLUSION: The present findings provided strong cross-cultural support to previous Western studies that found females with mild mental retardation of high risk to sexual abuse and in need of specially designed prevention program to enhance their competency against sexual victimization and exploitation. With modification and refinement, measurement scales used in the Western general population could be extended to Chinese adolescents with mental retardation. Suggestions on the design of the sexual abuse prevention programs, limitations of the present study, and recommendations for future studies were also discussed.
BACKGROUND: For centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), extended major hepatectomy is usually recommended, but the risk of postoperative liver failure is high when liver function is not sound. Mesohepatectomy (en bloc resection of Goldsmith and Woodburne's left medial and right anterior segments or Couinaud's segments IV, V, and VIII) is a rare procedure, so its role in treating HCC is unclear. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed 364 patients who underwent a curative resection for HCC. Among them, 15 patients were treated by mesohepatectomy. Their nontumorous liver revealed cirrhosis in 11 and chronic hepatitis in 4. The mean tumor diameter was 12.8 cm. In 10 of the 15 patients, HCC also invaded adjacent organs. The operative results of another 25 patients with different disease extent who underwent extended major hepatectomy were compared. RESULTS: The hepatic inflow occlusion time for mesohepatectomy was longer than for extended hepatectomy (p = 0.01). The mean operative blood loss, amount of blood transfusion, operating time, and postoperative hospital stay in the mesohepatectomy group were 2,450 mL, 1,100 mL, 7.9 hours, and 14.9 days, respectively. In the extended-hepatectomy group, the values were 1,863mL, 768mL, 5.8 hours, and 16.8 days, respectively (all p>0.05 compared with mesohepatectomy). No patient died after mesohepatectomy, but after extended hepatectomy there was one death from liver failure. The Union Internationale contre le cancer (UICC) TNM stages of patients who underwent mesohepatectomy were as follows: stage II in 1, stage III in 4, and stage IVA in 10. All patients who underwent extended hepatectomy presented with stage IVA disease. The 6-year disease-free and actuarial survival rates after mesohepatectomy were 21% and 30%, respectively. The 6-year disease-free survival rate after extended hepatectomy was 9% (p = 0.11 compared with mesohepatectomy). CONCLUSION: Although mesohepatectomy is time-consuming, it is justified for selected patients with centrally located large HCC in a diseased liver.
Laparoscopy under total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with spontaneous respiration is a commonly encountered procedure in ambulatory gynecologic surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of TIVA using propofol and ketamine, compared with endotracheal inhalational general anesthesia (EIGA) for ambulatory gynecologic laparoscopy. Fifty-eight female patients, aged 17-48 years, were randomly allocated into two groups. Group 1 (TIVA) (n = 28) received propofol at the induction of anesthesia followed by propofol infusion for maintenance. Intravenous ketamine 0.5 mg/kg was administered before operation for anesthetic effect. Natural airway and spontaneous breathing were then maintained in patients. Group 2 (n = 30) received EIGA with isoflurane under controlled ventilation. We found that the two groups demonstrated similar trend characters of pH and PaCO2 during operation and in recovery room. The incidence of postoperative vomiting was higher in group 2 than in group 1 (30% vs. 7%; p < 0.05). The incidence of intraoperative arrhythmia was higher in group 2 than in group 1 (40% vs. 3%; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the incidence of sore throat was higher in group 2 than in group 1 (47% vs. 7%; p < 0.001). We conclude that TIVA with spontaneous respiration is suitable for ambulatory gynecologic laparoscopy.
Laparoscopy can be performed while patients are under total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), or sedated and breathing spontaneously through the normal airway. Respiratory monitoring is difficult when patients are sedated or anesthetized, however. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the reliability of end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) measurement for monitoring arterial carbon dioxide pressure (PaCO2), and to assess the PaCO2/ETCO2 gradient among patients receiving TIVA while breathing spontaneously through the normal airway. Sixty patients were divided into two groups: group 1 patients (n = 30) received general anesthesia with controlled ventilation, while group 2 patients (n = 30) received TIVA with spontaneous breathing through the normal airway; ETCO2 was sampled through a 10-French suction catheter inserted into the nasopharynx via the nasal airway. Arterial blood gas and ETCO2 were recorded at the time of preinduction, induction, CO2 insufflation, and change to Trendelenburg tilt position (20 degrees-30 degrees), and at 10-minute intervals thereafter. The results showed that ETCO2 was highly correlated with PaCO2 in group 1 (correlation coefficient r = 0.85), but not in group 2 (r = 0.55). In group 2, the PaCO2/ETCO2 gradient increased as time elapsed, with significant differences (p < 0.05) between the values at induction and those at 30 minutes after the change to the Trendelenburg position and thereafter. These results indicate that the ETCO2 and PaCO2 values correlate well during the first 20 minutes after the change to the Trendelenburg position in laparoscopy patients receiving TIVA with spontaneous breathing, but that PaCO2 monitoring is still necessary.
Using Northern blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) the dynamic changes of osteopontin (OPN) and matrix Gla protein (MGP) mRNA expression in the healing process of rat thoracic aorta damaged by balloon angioplasty were investigated. The results showed that expression of OPN and MGP in the thoracic aorta damaged group was higher compared with normal group. 1, 7, and 14 d after thoracic aorta was damaged, expression of OPN and MGP was increased gradually, and decreased after artery damaged 21 d.
The present study was undertaken to observe the role of calcineurin (CaN)-dependent signaling pathway in the angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced cardiac myocyte hypertrophy. In cultured myocardial cells of neonatal rats, Ang II was used to stimulate hypertrophy and CaN-pathway blocked by CsA(an inhibitor of CaN). 3H-leucine incorporation, and activities of CaN, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase C (PKC) were investigated. The results showed that 3H-leucine incorporation of Ang II-stimulated myocardial cells was 46% higher than control (P < 0.01), which could be inhibited by CsA (0.5-5 micrograms/ml) and PD098059(an inhibitor of MAPK). CaN and PKC activities of Ang II-stimulated myocardial cells were 39% and 280% higher than control (P < 0.001) respectively, while no significant increase in MAPK activities was observed. CsA could reverse the increase of CaN activity, but had no effect on PKC. It is concluded that the CaN-dependent signaling pathway may play an important role in the development of the Ang II-induced cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.
Heme oxygenase (HO) is a rate-limiting enzyme of heme degradation, which converts the cellular heme to bilirubin and carbon monoxide (CO). Recently it is suggested that endogenous CO plays an important role in regulating vascular tone under both physiological and pathological conditions, but it is not clear whether endogenous HO/CO system regulates vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. In the present study, VMSC 3H-TdR incorporation, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity, HO activity and CO release were determined to study the role of endogenous HO/CO system in regulating the VSMC proliferation induced by endothelin-1 (ET-1) in a cultured system. The results showed that ET-1 increased VSMC 3H-TdR incorporation, MAPK activity, HO activity, and CO release were up-regulated. Pretreatment of HO inhibitor, zinc protoporphyrin-9 (ZnPP-9), increased the ET-1-induced VSMC 3H-TdR incorporation and MAPK activity by 31.8% and 36.6% (P < 0.01, respectively), whereas pretreatment of heme-L-lysinate (HLL), a HO substrate, inhibited these activities. This study demonstrated that up-regulation of VSMC endogenous HO represents a cellular protective response to stress or injury. Inhibition of HO may enhance VSMC proliferation induced by ET-1 in vitro, suggesting that endogenous HO/CO system may be directly involved in the regulation of VSMC proliferation through MAPK signaling pathway.
To investigate changes of ryanodine receptors in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the nuclear envelope (NE) of rat cardiac myocytes during sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), myocardial SR and NE were fractionated with density gradient centrifugation and the characteristic of ryanodine receptor was assayed with a method of radioreceptor binding assay. The result showed that Bmax of ryanodine receptors in cardiac SR was increased by 23% during early sepsis (9 h after CLP), but decreased by 38% during late sepsis (18 h after CLP). Bmax of ryanodine receptors in cardiac NE, on the other hand, was increased by 100% and 160% during early and late sepsis respectively. Kd of ryanodine binding to SR and NE remained unchanged during sepsis. These results demonstrated up-regulation of ryanodine receptors in SR occurred during early sepsis and down-regulation of these receptors in SR occurred during late sepsis, while up-regulation of ryanodine receptors in NE occurred during both the early and the late sepsis.
A sepsis model induced by cecal ligation and puncture was used to study the role of endogenous carbon monoxide in hypotension pathogenesis of rats during septic shock. After administration of zinc deuteroporphyrin 2,4-bisglycol (ZnDPBG),an inhibitor of heme oxygenase (HO),blood pressure (BP),HO activity and carbon monoxide (CO) release from vascular muscle tissue were measured. The results showed that BP of sepsis rats, including systolic and diastolic arterial BP, decreased significantly while HO activity and CO content were significantly increased. In contrast, after administration of ZnDPBG, BP of sepsis rats was significantly increased while the HO activity and CO production were significantly decreased. These findings suggest that HO activity and CO release within vascular musculature are increased during septic shock; inhibition of HO may elevate BP of rats during septic shock through a decrease of endogenous CO production. It is concluded that endogenous CO derived from vascular muscle cells plays an important role in regulating vascular tone, and the up-regulation of HO activity followed by subsequent CO production contributes to hypotension pathogenesis during septic shock.
Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) model of rat heart was prepared by preperfusion for 15 min, then a suspension for 45 min and recycling reperfusion for 15 min with 30 ml KH buffer. The leakage of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),protein, myoglobin and nitrite (NO2-) in the circular perfusion fluid were measured. Myocardial nitric oxide synthase(NOS) activity and L-arginine transport were observed. In the IR group, the leakage of LDH,protein, myoglobin and NO2- were increased respectively by 4.1,5.4,1 and 1.2 times(P<0.01) and NOS(tNOS, iNOS, cNOS) activity by 48.2%,43.2% and 52.1%,(P<0.01,respectively) as compared with the control group. L-arginine transport might be mediated by either high- or low-affinity transport system in cardiac tissue. In the IR group, L-arginine transport increased significantly with the V(max) being increased by 48% and 2 times respectively for the low-affinity and the high-affinity transport as compared with control. Michaelis constant (km) was decreased by 47.4% for low-affinity transport (P<0.05),but not significantly changed for the high-affinity transport. These results suggest that the increase of nitric oxide generation might result from the increased myocardial NOS activity and L-arginine transport during IRI.
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The present study used both exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures to assess the factorial and construct validity of the MBI in Chinese human services professionals (N = 612). The classic three dimensions of burnout were supported, and the deletion of Items 12, 14, and 22 yielded a better fitting model. This new 19-item MBI for Chinese resembled the original 22-item MBI in the pattern of factor correlations and yielded satisfactory internal consistency estimates. Tests of equivalence of item measurements and theoretical structure of the revised 19-item MBI were also performed across gender. Results supported the invariance of the three-factor structure for men and women. Only items measuring the Depersonalization dimension were equivalent, whereas items of the Emotional Exhaustion and Lack of Personal Accomplishment dimensions were partially invariant across gender.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the extent and pattern of parental child battering in Chinese families in Hong Kong. It was hypothesized that the unique feature of filial piety in Chinese culture will create a different pattern of child abuse in Hong Kong when compared to Western societies. METHOD: A telephone survey of 1,019 households randomly selected from the local residential telephone directory was completed. Three hundred and fifty-nine fathers and 660 mothers of a child at or under the age of 16 participated in the study. The occurrence of child abuse was assessed by the Chinese version of the Conflict Tactics Scale (Straus, 1979). RESULTS: The base rate of physical child abuse was 526 per 1,000 children for minor violence and 461 per 1,000 children for severe violence. Minor violence was most likely directed at children aged 3-6 years or children without siblings in the family; and committed by mothers, parents aged 19-37 years, or housewives/unemployed fathers. The highest rate of severe violence occurred among boys or children aged 3-6 years; and was committed by mothers, parents aged 19-37 years, or housewives/unemployed fathers. Common risk factors of child abuse were identified for Chinese and US families. CONCLUSIONS: When compared to US families, Chinese families showed slightly lower rates of minor violence but higher rates of severe violence toward children. Children aged 3-6 years were the most vulnerable victims and female caregivers the most likely abusers in both US and Chinese families. Our findings also suggested that it cannot be assumed that results based on local official statistics and clinical samples regarding the extent of child abuse and characteristics of the victims and abusers can be accurately extended to community samples.
The effectiveness of the Behavioral Skills Training program in the primary prevention of sexual abuse for 72 female Chinese adolescents with mild mental retardation was evaluated. Subjects were assigned to either the Behavior Skills Training program or an attention control program. The Behavioral Skills Training group demonstrated greater knowledge regarding sexual abuse and self-protection skills at posttest, which was maintained at 2-month follow-up, though the scores on the recognition of appropriate-touch requests showed a decreasing trend. They also exhibited less fear of objects, people, and situations after the prevention program. Booster sessions and a longer program duration should result in better retention. Results suggest that a modified Behavior Skill Training program can be effective with Chinese adolescents with mental retardation.