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Biomedical subjects

C T Lu

Publications and source records attributed to C T Lu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of a novel pectolytic enzyme, polymethoxygalacturonase SX1 from Trichosporon penicillatum.

A novel pectolytic enzyme, polymethoxygalacturonase SX1 from Trichosporon penicillatum, with a molecular weight of 36 kDa was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol 1000 as a precipitant. The crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 165.6, b = 61.0, c = 48.7 A, beta = 93.1 degrees. The calculated V(M) based on one molecule per asymmetric unit was 3.40 A(3) Da(-1). A native data set was collected to 2.08 A resolution from a crystal on a Cu Kalpha rotating-anode X-ray source. A molecular-replacement solution was obtained using the program AMoRe and the structure of endopolygalacturonase II from Aspergillus niger as a model.

Crystallization↗
PubMed2000

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of endopolygalacturonase SE1 from Trichosporon penicillatum.

Endopolygalacturonase SE1 from Trichosporon penicillatum has been crystallized by the hanging-drop method of vapour diffusion using ammonium sulfate as a precipitant. The crystals belong to the hexagonal space group P6(1) or P6(5), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 135.0, c = 70.7 A, gamma = 120 degrees. The calculated V(M) based on one molecule per asymmetric unit is 3.09 A(3) Da(-1). A native data set from a crystal has been collected to 2.0 A resolution on a Cu Kalpha rotating-anode X-ray source.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗
PubMed1996

Iodixanol and ioxaglate in adult aortography and peripheral arteriography: a phase III clinical trial.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: This study compared the safety and efficacy of iodixanol with those of ioxaglate in adult patients undergoing aortography or peripheral arteriography. METHODS: Forty-six patients were enrolled in this controlled, randomized, double-blind, two-center study. The patients were monitored for adverse events, injection-related discomfort, and trends in laboratory data or vital signs. Diagnostic efficacy was assessed by the quality of contrast enhancement. RESULTS: All procedures were diagnostic, with no significant difference in quality of visualization (p = .205). No significant difference was seen in the number of patients experiencing mild or moderate adverse effects (p = .106). Patients receiving ioxaglate reported a significantly greater incidence of injection-related pain (p = .025). CONCLUSION: The results of this study support the conclusion that iodixanol at 320 mg I/kg is safe and effective for adult aortography and peripheral arteriography and causes significantly less injection-related pain than ioxaglate.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A case-control study of oral cancer in Changhua County, Taiwan.

Forty oral cancer patients identified consecutively in Changhua Christian Hospital between 1990 and 1992 were compared with 160 population-based controls, matched for sex, age, area of residence, and educational background. Betel quid chewing was positively associated with the risk of oral cancer with adjusted odds ratio of 58.4 (95% CI: 7.6-447.6). The greater the number of years of chewing betel quid, the higher the risk of oral cancer; the adjusted odds rations were 12.9, 93.7 and 397.5 for < 21, 21-40, and > 40 years of betel chewing as compared with the non-users. The risk also increased with the quantity chewed per day; the odds ratios for those chewing < 10, 10-20 and > 20 quids/day were 26.4, 51.2 and 275.6, respectively. These odds ratio estimates were all statistically significantly different from the null value of unity.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1996

Angiographic selection criteria for living related liver transplant donors.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to better define arteriographic selection criteria for living related liver transplantation (LRLT) based on literature review, technical and theoretical considerations, and correlation of patterns of variation in hepatic artery anatomy with recipient and donor outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Visceral angiograms of 92 consecutive living related liver transplant donors were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists and one transplant surgeon. Arterial configurations were categorized. Recipient and donor outcomes were determined by a review of transplant surgery and radiology records. RESULTS: Anomalous hepatic artery anatomy was identified in 67% of potential donors. A left hepatic artery (LHA) with a diameter of less than 2 mm was identified in 1%, and with a diameter of 2-3 mm, in 5%. A dual LHA supply to the left lateral segment was identified in 11%. Two subtypes were defined. Bifurcation of the LHA into branches entering segment II and segment III less than 1 cm from the LHA origin was present in 8%. A replaced LHA from the left gastric artery (17%) and complex, aberrant branching of the LHA (4%) were identified. Vital LHA supply to tissue other than the left lateral segment was present in 21%, including the cystic artery as a branch of the LHA (4%), significant supply of the right lobe from the LHA (5%), and large branches from the LHA entering segment IV (13%). All three donors with significant supply of the right lobe from the transplanted LHA had complications. CONCLUSION: Absolute exclusionary criteria for LRLT are an LHA diameter of less than 2 mm, dual arterial supply to liver segments II and III, indeterminate arterial anatomy, preexisting vascular disease in donor liver, and a significant LHA supply to the right lobe. Relative exclusionary criteria are an LHA diameter of 2-3 mm, early bifurcation of the LHA, and arterial supply of segment 4 exclusively from the LHA.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Comparative efficacy and complications of vena caval filters.

PURPOSE: A variety of vena caval filters (VCFs) are available for usage. The choice of filter type depends on physician preference and certain patient variables. An evaluation of the different VCFs used in our institution was done to compare their efficacy and complication rates. METHODS: The medical records of all patients who underwent insertion of a VCF from January 1987 to June 1993 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and the affiliated Veterans Administration Medical Center were reviewed. One hundred ninety-nine VCFs were placed in 196 patients (123 males, 73 females), with a mean age of 61 years (range 13 to 87 years). Thirty-five (18%) VCFs (30 stainless steel Greenfield filters [SGFs] and five titanium Greenfield filters with modified hook [TGF-MHs]) were inserted in the operating room via an open technique. The remaining 164 VCFs (82%) were inserted in the radiology suite by a percutaneous technique (38 SGF, 23 TGF-MH, 51 Vena Tech filters [VTFs], 48 Bird's nest filters [BNFs] and 4 Simon Nitinol filters). Thromboembolic risk factors in these 196 patients included malignancy (99), trauma (21), recent surgery (27), cerebrovascular accident with paralysis (6), and miscellaneous conditions (43). Indications for VCF placement included a contraindication to anticoagulation (92), complication of anticoagulation (44), failure of anticoagulation (26), prophylaxis (31), adjunct to pulmonary embolectomy (1), noncompliance (1), hemodynamically unstable patient (1), and prior VCF complication (3). Mean follow-up of the patients was 12 months (range 0 to 87 months). Because there were only four Simon Nitinol filters inserted during the study period, they were excluded from further analysis. RESULTS: A comparative analysis revealed that there was a significantly higher incidence of symptomatic IVC thrombosis with the use of the BNF (n = 7) (14.6%) versus the SGF (n = 0) (0%), TGF-MH (n = 1) (3.6%), or VTF (n = 2) (4%) (p < 0.05 by chi-squared testing). The VCF-related mortality rate was also higher with the BNF (n = 5) (10.9%) versus the SGF (n = 1) (1.5%), TGF-MH (n = 1) (3.6%), or VTF (n = 0) (0%) (p < 0.05 by chi-squared testing). However there was no significant difference in the occurrence of clinically apparent recurrent pulmonary embolism during follow-up between the four different filter types (2 [4.2%] BNF, 3 [4.4%] SGF, 1 [3.6%] TGF-MH, and 1 [2%] VTF). CONCLUSION: These data indicate that the use of the BNF was associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates compared with the use of the SGF, TGF-MH, and VTF filters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Prevalence and characteristics of areca nut chewers among junior high school students in Changhua county, Taiwan.

Some studies indicate that betel quid and its ingredients chewing can produce cell mutagenicity and tumorigenicity. In Taiwan studies, betel quid chewing is the main cause of submucous fibrosis and oral cancer. Understanding the distribution and characteristics of the areca nut chewing population is one of the first steps in the effort to prevent these oral diseases. A stratified cluster random sample of 2442 junior high school students in Changhua county, Taiwan, were surveyed for the habit of areca nut chewing. Significantly more male students chewed areca nut than female students (9.2% vs 0.9%). The proportion of students who were chewing areca nuts increased with increasing (seventh to ninth) grades. Areca nut was used by junior high school students at a higher rate in village (rural) areas as compared to town (semi-urban) and city (urban) areas (6.4%, 3.7% and 3.0%, respectively). More students in the ordinary achievement classes were chewing areca nuts than those in the high achievement classes (8.4% vs 1.6%). Areca nut chewing students tended to have users in their families. Cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking were positively associated with areca nut chewing. More than half (53.6%) of the areca nut chewing students first experimented with this habit with a family member, most often the father or grandfather.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Strategies for blood screening for the hepatitis C virus and for the human immunodeficiency virus in high risk groups.

For many infectious agents, seroprevalence rate is low but has serious consequences and must therefore be kept out of donated blood supplies. However, screening to ensure the safety of blood supplies has an associated very high cost. For example, in blood banks, detection of all the harmful items in a large number of samples is an expensive and tedious process. The laboratory and statistical approaches to obtain significant savings by the pooling method were discussed from 1943, recently, there have been further discussions of pooling sera as a means to determining the HIV seroprevalence rate in the general population or the weed out all HIV-positive individuals in blood screening. Here we describe a simple mathematical method to weed out all HIV, and HCV seropositive units. The method is designed to maximize possible savings. Two examples illustrate the application of this method in determining the number to be pooled in each stage, and the resulting savings. When the prevalence rate is lower than 2 percent. our method offers savings of over 80 percent.

Blood Donors↗
PubMed1991

Vena Tech vena cava filter: experience and early follow-up.

Vena caval filters, such as the Vena Tech filter, that employ low-profile introducer systems have provided physicians with a variety of options for percutaneous placement. From April 1989 to April 1990, 81 patients underwent percutaneous placement of the Vena Tech filter at the authors' institution. Follow-up has been obtained to evaluate the filter with regard to the prevention of pulmonary embolism, the maintenance of caval patency, and mechanical stability. Two cases of pulmonary embolism have been seen following filter placement. Three cases of caval thrombosis have occurred, with recanalization of the cava seen in two of these cases. There have been one broken filter and one case of incomplete filter opening. Limited filter tilting and migration have occurred, though in no case has filter tilt or migration been clinically significant. This experience with the Vena Tech filter suggests that it is safe and effective for the prevention of pulmonary embolism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Effects of stimulation of locus coeruleus on cardiac contractility and renal nerve activity].

Experiments were performed on 64 cats anesthetized with chloralose-urethane, paralyzed and artificially ventilated. Electrical stimulation of locus coeruleus (LC) elicited increases in BP, HR, LVSP, dP/dt max and RNA. Buffer nerve section had no effect on the increase of these parameters, but could prolong the time of rise of BP and recovery phases. Injection of L-glutamate into LC, on the other hand, could decrease BP, HR, LVSP and dP/dt max. Intra-LC injection of kainic acid could also decrease BP. When the LC neurons showed degeneration or depolarization block after kainic acid injection, electrical stimulation of the LC could still elicit marked pressor response. The results suggest that the pressor response induced by electrical stimulation of LC might be mediated by the fibers passing through LC, while activation of LC neurons themselves would result in the depressor response.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Evaluation of radiographs developed by a new ultrarapid film processing system.

The image quality of radiographs developed by a new ultrarapid processor was evaluated to determine if faster processing causes degradation in the image. The processor used was the Konica Super-Rapid SRX-501 model. Two films designed for this processor (Konica MGH-SR and MGL-SR) were processed in 45 sec and were compared with standard rapid processing in 90 sec of corresponding conventional films (Kodak TMG and OC). Rare-earth screens (Kodak Lanex Regular and Lanex Medium) used with the new and conventional films interleaved during angiographic studies or for phantom images were assessed for image quality. The basic imaging properties of the screen-film systems were examined by measuring (1) Hurter and Driffield curves, (2) modulation transfer functions by using the slit method, and (3) noise Wiener spectra. Subjective clinical assessment showed that the images obtained with ultrarapid processing were acceptable, with increased contrast and graininess. Hurter and Driffield curve measurements confirmed higher gradients. Modulation transfer function measurements were the same as for the conventional films. Noise Wiener spectrum measurements showed a 10% increase in noise for MGH-SR vs TMG film and a 30% increase for MGL-SR vs OC film. We conclude that acceptable image quality can be obtained using ultrarapid processing, with processing time approximately 60% that of conventional rapid processing. Potential applications include all areas in which rapid availability of the radiograph for interpretation is important. Although the processor studied was the first of its kind available, our evaluation indicates that the technology is available for a new class of ultrarapid processors.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1990

[Frequency distribution of birth weight and gestational age in Taiwan].

Perinatal mortality rate is closely related to birth weight. We collected data on 35919 single liveborn babies at a teaching hospital in central Taiwan between 1977 and 1987, excluding 1980. The average birth weights of the two sexes combined, and of male and female live births separately, were 3163 +/- 486 gm, 3211 +/- 499 gm (N = 18865) and 3110 +/- 466 gm (N = 17054), respectively. The average gestational age of these live births was 39.7 +/- 2.1 weeks. The skewness and kurtosis of birth weight and gestational age distribution were -0.86 and 3.13, and -2.11 and 10.29, respectively. The two distributions indicated high kurtosis and left skewness, and were approximately normally distributed. Because birth weight and gestational age are highly associated, the skew-to-left residual distribution of birth weight might have been induced by low gestational age. Babies of low gestational age might not be able to develop mature organs and tissues, which, thus, results in high perinatal mortality. The distribution of birth weight intersects the normal curve within the region between 1500 gm and 2000 gm, which means that we may divide it into a predominant part and a residual part. Many articles have shown that the residual part is highly correlated to perinatal mortality rate and deserves further analysis. The average birth weight with gestational age at 40 weeks was 3239 +/- 385 gm, skewness and kurtosis were 0.16 and 0.75, respectively. The birth-weight distribution for a given number of gestational weeks is closer to the normal distribution. This paper provides standard figures and tables of birth weight with specific gestational age as a norm for related medical research.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1989

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty versus surgery for limb-threatening ischemia.

This retrospective study compared the results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with those of infrainguinal bypass procedures in patients with critical arterial ischemia to determine which procedure had superior patency, limb salvage, and durability. The records of 54 patients who underwent 54 PTAs and 56 patients who underwent 63 infrainguinal bypasses (29 femoropopliteal and 34 femorodistal) from 1981 to 1987 were reviewed. In each patient PTA or bypass was the initial vascular procedure. Patients in both groups were comparable with respect to age, sex, and the presence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking. Mean follow-up was 40 months (4 to 88 months) for the PTA group and 28 months (6 to 78 months) for the surgery group. Thirty-nine of the 54 patients (72%) were initially improved after PTA, whereas 15 patients (28%) showed no improvement. During follow-up, 20 initially successful PTAs reoccluded. Thirty-two of 54 patients (59%) underwent subsequent procedures, which included repeat PTA (10) and distal bypass (14). Patency determined by noninvasive Doppler studies was 18% at 2 years. Limb salvage, which included such secondary procedures, was 78%. Two-year patency for femoropopliteal bypasses was 68% with a limb salvage of 90%. Femorodistal bypasses had a 2-year patency of 47% and a limb salvage of 74%. No perioperative deaths occurred. Twenty-one of the 63 patients (33%) had subsequent procedures, which included thrombectomy (5) and bypass revision (9). In patients treated for limb-threatening ischemia the 2-year patency after femoropopliteal bypass (68%) or femorodistal bypass (47%) is significantly better than that from PTA (18%, p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actuarial Analysis↗