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Biomedical subjects

D Y Yang

Publications and source records attributed to D Y Yang.

67 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Expression and clinical significance of antinuclear antibody in hepatitis C virus infection.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of antinuclear antibody (ANA) has been documented in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We attempted to determine the titer and to characterize the patterns and clinical significance of ANA in HCV infection. STUDY: Forty-eight consecutive patients with positive anti-HCV antibody and positive HCV RNA were included in this study. Sera from patients were tested for ANA and anti-smooth muscle antibody by indirect immunofluorescence. Serum aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, alpha-fetoprotein, and cryoglobulin levels also were determined. RESULTS: Eleven (23%) of 48 HCV-infected patients were positive for ANA. Antinuclear antibody revealed speckled pattern in 10 (91%) of the 11 ANA-positive HCV-infected patients. Twenty (54%) of 37 ANA-negative HCV-infected patients had detectable pattern with equivocal titer (titer <1.5). The ANA pattern was speckled in all 20 patients. Hepatitis C virus-infected patients with positive ANA were older than the HCV-infected patients with negative ANA (62.90 +/- 11.05 years vs. 56.46 +/- 14.94 years, respectively; p < 0.1). Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (39.36 +/- 14.98 IU/L vs. 30.70 +/- 23.15 IU/L, p < 0.05), alkaline phosphatase (189.00 +/- 75.63 IU/L vs. 122.41 +/- 40.88 IU/L, p < 0.01), and alpha-fetoprotein (47.72 +/- 80.47 pg/dL vs. 7.00 +/- 8.28 pg/dL, p < 0.01) were higher in ANA-positive HCV-infected patients than in ANA-negative HCV-infected patients, respectively. There were no significant differences in gender, alanine aminotransferase, anti-smooth muscle antibody, or cryoglobulin between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Antinuclear antibody was present in 11 (23%) of 48 patients with HCV infection in our study. Speckled pattern is the major expression pattern of ANA in HCV infection. Antinuclear antibody-positive HCV-infected patients have significantly higher serum aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and alpha-fetoprotein levels than ANA-negative HCV-infected patients.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of nitric oxide synthase and arginase in the induction of a Peyronie's-like condition in the rat.

Peyronie's disease is an idiopathic, localized connective tissue disorder of the penis, involving the tunica albuginea of the corpus cavernosum and adjacent areolar space. Current proposals as to the origin of Peyronie's disease suggest that fibrosis and collagen changes of the tunica are the result of an inflammatory process following vascular trauma. Our laboratory and other investigators have recently proposed an animal model for the study of Peyronie's disease. When transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) was injected into the rat tunica albuginea, tissue fibrosis was observed at 6 weeks. Therefore, our aim was to assess arginase II, endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase isoforms, and nitrotyrosine levels--all factors involved in inflammatory reactions--in the cavernosal tissue of saline-injected and TGF-beta1-injected rats after 6 weeks in order to evaluate the roles these enzymes may play in the induction of a Peyronie's-like condition in the rat. To examine the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), iNOS, and arginase II protein, and mRNA in the corpus cavernosum, immunoblot analysis, and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction were performed. We also determined immunohistochemically the expression of nitrotyrosine, a marker of peroxynitrite formation, in the rat penis. After 6 weeks, iNOS protein and gene expression was up-regulated and eNOS protein and gene expression was down-regulated in the corpora cavernosa of the TGF-beta1-injected penises. Furthermore, arginase II protein expression as well as immunohistochemical localization of nitrotyrosine was significantly higher in the TGF-beta1-injected corpora cavernosa. These results suggest that iNOS is the key control element for peroxynitrite formation, arginase II expression, and eNOS down-regulation in the induction of a Peyronie's-like condition in the rat.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neurilemmoma of the oculomotor nerve presenting as an orbital mass: MR findings.

Neurilemmoma of the oculomotor nerve is rare and infrequently presents as an orbital mass. We report a neurilemmoma arising from the cavernous sinus with its major part extending into the orbit. The Antoni A part of the neurilemmoma showed intermediate signal intensity in both T1- and T2-weighted MR images and exhibited postcontrast enhancement. The Antoni B part revealed hypointensity on T1-weighted images, hyperintensity in T2-weighted images, and showed no contrast enhancement.

Adult↗