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Biomedical subjects

E Tsai

Publications and source records attributed to E Tsai.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Bladder neck circulation by Doppler ultrasonography in postmenopausal women with urinary stress incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on bladder neck circulation in postmenopausal women with genuine urinary stress incontinence (USI). METHODS: A total of 227 women were enrolled in the study, including 114 postmenopausal women with USI (n = 57) or without USI (n = 57) and 113 premenopausal women with USI (n = 55) or without USI (n = 58). The bladder neck circulation was measured in 31 postmenopausal women with USI and in 12 without USI, all of whom received 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogen plus 5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate daily for 6 months. Bladder neck blood flow data detected by perineal color Doppler ultrasonography and weekly urinary diary data were collected before HRT and then 3 and 6 months after beginning HRT. Two-way analysis of variance and repeated measures of variance were used for statistical analysis. Power analysis was done by a two-sided test with a significance level at.05. RESULTS: The pulsatility index (PI) was significantly higher in the postmenopausal than in the premenopausal women. The postmenopausal women with USI had the highest PI level. The presence of USI did not change the PI values in the premenopausal women. After 3 months of HRT, the PI levels decreased significantly (P <.001) in the postmenopausal women with USI. The subjective improvement of USI appeared after 3 months of HRT. CONCLUSION: The blood flow around the bladder neck in women can be measured by perineal color Doppler ultrasonography. Hormone replacement therapy increases the blood flow around the bladder neck in postmenopausal women with USI. The clinical improvement of USI can be seen with HRT after 3 months.

Female↗
PubMed1999

Hand infections in the trauma patient.

Infections are a frequent, unfortunate complication seen in orthopedic trauma patients. The specific anatomy of the upper extremity makes it an easy target for opportunistic organisms, especially after an acute traumatic event. In addition, pathogenic factors and host factors can contribute to the severity of the infection. Meticulous wound management, identification of the offending organism(s), and tailoring of care to the special needs of the very sick trauma patient limit complications.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Congenital hand and forearm anomalies.

Congenital anomalies of the hand and forearm remain a continuing challenge for the patient and the patient's family. Health care professionals, including the pediatrician, the orthopedic surgeon, and the hand surgeon, all have roles to play in the treatment of these patients. This article reviews the literature for the past year with special emphasis on recent developments in the genetic transmission of some of these interesting congenital differences.

Child↗
PubMed1994

Calcineurin mediates human tumor necrosis factor alpha gene induction in stimulated T and B cells.

The tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) gene is rapidly transcribed in activated T cells via a calcium-dependent pathway that does not require de novo protein synthesis, but is completely blocked by the immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporin A (CsA) and FK506. Here we show that calcineurin phosphatase activity is both necessary and sufficient for TNF-alpha gene transcription in T cells, and identify the factor that binds to the kappa 3 element of the TNF-alpha gene promoter as the target for calcineurin action. The ability of analogues of CsA and FK506 to block calcineurin phosphatase activity correlates completely with their ability to inhibit induction of TNF-alpha mRNA, induction of a TNF-alpha promoter reporter plasmid in transiently transfected T cells, and induction of the kappa 3 binding factor in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Moreover, a cDNA encoding the constitutively active form of calcineurin is sufficient to activate the TNF-alpha promoter and the kappa 3 element. TNF-alpha gene transcription is also highly inducible, CsA-sensitive, and protein synthesis-independent in B cells stimulated through their surface immunoglobulin receptors. Using the panel of CsA and FK506 analogues, we show that calcineurin participates in the induction of TNF-alpha transcription in activated B cells. These results extend our previous demonstration that the kappa 3 binding factor is related to NFATp, the preexisting subunit of nuclear factor of activated T cells, and suggest that calcineurin-mediated modification of the kappa 3 binding factor in T cells is of key importance in the induction of TNF-alpha transcription.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1994

Ganglion cysts of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Ganglion cysts arising from the anterior cruciate ligament are rare, with very few reports available in the literature. We are reporting a case of a ganglion cyst in the anterior cruciate ligament found and treated at arthroscopy with our suggestions regarding its etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Cannulated hip screws: a study of fixation integrity, cut-out resistance, and high-cycle bending fatigue performance.

One major advancement in the treatment of femoral neck fractures has been the development of cannulated screws. This study investigates the integrity of five commercially available cannulated screw systems. Transcervical fractures were created in 25 adult femora and repaired by three cannulated hip screws of a randomly assigned design. The repaired specimens were subjected to a triangular loading pattern for 1,000 cycles, then loaded to ultimate failure. Secondly, screws of each type were inserted into femoral heads to a point 5-mm from the chondral surface, then ramp loaded to determine the push-through stiffness and maximum load. Finally, individual screws were tested in high-cycle four-point bending fatigue in a custom fixture. In push-through, the Orthomet screws could withstand a significantly greater maximum load than the Synthes screws. The fatigue life of the Ace screws was significantly longer than the Howmedica, Synthes, and Orthomet screws, whereas the Orthomet screws performed significantly worse than all other screw types. Although cannulated screw systems uniquely address the problems of push-through resistance and high-cycle fatigue failure, certain designs are more susceptible to failure.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

MION-ASF: biokinetics of an MR receptor agent.

Receptor-directed MR contrast agents are currently being designed to improve sensitivity and specificity of MR imaging and to provide for functional MR imaging. In the current study we have synthesized a conjugate of asialofetuin (ASF), a bovine plasma protein with a known, high affinity for the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor, and a well defined, single crystal superparamagnetic label (monocrystalline iron oxide nanoparticle, MION). MION-ASF is cleared from the circulation more than 300 times faster than MION, has a 3.7 times higher hepatic accumulation, increases liver R2 relaxivity 2.8-fold compared to MION, and accumulates in hepatocytes unlike MION, which accumulates only in macrophages. Competition assays indicate that receptor-mediated hepatocyte uptake can be competitively blocked and that this effect can be demonstrated by imaging. These studies indicate that sensitive iron oxide based probes can be developed for functional MR imaging.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Intraoperative discovery of a neurofibroma during routine ptosis surgery.

A noncosmetic blepharoplasty with levator tuck was planned to repair a congenital ptosis presumed to be caused by levator maldevelopment. During surgery a mass was found in the lid, revealing the ptosis to be mechanical in nature. Biopsy and subsequent pathological exam revealed this to be a plexiform neurofibroma in a reportedly undiagnosed patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

A new macromolecule as a contrast agent for MR angiography: preparation, properties, and animal studies.

The authors developed and evaluated a polymer as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance (MR) angiography. The agent consists of a monomethoxy ether of poly(ethylene glycol) covalently attached to poly(L-lysine) (PL), with PL serving as the carrier of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). Immunogenicity and toxicity studies were performed in mice, and biokinetic and metabolic studies were performed in rats. Dose response studies were performed with a three-dimensional time-of-flight sequence in eight rats. No permanent immune response was elicited against Gd-DTPA or the carrier molecule, and accumulation in organs of the reiculoendothelial system was minimal. The blood half-life of the agent was 14 hours. A dose of 20 mumol of gadolinium per kilogram of body weight was sufficient to increase the vessel-muscle ratio by four- to fivefold. Contrast was substantially improved and remained unchanged 2 hours after contrast medium administration, and good visualization of four orders of vasculature was allowed.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Transgenic mouse model of the mild dominant form of osteogenesis imperfecta.

Osteogenesis imperfecta type I is a mild, dominantly inherited, connective tissue disorder characterized by bone fragility. Mutations in type I collagen account for all known cases. In Mov-13 mice, integration of a murine retrovirus within the first intron of the alpha 1(I) collagen gene results in a null allele blocked at the level of transcription. This study demonstrates that mutant mice heterozygous for the null allele are a model of osteogenesis imperfecta type I. A defect in type I collagen production is associated with dominant-acting morphological and functional defects in mineralized and nonmineralized connective tissue and with progressive hearing loss. The model provides an opportunity to investigate the effect of a reduced amount of type I collagen on the structure and integrity of extracellular matrix. It also may represent a system in which therapeutic strategies to strengthen connective tissue can be developed.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Effects of mydriatic agents on neutrophil migration.

We have investigated the effects of various mydriatic agents on the locomotion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro. Human as well as rat neutrophils showed a dose-dependent increase of migration into micropore filters when tested against cyclopentolate hydrochloride at a dose range between 16 and 63 micrograms/ml. At higher doses (250 micrograms/ml), a complete inhibition of neutrophil migration was observed. A commercially available cyclopentolate hydrochloride preparation showed identical effects. Little or no changes in neutrophil locomotion were seen with atropine, homatropine, scopolamine or tropicamide when tested at the same concentration range. Since addition of cyclopentolate to either the lower or upper compartment of the multiwell chemotaxis chamber gave virtually the same results, it is assumed that the drug most likely induces a chemokinetic neutrophil response. However, an additional chemotactic effect cannot be excluded. These in vitro observations may help to explain an accidental observation in a patient with severe anterior uveitis who showed a massive, localized leukocyte accumulation on the corneal endothelium after contact with a cyclopentolate-soaked cotton pledget.

Animals↗