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Biomedical subjects

I M Liu

Publications and source records attributed to I M Liu.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Enterococcal meningitis: analysis of twelve cases.

From 1986 to 1993, 12 cases of enterococcal meningitis were identified at the Veterans General Hospital, Taipei. Most of the cases were caused by Enterococcus faecalis and three cases were mixed bacterial meningitis. There were six adult and six pediatric patients. Among the adult patients, four had undergone neurosurgical procedures before onset of meningitis and the other two had severe chronic underlying diseases. In contrast, all six pediatric patients had underlying central nervous system (CNS) pathology such as meningomyelocele or hydrocephalus. Placement of CNS devices was the most important predisposing factor of enterococcal meningitis in this study series. Direct microbial invasion via CNS devices or neural tube defects was considered the most likely portal of entry in most patients. Only one patient had primary meningitis, and one other had an enterococcal infection outside the CNS. The overall mortality rate was 25%. None of the pediatric patients died. Underlying conditions were considered the most important factor influencing the prognosis of these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The long-term modality effect: in search of differences in processing logographs and alphabetic words.

The visual superiority effect (a reverse long-term modality effect) has been consistently found with Chinese logographs. For its explanation in terms of script differences, it has been believed that lexical access is more direct or quicker for Chinese logographs than for alphabetic words. It has also been believed that Chinese logographs are more unique in shape or more discriminable than alphabetic words. Finally, Chinese logographs have been considered to facilitate recall through their graphic features that classify Chinese words into categories. The results of Experiments 1-5 show that these three assumptions can be ruled out. The results of Experiments 6-10, on the other hand, support the long-term priming interpretation of the visual superiority effect, which explains (a) why the visual superiority effect can be consistently obtained for recall of Chinese words by Chinese subjects, (b) why the effect cannot be consistently obtained for recall of English words by Western subjects, (c) why the effect can be also obtained for recall of English words by Chinese subjects, (d) why the effect can be easily obtained for recall of a set of words, but not for recall of a different set of words by Chinese subjects, and (e) why the effect can be easily obtained from Chinese subjects speaking a dialect that is different from Mandarin.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Long-term effects of porcine zonae pellucidae immunocontraception on ovarian function in feral horses (Equus caballus).

Ten feral mares free-roaming in Maryland, USA, were inoculated with porcine zonae pellucidae (PZP) protein before the breeding season for three consecutive years (1988-90). Ovarian function was monitored for 51 days during the peak of the breeding season after the third annual PZP inoculation, in seven of these mares and in four untreated control mares, by means of urinary oestrone conjugates and nonspecific progesterone metabolites. None of the ten inoculated mares became pregnant in 1990, compared with 55% of 20 control mares, which included two of the four monitored for ovarian function. Three of the untreated mares demonstrated apparent normal ovarian activity, characterized by preovulatory oestrogen peaks, concurrent progesterone nadirs at ovulation, breeding activity, and luteal-phase progesterone increases after ovulation. Two of the seven monitored PZP-treated mares demonstrated ovulatory cycles that did not result in conception. One was pregnant as a result of conception in 1989 and demonstrated a normal, late-gestation, endocrine profile. The remaining four PZP-treated mares revealed no evidence of ovulation, and urinary oestrogen concentrations were significantly depressed. The experiments indicated that (i) a third consecutive annual PZP booster inoculation is greater than 90% effective in preventing pregnancies in mares and (ii) three consecutive years of PZP treatment may interfere with normal ovarian function as shown by markedly depressed oestrogen secretion.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Xanthomonas maltophilia bacteremia: an analysis of 32 cases.

Thirty-two cases of Xanthomonas maltophilia bacteremia have been identified over the last two years at the Veterans General Hospital, Taipei. Among them, 27 cases (84%) were due to hospital-acquired infections, and 14 cases (44%) were polymicrobial bacteremia. One case was confirmed as prosthetic valve endocarditis and one case was complicated by recurrent attacks of ecthyma gangrenosum. Most cases had severe debilitating conditions. Twelve cases (38%) had a malignancy, 19 cases (59%) were resident in the Intensive Care Unit and 16 cases (50%) had undergone major surgery. The main predisposing factors included central venous catheterization, endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy, prior antibiotic therapy and prolonged hospitalization. Moxalactam, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were the most effective agents in vitro against X. maltophilia. Twenty-two cases (69%) died during hospitalization; 13 cases (41%) were directly attributed to septicemia. Factors that adversely influenced mortality included inappropriate antimicrobial therapy and prior antibiotic treatment. Of particular interest is the fact that none of the patients who did not receive appropriate antimicrobial therapy survived. Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic therapy are critical for improving the prognosis of X. maltophilia infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Non-0:1 Vibrio cholerae bacteremia: a case report and literature review.

We reported a case of non-0:1 group Vibrio cholerae septicemia with myelodysplatic syndrome in Taiwan. We also reviewed the other 22 reported cases of non-0:1 Vibrion cholerae septicemia found in the literature regarding its pathogenesis and treatment. The case mortality rate of these 23 cases was 47.8%. Most of them had immunocompromised diseases, particularly liver cirrhosis and hematologic malignancy. Therefore, the most important factor is the host defense. The cholera-like enterotoxin and E1-Tor-like hemolysin also play a major role, but whether the gall bladder plays a role in organ growth is still unclear. The incidence of gastroenteritis is not well understood because of the low incidence of non-0:1 V. cholerae gastroenteritis as compared with other factors such as shell-fish eating. Ampicillin as the sole antibiotic for non-0:1 V. cholerae is not efficacious. Tetracyclines or chloramphenicol is more effective for treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Antigen recognition in feral mares previously immunized with porcine zonae pellucidae.

Twenty-six free-roaming feral mares were immunized against porcine zonae pellucidae (PZP) between February and May, 1988. Eight sexually mature mares received 2 inoculations 2 weeks apart, and 18 mares received 3 inoculations at intervals of 2 and 4 weeks. Analysis of urinary oestrone conjugates (E1C) and non-specific progesterone metabolites (iPdG) in samples collected in October, 1988, revealed that none of the 18 mares that received 3 and only 1 of the 6 mares that received two inoculations were pregnant, whereas 3 of 6 sham-injected control mares and 5 of 11 untreated mares were pregnant. In February and March, 1989, 14 of the immunized mares that were not pregnant were given a single booster inoculation of PZP. Urinary E1C and iPdG analysis, from samples collected in August and October, 1989, revealed only a single pregnancy among the 14 boosted mares, whereas 33% of mares treated in 1988, but not given a booster inoculation in 1989, and 7 of 16 untreated controls, were pregnant. Foaling was reflected accurately by the urinary steroid metabolite analyses. These results suggest that once recognition of PZP antigen occurs in mares, subsequent annual inoculations will raise antibody titres sufficiently to inhibit fertility.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Memorial consequences of generating words and non-words.

The present study conceptualizes recall of an item as consisting of two stages: reaching a subgoal of finding a starting feature in the first stage and then attaining the final goal of recovering the to-be-recalled item by finding a subsequent retrieval route. In generating items according to some production rule, the subject is practising finding subsequent retrieval routes leading from initial features to the to-be-remembered items. Therefore, the generation effect can be localized at the second stage. Five experiments manipulated accessibility of initial features and distinctiveness of subsequent retrieval routes. The results explain why it was so difficult to obtain the generation effect for non-words in recent studies and why it can be obtained in some specifiable conditions. The results also explain why the generation effect can be easily obtained with words but sometimes fails to obtain.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Inhibitory effects of naturally occurring furan fatty acids on hemolysis of erythrocytes induced by singlet oxygen].

As a continuation of the study on the biological roles of furan fatty acids (F acids) which are still vague, their inhibitory effects on the hemolysis of erythrocytes induced by singlet oxygen were examined. Hemolysis proceeded smoothly in the absence of F acids, but was suppressed significantly and dose dependently in their presence. No significant differences in inhibitory effects on the hemolysis induced by singlet oxygen between tetra-alkylsubstituted F acid (F3) and di-alkylsubstituted F acid (NMF) could be detected. The acids underwent oxidation to give the corresponding diketo-enes, indicating a reaction with singlet oxygen to suppress hemolysis. The inhibitory effects of F acids on hemolysis were compared with those of known singlet oxygen quenchers such as dimethylfuran, alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid and uric acid and F acids were found to be the most effective quenchers.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Analysis and processing of Chinese herbal drugs. VIII: The study of sophorae floe.

The quantities of active constituents in commercially available Sophora japonica L. (huai-hua) and its processed samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. Rutin, quercetin, sophoricoside, sophorabioside and genistein were found. Sophora flower buds (huai-mi) contained a great deal of rutin, while the immature fruits (huai-chiao) contained sophoricoside and sophorabioside. When Sophora flower bud was stir-fried for short periods using low heat, the extracted rate of rutin and quercetin increased slightly, decreasing with longer cooking periods at higher temperatures. When stir-fried with vinegar, it quickly blackened, but when cooked with honey, it changed very little. Immature Sophora fruit, however, exhibits less variation in its active constituents after processing. All huai-hua processed samples give forth a pronounced aroma and could be more easily extracted with water than that of the unprocessed herbs.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed1979

Cystic lymphangioma in a colt.

A 6-month-old Morgan colt was examined because of preputial edema and multiple nodular masses in the left inguinal region. A tentative diagnosis of lymphatic hamartoma was made on the basis of initial biopsy findings. The prognosis for surgical excision was poor due to the progressive expansile growth of the tumor. Secondary infectious complications developed, and the colt was euthanatized at the owner's request. An abdominal and retroperitoneal mass was seen at postmortem examination. The mass was adherent to the left lumbar musculature, the craniodorsal aspect of the pelvic inlet, the midjejunum, the left testicle, and the left kidney. The mass extended through the left inguinal and femoral canals into the deep intermuscular fascia of the hindlimb. Histologic examination of the mass indicated that it was a cystic lymphangioma.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗