Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Y Lu

Publications and source records attributed to J Y Lu.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[Immunohistochemical study on diamine oxidase in mammary cancer and adenosis].

In recent years, an obvious increase of diamine oxidase (DAO) in both blood and tumor tissues has been reported In this assay we observed an increased content and distribution of DAO in mammary cancer and adenosis by immunohistochemistry. The results show that: 1. DAO staining was strongly positive in mammary cancer and the brownish granules were spread over the cytoplasm; 2. In the adenosis of mammary gland, DAO was positive or weakly positive, but those hyperplastic ducts in it appeared to be strongly positive and the brownish granules distributed spotted; 3. The normal mammary tissue presented weak positive or negative DAO reaction. These observations indicated that the malignant tumor and hyperplastic changes of mammary gland induce increase of DAO in the cells, and the higher the DAO content, the greater the possibility of malignant changes.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Evaluation of urinary pseudouridine as a tumor marker in lung cancer.

The urinary concentration of pseudouridine, primarily a breakdown product of tRNA, was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography in 33 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), 18 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 18 patients with benign pulmonary diseases (eg, TB, COPD), and 16 healthy controls. The mean urinary pseudouridine concentration levels of the patients with SCLC, NSCLC, benign pulmonary disease and the healthy controls were 22.7 +/- 11.8, 15.6 +/- 6.0, 13.4 +/- 3.6, 12.1 +/- 3.2 nmol/mumol creatinine (mean +/- SD), respectively. The mean urinary pseudouridine concentration was significantly higher in patients with SCLC than that in patients with NSCLC, benign pulmonary disease and in the healthy controls. There was no significant difference in the urinary pseudouridine levels of patients with NSCLC and healthy controls or patients with benign pulmonary disease. Urinary pseudouridine levels above 18.5 nmol/mumol creatinine (mean value +/- 2SD for healthy controls) were noted in 54.5% of patients with SCLC, including 11 of 17 (64.7%) in extensive stage and seven of 16 (43.8%) in limited stage, and 27.8% of the patients with NSCLC. Of the 12 patients with SCLC who had follow-up urinary samples taken in series during chemotherapy courses, there was considerable urinary pseudouridine level change which paralleled the change in clinical response. Although urinary pseudouridine is not a specific marker for SCLC, it represents the tumor burden and reflects the clinical status. These findings indicate that urinary pseudouridine may be a useful tumor marker in patients with SCLC.

Aged↗

Producing deep depth of field and depth-independent resolution in NDE with limited diffraction beams.

Limited diffraction beams, such as Durnin's J0 Bessel beam, are a class of nonspreading solutions to the isotropic/homogeneous scalar wave equation. These beams can be approximately produced with finite aperture and energy over a deep depth of field. In this paper, we report the application of a broadband J0 Bessel beam to nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of materials. Pulse-echo images of a stainless steel block phantom were obtained with both the J0 Bessel beam and a conventional focused Gaussian beam. Results show that uniformly high resolutions were obtained with the J0 Bessel beam over a large distance. In addition, the lateral resolution of the J0 Bessel beam is almost independent of the speed of sound of the materials inspected. In contrast, the lateral resolution of images obtained with the conventional focused Gaussian beam changes dramatically with the distance and the focal length of the beam in water is greatly reduced by the steel block. Therefore, limited diffraction beams could be useful for nondestructive evaluation of materials of different speeds of sound. Restoration of pulse-echo images obtained with these beams could be simplified.

Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted↗

Long-term expression of human factor IX cDNA in rabbits.

In this study, rabbits were used as a model for gene therapy for hemophilia B. Human factor IX cDNA was transferred to cultured normal rabbit skin fibroblasts (RSF) by a recombinant plasmid (pCMVIX) or retrovirus (XL-IX or N2CMVIX) constructed in our laboratory. Infected fibroblasts capable of synthesizing and secreting high levels of biologically active human factor IX protein were selected and embedded in a collagen matrix. The latter was surgically implanted into rabbits as autografts or allografts. Human factor IX protein was detected in the plasma of all the grafted rabbits, and its expression has been maintained for more than 10 months at the time of writing. In addition, we have improved and simplified the method of implantation from surgically grafting the tissue-like matrix to the injection of the infected cell-collagen mixture subcutaneously. Using the latter method, human factor IX in rabbits injected with RSF-N2CMVIX reached a peak of 480 ng/ml plasma, and its expression has continued for more than 3 months at the time of writing. We suggest that the simplified method of transplantation by subcutaneous injection would offer an effective and acceptable approach to somatic cell gene therapy and may be practical for human trials.

Animals↗

Selective potentiation by an A1 adenosine receptor enhancer of the negative dromotropic action of adenosine in the guinea pig heart.

The drug (2-amino-4,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)-[3(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]methanone (PD 81,723) has been shown to enhance allosterically A1 adenosine receptor binding in brain membranes. The objective of this study was to determine the specificity and selectivity (A1 versus A2) of PD 81,723 as an enhancer of the negative dromotropic effect of exogenous adenosine in guinea pig isolated and in situ hearts. In isolated hearts, PD 81,723 alone produced only a small stimulus to His bundle (S-H) interval prolongation of 1.5 to 4 msec, which was completely reversed by the A1 adenosine receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyltheophylline and adenosine deaminase. PD 81,723 (5 microM) significantly decreased the EC50 value of adenosine for prolongation of the S-H interval from 6.7 +/- 0.6 to 4.4 +/- 0.5 microM. The potentiation of the negative dromotropic effect of adenosine by PD 81,723 was dose dependent, i.e., 5 and 10 microM PD 81,723 enhanced the maximal S-H interval prolongation caused by 3 microM adenosine by 207% and 609%, respectively. In contrast, the same concentration of PD 81,723 had no effect on either the S-H interval prolongation caused by carbachol or MgCl2 or the coronary vasodilatory effect of adenosine. In in situ hearts, PD (2 mumol/kg i.v.) alone caused only a small but not significant negative dromotropic effect, increasing the atrium to His interval from 58 +/- 2 to 61 +/- 1 msec. However, the same dose of PD 81,723 caused a significant leftward and upward shift of the adenosine dose-response curve for inducing atrium to His bundle interval prolongation and increased the degree of atrioventricular block caused by adenosine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine↗

Evaluation of the potential role of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serodiagnosis of tuberculosis.

The serodiagnosis of tuberculosis was evaluated by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of IgG antibody to mycobacterial antigen 60. The study population consisted of 63 patients with active tuberculosis comprising 43 pulmonary tuberculosis, 15 tuberculosis pleurisy, four miliary tuberculosis, and one tuberculous lymphadenitis. The control group consisted of 48 patients embracing 8 cases of inactive pulmonary tuberculosis, 31 cases of pulmonary disorders other than tuberculosis, and nine normal persons. There was a significant difference in antibody titers of sera between patients of active tuberculosis and control group (P < 0.001). The sensitivity of the test for active pulmonary tuberculosis was 81.4% and the specificity was 85.4% (cutoff value 300 units). The sensitivity for all active tuberculosis was 61.9%. There was positive correlation between serum titer of active pulmonary tuberculosis and the extent of disease on chest radiography (r = 0.4, P < 0.01). A positive correlation was found between the titers of pleural fluids, and the corresponding sera in 15 patients (eleven tuberculous pleurisy and four nontuberculous controls) (r = 0.85, P < 0.001). Whether serum or pleural fluid, the positive rate of the assay for tuberculous pleurisy was relatively low. In conclusion, the A60 IgG ELISA test may be useful in serodiagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and assessment of the disease extent, although it might not yield a high sensitivity for tuberculous pleurisy.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Cytochrome P-450terp. Isolation and purification of the protein and cloning and sequencing of its operon.

Cytochromes P-450 are extremely important in the oxidative metabolism of a variety of endogenous and exogenous compounds in pro- and eukaryotic organisms. Progress in understanding the structure and mechanism of action of this superfamily of enzymes has been hampered by the properties of the eukaryotic enzymes and the availability of only one well-characterized prokaryotic enzyme as a model. We report here the isolation of a Pseudomonas species which will utilize a monoterpene natural product, alpha-terpineol, as its sole source of carbon and energy. Approximately 1% of the soluble protein in the cell-free extract is a novel cytochrome P-450 (P-450terp). This enzyme and its associated iron sulfur protein electron carrier (terpredoxin) have been purified to homogeneity and their NH2-terminal amino acid sequences determined. The amino acid sequences of six tryptic peptide fragments of cytochrome P-450terp have also been determined. This sequence information was used to clone the gene encoding cytochrome P-450terp. Three clones representing approximately 8 kilobase pairs of unique sequences were selected and sequenced. Five non-overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) were found in the sequences, and the translated sequences were used to search the Protein Identification Resource for comparable proteins. The ORFs were identified as: 1) an alcohol dehydrogenase, 2) an aldehyde dehydrogenase, 3) cytochrome P-450terp, 4) terpredoxin reductase, and 5) terpredoxin. The identification of both the cytochrome P-450terp and terpredoxin DNA sequence was confirmed by the presence of each of the corresponding amino acid sequences found in the purified proteins. The five ORFs were bounded on both the 5' and 3' ends by consensus factor-independent terminator sequences. A consensus promoter sequence was found immediately 5' to the first ORF. These results indicate that we have sequenced the complete terp operon. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of cytochrome P-450terp to that of all other cytochromes P-450 has shown that it is the first member of the gene family CYP108. Preliminary characterization of the chemical and physical properties and the preparation of crystals of this new cytochrome P-450, suitable for x-ray diffraction analysis, indicate that it will be useful in comparison studies with other members of this class of proteins.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Crystallization and preliminary x-ray diffraction analysis of P450terp and the hemoprotein domain of P450BM-3, enzymes belonging to two distinct classes of the cytochrome P450 superfamily.

Cytochromes P450 are members of a superfamily of hemoproteins that are involved in the metabolism of various physiologic and xenobiotic organic compounds. This superfamily of proteins can be divided into two classes based on the electron donor proximal to the P450: an iron-sulfur protein for class I P450s or a flavoprotein for class II. The only known tertiary structure of any of the cytochromes P450 is that of P450cam, a class I soluble enzyme isolated from Pseudomonas putida (product of the CYP101 gene). To understand the details of the structure-function relationships within and between the two classes, structural studies on additional cytochromes P450 are crucial. We report here characterization of the crystal forms of two soluble, bacterial enzymes: cytochrome P450terp [class I enzyme from a Pseudomonas species (product of CYP108 gene)] and the hemoprotein domain of cytochrome P450BM-3 [class II enzyme from Bacillus megaterium (product of the CYP102 gene)]. The crystals of cytochrome P450terp are hexagonal and belong to the space group P6(1)22 (or its enantiomorph, P6(5)22) with unit cell dimensions a = b = 68.9 A and c = 458.7 A. The crystals of the hemoprotein domain of cytochrome P450BM-3 are monoclinic and belong to the space group P2(1) with unit cell dimensions a = 59.4 A, b = 154.0 A, c = 62.2 A, and beta = 94.7 degrees. Diffraction data for the crystals of these two proteins were obtained to a resolution better than 2.2 A. Assuming the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit for the hemoprotein domain of P450BM-3 and one molecule for P450terp, the calculated values of Vm are 2.6 and 3.3 A3/Da, respectively.

Bacillus megaterium↗

Intrathoracic schwannoma of vagus nerve.

Intrathoracic neurogenic tumors are relatively common mediastinal tumors generally located in the posterior mediastinum. The most common origin is the intercostal nerve or the sympathetic chain. These tumors rarely arise from vagus nerve in the anterior mediastinum. The English literature demonstrates a total of 29 cases, which are more often on the left than the right. Here, we present another case: a 41-year-old man with a history of chronic cough for 10 years, whose chest radiograph showed a homogenous mass in the right anterosuperior mediastinum. The chest CT scan revealed a well-defined mass, 4-cm in diameter, located at the right side of trachea. Marked compression and lateral displacement of the R't innominate vein were noted. The mass was heterogenous with partial area of relative lower density and only mild enhancement was noted after contrast medium infusion. Sternotomy with tumor resection from the right vagus nerve was done. The histological diagnosis was schwannoma.

Adult↗

[A study on virus localization and microcirculation in the liver in patients with epidemic hemorrhagic fever].

The findings in our clinical study was consistent with those reported by others that a temporary elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase activity is associated with epidemic hemorrhagic fever (EHF). However, the pathogenesis of the concomitant changes in liver function tests is still not clear. To clarify whether EHF virus is cytopathic or not for the liver, percutaneous liver biopsy was done in 19 patients with EHF within 3-12 days after the onset of symptoms. These liver biopsy specimens were examined with immunofluorescence assay and cell cultural technique, showing the presence of active viral replication in liver cells. Electron microscopy observation of the infected liver cells showed that ultrastructural distortions was accompanied by the existence of inclusion bodies of EHF virus in vacuoles of rough endoplasmic reticulum, endotheliocyte and microvilli. These findings strongly suggest that EHF virus may play a causative role in liver injury in patients suffering from EHF and hepatic microcirculation disturbance may be involved in the pathogenesis of EHF-related liver dysfunction as well.

Adolescent↗

Pulse-echo imaging using a nondiffracting beam transducer.

Conventional ultrasonic transducers generate beams that diffract as they travel. This phenomenon causes images produced in B-mode to be degraded in the far-field of the transducers. Focused transducers are used to improve image quality. Unfortunately, focused transducers have short depth of field. Although multiple pulse transmissions focused at several depths are used to increase the effective depth of field, imaging frame rate is reduced dramatically leading to blurred images of moving objects such as the heart. We present a family of transducers that produce nondiffracting beams of large depth of field. Therefore, uniformly high resolution throughout the imaging area can be obtained without sacrificing the imaging frame rate. In addition, the nondiffracting property of these beams makes the correction for beam diffraction negligible in tissue characterization. This paper reports the results of computer simulations as well as in vitro and in vivo pulse-echo imaging experiments with a nondiffracting transducer. Images are compared to those obtained by conventional focused Gaussian shaded beam transducers and a commercial ACUSON 128 B-scanner. The new transducer has much longer depth of field with higher sidelobes than conventional transducers of the same aperture. Sidelobes can be reduced using the new transducer to transmit and the dynamically focused transducer to receive.

Calibration↗

[Rat multiple organ failure model caused by zymosan injections: a pathomorphological study].

We succeeded in developing a Wistar rat multiple organ failure (MOF) model by intraperitoneal injection of Zymosan. 80 rats were divided into the experimental and control groups. On alternative days (1, 2, 4-5 day), rats were killed after their blood specimens were examined. In the experimental group, changes in PaO2, GPT and Cr were apparently significant as compared with those in the control group. Symptoms included lethargy, hyporeaction, and alimentary tract hemorrhage. By combining function with pathology changes at the cellular and subcellular level and histochemical aspects, we listed MOF pathological features for the diagnosis of DIC at its different stages.

Animals↗

[Pathological changes in immune defense system of multiple-organ failure rat and their action on pathogenesis].

To explore the action of immune defense system on the mechanisms of MOF, Wistar rat MOF model was made by peritoneal injection of Zymosan. The pathological changes of MOF and the effects of neutrophils, platelets, MPS and some immune organs on MOF were studied with light and electron microscopy and image pattern analysis. At the early stage of MOF, MPS cells was in an activated status, evidenced by hyperplasia, swelling and active phagocytosis with an elevation of plasma fibronectin level, while T-lymphocyte system was damaged seriously. At the later stage, MPS declined. These results suggest that the hyperfunction of MPS be one of the initial mechanisms of rat MOF and the deficiency of cellular immunity may result in the exacerbation of the disease.

Animals↗

Effects of 1-ethynylpyrene and related inhibitors of P450 isozymes upon benzo[a]pyrene metabolism by liver microsomes.

The effects of three aryl acetylenes, 1-ethynylpyrene (EP), 2-ethynylnaphthalene (EN) and 3-ethynylperylene (EPE), upon the metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) by microsomes isolated from rat liver were investigated. These aryl acetylenes all inhibited the total metabolism of BaP. Formation of BaP 7,8-dihydrodiol and BaP tetrol products by microsomal preparations from rats that had been pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) were preferentially inhibited. The effects of EP upon the metabolism of BaP 7,8-dihydrodiol by microsomes from rat liver were also studied. This aryl acetylene strongly inhibited the formation of BaP tetrols from BaP 7,8-dihydrodiol by liver microsomes both from untreated rats and from rats pretreated with 3MC, but enhanced the conversion of the BaP dihydrodiol into other metabolites.

Animals↗

Inhibition of the binding of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene to DNA in mouse skin epidermis by 1-ethynylpyrene.

The effects of 1-ethynylpyrene (EP), 1-vinylpyrene (VP) and 2-ethynlnaphthalene (EN) on the covalent binding of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and of benzo[a]-pyrene (B[a]P) to the epidermal DNA in mouse skin were investigated. When applied topically, 5 min before an initiating dose of 10 nmol DMBA or of 200 nmol B[a]P, EP was an effective inhibitor of the formation of the covalent complexes of these procarcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with the epidermal DNA. VP, applied under the same conditions, was a significantly less effective inhibitor of the binding of DMBA to DNA and showed even weaker inhibition of the binding of B[a]P. EN was ineffective as an inhibitor of the binding of either DMBA or B[a]P. These results establish that both the pyrene nucleus and the ethynyl substituent of EP contribute to the effective inhibition of the binding of DMBA and B[a]P to the epidermal DNA of mouse skin. No significant changes in the ratios of the anti- to the syndiol epoxide-DNA adducts of DMBA or of B[a]P were produced by doses of EP that produced inhibitions of the binding to DNA. At doses of VP that inhibited covalent binding of both DMBA and B[a]P, no changes in DMBA-DNA adduct distributions were observed but changes in the relative proportions of several B[a]P-DNA adducts were noted. These data are discussed in terms of the potential of aryl acetylenes to act as suicide inhibitors (mechanism-based inactivators) of cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase isozymes.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

Utilization of sweet potatoes in controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS).

A number of studies have selected the sweet potato as a potentially important crop for CELSS. Most hydroponic studies of sweet potatoes have been short term (<80 days). Full term (90 to 150 days) studies of sweet potatoes in hydroponic systems were needed to understand the physiology of storage root enlargement and to evaluate sweet potato production potential for CELSS. Early and late maturing sweet potato varieties were crown in hydroponic systems of different types--static with periodic replacement, flowing with and without recirculation, aggregate, and non-aggregate. In a flowing system with recirculation designed at Tuskegee University using the nutrient film technique (NFT), storage root yields as high as 1790 g were produced with an edible growth rate of up to 66 g m-2 d-1 and a harvest index as high as 89% under greenhouse conditions. Preliminary experiments indicated high yields can be obtained in controlled environmental chambers. Significant cultivar differences were found in all systems studied. Nutritive composition of storage roots and foliage were similar to field-grown plants. The results indicate great potential for sweet potato in CELSS.

Biomass↗

Training and education in occupational health in China.

Training programmes in Occupational Health in the People's Republic of China have been expanded and improved tremendously since 10 years ago. There are 26 faculties of Public Health in the medical schools taking undergraduate students for a six-year basic training which leads to the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Public Health. A three-year postgraduate course leading to the Master's degree in Occupational Health and two more years' specialist course for the doctorate degree in Occupational Health are offered by the Institute of Occupational Medicine, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine and six training centres for occupational health. Continuing education at multi-level seems to be of great benefit, yet needs further development.

China↗