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Biomedical subjects

K M Huang

Publications and source records attributed to K M Huang.

70 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

An autopsy-proved case of AIDS in Taiwan.

The first case of AIDS positively identified in a non-foreigner in Taiwan was a 25-year-old unmarried male who had practiced homosexuality for ten years. The patient began to have abdominal pain accompanied with loose stools and weight loss in June 1985, followed by fever, cough, headache, dizziness, and loss of memory. Facial hyperpigmentation and extensive oroesophageal candidiasis were noted. Laboratory studies showed severe lymphopenia with a reversed T-helper to T-suppressor ratio, cutaneous anergy and polyclonal gammopathy. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies were positive by ELISA and Western blot, and the virus was isolated from the blood. At autopsy, disseminated cytomegalovirus infection, extensive CNS toxoplasmosis and early lesions of Kaposi's sarcoma were demonstrated. The detection of HIV in the adrenal medulla supports the consensus that the virus is neurotropic.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[Flow cytometer (FCM) in biological characteristics of nasopharyngeal carcinoma xenografts in nude mice].

Tumor tissue from a patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma was transplanted to nude mice (BALB/c) and had successfully been maintained through ten passages. The nude mice tumor and the primary human tumor were assayed by FCM for the DNA content in addition to conventional pathological examination, chromosome analysis and EBV assay. The tumor incidence in the different passages showed a marked change ranging from 25% to 81% with a mean value of 52% which tended to increase, however. The doubling time of six tumors in the ninth passage showed no great change 6-12 weeks after transplantation with a mean about 4.3 days. But at week 12, there was a significant difference between each tumor volume, ranging from 438 to 1,998 mm3. By FCM, it was found that the DNA index remained constant in both the primary and nude mice tumors. Among the nude mice tumors in different passages, the distribution of various phase cells in cell cycle was similar to that of the primary tumor. In conclusion, the use of FCM to assay the cellular DNA content in nude mice tumor is rapid and sensitive. It is helpful, for the nude mice tumor, in identifying stability of the biological characteristics and in studying of the mechanism of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the future.

Animals↗

Transforming activity of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma DNA.

NIH 3T3 cells were transfected with the DNAs from biopsy specimens of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC, EBV DNA positive) using calcium phosphate precipitation method. The malignant, transformed foci of NIH 3T3 cells have been observed and cloned. The hybridization of transfectant DNA digested by EcoRI with total human leukocyte DNA as probe was performed. The strong signal of smear comparing with NIH 3T3 DNA as control was observed. It was implied that the putative human transforming sequences had been integrated into transformed cells. Employing soft agar culture, the transformed cells can grow and form cell colonies. Following transfer, the foci were able to grow and adhere to a glass wall. These cells were easily agglutinated by con A. The cloned foci have been inoculated into nude mice with the formation of highly malignant sarcomas. In preliminary experiments for characterizing the transforming sequences, Ha-ras and Blym 1 were found in transfectants derived from one of the NPC DNA samples. It is implicated that these two oncogenes might be responsible for the acquisition of malignant phenotypic character of some human NPC. The further identification of oncogenes in NPC is currently in progress.

Animals↗

Early diagnosis of single segment vertebral osteomyelitis--MR pattern and its characteristics.

Nine cases of single segment vertebral osteomyelitis were included based on the single level of vertebral body involvement according to the MR findings. They were 3 cases with tuberculous infection and 6 cases with pyogenic infection. The vertebral body involvement was presented as abnormal signal changes (100%) and heterogenous enhancement (77.7%). They usually caused the cortical disruption in its anterior aspect (100%). It goes along the upward subligamentous spread (100%) most often, then the upper disc involvement (66.6%) and downward subligamentous spread (55.5%). The lower disc involvement is least common (11.1%). By using these criteria, the single segment vertebral osteomyelitis could be earlier diagnosed.

Adult↗

Application of Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery pulse sequence in children with tuberous sclerosis.

To evaluate the application of Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) pulse sequence to increase the sensitivity of detecting tubers in tuberous sclerosis patients compared with fast spin-echo T2-weighted (FSET2W) image, we obtained 12 magnetic resonance (MR) images in 10 patients (mean age = 57.7 months old). Among the 12 examinations, 114 cortical and 128 subcortical tubers were revealed on the FLAIR images, whereas 54 and 72 tubers were found respectively on the FSET2W images. This may be due to the FLAIR pulse sequences remarkably attenuated CSF signals in comparison with the FSET2W images. However, FSET2W image delineated more subependymal nodules than FLAIR imaging did. Gd-DTPA enhanced T1W image is the most suitable pulse sequence to detect giant cell astrocytoma near the foramen of Monro. The results in cases of infants and little children were similar.

Child↗

Magnetic resonance imaging in symptomatic/cryptogenic partial epilepsies of infants and children.

In order to identify the brain lesions of symptomatic/cryptogenic partial epilepsies (S/CPEs) in infants and children, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, thorough encephalographic (EEGic) studies, and detailed clinical and neurologic evaluations were obtained in 300 infants and children who were diagnosed to have S/CPEs with onset before the age of 13 years during the past 7 years. The overall detection rate of brain lesions by MRI was 41.7% (125/300). Congenital malformations (18 cases), vascular malformations (9 cases), neurocutaneous syndromes (13 cases), and space-taking lesions (20 cases) constitute a large percentage of SPEs in infants and children. A variety of insults such as infection, ischemia, hemorrhage, trauma and metabolic disorders can result in destructive parenchymal loss lesions including porencephaly, focal atrophy, hemiatrophy, and diffuse brain atrophy (20 cases). Major etiologic factors leading to infarction, encephalomalacia, leukomalacia, included trauma, hvpoxicischemic encephalopathy (HIE), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), encephalitis, vasculitis, venous thrombosis, vasculopathies, and heart problems (22 cases). Mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) could be evidenced in around 20% (18/95) of cases with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), which was strongly associated with past histories of febrile seizures and encephalitis complicated by status epileptics. However, cases with porencephaly, global atrophy or delayed myelination of unilateral temporal lobe on MRI were more related to HIE. With the advent of neuroimaging techniques, particularly MRI, a wide variety of underlying pathology can be detected as a cause of symptomatic partial epilepsies in pediatric patients. The occurrence of S/CPE indicates the presence of localized brain dysfunction, and many of the causes are potentially treatable. An orderly and thorough clinical and laboratory investigations, as well as neuroimaging studies should be made to diagnose and treat any underlying conditions.

Adolescent↗