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Biomedical subjects

K T Lin

Publications and source records attributed to K T Lin.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked 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

Diagnostic values of IgG-albumin index and agarose gel electrophoresis in neurologic diseases.

Sixty cerebrospinal fluids (CSFs) with paired serum samples from a variety of patients with neurologic diseases were studied using rate nephelometry to measure IgG-albumin index, and also agarose gel electrophoresis (EP) with protein blotting technique to characterize discrete IgG bands. The patients included: A) 16 cases of multiple sclerosis (MS); B) 23 cases of inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS); C) 21 cases of other non-inflammatory neurologic disorders. The average IgG-albumin index was 0.65 +/- 0.25 in Group A, 1.10 +/- 0.78 in B, and 0.50 +/- 0.12 in C. If 0.72 is taken as the upper normal limit, an increased index was found in 31%, 43% and 5% of Groups A, B and C, respectively. Discrete IgG bands were detected in 69%, 9% and 5% of Groups A, B and C, respectively. Gamma globulin bands were not always IgG, and true oligoclonal myeloma proteins were not encountered. It is concluded that both IgG-albumin index measurement and agarose gel EP are useful for diagnostic differentiation in neurologic diseases: the former, for inflammatory diseases of CNS; and the latter, for MS.

Brain Diseases

Detection of antibodies to HTLV-III by ELISA in AIDS risk groups in Taiwan: a preliminary report.

A total of 2321 serum samples were collected from a variety of AIDS risk groups. The samples were tested for anti-HTLV-III using ELISA. Low prevalences of seropositivity were detected in the high-risk groups. Among 120 homosexuals/bisexuals, one seropositive suffering from full-blown AIDS was an American traveler. Another native homosexual who yielded a high ELISA reading was a "possible" AIDS. Three hemophiliacs with strongly positive reactions received injections of a U.S.-produced factor VIII; all are asymptomatic currently. A patient with hairy cell leukemia had a markedly elevated ELISA reading. Another patient with syphilis also had a markedly high reading, despite having no other known risk factor. Among the low-risk groups a patient who had suffered from oral candidiasis for eight years had no risk factor, yet he yielded repeatedly high ELISA readings. Another patient with a weak positive reaction was a symptomless blood donor. This preliminary study concludes that Taiwan is several years behind the U.S. and is at present not an endemic area for AIDS. To achieve successful AIDS control in the future, however, the homosexuals in Taiwan should change their sexual behavior now. Since many initially weakly-reactive samples became negative on repeated testing it appears that non-specific or false positive ELISA reactions occur frequently. Accordingly when ELISA is used for diagnostic purposes, additional confirming tests are mandatory.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Anti-HTLV antibodies in cancer patients, hemophiliacs and uremics: a preliminary report.

A total of 132 sera were studied for anti-HTLV antibodies using the Biotech ELISA test. Among the HTL group, two were, one, and the other two (+/-). Among 23 hemophiliacs one was. None of the lympho- and myelo-proliferative disorders, chronic uremics and normal controls showed positive results. Our results show that the ELISA anti-HTLV test is quite specific for HTL and related disorders, but the antibody titers may be low in some cases in the late stage. The significance of frequent high ELISA readings in hepatomas and NPCs awaits for further studies. The occurrence of one hemophiliac with definite positive anti-HTLV calls for a routine screening of the blood preparations for HTLV.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Sample preparation and estimation of plasma concentration of 3-deazauridine by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A rapid and simple procedure for liquid chromatographic analysis of plasma 3-deazauridine (3-DU), an antineoplastic agent, was developed. The plasma was extracted with methanolic silver acetate to remove interfering ultraviolet-absorbing materials and the 3-DU partially purified on a small anion exchange column prior to chromatography on a reverse-phase (C18) column. 2'-O-Methyl-3-deazauridine was used as an internal standard. The mobile phase was 0.1 M ammonium acetate, pH 4.0, containing 5% methanol. The 3-DU was identified by its retention time and its characteristic ultraviolet absorbance ratio (280/254 nm) of 3.0. This method was used to determine the plasma concentration of 3-DU in three patients with acute leukemia. The patients received a 36-h infusion of 3-DU at a rate of 5.0 mg/kg/h. The mean steady-state plasma concentration of 3-DU at the end of the infusion was 22.1 micrograms/ml (range, 13.6-42.8 micrograms/ml) and the mean elimination half-life was 109 min (range, 92-136 min). 2,4-Dihydroxypyridine, a potential metabolite of 3-DU, was not detected in any of the plasma samples of the patients receiving a 3-DU infusion.

3-Deazauridine

Simplified procedure for the analysis of 3- and 4-hydroxyproline.

A column chromatographic analysis for 3-hydroxyproline (3-Hyp), 4-hydroxyproline (4-Hyp), and gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) is described. The analyses of urine and plasma were performed with a JLC-6AH amino acid analyzer. A 0.15 M sodium citrate buffer, pH 2.1, was used for elution. Urinary Gla, 3-Hyp, and 4-Hyp were among the seventeen peaks eluted before aspartic acid. Hyp, Gla, glutamine, and asparagine in plasma were separated by elution with 0.2 M sodium citrate buffer, pH 3.25, containing 10% methanol. This single-column procedure achieves the sequential separation and quantitation of Gla, 3-Hyp, and 4-Hyp in urine as well as plasma, and is applicable to the diagnosis of collagen metabolism disorders.

Autoanalysis

Immune response of neonates to pneumococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate.

Immune responses were studied in adult and young mice exposed to pneumococcal 6A and 19F polysaccharides (PSs), as well as 19F PS conjugated to proteins, e.g. human immunoglobulin G (HIgG), pneumococcal R61 cell wall polypeptide, and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Significantly higher IgM and IgG2 antibody titres were induced in mice receiving 19F PS-protein conjugates than in the control group receiving 19F PS alone. Maternal immunization with 19F PS-HIgG conjugate elicited a low immune response in the offspring. However, when young mice from immunized mothers were given and additional dose of polysaccharide-protein conjugate, they gave an antibody response greater than that of mice not given additional immunogen. Similarly, young mice exposed to 14-valent pneumococcal vaccine during gestation produced higher antibody response to 6A and 19F PSs. Secondary immunization of 19F PS or PS-protein conjugate at 1 or 2 weeks after primary immunization did not enhance antibody formation but rather suppressed the immune response to that polysaccharide.

Animals

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of chemical stability of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine.

The chemical stability of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (I) in acidic, neutral, and alkaline solutions was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. In alkaline solution, I underwent rapid reversible decomposition to N-(formylamidino)-N'-beta-D-2-deoxyribofuranosylurea (II), which decomposed irreversibly to form 1-beta-D-2'-deoxyribofuranosyl-3-guanylurea (III). The pseudo-first-order rate constants for this reaction were determined. The decomposition of I in alkaline solution was identical to that reported previously for the related analog, 5-aza-cytidine. However, in neutral solution (or water), there was a marked difference in the decomposition of I and 5-azacytidine. The same decomposition products were formed from 5-azacytidine in neutral solution as in alkaline solution. However, in neutral solution, I decomposed to II and three unknown compounds that were chromophoric at 254 nm. Compound I was most stable when stored in neutral solution at low temperature.

Azacitidine

Simultaneous studies of serum and urinary proteins for evaluation and diagnosis of glomerular damages in proteinuric patients.

Simultaneous studies of serum and urinary proteins in 294 adult proteinuric patients are presented. Our data showed that these studies can provide valuable guides for clinical diagnosis. In the group of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, hypoalbuminemia, hypogammaglobulinemia and hyper-alpha 2 globulinemia were most marked. Urinary protein electrophoresis (PEP) showed a well-selective pattern with albumin and beta globulin as the main constituents. In the other groups of proteinuric patients the hypoalbuminemia and hyper-alpha 2 globulinemia were milder and urinary PEP generally showed non-selective pattern. In the groups of acute glomerulonephritis and lupus nephropathy, C3 was generally decreased; polyclonal gammopathy was frequently encountered and alpha 1 acid glycoprotein was markedly increased. In the cases of chronic glomerulonephritis and diabetic nephropathy and the levels of gamma globulin, C3 and alpha 2 acid glycoprotein were usually within normal limits. Urinary protein selectivity index in this series of adult patients was not a useful diagnostic parameter.

Adolescent

Separation and purification of myeloma proteins.

Three myeloma proteins, IgG lambda, IgA lambda and IgM lambda, were identified by protein electrophoresis (PEP), immunoglobulin quantitation and immunoelectrophoresis (IEP). Preparative block electrophoresis was generally carried out as an initial step to separate the myeloma proteins. The myeloma proteins thus separated were then passed through either diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) ion exchange chromatography and recycled in a Sephadex G-200 column, or first through gel filtration and recycled in DEAE. An attempt to bypass the step of preparative electrophoresis in the separation of IgG myeloma protein by passing the serum directly into a DEAE column was proved to be inappropriate. The IgM myeloma protein had a marked tendency to cryoprecipitate and to form euglobulin, and this property was utilized to separate the crude myeloma protein. The purified myeloma protein fractions were concentrated and dialyzed with Ultrafiltration (Amicon) and retested for purity with PEP, double diffusion (DD) and IEP. Some special physiochemical properties which affected the purification procedures are discussed.

Aged

An immunochemical study of two Bence-Jones proteins.

Two Bence-Jones proteins, one of kappa and the other of lambda type, from the urine of two myeloma patients were identified by protein electrophoresis (PEP) and immunoelectrophoresis (IEP). Urine specimens were concentrated and dialyzed with Ultrafiltration. The concentrated products were passed through a Sephadex G-100 column, and the fractions of Bence-Jones proteins were recycled in diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) ion exchange chromatography. Purified Bence-Jones proteins were mixed thoroughly with complete Freund adjuvant and inoculated into rabbits. The monospecific antisera to kappa and lambda chains were obtained by absorption with Bence-Jones proteins of the opposite types.

Adult