Biomedical subjects

K Y Lin

Publications and source records attributed to K Y Lin.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Polymerase chain reaction diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori in gastroduodenal diseases: comparison with culture and histopathological examinations.

Helicobacter pylori has been associated with a variety of upper gastrointestinal diseases. Histopathological examination and culture are considered to be the more specific tests in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. In the present study, we evaluated the efficiency of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay of the H. pylori urease A gene as a procedure in the diagnosis of gastric H. pylori infection in various gastroduodenal diseases. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the antral mucosa of 83 patients during endoscopic examination and were submitted to three tests for the detection of H. pylori infection. The detection rates of H. pylori using PCR, histopathological examination and culture were 84, 77 and 63%, respectively. When the infection was defined, by the agreement of culture and histopathological examination or by positive culture, the PCR assay had a sensitivity of 98.1% and a specificity of 84.6%. When the infection was defined by a positive result of either two of the three tests or by positive culture, the PCR assay had a sensitivity of 98.6% and a specificity of 85.7%. We conclude that the PCR assay is a valuable test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection in gastroduodenal diseases.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

[High activity of antistreptolysin-O in a case of IgM myeloma].

A 56-year-old man was admitted to our hospital in November, 1991 because of hyperproteinemia and anemia. Total protein showed 12 g/dl and serum immunoglobulins were as follows; IgG 974 mg/dl, IgA 142 mg/dl, IgM 9270 mg/dl. M-component was identified as IgM-kappa with immunoelectrophoresis and serum viscosity indicated 6.9. Although the patient had no history of severe streptococcal infection, his serum showed very high activity of ASLO (6890 IU/ml). Bence Jones protein was detected in the urine and determined to be of kappa-type. Plasma cells occupied 43% of bone marrow nucleated cells and their cytoplasms were stained with FITC-labeled anti-IgM and anti-kappa antibodies. X-ray examination disclosed punched out lesions in the skull. Consequently, the patient was diagnosed as having IgM-myeloma. At first, VCAP regimens were given after plasmapheresis, but had no effect. Therefore, the patient was treated with CHOP protocol and the serum IgM decreased in amount and the proportion of bone marrow myeloma cells got down to 17%. ASLO titer also decreased in parallel with IgM. These findings suggest that IgM in this case had ASLO activity.

Antistreptolysin↗

PubMed1996

Clinical experience of esophageal ulcers and esophagitis in AIDS patients.

In Taiwan, numbers of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been increasing in recent years. We present esophageal disease of different causes in 5(16%) heterosexual men among 31 AIDS patients over a 5-year period. Major symptoms included mild dysphagia in 4 (80%) patients and odynophagia in 3 (60%) patients. The duration of symptoms varied from 3 days to 6 months. The symptoms occurred before the diagnosis of AIDS in 3 patients. At esophagogastroduodenoscopy (endoscopy), all 5 patients had esophagitis and/or esophageal ulcers proved by histopathologic evaluation. Four had Candida esophagitis, 3 had cytomegalovirus esophagitis/ulcers and 2 had idiopathic esophageal ulcerations (IEU). Three patients had different esophagitis/ulcers at the same time or during follow-up. The median CD4 lymphocyte count at the time of diagnosis of esophageal disease was 12.2 cells/mm3 (range, 3 to 35 cells/mm3). The endoscopic pictures of the different causes of esophagitis/ ulcers lack uniformity in number, size and appearance. These observations make a conclusion that all AIDS patients with an esophageal disease should undergo endoscopy with biopsy to obtain a definitive diagnosis.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1995

Recurrent lambdoid synostosis within two families.

We report on 2 families with multiple members who have proven or suspected lambdoid craniosynostosis. In one family the lambdoid suture was unilaterally involved in one sib, and bilaterally in the other. In the second family the propositus had unilateral lambdoid synostosis and his twin sisters each had bilateral lambdoid synostosis. Both families had another distant relative, a maternal grandmother in the first and paternal uncle in the second, who were also reported to have posterior plagiocephaly. We report these families as evidence for genetic transmission of a craniosynostotic trait which has only been rarely reported previously.

Brain↗

PubMed1995

The in vivo response of foetal tendons to sutures.

The in vivo response of foetal flexor digitorum profundus tendons to tendon sutures was studied macroscopically and microscopically in foetal lambs. No tendon adhesions were noted at any of the examination intervals. 4 days after injury, a mild inflammatory reaction was noted around the suture. The tendon examined at the 4-week interval showed evidence of migration of epitenon cells from the outer surface of the tendon into the suture track. The tendon examined at the 6-week interval showed normal tendon fibres surrounding the suture site. Differences between foetal skin and foetal tendon healing are discussed along with the possible role of amniotic fluid in modulating the healing process in the foetus.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

In utero brachial artery thrombosis: limb salvage with postnatal urokinase infusion.

In utero brachial artery thrombosis leading to neonatal extremity gangrene can occur from a variety of causes. Traditional management has been limited to supportive care, often leading to early amputation. We report a case of a 1-day-old neonate who presented with an in utero brachial artery thrombosis and whose treatment consisted of early, aggressive systemic thrombolytic therapy followed by serial soft-tissue debridement and ultimate skin coverage through cultured epithelial autografts. This resulted in a successfully salvaged and partially functional upper extremity.

Arm↗

PubMed1995

Congestive gastropathy in cirrhotic patients: correlation between endoscopic and histological findings.

Congestive gastropathy is a common cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhotic patients. Forty-six patients with cirrhosis of the liver and 225 control subjects matched in age and sex without cirrhosis of the liver entered the study. We studied the prevalence of congestive gastropathy in cirrhotic patients, and the relationship between endoscopic and histological findings. Congestive gastropathy seen endoscopically was found to be more common in the cirrhotic group than in the control (85% vs. 5%, P < 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 85%, 95% and 76%, respectively. The presence of endoscopic congestive gastropathy was correlated with the severity of liver disease (P < 0.05), but not to the etiology of cirrhosis and the size of esophageal varices with or without red color sign. Endoscopic congestive gastropathy showed no correlation with the histological features including gastritis, interstitial edema, vessel ectasia/congestion and hemosiderin in endoscopic biopsy specimens. In conclusion, congestive gastropathy is a common finding in cirrhotic patients. Its appearance is closely correlated with the severity of liver disease. There is no good correlation between endoscopic congestive gastropathy and mucosal histology.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Arteriovenous fistula of the scalp after hair transplantation treated by endovascular embolization.

A 27-year-old patient acquired an arteriovenous fistula after punch graft hair transplantation. This lesion was treated by (percutaneous) puncture and injection of a liquid acrylic (N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate). The fistula was completely obliterated by the endovascular therapy without the need for additional vascular or cosmetic surgery. Endovascular therapy may be helpful as an adjunctive or primary treatment modality for iatrogenic or post-trauma fistulas.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Percentages of bone marrow blasts and chromosomal changes in patients with refractory anemia help to determine prognoses.

We statistically analyzed the hematologic findings of patients with refractory anemia (RA) to identify parameters associated with a poor prognosis. We first separated the RA patients into two groups: one group with disease progression and one without. The patients with disease progression were predominantly male and had a significantly higher percentage of bone marrow (BM) blasts at the time of diagnosis (3.06 +/- 1.29% vs. 1.44 +/- 1.38%, P < 0.005). This finding was confirmed when the patients were separated into the two groups; those who survived and those who expired (BM blasts: 2.68 +/- 1.59% vs. 1.37 +/- 1.27%, P < 0.005). The survival probabilities were calculated depending on whether or not the RA patients had > or = 3% BM blasts. The RA patients with > or = 3% BM blasts had a significantly worse prognosis (P < 0.01) than the patients with < 3% BM blasts. Notably, the RA patients with > or = 3% BM blasts did not show any significant differences in the incidence of disease progression, mortality rate, or survival probability, when compared with the patients with RA with an excess of blasts (RAEB). The present findings indicate that RA patients are heterogeneous with regard to prognosis, and the RA patients with > or = 3% BM blasts might have a poorer prognosis than those with fewer BM blasts. Thus we propose a general approach in predicting the prognosis of RA patients: those with complex chromosomal changes will expire shortly. Secondly, when the patients do not have any complex changes, the prognosis might be linked to the percentage of BM-blasts at the MDS diagnosis.

Anemia, Refractory↗

PubMed1994

Apert syndrome: quantitative assessment by CT scan of presenting deformity and surgical results after first-stage reconstruction.

We reviewed our experience with eight infants or young children (less than 2 years of age) who presented sequentially with Apert syndrome. Using a method of 14 measurements taken from the cranio-orbitozygomatic region in preoperative and postoperative CT scans of these patients, we documented their presenting skeletal morphology and the results of surgical correction at least 1 year after surgery. Significant preoperative findings included a wide anterior cranial vault at 110 percent of normal, a maximum cranial length that averaged only 90 percent of normal, a substantially widened anterior interorbital distance of 117 percent of normal, an increased lateral interorbital distance (112 percent of normal), and a widened bitemporal width at 122 percent of normal. Globe protrusion was significant at 121 percent of normal, and the medial orbital wall distance (length) was less than normal at 92 percent. In the upper midface (zygomatic) region, both the distance between the zygomatic buttresses and the interarch distance were found to be increased at 109 percent of normal, while the zygomatic arch lengths were substantially shortened at 79 percent of normal. Results of surgical correction, as documented by CT scan measurements, showed that more than a year after surgery, skeletal morphology had changed from preoperative measurements but that none of the craniofacial measurements had significantly improved (p < 0.05) in comparison with those of age-matched controls. Quantitative measurement of CT scans of the cranio-orbitozygomatic region confirmed clinically observed findings in these patients before cranio-orbital reconstruction in infancy and early childhood and proved useful in assessing the surgical results over time.

Acrocephalosyndactylia↗

PubMed1994

Fetal nerve healing: an experimental study.

An experimental study was performed to assess fetal nerve repair and regeneration both qualitatively and quantitatively. The posterior tibial nerves in one hindlimb were transected in 16 midgestational fetal lambs and in their mothers. The nerves were then repaired with epineurial sutures and allowed to progress to 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks postinjury. Qualitative assessment was performed through standard nerve histologic staining, including Luxol fast and toluidine blue for myelin and Bielschowsky stain for axons, and quantitative assessment through nerve conduction velocity studies and morphometry to determine mean myelinated fiber diameter, total fiber number, and density. A frequency histogram of the distribution of myelinated nerve fibers according to fiber diameter also was generated. In our model, the subsequent fetal nerve response to injury was characterized by earlier degeneration than in the adult counterparts. Repair and regeneration proceeded with dense collagenous scar formation in both groups. Electrophysiologic studies showed nerve impulse conduction across the repair site only at 6 and 8 weeks postinjury in both fetus and adult. Action potential amplitudes at 6 and 8 weeks were measured at 3 to 5 percent of control nerves in both nerve types. No electrophysiologic differences in the recovery of the injured fetal and adult nerves could be identified. Morphometry revealed that fetal nerve regeneration appeared to occur at a rate equivalent to that of the adult, although by 8 weeks the total percentage of remyelinated nerves appeared more complete in the fetus than in the adult (87 versus 59 percent), suggesting that fetal nerves may have a more favorable regenerative capacity than their adult counterparts.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1994

Metopic synostosis: quantitative assessment of presenting deformity and surgical results based on CT scans.

Our study applied a method of using 14 clinically relevant measurements of CT scan images to document skeletal dysmorphology in patients with metopic synostosis to determine the effectiveness of their surgical procedure after a minimum of 1 year. Ten consecutive patients with metopic synostosis who underwent a standard surgical procedure were reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative (> 1 year) CT scans were compared with those of age-matched controls. Percentages of normal were then compared for significant differences. Preoperative cranial vault measurements revealed a narrowed anterior intercoronal distance at 92 percent of normal. Orbital measurements showed a narrowed anteromedial wall interorbital distance at 79 percent of normal, a narrowed lateral orbital wall distance at 94 percent, and an elevated medial orbital wall protrusion beyond the plane of the lateral orbital walls at 115 percent. After surgery, the intercoronal distance was significantly corrected to 101 percent, the anteromedial wall interorbital distance was improved but remained undercorrected at 90 percent, and the medial wall protrusion was significantly decreased to 98 percent of normal. Quantitative measurements of CT scan images confirmed clinically observed physical findings in unoperated trigonocephaly to be orbital hypotelorism, retruded lateral orbital rims, and a narrowed bitemporal width. The surgical technique corrected the lateral orbital wall aspects of the deformity as well as the narrowed anterior cranial vault width and improved the orbital hypotelorism.

Cephalometry↗

PubMed1994

Susceptibility of avian mycoplasmas isolated in Taiwan to 21 antimicrobial agents.

Twenty-one antimicrobial agents were incorporated individually into Frey's agar to evaluate their inhibitory activities against 86 isolates of avian mycoplasmas recently detected in Taiwan. Among them, 45 and 37 isolates were found positive with Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae fluorescent antibody conjugate, respectively. Twenty-one other isolates were unable to be identified by the above 2 conjugates. All of the field isolates were highly sensitive (with MIC50 < 1 microgram/ml) to enrofloxacin, gentamicin, myplabin, tiamutin and tylosin. However, those field isolates were highly resistant (with MIC50 > 32 micrograms/ml) to apramycin, chlortetracycline (CTC), erythromycin (ER), flumequine (FI), nalidixic acid (NA), oxolinic acid (OA), oxytetracycline (OTC) and spiramycin (SP). The inhibitory activities of the antibiotics which possessed an MIC90 of 50 micrograms/ml or less against local isolates were, in decreasing order, enrofloxacin (< 0.004 microgram/ml), gentamicin (1.53 micrograms/ml), tiamutin (1.81 micrograms/ml), tylosin (3.2 micrograms/ml), streptomycin (SM; 12.0 micrograms/ml), colistin (13.1 micrograms/ml), chloramphenicol (14.0 micrograms/ml), spectinomycin (15.0 micrograms/ml), myplabin (16.0 micrograms/ml), spiramycin (30.0 micrograms/ml), minocycline (32.0 micrograms/ml). The MIC90 of OA, CTC, SM, FI, SP, OTC, ER or NA was greater than 50 micrograms/ml; which work poorly in the control of mycoplasmoses. Since the antibiotic control policy is quite loose in Taiwan, many antimicrobial agents are often freely used in clinics, with a resulting gradual decrease in the inhibitory activity to the avian mycoplasmas.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Frontonasal dysplasia in two successive generations.

Frontonasal dysplasia is thought to be a sporadic condition limited to the face and head. We describe a family from the Bahamas in which a mother, 2 of her children, and the mother's brother have variable manifestations of frontonasal dysplasia. The mother has extremely mild expression, but her brother and 2 sons are more severely affected. Besides polydactyly no other birth defects were noted in any other relatives. The pedigree is consistent with autosomal or X-linked dominant inheritance. A description of each patient is presented along with a discussion of the genetic counseling issues and review of the literature for other possibly familial cases of frontonasal dysplasia.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Triggering after partial tendon laceration.

Triggering and tendon flap formation were studied after a transverse laceration of 50% of the width of the flexor digitorum profundus tendons of the hind limb of 14 adult sheep at various intervals after injury. The tendon laceration was not repaired and there was no post-operative immobilization. Triggering was not caused by bulbous scar formation but by the bunching of the tendon fibres proximal or distal to the laceration site. This bunched part of the tendon appeared to become incorporated into the healing process, with gradual spontaneous resolution of triggering. Failure of incorporation of this bunched part resulted in the formation of a flap in two tendons.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

The surgical management of orbitofacial dermoids in the pediatric patient.

Orbitofacial dermoids in the pediatric population represent a diverse group of lesions. Because of their variability in both clinical presentation and contiguous structure involvement, a thorough understanding of their surgical-pathologic anatomy is imperative. In this retrospective review of 84 lesions in 84 patients, we noted segregation of the lesions into three distinct subgroups: brow region dermoids, orbital region dermoids, and nasoglabellar dermoids. Further, we identified physical characteristics within each subgroup that appeared to direct diagnostic workup and subsequent surgical intervention. From this experience, a treatment algorithm was developed that gives the practitioner more precision in the management of these lesions.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1993

Sagittal synostosis: quantitative assessment of presenting deformity and surgical results based on CT scans.

We reviewed our experience with nine consecutive patients with untreated isolated nonsyndromic sagittal synostosis. Using a method of 14 clinically relevant measurements taken from preoperative and postoperative CT scan images of these patients, we documented their presenting skeletal dysmorphology and the results of surgical correction at least 1 year after operation. Significant preoperative findings included an elongated cranial vault length that averaged 103 percent of normal and a narrowed cranial vault width both anteriorly at 92 percent and posteriorly at 86 percent of normal. Results of surgical correction, as documented by CT scan measurements, included normalization of the cranial length to 100 percent and of the anterior width to 101 percent of normal and improvement (but undercorrection) of the posterior width to 94 percent of normal. Quantitative measurement of CT scan images confirmed clinically observed findings in these patients before suture release and reconstruction and proved useful in assessing the surgical results achieved.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1993

Crouzon syndrome: quantitative assessment of presenting deformity and surgical results based on CT scans.

We reviewed our experience with 14 children who presented sequentially with untreated Crouzon syndrome and whose cranial vault presentation was with bilateral coronal synostosis. Using a method of 14 measurements in the cranio-orbitozygomatic region taken from preoperative and postoperative CT scans in these patients, we documented their presenting skeletal morphology and the results of surgical correction at least 1 year after operation. Our preoperative measurements confirmed a widened anterior cranial vault at 108 percent of normal and a cranial length averaging only 92 percent of normal. In comparison with age-matched controls, orbital measurements revealed a widened anterior interorbital distance at 122 percent of normal, an increased intertemporal width at 121 percent of normal, globe protrusion at 119 percent of normal, and a short medial orbital wall distance at only 86 percent of normal. The distance between the zygomatic buttresses and the interarch distance were found to be increased at 106 and 103 percent of normal, respectively. The zygomatic arch lengths were substantially shortened at only 87 percent of age-matched control values. These findings confirmed clinical observations of brachycephalic anterior cranial vaults with shallow, hyperteloric orbits and globe proptosis. Generally, in these patients the midface is horizontally retrusive and transversely wide, reflected in wide and shortened zygomas. Assessment of the postoperative results at least 1 year later showed no significant changes in any craniofacial measurements. Our findings indicate that early surgical attempts to decompress and reshape the cranio-orbital regions may limit the effects of increased intracranial pressure but do not correct the deformity as judged by CT scan evaluation at least 1 year later. Over the period of the study, the Crouzon deformity did not worsen after surgery, but the measurements remained far from normal.

Craniofacial Dysostosis↗