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Biomedical subjects

L Tan

Publications and source records attributed to L Tan.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Visceral perceptions and gastric myoelectrical activity in healthy women and in patients with bulimia nervosa.

UNLABELLED: Bulimia nervosa remains a common eating disorder in young women. Little is known about upper gastrointestinal symptoms or gastric motility in patients with bulimia nervosa. The aim of this study was to measure gastric myoelectrical activity and hunger/satiety and stomach emptiness/fullness before and after a non-nutrient water load and solid-phase gastric emptying in hospitalized patients with bulimia nervosa (n = 12) and in healthy women (n = 13). Gastric myoelectrical activity was measured by means of cutaneous electrodes; visual analogue scales were used to measure perceptions of hunger/satiety and stomach emptiness/fullness. Before and after a standard water load the bulimia patients reported significantly greater stomach fullness and satiety compared with control subjects (P < 0.01). The percentage of gastric myoelectrical power in the normal 3 cpm range was significantly less in bulimics compared with controls. Power in the 1-2 cpm bradygastria range was significantly greater in bulimia patients before and after the water load compared with the control subjects (P < 0.05). Solid-phase gastric emptying studies using radio-isotope-labelled scrambled eggs showed the lag phase was shortened in the bulimic patients (16 +/- 4 min vs 31 +/- 4 min in controls, P < 0.01), but the percentage of meal emptied at 2 h was similar to control values. IN CONCLUSION: bulimia patients had exaggerated perceptions of stomach fullness and satiety in response to water; and abnormal gastric myoelectrical activity and accelerated lag phase of gastric emptying were objective stomach abnormalities detected in hospitalized patients with bulimia nervosa.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Preventing NIDDM among aboriginal people: is exercise the answer? Description of a pilot project using exercise to prevent gestational diabetes.

Rates of diabetes and its complications have reached epidemic proportions among North American Aboriginal peoples. This appears largely due to changes in diet and activity levels associated with a shift away from traditional lifestyles. Since exercise has been shown to be effective in preventing non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), Aboriginal communities may be able to reduce their rates of the disease by incorporating exercise programs into their public health programs. We describe a pilot project in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, whose ultimate purpose is to evaluate the effect of exercise in preventing gestational diabetes. If successful, this would reduce the risk of developing NIDDM for both women and their offspring.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[The rescue of iodine allergy by contrast enhanced CT].

We summarized 51 cases of iodine allergy and allergic shock induced by contract-enhanced computed tomography (CT). It is suggested that (1) the appropriate measures must be taken to prevent the side effects of ionic contrast medium; (2) a set of first-aid drug and essential equipment must be prepared; (3) the staff of CT room must be trained with the first-aid techniques and knowledge.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Determination of tranilast in human plasma by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and its pharmacokinetics].

A simple and rapid method for the determination of tranilast in human plasma by RP-HPLC is described. The analytical column was packed with YWG-C18. The mobile phase consisted of methanol-0.02 mol/L KH2PO4(60:40, V/V; pH 4.2), and detected by UV detector at a wavelength of 333 nm. The plasma sample was injected directly into the HPLC system after precipitation of the protein with methanol. The calibration curve was linear within the concentration range of 0.625-40 mg/L. The average recovery was 100.0% +/- 4.1%, and minimum detectable concentration was 0.2 mg/L. By using this method, the pharmacokinetics of tranilast in the plasma of ten healthy volunteers after oral administration of 200 mg drug were studied. The plasma drug concentration-time curve of volunteers conforms to one-compartment open model.

Anti-Allergic Agents↗
PubMed1998

Non-diabetic end-stage renal disease among Saskatchewan aboriginal people.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rates, causes and outcomes of non-diabetic end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in Saskatchewan. DESIGN: Retrospective population-based study using data from the Canadian Organ Replacement Register. SETTING: Saskatchewan. SUBJECTS: All patients with non-diabetic ESRD diagnosed between Jan. 1, 1981, and Dec. 31, 1990. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age- and sex-specific as well as age-adjusted incidence rates of non-diabetic ESRD among aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in Saskatchewan, causes of non-diabetic ESRD, mortality rates, causes of death and renal transplantation rates. RESULTS: The 10-year incidence rates of non-diabetic ESRD were higher in all age groups among aboriginal people than among non-aboriginal people. The overall risk ratio for aboriginal people was 2.56. Aboriginal people experienced non-diabetic ESRD at an earlier age and were twice as likely to have a form of glomerulonephritis as a cause. Crude mortality rates, causes of death and transplantation rates were similar in the 2 populations, although we were unable to adjust these for differences in age. CONCLUSION: Although diabetes is the most common cause of ESRD among aboriginal people in Saskatchewan, this population also experiences an excessive burden of non-diabetic ESRD, which is largely explained by a higher rate of glomerulonephritis.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Alboaggregins A and B. Structure and interaction with human platelets.

Viper venoms contain a variety of platelet binding proteins including those which bind to platelet GPIb/GPIX. Most of these proteins inhibit von Willebrand factor mediated platelet agglutination. Here we report the primary structures of unique members of this family, alboaggregins A and B, isolated from Trimeresurus albolabris, which have the ability to stimulate platelet agglutination and aggregation. Four chains of alboaggregin A and two chains of alboaggregin B share a high degree of homology and all cysteines in both alboaggregins are conserved. Both alboaggregins caused similar agglutination of fixed platelets. Alboaggregin A induced platelet aggregation and release reaction with EC50 = 10 and 30 nM, respectively, which is 20-fold lower than those for alboaggregin B. These observations suggest that the dimeric structure of alboaggregin B is sufficient to mediate its binding to GPIb and induce agglutination of platelets whereas aggregation and release reaction are significantly enhanced by tetrameric structure of alboaggregin A.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

An improved assembly assay for peptide binding to HLA-B*2705 and H-2K(k) class I MHC molecules.

The assembly assay for peptide binding to class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is based on the ability to stabilise MHC class I molecules from mutant cell lines by the addition of suitable peptides. Such cell lines lack a functional transporter associated with antigen presentation (TAP) and as a result accumulate empty, unstable class I molecules in the ER. These dissociate rapidly in cell lysates unless they are stabilised by the addition of an appropriate binding peptide during lysis. The extent of stabilisation of class I molecules is directly related to the binding affinity of the added peptide. However, some MHC class I molecules, including HLA-B * 2705 and H-2Kk are unusually stable in their peptide-receptive state making them inappropriate for analysis using this assay or assays which depend on the ability of peptides to stabilise MHC class I molecules at the cell surface. Here we present an improved method that permits reliable measurements of peptide binding to such class I MHC molecules that are unusually stable in the absence of peptide. Cells are lysed in the presence of peptide and incubated at 4 degrees C. After 2 h, during which peptide binding to empty MHC molecules occurs, the lysate is heated to a temperature which preferentially destabilises those MHC molecules that remain empty. We have used this technique to assay peptide binding to HLA-B * 2705, as well as to the murine allele H-2Kk which also displays a stable phenotype when transfected into TAP-deficient T2 cells and show that this method represents a marked improvement over previous methods in terms of lower background signal and higher recovery of peptide bound molecules.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Induction of heme oxygenase-1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. A link to endotoxic shock.

Endotoxic shock is a life-threatening consequence of severe Gram-negative infection characterized by vascular smooth muscle cell relaxation and severe hypotension. The production of nitric oxide (NO), through the inducible NO synthase pathway, has been implicated as a major contributor in this process. We now demonstrate that heme oxygenase (HO), an enzyme that generates carbon monoxide (CO) in the course of heme metabolism, may also be involved in the hemodynamic compromise of endotoxic shock. Inducible HO (HO-1) mRNA levels are dramatically increased in aortic tissue from rats receiving endotoxin, and this increase in vascular HO-1 message is associated with an 8.9-fold increase in HO enzyme activity in vivo. Immunocytochemical staining localizes an increase in HO-1 protein within smooth muscle cells of both large (aorta) and small (arterioles) blood vessels. Furthermore, zinc protoporphyrin IX, an inhibitor of HO activity, abrogates endotoxin-induced hypotension in rats. Studies performed in rat vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro show that the induction of HO-1 mRNA is regulated at the level of gene transcription, and this induction is independent of NO production. Taken together, these studies suggest that the up-regulation of HO-1, and the subsequent production of CO, contributes to the reduction in vascular tone during endotoxic shock.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

IFN-gamma-activated primary murine astrocytes express B7 costimulatory molecules and prime naive antigen-specific T cells.

Astrocytes may serve as effectual APCs for T cell-mediated immune responses to myelin components during multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Although astrocytes have been reported not to constitutively express MHC class II molecules, expression is up-regulated during active EAE and by in vitro incubation with IFN-gamma. Previous studies have reported that cytokine-activated astrocytes are able to activate Ag-specific previously activated T cells, but not naive alloreactive T cells. In the current study, we show that a subset of primary murine astrocytes constitutively expresses B7-2 molecules, as determined by FACS and PCR analyses, and up-regulates surface expression and mRNA levels of both B7-2 and B7-1 upon IFN-gamma stimulation. In contrast to earlier reports, we found that both untreated and IFN-gamma-treated astrocytes were able to stimulate proliferation of previously activated OVA-specific Th1 cells. In contrast, only IFN-gamma-treated astrocytes activated naive, transgenic OVA-specific T cells. Astrocyte-induced activation of both OVA-specific naive T cells and activated Th1 cells was dependent primarily on B7-2-mediated costimulation, as proliferation was inhibited by CTLA4-Ig and by anti-B7-2 mAbs. These results suggest that astrocytes in an inflammatory environment have the capacity to express the required MHC class II and B7 costimulatory molecules necessary for efficient activation of naive T cells. Since we have shown that T cells specific for endogenous myelin epitopes released during acute EAE play the major pathologic effector role in subsequent disease relapses (epitope spreading), astrocytes could play a role in the local activation and expansion of these responses.

Abatacept↗
PubMed1997

Research on the schizont cell culture vaccine against Theileria annulata infection in Xinjiang, China.

Theileria annulata infection (TAI) is one of the most serious diseases of cattle in Xinjiang Autonomous Region of Uigur Minority Nationality. It has been recorded in 14 prefectures, except the Tulufan Prefecture, but the enzootic areas are mainly distributed around the Zhunger Basin and Talim Basin. According to the records collected in the ten years before vaccination with the schizont cell culture vaccine was carried out, the average incidence rate of TAI in enzootic areas was 7.22% and the mortality rate was 24%. The milk production of cattle suffering from TAI was sharply decreased, and there were usually abortions in pregnant cows. The incidence rate and mortality rate were greater in high grade cattle, so TAI was a constraint to improving cattle breeds. To control this disease effectively in Xinjiang, researchers at the Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science began to study the schizont cell culture vaccine in 1972. In 1977 an immortalised cell line was achieved from a primary cell culture starting with white blood cells from cattle suffering from acute TAI caused by an artificial tick bite. The cell culture medium mainly consisted of calf serum, lactalbumin-hydrolysate, Eagles' medium DMEM and three antibiotics. As a vaccine, the above cells were mixed with preserving medium containing gelatin. This paper describes the experiments on the immunological properties of the vaccine carried out in subsequent years. Up to 1996, vaccine doses for 1,186,150 cattle have been produced and sold. This vaccine has had a critical effect on the control of TAI in Xinjiang. Owing to the sharp decrease in the incidence rate and mortality rate of TAI after cattle were vaccinated, the annual economic benefit of the vaccine is at least 1,620,000 yuan.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Dynamic echo-planar imaging of the breast: experience in diagnosing breast carcinoma and correlation with tumor angiogenesis.

PURPOSE: To correlate quantitative echo-planar magnetic resonance (MR) imaging measures of gadopentetate dimeglumine tumor uptake with histologic diagnoses and microvessel density (MVD) and to compare dynamic echo-planar imaging of breast lesions with conventional dynamic MR imaging techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group comprised 63 patients (aged 13-70 years) with 71 breast lesions who underwent conventional and echo-planar MR imaging. The T1 values, change in gadopentetate dimeglumine concentration, and extraction-flow products were calculated with the echo-planar imaging data and were correlated with histologic findings and MVD estimates. Extraction-flow product data normalized to pectoral muscle gadopentetate dimeglumine concentration in invasive cancers was also correlated with MVD. RESULTS: On average, cancer T1 values were shorter than benign values, but there was substantial overlap between the two groups. Cancers had higher extraction-flow products than benign lesions (P < .001). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 83%, 79%, 67%, and 90%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed improved performance with extraction-flow products than with percentages of signal intensity change. Among the invasive cancers, there was no significant correlation between extraction-flow product and MVD. CONCLUSION: The T1 value remains important in more precise quantitative estimation of gadopentetate dimeglumine uptake in breast tumors, which helps improve the specificity of dynamic imaging. Tumor MVD affects the contrast medium enhancement of breast lesions, but other factors contribute.

Breast↗
PubMed1997

[Role of substance P in pressor response of lateral hypothamus-perifornical region to glutamate].

Substance P(SP)-immunoreactive cell bodies, axon terminals and SP receptors were widely scattered in most pressor areas. Lateral hypothalamus (LH) contains SPergic neurons; and SPergic fibers-SP receptors are present in LH projection areas; hence the role of SP in LH-pressor response was studied. The results showed that: (1) microinjection of glutamate into the lateral hypothalamus-perifornical region (LH/PF) or SP into LH projection areas: the locus coeruleus (LC), periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) or nucleus parabrachialis (NPB), respectively, all could induce pressor response; (2) preinjection of DPDPDT (a substance P antagonist) into the LC, PAG (but not NPB) reduced the LH/PF pressor response; (3) intra-RVL (rostral ventrolateral medulla) injection of phentolamine, propranolol or atropine also markedly attenuated the LH/PF pressor response. Taken together with our previous findings that alpha-, beta- and M-receptors in the RVL mediated the pressor response to excitation of LC, and alpha-, beta-receptors mediated the PAG-pressor response, it is suggested that the LH/PF pressor response may be brought about via the activation of LC- and PAG-RVL systems by SPergic fibers from the LH/PF.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatographic determination of enalapril in human plasma].

A reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic method utilizing solid phase extraction has been described for the determination of enalapril in human plasma. The C18 sorbent cartridges were conditioned and plasma samples were applied, washed with 20 mmol.L-1 HCl (2 x 0.5 ml) and petroleum ether (boiling range 60-90 degrees C) subsequently; and eluted with methanol (3 x 0.5 ml). The eluent was evaporated to dryness, reconstituted in 100 microliters mobile phase and injected. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Spherisorb C8 column (200 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microns), with ethanol--water--10% H3PO4--triethylamine (30:70:1.5:0.1) at a flow rate of 1.0 ml.min-1. UV detection was set at 215 nm. The calibration ranges were 2.5-150 ng.ml-1 with regression coefficient of 0.997 and detection limit of 1.5 ng.ml-1. The within-day RSD and between-day RSD were < 8.73%, the recovery of method > 91.6%. This method was applied to the pharmacokinetic analysis of enalapril in 8 human volunteers.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗
PubMed1997

[Determination of amoxicillin in human plasma by high performance liquid chromatography and its pharmacokinetics].

A rapid and sensitive assay for amoxicillin in human plasma has been developed using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Plasma samples were prepared for analysis by addition of internal standard (tinidazole) followed by protein precipitation with HClO4. A YWG C18H37 column as stationary phase and a 0.033 mol.L-1 phosphate buffer (pH 7.2)--methanol mixture (85:15) as mobile phase were used with the UV detector set at 229 nm. The calibration curve was linear in the range from 0.2 microgram.ml-1 to 20.0 micrograms.ml-1 with gamma > 0.999. The analytical recovery of amoxicillin from plasma was > 86.7%. The relative standard deviations for within-day and between-day were < 5.48% and < 8.29%, respectively. Following oral administration of 500 mg in human volunteers, the peak levels of amoxicillin in plasma averaged 6.88 +/- 2.25 micrograms.ml-1 at 84.4 +/- 21.1 min. The mean half life time for amoxicillin was 62.8 +/- 14.6 min.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[HPLC determination of diltiazem in human serum and its pharmacokinetic parameters].

A simple and sensitive reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method has been developed and validated for the analysis of diltiazem in human serum and the study of pharmacokinetics of the drug in human body. Diltiazem and diazepam (internal standard) in serum were extracted with hexane-chloroform-isopropanol (60:40:5, V/V), and then measured by HPLC using a Spherisorb C18 column as stationary phase and a methanol-water triethylamine as mobile phase. Diltiazem was quantified by ultraviolet absorbance at 239 nm. The method proved to be linear in the clinical range of 15-300 microg/L with a regression coefficient of 0.9997. The lower limit of detection of diltiazem in serum was 3 microg/L. Intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation of assay for diltiazem in serum were 3.5%-6.8% (n=7) and 6.2%-8.4% (n=5), respectively. The recoveries of diltiazem were 91%-104% for serum. The method has been used to determine diltiazem in serum samples from eight volunteers and provided data on the pharmacokinetics of the drug. The results inferred that diltiazem is absorbed rapidly and had a relatively short half-life time in healthy individuals. The data obtained was fitted with PKBP-N1 program on computer to study the pharmacokinetics. The results showed that the peak level in serum averaged 118.5 microg/L +/- 14.3 microg/L at 3.1 h +/- 0.4 h, and the areas under the drug concentration curves (AUC) was 793.1 microg x h/L +/- 83.1 microg x h/L.

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMed1997

Diagnosis of intrathoracic masses by transesophageal color Doppler echocardiography.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of transesophageal color Doppler echocardiography in the diagnosis of intrathoracic masses. METHODS: Twenty patients with intrathoracic masses were examined by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), including 12 patients with central lung masses and 8 with mediastinal masses. The neoplasms were explored by two-dimensional realtime ultrasonography, Doppler color flow imaging (DCFI) and pulsed Doppler (PD). The results were compared with computed tomography (CT), operative and pathological examination findings. RESULTS: We were able to identify the size, structure (solid or cystic), anatomic relationship, metastatic lymph nodes and venous carcinoembolus of the masses. Furthermore, the hemodynamic data in the vasculature inside the masses were detected. CONCLUSIONS: As a new method, TEE with Doppler technique is not only valuable in differentiating malignant and benign neoplasms but also useful for preoperative evaluation of the mass resectability in patients with intrathoracic neoplasms.

Adult↗