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Biomedical subjects

M J Chen

Publications and source records attributed to M J Chen.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Prognostic nutritional index in hepatobiliary surgery].

Malnutrition has long been recognized as a potential source of increased morbidity and mortality in patients with various disorders, including those undergoing hepatobiliary surgery. To elucidate the role of malnutrition in postoperative complications in hepatobiliary surgery, the nutritional status of 73 patients was evaluated with the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) devised by Dr. Mullen. PNI was calculated based on the following parameters: albumin, transferrin, triceps skin folds and delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity (DH). DH was performed with four skin antigens: candida, trichophyton, streptokinase/streptodornase and PPD. Based on the results the patients were stratified into two groups, a low-risk group with PNI less than 40 and a high-risk group with PNI greater than or equal to 40. Complications occurred in 10 of 34 patients (29%) in the low-risk group and in 15 of 39 patients (38%) in the high-risk group. There were 2 deaths in the latter and none in the former group, the difference was not statistically significant. We conclude that PNI fails to predict postoperative complications in hepatobiliary surgery patients. Either the formula of PNI, which is derived from gastrointestinal surgery patients, is not applicable to patients undergoing hepatobiliary surgery, or factors other than nutrition are involved in the development of postoperative complications in hepatobiliary surgery.

Biliary Tract Diseases↗
PubMed1989

Human platelet factor 4 monomer-dimer-tetramer equilibria investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy.

As a function of protein concentration, proton NMR spectra of human platelet factor 4 (PF4) differ. Correlation with low-angle laser light scattering data has allowed identification of concentration-dependent NMR spectral changes to PF4 aggregation, with tetramers being the largest aggregates formed. Well-resolved aromatic ring proton NMR resonances were assigned to Tyr-60, His-I, and His-II in monomer, dimer, and tetramer states. Since Tyr-60 3.5 ring proton resonances are well resolved from state to state, estimation of fractional populations in each state was possible. By varying the PF4 concentration, changes in these populations when plotted according to the Hill equation show a bimolecular mechanism of aggregation which proceeds from monomers to tetramers through a dimer intermediate. Equilibrium constants for dimer association (KD) and tetramer association (KT) have been estimated as a function of pH and ionic strength. At pH 4, where KD and KT approach the same value, resonances associated with all three aggregate states are observed. Lowering the pH shifts the equilibrium to the monomer state, while raising the pH shifts the equilibrium to dimer and tetramer states. Analysis of the pH dependence of KD and KT suggests that electrostatic interactions, probably arising from Glu/Asp and Lys/Arg side chains, play a role in the binding process. Increasing the solvent ionic strength stabilizes the tetramer state especially at low pH, suggesting that intersubunit, repulsive electrostatic interactions probably between/among cationic side chains (Lys/Arg) attenuate the aggregation process. Information based primarily on histidine pKa values and photo-CIDNP 1H NMR data suggests that Tyr-60 and His-I, but not His-II, are significantly affected by the aggregation process.

Histidine↗
PubMed1989

Role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in E1A oncogene-induced susceptibility of neoplastic cells to lysis by natural killer cells and activated macrophages.

NIH-3T3 cells transfected with adenovirus E1A oncogene cDNA were found to exhibit cytolytic susceptibility to murine NK cells and activated macrophages associated with a threshold level of oncogene product expression exceeding that required for morphological transformation. A similar correlation was observed between threshold levels of E1A gene product expression and target cell susceptibility to direct cytotoxicity by rTNF. Inhibition of splenic NK cell and peritoneal macrophage cytolysis by antisera specific for murine rTNF confirmed the importance of E1A-induced TNF susceptibility as one determinant of target cell cytolytic susceptibility. Anti-TNF antibody was, however, unable to block killing of E1A-expressing targets by the NK cell line, NKB61A2. These results suggest a direct link between the functions of E1A oncogene products and cellular mechanisms of action of TNF elaborated by host effector cells and indicate that E1A expression also affects target cell susceptibility to TNF-independent cytolytic mechanisms.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed1989

Transient elevation of locus coeruleus alpha 2-adrenergic receptor binding during the early stages of amygdala kindling.

Enhancement of noradrenergic neurotransmission retards, but does not prevent, the development of kindling. The firing activity of noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) neurons is partially regulated by axon collateral recurrent inhibition mediated via alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. We tested the hypothesis that LC autoinhibitory alpha 2-adrenergic receptors may change during the kindling process thereby altering LC excitability. Specific binding of the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor antagonist [3H]RX781094 (idazoxan) was measured in the LC of rats at 3 different stages of kindling development using in vitro neurotransmitter receptor autoradiography techniques. Specific [3H]RX781094 binding was elevated significantly in rats kindled to two Class 1 kindled motor seizures. No differences in binding were observed in animals kindled to Class 3 or Class 5 kindled motor seizures. Saturation of binding experiments indicated that the increase in binding following two Class 1 kindled motor seizures was due to an increase in the total number of alpha 2-receptors without a change in the affinity of the binding site for [3H]RX781094. The transient increase in number of LC alpha 2-adrenergic receptors is consistent with the idea that noradrenergic neurotransmission inhibits the early progress of kindling development, but then subsequently becomes ineffective in maintaining the inhibition during later stages of kindling development.

Amygdala↗
PubMed1989

Preliminary X-ray crystallography studies of recombinant human interleukin-1 alpha. Purification and structural characterization.

Human interleukin-1 alpha, cloned and expressed in E. coli, has been purified and structurally characterized by various physiochemical methods, including mass spectrometry. The recombinant protein has been crystallized by the hanging drop vapor diffusion method using dimethyl sulfoxide as the precipitating agent. The space group is P2(1)2(1)2(1). Unit cell dimensions are a = 44.1, b = 57.1, and c = 61.7 A and alpha = beta = gamma = 90 degrees. The crystals diffract to beyond 1.7 A and are suitable for high resolution data collection. Native diffraction data were collected. Screens for heavy atom derivatives have been initiated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Emergence of drawing devices for total and partial occlusion: a longitudinal study.

The developmental emergence of two drawing devices was investigated in young children: the use of omission (ie not drawing any of a hidden object) to depict total occlusion and the use of hidden line elimination (HLE, ie deleting only that part of an object that is hidden from view) to depict partial occlusion in a three-dimensional scene. Three groups of school children (5, 6, and 7 years old) were tested individually with two tasks four times over a 2-year period. One task called for the omission device (to draw a cup with its handle not in view) and the other for the HLE device (to draw one ball behind and partially occluded by another). The stimuli in each task were presented in pairs, with one member of the pair showing the occluded scene and the other a canonical or not-occluded scene. Changes in the strategies used by the children to indicate the visual differences within the pairs were recorded over the four testing sessions. Children were found to use the omission device more readily with the cup task than the HLE device with the ball task. There was an age-related trend in every task in the use of the drawing device appropriate to that task. For those who did not use the drawing device appropriate for a perspective drawing, there was a tendency for each age group to favour a particular strategy for representation. The advantage of using a longitudinal design to chart the developmental trend of the emergence of these two drawing devices is discussed.

Art↗
PubMed1989

Comparison of proteins and nucleic acids of Echinochloa ragged stunt and rice ragged stunt viruses.

Echinochloa ragged stunt virus (ERSV) and rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV; Reoviridae) were purified from their respective host plants and disrupted in SDS. Evidence for the double-strandedness of ERSV RNA was obtained. Electrophoresis in 10% polyacrylamide gels resolved the RNAs of each virus into 10 segments, ranging for ERSV from 0.61 x 10(6) to 2.8 x 10(6) daltons, with a sum representing the total genome of 17.89 x 10(6) daltons, and for RRSV from 0.6 x 10(6) to 2.98 x 10(6) daltons, with a sum of 18.15 x 10(6) daltons. Although the overall RNA pattern of the two viruses was similar, there were distinctive features. Using 7.5-15% polyacrylamide gels, electrophoresis of SDS-dissociated RRSV particles yielded five major proteins of 129 x 10(3), 123 x 10(3), 63 x 10(3) and 35 x 10(3) daltons, and two minor proteins of 113 x 10(3) and 88 x 10(3) daltons, respectively, while comparable samples of ERSV yielded four major proteins of 127 x 10(3), 123 x 10(3), 63 x 10(3) and 34 x 10(3) daltons, and three minor proteins of 103 x 10(3), 50 x 10(3) and 49 x 10(3) daltons, respectively. We conclude from this and other evidence that ERSV and RRSV are closely related viruses and should be classified in the same subgroup, despite reported differences in the morphology of their outer capsids.

Acridine Orange↗
PubMed1988

Tumour necrosis factor (cachectin) induces phospholipase A2 activity and synthesis of a phospholipase A2-activating protein in endothelial cells.

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is an important mediator of endotoxin-induced vascular collapse and other inflammatory reactions. Eicosanoids have been implicated in the pathogeensis of these responses. In order to explore further the potential interactions between TNF and eicosanoid metabolism in eliciting vascular responses, we studied the effects of TNF on the bovine endothelial cell line CPAE. TNF induced cellular retraction observed by light microscope. This morphological change was monitored by the passage of iodinated protein A between adjacent cells and by release of [3H]arachidonic acid metabolites from cells. Both the morphological and functional responses were abrogated by inhibition of eicosanoid synthesis with BW755c. The release of [3H]arachidonic acid metabolites appeared to be mediated by a transient increase in phospholipase A2 activity. Phospholipase C activity was not affected by TNF. The maximal increase in phospholipase A2 activity occurred at 5 min following the addition of TNF. Phospholipase A2 activation, [3H]arachidonic acid-metabolite synthesis and passage of iodinated protein A, required both RNA and protein synthesis and were associated with an increase in the synthesis of a recently described phospholipase A2-activating protein. The Bordetella pertussis toxin, islet-activating protein, also inhibited the increase in phospholipase A2 activity, the release of [3H]arachidonic acid metabolites and the passage of iodinated protein A, suggesting that the TNF receptor-ligand interaction resulting in cellular retraction, phospholipase A2 activation and eicosanoid synthesis, is coupled through the Ni guanine nucleotide regulatory protein in these cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The types and distribution of alpha-thalassemia-2 in China.

We studied 111 cases of Hb H disease from different families using Bam HI and Bgl II restriction enzymes. The results showed that 76 cases (68.5%) were of the deletion type, eight cases (7.2%) had Hb Constant Spring (Hb CS), and 27 cases (24.3%) were of the nondeletion and Hb CS types (alpha T). Distribution of the alpha-thalassemia-2 (alpha-thal-2) gene varies with the different regions in China. The rightward deletion (alpha -3.7) is found chiefly in Guangdong Province, the leftward deletion (alpha -4.2) mostly in Jiangxi Province, and the nondeletional type in Guangxi Province where the Han nationality is most prominent. We studied the nondeletional Hb H type by DNA gene mapping, digestion with Msp I, and hybridization with a 32P-alpha probe for the presence of the Hb Quong Sze [alpha 125(H8)Leu----Pro] mutation. It appears that none of these alpha-thal-2 genes contain the Hb Quong Sze mutation.

China↗
PubMed1988

A study on Chinese phenylalanine hydroxylase gene restriction site polymorphism.

Human phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) cDNA was applied as a hybridization probe to analyzing the following 8 restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) in the PAH genes of 80 normal and 28 phenylketonuric Chinese patients: BglII, 3.6 kb/1.7 kb; EcoRI, 17 kb/11 kb; EcoRV, 30 kb/25 kb; HindIII, 4.2 kb/4.0 kb; MspIa, 23 kb/19 kb; MspIb, 4.0 kb/2.2 kb; PvuIIa, 19 kb/6.0 kb and PvuIIb, 11.5 kb/9.1 kb. The frequencies of the above RFLP in normal Chinese and PKU patients are: 0.13, 0.83, 0.77, 0.81, 0.12, 0.04, 0.70, 0.10 and 0.12, 0.93, 0.89, 0.81, 0.04, 0, 0.69, 0.04, respectively. This study reveals significant differences between the frequencies of individual RFLPs when these values are compared with those of the Caucasians. Finally, the detection of RFLPs in the PAH gene in the Chinese population will permit prenatal diagnosis of PKU in China.

Asian People↗
PubMed1987

Purification and characterization of human recombinant interleukin-1 beta.

A human interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta cDNA was cloned, and the region coding for the mature protein was expressed in Escherichia coli. The 17-kDa biologically active product was purified in 40% yield to apparent homogeneity, without chaotropes, from the soluble fraction of sonicated cell lysates. The recombinant IL-1 beta was characterized by amino acid analysis, NH2- and COOH-terminal sequence analysis, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, spectroscopy, and biological assay. Specific biological activity was 4.6 X 10(8) units/mg in a co-mitogenic IL-2 induction assay using cultured EL-4 T-lymphocytes. The molar extinction coefficient was determined to be 10,300 cm-1 M-1 at 280 nm. NH2-terminal sequence analysis revealed that 70% of the product begins with the Ala corresponding to the NH2 terminus of the natural protein, while 30% begins with the following Pro. No initiator Met was observed. Both of the sulfhydryl groups are reactive to Ellman's reagent and to iodoacetamide under nonreducing conditions, indicating that the Cys residues do not form disulfide bonds. S-Carboxamidomethyl-Cys-rIL-1 beta retained biological activity in the IL-2 induction assay. Circular dichroism suggested an extensive beta sheet structure for rIL-1 beta.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Membranous atresia of esophagus associated with pyloric stenosis.

Membranous atresia of the esophagus without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is very rare, only four cases have been reported since 1928. We present a case in whom a thick membrane was present 2 cm proximal to the diaphragm. The membrane was resected and the longitudinal esophagotomy wound was closed transversely. The postoperative course was complicated with hyperbilirubinemia and hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS). The problems of the feeding tube used for diagnostic evaluation of this rare esophageal anomaly are discussed. In spite of its low incidence, the potentiality of HPS as a cause of postoperative vomiting in esophageal atresia should be borne in mind in order to avoid delay in diagnosis.

Esophageal Atresia↗
PubMed1987

A new unstable haemoglobin variant: Hb Shanghai [beta 131(H9)Gln----Pro] found in China.

A 34-year-old woman patient was found to have a chronic hereditary haemolytic anaemia. No abnormal haemoglobin band was detected by conventional electrophoresis, but a slow beta chain could be separated on urea-carboxymethyl cellulose chromatography. Investigations of the patient's haemoglobin revealed an unstable component. Analyses of chemical structure, including isolation and TPCK trypsin digestion of the abnormal globin chain. HPL chromatography, amino acid composition as well as sequence determination of the abnormal peptide, indicated that a glutamine was replaced by a proline at position beta 131 (H9). Biosynthesis studies demonstrated a normal rate of synthesis but relatively fast degradation of the mutant beta chain. The new variant is named as Hb Shanghai according to the place where it was discovered.

Adult↗