Successful replantation of an bitten-off lower lip: case report.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
M L Wang
Publications and source records attributed to M L Wang.
Free medialis pedis flap as a coverage and flow-through flap in hand and digit reconstruction.
BACKGROUND: Skin and soft-tissue defects of the hand and digit present a challenge for the hand surgeon especially in meeting the reconstructive needs of thickness, texture, color matching, and sensation. It becomes an even bigger challenge to reconstruct the defect in a devascularized finger with segmental loss of the neurovascular bundle. We use the relatively new flap, the medialis pedis flap, to solve the above conditions and compare it with traditional flaps. METHODS: From May of 1994 to March of 1997, the free medialis pedis flap was used to reconstruct 19 digit and hand defects; the flap sizes ranging from 1.5 x 3.0 cm to 3.0 x 9.0 cm. Sixteen flaps were used for simple coverage of digit defects, including 12 for single-digit and 4 for multiple-digit reconstruction. The remaining three flaps were used as coverage and a flow-through flap for devascularized fingers. RESULTS: All 19 flaps survived and achieved a good protective sensation. The appearance was very satisfactory, and the donor-site scars were without sensory problems. CONCLUSION: Compared with traditional flaps, the free medialis pedis has the following advantages: it provides good thickness, texture, and color matching for hand and digit resurfacing; it can be used as a flow-through flap and as coverage for a devascularized finger in a one-stage procedure; the size of the feeding vessels of the flap matches those of the digital vessels well; and it consists of glabrous skin rich in nerve endings, so it has good potential for sensory recovery. Because of all of these characteristics, the free medialis flap may become a better consideration for hand surgeons.
Adult↗
Chest illnesses and the decline of FEV1 in steelworkers.
This study relates the impact of various medical conditions to clinically important forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) declines in a cohort of steelworkers evaluated cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Medical records of 1171 randomly chosen steelworkers were obtained from the medical department of a steel company. We reviewed the medical records for information regarding demographic parameters, smoking status, spirometry indexes, job history, and the worker's respiratory health. These workers had performed annual spirometry from 1980 to 1991 at least once and up to 12 times. We compared the prevalence of medical conditions in 203 male never-smoking steelworkers in this group of 1171 workers by separating workers into three groups on the basis of final predicted FEV1 values (< 65%, between 65% and 79%, and > or = 80%). We also evaluated the prevalence of medical conditions and the association between these conditions and the rate of annual decline in FEV1 in 475 steelworkers who had at least three valid tests and at least 5 years separating the first and last test by multiple logistic regression analysis. Of the 475 steelworkers, 121 were categorized as rapid decliners (an annual rate of decline in FEV1 exceeding the 75th percentile of the slope distribution), whereas the remaining workers served as controls. Three of 203 and 17 of the remaining 200 in the cross-sectional survey had final predicted FEV1 values < 65% or between 65% and 79%, respectively. Among these 20 never-smokers, the accelerated rate of decline could be reasonably explained by factors independent of dust and age in all but two. In the 203 never-smokers, hay fever and trauma occurred more frequently in those with a decreased predicted FEV1. In the longitudinal study of 475 workers, the prevalence of pneumonia was significantly greater in the rapid decliners, whereas the prevalence of allergy, asthma or hay fever, and trauma approached a significant excess in number. Logistic regression models demonstrated that aging, weight gain, smoking, trauma, pneumonia, and a history of allergy, asthma, or hay fever were independently related to the risk of a clinically important decline of FEV1 in this group. In summary, there are multiple risk factors for an accelerated rate of decline in workers with dust exposure. An accurate assessment of the causes for an excessive rate of lung function decline in an individual worker within a population requires an understanding of the relationship between environmental exposures, lung function decline, and the individual worker's underlying health. In addition to the three traditionally recognized variables--age, smoking, and dust exposure--the medical conditions of trauma, pneumonia, and allergy, asthma, or hay fever were related to a clinically important decline of FEV1 in this industrial population.
Adult↗
Clinically important FEV1 declines among coal miners: an exploration of previously unrecognised determinants.
OBJECTIVES: The relation between occupational exposure to dust and loss of ventilatory lung function is now well established. However, many exposures during work and other activities might also have important roles in determining clinically important losses of lung function. In this study, we attempted to explore additional plausible determinants of exposures and other potential risk factors for clinically important decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) during work in dusty trades. METHODS: The study was performed in 264 underground coal miners whose lung function had been followed up for an average of 11 years. With an extensive follow up questionnaire, miners were asked about their occupational and non-occupational exposures, smoking, personal and family medical history, and living conditions during childhood. RESULTS: Several variables of the mine environment (as well as previously recognised effects of mining work and region) were found to be associated with excess decline in FEV1, including work in roof bolting, exposure to explosive blasting, and to control dust spraying water that had been stored in holding tanks. Use of respiratory protection seemed to reduce the risk of decline in FEV1. Other factors that were found to be associated with declines in pulmonary function included smoking, body mass, weight gain, childhood pneumonia, and childhood exposure in the home to passive tobacco smoke and possibly smoke due to wood and coal fuels. Miners with excessive decline in FEV1 were less likely to be working in mining jobs at follow up. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the existence of additional risk factors for decline in lung function in dusty trades, and may be useful in developing additional approaches to the prevention of chronic respiratory disease.
Adult↗
Asbestos exposure, asbestosis, and lung cancer.
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Asbestosis↗
A cluster of ABA-regulated genes on Arabidopsis thaliana BAC T07M07.
Arabidopsis thaliana BAC T07M07 encoding the abscisic acid-insensitive 4 (ABI4) locus has been sequenced completely. It contains a 95,713-bp insert and 24 predicted genes. Most putative genes were confirmed by gel-based RNA profiling and a cluster of ABA-regulated genes was identified. One of the 24 genes, designated PP2C5, encodes a putative protein phosphatase 2C. The encoded protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, and its enzyme activity in vitro was confirmed.
Abscisic Acid↗
Inhalation of 30% nitrous oxide impairs people's learning without impairing people's judgments of what will be remembered.
Many hypotheses have been proposed to account for the effects of nitrous oxide on memory, with one emerging possibility being that it has a global effect on memory-related functioning. This possibility was explored by examining the effects of nitrous oxide on memory performance and on the accuracy of people's judgments about their memory performance. Participants inhaled 30% nitrous oxide or a placebo gas while items were studied and while judgments were made about the likelihood of recall for each item. Next, all participants inhaled the placebo during paired-associate recall. Although administration of nitrous oxide during study impaired recall, it did not affect the predictive accuracy of the metacognitive judgments. These results provide pharmacological evidence for a distinction between memory and metamemory.
Adolescent↗
The Arabidopsis abscisic acid response locus ABI4 encodes an APETALA 2 domain protein.
Arabidopsis abscisic acid (ABA)-insensitive abi4 mutants have pleiotropic defects in seed development, including decreased sensitivity to ABA inhibition of germination and altered seed-specific gene expression. This phenotype is consistent with a role for ABI4 in regulating seed responses to ABA and/or seed-specific signals. We isolated the ABI4 gene by positional cloning and confirmed its identity by complementation analysis. The predicted protein product shows homology to a plant-specific family of transcriptional regulators characterized by a conserved DNA binding domain, the APETALA 2 domain. The single mutant allele identified has a single base pair deletion, resulting in a frameshift that should disrupt the C-terminal half of the protein but leave the presumed DNA binding domain intact. Expression analyses showed that despite the seed-specific nature of the mutant phenotype, ABI4 expression is not seed specific.
Abscisic Acid↗
Respiratory health effects of opencast coalmining: a cross sectional study of current workers.
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Coal Mining↗
Bronchial responsiveness and five-year FEV1 decline: a study in miners and nonminers.
Increased nonspecific bronchial responsiveness (NSBR) may be a risk factor for the development of chronic airflow obstruction. We evaluated this hypothesis in a cohort of 378 underground coal miners and working nonminers. Methacholine testing was performed at the beginning and end of a 5-yr study period. Spirometry was repeated at 6-mo intervals and individual 5-yr FEV1 slopes were calculated by linear regression. Relationships between FEV1 slopes and NSBR were examined using multiple linear regression models, controlling for FEV1 level, smoking, and mining. Increasing NSBR at the initial survey was associated with a somewhat greater rate of subsequent FEV1 decline. Methacholine responders at the final survey had a considerably increased rate of decline during the previous years. Responsiveness status changed over the 5 yr in 22% of the subjects. Both the development and persistence of increased NSBR were strongly associated with higher rates of FEV1 decline. In contrast, FEV1 declines were not accelerated among workers with increased NSBR that reverted to normal. Smoking and mining were both independently associated with FEV1 declines, but did not substantially modify the effect of NSBR. Due to its variability over time, NSBR testing predicts lung function decline only in some individuals, and its value as a prognostic test for chronic airway disorders is limited. Because improvement in bronchial hyperresponsiveness was associated with a reduction in the rate of FEV1 loss, interventions directed at preventing or reducing nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness should be investigated.
Adult↗
Application of fiber-FISH in physical mapping of Arabidopsis thaliana.
Arabidopsis thaliana has become a model plant species for genetic studies because of its small genome and short juvenility period. However, the small chromosomes of this species are not suitable for classical cytogenetic studies. Here we demonstrate that the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique using extended DNA fibers can be a powerful tool in the physical mapping of the A. thaliana genome. Using a refined fiber-FISH technique we were able to measure DNA clusters as long as 1.71 Mb, more than 1% of the A. thaliana genome. Several small DNA loci, including the telomeres and a dispersed repetititve DNA sequence, mi167, were also analyzed with this technique. The results show that without known adjacent DNA markers such small DNA loci cannot be mapped precisely using fiber-FISH. One of the most difficult obstacles in physical mapping by contig assembly is closing the gaps that are present between adjacent contigs. Currently available molecular techniques are not sufficient to accurately estimate the physical sizes of these gaps. We isolated bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones bordering gaps 2 and 3 on the physical contig map of A. thaliana chromosome II. The BAC clones were used in fiber-FISH analysis and the physical sizes of the two gaps were estimated as 31 kb and more than 500 kb, respectively. Thus, we have demonstrated that fiber-FISH is an efficient technique for determining the physical size of gaps on molecular contig maps.
Arabidopsis↗
Determination of thiamphenicol in human plasma by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography.
A micellar electrokinetic chromatographic method is described for the determination of thiamphenicol in human plasma. The plasma sample was basified by adding K2HPO4 and was then extracted with ethyl acetate. After the solvent was evaporated, the residue was reconstituted in water. Approximately 40 nl of the solution were injected hydrodynamically. The running buffer was 20 mM borate (pH 9.2) containing 40 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate and 10% acetonitrile. The applied voltage was 18 kV and the detector wavelength was set at 195 nm. On-column sample stacking was achieved during the analysis to enhance the sensitivity; the limit of quantitation was 0.1 microg/ml. Linearity was over the range of 0.2 to 10 microg/ml. Recovery was 93.7+/-3.3%, the intra-day precision and accuracy was 99.6+/-2.8%; the inter-day precision and accuracy was 98.4+/-3.4%. The concentration of thiamphenicol in human plasma from eight volunteers was measured after administering thiamphenicol capsules orally.
Acetonitriles↗
Construction of an approximately 2 Mb contig in the region around 80 cM of Arabidopsis thaliana chromosome 2.
A method for construction of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) contigs from a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) physical map is described. An approximately 2 Mb contig, consisting of two large BAC contigs linked by a small YAC, has been assembled in the region around 80 cM of Arabidopsis thaliana chromosome 2. Clones from this contig will facilitate gene isolation in the region and can be used directly as substrates for DNA sequencing.
Arabidopsis↗
Cardiac tamponade in Taiwan.
We retrospectively reviewed all of the patients who were treated for cardiac tamponade at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between January 1991 and December 1995. There were a total of 112 patients (57 males, 55 females) with a mean age of 51 +/- 14 years (53 +/- 15, 49 +/- 13, respectively). Dyspnea was the most common complaint (85%). The mean blood pressure was 129 +/- 24/78 +/- 17 mmHg, and only 8% had a systolic blood pressure of less than 90 mmHg. Sinus tachycardia was the most frequent electrocardiographic finding (72%, 62/86). Diffuse low voltage was noted in 35% (30/86) of the patients and electrical alternans was seen in 17% (15/86). The mean volume of pericardial effusion was 610 +/- 263 ml. Sixty-five percent of the pericardial effusions were bloody, 31% were serosanguineous, 2% were purulent and 2% were chylous. Overall, 54.5% of the patients had malignant diseases. Of the 61 patients who died, 79% had malignancies. Thirty-five (57%) of these 48 patients had lung cancer. The mean survival time from emergent pericardiocentesis was 3.4 months. In conclusion, non-traumatic cardiac tamponade had a poor prognosis because most patients had malignant etiologies. There is still no definitive treatment for recurrent malignant pericardial effusion-induced cardiac tamponade. Percutaneous pericardiocentesis as clinically required may be the most appropriate treatment, since it is questionable whether such subjects should be subjected to the unnecessary pain and suffering associated with an operative procedure, considering their short mean survival time.
Adolescent↗
Silicosis in the 1990s, revisited.
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Animals↗
Weight gain and longitudinal changes in lung function in steel workers.
Associations among dust exposure, smoking habits, and demographic factors and longitudinal changes of lung function were assessed among male steel workers. Cohort descriptive data analysis was conducted in 541 steel workers who had performed spirometry at least twice between 1982 and 1991 (mean follow-up, 6.1 years). The annual change (slope) in FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC%, and in body weight was determined by simple linear regression. The Pearson correlation coefficient between weight change and spirometry changes was calculated. Comparisons were also done in 75 pairs of steel workers matched by age, height, initial FEV1, and smoking status, but whose FEV1 declines differed by > or = 60 mL/yr. The FEV1 and FVC declined an average of 44 and 50 mL/yr, respectively, for the cohort as a whole. The FEV1 and FVC declined 52 and 54 mL/yr for current smokers, 43 and 53 mL/yr for ex-smokers, and 36 and 43 mL/yr for nonsmokers, respectively. Increasing weight was highly correlated with accelerated decline in lung function (p<0.0001). In the matched pairs, mean slopes for FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio were -96 mL/yr, -95 mL/yr, and -0.40%/yr for the rapid decliners; and +5 mL/yr, +10 mL/yr, and +0.10%/yr for their partners (p<0.0001). Matched pair comparisons showed that the rapid decliners averaged a 4.313 kg weight gain, while their partners gained 1.044 kg during the follow-up period. The slope of weight gain was 0.708 kg/yr for rapid decliners and 0.191 kg/yr for comparison workers (p<0.0036). Weight gain, in addition to aging and cigarette smoking, was found to be associated with the longitudinal rate of decline in FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio.
Adult↗
Pregnancy after intracytoplasmic injection of immotile sperm. A case report.
BACKGROUND: With the advent of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), fertilization and pregnancy have been reported in complete asthenozoospermia. The major problem with the use of immotile sperm for ICSI has been differentiating between live and dead sperm. We successfully selected live sperms with the hypoosmotic swelling test, and a twin pregnancy resulted after intracytoplasmic injection of completely immotile sperm. CASE: A 32-year-old woman and her 36-year-old husband had had primary infertility for four years. Evaluation of the couple showed complete asthenozoospermia of the husband. Ovulation in the wife was successfully stimulated with clomiphene citrate, follicle-stimulating hormone and human menopausal gonadotropin. We selected the viable sperm with the hypoosmotic swelling test. ICSI was then performed. After assisted hatching, we transferred four embryos on the third day after oocyte retrieval. Intrauterine twin pregnancy was confirmed by ultrasonography four weeks later. The healthy infants, free of anomalies, were born on the 36th gestational week. CONCLUSION: The hypoosmotic swelling test is a simple method of selecting immotile and viable sperm for use in ICSI.
Adult↗
Coculture of human spermatozoa with reproductive tract cell monolayers can enhance sperm functions better than coculture with Vero cell monolayers.
PURPOSE: In order to develop a better system for support of human sperm function in vitro, we conducted studies to evaluate whether reproductive tract cells are better than non-reproductive tract cells as an adjunt in that regard. METHODS: Human spermatozoa were cocultured with Vero cells, with human oviduct cells and endometrial cells, and without cells (control) for either 1, 4, or 24 hr. Sperm motility was then analyzed with a computer-aided sperm analyzer (CASA-Hamiliton Thron, HTM IVOS Motility Analyzer). Aliquots of spermatozoa incubated for 24 hr were also stained with Hoechst 33258 and FITC-PNA to evaluate the status of acrosome in live cells. RESULTS: Significant differences (P < 0.05) between the oviduct cell and the control groups after 24 hr were evident in the curvilinear velocity (VCL) (81.4 +/- 13.4 vs 60.0 +/- 14.1 microns/sec) and amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) (5.2 +/- 0.6 vs 4.1 +/- 0.5 microns). The incidence of acrosome reaction of live sperm was significantly higher in the endometrial cell group than in the controls (25.4 +/- 9.9 vs 6.6 +/- 2.4%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Coculture with human reproductive tract cells seems to improve some functional parameters of human spermatozoa. Coincubation with such cell lines, especially oviduct cells, might be a feasible approach to optimization of human spermatozoa for assisted fertilization using subfertile or frozen-thawed samples. We think coincubating human spermatozoa with a human reproductive tract cell line, especially oviduct cells, might be a feasible approach in preparing human spermatozoa for assisted fertilizatioin in subfertile and frozen-thawed semen samples.
Acrosome↗