Assessment of dehydration in adults using hematologic and biochemical tests.
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Adolescent↗
Biomedical subjects
S T Chan
Publications and source records attributed to S T Chan.
Differential expression of adenosine A1 receptors in colorectal cancer and related mucosa.
Adenosine A1 receptors (A1R) are known to inhibit while the A2 receptors (A2R) stimulate the G-protein cAMP second messenger system and may play a role in cell growth and carcinogenesis. Using a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method, mRNA for A1R and A2R was measured in human colorectal adenocarcinomas and individual peritumoural colon tissues. There was differential expression of the mRNA for A1R with tumour tissues having significantly higher amounts compared to peritumoural normal tissues. The mRNA for A2R was not found to be differentially expressed. The increase in the inhibitory A1 receptor in tumour tissues may be in response to increased adenosine release from the hypoxic cells found in malignant tumour tissues, thus indicating a possible role for the adenosine A1 receptor in carcinogenesis.
Adult↗
Coculture with homologous oviductal cells improved the implantation of human embryos--a prospective randomized control trial.
PURPOSE: The efficacy of homologous oviductal cell coculture on the success of a human in vitro fertilization program was investigated in a prospective randomized control clinical trial. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred eighty-one couples were randomized into the control and the coculture groups. Pronuclear-stage zygotes were either cultured in Earles' balanced salt solution supplemented with 15% preovulatory serum (control) or cultured with human oviductal cells (coculture) for 24 hr before embryo transfer. There was no difference in the age of the patients, indication for treatment, number of oocyte retrieved or fertilized, or number of embryo replaced between the two groups. The pregnancy rates per transfer for the control and the coculture group were 12.8 and 19.3%, respectively. The number of viable fetus was significantly higher (P < 0.01, chi-square test) in the coculture group (25/264) than in the control group (8/262). The coculture group also showed a higher multiple pregnancy rate, lower abortion rate, and more spare embryos suitable for cryopreservation.
Adult↗
Nitric oxide and cancer.
The possibility that the overall process of carcinogenesis may be linked to the deficiency of nitric oxide in a biological cell is examined. A hypothetical model of how this might operate to produce subtle changes in a cell resulting in and/or facilitating carcinogenesis is suggested.
Animals↗
Nitric oxide synthase activity and expression in human colorectal cancer.
The present study investigated the activity and cellular localization of individual isoenzymes of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) using immunohistochemistry and the [3H]citrulline assay in normal colorectal epithelia and neoplastic tissue. Intracellular localization of isoenzymes of NOS was detectable by immunohistochemistry in normal epithelial cells. Colorectal adenocarcinomas had a marked reduction of both Inducible NOS (iNOS) and constitutive NOS (cNOS) expression. Expression of iNOS was completely absent in tumour cells (P < 0.0001), while cNOS was reduced in 66% and absent in 34% of tumours studied when compared with controls (P < 0.0001). NOS activity using the [3H]citrulline assay was detectable in normal epithelium and was found to be reduced in tumours (P < 0.001). In addition, colonic adenomas had reduced INOS but not cNOS expression when compared with controls (P < 0.003 and P = 0.39 respectively). We conclude that NOS is present and active within the epithelium of the normal colon, with localization of the individual isoenzymes. Furthermore, there was loss of activity and expression of individual isoenzymes in colonic neoplasms.
Adult↗
["Primary" and "secondary" dioxin pollution of South Vietnam].
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Dioxins↗
Anopheles donaldi incriminated as a vector of periodic Brugia malayi in Grik, Perak, Malaysia.
Studies were carried out to observe the species composition of mosquitos and to determine the vectors responsible for the transmission of filariasis in Grik, Perak, Malaysia. A total of 2,155 mosquitos belonging to 7 genera and 30 species were collected. Anopheles donaldi comprised 24.1% of the collection. Twelve out of 519 An. donaldi were infected with L3 larvae of Brugia malayi. The peak biting time was around 23.00-24.00 hours. The infective bites per month ranged from 0 to 6.3.
Animals↗
Brain abscess: with special reference to otolaryngologic sources of infection.
The number of brain abscesses has been reduced since the preantibiotic era. This was accomplished by judicious use of antibiotics, by the advent of computed tomography, and by improvements in patient care and surgical techniques. Analysis from 122 patients with brain abscess demonstrated this trend of progress. Our series had a 3.2-to-1 male predominance. The underlying conditions included otolaryngologic infections (26 cases), cyanotic heart diseases (27 cases), implantation abscess (25 cases), lung infections (5 cases), meningitis (4 cases), osteomyelitis (2 cases), decreased immunity from chronic systemic diseases (12 cases), and unknown causes (21 cases). Otolaryngologic subgroups can be detailed as chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma (15 cases), chronic otitis media with mastoiditis (4 cases), sinusitis (2 cases), esophageal stenosis (3 cases), cheek cellulitis (1 case), and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (1 case). The initial symptoms and signs were headache (46 cases), fever (36 cases), altered consciousness (30 cases), neurologic deficits (33 cases), vomiting (11 cases), and seizure (17 cases). Of the brain abscesses treated, multiple brain abscess represented 16.4% of all cases. The overall percentage of patients with full recovery was 52.5%, whereas 84.8% of otolaryngologic subgroup recovered fully. The overall mortality was 19.7%. The mortality rate of brain abscess from otolaryngologic sources was 3.8%, whereas that from nonotolaryngologic sources was 24%.
Adolescent↗
Human oviductal cells produce high molecular weight factor(s) that improves the development of mouse embryo.
The coculture effects of human oviductal cells on mouse embryo development in vitro were studied. Pronuclear stage mouse zygotes were cocultured with different cell types, or then cultured either in medium alone (control), spent medium from oviductal cell culture (conditioned medium) or high molecular weight fractions (> 10 and > 100 kDa) of the conditioned medium (reconstituted medium). Embryotrophic activities were compared between these groups in terms of percentage of morula and blastocyst formation, and cell count at the blastocyst stage. The mouse embryos developed better in oviductal cell coculture than in fibroblast coculture and medium alone culture. Conditioned medium and its reconstituted medium also provided a significant enhancement of embryo development in vitro when compared with the control medium culture, suggesting the production of high molecular weight embryotrophic factor(s) by the oviductal cells. The high molecular weight embryotrophic activity accumulated with the duration of conditioning could be serially diluted, and was abolished by heat or trypsin treatment. Replacing bovine serum albumin with polyvinyl alcohol in the culture medium did not affect the production of this high molecular weight embryotrophic activity by oviductal cells.
Animals↗
The effects of 2% lignocaine gel on incidence of retching with the use of the laryngeal mask airway.
This randomised, single-blind study investigated the incidence of retching during emergence from general anaesthesia with a laryngeal mask airway in place. Eighty four patients, ASA grade 1 and 2, aged 15 to 60 years, were randomly divided into two groups. Each patient received fentanyl 1 microgram.kg-1 and propofol 2 mg.kg-1 for induction. A laryngeal mask airway was then inserted and the patient breathed spontaneously on a nitrous oxide-oxygen mixture with isoflurane. Lubafax gel was the lubricant in the control group and 2% lignocaine gel was used in the test group. The patients were allowed to wake up at the end of surgery with the laryngeal mask airway in place while a blinded observer observed for retching. The age, sex, weight and duration of surgery were similar in both groups. The test group had a significantly lower incidence of retching on emergence from general anaesthesia with the laryngeal mask airway in place (p < 0.005, Chi-squared test).
Adolescent↗
Intra-articular morphine and bupivacaine for pain relief after therapeutic arthroscopic knee surgery.
This randomised, double-blind study compared the analgesic properties of intra-articular injection of morphine and bupivacaine during therapeutic arthroscopic knee surgery. Forty male patients were randomly divided into 4 groups of 10 patients each. Group A received intra-articular injection of 1 mg morphine sulphate in 20 ml saline, Group B received 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine while Group C received 1 mg morphine sulphate in 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine injected intra-articularly. Group D did not receive intra-articular injection and acted as control. Post-operative pain was assessed by visual analogue score. The morphine group had significantly lower pain score compared to the control group from 4 hours onwards throughout the 24-hour study period (p < 0.05 at 4 hours and p < 0.001 at 24 hours). The bupivacaine group had lower pain score than the control group during the first 4 hours (p < 0.001 at 1 hour and p < 0.05 at 2 hours). At 4 hours, it showed similar analgesic efficacy as morphine. There was no significant analgesic effect at the end of the study period. The combination of the two drugs resulted in satisfactory analgesia throughout the entire study period (p < 0.001 at 1, 2 and 24 hours and p < 0.05 at 4 hours) and appeared to be a simple, safe and effective analgesic technique for patients who underwent therapeutic arthroscopic knee surgery.
Adolescent↗
Role of oral sodium phosphate and its effectiveness in large bowel preparation for out-patient colonoscopy.
The aim of our study was to determine the tolerance and efficacy of oral sodium phosphate compared with polyethylene glycol electrolyte (PEG) solution on out-patient colonoscopy. Seventy-nine patients (35 male, 44 female) for elective out-patient colonoscopy were randomized to receive either PEG (GoLYTELY) solution or oral sodium phosphate (Fleet PhosphoSoda) before the procedure. Patients subsequently completed a questionnaire to assess tolerance to either regimen. The endoscopists, who were blinded to the type of bowel preparation, assessed the results in terms of residual faecal content and percentage of bowel wall visualized. Sixty-seven per cent (26) of 39 patients found Phospho-Soda easy to complete, compared with 53% (21) of 40 patients with PEG (P = 0.06). There was no statistical significance between the two groups in terms of symptomatology. Colonoscopic assessment of the Phospho-Soda group showed better cleansing compared to the PEG group at all levels of the colon (P = 0.02-0.002). Phospho-Soda is just as well tolerated as a standard PEG regimen and provides better cleansing of the bowel for colonoscopy.
Administration, Oral↗
The impact of permethrin impregnated bednets on the malaria vector Anopheles maculatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in aboriginal villages of Pos Betau Pahang, Malaysia.
The effect of permethrin impregnated bednets on Anopheles maculatus Theobald was studied in four villages in Pos Betau, Pahang, Malaysia from August 1990 to July 1992. Collections of mosquitos were carried out indoors and outdoors from 1900 to 0700 hours. All mosquitos were dissected for sporozoites and parity. In May 1991 two villages received bednets impregnated with permethrin at 0.5 g/m2 and two villages received placebo bednets. There was a significant difference in the sporozoite and parous rates between the treated and control villages after the distribution of bednets (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the bites/man/night of An. maculatus between the pre and post treatment periods in the control villages. However there was a significant difference in bites/man/night between pre and post treatment in the treated villages (p < 0.001).
Animals↗
Incidence of back pain after lumbar epidural anaesthesia for non-obstetric surgery--a preliminary report.
This prospective survey attempt to study the incidence of post-operative back pain after lumbar epidural anesthesia for non-obstetric patterns and the correlation of this symptom with various contributing factors. One hundred and five patients who were given lumbar epidural anaesthesia as the sole anaesthesia for non-obstetric surgery were studied. The choice of equipment, number of attempts at giving the injection, duration of surgery and position of patient during surgery were documented. One week post-operatively, the patients were asked whether they recalled any back pain. The nature, duration and severity of the back pain was documented. Statistical analysis was achieved by using Chi-squared test. Twenty-eight patients recalled "injection site tenderness" post-operatively. The pain was mild to moderate in severity and lasted up to 4 days. None of the studied patients had post-operative "backache". The pain showed no significant correlation with needle size, technique of injection, use of epidural catheter, patient's position during surgery, duration and number of attempts made during epidural injection.
Adolescent↗
Production of anti-phosphorylcholine antibodies of the T15 idiotype in CBA/N xid mice: investigation of the defect using a T15 immunoglobulin transgene.
A notable defect in CBA/N xid mice is their relative inability to make antibodies to phosphorylcholine (PC), particularly those of the T15 idiotype which predominate in the anti-PC responses of immunologically normal mice. To investigate the basis of this defect, we introduced functionally rearranged genes encoding a T15+ PC-binding immunoglobulin G antibody into the germline of these animals. Expression of these genes in the xid cells was observed, shown by the existence of a distinct population of T15+ cells (3 x 10(6)) in the spleen of the transgenic animals, and the presence of PC-binding T15+ IgG antibodies (1-15 micrograms/ml) in the serum. Mixed antibody molecules were also found, however, which were composed of both transgene-encoded and endogenously-derived chains. Existence of the T15+ cells in these animals seemed normal, since these were not depleted (to any great extent) and were immunocompetent as well. The latter was shown by the increased T15+ antibody production in the transgenic animals when stimulated with a PC-associated thymus-independent type 1 (TI-1) antigen and anti-idiotype antibodies, but not with the pneumococcal TI-2 antigen. This is similar to the PC-specific (T15-) responsiveness of normal CBA/N xid mice. Based on these results, we argue that a reason why T15+ antibodies are not normally made by CBA/N xid animals is because T15+ genes are not utilized or, as with any T15+ precursors present, selected for in these animals, in contrast to normal mice where the Lyb-5 or CD5 cells (which are absent in CBA/N xid animals) are known to be specially endowed to make such antibodies.
Animals↗
Clinical analysis of external laryngeal trauma.
Thirty patients with external laryngeal trauma were analysed retrospectively. Injuries were mostly caused by motor vehicle accidents (car = 36.7 per cent; motorcycle = 23.3 per cent). The main presenting symptoms and signs were hoarseness, neck tenderness, dysphagia, and neck emphysema. Sites of laryngeal injury included arytenoid swelling, vocal fold injury, soft tissue contusion or superficial mucosal laceration, cricoarytenoid dislocation, thyroid fracture, epiglottic fracture and mixed injuries. Treatment was varied depending on the severity of the injuries. Sixteen cases were managed conservatively by medical treatment; two cases received intubation; four cases were treated initially by tracheostomy; eight cases received surgical repair and/or reconstruction; cases made a full recovery of the voice and 18 cases fair voice recovery due to either sustained vocal fold swelling or limitation of vocal fold movement. One case was graded as poor. Twenty-eight cases had good airway patency and two cases fair airway patency. A delay in the early detection of laryngeal trauma may precipitate into life-threatening airway problems, therefore prompt and accurate diagnosis should be followed immediately by skillful airway management.
Accidents, Traffic↗
Aberrant expression of nitric oxide synthase in human polyps, neoplastic colonic mucosa and surrounding peritumoral normal mucosa.
The expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was studied by NAD(P)H diaphorase histochemical localization method in (i) individual cells of the normal colonic mucosa (n = 13) which served as control, (ii) colonic polyps (n = 14), (iii) colonic carcinoma (n = 20) and (iv) peritumoral mucosa (2 and 5 or 10 cm away from the tumor). Four of the tumor specimens had normal epithelium adjacent to the cancer, which thus served as an internal control. The expression of NOS activity in colon cancer was significantly reduced as compared to the control group of individuals (P < 0.004); undetectable in 25%, diminished in 45%, normal in 30%. On comparing the expression in normal mucosa and polyps there was a significant reduction of the expression in polyps (P < 0.027); undetectable in 14%, reduced in 35%, normal in 51%. When compared to the peritumoral mucosa at 2 and 10 cm the tumor showed a significant reduction in expression of NOS activity (P < 0.001 and P < 0.0001 respectively). There was no significant difference seen in the expression at 2 and 10 cm (P = 0.329). The peritumoral mucosa at a distance of 2 cm away from the tumor when compared to the control mucosa showed no significant difference (P = 1.000), although there is a tendency to a high normal expression of NOS activity in the mucosa at a distance of 2 cm. Similarly, there was no significant difference between the control mucosa and the peritumoral mucosa obtained at a distance of 10 cm (P = 0.383). The expression of NOS activity in all tissues examined was abolished by preincubation of tissue with the selective NOS inhibitor L-NMMA but not with D-NMMA. Our data showed extensive and significant reduction as identified by the NAD(P)H diaphorase method in the expression of NOS activity, thereby reflecting the activity of nitric oxide in colon cancer and colonic polyps. The generalized suppression of this activity, which precedes the onset of overt neoplasia, may be an important event in colon carcinogenesis. This aberrant expression could also be compatible with the selective advantage to either tumor promotion and metastatic progression or to tumoricidal activity.
Adenocarcinoma↗
Transgene-encoded antiphosphorylcholine (T15+) antibodies protect CBA/N (xid) mice against infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae but not Trichinella spiralis.
Immunodeficient CBA/N (xid) mice are highly susceptible to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Previous studies indicated that this susceptibility may be attributed to the lack of antibodies to phosphorylcholine (PC) in the circulation of these animals. We now provide direct proof that when these mice are genetically manipulated to produce significant amounts of circulating anti-PC immunoglobulin G antibodies of the T15 idiotype, they can be protected against a lethal challenge with S. pneumoniae. Transgenic mice were also used to investigate whether the transgene-encoded antibodies could protect the animals against another PC-bearing microorganism, Trichinella spiralis; in this case, there was no protection. These results were further supported by experiments with CFW mice which had been immunized to produce high levels of anti-PC antibodies but which were found to be just as susceptible to T. spiralis infection as nonimmunized animals.
Animals↗