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Biomedical subjects

Y Huang

Publications and source records attributed to Y Huang.

At least 1,099 records · Page 61Linked to original sources

Individual integration of positron emission tomography and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging.

We have developed, validated, and employed a technique of retrospective spatial alignment and integrated display of positron emission tomographic (PET) and high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) brain images. The method was designed to improve the anatomical evaluation of functional images obtained from single subjects. In the first computational step, alignment of PET and MR data sets is achieved by iteratively matching in three orthogonal views the outermost scalp contours derived from front-to-back projections of each data set. This procedure avoids true three-dimensional modeling, runs without user interaction, and tolerates missing parts of the head circumference in the image volume, as usually the case with PET. Thereafter, high-resolution MR sections corresponding to the PET slices are reconstructed from the spatially transformed MR data. In a phantom study of this method, PET/MR alignment of the phantom's surface was accurate with average residual misfits of 2.17 to 2.32 mm as determined in three orthogonal planes. In-plane alignment of the phantom's insertion holes was accurate with an average residual misfit of 2.30 mm. In vivo application in six subjects allowed the individual anatomical localization of regional CBF (rCBF) responses obtained during unilateral manual exploration. In each subject, the maxima of the rCBF activations in the hand area were precisely allocated to gray matter in the anterior or posterior wall of the central sulcus. The configuration of the rCBF responses closely followed the gyral structures. The technique provided a better topographical understanding of rCBF changes in subtraction images of PET activation studies. It opens the perspective for studies of structural-functional relationships in individual subjects.

Brain↗

Differences in the AC electrodynamics of viable and non-viable yeast cells determined through combined dielectrophoresis and electrorotation studies.

An electrode system is described for the near-simultaneous application and measurement of translational, levitational and rotational forces induced by AC electric fields, and this has been used to investigate the differences in the AC electrodynamics of viable and non-viable yeast cells. A new approach to the theoretical modelling of the experimental data has enabled these differences to be quantified in terms of changes in the conductivity of the cytoplasmic membrane and cell interior. The results are considered to have potentially important biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Cell Survival↗

Fatty acids are precursors of alkylamines in Deinococcus radiodurans.

Deinococcus radiodurans contains novel phospholipids of which the structures of three have been previously described. These three lipids contain both fatty acids and alkylamines. Both the fatty acid and alkylamine constituents were found to be composed of a mixture of species, of which C15, C16, and C17 saturated and monounsaturated alkyl chains predominated. Alkylamines contained a relatively higher proportion of saturated species. Progression of bacterial growth through the mid-log to stationary phases was accompanied by an increase in the proportions of C15 and C17 alkyl chains in both fatty acid and alkylamine constituents. Radiolabeled palmitic acid was found to be rapidly incorporated into both fatty acid and alkylamine components of phosphatidylglyceroylalkylamine, which is the precursor of the more-complex phosphoglycolipids found in major amounts in D. radiodurans. After culturing D. radiodurans in the presence of a mixture of palmitic acids labeled with 14C and 3H in the 1 and 9,10 positions, respectively, the same 14C/3H ratio was recovered in both fatty acid and alkylamine constituents, strongly suggesting that alkylamines are derived from intact fatty acids rather than by a de novo pathway. The results identify a novel product of fatty acid metabolism which has not to date been observed in any other organism.

Alkylation↗

Genotypic confirmation from the original dried blood specimens in a neonatal hemoglobinopathy screening program.

Dried blood spots are used for newborn screening because of ease of sample collection, handling, and shipment. DNA is stable and accessible in the filter paper matrix. Genotypic confirmation using initial specimens is demonstrated for a regional screening program. Seventy-five blinded samples underwent DNA analysis after Hb electrophoresis. DNA was microextracted from a 1/2-inch semicircle (25 microL whole blood equivalent), amplified, and analyzed by four different methods. Direct amplification without microextraction and automated sequencing from microextracted DNA also was performed. All four analyses agreed for the A and S alleles in 70 of 75 specimens. Three disagreements were clarified by the other semicircle from the original sample: two were due to polymerase chain reaction contamination and one to contamination of one of four analytical tests. Two would have required analysis of a second specimen, one because of polymerase chain reaction failure and the second because the patient had S/beta-thalassemia. Direct amplification without microextraction was successful in an additional 77 of 78 specimens for analysis of the A, S, C, and E alleles. Automated direct sequencing from microextracted DNA was demonstrated for the A, S, and C alleles. Analysis of microextracted DNA from dried blood specimens for A and S alleles reduced the need for and costs of obtaining a second specimen for confirmation by 97%. Direct amplification without microextraction for analysis of A, S, and C alleles permits additional reduction in personnel time and costs. We have demonstrated that microextracted DNA is amenable to automated sequencing after asymmetric polymerase chain reaction. Direct genotypic confirmation can facilitate diagnosis and initiation of medical intervention.

Alleles↗

Sex but no hand difference in the isthmus of the corpus callosum.

We performed high-resolution magnetic resonance morphometry of the total midsagittal area and seven midsagittal subareas of the corpus callosum in healthy young adult dextrals and sinistrals (N = 52). There was no influence of handedness on these anatomic measurements. However, an effect of sex emerged, with women (N = 26) having a larger proportional isthmus segment of the callosum. This may reflect a sex-specific difference in the interhemispheric connectivity and functional organization of the temporoparietal association cortex.

Adult↗

[Iatrogenic injuries of the peripheral nerves: analysis of 226 cases].

In 226 patients with iatrogenic peripheral nerve injuries, the causes were analyzed in detail. The iatrogenic nerve injuries were incurred through injection of therapeutic agents in 84 patients, inadvertent division by the surgeon in 44, traction during orthopaedic operation in 27, and undue compression from an ill-fitting splint or plaster cast in 26. The prophylaxis of such iatrogenic lesions is discussed. It cannot be over-stressed to exercise special care to prevent the nerve from being injured in the course of dissection or in any therapeutic maneuver, and to grasp a precise knowledge of pertinent anatomy on the part of the surgeon. Iatrogenic nerve injury is avoidable and, once incurred, satisfactory results can be expected and its consequences minimized when recognized and treated early and properly.

Adolescent↗

[Effects of fibronectin on cytodifferentiation and cell cycle in a human hepatoma cell line QGY-7703].

The effects of fibronectin (FN) on cytodifferentiation and cell cycle in a human hepatoma cell line QGY-7703 were studied by flow cytometry, electron microscopy, etc. The results indicated that FN inhibited cell proliferation and mitosis; significant differences were noted between the control group and the experimental group (P < 0.01). FN blocked the cell cycle in phase S; cell spreading improved with less cell overlapping, and the growth of monolayer cell was partially restored. The number of microvilli and marginal ruffles decreased and that of mitochondria, Golgi complex, endoplasmic reticulum increased. The findings suggested that FN could partially restore QGY-7703 cell normal phenotype and probably be useful for the treatment of tumor.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

Construction of the physical maps of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Mycoplasma flocculare and the location of rRNA genes on these maps.

The genomes of Mycoplasma flocculare and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, two mycoplasmas of the porcine respiratory system, were studied. Based upon antigenic cross-reactivity and DNA-DNA hybridization, these species have given indication of a close genetic relationship. By using field-inversion gel electrophoresis and employing the restriction digest fragments obtained from the gels as the probes, physical maps of the genomes of the two species were constructed. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is similar to M. flocculare in having a single set of rRNA genes and the 5S-rRNA gene is separated from the 16S and 23S rRNA genes. Based upon the location of the rRNA genes on the physical maps in both species, the distance between the 5S and the 16S and 23S rRNA genes is at least 150 kbp. Thus, there is further evidence for the close relationship between these organisms.

Base Sequence↗

[Epidemiological trend in late stage of control in Malayan filariasis endemic areas with Anopheles anthropophagus as main vector].

During 1982-1990, a longitudinal observation on prevalence trend of malayan filariasis has been made in endemic areas with An. anthropophagus as the main vector. A total of 22,795 person-times of blood examination were made, and 30,439 An. anthropophagus and 10,061 An. sinensis were dissected respectively. The microfilaraemia rate dropped from 1.0% to 0.14%, and the infection rate of An. anthropophagus decreased from 0.74% to 0.09% in 3 endemic villages, while no positive case or infected vector occurred in 5 villages where microfilaraemia cases were absent since the beginning of the study. In a cross-sectional survey, 855 villages of 17 counties has been monitored for 10 years. Out of 213,934 person-times of blood examination, only 56 were positive, the average microfilaraemia rate being 0.0262%, and 94.64% of the positive had already been detected before 1986. Based on these data, it has been suggested that in endemic areas with An. anthropophagus as main vector, when the microfilaraemia rate dropped to less than 1% after control, there was no indication that the rate would upgrade during the survey period. A decline trend of the transmission of malayan filariasis, therefore, has been exhibited.

Animals↗

[Fetal umbilical arterial blood flow velocity waveforms as measured in the uterus by pulsed Doppler and B-mode ultrasound].

3.0 MHz Doppler ultrasound was used to measure the umbilical arterial blood flow velocity waveforms (FVW) in 174 fetuses between 22-42 weeks of gestation. The A/B ratio (systolic/diastolic), resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI) and impedance index (ImI) were used as indexes of placental flow resistance. In normal pregnancy (n = 152), 460 measurements were performed. Analysis of these waveforms demonstrated that the placental is an organ of low vascular resistance and that placental resistance to blood flow gradually declines with advancing gestational age. Our results indicated a significant negative correlation between each of the four indexes and gestational age. There was a small but significant decrease in all four indexes, from 22-42 weeks. 56 scans were performed on 22 fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). The sonograms from these IUGR fetuses showed different characteristics which implied a high distal impedance to the blood flow. 16 of these (72.7%) presented an abnormal increase in all four indexes.

Adult↗

[Pathological study of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in rat].

Sequential morphological studies of rat malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors induced with ethylnitrosourea were performed by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and nude mice transplantation. The result indicated that rat malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor was actually a sarcoma arising from Schwann cell within the peripheral nerve, which possesses some basic morphological characteristics as those of human malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, and is considered worthy to be used as a model for further studies.

Animals↗

Frequent loss of heterozygosity at the retinoblastoma locus in human esophageal cancers.

Abnormalities in the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene (Rb) have been observed in a large number of human cancers. Loss of heterozygosity is a common mode of allelic inactivation of Rb and other tumor suppressor genes. We investigated DNA from 61 primary human esophageal tumors for loss of heterozygosity at the Rb locus using a polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Of informative cases, we found loss of heterozygosity in 14 of 26 (54%) squamous cell carcinomas and 5 of 14 (36%) adenocarcinomas. These data support the hypothesis that Rb inactivation is involved in the pathogenesis and/or progression of esophageal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Alveolar epithelial cell injuries by subchronic exposure to low concentrations of ozone correlate with cumulative exposure.

Electron microscopy morphometry has been used to study the effects of cumulative exposure of low levels of inhaled O3 on lung proximal alveolar tissue. Six-week-old Fisher 344 rats were exposed to O3 in two different subchronic low-level exposure patterns. The first was a 12 hr/day exposure for 6 weeks and included two O3 concentrations, 0.12 and 0.25 ppm. The second consisted of an exposure profile having a background level of 0.06 ppm with an exposure peak 5 days each week that went from 0.12 to 0.25 ppm and back to 0.12 ppm over a 9-hr period. Rats given the second exposure pattern were exposed for either 3 or 13 weeks. Changes in the volumes of alveolar epithelium were found to be consistent and reproducible markers for cell injury and/or response. Results from the first study indicated that the relative volume of the type I epithelium increased 13 and 23% over the control value (p less than 0.05) following exposures for 6 weeks to 0.12 and 0.25 ppm, respectively. The magnitude of the increases were clearly concentration related. Similarly, when a fixed exposure concentration was employed the relative volume of type I epithelium was found to increase in proportion to the exposure time. In the second exposure, increases of 9 and 33% in relative volume of type I epithelium were found respectively after 3 and 13 weeks of exposure. If the total exposure determined by the product of O3 concentration (including background) and exposure time is plotted against the relative volume of type I epithelium from both the 0.12 ppm (60.5 ppm-hr) and 0.25 ppm (126 ppm-hr) exposures and the 3-week (45.3 ppm-hrs) and 13-week (196.2 ppm-hr) exposures, a linear relationship between increases in type I cell volume and the concentration X time product is observed. The coefficient of correlation (r2) for the linear regression of the animal means is 0.72. Changes in the volume of Type II epithelial cell also correlate with the concentration X time product (r2 = 0.66). This suggests that epithelial cell reactions to low-level subchronic exposure of O3 are directly related to the cumulative oxidant concentration. The pattern of exposure did not appear to affect the resulting degree of injury. Furthermore, a low level of background exposure may contribute to the epithelial cell injuries.

Animals↗

Reduction to homozygosity involving p53 in esophageal cancers demonstrated by the polymerase chain reaction.

Loss of heterozygosity affecting chromosome 17p has been detected at high frequencies in a variety of human tumors, including cancers of the colon, breast, lung, and brain. One presumed target of these losses is p53, a tumor suppressor gene located on 17p. To our knowledge, loss of heterozygosity has not yet been reported at any locus, including p53, in human esophageal cancer. Moreover, current methods of detecting loss of heterozygosity depend on the availability of large amounts of high molecular weight DNA, making the study of small biopsy specimens or paraffin-embedded tissues problematic. We examined 52 primary human esophageal neoplasms for loss of heterozygosity affecting the p53 gene by using the polymerase chain reaction. Loss of one allele was detected in 52% of informative cases and was more common in squamous carcinomas than in adenocarcinomas. Southern blot analysis was used to confirm polymerase chain reaction-derived data. The identification of allelic loss in approximately half of the tumors analyzed supports the hypothesis that inactivation of p53 is involved in the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer.

Base Sequence↗

Cholesterol esterase biosynthesis in rat pancreatic AR42J cells. Post-transcriptional activation by gastric hormones.

This study used the rat pancreatoma AR42J as a model system to investigate the possible regulation of cholesterol esterase biosynthesis in pancreas. Initial experiments were performed to verify the synthesis of pancreatic cholesterol esterase by the AR42J cells. Results indicated that this pancreatoma cell line synthesized two forms of cholesterol esterase (Mr = 71,000 and 74,000). The 74-kDa protein is most likely the precursor protein, and the 71-kDa protein is the matured enzyme secreted by the AR42J cells. The synthesis and secretion of cholesterol esterase were stimulated 2-5-fold by incubating the cells with 0.5-4 nM of cholecystokinin or 0.5-2 nM of secretin. Analysis of the RNA isolated from the hormone-stimulated cells revealed that stimulation of cholesterol esterase biosynthesis was not due to an increase in cholesterol esterase mRNA. Furthermore, inhibition of transcription with actinomycin D has no effect on the hormone-induced cholesterol esterase biosynthesis. Therefore, the mechanism of hormone stimulation was not dependent on de novo RNA synthesis. In vitro translation studies showed that the cholesterol esterase mRNA isolated from stimulated AR42J cells were translated more efficiently than those from control cells. Thus, the increased cholesterol esterase biosynthesis induced by gastric hormones was most likely mediated by posttranscriptional modification of the cholesterol esterase mRNA.

Animals↗