Three Myb-related genes (A-Myb, B-Myb, and c- Myb) have been found in all vertebrates examined thus far including mammals, birds, and amphibians. Two invertebrates, the sea urchin and the fruit fly, have only one Myb-related gene. Our laboratory has used Drosophila as a model system to explore the function of its sole Myb gene. We have also reintroduced the three different vertebrate Myb genes into Drosophila in order to begin to understand how their different functions may have arisen following gene duplication during evolution.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antioxidant enzymes and trace elements in hemodialyzed patients.

Antioxidant enzymes together with trace elements in 26 patients with chronic renal failure treated with hemodialysis and 25 healthy subjects were investigated. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) in plasma and erythrocytes were examined immediately before and after hemodialysis. The results are summarized as follows: 1. A significant decrease in plasma SOD, CAT, and GSHPx and erythrocyte GSHPx were found in patients before hemodialysis. 2. Erythrocyte CAT and GSHPx were significantly lower in the patients after hemodialysis than in the controls. 3. Plasma GSHPx was significantly higher after a single hemodialysis than before hemodialysis. 4. A good correlation between erythrocyte SOD and copper (Cu) in patients before hemodialysis was found. 5. A good correlation of GSHPx in erythrocytes and plasma was found before hemodialysis, whereas an even better correlation was found after hemodialysis. 6. Abnormalities of trace elements were found in hemodialyzed patients. 7. There is indirect evidence for increased oxidizing stress in uremic patients with hemodialysis. Dialysis treatment may improve some abnormalities (e.g., Hb, P), but may also induce some deleterious effects of free radicals or lipid peroxidation.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Monoclonal antibody for identification of human duct cell carcinoma of pancreas.

Monoclonal antibody to duct cell surface marker (HP-DU-1), produced by hybridoma, was shown to be specific to duct cell surface antigen when tested against normal adult and 12-20-week-old fetal human pancreases. There were no common HLA antigens for locus A, B, C and DR among the 10 pancreas donors; nor did HP-DU-1 reveal any affinity for lymphocytes of donors whose pancreases were used as antigen for immunization of BALB/c mice. Seven out of 7 human pancreas adenocarcinomas including a poorly differentiated human pancreatic tumor expressed surface determinants detectable by HP-DU-1. Cell lines CAPAN-1 and CAPAN-2, derived from human pancreatic adenocarcinoma, also revealed the same antigenic determinants.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Diabetic nephropathy without hyperglycemia.

Three cases are presented in which biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy was found in nephrotic patients with no prior history of diabetes. One patient presented with advanced retinopathy and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), another with retinopathy and mild renal insufficiency, and a third with mild renal insufficiency alone. In each case, biopsy showed diffuse and nodular glomerulosclerosis with no evidence of kappa or lambda light chains. The patients had normal fasting serum glucose values, and two had normal oral glucose tolerance tests. Twenty-three similar cases in the literature were reviewed, and in most, some evidence of diabetes or hyperglycemia was found; five cases remained in which there was no evidence of hyperglycemia at any time. The cases reviewed included a disproportionate number of men (65%) and blacks (42%). It is concluded that diabetic nephropathy may exist in the absence of detectable hyperglycemia in a small number of extraordinarily susceptible individuals. Men and blacks appear to be at increased risk.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Juxtaacetabular ganglionic (or synovial) cysts: CT and MR features.

Radiographic findings include supraacetabular bone erosions, subchondral acetabular cysts, soft tissue masses with or without radiolucent inclusions representing nitrogen gas, joint space narrowing, and abnormal hip configuration. Associated tears of the acetabular labrum were confirmed by arthrography in two patients. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging afforded improved delineation of soft tissue ganglia and their relationship to the acetabular bone, labrum, and hip joint. We report our experience with seven patients in whom various imaging examinations clearly documented the presence of soft tissue cystic lesions adjacent to the acetabulum; in six of the seven patients, significant clinical manifestations were evident in the affected hip. Such cysts, whether designated synovial or ganglionic in type, appear to be a frequently overlooked yet important cause of hip symptomatology.

Acetabulum↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of the timing of FK 506 (Tacrolimus) administration on recovery of renal function from warm ischemic injury in rats.

The influence of timing of FK 506 (Tacrolimus) administration on renal function and recovery from renal warm ischemia was studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were administered FK 506 and subjected to 60 min of renal warm ischemia by temporary occlusion of the renal artery and vein. No significant differences in serum creatinine levels among rats subjected to renal ischemia, FK 506, or FK 506 vehicle (methanol and 5% dextrose in water) were demonstrated. In contrast, FK 506 administration (4 mg/kg intraperitoneally) in combination with renal warm ischemia resulted in significant deterioration of renal function with peaking of serum creatinine on day 2. The timing of FK 506 administration relative to renal ischemia did not significantly affect serum creatinine levels. Rats that received FK 506 either 24 hr pre-ischemia, 4 hr pre-ischemia, 4 hr post-ischemia, or 24 hr post-ischemia all showed similar serum creatinine levels on day 2 (3.85 +/- 0.9, 4.7 +/- 0.5, 3.8 +/- 0.9, and 5.1 +/- 0.6 mg/dl, respectively, p = NS). In all animals, serum creatinine returned to baseline values by day 10. Histopathologic examination of kidneys revealed tubular atrophy and dilatation with tubular calcifications at the corticomedullary junction in FK 506 treated animals with or without ischemia. Our data suggest the timing of FK 506 administration in rats subjected to renal warm ischemia does not influence the extent of renal injury with an equally deleterious effect seen when administered within a 24 hr period of an ischemic event. Changes in kidney morphology, however, were seen in all FK 506 treated rats, with or without a period of warm ischemia.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the baby check score in emergency room.

The performance of the Baby Check Score System for grading severity of acute systemic illness in infants under 6 months of age was assessed prospectively in 394 of the 495 babies who were brought to the Emergency Room of Veterans General Hospital (VGH), Taipei from April 1, 1992 to July 23, 1992. The scores were given by the interns. Duty residents graded the severity of each baby's illness without information on the score. Babies with serious illness scored higher than those with minor illness. The median score for well babies was 2 (range 0-5), for mild illness was 7 (range 0-20), for moderate illness was 14 (range 0-37), and for serious illness was 26 (range 12-40). Correlation between the assigned score and the grading of duty residents was good. The score's false negative rate to underestimate the moderately or seriously ill babies was 14.2% and false positive rate to overestimate well or mildly ill babies was 10.7%. Appropriate use of the Baby Check Score in the Emergency Room can help junior doctors detect serious illness, and reduce unnecessary admissions for only minor illness.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Measurement of human chorionic gonadotropin by carboxyl terminal peptide assay in patients with cervical neoplasm.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced by preinvasive cancer and the early stages of invasive cancer. One hundred and fifty-two patients with either various grades of preinvasive cervical carcinoma or microinvasive carcinoma, and 46 normal women used as controls, were enrolled in this study. A carboxyl terminal peptide beta-hCG (CTP-beta-hCG) assay with a sensitivity of 0.2 mIU/mL was used to measure serum levels. The results showed that the serum beta-hCG levels among normal control, preinvasive carcinoma and microinvasive carcinoma patients were not statistically different. Among the factors tested, including the interval since the last menstrual period, age, menopausal status, contraception method and diagnosis, serum hCG levels only correlated with the first factor. Preinvasive cervical carcinoma and microinvasive carcinoma did not result in significantly increased hCG secretion. At present, the CTP-beta-hCG assay is of limited value in the diagnosis of these diseases.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Fibronectin levels in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia.

Vascular endothelial damage is reported to be the prime cause of preeclampsia, and elevated levels of fibronectin have been found before clinical signs of preeclampsia were manifested. The total plasma fibronectin concentrations in 212 blood samples from 173 normotensive healthy pregnant women at various gestational ages were measured. Fibronectin levels were also determined for 20 blood samples from 20 preeclamptic patients obtained at the time of clinical manifestation of preeclampsia. Blood samples from 46 non pregnant women of reproductive age were used as controls. The results showed that the total plasma fibronectin concentration during reproductive age was independent of age and the average level during pregnancy decreased with gestational age. Preeclamptic patients had a significantly elevated level of total fibronectin compared with healthy pregnant women. The total fibronectin concentration is a promising biochemical marker for preeclampsia, but a more specific endothelial method of measurement is needed before it is put to clinical use.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Primary ovarian cancer at National Taiwan University Hospital: 1980-1989.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is a silent killer. Most of the patients came with advanced stages. The retrospective review here was for a better understanding of the current situation of ovarian cancer patients treated at National Taiwan University Hospital. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-seven patients with primary ovarian cancer were treated at National Taiwan University Hospital from 1980 to 1989. Medical records were reviewed thoroughly. The WHO histological classification and FIGO staging system (1987) were used. RESULTS: The ages at diagnosis ranged from 2 to 87 years. Peak incidence was noted between 50-59 years. According to the WHO histological classification, the distribution of histological types included 79.1% epithelial, 4.3% sex-cord stromal tumors, 0.5% lipid cell, 12.8% germ cell, and 3.2% non-specific soft tissue origin. Based on FIGO staging system, 31.6% of the patients were in stage I, 11.2% in stage II, 40.6% in stage III and 16.6% in stage IV. Mean ages for common epithelial, non-epithelial, and germ cell ovarian cancers were 49, 26, 23 years, respectively. Cytoreductive surgery was done in 47.4% of stage I, 23.8% of stage II, 15.8% of stage III, and 12.9% of stage IV. The leading treatment modality was surgery plus chemotherapy, which was performed in 50.3% of whole series. Survival in patients with ovarian cancer is a function of clinical stage and histologic type. The 5-year observed survival rates for stage I to IV were 76.3%, 59.9%, 9.1%, and 4.3% respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 29.4% for epithelial ovarian cancer, 51.4% for non-epithelial ovarian cancer, and 64.5% for germ cell tumors. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis and survival rate are still unsatisfactory despite the various modalities of treatment. Further improvements need the development of methods for early detection and multiple modalities of therapy.

Adolescent↗