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C-J Lin

Publications and source records attributed to C-J Lin.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Nuclear HBcAg and histology activity index as independent predictors of the expression of singly spliced HBV-RNA.

Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA splicing has been reported by many researchers, the clinical significance of this event remains illusive. The present study was designed to investigate the clinical roles of singly spliced HBV-RNA. Liver biopsy tissues obtained from 32 consecutive patients were subjected to reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for the detection of singly spliced and unspliced HBV-RNA. Stepwise linear regression model was used to estimate the ratio of singly spliced to unspliced (S/US) HBV-RNA in the presence of the following variables: age, gender, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, alpha-foetoprotein, status of HBV e antigen (HBeAg), status of antibody to HBeAg, HBV-DNA, histology activity index (HAI), fibrotic score, grade of cytoplasmic HBV core antigen (HBcAg), grade of nuclear HBcAg, genotype, status of precore-stop-mutation, basal core promoter mutation, previous lamivudine therapy and superinfection by other hepatitis viruses. The results showed that HAI (beta = -0.2616; P = 0.011) and grade of nuclear HBcAg expression (beta = 0.5599; P =0.0067) were two independent predictors for the expression of singly spliced HBV-RNA. Further categorical analysis showed that patients with HAI score or=2 have significantly higher S/US ratios. In conclusion, nuclear HBcAg and HAI are two independent predictors for the expression of singly spliced HBV-RNA.

Adult↗

Selection of differentially expressed genes in microarray data analysis.

One common objective in microarray experiments is to identify a subset of genes that express differentially among different experimental conditions, for example, between drug treatment and no drug treatment. Often, the goal is to determine the underlying relationship between poor versus good gene signatures for identifying biological functions or predicting specific therapeutic outcomes. Because of the complexity in studying hundreds or thousands of genes in an experiment, selection of a subset of genes to enhance relationships among the underlying biological structures or to improve prediction accuracy of clinical outcomes has been an important issue in microarray data analysis. Selection of differentially expressed genes is a two-step process. The first step is to select an appropriate test statistic and compute the P-value. The genes are ranked according to their P-values as evidence of differential expression. The second step is to assign a significance level, that is, to determine a cutoff threshold from the P-values in accordance with the study objective. In this paper, we consider four commonly used statistics, t-, S- (SAM), U-(Mann-Whitney) and M-statistics to compute the P-values for gene ranking. We consider the family-wise error and false discovery rate false-positive error-controlled procedures to select a limited number of genes, and a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) approach to select a larger number of genes for assigning the significance level. The ROC approach is particularly useful in genomic/genetic profiling studies. The well-known colon cancer data containing 22 normal and 40 tumor tissues are used to illustrate different gene ranking and significance level assignment methods for applications to genomic/genetic profiling studies. The P-values computed from the t-, U- and M-statistics are very similar. We discuss the common practice that uses the P-value, false-positive error probability, as the primary criterion, and then uses the fold-change as a surrogate measure of biological significance for gene selection. The P-value and the fold-change can be pictorially shown simultaneously in a volcano plot. We also address several issues on gene selection.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗

A randomised double-blind controlled study evaluating the hypothermic effect of 150 microg morphine during spinal anaesthesia for Caesarean section.

We studied the hypothermic effect of adding 150 microg morphine during spinal anaesthesia in 60 parturients scheduled for elective caesarean section. All the parturients received intrathecal injection of a solution containing 150 mug morphine or normal saline in addition to 10-12 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5%. In both groups, a significant decrease in body temperature was noted. There was no difference in the area under the curve for temperature against time for the two groups; however, the maximum decrease in temperature from baseline was significantly larger after morphine than after saline injection (mean (SD) 1.11 (0.61) degrees C vs 0.76 (0.39) degrees C, respectively; p = 0.01) and the time to nadir temperature was significantly longer (59.5 (17.6) min vs 50.4 (15.9) min, respectively; p = 0.047). The lowest temperature observed in the morphine group was 34.3 degrees C. We conclude that intrathecal injection of 150 microg morphine intensified the intra-operative hypothermic effect of bupivacaine spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section.

Adult↗

Antiemetic and analgesic-sparing effects of diphenhydramine added to morphine intravenous patient-controlled analgesia.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to examine the analgesic and dose-related antiemetic efficacy of diphenhydramine-morphine mixture for intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). METHODS: Healthy women, undergoing abdominal total hysterectomy were recruited to this double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled study. Patients were randomly allocated to one of three groups (n=40 each). In group 1, patients received saline at induction and morphine 1 mg ml(-1) alone for postoperative PCA. Patients in groups 2 and 3 received diphenhydramine 30 mg i.v. at induction and were given a 1.2:1 or a 4.8:1 ratio, respectively, of diphenhydramine-morphine mixture for postoperative PCA. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients completed the study. The incidence of postoperative nausea (31.6% vs 67.6%, P<0.01) and vomiting (15.8% vs 40.5%, <0.05) was significantly lower in group 3 than in group 1. Furthermore, the incidence of severe nausea was significantly lower in group 3 than in group 1 (2.6% vs 24.3%, P<0.05). The rescue antiemetic requirements were also significantly less in group 3 than in group 1 (5.3% vs 24.3%, P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between group 2 and group 1 in any of the comparisons. Pain intensity, 24-h morphine consumption and diphenhydramine-related side-effects, such as sedation or dry mouth, did not differ among the three groups. CONCLUSION: An initial bolus of diphenhydramine 30 mg at anaesthetic induction followed by postoperative PCA with a 4.8:1, but not 1.2:1, diphenhydramine-morphine mixture provides an effective antiemetic efficacy without morphine-sparing effects.

Adult↗

Randomised controlled trial comparing percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation, percutaneous ethanol injection, and percutaneous acetic acid injection to treat hepatocellular carcinoma of 3 cm or less.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFTA), percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), and percutaneous acetic acid injection (PAI) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 187 patients with HCCs of 3 cm or less were randomly assigned to RFTA (n = 62), PEI (n = 62), or PAI (n = 63). Tumour recurrence and survival rates were assessed. RESULTS: One, two, and three year local recurrence rates were 10%, 14%, and 14% in the RFTA group, 16%, 34%, and 34% in the PEI group, and 14%, 31%, and 31% in the PAI group (RFTA v PEI, p = 0.012; RFTA v PAI, p = 0.017). One, two, and three year survival rates were 93%, 81%, and 74% in the RFTA group, 88%, 66%, and 51% in the PEI group, and 90%, 67%, and 53% in the PAI group (RFTA v PEI, p = 0.031; RFTA v PAI, p = 0.038). One, two, and three year cancer free survival rates were 74%, 60%, and 43% in the RFTA group, 70%, 41%, and 21% in the PEI group, and 71%, 43%, and 23% in the PAI group (RFTA v PEI, p = 0.038; RFTA v PAI, p = 0.041). Tumour size, tumour differentiation, and treatment methods (RFTA v PEI and PAI) were significant factors for local recurrence, overall survival, and cancer free survival. Major complications occurred in 4.8% of patients (two with haemothorax, one gastric perforation) in the RFTA group and in none in two other groups (RFTA v PEI and PAI, p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: RFTA was superior to PEI and PAI with respect to local recurrence, overall survival, and cancer free survival rates, but RFTA also caused more major complications.

Acetic Acid↗

Complications of motility peg placement for porous hydroxyapatite orbital implants.

AIM: To evaluate the complications associated with pegging of porous hydroxyapatite orbital implants. METHODS: Complications associated with pegging were retrospectively reviewed from the charts of 100 of 133 patients with hydroxyapatite implantation from 1993 to 2000. RESULTS: 48 (48%) of the 100 hydroxyapatite implanted patients who had undergone pegging were found to have problems with their pegs, including discharge (45.8%), peg falling out (20.8%), pyogenic granulomas (16.7%), popping peg (14.6%), hydroxyapatite visible around peg hole (8.3%), part of peg shaft visible (6.2%), peg drilled off centre (6.2%), peg drilled at an angle (4.2%), and excess movement of peg (4.2%). The standard peg fell out statistically more often than the peg and sleeve system (Yates's corrected chi(2), p=0.038). There was a trend towards complications of the peg with use of a standard peg (versus sleeved peg) (p=0.226). CONCLUSIONS: There are several potential complications of pegging. Most complications are minor and can be managed successfully.

Adolescent↗