Biomedical subjects

E Fang

Publications and source records attributed to E Fang.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

A framework for sequencing the rice genome.

Rice is an important food crop and a model plant for other cereal genomes. The Clemson University Genomics Institute framework project, begun two years ago in anticipation of the now ongoing international effort to sequence the rice genome, is nearing completion. Two bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries have been constructed from the Oryza sativa cultivar Nipponbare. Over 100,000 BAC end sequences have been generated from these libraries and, at a current total of 28 Mbp, represent 6.5% of the total rice genome sequence. This sequence information has allowed us to draw first conclusions about unique and redundant rice genomic sequences. In addition, more than 60,000 clones (19 genome equivalents) have been successfully fingerprinted and assembled into contigs using FPC software. Many of these contigs have been anchored to the rice chromosomes using a variety of techniques. Hybridization experiments have shown these contigs to be very robust. Contig assembly and hybridization experiments have revealed some surprising insights into the organization of the rice genome, which will have significant repercussions for the sequencing effort. Integration of BAC end sequence data with anchored contig information has provided unexpected revelations on sequence organization at the chromosomal level.

Chromosome Mapping↗

PubMed1999

Characterization of a new member of the TNF family expressed on antigen presenting cells.

The TNF family is involved in the regulation of the immune system, and its members have been implicated in a variety of biological events such as apoptosis, cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. Here we present a new member of the TNF family, tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 20 (TNFSF20) that we have identified from the expressed sequence tag (EST) database and characterized. The human protein is a 285 amino acid long type II transmembrane protein and is 19% homologous to TNF in its extra-cellular domain. TNFSF20 is expressed at the surface of antigen presenting cells such as cells of the macrophagemonocyte lineage and dendritic cells. After treatment with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), TNFSF20 expression is downregulated at the surface of the expresssing cells, suggesting that the membrane-bound protein gets cleaved, and that a soluble factor is released in the extra-cellular compartment. The soluble form of the recombinant TNFSF20 induces proliferation of resting peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC) and cell death of activated lymphocytes. TNFSF20 might therefore play a critical role in the regulation of cell-mediated immune responses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Use of clinical practice guidelines in managed care physician groups.

There is increasing interest in the use of clinical guidelines as a tool to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care. Yet, relatively little data are available regarding the use of guidelines by health care provider organizations. We developed a written descriptive survey investigating the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical guidelines that was administered to medical directors or their designees from physician medical groups and independent practice associations. Eighty-seven percent of physician organizations were reported to be developing or implementing clinical guidelines. The reasons most often cited for developing clinical guidelines were quality improvement and cost containment. Local expert opinion or judgment was rated as the most important influence in the development of clinical guidelines, followed by medical and scientific literature and externally developed guidelines. Feedback of information was the most popular method of increasing compliance with clinical guidelines, although 19% of physician organizations reported imposing sanctions on physicians who did not use guidelines. Most of the physician organizations surveyed have embraced clinical guidelines. Local development or adaptation of clinical guidelines may be common. There has been disproportionately little attention paid to guideline implementation and to evaluation of guideline effects relative to their development.

California↗

PubMed1992

Optic nerve aplasia.

Optic nerve aplasia is a rare congenital defect invariably associated with other ocular or systemic disorders. We examined a 3-year-old girl with monocular microphthalmos who had optic nerve aplasia on histopathologic examination of the eye after enucleation. Magnetic resonance imaging verified the presence of unilateral optic nerve aplasia, and demonstrated hemichiasmal hypoplasia on the affected side and bilateral optic tracts. The visually evoked cortical response revealed increased signals over the occipital cortex ipsilateral to the aplastic nerve, suggesting misdirection of axons from the temporal retina of the normal eye. The visual pathway in unilateral optic nerve aplasia may assume a primitive form of neuronal organization characterized by an increase in contralateral retinogeniculostriate projection.

Child, Preschool↗