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Biomedical subjects

E Wu

Publications and source records attributed to E Wu.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

The endocrinological profile of normal menstrual cycles in a population of Chinese women.

Endocrinological profiles of normal menstrual cycles were studied in 41 Chinese women. Daily serum concentration of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) were determined by RIA. Thirty-four cycles were of normal length (26-35 days) and 6 cycles were prolonged up to 40 days with a follicular phase of 22-26 days. One cycle was anovulatory. Cyclical changes of LH, FSH, E2 and P were typical of ovulatory cycles in other populations as reported in the literature. In the normal cycle group the geometric mean of the LH midcycle peak level was 46 IU/1, the FSH peak was 10 IU/1, the preovulatory estradiol peak was 1229 pmol/1 and the progesterone luteal maximum was 50 nmol/1. The pattern of cyclical changes in the prolonged ovulatory cycles was similar to the normal length cycles, except that there were significantly higher levels of LH in both follicular and luteal phases, lower FSH in luteal phase, and lower progesterone in luteal phase. A majority of cycles had a midcycle elevation of prolactin and mean PRL levels in the late luteal phase were higher than those in the follicular phase.

Adolescent↗

An outbreak of pseudobacteremia caused by Enterobacter cloacae from a phlebotomist's vial of thrombin.

In a 15-day period, seven patients in a small hospital each had one blood culture positive for Enterobacter cloacae. None of the seven patients was septic. All seven positive culture specimens had been obtained by phlebotomist A, who also had obtained 13 negative culture specimens in the same period. Seven other phlebotomists had drawn 69 blood samples for culture during the same period; none had yielded any microorganism (p = 0.00001). Vials of thrombin, routinely used to coagulate blood specimens for chemical analysis, had been carried on the phlebotomy trays. We observed that phlebotomist A occasionally spilled drops of the viscous thrombin on her finger during the procedures. Culture of the thrombin on her tray yielded E. cloacae. No further cases of E. cloacae bacteremia occurred after she stopped drawing blood for culture and the thrombin on her tray was removed from use.

Blood Specimen Collection↗

Simultaneous amebic liver abscess and hepatitis A.

A child with amebic colitis, liver abscess and hepatitis A is reported. Speculation as to why these two infectious agents have rarely been associated is presented. Diagnosis of hepatitis was not suspected in this case until physicians caring for the patient developed clinical hepatitis. The importance of suspecting hepatitis A in all patients with unexplained liver enzyme elevations is stressed.

Female↗

Hospital-acquired hepatitis a: report of an outbreak.

A nosocomial outbreak of hepatitis A occurred after hospitalization of a 21-month-old girl with amebic liver abscess and unsuspected, anicteric hepatitis A. The index patient, who had an acute diarrheal illness prior to enzyme elevations, seroconverted from IgM hepatitis A antibody to IgG hepatitis A antibody. Of the 103 hospital personnel with known or potential exposure, three physicians (2.9%) contracted clinical hepatitis A, 27 to 29 days after their initial contact with the source patient. A fourth physician developed subclinical infection. Two of the three clinical cases occurred in two of the three primary care physicians of the source patient. Hepatitis A should be considered in any patient with acute, unexplained liver enzyme abnormalities. Diarrhea occurring in a fecally incontinent child incubating hepatitis A may increase the risk of transmission.

Acute Disease↗

Measurement of the translational mobility of concanavalin A in glycerol-saline solutions and on the cell surface by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching.

The fluorescence recovery kinetics of succinyl-fluorescein Concanavalin A (S-F-ConA) in glycerol-physiological saline solutions of high viscosity and when bound to the surface of mouse fibroblasts were measured following brief photobleaching using a laser excited fluorescence microscope. In the high viscosity solutions, the recovery kinetics, interpreted on the basis of a simple diffusion model, yielded a diffusion coefficient in close agreement with the values predicted by the Stokes-Einstein equation. Recovery kinetics for S-F-ConA bound to the surface of mouse 3T3 and SV3T3 cells cultured in vitro yielded diffusion coefficients in the range of 5-10-10(-11) cm2/s, values considerably lower than those reported previously for membrane proteins. These measurements indicated that a considerable fraction of the S-F-ConA molecules bound to the cell surface are immobilized. These results are discussed in relation to current concepts of lateral motion of protein components within natural membranes.

Binding Sites↗

Identification of inosine as an endogenous modulator for the benzodiazepine binding site of the GABAA receptors.

Previously we have reported the presence of endogenous ligands that are involved in the regulation of the binding of muscimol to the GABA binding site of the GABAA receptors. Here, we report the presence of multiple forms of endogenous ligands in the brain which modulate the binding of flunitrazepam (FNZP) to the benzodiazepine (BZ) binding site of the GABAA receptor. Furthermore, one of the endogenous ligands for the BZ receptors, referred to as EBZ, has been identified as inosine based on the following observations: (1) standard inosine and the EBZ have identical NMR and UV spectra; (2) the elution profile of inosine and the EBZ from a HPLC column are indistinguishable, and (3) inosine and the EBZ show identical activity in inhibiting [3H]FNZP binding.

Animals↗

Metabolic studies on the nigrostriatal toxin MPTP and its MAO B generated dihydropyridinium metabolite MPDP+.

The metabolic fates of the nigrostriatal toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and its two-electron oxidation product, the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyridinium species (MPDP+), have been examined in mouse brain and liver tissue fractions. Incubations of MPTP (50 microM and 1 mM) with mouse brain preparations result in the expected MAO B catalyzed formation of MPDP+. The four-electron oxidation product, the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridinium species (MPP+), was the only other metabolite detected. The oxidation of 50 microM MPDP+ to MPP+ in the same preparations appears to be mediated by unidentified components present in membrane containing structures. The behavior of MPTP in mouse liver subcellular fractions is considerably more complex. NADPH-supplemented liver microsomes convert MPTP to the desmethyl and N-oxide metabolites. At high (1 mM) initial concentrations of MPTP there is evidence that NADPH-dependent, pargyline-insensitive liver microsomal enzymes also catalyze the oxidation of MPTP to MPDP+. Incubations of MPDP+ with mouse liver preparations containing the cytosolic fraction led to the rapid disappearance of the substrate and the quantitative formation of a metabolic product with mass spectral and diode array UV characteristics expected for a lactam structure. Menadione, an inhibitor of the cytosolic enzyme aldehyde oxidase, inhibits the formation of this product. Unambiguous characterization of this metabolite as 1-methyl-4-phenyl-5,6-dihydro-2-pyridone was achieved by comparison of its high-resolution 1H NMR and high-resolution EI mass spectra with the corresponding spectra of a synthetic standard.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine↗

Macrophage-rich reaction in lymph nodes as a mimic of metastatic renal cell carcinoma on fine needle aspiration. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Renal cell carcinomas have a high metastatic potential. Many of them are occult at initial presentation and mimic a primary neoplasm of the metastatic site. However, not all lymph node enlargements in a patient with a history of renal cell carcinoma are due to metastasis. Foamy macrophages can mimic metastatic renal cell carcinoma cells. CASE: A 60-year-old male with a known diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma of clear cell type developed enlarged neck nodes 44 months after the diagnosis. These were aspirated to yield cystic fluid that, on smears, showed numerous clear cells with low nuclear grade. Immunohistochemical stains revealed these cells to be foamy macrophages (CD68 immunoreactive) and not metastatic renal cell carcinoma, as had been suspected on initial examination of Diff-Quik and Papanicolaou-stained smears. CONCLUSION: Immunohistochemistry is a valuable adjunct in avoiding a false diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma in macrophage-rich nodal reactions in patients with a history of renal cell carcinoma.

Antigens, CD↗

[Congenital infection due to herpes simplex virus].

Five cases of probably intrauterine herpesvirus infection are discussed. Four of them had clinical evidence of neonatal herpes, which was disseminated in two patients, localized to skin in one case and with SNC compromised in other. Natal or post natal infections were not considered to be possible in these infants due to the presence of symptoms in the first 24 hours of life, which made ascending transcervical or transplacental the most probable route for viral transmission. All cases were treated with a ten days course of intravenous acyclovir during 10 days. There of them had satisfactory evolution and the other two died at 9 days and at 2 months of life.

Acyclovir↗

[Hospital acute respiratory infections].

To study the incidence of nosocomial respiratory tract infection along the first week after admission, 31 children under 2 years of age admitted to the pediatric wards of a general hospital at Metropolitan Santiago, Chile, with the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection, were studied for viral agents by immunofluorescence tests, viral isolation from pharyngeal aspirates, paired serum viral antibodies and bacterial cultures, all of them performed at admission and 4 to 5 days later from May through August 1988. In 13 out of 31 patients admitted because of acute lower respiratory tract infection at least one new virus (to a total of 18 viral isolates) was detected in the second sample, which could have been nosocomially acquired, as follows: adenovirus from 8 cases, respiratory syncytial virus from 5 patients and cytomegalovirus from 5 patients, in different combinations. No significant changes in bacterial cultures were found.

Acute Disease↗

[Fatal cases of adenovirus infection].

Sixteen fatal cases of adenovirus infection in infants (n:10 aged 1 to less than 12 months) and children (n:6 aged 1 to 3, 8/12 years) are reported. Diagnosis were confirmed by direct viral isolation, viral immunofluorescence or both in 15 patients, and by autopsy in 12 of them, including one without positive virological workup. Evidence of multisystemic compromise, particularly that of severe lower respiratory tract infection was observed and lead to death by acute respiratory failure in all cases. White blood cell counts and erythrocyte sedimentation rate did not help to label initially the etiology as either viral or bacterial. Chest roentgenograms showed pulmonary over-inflation and evidence of pneumonitis as well as extensive and rapidly progressive lung opacifications. Most prominent pathologic findings were necrotizing bronchitis, bronchiolitis and broncopneumonia. Several cells containing typical intranuclear inclusion bodies were documented in ten cases and pneumonitis was the only finding in two. Hepatic fat infiltration and lymphocitic depletion of thymus, spleen and lymphatic nodes occurred in all cases. The need of rapid diagnostic tools to avoid nosocomial spread of this kind of infections with such serious consequences is stressed.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗