Re: "Arsenic ingestion and internal cancers: a review".
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H R Guo.
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A high incidence of bladder cancer (23.53/100,000 population per annum from 1981-1985) was found in an endemic area of peripheral vascular disease known as black foot disease (BFD) on the southwest coast of Taiwan. The average incidence of bladder cancer in the whole of the Taiwan area was 2.29/100,000 during the same period. The incidence of female bladder cancer (21.10/100,000) in this area was also high. The ratio of male to female bladder cancer in the BFD endemic area and the neighbouring area was 1.24 and 1.09, lower than that in the whole Taiwan area (2.75) and elsewhere around the world. The high content of arsenic and the high concentration of a "fluorescent substance" in artesian well water in this area are the only 2 related factors identified so far. Determination of the actual carcinogen requires further investigation.
We report two rare cases of parasellar epidural hydatid cysts. Among the 64 patients with intracranial hydatid cysts we have treated in the past 20 years, only these two cases were located epidurally. Because the location and the computed tomographic characteristics were so different from the other cysts, the preoperative diagnosis was difficult to make. We were unable to remove the cysts without rupturing them because they were tightly surrounded. Both patients underwent surgery twice because of a recurrence. The treatment of this kind of case requires further discussion.
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We tested the applicability of the random amplified polymorphic deoxyribonucleic acid (RAPD) analysis for identification of three marine fish cell lines FG, SPH, and RSBF, and as a possible tool to detect cross-contamination. Sixty commercial 10-mer RAPD primers were tested on the cell lines and on samples collected from individual fish. The results obtained showed that the cell lines could be identified to the correspondent species on the basis of identical patterns produced by 35-48% of the primers tested; the total mean similarity indices for cell lines versus correspondent species of individual fish ranged from 0.825 to 0.851, indicating the existence of genetic variation in these cell lines in relation to the species of their origin. Also, four primers, which gave a monomorphic band pattern within species/line, but different among the species/line, were obtained. These primers can be useful for identification of these cell lines and for characterization of the genetic variation of these cell lines in relation to the species of their origin. This supported the use of RAPD analysis as an effective tool in species identification and cross-contamination test among different cell lines.
In studying the growth and development of children, records of body heights are often unavailable for certain periods of time. To evaluate the feasibility of using photographs to estimate body heights in the past, we obtained 23 photographs taken within two months of a documented measurement of height from a cohort of an on-going study. From each photograph, an object was selected as the reference, and the historical height of the child was estimated by proportional projection according to the height of the reference. Two independent sets of estimates were made, and both correlated well with measured heights (correlation coefficient = 0.99, p < 0.0001). The mean differences between the measured and estimated heights were 1.4 cm and 1.5 cm respectively, and both were not statistically significant (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p > 0.05). The average differences between the two sets of estimates was only 0.1 cm (p > 0.05 for Wilcoxon signed rank test), which indicates a high reproducibility. Photographs taken in the "landscape" style tended to provide better estimates than those taken in the "portrait" style. Without any high technology equipment, this simple approach can be readily applied to obtain satisfactory estimates for epidemiological studies.
To correlate the neonatal body measurements that best predict insertional length of the umbilical artery catheter (UAC), we performed this study with two separate parts. In part I, we collected 120 cases with indication for umbilical artery catheterization from Mackay Memorial Hospital during December 1986 to November 1987. They were randomly divided into 4 groups and in each group the internal catheter length of UAC was calculated with formula of: Gr. 1. 3 birth weight (BW) (Kg) + 9 (cm), Gr. 2. suprasternal notch to public symphysis length (SSL) (cm), Gr. 3. 1/3 total body length (TBL) (cm), Gr. 4. shoulder to umbilicus length (SUL) + 2 (cm). The accuracy was 90% in BW group, 90% in TBL group, 70% in SSL group and 70% in SUL group respectively, and there was no statistical difference between any two groups. However, BW and TBL formula were clinically more practical than the other two (SUL and SSL). In part II of our study, out of 120 cases we selected 63 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) cases with catheter tips placed between the 7th and 9th thoracic vertebra. Correlation coefficients (rs) between inserted length of UAC and each of the four parameter (BW, TBL, SSL, and SUL) were shown to have statistically significant correlation. There was no statistical difference among those correlation coefficients. Modified regression equations derived from BW, SSL, TBL and SUL were 1.7BW (kg) + 2 (cm). 2. SSL (cm). 3. 1/3 TBL (cm) + 0.5 (cm). 4. SUL (cm) + 1 (cm). Further study would be necessary for establishing a more widely adaptable equation.