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Biomedical subjects

J C Su

Publications and source records attributed to J C Su.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Anorexia nervosa: the cost of long-term disability.

This study was performed to estimate the cost of long-term disability in people who have anorexia nervosa (AN) that live in the province of British Columbia (BC), Canada. Canada provides universal socialized health and welfare services, and each of the 10 provinces is responsible for its own funding. As the provincial government of BC does not categorize its disability payments by the cause of the disability, a survey was used to determine the rate of disability from AN. A sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the influence of variations on the yearly cost of disability in BC: the number of patients with AN was varied between 1.0 and 2.0% of the female and 0.05 and 0.1% of the male population; the percentage of patients with AN receiving disability payments was determined by the survey to be 35%; the cost of these payments was varied between the lowest and highest benefits a single person can receive from the BC provincial government; and finally, to allow for possible sampling bias and a possible lower prevalence of AN, the lower limit of the sensitivity analysis was derived by dividing the lowest estimate above by seven. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the total estimated cost of long-term disability in BC could be as low as $2.5 million (Canadian) or as high as $101.7 million per year, which is a cost of up to 30 times the total yearly cost of all tertiary care services for the treatment of eating disorders in BC. In view of this finding, an increase in funding is warranted for primary, secondary and tertiary prevention programs for AN in BC.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Differential diagnoses to consider at an eating disorders clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reasons for referral of patients without eating disorders who were within a cohort of patients referred to an adult tertiary care eating disorders program. METHODS: Cases were obtained by retrospectively reviewing all the charts of patients who had been referred to a single eating disorders program over a 20-year period from 1981 to 2000. All referred cases had been screened by a nurse using a telephone or written questionnaire. RESULTS: Thirty-three out of 987 patients (3.3%) were identified as having no eating disorders. Four subjects were males (12.1%) and 29 were females (87.9%). After investigation, 16 were found to have a psychiatric diagnosis, 8 had a medical diagnosis, and 8 had no identifiable diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the screening process for referral to a tertiary care eating disorders program is highly reliable and suspicion for a patient without an eating disorder should be low; in comparison with the eating disorder population, these patients are more likely to be male and psychiatric illnesses are twice more likely than medical disorders to be diagnosed.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Zinc supplementation in the treatment of anorexia nervosa.

The clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency and anorexia nervosa are remarkably similar, and a number of studies have demonstrated that there may be a positive correlation between zinc therapy and the rate of recovery of anorexia nervosa patients. However, because of the different interpretations of the results of these studies, the use of zinc supplementation varies. This article examines the evidence supporting zinc supplementation in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Randomised, double-blind, controlled clinical trials indicate that zinc therapy enhances the rate of recovery in anorexia nervosa patients by increasing weight gain and improving their levels of anxiety and depression. On the basis of these findings and the low toxicity of zinc, zinc supplementation should be included in the treatment protocol for anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia Nervosa↗
PubMed2000

Osmotic stress-induced changes of sucrose metabolism in cultured sweet potato cells.

The intra- and extracellular sugar contents, the activities of sucrose-metabolizing enzymes, and the metabolism of [U-(14)C] glucose in a pulse-chase experiment were compared between the normal and osmotically stressed (by 0.6 M sorbitol) sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) suspension cells. The stress enhanced the levels of sucrose and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity. Northern blot analysis also showed that prolonged osmotic stress enhanced the SPS gene expression at the transcriptional level. Stressed cells also had higher activities of sucrose cleaving enzymes, such as alkaline invertase and sucrose synthase. The (14)C-sucrose isolated from normal and stressed cells had (14)C-fructose and (14)C-glucose ratios of 0.68 and 1, respectively. These data suggest the continual cycling of degradation and synthesis of sucrose in both types of cells. Among the enzymes used in constructing such futile cycling, besides invertase and SPS, sucrose synthase (SS) should be involved in normal cells, but not in stressed ones. It is apparent that the osmotic stress caused a significant change in the pattern of sucrose metabolism.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1999

Differentially and developmentally regulated expression of three rice sucrose synthase genes.

The spatial and temporal distribution of sucrose synthase (RSuS) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) was studied by Western and immunohistochemical analyses using the monospecific antibodies for three RSuS isoforms. In leaf tissues, RSuS1 was localized in the mesophyll while RSuS2 was in the phloem in addition to the mesophyll. In the roots, only RSuS1 was found in the phloem. No RSuS3 could be detected in any parts of etiolated seedlings. The expression of each RSus gene is closely linked to the seed development. RSuS1 was present in the aleurone layers of developing seeds, and at a low level in endosperm cells. RSuS2 was evenly distributed in seed tissues other than the endosperm. RSuS3 was localized predominantly in the endosperm cells. The tissue specific localizations of the three gene products suggest that RSuS1 plays a role in sugar transport into endosperm cells where the reaction catalyzed by RSuS3 provides the precursor of starch synthesis. RSus2, which is ubiquitously expressed, may play a housekeeping role.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita in childhood.

This case report of an 11-year-old girl describes a juvenile form of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, an autoimmune disease of IgG antibodies to basement membrane type 7 collagen. Our case illustrates an unusually severe, acute inflammatory presentation of this condition with prominent mucosal and constitutional features requiring admission to a paediatric burns unit. The treatment consisted of supportive topical and systemic agents, prednisolone and dapsone. She responded to dapsone alone and the course of the illness was uneventful.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1998

Allergic contact dermatitis from azo dyes.

Contact allergy to textile dyes usually occurs with disperse dyes of the azo or anthraquinone groups. A case is reported of a woman with clinical features of contact allergy to coloured nylon stockings who had multiple sensitivities to dyes of different azo groups.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris.

Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris is rare (63 human) cases reported worldwide) and fatal. We report a case in a five-year-old boy who had previously been well. For 18 months, he had had a slowly progressive, granulomatous mid facial lesion, but despite extensive investigation definitive diagnosis was made only with the acute onset of neurological signs in the last two weeks of life, when a brain biopsy specimen revealed amoebic trophozoites and cysts. Infection with B. mandrillaris should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic skin lesions with non-specific granulomatous histopathology and negative microbiological test results.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Trigeminal trophic syndrome.

A case report of a 51-year-old woman who developed trigeminal trophic syndrome following craniectomy is presented. This syndrome represents trophic ulceration by self-induced trauma to skin in the trigeminal area. Treatment of the present case was complicated by the patient's underlying psychological problems.

Cranial Nerve Diseases↗
PubMed1997

Atopic eczema: its impact on the family and financial cost.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of childhood atopic eczema on families and assess the personal financial cost of its management. DESIGN: Cross sectional survey. SETTING: Paediatric dermatology and paediatric diabetology outpatient clinics. PATIENTS: Parents of 48 randomly selected children with atopic eczema and 46 with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The impact on family score, the reported cost of relevant medical treatments, medical consultations, relevant hospitalisation, and income loss. RESULTS: Families of children with moderate or severe atopic eczema had a significantly higher impact on family score than families of diabetic children. A conservative estimate of the annual personal financial cost of managing mild, moderate, and severe eczema was Aus$330, 818, and 1255, respectively. The financial cost to the community for the management of atopic eczema in the study groups was greater. The personal financial cost of managing eczema was greater than for asthma. CONCLUSION: Childhood atopic eczema has a profound impact on the social, personal, emotional, and financial perspectives of families.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Two types of Russell's viper revealed by variation in phospholipases A2 from venom of the subspecies.

This study compared the phospholipases A2 (PLA2S) present in four commercially available venoms of Russell's viper subspecies by HPLC fractionation and partial sequence analysis. A potent heterodimeric PLA2 neurotoxin (designated a Russtoxin) was found in the venoms of all Russell's vipers except Daboia russelli (Sri Lanka and South India). The venom PLA2S of D. r. russelli (southern India) used in a previous study appear to be the same as those of D. r. pulchella (Sri Lanka), while the venom PLA2S of D. r. russelli (Pakistan) and D. r. siamensis (Burma and Thailand) resemble those of D. r. formosensis (Taiwan). This study provides evidence for the presence of two types of Russell's viper. Daboia russelli formosensis (Taiwan). D. r. siamensis (Thailand and Burma) and D. r. russelli (Pakistan) represent one type whose venom contains PLA2S having an Asn residue at the N-terminus, while D. r. pulchella (South India and Sri Lanka) represents the other type, whose venom contains PLA2S with a N-terminal residue Ser.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Complete structures of three rice sucrose synthase isogenes and differential regulation of their expressions.

By cloning and sequencing cDNA and genomic DNA and transcription initiation site mapping, the total structures including at least 1 kb of putative regulatory sequences upstream of the transcription initiation sites of three genes encoding rice sucrose synthase isoprotomers were either newly established or amended. The third type of SS gene, RSus3, has not been found in other plants. The structures of the three genes and the gene products were compared and their evolutionary sequence was proposed. Specific probes for the three SS mRNA's were developed and used for analyzing their steady state levels at different organs and under some physiological stress conditions. It appears that RSus2 is a house-keeping gene, RSus3 is highly specific to the grain, and the expression of RSus1 shows a tendency to complement that of RSus3. A possible cause of the presence of the third rice SS gene was discussed. We also reported a novel method to synthesize single-stranded DNA for S1 mapping of a transcription initiation site associated with extended secondary structures.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Determination of lysine with ninhydrin-ferric reagent.

Ninhydrin-ferric reagent reacts highly and specifically with lysine at a pH value of 1.0. Ferric ion inhibits the reaction of ninhydrin with proline, ornithine, glycine, arginine, and histidine. This method can be used to determine a lysine sample of high concentration without dilution. It has a linear response range from 0.0625 to 0.5 mg lysine.HCl.

Ferric Compounds↗
PubMed1994

Purification and characterization of rice sucrose synthase isozymes.

From an extract of milk-ripe stage rice grains, four sucrose synthase activities could be separated by a FPLC Mono Q column. They are considered isozymes because they show different electrophoretic mobilities in a non-denaturing gel. However, the migration rates of their subunits in SDS-PAGE were indistinguishable and had a molecular mass of 94 kDa. The native forms had identical molecular mass of 440 kDa, thus they were considered to be tetrameric but carrying different ionic charges. Ouchterlony assay indicates that they have the same epitopes. All isozymes use UDP as the best nucleoside diphosphate substrate. When characterized by the ratio of catalytic rates of sucrose synthesizing and cleaving reactions, the isozyme that had the slowest migration rate in PAGE had the smallest value.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Partial purification and characterization of invertase isozymes from rice grains (Oryza sativa).

Four invertase isozymes have been isolated from the milky stage rice grains. According to the pH optima, they are classified as one alkaline (IT7) and three acid invertases. The acid invertases are further divided into two soluble forms (IT4 and IT5) and one cell wall-bound (ITb) form which was solubilized in 1 M NaCl. The pH optima of ITb, IT4, IT5 and IT7 are 4.5, 3.5-4.0, 5.0 and 7.0, and the molecular masses are 42, 60, 64 and 260 kDa, respectively. Both IT4 and IT5 were bound to Con A-Sepharose suggesting that these enzymes are glycoprotein. The Km of ITb, IT4, IT5 and IT7 for sucrose are 4.3, 0.9, 12.1 and 70.1 mM, respectively. IT4 and IT5 have a higher Km for raffinose, and the maximum activities are 64% and 27% of that using sucrose as the substrate. IT7 did not hydrolyze raffinose at all. These invertases also exhibit distinct isoelectric points (pI) and different susceptibility to various inhibitors.

Chromatography, Affinity↗