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Biomedical subjects

J J Hwang

Publications and source records attributed to J J Hwang.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Effects of luteolin and quercetin, inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, on cell growth and metastasis-associated properties in A431 cells overexpressing epidermal growth factor receptor.

1. Flavonoids display a wide range of pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory. Anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic and anti-cancer effects. Here, we evaluated the effects of eight flavonoids on the tumour cell proliferation, cellular protein phosphorylation, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) secretion. 2. Of the flavonoids examined, luteolin (Lu) and quercetin (Qu) were the two most potent agents, and significantly inhibited A431 cell proliferation with IC50 values of 19 and 21 micronM, respectively. 3. The epidermal growth factor (EGF) (10 nM) promoted growth of A431 cells (+25+/-4.6%) and mediated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase activity and autophosphorylation of EGFR were inhibited by Lu and Qu. At concentration of 20 micronM, both Lu and Qu markedly decreased the levels of phosphorylation of A431 cellular proteins, including EGFR. 4. A431 cells treated with Lu or Qu exhibited protuberant cytoplasmic blebs and progressive shrinkage morphology. Lu and Qu also time-dependently induced the appearance of a ladder pattern of DNA fragmentation, and this effect was abolished by EGF treatment. 5. The addition of EGF only marginally diminished the inhibitory effect of luteolin and quercetin on the growth rate of A431 cells, treatment of cellular proteins with EGF and luteolin or quercetin greatly reduced protein phosphorylation, indicating Lu and Qu may act effectively to inhibit a wide range of protein kinases, including EGFR tyrosine kinase. 6. EGF increased the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), while Lu and Qu appeared to suppress the secretion of these two MMPs in A431 cells. 7. Examination of the relationship between the chemical structure and inhibitory effects of eight flavonoids reveal that the double bond between C2 and C3 in ring C and the OH groups on C3' and C4' in ring B are critical for the biological activities. 8. This study demonstrates that the inhibitory effects of Lu and Qu, and the stimulatory effects of EGF, on tumour cell proliferation, cellular protein phosphorylation, and MMP secretion may be mediated at least partly through EGFR. This study supports the idea that Lu and Qu may have potential as anti-cancer and anti-metastasis agents.

Autoradiography↗
PubMed1999

Change in centromeric and acentromeric micronucleus frequencies in human populations after chronic radiation exposure.

Acute radiation exposure of humans was observed to induce various forms of cytogenetic damage, including increased frequencies of micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations. However, the cytogenetic effects of chronic low dose radiation exposure in vivo needs further characterization. Sixteen subjects with chronic low dose rates of gamma-radiation exposure from 60Co-contaminated steel in radioactive buildings were compared with seven non-exposed reference subjects for micronucleus frequencies after they relocated. By in situ hybridization using a digoxigenin-labeled anti-alpha all human centromere probe, the exposed subjects were shown to have a significant increase in cytochalasin B-modulated micronucleus (CBMN) frequencies, as well as a significant increase in centromere-positive (C+) CBMN, centromere-negative (C-) CBMN, total C+signals, single C+ MN signals and multiple C+ signals/1000 binucleated cells (BN). However, decreases in the ratios C+MN/C- MN and C+MN/total CBMN (%) were also noted in the exposed subjects. By mixed effects analysis, considering individuals from the same families, the C- MN and single C+ MN/1000 BN were both positively and moderately associated with previous cumulative exposure. When the time period of relocation post-exposure (relocation time or RT) was considered, total C+MN and multiple C+MN/1000 BN were negatively and significantly associated with RT. Moreover, the C+MN, C- MN, C+MN/C- MN ratio and single C+MN/1000 BN were all negatively and moderately associated with RT, but not with exposure dose. This suggested that acentromeric and single or multiple centromeric CBMN cytogenetic damage seems to disappear differentially in human subjects post chronic low dose radiation exposure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Measurement of funny current (I(f)) channel mRNA in human atrial tissue: correlation with left atrial filling pressure and atrial fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: The funny current (I(f)) contributes to phase IV spontaneous depolarization in cardiac pacemaker tissue. Enhanced I(f) activity in myocardial tissue may lead to increased automaticity and therefore tachyarrhythmia. We measured the amount of I(f) activity in the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in human atrial tissue and correlated the mRNA amount to left atrial filling pressure and atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 34 patients undergoing open heart surgery were included (15 men and 19 women, aged 55+/-10 years). Atrial tissue was obtained from the right atrial free wall, the right atrial appendage, the left atrial free wall, and the left atrial appendage, respectively. The mRNA amount of the I(f) channel was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and was normalized to the mRNA levels of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. We found that the I(f) channel mRNA was present at all the atrial sampling sites. A higher left atrial filling pressure, an indicator of congestive heart failure, was associated with a higher I(f) mRNA level (r2 = 0.446, P < 0.01 by linear regression). We also found that the mRNA amount was significantly higher in patients with AF than in patients without AF (1.68+/-0.49 vs 1.27+/-0.43; P < 0.05). Age, sex, right atrial filling pressure, left atrial dimension, and left ventricular ejection fraction had no significant effect on the mRNA level. CONCLUSION: The mRNA of the I(f) channel is present in the free-wall area and appendage area from both atria. Increased left atrial filling pressure and clinical AF are associated with increased I(f) mRNA level.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Inhibition of salmon calcitonin on secretion of progesterone and GnRH-stimulated pituitary luteinizing hormone.

The effects of salmon calcitonin (sCT) on the production of progesterone and secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) were examined in female rats. Diestrous rats were intravenously injected with saline, sCT, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), or hCG plus sCT. Ovariectomized (Ovx) rats were injected with saline or sCT. In the in vitro experiments, granulosa cells and anterior pituitary glands (APs) were incubated with the tested drugs. Plasma LH levels of Ovx rats were reduced by sCT injection. Administration of sCT decreased the basal and hCG-stimulated progesterone release in vivo and in vitro. 8-Bromo-cAMP dose dependently increased progesterone production but did not alter the inhibitory effect of sCT. H-89 did not potentiate the inhibitory effect of sCT. Higher doses of 25-hydroxycholesterol and pregnenolone stimulated progesterone production and diminished the inhibitory effects of sCT. sCT did not decrease basal release of LH by APs, but pretreatment of sCT decreased gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-stimulated LH secretion. These results suggested that sCT inhibits progesterone production in rats by preventing the stimulatory effect of GnRH on LH release in rat APs and acting directly on ovarian granulosa cells to decrease the activities of post-cAMP pathway and steroidogenic enzymes.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1999

Correlation of the flow patterns among the four pulmonary veins as assessed by transesophageal echocardiography: influence of significant mitral regurgitation.

AIMS: To evaluate the correlation of the flow patterns of the four pulmonary veins as assessed by transesophageal echocardiography and the influence of significant mitral regurgitation on this correlation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients with normal sinus rhythm and variable underlying cardiovascular diseases underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic studies. Doppler flow of the four pulmonary veins could not be adequately interpreted in 19 patients (22%). The left atrial dimension of these patients was significantly larger than that of the patients with complete study of the flow in the four pulmonary veins (49 +/- 6 vs. 43 +/- 7 mm; p < 0.05). Of the 69 patients with complete evaluation of the four pulmonary veins, 48 patients without significant mitral regurgitation were analyzed as group A, and the remaining 21 patients as group B. The peak systolic and diastolic forward flow velocities of the four pulmonary veins were measured and the ratio of peak systolic (S) to diastolic (D) flow velocity was calculated. Group A had a significantly larger S/D ratio in all four pulmonary veins than group B (p < 0.05 in each pulmonary vein measurement). There was good correlation of the flow pattern represented as S/D ratio between left upper and lower pulmonary veins (r = 0.90) and between right upper and lower pulmonary veins (r = 0.89) in group A. The correlation of the flow pattern among the four pulmonary veins deteriorated in group B. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary veins on the same side share rather similar flow patterns in comparison with pulmonary veins on the opposite sides. The correlation of flow patterns among the four pulmonary veins is good in subjects without significant mitral regurgitation, but it worsens in patients with significant mitral regurgitation. Therefore, cautious interpretation of flow patterns of the four pulmonary veins in patients with significant regurgitation is indicated for grading the severity of mitral regurgitation.

Aortic Valve↗
PubMed1999

Characteristic findings of body surface potential map during ventricular repolarization in patients with coronary heart disease.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of body surface potential map (BSPM) findings during ventricular repolarization in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). A total of 108 consecutive patients, 99 men and 9 women with angina pectoris and positive treadmill exercise test results as well as angiographically documented CAD underwent BSPM study in a fasting state. Their ages ranged from 30 to 70 years. There were 13 patients with right coronary artery (RCA) lesions, 37 with left anterior descending artery (LAD) lesions, 5 with left circumflex artery (LCX) lesions, 17 with both RCA and LAD lesions, 12 with both LCX and LAD lesions, and 24 with 3-vessel disease. The BSPMs were obtained by using the heart potential map system designed by Toyama et al. There were 59 lead points on the anterior chest wall and 28 on the back. The BSPMs in isopotential distribution were made every one msec throughout the ventricular activation period. The distribution of positive and negative potentials, potential maximum and potential minimum, polarity of potential distribution, and the reversal of potential distribution during ventricular repolarization were analyzed. The following information on BSPMs was obtained: (1) In early ventricular repolarization, the negative potential and the potential minimum appeared abnormally on the anterior thorax. The potential abnormality displayed on the right portion or the inferior portion in patients with RCA lesions, on the middle portion or the left portion in patients with LAD lesions, and on the left-superior portion or the left-middle portion in patients with LCX lesions. In patients with multi-vessel disease, the abnormal potential distribution showed a combined pattern of individual vessel lesions. (2) In some cases, the multipolar potential distribution appeared abnormally during the initial stage and the peak of the T wave. (3) The reversal of potential distribution was observed in about half of the patients. The characteristic findings of the BSPM during ventricular repolarization, including abnormal potential distribution, multipolar potential distribution and reversal of potential distribution, will be of clinical value in patients with CAD.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Serum hepatocyte growth factor levels in patients with inflammatory lung diseases.

HGF is a pulmotrophic factor in the regeneration of an injured lung. However, the physiological role of HGF in vivo remains largely unknown. We studied HGF in patients with inflammatory lung diseases to investigate the clinical significance of HGF and compared with C-reactive protein (CRP) in inflammatory lung diseases. Forty-seven patients with inflammatory lung diseases (16 tuberculosis, 18 pneumonia, and 13 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)) were studied. Fifty normal, healthy individuals were analyzed as normal control subjects. Serum HGF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Serum CRP levels were also performed. The mean +/- SE numbers of serum HGF levels in the patients with inflammatory lung diseases (4.33 +/- 0.41 ng/ml) were significantly elevated when compared with those in normal control subjects (0.36 +/- 0.02 ng/ml) (p < 0.0001). Serum HGF levels in patients with COPD was significantly lower than those were with tuberculosis or pneumonia (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between serum HGF levels and CRP in inflammatory pulmonary diseases (r = 0.48, p = 0.00087). The significantly decreased serum HGF levels in patients with improved inflammatory lung diseases were also observed subsequently. Our results suggest that secreted HGF may play an important role in bronchial epithelium reconstruction during respiratory inflammation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Determination of the sensitivity and specificity of PCR assays using different target dnas for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

To establish a sensitive, specific and reproducible PCR assay for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we evaluated three target DNAs: IS6110, 65 kDa heat shock protein gene; and mtp40 genomic fragment. We purified genomic DNA from 15 mycobacterial strains including four M. tuberculosis isolates, four M. bovis BCG isolates, and one of each for M. fortuitum, M. avium, M. intracellulare, M. szulgai, M. scrofulaceum, M. chelonei, and M. gordonae from the culture and used them as the template DNA. We studied 3 primer sets for IS6110, 2 primer sets for 65 kDa, and 3 primer sets for mtp40. Depending on the assay, these primer sets were used in the single-step PCR and/or nested PCR. The PCR assay targeting the 65 kDa protein gene could detect all of the tested mycobacterial strains, whereas targeting the IS6110 sequence resulted in detection of only M. tuberculosis and M. bovis BCG. Furthermore, targeting the mtp40 genomic fragment could be used to distinguish M. tuberculosis from M. bovis BCG. Using a nested PCR assay with primer sets specifically targeting the IS6110 or 65 kDa, we have been able to detect single copy M. tuberculosis genomic DNA. When the mtp40 genomic fragment was used as the target DNA, the sensitivity of detection was 10 copies of M. tuberculosis genomic DNA. This assay was demonstrated to have good sensitivity and specificity for detection and discrimination of mycobacterial species, and could be used in analyzing the clinical samples with low copy number infections such as the cerebrospinal fluid from the patient with tuberculous meningitis.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1999

Comparison of the sensitivity and specificity of an automatic ligase chain reaction assay system with a one-step polymerase chain reaction assay in the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.

BACKGROUND: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ligase chain reaction (LCR) are two nucleic acid amplification-based molecular methods. The former has been used widely in the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). In contrast, the LCR assay which was recently introduced is not well known in our medical communities in Taiwan. To determine which method is more reliable and suitable for the identification of M. tuberculosis in our clinics, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of these two methods. METHODS: An automatic LCR assay system and a manual one-step PCR assay were studied in a side by side comparison of their performance in detection of M. tuberculosis. The automatic LCR system uses the single copy antigen protein b (Pab) gene and the manual one-step PCR assay uses the multi-copy IS6110 insertion element as the target DNA; both target DNA sequences are found specifically in M. tuberculosis complex. RESULTS: Both assays detected two of the M. tuberculosis complex strains, M. tuberculosis and M. bovis, but not other mycobacterial strains. In addition, both methods, which were based on different amplification principles, showed compatible sensitivity; as low as 10 and 100 copies of M. tuberculosis genomes were detected by the LCR and PCR assays, respectively. When the template DNA was less than 1000 copies, however, the automatic LCR assay system showed a lower reproducibility than that of the one-step PCR assay. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that in addition to the PCR assay, the LCR assay is a useful method for the molecular identification of M. tuberculosis complex strains.

DNA Ligases↗
PubMed1999

Detection and identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by nested PCR assays in cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients with suspected tuberculous meningitis.

We used the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays developed previously to detect and identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with suspected tuberculous meningitis and non-tuberculous patients. Our nested PCR assays target the multi-copy IS6110 insertion element and the single-copy mtp40 genomic DNA of M. tuberculosis. These assays, when used in combination, allowed us to detect a very low number of M. tuberculosis in the CSF samples, which otherwise would be undetectable by the culture method, and to distinguish M. tuberculosis from M. bovis. We applied these nested PCR assays to analyze eleven CSF samples. Among these, five of them were from patients with suspected tuberculous meningitis but all except one were culture negative. Our results of PCR assays show that three of these five are M. tuberculosis positive, one of which is M. bovis positive, and only one is M. tuberculosis negative. The other six CSF samples were from the clinically diagnosed non-tuberculous patients. Surprisingly, two of these so called non-tuberculous patients, a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), were shown M. tuberculosis positive. This finding supports a long-standing argument that tuberculous meningitis is one of the causes of these neurological diseases. These nested PCR assays thus provide the neurologists with an important adjunct, in addition to the patient's clinical presentation and laboratory data, for the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Effect of ionizing radiation on liver mitochondrial respiratory functions in mice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the radiation effect on mitochondria of the mouse liver in vivo. METHODS: Livers of BALB/c mice were squeezed out through openings cut on the upper abdomen and radiation doses were delivered only to the livers. Radiation effects on the structure and function of liver mitochondria were evaluated from both respiratory control ratio (RCR) and ADP/O (adenosine 5'-diphosphate/oxygen) ratio supported by two substrates, succinate and glutamate/malate mixtures. RESULTS: The data showed that both state 3 and state 4 respiratory rates were significantly decreased concomitantly with the increase of radiation dose up to 20 Gy. Succinate-supported, but not glutamate/malate-supported, respiratory control ratio, was also decreased with the increase of radiation dose. ADP/O ratios measured from the support of both succinate and glutamate/malate were not changed by gamma-radiation. This differential radiation damage indicated that respiratory control ratio was more vulnerable to radiation than oxidative phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: Although the functional integrity of ATP synthetic machinery of the mitochondria was not perturbed by ionizing radiation under 20 Gy, the structural integrity of mitochondrial membrane might be affected by ionizing radiation at a dose-dependent manner.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Differential expression of methionine adenosyltransferase genes influences the rate of growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) catalyzes the formation of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the principal methyl donor, and is essential to normal cell function. The two forms of MAT, liver specific and non-liver specific, are products of two genes, MAT1A and MAT2A, respectively. We have reported a switch from MAT1A to MAT2A gene expression in human liver cancer cells. In the current work, we examined whether the type of MAT expressed by the cell influences cell growth. HuH-7 cells were stably transfected with MAT1A and were subsequently treated with antisense oligonucleotides directed against MAT2A. MAT2A antisense treatment reduced the amount of MAT2A mRNA by 99% but had no effect on MAT1A mRNA. Cell growth and DNA synthesis rates were reduced by approximately 20-25% after transfection with MAT1A and by an additional 30-40% after MAT2A antisense treatment. SAM level and SAM:S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) ratio increased by 50-75% after MAT1A transfection and by an additional 60-80% after MAT2A antisense treatment. DNA methylation changed in parallel to changes in SAM level and SAM:SAH ratio. Supplementing untransfected HuH-7 cells with SAM in the culture medium increased SAM level, SAM:SAH ratio, and DNA methylation and decreased cell growth and DNA synthesis. In conclusion, cell growth is influenced by the type of MAT expressed. The mechanism likely involves changes in SAM:SAH ratio and DNA methylation.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1998

New member of aldose reductase family proteins overexpressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

The multistep process of liver carcinogenesis involves various genetic and phenotypic alterations. To identify genes whose expression is increased during hepatocarcinogenesis, differential-display polymerase chain reaction (DD-PCR) was used to examine differences in the mRNA composition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) versus normal liver (nontumor) tissues. This approach identified 67 cDNAs that were preferentially expressed in HCC tissue. When these cDNAs were analyzed by reverse-Northern analysis, five were reproducibly expressed at high levels in HCC. Interestingly, Northern blot analysis revealed that one of the genes showed significantly increased mRNA levels in all five tested tumor samples, while its mRNA level in the nontumor samples was minimal. BLAST analysis revealed that this gene has high sequence identity with the genes from aldo-keto reductase family of proteins including the mouse fibroblast growth factor-induced gene (FR-1) (80% identity), mouse vas deferens protein (MVDP) (76%), and human aldose reductase (AR) (62%). Expression of this novel AR-related protein in all five tested HCCs suggests that this protein may play an important role in liver carcinogenesis.

Aldehyde Reductase↗
PubMed1998

Developing online support for clinical information system developers: the FAQ approach.

OBJECTIVE: We investigate a knowledge-based help system for developers of an integrated clinical information system (CIS). The first objective in the study was to determine the system's ability to answer users' questions effectively. User performance and behavior were studied. The second objective was to evaluate the effect of using questions and answers to augment or replace traditional program documentation. DESIGN: A comparative study of user and system effectiveness using a collection of 47 veritable questions regarding the CIS, solicited from various CIS developers, is conducted. Most questions were concerning the clinical data model and acquiring the data. MEASUREMENTS: Answers using current documentation known by users were compared to answers found using the help system. Answers existing within traditional documentation were compared to answers existing within question-answer exchanges (Q-A's). RESULTS: The support system augmented 39% of users' answers to test questions. Though the Q-A's were less than 5% of the total documentation collected, these files contained answers to nearly 50% of the questions in the test group. The rest of the documentation contained about 75% of the answers. CONCLUSIONS: A knowledge-based help system built by collecting questions and answers can be a viable alternative to large documentation files, providing the questions and answers can be collected effectively.

Artificial Intelligence↗
PubMed1998

Autoimmune IDDM in a sporadic MELAS patient with mitochondrial tRNA(Leu(UUR)) mutation.

We report a 28-year-old young male with MELAS syndrome (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes) presenting with two previous episodes of stroke-like manifestation, lactic acidosis and mitochondrial cardiomyopathy. He was also affected with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), as diagnosed by the experience of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and dependence on insulin therapy. On admission, the serum lactate level was found to be increased to 5.4 mmol/l, and plasma glucose level to 7.9 mmol/l with haemoglobin A1c 8.4%, while he was using insulin 26-30 units per day. Physical examination revealed a short stature male of height of 150 cm and weight of 49 kg. Mild mental retardation with bilateral sensorineural hearing impairment was observed. After glucagon stimulation, C-peptide levels rose from 0.46 nmol/l to 0.53 nmol/l, indicative of impaired insulin secretion. Anti-glutamate decarboxylase (anti-GAD) antibody was positive. In addition, human leucocyte associated antigen (HLA) typing showed DR3 and DR4, suggesting the strong contribution of autoimmunity to the pathogenesis of IDDM in this patient. Moreover, the result of a treadmill exercise test was positive due to inferior wall myocardial ischaemia. Cardiac catheterization and endomyocardial biopsy disclosed a normal coronary angiogram and confirmed the diagnosis of mitochondrial cardiomyopathy. Molecular genetic analysis of his family revealed a sporadic occurrence of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation at base pair (bp) 3243. The degree of heteroplasmy of mtDNA mutation from a total of 19 passages of skin-derived fibroblasts from this patient showed a slightly downward trend. This extremely rare case of sporadic MELAS syndrome with autoimmune IDDM harbouring mtDNA mutation highlights the possible pathogenetic role of mtDNA mutations in autoimmune disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Ki-67 expression as a prognostic marker in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Ki-67 expression in tumours has been shown to be associated with prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, primary HCC samples were obtained from 67 patients undergoing surgical resection. None of these patients had been subjected previously to any other form of therapy, such as arterial embolization or chemotherapy. Histologically normal liver tissues from liver resection for metastatic colon cancer were taken as controls (n = 8). Monoclonal antibody against Ki-67 was used for immunostaining and flow cytometry was used to measure tumour DNA ploidy. The mean Ki-67 labelling index (percentage of Ki-67-positive cells) of the HCC (26 +/- 22%; range 0.1-89%) was significantly higher than that of the normal controls (39 +/- 0.8%, P < 0.05). The mean Ki-67 labelling index (19 +/- 15%; n = 28) of the tumours with diploid DNA pattern was significantly lower than those with aneuploid DNA pattern (32 +/- 25%, n = 39; P = 0.01). Hepatocellular carcinoma patients (n = 47) with Ki-67 index > 10% had a significantly lower disease-free and overall survival than those (n = 20) with Ki-67 index < or = 10% (P = 0.0009 and P = 0.02, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that Ki-67 expression and tumour node metastasis stage were two independent prognostic factors for disease-free and overall survival rates. Our results suggest that the expression of Ki-67 is an independent prognostic indicator for patients with HCC after resection and could be of assistance in the decision-making of adjuvant therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Entrance site of the slow conduction zone of verapamil-sensitive idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia: evidence supporting macroreentry in the Purkinje system.

The entrance site of the slow conduction zone was identified by entrainment study in an 18 year-old woman with verapamil-sensitive idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia. Radiofrequency catheter ablation at this site eliminated the tachycardia. The entrance site was at a mid-septal location and was more than 2 cm away from the exit site. Electrophysiologic findings suggested macroreentry in the Purkinje system as the mechanism of idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia.

Adolescent↗