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Biomedical subjects

K Hsu

Publications and source records attributed to K Hsu.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

[Specific circulating immune complexes in patients with hepatitis B].

Antigen specific hepatitis B surface antigen circulating immune complexes (HBsAg-CICs) were measured in 109 cases of hepatitis B with positive HBsAg (among them, 49 cases were acute and 60 cases were chronic hepatitis), 96 cases of asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, and 95 cases of normal blood donors. The mean concentration (ng/ml) of HBsAg-CICs was 303.50 +/- 357.70, 319.26 +/- 334.35 and 179.66 +/- 234.26 for the first three groups respectively; and was negative in normal groups. The concentration of HBsAg-CICs were significantly higher in acute and chronic group when compared with the asymptomatic carrier's group, (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.01, respectively). Longitudinal series studies showed a close correlation between the levels or changes of HBsAg-CICs and the activity of the disease; patients with persistent HBsAg-CICs had a poor prognosis; and this were true not only in acute but also in chronic hepatitis patients. The mean concentration of HBsAg-CICs was higher in patients with positive hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) than in negative; but lower in patients with hepatitis B e anti-body (anti-HBe) positive than in negative. The higher prevalence of HBsAg-CICs in sera among asymptomatic HBsAg carriers in our study might be related to the prevalence of HBeAg among Chinese carriers. Further more, because HBsAg-CICs was related to the activity and prognosis of hepatitis B, it is worthwhile reconsidering whether so called "healthy" carriers were really healthy when their sera HBsAg-CICs tested positive.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1986

Nd-YAG laser application in pulmonary and endobronchial lesions.

For recurrent pulmonary bleeding and recanalization of centrally obstructed or stenosed airways, endobronchial Nd-YAG laser irradiation through fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed on 25 patients with malignant (n = 21) and benign (n = 4) disease of tracheobronchial lesions under topical anesthesia. Complete (n = 12) and partial (n = 6) restoration of the airway occurred in all 25 patients after photoresection therapy. For two patients with recurrent bleeding, the therapy resulted in immediate arrest of bleeding. For five patients the therapy resulted in unsuccessful recanalization because of rapidly recurring tumors. Two patients' conditions were complicated by respiratory insufficiency, one caused by smoke intoxication during laser vaporization and the other caused by tenacious rubberlike fibrinous plaque within a day after laser treatment. There was no mortality or perforation of the tracheobronchial wall after laser irradiation. Nd-YAG laser provides an additional tool in the palliative therapy for unresectable, obstructive malignant tumors and a procedure for avoiding extensive surgery in benign lesions.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1986

Effect of alprazolam on exercise and dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

To evaluate the efficacy of a mild anxiolytic, alprazolam, in relieving dyspnea, we conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind study on patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. Twenty-four patients had alprazolam (0.5 mg bid) or placebo administered for one week, followed by placebo for one week, then either placebo or alprazolam for the third week. Assessment tests were performed at the outset, end of the first and second weeks, and finally end of the third week. The parameters measured were: pulmonary function, exercise testing on a bicycle ergometer, and the distance covered in a 12 minute walk. Subjective sensations of dyspnea at rest and during guarded exercise, as well as subjective feelings of calmness or anxiety were also recorded. There was no difference in mechanical lung function, but the PO2 tended to decrease and PCO2 to increase after alprazolam administration. The maximum exercise level attained and the distance covered in the 12 minute walk was unchanged. The subjective perception of dyspnea was the same before and after alprazolam, at rest and during exercise. We conclude that alprazolam is not effective in relieving exercise dyspnea in patients with obstructive lung disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Lung vascular injury after Escherichia coli endotoxin and phorbol myristate acetate infusion in dogs.

The effects of Escherichia coli endotoxin and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a potential stimulator of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN), on circulating PMN counts, gas exchange, protein concentration of lavage fluid, pulmonary hemodynamics and pathology of the lung were studied in ten anesthetized dogs. Six dogs were infused with 1 microgram/kg endotoxin plus 10 micrograms/kg of PMA; four other dogs were infused with the same amount of endotoxin but 5 micrograms/kg of PMA. After administration of endotoxin plus 10 micrograms/kg PMA, the number of circulating PMN (per mm3) decreased dramatically from 4081 +/- 1041 to 303 +/- 119, arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) dropped to 49.1 +/- 2.4 mmHg and the arterial alveolar oxygen partial pressure difference (A-a DO2) increased significantly above baseline. Lungs from this group appeared to be grossly damaged: edema with distinct petechial hemorrhage and areas of hemorrhagic consolidation; frothy edema fluid often emanated from the tracheas. The group infused with endotoxin plus 5 micrograms/kg PMA showed no significant decrease in the number of PMN; PaO2 and A-a DO2 maintained comparatively stable. Protein concentration of lavage fluid and lung wet/dry weight ratios in dogs of 10 micrograms/kg PMA group were significantly increased (P less than 0.05) as compared to those of 5 micrograms/kg PMA group. Our study showed that the magnitude of leukopenia after endotoxin and PMA was paralleled with the severity of lung vascular injury. These results support the potential role of PMN in the pathogenesis of acute edematous lung injury.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Lumbosacral fusions with Harrington rods and intersegmental wiring.

Harrington rods are a valuable adjunct for fusion of the lumbosacral spine. Major limits of distractions are achieved with these rods. Greater amounts of decompression are possible. Decompression, alignment, and stability are maintained. Intersegmental wiring increases security and eliminates the problem of hook and rod displacement and loss of lumbar lordosis. A variety of methods are available for sacral fixation to avoid neurologic complications from the distal hooks. Three- and four-level Harrington rod distraction lumbosacral fusions have proven to be successful in returning severely-disabled spinal stenotic, obese, and osteoporotic patients to normal activities.

Bone Wires↗
PubMed1985

Lack of excitability in the internodal membrane of myelinated nerve fiber in frog.

Monophasic action potentials of about 70 and 10 mV were recorded by inserting a microelectrode into the axon and the myelin sheath of an intact myelinated fiber, respectively. When the intra-axonal or the intra-myelinic microelectrode was used for both stimulation and recording, only the anodal current was effective in inducing action potentials. The inter-nodal membrane was, therefore, intrinsically inexitable.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1984

The teaching of consultation-liaison psychiatry in the undergraduate curriculum of Canadian medical schools.

The teaching of consultation liaison psychiatry in the undergraduate curriculum of the 16 Canadian medical schools and the views of the directors of undergraduate psychiatric education were surveyed with a 25-item questionnaire. Some teaching in consultation liaison psychiatry is provided by 14 medical schools. The predominant format of teaching is that of supervised experience, and systematic evaluation of this teaching is uniformly absent. The amount of consultation liaison teaching was small. More than 90% of the students were assigned primarily or exclusively to an inpatient service during their psychiatric clerkship. The majority of the respondents thought that the response of staff and students to the teaching of consultation liaison was good or excellent, that this teaching should be an obligatory part of the curriculum, that it would increase in the next five years, that insufficient staff was a factor impeding it, and that an increase in staff psychiatrists specializing in consultation liaison psychiatry would facilitate this teaching in their department. It is suggested that the consultation liaison psychiatry teaching of medical students should be increased, in the short term by making greater use of services and resources. In the longer term, however, such increase would be dependent on the growth and development of consultation liaison services in the teaching hospitals across the country.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1984

The influence of orally administered cimetidine and theophylline on the elimination of each drug in patients with chronic airways obstruction.

We studied the effect of cimetidine and theophylline on the metabolism of each drug in 19 elderly patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Each patient received either regular release or sustained release oxtriphylline. Cimetidine was given to some patients in both groups after steady state for theophylline was achieved. Multiple serum theophylline and cimetidine measurements were performed. Cimetidine decreased theophylline clearance by an average of 37.8% (26.2 to 46.7) for regular release and 33.4% (22.2 to 45.0) for sustained release oxtriphylline. The apparent volume of distribution was not changed; however, the half-life for theophylline was increased. As there is a linear relationship between the theophylline clearance before and after the addition of cimetidine and a linear relationship between trough and peak values before and after cimetidine, these 2 relationships may be used to predict clearance values and serum levels after cimetidine treatment when the initial values are known.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1984

Localization of the excitable membrane in the myelinated giant fiber of shrimp Penaeus japonicus.

A significant DC-potential was recorded from the axon of shrimp myelinated giant nerve fiber, using a dye-filled microelectrode. Tracing of the dye assured that the source of the potential was the axonal membrane. All-or-none action potentials were obtained in the same preparation from which the ends of the axon were removed except for the synaptic region. It was concluded that the functionally excitable membrane is localized only in the synaptic region.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Electrical conductivity, transfer of hydrogen ions in lipid bilayer membranes and uncoupling effect induced by pentachlorobenzenethiol (pentachlorothiophenol).

Pentachlorobenzenethiol (PCBT) has been considered an anomalous uncoupler. It was reported as active in mitochondria, but not effective in inducing electrical conductivity in lipid bilayer membranes. We have overcome the experimental difficulties associated with accurate determination of the induced conductivity. The main contributing factors to the difficulties, we discovered, are the photolability and the low solubility of the compound in aqueous medium. We have conclusively demonstrated that PCBT does induce conductivity in lipid bilayers and compared this conductance with its uncoupling activity reported by other investigators in the literature. We present the results of steady-state current-voltage measurements: conductance dependence on applied voltage for various values of pH, buffer strength and PCBT concentration, as well as the dependence of the conductance on pH, buffer strength and PCBT concentration in the limit of zero applied voltage. We have also compared the above results with those obtained previously with pentachlorophenol. Our experimental results on PCBT-induced membrane conductance suggest that PCBT belongs to class II uncouplers and that "disulfide dimer" of PCBT is membrane inactive. Thus the replacement of oxygen in molecular structure of pentachlorophenol (R-OH) by sulfur (R-SH) does not change the protonophoretic activity of the compound. The conductivity of a membrane is due to PCBT-induced hydrogen ion transfer and it was found to be limited by the kinetics of reactions coupled to transmembrane charge transfer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cholesterol↗
PubMed1983

Pulmonary function associated with the Mmalton deficient variant of alpha 1-antitrypsin.

We have studied 78 members of a large family in which the Mmalton deficiency allele of alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) is present. Four patients of PI type MmaltonZ (alpha 1AT concentration, 16.4% of normal) had severe emphysema and marked depression in all flow and gas exchange parameters, significantly different from other members of the same family who were normal or had intermediate concentrations of alpha 1AT. Fourteen subjects with PI type MMmalton (alpha 1AT concentration, 63.3% of normal) were compared with 46 PI MM relatives (alpha 1AT, 103.8% of normal) and 14 relatives of PI type MZ (alpha 1AT concentration, 66.5% of normal). Spirometry, flow-volume loops, plethysmography, gas exchange at rest and exercise, and xenon 133 regional lung function were similar in those partially deficient when compared with the normal subjects. There was a trend for impairment of tests of lung function between smoking partially deficient (PI MZ, PI Mmalton) and normal (PI MM) relatives.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Anti-botulismic effect of toosendanin and its facilitatory action on miniature end-plate potentials.

The time for blocking neuromuscular transmission by botulinum toxin is lengthened in phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation of rats sacrificed at various times after subcutaneous injection of toosendanin (7 mg/kg). This effect of toosendanin manifests itself 15 min after injection and lasts for 3 days. During this period the frequency of miniature end-plate potentials is increased.

Action Potentials↗