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Biomedical subjects

L C Cheng

Publications and source records attributed to L C Cheng.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Role of oral sodium phosphate and its effectiveness in large bowel preparation for out-patient colonoscopy.

The aim of our study was to determine the tolerance and efficacy of oral sodium phosphate compared with polyethylene glycol electrolyte (PEG) solution on out-patient colonoscopy. Seventy-nine patients (35 male, 44 female) for elective out-patient colonoscopy were randomized to receive either PEG (GoLYTELY) solution or oral sodium phosphate (Fleet PhosphoSoda) before the procedure. Patients subsequently completed a questionnaire to assess tolerance to either regimen. The endoscopists, who were blinded to the type of bowel preparation, assessed the results in terms of residual faecal content and percentage of bowel wall visualized. Sixty-seven per cent (26) of 39 patients found Phospho-Soda easy to complete, compared with 53% (21) of 40 patients with PEG (P = 0.06). There was no statistical significance between the two groups in terms of symptomatology. Colonoscopic assessment of the Phospho-Soda group showed better cleansing compared to the PEG group at all levels of the colon (P = 0.02-0.002). Phospho-Soda is just as well tolerated as a standard PEG regimen and provides better cleansing of the bowel for colonoscopy.

Administration, Oral↗

Video thoracoscopic laser sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis.

Palmar hyperhidrosis (PH) is common in Orientals from subtropical areas. Many therapeutic modalities are used in practice, but none has proved to be entirely satisfactory. We have developed a new therapeutic technique by combining a video thoracoscopic system with a surgical laser unit (both waveguide CO2 laser and fibre-optic Nd:YAG laser). The operation was performed under general anaesthesia with alternative one-lung ventilation. With this technique, we are able to identify the sympathetic trunk on the TV screen and confirm its proper level with accurate ablation by intraoperative vasomotor monitoring. Consequently, an adequate sympathectomy can be definitely achieved through laser extirpation. We have successfully treated 300 PH patients with this technique from 1990 to 1992. The ages ranged from six to 63 years with a mean of 26.6. There were 125 males and 175 females. Most patients underwent en bloc ablation of the T2 segment which includes a major part of the T2 ganglion with its adjacent trunk which overlays the T2 rib head. All of them obtained a satisfactory relief of PH except 13 patients. The procedure did not result in a change of vital signs. There was neither obvious injury to lung nor bleeding. No Horner's syndrome was produced. The commonest complication was compensatory hyperhidrosis in various degrees encountered in about half of the cases. Two-thirds of the patients were followed up for more than 12 months and only three had recurrence. Based on our experience, the technique is considered to be a minor and safe procedure and able to achieve a definite and long-lasting therapeutic effect. It causes minimal discomfort and scarring. Particularly, the operation time and hospital stay were markedly shortened in comparison with other conventional open sympathectomy procedures.

Adolescent↗

Are the WHO (1980) criteria for the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test appropriate for pregnant women?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the normal response to a 75 g glucose challenge in the context of an oral glucose tolerance test in the third trimester of pregnancy. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Antenatal clinic, Kandang Kerbau Hospital, Singapore. SUBJECTS: Sixty-four normal pregnant women with a low risk for diabetes. INTERVENTIONS: Glucose (75 g) challenge following an overnight fast after 28 weeks of gestation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Venous plasma glucose levels taken before and 2 h after the glucose challenge. RESULTS: Upper limits of normality were found to be fasting glucose 4.9 mmol/l and 2 h glucose 9.2 mmol/l. CONCLUSION: The WHO (1980) criteria should not be used in pregnancy.

Adult↗

A comparison between computerised (mean range) and clinical visual cardiotocographic assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To compare computer cardiotocographic (CTG) analysis with clinical visual analysis. DESIGN: A retrospective blind comparison of the two techniques of CTG assessment. SETTING: Fetal Assessment Unit, King's College Hospital, London. SUBJECTS: One hundred CTG traces of women referred to the unit were studied; the traces were taken after 32 weeks' gestation, within 10 days of delivery and where outcome was known. INTERVENTIONS: The CTG traces were assessed both by the computer (System 8000 computerised CTG analyser, Oxford Sonicaid Ltd) and visually, by one of us. MAIN OUTCOME: Computer mean range from 0 to 80 in ms clinical visual CTG score from 0 to 80 (arbitrary units). A score < 20 is ominous; suspicious when between 20 and 30; and normal when > 30. RESULTS: There was close correlation between the computer mean range and clinical visual assessment (r = 0.78, n = 100, P = 0.001). However, there were 13 occasions where the computer classified the trace as abnormal when clinical visual assessment was normal, indicating computer false positives. All these pregnancies had normal outcomes. There were no traces where computer analysis was normal and clinical visual assessment abnormal. CONCLUSIONS: Computerised CTG analysis gives an objective assessment which agrees closely with experienced visual assessment. It also provides a number which can be used to assess the value of fetal heart rate analysis.

Cardiotocography↗

A double-blind, randomised, cross-over study comparing the 50g OGTT and the 75g OGTT for pregnant women in the third trimester.

There is little consensus in the conduct and interpretation of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in pregnancy. In Singapore much data has been accumulated about the 50g OGTT while the converse is true of the 75g OGTT. A double-blind, randomised, crossover study of 56 subjects in the third trimester was conducted to compare both glucose challenges to determine if there was a difference in glucose handling in the context of a two hour OGTT. A significant difference (p < 0.001, t = 5.76) was found at two hours where the mean glucose concentrations were 5.2 +/- 0.8 mmol/L and 6.2 +/- 1.4 mmol/L for the 50g and 75g OGTT respectively. These findings suggest that the 75g OGTT is potentially more effective in unmasking pregnant subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.

Adolescent↗

Synthesis and anti-HIV-1 activity of 2'-"up"-fluoro analogues of active anti-AIDS nucleosides 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (DDC).

1-(3-Azido-2,3-dideoxy-2-fluoro-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)thymine (6, F-AZT) and 1-(2,3-dideoxy-2-fluoro-beta-D-threopentofuranosyl)cytosine (12, F-DDC) were synthesized from the potent antiherpes virus nucleosides 1-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)thymine (1, FMAU) and 1-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)-5-iodocytosine (FIAC) in the hope that introduction of a 2-"up"-fluoro substituent might potentiate the anti-HIV activity of AZT and DDC. FMAU (1) was converted in three steps into 2,3'-anhydro-1-(2-fluoro-2-deoxy-5-O-trityl-beta-D-lyxofuranosyl)thymine (4), which when treated with NaN3 followed by detritylation afforded 6. F-DDC was prepared by two methods. Tritylation of FIAC followed by treatment of the product with thiocarbonyldimidazole afforded the 5'-O-trityl-3'-O-(imidazolyl)thiocarbonyl nucleoside 9. Upon radical reduction of 9 with Bu3SnH and AIBN, 5'-O-trityl-DDC 10 was obtained. Compound 10 was detritylated to give 12, which (when obtained by this procedure) resisted crystallization, but the diacetate 12' was obtained in crystalline form. Alternatively, FAC (14) was converted into N4,O5'-dibenzoyl derivative 15, which was treated with thiocarbonyldiimidazole. Reduction of 16 with Bu3SnH/AIBN followed by debenzoylation afforded 12, which was obtained in crystalline form. F-AZT did not exhibit any significant activity against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. F-DDC, however, showed activity against HIV-1, but the therapeutic index is much inferior to that of AZT.

Antiviral Agents↗

Unusual origins of the buccal and mylohyoid nerves.

Dissection of the mandibular nerve in a cadaver of southern Chinese origin showed the mylohyoid nerve arising from the lingual nerve and the buccal nerve arising from the inferior alveolar nerve within the mandibular ramus. It is estimated that this variation in the origin of the buccal nerve occurs in 6.1% of the southern Chinese population.

Cheek↗

Stenosis severity effects for unbalanced simple-pulsatile bifurcation flow.

A numerical finite-difference analysis is made of a plane simple-pulsatile flow past a symmetrical bifurcation which contains an asymmetrical smooth-contoured stenosis in the trunk. In essence, such a situation could represent a stenosed common carotid artery immediately upstream from the carotid junction. The flow is unbalanced; two-thirds of it exits or enters through the lower branch. The effect on various flow parameters of the stenosis itself and on changes in its severity is investigated by comparing the results for a severe stenosis, a mild stenosis, and no stenosis. The simple-pulsatile forcing function is specified in terms of an oscillatory and a steady Karman number. To obtain a significant amount of backflow, the oscillatory trunk Karman number is taken as 1000 compared to the steady value of 250. The frequency of oscillation is stipulated by a trunk Stokes number of 10 pi. The numerical procedures utilize the vorticity-transport version of the Navier-Stokes governing equations. A non-orthogonal coordinate transform allows the calculations to be made in a rectangular grid where the central difference expressions are easily applied. The results are presented in terms of both kinematic and kinetic parameters. The variation in the basic kinematic variables of stream function and vorticity is shown by temporal sequences of contour plots at times of peak flow and during the flow reversal stages as well as by several velocity vector plots. Kinetic results are given in terms of the temporal variation in shear stresses along boundaries. The peak shears are found to occur at the zenith of the stenosis at times of peak flow: the value for the severe stenosis is twice as large as that for the mild stenosis. The midline pressure distribution in the trunk and the centerline pressure distributions in the branches are also included.

Carotid Arteries↗

A study of the effects of a transversely moving boundary on plane Poiseuille flow.

Numerical (finite-difference) solutions in vorticity-stream function variables using a nonorthogonal geometric transform are found for viscous flow through a plane channel in which a portion of the boundary oscillates to change the flow. Calculations were made for three rates of inflow and for three frequencies of oscillation. The boundary pumpage relative to inflow decreased with inflow Karman number and with the oscillatory period of the boundary. The maximum shear stress, as indicated by the maximum vorticity, increased with Karman number and occurred when the boundary was in the maximum stenotic position. It did not change with boundary period except for the case when the period was the smallest. The channel pressure drop was significantly affected by the pumpage as well as the boundary nonuniformity.

Hemodynamics↗

Specific D-glucose transport in sarcolemma vesicles.

The sarcolemmal fraction prepared from rat skeletal muscle consists of osmotically active vesicles that accumulate D-glucose in preference to L-glucose, apparently by facilitated diffusion into intravesicular space. Stereospecific D-glucose uptake by these vesicles is a saturable rpocess, inhibited by phloridzin, by cytochalasin B, and by certain sugars, and enhanced by counterflow. An additional leak pathway permits entry of both D- and L-glucose into the vesicles. Stereospecific D-glucose transport by sarcolemmal vesicles is enhanced to a small extent by insulin, provided the hormone is administered prior to cell disruption. In membranes prepared from insulin-pretreated muscle, Ca2+ produces a small further enhancement. Local anesthetics preferentially inhibit stereospecific D-glucose transport. Apparent uptake of both D- and L-glucose is greater when vesicles are suspended in salt solutions rather than sucrose, an effect attributed to increased functional vesicular volume.

Anesthetics, Local↗

Catechol, a structural requirement for (Na+ + K+)-ATPase stimulation in rat skeletal muscle membrane.

1. Catecholamines can nearly double (Na+ + K+)-ATPase acts effect is not mediated by cyclic AMP and is not beta-adrenergic. 3. Orthodihydroxybenzene compounds and their orthoquinone derivatives enhance (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. 4. Enhancement of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity by catechols is not due to increased availability of ATP. 5. It is suggested that catechols and their orthoquinones somehow alter or protect the configuration of the enzyme so that it becomes more active or so protect the configuration of the enzyme so that it becomes more active or so that its activity is maintained under conditions in which its activity is otherwise diminished.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

beta-Adrenergic effect on Na+-K+ transport in rat skeletal muscle.

1. Intact rat extensor digitorum longus muscles soaked in L-isoproterenol plus 10(-5) M ouabain gained less sarcoplasmic Na+ than did muscles soaked in ouabain alone. Half maximal effect was produced by 10(-8) M L-isoproterenol. 2. D-Isoproterenol and oxidized L-isoproterenol were only 3 and 1%, respectively, as potent as L-isoproterenol. Other catechols tested had no effect. 3. The effect of L-isoproterenol on sarcoplasmic Na+ content appears to be a beta-adrenergic function in that it was blocked by propranolol, but not by phentolamine, and could be mimicked by dibutyryl cyclic AMP or by caffeine. 4. Reduced gain in sarcoplasmic Na+ was accompanied by reduced loss of sarcoplasmic K+. 5. L-Isoproterenol increased loss of sarcoplasmic Na+ in the absence of ouabain, in muscles recovering from cold treatment. 6. Results suggest that the beta-adrenergic system stimulates a coupled Na-K+ pump. 7. A model is proposed in which stimulation of the Na+-K+ pump in response to beta-adrenergic agents involves a number of intermediate steps, identified tentatively.

Animals↗