Biomedical subjects

M F Chen

Publications and source records attributed to M F Chen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1995

Dobutamine stress echocardiography predicts early wall motion improvement after elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

In 24 patients with chronic coronary artery disease, dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) was performed within 2 days before and after successful elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in a blinded fashion. Patients with ischemic response on DSE before PTCA had significant improvement in the global peak-dose DSE score index after PTCA (1.62 +/- 0.35 to 1.40 +/- 0.29, p < 0.001), whereas patients without ischemic response had no improvement. The positive and negative predictive values of pre-PTCA DSE on early myocardial ischemia relief after angioplasty were 93% and 80%, respectively. In patients showing contractility recruitment during low-dose dobutamine infusion in the DSE before PTCA, there was significant improvement in the global resting wall motion score index in the DSE after PTCA (1.48 +/- 0.43 to 1.34 +/- 0.33, p = 0.004), while patients without contractility recruitment showed no improvement. Again, the positive and negative predictive values of pre-PTCA DSE on early hibernation recovery following angioplasty were 80% and 89%, respectively. In conclusion, DSE in patients with chronic, stable coronary artery disease accurately predicts wall motion improvement after successful angioplasty, and the expected improvement is safely demonstrated early after the procedure.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Radical scavenger and antihepatotoxic activity of Ganoderma formosanum, Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma neo-japonicum.

The free radical scavenging and antihepatotoxic activity from Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma formosanum and Ganoderma neo-japonicum were studied. Treatment with the water extract of Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma formosanum and Ganoderma neo-japonicum caused a marked decrease in the CCl4-induced toxicity in rat liver, made evident by their effect on the levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in the serum. The scavenging potency of the water extracts of the crude drugs was evaluated in terms of their ability to reduce the peaks of spin adducts using electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping techniques. The results indicated that Ganoderma formosanum showed the greatest antihepatotoxic activity and the greatest free radical scavenging activity.

Alanine Transaminase↗

PubMed1995

Developmental anomalies suggestive of the human homologue of the mouse mutant disorganization.

We describe a 21-week-old fetus with a pattern of multiple congenital anomalies suggestive of the human homologue of the mouse mutant disorganization (Ds). Manifestations included facial asymmetry, thick eye brows, micrognathia, apparently lowset ears, an enormous abdominal wall defect, severe kyphoscoliosis, camptodactyly of the fingers, complete absence of the left lower limb, and absence of the lower part of the sacrum and coccyx, as well as left side of the pelvis. There was a disorganized appearance of the right foot with supernumerary digits and appendages and talipes equinovarus. No obvious amniotic bands or oligohydramnios were noted. Similar cases in the literature are reviewed and the clinical significance to genetic counselling is emphasized.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Plasma and red blood cell thiamine deficiency in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of plasma thiamine deficiency in patients referred to a memory disorder clinic and to compare plasma thiamine levels with red blood cell (RBC) thiamine levels. To determine if patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT) differ from those without SDAT in either plasma or RBC thiamine levels. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Ambulatory care referral center. PATIENTS: Consecutive sample of 34 patients; 17 patients who met the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria for probable Alzheimer's disease and 17 patients with other forms of dementia. METHODS: Plasma and RBC thiamine levels were determined in all patients with the use of a microbiologic assay known for its specificity to biological forms of thiamine. Vitamin supplementation was determined by chart review. OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma and RBC thiamine levels. RESULTS: Patients with SDAT were found to have significantly lower plasma thiamine levels than patients without SDAT. Low plasma thiamine levels were detected in a significantly larger proportion of patients with SDAT than in patients without SDAT. Red blood cell thiamine levels did not correlate with the clinical diagnosis of SDAT. Vitamin supplementation did not correlate with diagnosis and plasma or RBC thiamine levels. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients with SDAT may have a thiamine deficiency, which may have an impact on cognitive function. Currently used assays may not be adequate to assess thiamine status.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Hepatocellular carcinoma in a pregnant woman detected by routine screening of maternal alpha-fetoprotein.

A 26-year-old pregnant woman was diagnosed as having hepatocellular carcinoma at 16 weeks of gestation when extremely high levels of alpha-fetoprotein were found on a routine screening examination. The pregnancy was terminated, and a right hepatectomy was performed. Although such cases are rare, this one suggests that early measurement of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein in a pregnant woman with hepatitis B surface antigenemia may allow the timely detection of a hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abortion, Induced↗

PubMed1995

Reversible tracheal obstruction in the fetal sheep: effects on tracheal fluid pressure and lung growth.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) continues to carry high morbidity and mortality. A number of treatment modalities including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and in utero repair have improved the mortality rate only minimally. With this condition, there is often insufficient lung mass at birth and persistent pulmonary hypertension postnatally. Experimental fetal tracheal ligation has been shown to increase lung growth in utero and to reduce the hernial contents in CDH. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of reversible fetal tracheal occlusion on tracheal pressure and lung development. Nine fetal sheep were divided into two groups. Group 1 had intratracheal balloons placed, and the balloons were left inflated for 21 to 28 days. Group 2 consisted of littermates that served as controls. They either had uninflated balloons placed or were left unoperated. Tracheal pressure measurements were recorded periodically, and the amniotic fluid pressure served as a reference. The animals were killed near term, and the lungs, heart, and liver were weighed and corrected for body weight. Standard morphometry was used to compare the lungs further, and the lung DNA and protein content were measured. Tracheal damage from the balloon catheter also was assessed. The tracheal pressure was 3.85 (+/- .49 SE) mm Hg in experimental animals, and it averaged -0.27 (+/- .27 SE) mm Hg in controls (P < .0001). Tracheal occlusion increased lung weight and volume by two to three times (P < .0001 and P < .0006, respectively) while heart and liver weights remained similar to those of controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMed1995

Fish oil supplementation attenuates myointimal proliferation of the abdominal aorta after balloon injury in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

The effects of supplementing with fish oil on the myointimal proliferation of the abdominal aorta after balloon injury were studied in control and in rabbits fed a 1% cholesterol-enriched diet, with and without 10% fish oil supplementation. Twenty-one animals in each group underwent a balloon injury of the abdominal aorta and left common iliac artery after 2 weeks of feeding. The animals remained on their respective diets thereafter. In 7 balloon-injured and 7 sham-operated animals of each group, the abdominal aorta was harvested 3 days later for the analysis of prostanoids, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase activity, [3H]thymidine uptake, and cholesterol levels. In the other 7 balloon-injured rabbits of each group, the tissue was harvested 3 weeks later for morphometric study. The fish oil-treated rabbits had the lowest aortic production of thromboxane B2 levels and the highest 6-keto-PGF1 alpha/thromboxane B2 ratios among the three groups after balloon injury. The aortic malondialdehyde levels of the cholesterol-fed rabbits were significantly higher than the other two groups (each P < 0.001) independent of balloon injury. The myointimal proliferation of the abdominal aorta and left common iliac artery in the fish oil-treated rabbits was less severe than in the cholesterol-fed animals (both P < 0.001) and was comparable with the controls. These results suggest that a fish oil supplement changes prostanoid metabolism to a favorable pattern and reduces lipid peroxidation on the abdominal aortic wall, thus attenuating myointimal proliferation after balloon injury in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

PubMed1995

Scavenging effects of Mallotus repandus on active oxygen species.

The active oxygen species scavenging potencies of Mallotus repandus (Willd.) Muell.-Arg. extracts were evaluated by the electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping technique. Superoxide radical (O2.-) and hydroxyl radical (OH.) were supplied enzymatically from hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase (HPX-XOD) reaction and hydrogen peroxide-ferrous sulfate (Fenton reaction), respectively, to the assay system. The ethyl acetate fraction of Mallotus repandus (stem) showed the greatest superoxide radical scavenger activity and the n-hexane fraction of Mallotus repandus (stem as well as root) the greatest hydroxyl radical scavenger activity.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed1995

Percutaneous trans-hepatic cholangioscopic lithotomy for hepatolithiasis: long-term results.

A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the long-term results of percutaneous trans-hepatic cholangioscopic lithotomy in 48 patients with hepatolithiasis during a 4- to 10-year follow-up period. Complete clearance of the intrahepatic stones was achieved in 40 patients (83.3%). In these 40 patients, long-term results during the follow-up period were as follows: free of symptoms and without evidence of recurrent stones, 22 patients (55%); free of symptoms with recurrent stones, 2 patients; recurrent stones with cholangitis, 14 patients (35%); symptoms of cholangitis without evidence of recurrent stones, 2 patients. Of those patients with recurrent stones, secondary biliary cirrhosis developed in 1, and in 9 of the patients in whom secondary cholangitis developed, subsequent laparotomy or percutaneous drainage was required. Three of the 40 patients (7.5%) died within the 4- to 10-year follow-up period. The procedural failure rate in terms of stone retention was 20.5% for patients with bile duct strictures. No stones were retained in patients without strictures. The postprocedural rate of stone recurrence for patients with bile duct strictures was 51.6%; no recurrence was seen in patients without strictures.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Cruciferous vegetables and glutathione: their effects on colon mucosal glutathione level and colon tumor development in rats induced by DMH.

The effect of a diet containing 10-40% lyophilized cabbage or broccoli as cruciferous vegetable or 10-40% lyophilized potato as noncruciferous vegetable fed for 14 days on the colon mucosal glutathione (GSH) level was studied in male rats. The GSH levels of the duodenum mucosa and the liver were also measured. Cabbage and broccoli enhanced the colon and duodenum mucosal GSH levels in a dose-related manner; potato had no effect. All three vegetables had no effect on the liver GSH level. The effect of GSH on colon tumorigenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) was also examined in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with DMH (20 mg/kg body wt) weekly for 20 weeks. DMH lowered the colon mucosal GSH level. GSH (100 mg/day/rat) dissolved in the drinking water and given to rats during and after DMH injections had little or no effect on tumor incidence and total number of colon tumors. Tumors were larger in rats that received GSH than in those that received water. This study shows that the colon mucosal GSH level can be enhanced by feeding rats a diet high in cabbage or broccoli and that GSH added to the drinking water did not affect DMH-induced colon tumorigenesis under the experimental conditions used.

1,2-Dimethylhydrazine↗

PubMed1995

Surgical management of juxtahepatic venous injuries in blunt hepatic trauma.

The purpose of this analysis was to understand better the problems faced in the management of blunt juxtahepatic venous injuries and to try and simplify the controversies regarding the optimal surgical approach to these injuries. Charts of 92 blunt liver trauma patients treated between July 1, 1991 to June 30, 1993 were reviewed. Nineteen patients with blunt juxtahepatic venous injuries were identified. The isolated left hepatic vein injury group (five patients) were all treated using a nonshunting approach with no mortalities. Half of the isolated right hepatic vein injury group (ten patients) received an atriocaval shunt, and the other half did not. These two different approaches each produced one survivor, with a combined mortality rate of 80% (eight of ten patients). One of the combined injuries group (four patients) received a total hepatectomy followed by liver transplantation. Another received a shunt. The other two were treated without shunting, but all of them expired. The overall mortality rate was 63.2% (12 of 19 patients), with nine patients dying intraoperatively or immediately postoperatively from exsanguination. The other three died 10, 25, and 30 days postoperatively because of sepsis. Juxtahepatic venous injury should be suspected after failure of the Pringle maneuver to stop bleeding and the different venous injuries differentiated by palpation of the adjacent hepatic parenchymal injuries. If an isolated left hepatic vein injury is found and the liver parenchymal injury is limited to segments II, III, or IV, then a nonshunting approach will achieve the optimal outcome.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Necrosis of the colon as a complication of cardiac injury: case report.

Necrosis of the colon as a complication of cardiac injury is very rare. A 21-year-old young man was sent to the emergency room with shock status because of a stabbing wound penetrating into the heart. The patient survived after cardiopulmonary resuscitation, emergency sternotomy, and cardiac repair. Necrosis of the colon occurred 11 days after the accident.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Studies on Taiwan folk medicine, thang-kau-tin (II): Measurement of active oxygen scavenging activity using an ESR technique.

Using an electron spin resonance (ESR) technique, we measured the superoxide radical (O2) and hydroxyl radical (OH) scavenging activity from Mallotus repandus (Willd.) Muell.-Arg., Bauhinia championii Benth., Uncaria hirsuta Haviland and Uncaria rhynchophylla Miquel. O2- and OH were detected as spin adducts of spin traps 5,5-dimethylpyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). The scavenging potencies of water extracts of crude drugs were evaluated in terms of their ability to reduce the peaks of spin adducts. The extract of B. championii showed the greatest superoxide radical and hydroxyl radical scavenger activity.

Ascorbic Acid↗

PubMed1995

The anti-inflammatory effects of Chinese crude drug prescriptions on experimental arthritis.

San-Miao-Warn (SMW), Tuhwo-Jih-Shen-Tang (TJS) and Dang-Quei-Nian-Tong-Tang (DGT) are Chinese traditional prescriptions. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities of these crude drug prescriptions in carrageenan-induced acute arthritis and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced chronic arthritis in rats. It was found that pretreatment with SMW, TJS or DGT at a dosage of 100 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg, significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced acute arthritis. Moreover, these crude drugs also significantly suppressed the development of chronic arthritis induced by CFA. These results suggest that SMW, TJS and DGT are potential anti-inflammatory agents and may be considered as alternatives for non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID).

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1995

Anomalous origin of left circumflex artery in a scimitar syndrome. A case report.

This report concerns a twenty-seven-year-old woman with scimitar syndrome of abnormal origin of the left circumflex artery from the pulmonary artery. Operation was performed to redirect the abnormal venous return to the left atrium and abnormal origin of the left circumflex artery to the aorta. Unfortunately, pulmonary hypertension with hemoptysis occurred nineteen months after the operation. A second angiogram showed total occlusion of the graft to the left circumflex artery and impaired left ventricle function, rather than thrombosis of the anastomosis to the scimitar vein, as the cause of pulmonary hypertension.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Comparison for four techniques of catheter insertion in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare four different ways of implanting catheters for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in an effort to reduce the incidence of complications. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Taiwan. SUBJECTS: 166 Patients who had 180 catheters inserted between 1985 and 1993. INTERVENTIONS: 49 Catheters were inserted through midline incisions (in 24 of which the catheter was fixed with an additional suture) and 131 were inserted through paramedian incisions (in 88 of which the catheter was fixed with an additional suture). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Morbidity, particularly the incidence of migration of the catheter and incisional hernia. RESULTS: 8/68 Catheters migrated in patients in whom no additional fixing suture had been used, compared with 2/112 in whom an additional suture had been used (p = 0.007). There were 4 incisional hernias in 49 midline, compared with 0/131 paramedian, incisions (p < 0.0001). Significantly more catheters had to be removed after midline than after paramedian incisions (35/49 compared with 56/131, p = 0.0008); chi square for independence 15.02, df 3, p = 0.0018. CONCLUSION: For the implantation of catheters for CAPD the paramedian incision is associated with significantly fewer complications than the midline incision and the incidence is even lower if the catheter is fixed to the lower peritoneum with an additional suture.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Clinical experience with hepatic resection for ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous rupture of a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an uncommon but fatal complication of this disease. Surgical treatment is aimed at controlling the intraperitoneal hemorrhage, which has been achieved by hepatectomy, hepatic arterial ligation, packing and suturing. However, hemostasis obtained by hepatic arterial ligation, packing and suturing is not particularly effective, and the rebleeding rate is high. Information on hepatectomy for ruptured HCC is sparse, and we therefore reviewed our experience with hepatic resection for this potentially fatal complication. METHOD: The clinicopathological features of 23 patients with ruptured HCC who underwent hepatectomy during the past 15 years were reviewed. Morbidity, mortality and survival rates were analyzed. RESULTS: Effective hemo-stasis was achieved by hepatectomy. Indications for operative treatment were acute abdomen necessitating immediate laparotomy in 12, and spontaneous hemoperitoneum in 11. Types of hepatectomy included left hemihepatectomy in 3, lateral segmentectomy in 6 and local excision in 14. Liver cirrhosis was the concomitant disease in 13 (56.5%). Hospital mortality rate was 4.3%. 1, 2, 3, and 5 year survival rates were 60%, 52%, 40.5% and 26.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic resection is the treatment of choice for ruptured HCC. Long-term survival can be observed in a few patients without recurrence.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Two hundred five consecutive patients who underwent hepatic resection in 15 years.

OBJECTIVES: To report the results of our investigation of the postoperative intrahepatic recurrent rates and the patterns of recurrence and to determine the factors that influenced these patterns of recurrence. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. PATIENTS: Between 1977 and 1991, 162 men and 43 women with hepatocellular carcinoma underwent hepatic resection. RESULTS: The surgical mortality rate was 4.4%. Of the 196 patients who were discharged from the hospital, 114 have since died and 20 were not available for follow-up. The overall cumulative recurrent rates for the last 5 years (1987 through 1991) were 59.7%, 65.0%, 76.5%, 77.0%, and 79.7%, respectively. Eighty patients experienced intrahepatic recurrence. Of these, 21 (26.2%) had recurrence near the resected stump, 43 (53.8%) had a single nodular recurrence in the remnant liver, and 16 (20%) had wide-spread multinodular recurrence. The patients with resected margins of less than 1 cm in diameter had relatively higher recurrence rates than those with resected margins of greater than 1 cm in diameter. All recurrences were noted within 3 years of the resection. The preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were directly related to the length of time to recurrence (ie, the higher the serum alpha-fetoprotein level, the sooner the recurrence). CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative intrahepatic remnant rate is very high; 80% by 5 years after resection. The preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein level and adequacy of the cut margin significantly influenced the recurrence rate.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗