PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M S Huang

Publications and source records attributed to M S Huang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Ultrasonography of chest diseases: analysis of 154 cases.

Sonographic characteristics of various chest diseases in 154 cases were analysed according to margin of the lesion, internal echogenecity, posterior echo enhancement, air bronchogram etc. We intended to present the basic sonographic patterns of common chest diseases. The study included 10 normal cases, 10 cases with lung abscesses, 31 cases of pneumonia, 24 cases of tumors, 11 cases of obstructive atelectasis, 8 cases of pleuropericarcadial effusions, 10 cases of minimal effusions, 6 cases with pleural thickening, 32 cases of massive pleural effusion with simple compression atelectasis and 12 cases of pneumonia with parapneumonic effusion. Sonographically, normal lung showed hyperechoic zone beneath the chest wall. Identification of arc or ring-shaped wall favored lung abscess. Air bronchogram could only be found in pneumonia. Mass showed various internal echogenecity. The internal echogenecity in obstructive atelectasis was very homogeneous which could not be found in tumor. Pleural thickening showed linear hyperechogenecity beneath the chest wall. In minimal effusion, the line of the diaphragm could be easily identified. Pleuropericardial effusion could be easily diagnosed by chest sonography. The line of the pericarcadium could be clearly identified. The internal echogenecity of massive effusion were various. The internal echogenecity of simple compression atelectasis showed very homogeneous hyperdense internal echogenecity. The internal echogenecity of lung parenchyma in pneumonia with parapneumonic effusion was similar to that of pneumonia. Obstructive atelectasis, mass, consolidation and encapsulated effusion could be differentiated by chest sonography without much difficulty. Sonography could aid chest radiography by giving more morphologic information and was cheaper than computed tomography.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Flow cytometric analysis of DNA in esophageal cancer].

Malignancy is the first of the ten leading causes of death in Taiwan area, however, since 1978, esophageal cancer is on the first ten causes of malignancy. Esophageal cancer is an aggressive neoplasm with a generally poor prognosis. This is usually related to the advanced stages of the neoplasm at presentation and at diagnosis. In this study, the DNA content in tumor was analyzed by flow cytometry, and compared it with clinical- pathological data, especially the survival time. All thirty seven cases (36 male, 1 female, mean age: 56.5 +/- 10.3 y/o) received operation at Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital in the past 11 years and 29 cases (27 male, 2 female, mean age: 62.2 +/- 9.6 y/o) proved to be esophageal cancer by endoscopic biopsy were assayed in this study. The formalin fixed-paraffin embedded block is used to analyze DNA content by flow cytometry. After comparing these results with clinical-pathological data, there were no significant difference in sex, age, duration, tumor location and length. However, there is a significant correlation between ploidy and tumor cell differentiation, that is, most of the diploid cells were well differentiated while most of the aneuploid cells were poorly differentiated. The median survival time of diploid cases was 325 days which was longer than the 277 days in aneuploid group, but there was no significant difference between these two groups. The same result was noticed in DNA index. Multiple variables analysis of prognostic factors disclosed that there were significant difference in correation with age tumor location tumor length, and whether there was combined radiotherapy and operation. But there were no significant relationship between survival and DNA ploidy DNA index distant metastasis surrounding tissue invasion sex duration and tumor cell differentiation. These data suggest that DNA folw cytometry analysis alone, may not provide a sueful biologic basis for the variable prognosis seen with esophageal tumors.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Flow cytometric DNA analysis of pleural effusions.

A total of 71 cases of pleural effusion in patients with and without cancer were analyzed by conventional cytology and flow cytometry (FCM) in order to detect cells with an abnormal DNA content (aneuploidy). For cytologic examination, the samples were prepared using standard techniques. Sample for FCM analysis were centrifuged and exposed to hypotonic solution containing detergent and propidium iodide. Thirty-eight patients had pleural effusion due to benign disease, whilst 33 patients had primary lung cancer. All 38 patients with benign pleural effusions showed FCM diploidy. There were 17 aneuploidy (52%) and 16 diploidy (48%) in the 33 patients with lung cancer by FCM analysis. Four of these 33 effusions were cytologically negative, however, FCM showed aneuploidy in 2 of these 4 patients. Based on these results, FCM analysis combined with conventional cytopathology yielded 100% specificity, 94% sensitivity and 100% predictive value of positive result. There were no false-positive results but 2 false-negative results. These findings suggest that FCM is a rapid and useful technique in the analysis of pleural effusion and can be a very useful adjunct to conventional cytopathology.

DNA↗
PubMed1992

Surgical treatment of diaphragmatic eventration in adults.

Surgical intervention of diaphragmatic eventration is urgent and life-saving in infants but is rarely in adults. In the past 22 years, Seven adults with diaphragmatic eventration were encountered at the Division of thoracic surgery, Dept. of surgery, VGH, Taipei. The age on diagnosis ranged from 32 to 65 years with mean of 44 years old. Male and left diaphragm were more frequently affected (6 men, 1 woman; 6 left, 1 right). All of them received operation of plication. In spite of good immediate postoperative return of the diaphragms to normal position with clinical improvement found in all patients, 5 dyspneic patients were found to have gradual diaphragmatic rise or relapse of respiratory symptoms after repair. Diaphragmatic eventration could cause compression of lung by abdominal organs and reinforcement of diaphragm through plication might increase the diaphragm strength and diminish the clinical symptoms. Yet according to our series, we recommend surgical intervention is only for existence of distress stemmed from it and unresponsive to medical therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Management of liver trauma in adults: the results of selective nonoperative management and operative treatment].

The liver trauma is still one of the major injury in thoracoabdominal trauma, with increasing numbers and incidence in Taiwan. There is a trend toward a more conservative approach in the treatment of liver trauma. Nonoperative management for the stable patients with blunt liver trauma has been advocated in literature recently. In Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, forty-five patients with liver trauma have been admitted to Emergency Department after accident in past four years. Eighty-three percent of the trauma mechanism was blunt injury, and seventeen percent penetrating. There were ten patients selected as nonoperative management, and eight of them succeeded without operation. Retrospective analyzing various factors including age, trauma score, revised trauma score, injury severity score, amount of hemoperitoneum, blood loss and transfusion, morbidity and hospitalization, there are no statistic significances between nonoperative and operative groups, except that nonoperative group are less amount of blood transfusion. We suggest that the decision to treat the patient without laparotomy is not based on the degree of hemoperitoneum or the grade of liver injury, but rather on the stability of the patient. And further evaluation is needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Application of staining of nucleolar organizer regions in cytological smears of the bronchus.

An argyrophil technique for the staining nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) was applied to cytological preparations obtained from bronchoscopic brushing materials. The number of AgNOR has been thought to be related to cellular activation. To differentiate malignant cells from non-malignant atypical cells, this study was carried out in 20 cases of adenocarcinoma of the lung (mean AgNOR: 18.34), 12 cases of pulmonary inflammatory diseases (mean AgNOR: 6.54) and 10 normal bronchial epithelial specimens for control (mean AgNOR: 2.07). On the basis of AgNOR number, we could differentiate between the three groups. The differences observed were statistically highly significant (p less than 0.0001). Moreover, the nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) in cancer cells were found the more irregularly distributed and more variable in sized than those in atypical and normal bronchial columnar cells. We suggest that the AgNOR technique will find increasing application as a complementary test in diagnostic cytopathology.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Bronchoalveolar carcinoma: factors affecting survival.

One hundred thirty-four consecutive patients (65 men and 69 women) underwent pulmonary resection for bronchoalveolar carcinoma. Mean age was 65 years. Lobectomy was done in 100 patients, pneumonectomy in 10, segmentectomy in 5, and wedge excision in 19. Only 10 patients had lymph node metastases (7.5%). The neoplasm was solitary in 111 patients (82.8%); 97 were in stage I, 4 were in stage II, 9 were in stage IIIa, and 1 was in stage IIIb. There were two operative deaths (1.5%). Thirty-nine complications occurred in 31 patients. Median follow-up was 5.1 years. Recurrent bronchoalveolar carcinoma developed in 45 patients. Five- and 10-year survival for patients in stage I was 75.2% and 62.0%, respectively. Survival for patients with T1 N0 M0 neoplasms was identical to expected survival and was 90.5% at 5 years, as compared with 55.4% for patients with T2 N0 M0 disease, only 35.9% for patients with multiple bilateral disease, and 0.0% for patients with bilateral disease (p less than 0.0001). Other significant factors adversely affecting survival included the presence of signs and symptoms, diffuse malignant invasion, mucin-producing tumors, and the histological absence of scar. We conclude that bronchoalveolar carcinoma has a unique natural history that is more influenced by local neoplastic processes than by lymph node metastases. Early aggressive pulmonary resection is safe and offers the potential for cure. The presence of bilateral cancer, however, is ominous.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of pulmonary tuberculosis in younger and elderly patients.

Pulmonary tuberculosis remains a significant clinical and public health problem in the elderly population. To describe age-related differences in disease manifestations, a comparison of the clinical features, predisposing factors, diagnostic approaches and radiographic findings in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis among 52 young and 62 elderly patients was performed. The elderly patients had a higher number of underlying disease than younger patients (p less than 0.05). Prior to admission, symptoms occurring with equal frequency in both younger and elderly patients included coughing, malaise, and weight loss. Elderly patients had significantly higher incidences of negative reactions to the PPD test (p less than 0.05). Radiographic findings revealed that upper lung field infiltrates were still common in both groups, but the elderly had more severe lung field involvement (two or more lobes affected), and more frequent pleural reactions than younger patients (p less than 0.05). Since there were non-specific clinical features, false negative skin test and complex radiographic manifestations, tuberculosis was frequently not suspected in the differential diagnosis, especially among elderly patients with multiple medical problems. We suggest that physicians need to have a high level of suspicion and awareness of varied manifestations for tuberculosis, especially elderly patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Quantitative C-reactive protein in pulmonary infections.

A total of 207 cases were selected to evaluate the diagnostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP) in pulmonary infections. The mean +/- SD of CRP values in various pulmonary infections were as follows: 18.62 +/- 11.34 micrograms/ml for 32 cases of exudative-fibrotic tuberculosis; 15.98 +/- 16.66 micrograms/ml for 15 cases of tuberculous pneumonia; 25.61 +/- 18.96 micrograms/ml for 29 cases of tuberculous effusion; 16.66 +/- 10.18 micrograms/ml for 11 cases of tuberculous cavity; 81.1 +/- 24.9 micrograms/ml for 10 cases of miliary tuberculosis; 36.4 +/- 22.1 micrograms/ml for 19 cases of mycoplasmal pneumonia; 241 +/- 72 micrograms/ml for 38 cases of bacterial pneumonia; 225 +/- 65 micrograms/ml for 30 cases of bacterial pneumonia with effusion; 169 +/- 50 micrograms/ml for 16 cases of lung abscess. The CRP values of other pulmonary infections were as follows: 20.6, 20.8 micrograms/ml for two cases of Strongyloides stercoralis pneumonia; 7.4, 1.6 micrograms/ml for two cases of aspergilloma; 11.2, 12.4, 7.6 micrograms/ml for three cases of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Serial changes in CRP values in 13 cases of well-treated bacterial pneumonia showed that values of CRP decreased to below half of the initial value on the 3rd to 4th day, and returned to about normal value on the 10th to 13th day. The study suggested that: a) various types of infections had different levels of CRP values, b) level of CRP values was determined both by the pathogen and the severity of inflammation, c) serial CRP values in bacterial infection could be used as a guide in treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[The preliminary investigation of cholinesterase in depression].

In this paper the activity of blood cholinesterase and serum cholinesterase were reported in 32 depressions without physical disease. There were 20 males and 12 females. Prior to study none of the patients received antidepressants, lithium and antipsychotics or other therapies. The control group consisted of 43 normal healthy persons (male: 32, female: 11). The results showed that the mean activity unit of blood cholinesterase and serum cholinesterase were lower in major depression than in the control group. Particularly more lower in the activity of blood cholinesterase in patients with very severe depression and longer course of depression. The differences were statistically significant. Based on the review of literatures, some authors suggested that the low activity of blood cholinesterase would be consistent with the hypothesis, that depression is associated with reduced cholinesterase activity in the brain. The reason for the mechanism is not clear. Whether it is a biological marker of depression, this needs further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Diagnostic value of ferritin measurements in patients with pleural effusions.

The diagnostic value of ferritin measurements has been evaluated in 59 patients with pleural effusions (PE). The Mean(+/- standard error [SE]) PE-ferritin level was 1913 +/- 720 ng/ml in 10 patients with nonmalignant nontuberculous (nonTB) exudates (Group I), 594 +/- 110 ng/ml in 14 patients with TB effusions (Group II), 1286 +/- 194 ng/ml in 28 patients with malignant exudates (Group III), and 280 +/- 60 ng/ml in 7 patients with transudates (Group IV). Significant difference was found between Group II and Group III (p less than 0.05). The mean (+/- SE) ratio of PE/serum (PE/S) ferritin in Groups I, II, III, and IV was 3.5 +/- 1.1, 10.5 +/- 5.1, 4.9 +/- 1.0, and 2.0 +/- 0.7, respectively, and it showed no significant difference among Groups I, II, and III. There were good correlations between PE-ferritin and PE-LDH or S-ferritin, but no correlation between PE-ferritin and PE-protein. PE-ferritin revealed a considerable overlap among the exudative groups, and was of no value in the differentiation between malignant and nonmalignant (Group I + II) exudates. In the discrimination between exudates and transudates, the diagnostic accuracy (86%) of PE-ferritin was inferior to those (all 98%) of PE-protein, PE-LDH, PE/S protein ratio, and PE/S LDH ratio. Using PE-ferritin greater than or equal to 500 ng/ml in distinguishing malignant exudates from TB effusions, the sensitivity was 79%, specificity 57% and accuracy 71%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Learning enhancement and behavioral arousal induced by yohimbine.

Learning of a food motivated delayed reinforcement autoshaping task was investigated in rats treated with water vehicle or the prototypical anxiogenic agent and alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine (0.5 or 1.5 mg/kg, i.p. 30 min before behavioral testing). Unconditioned exploratory rearing activity was monitored concomitantly with acquisition of a lever touch response. The low dose of yohimbine enhanced learning, but it also increased unconditioned behavioral arousal. The high dose retarded acquisition, but when it was withdrawn the animals learned but exploratory activity increased beyond control levels prior to acquisition. Learning thus appeared to be related to the behavioral arousal produced by yohimbine, suggesting that learning enhancement by anxiogenic substances is not due to a direct effect on processes intrinsic to information storage and retrieval; rather, anxiogenic substances may be important modulators of vigilance and performance variables.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

[Thymolipoma].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Quantitative cytochemical differences between young and old patients with lung cancer.

In order to study differences in the tumor growth and frequency of metastases between younger and older patients with lung cancer, we investigated the nuclear DNA and nuclear protein according to age by means of cytophotometry after combined staining with Feulgen and Naphthol Yellow S. On the basis of Feulgen-Naphthol Yellow S staining method, 13 patients less than 40 years old and 16 patients older than 70 years were investigated. Our results showed no significant difference in nuclear DNA contents between young and old patients, but there were significantly higher nuclear protein contents (p less than 0.05) and nuclear protein to nuclear DNA (NP/DNA) ratios (p less than 0.001) in young patients than in old patients. This suggests that young patients may have higher tumor proliferation (high nuclear protein contents and NP/DNA ratios). The lower nuclear protein content and NP/DNA ratio of older cases is in keeping with the general phenomenon of slower tumor growth and less frequent metastases in such cases.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1983

Decoding embedded sentences and dichotic ear advantage.

This study concerns the relationship between the semantic as well as syntactic decoding abilities and language representation in cerebral hemispheres. Three groups varying in semantic-syntactic decoding ability (N = 32) were given a verbal dichotic listening test. Both the good semantic-good syntactic and the good semantic-poor syntactic groups showed a significant right ear advantage indicating a greater reliance on the left hemisphere for verbal process. The poor semantic-poor syntactic group showed no ear advantage on the dichotic task. This finding is interpreted as meaning that their speech representation is less lateralised than that of the other two groups. The implication of the findings in terms of the heuristic and algorithmic processes in language comprehension is then discussed.

Adolescent↗