Biomedical subjects
N Kang
Publications and source records attributed to N Kang.
Expression of CD158b on peripheral blood lymphocytic cell after kidney transplantation.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of CD158b on peripheral blood lymphocytes after kidney transplantation. METHODS: Sixty two kidney transplant patients were divided into two groups (normal group and rejection group) according to pathologic results and clinical situation. Blood samples were assessed for percentage of CD3+; CD19+; CD3-CD16/56+; CD3+CD158b+; CD19+CD158b+, and CD3-CD16/56+CD158b+ subsets. RESULTS: The percentages of CD3+ cells preop as well as at 1 and 7 postoperative and the day acute rejection happened were 60.06 +/- 4.67, 40.43 +/- 4.11, 31.67 +/- 4.04, and 39.21 +/- 5.20, respectively. The percentages of CD3-CD16/56+ were 21.65 +/- 1.79, 33.84 +/- 5.45, 38.10 +/- 4.86, and 39.53 +/- 4.80, respectively. The percentages of CD3+CD158b+ were 1.46 +/- 0.31, 1.88 +/- 0.70, 2.03 +/- 1.04, and 0.65 +/- 0.12, respectively. The percentages of CD3-CD16/56+CD158b+ were 5.87 +/- 1.24, 3.57 +/- 0.57, 2.82 +/- 0.45, and 1.60 +/- 0.33, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of CD3+ cells in the normal and the rejection groups decreased significantly. The percentages of CD158b+T cells decreased significantly after acute rejection. The percentage of CD158b+NK cells decreased significantly after kidney transplantation, decreasing gradually after acute rejection. The percentage of CD158b+ total T cells decreased significantly following acute rejection. The percentage of CD3-CD16/56+CD158b+ of total NK cells decreased significantly after kidney transplantation and after acute rejection. Because few factors interfere with the expression of CD158b on NK cells, monitoring of this marker may be accurate and sensitive.
Successful ECT in a patient with an orbital cavernous hemangioma.
There are no cases in the literature describing the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in a patient with an intraorbital vascular mass. We report the clinical course of a 69-year-old female with a cavernous hemangioma of the left orbit who was successfully treated with ECT for major depressive disorder. There were no apparent effects on the orbital hemangioma as a result of ECT-related blood pressure elevations measured up to 195/90 mm Hg despite pretreatment with intravenous esmolol. Modulation of ECT-related cardiovascular changes in the presence of intracranial or intraorbital vascular masses remains advisable to reduce the risk of an adverse vascular event during ECT. The use of propofol anesthesia appears to be preferable in such cases.
Miniplate fixation for avulsion injuries of the flexor digitorum profundus insertion.
This article describes the use of a miniplate and cortical screws in the treatment of five cases of flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon avulsion. One case was type II, three cases were type III and one case was type IV. Near normal joint congruity was restored together with bony union in all cases. Six months after surgery four cases had near normal range of motion at the distal interphalangeal joint compared with the contralateral uninjured finger. These four patients were to return to their previous activities without restriction by 3 months. One repair of a type III avulsion ruptured but the distal interphalangeal joint was pain free and stable and the patient declined further surgery. Miniplate fixation offers some advantages over existing methods of repair and adds to the range of techniques available for reattachment of the FDP tendon in these injuries.
Plastic surgery research in the UK.
There is no single source of information on plastic surgery research in the UK. We sought to compile such information from a survey of trainees and consultants, and present an overview of the research activity, the number and designation of those engaged in research, sources of funds, principal areas of investigation and the perceived future for research.
Intramural aortic hematoma syndrome.
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Use of the Medtronic Freestyle valve as a right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit.
BACKGROUND: We have used the Medtronic Freestyle bioprosthesis as a right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit recently in an attempt to overcome some of the problems associated with homografts and stented xenografts. The aim of this study was to review the performance of this prosthesis. METHODS: Prospectively collected data for patients having Freestyle bioprostheses implanted as a right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit were reviewed to assess clinical outcome and echocardiographic results. RESULTS: Thirteen patients aged 13 days to 22.5 years (median, 7.9 years) underwent either primary repair (n = 5) or change of conduit (n = 8) using the Freestyle bioprosthesis. One neonate with truncus arteriosus died postoperatively of pulmonary hypertension. One conduit was explanted 27 months after repair of neonatal truncus arteriosus. There has been no incidence of significant prosthetic regurgitation, thromboembolism, or endocarditis at mean follow-up of 10.1 months (range, 2 weeks to 29 months). CONCLUSIONS: The Medtronic Freestyle valve is a reliable pulmonary valve substitute in the short term. Early results justify continued clinical use of the device in this setting with close follow-up.
As originally published in 1993. Localized supravalvar aortic stenosis: a new technique for repair. Updated in 2001.
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Preoperative intraaortic balloon pumps in high-risk patients undergoing open heart surgery.
BACKGROUND: The use of the preoperative intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction or unstable angina with critical coronary anatomy is becoming more frequent as surgical casemix changes. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of preoperative IABP use on survival in high-risk patients having open heart surgery. METHODS: Prospectively collected data for 645 consecutive patients were reviewed. Patients receiving an IABP were identified and grouped as follows: group A (preoperative IABP for high-risk nonemergent cases), group B (preoperative IABP for emergent cases), and group C (intra/postoperative IABP). Risk-adjusted hospital mortality rates in these three groups was compared using the modified Parsonnet score for preoperative risk stratification. RESULTS: IABPs were used in 101 cases (16%). The predicted versus actual hospital mortality rate was 20% versus 5.7% in group A, 32.1% versus 47.6% in group B, and 12.6% versus 22.2% in group C (group A vs group B, p = 0.0014; group A vs group C, p = 0.012). IABP-related morbidity occurred in 3% of cases (all in group C). CONCLUSIONS: Risk-adjusted mortality was significantly lower in high-risk cases with preoperative IABPs compared with emergent cases and intraoperative/postoperative IABPs. We encourage the use of preoperative IABPs in selected high-risk patients.
Congenital absence of the juncturae tendini contributing to dislocation of the extensor tendons.
We report a patient with bilateral congenital absence of the juncturae tendini who developed dislocation of the extensor tendons of the long and ring fingers of both hands. Reconstruction of the juncturae tendini restored extensor function. We describe our technique and the results 9 months after surgery.
Massive pulmonary embolus complicating left atrial myxoma.
Atrial myxomas may present with a classic triad of constitutional symptoms, embolic events, and intracardiac obstruction (1). We report a case of a massive pulmonary thromboembolus complicating a left atrial myxoma in the absence of an atrial or ventricular septal defect.
An enhanced linkage map of the sheep genome comprising more than 1000 loci.
A medium-density linkage map of the ovine genome has been developed. Marker data for 550 new loci were generated and merged with the previous sheep linkage map. The new map comprises 1093 markers representing 1062 unique loci (941 anonymous loci, 121 genes) and spans 3500 cM (sex-averaged) for the autosomes and 132 cM (female) on the X chromosome. There is an average spacing of 3.4 cM between autosomal loci and 8.3 cM between highly polymorphic [polymorphic information content (PIC) > or = 0.7] autosomal loci. The largest gap between markers is 32.5 cM, and the number of gaps of > 20 cM between loci, or regions where loci are missing from chromosome ends, has been reduced from 40 in the previous map to 6. Five hundred and seventy-three of the loci can be ordered on a framework map with odds of > 1000 : 1. The sheep linkage map contains strong links to both the cattle and goat maps. Five hundred and seventy-two of the loci positioned on the sheep linkage map have also been mapped by linkage analysis in cattle, and 209 of the loci mapped on the sheep linkage map have also been placed on the goat linkage map. Inspection of ruminant linkage maps indicates that the genomic coverage by the current sheep linkage map is comparable to that of the available cattle maps. The sheep map provides a valuable resource to the international sheep, cattle, and goat gene mapping community.
Two-stage reconstruction of bilateral alveolar cleft using Y-shaped anterior-based tongue flap and iliac bone graft.
OBJECTIVE: When an alveolar cleft is too large to close with adjacent mucobuccal flaps or large secondary fistula following a primary bilateral palatoplasty exists, a one-stage procedure for bone grafting becomes challenging. In such a case, we have used the tongue flap to repair the fistula and cleft alveolus followed by bone grafting to the cleft defect performed several months later. The purpose of this article is to report on our experiences with the use of an anteriorly based Y-shaped tongue flap to fit the palatal and labial alveolar defects and on the ultimate result of the bone graft. PATIENTS: A series of 14 patients were treated with this approach from January 1994 to December 1998. The average age of the patients was 15.8 years (range 5 to 28 years). The mean period of follow-up following the second stage bone graft operation was 45.9 months (range 9 to 68 months). In 9 of the 14 patients, the long-fork type of a Y-shaped tongue flap was used for extended coverage of the labial-side alveolar defects with the palatal fistula; in the remaining patients, the short-forked design was used. RESULTS: All patients demonstrated a good clinical result after the initial repair of cleft alveolus and palatal fistula. There was no fistula recurrence, although partial necrosis of distal margin in long-forked tongue flap occurred in one patient. Furthermore, the bone graft, which was performed an average of 8 months after the tongue flap repair, was always successful. Occasionally, transferred tongue tissue bulging interfered with the hygienic care of nearby teeth; however, these problems could be solved with proper contour-plasty performed afterward. No donor site complications such as sensory disturbance, change in taste, limitations in tongue movement, normal speech impairments, or tongue disfigurement were encountered. CONCLUSION: This two-stage reconstruction of a bilateral cleft alveolus using a Y-shaped tongue flap and iliac bone graft was very successful. It may be indicated for a bilateral cleft alveolus patient in which the direct closure of the cleft defect with adjacent tissue or the buccal flap is not easy because of scarred fibrotic mucosa and accompanied residual palatal fistula.
[Effect of crystallization and branch on fine structure of orthorhombic in polyethylene].
The CH2 rocking bands are used as a probe to monitor the crystalline behavior of polyethylene segments in a series of poly (ethylene-octene) copolymers. High resolution and cryogenic FTIR spectra reveal that different composition and/or crystalline condition of the copolymers result in significant variation on the CH2 rocking bands including the change in peak position, band width and A730/A720. We conclude that side chain in the copolymer can influence the structure of the orthorhombic polyethylene crystallite although they can not enter the crystal lattice.
Linkage mapping of goat ChirUCO, LSCV and SR-CRSP microsatellites in sheep.
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Sentinel lymph node biopsy in malignant melanoma: a series of 100 consecutive patients.
A consecutive cohort of 100 patients who had undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was analysed retrospectively. Three areas were studied: success in finding the sentinel node(s); complications of the procedure; and extra costs incurred by SLNB. The sentinel node(s) were successfully identified in 98% of the lymph node basins biopsied. The overall complication rate was 33%. The additional cost of the procedure was estimated at 1420 pounds sterling per patient. SLNB can reliably identify the sentinel node. However there is a significant complication rate of the technique and considerable additional costs. SLNB requires further critical evaluation before it can be accepted as a standard treatment for patients with malignant melanoma.
The real ring constriction syndrome.
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Altered heart rate and blood pressure variability in mice lacking the Mas protooncogene.
Heart rate variability is a relevant predictor of cardiovascular risk in humans. A significant genetic influence on heart rate variability is suggested, although the genes involved are ill-defined. The Mas-protooncogene encodes a G-protein-coupled receptor with seven transmembrane domains highly expressed in testis and brain. Since this receptor is supposed to interact with the signaling of angiotensin II, which is an important regulator of cardiovascular homeostasis, heart rate and blood pressure were analyzed in Mas-deficient mice. Using a femoral catheter the blood pressure of mice was measured for a period of 30 min and 250 data values per second were recorded. The mean values and range of heart rate and blood pressure were then calculated. Neither heart rate nor blood pressure were significantly different between knockout mice and controls. However, high resolution recording of these parameters and analysis of the data by non-linear dynamics revealed significant alterations in cardiovascular variability in Mas-deficient animals. In particular, females showed a strong reduction of heart rate variability. Furthermore, the data showed an increased sympathetic tone in knockout animals of both genders. The marked alterations detected in Mas-deficient mice of both genders suggest that the Mas-protooncogene is an important determinant of heart rate and blood pressure variability.