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Biomedical subjects

T Hu

Publications and source records attributed to T Hu.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Treatment participation and outcome among problem drinkers in a managed care alcohol outpatient treatment program.

This article uses Markov analysis to investigate patterns of treatment participation of 361 patients treated in the alcohol and drug abuse programs of a large group model Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) to examine how participation is related to abstinence. Findings indicate that 82% of the patients in treatment one month after intake were in treatment three months later, and treatment retention dropped to 46% by month 6. Findings also indicate that 74% of patients abstinent and in treatment at month 1 remained so at month 3. Abstinence at the first three-month interval was a strong predictor of abstinence at later time periods. A multivariate analysis showed that an expressed desire to stop alcohol use upon entry into treatment was the most consistent predictor of both treatment participation and abstinence at most time points. Treatment participation was also a significant predictor of abstinence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

A capitated model for a cross-section of severely mentally ill clients: employment outcomes.

Employment outcomes are examined in a three year controlled study of two Integrated Service Agencies (ISAs) for a cross-section of severely mentally ill clients. At each site significantly more ISA members than comparison clients obtained some paid employment. At the urban site the difference was dramatic: 73 vs 15 percent worked during the study period, and 29 percent of the ISA clients worked competitively. The significant but still limited ISA results argue for increased employment opportunities for all seriously mentally ill clients.

California↗
PubMed1997

Cigarette taxation in China: lessons from international experiences.

This paper draws upon the experiences of foreign countries in implementing tobacco taxation to provide lessons the Chinese government can use when considering the feasibility of raising additional taxes on cigarettes. Based on current international data and Chinese published data, this paper concludes that there is still leeway to raise existing taxes. The Chinese government should consider conducting some pilot experiments in tobacco tax increases, with some of the new revenues allocated for tobacco control programmes as well as for financing healthcare services among the poor.

China↗
PubMed1997

[Micro-vitreoretinal surgery and silicone oil for treatment of perforating injuries with retinal detachments].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic value and effects of micro-vitreoretinal surgery (M-VRS), retinotomy and silicone oil (SiO) for perforating injuries with retinal detachment (PIRD). METHODS: 64 cases of PIRD were treated with M-VRS, retinotomies and SiO. RESULTS: The retina was totally reattached in 58 cases or a rate of 90.6%, which dropped to 73.5% in 3-15 months postoperatively. Visual acuity of 64.7% was counting fingers or better, and 17.6% > or = 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: This method can cure PIRD that were not cured with routine M-VRS, and 1/6 cases were out of blindness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[The mechanisms of antioxidantenzyme against inflammatory lesion in animal oral mucosa. I. An investigation on microcirculation in oral mucosa].

A technique of vital microcirculation observation and electron microscope were used to study the microcirculation in hamster cheek pouch, in which an acute inflammatory lesion was induced by oxygen free radicals (OFR). At the same time, the effect of superoxide dismutase (SOD) on the microcirculation was assessed. The results showed that in the model group the microcirculation disturbance in the cheek pouch was very serious. However, in the SOD group the microcirculation was almost unchangable.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Comparison of the activity for carbohydrate metabolism enzymes of plaque in different ages].

Plaque samples were collected from tooth surface by the sampling method in 28 volunteers (two groups, 14 young people, ages ranged from 19-26 years, mean: 22.29 years old; 14 old people, aged between 60-70 years, mean: 64.35 years old, DMFT > 3). The activity for three enzymes including amylases, LDH, GTF was tested by micro-chemistry enzyme analysis method. The results showed that there were no significant difference for the activity of three enzymes in two groups (P > 0.05). The finding suggests that dental plaque is a specific microecologic environment and cariogenic factor, age does not affect the activity of enzymes, plaque in different ages has similar cariogenicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Sex hormone receptors of hemangiomas in children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether or not estrogen receptor and other sex hormone receptors are present in hemangioma tissues of children. METHODS: Fifty-two specimens of hemangiomas were taken from 52 children. The specimens were doubly stained with hematoxylin-eosin and enzyme-linking affinity immunohistochemistry. The prepared tissue slides were observed under the microscope to search for estrogen receptors (ER), progestogen receptors (PR) and androgen receptors (AR) in all the cells. RESULTS: ER, PR and AR were detected in various kinds of hemangiomas. The mean positive cell rate of each sex hormone receptor in different hemangioma tissues revealed no significant distinction in statistics (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that hemangiomas are one of the target tissues of estrogen. Estrogen, ER, PR, and AR may play an important role in the growth and development of hemangiomas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Isolation and structure of prorocentrolide B, a fast-acting toxin from Prorocentrum maculosum.

A new toxin, prorocentrolide B (1), has been isolated following bioassay-guided fractionation of a BuOH extract of the tropical dinoflagellate, Prorocentrum maculosum Faust. This compound produces a rapid toxic response in the mouse bioassay, a type of activity not accounted for by other diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins produced by P. maculosum. The structure 1 was established by NMR and MS and is similar to prorocentrolide (2), a toxin from a strain of Prorocentrum lima. NMR data and the modeling program ConGen have been used to establish the relative stereochemistry of some individual ether ring systems and the hexahydroisoquinoline ring.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Molecular and functional characterization of the p62 complex, an assembly of nuclear pore complex glycoproteins.

Macromolecular trafficking across the nuclear envelope involves interactions between cytosolic transport factors and nuclear pore complex proteins. The p62 complex, an assembly of 62, 58, 54, and 45-kD O-linked glycoproteins-localized near the central gated channel of the nuclear pore complex, has been directly implicated in nuclear protein import. The cDNA cloning of rat p62 was reported previously. We have now carried out cDNA cloning of rat p58, p54, and p45. We found that p58 contains regions with FG (Phe, Gly) and PA (Pro, Ala) repeats at both its NH2 and COOH termini separated by a predicted alpha-helical coiled-coil region, while p54 has an NH2-terminal FG and PA repeat region and a COOH-terminal predicted coiled-coil region. p45 and p58 appear to be generated by alternative splicing, with p45 containing the NH2-terminal FG repeat region and the coiled-coil region of p58. Using immunogold electron microscopy, we found that p58/p45 and p54 are localized on both sides of the nuclear pore complex, like p62. Previous studies have shown that immobilized recombinant p62 can bind the cytosolic nuclear import factor NTF2 and thereby deplete transport activity from cytosol. We have now found that immobilized recombinant p58 and p54 also can deplete nuclear transport activity from cytosol, and that p62, p58, and p54 bind directly to the cytosolic nuclear import factors p97 and NTF2. At least in the case of p58, this involves FG repeat regions. Moreover, p58 can bind to a complex containing transport ligand, the nuclear localization sequence receptor (Srp1 alpha) and p97. These data support a model in which the p62 complex binds to a multicomponent particle consisting of transport ligand and cytosolic factors to achieve accumulation of ligand near the central gated channel of the nuclear pore complex.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Utilization of acute care services in the year before and after first stroke: A population-based study.

There is a need for accurate population-based data on the utilization of medical resources after stroke. The present study used the Rochester Stroke Registry to identify all Rochester, Minnesota residents with confirmed first stroke (hospitalized and nonhospitalized) during the period of 1987 to 1989 (n=292). Events were categorized by type of stroke and assigned Rankin severity. Inpatient and outpatient acute care activity for the 12 months before and after stroke for each individual were obtained from billing tapes provided by Mayo Clinic, Olmstead Medical Group, and affiliated hospitals. These providers account for >95% of acute care received by Rochester residents. The results showed that despite high poststroke mortality, total charges in the year after stroke were 3.4 times those for the previous year. Although greater than 50% of utilization in the year poststroke occurred within the first 30 days, mean monthly charges for acute care remained significantly above prestroke levels for up to 5 months after the event. Poststroke charges per person-day of follow-up were significantly higher for individuals who were hospitalized for the event, who had subarachnoid hemorrhage, whose stroke occurred after admission to the hospital for another reason, and who died within 7 days. Significantly lower poststroke charges were evident for persons with mild cerebral infarctions and persons whose stroke occurred in a nursing home. Neither prestroke utilization, age category, nor sex were predictive of poststroke charges. The unique population-based data presented here have important implications for efforts toward stroke prevention, intervention, and cost containment.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Domestic silicone oil, removal and complications].

OBJECTIVE: To master the optimal time of domestic silicone oil (DSiO) removal after vitreoretinal surgery and to observe the complications after it removal. METHODS: DSiO removal was performed through a superior corneoscleral limbus or pars plana incision in 64 cases. RESULTS: The rate of the attached retina was 85.5% after DSiO removal. The visual acuity was improved or unchanged in 53 cases (82.8%). In 27 cases followed up postoperatively for an average of 11.6 months, the retina remained attached in 18 cases (66.7%). The postoperative complications included retinal redetachment in 12 cases and intraocular hemorrhage in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: 3-6 months after operation is the best time for removing DSiO when retinal tears are healed and DSiO is not emulsified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Determination of alpha-difluoromethylornithine in blood by microdialysis sampling and capillary electrophoresis with UV detection.

A procedure is described for the analysis of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an anti-cancer agent, in plasma microdialysis (MD) samples. DFMO has been shown to be effective alone or in combination with other agents in the treatment of several cancers. Precolumn derivatization of DFMO with naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde-cyanide (NDA-CN) in pH 10.0 borate buffer results in the rapid formation of a stable mono-derivatized product (N-substituted 1-cyanobenz[f]isoindole, CBI), which is UV active. An analytical method has been developed to separate CBI-DFMO from NDA-CN derivatization products of 20 standard amino acids using capillary electrophoresis (CE). This method is then employed for the determination of DFMO in plasma microdialysis samples. Separation of DFMO from other components in the dialysate was achieved within 20 min. The response for DFMO in Ringer's solution was linear over the range of 1.2 x 10(-6) to 1.6 x 10(-4) M after derivatization. The detection limit of DFMO in the plasma dialysate is 5 microM using UV detection at 254 nm. This method has been proven to have adequate sensitivity for quantitation of DFMO in i.v. microdialysate samples and has been successfully applied to monitoring the pharmacokinetics of DFMO by CE-UV.

Animals↗