Halothane inhibits residual fast sodium channels in human atrial muscle.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Y H Chou.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
IF are major cytoskeletal and karyoskeletal components of eukaryotic cells (Steinert and Roop 1988). In numerous instances, their constituent protein subunits have been shown to be substrates for a variety of kinases such as A-kinase, C-kinase, and Ca++/calmodulin kinase (Geisler and Weber 1988; Inagaki et. 1988; Ando et al. 1991), as well as p34cdc2 (Chou et al. 1990; Peter et al. 1990; Ward and Kirschner 1990; Dessev et al. 1991). To date, all of the phosphorylation sites that have been mapped are in the non-alpha-helical amino- or carboxy-terminal domains (Steinert 1988; Ando et al. 1989, 1991; Geisler et al. 1989; Chou et al. 1991), and these secondary modifications can lead to IF reorganization and/or disassembly in vivo and in vitro (see, e.g., Iganaki et al. 1988; Lamb et al. 1989; Chou et al. 1990; Peter et al. 1990; Heald and McKeon 1990; Dessev et al. 1991). In addition, it is possible that the exchange seen between subunits and polymerized IF in interphase following the microinjection of unpolymerized protein (Vikstrom et al. 1989; Miller et al. 1991) may also be regulated in some fashion by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation reactions. In cultured fibroblasts such as BHK-21, the interphase equilibrium state that favors IF polymerization is shifted dramatically to a disassembled state in mitosis, apparently due to enhanced phosphorylation at specific sites mediated through the activity of p34cdc2. However, in other cells in mitosis, such as HeLa, the mechanisms involved in the regulation of cytoskeletal IF remain unclear. Therefore, no one common mechanism appears to be responsible for IF regulation during cell division. On the basis of the majority of data available, it appears that the regulation of IF phosphorylation plays an important role in the regulation of the supramolecular organization of IF cytoskeletal and karyoskeletal networks, especially in the remodeling events that take place as cells enter and exit mitosis. Although the functional significance of IF phosphorylation during interphase is not as obvious as it is in some mitotic cells, we are tempted to speculate that there may be a connection with mechanisms involved in signal transduction, since IF proteins appear to be targets for kinases known to be activated by second messengers such as Ca++ and cAMP.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Twelve patients with fracture of the penis have been treated in this department during the last 18 years. Their mean age was 41.5 years (range 25-55) and two-thirds of the injuries resulted from coitus. Eleven patients underwent immediate exploration and repair of the tunica albuginea and only 1 still has sexual dysfunction. One patient was treated conservatively and remains impotent. Immediate surgical treatment is recommended, since it avoids the formation of penile plaque, penile fibrosis and angulation and accelerates restoration of normal penile function.
Unilateral nephrectomy initiates a growth response in the contralateral kidney to compensate for the loss of a renal mass. The events which regulate this process are not very clear. We used a newly developed method, 99mTc-DTPA gamma-camera renography, to evaluate the individual kidney function for detection of the change of it. This method is simple, reliable and requires neither blood nor urine samples. Two groups of rabbits were used in the study. Those of 1.5-2 months of age were taken as the young aged group and those of 2 years of age as the old aged group. Kidney weight, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) were detected both before and 3 weeks after unilateral nephrectomy. After unilateral nephrectomy in both young and old age groups, the kidney weight increased by 119 and 38%, the GFR by 71 and 44%, and the ERPF by 116 and 35%. We conclude that nephrectomy at a young age where there is fast growth would cause the remaining kidney a compensatory hypertrophy which is much better than that in nephrectomy at an old age. The difference of glomerular filtration rate was less apparent than that of the kidney weight and renal plasma flow in both groups of rabbits.
To compare the effects of papaverine (60 mg) and prostaglandin E1 (20 microgram: PGE1) on penile blood flow, the vascular response detected with color duplex ultrasound scanning and the clinical response in 34 impotent men were observed and recorded after they had received an intracorporeal injection of the respective drugs on separate days. The results demonstrate that PGE1 has the advantage of a slower onset, longer maintenance, less chance of priapism and is at least as effective as papaverine in inducing an increment of penile blood flow. In conclusion, PGE1 may be a better alternative to papaverine in the diagnosis and treatment of impotence.
Hepatic microabscesses have been described in immunosuppressed patients. However, there has been no previous report concerning hepatic microabscesses caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). Recently, we experienced a 75-year-old male patient who had suffered from fever and upper abdominal pain for 4 days. His laboratory tests revealed an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (55 mm/hr), the white cell count was 7500/cumm with 82% segmented leukocytes, minimally elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase. Ultrasonography (US) showed multiple tiny hypo- or nearly anechoic lesions (3-8mm) diffusely scattered in both hepatic lobes. Some lesions were too small to be demonstrated and only distal acoustic enhancement posterior to the lesions could be noted. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan subsequently demonstrated the tiny hypodense and cystic lesions and confirmed the US diagnosis of microabscesses. Cultures of blood and liver aspirates showed E. coli. Although US and CT appearance of hepatic microabscesses caused by E. coli may be characteristic, it is not specific. Differential diagnosis should include multiple biliary hamartomas, and definite diagnosis should be made by needle aspiration.
A series of 23 patients with intractible gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding were managed by the transcatheter method. The series included 5 with hemobilia, 8 with upper GI (UGI) bleeding, 5 with lower GI (LGI) bleeding and 5 with variceal bleeding. The etiology of the hemobilia was surgery, or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drainage (PTCD) complicated by various degrees of biliary tract infection. The causes of UGI bleeding included erosive gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and traumatic duodenal laceration. All 5 LGI bleedings were due to ischemic colitis and all 5 variceal bleedings were due to hyperdynamic portal hypertension from arterio-portal (A-P) shunting for hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Intra-arterial vasopressin infusion was performed on 17 (4, hemobilia; 8, UGI; and 5 LGI bleeding) of these 23 cases as initial management. The success rate for vasopressin in hemobilia, UGI and LGI bleeding was 75% (3/4), 38% (3/8), and 60% (3/5), respectively. The overall initial success rate of vasopressin was 52% (9/17). The relatively poor success rate of vasopressin infusion for UGI bleeding was due to ulcers and laceration. The incidence of rebleeding for vasopressin infusion was 22% (2/9) including one case each of UGI and LGI bleeding. Three patients (1 hemobilia and 2 UGI bleeding) among these 17 cases underwent transarterial embolization (TAE) after failure of intra-arterial vasopressin infusion. One of these 23 cases with hemobilia underwent TAE for initial transcatheter control of the GI bleeding. Five cases of active esophageal variceal bleeding, caused by A-P shunting in HCC, were all successfully controlled by TAE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Although sterile pericardial effusion occurs in about half of the patients with massive iron overload, hemorrhagic pericardial effusion is rarely seen in beta-thalassemia major patients. A 10-year-old girl with beta-thalassemia major who was diagnosed in her early infancy developed a massive hemorrhagic pericardial effusion. She was receiving blood transfusions every 4-6 weeks without chelating therapy with an average hemoglobin (Hb) level of 6-9 g/dL. Progressive hepatospenomegaly was noted during the course. She had complained of orthopnea with palpitation and bilateral leg edema before admission. After evaluation, a massive pericardial effusion was found and pericardiocentesis was performed twice, which revealed a bloody and uncoagulable effusion. Finally a pericardial window was performed to eliminate the bloody effusion. Negative etiological evaluations of blood and pericardial effusion were reported. Pathological examination of the pericardial biopsy revealed hemosiderosis with a few lymphocytic infiltrates. We report this case for its rarity and its necessity for urgent treatment.
Fifty-one patients under the age of 18 with histologic-proven malignant urinary tract tumors were encountered at the Department of Pediatrics of National Taiwan University Hospital from 1979 to 1989. There were 47 tumors arising from the kidney, 2 from the bladder, and 2 from the urethra. For upper urinary tract tumors, abdominal mass (92%) and abdominal distension (86%) were the most common symptoms and signs. For lower urinary tract tumors, painless hematuria, bladder distension and urinary difficulty were most frequently encountered. Associated anomalies were found in one-fifth of our patients, including kyphosis, undescended testes, hypospadias, inguinal hernia, intersex and congenital heart disease. Diagnosis was aided by plain X ray, abdominal ultrasonography, intravenous pyelography, computed tomography, or angiography in upper urinary tract tumors, and cystoscopy, cystography and computed tomography in lower urinary tract tumors. Multimodal treatment including total excision, multiagent chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were performed. Postoperative complications included infection (22%), ascites (19%), ileus, pleural effusion, scoliosis, neuropathies, and growth retardation. The local recurrence rate was 32%, and the metastatic rate was 34%. The overall mortality rate was 53% for an average follow-up period of 38 months. The causes of death included sepsis, respiratory failure and hepatic failure. The two-year survival rate was 47.6%. The important prognostic factors included histology, staging and vascular invasion, in addition to combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
During a 16 year period from January 1972 to December 1988, transvesical prostatectomies were performed on 364 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia in the Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital. The average operational procedure time was 116.1 minutes and the average amount of tissue resected was 38.3 grams. The most common complications were wound infections (6.8%), stress incontinence (1.92%), urethral stricture (4.12%) and impotence (0.27%). In this series, epididymitis and/or orchitis was noted in 4.3% of those who underwent vasectomies and 1.8% of those who did not; thus, epididymitis cannot be prevented by a prophylactic vasectomy. There was one postoperative death (mortality rate-0.27%). The present study found that 6.86% of the transvesical prostatectomy patients will require longer hospitalization and greater amounts of antibiotics due to post-operative wound infection; therefore the use of transvesical prostatectomy will decline and only be recommended for fit patients with others genitourinary diseases such as bladder diverticulum or giant bladder calculus.
Mesenteric cyst is defined as a cystic mass located in the mesentery, and has rarely been reported. Before the clinical use of ultrasound (US), the imaging diagnosis of the abdominal mass depended on plain X-ray films and contrast examinations to delineate the space occupying lesion. The later use of US enables us to readily identify mass character. For example, whether it is cystic or solid, with or without septum, or whether there is sediment in the cyst. US examination is the method of choice in evaluating abdominal masses. Two cases of pediatric mesenteric cysts were brought to our hospital on account of complication. US of the first patient revealed a huge cystic mass with sediment and septae in central abdomen. Mild hydronephrotic change of the right kidney was found. The pathology showed nonepithelial lining multiloculated cyst surrounded by a thick, fibrotic granulomatous wall with suppurative cell infiltration and some calcifications. The histopathological diagnosis was an infected pseudocyst. The other patient had a cyst which twisted the jejunum and resulted in intestinal obstruction. US found dilated intestinal loops and a septate cystic mass in epigastrium. The pathology showed a multiloculated cyst with mesothelial lining, representing a mesothelial cyst. Both patients were treated surgically and had an uneventful recovery. In this article we described and explained the findings on US, discussed the differential diagnoses and compared different imaging modalities.
As cells enter mitosis, the intermediate filament (IF) networks of interphase BHK-21 cells are depolymerized to form cytoplasmic aggregates of disassembled IFs, and the constituent IF proteins, vimentin and desmin are hyperphosphorylated at several specific sites. We have characterized one of two endogenous vimentin kinases from a particulate fraction of mitotic cell lysates. Through several purification steps, vimentin kinase activity copurifies with histone H1 kinase and both activities bind to p13suc1-Sepharose. The final enriched kinase preparation consists primarily of p34cdc2 and polypeptides of 65 and 110 kd. The purified kinase complex phosphorylates vimentin in vitro at a subset of sites phosphorylated in vivo during mitosis. Furthermore, phosphorylation of in vitro polymerized vimentin IFs by the purified kinase causes their disassembly. Therefore, vimentin is a substrate of p34cdc2 and phosphorylation of vimentin contributes to M phase reorganization of the IF network.
The ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase activating factor (protein kinase FA) has been identified to exist in neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid 108-15 cells (NG108-15 cells). More importantly, when NG cells were induced to differentiate with N6, O2'-dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (dibutyryl cAMP), the cellular activity of kinase FA was found to increase dramatically. Time course study further revealed that induction of differentiation in NG cells by dibutyryl cAMP treatment increased the FA activity to over 3 times the levels found in undifferentiated cells and in a linear day-dependent manner, indicating that the FA activity level is correlated with the state of differentiation of NG108-15 cells. This is the first report providing initial evidence that protein kinase FA (a transmembrane signal of insulin) is involved in the induction of neuronal cell differentiation.
Focal hepatic fatty infiltration may be mistaken for hepatic neoplasm on ultrasonography. A sonographic feature mimicking "space occupying lesions" was identified in 41 cases with focal fatty liver, which led to the recognition of four sonographic patterns: (1) Ten patients in whom the livers were characterized by irregular configurations of hyperechoic and hypoechoic areas. Although confusing to inexperienced sonographers, all of them were properly interpreted by experienced sonographers. (2) One patient in whom the hepatic sonography revealed a hyperechoic nodule, but which was correctly diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) scan. (3) Six patients in whom the livers were characterized by multiple confluent hyperechoic lesions, which were all misinterpreted by sonographers and misinterpreted following CT scans in 4 cases and angiography in 3 cases. (4) Twenty-four patients in whom the livers revealed focal spared areas, which was misdiagnosed by sonographers in 14 cases, but correctly diagnosed by CT scan in all 24 cases.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
From 1967 through 1986, 55 patients with chyluria were treated by renal pelvic instillation of 10 ml. 0.5% silver nitrate solution and surgical disconnection of the renal pedicle lymphatics was done in 9 (16.3%) due to persistent chyluria after instillation therapy. Among these 46 renal pelvic instillation patients and 9 operated patients followed for 2 years chyluria recurred in 11 (22.7%) and 5 (55.5%), respectively. Renal pelvic instillation is a safe and effective method to treat chyluria.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.