Biomedical subjects

Yang Yang

Publications and source records attributed to Yang Yang.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Detection of erythrocytes deficient in glycosylphosphatidyl-inositol anchored membrane proteins in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria by the toxin HEC secreted by Aeromonas hydrophila J-1.

OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility of diagnosing paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) with toxin HEC, the abbreviation of hemolytic, entreotoxigenicity and cytotoxity secreted by Aeromonas hydrophila J-1. METHODS: The crude toxin HEC was extracted from the culture medium of Aeromonas hydrophila J-1 by precipitating with saturated (NH(4))(2)SO(4) and then purified through DEAE52. Purified toxin HEC is different from Aerolysin in molecular weight and necessity of activation. Crude toxin is prepared possessed same effect as purified ones. This crude toxin was used to act on red blood cells (RBCs) from patients with PNH, non-PNH anemia, and normal persons. Absorbance at 630 nm was measured to quantitate the extent of hemolysis. Toxin HEC treated and untreated RBCs were both stained with anti-CD59 monoclonal antibody and FITC labeled goat-anti-mouse IgG. The percentage of CD59(+) cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). RESULTS: After toxin HEC treatment, RBCs from PNH patients showed resistance to the toxin hemolysis, which was negatively related to the percentage of CD59(+) cells, while RBCs from normal persons and non-PNH anemic patient were nearly totally lysed. CONCLUSION: Detection of RBCs resistance to toxin HEC can be used for the diagnosis of PNH.

Aeromonas hydrophila↗

PubMed2003

Taiji training improves knee extensor strength and force control in older adults.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Taiji training on knee extensor strength and force control in older individuals. Twenty-six healthy older adults (71.9 +/- 1.8 years) participated in the study. Sixteen of the older adults (70.2 +/- 1.8 years) underwent Taiji training for 20 weeks (experimental group), whereas the other 10 (74.6 +/- 1.2 years) served as the control group. For both groups, strength and force control of the knee extensors was assessed twice with an isokinetic dynamometer. Strength was assessed with a maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVC). Force control was measured as the standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) of force during a constant isometric knee extension task at 2%, 30%, 60%, and 90% MVC. For the experimental group, MVC significantly increased (19.5 +/- 4.9%) and the CV of force decreased (18.9 +/- 3.3%) following Taiji training. Improvements in the CV of force were primarily due to decreases in the SD of force (R(2) =.86) rather than increases in strength (R(2) =.12). Furthermore, decreases in SD of force were independent of improvements in strength. For the control group, strength, SD, and CV of force were not different for the 2 tests. The overall findings suggest that Taiji training improves knee extensor strength and force control in older adults.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

PC-SPES: a potent inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappa B rescues mice from lipopolysaccharide-induced septic shock.

Septic shock is the most common cause of death in intensive care units, and no effective treatment is available at present. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the primary mediator of Gram-negative sepsis by inducing the production of macrophage-derived proinflammatory cytokines, in which activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) plays an important role. PC-SPES is an eight-herb mixture active against a variety of malignancies, including prostate cancer and leukemia. In this study, we demonstrated that PC-SPES inhibited the LPS-induced NF-kappaB reporter activity in RAW264.7 macrophages. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that PC-SPES inhibited the binding of NF-kappaB to specific DNA sequences; however, it did not affect either degradation of inhibitory kappaBalpha or nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. Also, we explored the effect of PCSPES on LPS-induced mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling; PC-SPES did not affect LPS-induced phosphorylation of MAP kinases, including c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, p38, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. Moreover, PC-SPES decreased the production of proinflammatory cytokines and inducible enzymes, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2, as well as inducible nitric-oxide synthase in RAW264.7 macrophages and peritoneal macrophages from C57BL/6 mice after the cells were stimulated by either LPS or LPS and interferon-gamma. Furthermore, PC-SPES rescued C57BL/6 mice from death caused by LPS-induced septic shock in conjunction with decreased serum levels of TNFalpha and IL-1beta. Together, PC-SPES is a potent inhibitor of NF-kappaB and might be useful for the treatment of sepsis and inflammatory diseases.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Evaluation of the clinical applicability of bromcresol purple method for measuring serum albumin.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical applicability of bromcresol purple (BCP) method in serum albumin measurement, and to investigate the possibility to render the results thus obtained in agreement with those by traditional bromcresol green (BCG) method. METHODS: The assessment of BCP method was conducted in comparison with BCG method by measuring their linearity ranges, coefficients of variation (CV) in batch and between batches, recovery rates, and resistance to interference by certain normal clinical factors. RESULTS: The linearity of BCP method was 10 to 80 g/L, CV was 0.95% in batch and 3.03% between batches, with an average recovery rate of 99.4%, showing no obvious interference by 252 micromol/L bilirubin, 4% Trilitid, or by 4 g/L hemoglobin separately. Close correlation was observed between the measurement results by the 2 methods (y=1.08x+5.98). The adult reference range was 34-49 g/L by BCP method, which was 6 g/L lower, on average, than that by traditional BCG method. CONCLUSION: BCP method is more specific than BCG method in serum albumin measurement, and the results of the former can be easily and accurately converted so as to be comparable with the results by the latter method.

Bromcresol Green↗

PubMed2003

[Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of biliary complications after liver transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of biliary complications after liver transplantation. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-three recipients who had received liver transplantation between April 1993 and November 2001 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Biliary complication was diagnosed by cholangiography in 11 patients. Nine patients were cured, 1 patient was improved and 1 patient died. The incidence for biliary complications was 8.9% (11/123), and the mortality was 0.8% (1/123). The incidence of biliary complications due to T tube was 4.2% (5/119). The incidence of biliary complications due to hepatic artery was 1.6% (2/123). In recipients with WIT > 3 min and CIT > 8 h, the incidence of biliary complications elevated significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The most important reason for biliary complications was preservative and ischemic injury. While repairing donor liver, damage to the blood supply system of donor liver bile ducts should be avoided. Meticulous T tube placement may reduce the incidence of biliary complications. Early cholangiography is helpful to diagnose biliary complications.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Aberrant methylation in promoter-associated CpG islands of multiple genes in therapy-related leukemia.

Methylation profile was analyzed in eleven cases of therapy-related leukemia (t-leukemia) for p14, p15, p16, Rb, hMLH1, hMSH2, MGMT, APC, RAR beta, DAPK, RIZ1, FHIT, and SOCS-1 genes by using methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) analysis. Six (55%) of eleven cases showed methylation of at least one gene. The average time to the development of t-leukemia after the treatment of the primary tumor was significantly shorter in patients with methylation than those without methylation (49.3 months vs. 133.2 months, P=0.044). These results suggest that hypermethylation might be involved in the development of t-leukemia.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

PC-SPES: Molecular mechanism to induce apoptosis and down-regulate expression of PSA in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells.

PC-SPES is an eight-herbal mixture which has activity against prostate cancer cells and can reduce the serum level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in more than 80% of individuals with prostate cancer. We conducted this study to begin to clarify the molecular mechanism by which PC-SPES inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells and down-regulated expression of PSA. Western blot analysis, luciferase reporter assay using a variety of promoters of the PSA gene and the isolated androgen receptor response elements (ARE), as well as electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were employed to study the effect of PC-SPES on DHT-induced expression of PSA in LNCaP androgen-dependent human prostate cancer cells. Also, Western blot analysis and luciferase reporter assay using 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate response elements were employed to study the ability of PC-SPES to activate the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)/c-Jun/AP-1 signal pathway in these cells. Reporter studies showed that PC-SPES inhibited DHT-induced PSA promoter/enhancer-luciferase activity via inhibition of ARE transcriptional activity. Western blot analysis showed that PC-SPES down-regulated DHT-induced expression of PSA without decreasing DHT-induced nuclear level of AR. EMSA demonstrated that PC-SPES inhibited the binding of DHT-activated AR to ARE. Moreover, we found that PC-SPES phosphorylated JNK, increased levels of phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of c-Jun, and enhanced AP-1 transcriptional activity in LNCaP cells. Interestingly, when LNCaP cells were stably tranfected with the dominant negative JNK binding domain (JBD) of JNK-interacting protein-1 (JIP-1), these cells no longer underwent apoptosis and growth inhibition in the presence of PC-SPES. But, PC-SPES still decreased levels of PSA in the LNCaP-JIP-1 cells. Taken together, PC-SPES inhibited binding of DHT-activated AR to AREs of PSA gene resulting in down-regulation of ARE transcriptional activity and expression of PSA, and this occurred independently of the JNK/c-Jun/AP-1 signal pathway. Also, PC-SPES activated the JNK/c-Jun/AP-1 signal pathway resulting in growth arrest and apoptosis of prostate cancer cells.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

PubMed2003

[Use of indocyaine green staining technique for phacoemulsification in white cataract].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficiency and safety of indocyaine green (ICG) staining technique using in white cataract phacoemulsification. METHODS: In a prospective clinical study, 105 eyes with white senile cataract were divided into two groups: capsular-staining group using ICG (n = 55) and noncapsular-staining group (n = 50). The time for performing the circular continuous capsulorrhexis (CCC), the number of radial tears of anterior capsule, the number of the rupture of capsular bag and the incidence of IOL in-the-bag fixation during the operation were recorded. We also measured the intraocular pressure and observed the changes of corneal endothelial cells, the anterior chamber flare and the keratic precipitation before surgery, 1 day and 3 months after surgery, respectively. The results of these two groups were compared. The quantitative results were analyzed with two-tailed student's t-test, while the qualitative results were analyzed with chi-square test. RESULTS: In operations performed with ICG staining technique, the CCC could be performed more quickly, no radial tears of the anterior capsule or rupture of capsular bag occurred and all IOL could be fixed in the bag. No statistically significant difference could be detected in the occurrence of these four aforementioned changes between these two groups. None of these patients had an elevation of intraocular pressure. The anterior chamber flare, the corneal endothelial cell density, the percentage of hexagonal cells and the corneal thickness showed no statistically significant difference between these two groups before and after surgery. CONCLUSION: Indocyaine green dye staining is a safe and useful technique in the white cataract phacoemulsification. We suggested to use ICG staining technique in the white cataract phacoemulsification.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Containing bioterrorist smallpox.

The need for a planned response to a deliberate introduction of smallpox has recently become urgent. We constructed a stochastic simulator of the spread of smallpox in structured communities to compare the effectiveness of mass vaccination versus targeted vaccination of close contacts of cases. Mass vaccination before smallpox introduction or immediately after the first cases was more effective than targeted vaccination in preventing and containing epidemics if there was no prior herd immunity (that is, no prior immunologic protection within the population). The effectiveness of postrelease targeted and mass vaccinations increased if we assumed that there was residual immunity in adults vaccinated before 1972, but the effectiveness of targeted vaccination increased more than that of mass vaccination. Under all scenarios, targeted vaccination prevented more cases per dose of vaccine than did mass vaccination. Although further research with larger-scale structured models is needed, our results suggest that increasing herd immunity, perhaps with a combination of preemptive voluntary vaccination and vaccination of first responders, could enhance the effectiveness of postattack intervention. It could also help targeted vaccination be more competitive with mass vaccination at both preventing and containing a deliberate introduction of smallpox.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Soluble syndecan-1 promotes growth of myeloma tumors in vivo.

Syndecan-1 (CD138) is a transmembrane heparan sulfate-bearing proteoglycan expressed by most myeloma plasma cells that regulates adhesion, migration, and growth factor activity. In patients with myeloma, shed syndecan-1 accumulates in the bone marrow, and high levels of syndecan-1 in the serum are an indicator of poor prognosis. To test the effect of soluble syndecan-1 on tumor cell growth and dissemination, ARH-77 B-lymphoid cells were engineered to produce a soluble form of syndecan-1. Controls included vector only (neo)-transfected cells and cells transfected with full-length syndecan-1 complementary DNA that codes for the cell surface form of syndecan-1. Assays reveal that all 3 transfectants have similar growth rates in vitro, but cells expressing soluble syndecan-1 are hyperinvasive in collagen gels relative to controls. When injected into the marrow of human bones that were implanted in severe combined immunodeficient mice, tumors formed by cells expressing soluble syndecan-1 grow faster than tumors formed by neo-transfected cells or by cells expressing cell surface syndecan-1. In addition, cells bearing cell surface syndecan-1 exhibit a diminished capacity to establish tumors within the mice as compared with both neo- and soluble syndecan-1-transfected cells. Tumor cell dissemination to a contralateral human bone is detected significantly more often in the tumors producing soluble syndecan-1 than in controls. Thus, high levels of soluble syndecan-1 present in patients with myeloma may contribute directly to the growth and dissemination of the malignant cells and thus to poor prognosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Role of AP-1 in the coordinate induction of rat glutamate-cysteine ligase and glutathione synthetase by tert-butylhydroquinone.

GSH synthesis occurs via two enzymatic steps catalyzed by glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL, made up of two subunits) and GSH synthetase (GS). Recently, we described coordinate induction of GCL subunits and GS. To study GS transcriptional regulation, we have cloned and characterized a 2.2-kb 5'-flanking region of the rat GS (GenBank accession number AF333982). One transcriptional start site is located at 51 nucleotides upstream of the translational start site. The rat GS promoter drove efficiently luciferase expression in H4IIE cells. Sequential deletion analysis revealed DNA regions that are involved in positive and negative regulation. One repressor identified was NF1. tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBH) exerted a dose- and time-dependent increase in the mRNA level and promoter activity of both GCL subunits and GS. TBH increased protein binding to several regions of the GS promoter, c-jun expression, and activator protein 1 (AP-1) binding activity to several of the putative AP-1-binding sites of the GS promoter. Blocking AP-1 binding with dominant-negative c-jun led to decreased basal expression and significantly blocked the TBH-induced increase in promoter activity and mRNA level of all three genes. In conclusion, AP-1 is required for basal expression of GCL and GS; while NF1 serves as a repressor of GS, increased AP-1 transactivation is the predominant mechanism for coordinate induction of GCL and GS expression by TBH.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Molecular mechanisms for gender differences in susceptibility to T cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice.

Nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice spontaneously develop diabetes with a strong female prevalence; however, the mechanisms for this gender difference in susceptibility to T cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes are poorly understood. This investigation was initiated to find mechanisms by which sex hormones might affect the development of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. We examined the expression of IFN-gamma, a characteristic Th1 cytokine, and IL-4, a characteristic Th2 cytokine, in islet infiltrates of female and male NOD mice at various ages. We found that the most significant difference in cytokine production between sexes was during the early stages of insulitis at 4 wk of age. IFN-gamma was significantly higher in young females, whereas IL-4 was higher in young males. CD4(+) T cells isolated from lymph nodes of female mice and activated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 Abs produced more IFN-gamma, but less IL-4, as compared with males. Treatment of CD4(+) T cells with estrogen significantly increased, whereas testosterone treatment decreased the IL-12-induced production of IFN-gamma. We then examined whether the change in IL-12-induced IFN-gamma production by treatment with sex hormones was due to the regulation of STAT4 activation. We found that estrogen treatment increased the phosphorylation of STAT4 in IL-12-stimulated T cells. We conclude that the increased susceptibility of female NOD mice to the development of autoimmune diabetes could be due to the enhancement of the Th1 immune response through the increase of IL-12-induced STAT4 activation by estrogen.

Aging↗

PubMed2002

Expression and functional analysis of an inhibitor of apoptosis protein from Trichoplusia ni.

An inhibitor of the apoptosis protein (IAP) family gene from Trichoplusia ni, Tn-IAP1v, a variant of lepidopteran Tn-IAP1, was cloned by RT-PCR. There are six single nucleotide polymorphisms between the two Tn-IAP1 variants, resulting in three predicted single amino acid polymorphisms. With the GST fusion expression system, soluble recombinant Tn-IAP1v was highly expressed in Escherichia coli and then purified by affinity chromatography. Caspase inhibition assays indicated that recombinant Tn-IAP1v could specifically inhibit human caspase-9 in vitro instead of caspase-3, -7, and -8, which was further confirmed by the observation that recombinant Tn-IAP1v can directly bind caspase-9 in the protein pull-down assay. These results suggested that Tn-IAP1v might serve as an initiator caspase inhibitor in vivo in the conserved mitochondria apoptotic pathway.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

[Intracerebral transplantation of nerve cells and genetically modified cells for disorders of central nervous system, a basic and clinical study].

OBJECTIVE: To study the survival ability of cerebellar cells and genetically modified cells transplanted in the brains of mice and monkeys and whether the transplanted neurons correct and improve the cerebral function disorders. METHODS: Suspension of cerebellar tissue from 13-day-old C57BL/6 mouse embryos was transplanted into the cerebellum of 3-month-old BALB/c mice with Purkinji cell degeneration. Since one week after the transplantation, six mice were killed every week till the 8(th) week to examine the cerebellar tissue by immunohistochemistry. Genetically modified neuroblastoma cells with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene and substantia nigra cells of naturally aborted 12-week-old human embryo were implanted into the caudatum nucleus of two monkeys with Parkinson's disease caused by injection of 1-methy-4 pheny-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine. After the operation, the monkeys' symptoms were observed. Six months later, the monkeys were killed. The transplanted areas were examined histologically and immunohistochemically. On the basis of the animal experiment, cerebellar tissue suspension of 9 to 12- week-old human embryos was transplanted into the cerebellum of 6 patients with severe cerebral atrophy, and suspension of substantia nigra cells and adrenal medullary cells from naturally aborted human embryos was transplanted into the caudatum nucleus of 5 patients with late Parkinson's disease. Then the patients were followed up to observe the symptoms. RESULTS: Surviving transplanted embryonic cerebellar cells could be seen in the cerebelli of recipient mice. Differentiation, maturation, and migration into the granular layer of Purkinje cells could be seen. Axons and dendrites grew from the newly generated Purkinje cells. Many mature nerve cells were monoclone antibody staining positive. The myodynamia of monkeys increased and tremor was alleviated, and torsion spasm was remarkably remitted 5 and 7 days after the transplantation respectively. Genetically modified cells with tyrosine hydroxylase gene could be seen and were pale brown with immunohistochemical staining in the cerebral microcapsule of monkeys. Five of the 6 patients with severe cerebellar atrophy and 5 patients with late Parkinson's disease showed improvement of symptoms beginning from 2 weeks after transplantation. The average score of Webster's scale in the patients with Parkinson's disease decreased from 21 to 11. Th3 condition of two patients with cerebellar atrophy and 2 patients with Parkinson's disease continued to improve or remained stable after two years' follow-up. The condition of other patients had worsened. CONCLUSION: The immature embryonic nerve cells and transgenic TH-cells survive in the brain of recipients and have the potential to regenerate neurons and improve the function of central nervous system.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Global gene expression profiling of multiple myeloma, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, and normal bone marrow plasma cells.

Bone marrow plasma cells (PCs) from 74 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), 5 with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), and 31 healthy volunteers (normal PCs) were purified by CD138(+) selection. Gene expression of purified PCs and 7 MM cell lines were profiled using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays interrogating about 6800 genes. On hierarchical clustering analysis, normal and MM PCs were differentiated and 4 distinct subgroups of MM (MM1, MM2, MM3, and MM4) were identified. The expression pattern of MM1 was similar to normal PCs and MGUS, whereas MM4 was similar to MM cell lines. Clinical parameters linked to poor prognosis, abnormal karyotype (P =.002) and high serum beta(2)-microglobulin levels (P =.0005), were most prevalent in MM4. Also, genes involved in DNA metabolism and cell cycle control were overexpressed in a comparison of MM1 and MM4. In addition, using chi(2) and Wilcoxon rank sum tests, 120 novel candidate disease genes were identified that discriminate normal and malignant PCs (P <.0001); many are involved in adhesion, apoptosis, cell cycle, drug resistance, growth arrest, oncogenesis, signaling, and transcription. A total of 156 genes, including FGFR3 and CCND1, exhibited highly elevated ("spiked") expression in at least 4 of the 74 MM cases (range, 4-25 spikes). Elevated expression of these 2 genes was caused by the translocation t(4;14)(p16;q32) or t(11;14)(q13;q32). Thus, novel candidate MM disease genes have been identified using gene expression profiling and this profiling has led to the development of a gene-based classification system for MM.

Bone Marrow Cells↗

PubMed2002

[Effect of ischemic preconditioning on human lung cell apoptosis in vivo and the expression of regulating gene bcl-2].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether ischemic reperfusion injury induces lung cell apoptosis and the effect of ischemic preconditioning on lung cell apoptosis by altering the expression of bcl-2 protein. METHODS: Sixteen patients, who needed to occlude the main pulmonary artery to undergo pulmonectomy, were randomly put to two groups: the control group (Group C) and the ischemic preconditioning group (Group I). Ischemic preconditioning was achieved by two 5-minute cycles of ischemic, and each was followed by a 5-minute reperfusion. The lung tissue was sampled at the time of preoccluding, 30 minutes after the ischemic, and 30 and 60 minutes after the reperfusion. Apoptotic cells were stained by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nickend labeling (TUNEL) technique. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of bcl-2 protein. RESULTS: The apoptosis index (AI) of lung cells increased significantly 30 and 60 minutes after the reperfusion, and also significantly increased as the reperfusion period prolonged. Apoptosis was significantly reduced in Group I 30 and 60 minutes after the reperfusion compared with that of Group C at the same time points (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the expression of bcl-2 protein significantly increased in Group I compared with that of Group C(P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference at each time point in Group C(P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: 1. Ischemic reperfusion injury may induce human lung cell apoptosis. 2. Ischemic preconditioning may reduce the apoptosis of human lung cells in vivo by upregulating bcl-2 protein expression.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2002

Log-linear models for gene mapping with affected sib pair data.

In genome-wide screens of genetic marker loci, non-mendelian inheritance of a marker is taken to indicate its vicinity to a disease locus. Heritable complex traits are thought to be under the influence of multiple possibly interacting susceptibility loci yet the most frequently used methods of linkage and association analysis focus on one susceptibility locus at a time. Here we introduce log-linear models for the joint analysis of multiple marker loci and interaction effects between them. Our approach focuses on affected sib pair data and identical by descent (IBD) allele sharing values observed on them. For each heterozygous parent, the IBD values at linked markers represent a sequence of dependent binary variables. We develop log-linear models for the joint distribution of these IBD values. An independence log-linear model is proposed to model the marginal means and the neighboring interaction model is advocated to account for associations between adjacent markers. Under the assumption of conditional independence, likelihood methods are applied to simulated data containing one or two susceptibility loci. It is shown that the neighboring interaction log-linear model is more efficient than the independence model, and incorporating interaction in the two-locus analysis provides increased power and accuracy for mapping of the trait loci.

Alleles↗

PubMed2002

Liver transplantation at the Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences in China.

OBJECTIVES: To summarize the results of liver transplantation for various end-stage liver diseases at the Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), define the role of liver transplantation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and fulminant hepatitis B, and assess the efficiency of lamivudine on preventing HBV recurrence. METHODS: Seventy liver transplants performed at the SUMS between April 1993 and December 2000 were retrospectively analyzed. The main indications for liver transplant were hepatocellular carcinoma (26 cases), liver cirrhosis (21 cases), fulminant hepatitis B (12 cases), sclerosing cholangitis (4 cases) and other terminal liver diseases (7 cases). Lamivudine was used in twelve patients suffering from fulminant hepatitis B. Logistic multivariate regression analysis was applied to determine the risk factors predicting liver transplantation outcomes. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients survived for more than one month, and 16 patients died within 30 days after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The overall hospital survival rate was 77.1%. The hospital survival rates in the Child's A and B patients were 87.5% and 83.3%, respectively. Those rates were superior to those of the Child's C patients (P < 0.05). The outcome of patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was superior to that of patients with large HCC. Preoperative APACE III scores, the severity of ascites and serum creatine level had independent influence on outcome. Of the patients with fulminant HBV infection, 9 recipients survived for a follow-up period of 2 - 24 months. Treatment with lamivudine monotherapy was both well tolerated and efficacious in patients with fulminant hepatitis B. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that orthotopic liver transplantation could provide long-term cure and palliation for patients with HCC, and that patient selection is extremely important in predicting outcome. The results support the continued application of liver transplantation as a therapeutic modality for various end-stage liver diseases and that lamivudine is an effective and safe monotherapy in OLT for patients with HBV infection.

Adolescent↗