PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Z K Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Z K Chen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Hand-assisted transperitoneal laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: We introduced and evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of the hand-assisted transperitoneal laparoscopic technique for living donor nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In December 2001, we started using the technique of hand-assisted transperitoneal laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy (HLDN) in 10 cases. The procedure utilizes a hand-assisted device to increase safety and control of the laparoscopic technique. RESULTS: Only left nephrectomy was performed. The mean total operating and the warm ischemia times were 130 minutes and 3.0 minutes, respectively. Average lengths of renal artery and vein were 1.95 cm and 2.8 cm, respectively. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: HLDN is an easier procedure than the traditional laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy and can greatly mitigate the learning curve. HLDN has shortened warm ischemia time and operating time. It is also good for trocar placement, prevention of torsion of the kidney, control of potential bleeding at the final stage of vascular stapling, and kidney removal. Therefore, HLDN is a promising method for living donor nephrectomy.

Adult↗

The survival and value of liver transplantation for liver carcinoma: a single-center experience.

UNLABELLED: Liver transplantation for liver carcinoma with cirrhosis is a treatment still in dispute. The objectives were to summarize the survival and cost of 50 liver transplant cases performed for liver carcinoma over nearly 3 years. METHODS: We performed 138 liver transplants from January 1999 to February 2002. There were 50 cases (36.2%) of liver carcinoma with HBV cirrhosis, which were divided into three stages based on the tumor pathology: Stage 1 cases showed a single mass (< or = 5 cm), 4 cases; Stage 2, a single mass > 5 cm or intrahepatic multiple masses without PV cancer embolus, 32 cases; and Stage 3: tumor invasion of the PV or perihepatic lymph nodes or organs, 14 cases. All patients received three to six courses of chemotherapy postoperatively. RESULTS: All four cases of stage 1 survived > 1 year; one of them is at 3 years with good liver function and tumor free. The mean half-year medical cost was $27.100 +/- 108 in stage 1. The half-year survival and medical costs were 62.5% and $31,500 +/- 260 in stage 2 and 15.0% and $35,500 +/- 134 in stage 3. CONCLUSION: Liver transplantation is an effective treatment for early-stage liver carcinoma, that achieves good medical and economic results, but should be limited to advanced liver cancer.

Analysis of Variance↗

Prolonged heart allograft survival resulted from donor-specific T-cell sequestering and removal by selective splenectomy in mice.

INTRODUCTION: Selective splenectomy when donor antigen-specific activated T cells are sequestered in the recipient spleen may prolong allograft survival because of removal of all of these T cells. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effect on cardiac allograft survival in mice by means of removal of activated specific T cells by splenectomy. METHODS: Donor (Balb/c) spleen cells were injected into primed allogeneic recipients (C57BL/6). Selective recipient splenectomy and donor-type cervical heart grafting in Balb/c to C57BL/6 from mice were examined at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours after donor spleen cell infusion. RESULTS: Control C57BL/6 mice rejected Balb/c heart grafts at 6.86 +/- 0.19 days. Delayed heart grafting plus splenectomy at 24 or 48 hours after donor-type spleen cell infusion significantly prolonged heart allograft survival (24 hours: 15.86 +/- 3.44 days, P < .001; 48 hours: 21.71 +/- 5.22 days, P < .001, respectively). However, 72-hour delayed heart grafting plus splenectomy failed to prevent acute rejection (72 hours: 9.57 +/- 2.51 days, P > .01). Immunohistochemistry showed, at 24 to 48 hours after donor antigen infusion, the recipient spleens characterized by an obvious increase in CD4+ CD8+ T cells in periateriolar lymphoid sheaths, marginal zones, and red pulp compared with the 72-hour group. CONCLUSIONS: Transient accumulation of donor-specific activated T cells in the spleen of recipients provide an opportunity to remove all of these T cells by a surgical procedure. As the largest immune organ the spleen is the main place where T cells are activated and regenerated. At 24 or 48 hours when donor-specific T cells were sequestered in the spleen after donor antigen stimulation, selective recipient splenectomy was able to remove the T cells and prolong was allograft survival. Refinement of this protocol may eventually warrant clinical application.

Animals↗

Effect of sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate on antagonism of tetramethylenedisulphotetramine to GABA receptor.

AIM: To study effects of sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS) on the antagonism of tetramethylenedisulphotetramine (TETS) to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor. METHODS: Acute toxicity experiments were conducted to observe the effects of DMPS and TETS on mice. Contents of free amino acids in mouse brain were determined with automatic analyzer for amino acids. Autoradiography was used to observe the [3H]GABA bindings in the rat brain slices under different conditions. RESULTS: After icv and ip DMPS, the number of mice experiencing convulsions reduced from 20 in control group to 4 and 2 respectively in TETS poisoned mice. The content of GABA was altered in DMPS control group and TETS control group compared with DMPS protection group and NS control group [micromol/g: (2.09 +/- 0.05) and (2.67 +/- 0.15) vs (2.40 +/- 0.10 (micromol/g)) and (2.41 +/- 0.21)]; the content of glutamic acid was (12.3 +/- 1.2), (12.0 +/- 0.8), (10.2 +/- 0.6), and (11.8 +/- 1.0) micromol/g in NS control group, DMPS control group, TETS control group, and DMPS protection group, respectively. The OD value of autoradiograms decreased in TETS group compared with buffer control group in cortex, hippocampus, diencephalon, and brainstem [(0.084 +/- 0.008), (0.081 +/- 0.009), (0.094 +/- 0.006) and (0.081 +/- 0.006), vs (0.102 +/- 0.003), (0.109 +/- 0.005), (0.128 +/- 0.007), and (0.125 +/- 0.008), respectively]. OD value was maintained or higher than the normal level in DMPS+TETS group in the four brain areas [(0.116 +/- 0.008), (0.125 +/- 0.011), (0.129 +/- 0.005), and (0.128 +/- 0.010) vs (0.102 +/- 0.003), (0.109 +/- 0.005), (0.128 +/- 0.007), and (0.125 +/- 0.008), respectively]. CONCLUSION: The inhibitory effects of DMPS on the antagonism of TETS to GABA receptor are due to the increase in the GABA binding to its receptors in brain caused by DMPS

Animals↗

Isolation and characterization of a group of oligopeptides related to oxidized glutathione from the root of Panax ginseng.

Six gamma-glutamyl oligopeptides were isolated for the first time from aqueous methanol extracts of Panax ginseng root by using column chromatography on ion-exchange resin, gel filtration and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Their structures had been established with the methods of amino acid analysis, N-terminal, C-terminal determination and double-coupling sequence analysis. They were: P-I (N-gamma-glutamylcystinyl-bis-glycine), P-ll (gamma-glutamylcysteinylglycine disulfide, oxidized glutathione), P-III (N,N'-bis-gamma-glutamylcystinylglycine), P-IV (gamma-glutamylcysteinylglycinamide disulfide), P-V (N-gamma-glutamylglycylcysteine disulfide), P-VI(gammaglutamylarginine); five of them are related to oxidized glutathione. The structures were further confirmed by the chemical synthesis. As far as we know, P-V (N-gamma-glutamylglycylcysteine disulfide) is a new biologically active peptide which exhibits somnogenic effect and is more potent than that of P-II.

Amino Acids↗

Prolongation of murine vascularized heart allograft survival by recipient-specific anti-major histocompatibility complex class II antibody.

BACKGROUND: Antibodies targeting recipient major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules have been demonstrated to be effective at prolonging allograft survival. However, antigen-presenting cell depletion would explain this effect and has not been definitively excluded as the mechanism of action of such antibodies. We have studied an anti-MHC class II antibody (OX6) proven to be noncytotoxic in the recipient strain used. METHODS: Antibody was administered the day before, 2 hr before, and the day after grafting. RESULTS: Antibody administration on the day before, 2 hr before, and the day after grafting significantly prolonged vascularized cardiac allograft survival. Importantly, treatment recognizing recipient MHC was effective, whereas a similar regimen recognizing donor MHC was not. CONCLUSIONS: Noncytotoxic recipient MHC class II-specific antibodies modify allograft rejection. Possible mechanisms for this therapeutic effect are discussed.

Animals↗

[Tissue concentration and secretion of renin in human placental villi during early pregnancy].

In this study, tissue concentrations of renin and angiotensins in human placental villi during early pregnancy and contents of renin and angiotensin I (A I) secreted by cultured chorion were measured by radioimmunal assay (RIA). The results are as follows. During early pregnancy, the human chorion contains renin and A II. The activity of renin is much higher at 6th week of gestation, but as gestation proceeds, it decreases gradually, while A II shows somewhat increased change. The activity of renin secreted by cultured chorion can also be measured. A I in human placental villi can not be detected by RIA in chorion leaves or their culturing fluid. These results indicate that renin-angiotensin system may exist independently in human placental villi during early pregnancy.

Angiotensin I↗

Amplification of natural regulatory immune mechanisms for transplantation tolerance.

There is a need to derive donor-specific tolerance in clinical organ transplantation, where potential benefits remain overshadowed by chronic rejection and side effects of continual immunosuppressive therapy. It is known that the mature immune system in mice can be reprogrammed to accept a foreign graft as if it were "self." Here we show that, once generated, this state of operational tolerance becomes self-sustaining, imposing itself on new cohorts of lymphocytes as they arise. These new cohorts retain specificity for the tolerizing antigen and can be selectively amplified to tolerate new antigens that have linked expression with the original tolerogen. Regulation is critically dependent upon the continuous presence of tolerizing antigen and is mediated by the CD4+ lymphocyte population. We propose that such natural mechanisms of immune regulation may eventually be exploited for transplantation tolerance, even in fully immune-competent recipients.

Animals↗

[Effects of stimulating rabbit's cerebral cortex on respiratory frequency and amplitude].

The effects on respiration upon stimulation of different areas of cerebral cortex were studied in 38 urethance anesthetized rabbits after both vagotomy and section of the maxillary division of trigeminal nerves. The results showed that: (1) Light continuous stimulations of the limb motor area (L) enforced inspiration by increasing respiratory frequency (RF) and tidal volume (TV). Stimulation of the facial motor area (F) increased RF notably, but depth of expiration and inspiration were notably decreased. Upon stimulation of the masticatory motor area (M), expiration or inspiration was accentuated, RF and TV were obviously increased. Upon stimulation of the posterior orbital area RF and TV were decreased markably. No obvious effects on respiration were observed on stimulation of the other areas of the cortex. (2) With shortened total period of stimulation, a stimulating L, F or M area would cause a longer period of apnoea after expiration and resumption of inspiration insured an increased TV.

Animals↗

[Antidotal effects of 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate sodium (DMPS) and combined with diazepam on acute poisoning caused by sodium ammonium dimethyl-2-propano-1,3-dithiosulfate monohydrate (SCD)].

In mice, DMPS (250 mg/kg, i.v.) combined with diazepam (1.25 mg/kg, i.p.) could increase LD50 of p. o. SCD 5.3 times. DMPS (62.5 mg/kg, i.v.) antagonized completely the respiratory depression and neuromuscular blockade caused by SCD(7.5 mg/kg, i.v.) in rabbits. SCD (15 mg/kg, i.v.) caused tremor, tonic convulsion and the abnormal paroxysmal discharges in EEG in rabbits. DMPS (0.5 mg/kg, i.c.v) could not eliminate the abnormal paroxysmal discharges in EEG of rabbits. DMPS (62.5 mg/kg, i.v.) combined with diazepam (5 mg/kg, i.v.) completely and rapidly antagonize these toxic symptoms and the abnormal changes in EEG.

Animals↗