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This study was designed to study the effects of (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on plasma and liver lipids, particularly lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, in hamsters. Diets rich in (n-3) PUFA (21 g/100 g fatty acid) or (n-6) PUFA (37.4 g/ 100 g fatty acid) with or without 5 g/kg cholesterol (C) supplements were given for 4 wk to male hamsters weighing 70-90 g. The VLDL- and (IDL + LDL)-cholesterol concentrations were 114 and 128% higher in hamsters fed the (n-3) PUFA + C diet than in those fed the (n-6) PUFA + C diet. However, these differences were not observed when cholesterol was not supplemented. Hamsters fed the (n-3) PUFA diet had significantly lower plasma and hepatic triglyceride concentrations than those fed the (n-6) PUFA diet. Concentrations were comparable in hamsters fed (n-6) PUFA + C and (n-3) PUFA + C. Hepatic cholesteryl esters were significantly lower, while hepatic microsomal acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase activity and VLDL cholesteryl esters were significantly higher in hamsters fed the (n-3) PUFA + C diet than in those fed the (n-6) PUFA + C diet. Our results demonstrate that elevation of VLDL- and (IDL + LDL)-cholesterol in hamsters by (n-3) PUFA, compared with (n-6) PUFA, is dependent on dietary cholesterol supplementation and may be due to decreased catabolism of these lipoproteins.

Background Liver transplantation (LT) has been advocated as a salvage treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Selection criteria still need to be developed in Taiwan. Objectives The purpose of our study was to assess the clinical findings and outcome of cirrhotic patients with HCC undergoing liver transplantation. Methods Our study consisted of 13 HCC patients who underwent liver transplantation during October 1996 to March 2003. The medical records and pathologic reports were analyzed retrospectively. Results Overall survival rates at 1 and 3 years were 86% and 61%, respectively. HCC recurrences occurred in three patients, one of whom is still alive with HCC recurrence 2 years after LT. The other two patients died of HCC recurrence 1 and 2 years after LT, respectively. Pretransplant α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels of >200 ng/mL were noted in all three patients with HCC recurrence. In contrast, only one of the ten patients without HCC recurrence had pretransplant AFP >200 ng/mL ( P = .003). Four patients did not meet Milan criteria, two of whom had HCC recurrence. However, the other two patients with microscopic vascular invasion survived and were free of HCC. The only one patient, who had histologic grade 4 HCC, died of recurrence, although his tumor was AJCC stage 1. Conclusions High AFP level is a risk factor for HCC recurrence after LT. In addition to Milan criteria, histologic tumor grading should be considered in patient selection. Microscopic vascular invasion may not affect the outcome of the patients with early HCC.

Objective Patients with acute hepatic failure (AHF) were always given first priority on the transplant waiting list. We investigated whether AHF patients will deprive other patients on the waiting list of the chance of liver transplantation (LTx). Methods and results From January 1999 to March 2003, a total of 423 patients were on the transplant waiting list at the National Taiwan University Hospital. Sixty-five of the patients had AHF caused by hepatitis-B-related disease (HBV, n = 52, 80%), Wilson disease ( n = 3, 4.6%), drug-induced AHF ( n = 3, 4.6%), and other causes ( n = 7, 10.8%).Thirty-three patients died and 16 survived by medical treatment. Two received LTx abroad and 14 underwent LTx at our hospital (7 living-related; 7 cadaver). A total of 140 patients died while waiting for a transplant during the period studied. Of them, 107 were among 358 non-AHF patients (30%), and time-to-death interval was 133 ± 175 days (median: 62); 33 were among 65 AHF patients (51%); time to death was 19 ± 28 days (median: 8). There were 35 cadaver donor livers available during the period; 28 of 358 non-AHF patients (7.8%), and 7 of 65 AHF patients (10.7%) received cadaveric LTx. Their waiting time totaled 342 ± 316 and 12 ± 9 days, respectively ( P Conclusion Most AHF patients died unless they received liver grafts. Even with a higher priority assigned to them, AHF patients still have little chance to get a cadaver donor liver in Taiwan, and non-AHF patients have an even slimmer chance. Therefore, we need to encourage liver donation from living-related donors.

Thirty-six young male Syrian hamsters were fed with test diets containing coconut oil, soybean oil or fish oil with and without 0.5% cholesterol for 6 weeks. Without dietary cholesterol supplementation, animals on the fish oil diet had significantly lower plasma total triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol than those on the coconut oil or soybean oil diet. The decrease of TG was seen mainly in the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) fraction. The degree of decrease in cholesterol was similar in all of the lipoprotein fractions. With 0.5% dietary cholesterol supplementation, there was no significant difference in plasma TG level among the three dietary groups. However, the fish oil group had significantly higher plasma cholesterol than the coconut oil and soybean oil groups. The increase of cholesterol was mainly in the VLDL and low density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions. In contrast to the plasma cholesterol level, the hepatic cholesteryl ester content was significantly lower in the cholesterol-supplemented fish oil group than in the coconut oil and soybean oil counterparts. The cholesterol-supplemented fish oil group showed higher liver microsomal acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase activity than the other two groups, while there was no significant difference in the excretion of fecal neutral and acidic sterols among the three dietary groups.

Early literature discussed postdate pregnancy in relation to difficult delivery of mothers with an excessively large fetus; more recent reports imply that the risk of perinatal death exists especially for the small, growth-retarded fetus. However there is little in the literature concerning low birthweight infants in postdate pregnancies.A 6-year retrospective review of 135 low birthweight infants with 40 or more weeks' gestation was conducted. Among the subjects, 19 cases had a gestational age greater than 42 weeks (Group 1), 26 cases, between 41 and 42 weeks (Group 2), and 90 cases, between 40 and 41 weeks (Group 3). Assess was made of the outcomes of low birthweight infants in postdate pregnancies, comparing Group 1 with Group 2 and Group 3.Group 1 infants had significantly higher rates of chromosomal (21.1%) and congenital (31.6%) abnormalities and perinatal mortality (21.1%) than either Group 2 or Group 3 infants. Also, in Group 1 there were two cases of polyhydramnios and they both had abnormal karyotypes.The outcome of low birthweight infants in postdate pregnancies appears to be worse than predicted. This finding could offer for managing the cases which have a high frequency of abnormal karyotype (21.1%), especially when combined with polyhydramnios.

Cyclic D 2 O radical anneal was interposed in atomic layer deposition (ALD) of HfO 2 gate dielectrics on Si. A significant improvement on the thermal stability of the gate dielectrics against postdeposition anneal (PDA) can be achieved from the incorporation of this special anneal technique into the ALD process. A low equivalent oxide thickness of the HfO 2 gate dielectrics was retained even after 900°C PDA.

A highly sensitive enzyme immunoassay was used to measure urinary growth hormone (GH) levels in 29 children and 32 adults with different levels of GH secretion. The 24-hour urinary GH excretion of seven children with complete GH deficiency was 1.90 +/- 1.55 ng/g Cr (mean +/- SD), of 10 normal but short children was 19.04 +/- 14.11 ng/g Cr, of 12 children with normal height was 14.57 +/- 5.53 ng/g Cr, of 11 adults of normal height was 4.46 +/- 4.47 ng/g Cr, and of six adults with acromegaly was 366.75 +/- 349.95 ng/g Cr. The nocturnal urinary GH excretion of seven children with complete GH deficiency was 2.27 +/- 1.22 ng/g Cr, of 10 normal but short children was 22.74 +/- 12.76 ng/g Cr, of 12 children of normal height was 22.40 +/- 11.86 ng/g Cr, of 26 adults of normal height was 7.14 +/- 5.86 ng/g Cr and of six adults with acromegaly was 338.70 +/- 309.12 ng/g Cr. There was no overlap in the urinary GH excretion, either 24-hour or nocturnal values, between children with complete GH deficiency and children without GH deficiency, or between adults with acromegaly and normal adults. These data indicate that urinary GH measurements can reflect the endogenous GH secretory status and may be a promising tool for the diagnosis of complete GH deficiency in children and acromegaly in adults.

This study examined the involvement of amygdala N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in long-term retention of an inhibitory avoidance response. Rats bearing chronic cannulae implanted into the basolateral amygdala were trained on a one-trial inhibitory avoidance task and tested for retention 21 days later. They received intra-amygdala injections of vehicle (Veh) or 0.25, 1.25 or 5.0 micrograms of a competitive NMDA antagonist-2-amino-5-phosphonopentoic acid (AP5) either 5 min before training, immediately after training or 5 min before testing. Results indicated that pretraining intra-amygdala injections of AP5 at all doses impaired retention performance profoundly. Intra-amygdala injections of AP5 immediately after training caused a dose-dependent retention deficit: 0.25 microgram induced no deficit and 5.0 micrograms induced a great deficit. Immediate posttraining intra-amygdala injections of a non-competitive NMDA antagonist MK-801, also impaired retention but MK-801 given 2 hrs after training had no significant effect. In contrast to the marked amnestic effect produced by pre- or posttraining intra-amygdala injections of AP5, intra-amygdala injections of AP5 given just before retention tests had no discernible effect on retention performance. The retention deficit induced by pretraining intra-amygdala injections of 1.25 micrograms AP5 was ameliorated completely by N-methyl-DL-aspartate (0.25 microgram), but also partially by norepinephrine (0.2 microgram) infused into the amygdala immediately after training. However, posttraining infusion 0.2 microgram norepinephrine failed to attenuate significantly the amnestic effect induced by 5.0 micrograms AP5. These findings, taken together, suggest that NMDA receptors in the amygdala are normally involved in memory formation processing of affective experience.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of octreotide (a somatostatin analogue) in the treatment of acromegaly, 10 patients were injected subcutaneously with octreotide, 50 micrograms, thrice daily before each meal for two days, followed by 100 micrograms thrice daily for six months. One case dropped out at the initial stage because of diarrhea, and another quit due to a lack of improvement in headaches after treatment for three months. Eight patients completed the study. The results showed that the circumference of the fourth finger and hand volume significantly decreased after treatment. Laboratory data demonstrated that serum growth hormone (GH) and somatomedin-C levels also decreased significantly. However, in six patients without a history of trans-sphenoidal adenomectomy, the serum GH and somatomedin-C levels returned to normal in only one case who had a serum GH level20 mU/L before treatment. In the oral glucose tolerance test, paradoxic elevation of GH subsided after treatment. In the TRH test, paradoxic elevation of GH improved after treatment. In the bromocriptine test, octreotide had a synergistic effect on the suppression of GH. All cases had the side effect of injection pain, especially at the initial stage. An increase in intestinal peristalsis and bowel movement occurred in the first week, but symptoms later subsided. Two out of these eight patients had gallbladder sludge after six months of treatment. In conclusion, octreotide is effective in the treatment of acromegaly; however, it is better used in patients who have serum GH levels20 mU/L, or after a trans-sphenoidal adenomectomy, and may be combined with bromocriptine to treat the patient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A case of meconium peritonitis that was diagnosed ultrasonographically in the second trimester is presented. Fetal ascites, intraabdominal calcification and polyhydramnios were detected on antenatal ultrasonography. Specks of calcification were also demonstrated on abdominal radiography postnatally. The obstetric and neonatal implications of meconium peritonitis are discussed with literature review.

To develop a reliable and valid psychiatric self-rating scale for use in medical practice, the authors modified Derogatis' Symptom Check List-90-R (SCL-90-R) and designed a shorter form, named Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS). The BSRS comprises 50 items, which best reflect the original ten symptom dimensions and three indices of psychopathology from the SCL-90-R. The BSRS has been proven in different populations to have an excellent split-half reliability as well as good internal structure according to factor analysis. In addition, BSRS scores are highly correlated with the parental form SCL-90-R among medical populations for each symptom dimension and the three indices. The rate of accurate classification for BSRS between psychiatric and nonpsychiatric cases was 75.8%, with a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 86.7% by discriminant analysis based on 10 dimensional scores obtained from 1,638 subjects, randomly selected from the Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic, the Family Medicine Clinic and nonpsychiatric medical inpatients. Therefore, the BSRS is a satisfactory global measure and case-finding screening instrument for psychopathology in both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric medical settings.

A newborn with ambiguous external genitalia and the stigmata of Turner syndrome presented with the following features: short stature, hypertelorism, bilateral epicanthal folds, ptosis, low-set ears with prominent auricles, high-arched palate, low posterior hairline, webbed neck, broad and short chest, widely-spaced and hypoplastic nipples and clitoris-like phallus with hypospasdias. He also had patent ductus arteriosus, the secundum type of atrial septal defect and mitral stenosis. Chromosomes of peripheral blood showed mosaicism of cells with 45,XO/46,XY. An exploratory laparotomy was performed at five months of age. The right side ovotestis-like gonad was removed. The left side gonad in the scrotum was normal. No pathological gonadoblastoma was found.

From July 1987 to December 1988, 19,625 children in Taiwan were measured for their body weights and heights. They were 9,564 boys and 10,061 girls and were seen either in a well baby clinic of a large community hospital or in the local kindergartens. We divided these children into 64 groups according to their sex and ages. The mean values and standard deviation of body weight and height were tried to correlate with those from children of school age reported for 1987 by the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, body weight and height growth curves were drawn for these children, aged from 1 month to 18 years.

5,6-Dehydrokawain (DK) and dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain (DDK) inhibited the aggregation and ATP release of rabbit platelets induced by arachidonic acid and collagen, without affecting those induced by ADP, PAF and thrombin. This inhibition was reversible and in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC50 of DK and DDK on arachidonate-induced platelet aggregation were calculated to be about 10 and 60 micrograms/ml, respectively. Thromboxane B2 formation caused by arachidonic acid was also suppressed by both antiplatelet agents. DK inhibited the intracellular calcium concentration rised by arachidonic acid, but not that by collagen or thrombin. DK also inhibited the secondary, but not the primary aggregation of human platelet-rich plasma induced by ADP and epinephrine. It is concluded that the antiplatelet effect of both DK and DDK is due to the inhibition of thromboxane A2 formation.

The relation between magnetic properties and microscopic structure for a metal/semiconductor system is described. Cobalt films on a CoSi interface possess an in-plane easy axis of magnetization as the result of magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the Co∕CoSi interface. On a Si(111)-7×7 surface, direct evidence for the formation of CoSi2 compounds at the interface was found by the appearance of doubled spot defects in scanning tunneling microscopic images. The interfacial effects cause the easy axis of magnetization of a Co∕Si interface to be canted out of plane.

Effects of triiodothyronine treatment on (Na+,K+)-ATPase in the brain, liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle were studied in the rat. The number of (Na+,K+)-ATPase units in the particulate fractions obtained from deoxycholate-treated homogenates was estimated from the concentration of [3H]ouabain binding sites assayed with a labeled drug-displacement method. The concentration of [3H]ouabain binding sites was highest in the brain tissue, intermediate in the kidney, and relatively low in the liver and skeletal muscle. The affinity of the binding sites for ouabain was highest in the brain, intermediate in the skeletal muscle, low in the kidney, and lowest in the liver. Triiodothyronine treatment increased the [3H]ouabain binding site concentration in the liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle but failed to affect it in the brain. Affinity of the binding sites for ouabain was unchanged by the triiodothyronine treatment in all tissues studied. These data indicate that triiodothyronine treatment of rats results in an increased tissue concentration of (Na+,K+)-ATPase in the liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle, but not in the brain. These changes do not accompany marked changes in the characteristics of the enzyme.

Haploid and diploid plants produced from anther culture of two hybrids of rice (Oryza sativa), each heterozygous for two unlinked genes, were subjected to genetic analysis. Progeny tests showed that all diploids but one were homozygous for both loci. Chi-square tests of the haploids and homozygous diploids revealed that the two genes in each hybrid segregated in the expected 1:1 ratio and that the four genotypic classes fit a 1:1:1:1 ratio, indicating that independent assortment of marker genes occurred and that the gametes were equally viable in the microspore-derived progeny. One diploid plant produced from anthers of the hybrid of genotype wx+wx lg+lg was found to be homozygous for lg+ but heterozygous for the waxy locus. Indirect evidence suggests that a mutation at the waxy locus in a spontaneously doubled haploid cell during culture may be the cause for occurrence of this unusual plant.

The title synthesis can readily be carried out on a 50 mg scale or more, starting with the 54/46 mixture of E- and Z-5-bromoalcohols obtained from the sodium borohydride reduction of the ketone. The key feature on which the synthesis dependes is the fact that the Z-trimethylsilyl bromoether is reduced by zinc borohydride (and -deuteride) in benzene much faster than the E- epimer.

The objective of the authors is to develop an intelligent robot workstation capable of integrating data from multiple sensors. The investigation is based on a Unimation PUMA 560 robot and various external sensors. These include overhead vision, eye-in-hand vision, proximity, tactile array, position, force/torque, cross-fire, overload, and slip-sensing devices. The efficient fusion of data from different sources will enable the machine to respond promptly in dealing with the 'real world'. Towards this goal, the general paradigm of a sensor data fusion system has been developed, and some simulation results, as well as results from the actual implementation of certain concepts of sensor data fusion, have been demonstrated. >

5-Halo- and 3,5-dihalo-2-{((3-thiazolidinyl)alkyl! thio)pyridine hydrochlorides (alkyl = ( CH/sub 2/)/sub 3-8.10/! and substituted and unsubstituted 2-{1(3-thiazolidinyl)alkyl! thio}quinoline hydrochlorides STAalkyl = (CH/sub 2/)/sub 5.6! were prepared by alkylation of 2(1H)-pyridinethiones and 2(1H)-quinolinethiones with 3-(chloroalkyl)thiazolidines. The series was extended to 3-STA(alkylthio)alkyl!thiazolidine hydrochlorides (CH/sub 3/(CH/sub 2)/sub n/sub 1/ -S-(CH/sub 2/)/sub n/sub 2/, in volving 27 combinations of n/sub 1/ = 0-9 and n/sub 2/ = 2-7! by alkylation of alkanethiols. Several compounds exhibited promising antiradiation activity, either by ip or po administration. Generally the compounds were more active in the po test. 5-Chloro-2-{STA7-(3- thiazolidinyl)heptyl!thio}pyridine hydrochloride given po at 75 mg/kg (ca 0.13 LD/ sub 50/) afforded 60% survival in the 30-day test. 3-STA5- (Pentylthio)pentyl!thiazolidine hydrochloride resulted in 92% survival (30-day) of the mice when given po at 125 mg/kg (0.2 LD/sub 50/). (auth)

The application of molecular biology in the study of apolipoprotein biosynthesis has been a relatively recent event. About six years ago, our laboratory initiated a series of studies on the biosynthesis of an apolipoprotein, apoVLDL-II, in a model system (1–5). This apoprotein was synthesized in the cockerel liver at a very low basal level. It was induced to become a major protein secreted by the liver when estrogen was administered to this animal. While the observations in this system were interesting and might help elucidate the mechanism of action of estrogen in the liver, there was no known mammalian counterpart to apoVLDL-II. We have thus extended our studies and have performed experiments on the biosynthesis of two well-characterized mammalian apolipoproteins, apoE and apoA-I.

Factors contributing to the impairment of cell-mediated immunity in cancer patients were studied. Normal plasma enhanced the PHA-induced transformation of cancer lymphocytes. Cancer plasma suppressed the transformation of normal lymphocytes. The plasma factor(s), which might play an important role in the impairment of cell-mediated immunity in cancer, was further characterized to be heat-labile, being completely destroyed at 56 degrees C for 30 minutes. It was present on the surface of T lymphocytes, and was partially removable by digestion with 0.05% Bacto-trypsin. Moreover, the percentage of T cells in the peripheral blood of cancer patients was lower than that of normal as determined by the anti-human thymocyte serum cytotoxicity test and the spontaneous rosette forming test.

Epidemiology of gonococcal infection in Taiwan was investigated. Six hundred twelve isolates from 7 cities in 1983-1984 were examined for auxotyping by Hendry and Stewart's method, for serotyping by coagglutination of monoclonal antibodies with the antigenic specificity of gonococcal protein I molecules and for plasmid profile by the alkaline quick method. The results are described below: (1) Thirty-six auxotypes were found. Prototropic (Prototype) 45.4% (284/612) and Proline type (Pro) 38.7% (237/612) were the two dominant auxotypes. Arg- Hyp- Ura- which was thought to be correlated with disseminated gonococcal infection was not found. (2) Fifty-five percent penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrheal (PPNG) were prototype and 48.8% non-PPNG were Pro. (3) Sixteen serotypes were identified among 56 strains. There was 17.8 (10/56 which belonged to the IA group and 82.2% (46/56) to the IB group. (4) Five molecular weight plasmids were found. They were 2.6 Mdal, 3.05 Mdal, 4.7 Mdal, 7.8 Mdal and 24.5 Mdal. (5) There were 7 plasmid profiles including 2.6 Mdal (26.4%); 2.6 Mdal +24.5 Mdal (23.2%); 2.6 Mdal+7.8 Mdal+24.5 Mdal (0.4%); 2.6 Mdal+4.7 Mdal (8.9%); 2.6 Mdal+4.7 Mdal+24.5 Mdal (38.2%); 2.6 Mdal+4.7 Mdal+24.5 Mdal (0.2%) and 2.6 Mdal+3.05 Mdal+24.5 Mdal (2.4%). (6) All the isolates harbored cryptic 2.6 Mdal plasmid. Eighty three percent of the PPNG and 48.6% of the non-PPNG harbored 24.5 Mdal plasmid. Twelve out of 305 PPNG isolates were "Toronto" type 3.05 Mdal plasmid. Others were "Asian" 4.7 Mdal plasmid. There were no "African" type 3.2 Mdal plasmids found.

Substituted 2-pyridyloxy and 2-quinolyloxy derivatives of S- 2(alkylannino)ethyl hydrogen thiosulfates, 3-alkylthiazolidines, and substituted 2-pyridyloxy derivatives of 2- (alkylamino)ethanethiols and corresponding disulfides were synthesized as antiradiation agents by the appropriate aziridine ring-opening reactions of substituted 2-{STA(1-aziridinyl)alkyl!oxy}pyridines and -quinolines. 5Substituted 2-chloropyridines and substituted 2-chloroquinolines were prepared for heterocyclic ether-forming reactions by treatment with the Na salts of 1-aziridinealkanols to give the aziridinylalkyloxy derivatives. 5-Halo- 2-pyridyl ethers resulted in the highest antiradiation activity regardless of route of administration or type of sulfur-coveringg group. S-2- ({5-STA(5-Chloro- 2-pyridyl)oxy!-pentyl}amino)ethyl hydrogen thiosulfate and S-2- ({5-STA (3,5dichloro-2-pyridyl)oxy! pentyl}amino)ethyl hydrogen thiosulfate afforded 87% survival of mice in the 30-day test at 19 (1/12 of LD/sub 50/ dose) and 12.5 mg/ kg ip (1/14 of LD/sub 50/ dose), respectively. In view of the dearth of agents effective perorally, remarkably good radioprotection was found on oral administration of thiazolidines substituted in the 3 position with 5-halo-2- {pyridyloxypentyl or -hexyl groups; 5-chloro- and 5-iodo-2-{STA6-(3- thiazolidinyl)hexyl! oxy}pyridine hydrochlorides resulted in survival rates of 73% at 150 mg/kg po (0.25 of LD/sub 50/ dose) and 93% at 300 mg/kg po (0.5 of LD/ sub 50/ dose), respectively. (auth)

The role of elective neck dissection in early stage tongue and buccal squamous cell carcinoma with negative neck lymph nodes is still controversial.We retrospectively reviewed patients with T1-2N0M0 buccal and tongue cancer who underwent primary tumour excision with or without elective neck dissection between January 1997 and December 2006.Elective neck dissection specifically improved disease-free survival of T2N0M0 buccal cancer and overall survival of T2N0M0 tongue cancer.Elective neck dissection seems to improve the disease-free survival rate of T2N0M0 buccal cancer and the overall survival rate of T2N0M0 tongue cancer but has no beneficial effect on the survival rate of T1N0M0 buccal and tongue cancer.