Inhaled nitric oxide in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn: four-year experience in a single medical center.

Forty-eight infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) from July, 1997 to June, 2001 were enrolled for a prospectively study to determine the role of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) treatment and to determine an appropriate weaning strategy of NO. The initial dose of NO was started at 10 ppm for 10 minutes. If the infant's symptoms did not improve, we used a rapid dose ladder schedule for increasing the dose of NO to 20, 40 and 80 ppm every 10 minutes until we achieved the desired response.

Detection of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinomas with thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography in patients with indeterminate magnetic resonance imaging findings after radiotherapy.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of thallium-201 (Tl-201) single-photon emission CT (SPECT) to detect recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) when MRI findings are indeterminate.

Methods: After radiotherapy, 26 NPC patients with indeterminate MRI findings were included in this study. MRI, Tl-201, and biopsy were performed at least 4 months after radiotherapy and within 1 week.

Risk factors for gallstone disease in a hospital-based study.

Background: We investigated the risk factors for gallstone disease in Taiwan.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of patients receiving periodic health examination at China Medical College Hospital from January to December 2000. A detailed history, physical examination, biochemical measurements, and abdominal ultrasonography were done.

Androgen receptor (AR) gene microsatellite polymorphism in postmenopausal women: correlation to bone mineral density and susceptibility to osteoporosis.

Objective: To investigate the correlation of the androgen receptor gene microsatellite polymorphism (CAG trinucleotide repeat polymorphism on exon 1) with bone mineral density and their relationship to osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Study Design: A number of 168 of 477 postmenopausal women were randomly recruited. The androgen receptor gene microsatellite polymorphism was determined using polymerase chain reaction-based microsatellite analysis.

Polymorphisms of the interleukin-4 gene in chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in Taiwan.

We aimed to evaluate the relationship between two polymorphisms of the IL4 gene (-590T/C and intron 3) and systemic lupus erythematosus in Chinese patients in Taiwan. This study included 91 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 163 unrelated, age matched healthy controls living in the same area. The typing of -590T/C and intron 3 VNTR (variable number of tandem repeats) polymorphisms were performed by PCR-RFLP and PCR, respectively.

Early predicting recurrent cervical cancer with combination of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC).

The establishment of new tumor marker combinations including strong lead-time effects in detecting recurrent cervical cancer appears to be warranted. This retrospective study includes 50 patients with recurrent squamous cell cervical cancer after operation or radiotherapy. The serial serum levels of the tumor markers tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) were determined.

Reduction of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase expression in resected hepatocellular carcinoma.

Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (DDH) is one of the major enzymes catabolizing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the liver. Although four DDH isoforms have been detected in the normal liver, only DDH1 and DDH2 have been detected in cancer cells of lung and esophagus. Moreover, the available information about hepatic pathophysiological regulation of DDH expression is limited.

Association of tumour necrosis factor alpha -308 gene polymorphism with primary open-angle glaucoma in Chinese.

Purpose: Genetic factors are known to play a role in the aetiology of glaucoma, and in particular the role of the immune system is highly suspected. In this study, we evaluated the association between tumour necrosis factor alpha -308 (TNF alpha -308) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods: A total of sixty POAG patients and 103 healthy volunteers as control group were enrolled in this case-controlled study.

Lack of association of genetic polymorphisms in the interleukin-1beta, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 genes with mitral valve prolapse in Taiwan Chinese.

Background And Aims Of The Study: Inflammation and genetics may play a role in the pathogenesis of mitral valve prolapse (MVP). The study aim was to test whether interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), IL-4 or IL-10 gene polymorphisms could be used as markers of susceptibility or severity in MVP among the Chinese population in Taiwan.

Methods: A group of 100 patients with MVP diagnosed echocardiographically, and 103 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects was studied.

Molecular characterization of deletional forms of beta-thalassemia in Taiwan.

beta-Thalassemia is one of the most common genetic diseases in Taiwan. The most common mutations of beta-globin are point mutations, and six mutations account for over 90% of cases. Less than 5% of the cases with beta-globin gene deletion result in beta-thalassemia minor.

Low infectious morbidity in patients with heavily pretreated hematological malignancies receiving autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation without antimicrobial prophylaxis.

The use of prophylactic antimicrobials during autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) remains controversial. A prospective study was therefore conducted to examine whether the use of prophylactic antimicrobials is necessary. In this study, all the antimicrobials were given therapeutically rather than prophylactically.

Interleukin-1beta and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism in postmenopausal women: correlation to bone mineral density and susceptibility to osteoporosis.

Objective: Osteoporosis is a common disorder with a strong genetic component. Our aim was to investigate the correlations of the interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene polymorphisms with bone mineral density (BMD) and their relationship to osteoporosis.

Methods: The IL-1beta (promoter and exon 5) and IL-1Ra (intron 2) gene polymorphisms were determined using polymerase chain reaction.

Osteocalcin gene HindIII C/T polymorphism is a biomarker for prostate cancer and responsiveness to hormone therapy.

Objectives: Osteocalcin is a vitamin-K dependent protein which is related to the metabolism of bone and calcium. The formation or progression of prostate cancer is presumed to be associated with the osteocalcin gene. The most frequently seen polymorphism is HindIII which is located at the promoter region.

Objective evidence of a high prevalence of renal damage in women with type 2 diabetes by technetium-99m DMSA renal cortex scan findings.

Objectives: To compare control women with men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) for the prevalence and type of renal damage due to urinary tract infections (UTIs) using technetium-99m dimercapto-succinic acid (99mTc DMSA) renal scanning. Women with DM have UTIs more often than do women without DM. It is unknown, however, what the prevalence and type of renal damage due to UTI are in these women.

The polymorphisms of codon 727 and 52 of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor gene are not associated with mitral valve prolapse syndrome in Taiwan Chinese.

A germline mutation of the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) gene has been reported to be associated with thyrotoxicosis and mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS) in a Chinese family. The role of TSHR genetic variants in MVPS has not been well studied. This study investigated the possible relationship between the polymorphisms of codon 727 and 52 of the TSHR gene and MVPS among the Chinese population in Taiwan.

The correlation between CpG methylation on promoter and protein expression of E-cadherin in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Reduction of E-cadherin in most common epithelial tumors relates to metastasis, which results from the silence of E-cadherin by CpG methylation.

Materials And Methods: We examined the E-cadherin expression by immunohistochemical staining and detected methylation by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) in 48 primary oral SCC tissues.

Results: The results showed that 41 out of 48 (85.

Comparison of CYFRA 21-1 and tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) for detecting nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

CYFRA 21-1 is a tumor marker that is useful for detecting squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung. Tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) is a tumor marker that indicates tumor proliferative rate rather than tumor burden. Our aim in this study was to compare the clinical value of CYFRA 21-1 and TPS in the detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) in the early prediction of recurrent ovarian cancer.

It is very important to establish a tumor marker combination with strong lead-time effects in early detection of recurrent ovarian cancer. This retrospective study included 32 patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer after primary therapy. The serum levels of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) were followed-up.

Novel clonal der(8)t(8;14)(p11;q11),del(9)(q13q22) and t(14;22) (q13;q13) in a patient with fulminant adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

We describe a 70-year-old man with fulminant adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. He died of progressive disease 1 week after the onset of symptoms. The integrated viral DNA of human T-lymphotropic virus type I was detected in the bone marrow aspirate by polymerase chain reaction.

Relationship of preoperative findings and ossicular discontinuity in chronic otitis media.

Background: Ossicular discontinuity may result from chronic otitis media, with or without cholesteatoma, and usually cannot be determined unless an operation is performed. If preoperative information can be used to determine whether or not the ossicular chain is intact, the patient can be better informed and the surgeon can be better prepared before surgery.

Objective: To examine the correlation between preoperative findings and the status of the ossicular chain at surgery.

Epidemiology of fatty liver in a hospital-based study in Taiwan.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology of fatty liver in Taiwan.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of all patients receiving health examinations at China Medical College Hospital from January through December 2000. A total of 1,012 subjects were included for analysis.