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1.
J Endocrinol Invest ; 47(4): 913-925, 2024 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37878156

RESUMO

PURPOSE: The prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide. The associations between the lipid profile and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting glucose, and diabetes remain unclear, so we aimed to perform a cohort study and a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to investigate the causality between blood lipid profile and HbA1c, fasting glucose, and diabetes. METHODS: A total of 25,171 participants from the Taiwan Biobank were enrolled. We applied a cohort study and an MR study to assess the association between blood lipid profile and HbA1c, fasting glucose, and diabetes. The summary statistics were obtained from the Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network (AGEN), and the estimates between the instrumental variables (IVs) and outcomes were calculated using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method. A series of sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: In the cohort study, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was negatively associated with HbA1c, fasting glucose, and diabetes, while the causal associations between HDL-C and HbA1c (ßIVW = - 0.098, p = 0.003) and diabetes (ßIVW = - 0.594, p < 0.001) were also observed. Furthermore, there was no pleiotropy effect in this study using the MR-Egger intercept test and MR-PRESSO global test. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the hypothesis that a genetically determined increase in HDL-C is causally related to a reduction in HbA1c and a lower risk of diabetes.


Assuntos
Diabetes Mellitus , Análise da Randomização Mendeliana , Humanos , Hemoglobinas Glicadas , Estudos de Coortes , Jejum , HDL-Colesterol , Glucose , Lipídeos , Estudo de Associação Genômica Ampla , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único
2.
J Appl Microbiol ; 124(6): 1469-1479, 2018 Jun.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29430777

RESUMO

AIM: This study evaluated two methods, namely high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) and Vibrio harveyi BB170 bioassay, for autoinducer-2 (AI-2) quantification in marine samples. Using both methods, the study also investigated the stability of AI-2 in varying pH, temperature and media, as well as quantified the amount of AI-2 signals in marine samples. METHODS AND RESULTS: HPLC-FLD method showed a higher level of reproducibility and precision compared to V. harveyi BB170 bioassay. Alkaline pH (>8) and high temperature (>37°C) increased the instability of AI-2. The AI-2 concentrations in seawater were low, c. 3·2-27·6 pmol l-1 , whereas 8-week-old marine biofilm grew on an 18·8 cm2 substratum accumulated c. 0·207 nmol of AI-2. CONCLUSION: Both methods have pros and cons for AI-2 quantification in marine samples. Regardless, both methods reported a ubiquitous presence of AI-2 in both planktonic and biomass fractions of seawater, as well as in marine biofilm. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In this study, AI-2 signals were for the first time enumerated in marine samples to reveal the ubiquitous presence of AI-2 in this environment. The findings suggest a possible role of AI-2 in biofilm formation in marine environment, and the contribution of AI-2 in biofilm-associated problems such as biofouling and biocorrosion.


Assuntos
Bioensaio/métodos , Homosserina/análogos & derivados , Lactonas/análise , Água do Mar/análise , Biofilmes , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão , Microbiologia Ambiental , Homosserina/análise , Plâncton , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Água do Mar/microbiologia , Espectrometria de Fluorescência , Vibrio/metabolismo
4.
Genet Mol Res ; 14(3): 7771-81, 2015 Jul 14.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26214458

RESUMO

Microarray technology is a powerful tool for human genetic research and other biomedical applications. Numerous improvements to the standard K-means algorithm have been carried out to complete the image segmentation step. However, most of the previous studies classify the image into two clusters. In this paper, we propose a novel K-means algorithm, which first classifies the image into three clusters, and then one of the three clusters is divided as the background region and the other two clusters, as the foreground region. The proposed method was evaluated on six different data sets. The analyses of accuracy, efficiency, expression values, special gene spots, and noise images demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in improving the segmentation quality.


Assuntos
Algoritmos , Processamento de Imagem Assistida por Computador , Análise de Sequência com Séries de Oligonucleotídeos/métodos , Análise por Conglomerados , Bases de Dados Genéticas , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Humanos
5.
Scand J Rheumatol ; 43(6): 498-502, 2014.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25178483

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis that is triggered by the crystallization of monosodium urate (MSU). We investigated the potential proteins that relate to the pathogenesis or the spontaneous resolution of acute gouty arthritis. METHOD: We screened for differentially expressed proteins in the plasma of patients with acute gouty arthritis using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS) identification. We confirmed these findings in a population study of 209 subjects, and further determined the protein profile of the synovial fluid (SF) from 24 gouty patients during acute attack by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem MS (LC/MS/MS). RESULTS: The highly expressed apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) was identified in the plasma of acute gouty patients compared with healthy controls. Moreover, we detected high levels of SF apoA-I in 83.3% of acute gouty patients during attack. From the population study, apoA-I was increasingly associated with normouricaemia, hyperuricaemia, and acute gouty arthritis (ptrend < 0.001), and plasma uric acid (UA) and apoA-I were positively correlated (p = 0.0156). We used a human liver cell model and found that UA enhanced the hepatic apoA-I mRNA expression level (ptrend < 0.01) and apoA-I secretion level (ptrend = 0.002) in a dose-dependent manner. An elevated MSU concentration caused the endogenous apoA-I to deplete gradually. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the role of apoA-I in anti-inflammation, our observational data in acute gout support the hypothesis that apoA-I expression can be induced under the condition of a high concentration of UA and its elevated level may be implicated in the spontaneous resolution of acute gouty arthritis.


Assuntos
Apolipoproteína A-I/metabolismo , Artrite Gotosa/metabolismo , Ácido Úrico/metabolismo , Doença Aguda , Adulto , Idoso , Apolipoproteína A-I/análise , Apolipoproteína A-I/genética , Cristalização , Eletroforese em Gel Bidimensional , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Líquido Sinovial/química , Ácido Úrico/sangue
6.
Clin Exp Allergy ; 41(1): 72-7, 2011 Jan.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20701611

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Several studies have suggested that the association between obesity and asthma may be stronger in females than in males, but the reason is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether differences in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels explain why obesity is associated with asthma in females but not in males. METHODS: This study prospectively enrolled 754 subjects ≥ 18 years old from hospital-based asthma patients and population-based controls. We measured adiposity factors [body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist-hip ratio], hs-CRP and total IgE levels. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found a significant association between BMI and asthma in females with a significant interaction of gender and BMI on asthma (χ(2) =10.2, P=0.004). If hs-CRP was added to the logistic model, the interaction was attenuated but still significant (χ(2) =7.02, P=0.03). After adjusting for BMI, we did not find that circulating hs-CRP concentrations were significantly associated with asthma in males and females. CONCLUSION: We found that BMI was associated with asthma in females, but our results do not support the suggestion that hs-CRP levels contribute significantly to the link between obesity and asthma with respect to gender disparity.


Assuntos
Asma/sangue , Proteína C-Reativa/análise , Obesidade/sangue , Fatores Etários , Asma/complicações , Índice de Massa Corporal , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Obesidade/complicações , Distribuição por Sexo , Taiwan
7.
Scand J Immunol ; 74(5): 482-8, 2011 Nov.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21790705

RESUMO

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations and obesity are proposed to have a significant relationship with impairment of lung function, but little has been reported to date on the association between CRP gene and lung function. We studied the association of three tagSNPs (tag single nucleotide polymorphisms) of CRP gene and their interactions with central obesity on lung function. A total of 384 asthmatic adults and 384 controls who were 1:1 matched by sex and age were recruited for this study. Three tagSNPs polymorphisms for CRP rs1417938, rs1800947 and rs1205 were selected from HapMap data and genotyping by using TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. A questionnaire interview, body composition and pulmonary function tests were performed. CRP single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) did not increase the risk of asthma, but CRP rs1205 CC genotype significantly decreased the predictive value of forced vital capacity (FVC) in the asthma group (adjusted mean change = -7.54%, 95% CI = -13.82 to -1.25%). Waist-to-hip ratio, not body mass index, also decreased the predictive value of FVC in asthmatics. The subjects with central obesity who carried CRP SNPs have a significant reduction effect in lung function. The current results suggest that central obesity may play a major role in lung function, and these effects were modified significantly by the polymorphisms for CRP gene.


Assuntos
Asma/epidemiologia , Asma/genética , Proteína C-Reativa/metabolismo , Obesidade Abdominal/epidemiologia , Obesidade Abdominal/genética , Adulto , Idoso , Asma/diagnóstico , Asma/fisiopatologia , Proteína C-Reativa/genética , Análise Mutacional de DNA , Feminino , Estudos de Associação Genética , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Genótipo , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Obesidade Abdominal/diagnóstico , Obesidade Abdominal/fisiopatologia , Polimorfismo Genético , Testes de Função Respiratória , Taiwan , Relação Cintura-Quadril
8.
Am J Surg ; 222(1): 133-138, 2021 07.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33390246

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pancreatic fistulae (POPF) are a major contributing factor to pancreatoduodenectomy-associated morbidity. Established risk calculators mostly rely on subjective or intraoperative assessments. We hypothesized that various objective preoperatively determined computed tomography (CT) measurements could predict POPF as well as validated models and allow for more informed operative consent in high-risk patients. METHODS: Patients undergoing elective pancreatoduodenectomies between January 2013 and April 2018 were identified in a prospective database. Comparative statistical analyses and multivariable logistic regression models were generated to predict POPF development. Model performance was tested with receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. Pancreatic neck attenuation (Hounsfield units) was measured in triplicate by pancreatic protocol CT (venous phase, coronal plane) anterior to the portal vein. A pancreatic density index (PDI) was created to adjust for differences in contrast timing by dividing the mean of these measurements by the portal vein attenuation. Total areas of subcutaneous fat and skeletal muscle were calculated at the L3 vertebral level on axial CT. Pancreatic duct (PD) diameter was determined by CT. RESULTS: In the study period 220 patients had elective pancreatoduodenectomies with 35 (16%) developing a POPF of any grade. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that demographics (age, sex, and race) were not associated with POPF, yet patients resected for pancreatic adenocarcinoma or chronic pancreatitis were less likely to develop a POPF (10 vs. 24%; p = 0.004). ROC curves were created using various combinations of gland texture, body mass index, skeletal muscle index, sarcopenia, PDI, PD diameter, and subcutaneous fat area indexed for height (SFI). A model replacing gland texture with SFI and PDI (AUC 0.844) had similar predictive performance as the established model (p = 0.169). CONCLUSION: A combination of preoperative objective CT measurements can adequately predict POPF and is comparable to established models relying on subjective intraoperative variables. Validation in a larger dataset would allow for better preoperative stratification of high-risk patients and improve informed consent among this patient population.


Assuntos
Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Eletivos/efeitos adversos , Fístula Pancreática/epidemiologia , Pancreaticoduodenectomia/efeitos adversos , Complicações Pós-Operatórias/epidemiologia , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/estatística & dados numéricos , Adenocarcinoma/cirurgia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Antropometria/métodos , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Eletivos/métodos , Estudos de Viabilidade , Feminino , Humanos , Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Músculo Esquelético/diagnóstico por imagem , Ductos Pancreáticos/diagnóstico por imagem , Fístula Pancreática/etiologia , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/cirurgia , Pancreatite Crônica/cirurgia , Complicações Pós-Operatórias/etiologia , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Cuidados Pré-Operatórios/métodos , Cuidados Pré-Operatórios/estatística & dados numéricos , Estudos Prospectivos , Curva ROC , Estudos Retrospectivos , Medição de Risco/métodos , Medição de Risco/estatística & dados numéricos , Fatores de Risco , Sarcopenia/diagnóstico , Sarcopenia/epidemiologia , Gordura Subcutânea/diagnóstico por imagem , Adulto Jovem
9.
J Endocrinol Invest ; 33(6): 401-5, 2010 Jun.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19915388

RESUMO

AIM: The development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been recognized to be associated with a combination of pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance. Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has been recognized as one central mediator in the reaction of inflammation and proapoptotic event in beta-cells. A functional polymorphism at the codon 55 (methionine to valine; A163G) of the small ubiquitin- like modifier-4 (SUMO4) gene may result in higher NF-kappaB activity. This study investigates whether this SUMO4 Met55Val polymorphism also contributes to the development of T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed using genomic DNA samples from 574 Type 2 diabetic patients and 323 healthy controls. The SUMO4 Met55Val polymorphism was genotyped using allele-specific real-time PCR. RESULTS: The frequency of the G allele (encoding Val55) was significantly higher in Type 2 diabetic patients and Type 2 diabetic patients with the GG genotype had higher hemoglobin A1c level. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the genotype of GG and GA was an independent risk factor contributing to the development of T2DM. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that in Taiwan the SUMO4 Met 55Val polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to T2DM and Type 2 diabetic patients with GG genotype have worse glycemic control.


Assuntos
Glicemia/metabolismo , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Proteínas Modificadoras Pequenas Relacionadas à Ubiquitina/genética , Adulto , Idoso , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/sangue , Feminino , Frequência do Gene , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Genótipo , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , NF-kappa B/genética , Taiwan
11.
Am J Med Genet ; 93(5): 373-80, 2000 Aug 28.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10951460

RESUMO

Although asthma has a significant heritable component, the mode of inheritance remains controversial because of the complexity of the disease and the influence of environmental factors. Segregation analysis for asthma are performed with and without a history of atopic diseases (dermatitis and rhinitis) after adjusting for environmental factors. To investigate whether asthma may be inherited through a major gene with two alleles, the REGD program of the Statistical Analysis for Genetic Epidemiology (SAGE) package was conducted in 1,990 individuals from 227 families with at least one asthmatic child in a cross-sectional study of respiratory diseases in Southern Taiwan. Other covariates adjusted for included age, sex, current smoking, and environmental tobacco smoking. The hypothesis of Mendelian model and no parent-offspring transmission was rejected. However, when the variables of atopic disease and environmental factors were included in the model as covariates, the models for a two-allele gene with a recessive or codominant inheritance could not be rejected, and Akaike's Information Criterion was smaller (1,377. 13) for the recessive model than all of the other models tested, assuming a major gene with a population frequency of 0.56 +/- 0.04. However, Mendelian model without family effect was rejected. In conclusion, a history of asthma in parents is a strong risk factor for asthma in offspring. Under the assumptions of the applied segregation, at least one major gene exists that could be a gene involved also in allergy. However, the data suggest that a single locus gene explains a portion of asthma that is related to the history of atopic diseases. In addition, a polygenic/multifactorial (genetic and environmental factors) influence with a recessive component inheritance may be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma.


Assuntos
Asma/genética , Dermatite Atópica/genética , Genes Recessivos , Adolescente , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Linhagem , Vigilância da População
12.
Surgery ; 122(2): 493-9; discussion 499-500, 1997 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9288157

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Pericellular proteolysis is crucial in tumor cell invasion. The plasminogen/plasmin system is one of the main protease systems involved in cancer progression. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), through activation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), up-regulates the main plasminogen activator, the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). The objectives of this study were to determine the role of TSP-1 and TGF-beta 1 in the localization of the plasminogen/plasmin system to the tumor cell surface by the uPA receptor (uPAR) and to determine its effect in breast tumor cell invasion. METHODS: The effect of TSP-1 and TGF-beta 1 in uPAR expression was determined in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis. Their effect and the role of the plasminogen/plasmin system in breast tumor cell invasion were studied with a Boyden Chamber assay. RESULTS: uPAR expression was up-regulated more than twofold by both TSP-1 and TGF-beta 1. The effect of TSP-1 involved its receptor and the activation of TGF-beta 1 by TSP-1. Breast tumor cell invasion was up-regulated sevenfold to eightfold by both TSP-1 and TGF-beta 1 compared with the control group. Antibodies against uPA or uPAR neutralized the TSP-1- and TGF-beta 1-promoted breast tumor cell invasion. CONCLUSIONS: TSP-1, through the activation of endogenous TGF-beta 1, up-regulates the plasminogen/plasmin system and promotes tumor cell invasion in breast cancer cells.


Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Fibrinolisina/metabolismo , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/fisiologia , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/farmacologia , Invasividade Neoplásica , Plasminogênio/metabolismo , Receptores de Superfície Celular/biossíntese , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta/farmacologia , Moléculas de Adesão Celular , Feminino , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Receptores de Ativador de Plasminogênio Tipo Uroquinase , Trombospondinas , Células Tumorais Cultivadas , Regulação para Cima
13.
Surgery ; 120(2): 449-54, 1996 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8751617

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a matrix-bound adhesive glycoprotein. Breast carcinoma cells exhibit increased expression of a novel TSP-1 receptor. We evaluated the role of this receptor in breast cancer adhesion and progression. METHODS: Adhesion assays were performed to evaluate MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell adhesion to TSP-1 in vitro in the presence of either nonimmune immunoglobulin G(IgG) or anti-TSP-1 receptor IgG. Receptor-mediated tumor cell progression was evaluated in athymic nude mice. Mice were inoculated with MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and randomized to treatment with intraperitoneal injections of saline solution, nonspecific IgG antibody, or an anti-TSP-1 receptor antibody every other day for 20 days. Mice were killed at 21 days. The peritoneal cavity was examined grossly for primary tumor implantation. The liver and lungs were examined histologically for micrometastases. RESULTS: MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells adhered to TSP-1 in vitro. This adhesion was inhibited to 10% of control by anti-TSP-1 receptor antibody (p < 0.005). Anti-TSP-1 receptor antibody inhibited in vivo breast cancer progression. Mice treated with control IgG antibody or saline solution alone exhibited extensive intraperitoneal seeding. Only one mouse treated with the anti-TSP-1 receptor antibody exhibited any intraperitoneal tumor seeding (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that TSP-1 and its receptor play an important role in breast cancer progression.


Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Antígenos CD36/imunologia , Animais , Especificidade de Anticorpos , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/fisiologia , Transformação Celular Neoplásica/imunologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Feminino , Humanos , Camundongos , Camundongos Nus , Transplante de Neoplasias , Neoplasias Peritoneais/secundário , Coelhos , Células Tumorais Cultivadas/química , Células Tumorais Cultivadas/citologia , Células Tumorais Cultivadas/fisiologia
14.
Am J Surg ; 170(5): 502-5, 1995 Nov.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-7485743

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Thrombospondin (TSP), a cell matrix protein, and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), a growth regulatory protein, play roles in tumor progression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of TSP and TGF-beta on tumor cell invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tumor cell invasion assays were performed using a modified Boyden chamber apparatus with collagen-coated membranes. The KB oral carcinoma cell line was studied in serum-free media. Invasion was measured as the summation of the number of cells in five representative low-power fields (x 100) traversing the collagen barrier after a 3-hour incubation period. The effects of antibodies against TSP, TGF-beta and the cysteine-serine-valine-threonine-cysteine-glycine (CSVTCG)-specific TSP receptor were also evaluated. RESULTS: TSP caused a dose-dependent stimulation of tumor cell invasion. Antibodies against TSP, its CSVTCG-specific receptor, and TGF-beta inhibited TSP-promoted invasion by 50% to 71%. CONCLUSIONS: TSP and its CSVTCG-specific receptor promote KB cell invasion of collagen through the production and/or activation of TGF-beta.


Assuntos
Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patologia , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/farmacologia , Colágeno/efeitos dos fármacos , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/farmacologia , Neoplasias Bucais/patologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Anticorpos Monoclonais , Antígenos CD36/efeitos dos fármacos , Antígenos CD36/imunologia , Antígenos CD36/fisiologia , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/metabolismo , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/administração & dosagem , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/imunologia , Contagem de Células , Colágeno/metabolismo , Meios de Cultura Livres de Soro , Cultura em Câmaras de Difusão , Progressão da Doença , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G , Integrinas/efeitos dos fármacos , Integrinas/imunologia , Integrinas/fisiologia , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/administração & dosagem , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/imunologia , Membranas Artificiais , Microscopia de Contraste de Fase , Neoplasias Bucais/metabolismo , Invasividade Neoplásica , Cimento de Policarboxilato , Trombospondinas , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta/imunologia , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta/farmacologia , Células Tumorais Cultivadas
15.
J Toxicol Environ Health A ; 55(6): 389-404, 1998 Nov 27.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9833970

RESUMO

Blackfoot disease is an endemic peripheral vascular disease found among people in a limited area on the southwest coast of Taiwan, where artesian well water has a high concentration of arsenic and was used since the turn of this century. This is an important public health problem and was noted by the authorities, who began improving the water supply in such communities in 1956. This enabled us to test the relationship between arsenic and malignant tumors using a specific exposed community. Study subjects were divided into four groups according to age (under or over 40 yr) and gender. Two methods were used for the estimation of the age-adjusted mortality rate ratios. First using the first time interval (1971-1973) as the standard, the mortality rate ratio for all malignant tumors was estimated from this interval through to the last interval (1992-1994) using Poisson regression. Cancers that were found to be related to arsenic in previous reports, such as liver, lung, bladder, kidney, and skin cancers, were examined and other malignant tumors except these cancers were also assessed. The same calculations were performed for all of Chiayi and Tainan counties, excluding the study areas, which were used as the local reference, and for the general population of Taiwan, which was used as a national reference group. Second, mortality rate ratios for the study area were compared to the local and national reference for the same time intervals for each disease category. From our results, significantly declining trends for mortality rate ratios of all malignant tumors with 1971-1973 as the standard were found for the study areas, especially in females. A decrease of mortality rate ratios from malignant cancers, compared to the local or national references, was found in those aged over 40 yr for both sexes. The decreases are mainly due to a fall in internal and skin cancer mortality rates. In conclusion, our results suggest that the improvement of drinking water supply to eliminate arsenic exposure from artesian well water decreased the mortality incidence of arsenic-related cancers in blackfoot disease endemic communities.


Assuntos
Neoplasias/mortalidade , Doenças Vasculares Periféricas/epidemiologia , Abastecimento de Água , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Arsênio/efeitos adversos , Feminino , Humanos , Estudos Longitudinais , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias/etiologia , Doenças Vasculares Periféricas/induzido quimicamente , Doenças Vasculares Periféricas/complicações , Fatores Sexuais , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Taiwan/epidemiologia , Poluentes Químicos da Água/efeitos adversos
16.
Plast Reconstr Surg ; 80(1): 95-103, 1987 Jul.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-3602166

RESUMO

A skin and fascia flap from the medial thigh is proposed for vaginal and perineal reconstruction. Dissection, vascular injection, and radiographs of 20 fresh cadaver limbs uniformly demonstrated the presence of a communicating suprafascial vascular plexus in the medial thigh. Three to four nonaxial vessels were consistently found to enter the proximal plexus from within 5 cm of the perineum. Preservation of these vessels permitted reliable elevation of a 9 X 20 cm fasciocutaneous flap without using the gracilis muscle as a vascular carrier. Fifteen flaps in 13 patients were used for vaginal replacement and coverage of vulvectomy, groin, and ischial defects. Depending on the magnitude of the defect, simultaneous and independent elevation of the gracilis muscle provided additional vascularized coverage as needed. Our experience indicates that the medial thigh fasciocutaneous flap is a durable, less bulky, and potentially sensate alternative to the gracilis musculocutaneous flap for vaginal and perineal reconstruction.


Assuntos
Períneo/cirurgia , Retalhos Cirúrgicos , Vagina/cirurgia , Adulto , Feminino , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Exenteração Pélvica/reabilitação , Lesões por Radiação/cirurgia , Vagina/efeitos da radiação
17.
Arch Environ Health ; 54(3): 186-93, 1999.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10444040

RESUMO

Blackfoot disease was prevalent in a limited area on the southwest coast of Taiwan, where artesian well water containing arsenic (median = 0.78 ppm arsenic) had been used for many years. Previous studies of arsenic exposure in the blackfoot disease endemic area have been focused on malignant tumors. We, therefore, conducted this study to analyze mortality of all death causes in blackfoot disease endemic areas and to determine other neglected cancers or noncancer diseases related to artesian well water containing high levels of arsenic. We calculated standardized mortality ratios for cancer and noncancer diseases, by sex, during the period from 1971 to 1994 and compared them to the local reference group (i.e, Chiayi-Tainan County) and the national reference group (i.e., Taiwan population). The results revealed marked standardized mortality ratio differences for the 2 reference groups. Greater mortality was found for males and females with bladder, kidney, skin, lung, nasal-cavity, bone, liver, larynx, colon, and stomach cancers, as well as lymphoma than in the local reference population. With respect to noncancer diseases, we found greater mortality for males and females who had vascular disease, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and bronchitis than in the local reference group. Mortalities for other diseases--including rectal cancer, cerebrovascular disease, and other diseases--were higher among cases than the local reference group. Our results indicated that the hazardous effect of arsenic is systemic. Diseases related to arsenic exposure included those reported previously by other investigators, as well as diseases reported in the present study.


Assuntos
Arsênio/efeitos adversos , Mortalidade , Poluentes Químicos da Água/efeitos adversos , Abastecimento de Água , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Causas de Morte , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Intervalos de Confiança , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias/induzido quimicamente , Neoplasias/mortalidade , Fatores Sexuais , Taiwan
18.
Magnes Res ; 10(1): 51-7, 1997 Mar.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9339838

RESUMO

The relationship between death from cerebrovascular disease and the levels of magnesium and calcium in drinking water was examined using an ecological design. The study area consisted of 227 municipalities in Taiwan. Data on the levels of magnesium and calcium in drinking water have been collected from the Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). These levels of magnesium and calcium were compared using the standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for cerebrovascular disease (1981-1990). A statistically significant inverse relationship was present between cerebrovascular mortality and levels of both magnesium and calcium after adjusting for urbanization index. After adjustment for calcium levels in drinking water and urbanization index, the weighted multivariate-adjusted regression coefficient indicated a decrease of 0.248 in the standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for every 100 mg/L increase in magnesium levels in drinking water. The results from this study strengthen the hypothesis that magnesium in drinking water helps to prevent death from cerebrovascular disease.


Assuntos
Cálcio/análise , Transtornos Cerebrovasculares/mortalidade , Magnésio/análise , Abastecimento de Água/análise , Transtornos Cerebrovasculares/economia , Humanos , Razão de Chances , Análise de Regressão , Taiwan , Urbanização
19.
Allergy ; 62(10): 1125-30, 2007 Oct.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17845580

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a complex disorder, which is known to be affected by interactions between genetic and environmental factors. The human Eotaxin 1 and CCR3 attract eosinophils and Th2-lymphocytes to migrate to the inflammatory foci that could represent a key mechanism in allergy and asthma. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that Eotaxin1 gene Ala23Thr and A-384 G, and CCR3 gene T51C polymorphisms are associated with plasma Eotaxin levels and predispose individuals to asthma pathogenesis. METHODS: One hundred seventy-eight hospital-based asthmatic children and 277 community-based controls aged from 5 to 12 years were recruited in southern Taiwan. Whole blood samples and questionnaires were collected. In this study, we addressed genetic effects of Eotaxin 1 and CCR3 genes on asthma, plasma IgE and Eotaxin 1 levels. RESULTS: In comparison with subjects with Ala23Ala genotype, Ala23Thr polymorphism of the Eotaxin 1 gene showed a significant protective effect on asthma (AOR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.37-0.92). We demonstrated that the mean Eotaxin 1 concentration was significantly higher in subjects with Ala23Ala than in subjects with Thr23Thr (P = 0.005) or Ala23Thr (P = 0.07), which showed a gene-dose dependent relationship. But, we observed that the A-384G polymorphism of Eotaxin 1 gene and T51C polymorphism of CCR3 gene are not associated with asthma. CONCLUSION: This study finding provide a strong evidence that Eotaxin 1 Thr23Thr homozygote has a protective effect on asthma and significantly decreases plasma Eotaxin 1 concentrations in asthmatics in Taiwan.


Assuntos
Asma/genética , Asma/imunologia , Quimiocina CCL11/sangue , Quimiocina CCL11/genética , Imunoglobulina E/sangue , Polimorfismo Genético/genética , Receptores CCR3/genética , Criança , Pré-Escolar , DNA/sangue , DNA/isolamento & purificação , Eosinófilos/imunologia , Eosinófilos/metabolismo , Feminino , Frequência do Gene/imunologia , Predisposição Genética para Doença/genética , Genótipo , Humanos , Masculino , Polimorfismo Genético/imunologia , Polimorfismo de Fragmento de Restrição/genética , Polimorfismo de Fragmento de Restrição/imunologia , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único/imunologia , Receptores CCR3/metabolismo , Valores de Referência , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Taiwan
20.
Int J Obes (Lond) ; 31(11): 1746-52, 2007 Nov.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17502873

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: Human uncoupling proteins 2 and 3 (UCP2 and UCP3) are two mitochondrial proteins that are involved in the control of metabolism of fatty acid and possibly protect against oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to analyze genetic associations of four polymorphisms of the UCP2 and UCP3 genes with insulin, leptin concentration and obesity in Taiwan aborigines. RESEARCH METHODS: Four polymorphisms were compared in 324 obese (body mass index (BMI) > or =30 kg/m(2)) and overweight (30>BMI > or =25 kg/m(2)) subjects, and 114 normal weight subjects (BMI <25 kg/m(2)) in an aboriginal community of southern Taiwan. Anthropometric characteristics and fasting levels of insulin, leptin, triglycerides and cholesterol were measured. RESULTS: Before and after adjusting for age distribution, only the Val55 allele in exon 4 of the UCP2 gene increased the risk of overweight and obesity (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.02, P=0.004) in comparison with Ala55. UCP2 V55V is also associated with higher fasting insulin levels than A55V (P=0.01) and A55A (P=0.04) in the obese/overweight group. Using the COCAPHASE program of the UNPHASED software, haplotype analysis of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (A55V-G866A-C-55T) revealed that A-G-C (73% in obese subjects and 77% in controls) was the most common haplotype and that the haplotype V-A-T (13% in obese subjects and 5% in controls) was significantly increased in obese and overweight subjects (BMI > or =25 kg/m(2)) (OR=2.62, P<0.001). DISCUSSIONS: UCP2 A55V variant might predispose to obesity and Val55 allele to confer population-attributable risk for 9.5% of obese disorders and increase insulin concentrations. The V-A-T haplotype within UCP2-UCP3 gene cluster is also significantly associated with obesity in Paiwan aborigines.


Assuntos
Canais Iônicos/genética , Proteínas Mitocondriais/genética , Havaiano Nativo ou Outro Ilhéu do Pacífico/genética , Obesidade/genética , Idoso , Antropometria , Colesterol/sangue , Jejum/sangue , Feminino , Frequência do Gene , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Genótipo , Haplótipos , Humanos , Insulina/sangue , Leptina/sangue , Desequilíbrio de Ligação , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Obesidade/sangue , Obesidade/etnologia , Fenótipo , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Taiwan/epidemiologia , Triglicerídeos/sangue , Proteína Desacopladora 2 , Proteína Desacopladora 3
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