bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differential lectin reactivities of α‐fetoprotein in hepatocellular carcinoma: Diagnostic value when serum α‐fetoprotein levels are slightly raised
Authors: STADEN LOUISE VAN , BUKOFZER STANLEY , KEW MICHAEL C. , SAVAGE NERINA 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe specificity and sensitivity of α‐fetoprotein (AFP) binding to Concanavalin‐A (Con‐A) and Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) in 26 South African blacks with advanced symptomatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but only slightly raised serum AFP concentrations (20–500 ng/mL) was compared with that in patients with similar serum AFP levels from diseases that might be mistaken clinically for HCC (seven ‘benign’ liver disease [BLD] patients and six with metastatic liver disease [MLD] from gastrointestinal tumours). Con‐A–Sepharose‐4B affinity chromatography did not differentiate between the different groups: fucosylation rations for the HCC patients were 0.81 ± 0.60, compared with 0.63 ± 0.27 and 0.54 ± 0.32 in patients with BLD and MLD, respectively. Electrophoresis of AFP serum and fractions in the presence or absence of Con‐A and LCA showed an increase in the AFP C2 band. Rank correlation analysis of the AFP L2 and L3 bands combined could distinguish between patients with HCC and other hepatic diseases (P < 0.05).
Combination therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid and colchicine for primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: SHIBATA JUNJI , FUJIYAMA SHIGETOSHI , HONDA YOSHIKAZU , SATO TATSUO 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTTwelve patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), stages I to III, received long‐term therapy with a combination of 600 mg ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and 1 mg colchicine given daily for more than 2 years. Drug toxicity was mild; one patient experienced diarrhoea that was probably due to colchicine. Serum levels of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALPase), γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase and alanine aminotransferase decreased by more than 50% of the initial values. Serum albumin and cholesterol levels also improved, but immunoglobulins and anti‐mitochondrial antibody titre did not change. Histologic features in the eight patients who received serial liver biopsies before and 2 years after the beginning of treatment were evaluated. Piecemeal necrosis and portal inflammation were improved, but there was no change in portal fibrosis. Patients were divided into two groups; the first received both drugs from the outset, and the second group were started on UDCA for 3 months followed by the addition of colchicine. After 3 months, the improvement in serum bilirubin and ALPase in the first group was greater than in the second. However, in the second group, the ALPase levels had decreased significantly when measured at 6 and 9 months after the treatment compared with the levels at 3 months. These findings suggest that UDCA and colchicine may have a synergistic effect. This combination therapy appears to be safe and effective, both clinically and histologically, for treating PBC.
Enhanced vasoconstrictor response of the isolated perfused cirrhotic rat liver to humoral vasoconstrictor substances found in portal venous blood
Authors: GROSSMAN H. J. , GROSSMAN V. L. , BHATHAL P. S. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTHumoral vasoconstrictor factors in portal venous blood have an important influence on hepatic vascular tone. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is altered reactivity of the intrahepatic portal vascular bed of cirrhotic livers to such factors. Isolated perfused rat liver preparations (IPRLP) obtained from rats with carbon tetrachloride‐induced cirrhosis and from normal controls were treated with small aliquots of fresh, heparinized venous blood (4% vol/vol) added to a synthetic perfusate composed of 2.5% bovine serum albumin in Krebs‐Henseleit buffer. Compared with blood from the inferior vena cava, portal venous blood produced a greater increase in perfusion resistance of normal IPRLP (2.8 ± 0.7 vs 15 ± 3%, P 0.05). There was no significant difference in the response of normal IPRLP to portal venous blood obtained from cirrhotic animals compared with portal blood from normal controls (10 ± 4 vs 15 ± 3%). However, cirrhotic IPRLP were significantly (P < 0.05) more responsive to portal venous blood than were control livers, regardless of whether the blood was obtained from control (28 ± 6%) or cirrhotic (24 ± 6%) rats. The response of both control and cirrhotic IPRLP to portal blood could be partially inhibited by the α‐adrenoceptor antagonist phentolamine (5 × 10−6mol/L) and cirrhotic IPRLP were more responsive than controls to exogenous noradrenaline (518 ± 27 vs 363 ± 21%, P < 0.01). It is concluded that there is no significant difference in the intrahepatic vasoconstrictor activity of portal venous blood from normal or cirrhotic rats, and that the portal vascular bed of the cirrhotic rat liver shows enhanced vasoconstrictor responses not only to portal venous blood, obtained both from normal and cirrhotic rats, but also to exogenous noradrenaline.
Gastric mucosal barrier: Intergranular matrix of gastric surfactant in the mucous lining
Authors: HILLS B. A. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTTransmission electron microscopy of rat gastric mucosa fixed by a novel procedure designed for barriers to watersoluble solutes has shown that the intergranular matrix material of gastric mucus is oligolamellar surface‐active phospholipid. It is a gastric surfactant similar to that seen on deeper mucus‐free surfaces also exposed to acid.
Diabetes mellitus and operated peptic ulcer disease
Authors: DUGGAN JOHN M. , O'KEEFE ELIZABETH A. , WEAVER AMY L. , ZINSMEISTER ALAN R. , MELTON L. JOSEPH 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThere is some evidence of an antagonism between peptic ulcer and diabetes mellitus. This antagonism is possibly related to anomalous insulin metabolism in duodenal ulcer patients. To evaluate this issue, 471 Rochester, Minnesota residents who had surgery for peptic ulcer were examined and then followed for up to 34 years. Their experience of diabetes mellitus was compared with that of Rochester residents generally, for whom data on diabetes incidence and prevalence were available. At surgery, the prevalence of diabetes was somewhat increased for gastric and slightly diminished for duodenal ulcer patients. Of the 445 patients who were free of diabetes at surgery, 27 developed it. By 20 years, the cumulative incidence of diabetes (9.1%) was less than expected (10.3%), but over the 20 years the difference was not significant for either gastric or duodenal ulcer patients. The risk of diabetes was not influenced by age, gender, or smoking status but analyusis for relative weight at surgery indicated that obese patients had a 2.6‐fold increase in risk of subsequent diabetes, whereas those with < 1.2 relative weight had reduced risk. Relative weight was the only significant predictor of the time to subsequent diabetes in a proportional hazards regression analysis. The proposition of an antagonism between peptic ulcer and diabetes is not supported by the data.
Endoscopic management of bile duct stones
Authors: SAUERBRUCH TILMAN 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe surgical risk of common duct exploration for the treatment of biliary calculi is considerably higher than that of cholecystectomy. Therefore, introduction of endoscopic sphincterotomy in 1974 was a major advance. It has become the therapy of choice in cholecystectomized patients or in those with an increased operative risk. Endoscopic sphincterotomy has a mortality rate of around 1% and a morbidity rate of 7%. These figures compare favourably with open surgery, especially in old patients. The procedure fails in about 10% of all patients referred for endoscopic removal of their calculi. However, several techniques have been described or are currently under evaluation to overcome these failures: intracorporeal or extracorporeal lithotripsy, long‐term stenting of the bile duct, or direct application of solvents. Long‐term follow‐up studies show that between 2% and 20% of successfully managed patients may develop recurrent stones, mainly caused by bile stasis and infection. Patients with a functioning gall‐bladder and no concomitant gall‐bladder stones probably do not require cholecystectomy after successful endoscopic treatment of their choledochal stones. While endoscopic stone removal has replaced surgery in the elderly frail patients it has no major advantages in the young and fit patients, especially when the gall‐bladder is still in situ.
Chlormezanone‐induced fulminant hepatitis in a pregnant woman: Successful delivery and liver transplantation
Authors: BOURLIERE M. , TREUT Y. P. LE , MANELLI J. C. , BOTTA‐FRIDLUND D. , BERTOLINO J. G. , BOUBLI L. , SANSON D. , POL B. , BRICOT R. , GAUTHIER A. P. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe case of a 29 year old woman affected by fulminant hepatitis during the third trimester of pregnancy, after a 3 week administration of chlormezanone is reported. Following induced Caesarean delivery, the patient underwent an orthotopic liver transplantation. The mother and her baby were in good condition 26 months after liver transplantation. In this case, chlormezanone was probably responsible for the fulminant hepatitis.
Persistent ileitis after ileal salvage from a failed Kock pouch
Authors: SILVA H. J. DE , MORTENSEN N. J. McC. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTA case of persistent ileitis following the refashioning of a Kock ileal pouch into a Brooke ileostomy for severe pouchitis is reported. Preserving the terminal ileum by a salvage procedure may not be a safe alternative to pouch excision with the formation of a new end ileostomy in the surgical management of pouchitis refractory to medical treatment.
Alpha‐fetoprotein expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: A clinical study
Authors: MUGUTI G. , TAIT N. , RICHARDSON A. , LITTLE J. M. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTα‐Fetoprotein (AFP) levels were studied in 51 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma that presented to the Surgical Hepatobiliary Unit at Westmead Hospital over 12 years. Twenty‐three were hepatitis surface antigen (HBsAg) positive and 13 of those patients were Asian. Thirteen patients drank more than 60 g of alcohol each day. A significantly raised level of AFP was defined as more than 20 ng/mL, and 31 of the 51 patients had AFP levels exceeding this at some stage during surveillance. Twenty‐five demonstrated levels above 200 ng/mL. Univariate statistical methods suggested that men were more likely to express raised AFP than women, Asians more likely than other races, patients with chronic active hepatitis more likely than those without and those with chronic hepatitis B infection more likely than those who were HBsAg negative. Those who drank more than 60 g alcohol each day were less likely to demonstrate a raised serum AFP than those who drank less. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that HBsAg carriage was the only statistically significant independent determinant of a raised AFP. Age 65 years or more was associated with a chance of a raised AFP.
Tattooing and hepatitis B infection
Authors: SEBASTIAN V. J. , RAY S. , BHATTACHARYA S. , MAUNG O. TIN , SAINI H. A. MD , JALANI HJ DAUD 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTTo determine the prevalence of HBV carrier status in tattooed persons, 200 healthy, tattooed volunteers and 200 non‐tattooed volunteers to match the first group for age, sex and ethnic group were screened. Prevalence of HBsAg in tattooed and non‐tattooed volunteers was 19.5 and 9% respectively, which was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01). There was no difference in the prevalence in various age groups, ethnic groups, or sex, between the two groups.
Effects of a gastric mucosal protecting agent in rats with liver cirrhosis
Authors: KURIHARA TAKESHI , AKIMOTO MASUMI , KUROKAWA KAORI , ISHIGURO HISATAKA , NIIMI AKIKO , MAEDA ATUSHI , SHIGEMOTO MUTSUO , YAMASHITA KATSUKO , YOKOYAMA IZUMI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTMale Sprague–Dawley rats were fed a 0.1% ethionine‐added choline‐deficient diet for 8 weeks to induce liver cirrhosis. At the same time 100 mg/kg/day teprenone was administered orally in order to evaluate its effects on the liver and gastric mucosal blood flow. Blood flow increased not only in gastric mucosa but also in liver tissues in the teprenone group. Serum transaminase levels and histopathologic findings of the liver also improved. These findings suggest that teprenone alleviates hepatocellular injuries. This effect may be partly attributable to cytoprotective effects of the catenoid isoprenoid moiety of teprenone on liver cells.
Relationship between fatty liver, alanine aminotransferase, HBsAg and hepatitis C virus
Authors: CHANG W‐Y. , CHEN C‐J. , LU S‐N. , YOU S‐L. , CHUANG W‐L. , CHEN S‐C. , SU W‐P. , WANG L‐Y. , HSIEH M‐Y. , WU M‐M. , TAI T‐Y. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTA community health survey of 923 residents aged 30 years or more was performed in Putai Township of Taiwan. To elucidate the relationships between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and surrogate tests for non‐A, non‐B hepatitis in hyperendemic areas of hepatitis B virus (HBV) serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides, cholesterol, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HCV (anti‐HCV) were examined. Glucose tolerance tests and the history of diabetes treatment were used to define the diabetes status. Fatty liver was diagnosed by sonography. The prevalence of anti‐HCV was 2.6% (95% confidence interval, 1.6–3.6%). Elevated ALT and fatty liver were significantly associated with anti‐HCV in univariate analysis. Anti‐HCV was not an associated factor for fatty liver after adjusting for serum triglycerides and cholesterol, sex, body mass index and diabetes status through multiple logistic regression. However elevated ALT was still associated with anti‐HCV after adjusting for serum triglycerides, sex, body mass index, HBsAg and age through multiple linear regression. The anti‐HCV prevalence was similar between HBsAg‐positive and negative subjects. Aggregation of HCV infection was found among spouses. It was concluded that elevated ALT and intimate contact with HCV carriers might be associated factors for HCV infection, and that HBV infection and fatty liver were not related to HCV infection in Taiwan.
Role of endogenous platelet‐activating factor (PAF) in endotoxin‐induced portal hypertension in rats
Authors: KITAGAWA S. , KUBOTA Y. , YAMAGUCHI T. , FUJIMURA K. , BINNAKA T. , TANI K. , OGURA M. , MIZUNO T. , INOUE K. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTTo determine the role of platelet‐activating factor (PAF) in endotoxin‐induced portal hypertension, we performed continuous recording of both blood pressure (BP) and portal venous pressure (PVP) in rats following the administration of intravenous PAF (25 ng/kg), intraportal PAF (25 ng/kg), intraportal endotoxin (2 mg/kg), and intraportal endotoxin (2 mg/kg) for 1 min subsequent to pretreatment with a specific PAF‐antagonist (CV‐6209, 1 mg/kg, i.v.). Basal resting values of both BP (102.3 ± 9.3 mmHg) and PVP (7.7 ± 1.2 mmHg) fell rapidly after intravenous infusion of PAF (BP: 36.7 ± 5.8 mmHg; PVP: 5.7 ± 0.8 mmHg) and followed by gradual return. Intraportal PAF infusion elicited a rapid but less severe depression of BP (57.2 ± 9.4 mmHg) as compared with intravenous PAF infusion, whereas PVP was increased transiently around 4 min after treatment (11.0 ± 5.3 mmHg). A similar degree of PVP elevation (10.7 ± 2.0 mmHg) was observed between 8 and 20 min after intraportal administration of endotoxin. Depression of BP was initiated 12 min after endotoxin administration but was not severe (76.6 ± 12.8 mmHg). CV‐6209 significantly alleviated the endotoxin‐induced elevation of PVP and completely inhibited the hypotension. These observations suggest that: (i) PAF‐induced elevation of PVP is a direct response of the liver to PAF; and (ii) endogenous PAF plays an important role in the endotoxin‐induced portal hypertension.
Primary hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in the adult
Authors: IKENAGA T. , HONMYO U. , TAKANO S. , MURAKAMI A. , HARADA K. , MIZUMOTO S. , YOSHINAKA I. , HIRATA T. , MAEDA M. , KIYOHARA H. , MISUMI A. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTA case is reported of a 55 year old male patient with primary hypertrophic pyloric stenosis who was subjected to distal gastrectomy. Adult hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is an uncommon condition which is usually misdiagnosed as carcinoma of the antrum. It is a benign disease resulting from hypertrophy of the circular fibres of the pyloric canal and is recognizable radiologically by narrowing and elongation of the pyloric canal and endoscopically by appearances resembling those of the cervix. This condition is probably congenital although aetiology has not been established. In the absence of symptoms, no clinical treatment is required. However, surgical intervention is advocated, when stenosis gives rise to symptoms, there is a suspicion of malignancy, or the ulceration due to the disease. Distal gastrectomy with gastroduodenostomy is the treatment of choice.
Treatment of peptic ulcer disease with furazolidone
Authors: ZHENG Z‐T. , WANG Y‐B. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTFurazolidone (FZ) has been used in China as a treatment of peptic ulcer disease for about 20 years. Clinical and experimental studies suggest that it has good short‐term and long‐term effects on both human and animal ulcers. The ulcer healing rate is related to the dosage and course of treatment. The healing rate of a high dose, 2 week course is about 70–75% and the relapse rate after 3 years is 9.5%. The adverse reactions to FZ are not severe, and are well tolerated in most patients. However the mutagenic studies of several biological systems indicate that it has a mutagenic effect, but the mutagenic and carcinogenic effects on humans and animals remain questionable, because FZ has been biotransformed into other metabolites. The mechanisms of FZ in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease are not fully understood, perhaps partly due to the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory reaction and partly to the antibacterial activity to Helicobacter pylori (HP). The long‐term effects of FZ are still not clear.
A meta‐analysis comparing the efficacy of omeprazole with H2‐receptor antagonists for acute treatment of duodenal ulcer in Asian patients
Authors: BAMBERG P. , CASWELL C. M. , FRAME M. H. , LAM S. K. , WONG E. C. K. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractA meta‐analysis was performed on pooled data from five large double‐blind studies (a total of 1057 patients), which were conducted in Asia to compare the effects of omeprazole with H2‐receptor antagonists (H2‐RA) in duodenal ulcer. As each study followed the same protocol and data evaluation procedures, a detailed analysis of ulcer healing, symptom relief and influence of prognostic factors across the data was possible. Patients received omeprazole 20 mg om or standard doses of H2‐RA for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 weeks, depending on healing (as verified by endoscopy). All efficacy analyses were based on per protocol data. The mean healing rates at 2 weeks were 72% for omeprazole and 42% for H2‐RA (difference 30%; 95% CI: 24–36%; P< 0.0001) and at 4 weeks were 96% for omeprazole and 83% for H2‐RA (difference 13%; 95% CI: 10–17%; P< 0.0001). In addition to treatment, ulcer size had a significant influence on healing, with large ulcers (diameter>10 mm) taking longer to heal than small ulcers. There was no significant influence of smoking and alcohol drinking on ulcer healing. Patients on omeprazole experienced significantly less epigastric pain after 2 weeks than those on H2‐RA, 79% of them being completely symptom‐free on omeprazole compared with 65% on H2‐RA. The incidence of adverse events was approximately 5% on each treatment and profiles were similar for each drug. It is concluded that omeprazole, even in the presence of adverse prognostic influences, results in significantly better healing of duodenal ulcer and relief from symptoms than H2‐RA.
Clinical significance of the serum levels of the 7S domain of type IV collagen in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: FUKUTOMI T. , SAKAMOTO S. , ISOBE H. , SAKAI H. , MASUMOTO A. , NAWATA H. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe serum levels of the 7S domain of type IV collagen were measured with a radio‐immunoassay in 42 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (asymptomatic: n= 28; symptomatic: n= 14), 10 patients with chronic active hepatitis, 10 patients with liver cirrhosis and 10 healthy female controls. Serum levels of the 7S domain of type IV collagen were: 4.28 ng/mL (3.88–4.72 ng/mL; mean and range of mean ± s.d.) in healthy controls; 5.97 ng/mL (5.07–7.02 ng/mL) in patients with chronic active hepatitis; 8.23 ng/mL (6.40–10.58 ng/mL) in patients with liver cirrhosis; and 6.79 ng/mL (4.76–9.67 ng/mL) in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Patients with liver cirrhosis and primary biliary cirrhosis had higher levels of serum 7S domain of type IV collagen than healthy controls (P < 0.001, respectively). Serum levels of the 7S domain of type IV collagen in patients with asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis, 5.83 ng/mL (4.55–7.48 ng/mL) were significantly lower than those in symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis, 9.18 ng/mL (6.53–12.91 ng/mL; P<0.001). Serum levels of the 7S domain of type IV collagen increased significantly along with advancement of the histological stages of primary biliary cirrhosis. Serum levels of the 7S domain of type IV collagen in the paired sera of eight patients with asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis (mean interval 30 months, range 12–48 months) showed significant rises during the intervals (P < 0.05), while serum levels of albumin and total bilirubin did not change significantly during these intervals. It is concluded that serum levels of the 7S domain of type IV collagen were good markers of fibrosis and may be useful for evaluation of the clinical status in the patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
16, 16‐dimethyl prostaglandin E2 modulates aflatoxin B1‐induced injury of rat hepatocytes in primary culture: Possible role of cAMP
Authors: BERGASA N. V. , VERGALLA J. , COLE K. E. , WAHL L. M. , JONES E. A. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe hepatocellular cytoprotective effects of 16, 16‐dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2), ananalogue of PGE2, were investigated using primary cultures of rat hepatocytes and aflatoxin B1 as the hepatotoxin. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release by hepatocytes was used as an index of hepatotoxicity. When aflatoxin‐treated hepatocytes were co‐cultured with 16, 16‐dmPGE2 (0.01–0.5 μg/mL) LDH release was significantly reduced and ultrastructural changes of hepatocellular injury were markedly diminished. The magnitude of the cytoprotective effect was not dependent on the concentration of the prostaglandin over the range tested. A significant cytoprotective effect was also induced when hepatocellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels were increased by the addition of dibutyl‐cAMP. In contrast to 16, 16‐dmPGE2, PGF2α Tromethamine, an analogue of PGF2α, which does not stimulate cAMP, induced insignificant changes in cytoprotection. These findings indicate that only a low concentration of 16, 16‐dmPGE2 (? 0.01 μg/mL) is necessary to induce a maximal hepatocellular cytoprotective effect and suggest that this effect may be dependent on activation of cAMP.