bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Propionibacterium acnes lacks the capability to proliferate in platelet concentrates
Authors: Störmer M. , Kleesiek K. , Dreier J. 
Published: March 2008

Background and Objectives  Propionibacterium acnes is considered to be one of the most frequent contaminants of platelet concentrates (PCs) when anaerobic culture‐based detection methods are used. But Propionibacteria are often detected too late when blood products have already been transfused. Therefore, its transfusion relevance is still demanding clarification because studies of the outcome of patients transfused with P. acnes‐contaminated PCs are still uncommon. In this study, we monitored clinical effects in patients after transfusion of PCs, which were detected too late in sterility testing. Furthermore, we assessed the bacterial proliferation of Propionibacterium species seeded into PCs to clarify their significance for platelet bacteria screening.Materials and Methods  In the look‐back process, we followed the route of the putative contaminated PC units from storage to transfusion. In the in vitro study, PCs were inoculated with 1–100 colony‐forming unit (CFU)/ml of clinical isolates of Propionibacteria (n = 10). Sampling was performed during 10‐day aerobic storage at 22 °C. The presence of bacteria was assessed by plating culture and automated BacT/Alert culture system.Results  Propionibacterium acnes shows slow or no growth under PC storage conditions. Clinical signs of adverse events after transfusion of potentially contaminated PC units were not reported.Conclusion  Propionibacteria do not proliferate under PC storage conditions and therefore may be missed or detected too late when blood products have already been transfused.
Favourable outcome in sclerotherapy for bleeding oesophageal varices in schistosomiasis: Results in 30 patients
Authors: KARAWI MOHAMED AL , MOHAMED ABDELRAHMAN ELSHEIKH , HANID M. ANWAR , OTAIBI RAJI AL , SHAHED MAIE 
Published: March 2008

Abstract Thirty consecutive patients with bleeding oesophageal varices secondary to schistosomal liver disease received injection sclerotherapy. These formed a part of a prospective study, to evaluate the role of sclerotherapy in the treatment of bleeding oesophageal varices due to different aetiological factors in patients seen at the Gastroenterology Unit, Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia, between December 1980 and July 1984.Schistosomiasis is endemic in parts of Saudi Arabia. Sclerotherapy has a special place in schistosomal liver disease as liver function is well preserved in this disease. The new antischistosomal drugs are effective and may halt the progress of the disease. However, in many patients portal hypertension with bleeding oesophageal varices is found at diagnosis. Of the patients with schistosomiasis, 63.3% were Group A Child's Classification. Oesophageal varices have been eradicated in 11 cases during the mean follow‐up period of 28 months (range 3‐44 months). Four patients were referred for surgery because of bleeding gastric varices, two of whom died following operation. One patient, who was also hepatitis B surface antigen positive, died due to re‐bleeding from gastric varices. The remaining 25 patients had no recurrence of bleeding and their liver function remained satisfactory.Surgical procedures for oesophageal varices in schistosomiasis carry the risk of peri‐operative and postoperative morbidity and mortality. In contrast, complications following sclerotherapy are minor compared to surgical procedures and none of our patients had any serious sclerotherapy complications.
Inhibitory effect of sera from patients with liver cirrhosis on natural killer activity
Authors: MORIZANE T. , NAKAMURA T. , INAGAKI Y. , TSUCHIMOTO K. , WATANABE T. , SAITO H. , KAWAMURA N. , SATOH I. , TSUCHIYA M. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe effect of sera from patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and from healthy donors on natural killer (NK) activity of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was investigated. PBMC from a healthy donor were pre‐incubated for 3 h at 37°C in media containing 50% test sera and washed twice with phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS). Cytotoxic activity was determined using 51Cr‐labelled K‐562 cells as target. It was demonstrated that sera from both healthy donors and patients with LC suppressed the NK activity of normal PBMC compared with a PBS control. But the level of inhibition caused by patients’ sera (n= 30) was significantly higher than that caused by normal sera (n= 30; P < 0.001, Wilcoxon rank sum test). Sera from a patient with LC and a healthy subject were fractionated by a Sephacryl S‐300 column and the effect of five fractions on NK activity of normal MNC was assessed. Fractions 3 and 4 from both sera had inhibitory effects although Fraction 5 revealed an enhancing effect. These results suggest that human sera contain factors which both inhibit and enhance NK activity and that their net effects are inhibition. Since it is known that IgG is eluted in Fraction 4, IgG was separated from sera with a DEAE‐Sephacel column and its effect on NK activity was examined. IgG from patients’ sera was observed to suppress NK activity more often than those from healthy donors at the same concentrations.
Serum auto‐antibodies in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: The clinical significance of antinuclear antibody
Authors: KIYOSAWA KENDO , IMAI HARUHIKO , SODEYAMA TAKESHI , FURUTA KIYOSHI , GIBO YUKIO , KUMAGAI TOSHIKO , KAMEKO MITSUAKI , KANAI MASAMITSU , FURUTA SEIICHI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTAuto‐antibodies including antinuclear antibody (ANA), antismooth muscle antibody, antimitochondrial antibody, rheumatoid factor, lupus erythematosus factor, antimicrosomal antibody and antithyroglobulin antibody were assayed in sera from 84 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, 70 with liver cirrhosis, 50 with chronic hepatitis, 30 with cancer of the alimentary tract and 100 normal subjects. A significantly higher incidence and higher titre of ANA was found in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and the patterns of nuclear fluorescence detected by the indirect immunofluorescent test using cultured baby hamster kidney cells were predominantly speckled and nucleolar. In 16 patients with this disease, serial assays of ANA were done in sera obtained before and after development of hepatoma and/or after resection of the hepatic tumour. Antinuclear antibodies evolved in six patients in conjunction with the progression from cirrhosis to hepatoma, and two of three ANA‐positive patients who had the hepatic tumour resected lost ANA from their sera after resection.ABSTRACTThe significance of ANA in the sera of patients with malignant neoplasms is yet to be clarified, but it may be closely associated with the evolution of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Response of the gastric mucosa to manipulation of gastric acid output in the cervical cord transected rat
Authors: MACLELLAN DONALD G. , SHULKES ARTHUR , HARDY KENNETH J. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe role played by gastric acid in stress ulceration following acute quadriplegic injury was examined in the C7 cord transected rat. Gastric acid output was manipulated by intraperitoneal administration of cimetidine (50 mg/kg), pentagastrin (5μg/kg) or saline in equal volumes. In comparison with control values (78 μEq/h per 200 g rat weight), cimetidine significantly decreased (16 μEq/h per 200 g) and pentagastrin increased (156 μEq/h per 200 g) the median gastric acid output. However, while cimetidine also significantly reduced the resultant ulceration, pentagastrin did not significantly enhance the ulceration compared with the control values. Furthermore, there was no correlation between gastric acid output and total ulcer length in any of the groups. It is concluded that while acid plays a permissive role in ulcerogenesis, factors other than acid define the quantity of gastric stress ulceration following acute spinal injury.
Pathogenetic role of Campylobacter pyloridis in gastric ulcer
Authors: HUI WAI‐MO , LAM SHIU‐KUM , CHAU PAT‐YIM , HO JOANA , LAU WAN‐YEE , POON KAR‐PANG , LAI CHING‐LUNG , ANNA SUK‐FONG LOK , LUI IRENE OI‐LIN , NG MATTHEW MA‐TAI 
Published: March 2008

AbstractRecent reports of the occurrence of Campylobacter pyloridis in the stomach of patients with gastric ulcer have revived interest in the possible aetiological role of bacteria in this condition. To study the pathogenetic role of C. pyloridis in gastric ulcer, endoscopic biopsies, at least four from antrum, four from fundus and four, where appropriate, from the ulcer site, were taken from 28 non‐ulcer controls and 67 patients with gastric ulcer before and after complete healing of ulcer, following treatment with either enprostil or cimetidine for up to 8 weeks. The activity of gastritis as assessed by the degree of polymorph infiltration was graded blindly, by two independent pathologists, as nil, mild, moderate or severe. The presence of C. pyloridis was determined by smear and culture, and by Warthin Starry stain, and the bacterial density after staining was scored. The occurrence of C. pyloridis in the gastric antrum was not significantly different in gastric ulcer than in controls but was significantly (P < 0.005) more frequent in gastritic than in non‐gastritic mucosa. With gastric ulcer healing the activity of antral gastritis improved significantly (P < 0.05). Despite ulcer healing and improvement of gastritis, the frequency of occurrence and the density of C. pyloridis remained unchanged. It seems that C. pyloridis occurs frequently in gastritic mucosa, and does not affect the healing of gastric ulcer or improvement of gastritis, suggesting that it is unlikely to play a major pathogenetic role.
Nutritional factors in the aetiopathogenesis of amoebic liver abscess in man
Authors: RAINA N. , GANDHI B. M. , SHARMA M. P. , MITHAL S. , ACHARYA S. K. , TANDON B. N. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThirty‐seven patients with amoebic liver abscess and 20 controls were studied for their nutritional status. Their dietary history suggested deficient intake of total calories, protein, fat, Vitamin A and β carotene. No significant difference was observed in the levels of iron intake in patients and controls.Biochemical parameters suggested a hypoproteinemic state associated with low levels of cholesterol, VLDLc, HDLc, Vitamin A, β carotene, iron and TIBC in the patients in comparison to controls. The protein electrophoresis pattern showed an increase in α1, α2, and γ fractions in patients compared with controls, whereas the albumin fraction was reduced.On the basis of these findings and previously published experimental studies, it is suggested that amoebic liver abscess in human subjects is associated with undernutrition due to a poorly balanced diet. Thus, undernutrition may facilitate invasive amoebiasis in man.
The effect of iron stores and liver disease on the serum concentration of transferrin, haemopexin and caeruloplasmin
Authors: BATEY R. G. , MUIR A. W. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractSerum concentrations of transferrin, haemopexin and caeruloplasmin have been measured in patients with haemochromatosis and other liver disorders, and the levels compared with those in a control group. Patients with cirrhosis or extrahepatic portal hypertension had normal concentrations of the three proteins except when hepatic decompensation was evident. In decompensated cirrhosis serum albumin and haemopexin levels were reduced. Untreated haemochromatosis, characterized by excessive hepatic iron stores on biopsy, was associated with a significant reduction in the serum concentration of all three proteins. Reductions were documented in both cirrhotic and non‐cirrhotic haemochromatosis. The results document an effect of elevated hepatic iron stores on hepatic protein metabolism and suggest the need for further studies on the regulation of hepatic metalloprotein metabolism.
Identification of intrahepatic lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with drug‐induced allergic hepatitis
Authors: ONJI MORIKAZU , KUMON IZUMI , MIYAOKA HIROAKI , KANAOKA MITSUO , HORIIKE NORIO , OHTA YASUYUKI 
Published: March 2008

AbstractIntrahepatic lymphocyte subpopulations were studied in eight cases of drug‐induced allergic hepatitis (DIAH) by the immunoenzymatic technique using monospecific T cell antibodies and other reagents. In peripheral blood, the CD4: CD8 ratio in DIAH was higher than that in normal controls. In liver tissue, CD8 positive lymphocytes were predominant, and these cells were attached to the surface of hepatocytes. Leu 7, CD4 and CD11 positive lymphocytes were scarce and were not attached to hepatocytes. HLA‐class I was displayed on the cell membrane of hepatocytes. These results suggest that cytotoxic T cells, which are CD8 positive, CD4 negative and CD11 negative, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of liver cell injury in patients with DIAH.
Serum enzyme pattern in acute liver disease: Relation to type of cell death
Authors: GIBSON P. R. , COLMAN J. C. , WOOD L. J. , DUDLEY F.J. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractTo examine the hypothesis that different histological forms of liver cell death result in a characteristic serum enzyme pattern, the serum concentration of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactic dehydrogenase (LD) enzymes were measured in three aetiologically distinct groups of patients with acute hepatocellular injury. Thirty patients had serologically confirmed acute viral hepatitis B, twenty had histologically proven ischaemic hepatitis and five had paracetamol hepatotoxicity. Serum AST and ALT levels were similar in the patients with viral and ischaemic hepatitis, but the serum LD was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the ischaemic hepatitis group. The pattern of enzyme elevation in the patients with paracetamol hepatotoxicity was similar to that found in ischaemic hepatitis. AST/LD and ALT/LD ratios, which were greater than 2 and 3 respectively, usually distinguished the patients with viral hepatitis from those with ischaemic hepatitis or paracetamol hepatotoxicity. Because of differences in the clearance of these enzymes from the serum it is likely that the AST/LD ratio will prove of greater discriminatory value and that this will be most evident early in the patient's clinical course and become progressively less with time.
Collagenous colitis: Clinical and histological spectrum in ten patients
Authors: STEADMAN CHARLES , TEAGUE CLINTON , KERLIN PAUL , HARRIS OWEN , HOURIGAN KEVIN , SAMPSON JOHN 
Published: March 2008

AbstractCollagenous colitis is characterized by the presence of a thick subepithelial collagen band in the colonic mucosa. The condition was diagnosed on rectal biopsy in 10 patients (one male, nine females) who presented with watery diarrhoea. Although rectal mucosal erythema was present in three and ulceration in two, the mucosa was of normal endoscopic appearance in five of the patients. There was marked variability in the thickness of the submucosal collagen band, both between and within individuals. Empirical drug therapy included sulphasalazine, glucocorticoids and antidiarrhoeals. All patients reported symptomatic improvement.
Palliative treatment of malignant ascites by intraperitoneal bleomycin after dialytic ultrafiltration with haemofilter
Authors: LAI KAR NENG , LEUNG JOSEPH W. C. , CHENG PAUL N. M. , LAI FERNAND MAC‐MOUNE 
Published: March 2008

AbstractDialytic ultrafiltration with haemofilter was performed in 16 patients with malignant ascites refractory to treatment with sodium restriction, diuretic and systemic chemotherapy. A continuous flow of ascitic fluid at a rate of 300–400 ml/min through a haemofilter was maintained by a blood pump. The protein‐rich ascitic fluid was re‐infused into the peritoneal cavity with sodium and water removed. An average of 5.2 1 of filtrate was removed over a mean interval of 3.5 h. Bleomycin (60 mg) was administered intraperitoneally following the procedure. Complete response was observed in six patients (37.25%) and partial response occurred in four (25%). The remaining patients showed no response. Complications of the dialytic ultrafiltration procedure and toxicity of intraperitoneal administration of bleomycin were minimal. The technique of dialytic ultrafiltration is simple, safe and cost‐effective and could be used as an adjuvant therapy for intraperitoneal chemotherapy.
Primary immunodeficiency presenting with gastrointestinal disease in the tropics
Authors: ROSS I. N. , MATHAN V. I. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThirteen patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia were detected in a group of 1300 patients with chronic diarrhoea and malabsorption. Panhypogammaglobulinaemia was present in ten, selective IgA deficiency in two and in one deficiency of IgA and IgM. Functional antibodies were decreased but still detectable. Nodular lymphoid hyperplasia was present in jejunal mucosal biopsies in five and plasma cells were reduced or undetectable in eight. Epithelial lymphocytes were increased. There were only mild abnormalities in in vitro lymphocyte function. While the prevalence of Giardia lamblia was high in the immunodeficient subjects, the prevalence of other gastrointestinal parasites, pathogenic bacteria, or rotavirus, was not high. The pathogenesis of malabsorption in these patients was not clear. Overall morbidity in these immunodeficient patients was similar to that in reports from temperate countries, in spite of their living in an environment with a high prevalence of pathogens.
Rapid response to cisplatin and doxorubicin in hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by hepatitis B virus reactivation
Authors: OLWENY CHARLES L. M. , JOHNSON RICHARD 
Published: March 2008

AbstractA young adult male with very advanced hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated hepatocellular carcinoma was treated 3 weekly with a combination of doxorubicin (30 mg/m2 per day for 3 days by i.v. bolus) and cisplatin (90 mg/m2 on the fourth day by i.v. infusion) and underwent a rapid partial response. However, the treatment resulted in the reactivation of HBV as evidenced by a rise in HBV‐DNA. This is probably related to chemotherapy‐induced immunodepression followed by a rebound phenomenon upon cessation of therapy. This observation calls for close surveillance of HBV positive patients on cytotoxic and/or immuno‐suppressive therapy.
Infectious mononucleosis in Japan: Comparison with acute viral hepatitis type A
Authors: KATO KATSUMOTO , SANO HIROSHI , KATADA NAOYUKI , NISHIMURA DAISAKU , TAKEICHI MASAYUKI , KANZAKI MASAKI , HAYAKAWA TETSUO , KOYAMA YASUO 
Published: March 2008

AbstractIn order to clarify the characteristics of infectious mononucleosis hepatitis (IMH) in Japan, 20 cases with IMH treated at Kamo Hospital during the past 6 years (Group I) were analysed in comparison with cases of acute viral hepatitis, especially type A. The test for heterophil antibody was positive in only two cases. During the same period 209 cases were treated for acute viral hepatitis (type A: 77 cases = Group A; type B: 61 cases; type non‐A, non‐B: 71 cases). In Group I the common clinical symptoms and signs were headache, sore throat and lymph node swelling; jaundice was not as common as in Group A. GOT and GPT activities increased moderately in the acute stage, but they were significantly lower than those in Group A. LDH, AP, GGT and LAP activities were disproportionately higher to GPT activity in Group I. Liver biopsy in the convalescent stage showed that lipofuscin deposition and sinusoidal mononuclear cell infiltration were more prominent in Group I, while sinusoidal neutrocyte infiltration and focal necrosis at periportal areas were more common in Group A. Differential diagnosis of the two diseases could be made using these clinical features and histological findings. However, immunological differentiation is required for specific diagnosis because some features such as fever, prolonged elevation of thymol turbidity test, atypical lymphocytes in peripheral blod and predilection for young people were observed in both groups. Furthermore, the present study indicated that IMH is no longer rare and most cases do not demonstrate heterophil antibody in Japan.
Efficacy and safety of hepatitis B vaccination in haemodialysis patients
Authors: FUJIYAMA SHIGETOSHI , YOSHIDA KEN , SAGARA KATSURO , SATO TATSUO , NISHIMURA YOHKO , SHIMADA HIDEKATA 
Published: March 2008

Antibody response to vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine was evaluated in 39 haemodialysis patients. Three injections of 20 μg of the vaccine were given at time 0, 1 and 6 months. The seroconversion rate for the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti‐HBs) was 2.6% at 1 month, 15.4% at 2 months, 33.3% at 4 months, 41.0% at 6 months and 59.0% at 7 months (males 53.6%, females 72.7%). Thus, with three injections, the seroconversion rate was significantly smaller and antibody titres were lower compared with 348 healthy control subjects. No correlation was observed between the anti‐HBs seroconversion rate and lymphocyte subsets (OKT4/OKT8). When two additional injections were given at 9 and 10 months to 19 haemodialysis patients with an S/N ratio (the ratio of ct/min in the sample to mean ct/min in negative controls) smaller than 10 at 7 months, 16 patients (84.2%) developed anti‐HBs and elevated antibody titres. Accordingly, the response rate of all haemodialysis patients 12 months after the first injection was elevated to 92.3% and was as high as that in normal subjects. At 24 months, the response rate had gradually declined to 64.1% accompanied with lowered antibody titres. There were no serious side effects.From these results, it was concluded that the most effective dose and schedule for optimal hepatitis B immunization and booster injections should be decided in haemodialysis patients with low antibody titres.
Analysis of bilirubin conjugates in human bile by column liquid chromatography—Changes in their composition in hepatobiliary diseases
Authors: YAMASHITA MASAKI , ADACHI YUKIHIKO , YAMAMOTO TOSHIO 
Published: March 2008

Bilirubin in human bile was analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and seven peaks were identifiable. There was no difference in the proportion of bilirubin between the B bile and C bile from healthy humans obtained by the Meltzer‐Lyon method. HPLC coupled with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy on bilirubin after diazotization permitted differentiation between endovinyl and exovinyl conjugates of bilirubin.In patients with Gilbert's syndrome, type II Crigler‐Najjar syndrome, and haemolytic anaemia, the proportion of bilirubin diglucuronide (BDG) in the C bile decreased, and that of bilirubin monoglucuronide (BMG) increased. In patients with type II Crigler‐Najjar syndrome, marked elevations in BMG and bilirubin IXα and decreases in bilirubin monoglucuronide monoglucoside diester (BGG) and bilirubin monoglucuronide monoxyloside diester (BGX) were observed. In normal subjects and patients with unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia, the diazobased indirect‐reacting bilirubin levels in blood and the proportion of BMG in bile were in good correlation. In patients with acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis, there was no difference in the bilirubin composition in bile as compared to normal subjects, except for slight elevations in BGG observed in patients with chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. In gallbladder bile obtained from patients with cholelithiasis, bilirubin IXα increased, suggesting some deconjugation of BDG.