bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of pregnancy and uterine weight on rat gastrointestinal transit
Authors: CHANG F‐Y , LEE SD , YEH GH , WANG PS 
Published: March 2008

AbstractOrogastric feeding of a charcoal meal to rats was employed to measure whether the various stages of pregnancy could influence gastrointestinal transit. The oestrous cycle of female Sprague‐Dawley rats was checked daily. If pro‐oestrus occurred, the first day of pregnancy was defined to be on the next day after the copulation. Gastrointestinal transit studies were conducted on day 7 (first trimester), day 14 (second) and day 21 (third), respectively. The rats were killed 15 min after the successful feeding of a calorie‐free, charcoal‐containing test meal via a transiently placed orogastric catheter. Gastrointestinal transit was defined as the per cent of charcoal transit divided by the total length of the small intestine. These results were compared with the data obtained from non‐pregnant female rats. Mean percentages of transit for the first, second and third trimester, and for controls were 42.8 ± 1.9, 45.3 ± 4.1, 35.7 ± 1.7 and 42.6 ± 1.4%, respectively (mean ± s.e.). Late pregnancy elicited a marked inhibition of transit (P < 0.01). A significant negative correlation between transit and uterine weight of all pregnant rats was seen (r= ‐0.50, P < 0.05). The present study indicates that inhibited gastrointestinal transit occurs in the late pregnant rat.
Emphysematous gastritis secondary to acute gastric dilatation
Authors: LIN CHUN‐YEN , LEE CHING‐SONG , LIN DENG‐YN , HONG CHIEN‐FU , JAN YI‐YIN , LIN PAUL‐Y , CHEN PANG‐CHI , WU CHENG‐SHYONG 
Published: March 2008

AbstractEmphysematous gastritis is a life‐threatening disease. Although rare in incidence, it has a fulminating course with a high mortality rate. A case of a 58 year old male with emphysematous gastritis is reported. Initially, he presented with acute gastric dilatation secondary to anorexia/bulimia‐like behaviour. Later, emphysematous gastritis developed. The abdominal sonographic findings, which have not been previously described in the literature, showed intramural gas and gastric wall thickening. After receiving a total gastrectomy, he had a satisfactory outcome. The present report discusses the possible aetiologic relationship between acute gastric dilatation and emphysematous gastritis, and suggests abdominal sonography to be the first choice of diagnostic measure for patients with the intramural gas in the gastric wall. This is the first case of emphysematous gastritis diagnosed by abdominal sonography.
CD34 expression in endothelial cells of small hepatocellular carcinoma: Its correlation with tumour progression and angiographic findings
Authors: MAEDA TAKASHI , ADACHI EISUKE , KAJIYAMA KIYOSHI , TAKENAKA KENJI , HONDA HIROSHI , SUGIMACHI KEIZO , TSUNEYOSHI MASAZUMI 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe angiogenic process plays an important role in tumour growth and metastasis during hepatocarcinogenesis, but it is still uncertain when the process begins during tumour formation. Forty‐two small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) that measured either less than or equal to 2 cm in diameter were studied by comparing the histologic findings with the angiographic findings, and with immunohistochemical expression of endothelial marker QB‐end/10 (QB), a new monoclonal antibody raised against CD34, in the sinusoidal wall. Twenty (91%) of 22 moderately or poorly differentiated HCC revealed a positive reaction for QB, while only eight (40%) of 20 well differentiated HCC demonstrated a positive reaction (P < 0.01). In the tumours showing a ‘nodule in nodule’ appearance, the less differentiated areas were more reactive for QB. Twenty‐three (82%) of 28 QB positive tumours were hypervascular, while only three of 14 (21%) QB negative tumours were hypervascular (P < 0.01) by angiography. All six of the poorly differentiated and 13 (81%) of the 16 moderately differentiated tumours were hypervascular, while only seven (35%) of 20 well differentiated HCC were hypervascular (P < 0.01). These results indicate that as the tumour becomes less differentiated, the QB positive areas become wider and angiography demonstrates hypervascularity. We therefore speculate that the HCC sinusoids acquire the characteristics of capillary and precapillary blood vessels during de‐differentiation from well to moderate, and thus the tumour begins to reveal hypervascularity on angiography. The above process may be correlated with the stepwise progression of HCC.
Primary prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: YU SHUN‐ZHANG 
Published: March 2008

AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major cancers in China. Accordingly, the mortality rates in 1990 (per 100 000) were 20.10 in certain cities and 24.32 in certain counties. More than 90% of HCC cases and 70% of controls were infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) (Odds Ratio (OR) = 10–50). In the same group of patients, 8–27% of those with HCC and 0–11% of the healthy controls were also infected with hepatitis C (HCV) (OR = 2.11–17.29). There appears to be some correlation between HBV markers and the OR. The government requires that 85% of infants be immunized with HBV vaccine. In 1992, there were 3 million infants inoculated with HB vaccines. Aflatoxins have been found as contaminants in food, particularly in corn, peanut oil, soya sauce and fermented soya beans. The intake of aflatoxin B1, (AFB1) by people of ten different villages correlated with HCC mortality rates (r =0.55; P < 0.05). The concentration of AFB1‐albumin adducts is an indicator of individual exposure to aflatoxins. These adducts are higher in hyperendemic HCC areas and cases. Most people have now changed their staple food and eat rice instead of corn. Six large epidemiological studies have confirmed that people who drink pond‐ditch water experience higher HCC mortality rates than people who drink deep‐well water. Recent research has found that the blue‐green algal toxin microcystin (MCYST) was a contaminant of pond‐ditch water. MCYST is a strong promoter of HCC and will induce severe intrahepatic haemorrhages and liver necrosis. More than 30% of people in Qidong County have already changed their sources of water from pond‐ditches to deep wells. Therefore, a combined strategy of the prevention of hepatitis, control of crops and control of drinking water is advocated for the primary prevention of HCC in China.
Roxatidine versus ranitidine in the treatment of duodenal ulcers: A randomized double‐blind controlled multicentre study in Singapore
Authors: FOCK KM , KANG JY , NG HS , NG TM , GWEE KA , LIM CC 
Published: March 2008

AbstractRoxatidine acetate, a new H2 receptor antagonist, was compared with ranitidine in the treatment of duodenal ulcers in a double‐blind multicentre study. Eighty‐four patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer were randomized to receive 150 mg roxatidine acetate or 300 mg ranitidine at bedtime. Repeat endoscopy was performed after 4 weeks (25–33 days) and if the ulcer had not healed, another endoscopy was performed after a further 4 weeks of treatment. Using per protocol analysis 73.6% of ulcers treated with roxatidine healed at 4 weeks compared to 72.2% of ulcers treated with ranitidine (P=NS). The healing rates at 8 weeks were 92% with roxatidine and 83.3% with ranitidine (P=NS). Using equivalence tests, the healing rate of roxatidine was found to be equivalent to that of ranitidine within a 20% region. Roxatidine users took significantly less antacids than ranitidine users (P < 0.05). There were no significant adverse effects due to roxatidine or ranitidine. Roxatidine is a safe effective drug in the treatment of duodenal ulcers with a healing rate comparable to that of ranitidine.
Immunolocalization of pS2, a putative growth factor, in pancreatic carcinoma
Authors: COLLIER JD , BENNETT MK , BASSENDINE MF , LENDRUM R. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractpS2 is a 60 amino acid secretory polypeptide which belongs to a newly described family of trefoil‐shaped growth factors. It is widely distributed throughout the gastrointestinal tract, particularly adjacent to damaged mucosa, and is also expressed by some epithelial tumours such as breast carcinoma. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of pS2 in pancreatic cancer. The presence of pS2 was analysed immunohistochemically using two antibodies, a polyclonal (pNR‐2) and a monoclonal (pS2TM) in 42 cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and 10 cases of ampullary carcinoma. The findings were compared with chronic pancreatitis and normal pancreas.No immunostaining was seen in normal pancreas, with the exception of one area of ductular proliferation, and although 8/10 cases of chronic pancreatitis expressed pS2, it was focal and confined to the occasional duct. In contrast, a significant proportion of malignant cells in 23/42 (55%) of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and 8/10 (80%) of ampullary tumours expressed immunoreactive pS2.The finding of pS2 expression in more than 50% of pancreatic and ampullary carcinomas in contrast to the findings seen in chronic pancreatitis and normal pancreas suggests that pS2 may play an important role in the growth of these highly malignant tumours.
Efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: LU CHING‐LIANG , CHAN CHO‐YU , HWANG SHINN‐JANG , LU RUEY‐HWA , LEE SHOU‐DONG 
Published: March 2008

AbstractA case‐control study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in the treatment of Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C. Patients who failed to have sustained responses to interferon (IFN) therapy, refused to take IFN or were unsuitable for IFN treatment were enrolled into this study. The treatment group had 15 patients and they received UDCA 600 mg orally per day for 6 months. Another 15 patients with matched sex, age and initial serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were chosen as the control group. Three parameters (i.e. serum ALT levels, serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and serum cytokines) were measured before and after UDCA treatment. After the treatment period, the mean serum ALT levels in both groups were not significantly different (153.8 ± 111.0 U/L vs 112.1 ± 53.8 U/L, P > 0.05) and mean serum ALT level in the UDCA‐treated group did not decrease after the treatment (pre‐treatment vs post‐treatment value: 139.1 ± 73.1 U/L vs 153.8 ± 111.0 U/L, P > 0.05). In addition, all of the patients with positive HCV RNA before treatment still had active HCV viraemia after the UDCA treatment. Also, the serum levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and the tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) were not significantly different between the two groups before and after the treatment period. In conclusion, a regimen of UDCA as prescribed in the present study did not show obvious benefits in the treatment of Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C.
High prevalence of antibodies to recombinant CENP‐B in primary biliary cirrhosis: Nuclear immunofluorescence patterns and ELISA reactivities
Authors: PARVEEN SALINA , MORSHED SYED AHMED , NISHIOKA MIKIO 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe purpose of the present study is to evaluate the centromeric pattern on human laryngeal tumour (HEp‐2) cells by indirect immunofluorescent (IIF) test and to compare their reactivities with a newly developed recombinant centromere protein B enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (CENP‐B ELISA) test using sera of antinuclear antibody (ANA)‐reactive primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) patients. Antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) subtypes (PDC‐E2, BCOADC‐E2, OGDC, protein X, and PDC‐E1α) by Western blot were also investigated to see whether they have any effect on the expression of CENP‐B reactivities. A centromeric pattern (anticentromere antibody [ACA]) was detected in 11 of 25 (44%) PBC patients whereas CENP‐B reactivity was found in 15 (60%) of them. There were some differences in IIF patterns and CENP‐B reactivities. One PBC serum with indistinguishable ANA pattern reacted with CENP‐B. Eight of 15 (53%) CENP‐B reactive patients had other autoimmune‐like disorders. Of 181 healthy sera, none was reactive for ACA either by IIF or by ELISA test. There was a correlation between ACA IIF and CENP‐B ELISA titres (r= 0.824, P < 0.001). However, no correlation was observed between either CENP‐B or AMA reactivities and/or between either autoantibodies or laboratory and histologic indices of PBC. These findings suggest that recombinant CENP‐B ELISA appears to be more sensitive in identifying ACA than IIF, underlying its potential value as a screening test for the diagnosis of PBC complicated with other autoimmune‐like disorders. The presence of multiple autoantibodies in PBC sera may reflect heterogeneous antigens recognition, and requires further study to identify target antigens at cellular and molecular levels.
Chemosensitivity test for repeated arterial infusion chemotherapy by reservoir for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: DENDA TADAMICHI , SAISHO HIROMITSU , YOSHIKAWA MASAHARU , EBARA MASAAKI , OHTO MASAO , FUJIMOTO SHUICHI , TOKITA HISASHI 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe experimental and clinical usefulness of a chemosensitivity test (Nuclear Damage Assay) was studied. Karyologic degenerative changes were observed as an indicator of drug sensitivity, in repeated arterial infusion chemotherapy (RAIC) using a reservoir for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the experimental study, this sensitivity test was performed using five liver cell lines against 15 drugs. At the same time, the succinate dehydrogenase inhibition (SDI) test was also performed. Comparison of the results between these two tests gave a high consistency rate of 81%. Clinically, the karyologic sensitivity test was carried out in 135 patients with unresectable HCC. Drug sensitivity could be evaluated in as many as 89% of the total 135 patients. Of the patients, 43 received RAIC on an outpatient basis via a subcutaneously implanted reservoir. The objective response of RAIC on tumours of the 43 patients was evaluated as complete response, partial response, in 3 (9%) and 8 (23%) in 35 patients treated with positive drugs (positive group), and as 0 (0%) and 0 (0%) of 8 patients treated with negative drugs (negative group), respectively. As regards the prognosis, 1 year and 1.5 year survival rates were 70 and 45% in the positive group, and 42 and 0% in the negative group, respectively. As objective response in the positive group tended to be better than that in the negative group, and prognosis in the positive group was significantly better than that in the negative group, this sensitivity test appears to contribute to the improvement of therapeutic results if used to select drugs suitable for RAIC for advanced HCC.
Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy of bleeding duodenal varices
Authors: WU CHEN‐SHYONG , CHEN CHIN MING , CHANG KENG YUNG 
Published: March 2008

AbstractBleeding from duodenal varices is a rare finding in patients with liver cirrhosis. We report a 43 year old male with alcoholic liver cirrhosis who presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Panendoscopy identified prominent tortuous varices over the second portion of duodenum with spurting of blood. At first, the varices were treated successfully with sodium tetradecyl sulfate and bleeding stopped. Consequent endoscopic sclerotherapy was done 1 week later. The varices almost disappeared 2 weeks after the second endoscopic sclerotherapy and the patient was in good condition following this.
Role of Kupffer cells in failure of fatty livers following liver transplantation and alcoholic liver injury
Authors: THURMAN RONALD G , GAO WENSHI , CONNOR HENRY D , ADACHI YUKITO , STACHLEWITZ ROBERT F , ZHONG ZHI , KNECHT KATHRYN T , BRADFORD BLAIR U , MASON RONALD P , LEMASTERS JOHN J 
Published: March 2008

AbstractKupffer cells have been implicated in mechanisms of pathophysiology following liver transplantation. Recently, postoperative injury in ethanol‐induced fatty liver has been evaluated because fatty livers often fail following transplantation. The low‐flow, reflow liver perfusion model was used to study the role of Kupffer cells (KC) in reperfusion injury to fatty livers from rats fed a diet containing ethanol for 4–5 weeks. Treatment with GdCl3, which selectively destroys KC, decreased cell death significantly. Thus, destruction of KC minimized hepatic reperfusion injury, most likely by inhibiting free radical formation and improving microcirculation.Since it was demonstrated recently that destruction of KC prevented the hypermetabolic state observed with acute alcohol exposure, their involvement in events leading to alcohol‐induced liver disease was investigated. In rats exposed to ethanol continuously via intragastric feeding for up to 4 weeks, GdCl3 treatment prevented elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and dramatically reduced the average hepatic pathological score. These results indicate that KC participate in the early phases of alcohol‐induced liver injury.Endotoxaemia occurs in alcoholics and activates KC; therefore, we evaluated the effect of minimizing bacterial endotoxin by intestinal sterilization with the antibiotics polymyxin B and neomycin. Antibiotics diminished plasma endotoxin levels significantly and prevented ethanol‐induced increases in AST values. These results indicate that endotoxin is involved in the mechanism of ethanol‐induced liver injury.A six‐line radical spectrum was detected with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy in bile from alcohol‐treated rats which was blocked by GdCl3. The free radical adducts had hyperfine coupling constants characteristic of lipid‐derived free radical products. In conclusion, these studies demonstrate that KC are involved in reperfusion injury to ethanol‐induced fatty livers and hepatic injury due to long‐term treatment with ethanol.
Human liver‐associated lymphocytes: An overview
Authors: WINNOCK M , BARCINA M GARCIA , LUKOMSKA B , HUET S , SARIC J , BALABAUD C , BIOULAC‐SAGE P 
Published: March 2008

AbstractMorphological and phenotypical data indicate that liver sinusoids contain a heterogeneous population of lymphocytes of which large granular lymphocytes are only one element. It is suggested that the term of liver‐associated lymphocytes (LAL), which encompasses all sinusoidal lymphocytes, be used for this fourth sinusoidal cell type.Studies realized by flow cytometry on isolated cells have shown that human LAL differ phenotypically from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). LAL are characterized by a three‐fold increase in the percentage of cells presenting the CD56 antigen, a natural killer (NK) marker, but also an increase in the percentage of CD8 cells and a decrease in the percentage of CD4. Furthermore, within the CD56+ LAL population, 95% of cells are CD3+/‐ CD16‐, whereas the majority of CD56+ cells in PBL are CD3‐/CD16+. These differences do not seem to depend on liver pathology since no differences were found in the LAL phenotype, for all markers analysed, between patients with liver metastasis or with benign liver tumours. Liver sinusoids also harbour T cells bearing the γ/δ chains with a repertoire of V gene arrangements which differs from that found in PBL from the same patients, confirming a site‐specificity.Functionally, LAL were shown to possess a higher level of NK cell activity against K‐562 cells than PBL. LAL also expressed a lymphokine activated killer (LAK) activity against NK‐resistant cell lines (Raji cells), whereas no such activity was detected in PBL from the same patients. Interestingly, LAK‐activity from LAL isolated from patients with liver metastases was dramatically decreased compared to that from LAL isolated from patients with benign liver disease. The level of LAK activity of LAL situated distant to the malignant tumour was higher than that obtained from LAL close to the tumour, thus suggesting that cytotoxic lymphocyte capabilities could be inhibited by tumoral celis. LAL differ, both quantitatively and qualitatively, from PBL in the expression of cellular adhesion molecules. Precise mechanisms of their homing or in situ differentiation must still be elucidated.
Hepatitis C transmission between spouses
Authors: KODA TETSUZO , YONAHA MARI , HAYASHI AKIO , ISHIKAWA KATSUNORI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTTo examine inter‐spouse transmission as one of the potential routes of infection for hepatitis C virus (HCV), 121 patients with HCV‐related chronic liver disease who tested positive for antibodies to HCV (anti‐HCV) and their spouses were studied. Of these, 21 (17.4%) patients had spouses with anti‐HCV. In 12 couples, the HCV genotype matched (type II: 10 couples, type III: two couples). The genotype differed in six couples. One patient was positive for anti‐HCV, but negative for HCV‐RNA, while the spouse was positive for both. The remaining two couples were only positive for anti‐HCV. Genetic heterogeneity in the hypervariable region 1 of HCV was analysed in 11 couples with matched genotypes. In two couples, no mutation was recognized in the putative E2/NS1 genes using the heteroduplex method. The present study provides evidence to verify household transmission of HCV between patients and their spouses. These results suggest that inter‐spouse transmission may be a potential route of transmission of HCV infection. However, other environmental factors (e.g. the duration of the marriage) cannot be ignored.
Aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen and hyaluronan in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis: Markers of fibrosis in primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: REMMEL TRIIN , REMMEL HELE , SALUPERE VELLO 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) and hyaluronan have previously been studied in different liver diseases. The results of these studies are controversial. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between PIIINP and hyaluronan levels and the clinical, biochemical and histological features of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and its prognosis. Fifty‐five PBC patients were studied at the time of diagnosis of PBC and were followed up for a mean of 58 months. During the follow‐up period 21 patients died. In addition, 30 healthy subjects were examined in the present study. Hyaluronan and PIIINP were measured by radioimmunoassay and the levels of both PIIINP and hyaluronan were higher in PBC patients than in healthy volunteers (P< 1.8 times 10‐6 and 1.6 times 10‐9, respectively). Hyaluronan and PIIINP levels were above normal values in 82 and 84% of PBC patients, respectively. There were correlations between PIIINP and hyaluronan and the histological stage of PBC (r=0.44, P< 0.004 and r=0.56, P< 0.00001, respectively). The correlation between PIIINP and hyaluronan was 0.46 (P< 0.0035). In symptomatic patients, both PIIINP and hyaluronan values were higher than in controls (P< 0.002 and P< 0.006, respectively). The levels of PIIINP correlated significantly with bilirubin (r=0.43, P< 0.006), while hyaluronan was correlated with age (r=0.33, P< 0.015), pruritus (r=0.32, P< 0.02), fatigue (r=0.41, P< 0.003), hepatomegaly (r=‐0.46, P< 0.0008), the presence of oesophageal varices (r=0.34, P< 0.002), weight loss (r=0.29, P< 0.05), bilirubin (r=0.54, P< 0.0001), albumin (r=‐0.30, P< 0.04), extent of fat excretion (r=0.53, P< 0.009) and length of symptomatic period before diagnosis of PBC (r=0.43, P< 0.002). Using Cox's logistic regression analysis, survival was found to be influenced by bilirubin concentration but not by hyaluronan, PIIINP, age, albumin or histological stage. Therefore, hyaluronan is a more sensitive marker for predicting advanced PBC than is PIIINP. However, neither hyaluronan nor PIIINP gave any indication of prognostic outcome.