bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis B vaccination in Hong Kong
Authors: LOK A. S. F. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe Government‐sponsored hepatitis B vaccination programme in Hong Kong was initiated in 1982. The programme initially provided hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) to newborns of carrier mothers only. During the past 8 years, the programme has expanded to include medical and health personnel, medical and dental students and dialysis patients. Universal vaccination of all newborns was implemented in 1988, with a 98% acceptance rate. In the near future the programme will extend to cover children born before 1988 and other polytransfused subjects. In addition, the medical community has been active in public education and in the encouragement of vaccination of other high risk groups. It is hoped that by the beginning of the twenty‐first century, most of the susceptible subjects in Hong Kong will have been vaccinated.
Multiple risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma: A cohort study of 13 737 male adults in Taiwan
Authors: CHEN C‐J. , YU M‐W. , WANG C‐J. , HUANG H‐Y. , LIN W‐C. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractIn order to explore multiple risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a total of 13 737 male adult residents in 12 townships were studied for an average follow‐up period of 5.2 years. Sociodemographic characteristics, history of cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking, dietary habits, as well as personal and familial history of chronic liver diseases were obtained through standardized interviews based on structured questionnaires at the recruitment. Blood samples were also collected from 9688 (71%) study subjects and examined for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). A total of 60 new HCC cases occurred giving an incidence rate of 83.3 per 100 000 person‐years. Cox's proportional hazards models were used to analyse multiple risk factors of HCC. In addition the HBsAg carrier status which showed a multivariate‐adjusted relative risk of 17.0, cumulative cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking quantity, vegetarian habit and low vegetable consumption were associated with the development of HCC. The multivariate‐adjusted relative risk was 1.8 for those who smoked 26 or more pack‐years of cigarettes compared with non‐smokers, 3.1 for those who drank alcohol 50 mL or more per day compared with those who were non‐drinkers or drank less than 50 mL per day, 2.5 for vegetarians compared with non‐vegetarians, as well as 4.6 and 2.6, respectively, for those who had a weekly vegetable consumption frequency of less than two meals and two to five meals compared with those who had a frequency of six or more meals.
Role of actin and calmodulin in migration and proliferation of rabbit gastric mucosal cells in culture
Authors: WATANABE SUMIO , HIROSE MIYOKO , YASUDA TAKAHIRO , MIYAZAKI AKIHISA , SATO NOBUHIRO 
Published: March 2008

Abstract The aim of this study was to develop a new cellular restoration model using primary cultured rabbit gastric mucosal cells, and to evaluate the role of cytoskeleton and calmodulin in this process. Confluent monolayer mucosal cell sheets consisting mainly of mucous cells were wounded, and a rotating silicon tip was used to make cell‐free areas of constant size. The process of restoration was monitored, and the cell‐free area was measured and analysed quantitatively.Artificial wounds recovered in 36 h in controls; however, mucosal cell repair was inhibited by treatment with the actin inhibitor, cytochalasin B, and the calmodulin inhibitor, W‐7. In the process of restoration, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)‐positive cells appeared around the wound 24 h after injury and then disappeared after the complete repair. Because BrdU‐positive cells were never detected within 24 h after wounding, initial recovery of the wound occurred only by cell migration. Both the migration and the proliferation stage are seen with this model. This culture model is suitable for the analysis of gastric mucosal restoration. Present data are consistent with the hypothesis that the integrity of the cytoskeletal system is important for restoration after damage of the gastric mucosa.
Effects of an infusion of branched‐chain amino acids on neurophysiological and psychometric testings in cirrhotic patients with mild hepatic encephalopathy
Authors: HIGUCHI KIYOHIRO , SHIMIZU YUKIHIRO , NAMBU SHUJI , MIYABAYASHI CHIHARU , TAKAHARA TERUMI , SAITO SEIJI , HIOKI OSAMU , KUWABARA YOSHIHIRO , WATANABE AKIHARU 
Published: March 2008

Abstract Psychotropic action of a branched‐chain‐enriched amino acid solution (Aminoleban) was quantitatively and visually examined in six cirrhotic patients with mild hepatic encephalopathy (grades I and II) using electrophysiological and psychometric methods. Neurophysiological effects of the amino acid solution were observed by comparing topographic spectrum analyses of electroencephalography (EEG) before and immediately after an intravenous 3 h infusion of the solution. The delta wave in the frontal region diminished from 61 ± 13 to 12 ± 4% (P < 0.01) and the alpha wave in the occipital region increased from 11 ± 3 to 51 ± 11% (P < 0.01). Latencies of the P3 wave in visual evoked potentials, which were topographically recorded in the occipital region, shortened from 220 ± 32 to 148 ± 19 ms (P < 0.01). Latencies of the P300 wave in event‐related potentials, which were topographically recorded in the centro‐temporal region, shortened from 493 ± 81 to 360 ± 93 ms (P < 0.05). Topographic reaction pattern of P300 was irregular toward the occipital or parietal region in cirrhotic patients. The EEG frequency power spectrum, illustrated by the colour density spectral array of computer‐aided polysomnography analysis, clearly showed a gradual increase of the alpha wave spectrum and a gradual decrease of the delta wave spectrum after initiation of the infusion. These immediate neurophysiological changes were confirmed by improvement of quantitative psychometric tests including number connection test, reaction time to sound, and digit symbol and block design tests of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.From the results, it was concluded that branched‐chain amino acids functioned as psychotropic drug for cirrhotic patients with mild hepatic encephalopathy.
Analyses of proliferating cell nuclear antigen‐positive cells in hepatocellular carcinoma: Comparisons with clinical findings
Authors: NISHIMORI HIROSHI , TSUKISHIRO TAKASHI , NAMBU SHUJI , OKADA KAZUHIKO , SHIMIZU YUKIHIRO , MIYABAYASHI CHIHARU , HIGUCHI KIYOHIRO , WATANABE AKIHARU 
Published: March 2008

AbstractProliferating tumour cells in 92 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were identified by an immunohistochemical method using a monoclonal antibody against proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The rate of PCNA‐positive cells in HCC tissues was positively correlated with histological grade and the tumour size and T factor of the tumour.In order to analyse the relationship between prognostic factors and cumulative survival rate after obtaining tumour specimens, 49 patients whose clinical courses could be followed after needle biopsy were selected for evaluation. These patients were treated by medical therapy alone. Analyses of prognostic factors by Cox's proportional hazard model revealed that the patient's prognosis was significantly correlated with PCNA‐positive rates as well as the tumour size and mode of therapy. Moreover, the cumulative survival rates were significantly (P< 0.001) higher in patients with rates of PCNA‐positive cells <15% than in those with ≧ 15%, even when tumour sizes were under 50 mm or tumours demonstrated the same degree of histological differentiation.These findings indicate that the PCNA‐positive rate in biopsied tissues provides useful prognostic information in patients with HCC treated only by medical therapy.
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and culture negative neutrocytic ascites in patients with non‐alcoholic liver cirrhosis
Authors: AL AMRI SALEH M. , ALLAM ABDULKADIR R. , AL MOFLEH IBRAHIM A. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractMedical records of 18 patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and 19 patients with culture negative neutrocytic ascites (CNNA) were reviewed. The diagnosis of SBP was based on a positive ascitic fluid culture, a polymorphonuclear cell count (PMN) greater than 250 cells/mm3and the absence of an intra‐abdominal source of infection. The diagnosis of CNNA was based on a PMN count greater than 250 cells/mm3, a negative ascitic fluid culture, the absence of an intra‐abdominal source of infection and no antibiotic treatment in the preceding 30 days. All patients in both groups had liver cirrhosis, which was mainly (62.2%) due to HBV infection. A single strain, mostly ‘a Gram‐negative’ bacillus, was recovered from the ascitic fluid culture in the vast majority of patients (83%) with SBP. There were no significant differences between the clinical data of both groups. However, the CNNA group had a significantly better Pugh score (Pvalue = 0.01) with a mean score of 9.42 ±2.24, compared to the SBP group (10.94 ±2.88). The only significant difference in the laboratory data was that the total bilirubin was higher in the SBP group (P0.01). Hospital mortality was significantly higher in the SBP patients compared to those with CNNA, 50 and 16%, respectively (P0.03). Recurrent ascitic fluid infection occurred in one of five patients who initially presented. In contrast no recurrence was documented in 12 patients with CNNA.Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a serious complication of liver cirrhosis with significantly higher mortality than CNNA. A single organism, usually enteric, is the most common causative agent.
Effect of nicotine in migration and proliferation of rabbit gastric mucosal cells in a culture cell model
Authors: SATO N. , WATANABE S. , HIROSE M. , WANG X‐E. , MAEHIRO K. , MURAI T. , KOBAYASHI O. , NAGAHARA A. , OGIHARA T. , KITAMI N. 
Published: March 2008

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the effects of nicotine on the gastric epithelial restoration using primary cultured rabbit gastric mucosal cell model.Confluent monolayer mucosal cell sheets consisting of mainly mucous cells were wounded using a rotating silicon tip. The process of restoration was monitored, and the size of wound was measured and analysed quantitatively.Artificial wounds recovered in 36 h in controls. The nicotine treatment (10−5, 10−4 and 10−3 mol/L) did not cause any effects on the process of wound repair. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) positive cells appeared around the wound 24‐36 h after injury and then disappeared after the complete repair in controls and also in nicotine‐treated groups. However, in the morphological observation, numerous vacuoles were detected in parietal cells of nicotine‐treated groups. This effect of nicotine was reversible by removing nicotine from the medium. Present data suggest that nicotine has no direct effects on the mucosal restoration but might have an effect on the structure and function of parietal cells.
Plasma endotoxin concentration and endotoxin binding capacity of plasma acute phase proteins in cirrhotics with variceal bleeding: An analysis by new methods
Authors: FUKUI HIROSHI , MATSUMOTO MUNESUKE , TSUJITA SHIGENOBU , TAKAYA AKIRA , KOJIMA HIDEYUKI , MATSUMURA MASAHIKO , TSUJII TADASU 
Published: March 2008

AbstractPlasma endotoxin levels in 12 cirrhotics with bleeding from oesophageal varices and 50 cirrhotics without bleeding were measured by the chromogenic assay after the pretreatment of sample by perchloric acid (HClO4) and triethylamine. Endotoxin in cirrhotics with bleeding from varices was significantly higher than those without bleeding. In patients with bleeding, endotoxin increased for 3 days after the bleeding, first in the supernatant fraction and then in the precipitate fraction by HClO4 treatment. Peak plasma α1‐acid glycoprotein and haptoglobin were observed 3 days after the bleeding. Alpha 1‐antitrypsin gradually increased for 14 days. Transferrin did not markedly change. The endotoxin‐binding capacity of transferrin and α1‐acid glycoprotein increased immediately after bleeding and thereafter decreased, but that of α1‐antitrypsin tended to increase in the recovery period. In summary, the plasma endotoxin concentration and endotoxin‐binding capacity of α1‐acid glycoprotein and transferrin were shown to have increased after bleeding from varices by this new method. There may be a close relationship between endotoxaemia and acute phase reaction in this situation.
Correlation of serum HCV RNA and alanine aminotransferase levels in chronic hepatitis C patients during treatment with ribavirin
Authors: TONG MYRON J. , HWANG SHINN‐JANG , LEFKOWITZ MICHELLE , LEE SHOU‐DONG , CO RUTH L. , CONRAD ANDREW , SCHMID PETER , LO KWANG‐JUEI 
Published: March 2008

Abstractto evaluate the effect of ribavirin on serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, 22 patients with chronic HCV infection were treated with oral ribavirin 1200 mg daily in three divided doses for 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks treatment, the serum ALT decreased in all but one patient and became normal in three individuals. The mean pretreatment serum ALT was reduced significantly from 193 ± 45 i.u./L to 95 ± 16 i.u./L after 4 weeks therapy (P= 0.009). However, 8 weeks after cessation of treatment, the serum ALT rose to a mean value of 154 ± 21 i.u./L. The mean pretreatment serum HCV RNA was not significantly decreased at the end of 4 weeks treatment (7.0 × 105vs 4.1 × 105 copies/mL, P > 0.05). However, serum HCV RNA levels were decreased in 12 and increased in 10 patients at the end of 4 weeks therapy. Eight weeks after cessation of therapy, the serum HCV RNA of 22 patients rose to a mean value of 4.9 ± 105 copies/mL.Six patients who continued to have elevated serum ALT and positive HCV RNA after the initial 4 weeks treatment received oral ribavirin at the same dosage for an additional 24 weeks. The serum ALT again decreased in all six patients during therapy, but rose to pretreatment values by 8 weeks after cessation of the treatment. In addition, no significant changes were noted in the mean serum HCV RNA levels during and after 24 weeks of ribavirin therapy.Our results indicate that oral ribavirin only transiently lowered serum ALT values and did not efficiently suppress HCV synthesis in patients with chronic hepatitits C infection.
Interstitial tumour cell invasion in small hepatocellular carcinoma. Evaluation in microscopic and low magnification views
Authors: KONDO FUKUO , KONDO YOICHIRO , NAGATO YOSHINOBU , TOMIZAWA MINORU , WADA KATSUNORI 
Published: March 2008

AbstractIn order to study the process of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, and to search for a clue to histologic diagnosis of well‐differentiated HCC (wd‐HCC), interstitial invasion in small HCC was evaluated. The study material consisted of 35 cases of HCC that were smaller than 3 cm that comprised 17 cases of wd‐HCC, 18 cases of moderately or poorly differentiated classical HCC (cl‐HCC), and 20 cases of large regenerative nodules (LRN). Interstitial invasion was microscopically classified into three patterns: (i) crossing type, in which HCC was invading across fibrous septa of tumour nodules; (ii) longitudinal type, in which tumour cells were growing longitudinally within fibrous septa; and (iii) irregular type, in which the portal area was irregularly invaded by HCC. The crossing type was found in two cases (12%) of wd‐HCC and 10 cases (56%) of cl‐HCC while the longitudinal type was observed in 16 cases (94%) of wd‐HCC and eight cases (44%) of cl‐HCC. The irregular type was frequently seen in wd‐HCC (15 cases, 88%), and cl‐HCC (12 cases, 67%). No interstitial invasion was observed in LRN. Interstitial invasion could be recognized even in the low magnification view of histological specimens, with a detection rate of 59% (10 cases) in wd‐HCC and 72% (13 cases) in cl‐HCC.These results suggest that evaluation of interstitial invasion is useful in diagnosing wd‐HCC independent of cellular atypia. In addition, such invasive growth is revealed to play an important role in destroying original hepatic architecture during its developmental process from the early to advanced stages.
Pathomorphological study of HCV antibody‐positive liver cirrhosis
Authors: SHIMAMATSU KAZUHIDE , KAGE MASAYOSHI , NAKASHIMA OSAMU , KOJIRO MASAMICHI 
Published: March 2008

AbstractA morphological investigation was carried out to study the pathological features of liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The materials consisted of liver specimens taken from 47 cases of anti‐HCV antibody‐positive liver cirrhosis (37 by surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma and 10 by autopsy), and from 21 cases of hepatitis B surface antigen‐positive liver cirrhosis as the control. Liver specimens containing more than 10 regenerative nodules were examined. In addition, a histometric study was conducted to determine the degree of fibrosis and the size of regenerative nodule using a computer image‐analysis system.The results showed that the histological characteristics of HCV antibody‐positive liver cirrhosis are: (i) broadly expanded fibrous septa and small regenerative nodules; (ii) relatively strong inflammatory reaction and prominent lymphoid aggretation in the fibrous septum; and (iii) mild regenerative activity of the liver parenchyma, and infrequent liver cell dysplasia.These findings may facilitate better understanding of the pathology of HCV antibody‐positive liver cirrhosis and more accurate pathological diagnosis by needle biopsy.
Clinical usefulness of an assay for hepatitis C virus core in the diagnosis of non‐A, non‐B hepatitis and monitoring of the response to interferon therapy
Authors: KAWANO SHIN‐ICHI , TANAKA MOTOHIKO , FUJIYAMA SHIGETOSHI , SATO SHINJIRO , TAURA YUKO , GOTO MASAFUMI , CHIKAZAWA HIDETO , SATO TATSUO 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe clinical utility of a new JCC‐2 enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kit that detects and quantitates anti‐hepatitis C virus (anti‐HCV) core antibodies (anti‐HCc) was investigated. Serum samples were obtained from 102 patients with various non‐A, non‐B liver diseases, including 19 cases of chronic hepatitis type C who had been treated with interferon (IFN). The results of the anti‐JCC‐2 assay were significantly correlated with serum HCV‐RNA positivity. Patients who were HCV‐RNA positive exhibited a high rate of positivity for anti‐JCC‐2 (72.2% in acute hepatitis, > 90% in chronic liver diseases). The geometric mean of the anti‐JCC‐2 titre was not significantly different among different stages of chronic liver disease (among CPH, CAH and LC). The anti‐JCC‐2 titre decreased gradually in cases that became HCV‐RNA negative after IFN therapy. If HCV‐RNA positivity recurred, the anti‐JCC‐2 titre increased, indicating that serial measurements of the anti‐JCC‐2 titre are useful for monitoring the antiviral effect of IFN treatment. These results suggest that quantification of anti‐HCc by the anti‐JCC‐2 assay is superior to the semi‐quantification of circulating HCV‐RNA provided by monitoring of IFN therapy. Monitoring of HCV‐RNA status using reverse transcription‐nested polymerase chain reaction (RT‐nested PCR) is possible, but it is technically demanding and too expensive for routine clinical use.
Incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and HCV‐RNA in blood donors and patients with liver diseases in the Inshore Area of the Yangtze River
Authors: ITO SUSUMU , YAO DENG‐FU , NII CHIYO , HORIE TAKAHIRO , KAMAMURA MASAKO , NISHIKADO TOMOKO , HONDA HIROHITO , SHIBATA HIROSHI , SHIMIZU ICHIRO , MENG XIAN‐YONG 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe Nantong area is a high risk region for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) in the inshore area of the Yangtze River. However, no detailed data are available about hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in this area. We examined the incidences of anti‐HCV and HCV‐RNA in blood donors with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)‐ and hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb)‐negative and patients with chronic liver diseases in the Nantong area at Nantong Medical College, Jiangsu Province, the People's Republic of China. The incidences of HBV markers (HBsAg and/or HBcAb), anti‐HCV (C100‐3), second generation anti‐HCV, HCV‐RNA and any marker of HCV in the Nantong area were found to be: 0.0, 0.7, 0.4, 0.2 and 0.7% in donor bloods; 16.9, 0.0, 3.4, 15.7 and 16.9% in patients with acute hepatitis; 82.8, 2.7, 4.8, 7.5 and 10.2% in those with chronic hepatitis; 86.4, 4.5, 9.1, 4.5 and 11.4% in those with liver cirrhosis; 87.5, 6.3, 0.0, 0.0 and 6.3% in those with PHC; and 21.8, 1.3, 1.3, 0.0 and 1.3% in patients without liver diseases, respectively. Although the Nantong area is a high risk region for PHC, these data suggest that HCV infection is not an important aetiological factor for PHC in this area.
The pathology of liver injury induced by the chronic administration of alcohol and ‘low‐dose’ carbon tetrachloride in Porton rats
Authors: HALL PAULINE DE LA M. , PLUMMER JOHN L. , ILSLEY ANTHONY H. , AHERN MICHAEL J. , CMIELEWSKI PATRICIA L. , WILLIAMS RICHARD A. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractWe have previously established a model for micronodular cirrhosis by feeding Wistar rats alcohol, in the Lieber–DeCarli liquid diet, and exposing them to ‘low‐dose’ carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) vapour for 10 weeks. This study reports the spectrum of liver pathology seen in male Porton rats exposed to ‘low‐dose’ CCl4 vapour 5 nights/week, 6 h/night while being fed alcohol (300 kcal/L) in the Lieber‐DeCarli diet. Micronodular cirrhosis developed in all animals after 5–7 weeks of treatment. The simultaneous administration of silymarin, a putative hepatoprotective agent, in the liquid diet, did not alleviate or prevent the chronic liver injury. The histopathological features of the liver injury are described, with particular emphasis on the presence of small epithelial cells (‘progenitor or stem cell'), which appear to be playing a role in liver regeneration.
Effects of colchicine on the synthesis and transport of albumin: A combined electron cytochemical and autoradiographic study
Authors: IWAI MASAKI , ISHII YASUTAKA , TADA KAZUNOBU , KITAGAWA YOSHIHIRO , KASHIWADANI MOTOMU , KASHIMA KEI , IBATA YASUHIKO 
Published: March 2008

AbstractWe investigated the intracellular transport of albumin in the livers of rats treated with colchicine using immunoperoxidase study as well as combined immunoelectron microscopy and autoradiography with [3H]‐leucine. Immunoreaction of albumin was observed in all hepatocytes. Its subcellular location was in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and lysosomes. After the injection of [3H]‐leucine through the portal vein, a combined technique revealed accumulated grains on the albumin‐positive Golgi apparatus or the albumin‐positive vesicles in the vicinity of the Golgi apparatus. These findings suggest that albumin transport from the Golgi apparatus to sinusoids is disturbed by colchicine. Enzyme histochemistry showed many acid phosphatase‐positive lysosomes in hepatocytes of the liver treated with colchicine. Albumin retained in the vicinity of the Golgi apparatus may be digested by lysosomes.An in situ hybridization study with isotopes revealed the presence of silver grains for albumin mRNA in all hepatocytes of livers treated or untreated with colchicine; there was no significant difference in the number of silver grains in the two groups. Therefore, colchicine has very little effect on albumin synthesis in the liver.