bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Symptom relief with amitriptyline in the Irritable Bowel syndrome
Authors: RAJAGOPALAN MANI , KURIAN GEORGE , JOHN JACOB 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTAnti‐depressants have been reported to be useful in the management of the Irritable Bowel syndrome. We studied the efficacy of amitriptyline for 12 weeks in a randomized double‐blind placebocontrolled trial. Forty patients who met predefined criteria entered the trial. They received 25 mg amitriptyline for the first week, 50 mg for the second week and 75 mg nightly thereafter until the end of the 12th week. The drug and placebo groups were comparable in all major pretreatment variables. Amitriptyline was found to be significantly more effective than placebo in producing global improvement, increasing feelings of well‐being, reducing abdominal pain and increasing satisfaction with bowel movements. Younger age and increasing extroversion predicted a better response to amitriptyline. Severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms and other personality variables did not influence outcome.
Cerebral changes in hepatic encephalopathy
Authors: WATANABE AKIHARU 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTHepatic encephalopathy (HE) accompanied by an impairment of consciousness from orientation disorder (grade II) to coma (grade IV) is considered to be overt HE and is treated as an emergency. However, subclinical hepatic encephalopathy (SHE) can be detected by sensitive and quantitative neuropsychological examinations in cirrhotic patients without overt HE. The introduction of the SHE concept is clinically important for preventing the deterioration of SHE (grades 0 and I) to overt HE (grade II and more severe), prolonging the compensated state of cirrhosis without its deterioration to hepatic failure, and the continuation of patient treatment at home. We developed a new diagnostic method for SHE using a quantitative neuropsychological test, with the computerization of all operations. Evaluations of cerebral function and morphology are useful for the determination of the patho‐physiology of HE, and assist the diagnosis of SHE. The latencies of the P3 wave in the visually evoked potential and the P300 wave in the event‐related potential are prolonged in cirrhotic patients with SHE and are well expressed in three‐dimensional coloured topograms (brain mapping). Automated polysomnographic analysis is useful for continuous‐monitoring electroencephalograms (EEG) and for the detection of the sleep disturbance observed in cirrhotic patients with SHE. Brain atrophy in computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high signals in the basal ganglia in the MR‐T1‐weighted images have frequently been observed in patients with SHE. The reduction of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by 99mtechnetium‐1, 1‐ethylcysteinate dimer (99mTc‐ECD)‐single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and the choline/N‐acetylaspartic acid ratio by 1proton‐magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H‐MRS) were observed in the hippocampus in patients with SHE. These approaches (cerebral function tests and imaging diagnoses of the brain) can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for HE; for example, branched‐chain amino acid (BCAA) was shown by automated continuous polysomnographic analysis to be a psychotropic drug which acts directly on the central nervous system and the clinical significance of choline administration to HE patients is now being evaluated by 1H‐MRS and neuropsychological tests.
Effects of hepatitis G virus coinfection on severity of hepatitis C: Relationship to risk factors and response to interferon treatment
Authors: LIN RITA , DUTTA USHA , KABA SONGUL , KENCH JAMES , CREWE EVELYN , COVERDALE SHIRLEY , BYTH KAREN , LIDDLE CHRISTOPHER , FARRELL GEOFFREY C 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe aims of the present study were to identify characteristics that are more often associated with hepatitis G virus (HGV) coinfection in Australian patients infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to investigate the effects of HGV on the histological and functional severity of chronic hepatitis C. Serum samples from 209 patients with chronic hepatitis C were tested for HGV‐RNA using single‐round reverse transcriptase—polymerase chain reaction to primers directed at the NS5 region of the HGV genome. Hepatitis G virus RNA was detected in 40 cases (19%). Hepatitis G virus‐coinfected patients tended to be younger and parenteral risks could be identified in all but six. Although country of birth did not differ significantly between the coinfected and HCV‐alone groups, HGV‐positive patients appeared to be less likely to have originated from Asia. On logistic regression analysis, HCV genotype 3a was found in a significantly higher proportion of patients with HGV coinfection than other genotypes (P<0.01). Liver histology and response to interferon were similar in the HGV‐coinfected and HCV‐alone groups and liver‐related complications appeared to occur less frequently in patients with both HGV and HCV. On univariate analysis, antipyrine clearance was found to be higher in the coinfected group (P<0.05), implying better preservation of hepatic metabolic function, but this difference was lost when adjusted for HCV genotype. In conclusions coinfection with HGV was more commonly associated with HCV genotype 3a, a genotype associated with injection drug use in younger patients. However, the presence of HGV coinfection did not adversely affect liver disease or the response to interferon treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
A comparative study of nucleolar organizer region, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and epidermal growth factor receptor staining in colon tumours
Authors: SHIMADA NAOKI , SUZUKI JUNICHI , FUJITA JUN , KAWAKAMI YOSHIKAZU , TSUKAKOSHI HIROMOTO , HOSOKAWA MASAO , SATO NORIYUKI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTSeveral studies have reported that proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF‐R) are cellular proliferation parameters in malignant tumours. However, the correlation of EGF‐R with PCNA and NOR has not been reported in colon tumours. To clarify this, we investigated the correlation of the expression of EGF‐R with PCNA and NOR in colonic epithelial tumours. Using immunohistochemical staining and one‐step silver staining techniques, the expressions of EGF‐R‐, PCNA‐ and NOR‐associated protein were studied in paraffin sections from five normal mucosae, 10 adenomas with mild atypia, 16 adenomas with moderate atypia, 32 adenomas with severe atypia including carcinoma in situ and 47 with invasive colon carcinomas. Significant differences were found among the respective degrees of atypia in Ag‐NOR counts, PCNA labelling index (LI), and the expression of EGF‐R. However, there were no significant differences among the Ag‐NOR counts of the severe atypia and invasive carcinoma. There was a significant positive correlation between Ag‐NOR counts and PCNA LI (P<0.001). The Ag‐NOR counts and PCNA LI in EGF‐R‐positive cases were higher than in EGF‐R‐negative cases (P<0.001). These results indicate that each of the parameters increased significantly with the increase in atypia and the progression of cancer. Epidermal growth factor receptor provokes an exacerbation of protein synthesis and the cell cycle in colonic epithelial tumours.
A quantitative immunohistochemical evaluation of inflammatory cells at the affected and unaffected sites of inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: YAMAGATA KAZUFUMI , TANAKA MASANORI , KUDO HAJIME 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTLevels of T lymphocytes, histiocytes and mast cells have been reported to be increased in the affected mucosa of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), but the colorectal distribution of these cells is not fully understood. We hypothesized that differences in cell densities between CD and UC would be characteristic, not only in the affected, but also in the unaffected mucosa. The aims of the present study were to clarify whether there were any differences in cell densities in CD, UC and infectious colitis (IC) in the affected mucosa and between CD and UC in the unaffected mucosa. Using mouse monoclonal antibodies recognizing memory T cells (OPD4), cytotoxic/suppressor T cells (C8/144B), histiocytes (PG‐M1) and mast cells (AA1), we evaluated mucosal cell densities in biopsy specimens from both endoscopically affected and unaffected sites of CD (n= 12) and UC (n= 15) and from affected sites of IC (n= 10). Ten normal controls were also examined. At affected sites, all cells were significantly more abundant in UC than in the other conditions, except that the density of PG‐M1+ in CD was similar to that seen in UC. Although the densities of OPD4+ and C8/144B+ cells at unaffected sites were slightly higher in both CD and UC and in UC, respectively, there was no significant difference in cell densities between CD and UC. The ratio of OPD4+ cell density at affected sites to that at unaffected sites was appreciably higher in UC than in CD. The results suggest that a common feature of UC and CD is an increase in PG‐M1+ cells at the affected mucosa but that the other inflammatory cells studied are more abundant, particularly in UC, and that the difference between UC and CD is conspicuous when comparing the OPD4+ cell density of the affected mucosa with that of the unaffected mucosa.
Geranylgeranylacetone, an anti‐ulcer drug, stimulates hexosamine production in a rat gastric mucosal cell line through binding to a specific cytosolic protein
Authors: HASSAN SAZZAD , KINOSHITA YOSHIKAZU , OKADA AKIHIKO , MAEKAWA TORU , FUKUI HIROKAZU , CHIBA TSUTOMU 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTAn anti‐ulcer drug, geranylgeranylacetone (GGA), stimulates hexosamine production in a rat gastric mucosal cell line (RGM‐1). The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of this action. The role of protein kinase A, inositol phospholipid turnover and tyrosine kinase in the stimulatory action of GGA on hexosamine production in RGM‐1 was determined by observing cAMP production, [3H]‐inositol phosphate turnover and western blotting of tyrosine phosphorylation, respectively. Any trophic effect of GGA on RGM‐1 was also checked by [3H]‐thymidine incorporation. Our experiments showed that GGA has no effect on cAMP production, inositol phospholipid turnover, tyrosine phosphorylation or DNA synthesis in RGM‐1. Finally, a [14C]‐GGA competitive receptor binding assay was performed on RGM‐1 and we found that [14C]‐GGA specifically bound to RGM‐1 cytosolic protein. Although retinoic acid (RA), another polyisoprenoid compound significantly stimulated hexosamine production in RGM‐1, we confirmed that the [14C]‐GGA binding site in RGM‐1 is different from the RA binding site. In summary, GGA stimulates hexosamine production in RGM‐1 and this action is probably mediated through its binding to a specific cytosolic protein in RGM‐1.
Assessment of autonomic nervous activity during gastrointestinal endoscopy: Analysis of blood pressure variability by tonometry
Authors: SAIJYO TETSUYA , NOMURA MASAHIRO , NAKAYA YUTAKA , SAITO KEN , KONDO YUKI , YUKINAKA MICHIKO , SHIMIZU ICHIRO , ITO SUSUMU 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTWe continuously measured blood pressure by tonometry in 30 patients during endoscopy to determine the influence of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy on cardiac events. Patients were divided into two groups: one group treated with scopolamine butylbromide as premedication (SB group) and another group without premedication (C group). Time‐ and frequency domain analyses of beat‐to‐beat systolic blood pressure variability were performed for 128 consecutive beats. For time‐domain analysis, we calculated the coefficient of variation of systolic blood pressure (CVBP). For the frequency domain analysis, we determined the low‐frequency (LFBP; 0.04–0.15 Hz) and high‐frequency (HFBP; 0.15–0.40 Hz) powers of the variation in systolic blood pressure and the ratio of LFBP to HFBP (LFBP/HFBP) during endoscopy. The CVBP and HFBP, indicators of parasympathetic tone, increased in the early phase of endoscopy but decreased significantly in the middle and late phases compared with the pre‐endoscopy value. The ratio of LFBP/HFBP, an indicator of indirect sympathetic tone, increased throughout the endoscopic procedure. Moreover, premedication with scopolamine butylbromide prevents the excessive parasympathetic nervous reflex when an endoscope passes through the upper digestive tract and also brings both decreased parasympathetic tone and increased sympathetic tone at the late phase of endoscopic procedure. Our results indicate that gastrointestinal endoscopy induced an autonomic nervous abnormality, which may contribute to the occurrence of cardiac events during endoscopic procedures.
Case Report: Three paediatric cases of primary sclerosing cholangitis treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and sulphasalazine
Authors: KOZAIWA KOSUKE , TAJIRI HITOSHI , SAWADA ATSUSI , TADA KANAE , ETANI YURI , MIKI KAZUNORI , OKADA SHINTARO 
Published: March 2008

ABSTACTWe present here three paediatric patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. In case 1, the serum γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase was decreased only temporarily by ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment and 34 months later, sulphasalazine was added because of microscopic colitis. The enzyme level decreased with dual therapy. Similarly, in case 3, first diagnosed as autoimmune hepatitis, the transpeptidase levels remained elevated for 18 months during treatment with UDCA, prednisolone and mizoribin. The enzyme decreased only after a diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis complicated with ulcerative colitis was established and sulphasalazine was introduced. Case 2 also had Crohn's colitis and was put on UDCA and sulphasalazine from the start. The enzyme level was normalized within 1 month and has remained normal for the following 5 years. Liver biopsies were analysed repeatedly in these three patients. In case 1, periductal fibrosis remained unchanged while being treated by UDCA. There appeared to be no progression in liver cirrhosis in case 3 while being treated by UDCA, prednisolone, and mizoribin. In case 2, who has been treated with both UDCA and sulphasalazine from the start, periductal fibrosis and portal fibrosis were remarkably improved 45 months later. We suggest that sulphasalazine in addition to UDCA might be a viable treatment for children with primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Expression of cellular adhesion regulatory molecule in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: SUNAGA MASAHIKO , YOSHIKAWA MASAHARU , EBARA MASAAKI , KONDO FUKUO , KASHIWADA MASAKI , TAKEMORI TOSHITADA , SAISHO HIROMITSU 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTCellular adhesion regulatory molecule (CMAR) enhances the adhesiveness of cells to collagen and laminin and is considered to be a candidate anti‐oncogene. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the expression of CMAR and clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Small amounts of liver tissue were obtained from HCC and non‐cancerous portions of the liver in 29 patients and from normal liver in seven patients with metastatic liver tumour by biopsy under ultrasound guidance. RNA was extracted with acid guanidinium thiocyanate‐phenol‐chloroform. Expression of CMAR was assessed by quantitative PCR using β‐actin as an internal standard. A 4 b.p. insertion polymorphism at nucleotide 241 of the CMAR coding region was then investigated using extracted RNA to assess the relationship between the expression of variant mRNA of CMAR and HCC carcinogenesis. The relative expression of CMAR was significantly reduced in HCC compared with non‐cancerous and normal livers and had a relationship with certain clinical background factors. The reduced expression of CMAR was thought to be closely associated with the progression of HCC. However, the 4 b.p. insertion polymorphism pattern of CMAR was the same between HCC and non‐cancerous liver in all cases in which it was found. These results suggest that progression of HCC may be predicted based on the relative expression of CMAR.
A case of well‐differentiated minute hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic metastasis
Authors: KIM SOO RYANG , HAYASHI YOSHITAKE , MATSUOKA TOSHIYUKI , PARK SOK YONG , SHINTANI SHIGEYUKI , SASAKI KAZUNORI , ASANO JUN , KIM JUNG HYO , KIM KE IH , IMOTO SUSUMU , ITOH HIROSHI , KUDO MASATOSHI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTA rare case of well‐differentiated minute hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasizing to distant sites in a 77‐year‐old man with hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐related cirrhosis is presented. Ultrasonography (US) disclosed a 9 mm hypoechoic lesion in segment seven (S7) of the liver, although computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and angiography did not reveal any space‐occupying lesion. Ultrasound‐guided biopsy showed the histological features of well‐differentiated HCC. A plain film of the abdomen and CT revealed osteolytic changes in the sacrum and the lumbar vertebra. Ultrasound‐guided biopsy of the sacrum revealed well‐to‐moderately differentiated HCC metastasizing from the liver. Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) effected complete response and completely eliminated the abnormal findings on US. Three months after PEIT, metastasis to the thoracic vertebra was revealed by CT, despite negative α‐fetoprotein‐mRNA in serum. This is the first report describing a well‐differentiated HCC with metastatic potential. Further studies may provide insights into metastasis of well‐differentiated HCC.
Immunological features of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) overlapping systemic sclerosis: A comparison with patients with PBC alone
Authors: AKIMOTO SACHIKO , ISHIKAWA OSAMU , TAKAGI HITOSHI , MIYACHI YOSHIKI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTTo characterize the immunological features of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) overlapping systemic sclerosis (SSc), 26 patients with PBC were classified according to the presence of scleroderma‐related features (Raynaud's phenomenon, sclerodactyly etc.). The patients were classified into 10 patients with PBC overlapping SSc (PBC‐SSc), four patients with some scleroderma‐related features although not meeting the criteria of SSc (PBC‐SSc spectrum) and 12 patients with PBC alone. Sera from PBC‐SSc showed a significantly higher positivity to anti‐centromere antibody (P < 0.01) and to E1β of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (P < 0.005) than those from patients with PBC alone. The same tendency was observed in PBC‐SSc spectrum patients. Patients with PBC exhibiting scleroderma‐related features, in both the PBC‐SSc and PBC‐SSc spectrum, may comprise a subset in PBC, not only clinically, but also immunologically.
Gastric mucosal blood flow and hepatic perfusion index in patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy
Authors: GUPTA RAJIV , SAWANT PRABHA , PARAMESHWAR RV , LELE VIKRAM R , KULHALLI PRABHAKAR M , MAHAJANI SHRIRAM S 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTEndoscopic laser Doppler velocimetry is a simple non‐invasive method to measure gastric mucosal blood flow. The present study is an attempt to determine a correlation, if any, between gastric mucosal blood flow and the hepatic perfusion index in patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy and their relationship to the severity of liver disease. Thirty patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy due to cirrhosis of the liver (eight class A, 13 class B, nine class C, according to Child‐Pugh Classification) and six normal subjects were recruited into the study. In all subjects, the gastric mucosal blood flow and venous vasomotor reflex response was measured at two sites: the lesser and greater curvature, using endosoopic laser Doppler velocimetry. The hepatic perfusion index was measured using dynamic liver scintigraphy. The hepatic perfusion index (ratio of arterial/portal venous perfusion) in normal subjects and patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy belonging to Child‐Pugh class A, B and C were 0.36 ± 0.02, 0.53 ± 0.08, 0.62 ± 0.14 and 1.04 ± 0.28, respectively. The gastric mucosal blood flow was similar in Child's A, B and C cases, while the venous vasomotor reflex response was reduced according to the Child‐Pugh score (Child's A 37.4 ± 5.4%, normal control 62.3 ± 10.9%, Child's B 38.3 ± 18.2%, Child's C 22.5 ± 15.2%) and was statistically significant. The gastric mucosal blood flow and hepatic perfusion index are inversely correlated. The hepatic perfusion index altered with grading of cirrhotic change. This study confirms that the severity of portal hypertensive gastropathy is correlated with Child‐Pugh score.
Relationship between severity and symptoms of reflux oesophagitis in elderly patients in Japan
Authors: MAEKAWA TORU , KINOSHITA YOSHIKAZU , OKADA AKIHIKO , FUKUI HIROKAZU , WAKI SHINYA , HASSAN SAZZAD , MATSUSHIMA YUMI , KAWANAMI CHIHARU , KISHI KIYOHIKO , CHIBA TSUTOMU 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTSince information concerning reflux oesophagitis in the elderly is limited, particularly in Japan, the severity and symptomatic profiles of reflux oesophagitis in elderly patients were investigated. One hundred and nineteen patients with reflux oesophagitis found among 2278 endoscopy cases between 1993 and 1996 were investigated in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, elderly and non‐elderly. The severity of reflux oesophagitis was estimated by the Los Angeles classification. The presence or absence of typical symptoms (heartburn and regurgitation) was determined by interview. Reflux oesophagitis was not only more frequently found in the elderly group, but was more severe than in the non‐elderly. Although the degree of manifestation of typical symptoms was similar between the elderly and the non‐elderly with high‐grade oesophagitis, the elderly patients with mild reflux oesophagitis were less symptomatic than the non‐elderly. Mild reflux oesophagitis in the elderly may be missed due to its rarity of typical reflux symptoms and a substantial number of elderly persons might have subclinical reflux oesophagitis.
1979: Affiliation with the Paediatric Research Society of Australia and a Change in Format
Authors: COLE W. G. 
Published: March 2008

During 1978 the Australian College of Paediatrics and the Paediatric Research Society of Australia agreed that the Australian Paediatric Journal would now represent both associations. The Paediatric Research Society, which was established in 1966, is now a vigorous group of about 150 scientists and doctors actively involved in paediatric research in Australia.We welcome this increase in the Journal's affiliation and trust that with it will come an increasing number of papers reporting the wide range of research interests of the Society's members.This first issue of 1979 is printed on a larger page size. The decision to change page size was made on grounds of economy, both to suit our clients who support the Journal with advertisements and to help contain the increasing costs of printing. We hope the change in format will be welcomed by our readers.