bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased levels of plasma ghrelin in peptic ulcer disease
Authors: SUZUKI H. , MASAOKA T. , NOMOTO Y. , HOSODA H. , MORI M. , NISHIZAWA T. , MINEGISHI Y. , KANGAWA K. , HIBI T. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundGhrelin is a novel appetite‐promoting peptide secreted primarily from the A‐like cells in the gastric fundic mucosa. As gastric inflammation caused by Helicobacter pylori infection extends, the number of ghrelin‐producing A‐like cells is diminished and gastric ghrelin content decreases significantly. We previously reported that plasma levels of ghrelin, which correlated well with the serum levels of pepsinogen (PG) I and PG I/II ratio, decreased as gastric mucosal atrophy increased in non‐ulcerogenic conditions and that plasma ghrelin level increased in rats with cysteamine‐induced duodenal ulcer.AimTo investigate the plasma levels of ghrelin in patients with peptic ulcer disease.Patients and MethodsTwo hundred and eighty‐six patients with epigastric symptoms, who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, were enrolled. Blood samples were collected after a 12‐h fast before endoscopy. Patients were divided into four groups, namely chronic gastritis with high PG (n = 197), chronic gastritis with low PG (n = 58), duodenal ulcer (n = 14) and gastric ulcer (n = 17) and plasma concentrations of total and active ghrelin as well as serum concentrations of PG I and PG II were measured by radioimmunoassay. Six patients with duodenal ulcer and seven with gastric ulcer were also examined after ulcer healing.ResultsPlasma ghrelin levels were significantly higher in patients with duodenal ulcer or gastric ulcer than in those without ulcers. Elevated plasma total ghrelin levels did not significantly change after the healing of ulcers.ConclusionsPlasma ghrelin levels were significantly higher in patients with peptic ulcer than in those with gastritis without ulcer. This finding suggests a possible relationship between mucosal injury susceptibility and elevated fasting plasma ghrelin.
Gastric motility and autonomic activity during obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: URATA M. , FUKUNO H. , NOMURA M. , OGATA T. , ITO S. , NAKAYASU K. , NAKAYA Y. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundPatients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) often experience gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).AimTo investigate gastric motility and autonomic nervous activity during sleep apnea.MethodsThe subjects of this study were 20 individuals with OSAS who experienced 10 or more sleep apnoea events per hour, as measured with a portable sleep polygraph. A percutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) and fast Fourier transformation analysis was carried out on the results. The mean amplitude was compared for bradygastria, normogastria and tachygastria. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability was performed, and low‐frequency (LF) power, high‐frequency (HF) power and the LF/HF ratio were measured. Oesophagogastroduodenal endoscopy was performed on each subject, and the presence of reflux oesophagitis (RE) was diagnosed according to the Los Angeles (LA) grade classification. Moreover, questionnaire for the diagnosis of reflux disease (QUEST) was carried out.ResultsNormogastria was significantly decreased, and brady‐, tachygastria, or both were increased during sleep apnea (P < 0.01). There was no significant relation between LA grade classification of RE and severity of OSAS. The LF/HF ratio was significantly higher during sleep apnea for patients with RE and OSAS, but the opposite for those with RE without OSAS. Decreased percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation and normogastria were independent risk factors for the severity of RE.ConclusionsThe present study suggested that, in addition to decreased pressure on the pleural cavity, factors affecting the development of RE might include abnormal gastric motility, low oxygen, and increased sympathetic nervous activity during sleep apnea.
Efficacy and endoscopic prediction of cytapheresis therapy in patients with refractory and steroid‐dependent ulcerative colitis
Authors: WATANABE K. , OSHITANI N. , KAMATA N. , INAGAWA M. , YAMAGAMI H. , HIGUCHI K. , ARAKAWA T. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundRecently, it has been proved in Japan that granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GCAP) and leukocytapheresis (LCAP) are effective and safe for patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC).AimTo investigate the efficacy of GCAP and LCAP in patients with active UC, and the use of endoscopic findings in predicting efficacy, especially in refractory and steroid‐dependent cases.Subjects and methodsThirty‐four patients with active UC (24 refractory to conventional therapy and 10 steroid‐dependent) were treated with GCAP (n = 21) or LCAP (n = 13). The patients received one or two GCAP or LCAP sessions per week for 5 consecutive weeks, with colonoscopy before and after each session.ResultsAbout 70% of the patients achieved a clinical response, and no severe adverse effects were observed. Most steroid‐dependent patients or patients who had side effects due to steroids were controlled successfully. Endoscopically, 14 of 16 cases with shallow ulcers and erosion throughout the colon and 10 of 15 with deep ulcerations responded to treatment. However, three with massive ulceration of the whole mucosa did not respond.ConclusionsGCAP or LCAP are valuable therapies for refractory or steroid‐dependent UC, and endoscopic findings are helpful in predicting clinical effectiveness.
Differential expression of cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 and nuclear β‐catenin in colorectal cancer tissue
Authors: TATSUGUCHI A. , KISHIDA T. , FUJIMORI S. , TANAKA S. , GUDIS K. , SHINJI S. , FURUKAWA K. , TAJIRI T. , SUGISAKI Y. , FUKUDA Y. , SAKAMOTO C. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundBoth adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutation and cyclo‐oxygenase (COX)‐2 are thought to play key roles in colorectal carcinogenesis. Nuclear accumulation of β‐catenin results from APC gene mutation, which leads to enhanced transcription and activation of target genes, including cyclin D1. In vitro studies suggest that Cox‐2 transcription is directly regulated by β‐catenin/TCF complexes.AimTo investigate the relationship between cellular localization of β‐catenin and COX‐2 in colorectal cancer.MethodsWe performed immunohistochemical analysis of β‐catenin, cyclin D1 and COX‐2 expression in 50 resected colorectal cancer cases.ResultsThe proportion of cases positive for cyclin D1 was higher in nuclear β‐catenin‐positive cases than in negative cases (P < 0.001). Serial sections revealed that the co‐localization of cyclin D1 and nuclear β‐catenin was most frequently evident in the tumour cells at the advancing margin of invasive carcinoma. Conversely, there was no association between COX‐2 and nuclear β‐catenin expression, either topographically or statistically. The staining patterns for COX‐2 and nuclear β‐catenin differed; COX‐2 was diffuse and homogeneous, whereas nuclear β‐catenin was focal and preferentially distributed at the invasive margin of cancer cells.ConclusionsThese two important modulators of colorectal tumourigenesis are differentially expressed. Cox‐2 and β‐catenin transcription may be activated by different pathways.
Relationship between ghrelin and Helicobacter pylori infection in Polish adult shepherds and their children
Authors: PLONKA M. , KONTUREK P. C. , BIELANSKI W. , PAWLIK T. , BRZOZOWSKI T. , KONTUREK S. J. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundGhrelin stimulates food intake and body weight gain. The stomach is the major source of circulating ghrelin, but controversy exists over the relationship between ghrelin release and Helicobacter pylori infection.AimTo assess the relationship between H. pylori infection and ghrelin, leptin and gastrin release in adult shepherds and their children, and to measure the effect of H. pylori eradication on gastric ghrelin content.Methods H. pylori prevalence was compared in 42 shepherds with full contact with sheep, 148 farmers without sheep contact and in 61 age‐matched urban adult controls as well as in 58 shepherd children with sheep contact, 88 mountain children without contact and 141 urban children controls. Serum levels of ghrelin, leptin and gastrin in adult shepherds and their children with and without H. pylori infection were measured.ResultsThe major source of circulating ghrelin was gastric corpus mucosa, as ghrelin content was severalfold higher than that in antral mucosa and was significantly higher in the H. pylori‐eradicated than that in H. pylori‐infected mucosa. Serum levels of ghrelin were greatly increased, while gastrin levels were significantly decreased in H. pylori‐negative as compared with H. pylori‐positive subjects. In mountain children, serum levels of ghrelin and leptin were about twofold higher in H. pylori‐negative than in H. pylori‐positive children, whereas gastrin levels were significantly reduced in H. pylori‐negative children.ConclusionsThe high incidence of H. pylori infection in shepherds and their children seems to contribute to the decreased serum levels of ghrelin and increased levels of gastrin in H. pylori‐infected mountain children and to their decreased appetite and dyspeptic symptoms.
High prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Japanese patients with membranous nephropathy
Authors: MORIYAMA T. , KANEKO T. , FUJII M. , TSUBAKIHARA Y. , KAWANO S. , IMAI E. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundMembranous nephropathy is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in Japanese adults, and is often precipitated by systemic diseases such as infection, neoplasm, and autoimmune conditions. Recently, the Helicobacter pylori antigen was detected histochemically in the glomeruli of membranous nephropathy patients, raising the possibility that H. pylori may be the pathogen that causes.AimTo reveal the p1revalence of H. pylori infection in the Japanese membranous nephropathy population and to test the therapeutic efficacy of H. pylori eradication on the course of disease in membranous nephropathy patients.MethodsThe prevalence of H. pylori infection was investigated by the HM‐CAP method in 32 membranous nephropathy patients and an age‐matched control group (C: n = 243).ResultsA significantly higher H. pylori infection rate was found in membranous nephropathy patients than in the control group (positive/total: membranous nephropathy 21/32 vs. C 108/243, P < 0.05 by chi‐squared test). Eradication of H. pylori was achieved in four membranous nephropathy patients with proteinuria who were receiving glucocorticoid therapy, three of whom experienced a reduction of proteinuria after eradication.ConclusionsWe found a higher prevalence of H. pylori infection in Japanese membranous nephropathy patients than in age‐matched control subjects, which suggests the possible involvement of H. pylori infection in the pathogenesis of membranous nephropathy.
Helicobacter pylori eradication prevents the development of gastric cancer – results of a long‐term retrospective study in Japan
Authors: KATO M. , ASAKA M. , NAKAMURA T. , AZUMA T. , TOMITA E. , KAMOSHIDA T. , SATO K. , INABA T. , Shirasaka D. , OKAMOTO S. , TAKAHASHI S. , TERAO S. , SUWAKI K. , ISOMOTO H. , YAMAGATA H. , NOMURA H. , YAGI K. , SONE Y. , URABE T. , AKAMATSU T. , OHARA S. , TAKAGI A. , MIWA J. , INATSUCHI S. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryAimThis large‐scale study was designed to investigate the incidence of gastric cancer after Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication in Japan.MethodsThis study was a retrospective multicentre study performed at 23 centres in Japan. Patients in whom H. pylori had been successfully eradicated and those in whom the infection persisted were entered into the study if they had undergone an upper endoscopic examination at least once a year for five consecutive years. The incidence rates of gastric cancer during follow‐up were compared between those whose infections had been successfully eradicated and those with persistent H. pylori infection.ResultsThree‐thousand twenty‐one patients were enrolled. The median follow‐up was 7.7 years for the infected group and 5.9 years for the eradicated group. Gastric cancer developed in 23 (1%) of those in whom H. pylori was successfully eradicated compared with 44 (4%) of those with persistent H. pylori infection (OR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.22–0.62).ConclusionThis large‐scale retrospective clinical study in Japan, which has a high mortality rate for gastric cancer, indicates that H. pylori eradication may prevent the development of gastric cancer.
Helicobacter pylori eradication and metachronous gastric cancer after endoscopic mucosal resection of early gastric cancer
Authors: NAKAGAWA S. , ASAKA M. , KATO M. , NAKAMURA T. , KATO C. , FUJIOKA T. , TATSUTA M. , KEIDA K. , TERAO S. , TAKAHASHI S. , UEMURA N. , KATO T. , AOYAMA N. , SAITO D. , SUZUKI M. , IMAMURA A. , SATO K. , MIWA H. , NOMURA H. , KAISE M. , OOHARA S. , KAWAI T. , URABE K. , SAKAKI N. , ITO S. , NODA Y. , YANAKA A. , KUSUGAMI K. , GOTO H. , FURUTA T. , FUJINO M. , KINJYOU F. , OOKUSA T. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryAimTo conduct a retrospective multicentre study at 31 medical centres in Japan, to investigate the association between the eradication of Helicobacter pylori and the development of new gastric cancer after endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for early gastric cancer.MethodsPatients included those in whom early gastric cancer had been removed by EMR, and who had received follow‐up endoscopic treatment. All patients underwent follow‐up endoscopic treatment at least once a year after the initial EMR. The rate of new gastric cancer development was compared among those patients for whom H. pylori had been successfully eradicated and those with persistent H. pylori infection.ResultsThe study included 2835 patients with a median follow‐up period of 2 years (range 0.5–12 years). Helicobacter pylori was eradicated in 356 patients (13%). Metachronous gastric cancers developed in eight (2%) patients among those who had been successfully treated for H. pylori, compared with 129 patients (5%) among those with persistent H. pylori infection (P = 0.021; OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.20–0.86).ConclusionAlthough longer term, prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to better estimate the extent and sustainability of possible benefits, this study suggests that the eradication of H. pylori may help reduce the incidence of metachronous gastric cancer.
Distribution comparison of depressed vs. non‐depressed early colorectal cancers
Authors: SAKAMOTO N. , TERAI T. , OHKUSA T. , ABE S. , BEPPU K. , KOBAYASHI O. , HIRAI S. , KONNO A. , NAMIHISA A. , OGIHARA T. , FUJII H. , MIWA H. , SATO N. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundColorectal depressed tumours have a tendency to invade deeper mucosal layers and metastasize in the lymph nodes, despite their small size.AimTo investigate the clinical and endoscopic characteristics of depressed early colorectal cancers (intramucosal and submucosal adenocarcinoma) compared with non‐depressed early cancers.MethodsFive hundred and seventy consecutive early colorectal cancers obtained through endoscopic resection or surgical operation were studied. Early cancers were endoscopically classified as either the depressed or non‐depressed type. The age and gender of the patients as well as the size and distribution of the cancers were compared between types. The tumour locations were classified into three groups: caecum to transverse colon (right colon), descending to sigmoid colon (left colon) and rectum.ResultsPatients were similar with respect to age and gender. The mean size of the depressed type was smaller than that of the non‐depressed type (mean 8.4 mm vs. 13.3 mm; P < 0.0001). The rate of occurrence of depressed type in the right colon was higher than that of non‐depressed type (49% vs. 23%) (P = 0.0006). Among the early cancers, the incidence of the depressed type in the right colon was higher than that in the left colon and rectum (15% in the right colon, 7% in the left colon and 4% in the rectum; P < 0.01).ConclusionsCompared with non‐depressed early colorectal cancers, depressed cancers were smaller in size and more likely to be distributed in the right colon.
Increased intestinal luminal carbon monoxide gas in patients with ulcerative colitis
Authors: TAKAGI T. , NAITO Y. , TSUBOI H. , ISOZAKI Y. , KATADA K. , SUZUKI T. , TERAO K. , HANDA O. , KOKURA S. , ICHIKAWA H. , YOSHIDA N. , OKUYAMA Y. , YAGI N. , UEDA H. , YOSHIKAWA T. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundRecent studies in models of inflammatory bowel disease have demonstrated that heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) induction, or its by‐products in this process such as carbon monoxide (CO), plays an important role in the intestinal inflammation. However, the distribution of HO‐1 in intestinal mucosa and the concentration of intestinal luminal CO in humans have not yet been investigated.AimTo detect the HO‐immunopositive cells in the intestine of normal subjects and in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and to measure intestinal luminal CO gas contents using gas chromatography.Materials and MethodsThe expression of HO‐1 in the intestine was determined using immunohistochemistry. Human colonic gas was collected using colonoscopy from healthy volunteers and patients with UC. Analysis of intestinal luminal gas was performed using a newly developed portable gas chromatograph.ResultsImmunopositive staining for HO‐1 was localized in the inflammatory cells, mainly mononuclear cells, and the number of cells that accepted stain was greater in patients with UC. CO level in the intestinal lumen significantly increased in patients in the active stage of UC.ConclusionThese findings indicate that the HO‐CO system is induced in UC.
Host serological response to Helicobacter pylori after successful eradication: long‐term follow‐up in patients with cured and persistent infection
Authors: TANAKA J. , OHKUSA T. , YOKOYAMA T. , MATSUHISA T. , KAWAI T. , HASHIMOTO H. , TOMITA T. , HORI K. , NAKAJIMA K. , MATSUMOTO T. , MIWA H. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryAimTo systematically determine the usefulness of Helicobacter pylori IgG antibody titer decline as a predictor of treatment success after H. pylori eradication in large patient samples.Patients and MethodsSerum samples from 258 H. pylori positive patients (52.8 yrs, 65% males) were retrospectively collected from five medical centers, and H. pylori titers were quantitatively determined by ELISA. Serial serum samples were collected at baseline and for up to 4.9 years after treatment. 169 patients underwent successful eradication while 89 remained infected. The median total observation period was 635 days (range, 51 to 1,800 days). Chronological changes in H. pylori titers were analyzed and compared between cured and infection persistent subjects.ResultsThe proportion of infection persistent patients who developed negative H. pylori IgG antibody titers was below 5%. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the confirmation of successful eradication according to the percent decline over baseline at each time‐point showed that a 60% decline at 1 year or more after eradication treatment strongly correlated with successful eradication (sensitivity = 90% and specificity = 87%).ConclusionA 60% decline in H. pylori IgG titers (HEL‐p kit) from baseline to one year or greater is a reliable predictor of successful H. pylori eradication.
Enhancement of cytoprotective ability and cell restoration in 70‐kDa heat shock protein gene‐transfected rat gastric mucosal cells
Authors: OTAKA M. , MATSUHASHI T. , ODASHIMA M. , ITOH H. , JIN M. , WADA I. , KOMATSU K. , HORIKAWA Y. , OHBA R. , OYAKE J. , HATAKEYAMA N. , WATANABE S. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundMany recent studies have indicated the importance of heat shock proteins for cell survival under stress conditions. Some heat shock proteins are known to be involved in cytoprotection against environmental stresses, through their function as ‘molecular chaperones’.AimTo examine the biological characteristics of HSP70 gene‐transfected gastric mucosal cells.Materials and methodsComplimentary DNA of human HSP70 gene was transfected to RGM‐1 cells (rat gastric mucosal cell line) and HSP70 highly‐expressing cells were selected and cloned. A single clone (7018‐RGM‐1), which highly expressed HSP70 compared with RGM‐1, was used in this study. Cytoprotective ability against H2O2 or ethanol was analysed by WST‐assay and LDH‐release. Wound restoration of artificially created wounds was also compared between RGM‐1 and 7018‐RGM‐1 cells.ResultsWe successfully cloned HSP70 highly‐expressing gastric mucosal cells, which expressed a level of HSP70 equal to 350% of that of RGM‐1 cells. Over‐expression of HSP70 clearly enhanced cytoprotective ability against H2O2 or ethanol‐induced cell damage. Wound restoration was enhanced in 7018‐RGM‐1 cells compared with RGM‐1 cells.ConclusionOur results suggested that expression of HSP70 might play important roles not only in cytoprotection but also in mucosal wound restoration, mediated by the molecular chaperone function of HSP70.
Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy modulates acidity and interleukin‐1β mRNA levels in un‐operated stomach and in remnant stomach after gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients
Authors: KATO S. , MATSUKURA N. , MATSUDA N. , TSUKADA K. , NAITO Z. , TAJIRI T. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundA number of studies have indicated that Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy helps prevent secondary cancers in the stomach.AimTo investigate the risk of secondary cancer in the residual stomach after gastrectomy by comparing molecular biomarkers from stomach mucosa biopsies and the pH of gastric juice between H. pylori patients with and without gastrectomy.MethodsConventional H. pylori eradication therapy was administered to 22 patients who had undergone gastrectomy and to 37 un‐operated patients. We measured pH levels of gastric juice, and collected stomach mucosa biopsy specimens by gastrointestinal fiberscopy. The mRNA expression levels of interleukin‐1β, interleukin‐8 and cyclo‐oxygenase 2 in the biopsy tissues were measured by real‐time polymerase chain reaction.ResultsInterleukin‐1β levels in the antrum of un‐operated H. pylori‐positive patients showed a reverse correlation with pH levels in the gastric lumen (correlation coefficient: −0.50, P = 0.007). After eradication, pH levels were strongly associated with interleukin‐1β mRNA levels, r = 0.83, P = 0.01, which, in the remnant stomach mucosa, decreased from 22.5 to 4.6 in the anastomosis and from 3.1 to 2.4 in the upper corpus, with a simultaneous and statistically significant decrease in pH.ConclusionsInterleukin‐1β mRNA levels correlated with pH levels in the remnant stomach. This indicates that eradication therapy may contribute not only to a reduction in these cancer‐associated cytokines, but also to an improvement in the internal environment of the remnant stomach.