bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Divergence of mucosal and motor effects of insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐I and LR3IGF‐I on rat isolated ileum following abdominal irradiation
Authors: Fraser R , Frisby C , Schirmer M , Blackshaw La , Langman J , Howarth G , Yeoh Ek 
Published: March 2003

Abstract Background and Aims: In addition to its beneficial effects on small intestinal mucosal development and repair, insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐I has also been reported to improve neural function in toxic neuropathies. It has recently been recognized that enteric neural abnormalities contribute to the small intestinal dysmotility observed during and after abdominal radiotherapy for gynecological and pelvic malignancy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of IGF‐I (5 mg/kg per day) and the more potent analog LR3IGF‐I (5 mg/kg per day) on neurally mediated ileal dysmotility following irradiation.Methods: Intestinal motor activity was recorded from 6–8 cm segments of explanted rat ileum using a miniaturized manometric technique during arterial perfusion with oxygenated fluorocarbon solution. Studies were performed 4 days after treatment with 10 Gy abdominal irradiation. At the time of irradiation, all rats underwent implantation of an osmotic mini‐pump that contained 100 mmol/L acetic acid vehicle (n = 8), IGF‐I (n = 8) or LR3IGF‐I (n = 7). For each experiment, the total number of pressure waves, high‐amplitude long‐duration (defined as > 20 mmHg, > 6 s; HALD) pressure waves and long bursts (> 20) of pressure waves were determined. Ileal segments from 12 non‐irradiated rats were used as controls for manometric studies. In radiotherapy treated animals, the degree of mucosal damage was determined using a standardized histologic scoring system.Results: The HALD pressure waves were infrequent in non‐irradiated rats but occurred in all irradiated animals. Insulin‐like growth factor‐I and LR3IGF‐I had no effect on the frequency, amplitude or migration characteristics of HALD pressure waves compared with vehicle. Histologic damage was reduced in animals that received IGF‐I and LR3IGF‐I compared with vehicle‐treated animals.Conclusions: In radiation enteritis, IGF‐I has no effect on neurally mediated small intestinal dysmotility while improving mucosal histology. The disparity between these results suggests that parallel but separate pathologic processes underlie mucosal and motor abnormalities in radiation enteritis.
Intestinal dysfunction in liver cirrhosis: Its role in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Authors: Ramachandran Anup , Balasubramanian Kunnissery A 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSpontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a common illness in patients with cirrhosis and ascites that occurs without any apparent focus of infection. Bacterial translocation plays an important role in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and it is evident from a variety of studies that the gut is a major source of this bacteria. Gut motility alterations, along with bacterial overgrowth and changes in intestinal permeability, probably play a role in this bacterial translocation. The present review looks at the role of the intestine in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis induced by liver cirrhosis and the factors influencing bacterial translocation in this disease.
TT Virus is shown in the liver by in situ hybridization with a PCR‐generated probe from the serum TTV‐DNA
Authors: Ohbayashi Hideo , Tanaka Yujiro , Ohoka Shinya , Chinzei Ryouko , Kakinuma Sei , Goto Mieko , Watanabe Mamoru , Marumo Fumiaki , Sato Chifumi 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground and Aim: It has been a conflicting issue whether TT virus (TTV), a newly isolated DNA virus from a patient with liver injury of unknown cause, is a causative agent of acute and/or chronic hepatitis. TT Virus DNA titers were shown to be 10–100‐fold greater in liver tissue than in serum, whereas the majority of TTV‐positive cases had no biochemical or histological evidence of significant liver damage. We therefore attempted in situ hybridization to investigate whether TTV is hepatotropic.Methods: Because of the marked divergence in TTV genome types, a template for TTV‐DNA (coding region for N22 clone) was amplified and labeled with digoxigenin‐dUTP by using hemi‐nested PCR from the serum, then DNA probes were applied to the liver sections of the same case. After hybridization, the probes were visualized immunohistochemically. Besides TTV‐DNA‐negative cases, competitive inhibition experiments with unlabeled probes were performed to confirm the specificity.Results There were no positive signals in the negative controls, and the intensity of positive signals was markedly diminished in the competitive inhibition experiments. No cross‐hybridization with different genotype probes also confirms the specificity. Under the optimal conditions, the positive signals were located in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes in eight of nine TTV‐DNA‐positive cases. The signals were not seen in non‐parenchymal cells of the liver.Conclusion: TT Virus is proved to be hepatotropic by in situ hybridization.
Systemic and splanchnic hemodynamics following hemorrhage and volume restitution with Haemaccel in portal hypertensive rats: The effect of propranolol
Authors: Hilzenrat Nir , Arish Arie , Yaari Arieh , Sikuler Emanuel 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground and Aims: Recently, we found in a portal hypertensive rat model that hemorrhage and volume restitution with Haemaccel, a low viscosity plasma expander, induced an increase in cardiac output and portal venous inflow. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether pretreatment with propranolol will attenuate these hyperdynamic changes.Methods: Portal hypertension was induced by portal vein constriction. Treatment was initiated 14–21 days later. Propranolol (30 mg/kg per day) or water were administered for 7 days via a gastric gavage. Under ketamine anesthesia, 18 h after the last given dose, blood was withdrawn at a constant rate of 0.3 mL/min for 15 min followed by a 15‐min stabilization. Haemaccel was infused at the same rate and volume used for withdrawal. Hemodynamic measurements were performed after volume restitution in both groups by using radioactive microspheres.Results: Eight rats were studied in each group. In the propranolol‐treated animals, portal venous inflow was decreased (2.4 ± 0.8 vs 3.8 ± 0.7 mL/min per 100 g bodyweight; P < 0.01), while splanchnic arteriolar and porto‐collateral resistance were increased (52.8 ± 21.0 vs 32.8 ± 13.0 and 6.0 ± 1.4 vs 4.1 ± 0.7 mmHg × min × 100 g bodyweight/mL; P < 0.05, respectively). Cardiac output, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, total peripheral resistance and portal pressure were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion: In this model, pretreatment with propranolol prevented the increase in portal venous inflow, which occurs following hemorrhage and volume restitution with Haemaccel. Although caution should be taken in extrapolating data from animal models to humans, our results suggest that volume replacement during a portal hypertensive‐related bleeding episode may be safer in a patient treated with non‐selective β‐adrenoreceptor antagonists.
Lamivudine treatment for hepatitis B reactivation in HBsAg carriers after organ transplantation: A 4‐year experience
Authors: Liu Chun‐Jen , Lai Ming‐Yang , Lee Po‐Huang , Chou Nai‐Kuan , Chu Shu‐Hsun , Chen Pei‐Jer , Kao Jia‐Horng , Jen Yung‐Ming , Chen Ding‐Shinn 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground: Reactivation of hepatitis B after organ transplantation in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers may be fatal. In this study, we reported our experience of lamivudine treatment in HBsAg carriers who had post‐transplant reactivation of hepatitis B.Methods: The patients were 15 men and one woman. Nine received kidney transplants, six received heart transplants, and one received a lung transplant. They developed a reactivation of hepatitis B 1–101 months (median, 14 months) after transplantation. They received lamivudine 100 mg daily on a compassionate‐use basis, and had regular follow ups. The median pretreatment total serum bilirubin level was 3.0 mg/dL, and the alanine aminotransferase level was 357 U/L. Four of the 16 patients were positive for HBeAg. The serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were > 3000 pg/mL in 13 (81%) patients. Three were coinfected with hepatitis C virus.Results: The overall survival rate was 75%. All four fatal cases had a pretreatment total serum bilirubin level of ≥ 3 mg/dL. Serum HBV‐DNA soon became undetectable in 12 survivors. Of the 12 survivors, after a median treatment period of 101 weeks, a lamivudine‐resistant strain with variation in the YMDD motif of the HBV polymerase gene developed in three (25%). None had significant adverse reactions to lamivudine treatment.Conclusions: These results indicated that lamivudine is effective in the treatment of post‐transplant hepatitis B reactivation, including patients with dual chronic hepatitis B and C. Early recognition of HBV reactivation and prompt lamivudine treatment are important to prevent mortality.
Calcium‐parathyroid hormone‐vitamin D axis and metabolic bone disease in chronic viral liver disease
Authors: Duarte Mônica Pc , Farias Maria Lucia F , Coelho Henrique Sérgio M , Mendonça Laura Mc , Stabnov Lisa Md , Oliveira Maria Do Carmo D , Lamy Ricardo A , Oliveira Dhianah S 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground: The main process involved in hepatic osteodystrophy seems to be osteoporosis, but decreased 25‐hydroxylation of vitamin D might lead to osteomalacia and secondary hyperparathyroidism.Methods and Results: We studied bone mineral density (BMD) by using DEXA‐Expert Lunar, biochemical markers of bone turnover and calcium‐parathyroid hormone (PTH)‐vitamin D axis in 100 patients with chronic viral hepatitis secondary to hepatitis C virus: 49 non‐cirrhotic (NCir) and 51 with cirrhosis (Cir) confirmed by liver biopsy and/or clinical and biochemical features. When compared to the age‐matched population, 25% of the patients had low BMD at the lumbar spine (LS), 26.2% at Ward's triangle, 15.5% at the femoral neck (FN), and 20.2% at the trochanter. No difference was found either between Cir and NCir groups or between sexes. Urinary N‐telopeptide was increased in 31.86% of the patients, and negatively correlated with BMD at the LS and trochanter (P < 0.02). Serum bone‐specific alkaline phosphatase was elevated in 21% of the patients and negatively correlated with BMD at the trochanter and Ward's triangle (P < 0.02). Fasting 25‐hydroxyvitamin D was low in only three Cir patients, with no difference between the Cir and NCir groups, but it was higher in men (51.8 ± 16.0 ng/mL) compared to women (40.4 ± 14.4 ng/mL; P = 0.001). Fasting serum calcium was lower in Cir than NCir patients, P = 0.019. Fasting intact PTH was elevated in 42% of the patients, but the mean serum levels were similar in Cir and NCir groups.Conclusion: We found no evidence of vitamin D deficiency, but cannot exclude the participation of PTH in the high bone turnover and bone loss in the population with chronic viral hepatitis.
Endoscopically demonstrable esophageal changes after Helicobacter pylori eradication in patients with gastric disease
Authors: Yachida Shinichi , Saito Daizo , Kozu Takahiro , Gotoda Takuji , Inui Tetsuya , Fujishiro Mitsuhiro , Oda Ichiro , Okabayashi Takehiro , Kakugawa Yasuo , Ono Hiroyuki , Kondo Hitoshi 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground and Aims: An increased prevalence of reflux esophagitis has been reported following Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication in patients with duodenal ulcers in Western countries. However, it has remained unknown whether this might also appertain to individuals with other diseases. We therefore carried out this study to determine the effect of eradicating H. pylori infection in a series of Japanese patients.Methods: Of a total of 203 H. pylori‐positive patients successfully cured of infection, 82 cases (58 males, 24 females) with gastric disease, but not duodenal ulcers, were included in the present study; median age 56 years (range 18–80) and median follow up of 24 months (range 6–65). The patients were investigated clinically and endoscopically at regular intervals.Results: Mild reflux esophagitis developed after eradication in three of 55 (5.5%) patients formerly without this condition, while it improved after eradication in five of 27 (18.5%) patients, with the disease endoscopically diagnosed prior to eradication. The estimated incidence of esophagitis within 3 years was 4.8% after cure of infection. Short segment Barrett's esophagus developed after eradication in six of 58 (10.3%) patients who did not have it prior to the therapy, while the condition did not improve in 24 patients affected before eradication.Conclusions: Endoscopic esophageal changes after H. pylori eradication in the present series of Japanese patients were relatively infrequent and mild. This therapeutic approach thus appears to be safe and unproblematic.
Extending the reading time increases the accuracy of rapid whole blood test for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: Chen Tseng‐Shing , Chang Full‐Young , Lee Shou‐Dong 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground: To evaluate the accuracy of two rapid whole blood tests (the BM‐Test Helicobacter pylori and the QuikPac IV One Step H. pylori Whole Blood Test), and compare this to a conventional quantitative ELISA test (HEL‐p TEST II).Methods: Helicobacter pylori status in dyspeptic patients was assessed by culture, histology, and rapid urease tests on biopsies from the antrum and corpus. The optimal cut‐off value of the reading time for the rapid blood tests was determined by using the receiver characteristics operative (ROC) curves.Results: In the 141 patients examined, 89 were infected, 51 were not infected, and one was indeterminate (only positive in either urease test or histology). Areas under ROC curves were greater in the BM‐Test compared with the QuikPac IV (0.948 vs 0.840, P < 0.01), with their most appropriate cut‐off reading times at 360 and 395 min, respectively, rather than 10 min as suggested by the manufacturer. The sensitivity and specificity were 94.4% and 94.1% at 360 min, and 74.2 and 96.1% at 10 min for the BM‐Test; 80.9, 76.5 at 395 min and 3.4 and 100% at 10 min for the QuikPac IV. The antibody titer of the quantitative ELISA test was negatively correlated with the reaction time of the two rapid blood tests in H. pylori‐infected patients (P < 0.05, r = –0.3).Conclusions: The BM‐Test is an appropriate office‐based test for diagnosing H. pylori infection in Chinese patients. Extending the reading time would facilitate the readability of rapid blood tests with a resultant increase in accuracy.
Correlation of rectum‐associated lymph nodules with the development of experimentally induced acute colonic inflammation in rats
Authors: Ichikawa Sanae , Gu Shouzhi , Yamashita Akira 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground and Aims: The mechanisms of inflammation in ulcerative colitis occurring initially in the rectum and then extending throughout the colon are still unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation of rectum‐associated lymph nodules (RALN) and the development of a dextran sulfate sodium‐induced experimentally acute colonic inflammation in rats.Methods: We immunohistochemically analyzed the lymph nodules in the rectal region of rats using monoclonal antibodies to specific markers.Results: Rectum‐associated lymph nodules resembled the Peyer's patches, where CD4+, CD8+ lymphocytes and Mar 1+ macrophages were observed. After the administration of dextran‐sulfate sodium (DSS), RALN showed hypertrophy with an increase in the number of CD4+, CD8+, and interleukin (IL)‐2R+ lymphocytes in the periphery, as well as Mar 1+ macrophages in the entire region. Concurrently, platelet/endothelin cell adhesion molecule‐1 (PECAM–1+) blood vessels, including high‐endothelial venules (HEV), were increased in number in the interfollicular areas. Furthermore, a number of small lymph nodules varying in size were observed in the upper region of the rectum. Some of them were initially confined to the lamina propria mucosae, and became large enough to extend deeper into the tela submucosa. These DSS‐induced lymph nodules contained large numbers of CD4+ lymphocytes, IL‐2R+ lymphocytes, and Mar 1+ macrophages.Conclusions: The pathological changes of ulcerative colitis were well correlated with the development of both RALN and DSS‐induced lymph nodules. The immunological reaction that occurred in DSS‐induced lymph nodules is significantly associated with the expansion of colitis from the lower region of rectum to the upper region of rectum and colon.
Therapeutic vaccination in chronic hepatitis B
Authors: SENTURK HAKAN , TABAK FEHMI , AKDOGAN MERAL , ERDEM LEVENT , MERT ALI , OZARAS RESAT , SANDER ERSAN , OZBAY GULSEN , BADUR SELIM 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAims: The aim was to test the efficacy of a pre‐S2‐containing vaccine (Genhevac‐B) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Twenty‐five naive patients (22 male, three female; median age 35; range: 6–69 years) with CHB were recruited. The inclusion criteria were: hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive or HBV‐DNA detectable with liquid hybridization; alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is at least 1.5‐fold the upper normal limit and histological evidence of chronic hepatitis.Methods: In the first period, all patients received monthly injections of 20, 40 and 60 μg of the vaccine. One month after the last injection, patients who still had HBV‐DNA were divided into two randomly assigned groups. While the patients in the first group and the patients who lost HBV‐DNA in the first period continued to receive monthly injections of 20 μg vaccine for a further 6 months, the patients in the second group received 9 MU interferon α‐2b (Roferon‐A), three times per week using the same method as for the first group. Patients were followed up after 12 months without treatment. Response was defined as the loss of HBV‐DNA and normalization of ALT.Results: Six of the 25 patients lost HBV‐DNA after 3 months. Nine of the remainder were randomly placed in the first group (vaccine‐only) and 10 were placed in the second group (vaccine + interferon). End‐of‐treatment response was achieved, overall, 8/15 from the vaccine group and 6/10 from the combination. One patient from each group relapsed during the follow up. Overall, the sustained response (SR) rate was 46% (7/15) in the vaccine group, and 50% (5/10) in the combination group. Histological improvement was achieved in 6/7 SR with vaccine‐only and all five with combination treatment, while 1/8 of failures of vaccine and 2/5 of failures of combination improved.Conclusions: It was concluded that Genhevac‐B decreases serum HBV‐DNA levels in the majority of patients with CHB and sustained clearance was achieved in some patients. Combination of interferon‐α with Genhevac‐B is effective for the vaccine failures and may increase sustained response compared to interferon‐α alone. However, the mechanism of action is yet to be explained.
Mediation of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization induced gastric slow‐wave dysrhythmia by endogenous prostaglandin1
Authors: CHANG CHI‐SEN , YANG SHENG‐SHUN , YEH HONG‐ZEN , KO CHUNG‐WANG , LIEN HAN‐CHUNG , CHEN GRAN‐HUM 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground and Aims: In recent years, gastric slow‐wave dysrhythmias induced by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) have been observed. Enhanced endogenous prostaglandin may be a possible mechanism for the myoelectrical changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the gastric slow‐wave dysrhythmias induced by TACE may be mediated by ketoprofen, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor.Methods: Twenty‐three patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) admitted for TACE were enrolled. A follow‐up TACE was scheduled to take place 2 months later. During the next admission for TACE, 50 mg of ketoprofen was given intramuscularly 12 h for 3 days, beginning 48 h before TACE, as premedication. Cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) was performed before and within 24 h after TACE.Results: The results showed that the change in the fasting EGG parameters after TACE without premedication was not statistically significant. However, the postprandial EGG parameters, including the dominant frequency (DF); the percentages of DF in the normal, bradygastric and tachygastric range; along with the dominant frequency instability coefficient, deteriorated significantly after the procedure (P < 0.01). After the follow‐up TACE with ketoprofen premedication, neither the fasting nor postprandial EGG parameters in the control group changed significantly.Conclusions: Gastric slow‐wave dysrhythmias induced by TACE may be mediated by ketoprofen, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, in HCC patients. However, the improvement in the gastric myoelectrical activity does not eliminate the degree of nausea/vomiting after TACE.
Acute and 7‐day portal pressure response to carvedilol and propranolol in cirrhotics
Authors: DE BINAY K , DAS DEBASISH , SEN SAMBIT , BISWAS PRANAB K , MANDAL SANJAY K , MAJUMDAR DEBASIS , MAITY AJIT K 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground Carvedilol, a non‐selective beta‐ and α‐1 blocking agent, has portal hypotensive action. This study evaluates the acute and 7‐day response to carvedilol, and compares it to that of propranolol.Methods Thirty‐six cirrhotics were randomized into two groups of 18 each, and treated with carvedilol or propranolol. Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) was measured before and 90 min after either 25 mg carvedilol or 80 mg propranolol was administered orally, and again 7 days after 12.5 mg carvedilol daily or 80 mg propranolol daily, respectively. ‘Responders’ were defined as those with HVPG reduction of ≥ 20%.Results With carvedilol, 11/18(61.1%) and 11/17(64.7%) patients responded acutely and after 7 days, respectively, while 9/18(50%) and 10/16(62.5%) did so to propranolol. However, HVPG reduction (percent) by carvedilol was not superior to that by propranolol either acutely (27.67 ± 31.49 compared to 22.98 ± 27.40, P = 0.6) or after 7 days (28.2 ± 29.05 compared to 23.25 ± 20.15, P = 0.6). With carvedilol, the acute HVPG response (P < 0.001) and responder status (P = 0.018) were good predictors of the response after 7 days, but were weak predictors in the case of propranolol (0.1 > P > 0.05 and P = 0.059, respectively). On carvedilol, only one patient (with ascites) developed symptomatic systemic hypotension with oliguria.Conclusion Carvedilol is a relatively safe, effective portal hypotensive agent, both acutely and over 7 days, but not superior to propranolol, at least in Indians. The acute hemodynamic response seems promising in predicting long‐term response.
Pediatric liver disease in the United States: Epidemiology and impact
Authors: ARYA GAJRA , BALISTRERI WILLIAM F 
Published: March 2003

AbstractLiver diseases which affect children are unique. Diseases such as inborn errors of metabolism are fertile grounds for investigation. Study of these ‘experiments of nature’ will provide insight into hepatobiliary function and lead to novel treatment modalities. Successful treatment or prevention of liver disease in children will have long‐term implications. This report describes the current burden of pediatric liver disease and offers approaches to intervention. © 2002 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd