Mycosis fungoides (MF) in deep-seated lymph nodes, spleen or liver appears to be associated with a lack of response of the disease to topical external therapy. Fourteen patients with mycosis fungoides...Full Text Available
"9"9"mTechnetium -heat damaged erythrocyte were used as spleen scanning agents in 12 patients from July, 1985 to April, 1986. We used this scan to evaluate situs inversus, asplenia, accessory spleen, hypersplenism, splenic infarction, tumor staging and evaluation of therapy, especially when the "9"9"mTc-tin colloid scans were not definite for diagnosis. The techniques applied to these scans were in vivo/in vitro-labeling method and heating-method to damage the erythrocytes. Liver-to-spleen uptake ratios were increased upto 100:1 and interference from the left lobe of the liver was eliminated. These scans were helpful to evaluate the spleen. (Author).
Patients with heterotaxy syndrome often have complex cardiac and extracardiac anomalies requiring further detailed diagnostic evaluation. They often present severe cardiac failure early in life. Newer radiological modalities in the form of spiral computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional reconstruction of spiral CT allow clear definition of the anatomy of these anomalies. A 59-year-old woman was diagnosed with polysplenia and multiple anomalies in an abdominal ultrasonography (US) during a control medical examination due to a trivial dietary mistake. She was then referred to our institution for further examination of these anomalies and an additional thoraco-abdominal computed tomography (CT) examination. The patient was totally asymptomatic at the time of admission. There was no significant past history and no abnormal laboratory data. We performed abdominal, pelvic and thoracic CT examinations using Somatom Siemens ...
Two most important causes of portal hypertension are cirrhosis of liver and non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF). The purpose of this study was to assess the scintigraphic appearances of "9"9"mTc sulfur colloid liver scan in differentiating liver cirrhosis from NCPF. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis records of 146 patients (91 male and 55 female) with diffuse hepatocellular disease was done for liver size, liver uptake, spleen size, spleen uptake, colloid shift to bone marrow and lungs. Results: Cirrhotic livers showed patchy and lower uptake than NCPF (59% vs. 20%, P-value 0.041). Spleen size was significantly increased in NCPF compared to cirrhosis (100% vs. 67%, P-value 0.0137). Significant colloid shift to bone marrow was noted in cirrhosis (84% vs. 7%, P-value<0.0001). ...
Blood kinetics and tissue distribution of 20, 80 and 110 nm silver nanoparticles were investigated in rats up to 16 days after intravenous administration once daily for 5 consecutive days. Following both single and repeated injection, silver nanoparticles disappeared rapidly from the blood and distributed to all organs evaluated (liver, lungs, spleen, brain, heart, kidneys and testes) regardless of size. The 20 nm particles distributed mainly to liver, followed by kidneys and spleen, whereas the larger particles distributed mainly to spleen followed by liver and lung. In the other organs evaluated, no major differences between the sizes were observed. Size-dependent tissue distribution suggests size-dependent toxicity and health risks. Repeated administration resulted in accumulation in li...
In 65 adult rabbits of both sexes (2.5 to 6 kg) the following salvaging procedures were performed after simulated trauma: (1) Continuous suture line; (2) closure with fibrin sealant after temporary clamping; (3) hemisplenectomy with omental wrap; (4) suture fixation of fragments and slices of spleen tissue to the peritoneum; (5) suture fixation of spleen fragments to the omentum; (6) extraperitoneal subcutaneous transposition of spleen cubes. In addition, the likelihood of spontaneous splenosis was examined in a preliminary study involving 5 animals by introducing unattached spleen meal and fragments. Scanning was repeated 4 to 12 weeks postoperatively. The functional competence of minor parenchymal islands was also investigated with well counter measurements of organ and muscle tissue homogenates. Spontaneous splenosis after abdominal injuries was not found to be the rule. ...
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare, acquired disease involving multiple hematopoietic cell lines. Characteristics of PNH are intrinsic hemolytic anemia, iron deficiency anemia and venous thrombosis. We report a case of PNH with characterostoc MR and CT findings. The signal intensity of renal cortex was lower than that of medulla on both T1-and T2-weighted MR imaging. On T2 weighted MR images, the liver showed very low signal intensity but the signal intensity of the spleen was normal. On precontrast CT the attenuation of renal cortex was higher than that of renal medulla and the attenuation of liver was higher than that of the spleen. These findings of MR imaging and CT were the result from the deposition of hemosiderin in the cells of proximal convoluted tubules and transfusional hemosiderosis of liver.
Nano-sized silica is a promising material for disease diagnosis, cosmetics and drugs. For the successful application of nano-sized material in bioscience, evaluation of nano-sized material toxicity is important. We previously found that nano-sized silica particles with a diameter of 70nm showed acute liver failure in mice. Here, we performed histological analysis of major organs such as the liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain and heart in mice, chronically injected with 70-nm silica particles for 4weeks. Histological analysis revealed hepatic microgranulation and splenic megakaryocyte accumulation in these 70-nm silica particles treated mice, while the kidney, lung, brain and heart remained unaffected. Thus, liver and spleen appear to be the major target organs for toxicity by the chronic a...
Isolated situs inversus of the stomach with otherwise normal position of the thoracic and abdominal viscera is an extremely rare anomaly occurring in two distinct forms. Because of its close relationship to the liver, the right-sided stomach may produce interesting and confusing changes in the liver scan. Two cases illustrate the radiologic features of the two principal types of isolated congenital dextrogastria and the effect of one type on the liver scan.
Introduction: Thalassemia is the most common hereditary blood disorder in the world. Iran is located on the thalassemic belt and there is a high prevalence of the hepatosplenomegaly in beta thalassemia minor patients which is reported to be very variable. The goal of this research was to study the frequency of these signs in the cases with beta thalassemia minor patients in Iran. Materials and methods: Two hundred and fifty-nine cases that referred to center for pre-marriage tests were divided into two groups according to their MCV, MCH, and HbA2 (beta thalassemia minor cases and control groups). Liver and spleen sizes were determined by ultrasonographic method and the two groups were compared with each other. Results: Average spleen volumes in case and control groups were 163.48 {+-} 133.97 and 126.29 {+-} 53.98 mm{sup 3}, respectively. Average spleen lengths in case and control groups were 10.71 {+-} ...
The effect of exposure to gamma rays on LPO contents in liver, spleen and kidney of mice and the anti-lipid-peroxidation of preparations of chinonin, tannic acid and squalene were reported. All these preparations were given by intragastric perfusion. For LPO, a modified method of TBA spectrophotometry was used for determination. The results show that LPO contents in tissues increased 72 h after whole-body exposure of mice to gamma rays, that in range of 0-4 Gy, there was a linear relationship between radiation doses and LPO contents, and that all three preparations were effective in reduction of the LPO content in liver, spleen and kidney of mice, with chinonin (at dose of 0.35 mg/mouse#centre dot#day) being more effective than tannic acid (at dose of 15 mg/mouse#centre dot#day) and squalene (at dose of 0.6 mg/mouse#centre dot#day).
The present study describes pathologic findings and immunohistochemical diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in 22 dogs who died naturally in the Aegean region of Turkey. At necropsy, lymphadenomegaly, hepatosplenomegaly, hepatic, and nephrosclerotic lesions were conspicuous. Histopathologically, chronic inflammatory reactions of the spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, and skin were marked findings. Cytological and histological examinations showed macrophages loaded with Leishmania amastigotes in these organs. Immunohistochemistry revealed that immunolabeling of amastigotes and/or parasite antigen, especially in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, liver, and skin, and occasionally, in the kidneys, intestines and lungs. Our laboratory results showed that immunohistochemis...
A rare case of primary splenic cyst is shown in a young woman who had a left subcostal abdominal pain. Abdominal echography and CT scan revealed a cyst of the anterior aspect of the spleen. A sorologic test for hidatic disease was negative. On the basis of a presumed diagnostic of nonparasitic cyst, the patient was referred to a laparoscopic decapsulation with excision of the cysts wall not covered by splenic tissue. The patient was discharged 24 hours later. Histological report revealed epidermoid cyst. The laparoscopic approach has being recently considered an effective and less invasive alternative in the treatment of splenic diseases. We demonstrated that it should be considered for the treatment of splenic cysts present in a superficial location, with the advantage of organ preservation. (author)
Penetrating liver wounds are related to many causes and rank second after blunt abdominal and liver trauma. In this report are examined the clinical and radiological findings of personal series of patients with penetrating trauma, especially by firearms and stab and cut wounds. It will also tried to define the diagnostic workup of these traumas, which is especially based on CT signs of liver damage and associated changes and which is of basic importance for following treatment, both surgical or conservative. In the last seven years it was retrospectively reviewed 31 cases of penetrating liver trauma. The patients were 19 men and 12 women, ranging in age 18 to 73 (mean 42), with penetrating liver injuries from firearms (16 patients) and stab (9 cases) wounds; 6 patients had injuries from different cases. Abdominal CT was carried out in ...
Although the radioisotope liver scan has primarily been of use in the detection of the intra-hepatic space occupying lesions, there has been an increasing awareness of its use in evaluation of liver function. In this study, the degree of hepatomegaly, changes in shape and mottling radiodensity on each lobe and splenic visualization in the liver scans done with colloidal radiogold were numerically expressed as scores under the arbitrary standard in 210 patients with liver cirrhosis. The clinical value of this scoring system was studied with special regards to the correlation between the radiogold hepatic uptake half time and conventional liver function tests. Following were the results; 1) The normal scan appeared in 6.7% of 210 patients with liver cirrhosis. 2) The colloidal radiogold hepatic uptake half time was abnormally and progressively prolonged in ...
The radioprotective effects of Liv.52 on tissue-reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were studied in rats. Adult female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to whole body gamma radiation of 4 Gy and 8 Gy. Prior to radiation exposure, Liv.52 was fed, one ml per rat, daily for 15 days. Three days after radiation exposure, reduced glutathione levels in the liver, spleen, kidney and blood were studied. Liv.52 was beneficial in restoring the spleen weight to body weigh t ratio in the animals of the 4 Gy group. In the spleen and liver, Liv.52 helped to restore reduced glutathione in sub-lethally exposed rats. Blood-reduced glutathione was found to be normal in both groups of experimental rats who received Liv.52. The above results exhibit the radioprotective effects of Liv.52 in relation to tissue-reduced glutathione in experimental rats exposed to sub-lethal doses of radiation. (author). 3 ...
An exhaustive compendium of normal and abnormal imaging is presented. The following systems and procedures are illustrated by over 2800 captioned illustrations: liver, spleen, and hepatobiliary imaging; perfusion and ventilation lung imaging; thyroid imaging; salivary gland imaging; bone imaging; brain imaging; radionuclide cisternography; blood flow studies; gallium imaging; nuclear cardiology; and renal imaging. Not included in the atlas are adrenal imaging procedures and emission computed tomography. (ERB)
The influence of reconstituting a murine monoclonal IgG_1 antibody kit with pertechnetate Tc99m on antibody distribution in the liver, spleen and sternal bone marrow of patients was examined. The "9"9"mTc-labelled antibody used is directed against non-specific cross-reacting antigen (NCA-95) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and has been successfully applied for imaging tissue inflammation and bone marrow scanning. Radioactivity uptake was determined in the liver, spleen, bone marrow and a precordial background region in a consecutive series of 25 patients, examined with an antibody preparation, routinely radiolabelled according to the manufacturer's recommendations and in 14 patients, in whom the antibody was reconstituted with special care, avoiding bubble formation and dropping of buffer into the antibody-containing vial. Gentle compared with routine antibody reconstitution caused a highly ...
Staging bone scans or skeletal surveys were obtained of 97 patients with endometrial carcinoma. Of the 77 patients with Stage I or II disease, no metastases were identified at staging. Three patients in the entire series demonstrated bony metastases; all of these metastases were detectable by radionuclide bone scan and radiographic bone survey. Eighty-nine patients were examined with radionuclide liver/spleen scanning at the time of staging. Four of the 89 initial scans were interpreted as demonstrating hepatocellular disease, and all four patients had abnormal liver function studies. Only one patient demonstrated a possible hepatic metastasis at initial diagnosis. This patient also had abnormal liver function studies. Based on these results, bone surveys and radionuclide bone scans are not indicated as screening procedures in endometrial carcinoma. It is suggested that screening for liver metastases in ...
The authors have studied the distribution of H-3 labelled schistosomicidal drug in mice by autoradiography. The H-3-labelled substances were found in liver and kidney and in successfully decreasing amounts in brain, lung, heart, fat, testis, pancreas and spleen. In various cells the silver granules were present mainly in the cytoplasms but a few in the nucleus. After administration of this labelled schistosomicidal drug, the mice were killed and studied in groups successively at 4, 8, 24 hrs. No difference in the distribution of silver granules were observed. This fact indicated that, this drug was rapidly absorbed and highly concentrated with a long duration of reservation in liver. All of these favours the schistosomicidal effect of the drug. As this drug was highly concentrated in the cytoplasm of liver cells, that might provide a pathophysiologic basis for the explanation of jaundice in the clinical ...
Abstract In this brief report, we have described the fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of a hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) in a 60-year-old female patient. The patient complained of fever and heaviness of left upper abdomen. Ultrasound-guided FNAC of the spleen showed immature lymphoid cells, and a diagnosis of primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of spleen was offered. Subsequently, the patient underwent splenectomy and wedge biopsy of liver that confirmed the cytological diagnosis. The lymphoma cells were positive for CD3 immunostain. Primary hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma is a rare entity and may often pose diagnostic problems on FNAC. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Injection of pregnant rats with monomeric "2"3"9Pu after 9 days of gestation decreased their leukocyte and reticulocyte counts at 5 and 10 days postexposure. Most of the fetal hematologic enumerative values were unaffected by injection of monomeric "2"3"9Pu. There was, however, a major change in the maturation of the cells of the erythroid series, as indicated by a difference in the distribution between cell types. The weight of the yolk sac and fetal liver, and the cellularity of the fetal spleen were decreased.
The patients studied were referred for routine abscess localization with indium-111 labelled autologous leukocytes. One series (n=15) was studied at 1 day after reinjection of labelled cells and a second series (n=9) was studied between 4 hours and 4 days after reinjection of labelled cells. The leukocytes were isolated by a gravity sedimentation method and labelled with In-111 oxinate according to Roevekamp and co-workers. The labelled cell suspension administered to the patient contained between 11 and 15 MegaBq (300-400 microCi). The indium-111 concentration in the liver and spleen was quantitated using a scintillation camera and an on-line computer system. Phantom studies were carried out to obtain conversion factors from geometric mean counts to MegaBq of activity for both liver and spleen. Once determined, the amount of activity in liver and spleen was ...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicological effects of feeding the oils of Calophyllum inophyllum, Pentaclethra macrophylla and Terminalia catappa to rats. The effects on physical appearance, feed intake, weight gain, plasma and tissue cholesterol and triacyglycerol levels in rats with 5% of the oils in normal rat feed were determined. Weekly monitoring of the rats showed good physical appearance and steady weight gain, with no mortality recorded for the period of the study. Haematological analysis of the rats indicated that they were not anaemic. Histopathotogical examination of the sections of the heart, liver, kidney and spleen revealed moderate (T. catappa oil) to severe fatty change and necrosis in the liver. Glomerulonephrotic changes in the kidneys of rats fed with T...
Radiation chimeras in the early phase after bone marrow transplantation are a good model to study the efficiency of the body's nonspecific defense system represented by macrophages (M phi), polymorphonuclear cells (PMN), and NK cells. These cell types are present in large numbers in spleen and liver at that time, whereas the specific immune system represented by T and B cells is functionally deficient. We previously reported enhanced activities in vitro of M phi (and PMN) from recipient animals in an early phase after allogeneic bone marrow transfer. We here demonstrate that these activities result in enhanced spontaneous resistance against Listeria monocytogenes in vivo: CFU of L. monocytogenes in spleen and liver 48 h after infection were about 1 or 2 to 4 log steps less than in untreated control mice of donor or host haplotype. This enhanced resistance decreased over the 4-mo period after marrow ...
The mortality in undrained abdominal abscesses is high with a mortality rate ranging between 45 and 100%. The outcome in abdominal abscesses, however, has improved due to advances in image guided percutaneous interventional techniques. The main indications for the catheter drainage include treatment or palliation of sepsis associated with an infected fluid collection, and alleviation of the symptoms that may be caused by fluid collections by virtue of their size, like pancreatic pseudocele or lymphocele. The single liver abscesses may be drained with ultrasound guidance only, whereas the multiple abscesses usually require computed tomography (CT) guidance and placement of multiple catheters. The pancreatic abscesses are generally drained routinely and urgently. Non-infected pancreatic pseudocysts may be simply observed unless they are symptomatic or cause problems such as pain or obstruction of the biliary or the ...
Hepatobiliary scintigraphy is the only non-invasive technique providing real-time assessment of hepatocytes function and bile progression from the liver to the intestine; for this reason it is of great importance in the study of jaundice and many other disorders of the liver and the biliary tract in children. Ultrasonography is the initial method of evaluating the intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts dilatation: the differential diagnosis between biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis cannot however be done without hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Cystic fibrosis patients also require hepatobiliary scintigraphy; liver and biliary tract disease can really occur independently of the underlying disease severity and the presence of steatorrhoea. Hepatobiliary imaging in children who have undergone liver transplantation is of major importance; it can assess vascularity, parenchymal function biliary drainage, ...
Radioactive phosphorus (P-32) was injected to the chicken in the purpose of determination of the uptake and distribution, as related to sex and hour differences of the various organs of the body. 2..mu..Ci of P-32 were injected to each chicken and the distribution of P-32 was observed at 1 hr, 6 hrs, 12 hrs, 24 hrs and 48 hrs after injection. In this experiment 34 heads of chicken were used (30 chicken for P-32, 4 chicken for control group) and the results obtained as follows: 1. The uptake of P-32 per gram of various organ in g. mm, femur (1 hr), liver, femur, tibia (24 hrs) and tibia (48 hrs) exhibited higher in the male than the female. 2. The uptake of P-32 per gram of various organ in heart, kidney, ovary (1 hr), kidney, brain (24 hrs) and kidney (48 hrs) exhibited higher in the female than the male. 3. The uptake ratio of brain, spleen, g. mm and tibia were increased gradually by the 12 hrs after injection of P-32, but decreased in ...
We labelled Lipiodol with yttrium-90 and analysed the biodistribution in rats after intrahepatic arterial injection. An RP-18 column was used to separate {sup 90}Y from strontium-90. {sup 90}Y was retained on the column, which had been pretreated with yttrium-selective extraction reagent, di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, while {sup 90}Sr was washed out. A hexadentate nitrogen-donor chelating ligand N,N,N`,N`-tetrakis(2-benzymidazolylmethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine (EDTB) was synthesized by condensation of 1,2-benzenediamine and ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA). Lipiodol was covalently conjugated with EDTB. The final product was obtained by eluting the retained {sup 90}Y from the RP-18 column with EDTB-Lipiodol. Sixteen male rats (Sprague-Dawley) were sacrificed at 1 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h (four rats at each time) after injection of approximately 0.1 mCi {sup 90}Y-Lipiodol via the hepatic artery. Samples of liver, spleen, muscle, lung, kidney, ...
Previous studies suggest that the radiosensitivity and origin of tissue macrophage precursors differ from those of hemopoietic macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-Ms) committed to macrophage-lineage cells. We assessed the origins of tissue macrophage colony-forming cells (M-CFCs) in mice by comparing their kinetics and radiosensitivities in the normal steady state and under the conditions of bone marrow depletion by [sup 89]Sr-administration and/or splenectomy. The results indicate that the radiosensitive peritoneal M-CFCs elicited by thioglycollate are derived from bone marrow macrophage precursors; where as alveolar M-CFCs, which are radioresistant, are self-sustained locally and independent of hemopoietic macrophage precursors. In contrast, highly radiosensitive liver M-CFCs are probably derived from CFU-Ms that appear to be propagated in the spleen in association with hemopoietic responses. (author).
Computed tomography would be a better method to detect and characterize a Thorotrast-induced liver tumour. The selective opacification of the RES by Thorotrast creates an intrinsic opacification of the liver similar in effect to contrast agents being evaluated for liver CT, such as ethoioidized oil emulsion. The computed tomographic appearance of Thorotrast-associated cholangiocarcinoma is usually a large, inhomogenous mass composed of disordered area of tissue of high density due to Thorotrast deposits, and of very low density. Thorotrast-induced cholangiocarcinoma originates in the peripheral biliary tree suprounding the highest mean concentration of Thorotrast deposition, so that visible soft tissue masses in the higher density spots in the liver are not produced in the early stage. The tendency for the opacity of the liver to decrease slowly with time and result in an uneven ...
The objective of this study was to develop a method for 3D subtraction CT angiography and to optimize the visualization after semiautomatic segmentation. Ten patients with aneurysms of the abdominal aorta were examined using spiral CT. To reconstruct the vessels, as well as adjacent organs such as the liver and kidneys, one image data volume was acquired before and after injection of the contrast agent. The CT scans were obtained with a Siemens Somatom Plus 4. To improve the results of automatic segmentation, as well as visualization by maximum intensity projection (i.e. removal of bony structures), subtraction of both image volumes is necessary. However, small translation shifts disturb the subtraction process and produce artificial contours. To calculate the disparities along the three coordinate axes of two corresponding image volumes, a cepstrum filter is applied to a pair of image volumes. After detection of the disparities, which manifest ...
Iodized oil has been used as a contrast agent in lymphangiography. One of the commercially available compounds is Lipidol Ultra-fluid(LUF) which contains 38% iodine by weight. Nakakuma et al(1979) reported that LUF was selectively retained in the hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma when injected directly into the ligated hepatic artery. Since that time, it has been widely utilized in the detection as well as the therapeutic attempts of hepatocellular carcinoma, where it has been mixed with chemotherapeutic agents or labeled with radioactive I-131. Like all significant advances, the mechanism of lipid retention within the hepatocellular carcinoma is not clearly understood, and also there is a lack of information about the biodistribution and kinetics of I-131 Lipiodol. The apparent safety of this technique require confirmation. The present study was aimed to assess the biodistribution and kinetics of intraarterially injected I-131 Lipiodol and the histologic changes in canine ...
A quantitative comparison of tissue distribution and excretion of an orally administered sublethal dose of [3H]diacetoxyscirpenol (anguidine) was made in rats and mice 90 min, 24 hr, and 7 days after treatment. Total recoveries of 95-100% were obtained. Approximately 90% of the dose was excreted in urine and feces during the first 24 hr with a feces:urine ratio of about 1:4.5 in both species. Carcass and tissue radioactivity dropped rapidly during the first 24 hr but remained relatively constant at low, but detectable, levels over the course of the experiment. Few substantive interspecies differences were noted in tissue distribution. At 90 min the highest percentage of dose was in tissues involved in sequestering diacetoxyscirpenol because of high body water/lipid content or the absorption, metabolism, or excretion of the toxin. The rank order of these tissues was generally stable over the course of the experiment. When data were expressed as specific radioactivity instead, the ...
Radioactive iron is used to follow up some haematologic indices in birds infected with irradiated spirochetes of the Borrelia anderina species. Use is made of a total of 90 cockerels, aged two months, divided into three groups: 1st group - cockerels inoculated with spirochetes that had been gamma-irradiated at the rate of 40000 R; 2nd group - cockerels inoculated with untreated spirochetes; and 3rd group - normal cockerels. The infective material consisted of strain Rouen spirochetes of the Pamoukchii serotype. Radiometric studies were also carried out for establishing to what extent radioactive iron is incorporated in the erythrocytes and is deposited in the liver, spleen, and marrow of the investigated birds. Classical methods of investigation were employed to determine the erythrocyte, leukocyte, and thrombocyte counts, the haemoglobin content (after Sahli) as well as the erythrocyte pack after the method of Todorov. It is found that the ...
In this updated second edition, the order of contents of the textbook has been reorganized. It has been divided into main parts: Basic Science and Clinical Nuclear Medicine. Basic Science, Part I, encompasses basic physics, radiation protection, interaction of radiation with matter and radiation detection, imaging, nuclear pharmacy, and radiation biology. Part II, Clinical Nuclear Medicine, covers the central nervous system, bone, gastroenterology (liver/spleen), cardiovascular system, pulmonary system, genitourinary system, thyroid and endocrine systems, gallium studies, radioassay, hematology, and therapy. The total number of pages of the current edition is increased to 250 from the 213 of the first edition but there are fewer questions because those in the basic science area have been carefully selected to 60 of the original 98 questions. Compared with the previous edition, there are two advantages in the current one: (1) the addition of explanatory answers; and ...
Penetrating liver wounds are related to many causes and rank second after blunt abdominal and liver trauma. In this report are examined the clinical and radiological findings of personal series of patients with penetrating trauma, especially by firearms and stab and cut wounds. It will also tried to define the diagnostic workup of these traumas, which is especially based on CT signs of liver damage and associated changes and which is of basic importance for following treatment, both surgical or conservative. In the last seven years it was retrospectively reviewed 31 cases of penetrating liver trauma. The patients were 19 men and 12 women, ranging in age 18 to 73 (mean 42), with penetrating liver injuries from firearms (16 patients) and stab (9 cases) wounds; 6 patients had injuries from different cases. Abdominal CT was carried out in ...
BackgroundIn recent years, near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF)-labeled iron nanoparticles have been synthesized and applied in a number of applications, including the labeling of human cells for monitoring the engraftment process, imaging tumors, sensoring the in vivo molecular environment surrounding nanoparticles and tracing their in vivo biodistribution. These studies demonstrate that NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles provide an efficient probe for cell labeling. Furthermore, the in vivo imaging studies show excellent performance of the NIR fluorophores. However, there is a limited selection of NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles with an optimal wavelength for imaging around 800 nm, where tissue autofluorescence is minimal. Therefore, it is necessary to develop additional alternative NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles for application in this area.ResultsThis study manufactured 12-nm DMSA-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles labeled with a near-infrared fluorophore, IRDye800CW (excitation/emission, ...
Splenic trauma in children following blunt abdominal injury is usually treated by nonoperative management (NOM). Splenectomy following abdominal trauma is rare in children. NOM is successful as in the...Full Text Available
Background. The coexistence of neoplasm and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) presents a real management challenge. This paper reviews the literature on the prevalence, diagnosis,...Full Text Available
The grafted human glioblastoma cell CB109 was used as a model for intralesional therapy with 131I-labelled hyaluronectin glycoprotein (131I-HN). 131I-HN bound specifically to in situ hyaluronic acid (HA), a main component of the extracellular matrix which is involved in tumour invasion. Labelling experimental conditions were determined and, finally, 25 {mu}Ci/{mu}gHN, 1 {mu}g chloramine-T/{mu}gHN and a 60-s stirring period provided a 131I-HN preparation with an optimal affinity for HA (64% compared to unlabelled HN). Following intratumoral injection, 131I-HN was retained with a limited diffusion outside the tumour. On day 4 the radioactivity concentrated in the tumour was still 25 times greater than that in the liver, spleen and kidneys combined. For therapeutic assays, 65 {mu}Ci 131I-HN was injected into the tumour, resulting in a delivery of 6.8 Gy over a 7-day period. Controls received unlabelled HN, heat-inactivated HN, a mixture of ...
Manganese is an essential metal of toxicologic concern primarily because of exposure via inhalation. Environmental forms of Mn exist mainly as insoluble oxides, yet much of the research information available relates to the soluble salts. In the present study, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were intratracheally instilled with either soluble MnCl/sub 2/ or insoluble Mn/sub 3/O/sub 4/ labeled with /sup 54/Mn. Lungs and other major organs were sampled over a span of 3 mo after dosing with the respective chemicals, which were equivalent to 8 ..mu..Ci and 1 ..mu..mol of manganese in 0.2 ml of buffer. There was rapid clearance of Mn from the lungs in the case of both chemicals; the chloride cleared at an initial rate of nearly four times that of the oxide. Despite this early difference, the amount of /sup 54/Mn remaining in the lungs after 2 wk was similar for both compounds. The level of /sup 54/Mn in the liver, kidney, spleen, and testes peaked at ...
Several short-lived, high-energy beta emitters are being proposed as the radionuclide components for molecular-targeted potential cancer therapeutic agents. The laboratory mice used to determine the efficacy of these new agents have organs that are relatively small compared to the ranges of these high-energy particles. The dosimetry model developed by Hui et al. was extended to provide realistic beta-dose estimates for organs in mice that received therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals containing 90Y, 188Re, 166Ho, 149Pm, 64Cu, and 177 Lu. Major organs in this model included the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, heart, stomach, small and large bowel, thyroid, pancreas, bone, marrow, carcass, and a 0.025-g tumor. The study as reported in this paper verifies their results for 90Y and extends them by using their organ geometry factors combined with newly calculated organ self-absorbed fractions from PEREGRINE and MCNP. PEREGRINE and MCNP agree to within 8% ...
Effective doses from {sup 210}Po intake with caribou meat were determined for human residents in Baker Lake and Snowdrift in the Northwest Territories of Canada and compared to doses calculated from reported {sup 210}Po tissue activities in Alaskan and British residents. Effective doses were calculated to separate body tissues, using ICRP 60 human weighting factors and the ICRP 30 metabolic model for {sup 210}Po. Baker Lake and Alaskan effective doses were similar at 0.4 mSv y{sup {minus}1} and slightly higher than Snowdrift doses (0.3 mSv y{sup {minus}1}). Alaskan tissue activities indicated higher effective doses to liver, bone surfaces and red marrow and lower doses to spleen than the {sup 210}Po metabolic model (ICRP 1979a) predicts. Effective doses to Baker Lake and Snowdrift caribou and wolves, calculated from tissue activities, ranged from 7-20 mSv y{sup {minus}1} using human weighting factors for comparison to human doses only. ...
A rat thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH) receptor cDNA was isolated that encoded a protein of 764 amino acids, M_r 86,528. Transfection of the cDNA caused COS-7 cells to develop a TSH-sensitive adenylate cyclase response and the ability to bind "1"2"5I-labeled TSH; both activities were similar to those of rat FRTL-5 thyroid cells and not duplicated by lutropin. The gene represented by the cDNA was assigned to mouse chromosome 12 and human chromosome 14. Northern analyses identified two species of mRNA, 5.6 and 3.3 kilobases, in FRTL-5 thyroid cells; the transcripts appeared to differ only in the extent of their 3' noncoding sequences. There were minimal amounts of the two mRNAs in rat ovary, and neither was detected in RNA preparations from rat testis, liver, lung, brain, spleen, and FRT thyroid cells, which do not have a functional TSH receptor. TSH decreased both mRNA species 3- to 4-fold within 8 hr in FRTL-5 thyroid cells; ...
The number and type of stem cells in spleen and bone marrow of mice were determined after exposure to a single dose of 150 R on day 6, to a single dose of 500 R on day 6 or day 9 or to a fractionated dose of 150 R + 350 R on day 6 and 9. The stem cells were assayed on the basis of colony forming units (CFU) in spleen and of incorporation of iododeoxyuridine in spleen and bone marrow of lethally irradiated host mice. During the first month of life, the number of stem cells in non-irradiated mice increases markedly in bone marrow and slightly in spleen. Irradiation causes a long-lasting depression in stem cells, particularly in bone marrow and affecting preferentially erythropoietic precursor cells. Following a dose of only 150 R, the number of CFU in bone marrow is still below control levels 24 days later. An exposure to 500 R fractionated between day 6 and 9 has a markedly greater effect on stem cells ...
The Liver Carcinogenesis Section uses the modern technologies of molecular biology, cell biology, protein chemistry and genetics to investigate the biochemical and genetic pathways involved in human liver cancer.
The liver has enormous regenerative capacity. Following acute liver injury, hepatocyte division regenerates the parenchyma but, if this capacity is overwhelmed during massive or chronic liver...Full Text Available
We designed a multicenter study to compare tobramycin/clindamycin to imipenem/cilastatin for intra-abdominal infections. We included the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) index...Full Text Available
BackgroundAn abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) that is identified when the abdomen is imaged for some other reason is known as an incidental AAA. No population-based studies have...Full Text Available
This is a report of surgical treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms and aneurysms of the abdominal aorta from which the visceral vessels arise during the 18 year period from April 5, 1960,...Full Text Available
We report on the presentation and management of a patient with herniation of the rectum following a coccygectomy. We used an abdominal approach and careful pelvic dissection to define the defect in...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: The management and outcome of 138 abdominal shotgun wounds were examined over a 5-year period. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: It has been proposed that exploratory laparotomy may be unnecessary...Full Text Available
Idiopathic or functional abdominal pain (FAP) is common in school-age children and typically reflects a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID). FGIDs in adults have been distinguished by...Full Text Available
The diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT) in several patterns of thoracic and abdominal fatty masses, has been examined. In selected cases our findings overlap the features of the recent literature. The possibility of surgical therapy in peculiar cases of adipose deposits, commonly esteemed benign, is considered.
Radiological findings of chest and abdominal wall involvement in Hodgkin's disease are reported. This manifestation was diagnosed in one patient in the primary staging and in two patients during the course of the disease. Typical radiological findings are soft tissue masses in the chest and abdominal wall, in two cases with continous tumor growth of enlarged mediastinal lymphnodes into the anterior chest wall. The axial computed tomography is the best method to evaluate the extent of chest and abdominal wall involvement in Hodgkin's disease.
A 21-year-old male patient was transferred to the emergency room of our hospital after suffering seat belt abdominal injury in a traffic accident. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a massive hematoma...Full Text Available
The authors report the personal techniques and the results of CT-guided percutaneous drainage of postoperative abdominal fluid collections. CT-guided percutaneous drainage offers many advantages over surgery: it is less invasive, can be repeated and requires no anesthesia, there are not surgery-related risks and lower morbidity and mortality rates. Moreover, subsequent hospitalization is shorter and costs are consequently reduced. The authors conclude that CT-guided percutaneous drainage is the method of choice in the treatment of postoperative abdominal fluid collections.
To find out the sonographic findings that are useful to differentiate hepatic abscess from peripheral cholangiocarcinoma. Twenty-two hepatic abscesses and 22 peripheral cholangiocarcinomas which had been confirmed histologically were included in this study. Objective points were echo characteristics of the lesion, internal septation, presence of peripheral low echoic rim, demarcation from normal liver(well or poorly defined), posterior enhancement, multiplicity, dilatation of bile duct(obstructive or non-obstructive), intrahepatic duct stone, pleural effusion, and intra-abdominal fluid collection. Echo characteristics of the lesion were classified in-to four types. Type I; Predominantly echogenic with hypoechoic portion, type II; Echogenic without hypoechoic portion, type III; Predominantly hypoechoic with echogenic portion, type IV; Hypoechoic without echogenic portion. 1)Nine abscesses and 2 peripheral cholangiocarcinomas were type ...
Purpose The laparoscopic surgical approach to unilateral intra-abdominal testis has replaced the open approach at several large centers. There is considerable literature on experience with unilateral intra-abdominal testes but little on the management of bilateral intra-abdominal testes. We assessed the feasibility and safety of performing single setting bilateral laparoscopic orchiopexy in boys with bilateral intra-abdominal testes. Materials and Methods A single surgeon experience was reviewed. The surgical technique was similar in all cases and on each side, including infra-umbilical access, diagnostic evaluation, peritoneal mobilization lateral to the spermatic vessels and inferior to the vas deferens, gubernacular transection, and a decision for or against a Fowler-Stephens procedure ...
The influence of low-frequency electromagnetic field irradiating by high-voltage transmission lines on signal transduction of cell in spleen cells of the rates have been studied by molecular-biology techniques. The spleen cells are extracted from skilled rates, which are exposed in the electromagnetic field of high-voltage transmission lines with 4000 V/m and 0.09-0.1 G about 400 days. The quantity or level of phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) in JAK-STAT signal transduction pathway of spleen cells, which are stimulated and unstimulated by IL-2, respectively, are detected by the immunoblotting and immunobiochemistry. The results show that the expression of phospho-STAT3 in spleen cell stimulated by IL-2 differ not from that in the unstimulated cell. The former is significantly large than the latter. This shows that signal transduction of cell is affected by this ...
In 1871, the observation of yellowish nodules in the enlarged spleen of a cow was considered to be the first reported case of bovine leukemia. The etiological agent of this lymphoproliferative disease,...Full Text Available
The aortovenous fistulas are rare, most of them are aortocaval fistula. The non-caval communication of the fistula is sparse. Herein we report a 47-year-old female diagnosed as traumatic aorto-superior mesenteric vein (Ao-SMV) fistula. The abdominal pain, fullness, and frank bruit on abdominal auscultation suggested the diagnosis of an intra-abdominal arteriovenous fistula. The diagnosis of Ao-SMV was further confirmed by the computed tomography (CT) and aortography. The fistula was successfully treated with transcatheter coil embolization. This is the first case of Ao-SMV fistula. It provides an alternative option of treatment other than conventional surgery. PMID:19327940
An antiserum was raised in a rabbit against highly purified human liver dihydropteridine reductase (EC 1.6.99.7). Dihydropteridine reductase from human liver, in human cultured fibroblasts and in continuous...Full Text Available
AIM: To evaluate the effects of ginger on gastric motility and emptying, abdominal symptoms, and hormones that influence motility in dyspepsia.METHODS: Eleven patients with functional dyspepsia...Full Text Available
Effect of Abdominal Active Can on DFTs. Introduction: Many patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have older lead systems, which are usually not replaced at the time of pulse generator replacement unless a malfunction is noted. Therefore, optimization of defibrillation with these lead systems is clinically important. The objective of this prospective study was to determine if an active abdominal pulse generator (Can) affects chronic defibrillation thresholds (DFTs) with a dual-coil, transvenous ICD lead system. Methods and Results: The study population consisted of 39 patients who presented for routine abdominal pulse generator replacement. Each patient underwent two assessments of DFT using a step-down protocol, with the order of testing randomized. The distal right ...
BackgroundSince implementation of the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD), the number of simultaneous liver-kidney transplantations (SLKT) has increased in the United States. However, predictors and survival benefit of SLKT compared to liver transplantation alone (LTA) are not well defined. MethodsOrgan Procurement and Transplantation Network data of patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 who had not been on dialysis while on the waiting list and underwent liver transplantation between 2002 and 2008 were analyzed. To identify predictors of undergoing SLKT versus LTA, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to assess the association between...
Adaptive radiation therapy for liver cancer has the potential to reduce normal tissue complications and enable dose escalation, allowing the potential for tumor control in this challenging site....Full Text Available
In a joint study conducted by the University Clinic of Radiology, Graz, and the Medical University Clinic, Innsbruck, the results of computer tomography examinations of the abdomen and pelvis in 23 cases of tumours in children are discussed. In children computer tomography resents special difficulties on account of the very poorly developed fatty layers between the organs and the increased incidence of movement artifacts. The importance of computer tomography for the diagnosis of abdominal and pelvic tumours is discussed.
CT-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is known to improve diagnosis of expansive abdominal lesions, especially relative to more invasive procedure like explorative laparotomy. FNAB in not commonly use in pediatric patients because of their poor collaboration and of associated risks. The authors investigated the feasibility of FNAB in the pediatric age.
Complex abdominal lesions include a variety of pathologies, such as septated, infected, and hemorrhagic cysts, abscesses, tumors, and fluid collections of different ethiology. These lesions present diagnostic difficulties with both Ultrasonography (US) and Computed Tomography (CT), since findings may not be present or, when present, are not specific. Keeping these limitations in mind, we evaluated 105 patients (111 abdominal lesions) with both US and CT in order to compare their adequacy in predicting the nature of the lesion. On the basis of US and CT results, complex abdominal lesions were divided in four classes: class I includes 43 cases in which both examinations gave the same contribution to the definition of the nature of the lesion, class II (14 lesions, mainly sperimentated cysts), in which US was superior to CT, class III includes 45 cases of hemorrhagic cysts, abscesses, fluid collections and, less frequently, ...
This study concerns our experiences with abdominal gamma imaging using Tc-99m colloid and with abdominal angiography using Tc-99m-pyrophosphate labelled erythrocytes ''in vivo'' based on the modified technique described by Callahan. The dynamic or perfusion phase was first performed, then the static phase during which for the first two hours scans were taken every 15 minutes and thereafter every 4-6 hours. The routine image corresponds to the first, although it was necessary at times to take oblique projections. The study was felt to be accomplished after 48 hours upon observing no extravasation of radioactive material in the abdominal region, or upon detecting a bleeding site. The investigation was performed on 11 patients, 8 having positive scans of abdominal extravasation, later confirmed in 6 by endoscopy and by surgery. In 2, the presence of salmonelosis was shown by laboratory analysis. Endoscopy ...
Liver paste or foie gras, which is a French term meaning fatty liver, was produced traditionally from goose and duck. Chickens are also used in the making of foie gras. The present study deals with the properties and quality of raw chicken and duck liver in comparison with manufactured liver paste (foie gras). Raw chicken liver contained 24.60% protein, 6.00% fat, 1.40 % ash, and 66.80% moisture. The average mineral values were 83.65, 50.75, 5.29, 1.15, 0.154, 0.683, 0.317 and 0.066 {mu}g/g of Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cr, respectively. The processing of liver paste (Foie gras) changed the composition of raw liver due to a loss in moisture, a release of fat and the addition of butter as a fat source. Chicken liver paste contained 27.8% moisture, 10.1% protein, 58.2% fat, and 0.8% ash. Mineral contents were 68.90, ...
Forty-two patients were treated with intravenous cefoxitin, a new cephamycin antibiotic. These patients had postoperative abdominal sepsis (26), intrathoracic infections (6), urinary tract infections...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThe updated Rome III criteria for pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) include new FGID categories and changes to the Rome II criteria...Full Text Available
Results are reported from studies of the diffusion rate of xenon through frog abdominal skin and toad urinary bladders, typical epithelial membranes. It was concluded that intracellular water serves as the principal barrier for xenon passage through epithelial tissue.
BackgroundHealthcare professionals can play a crucial role in optimizing the health status of patients with cardiovascular risk factors (abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, low...Full Text Available
BackgroundControversy exists about how to effectively measure patient reported outcomes in IBS clinical trials. Pain numeric rating scales (NRS) are widely used in...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe analgesic effect of perioperative low doses intravenous lidocaine has been demonstrated after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to evaluate whether...Full Text Available
Biliary obstructions are rarely caused by a foreign body and have received sparse attention. We present an unusual case with pruritis and abdominal pain caused by impacted full length surgical gauze...Full Text Available
PurposeTo develop a generic instrument for measuring short-term health status in the recovery period among patients undergoing abdominal and pelvic surgery.Full Text Available
Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are increasingly recognized due to the expanding use and improved sensitivity of cross-sectional abdominal imaging. Major advances in the last decade have led to an...Full Text Available
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is described as (1) failure of diaphragmatic closure at development, (2) presence of herniated abdominal contents into chest and (3) pulmonary hypoplasia. Usually,...Full Text Available
As a consequence of the expanded use of long term hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) treatments and extended life spans, complications of end-stage renal disease and dialysis treatments are being encountered with increasing frequency in these patients. Computed tomography can accurately depict many of the potential complications of end-stage renal disease on dialysis. This article presents the abdominal CT findings of 429 end-stage renal disease patients who are on either hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis treatment.
Subcellular-fractionation techniques were used to characterize the endocytic pathway followed by ricin in rat liver in vivo and tentatively identify the site(s) at which the ricin interchain disulphide...Full Text Available
In a significant percentage of examined cases of fulminant hepatitis, subacute hepatitis, chronic aggressive hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and chronic persistent hepatitis, Australia (hepatitis-associated)...Full Text Available
Verapamil administered before treatment, but not after treatment, had a beneficial effect on a 90-minute warm ischemia-reperfusion rat liver injury model. The possible activation of proteases converting...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe common liver fluke Fasciola hepatica is the agent of a zoonosis with significant economic consequences in livestock production worldwide, and increasing...Full Text Available
During 1975 we studied 100 patients--77 men and 23 women--who had a history of alcohol abuse and disturbed liver function test results. On presentation the women were less likely to be suspected of...Full Text Available
BackgroundEfficient and safe transection of biological tissue in liver surgery is strongly dependent on the ability to address both parenchymal division and hemostasis simultaneously....Full Text Available
In this study we compared the molecular signalling elicited by rexinoids, selective retinoid X receptor (RXR)-activators, in several organs (i.e. liver, kidney,...Full Text Available
Liver biopsies in nine of 70 male alcoholics seen during a 12 month period showed predominantly portal fibrosis with fatty change, but little or no alcoholic hepatitis. None of the 30 female alcoholics...Full Text Available
After treatment with NN-di[14C]methylnitrosamine, samples of DNA were isolated from rat livers by a conventional phenol procedure and examined for the presence of phosphotriesters. A method of capable...Full Text Available
Recent reports suggested that phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL)-3 might be involved in colorectal carcinoma metastasis with an unknown mechanism. Here we demonstrated that PRL-3 expression was...Full Text Available
D-galactose, a monosaccharide rapidly phosphorylated within liver cells, is irreversibly removed from the portal circulation. We have studied the kinetic relations between the hepatic cell entry process...Full Text Available
Liver fluke disease is a chronic parasitic inflammatory disease of the bile ducts. Infection occurs through ingestion of fluke-infested, fresh-water raw fish. The most well-known species that cause...Full Text Available
Fibrogenesis is a common feature of many diseases where there is severe insult to the liver. The hepatic stellate cell trans-differentiation into a myofibroblast has been identified as an important...Full Text Available
BackgroundHepatitis C virus is a major cause of chronic liver diseases which can lead to permanent liver damage, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. The presently available treatment...Full Text Available
Phenylalanine hydroxylase was purified from crude extracts of human livers which show enzyme activity by usine two different methods: (a) affinity chromatography and (b) immunoprecipitation with an...Full Text Available
Invasive prenatal testing has become an important way to evaluate fetuses at increased risk for hereditary disorders. In utero sampling of fetal skin, liver, and muscle may be required to diagnose before-birth...Full Text Available
Background:This study evaluated the outcomes of patients with complex or persistent thoracobiliary fistulae following penetrating liver trauma, who underwent endoscopic biliary intervention...Full Text Available
ObjectivesIn old age, there are marked changes in both the structure of the liver sinusoidal endothelial cell and liver perfusion. The objective of this study was...Full Text Available
Changes in RNA synthesis in liver nuclei were observed at different ages and after hypophysectomy and hormone replacement in female Sprague-Dawley rats. As determined by the incorporation of [3H]UMP...Full Text Available
The effects of dietary monosodium glutamate (MSG) on trans-fatty acid (TFA)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are addressed in an animal model. We used Affymetrix microarray...Full Text Available
The liver plays a vital role in glucose homeostasis, the synthesis of bile acids and the detoxification of foreign substances. Liver culture systems are widely used to test adverse effects of drugs...Full Text Available
Enolase is a multifunctional enzyme that plays important roles in many biological and disease processes. α-Enolase from human liver (hENO1) was expressed as a soluble protein and purified by...Full Text Available
1. The effect on rat liver peroxisomal beta-oxidation of feeding diets containing various amounts of dietary oils was investigated. With increasing amounts (5-25%, w/w) of soya-bean oil an apparent,...Full Text Available
Due to the widespread clinical use of imaging modalities such as ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), previously unsuspected liver masses are increasingly being...Full Text Available
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most critical global health issues. With frequent association of viral liver disease, HCC is highly complex, harboring both cancer and chronic liver disease....Full Text Available
Studies on alcoholic liver injury mechanisms show a significant inhibition of the proteasome activity. To investigate this phenomenon, we isolated proteasome complexes from the liver of rats...Full Text Available
The two categories of anti-albumin antibodies (AAA), namely precipitins (AA-P) and agglutinins (AA-Aggl), were investigated in 260 patients with morphologically diagnosed chronic liver diseases (CLD)....Full Text Available
MRI plays an increasingly important role for assessment of patients with chronic liver disease. MRI has numerous advantages, including lack of ionizing radiation and the possibility of performing...Full Text Available
New fish cans were prepared in the Institute of Fish Industry, Burgas (BG), containing pectin and additives. A biological experimental study was conducted to investigate the decontaminating effect of the new products. The results demonstrated no decontaminating effect in relation to radiocesium and radiostrontium. A pronounced prophylactic effect was observed in case of external irradiation, judged by endogenous spleen colonies. (author).
Two monoclonal antibodies, TAL-1B5 and TAL-3C3, specific for human Ia alpha-chain subunits have been produced by fusing P3/NSI/1-Ag4-1 mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells from a BALB/c mouse immunized...Full Text Available
Ischemic bowel disease is a rare disorder whose incidence is increasing as the mean age of the population increases. Diagnosis by clinical, laboratory and radiologic means is often difficult, and delay in definitive therapy results in substantial morbidity and mortality. A series of 26 consecutive patients, with proved acute superior mesenteric ischemia, was retrospectively reviewed: the authors reports the diagnostic methods performed preoperatively, the site and the cause of infarction and the time passed between the first radiograph and surgery. Plain abdominal radiographs were performed in 25 of 26 patients, screening abdominal US in 23 cases and CT in 19 cases. All radiological examinations were retrospectively reviewed by the three authors, independently, to recognize the different signs of infarction. On plain abdominal films, the findings warranting a presumptive diagnosis of bowel infarction were air-fluid levels ...
It is not known whether body weight alone can adjust for the volume of liver in the calculation of the chelating dose in {beta}-thalassaemia major patients, who frequently have iron overload and hepatitis. The hypothesis is that liver volume in children and adolescents suffering from {beta}-thalassaemia major is affected by ferritin level and liver function. Thirty-five {beta}-thalassaemia major patients aged 7-18 years and 35 age- and sex-matched controls had liver volume measured by MRI. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and ferritin levels were obtained in the thalassaemia major patients. Body weight explained 65 and 86% of the change in liver volume in {beta}-thalassaemia major patients and age-matched control subjects, respectively. Liver volume/kilogram body weight was significantly higher (P<0.001) in thalassaemia major patients than in control ...
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary malignant hepatic neoplasm. We describe two cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma which initially presented as liver abscess both clinically and radiologically. Mucin-hypersecretion from the tumor cells and extensive necrosis or secondary bacterial infection was responsible for the radiologic appearance of a liver abscess.=20
α1-Fetoprotein transcription factor (FTF), also known as liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH-1) is highly expressed in liver and intestine, where it is implicated in the regulation...Full Text Available
A successful boron neutron capture treatment (BNCT) of a patient with multiple liver metastases has been first given in Italy, by placing the removed organ into the thermal neutron column of the Triga research reactor of the University of Pavia. In Finland, FiR 1 Triga reactor with an epithermal neutron beam well suited for BNCT has been extensively used to irradiate patients with brain tumors such as glioblastoma and recently also head and neck tumors. In this work we have studied by MCNP Monte Carlo simulations, whether it would be beneficial to treat an isolated liver with epithermal neutrons instead of thermal ones. The results show, that the epithermal field penetrates deeper into the liver and creates a build-up distribution of the boron dose. Our results strongly encourage further studying of irradiation arrangement of an isolated liver with epithermal neutron fields.
Summary Background Systematic screening for liver fibrosis in heavy-drinking patients is a challenge. Aims To assess Fibroscan for non-invasive diagnosis of asymptomatic liver fibrosis in alcohol abuse patients, to determine diagnostic liver stiffness cut-off values and to compare performance of Fibroscan with seven non-invasive laboratory tests. Methods One hundred and three alcoholic patients were studied. Liver fibrosis was staged by METAVIR system. Fibroscan, Fibrotest, Fibrometer, Hepascore, APRI, PGA, PGAA and hyaluronic acid tests were performed. Liver stiffness cut-offs were determined using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results Liver stiffness was correlated with fibrosis (r = 0.72, P < 0.014), with median at 5.7, 6.3, 8.4, 15 and 47.3 kPa for F0 (n = 8), F1 (n =...
The mantis shrimp Squilla mantis shows a graded series of avoidance/escape responses to visual and mechanical (vibration and touch) rostral stimuli. A low-threshold response is mediated by the simultaneous protraction of the thoracic walking legs and abdominal swimmerets and telson, producing a backwards 'lurch' or jump that can displace the animal by up to one-third of its body length, but leaves it facing in the same direction. A stronger response starts with similar limb protraction, but is followed by partial abdominal flexion. The maximal response also consists of limb protraction followed by abdominal flexion, but in this case the abdominal flexion is sufficiently vigorous to pull the animal into a tight vertical loop, which leaves it inverted and facing away from the stimulus. The animal then swims forward (away from the stimulus) and rights itself by executing a half-roll. A bilaterally paired, ...
To assess whether ring enhancements of liver metastases on Mn-DPDP enhanced, early MR images were well visualized on delayed images, as compared with those of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), and to investigate the detection accuracy and conspicuity of each tumor. Twenty patients with liver metastases and 15 with HCC were studied by Mn-DPDP enhanced, T1-weighted MR images. Peripheral ring enhancement and conspicuity were investigated. Differences in detection accuracy and frequency of ring enhancement in liver metastases and HCC were assessed. In liver metastases (n= 69), 44 cases (63.8%) without ring enhancement and 25 (36.2%) with were noted on early images. Sixteen cases (23.2%) without ring enhancement, 38 (55.1%) with ring enhancement similar to the early images, and 15 (21.7%) with prominent ring enhancement were noted on delayed images. In HCC (n=37), 36 cases (97.3%) without ring enhancement and ...
The purpose of this review is to consider the hypothesis that cancer frequently originates from stem cells. Using the spleen transplantation assay where stem cells were transplanted in the spleen of mice lethally irradiated by ionizing radiation, the author undertook a study aimed at defining the risk of radiogenic cancer per susceptible cells with use of rat radiogenic mammary and thyroid cancers because of the high incidences of these cancers in a-bomb survivors. Measured were the number of cancer-susceptible cells initially present in the tissue, the number of such cells that survived at a given dose and the number of cancers that developed per surviving cell. Thyroid cell differentiation and proliferation in rats transplanted with thyroid cells were enhanced by thyroidectomy and low iodine diet. Further, the relationship between the low LET radiation dose and thyroid clonogen survival was also investigated. Data showed that ...
In a previous study, to identify genes of importance for hepatocellular carcinogenesis, and especially for processes involved in malignant transformation, the authors investigated differences in gene expression between adenomas and carcinomas by DNA microarray. In the present study, the authors investigated AW434047, one of the sequences that was upregulated in carcinomas. The investigation led to the identification of a novel gene, which the authors named hepatocyte malignant transforming factor (HMTF), of unknown function whose expression was increased in hepatocellular carcinomas. Northern blot and in situ hybridization also demonstrated high levels of HMTF in rat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, lymphocytes in the spleen, colon mucosal epithelia, spermatocytes, and granule cells of the hippocampus. Reduction of HMTF by RNA interference (RNAi) in N1 cells, an HCC cell line, caused suppression of cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Suppression ...
A competitive repopulation assay utilizing chromosome markers was used to assay the reconstituting potential of hematopoietic populations. The test populations consisted of tibial murine marrow locally irradiated with doses ranging from 1.5 Gy to 8.5 Gy and of marrow generated from either murine splenic or marrow stem cells. The purpose of this assay was to assess the innate proliferative potential and microenvironmental influences on the ability to repopulate. Regardless of origin, spleen repopulating ability consistently agreed with spleen colony-forming unit (CFU-s) content. Doses of radiation from 5 Gy to 8.5 Gy diminished, by a factor of 2, the ability to repopulate marrow despite maintenance of CFU-s levels. Marrow generated from splenic stem cells had one-fifth the repopulating ability of marrow derived from marrow stem cells, even though CFU-s levels were equivalent. The results imply that the splenic environment can only maintain stem ...
A suspension of bone marrow cells from femurs of female (CBA . C57B1)F1 mice was exposed to 2450 MHz CW microwaves in a specially designed waveguide exposure system. The temperature of the suspension rose, during exposure to microwaves, from 20/sup 0/C to 45/sup 0/C, and at an interval within 20/sup 0/C to 45/sup 0/C the number of haemopoietic stem cells (CFUs) was determined by the spleen exocolony method. The time of exposure of bone marrow cells to each temperature studied was 20 s. Control suspensions of bone marrow cells were exposed to a water bath temperature. There were no significant effects of the CFUs with the water bath temperature, while after exposure to microwaves the number of spleen colonies was elevated with a nadir at the temperature of 37/sup 0/C. With a microwave-induced increase of the temperature above 41/sup 0/C the number of CFUs in the bone marrow suspension decreased. The increase in the number of colonies was related ...
Possibilities of applying the Pb/sup 203/ isotonic solution without a carrier as a label of blood erythrocytes, are found. There is a number of advantages in the Pb/sup 203/ isotonic solution without a carrier, such as a high label efficiency (above 95%), a short half-life (52 hours), and a low radiation dose. These factors prove to be favourable as compared with Cr/sup 51/ widely used for these purposes. Besides, of all preparations used up to now to treat erythrocytes and to scan the spleen, it is only in the case of Pb/sup 203/ isotonic solution without a carrier that no weight amounts of chemical substances do not enter the organism.
Biosynthesis of hemoglobin and some of its electrophoretic fractions in red cells of peripheral blood and spleen of irradiated (650 R) rats has been studied. Hemoglobin synthesis is found to be most drastically inhibited in the first and second fractions on the first and eighth days after irradiation and in the fifth and sixth fractions on the eighth day (less expressed). The synthesis is restored on the twelfth day, the process under study proceeding more slowly in the above-mentioned fractions than in others. In the course of radiation sickness, the biosynthesis of certain hemoglobin fractions varies differently in the hemoglobin-synthesizing cells of peripheral blood than in the cells of spleenic erythroid series.
Assessment of the immune system's capability to respond to antigens with the generation of specific antibodies, whilst under the influence of a test article, is required in toxicity tests according to the European guideline for repeated dose toxicity testing of medicinal products. The purpose of this study in rats was to validate methodology for the determination of Keyhole Limpet Haemocyanin (KLH)-specific antibodies under the influence of an immunologically active compound. The immunosuppressant FK506, commercially available as Prograf, was administered orally (gavage) to five rats per sex per group at dosages of 0.5mg/kg per day or 3mg/kg per day, for a period of 4 weeks. On days 14 and 22, KLH was administered subcutaneously, with an adjuvant (AluGel), to the two treated groups and a control (i.e. without FK506 treatment) approximately 1h following administration of FK506. Terminal investigations included haematology parameters, titration of KLH-specific antibodies in serum ...
The somatic and genetic radiation exposure of patients undergoing Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) and traditional Film Arteriography (FA) of cranial, cervical, thoracic and abdominal vascular territories are compared. The radiation doses absorbed within the critical organs - red bone marrow, lung, thyroid gland and female breast - and in the gonads were measured using an anthropomorphic Alderson phantom. A Somatic Dose Index was calculated in order to estimate the somatic radiation risk. The somatic radiation exposure depends upon the location of the critical organs with respect to the entrance site of the x-ray beam, and can be reduced by an appropriate choice of the angiographic projection. Under this condition, the radiation exposure of the patient during DSA can be lower than during FA. For renal DSA an a.p. projection, the use of an abdominal compression device and careful caudal shielding of the field are advocated. (orig.).
Objectives To present our preliminary experience with laparoscopic groin exploration and subsequent laparoscopic orchiectomy and internal ring closure for testicular nubbin in children and discuss the usefulness of our new treatment strategy. The advantages of laparoscopic orchiopexy for intra-abdominal testis are the ability to start treatment as soon as a diagnosis has been made and to permit minimally invasive surgery. These advantages can apply to laparoscopic orchiectomy for a testicular nubbin. Methods A total of 6 boys with a testicular nubbin (age range 14-76 months, mean age 27.3 months) underwent laparoscopic orchiectomy at our institution from June 2007 to June 2008. We opened the posterior parietal peritoneum by incising the peritoneum lateral to the spermatic vessel, distal to...
Objectives Our purpose was to evaluate interaction of green tea consumption and abdominal obesity as related factors for lacunar infarction in Korean women. Designs A hospital-based, incident case-control study. Settings The Prevention and Managements of Stroke in Women study. Participants Cases (n=233) of first incident lacunar infarction were enrolled and matched by age to stroke-free hospital controls (n=204). Measurements The data were collected through face-to-face interviews by well trained research assistants to assess demographic, medical, lifestyle, marital status, religions status, green tea consumptions, family history of stroke, smoking status, alcohol consumption, meat and vegetable intake frequency, and past history of hypertension. Biochemical analysis, fasting blood specime...
Aims We tested cardiovascular and visceromotor reflex (VMR) responses to urinary bladder distension (UBD) in urethane anesthetized rats to see if it can replicate the response pattern and the inhibition of bladder nociceptive transmission by analgesics seen in isoflurane anesthetized animals. Methods Female Sprague-Dawley rats under 3% isoflurane anesthesia were acutely instrumented with jugular venous, carotid arterial, and bladder cannulas for drug administration, blood pressure (BP) measurement, and bladder distension, respectively. Needle electrodes were placed directly into the abdominal musculature to measure myoelectrical activity subsequent to phasic UBD (30 sec in 3 min intervals). A cardiovascular response (pressor) and a VMR response (a contraction of abdominal and hind limb mus...
Intra-arterial subtraction angiography(IADSA) using Fuji computed radiography(FCR) was performed on 130 patients with cervical, pelvic, peripheral and abdominal diseases. It was compared with conventional angiography(radiographs produced by combining photographic film with an intensifying screen) performed on same patients. Radiographs produced by FCR were better than conventional radiographs in cervical, pelvic and peripheral angiography. In the abdominal angiography using FCR, there was misregistration artifact in some cases, but in hepatic angiography, the new radiographs under the injection of small amount of contrast medium(about 10ml) and the short exposure duration(about 10 seconds) were excellent. It was as valuable as conventional angiography (infusion hepatic angiography) for diagnosing hepatic neoplasms. (author).
To evaluate the effect of plugging the biopsy tract in rabbit liver and the pathologic changes caused by plugging materials. Thirty-two New Zealand White rabbits were divided into four groups (eight rabbits in each) and compared with one another. They were labeled group A (control), B (gelfoam), C (fibrin sealant) or D (NBCA). the liver was exposed and biopsied with an 18G disposable biopsy gun. The inner Tru-cut needle was withdrawn and plugging was undertaken through the outer cannula of the biopsy gun. Bleeding times of each material were compared. The rabbits were sacrificed and pathologically evaluated for 17 days.
In acute liver failure following hepatitis, toxic insults, or after major liver surgery, there is an increased bacterial translocation from the gut. This may explain some of the infectious complications seen in these conditions. To elucidate mechanisms and find possible preventive measures, we investigated the effect of rectal administration of arginine and probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus spp.) on bacterial translocation and the extent of liver failure. Sprague-Dawley rats were used and five different Lactobacillus strains (Lb. reuteri R2LC, Lb. rhamnosus DSM 6594 (= strain 271), Lb. plantarum DSM 9843 (= strain 299v), Lb. fermentum 8704:3 (= strain 245), and Lb. reuteri (= strain 108) were administered rectally once daily for 8 days with and without 2% arginine. Acute liver injury (ALI) was induced on the eighth day by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (1.1 g/kg body weight), and samples ...
A study was made of the uncoupling action of polychlorinated biphenyls (Kanechlor-400) on oxidative phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria. Kanechlor-400 (KC-400) at 20 ..mu..g/ml stimulated state 4 respiration of rat liver mitochondria more than 4-fold with ..cap alpha..-ketoglutarate/malate as a substrate, and released the oligomycin-inhibited state 3 respiration. KC-400 also dissipated the membrane potential across the mitochondrial membranes; thus, it acts as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria. KC-400 altered the permeability properties of mitochondrial membranes as evidenced by the release of endogenous K/sup +/ and the oxidation of exogenously supplied NADH. It is concluded that KC-400 produces a nonspecific increase in mitochondrial ion permeability, thereby dissipating membrane potential, which leads to the uncoupling.
SummaryMammalian iron homeostasis is regulated by the interaction of the liver-produced peptide hepcidin and its receptor, the iron transporter ferroportin. Hepcidin binds to...Full Text Available
Hypophosphatasia is a congenital disease characterized by deficiency of serum and tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase activity. The disease occurs due to mutations in the liver/bone/kidney alkaline...Full Text Available
BackgroundHealth service databases of administrative type can be a useful tool for the study of progression of a disease, but the data reported in such sources could be affected...Full Text Available
Coumarin (1,2-benzopyrone) is occurring in food, and is also used in cosmetics. In order to perform a risk assessment for both oral and dermal exposure, we applied a physiologically based approach to model kinetics in humans by simulating both routes of exposure. The concentration-time profile in liver revealed a higher peak concentration (Cmax-hep) for the oral when compared to the dermal route. The area under the concentration-time curve in the liver (AUChep) was found the same for both routes if the same extent of absorption is assumed. Dose response information from published rat studies were used to identify the metric relevant for liver toxicity. Liver exposure levels resulting from doses and durations as outlined in the studies were simulated in a rat model. We obtained 31 data pair...
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare cholestatic liver disease with major morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic management is difficult, due to lack of conclusive data and individual disease...Full Text Available
Radiolabeled lipiodol has been used for targeting liver cancer. We developed a lipiodol solution of {sup 188}Re-TDD (2,2,9,9-tetramethyl-4,7-diaza-1,10-decanedithiol) and investigated its feasibility for the treatment of liver cancer. The lipiodol solution of {sup 188}Re-TDD was well-retained in the lipiodol phase in vitro. After injection through the tail veins of mice, high lung-uptake was investigated which is evidence of embolizing activity. We also found high accumulation in hepatoma after injection through the hepatic arteries of hepatoma-bearing rats. In conclusion, the lipiodol solution of {sup 188}Re-TDD is a promising agent for liver cancer therapy.
Acute {gamma}-irradiation of rats at doses of 100 and 270 Gy stimulates lipid synthesis and changes the lipid composition of liver cell organelles. The content of cholesterol and cholesterol esters in microsomes increased at 100 Gy and decreased at 270 Gy, with total phospholipid content remaining unchanged. The lipid content in mitochondria decreased considerably 1 h after irradiation at 270 Gy. This change was significantly less pronounced 47 h later. Under chronic {gamma}-irradiation (0.129 Gy/day), cholesterol and cardiolipin in mitochondria increased. The changes in lipid content caused by acute irradiation are presumed to be related to activated synthesis of lipids in the liver. The modification of the lipid content of mitochondria observed in chronically irradiated rats may indicate that energy-metabolizing liver cell systems are involved in the adaptation to irradiation.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the recent literature on the prognostic value of biomarkers of liver fibrosis and impaired liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis C with or without HIV coinfection. RECENT FINDINGS: A combination of standard blood tests seems to be useful in identifying patients at risk of liver-related complications. Findings from studies investigating the validity of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score in HIV-infected liver transplant candidates are conflicting. Two large studies of HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected patients have shown that plasma levels of the fibrosis marker hyaluronic acid are a strong predictor of clinical complications. A smaller study found hyaluronic acid and two other fibrosis tests, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and Fib-4, to be independent predictors of mortality when included in ...
As an alternative to surgery, endovascular therapy with stent grafts has become the second main treatment option for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms. Unlike surgery, endovascular treatment with stent grafts is also applicable in patients unfit for open repair. Despite current improvements in endovascular repair devices, significant anatomic barriers still exclude this technique for a large number of patients. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound are essential for diagnostics, preintervention planning, and postintervention follow-up of abdominal aneurysms treated with stent grafts. This review covers etiology, pathology, and diagnostic aspects. Materials and methods for endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms are presented in detail, and clinical results and complications are discussed. (orig.) [German] Die endovaskulaere Therapie des infrarenalen Bauchaortenaneurysmas hat sich ...
This book provides an analysis of pathophysiologic concepts of trauma and reviews the effectiveness of the available imaging modalities in acute trauma of various organ system. Topics covered are chest injuries; abdominal trauma; fractures of long bones; the foot and ankle; the knee; hand and wrist; the elbow; the shoulder; the pelvis hips; the spine; the skull and facial trauma and the clinical assessment of multiple injuries patients. Comparative evaluation of diagnostic techniques of radiography is discussed. Normal anatomy and bone fractures along with soft-tissue injuries are described.
Ileal dysgenesis is an uncommon condition of unknown etiology occurring in the distal ileum in the region of the vitelline duct. The CT appearance of this lesion, although not previously described to our knowledge, is characteristic. We report a patient with ileal dysgenesis who had an abdominal CT scan to evaluate chronic iron deficiency anemia and protein-losing enteropathy. Recognition of this lesion by pediatric radiologists is important; so that surgical treatment, which is simple and effective, can be initiated quickly. (orig.)
1. Novel methods, using L-[ring-2-14C]tryptophan, are described for the measurement of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase activity and tryptophan accumulation in isolated rat liver cells. 2. The effects of...Full Text Available
A recombinant M13 clone (O42) containing a 65 b.p. cDNA fragment from human fetal liver mRNA coding for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase has been identified and it has been used to isolate from...Full Text Available
Stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) is the rate-limiting enzyme necessary for the biosynthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids. In this study, we investigated the regulation of mouse SCD1 by liver X...Full Text Available
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a serious health problem linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. To investigate the biological outcome and therapeutic potential of hepatic fatty acid uptake inhibition,...Full Text Available
AimsThe prevalence and importance of liver function test (LFT) abnormalities in a large contemporary cohort of heart failure patients have not been systematically evaluated.Full Text Available
A significant challenge in proteomics biomarker research is to identify the changes that are of highest diagnostic interest, among the many unspecific aberrations associated with disease burden and inflammation. In the present study liver tissue specimens (n=18) from six experimental stages were collected from the resistant hepatocyte (RH) rat model of liver cancer and analyzed by 2D DIGE. The study included triplicates of regenerating liver, control "sham-operated" liver, three distinct premalignant stages and hepatomas. Out of 81 identified proteins two-thirds were differentially abundant in rat hepatomas compared to control rat liver and, secondly, the majority of proteins were also changed in precursor stages. This underscores the importance of adequate control samples in explorative cancer biomarker research. We confirm several proteomic changes previously identified in human ...
Ribosomal protein L 10 from the livers of trout, hen, and rat was found to be the main target for 2-nitro-4-azidobenzoyl-Phe-tRNA in affinity labelling experiments. Therefore, despite somewhat different electrophoretic mobilities, this protein seems to be involved in the organization of the peptidyl transferase centre in ribosomes of various vertebrates. (author).
Full text: Tumour ablation with radiofrequency (RF) energy is a relatively new procedure for the treatment of focal malignant disease. At our institution this is currently being used in the treatment of certain liver and lung lesions with the patients involved being enrolled in clinical trials. The poster describes the technique used at our institution for the placement of the radiofrequency ablation electrode using CT fluoroscopy. Criteria for patient selection are included. Complications from the procedure are described, as well as follow up appearances and results. Our results from the treatment of primary and secondary lesions in the liver correlate well with published literature. Treatment is still not as successful as surgical resection but there is significantly less morbidity. Where this method may be appropriate is when the patient is not a candidate for surgical resection. The treatment of colorectal metastases in the lung shows early ...
The maintenance of a balance between cell gain and cell loss is essential for proper liver function. The exact role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis of liver cells remains unclear, since ligand-dependent activation of AhR has been shown to induce cell cycle arrest, proliferation, differentiation or apoptosis, depending on the cellular model used. AhR can directly interact with retinoblastoma protein in hepatic cells, forming protein complexes that can efficiently block cell cycle progression by inducing G1 arrest, or to induce the expression of inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases, such as p271. On the other hand, it has been suggested that AhR could play a stimulatory role in cell proliferation, either directly or by mediating a release from contact inhibition. It is now generally accepted that progenitor cells exist in the liver, are activated in various ...
We hypothesize that the mushroom-derived active compound may be a potential strategy for increasing survival in response to influenza virus (H1N1) infection through the stimulation of host innate immune response. The validity of the hypothesis can be tested by immune response to influenza infection as seen through survival percentage, virus clearance, weight loss, natural killer cell cytotoxicity, Tumor Necrosis Factor-? (TNF-?) and Interferon-gamma (IFN-?) levels, lytic efficiency in the spleens of mice and inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA expressions in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. The hypothesis may improve people's quality of life, reduce the medical cost of our healthcare system and eliminate people's fears of influenza outbreak. PMID:21660092
Cholangiocarcinoma is synonymous with bile duct carcinoma, and can originate in a small intrahepatic bile duct (peripheral type), a major intrahepatic duct including the hepatic hills, an extrahepatic duct, or near the papilla of Vater (central type). In a sense bile duct carcinoma of the peripheral type is cholangiocarcinoma of the liver; it has the same gross configuration as hepatocellular carcinoma, resulting in difficulty to differentiate on the CT. The authors studied CT findings of 14 cases of pathologically proven peripheral type cholangiocarcinoma of the liver during the last 4 years. The results were as follows: 1. Of 14 cases, 8 were female and 6 were male, and the age ranged from 5th to 7th decades. 2. Preoperative clinical diagnosis were as follows: hepatoma 8 cases, abscess 5 cases and metastasis 1 case in order of frequency. 3. Diagnosis were confirmed by hepatic lobectomy in 7 cases, wedge resection in 5 cases and needle biopsy ...
An assessment was undertaken of the risk of liver cancer in the USA associated with aflatoxin ingestion from peanuts. Both laboratory-animal data and epidemiological data collected from the scientific literature and several prominent mathematical extrapolation techniques were used. Risk estimates differed by a factor of greater than 1000 when the extrapolated results of three selected animal studies were analysed. Dose-response data for the male Fischer rat, the most sensitive mammalian species studied, produced an estimate of 158 cases of liver cancer per year in the USA at current levels of aflatoxin exposure. An estimate of 58 annual cases was predicted on the basis of epidemiological data of populations in Africa and Thailand.
The distribution of Lipiodol in the liver and lungs following arterial or portal injection was studied in normal (n=55) and cirrhotic rats (n=20). Using magnified xeroradiography and radioisotope labeled tracers, it was found that Lipiodol was deposited mainly in the liver and lung after either arterial or portal administration. In control rats after arterial injection, deposits in the lung peaked after 2 hours and gradually declined over 48 hours; whereas after portal injection, the deposit steadily increased for 48 hours. Twenty-five percent of cirrhotic rats demonstrated a Lipiodol-induced miliary pattern in the lung. An increased number of portosystemic shunts in cirrhotic rats was also noted. These results suggest that cirrhosis of the liver may be a potential risk factor for developing pulmonary complications after Lipiodol administration. (orig.).
The present study was designed with an aim to analyze the effect of acute aluminium phosphide (ALP) exposure (10mg/kg b.wt, intragastrically) on the kinetic characteristics of cytochrome oxidase and energy metabolism in male Wistar rat liver mitochondria. Liver mitochondrial preparations from ALP-treated rats exhibited significant decrease (66%) in the activity of cytochrome oxidase suggesting that there was a decrease in the catalytic efficiency of the active oxidase molecules on ALP treatment. The decreased activity of cytochrome oxidase with altered NADH and succinic dehydrogenase activities might have contributed towards a significant decline in state 3 and state 4 respiration as observed. These alterations in the electron transport chain complexes in turn adversely affected the ATP sy...
14 surgical patients with non-hepatobiliary diseases were studied with "9"9"mTc-EHIDA imaging to evaluate the effect of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) on the hepatobiliary function. Duration of TPN ranged from 6-56 days, 10 of the 14 patients Beijing within 10 days. The results showed that: (1) 11 of 14 patients had abnormal scintigraphic features. The most prominet findings were delayed liver excretion and prolonged blood clearance time. This fact suggests that not only the rate of excretion of the bile from the liver is decreased but the uptake ability of the hepatorcyte is also impaired. (2) The effect of TPN on liver function is reversible. It was concluded that in order to prevent irreversible damage of hepatobiliary function caused by TPN, the duration of TPN should not be too long and oral intake of nutrients should be resumed as soon as possible.
Abstract NorUDCA (24 norursodeoxycholic acid), the C23 homolog of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), showed remarkable therapeutic effects in cholestatic Mdr2 (Abcb4) (multidrug resistance protein 2/ATP binding cassette b4) knockout mice with sclerosing/fibrosing cholangitis. In contrast to UDCA, norUDCA is inefficiently conjugated in human and rodent liver, and conjugation has been discussed as a key step for the anticholestatic action of UDCA in cholestasis. We compared the choleretic, anticholestatic, and antiapoptotic properties of unconjugated and taurine conjugated UDCA (C24) and norUDCA (C23) in isolated perfused rat liver (IPRL) and in natrium/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (Ntcp) transfected human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. Taurolithocholic acid (TLCA) was used to induce a predomi...
Glucose homeostasis requires the tight regulation of glucose utilization by liver, muscle and white or brown fat, and glucose production and release in the blood by liver. The major goal of maintaining glycemia at -5 mM is to ensure a sufficient flux of glucose to the brain, which depends mostly on this nutrient as a source of metabolic energy. This homeostatic process is controlled by hormones, mainly glucagon and insulin, and by autonomic nervous activities that control the metabolic state of liver, muscle and fat tissue but also the secretory activity of the endocrine pancreas. Activation or inhibition of the sympathetic or parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous systems are controlled by glucose-excited or glucose-inhibited neurons located at different anatomical sites, mainl...
Copper bioavailability was studied in rats using an extrinsic Cu label. Copper absorption from sunflower seeds (46%), peanuts (41%), cooked shrimp (50%), and cooked beef (40%) was as good or better than copper sulfate (46%). Copper from plant foods (sunflower seeds, garbanzo beans, peanuts) was absorbed equally as well as copper from animal foods (beef, shrimp, chicken liver), 39 +/- 7% vs 43 +/- 7%, P greater than 0.05. There was no significant difference in percentage Cu absorption between intrinsically labeled chicken liver and extrinsically labeled chicken liver. In a second experiment, Cu absorption was measured in the presence of glucose, fructose, sucrose, or cornstarch. There were no significant differences in Cu absorption due to different carbohydrates in a single meal.
Adaptive radiation therapy for liver cancer has the potential to reduce normal tissue complications and enable dose escalation, allowing the potential for tumor control in this challenging site. Using adaptive techniques to tailor treatment margins to reflect patient-specific breathing motions and image-guidance techniques can reduce the high dose delivered to surrounding normal tissues while ensuring that the prescription dose is delivered to the tumor. Several treatment planning and delivery techniques have been developed for use in the liver, including a margin to encompass the full breathing motion, mean position techniques, which evaluate the probability of tumor location during breathing, breath hold, gating, and tracking. Patient selection, clinical workflow, and quality assurance m...
Computerized Tomography has gained an important role in the diagnosis of the complications of prosthetic surgery of the abdominal aorta: the importance of such complications come from their frequency, which is proportional to the increasing number of interventions, and their severity. The authors investigated the CT patterns of the most frequent complications. 24 patients referred for strongly suspected postoperative complications were examined in 2 years: fever and leukocytosis (20 cases) and progressive anemia (4 cases) were the most frequent findings. The operation had been performed 7#+-# 12 weeks before (2 patients were excluded because surgery dated less than 3 weeks. 14 patients had infective complications: thickening (57%) and inhomogeneity (43%) of the periprosthetic wrap and ectopic gas bubble (78%) were the most frequent Computerized Tomography findings. The authors also observed 2 periprosthetic hematomas, 1 aneurysm relapse and 1 prosthetic graft ...
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is a generally well-tolerated treatment. However, some patients exhibit such complications as to prevent the continuation of treatment. Peritonitis is the major problem, but the continuation of treatment may also be undermined by different complications, such as peritoneal leakage, hernia, catheter malfunctioning, and scrotal-penile edema; a careful investigation of the patient is always needed in such cases. From November 1985 to February 1990, we examined 20 patients, who had presented with different types of complications in the course of dialysis. Peritoneography demonstrated 3 cases of abdominal hernias, 2 cases of patency of the peritoneal-vaginal duct, and 2 cases of catheter obstruction. Peritoneal CT allowed the identification of leakage in 3 patients, while the combined use of the two techniques showed adhesions or pathologic peritoneal recesses in 7 cases. In 3 patients normal patterns were observed. ...
CT-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is known to improve diagnosis of expansive abdominal lesions, especially relative to more invasive procedure like explorative laparotomy. FNAB in not commonly use in pediatric patients because of their poor collaboration and of associated risks. The authors investigated the feasibility of FNAB in the pediatric age. [Italian] Sono noti i vantaggi che la biopsia percutanea con ago sottile guidato con TC puo' apportare per la diagnosi delle lesioni espansive addominali, soprattutto se confrontata con procedure piu' invasive come la laparatomia esplorativa. Questo tipo di metodica e' attalmente poco utilizzato nel caso di pazienti pediatrici a causa della scarsa collaborazione e dei rischi associati. Gli autori valutano l'applicabilita' di tale procedura nell'eta' pediatrica alla luce delle propria esperienza.
Twenty-five patients with ovarian carcinoma who had been operated and treated with chemotherapy underwent clinical examination and CT before reintervention (second-look laparotomy) to detect the presence of eventual recurrences. The prediction of recurrence based on CT and clinical findings was compared with the surgical findings at reintervention. CT proved to be more accurate than clinical examination in detecting recurrences; this was especially true for masses in the abdominal cavity, with the exception of small peritoneal nodules. The authors suggest the use of CT for staging the patients candidate to reintervention. This might help to avoid reintervantion in patients with persistent disease and to plan treatment.
Menopause is characterized by the progressive reduction of estrogens resulting to cessation of menses. It is associated with an increase of cardiovascular risk factors such as hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia and of abdominal and/or selective visceral fat mass deposition. Obesity, a modern day epidemic, is promoted by an obesogenic environment that interacts with the genetic background. The result is a positive energy balance materialized by the accumulation of the adipose tissue. This process is marked by great individual variation. Obesity is also associated with the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. In this review, the main pathophysiologic processes for the increase of obesity in menopause and the possible effects of pre-menopausal obesity regarding the cessation of ova...
Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (peripheral PNETs) are rare in the abdomen. We report the imaging findings of four peripheral PNETs arising in the abdomen. Three were ill-demarcated tumors and one was a well-demarcated tumor, with extensive local invasion and lymph node metastasis in two cases, respectively. The tumors are of inhomogeneous attenuation and heterogeneous enhancement after intravenous administration of contrast materials. Although their imaging manifestations cannot distinguish them from other sarcomas, recognition of these imaging features may be helpful in suggesting the possibility of peripheral PNETs in some cases.
The paper investigates the yield and the role of the computerized tomography in diagnosing abdominal gunshot wounds, with their rich and varied radiological signs and associated injuries, and subsequently used in the diagnosis. [Italian] Scopo del lavoro e' riportare l'esperienza personale nell'uso della tomografia computerizzata per riconoscere le lesioni da arma da fuoco dell'addome e nelle fasi successive dell'approfondimento diagnostico.
Computed tomography (CT) has already proved extremely effective both in cerebral and abdominal pathology. Several recent publications describing first heterogeneous series [1, 2, 7, 11-17], then studies of a single type of lesion [3-6, 8] have illustrated its usefulness in the study of bone lesions. This report deals with 41 cases of Ewing's sarcoma studied by CT at the Institut Gustave Roussy from October 1977 to July 1981, and tries to show both the limitations and indications of this technique for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of Ewing's sarcoma as well as in the diagnosis of any eventual recurrence. (orig.).
Anesthetic techniques vary widely in the endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (EVAR). Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of using local anesthesia. However, the ideal anesthetic technique has not been determined. This study examines whether anesthesic technique influences the outcomes of EVAR. Data regarding demographics, risk factors, procedural characteristics, recovery characteristics, treatment complications, acute ( 0.05, ANOVA). From these results we concluded that EVAR with local anesthesia is a safe and efficacious method that may reduce recovery times and postoperative medical morbidity compared to use of genera1 or spinal/epidural anesthesia.
Renal arteriovenous fistula or pseudoaneurysms developing after invasive procedures are either asymptomatic or show only transient symptoms. We describe here a case of symptomatic renal artery pseudoaneurysm that presented with gross hematuria and azotemia. The pseudoaneurysm of renal artery was diagnosed by ultrasonography and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and it was successfully treated by percutaneous transcatheter coil embolization. A high index of suspicion is essential for the early diagnosis and treatment of delayed gross hematuria in patients with history of percutaneous nephrostomy. PMID:17180737
Recently, a novel DNA virus designated SEN virus (SEN-V), which is thought to be related to posttransfusion hepatitis, was discovered. The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between...Full Text Available
BackgroundSelection programs for growth and stress traits in cultured fish are fundamental to the improvement of aquaculture production. The gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)...Full Text Available
Miriplatin, a cisplatin derivative with a high affinity for iodized oil, is a novel chemotherapeutic agent designed for use in the transarterial treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. This case report...Full Text Available
An overall hypothesis for benzene-induced leukemia is proposed. Key components of the hypothesis include a) activation of benzene in the liver to phenolic metabolites; b) transport of these metabolites...Full Text Available
BackgroundThis study focuses on the role of an Internet-based group for people who have an autoimmune liver disease, primary biliary cirrhosis. Primary biliary...Full Text Available
Syndrome X is a combination or co-occurrence of several known cardiovascular risk factors (including central obesity, dyslipidemias, fatty liver disease, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance,...Full Text Available
Hibernators are unique among mammals in their ability to survive extended periods of time with core body temperatures near freezing and with dramatically reduced heart, respiratory, and metabolic rates...Full Text Available
Acetaminophen (N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP), paracetamol) is a commonly used analgesic and antipyretic agent. Although considered safe at therapeutic doses, accidental or intentional...Full Text Available
BackgroundTransarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy is an effective locoregional treatment in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) patients. For early modification of therapy, markers...Full Text Available
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA integration has been shown to occur frequently in human hepatocellular carcinomas. We have investigated whether common cellular DNA domains might be rearranged, possibly...Full Text Available
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA integration has been shown to occur frequently in human hepatocellular carcinomas. The authors have investigated whether common cellular DNA domains might be rearranged, possibly by HBV integration, in human primary liver tumors. Unique cellular DNA sequences adjacent to an HBV integration site were isolated from a patient with hepatitis B surface antigen-positive hepatocellular carcinoma. These probes detected rearrangement of this cellular region of chromosomal DNA in 3 of 50 additional primary liver tumors studied. Of these three tumor samples, two contained HBV DNA, without an apparent link between the viral DNA and the rearranged allele; HBV DNA sequences were not detected in the third tumor sample. By use of a panel of somatic cell hybrids, these unique cellular DNA sequences were shown to be located on chromosome 4. Therefore, this region of chromosomal DNA might be implicated in the formation of different ...
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA integration has been shown to occur frequently in human hepatocellular carcinomas. The authors have investigated whether common cellular DNA domains might be rearranged, possibly by HBV integration, in human primary liver tumors. Unique cellular DNA sequences adjacent to an HBV integration site were isolated from a patient with hepatitis B surface antigen-positive hepatocellular carcinoma. These probes detected rearrangement of this cellular region of chromosomal DNA in 3 of 50 additional primary liver tumors studied. Of these three tumor samples, two contained HBV DNA, without an apparent link between the viral DNA and the rearranged allele; HBV DNA sequences were not detected in the third tumor sample. By use of a panel of somatic cell hybrids, these unique cellular DNA sequences were shown to be located on chromosome 4. Therefore, this region of chromosomal DNA might be implicated in the formation of different ...
Thiobenzamide (TB) is a potent hepatotoxin in rats, causing dose-dependent hyperbilirubinemia, steatosis, and centrolobular necrosis. These effects arise subsequent to and appear to result from...Full Text Available
Background:Liver resection of large hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), measuring at least 10 cm remains a controversial debate. Multiple studies on HCCs treated with surgical resection...Full Text Available
Toxicogenomics provides the ability to examine in greater detail the underlying molecular events that precede and accompany toxicity, thus allowing prediction of adverse events at much earlier...Full Text Available
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is commonly used in biological studies to dissolve drugs and enzyme inhibitors with low solubility. While DMSO is generally thought of as being relatively inert, it...Full Text Available
Acetaminophen (APAP) toxicity is the most common drug-induced cause of acute liver failure in the United States. The only available treatment, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), has a limited...Full Text Available
In this study we use the multiple indicator dilution technique to outline the kinetic mechanisms underlying the uptake of rubidium, a cation which, in the steady state, is concentrated by hepatic parenchymal...Full Text Available
Recurrent tumour after radical pancreaticoduodenectomy may cause obstruction of the small bowel loop draining the liver. Roux-loop obstruction presents a particular therapeutic challenge, since the...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn rats, alcohol exposure during the period of rapid brain growth produces long-term changes in the free-running period, photoentrainment and phase-shifting...Full Text Available
Mitochondrial heat shock protein 70 (mtHSP70) is found to play a primary role in cellular defense against physiological stress like exposure to environmental contaminants and helpful in the maintenance...Full Text Available
Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) are multipotent progenitor cells that have transient immunomodulatory properties on Natural Killer (NK) cells, Dendritic Cells (DC), and T cells. This...Full Text Available
BackgroundCavernous hemangiomas are the most frequent neoplasms of the liver and in routine clinical practice they often need to be differentiated from malignant tumors and other...Full Text Available
Pancreatic islet transplantation into the liver provides a possibility to treat selected patients with brittle type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, massive early β-cell death increases the number...Full Text Available
The effect of chronic administration of phenobarbital on the binding of phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (({sup 3}H)PDBu), an activator of protein kinase C (PKC), was examined in rat liver microsomes. A significant increase in the number of binding sites was observed in microsomes of Fisher 344 rats. However, no change appeared in liver cytosol binding of PDBu. Consequently, a translocation process of PKC is unlikely. The increase in ({sup 3}H)PDBu binding in liver microsomes is significant 24 h. after one injection of phenobarbital and reaches its maximum in 2 days. In other strains of rats (ACI and lean Zucker), significant differences were found in the increase of ({sup 3}H)PDBu binding in microsomes. Fisher 344 were the most sensitive, lean Zucker rats, the least sensitive. Those results parallel the pentoxy-resorufin O demethylase activity in the microsomes of the same animals. EC{sub 50} values for inhibition of ({sup ...
The principal cause of primary non-function in orthotopic liver transplantation is thought to be preservation injury to the microvasculature. We, therefore, evaluated if effluent levels of hyaluronate,...Full Text Available
Orthosiphon stamineus as medicinal plant is commonly used in Malaysia for treatment of hepatitis and jaundice; in this study, the ethanol extracts were applied to evaluate the...Full Text Available
BackgroundExpansion of aquaculture is seriously limited by reductions in fish oil (FO) supply for aquafeeds. Terrestrial alternatives such as vegetable oils (VO) have been investigated...Full Text Available
An assessment has been made of biochemical alterations in renal and hepatic functions of 73 male operators employed for an average of 8.2 years (range 0.5-23 years) in a chemical plant producing chlorinated...Full Text Available
The CYP1A (EROD)-inducing potencies of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), 3,3minutes or feet,4,4minutes or feet,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) and benzo(k)fluoranthene (B(k)F) were studied in avian embryo livers. TCDD and PCB126 proved to be much more potent as inducers in the chicken than in the other species examined. This finding is consistent with a considerably higher sensitivity of the chicken compared with a number of other avian species to the embryotoxic effects of these compounds. Furthermore, the relative potencies of the tested Ah receptor agonists as CYP1A inducers differed substantially between species. B(k)F and PCB126 showed similar induction potencies in domestic duck embryos, whereas PCB126 is much more potent than B(k)F in the chicken. Also, the potency of PCB126,relative to that of TCDD, was much lower in quail embryo liver in vitro than in chicken embryo liver. Thus, there are large ...
The hepatic uptake rate for certain albumin-bound drugs and metabolites correlates poorly with their equilibrium unbound concentration in the plasma, suggesting that binding equilibrium may not always...Full Text Available
Acetaminophen (APAP), a widely used analgesic and antipyretic that is considered to be relatively safe at recommended doses, is the leading cause of drug-induced liver failure in the United States....Full Text Available
BackgroundTrichloroethylene (TCE) is a suspected human carcinogen and a common ground-water contaminant. Chloral hydrate (CH) is the major metabolite of TCE formed in the liver by...Full Text Available
Cancers are highly heterogeneous and contain many passenger and driver mutations. To functionally identify tumor suppressor genes relevant to human cancer, we compiled pools of short harpin...Full Text Available
The use of complementary and alternative medicines is becoming increasingly popular in Western society. As a result the number of reported adverse reactions is increasing. Glucosamine is a herbal remedy...Full Text Available
Genetic test systems involving microorganisms and liver enzyme preparations may be insufficient to detect compounds that require breakdown by enzymes provided by the microbial flora of the intestinal...Full Text Available
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignancy of the liver, which is closely related to hepatitis C and cirrhosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the hepatocarcinogenesis induced by HCV...Full Text Available
Developing in vitro engineered hepatic tissues that exhibit stable phenotype is a major challenge in the field of hepatic tissue engineering. However, the rapid dedifferentiation of...Full Text Available
An assay system for the stem cell that colonizes the thymus and differentiates into T cells was developed, and by using this assay system the existence of two subpopulations of stem cells for T cell lineage was clarified. Part-body-shielded and 900-R-irradiated C57BL/6 (H-2b, Thy-1.2) recipient mice, which do not require the transfer of pluripotent stem cells for their survival, were transferred with cells from B10 X Thy-1.1 (H-2b, Thy-1.1) donor mice. The reconstitution of the recipient's thymus lymphocytes was accomplished by stem cells in the donor cells and those spared in the shielded portion of the recipient that competitively colonize the thymus. Thus, the stem cell activity of donor cells can be evaluated by determining the proportion of donor-type (Thy-1.1+) cells in the recipient's thymus. Bone marrow cells were the most potent source of stem cells. By contrast, when the stem cell activity was compared between spleen and bone marrow ...
We carried out a feeding study in rats aimed at extending our aboservations of contaminant-induced immunosuppression in harbour seals. Two herring batches were freeze-dried, supplemented and fed to female adult PVG rats for a period of 4 1/2 months. Daily contaminant intakes of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) toxic equivalents (TEQ) were estimated to be 0.3 ng/kg body weight and 1.6 ng/kg in the Atlantic and Baltic groups, respectively. At the end of the feeding experiment, no contaminant-related changes in spleen CD{sub 4}{sup +}/CD{sub 8}{sup +} cellularity, natural killer cell activity, or mitogen-induced proliferative responses of thymus or spleen cells could be detected. However, total thymocyte numbers and thymus CD{sub 4}{sup +}/CD{sub 8}{sup +} ratios were reduced in the Baltic group. A novel model was established to assess the specific T-cell response to rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV). When applied to the feeding study, no ...
HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES IN HUMANS TYPICALLY INVOLVE TWO TYPES OF GENETIC CHANGES: those that promote hematopoietic cell proliferation and survival (often the result of activation of tyrosine kinases) and those that impair hematopoietic cell differentiation (often the result of changes in transcription factors). The multi-stage erythroleukemia induced in mice by Friend spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) is an excellent animal model for studying the molecular basis for both of these changes. Significant progress has been made in understanding the molecular basis for the multi-stage erythroleukemia induced by Friend SFFV. In the first stage of leukemia, the envelope protein encoded by SFFV interacts with and activates the erythropoietin (Epo) receptor and the receptor tyrosine kinase sf-Stk in erythroid cells, causing their Epo-independent proliferation, differentiation and survival. In the second stage, SFFV integration into the Sfpi1 locus activates the myeloid ...
Asymptomatic cholelithiasis is increasingly diagnosed today, mainly as a result of the widespread use of abdominal ultrasonography for the evaluation of patients for unrelated or vague abdominal complaints. About 10-20% of people in most western countries have gallstones, and among them 50-70% are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. Asymptomatic gallstone disease has a benign natural course; the progression of asymptomatic to symptomatic disease is relatively low, ranging from 10-25%. The majority of patients rarely develop gallstone-related complications without first having at least one episode of biliary pain ("colic"). In the prelaparoscopy era, (open) cholecystectomy was generally performed for symptomatic disease. The minimally invasive laparoscopic cholecystectomy refueled the discussion about the optimal management of asymptomatic cholelithiasis. Despite some controversy, most authors agree that the vast majority of subjects should ...
CT of the gastrointestinal tract is commonly performed after administration of a high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast material. However, because if inadequate mixing of the contrast material with the gastrointestinal contents, pseudotumor and poor mucosal visualization are frequently shown on abdominal CT. To overcome these problem, 10% corn oil emulsion (COE) is tested as an alternative oral contrast agent in 40 patients. We analyse patients tolerance, gastric mucosal visualization and discrimination of pancreas from the duodenal C-loop to 10% COE in 40 patients compared with those obtained from 35 patients, who was received high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast agent (gastrografin). The results are as follows : 1. Patients' tolerance to 10% COE is similar to that to conventional oral contrast agent. 2. Image of the gastric mucosa from patients receiving 10% COE is superior to that receiving oral contrast agent. 3. The discrimination ...
CT of the gastrointestinal tract is commonly performed after administration of a high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast material. However, because if inadequate mixing of the contrast material with the gastrointestinal contents, pseudotumor and poor mucosal visualization are frequently shown on abdominal CT. To overcome these problem, 10% corn oil emulsion (COE) is tested as an alternative oral contrast agent in 40 patients. We analyse patients tolerance, gastric mucosal visualization and discrimination of pancreas from the duodenal C-loop to 10% COE in 40 patients compared with those obtained from 35 patients, who was received high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast agent (gastrografin). The results are as follows : 1. Patients' tolerance to 10% COE is similar to that to conventional oral contrast agent. 2. Image of the gastric mucosa from patients receiving 10% COE is superior to that receiving oral contrast agent. 3. The discrimination between ...
Through the use of a variety of post-labeling techniques, the nucleotide sequence of a major species of leucine tRNA from bovine liver was determined to be pG-G-U-A-G-C-G-U-G-m-G-C-ac-C-G-A-G-C-G-G-D-C-psi-A-A-G-G-C-m-G-C-U-G-G-A-psim-...Full Text Available
Single-shot spin-echo diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging using a phased-array multicoil was performed to distinguish between normal and cirrhotic livers. Sets of 6 images with different b-value were acquired with breath-holding. Significant differences were observed between controls and cirrhosis cases in the signal ratios when the b-value was 383 s/mm{sup 2}, and apparent diffusion coefficients. (orig.)
Iodine-131 MIBG, a radiolabeled adrenergic neuron-blocking agent, decreased rapidly from the heart and liver of patients with adrenergic dysfunction and pheochromocytoma when compared with eight controls. However, there was no significant difference in the rate of (/sup 131/I)MIBG decrease in these organs between controls and patients in the intervals subsequent to 4 hr. These findings suggest that adrenergic neuronal uptake of (/sup 131/I)MIBG in these organs is smaller in the patients than in the controls. Measurements of time-activity relationships of radioiodinated MIBG may be useful for assessment of adrenergic function of these organs and thus of generalized disorders of adrenergic innervation.
We demonstrated that the intensity levels and lifetimes of two-photon autofluorescences (2PAF) in human liver tissues can be exploited to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Excited by an infrared femtosecond laser, we suppressed the two-photon autofluorescences of most endogenous fluorophores and made red autofluorescences more specific to particular molecules in the cryo-sectioned human livers. Using such fluorescence contrast, we found HCC tissues have reduced levels of 2PAF and longer fluorescence lifetime.
Three cDNAs, designated IIA3, IIA3v, and IIA4, coding for P450s in the CYP2A gene subfamily were isolated from a {lambda}gt11 library prepared from human hepatic mRNA. Only three nucleotide differences and a single amino acid difference, Leu{sup 160}{yields}His, were found between IIA3 and IIA3v, indicating that they are probably allelic variants. IIA4 displayed 94% amino acid similarity with IIA3 and IIA3v. The three cDNAs were inserted into vaccinia virus, and recombinant viruses were used to infect human hepatoma Hep G2 cells. Only IIA3 was able to produce an enzyme that had a reduced CO-bound spectrum with a {lambda}{sub max} at 450 nm. This expressed enzyme was able to carry out coumarin 7-hydroxylation and ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation. cDNA-expressed IIA3v and IIA4 failed to incorporate heme and were enzymatically inactive. Analysis of IIA proteins in human liver microsomes, using antibody against rat IIA2, revealed two proteins of 49 and 50 kDa, the former ...
Three cDNAs, designated IIA3, IIA3v, and IIA4, coding for P450s in the CYP2A gene subfamily were isolated from a #lambda#gt11 library prepared from human hepatic mRNA. Only three nucleotide differences and a single amino acid difference, Leu"1"6"0#->#His, were found between IIA3 and IIA3v, indicating that they are probably allelic variants. IIA4 displayed 94% amino acid similarity with IIA3 and IIA3v. The three cDNAs were inserted into vaccinia virus, and recombinant viruses were used to infect human hepatoma Hep G2 cells. Only IIA3 was able to produce an enzyme that had a reduced CO-bound spectrum with a #lambda#_m_a_x at 450 nm. This expressed enzyme was able to carry out coumarin 7-hydroxylation and ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation. cDNA-expressed IIA3v and IIA4 failed to incorporate heme and were enzymatically inactive. Analysis of IIA proteins in human liver microsomes, using antibody against rat IIA2, revealed two proteins of 49 and 50 kDa, the former of ...
Rats or mice acutely exposed to high concentrations of ozone show an immediate and significant weight loss, even when allowed free access to food and water. The mechanisms underlying this systemic response to ozone have not been previously elucidated. We have applied the technique of global gene expression analysis to the livers of C57BL mice acutely exposed to ozone. Mice lost up to 14% of their original body weight, with a 42% decrease in total food consumption. We previously had found significant up-regulation of genes encoding proliferative enzymes, proteins related to acute phase reactions and cytoskeletal functions, and other biomarkers of a cachexia-like inflammatory state in lungs of mice exposed to ozone. These results are consistent with a general up-regulation of different gene families responsive to NF-#kappa#B in the lungs of the exposed mice. In the present study, we observed significant down-regulation of different families of mRNAs in the ...
ZnMT has been postulated to function in essential metal homeostasis and metal detoxication. This study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of liver ZnMT to mediate the interaction of Zn and Pb with the Zn metalloenzyme, ALAD. Pretreatment of rats with Zn activated liver ALAD and attenuated the inhibition of ALAD by Pb in vitro and in vivo. Liver cytosol from Zn-pretreated rats injected with /sup 203/Pb was fractionated via gel filtration and anion-exchange chromatography and disclosed that both Zn and /sup 203/Pb co-eluted in the MT fractions. Both purified ZnMT-I and ZnMT-II bound /sup 203/Pb in vitro as shown by gel filtration chromatography. Addition of purified liver ZnMT to purified bovine liver ALAD reaction mixtures increased enzyme activity by 2-fold and prevented inhibition of ALAD by Pb. Addition of apothionein alone decreased the activity of Zn-activated ALAD and ...
The hepatic artery chemoembolization with Lipiodol, doxorublicin. Gelfoam was performed in 14 mongrel dogs to evaluate embolic effect of these materials to normal liver parenchyma. Fourteen dogs were divided into four experimental groups according to the kinds of embolic materials. 3 dogs with 0.1ml/kg of Lipiodol (Group 1), 4 dogs with 0.1ml/kg of Lipiodol and 0.5mg/kg of doxorubicin (Group 2). 4 dogs with Lipiodol, doxorubicin and 150-300 pieces of 0.5 x 0.5cm sized Gelfoam (Group 3), 3 dogs with Gelfoam alone (Group 4). Follow-up liver function tests and liver CT were performed 1 day, 3 day, 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks after embolization. Pathologic examination was performed 3 weeks after embolization. Lipiodol densities in group 1 were cleared 2 weeks after embolization, and in group 2, patch and nodular Lipiodol densities were changed to mottled and streaky densities 3 weeks after chemoembolization. In group 3, patch ...
Hepatic injury and regeneration of the liver are associated with activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC). Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors are important regulators of repair in various tissues. HSC express FGFR3IIIc as well as FGFGR4 and different spliced FGFR1IIIc and FGFR2IIIc isoforms which differ in the presence or absence of the acid box and of the first Ig-like domain. Expression of FGF9, known to be capable to activate the HSC FGFR2/3-isoforms, was increased in HSC in liver slice cultures after exposition to carbon tetrachloride, as an acute liver injury model. FGF9 significantly stimulated 3-H thymidine incorporation of hepatocytes, but failed to induce DNA synthesis in HSC despite the fact that FGF9 induced a sustained activation of extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK) 1/2. FGF9 induced an increased phosphorylation of Tyr436 of the fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate (FRS) 2, ...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and has very limited therapeutic options. Recently, it has been found that hyaluronic acid (HA) shows selective binding to CD44 receptors expressed in most cancer histotypes. Since the trend in cancer treatment is the use of targeted radionuclide therapy, the aim of this research was to label HA with rhenium-188 and to evaluate its potential use as a hepatocarcinoma therapeutic radiopharmaceutical. Methods: {sup 188}Re-HA was prepared by a direct labelling method to produce a ReO(O-COO){sub 2}-type coordination complex. {sup 188}Re-HA protein binding and its stability in saline, phosphate buffer, human serum and cysteine solutions were determined. Biokinetic and dosimetric data were estimated in healthy mice (n=60) using the Medical Internal Radiation Dose methodology and mouse model beta-absorbed fractions. To evaluate liver toxicity, alanine aminotranferase (AST) and ...
The paper studies subphrenic inflammatory abscesses and splenic fluid collections after splenectomy for trauma. These complications may appear early or late postoperatively; they are easily demonstrated with computerized tomography, which permits accurate spatial assessment of the lesions and appropriate treatment with percutaneous drainage. It has been also investigates the diagnostic accuracy of the CT in subphrenic inflammatory conditions after emergency splenectomy for traumatic spleen rupture and found that CT is a precious tool for rapid and easy diagnosis and follow-up of subphrenic abscesses treated with percutaneous drainage. [Italian] Scopo del lavoro e' di valutare il ruolo della tomografia computerizzata nelle flogrosi subfreniche secondarie a splenectomia d'urgenza per rottura traumatica della milza, documentando come tale metodica risulti accurata nel diagnosticare e monitorare in modo semplice e rapido l'evoluzione e il ...
Twenty-four patients were studied with both /sup 201/Tl-thallus chloride and /sup 99m/Tc-TBI scintigraphy following exercise. Comparison of the two agents in detecting segmental myocardial ischemia and scar was made in 18 patients with evidence of coronary artery disease on /sup 201/Tl-thallous chloride scintigraphy. Agreement between the two studies was observed in 77% (125 of 162) of left ventricular segments, suggesting that /sup 99m/Tc-TBI can be used as a myocardial perfusion agent. Limitations were related to early high background activity from lungs and liver. The high lung activity and early myocardial redistribution within the 1st hour contributed to the failure of /sup 99m/Tc-TBI to detect 16 segmental defects seen in the immediate post-exercise thallous chloride scan. Persistently high liver activity additionally affected accurate interpretation in the left ventricular segments close to the diaphragm. Improvement in the accuracy of ...
High concentrations of toxic chemicals in sediment and white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus), as well as liver diseases (e.g., carcinomas) in this species, were found in the Los Angeles area. The highest concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs) in the sediment were in San Pedro Bay, and the highest concentrations of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) derivatives were in sediment from near the White Point sewer outfall. Concentrations of AHs, polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), and DDT derivatives were generally higher in food organisms from the croaker's stomach than in sediment. Moreover, croaker from San Pedro Bay and White Point were substantially contaminated with DDT derivatives and metabolites of aromatic compounds, compared to croaker from the Hyperion outfall and Dana Point. The evidence suggest that the observed pathological conditions of the liver were associated with exposure of the croaker to toxic chemicals, ...
The authors investigated the effect of T-2 toxin on rat liver mitochondrial protein synthesis. Isolated rat liver mitochondria were supplemented with an S-100 supernatant from rat liver and an external ATP-generating system. An in-vitro assay employing cycloheximide, and inhibitor of cytoplasmic protein synthesis, and chloramphenicol, and inhibitor of mitochondrial protein synthesis, to distinguish mitochondrial protein synthesis from the cytoplasmic process. Amino acid incorporation into mitochondria was dependent on the concentration of mitochondria and was inhibited by chloramphenicol. The rate of uptake of tritium leucine into mitochondrial protein was unaffected by the addition of T-2 toxin and was not a rate-limiting step in incorporation. However, 0.02 micrograms/ml of T-2 toxin decreased the rate of protein synthesis inhibition correlated with the amount of T-2 toxin taken up by the mitochondria. While T-2 toxin is ...
Somatogenic hormones play an important role in regulation of receptors for prolactin (PRL) and estrogen. Plerocercoids of the tapeworm, S. mansonoides produce a factor which mimics some, but not all of the actions reported for GH. Intact female rats were subjected to a constant infusion of plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) via a subcutaneous infection for two weeks to determine if PGF influences receptors for PRL, GH or estradiol. The rate of weight gain in the PGF-treated rats was accelerated in spite of a marked reduction in serum GH. Partially-purified PGF specifically displaced [125I]hGH from rat liver receptors but microsomes prepared from rats treated with PGF specifically bound significantly less [125I]hGH than microsomes from control rats. The reduction in [125I]hGH binding was not due to occupancy or to a change in affinity but to a suppression in receptor concentration. Scatchard analysis of [3H]estradiol binding in rat liver cytosols ...
The elucidation on the metabolic products of the {sup 99}mTc-antibody conjugates may provide insights and approaches that would reduce the undesirable deposition of radioactive species in normal tissue. In this investigation, the radiolabeled species in blood, urine, bile and extracts of liver and kidney obtained at different times after the injection of a model antibody, {sup 99}mTc, into mice were analyzed with various chromatographic methods. Ninety-nine to 100% of the radioactivity in serum was associated with intact Mab 170. The radioactivity in liver homogenate extract was strictly protein-bound to either intact Mab or low molecular weight species (LMW). In kidney extracts, the majority of the radioactivity was protein bound {sup 99}mTc, with less than 8% of the activity being non- protein bound . Multiple {sup 99}mTc -containing protein and non-protein species were found in urine and bile. Evidence supporting the presence of {sup ...
The primary aim was to evaluate delayed contrast-enhanced MRI in depicting perineural spread of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) and consequently to determine the capability of MRI/MRCP for staging CCC. Fifteen patients that underwent MRI/MRCP and surgical treatment were retrospectively included. Two radiologists evaluated MR images to assess delayed periductal enhancement, extent of bile duct stenosis, liver parenchymal and vascular involvement and presence of liver atrophy. An agreement between delayed enhancement of the bile duct walls and perineural neoplastic spread showed a very good correlation factor (0.93). The overall accuracy in detecting biliary neoplastic invasion was higher for delayed T1-weighted images (93.3%) than for the MRCP images (80%), and T1-delayed image increased the MR accuracy in assessing the neoplastic resectability (p < 0.05). MRI correctly predicted vascular involvement in 73% and liver ...
Abstract Juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum) (100-g) were fed four moist diets (447-476-g-kg-1-dry-wt) where 0, 130, 260 or 390-g-kg-1 of concentrated lizardfish (Saurida undosquamis) silage replaced fresh lizardfish, respectively. Blood and livers were sampled at 0, 6, 12, 24 and 48-h postfeeding at the end of the 3-week experiment. At 6-h postfeeding in all groups, maximum concentrations of most plasma essential amino acids were observed, while significantly lower levels of most non-essential amino acid levels were recorded compared to the other sampled times. At 6 and 12-h after feeding, the concentration of most plasma free amino acid (FAA) increased with an increase in dietary fish silage levels. Most FAA in livers of all groups peaked at 12 and 24-h postfeeding. However, at 48-h po...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the radioprotective effect of turmeric extract (40 mg/kg body weight) and vitamin E (#alpha# - tocopherol acetate, 400 IU/kg body weight) supplementation on lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione and antioxidant defense enzymes in various organs like liver, kidney and salivary glands at 24 h in adult Swiss mice. "1"3"1Iodine exposure significantly increased lipid peroxidation in kidney and salivary glands in comparison to control animals. Pre supplementation with turmeric extract for 15 days showed significant lowering of lipid peroxidation in kidney. On the other hand vitamin E pre supplementation showed marked reduction in lipid peroxidation in salivary glands. Reduced glutathione levels decreased significantly in liver after radiation exposure. However, pre supplementation with turmeric extract and vitamin E did not improve glutathione levels in liver. In conclusion we have observed ...
Fourteen surgical patients with non-hepatobiliary diseases were studied with "9"9Tc"m EHIDA imaging to evaluate the effect of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) on the hepatobiliary function. The duration of TPN ranged from 6 to 56 days; for 10 of the 14 patients it was between 6 to 10 days. The results showed that: (1) 11 of 14 patients had abnormal scintigraphic features. The most prominent findings were delayed liver excretion and prolonged blood clearance time. This fact suggests that not only the rate of excretion of the bile from the liver is decreased but the uptake ability of the hepatocyte is also impaired. (2) The effect of TPN on liver function is reversible. The authors conclude that in order to prevent irreversible damage of hepatobiliary function caused by TPN, the duration of TPN should not be too long and oral intake of nutrients should be resumed as soon as possible. (author). 9 refs, 3 figs, 3 tabs.
Rat lung and liver microsomes did not undergo lipid peroxidation in the absence of iron when incubated with NADPH and concentrations of paraquat ranging from 10/sup -7/ to 10/sup -2/ M. Paraquat also did not stimulate rat liver and lung microsomal peroxidation induced by added iron and NADPH, and was inhibitory at concentrations above 10 ..mu..M. Similarly, no stimulation of peroxidation was produced by paraquat in rabbit or human lung microsomes; however, under similar conditions, paraquat enhanced NADPH/iron-dependent peroxidation in mouse lung and liver microsomes obtained from rats sacrificed at 12, 18, and 24 hr following a lethal dose of paraquat (50 mg/kg, ip), there was no loss of vitamin E or increase in susceptibility to in vitro peroxidation which would be expected if lipid peroxidation had occurred in vivo although extensive lung damage developed during this time period. These results indicate that paraquat does ...
Quantitative hepatic scintiangiography was previously used for evaluating the relative contribution of hepatic arterial and portal venous blood flows to the hepatic circulation. The present study compares 3 different procedures (automatic and manual integration, and slope fitting methods) for analyzing the hepatic time activity curves obtained after bolus i.v. injection of 370 MBq /sup 99m/Tc-diethylentriaminopentacetic acid. Twenty five subjects were studied: Five controls, ten cirrhotics, and ten portal hypertensive patients previously submitted to side to side portacaval anastomosis. The correspondence between results given by the different methods was satisfactory only in shunted patients, and the reproducibility of computed parameters was quite poor for all procedures. Accordingly, none of the methods can be considered as supporting reliable quantitative pathophysiological evaluations. However, the hepatic arterial/portal venous flow ratio was found to be increased in ...
Chicken embryos were x-irradiated in ovo with 5-30 cGy (=priming dose) at the 13th-15th day of development. After 3-48 h, brain- and liver-cell suspensions were x-irradiated in vitro with (challenge) doses of 4-32 Gy. Significantly less radiation damage was observed when the radiation response was measured by scheduled DNA synthesis, nucleoid sedimentation and viscosity of alkaline cell lysates 12-36 h after the priming exposure. In vivo, pre-irradiation with 10 cGy enhanced regeneration as evidenced by the DNA content of chicken embryo brain and liver 24 h following a challenge dose of 4 Gy. From nucleoid sedimentation analyses in brain and liver cells immediately after irradiation with 16 Gy and after a 30-min repair period in the presence of aphidicolin, dideoxythymidine and 3-aminobenzamide or in the absence of these DNA repair inhibitors, it is concluded that a reduction of the initial radiation damage is the dominant ...
Background & AimsMolecular mechanisms underlying alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are still not fully understood. Activating transcription factor-4 (ATF4) is the master coordinator of the integrated stress response (ISR), an adaptive pathway triggered by multiple stressors. which can promote cell death and induce metabolic dysregulation if the stress is intense or prolonged. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of alcohol on the ISR signaling pathway in human liver cells and to define the role of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) in this response. MethodsPrimary cultured human hepatocytes and human HepG2 cells over-expressing CYP2E1 by adenoviral infection were exposed to ethanol (25-100mM) for 8-48h. ResultsEthanol treatment of both liver cells up-regulated ATF4 as well as the pro-survi...
Abstract Aims: The aim of this study was to examine whether metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with periodontitis in a representative sample of Korean adults, who were involved in the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Materials and Methods: A total of 7178 subjects over the age of 19 years who participated in KNHANES were examined. MS was defined as the definition proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and the abdominal obesity cut-off line based on Korean Society for the Study of Obesity. The periodontal status was assessed by the Community Periodontal Index. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out adjusting for the sociodemographics, oral health behaviours and status, and health behaviou...
A hypofunctionality of Gi proteins has been found in migraine patients. The fixed combination of indomethacin, prochlorperazine and caffeine (Indoprocaf) is a drug of well-established use in the acute treatment of migraine and tension-type headache. The aim of this study was to investigate if Indoprocaf was able to exert its central antinociceptive action when Gi proteins activity is abolished by pertussis toxin (PTX), compared to its single active ingredients and to sumatriptan. The mice model of abdominal constriction test induced by an i.p. injection of a 0.6% solution of acetic acid was used. The study showed that Indoprocaf (a fixed combination of indomethacin 1?mg/kg, prochlorperazine 1?mg/kg and caffeine 3?mg/kg, s.c.) and sumatriptan (20?mg/kg, s.c.) exert their central antinocicep...
The prevalence of hepatic cysts is 0.1% to 0.5% based on autopsy studies, and 2.5% based on US examinations. Percutaneous therapies are a new alternative to surgery. They include simple percutaneous aspiration, catheter drainage alone, and catheter drainage with sclerotherapy. We present an 11-year-old boy admitted to hospital because of abdominal pain. A diagnosis of simple hepatic cyst was made, which was treated with aspiration and tetracycline hydrochloride solution (5%) injection into the cystic cavity. Complete regression was seen on US and MRI examination at 3 months, with total collapse and deflation of the cyst. The cyst regressed totally, leaving a hyperechoic linear scar on US examination at 1 year. On the basis of the clinical and imaging results obtained, percutaneous sclerotherapy of hepatic cysts can be recommended as the treatment of choice and as a valid alternative to laparoscopy in children. (orig.)
Serotonin is an important signaling molecule involved in the control of feeding in flies and other animals. In this study, a potential neurohemal release site for serotonin and the effects of exogenous serotonin on protein feeding were examined in the black blow fly, Phormia regina. A dense network of varicose neural processes exhibiting serotonin-like immunoreactivity was identified on the dorsal region of the thoracico-abdominal ganglion in P. regina. This dorsal region of the central nervous system is a likely site for the release of serotonin into the hemolymph. Circulating serotonin may have multiple systemic effects on fly physiology, including modulating or regulating feeding related processes and diuresis. Injections of exogenous serotonin reduced protein meal size in female flies ...
Objectives Vietnamese patients? views on healthcare are changing as surgical interventions become more commonplace, but their views on perioperative care have remained largely unstudied during this period of rapid change. This study assesses Vietnamese patients? impression of anesthesia safety and postoperative pain in relation to clinical outcomes with the aim of improving patient-centered perioperative care. Methods The study cohort consisted of 180 hospitalized patients who were followed for 24?h following abdominal surgery. The assessments of these patients on the use of anesthesia and postoperative pain were measured by means of a 5-point Likert scale survey. Perioperative events were recorded on standardized forms by medical staff. The relationship between relevant factors affecting ...
In a 47-year-old male patient a bronchopleural fistula was apparent 22 days after extended right-sided diaphragma-pericardio-pleuro-pneumonectomy for pleuramesothelioma. The thoracic cavity was infected. Rethoracotomy was performed and the fistula was closed using an omental pedicle flap. The bronchial stump became tight and the cavity fluid became sterile. No abdominal complications were seen. The patient died 8 months later from malignant pericardial infiltration. The ability of greater omentum to revascularize ischemic tissue, to absorb fluid and to resist local infection is proved and used in several subspecialities of surgery. Nevertheless the use of the greater omentum in the management of bronchopleural fistula has been rarely published. The reported case shows that the closure of a large bronchopleural fistula is possible by using the attributes of the omental tissue. PMID:2264043
Abstract. Scanning electron microscopy documentation of first instar Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, Phormia regina (Meigen) and Lucilia illustris (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is presented for the first time, and the following morphological structures are documented: pseudocephalon; antenna; maxillary palpus; facial mask; labial lobe; thoracic and abdominal spinulation; spiracular field; posterior spiracles, and anal pad. Light microscopy documentation and illustrations are provided for the cephaloskeleton in lateral and ventral views. New diagnostic features are revealed in the configuration of the facial mask, cephaloskeleton and posterior spiracles. The first instar morphology of C. vicina, Ph. regina and L. illustris is discussed in the light of existing knowledge about early...
The initial series of laparoscopic single stage orchiopexy for the abdominal or emergent impalpable undescended testis is reported. The first laparoscopic orchiopexy was performed at our institution in October 1991. Between October 1991 and January 1993, 14 patients (16 testes) underwent minimally invasive surgery with 6 months of followup in all cases. No evidence of testicular loss or acute atrophy has occurred, with the entire procedure being accomplished by laparo-endoscopic techniques in all cases. Treatment of 3 of the 16 testicles consisted of stage 2 of staged orchiopexy, and to our knowledge these cases represent the first stage 2 orchiopexy completed by laparoscopic techniques. In those cases stage 1 was performed by laparoscopic clipping of the vessels. The details of the procedure as we now perform it are described. PMID:7915336
Abstract Introduction: Transduodenal ampullectomy (TDA) can be performed for benign and premalignant tumors of the ampulla of Vater (AOV) as an alternative to pancreaticoduodenectomy. However, the laparoscopic approach has rarely been attempted. In this report 2 cases of benign ampullary tumor that were treated by totally laparoscopic TDA. Patients and Methods: Case 1 was of a 75-year-old female who was admitted with left knee pain and underwent arthroscopic debridement. On postoperative day 6, she showed elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase, aspirate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, without any other laboratory test abnormality. She had no complaint of abdominal pain, and physical examinations were unremarkable. Computed tomography (CT), magnet...
Dynamic CT and MRT were performed in 21 patients who had undergone prosthetic replacement of the aorta because of dissection of the thoracic aorta. There is no difference between MRI and dynamic CT in the demonstration of a persistent intimal flap, the formation of a thrombus and the assessment of the aortic diameter in patients who underwent surgery for thoraco-abdominal aortic dissection. MRI, however, is superior in the identification of the true and false lumen and the demonstration of the distal anastomotic site. The major advantages of MRI are that there is no need for intravenous contrast agents, that it is high sensitive to flow phenomena, and that it can demonstrate the aortic arch and the ascending aorta on sagittal oblique sections. The major disadvantages of MRI are the limited access to the patient during the procedure, and the inability to examine patients fitted with pacemakers or who are on assisted ventilation. Today, MRI is considered the method ...
Exposure to urban air pollution is an independent risk factor for increased cardiovascular diseases. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases. This study has been designed to determine whether inhalation of urban air induces HSP70 expression in the lung and blood as well as the association of HSP70 and air pollution-induced vascular dysfunction. Apolipoprotein E (Apo-E) deficient mice were exposed to diesel exhaust (DE) either acutely (3 days, 200 or 400 g/m3 for 6 h/day) or chronically (7 weeks, 200 or 400 g/m3 for 6 h/day). HSP70 was measured in the lung using immunohistochemistry, and in the plasma by ELISA. Abdominal aorta rings were used to determine vascular functional responses. Chronic DE-exposure incr...
Active contrast material extravasation can be recognized with conventional CT scanners, though it has been considered a rare finding. Helical CT seems to increase the detection rate and especially to boost the radiologist's confidence in this diagnosis. Though active bleeding is defined in severely-injured subjects requiring urgent intervention and may be associated with findings of hypovolaemic shock, it should not be considered itself as a negative prognostic factor. Contrast extravasation is due to ongoing hemorrhage and its detection is critical for urged treatment. Accurate anatomical location permits to choose surgical management or transcatheter embolization and thus decreases time consumption for precis e bleeding site identification.
Background For the past 14 years, we have been performing laparoscopic adrenalectomy via the lateral transabdominal as well as the posterior retroperitoneal approach. The aim of this study is to describe patient selection criteria for each approach with comparison of perioperative outcomes. Methods In patients with smaller tumors, low body mass index (BMI), history of previous abdominal operations, appropriate body habitus, and bilateral pathology, we have performed preferentially the posterior approach. Data regarding clinical pathology, tumor size, BMI, estimated blood loss (EBL), operating time (OT), morbidity, mortality, and duration of stay were analyzed retrospectively. Data are expressed as mean +- standard error of the mean (SEM). Results One hundred seventy-two laparoscopic adrena...
In Niigata University Hospital, most of conventional radiography were changed to Fuji computed Radiography (FCR) from July 1988. To evaluate its clinical utility, questionnaires relating to FCR image were distributed to all physicians including non-radiologists in the hospital after three months. The ratio of the physicians evaluated FCR image to be better than conventional image was 75% in chest radiography, 64% in abdominal radiography. FCR tomography of bone, joint, cranium and chest was also evaluated to be better than conventional by most of the physicians. Reduced size of the film and difficulty in detecting interstitial shadows of the lung were mentioned to be the fault of FCR. (author).
In Niigata University Hospital, most of conventional radiography were changed to Fuji computed Radiography (FCR) from July 1988. To evaluate its clinical utility, questionnaires relating to FCR image were distributed to all physicians including non-radiologists in the hospital after three months. The ratio of the physicians evaluated FCR image to be better than conventional image was 75% in chest radiography, 64% in abdominal radiography. FCR tomography of bone, joint, cranium and chest was also evaluated to be better than conventional by most of the physicians. Reduced size of the film and difficulty in detecting interstitial shadows of the lung were mentioned to be the fault of FCR. (author).
The first cardiac pacemaker implants occurred in the late 1950s and involved insertion of epicardial or epimyocardial leads and abdominal pulse generators. By the mid 1960s, cardiologists were making attempts to insert transvenous leads into the right ventricle. These early unipolar leads had large, polished, high polarization electrodes, no fixation device, and no lumen in which to place a stylet for lead positioning. The lead implantation procedures were usually long and the irradiation to both patient and operator excessive. Pulse generators were powered by zinc-mercury cells, which were large, unreliable, and prone to sudden output failure. Postoperative complications such as lead dislodgement, exit block, and premature power source failure were very common with most patients requiring...
Aim of the work was to describe computerised tomography (CT) findings of calcified renal metastases focusing on differential diagnosis problems. Abdominal CT scans of 8000 patients with tumor, performed from 1984 to 1998, have been retrospectively reviewed. [Italian] Scopo del lavoro e' quello di descrivere gli aspetti con tomografia computerizzata delle metastasi renali calcificate enfatizzando le problematiche diagnostico differenziali. Sono state valutate retrospettivamente le indagini TC addominali di 8000 pazienti affetti da tumore nel periodo 1984-1998, analizzando le lesioni calcificate riscontrate.
In recent years, Obesity (defined as Body Mass Index > 30 kg/m2) has increased its prevalence reaching epidemic levels in countries such as The United States where it has became a national health issue. In Colombia the Obesity prevalence is figured around 14%. Treatment options for Obesity include life style modifications, pharmacologist management and surgical approach (Bariatric Surgery). This article describes a patient with previous bariatric surgery, who presents abdominal pain and melena owed to isquemic process of the alimentary limb caused by an internal hernia which is a potentially lethal condition if it is not highly suspected allowing its early diagnosis and treatment
Pyogenic sacroiliitis is a rare entity in children. Diagnosis is often delayed because of its variable clinical presentation, low suspicion by the examining physician, and rare findings on radiographs. Delayed diagnosis, however, results in complications such as iliopsoas abscess. We report the case of a 12-year-old girl hospitalized with a 21-day history of fever, pain in the left iliac fossa, and flexion contracture of the hip. On examination, she had fever (38.9 ^oC), psoitis, localized tenderness at the left sacroiliac joint, and pain elicited by lateral compression of the pelvis. The abdominal examination was normal. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 130mm in the first hour, C-reactive protein was 186mg/l, and the white blood cell count was 18,400/mm^3, with 79% neutrophils. Urin...
Abstract Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is an immune sensor for gram-positive bacterial cell wall components. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TLR2 gene that impair its function may, therefore, influence the risk and outcomes of gram-positive bacterial infections. In a cohort of 694 liver transplant recipients, we assessed the TLR2 SNP that is translated into an amino acid substitution of arginine for glutamine at position 753 (R753Q), and we found that its presence was associated with the clinical characteristics and outcomes of gram-positive bacterial infections. The proportions of patients with the TLR2 R753Q SNP did not significantly differ between those with gram-positive bacterial infections and those without gram-positive bacterial infections (9.6% versus 9.6%, P = 0.999)....
When labeled cAMP is incubated with isolated mitochondria from rat liver, it penetrates not only through the outer membrane of the mitochondria but also into the mitoplasts, where it is accumulated chiefly in the matrix. Damage to the mitochondrial membrane by freezing-thawing promotes not an influx but an efflux of cAMP out of the mitoplasts. A substantial part of the labeled nucleotide in all the investigated submitochondrial fractions was identified as intact cAMP by the method of thin-layer chromatography. The transport of cAMP into the mitochondria can explain the activation of their functions by the hormones that activate cytoplasmic adenylate cyclase and by extramitochondrial (cytosol) cAMP, as well as the presence of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and cAMP-phosphodiesterase in the mitochondria.
The growing epidemic of juvenile obesity has prompted pediatricians to investigate obesity-related conditions in obese teenagers. We report a clinical case of severe hepatic fibrosis in an adolescent with severe and recent obesity. Because of elevated serum aminotransferase levels, abnormal hepatic ultrasonography and insulin resistance (impaired glucose tolerance), we suspected nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Disease activity and fibrosis were confirmed on liver biopsy. Considering the risk of progression toward cirrhosis and its complications, and the pathological liver lesions, we started long-term medical monitoring and drug therapy to control weight loss. At present, although biopsy is the only validated way to establish the diagnosis of NASH, there is no consensus on its indicat...
One hypothesis for the decline of the North American greater (Aythya marila) and lesser (A. affinis) scaup population is that contaminant burdens acquired on wintering or staging areas impair reproduction or cause lethal or sublethal health effects. Recent studies have found increased selenium (Se) concentrations in scaup but have focused on the fall and spring staging periods. From January to March 2006 and December to March 2006 and 2007, we analyzed liver tissues collected from greater scaup wintering in western Lake Ontario for 16 trace elements. We also measured Se concentrations in greater scaup blood and Dreissenid mussel tissue. Se was the only trace element that occurred at increased concentrations (>10??g/g liver dry weight) in a substantial proportion (99%) of greater scaup live...
RIFLE criteria have been used to determine the incidence of acute kidney dysfunction (AKD) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, no studies have focused on the incidence of AKD after OLT in patients with normal pre-OLT kidney functions. Using the RIFLE criteria, we determined the incidence and risk factors for AKD after OLT in patients with normal pre-OLT kidney function. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 112 patients who underwent OLT from January 2000 to February 2009 with normal prior kidney function. We investigated three levels of renal dysfunction outlined in the RIFLE criteria: risk (R); injury (I); and failure (F). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were collected. AKD occurred in 64 (57%) OLTs with risk, injury, and failure frequenc...
In this study, we evaluated the hypothesis that long term dietary restriction would have beneficial effects on the oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme systems in liver, heart and kidney in adult male rats undergoing different intensities of swimming exercise. Sixty male, Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned as either dietary restricted on every other week day (DR) or fed ad libitum (AL) groups, and each group was further subdivided into sedentary, endurance swimming exercise training (submaximal exercise) and exhaustive swimming exercise (maximal exercise) groups. Animals in the submaximal exercise group swam 5 days/week for 8 weeks, while maximal exercise was performed as an acute bout of exercise. In parallel with the increase in the intensity of the exercise, the degree of lipid peroxi...
Hypertension is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. We investigated the potential antihypertensive effect of the purple passion fruit peel (PFP) extract, a mixture of bioflavonoids, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins, in spontaneously hypertensive rats and human. A high-performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed to identify the active ingredients of the PFP extract. In a rat liver toxicity assay, no hepatotoxicity was observed after 9 hours incubation in the presence of PFP extract (20 ?g/mL). The PFP extract also revealed hepatoprotection against chloroform (1 mmol/L)-induced liver injury. In the experimental model, 24 spontaneously hypertensive rats were divided into 3 treatment groups for a period of 8weeks: cont...
A female employee was exposed to lead dust for 8 h daily from 4.5.1982 to 20.5.1982. During this time conception occurred (1st day of last menses 4.5.82). Acute symptoms of lead intoxication were not observed in this subject but were in other employees. Measurements of lead content were started after the end of exposure and continued for 6 months until normal values were obtained. Because of the half-life of nearly 20 days for lead elimination from blood the estimated body burden at the end of exposure was about 1200 ppb. The fetal tissue samples contained between 0.4 (brain) and 7.9 (liver) ..mu..g lead/g dry weight. The fetal lead was mainly stored in bone, blood and liver. From the results given a delayed elimination of fetal lead is suggested.
Aim To determine the fate and clinical implication of large (?2cm), non-hypervascular nodules depicted on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the cirrhotic liver. Materials and methods In 21 patients with cirrhosis (14 hepatitis B, two ethanol abuse, four cryptogenic, one Wilson's disease), 25 large (?2cm in the longest dimension) non-hypervascular nodules were identified on dynamic MRI. The implications for diagnosis of the initial size, contour, and signal characteristics on MRI in addition to patients' age and cause of cirrhosis were assessed in our analysis. Results Twelve (75%) out of 16 lesions were malignant or potentially-malignant from 14 hepatitis B patients, while seven (78%) of the nine lesions from other patients were benign (p=0.016). The mean age of the patients who ha...
Matrine (Mat), a component extracted from Sophora flavescens Ait, has a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects. Glycyrrhizin (Gly), a major active constituent of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, has various pharmacological effects. Gly and Mat are ancillary drugs used clinically in China for protection of liver function and treatment of tumors. However, habitual administration of Gly may cause adverse effects marked by the development of pseudohypercorticosteroidism. This work was designed to see whether combination use of Gly and Mat could offer better liver protective and anti-hepatocarcinogenic effects than Gly or Mat alone, and whether it could reduce the adverse effects of Gly alone by acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity, diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, inductio...
The activity of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) in the liver of mice subjected simultaneously to ionizing radiation and to local inflammatory process showed in the first 24 hours of the experiment statistically significant changes resulting from summation of the harmful effects of both factors. In the second 24-hour period an evident tendency was observed for return of a normal circadian rhythm of the enzyme. This points to presence of an endogenous mechanism of suppression of the manifestations of significant desynchronization of the circadian rhythm. The paper contains also a trial of mathematical analysis of changes in TAT activity in the circadian rhythm, a description and analysis or the suppression process, qualitative and quantitative determination of the phenomenon of cumulation of the effects of powerful stress factors acting on the animal organism. The obtained results were compared with the results of investigations of TAT activity changes obtained in ...
The evaluation of hepatic histology and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV-coinfected patients is rapidly changing. HCV has become an important cause of mortality in HIV-infected patients. Consequently, assessment of liver histology in all coinfected patients is particularly important. The evaluation of hepatic histology is shifting from reliance on the liver biopsy toward noninvasive modalities. Additionally, the importance of HCV-associated morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients has prompted increasing numbers of these patients to be HCV treatment candidates. Prospective trials in coinfected patients have reported lower sustained virologic responses compared to HCV-monoinfected patients. Consequently, the numbers of coinfected nonresponders to pegylated interferon/ribavir...
We have developed a cell-mediated mutagenesis assay in which cells with the appropriate markers for mutagenesis are co-cultivated with either lethally irradiated rodent embryonic cells that can metabolize carcinogenic hydrocarbons or with primary rat liver cells that can metabolize chemicals carcinogenic to the liver. During co-cultivation, the reactive metabolites of the procarcinogen appear to be transmitted to the mutable cells and induce mutations in them. Assays of this type make it possible to demonstrate a relationship between carcinogenic potency of the chemicals and their ability to induce mutations in mammalian cells. In addition, by simultaneously comparing the frequencies of transformation and mutation induced in normal diploid hamster cells by benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and one of its metabolites, it is possible to estimate the genetic target size for cell transformation in vitro.
To assess the influence of stent design [interlacing (type A) vs. crossing method (type B)] on neointimal hyperplasia using a self-expandable nitinol stent, which crosses the side branches of the abdominal aorta. In seven mongrel dogs, nitinol stents with type A and B intersections were placed in the abdominal aorta across the main branches: 4 Niti-Ms and 3 Niti-Ds. Two months after the stent placement, a DSA was performed for a stent patency evaluation, followed by the extraction of the aortas. The degree of neointimal formation along the wire was evaluated by calculating the area ratio of intimal hyperplasia (type A vs. B). A Student's t-test was employed to investigate the differences in the neointimal hyperplasia between blood types A and B. The total number of wire intersections overlain at the ostia branch ostia was 23 for type A and 36 for type B. The area ratio of the neointimal hyperplasia, for a given area, was 29.09 {+-} ...
In this study, we investigated the effects of one- and two-staged orchiopexy on testicular volume and serum testosterone levels in cases with high, abdominally localized, bilateral nonpalpable testes. Between March 1996 and April 2001, orchiopexy was performed on 46 testes in 23 patients with bilateral nonpalpable testes. In 15 of the 23 patients, a two-stage Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy was performed, and in 8 of the 23 patients, a one-stage laparoscopic orchiopexy was performed. For one patient who lacked both testes, bilateral prosthetic testes were inserted. The patients' ages were between 20 and 23 years (average, 21 years). In the first stage of the two-stage orchiopexy, the spermatic artery was ligated laparoscopically. Six months later, open surgery orchiopexy was performed. Patients were followed for 2 to 16 months (average, 10 months) and were evaluated for testicular atrophy, serum testosterone levels, and complications. In all the patients, the ...
The advent of multislice spiral CT (MSCT) technique has led to new aspects of dose reduction, especially for the dedicated use of MSCT in children. Optimizing pediatric MSCT protocols according to the clinical problem allows reduction of radiation exposure to a minimum without loss of diagnostic quality. The different parameters that influence the degree of dose reduction, like tube current-time product (mAs), tube voltage (kV), collimation and pitch, are discussed in context with previously published data and our own experience in nearly 200 pediatric CT examinations. In our department, the effective mAs is calculated for a pediatric chest MSCT by multiplication of the body weight in kilogram with a factor of 1 to 1.5 and for a pediatric abdominal MSCT by multiplication with a factor of 2 to 2.5. To calculate the equivalent effective dose for a contrast media-enhanced 80 kV protocol, the effective mAs of the 120 kV protocol can be multiplied by 2.7. A factor less ...
Computerized tomography-guided neurolytic splanchnic nerve block is a technique for relieving abdominal cancer pain; the goal is the alcoholic neurolytic interruption of the sensitive structures in retroperitoneal space. Computerized tomography yields accurate anatomical detailing and the course for needle placement and alcohol spread. January, 1993, to July, 1996, twenty-one bilateral splanchnic nerve blocks were performed through the posterior access. Forty-eight hours after alcoholism. 14 patients (66%) had complete pain regression; 52% of the patients needed no analgesics for 6 to 54 days and only 9 patients (42%) needed another low opioid therapy. Complications included hypotension and diarrhea in all cases. One had a cardiac arrest and diet 8 days after the procedure. There were no other complications. The whole procedure usually lasted 60 min (range: 45 to 90 min). Splanchnic nerve neurolysis is a useful treatment in the patients with severe chronic ...
Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose, which causes liver injury in animals and humans, activates c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Although it was shown that the JNK inhibitor SP600125 effectively reduced...Full Text Available
The hepatic removal of albumin-bound substances from plasma requires that they dissociate from albumin. Using indirect methods, we and others have proposed that dissociation may be catalyzed by interaction...Full Text Available
IntroductionMustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, had guarded many German scientists of a Jewish descent before the Second World War. Dr. Rudolf Nissen...Full Text Available
The loss of lead in various kinds of biological materials after drying and ashing is studied by using "2"0"3Pb as tracer which is intravenously injected into mice. The experimental results show that although the oven ashing can be used for determining the lead in samples of lung, kidney, and liver, etc., the oxygen plasma and high pressure digestion are the most suitable methods for the determination of lead in biological materials. (author) 5 refs.; 2 tabs.
The sera of NZB/BL mice have been found to be active in the complement fixation test against isogeneic liver antigens to a higher titre than the sera of CBA, C57BL and DBA/2 mice. Six sera from NZB...Full Text Available
1. Several ring-substituted derivatives of diphenyleneiodonium catalyse the exchange of Cl- and OH- ions across the inner membrane of rat liver mitochondria. They also inhibit state 3 and state 3u oxidations...Full Text Available
Glucose metabolism through glycolysis and hexosamine pathway has been shown to be altered in type 2 diabetes. However, its fate through the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is currently unclear....Full Text Available
This case report demonstrates an hepatic amebic abscess by scintigrapy, utilizing a new radiopharmaceutical designed specifically for that purpose. The abscess is delineated as a positive lesion after twenty four hours. The agent, "1"3"1I-labeled bromometronidazole, may prove to be specific for the diagnosis of these abscesses. (orig.).
AimsRosiglitazone and fenofibrate, specific agonists of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors-γ (PPARγ) and -α (PPARα),...Full Text Available
A small cholangiocarcinoma was detected at autopsy in a patient with thorotrastosis who died from the rupture of esophageal varices at the esophagogastric junction. Prior to the advent of recent diagnostic imaging technique, a correct antemortem diagnosis could only be obtained from tumor markers. However, the tendency for the opacity of the liver to decrease slowly with time and develop uneven trabeculation suggests that small tumors may be difficult to detect against such a non-homogeneous background. (author).
Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1 is a key transcription factor for the regulation of lipogenic enzyme genes in the liver. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) selectively suppress hepatic...Full Text Available
A cDNA library was constructed using RNA isolated from the livers of chickens which had been treated with zinc. This library was screened with a RNA probe complementary to mouse metallothionein-I (MT), and eight chicken MT cDNA clones were obtained. All of the cDNA clones contained nucleotide sequences homologous to regions of the longest (375 bp) cDNA clone. The latter contained an open reading frame of 189 bp, and the deduced amino acid sequence indicates a protein of 63 amino acids of which 20 are cysteine residues. Amino acid composition and partial amino acid sequence analyses of purified chicken MT protein agreed with the amino acid composition and sequence deduced from the cloned cDNA. Amino acid sequence comparison establish that chicken MT shares extensive homology with mammalian MTs. Southern blot analysis of chicken DNA indicates that the chicken MT gene is not a part of a large family of related sequences, but rather is likely to be a unique gene ...
Total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) and 22 other trace elements were measured in ice algae, three species of zooplankton, mixed zooplankton samples, Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), ringed seals (Phoca hispida) and eight species of seabirds to examine the trophodynamics of these metals in an Arctic marine food web. All samples were collected in 1998 in the Northwater Polynya (NOW) located between Ellesmere Island and Greenland in Baffin Bay. THg and MeHg were found to biomagnify through the NOW food web, based on significant positive relationships between log THg and log MeHg concentrations vs. {delta} {sup 15}N muscle and liver . The slope of these relationships for muscle THg and MeHg concentrations (slope = 0.197 and 0.223, respectively) were similar to those reported for other aquatic food webs. The food web behavior of THg and {delta} {sup 15}N appears constant, regardless of trophic state (eutrophic vs. oligotrophic), latitude (Arctic vs. tropical) or ...
Total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) and 22 other trace elements were measured in ice algae, three species of zooplankton, mixed zooplankton samples, Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), ringed seals (Phoca hispida) and eight species of seabirds to examine the trophodynamics of these metals in an Arctic marine food web. All samples were collected in 1998 in the Northwater Polynya (NOW) located between Ellesmere Island and Greenland in Baffin Bay. THg and MeHg were found to biomagnify through the NOW food web, based on significant positive relationships between log THg and log MeHg concentrations vs. #delta# "1"5N muscle and liver . The slope of these relationships for muscle THg and MeHg concentrations (slope = 0.197 and 0.223, respectively) were similar to those reported for other aquatic food webs. The food web behavior of THg and #delta# "1"5N appears constant, regardless of trophic state (eutrophic vs. oligotrophic), latitude (Arctic vs. tropical) or salinity ...
Nodular hepatic involvement of multiple myeloma is very rare. We report here on a case of nodular hepatic involvement of multiple myeloma that mimicked intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. In patients with multiple myeloma, hepatic involvement of the multiple myeloma might be included in the differential diagnosis of hepatic mass.
The kinetics of lead distribution was studied in suckling and adult rats 8 days after a single intraperitoneal injection of "2"0"3Pb. Marked differences were observed in the kinetics of lead retention and distribution in suckling as compared to adult rats. The rate of "2"0"3Pb disappearance was lower in the whole body, blood and kidneys, but higher in the liver, while the deposition processes predominated in the brain, femur and teeth of sucklings as compared to adult animals. (auth).
Structural and functional alterations in hepatocytes of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla, following a 4-week-exposure to 5, 50, and 250 micrograms/liter dinitro-o-cresol (DNOC) were investigated by means of electron microscopy and biochemistry and compared to liver pathology in eels exposed to the chemical spill into the Rhine river at Basle in November 1986. Whereas phenological parameters (growth, condition factor) are unaffected, ultrastructural and biochemical alterations are detectable at greater than or equal to 50 and 5 micrograms/liter DNOC, respectively. Structural modifications include: rounding-up of the nuclei; fractionation and reduction of the rough endoplasmic reticulum; proliferation of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER), mitochondria, peroxisomes, and lysosomes; bundles of rod-shaped SER profiles; annulate lamellae; membrane whorls within mitochondria; crystallization of the peroxisomal matrix and glycogen bodies; glycogen depletion and ...
We have isolated the human prointerleukin 1 (proIL-1) beta gene from leukocyte and fetal liver libraries. The nucleotide sequence and its gene organization reveals that the proIL-1 beta gene is composed...Full Text Available
The possible genetic (dominant lethal mutations (DLM) and cytogenetic changes in the regenerating liver) and somatic (hematopoietic stem cell changes, growth and nonspecific life time shortening) effects in mice maintained on tritiated water (HTO) over two generations was investigated. Results to date are summarized. (ACR)
1. Amino acid sequences covering the region between residues 173 and 248 [adopting the numbering system proposed by Lai, Nakai & Chang (1974) Science 183, 1204-1206] were derived for trout (Salmo...Full Text Available
The bifunctional rat liver enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (ATP:D-fructose-6-phosphate 2-phosphotransferase/D-fructose-2,6-bisphosphate 2-phosphohydrolase, EC 2.7.1.105/EC...Full Text Available
Pregnant rats were exposed to "8"5Kr for 4-6 hr and sacrificed immediately thereafter. The "8"5Kr concentration in the fetoplacental unit (FPU) was approximately the same at all gestation stages for intact FPU, isolated fetuses or fetal segments, as well as placentas and associated membranes. Maternal tissue concentrations varied over a wide range and only liver and intestine concentrations were relatively similar in both 20-day-gestation (dg) fetuses and adults.
Genome sequences are essential tools for comparative and mutational analyses. Here we present the short read sequence of mouse chromosome 17 from the Mus musculus domesticus derived...Full Text Available
Intrahepatic portosystemic shunts are an anomalous connection between the portal vein and hepatic vein/IVC, which may be either congenital or acquired secondary to liver cirrhosis or portal hypertension. Cases of congenital intrahepatic shunts are usually encountered in children and may spontaneously resolve. We report 5 cases of congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunts in neonates and an adult
The current investigation attempted to confirm the beneficial actions of a chemically characterized Radix Astragali decoction (AM-W) against type 2 diabetic (T2D) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Using a case/control...Full Text Available
Rectus sheath hematomas are a frequent but sometimes misdiagnosed disease in patients under anticoagulative drugs, hemodialysis, or simply in the elderly. The most frequent localization is in the lower part of the abdomen: the explanation lies in the anatomy of the abdominal wall, especially in the arcuate line of the rectus sheath. Aim of this work is to explain the reason of the almost constant location correlating the anatomy with the CT features. The rectus abdominis muscle lies between the aponeuroses of the transverse and oblique muscles which form the so called rectus sheath. This arrangement is found from the costal arch to a level approximately between the umbilicus and the pubic symphisis, where the rear layer of the rectus sheath ends with a curved edge, called the arcuate or semicircular line of Douglas. Beneath this line the aponeuroses of the three muscles pass in front of the rectus which is separated from the peritoneum only by the fascia ...
This contribution provides an overview and imparts basic knowledge on pertinent technical developments in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver: 3D sequences, respiratory triggering, parallel imaging, and 3 Tesla (3T). 3D sequences can be used as T1-weighted (T1w) sequences for analyzing dynamics of contrast enhancement or as T2w sequences for MR cholangiography. Consistent improvements in respiratory triggering make it possible to obtain good image quality on T2w scans even in patients unable to hold their breath. Parallel imaging as a universal technique to accelerate image acquisition is particularly appropriate for MRI of the liver, and it has been shown that the reduced acquisition time is not achieved at the expense of image quality. Further progress in MRI of the liver can be expected with use of the 3T systems, but hitherto irrelevant problems must still be solved. Overall the innovations presented here, ...
Of 1850 patients with cholelithiasis diagnosed in the past 17 years, 1116 female and 734 male, 598 patients (32.3%) presented with one or more of three major symptoms, i.e., abdominal pain, fever and jaundice, whereas the remainder (67.7%) had none of these symptoms. The proportion of the asymptomatic patients was similar in all age groups, being around 70%. Only 20 per cent of 680 asymptomatic patients, followed for 10 to 17 years (median 13.3 years), developed biliary symptoms. Older patients over 70 years of age had a higher rate of change to the symptomatic group, as compared with younger patients under 70, 29.5% vs. 19.3%, respectively. During this period, carcinoma of the gallbladder developed in one of the asymptomatic patients (0.1%). Oral dissolution therapy was successful in only 4.2 per cent of attempted cases and associated with a recurrence rate of as high as 20%. We conclude that asymptomatic gallstone patients should only be followed up by ultrasound ...
The solid-pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is a rare type of exocrine pancreatic neoplasm. SPT predominantly affects young women and female children, and is usually discovered incidentally. This tumor is generally benign with a low incidence of malignancy. A 13-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with a few weeks' history of mild abdominal pain and jaundice. On physical examination, there was no palpable mass. The laboratory tests showed increased SR, CRP, high bilirubin, amylase and lipase serum levels. Ultrasound imaging revealed a solid lesion in the region of the pancreatic head. On MRI, precise tumor localization in the head of the pancreas with pancreatic duct dilatation and compression of the common bile duct were visualized. Pancreaticoduodenectomy and cholecystectomy was performed with good clinical outcome. Microscopic and immunohistochemical studies indicated that tumor cells were typical of SPT without any signs of malignancy. After ...
Between 1970 and 1981, 348 patients underwent definitive irradiation. Of these patients 6 (1.7 per cent) sustained severe rectal injury as manifest by major rectal bleeding, rectal stricture, rectal mucosal slough and rectal ulceration. Severe rectal injury was observed in 0 of 13 patients (0 per cent) treated with 125iodine, 3 of 329 (1 per cent) treated with 6,400 to 6,800 rad external irradiation, 2 of 39 (5 per cent) treated with 7,000 to 7,300 rad external irradiation, and 1 of 7 (14 per cent) treated with 198gold and external irradiation. The impact of radiation dose, radiation therapy technique and surgical trauma was assessed. Rectal injury was managed by supportive measures in 2 patients and by diverting colostomy in 3 with benefit. One patient underwent abdominoperineal resection. A small bowel fistula and an intra-abdominal abscess developed, and the patient died.
Purpose: calculation of conversion coefficients for the reconstruction of organ doses from entrance doses for abdomen radiographs of 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, and 30-year-old patients in conventional pediatric radiology for the radiographic settings recommended by the German and European guidelines for quality management in diagnostic radiology. Materials und method: using the commercially available personal computer program PCXMC developed by the Finnish Center for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (Saeteilyturvakeskus STUK), conversion coefficients for conventional abdomen radiographs were calculated performing Monte Carlo simulations in mathematical hermaphrodite phantom models describing patients of different ages. The possible clinical variation of beam collimation was taken into consideration by defining optimal and suboptimal radiation fields on the phantoms' surfaces. Results: conversion coefficients for the reconstruction of organ does in about 40 organs and tissues of the human ...
In mammals and insects, paracellular blood barriers isolate the nervous system from the rest of the animal. Glia and accessory cells of the nervous system use pumps, channels, cotransporters, and exchangers collectively to maintain the extracellular ion environment and osmotic balance in the nervous system. At present, the molecular mechanisms that regulate this process remain unclear. In humans, loss of extracellular ion and volume regulation in the nervous system poses serious health threats. Drosophila is a model genetic organism with a proven track record for uncovering molecular mechanisms relevant to human health and disease. Here, we review what is known about extracellular ion and volume regulation in larval abdominal nerves, present some new data about the impact of neural activity on the extracellular environment, and relate the findings to mammalian systems. Homologies have been found at the level of morphology, physiology, molecular mechanisms, and ...
We used computerized tomography (CT) in the study of eight patients with macronodular splenic tuberculosis prior to the microbiological diagnosis. These patients underwent additional CT controls during and after tuberculostatic therapy. All the patients studed presented the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Splenomegaly and numerosous round, hypodense lesions that showed no contrast uptake were found in all the subjects. Only three patients presented evidence of tuberculosis in plain radiography and/or chest X-ray. Two patients presented abdominal lymph nodes. None of them showed evidence of hepatic lesions or ascites. follow-up CT scans revealed a progressive reduction of the lesions, which eventually disappeared completely, and splenomegaly was considerably reduced. Anthough it is uncommon, we should suspect splenic involvement in tuberculosis if the clinical and radiological contexts are appropriate. CT provides excellent monitoring of the efficacy of ...
Abstract in english INTRODUCTION: Treatment of the cryptorchid testicle is justified due to the increased risk of infertility and malignancy as well as the risk of testicular trauma and psychological stigma on patients and their parents. Approximately 20% of cryptorchid testicles are nonpalpable. In these cases, the videolaparoscopic technique is a useful alternative method for diagnosis and treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present data concerning 90 patients submitted to diagnostic lapa (more) roscopy for impalpable testicles. Forty-six patients (51.1%) had intra-abdominal gonads. In 25 testicles of 19 patients, we performed a two stage laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy. The other 27 patients underwent primary laparoscopic orchiopexy, in a total of 29 testicles. RESULTS: We obtained an overall 88% success rate with the 2 stage Fowler-Stephens approach and only 33% rate success using one stage Fowler-Stephens surgery with primary vascular ligature. There ...
Two-layered dissolving microneedles of which acral portion contained leuprolide acetate (LA) as solid dispersion were prepared with sodium chondroitin sulfate as the base and the systemic absorption efficiency of LA was studied in rats after administration to their abdominal skin. A patch contained 100 dissolving microneedles of which length and basement diameter were 469.8+/-4.7mm and 284.5+/-9.8mm, where LA content was 14.3+/-1.6mg. In vitro dissolution experiment showed that LA was released from dissolving microneedle patch within 3min. LA was stable in the patch, % recoveries for 3 months were 102.2+/-1.9-95.3+/-1.9%. One and half-patch of LA dissolving microneedles were administered to the rat skin and plasma LA concentrations were measured by LC-MS/MS. Plasma LA concentrations increa...
CT scans were performed on 25 patients suspected of sustaining ranal trauma. The utility of CT in both detecting renal damage and appraising the gravity of injuries was assessed. Nowadays, in fact, nephrectomy or reserved for lesions devastanting the kidney parenchyma or rupturing the renal pedicle; so it is very important to identyfy both the purposes of a better planned therapeutic approach. CT does both, being more accurate than urography in the detection of renal fractures, intra or extraparenchymal hematomas and contrast media extravasation. Urography very often shows aspecific lesion patterns and sometimes it is also falsely negative. In the present series CT was more reliable than angiography itself, particulary in the diagnosis of extra-renal hematic collections, contrast media extravasation and injuries to the other abdominal organs. Although CT may arouse the suspicion of and sometimes correctly diagnose vascular lesions, such as renal infarction, ...
Purpose: To evaluate contrast-enhanced CT scan in the diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by correlating the CT appearance with pathologic specimens. Materials and methods: Twenty-eight patients with pathologically proven intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were examined. Unenhanced abdominal CT study were performed in 28 patients; conventional contrast-enhanced CT in 27 patients. Enhanced CT scan including fast injection, fast scan and delayed scan at the largest section of the lesion was done in 7 patients. Contiguous 10 mm CT scans of the surgical specimens were also obtained in 8 patients. The preoperative and specimen CT scans in these 8 patients were compared with the corresponding pathological sections. A total of 103 areas of the pathological sections was compared with the CT appearances. Results: All lesions contained areas of delayed contrast enhancement and/or no enhancement on CT examinations. The areas of delayed contrast enhancement corresponded ...
In portal images with high energy X-ray (10 MV), it is sometimes difficult to verify the irradiation field because of the low contrast. Especially, in the abdominal and pelvic region, the deterioration of portal image quality is remarkable. To solve this problem, we took portal images using computed radiography (FCR). Also, we develop a technique in which a copper plate (3 mm) and lead foil (0.3 mm) are closely set in the front and rear of the photostimulable phosphor plate (imaging plate), for increased energy absorption. As a result, image quality was very high and we confirmed image improvement using observer performance experiments. We made a special cassette which can closely set metallic plates to imaging plate and load FCR-7000 directly. Therefore, image process becomes simple, and suitable for routine work. In computed radiography, image processing (tone scale modification and edge enhancement) is possible, and is advantageous portal imaging. When PACS is ...
In portal images with high energy X-ray (10 MV), it is sometimes difficult to verify the irradiation field because of the low contrast. Especially, in the abdominal and pelvic region, the deterioration of portal image quality is remarkable. To solve this problem, we took portal images using computed radiography (FCR). Also, we develop a technique in which a copper plate (3 mm) and lead foil (0.3 mm) are closely set in the front and rear of the photostimulable phosphor plate (imaging plate), for increased energy absorption. As a result, image quality was very high and we confirmed image improvement using observer performance experiments. We made a special cassette which can closely set metallic plates to imaging plate and load FCR-7000 directly. Therefore, image process becomes simple, and suitable for routine work. In computed radiography, image processing (tone scale modification and edge enhancement) is possible, and is advantageous portal imaging. When PACS is ...
While there have been many experimental and calculational investigations on absorbed dose distribution in the patient resulting from conventional X-ray procedures, such data for computerized tomography (CT) are still sparse. As this diagnostic procedure has shown a rapid increase in application during recent years, we have determined absorbed dose to body organs in a human phantom resulting from CT examinations. The exposure model consists of the heterogeneous MIRD-5 phantom and a suitable Monte-Carlo method to calculate absorbed dose to organs of interest. The exposure conditions are specified according to the exposure specifications of a CT-scanner currently in use. The calculations cover the range of body tissues of interest in terms of organ absorbed doses as well as a risk weighted absorbed dose. A detailed example showing the calculation of red bone marrow dose is given and a somatic effective dose equivalent Hsub(ES) is calculated for different conventional and CT-scanning ...
Cholestatic liver injury induced by alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) is provoked by injury to intrahepatic bile ducts and the progression of hepatic necrosis requires the procoagulant protein tissue factor (TF) and extrahepatic cells including neutrophils. Recent studies have shown that myeloid cell TF contributes to neutrophil activation. We tested the hypothesis that myeloid cell TF contributes to neutrophil activation in ANIT-treated mice. TF activity in liver homogenates increased significantly in TF^f^l^o^x^/^f^l^o^x mice treated with ANIT, but not in TF^f^l^o^x^/^f^l^o^x/LysMCre mice (TFD^M^y^e^l^o^i^d mice), which have reduced TF expression in monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils. Myeloid cell-specific TF deficiency did not alter expression of the chemokines KC or MIP-2 but redu...
A new hydroxyiminoamide ligand, 1-(2-nitroimidazole-1-yl)-propanhydroxyiminoamide (N2IPA) was synthesized. The biodistribution of {sup 99m}Tc-N2IPA in mice bearing S180 tumor demonstrated that the complex showed a selective accumulation in tumor and slow clearance from it. The tumor-to-tissue uptake ratios increased with time. At 4 hours after injection, the uptake ratios of tumor to muscle, blood, liver, heart, and lung reached 8.4, 1.5, 0.6, 2.9, and 2.3, respectively. Moreover, the tumor-to-liver uptake ratio steadily increased to 0.9 at 8 hours and 2.3 at 24 hours. The complex showed little uptake and quick clearance in blood, lung and other organs. Compared with other proposed hypoxia-imaging agents, this novel agent has advantages of higher tumor-to-muscle and tumor-to-blood uptake ratios and easier synthesis.
The aim of this study was to evaluate cucurbitacins (Cucs) liver protective activity in vitro and conduct QSAR studies against lipophilicity and ab initio descriptors. Nine Cucs were isolated from Cucurbitaceae plants and eight prepared by C2-alkylation or C16-acylation. Ten Cucs demonstrated protective activity on human hepatocyte-derived HepG2 cells exposed to CCl4 (EC50=2.4-45.3mM) with good margin to toxicity (T/A). All Cucs exhibited anti-proliferative effect on serum-activated rat stellate cells, HSC-T6 (EC50=0.02-4.12mM) with high T/A. While silybin is nontoxic, its protection is lower compared to Cuc D (3), iso-D (4), I (5), B (11), E (12), I-Me (6), L-Me (7), and E-Me (13) on both cell lines. Strong correlations were found for lipophilicity with both protection and toxicity on Hep...
Homology analyses of the protein sequences of chicken liver and rat mammary gland fatty acid synthases were carried out. The amino acid sequences of the chicken and rat enzymes are 67% identical. If conservative substitutions are allowed, 78% of the amino acids are matched. A region of low homologies exists between the functional domains, in particular around amino acid residues 1059-1264 of the chicken enzyme. Homologies between the active sites of chicken and rat and of chicken and yeast enzymes have been analyzed by an alignment method. A high degree of homology exists between the active sites of the chicken and rat enzymes. However, the chicken and yeast enzymes show a lower degree of homology. The DADPH-binding dinucleotide folds of the {beta}-ketoacyl reductase and the enoyl reductase sites were identified by comparison with a known consensus sequence for the DADP- and FAD-binding dinucleotide folds. The active sites of all of the enzymes are primarily in ...
The utilization of 14.6-min "1"0"1Mo and 25-min "1"3"1Te for the determination of molybdenum and tellurium in biological materials by neutron activation analysis is described for the first time. Radioisotopes were separated from the samples activated in a thermal neutron flux of about 10"1"4 n cm"-"2s"-"1. The radiochemical procedure for molybdenum involves extraction of Mo"6"+ from 6 M HCl into diethylether, re-extraction into water, precipitation as oxinate, and measurement of the gamma activity of "1"0"1Tc. The tellurium was separated by reduction to the element with SO_2 in 3 M HCl, dissolution in HNO_3, and reprecipitation as the element for the measurement of radioactivity. The sensitivity was estimated at ca. 10 ng at the level of confidence of 95%. The methods were tested by analyzing NBS-standard Bovine Liver and Orchard Leaves for molybdenum; the concentrations found were 3.2 +- 0.1 #mu#g g"-"1 and 300 +- 60 ng g"-"1, respectively. The tellurium content ...
Rats from an inbred Sprague-Dawley strain were fed semisynthetic diets with a low (0.3 energy percent (en %)), normal (3 en %) or high (10 en %) content of essential fatty acids (EFA) for at least three generations. Twenty-nine- to 33-day-old male rats were given a single intragastric dose of (1-14C)linoleic acid in olive oil, and the respiratory CO2, urine and feces were collected for 46 hours (expt 1) or 20 hours (expt 2). The 14C activity in respiratory CO2, feces, urine and the carcass was determined in both experiments. In experiment 2 it was also measured in samples of the brown fat, liver, adrenals, white fat, skeletal muscles and brain. In both experiments the rats fed the low EFA diet retained significantly more 14C activity than the rats fed the normal or high EFA diets. In all groups the concentration of label was highest in the brown fat and the adrenals, but the above differences among the groups with respect to 14C retention were mainly observed in ...
Persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects 170 million people worldwide. Acute HCV infection is often asymptomatic, but many infected individuals develop persistent infections that may lead to development of end-stage liver diseases, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, an HCV vaccine that could significantly lower the chronicity rate would have a major impact on the disease burden. Unfortunately, HCV is a highly mutable virus, and escape mutations can undermine vaccine-induced virus-specific immunity. Also, HCV exists as multiple genotypes, and so genotype-specific vaccines might be required to achieve broad protection. Finally, vaccine development has been hampered by the lack of a small animal model and cell culture systems, but these are currently being established. Despite these obstacles, several vaccine candidates tested in the chimpanzee HCV model have shown some encouraging results.
Summary The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX regimen on the outcome after LT for HCC patients who did not meet the Milan criteria. Ninety-five consecutive HCC patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing LT were enrolled. Fifty-eight who did not meet the Milan criteria were randomized to open-label treatment with or without adjuvant chemotherapy after LT (n?=?29/group). The FOLFOX chemotherapy protocol comprised 3-week cycles of oxaliplatin 100?mg/m2 on day 1, leucovorin (calcium folinate, CF) 200?mg/m2 on day 1 followed by 3-day, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 2000?mg/m2 as a 48-h continuous infusion, for up to six courses in the 1st year after transplantation. Median survival was extended by 4.57?months by combination chemothera...
Cholangiocarcinoma may be associated with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis as a complication of longstanding proliferative cholangitis in the presence of intrahepatic stones. Sonographic and CT findings of six patients with cholangiocarcinoma of the liver associated with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis are presented. The cases were among 128 patients who underwent partial resection of the liver because of recurrent pyogenic cholangitis and its complication. On sonogram the mass was depicted in four patients as an ill-defined heterogenously echogenic mass and in one patient as a bulging contour; in the remaining one case the mass was not detected. There were small or large, shadowing or non shadowing stones within the tumor in five cases. In one case, the stone was in the duct proximal to the tumor. On CT scans of four patients, the tumors were depicted as an ill-defined, irregular low attenuation masses with variable contrast enhancement, the ...
Aims: In this study we investigated whether attenuation of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) could protect HepG2 cells from free fatty acid (FFA)-induced apoptosis. Main methods: Human liver cell line HepG2 cells were exposed to Sodium Palmitate (Pa) or Sodium Oleate (Ol). Apoptosis and ER stress of HepG2 cells were analyzed with flow cytometry, real-time RT-PCR and Western Blotting. An expression plasmid encoding for the ER chaperone immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein (Bip) was transfected into HepG2 cells to attenuate ER stress. Small interfering RNA siCHOP was used to knockdown the expression of C/EBP Homologous Protein (CHOP) in HepG2. Key findings: Pa led to cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent pattern and also induced ER stress indicated by inc...
Brain MRI was carried out in patients with chronic liver diseases. No abnormal findings were recognized in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, while 59.2% of cirrhotics showed a symmetrically strong signal in basal ganglia on T1 weighted image in MRI. This finding significantly related with lowered Fischer`s ratio of serum amino acid, increased levels of serum phenylalanine, tyrosine and hyaluronic acid, prolonged prothrombin time and decreased platelet counts in the peripheral blood. Overt hepatic encephalopathy was observed in 6 of 34 patients with the strong signal in MRI during follow-up period, while none of patients without that finding developed hepatic encephalopathy. These results have indicated that the strong signal in basal ganglia on MRI appears in cirrhotic patients with severe liver dysfunction, and it is an useful index in the early diagnosis of latent hepatic encephalopathy. An improvement of this MRI finding was not ...
Full text: The general population is daily exposed to chronic, low doses of ionizing radiation (IR) from both natural and artificial sources. The biological consequences of acute, high dose IR exposure can be readily determined; however, the nature and significance of low dose, low dose-rate IR effects are still the subject of debate. Confounding the issue, are the phenomena collectively referred to as the Radiation-induced Bystander Effect (RIBE). The RIBE describes a collection of in vitro observations that suggest the presence of a soluble, transmissible factor(s) released from irradiated cells that can induce a biological response in un-irradiated cells. The induction, nature and magnitude of the RIBE varies between cell culture systems, radiation sources and end-points measured. Efforts to confirm the presence of the RIBE in vivo have been confined to in vivo-like culture systems and limited work with tumour and bone-marrow transplantation models. Validation of the RIBE in vivo ...
Rabbit antisera raised to human and chicken MHC molecules were used to immunoprecipitate cross-reactive molecules from biosynthetically and cell surface-labeled spleen and/or blood cells of representative vertebrate species. Five major points emerged: 1) There were many nonspecific cross-reactions using these techniques, so various criteria were developed to distinguish these from true MHC-like molecules. 2) Only very small subpopulations of immunogen-specific antibodies cross-reacted with MHC-like molecules in other nonmammalian species. These subpopulations were different for each species and even within a species, sometimes being so limited as to behave like alloantisera. This led to a very scattered pattern of true cross-reactions that sometimes failed to reflect the properties of the bulk antibody population. 3) Antisera containing antibodies to class II beta- and class I alpha-chains cross-reacted better and more widely than those to B-G, class II alpha and, ...
From the dried fruiting bodies of the mushroom Armillaria luteo-virens, a dimeric lectin with a molecular mass of 29.4 kDa has been isolated. The purification procedure involved (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}SO{sub 4} precipitation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, CM-cellulose, and Q-Sepharose, and gel filtration by fast protein liquid chromatography on Superdex 75. The hemagglutinating activity of the lectin could not be inhibited by simple sugars but was inhibited by the polysaccharide inulin. The activity was stable up to 70 {sup o}C but was acid- and alkali-labile. Salts including FeCl{sub 3}, AlCl{sub 3}, and ZnCl{sub 2} inhibited the activity whereas MgCl{sub 2}, MnCl{sub 2}, and CaCl{sub 2} did not. The lectin stimulated mitogenic response of mouse splenocytes with the maximal response achieved by 1 {mu}M lectin. Proliferation of tumor cells including MBL2 cells, HeLa cells, and L1210 cells was inhibited by the lectin with an IC{sub 5} of 2.5, 5, and 10 {mu}M, respectively. ...
Transplantation procedures using intraparenchymal injection of stem cells result in tissue injury in addition to associated surgical risks. Intravenous injection of mesenchymal stem cells gives engraftment to lesions, but the method has low efficiency and specificity. In traumatic brain injuries (TBI), there is a transient breakdown of the blood-brain barrier and an inflammatory response, which increase migration of cells from blood to parenchyma. The aim of this investigation was to analyze the effect of intra-arterial administration on cellular engraftment. Experimental TBI was produced in a rat model. Endovascular technique was used to administer human mesenchymal stem cells in the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. Evaluation of engraftment and side effects were performed by immunohistochemical analysis of the brain and several other organs. The results were compared to intravenous administration of stem cells. Intra-arterial transplantion of mesenchymal stem cells resulted in ...
This paper aims at the study of the transfer and accumulation of "1"0"6Ru from marine foods to man through the grazing food chain and evaluation of the radiation exposure to man. As a model, accumulation and excretion of "1"0"6Ru in mice orally administered by the meat of prawn (Penaeus japonicus) which accumulated the radionuclide from the sea water, were examined and compared with those in mice administered by non-radioactive prawn meat mixed with the contaminant in inorganic chemical forms (the control diet); on the latter experiment, the previous evaluation method of the radiation exposure was based. Higher concentrations of "1"0"6Ru in tissues and organs of mice were observed in the former diet than in the latter because of the higher absorption rate of "1"0"6Ru from the gastrointestinal tract (17.4 +- 4.4%, the control diet: 0.7 +- 0.7%) and smaller excretion. As the results of this experiment, the critical organs for men by ingestion of such a meat should be considered as ...
Background The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) guidelines recommend that antibiotic prophylaxis should be instituted in any patient with cirrhosis and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and that oral norfloxacin, intravenous ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone are preferable. However, the antimicrobial spectrum of the first generation of cephalosporins (cefazolin) covers a wide range of bacteria species, including community-acquired strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, but their efficacy as prophylactic antibiotics in cirrhotic patients with acute hemorrhage was seldom warranted in the literature. This study aimed to explore the effects of cefazolin on the outcome of cirrhotic patients with acute variceal hemorrhage after endoscopic interventions. Method...
The reactions of native bovine catalase with superoxide and solvated electrons have been investigated using three different methods for generating these reducing substrates: [gamma]-radiolysis of oxygenated or deaerated buffer solutions in the presence of an OH radical scavenger; either xanthine or acetaldehyde with xanthine oxidase; and low-temperature (77 K) [gamma]-radiolysis of buffered ethylene glycol/water solutions with subsequent annealing of samples at 183 K. (Author).
The oral administration of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) to rats injected intravenously 1 hr previously with "2"3"9Pu citrate caused an increase in urinary excretion of Pu about 8 times that of animals treated with 0.9% NaCl (controls). Liver retention of Pu was decreased from 18% at 2 days in the control animals to 11% in DHB-treated rats. The skeletal retention was similarly reduced from 56% in the control group to 40% in the DHB-treated animals.
The liver is a primary target of growth hormone (GH). GH signals are mediated by the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5). Here, we focus on recent discoveries about the role of GH-STAT5 signaling in hepatic physiology and pathophysiology. We discuss roles of the GH-STAT5 axis in body growth, lipid metabolism, and the cell cycle pertaining to hepatosteatosis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, we discuss recent discoveries about the role of GH-STAT5 in sex-specific gene expression and bile acid, steroid, and drug metabolism.
The increasing data complexity engendered by the Accelerated Scientific Computing Initiative (ASCI) requires more capability in our scientific visualization software. B Division at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) addresses these new and changing requirements with MeshTV. We began work on MeshTV around eight years ago, and have progressively refined the software to provide improved scientific analysis and visualization to well over 100 users at Liver-more, Los Alamos, Sandia, and in private industry. (U)
Dietary supplements of about 5 g/kg of a number of amino acids increased tissue lead concentrations in newly weaned rats but decreased them in older rats. The retention of both oral and intraperitoneal lead was affected. The uptake of "2"0"3Pb by tissues was reduced when methionine was given in the diet over a period of 5 weeks or when it or ethionine was given by mouth 24 h before the activity was measured. In the liver the fraction of the total activity found in the nuclei and mitochondria was increased by methionine, but in the kidney only the fraction found in nuclei was increased.
/sup 99m/Tc biliary imaging was performed on a 34-year-old woman who was being investigated for suspected cholelithiasis. A left-sided liver was detected. On subsequent radionuclide imaging, partial visceral situs inversus and asplenia were demonstrated. Extensive roentgenographic investigation, ECG, echocardiogram, and laparotomy confirmed the radionuclide findings. Asplenia syndrome may exist without cardiovascular abnormalities and thus be undiscovered. Radionuclide imaging is important in the diagnosis of this syndrome.
Variation of CT units, in organs, before and after using contrast enhancing medium was reviewed and personal experience was presented. In the normal brain CT units was little changed by contrast enhancement (CE), whereas remarkable change was observed at lesions. No difference of CT units was observed between the normal liver and hepatomas. The normal kidney had higher CE effect than hypernephromas suggesting an increase of the sensitivity. CE was not found in cysts or necrosis. The changes of CT units in the cases of cerebral diseases are tabled with various contrast medium and scanners.
Studies have shown that CCl_4 administration to rats inhibits endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump activity and reduces the amount of calcium associated with subsequently isolated microsomal subcellular fractions. This report confirms that exposure of isolated hepatocytes to CCl_4 rapidly produces these effects in isolated parenchymal cells and demonstrates that when isolated hepacytes are exposed to CCl_4 calcium is rapidly released from cells. This release can be detected with a calcium ion-selective electrode when cells are incubated in a medium with low extracellular calcium. Calcium released from an intracellular pool(s) may initiate hepatotoxic changes in liver. (author).
A new phenylboric acid derivative entrapped lipiodol (PBAD-lipiodol) was developed as a boron carrier for the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of hepatoma in Taiwan. The biodistribution of both PBAD-lipiodol and BPA-fructose was assayed in GP7TB hepatoma-bearing rat model. The highest uptake of PBAD-lipiodol was found at 2 h post injection. The application of BNCT for the hepatoma treatment in tumor-bearing rats is suggested to be 2-4 h post PBAD-lipiodol injection.
The rate of hepatic cytochrome P450 Cypla1 and Cyp1a2 induction was investigated in C57BL male mice during induction with o-aminoazotoluene (OAT), benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and 1,4-dihydroxyanthraquinone (AQ). The Cypla1 mPNA level determined by quantitative RT-competitive PCR increased more than three orders of magnitude during induction with OAT and BP compared with untreated animals and remained unchanged during induction with AQ. The Cypla2 mRNA level was only 8.5, 18.7 and 1.9 times higher during induction with OAT, BP and AQ respectively than in untreated mice. At the same time 7-Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and 7-Methoxyresorufin-O-demethylase (MROD) activities of Cypla were also investigated in liver. The increase of Cypla1 mRNA level correlated with the increase of EROD activity. This suggests involvement of the transcriptional mechanism of the inducibility of this enzyme. In the case of Cypla2 there was insignificant increase of its mRNA level but high ...
Both increased cell proliferation and {open_quotes}altered{close_quotes}CYP gene expression are prominent phenomena associated with liver tumor promotion by nongenotoxic carcinogen treatment. BRDU-labeled parenchymal nuclei were observed primarily in the periportal area of groups of rats, independent of nongenotoxic carcinogen treatment. Treatment with each of the 5 nongenotoxic carcinogens resulted in profound alterations in CPY gene expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Expression of CYP1A1, 1A1/2, 3A1, 2B1/2, and 4A immunoproteins demonstrated nongenotoxic carcinogen-specific patterns in both magnitude and zonal distribution. In agreement with the CYP immunoprotein data, treatment with each of the five nongenotoxic carcinogens resulted in a unique composition of mRNAs of CYP2B1, 2B2, 2C6, 2C11, 3A1, 3A2, and 4A1, which were variably increased or decreased relative to the untreated control livers, depending on the ...
The plerocercoid stage of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produces a functional analog of human growth hormone (hGH). Among the similarities between plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) and hGH is competition for the same receptors on rabbit liver membranes. To take advantage of this characteristic in a purification scheme for PGF, rabbit liver microsomes were solubilized in Triton X-100 and the hGH receptors were purified over an hGH affinity column. The purified receptors from six rabbit livers were coupled to Affi-Gel-10 to create a receptor affinity column which was used to purify PGF. Chromatography of crude PGF over the receptor column resulted in a 1044 fold increase in specific activity. SDS-PAGE in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol showed that the affinity-purified PGF contained three protein bands with apparent Mrs of 27.5 K, 22 K, and 16.7 K. Injections of the partially-purified PGF into hypophysectomized rats ...
Abstract Unrefined and refined black raspberry seed oils (RSOs) were examined for their lipid-modulating effects in male Syrian hamsters fed high-cholesterol (0.12% g/g), high-fat (9% g/g) diets. Hamsters fed the refined and the unrefined RSO diets had equivalently lower plasma total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in comparison with the atherogenic coconut oil diet. The unrefined RSO treatment group did not differ in liver total and esterified cholesterol from the coconut oil-fed control animals, but the refined RSO resulted in significantly elevated liver total and esterified cholesterol concentrations. The unrefined RSO diets significantly lowered plasma triglycerides (46%; P=.0126) in comparison with the coconut oil diet, whereas the refined RSO only tended to lower plasma triglyceride (29%; P=.1630). Liver triglyceride concentrations were lower in the unrefined (46%; P=.0002) and refined ...
/sup 203/Pb(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ was administered i.v. to pregnant C57BL mice at different stages, from day 8 to day 18 of gestation. The whole animals or excised uteri were subjected to autoradiography or were autopsied for scintillation counting of excised organs. Lead appeared in embryonic and fetal tissues at all stages of gestation. Early (approx. day 8-11) lead was restricted mainly to the embryonic blood, suggesting that free lead was essentially not transferred to the embryo but may have been incorporated in the embryonic hemoglobin when the erythrocytes were formed in the yolk sac placenta (an extraembryonic membrane). From day 12 and later, an uptake was seen in the liver and the cartilaginous skeleton, and from day 14, a strong accumulation was found in calcified bone. This means that the overall fetal concentration increases successively with gestational age of the conceptus. The uptake in fetal liver may be related to the ...
"2"0"3Pb(NO_3)_2 was administered i.v. to pregnant C57BL mice at different stages, from day 8 to day 18 of gestation. The whole animals or excised uteri were subjected to autoradiography or were autopsied for scintillation counting of excised organs. Lead appeared in embryonic and fetal tissues at all stages of gestation. Early (approx. day 8-11) lead was restricted mainly to the embryonic blood, suggesting that free lead was essentially not transferred to the embryo but may have been incorporated in the embryonic hemoglobin when the erythrocytes were formed in the yolk sac placenta (an extraembryonic membrane). From day 12 and later, an uptake was seen in the liver and the cartilaginous skeleton, and from day 14, a strong accumulation was found in calcified bone. This means that the overall fetal concentration increases successively with gestational age of the conceptus. The uptake in fetal liver may be related to the erythropoiesis taking ...
Studies have linked cell phone radiation to health problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, cancer and more. There is a latency period for most diseases and it may take years and more studies before the required weight of evidence is established. But the effects are cumulative and precautions should be taken now before it is too late. The aim of the present study was to investigate if supplementation with antioxidants would protect heart and liver tissues from harmful radiation emitted by cell phone. Thirty two male albino rats were randomly divided into four equal groups: I- Control, II- Antioxidants treated group, III- 950 MHz EMR, IV- 950 MHz EMR + antioxidants. A 950 MHz EMR radiation (217-Hz pulse rate, 2-W maximum peak power, SAR Specific Absorption Rate"1.6 W/Kg) was applied to groups III and IV 60 min/day, for 30 days using an experimental exposure device. Antioxidants supplement (Vitamins A, E and C + Se) was administered to rats daily, by gavages, ...
Embryos of chicken (Gallus domesticus), domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos), and common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) were exposed in ovo to PCBs and to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Two coplanar PCBs, 3,3{prime},4,4{prime}-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB {number_sign}77) and 3,3{prime},4,4{prime},5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB {number_sign}126), were considerably more lethal and potent as inducers of 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) in chicken embryos (Gallus domesticus) than in embryos of the other two species. In chicken embryos, these compounds caused edema and eye and beak deformities. An artificial mixture of 18 PAHs which all have been detected in environmental samples, was slightly more toxic to embryos of the domestic duck and the common eider duck than to chicken embryos. The most potent compound in the mixture was benzo(k)fluoranthene. When chicken embryo livers were exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in vitro, EROD was induced by ...
Purpose: To evaluate the results of radiotherapy in cholangiocarcinoma patients managed with various combinations of chemotherapy and surgical resection with selective liver transplantation. Methods and Materials: From January 1990 to December 1995, 61 patients with histologically confirmed biliary duct adenocarcinoma were seen in the Radiation Oncology Department of the University of Pittsburgh. Median follow-up was 22 months (1 to 91 months). The extent of surgery was complete resection in 23 patients (including 17 with orthotopic liver transplant), partial resection in 4, and biopsy in 34. All patients had radiotherapy; median dose was 49.5 Gy. Thirty patients received chemotherapy: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-leucovorin with interferon alpha (IFN#alpha#) in 27, and taxol in 3. Results: The median survival was 20 months (95% CI 15-25 months). The 5-year actuarial survival was 23.8 #+-# 6.8%. The only significant variable in multivariate analysis ...
An analogue of hGH isolated from plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides displaces ["1"2"5I]hGH from its receptors in rabbit, rat, and hamster liver membranes. Biologically, plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) is more similar to hGH than to other mammalian GH's but has not been shown to bond human cells. Receptors specific for hGH have been described on cultured human lymphocytes (IM-9). In this study, the authors compared the binding of PGF and hGH in IM-9 cells and in rabbit hepatic membranes. IM-9 lymphocytes (12 x 10"6 cells/tube) were incubated with ["1"2"5I]hGH and increasing concentrations of hGH (ng/ml) or PGF (serial dilutions) for 90 min at 30"0 C. Specific binding (B_0 - NSB) was determined for each dose of hGH or PGF and the binding curves were analyzed by logit-log regression. The results show that PGF displaced ["1"2"5I]hGH from human cells in a dose dependent manner (r = 0.98). Based on the IM-9 assay, 1 ml of the PGF had an activity ...
Objective: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP tumor) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with low malignant potential, which usually affects female patients in the second or third decades of life. It is a non-functional, slow-growing neoplasm that very often reaches considerable size before the first symptoms appear. Symptomatology is frequently related to tumor size. Surgical excision is usually curative in most cases. Infrequently the tumor can appear in male patients or in aged women, which can make the diagnosis more difficult. Some patients develop liver metastases in the follow-up that can be resected. Our purpose is to review the radiological and pathological findings of SPTP with emphasis on these infrequent cases. Subjects and methods: The medical records and radiological findings of patients who underwent surgery for SPTP between 2000 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Study eligibility required that patients had undergone surgical resection ...
Objective: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP tumor) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with low malignant potential, which usually affects female patients in the second or third decades of life. It is a non-functional, slow-growing neoplasm that very often reaches considerable size before the first symptoms appear. Symptomatology is frequently related to tumor size. Surgical excision is usually curative in most cases. Infrequently the tumor can appear in male patients or in aged women, which can make the diagnosis more difficult. Some patients develop liver metastases in the follow-up that can be resected. Our purpose is to review the radiological and pathological findings of SPTP with emphasis on these infrequent cases. Subjects and methods: The medical records and radiological findings of patients who underwent surgery for SPTP between 2000 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Study eligibility required that patients had undergone surgical resection ...
Lipiodol Ultra-Fluid (Lipiodol) is widely applied in the transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). We studied signal intensity, the T1 relaxation time and the T2 relaxation time of Lipiodol itself using Siemens Magnetom H15-2 T (1.5 Tesla) and Magnetom M10 (1.0 Tesla). Lipiodol showed higher signal intensity than saline solution on the T1-weighted images (short TR, short TE technique in spin echo method). On the T2-weighted images (long TR, long TE technique in spin echo method), Lipiodol showed lower signal intensity than saline solution. The T1 relaxation time of Lipiodol, measured at 1.0 T, was 201 msec and 218 msec at 1.5 T. The T2 relaxation time of Lipiodol, measured at 1.0 T, was 127 msec; and 167 msec at 1.5 T. The signal intensity of Lipiodol at 1.0 T was higher than the intensity at 1.5 T. Shorter T1 relaxation time of Lipiodol at 1.0 T is probably responsible for the higher intensity at 1.0 T. When MRI is performed after TAE with Lipiodol, the signal intensity of Lipiodol ...
Gamma-irradiation of isolated rat liver mitochondria with up to 475 Gy leading to hydrated electrons (G = 1.9, corrected for reaction with solutes), 30 Gy leading to carbohydrate radicals, (G = 5.6), 100 Gy leading to superoxide radicals (G = 6.2), and 130 Gy leading to formate radicals (G = 6.2) showed no effects on the rate of oxygen uptake in various respiratory states, the respiratory control ratio, or the adenosine diphosphate to atomic oxygen ratio. Typical values were 0.020-0.100 nmol O/sub 2/ s/sup -1/ mg protein/sup -1/ for State 1 respiration, 0.25-0.33 nmol O/sub 2/ s/sup -1/ mg protein/sup -1/ for State 4 respiration and 0.65-1.10 nmol O/sub 2/ s/sup -1/ mg protein/sup -1/ for State 3 respiration. Typical respiratory control ratios ranged from 2.0-3.5 for succinate and 4.0-6.5 for a 1:1 glutamate: malate substrate mixture. Adenosine diphosphate to atomic oxygen ratios with succinate as substrate varied from 1.6 to 1.9. In situ and in vitro irradiated ...
Perinatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) or methylmercury (MeHg) results in impaired neurodevelopment. Thyroid hormone is essential for normal brain development. However, the issue whether Cd or MeHg, especially at low doses, interrupts thyroid hormone action remains to be investigated. In the present study, effects of perinatal exposure to low levels of Cd or MeHg on thyroid hormone metabolism were examined using metallothionein I and II (MT-I/II) null or wild-type neonatal mice. Dams were exposed to 10 mg/L water of Cd or 5 mg/kg chow of MeHg from gestational day 0 to post-natal day 10 (PND 10). Sera, livers and brains were collected from neonates on PND 10. Iodothyronine deiodinase activities and serum thyroxine (T4) concentrations were measured. MeHg exposure failed to induce changes in serum T4 levels and liver type 1 deiodinase (D1) and brain type 2 deiodinase (D2) activities regardless of the MT genotype. However, exposure to MeHg resulted in ...
A study of mine-waste contamination effects on Methow River habitat on the eastern slopes of the north Cascade Mountains in Washington state, U.S.A., revealed impacts at ecosystem, community, population, individual, tissue, and cellular levels. Ore deposits in the area were mined for gold, silver, copper and zinc until the early 1950's, but the mines are now inactive. An above-and-below-mine approach was used to compare potentially impacted to control sites. The concentrations of eleven trace elements (i.e., Al, As, B, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, Se, and Zn) in Methow River sediments downstream from the abandoned mine sites were higher than background levels. Exposed trout and caddisfly larvae in the Methow River showed reduced growth compared to controls. Samples of liver from juvenile trout and small intestine from exposed caddisfly larvae were examined for evidence of metal accumulation, cytopathological change, and chemical toxicity. Morphological changes ...
The insulin signaling pathway, involving protein kinase B (PKB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), mediates the biological response to insulin and several growth factors and cytokines. To investigate the correlation between glucose transporter (Glut) biosynthesis and the insulin signaling pathway activated by novel compounds of Liriope platyphylla (LP9M80-H), alterations in Glut and key protein expression in the insulin signaling pathway were analyzed in the liver and brain of ICR mice treated with LP9M80-H. An in vitro assay showed that the highest level of insulin concentration was observed in the LP9M80-H-treated group, followed by the LP-H, LP-M, LP-E, and LP9M80-C-treated groups. Therefore, LP9M80-H was selected for use in studying the detailed mechanism of the insulin signaling pathway in animal systems. In an in vivo experiment, LP9M80-H induced a significant increase in glucose levels and a decrease of insulin concentration in the blood of mice, ...
The authors compared unenhanced and contrast-enhanced fast MRI and Computerized Tomography in the detection of liver metastases. Eleven patients with single or multiple hepatic lesions (42 in all) were submitted to V and magnetic resonance studies; T1- and T2- weighted TSE, T2-weighted TSE with fat suppression, unenhanced breath-hold TFE and early or delayed enhanced breath-hold TFE images were acquired with a 1.5 T superconductive magnet (Philips NT). The quantitative analysis of all magnetic resonance images was performed for contrast/noise ratio (CNR) and number of detected lesions; magnetic resonance and Computerized Tomography images were also compared qualitatively for lesion conspicuity, anatomical structure identification and artifacts. The results were compared with Student's test. Early enhanced breath-hold TFE was statistically superior to T1-weighted TSE (p = .0009), T2-weighted TSE (p = .01) and Computerized Tomography ( p = .0004) for lesion ...
Investigations of radionuclide metabolism and effects in various mammalian species revealed important similarities between animals and humans and between some animal species. These include skeletal deposition of radium and radiostrontium in bone volume; deposition on bone surfaces of plutonium and other actinides; liver deposition of actinides; induction of skeletal or liver malignancies by these radionuclides; induction of tooth and jaw abnormalities; mammary cancer induction by radium in humans and in the beagle; depression of circulating cells in blood; and induction of bone fractures. There are also inter-species differences that may not have been noted if multiple species (including humans) had not been studied. Some of these are more rapid excretion of radium in humans compared with most other mammals; induction by radium of eye melanomas in animals but not humans; rapid loss of deposited plutonium from liver in many ...
The existence of stem cells committed to the T lymphoid lineage was deduced from studying how rat T and B stem cells differ in their expression of membrane W3/13 antigen and in their susceptibility in vivo to gamma irradiation. Stem cell activity of rat bone marrow and fetal liver was measured in long-term radiation chimeras using B and T cell alloantigenic surface markers to identify the progeny of donor cells. Monoclonal mouse anti-rat thymocyte antibody W3/13 labeled approximately 40% of fetal liver cells and 60-70% of young rat bone marrow cells (40% brightly, 25% dimly). Bright, dim, and negative cells were separated on a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. All B and T lymphoid stem cells in fetal liver were W3/13 bright, as were B lymphoid stem cells in bone marrow. W3/13 dim bone marrow had over half the T cell repopulating activity of unseparated marrow but gave virtually no B cell repopulation. In further ...
Anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monclonal antibody (MAb) CEA 102 was produced by immunization with purified CEA and the specific accumulation of radiolabeled CEA 102 in colorectal cancers was investigated by autoradiography of sugical specimens using Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR). Five patients with colorectal cancer were injected intravenously with {sup 131}I-labeled intact CEA 102 or its F(ab'){sub 2}. Primary tumor and liver metastases were successfully detected by external scanning with a gamma camera in 4 cases. Autoradiographic study of the surgical specimens using FCR showed predominant localization of {sup 131}I-labeled CEA 102 in primary tumors and liver metastases in all cases. Even a small liver metastasis (0.5 cm) was clearly visualized in the autoradiogram by FCR. The pixel distribution curves of the density of the respective tissues in the autoradiograms by FCR showed the heterogeneity of the ...
Anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monclonal antibody (MAb) CEA 102 was produced by immunization with purified CEA and the specific accumulation of radiolabeled CEA 102 in colorectal cancers was investigated by autoradiography of sugical specimens using Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR). Five patients with colorectal cancer were injected intravenously with "1"3"1I-labeled intact CEA 102 or its F(ab')_2. Primary tumor and liver metastases were successfully detected by external scanning with a gamma camera in 4 cases. Autoradiographic study of the surgical specimens using FCR showed predominant localization of "1"3"1I-labeled CEA 102 in primary tumors and liver metastases in all cases. Even a small liver metastasis (0.5 cm) was clearly visualized in the autoradiogram by FCR. The pixel distribution curves of the density of the respective tissues in the autoradiograms by FCR showed the heterogeneity of the distribution of ...
Full text: An adaptive response is a decreased biological effect induced by a priming radiation dose given prior to a challenge dose. Adaptive responses contradict the linear-nothreshold model of risk estimation. The pKZ1 mouse chromosomal inversion assay is an extremely sensitive assay for studying the mutagenic effect of low dose radiation. A non-linear dose response for chromosomal inversion has been observed in pKZ1 spleen and prostate after a single whole body irradiation with doses between 1?Gy and 10mGy. Doses between 5-10?Gy resulted in an induction in inversions and doses between 1-10mGy resulted in a reduction below endogenous inversion frequency. These results suggest that doses in the 1-10 mGy range cause host responses which overcompensate by not only preventing inversions that would normally occur as a result of the low doses of radiation but also by preventing some of the endogenous inversions that would have occurred in the absence of radiation. It ...
To determined precisely a possible connection between the amount of copper in tap-water and the risk of early childhood liver disease, it was attempted through an epidemiological survey, to determine the extent of excessive concentrations of copper in the tap-water of households with copper pipes. Water samples from 956 households were tested for copper, and the state of health of the infants in these households was documented. Infants who had been fed using water with a copper concentration of 0.8 mg/l or more received a paediatric examination with a blood serum analysis to rule out any liver damage. A copper level greater than 0.8 mg/l was found in only 2% of the households examined. Eight infants were examined by a paediatrician and their serum was analysed. These infants had either been breast-fed to the 12th week or had received more than 200 ml of tap water per day during first 12 months. None of the infants examined showed any signs of ...
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler-Rendu-Weber disease) is a genetic disorder with autosomal dominance, variable penetrance, and an estimated prevalence of 1/10,000 inhabitants in France. Diagnosis is based on clinical criteria including epistaxis, telangiectasia, visceral manifestations, and familial occurrence. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, present in 15-33% of patients, are its primary visceral complications. The disease may be revealed by infectious and ischemic neurological manifestations due to paradoxical embolism. The high frequency of neurologic complications even in asymptomatic patients justifies systematic screening for pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. Treatment of these malformations is based on percutaneous transcatheter coil embolization of the feeding artery. Pulmonary arterial hypertension is rare in this disease. It may be due to systemic arteriovenous shunting in the liver, which increases cardiac output, or be similar to ...
Tungsten, in the form of tungstate, polymerizes with phosphate, and as extensive polymerization occurs, cellular phosphorylation and dephosphorylation reactions may be disrupted, resulting in negative effects on cellular functions. A series of studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of tungsten on several phosphate-dependent intracellular functions, including energy cycling (ATP), regulation of enzyme activity (cytosolic protein tyrosine kinase [cytPTK] and tyrosine phosphatase), and intracellular secondary messengers (cyclic adenosine monophosphate [cAMP]). Rat noncancerous hepatocyte (Clone-9), rat cancerous hepatocyte (H4IIE), and human cancerous hepatocyte (HepG2) cells were exposed to 1-1000 mg/l tungsten (in the form of sodium tungstate) for 24 h, lysed, and analyzed for the ab...
In the present study, chloroform, aqueous, (polyethylene glycol/propylene carbonate) PEG/PC extracts were made from coconut, onion, garlic, fig, date tree, chicory, ananas, and cistrose. These extracts were tested in vivo and in vitro on their anthelmintic activity against cestodes (Hymenolepis diminuta, H. microstoma, Taenia taeniaeformis) and trematodes (Fasciola hepatica, Echinostoma caproni). In all in vitro tests, the target parasites died. It turned out that the treatment of mice and rats with a combination of onion and coconut extracts (with PEG/PC) eliminated all cestodes from their final hosts. In addition, the same composition was effective against the intestinal fluke E. caproni, but not against the liver fluke F. hepatica in the final host, while both worms were killed in vitro...
Biomarkers are biometric measurements that provide critical quantitative information about the biological condition of the animal or individual being tested. In drug safety studies, established toxicity biomarkers are used along with other conventional study data to determine dose-limiting organ toxicity, and to define species sensitivity for new chemical entities intended for possible use as human medicines. A continuing goal of drug safety scientists in the pharmaceutical industry is to discover and develop better trans-species biomarkers that can be used to determine target organ toxicities for preclinical species in short-term studies at dose levels that are some multiple of the intended human dose and again later in full development for monitoring clinical trials at lower therapeutic ...
Purpose - The objective of this study is to examine the effects of pan-frying, boiling and cooking in a microwave on the amount of L-carnitine in meat and to look at its distribution in the surrounding fluid after food processing. Design/methodology/approach - Total carnitine, free carnitine and acylcarnitines were determined in meat samples from beef, pork and poultry (including ostrich) and in a liver sample from beef. The measurements were carried out before and after the specimens were subjected to different heat treatments. A radio-enzymatic assay was used for measurement of L-carnitine. Results are expressed per 100 gram dry matter and per 100 gram wet weight. Findings - Except for pan-frying, virtually no losses of carnitine occurred during the different procedures of heat treatment...
Seasonal and habitat calliphorid abundance and distribution were examined weekly for two years (2001-2003) in Santa Clara County, California, using sentinel traps baited with bovine liver. Of the 34,389 flies examined in three defined habitats (rural, urban, and riparian), 38% of the total catch represented Compsomyiops callipes (Bigot) and 23% represented Phormia regina (Meigen). Other flies collected in this survey included Calliphora vomitoria (Linnaeus), Calliphora latifrons (Hough), Lucilia sericata (Meigen), Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann), and Lucilia mexicana (Macquart), which is a new record for the area. Multivariate MANOVA and ANOVA (P 0.05) analysis indicate significant seasonal habitat preference for all fly species examined. This information may be used to identify potentially fo...
We collected female greater scaup (Aythya marila) on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska during two breeding seasons to determine if concentrations of 18 trace elements in livers and eggs were elevated and if hepatic concentrations correlated with body condition or affected reproductive status. Fifty-six percent, 5%, and 42% of females, respectively, had elevated hepatic cadmium (Cd: >3mgg-1 dry weight [dw]), mercury (Hg: >3mgg-1dw), and selenium (Se: >10mgg-1dw). Somatic protein and lipid reserves were not correlated with hepatic Cd or Hg, but there was a weak negative correlation between protein and Se. Hepatic Cd, Hg, and Se were similar in females that had and had not initiated egg production. In a sample of six eggs, 33% and 100%, respectively, contained Se and Hg, but concentrations we...
Objective: To investigate the X-ray radiation dose patients dealt with the hepatic intervention. Methods: Thermoluminescence and tissue-equivalent anthropomorphic phantom were used to measure the X-ray radiation dose in patients dealt with the hepatic intervention in 85 patients. Results: The peak skin dose in the patients who accepted hepatic intervention was from 179.95 to 1759.00 mGy, effective dose approached 29.22 mSv (male), 29.27 mSv (female). Conclusion: Hepatic intervention is now regarded as an important therapeutic method for liver cancer. However, the patients were exposed to too much X-ray radiation during interventional procedures. Some more effective protection should be taken to decrease the X-ray radiation dose accepted by patients. (authors)
It is a useful hypothesis to thing of the reaction to protein deprivation as made up of two parts. First there is an initial adaptation involving rapid losses of protein. This is followed by slow continuing depletion. When considering two organ groups, such as the liver and muscle, it appears that the curve of urinary nitrogen excretion reflects the different parts they play in these two phases. The changes in the relative amounts of protein in different organs results in an alteration in the pattern of body protein at the level of the organ, the tissue and the cell. These changes are themselves the result of altered rates of synthesis and breakdown. The questions that must be asked and hopefully will be answered with the help of isotopes, are how these changes are brought about, how they are inter-related and controlled, and what is their significance? This paper contains a discussion of the few results that have been obtained so far. 1 fig.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to observe the process of fixation in liver specimens non-invasively by means of magnetic resonance. The fixation process of several formaldehyde-containing solutions was monitored with MRI and MRS at two different temperatures. Materials and Methods: Liver specimens were conserved in aqueous fixative solutions containing formaldehyde concentrations of 0.7, 1.8, 4 and 7.2% and at different temperatures of 5 C and 20 C. MRI was performed with T1-, T2- and PD-weighted TSE sequences, a 2D FLASH-sequence with and without magnetization transfer, and a FISP 3D-sequence on a clinical 1.5 Tesla MR whole-body unit, and MRS with {sup 1}H-spectroscopic methods (STEAM-sequence) on a 3 Tesla MR whole-body unit. Results: The diffusion of formaldehyde into the tissue was best identified on PD- and T1-weighted images as a band under the liver surface with increasing thickness, penetrating especially ...
Laboratory studies have been carried out to determine the toxicity of methiocarb pellets to wild trapped wood mice in order to provide some background data prior to any further evaluation of hazard in the field. In this study, wood mice were exposed to dry and to dampened methiocarb pellets in order to reproduce field trial application conditions. Field observations of methiocarb pellets indicate that the physical character changes under dry and wet weather conditions. This may affect their relative attractiveness and potential toxicity to wood mice. The laboratory assessment of exposed wood mice included measurement of brain esterase activities, methiocarb residues in selected mouse tissue, carcasses, and histological evaluation of kidney, liver and lungs.
Abstract The heterotetrameric K++-channel KCNQ1/KCNE1 is expressed in heart, skeletal muscle, liver and several epithelia including the renal proximal tubule. In the heart, it contributes to the repolarization of cardiomyocytes. The repolarization is impaired in ischemia. Ischemia stimulates the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a serine/threonine kinase, sensing energy depletion and stimulating several cellular mechanisms to enhance energy production and to limit energy utilization. AMPK has previously been shown to downregulate the epithelial Na++ channel ENaC, an effect mediated by the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2. The present study explored whether AMPK regulates KCNQ1/KCNE1. To this end, cRNA encoding KCNQ1/KCNE1 was injected into Xenopus oocytes with and without additional injection o...
Diethylene glycol (DEG) is an industrial chemical, the misuse of which has led to numerous epidemic poisonings worldwide. The mechanism of its toxicity has not been defined as to the precise relationship between the metabolism of DEG and target organ toxicity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism for the acute toxicity of DEG, and the effect of the alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor 4-methylpyrazole (fomepizole), by determining the relationship between accumulation of DEG or its metabolites and the resulting kidney and liver toxicity. Rats were treated by oral gavage with water, 2 g/kg DEG (low dose), 10 g/kg DEG (high dose), or 10 g/kg DEG + fomepizole, and blood and urine were collected over 48 h. Rats treated with high-dose DEG had metabolic acidosis, increased BUN an...
Obesity is associated with increased susceptibility to dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and hypertension, a combination of traits that comprise the traditional definition of the metabolic syndrome. Recent evidence suggests that obesity is also associated with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Despite the high prevalence of obesity and its related conditions, their etiologies and pathophysiology remains unknown. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of obesity and NAFLD. Previous genetic analysis of high-fat, diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J (B6) and A/J male mice using a panel of B6-ChrA/J/NaJ chromosome substitution strains (CSSs) demonstrated that 17 CSSs conferred resistance to high-fat, diet-induced obesity. One of these CSS st...
Objectives1. We will use reduction of lysosomal stability as an indicator of cell injury induced by C-60 fullerenes and carbon nanotubes in the liver analogue or digestive gland (hepatopancreas) of marine mussels. Molluscan hepatopancreatic digestive cells are key to normal function and are a sensitive key interface with the environment. Reduction of lysosomal stability is mechanistically linked with impaired health of the whole animal. 2. We will also test the hepatopancreatic digestive cells for evide [continued...]DescriptionNanotechnology is a major innovative scientific and economic growth area, which may present a variety of hazards for environmental and human health. The surface properties and very small size of nanoparticles and nanotubes provides surfaces that may bind and transport toxic chemical pollutants, as well as possibly being toxic in their own right by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). There is a wealth of evidence for the harmful effects ...
Two cases of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), in which ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MR) studies detected an atypical hemorrhagic pattern associated with an intrahepatic arterio venous malformation (AVM) around the growths, are presented. In both cases, histology demonstrated a very early regenerative stage and necrotic-hemorrhagic areas within the lesions. In these cases, the analysis of radiological findings, surgical specimens and histology seemed to confirm the pathogenetic hypothesis suggested by Wanless: in normal liver parenchyma, a ``blood steal`` phenomenon due to congenital or acquired intrahepatic AVM could cause ischemic damage, appearing as a hemorrhagic necrotic area, the extent of which depends on the degree of residual portal supply. (orig.)
The European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax is a marine teleost important in Mediterranean aquaculture. The development of the entire digestive tract of D. labrax, including the pharynx, was investigated from early embryonic development to day 5 post hatching (dph), when the mouth opens. The digestive tract is initialized at stage 12 somites independently from two distinct infoldings of the endodermal sheet. In the pharyngeal region, the anterior infolding forms the pharynx and the first gill slits at stage 25 somites. The other three gill arches and slits are formed between 1 and 5 dph. Posteriorly, in the gut tube region, a posterior infolding forms the foregut, midgut and hindgut. The anus opens before hatching, at stage 28 somites. Associated organs (liver, pancreas and gall bladder) ar...
BACKGROUND: It was previously reported that dendrosomes, i.e. neutral, biodegradable, covalent or self-assembled, hyperbranched, spheroidal nano-particles with a size ranging from 15 to 100 nm, provide a convenient and efficient means of gene delivery into various kinds of cells such as human hepatoma and kidney cells as well as animal models.RESULTS: New studies via circular dichroism show that hydrophilic and amphipathic dendrosomes either do not affect the DNA structure or moderately transform it from B- to A-conformation. Gene delivery into human liver, kidney, and endothelial cells as well as other animal cells like Bowes, U-937, Raw, CCRF-CEM, MOLT-4, K562, Huh-7 and VERO reveal that the genes are efficiently expressed and in comparison with other gene porters like Lipofectin or bact...
The purpose of this study was to correlate histopathological with CT findings in patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) eligible for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), with a special focus on the antitumoral effect of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy. A total of 42 consecutive patients suffering from HCC had been treated prior to OLT by means of TACE. TACE was carried out with a mixture of Lipiodol (10-20 ml) and mitomycin C (max. dosage, 10 mg). TACE was performed at 6- to 8-week intervals. Follow-up investigation included contrast-enhanced multislice CT controls and laboratory control. Liver explants were evaluated macroscopically and microscopically to determine the number and size of the tumor lesions as well as the degree of tumor necrosis. Necrosis was investigated in H and E-stained sections. The degree of necrosis was classified as follows: 0-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, 75-99%, and complete necrosis. Two ...
The decrease and subsequent lack of recovery of the North American scaup population has increased concerns about contaminants acquired during migration. We collected 189 fall- and spring-migrant lesser (Aythya affinis) and greater scaup (A. marila) on the lower Great Lakes (LGL) to determine if organic contaminants and trace elements in scaup livers were increased and to evaluate sources of variation in selenium (Se) burdens. We found that all organic contaminants were below toxic levels. Of 18 trace elements, only Se was detected at increased (>10-ppm dry-mass) levels. Se in lesser scaup increased but remained constant in greater scaup throughout fall; levels were increased in 14% of lesser scaup and 46% of greater scaup. During spring, Se increased in lesser scaup but decreased slightly ...
Atrazine is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the United States. While effective on target plants, it has been associated with harmful health effects in non-target organisms such as fish, amphibians and mammals. In this study, growth effects on human liver cells were determined after exposure to increasing concentrations of this herbicide. Growth of immortalized human hepatoma HepG2 cells was inhibited by atrazine concentrations of 625 ppb after 72 h exposure and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated HepG2 cells exposed to 100 ppb atrazine accumulated in S phase after 48 h compared to untreated cells. Expression of cell cycle specific cyclin proteins was altered after atrazine exposure with cyclin E levels significantly decreased after a 24 h exposure and cyclin B levels decreased...
9-cis-UAB30 is a potential chemopreventative agent that has been shown to be effective on many different types of tumors. The safety and toxicity of 9-cis-UAB30 had not been previously established. These studies were conducted to evaluate the potential toxicity and pharmacokinetics in a rodent and a nonrodent species for the purpose of investigational new drug submission. Oral gavage administration of 9-cis-UAB30 at the doses 0, 3, 15, and 100 ?mg/kg/day to CD? rats for 28 days showed a dose-dependent (although not dose-proportional) increase in plasma drug levels in week 4. The liver was the target organ for toxicity of 9-cis-UAB30. Hepatomegaly along with increases in serum aspartate-aminotransferase and alkaline-phosphatase levels were seen in rats. Moderate hypoalbuminemia and hyperglo...
A review is presented of the literature through 1977 on the uses of radioactive lead isotopes in metabolic studies in man, animals, and plants. These studies have been done mainly with the naturally-occurring, long-lived (22-yr half life) "2"1"0Pb, but a few were with 53-hr "2"0"3Pb or 10.6-hr "2"1"2Pb. Such studies have made possible estimates of the metabolic parameters of lead in man and animals, such as intestinal absorption, the ratio of fecal-to-urinary excretion of endogenous lead, residence time of lead in the body and in various organs, and the distribution in the body (skeleton, liver, kidney, and blood). Subsequently, these parameters and data have been used to trace the sources of lead for man, such as those from the atmosphere, food, cigarette smoke, and automobile exhaust.
4-Methylcoumarins that possess two hydroxyl groups ortho to each other in the benzenoid ring have shown to have excellent antioxidant and radical-scavenging properties in different experimental models. Furthermore, they cannot be metabolized by the liver P450 monoxygenases and thus cannot form 3,4-coumarin epoxides, which are believed to be mutagenic. Herein, we present a study on the structure activity relationship of eight synthetic 4-methylcoumarins, carried out by employing a series of different chemical cell-free tests. These compounds were tested by means of three assays involving one redox reaction with the oxidant (DPPH assay, ABTS+ assay and FRAP). Other assays were employed to evaluate the antioxidant properties of the coumarins under investigation against NO, O2- and HClO, which...
Eremostachys laciniata (L) Bunge (family: Lamiaceae alt. Labiatae; subfamily: Lamioideae) is one of the 15 endemic Iranian herbs of the genus Eremostachys. A decoction of the roots and flowers of E. laciniata has traditionally been taken orally for the treatment of allergies, headache and liver diseases. Three antibacterial iridoid glucosides, phloyoside I (1), phlomiol (2) and pulchelloside I (3) have been isolated from the rhizomes of this plant. The structures of these compounds were elucidated unequivocally by a series of 1D and 2D NMR analyses. The antibacterial activity and brine shrimp toxicity of these compounds were assessed using the resazurin microtitre assay and the brine shrimp lethality assay, respectively. All three iridoid glycosides 1-3 exhibited from low to moderate level...
Abstract Alcohol drinking is highly prevalent in many cultures and contributes to the global burden of disease. In fact, it was shown that alcohol constitutes 3.2% of all worldwide deaths in the year 2006 and is linked to more than 60 diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, liver cirrhosis, neuropsychiatric disorders, injuries and foetal alcohol syndrome. Alcoholism, which has been proven to have a high genetic load, is one potentially fatal consequence of chronic heavy alcohol consumption, and may be regarded as one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric diseases afflicting our society today. The aim of the integrated genome research network -Genetics of Alcohol Addiction--which is a German inter-/trans-disciplinary life science consortium consisting of molecular biologists,...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a major health problem as it afflicts an increasing number of patients worldwide. Albeit most of the risk factors for HCC are known, this is a deadly syndrome with a life expectancy at the time of diagnosis of less than 1?year. Definition of the molecular principles governing the neoplastic transformation of the liver is an urgent need to facilitate the clinical management of patients, based on innovative methods to detect the disease in its early stages and on more efficient therapies. In the present study, we have combined the analysis of a murine model and human samples of HCC to identify genes differentially expressed early in the process of hepatocarcinogenesis, using a microarray-based approach. Expression of 190 genes was impaired in murine ...
Surgical resection is the only curative treatment strategy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CC). Therefore, accurate staging is essential for appropriate management of patients with CC. We assessed the usefulness of 2-["1"8F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in the staging of CC. We undertook a retrospective review of FDG PET images in 21 patients (10 female, 11 male; mean age 57 years) diagnosed with CC. Ten patients had hilar CC and 11, peripheral CC. Patients underwent abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (n=20) and computed tomography (CT) (n=12) for the evaluation of primary tumours, and chest radiography and whole-body bone scintigraphy for work-up of distant metastases. For semi-quantitative analysis, the maximum voxel standardised uptake value (SUV_m_a_x) was obtained from the primary tumour. All peripheral CCs showed intensely increased FDG uptake, and some demonstrated ring-shaped uptake corresponding to ...
Objective: To determine whether asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) is associated with upper genital tract inflammation or bacterial colonization.Methods: Fifty nonpregnant women with intact uteri who planned to undergo gynecologic surgery and had no recent symptoms of vaginal infection were enrolled. We obtained a vaginal swab for Gram stain, endocervical swab for chlamydia and gonorrhea DNA probe testing, and Pipelle endometrial biopsy for aerobic and anaerobic cultures and histology. We correlated surgical findings and histology of available surgical specimens with the microbiologic results. The diagnosis of BV was made according to Speigel's criteria. Bacteria isolated from the uterus were classified as high virulence versus low virulence. Contingency tables were analyzed using the chi-square or Fisher Exact tests.Results: Twenty-one of 50 patients had BV on Gram stain, 3 had intermediate BV, and 3 had unreadable slides. Eleven patients had histologic endometritis, including 7 of ...
The brain hypothermia treatment is an attractive therapy for the neurologist because of its neuroprotection in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy patients. The present paper deals with the possibility of controlling the brain and other viscera in different temperatures from the viewpoint of system control. It is theoretically attempted to realize the special brain hypothermia treatment to cool only the head but to warm the body by using the simple apparatus such as the cooling cap, muffler and warming blanket. For this purpose, a biothermal system concerning the temperature difference between the brain and the other thoracico-abdominal viscus is synthesized from the biothermal model of hypothermic patient. The output controllability and the asymptotic stability of the system are examined on the basis of its structure. Then, the maximum temperature difference to be realized is shown dependent on the temperature range of the apparatus and also on the maximum gain ...
Background: the fact that therapeutic irradiation can induce significant stenosis in the arteries of the head, neck, and chest, as welt as in the aorta and the iliac arteries, is familiar in daily practice and well documented in the literature. By contrast, radiation-induced renal artery stenosis seems to be a less widely known complication. Patients and methods: the sudden onset of medically refractory arterial hypertension and coma in a 27-year-old man is reported, who had been treated at age 20 with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for Ewing's sarcoma in the lumbar region. This treatment had been performed at the hospital of Sion, Switzerland in 2001. Also, the relevant literature from 1965 to 2007 is reviewed to underscore various aspects of this problem and to demonstrate the clinical relevance of renal artery stenosis as a potential long-term sequela of radiotherapy. Conclusion: radiation-induced renal artery stenosis has only rarely been described in the literature, but arterial ...
During the past 10 years, five infants with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (K-M) receiving radiation therapy were reported. We investigated whether radiation therapy for K-M was useful and what the unfavorable factors of K-M were. During the past 10 years, we have treated five infants with K-M. The syndrome occurred at ages ranging from birth to 4 months. The incidence of female to male ratio was 3:2. Among 5 cases, the site of hemangioma was as follows; shoulder, anterior chest wall, lower abdominal wall, face and neck and inguinal site. All 5 cases received medication to control the coagulopathy including prednisone and blood transfusion at first. Because the platelet count and the bleeding tendency did not improve in any case, these cases received radiation therapy. Total dose ranged from 5 to 10 Gy and fraction-size ranged from 0.5 to 1.75 Gy. Irradiation session was 2 or 3 times per week. In 5 cases, 4 cases showed cure of bleeding tendency and disappearance of ...
Purpose: Reconstruction of radiation doses for the thoracoabdominal babygram and the abdomen X-ray from radiographic settings and exposure data acquired at Dr. von Hauner's Kinderspital (children's hospital of the University of Munich, DvHK) between 1976 and 2007; comparison of these dose values with values reported in the literature; recommendation of a reference dose value for the thoracoabdominal babygram. Materials and Methods: The data from all X-ray examinations performed since 1976 at DvHK were stored electronically in a database. After 30 years of data collection, the database now includes 305 107 radiological examinations (radiographs and fluoroscopies), especially 1493 thoracoabdominal babygrams and 3632 abdomen X-rays of newborns and young infants. With the computer program PAeDOS, a specific dose reconstruction algorithm was developed. Results: the entrance dose values of thoracoabdominal babygrams and abdomen X-rays in DvHK could be reduced in the last 30 ...
Purpose: Reconstruction of radiation doses for the thoracoabdominal babygram and the abdomen X-ray from radiographic settings and exposure data acquired at Dr. von Hauner's Kinderspital (children's hospital of the University of Munich, DvHK) between 1976 and 2007; comparison of these dose values with values reported in the literature; recommendation of a reference dose value for the thoracoabdominal babygram. Materials and Methods: The data from all X-ray examinations performed since 1976 at DvHK were stored electronically in a database. After 30 years of data collection, the database now includes 305 107 radiological examinations (radiographs and fluoroscopies), especially 1493 thoracoabdominal babygrams and 3632 abdomen X-rays of newborns and young infants. With the computer program PAeDOS, a specific dose reconstruction algorithm was developed. Results: the entrance dose values of thoracoabdominal babygrams and abdomen X-rays in DvHK could be reduced in the last 30 years by a factor ...
To assess the variability and systematic differences in polyp measurements on optical colonoscopy and CT colonography. Gastroenterologists measured 51 polyps by visual estimation, forceps comparison and linear probe. CT colonography observers randomly assessed polyp size two-dimensionally (abdominal and intermediate window) and three-dimensionally (manually and semi-automatically). Linear mixed models were used to assess the variability and systematic differences between CT colonography and optical colonoscopy techniques. The variability of forceps and linear probe measurements was comparable and both showed less variability than measurement by visual assessment. Measurements by linear probe were 0.7 mm smaller than measurements by visual assessment or by forceps. The variability of all CT colonography techniques was lower than for measurements by forceps or visual assessment and sometimes lower (only 2D intermediate window and manual 3D) compared with measurements ...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate time management and workflow for multidetector-row helical CT (MDCT). Time for patient and data handling of at total of 580 patients were evaluated at two different time periods (December 1999, August 2000), each for the following baseline measurements: (a) change of clothes/instruction; (b) patient placement on the CT table/i.v. catheter; (c) CT planning and programming; (d) CT data acquisition; (e) CT data reconstruction; (f) CT data storage/printing. All imaging was performed on a Somatom Volume Zoom (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). Time measurements summarized for different CT protocols revealed the following: (a) 5:01 min (#+-#2.06 min); (b) 4:36 min (#+-#2.43 min); (c) 4:11 min (#+-#2.55 min); (d) 0:43 min (#+-#0.15 min); (e) 6:59 min (#+-#2.39 min); (f) 09:51 min (#+-#3.51 min). Planning and programming was most time-consuming for CT angiography, whereas chest and abdominal CT needed only 3:26 and 3:30 min, ...
Laparoscopic orchiopexy has gained popularity in recent years. However, the decision when to perform one-stage laparoscopic orchiopexy without division of the spermatic vessels versus initial ligation of the spermatic vessels followed later by orchiopexy is not clear. A new laparoscopic classification to facilitate decision-making during laparoscopy, according to the position of the impalpable testis and the relation of the spermatic vessels and vas deferens to the internal ring, with a management protocol based on this classification is presented. Over a 2-year period, a total of 37 boys with 52 impalpable gonads underwent a laparoscopic procedure. Four laparoscopic types of testis were noted: type I: no testis visualized; type II: a testis seen at the internal ring with the vas and vessels looping to the internal ring; type III: testis at the internal ring, with vas and vessels going to the testis directly; and type IV: intra-abdominal testis not related to the ...
Cervix cancer is the most common female cancer in Korea. In spite of their relatively local invasive tendency, still 44% of patient will develop recurrent cancer This result suggests that more aggressive local treatment may increase the cure rate but increased complication risk also cannot be avoidable. Various institutions proposed different treatment regimen, but recommended dose were about 4500 cGy for whole pelvis and 8000 cGy at point A, even though they agreed that those doses may not be satisfactory for control of bulky disease. 96 cases of invasive cervical cancer, treated with postoperative or primary radiation therapy were analyzed to determine the complication rate and prognostic factor in our treatment regimen which is 500-1000 cGy higher than other institution. Mean follow up duration was 21 months. Symptomatic patients including mild but persistent abdominal discomfort was 46%, but only 1 patient (1%) had operative treatment because of incomplete ...
An attempt was made for early quantitative assessment of the severety of an injury, using the nuclear acids (NA) content as a biochemical indicator. Sexually mature male rats with body mass 160-180 g were irradiated with doses 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 Gy of "1"3"7Cs source. Uneven irradiation was achieved by shielding the abdominal-lumbar area with lead rings, measuring 2,5/50 mm. A 28-30% fall of the dose beneath the shielded zone was thus provided. Dose-dependent quantitative changes in Na content were determined on hours 24 and 72 within the range from 0.5 to 8 Gy and followed up until day 30 after irradiation with nonlethal (2 Gy) and lethal (8 Gy) doses. The total NA content in the leucocytes was determined by the method of Kritski and Aleksandrov. The uneven irradiation of rats within the 0,5-8 Gy range induced early dose-dependent changes in NA content. The nature of their post-irradiation dynamics also depended on the radiation dose and adequately reflected the ...
Active contrast material extravasation can be recognized with conventional CT scanners, though it has been considered a rare finding. Helical CT seems to increase the detection rate and especially to boost the radiologist's confidence in this diagnosis. Though active bleeding is defined in severely-injured subjects requiring urgent intervention and may be associated with findings of hypovolaemic shock, it should not be considered itself as a negative prognostic factor. Contrast extravasation is due to ongoing hemorrhage and its detection is critical for urged treatment. Accurate anatomical location permits to choose surgical management or transcatheter embolization and thus decreases time consumption for precis e bleeding site identification. [Italian] Lo stravaso attivo del mdc e' rilevabile anche con appropriate apparecchiature TC tradizionali, sebbene sia stato considerato raro. La TC sprirale sembra aumentare la frequanza del riconoscimento e soprattutto la ...
Lipiodol, lipid soluble contrast media, was applied to 59 patients, who was clinically suspected to have hepatic tumor, in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital. The results of the clinical use of Lipiodol were as follows: 1. The clinical diagnosis was hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 50 cases, cavernous hemangioma in 4 cases, metastasis in one case and others in 4 cases. 2. After hepatic arteriography, Lipiodol only was injected in 28 cases, mixture of Lipiodol and Mitomycin was injected in 22 cases and transcatheter arterial embolization was performed additionally after injection of Lipiodol and Mitomycin in 9 cases. 3. Among the 50 cases of HCC, Lipiodol was accumulated in the lesion in 49 cases. However, similar accumulation of Lipiodol occured in a metastatic cancer and cavernous hemangiomas. 4. Plain radiographic patterns of Lipiodol accumulation could be divided into fine granular type, nodular type and linear or branching type. The linear ...
Metabolic profile is an important biological marker of neoplastic processes not only in the tumor itself but also in the host organism. The neuro-hormone melatonin has been implicated in the experiments as an oncostatic agent. Female Wistar:Han SPF rats (Velaz, Prague, Czech Republic) were irradiated continuously for 15 days using a daily gamma rays dose of 96 mGy. At the end of exposure one group of rats was administered 5 mg/kg b.w. of dimethylbenz/a/anthracene (DMBA) intragastrically. During the period of exposure to ionizing radiation a part of the animals was supplied with melatonin (M) at a concentration of 20 #mu#l/ml in drinking water. Selected parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and levels of selected hormones were determined 2, 30 and 100 days post-irradiation. The irradiation itself caused only small changes in tissue lipids. The application of a single low dose (subthreshold from the point of view of induction of mammary tumors) of DMBA caused more pronounced ...
The present investigation was aimed to assess the usefulness of biliary agents scintigraphy in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to ascertain the relationship between the uptake of these agents and the degree of HCC differentiation. Forty-four patients with this hepatic cancer were included in the study. Liver scans were performed 20 min and 3 hr after the administration of 99mTc diisopropyliminodiacetic acid (DISIDA). DISIDA scintigraphy could not be assessed in six cases. In 16 (42%) out of the remaining 38 patients, the tumor exhibited equal or greater radioactivity uptake than the surrounding liver. In six out of these 16 patients, tumor uptake was apparent in the early and delayed hepatic scans, while in the other ten subjects radioactivity uptake by the HCC could only be detected in the 3-hr delayed scans. In the remaining 22 patients, HCC appeared as a cold area. Tumor location by this technique did not differ from that ...
Abstract in english BACKGROUND: Severe pathogenic infection triggers excessive release of cytokines as part of the massive inflammatory response associated with septic shock. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the protective effect of caffeic acid phenethye ester (CAPE) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced endotoxemia, hepatic and neuronal damage and the associated systemic inflammatory response (SIR). METHODS: Fifty male Wister rats were divided into: control, LPS, and CAPE+LPS groups. Plasma c (more) oncentrations of various cytokines, including TNF-?, IL-1?, IL-1?, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, and sICAM-1 were evaluated. In addition, the histopathological changes in the hepatic and neural cells were assessed. RESULTS: The LPS group showed high inflammatory cytokines and sICAM-1 levels reflecting the presence of SIR. Hepatocyte necrosis, apoptosis, extensive hemorrhage and inflammatory cellular infiltration together with brain astrocytes swelling, early neuron injury and presence of inflammatory ...
The disposition of three (1-/sup 14/C)-chlorododecanes (MCDD, PCDD I and PCDD II; 17.4%, 55.9%, and 68.5% chlorination) was studied in C57Bl mice. (1-/sup 14/C)-lauric acid (LA) was studied as reference compound. Fifty-two percent (MCDD), 32% (PCDD I), and 8% (PCDD II) of the radioactive doses were exhaled as /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ during 12 h after i.v. injection. Similar results were obtained after p.o. administration. In addition to a marked labelling of the liver and fat, the distribution patterns observed at 24 h after administration revealed an uptake of radioactivity in tissues with high cell turnover/high metabolic activity, e.g., intestinal mucosa, bone marrow, salivary glands and thymus. The concentration of radioactivity in these sites and the exhalation of /sup 14/CO/sub 2/, which were inverse to the degree of chlorination, indicate that the chloroalkanes are degraded to metabolites which can be utilized in the intermediary metabolism. A similar, although ...
Intercrosses of heterozygous pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mice result in homozygous null progeny at lower frequencies than expected. Genotyping offspring at pre-, peri-, and postnatal stages revealed that over half of homozygous null mutants die in the early postnatal stages. To investigate the reasons for this early postnatal lethality, we analyzed in detail different parameters in the initial hours after birth. POMC null mutants born to heterozygous dams presented at birth with corticosterone levels no different from wildtype littermates, were euglycemic, and had normal liver glycogen stores. However, already 30 min after birth corticosterone levels dropped by 80% and were undetectable thereafter, while corticosterone levels in wildtype animals increased during postnatal hours. Circulating adrenaline was almost below detection 1h after birth. Blood glucose levels fell sharply in all genotypes within 30 min after birth; however, wildtype and heterozygous pups ...
High liver uptake and slow body clearance presently limit the usefulness of "1"1"1In labeled antibodies for tumor imaging. We have investigated "2"0"3Pb as an alternate and better antibody label. The DTPA and cyclohexyl EDTA (CDTA) conjugates of an anticolon carcinoma antibody, 17-1A were labeled (bicyclic anhydride method) with "2"0"3Pb and "1"1"1In with 60 and 90% labeling yields, respectively. The biodistribution of "2"0"3Pb-17-1A conjugates was compared with the corresponding "1"1"1In-labeled preparations and with "2"0"3Pb-DTPA, "2"0"3Pb-nitrate and nonrelevant antibody controls in normal and human tumor (SW948) xenografted nude mice at 24, and 96 hr. Lead-203-labeled CDTA and DTPA antibody conjugates gave similar in vivo distributions. Even though the lead bound to these chelate-antibody conjugates was more labile in serum and in vivo, compared to indium, it cleared much faster from the liver and the whole body. A new series of chelating ...
A cytochrome P450 that hydroxylates lauric acid at the 12 position (P450LA omega) was isolated from liver microsomes of clofibrate treated rats. P450LA omega was immunologically distinct from P450s a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,j,PB1, and PCN1. Polyclonal antibody against P450LA omega was utilized to screen a gt11 cDNA library. A clone (pP450LA omega), was isolated and its sequence determined. The P450LA omega mRNA is a minimum 2387 nts in length and codes for a P450 of Mr.58,222 daltons. This protein shares less than 35% amino acid similarity with P450s b,c,d,e,f,PB1, and PCN1; however, it does contain a hydrophobic amino terminal peptide and a conserved sequence surrounding the Cys residue at position 456, which is similar to other microsomal P450s. P450LA omega is present at high levels in untreated rat kidney and is induced by clofibrate in both kidney and liver. This induction is the result of an accumulation of mRNA through a rapid transcriptional ...
Background and purpose: the recent RTOG guidelines for future clinical developments in gynecologic malignancies included the investigation of dose escalation in the paraaortic (PO) region which is, however, very difficult to target due to the presence of critical organs such as kidneys, liver, spinal cord, and digestive structures. The aim of this study was to investigate intensity-modulated radiotherapy's (IMRT) possibilities of either increasing, in a safe way, the dose to 50-60 Gy in case of macroscopic disease or decreasing the dose to organs at risk (OR) when treatment is given in an adjuvant setting. Material and methods: the dosimetric charts of 14 patients irradiated to the PO region at the department of radiation oncology, university hospital of Liege, Belgium, in 2000 were analyzed in order to compare six-field conformal external-beam radio-therapy (CEBR) and five-beam IMRT approaches. Both CEBR and IMRT investigations were planned to theoretically ...
The antiviral drug combination consisting of arbidol and acetaminophen was investigated for its 4-week repeated oral administration in Sprague-Dawley rats. Groups of rats (10/sex in low-dose group, 15/sex in other three groups) were given at doses of 0, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day. Clinical signs, mortality, body weight, food consumption, hematology, clinical biochemistry, macroscopic findings, organ weights, and histopathology were examined. The administration resulted in increased incidence of piloerection in most of the high-dose females and in some of the high-dose males and mid-dose females. Histopathological examinations revealed minor treatment-related change in the stomach of the high-dose animals. A decrease in body-weight gains and an increase in liver weight were observed in the mid- and high-dose groups. These treatment-related effects were reversible at the 2-week recovery period. A number of other clinical and pathological findings were not considered ...
Computed Tomography (CT) and, more recently, ultrasound (US), have proved excellent tools for quantifying adipose tissue distribution. Body fat distribution is an important factor in the treatment of obesity and its complications. In this work it is investigated the correlation between CT and US measurements in pediatric obesity. Forty obese children and adolescents aged 4.1-14.8 years were submitted to CT and US. Intra-abdominal, subcutaneous and total body fat were calculated (in cm{sup 2}), with the CT image analysis software. The rectus muscle-spine and rectus muscle-aorta distances, as indicative of visceral fat thickness, were measured on US images with(out) compression. The distance between skin fat and fat-rectus muscle interfaces was measured as subcutaneous fat thickness. US-CT findings have been compared with other morphometric variables-i.e., patient's (ideal) body weight and skin fold measures. A statistically significant correlation was found ...
Purpose: To assess the role of CT in the evaluation of traumatic and spontaneous oesophageal perforation. Materials and methods: From March 2001 to May 2003, we studied 12 patients (7 males and 5 females; age range: 25-66 years, mean age: 43.5 years) with suspected oesophageal perforation due to motor-vehicle accidents (4 cases), stab wound (one case), post-intubation (2 cases), foreign body ingestion (2 cases) and spontaneous (3 cases). Five patients underwent standard chest and cervical radiography; two patients with suspected foreign body ingestion also underwent a gastrografin swallow study; all of the 12 patients underwent CT of the neck, chest and abdomen before and after intravenous, and in four cases oral, administration of contrast material. Results: In 5 patients with cervical, thoracic and abdominal trauma, the CT examination showed the presence of pleuroparenchymal injury (pneumothorax, pleural effusion and subcutaneous emphysema) as well as findings ...
Full text: Many studies have demonstrated significant declines in 24-hour energy expenditure (TEE) measured by whole body calorimetry with either the process of weight loss or the maintenance of reduced body weight. The aims of this study were to determine the effect of weight loss and two weeks of weight maintenance on TEE using ["1"4C]-bicarbonate-urea, Eleven subjects (6 males, 5 females), mean (#+-#SE) age 50 #+-# 3 years, BMI 34.1 #+-# 2.1 kg/m2 and body fat 38.7 #+-# 3% were studied before and after a decrease in body weight of > 8% over a period of 8 weeks, followed by two weeks of weight maintenance. Weight loss was induced using the combination of Modifast and one small meal a day (#approx#3.34 MJ/day). Body composition (DEXA), resting energy expenditure (REE) and the thermic effect of a 2.7 MJ test meal (TEF) were measured in addition to TEE at week 2 and again at week 12. Diet was assessed using diaries and physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) was calculated from ...
AIM: To assess the impact of the introduction of a computed tomography (CT) imaging protocol for multi-trauma patients on the workload, overall diagnostic yield, and effect on detection of cervical spine injury and pneumothorax. METHOD: Between February 1997 and April 2004, all patients presenting acutely to the Emergency Department (ED) with haemodynamically stable trauma (Abbreviated Injury Scale 3 or more) involving more than two body systems were imaged with a comprehensive pre-set helical CT protocol (including non-contrast head, cervical spine: cranio-cervical and cervico-thoracic junctions; and oral and intravenous contrast-enhanced thoracic, abdomen and pelvis) after initial triage and a standard trauma series of radiographs (chest, lateral C-spine and pelvis). Diagnosis of cervical spine fracture and pneumothorax was noted before and after the CT protocol was carried out and findings from all studies were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: Over the 7-year period 296 multi-trauma ...
The evaluate the signs of aortic intramural hematoma with helical CT and the diagnostic role of this technique in patients with this condition. It was reviewed the CT findings of 396 patients submitted to emergency examinations for suspected aortic dissection from 1995 to 1999. Only 18 patients (6 women and 12 men) had CT signs of aortic intramural hematoma. Helical CT studies were carried out with the following parameters: slice thickness 10 mm, reconstruction index 10, feed 1.5 mm, conventional algorithm with minimum values of 130 kV and 125mA. All patients were examined with dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, before and after a power injection of 130 mL ionic contrast material. It was studied: hematoma localization and longitudinal extension; thickness and density of aortic wall; presence and location of intimal calcifications; integrity of intimal wall; hemo mediastinum and/or hemo thorax. Aortic wall thickening appeared as a high density crescent-shaped area at baseline CT and had low ...
The use of the ratio of the characteristic intensity to the continuum background intensity (P/B ratio) of the X-ray spectrum for a quantitative ion microprobe (IMP) or PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission) analysis of thin biological specimens was proposed previously. The IMP analysis of thick biological specimens is also of considerable practical use. In this paper, the possibility of using the P/B ratio to quantify minor elements in thick biological specimens is investigated. The epoxy resin based standards with gradual concentrations of KCNS up to 0.6 mol/kg and NBS bovine liver were analyzed by a 27 MeV {alpha} particle microprobe. The measured peak to background ratios (between 4.4 to 5.7 keV) agreed well with the theoretical calculations. The calculations showed that the concentration dependence of the P/B ratios was determined mainly by the absorption of X-rays in specimens. The results indicate that the P/B method is useful for IMP analysis of thick ...
To assess the malignant potential of small({<=}15mm) portal defects seen on CT arterial portography, the findings of CT hepatic arteriography and lipiodol CT were reviewed. In 91 patients who underwent both CTAP and CTHA, small portal defects were reviewed for frequency, multiplicity and location. We prospectively evauluated changes in the size and enhancement pattern of malignant lesions on follow up CT according to density on CTHA, location, lipiodol deposits on lipiodol CT, and multiplicity. Among the 91 patients, 102 small defects were defected in 42 patients(46%). Small portal defects were benign, malignant, and of undetermined malignant potential in 77%, 20% and 3% of cases, respectively. Small portal defects that were hyperattenuated on CTHA, and lipiodol deposits on lipiodol CT, were malignant in 42% and 70% of cases, respectively. Location and multiplicity did not show statistically significant variation between benign and malignant defects. Small portal defects are ...
The iron hormone hepcidin is inhibited by matriptase-2, a liver serine-protease encoded by TMPRSS6 gene. Cleaving the BMP-coreceptor hemojuvelin, matriptase-2 impairs the BMP/SMAD signaling pathway, downregulates hepcidin and facilitates iron absorption. TMPRSS6 inactivation causes iron-deficiency-anemia refractory to iron administration both in humans and mice. Genome wide association studies have shown that the SNP rs855791, which causes the matriptase-2 V736A amino acid substitution, is associated with variations of serum iron, transferrin saturation, hemoglobin and erythrocyte traits. Here we show that in vitro matriptase-2 736(A) inhibits hepcidin more efficiently than 736(V). Moreover, in a genotyped population, after exclusion of samples with iron deficiency and inflammation, hepcidin, hepcidin/transferrin saturation and hepcidin/ferritin ratios were significantly lower and iron parameters were consistently higher in homozygotes 736(A) than in 736(V). Our ...
Selenium and iodine are trace elements that play an important role in health of man and animals. Concerning supply of both elements it is important to meet nutritional needs. According to discoveries selenium is a part of an active group of glutathione peroxidase enzyme. It prevents necrotic changes in liver, muscle dystrophy and has impact on growth. Extensive studies on content of selenium in plant and animal origin products were started in the beginning of the seventies in Western Europe (Frankenberger, et al., 1998). The aim of our work was to determine selenium and iodine content in total diets of Slovene military. Slovene military nutrition is based on its own nutritional standards, which determine 200 #mu#g of iodine and 50 #mu#g of selenium in daily diet (Rep. Slovenija Ministrstvo za Obrambo, 1994). To determine if the amounts of both elements meet the standards we have analysed 20 total daily diets from four different barracks within a two month period. ...
Understanding risks from exposures to carcinogens and other chemicals depends upon measurement of their dose to target tissues and their reactivity with critical macromolecules. The authors have used AMS detection of radio-isotopes to assess doses and reactivities at low, environmentally relevant doses. Several biomedical investigations show the effectiveness of quantification of biologically important events at extremely high sensitivity with AMS. Specifically, they have measured the addition of environmental carcinogens such as 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]-quinoaxaline (MelQx), a chemical found in cooked food, to DNA at concentrations relevant to human exposure. Other low level detection problems in biology, such as immunoassay assessment of small environmental chemicals, is being developed with attomole sensitivity. AMS also aids the assessment of genotoxic risks from chemicals by quantifying the binding of labeled chemicals to DNA. The very toxic and potent carcinogen, ...
Hyaluronan is an important constituent of the extracellular matrix in skin, and recent studies suggest that there is a pool of easily removable (free) hyaluronan drained by lymph. The removal rate of free hyaluronan in skin was measured from the elimination of ({sup 3}H)hyaluronan, injected subcutaneously in 13 rabbits. The removal of radioactivity was determined from appearance of {sup 3}H in plasma. During the first 24 h after injection, 10-87% of the tracer entered blood, less in injectates with high concentrations of hyaluronan. The removal was monoexponential with a half-life of 0.5-1 day when concentration of hyaluronan was 5 mg/ml or less. When hyaluronan concentration was 10 mg/ml or higher, the removal was slow for about 24 h and then became similar to that in experiments with low hyaluronan concentration. Free hyaluronan at physiological concentrations is thus turned over with the same rate as serum albumin, supporting the concept that hyaluronan is removed essentially by ...
The behavior of lead in the graphite furnace during the individual steps of the temperature program was investigated by means of /sup 203/Pb as a radiotracer. The matrix systems include HCl and HNO/sub 3/ solutions, 1% NaCl solution, blood, serum, urine, and the solid samples bovine liver and orchard leaves. Without matrix modificaton, a pyrolysis temperature of up to 500/sup 0/C can be used for all samples. Significant stabilization effects can be achieved in the preatomization steps by using NH/sub 4/H/sub 2/PO/sub 4/ and ammonia as matrix modifiers and by addition of hydrogen to the flowing argon gas. It was found that the use of a L'vov platform also helps to eliminate the matrix effects. With respect to lead stabilization and elimination of matrix effects, optimum experimental conditions are achieved by simultaneous use of a L'vov platform and NH/sub 4/H/sub 2/PO/sub 4/ as the matrix modifier. 34 references, 5 figures, 1 table.
The behavior of lead in the graphite furnace during the individual steps of the temperature program was investigated by means of "2"0"3Pb as a radiotracer. The matrix systems include HCl and HNO_3 solutions, 1% NaCl solution, blood, serum, urine, and the solid samples bovine liver and orchard leaves. Without matrix modificaton, a pyrolysis temperature of up to 500"0C can be used for all samples. Significant stabilization effects can be achieved in the preatomization steps by using NH_4H_2PO_4 and ammonia as matrix modifiers and by addition of hydrogen to the flowing argon gas. It was found that the use of a L'vov platform also helps to eliminate the matrix effects. With respect to lead stabilization and elimination of matrix effects, optimum experimental conditions are achieved by simultaneous use of a L'vov platform and NH_4H_2PO_4 as the matrix modifier. 34 references, 5 figures, 1 table.
Current bioartificial extra-corporeal systems are bioreactors where cells are separated from the surrounding media by porous polymeric membranes. The present work focuses on the design of membranes that allow the differential diffusion of plasma metabolites and proteins such as immunoglobulin (IgG). This design will improve catabolites removal and reduce possible immune response and virus infection. We demonstrate the feasibility to synthesize the hydrogels confined to the macroporous structure of membranes by radiation-induced in situ polymerization. The hollow-fiber membranes were soaked in aqueous monomeric solution, rinsed and irradiated while submerged in oil. This procedure confined the hydrogel to the void internal volume of the pores of the membrane. Hydrogels of polyacrylamide and polyHEMA were synthesized this way by irradiation at 10 kGy. Hydraulic permeability and diffusion of glucose, albumin and IgG were measured in these hydrogel-filled membranes. Polyacrylamide 0.5 M ...
A multifunctional protein kinase, purified from rat liver as ATP-citrate lyase kinase, has been identified as a glycogen synthase kinase. This kinase catalyzed incorporation of up to 1.5 mol of and)2numberSPO4/mol of synthase subunit associated with a decrease in the glycogen synthase activity ratio from 0.85 to a value of 0.15. Approximately 65-70% of the TUPO4 was incorporated into site 3 and 30-35% into site 2 as determined by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. This multifunctional kinase was distinguished from glycogen synthase kinase-3 on the basis of nucleotide and protein substrate specificities. Since the phosphate contents in glycogen synthase of sites 3 and 2 are altered in diabetes and by insulin administration, the possible involvement of the multifunctional kinase was explored. Glycogen synthase purified from diabetic rabbits was phosphorylated in vitro by this multifunctional kinase at only 10% of the rate compared to synthase ...
The Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) is taken as an example of the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy in gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumours, given the standard characteristics of this procedure, whatever the nature of the primitive tumour. Management of ZES includes: anatomical localization of gastrinoma and of possible metastases, in 60 % of cases this step conditioning therapeutic indications and chances of cure; search of a type 1-multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN A), in 25 % of cases; therapeutic indications: ablative surgery with curative intent in case of gastrinoma and of resectable liver metastases, palliative treatment otherwise: anti-secretory drugs, somatostatin analogues, chemotherapy and interferon {alpha}; long-term follow-up of patients with resected tumour. At each step, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy with indium 111-pentetreotide does play a pivotal role. (author). 110 refs.
Magnetic resonance (MR) images of 18 cases of hilar cholangiocarcinoma were evaluated to compare the effectiveness of Gd-DTPA with that of high dose contrast enhancement computed tomography (HCE-CT) in detecting the primary tumor. The primary tumor was demonstrated as having slightly low intensity compared with liver parenchyma and high intensity compared with the delated bile duct on T1-weighted images. In contrast, MRI using Gd-DTPA, which was carried out in five cases, revealed intense enhancement of the tumor. As the differentiation between cholangiocarcinoma and dilated bile duct was difficult, it was concluded that the use of Gd-DTPA improves the efficacy of MRI in diagnosing cholangiocarcinoma. Gd-DTPA was also effective in differentiating the growth pattern of the tumor: the infiltrating type was demonstrated as thickening of the wall of the bile duct, the polypoid type as a soft tissue mass in the bile duct. Contrast MRI study is effective for the ...
SommarioScopo Valutare limpatto clinico negli anni dellecografia intraoperatoria (IOUS) nella identificazione delle metastasi epatiche rispetto alle altre metodiche di imaging. Materiali e metodi risultati delle ecografie intraoperatorie effettuate per lidentificazione delle metastasi epatiche in un periodo compreso tra gli anni 2000 e 2006 sono stati retrospettivamente revisionati e comparati con le metodiche di imaging preoperatorio: Ecografia (US), Tomografia Computerizzata (TC) e/o Risonanza Magnetica (RM). Tutti i casi sono stati patologicamente provati. Sono stati calcolati per anno i casi discordanti in termini di presenza/assenza di lesione focale epatica. Il confronto statistico e stato effettuato con il test di McNemar. Un valore del p<0,05 e stato considerato statisticamente sig...
Abstract Background & aims: Hepatitis B or C virus infection is considered to be the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a carcinogen associated with HCC in regions with high exposure. Mutations in codon 249, exon 7 are a hallmark of AFB1 exposure. Therefore, to clarify the role of AFB1 in hepatocarcinogenesis, we examined AFB1-DNA in liver tissue and sequenced TP53 in Japanese patients with HCC. Methods: Hepatocyte AFB1-DNA adducts were determined immunohistochemically and direct sequencing of TP53 was done to determine mutations in 188 of 279 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC. We assessed hepatitis C virus antibodies (HCV Ab) and HBSAg expression; patients without either were defined as having non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (...
The alpha emitter plutonium-238 ("2"3"8Pu), which is produced in uranium-fueled, light-water reactors, is used as a thermoelectric power source for space applications. Inhalation of a mixed oxide form of Pu is the most likely mode of exposure of workers and the general public. Occupational exposures to "2"3"8PuO_2 have occurred in association with the fabrication of radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Organs and tissue at risk for deterministic and stochastic effects of "2"3"8Pu-alpha irradiation include the lung, liver, skeleton, and lymphatic tissue. Little has been reported about the effects of inhaled "2"3"8PuO_2 on peripheral blood cell counts in humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate hematological responses after a single inhalation exposure of Beagle dogs to alpha-emitting "2"3"8PuO_2 particles and to extrapolate results to humans.
The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of virtual endoscopy, named as ''virtual CT laparoscopy'', in the hepatobiliary system prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We applied this technique to 28 patients suspected of having biliary disease. These images were compared and analyzed qualitatively based on visualization of the structures critical to operative cholangiography and surgical findings. Twenty-four patients, who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, were evaluated as follows: the common bile duct and the hepatic duct were adequately visualized in 23 (96%) of the 24 patients, the cystic duct in 21 (88%), the gallbladder opacification in 20 (83%), the liver inferior surface in 20 (83%). Four patients had anatomic variations detected virtual CT laparoscopy and were proven by operative cholangiography and surgical findings. We emphasize that our new technique may contribute to the laparoscopy during ...
The present study was performed to evaluate the antihypertensive effects of honokiol in vivo in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The effects of honokiol were investigated by determination of the blood pressure, vascular reactivity, oxidative parameters, and histologic change in the aorta. Long-term administration of honokiol (400 mg/kg/d) to SHR decreased systolic blood pressure significantly. Honokiol (200, 400 mg/kg/d) enhanced the aortic relaxation in response to acetylcholine after 49-d treatment, but had no significant effects on the relaxation to sodium nitroprusside. The oral administration of honokiol significantly increased the plasma level of NO(2(-))/NO(3(-)), but decreased the level of malondialdehyde in liver of SHR compared with the control vehicle. In addition, SHR administered honokiol showed significant reductions in the elastin bands and media thickness in the aorta. These results suggest that chronic treatment with honokiol exerts an ...
Single doses of lead (trace to 445 mg/kg) were administered per os to suckling and adult mice. Both groups exhibited dose-independent lead retention when doses of 4 to 445 mg/kg were administered. However, developmental differences in the fraction of initial dose (FID) retained were evident for all doses administered. A much larger FID was retained in both age groups following administration of carrier-free /sup 203/Pb. The results are consistent with a mechanism of gastrointestinal lead absorption comprising two or more processes. Developmental differences were also observed in organ lead concentration relative to whole body concentration for kidneys, skull and brain 6 days following lead administration. Lead retentions (relative to whole body retention) in brain and in bone were linearly related to dose of lead administered in both suckling and adult age groups. Though uptake of lead into brain and into femur was observed to be directly related to dose over a wide range, relative ...
The effect of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) pretreatment (0.5% in the diet for 10 days) on the excretion, tissue distribution and DNA binding of orally administered (/sup 14/C)aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was determined in male Fischer F344 rats. The amount of radioactivity excreted in the urine and feces by 24 hr was higher in BHT-treated rats than in controls. Treatment with BHT enhanced the excretion of water-soluble metabolites in the urine and in the large intestines plus feces at the earlier sampling times. The amount of radioactivity bound to hepatic nuclear DNA was six times less in the BHT-pretreated rats than in controls 6 hr after administration of the isotope. The half-lives of (/sup 14/C)DNA in the rat liver were 30 and 46 hr for control and BHT-pretreated rats, respectively. These results indicate that BHT pretreatment may protect the animal from the carcinogenic effects of AFB1 by enhancing the detoxification and excretion of the mycotoxin.
The distribution of lead in lactating mice and suckling offspring was studied with whole body autoradiography at 4 and 24 h after a single intravenous injection of {sup 203}Pb (50 mmol Pb/kg) to the dams. In the lactating mice on day 14 of lactation, the highest uptake of radioactivity at 4 h after administration was recorded in renal cortex, skeleton and liver. A high uptake was also evident in the mannary gland. At 24 h after administration, the radioactivity had decreased in most organs except in the skeleton. In the suckling pups, exposed to lead only via dams` milk for 24 h, the highest level of radioactivity was present in the intestinal mucosa and a much lower level of radioactivity was present in the skeleton. The mammary glands from mice given three daily intravenous injections of 240 {mu}mol Pb/kg were examined with X-ray microanalysis. At 4 h after the last injection, lead was found associated with casein micelles both inside the alveolar cell and in the ...
The distribution of lead in lactating mice and suckling offspring was studied with whole body autoradiography at 4 and 24 h after a single intravenous injection of "2"0"3Pb (50 mmol Pb/kg) to the dams. In the lactating mice on day 14 of lactation, the highest uptake of radioactivity at 4 h after administration was recorded in renal cortex, skeleton and liver. A high uptake was also evident in the mannary gland. At 24 h after administration, the radioactivity had decreased in most organs except in the skeleton. In the suckling pups, exposed to lead only via dams' milk for 24 h, the highest level of radioactivity was present in the intestinal mucosa and a much lower level of radioactivity was present in the skeleton. The mammary glands from mice given three daily intravenous injections of 240 #mu#mol Pb/kg were examined with X-ray microanalysis. At 4 h after the last injection, lead was found associated with casein micelles both inside the alveolar cell and in the ...
The diagnostic imaging findings in hepatic amoebiasis and the capabilities of percutaneous drainage have already been described but some debate is open on both diagnosis and treatment. It is reported the experience with the ultrasound (US) and Computed Tomography (CT) studies of the hepatic amoebic abscess and its management. [Italian] I reperti con diagnostica per immagini nell'amebiasi epatica e le possibilita' del drenaggio percutaneo sono stati gia' illustrati; esistono tuttavia controversie sul piano sia diagnostico che terapeutico. Obiettivo di questo lavoro e' quello di riportare l'esperienza personale nella diagnostica con ecografia e tomografia computerizzata (TC) e nel trattamento degli ascessi amebici del fegato.
The determination of the banned anabolic substance zeranol and the metabolites taleranol and zearalanone in bovine urine is complicated by the occurrence of the structurally-related mycotoxin zearalenone and the corresponding {alpha}- and {beta}-zearalenol metabolites which possess similar estrogenic properties. A liquid chromatography-negative ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometric method is presented for the confirmatory analysis of all six resorcylic acid lactones ('zeranols') in urine samples using deuterium-labelled internal standards. The method was validated as a confirmatory method for bovine urine samples according to new draft EU guidelines and showed good precision and linearity, and CC{alpha} and CC{beta} values of 0.02-0.30 and <1.0 ng ml{sup -1}, respectively. The applicability was demonstrated by comparing the results of an incurred sample with previous results on the same sample obtained by gas chromatography high resolution mass ...
Plasma triglyceride turnover was measured during steady-state conditions in 22 postoperative patients. Nine had received nutritional support with an enteral regimen, seven had received an equivalent regimen as continuous parenteral nutrition, and six received the same parenteral regimen as a cyclical infusion. After 5 days of nutritional support, each patient received an intravenous bolus of tritiated glycerol. Plasma radiolabeled triglyceride content was measured during the subsequent 24 hours. The data were analyzed by means of a simple deterministic model of plasma triglyceride kinetics and compared with the results obtained by stochastic analysis. The rates of hepatic triglyceride secretion obtained by deterministic analysis were higher than those obtained by the stochastic approach. However, the mode of delivery of the nutritional regimen did not affect the rate of hepatic triglyceride secretion regardless of the method of analysis. The results suggest that neither complete ...
The contribution of US, CT and MR imaging was investigated in 25 cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The following parameters were considered: lesion detection, site and size of the lesion, daughter nodules, location and/or infiltration of intrahepatic vessels, patency of portal vein and collateral vessels, signs of chronic liver disease, steatosis, ascitis, and lymphadenopathy. The results confirm the value of US, which also allowed lesion biopsy in all cases. CT was as accurate as US in detecting the lesion and even superior in demonstranting daughter nodules. MR imaging, with conventional SE and IR sequences, was inferior since it missed 3 lesions due to motion artifacts; more over, a smaller number of daughter nodules was seen than with CT. The authors conclude that, at present, MR imaging cannot replace US and CT; the latter, if combined with artheriography, using either hidrosoluble or liposoluble contrast agents, gives the best results in the ...
The bioavailability of lead was studied in rats fed various baby foods (Babymix-turkey, Babymix-vegetables, Frutolino-fruit, Frutamix-bananas, Babyron-S-26, Truefood), cow's milk, bread, liver and standard rat diet. Lead absorption was determined by measuring the whole body retention of "2"0"3Pb 6 days after a single oral application. Highest absorption values ranging from 17 to 20% were obtained in animals fed cow's milk and fruit foods. Rats on other human diets absorbed between 3 and 8% of the radioactive lead dose. Only in animals on rat diet lead absorption was below 1%. It is concluded that rats fed human diets show absorption values similar to those in humans. This might indicate that the bioavailability of lead is primarily dependent on dietary habits. This experimental model, if confirmed by further work, might be useful for obtaining preliminary data on the bioavailability of metals from various foods.
2,2,5,7,8-Pentamethyl-6-chromanol (PMCol) was administered by gavage in rats for 28 days at dose levels of 0, 100, 500, and 2000mg/kg/day. PMCol administration induced decreases in body weight gains and food consumption, hepatotoxicity (increased TBILI, ALB, ALT, TP; increased relative liver weights; increased T4 and TSH), nephrotoxicity (increased BUN and BUN/CREAT, histopathology lesions), effect on lipid metabolism (increased CHOL), anemia, increase in WBC counts (total and differential), coagulation (FBGNand PTdarr) and hyperkeratosis of the nonglandular stomach in the 2000mg/kg/day dose group (in one or both sexes). In the 500mg/kg/day dose group, toxicity was seen to a lesser extent. In the 100mg/kg/day dose group, only increased CHOL (females) was observed. To assess the toxicity of...
The aim of this work was to study acute alterations of the enterohepatic recirculation (EHR) of bile acids 3 days after an 8-Gy radiation exposure in vivo in the rat by a washout technique. Using this technique in association with HPLC analysis, the EHR of the major individual bile acids was determined in control and irradiated animals. Ex vivo ileal taurocholate absorption was also studied in Ussing chambers. Major hepatic enzyme activities involved in bile acid synthesis were also measured. Measurements of bile acid intestinal content and intestinal absorption efficiency calculation from washout showed reduced intestinal absorption with significant differences from one bile acid to another: absorption of taurocholate and tauromuricholate was decreased, whereas absorption of the more hydrophobic taurochenodeoxycholate was increased, suggesting that intestinal passive diffusion was enhanced, whereas ileal active transport might be reduced. Basal hepatic secretion was increased only for ...
Aim: Compounds such "9"9"mTc-MDP and "9"9"mTc-HEDP are used regularly in bone scintigraphy for metastasis detection. The therapeutics properties of beta emitter radionuclides like "1"5"3Sm, "1"6"6Ho and "1"7"7Lu has been widely reported in literature being "1"7"7Lu the less developed for medical applications. With the purpose of study different radiopharmaceuticals alternatives, for metastasis bone palliation, we have evaluated, on a comparative basis, the labeling of "1"5"3Sm-MDP, "1"5"3Sm-HEDP, "1"6"6Ho-MDP, "1"6"6Ho-HEDP, "1"7"7Lu-MDP and "1"7"7Lu-HEDP from the exhibited radionuclidic purity and biological distribution point of view. Material and Methods: The radionuclides were produced at La Reina Research Reactor, Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission. The radionuclidic purity was determined by gamma-Ray spectrometry. The labeling was accomplished with MDP (Plenum) and HEDP synthesized in-house. The in-vitro affinity of labeled compounds to the mineral bone matrix was determined using ...
Clinical studies have proved the effectiveness of local ablading methods in pations with non-resectable liver metastases of a colorectal carcinoma. RF ablation and LITT are a potentially curative therapy option and an alternative to systemic chemotherapy; the latter is carried out primarily for reducing tumour size with the goal of secondary resectability. The number of R0-sesectable metastases can be enhanced by a combined therapy of surgery and local ablading methods, e.g. by preoperative, intraoperative or postoperative ablasion of further non-resectable tumours during surgery. Systemic chemotherapy combined with surgery as an adjuvant method is not recommended unless in cases of non-abladable tumour recidivation. Currently, systemic chemotherapy is used as a neo-adjuvant therapy for tumour size reduction with the goal of secondary resectability or, in case of inoperability, local ablation. (orig.) [German] Abladierende Verfahren. Klinische Studien belegen die ...
Full text: In 1995, we demonstrated the use of pretargetting three steps method and biotinylated tetracycline using radiolabelled {sup 99m}Tc-DTPA-biocytinamide for the detection of tumour cells in (C57B1/6 x BALB/C) F1 mice with E-3 thymoma. The three steps were (1) IP injection of biotinylated-tetracycline conjugate (1:1) ratio, (2) 96 hours later Avidin/Streptavidin was injected, and (3) 24 hours after (2), {sup 99m}Tc-biocytinamide -cDTPA was injected. Mice were sacrificed 16/24 h after (3) by cervical dislocation. Biodistribution of radioactivity tumour to blood, liver, bone were T:B1= 15.0, T:Li= 5.08, T:Bo=15.0. The percentage of injected dose per g was T= 3.15% and B1= 0.21%. To prolong circulation of Avidin and therefore its uptake into tumour, Avidin was covalently bound to polyethylene-glycol (PEG20 KD) at the molar ratio of PEG:Avidin 100:1 and 400:1. The pegulated Avidin was then cleared from the circulation using Dextran-70-Biotin. The distribution ...
Background and purpose: the recent RTOG guidelines for future clinical developments in gynecologic malignancies included the investigation of dose escalation in the paraaortic (PO) region which is, however, very difficult to target due to the presence of critical organs such as kidneys, liver, spinal cord, and digestive structures. The aim of this study was to investigate intensity-modulated radiotherapy's (IMRT) possibilities of either increasing, in a safe way, the dose to 50-60 Gy in case of macroscopic disease or decreasing the dose to organs at risk (OR) when treatment is given in an adjuvant setting. Material and methods: the dosimetric charts of 14 patients irradiated to the PO region at the department of radiation oncology, university hospital of Liege, Belgium, in 2000 were analyzed in order to compare six-field conformal external-beam radio-therapy (CEBR) and five-beam IMRT approaches. Both CEBR and IMRT investigations were planned to ...
In this article is reviewed the role of Computed Tomography (CT) in thoracic complications following ortho topic liver transplantation (OLT). In a post-OLT population of 567 patients transplanted in the Italian institutions, 100 patients (17.6%) were examined with chest CT. It was reviewed data relative to the total number of examinations, clinical and/or radiographic indications, the CT technique-i.e., conventional (with (out) intravenous, i.v., contrast material) or high-resolution (HRCT). It also reviewed the radiologic patterns and their correlation with the other clinical, bronchoscopic and/or laboratory results. Of 152 chest CT examinations, 45 (29.6%) were performed because of clinical indications, 31 (20.4%) because of a radiographic abnormality, 64 (42.1%) because of clinical and radiographic abnormality, 64 (42.1%) because of clinical and radiographic indications, while in 12 cases (7.9%) the reasons were unknown; 133/152 (87.5%) examinations had been ...
Novel ligands cis-2,6-bis[N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)aminomethyl]-1-piperidineacetic acid (PIP-DTPA), cis-[(1R,11S)-6,9,15-Tris-carboxymethyl-3,6,9,15-tetraazabicyclo[9.3.1] pentadec-3-yl]-acetic acid (PIP-DOTA), cis-{l_brace}2,7-bis-[bis-carboxymethyl-amino)-methyl]-azepan-1-yl{r_brace}-acetic acid (AZEP-DTPA), [2-(4,7-bis-carboxymethyl-[1,4,7]triazacyclononan-1-yl-ethyl] -2-carbonylmethyl-amino]-tetraacetic acid (NETA) and [{l_brace}4-carboxymethyl-7-[2-(carboxymethylamino)-ethyl]-perhydro-1,4,7-triazonin-1-yl{r_brace}-acetic acid (NPTA) are investigated as potential chelators of {sup 177}Lu, {sup 9}Y, {sup 212}Pb and {sup 213}Bi for radioimmunotherapy (RIT). The new ligands are radiolabeled with {sup 177}Lu, {sup 86/88/9}Y, {sup 203}Pb and {sup 205/6}Bi, and in vitro stability and in vivo stability of the radiolabeled complexes are assessed in human serum and athymic mice, respectively. In vitro studies indicate that all radiolabeled complexes with the exception of {sup 9}Y-AZEP-DTPA are ...
Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of heated (60 deg. C) lipiodol via hepatic artery administration in a rabbit model of VX2 liver cancer. Materials and methods: Thirty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups with 10 rabbits assigned to each group. VX2 carcinoma cells were surgically implanted into the left hepatic lobe. The tumors were allowed to grow for 2 weeks, and studies were performed until the diameter of the tumors detected by ultrasonograph reached 2-3 cm. Under anesthesia, trans-catheter hepatic arterial embolization was performed and doxorubicin-lipiodol (37 deg. C) (1 mL), lipiodol (60 deg. C) (1 mL) or control (physiological saline (37 deg. C) (1 mL)) solution was injected into the hepatic arteries of animals in the three groups. One week later, the volume of the tumor was measured by ultrasonograph again. The serum of all rabbits was collected before injection and at 4 and 7 days after injection, and the level ...
To predict the response of blood lead to airborne and dietary lead requires knowledge of the rate of uptake of lead into the body from lung and gut, its subsequent partitioning between compartments, the stay time in those compartments, and its redistribution or excretion. Tracer studies with volunteers have shown no differences in systemic distribution of inorganic lead between tissues whether it is taken by inhalation, ingestion or injection. Lead is rapidly transferred from plasma to red cells, and there is slower movement thence into liver and other soft tissues, to bone, and to excreta. Work at Harwell and elsewhere with /sup 203/Pb has shown that the initial rapid distribution leaves rather over half the assimilated lead attached to red cells. The result is remarkably consistent, and applies also to dogs and baboons. The renal clearance (Vu) (ratio of U to CB, or daily urinary output expressed as mass of blood having the same lead content), and also the ...
Whole-body retention and excretion following a single oral dose of radiolabeled lead ("2"0"3Pb) in chronically lead-exposed pregnant BK:W mice were examined over 10-13 days. This was compared with values in similarly treated nonpregnant females and in ip injected females. Whole-body and bone retention were greater in injected than in orally dosed nonpregnant females; gastrointestinal absorption was estimated from this difference. Whole-body retention in the pups was measured at birth and at the end of the experiment. Whole-body retentions in pregnant females and in their pups at birth were significantly raised after treatment at Gestational Day 17, but not after treatment at Gestational Day 11, 14, 20, 23, or 26. Pup body burdens at birth were significantly and positively correlated with maternal retention. Measurement of radioactivity in bone, kidney, brain, heart, and liver of adults at the end of the experiments showed significantly increased levels in bone and ...