Gastritis Induced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> Infection in Experimental Rats

Background  

Gastritis, an inflammation of gastric mucosa, may be due to many pathological factors and infection, such as with Helicobacter pylori. The use of experimental models of gastritis is important to evaluate the biochemical changes and study chemotherapeutic intervention. In a previous study we demonstrated an acute gastritis model induced by iodoacetamide.     

The prognostic significance of apoptosis-associated proteins BCL-2, BAX and BCL-X in clinical nephroblastoma.

Apoptotic cell death represents an important mechanism for the precise regulation of cell numbers in normal tissues. Various apoptosis-associated regulatory proteins, such as Bcl-2, Bax and Bcl-X, may contribute to the rate of apoptosis in neoplasia. The present study was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of these molecules in a group of 61 Wilms' tumours of chemotherapeutically pre-treated patients using an immunohistochemical approach. Generally, Bcl-2, Bax and for Bcl-X(S/L) were expressed in the blastemal and epithelial components of Wilms' tumour. Immunoreactive blastema cells were found in 53%, 41% and 38% of tumours for Bcl-2, Bax and for Bcl-X(S/L), respectively. An increased expression of Bcl-2 was observed in the blastemal component of increasing pathological stages. In contrast, a gradual decline of Bax expression was observed in the blastemal component of tumours with increasing pathological stages. Also blastemal Bcl-X(S/L) expression decreased with stage. Univariate analysis showed that blastemal Bcl-2 expression and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio were indicative for clinical progression, whereas epithelial staining was of no prognostic value. Multivariate analysis showed that blastemal Bcl-2 expression is an independent prognostic marker for clinical progression besides stage. These findings demonstrate that alterations of the Bcl-2/Bax balance may influence the clinical outcome of Wilms' tumour patients by deregulation of programmed cell death.     

Peripheral blood eosinophilia in association with generalized pustular and erythrodermic psoriasis

Background In recent studies, it has been documented that the eosinophil cells play active role in many kinds of inflammatory disorders. Measurements of the mediators released by eosinophils and cell counts in serum and skin have provided some evidence indicating the role of eosinophils in psoriasis. Objective To evaluate the blood eosinophil cell count in patients with erythrodermic psoriasis and generalized pustular psoriasis. Methods In this study, 48 patients with histopathologically proven psoriasis (33 with erythrodermic, 15 with generalized pustular); 43 patients with maculopapular, erythematous, or bullous drug eruption with widespread involvement; and 51 patients with basal cell carcinoma were included. These three groups were compared with each other in terms of their absolute eosinophil cell counts and percentage of eosinophils. Results Forty‐one point seven per cent of patients with psoriasis had peripheral blood eosinophilia compared with 58.1% of the patients with drug eruption and 11.8% of patients with basal cell carcinoma. The percentage of patients with eosinophilia both in patients suffering from psoriasis and drug eruption were significantly increased compared with the patients with basal cell carcinoma (P < 0.001). The absolute median eosinophil cell counts both in patients with psoriasis and drug eruption were also significantly differed from patients with basal cell carcinoma (259.2, 439.1 and 183.1, respectively; P < 0.001) Conclusions Peripheral blood eosinophilia seems to be associated with severe forms of psoriasis. This finding may suggest that the eosinophils have significant roles in the pathogenesis of these types of psoriasis.     

Organ survival after primary dysfunction of liver grafts in clinical orthotopic liver transplantation

Abstract In a retrospective analysis of 632 orthototopic liver transplant procedures performed between 1982 and 1997, the incidence of primary dysfunction (PDF) of the liver and its influence on organ survival were studied. Graft function during the first 3 postoperative days was categorized into four groups: (1) good (GOT max < 1000 U/l, spontaneous PT > 50 %, bile production > 100 ml/day); (2) fair (GOT 1000‐2500 U/l, clotting factor support < 2 days, bile < 100 ml/day); (3) poor (GOT > 2500 U/l, clotting factor support > 2 days, bile < 20 ml/day); (4) primary non‐function (PNF; retransplantation required within 7 days). The aim of this study was to evaluate graft survival comparing organs with PDF (poor function) and PNF vs organs with initial good or fair function. After a median follow‐ up of 45 months, initially good and fair function of liver grafts resulted in a significantly better long‐term graft survival compared with grafts with initially poor function or primary non‐function (if re‐transplanted) (P < 0.01). The Cox model revealed primary function as a highly significant factor in the prediction of long‐term graft survival (P < 0.0001). We conclude that these results confirm the hypothesis that primary graft function is of major importance for the long‐term survival of liver transplants. Patients with a poor primary function have the worst survival prognosis, which leads to the interpretation that these patients may be candidates for early retransplantation.     

Patient Dependency Knowledge-Based Systems

The ability of Patient Dependency Systems to provide information for staffing decisions and budgetary development has been demonstrated. In addition, they have become powerful tools in modern hospital management. This growing interest in Patient Dependency Systems has renewed calls for their automation. As advances in Information Technology and in particular Knowledge-Based Engineering reach new heights, hospitals can no longer afford to ignore the potential benefits obtainable from developing and implementing Patient Dependency Knowledge-Based Systems. Experience has shown that the vast majority of decisions and rules used in the Patient Dependency method are too complex to capture in the form of a traditional programming language. Furthermore, the conventional Patient Dependency Information System automates the simple and rigid bookkeeping functions. On the other hand Knowledge-Based Systems automate complex decision making and judgmental processes and therefore are the appropriate technology for automating the Patient Dependency method. In this paper a new technique to automate Patient Dependency Systems using knowledge processing is presented. In this approach all Patient Dependency factors have been translated into a set of Decision Rules suitable for use in a Knowledge-Based System. The system is capable of providing the decision-maker with a number of scenarios and their possible outcomes. This paper also presents the development of Patient Dependency Knowledge-Based Systems, which can be used in allocating and evaluating resources and nursing staff in hospitals on the basis of patients' needs.     

Assessing response to treatment of exacerbations of bronchiectasis in adults

The present study aimed to assess the effect of intravenous antibiotic therapy on clinical and laboratory end-points in exacerbations of noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis and to determine whether the outcomes were influenced by the pathogenic organism isolated. A prospective cohort study was conducted from November 2006 to March 2008 of exacerbations requiring intravenous antibiotics. End-points included 24-h sputum volume, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)), forced vital capacity (FVC), incremental shuttle walk test, qualitative sputum microbiology, white cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein (CRP) and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Exacerbations due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa were compared with exacerbations due to other potential pathogenic organisms. In total, 32 exacerbations were studied. Following 14 days of intravenous antibiotics, all outcomes significantly improved independent of a pathogenic organism, except FEV(1) and FVC. The most responsive markers were: 24-h sputum volume (reduced in all patients and 80% had >/=50% reduction); sputum bacterial clearance (78.1%); CRP (>/=75% reduction in 62.5%) and SGRQ (>/=4 unit improvement in 89.7%). CRP, 24-h sputum volume and SGRQ improved independent of microbial clearance. In the current study, 24-h sputum volume, microbial clearance, C-reactive protein and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire were the most useful parameters to assess response to treatment of exacerbations of bronchiectasis. Outcomes were similar independent of the pathogenic organism with the exception of forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity.     

Improvement of dissolution properties of Carbamazepine through application of the liquisolid tablet technique

The aim of the work was to improve the dissolution properties of the practically insoluble antiepileptic drug, Carbamazepine (CBZ) by adopting the liquisolid compaction technique. Reported liquid load factors, and excipient ratios were used to calculate the required amounts of excipients necessary to prepare the compacts or tablets according to a mathematical model. Avicel PH 102, and Aerosil 200 were used as the carrier and the coating materials, respectively, and explotab was used as disintegrant to prepare four tablet formulae, out of which formula 1 was successfully compressed into tablets. The dissolution patterns of liquisolid CBZ tablets, carried out according to the USP, were comparable to those of Tegretol^®. The protection of male albino mice against the convulsion, induced by electroshock, was lower in case of liquisolid tablets compared to Tegretol^® suspension and tablets probably due to the precipitation of CBZ in the silica pores resulting from its high dose.