Studies on Serum Gastrin of the Patients with Gastric Cancer

In patients with gastric cancer who were to undergo gastrectomy, the fasting serum gastrin concentration in the peripheral vein was estimated by radioimmunoassay. The blood samples were also collected from the gastric veins and artery during the time of operations. These gastrin values were compared with morphological findings in the resected stomach.
No significant differences in serum gastrin concentration was found between the patients of gastric cancer and normal subjects. In the patients with mucosal atrophy in the oxyntic gland area but with no atrophy in the pyloric gland area, however, significant increase in serum gastrin concentration was observed. In cases where fundal atrophy was accompanied by atrophy in the pyloric gland area, the increase was not observed. The amount of gastrin content in cancer tissue was negligible.
These results indicate that the increase in serum gastrin concentration in some patients with gastric cancer might be due to the accompanied atrophy of oxyntic glands in the stomach.     

Functional Differences of Anti-T-Cell Antibody in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Ulcerative Colitis

The loss of suppressor T-cell function results in an abundant production of autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As a cause of this suppressor T-cell defect, anti-T-cell antibody seems to be of prime importance. On the other hand, anti-T-cell antibodies can be detected in various other autoimmune diseases, but their functional characteristics have not been determined. In the present study, the functional characteristics of anti-T-cell antibody from a selected subgroup of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were compared with those from patients with SLE. Anti-T-cell antibody from the patients with SLE reacted with a T8 subset, resulting in a suppressor defect, whereas anti-T-cell antibody from the UC patients reacted primarily with a T4 subset. Functionally, SLE- T cells failed to proliferate in response to concanavalin A, whereas UC- T cells from UC patients failed to proliferate in response to phytohaemagglutinin. In the Ig synthesis system, both SLE- and UC- T cells increased Ig production of B cells. Since UC+ T cells did not contribute to the generation of Con-A-inducible suppressor activity, we believe that serum from the selected subgroup of patients with UC reacted with the inducer T-cell subset.     

Proximal Renal Tubular Acidosis in a Child with Type 1 Glycogen Storage Disease

ABSTRACT. A 6 1/2-year-old Japanese girl with type 1 glycogen storage disease developed a profound metabolic acidosis refractory to bicarbonate renal tubular acidosis and hyperphosphaturia. There was no evidence of distal tubular dysfunction.     

Extrauterine low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma: Report of three cases

Three cases of rare low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma of the extrauterine tissue are presented. Each one occurred In the ovary, pelvic and abdominal cavities. Two were associated with endometriosls. Histologically, the tumors were characterized by an infiltrative and diffuse proliferation of uniform round or oval cells, abundant small vessels, low mitotic activity, the presence of foam cells and vascular Invasion. lmmunohistochemically, all tumors expressed vimentin, muscle markers (desmin, muscle-specific actin and α-smooth muscle actin) and progesterone receptors. Two tumors were diploid and one was aneuploid by flow cytometry. All patients were well with no evidence of disease 16–39 months after surgery. It Is suggested that this neoplasm may arise with or without endometriosis under hormonal Influence. This rare variant of Müllerian tumors should not be confused with adenosarcoma and soft tissue tumors, such as smooth muscle tumors and solitary fibrous tumor.     

Metal‐induced oxidative damage in cultured hepatocytes and hepatic lysosomal fraction: beneficial effect of a curcumin/absinthium compound

OBJECTIVE: Metals undergo redox cycling and there is increasing evidence of free radical generation and oxidative injury in the pathogenesis of liver injury and fibrosis in metal storage diseases. The aim of the present study was to test a natural hepatoprotective compound in metal‐induced liver injury. METHODS: Hepatocytes were isolated from Wistar rats by collagenase perfusion method and cultured as such and also with α‐linolenic acid (LNA)‐bovine serum albumin (BSA). Hepatocytes were then cultured with a graded dilution of PN‐M001 (100 µg/mL and 200 µg/mL), which is a curcuma/absinthium‐containing compound, or sylibin (100 µg/mL) dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide for 10 min before the addition of metallic salts (iron, copper and vanadium). Lysosomal fractions were prepared for lysosome fragility tests in which β‐galactosidase activity and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage were measured, as well as oxidative damage tests in the presence of hydrophilic and lipophilic free radical generators. Quenching activity by 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was also assessed. RESULTS: Malonildialdehyde accumulation in the medium showed a direct time‐course increase with incubation time. Both PN‐M001 and sylibin showed a significant protective effect against all challenge metal ions, as expressed by the half inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) against lipid peroxidation. However, on a molar ratio, sylibin seemed to be more effective than PN‐M001 in Fe‐induced peroxidative damage (P < 0.05). Both test compounds, irrespective of the concentration, significantly reduced the LDH and β‐galactosidase concentration in the lysosomal fractions. As compared with untreated lysosomal fractions challenged with the two peroxide radicals generators, either PN‐M001 or sylibin exerted significant protection However, PN‐M001 was significantly better than sylibin in suppressing acid phosphatase enzyme activity. Both compounds showed comparable and significant DPPH radical‐scavenging activity. CONCLUSION: These data support the potential clinical application of curcumin‐containing compounds.     

Single‐blind follow‐up study on the effectiveness of a symbiotic preparation in irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Experimental and clinical studies have shown that a novel symbiotic (known as SCM‐III) exerts a beneficial effect on gut translocation and local and systemic inflammatory and microbial metabolic parameters. The present investigation was a preliminary trial on the effectiveness of SCM‐III for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS: Sixty‐eight consecutive adult patients with IBS who were free from lactose malabsorption, abdominal surgery, overt psychiatric disorders and ongoing psychotropic drug therapy or ethanol abuse were studied prospectively and divided into 2 groups that were comparable for age, gender, body size, education and pattern of presenting symptoms. The 2 groups were blindly given for 12 weeks either SCM‐III 10 mL t.i.d or the same dosage of heat‐inactivated symbiotic. RESULTS: Treatment with SCM‐III was ‘effective’ or ‘very effective’ in more than 80% of the patients (P < 0.01 vs baseline values and control). Less than 5% reported ‘not effective’ as the final evaluation compared with over 40% of patients in the control group. After 6 weeks of treatment, a significant improvement of pain and bloating was reported in the treatment group compared with control and baseline values. There was also a benefit for bowel habits, mostly for patients with constipation or alternating bowel habits. No overt clinical or biochemical adverse side‐effects were recorded. CONCLUSION: Compared with baseline values and the control group, SCM‐III resulted in a significant increase in lactobacilla, eubacteria and bifidobacteria, which suggests that some selected IBS patients could benefit substantially from symbiotics, but the treatment may need to be given on a cyclic schedule because of the temporary modification of the fecal flora.