Analysis of FHIT transcripts in cervical and endometrial cancers

We show that mammalian cells can be stably transfected by a mechanical loading procedure in which cells are forced through a small opening in the presence of DNA. A suspension of cells and plasmid DNA in growth medium was passed up and down through a 30-gauge needle attached to a 1-ml syringe. Cells were immediately plated at appropriate densities for subsequent selection for stable expression of a marker gene. Two rodent cell lines, Chinese hamster ovary and mouse Ltk- cells, were successfully transfected with an efficiency of about one transfectant per 5 x 10(4) cells. The human HeLa cell line was transfected with a somewhat lower efficiency. Pluronic F-68, a detergent believed to aid in healing of membrane injuries, had no beneficial effect when present during the loading procedure. Successful transfection was accomplished using three different genes as selectable markers. Southern blotting analysis revealed that transfectants contained one or very few copies of the introduced DNA construct integrated into the genome. Several transfectants were demonstrated to remain stable for more than 20 generations of growth in the absence of selection. This procedure is fast, economical, and of general utility.     

Study of FHIT transcripts in normal and malignant breast tissue

The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of intraoperative Doppler ultrasound for the diagnosis and reduction of the vascular complications in liver transplantation. This study included 19 pediatric and 5 adult patients. In the pediatric group, 12 patients received living related liver transplantation (LRLT), two splitting liver transplantation (SLT), three reduced-size liver transplantation (RLT) and two full-size pediatric liver transplants (FPLT). The hemodynamics and waveform of the hepatic vein, portal vein and hepatic artery were evaluated by intraoperative Doppler ultrasound (US) after reperfusion of the graft. Unsatisfactory hemodynamics was identified in nine cases, including decrease hepatic venous flow (6-9 cm/s) with non-pulsative flat waveform (adults, n = 2 and LRLT, n = 2); portal vein thrombosis (LRLT, n = 1); decrease portal flow (8 mL/min/kg) (LRLT, n = 1); occlusion of the portal vein (SLT, n = 1); poor arterial flow with dampened artery waveform (FPLT, n = 2). These abnormalities were all successfully re-reconstructed by surgical procedures and achieved a graft survival rate of 100%. Two late vascular complications including hepatic venous thrombosis and recurrent portal vein stenosis with splenorenal shunt were discovered 1 month later. They were treated effectively by surgical thrombolectomy and percutaneous balloon dilatation and metallic coils embolization respectively. Three patients died of non-vascular complications and all patients who underwent LRLT survived with a resultant 87.5% overall survival rate. In conclusion, intraoperative Doppler US is efficient in detecting abnormal hepatic hemodynamics, which permits early intervention and hence a better prognosis for the patients. Re-reconstructive procedures were monitored closely under Doppler US guidance until proper flow and wave-form were established. This reduces post-transplant vascular complications and thereby eliminates the likelihood of a lethal complication that might call for re-transplantation.     

Precancerous and cancerous lesions of the oral cavity

The purpose of this article is to provide the clinician with the clinicopathologic characteristics of oral cancer and its precursors. As can be seen by the previous discussion, numerous variables influence the formation of these lesions, and as yet we are unable to predict the progression of any single, premalignant lesion with certainty. Because of this, only astute clinicians, armed with a healthy level of suspicion, will be able to affect the prognosis of oral malignancies by recognizing these conditions at the earliest possible stage.     

Foreign bodies in the digestive tract

In the past two years time 128 patients-prisoners, who had swallowed foreign bodies, have been observed. Six anchors and crosses, which had been stuck in the esophagus, were immediately and successfully removed endoscopically. Long rods and crosses (60 cases) situated mostly in the stomach or descending part of the duodenum were operated without any complications. A few weeks delay of operation caused the covered perforation of the alimentary tract wall nearly 20% of cases and one of which died. Ingested small foreign bodies (less than 10 cm in length) are harmless, pass spontaneously through the gastrointestinal tract and don't need any surgical intervention. In a few cases those small foreign bodies perforated the guts, covered outside the digestive tract without any complaints.     

Malignant systemic diseases of the digestive tract

In about 5-6% of all patients with malignant myeloproliferative disorders the gastrointestinal tract is involved with macroscopic lesions. The most common sites of digestive manifestations are stomach, small bowel, pancreas and colon. Multiple irregular ulcers, doughy infiltration of the bowel wall, multiple nodules and diffuse polyposis of the colon are classic patterns of secondary lymphoma of the gut. Prognosis is considerably impaired by gastroenterological symptoms.     

DNA ploidy, P53 expression, and cellular proliferation in normal epithelium and squamous dysplasia of non-cancerous and cancerous human oesophagi

Ki67 expression, S-phase fraction, p53 immunoreactivity and DNA content were examined in morphologically normal mucosa and squamous dysplasia of both cancerous and non-cancerous human oesophagi in order to understand possible early events in the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. 103 different foci from cancerous esophagi including 17 non-pathological epithelium, 10 mild, 17 moderate and 15 severe dysplasia, 14 intraepithelial carcinomas and 30 invasive squamous cell carcinomas were examined. Also studied were 57 biopsy specimens from cancer-free individuals, including 12 normal epithelia, 15 oesophagitis, and 16 mild, 11 moderate and 3 severe dysplasia. Areas of squamous dysplasia from both cancer-free and cancerous oesophagi were morphologically indistinguishable and both demonstrated increased cellular proliferation compared to normal or non-pathological epithelia. However, squamous dysplasia in cancerous oesophagi demonstrated significantly larger ki67 labelling indices and smaller S-phase fractions than dysplasia in cancer-free patients. Squamous dysplasia in cancerous and non-cancerous oesophagi demonstrated an non-diploid DNA histogram in 67.9% and 43.3% respectively. However, dysplasia from cancer-free individuals demonstrated a non-diploid pattern with one or more peaks (Type I non-diploid histogram) and that from oesophageal cancer patients predominantly exhibited non-diploid histograms without any distinctive peaks (Type II non-diploid histogram). Significant differences in the frequency of p53 positive foci were observed between dysplasia of cancer-free (23.3%) and cancerous (56.8%) oesophagi. IN cancerous oesophagi, dysplasia associated with Type II non-diploid histograms had a significantly larger number of p53-positive foci than those with diploid histograms or Type I non-diploid histograms. These results indicated that the biological features of squamous dysplasia were different between cancerous and non-cancerous human oesophagi despite indistinguishable morphological features. In addition, the combination of p53 immuno-histochemistry and DNA ploidy analysis may contribute to identify possible high-risk squamous dysplasia of the oesophagus.     

Beta-carotenoids and their potential use in diseases of the digestive tract

Flying personal with chronic hepatitis received beta-caratinoid vetoron. The latter proved to be an effective immunomodulator improving lipid peroxidation, clinical and morphological characteristics in the personnel with chronic persistent hepatitis. Follow-up gives proves on longer physical fitness for service of those pilots who have taken beta-caratinoids.     

Use of Caproiod thread in surgery of the digestive tract

The results of experimental and clinical studied of the suture material "Caproiod" are presented. The advantage of the material suggested is its favourable effect on regenerative processes in the region of suture and anastomoses which resulted in their increased hermeticity. Use of "Caproiod" permits to prevent the development of postoperative complications caused by a quality of the suture material.     

Distribution of Salmonellae in the digestive tract and lymph node of carrier-dogs

The genetic activity of the antimicrobial food additives AF-2 and H-193 has been investigated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The strains chosen for the present studies were D5 for the induction of mitotic recombinational events and XV185-14C for the induction of reversion of the mutants lys1-1, his1-7 and homs3-7. When three concentrations (25, 50 and 100 mug/ml) of AF-2 were used in the reversion system of strain XV185-14C, there was an increase in the frequency of hom+ and his+ revertants as a function of incubation time, while the lysine mutant exhibited a very low frequency of induced reversion. When AF-2 and H-193 were compared at the same concentration and exposure time, AF-2 exhibited a higher genetic activity in both systems than H-193. However, H-193 was genetically more active in inducing revertants than AF-2, when the comparison was made at the same survival level. Cells of both haploid and diploid strains were found to be more sensitive to inactivation by AF-2 than by H-193 It should be pointed out that the solubility of H-193 was lower (about 4 mug/ml saturation) than the solubility of AF-2 (120 mug/ml saturation). The haploid strain was more sensitive to both compounds than the diploid strain.     

Treatment of MALT lymphoma of the digestive tract]

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is an autonomous part of the immune system with a specific function, histological structure and circulation of cells. As a result of malignant transformation of this tissue maltomas develop, peripheral extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas of B-origin more than two-thirds of which are found in the digestive system. The authors investigated in a retrospective study the effectiveness of different types of treatment of maltomas of the digestive tract with a low and high grade of malignity in 16 patients. It appears that splenectomy is not necessary in these patients and that the effectiveness of primary chemotherapy with a view of inducing complete remission of the disease is comparable with surgical treatment and subsequent adjuvant treatment without deterioration of the patient s life by mutilating surgery. An integral part of treatment of gastric maltomas is eradication of infection caused by Helicobacter pylori.     

Hydatid liver cyst perforation into the digestive tract

Complications of liver hydatid disease include those related to the compression of adjacent viscus, to the infection of the cyst's contents or to the perforation of the cyst. Perforations into hollow abdominal organs are rare, and can occur secondary to the infection of the cyst or to a primary pathology of the perforated organ. We report on 2 cases of perforation of a liver cyst into the duodenum, 1 due to the presence of a duodenal ulcer, and 1 secondary to a hydatid abscess. The surgical treatment of the lesions and their complications was, in both cases, successful.     

Upper digestive tract dyspepsia and early gastric cancer

AIM: The study of the frequency and evolution of upper digestive tract dyspepsia in a group of patients operated for early gastric cancer (EGC) and to perform a strategy of diagnosis for the patients with long term upper digestive tract dyspepsia. METHODS: Clinical data of 35 patients operated for EGC were retrospectively evaluated. The frequency, characteristics and evolution time of upper digestive tract dyspepsia, main when it began more than 6 months before surgery, were analyzed. Radiologic and endoscopic exams carried out for diagnosis were also evaluated. Histological diagnosis of surgical specimens were considered, looking for the presence of chronic atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and peptic gastric ulcer. RESULTS: Long-term upper digestive tract dyspepsia was present in 27 patients (mean evolution time of 43.4 months). Clinical changes of previous symptoms that suggested gastric carcinoma were not found in 15 patients. Concurrent peptic gastric carcinoma were not found in 15 patients. Concurrent peptic gastric ulcer along with EGC was diagnosed by histology in 11 patients, and chronic atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia were both present in the non-tumoral gastric mucosa in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Unspecific upper digestive tract dyspepsia is frequently found in patients with EGC. 2) Endoscopy should be the first exam performed in patients with upper digestive tract dyspepsia. 3) The patients with gastric ulcer, chronic atrophic gastritis or intestinal metaplasia must be submitted to sequential endoscopic follow-up.     

Sugar consumption and human cancer in sites other than the digestive tract

In order to assess the relationship between dietary intake of sugar and cancer a comprehensive search of the scientific literature was undertaken. An earlier publication details an analysis of studies relating to cancers of the digestive tract (Burley, 1997). Here, a total of 69 publications were reviewed which reported the results of ecological, case-control or cohort studies which had assessed the relationship between dietary sugar intake or sucrose-containing foods and risk of cancer at other sites. Cancer sites reviewed included the breast, pancreas, prostate, testis, female reproductive system, lung and upper aerodigestive tract and bladder. For most of these cancer sites the number of studies was insufficient to reach a conclusion. For breast cancer, the data on international per capita sugar intakes suggest a consistent positive correlation with breast cancer mortality rates. However, this relationship is not consistent in within-country ecological studies or in case-control studies, in which sugar intakes have been assessed as mono- and disaccharides or as sucrose. There is some suggestion of a weak increase in risk of breast cancer with high consumption of sucrose-containing foods, such as cakes and biscuits. However, these foods provide a range of other nutrients, particularly fat, which may also be implicated in the development of breast cancer, and further studies specifically designed to address this area are required. It is apparent that there is insufficient evidence to conclude whether sugar has a role in cancer at any site.     

Conflict and somatization: psychoanalytic treatment of the psychophysiologic response in the digestive tract

Somatization of intrapsychic conflicts, as manifested in the mouth, the stomach, the small intestine, the large bowel, and the anus, is described in this long-term study of the psychoanalytic treatment of three patients with peptic ulcer, regional ileitis, and ulcerative colitis respectively. The theoretical and practical aspects of treatment are considered, and the efficacy of and indications for psychoanalysis as the treatment of choice are discussed.