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.     

A rule of thumb in mammalian herbivores?

MRI of the liver is a powerful imaging modality for detection and characterization of liver pathology. MRI technology continues to evolve with developments in scanner hardware performance and refinements in imaging sequences, particularly in respect to fast imaging techniques, improving the quality of images that can be routinely achieved. Fast imaging techniques allow dynamic contrast-enhanced scanning to assist in lesion detection and characterization. An array of tissue-specific contrast agents are also becoming available; the clinical utility of some of these agents is yet to be fully established. An overview of scanning technique, contrast media, and the role of MRI in liver lesion detection and characterization is presented, with a review of the typical imaging characteristics of common focal and diffuse hepatic diseases. Where possible, emphasis has been placed on features that allow distinction between the various pathologic entities described.     

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.     

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.     

Enrichment of REEs in polymetaUic nodules and crusts and its potential for exploitation

Polymetallic nodules and crusts are two of the most important mineral deposits in the ocean.They are rich in rare earth elements (REEs),iron,manganese,copper,cobalt,nickel,and other useful metals.This paper discussed the analysis of 25 nodule and crust samples collected from the South China Sea,the Pacific,Atlantic,and Indian Oceans.The samples were analyzed for REE content by ICP-MS/AES. The average REE concentration was found to be 1096.96×10-6 in the nodules and 1623.88×10-6 in the crusts.Both of these values are much higher than those recorded in Earth’s dry-land crust and sedimentary rocks.This REE enrichment is mainly controlled by the absorption of ferromanganese oxides and clay minerals in the nodules and crusts and the high levels of REEs in seawater and sediments.High cerium enrichment in the nodules and crusts may lead to more effective exploitation of REEs in the future.     

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.     

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.     

Aberrant FHIT transcripts in cancerous and corresponding non-cancerous lesions of the digestive tract

We lengthened seven first metatarsals in four patients with short great toes by callus distraction using an external fixator. Good clinical and cosmetic results were obtained. Bone lengthening is effective in patients with short great toes not only for cosmesis, but also to relieve pain and callosities on the plantar aspect of the second and third metatarsal heads. Excessive lengthening of the first metatarsal resulted in limitation of the range of movement of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the great toe. To prevent this the amount of lengthening should not exceed 40% of the preoperative length of the metatarsal.     

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.     

Electrical basis of peristalsis in the mammalian upper urinary tract

1. Peristalsis in the mammalian upper urinary tract (UUT) is mostly myogenic in origin, originating predominately in the proximal pelvicalyceal regions of the renal pelvis, an area that is enriched with specialized smooth muscle cells termed 'atypical' smooth muscle cells. Propagating peristaltic contractions are little affected by blockers of either autonomic nerve function or nerve impulse propagation; however, blockers of sensory nerve function or prostaglandin synthesis reduce both the frequency and the strength of the spontaneous contractions underlying peristalsis. 2. The electrical drive for these peristaltic contractions has long been considered to involve mechanisms analogous to the heart, such that 'atypical' smooth muscle cells generate spontaneous 'pacemaker' action potentials. These pacemaker potentials trigger the firing of action potentials and contraction in the muscular regions of the renal pelvis, which propagate distally to the ureter, propelling urine towards the bladder. 3. Recent intracellular microelectrode and single cell/channel patch-clamp studies have revealed that the ionic conductances underlying the action potentials recorded in the UUT are likely to involve the opening and slow closure of voltage-activated 'L-type' Ca2+ channels, offset by the time-dependent opening and closure of both voltage- and Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels. 4. In the present review we summarize the current knowledge of the ionic mechanisms underlying action potential discharge in the UUT, as well as present our view on how this electrical activity supports the initiation and conduction of UUT peristalsis.     

Surgery of abdominal aortic aneurysm and concomitant disease of the digestive tract

The incidence of intra-abdominal diseases associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm is increasing, and it is difficult to decide whether to operate the abdominal disease first, the aneurysm first or both simultaneously. Variables used in decision analysis include type, stage and life expectancy of the cancer, rupture rate of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Symptomatic lesion should be treated first. Absolute indication for operation initially on the aneurysm is the presence of symptoms of rupture. Aortic abdominal aneurysmectomy combined with surgical removal of an intestinal disease may present severe risks as infection of the graft and anastomotic leakage, especially during lower abdominal surgery. In this paper authors present four cases of AAA which had intra-abdominal surgical disease. They were treated by one-stage operation with no complications. Criteria to assess timing of surgical treatment of abdominal surgical diseases concomitant to AAA are discussed.     

Dorsal horn cells connected to the lissauer tract and their relation to the dorsal root potential in the rat

We have examined the role of dorsal horn cells that respond to Lissauer tract stimulation in regulating primary afferent depolarization (PAD). PAD was monitored by recording the dorsal root potential (DRP) in the roots of the lumbar cord. Recordings were made of the discharges of Lissauer tract-responsive cells, and their discharges were correlated with the DRPs occurring spontaneously and those evoked by stimulation. Electrical microstimulation of the Lissauer tract (<10 microA; 200 micros) was used to activate the tract selectively and evoke a characteristic long-latency DRP. Cells that were excited by Lissauer tract stimulation were found in the superficial laminae of the dorsal horn. They exhibited low rates of ongoing discharge and responded to Lissauer tract stimulation typically with a burst of impulses with a latency to onset of 5.6 +/- 2.7 ms (mean +/- SD) and to termination of 13.6 +/- 4.1 ms (n = 105). Lissauer tract-responsive cells in L5 were shown to receive convergent inputs from cutaneous and muscle afferents as they responded to stimulation of the sural nerve (100%, n = 19) and the nerve to gastrocnemius (95%, n = 19). The latency of the response to sural nerve stimulation was 3.7 +/- 1.5 ms and to gastrocnemius nerve stimulation, 8.3 +/- 3.6 ms. Stimulation through a microelectrode at a depth of 1.5 mm in the sensorimotor cortex (100 microA, 200 micros) evoked a response in 17 of 31 Lissauer tract-responsive cells (55%) with a latency to onset of 21.9 +/- 2.8 ms (n = 17). Stimulation of the sural nerve, nerve to gastrocnemius or sensorimotor cortex was shown to depress the response of Lissauer tract-responsive cells to a subsequent Lissauer tract stimulus. The ongoing discharges of Lissauer tract-responsive cells were correlated to the spontaneous DRP using spike-triggered averaging. Of 123 cells analyzed in this way, 117 (95%) were shown to be correlated to the DRP. In addition, the peaks of spontaneous negative DRPs in spinally transected animals were detected in software. Perievent time histograms triggered from these peaks showed the discharge of Lissauer tract-responsive cells to be correlated to the spontaneous DRPs in 57 of 62 cells (92%) recorded. We conclude that these data provide compelling evidence that the Lissauer tract, and the dorsal horn cells that it excites, mediate the PAD evoked from multiple neural pathways.     

The innervation of the digestive tract: its morphofunctional and neurochemical aspects

In this comparative study, microcalorimetric measurements were carried out on a total of 96 tumorous and nontumorous tissue samples taken from organs of the urogenital tract using a thermal activity monitor (TAM). Changes in the heat emission of the tissue samples were measured at 1-min intervals and graphically displayed as a function of time. The aim of the study was to compare the microcalorimetric results with impulse-cytophotometric and histological findings and provide evidence for the metabolic activity of tumorous and nontumorous tissue. In order to obtain the variation in metabolic activity, the maxima (Pmax) of the curves were determined as a value of the maximum thermal power of a tissue sample, the mean values (P) were determined by the mean thermal power and the contour integrals (W) were defined by the behavior of the energy reserves and their mobilization. The first part of the study was carried out to investigate whether tumorous and nontumorous tissue samples differ in general according to their metabolic activity. We discovered, using the parameters described above, that in general tumorous tissue exhibited a higher metabolic activity than nontumorous tissue samples. For example, both W and P in tumorous prostate tissue samples were eightfold higher and the (Pmax) value was 8.4-fold higher than in normal tissue. Additional investigations on testicle and kidney tissues were performed to find a possible correlation between microcalorimetric results and histological grading. We found that an increasing malignancy correlated with a higher metabolic activity of the tissue. Based upon these results we were able to differentiate the various histological gradings of these tumorous tissues by microcalorimetric measurements. The results show it is possible to differentiate between normal and tumorous tissue samples by microcalorimetric measurement based on the distinctly higher metabolic activity of malignant tissue. Furthermore, microcalorimetry allows a differentiation and classification of tissue samples into their histological grading. With the help of microcalorimetry, it might be possible in future to detect and record the metabolic processes of isolated tissue structures and changes in these activities as a result of medical intervention such as cytostatic treatment.