Laser ultrasonic surface wave inspection of alumina ceramics of varying density.

In this paper, the surface acoustic wave velocity results acquired from the inspection of specially manufactured and characterised alumina ceramic materials are presented. Ultrasonic velocity data of alumina-based ceramics in the range 60-100% theoretical density was generated utilising non-contacting laser-ultrasonic measurements based on laser generation and detection of surface acoustic waves with the objective of creating a routine technique for industrial advanced alumina inspection. With linear fitting the surface acoustic wave velocity data serves as a calibration graph for using laser ultrasonics for routine monitoring of alumina.

A database on dyspepsia.

A prospective study of dyspepsia was carried out in a primary referral hospital between 1974-1987 including 1540 patients of whom 1433 were seen as outpatients. The study protocol was agreed in advance and a structured questionnaire was used to elicit relevant clinical information: up to three diagnoses were permitted for each patient. The commonest principal diagnoses were duodenal ulcer (26%), functional dyspepsia (22%), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (15%); alcohol related dyspepsia (4%) was as common as gastric carcinoma or symptomatic gall stones.

Rabbit and human non-keratinising stratified squamous oesophageal epithelium displays similar microridge structure by scanning electron microscopy.

Since the oesophageal epithelium of common laboratory animals, rats and mice, is keratinized it is unsuitable for comparison with typical non-keratinized stratified squamous human epithelium. It is thus important to find a suitable animal model for the study of human oesophageal tissue changes. This study investigated the microridge structure of immature and adult rabbit specimens, and adult human biopsies by scanning electron microscopy and morphometry.

Enhanced gastric mucosal haemostasis after upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.

An endoscopic technique for the measurement of gastric mucosal bleeding time has been developed to study gastric haemostasis in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The relation of gastric mucosal bleeding time to skin bleeding time and nonsterodial anti-inflammatory drug usage was examined in 61 control patients and in 47 patients presenting with bleeding peptic ulcers or erosions. Gastric mucosal bleeding time was shorter in patients with haemorrhage (median 2 minutes, range 0-5 minutes) than in the control group (median 4 minutes, range 2-8 minutes) (p less than 0.

A comparison of symptoms between non-ulcer dyspepsia patients positive and negative for Helicobacter pylori.

The role of Helicobacter pylori infection in the symptom complex associated with non-ulcer dyspepsia is uncertain, despite the presence of the organism in a high proportion of these patients. In order to exclude physician bias in history taking, 18 patients (9 female) diagnosed as non-ulcer dyspepsia, after endoscopy and gallbladder ultrasonography, underwent computer interrogation using the Glasgow Diagnostic System for Dyspepsia (GLADYS). Five antral and 3 fundal endoscopic biopsies from these patients were also histologically examined for the presence of Helicobacter pylori and quantitatively analysed for polymorph and chronic inflammatory cell densities per mm2 of lamina propria using computer-linked image analysis.

Effect of simulated intragastric haemorrhage on gastric acid secretion, gastric motility, and serum gastrin.

The majority of upper gastrointestinal bleeds stop spontaneously despite the low pH and proteolytic activity of gastric juice which inhibit coagulation and platelet aggregation. In order to investigate this paradox six healthy male volunteers received intragastric infusions of 160 ml autologous venous blood or 160 ml egg white acting as control in random order on separate days. Basal acid output was calculated before infusion, net acid secretion and gastric volume emptied were calculated after intragastric infusions.

Ultrastructural analysis of leukocytes recruited into the guinea pig lung by LTB4 aerosol.

Two groups of naive guinea pigs were exposed to different LTB4 aerosol solutions: LTB4/saline and LTB4/BSA. Control animals were exposed to saline alone and saline/BSA. The LTB4/BSA aerosol was the most effective in recruiting leukocytes, with the maximal numbers of cells in the lung tissue at 6 hrs.

Comparison of gastric body and antral pH: a 24 hour ambulatory study in healthy volunteers.

Simultaneous ambulatory records of gastric antral and body pH were made over 24 hours in nine healthy volunteers by means of endoscopically positioned and anchored glass electrodes. Intragastric pH was temporarily raised after the endoscopy with the median pH value 30 minutes after the procedure being 3.9 (range 1.

Rebound nocturnal hypersecretion after four weeks treatment with an H2 receptor antagonist.

Daytime intragastric pH, fasting and meal stimulated serum gastrin and nocturnal acid output were studied in eight male duodenal ulcer patients before, during and two days after completing nizatidine 300 mg nocte (20:00 h) for four weeks. Median nocturnal acid output (mmol/10 h) decreased during treatment to 11.6 (range 0.

Inhibition of gastric secretion and motility by simulated upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage: a response to facilitate haemostasis?

As gastric acid and pepsin inhibit blood coagulation and platelet aggregation it is surprising that most upper GI haemorrhages stop spontaneously. To investigate this paradox we have studied acid and pepsin secretion, gastric motility and GI hormones after simulated upper GI haemorrhage. In seven healthy volunteers intraduodenal infusion of 160 ml autologous blood decreased pentagastrin stimulated submaximal acid secretion (mmol/h) from 30.

Topographical variation in the mucosal surface of oesophageal biopsies.

There have been comparatively few scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies of mucosal biopsies of the human upper gastrointestinal tract. This study reviews the use of SEM in human oesophageal research and deals with the results of a SEM study of thirty two biopsies of human oesophagus, taken from eighteen patients during endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms. For each biopsy, three areas of the mucosal surface chosen at random were examined using standard magnifications.

Effect of low-dose omeprazole on gastric acid secretion in duodenal ulcer patients.

The effect of 7 days of oral dosing with 5 mg day-1 and 20 mg day-1 omeprazole on basal and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid output was studied in nine duodenal ulcer patients. Basal acid output measured 5-6 h post-dosing was decreased by a mean of 75% on 5 mg omeprazole and by 90% on 20 mg omeprazole (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.

Hepatocellular and gastric carcinoma associated with familial polyposis coli.

A case of familial polyposis coli in association with hepatocellular and gastric carcinoma is reported. No similar case has ever been documented in the world literature. This may be surprising as it is well known that familial polyposis has a potent oncogenicity not only in the colon but also in extracolonic organs.

A comparison of the effects of treatment with either famotidine 40 mg or cimetidine 800 mg nocte on gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin.

The effects on gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin of 4 weeks treatment with famotidine 40 mg nocte or cimetidine 800 mg nocte (at 2200 h) were studied in 16 patients with previous duodenal ulcer. Patients were studied before commencing therapy, on days 5, 12 and 26 of treatment, and on days 3, 10 and 24 after completion of therapy. In contrast to cimetidine, basal and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion measured 12 h after dosing was significantly inhibited during treatment with famotidine.

Electrodes for 24 hours pH monitoring--a comparative study.

Three pH electrodes in clinical use were examined--(1) antimony electrode with remote reference electrode (Synectics 0011), (2) glass electrode with remote reference electrode (Microelectrodes Inc. MI 506) and (3) combined glass electrode with integral reference electrode (Radiometer GK2801C). In vitro studies showed that both glass electrodes were similar and superior to the antimony electrode with respect to response time, drift, and sensitivity.

An endoscopic procedure for accurate localisation of intraluminal pH electrodes.

An endoscopic procedure has been developed which permits the accurate fixation of pH electrodes to the mucosa of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The electrode is carried to the desired position tethered to the endoscope. A clip-fixing device is passed through the biopsy channel of the endoscope and the electrode is anchored to the mucosa with stainless steel clips.

A simple blood sample method for measuring oral zinc absorption in clinical practice.

Tracer activity in blood 14 days after the oral ingestion of zinc-65 has been compared with zinc absorption measured by whole-body counting in 10 controls and 25 subjects with Crohn's disease. Highly significant linear correlations (P less than 0.001) were obtained between blood tracer activity and zinc absorption for both the control group (previously reported) and the Crohn's disease group, thus allowing zinc absorption to be predicted from blood tracer activity with an accuracy of +/- 7.

A case of eye disease due to dietary vitamin A deficiency in Glasgow.

A 22 year old Caucasian girl living in Glasgow presented with eye disease due to Vitamin A deficiency. There was no evidence of liver disease or malabsorption and the vitamin deficiency was found to be due to her bizarre dietary habit.

Effects of nifedipine on gastric acid secretion and gastrin release in man.

As calcium is important in the regulation of gastric acid secretion and gastrin release, we have examined the effect of the calcium antagonist nifedipine on these processes in man. Nifedipine 30 mg orally inhibited basal acid output by 37% (p less than 0.025) and that stimulated by low infusion rates of pentagastrin--that is, 0.

Safety evaluation of cimetidine: report at the termination of a seven-year study in dogs.

Cimetidine in tablet form was administered orally daily to eight male and four female beagle dogs at a dose level of 144 mg kg-1 for 385 weeks. Four male and two female control dogs received placebo tablets. Treatment with cimetidine did not affect the clinical condition of the dogs, but was associated with a slightly less rapid weight gain.

Taking a calculated risk: predictive scoring systems in dyspepsia.

The derivation of a predictive index is illustrated using 14 simple questions to assess the chance of the presence of an ulcer. The evaluation and use of such a 'calculated-risk' is briefly described.

The antisecretory effects of zaltidine, a novel long-acting H2-receptor antagonist, in healthy volunteers and in subjects with a past history of duodenal ulcer.

The potency and duration of the antisecretory action of zaltidine, a novel H2-receptor antagonist, have been examined in healthy volunteers and in patients with previous duodenal ulceration. In eight healthy male volunteers single oral doses of 5 mg, 25 mg and 100 mg produced dose-related inhibition of basal and pentagastrin-stimulated acid output (M.A.

Effect of disodium cromoglycate on cutaneous basophil anaphylaxis.

Cutaneous basophil anaphylaxis (CBA) was elicited by intradermal rechallenge of cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH) sites in guinea pigs sensitized 7 days previously with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The antiallergy agent disodium cromoglycate (DSCG), administered i.v.

Effect of a single oral dose of enprostil on gastric secretion and gastrin release. Studies in healthy volunteers and patients with pernicious anemia.

In healthy human volunteers, a single oral dose of enprostil (35 micrograms) inhibited basal gastric acid output by a mean of 71 percent, pentagastrin-stimulated output by 46 percent, sham-meal-stimulated output by 48 percent, and histamine-stimulated output by 16 percent. In each case, there was a reduction in both the volume and acidity of the gastric juice. Pepsin output was unchanged.