A controlled study of faecal distribution in ulcerative colitis and proctitis.

The object of this study was to assess faecal distribution and faecal stasis in patients with ulcerative colitis and healthy control subjects and to relate the findings to the activity and extent of the disease. Each subject ingested 10 radiopaque markers daily for 13 days and attended for a plain abdominal roentgenogram on the 14th day. Patients with active ulcerative proctocolitis retained significantly fewer markers in the whole colon (median values, 11 versus 24 markers) due to a decrease of markers in the left colon (median values, 3 versus 13 markers) compared with the control group (p less than 0.

Body burden profiles of single and mixed solvent exposures.

The dynamics of inhaled solvents have not been studied extensively for exposure conditions involving combinations of chemical agents. An ongoing laboratory study examining psychomotor performance effects on human volunteers exposed to spray paint agents offered an opportunity to gather data on the body burden profiles produced by the inhalation of two solvents alone and in combination. Breath and blood samples were collected from 70 male and female subjects who were randomly assigned to four treatment conditions: chemical placebo, 250 ppm acetone, 200 ppm methyl ethyl ketone, or 125 ppm acetone/100 ppm methyl ethyl ketone.

Tetany despite normocalcaemia and normomagnesaemia following parathyroidectomy.

Two patients with long-standing hyperparathyroidism due to a parathyroid adenoma are described. Both had severe osteitis fibrosa cystica and a proximal myopathy. Both were treated with alfacalcidol (2 micrograms/day) prior to and following parathyroidectomy, and infused with calcium gluconate following the operation.

An explanation of the upward drift in oxygen uptake during prolonged sub-maximal downhill running.

The upward drift in oxygen uptake (UDO) that occurs during some prolonged sub-maximal exercises involving eccentric muscle action has received only scant attention in the literature. Those papers reporting UDO have generally used bicycling on an ergometer modified for eccentric exercise as the experimental activity. The purpose of this study was to quantify and propose an explanation for UDO during a different activity involving eccentric muscle action--downhill running.

Treatment of Wilson's disease with zinc: III. Prevention of reaccumulation of hepatic copper.

Twelve patients with Wilson's disease, most of whom had received intensive treatment with penicillamine, were given zinc therapy as their sole medication for copper control. Serial liver biopsies were performed during a 12- to 20-month follow-up period to determine whether hepatic copper reaccumulates during zinc therapy. Mean baseline liver copper concentration was 255 micrograms/gm dry weight, whereas the mean value after therapy was 239 micrograms.

Molecular analysis of antigen recognition by insulin-specific T-cell hybridomas from B6 wild-type and bm12 mutant mice.

Molecular analysis of the heterodimeric T-cell antigen receptor of insulin-specific class II-restricted T-cell hybridomas (THys) derived from C57BL/6 (B6) wild-type and B6.C-H-2bm12 (bm12) mutant mice revealed that such T cells use a diverse V gene repertoire. Analysis of three THys that use related V genes, however, showed a number of novel features.

The treatment of Wilson's disease with zinc. IV. Efficacy monitoring using urine and plasma copper.

Progress has been made in establishing the efficacy and safety of oral zinc as a maintenance therapy for Wilson's disease. It is important to develop simple, noninvasive monitoring methods to assure the adequacy of zinc therapy in individual patients. In this paper we report the use of 24-hr urine copper and plasma copper measurements to monitor efficacy of zinc maintenance therapy in 30 Wilson's disease patients.

The Carey-Coons percutaneous biliary endoprosthesis: a three-centre experience in 87 patients.

Eighty-seven patients with malignant obstruction of the biliary tract from three centres and deemed unsuitable for surgery underwent insertion of the 'Carey-Coons' transhepatic endoprosthesis. It was successfully introduced in all, with early relief of cholestasis in 97%. The 30 day mortality rate was 11.

Sensitivities of human glioma cell lines to interferons and double-stranded RNAs individually and in synergistic combinations.

The antiproliferative effects of human interferons (IFNs) and double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) were studied in five human glioma cell lines. Dose response curves were generated over a 72 hour treatment period. The concentration of interferon or double-stranded RNA necessary to produce a 50% antiproliferative response (GI50) was calculated by linear regression analysis.

Treatment of Wilson's disease with zinc. II. Validation of oral 64copper with copper balance.

The efficacy of zinc as a therapeutic agent to control copper balance in Wilson's disease patients has been previously documented with balance studies. In an attempt to develop a simpler and faster tool for evaluating the adequacy of zinc therapy, a technique that measures the uptake into blood of a small oral dose of 64copper was studied in conjunction with copper balance. The mean peak 64copper uptake into blood of nine Wilson's disease patients on D-penicillamine, trien, or no medication was 6.

Cannon lecture. The impact of radiology on hepatology.

Because of remarkable advances in diagnostic imaging and the development of a variety of useful interventional techniques, radiology now plays a central role in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with hepatic disease. These include focal, vascular, and metabolic liver diseases, abnormalities of the biliary tract, and conditions associated with hepatic transplantation. Thus, optimal care of patients with liver disease now requires that there be close cooperation between the two specialties.

Thermal transitions of natural actomyosin from poultry breast and thigh tissues.

Natural actomyosin was isolated from broiler breast and thigh tissues, characterized by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and examined for thermal transitions (Tm) during heat-induced aggregation. Electrophoresis showed some variation in the quantity of each subunit protein present between the tissue actomyosins and, with Amido Black staining, yielded actin to myosin molar ratios of 5.71 and 6.

Use of CAT scanning in the diagnosis and management of hepatic artery aneurysm.

Hepatic artery aneurysms occur infrequently and are often difficult to diagnose. Non-invasive procedures such as ultrasound or computer assisted tomography have not been considered suitable for definitive diagnosis and angiography is usually required. A patient is described in whom a mycotic hepatic artery aneurysm developed during the course of subacute bacterial endocarditis.

Isotope phallogram: preliminary communication.

The isotope phallogram is an investigation which uses radioisotope-labelled red cells in the imaging of penile arterial blood flow. In a preliminary series of 12 impotent patients undergoing both internal iliac arteriography and isotope phallography, the penogram index described by Fannous et al. (1982) has been modified to derive an accurate indicator of vascular disease.

In vivo acetylation of homocholine and beta-methylcholine in rat brain.

A nitrogen phosphorus-gas chromatographic procedure was modified to determine the extent of in vivo acetylation of the choline analogs homocholine and beta-methylcholine. Infusion of homocholine (18 mumoles) for 2 hours into the lateral ventricle of the rat produced 2.3 nmoles/gram of acetylhomocholine which represented 0.

Biliary sequelae of endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Twenty five patients were reviewed a mean of 36 months after successful endoscopic sphincterotomy for the removal of bile duct stones. All the patients had improved symptomatically but 20% had episodes of mild abdominal pain and a similar number had elevated serum gamma glutamyltranspeptidase activities (up to 3 times normal). In 12 patients (50%) biliary gas was demonstrated indicating reflux of duodenal contents.

Liver biopsy today. The Royal Free Hospital experience.

Experience of needle liver biopsy at the Royal Free Hospital London between 1960 and 1983 has been reviewed with regard to selection of patients, techniques, complications and indications.

Interactions of trace elements: clinical significance.

We examined interaction of the trace element zinc with copper and lead. In sickle cell anemia, the usual situation is one of mild to moderate zinc deficiency owing to renal loss of zinc. Zinc deficiency seems to produce a mild overburden of copper and an increased ceruloplasmin level, probably by enhancing copper absorption.