[Famotidine in the treatment of gastroduodenal ulcer].

In the treatment of gastroduodenal ulceration both the reduction of gastric acidity and the defence of mucosal membrane have an important role. The development of H2-receptor antagonist has brought a significant change in the decrease of acid secretion in the last two decades. After the development and clinical application of cimetidine and ranitidine, a newly developed H2-receptor blocker, the famotidine has been introduced.

Cooling and pH jump-induced calcium release from isolated cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Rapid-cooling contracture in cardiac muscle preparations is thought to be caused by the release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), but the mechanism of this release is unknown. Cooling of isolated canine cardiac SR from 37 to 4 degrees C resulted in the net release of enough Ca2+ to account for rapid-cooling contracture. The release of Ca2+ on cooling appeared to be a relaxation between different steady-state levels of Ca2+ uptake.

[Hypothetical connection between diabetes mellitus and free radical reactions in arteriosclerosis].

Diabetic patients develop arteriosclerosis at an early age. Their disease progresses more rapidly than that of nondiabetics, due to the underlying cause of arteriosclerosis of which the origin is still unknown. Much attention has been paid recently to the causative role of glycosilated lipoproteins, free radical reactions and hyperinsulinaemia--insulin resistance.

Effects of boldine on cellular immune functions in vitro.

The in vitro effects of boldine on natural killer (NK) cells, lectin-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (LDCC) and lectin-induced blast transformation were studied in patients with breast cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and healthy donors. NK activity was measured against [51Cr]-labeled K-562 targets cells. LDCC and natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity (NCMC) were assessed using [3H]-thymidine-prelabeled HEp-2 cells.

Effect of low perfusate [Ca2+] and diltiazem on cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum in myocardial stunning.

The ability of low perfusate Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) or diltiazem to improve sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function and mechanical performance after ischemia-reperfusion was investigated using an isovolumic Langendorff preparation. SR function was evaluated by the oxalate-supported Ca2+ uptake rates of ventricular homogenates. Influx of Ca2+ was estimated from the rate of Ca2+ uptake in the presence of high concentrations of ryanodine (500 microM) to close the Ca2+ efflux channel.

[Relationship between selenium deficiency and high mortality and morbidity of cardiovascular diseases].

The authors consider the role of selenium deficiency to be of the utmost importance in the deteriorating health status of the Hungarian population. The pathophysiological processes occurring in selenium deficiency and possibly leading to cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases are discussed in detail. The results of human studies investigating the relationship between vascular diseases and selenium deficiency are summarized.

[The place of pentachlorophenol in general medicinal practice].

Pentachlorophenol is a substance whose widespread use has led to substantial environmental contamination. Causing local irritations the pentachlorophenol can be absorbed into the body by all the routes of occupational exposure. The acute pentachlorophenol intoxication is dangerous for the life: its quick diagnose and adequate therapy is very important.

[Complex study of selenium levels in healthy subjects in Hungary].

Selenium supply of different populations might vary substantially according to the geographical location and eating habits. The authors pioneered in surveying the selenium supply of the Hungarian population in diverse parts of the country. The former was achieved by the study of multiple parameters characteristic of the human body's selenium status.

[Ursodeoxycholic acid therapy in biliary cirrhosis].

Six female patients (mean age 48.5 years) suffering from primary biliary cirrhosis were evaluated during ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA, Ursofalk, 10 mg/kg/day) therapy. The following examinations were performed: liver function tests, immunological studies [electrophoresis, immunoglobulin determination, T-B lymphocyte rate, antibody dependent cellularly cytotoxicity (ADCC), natural killer (NK) activity, blast transformation].

[Halothane hepatitis].

The greatest disadvantage of the halothane, widely used in the anaesthesiology is its ability to cause liver damage. After halothane anaesthesia mild liver enzyme elevation in the one fifth of the patients was detected. The incidence of fatal halothane hepatitis is rare.

[Antioxidant effect of vitamin E in experimental hyperlipidemia].

The effect of Vitamin E treatment was studied in experimental hyperlipidaemia. The male Wistar rats got control diet and parallel fat rich diet contained 2% cholesterol, 0.5% cholic acid and 20% sunflower oil added into LATI food during 9 days.

[Lactulose and its derivatives--treatment of hepatic encephalopathy and other possible indications for its use].

Lactulose and lactitol, the synthetic compounds of lactose, are poorly absorbed from the small intestine, and both are almost exclusively metabolized by the bacterial flora of the colon. These disaccharides shorten the small bowel transit time mechanically and lower the pH of the bowel, both by their osmotic effects and by the acidic pH of their metabolites. Lactulose and lactitol diminish the absorption of ammonia and metabolites of other toxic proteins by two distinct mechanisms; by exerting a cathartic effect and by suppressing the dissociation of ammonia.

[Alcoholic liver damage and impaired porphyrin metabolism].

The authors review the alcohol-induced acquired defect of the porphyrin metabolism. They think that the free radicals formed during the alcohol metabolism may have an important role in the producing of the enzyme defects and in the accomplishment of the acute attack in the genetic porphyrias. In the first part of the article they summarize the genetic hepatic porphyrias, main symptoms, the therapy and the mechanism of the free radical forming during the alcohol metabolism.

Application of multivariate, fuzzy set and neural network analysis in quantitative cytological examinations.

Multivariate statistical methods have been used in several studies to increase the diagnostic reliability of TV image analyser systems. In recent years some algorithms for decision support (fuzzy logic) and for pattern recognition (neural nets), both non-linear, were developed. This paper reports on preliminary results obtained with these methods in quantitative cytology and compares them to the traditional classifiers.

[The role of vitamin A analogues and derivatives in the regulation of cell function].

The vitamin A and the retinoids, the vitamin A derivatives play an important role in the embryogenesis, in the modulation of the growth, in the differentiation of normal, premalignant and malignant epithelial and mesenchymal cells and in the maintenance of immune response. The effects of vitamin A are executed by two different mechanisms. While the carotenoids of provitamin A activity and the vitamin A--the retinol--itself are mainly antioxidant molecules and so some of their effects are partly similar to the effects of tocopherol, the retinoids, the derivatives of vitamin A, exert their diverse effects by regulating the expression of specific genes by the aid of specific nuclear receptors belonging to the family of steroid, thyroid hormone, and vitamin D3 receptors.

The role of free radicals in the pathogenesis of amiodarone toxicity.

Introduction: In vitro and in vivo studies were performed to elucidate the pathogenesis of amiodarone toxicity.

Methods And Results: Rats were treated with amiodarone alone (500 mg/kg body weight per day) or together with antioxidants (silibinin or MTDQ-DA: 50 mg/kg body weight per day) or with either antioxidant alone. They received amiodarone for 30 days and antioxidant for 33 days (3 days pretreatment).

[The role of free radical scavengers in gastrointestinal diseases].

Be it ever so complex the natural antioxidant scavenger system of the organism, the protection provided by it seems to be inappropriate in certain diseases of the gastrointestinal mucus membrane, such as chronic inflammation, immune- and malignant diseases of the bowel. Despite the wide range of therapeutic attempts, the treatment of these diseases has not yet been solved, and the anti-inflammatory-, immunomodulatory-, cytostatic drugs currently used, have several side effects. Therefore, the so called natural- and synthetic antioxidants have been more widely employed for additional and adjuvant treatment.

Lack of effect of antioxidant therapy during renal ischemia and reperfusion in dogs.

Acute ischemic renal failure is of great clinical importance because of its frequent occurrence and the high mortality it causes. Recent observations indicate that reperfusion has its own dangers because of oxygen-derived free radicals. To study this problem, ischemia was evoked in dogs in one kidney, by clamping the left renal artery for 45 min.

[Treatment of carcinoid tumor with a long-acting somatostatin analog].

A case of carcinoid tumour of the small intestine has been reported, which caused hormone producing multiple hepatic metastases. The 45 year old man had flush syndrome several times a day, that was caused by a carcinoid tumour originated from the jejunum. After the operation of the primary tumour he was treated by Sandostatin (Sandoz, Basel), which significantly reduced the symptoms and slowed down the progression.