The des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin level was measured by enzyme immunoassay in the plasma of 39 patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma and 26 controls. Two of these were anticoagulated by warfarin and revealed very high positive values; the remaining 24, 8 healthy subjects and 16 patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, were negative. Values indicating pathology were found in 56.

Endotoxin tolerance and polymyxin B modify liver damage and cholestasis induced by a single dose of alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate in the rat.

A single oral dose of alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) induces intrahepatic cholestasis and endotoxemia in the rat. To assess if a pathogenic relationship between endotoxin and ANIT-induced liver injury could be postulated, rats were pretreated by either induction of endotoxin tolerance, or with the anti-endotoxin agent polymyxin B. A single oral dose (10 or 20 mg/100 g body wt) of ANIT was then given to ascertain whether these methods of modifying endotoxicity would protect the animals against ANIT damage.

[Nutrition and andrological problems].

Andrologic problems were considered as nutrition is concerned: vitamin and oligo-element deficiencies, metabolic alterations, and toxic intake. Ethanol role was examined and discussed for its relevance in psychological and organic impairment due to both chronic abuse and acute intake, mainly for its role on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Rational nutrition is a clue in sexual disturbance prevention, correction and integrated care.

Sodium taurocholate affects prostacyclin constitutive production by cultured human vascular endothelial cells.

The prostaglandin system is impaired in cholestasis; bile salts, which are a specific biochemical feature of this condition, have been shown to affect functional properties of cells and tissues, and, in some cases, their action is mediated through an alteration of prostaglandin pathway. Endothelium is a privileged site for the production and the action of arachidonate metabolites-prostacyclin in particular. To determine the effects of bile salts on the properties of vascular endothelium, cultured human endothelial cells were studied.