A survey of irritable bowel syndrome in Vietnam using the Rome criteria.

Prevalence estimates for irritable bowel syndrome from surveys in Western countries are 4.4% to 22%, generally higher in women than men, and only a minority seek health care. There are few studies of bowel patterns in Asian countries.

Assessment of intestinal permeability and absorption in cirrhotic patients with ascites using combined sugar probes.

Gastrointestinal dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis may contribute to complications such as malnutrition and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. To determine whether cirrhotic patients with ascites have altered intestinal function, we compared intestinal permeability and absorption in patients with liver disease and normal subjects. Intestinal permeability and absorption were investigated in 66 cirrhotic patients (48 with ascites, 18 without ascites) and 74 healthy control subjects.

A two-state stochastic model of REM sleep architecture in the rat.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a recurring state throughout the sleeping period. Based on the examination of 45 sleep records of 3-mo-old male rats during the middle of the light phase, a stochastic model is proposed for the sequence X(1),Y(2), X(2),Y(2),. of REM sleep durations X and inter-REM sleep waiting times Y experienced by a rat during a sleeping period.