Bismuth subsalicylate increases intracellular Ca2+, MAP-kinase activity, and cell proliferation in normal human gastric mucous epithelial cells.

Clinical and laboratory studies have shown that bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) is helpful in the healing of gastric ulcers because of the bactericidal effects of bismuth (Bi3+) on H. pylori. Bismuth or BSS has also been reported to possess other nonbactericidal or "gastroprotective" effects in the stomach.

Surgical complications of bone marrow transplantation.

Background: We wished to determine the type of diseases in patients who received bone marrow transplant (BMT) that potentially involve the general surgeon at our institution.

Methods: The records of 542 patients who underwent bone marrow transplant at Oregon Health and Sciences University between January 1990 and December 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. Gastrointestinal complications included in the study were gastrointestinal bleeding, venoocclusive disease of the liver, intestinal graft versus host disease, pneumatosis intestinalis, necrotizing enteritis, as well as other more common surgical diseases (eg, appendicitis).

Laparoscopic heller myotomy and anterior fundoplication for achalasia results in a high degree of patient satisfaction.

Hypothesis: Laparoscopic Heller myotomy with anterior fundoplication will alleviate the symptoms of achalasia and result in excellent patient satisfaction.

Design: Retrospective study of consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic Heller myotomy with anterior fundoplication for achalasia between October 1995 and July 1999. A telephone survey assessed symptoms and satisfaction.

Chronic morphine decreases calbindin D28k immunoreactivity in a subset of cerebellar Purkinje neurons of rat brain.

Calbindin D28k is an intracellular calcium binding protein that is expressed in the cell bodies, nuclei, dendrites, and axons of nearly all Purkinje neurons of the rat cerebellum. Acute morphine administration has been reported to decrease the level of calbindin mRNA in extracts of whole rat cerebellum [75]. Using immunocytochemistry, we studied the effects of chronic morphine administration and morphine abstinence on levels of calbindin in cerebellar Purkinje neurons.