Gastric acid inhibition in the treatment of peptic ulcer hemorrhage.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding from peptic ulcer disease is a common clinical event, resulting in considerable patient morbidity and significant health care costs. Inhibiting gastric acid secretion is a key component in improving clinical outcomes, including reducing rebleeding, transfusion requirements, and surgery. Raising intragastric pH promotes clot stability and reduces the influences of gastric acid and pepsin.

Heart rate recovery after exercise is associated with renal function in patients with a homogenous chronic renal disease.

Background: Attenuated heart rate recovery (HRR) is an independent predictor of cardiac and total mortality. Diminished renal function is a similar predictor. There are no data concerning the interaction between the two risk factors.

Levetiracetam reduces myoclonus in corticobasal degeneration: report of two cases.

Levetiracetam (LEV) has been shown to suppress myoclonus of various origins. Corticobasal degeneration (CBD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with Parkinsonian syndrome, is frequently accompanied by myoclonus. We investigated the effect of LEV on myoclonus in two CBD patients.

N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonism decreases motility and inflammatory activation in the early phase of acute experimental colitis in the rat.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases are accompanied by severe motility disorders. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the blockade of peripheral N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-sensitive glutamate receptors (NMDA-Rs) alters motility changes in chemically induced acute colitis and how this modulation is accomplished.

Methods: The inflammatory and motility changes in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis were studied in anaesthetized Wistar rats following treatment with the natural NMDA-R antagonist kynurenic acid (KynA) or SZR-72, a blood-brain barrier-permeable synthetic KynA analogue.

[Therapy of Alzheimer disease].

Dementia is one of the most important health problems in the aging populations. The most frequent cause of it is Alzheimer's disease (AD) which is characterized by intracellular neuro-fibrillary tangles (NFT) and the extracellular senile plaques. The NFTs are mainly formed by the hyperphosphorylated microtubule-binding protein, the tau, while the senile plaques are composed of beta-amyloid protein cleaved from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the beta- and gamma-secretases.

Dependence of radon emanation of red mud bauxite processing wastes on heat treatment.

Natural radioactivity content, radon emanation and some other physical characteristics of red mud were investigated, so that to identify the possibilities of the safe utilization of such material as a building material additive. Based on the radionuclide concentration, red mud is not permitted to be used directly as a building material, however, mixing of a maximum 20% red mud and 80% clay meets the requirements. The main aim of this work was to determine the dependence of the emanation factor of red mud firing temperature and some other parameters.

Modulation of B-cell endoplasmic reticulum calcium homeostasis by Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein-1.

Background: Calcium signaling plays an important role in B lymphocyte survival and activation, and is critically dependent on the inositol-1,4,5-tris-phosphate-induced release of calcium stored in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Calcium is accumulated in the ER by Sarco/Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPases (SERCA enzymes), and therefore these enzymes play an important role in ER calcium homeostasis and in the control of B of cell activation. Because Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can immortalize B cells and contributes to lymphomagenesis, in this work the effects of the virus on SERCA-type calcium pump expression and calcium accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum of B cells was investigated.

Long-term quality of life improvement in subjects with healed erosive esophagitis: treatment with lansoprazole.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic symptomatic condition and may be associated with erosive esophagitis (EE). Considerable data on the long-term maintenance of healing of EE are available, but data on long-term GERD symptom prevention and patient quality of life (QOL) are limited.

Aims: To investigate QOL in subjects with healed EE who received 12 months of double-blind maintenance treatment with lansoprazole or ranitidine, followed by long-term open-label lansoprazole therapy to prevent recurrence of EE.

The density of GM1-enriched lipid rafts correlates inversely with the efficiency of transfection mediated by cationic liposomes.

Although cationic liposome-mediated transfection has become a standard procedure, the mechanistic details of the process are unknown. It has been suggested that endocytic uptake of lipoplexes is efficient, and transfectability is largely determined by later steps. In this article, we stained GM1-enriched membrane microdomains, a subclass of lipid rafts, with subunit B of cholera toxin and correlated transfection efficiency with their density by quantitatively evaluating microscopic images.

Aspects of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma development: a transition from immune-reactivity to malignancy.

The development of B-cell lymphomas is an intricate interplay among various pathogenic factors, leading to a multi-step process, encompassing various stages of B-cell maturation. Besides genetic abnormalities, a variety of environmental and microbial factors, as well as disproportional immune-regulatory processes lead to the malignant transformation. Yet, little is known about the exact chain of events, which lead from the physiological polyclonal B-cell activation as a response to exogenous antigens through oligoclonality to a monoclonal, uncontrolled, malignant B-cell proliferation.

The clinical safety of long-term lansoprazole for the maintenance of healed erosive oesophagitis.

Background: The clinical safety of long-term lansoprazole therapy for the maintenance of healed erosive oesophagitis has not been extensively studied in clinical trials.

Aim: To assess the long-term clinical safety of dose-titrated lansoprazole as maintenance therapy for up to 82 months in subjects with healed erosive oesophagitis.

Methods: Clinical safety was assessed by monitoring adverse events (AEs), laboratory data including serum gastrin levels, and endoscopy.

International intercomparisons of integrating radon detectors in the NIRS radon chamber.

An international intercomparison of integrating detectors was conducted at NIRS (National Institute of Radiological Science, Japan) with a 24.4 m(3) inner volume walk-in radon chamber that has systems to control radon concentration, temperature and humidity. During the first intercomparison (05.

On optimal decision-making in brains and social insect colonies.

The problem of how to compromise between speed and accuracy in decision-making faces organisms at many levels of biological complexity. Striking parallels are evident between decision-making in primate brains and collective decision-making in social insect colonies: in both systems, separate populations accumulate evidence for alternative choices; when one population reaches a threshold, a decision is made for the corresponding alternative, and this threshold may be varied to compromise between the speed and the accuracy of decision-making. In primate decision-making, simple models of these processes have been shown, under certain parametrizations, to implement the statistically optimal procedure that minimizes decision time for any given error rate.

Does balneotherapy with low radon concentration in water influence the endocrine system? A controlled non-randomized pilot study.

Radon bath is a well-established modality of balneotherapy for the management of degenerative musculoskeletal disorders. The present study was conducted to ascertain whether baths of relatively low (80 Bq/l) radon concentration have any influence on the functioning of the endocrine system. In the study, a non-randomized pilot study, 27 patients with degenerative musculoskeletal disorders received 30-min radon baths (of 31-32 degrees C temperature and 80 Bq/l average radon concentration) daily, for 15 days.

Study on endocronological effects of radon speleotherapy on respiratory diseases.

Background: Radon, as a radioactive noble gas of natural origin, is generally present in the atmosphere of caves during the speleotherapeutic treatment of different diseases. However, the role of radon in the therapeutic effect is not fully clarified yet. Endocrine parameter levels may be influenced by radon-like endocrine levels in balneotherapeutic treatments (bath treatment).

Long-term efficacy of lansoprazole in preventing relapse of erosive reflux esophagitis.

In a phase III study of lansoprazole treatment, patients with healed or unhealed erosive esophagitis entered a titrated open-label treatment period and received lansoprazole for View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Androgenic effects of a Canadian bleached kraft pulp and paper effluent as assessed using threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).

The presence of unidentified estrogens and androgens in effluents from pulp and paper mills is well documented. However, their role in effluent effects on fish reproduction remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that reproductive impacts of a modern pulp mill effluent are mediated by androgens and/or estrogens in the effluent.

Expression of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA) 3 proteins in two major conformational states in native human cell membranes.

The SERCA family includes 3 genes (SERCA1-3), each of which giving rise to various isoforms. To date, detailed structural data is only available for the SERCA1a isoform. Here, limited trypsinolysis of either human platelet membranes or recombinant SERCA3a in HEK-293 cells followed by Western blotting using antibodies covering different regions of the SERCA3(a) protein revealed two, kinetically distinct, Early (ETF) and Late (LTF) Tryptic Fragmentations.

A long-term, multitrophic level study to assess pulp and paper mill effluent effects on aquatic communities in four US receiving waters: lessons learned.

Lessons learned from the development, implementation, and initial 8 y of study findings from a long-term study to assess the effects of pulp and paper mill effluents on receiving waters are summarized as a conclusion to a series of articles (this issue) on study findings. The study, based on industry-defined information needs, was developed via a science-based experimental design into a long-term (>10 y) watershed-scale monitoring program that integrated in-stream population/ community assessment, laboratory chronic bioassays, and fathead minnow full life-cycle assays as well as water quality and effluent quality monitoring and habitat assessment in addressing the presence of effluent effects. The 4 study streams (Codorus Creek, PA; Leaf River, MS; and the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, OR) represented both bleached and unbleached kraft mill processes and effluent concentrations that ranged from near typical for the United States (0.

Application of water framework directive in Hungary: development of biological classification systems.

The classification according to the Water Framework Directive (WFD) includes numerous challenges in contrast with the previously applied water qualification standards. The most important element of the ecological status, the biological one, is based on five groups of living organisms: phytoplankton, phytobenthon, macrophytes, macro-invertebrates and fish. The results of a three-year research project financed by the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS) are reported in this work.

A long-term, multitrophic level study to assess pulp and paper mill effluent effects on aquatic communities in four US receiving waters: background and status.

An industry-funded, long-term, receiving water study was initiated in 1998/1999 to adress questions about the potential effects of pulp and paper mill effluent discharges on US receiving waters. Although the study continues, the knowledge gained to date provides an opportunity to reflect on the study development process, its progress, and its outcomes. As a backdrop to a series of articles in this special issue describing study results, this article describes the process by which study information objectives were identified as well as the process by which the experimental design was developed.

Management of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to ulcer disease is common and results in substantial patient morbidity and medical expense. After initial resuscitation to stabilize the patient, carefully performed endoscopy provides an accurate diagnosis and identifies high-risk ulcer patients who are likely to rebleed with medical therapy alone and will benefit most from endoscopic hemostasis. For patients with major stigmata of ulcer hemorrhage--active arterial bleeding, nonbleeding visible vessel, and adherent clot--combination therapy with epinephrine injection and either thermal coagulation (multipolar or heater probe) or endoclips is recommended.

Nodular fasciitis with cortical involvement.

We report on the clinical and imaging features--including CT and MRI--of nodular fasciitis with cortical involvement in the shoulder. Nodular fasciitis is a commonly encountered benign soft-tissue fibrous tumor that typically involves the upper extremity and may be mistaken for a sarcomatous lesion because of its rapid growth. Lesions of the intramuscular subtype, because of their large size and deep location, usually require preoperative MR-imaging.

The short-term medical management of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding occurs frequently and results in substantial patient morbidity, mortality and medical expense. After initial resuscitation to stabilize the patient, carefully performed endoscopy provides an accurate diagnosis and can identify high-risk subgroups in ulcer patients who are likely to rebleed with medical therapy alone and would benefit most from endoscopic haemostasis. Several different pharmacological therapies have been used for patients with bleeding ulcers, including intravenous histamine H(2)-receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors, somatostatin and octreotide, and tranexamic acid.

Lansoprazole for long-term maintenance therapy of erosive esophagitis: double-blind comparison with ranitidine.

In a study evaluating the efficacy and safety of lansoprazole to prevent the relapse of erosive esophagitis (EE), 206 of 241 patients (85%) healed after open-label treatment with lansoprazole 30 mg once daily for 8 weeks and received double-blind maintenance treatment with lansoprazole 15 mg once daily or ranitidine 150 mg twice daily for up to 1 year. At 1 year, 67% of lansoprazole-treated and 13% of ranitidine-treated patients remained healed (P<0.001).