Elastase binding capacity of alpha 2-macroglobulin and its association with glucocorticoid concentration in southern African black patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Thirty-three Southern African black patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (7 women) and 43 black control individuals (14 women), all in the age group 18-45 years, were investigated for plasma alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) elastase binding capacity (EBC). Cortisol levels were measured in 15 (3 women) of the HCC patients and 10 (5 women) of the control subjects. A significant difference in EBC was found between the HCC patients and the control subjects (P < 0.

Ethnic differences in the occurrence of the M1(ala213) haplotype of alpha-1-antitrypsin in asthmatic and non-asthmatic black and white South Africans.

An ethnic study of 175 individuals, comprising 65 black and 110 white South Africans, has shown a conclusive difference in the frequency of the M1(ala213) haplotype of alpha 1-antitrypsin (P < 0.00001). The M1(ala213) haplotype occurred more frequently in the black group.

The transport of aluminum and water across the rat small intestine.

Aluminum transport across the epithelium of the rat small intestine has been investigated to determine factors affecting its absorption and its effect on the transport of other substances across the membrane. The intestines were attached to a perfusion apparatus and perfused with Krebs-Ringer-bicarbonate buffer containing aluminum. The transport of aluminum and buffer ions across the small intestine were measured.

Differences in elastase-binding activity of alpha 1-protease inhibitor and alpha 2-macroglobulin for asthma patients and control subjects with various alpha 1-protease inhibitor phenotypes.

Forty-two adult patients with asthma and 30 control subjects were investigated for elastase-binding capacities of alpha 1-protease inhibitor and alpha 2-macroglobulin in plasma. The binding activities of alpha 1-protease inhibitor and alpha 2-macroglobulin in asthmatic patients with the M phenotype for the alpha 1-protease inhibitor differed in their relationship to the values in control subjects with the same phenotype [less alpha 1-protease inhibitor for asthmatics (35.1 +/- 1.

Alpha-1-protease inhibitor in bronchial asthma: phenotypes and biochemical characteristics.

The prevalence of the different phenotypes of alpha 1-protease inhibitor (alpha 1PI) was investigated in a group of 90 asthmatic patients and compared with that of a control group of 240 individuals representing the general population. The M2M2 phenotype occurred more frequently in the asthmatic group (p = 0.015).