Whey fraction, a constituent of soybean protein, produced a photon emission in the presence of gallic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Identification of the chemiluminescence agent from the whey fraction indicated the participation of lipoxygenase in the emission. The reactivity of lipoxygenase with peroxides in the gallic acid solidus hydroperoxide system was in the order of methylethyl hydroperoxide (MEK-OOH, 4800 cps) > tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tert-BuOOH, 607 cps) > hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2), 455 cps) > cumene hydroperoxide (cumene-OOH, 261 cps). Emission maxima for H(2)O(2) and cumene-OOH were 670 nm, and emission maxima for MEK-OOH and tert-BuOOH were at 510 nm. The photon intensity from the gallic acid lipoxygenase system corresponded to the linoleic acid hydroperoxide value. A high correlation of photon intensity with hydroperoxide, including linoleic hydroperoxide was useful as a simple and sensitive method for the direct detection of hydroperoxides in biomaterials.

Hydrogen Peroxide↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A clinical evaluation of various tumor markers for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Many substances that are widely used as tumor markers for detecting pancreatic cancer are discussed. Some are good indicators, but some are not. Among them, CA 19-9 and SPan-1 have higher sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. However, these markers are neither tumor-specific nor pancreatic-cancer-specific. Accurate understanding of the measurement of serum tumor markers makes it possible for them to be useful adjunctive tools for detecting pancreatic cancer, even in small cancers, and for monitoring patients after treatment.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

PubMedDate not supplied

RIA of SPan-1 in gastrointestinal disorders.

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Antigens, Neoplasm↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Homeless patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Osaka City, Japan.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although the number of homeless persons is increasing worldwide, studies delineating the health status of these persons according to various medical perspectives, including hepatology, are limited. However, such studies are important for understanding the pathogenesis of diseases and their prevention. METHODOLOGY: Thirty homeless patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 15 with liver cirrhosis (LC) who were admitted to the Osaka Socio Medical center Hospital during the past 6 years were analyzed clinicopathologically. All were from the Airin district of Osaka City. RESULTS: The patients with HCC had a history of long stay (mean: 25 years) in the district and many infectious opportunities and most of them were malnourished. The main causes of liver disease in the patients with HCC were hepatitis C virus (HCV) (77%), alcohol abuse (73%), and the combination of HCV and alcohol abuse (50%). Serum HCV RNA concentration was 10(5.8 +/- 0.9) copies/50 microliters in the 21 HCC patients and 10(6.5 +/- 0.7) copies/50 microliters in the 14 LC patients (p < 0.02). Six HCC patients (20%) were positive for the GB virus C/Hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) RNA in association with HCV or hepatitis B virus (HBV). Only 2 patients with HCC underwent the curative operations and most of the HCC cases were in progressed stages. CONCLUSIONS: A long stay in a hygiene-poor environment increases the opportunity for infection in homeless people. The causative agents in the HCC and LC patients were mostly HCV, alcohol abuse, and a combination of the two. Since the quantification of HCV-RNA in the HCC patients was lower, the high level of HCV-RNA may not be a risk factor for the development of HCC. GBV-C/HGV may not also. The reversion to former healthy living conditions and reduction in alcohol consumption as soon as possible may contribute to low incidence of HCC and save the tax dollar expenditures among homeless people.

Biopsy, Needle↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Establishment and characteristics of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells with metastasis to lymph nodes.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although the mechanism of cancer metastasis has been gradually elucidated, less is known concerning the characteristics of human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with metastatic potential. We examined the expression of molecules that mediate cell-cell or cell-substrate interaction, nm23-H1 expression, and ultrastructural features of several human HCC cell lines. METHODOLOGY: Expression of E-cadherin, integrin (alpha3beta1), intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and nm23-H1 protein was analyzed by immunocytochemistry or Western blotting, and ultrastructural features were further studied by electron microscopy in 4 human HCC cell lines, PLC/PRF/5, HuH-7, OCUH-16, and Nuk-1 which were originally established from metastatic cells in lymph nodes at our institute. RESULTS: Neither E-cadherin, integrin, nor ICAM-1 was immunocytochemically detected in any of the 4 cell lines. Expression of nm23-H1 protein was weakly detected in OCUH-16, Nuk-1, and Huh-7 cells by Western blotting, but was clearly detected in PLC/PRF/5 cells by Western blotting. Ultrastructurally, metastatic Nuk-1 cells exhibited the intracytoplasmic canaliculus-like structures found in fibrolamellar carcinoma and the intracytoplasmic glandular lumina found in bile-duct carcinoma, while the other 3 cell lines did not. In addition, Nuk-1 cells expressed neither cytokeratin 8 nor cytokeratin 19. CONCLUSIONS: Nuk-1 cells, which are human HCC cells with metastasis to lymph nodes, alone exhibited intracytoplasmic canaliculus-like structures and glandular lumina, as well as a marked reduction of nm23-H1 protein, but did not express E-cadherin, integrin, or ICAM-1. Formation of both intracytoplasmic canaliculus-like structures and intracytoplasmic glandular lumina is one of the characteristics that may be involved in metastasis of HCC cells to lymph nodes, as is reduction of nm23-H1 protein.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Gastric carcinoma in young adults in Japan.

Forty-nine cases of young adults with carcinoma of the stomach were reviewed. The occurrence of this tumor had a percentage rate of 2.7 of the total of 1767 Japanese patients with stomach carcinoma, with a male to female ratio of 1.0:0.88. The most common complaint observed was epigastric pain (45.7%). In the majority of patients, the period from the onset of symptoms to the time of diagnosis was over two years (49%). Thirty-nine out of 49 patients had resection of the stomach and a consequent operation was curative in 55.1% of them. The overall 5-year survival rate was 26.8%. However, the 5-year survival rate for the curative operation was 42.6% particularly in early gastric carcinoma without any serosal invasion and no patients died from carcinoma of the stomach. These results indicate that early diagnosis is very important to improve the curing rate of this disease in young adults.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Induction of coronary artery spasm by combined cold pressor and hyperventilation test in patients with variant angina].

To examine whether or not a combination of nonpharmacologic provocative tests potentiated the occurrence of coronary spasm, the cold pressor test combined with hyperventilation was studied in 22 consecutive patients with variant angina admitted to our hospital. After a 12-lead electrocardiogram and blood pressure were recorded, the patient was asked to hyperventilate vigorously at a rate of 30 respirations per min for 6 min under continuous electrocardiographic monitoring. Immediately after hyperventilation, the cold pressor test was performed with the patient's right hand submerged in ice water for 2 min. In some patients who showed a positive response to the combined test, a hyperventilation and cold pressor test was performed on another day. Positive response (ST segment elevation > or = 0.1 mV) to the combination test was seen in 18 of 22 patients (82%). Positive response to the hyperventilation test was seen in seven of 11 patients (64%). The response to cold pressor test was all negative in seven patients. The onset of electrocardiographic changes by the combined test occurred an average of 120 sec (30-240 sec) after the end of hyperventilation, whereas the onset by hyperventilation test occurred an average of 210 sec later (60-370 sec). These results suggest the combination of the cold pressor test and hyperventilation test potentiated the occurrence of coronary spasm. The combined cold pressor and hyperventilation test is a powerful and useful nonpharmacologic provocative test for coronary artery spasm in patients with variant angina.

Adult↗