1,720,976 research outputs found
Epidemiological changes in chronic post-viral hepatitis population due to introduction of anti-HCV test.
No full textSimultaneous gas-chromatographic measurement of rhamnose, lactulose and sucrose and their application in the testing gastrointestinal permeability
No full textBackground: As it is important to test gastric and intestinal permeability simultaneously in gastrointestinal disorders such as Celiac disease, we developed a gas-chromatographic (GC) method to estimate rhamnose (L-rh), lactulose (Lacl) and sucrose (Suc) in urine. Methods: The method is based on the use of alditol acetate derivatives giving a lower number of GC peaks than reducing sugars do. Acetate derivatives are more stable and less expensive than GC silylates and keep the flame-detector cleaner. We checked the chemical stability of alditol acetates by verifying the reproducibility of the standard curve of a sugar derivative sample which had been stored for 2 months at -20°C. Results: The calibration proved linear over the range 0.1-1 μg of sugar injected. Analytical sugar recovery was 88%±19.4% (mean±S.D.) for rhamnose, 105%±7.4% for sucrose and 102%±2.4% for lactulose. Mean within-day precision (CV) was 7.7% for rhamnose, 5.7% for sucrose and 1.9% for lactulose, and between-day (CV) was 6. 7% for rhamnose, 3.9% for sucrose and 1.6% for lactulose. The rhamnose, lactulose and sucrose as the lactulose/rhamnose ratio clearly differentiated 25 healthy controls from 36 patients with active gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Conclusions: A fast, reliable and cheap gas-chromatographic method is presented here to evaluate gastric and intestinal permeability. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Epidemiological changes in chronic post-viral hepatitis population due to introduction of anti-HCV test.
No full textEffect of chronic administration of tacrolimus and cyclosporine on human gastrointestinal permeability.
No full textThe antirejection drug tacrolimus (FK506) has been reported to impair intestinal permeability in an early stage after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), and cyclosporine (CsA) has shown a similar effect in animals. We studied the chronic effect of FK506 and CsA on gastroduodenal and intestinal permeability and on blood endotoxin levels in patients 2 to 3 years after OLT. Thirty-two OLT patients (22 men and 10 women; mean age, 44.8 +/- 7.1) who had received CsA (n = 19) or FK506 (n = 13) and 10 healthy volunteers (6 male and 4 female, mean age 41.7 +/- 5.4) were assessed for gastroduodenal permeability by recovery in urine of sucrose after oral administration and for intestinal permeability by recovery in urine after oral loads of rhamnose and lactulose, which evaluate the intracellular and paracellular routes, respectively. In all subjects, plasma levels of endotoxins also were assessed. Gastroduodenal permeability was similar in patients and controls (0.03 +/- 0.003 versus 0.04 +/- 0.01%, P = NS). In regard to intestinal permeability, passage through the intracellular route was significantly reduced in OLT patients compared with controls (1.13 +/- 0.06 versus 2.74 +/- 0.17%, P <.01), but paracellular permeability was unchanged (0.14 +/- 0.007 versus 0.13 +/- 0.01%, P = NS). Serum endotoxin levels were similar in all subjects. We conclude that chronic administration of FK506 or CsA induces a clinically irrelevant, selective dysfunction of monosaccharide absorption, but does not affect gastroduodenal or intestinal permeabilit
Effect of chronic administration of tacrolimus and cyclosporine on human gastrointestinal permeability.
No full textThe antirejection drug tacrolimus (FK506) has been reported to impair intestinal permeability in an early stage after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), and cyclosporine (CsA) has shown a similar effect in animals. We studied the chronic effect of FK506 and CsA on gastroduodenal and intestinal permeability and on blood endotoxin levels in patients 2 to 3 years after OLT. Thirty-two OLT patients (22 men and 10 women; mean age, 44.8 +/- 7.1) who had received CsA (n = 19) or FK506 (n = 13) and 10 healthy volunteers (6 male and 4 female, mean age 41.7 +/- 5.4) were assessed for gastroduodenal permeability by recovery in urine of sucrose after oral administration and for intestinal permeability by recovery in urine after oral loads of rhamnose and lactulose, which evaluate the intracellular and paracellular routes, respectively. In all subjects, plasma levels of endotoxins also were assessed. Gastroduodenal permeability was similar in patients and controls (0.03 +/- 0.003 versus 0.04 +/- 0.01%, P = NS). In regard to intestinal permeability, passage through the intracellular route was significantly reduced in OLT patients compared with controls (1.13 +/- 0.06 versus 2.74 +/- 0.17%, P <.01), but paracellular permeability was unchanged (0.14 +/- 0.007 versus 0.13 +/- 0.01%, P = NS). Serum endotoxin levels were similar in all subjects. We conclude that chronic administration of FK506 or CsA induces a clinically irrelevant, selective dysfunction of monosaccharide absorption, but does not affect gastroduodenal or intestinal permeabilit
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Spleen Stiffness Probability Index (SSPI): A simple and accurate method to detect esophageal varices in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis
No full textIntroduction and objectives: Recent findings pointed out that even low-risk esophageal varices (EVs) are markers of severe prognosis. Accordingly, we analyzed spleen stiffness (SS) as a non-invasive method to predict EVs of any grade in a cohort of patients with compensated liver cirrhosis. Method: We measured SS and liver stiffness (LS) using point-Shear-Wave Elastography (pSWE) with Philips Affiniti 70 system in 210 cirrhotic patients who had undergone endoscopic screening for EVs. We compared SS and LS predictive capability for EVs of any grade. Results: SS was higher in cirrhotic patients with EVs if compared to patients without EVs (p < 0.001). The cut-off analysis detected 31 kPa (100% sensitivity and negative predictive value) as the value to rule-out EVs and 69 kPa (100% specificity and positive predictive value) to rule-in EVs. Besides, we developed the Spleen Stiffness Probability Index (SSPI), that can provide a probability of presence/absence of EVs. SSPI was the best model according to all discriminative and calibration metrics (AIC = 120, BIC = 127, AUROC = 0.95, Pseudo-R2 = 0.74). SS demonstrated higher correlation with spleen bipolar diameter and spleen surface (r = 0.52/0.55) if compared to LS (r = 0.30/0.25) – and with platelet count as well (r = 0.67 vs r = 0.4). Conclusion: SS showed significantly higher performance than other parameters, proving to be the best non-invasive test in the screening of EVs: by directly applying SS cut-off of 31 kPa, our department could have safely avoided endoscopy in 36% of patients. Despite cut-off analyses, it was possible to create a probability model that could further stratify low-risk from high-risk patients (for any grade of EVs)
Increased intestinal permeability and NOD2 variants in familial and sporadic Crohn's disease
No full textAbnormal barrier function may be genetically determined in Crohn's disease.
To examine the role of abnormal intestinal permeability in genetic predisposition in multiplex vs. sporadic Crohn's disease families.
Intestinal permeability was measured in patients, relatives and partners by means of lactulose/mannitol test. Healthy subjects from the hospital staff served as controls. CARD15 mutations were investigated in sporadic and familial Crohn's disease patients and in a group of blood donors.
The median lactulose/mannitol ratio was increased significantly in Crohn's disease patients vs. their relatives [0.03 (0.01-0.24) vs. 0.01 (0.003-0.19), P = 0.005]. The percentage of abnormal tests was significantly higher in familial vs. sporadic first-degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients (29% vs. 11%, P = 0.0281). Abnormal permeability occurred significantly more frequent in patients with familial Crohn's disease carrying the frameshift mutation. The frameshift mutation 3020msC was associated with increased permeability in 75% in the multiplex and in 61% of the sporadic CD patients. One partner had abnormal lactulose/mannitol ratio.
Intestinal permeability is raised in Crohn's disease patients and relatives, with higher rates in familial vs. sporadic healthy relatives. CARD15 mutations are associated with abnormal permeability in ileal Crohn's disease
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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