1,721,093 research outputs found
Role of serum fasting gastrin in screening for hypergastrinemic syndromes in duodenal ulcer disease.
No full textBasal serum gastrin levels were measured in 237 patients with endoscopically confirmed duodenal ulcer and were higher than normal in 16 cases. Protein meal gastrin stimulation was performed on this group of 16 patients and on a control group of 48 patients with normal basal gastrin concentrations but high rates of either ulcer recurrence or of complications (e.g., bleeding or perforation); 21 patients from the two groups were also tested for serum gastrin inhibition with secretin. Four cases (25%) of antral G-cell hyperfunction were found in the first group, plus 1 case compatible with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (6.2%). Only 1 case (2%) of antral G-cell hyperfunction was found among the 48 controls. These results suggest the clinical utility of routine basal gastrin measurement in screening for hypergastrinemic patients with duodenal ulcer disease
Quantification of Dual Reporter Cell Cultures via Image Analysis
No full textThe successful performance of experiments is tightly related to the efficiency and reliability of the analytical methods used for the data analysis. This is particularly true when data is collected as images and the quantification of the biological effect behind the picture is often an issue. Consistent evaluation represents a challenge even for experienced biologists. Even though other techniques allow the quantification of fluorescent cell populations, (FACS, among others) image analysis is widely used. For this reason there is an increasing need of methods for reliable and reproducible
quantification of images. To this aim a new algorithm for image analysis has been developed that allows rapid quantification of fluorescent Dual Reporter cells populations. These cells can express RFP (αSMA) or EGFP (collagen), and, via epi-fluorescence, come up as red or green, or yellow when RFP and GFP co-localize within the same cell. The algorithm can quantify and classify these sub-sets, by using a fuzzy, two-pass class partitioning, in addition to Difference of Gaussians and watershed segmentation techniques for blob detection and extraction. Results show average errors in the 2-6% range and an analysis time of 6-9 seconds per acquired image. The algorithm was validated against manual quantification techniques and compared to other state-of-the-art software. It allows rapid detection and extraction of Dual Reporter cells distributions in acquired epi-fluorescence optical fields. Finally, thanks to the implementation of semi-automated calibration procedures, the algorithm constitutes a totally objective instrument for quantification and classification measurements, especially when class boundaries are not sharply defined
Evaluation of carbohydrate antigens 19 9 and 12 5 in patients with pancreatic cancer
No full textI.F. = 1.66
A kinetic assay for human urinary kallikrein determination.
No full textA simple kinetic method for human urinary kallikrein determination is proposed. In this assay, the release of p-nitroaniline from the chromogenic substrate S-2266 at 37°C and pH 8.2 is followed spectrophotometrically at 405 nm. The ΔA/5 min (0-5 min) interval was chosen. This assay was shown to have good sensitivity since enzyme concentrations as low as 0.00125 KU/ml could be measured. The use of dialyzed urines minimizes the interferences associated with high urinary salt concentration. Because of its precision and reproducibility, this kinetic assay may be proposed in clinical investigation
The effect of aging on oro-cecal transit time in normal subjects and patients with gallstone disease
No full textTo ascertain whether aging and/or cholelithiasis can influence oro- cecal transit time (OCTT), we studied a total of 70 subjects, i.e., 10 healthy young adult controls, 22 healthy elderly controls, 18 elderly cholelithiasis patients and 20 elderly subjects with a history of cholecystectomy for gallstones. OCTT was measured by means of the hydrogen breath test after administering a liquid meal of 10 g of lactulose in 200 mL of water, and collecting exhaled breath samples every 10 minutes for 200 minutes. Of all subjects in the group of patients with a history of cholecystectomy, 6/20 were non- hydrogen producers, and therefore were not included in the study. The OCTT was found to be significantly longer in healthy elderly controls, than in healthy young adult controls; the elderly subjects who had undergone cholecystectomy had a longer OCTT than the healthy elderly controls, while no difference was detected when compared to elderly patients with gallstones. In conclusion, OCTT seems to increase in healthy aging. Cholecystectomy also increases OCTT in the elderly, suggesting a link between intestinal motility and the biliary tract which may be of pathophysiological significance. (Aging Clin. Exp. Res. 7: 234â237, 1995) © 1995, Springer Internal Publishing Switzerland. All rights reserved
IMPIEGO DEL SONDAGGIO GASTRICO IN REPARTI MEDICI E CHIRURGICI DEL VENETO. INDAGINE METODOLOGICA E CLINICA
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