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Ulcerative colitis (US) is a chronic disease of unknown etiology. It is incurable and its clinical course is intermittent, characterized by periods of remission and relapse. The prevalence and incidence of the disease has been increasing worldwide. The update presented herein includes the participation of healthcare professionals, decision-makers, and a representative of the patients, all of whom declared their conflicts of interest. Answerable clinical questions were formulated, and the outcomes were graded. The information search was conducted on the Medline/PubMed, Embase, Epistemonikos, and LILACS databases, and covered grey literature sources, as well. The search was updated on November 30, 2020, with no restrictions regarding date or language. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) classification system was implemented to establish the strength of the recommendation and quality of evidence. A formal consensus was developed, based on the RAND/UCLA methodology and the document was peer reviewed. The short version of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in the Adult Population is presented herein, together with the supporting evidence and respective recommendations. In mild-to-moderate UC, budesonide MMX is an option when treatment with 5-ASA fails, and before using systemic steroids. In moderate-to-severe UC, infliximab, adalimumab, vedolizumab, ustekinumab, and tofacitinib can be used as first-line therapy. If there is anti-TNF therapy failure, ustekinumab and tofacitinib provide the best results. In patients with antibiotic-refractory pouchitis, anti-TNFs are the treatment of choice. Resumen: La colitis ulcerativa (CU) es una enfermedad crónica de etiología desconocida, incurable, su curso clínico es intermitente, caracterizado por periodos de remisión y recaídas, su prevalencia e incidencia mundial ha venido incrementando. En esta actualización participaron profesionales de la salud, tomadores decisiones y un representante de los pacientes. Todos los involucrados declararon sus conflictos de interés. Se formularon preguntas clínicas contestables y se graduaron los desenlaces. La pesquisa de la información se realizó en Medline/PubMed, Embase, Epistemonikos y LILACS. La búsqueda también abarcó fuentes de literatura gris y se actualizó el 30 de noviembre de 2020 sin restricciones por fecha o idioma. Se implementó la aproximación GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) para establecer la calidad de la evidencia y la fuerza de las recomendación. Se realizó consenso formal implementando la metodología RAND/UCLA. El documento fue objeto de revisión por pares. Se presenta aquí la versión corta de La Guía de Práctica Clínica para el Tratamiento de la Colitis Ulcerativa en Población Adulta, junto con la evidencia de apoyo y las recomendaciones respectivas. En CU leve a moderada, la budesonida MMX es una opción en caso de falla a 5-ASA, y antes de usar esteroides sistémicos. En colitis ulcerativa moderada a severa, infliximab y adalimumab, vedolizumab, ustekinumab y tofacitinib pueden ser usado como terapia de primera línea. En caso de falla a anti-TNFs, los mejores resultados son con ustekinumab y tofacitinib. En pacientes con reservoritis refractaria a antibióticos, el tratamiento de elección son los anti-TNFs.

Resumen: La colitis ulcerativa (CU) es una enfermedad crónica de etiología desconocida, incurable, su curso clínico es intermitente, caracterizado por periodos de remisión y recaídas, su prevalencia e incidencia mundial ha venido incrementando. En esta actualización participaron profesionales de la salud, tomadores decisiones y un representante de los pacientes. Todos los involucrados declararon sus conflictos de interés. Se formularon preguntas clínicas contestables y se graduaron los desenlaces. La pesquisa de la información se realizó en Medline/PubMed, Embase, Epistemonikos y LILACS. La búsqueda también abarcó fuentes de literatura gris y se actualizó el 30 de noviembre de 2020 sin restricciones por fecha o idioma. Se implementó la aproximación Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) para establecer la calidad de la evidencia y la fuerza de las recomendación. Se realizó consenso formal implementando la metodología RAND/UCLA. El documento fue objeto de revisión por pares. Se presenta aquí la versión corta de la Guía de Práctica Clínica para el Tratamiento de la Colitis Ulcerativa en Población Adulta, junto con la evidencia de apoyo y las recomendaciones respectivas. En CU leve a moderada, la budesonida MMX es una opción en caso de falla a 5-ASA, y antes de usar esteroides sistémicos. En CU moderada a severa, infliximab y adalimumab, vedolizumab, ustekinumab y tofacitinib pueden ser usados como terapia de primera línea. En caso de falla a anti-TNF, los mejores resultados son con ustekinumab y tofacitinib. En pacientes con reservoritis refractaria a antibióticos, el tratamiento de elección son los anti-TNF. Abstract: Ulcerative colitis (US) is a chronic disease of unknown etiology. It is incurable and its clinical course is intermittent, characterized by periods of remission and relapse. The prevalence and incidence of the disease has been increasing worldwide. The update presented herein includes the participation of healthcare professionals, decision-makers, and a representative of the patients, all of whom declared their conflicts of interest. Answerable clinical questions were formulated, and the outcomes were graded. The information search was conducted on the Medline/PubMed, Embase, Epistemonikos, and LILACS databases, and covered grey literature sources, as well. The search was updated on November 30, 2020, with no restrictions regarding date or language. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) classification system was implemented to establish the strength of the recommendation and quality of evidence. A formal consensus was developed, based on the RAND/UCLA methodology and the document was peer reviewed. The short version of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in the Adult Population is presented herein, together with the supporting evidence and respective recommendations. In mild-to-moderate UC, budesonide MMX is an option when treatment with 5-ASA fails, and before using systemic steroids. In moderate-to-severe UC, infliximab, adalimumab, vedolizumab, ustekinumab, and tofacitinib can be used as first-line therapy. If there is anti-TNF therapy failure, ustekinumab and tofacitinib provide the best results. In patients with antibiotic-refractory pouchitis, anti-TNFs are the treatment of choice.

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and incurable entity. The aim of the Pan American Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (PANCCO) is to create awareness of IBD, with special emphasis on Latin America, and the primary objective of the Spanish Working Group on Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU, the Spanish acronym) is to obtain the accreditation of the clinical and therapeutic criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD. Aim: To carry out a consensus for evaluating the approval criteria that a Comprehensive Care Clinic for Latin American IBD patients must meet, to be considered a center of excellence. Materials and methods: Fourteen clinical experts participated in the consensus. They were made up of specialists in gastroenterology, with broad clinical experience, spanning several years, in managing the care of a large number of patients with IBD, as well as advanced specialists in IBD. Thirteen of the participants came from 11 Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela) that have IBD clinics. An expert from Spain, representing the GETECCU, provided the methodologic support.The consensus consisted of 52 statements divided into three sections: 1) Structure indicators, 2) Process indicators, and 3) Result indicators. The Delphi panel method was applied. Results: The present Latin American consensus describes the quality indicators that a Comprehensive Care Clinic for IBD patients must meet, to be considered a center of excellence, taking into account the needs of our region. Conclusions: This is the first Latin American consensus, jointly carried out by the PANCCO and GETECCU, to present accreditation standards for centers of excellence in the care of patients with IBD. Resumen: Introducción: La enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII) es una entidad crónica e incurable. La Pan American Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (PANCCO) tiene como objetivo generar concientización sobre la EII, con especial énfasis en Latinoamérica, y el Grupo Español de Trabajo en Enfermedad de Crohn y Colitis Ulcerosa (GETECCU) tiene por objetivo primordial procurar la homologación de criterios clínico-terapéuticos para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la EII. Objetivo: Realizar un consenso para la evaluación de los criterios de aprobación que debe cumplir una Clínica de Atención Integral de pacientes con EII a nivel latinoamericano para ser considerada un centro de excelencia. Material y métodos: Se contó con la participación de 14 expertos clínicos especialistas en gastroenterología, con amplia experiencia clínica de varios años en el manejo de la atención a numerosos pacientes con EII, así como también aquellos que tuvieran la formación de alta especialidad en EII. Todos pertenecientes a 11 países latinoamericanos: Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, México, Perú, Puerto Rico, República Dominicana, Uruguay y Venezuela, en donde tienen clínicas de EII; así mismo, también participó un experto de España como apoyo metodológico, representante de GETECCU.El consenso consistió de 52 enunciados divididos en tres secciones: 1) Indicadores de estructura; 2) Indicadores de proceso y 3) Indicadores de resultados. Se aplicó el método de panel Delphi. Resultados: El consenso latinoamericano muestra los indicadores de calidad que debe cumplir una Clínica de Atención Integral de pacientes con EII para ser considerada un centro de excelencia teniendo en cuenta las necesidades de nuestra región. Conclusiones: Es el primer consenso latinoamericano realizado de manera conjunta por la PANCCO y GETECCU para presentar los estándares para aprobar centros de excelencia en la atención de pacientes con EII.

Resumen: Introducción: La enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII) es una entidad crónica e incurable. La Pan American Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (PANCCO) tiene como objetivo generar concientización sobre la EII, con especial énfasis en Latinoamérica, y el Grupo Español de Trabajo en Enfermedad de Crohn y Colitis Ulcerosa (GETECCU) tiene por objetivo primordial procurar la homologación de criterios clínico-terapéuticos para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la EII. Objetivo: Realizar un consenso para la evaluación de los criterios de aprobación que debe cumplir una Clínica de Atención Integral de pacientes con EII a nivel latinoamericano para ser considerada un centro de excelencia. Material y métodos: Se contó con la participación de 14 expertos clínicos especialistas en gastroenterología, con amplia experiencia clínica de varios años en el manejo de la atención a numerosos pacientes con EII, así como también aquellos que tuvieran la formación de alta especialidad en EII. Todos pertenecientes a 11 países latinoamericanos: Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, México, Perú, Puerto Rico, República Dominicana, Uruguay y Venezuela, en donde tienen clínicas de EII; así mismo, también participó un experto de España como apoyo metodológico, representante de GETECCU.El consenso consistió de 52 enunciados divididos en tres secciones: 1) Indicadores de estructura; 2) Indicadores de proceso y 3) Indicadores de resultados. Se aplicó el método de panel Delphi. Resultados: El consenso latinoamericano muestra los indicadores de calidad que debe cumplir una Clínica de Atención Integral de pacientes con EII para ser considerada un centro de excelencia teniendo en cuenta las necesidades de nuestra región. Conclusiones: Es el primer consenso latinoamericano realizado de manera conjunta por la PANCCO y GETECCU para presentar los estándares para aprobar centros de excelencia en la atención de pacientes con EII. Abstract: Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and incurable entity. The aim of the Pan American Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (PANCCO) is to create awareness of IBD, with special emphasis on Latin America, and the primary objective of the Spanish Working Group on Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU, the Spanish acronym) is to obtain the accreditation of the clinical and therapeutic criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD. Aim: To carry out a consensus for evaluating the approval criteria that a Comprehensive Care Clinic for Latin American IBD patients must meet, to be considered a center of excellence. Materials and methods: Fourteen clinical experts participated in the consensus. They were made up of specialists in gastroenterology, with broad clinical experience, spanning several years, in managing the care of a large number of patients with IBD, as well as advanced specialists in IBD. Thirteen of the participants came from 11 Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela) that have IBD clinics. An expert from Spain, representing the GETECCU, provided the methodologic support.The consensus consisted of 52 statements divided into three sections: 1) Structure indicators, 2) Process indicators, and 3) Result indicators. The Delphi panel method was applied. Results: The present Latin American consensus describes the quality indicators that a Comprehensive Care Clinic for IBD patients must meet, to be considered a center of excellence, taking into account the needs of our region. Conclusions: This is the first Latin American consensus, jointly carried out by the PANCCO and GETECCU, to present accreditation standards for centers of excellence in the care of patients with IBD.

Introduction: Typhoid fever is a public-health problem in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, with seasonal outbreaks occurring annually since 2010. In 2019, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) organized the first typhoid conjugate vaccination campaign in Africa in response to a recurring typhoid outbreak in a large urban setting. Method: As part of a larger public health response to a typhoid fever outbreak in Harare, Gavi approved in September 2018 a MOHCC request for 340,000 doses of recently prequalified Typbar-TCV to implement a mass vaccination campaign. To select areas for the campaign, typhoid fever surveillance data from January 2016 until June 2018 was reviewed. We collected and analyzed information from the MOHCC and its partners to describe the vaccination campaign planning, implementation, feasibility, administrative coverage and financial costs. Results: The campaign was conducted in nine high-density suburbs of Harare over eight days in February–March 2019 and targeted all children aged 6 months–15 years; however, the target age range was extended up to 45 years in one suburb due to the past high attack rate among adults. A total of 318,698 people were vaccinated, resulting in overall administrative coverage of 85.4 percent. More than 750 community volunteers and personnel from the MOHCC and the Ministry of Education were trained and involved in social mobilization and vaccination activities. The MOHCC used a combination of vaccination strategies (i.e., fixed and mobile immunization sites, a creche and school-based strategy, and door-to-door activities). Financial costs were estimated at US$ 2.39 per dose, including the vaccine and vaccination supplies (US$ 0.79 operational costs per dose excluding vaccine and vaccination supplies). Conclusion: A mass targeted campaign in densely populated urban areas in Harare, using the recently prequalified typhoid conjugate vaccine, was feasible and achieved a high overall coverage in a short period of time.

Real-time surgical navigation systems (dynamic computer-aided surgery, d-CAIS) and static guided surgery (static computer-aided surgery, s-CAIS) have been shown to enhance the accuracy of zygomatic implant (ZI) placement. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate and compare the accuracy and risk of complications associated with d-CAIS and s-CAIS in ZI placement. A systematic review of published studies involving more than 4 patients was conducted to assess and compare the accuracy of d-CAIS and s-CAIS in zygomatic implant placement. Only one study included freehand ZI placement as a control. The primary outcomes measured were the accuracy of implant placement relative to preoperative planning, with a secondary focus on evaluating any potential complications. Out of 903 screened studies, 14 met the inclusion criteria. Freehand zygomatic implant placement was used as a control in only 1 study. The results revealed a mean apex deviation of 2.07 mm (95% CI: 2.01 to 2.13; I 2  = 83.14%) for d-CAIS, 1.29 mm (95% CI: 1.15 to 1.43; I 2  = 94.5%) for s-CAIS, and 4.98 mm (95% CI: 3.59 to 6.37; I 2  = not assessable) for freehand placement. Reported complications included mucositis, reversible bilateral sinusitis, oroantral fistula, unspecified reversible postoperative complications, and fracture of the anterior wall of the zygoma. Both CAIS systems demonstrated high accuracy and safety in ZI placement, with a nearly 99% success rate at 6 months of follow-up. These findings suggest that both d-CAIS and s-CAIS are reliable methods for improving the precision and reducing the risks associated with ZI procedures., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this article. However, the authors would like to state the following conflicts outside the submitted work: Dr. Rui Figueiredo reports grants, personal fees, and non-financial support from MozoGrau (Valladolid, Spain), Inibsa Dental (Lliçà de Vall, Spain), Dentaid SL (Cerdanyola del Vallés, Spain), non-financial support from Nobel Biocare, personal fees from Geistlich Pharma AG (Wolhusen, Switzerland), BioHorizons Iberica (Madrid, Spain), Araguaney Dental (Barcelona, Spain), Septodont (Saint-Maur-des-fossés, France), and Laboratorios Silanes (Mexico City, Mexico) outside the submitted work. Dr. Figueiredo has also participated as a principal investigator in a randomized clinical trial sponsored by Mundipharma (Cambridge, UK) and in another clinical trial as a sub-investigator for Menarini Richerche (Florence, Italy). Dr. Eduard Valmaseda-Castellón reports grants, personal fees, and non-financial support from MozoGrau (Valladolid, Spain), Inibsa Dental (Lliçà de Vall, Spain) Dentaid SL (Cerdanyola del Vallés, Spain) and personal fees from BioHorizons Iberica (Madrid, Spain) and Laboratorios Silanes (Mexico City, Mexico) outside the submitted work. Dr. Eduard Valmaseda-Castellón has also participated as a principal investigator in a randomized clinical trial sponsored by Geistlich Pharma AG (Wolhusen, Switzerland) and in another clinical trial as a sub-investigator for Mundipharma (Cambridge, UK). The remaining authors report no conflicts of interest. Dr. Octavi Camps-Font reports grants and non-financial support from Inibsa Dental (Lliçà de Vall, Spain) and Dentaid SL (Cerdanyola del Vallés, Spain), non-financial support from Nobel Biocare, and Avinent SLU outside the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of ChatGPT-4.0 in histopathological diagnoses of oral and maxillofacial lesions and compare its performance with pathologists., Study Design: A retrospective analysis of 102 histopathological descriptions was conducted. Data, including site, age and sex, were anonymized from the General University Hospital's Department of Pathology. ChatGPT-4.0 provided diagnoses, which were categorized as correct, similar, or different compared to pathologists' diagnoses. Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared tests, correlation, and regression analyses were used to assess accuracy and the influence of age and gender., Results: ChatGPT-4.0 correctly diagnosed 61 out of 102 cases, yielding an accuracy of 59.8%. The distribution of diagnostic scores did not significantly deviate from expectations (Chi-squared Statistic: 0.0, P = 1.0). A moderate negative correlation between age and diagnostic scores (r = -0.33) was observed, with age significantly predicting scores (P = .001). No significant difference was found between genders (P = .26). ChatGPT-4.0 performed worst with granuloma and inflammation cases (100% incorrect) and best with mucocele cases (93.3% correct)., Conclusion: ChatGPT-4.0 shows moderate accuracy in histopathological diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial lesions, with performance varying by lesion type. Improvements are needed to enhance its clinical reliability., Competing Interests: DECLARATION OF INTERESTS None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The expression of mucin genes was evaluated in rat intestinal cell lines in order to establish an in vitro model for investigating the regulation of intestinal mucin expression in this species. Two rat intestinal cancer cell lines (DHE, LGA) and three nontumoral rat intestinal cell lines (IEC6, IEC17, IEC18) were screened. The mRNA expression of rMuc1, rMuc2, rMuc3, rMuc4, and rMuc5AC mucin genes was studied by semiquantitative RT-PCR, real-time RT-PCR and Northern-blot analysis. Results were correlated with immunohistochemical expression of rat gastric and intestinal mucin proteins, and secretion of glycoconjugates was examined by enzyme-linked lectin assay. We showed that mRNA of rMucl and rMuc2 were constitutively expressed in all IEC cell populations but periodic acid Schiff staining of these cells did not reveal the presence of glycoproteins. DHE cells expressed rMuc1-5AC mRNA and LGA expressed the same mucins but the level of rMuc4 was much lower. Mucin mRNA expression also differed in relation with the length of cultivation. Immunocytochemical studies revealed the presence of gastric and intestinal mucins in the two tumoral cell lines. Functional experiments showed that bethanechol, A23187 and PMA stimulated release of glycoconjugates in DHE but not in LGA cells. Treatment of DHE cells with dexamethasone (10(-7) mol/l) enhanced rMuc2 mRNA but decreased rMuc1 and rMuc5AC mRNA. Real-time RT-PCR showed that the expression of rMuc1 and rMuc5AC genes was reduced by more than tenfold after 24 h. The increased expression of rMuc2 gene was confirmed by Northern blot analysis. In conclusion, DHE cells provide a valuable cellular model for research on rat mucin secretion and expression.

Purpose: To investigate by flow cytometry and impression cytology (IC) specimens the inflammatory status of the conjunctival epithelium and goblet cell density in two series of patients with rosacea and dry eye syndrome compared with a population of healthy subjects., Design: Nonrandomized, prospective, comparative case series., Participants: Twenty-six eyes of 13 patients with rosacea, 26 eyes of 13 patients with dry eye syndrome, and 24 eyes of 12 control subjects were included in this study., Methods: IC specimens were collected after clinical examination of the ocular surface and analyzed by flow cytometry, using antibodies directed to human lymphocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) (CD 54), and the peptidic core of the conjunctival mucin (M1/MUC5AC). The percentage of positive cells was calculated and levels of fluorescence expression quantified and compared with those obtained in a series of 12 healthy subjects., Main Outcome Measures: Tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer test, fluorescein and lissamin green stainings, and IC were realized in this study., Results: A significant increase of HLA-DR and ICAM-1 expressions by epithelial cells was consistently found in the two pathologic groups compared with levels calculated in normal eyes. The two markers were well correlated with each other and inversely with TBUT and Schirmer test. The percentage of goblet cells was significantly decreased in rosacea patients and in dry eye patients compared with the normal group with a significant negative correlation with both HLA DR and ICAM-1 markers., Conclusions: Ocular rosacea and keratoconjunctivitis sicca were associated with severe ocular surface changes, such as an overexpression of inflammatory markers and a significant decrease in the number of goblet cells.

The purpose of this review is to study the literature concerning normal colon and colorectal cancer for evidencing that the location of the primary proximal or distal tumor may determine two categories of carcinogenesis. The proximal or distal normal colon can be considered as two different organs. Their embryologic origins are different, the splenic flexure starts the distal segment. Antigenic pattern as well as the use of metabolic pathways, such as that of glucose, butyrate and polyamines differ. Epidemiologic, macroscopic and histological features and the inherited and acquired genetic abnormalities allow in some cases to distinguish between two types of cancer according to their proximal or distal location. These two forms are not entirely different and these features can overlap. However the recognition of these two different forms of colon cancer, must be taken in account for clinical or basic research and evaluation of data.

Periodate pretreatment of paraffin sections of ethanol-fixed gastrointestinal mucosae was used to characterize the carbohydrate or peptidic nature of mucin epitopes by immunoperoxidase. Immunoreactivity of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against histo-blood group related carbohydrate epitopes such as A, Lea, Lec, Sialosyl Lea, H type 2, I, T, Tn and sialosyl Tn dramatically decreased or even disappeared after periodate pretreatment of deparaffinized sections. In contrast, the immunoreactivity of MAbs against peptide mucin epitopes such as the gastric M1 mucin epitopes was almost unaffected by this treatment. Moreover, periodate treatment revealed cryptic peptide M1 mucin epitopes and the peptide MUSE11 epitope associated with the 20 amino acid tandem repeat (PDTRPAPGSTAPPAHGVTSA). An increase of cross-reactions of anti-human M1 MAbs with gastric epithelium of different vertebrate species was detected with periodate treatment. Our results suggest that this method can be useful for preliminary characterization of the biochemical nature of mucin epitopes (peptidic or saccharidic) and for demasking peptidic tumour markers which are hidden by saccharide molecules in normal tissues.

We isolated hybridoma cells, which secreted monoclonal antibody (MAb) 121 SLE, an IgM showing the following reactivities: (1) by immunodiffusion, MAb 121 SLE and MAb NS 19-9 (a monoclonal antibody directed against a sialylated Lewis(a) antigen called CA 19-9) showed an identical precipitin line with mucin preparation containing this CA 19-9; (2) by immunoradiometric assay, MAb 121 SLE totally inhibited fixation of radiolabelled MAb NS 19-9; (3) by immunoperoxidase, MAb 121 SLE stained the normal gastrointestinal mucosa of Le-positive individuals exclusively, and this staining disappeared after neuraminidase treatment, as observed using MAb NS 19-9. However, the pattern of the staining obtained with MAb 121 SLE differed slightly from that given by MAb 19-9 on the different positive areas of the gastrointestinal mucosae. These differences principally concerned the number of positive epithelial cells and the intensity of their staining; (4) moreover, antibodies against idiotype determinant of NS 19-9 antibody did not react with the antibody 121 SLE. We concluded that MAb 121 SLE is different from the MAb NS 19-9. However, both these antibodies were associated with the same molecular sialylated Lewis(a) structure.