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Butyltins (BT) are organotin compounds which enter the aquatic environment in the form of biocides and slimicides. Accumulation of BT in aquatic organisms pose serious harm to other members of the food chain. A study investigating the accumulation of BT compounds in the liver of Risso's dolphins has shown a high level of contamination in the marine mammals. Although there were no differences in BT concentrations between males and females, results showed a slow excretion rate of BTs. Levels of BT concentrations also increased until maturity, but had no effect on the dolphins' reproductive processes.

: This study aimed to investigate the consequences ofHelicobacter pylorieradication and acid suppression on rehaemorrhage caused by bleeding peptic ulcers.: A total of 320 patients who had been diagnosed with bleeding peptic ulcers between January 1994 and December 2001 were included in the study. Cases between 1994 and 1997, prior to the introduction of eradication therapy, were assigned to group A, whereas those between 1998 and 2001, after the eradication therapy, were assigned to group B.: Of the 320 cases, 162 were designated as group A (113 gastric ulcers and 49 duodenal ulcers) and 158 as group B (116 and 42, respectively). Rehaemorrhage occurred in 24 cases (15%) and five cases (3%) in groups A and B, respectively, presenting a significantly decreased rate of rehaemorrhage in group B. Among those without eradication, rehaemorrhage was observed in 15 of 128 cases (12%) that received treatment with histamine2-receptor antagonist (famotidine), and 14 of 142 cases (10%) treated with proton-pump inhibitors, with no significant difference between the two.: Helicobacter pylorieradication lowered the rates of rehaemorrhage. Treatment with histamine2-receptor antagonist or proton-pump inhibitors did not produce a difference in the rate of rehaemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of ischemia-reperfusion and 48-hr fasting on apoptosis was characterized in rat gastric mucosa and compared to small intestinal mucosa. Under halothane anesthesia, the celiac artery or superior mesenteric artery in the rat was occluded for 60 min followed by reperfusion. Occlusion of the celiac artery reduced blood flow in the stomach and occlusion of the mesenteric artery reduced blood flow in the small intestine. Additional rats were fasted for 48 hr to evaluate the effect of fasting on mucosal apoptosis. The ratios of fragmented DNA to total DNA, electrophoresis, and immunohistochemical staining were examined after ischemia-reperfusion or fasting. Apoptosis was not induced significantly in the gastric mucosa after ischemia-reperfusion, although it increased dramatically in the intestinal mucosa after ischemia-reperfusion. Further, after 48 fasting, apoptosis was induced in the small intestine, but not in the stomach. These results indicate that rat gastric mucosa is not as sensitive as small intestinal mucosa to ischemia-reperfusion or fasting-induced apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the diurnal variations in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and apoptosis in the small intestinal mucosa of Mongolian gerbils. First, the feeding, drinking, and ambulatory patterns of the gerbils were recorded. The results indicated that Mongolian gerbils lost diurnal cyclicity in feeding, drinking, and ambulatory patterns. Second, ODC activity and apoptosis in the intestinal mucosa of gerbils were characterized by measurements at four time points (11:00, 17:00, 23:00, and 05:00 h; light period, 08:00-20:00 h). Apoptosis was evaluated in terms of percent fragmented DNA (fragmented DNA/total DNA). Neither ODC activity nor apoptosis showed diurnal variation in the jejunal mucosa of the Mongolian gerbils. In 48-h fasted gerbils, ODC activity in the intestinal mucosa decreased, but this activity increased significantly 2 h after refeeding; percent fragmented DNA increased in the intestinal mucosa, and returned to the control level 2 h after refeeding. These results indicate that postprandial local nutrients are an important factor in regulating diurnal variation in ODC activity and apoptosis in the small intestine of gerbils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the relationship between a harmful effect of histamine and apoptosis following ischemia-reperfusion in the rat intestine. The superior mesenteric artery was occluded for 60 min followed by reperfusion for 60 min. Rats were infused with H1-receptor antagonist (chlorpheniramine maleate) or H2-receptor antagonist (cimetidine). Additional rats were pretreated with aminoguanidine (100 mg/kg). Percent apoptosis in the intestinal mucosa increased after reperfusion, but neither H1 nor H2 antagonists had any effect on apoptosis. Aminoguanidine pretreatment inhibited activity of diamine oxidase and increased the plasma histamine concentration. Aminoguanidine attenuated the increase in mucosal apoptosis following reperfusion. Apoptosis induced by an ischemic insult to the intestinal mucosa was not related to an undesirable effect of histamine. Attenuation of increased intestinal apoptosis might be due to increased plasma histamine level and/or other pharmacological action of aminoguanidine, including inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with findings in Western countries, the prevalence of reflux esophagitis in Oriental countries is estimated to be low. In this prospective study, we aimed to examine the proportion of reflux esophagitis in Japanese adults, as evaluated by endoscopy. Endoscopists were prospectively directed to grade esophageal mucosal breaks with esophagitis according to the Los Angeles Classification of Esophagitis in all subjects that underwent endoscopic examination. In total, 6010 subjects underwent endoscopic examination for evaluation of esophagitis grading from December 1996 to February 1998. The subjects included 4394 outpatients who were not receiving medication for gastrointestinal disease and 1616 subjects who visited the hospital for routine physical examinations. The overall proportion of esophagitis was 16.3%. Most of the subjects with esophagitis were classified as having grade A or B (proportion of grades A and B, 9.6% and 4.6%, respectively). The age-related proportion of esophagitis and of severe esophagitis (i.e., grades C and D) increased in females aged over 70 and in males aged over 80. Increased body mass index (partly due to decreased height caused by osteoporosis), and/or hiatal herniation, were related to the proportion of esophagitis in females aged over 70. These data indicated that reflux esophagitis is a common disease in Japan. However, severe esophagitis (grades C and D) is not common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the trophic effect of epidermal growth factor on the rat small intestine, we measured diamine oxidase and ornithine decarboxylase activities in intestinal mucosa injured by methotrexate. Methotrexate was infused orally via a gastric tube at a dose of 10 mg/kg per day on 3 successive days (days 1-3). Epidermal growth factor was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 40 micrograms/kg per day on 4 successive days following methotrexate infusion (days 4-7). Methotrexate caused a marked decrease in diamine oxidase activity; this decrease returned to a normal level on day 13 in controls. In rats injected with epidermal growth factor, diamine oxidase activity began to recover earlier than in the controls, and returned to a normal level on day 11. Epidermal growth factor enhanced the increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity in mucosa injured by methotrexate. When the increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity was suppressed by alpha-difluoromethylornithine, epidermal growth factor failed to facilitate the repair of intestinal mucosa. These results indicate that epidermal growth factor enhances intestinal repair following methotrexate infusion, and that this effect is mediated, at least in part, by ornithine decarboxylase. It is proposed that epidermal growth factor can be used clinically as a means to enhance mucosal repair of the intestine after chemotherapy with methotrexate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recently, many studies have suggested that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection might be a protecting factor for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), although the results are conflicting. In this study, we examined complication of reflux esophagitis for peptic ulcer in large population and this rate was compared to patients of peptic ulcer with eradication of H. pylori. Methods: 1) Endoscopic evaluation of 8,031 Japanese adults without medication was performed. 2) Gastric or duodenal ulcer patients with H. pylori infection was eradicated, and endoscopic examination was performed before and 3 months after eradication. Eradication was performed with lansoprazole 60 mg, amoxicillin 1500 mg and clarithromycin 800 mg for seven days. All patients were asked regarding nausea, abdominal pain, and GERD related symptoms including heart burn, dysphagia, and acid regurgitation. Results: Among 8,031 adults, a complication rate of esophagitis for gastric ulcer was 13.8%, and for duodenal ulcer was 6.7%. Before and after eradication, 153 patients were analyzed. H. pylori was successfully eradicated in 58 out of 81 patients with gastric ulcer (71.6%), and in 37 out of 52 patients with duodenal ulcer (71.1%). Before eradication, 11 (13.6%) of 81 gastric ulcer patients and 9 (17.6%) of 52 duodenal ulcer patients have GERD symptoms and/or endoscopic esophagitis. Increase in the number of esophagitis was 0 in the gastric ulcer group, and 3 in the duodenal ulcer group. Conclusion: Increase in esophagitis after eradication was not significant compared to the complication rate of peptic ulcer and esophagitis in 8,031 Japanese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]