ABSTRACT
The dimer species (M(r) 580,000) of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo californica, was incorporated into a thiopeptide supported lipid bilayer. The incorporation was achieved by fusion of liposomes with reconstituted receptor onto a gold-supported thiopeptide lipid monolayer. Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPS) was used to monitor in real time the fusion process as well as the specific binding of the antagonist alpha-bungarotoxin. A recently developed extension of SPS offering enhanced sensitivity and specificity, surface plasmon fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS), was then used to monitor subsequent binding of the monoclonal WF6 and polyclonal antibody, respectively. The latter was fluorescence labeled with Cy5. The different binding assays indicate the successful incorporation of the receptor in the lipid bilayer.
Subject(s)
Receptors, Nicotinic/chemistry , Receptors, Nicotinic/metabolism , Torpedo/metabolism , Animals , Electric Organ/metabolism , Lipid Bilayers , Membranes, Artificial , Spectrometry, Fluorescence , Surface Plasmon ResonanceSubject(s)
Endoscopy , Gastrointestinal Diseases/diagnosis , Gastroscopy , Colonic Diseases/diagnosis , Duodenal Diseases/diagnosis , Esophagoscopy , Gastrointestinal Diseases/therapy , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Pancreatic Diseases/diagnosis , Peptic Ulcer/diagnosis , Sigmoid Neoplasms/diagnosisABSTRACT
A case of spontaneous disappearance of gallstones in a 55-year-old woman is presented. Examination of biliary lipids after the stones had disappeared revealed supersaturated bile with cholesterol. This suggests that the stones migrated from the gallbladder to the small intestine via the biliary ductal system.
Subject(s)
Cholelithiasis/diagnostic imaging , Bile Acids and Salts/analysis , Cholelithiasis/metabolism , Female , Humans , Lipids/analysis , Middle Aged , RadiographyABSTRACT
A young female nurse presented with unusual upper and lower-gastrointestinal bleeding, shown to be factitial. Following detection, she was successfully confronted and treated with psychotherapy. A plan for successful management of the Munchausen syndrome is discussed.
Subject(s)
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/psychology , Adult , Female , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/therapy , Humans , Munchausen Syndrome/therapy , Psychophysiologic Disorders/therapyABSTRACT
Skin lesions occur fairly commonly in patients with Crohn's disease of the colon (14%). Erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum are the most frequently recognized. Granulomatosis of the skin, continuous with bowel involvement, has been reported. Involvement of the subcutaneous tissue, discontinuous with intestinal disease, is unusual and we wish to report a case of Crohn's disease of the colon complicated by infraepidermal perivascular granulomas of the forearms. The lesions disappeared spontaneously.
Subject(s)
Crohn Disease/pathology , Forearm , Granuloma/pathology , Skin Diseases/pathology , Adult , Blood Vessels/pathology , Female , Humans , Remission, Spontaneous , Skin/blood supplyABSTRACT
A randomized, prospective, multicenter trial of the effects of cimetidine on benign gastric ulcer was conducted in 60 outpatients. Endoscopic assessment was used as the criterion for healing. Although none of the differences was statistically significant, mean healing rates were higher and mean decreases in ulcer size were greater with cimetidine than they were with placebo. Twenty-four per cent of the ulcers healed completely in 2 weeks when cimetidine was administered, compared with a placebo healing rate of 14 percent. At 6 weeks in the incidence of healing increased to 60 percent in the cimetidine group and 41 percent in the placebo group. The mean percentage of decrease in ulcer size was greater at both 2 and 6 weeks in the cimetidine group than it was in the placebo group. In both, the cimetidine and placebo groups, relatively liberal intake of a potent antacids in treatment of gastric ulcers has not been defined definitively. Thus, a possible beneficial effect of cimetidine may have been obscured. For more clear discimination between the effects of cimetidine and placebo in healing of gastric ulcer, studies utilizing either no antacid or antacids of low neutralizing capacity will be needed.
Subject(s)
Cimetidine/therapeutic use , Guanidines/therapeutic use , Stomach Ulcer/drug therapy , Antacids/therapeutic use , Clinical Trials as Topic , Double-Blind Method , Female , Gastric Juice/metabolism , Gastroscopy , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Placebos , Stomach Ulcer/metabolismABSTRACT
Alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, stimulates acid secretion, and reduces the gastric mucosal barrier to hydrogen ion back-diffusion. These actions may result in esophagitis, acute gastritis, and ulcer formation. Although excessive alcohol consumption commonly produces acute and chronic pancreatitis, and pathogenesis is unclear.
Subject(s)
Alcoholism/complications , Gastrointestinal Diseases/etiology , Alcoholism/physiopathology , Esophageal Diseases/etiology , Ethanol/pharmacology , Gastroesophageal Reflux/complications , Humans , Intestinal Absorption/drug effects , Intestine, Small/drug effects , Pancreas/drug effects , Pancreatic Juice/metabolism , Rupture, Spontaneous/etiology , Stomach Diseases/etiology , Vomiting/complicationsABSTRACT
A 74-year-old man presented with mental obtundation and massive ascites without evidence of significant impairment of liver function. Thyroid function studies suggested hypothyroidism. Aspirated ascitic fluid had the characteristics of an exudate. Thyroid replacement therapy resulted in rapid clinical improvement with resolution of the ascites. Prompt recognition of myxedema ascites may prevent the inappropriate use of diuretic agents, therapeutic paracentesis, and sometimes unnecessary laparotomy.