Grain Size-Dependent Thermal Expansion of Nanocrystalline Metals.

In the present work, we have used classical molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical density functional theory modeling to investigate the grain size-dependent thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) of nanocrystalline Cu. We find that the CTE increases by up to 20% with a gradually decreasing grain size. This behavior emerges as a result of the increased population of occupied anti-bonding states and bond order variation in the grain boundary regions, which contribute to the reduced resistance against thermally-induced bond stretching and dictate the thermal expansion behavior in the small grain size limit. As a part of the present work, we have established a procedure to produce ab initio thermal expansion maps that can be used for the prediction of the grain size-dependent CTE. This can serve as a modeling tool, e.g., to explore the impact of grain boundary impurity segregation on the CTE.

Molecular understanding of the morphology and properties of lignin nanoparticles: unravelling the potential for tailored applications.

Studies have shown that the size of LNP depends on the molecular weight (Mw) of lignin. There is however need for deeper understanding on the role of molecular structure on LNP formation and its properties, in order to build a solid foundation on structure-property relationships. In this study, we show, for similar Mw lignins, that the size and morphology of LNPs depends on the molecular structure of the lignin macromolecule. More specifically, the molecular structure determined the molecular conformations, which in turn affects the inter-molecular assembly to yield size- and morphological-differences between LNPs. This was supported by density functional theory (DFT) modelling of representative structural motifs of three lignins sourced from Kraft and Organosolv processes. The obtained conformational differences are clearly explained by intra-molecular sandwich and/or T-shaped π-π stacking, the stacking type determined by the precise lignin structure. Moreover, the experimentally identified structures were detected in the superficial layer of LNPs in aqueous solution, confirming the theoretically predicted self-assembly patterns. The present work demonstrates that LNP properties can be molecularly tailored, consequently creating an avenue for tailored applications.

Structural Changes in Monolayer Cobalt Oxides under Ambient Pressure CO and O2 Studied by In Situ Grazing-Incidence X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy.

We have used grazing incidence X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy at the cobalt K-edge to characterize monolayer CoO films on Pt(111) under ambient pressure exposure to CO and O2, with the aim of identifying the Co phases present and their transformations under oxidizing and reducing conditions. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra show clear changes in the chemical state of Co, with the 2+ state predominant under CO exposure and the 3+ state predominant under O2-rich conditions. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) analysis shows that the CoO bilayer characterized in ultrahigh vacuum is not formed under the conditions used in this study. Instead, the spectra acquired at low temperatures suggest formation of cobalt hydroxide and oxyhydroxide. At higher temperatures, the spectra indicate dewetting of the film and suggest formation of bulklike Co3O4 under oxidizing conditions. The experiments demonstrate the power of hard X-ray spectroscopy to probe the structures of well-defined oxide monolayers on metal single crystals under realistic catalytic conditions.

Mapping Details to Elicit Information and Cues to Deceit: The Effects of Map Richness / Mapeando los detalles para obtener información e indicios de engaño: los efectos de la riqueza del mapa

Background:Investigators often use maps in forensic interviews to verify a route that was taken by a suspect to obtain additional information, and to assess credibility.Method: We examined the effects of the level of map richness on the elicitation of information and cues to deceit. A total of 112 participants completed a mock secret mission and were asked to tell the truth (to a friendly agent) or to lie (to a hostile agent) about it in an interview. In phase 1 of the interview, all participants provided a verbal free recall of the mission. In phase 2, half of the participants were given a detailed map that included all street names and landmarks of the city where they completed the mission (zoomed in to 80%), and the other half were given a less detailed map that included the names of only major streets and landmarks (zoomed in to 60%). All participants were asked to verbally describe the mission and the route taken while sketching on the map. Results: Compared to lie tellers, truth tellers provided more location, action, temporal, and object details and complications in phase 1, and new person, location, action, and object details and complications in phase 2. Map richness did not have an effect on the amount of information elicited and had an equal effect on truth tellers and lie tellers. Conclusions: This initial experiment in this research area suggests that investigators do not have to worry about the exact level of map detailedness when introducing maps in interviews.

Antecedentes: Los investigadores utilizan a menudo mapas en las entrevistas forenses para verificar el camino seguido por un sospechoso para obtener más información y para valorar la credibilidad. Método: Analizamos los efectos del nivel de riqueza del mapa en la obtención de información e indicios de engaño. Un total de 112 participantes simularon participar en una misión secreta, pidiéndoseles que, en una entrevista, dijeran la verdad (a un agente amistoso) o mintieran (a un agente hostil) sobre la misión. En la fase 1 de la entrevista se recabó de los participantes un recuerdo libre de la misión y en la fase 2 se facilitó a la mitad un mapa detallado con los nombres de las calles y puntos de referencia de la ciudad en la que habían llevado a cabo la misión (ampliado hasta el 80%) y a la otra mitad se les dio un mapa menos detallado solo con los nombres de las calles y puntos de referencia principales (ampliado hasta el 60%). Se pidió a los participantes que describieran verbalmente la misión y el camino seguido al tiempo que la proyectaban en el mapa. Resultados: En comparación con los participantes instruidos para mentir, los instruidos para contar la verdad daban más detalles sobre ubicación, acciones, tiempo y objetos y complicaciones en la fase 1 y detalles nuevos sobre personas, ubicaciones, acciones y objetos y complicaciones en la fase 2. La riqueza del mapa no influía en el volumen de información producida y tenía el mismo efecto, tanto en los instruidos para contar la verdad como una mentira. Conclusiones: Este primer experimento en esta área de investigación sugiere que los investigadores no deben preocuparse por el nivel exacto de detalle del mapa cuando introduzcan estos en las entrevistas.

High-Molecular-Weight Fractions of Spruce and Eucalyptus Lignin as a Perspective Nanoparticle-Based Platform for a Therapy Delivery in Liver Cancer.

The natural polymer, lignin, possesses unique biodegradable and biocompatible properties, making it highly attractive for the generation of nanoparticles for targeted cancer therapy. In this study, we investigated spruce and eucalyptus lignin nanoparticles (designated as S-and E-LNPs, respectively). Both LNP types were generated from high-molecular-weight (M w ) kraft lignin obtained as insoluble residues after a five-step solvent fractionation approach, which included ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, and acetone. The resulting S-and E-LNPs ranged in size from 16 to 60 nm with uniform spherical shape regardless of the type of lignin. The preparation of LNPs from an acetone-insoluble lignin fraction is attractive because of the use of high-M w lignin that is otherwise not suitable for most polymeric applications, its potential scalability, and the consistent size of the LNPs, which was independent of increased lignin concentrations. Due to the potential of LNPs to serve as delivery platforms in liver cancer treatment, we tested, for the first time, the efficacy of newly generated E-LNPs and S-LNPs in two types of primary liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), in vitro. Both S-LNPs and E-LNPs inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner and did not affect CCA cell line growth. The inhibitory effect toward HCC was more pronounced in the E-LNP-treated group and was comparable to the standard therapy, sorafenib. Also, E-LNPs induced late apoptosis and necroptosis while inhibiting the HCC cell line. This study demonstrated that an elevated number of carbohydrates on the surface of the LNPs, as shown by NMR, seem to play an important role in mediating the interaction between LNPs and eukaryotic cells. The latter effect was most pronounced in E-LNPs. The novel S- and E-LNPs generated in this work are promising materials for biomedicine with advantageous properties such as small particle size and tailored surface functionality, making them an attractive and potentially biodegradable delivery tool for combination therapy in liver cancer, which still has to be verified in vivo using HCC and CCA models.

Toward a Consolidated Lignin Biorefinery: Preserving the Lignin Structure through Additive-Free Protection Strategies.

As part of the continuing efforts in lignin-first biorefinery concepts, this study concerns a consolidated green processing approach to obtain high yields of hemicelluloses and lignin with a close to native molecular structure, leaving a fiber fraction enriched in crystalline cellulose. This is done by subcritical water extraction of hemicelluloses followed by organosolv lignin extraction. This initial report focuses on a detailed characterization of the lignin component, with the aim of unravelling processing strategies for the preservation of the native linkages while still obtaining good yields and high purity. To this effect, a static cycle process is developed as a physical protection strategy for lignin, and advanced NMR analysis is applied to study structural changes in lignin. Chemical protection mechanisms in the cyclic method are also reported and contrasted with the mechanisms in a reference batch extraction process where the role of homolytic cleavage in subsequent repolymerization reactions is elucidated.

Structure of two-dimensional Fe3O4.

We have investigated the structure of an ultrathin iron oxide phase grown on Ag(100) using surface x-ray diffraction in combination with Hubbard-corrected density functional theory (DFT+U) calculations. The film exhibits a novel structure composed of one close-packed layer of octahedrally coordinated Fe2+ sandwiched between two close-packed layers of tetrahedrally coordinated Fe3+ and an overall stoichiometry of Fe3O4. As the structure is distinct from bulk iron oxide phases and the coupling with the silver substrate is weak, we propose that the phase should be classified as a metastable two-dimensional oxide. The chemical and physical properties are potentially interesting, thanks to the predicted charge ordering between atomic layers, and analogy with bulk ferrite spinels suggests the possibility of synthesis of a whole class of two-dimensional ternary oxides with varying electronic, optical, and chemical properties.

Been there before? Examining "familiarity" as a moderator for discriminating between true and false intentions.

Prospection is thinking about possible future states of the world. Commitment to perform a future action-commonly referred to as intention-is a specific type of prospection. This knowledge is relevant when trying to assess whether a stated intention is a lie or the truth. An important observation is that thinking of, and committing to, future actions often evoke vivid and detailed mental images. One factor that affects how specific a person experiences these simulations is location-familiarity. The purpose of this study was to examine to what extent location-familiarity moderates how liars and truth tellers describe a mental image in an investigative interview. Liars were instructed to plan a criminal act and truth tellers were instructed to plan a non-criminal act. Before they could carry out these acts, the participants were intercepted and interviewed about the mental images they may have had experienced in this planning phase. Truth tellers told the truth whereas liars used a cover story to mask their criminal intentions. As predicted, the results showed that the truth tellers reported a mental image significantly more often than the liars. If a mental image was reported, the content of the descriptions did not differ between liars and truth tellers. In a post interview questionnaire, the participants rated the vividness (i.e., content and clarity) of their mental images. The ratings revealed that the truth tellers had experienced their mental images more vividly during the planning phase than the liars. In conclusion, this study indicates that both prototypical and specific representations play a role in prospection. Although location-familiarity did not moderate how liars and truth tellers describe their mental images of the future, this study allows some interesting insights into human future thinking. How these findings can be helpful for distinguishing between true and false intentions will be discussed.

Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes among injecting drug users in Hungary.

The aim of this study was to determine the geographical distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes/subtypes among people who inject drugs (PWID) recruited at 22 needle exchange sites and drug outpatient services in all seven Planning and Statistical Regions of Hungary. Of 198 such PWID, 147 (74.2%), 45 (22.7%) and six (3.0%) carried genotype 1, 3 or 4, respectively, and 31 (72.1%) of the 43 genotype 1 sequences were of subtype 1a. Genotype 3 was significantly more prevalent in provincial towns than in the capital, Budapest. Injecting for a longer period and an older age both correlated with a higher prevalence of genotype 3, suggesting possible future changes in genotype distribution. The distributions of hepatitis C virus genotypes/ subtypes differed significantly between the tested PWID and the general population. The identification of genotype 3 reflected its worldwide occurrence among PWID. Our results underline the importance of genotyping before treatment, especially among people who have ever injected drugs in Hungary.

A Novel Concept for Treating Large Necrotizing Fasciitis Wounds With Bilayer Dermal Matrix, Split-thickness Skin Grafts, and Negative Pressure Wound Therapy.

Treatment of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) includes radical surgical debridement often resulting in large wounds that need to be closed with methods including split-thickness skin grafts (STSG), local flaps, or guided tissue regeneration procedures. In this case report, a 45 year-old Caucasian male was surgically treated for a benign left groin hernia, developed NF, and was transferred to the authors' burn unit. The wound was treated initially with wide debridement and with a brief delay before finally closing the wound. A collagen matrix such as Integra® Dermal Regeneration Template (Integra LifeSciences, Plainsboro, NJ) in combination with STSG and negative pressure wound treatment, can provide fast recovery resulting in pliable, functional skin..

Personals attitudes towards robot assisted health care - a pilot study in 111 respondents.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this survey was to examine health care professional's attitudes towards technology involving support from artificial intelligence (AI), robots and humanoids. Within 10-15 years, every third student has to choose occupation within the health care sector to obtain the current personal level, due to the aging population and retirement within the health service sector. MATERIAL & METHODS: The preliminary investigation interviews presented a wide range of activities. These were nursing tasks, service tasks, monitoring/alarms, telemedicine and social communication. First, a five minutes presentation movie was presented. The movie demonstrated expected personal needs in the future and what robots and AI can do today and tomorrow. After this presentation, the 111 respondents, from different representative care institutions, replied on a questionnaire that dealt with selected areas identified above. The questions included different views of robots as supported aids in healthcare. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: The respondents were overall negative using AI and robot technology related to caring activities. However, all groups were positive in using robots in service tasks, monitoring/alarms, telemedicine communication. Of 29 assertions, 18 were mostly positive and 13 of them were over 70 % positive. The frequency of positive and negative attitudes, were similar in the central areas. Within the caring area, a positive robot assisted task requires an interaction (collaboration): caregiver-robot-individual and subsequently, within the nursing area; robot assisted tasks must involve a certain degree of human caring.

Co-infections with hepatitis G and TT virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C in Hungary.

The significance of co-infections with novel hepatitis viruses Hepatitis G (GBV-C, HGV) and TT virus (TTV) in chronic hepatitis C is not clear. We determined the prevalence of HGV RNA and TTV DNA in chronic hepatitis C patients and in asymptomatic hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers, and assessed the influence of these agents on the course of HCV infection. Seventy-seven patients with chronic hepatitis C--50 of them treated with interferon (IFN)--and 33 HCV carriers with normal alanine aminotransferase have been investigated. Previous HBV infection was detected by testing serum HBsAg and aHBc. HGV RNA and TTV DNA were detected by PCR. In the healthy population, the prevalence of anti-HCV was 0.3%, HGV RNA 8.0% and TTV DNA 18.5%. In chronic hepatitis C HGV RNA occurred in 9.09% and TTV DNA in 40.25% of cases. In IFN-treated patients with sustained remission, the frequency of TTV was 20% vs. 45.7% found in non-responders. Among asymptomatic HCV-carriers, the prevalence of HGV RNA was 9.09% and TTV DNA 75.7%. Neither HGV RNA nor TTV DNA had apparent effect on the HCV infection. TTV was detected with the lowest frequency in persons with sustained remission due to IFN, suggesting antiviral effect of IFN on TTV.

Analysis of the role of the 5-HT1B receptor in spatial and aversive learning in the rat.

The present study examined the role of the 5-HT1B receptor in learning and memory. The ability of the 5-HT1B receptor agonist anpirtoline and the selective 5-HT1B receptor antagonist NAS-181 to affect spatial learning in the water maze (WM) and aversive learning in the passive avoidance (PA) task were examined in the rat. Anpirtoline (0.1-1.0 mg/kg, s.c.) caused a dose-dependent impairment of learning and memory in both the WM and PA tasks. NAS-181 (1.0-10 mg/kg, s.c.) failed to alter performance of the WM task, but produced a dose-dependent (0.1-20 mg/kg) facilitation of PA retention. Furthermore, treatment with NAS-181 (10 mg/kg) fully blocked the impairment of the WM and PA performance caused by anpirtoline (1.0 mg/kg). In contrast, NAS-181 (3.0-10 mg/kg) did not attenuate the spatial learning deficit and the impairment of PA retention caused by scopolamine (0.1 mg/kg in WM task, 0.3 mg/kg in PA task, s.c.), a nonselective muscarinic antagonist. Moreover, a subthreshold dose of scopolamine (0.1 mg/kg) blocked the facilitation of PA retention induced by NAS-181 (1.0-10 mg/kg). In addition, the behavioral disturbances (eg thigmotaxic swimming and platform deflections) induced by anpirtoline and scopolamine were analyzed in the WM task and correlated with WM performance. These results indicate that: (1) 5-HT1B receptor stimulation and blockade result in opposite effects in two types of cognitive tasks in the rat, and that (2) the 5-HT1B antagonist NAS-181 can facilitate some aspects of cognitive function, most likely via an increase of cholinergic transmission. These results suggest that 5-HT1B receptor antagonists may have a potential in the treatment of cognitive deficits resulting from loss of cholinergic transmission.

Chest pain after coronary artery bypass: relation to coping capacity and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate relations between chest pain after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), quality of life (QoL), and coping capacity. DESIGN: Two groups were included, Group I (n = 111) was evaluated before and 1 year postoperatively, and Group II (n = 102) once, at 3 years. The questionnaire included parts of the Seattle angina questionnaire, one question concerning chest pain, coping capacity (sense of coherence), emotional state, the Psychological general well-being index, and a global QoL question. RESULTS: Chest pain was significantly related to lower coping capacity (at 1 year) and lower QoL scores (at 1 and 3 years). Changes of coping capacity and emotional state from before to 1 year after the CABG did not reach statistical significance in the chest pain group while the no chest pain patients had significantly better emotional state. The relation between chest pain and worse QoL was significantly reduced by high coping capacity. CONCLUSION: Independent of the direction of causality, the patient's coping capacity and experienced chest pain is highly related.

Changes of serum carotenoids in patients with esophageal, gastric, hepatocellular, pancreatic and colorectal cancer.

UNLABELLED: The serum levels of carotenoids (vitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin, alfa- and beta cryptoxanthin, alfa- and beta-carotene) were measured in healthy persons (n=40) and in 98 patients with different malignant gastrointestinal diseases (44 patients with colon adenocarcinoma, 21 with gastric cancer, 15 with hepatocellular adenocarcinoma, 10 patients with pancreas adenocarcinoma and eight patients with esophagus cancer). The serum levels of carotenoids were measured with high-pressure liquid chromatography. The sera of the patients were taken at the time of the diagnosis. RESULTS: the measurements indicated that (1) the serum level of vitamin A and zeaxanthin were significantly lower in all of these groups (except of pancreas adenocarcinoma), but the extent of the A decrease was different in the patients with different types of gastrointestinal malignancy. The serum level of vitamin A was in the healthy subjects 2.072+/-0.332 mmol/l and in the case of gastrointestinal malignancies was 0.77+/-0.14 mmol/l (P<0.001) The serum level of zeaxanthin was in the healthy subjects 0.143+/-0.057 mmol/l and at the malignancies was 0.042+/-0.014 mmol/l (P<0.01). (2) There were no significant differences in the serum levels of other carotenoids in the checked groups. (3) The serum level of cholesterol, total protein, albumin and haemoglobin were in the normal range in these patients. These results indicate that the carotenoids may be responsible nutritional factors (as nutritional scavengers) in the development of different malignant diseases. This supposed role in the carcinogenesis does not depend fully on the vitamin A activity.

The key-role of vagal nerve and adrenals in the cytoprotection and general gastric mucosal integrity.

BACKGROUND: Our laboratory group observed earlier that the gastric mucosal cytoprotective effect of prostacyclin (PGI(2)) disappeared after surgical vagotomy in rats. Similarly to this, the beta-carotene induced gastric cytoprotection disappeared in adrenalectomized rats too. AIMS: In these studies we aimed to investigate the possible role of vagal nerve and adrenals in the development of gastric mucosal lesions induced by exogenously administered chemicals (ethanol, HCl, NaOH, NaCl and indomethacin), and on the effects of cytoprotective and antisecretory drugs (atropine, cimetidine), and scavengers (vitamin A and beta-carotene). METHODS: The observations were carried out in fasted CFY strain rats. The gastric mucosal lesions were produced by intragastric (i.g.) administration of narcotising agents (96% ethanol; 0.6 M HCl; 0.2 M NaOH; 25% NaCl) or subcutaneously (s.c.) administered indomethacin (20 mg/kg) in intact, surgically bilaterally vagatomized, and adrenalectomized rats without or with glucocorticoid supplementation (Oradexon, 0.6 mg/kg given i.m. for 1 week). The gastric mucosal protective effect of antisecretory doses of atropine (0.1-0.5-1.0 mg/kg i.g.) and cimetidine (10-25-50 mg/kg i.g.), and vitamin A and beta-carotene (0.01-0.1-1.0-10 mg/kg i.g.) was studied. The number and severity of mucosal gastric lesions was numerically or semiquantitatively measured. In other series of observations the gastric acid secretion and mucosal damage were studied in 24 h pylorus-ligated rats without and with acute bilateral surgical vagotomy. RESULTS: It was found that: (1) the chemical-induced gastric mucosal damage was enhanced in vagotomized and adrenalectomized rats, meanwhile the endogenous secretion of gastric acid, and the development of mucosal damage can be prevented by surgical vagotomy; (2) the gastric cyto- and general protection produced by the drugs and scavengers disappeared in vagotomized and adrenalectomized rats; (3) the gastric mucosal protective effects of drugs and of scavengers returned after sufficient glucocorticoid supplementation of the rats. CONCLUSION: It has been concluded that the intact vagal nerve and adrenals have a key role in the gastric mucosal integrity, and in drugs- and scavengers-induced gastric cyto- and general mucosal protection.

Therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: in Hungary, over the past 5 years more than 900 patients with chronic hepatitis C have been examined for treatment with interferon at 16 major hepatology centres, using unified diagnostic and therapeutical criteria. Authors give an account of their experiences on the clinical features of patients with chronic hepatitis C and report the results of the interferon therapy. METHODS: a total of 993 patients--virtually the entire Hungarian hepatitis C patient population who had been referred for interferon treatment--were included in the program. Actually, the sustained efficacy of the therapy was evaluated in 724 cases. Treatment protocols (dose of interferon and duration of therapy) have changed with time from a weekly dose of 3x3 MU IFN for 6 months in the first period, to 3x3-5 MU for 12 months in the second period, and finally in the third period a combination therapy with ribavirin has also been introduced. RESULTS: in the first period, the end-of-treatment response (ETR) was 35%, sustained response (SR) 13%, the second phase schedule resulted in 42% ETR and 22% SR, while in the third period, ETR was 49% and SR 36%, respectively. Fibrosis in histology and baseline pretreatment HCV-RNA level appeared as predictors of response. The duration of treatment and the total dose of interferon exerted a moderate effect on therapeutic efficacy. Neither age nor gender influenced the outcome. CONCLUSIONS: our results-obtained in a Central East European country-are in accordance with findings of suboptimal efficacy of traditional interferon monotherapy for chronic hepatitis C reported in the West, and suggest the benefit of the combination treatment of interferon with ribavirin.

Multimodality treatment resulting in long-term survival in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The early detection and complex therapy of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most seasonable questions of the gastroenterology-oncology, because of the increasing prevalence of the primary liver cancer. The course of the hepatocellular carcinoma is rapid, untreated patients rarely live over 5-6 months. Combination of different treatment modalities in HCC can offer the best chances for survival. If possible, a surgical resection should be the primary procedure, followed by adjuvant cytostatic treatment and chemoembolisation. The authors report three cases with HCC with extremely long survival. The long-term survival achieved by multimodality therapy, as presented in these cases, seems to justify aggressive therapeutical approaches in HCC. It has been concluded, that early detection and complex, aggressive multimodality treatment--even repeated liver resections and surgical elimination of duplex distant metastases--can result in long-term survival with a good quality of life.

Prevalence of the factor V Leiden mutation in human inflammatory bowel disease with different activity.

BACKGROUND: the developmental mechanism of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients is unknown, but it may be influenced by different environmental and genetical factors. AIMS of this study were: (1) to classify the IBD patients according the disease activity; and (2) to determine the presence of factor V Leiden mutation in IBD patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: the observation was carried out in 49 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 29 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). None of them had a history of thrombotic episodes. IBD was diagnosed by conventional clinical, endoscopic, radiological and histological criteria. The factor V Leiden mutation was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) was evaluated using the method of the National Cooperative Crohn's Disease Study. We determined the UC disease activity according to Truelove-Witts classification. RESULTS: The prevalence of factor V Leiden mutation was increased in both populations of the patients to compare it with healthy persons (14.28 and 27.58% vs. 5.26%, n=7/49 and 8/29 vs. 3/57). The statistical analysis did not show a significant relationship between the CDAI or the Truelove-Witts grade in UC and the presence of Leiden mutation. CONCLUSION: the presence of factor V Leiden mutation probably has a role in the development of IBD. Our results suggest a higher prevalence of this mutation in Central European patients than in Southern, Northern Europe or America, may be due to the genetical differences of these populations.

Leiden mutation (as genetic) and environmental (retinoids) sequences in the acute and chronic inflammatory and premalignant colon disease in human gastrointestinal tract.

BACKGROUND: Tumor, calor, dolor, pallor and functio laesa are together involved in the different acute and chronic inflammatory processes. The processes involved in the inflammation are determined by differently acquired and hereditary factors. Recently the presence of a new genetic marker (Leiden point mutation) was found in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. On the other hand, the GI mucosal integrity was proven on gastrointestinal mucosal damage to be produced by different chemicals, xenobiotics, drugs. In human observations, the serum level of retinoids (vitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin, alpha-, beta-carotene) was proven in patients with chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory bowel disease. The aims of this study were (1) to measure the prevalence of Leiden mutation; (2) to identify the changes in the serum retinoid level in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection of the stomach (n=24), hepatitis C infection (n=75), ileitis terminalis (Crohn's disease; n=49), ulcerative colitis (n=35), colon polyposis (n=59) and adenocarcinoma in colon polyps (n=9), and 57 healthy persons were used in the control group; (3) to compare the directions of the changes in the measured parameters in the acute (H. pylori and hepatitis C infections), chronic (ileitis terminalis, ulcerative colitis) GI inflammatory diseases and in colon polyposis without and with malignisation. METHODS: The Leiden mutation was measured by the method of polymerase chain reaction, the retinoid level in the patient's serum was measured by high liquid cromathografic method (HPCL). RESULTS: (1) It has been found that the prevalence of Leiden mutation increased significantly in patients with ileitis terminalis (P<0.001), ulcerative colitis (P<0.001), colon polyposis (P<0.001) and with colon polyps with malignisation (P<0.01). (2) Serum level of vitamin A and zeaxantin were decreased significantly in all group of patients except for the group with H. pylori infections. (3) alpha- and beta-carotenes were found to be practically at the same level as those in the control groups, except in patients of colon polyps with malignisation. (4) The vitamin A, lutein, zeaxantin, alpha- and beta-carotenes were decreased in patients with ileitis terminalis. CONCLUSIONS: (1) The essential role of retinoids (carotenoids) as environmental factors are suggested for keeping GI mucosal integrity in human healthy subjects and patients. (2) Leiden mutation, as a genetic marker, can be used in the screening of patients with ileitis terminalis, ulcerative colitis and colon polyposis (without and with malignisation). (3) An opposite direction can be found between the increased prevalence of Leiden mutation and decrease of serum levels of retinoids in group of patients with ileitis terminalis, ulcerative colitis and colon polyposis (without and with malignisation).