Hepatoprotective action of papain-hydrolyzed buffalo milk protein on carbon tetrachloride oxidative stressed albino rats.

Buffalo skim milk retentate was hydrolyzed with papain for 4 h (enzyme:substrate, 1:200), resulting in a retentate hydrolysate (RH) with a degree of hydrolysis of 23%. We then investigated the potential hepatoprotective activity of RH at 250 and 500 mg/kg of body weight per day on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative stress in albino rats. Liver biomarkers (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase), kidney biomarkers (urea, creatinine), and serum lipid profile (total lipids and triglycerides) were measured, in addition to histopathological status. Injection of CCl4 significantly increased all liver and kidney biomarkers compared with the negative control. In contrast, CCl4 injection significantly reduced hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities; that is, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Oral administration of RH for 28 d effectively maintained a physiologically normal range of liver and kidney biomarkers compared with the positive control. Furthermore, RH administration significantly increased activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Histopathological sections of CCl4-stressed rats treated with RH were different from that of the positive control and were similar to those of the negative control, in a concentration-dependent manner. Our results demonstrated the antihepatotoxic activities of buffalo milk RH and demonstrated that the higher RH concentration (500 mg/kg of body weight per day) could maintain the healthy biological status of the CCl4-injected rats.

Comparison of HER-2 overexpression in primary breast cancer and metastatic sites and its effect on biological targeting therapy of metastatic disease.

HER-2 overexpression, a predictive marker of tumour aggressiveness and responsiveness to therapy, occurs in 20-30% of breast cancer. Although breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, HER-2 measurement is carried out in primary tumour. This study aims to evaluate HER-2 overexpression in primary and metastases and its effect on treatment decisions. Biopsies from primary breast cancer and corresponding metastases from 58 patients were studied. HER-2 overexpression was evaluated immunohistochemically in all primary and metastatic sites. Positive overexpression in primary and/or metastases was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). Discordance in HER-2 overexpression between primary and metastatic sites was 14% (eight of 58 patients). Concordance was found in 50 (86%) of patients (95% CI: 77-95). In one patient (2%), HER-2 was negative in metastasis but positive in primary. In seven (12%) patients, HER-2 was positive in metastases and negative in primary (95% CI: 3.7-20), and three of them responded to trastuzumab. Gene amplification by FISH was found in all cases with HER-2 positive (+2 and +3) by immunohistochemistry. Our data suggest that a possible discordance of HER-2 overexpression between primary and metastases should be considered when making treatment decisions in patients with primary HER-2-negative tumours.

Early detection of malignant process in benign lesions of breast tumor by measurements of changes in structuredness of cytoplasmic matrix in circulating lymphocytes (SCM test) reinduced in vitro by specific tumor antigen.

Early detection is crucial for successful treatment of all types of cancer. The specificity and sensitivity of the current methods vary from 50% to 80%. The use of specific tumor antigens and cytometric technology has resulted in the development of a new procedure for the early detection of breast tumors. This new method is reported. The test utilizes static cytometry, which records polarization and intensity changes in fluorescent light emitted from each individual lymphocyte obtained from tumor-bearing patients stimulated by the relevant specific tumor antigen. Using MUC-1/SEC as the specific antigen, we detected breast tumors with 85% specificity and 81% sensitivity in 137 breast tumor-bearing women. A significant linear correlation was found between the SCM test and the conventional classification of relative risk for breast cancer in benign lesions, suggesting that this is a precise method that could be used in mass screening for early detection of breast cancer.

[Stromal tumors of gastrointestinal tract: clinical and pathological features].

During the period 1991 till 1999, ten patients with primary stromal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum and rectum) were treated. Nine patients underwent radical resection and one patient had non-complete resection of the tumor. The median age of the group was 63 years for 7 male and 3 female patients. The median follow-up period was 58 months. The tumor size was 4.5-17 cm. (median 10 cm.) The median survival was 43 months. Five patients remained alive without the disease (median survival 87 months). One patient died with no evidence of the disease after 12 months. One patient remains alive with liver metastases for 13 months and 4 patients died of metastatic disease (median survival 10 months). Features associated with decreased survival included tumor size > 5-8 cm., mitotic counts > 5 mitotic figures per 50 high-power microscopic fields and high cellularity.

Comparative study of water sorption, solubility, and tensile bond strength of two soft lining materials.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Two soft denture lining materials with distinct chemical compositions were evaluated to determine whether these compositional variations manifest themselves in property differences. PURPOSE: This study evaluated and compared the water sorption, solubility, and tensile bond strength of a recently introduced silicone-based soft liner (Luci-sof) and a plasticized acrylic resin soft liner (Permasoft) using 2 processing techniques, laboratory-processed and autopolymerized at chairside, for the latter. MATERIAL AND METHODS: For water sorption and solubility testing, 24 disks (45 mm in diameter and 1 mm in thickness) were prepared for each group, stored in distilled water at 37 degrees C, and tested after 1, 4, and 6 weeks. The disks used for the first week were again tested after 4 and 6 weeks of continuous storage. Their weight was recorded and sorption and solubility were calculated using 2 methods. Two PMMA cylinders (25 mm in diameter, 25 mm in length), joined together by the soft liner, were used to determine the bond strength in tension at a loading rate of 2 mm/min after 48 hours and 12 weeks aging in distilled water. RESULTS: Permasoft had higher solubility (1.50% +/- 0.20% laboratory-processed and 1.42% +/- 0.16% autopolymerized at chairside) and sorption (2.45% +/- 0.36% laboratory-processed and 1. 76% +/- 0.08% autopolymerized at chairside) than Luci-sof (0.17% +/- 0.09% solubility and 0.41% +/- 0.17% sorption) after 6 weeks of aging. For tensile bond strength, there was no significant difference between each respective control and the 12-week bond strength for each material. However, Luci-sof (1.16 +/- 0.27 MPa) had a significantly higher tensile bond strength than Permasoft (0. 50 +/- 0.18 MPa laboratory-processed and 0.44 +/- 0.09 MPa autopolymerized at chairside). CONCLUSION: On the basis of lower water sorption and solubility and higher tensile bond strength, Luci-sof may provide better clinical success.

[The milk-rejection sign and earlier detection of breast cancer].

2 cases of infants who refused to nurse from a breast with a cancerous tumor are reported. The first 6 cases of this nature were described 28 years ago. Though this sign could lead to earlier detection of breast cancer in lactating women, it has not been accepted as such by the medical profession. Had the milk-rejection sign been recognized in our cases, breast cancer could have been diagnosed months earlier. We suggest that lactating women should be asked about the nursing habits of their babies and if there is milk-rejection, the breasts should be examined with special care.

[Intestinal obstruction due to lupin phytobezoar in a child].

Phytobezoar is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction in children. A 7-year-old boy was operated on for intestinal obstruction due to a phytobezoar. An exceptionally large amount of Lupin seeds had been eaten a few hours before the onset of pain. lupin seeds have not been documented as a cause of phytobezoar.

Wide local excision as an alternative treatment for periampullary carcinoma.

Wide excision of periampullary carcinoma is associated with low operative morbidity and mortality, but its effect on long-term survival, compared with that of pancreaticoduodenal resection, is controversial. Five patients with periampullary carcinoma were treated with wide local excision as a definitive procedure. There was no operative death, and four patients survived for two or more years following the operation. These patients are presented and the literature is reviewed.